THE Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Mr Ibrahim Awal, has called on stakeholders in the book industry to help the youth to acquire the needed skills to enable them to contribute to the country’s sustainable development.
He said since human resource development was an essential requirement for accelerated development, “it behoves stakeholders such as educational institutions, employers and parents to equip the youth with adequate skills and knowledge for that purpose”.
He said it was for that reason that the GCGL had partnered a number of organisations, including EPP Books, Plan Ghana and Standard Chartered Bank Limited, to make the Junior Graphic a youth-oriented newspaper published and made accessible and affordable to children.
Mr Awal was speaking in Accra on Monday at the launch of Encyclopaedia Britannica and the introduction of EPP Books Limited as sole agents for Ghana.
He lauded the partnership between EPP Books and Encyclopaedia Britannica, saying it would help improve the knowledge base of Ghanaians.
The managing director said the GCGL had been involved in a programme to inculcate the reading habit in the youth through its range of products, especially the Junior Graphic, stressing that the book industry ought to unite to champion its positive objectives, which are to educate and inform.
Mrs Joyce Boeh-Ocansey, the General Manager of EPP Books, said EPP and the National Council for Tertiary Education, undertook a national project in 2008 and supplied 110 tertiary institutions in the country with the full set of Encyclopaedia Britannica.
She said because of the success of the first national project, the publishers and the Ministry of Education had initiated moves to sign the second phase of the project to supply second-cycle institutions with books to equip their libraries.
Mr Ian Grant, the Managing Director of Encyclopaedia Britannica, said plans were ongoing to publish Encyclopaedia of West Africa, which would be devoted solely to the provision of knowledge on issues pertaining to the sub-region.
Ms Joyce Aryee, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, who chaired the programme, appealed to the youth to acquire the habit of reading, since the Internet alone could not make them all-round educated people in the globalised world.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
MINISTRY TO FORMUALTE SOLAR ENERGY POLICY (BACK PAGE)
The Ministry of Energy is formulating a solar energy policy framework that will shift emphasis from the use of fossil fuel such as kerosene to solar energy as the main source for lighting households in rural areas.
This is because apart from its effects on the environment and the hazard posed by smoke emission, fossil fuel could be depleted while solar energy is sustainable for use especially in this country, where sunlight is in abundance.
The ministry has, therefore, called on reputable companies researching into the use of solar energy to contribute to the drafting of the policy to ensure that solar lighting solutions are affordable and sustainable.
The Deputy Minister for Energy, Dr Kwabena Donkor, announced this when Philips, based in Holland, in collaboration with some representatives from the private sector, presented some of their solar lighting products to the Ministry of Energy for use under a pilot scheme in the Northern and Upper East regions.
The solar lighting systems included Solar Urday lantern, which has the capacity to provide 250 lumens, the equivalent of light provided by 250 candles for 45 hours after it had been charged in a day in the sun, rewinding solar torch and reading light that could be used for other purposes.
The Deputy Minister explained that under the solar energy framework, preference would be given to reputable companies that conduct their research with local institutions so that the products could be serviced by Ghanaians when they break down.
Mr Kees Klein Hesselink, Philips Business Development Manager for Middle East and Africa, said feedback from pilot areas in rural areas had suggested that the addition of a device on solar lighting systems could also be used to recharge mobile phones and these would be incorporated in the next generation solar lantern.
Mrs Harriette Amissah-Arthur, Director of Kumasi Institute of Technology Energy and Environment (KITE), said the overall objective was to contribute to improve living conditions by making solar lighting products and services accessible to people living in areas where there was no electricity.
She said the private sector, especially reputable companies such as Philips, had expressed the willingness, commitment and determination to partner local research institutions to develop and market the solar systems in the most effective and affordable way for the people of Ghana, especially the rural dwellers.
Mr Frank Atta-Owusu, the Project Manager of KITE, said it was cheaper to use the Urday lantern in the household than using kerosene lamps.
He said the Urday lantern was also safe compared to kerosene lantern as there was no risk of fire outbreak and health-damaging smoke involved in its use.
This is because apart from its effects on the environment and the hazard posed by smoke emission, fossil fuel could be depleted while solar energy is sustainable for use especially in this country, where sunlight is in abundance.
The ministry has, therefore, called on reputable companies researching into the use of solar energy to contribute to the drafting of the policy to ensure that solar lighting solutions are affordable and sustainable.
The Deputy Minister for Energy, Dr Kwabena Donkor, announced this when Philips, based in Holland, in collaboration with some representatives from the private sector, presented some of their solar lighting products to the Ministry of Energy for use under a pilot scheme in the Northern and Upper East regions.
The solar lighting systems included Solar Urday lantern, which has the capacity to provide 250 lumens, the equivalent of light provided by 250 candles for 45 hours after it had been charged in a day in the sun, rewinding solar torch and reading light that could be used for other purposes.
The Deputy Minister explained that under the solar energy framework, preference would be given to reputable companies that conduct their research with local institutions so that the products could be serviced by Ghanaians when they break down.
Mr Kees Klein Hesselink, Philips Business Development Manager for Middle East and Africa, said feedback from pilot areas in rural areas had suggested that the addition of a device on solar lighting systems could also be used to recharge mobile phones and these would be incorporated in the next generation solar lantern.
