DONEWELL Life Company Limited has added a new product known as the Royal Funeral Policy to its range of products to correct the negative perception of funeral policies.
There is a perecption out there that when one purchases a funeral policy, then one was sighing his or her own death warrant, or that of the person insured, or that the going in for the person was expecting someone tp die.
The product which has been designed to provide funds at short notice for funeral expenses of any member covered under the policy seeks to help address the stress and expenses of organising a funeral.
The Head of Operations, Mr Edmund D. Addo said nothing could be more unexpected and could cause such drastic changes in one’s life than the sudden loss of a loved one and said the policy had been carefully designed to allow the policyholder to extend coverage to third parties.
“This is a level premium and a whole life insurance policy which provide a ‘death benefit’ coverage for the primary insured and an optional rider that allows the policyholder to extend it to the spouse, children, parents and parents-in-law”.
In the event of the death of the insured, he said the benefits could help to reduce the financial impact on the deceased’s family.
Explaining what makes it different from other funeral policies, he said the policy allowed policyholders to pay the same premium till death or to age 65.
He outlined death benefit amounts ranging from GH¢1,000 to GH¢ 10,000, part payment of benefits to defray medical expenses in case of terminal illness, cash back option which allows an additional money to be paid on the premium as an investment as some of the numerous benefits of the product.
For his part, the Managing Director, Mr Samuel Oduro said the changing world of business was what informed the introduction of the royal funeral policy.
He said most funerals were now handled by contemporary funeral contractors an act which was gradually becoming the norm of the day.
He, therefore, said the introduction of the policy was to address the expenses and hustle of organising a funeral.
Mr Addo said the premium payable would depend on the ages of the individuals being covered, the number of persons and the benefits selected which could be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.
He called on the public to embrace the policy of a royal funeral.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Huston Christian School Supports Joma Methodist Primary (Page 11, August 23, 2010)
THE Huston Christian High School has funded a borehole for the Joma Methodist Primary School in the Ga South Municipality in the Greater Accra Region at a cost of GH¢ 16,500 to provide water for the school.
The school, which is the only public school in the area with a population of 250, has been confronted with inadequate access to potable water for the past years which resulted in a number of students being diagnosed with bilharzia.
The project was, therefore, aimed at making the school’s dream of having potable water a reality.
Mr Michael Adams Maddry, leader of the delegation from the Houston Christian School, which was in the country to see to the commissioning of the borehole, said a team from the school visited Joma Primary last year and saw the need to support it.
He said students between grade nine and 12 of the school, which is based in Texas, United States of America, donated towards a fund to drill a well for the pupils of Joma.
Mr Maddry said it was the vision and desire of the school to help those in need and more importantly to get the chance to share the gospel of Christ with everybody.
“ We also desire to establish partnerships on every continent of the world to help spread the gospel of Christ.”
The team distributed kits on hygiene to the pupils of the school.
Other members of the team were Drew Zeiler, Stephen Hebert, Casey Bourland, Kelsey Simmons, Katie Jackson, Sam Von Cannon, Lauren Thomas and Dale Wallace.
The Acting Bishop for the Ga Mission Circuit of the Methodist Church, Rev Richard Ako-Adjei thanked the delegation for its generosity.
He said the drilling of the borehole came as a surprise and a relief to the church and the school’s authorities since the school had faced a number of challenges in the past.
He thanked American Tanks and Vessels for the initial support of building a six-classroom block, a teachers’ common room, a computer laboratory for the school and linking the school to the Huston Christian High School.
The school, which is the only public school in the area with a population of 250, has been confronted with inadequate access to potable water for the past years which resulted in a number of students being diagnosed with bilharzia.
The project was, therefore, aimed at making the school’s dream of having potable water a reality.
Mr Michael Adams Maddry, leader of the delegation from the Houston Christian School, which was in the country to see to the commissioning of the borehole, said a team from the school visited Joma Primary last year and saw the need to support it.
He said students between grade nine and 12 of the school, which is based in Texas, United States of America, donated towards a fund to drill a well for the pupils of Joma.
Mr Maddry said it was the vision and desire of the school to help those in need and more importantly to get the chance to share the gospel of Christ with everybody.
“ We also desire to establish partnerships on every continent of the world to help spread the gospel of Christ.”
The team distributed kits on hygiene to the pupils of the school.
Other members of the team were Drew Zeiler, Stephen Hebert, Casey Bourland, Kelsey Simmons, Katie Jackson, Sam Von Cannon, Lauren Thomas and Dale Wallace.
The Acting Bishop for the Ga Mission Circuit of the Methodist Church, Rev Richard Ako-Adjei thanked the delegation for its generosity.
He said the drilling of the borehole came as a surprise and a relief to the church and the school’s authorities since the school had faced a number of challenges in the past.
He thanked American Tanks and Vessels for the initial support of building a six-classroom block, a teachers’ common room, a computer laboratory for the school and linking the school to the Huston Christian High School.
Promoting Use Of Herbal Medicine-Practitioners urged to observe proper hygiene (Page 29, August 25, 2010)
HERBAL medicine practitioners maintain that herbal medicines have proved to work as effectively as the orthodox medicines over the years and called for efforts to promote their use.
However, there are many people who are concerned about the conditions under which some of these practitioners prepare their drugs and are therefore apprehensive about their usage.
To alleviate the fear of such people, the Managing Director of Capital O2, Mr John Daniel Otto has advised herbal medicine practitioners to produce their medication under good hygienic conditions and subject them to proper certification.
This, he said would promote the use of herbal medicines in the country.
Mr Otto gave the advise in Accra at the launch of the “Natural Health Exhibition and Workshop”.
The exhibition, which is scheduled for November 23, 2010 is to promote natural medicines, help correct negative perceptions and to create a platform for deliberations on herbal medicines.
He said herbal medicines had proved over the years to be as effective as the orthodox medicines and even better in some cases.
He stressed that for the country to attain its primary health care delivery goals, it needed to make conscious efforts to incorporate herbal medicine in its health care delivery.
According to him, herbal medicines had been neglected for far too long without thinking of its enormous contributions to the country’s health sector.
Mr Otto said there was the need to combine the advanced, modern and technological diagnosis of orthodox medicines with that of herbal medicines to improve the health needs of the people.
He, therefore, lauded efforts of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to produce graduates in herbal medicines, and called on the government to champion the use of herbal medicines in the country’s health facilities.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minster of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour said herbal medicines had played and continued to play important roles in the country’s health care delivery.
He said it was therefore imperative for practitioners to explore and add value to their products.
He advised practitioners to be customer oriented, continue to learn and develop their skills, create product satisfaction and make their products accessible to all.
Dr Kunbour said the ministry would continue to create a more enabling environment to help address challenges that emerged in the field.
He promised government’s support for the industry adding that “government would support herbal medicine not only for local consumption but for exports that would generate income for the country”.
The General Secretary, of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicines (Ghaftram), Mr Godfred Yaw Boateng called on members of the federation to assist the newly established council for monitoring and evaluating the progress of traditional medicines in the country.
This, he said would help in bringing the charlatans in the industry to book.
He, therefore, advised members to register their products with the federation and the council since any product without certified registration would not be allowed on the market.
However, there are many people who are concerned about the conditions under which some of these practitioners prepare their drugs and are therefore apprehensive about their usage.
To alleviate the fear of such people, the Managing Director of Capital O2, Mr John Daniel Otto has advised herbal medicine practitioners to produce their medication under good hygienic conditions and subject them to proper certification.
This, he said would promote the use of herbal medicines in the country.
Mr Otto gave the advise in Accra at the launch of the “Natural Health Exhibition and Workshop”.
The exhibition, which is scheduled for November 23, 2010 is to promote natural medicines, help correct negative perceptions and to create a platform for deliberations on herbal medicines.
He said herbal medicines had proved over the years to be as effective as the orthodox medicines and even better in some cases.
He stressed that for the country to attain its primary health care delivery goals, it needed to make conscious efforts to incorporate herbal medicine in its health care delivery.
According to him, herbal medicines had been neglected for far too long without thinking of its enormous contributions to the country’s health sector.
Mr Otto said there was the need to combine the advanced, modern and technological diagnosis of orthodox medicines with that of herbal medicines to improve the health needs of the people.
He, therefore, lauded efforts of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to produce graduates in herbal medicines, and called on the government to champion the use of herbal medicines in the country’s health facilities.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minster of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour said herbal medicines had played and continued to play important roles in the country’s health care delivery.
He said it was therefore imperative for practitioners to explore and add value to their products.
He advised practitioners to be customer oriented, continue to learn and develop their skills, create product satisfaction and make their products accessible to all.
Dr Kunbour said the ministry would continue to create a more enabling environment to help address challenges that emerged in the field.
He promised government’s support for the industry adding that “government would support herbal medicine not only for local consumption but for exports that would generate income for the country”.
The General Secretary, of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicines (Ghaftram), Mr Godfred Yaw Boateng called on members of the federation to assist the newly established council for monitoring and evaluating the progress of traditional medicines in the country.
This, he said would help in bringing the charlatans in the industry to book.
He, therefore, advised members to register their products with the federation and the council since any product without certified registration would not be allowed on the market.
Weija Leprosarium Celebrates 60th Anniv. (Page 38, August 23, 2010)
THE Weija Leprosarium has celebrated its 60th anniversary with a call on government to assist the home with the adequate resources for the upkeep of the inmates.
The Chairman of the Leper Aid Committee, Rev. Fr Andrew Campbell, who made the call said the home had depended on donations and assistance from institutions for the past years and had received little support from the government.
He said the inmates at the Leprosarium were humans just as any other individual in the country and needed to be treated as such.
He outlined inadequate infrastructure, lack of social amenities, and inadequate funding as the major challenges facing the home.
Rev. Fr Campbell said aside the challenges facing the home, families of the inmates had deserted them over the years since they were considered as unclean.
He appealed to families whose relatives were at the home to pay them regular visits and to be prepared to take them home when they were cured.
Rev. Fr Campbell who won GH¢25,000 on the “Who wants to be rich” show sponsored by MTN used the money to sponsor the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Leprosarium.
He appealed to all who have the progress of the home at heart to text the number 1966 to all networks to support the home.
Giving a brief history of the home, the prefect of the Leprosarium, Madam Gladys Adobea, said the home was established in 1966 with 85 inmates who were moved from Labadi.
She said to date only five of them were still alive with the oldest been 99 years.
She said despite the challenges that they faced they have lived happily together.
She thanked Rev. Fr Campbell for his enormous support and devotion to the home and the inmates.
The home also received various donations from institutions and individuals at the celebration.
Baron Distilleries, Getty and Friends, Central University College, All Ships in Tema were among the institutions that donated to the home.
Items donated included electrical appliances, bags of gari, rice, charcoal, beverages, toiletries, foodstuffs, used clothes, detergents and fruits worth thousands of Ghana Cedis.
The Administrative Manager of Baron Distilleries, Mr Ellis Clottey, who spoke on behalf of the donors said they were happy to associate with the home on the celebration of their 60th anniversary.
He said it was part of their corporate social responsibility, adding that helping the less privileged in the society brought the company so much joy.
He congratulated the home and Rev. Fr Campbell for the support he continued to give to the home.
He also promised the company’s support to the home.
Rev. Fr Campbell also presented gifts to all 40 inmates and a television set to the surviving five inmates who had spent 60 years of their lives in the home.
The Chairman of the Leper Aid Committee, Rev. Fr Andrew Campbell, who made the call said the home had depended on donations and assistance from institutions for the past years and had received little support from the government.
He said the inmates at the Leprosarium were humans just as any other individual in the country and needed to be treated as such.
He outlined inadequate infrastructure, lack of social amenities, and inadequate funding as the major challenges facing the home.
Rev. Fr Campbell said aside the challenges facing the home, families of the inmates had deserted them over the years since they were considered as unclean.
He appealed to families whose relatives were at the home to pay them regular visits and to be prepared to take them home when they were cured.
Rev. Fr Campbell who won GH¢25,000 on the “Who wants to be rich” show sponsored by MTN used the money to sponsor the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Leprosarium.
He appealed to all who have the progress of the home at heart to text the number 1966 to all networks to support the home.
Giving a brief history of the home, the prefect of the Leprosarium, Madam Gladys Adobea, said the home was established in 1966 with 85 inmates who were moved from Labadi.
She said to date only five of them were still alive with the oldest been 99 years.
She said despite the challenges that they faced they have lived happily together.
She thanked Rev. Fr Campbell for his enormous support and devotion to the home and the inmates.
The home also received various donations from institutions and individuals at the celebration.
Baron Distilleries, Getty and Friends, Central University College, All Ships in Tema were among the institutions that donated to the home.
Items donated included electrical appliances, bags of gari, rice, charcoal, beverages, toiletries, foodstuffs, used clothes, detergents and fruits worth thousands of Ghana Cedis.
The Administrative Manager of Baron Distilleries, Mr Ellis Clottey, who spoke on behalf of the donors said they were happy to associate with the home on the celebration of their 60th anniversary.
He said it was part of their corporate social responsibility, adding that helping the less privileged in the society brought the company so much joy.
He congratulated the home and Rev. Fr Campbell for the support he continued to give to the home.
He also promised the company’s support to the home.
Rev. Fr Campbell also presented gifts to all 40 inmates and a television set to the surviving five inmates who had spent 60 years of their lives in the home.
Breasfeeding Saves Lives of Infants (Page 11, August 2010)
The Director of Family Life Division of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr (Mrs) Gloria Quansah-Asare, has advised mothers to make conscious efforts to start breastfeeding their babies within the first hour of birth to help reduce their infants risk of death.
