THE government made US$8 million savings from freight charges on cocoa export for the last season through negotiations between shipping lines and the Ghana Shippers Council.
The Deputy Chief Executive of the council, Mr Emmanuel Martey, disclosed this when the Minister of Transport, Mr Mike Hammah, paid a familiarisation visit to the warehouses of the council in Tema.
Mr Martey said the role of the council was to streamline the clearing of goods and cut down the time and cost of doing business.
He said the government saw the wisdom in creating the council as far back as 1974 to protect Ghana’s exports from arbitrary pricing by shipping lines.
He said the council now hosted some African countries who came to learn at first-hand its operations and the procedures to follow in establishing similar institutions in their respective countries to protect them from shipping lines.
Mr Martey said the council had drawn up a strategic plan for the 2009-2013 period to make its operations sustainable through public-private partnership, which would allow the council to wean itself off government subvention.
Mr Hammah said the gateway policy of the government involved the provision of equipment at the country’s ports to enable many landlocked countries to have no option but to use them as transit ports.
He said the legal and regulatory framework of the council were being reviewed to empower it to play its role in the gateway project.
He said the inland port at Boankra would be vigorously pursued with the construction of a railway line to link it to the Tema port so that goods arriving at the port would be transported there directly.
Mr Hammah said the vision of the government was to make Ghana a middle-income country by the year 2020 and that could not be achieved through the traditional exports of cocoa and timber but through well thought-out programmes to attract foreign direct investments.
The minister, therefore, appealed to the workers to ensure peaceful industrial atmosphere to attract more investors into the country, since the shipping industry had a crucial role to play in the distribution of goods and services.
Mr Hammah also visited the warehouse of the Ghana Railway Corporation, where the government had taken delivery of two sets of diesel multiple units of lightway commuter trains for the Accra-Tema railway line.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
AU MUST WORK TO DEEPEN DEMOCRACY — SAYS ALHAJI MUMUNI (SPREAD)
THE Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, has observed that now that the decolonisation project in Africa is over, the new exciting agenda and innovation for the African Union (AU) is to work to deepen the democratic culture and promote good governance across the continent.
That, he said, would propel the continent into an era of African unity and rapid socio-economic development.
He explained that good governance was an imperative to be embraced not only by politicians, the Executive, the Legislature, the Judiciary, public servants and the private sector but should cut across all endeavours, including the activities of educational institutions, religious groups and traditional authorities, for holistic development.
Alhaji Mumuni made the observation at a flag-raising ceremony to commemorate the 46th anniversary of the AU (formerly the Organisation of African Unity) in Accra yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by a large number of members of the Diplomatic Corps and traditional rulers.
Alhaji Mumuni said African people ought to see themselves as sailing on the same boat, adding that it was by a collective effort that the continent could be expected to complete the struggle for economic emancipation.
He said with the advent of the AU and the adoption of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), a number of principles had since emerged to move the continent closer towards its desire to establish a continental union government.
The minister said the most significant achievement of the AU was its ability to successfully liberate Africa from the yoke of colonialism through the determination of its people and those in the Diaspora.
He said the visionary leadership provided by the early founding fathers, the ripple effect of the independence of Ghana in 1957, coupled with support from the international community, including the United Nations and the Non- Aligned Movement, ensured that by end of the 20th century the shackles of colonialism were shattered.
He said the 1994 democratic elections in South Africa not only heralded a new era in that country but also brought the period of colonialism on the African continent to an end.
Alhaji Mumuni said the shattering of colonialism had brought with it the widespread feeling across Africa that the time had come to accelerate continental unity and make it more inclusive and relevant to the masses.
He said the Sirte Declaration of September 9, 1999 in Libya was an immediate result of the collective reflection on the need for the AU in a rapidly changing global order.
He said the declaration also set the stage for the adoption of the Constitutive Act of the AU in 2000, saying that evolving in tandem with that process at the turn of the 20th century was the African renaissance and the new agenda of NEPAD.
The Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr Jean Ping, whose speech was read by the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, Mr Jean Pierre Gbikpi, said the AU had streamlined and strengthened the regional economic communities and accelerated the mechanism for the establishment of such continental institutions as the African Economic Community, the African Central Bank, the African Monetary Fund and the African Investment Bank.
He said the continent could look into the future with confidence and forge ahead to give concrete expression to the dream of a united and strong Africa that would be able to influence the course of the international community free from want, fear and poverty.
