Members of Accra Premier Lions Club have held a malaria awareness programme for the people of Pokuase.
The programme, which was mainly attended by mothers and pregnant women, was to sensitise the community to causes, effects, and prevention of malaria.A
The Club also distributed part of 100 insecticide treated mosquito nets to those who attended the programme and the rest given to a health centre in the area to be given to pregnant women who visit the health centre.
The programme formed the Club’s activity for the month and was also in line with its social responsibility.
Educating the community on malaria, Madam Victoria Owusu, a nurse at the Community-Based Health Planning and Service (CHPS) compound, said malaria was one of the major illnesses that affected most Ghanaians in the society and therefore there was the need to apply preventive measures to help reduce the disease in the country.
She said pregnant women and children under the age of five were the most vulnerable, adding that it was important to protect them from the illness.
Madam Owusu said the infection of malaria in pregnant women could result in many complications such as maternal mortality, underweight babies, and premature births.
She, therefore, advised pregnant women to visit health centres for sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) for the prevention of malaria in pregnant women to help protect them against the disease.
Advising the community on preventive measures, she said they should endeavour to cover all the water kept in their homes to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes, not to dispose of cans indiscriminately, and most importantly to sleep in treated mosquito nets.
Madam Owusu said most of the women did not sleep in treated mosquito nets but kept them in their belongings and advised them to put a stop to such acts.
Miss Abi Adatsi, a member of the Accra Premier Lions Club, said the programme was in line with the World Malaria Day celebrations, which falls on April 25, 2010.
The First Vice-President of the Club, Mr Kofi Arhin, said the Club was dedicated to the service of the blind and the underprivileged in society.
“The objective of the Club is to take active interest in civic, cultural, social and moral welfare of the community and we chose Pokuase because it is a malaria-prone community,” he noted.
He said the Club had been organising different activities every month and the sensitisation programme was one of such activities targeted at mothers, pregnant women and children in the Pokuase community.
The assembly member for the area, Mr Daniel Dodoo, on behalf of the community expressed gratitude to the Accra Premier Lions Club for the initiative and expressed the hope that the community would benefit from other programmes that would be organised by the Club.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
AMERICAN TANKS AND VESSELS SUPPORT JAMA METHODIST SCHOOL (PAGE 11, MARCH 24, 2010)
AMERICAN Tanks and Vessels (ATV) Ghana Limited is funding a number of projects for the Jama Methodist Primary School in the Ga South municipality in the Greater Accra Region at a cost of $80,000 to improve the quality of education in the community.
The projects consist of a six-classroom unit, a teachers’ common room, a computer lab, a water reservoir for the provision of water and other social amenities for the pupils of the school which is the only public school in the area.
The projects form part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.
The company decided to undertake the project because the pupils were confronted with inadequate infrastructural facilities, where they study under trees and under improvised tents made from sacks of flour.
The school, with a pupil population of 250, has no access to potable water and a number of the pupils have been diagnosed with bilharzia.
A visit to the school also showed that various companies have embarked on sand-winning activities on the compound.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the In-Country Resident Manager of ATV, Mr Ali Jassim, said in 2008, the company, which constructs vessels for gas and oil, was awarded a contract to build oil storage facilities at the Accra Plains Depot in Tema.
He said since the Director and Regional Manager of ATV, Mr William Thomas Cutts, is a Methodist, he decided to contact the Methodist churches around to help deprived schools in areas where the church operated.
Mr Jassim said after contacting the Methodist Church in the area, the company realised that the pupils were anxious to go to school but had no school facility and pointed out that the company was touched by what it saw and decided to raise funds from the Methodist Church in Houston, Texas, United States of America, to undertake the projects to help the school.
He said the company had also provided adequate equipment and facilities for a school nurse to help treat pupils with bilharzia, with the help of World Mission Possible, a non-governmental organisation from the US.
Mr Jassim appealed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to extend power to the school to enhance academic work there, adding that the water reservoir would also need electricity to operate.
The Head Teacher of the school, Mr Samuel Akuamoah Bamfo, said the company had also put in place measures to provide about 100 computers for the school and initiate an exchange programme between it and the Houston Christian High School in Texas.
He said the projects, when completed, would benefit the school enormously and expressed his appreciation to ATV.
He also appealed to other companies to emulate the company’s gesture.
The projects consist of a six-classroom unit, a teachers’ common room, a computer lab, a water reservoir for the provision of water and other social amenities for the pupils of the school which is the only public school in the area.
The projects form part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.
The company decided to undertake the project because the pupils were confronted with inadequate infrastructural facilities, where they study under trees and under improvised tents made from sacks of flour.
The school, with a pupil population of 250, has no access to potable water and a number of the pupils have been diagnosed with bilharzia.
A visit to the school also showed that various companies have embarked on sand-winning activities on the compound.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the In-Country Resident Manager of ATV, Mr Ali Jassim, said in 2008, the company, which constructs vessels for gas and oil, was awarded a contract to build oil storage facilities at the Accra Plains Depot in Tema.
He said since the Director and Regional Manager of ATV, Mr William Thomas Cutts, is a Methodist, he decided to contact the Methodist churches around to help deprived schools in areas where the church operated.
Mr Jassim said after contacting the Methodist Church in the area, the company realised that the pupils were anxious to go to school but had no school facility and pointed out that the company was touched by what it saw and decided to raise funds from the Methodist Church in Houston, Texas, United States of America, to undertake the projects to help the school.
He said the company had also provided adequate equipment and facilities for a school nurse to help treat pupils with bilharzia, with the help of World Mission Possible, a non-governmental organisation from the US.
Mr Jassim appealed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to extend power to the school to enhance academic work there, adding that the water reservoir would also need electricity to operate.
The Head Teacher of the school, Mr Samuel Akuamoah Bamfo, said the company had also put in place measures to provide about 100 computers for the school and initiate an exchange programme between it and the Houston Christian High School in Texas.
He said the projects, when completed, would benefit the school enormously and expressed his appreciation to ATV.
He also appealed to other companies to emulate the company’s gesture.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
FOUNDATION TRAINS 17 WOMEN IN VOCATIONAL SKILLS (PAGE 11, MARCH 20, 2010)
The Darlings Human Development Foundation (DHDF), a non-governmental, non-profit making organisation has held the third passing-out ceremony for 17 women trained in hairdressing and dressmaking at the organisation’s vocational training centre at Amanfrom in the Agona East District in the Central Region.
The training lasted for one year, and each of the nine beneficiaries , trained in hairdressing was presented with a National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) certificate, a hand drier and hair washing sink.
The remaining beneficiaries who were trained in dressmaking, were presented with NVTI certificates and sewing machine to start their own businesses. They were also trained in soap making and record keeping.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of DHDF, Mrs Comfort Ayisibea Tettey, said the organisation was established in June, 1998 with the vision of rendering quality service to the less privileged in society, to ensure hope and social justice.