She said a research conducted on babies who survived the first day clearly showed that 41 per cent of all babies who die during two (2) to 28 days of life can be saved by this simple intervention.
She explained that initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth was a vital step in reducing the infant’s risk of death.
Dr (Mrs) Quansah-Asare was speaking at the launch of the World Breastfeeding week celebration in Accra on the theme “ Breastfeeding, just 10 steps: The baby friendly way”.
She said the study which was conducted from rural communities in the country involving 10,947 infants had shown that the initiation of breast feeding within the first hour of birth can prevent one million out of four million new-born deaths.
She said the week was also to celebrate 20 years of the Innocenti Declaration on the protecting, promoting and support of breastfeeding, adopted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1990 to promote successful breastfeeding and Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI).
She explained that to enhance the implementation of the declaration, WHO and UNICEF had put in place 10 basic steps to be promoted by health facilities globally.
The first step enjoins countries to have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff, to train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy, inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding and to help mothers initiate breastfeeding within half hour of birth.
It also requires health officials to show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants, avoid giving new-born infants food or drink unless medically indicated, practice rooming-in, that is allow mothers and infants to remain together, 24 hours a day and encourage breastfeeding on demand.
The other steps also require mothers not to give any artificial teats or pacifiers to breastfeeding infants and to foster the establishment of breastfeed support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge.
Dr (Mrs) Quansah-Asare said it was therefore necessary for all to help support breastfeeding by practising all the 10 steps.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour, called on all health care providers as well as community members to encourage and support mothers to breastfeed successfully.
He also called for the revitalisation of the baby friendly hospital initiative in the country which would lead to the achievement of the ”gold standard” aimed at promoting exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and continue with appropriate complimentary foods until the baby was two years old or more.
He encouraged health workers to display their professional skills to encourage the attendance of mothers to health facilities to help reduce maternal mortality.
He congratulated the 37 Military Hospital for being the leading baby friendly health hospital and for maintaining the standards for 15 years since it was initiated.
A Nutrition Specialist of UNICEF, Dr Ernestina Agyepong, said the Innocenti Declaration proposed that a national breastfeeding co-ordinator and authority be appointed, all maternity facilities practice all the ten steps and that a legal instrument is developed to protect the breastfeeding rights of mothers which was to be enforced through the code of marketing of breast milk substitute and maternity protection laws globally.
She said UNICEF and WHO remained committed to ensuring the continuity of the Innocenti Declaration to support breastfeeding to help impact positively on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals One, Four and Five, which relate to ending poverty, reducing child mortality, and improving maternal health respectively.
She said a research conducted on babies who survived the first day clearly showed that 41 per cent of all babies who die during two (2) to 28 days of life can be saved by this simple intervention.
She explained that initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of birth was a vital step in reducing the infant’s risk of death.
Dr (Mrs) Quansah-Asare was speaking at the launch of the World Breastfeeding week celebration in Accra on the theme “ Breastfeeding, just 10 steps: The baby friendly way”.
She said the study which was conducted from rural communities in the country involving 10,947 infants had shown that the initiation of breast feeding within the first hour of birth can prevent one million out of four million new-born deaths.
She said the week was also to celebrate 20 years of the Innocenti Declaration on the protecting, promoting and support of breastfeeding, adopted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1990 to promote successful breastfeeding and Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI).
She explained that to enhance the implementation of the declaration, WHO and UNICEF had put in place 10 basic steps to be promoted by health facilities globally.
The first step enjoins countries to have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff, to train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy, inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding and to help mothers initiate breastfeeding within half hour of birth.
It also requires health officials to show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants, avoid giving new-born infants food or drink unless medically indicated, practice rooming-in, that is allow mothers and infants to remain together, 24 hours a day and encourage breastfeeding on demand.
The other steps also require mothers not to give any artificial teats or pacifiers to breastfeeding infants and to foster the establishment of breastfeed support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge.
Dr (Mrs) Quansah-Asare said it was therefore necessary for all to help support breastfeeding by practising all the 10 steps.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour, called on all health care providers as well as community members to encourage and support mothers to breastfeed successfully.
He also called for the revitalisation of the baby friendly hospital initiative in the country which would lead to the achievement of the ”gold standard” aimed at promoting exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and continue with appropriate complimentary foods until the baby was two years old or more.
He encouraged health workers to display their professional skills to encourage the attendance of mothers to health facilities to help reduce maternal mortality.
He congratulated the 37 Military Hospital for being the leading baby friendly health hospital and for maintaining the standards for 15 years since it was initiated.
A Nutrition Specialist of UNICEF, Dr Ernestina Agyepong, said the Innocenti Declaration proposed that a national breastfeeding co-ordinator and authority be appointed, all maternity facilities practice all the ten steps and that a legal instrument is developed to protect the breastfeeding rights of mothers which was to be enforced through the code of marketing of breast milk substitute and maternity protection laws globally.
She said UNICEF and WHO remained committed to ensuring the continuity of the Innocenti Declaration to support breastfeeding to help impact positively on the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals One, Four and Five, which relate to ending poverty, reducing child mortality, and improving maternal health respectively.
Trade Ministry To Launch Policy (Spread, August 21, 2010)
The Ministry of Trade and Industry will soon launch and implement an industrial policy to address major concerns within the sector.
The policy is expected to be launched on September 21, 2010 to serve as a national policy for the entire sector.
This came to light when the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mahama Ayariga, paid a familiarisation visit to Interplast Limited in Accra to acquaint himself with the work of the company.
Interacting with the officials of Interplast Limited, Mr Ayariga said as a ministry, its major interest was in trade and export and it was its responsibility to be conversant with the works of companies that were engaged in export.
He noted that few companies in the country were involved in export and therefore the need for the ministry to know and address the challenges faced by such companies.
He congratulated Interplast on being the leading manufacturer and distributor of PVC pipes in West Africa.
The Managing Director of Interplast Limited, Mr Hayssam Fakhry, said despite the various challenges confronting the company it had proved to be the best in the sub-region.
He said the company was established in 1970, in consultation with the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation to provide high quality PVC pipes and fittings of internationally recognised standards.
"The company has since produced and supplied the majority of Ghana's requirement of small and large diameter PVC pipes for the supply of water throughout the country".
Mr Fakhry said the company had extended its range of products to cover the manufacturing of high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes, ceiling and wall panelling and Everlast windows and doors.
He noted that the company had put in place modern production facility equipped with the most technically advanced extrusion machinery available to maintain the international standards of its products.
The policy is expected to be launched on September 21, 2010 to serve as a national policy for the entire sector.
This came to light when the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Mahama Ayariga, paid a familiarisation visit to Interplast Limited in Accra to acquaint himself with the work of the company.
Interacting with the officials of Interplast Limited, Mr Ayariga said as a ministry, its major interest was in trade and export and it was its responsibility to be conversant with the works of companies that were engaged in export.
He noted that few companies in the country were involved in export and therefore the need for the ministry to know and address the challenges faced by such companies.
He congratulated Interplast on being the leading manufacturer and distributor of PVC pipes in West Africa.
The Managing Director of Interplast Limited, Mr Hayssam Fakhry, said despite the various challenges confronting the company it had proved to be the best in the sub-region.
He said the company was established in 1970, in consultation with the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation to provide high quality PVC pipes and fittings of internationally recognised standards.
"The company has since produced and supplied the majority of Ghana's requirement of small and large diameter PVC pipes for the supply of water throughout the country".
Mr Fakhry said the company had extended its range of products to cover the manufacturing of high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes, ceiling and wall panelling and Everlast windows and doors.
He noted that the company had put in place modern production facility equipped with the most technically advanced extrusion machinery available to maintain the international standards of its products.
Banks Urged To Support Agric Sector (Page 29, August 20, 2010)
THE Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Mr Millison Narh, has asked financial institutions to design products and services that will help transform the agricultural sector.
This, he said would lead to growth and wealth in the economies of West African countries.
Mr Narh made the remarks at the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop organised by African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA) in Accra, today.
He stated that one of the bedrock for achieving sustainable economic growth and development in any economy is the existence of a vibrant banking and financial sector.
He said that would ensure effective and efficient financial intermediation.
“The financial system acts as a catalyst for initiating and sustaining economic growth, development and integration”, he said.
Mr Narh said access to credit had consistently been identified as one of the key element necessary to increase economic capital and development.
He explained that the largest constraint to the development of the agricultural sector was the lack of a long-term credit, adding that a world bank study proved that the difficulty of accessing affordable finance was one of the main factors holding back the African continent.
The two-day workshop which is on the theme:” Rural Finance Intermediation for Growth and Wealth Creation in Africa” is to create a platform for member countries to discuss ways of enhancing the role and effectiveness of financial service providers in rural agricultural.
The workshop was also to deliberate on bridging the existence financial gaps for small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), risk management and regulatory issues in Africa.
The Chairman of AFRACA, Mr Edmund Mkwawa, said developing the agricultural sector in Africa should not lie on the shoulders of the sector ministers alone but should be a collective responsibility for all.
He, therefore, called on financial institutions to support the sector in terms of loans to accelerate the needed growth of the sector.
Mr Mkwawa also called on the delegates to make contributions that would provide useful insights into the many challenges faced by the sector.
For his part, the first Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of the Gambia, Mr Basiru Njai, said the most empirical studies revealed that limited access and high costs of finance were key obstacles to economic growth and development in Africa.
He advised that to deepen the financial sector and ensure access to loans and credit, it was important to sustain a benign macroeconomic environment.
This, he said would lead to growth and wealth in the economies of West African countries.
Mr Narh made the remarks at the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop organised by African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (AFRACA) in Accra, today.
He stated that one of the bedrock for achieving sustainable economic growth and development in any economy is the existence of a vibrant banking and financial sector.
He said that would ensure effective and efficient financial intermediation.
“The financial system acts as a catalyst for initiating and sustaining economic growth, development and integration”, he said.
Mr Narh said access to credit had consistently been identified as one of the key element necessary to increase economic capital and development.
He explained that the largest constraint to the development of the agricultural sector was the lack of a long-term credit, adding that a world bank study proved that the difficulty of accessing affordable finance was one of the main factors holding back the African continent.
The two-day workshop which is on the theme:” Rural Finance Intermediation for Growth and Wealth Creation in Africa” is to create a platform for member countries to discuss ways of enhancing the role and effectiveness of financial service providers in rural agricultural.
The workshop was also to deliberate on bridging the existence financial gaps for small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), risk management and regulatory issues in Africa.
The Chairman of AFRACA, Mr Edmund Mkwawa, said developing the agricultural sector in Africa should not lie on the shoulders of the sector ministers alone but should be a collective responsibility for all.
He, therefore, called on financial institutions to support the sector in terms of loans to accelerate the needed growth of the sector.
Mr Mkwawa also called on the delegates to make contributions that would provide useful insights into the many challenges faced by the sector.
For his part, the first Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of the Gambia, Mr Basiru Njai, said the most empirical studies revealed that limited access and high costs of finance were key obstacles to economic growth and development in Africa.
He advised that to deepen the financial sector and ensure access to loans and credit, it was important to sustain a benign macroeconomic environment.
Vodafone Holds Health, Safety Workshop (Page 19, August 13, 2010)
Vodafone Ghana Limited has called on its suppliers to institute employee protection schemes to safeguard their workers against fatal accidents and injury on the job.
At a health and safety workshop held for its employees, partners, assignees and contractors, the Head of Supply Chain Management, Mr Bart Borchardt, said health and safety were critical measures in every successful business.
He, therefore, said it was imperative for the company’s suppliers to institute the highest level of health and safety plans, as well as ethical purchasing, if they wanted to be in business with the company.
To ensure the delivery of health and safety among its workers, Vodafone Ghana has put in place six absolute rules to be implemented throughout all its outlets in the country and with all third-party contractors.
The constant wearing of seat belts, the wearing of safety personal protection equipment, the observation of speed limits, the carrying out of electrical works by qualified persons, never to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs and never to use a hand phone while driving constituted the six absolute rules.
The Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Ghana, Mr Kyle Whitehill, indicated that the rules were mandatory and non- negotiable.
He explained that businesses had a responsibility to keep their employees alive as a corporate responsibility measure.
He said in the past few months Vodafone Ghana had vigorously pursued a health and safety programme among its staff, adding, “These rules, even though they apply directly to internal staff, will be applied to all, the dealers, assigns and contractors we do business with, as a sure means of endearing ourselves to our communities as a partner who is aware of the dangers in doing business recklessly.”
For his part, the Head of Health, Safety and Well-being at Vodafone Ghana, Mr Samuel Koffie, said the company was committed to building capacity and training its suppliers to enable them to employ the high standards Vodafone demanded of them.
He said the company had so far disciplined more than 100 employees who violated the health and safety rules of the company.
He, therefore, advised suppliers to have clear health and safety strategies by allocating budgets and integrating them into their operations.
He also called on suppliers to implement strong and robust safety plans that would give no room for violations.
At a health and safety workshop held for its employees, partners, assignees and contractors, the Head of Supply Chain Management, Mr Bart Borchardt, said health and safety were critical measures in every successful business.
He, therefore, said it was imperative for the company’s suppliers to institute the highest level of health and safety plans, as well as ethical purchasing, if they wanted to be in business with the company.
To ensure the delivery of health and safety among its workers, Vodafone Ghana has put in place six absolute rules to be implemented throughout all its outlets in the country and with all third-party contractors.