Mrs Harriette Amissah-Arthur, Director of Kumasi Institute of Technology Energy and Environment (KITE), said the overall objective was to contribute to improve living conditions by making solar lighting products and services accessible to people living in areas where there was no electricity.
She said the private sector, especially reputable companies such as Philips, had expressed the willingness, commitment and determination to partner local research institutions to develop and market the solar systems in the most effective and affordable way for the people of Ghana, especially the rural dwellers.
Mr Frank Atta-Owusu, the Project Manager of KITE, said it was cheaper to use the Urday lantern in the household than using kerosene lamps.
He said the Urday lantern was also safe compared to kerosene lantern as there was no risk of fire outbreak and health-damaging smoke involved in its use.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
MINISTRY TO FORMUALTE SOLAR ENERGY POLICY (BACK PAGE)
Twenty-one people were killed on Wednesday night and in the early hours of yesterday in two separate accidents at Bewadze, near Winneba in the Central Region and Akyem-Nkronso, near Apedwa on the Accra-Kumasi road in the Eastern Region.
Sixteen people died in the Bewadze accident, while five died in the Akyem-Nkronso incident.
In the first accident, a gas tanker collided with a saloon car, exploded and burst into flames, resulting in people getting burnt, some of them beyond recognition. Those killed included two children and a pregnant woman. About 27 others who sustained various degrees of injury were sent to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital.
One of the 11 people referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital was pronounced dead on arrival, while three others, two females and a male, died yesterday morning, bringing the total number of people who died in the first accident to 17.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Mr Mustapha Salifu, among the seven surviving victims of the Bewadze accident were five males and two females.
He mentioned those on admission as Anthony Sam, 33; Kezia Krampa, 18; Sadatu Muntari, whose age is unknown; Yussif Mohammed, 30; Kwaku Edwin, 42; Joshua Odartey Lamptey, 14, and Bright Nyarko Nkoom, 19.
The deceased include 10-year-old Kofi, Adisa Kobura, 50; Christine Buah, 50, and an unidentified adult.
The driver of the tanker and one of his mates who managed to survive the accident are in the grips of the police.
The accident, which occurred about 7.30 p.m., involved the tanker, with registration number GE 2115 Z, and a saloon car, with registration number GR 8962 U.
At the time the Daily Graphic team got to the scene about 6.30 a.m. yesterday, smoke was still coming out of a 33-seater Mercedes Benz bus which was about 100 metres away from where the tanker collided with the saloon car.
A few metres from the Benz was the charred body of a woman who had fallen into a trench along the road.
Opposite the spot of the accident was a burnt area stretching about 200 metres.
Two other vehicles that were affected by the raging fire and got burnt in the process were a 33-seater Benz, with registration number GR 8944 B, and an Urvan bus, with registration number CR 461 Z.
Also at the scene of the accident was the tank containing liquefied petroleum gas which had disengaged from the vehicle stuck in between a culvert.
The Winneba Municipal Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), ASP Nana Ofori, told the Daily Graphic that the police were yet to establish the cause of the accident.
He said the driver of the tanker and his mate were giving conflicting statements as to how the accident occurred, adding that the police had since begun investigations into the matter.
However, eyewitnesses said the tanker, which was travelling from Accra towards Apam, burst its left tyre and in the process ran into the lane of the saloon car which was coming from the Apam end towards Winneba.
Following that, they said, there was a loud explosion from the tanker, which caught fire which, in turn, engulfed other vehicles behind it.
The Winneba Municipal Fire Officer, DOI B. K. Nketiah, told the Daily Graphic that it took firemen two hours to put out the fire.
At the Winneba Government Hospital, the officer in charge of the Accidents Unit, Ms Victoria Eduafo, said 34 victims had been brought to the hospital.
Out of the number, seven passed away. Three others died on the spot, while the rest died at the hospital.
In the second accident, a 20-footer container on a DAF truck fell onto the lane of an oncoming 33-seater Mercedes Benz bus, crushing it and killing four persons on the spot.
The accident occurred about 3.45 a.m. yesterday when the trailer of the DAF truck, which was carrying the container which contained several gallons of acid, detached from the main body of the truck, with registration number GE 2882 Z.
It rolled on the road for several metres in the lane of the oncoming Benz bus, crushed it and spilled its contents on those on board the bus.
The DAF truck was said to be travelling from the Tema Port to Niamey, the capital of Niger, while the Benz bus, with registration number ER 611 N, was heading towards Accra from Kwahu Tafo.
Among those who died on the spot were the driver of the Benz bus, who was identified as Richard Kwame Yeboah, and his mate, who was not immediately identified.
Another dead person, who had been rushed to the Suhum Government Hospital where eight others who had sustained injuries had been taken to, have also not been identified yet.
Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred when the driver of the DAF truck, driven by one Abdul Razak, by-passed a stationary Mercedes truck, with registration number GR 605 B, parked in a curve on the shoulders of the road.
They said the driver of the truck, who was said to have spotted the oncoming bus while in the process of by-passing the stationery truck, attempted to slow down and moved back into his lane and, in the process, the trailer detached itself from the main body and fell on the path of the oncoming bus.
The witnesses said while the head of the truck was in the bush, the 20-footer container rolled several yards in the lane of the Benz bus before crashing into the oncoming bus and mangling it in the process.
