THE Chief Executive of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), Mr Martin Eson-Benjamin, has called for a compelling transformation and competitiveness in the country’s agricultural sector.
“If we do not capture this sector, then we have a problem because agriculture is the vehicle of transformation,” he stated, adding that “what we produce must be of quality and comparable anywhere else in the world, either in the sub-region or in external markets”.
Speaking at a workshop for consultants who are bidding for contracts from MiDA in Accra , Mr Eson-Benjamin said the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Ghana Compact was the answer to Ghana’s development agenda.
Under the compact, the Government of Ghana received a US$547 million from the United States Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to support the country’s agricultural transformation programme.
“The programme has three components, including agriculture, transportation and rural development,” he noted, indicating that the goal was to reduce poverty by raising the income of farmers through a private-sector-led and agri-business development.
The programme, he added, focused in increasing the production and productivity of high-value cash and food staple crops and to enhance their competitiveness in both local and international markets.
According to Mr Eson-Benjamin, under the common theme for the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS I & II) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s), the MCA Ghana Compact was one of the best opportunities Ghana had had since independence to transform the Ghanaian economy, particularly in the rural parts of the country, where at least over 60,000 farmers in 23 countries would be given assistance.
The goal of the compact, he said, was basically to reduce poverty through economic growth by ensuring effective implementation of the three core objectives (agriculture, transportation and rural development) as outlined by MiDA.
Mr Eson-Benjamin attributed one of the key constraints in the agricultural sector to the country’s transportation system, which he said had contributed to the loss in the market value of produce from the sector.
“The poor road system, especially in the rural area, is one of the reasons for the high levels of poverty in Ghana’s rural farming communities,” he added and emphasised that the project sought to reduce the transportation costs, which were affecting agricultural commerce at the sub-regional and regional levels.
The Transportation/Agric Infrastructure Project Manager for MiDA, Mr J. B. Koranteng-Yorke, briefed contractors on the transportation project under the programme, stating that the project sought to remove bottlenecks that hindered increased agricultural production and productivity in the intervention zones, such as the Northern, Southern and Afram Plains zones.
“The objective of the project is to reduce the transportation cost affecting agricultural commerce at the sub-regional and regional levels in order to improve the competitiveness of Ghana’s agricultural producers,” he said.
To ensure this, Koranteng-Yorke revealed that the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange-Mallam Junction would be upgraded, hinting that the work involved the development of the corridor into a three-lane dual carriageway with interchange facilities at Dimple and Mallam Junction.
Aside that, he said two double-ended vehicle/pedestrian ferries would be constructed at landing stages at Adawso and Ekye Amanfrom to allow two ferries to dock at the same time.
“The Floating Dock at Akosombo will also be rehabilitated to enhance the capacity of the Volta Lake Transport Company to do construction, repairs and maintenance of ferries on the lake,” he assured.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
3 Grabbed over kidnapping case
THREE Nigerians have been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police for allegedly kidnapping a South Korean in Accra.
The three suspects, currently in police custody, demanded a ransom of GH¢200,000 from the victim, whose name was given as Park Don Man.
They were arrested at their hideout at the Buduburam Camp upon a tip-off after the victim had managed to escape through a window on February 20, 2009.
The kidnappers have been identified as Peter Ogbolu, 16, Johnbull Agu, 26, and Kenneth Uku, 22.
The Director-General of the CID, DCOP Frank Adu-Poku, who briefed a a section of the media yesterday on the issue, said the victim, who had been in the country for the past four years and was lodging at the Golden Tulip Hotel, received a telephone call from one Mustapha, a Nigerian, who is on the run.
He said Mustapha asked the victim to meet him for an undisclosed business deal at Lapaz and the victim met him there with nine others.
DCOP Adu-Poku explained that the victim was taken to the Buduburam Camp, where his captors locked him up in a room for two weeks until his escape.
According to him, to coerce the victim to pay the ransom, one of his fingers was chopped off with a glass cutter.
DCOP Adu-Poku warned perpetrators of such acts not to take Ghana’s hospitality for granted but conduct themselves in ways that would not bring disrepute to themselves and their countries.
He gave the assurance that the police would painstakingly investigate the matter, after which the suspects would be arraigned, adding that efforts were being made to capture Mustapha and his accomplices.
Caption: From left to right: Kenneth Uku, 22; Johnbull Agu, 26, and Peter Ogbolu, 16.
Government transition team denies allegations
THE government transition team has denied allegations of non-involvement of representatives of the former administration during the transition process and expressed its readiness to make public its reports after submitting it for the attention and consideration of the President.
It said it considered the comments and allegations purported to have been made by the former Chief of Staff, Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, on the work of the team as rather unfortunate and would like to provide Ghanaians with the facts and the context within which they conducted their activities over the last six weeks.
A statement signed by the Secretary to the team, Mr Alex Segbefia, denied the allegations and explained that after receiving the handing-over notes from their counterparts in the previous administration, they made it known to them that they needed some time to thoroughly study the various notes and contact them for further discussions afterwards.
It said because the notes submitted to the government side of the team were not clear, the team sought and obtained additional details from civil servants and heads of various departments and agencies in order to obtain more details.
It, however, explained that these additional information, contained in the reports of the sub-committees, was exactly what the government transition team wanted to discuss with their counterparts in the previous administration.
It said the team from the former administration indicated that they were not ready to do so.
The statement justified the denial, stressing that the participation of their counterparts in the previous administration was not deliberately limited, but where it was possible to obtain the same information from public servants in the ministries, departments and agencies, they had to do so.
“We respect their democratic right to choose how they will engage with the new administration, but we will not take responsibility for the consequences of their choices as we make our conclusions based on the factual information that has been made available to the government transition team,” it stated.
In accordance with laid-down procedures, the statement revealed that the report would be in two parts, including the reports on the situation in the various government ministries, departments and agencies and what the government had to do in order to begin implementing its own programmes and agenda.
The other, it indicated, would be a report on the transition process in order to assist the conduct of future transitions, hinting that, “This task should be the responsibility of the joint transition team. However, should the need arise, the government team will prepare its own report on this matter.”
The statement agreed to the view that fairness was what was required on their side in interpreting and reporting on information received from the previous administration and the recommendations it will make to the President.
It said it was because of this that the government team was desirous of meeting the team from the previous administration to clear outstanding issues to avoid any inaccuracies or doubts.
It said the government team would seek to establish and use credible due process and was ready to conclude its report for the study of the government of President Atta Mills.
The statement said records would clearly show that compared to the treatment meted out by the previous administration when they were in charge of the transition in 2001, the present government’s transition team had behaved with circumspect and decorum.
It recalled that the approach adopted by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the then outgoing officials of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that brought about hardship, harassment and embarrassment which held them up to ridicule and contempt in the public eye.
"Our President was both a victim and an observer of the developments in the first transition exercise and thought through the pain and anguish experienced by his colleagues in 2001," it added.
These actions, the statement said, contributed in a large measure to the tension and polarisation that had characterised Ghanaian politics in the immediate past, noting that “the tension that existed between the two former President’s of this nation can be considered to have its roots in the manner in which the previous administration conducted itself when it came into office”.
It said it considered the comments and allegations purported to have been made by the former Chief of Staff, Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, on the work of the team as rather unfortunate and would like to provide Ghanaians with the facts and the context within which they conducted their activities over the last six weeks.
A statement signed by the Secretary to the team, Mr Alex Segbefia, denied the allegations and explained that after receiving the handing-over notes from their counterparts in the previous administration, they made it known to them that they needed some time to thoroughly study the various notes and contact them for further discussions afterwards.
It said because the notes submitted to the government side of the team were not clear, the team sought and obtained additional details from civil servants and heads of various departments and agencies in order to obtain more details.
It, however, explained that these additional information, contained in the reports of the sub-committees, was exactly what the government transition team wanted to discuss with their counterparts in the previous administration.
It said the team from the former administration indicated that they were not ready to do so.
The statement justified the denial, stressing that the participation of their counterparts in the previous administration was not deliberately limited, but where it was possible to obtain the same information from public servants in the ministries, departments and agencies, they had to do so.
“We respect their democratic right to choose how they will engage with the new administration, but we will not take responsibility for the consequences of their choices as we make our conclusions based on the factual information that has been made available to the government transition team,” it stated.
In accordance with laid-down procedures, the statement revealed that the report would be in two parts, including the reports on the situation in the various government ministries, departments and agencies and what the government had to do in order to begin implementing its own programmes and agenda.
The other, it indicated, would be a report on the transition process in order to assist the conduct of future transitions, hinting that, “This task should be the responsibility of the joint transition team. However, should the need arise, the government team will prepare its own report on this matter.”
