THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has appealed to traditional leaders in the country to help expose people who parade themselves as “chieftaincy contractors”, since their activities cast a slur on the image of the chieftaincy institution.
He said the commitment of chiefs to expose such unscrupulous individuals would go a long way to avert the spate of chieftaincy conflicts which were severely hindering development in the country.
He made the appeal when he addressed the end-of-year meeting of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs in Koforidua.
The meeting, which was attended by a number of chiefs in the region, was used to take stock of the House’s activities during the year, its achievements and challenges, as well as to adopt strategic measures to improve upon its performance in 2010.
The regional minister noted that the Eastern Region had for many years been considered as one of the most peaceful regions in the country.
However, recently the region had gradually been losing that status because of the activities of some unscrupulous citizens.
“The activities of these people have led to the proliferation of chieftaincy disputes in the region especially those in the Akuapem, Manya Krobo and the Akwamu traditional areas,” Mr Ofosu Ampofo stated.
Citing the Akwamu chieftaincy dispute as an example, Mr Ofosu Ampofo noted that many potential investors who showed interest in investing in the tourism potential of the area and its limestone deposits had lost the zeal to pursue such interests simply because of the 17-year-old chieftaincy conflict in the area.
“It is because of the same protracted conflict that the chiefs and people of Akwamu cannot access the fund being paid by the Volta River Authority over the past decades,” he added
He, therefore, appealed to traditional authorities to adhere to the norms and conventions of their communities to ensure that the laid down procedures for installation of chiefs were followed without compromise.
The regional minister also appealed to the chiefs and people of Yilo Krobo to ensure a peaceful and speedy replacement of their paramount chief, the late Kpeteple Narh Dawutey Ologo VI, who passed away and was buried recently.
For his part, the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs, Daasebre (Prof.) Oti Boateng, urged members of the House to acquaint themselves with the new Chieftaincy Law to enable them to ensure the proper enstoolment and destoolment of chiefs.
According to Daasebre Oti Boateng, who is also the Omanhene of New Juaben, that would avert the frequent chieftaincy conflicts that had been tarnishing the reputation of the chieftaincy institution, adding that “we can only ensure the proper development of our communities when we live in peace”.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
KONOR HOSTS SENIOR CITIZENS (PAGE 19, DEC 31)
THE Konor of Manya Krobo Traditional Area, Nene Sackitey II, says the aged in the country should consider their advanced aged as a blessing bestowed on them to provide guidance to society, particularly the youth.
He, therefore, encouraged the aged not to feel dejected to enable them to continue to stay alive and enjoy their lives to the fullest and impact positively on the lives of the young ones.
“Since in every society the people, especially the youth, treasure grey hairs in advanced age, our aged fathers and mothers should always pray for a longer life so that the young ones can benefit immensely from their wisdom and guidance to enable them to also live longer and meaningful life”, Nene Sackitey said.
He made the appeal when he organized a senior citizen affair Christmas party for over 350 aged residents of Manya Krobo, Akuse, Kpong and other surrounding communities in the Lower Manya Krobo District in the Eastern Region.
The initiative, first of its kind to be held for people above 70 years, was meant to create a conducive atmosphere for Nene Sackitey to express his appreciation for them and also share the joy of the yuletide with them, especially those who are without any families.
The event was also used to educate the aged on how to stay healthy to enjoy their old age.
The Konor of Manya Krobo noted that since old age was a blessing and not a curse, the aged must appreciate the fact that they had been blessed with a long life to enable them to impact positively on the young ones, especially the youth.
He also urged society to show appreciation and support for the aged to enable them to stay alive and serve as “our source of wisdom and guidance in charting a meaningful life”.
Nene Sackitey expressed serious concern over how some members of society, especially the youth, had often accused and attributed their misfortunes to their aged mothers and grandmothers, noting that such misconception about old age had adversely affected some of the aged to die prematurely.
He, therefore, urged aged women not to be perturbed by such ill-conceived behaviours shown to them by their relatives, adding that “you must endeavour to overlook them so as to stay and enjoy your old age”.
Nene Sackitey appealed to the Krobos to make investment in their children’s education a priority, adding that “we can never aspire to secure the future of our children and improve the socio-economic progress of our communities without education”.
