The government and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) yesterday donated building materials worth GH¢38,000 and seed capital of GH¢10,000 for the reconstruction of the Kantamanto Market, which was destroyed by fire last Monday.
The building materials comprised 3,000 pieces of roofing sheets and 800 bags of cement.
The first donation of 1,000 pieces of roofing sheets, 300 bags of cement and GH¢10,000 was presented by Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, on behalf of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the party’s presidential aspirant, for the establishment of a revolving fund,
Dr Bawumia said the revolving fund, to be called Odofopa Fund, would be used to grant credit facilities to the traders who have lost their goods to enable them to re-start their businesses.
He said the fund would be increased from time to time to ensure that all the affected traders who contributed significantly to the country’s economy could continue to contribute their quota and not be left to their plight as had been the case in the past.
The government delegation which was led by the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, and included the Minister of the Interior, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, made a donation of 500 bags of cement and 2,000 (100 packets) pieces of roofing sheets to the victims who number about 623, according to a spokesman.
Receiving the items on behalf of the traders, Mr Kwaku Danso, Chairman of the Kantamanto Youth Association, appealed to Ghanaians, especially the business community who have dealings with the traders at Kantamanto, to come to their aid.
He said what the traders needed urgently are sand and stones to rebuild their stores and that the traders would require 3,115 bags of cement and more than 4,200 pieces of roofing sheets to enable them to rebuild the market.
He said those mostly affected were cloth sellers, shoes and school uniforms sellers who had experienced three fire outbreaks in the past six years and the seed money and building materials were going to cushion them against the losses they had incurred over the years.
Mr Danso said after the three outbreaks, no political party or philanthropist came to their aid and paid tribute to the ruling government for their support and sympathy.
Mr Danso also appealed to the Department of Urban Roads and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) which collected taxes from the traders to rehabilitate the road in front of the Kantamanto Market instead of waiting for the unfortunate to happen before coming to their rescue.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION HOLDS OUTREACH PROGRAMME (PAGE 32)
THE Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG) undertook a medical outreach programme in Accra at the weekend to assure Ghanaians that locally manufactured drugs are free from health hazards.
As part of the outreach programme, doctors and nurses from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital administered treatment to 997 sick people at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.
Some of the ailments of common occurrence that the doctors treated included worms infestation, hypertension, stomach ache, fever and chicken pox.
Dr Michael Agyekum Addo, the Chief Executive of Kama Industries and President of PMAG, said the association had contributed drugs worth GH¢2,500 for the outreach programme.
He said the pharmaceutical companies in the country were using very modern machines and their drugs were being manufactured under the best hygienic conditions which could be verified by the regulatory authorities.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to disabuse their minds of the notion that imported drugs were safer and more potent than locally manufactured ones.
He explained that what was more assuring was that local drug manufacturing companies could be sued for compensation when something untoward happened to patients after taking any of the locally manufactured drugs, while foreign manufacturers could not be sued because they could not be easily traced.
He said the association employed more than 5,000 workers in the pharmaceutical industries.
He said Ghana and Nigeria had formed the West African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (WAPMA) to pool resources to service the huge regional market, since, apart from the two countries, the other countries in the sub-region depended on imported pharmaceuticals.
Dr Addo appealed to the government to help pharmaceutical industries to capture the market in the sub-region by waiving some of the taxes and utility tariffs for those industries.
He said those tax waivers could assist the industries to produce drugs at cheaper prices for the domestic market, as well as for export to earn foreign exchange for the country.
As part of the outreach programme, doctors and nurses from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital administered treatment to 997 sick people at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.
Some of the ailments of common occurrence that the doctors treated included worms infestation, hypertension, stomach ache, fever and chicken pox.
Dr Michael Agyekum Addo, the Chief Executive of Kama Industries and President of PMAG, said the association had contributed drugs worth GH¢2,500 for the outreach programme.
He said the pharmaceutical companies in the country were using very modern machines and their drugs were being manufactured under the best hygienic conditions which could be verified by the regulatory authorities.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to disabuse their minds of the notion that imported drugs were safer and more potent than locally manufactured ones.
He explained that what was more assuring was that local drug manufacturing companies could be sued for compensation when something untoward happened to patients after taking any of the locally manufactured drugs, while foreign manufacturers could not be sued because they could not be easily traced.
He said the association employed more than 5,000 workers in the pharmaceutical industries.
He said Ghana and Nigeria had formed the West African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (WAPMA) to pool resources to service the huge regional market, since, apart from the two countries, the other countries in the sub-region depended on imported pharmaceuticals.
Dr Addo appealed to the government to help pharmaceutical industries to capture the market in the sub-region by waiving some of the taxes and utility tariffs for those industries.
He said those tax waivers could assist the industries to produce drugs at cheaper prices for the domestic market, as well as for export to earn foreign exchange for the country.