The statement agreed to the view that fairness was what was required on their side in interpreting and reporting on information received from the previous administration and the recommendations it will make to the President.
It said it was because of this that the government team was desirous of meeting the team from the previous administration to clear outstanding issues to avoid any inaccuracies or doubts.
It said the government team would seek to establish and use credible due process and was ready to conclude its report for the study of the government of President Atta Mills.
The statement said records would clearly show that compared to the treatment meted out by the previous administration when they were in charge of the transition in 2001, the present government’s transition team had behaved with circumspect and decorum.
It recalled that the approach adopted by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the then outgoing officials of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that brought about hardship, harassment and embarrassment which held them up to ridicule and contempt in the public eye.
"Our President was both a victim and an observer of the developments in the first transition exercise and thought through the pain and anguish experienced by his colleagues in 2001," it added.
These actions, the statement said, contributed in a large measure to the tension and polarisation that had characterised Ghanaian politics in the immediate past, noting that “the tension that existed between the two former President’s of this nation can be considered to have its roots in the manner in which the previous administration conducted itself when it came into office”.
Monday, February 23, 2009
FDB cautions importers
THE Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has cautioned importers against importing energy and soft drinks which have short lifespans to avoid flooding the market with expired products.
The Communications Director of the board, Mr James Yarnie Lartey, told the Daily Graphic that although it was not an offence to sell those products, it was improper for importers to import more than what they could sell.
“It is only an offence when the products have expired and the date has been changed, but apart from that it is a matter of choice because with even a day or two left, the product cannot be said to have expired,” he emphasised.
He, however, urged traders not to expose those products to sunlight because of the effect of heat on consumable products such as energy and soft drinks.
Mr Lartey said it was not advisable to buy products, especially canned ones, that were bloated, dented or rusted because the effects could lead to complications.
He advised the general public to also make sure that they checked the expiry dates on products before buying them.
A fact-finding examination by this reporter in Accra revealed that some energy and soft drinks sold were nearly expired and to clear them from the market they were being sold at very ridiculous prices.
The expiry dates on some of those drinks indicated that some were left with one to two months before they expired.
To clear before the exact dates are due, some drinks that were sold at GH¢2.50 are now sold for GH¢1.50.
Two traders, who gave their names as Mary and Comfort, blamed the importers and wholesalers for that situation, noting that “they intentionally hoard the products and sell them at exorbitant prices but when they realise that the expiry dates are getting closer and we cannot buy them then they reduce them for us so they can import more”.
They appealed to the importers to reduce their prices to enable retailers to sell the drinks before they neared their expiry dates.
The Communications Director of the board, Mr James Yarnie Lartey, told the Daily Graphic that although it was not an offence to sell those products, it was improper for importers to import more than what they could sell.
“It is only an offence when the products have expired and the date has been changed, but apart from that it is a matter of choice because with even a day or two left, the product cannot be said to have expired,” he emphasised.
He, however, urged traders not to expose those products to sunlight because of the effect of heat on consumable products such as energy and soft drinks.
Mr Lartey said it was not advisable to buy products, especially canned ones, that were bloated, dented or rusted because the effects could lead to complications.
He advised the general public to also make sure that they checked the expiry dates on products before buying them.
A fact-finding examination by this reporter in Accra revealed that some energy and soft drinks sold were nearly expired and to clear them from the market they were being sold at very ridiculous prices.
The expiry dates on some of those drinks indicated that some were left with one to two months before they expired.
To clear before the exact dates are due, some drinks that were sold at GH¢2.50 are now sold for GH¢1.50.
Two traders, who gave their names as Mary and Comfort, blamed the importers and wholesalers for that situation, noting that “they intentionally hoard the products and sell them at exorbitant prices but when they realise that the expiry dates are getting closer and we cannot buy them then they reduce them for us so they can import more”.
They appealed to the importers to reduce their prices to enable retailers to sell the drinks before they neared their expiry dates.
Immigration officers asked to overcome temptations
THE Director of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), Ms Elizabeth Adjei, has advised personnel of the service not to allow themselves to be tempted with offers from people.
In addition, she reminded them to remember that they had their personal integrity and credibility to protect.
Speaking at an annual thanksgiving service in Accra, Ms Adjei further urged the personnel to be disciplined and uphold and protect the integrity and credibility of the service.
A gospel singer, Ms Grace Ashie, provided song ministration, with a musical interlude provided by ‘The Migrant’, the GIS band .
Ms Adjei said although the personnel worked in a difficult environment, they should focus on their challenges and develop strategies to overcome them.
She urged the officers to leverage their strength and work towards achieving the national goal by trusting in God.
She thanked God for preserving their families, as well as spearheading the activities of the service successfully during the year and also for guarding the nation through peaceful elections.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic after the thanksgiving service, Ms Adjei gave the assurance that the GIS would maintain a high level of professionalism in its activities to ensure the safety and well-being of all Ghanaians by properly regulating the activities of foreign nationals who visited the country.
“The public should expect a highly disciplined service that can rise to the standards, an efficient system that can carry out its mandate, a system that is fair and balanced in its operations to protect the well-being of all citizens,” she emphasised.
Pastor Stephen Wengman, who delivered the sermon on the theme, “Celebrating the Goodness of the Lord”, advised the personnel to obey their leadership and make individual commitments to stick to their resolutions for the year.
In addition, she reminded them to remember that they had their personal integrity and credibility to protect.
Speaking at an annual thanksgiving service in Accra, Ms Adjei further urged the personnel to be disciplined and uphold and protect the integrity and credibility of the service.
A gospel singer, Ms Grace Ashie, provided song ministration, with a musical interlude provided by ‘The Migrant’, the GIS band .
Ms Adjei said although the personnel worked in a difficult environment, they should focus on their challenges and develop strategies to overcome them.
She urged the officers to leverage their strength and work towards achieving the national goal by trusting in God.
She thanked God for preserving their families, as well as spearheading the activities of the service successfully during the year and also for guarding the nation through peaceful elections.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic after the thanksgiving service, Ms Adjei gave the assurance that the GIS would maintain a high level of professionalism in its activities to ensure the safety and well-being of all Ghanaians by properly regulating the activities of foreign nationals who visited the country.
“The public should expect a highly disciplined service that can rise to the standards, an efficient system that can carry out its mandate, a system that is fair and balanced in its operations to protect the well-being of all citizens,” she emphasised.
Pastor Stephen Wengman, who delivered the sermon on the theme, “Celebrating the Goodness of the Lord”, advised the personnel to obey their leadership and make individual commitments to stick to their resolutions for the year.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Commercialise activities of Cocoa Research Institute
THE New Product and Development Department of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) has appealed to the government to allow the commercialisation of its activities to attract foreign exchange into the country.
That, the department believes, can attract some funds which CRIG will invest in more research, since government funding of the institute is not enough.
The Commercial Manager of CRIG, Mr William Agyapong Quaitteo, made the appeal at the end of a three-day seminar organised by Centuries International as part of events to mark this year’s National Chocolate Day and the Chocolate Festival due in September this year.
“The problem is how to convince the government that it is viable to commercialise our activities because though we do not pay tax as a research institution, we can make money to research into other products,” he stated.
He said its products were well researched into by top scientists and that from proven results it could make money by commercialising its activities to attract consumers internally and externally.
According to him, the products of CRIG had been certified by the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) and all the regulatory bodies in the country but added that government policies, supervised by the Ministry of Finance, did not permit the institute to commercialise its activities.
Mr Quaitteo said the policies stipulated that it should rather research and create the products for private businessmen to invest in and market the products.
Some of its research, he said, concentrated on the use of the by-products of cocoa beans, saying, for instance, that the liquid from cocoa could be processed into fresh cocoa drink, cocoa wine, cocoa brandy, cocoa jam, gin and vinegar, adding that these could be commercialised.
He said the Institute had also produced soap and pomade from cocoa which had been found to be effective for the treatment of stretch marks and wrinkles if applied in moderation.
“Cocoa products have a moisture effect on the skin and do not allow wrinkles to form on the skin. The fat from cocoa has a milder effect on the skin,” he indicated.
Aside from these, he said CRIG, which had three cocoa farms, also offered consultancy services to farmers on what varieties of cocoa to cultivate on their land and also researched into crops such as coffee, cola and cashew.
Reliable national airline needed for hospitality industry
THE Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Golden Beach Hotels (GBH), Mr Yaw Kwarteng, has called on the government to provide a reliable national airline as a potential marketing tool for the hospitality industry in the country.
He said countries that were reaping the maximum benefits from their tourism sectors were doing so because of the contributions of their national airlines and cited Kenya as an example of those countries which had a very big market for tourism.