She said the organisation sought to empower rural women to develop themselves and to improve their financial position through micro-economic ventures, farming, vocational training, among others.
Mrs Tettey said the centre was established to equip girls who could not make it to either the junior high or senior high schools, with skills.
The Municipal Budget Analyst of Agona West, Mr Francis Kwame Odei, said since its establishment the organisation had helped the community by building a JHS and a vocational institution.
He said in addition to that the organisation had also built teachers quarters with other social amenities.
The Mankrado of Agona Duakwa, Nana Kofi Aberde IV, who also addressed the ceremony said the organisation had helped to improve the living standards of people in the community by providing educational support for girls.
He called on the government to help provide the community with social amenities such as electricity, roads, water and places of convenience.
The mission of DHDF is to spearhead the campaign for the alleviation of poverty and other problems that make life unbearable for the vulnerable in society.
The organisation intends to extend its operations to the three northern regions soon to help women and girls in the rural communities there to acquire education and vocational training.
The training lasted for one year, and each of the nine beneficiaries , trained in hairdressing was presented with a National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) certificate, a hand drier and hair washing sink.
The remaining beneficiaries who were trained in dressmaking, were presented with NVTI certificates and sewing machine to start their own businesses. They were also trained in soap making and record keeping.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of DHDF, Mrs Comfort Ayisibea Tettey, said the organisation was established in June, 1998 with the vision of rendering quality service to the less privileged in society, to ensure hope and social justice.
She said the organisation sought to empower rural women to develop themselves and to improve their financial position through micro-economic ventures, farming, vocational training, among others.
Mrs Tettey said the centre was established to equip girls who could not make it to either the junior high or senior high schools, with skills.
The Municipal Budget Analyst of Agona West, Mr Francis Kwame Odei, said since its establishment the organisation had helped the community by building a JHS and a vocational institution.
He said in addition to that the organisation had also built teachers quarters with other social amenities.
The Mankrado of Agona Duakwa, Nana Kofi Aberde IV, who also addressed the ceremony said the organisation had helped to improve the living standards of people in the community by providing educational support for girls.
He called on the government to help provide the community with social amenities such as electricity, roads, water and places of convenience.
The mission of DHDF is to spearhead the campaign for the alleviation of poverty and other problems that make life unbearable for the vulnerable in society.
The organisation intends to extend its operations to the three northern regions soon to help women and girls in the rural communities there to acquire education and vocational training.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
WORKSHOP ON CULTURAL POLICY ENDS (PAGE 44, MARCH 18, 2010)
STAKEHOLDERS and experts in the cultural sector have met to deliberate on the challenges in the implementation of the cultural policy of Ghana.
The one-day workshop, organised by Ma'at Productions Incorporated in collaboration with the National Commission on Culture (NCC), was to explore and discover ways in which the institutions of culture could be transformed into an instrument for mobilisation and propagation of national cultural values.
The institutions include Ghana Museums and Monuments Board; Association of music, drama and film; Heritage development; and Cultural and Initiative Support Programme, as well as professors from various academic institutions.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ma'at Production Inc, Dr Mohammed Ben Abdallah, said the country had spent about 40 years to articulate a comprehensive National Cultural Policy whose implementation had been handicapped by serious inconsistencies and apparent lack of commitment.
"The truth is that the attainment of our national development objectives in all facets of our lives continue to elude us," he noted.
He said the purpose of the workshop was to create a forum for a serious dialogue among stakeholders and experts aimed at finally imbedding cultural issues at the core aspects of national development efforts.
Dr Abdallah said Ghanaians must change their attitudes towards issues of national development by looking at the cultural underpinnings of the country.
He said Ghanaians would claim ownership and commit themselves to dynamic and sustained action towards national development, if strategies developed took into account the cultural attitudes of the people.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Alex Asum-Ahensah, said it was important that the cultural policy was reviewed to define the priorities of the cultural sector and stipulated actions to achieve its goals.
He said the workshop marked a milestone in the country's journey to re-examine the challenges and opportunities for development in the light of its cultural policy.
Mr Asum-Ahensah called for collaboration among stakeholders to support the cultural sector as a foundation upon which to build the government’s "Better Ghana" agenda.
The President of the National House of Chiefs, Naa Prof. John Nabilla, said culture played a significant role in the country's health sector and if its policies were properly implemented could help in the development of the health sector.
He said the workshop was expected to raise various issues that would help to promote the implementation of the cultural policy.
The Programmes Co-ordinator of Cultural Initiative Support Programme (CISP), Mr Kwesi Gyan-Apenteng, said the agency was a result of a two-million euro grant given to Ghana by the European Union (EU) to support the cultural sector in the country.
He said what would happen to the EU grant for the cultural sector would depend on the moves the government made in the next few months.
He, therefore, called on the government to set the wheels running for the implementation of the cultural policy.
The one-day workshop, organised by Ma'at Productions Incorporated in collaboration with the National Commission on Culture (NCC), was to explore and discover ways in which the institutions of culture could be transformed into an instrument for mobilisation and propagation of national cultural values.
The institutions include Ghana Museums and Monuments Board; Association of music, drama and film; Heritage development; and Cultural and Initiative Support Programme, as well as professors from various academic institutions.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ma'at Production Inc, Dr Mohammed Ben Abdallah, said the country had spent about 40 years to articulate a comprehensive National Cultural Policy whose implementation had been handicapped by serious inconsistencies and apparent lack of commitment.
"The truth is that the attainment of our national development objectives in all facets of our lives continue to elude us," he noted.
He said the purpose of the workshop was to create a forum for a serious dialogue among stakeholders and experts aimed at finally imbedding cultural issues at the core aspects of national development efforts.
Dr Abdallah said Ghanaians must change their attitudes towards issues of national development by looking at the cultural underpinnings of the country.
He said Ghanaians would claim ownership and commit themselves to dynamic and sustained action towards national development, if strategies developed took into account the cultural attitudes of the people.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister for Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Alex Asum-Ahensah, said it was important that the cultural policy was reviewed to define the priorities of the cultural sector and stipulated actions to achieve its goals.
He said the workshop marked a milestone in the country's journey to re-examine the challenges and opportunities for development in the light of its cultural policy.
Mr Asum-Ahensah called for collaboration among stakeholders to support the cultural sector as a foundation upon which to build the government’s "Better Ghana" agenda.
The President of the National House of Chiefs, Naa Prof. John Nabilla, said culture played a significant role in the country's health sector and if its policies were properly implemented could help in the development of the health sector.
He said the workshop was expected to raise various issues that would help to promote the implementation of the cultural policy.
The Programmes Co-ordinator of Cultural Initiative Support Programme (CISP), Mr Kwesi Gyan-Apenteng, said the agency was a result of a two-million euro grant given to Ghana by the European Union (EU) to support the cultural sector in the country.