Monday, September 22, 2008
TRIBUNALS ON TAX DISPUTES TO BE SET UP (PAGE 20)
THE government is drawing up a programme for the establishment of Tax Tribunals to expedite action on the resolution of disputes between tax authorities and corporate institutions, especially those in the oil industry.
The president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Mr E.T. Asamoah, who made this known at the launch of the Taxation Week of the institute said the Tax Tribunals would be under the Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism.
He said the tribunals would enhance fairness and equity to help remove the deep suspicion that existed between the revenue agencies and the business community.
He appealed to tax practitioners to keep abreast of the tax laws of the country since they were the liaison between the business community and the revenue agencies.
Mr Ali-Nakyea Abdallah, a tax consultant, who spoke on; “The challenges facing tax practitioners’’, said tax administrators tended to criminalise first-time taxpayers and practitioners who encouraged them (taxpayers) to pay their taxes.
He called for an incentive system to reward taxpayers who voluntarily responded to their tax obligations without giving the government the option of casting its net wider.
He said there was the need to strike a balance between the goals of tax administrators who represented the government and tax practitioners who represented taxpayers to ensure harmony and respect for both parties.
He explained that the challenges arose where the tax administrator formed an adverse opinion that the tax practitioner’s aim was to protect a taxpayer from paying taxes.
Mr Abdallah, therefore, called for constant interaction between the two parties to iron out their differences through collaborative training programmes.
On dispute resolution, Mr Abdallah said the situation where taxpayers were compelled to make down payment of 30 per cent of the amount in dispute before filing a petition at the court for resolution was not fair to the taxpayer, and called for an amendment to the law.
This, he said, was because a taxpayer who was running at a loss could not mobilise such an amount before asking the courts to judge his/her case.
The president of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Mr E.T. Asamoah, who made this known at the launch of the Taxation Week of the institute said the Tax Tribunals would be under the Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism.
He said the tribunals would enhance fairness and equity to help remove the deep suspicion that existed between the revenue agencies and the business community.
He appealed to tax practitioners to keep abreast of the tax laws of the country since they were the liaison between the business community and the revenue agencies.
Mr Ali-Nakyea Abdallah, a tax consultant, who spoke on; “The challenges facing tax practitioners’’, said tax administrators tended to criminalise first-time taxpayers and practitioners who encouraged them (taxpayers) to pay their taxes.
He called for an incentive system to reward taxpayers who voluntarily responded to their tax obligations without giving the government the option of casting its net wider.
He said there was the need to strike a balance between the goals of tax administrators who represented the government and tax practitioners who represented taxpayers to ensure harmony and respect for both parties.
He explained that the challenges arose where the tax administrator formed an adverse opinion that the tax practitioner’s aim was to protect a taxpayer from paying taxes.
Mr Abdallah, therefore, called for constant interaction between the two parties to iron out their differences through collaborative training programmes.
On dispute resolution, Mr Abdallah said the situation where taxpayers were compelled to make down payment of 30 per cent of the amount in dispute before filing a petition at the court for resolution was not fair to the taxpayer, and called for an amendment to the law.
This, he said, was because a taxpayer who was running at a loss could not mobilise such an amount before asking the courts to judge his/her case.
CPP picks running mate...IT'S SAKARA...Graphic got it right again (LEAD)
THE Convention People’s Party (CPP) on Sunday held a mammoth rally at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, during which the running mate of the party’s flag bearer for Election 2008, Dr Abu Foster Sakara, was introduced to the large gathering.
One of the highlights of the rally, which coincided with the 99th birthday of the founder of the party and first President of Ghana, the late Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, was the national launch of the campaign for Election 2008.
The atmosphere at the rally depicted a party very determined not only to make an impact in the December elections but also recapture political power and reclaim its past glory.
What made the rally unique was that it attracted thousands of people from all walks of life, including the elderly, the physically challenged, exuberant youth and die-hard supporters.
The daughter of Dr Nkrumah, Ms Samia Nkrumah, and children of former ministers in the CPP administration were not left out in the rally which was dubbed, “New Dawn, New Vision”.
Many people the Daily Graphic spoke to were unanimous in declaring how they had been inspired by the party’s new fortunes which had seen it grow from strength to strength, in spite of the many political impediments in its path.
They cited the reconstruction of the Flagstaff House where the first President conducted the affairs of state as symbolic because it demonstrated that the next administration would come from the CPP.
They opined that since Kwame Nkrumah’s birthday fell on a Sunday and this year’s elections were also being held on a Sunday, it signified that the CPP was destined to win political power from the ruling party.
Mr B.K. Senkyere, a veteran CPP organiser, said any development which did not take the welfare of the people into consideration was bound to fail.
He expressed regret that apart from the Nkrumah’s government, all other governments had failed to put in place people-centred development policies that would help with national growth.
The result, he said, was that the people who were supposed to benefit from those developments were made poorer.
Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, the CPP spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, noted that education and the national economy were now running parallel to each other, noting that during Nkrumah’s era the two were in tandem, complementing each other.
He called on the media to refrain from portraying the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the only parties in the country, at the expense of other political parties.