Mr Kwarteng made the call at an annual awards ceremony organised by GBH for some tour operators who have contributed to the success of the hotels over the last year at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra last Friday.
He said a national airline was symbolic, to the extent that even the inscription “Ghana Airways” on the airline sold the country more than any publicity the country could afford.
Acknowledging the contributions of the tour operators to the operations of the hotels, he said it was impossible for the hospitality industry to work in isolation, especially without tour operators.
"This awards ceremony is in your honour; you contributed in making our business what it is today and we are happy," he said.
To foster a cordial relationship between the hotels and the tour operators, Mr Kwarteng said the hotels were expanding their operations to serve their customers better with new packages, both for tour operators and GBH’s own customers across all three hotels in the group.
For her part, the Marketing Manager of La Palm, Mrs Jean Donkor, attributed the low pace of growth of the hospitality industry to the inability of regulators to create the enabling environment for operators.
She emphasised that some countries in Africa offered free visas particularly to leisure seekers which, to a large extent, helped in the creation of jobs in those countries.
She again said Ghana abound in a lot of tourism potential than most countries that were making it both in the hospitality and the tourism industries.
"We can also develop our country through tourism; others are doing it and we can also do it and better too,” she added.
In the awards itself, Connect World, Land Tours and Sun Seekers went home with various prizes for their contribution to the hotels.
Ghana to host World Tourism Day
GHANA has been nominated by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) to host this year’s International World Tourism Day in September, 2009.
As part of preparations towards the occasion, which seeks to firmly secure Ghana’s position on the world tourism map as a major tourism destination in Africa, an interim committee set up by the Ministry of Tourism has prepared a comprehensive report aimed at spreading the celebration of the event nationwide, on the theme, “Tourism: Celebrating Diversification”.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Mrs Bridget Katsriku, who made this known in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with stakeholders in the industry would among others things organise tours, exhibitions and a grand durbar of chiefs and the general public to climax the occasion in Kumasi.
She said to ensure that the event was well strategised by the ministry and stakeholders, the UNWTO Secretary General, Mr Francessco Fragialli, was in the country yesterday to discuss the challenges, and how prepared Ghana was to host the event.
According to her, the Secretary General, who met the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, was on a West Africa tour and had been to Cote d’Ivoire, Benin and Senegal.
“He was in the country to take stock of Ghana’s relationship with the UNWTO and to also discuss the new initiative, Sustainable Tourism for the Elimination of Poverty (STEP) programme introduced by the organisation in Ghana,” she stated.
The programme, she disclosed, was introduced in 2003 by the UNWTO after the world summit on sustainable development held in South Africa in 2001.
Mrs Katsriku explained that the programme was geared towards using tourism as a tool to alleviate poverty in developing countries, particularly in Africa.
“In Ghana, the STEP programme had started in the Western and Northern regions where communities are participating in Tourism development through capacity building of members of the community,” she added.
She pointed out that through the programme wealth would be created in the selected communities through the establishment of linkages between entrepreneurs in communities and stakeholders in the tourism industry.
The Chief Director further explained that fishermen or fishmongers for instance would be assisted to supply fresh fish to hotels and restaurants without intermediaries, thereby encouraging them to work harder.
As part of preparations towards the occasion, which seeks to firmly secure Ghana’s position on the world tourism map as a major tourism destination in Africa, an interim committee set up by the Ministry of Tourism has prepared a comprehensive report aimed at spreading the celebration of the event nationwide, on the theme, “Tourism: Celebrating Diversification”.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Mrs Bridget Katsriku, who made this known in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with stakeholders in the industry would among others things organise tours, exhibitions and a grand durbar of chiefs and the general public to climax the occasion in Kumasi.
She said to ensure that the event was well strategised by the ministry and stakeholders, the UNWTO Secretary General, Mr Francessco Fragialli, was in the country yesterday to discuss the challenges, and how prepared Ghana was to host the event.
According to her, the Secretary General, who met the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, was on a West Africa tour and had been to Cote d’Ivoire, Benin and Senegal.
“He was in the country to take stock of Ghana’s relationship with the UNWTO and to also discuss the new initiative, Sustainable Tourism for the Elimination of Poverty (STEP) programme introduced by the organisation in Ghana,” she stated.
The programme, she disclosed, was introduced in 2003 by the UNWTO after the world summit on sustainable development held in South Africa in 2001.
Mrs Katsriku explained that the programme was geared towards using tourism as a tool to alleviate poverty in developing countries, particularly in Africa.
“In Ghana, the STEP programme had started in the Western and Northern regions where communities are participating in Tourism development through capacity building of members of the community,” she added.
She pointed out that through the programme wealth would be created in the selected communities through the establishment of linkages between entrepreneurs in communities and stakeholders in the tourism industry.
The Chief Director further explained that fishermen or fishmongers for instance would be assisted to supply fresh fish to hotels and restaurants without intermediaries, thereby encouraging them to work harder.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Nkrumah Memorial needs repair works
THE Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, which houses the personal properties of the country’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, is said to be in need of major repair works.
According to the Director of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, Mr Kwaku Manu-Asiamah, the ceiling of the museum where the former President’s personal items are kept has developed cracks putting the items there at risk.
Some of the items that stand the risk of being destroyed in the event of a downpour are the Presidential Desk used by the former President at the Flag Staff House, a dressing mirror he used at Lincoln University, collections of his photographs with other prominent world leaders, copies of his books, a stool and walking sticks.
Mr Manu-Asiamah, who raised the issues in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, said the park was poorly resourced and apart from the cracks in the ceiling of the museum, funds were needed to carry out major maintenance works to beautify the place for the forthcoming Independence Day celebration and the centenary celebration of Dr Nkrumah’s birth, which falls on September 21, this year.
He lamented that the park had not undergone any major renovation since its was officially opened on July 1, 1992.
"The panelling in the museum leaks when it rains, it is outmoded and we hope government would assist us to put in place proper roofing to ensure safety of the items," he stated, and pointed out that the floor of the museum had also developed cracks, which had been covered with a carpet in order not to expose them.
Other major maintenance works, he noted, included the rehabilitation of old electrical systems at the park, provision of boreholes to serve as sources of water for the park, which basically runs on water for recreation, and the training of curators, publicity and adverts to rekindle public interest in the park.
At the mausoleum also are the remains of the late President and his wife, Fathia Nkrumah.
"The management is also handicapped because we do not have even one vehicle to run errands for maintenance," he stated, and indicated that the park, one of the first port of call for most foreign visitors, received an annual average of 60,000 visitors and that the number could increase with better publicity.
Mr Quao announced that under the auspices of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture, the management and staff of the Memorial Park would organise a public lecture on March 4, 2009 at the Arts Centre in Accra as part of the awareness creation.
He said the lecture, under the chairmanship of Mr K. B Asante, a retired diplomat and educationist, would be presented by Dr Kwesi Jonah, a senior lecturer from the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon, on the theme, "Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah at 100: Celebrating the Life and Legacies of a Pan-African Legend".
Other activities earmarked to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, he noted, included a candle-light vigil on the eve of February 24, the day he was overthrown.
On March 5, there shall be the re-enactment of the declaration of independence while on April 27, there shall be a wreath-laying ceremony at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.
On June 11, the eve of the founding of the CPP, there shall be a candle-light vigil while a press conference has been scheduled for Republic Day, 1st July.
On August 1, there shall be the commemoration of the Kulungugu bomb while in September, there is expected to be the 2009 edition of the three-day annual Kwame Nkrumah Memorial public lectures.
Also, on the night of September 20, there shall be a candle-light vigil at Nkroful and in December, there shall be reflections on the life of Dr Nkrumah, and individuals who knew and worked with him are expected to give their accounts of the country’s first President.
Caption: (Second & third pix) The front view of the museum containing the belongings of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President.
Three arrested for human trafficking
THREE Chinese, suspected to be members of a West African human trafficking ring, have been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police in Accra.
The Chinese, a man, his wife and his younger brother, were picked up at their hideout at a hotel at La in Accra for their alleged involvement in the act across the West coast of Africa.
They were arrested last Saturday, together with seven of their victims, also Chinese nationals, and are currently in police custody.
They have been identified as James Xu Jin, 41, said to be the ringleader, Chow Xiou Ying, Xu Jin’s wife, and Sam Shan Zifan, the younger brother of Xu Jin.
The Director-General of the CID, DCOP Frank Adu-Poku, who briefed the Daily Graphic yesterday on the issue, said the suspects operated a prostitution syndicate in countries including Ghana, Togo and Nigeria, with Ghana as their distribution point.