The constant wearing of seat belts, the wearing of safety personal protection equipment, the observation of speed limits, the carrying out of electrical works by qualified persons, never to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs and never to use a hand phone while driving constituted the six absolute rules.
The Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Ghana, Mr Kyle Whitehill, indicated that the rules were mandatory and non- negotiable.
He explained that businesses had a responsibility to keep their employees alive as a corporate responsibility measure.
He said in the past few months Vodafone Ghana had vigorously pursued a health and safety programme among its staff, adding, “These rules, even though they apply directly to internal staff, will be applied to all, the dealers, assigns and contractors we do business with, as a sure means of endearing ourselves to our communities as a partner who is aware of the dangers in doing business recklessly.”
For his part, the Head of Health, Safety and Well-being at Vodafone Ghana, Mr Samuel Koffie, said the company was committed to building capacity and training its suppliers to enable them to employ the high standards Vodafone demanded of them.
He said the company had so far disciplined more than 100 employees who violated the health and safety rules of the company.
He, therefore, advised suppliers to have clear health and safety strategies by allocating budgets and integrating them into their operations.
He also called on suppliers to implement strong and robust safety plans that would give no room for violations.
Use Freedom Responsibly-Kufour (Page 13, August 11, 2010)
FORMER President John Agyekum Kufuor has advised journalists to be responsible in the use of media freedom and not abuse the influence they have on public opinion.
He noted that the media sometimes wielded too much power and needed to be careful not to act in ways that could work against the national interest and stability.
The former President made those remarks at a forum on government-media relations in a developing democracy to mark the ninth anniversary of the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration in 2001.
The forum was also held as a prelude to a national conference to be held next year to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the landmark repeal.
The former President stressed that journalistic freedom should be accompanied by responsibilities and expressed his support for the extension of press freedoms across the continent
He drew a distinction between criminal libel laws and laws of sedition, adding, “There should not be power without responsibility.”
He said the laws on sedition would make the media more responsible and accountable for their actions.
He noted that the repeal of the law had brought about pluralism in the Ghanaian media, with the flourishing of more than 100 FM stations and private newspapers in the years following the repeal.
Mr Kufour indicated that although many journalists abused the freedom of expression they were granted after the repeal, he had never had any regret for that decision.
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, Prof Kwame Karikari, said the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law marked “the attainment of the freedom and independence of the tongue and the pen”.
He said the decision marked one of the most cardinal events in the construction of democracy in the country, as people were no longer afraid to criticise governments, and believed that other laws that fought against the freedom of journalists would be abolished.
The occasion was also used to introduce the “Declaration of Table Mountain” campaign, which is aimed at clamouring for the abolition of insult and criminal defamation laws in Africa and the institution of a free press across the continent.
A representative from the World Association of Newspapers, Mr Amadou Kanoute, presented the document on the declaration to Mr Kufuor and invited him to sign in support of the campaign.
He said the purpose of the campaign was to reaffirm the responsibility of the global representatives of publishers and editors to fight against laws which suppressed media freedom.
However, former President Kufuor explained that although he agreed with the principles expounded in the document regarding the extension of press freedom, he would not sign it until caveats which recognised the dangers of unlimited press freedoms and the need for responsibility were added.
He cautioned against sensationalism and irresponsible journalism and said it was important to prevent “elements that will mitigate against the ideals of press freedom”.
Mr Kanoute indicated that the proposed amendments would be considered.
He noted that the media sometimes wielded too much power and needed to be careful not to act in ways that could work against the national interest and stability.
The former President made those remarks at a forum on government-media relations in a developing democracy to mark the ninth anniversary of the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration in 2001.
The forum was also held as a prelude to a national conference to be held next year to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the landmark repeal.
The former President stressed that journalistic freedom should be accompanied by responsibilities and expressed his support for the extension of press freedoms across the continent
He drew a distinction between criminal libel laws and laws of sedition, adding, “There should not be power without responsibility.”
He said the laws on sedition would make the media more responsible and accountable for their actions.
He noted that the repeal of the law had brought about pluralism in the Ghanaian media, with the flourishing of more than 100 FM stations and private newspapers in the years following the repeal.
Mr Kufour indicated that although many journalists abused the freedom of expression they were granted after the repeal, he had never had any regret for that decision.
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa, Prof Kwame Karikari, said the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law marked “the attainment of the freedom and independence of the tongue and the pen”.
He said the decision marked one of the most cardinal events in the construction of democracy in the country, as people were no longer afraid to criticise governments, and believed that other laws that fought against the freedom of journalists would be abolished.
The occasion was also used to introduce the “Declaration of Table Mountain” campaign, which is aimed at clamouring for the abolition of insult and criminal defamation laws in Africa and the institution of a free press across the continent.
A representative from the World Association of Newspapers, Mr Amadou Kanoute, presented the document on the declaration to Mr Kufuor and invited him to sign in support of the campaign.
He said the purpose of the campaign was to reaffirm the responsibility of the global representatives of publishers and editors to fight against laws which suppressed media freedom.
However, former President Kufuor explained that although he agreed with the principles expounded in the document regarding the extension of press freedom, he would not sign it until caveats which recognised the dangers of unlimited press freedoms and the need for responsibility were added.
He cautioned against sensationalism and irresponsible journalism and said it was important to prevent “elements that will mitigate against the ideals of press freedom”.
Mr Kanoute indicated that the proposed amendments would be considered.
Graphic Wins Keep-fit Games (page 63, August 9, 2010)
Workers of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) and two other companies on Saturday engaged in a number of sporting activities to maintain their physical health and strengthen the cordial relationship and cooperation among them.
The other workers were from Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) and Voltic Ghana Limited (VGL).
The sporting activities were track events, soccer, volley ball, tug- of- peace and a health walk which started from the GCGL office through the National Theatre, Liberation Circle, 37 Military Hospital to the El-wak Sports Stadium.
The MOMS Health Club,a fitness club, supervised various exercises.
Female workers of the GCGL emerged winners of the 100 metre race, 4X100 metre race, sack race and tug- of- peace events, while the male workers of the company won the tug of peace and volley ball events.
Voltic workers won the 4X100 metre men’s event, lime and spoon and soccer, while the ABL excelled
only in 100metre walking race and sack race(both men’s events).
At the end of the games, Graphic clinched 41 points to emerge winnners, while Voltic won 38 points and ABL 22 points to earn a respectable last and third place.
Addressing the participants, the Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Ibrahim Awal, said the activity was to promote healthy living among workers for effective work and noted that regular exercises would give workers the strength to work.
“Keep exercising regularly, it should not be once a year, but at least twice a week”, he advised.
For his part, the Managing Director of ABL, Mr Gregory Metcalf, said there was the need for every individual to undertake regular and effective exercises.
He said the occasion created a platform for workers to interact, have fun, build cohesion and a sense of belonging to help project the image and profile of each company.
A doctor and Fitness Therapist, Dr Kojo Essel, advised the participants to eat the right foods, avoid smoking, minimise alcohol intake and ensure environmental and personal hygiene.
Dr Essel advised the public to exercise daily in order to be fit.
The other workers were from Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) and Voltic Ghana Limited (VGL).
The sporting activities were track events, soccer, volley ball, tug- of- peace and a health walk which started from the GCGL office through the National Theatre, Liberation Circle, 37 Military Hospital to the El-wak Sports Stadium.
The MOMS Health Club,a fitness club, supervised various exercises.
Female workers of the GCGL emerged winners of the 100 metre race, 4X100 metre race, sack race and tug- of- peace events, while the male workers of the company won the tug of peace and volley ball events.
Voltic workers won the 4X100 metre men’s event, lime and spoon and soccer, while the ABL excelled
only in 100metre walking race and sack race(both men’s events).
At the end of the games, Graphic clinched 41 points to emerge winnners, while Voltic won 38 points and ABL 22 points to earn a respectable last and third place.
Addressing the participants, the Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Ibrahim Awal, said the activity was to promote healthy living among workers for effective work and noted that regular exercises would give workers the strength to work.
“Keep exercising regularly, it should not be once a year, but at least twice a week”, he advised.
For his part, the Managing Director of ABL, Mr Gregory Metcalf, said there was the need for every individual to undertake regular and effective exercises.
He said the occasion created a platform for workers to interact, have fun, build cohesion and a sense of belonging to help project the image and profile of each company.
A doctor and Fitness Therapist, Dr Kojo Essel, advised the participants to eat the right foods, avoid smoking, minimise alcohol intake and ensure environmental and personal hygiene.
Dr Essel advised the public to exercise daily in order to be fit.
Exhibit Quality Customer Service-Adelaide Kastner (Page 11, August 6,2010)
THE Krafty Hospitality Services has held its maiden graduation with a call on those in the hospitality industry to exhibit quality customer service in their fields of endeavour.
A lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Legon, Dr Adelaide Kastner who made the call, said customer services rendered by most people in the hospitality industry in the country were below standards.
She, therefore, said there was the need for institutions in the sector to teach their students how to deliver quality services and the importance of quality customer service in an organisation.
Dr Kastner congratulated the founder of the school, Madam Sybil Ansah for being able to sustain the business, adding that “not many women have been able to start and sustain a business”.
She said the example of Krafty Hospitality was laudable since it was promoting women’s empowerment in the country.
“In today’s fast growing economy women have to realise that they must work extremely hard to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country”.
She, therefore, advised the graduands to explore their chosen field and to deliver quality customer services to their customers.
She was of the belief that Krafty Hospitality Services would grow into a multi-national company with world class services.
On her part, the Director of the institute, Madam Sybil Ansah said the school was established in July 1, 2009 to train ladies in cake making and decorations.
She said the school had so far trained 43 ladies with 31 graduating as professionals in the field.
Madam Ansah said her love for teaching and cooking inspired her to establish the institution to imbibe knowledge in young ladies to enable them to be self-employed.
‘’I am hopeful that the institute will grow into a bigger organisation and become a leader in the hospitality industry in the coming years’’, he stated.
She advised the ladies to put into practise what they had learned from the institute, adding that they should be hard working and try to deliver excellent customer service at all times.
Mr Richard Acquaah Harrison, a guest at the graduation ceremony, also advised the graduands to be smart, sharp and intelligent since those were the virtues and the requisite ingredients for starting a successful business.
A lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Legon, Dr Adelaide Kastner who made the call, said customer services rendered by most people in the hospitality industry in the country were below standards.
She, therefore, said there was the need for institutions in the sector to teach their students how to deliver quality services and the importance of quality customer service in an organisation.
Dr Kastner congratulated the founder of the school, Madam Sybil Ansah for being able to sustain the business, adding that “not many women have been able to start and sustain a business”.
She said the example of Krafty Hospitality was laudable since it was promoting women’s empowerment in the country.
“In today’s fast growing economy women have to realise that they must work extremely hard to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country”.
She, therefore, advised the graduands to explore their chosen field and to deliver quality customer services to their customers.
She was of the belief that Krafty Hospitality Services would grow into a multi-national company with world class services.
On her part, the Director of the institute, Madam Sybil Ansah said the school was established in July 1, 2009 to train ladies in cake making and decorations.
She said the school had so far trained 43 ladies with 31 graduating as professionals in the field.
Madam Ansah said her love for teaching and cooking inspired her to establish the institution to imbibe knowledge in young ladies to enable them to be self-employed.
‘’I am hopeful that the institute will grow into a bigger organisation and become a leader in the hospitality industry in the coming years’’, he stated.
She advised the ladies to put into practise what they had learned from the institute, adding that they should be hard working and try to deliver excellent customer service at all times.
Mr Richard Acquaah Harrison, a guest at the graduation ceremony, also advised the graduands to be smart, sharp and intelligent since those were the virtues and the requisite ingredients for starting a successful business.
More Teachers Needed For Children With Special Needs (Page 11, July 27, 2010)
A specialist committed to addressing Specific Learning Disabilities (SpLD) in Children, Mr Bernard Boaheng, has stressed the need for the establishment of more special training schools for teachers in SpLD.
He said the country needed more teachers in the area to assist children with various forms of SpLD in order to help them identify and address those challenges among the children they taught.
He explained that most children with such problems left home or dropped out of school due to their inability to cope with the conditions in which they found themselves.
Mr Boaheng, who was speaking at a workshop organised by the Special Attention Project (SAP), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) for parents of some street children in its care, said teachers in the country needed to undergo the appropriate training needed to give extra attention to children in their care in order to identify the various learning difficulties that affects them.
He said children with learning disabilities may require special attention and encouragement from both parents and teachers.
Mr Boaheng said while interacting with some children, he discovered that a number of them had various forms of SpLD which had made it difficult for them to cope in some environment.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Specific Learning Disabilities (SpLD) mean a severe learning problem due to a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in acquiring, organising or expressing information that manifests itself in school as an impaired ability to listen, reason, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations, despite appropriate instruction in the general education curriculum.
Some common types of SpLD include Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome.
Mr Boaheng said “the time has come for parents and teachers to undergo some training in identifying and addressing SpLD in children” adding that, “Ghana has only one special training school for teachers in that field based in Accra”.
He said the workshop was to educate the parents on SpLD and to encourage them on how best they could be of help to their children.
He advised parents not to neglect their wards because they had special learning disabilities, but support and encourage them, adding that teachers who teach such children should also endeavour to give special attention to them to help them develop their skills.
He said the country needed more teachers in the area to assist children with various forms of SpLD in order to help them identify and address those challenges among the children they taught.
He explained that most children with such problems left home or dropped out of school due to their inability to cope with the conditions in which they found themselves.