Dr Antwi-Danso said Ghanaians should vote for a peaceful party, saying the violence in Tamale and Gushiegu were not helpful for the unity of the nation.
He said when the CPP gained power, “we shall bring the country together by working genuinely to ensure peace, harmony and development”.
Ms Nkrumah said the CPP seed sown by her father had reached fruition with the reorganisation of the party, adding that the vision and teachings of Dr Nkrumah were still relevant and urged the activists of the party to work hard to enable the CPP to come back to political power to complete its social programmes, without which development was meaningless.
In a speech read on his behalf, Prof Agyeman Badu Akosa, a leading member of the party, urged the government to defreeze the assets of the CPP which were frozen when Nkrumah was overthrown.
Mr Bright Akwetey, who contested the flag-bearer slot of the party, urged Ghanaians to vote for the CPP, saying that the CPP emblem of a cockerel represented a friendly party.
He said other parties had symbols representing wild animals, adding, “No wonder their behaviour showcases those of rampaging predators without humanity in their actions and programmes.”
Parliamentary candidates and the regional chairmen were introduced to the cheering crowd.
One of the highlights of the rally, which coincided with the 99th birthday of the founder of the party and first President of Ghana, the late Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, was the national launch of the campaign for Election 2008.
The atmosphere at the rally depicted a party very determined not only to make an impact in the December elections but also recapture political power and reclaim its past glory.
What made the rally unique was that it attracted thousands of people from all walks of life, including the elderly, the physically challenged, exuberant youth and die-hard supporters.
The daughter of Dr Nkrumah, Ms Samia Nkrumah, and children of former ministers in the CPP administration were not left out in the rally which was dubbed, “New Dawn, New Vision”.
Many people the Daily Graphic spoke to were unanimous in declaring how they had been inspired by the party’s new fortunes which had seen it grow from strength to strength, in spite of the many political impediments in its path.
They cited the reconstruction of the Flagstaff House where the first President conducted the affairs of state as symbolic because it demonstrated that the next administration would come from the CPP.
They opined that since Kwame Nkrumah’s birthday fell on a Sunday and this year’s elections were also being held on a Sunday, it signified that the CPP was destined to win political power from the ruling party.
Mr B.K. Senkyere, a veteran CPP organiser, said any development which did not take the welfare of the people into consideration was bound to fail.
He expressed regret that apart from the Nkrumah’s government, all other governments had failed to put in place people-centred development policies that would help with national growth.
The result, he said, was that the people who were supposed to benefit from those developments were made poorer.
Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, the CPP spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, noted that education and the national economy were now running parallel to each other, noting that during Nkrumah’s era the two were in tandem, complementing each other.
He called on the media to refrain from portraying the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the only parties in the country, at the expense of other political parties.
Dr Antwi-Danso said Ghanaians should vote for a peaceful party, saying the violence in Tamale and Gushiegu were not helpful for the unity of the nation.
He said when the CPP gained power, “we shall bring the country together by working genuinely to ensure peace, harmony and development”.
Ms Nkrumah said the CPP seed sown by her father had reached fruition with the reorganisation of the party, adding that the vision and teachings of Dr Nkrumah were still relevant and urged the activists of the party to work hard to enable the CPP to come back to political power to complete its social programmes, without which development was meaningless.
In a speech read on his behalf, Prof Agyeman Badu Akosa, a leading member of the party, urged the government to defreeze the assets of the CPP which were frozen when Nkrumah was overthrown.
Mr Bright Akwetey, who contested the flag-bearer slot of the party, urged Ghanaians to vote for the CPP, saying that the CPP emblem of a cockerel represented a friendly party.
He said other parties had symbols representing wild animals, adding, “No wonder their behaviour showcases those of rampaging predators without humanity in their actions and programmes.”
Parliamentary candidates and the regional chairmen were introduced to the cheering crowd.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
AUDIT REPORTS COMMITTEE INAUGURATED (PAGE 24)
THE Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Mr Ernest Debrah, has deplored the lukeworm attitude of some directors and heads of departments at the ministry towards audit reports.
Mr Debrah said the ministry expected that management would act on audit reports within three weeks of receipt.
The minister gave the ultimatum when he inaugurated a five-member audit reports implementation committee in Accra.
The five-member committee, chaired by the minister himself, would make follow-ups on all audit reports of MOFA to ensure that recommendations were actually implemented.
He said the mandate of the committee was to ensure that finances of the ministry were effectively utilised to obtain value for expenditure.
He also assured management that auditing was not about finding faults, but about correcting mistakes and preventing mismanagement of resources.
He, therefore, urged directors of departments to attend to audit reports with all the seriousness that they deserved.
Mr Debrah said management should not ignore such reports, but respond to them within three weeks of receipt.
He said as a measure to ensure that management responded promptly to audit reports, an Internal Audit Monitoring team had been set up at the ministry to periodically review all audit reports being implemented by the five-member implementation committee.