They said before the accident occurred, the driver of the bus had directed it off its lane in order to avoid the container but rather ran into it. The black plume emanating from the leaking acid also engulfed the area, hampering rescue operations.
Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service from Suhum who went to the scene, however, managed to rescue others and retrieve the bodies of the deceased.
The Suhum District Police Commander, Superintendent Paul Kontomah, confirmed the story and cautioned drivers to be disciplined on the road.
Mr Timothy Gobah also reports that President J.E.A. Mills yesterday visited victims of the Bewadze accident at the 37 Military Hospital Emergency Trauma and Surgical Department to empathise with them.
The President, who was accompanied by the Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, and some ministers of state, was at the hospital to also have firsthand information on the accident.
President Mills was taken round the emergency ward by the Commanding Officer of the hospital, Brigadier-General Wade Whani, where he wished the victims speedy recovery.
Dr Yankey, who addressed the media after the visit, said the government would put emergency measures in place to save the lives of those who survived.
He said recent accidents on the Accra-Winneba road had revealed the inadequacies in the health sector and
mentioned the lack of ambulances to deal with emergency cases on the roads and medical equipment in the hospitals as some of the inadequacies that must be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
Dr Yankey said his ministry had plans to meet transport owners, as well as players in the industry, to fashion out an inter-sectoral measure to deal with the situation.
He used the occasion to appeal to drivers to be careful on the roads, while urging the public to call on the Fire Service particularly in accidents involving inflammable materials, such as gas and petroleum products.
He commended the medical staff on duty at the Winneba, Suhum, Korle-Bu and 37 Military hospitals for their swift responses to the situation and singled out Dr Armah of Korle-Bu and Major Dr Appiah of the 37 Military Hospital for mention.
Sixteen people died in the Bewadze accident, while five died in the Akyem-Nkronso incident.
In the first accident, a gas tanker collided with a saloon car, exploded and burst into flames, resulting in people getting burnt, some of them beyond recognition. Those killed included two children and a pregnant woman. About 27 others who sustained various degrees of injury were sent to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the 37 Military Hospital.
One of the 11 people referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital was pronounced dead on arrival, while three others, two females and a male, died yesterday morning, bringing the total number of people who died in the first accident to 17.
According to the Public Relations Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Mr Mustapha Salifu, among the seven surviving victims of the Bewadze accident were five males and two females.
He mentioned those on admission as Anthony Sam, 33; Kezia Krampa, 18; Sadatu Muntari, whose age is unknown; Yussif Mohammed, 30; Kwaku Edwin, 42; Joshua Odartey Lamptey, 14, and Bright Nyarko Nkoom, 19.
The deceased include 10-year-old Kofi, Adisa Kobura, 50; Christine Buah, 50, and an unidentified adult.
The driver of the tanker and one of his mates who managed to survive the accident are in the grips of the police.
The accident, which occurred about 7.30 p.m., involved the tanker, with registration number GE 2115 Z, and a saloon car, with registration number GR 8962 U.
At the time the Daily Graphic team got to the scene about 6.30 a.m. yesterday, smoke was still coming out of a 33-seater Mercedes Benz bus which was about 100 metres away from where the tanker collided with the saloon car.
A few metres from the Benz was the charred body of a woman who had fallen into a trench along the road.
Opposite the spot of the accident was a burnt area stretching about 200 metres.
Two other vehicles that were affected by the raging fire and got burnt in the process were a 33-seater Benz, with registration number GR 8944 B, and an Urvan bus, with registration number CR 461 Z.
Also at the scene of the accident was the tank containing liquefied petroleum gas which had disengaged from the vehicle stuck in between a culvert.
The Winneba Municipal Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), ASP Nana Ofori, told the Daily Graphic that the police were yet to establish the cause of the accident.
He said the driver of the tanker and his mate were giving conflicting statements as to how the accident occurred, adding that the police had since begun investigations into the matter.
However, eyewitnesses said the tanker, which was travelling from Accra towards Apam, burst its left tyre and in the process ran into the lane of the saloon car which was coming from the Apam end towards Winneba.
Following that, they said, there was a loud explosion from the tanker, which caught fire which, in turn, engulfed other vehicles behind it.
The Winneba Municipal Fire Officer, DOI B. K. Nketiah, told the Daily Graphic that it took firemen two hours to put out the fire.
At the Winneba Government Hospital, the officer in charge of the Accidents Unit, Ms Victoria Eduafo, said 34 victims had been brought to the hospital.
Out of the number, seven passed away. Three others died on the spot, while the rest died at the hospital.
In the second accident, a 20-footer container on a DAF truck fell onto the lane of an oncoming 33-seater Mercedes Benz bus, crushing it and killing four persons on the spot.
The accident occurred about 3.45 a.m. yesterday when the trailer of the DAF truck, which was carrying the container which contained several gallons of acid, detached from the main body of the truck, with registration number GE 2882 Z.
It rolled on the road for several metres in the lane of the oncoming Benz bus, crushed it and spilled its contents on those on board the bus.
The DAF truck was said to be travelling from the Tema Port to Niamey, the capital of Niger, while the Benz bus, with registration number ER 611 N, was heading towards Accra from Kwahu Tafo.