He said what would happen to the EU grant for the cultural sector would depend on the moves the government made in the next few months.
He, therefore, called on the government to set the wheels running for the implementation of the cultural policy.
LAP STARS NEW LAND REGISTRATION (PAGE 32, MARCH 18, 2010)
The Land Administration Project (LAP) of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is undertaking a systematic registration of titles of land within selected areas in the cities of Accra and Kumasi on pilot basis.
Under the programme, which is scheduled to last six months, officials of the LAP would register lands on a door-to-door basis in a bid to enable landowners to have their lands registered in a simple, fast and cheap way.
The selected areas within the capital city are Cantonments, Osu, Kaneshie and Dansoman while Nhyiaso, Patase, North and South Suntreso constitute the localities within Kumasi.
Speaking at a durbar in Accra to sensitise the public to the project, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Kamel Henry Ford, said the project was part of ongoing land administration reforms conceived under the administration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government in 1999.
He said the five-year project, which was launched in October, 2003, sought to reduce the cumbersome nature of processing land documents.
Unfortunately, he added, the implementation of the project did not achieve the desired results, prompting a two-year extension.
Mr Ford said "by registering the land, a proprietor's title to the parcel of land is officially recognised and guaranteed by the state".
He said to realise the objective of the project, the ministry had also through LAP, established land registration offices in each of the regional capitals to provide title deed registration services.
The project also brings on board public-private partnership, where private firms would be visiting each property in the area to collect field data with the public sector agencies undertaking office processing of the field data.
Other sensitisation durbars would be held at the Dansoman Beach, Fadama Cluster of Schools, Kaneshie West School park, Ako-Adjei Park and the Survey and Mapping Division conference hall in Cantonments.
The Director of DAOV TECH Design Group, one of the private firms contracted for Dansoman and its surrounding communities, Mr Kwadwo Addai Deseh, said work would commence immediately with door-to-door awareness creation after which the registration process would also commence.
He said property owners would be required to have some form of document that showed possession of the property for registration.
He explained that lands under litigation problems would be referred to LAP for verification before due registration.
Mr Deseh was of the hope that the six-month period would be enough to finish the project.
The acting Director of Land Registration Division, Mrs Rebecca Sittie, advised the residents to take advantage of the project to have their property registered.
She said landowners were required to submit photocopies of all documents on their lands to the field team that would visit their homes, adding that the team would also measure the boundaries of the properties and buildings in the selected area.
Under the programme, which is scheduled to last six months, officials of the LAP would register lands on a door-to-door basis in a bid to enable landowners to have their lands registered in a simple, fast and cheap way.
The selected areas within the capital city are Cantonments, Osu, Kaneshie and Dansoman while Nhyiaso, Patase, North and South Suntreso constitute the localities within Kumasi.
Speaking at a durbar in Accra to sensitise the public to the project, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Kamel Henry Ford, said the project was part of ongoing land administration reforms conceived under the administration of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government in 1999.
He said the five-year project, which was launched in October, 2003, sought to reduce the cumbersome nature of processing land documents.
Unfortunately, he added, the implementation of the project did not achieve the desired results, prompting a two-year extension.
Mr Ford said "by registering the land, a proprietor's title to the parcel of land is officially recognised and guaranteed by the state".
He said to realise the objective of the project, the ministry had also through LAP, established land registration offices in each of the regional capitals to provide title deed registration services.
The project also brings on board public-private partnership, where private firms would be visiting each property in the area to collect field data with the public sector agencies undertaking office processing of the field data.
Other sensitisation durbars would be held at the Dansoman Beach, Fadama Cluster of Schools, Kaneshie West School park, Ako-Adjei Park and the Survey and Mapping Division conference hall in Cantonments.
The Director of DAOV TECH Design Group, one of the private firms contracted for Dansoman and its surrounding communities, Mr Kwadwo Addai Deseh, said work would commence immediately with door-to-door awareness creation after which the registration process would also commence.
He said property owners would be required to have some form of document that showed possession of the property for registration.
He explained that lands under litigation problems would be referred to LAP for verification before due registration.
Mr Deseh was of the hope that the six-month period would be enough to finish the project.
The acting Director of Land Registration Division, Mrs Rebecca Sittie, advised the residents to take advantage of the project to have their property registered.
She said landowners were required to submit photocopies of all documents on their lands to the field team that would visit their homes, adding that the team would also measure the boundaries of the properties and buildings in the selected area.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
ATLAS EMBARKS ON ALTERNATIVE POWER SUPPLY PROJECT (PAGE 31, MARCH 10, 2010)
AN Accra-based private company, Atlas Business and Energy Systems (ABES), through a collaboration with OPAM Solar of Finland, has established a production facility to design, produce and install solar and other renewable energy devices in Ghana.
The project is to create an alternative power supply in the face of frequent power outages and increasing electricity tariffs in the country.
The launch of the facility also saw the opening of the first Green Banking, a loan facility established to support renewable energy financing.
At the launch, the founder of Regent Law, Mr Martin Nwosu, said the country was lucky to have plenty of sunshine for at least 10 hours a day, which would sufficiently be used in the production of efficient alternative energy for individuals and organisations.
He said the idea would help households and companies to have alternative source of energy in times of power outage.
Mr Nwosu said the innovation would not only help in solving the energy problems in the country to some extent but also help in the development of the country.
He said renewable energy could bring about environmental and socio-economic benefits as it generally entailed fewer emissions and made use of local resources.
The General Manager, Banking Operations of Home Finance Company (HFC) Bank, Mr Charles Martinson, said the development of renewable energy sources had been limited globally due to peculiar circumstances related to them such as high initial cost and lack of financing.
He said research had shown that energy projects generally demanded high levels of financing, which small-scale producers in countries like Ghana could rarely handle on their own, adding that it made the problem of financing the main impediments to the development of renewable energy technologies.
He, therefore, called for public-private partnership in the sector.
“Governments must, therefore, discharge their obligations by providing the enabling legal, regulatory and macroeconomic environment to engender growth and development of the renewable energy industry,” he said
Mr Martinson added that banks and other financial institutions also had a role to play by providing credit facilities, managing the portfolio of investments in renewable energy and providing insurance services as well as collaborating with international institutions for the development of renewable energy.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic a researcher from OPAM Finland, Mr Emmanuel Ndzibah said the aim of the initiative was to provide accessible, reliable and affordable energy for all.
He said people should not think about the initial cost but to think about the long term benefits since the facility could last for 25 to 30 years.
The facility is made up of panels, charged controller which regulates the energy received from the sun, an inventor and a battery.
Mr Ndzibah said the facility could serve as a buck-up energy, a stand alone source of energy for people who did not have access to electricity and as a hybrid for companies who would like to connect some of their facilities to the renewable energy.