He said for some time now the Human Trafficking Unit of the CID had carried out a series of investigations and one of them led to the arrest of the suspects.
DCOP Adu-Poku said the suspects would be arraigned and charged with the offence under Section 2 of the Human Trafficking Act 694 of 2005 which frowns on human trafficking in any form.
He said the unit had observed that some foreign nationals were abusing the Ghanaian hospitality by trafficking their own compatriots for prostitution.
He, therefore, cautioned all foreign nationals in Ghana to be mindful of the sort of activities they engaged in because “Ghana is not a haven for criminal activities”, noting that some foreign nationals often rent houses and engage themselves in all sort of dubious activities in the country.
He said the trafickers often engaged the girls, aged between 15 and 19, to white clients in hotels.
He pointed out that the suspects could not have operated for almost six months now without the support of some Ghanaians.
To that effect, he said the police were still investigating to establish whether the suspects were in league with some Ghanaians or not.
He said the exercise had been routine since the time they organised a swoop at Soldier Bar, a drinking spot at Kwame Nkrumah Circle and they would not cease until it had been reduced to its bearest minimum.
He said the operations would not had been successful without the assistance from Anas.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas told the Daily Graphic in an interview that he had been undercover for six months now to uncover the syndicate.
“I tried to obtain hard-core evidence that suggests that the girls were being exploited across the West African Sub-region”, he stated and indicated that, to establish that fact, he had to befriend a lady who worked in the rented apartment of the traffickers.
“It was a platonic relationship, that enabled me to get access to the house which no black person had access to except foreigners. I observed the place very well and documented all the all the information I needed by audio and video tape recording”, he disclosed and noted that to also establish the fact the money was changing hands in the trade, he needed evidence.
“To obtain evidence, I became a bar tender in seven different hotels, here in Accra, monitoring their activities, and whilst a bar tender, I got an expatriate friend who decided to play along”, he said.
Together with the expatriate friend, Anas said they contacted the traffickers with an intention to purchase one of the girls, who were sold at $6,000 each and filmed the whole process as evidence.
He explained that the girls were brought into the country with visitors permits of six months and when their permits expired they were taken to either Togo or Nigeria where they had another six months to do business, before returning to Ghana after securing another permit.
“They were arrested with $14,000 being last weeks pay, and some of the items found on them included, vibrators, performance drugs, and other sex toys”, he stated.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Lecturer highlights health benefits of cocoa consumption
VARIOUS researches conducted on the health benefits of cocoa have revealed that the consumption of pure cocoa with no additives by pregnant women increases the intelligent quotient (IQ) of infants.
The researches also established that cocoa, which has a high percentage of magnesium content, if consumed in moderation, reduces the risk of diabetes and some heart diseases.
A senior lecturer and Head of the Anatomy Department of the University of Ghana Medical School at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Professor Frederick K. Addai, who made this known at a cocoa and chocolate Forum in Accra yesterday, enumerated some of the health benefits of cocoa, the country’s major foreign exchange earner.
The forum was part of a three-day seminar organised by Centuries International as part of celebrations to mark this year’s National Chocolate Day which falls today and the Chocolate Festival due in September this year.
“Cocoa gives you brain power and prevents you from getting stroke. It reduces blood pressure in an average of six weeks. The nutrients in natural cocoa powder prevents malaria parasites from transmitting the disease to humans. It is also good for asthmatic patients,” Prof Addai stated, and pointed out specifically that the spread of malaria, which was collapsing the national economy, could be reduced by encouraging the consumption of pure cocoa or chocolate in moderation.
After 15 years of consumption of cocoa and research into the health benefits of the crop, Prof Addai said he was convinced that regular consumption of chocolate was rather good for the teeth and promoted the production of insulin which helped in digestion.
“The smaller the amount of cocoa in chocolate, the less helpful’ the more it is in chocolate, the better,” he stated, and observed that to derive the health benefits from cocoa or chocolate, one needed to take it every day in moderation because over consumption could also negate the benefits.
He said Japan, the highest consumer of cocoa products, for example, had done a lot of research into the medicinal benefits of cocoa and had known for a long time that cocoa slowed down the ageing process by preventing the red blood cells from clotting.
Prof Addai further disclosed that the consumption of cocoa also improved the sexual performance of both males and females and reduced the pre and post-menstrual tension in women, as well as post-menopausal syndrome.
A director at the Ministry of Tourism, Mr Emmanuel V. Hagan, also discussed some strategies in using cocoa and chocolate that travelling and tour guide operators could resort to in attracting tourists into the country.
“We are sitting on a gold mine,” he stated, and noted that tourists should not be attracted into the country to have a look at only slave castles but also cocoa farms and some of the processes the cocoa beans went through before they were exported.
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee of Centuries International, Mr Stephen Dzilah, gave a brief history of Tetteh Quarshie who brought cocoa to Ghana and the nutritional benefits and values of cocoa to the Ghanaian economy.
He said as part of an expansion project by Centuries International, which produces various products from cocoa, about 100 people would be sent abroad to undergo some training and later be brought back to occupy key positions in some factories the company intended setting up across the country.
The researches also established that cocoa, which has a high percentage of magnesium content, if consumed in moderation, reduces the risk of diabetes and some heart diseases.
A senior lecturer and Head of the Anatomy Department of the University of Ghana Medical School at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Professor Frederick K. Addai, who made this known at a cocoa and chocolate Forum in Accra yesterday, enumerated some of the health benefits of cocoa, the country’s major foreign exchange earner.
The forum was part of a three-day seminar organised by Centuries International as part of celebrations to mark this year’s National Chocolate Day which falls today and the Chocolate Festival due in September this year.
“Cocoa gives you brain power and prevents you from getting stroke. It reduces blood pressure in an average of six weeks. The nutrients in natural cocoa powder prevents malaria parasites from transmitting the disease to humans. It is also good for asthmatic patients,” Prof Addai stated, and pointed out specifically that the spread of malaria, which was collapsing the national economy, could be reduced by encouraging the consumption of pure cocoa or chocolate in moderation.
After 15 years of consumption of cocoa and research into the health benefits of the crop, Prof Addai said he was convinced that regular consumption of chocolate was rather good for the teeth and promoted the production of insulin which helped in digestion.
“The smaller the amount of cocoa in chocolate, the less helpful’ the more it is in chocolate, the better,” he stated, and observed that to derive the health benefits from cocoa or chocolate, one needed to take it every day in moderation because over consumption could also negate the benefits.
He said Japan, the highest consumer of cocoa products, for example, had done a lot of research into the medicinal benefits of cocoa and had known for a long time that cocoa slowed down the ageing process by preventing the red blood cells from clotting.
Prof Addai further disclosed that the consumption of cocoa also improved the sexual performance of both males and females and reduced the pre and post-menstrual tension in women, as well as post-menopausal syndrome.
A director at the Ministry of Tourism, Mr Emmanuel V. Hagan, also discussed some strategies in using cocoa and chocolate that travelling and tour guide operators could resort to in attracting tourists into the country.
“We are sitting on a gold mine,” he stated, and noted that tourists should not be attracted into the country to have a look at only slave castles but also cocoa farms and some of the processes the cocoa beans went through before they were exported.
The Executive Vice-Chairman of the Planning Committee of Centuries International, Mr Stephen Dzilah, gave a brief history of Tetteh Quarshie who brought cocoa to Ghana and the nutritional benefits and values of cocoa to the Ghanaian economy.
He said as part of an expansion project by Centuries International, which produces various products from cocoa, about 100 people would be sent abroad to undergo some training and later be brought back to occupy key positions in some factories the company intended setting up across the country.
Monday, February 9, 2009
“Energy Drinks” can cause diabetes - Medical officer
Concentrated carbohydrate beverages popularly referred to as “Energy Drinks” have been found to be contributing to the high rate of diabetes in the country.
These drinks, according to Dr Francis Ofei, a medical doctor at the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, have high calories that increase one’s risk of being diagnosed with diabetes.
Speaking on the theme of General Emergency Care, but specifically on the topic of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Adults (DKA), Dr Ofei said DKA was one of the commonest causes of death among diabetic patients in Ghana.
“We are supposed to be eating wisely and properly. Instead of eating three times daily we could eat once, with all the essential nutrients in the diet,” he argued.
He also warned that new developments in youth culture were affecting their health and pointed out that most Ghanaians in general, if tested, could be found to be positive candidates of type-two diabetes.
Habits like the use of cocaine and processed milk for young infants, he indicated, were other causes of diabetes.
He cited the problem of urine tract infection as one major cause of diabetes and described some symptoms associated with diabetes as chest and abdominal pains, loss of breath, fever, infections, vomiting and dehydration.
