A Five-member research team led by a member of the Flemish Parliament in Belgium, Mr Rudi Daems, has expressed concern about the importation of old electronic equipment from Belgium to Ghana and the West-African sub-region as a whole.
The team, after two years of intensive research on the health and environmental effect of these goods, generally referred to as ‘e-waste’ in Africa and Asia, is calling on the Ghanaian government to ensure that foreign governments and stakeholders strictly comply with regulatory frameworks such as the Basel Convention on hazardous and other wastes that Ghana acceded to on May 30, 2003, and other directives by the European Union on electronic goods.
Mr Daems, who expressed this concern at a press conference in Accra, said the Basel Convention and these directives specified that the exportation of electronic goods from developed to developing countries could be done only on condition that they could be re-used or easily recycled.
He said Ghana had agreed to the importation of electronic goods out of Europe, however it had not ensured strict adherence of these agreements by the European Commission.
The purpose of his visit, he said, was also to convince public opinion and political leaders in Belgium/Europe that it was unacceptable for Western countries to allow the exportation of illegal goods to developing countries.
“There is not enough control in European harbours. That is why I will make a resolution for the Belgian and Flemish Parliament to stop the export of e-waste to developing countries by strengthening the inspection power in European harbours,” he stated, and pointed out that his aim was not to stop the importation of second-hand goods to Africa and Asia but the conditions had to be that the goods were 100 per cent re-usable and could be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.
According to him, he and his crew did some research with the help of the Belgian Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and managed to trace some illegal containers leaving the harbour of Antwerp in Belgium towards the Tema harbour in Ghana.
“A few containers were stopped and sent back to the producer in Germany but other containers with ‘suspect’ content were not stopped because the vessel had already left the harbour when official documents were delivered to customs and the Belgian EPA,” he stated.
He disclosed that in total, 13 containers designated as ‘suspect’ arrived at the Tema Container Terminal and the MPS Terminal at the Tema Harbour.
Apparently, he said officials of the shipping company, MSC Suez, refused to attend a container inspection when their vessels, Julie Delmas and MSC Suez arrived in Tema on Sunday January 24, 2009.
He said the Customs and the EPA in Ghana had the authority to open these suspected containers without the consent of the shipping company (MSC Suez) as it happened in European harbours and therefore was calling on Customs in Ghana to also strengthen its inspection power, and hoped that the government of Ghana would swiftly act on the situation by sending back some containers with illegal e-waste to Europe.
That, he said, would be a strong symbolic statement to all countries in Europe.
Mr Deams, however, disclosed that the importation of these goods was legally forbidden if they could not be re-used as second-hand goods, noting that the basis for these legislation was that most electronic goods contained toxic materials that when burnt set free dioxins that were extremely dangerous to human health.
He explained that the Basel Convention on hazardous and other waste regulated the transboundary movement of these waste applying what he called the “Prior Informed Consent” procedure, which obliged every member country to ensure that hazardous wastes were managed and deposited in an environmentally sound manner.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Gbese factions told to observe peace
THE Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has appealed to the two factions in the Gbese chieftaincy dispute to observe the peace until all issues pending at the courts are determined.
Consequently, it said, the police had been instructed to ensure the maintenance of peace and security in the area.
A release issued in Accra by the REGSEC and signed by the Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council, Mr F.T. Nartey, advised members of the feuding parties and the police not to act in a way that would undermine the security in the area.
Earlier, the Nii Ayi-Bonte faction had accused the James Town District Police Commander, Supt E. K. Asare, of supporting the Nii Okaidja III faction.
But in his reaction, Supt Asare denied the allegations levelled against him and said he was only performing his traditional role as a policeman.
He said nothing would influence him to compromise his neutrality as a public official, and noted that a police patrol team had been temporarily stationed at Gbese to maintain law and order.
He said upon a tip-off that the Nii Okaidja III faction were wielding guns and offensive weapons, his men went there and were able to retrieve eight empty shells of cartridges at the scene of the clash but they found no weapons during their search.
Supt Asare said one of the victims, Mr Charles Lamptey, who sustained gunshot wounds after the clash, reported at the station and he was issued with a police medical report form to attend hospital for treatment and report back for further investigations.
“On Friday January 23, 2009, Mr Lamptey, who is a Fire Service worker stationed at Winneba and a native of Gbese, returned his medical report form and led the police to Gbese where he identified three suspects believed to be supporters of Nii Okaidja III, as his assailants,” he added.