The Managing Director of ABES, Mr Nathaniel Gyibah said the vision of the company was to be the leading producing company of renewable energy and provide their customers with excellent services for the value of their money.
He said the company also sought to train more people for the industry to help provide some solution sto the current energy problems in the country.
The project is to create an alternative power supply in the face of frequent power outages and increasing electricity tariffs in the country.
The launch of the facility also saw the opening of the first Green Banking, a loan facility established to support renewable energy financing.
At the launch, the founder of Regent Law, Mr Martin Nwosu, said the country was lucky to have plenty of sunshine for at least 10 hours a day, which would sufficiently be used in the production of efficient alternative energy for individuals and organisations.
He said the idea would help households and companies to have alternative source of energy in times of power outage.
Mr Nwosu said the innovation would not only help in solving the energy problems in the country to some extent but also help in the development of the country.
He said renewable energy could bring about environmental and socio-economic benefits as it generally entailed fewer emissions and made use of local resources.
The General Manager, Banking Operations of Home Finance Company (HFC) Bank, Mr Charles Martinson, said the development of renewable energy sources had been limited globally due to peculiar circumstances related to them such as high initial cost and lack of financing.
He said research had shown that energy projects generally demanded high levels of financing, which small-scale producers in countries like Ghana could rarely handle on their own, adding that it made the problem of financing the main impediments to the development of renewable energy technologies.
He, therefore, called for public-private partnership in the sector.
“Governments must, therefore, discharge their obligations by providing the enabling legal, regulatory and macroeconomic environment to engender growth and development of the renewable energy industry,” he said
Mr Martinson added that banks and other financial institutions also had a role to play by providing credit facilities, managing the portfolio of investments in renewable energy and providing insurance services as well as collaborating with international institutions for the development of renewable energy.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic a researcher from OPAM Finland, Mr Emmanuel Ndzibah said the aim of the initiative was to provide accessible, reliable and affordable energy for all.
He said people should not think about the initial cost but to think about the long term benefits since the facility could last for 25 to 30 years.
The facility is made up of panels, charged controller which regulates the energy received from the sun, an inventor and a battery.
Mr Ndzibah said the facility could serve as a buck-up energy, a stand alone source of energy for people who did not have access to electricity and as a hybrid for companies who would like to connect some of their facilities to the renewable energy.
The Managing Director of ABES, Mr Nathaniel Gyibah said the vision of the company was to be the leading producing company of renewable energy and provide their customers with excellent services for the value of their money.
He said the company also sought to train more people for the industry to help provide some solution sto the current energy problems in the country.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
MFANSTIMAN OLD GIRLS ASSIST WEIJA LEPROSARIUM (SPREAD, MARCH 9, 2010)
THE Mfantsiman Old Girls Association (MOGA) has donated items worth more than GH¢ 2,000 to the Weija Leprosarium in Accra.
The items include bags of rice, sugar, toilet rolls and soap, canned fish, vegetable oil, tomato paste, oranges, biscuits and used clothing.
Presenting the items, the Chairperson of the National Anniversary Planning Committee, Mrs Henrietta Baiden, said the gesture was part of the pre-activities towards the school’s 50th anniversary, which would be celebrated in August this year.
She said the donation was one of the many donations the association would be making to mark the school’s 50th anniversary.
Other activities to mark the anniversary include a thanksgiving service on March 21, 2010, fun games, which would be held at the El-Wak Sports Stadium on April 3, 2010, and the unveiling of the 50th anniversary cloth.
Mrs Baiden said the items were meant for the inmates and their care takers.
The President of the association, Mrs Matilda Attoh Brehun, said the association was trying to give back to society since many great women leaders of the country were trained by the school.
She said the gesture was to tell the inmates of the leprosarium that they cared for them.
Receiving the items, the prefect of the inmates, Madam Gladys Adobea, thanked the association for their gesture and appealed to other organisations to come to the aid of the leprosarium.
A care-taker at the leprosarium, Mr George Quansah, said the leprosarium needed more facilities and assorted items to help in maintaining it.
He appealed to relatives of the inmates to stop stigmatising them, since the disease was not communicable.
The items include bags of rice, sugar, toilet rolls and soap, canned fish, vegetable oil, tomato paste, oranges, biscuits and used clothing.
Presenting the items, the Chairperson of the National Anniversary Planning Committee, Mrs Henrietta Baiden, said the gesture was part of the pre-activities towards the school’s 50th anniversary, which would be celebrated in August this year.
She said the donation was one of the many donations the association would be making to mark the school’s 50th anniversary.
Other activities to mark the anniversary include a thanksgiving service on March 21, 2010, fun games, which would be held at the El-Wak Sports Stadium on April 3, 2010, and the unveiling of the 50th anniversary cloth.
Mrs Baiden said the items were meant for the inmates and their care takers.
The President of the association, Mrs Matilda Attoh Brehun, said the association was trying to give back to society since many great women leaders of the country were trained by the school.
She said the gesture was to tell the inmates of the leprosarium that they cared for them.
Receiving the items, the prefect of the inmates, Madam Gladys Adobea, thanked the association for their gesture and appealed to other organisations to come to the aid of the leprosarium.
A care-taker at the leprosarium, Mr George Quansah, said the leprosarium needed more facilities and assorted items to help in maintaining it.
He appealed to relatives of the inmates to stop stigmatising them, since the disease was not communicable.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
SATION CLOSED DOWN FOR SELLING PREMIX (BACK PAGE, MARCH 5, 2010)
THE Abeka Shell Filling Station in Accra has been closed down temporarily for allegedly selling premix fuel to motorists.
The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) closed down the station after investigations of the fuel showed that the colour of the petrol was dark blue, the colour of premix fuel, as compared to the wine colour of original petrol.
The acting Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Mr Alex Mould, said the BNI, which had received a complaint about the purported sale of premix fuel from a motorist, also informed the NPA about the issue last Wednesday.
According to the BNI, the motorist purchased the fuel on Wednesday night and realised that his motorcycle refused to move. After pouring the fuel out, he realised the colour was dark blue.
Mr Mould said the authority had the mandate to test the quality and the quantity of fuel served to customers.
On measuring the petrol with the GSB 10-litre can, the NPA found that not only was the station delivering adulterated petrol but it was also under-delivering. The deficit of under-delivery was 320-720 millilitres, which is equal to half a litre.
Mr Mould said every filling station needed to have the 10-litre can subscribed by the GSB to avoid over and under-delivery.
He said the NPA suspected a deliberate attempt on the part of the Shell Filling Station to sell adulterated fuel to the public, adding that the station might be buying the product from a third party.
He said the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) could not mistakenly deliver adulterated fuel to oil companies, since purchasing was done by the mother companies and delivered to their branches across the country.
He said the GSB would carry out the necessary tests on the fuel and if it proved to be premix, legal action would be taken against the station.