He said the implementation committee had a lot to do, considering the size of MOFA, including its agencies and projects.
Mr Debrah said to ensure a balanced approach to audit reports, membership of the implementation committee had been restructured to include some professionals from outside the main ministry.
He said it was his hope that this trust and confidence reposed in the membership would not be abused.
The five-member committee, which has the minister as the chairman, included Mr Alidu Fuseini, Director, Finance and Administration of MOFA member; Mr Agyeku Sabraw, Acting Director, Human Resource, member; Mr Ransford Agyei, Internal Audit Agency, member and Mr Ebenezer Tagoe, Institute of Internal Auditors, member.
Mr Debrah said the ministry expected that management would act on audit reports within three weeks of receipt.
The minister gave the ultimatum when he inaugurated a five-member audit reports implementation committee in Accra.
The five-member committee, chaired by the minister himself, would make follow-ups on all audit reports of MOFA to ensure that recommendations were actually implemented.
He said the mandate of the committee was to ensure that finances of the ministry were effectively utilised to obtain value for expenditure.
He also assured management that auditing was not about finding faults, but about correcting mistakes and preventing mismanagement of resources.
He, therefore, urged directors of departments to attend to audit reports with all the seriousness that they deserved.
Mr Debrah said management should not ignore such reports, but respond to them within three weeks of receipt.
He said as a measure to ensure that management responded promptly to audit reports, an Internal Audit Monitoring team had been set up at the ministry to periodically review all audit reports being implemented by the five-member implementation committee.
He said the implementation committee had a lot to do, considering the size of MOFA, including its agencies and projects.
Mr Debrah said to ensure a balanced approach to audit reports, membership of the implementation committee had been restructured to include some professionals from outside the main ministry.
He said it was his hope that this trust and confidence reposed in the membership would not be abused.
The five-member committee, which has the minister as the chairman, included Mr Alidu Fuseini, Director, Finance and Administration of MOFA member; Mr Agyeku Sabraw, Acting Director, Human Resource, member; Mr Ransford Agyei, Internal Audit Agency, member and Mr Ebenezer Tagoe, Institute of Internal Auditors, member.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
CEPS TO INAUGURATE AUTOMATED SYSTEM (PAGE 54)
The second phase of the automation of the core functions of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service is expected to be inaugurated this month to accelerate the clearance of goods at the country’s ports.
The first phase of the automation project was handed over to CEPS last month by Bankswitch Ghana Ltd, an Information Communication Technology (ICT) service provider.
Mr Kingsley Kyei Abeyieh, Valuation Support Manager of Bankswitch, announced this when he conducted the media on familiarisation tour of the automation centre.
He said 17 CEPS ICT personnel had been deployed to the automation centre to test the efficiency of the computers and the software being used before the launch of the second phase on September 22.
He said the testing had proved successful and this had convinced Bankswitch to continue with computerisation for the launch of the second phase.
Mr Abeyieh said the second phase would enhance the ability of CEPS to manage electronic information of importers without the importers having to move from their offices to Destination Inspection Companies (DIC) as had hitherto been the case.
He said because there was no more human contact between importers and CEPS before goods were cleared, the huge temptation that importers would bribe customs officials had been eliminated.
He added that importers could not also engage in under-invoicing of goods since the automation required them to state the quantity and weight of their goods before aplication forms were approved.
The Valuation Support Manager said because importers would sit in their office to fill their forms online the clearing of goods a had been reduced from weeks to only a few minutes.
Mr Abeyieh noted that the acquisition of the facilities represented a further step by the government to modernise CEPS procedures and core functions to international standards.
The first phase of the automation project was handed over to CEPS last month by Bankswitch Ghana Ltd, an Information Communication Technology (ICT) service provider.
Mr Kingsley Kyei Abeyieh, Valuation Support Manager of Bankswitch, announced this when he conducted the media on familiarisation tour of the automation centre.
He said 17 CEPS ICT personnel had been deployed to the automation centre to test the efficiency of the computers and the software being used before the launch of the second phase on September 22.
He said the testing had proved successful and this had convinced Bankswitch to continue with computerisation for the launch of the second phase.
Mr Abeyieh said the second phase would enhance the ability of CEPS to manage electronic information of importers without the importers having to move from their offices to Destination Inspection Companies (DIC) as had hitherto been the case.
He said because there was no more human contact between importers and CEPS before goods were cleared, the huge temptation that importers would bribe customs officials had been eliminated.
He added that importers could not also engage in under-invoicing of goods since the automation required them to state the quantity and weight of their goods before aplication forms were approved.
The Valuation Support Manager said because importers would sit in their office to fill their forms online the clearing of goods a had been reduced from weeks to only a few minutes.
Mr Abeyieh noted that the acquisition of the facilities represented a further step by the government to modernise CEPS procedures and core functions to international standards.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
GAEC PREPARES FOR NECLEAR PLANT....Trains 1,000 on safety (BACK PAGE)
The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) is training 1,000 personnel in the safe handling of nuclear isotopes towards the establishment of a nuclear power plant by the year 2018.