That, he said, would propel the continent into an era of African unity and rapid socio-economic development.
He explained that good governance was an imperative to be embraced not only by politicians, the Executive, the Legislature, the Judiciary, public servants and the private sector but should cut across all endeavours, including the activities of educational institutions, religious groups and traditional authorities, for holistic development.
Alhaji Mumuni made the observation at a flag-raising ceremony to commemorate the 46th anniversary of the AU (formerly the Organisation of African Unity) in Accra yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by a large number of members of the Diplomatic Corps and traditional rulers.
Alhaji Mumuni said African people ought to see themselves as sailing on the same boat, adding that it was by a collective effort that the continent could be expected to complete the struggle for economic emancipation.
He said with the advent of the AU and the adoption of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), a number of principles had since emerged to move the continent closer towards its desire to establish a continental union government.
The minister said the most significant achievement of the AU was its ability to successfully liberate Africa from the yoke of colonialism through the determination of its people and those in the Diaspora.
He said the visionary leadership provided by the early founding fathers, the ripple effect of the independence of Ghana in 1957, coupled with support from the international community, including the United Nations and the Non- Aligned Movement, ensured that by end of the 20th century the shackles of colonialism were shattered.
He said the 1994 democratic elections in South Africa not only heralded a new era in that country but also brought the period of colonialism on the African continent to an end.
Alhaji Mumuni said the shattering of colonialism had brought with it the widespread feeling across Africa that the time had come to accelerate continental unity and make it more inclusive and relevant to the masses.
He said the Sirte Declaration of September 9, 1999 in Libya was an immediate result of the collective reflection on the need for the AU in a rapidly changing global order.
He said the declaration also set the stage for the adoption of the Constitutive Act of the AU in 2000, saying that evolving in tandem with that process at the turn of the 20th century was the African renaissance and the new agenda of NEPAD.
The Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr Jean Ping, whose speech was read by the Dean of the African Diplomatic Corps, Mr Jean Pierre Gbikpi, said the AU had streamlined and strengthened the regional economic communities and accelerated the mechanism for the establishment of such continental institutions as the African Economic Community, the African Central Bank, the African Monetary Fund and the African Investment Bank.
He said the continent could look into the future with confidence and forge ahead to give concrete expression to the dream of a united and strong Africa that would be able to influence the course of the international community free from want, fear and poverty.
BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING TO GENERATE 40,000 JOBS (PAGE 30)
A programme under which some companies in the West send their business transactions to Ghana for processing for a fee and later returned to them, known as Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), is expected to generate 40,000 jobs for people with basic skills in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the next five years.
This is the outcome of a study conducted by the World Bank and the Ministry of Communications on business outsourcing in Ghana.
Presently, the first major company in BPO, Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), is providing 1,100 jobs for the youth with basic technical skills in keying in on the computer.
This came to light when the Minister of Communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, who was on a working visit to institutions under his ministry, toured the premises of ACS.
He expressed the commitment of the government to scout for land for the construction of production sites if that would help in providing mass employment for the youth in business outsourcing in Ghana.
He said what was interesting in business outsourcing was that the youth with minimum qualifications who formed the majority of the unemployed in the country would find jobs, and so would graduates with degrees and diplomas.
He said the government was determined to remove the constraints hampering the smooth take-off of companies engaged in business outsourcing.
He announced that three Information Technology parks would be established soon in Tema, Akuapem and a location in the Central Region to attract business outsourcing companies into the country .
He said the government was fully convinced about the potential of BPO to reduce youth unemployment within the shortest possible time in the country.
Mr Haruna said the ministry was in the process of developing modern infrastructure for the ICT industry in the country to offer cost effective connectivity for operators in the industry.
He said Ghana could not afford to remain as an emerging market by paying lip service to business outsourcing, saying that the government would ensure that the cost of the bandwidth in the country was reduced to enable as many people as possible to be connected to the Internet as a strategy for minimising unemployment in the country.
Mr Haruna said the government was ready to remove taxes on the importation of mobile phones, as well as computers, so that the sector could contribute to the economic and social development of the country.
The Country Manager of ACS, Mr Daniel Otoo Asare, informed the minister that because of lack of incentives, many outsourcing companies were being attracted to India, China and the Far East.
He said Ghana was still an attractive investment destination because it was stable and safe, compared to other countries which were offering incentives to attract outsourcing jobs.
He, however, said the cost of labour in Ghana was still twice higher than major destinations such as India and China and advised Ghanaian workers to work hard to justify their high remuneration.