Mr Boaheng, who was speaking at a workshop organised by the Special Attention Project (SAP), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) for parents of some street children in its care, said teachers in the country needed to undergo the appropriate training needed to give extra attention to children in their care in order to identify the various learning difficulties that affects them.
He said children with learning disabilities may require special attention and encouragement from both parents and teachers.
Mr Boaheng said while interacting with some children, he discovered that a number of them had various forms of SpLD which had made it difficult for them to cope in some environment.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Specific Learning Disabilities (SpLD) mean a severe learning problem due to a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in acquiring, organising or expressing information that manifests itself in school as an impaired ability to listen, reason, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations, despite appropriate instruction in the general education curriculum.
Some common types of SpLD include Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome.
Mr Boaheng said “the time has come for parents and teachers to undergo some training in identifying and addressing SpLD in children” adding that, “Ghana has only one special training school for teachers in that field based in Accra”.
He said the workshop was to educate the parents on SpLD and to encourage them on how best they could be of help to their children.
He advised parents not to neglect their wards because they had special learning disabilities, but support and encourage them, adding that teachers who teach such children should also endeavour to give special attention to them to help them develop their skills.
Make Discipline Your Guiding Principle-Kabral (Spread, July 26,2010)
THE Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere has advised students to make discipline their guiding principle in their lives.
That, he said was the only key to their success as they prepared to take their positions as future leaders in the country.
Mr Blay-Amihere was speaking on the theme “Discipline, the beacon of quality education for national development” at the 37th speech and prize giving day of the St Martin de Porres School in Dansoman, Accra.
He said in the country’s quest to produce leaders for the next generation, it was imperative that discipline was inculcated in the students.
“Respect for rules and regulations, values and norms of the society and punctuality should be the standards for producing students who would in turn be the future leaders of this country,” he said
Mr Blay-Amihere said although corporal punishment was no longer prevalent in the country’s educational system, there were several ways of ensuring discipline in schools.
He congratulated the school for its hard work and the discipline that charaterised its activities over the years.
For his part, the Headmaster of the school, Mr E. E. Inkumsah said the school’s optimum goal over the years had been academic excellence, adding that the school had achieved that with selfless dedication by the teaching staff.
He said the school was under-going a number of rehabilitation exercise to give it a facelift and to create comfort and conductive environment to enhance quality teaching and learning.
Recounting the school’s successes, Mr Inkumsah said the school performed excellently at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2009.
He said out of the 80 candidates who took the exams, 69 passed with distinction.
That, he said was the only key to their success as they prepared to take their positions as future leaders in the country.
Mr Blay-Amihere was speaking on the theme “Discipline, the beacon of quality education for national development” at the 37th speech and prize giving day of the St Martin de Porres School in Dansoman, Accra.
He said in the country’s quest to produce leaders for the next generation, it was imperative that discipline was inculcated in the students.
“Respect for rules and regulations, values and norms of the society and punctuality should be the standards for producing students who would in turn be the future leaders of this country,” he said
Mr Blay-Amihere said although corporal punishment was no longer prevalent in the country’s educational system, there were several ways of ensuring discipline in schools.
He congratulated the school for its hard work and the discipline that charaterised its activities over the years.
For his part, the Headmaster of the school, Mr E. E. Inkumsah said the school’s optimum goal over the years had been academic excellence, adding that the school had achieved that with selfless dedication by the teaching staff.
He said the school was under-going a number of rehabilitation exercise to give it a facelift and to create comfort and conductive environment to enhance quality teaching and learning.
Recounting the school’s successes, Mr Inkumsah said the school performed excellently at the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2009.
He said out of the 80 candidates who took the exams, 69 passed with distinction.
Book On Affirmative Action Launched (Page 11, July 20 ,2010)
A book on "Affirmative Action and the Prospects for Gender Equality in Ghanaian Politics" written by Dr Dzodzi Tsikata has been launched in Accra.
The book, which talks on injustices in the representation of women in Ghanaian politics, was produced by the women’s advocary groups in collaboration with ABANTU for Development, the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and Women in Broadcasting.
It makes a case for affirmative action on grounds of necessity, legal justification and its value for the attainment of broad developmental goals.
It also examines the experience of affirmation action in Ghana, traces its history, achievements , limitations and continuing challenges. It provides lessons from the successful cases of affirmative action in countries such as South Africa, Rwanda and Uganda and makes proposals and recommendation for a programme of affirmative action in political representation in Ghana.
Launching the book, the Deputy Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Hawawu Boya commended the women's advocacy groups for jointly organising such an important material to analyse past attempts at implementing affirmative action in Ghana.
She said the book justified the need for explicit measures for such an initiative and proposed an agenda for action.
She, however, contended that efforts at increasing women in decision making was growing at a slower pace and that the country had a long way to go, but added that a joint support crusade from all stakeholders would aid women empowerment in the country.
She said "The situation in Ghana is particularly worrisome as the number of women in parliament has decreased from 20, after the 2008 election to 19".
The author, Dr Tsikata, who is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), said the book was a call to action and motivation, as well as provided a learning process and hope for greater chances gender equality in Ghanaian politics.
She said affirmative action had been used in Ghana since independence to address gender and regional imbalances in access to education, health, work and politics.
"While it has had some successes, particularly in improving the male/female ratio in primary education, it has been less effective for improving women's representation in political and public life" she said.
She expressed concern on unavailability of national consensus on affirmative action and urged gender-advocacy groups and individuals, to hold the government accountable to its promise of achieving forty per cent women's representation in government.
Dr Tsikata attributed lower participation of women in politics to lack of financial resources and discrimination against women.
She said for women in power to make a difference, they needed critical minds and at least thirty per cent representation in parliament.
The Regional Director of FES, Mrs Daniela Kuzu said affirmative action was a necessary tool to achieve the goal of having more women in politics, adding that “Women give birth and work in raising families, so why shouldn’t we be included in decision making?".
Mr Nii Nortey Duah, a clinical Psychologist present at the function said women advocacy acts should be seen as an investment in the nation’s development rather than cost to individuals.
The ceremony also saw the awarding of certificates to women who under went a seven- month training in the Women in Politics Training (WIPT) programme.
The book, which talks on injustices in the representation of women in Ghanaian politics, was produced by the women’s advocary groups in collaboration with ABANTU for Development, the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and Women in Broadcasting.
It makes a case for affirmative action on grounds of necessity, legal justification and its value for the attainment of broad developmental goals.
It also examines the experience of affirmation action in Ghana, traces its history, achievements , limitations and continuing challenges. It provides lessons from the successful cases of affirmative action in countries such as South Africa, Rwanda and Uganda and makes proposals and recommendation for a programme of affirmative action in political representation in Ghana.
Launching the book, the Deputy Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Hawawu Boya commended the women's advocacy groups for jointly organising such an important material to analyse past attempts at implementing affirmative action in Ghana.
She said the book justified the need for explicit measures for such an initiative and proposed an agenda for action.
She, however, contended that efforts at increasing women in decision making was growing at a slower pace and that the country had a long way to go, but added that a joint support crusade from all stakeholders would aid women empowerment in the country.
She said "The situation in Ghana is particularly worrisome as the number of women in parliament has decreased from 20, after the 2008 election to 19".
The author, Dr Tsikata, who is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), said the book was a call to action and motivation, as well as provided a learning process and hope for greater chances gender equality in Ghanaian politics.
She said affirmative action had been used in Ghana since independence to address gender and regional imbalances in access to education, health, work and politics.
"While it has had some successes, particularly in improving the male/female ratio in primary education, it has been less effective for improving women's representation in political and public life" she said.
She expressed concern on unavailability of national consensus on affirmative action and urged gender-advocacy groups and individuals, to hold the government accountable to its promise of achieving forty per cent women's representation in government.
Dr Tsikata attributed lower participation of women in politics to lack of financial resources and discrimination against women.
She said for women in power to make a difference, they needed critical minds and at least thirty per cent representation in parliament.
The Regional Director of FES, Mrs Daniela Kuzu said affirmative action was a necessary tool to achieve the goal of having more women in politics, adding that “Women give birth and work in raising families, so why shouldn’t we be included in decision making?".
Mr Nii Nortey Duah, a clinical Psychologist present at the function said women advocacy acts should be seen as an investment in the nation’s development rather than cost to individuals.
The ceremony also saw the awarding of certificates to women who under went a seven- month training in the Women in Politics Training (WIPT) programme.
Pay Attention to Deprived School (Page 11, July 19,2010)
THE Member of Parliament for Buem, Mr Henry Ford Kamel has advised the Bueman Senior Secondary School to use its 50th anniversary celebration to reflect on its past achievements and strategies for the future.
He said the occasion should serve as a platform for stock taking since the school had contributed immensely to the human resource of the country and to national development.
Speaking at the launch of the 50th anniversary of the Bueman Senior High School in Accra, Mr Kamel, who is also the Deputy Minister of Lands, Forestry and Natural resources, stated that despite major challenges faced by the school such as inadequate facilities, lack of water and inadequate power supply, the school had grown to be one of the best second cycle institutions in the country.
He, therefore, advised the school authorities to initiate specific plans to enhance the development of the school in order to receive the necessary assistance from government.
Mr Kamel also called on the authorities of the school to leave a legacy for the future generation.
A retired banker, Dr Kwaku Addeah, called on the government to pay special attention to deprived schools in the country.
He said the challenges confronting deprived schools tend to have negative effects on students during and after school, stressing that "For a nation to progress, it must give equal attention to all talented persons hailing from every corner of its country".
Speaking on the theme: "50 Years of Academic Excellence: Successes and Challenges in a Deprived Environment", Mr Addeah explained that a school could be said to be deprived if it lacked reasonable quantity and quality of human and material resources.
He said it was "It is better to develop a nation on the basis of the synergy of all its talents than on that of a few".
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tetteh Enyo, commended the school for contributing its quota to the training of the country's manpower.
He said government was not unaware of the challenges faced by deprived schools in their quest to provide quality education to students.
Giving the history of the school, Mr Francis E. Ametefe, the Headmaster of the school, said after its establishment in 1960 as a private institution, the school was absorbed into the public system in 1964.
He said since it establishment, the school had grown over the years with two classroom blocks, with a larger population of 1,038 with 788 students as boarders and 250 as day students.
He paid tribute to the founding fathers of the school and thanked all who had contributed to the success of the school.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Women In Fish Processing Call For Collaboration (Page 11, July 15, 2010)
WOMEN in fish processing from various fishing communities across the country have called for effective collaboration between them and the Fisheries Commission to help find solutions to the various challenges confronting them.
The women mentioned the use of dynamites and lights for catching fishes, high interest rates on loans, and high cost of fishing equipment and inadequate storage facilities, as the major challenges facing their operations.
At a forum organised by the Development Action Association (DAA) a non-governmental organisation, in collaboration with Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to educate women in fish processing on the policies governing the fisheries sector, the women called for an annual meeting with the commission for continuous deliberation on issues pertaining to the sector.
Speaking at the forum, the Chairman of the Fisheries Commission, Mr Mike Akyeampong said it was unfortunate that the women were not familiar with policies that governed and protected their interest as stakeholders in the sector.
He said the country had laws that governed the sector, adding that Fisheries Act (Act 625) 2002 outlined some of the “do’s and don’ts” in the sector.
He said sections of the law outlined regulations over exploitation and sustainability of the waters in the country. He added that fishermen should avoid using unlawful ways such as the use of dynamites and lights in catching fish .
He pointed out that the use of bamboo’s and small nets in fishing was unacceptable under the Fisheries Act, and challenged the women to avoid the patronage of fingerlings and light-caught fishes.
The forum was aimed at creating a platform for discussion between the women and the Fisheries Commission.
Educating the fish processors, Mr Akyeampong said the fishery sector played a very significant role in the socio-economic development of the country, and added that the commission in that view had presented a bill on “Fisheries Regulation 2010” before parliament.
He said the bill when passed would help in the setting up of proper regulations that would ensure the smooth running of their businesses.
The women also raised concern about the fact that there was no woman representative on the Fisheries Commission and Mr Akyeampong promised to discuss the issue, as well as other concerns raised by the women, with the sector ministry, with the promise that “ the commission will do anything possible to support you in your various communities”.
The Executive Director of DAA, Mrs Lydia Sasu said the organisation was operating in 50 communities in the country with 98 per cent of the beneficiaries being rural women.
She said its main areas of operation included fish processing, cassava production, vegetable production, food crops production and small animals rearing, as well as the provision of micro-credit.
Mrs Sasu said the objectives of the organisation was to initiate a process of development which was based on the transfer of skills and competencies, to provide support and services for its members and to implement sustainable development programmes in the country.
She appealed to the government to provide the women with storage facilities, a ready market for their goods, and help construct good roads in the various fishing communities and the marketing centres.
Sight And Sound Holds Graduation (Page 11,July 14, 2010)
The Deputy Director of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Dr Rose Entsua Mensah, has called on secretaries to exhibit professionalism and constantly update their skills to meet the demands of their work.
Dr Entsua-Mensah who was speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Sight and Sound Secretarial School in Accra said, the work of a secretary had developed from the traditional duty of typing letters, maintaining files and documents, into a new task of preparing meeting documents, maintaining websites, making travel arrangements, among others.
She said the secretarial job had become more advanced, and that it was imperative for them to demonstrate efficiency, honesty, integrity and reliability in their field of endeavour.
Sight and Sound Secretarial school was established 32 years ago with the sole aim of training professional secretaries for the job market.
Dr Entsua-Mensah advised the graduates to be productive, urging them to work towards the smooth running of their offices.