Among those who died on the spot were the driver of the Benz bus, who was identified as Richard Kwame Yeboah, and his mate, who was not immediately identified.
Another dead person, who had been rushed to the Suhum Government Hospital where eight others who had sustained injuries had been taken to, have also not been identified yet.
Eyewitnesses said the accident occurred when the driver of the DAF truck, driven by one Abdul Razak, by-passed a stationary Mercedes truck, with registration number GR 605 B, parked in a curve on the shoulders of the road.
They said the driver of the truck, who was said to have spotted the oncoming bus while in the process of by-passing the stationery truck, attempted to slow down and moved back into his lane and, in the process, the trailer detached itself from the main body and fell on the path of the oncoming bus.
The witnesses said while the head of the truck was in the bush, the 20-footer container rolled several yards in the lane of the Benz bus before crashing into the oncoming bus and mangling it in the process.
They said before the accident occurred, the driver of the bus had directed it off its lane in order to avoid the container but rather ran into it. The black plume emanating from the leaking acid also engulfed the area, hampering rescue operations.
Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service from Suhum who went to the scene, however, managed to rescue others and retrieve the bodies of the deceased.
The Suhum District Police Commander, Superintendent Paul Kontomah, confirmed the story and cautioned drivers to be disciplined on the road.
Mr Timothy Gobah also reports that President J.E.A. Mills yesterday visited victims of the Bewadze accident at the 37 Military Hospital Emergency Trauma and Surgical Department to empathise with them.
The President, who was accompanied by the Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, and some ministers of state, was at the hospital to also have firsthand information on the accident.
President Mills was taken round the emergency ward by the Commanding Officer of the hospital, Brigadier-General Wade Whani, where he wished the victims speedy recovery.
Dr Yankey, who addressed the media after the visit, said the government would put emergency measures in place to save the lives of those who survived.
He said recent accidents on the Accra-Winneba road had revealed the inadequacies in the health sector and
mentioned the lack of ambulances to deal with emergency cases on the roads and medical equipment in the hospitals as some of the inadequacies that must be dealt with as a matter of urgency.
Dr Yankey said his ministry had plans to meet transport owners, as well as players in the industry, to fashion out an inter-sectoral measure to deal with the situation.
He used the occasion to appeal to drivers to be careful on the roads, while urging the public to call on the Fire Service particularly in accidents involving inflammable materials, such as gas and petroleum products.
He commended the medical staff on duty at the Winneba, Suhum, Korle-Bu and 37 Military hospitals for their swift responses to the situation and singled out Dr Armah of Korle-Bu and Major Dr Appiah of the 37 Military Hospital for mention.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
AfDB TO SUPPPORT AMA REHABILITATE SEWERAGE SYSTEM (PAGE 29)
THE African Development Bank is supporting the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to rehabilitate and expand the sewage system in the central business district of Accra.
The project, which is known as the Accra Sewage Improvement Project (ASIP),is aimed at reactivating the faecal (human waste) treatment plant near the Korle Lagoon to stop the emptying of human waste into the sea.
The disposal of the liquid waste into the sea has earned the area the envious name of ‘lavender hill’ because of the powerful scent coming from the area.
The seawater in the area has also become one of the most contaminated around the world and the authorities concerned are doing everything possible to prevent health hazards by having to reactivate the liquid waste treatment plant.
Mr Demedeme Naa, Head of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, said a new human waste treatment plant had been envisaged as part of the project to complement the existing sophisticated plant which has been termed as the ‘white elephant”.
The new plant would use appropriate technology such as a stabilisation pond system for waste treatment and disposal in the Accra metropolis.
He said because of the sophisticated nature of the old treatment plant it was difficult to maintain and sustain it after the expatriate who built it in the seventies had left the country and ever since it had remained a ‘white elephant’
He said other areas the ministry was considering was the recycling of the waste into energy through the construction of incinerators.
He same private firms had been attracted into the country and discussions were ongoing with the government on the supply of electricity from the Volta River Authority to run the huge incinerators.
He said the human waste could also be turned into a resource by recycling it through composting for urban agriculture such as dry season gardening.
He said until these projects were off the ground the AMA had no option but to spill the human waste into the Atlantic Ocean which he termed as the lesser evil.
He said even though the health risks such as the disposal of pathogens into the sea for the fish to feed on was not the best, the digging of trenches for waste disposal was not cost effective since it involved refilling and spraying of the trenches to ward off flies.
Mr Naa called for multi-sectoral approach to solving the human waste disposal challenge in the country since one sector alone such as AMA could not undertake the onerous task single handedly.
He urged ministries such as Agriculture, Local Government, Health and Energy to pool resources and come out with a comprehensive policy that would attract more investors into the waste management sector of the country.
A visit to the communities around the ‘lavender hill’ revealed that flies have invaded the area.
Mrs Ama Takyiwaa who spoke to the Daily Graphic said flies from the spillage site, after feasting on the faecal materials directed their attention to the households where they settled on every thing, including cooking utensils, clothes being dried on lines and ended up soiling their laundry.
The butchers’ shops in the area have become an eyesore as flies struggle to settle on the beef, mutton and offal being sold in them.
Mr Mumuni Barko, a butcher in the area, said he had to use repellents such as mosquito coils to ward off the flies which invaded the area in their numbers. The vibrant market in the area has also been deserted by most traders as people have stopped patronising it for fear of being infected by a dangerous disease.