The Country Manager said ACS started with 66 workers in 2,000, with a projection of hitting a set target of 5,000 jobs in 2005 but because of the economic downturn and factors such as cost of production, the company was only able to employ 1,100.
Mr Asare gave the assurance that all was not lost if Ghana was committed to moving from the emerging market status to a major market in the shortest possible time.
This is the outcome of a study conducted by the World Bank and the Ministry of Communications on business outsourcing in Ghana.
Presently, the first major company in BPO, Affiliated Computer Services (ACS), is providing 1,100 jobs for the youth with basic technical skills in keying in on the computer.
This came to light when the Minister of Communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, who was on a working visit to institutions under his ministry, toured the premises of ACS.
He expressed the commitment of the government to scout for land for the construction of production sites if that would help in providing mass employment for the youth in business outsourcing in Ghana.
He said what was interesting in business outsourcing was that the youth with minimum qualifications who formed the majority of the unemployed in the country would find jobs, and so would graduates with degrees and diplomas.
He said the government was determined to remove the constraints hampering the smooth take-off of companies engaged in business outsourcing.
He announced that three Information Technology parks would be established soon in Tema, Akuapem and a location in the Central Region to attract business outsourcing companies into the country .
He said the government was fully convinced about the potential of BPO to reduce youth unemployment within the shortest possible time in the country.
Mr Haruna said the ministry was in the process of developing modern infrastructure for the ICT industry in the country to offer cost effective connectivity for operators in the industry.
He said Ghana could not afford to remain as an emerging market by paying lip service to business outsourcing, saying that the government would ensure that the cost of the bandwidth in the country was reduced to enable as many people as possible to be connected to the Internet as a strategy for minimising unemployment in the country.
Mr Haruna said the government was ready to remove taxes on the importation of mobile phones, as well as computers, so that the sector could contribute to the economic and social development of the country.
The Country Manager of ACS, Mr Daniel Otoo Asare, informed the minister that because of lack of incentives, many outsourcing companies were being attracted to India, China and the Far East.
He said Ghana was still an attractive investment destination because it was stable and safe, compared to other countries which were offering incentives to attract outsourcing jobs.
He, however, said the cost of labour in Ghana was still twice higher than major destinations such as India and China and advised Ghanaian workers to work hard to justify their high remuneration.
The Country Manager said ACS started with 66 workers in 2,000, with a projection of hitting a set target of 5,000 jobs in 2005 but because of the economic downturn and factors such as cost of production, the company was only able to employ 1,100.
Mr Asare gave the assurance that all was not lost if Ghana was committed to moving from the emerging market status to a major market in the shortest possible time.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
FRAMEWORK TO ELIMINAE CHILD LABOUR IN COCOA SECTOR (BACK PAGE)
The government has put in place a sound and workable framework for eliminating worst forms of child labour in the cocoa sector.
Major components of the framework include providing education and training for vulnerable children, sensitising them to the worst forms of child labour, building capacity and community empowerment, which is in line with the commitment of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to investing in people and creating jobs.
The Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Stephen Amoanor Kwao, who announced this, reiterated the government’s position that there was no child and adult slavery in Ghana’s cocoa sector, as well as in other sectors of the economy.
The minister expressed concern over “false reports about slavery in the cocoa sector’’ in the country.
He explained that these false reports tended to erode all the positive progress being made in the cocoa-growing areas where the government targeted about 5,000 vulnerable children for assistance to enable them to pursue formal education.
Mr Kwao, who was addressing an international meeting of panel of experts on child labour in Accra, said 1,300 children had already benefited from government financial support in accessing education and training.
He said the main constraints had been technical and financial support to sustain the programme to completely eliminate worst forms of child labour in the cocoa and other sectors.
Mr Kwao explained that child labour was not only a consequence, but a cause of poverty cycle and underdevelopment.
He said, for example, that children subjected to extreme forms of exploitation without education would grow to be illiterate adults, who would virtually have no prospects of crossing the poverty line.
The minister noted that the prosperity of the country depended greatly on the quality of human resources, and tolerating child labour was inconsistent with the massive investment the government was making.
He said the meeting of experts was, therefore, a stock-taking exercise in reflecting on how far the country had come and assessing the achievements made and the challenges confronting the sector, so as to agree on the critical requirements of cocoa farmers and their families in order to mobilise all available resources to address them.