The Principal of the school, Madam Julie Aryeetey, said the presence of more than one examining body for secretarial schools in the country continued to pose some challenges to institutions that run such courses.
She said presently, students were required to either take NVTI exams, COTVET exams or government secretarial exams.
Madam Aryeetey said the creation of one examining body for secretarial schools in the country would go a long way in addressing the problems faced by the schools.
She said Sight and Sound was established to provide training in typewriting for interested persons but current trends had compelled the school to provide a full range of professional training for potential secretaries.
She added that the school was currently running courses such as, office procedures, French, computing, economics, accounting, shorthand and typewriting.
Madam Aryeetey said the courses were designed to give students easy access to higher institutions.
In all, 53 successful graduate students were awarded with certificates of honour with Veronica Doe Nyarku emerging as the overall best student.
She advised the graduates to make a positive impact anywhere they found themselves.
Gt Accra Police Get Tough On Criminals (Page 51, July 7, 2010)
ELEVEN suspected armed robbers who are believed to have engaged in various operations at Adenta and the Teshie-Nungua area have been nabbed by the Greater Accra Regional Police.
Six of them were identified as Ablor Uman, 58; Nathaniel Addo Apan, 29; Lucas Anum, 27; Felix Sango, 25; Eric Baba, 21, and Bismark Addo, 20.
After the swoop on their Teshie-Nungua hideout by the Nungua District Police following a tip off, items including a laptop, a Dell computer, an LG DVD player, nine mobile phones, four pen drives, two ATM cards, a SSNIT ID card, one screw driver, two pairs of vehicle number plates and an instrument believed to be used for sniffing cocaine were recovered from the suspects.
According to the Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio Atinga, two employees of Romantic Furniture Company on the Kanda Highway were also arrested for alleged robbery.
The suspects, Daniel Agyare and David Ohene Painstil, were arrested after a complaint made by their employers, Louise Yuon and Xu Shun Lai, for allegedly stealing the company's laptop, two personal mobile phones and an amount of GH¢3,000.
DCOP Atinga indicated that two other men who allegedly snatched a Nissan Urvan bus, with registration number GR 645S, and a Nissan Almera taxi, with registration number GS 8646-09, in two different operations had been arrested by the police.
Rashim Mohammed, 23, suspected for stealing the Nissan Urvan from a house at Fadama on December 21, 2009, was arrested on June 27, 2010 while using the vehicle for commercial purposes.
Rashim was said to have been released from prison custody in June 2009 after serving a four-year jail term for a similar offence.
The other suspect, James Donkor, 22, was said to have hired the taxi about 10:30 p.m. on February 2, 2010 from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle to Dzorwulu and later snatched it from the driver midway through the journey and made away with it, as well as the driver's sales for the day and his mobile phone.
DCOP Atinga advised the public to help the police with information that would lead to the arrest of criminals and ultimately reduce crime in the country.
She also cautioned potential car buyers to conduct due diligence on the places and the people they are buying the cars from in order not to buy stolen cars.
"If we arrest anybody with stolen items, the law will take its course, irrespective of whether he or she bought it or not," she stressed.
Children With Learning Disabilities Need Support (page 11, July 6, 2010)
How does one know if his or her child has a learning disability or how can a teacher who teaches about 40 pupils in a class identify those with learning difficulties in a class?
According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Specific Learning Disabilities (SpLD) mean a severe learning problem due to a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in acquiring, organising or expressing information that manifests itself in school as an impaired ability to listen, reason, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations, despite appropriate instruction in the general education curriculum.
If children have SpLD, it does not mean that they are mentally retarded or unintelligent; it may be that they find some aspects of studying more difficult than others.
Some common types of SpLD include Dyslexia which affects a child’s language and can, therefore, mean that the child has difficulties in spelling, writing and pronunciation, which could also mean that the child processes written or spoken information differently.
Dysgraphia is another type of SpLD that affects the physical aspects of writing and can cause an awkward pen grip, as well as handwriting that is difficult to read. This can also cause difficulties with spelling and expression of thoughts in writing.
Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome which is sometimes called Irlen Syndrome, affects the way the brain interprets printed information. Interestingly, this disability is not due to bad eyesight. It means that the child sees the printed page differently, but may not realise it.
The most unfortunate type of SpLD that can affect a child is Autism which is a lifelong development that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them such as everyday social interaction, ability to develop friendships and the capacity to understand others’ emotional expressions.
Being able to identify these disabilities in children could pose great problems but identifying and addressing them properly could be of prime advantage to both children and the guardians.
As I continued my exploration into the world of SpLD on the Internet and recommended books, I came across some signs and symptoms of learning disabilities and think it could be of great help to anyone reading this article. Parents who think their children have SpLD could contact their children’s teachers to find out if they struggle with learning, get frustrated with school and show different behaviours and symptoms in class and with friends.
If you are a parent and you believe your child may be showing early signs of learning disability, learn about typical child development, developmental delays, and signs of learning disorders that could help you determine if an assessment is needed to address the SpLD.
Mr Mawuli Tetteh, a specialist in addressing Specific Learning Disabilities in Children, said many people with learning disabilities had been successful in their careers because they learned to overcome their barriers which enabled them to accomplish their dreams and desires.
He explained that the disorders in some of the children were found to be a catalyst for success, forcing them to develop and utilise their hidden talents. He said the successes chalked up by persons with learning disabilities, despite their difficulties, showed that dreams could be fulfilled so long as they were encouraged.
Mr Tetteh, therefore, advised parents not to neglect their wards because they had special learning disabilities, but support and encourage them, adding that teachers who teach such children should also endeavour to give special attention to them to help them develop their skills.
I was fascinated that a number of famous people had excelled despite their SpLD. Did you know that Whoopi Goldberg, the outstanding American entertainer, got to know she suffered dyslexia when she was old. When Whoopi was growing up, she remembers being called dumb and stupid because she had reading problems.
Steve Redgrave, Britain’s most successful athlete, fought against all odds to achieve world-wide admiration for triumphantly concluding a 24-year-long career after entering the record books as the only person to have won Olympic gold medals five consecutive times.
Another famous and successful person is Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the greatest inventor-scientists. He also suffered dyslexia, but become a genius. Surprisingly, he was not just a scientist but an engineer, painter, sculptor, musician, biologist, geologist, mathematician and philosopher.
There is no doubt that when parents and guardians help in addressing their wards’ SpLD, their wards will excel.
It is, therefore, necessary to encourage parents, guardians and teachers not to abandon children with SpLD, but to identify, assess, and encourage them by giving them special attention to help them develop their talents.
Set Up Ghana-Nigeria Trade Commission-Okosun (Page 29, July 6, 2010)
THE Chairman of Krif Ghana Limited, Mr Kennedy Okosun has recommended the establishment of a Ghana, Nigeria Trade Commission to solely work towards overcoming the challenges of trade between the two countries.
He further recommended the commission could be a non-governmental, quasi diplomatic commission to be headed by a distinguished former political leader.
Speaking at a Ghanaian-German Economic Association (GGEA) ECOWAS project forum in Accra, Mr Okosun said if the resultant gains in implementing the ECOWAS protocol were to be harnessed, then appropriate laws within member countries had to be fine-tuned in favour of ECOWAS citizens.
The aim of the forum was to look into the concept of ECOWAS and the pertaining issues of implementing the laid down protocols.
He noted that trade between the two countries should be deepened for the mutual benefit of the two countries, stressing that relations between the two countries dates back to history and therefore there was the need to consolidate that relationship.
Ms Hannah Tetteh, the Minister of Trade and Industries, said Ghana and Nigeria are to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on how to facilitate business transaction between the two countries.
The MoU is expected to spell out the procedures an investor would have to follow in transacting business in both countries.
She explained that it was the expectation of the ministry that with the signing of the MoU the procedure for doing business in Ghana would become clearer to Nigerian businesses.
She said “after this is done I will expect every foreigner who come into the country to invest to follow the laid down procedures and the laws that govern the trade sector of the country.
The Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Olatunde Obanikro said the present democratic dispensation was aware that the ideals of democracy would only flourish on the bedrock of a strong and virile economy.
He said due to this, one of the methods adopted towards attaining that objective was through the incentives that had been put in place to encourage Nigerians and foreigners to invest in Nigeria.
Mr Obanikoro said his country was endowed with natural resources, huge deposits of oil and gas, bitumen and other mineral resources which Ghanaians could invest into.
He explained that having experienced unpleasant experiences in political instability, corruption and poor macroeconomics management, the present administration was convinced of the need to come up with the business as usual syndrome.
Mr Obanikro stated that the government had also put in place an array of incentives and liberal tariff regime in order to sustain and stimulate private investment from within and outside Nigeria.
Other contributors including the Managing Director of Amalgamated Bank, Mr Menson Torkornoo, supported the idea of putting in place measures to realise the aims of ECOWAS trade protocol.
Let's Preserve Historical Natural Habitat (Page 51, June 30, 2010)
GHANA needs to make conscious efforts to preserve its historical natural habitats in order to avoid the negative impact of climate change, a nature photographer, Mr Frans Lanting, has advised.
According to him, climate change and habitat fragmentation were the major challenges in conserving nature.
Mr Lanting gave the advice in Accra last Thursday when he delivered a lecture on the theme, ”Conservation through photography”, organised by the Nature Conservation Research Centre.
He said photography was a visual language that spoke for itself, adding that if used properly, it could serve as a source of information for national policies.
Mr Lanting is currently one of the greatest nature photographers in the world and has many of his magnificent works appearing in books, magazines and exhibitions around the world.
Born in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, he holds a Master’s degree in Economics and studied Environmental Planning in the US, after which he launched into photographing the natural world.
He advised Ghanaian authorities to work actively to preserve the country’s natural habitats for the future generation, pointing out that “if things are not properly executed, the next generation will have no historic natural habitat to learn from”.
He cited Madagascar, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia and Botswana as some of the African countries with splendid natural resources.
He said over-population and the pursuit of material things had contributed immensely to conflicts in Africa, thereby destroying most of the continent’s natural conservation.
He urged environmental journalists in the country to contribute immensely to the conservation of Ghana’s natural resources by taking photographs that would educate the citizenry on their historical natural reserves.
The Director of the Ecological Laboratory Centre of the University of Ghana, Prof Ofori Danso, said the livelihood of many Ghanaians depended on the country’s natural resources which served as food, shelter, among other needs.
He said it was imperative for the country to utilise those resources for its development, indicating that many visitors who came into the country did so because of its natural reserves.
He, therefore, advised all to help in the conservation, protection, management and wise use of the country’s natural resources.
RUPFA Donates To Flood Victims (Page 22, June 29,2010)
The Rural Urban Partnership for Africa (RUPFA) has donated used clothes worth GH¢1000 to the flood victims of Zabon Zongo, Otaabi Krom, Manhugwie and Kubease communities in Agona Swedru.
The donation was aimed at providing clothes for the victims who are temporary staying at the Swedru Town Hall.
Presenting the items, the Central Regional Cordinator of RUPFA, Mr Emmanuel Quarshie said the organisation was suddened by the disaster that befell the community due to last Sunday’s heavy rains.
He said it was important for leaders in the area to collaborate with authorities of Town Planning to ensure that citizens provided permits before building in the area.
“ What you have lost in this disaster cannot be compensated by any donations and you must ensure that the proper things are done to prevent future disasters” he said.
Mr Quarshie advised the members of the community to exhibit personal hygiene since there was a possibility of disease out-brake.
Receiving the items the Chief of the Zabon Zongo, Shiabu Abubakar III thanked the organisation for the gesture and appealed to other organisations to emulate the gesture.
He said they needed more support in the forms of donations and tents since the Town Hall was congested.
Agona Swedru, one of the busiest commercial towns in the Central Region was cut off from the rest of the country following the collapse of three bridges over the Akora River in the town due to last Sunday’s heavy rains.
The situation rendered more than 4,000 people homeless in Agona West and Agona East as a result of the floods.
Many buildings, electric poles and cables, expensive property like vehicles and personal belongings estimated at several millions of cedis have been destroyed by the floods, which are unprecedented in the history of the town.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH DONATES TO AGREDS (PAGE 11, JUNE 24, 2010)
The Women’s Ministry of the Tema Community 4 Assemblies of God Church has presented 10 sewing machines costing GH¢1,200 to the Assemblies of God Relief Development Services (AGREDS) at Agbogbloshie, in Accra.
The presentatiotn of the machines formed part of the church’s effort to help the less privilege in society.
The AGREDS is a church-based non-governmental organisation that works in partnership with communities and other agencies through a lifeline project, to fight hunger, illiteracy, diseases, exploitation and poverty .
AGREDS lifeline operates a residential rehabilitation programme for children affected by worst forms of child labour between the ages of 15 and 18 in Agbogbloshie.
Presenting the machines, the President of the Women’s Ministry, Mrs Agnes Opoku Agyemang, said the ministry believed in the holistic development of children and child empowerment.
She was optimistic that the machines would go a long way to assist the organisation in providing vocational training for the children under its care.
Mrs Agyemang congratulated the organisation for the good work and promised the ministry’s continual support for its activities.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Joseph Wumbee, said the lifeline project since its inception in 2002 had trained about 1,011 girls.
He said the programme included an early childhood centre, vocational skills training centre and a micro credit scheme for its trainees.
Mr Wumbee said the organisation rescued 100 girls every year who were empowered through skills training in hairdressing, dressmaking, catering and batik.
“After the training, girls are reintegrated into communities of their choice. Those who acquire skills in hairdressing and dressmaking are further assisted with some seed money to go into apprenticeship while catering and batik graduates are given capital to start work immediately after graduation”.