Educating the aged on how to enjoy their old age in good health, the Medical Superintendent of the St Martin Hospital at Agormanya Dr Charles Nyarko advised them to seek medical attention before resorting to the use of any other medication to enable them to stay healthy and strong.
He, therefore, encouraged the aged not to feel dejected to enable them to continue to stay alive and enjoy their lives to the fullest and impact positively on the lives of the young ones.
“Since in every society the people, especially the youth, treasure grey hairs in advanced age, our aged fathers and mothers should always pray for a longer life so that the young ones can benefit immensely from their wisdom and guidance to enable them to also live longer and meaningful life”, Nene Sackitey said.
He made the appeal when he organized a senior citizen affair Christmas party for over 350 aged residents of Manya Krobo, Akuse, Kpong and other surrounding communities in the Lower Manya Krobo District in the Eastern Region.
The initiative, first of its kind to be held for people above 70 years, was meant to create a conducive atmosphere for Nene Sackitey to express his appreciation for them and also share the joy of the yuletide with them, especially those who are without any families.
The event was also used to educate the aged on how to stay healthy to enjoy their old age.
The Konor of Manya Krobo noted that since old age was a blessing and not a curse, the aged must appreciate the fact that they had been blessed with a long life to enable them to impact positively on the young ones, especially the youth.
He also urged society to show appreciation and support for the aged to enable them to stay alive and serve as “our source of wisdom and guidance in charting a meaningful life”.
Nene Sackitey expressed serious concern over how some members of society, especially the youth, had often accused and attributed their misfortunes to their aged mothers and grandmothers, noting that such misconception about old age had adversely affected some of the aged to die prematurely.
He, therefore, urged aged women not to be perturbed by such ill-conceived behaviours shown to them by their relatives, adding that “you must endeavour to overlook them so as to stay and enjoy your old age”.
Nene Sackitey appealed to the Krobos to make investment in their children’s education a priority, adding that “we can never aspire to secure the future of our children and improve the socio-economic progress of our communities without education”.
Educating the aged on how to enjoy their old age in good health, the Medical Superintendent of the St Martin Hospital at Agormanya Dr Charles Nyarko advised them to seek medical attention before resorting to the use of any other medication to enable them to stay healthy and strong.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
MAMPONG TRINITY CONGREGATION SUPPORTS TETTEH QUARSHIE HOSPITAL (PAGE 35, DEC 29)
THE Trinity Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Mampong-Akuapem has donated assorted items worth GH¢2,500 to the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Hospital at Mampong-Akuapem.
The items, meant for the both patients and staff of the facility, included several bags of rice, loaves of bread, cartons of milk, biscuits, provisions and toiletries.
The donation, which was aimed at assisting the beneficiaries to also share the joy of the Yuletide, formed part of activities to mark the church’s 150th anniversary.
Presenting the items, the Chairman of the Akuapem Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Dr J. O. Y. Mantey, said the members of the church decided to give to the beneficiaries as part of their contribution to make the celebration of the festivity “a meaningful one for them”.
“Since God chose to give His best gift to mankind, Jesus Christ, we have also decided to give to the patients and staff of the hospital as required of us as Christians to support our fellow human beings to put a smile on their faces during the Christmas festivity,” Dr Mantey said.
Receiving the items, the Administrator of the hospital, Mrs Devine Narteh, thanked the church for the support to the patients and staff of the hospital, noting that the gesture would make the celebration of the Yuletide an enjoyable moment for them.
The items, meant for the both patients and staff of the facility, included several bags of rice, loaves of bread, cartons of milk, biscuits, provisions and toiletries.
The donation, which was aimed at assisting the beneficiaries to also share the joy of the Yuletide, formed part of activities to mark the church’s 150th anniversary.
Presenting the items, the Chairman of the Akuapem Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev. Dr J. O. Y. Mantey, said the members of the church decided to give to the beneficiaries as part of their contribution to make the celebration of the festivity “a meaningful one for them”.
“Since God chose to give His best gift to mankind, Jesus Christ, we have also decided to give to the patients and staff of the hospital as required of us as Christians to support our fellow human beings to put a smile on their faces during the Christmas festivity,” Dr Mantey said.
Receiving the items, the Administrator of the hospital, Mrs Devine Narteh, thanked the church for the support to the patients and staff of the hospital, noting that the gesture would make the celebration of the Yuletide an enjoyable moment for them.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
ORGANIC FARMING...GOPDC shows the way (PAGE 20, DEC 23)
TODAY, more than ever before, a growing number of health-minded consumers, especially those dealing with chronic illnesses, are switching to organic food.
