THE Catholic Bishop of Koforidua, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifa Agyekum, has appealed to the government and the Ghana Education Service (GES) not to recruit teachers for national exercises that conflict with the academic calendar of educational institutions.
He said the practice of using basic and second cycle school teachers for the census and the national and district elections took the teachers away from the classrooms, a situation that adversely affected the standard of education in most public schools.
He said if such teachers should be engaged for the national exercises, it should be done during holidays to “save our pupils and students from suffering unnecessary academic drawbacks”.
He, therefore, suggested the recruitment and training of unemployed graduates from tertiary and second cycle institutions for such national exercises.
Speaking at a teachers’ durbar at Asamankese, Bishop Agyekum said “once our schools open for academic work to begin, teachers must be allowed to stay in the classroom to spend quality hours with their pupils and students without any interruption”.
The meeting was to afford the Catholic Bishop of Koforidua and other stakeholders the opportunity to meet and interact with the teachers who came from the various Catholic schools at Suhum, Asamankese, Kade, Adoagyire, Nsawam and Akwatia.
The bishop’s appeal followed earlier reports at the function by the West Akyem Municipal Director of Education, Mr Kofi Nti, that most of the basic school teachers who were recruited for the national census, after the exercise, went back to their schools only to write letters requesting for a two-week casual leave to enable them to undertake their engagement and wedding activities.
He had earlier partly blamed the non-commitment of most of the teachers to their profession for the poor standard of education in the municipality, citing lateness and absenteeism as some of the major factors contributing to the problem.
The acting Eastern Regional Manager of Catholic Schools, Mr Clemence Y. Baba, said lack of discipline among some of the teachers and lack of effective supervision by some of the headteachers of schools had contributed to poor academic performance by pupils and students.
“Efforts are now being made to assess the record of teachers before they are appointed as head of our schools,” he told the teachers as a warning to show commitment to the profession to pave way for any future promotions.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
SEVERANCE AWARD FOR EX-GCD WORKERS (1B, DEC 23, 2010)
ECOBANK has begun the payment of 50 per cent severance award to workers of the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds (GCD) who were laid off after the collapse of the company.
The payments followed the release of GH¢3 million by the government to the bank for disbursement to the workers.
The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, told the Daily Graphic in Koforidua yesterday that the government had to intervene to save the workers from further hardships.
“The release of the money is also in fulfilment of a promise the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, made to the workers of GCD in his 2008 presidential campaign to pay their severance packages if voted into power,” Mr Jamal stated.
“When GCD is successfully divested, the remaining 50 per cent of the workers’ severance award will be paid by March, 2011,” he added.
GCD collapsed in 2006 and the 780 workers of the company were laid off.
The deputy minister said the closure of the company had affected the survival of the workers and their families over the years, adding that “41 of the workers have so far passed away due to economic hardship they faced”.
To facilitate the payment process and other documentation, Mr Jamal said all the workers were allowed to take photographs free of charge.
“It is a great relief for workers of GCD who have endured economic hardship for a long time to receive 50 per cent of their severance packages prior to the celebration of the Christmas,” the deputy minister stated.
The payments followed the release of GH¢3 million by the government to the bank for disbursement to the workers.
The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, told the Daily Graphic in Koforidua yesterday that the government had to intervene to save the workers from further hardships.
“The release of the money is also in fulfilment of a promise the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, made to the workers of GCD in his 2008 presidential campaign to pay their severance packages if voted into power,” Mr Jamal stated.
“When GCD is successfully divested, the remaining 50 per cent of the workers’ severance award will be paid by March, 2011,” he added.
GCD collapsed in 2006 and the 780 workers of the company were laid off.
The deputy minister said the closure of the company had affected the survival of the workers and their families over the years, adding that “41 of the workers have so far passed away due to economic hardship they faced”.
To facilitate the payment process and other documentation, Mr Jamal said all the workers were allowed to take photographs free of charge.
“It is a great relief for workers of GCD who have endured economic hardship for a long time to receive 50 per cent of their severance packages prior to the celebration of the Christmas,” the deputy minister stated.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
ENHANCE DECENTRALISATION PROCESS — OKYENHENE (SPREAD, DEC 22, 2010)
THE Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amotia Ofori Panin, has called on the government to enhance the decentralisation process to ensure the effective implementation, evaluation and monitoring of various development projects across the country.
He said decentralisation in the area of education, for example, would instil a sense of communal ownership, accountability and transparency at all levels of society.
“Unfortunately, our current centralised system makes it difficult for educational authorities to evaluate and monitor effectively the performance of teachers, a situation that can be solved if those to supervise the teachers are close to them in the communities,” the Okyenhene stated.
Speaking at the end-of-year State Council meeting of the chiefs of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area in Kyebi last Friday, Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated that “today’s centrality of governance is outdated and has outlived its relevance and usefulness for our development aspirations”.
The meeting was used to discuss several pertinent development issues, such as illegal mining, poor educational standards, security and other issues confronting the socio-economic development of Akyem Abuakwa.
“All over the world, governance systems which are small and scattered are relatively immune to failure, as the local authorities and the communities feel a sense of ownership in the monitoring and evaluation of the progress of community projects,” he stated.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated that the implementation of centralised governance at a time when the country’s population stood at five million was “useful to the nation’s development drive, but with the current population of close to 25 million, a centralised system of governance is completely outdated, as it has outlived its relevance and usefulness to our country’s development drive”.
Buttressing his point, he said when, recently, he went round to inspect the conditions of some of the basic public schools in the area as part of activities marking his 10th anniversary on the stool, “I was faced with the reality that undermines quality teaching and learning.”
“The conditions of those schools and the children were very depressing, as they lacked proper classroom blocks, places of convenience, chairs and tables, electricity and good source of drinking water,” he stated.
“If the educational sector is decentralised, the communities could mobilise resources to complement the government’s efforts at improving basic infrastructure and provide the needed facilities, as well as set up boards to evaluate and monitor the performance of teachers to enhance teaching and learning,” the Okyenhene added.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin charged chiefs in the traditional area to mobilise prominent citizens in their respective areas to help mobilise resources to address the basic challenges facing some of the basic schools in the area.
He said decentralisation in the area of education, for example, would instil a sense of communal ownership, accountability and transparency at all levels of society.
“Unfortunately, our current centralised system makes it difficult for educational authorities to evaluate and monitor effectively the performance of teachers, a situation that can be solved if those to supervise the teachers are close to them in the communities,” the Okyenhene stated.
Speaking at the end-of-year State Council meeting of the chiefs of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area in Kyebi last Friday, Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated that “today’s centrality of governance is outdated and has outlived its relevance and usefulness for our development aspirations”.
The meeting was used to discuss several pertinent development issues, such as illegal mining, poor educational standards, security and other issues confronting the socio-economic development of Akyem Abuakwa.
“All over the world, governance systems which are small and scattered are relatively immune to failure, as the local authorities and the communities feel a sense of ownership in the monitoring and evaluation of the progress of community projects,” he stated.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin stated that the implementation of centralised governance at a time when the country’s population stood at five million was “useful to the nation’s development drive, but with the current population of close to 25 million, a centralised system of governance is completely outdated, as it has outlived its relevance and usefulness to our country’s development drive”.