The acting Chief Inspector of the NPA, Nana Anyensah, who supervised the closure, said it was a violation for any oil company to purchase fuel from a third party.
He said the station refused to give out its invoice to the NPA, which was another offence on its part, adding that the necessary action would be taken against the station after investigations had been conducted.
Samples of the fuel were taken by the GSB, which said the testing would take about six hours, after which reports would be taken to the NPA for further investigations.
In a related development, the Total and Fraga Oil Filling stations at Abeka have also been closed down due to faulty pumps and under-delivery.
Nana Anyensah advised filling station operators to check their pumps regularly and report any problem with the pumps to the GSB.
He said the NPA carried out random inspection of the various filling stations to keep them in check and said it relied on information given to it by the public.
The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) closed down the station after investigations of the fuel showed that the colour of the petrol was dark blue, the colour of premix fuel, as compared to the wine colour of original petrol.
The acting Chief Executive Officer of the NPA, Mr Alex Mould, said the BNI, which had received a complaint about the purported sale of premix fuel from a motorist, also informed the NPA about the issue last Wednesday.
According to the BNI, the motorist purchased the fuel on Wednesday night and realised that his motorcycle refused to move. After pouring the fuel out, he realised the colour was dark blue.
Mr Mould said the authority had the mandate to test the quality and the quantity of fuel served to customers.
On measuring the petrol with the GSB 10-litre can, the NPA found that not only was the station delivering adulterated petrol but it was also under-delivering. The deficit of under-delivery was 320-720 millilitres, which is equal to half a litre.
Mr Mould said every filling station needed to have the 10-litre can subscribed by the GSB to avoid over and under-delivery.
He said the NPA suspected a deliberate attempt on the part of the Shell Filling Station to sell adulterated fuel to the public, adding that the station might be buying the product from a third party.
He said the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) could not mistakenly deliver adulterated fuel to oil companies, since purchasing was done by the mother companies and delivered to their branches across the country.
He said the GSB would carry out the necessary tests on the fuel and if it proved to be premix, legal action would be taken against the station.
The acting Chief Inspector of the NPA, Nana Anyensah, who supervised the closure, said it was a violation for any oil company to purchase fuel from a third party.
He said the station refused to give out its invoice to the NPA, which was another offence on its part, adding that the necessary action would be taken against the station after investigations had been conducted.
Samples of the fuel were taken by the GSB, which said the testing would take about six hours, after which reports would be taken to the NPA for further investigations.
In a related development, the Total and Fraga Oil Filling stations at Abeka have also been closed down due to faulty pumps and under-delivery.
Nana Anyensah advised filling station operators to check their pumps regularly and report any problem with the pumps to the GSB.
He said the NPA carried out random inspection of the various filling stations to keep them in check and said it relied on information given to it by the public.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
CHECK QUALITY OF ELECTRICAL CABLES (SPREAD. MAR 4, 2010)
AN electrical engineer, Mr Shehu Adam Wumbei, has attributed the frequent fire outbreaks in the country to substandard electrical cables currently on the market and improper installation.
He has, therefore, called on the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) to check the quality and standard of electrical cables imported into the country.
Mr Wumbei, who is the Managing Director of Smice International, dealers in mining, industrial and construction equipment, was speaking to journalists at a training programme for engineers and technicians of the company in Accra last Tuesday.
He said many cables imported into the country were of inferior quality and they contributed in no small way to the frequent fire outbreaks in the country.
He was of the view that cables produced locally were of higher standard and could match any produced elsewhere.
According to him, the poor quality of electrical cables being used was compounded by poor installation in many of the ministries and called for proper rewiring at the ministries to prevent the recurrence of fire outbreaks.
Mr Wumbei said a four-member delegation from FG Wilson in the United Kingdom was in the country to train engineers and technicians of Smice International to improve upon their performance.
He said since the company supplied major companies such as banks, telecommunication and mining companies, there was the need to acquaint its engineers with the necessary expertise to service equipment supplied.
The leader of the UK team, Mr Richard Croft, who is a Product Training Engineer, said Smice International was a major distributor of FG Wilson’s generators, hence the need to offer training to help the company to give excellent service to its customers.
The Director of Operations of Smice International, Mr Nick Kyei-Baffour, said the training would help improve the performance of the engineers to help in the company’s service delivery.
He has, therefore, called on the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) to check the quality and standard of electrical cables imported into the country.
Mr Wumbei, who is the Managing Director of Smice International, dealers in mining, industrial and construction equipment, was speaking to journalists at a training programme for engineers and technicians of the company in Accra last Tuesday.
He said many cables imported into the country were of inferior quality and they contributed in no small way to the frequent fire outbreaks in the country.
He was of the view that cables produced locally were of higher standard and could match any produced elsewhere.
According to him, the poor quality of electrical cables being used was compounded by poor installation in many of the ministries and called for proper rewiring at the ministries to prevent the recurrence of fire outbreaks.
Mr Wumbei said a four-member delegation from FG Wilson in the United Kingdom was in the country to train engineers and technicians of Smice International to improve upon their performance.
He said since the company supplied major companies such as banks, telecommunication and mining companies, there was the need to acquaint its engineers with the necessary expertise to service equipment supplied.
The leader of the UK team, Mr Richard Croft, who is a Product Training Engineer, said Smice International was a major distributor of FG Wilson’s generators, hence the need to offer training to help the company to give excellent service to its customers.
The Director of Operations of Smice International, Mr Nick Kyei-Baffour, said the training would help improve the performance of the engineers to help in the company’s service delivery.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
'EQUIP DENTAL LABS' (SPREAD, MARCH 3, 2010)
A Dental technologist at the University of Ghana (UG) Dental School, Mrs Adwoba Amoah Quaye, has observed that many of the dental laboratories in the country are not fully equipped to ensure effective dental care.
She said the lack of modern equipment did not help in facilitating the work of dental technologists.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Paradental Association of Ghana in Accra, Mrs Quaye said, “As times change, most hospitals would want to update their laboratories with modern dental equipment and materials and when this happens, what will happen to the technologist who has never seen or touched such modern equipment before?”
Paradentals consist of dental therapists, dental surgery assistants and dental technologists who help in producing artificial restoration in the mouth, scaling and washing of teeth and assisting the dentist in the administration of his job.
One area of concern Mrs Quaye raised during the interview was the absence of even one dental technologist in the country with a masters or doctorate degree due to lack of sponsorship.
She said since their training in Nigeria as dental technologists in 1996, they had not received any further training , despite the fact that many of them had gained admission to further their education abroad.
She, therefore, appealed to the government to come to their aid in the form of sponsorship to help them further their education.
Delivering the keynote address, the acting Head of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Matthew Owusu Boamah, advised members of the association not to take their patients for granted, since many of the citizens knew their rights and would try to demand them at any time.
He said there was the need for paradentals to work as a team, since many of the patients who visited dentists had a lot of fear which sometimes resulted in the rising of their blood pressure.