Professor Edward H. K. Akaho, Director-General of GAEC, however, gave the assurance that the adverse effects associated with nuclear plant would be reduced to the minimum, since the uranium to fire the plant was not going to be processed in the country.
He explained that initially the country would depend on imported enriched uranium to operate the plant and thereby reduce accidents related to processing.
He also noted that nuclear technology had advanced and that nuclear plants now had safety devices to correct manual errors to prevent disasters.
Prof. Akaho said the training programme would include many professionals such as medical doctors to identify and treat people exposed to nuclear and radio isotopes.
The director-general, who was addressing medical officers from 14 African countries on a training course on “ Practical medical preparedness and response to a radiation emergency”, also assured Ghanaians that the spent fuel from the nuclear plant would be transported back to the suppliers.
He said this would help remove the danger that could arise from keeping high levels of nuclear waste from the plant in the country.
Prof. Akaho said while the capabilities of the staff were being upgraded, the government had signed international conventions to put the legal framework in place.
He said GAEC and the government were scouting for land close to the sea, where conditions would be more congenial for the construction of the plant.
He said the political will to see to the establishment of the plant was overwhelming and expressed the hope that this would continue to enable the vision to materialise.
Prof. Akaho said ex-President Kwame Nkrumah had a plan to establish nuclear plant in the country after the construction of the Akosombo Dam but because of his overthrow, the programme was shelved.
He expressed the hope that this time around, the political will to establish the plant would not fizzle out and any new President who would come to power would see to the execution of the project.
Paapa Owusu Ankomah, Minister of Trade, Industries, Private Sector Development and President’s Special Initiatives, who opened the workshops on radiation and quality control, said the courses had been designed to mitigate the effects of radiation emergencies.
He explained that the training was part of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) global efforts to assist member states to review policies relating to establishing and strengthening technical capabilities for planning for response to radiological and nuclear emergencies.
Paapa Ankomah urged the participants to take into account the extent of practices involving nuclear and radiation-based technologies in the various member states in order to come up with a specific action plan that could meet international standards.
Professor Edward H. K. Akaho, Director-General of GAEC, however, gave the assurance that the adverse effects associated with nuclear plant would be reduced to the minimum, since the uranium to fire the plant was not going to be processed in the country.
He explained that initially the country would depend on imported enriched uranium to operate the plant and thereby reduce accidents related to processing.
He also noted that nuclear technology had advanced and that nuclear plants now had safety devices to correct manual errors to prevent disasters.
Prof. Akaho said the training programme would include many professionals such as medical doctors to identify and treat people exposed to nuclear and radio isotopes.
The director-general, who was addressing medical officers from 14 African countries on a training course on “ Practical medical preparedness and response to a radiation emergency”, also assured Ghanaians that the spent fuel from the nuclear plant would be transported back to the suppliers.
He said this would help remove the danger that could arise from keeping high levels of nuclear waste from the plant in the country.
Prof. Akaho said while the capabilities of the staff were being upgraded, the government had signed international conventions to put the legal framework in place.
He said GAEC and the government were scouting for land close to the sea, where conditions would be more congenial for the construction of the plant.
He said the political will to see to the establishment of the plant was overwhelming and expressed the hope that this would continue to enable the vision to materialise.
Prof. Akaho said ex-President Kwame Nkrumah had a plan to establish nuclear plant in the country after the construction of the Akosombo Dam but because of his overthrow, the programme was shelved.
He expressed the hope that this time around, the political will to establish the plant would not fizzle out and any new President who would come to power would see to the execution of the project.
Paapa Owusu Ankomah, Minister of Trade, Industries, Private Sector Development and President’s Special Initiatives, who opened the workshops on radiation and quality control, said the courses had been designed to mitigate the effects of radiation emergencies.
He explained that the training was part of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) global efforts to assist member states to review policies relating to establishing and strengthening technical capabilities for planning for response to radiological and nuclear emergencies.
Paapa Ankomah urged the participants to take into account the extent of practices involving nuclear and radiation-based technologies in the various member states in order to come up with a specific action plan that could meet international standards.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
LOCAL FARMERS PRODUCE SORGHUM FOR BREWERIES (SEPT 10, 2008, BACK PAGE)
A number of local farmers have come together to produce 3,000 tonnes of sorghum this year to feed the country’s breweries.
The 3,500 farmers are to be assisted with capital under the Venture Capital Trust Fund, to upgrade their small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).
The programme is also to enable breweries in the country to reduce their dependence on imported raw materials for their operations.
In addition, 20 medium-scale companies have benefited from the credit facilities and technical assistance provided by Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF) through its subsidiary capital financing companies to the tune of GH¢9 million.
Nana Osei Bonsu, Chief Executive Officer of Venture Capital Trust Fund, who announced this at a press briefing on good corporate governance for 21 board members of beneficiary companies, said the venture had through its subsidiary companies spent GH¢2.1 million in the agro business sector since last year.