Buttressing his point, he said when, recently, he went round to inspect the conditions of some of the basic public schools in the area as part of activities marking his 10th anniversary on the stool, “I was faced with the reality that undermines quality teaching and learning.”
“The conditions of those schools and the children were very depressing, as they lacked proper classroom blocks, places of convenience, chairs and tables, electricity and good source of drinking water,” he stated.
“If the educational sector is decentralised, the communities could mobilise resources to complement the government’s efforts at improving basic infrastructure and provide the needed facilities, as well as set up boards to evaluate and monitor the performance of teachers to enhance teaching and learning,” the Okyenhene added.
Osagyefuo Ofori Panin charged chiefs in the traditional area to mobilise prominent citizens in their respective areas to help mobilise resources to address the basic challenges facing some of the basic schools in the area.
Monday, December 20, 2010
MAN, 38, TO DIE...For beating 80-year-old man to death (LEAD STORY, DEC 18, 2010)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
FOR beating an 80-year-old woman mercilessly to death at Akyem-Sekyere in the Eastern Region, a 38-year-old taxi driver is to pay with his life by hanging.
Although the convict, Edward Boateng, pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, the Koforidua High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Kossi Efo Kaglo, pronounced him guilty after eight years of trial by a seven-member jury.
He was said to have gone to the family house of the deceased, Ama Kuman, at Akyem-Sekyere about 11.30 p.m. on January 1, 2002 to look for his sister but ended up subjecting the deceased to severe beatings before biting her right ear.
The deceased, who was rescued by her children, was rushed to the Holy Family Hospital at Nkawkaw unconscious, where he died the following day.
Prosecuting, a State Attorney, Mr Fred Tetteh, told the court that on January 1, 2002, the convict had gone to Akyem-Sekyere to look for his sister, Gladys Yaa Dansoah, who was the deceased’s son’s wife.
The prosecutor said when Boateng got to the house where his sister lived, he knocked hard on the door several times, calling her to come out, but there was no response.
The deceased, who was sleeping in her room, came out and told the convict that his sister did not come to the house to sleep but the convict became infuriated and pounced on her, beating her mercilessly until she became unconscious.
“Boateng even went to the extent of biting the right hear of the deceased but her daughter and Boateng’s sister who were sleeping in their separate rooms came out to rescue the old woman, who had become unconscious,” Mr Tetteh stated.
The deceased was then rushed to the Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital and admitted but she died the following morning.
Her family reported the incident to the police, who caused the arrest of the convict on January 2, 2002.
FOR beating an 80-year-old woman mercilessly to death at Akyem-Sekyere in the Eastern Region, a 38-year-old taxi driver is to pay with his life by hanging.
Although the convict, Edward Boateng, pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder, the Koforidua High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Kossi Efo Kaglo, pronounced him guilty after eight years of trial by a seven-member jury.
He was said to have gone to the family house of the deceased, Ama Kuman, at Akyem-Sekyere about 11.30 p.m. on January 1, 2002 to look for his sister but ended up subjecting the deceased to severe beatings before biting her right ear.
The deceased, who was rescued by her children, was rushed to the Holy Family Hospital at Nkawkaw unconscious, where he died the following day.
Prosecuting, a State Attorney, Mr Fred Tetteh, told the court that on January 1, 2002, the convict had gone to Akyem-Sekyere to look for his sister, Gladys Yaa Dansoah, who was the deceased’s son’s wife.
The prosecutor said when Boateng got to the house where his sister lived, he knocked hard on the door several times, calling her to come out, but there was no response.
The deceased, who was sleeping in her room, came out and told the convict that his sister did not come to the house to sleep but the convict became infuriated and pounced on her, beating her mercilessly until she became unconscious.
“Boateng even went to the extent of biting the right hear of the deceased but her daughter and Boateng’s sister who were sleeping in their separate rooms came out to rescue the old woman, who had become unconscious,” Mr Tetteh stated.
The deceased was then rushed to the Nkawkaw Holy Family Hospital and admitted but she died the following morning.
Her family reported the incident to the police, who caused the arrest of the convict on January 2, 2002.
Monday, December 6, 2010
INSECTICIDE MOSQUITO NETS FOR 10 COMMUNITIES (MIRROR, DEC 4, 2010, PAGE 34)
From Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
RESIDENTS of 10 out of the 21 municipalities and districts in the Eastern Region are to benefit from 830,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
The project, to be implemented on a pilot basis, will be extended to the remaining 11 districts based on the successful implementation of the project in the beneficiary areas.
The initiative, targeted at pregnant women and children under five, as well as other persons registered under the programme, forms part of the launch of the long-lasting insecticide nets hang-up campaign being implemented by the National Malaria Control Programme and financed by the USAID.
As part of measures to ensure the success of the programme, a task force and personnel of the Ghana Health Service would be moving from house to house to hang the nets in the homes of the beneficiaries and also conduct regular visits to ensure their effective use by the beneficiaries.
This became known during the launching of the universal access to Long-Lasting Hang-up campaign at Kwamang in the Kwahu West Municipality in the Eastern Region.
Launching the project, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said available statistics showed that in 2008, 746,444 cases of malaria were recorded in the region but this increased to 925,266 in 2009.
According to him, hospital admissions which were the result of malaria increased from 39,596 in 2008 to 43,762 in 2009, while total deaths due to the disease decreased slightly from 279 in 2008 to 273 in 2009.
“It is regrettable that these deaths could have been prevented by sleeping under a treated mosquito net, but since this precaution was not adhered to, many people had to write their premature obituaries”, Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated.
He attributed the increase in malaria cases to filthy environments in towns and communities in the region, and added “it is, therefore, not surprising that the substantial increase in the death rate in Ghana could be traced to the deterioration and degeneration in our environment”.
He, therefore, appealed to the beneficiaries to sleep under the treated mosquito nets to reduce malaria cases and maternal and infant mortality in the region.
RESIDENTS of 10 out of the 21 municipalities and districts in the Eastern Region are to benefit from 830,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets.
The project, to be implemented on a pilot basis, will be extended to the remaining 11 districts based on the successful implementation of the project in the beneficiary areas.
The initiative, targeted at pregnant women and children under five, as well as other persons registered under the programme, forms part of the launch of the long-lasting insecticide nets hang-up campaign being implemented by the National Malaria Control Programme and financed by the USAID.
As part of measures to ensure the success of the programme, a task force and personnel of the Ghana Health Service would be moving from house to house to hang the nets in the homes of the beneficiaries and also conduct regular visits to ensure their effective use by the beneficiaries.
This became known during the launching of the universal access to Long-Lasting Hang-up campaign at Kwamang in the Kwahu West Municipality in the Eastern Region.
Launching the project, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said available statistics showed that in 2008, 746,444 cases of malaria were recorded in the region but this increased to 925,266 in 2009.
According to him, hospital admissions which were the result of malaria increased from 39,596 in 2008 to 43,762 in 2009, while total deaths due to the disease decreased slightly from 279 in 2008 to 273 in 2009.
“It is regrettable that these deaths could have been prevented by sleeping under a treated mosquito net, but since this precaution was not adhered to, many people had to write their premature obituaries”, Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated.
He attributed the increase in malaria cases to filthy environments in towns and communities in the region, and added “it is, therefore, not surprising that the substantial increase in the death rate in Ghana could be traced to the deterioration and degeneration in our environment”.