A key motivation for consumers to eat such food is the belief that it is simply better and healthy for them.
It is widely believed that the use of organic fertilisers ensures that food items produced are free from harmful chemicals. As a result, end-consumers who eat these organic products are less prone to diseases such as cancer, strokes, heart diseases and skin disorders as compared to those who consume food items produced by using chemical fertilisers.
In spite of the countless health benefits of the production of organic food today, most food growing industries, in the rush to produce more crops to satisfy a growing demand, have resorted to using a lethal cocktail of pesticides to control diseases and insect attack.
This unfortunate situation, though admittedly has solved food crisis across the world, has significantly resulted in most cases in the production of poor quality food, which though appears attractive are harmful to the health of consumers.
A recent medical research has revealed that if one consumed an average fruit, say an apple or an orange, one would be eating over 30 pesticides, even after the fruit has been thoroughly washed. In another report, the quality of food has definitely gone down since the Second World War. For instance, the levels of vitamin C in today’s fruit bear no resemblance to the levels found in wartime fruit.
The report stated emphatically that pesticides residues in food have been linked to many diseases such as headaches, cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s, some birth defects, tremor, lack of energy, depression, anxiety, poor memory, dermatitis, convulsions, nausea, indigestion and diarrheoa with dietary intakes of pesticides, mostly common in inorganic produce.
Unlike organic food that is known to contain 50 per cent more nutrients, minerals and vitamins, inorganic produce that has been intensively farmed with the application of artificial fertilisers may appear otherwise, though science is yet to confirm that.
Consequently, according to the research, one would have to eat more fruits nowadays to make up for the deficiency but that means one eating more chemicals, which is detrimental to the health of consumers who rather consider eating something that should be good for them.
Again, a Belgian medical research has found that women diagnosed with breast cancer are six to nine times more likely to have the pesticides DDT or hexachlorobenzene in their bloodstream compared to women who did not have breast cancer.
Given the various negative health implications of the consumption of inorganic produce, the nagging question that should engage the minds of every Ghanaian who is serious about good health is “how can it be possible to eat chemicals and not expect some form of reaction in your body since our bodies are delicately balanced wonderful machines which habour any form of foreign chemicals that are bound to irritate them at the least?”
Encouragingly, health consciousness among Ghanaians lately has been complemented by some farming organisations in the country, not the least in the oil palm plantation.
Now, some of these organisations have taken a sustainable approach to organic oil palm production and have been applying organic fertilisers.
Today, palm oil is the most widely used oil in the world, for both food and medicine. As a natural vegetable oil, it contains no trans fatty acids or cholesterol and is currently being used by health institutions to treat specific illnesses and improve nutritional status.
One of the companies in the country that has become a pioneer in sustainable agriculture and the leading grower of commercial organic oil palm plantation has been the Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC) which is today proud to have created a sustainable model for the oil palm industry.
The company’s plantation at the Kwae and the Okumaning estates in the Eastern Region are all certified organic as no chemicals, pesticides or herbicides are used, resulting in a healthy superior quality product that attract a bonus on the world and the local market.
The products include crude palm oil, palm kernel oil, palm kernel cake, refined bleached deodorised oil, refined palm kernel oil, free fatty acid, olein and supper olein and stearin.
With its plantation cultivated on a 21,000-hectre land, GOPDC has integrated its palm production from seeder to farming, harvesting, mechanical pressing, physical refinery and finally to end products.
The company, which has been able to sustain its lead in the field of oil palm cultivation in the country started to reduce its agro-chemical usage in 1999. In 2002, the company received its first organic certificate from ECOCERT in France,a wordwide organisation that certifies organic produce.
As part of its focus on maintaining its market lead in the oil palm industry, every year inspectors from ECOCERT carry out an inspection round the plantation that covers its Kwae and the Okumaning estates as well as its over 5,000 outgrower and the smallholder farmers, the mills, refinery and its tank farm at Tema, which are all certified.
According to the Environmental, Health and Safety Manager of the compay, Mr Emmanuel Wiafe, his outfit strictly applies organic fertilisers and follows the rules of integrated pest management (IPM), which is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and as a last resort chemical tools in a way that minimises economic, health and environmental risks.