For his part, the President of the association, Mr Felix Adu, appealed to the government to sponsor training programmes to help alleviate the general inadequacy among dental workers in the country.
He said there could be no complete dental care without the contribution of paradental staff.
He said the aim of the association was to help improve the general dental health of society which could be achieved if those in authority did not give it the necessary support.
Mr Adu said the meeting was to deliberate on how best the association could improve its skills in the course of its work.
Mrs Faustina Hayford, a dental therapist at the UG Dental School, advised parents not to give many sweets to their children, since they would result in tooth decay.
She also advised the public to brush their teeth frequently, imbibe the habit of using chewing sponge and see a dentist at least twice a year for healthy teeth.
She said the lack of modern equipment did not help in facilitating the work of dental technologists.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Paradental Association of Ghana in Accra, Mrs Quaye said, “As times change, most hospitals would want to update their laboratories with modern dental equipment and materials and when this happens, what will happen to the technologist who has never seen or touched such modern equipment before?”
Paradentals consist of dental therapists, dental surgery assistants and dental technologists who help in producing artificial restoration in the mouth, scaling and washing of teeth and assisting the dentist in the administration of his job.
One area of concern Mrs Quaye raised during the interview was the absence of even one dental technologist in the country with a masters or doctorate degree due to lack of sponsorship.
She said since their training in Nigeria as dental technologists in 1996, they had not received any further training , despite the fact that many of them had gained admission to further their education abroad.
She, therefore, appealed to the government to come to their aid in the form of sponsorship to help them further their education.
Delivering the keynote address, the acting Head of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Matthew Owusu Boamah, advised members of the association not to take their patients for granted, since many of the citizens knew their rights and would try to demand them at any time.
He said there was the need for paradentals to work as a team, since many of the patients who visited dentists had a lot of fear which sometimes resulted in the rising of their blood pressure.
For his part, the President of the association, Mr Felix Adu, appealed to the government to sponsor training programmes to help alleviate the general inadequacy among dental workers in the country.
He said there could be no complete dental care without the contribution of paradental staff.
He said the aim of the association was to help improve the general dental health of society which could be achieved if those in authority did not give it the necessary support.
Mr Adu said the meeting was to deliberate on how best the association could improve its skills in the course of its work.
Mrs Faustina Hayford, a dental therapist at the UG Dental School, advised parents not to give many sweets to their children, since they would result in tooth decay.
She also advised the public to brush their teeth frequently, imbibe the habit of using chewing sponge and see a dentist at least twice a year for healthy teeth.
BESSBLOCK PRODUCTS SUPPORTS OYIBI PRESBY SCHOOL (PAGE 11, MARCH 3, 2010)
PUPILS of Oyibi Presbyterian Primary School have benefited from a $12,000 donation known as ‘blue packs’ by the Bessblock Concrete Products Limited at Oyibi in the Greater Accra Region.
The donation sought to help improve the education of the pupils in the community.
It was also part of the company’s corporate social responsibility which is expected to be extended to other communities.
The blue packs which contained pens, pencils, crayons, rulers, exercise books, erasers and sharpeners were to help motivate the children to be punctual at school and to promote continuity in learning.
The Managing Director of Bessblock, Mrs Regina Botchwey, said the presentation was to promote community growth and development.
If parents and educators could cultivate good habits and develop productive patterns of behaviour for children in their care, those children will be on their way to achieving great educational successes, she advised.
The Executive Director of the Academy for Educational Development Ghana: Centre for Educational Development, Evaluation and Management (AED-Ghana: (CEDEM), a non governmental organisation, Mr Stephen Yaw Manu, called on parents to provide supplementary reading books for their children in order to inculcate the habit of reading in them.
By doing this, he said, children would ‘learn to read and read to learn’.
Shell Ghana also used the occasion to donate 900 books to the school’s library.
The Tema Metropolitan Director of Education, Mr Kwesi Hutchful, advised the parent teacher association (PTA) to support the school and teachers.
The Regional Manager of the Presbyterian Education Unit, Rev. (Mrs) Victoria Kai Wayoe, said the Government, as the major stakeholder in education, had taken the lead role in providing free school uniforms, books and food among others, to support the education of schoolchildren in the country.
The donation sought to help improve the education of the pupils in the community.
It was also part of the company’s corporate social responsibility which is expected to be extended to other communities.
The blue packs which contained pens, pencils, crayons, rulers, exercise books, erasers and sharpeners were to help motivate the children to be punctual at school and to promote continuity in learning.
The Managing Director of Bessblock, Mrs Regina Botchwey, said the presentation was to promote community growth and development.
If parents and educators could cultivate good habits and develop productive patterns of behaviour for children in their care, those children will be on their way to achieving great educational successes, she advised.
The Executive Director of the Academy for Educational Development Ghana: Centre for Educational Development, Evaluation and Management (AED-Ghana: (CEDEM), a non governmental organisation, Mr Stephen Yaw Manu, called on parents to provide supplementary reading books for their children in order to inculcate the habit of reading in them.
By doing this, he said, children would ‘learn to read and read to learn’.
Shell Ghana also used the occasion to donate 900 books to the school’s library.
The Tema Metropolitan Director of Education, Mr Kwesi Hutchful, advised the parent teacher association (PTA) to support the school and teachers.
The Regional Manager of the Presbyterian Education Unit, Rev. (Mrs) Victoria Kai Wayoe, said the Government, as the major stakeholder in education, had taken the lead role in providing free school uniforms, books and food among others, to support the education of schoolchildren in the country.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
COMPLAINTS C'TTEE FOR RAILWAY AUTHORITY (PAGE 32, MARCH 1, 2010)
THE Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) has inaugurated a committee to review and deliberate on complaints from its sector.
It has Mr Fred Asare Dankwah as its Chairman, with Mrs Ama Juantuah Banful, Mr David Ofosu-Dorte, Mrs Florence Attram, Mr Orlando Kofi Tetteh, Mr Joseph Buckson and Mrs Hagar Nana Bema Tackie as members.
Inaugurating the committee, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Dzifa Aku Attivor, said the establishment of the committee, dubbed the Railway Complaints, Appeal and Review Panel (RCARP), was in fulfilment of Act 779 (Section 99) of the Railway Act 2008.
She said the act stipulated that the RCARP should be established and members appointed by the minister to review and deliberate on complaints and the rule of procedure in accordance with the act.
According to her, the act further stated that decisions of the panel in respect of internal administration review would be final and copied to the GRDA for its information and records without the interference of the authority or any government agency.
Ms Attivor said the vision of the ministry was to create an integrated cost-effective, secure and sustainable transportation system responsible for the needs of society.
She said the ministry also sought to establish Ghana as a transportation hub within the West African sub-region to support growth and poverty reduction.
