THE Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Professor Yaw Agyeman Badu, has called on the government to pursue capacity development programmes that will be envisioned and implemented by society as a whole.
That, he said, should be done through the empowering of key stakeholders, including individuals and institutions, to help achieve the across-society influences and linkages which would make the desired transformation realistic.
Prof Agyeman Badu, who was speaking at the 17th graduation and admission ceremony of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ghana (ICAG), said the government should view commitments to capacity development as a strategic investment which would yield over time and not as heavy costs to be borne.
This year, the institute admitted 319 new members, while 231 graduated as Chartered Accountants (CA) and 28 as accounting technicians.
Awards and certificates were given to successful students who excelled in their examinations. The ultimate prize went to 21-year-old Isaac Danso Agyiri who wrote all 15 professional papers at the first attempt in two and a half years.
"In Ghana we have made a commitment to pursue a policy of human resource development to create a pool of knowledgeable, well-trained and disciplined workforce with capacity to promote sustainable socio-economic growth,” Prof Agyeman Badu said.
He said the institute, therefore, had a huge responsibility of providing capacity programmes for the human resource needs of all sectors of society.
He said technology had consigned Ghana and many African countries behind the developed countries and it was, therefore, imperative that the country developed human capacity for information management in all sectors of the economy.
Prof Agyeman Badu called on the newly admitted members and the graduates to apply professionalism, ethics and integrity in their various work places.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, said the primary requirement of ICAG members was for them to adopt the attitudes of transparency and accountability and a high sense of integrity.
He urged them to exhibit a high level of responsibility, skill and competency as their trademark in the profession.
He said the recent improvement in the institute’s pass rates lent credence to total quality management efforts through effective monitoring and control mechanisms employed to upgrade its standards.
Mr Tettey-Enyo commended the ICAG for staying on course with its professional and technicians’ training programmes.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
MARS BUSINESS SCHOOL LAUNCHES 35TH ANNIVERSARY (PAGE 11, APRIL 12, 2010)
MARS Business Secondary School has launched its 35th anniversary celebration with a call on students to lay a better foundation for their future.
The Safety Manager of Process and Plant Sales Limited, Mr Solomon Amoo, who is also an alumnus of the school, made the call and said building a better foundation in their education by studying hard was the only way the students could make it in life.
He advised the students to keep friends who would help them realise their dreams and detach themselves from those who would lead them astray.
The school, which was established in 1975, has contributed its quota to the development of the nation through raising leaders who have made it in various fields of endeavour.
The school is also known for its sports activities and has produced many sportsmen in the country including Laryea Kinston of Black Stars and Lawrence Adja Tetteh, a former captain of Accra Hearts of Oak.
Mr Amoo also called on the students to hold on to the good things their teachers were imparting to them to help prepare themselves for the challenging job market.
The Founder and Proprietor of the school, Rev. Fr. John J.M. Martey, told the Daily Graphic that the vision of the school was to achieve educational excellence through quality education.
He said between 1985 and 1995, there was no house in Mataheko, Russia and Sukura from which one could not find a student attending Mars Secondary School, adding that the school, without financial support from any organisation, had provided quality education to the communities.
Rev. Martey said the school had provided educational re-awakening and consciousness of second cycle education in the locality.
He said the school offered courses in business finance, secretarial and general arts, as well as courses for professional students at Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), which prepares students for the labour market.
Speaking on the theme for the anniversary,” the role of Mars Business School as education provider in nation building,” Mr Eric Agyeman-Badu, Internal Auditor at the Institute of Professional Studies, said the school had grown over the years to provide quality education to its students.
He noted that despite the school's infrastructural challenges, it had managed to raise leaders and establish other campuses and also provide educational services to the children of Russia and the surrounding communities.
The Safety Manager of Process and Plant Sales Limited, Mr Solomon Amoo, who is also an alumnus of the school, made the call and said building a better foundation in their education by studying hard was the only way the students could make it in life.
He advised the students to keep friends who would help them realise their dreams and detach themselves from those who would lead them astray.
The school, which was established in 1975, has contributed its quota to the development of the nation through raising leaders who have made it in various fields of endeavour.
The school is also known for its sports activities and has produced many sportsmen in the country including Laryea Kinston of Black Stars and Lawrence Adja Tetteh, a former captain of Accra Hearts of Oak.
Mr Amoo also called on the students to hold on to the good things their teachers were imparting to them to help prepare themselves for the challenging job market.
The Founder and Proprietor of the school, Rev. Fr. John J.M. Martey, told the Daily Graphic that the vision of the school was to achieve educational excellence through quality education.