He indicated that GOPDC, which receives annual certificate from the ECOCERT, as part of its biological pest control ensures that every pest is monitored throughout the year to ensure that the population of the species is below the threshold of becoming a pest, hence no need to apply pesticides to control their growth.
In addition, he said, as a measure to protect some of the animal species, some biodiversity plots have been created within the company’s concessions which are left untouched, a move that has also contributed to the control of pests as they form a habitat for predators mostly birds.
“The company also maintains buffer zones along the mainstreams in the plantation and agro-forestry activities are undertaken to enhance biodiversity”, he added.
In his opinion, in exceptional cases when all methods have failed to manage a serious pest outbreak, the company will resort to the use of registered agro-chemicals in restricted plots of which the company keeps records of all the plots that received the agro-chemicals. These plots, he added, go into a conversion period of three years and that the entire fresh fruit bunch collected from such plots will not be considered as organic for three years.
“After three years, no residues are left in the field and the plots become organic again”, he said, indicating that at the processing mill, the organic and inorganic fresh fruit bunch are separated upon arrival and that each time organic processing will take place, the cleaning procedures for mill, refinery and that tank farms are followed and all the activities are documented.
Given the consistent successful track record of the GOPDC in the sustainable production of organic produce over the years, the government should lend the necessary support to other industries in the country to also take a cue from the success of GOPDC and venture into the production of healthy organic produce as part of their contribution to ensuring the health and well-being of Ghanaians.
Surely, the cost of organic production is expensive but the long-term benefits should be given a priority over profits since it is widely believed that the health of the people always drives the economy.
A key motivation for consumers to eat such food is the belief that it is simply better and healthy for them.
It is widely believed that the use of organic fertilisers ensures that food items produced are free from harmful chemicals. As a result, end-consumers who eat these organic products are less prone to diseases such as cancer, strokes, heart diseases and skin disorders as compared to those who consume food items produced by using chemical fertilisers.
In spite of the countless health benefits of the production of organic food today, most food growing industries, in the rush to produce more crops to satisfy a growing demand, have resorted to using a lethal cocktail of pesticides to control diseases and insect attack.
This unfortunate situation, though admittedly has solved food crisis across the world, has significantly resulted in most cases in the production of poor quality food, which though appears attractive are harmful to the health of consumers.
A recent medical research has revealed that if one consumed an average fruit, say an apple or an orange, one would be eating over 30 pesticides, even after the fruit has been thoroughly washed. In another report, the quality of food has definitely gone down since the Second World War. For instance, the levels of vitamin C in today’s fruit bear no resemblance to the levels found in wartime fruit.
The report stated emphatically that pesticides residues in food have been linked to many diseases such as headaches, cancer, obesity, Alzheimer’s, some birth defects, tremor, lack of energy, depression, anxiety, poor memory, dermatitis, convulsions, nausea, indigestion and diarrheoa with dietary intakes of pesticides, mostly common in inorganic produce.
Unlike organic food that is known to contain 50 per cent more nutrients, minerals and vitamins, inorganic produce that has been intensively farmed with the application of artificial fertilisers may appear otherwise, though science is yet to confirm that.
Consequently, according to the research, one would have to eat more fruits nowadays to make up for the deficiency but that means one eating more chemicals, which is detrimental to the health of consumers who rather consider eating something that should be good for them.
Again, a Belgian medical research has found that women diagnosed with breast cancer are six to nine times more likely to have the pesticides DDT or hexachlorobenzene in their bloodstream compared to women who did not have breast cancer.
Given the various negative health implications of the consumption of inorganic produce, the nagging question that should engage the minds of every Ghanaian who is serious about good health is “how can it be possible to eat chemicals and not expect some form of reaction in your body since our bodies are delicately balanced wonderful machines which habour any form of foreign chemicals that are bound to irritate them at the least?”
Encouragingly, health consciousness among Ghanaians lately has been complemented by some farming organisations in the country, not the least in the oil palm plantation.
Now, some of these organisations have taken a sustainable approach to organic oil palm production and have been applying organic fertilisers.
Today, palm oil is the most widely used oil in the world, for both food and medicine. As a natural vegetable oil, it contains no trans fatty acids or cholesterol and is currently being used by health institutions to treat specific illnesses and improve nutritional status.