Subsequently, he said, the three were arrested and on January 24, 2009, Mr Lamptey identified Alex Aryee as the person who shot him when an identification parade was organised at the James Town Police Station.
He said Aryee had, however, been charged and would soon be arraigned.
Supt. Asare said apart from the report by Mr Lamptey, no one else had reported to them concerning the clash.
He said after the arrest, the police went to the area the following day and realised that more people sustained gunshot wounds but they had not reported to the police.
He said the police conducted a search at the Gbese Mantse’s Palace, which was alleged to have some ammunitions concealed there, but no weapon was found.
Supt. Asare said checks were also conducted on some vehicles that were alleged to be carrying weapons but again nothing was found in them.
He also said a search was conducted on the premises of the three suspects but no weapons were found.
Consequently, it said, the police had been instructed to ensure the maintenance of peace and security in the area.
A release issued in Accra by the REGSEC and signed by the Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council, Mr F.T. Nartey, advised members of the feuding parties and the police not to act in a way that would undermine the security in the area.
Earlier, the Nii Ayi-Bonte faction had accused the James Town District Police Commander, Supt E. K. Asare, of supporting the Nii Okaidja III faction.
But in his reaction, Supt Asare denied the allegations levelled against him and said he was only performing his traditional role as a policeman.
He said nothing would influence him to compromise his neutrality as a public official, and noted that a police patrol team had been temporarily stationed at Gbese to maintain law and order.
He said upon a tip-off that the Nii Okaidja III faction were wielding guns and offensive weapons, his men went there and were able to retrieve eight empty shells of cartridges at the scene of the clash but they found no weapons during their search.
Supt Asare said one of the victims, Mr Charles Lamptey, who sustained gunshot wounds after the clash, reported at the station and he was issued with a police medical report form to attend hospital for treatment and report back for further investigations.
“On Friday January 23, 2009, Mr Lamptey, who is a Fire Service worker stationed at Winneba and a native of Gbese, returned his medical report form and led the police to Gbese where he identified three suspects believed to be supporters of Nii Okaidja III, as his assailants,” he added.
Subsequently, he said, the three were arrested and on January 24, 2009, Mr Lamptey identified Alex Aryee as the person who shot him when an identification parade was organised at the James Town Police Station.
He said Aryee had, however, been charged and would soon be arraigned.
Supt. Asare said apart from the report by Mr Lamptey, no one else had reported to them concerning the clash.
He said after the arrest, the police went to the area the following day and realised that more people sustained gunshot wounds but they had not reported to the police.
He said the police conducted a search at the Gbese Mantse’s Palace, which was alleged to have some ammunitions concealed there, but no weapon was found.
Supt. Asare said checks were also conducted on some vehicles that were alleged to be carrying weapons but again nothing was found in them.
He also said a search was conducted on the premises of the three suspects but no weapons were found.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Damaged dams still not repaired
Most of the dams which collapsed in the three northern regions as a result of the heavy rains which displaced more than 300,000 residents some two years ago have still not been reconstructed, Mr Sylvester Adongo, the Northern Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), has disclosed.
Speaking at the first public screening of “Water is Life”, a documentary by the German Development Co-operation (GTZ) and MOFA on the rehabilitation project, he said the situation, which badly affected the farms of residents, resulting in shortage of food, had still not been properly addressed.
He said with this year’s rainy season a few months away, residents of the affected regions, with assistance from GTZ and other donor partners, had taken it upon themselves to rehabilitate the collapsed dams which were built at the time of the country’s independence, to avoid another disastrous flooding.
He said from the European Emergency Relief Fund of 800,OOO euros, only 18 dams had been rehabilitated, with over 60 yet to undergo manual rehabilitation under the “Food for Work” programme by GTZ.
Mr Adongo said there were over 500 dams in the three northern regions, most of whom had stood the test of time but were now wasting away because of exposure to natural forces.
He said the people realised that they could not rely solely on the government for support and, therefore, took it upon themselves, with assistance from the donor partners, to repair the collapsed dams to discourage the migration of the people down south for greener pastures.
“The national budget does not go that far and some of these residents, mostly farmers, have been waiting for years for repairs to be done on the dams, which they use for the irrigation of their crops and as drinking water for their cattle,” he added.
The Country Director of GTZ, Dr Fred Brandl, said the GTZ assisted the people in the transfer of knowledge and helped in building stone bridges which it believed lasted longer than the concrete bridges built by machines.