He, therefore, appealed to the beneficiaries to sleep under the treated mosquito nets to reduce malaria cases and maternal and infant mortality in the region.
ADJETEY TOPS ALL (PAGE 3, DEC 4, 2010)
A 60-year-old farmer, Mr Benjamin Adjei Adjetey, from Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region, was yesterday adjudged the national Best Farmer for 2010.
As his prize, Mr Adjetey, who is also the Managing Director of the Neehata Farm at Oyibi near Dodowa, will receive a three-bedroom house to be built at a place of his choice and fully furnished by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
In addition, Mr Adjetey, who has been in the farming business for the past 37 years, will have a personal insurance cover worth GH¢5,000 provided by the Unique Insurance Company and undertake a trip to the United Kingdom sponsored by the State Insurance Company (SIC), a GH¢4,000 Akuafo Adamfo Life Policy to be financed by the Ghana Life Insurance Company and a Dstv donated by Multichoice.
Mr Adjetey, married with six children, earned the ultimate prize for embarking on a number of agricultural activities, including the cultivation of 166 acres of land, animal husbandry, a rice farm covering 100 acres, 80 acres of maize, 45 acres of mango, 20 acres of groundnuts and seven acres of cowpea.
Mr Adjetey, who has engaged five full-time workers and 100 casual ones, as well as seven family members, on his farm, also has 757 cattle, 122 sheep, 84 goats, 160 guinea fowls and 240 fowls.
The second overall national best farmer prize went to Mr Maxwell Akandem, 42, from the Upper East Region.
Mr Akandem, a graduate from the University of Development Studies (UDS), received a tractor and accessories for cultivating a 493.5-acre farmland, comprising 241 acres of maize, 10 acres each of rice, sorghum, and yam, five acres each of onion and garden eggs, as well as rearing eight goats.
Mr Eric Midose, a 47-year-old farmer from the Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region, emerged the third best national farmer and took home a double cabin pick-up worth GH¢42,000 donated by the Stanbic Bank.
Other significant awards went to Mr Moses Tetteh, 41, from Nkonya in the Volta Region, who had a KIA pick-up for being the best in fishing, while the national best livestock farmer award went to Alhaji Awudu Karim, 56, from the Upper East Region. He also received a KIA pick-up.
Sixty-five other farmers who distinguished themselves in animal raising, fishing and the production of food and cash crops such as cocoa, pineapple, citrus and cashew were also honoured.
They were presented with various items, including farm machinery and inputs.
On behalf of his colleagues, a highly elated Mr Adjetey expressed his appreciation to the government for honouring them and gave the assurance that they would do their best to increase food production.
As his prize, Mr Adjetey, who is also the Managing Director of the Neehata Farm at Oyibi near Dodowa, will receive a three-bedroom house to be built at a place of his choice and fully furnished by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
In addition, Mr Adjetey, who has been in the farming business for the past 37 years, will have a personal insurance cover worth GH¢5,000 provided by the Unique Insurance Company and undertake a trip to the United Kingdom sponsored by the State Insurance Company (SIC), a GH¢4,000 Akuafo Adamfo Life Policy to be financed by the Ghana Life Insurance Company and a Dstv donated by Multichoice.
Mr Adjetey, married with six children, earned the ultimate prize for embarking on a number of agricultural activities, including the cultivation of 166 acres of land, animal husbandry, a rice farm covering 100 acres, 80 acres of maize, 45 acres of mango, 20 acres of groundnuts and seven acres of cowpea.
Mr Adjetey, who has engaged five full-time workers and 100 casual ones, as well as seven family members, on his farm, also has 757 cattle, 122 sheep, 84 goats, 160 guinea fowls and 240 fowls.
The second overall national best farmer prize went to Mr Maxwell Akandem, 42, from the Upper East Region.
Mr Akandem, a graduate from the University of Development Studies (UDS), received a tractor and accessories for cultivating a 493.5-acre farmland, comprising 241 acres of maize, 10 acres each of rice, sorghum, and yam, five acres each of onion and garden eggs, as well as rearing eight goats.
Mr Eric Midose, a 47-year-old farmer from the Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region, emerged the third best national farmer and took home a double cabin pick-up worth GH¢42,000 donated by the Stanbic Bank.
Other significant awards went to Mr Moses Tetteh, 41, from Nkonya in the Volta Region, who had a KIA pick-up for being the best in fishing, while the national best livestock farmer award went to Alhaji Awudu Karim, 56, from the Upper East Region. He also received a KIA pick-up.
Sixty-five other farmers who distinguished themselves in animal raising, fishing and the production of food and cash crops such as cocoa, pineapple, citrus and cashew were also honoured.
They were presented with various items, including farm machinery and inputs.
On behalf of his colleagues, a highly elated Mr Adjetey expressed his appreciation to the government for honouring them and gave the assurance that they would do their best to increase food production.
ADJETEY TOPS ALL (PAGE 3, DEC 4, 2010)
A 60-year-old farmer, Mr Benjamin Adjei Adjetey, from Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region, was yesterday adjudged the national Best Farmer for 2010.
As his prize, Mr Adjetey, who is also the Managing Director of the Neehata Farm at Oyibi near Dodowa, will receive a three-bedroom house to be built at a place of his choice and fully furnished by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
In addition, Mr Adjetey, who has been in the farming business for the past 37 years, will have a personal insurance cover worth GH¢5,000 provided by the Unique Insurance Company and undertake a trip to the United Kingdom sponsored by the State Insurance Company (SIC), a GH¢4,000 Akuafo Adamfo Life Policy to be financed by the Ghana Life Insurance Company and a Dstv donated by Multichoice.
Mr Adjetey, married with six children, earned the ultimate prize for embarking on a number of agricultural activities, including the cultivation of 166 acres of land, animal husbandry, a rice farm covering 100 acres, 80 acres of maize, 45 acres of mango, 20 acres of groundnuts and seven acres of cowpea.
Mr Adjetey, who has engaged five full-time workers and 100 casual ones, as well as seven family members, on his farm, also has 757 cattle, 122 sheep, 84 goats, 160 guinea fowls and 240 fowls.
The second overall national best farmer prize went to Mr Maxwell Akandem, 42, from the Upper East Region.
Mr Akandem, a graduate from the University of Development Studies (UDS), received a tractor and accessories for cultivating a 493.5-acre farmland, comprising 241 acres of maize, 10 acres each of rice, sorghum, and yam, five acres each of onion and garden eggs, as well as rearing eight goats.
Mr Eric Midose, a 47-year-old farmer from the Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region, emerged the third best national farmer and took home a double cabin pick-up worth GH¢42,000 donated by the Stanbic Bank.
Other significant awards went to Mr Moses Tetteh, 41, from Nkonya in the Volta Region, who had a KIA pick-up for being the best in fishing, while the national best livestock farmer award went to Alhaji Awudu Karim, 56, from the Upper East Region. He also received a KIA pick-up.
Sixty-five other farmers who distinguished themselves in animal raising, fishing and the production of food and cash crops such as cocoa, pineapple, citrus and cashew were also honoured.
They were presented with various items, including farm machinery and inputs.
On behalf of his colleagues, a highly elated Mr Adjetey expressed his appreciation to the government for honouring them and gave the assurance that they would do their best to increase food production.