He thanked the women’s ministry for the support and appealed to other institutions to support the organisation for a worthy cause.
The presentatiotn of the machines formed part of the church’s effort to help the less privilege in society.
The AGREDS is a church-based non-governmental organisation that works in partnership with communities and other agencies through a lifeline project, to fight hunger, illiteracy, diseases, exploitation and poverty .
AGREDS lifeline operates a residential rehabilitation programme for children affected by worst forms of child labour between the ages of 15 and 18 in Agbogbloshie.
Presenting the machines, the President of the Women’s Ministry, Mrs Agnes Opoku Agyemang, said the ministry believed in the holistic development of children and child empowerment.
She was optimistic that the machines would go a long way to assist the organisation in providing vocational training for the children under its care.
Mrs Agyemang congratulated the organisation for the good work and promised the ministry’s continual support for its activities.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Joseph Wumbee, said the lifeline project since its inception in 2002 had trained about 1,011 girls.
He said the programme included an early childhood centre, vocational skills training centre and a micro credit scheme for its trainees.
Mr Wumbee said the organisation rescued 100 girls every year who were empowered through skills training in hairdressing, dressmaking, catering and batik.
“After the training, girls are reintegrated into communities of their choice. Those who acquire skills in hairdressing and dressmaking are further assisted with some seed money to go into apprenticeship while catering and batik graduates are given capital to start work immediately after graduation”.
He thanked the women’s ministry for the support and appealed to other institutions to support the organisation for a worthy cause.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
1,300 DISPLACED BY FLOODS IN GOMOA EAST (SPREAD, JUNE 23, 2010)
ABOUT 1,300 residents in the Gomoa East District in the Central Region have been displaced following last Sunday’s heavy downpour, which destroyed property worth millions of cedis.
The rains, which also caused River Ayensu to overflow its banks, submerged most villages in the district leaving hundreds of travellers stranded on the Accra-Winneba road.
These came to light when a team from the Ministry of Roads and Highways, led by the Minister, Mr Joe Gidisu, and some media men visited the area last Monday.
According to the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Mr Ekow-Panyin Eduamoah, the phenomenon has been an annual problem.
He, however, expressed shock at the state of the devastation, adding that “it has not rained heavily for the past months and I don’t even know where the water is coming from”.
The Okyereko community which serves as the major link between Accra and Winneba was the most devastated.
Mr Eduamoah said information reaching him also showed that other roads at Agona Swedru and the neighbouring communities had also been destroyed by the rains.
Mr Gidisu said the situation was more than a national disaster and appealed to other bodies to support the flood victims.
“Government can do little as at now but I believe we will do our best to support the victims”.
He also appealed to travellers to exercise patience and work with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to bring some peace to the communities.
Nana Konadu Agyeman reports that the heavy downpour triggered a landslide at Peduase-Water Works road, a stretch of the Pantang-Mamfe dual carriage road.
The landslide occurred close to a two-storey building on the edge of a rocky mountain, blocking a section of the road.
It made travelling from the Akuapem Ridge to Accra impossible, compelling motorists to use the other section of the road along the rocky mountain that saw several blasts during the construction of the 31-kilometre road.
When the Daily Graphic team visited the scene yesterday, a number of construction workers were there waiting for the arrival of an excavator to get the debris off the road.
Henrietta Brocke reports that the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, has underscored the need to sustain national effort to demolish buildings and structures on watercourses in the aftermath of last Sunday’s floods.
That, he said, was to ensure the free flow of water along such routes to prevent flooding.
Mr Ashietey made the remarks when he led a government delegation to tour some flood-affected areas in Accra and Tema yesterday.
Among the delegation were the Deputy Minister of the Interior, Dr Appiah Kubi; the Tema Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Kempis Ofosu-Ware; the Member of Parliament for Kpong Katamanso, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, and the Member of Parliament for Tema West, Naa Torshie Addo.
Others were the Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC), Mr Fats Nartey, and officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
The team first visited Tema where 108 affected victims have been relocated by NADMO to the Tema Naval Base.
At Sakumono, the Sakumono Lagoon was full of debris which affected the flow of water, a situation which adversely affected the construction of the railway line at Sakumono.
During the tour, it was observed that roads in the affected areas had been destroyed while some fuel filling stations had their pumping machines damaged.
The regional minister stated that the construction of drainage would be embarked upon to enable rainwaters to flow through them easily.
For his part, the National Co-ordinator of NADMO, Mr Kofi Portuphy, said a medical team would be sent to where the flood victims had been accommodated, to give them medical care. Additionally, NADMO would provide the victims with relief items.
Some of the resettled victims expressed their gratitude to the government and NADMO for their support.
They also called on non-governmental organisations, public-spirited individuals and the public to assist them.
The rains, which also caused River Ayensu to overflow its banks, submerged most villages in the district leaving hundreds of travellers stranded on the Accra-Winneba road.
These came to light when a team from the Ministry of Roads and Highways, led by the Minister, Mr Joe Gidisu, and some media men visited the area last Monday.
According to the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Mr Ekow-Panyin Eduamoah, the phenomenon has been an annual problem.
He, however, expressed shock at the state of the devastation, adding that “it has not rained heavily for the past months and I don’t even know where the water is coming from”.
The Okyereko community which serves as the major link between Accra and Winneba was the most devastated.
Mr Eduamoah said information reaching him also showed that other roads at Agona Swedru and the neighbouring communities had also been destroyed by the rains.
Mr Gidisu said the situation was more than a national disaster and appealed to other bodies to support the flood victims.
“Government can do little as at now but I believe we will do our best to support the victims”.
He also appealed to travellers to exercise patience and work with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to bring some peace to the communities.
Nana Konadu Agyeman reports that the heavy downpour triggered a landslide at Peduase-Water Works road, a stretch of the Pantang-Mamfe dual carriage road.
The landslide occurred close to a two-storey building on the edge of a rocky mountain, blocking a section of the road.
It made travelling from the Akuapem Ridge to Accra impossible, compelling motorists to use the other section of the road along the rocky mountain that saw several blasts during the construction of the 31-kilometre road.
When the Daily Graphic team visited the scene yesterday, a number of construction workers were there waiting for the arrival of an excavator to get the debris off the road.
Henrietta Brocke reports that the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, has underscored the need to sustain national effort to demolish buildings and structures on watercourses in the aftermath of last Sunday’s floods.
That, he said, was to ensure the free flow of water along such routes to prevent flooding.
Mr Ashietey made the remarks when he led a government delegation to tour some flood-affected areas in Accra and Tema yesterday.
Among the delegation were the Deputy Minister of the Interior, Dr Appiah Kubi; the Tema Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Kempis Ofosu-Ware; the Member of Parliament for Kpong Katamanso, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, and the Member of Parliament for Tema West, Naa Torshie Addo.
Others were the Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC), Mr Fats Nartey, and officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
The team first visited Tema where 108 affected victims have been relocated by NADMO to the Tema Naval Base.
At Sakumono, the Sakumono Lagoon was full of debris which affected the flow of water, a situation which adversely affected the construction of the railway line at Sakumono.
During the tour, it was observed that roads in the affected areas had been destroyed while some fuel filling stations had their pumping machines damaged.
The regional minister stated that the construction of drainage would be embarked upon to enable rainwaters to flow through them easily.
For his part, the National Co-ordinator of NADMO, Mr Kofi Portuphy, said a medical team would be sent to where the flood victims had been accommodated, to give them medical care. Additionally, NADMO would provide the victims with relief items.
Some of the resettled victims expressed their gratitude to the government and NADMO for their support.
They also called on non-governmental organisations, public-spirited individuals and the public to assist them.
ezi SAVINGS EXPANDS BRANCH NETWORK (PAGE 55, JUNE 23, 2010)
Ezi Savings and Loans Limited has opened its Newtown branch with the aim of providing micro finances to meet the needs of small-scale businesses within its catchment area.
The branch, which is the eighth since its operations in 1996, is to bring banking solutions to the doorsteps of the people of Newtown and its environs.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Managing Director of the company, Mr Jonathan Sam, said the company saw the need to operate in the area after recognising that members of the community were not active bankers.
He said that most of the businesses in the community were small-scale enterprises and needed financial support from financial institutions to grow.
Mr Sam said “the traditional banks were not offering loans to the small-scale businesses and we saw the need to step in to provide such supports for them”.
He outlined ezi investment plan, ezi build up, ezi susu, ezi kids, ezi current accounts, ezi loan product and ezi save as some of the services the company will be providing.
Giving a brief history of the company, Mr Sam said the company was established in 1996 as a non-bank financial institution under the name Johnson Savings and Loans Company Limited.
He said the company saw the need to restructure and recapitalise to boost their operations to satisfy customers with the best services.
Mr Sam said the company had grown over the years with an increase in staff from 17 to 140.
The Chief Executive Officer of Click Global Communications, Mr Isaac Frimpong Ampofo, said the company sought to bridge the gap between customers and the institution by providing unique and convenient banking services with innovative tailor-made products.
He said the company had the aim of bringing quality customer services to the doorsteps of its customers and therefore advised members of the Newtown community to purchase the services provided by the company.
The Assembly member for the area, Hajia Damata, expressed her profound gratitude to the company for bringing banking services to their doorsteps and hoped it would provide employment opportunities for the youth in the community.
She was also of the hope that women in the community would be supported with loans to finance their businesses.
The branch, which is the eighth since its operations in 1996, is to bring banking solutions to the doorsteps of the people of Newtown and its environs.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Managing Director of the company, Mr Jonathan Sam, said the company saw the need to operate in the area after recognising that members of the community were not active bankers.
He said that most of the businesses in the community were small-scale enterprises and needed financial support from financial institutions to grow.
Mr Sam said “the traditional banks were not offering loans to the small-scale businesses and we saw the need to step in to provide such supports for them”.
He outlined ezi investment plan, ezi build up, ezi susu, ezi kids, ezi current accounts, ezi loan product and ezi save as some of the services the company will be providing.
Giving a brief history of the company, Mr Sam said the company was established in 1996 as a non-bank financial institution under the name Johnson Savings and Loans Company Limited.
He said the company saw the need to restructure and recapitalise to boost their operations to satisfy customers with the best services.
Mr Sam said the company had grown over the years with an increase in staff from 17 to 140.
The Chief Executive Officer of Click Global Communications, Mr Isaac Frimpong Ampofo, said the company sought to bridge the gap between customers and the institution by providing unique and convenient banking services with innovative tailor-made products.
He said the company had the aim of bringing quality customer services to the doorsteps of its customers and therefore advised members of the Newtown community to purchase the services provided by the company.
The Assembly member for the area, Hajia Damata, expressed her profound gratitude to the company for bringing banking services to their doorsteps and hoped it would provide employment opportunities for the youth in the community.
She was also of the hope that women in the community would be supported with loans to finance their businesses.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
FEUDING FACTIONS AT WEIJA SMOKE PEACE PIPE (PAGE 18, JUNE 19, 2010)
In its quest to promote peace and stability, the Ga South Municipal Assembly has organised a day’s workshop for the youth and traditional leaders in the community.
The workshop, which was on the theme: The youth as ambassadors of peace and development”, is to help members deliberate on issues that would promote development and progress within the assembly.
At the workshop, the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Sheriff Nii Dodoo, said the workshop was aimed at healing the rift among the members of the community to ensure peace and stability in the various communities within the assembly.
He said “the workshop hoped to create a suitable environment in which human aims and aspirations can be pursued legitimately and constructively”.
The assembly has been faced with the challenge of resolving the conflict that led to the killing of one person and injured many during the celebration of the 2008 Homowo festival.
The conflict was as a result of chieftancy dispute between the Asharley Blafo and the Atonyame familities of Weija.
Mr Dodoo said the event would provide the opportunity for all to deliberate on issues and collectively work towards the creation of a peaceful and stable environment.
The workshop also brought together the two families for the first time.
“I am full of hope that this event will be of immense benefit to all participants and will help sow the seeds of unity and brotherhood which we all seek for the people”.
Weija, Oblogo, Oshieyie, Tuba, Anyaa and recently, Dankyira are some of the communities affected by the conflict which led to the destruction of properties.
In an interview, the Accra West Divisional Police Commander who is stationed at Kaneshie, Chief Superintendent Michael Kportufe Avadetsi, said for peace to prevail among the two families, there was the need for both families to exercise tolerance and discipline.
He said the issue was in court and was of the hope that justice would be delivered for peace to prevail in the community, “since the issue of seeking justice and peace are the major cause of the instability in the area”.
He said the police would be working together with the municipal security committee to maintain peace before and after this year’s Homowo celebrations.
Supt Avadetsi said the police had put measures in place to intensify patrols in the conflict-prone areas to maintain peace and stability during the festival.
The workshop, which was on the theme: The youth as ambassadors of peace and development”, is to help members deliberate on issues that would promote development and progress within the assembly.
At the workshop, the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Sheriff Nii Dodoo, said the workshop was aimed at healing the rift among the members of the community to ensure peace and stability in the various communities within the assembly.
He said “the workshop hoped to create a suitable environment in which human aims and aspirations can be pursued legitimately and constructively”.
The assembly has been faced with the challenge of resolving the conflict that led to the killing of one person and injured many during the celebration of the 2008 Homowo festival.
The conflict was as a result of chieftancy dispute between the Asharley Blafo and the Atonyame familities of Weija.
Mr Dodoo said the event would provide the opportunity for all to deliberate on issues and collectively work towards the creation of a peaceful and stable environment.
The workshop also brought together the two families for the first time.