He said the rationale behind the setting up of the Venture Capital Trust Fund by an Act of Parliament was to enhance the capital base of SMEs in the country.
He said apart from the credit facilities, technical assistance had been provided to the SMEs to enable them to adopt corporate values such as teamwork, accountability and transparency in their workplaces.
Nana Osei Bonsu said as a result of recurring corporate fraud and scandals, the importance of professional ethics, corporate responsibility and good corporate governance framework could not be overemphasised.
He said it was, therefore, imperative for corporate directors and managers to acquire knowledge of the best practices in corporate governance in order for their businesses to succeed in this competitive environment.
Nana Osei Bonsu said plans were advanced to launch a new corporate mentoring programme where each entrepreneur would be seconded to a larger corporation for mentoring in order to curb certain operational inefficiencies.
The 3,500 farmers are to be assisted with capital under the Venture Capital Trust Fund, to upgrade their small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs).
The programme is also to enable breweries in the country to reduce their dependence on imported raw materials for their operations.
In addition, 20 medium-scale companies have benefited from the credit facilities and technical assistance provided by Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF) through its subsidiary capital financing companies to the tune of GH¢9 million.
Nana Osei Bonsu, Chief Executive Officer of Venture Capital Trust Fund, who announced this at a press briefing on good corporate governance for 21 board members of beneficiary companies, said the venture had through its subsidiary companies spent GH¢2.1 million in the agro business sector since last year.
He said the rationale behind the setting up of the Venture Capital Trust Fund by an Act of Parliament was to enhance the capital base of SMEs in the country.
He said apart from the credit facilities, technical assistance had been provided to the SMEs to enable them to adopt corporate values such as teamwork, accountability and transparency in their workplaces.
Nana Osei Bonsu said as a result of recurring corporate fraud and scandals, the importance of professional ethics, corporate responsibility and good corporate governance framework could not be overemphasised.
He said it was, therefore, imperative for corporate directors and managers to acquire knowledge of the best practices in corporate governance in order for their businesses to succeed in this competitive environment.
Nana Osei Bonsu said plans were advanced to launch a new corporate mentoring programme where each entrepreneur would be seconded to a larger corporation for mentoring in order to curb certain operational inefficiencies.
TETTEH QUARSHIE COCOA FARM ATTRACTS TOURISTS (SPREAD)
The Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Cocoa farm at Mampong Akuapem attracted a total of 2,158 tourists last year.
Mr Mawutor Boadi, the Facility Manager at the farm, who made this known at the first Cocoa Festival held in Accra, said the farm, which was receiving about 93 tourists a month last year, was already recording an average of 200 tourists a month this year.
He said with the construction of receptive facilities at the farm by the Ministry of Tourism and Diasporan Relations and FM24, the management of the farm, the farm was increasingly becoming a major tourist destination for both local and international tourists.
Mrs Oboshie Sai Cofie, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, who delivered the keynote address at the festival, said the ministry in collaboration with the management of the farms planned to set up a small local chocolate manufacturing centre at the farm.
She explained that when this was done, tourists would be given a hands-on experience in cocoa processing on the farm and also have the opportunity to taste chocolate manufactured by themselves, as a means of adding more fun to their visits.
Mrs Sai Cofie noted that from being a virtually unknown plant in Ghana the introduction of just a few seeds by Tetteh Quarshie in 1879 were cleverly nurtured and spread to become the backbone of the economy.
The minister said the cocoa industry currently provided employment to many, creating settlements and satisfying the tastes of millions in the world.
She said apart from it revenue-generating role in the national economy, cocoa had served as a good ambassador of Ghana and in many ways had attracted a lot of foreign attention and interest in the country.
She said it was interesting to know that some of the first seedlings planted by Tetteh Quarshie could still be found on his farm and had become a great tourist asset.
Miss Barbara Osew-Kwatia, facility director of FM24, managers of the farm, said currently the organisation was running three heritage sites in the country and since taking over the management of these facilities, various initiatives had been put in place.
She said one of such new initiatives was the first-ever Cocoa Festival, which was to become an annual affair to give opportunity to Ghanaians and the international community to join in celebrating the golden pod.
Mr Mawutor Boadi, the Facility Manager at the farm, who made this known at the first Cocoa Festival held in Accra, said the farm, which was receiving about 93 tourists a month last year, was already recording an average of 200 tourists a month this year.
He said with the construction of receptive facilities at the farm by the Ministry of Tourism and Diasporan Relations and FM24, the management of the farm, the farm was increasingly becoming a major tourist destination for both local and international tourists.
Mrs Oboshie Sai Cofie, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, who delivered the keynote address at the festival, said the ministry in collaboration with the management of the farms planned to set up a small local chocolate manufacturing centre at the farm.
She explained that when this was done, tourists would be given a hands-on experience in cocoa processing on the farm and also have the opportunity to taste chocolate manufactured by themselves, as a means of adding more fun to their visits.