He said the project was an all-inclusive one which involved at least one person from each affected family, with each family benefiting from relief under the “Food for Work” programme to ensure food security in the region.
Speaking at the first public screening of “Water is Life”, a documentary by the German Development Co-operation (GTZ) and MOFA on the rehabilitation project, he said the situation, which badly affected the farms of residents, resulting in shortage of food, had still not been properly addressed.
He said with this year’s rainy season a few months away, residents of the affected regions, with assistance from GTZ and other donor partners, had taken it upon themselves to rehabilitate the collapsed dams which were built at the time of the country’s independence, to avoid another disastrous flooding.
He said from the European Emergency Relief Fund of 800,OOO euros, only 18 dams had been rehabilitated, with over 60 yet to undergo manual rehabilitation under the “Food for Work” programme by GTZ.
Mr Adongo said there were over 500 dams in the three northern regions, most of whom had stood the test of time but were now wasting away because of exposure to natural forces.
He said the people realised that they could not rely solely on the government for support and, therefore, took it upon themselves, with assistance from the donor partners, to repair the collapsed dams to discourage the migration of the people down south for greener pastures.
“The national budget does not go that far and some of these residents, mostly farmers, have been waiting for years for repairs to be done on the dams, which they use for the irrigation of their crops and as drinking water for their cattle,” he added.
The Country Director of GTZ, Dr Fred Brandl, said the GTZ assisted the people in the transfer of knowledge and helped in building stone bridges which it believed lasted longer than the concrete bridges built by machines.
He said the project was an all-inclusive one which involved at least one person from each affected family, with each family benefiting from relief under the “Food for Work” programme to ensure food security in the region.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
‘Mr Muscle’ makes comeback
SC Johnsons, producers of liquid detergents and disinfectants, has relaunched “Mr Muscle", a home cleaning detergent after it has improved the formula and the packaging.
The product, which has three different specifications, has been chemically composed to respond to the peculiar needs of its Ghanaian clients. It has been designed to deal with tough cleaning chores in bathrooms, toilets and the kitchen, the company said.
The Marketing Director of SC Johnsons, Mrs Doris Kwawukume, in an address, said the new product was based on research on the cleaning needs and habits of Ghanaians and the problems associated with them.
The findings, she said, indicated that majority of Ghanaians did not want to spend more time cleaning their homes.
“As a consumer-oriented company, this gave us an indication of what offerings to make to our consumers," she stated.
Mrs Kwawukume said their research laboratory was then commissioned to come up with toilet, kitchen and bathroom cleaners that offered Ghanaians a solution to their cleaning needs as well as meeting their pockets.
“From bathroom to kitchen, windows to floors, hard surfaces to soft, this is a world where difficult cleaning problems require tough measures and Mr Muscle provides a wide range of products at a range of prices to do the right job,” she said.
The Brands Manager of SC Johnson, Ms Hafsa-Rimatha Arthur, said the relaunch of Mr Muscle was to establish SC Johnson as the most comprehensive answer to all household cleaning problems in the country.
The product, which has three different specifications, has been chemically composed to respond to the peculiar needs of its Ghanaian clients. It has been designed to deal with tough cleaning chores in bathrooms, toilets and the kitchen, the company said.
The Marketing Director of SC Johnsons, Mrs Doris Kwawukume, in an address, said the new product was based on research on the cleaning needs and habits of Ghanaians and the problems associated with them.
The findings, she said, indicated that majority of Ghanaians did not want to spend more time cleaning their homes.
“As a consumer-oriented company, this gave us an indication of what offerings to make to our consumers," she stated.
Mrs Kwawukume said their research laboratory was then commissioned to come up with toilet, kitchen and bathroom cleaners that offered Ghanaians a solution to their cleaning needs as well as meeting their pockets.
“From bathroom to kitchen, windows to floors, hard surfaces to soft, this is a world where difficult cleaning problems require tough measures and Mr Muscle provides a wide range of products at a range of prices to do the right job,” she said.
The Brands Manager of SC Johnson, Ms Hafsa-Rimatha Arthur, said the relaunch of Mr Muscle was to establish SC Johnson as the most comprehensive answer to all household cleaning problems in the country.
KNUST, Cape Vars, others to represent Ghana
FOUR universities in Ghana will represent the country at the Zain Africa Challenge Championship Festival to be held in Kampala, Uganda, from February 13 to 23, 2009.