As his prize, Mr Adjetey, who is also the Managing Director of the Neehata Farm at Oyibi near Dodowa, will receive a three-bedroom house to be built at a place of his choice and fully furnished by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
In addition, Mr Adjetey, who has been in the farming business for the past 37 years, will have a personal insurance cover worth GH¢5,000 provided by the Unique Insurance Company and undertake a trip to the United Kingdom sponsored by the State Insurance Company (SIC), a GH¢4,000 Akuafo Adamfo Life Policy to be financed by the Ghana Life Insurance Company and a Dstv donated by Multichoice.
Mr Adjetey, married with six children, earned the ultimate prize for embarking on a number of agricultural activities, including the cultivation of 166 acres of land, animal husbandry, a rice farm covering 100 acres, 80 acres of maize, 45 acres of mango, 20 acres of groundnuts and seven acres of cowpea.
Mr Adjetey, who has engaged five full-time workers and 100 casual ones, as well as seven family members, on his farm, also has 757 cattle, 122 sheep, 84 goats, 160 guinea fowls and 240 fowls.
The second overall national best farmer prize went to Mr Maxwell Akandem, 42, from the Upper East Region.
Mr Akandem, a graduate from the University of Development Studies (UDS), received a tractor and accessories for cultivating a 493.5-acre farmland, comprising 241 acres of maize, 10 acres each of rice, sorghum, and yam, five acres each of onion and garden eggs, as well as rearing eight goats.
Mr Eric Midose, a 47-year-old farmer from the Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region, emerged the third best national farmer and took home a double cabin pick-up worth GH¢42,000 donated by the Stanbic Bank.
Other significant awards went to Mr Moses Tetteh, 41, from Nkonya in the Volta Region, who had a KIA pick-up for being the best in fishing, while the national best livestock farmer award went to Alhaji Awudu Karim, 56, from the Upper East Region. He also received a KIA pick-up.
Sixty-five other farmers who distinguished themselves in animal raising, fishing and the production of food and cash crops such as cocoa, pineapple, citrus and cashew were also honoured.
They were presented with various items, including farm machinery and inputs.
On behalf of his colleagues, a highly elated Mr Adjetey expressed his appreciation to the government for honouring them and gave the assurance that they would do their best to increase food production.
Oil or no oil...FOOD IS NO. 1 (LEAD STORY, DEC 4, 2010)
PRESIDENT John Evans Atta Mills has assured Ghanaians that despite the oil find, his administration will continue to give all the necessary support to boost agricultural production in the country.
That, according to the President, was because the agricultural sector was a strong option for achieving accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction.
Addressing the 26th National Farmers’ Day celebration at Somanya yesterday, President Atta Mills said agriculture was still the mainstay of the economy, so despite the oil find, his administration would continue to support agriculture for it to help accelerate economic growth and alleviate poverty to ensure decent living for all Ghanaians.
“I am reiterating the point I continue to make that in spite of our oil find, the Atta Mills Government will continue to support the agriculture sector as a strong option for achieving accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction,” the President stated.
In all 70 farmers, fishermen, livestock breeders and agricultural extension officers who distinguished themselves in various areas of agricultural production were honoured.
President Mills said because of the government’s commitment to the agriculture sector and the efforts of the indefatigable farmers in the country who stepped up food production, the global food and economic crisis which resulted in poverty and hunger around the world last year did not become that severe in Ghana.
For instance, he said, the farmers in 2009 produced 23.1 million metric tons of root tubers and plantain and 2.6 million metric tons of cereals as against 21.3 million and 2.2 million metric tons of root tubers and plantain and cereals respectively in 2008.
On cocoa production, President Mills said it provided a foreign exchange cover of about $1.86 billion from export in 2009, while livestock farmers and fisherfolk did not only provide the nation with its important protein requirements but also generated $48.12 million in foreign exchange from fish and other seafood exports.
President Mills, however, stated that despite such gains, Ghana still spent more than $1 billion annually on the importation of food that could be produced in the country with rice alone wiping out $500 million of Ghana’s hard-earned foreign exchange.
He expressed the hope that duties imposed on selected food items in the 2011 budget would address the gross imbalance and mentioned subsidy on fertiliser, expanding irrigation to end rain-fed agriculture, intensified dissemination of agricultural technologies and education, the Youth in Agriculture Programme and the creation of a national food buffer stock company to store food as some of the government’s interventions.
President Mills said the buffer stock company had started yielding good results because it had purchased and stored 10,000 metric tons of paddy rice and about 32,000 metric tons of maize, some of which had been bought by the World Food Programme and sent to Niger.
He thanked the farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders who were honoured and the entire farming community for their efforts at keeping the economy going.
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kwasi Ahwoi, told the gathering about numerous initiatives that the ministry had implemented in the agricultural sector.
These included 63 per cent increase in the allocation of tractors and implements, provision of combine harvesters to farmers, warehousing, support for farmer organisations, which, he indicated, had led to increased production of food crops, livestock and fish catch, especially in the Afram Plains.
Mr Ahwoi, who also dwelt on various aspects of agriculture, stated that the ministry would not relent in its efforts at assisting all those engaged in agriculture to boost production.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said a number of interventions had been made to boost agriculture in the region.
These, Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated, included the rehabilitation of about 1,126.28 km. of feeder roads at the cost of GH¢2.2 million and the construction of a number of bridges.
He also stated that a road was being constructed from Mame Krobo in Kwahu North (Afram Plains) to link the Ashanti Region at Agogo, explaining that such a road network would make the Afram Plains, which could only be reached by crossing the Afram River by pontoon, accessible by vehicles from the Ashanti Region.
That, according to the President, was because the agricultural sector was a strong option for achieving accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction.
Addressing the 26th National Farmers’ Day celebration at Somanya yesterday, President Atta Mills said agriculture was still the mainstay of the economy, so despite the oil find, his administration would continue to support agriculture for it to help accelerate economic growth and alleviate poverty to ensure decent living for all Ghanaians.
“I am reiterating the point I continue to make that in spite of our oil find, the Atta Mills Government will continue to support the agriculture sector as a strong option for achieving accelerated economic growth and poverty reduction,” the President stated.
In all 70 farmers, fishermen, livestock breeders and agricultural extension officers who distinguished themselves in various areas of agricultural production were honoured.
President Mills said because of the government’s commitment to the agriculture sector and the efforts of the indefatigable farmers in the country who stepped up food production, the global food and economic crisis which resulted in poverty and hunger around the world last year did not become that severe in Ghana.
For instance, he said, the farmers in 2009 produced 23.1 million metric tons of root tubers and plantain and 2.6 million metric tons of cereals as against 21.3 million and 2.2 million metric tons of root tubers and plantain and cereals respectively in 2008.
On cocoa production, President Mills said it provided a foreign exchange cover of about $1.86 billion from export in 2009, while livestock farmers and fisherfolk did not only provide the nation with its important protein requirements but also generated $48.12 million in foreign exchange from fish and other seafood exports.
President Mills, however, stated that despite such gains, Ghana still spent more than $1 billion annually on the importation of food that could be produced in the country with rice alone wiping out $500 million of Ghana’s hard-earned foreign exchange.
He expressed the hope that duties imposed on selected food items in the 2011 budget would address the gross imbalance and mentioned subsidy on fertiliser, expanding irrigation to end rain-fed agriculture, intensified dissemination of agricultural technologies and education, the Youth in Agriculture Programme and the creation of a national food buffer stock company to store food as some of the government’s interventions.