She said rail transportation remained one of the flagships on the agenda of President Mills and also the topmost in the prioritisation of the Transport Sector Development Programme.
Ms Attivor said the government had provided $2 million under a minimum intervention package for the rehabilitation of the Western Rail Line that remained the mainstay of the nation’s railway network.
The Chairman, Mr Fred Asare Dankwah, thanked the minister and assured her of the panel’s selfless effort in the administration of its duties.
In a related development, the board chairman of the GRDA has inaugurated a three-member committee for the Railway Fund Committee to manage the funds of the authority, either by law or through budget allocation.
He said if the railway systems were expanded and managed properly, it would help solve the heavy vehicular traffic in the country.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr Yaw Asamoah Aning, said funds would be generated from levies and other services for the use of the authority.
It has Mr Fred Asare Dankwah as its Chairman, with Mrs Ama Juantuah Banful, Mr David Ofosu-Dorte, Mrs Florence Attram, Mr Orlando Kofi Tetteh, Mr Joseph Buckson and Mrs Hagar Nana Bema Tackie as members.
Inaugurating the committee, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Dzifa Aku Attivor, said the establishment of the committee, dubbed the Railway Complaints, Appeal and Review Panel (RCARP), was in fulfilment of Act 779 (Section 99) of the Railway Act 2008.
She said the act stipulated that the RCARP should be established and members appointed by the minister to review and deliberate on complaints and the rule of procedure in accordance with the act.
According to her, the act further stated that decisions of the panel in respect of internal administration review would be final and copied to the GRDA for its information and records without the interference of the authority or any government agency.
Ms Attivor said the vision of the ministry was to create an integrated cost-effective, secure and sustainable transportation system responsible for the needs of society.
She said the ministry also sought to establish Ghana as a transportation hub within the West African sub-region to support growth and poverty reduction.
She said rail transportation remained one of the flagships on the agenda of President Mills and also the topmost in the prioritisation of the Transport Sector Development Programme.
Ms Attivor said the government had provided $2 million under a minimum intervention package for the rehabilitation of the Western Rail Line that remained the mainstay of the nation’s railway network.
The Chairman, Mr Fred Asare Dankwah, thanked the minister and assured her of the panel’s selfless effort in the administration of its duties.
In a related development, the board chairman of the GRDA has inaugurated a three-member committee for the Railway Fund Committee to manage the funds of the authority, either by law or through budget allocation.
He said if the railway systems were expanded and managed properly, it would help solve the heavy vehicular traffic in the country.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr Yaw Asamoah Aning, said funds would be generated from levies and other services for the use of the authority.
CEREAL PACKAGING PROJECT LAUNCHED (PAGE 44, MARCH 1, 2010)
A project to improve the post-harvest quality and packaging of rice, sorghum, millet and cassava to enhance their marketability in the West African sub-region has been launched in Accra.
The two-year project seeks to promote processing technologies of these cereals to ensure food security and increase farmers and processors’ incomes within the sub-region.
The Deputy Director-General of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Mrs Mamaa Entsua-Mensah, who launched the project, said it was in line with an agreement signed between the Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (WECARD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
She said it was part of the framework of the Emergency Global Food Security Initiative to help address the current food crisis and the hiking of food prices globally.
The participating countries include Senegal, Mali, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria. The countries have been grouped according to what they produce, and for rice, we have Senegal, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Nigeria; for sorghum and millet, Ghana and Nigeria; while Benin and Togo are for cassava.
Mrs Entsua-Mensah said food crops such as rice, millet, sorghum and cassava were very important in the sub-region and, therefore, called for government’s intervention in the promotion of investments to enhance marketing opportunities for cassava and its products, since they had the potential to significantly reduce poverty in the sub-region.
In a speech read on his behalf, the acting Director-General of the Food Research Institute, Dr Paa Nii Johnson, said the institute had developed the capacity to process, preserve and utilise crops in the country.
He added that improved rice post-production and marketing systems had been developed to enhance rural livelihoods in northern Ghana.
Dr Johnson said the institute had also sourced funds to set up cassava processing plants for the production of various cassava commodities to help enhance the scale of cassava processing and reduce post-harvest losses.
The project also include the identification and selection of beneficiaries for training in high quality cassava flour processing technologies.
There will also be a rice project, which includes analysing existing rice post-harvest technologies.
The two-year project seeks to promote processing technologies of these cereals to ensure food security and increase farmers and processors’ incomes within the sub-region.
The Deputy Director-General of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Mrs Mamaa Entsua-Mensah, who launched the project, said it was in line with an agreement signed between the Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (WECARD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
She said it was part of the framework of the Emergency Global Food Security Initiative to help address the current food crisis and the hiking of food prices globally.
The participating countries include Senegal, Mali, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria. The countries have been grouped according to what they produce, and for rice, we have Senegal, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and Nigeria; for sorghum and millet, Ghana and Nigeria; while Benin and Togo are for cassava.
Mrs Entsua-Mensah said food crops such as rice, millet, sorghum and cassava were very important in the sub-region and, therefore, called for government’s intervention in the promotion of investments to enhance marketing opportunities for cassava and its products, since they had the potential to significantly reduce poverty in the sub-region.
In a speech read on his behalf, the acting Director-General of the Food Research Institute, Dr Paa Nii Johnson, said the institute had developed the capacity to process, preserve and utilise crops in the country.
He added that improved rice post-production and marketing systems had been developed to enhance rural livelihoods in northern Ghana.
Dr Johnson said the institute had also sourced funds to set up cassava processing plants for the production of various cassava commodities to help enhance the scale of cassava processing and reduce post-harvest losses.
The project also include the identification and selection of beneficiaries for training in high quality cassava flour processing technologies.
There will also be a rice project, which includes analysing existing rice post-harvest technologies.
GIMPA INTRODUCES NEW EXECUTIVE PROGRAMMES (PAGE 11, MARCH 1, 2010)
THE Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Business School has introduced new executive programmes tailored to satisfy the needs of leaders and contemporary senior management staff and managers of organisations.
The programmes are: Senior Executive Programme, Advance Management Programme, and New Managers Programme to help corporate bodies to equip their workers to build and expand their businesses.
The programmes, which have been drawn in a form of workshops, are to build on the competencies required for exceptional performance of managers at all levels of an organisation.
In a speech read on his behalf to launch the programmes, the Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited, Mr Alhassan Andani, said the programme expressed optimism about its future.
“The new executive education programmes will do for the private sector what GIMPA has already done for leadership in the public sector,” he said.
Mr Andani said the programme would go a long way in training personnel of companies who wished to be in managerial positions.
The Deputy Rector of GIMPA, Dr Lawrence Kannae, said the programmes were part of GIMPA’s journey from excellence to greatness.
He said since the year 2000, GIMPA had transformed itself from a small public service institution to a comprehensive tertiary institution.
Dr Kannae said the transformation was in line with the introduction of the executive business school to help address the educational needs of all.