Mrs Sai Cofie noted that from being a virtually unknown plant in Ghana the introduction of just a few seeds by Tetteh Quarshie in 1879 were cleverly nurtured and spread to become the backbone of the economy.
The minister said the cocoa industry currently provided employment to many, creating settlements and satisfying the tastes of millions in the world.
She said apart from it revenue-generating role in the national economy, cocoa had served as a good ambassador of Ghana and in many ways had attracted a lot of foreign attention and interest in the country.
She said it was interesting to know that some of the first seedlings planted by Tetteh Quarshie could still be found on his farm and had become a great tourist asset.
Miss Barbara Osew-Kwatia, facility director of FM24, managers of the farm, said currently the organisation was running three heritage sites in the country and since taking over the management of these facilities, various initiatives had been put in place.
She said one of such new initiatives was the first-ever Cocoa Festival, which was to become an annual affair to give opportunity to Ghanaians and the international community to join in celebrating the golden pod.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
BODY TO EVALUATE ENGINEERING DESIGNS OF DRAINS IN ACCRA (PAGE 24)
The Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing is setting up a body of engineers to evaluate the engineering designs of drainage systems in Accra to find lasting solutions to the perennial flooding of the city and its environs.
The absence of a central body to co-ordinate the construction of drainage systems in Accra has led to over- and under-designing of drainage facilities, which cause floods annually in the national capital.
The Hydraulic Engineer of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Wise Ametefe, who announced this at a technical meeting of the Institute of Civil Engineers in Accra at the weekend, said the setting up of the body was part of measures being taken to mitigate the effects of flooding in the city.
He said the ministry had come to realise that defects in engineering designs and construction were responsible for the localised flooding Accra continued to experience whether there were heavy rains or not.
He said the central body, which would comprise engineers from the public and private sectors, would assist in the assessment of hydrological data for the construction of all drainage systems.
He said most of the local contractors lacked the capacity to assess hydrological data and were at the mercy of their engineers who might not possess the capabilities and capacity to construct the drainage system.
Mr Ametefe said as part of the measures to prevent flooding, the ministry would help build the capacity of local contractors so that they could offer alternative advice when they doubted the advice of their engineers, who could not always be right.
He said presently because local contractors had to rely solely on their engineers for advice on construction, they were unable to detect any engineering defects when they occurred.
Mr Ametefe said this had led to the ministry and the government spending a lot of money to address the engineering defects and pay for relief supplies to victims because of the shoddy works of some contractors.
He said the Odaw drainage system had become silted because of its engineering designs, which made it possible for a lot of sediments to settle in the drainage system.
Mr Ametefe said another area that had been considered for action was the harvest of rainwater for treatment and storage for use during the dry season to supplement the potable water delivered to households.
He said landlords would be encouraged through education to build more rain harvesting devices to store water as one of the means to prevent flooding.
He explained that the population of Accra kept increasing as more houses sprang up, leading to localised flooding. He attributed this to the fact that most of the areas were covered with roofing sheets or concrete that prevented water from sipping into the ground, resulting in the rainwater flowing to low-lying areas to cause floods.
Mr Ametefe said that was the more reason why the ministry would be spearheading the campaign to trap all this rainwater through rainwater harvesting systems in Accra.
The Country Representative of the Institute Civil Engineers (UK), Mr Baffuor Osei, said Ghana was endowed with a lot of natural resources, which included rivers and streams.
He said what was needed was the ability to harness the natural resources and manage them in a manner that they would not cause havoc to lives and property.
Mr Osei said this could be done by collecting information on the rivers, such as the time they overflow their banks, how to maintain the channels and remove blockades obstructing their free flow and sharing this information with the communities living along the rivers and streams.
He said when all these measures were put in place, the effects of floods would not be as devastating as it is at present and lives and property could be saved.
The absence of a central body to co-ordinate the construction of drainage systems in Accra has led to over- and under-designing of drainage facilities, which cause floods annually in the national capital.
The Hydraulic Engineer of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Wise Ametefe, who announced this at a technical meeting of the Institute of Civil Engineers in Accra at the weekend, said the setting up of the body was part of measures being taken to mitigate the effects of flooding in the city.
He said the ministry had come to realise that defects in engineering designs and construction were responsible for the localised flooding Accra continued to experience whether there were heavy rains or not.
He said the central body, which would comprise engineers from the public and private sectors, would assist in the assessment of hydrological data for the construction of all drainage systems.
He said most of the local contractors lacked the capacity to assess hydrological data and were at the mercy of their engineers who might not possess the capabilities and capacity to construct the drainage system.
Mr Ametefe said as part of the measures to prevent flooding, the ministry would help build the capacity of local contractors so that they could offer alternative advice when they doubted the advice of their engineers, who could not always be right.
He said presently because local contractors had to rely solely on their engineers for advice on construction, they were unable to detect any engineering defects when they occurred.
Mr Ametefe said this had led to the ministry and the government spending a lot of money to address the engineering defects and pay for relief supplies to victims because of the shoddy works of some contractors.