President Mills said the buffer stock company had started yielding good results because it had purchased and stored 10,000 metric tons of paddy rice and about 32,000 metric tons of maize, some of which had been bought by the World Food Programme and sent to Niger.
He thanked the farmers, fishermen and livestock breeders who were honoured and the entire farming community for their efforts at keeping the economy going.
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kwasi Ahwoi, told the gathering about numerous initiatives that the ministry had implemented in the agricultural sector.
These included 63 per cent increase in the allocation of tractors and implements, provision of combine harvesters to farmers, warehousing, support for farmer organisations, which, he indicated, had led to increased production of food crops, livestock and fish catch, especially in the Afram Plains.
Mr Ahwoi, who also dwelt on various aspects of agriculture, stated that the ministry would not relent in its efforts at assisting all those engaged in agriculture to boost production.
Earlier in his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said a number of interventions had been made to boost agriculture in the region.
These, Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated, included the rehabilitation of about 1,126.28 km. of feeder roads at the cost of GH¢2.2 million and the construction of a number of bridges.
He also stated that a road was being constructed from Mame Krobo in Kwahu North (Afram Plains) to link the Ashanti Region at Agogo, explaining that such a road network would make the Afram Plains, which could only be reached by crossing the Afram River by pontoon, accessible by vehicles from the Ashanti Region.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
SEVENTY UP FOR FARMERS' CROWN (1C, DEC 3, 2010)
Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Somanya
SEVENTY farmers and extension officers who have distinguished themselves in the agriculture sector will be honoured today at the 26th edition of the annual National Farmers Day celebration.
The event is being held at the Yilo Krobo Senior High School at Somanya in the Eastern Region with President J.E.A. Mills in attendance to honour farmers, fishermen and agricultural extension officers in various award categories such as crops, fisheries and livestock.
Provisional data at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoFA) indicates that up to September, this year, the sector grew by 4.8 per cent with real hope that the end-of-year actual target of 6.0 per cent is achievable, to make 2010 one of the most productive years for Ghanaian farmers.
Indeed all sub-sectors in the agriculture sector, according to the national budget, achieved their targets except the crops and livestock sub-sector, which posted a growth rate of 5.0 per cent against a target of 7.0 per cent.
To celebrate the the cream of the nation’s men and women who helped achieve that target, President Mills will join more than 5,000 visitors, including members of the Diplomatic Corps, ministers of state, parliamentarians, directors of agriculture, award winners and farmers at Somanya.
The celebration is being held on the theme “Grow More Foods” and to herald it, hundreds of visitors turned up yesterday to participate in an exhibition of assorted farm products, agro-chemicals, machinery and other agricultural inputs.
Officials of the MoFA and members of the Eastern Regional Planning Committee of the National Farmers Day also were at the exhibition but were tight-lipped as to who would emerge as the winner of the ultimate prize.
During a visit to Somanya yesterday, members of the planning committee, made up of representatives of the Ghana Health Service, MoFA, the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council, the Ghana Tourist Board among others were working around the clock to put finishing touches to preparations.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Deputy Director of Fisheries of MoFA, Mr Lionel Awity, said “As I talk to you, even the farmer to be adjudged the Best National Farmer does not know it until all awardee farmers have been called for their awards tomorrow.”
He said it would take many by surprise.
In an address at the exhibition, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said even though the country was blessed with commercial quantities of oil, the government was determined not to relegate agriculture to the background.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians, especially the youth, to take advantage of the various government initiatives in the agriculture sector to create employment opportunities for themselves and enhance their living standard.
SEVENTY farmers and extension officers who have distinguished themselves in the agriculture sector will be honoured today at the 26th edition of the annual National Farmers Day celebration.
The event is being held at the Yilo Krobo Senior High School at Somanya in the Eastern Region with President J.E.A. Mills in attendance to honour farmers, fishermen and agricultural extension officers in various award categories such as crops, fisheries and livestock.
Provisional data at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoFA) indicates that up to September, this year, the sector grew by 4.8 per cent with real hope that the end-of-year actual target of 6.0 per cent is achievable, to make 2010 one of the most productive years for Ghanaian farmers.
Indeed all sub-sectors in the agriculture sector, according to the national budget, achieved their targets except the crops and livestock sub-sector, which posted a growth rate of 5.0 per cent against a target of 7.0 per cent.
To celebrate the the cream of the nation’s men and women who helped achieve that target, President Mills will join more than 5,000 visitors, including members of the Diplomatic Corps, ministers of state, parliamentarians, directors of agriculture, award winners and farmers at Somanya.
The celebration is being held on the theme “Grow More Foods” and to herald it, hundreds of visitors turned up yesterday to participate in an exhibition of assorted farm products, agro-chemicals, machinery and other agricultural inputs.
Officials of the MoFA and members of the Eastern Regional Planning Committee of the National Farmers Day also were at the exhibition but were tight-lipped as to who would emerge as the winner of the ultimate prize.
During a visit to Somanya yesterday, members of the planning committee, made up of representatives of the Ghana Health Service, MoFA, the Eastern Regional Co-ordinating Council, the Ghana Tourist Board among others were working around the clock to put finishing touches to preparations.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Deputy Director of Fisheries of MoFA, Mr Lionel Awity, said “As I talk to you, even the farmer to be adjudged the Best National Farmer does not know it until all awardee farmers have been called for their awards tomorrow.”
He said it would take many by surprise.
In an address at the exhibition, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, said even though the country was blessed with commercial quantities of oil, the government was determined not to relegate agriculture to the background.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians, especially the youth, to take advantage of the various government initiatives in the agriculture sector to create employment opportunities for themselves and enhance their living standard.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
ENCOURAGE GHANAIANS TO OWN MINES (PAGE 13, DEC 2, 2010)
THE immediate past President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Mr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, has urged the government to initiate policies that would encourage Ghanaians with experience in the mining industry to form consortiums to own mines in the country.
Such a move, he said, would help to keep some of the profits made by the mining companies within the local economy and create more jobs for the people.
“For instance, Ghanaians who were involved in the floatation of the then Ashanti Gold Field gained experience in raising international capital for mining purposes and if such Ghanaians were identified and given mining leases, they could raise international capital to operate first class mines in Ghana”, Mr Oteng-Gyasi stated.
Speaking at a budget review workshop for parliamentarians at Koforidua last Saturday, Mr Oteng Gyasi said: “Its time we supported our local investors to also own some of the mineral-rich sites across the country as part of efforts to curb the growing phenomenon of galamsey operations in the country”.
The workshop, meant to educate the MPs on the 2011 Budget and their role in its accountable and transparent implementation, was organised by the Parliamentary Centre under the auspices of the Africa Parliamentary Strengthening Programme (APSP) and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
The former AGI President said over the years the mining and the quarrying industry, most of which were foreign-owned, had seen a significant growth in GDP from 6.87 in 2007 to a provisional 11.2 per cent in 2010 and was projected to increase to 11.5 per cent in 2011.
This growth, he said, had been induced by the increasing global market prices of the minerals such as gold on the global market, making the mining sector one of the best growing industries in the country.
He however expressed worry over how most of the profits made by the mining companies were repatriated outside the country at the expense of the economy.
He was of the view that the commitment of the government to look for local investors interested in the mining industry and help them to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills could help reverse the trend to the benefit of the economy.