Major components of the framework include providing education and training for vulnerable children, sensitising them to the worst forms of child labour, building capacity and community empowerment, which is in line with the commitment of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to investing in people and creating jobs.
The Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr Stephen Amoanor Kwao, who announced this, reiterated the government’s position that there was no child and adult slavery in Ghana’s cocoa sector, as well as in other sectors of the economy.
The minister expressed concern over “false reports about slavery in the cocoa sector’’ in the country.
He explained that these false reports tended to erode all the positive progress being made in the cocoa-growing areas where the government targeted about 5,000 vulnerable children for assistance to enable them to pursue formal education.
Mr Kwao, who was addressing an international meeting of panel of experts on child labour in Accra, said 1,300 children had already benefited from government financial support in accessing education and training.
He said the main constraints had been technical and financial support to sustain the programme to completely eliminate worst forms of child labour in the cocoa and other sectors.
Mr Kwao explained that child labour was not only a consequence, but a cause of poverty cycle and underdevelopment.
He said, for example, that children subjected to extreme forms of exploitation without education would grow to be illiterate adults, who would virtually have no prospects of crossing the poverty line.
The minister noted that the prosperity of the country depended greatly on the quality of human resources, and tolerating child labour was inconsistent with the massive investment the government was making.
He said the meeting of experts was, therefore, a stock-taking exercise in reflecting on how far the country had come and assessing the achievements made and the challenges confronting the sector, so as to agree on the critical requirements of cocoa farmers and their families in order to mobilise all available resources to address them.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
TWO ORGANISATIONS DISPUTE SHARING OF AIRPORT REVENUE (PAGE 38)
THE leadership of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and that of the Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) are embroiled in an impasse over the sharing of revenue accruing from aircraft landings at the Kotoka International Airport.
The GMA claims the GCAA is indebted to it to the tune of GH¢1 million from revenue accruing from aircraft landing and that the non-payment of the money is affecting its efficient operations, including the tracking of aircraft at the Kotoka International Airport.
The acting Director-General of the GCAA, Mr Simon Allotey, however, told the Minister of Transport, Mr Mike Hammah, that a meeting to find an amicable solution to the impasse had been scheduled for this week.
Mr Allotey said Ghana was demoted to Federal Aviation Authority Category One status because of security and safety concerns, as well as the weak oversight of the then Ghana Airways Corporation.
He, therefore, appealed to the minister to ensure that Ghana was promoted back to its original position by assisting the GCAA to complete the construction of the tarmac and putting in place certain security measures such as the construction of fire station.
Mr Allotey said safety had been the priority of GCAA and that it had been chosen by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to manage the Flight Information Region (FIR) of Ghana, Togo and Benin.
He said four companies operating flights had expressed their readiness to extend their activities to Ghana because of the good safety record of the country’s airspace.
He also appealed to the Minister of Transport to assist the authority to protect the land at the airport from encroachers.
Mr Allotey said lands acquired for the development of the airport had been encroached upon by estate developers and that had become a hindrance to the development of the international airport in Accra.
Mr Hammah emphasised that the airport played a pivotal role in implementing the government’s gateway programme in the subregion and appealed to workers and the management not to rest on their laurels but to develop strategies to sustain their role.
He urged them to be proactive so that Kotoka International Airport would become the aviation hub of not only West Africa but the whole continent.
He announced that the ministry would soon come out with an Aviation Policy Document which would enable all the companies being formed by the GCAA to operate profitably by weaning themselves off government subvention.
Mr Hammah said the government, as a social democratic party, believed in employment creation and urged management to bear in mind the creation of more jobs through its varied operations instead of relying on traditional sources such as revenue from airport taxes.
Mr Hammah’s visit also took him to the Ghana Airports Company and the Ghana International Airlines (GIA).
The GMA claims the GCAA is indebted to it to the tune of GH¢1 million from revenue accruing from aircraft landing and that the non-payment of the money is affecting its efficient operations, including the tracking of aircraft at the Kotoka International Airport.
The acting Director-General of the GCAA, Mr Simon Allotey, however, told the Minister of Transport, Mr Mike Hammah, that a meeting to find an amicable solution to the impasse had been scheduled for this week.
Mr Allotey said Ghana was demoted to Federal Aviation Authority Category One status because of security and safety concerns, as well as the weak oversight of the then Ghana Airways Corporation.
He, therefore, appealed to the minister to ensure that Ghana was promoted back to its original position by assisting the GCAA to complete the construction of the tarmac and putting in place certain security measures such as the construction of fire station.