“I am full of hope that this event will be of immense benefit to all participants and will help sow the seeds of unity and brotherhood which we all seek for the people”.
Weija, Oblogo, Oshieyie, Tuba, Anyaa and recently, Dankyira are some of the communities affected by the conflict which led to the destruction of properties.
In an interview, the Accra West Divisional Police Commander who is stationed at Kaneshie, Chief Superintendent Michael Kportufe Avadetsi, said for peace to prevail among the two families, there was the need for both families to exercise tolerance and discipline.
He said the issue was in court and was of the hope that justice would be delivered for peace to prevail in the community, “since the issue of seeking justice and peace are the major cause of the instability in the area”.
He said the police would be working together with the municipal security committee to maintain peace before and after this year’s Homowo celebrations.
Supt Avadetsi said the police had put measures in place to intensify patrols in the conflict-prone areas to maintain peace and stability during the festival.
Friday, June 18, 2010
TERTIARY STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM MENTORING PROGRAMME (PAGE 11, JUNE 18, 2010)
SOME tertiary students in the country are benefitting from a training programme aimed at equipping them with the relevant skills needed on the job market.
The programme is being organised by the Progress Intern and Mentor Institute (PIMI), a non-profit human resource development organisation.
The organisation seeks, among other things, to develop the talents and potentials of the students through professional training, internship and mentorship.
The President of the institute, Mr David Dake, said the training aimed at partnering corporate bodies, universities and other relevant institutions for the identification and development of talented students through its programmes.
He said students were taken programmes such as leadership and self-development, organizational behaviour management, as well as introduction to human resource management and financial analysis.
He explained that students were recruited from the universities in the country to take part in those training programmes on weekends to ensure that they (programmes) did not conflict with their academic activities.
Mr Dake said so far, 500 students had benefitted from the programme, through which they had acquired better attitude towards work, communication skills and the ability to work in a team.
The programme, which is mainly sponsored by Newmont Ghana Limited, has given students the opportunity to learn from their mentors and to work in reputable companies.
Giving a talk on the rolel of mentorship in career development, Mr Maurice Nyarko-Mensah said mentorship was a very important factor in developing one’s career.
He said it was important for students to realise the challenges on the job market in order to develop personal skills to add values that would help them move faster in their career.
Another resource person, Ebenezer Adgetor, a staff of Vodafone Ghana Limited said, with determination, perseverance, constant practice and prayer the students would succeed in life.
The programme is being organised by the Progress Intern and Mentor Institute (PIMI), a non-profit human resource development organisation.
The organisation seeks, among other things, to develop the talents and potentials of the students through professional training, internship and mentorship.
The President of the institute, Mr David Dake, said the training aimed at partnering corporate bodies, universities and other relevant institutions for the identification and development of talented students through its programmes.
He said students were taken programmes such as leadership and self-development, organizational behaviour management, as well as introduction to human resource management and financial analysis.
He explained that students were recruited from the universities in the country to take part in those training programmes on weekends to ensure that they (programmes) did not conflict with their academic activities.
Mr Dake said so far, 500 students had benefitted from the programme, through which they had acquired better attitude towards work, communication skills and the ability to work in a team.
The programme, which is mainly sponsored by Newmont Ghana Limited, has given students the opportunity to learn from their mentors and to work in reputable companies.
Giving a talk on the rolel of mentorship in career development, Mr Maurice Nyarko-Mensah said mentorship was a very important factor in developing one’s career.
He said it was important for students to realise the challenges on the job market in order to develop personal skills to add values that would help them move faster in their career.
Another resource person, Ebenezer Adgetor, a staff of Vodafone Ghana Limited said, with determination, perseverance, constant practice and prayer the students would succeed in life.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
GATTA INDUCTS NEW EXECUTIVE (SPREAD, JUNE 17, 2010)
The Ghana Association of Travel and Tourist Agents (GATTA) has inducted a six-member newly elected national executive into office with a call on members to make branding the country a major responsibility.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr Kwabena Acheampong, who made the call at the ceremony, said branding the country would help in attracting more tourists into the country.
This, he said, would boost the yearly tourist visit of 748,000 to the estimated 1 million visit by 2011 with repeated visits.
Mr Acheampong said GATTA had a mandate to identify and market services that would boost the tourism sector of the country.
He noted that proper packaging of the tourism sector had been a major challenge for the country. He, therefore, urged the association to help package the country in a more appealing way.
Mr Acheampong advised the association to also make customer service delivery one of its major responsibilities, as it played a vital role in the tourism sector.
He urged members of the association to work diligently to make the country’s tourism sector one of the best in the sub-region.
In a speech, the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Pavelyn Tendi Musaka, said inadequate information and lack of ignorance had contributed immensely to African countries losing out in the tourism sector.
She, however, believed that proper collaboration between sister countries in the sub-region could boost the sector.
She said the Zimbabwean government was ready to facilitate a joint venture partnership with Ghana to boost the tourism sectors of both countries.
This, she said, would promote intra-African trade and investment between the two countries and other countries within the sub-region.
She congratulated the association on the good work and promised her support to it.
For his part, the newly elected President of GATTA, Mr McCash Hillarius Akpah, urged members of the association to adopt professional, ethical and legitimate profit-making practices to make meaningful impact on the sector.
He said “the executive in consultation with the general council will map out a strategic partnership module that will seek the common interest of both the trade and the specific work ethics such as the airlines and airport authorities”.
He outlined, strategic partnerships, knowledge-based staffing, product re-creativity and branding as part of the structures the executive would put in place to help move the tourism sector forward.
“GATTA as a trade association needs to be a strategic business-oriented platform for its members to make profit through regional alliances and partnerships for incoming and outbound tours and large group arrivals,” he noted.
The executive, he said, would make accountability and growth their hallmarks.
Other members of the executive are: Mr David Gray, Ms Tina Osei, Mrs Vanessa Ayivi, Mr Victor Fiakuna and Mr Ebenezer Noramegbor.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr Kwabena Acheampong, who made the call at the ceremony, said branding the country would help in attracting more tourists into the country.
This, he said, would boost the yearly tourist visit of 748,000 to the estimated 1 million visit by 2011 with repeated visits.
Mr Acheampong said GATTA had a mandate to identify and market services that would boost the tourism sector of the country.
He noted that proper packaging of the tourism sector had been a major challenge for the country. He, therefore, urged the association to help package the country in a more appealing way.
Mr Acheampong advised the association to also make customer service delivery one of its major responsibilities, as it played a vital role in the tourism sector.
He urged members of the association to work diligently to make the country’s tourism sector one of the best in the sub-region.
In a speech, the Zimbabwean Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Pavelyn Tendi Musaka, said inadequate information and lack of ignorance had contributed immensely to African countries losing out in the tourism sector.
She, however, believed that proper collaboration between sister countries in the sub-region could boost the sector.
She said the Zimbabwean government was ready to facilitate a joint venture partnership with Ghana to boost the tourism sectors of both countries.
This, she said, would promote intra-African trade and investment between the two countries and other countries within the sub-region.
She congratulated the association on the good work and promised her support to it.
For his part, the newly elected President of GATTA, Mr McCash Hillarius Akpah, urged members of the association to adopt professional, ethical and legitimate profit-making practices to make meaningful impact on the sector.
He said “the executive in consultation with the general council will map out a strategic partnership module that will seek the common interest of both the trade and the specific work ethics such as the airlines and airport authorities”.
He outlined, strategic partnerships, knowledge-based staffing, product re-creativity and branding as part of the structures the executive would put in place to help move the tourism sector forward.
“GATTA as a trade association needs to be a strategic business-oriented platform for its members to make profit through regional alliances and partnerships for incoming and outbound tours and large group arrivals,” he noted.
The executive, he said, would make accountability and growth their hallmarks.
Other members of the executive are: Mr David Gray, Ms Tina Osei, Mrs Vanessa Ayivi, Mr Victor Fiakuna and Mr Ebenezer Noramegbor.
UBA OPENS NEW BRANCH (PAGE 77, JUNE 16, 2010)
THE United Bank for Africa (UBA) has opened its North Industrial Area branch with the promise of bringing quality banking solutions to the doorsteps of customers.
The branch, which is the 26th since its inception in the country, is to provide various banking solutions and an array of the bank’s product to its clients.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Managing Director of UBA, Mr Gabriel Edgal, said the bank was in the process of introducing Africards into the Ghanaian market. This is a prepaid card which allows customers to use their ATM cards in all the 19 countries that UBA operates in across Africa.
He said the strategy was part of the bank’s vision of democratising banking and bringing banking services to the doorsteps of everyone.
Mr Edgal said UBA was firmly grounded in Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Cameroon and Liberia whilst its presence in key global financial centres, like New York and London, provided it with a platform to give financial solutions to African businesses.
He assured customers of the bank’s commitment to offer world class customer-driven banking solutions to its growing customers, and said the bank’s strategy of a rapid branch roll out was an indication of high level of confidence that the bank’s shareholders had in the development of the Ghanaian economy.
Mr Edgal also mentioned other banking services provided by UBA as Wise-Alert, instant notification of transactions on mobile phones classified as UMobile, UDirect and E-statements, among others.
The Board Chairman of the bank, Mr Kwame Pianim, said the bank had been a leader in customer service since its establishment in Ghana in 2005, and that, that quality customer service was one of the primary goals, mission and vision of the bank.
He added that the bank would continue to expand and roll out more branches to bring world class banking to the doorsteps of its customers.
Mr Pianim said the bank was one of the fastest growing banks in the country with 26 branches and over 500 workers.
The branch, which is the 26th since its inception in the country, is to provide various banking solutions and an array of the bank’s product to its clients.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Managing Director of UBA, Mr Gabriel Edgal, said the bank was in the process of introducing Africards into the Ghanaian market. This is a prepaid card which allows customers to use their ATM cards in all the 19 countries that UBA operates in across Africa.
He said the strategy was part of the bank’s vision of democratising banking and bringing banking services to the doorsteps of everyone.
Mr Edgal said UBA was firmly grounded in Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Cameroon and Liberia whilst its presence in key global financial centres, like New York and London, provided it with a platform to give financial solutions to African businesses.
He assured customers of the bank’s commitment to offer world class customer-driven banking solutions to its growing customers, and said the bank’s strategy of a rapid branch roll out was an indication of high level of confidence that the bank’s shareholders had in the development of the Ghanaian economy.
Mr Edgal also mentioned other banking services provided by UBA as Wise-Alert, instant notification of transactions on mobile phones classified as UMobile, UDirect and E-statements, among others.
The Board Chairman of the bank, Mr Kwame Pianim, said the bank had been a leader in customer service since its establishment in Ghana in 2005, and that, that quality customer service was one of the primary goals, mission and vision of the bank.
He added that the bank would continue to expand and roll out more branches to bring world class banking to the doorsteps of its customers.
Mr Pianim said the bank was one of the fastest growing banks in the country with 26 branches and over 500 workers.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
STREET-NAMING PROGRAMME LAUNCHED (PAGE 38, JUNE 16, 2010)
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) is expected to complete work on a draft policy framework on street naming, property and addresses by the end of June this year to pave way for the commencement of the exercise countrywide.
Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, the sector minister, announced this when he addressed the opening session at a day's validation workshop in Accra for stakeholders to make inputs into the draft policy and manual.
The draft manual outlines key elements of the exercise, including policy on street-addressing, overview of the system, detailed implementation activities, institutional arrangements for implementation at the national, regional and district levels as well as technical details.
Mr Chireh said the policy when implemented, would help address the inadequate identification system that had affected revenue mobilisation and activities of agencies responsible for public utilities.
" It is common knowledge that in urban areas like Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tamale and other major towns in Ghana, many streets have no names, and buildings are numbered anyhow. There is no estimate of how much this is costing the nation but it could run into millions of Ghana cedis per year".
He said the absence of a national policy framework to guide the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) on the naming of streets and numbering of buildings resulted in the adoption of different approaches which had not been in conformity with accepted international practices.
Mr Chireh explained that the policy was aimed at providing a common understanding of concepts and processes involved in street-naming and building numbering.
Additionally, the policy further provides a guide as to how to carry out street-addressing in a settlement, community, city and district.
Mr Chireh said " the manual presents a good basis to proceed, however, there is the need for a broad based consensus on this policy framework".
He advised all stakeholders to co-ordinate and collaborate for the effective implementation of the policy.
Mr Joseph Yieleh Chireh, the sector minister, announced this when he addressed the opening session at a day's validation workshop in Accra for stakeholders to make inputs into the draft policy and manual.
The draft manual outlines key elements of the exercise, including policy on street-addressing, overview of the system, detailed implementation activities, institutional arrangements for implementation at the national, regional and district levels as well as technical details.
Mr Chireh said the policy when implemented, would help address the inadequate identification system that had affected revenue mobilisation and activities of agencies responsible for public utilities.
" It is common knowledge that in urban areas like Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tamale and other major towns in Ghana, many streets have no names, and buildings are numbered anyhow. There is no estimate of how much this is costing the nation but it could run into millions of Ghana cedis per year".
He said the absence of a national policy framework to guide the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) on the naming of streets and numbering of buildings resulted in the adoption of different approaches which had not been in conformity with accepted international practices.
Mr Chireh explained that the policy was aimed at providing a common understanding of concepts and processes involved in street-naming and building numbering.
Additionally, the policy further provides a guide as to how to carry out street-addressing in a settlement, community, city and district.
Mr Chireh said " the manual presents a good basis to proceed, however, there is the need for a broad based consensus on this policy framework".