They are the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University of Cape Coast (UCC), the Valley View University (VVU), and the University for Development Studies (UDS).
The four emerged winners out of the eight competing universities in a national tournament in which contestants answered questions on basic knowledge, including science, literature, history, religion, social science, fine art, sports, general knowledge, as well as current events.
The universities form part of 32 teams from eight African countries who will compete in a gruelling 12-week challenge for the ultimate prize of $50,000 for the winning university and $5,000 for the student contestants. These are part of Zain’s $1,000,000 total investment in cash, educational grants and teaching materials.
According to the Public & Communications Manager of Zain Ghana, Ms Carmen Bruce-Annan, the event was an indication of the organisation’s commitment to its corporate social responsibility to improve the standard of education wherever it operated. She urged the contestants to let the rest of Africa see Ghana’s rich educational system, adding that with Zain’s support, she was sure they would stand up to the task and deliver.
The Event Liaison for KNUST, Dr Peggy Oti-Boateng, said the challenge had taught them a lot and was hopeful that with her formidable team she was sure they would lift the ultimate prize.
Dr Daniel Ganu, the Liaison for VVU, said his students had prepared very well and had high expectations after going through two straight wins in the national tourney.
Each of the four contestants from the four other universities who could not make it to the finals received a consolation prize of GH¢120, along with their liaisons and coaches, while each institution got $1,000 grant in teaching aids.
They are the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), the University of Cape Coast (UCC), the Valley View University (VVU), and the University for Development Studies (UDS).
The four emerged winners out of the eight competing universities in a national tournament in which contestants answered questions on basic knowledge, including science, literature, history, religion, social science, fine art, sports, general knowledge, as well as current events.
The universities form part of 32 teams from eight African countries who will compete in a gruelling 12-week challenge for the ultimate prize of $50,000 for the winning university and $5,000 for the student contestants. These are part of Zain’s $1,000,000 total investment in cash, educational grants and teaching materials.
According to the Public & Communications Manager of Zain Ghana, Ms Carmen Bruce-Annan, the event was an indication of the organisation’s commitment to its corporate social responsibility to improve the standard of education wherever it operated. She urged the contestants to let the rest of Africa see Ghana’s rich educational system, adding that with Zain’s support, she was sure they would stand up to the task and deliver.
The Event Liaison for KNUST, Dr Peggy Oti-Boateng, said the challenge had taught them a lot and was hopeful that with her formidable team she was sure they would lift the ultimate prize.
Dr Daniel Ganu, the Liaison for VVU, said his students had prepared very well and had high expectations after going through two straight wins in the national tourney.
Each of the four contestants from the four other universities who could not make it to the finals received a consolation prize of GH¢120, along with their liaisons and coaches, while each institution got $1,000 grant in teaching aids.
African-American Medical team in Ghana to explore areas of collaboration
AN African-American medical team from the United States of America is to partner the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GCPS) to improve on healthcare delivery in the country.
The partnership, according to the team, would serve as an intervention to the problem of brain drain, which they noted had an increasing impact on developing countries, including Ghana.
This was announced when a five-member delegation from the National Medical Association (NMA), a global health initiative, held a meeting with the leadership of the GCPS in Accra yesterday.
According to the team, the partnership would enhance relations with physicians, surgeons and affiliated organisations in Ghana in the upgrading of healthcare specialists.
The assistance, according to Ms Carolyn Barley Britton, a medical doctor and associate professor at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, was part of the NMA’s global initiative to provide medical expertise for physicians and medical students in Africa.
“The NMA believes that the current state of health care in Africa requires the same kind of response that motivated African-American physicians more than 100 years ago to get organised and fight for equality, justice and timely access to medical care,” she said.
She disclosed that the medical team would share materials from the NMA’s consortium of US-based medical schools and professional organisations to serve as a learning mechanism for health institutions that were not familiar with the needs of the developing world.
The collaboration would further provide opportunities for US physicians to learn more about Ghana and its people and the diseases that were more prevalent in Africa and also provide physicians from Ghana access to new technologies and innovations to supplement their training, she added.
The President of GCPS, Professor Ofosu-Amoah, took the team through the history of Ghana’s medical schools, their challenges and achievements up to the present.
He said since the establishment of a medical school at the University of Ghana, Legon, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the country had not looked back.