Mr Allotey said safety had been the priority of GCAA and that it had been chosen by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to manage the Flight Information Region (FIR) of Ghana, Togo and Benin.
He said four companies operating flights had expressed their readiness to extend their activities to Ghana because of the good safety record of the country’s airspace.
He also appealed to the Minister of Transport to assist the authority to protect the land at the airport from encroachers.
Mr Allotey said lands acquired for the development of the airport had been encroached upon by estate developers and that had become a hindrance to the development of the international airport in Accra.
Mr Hammah emphasised that the airport played a pivotal role in implementing the government’s gateway programme in the subregion and appealed to workers and the management not to rest on their laurels but to develop strategies to sustain their role.
He urged them to be proactive so that Kotoka International Airport would become the aviation hub of not only West Africa but the whole continent.
He announced that the ministry would soon come out with an Aviation Policy Document which would enable all the companies being formed by the GCAA to operate profitably by weaning themselves off government subvention.
Mr Hammah said the government, as a social democratic party, believed in employment creation and urged management to bear in mind the creation of more jobs through its varied operations instead of relying on traditional sources such as revenue from airport taxes.
Mr Hammah’s visit also took him to the Ghana Airports Company and the Ghana International Airlines (GIA).
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
DEPUTY MINISTER COMMENDS CUBAN MEDICAL BRIGADE
The Cuban Medical Brigade has since 1982 performed 1, 748,000 surgeries to save the lives of Ghanaians.
The brigade, which started with 62 medical doctors in 1982, now has 200 of them.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kumbour, who disclosed this at the launch of activities in Accra to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between Ghana and Cuba in Accra at the weekend, said the Cuban government was also assisting the Tamale Teaching Hospital with 12 professors who teach medicine.
He said many regions had benefited from the services of the doctors. There are 17 in the Eastern Region, 22 in Ashanti, 13 in Greater Accra, 25 in Central, 33 in Northern, 18 in Upper East and 15 in Western Region.
Dr Kumbuor said the arrival of the Cuban Medical Brigade had contributed to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality especially in the rural areas of the country and added that the two countries shared the same objectives of ensuring social fairness and equality of opportunity as well as the elimination of illiteracy in the country.
Dr Kumbour said despite the economic and financial blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States, Cuba had succeeded in ensuring total employment and security for its citizens.
He appealed to Ghanaian workers, especially health professionals and teachers to ensure that Cuba’s achievements in the health and education sectors are replicated by them to reduce the squalor, poverty and ignorance among the populace.
The Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, Dr Miguel Perez Cruz, said currently the doctor-patient ratio in Cuba was one to 200 patients and notwithstanding the economic and financial blockade, the Cuban Government had surmounted the scourge of illiteracy and established schools to train other nationals in medicine and engineering.
He said about 13,000 students, some of whom were from Ghana, have had the opportunity to study in some of the best schools in Cuba.
Dr Cruz appealed to the international community to bring more pressure to bear on the United States to stop the economic blockade since it did not conform to international law.
The brigade, which started with 62 medical doctors in 1982, now has 200 of them.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kumbour, who disclosed this at the launch of activities in Accra to mark 50 years of diplomatic relations between Ghana and Cuba in Accra at the weekend, said the Cuban government was also assisting the Tamale Teaching Hospital with 12 professors who teach medicine.
He said many regions had benefited from the services of the doctors. There are 17 in the Eastern Region, 22 in Ashanti, 13 in Greater Accra, 25 in Central, 33 in Northern, 18 in Upper East and 15 in Western Region.
Dr Kumbuor said the arrival of the Cuban Medical Brigade had contributed to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality especially in the rural areas of the country and added that the two countries shared the same objectives of ensuring social fairness and equality of opportunity as well as the elimination of illiteracy in the country.
Dr Kumbour said despite the economic and financial blockade imposed on Cuba by the United States, Cuba had succeeded in ensuring total employment and security for its citizens.
He appealed to Ghanaian workers, especially health professionals and teachers to ensure that Cuba’s achievements in the health and education sectors are replicated by them to reduce the squalor, poverty and ignorance among the populace.
The Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, Dr Miguel Perez Cruz, said currently the doctor-patient ratio in Cuba was one to 200 patients and notwithstanding the economic and financial blockade, the Cuban Government had surmounted the scourge of illiteracy and established schools to train other nationals in medicine and engineering.
He said about 13,000 students, some of whom were from Ghana, have had the opportunity to study in some of the best schools in Cuba.