Dr Ofei, therefore, advised doctors, particularly surgeons, to always check the insulin content or sugar levels of patients before they perform surgery on them, in order to avoid complications afterwards.
“We need to change our attitudes towards modern emergency care in Ghana,” he stated, and urged that “everything you do, you do with caution and backed with knowledge,”
He recommended treatment through regular intake of insulin via an IV drip, regular medication and appropriate monitoring of blood and urine test results to check for the balancing of glucose levels in patients.
These drinks, according to Dr Francis Ofei, a medical doctor at the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, have high calories that increase one’s risk of being diagnosed with diabetes.
Speaking on the theme of General Emergency Care, but specifically on the topic of Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Adults (DKA), Dr Ofei said DKA was one of the commonest causes of death among diabetic patients in Ghana.
“We are supposed to be eating wisely and properly. Instead of eating three times daily we could eat once, with all the essential nutrients in the diet,” he argued.
He also warned that new developments in youth culture were affecting their health and pointed out that most Ghanaians in general, if tested, could be found to be positive candidates of type-two diabetes.
Habits like the use of cocaine and processed milk for young infants, he indicated, were other causes of diabetes.
He cited the problem of urine tract infection as one major cause of diabetes and described some symptoms associated with diabetes as chest and abdominal pains, loss of breath, fever, infections, vomiting and dehydration.
Dr Ofei, therefore, advised doctors, particularly surgeons, to always check the insulin content or sugar levels of patients before they perform surgery on them, in order to avoid complications afterwards.
“We need to change our attitudes towards modern emergency care in Ghana,” he stated, and urged that “everything you do, you do with caution and backed with knowledge,”
He recommended treatment through regular intake of insulin via an IV drip, regular medication and appropriate monitoring of blood and urine test results to check for the balancing of glucose levels in patients.
Knocking Children's heads has health implications
Parents and teachers have been warned that the practice of knocking the heads of children as punishment could lead to the children becoming epileptic later in life.
Dr Albert K. Akpalu of the Department of Medicine at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital gave the warning when he spoke on the theme, “General Emergency Care”, at a symposium organised by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) in Accra yesterday.
He said results from various researches conducted on rats and mice had shown that when children were knocked on the head, they could, after a “later period”, develop epilepsy.
He, therefore, advised parents to desist from the practice and urged doctors to also help reduce or change the stigmatisation associated with epilepsy.
He said universal belief systems seemed to indicate that seizures were contagious and could spread through saliva, urine and faeces.
Dr Akpalu said others also believed that psychological and physical disability could lead to epilepsy but pointed out that those beliefs were all false because there were real symptoms of epilepsy.
Some of the symptoms, he indicated, were panic attacks, aggressive outbursts, hysterical seizures, movement disorders, migraine and sleeping disorders.
Professor Gladys Amponsah, the Chairperson for the event and member of the GMA, said whatever the cause of convulsion, there was the need to prevent brain damage, which was often the effect of epileptic seizures.
The symposium, she said, was to educate participants and health practitioners to help improve patient management in hospitals.
“It is important to educate health professionals on new or best practices in the profession as time goes on,” she stated, and urged all the participants to take particular interest in the presentations and discussions.
Dr Albert K. Akpalu of the Department of Medicine at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital gave the warning when he spoke on the theme, “General Emergency Care”, at a symposium organised by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) in Accra yesterday.
He said results from various researches conducted on rats and mice had shown that when children were knocked on the head, they could, after a “later period”, develop epilepsy.
He, therefore, advised parents to desist from the practice and urged doctors to also help reduce or change the stigmatisation associated with epilepsy.
He said universal belief systems seemed to indicate that seizures were contagious and could spread through saliva, urine and faeces.
Dr Akpalu said others also believed that psychological and physical disability could lead to epilepsy but pointed out that those beliefs were all false because there were real symptoms of epilepsy.
Some of the symptoms, he indicated, were panic attacks, aggressive outbursts, hysterical seizures, movement disorders, migraine and sleeping disorders.
Professor Gladys Amponsah, the Chairperson for the event and member of the GMA, said whatever the cause of convulsion, there was the need to prevent brain damage, which was often the effect of epileptic seizures.
The symposium, she said, was to educate participants and health practitioners to help improve patient management in hospitals.
“It is important to educate health professionals on new or best practices in the profession as time goes on,” she stated, and urged all the participants to take particular interest in the presentations and discussions.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Ghana is in safe hands — Gen Quainoo
a former General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Ghana Armed Forces, General Arnold Quainoo, has noted that President John Atta Mills has put the nation in safe hands with the calibre of men he has appointed to form the national security team.
He said the selection of the security heads was so far the most appropriate to meet the security challenges facing the country.
Gen Quainoo was referring to the appointment of Brigadier-General Joseph Nunoo-Mensah (retd) as the National Security Adviser; Lt Col Larry Gbevlo-Lartey as the acting National Security Co-ordinator and Mr Yaw Donkor as the acting Director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) at a training programme on conflict resolution for some security personnel in Accra yesterday.
He described the three as men of proven record and integrity, hardworking and result-oriented, having himself worked with them in the past, adding that they were brilliant and fine gentlemen.
Asked if he had expected to play any of those roles, he replied in the affirmative, saying, “Anybody who worked hard for the NDC to come back to power certainly expects to be given an appointment.”
He added, however, that as a member of the Council of State, he would bring the totality of his experience to bear on the council.
Gen Quainoo, who is also the Executive Director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution (CENCOR), said enough had not been done on peace-building in Ghana and the sub-region.
He said too much attention had been given to peace-keeping, to the neglect of peace-making and peace-building, which he saw as essential elements in restoring peace in areas of conflict.
The objective of training for conflict resolution, he said, was to facilitate the promotion of peace in Ghana and the West-African sub-region in general, stating that many years on the crisis in Congo still prevailed and would exist until an appropriate alternative in resolving the conflict was adopted.
He explained that based on his experiences in Congo and Liberia, he had realised that although it would take a lot of time, Ghanaians and Africans in general could solve their own problems without foreign intervention, hence his resolve to set up CENCOR to spearhead that agenda.
He stressed the need to involve more women in the peace processes and further urged that the art or skill of peace-making and peace-building should be taught in schools.
That, he said, was because enough had not been done on peace education, and, therefore, suggested that all government and non-governmental institutions which contributed towards peace-building should co-ordinate their efforts in educating the populace on the essence of peace.
A resource person for Mediators Beyond Borders (MBB) and CENCOR, Mr Allan E. Gross, said resorting to alternative dispute resolution was the best approach to reducing the number of litigation in court.
He said that approach was generally effective in cultural clashes or ethnic disputes because through mediation the parties themselves self-determine an amicable solution to their dispute.
He said the selection of the security heads was so far the most appropriate to meet the security challenges facing the country.
Gen Quainoo was referring to the appointment of Brigadier-General Joseph Nunoo-Mensah (retd) as the National Security Adviser; Lt Col Larry Gbevlo-Lartey as the acting National Security Co-ordinator and Mr Yaw Donkor as the acting Director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) at a training programme on conflict resolution for some security personnel in Accra yesterday.
He described the three as men of proven record and integrity, hardworking and result-oriented, having himself worked with them in the past, adding that they were brilliant and fine gentlemen.
Asked if he had expected to play any of those roles, he replied in the affirmative, saying, “Anybody who worked hard for the NDC to come back to power certainly expects to be given an appointment.”
He added, however, that as a member of the Council of State, he would bring the totality of his experience to bear on the council.
Gen Quainoo, who is also the Executive Director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution (CENCOR), said enough had not been done on peace-building in Ghana and the sub-region.
He said too much attention had been given to peace-keeping, to the neglect of peace-making and peace-building, which he saw as essential elements in restoring peace in areas of conflict.
The objective of training for conflict resolution, he said, was to facilitate the promotion of peace in Ghana and the West-African sub-region in general, stating that many years on the crisis in Congo still prevailed and would exist until an appropriate alternative in resolving the conflict was adopted.
He explained that based on his experiences in Congo and Liberia, he had realised that although it would take a lot of time, Ghanaians and Africans in general could solve their own problems without foreign intervention, hence his resolve to set up CENCOR to spearhead that agenda.
He stressed the need to involve more women in the peace processes and further urged that the art or skill of peace-making and peace-building should be taught in schools.
That, he said, was because enough had not been done on peace education, and, therefore, suggested that all government and non-governmental institutions which contributed towards peace-building should co-ordinate their efforts in educating the populace on the essence of peace.