Besides, the readiness of the government to support the local investors could also help them to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills in the mining industry, a move that in the long run could curtail the growing phenomenon of galamsey operations in the country.
“We have over the years seen an increase in galamsey operations by illegal miners, who on a daily basis are becoming angrier for a simple reason that most of the mineral-rich lands are being owned by foreigners”, he said and added that “just as these mineral-rich lands are given out to foreigners, who go to the stock exchange to raise capital to mine, our local investors could also do the same when given a lease to operate”
On mining royalties, Mr Oteng-Gyasi said that with the record high prices that were currently being enjoyed by the mining companies, the payment of monthly royalties, instead of quarterly, would help the government to improve cash flow.
For his part, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, said the economy had shown strong resilience and stability with the overall budget deficit on cash basis had reduced from 14.5 per cent in GDP in 2008 to 9.6 per cent of GDP in 2009 as well as around 11 of GDP on commitment basis and on course to around 8 per cent of GDP in 2010.
He indicated that the current account deficit narrowed to about five per cent of GDP in 2009, but was expected to increase to 12.1 per cent of GDP in 2010 as a result of the importation of inputs for the oil exploration and development.
The Finance and Economic Planning Minister added that inflation had declined for 16 consecutive months to 9.38 per cent, the lowest over the past two decades, while the cedi had stabilised over the past 14 months against all the three major currencies.
“Having experienced stability for the past 18 months, the country needs to accelerate economic growth to generate jobs and reposition itself as a middle income country”, Dr Duffuor stated.
According to him, the 2011 budget sought to put the country on the right path to achieve accelerated economic growth and prosperity in an environment of stability and said that in the medium term, investment decisions of the government would focus on accelerating agriculture modernisation, developing the oil and gas industry, critical infrastructure, sustaining natural resource management and environment as well as enhancing the competitiveness of the private sector and human resource development.
“It is our expectation that the investments in these areas will increase economic activity, facilitate private sector competiveness and therefore result in increased job creation”, Dr Duffuor stated.
In his view, 2011 marked the beginning of the country’s oil production in commercial quantities, of which major challenges would be how the oil revenues would be used to transform the economy and accelerate growth without sacrificing macroeconomic stability and accentuating income inequalities.
For their part, Messrs Cletus Avoka and Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the respective Majority and Minority Leaders said since the financial destiny of the country was in the hand of legislators, MPs should undertake non-partisan analysis, debate and discussion of the 2011 Budget to ensure its accountable, transparent and effective implementation that would serve the interest of all sectors of the economy.
The Director of the Africa Programmes of the Parliamentary Centre, Dr Rasheed Draman, said since no country had ever developed without a properly and efficiently implemented budget, parliamentarians should ensure that the national budget and all the processes surrounding it did not remain mere political events.
“Please, you must keep a watchful eye on those charged with the responsibility of implementing the budget and scrutinize every line to ensure that each allocation is justified and has a role in alleviating the plight of the vulnerable in our society”, he said.
Such a move, he said, would help to keep some of the profits made by the mining companies within the local economy and create more jobs for the people.
“For instance, Ghanaians who were involved in the floatation of the then Ashanti Gold Field gained experience in raising international capital for mining purposes and if such Ghanaians were identified and given mining leases, they could raise international capital to operate first class mines in Ghana”, Mr Oteng-Gyasi stated.
Speaking at a budget review workshop for parliamentarians at Koforidua last Saturday, Mr Oteng Gyasi said: “Its time we supported our local investors to also own some of the mineral-rich sites across the country as part of efforts to curb the growing phenomenon of galamsey operations in the country”.
The workshop, meant to educate the MPs on the 2011 Budget and their role in its accountable and transparent implementation, was organised by the Parliamentary Centre under the auspices of the Africa Parliamentary Strengthening Programme (APSP) and funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
The former AGI President said over the years the mining and the quarrying industry, most of which were foreign-owned, had seen a significant growth in GDP from 6.87 in 2007 to a provisional 11.2 per cent in 2010 and was projected to increase to 11.5 per cent in 2011.
This growth, he said, had been induced by the increasing global market prices of the minerals such as gold on the global market, making the mining sector one of the best growing industries in the country.
He however expressed worry over how most of the profits made by the mining companies were repatriated outside the country at the expense of the economy.
He was of the view that the commitment of the government to look for local investors interested in the mining industry and help them to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills could help reverse the trend to the benefit of the economy.
Besides, the readiness of the government to support the local investors could also help them to acquire the requisite knowledge and skills in the mining industry, a move that in the long run could curtail the growing phenomenon of galamsey operations in the country.
“We have over the years seen an increase in galamsey operations by illegal miners, who on a daily basis are becoming angrier for a simple reason that most of the mineral-rich lands are being owned by foreigners”, he said and added that “just as these mineral-rich lands are given out to foreigners, who go to the stock exchange to raise capital to mine, our local investors could also do the same when given a lease to operate”
On mining royalties, Mr Oteng-Gyasi said that with the record high prices that were currently being enjoyed by the mining companies, the payment of monthly royalties, instead of quarterly, would help the government to improve cash flow.
For his part, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, said the economy had shown strong resilience and stability with the overall budget deficit on cash basis had reduced from 14.5 per cent in GDP in 2008 to 9.6 per cent of GDP in 2009 as well as around 11 of GDP on commitment basis and on course to around 8 per cent of GDP in 2010.
He indicated that the current account deficit narrowed to about five per cent of GDP in 2009, but was expected to increase to 12.1 per cent of GDP in 2010 as a result of the importation of inputs for the oil exploration and development.
The Finance and Economic Planning Minister added that inflation had declined for 16 consecutive months to 9.38 per cent, the lowest over the past two decades, while the cedi had stabilised over the past 14 months against all the three major currencies.
“Having experienced stability for the past 18 months, the country needs to accelerate economic growth to generate jobs and reposition itself as a middle income country”, Dr Duffuor stated.
According to him, the 2011 budget sought to put the country on the right path to achieve accelerated economic growth and prosperity in an environment of stability and said that in the medium term, investment decisions of the government would focus on accelerating agriculture modernisation, developing the oil and gas industry, critical infrastructure, sustaining natural resource management and environment as well as enhancing the competitiveness of the private sector and human resource development.
“It is our expectation that the investments in these areas will increase economic activity, facilitate private sector competiveness and therefore result in increased job creation”, Dr Duffuor stated.
In his view, 2011 marked the beginning of the country’s oil production in commercial quantities, of which major challenges would be how the oil revenues would be used to transform the economy and accelerate growth without sacrificing macroeconomic stability and accentuating income inequalities.
For their part, Messrs Cletus Avoka and Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the respective Majority and Minority Leaders said since the financial destiny of the country was in the hand of legislators, MPs should undertake non-partisan analysis, debate and discussion of the 2011 Budget to ensure its accountable, transparent and effective implementation that would serve the interest of all sectors of the economy.
The Director of the Africa Programmes of the Parliamentary Centre, Dr Rasheed Draman, said since no country had ever developed without a properly and efficiently implemented budget, parliamentarians should ensure that the national budget and all the processes surrounding it did not remain mere political events.
“Please, you must keep a watchful eye on those charged with the responsibility of implementing the budget and scrutinize every line to ensure that each allocation is justified and has a role in alleviating the plight of the vulnerable in our society”, he said.