He said between 1985 and 1995, there was no house in Mataheko, Russia and Sukura from which one could not find a student attending Mars Secondary School, adding that the school, without financial support from any organisation, had provided quality education to the communities.
Rev. Martey said the school had provided educational re-awakening and consciousness of second cycle education in the locality.
He said the school offered courses in business finance, secretarial and general arts, as well as courses for professional students at Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA), which prepares students for the labour market.
Speaking on the theme for the anniversary,” the role of Mars Business School as education provider in nation building,” Mr Eric Agyeman-Badu, Internal Auditor at the Institute of Professional Studies, said the school had grown over the years to provide quality education to its students.
He noted that despite the school's infrastructural challenges, it had managed to raise leaders and establish other campuses and also provide educational services to the children of Russia and the surrounding communities.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
JOBS FOR 10,000 YOUTH (PAGE 18, APRIL 10, 2010)
The Deputy Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Omani Boamah, has disclosed that the government in collaboration with Zoil Ghana Limited is targeting the employment of at least 10,000 Ghanaian youth for the ongoing Coastal Zone Development Project.
He said, “we have targeted to employ at least 10,000 of the youth to train them in the management of our beaches. The training, among other things, would equip them to mend nets for fishermen and re-plant thousands of coconut trees along the coast to make the beaches a viable tourist destination along the West Coast in the next five years .
This, he said, would further create more jobs, aside the economic benefits the country may derive.
Dr Omani Boamah made this statement when he toured some beaches in Accra to assess and familiarise himself with the work and activities of the workers, also known as Eco Brigade.
He was accompanied by his counterpart from the Sports Ministry, Nii Nortey Dua, the National Coordinator of the project, Lt. Col. Blood-Djraku, Mr Jonathan Takie Komme, Member of Parliament for Odododiodioo Constituency and Mr Daniel Amartey Mensah, Municipal Chief Executive for Ledzokuku-Krowor, all in the Greater Accra Region.
Dr Boamah and his team were taken round by Mr Robert Colemen, Director of Operations for Zoil Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, which is collaborating with the Government towards the implementation of the project.
In an interaction with the workers, Dr Boamah and his team congratulated the workers for the good work they were doing in cleaning the country’s beaches, and expressed their appreciation to Mr Coleman and Zoil for the good work.
For his part, Mr Colemen was happy that the project had been very successful, stating that “Zoil is very happy that its collaboration with government is able to create such huge employment for the youth in Ghana”, explaining that the Coastal Zone Development project covered all the country’s beaches from Aflao to Elubo.
He said “we have thousands of workers who were recruited from the various coastal communities working on the beaches and also at the oil drilling sites to ensure the proper management of our beaches.”
He called on the workers to use their expertise to educate their colleagues on the need to keep the beaches clean.
He said, “we have targeted to employ at least 10,000 of the youth to train them in the management of our beaches. The training, among other things, would equip them to mend nets for fishermen and re-plant thousands of coconut trees along the coast to make the beaches a viable tourist destination along the West Coast in the next five years .
This, he said, would further create more jobs, aside the economic benefits the country may derive.
Dr Omani Boamah made this statement when he toured some beaches in Accra to assess and familiarise himself with the work and activities of the workers, also known as Eco Brigade.
He was accompanied by his counterpart from the Sports Ministry, Nii Nortey Dua, the National Coordinator of the project, Lt. Col. Blood-Djraku, Mr Jonathan Takie Komme, Member of Parliament for Odododiodioo Constituency and Mr Daniel Amartey Mensah, Municipal Chief Executive for Ledzokuku-Krowor, all in the Greater Accra Region.
Dr Boamah and his team were taken round by Mr Robert Colemen, Director of Operations for Zoil Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, which is collaborating with the Government towards the implementation of the project.
In an interaction with the workers, Dr Boamah and his team congratulated the workers for the good work they were doing in cleaning the country’s beaches, and expressed their appreciation to Mr Coleman and Zoil for the good work.
For his part, Mr Colemen was happy that the project had been very successful, stating that “Zoil is very happy that its collaboration with government is able to create such huge employment for the youth in Ghana”, explaining that the Coastal Zone Development project covered all the country’s beaches from Aflao to Elubo.
He said “we have thousands of workers who were recruited from the various coastal communities working on the beaches and also at the oil drilling sites to ensure the proper management of our beaches.”
He called on the workers to use their expertise to educate their colleagues on the need to keep the beaches clean.