One of the companies in the country that has become a pioneer in sustainable agriculture and the leading grower of commercial organic oil palm plantation has been the Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC) which is today proud to have created a sustainable model for the oil palm industry.
The company’s plantation at the Kwae and the Okumaning estates in the Eastern Region are all certified organic as no chemicals, pesticides or herbicides are used, resulting in a healthy superior quality product that attract a bonus on the world and the local market.
The products include crude palm oil, palm kernel oil, palm kernel cake, refined bleached deodorised oil, refined palm kernel oil, free fatty acid, olein and supper olein and stearin.
With its plantation cultivated on a 21,000-hectre land, GOPDC has integrated its palm production from seeder to farming, harvesting, mechanical pressing, physical refinery and finally to end products.
The company, which has been able to sustain its lead in the field of oil palm cultivation in the country started to reduce its agro-chemical usage in 1999. In 2002, the company received its first organic certificate from ECOCERT in France,a wordwide organisation that certifies organic produce.
As part of its focus on maintaining its market lead in the oil palm industry, every year inspectors from ECOCERT carry out an inspection round the plantation that covers its Kwae and the Okumaning estates as well as its over 5,000 outgrower and the smallholder farmers, the mills, refinery and its tank farm at Tema, which are all certified.
According to the Environmental, Health and Safety Manager of the compay, Mr Emmanuel Wiafe, his outfit strictly applies organic fertilisers and follows the rules of integrated pest management (IPM), which is a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and as a last resort chemical tools in a way that minimises economic, health and environmental risks.
He indicated that GOPDC, which receives annual certificate from the ECOCERT, as part of its biological pest control ensures that every pest is monitored throughout the year to ensure that the population of the species is below the threshold of becoming a pest, hence no need to apply pesticides to control their growth.
In addition, he said, as a measure to protect some of the animal species, some biodiversity plots have been created within the company’s concessions which are left untouched, a move that has also contributed to the control of pests as they form a habitat for predators mostly birds.
“The company also maintains buffer zones along the mainstreams in the plantation and agro-forestry activities are undertaken to enhance biodiversity”, he added.
In his opinion, in exceptional cases when all methods have failed to manage a serious pest outbreak, the company will resort to the use of registered agro-chemicals in restricted plots of which the company keeps records of all the plots that received the agro-chemicals. These plots, he added, go into a conversion period of three years and that the entire fresh fruit bunch collected from such plots will not be considered as organic for three years.
“After three years, no residues are left in the field and the plots become organic again”, he said, indicating that at the processing mill, the organic and inorganic fresh fruit bunch are separated upon arrival and that each time organic processing will take place, the cleaning procedures for mill, refinery and that tank farms are followed and all the activities are documented.
Given the consistent successful track record of the GOPDC in the sustainable production of organic produce over the years, the government should lend the necessary support to other industries in the country to also take a cue from the success of GOPDC and venture into the production of healthy organic produce as part of their contribution to ensuring the health and well-being of Ghanaians.
Surely, the cost of organic production is expensive but the long-term benefits should be given a priority over profits since it is widely believed that the health of the people always drives the economy.
Monday, December 21, 2009
'TOTAL CARAVAN FOR SAFETY' PROGRAMME LAUNCHED (PAGE 3, DEC 21)
A PROJECT aimed at educating members of local communities along major highways in the country on the dangers associated with stealing petroleum products from accident tankers has been launched at Asuboi in the Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar District.
The initiative, dubbed “Total Caravan for Safety”, is aimed at using effective communication tools such as drama and other strategic media in local languages to bring about attitudinal change among the people.
It is hoped that it would help to discourage the people from rushing from their homes to scenes of accidents involving fuel tankers and siphoning fuel from them, which in the event of a fire outbreak claim many lives.
In addition, the campaign is also being used to educate members of the targeted communities on how to reduce domestic accidents due to poor storage and use of hydrocarbons in local communities.
The project, which was targeted at members of communities along Nsawam-Suhum stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway, would also be launched at three key highway routes in the country, namely the Accra-Aflao, the Accra-Takoradi and the Kumasi-Tamale Highways.
It is being sponsored by the Total Petroleum Ghana Limited and supported by other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Transport, the Ghana National Fire Service, Road Safety Limited, National Disaster Management Organization, Motor Traffic and Transport Unit and the Ghana Police Service.