The project, which is known as the Accra Sewage Improvement Project (ASIP),is aimed at reactivating the faecal (human waste) treatment plant near the Korle Lagoon to stop the emptying of human waste into the sea.
The disposal of the liquid waste into the sea has earned the area the envious name of ‘lavender hill’ because of the powerful scent coming from the area.
The seawater in the area has also become one of the most contaminated around the world and the authorities concerned are doing everything possible to prevent health hazards by having to reactivate the liquid waste treatment plant.
Mr Demedeme Naa, Head of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, said a new human waste treatment plant had been envisaged as part of the project to complement the existing sophisticated plant which has been termed as the ‘white elephant”.
The new plant would use appropriate technology such as a stabilisation pond system for waste treatment and disposal in the Accra metropolis.
He said because of the sophisticated nature of the old treatment plant it was difficult to maintain and sustain it after the expatriate who built it in the seventies had left the country and ever since it had remained a ‘white elephant’
He said other areas the ministry was considering was the recycling of the waste into energy through the construction of incinerators.
He same private firms had been attracted into the country and discussions were ongoing with the government on the supply of electricity from the Volta River Authority to run the huge incinerators.
He said the human waste could also be turned into a resource by recycling it through composting for urban agriculture such as dry season gardening.
He said until these projects were off the ground the AMA had no option but to spill the human waste into the Atlantic Ocean which he termed as the lesser evil.
He said even though the health risks such as the disposal of pathogens into the sea for the fish to feed on was not the best, the digging of trenches for waste disposal was not cost effective since it involved refilling and spraying of the trenches to ward off flies.
Mr Naa called for multi-sectoral approach to solving the human waste disposal challenge in the country since one sector alone such as AMA could not undertake the onerous task single handedly.
He urged ministries such as Agriculture, Local Government, Health and Energy to pool resources and come out with a comprehensive policy that would attract more investors into the waste management sector of the country.
A visit to the communities around the ‘lavender hill’ revealed that flies have invaded the area.
Mrs Ama Takyiwaa who spoke to the Daily Graphic said flies from the spillage site, after feasting on the faecal materials directed their attention to the households where they settled on every thing, including cooking utensils, clothes being dried on lines and ended up soiling their laundry.
The butchers’ shops in the area have become an eyesore as flies struggle to settle on the beef, mutton and offal being sold in them.
Mr Mumuni Barko, a butcher in the area, said he had to use repellents such as mosquito coils to ward off the flies which invaded the area in their numbers. The vibrant market in the area has also been deserted by most traders as people have stopped patronising it for fear of being infected by a dangerous disease.
5 CHEMICALS APPROVED FOR COCOA SPRAYING (BAACK PAGE)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) have approved a list of five chemicals for use in mass spraying in cocoa growing areas against capsid (Akate) and black pod diseases.
According to the EPA, the five approved chemicals have been tested and found not to possess any health hazard or pose environmental dangers.
The EPA, however, said the ban on two other chemicals, Unden (popularly known as Gammalin 20) and Lindane was still in force.
The five approved chemicals are, Actara, Cocoprid, Akate Master, Confidor and Metalm.
Mr John Pwamang, Director of Chemicals Control and Management Centre of the EPA, reminded farmers that the two-year programme that encouraged them to hand over the two banned chemicals to COCOBOD elapsed last year.
He said for that reason, the banned chemicals, if found in possession of any farmer, would be confiscated.
Mr Pwamang pointed out that Lindane was being considered for listing among the 12 banned Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP), and explained that the characteristics of POPs included evidence that the half-life (duration) of the chemical in water could persist for more than two months, and its duration in soil greater than six months.
He said POPs could also accumulate in fisheries and other aquatic lives and these posed a high health risks when eaten by human beings.
He said the agency had also reviewed the lists of 212 approved chemicals that were for use in the country up to the year 2008 and indicated that the review for this year would be conducted soon so that those chemicals found to be toxic would be deleted from the list while those on which tests had been completed would be approved for use.
He said so far 25 chemicals remained banned in the country and these included the POPs and even those which were not POPs but were highly toxic for use by ordinary farmers without proper supervision.
Mr Pwamang appealed to companies and firms to consult the EPA when undertaking spraying exercises in markets, schools, hospitals and clinics, since not all chemicals were safe for spraying in open places and in water bodies and surroundings.
According to the EPA, the five approved chemicals have been tested and found not to possess any health hazard or pose environmental dangers.
The EPA, however, said the ban on two other chemicals, Unden (popularly known as Gammalin 20) and Lindane was still in force.
The five approved chemicals are, Actara, Cocoprid, Akate Master, Confidor and Metalm.
Mr John Pwamang, Director of Chemicals Control and Management Centre of the EPA, reminded farmers that the two-year programme that encouraged them to hand over the two banned chemicals to COCOBOD elapsed last year.
He said for that reason, the banned chemicals, if found in possession of any farmer, would be confiscated.
Mr Pwamang pointed out that Lindane was being considered for listing among the 12 banned Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP), and explained that the characteristics of POPs included evidence that the half-life (duration) of the chemical in water could persist for more than two months, and its duration in soil greater than six months.