SECOND PHASE OF 'ALLANBLACKIA PROJECT' LAUNCHED (PAGE 19, APRIL 10 2010)
The second phase of the project for standard setting and sustainable supply chain management of the Allanblackia tree, known locally as “sonkyi or kusie adwe”, has been launched in Ghana.
Oil derived from Allanblackia seeds can be used for cooking, preparing medicines, making of soaps and the manufacture of margarine and cosmetics. It can also be used in preparing ice-cream, coatings, cake and for baking cookies.
The tree grows naturally in the forest, adjoining areas and to some extent on farms, especially in the Central, Western, Ashanti and Eastern Regions of Ghana.
The project, being promoted by the Swiss government and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is to help reduce poverty in Ghana and to improve the livelihoods of Ghanaian farmers while promoting biodiversity in the country.
It also seeks to provide guidance on how to tackle technical aspects related to the regeneration and determination of the appropriate ecology of the Allanblackia tree, especially, on farms and to develop sustainable value chains through the elaboration of standards for the tree.
The $6 million project is a public-private partnership, with the Swiss government contributing $ 1.9 million. Other partners contributing to the project include Unilever, the World Agro-forestry Centre, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and IUCN.
At the Launch, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Ghana, Mr Nicholas Lang, said the objective of Switzerland’s economic development to Ghana is to support the implementation of Ghana’s poverty reduction strategy with the ultimate aim of supporting Ghana to become a middle income country.
He said that was the reason for the Swiss government’s effort to support the implementation of the commodity since it was interested in helping to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of Ghanaian farmers.
“ Our support to develop Allanblackia as a niche product for export with poverty reduction impact is one of the many projects that characterise our economic development relations with Ghana,” Mr Lang stated.
The ambassador added that the Swiss government was supporting the Allanblackia project for a number of reasons which include the promotion of sustainable small-scale use of tropical forests and agricultural lands by local communities, while raising awareness of environmental concerns.
He expressed the hope that work done to develop the best practice guidelines for Allanblackia harvesting would be the key reference to further develop the Allanblackia related standards in co-operation with all the partners.
Launching the project ,the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Henry Ford Kamel, said the country’s forestry sector had experienced several challenges such as excessive exploitation, illegal harvesting, degradation and weak regulatory framework.
Citing the example of the reduction in the nation’s forest cover from 8.2 million hectares in the 90’s to 1.6 million hectares due to factors such as illegal logging and chainsaw operations.
“ The challenges we face in the forest sector call for innovative measures that will make the use of forests and their resources sustainable, which is why the Allanblackia project is laudable and in line with the government’s development agenda”.
The Senior Forest Officer for West and Central Africa, Mr Martin Nganje, said the first phase of the project was launched on March 23, 2005 with a key reference for the elaboration of standards that would promote sustainable production and trade of Allanblackia and facilitate market access through an open multi-stakeholder platform.
Oil derived from Allanblackia seeds can be used for cooking, preparing medicines, making of soaps and the manufacture of margarine and cosmetics. It can also be used in preparing ice-cream, coatings, cake and for baking cookies.
The tree grows naturally in the forest, adjoining areas and to some extent on farms, especially in the Central, Western, Ashanti and Eastern Regions of Ghana.
The project, being promoted by the Swiss government and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is to help reduce poverty in Ghana and to improve the livelihoods of Ghanaian farmers while promoting biodiversity in the country.
It also seeks to provide guidance on how to tackle technical aspects related to the regeneration and determination of the appropriate ecology of the Allanblackia tree, especially, on farms and to develop sustainable value chains through the elaboration of standards for the tree.
The $6 million project is a public-private partnership, with the Swiss government contributing $ 1.9 million. Other partners contributing to the project include Unilever, the World Agro-forestry Centre, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and IUCN.
At the Launch, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Ghana, Mr Nicholas Lang, said the objective of Switzerland’s economic development to Ghana is to support the implementation of Ghana’s poverty reduction strategy with the ultimate aim of supporting Ghana to become a middle income country.
He said that was the reason for the Swiss government’s effort to support the implementation of the commodity since it was interested in helping to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of Ghanaian farmers.
“ Our support to develop Allanblackia as a niche product for export with poverty reduction impact is one of the many projects that characterise our economic development relations with Ghana,” Mr Lang stated.
The ambassador added that the Swiss government was supporting the Allanblackia project for a number of reasons which include the promotion of sustainable small-scale use of tropical forests and agricultural lands by local communities, while raising awareness of environmental concerns.