He said the Odaw drainage system had become silted because of its engineering designs, which made it possible for a lot of sediments to settle in the drainage system.
Mr Ametefe said another area that had been considered for action was the harvest of rainwater for treatment and storage for use during the dry season to supplement the potable water delivered to households.
He said landlords would be encouraged through education to build more rain harvesting devices to store water as one of the means to prevent flooding.
He explained that the population of Accra kept increasing as more houses sprang up, leading to localised flooding. He attributed this to the fact that most of the areas were covered with roofing sheets or concrete that prevented water from sipping into the ground, resulting in the rainwater flowing to low-lying areas to cause floods.
Mr Ametefe said that was the more reason why the ministry would be spearheading the campaign to trap all this rainwater through rainwater harvesting systems in Accra.
The Country Representative of the Institute Civil Engineers (UK), Mr Baffuor Osei, said Ghana was endowed with a lot of natural resources, which included rivers and streams.
He said what was needed was the ability to harness the natural resources and manage them in a manner that they would not cause havoc to lives and property.
Mr Osei said this could be done by collecting information on the rivers, such as the time they overflow their banks, how to maintain the channels and remove blockades obstructing their free flow and sharing this information with the communities living along the rivers and streams.
He said when all these measures were put in place, the effects of floods would not be as devastating as it is at present and lives and property could be saved.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
MAKE SCIENCE EDUCATION COMPULSORY (PAGE 43)
A study commissioned by the University of Ghana, Legon, has recommended that science education should be made compulsory for all students seeking admission to the university.
This is to help address the situation where science admission represented only 20 per cent of the total number of students of the university.
Prof. Kwasi Yankah, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, who announced this at the Development Dialogue Series of the university at Legon, said at present the government policy of making science to occupy 60 per cent of the faculties of the university had not been achieved.
He said the university, therefore, commissioned the study to take drastic measures to arrest the situation.
Prof. Yankah said the university had studied the recommendations and had accepted to implement them to raise the level of science education in the country to meet the manpower needs of the country.
He said as part of making science play great role in the affairs of the university a new Faculty of Engineering had been established to groom qualified personnel for the new areas of the economy such as the oil find.
He said instead of the country putting in place measures to make the best economic gains from the oil discovery some Ghanaians, especially chiefs, were entangled in litigation over who owned the lands where the oil was discovered.
Mr Justin Yifu Lin, Chief Economist of the World Bank, who delivered a paper on the topic, “Inclusive Growth and the Role of Knowledge — Lessons from China and East Asia,” said the economic miracle of East Asia was nothing but a strategy of following their comparative advantage and urged Ghana to do likewise.
He explained that the comparative advantage of the East Asia included cheap labour and abundant raw materials.
Mr Lin said because the Asians did not have capital at that time they concentrated on labour-intensive industries such as textiles and electrical cables manufacturing.
He said the capital accumulated was then used to acquire capital-intensive industries such as pharmaceuticals and petrochemical industries
Mr Lin said Ghana could follow their comparative advantage in shea-butter and cocoa industries by upgrading gradually into the manufacturing of cosmetics, which was in high demand on the international market.
The Chief Economist said France for example had no major export than wine and cheese and other agricultural goods where France was exploiting its comparative advantages.
This is to help address the situation where science admission represented only 20 per cent of the total number of students of the university.
Prof. Kwasi Yankah, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, who announced this at the Development Dialogue Series of the university at Legon, said at present the government policy of making science to occupy 60 per cent of the faculties of the university had not been achieved.
He said the university, therefore, commissioned the study to take drastic measures to arrest the situation.
Prof. Yankah said the university had studied the recommendations and had accepted to implement them to raise the level of science education in the country to meet the manpower needs of the country.
He said as part of making science play great role in the affairs of the university a new Faculty of Engineering had been established to groom qualified personnel for the new areas of the economy such as the oil find.
He said instead of the country putting in place measures to make the best economic gains from the oil discovery some Ghanaians, especially chiefs, were entangled in litigation over who owned the lands where the oil was discovered.
Mr Justin Yifu Lin, Chief Economist of the World Bank, who delivered a paper on the topic, “Inclusive Growth and the Role of Knowledge — Lessons from China and East Asia,” said the economic miracle of East Asia was nothing but a strategy of following their comparative advantage and urged Ghana to do likewise.
He explained that the comparative advantage of the East Asia included cheap labour and abundant raw materials.
Mr Lin said because the Asians did not have capital at that time they concentrated on labour-intensive industries such as textiles and electrical cables manufacturing.
He said the capital accumulated was then used to acquire capital-intensive industries such as pharmaceuticals and petrochemical industries
Mr Lin said Ghana could follow their comparative advantage in shea-butter and cocoa industries by upgrading gradually into the manufacturing of cosmetics, which was in high demand on the international market.
The Chief Economist said France for example had no major export than wine and cheese and other agricultural goods where France was exploiting its comparative advantages.
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