In an address last Friday, the Managing Director of Total Petroleum Ghana Limited (TPGL), Mr Jonathan Molapo, said his outfit decided to specifically launch the campaign at Asuboi because of the spate of accidents along the Nsawam-Suhum stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway, which have claimed many lives.
He indicated that since the spate of road traffic accidents mostly intensified, especially during festive occasions, “we could not have chosen a better time than now to launch the “Total Caravan for Safety Project” to ensure the safety of lives and property on the roads.
“Our leadership in a highly competitive industry of over 50 Oil Marketing Companies placed a greater responsibility on Total to deliver not only top notch services to its customers but also to ensure that we are socially responsible to all manner of stakeholders in our communities,” the MD stated.
According to him, the highly volatile nature of products the company transported across the length and breadth of the country made it imperative to take the necessary steps to carry out “all activities with safety as the overriding principle”.
In his view, many safety measures taken by the company, such as the establishment of the Programme for Improvement on Overseas Road Transport (PATROM) and Road Safety Limited, a school meant to train its drivers, and inspect and maintain its trucks, were already yielding encouraging results.
“By these safety undertakings, we have been able to significantly reduce the number of accidents and the levels of their severity,” Mr Molapo added.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Transport, Mr Joe Gidisu, said the transport sector, being a major driver in the Ghanaian economy, continued to face major challenges, especially in the area of road safety.
“Records at the ministry indicate that 30,351 heavy goods vehicles, including bulk road vehicles, were involved in road traffic crashes with 213 recorded fatalities”, he said, adding that “8,802 of these casualties occurred in rural areas”.
He recounted the accident on the Accra-Winneba Road involving the transportation of hydrocarbons, which claimed several lives when the victims attempted to siphon fuel from the tanker but were burnt to ashes when the tanker caught fire.
Mr Gidisu, who expressed the delight of his outfit to be associated with the good works of TPGL, said as part of measures to ensure the highest safety standards in the transport sector, the ministry had, in partnership with other stakeholders, launched a massive road safety campaign dubbed “Arrive Alive” along the major highways and communities in the country.
In an address read on his behalf by his deputy, Mr Baba Jamal, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, noted that since road safety was a shared responsibility, other stakeholders should also intensify their education on road safety to protect lives and property on the roads.
He also urged the MTTU of the Ghana Police Service to intensify its checks on the roads and apprehend drivers who flouted road traffic regulations.
The initiative, dubbed “Total Caravan for Safety”, is aimed at using effective communication tools such as drama and other strategic media in local languages to bring about attitudinal change among the people.
It is hoped that it would help to discourage the people from rushing from their homes to scenes of accidents involving fuel tankers and siphoning fuel from them, which in the event of a fire outbreak claim many lives.
In addition, the campaign is also being used to educate members of the targeted communities on how to reduce domestic accidents due to poor storage and use of hydrocarbons in local communities.
The project, which was targeted at members of communities along Nsawam-Suhum stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway, would also be launched at three key highway routes in the country, namely the Accra-Aflao, the Accra-Takoradi and the Kumasi-Tamale Highways.
It is being sponsored by the Total Petroleum Ghana Limited and supported by other stakeholders such as the Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Transport, the Ghana National Fire Service, Road Safety Limited, National Disaster Management Organization, Motor Traffic and Transport Unit and the Ghana Police Service.
In an address last Friday, the Managing Director of Total Petroleum Ghana Limited (TPGL), Mr Jonathan Molapo, said his outfit decided to specifically launch the campaign at Asuboi because of the spate of accidents along the Nsawam-Suhum stretch of the Accra-Kumasi Highway, which have claimed many lives.
He indicated that since the spate of road traffic accidents mostly intensified, especially during festive occasions, “we could not have chosen a better time than now to launch the “Total Caravan for Safety Project” to ensure the safety of lives and property on the roads.
“Our leadership in a highly competitive industry of over 50 Oil Marketing Companies placed a greater responsibility on Total to deliver not only top notch services to its customers but also to ensure that we are socially responsible to all manner of stakeholders in our communities,” the MD stated.
According to him, the highly volatile nature of products the company transported across the length and breadth of the country made it imperative to take the necessary steps to carry out “all activities with safety as the overriding principle”.
In his view, many safety measures taken by the company, such as the establishment of the Programme for Improvement on Overseas Road Transport (PATROM) and Road Safety Limited, a school meant to train its drivers, and inspect and maintain its trucks, were already yielding encouraging results.