He expressed the hope that work done to develop the best practice guidelines for Allanblackia harvesting would be the key reference to further develop the Allanblackia related standards in co-operation with all the partners.
Launching the project ,the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Henry Ford Kamel, said the country’s forestry sector had experienced several challenges such as excessive exploitation, illegal harvesting, degradation and weak regulatory framework.
Citing the example of the reduction in the nation’s forest cover from 8.2 million hectares in the 90’s to 1.6 million hectares due to factors such as illegal logging and chainsaw operations.
“ The challenges we face in the forest sector call for innovative measures that will make the use of forests and their resources sustainable, which is why the Allanblackia project is laudable and in line with the government’s development agenda”.
The Senior Forest Officer for West and Central Africa, Mr Martin Nganje, said the first phase of the project was launched on March 23, 2005 with a key reference for the elaboration of standards that would promote sustainable production and trade of Allanblackia and facilitate market access through an open multi-stakeholder platform.
Friday, April 9, 2010
FIRE DESTROYS KORLE-BU SB-STATION (PAGE 31, APRIL 9, 2010)
Fire destroyed part of the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG’s) Sub-station “E” of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital yesterday.
The fire, said to have been caused by an electrical fault, partly burnt cables connected to the transformer that serves part of the hospital, leaving the Surgical Medical Emergency, Central Out-Patient Department (OPD), Accident Centre, Dental Department and the Pharmacy in total blackout.
Some patients and officials who saw thick smoke coming out through the window of the substation at 8:45a.m. used fire extinguishers to fight the fire before the arrival of fire service personnel few minutes later.
According to the second in command of the Electrical Workshop of the hospital, Mr Nana Agyemang Korang, the engineers of the hospital had worked on the change-over switches at the sub-station the previous day but could not finish with the work.
He said they decided to finish the work in the morning when they saw thick smoke coming out from the windows of the sub-station and called for fire extinguishers from nearby wards.
He said the engineers of the hospital were working closely with engineers of ECG to restore power to the departments affected.
The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Mr Mustapha Salifu, said the engineers were working to replace the damaged cables caused by the fire and was optimistic that power would be restored to the affected areas, which he described as critical departments that needed immediate attention.
He, however, said if the engineers were not able to resolve the problem patients in the Surgical Medical Emergence Unit would be transferred to other wards in the hospital.
Mr Salifu assured Ghanaians that the management of the hospital was doing everything possible to address the problem.
The fire, said to have been caused by an electrical fault, partly burnt cables connected to the transformer that serves part of the hospital, leaving the Surgical Medical Emergency, Central Out-Patient Department (OPD), Accident Centre, Dental Department and the Pharmacy in total blackout.
Some patients and officials who saw thick smoke coming out through the window of the substation at 8:45a.m. used fire extinguishers to fight the fire before the arrival of fire service personnel few minutes later.
According to the second in command of the Electrical Workshop of the hospital, Mr Nana Agyemang Korang, the engineers of the hospital had worked on the change-over switches at the sub-station the previous day but could not finish with the work.
He said they decided to finish the work in the morning when they saw thick smoke coming out from the windows of the sub-station and called for fire extinguishers from nearby wards.
He said the engineers of the hospital were working closely with engineers of ECG to restore power to the departments affected.
The Public Relations Officer of the hospital, Mr Mustapha Salifu, said the engineers were working to replace the damaged cables caused by the fire and was optimistic that power would be restored to the affected areas, which he described as critical departments that needed immediate attention.
He, however, said if the engineers were not able to resolve the problem patients in the Surgical Medical Emergence Unit would be transferred to other wards in the hospital.
Mr Salifu assured Ghanaians that the management of the hospital was doing everything possible to address the problem.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
CLEANFARMS GHANA PROJECT LAUNCHED (PAGE 31, APRIL 7, 2010)
A project to locate and collect obsolete pesticides, veterinary products which pose a potential risk to the environment as well as human and animal health has been launched in Accra.
The project dubbed: "Cleanfarms Ghana Project" is a collaboration between CropLife Ghana, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (EPA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The objective of the project is to reduce the risk associated with obsolete stocks of pesticides that will over time deteriorate and cause harm to the environment.
Obsolete products include pesticides products that have expired, pesticides that have been banned or severely restricted because of high toxicity.
In a speech read on his behalf at the launch, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, said Agriculture inputs were key components of modern agriculture, contributing to increase in crop yields achieved in recent decades.
He, however, said the total disregard for effective and efficient disposal could create adverse effects on the environment and also the economy.