3 SCHOOL PROJECTS INAUGURATED AT NKANKAMA (PAGE 35, DEC 1, 2010)
A THREE-UNIT classroom block and two residential apartments for the Nkankama District Assembly Junior High School in the Fanteakwa District in the Eastern Region have been inaugurated and handed over to the community.
The classroom block comprises offices, a well-stocked library and computer laboratory attached while the residential bungalow will accommodate six teachers of the school.
The projects estimated to cost US$1,764,643 form part of 22 similar projects being implemented in the Fanteakwa and the Kwahu North (Afram Plains) Districts, aimed at enhancing teaching and learning in the beneficiary rural communities.
The Korean government financed the projects through the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) under its Integrated Quality Education Project while its execution was undertaken by the World Vision International.
The South Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Hak Sang Lee, performed the inaugural ceremony at Nkankama.
He said since the development of the human capital of every nation was critical to its socio-economic progress, the Korean government was committed to support Ghana to harness its human and natural resources.
“Since education is the key to improve the human capital of Ghana, the Korean government is determined to extend support to Ghana to enable it to achieve the universal primary education by 2015”, Mr Lee stated.
He noted that the Republic of Korea had the same GDP as Ghana in the 1960s, but today his country was far ahead in its development strive due to “a well educated human resource who have and are contributing meaningfully to its development.”
“Ghana could also achieve the same high GDP through hard work and commitment to provide accessible quality education to the people,” Mr Lee stated.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said since education helped to prepare the minds of the people to facilitate social integration and economic development, the government would continue to commit resources to make education more accessible.
He commended the Korean government for its commitment to support various educational projects in rural communities, which would help raise the standard of education in the beneficiary communities.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo appealed to the beneficiary communities to own the projects and preserve them so that they would serve the purpose for which they were constructed.
The Chief of Begoro, Daasebre Awuah Kotoko, expressed the gratitude to the people, the Korean government and the World Vision International for their support towards the uplift the standard of education in the area.
The classroom block comprises offices, a well-stocked library and computer laboratory attached while the residential bungalow will accommodate six teachers of the school.
The projects estimated to cost US$1,764,643 form part of 22 similar projects being implemented in the Fanteakwa and the Kwahu North (Afram Plains) Districts, aimed at enhancing teaching and learning in the beneficiary rural communities.
The Korean government financed the projects through the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) under its Integrated Quality Education Project while its execution was undertaken by the World Vision International.
The South Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Hak Sang Lee, performed the inaugural ceremony at Nkankama.
He said since the development of the human capital of every nation was critical to its socio-economic progress, the Korean government was committed to support Ghana to harness its human and natural resources.
“Since education is the key to improve the human capital of Ghana, the Korean government is determined to extend support to Ghana to enable it to achieve the universal primary education by 2015”, Mr Lee stated.
He noted that the Republic of Korea had the same GDP as Ghana in the 1960s, but today his country was far ahead in its development strive due to “a well educated human resource who have and are contributing meaningfully to its development.”
“Ghana could also achieve the same high GDP through hard work and commitment to provide accessible quality education to the people,” Mr Lee stated.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said since education helped to prepare the minds of the people to facilitate social integration and economic development, the government would continue to commit resources to make education more accessible.
He commended the Korean government for its commitment to support various educational projects in rural communities, which would help raise the standard of education in the beneficiary communities.
Mr Ofosu Ampofo appealed to the beneficiary communities to own the projects and preserve them so that they would serve the purpose for which they were constructed.
The Chief of Begoro, Daasebre Awuah Kotoko, expressed the gratitude to the people, the Korean government and the World Vision International for their support towards the uplift the standard of education in the area.
ECG TO IMPROVE POWER SUPPLY IN NEW JUABEN (SPREAD, NOV 30, 2010)
WORK on the construction of a 33kv primary station to improve electricity supply in the New Juaben Municipality and its environs is progressing steadily.
The 2.3-million-euro project forms part of efforts by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to also enhance the stability of electricity supply to Koforidua, Jumapo, Oyoko, Akwadum, Okorase, Suhyen and Mangoase.
The project, which is 85 per cent complete, will complement the only 20mva capacity primary station at Old Estate, a suburb of Koforidua.
The project, which started in September, 2009, and is expected to be completed in November, 2010, is being funded by the Norwegian government and executed by the Jacobsen Electro of Norway.
The Eastern Regional Director of the ECG, Mr Kobina Arthur Forson, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in Koforidua.
He said the project would enhance the capacity of his outfit to effectively cater for the increasing energy demand by the New Juaben Municipality and the surrounding communities.
Mr Forson made the disclosure when the Business Operational Performance monitoring team, which comprises of officials from the ECG and the State Enterprise Commission, paid familiarisation tours to some of the facilities of the ECG in Koforidua and Old Tafo in the East Akyem Municipality.
The two-day tour, which afforded the officials first-hand insight into the challenges facing the ECG and its personnel, took the team to the Bulk Supply Plant at Old Tafo and the Mile 50 primary station in Koforidua.
The team also inspected the upgrading of the 11kv lines to 33kv from Old Tafo to Suhum and from Old Tafo to Anyinam, Begoro and Kwabeng; a project which is expected to ensure customer satisfaction and reduce losses to the ECG, upon completion.
The regional director said the only primary station at Old Estate, which is being fed by the rural lines, served the New Juaben Municipality and its environs, a situation that often led to occasional power outages whenever there was a technical fault.
He said to avoid such a problem, the ECG was building new lines from the Old Tafo Bulk Supply Plant (BSP) to the existing primary station at Old Estate and the new primary station at Mile 50 to avoid further disruption of power supply to the people.
“As the New Juaben Municipality expands, we need to build our capacity to enable us to cater effectively for the growing energy demands of the municipality and its surrounding areas,” Mr Forson stated.
For his part, the Executive Director of the STE, Mr David Djanie, expressed satisfaction at the efforts being made by the ECG to meet the increasing energy demands of residents in the New Juaben Municipality and the nearby communities.
The 2.3-million-euro project forms part of efforts by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to also enhance the stability of electricity supply to Koforidua, Jumapo, Oyoko, Akwadum, Okorase, Suhyen and Mangoase.
The project, which is 85 per cent complete, will complement the only 20mva capacity primary station at Old Estate, a suburb of Koforidua.
The project, which started in September, 2009, and is expected to be completed in November, 2010, is being funded by the Norwegian government and executed by the Jacobsen Electro of Norway.
The Eastern Regional Director of the ECG, Mr Kobina Arthur Forson, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in Koforidua.
He said the project would enhance the capacity of his outfit to effectively cater for the increasing energy demand by the New Juaben Municipality and the surrounding communities.
Mr Forson made the disclosure when the Business Operational Performance monitoring team, which comprises of officials from the ECG and the State Enterprise Commission, paid familiarisation tours to some of the facilities of the ECG in Koforidua and Old Tafo in the East Akyem Municipality.
The two-day tour, which afforded the officials first-hand insight into the challenges facing the ECG and its personnel, took the team to the Bulk Supply Plant at Old Tafo and the Mile 50 primary station in Koforidua.
The team also inspected the upgrading of the 11kv lines to 33kv from Old Tafo to Suhum and from Old Tafo to Anyinam, Begoro and Kwabeng; a project which is expected to ensure customer satisfaction and reduce losses to the ECG, upon completion.