He said POPs could also accumulate in fisheries and other aquatic lives and these posed a high health risks when eaten by human beings.
He said the agency had also reviewed the lists of 212 approved chemicals that were for use in the country up to the year 2008 and indicated that the review for this year would be conducted soon so that those chemicals found to be toxic would be deleted from the list while those on which tests had been completed would be approved for use.
He said so far 25 chemicals remained banned in the country and these included the POPs and even those which were not POPs but were highly toxic for use by ordinary farmers without proper supervision.
Mr Pwamang appealed to companies and firms to consult the EPA when undertaking spraying exercises in markets, schools, hospitals and clinics, since not all chemicals were safe for spraying in open places and in water bodies and surroundings.
STUDIES ON POKUASE-AWOSHIE ROAD COMPLETED (BACK PAGE)
Two feasibility studies have been completed to pave the way for the construction of the 21-kilometre Pokuase-Awoshie trunk road to link Amasaman in Ga West to Weija in Ga South in the Greater Accra Region.
The two districts, which are the major food baskets of the region, have remained inaccessible for years due to the absence of a good road network between them.
The two feasibility studies, road and urban development and the actual road studies, were funded by the Ghana government, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Agence Francaise de Developement (AFD).
The urban development feasibility study was to enable the three partners to study the state of affairs of development projects such as schools, clinics and hospitals.
Mr Ferdinand Yali, a planner with the Urban Roads Project Department of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, said the AfDB and the AFD, the two institutions which expressed their preparedness to assist in the construction of the road under the Urban Roads Improvement Project, funded the two studies to complement the efforts of the government.
He said the studies had revealed that infrastructure such as schools, markets and clinics would have to be upgraded to be at par with the standard of the road.
He said the urban development study also looked at the income levels of residents of the two districts to ascertain the level of economic activities in the area and the way the road would assist to improve economic activities and standard of living of the inhabitants and communities within the catchment area of the road.
The major communities along the trunk road include Pokuase, Ayawaso, Amamolley, Ablekuma, Anyaa and Awoshie.
The two districts, which are the major food baskets of the region, have remained inaccessible for years due to the absence of a good road network between them.
The two feasibility studies, road and urban development and the actual road studies, were funded by the Ghana government, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Agence Francaise de Developement (AFD).
The urban development feasibility study was to enable the three partners to study the state of affairs of development projects such as schools, clinics and hospitals.
Mr Ferdinand Yali, a planner with the Urban Roads Project Department of the Ministry of Roads and Highways, said the AfDB and the AFD, the two institutions which expressed their preparedness to assist in the construction of the road under the Urban Roads Improvement Project, funded the two studies to complement the efforts of the government.
He said the studies had revealed that infrastructure such as schools, markets and clinics would have to be upgraded to be at par with the standard of the road.
He said the urban development study also looked at the income levels of residents of the two districts to ascertain the level of economic activities in the area and the way the road would assist to improve economic activities and standard of living of the inhabitants and communities within the catchment area of the road.
The major communities along the trunk road include Pokuase, Ayawaso, Amamolley, Ablekuma, Anyaa and Awoshie.
Monday, March 16, 2009
ROAD FUND BOARD TO BE RECONSTITUTED (PAGE 28)
The Ministry of Roads and Highways has initiated moves to reconstitute the Road Fund Board within two weeks to resume payments for works executed by local road contractors.
Payments for works executed by local road contractors were halted by the new administration when it took office in January as part of economic and financial measures intended to streamline payments from the road fund.
Mr Joe Gidisu, Minister of Roads and Highways, announced the lifting of the ban at the annual general meeting of the Association of Road contractors (ASROC) in Accra last Thursday.
He said the economic and financial measures including the suspension of payments for works executed by local road contractors were taken in good faith and explained that it was meant to allow government enough time to assess the financial status of the country and also to ensure value for money for all payments.
The minister said with that assured, steps had now been taken to re-set up the Road Fund Board following which payments would be effected immediately to reduce the hardship on contractors and their workers.
He said the resumption of payments, which is expected to start in two weeks, would improve the cash flow of contractors to enable them to continue their projects.
He said the developments in the road construction industry constituted an important component of the overall development agenda of the country.
He said it was in that regard that no government would play down the concerns of stakeholders in the industry, especially road contractors.
Mr Gidisu noted that it was, therefore, the objective of the government to implement policies that would engender the growth of the industry.
He said his ministry and its agencies recognised the immense contribution of road contractors towards the country’s socio-economic development concerning the number of jobs generated by the sector.
He said the Ministry was also aware of the serious challenges facing the industry, which included inadequate equipment holding by local contractors, delay in the payment for works executed and lack of human capacity and access to funding.
With regard to equipment holding, the minister expressed the ministry’s preparedness to lend its support to contractors to acquire the full complement of road construction equipment to meet the growing volume of contract works.
He said it was, however, pertinent to stress the need for the beneficiaries of this equipment to ensure its prompt servicing in order to make it easy for other members to also benefit from the package.
Mr J. Twumasi-Mensah, national chairman of the Association of Road Contractors (ASROC), said most of the road contractors were indebted to banks and financial institutions and suppliers because of the delays in the payments of their arrears and appealed to the minister to find a lasting solution to the problem.