Dr Cruz appealed to the international community to bring more pressure to bear on the United States to stop the economic blockade since it did not conform to international law.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
INTER-MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE TO ADVISE TOURISM MINISTRY (PAGE 38)
AN 18-member inter-ministerial committee on tourism has been inaugurated in Accra to serve as an advisory body to the Ministry of Tourism.
The committee, which is also a decision-making body, is expected to help in the implementation of programmes and activities necessary to facilitate tourism development and growth for the benefit of the economy.
Some of the ministries constituting the committee include, Transport, Roads and Highways, Chieftaincy and Culture, Trade and Industries, Interior, Local Government and Rural Development, Health, Education and Lands and Natural Resources.
Inaugurating the committee, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister of Tourism, said the tourism industry had great potential to create jobs and generate foreign exchange.
Records at the Ministry of Tourism indicate that a total of 232,883 jobs were generated by the tourism industry last year, representing an increase over the figure of 229,663 for 2007
In addition, the country realised US$ 1.3 million from the 698,069 international tourists who arrived in the country in 2008, making the industry the fourth highest foreign exchange earner after gold, cocoa and remittances from Ghanaians abroad.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said the inauguration marked a significant beginning of effective collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and other ministries as well as the private sector to promote health, eco and agro tourism in the country.
She said the tourism sector had demonstrated enough potential to contribute to poverty reduction in the country.
She pointed out that the concerted efforts of the inter-ministerial committee could lead to infrastructure improvement such as better water and sewerage systems, roads, electricity, telephone and public transport networks in the host communities.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said when tourism was well co-ordinated it could be a viable tool for the conservation of the environment and preservation of local cultures,especially with the development of community-based eco-tourism programmes and projects.
She reminded the 18 ministries constituting the committee on tourism that tourism had a catalytic role to stimulate the growth of other sectors,notably the construction, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, food processing, handicrafts and entertainment industries.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said it had been proved in many countries that the more these linkages could be forged the greater the benefits to the wider economic development and poverty reduction.
She said the mandate of the inter-ministerial committee, therefore, would serve as a platform to strengthen collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and other ministries, departments, agencies as well as solicit their support in the development and promotion of tourism.
She said the government could use the forum to sensitise the relevant organisations to the needs of the tourism sector.
The committee, which is also a decision-making body, is expected to help in the implementation of programmes and activities necessary to facilitate tourism development and growth for the benefit of the economy.
Some of the ministries constituting the committee include, Transport, Roads and Highways, Chieftaincy and Culture, Trade and Industries, Interior, Local Government and Rural Development, Health, Education and Lands and Natural Resources.
Inaugurating the committee, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister of Tourism, said the tourism industry had great potential to create jobs and generate foreign exchange.
Records at the Ministry of Tourism indicate that a total of 232,883 jobs were generated by the tourism industry last year, representing an increase over the figure of 229,663 for 2007
In addition, the country realised US$ 1.3 million from the 698,069 international tourists who arrived in the country in 2008, making the industry the fourth highest foreign exchange earner after gold, cocoa and remittances from Ghanaians abroad.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said the inauguration marked a significant beginning of effective collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and other ministries as well as the private sector to promote health, eco and agro tourism in the country.
She said the tourism sector had demonstrated enough potential to contribute to poverty reduction in the country.
She pointed out that the concerted efforts of the inter-ministerial committee could lead to infrastructure improvement such as better water and sewerage systems, roads, electricity, telephone and public transport networks in the host communities.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said when tourism was well co-ordinated it could be a viable tool for the conservation of the environment and preservation of local cultures,especially with the development of community-based eco-tourism programmes and projects.
She reminded the 18 ministries constituting the committee on tourism that tourism had a catalytic role to stimulate the growth of other sectors,notably the construction, agriculture, manufacturing, transport, food processing, handicrafts and entertainment industries.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah said it had been proved in many countries that the more these linkages could be forged the greater the benefits to the wider economic development and poverty reduction.
She said the mandate of the inter-ministerial committee, therefore, would serve as a platform to strengthen collaboration between the Ministry of Tourism and other ministries, departments, agencies as well as solicit their support in the development and promotion of tourism.
She said the government could use the forum to sensitise the relevant organisations to the needs of the tourism sector.
COMMUNICATIONS MINISTRY TO ACQUIRE MODEN RADAR (BACK PAGE)
THE Ministry of Communications is to acquire a modern radar that will be capable of tracking storms and processing information on hazardous weather.