A resource person for Mediators Beyond Borders (MBB) and CENCOR, Mr Allan E. Gross, said resorting to alternative dispute resolution was the best approach to reducing the number of litigation in court.
He said that approach was generally effective in cultural clashes or ethnic disputes because through mediation the parties themselves self-determine an amicable solution to their dispute.
‘Oil revenue must be properly managed’
THE country’s anticipated revenue from oil for its development agenda can be jeopardised if the sector is not properly managed, some potential investors have cautioned.
They say if Ghana is not careful, anticipated revenue from the sector which is in its semi-foundation stage, may be misappropriated, as has happened in some West African countries, and will dash the hopes of Ghanaians who may be hoping for higher living standards as a result of the oil find.
The investors most of whom were members of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce-Ghana (CCC-G) expressed this caution at a meeting in Accra.
Mr Gabriel Osatey, the Chief Geophysicist of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), who addressed the meeting on the theme, “Positioning Oneself to Benefit From Ghana’s Oil/Gas Industry”, urged Ghanaians to embrace the challenges in the sector and position themselves to take advantage of opportunities as the industry spearheads infrastructural and technological advancement in Ghana.
“The infrastructural set-ups in the oil/gas industry and the country as a whole require high skilled labour”, he stated and indicated that the country’s oil find could be beneficial to Ghanaians only if the resource was well protected and the revenue utilised judiciously.
“There will be the need for skilled local labour in areas such as welding and working on rigs”, he stated, pointing out that as enshrined in the petroleum agreements with investors, Ghanaians would be trained to fit into as many of the jobs to be generated as possible.
Mr Osatey named some of the current challenges as unpredictable development costs due to rapid fluctuation of oil prices, inadequate port facilities at the main operational base in Takoradi to handle heavy equipment and materials for oilfield operations and minimal airline services between Accra and Takoradi to facilitate fast mobility of personnel.
He identified other constraints as the non-existence of a civilian airbase in Takoradi to handle extended oilfield operations, tight rig market around the world, with few service companies in Ghana to facilitate work.
For phase one of the Jubilee field development, he said the field would be developed in phases, with the first volume of oil to be produced by the fourth quarter of 2010, and the full phase development expected to be executed by the end of 2012.
“For this phase, about 17 wells will be drilled in all, with eight gas/water injection wells and nine production wells, to produce about 120,000 barrels of oil daily.
Considering the outlook and prospects for Ghana in the utilisation of its gas, Mr Osatey cited the development of a gas infrastructure both onshore and offshore which would be given high priority independent of the Jubilee field development.
On the utilisation of the country’s oil for national industrial and human resource developments, he said the oil industry could generate a host of other industries and therefore urged Ghanaians to position themselves to partner with service companies in the provision of oilfield-related services.
In the area of industrial and infrastructural development, he said the Takoradi port was being expanded and positioned to cater for the oil and other industries in the western part of the country.
An alternative, he added, was to build a dedicated quay west of Takoradi for oil operations in order to take the anticipated pressure off the Sekondi Naval Base and a private initiative aerodrome to cater for air and helicopter services in Takoradi for hydrocarbon operations.
That, he noted, would minimise the anticipated air travel-related pressures at the Takoradi Air Force Base.
Other sectors of the economy that need to be boosted, Mr Osatey said, would include the construction of roads and railways for transportation of goods and services, the expansion of medical facilities and medical schools and the development of estates and hotels.
Aside from these there would be the need for the expansion and establishment of engineering and technical institutes, as well as the training of personnel in the service industries to meet the challenges of the oil future of Ghana.
They say if Ghana is not careful, anticipated revenue from the sector which is in its semi-foundation stage, may be misappropriated, as has happened in some West African countries, and will dash the hopes of Ghanaians who may be hoping for higher living standards as a result of the oil find.
The investors most of whom were members of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce-Ghana (CCC-G) expressed this caution at a meeting in Accra.
Mr Gabriel Osatey, the Chief Geophysicist of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), who addressed the meeting on the theme, “Positioning Oneself to Benefit From Ghana’s Oil/Gas Industry”, urged Ghanaians to embrace the challenges in the sector and position themselves to take advantage of opportunities as the industry spearheads infrastructural and technological advancement in Ghana.
“The infrastructural set-ups in the oil/gas industry and the country as a whole require high skilled labour”, he stated and indicated that the country’s oil find could be beneficial to Ghanaians only if the resource was well protected and the revenue utilised judiciously.
“There will be the need for skilled local labour in areas such as welding and working on rigs”, he stated, pointing out that as enshrined in the petroleum agreements with investors, Ghanaians would be trained to fit into as many of the jobs to be generated as possible.
Mr Osatey named some of the current challenges as unpredictable development costs due to rapid fluctuation of oil prices, inadequate port facilities at the main operational base in Takoradi to handle heavy equipment and materials for oilfield operations and minimal airline services between Accra and Takoradi to facilitate fast mobility of personnel.
He identified other constraints as the non-existence of a civilian airbase in Takoradi to handle extended oilfield operations, tight rig market around the world, with few service companies in Ghana to facilitate work.
For phase one of the Jubilee field development, he said the field would be developed in phases, with the first volume of oil to be produced by the fourth quarter of 2010, and the full phase development expected to be executed by the end of 2012.
“For this phase, about 17 wells will be drilled in all, with eight gas/water injection wells and nine production wells, to produce about 120,000 barrels of oil daily.
Considering the outlook and prospects for Ghana in the utilisation of its gas, Mr Osatey cited the development of a gas infrastructure both onshore and offshore which would be given high priority independent of the Jubilee field development.
On the utilisation of the country’s oil for national industrial and human resource developments, he said the oil industry could generate a host of other industries and therefore urged Ghanaians to position themselves to partner with service companies in the provision of oilfield-related services.
In the area of industrial and infrastructural development, he said the Takoradi port was being expanded and positioned to cater for the oil and other industries in the western part of the country.
An alternative, he added, was to build a dedicated quay west of Takoradi for oil operations in order to take the anticipated pressure off the Sekondi Naval Base and a private initiative aerodrome to cater for air and helicopter services in Takoradi for hydrocarbon operations.
That, he noted, would minimise the anticipated air travel-related pressures at the Takoradi Air Force Base.
Other sectors of the economy that need to be boosted, Mr Osatey said, would include the construction of roads and railways for transportation of goods and services, the expansion of medical facilities and medical schools and the development of estates and hotels.
Aside from these there would be the need for the expansion and establishment of engineering and technical institutes, as well as the training of personnel in the service industries to meet the challenges of the oil future of Ghana.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
CJA petition against ex-presidents’ ex gratia
MEMBERS of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), a pressure group, yesterday staged a demonstration through some principal streets of Accra to demand a review of the retirement package recommended by the Chinery-Hesse Committee for ex-Presidents and other public officials.
The members, dressed in red and white apparels, converged on the Freedom and Justice Park at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle before hitting the streets at 9 a.m.
They walked from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle amidst singing and dancing through the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, the Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), the Ministries and finally to the Castle, Osu, where they presented a petition to the President.
The Chief of Staff, Mr John Henry Martey Newman, received the petition on behalf of President John Atta Mills.
The members held placards some of which read: Our MPs have failed us; Kufuor wants to chop nyafu nyafu; The abaa for Rawlings, the same for Kufuor; and President Mills, make Ghana corruption-free”. A big banner read: CJA against greedy Presidential Benefit: Ye’Ntumi Ntua.
A contingent of policemen from the Accra Regional Police Command provided security for the demonstrators who restricted themselves to the routes outlined by the police.
The National Convenor of the CJA, Mr Kwesi Adu, who presented the petition, said the CJA was deeply concerned that in the face of the poor state of the national economy and the high levels of poverty among the vast majority of the people, the Chinery-Hesse Committee had recommended such high levels of emoluments and retirement benefits for some categories of public office holders.
The package, he said, would cost the nation several trillions of cedis at a time when resources were needed to cater for the needs of the people, such as good health, education, jobs and potable water.
“We of the CJA believe that public service must not become a self-serving exercise designed to feather the nest of the elite. On the contrary, public office holders must serve the interest and meet the aspirations of the people,” he stated, and expressed hope that the President would give consideration to the petition as a demonstration of his commitment to the principles of equity and prudence in the allocation of public resources.
Mr Newman assured the CJA that President Mills, who believed in accountability and good governance, would, in his good judgement, address the concerns raised in the petition accordingly within the confines of the law.
The CJA, in its petition, appealed to the President “not to implement the Chinery-Hesse Report, set up a committee to review the report with a view to recommending reasonable retirement benefits for public officials, including ex-Presidents Kufuor and Jerry John Rawlings”.