He said another constraint facing the construction industry was the low capacity of technical staff working in the construction industry and appealed to the ministry to liaise with the National Youth Employment Programme to train the youth in technical skills to support the construction industry.
Payments for works executed by local road contractors were halted by the new administration when it took office in January as part of economic and financial measures intended to streamline payments from the road fund.
Mr Joe Gidisu, Minister of Roads and Highways, announced the lifting of the ban at the annual general meeting of the Association of Road contractors (ASROC) in Accra last Thursday.
He said the economic and financial measures including the suspension of payments for works executed by local road contractors were taken in good faith and explained that it was meant to allow government enough time to assess the financial status of the country and also to ensure value for money for all payments.
The minister said with that assured, steps had now been taken to re-set up the Road Fund Board following which payments would be effected immediately to reduce the hardship on contractors and their workers.
He said the resumption of payments, which is expected to start in two weeks, would improve the cash flow of contractors to enable them to continue their projects.
He said the developments in the road construction industry constituted an important component of the overall development agenda of the country.
He said it was in that regard that no government would play down the concerns of stakeholders in the industry, especially road contractors.
Mr Gidisu noted that it was, therefore, the objective of the government to implement policies that would engender the growth of the industry.
He said his ministry and its agencies recognised the immense contribution of road contractors towards the country’s socio-economic development concerning the number of jobs generated by the sector.
He said the Ministry was also aware of the serious challenges facing the industry, which included inadequate equipment holding by local contractors, delay in the payment for works executed and lack of human capacity and access to funding.
With regard to equipment holding, the minister expressed the ministry’s preparedness to lend its support to contractors to acquire the full complement of road construction equipment to meet the growing volume of contract works.
He said it was, however, pertinent to stress the need for the beneficiaries of this equipment to ensure its prompt servicing in order to make it easy for other members to also benefit from the package.
Mr J. Twumasi-Mensah, national chairman of the Association of Road Contractors (ASROC), said most of the road contractors were indebted to banks and financial institutions and suppliers because of the delays in the payments of their arrears and appealed to the minister to find a lasting solution to the problem.
He said another constraint facing the construction industry was the low capacity of technical staff working in the construction industry and appealed to the ministry to liaise with the National Youth Employment Programme to train the youth in technical skills to support the construction industry.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
COCOBOD ASSISTS SCHOOL WITH COMPUTERS (BACK PAGE)
THE Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service has begun the deployment of more highway patrol men to help enforce road regulations as part of efforts to reduce the spate of road accidents in the country.
The exercise, which will be stepped up during the Easter festivities, will cover the highways linking Accra to Takoradi, Accra to Nkawkaw, Accra to Akosombo, Accra to Ho and Accra to Aflao. It will later be replicated in the other regions, according to the MTTU.
The Commander of the unit, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Daniel Avorga, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic yesterday, noted, “We are determined to break this cycle of road accidents which are sending people to their graves before their time.”
He said under the exercise, motorised police personnel in groups of between four and six would be dispatched on the highways.
He said they would not only check the activities of drivers and their vehicles but also talk to and educate the drivers who plied those routes.
Mr Avorga, therefore, appealed to drivers to co-operate with the police during the exercise, since the focus of the latter would not be on arresting the drivers but ensuring sanity on the roads.
He said on March 19, 2009 the police would hold a meeting with transport organisations and other stakeholders in the transport sector to discuss ways of finding solutions to the recent spate of road accidents.
“We are determined to take proactive steps to stop the harrowing spate of accidents,” he said, adding that the police would ensure that there was safety on the roads.
Mr Avorga called for the support of members of the public in the campaign against road accidents.
Since the beginning of this year, the country has witnessed an increasing spate of road traffic accidents, with accidents being recorded almost every week.
Those accidents have not only destroyed property but also claimed the lives of people.
Only last Wednesday, three persons died on the spot, while many others sustained injuries, when an articulated truck loaded with lumber skidded off the road and hit a tree, after running into the rear of an Accra-bound commercial bus at Pokuase, near Accra. A fourth person later died in hospital.
The exercise, which will be stepped up during the Easter festivities, will cover the highways linking Accra to Takoradi, Accra to Nkawkaw, Accra to Akosombo, Accra to Ho and Accra to Aflao. It will later be replicated in the other regions, according to the MTTU.
The Commander of the unit, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Daniel Avorga, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic yesterday, noted, “We are determined to break this cycle of road accidents which are sending people to their graves before their time.”
He said under the exercise, motorised police personnel in groups of between four and six would be dispatched on the highways.
He said they would not only check the activities of drivers and their vehicles but also talk to and educate the drivers who plied those routes.
Mr Avorga, therefore, appealed to drivers to co-operate with the police during the exercise, since the focus of the latter would not be on arresting the drivers but ensuring sanity on the roads.
He said on March 19, 2009 the police would hold a meeting with transport organisations and other stakeholders in the transport sector to discuss ways of finding solutions to the recent spate of road accidents.
“We are determined to take proactive steps to stop the harrowing spate of accidents,” he said, adding that the police would ensure that there was safety on the roads.
Mr Avorga called for the support of members of the public in the campaign against road accidents.
Since the beginning of this year, the country has witnessed an increasing spate of road traffic accidents, with accidents being recorded almost every week.
Those accidents have not only destroyed property but also claimed the lives of people.