The regional director said the only primary station at Old Estate, which is being fed by the rural lines, served the New Juaben Municipality and its environs, a situation that often led to occasional power outages whenever there was a technical fault.
He said to avoid such a problem, the ECG was building new lines from the Old Tafo Bulk Supply Plant (BSP) to the existing primary station at Old Estate and the new primary station at Mile 50 to avoid further disruption of power supply to the people.
“As the New Juaben Municipality expands, we need to build our capacity to enable us to cater effectively for the growing energy demands of the municipality and its surrounding areas,” Mr Forson stated.
For his part, the Executive Director of the STE, Mr David Djanie, expressed satisfaction at the efforts being made by the ECG to meet the increasing energy demands of residents in the New Juaben Municipality and the nearby communities.
COLLABORATE WITH GOVT TO EMPOWER WOMEN — AZUMAH-MENSAH (PAGE 11, NOV 27, 2010)
THE Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, has urged organisations and institutions concerned with gender equality,to continue to collaborate with the government to initiate more measures that would empower women socially, economically and politically in society.
The Minister said the challenges to the development of women in the country was embodied in social, cultural, economic and political discrimination coupled with violation of their rights, intimidation and violence.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah made the call at the launch of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence at Suhum last Thursday.
The event was on the theme “Women Speak, End Gender-Based Violence Now!”, formed part of international campaign set aside to highlight the various human right abuses perpetrated against women globally. It was also to pay respect to human rights defenders as well as raise awareness about the elimination of all forms of violence against women.
In her view, women also lacked the capacity to engage in viable economic activities to generate enough money for themselves, a situation that had made them to remain in the vicious poverty cycle, preventing them from having access to proper healthcare, education, shelter and food, among others.
The minister said there was the need to encourage women to control their lives and effectively contribute to national development, as well as gain freedom from all forms of socio-cultural, economic and political discriminations.
“Until we sustain our commitment to empower women, forces that militate against the development of women in general will be so overwhelming that it will be difficult to reap the fruits of our efforts, thus making the future of women in Ghana bleak”, Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated.
“Many women are unable to afford even the cost of transportation to reach health facilities, while others face barriers because they are illiterate and unable to express themselves in English, considered as the official language”, Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated.
The minister also lamented the denial of women to own property such as land, cash crops among many ethnic groups, while others remained subjected to traditional male dominance that denied them statutory entitlements to inheritance and property owning, legally registered marriage and the maintenance and custody of their children.
“Even today, many widows are thrown out of their late husband’s houses by relatives who consider it a taboo for women to own houses, a situation that has made single women poor and unable to properly ensure their children’s well-being and development”, the minister stressed.
On employment, she said discrimination at the workplace had become common causing some women to engage in menial jobs like head potters and house helps, exposing them to social, commercial and sexual exploitation.
With regard to education, she said though education was a right in itself and a pathway to the enjoyment of other rights, the lack of education for women had a lifetime cost such as the opportunities for financial independence and increasing the likelihood of early marriage with its high incidence of emotional and physical ill-health.
“In spite of the fact that Ghana has passed laws that prohibits early marriage, many girls are married off without their consent due to poverty. This denies them access to education, which in the long run significantly increases their risks of contracting HIV and AIDS and increase maternal mortality”, she added.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Ms Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, also reiterated the call on stakeholders to put in more efforts at ending violence against women and ensuring their involvement in conflict resolution and peace building processes.
The National Co-ordinating Director of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Elizabeth Dassah, said despite various interventions by her outfit and other stakeholders, domestic violence was still rife in the country.
“Over the past 12 years of its establishment, DOVVSU has recorded about 120,000 cases of violence, with spousal violence accounting for over 26,000, defilement 9,417, rape 2,458, with more than 50,000 presenting cases of non-maintenance”, she said.
ACP Dassah added that some of the gender-based crimes which were often not reported included forced marriage, abduction, trafficking in women and children into portage, domestic servitude and prostitution, children in worst forms of labour, sexual harassment in the workplace and violence against the girl child in school, stressing that these cases were also on the increase.
For his part, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, called on both men and women, especially married couples, to show mutual respect to one another to curb the increasing rate of violence committed against one another.
The Minister said the challenges to the development of women in the country was embodied in social, cultural, economic and political discrimination coupled with violation of their rights, intimidation and violence.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah made the call at the launch of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence at Suhum last Thursday.
The event was on the theme “Women Speak, End Gender-Based Violence Now!”, formed part of international campaign set aside to highlight the various human right abuses perpetrated against women globally. It was also to pay respect to human rights defenders as well as raise awareness about the elimination of all forms of violence against women.
In her view, women also lacked the capacity to engage in viable economic activities to generate enough money for themselves, a situation that had made them to remain in the vicious poverty cycle, preventing them from having access to proper healthcare, education, shelter and food, among others.
The minister said there was the need to encourage women to control their lives and effectively contribute to national development, as well as gain freedom from all forms of socio-cultural, economic and political discriminations.
“Until we sustain our commitment to empower women, forces that militate against the development of women in general will be so overwhelming that it will be difficult to reap the fruits of our efforts, thus making the future of women in Ghana bleak”, Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated.
“Many women are unable to afford even the cost of transportation to reach health facilities, while others face barriers because they are illiterate and unable to express themselves in English, considered as the official language”, Mrs Azumah-Mensah stated.
The minister also lamented the denial of women to own property such as land, cash crops among many ethnic groups, while others remained subjected to traditional male dominance that denied them statutory entitlements to inheritance and property owning, legally registered marriage and the maintenance and custody of their children.
“Even today, many widows are thrown out of their late husband’s houses by relatives who consider it a taboo for women to own houses, a situation that has made single women poor and unable to properly ensure their children’s well-being and development”, the minister stressed.
On employment, she said discrimination at the workplace had become common causing some women to engage in menial jobs like head potters and house helps, exposing them to social, commercial and sexual exploitation.
With regard to education, she said though education was a right in itself and a pathway to the enjoyment of other rights, the lack of education for women had a lifetime cost such as the opportunities for financial independence and increasing the likelihood of early marriage with its high incidence of emotional and physical ill-health.
“In spite of the fact that Ghana has passed laws that prohibits early marriage, many girls are married off without their consent due to poverty. This denies them access to education, which in the long run significantly increases their risks of contracting HIV and AIDS and increase maternal mortality”, she added.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative, Ms Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, also reiterated the call on stakeholders to put in more efforts at ending violence against women and ensuring their involvement in conflict resolution and peace building processes.
The National Co-ordinating Director of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Elizabeth Dassah, said despite various interventions by her outfit and other stakeholders, domestic violence was still rife in the country.
“Over the past 12 years of its establishment, DOVVSU has recorded about 120,000 cases of violence, with spousal violence accounting for over 26,000, defilement 9,417, rape 2,458, with more than 50,000 presenting cases of non-maintenance”, she said.
ACP Dassah added that some of the gender-based crimes which were often not reported included forced marriage, abduction, trafficking in women and children into portage, domestic servitude and prostitution, children in worst forms of labour, sexual harassment in the workplace and violence against the girl child in school, stressing that these cases were also on the increase.
For his part, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, called on both men and women, especially married couples, to show mutual respect to one another to curb the increasing rate of violence committed against one another.
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