It also called on the President “to submit the approved report to Parliament for consideration and to institute a broad framework for pay and benefits for public officers for the long term”.
A leading member of the CJA, Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr, thanked the police for their support and co-operation in the course of the demonstration.
The members, dressed in red and white apparels, converged on the Freedom and Justice Park at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle before hitting the streets at 9 a.m.
They walked from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle amidst singing and dancing through the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, the Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC), the Ministries and finally to the Castle, Osu, where they presented a petition to the President.
The Chief of Staff, Mr John Henry Martey Newman, received the petition on behalf of President John Atta Mills.
The members held placards some of which read: Our MPs have failed us; Kufuor wants to chop nyafu nyafu; The abaa for Rawlings, the same for Kufuor; and President Mills, make Ghana corruption-free”. A big banner read: CJA against greedy Presidential Benefit: Ye’Ntumi Ntua.
A contingent of policemen from the Accra Regional Police Command provided security for the demonstrators who restricted themselves to the routes outlined by the police.
The National Convenor of the CJA, Mr Kwesi Adu, who presented the petition, said the CJA was deeply concerned that in the face of the poor state of the national economy and the high levels of poverty among the vast majority of the people, the Chinery-Hesse Committee had recommended such high levels of emoluments and retirement benefits for some categories of public office holders.
The package, he said, would cost the nation several trillions of cedis at a time when resources were needed to cater for the needs of the people, such as good health, education, jobs and potable water.
“We of the CJA believe that public service must not become a self-serving exercise designed to feather the nest of the elite. On the contrary, public office holders must serve the interest and meet the aspirations of the people,” he stated, and expressed hope that the President would give consideration to the petition as a demonstration of his commitment to the principles of equity and prudence in the allocation of public resources.
Mr Newman assured the CJA that President Mills, who believed in accountability and good governance, would, in his good judgement, address the concerns raised in the petition accordingly within the confines of the law.
The CJA, in its petition, appealed to the President “not to implement the Chinery-Hesse Report, set up a committee to review the report with a view to recommending reasonable retirement benefits for public officials, including ex-Presidents Kufuor and Jerry John Rawlings”.
It also called on the President “to submit the approved report to Parliament for consideration and to institute a broad framework for pay and benefits for public officers for the long term”.
A leading member of the CJA, Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr, thanked the police for their support and co-operation in the course of the demonstration.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
NPP supporters sure of victory in 2012
A Number of New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters have expressed optimism about the chances of the party winning political power in 2012.
They said the party had enough time to strategise effectively in order to defeat the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2012 with a wide margin.
They said, considering the difference of votes between the two parties in the just-ended 2008 election, NPP stood a better of chance winning the 2012 Election.
Whilst some blamed the hierarchy of the party for its loss in the general election on December 7, 2008 and the run-off on December 28, 2008, others were of the view that the probability of the party returning to power was higher.
This, they explained, was because it would be difficult for the NDC to surpass the eight years achievement of the NPP, let alone fulfil the promises made by President John Evans Atta Mills to Ghanaians during the 2008 Election.
Mr Jonathan Apraku, a mechanic at Kokompe, said he was fully aware that it would not be easy for the NPP to come back to power, but with hard work and determination, it would win back political power in 2012.
He urged leaders of the party to reach out to the youth and listen to their concerns, recalling that in the 2008 elections, the leaders did not listen to them.
He said the leadership of the party took things for granted, believing that winning the 2008 Election was a foregone conclusion, no matter what happened, hence they refused to address some of the concerns they raised.
Another supporter, Kwesi Asiedu, said he believed the leaders of the party would certainly strategise well to ensure a comeback in 2012, noting that, considering the policies and achievements of the NPP administration, he was sure the NDC would underperform, and that would lead to their exit.
Three traders, all supporters of the NPP — Akosua Ankomah, Gifty Boamah and Hajia Tabasiru —who were engaged in a heated argument about their party's chances of returning to power, said they were sure of a “onetouch” victory for the party come 2012.
They said if the NDC ensured fairness in 2012 as the NPP had done, then victory would be theirs, and pointed to the fact that President Mills was not a man of his own, with regard to recent attack on his authority and credibility by the former President Jerry John Rawlings.
“President Mills can not perform under the watchful eyes of the former President Rawlings, and we believe that that will make Ghanaians vote him out come next four years,” they said.
Dominic Asare, another supporter, said the NPP had learnt its lessons and would not repeat its mistakes again.
He said the leaders of the party refused to campaign in so many places, thinking it was not necessary, noting that if the party had even campaigned at Tain after the run-off, the Electoral Commission would have had a hard time deciding who the winner was, based on the closeness of the percentage difference.
“For me, I think victory will be ours come 2012, but for now, we are watching whether Prof. Mills will deliver on his promises, which I believe are unachievable,” he added.
They said the party had enough time to strategise effectively in order to defeat the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2012 with a wide margin.
They said, considering the difference of votes between the two parties in the just-ended 2008 election, NPP stood a better of chance winning the 2012 Election.
Whilst some blamed the hierarchy of the party for its loss in the general election on December 7, 2008 and the run-off on December 28, 2008, others were of the view that the probability of the party returning to power was higher.
This, they explained, was because it would be difficult for the NDC to surpass the eight years achievement of the NPP, let alone fulfil the promises made by President John Evans Atta Mills to Ghanaians during the 2008 Election.
Mr Jonathan Apraku, a mechanic at Kokompe, said he was fully aware that it would not be easy for the NPP to come back to power, but with hard work and determination, it would win back political power in 2012.
He urged leaders of the party to reach out to the youth and listen to their concerns, recalling that in the 2008 elections, the leaders did not listen to them.
He said the leadership of the party took things for granted, believing that winning the 2008 Election was a foregone conclusion, no matter what happened, hence they refused to address some of the concerns they raised.
Another supporter, Kwesi Asiedu, said he believed the leaders of the party would certainly strategise well to ensure a comeback in 2012, noting that, considering the policies and achievements of the NPP administration, he was sure the NDC would underperform, and that would lead to their exit.
Three traders, all supporters of the NPP — Akosua Ankomah, Gifty Boamah and Hajia Tabasiru —who were engaged in a heated argument about their party's chances of returning to power, said they were sure of a “onetouch” victory for the party come 2012.
They said if the NDC ensured fairness in 2012 as the NPP had done, then victory would be theirs, and pointed to the fact that President Mills was not a man of his own, with regard to recent attack on his authority and credibility by the former President Jerry John Rawlings.
“President Mills can not perform under the watchful eyes of the former President Rawlings, and we believe that that will make Ghanaians vote him out come next four years,” they said.
Dominic Asare, another supporter, said the NPP had learnt its lessons and would not repeat its mistakes again.
He said the leaders of the party refused to campaign in so many places, thinking it was not necessary, noting that if the party had even campaigned at Tain after the run-off, the Electoral Commission would have had a hard time deciding who the winner was, based on the closeness of the percentage difference.
“For me, I think victory will be ours come 2012, but for now, we are watching whether Prof. Mills will deliver on his promises, which I believe are unachievable,” he added.
Monday, February 2, 2009
34 Drug peddlers arrested in Nima
THE Nima police, in a joint operation with neighbourhood watch committees in Nima and Maamobi, have arrested 34 suspected drug peddlers and users.
Quantities of substances believed to be Indian hemp were retrieved from the suspects who were arrested in areas, such as the Nima Roundabout, Kanda Highway, Maamobi and Pig Farm at the weekend.
The Nima Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Andrew Awuni, told the Daily Graphic that the suspects would be screened and the guilty would be arraigned before court .
Meanwhile, the Nima police have arrested about 35 mobile phone hawkers at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
The exercise was part of efforts to carry out the President’s promise of reducing armed robbery in his first 100 days in office .
ACP Awuni said some miscreants in Nima believed the change in government was an opportunity for them to misbehave and had been threatening the neighbourhood watch Committees.
“A change in government does not mean time to misbehave”, he warned, pointing out that those found to have threatened any member of the watch committees would also face prosecution.
Presently, he said, the crime rate in Nima, considered to be a high crime area, had reduced to about 50 per cent, noting that unlike previously when one could not walk without being in fear, residents could now move freely about even at night.
He commended the two watch committees for being relentless in their effort to support the police in reducing the crime rate in Nima and its surrounding communities.
"We would entreat all neighbourhood watch committees across the country to assist the police in fighting crime in their neighbourhoods", he said, and appealed to the general public not to hesitate to give the police to to enhance their work.
The exercise, he pointed out, would not end till the crime rate in the country had been totally minimised.