Only last Wednesday, three persons died on the spot, while many others sustained injuries, when an articulated truck loaded with lumber skidded off the road and hit a tree, after running into the rear of an Accra-bound commercial bus at Pokuase, near Accra. A fourth person later died in hospital.
Friday, March 13, 2009
AfDB TO FINANCE WASTE TREATMENT PLANT (BACK PAGE)
REHABILITATION work on the Human Waste Treatment Plant near the Korle Lagoon in Accra is to begin, with funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB).
This is part of measures to stop the emptying of human waste into the Atlantic Ocean.
The project, which is being undertaken by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), also involves the expansion of the sewage system in the central business district of Accra.
It is estimated to cost $68 million, with the AfDB providing 88.9 per cent of the amount, while the government is providing the other component.
The liquid waste project, among other things, is aimed at halting the disposal of waste into the sea, which has created a serious environmental problem along the coastline of Accra, especially the area near James Town, named Lavinda Hill, because of the strong stench emanating from the area, where the sea water has also become contaminated.
Mr Demedeme Naa, Head of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, who disclosed details of the project to the Daily Graphic, said a new human waste treatment plant had been envisaged as part of the project to complement the existing plant, which has been termed a ‘white elephant’.
The new plant would use appropriate technology such as stabilisation pond system for waste treatment and disposal in the Accra metropolis.
He said because of the sophisticated nature of the old treatment plant it was difficult to maintain and sustain it after the expatriate who built it in the 70 had left the country.
He said the other area the ministry was considering was the recycling of the waste into energy by the use of incinerators.
He said private firms had been attracted into the country to hold discussions with the government on the supply of electricity from the Volta River Authority to run the incinerators.
He said human waste could also be turned into compost for urban agriculture, especially for dry season gardening.
He said until those projects were off the ground, the AMA had no option but to spill the human waste into the sea, an action he described as the lesser evil.
He said the health risks involved in the disposal of such pathogens into the sea for the fish to feed on was not the best, though the digging of trenches for waste disposal was not cost-effective, since it involved refilling and spraying of the trenches to ward off flies.
Mr Naa called for multi-sectoral approach to solving the human waste disposal in the country, since one sector alone such as the AMA could not undertake the onerous task.
He urged the ministries of Agriculture, Local Government, Health and Energy to pool resources and come up with a comprehensive policy that would attract more investors into waste management.
The communities around the Lavender Hill showed an atmosphere of consternation, with the area invaded by flies.
Madam Ama Takyiwaa, who spoke to the Daily Graphic, said flies from the spillage site, after feasting on the waste materials, invaded the households, where they settled on every thing including food, cooking utensils and clothes.
The butchers’ shops in the area, where meat is sold, is under similar siege.
Mr Mumuni Barko, a butcher in the area, said he had to use repellents such as mosquito coils and spray to ward off the flies, which have caused a reduction in the patronage of his meat.
This is part of measures to stop the emptying of human waste into the Atlantic Ocean.
The project, which is being undertaken by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), also involves the expansion of the sewage system in the central business district of Accra.
It is estimated to cost $68 million, with the AfDB providing 88.9 per cent of the amount, while the government is providing the other component.
The liquid waste project, among other things, is aimed at halting the disposal of waste into the sea, which has created a serious environmental problem along the coastline of Accra, especially the area near James Town, named Lavinda Hill, because of the strong stench emanating from the area, where the sea water has also become contaminated.
Mr Demedeme Naa, Head of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, who disclosed details of the project to the Daily Graphic, said a new human waste treatment plant had been envisaged as part of the project to complement the existing plant, which has been termed a ‘white elephant’.
The new plant would use appropriate technology such as stabilisation pond system for waste treatment and disposal in the Accra metropolis.
He said because of the sophisticated nature of the old treatment plant it was difficult to maintain and sustain it after the expatriate who built it in the 70 had left the country.
He said the other area the ministry was considering was the recycling of the waste into energy by the use of incinerators.
He said private firms had been attracted into the country to hold discussions with the government on the supply of electricity from the Volta River Authority to run the incinerators.
He said human waste could also be turned into compost for urban agriculture, especially for dry season gardening.
He said until those projects were off the ground, the AMA had no option but to spill the human waste into the sea, an action he described as the lesser evil.
He said the health risks involved in the disposal of such pathogens into the sea for the fish to feed on was not the best, though the digging of trenches for waste disposal was not cost-effective, since it involved refilling and spraying of the trenches to ward off flies.
Mr Naa called for multi-sectoral approach to solving the human waste disposal in the country, since one sector alone such as the AMA could not undertake the onerous task.
He urged the ministries of Agriculture, Local Government, Health and Energy to pool resources and come up with a comprehensive policy that would attract more investors into waste management.
The communities around the Lavender Hill showed an atmosphere of consternation, with the area invaded by flies.
Madam Ama Takyiwaa, who spoke to the Daily Graphic, said flies from the spillage site, after feasting on the waste materials, invaded the households, where they settled on every thing including food, cooking utensils and clothes.
The butchers’ shops in the area, where meat is sold, is under similar siege.
Mr Mumuni Barko, a butcher in the area, said he had to use repellents such as mosquito coils and spray to ward off the flies, which have caused a reduction in the patronage of his meat.
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