Currently, there is only one secondary civilian radar which was installed at the Kotoka International Airport, used only to track aircraft in the country’s airspace.
This was made known by the Minister of Communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, when he paid a working visit to the offices of the Ghana Meteorological Agency in Accra.
He said the new radar would improve the work of the agency and move it to a stage where it would anticipate and prevent damages and lost of lives and property before disasters occurred.
Mr Iddrisu said it was unacceptable that in this era of development, the meteorological agency was still using manual paper work and analogue equipment, instead of computers to forecast weather information.
The ministry, he said, had, therefore, allocated 10 computers to the agency to reduce the paper work in the official activities of weather forecasting.
Mr Gideon Quarcoo, Deputy Minister of Communication, who accompanied the minister, said the ministry was studying the possibilities of introducing technologies for seeding clouds with silicon iodide crystal to increase rainfall in the country for agricultural production.
The Director-General of Meteorological Agency, Mr Michael Mawutor Tanu, informed the ministers that the Ghana Cocoa Board had expressed its readiness to partner the agency to provide weather forecast for farmers in the country.
He, however, deplored the attitude of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for withholding the 10 per cent landing fee from aircraft which was due the Meteorological Agency for providing information on aircraft landings.
Currently, there is only one secondary civilian radar which was installed at the Kotoka International Airport, used only to track aircraft in the country’s airspace.
This was made known by the Minister of Communications, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, when he paid a working visit to the offices of the Ghana Meteorological Agency in Accra.
He said the new radar would improve the work of the agency and move it to a stage where it would anticipate and prevent damages and lost of lives and property before disasters occurred.
Mr Iddrisu said it was unacceptable that in this era of development, the meteorological agency was still using manual paper work and analogue equipment, instead of computers to forecast weather information.
The ministry, he said, had, therefore, allocated 10 computers to the agency to reduce the paper work in the official activities of weather forecasting.
Mr Gideon Quarcoo, Deputy Minister of Communication, who accompanied the minister, said the ministry was studying the possibilities of introducing technologies for seeding clouds with silicon iodide crystal to increase rainfall in the country for agricultural production.
The Director-General of Meteorological Agency, Mr Michael Mawutor Tanu, informed the ministers that the Ghana Cocoa Board had expressed its readiness to partner the agency to provide weather forecast for farmers in the country.
He, however, deplored the attitude of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for withholding the 10 per cent landing fee from aircraft which was due the Meteorological Agency for providing information on aircraft landings.
Monday, May 4, 2009
KEEP UP WITH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SPREAD)
A Deputy Minister of Information, Mr James Agyenim-Boateng, has called on the advertising industry to brace itself for innovation in order to remain relevant in the information technology age.
He said because of information technology, interactive services were fast replacing those which were one-way communication channels.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng, who gave the caution at the Seventh Gong-Gong Awards Night in Accra over the weekend, said best products as well as innovation were the only ways of assisting manufacturers to remain in business in the era of economic downturn.
He, therefore, urged manufacturers and advertising agencies to undertake research to understand what consumers required of them instead of attempting to capture the market with price cuts and inferior commodities which could not sustain their leadership in the market.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng said loyalty from the consumer was one of the only guarantees for manufacturers and the marketing departments to reap returns on their investment.
The deputy minister pointed out that branding of products, therefore, was the surest way to capture a notch in the commodities market on a sustainable basis and admonished advertisers to desist from promoting products that had not undergone certification by the regulatory agencies.
He noted that such products, especially drugs, could have serious health implications.
Mr Reginald Laryea, President of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), explained that the association instituted the Gong-Gong Awards Night seven years ago to recognise and reward talents in creativity.
He said over the past decade, the advertising industry had grown by leaps and bounds because of the relative peace and stability prevailing in the country, adding that development and advertising moved hand-in-hand so where there was no stability and peace, advertising was stifled.
He said the theme for this year’s awards centred around brand names and urged the manufacturing industries to rely more on their brand names to stay in business.
Mr Laryea suggested the formation of an ethics committee comprising the advertising association and major stakeholders such as the mass media and consumer groups, which would come out with well formulated regulations to check the activities of the advertising industry.
In all, about 182 advertisements were selected in the four categories of Print, Television, Radio and Outdoor Advertising for the competition in creativity.
Origin 8 Saatchi and Saatchi won the best overall advertisement in the Television Category, known as the Platinum Award.