Quantities of substances believed to be Indian hemp were retrieved from the suspects who were arrested in areas, such as the Nima Roundabout, Kanda Highway, Maamobi and Pig Farm at the weekend.
The Nima Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Andrew Awuni, told the Daily Graphic that the suspects would be screened and the guilty would be arraigned before court .
Meanwhile, the Nima police have arrested about 35 mobile phone hawkers at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
The exercise was part of efforts to carry out the President’s promise of reducing armed robbery in his first 100 days in office .
ACP Awuni said some miscreants in Nima believed the change in government was an opportunity for them to misbehave and had been threatening the neighbourhood watch Committees.
“A change in government does not mean time to misbehave”, he warned, pointing out that those found to have threatened any member of the watch committees would also face prosecution.
Presently, he said, the crime rate in Nima, considered to be a high crime area, had reduced to about 50 per cent, noting that unlike previously when one could not walk without being in fear, residents could now move freely about even at night.
He commended the two watch committees for being relentless in their effort to support the police in reducing the crime rate in Nima and its surrounding communities.
"We would entreat all neighbourhood watch committees across the country to assist the police in fighting crime in their neighbourhoods", he said, and appealed to the general public not to hesitate to give the police to to enhance their work.
The exercise, he pointed out, would not end till the crime rate in the country had been totally minimised.
Encourage outgrower fishing ...farmers, fishermen association urges govt
THE Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF) has recommended to the government to encourage the establishment of outgrower fish farming across the country to supplement the production of fish in the country, in view of the serious depletion of the country’s fish stock by pair trawlers.
Mr Charles K. Annan, the Executive Secretary of GNAFF, told the Daily Graphic that the fishing stocks of Ghana, both marine and freshwater, were reducing at an unprecedented rate because of year-long bad practice.
He said as the country’s fish stock continued to dwindle with corresponding low income for fishermen there was the need for an alternative approach to both marine and freshwater fishing.
He said apart from the practice of pair trawling by foreign vessels, which he said was now out of hand, the pressure being exerted by local fishermen on the country's fish stock for survival, contributed to the depletion.
Mr Annan suggested catfish and tilapia for freshwater fishers and shrimps and lobster for marine fishing, adding that in both cases, farming could be done in cages that would be placed in freshwater, for the farming of catfish and tilapia, and for marine fishers who would be farming lobsters and shrimps, this would be done in onshore tanks in these tanks, with water from the sea.
According to him, beneficiary fishers would receive training in fish farming over a period of up to four weeks, following which they would receive rearing cages and tanks, rearing stock, feeding and technical support.
The rearing of seafood, he pointed out, would provide fishers with alternative income, and the incentive to allow especially the marine fish stock to rejuvenate.
"Above all, it would create a whole new industry that has tremendous export earning potential for the Ghanaian economy," he stated.
Mr Charles K. Annan, the Executive Secretary of GNAFF, told the Daily Graphic that the fishing stocks of Ghana, both marine and freshwater, were reducing at an unprecedented rate because of year-long bad practice.
He said as the country’s fish stock continued to dwindle with corresponding low income for fishermen there was the need for an alternative approach to both marine and freshwater fishing.
He said apart from the practice of pair trawling by foreign vessels, which he said was now out of hand, the pressure being exerted by local fishermen on the country's fish stock for survival, contributed to the depletion.
Mr Annan suggested catfish and tilapia for freshwater fishers and shrimps and lobster for marine fishing, adding that in both cases, farming could be done in cages that would be placed in freshwater, for the farming of catfish and tilapia, and for marine fishers who would be farming lobsters and shrimps, this would be done in onshore tanks in these tanks, with water from the sea.
According to him, beneficiary fishers would receive training in fish farming over a period of up to four weeks, following which they would receive rearing cages and tanks, rearing stock, feeding and technical support.
The rearing of seafood, he pointed out, would provide fishers with alternative income, and the incentive to allow especially the marine fish stock to rejuvenate.
"Above all, it would create a whole new industry that has tremendous export earning potential for the Ghanaian economy," he stated.
‘Help smoke out quack architects’
THE President of the Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA), Mr William Evans-Anfom, has appealed to the public to assist the institute in identifying quack architects who deceive prospective clients with the authorisation of professional architects.
He said it was against the law for one to use the title of an architect if one had not been certified as a professional architect.
Mr Evans-Anfom was speaking at the institute’s annual general meeting in Accra and said the Architects Registration Council in collaboration with GIA had put together a monitoring committee and would depend on members of the public to help them identify some of the quacks in the system and prosecute them because lives could be at stake if the right people were not engaged in the construction of buildings.
He disclosed that from the findings of a research conducted with the support of the Business and Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) fund, the GIA was ready to deal with some of the problems and constraints on building regulations in the country and pointed out that some people out of ignorance often built without the appropriate permit.
The main problem, he disclosed, was with the monitoring and enforcement of building and planning regulations, noting that though regulations existed, their enforcement often suffered from political interference in the work of the Town and Country Planning authorities, under-staffing and lack of capacity building of staff.
A member of the institute, Ms Josephine Akoto-Bamfo, who took the audience through some of the research findings on the theme, “Addressing the adverse impact of non-enforcement of building and development controls”, said a lot of building permits were pending at district offices across the country because Municipal & District Chief Executives (MDCEs) had not had time to approve them.
She said the officials to approve them were either engaged in political activities or on some personal activities rendering them too busy to attend to approving the permits.
She recommended the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the approval of permits and urged the government to set up a development court to prosecute offenders of building regulations in the country.
He said it was against the law for one to use the title of an architect if one had not been certified as a professional architect.
Mr Evans-Anfom was speaking at the institute’s annual general meeting in Accra and said the Architects Registration Council in collaboration with GIA had put together a monitoring committee and would depend on members of the public to help them identify some of the quacks in the system and prosecute them because lives could be at stake if the right people were not engaged in the construction of buildings.
He disclosed that from the findings of a research conducted with the support of the Business and Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) fund, the GIA was ready to deal with some of the problems and constraints on building regulations in the country and pointed out that some people out of ignorance often built without the appropriate permit.
The main problem, he disclosed, was with the monitoring and enforcement of building and planning regulations, noting that though regulations existed, their enforcement often suffered from political interference in the work of the Town and Country Planning authorities, under-staffing and lack of capacity building of staff.
A member of the institute, Ms Josephine Akoto-Bamfo, who took the audience through some of the research findings on the theme, “Addressing the adverse impact of non-enforcement of building and development controls”, said a lot of building permits were pending at district offices across the country because Municipal & District Chief Executives (MDCEs) had not had time to approve them.
She said the officials to approve them were either engaged in political activities or on some personal activities rendering them too busy to attend to approving the permits.
She recommended the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the approval of permits and urged the government to set up a development court to prosecute offenders of building regulations in the country.
Rotary Club of Accra-Labone renovates ward
THE Rotary Club of Accra-Labone has handed over the newly refurbished Children’s Ward of the Nsawam Government Hospital to officials in charge of the facility.
The rehabilitation of the ward costs the club about GH¢4,800.
Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, Mrs Nana Yaa Sereboe, the President of the club, said the club committed itself to improving facilities at the ward, when members first visited the hospital in 2006 to present some items to the in-patients.
She said they realised that the ward was in a poor state and the conditions were not good for the babies, hence their resolve to adopt it and maintain it.
Mrs Sereboe promised that the club, which was a voluntary organisation, was prepared to partner the hospital to address some of their numerous problems, in line with their dedicated and voluntary services .
The Administrator of the Hospital, Mr Julius B. Kuusaalesuo, lauded the initiative, which he said was in the right direction in achieving one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality by 2015.
He, therefore, expressed hope that the rehabilitation of the ward would help them address some of their challenges.
Mr Kuusaalesuo disclosed that even the only incubator at the hospital was not working, as a result, they always referred cases to the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
The rehabilitation of the ward costs the club about GH¢4,800.
Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, Mrs Nana Yaa Sereboe, the President of the club, said the club committed itself to improving facilities at the ward, when members first visited the hospital in 2006 to present some items to the in-patients.
She said they realised that the ward was in a poor state and the conditions were not good for the babies, hence their resolve to adopt it and maintain it.
Mrs Sereboe promised that the club, which was a voluntary organisation, was prepared to partner the hospital to address some of their numerous problems, in line with their dedicated and voluntary services .
The Administrator of the Hospital, Mr Julius B. Kuusaalesuo, lauded the initiative, which he said was in the right direction in achieving one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality by 2015.
He, therefore, expressed hope that the rehabilitation of the ward would help them address some of their challenges.
Mr Kuusaalesuo disclosed that even the only incubator at the hospital was not working, as a result, they always referred cases to the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
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