Prof Ofosu-Amoah recalled that a survey conducted some time ago indicated that about 90 per cent of trained healthcare specialists were concentrated in two regions in Ghana, adding that to reverse that trend, the college was keen on training specialists to assist regional and district hospitals in the remaining eight regions.
The Director of the college, Professor Paul Nyame, said the college had adopted a step-wise approach where specialists received training for three to four years and could afterwards upgrade their skills, depending on their areas of specialisation.
He said what the college needed was adequate infrastructure and teaching materials and he expressed the belief that through the assistance, all Ghanaians, irrespective of their status, could benefit from quality and affordable healthcare services.
The partnership, according to the team, would serve as an intervention to the problem of brain drain, which they noted had an increasing impact on developing countries, including Ghana.
This was announced when a five-member delegation from the National Medical Association (NMA), a global health initiative, held a meeting with the leadership of the GCPS in Accra yesterday.
According to the team, the partnership would enhance relations with physicians, surgeons and affiliated organisations in Ghana in the upgrading of healthcare specialists.
The assistance, according to Ms Carolyn Barley Britton, a medical doctor and associate professor at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, was part of the NMA’s global initiative to provide medical expertise for physicians and medical students in Africa.
“The NMA believes that the current state of health care in Africa requires the same kind of response that motivated African-American physicians more than 100 years ago to get organised and fight for equality, justice and timely access to medical care,” she said.
She disclosed that the medical team would share materials from the NMA’s consortium of US-based medical schools and professional organisations to serve as a learning mechanism for health institutions that were not familiar with the needs of the developing world.
The collaboration would further provide opportunities for US physicians to learn more about Ghana and its people and the diseases that were more prevalent in Africa and also provide physicians from Ghana access to new technologies and innovations to supplement their training, she added.
The President of GCPS, Professor Ofosu-Amoah, took the team through the history of Ghana’s medical schools, their challenges and achievements up to the present.
He said since the establishment of a medical school at the University of Ghana, Legon, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the country had not looked back.
Prof Ofosu-Amoah recalled that a survey conducted some time ago indicated that about 90 per cent of trained healthcare specialists were concentrated in two regions in Ghana, adding that to reverse that trend, the college was keen on training specialists to assist regional and district hospitals in the remaining eight regions.
The Director of the college, Professor Paul Nyame, said the college had adopted a step-wise approach where specialists received training for three to four years and could afterwards upgrade their skills, depending on their areas of specialisation.
He said what the college needed was adequate infrastructure and teaching materials and he expressed the belief that through the assistance, all Ghanaians, irrespective of their status, could benefit from quality and affordable healthcare services.
15 suspected drug dealers nabbed
THE Police yesterday announced the arrest of 15 suspected drug dealers in their various hideouts in Accra and vowed to carry out President Mills’s promise to curb all forms of crime.
Quantities of substances suspected to be cocaine and Indian hemp were also seized in the operation launched by the Inspector General of Police, Mr P. K. Acheampong, to deal with crimes in the country.
The arrests followed a meeting of the top hierarchy of the Police Administration and regional, divisional and unit commanders on Thursday, January 23, 2009.
At the meeting, the IGP charged all regional, divisional and unit commanders to intensify day and night patrols and engage in snap checks and other intelligence related methods of combating crime.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Director of Police Public Affairs, Deputy Superintendent of Police Kwesi Ofori, said to ensure efficiency in their operations they had to revise their operational strategy and inject dynamism into it.
“To fight this menace, all the commanders had to conduct intelligence-led operations in their areas of jurisdiction, and as much as possible try to earn public support in their activities”, he disclosed, and cited some of the areas where arrests were made as, Avenor, Adabraka, Kwame Nkrumah Circle and Alajo.
DSP Ofori said the exercise would continue until violence and drug related crimes were reduced to the barest minimum.
He said the seized drugs would be sent to the Police Forensic Laboratory for examination and pointed out that those arrested would be investigated and put before court after appropriate charges had been preferred against them.
He also appealed to members of the general public with information that can assist the police to arrest hardened criminals and wanted persons to call the Police Information Room on 021-773906 or 021-773900.
Other contacts in parts of Accra, are Accra-West- 021-303638, Darkuman- 021-221131; Korle-Bu- 021-664 249, Tesano-021-228111, Airport- 500975, Kwabenya -021-402999 and Tema Regional Information Room- 022-202936 or 022-202855.
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