“By these safety undertakings, we have been able to significantly reduce the number of accidents and the levels of their severity,” Mr Molapo added.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Transport, Mr Joe Gidisu, said the transport sector, being a major driver in the Ghanaian economy, continued to face major challenges, especially in the area of road safety.
“Records at the ministry indicate that 30,351 heavy goods vehicles, including bulk road vehicles, were involved in road traffic crashes with 213 recorded fatalities”, he said, adding that “8,802 of these casualties occurred in rural areas”.
He recounted the accident on the Accra-Winneba Road involving the transportation of hydrocarbons, which claimed several lives when the victims attempted to siphon fuel from the tanker but were burnt to ashes when the tanker caught fire.
Mr Gidisu, who expressed the delight of his outfit to be associated with the good works of TPGL, said as part of measures to ensure the highest safety standards in the transport sector, the ministry had, in partnership with other stakeholders, launched a massive road safety campaign dubbed “Arrive Alive” along the major highways and communities in the country.
In an address read on his behalf by his deputy, Mr Baba Jamal, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, noted that since road safety was a shared responsibility, other stakeholders should also intensify their education on road safety to protect lives and property on the roads.
He also urged the MTTU of the Ghana Police Service to intensify its checks on the roads and apprehend drivers who flouted road traffic regulations.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
KOREA DONATES AMBULANCES TO TWO DISTRICTS (PAGE 15, DEC 19)
THE Government of the Republic of Korea has presented two new Stavic ambulances and a pick-up worth $2 million to the Yilo Krobo and the Upper Manya district assemblies in the Eastern Region.
The ambulances, equipped with all the necessary life-saving gadgets, are to support health facilities in the beneficiary districts to respond to emergency cases in their remote areas, especially women in labour.
The initiative, which is under a project dubbed, “Supporting Mother and Children Health Care in the Eastern Region”, is expected to help reduce maternal and infant mortality and improve health delivery in the two districts.
Presenting the keys to the vehicles, the Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Lee Sank-Hak, said the presentation of the vehicles was an indication of the Korean Government’s commitment to supporting health facilities in the country to reduce the high incidence of maternal and infant mortality.
According to him, Korea over the past four decades had a similar high infant mortality rate which was around 12 per cent; one of the highest in the world. Korea, he said, was, however, able to overcome this problem due to the support other countries gave to the country and the support of the Korean Government.
Receiving the keys to the vehicles on behalf of the two beneficiary districts, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, thanked the Korean Government for its commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the country.
He recounted how one of the Ophthalmologists at Koforidua who underwent a knee surgery at the St. Joseph Hospital, Koforidua passed away since there was no ambulance with life-saving gadgets at Koforidua to transport her to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He, therefore, appealed the Korean Government to help provide an ambulance at Koforidua to service all the health facilities in the area.
The ambulances, equipped with all the necessary life-saving gadgets, are to support health facilities in the beneficiary districts to respond to emergency cases in their remote areas, especially women in labour.
The initiative, which is under a project dubbed, “Supporting Mother and Children Health Care in the Eastern Region”, is expected to help reduce maternal and infant mortality and improve health delivery in the two districts.
Presenting the keys to the vehicles, the Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Lee Sank-Hak, said the presentation of the vehicles was an indication of the Korean Government’s commitment to supporting health facilities in the country to reduce the high incidence of maternal and infant mortality.
According to him, Korea over the past four decades had a similar high infant mortality rate which was around 12 per cent; one of the highest in the world. Korea, he said, was, however, able to overcome this problem due to the support other countries gave to the country and the support of the Korean Government.
Receiving the keys to the vehicles on behalf of the two beneficiary districts, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, thanked the Korean Government for its commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the country.
He recounted how one of the Ophthalmologists at Koforidua who underwent a knee surgery at the St. Joseph Hospital, Koforidua passed away since there was no ambulance with life-saving gadgets at Koforidua to transport her to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He, therefore, appealed the Korean Government to help provide an ambulance at Koforidua to service all the health facilities in the area.
JOURNALISTS TOLD TO ABIDE BY CODE OF ETHICS (PAGE 19, DEC 19)
THE President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Ransford Tetteh, has called on media practitioners to abide by the code of ethics of the profession in the discharge of their duties.