The facilitators of the programme would be drawn from leading universities around the world, which include the United States of America, Canada, Australia and China.
He said facilitators would bring along global perspective to complement GIMPA’s local faculty.
The Dean of the Business School, Prof. Franklin Manu, said the school’s current programmes had been very popular and had received several reviews from participants all over Africa.
He said “the new programmes will be in addition to, and build on the momentum generated by the success we are experiencing on the market”.
He assured participants of getting value for their money.
The programmes are: Senior Executive Programme, Advance Management Programme, and New Managers Programme to help corporate bodies to equip their workers to build and expand their businesses.
The programmes, which have been drawn in a form of workshops, are to build on the competencies required for exceptional performance of managers at all levels of an organisation.
In a speech read on his behalf to launch the programmes, the Chief Executive Officer of Stanbic Bank Ghana Limited, Mr Alhassan Andani, said the programme expressed optimism about its future.
“The new executive education programmes will do for the private sector what GIMPA has already done for leadership in the public sector,” he said.
Mr Andani said the programme would go a long way in training personnel of companies who wished to be in managerial positions.
The Deputy Rector of GIMPA, Dr Lawrence Kannae, said the programmes were part of GIMPA’s journey from excellence to greatness.
He said since the year 2000, GIMPA had transformed itself from a small public service institution to a comprehensive tertiary institution.
Dr Kannae said the transformation was in line with the introduction of the executive business school to help address the educational needs of all.
The facilitators of the programme would be drawn from leading universities around the world, which include the United States of America, Canada, Australia and China.
He said facilitators would bring along global perspective to complement GIMPA’s local faculty.
The Dean of the Business School, Prof. Franklin Manu, said the school’s current programmes had been very popular and had received several reviews from participants all over Africa.
He said “the new programmes will be in addition to, and build on the momentum generated by the success we are experiencing on the market”.
He assured participants of getting value for their money.
Monday, March 1, 2010
UNESCO SHOWCASES GHANA'S CULTURAL HERITAGE (PAGE 19, FEB 27, 2010)
TO develop strong and vibrant domestic tourism in Ghana, the Accra cluster office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has produced posters depicting Ghana’s cultural heritage.
The posters are on the theme, “Ghana, land of culture and tradition”.
The images developed include pictures of beads, goldsmiths, boats, textiles, weavers and Kente.
The UNESCO Representative and Director of the office, Madam Elisabeth Moundo, said Ghana needed to ratify the UN conventions on culture to benefit from them fully.
She said the ratification of the convention on intangible cultural heritage, which is a diversity of cultural expressions linked to the development of cultural industries, would contribute immensely to the tourism sector.
"There is nobody visiting Ghana without visiting part of its natural and cultural heritage sites," she noted.
Madam Moundo said the posters would offer opportunities for visitors to understand the diverse cultures within Ghana.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr Kwabena Acheampong, said the project was to promote a sense of shared identity for greater social cohesion among Ghanaians.
He said the posters would not only act as an advocacy tool to attract local and foreign investors but also market Ghana's tourism to the outside world.
He said since domestic tourism was estimated to be about five times the value of international tourism, there was the need to develop it to increase the capacity of job creation.
Mr Acheampong assured UNESCO that the posters would be distributed and showcased at public places to move the tourism sector forward.
The Programmes Specialist of UNESCO, Mrs Mojisola Okuribido-Seriki, said showcasing Ghana as the land of culture and tradition would help visitors to know the tourist attractions to visit when they came to Ghana.
The posters are on the theme, “Ghana, land of culture and tradition”.
The images developed include pictures of beads, goldsmiths, boats, textiles, weavers and Kente.
The UNESCO Representative and Director of the office, Madam Elisabeth Moundo, said Ghana needed to ratify the UN conventions on culture to benefit from them fully.
She said the ratification of the convention on intangible cultural heritage, which is a diversity of cultural expressions linked to the development of cultural industries, would contribute immensely to the tourism sector.
"There is nobody visiting Ghana without visiting part of its natural and cultural heritage sites," she noted.
Madam Moundo said the posters would offer opportunities for visitors to understand the diverse cultures within Ghana.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr Kwabena Acheampong, said the project was to promote a sense of shared identity for greater social cohesion among Ghanaians.
He said the posters would not only act as an advocacy tool to attract local and foreign investors but also market Ghana's tourism to the outside world.
He said since domestic tourism was estimated to be about five times the value of international tourism, there was the need to develop it to increase the capacity of job creation.
Mr Acheampong assured UNESCO that the posters would be distributed and showcased at public places to move the tourism sector forward.
The Programmes Specialist of UNESCO, Mrs Mojisola Okuribido-Seriki, said showcasing Ghana as the land of culture and tradition would help visitors to know the tourist attractions to visit when they came to Ghana.
PRESBY YOUTH DONATE ITEMS TO PANTANG PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL (PAGE 30, FEB 24, 2010)
The Ashaiman District Youth Ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana has donated items worth over GH¢1,000 to the Pantang Psychiatric Hospital.
The items included assorted foodstuffs, clothes and toiletries intended to show love to the inmates of the hospital.
Presenting the items, the District Organiser of the Youth Ministry, Mr John Ayitevie, said the gesture was in line with the ministry’s youth and student week celebrations.
He said the gesture was to show the ministry’s love, kindness and compassion to the inmates of the hospital.
He encouraged the youth to do their best to show love and compassion to the less privileged in society.
“By caring for and showing love and compassion to other brethren who are less privileged, we will be doing the Lord’s work,” he said.
Mr Ayitevie advised Christians to express the practicality of their beliefs by helping the less privileged in society, and by doing that, they would emulate what Christ came to do for humanity.
The Senior Nursing Officer of the hospital, Mr Francis Bensah, thanked the ministry for its kind gesture and promised, on behalf of management, to use the items for the purposes for which they were provided.
He appealed to other organisations to emulate the gesture of the Ashaiman District of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.
The items included assorted foodstuffs, clothes and toiletries intended to show love to the inmates of the hospital.
Presenting the items, the District Organiser of the Youth Ministry, Mr John Ayitevie, said the gesture was in line with the ministry’s youth and student week celebrations.
He said the gesture was to show the ministry’s love, kindness and compassion to the inmates of the hospital.
He encouraged the youth to do their best to show love and compassion to the less privileged in society.
“By caring for and showing love and compassion to other brethren who are less privileged, we will be doing the Lord’s work,” he said.
Mr Ayitevie advised Christians to express the practicality of their beliefs by helping the less privileged in society, and by doing that, they would emulate what Christ came to do for humanity.
The Senior Nursing Officer of the hospital, Mr Francis Bensah, thanked the ministry for its kind gesture and promised, on behalf of management, to use the items for the purposes for which they were provided.
He appealed to other organisations to emulate the gesture of the Ashaiman District of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.
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