He advised all stakeholders to co-ordinate and collaborate for the effective implementation of the policy.
Monday, June 14, 2010
MTN PRESENTS CAR TO WINNERS (PAGE 51, JUNE 14, 2010)
Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) Ghana has presented the second batch of 30 cars to the proud winners of the ongoing ‘90 cars in 90 days’ promotion.
The promotion was to build up excitement among football lovers in Ghana towards the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The acting Chief Marketing Officer of MTN, Ms Amerley Ampofo, said the promotion was to reward MTN customers for their continuous loyalty to the network.
The company presented 29 Hyundai 10 and one Hyundai ix35 to the winners, including Mr Alfred Adjei, Mr Godfred Odame Asare and Mr Charles Amedego.
She said the presentation of the cars confirmed MTN’s assurance and commitment to give back to its loyal customers and recognise and appreciate their patronage of MTN services.
“As the FIFA World Cup 2010 kicks off, MTN is proud to continue doing what we committed ourselves to do two years ago,” Ms Ampofo.
She said the promotion also demonstrated MTN’s leadership in the industry and its resolve to build stronger relationships.
With 39 more cars to go, she encouraged all MTN subscribers to join the fun and excitement and win the mega prizes at stake, adding that MTN had put in place stringent mechanisms to ensure that those who deserved to win the prizes were appropriately selected.
A short ceremony was also held at the auditorium of the Accra International Conference Centre to officially launch all the viewing centres set up by MTN and other partners for large screen viewing.
The promotion was to build up excitement among football lovers in Ghana towards the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
The acting Chief Marketing Officer of MTN, Ms Amerley Ampofo, said the promotion was to reward MTN customers for their continuous loyalty to the network.
The company presented 29 Hyundai 10 and one Hyundai ix35 to the winners, including Mr Alfred Adjei, Mr Godfred Odame Asare and Mr Charles Amedego.
She said the presentation of the cars confirmed MTN’s assurance and commitment to give back to its loyal customers and recognise and appreciate their patronage of MTN services.
“As the FIFA World Cup 2010 kicks off, MTN is proud to continue doing what we committed ourselves to do two years ago,” Ms Ampofo.
She said the promotion also demonstrated MTN’s leadership in the industry and its resolve to build stronger relationships.
With 39 more cars to go, she encouraged all MTN subscribers to join the fun and excitement and win the mega prizes at stake, adding that MTN had put in place stringent mechanisms to ensure that those who deserved to win the prizes were appropriately selected.
A short ceremony was also held at the auditorium of the Accra International Conference Centre to officially launch all the viewing centres set up by MTN and other partners for large screen viewing.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
BE GUIDED BY RELIGIOUS NORMS (PAGE 51, JUNE 10, 2010)
THE Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, Ghana, the Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel K. Asante, has called on Christians to be guided by their religious norms in all their doings.
He said it was important that their acts and dealings reflect their religious doctrines for others to follow.
Speaking on the theme, “Return to your first love”, at the sixth biennial delegates conference and Silver Jubilee of the Association of Methodist Men’s Fellowships, the Most Rev. Prof. Asante said,” Believers have lost their zeal for the things of God and have been busy paying attention to worldly possessions.”
“Mankind is becoming lovers of themselves, money boasters, blasphemers and unforgiving. This ungodly attitude poses a lot of challenges to men of God in particularly and the church as a whole,” he said.
He urged Christians to have faith and be committed to the beliefs of the religion to which they belong.
The Most Rev. Prof. Asante called on Christians to be a living testimony to the works of Jesus Christ.
The National Chairman of the association, Mr Richard Stanley Quarshie, said in order to win souls for Christ, the church had allocated GH¢5,000 in the church’s 2010 budget to champion evangelism in the church.
He said the association had also put in place a committee that would put together strategic plans for the fellowship by the end of the third quarter of the year.
He said not much had been done by the fellowship to achieve its goals in 2009 and, therefore, urged the members to be involved in the activities of the association.
For his part, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, said it was the responsibility of the church to seek the spiritual and physical needs of its congregation.
He said it was, therefore, imperative that the church partnered the government to eradicate the negative practices that retarded the growth of the nation.
Nii Ashietey said the Methodist Church had contributed enormously towards national development, especially in the field of education.
He said the Men’s Fellowship had produced and continued to produce members who had brought Christian training and love into the affairs of the state.
He advised the members to participate in social and political matters, as well as provide a useful forum for advocacy and exchange of information.
“The fellowship should re-engineer and broaden its scope to embrace research-based advocacy activities in areas like good governance, justice, human rights, economic and social progress,” he added.
Nii Ashietey donated GH¢1,000 to the association.
The Chairman of I.E. Yamson and Associates, Mr Ishmael Evans Yamson, said most people had failed in their businesses because they veered off the core objectives of those businesses.
He, therefore, advised the fellowship to live up to its objectives in order to keep the fire burning.
Mr Yamson also donated $1,000 to the association to carry out its projects.
He said it was important that their acts and dealings reflect their religious doctrines for others to follow.
Speaking on the theme, “Return to your first love”, at the sixth biennial delegates conference and Silver Jubilee of the Association of Methodist Men’s Fellowships, the Most Rev. Prof. Asante said,” Believers have lost their zeal for the things of God and have been busy paying attention to worldly possessions.”
“Mankind is becoming lovers of themselves, money boasters, blasphemers and unforgiving. This ungodly attitude poses a lot of challenges to men of God in particularly and the church as a whole,” he said.
He urged Christians to have faith and be committed to the beliefs of the religion to which they belong.
The Most Rev. Prof. Asante called on Christians to be a living testimony to the works of Jesus Christ.
The National Chairman of the association, Mr Richard Stanley Quarshie, said in order to win souls for Christ, the church had allocated GH¢5,000 in the church’s 2010 budget to champion evangelism in the church.
He said the association had also put in place a committee that would put together strategic plans for the fellowship by the end of the third quarter of the year.
He said not much had been done by the fellowship to achieve its goals in 2009 and, therefore, urged the members to be involved in the activities of the association.
For his part, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, said it was the responsibility of the church to seek the spiritual and physical needs of its congregation.
He said it was, therefore, imperative that the church partnered the government to eradicate the negative practices that retarded the growth of the nation.
Nii Ashietey said the Methodist Church had contributed enormously towards national development, especially in the field of education.
He said the Men’s Fellowship had produced and continued to produce members who had brought Christian training and love into the affairs of the state.
He advised the members to participate in social and political matters, as well as provide a useful forum for advocacy and exchange of information.
“The fellowship should re-engineer and broaden its scope to embrace research-based advocacy activities in areas like good governance, justice, human rights, economic and social progress,” he added.
Nii Ashietey donated GH¢1,000 to the association.
The Chairman of I.E. Yamson and Associates, Mr Ishmael Evans Yamson, said most people had failed in their businesses because they veered off the core objectives of those businesses.
He, therefore, advised the fellowship to live up to its objectives in order to keep the fire burning.
Mr Yamson also donated $1,000 to the association to carry out its projects.
Friday, June 4, 2010
LET'S EMBRACE INDIGENOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE (PAGE 18, JUNE 4, 2010)
Professor Emeritus J.H. Kwabena Nketia of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana (UG) has said Ghana cannot maintain its identity as a people and a nation, if the country continues to abandon its indigenous cultural heritage.
He said the country had neglected its cultural heritage over the years to copy an entirely “borrowed heritage” from elsewhere.
Prof. Nketia was speaking on the theme: “Our Creative Heritage” at a lecture series organised by the African University College of Communications in Accra.
He said the government, as the custodian of the nation, should make culture a political priority “as Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah did at Independence”.
“The subsequent cultural policies and programmes that issued from it and processes of recontextualisation of traditional culture in contemporary contexts have gone very far, and now call for deeper knowledge and intellectual understanding of our creative heritage and its complex of values, as well as the selection of innovative applications in such contexts that do not compromise our Ghanaian identity,” he said.
He said making cultural heritage a national priority would help to stimulate interest in the critical study and practical application of the techniques and processes that shaped style and modes of expression.
Prof. Nketia is the longest serving director of the Institute of African Studies, UG and a former Director of the world renowned International Centre for African Music and Dance (ICAMD).
He has also served as a Professor of Music at the University of Pittsburgh and has lectured in many top universities in Europe, Asia, the United States and Africa.
Prof. Nketia said: “While I appreciate the importance of the programmatic implications of this, I am anxious that we should not land ourselves in a situation of over-using some aspects of our accumulated heritage without continually bringing new ideas and materials to it through creativity that explores their potential, as well as contemporary challenges.
It is only then that we can periodically move from the centre stage what has become stale or irrelevant through over-use and perhaps store it for a new generation that will find it exciting,” he said.
Prof. Nketia noted that the history, tradition and qualities that a country or society had had for many years were considered as important part of its character.
“That is why not so long ago UNESCO set up an international committee on which some of us were privileged to serve, to define the nature and potential of the world’s intangible cultural heritage and to set up a proposal and scheme for the visual and literary documentation of such intangible cultural heritage around the world, paying particular attention to those in danger of disappearing because of the ongoing technological and social changes taking place in many parts of the world”.
Prof. Nketia expressed the belief that the creation of cultural centres in the communities would give the youth and upcoming generation access to the indigenous cultural heritage of the country.
He said the youth must also be encouraged to be creative, since creativity played a role in preserving the cultural heritage of the country.
“There is the possibility of creating or promoting intercultural and cross-cultural creativity that builds bridges not only between the past and the present, indigenous and foreign forms but also of Pan African sources of Indigenous Heritage.
Until the post-colonial awakening became entrenched, this approach received scant attention from those trained primarily in the Western tradition,” Prof. Nketia said.
Prof. J.H. Kwabena Nketia is one of the most published and best known authority on African Music and Aesthetics.
He said the country had not fully recovered from the impact of missionary and colonial intervention, which devalued traditional arts and their modes of expression.
“What is of greater concern to me is not this modern concept of preservation in museums or promotion outside the particular contexts that sustain such heritage in daily or community life but ways of ensuring that the nexus between creative legacy and the social process that in the past ensured continuity is maintained by mechanisms that recontextualise the learning process so that acquisition of cultural knowledge is not confined to the institutional mechanisms of the past but extended to form a component of contemporary institutional arrangements”.
He, therefore, called on concerned authorities to ensure continuity and performance in appropriate contexts and to institutionalise the transmission process so that all children could acquire this legacy at appropriate stages in their educational career.
He said the country had neglected its cultural heritage over the years to copy an entirely “borrowed heritage” from elsewhere.
Prof. Nketia was speaking on the theme: “Our Creative Heritage” at a lecture series organised by the African University College of Communications in Accra.
He said the government, as the custodian of the nation, should make culture a political priority “as Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah did at Independence”.
“The subsequent cultural policies and programmes that issued from it and processes of recontextualisation of traditional culture in contemporary contexts have gone very far, and now call for deeper knowledge and intellectual understanding of our creative heritage and its complex of values, as well as the selection of innovative applications in such contexts that do not compromise our Ghanaian identity,” he said.
He said making cultural heritage a national priority would help to stimulate interest in the critical study and practical application of the techniques and processes that shaped style and modes of expression.
Prof. Nketia is the longest serving director of the Institute of African Studies, UG and a former Director of the world renowned International Centre for African Music and Dance (ICAMD).
He has also served as a Professor of Music at the University of Pittsburgh and has lectured in many top universities in Europe, Asia, the United States and Africa.
Prof. Nketia said: “While I appreciate the importance of the programmatic implications of this, I am anxious that we should not land ourselves in a situation of over-using some aspects of our accumulated heritage without continually bringing new ideas and materials to it through creativity that explores their potential, as well as contemporary challenges.
It is only then that we can periodically move from the centre stage what has become stale or irrelevant through over-use and perhaps store it for a new generation that will find it exciting,” he said.
Prof. Nketia noted that the history, tradition and qualities that a country or society had had for many years were considered as important part of its character.
“That is why not so long ago UNESCO set up an international committee on which some of us were privileged to serve, to define the nature and potential of the world’s intangible cultural heritage and to set up a proposal and scheme for the visual and literary documentation of such intangible cultural heritage around the world, paying particular attention to those in danger of disappearing because of the ongoing technological and social changes taking place in many parts of the world”.
Prof. Nketia expressed the belief that the creation of cultural centres in the communities would give the youth and upcoming generation access to the indigenous cultural heritage of the country.
He said the youth must also be encouraged to be creative, since creativity played a role in preserving the cultural heritage of the country.
“There is the possibility of creating or promoting intercultural and cross-cultural creativity that builds bridges not only between the past and the present, indigenous and foreign forms but also of Pan African sources of Indigenous Heritage.
Until the post-colonial awakening became entrenched, this approach received scant attention from those trained primarily in the Western tradition,” Prof. Nketia said.
Prof. J.H. Kwabena Nketia is one of the most published and best known authority on African Music and Aesthetics.
He said the country had not fully recovered from the impact of missionary and colonial intervention, which devalued traditional arts and their modes of expression.
“What is of greater concern to me is not this modern concept of preservation in museums or promotion outside the particular contexts that sustain such heritage in daily or community life but ways of ensuring that the nexus between creative legacy and the social process that in the past ensured continuity is maintained by mechanisms that recontextualise the learning process so that acquisition of cultural knowledge is not confined to the institutional mechanisms of the past but extended to form a component of contemporary institutional arrangements”.
He, therefore, called on concerned authorities to ensure continuity and performance in appropriate contexts and to institutionalise the transmission process so that all children could acquire this legacy at appropriate stages in their educational career.
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