The Platinum Award in Radio Advertising was won by Originate Publicity while Overall Best Award in Print went to Lowe Lintas.
He said because of information technology, interactive services were fast replacing those which were one-way communication channels.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng, who gave the caution at the Seventh Gong-Gong Awards Night in Accra over the weekend, said best products as well as innovation were the only ways of assisting manufacturers to remain in business in the era of economic downturn.
He, therefore, urged manufacturers and advertising agencies to undertake research to understand what consumers required of them instead of attempting to capture the market with price cuts and inferior commodities which could not sustain their leadership in the market.
Mr Agyenim-Boateng said loyalty from the consumer was one of the only guarantees for manufacturers and the marketing departments to reap returns on their investment.
The deputy minister pointed out that branding of products, therefore, was the surest way to capture a notch in the commodities market on a sustainable basis and admonished advertisers to desist from promoting products that had not undergone certification by the regulatory agencies.
He noted that such products, especially drugs, could have serious health implications.
Mr Reginald Laryea, President of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), explained that the association instituted the Gong-Gong Awards Night seven years ago to recognise and reward talents in creativity.
He said over the past decade, the advertising industry had grown by leaps and bounds because of the relative peace and stability prevailing in the country, adding that development and advertising moved hand-in-hand so where there was no stability and peace, advertising was stifled.
He said the theme for this year’s awards centred around brand names and urged the manufacturing industries to rely more on their brand names to stay in business.
Mr Laryea suggested the formation of an ethics committee comprising the advertising association and major stakeholders such as the mass media and consumer groups, which would come out with well formulated regulations to check the activities of the advertising industry.
In all, about 182 advertisements were selected in the four categories of Print, Television, Radio and Outdoor Advertising for the competition in creativity.
Origin 8 Saatchi and Saatchi won the best overall advertisement in the Television Category, known as the Platinum Award.
The Platinum Award in Radio Advertising was won by Originate Publicity while Overall Best Award in Print went to Lowe Lintas.
30 CONTRACTORS TRADE MINISTRY OFFICIALS TOUR CHINA (BACK PAGE)
THIRTY contractors and two officials of the Ministry of Trade and Industry have left the country for a two-week trade and investment mission to the People’s Republic of China as part of the government’s plan to improve the capacity of local contractors.
While in China, the contractors, who are members of the Association of Road Contractors of Ghana (ASROC), and the ministry officials will hold bilateral talks with their Chinese counterparts.
Majority of the Ghanaian delegation, who were drawn from the association’s leadership nationwide, would also participate in the China Road Summit and Exhibition for 2009.
The tour is under the auspices of the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The Head of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Mr M. K. Abissah, said the ASROC members would also hold meetings with the China Export-Import Bank in Beijing from May 11 to 12.
Mr Abissah noted that Ghana had positioned itself to derive the maximum benefit from the new strategic partnership of the China-Africa Forum on Co-operation for the private and public sectors of the national economy.
In February this year, he said the Ministry of Roads and Highways facilitated the meeting of ASROC executives with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport.
At the meeting, he said, the executive of ASROC presented a paper on some of the problems militating against the effective and efficient operations of the construction industry.
Mr Abissah said the tour to China had been designed to address some of the problems the contractors presented to the Select Committee, which included capacity building and inadequate equipment holding, which are some of the major contributory factors militating against the construction industry.
While in China, the contractors, who are members of the Association of Road Contractors of Ghana (ASROC), and the ministry officials will hold bilateral talks with their Chinese counterparts.
Majority of the Ghanaian delegation, who were drawn from the association’s leadership nationwide, would also participate in the China Road Summit and Exhibition for 2009.
The tour is under the auspices of the Ministry of Roads and Highways and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The Head of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Mr M. K. Abissah, said the ASROC members would also hold meetings with the China Export-Import Bank in Beijing from May 11 to 12.
Mr Abissah noted that Ghana had positioned itself to derive the maximum benefit from the new strategic partnership of the China-Africa Forum on Co-operation for the private and public sectors of the national economy.
In February this year, he said the Ministry of Roads and Highways facilitated the meeting of ASROC executives with the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport.
At the meeting, he said, the executive of ASROC presented a paper on some of the problems militating against the effective and efficient operations of the construction industry.
Mr Abissah said the tour to China had been designed to address some of the problems the contractors presented to the Select Committee, which included capacity building and inadequate equipment holding, which are some of the major contributory factors militating against the construction industry.
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