He urged them to strive to be balanced, accurate, fair and objective in their reportage to enable the media to effectively contribute to the country’s democratic governance.
Speaking at a press soiree in Koforidua on Thursday, Mr Tetteh reminded the media practitioners that “it is only when we abide by the code of ethics of our profession that we can win the goodwill of the public and uphold politicians, businessmen and individuals alike accountable”.
The event, which was organised by the Mac Dic Royal Plaza Hotel in Koforidua, was attended by members of the Eastern Regional branch of the GJA.
It was aimed at creating a flexible atmosphere for members of the inky fraternity to interact with the management of the hotel.
According to Mr Tetteh, members of the public had lately had concerns to express strong reservations about the negative attitude and reportage of the media and its practitioners, a situation which he said was gradually making the media to lose the goodwill of the public.
He indicated that as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, the media reserved a great power to hold members of society including politicians, businessmen and individuals accountable for their actions and conducts.
“However, we can only be in a better position to hold these public holders and individuals accountable when we ourselves behave professionally by being accurate, balanced, fair and objective in our reportage,” said the GJA President.
He told members of the association not to cultivate the habit of destroying the hard-earned reputation of businessmen and individuals.
“Rather, we must hasten slowly to cross-check every information with our sources and endeavour to partner businessmen to develop their businesses to create wealth and jobs for the people.”
He also told media practitioners to be prepared to admit and apologise when they erred in their reportage, saying that “as human beings, we are likely to make mistakes, but when we do, let us be prepared to apologise for our wrongs and make sure that we do not repeat them,” he added.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the GJA, Mr Edmund Quaynor, appealed to members of the association to help champion the development of business entities in the region.
He, however, urged other corporate bodies to join hands with the media to ensure the socio-economic progress for their mutual benefits.
The Managing Director of Mac Dic Royal Plaza Hotel, Nana Kofi Twinin, who briefed media practitioners on the commencement, successes and challenges of the facility, indicated the readiness of his outfit to co-operate with the media to grow business in the New Juaben Municipality to create more employment for the people.
He acknowledged the power of the media in the socio-economic development of the country, adding that “we must use this power to team up with business entities to ensure their successful growth”.
He urged them to strive to be balanced, accurate, fair and objective in their reportage to enable the media to effectively contribute to the country’s democratic governance.
Speaking at a press soiree in Koforidua on Thursday, Mr Tetteh reminded the media practitioners that “it is only when we abide by the code of ethics of our profession that we can win the goodwill of the public and uphold politicians, businessmen and individuals alike accountable”.
The event, which was organised by the Mac Dic Royal Plaza Hotel in Koforidua, was attended by members of the Eastern Regional branch of the GJA.
It was aimed at creating a flexible atmosphere for members of the inky fraternity to interact with the management of the hotel.
According to Mr Tetteh, members of the public had lately had concerns to express strong reservations about the negative attitude and reportage of the media and its practitioners, a situation which he said was gradually making the media to lose the goodwill of the public.
He indicated that as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, the media reserved a great power to hold members of society including politicians, businessmen and individuals accountable for their actions and conducts.
“However, we can only be in a better position to hold these public holders and individuals accountable when we ourselves behave professionally by being accurate, balanced, fair and objective in our reportage,” said the GJA President.
He told members of the association not to cultivate the habit of destroying the hard-earned reputation of businessmen and individuals.
“Rather, we must hasten slowly to cross-check every information with our sources and endeavour to partner businessmen to develop their businesses to create wealth and jobs for the people.”
He also told media practitioners to be prepared to admit and apologise when they erred in their reportage, saying that “as human beings, we are likely to make mistakes, but when we do, let us be prepared to apologise for our wrongs and make sure that we do not repeat them,” he added.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Chairman of the GJA, Mr Edmund Quaynor, appealed to members of the association to help champion the development of business entities in the region.
He, however, urged other corporate bodies to join hands with the media to ensure the socio-economic progress for their mutual benefits.
The Managing Director of Mac Dic Royal Plaza Hotel, Nana Kofi Twinin, who briefed media practitioners on the commencement, successes and challenges of the facility, indicated the readiness of his outfit to co-operate with the media to grow business in the New Juaben Municipality to create more employment for the people.
He acknowledged the power of the media in the socio-economic development of the country, adding that “we must use this power to team up with business entities to ensure their successful growth”.
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