He said the issue about the proper disposal of obsolete pesticides as well as their containers was a major task which the Government of Ghana (GoG) alone could not manage without the help of the private industry.
"It is, therefore, heart-warming for CropLife International through its national association, CropLife Ghana, to initiate such an exercise and GoG through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would provide all the necessary assistance for the initiative”, he pointed out.
He said the agri-input business, largely due to the liberalisation policy of the government has increased the accessibility of inputs to the rural farmers, but had brought in its wake serious problems for the industry and therefore the need for all stakeholders to join hands to find a solution to the problem.
“ In this regard I will add my voice to that of the CropLife Ghana to call on all importers of agricultural inputs, especially, the pesticides, liquid fertilisers and veterinary pesticide products to set up mechanisms to retract all the used-empty containers from the field”.
Mr Ahwoi advised the general public to comply with the project directions and provide all the necessary information leading to the eventual cleaning and the disposal of such hazardous materials in the country.
Mr Ahwoi said it was a serious issue that needed to be tackled by appropriate authorities since it contributed massively to the stocking of obsolete products and was of the belief that the enforcement of the Pesticide Act would prevent future stocking of obsolete materials.
The Director, Chemicals Control and Management Centre of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr John Pwamang, said unusable pesticide posed greater risks to people, animals and the environment than products in good conditions.
Mr Pwamang said the project involved the safeguarding of obsolete stockpiles that were identified as needing urgent action.
Throwing more light on the project, the Local Project Co-ordinator, Mrs Juliet Biney, said information obtained from the national inventory of stocks and their locations would be stored in the Obsolete Pesticide Management System (OPMS) for the necessary environmental risk assessment.
She said one would be required to register any obsolete, unwanted pesticides and veterinary products with any of the campaign offices across the country before June 22, 2010
Mrs Biney explained that the collection and safeguarding phase would commence in August 2010 to March 2011 and advised the public to register any obsolete pesticide to make the campaign a success.
In the year 2000, the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) proposed an initiative to address the accumulation of obsolete pesticide stockpiles across the African continent, at the same time negotiations for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants were coming to a close.
African countries then requested for assistance to manage obsolete POPs pesticides, recognising that they pose serious threats to the health of both rural and urban population.
The project dubbed: "Cleanfarms Ghana Project" is a collaboration between CropLife Ghana, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (EPA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The objective of the project is to reduce the risk associated with obsolete stocks of pesticides that will over time deteriorate and cause harm to the environment.
Obsolete products include pesticides products that have expired, pesticides that have been banned or severely restricted because of high toxicity.
In a speech read on his behalf at the launch, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, said Agriculture inputs were key components of modern agriculture, contributing to increase in crop yields achieved in recent decades.
He, however, said the total disregard for effective and efficient disposal could create adverse effects on the environment and also the economy.
He said the issue about the proper disposal of obsolete pesticides as well as their containers was a major task which the Government of Ghana (GoG) alone could not manage without the help of the private industry.
"It is, therefore, heart-warming for CropLife International through its national association, CropLife Ghana, to initiate such an exercise and GoG through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would provide all the necessary assistance for the initiative”, he pointed out.
He said the agri-input business, largely due to the liberalisation policy of the government has increased the accessibility of inputs to the rural farmers, but had brought in its wake serious problems for the industry and therefore the need for all stakeholders to join hands to find a solution to the problem.
“ In this regard I will add my voice to that of the CropLife Ghana to call on all importers of agricultural inputs, especially, the pesticides, liquid fertilisers and veterinary pesticide products to set up mechanisms to retract all the used-empty containers from the field”.
Mr Ahwoi advised the general public to comply with the project directions and provide all the necessary information leading to the eventual cleaning and the disposal of such hazardous materials in the country.
Mr Ahwoi said it was a serious issue that needed to be tackled by appropriate authorities since it contributed massively to the stocking of obsolete products and was of the belief that the enforcement of the Pesticide Act would prevent future stocking of obsolete materials.
The Director, Chemicals Control and Management Centre of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr John Pwamang, said unusable pesticide posed greater risks to people, animals and the environment than products in good conditions.
Mr Pwamang said the project involved the safeguarding of obsolete stockpiles that were identified as needing urgent action.
Throwing more light on the project, the Local Project Co-ordinator, Mrs Juliet Biney, said information obtained from the national inventory of stocks and their locations would be stored in the Obsolete Pesticide Management System (OPMS) for the necessary environmental risk assessment.
She said one would be required to register any obsolete, unwanted pesticides and veterinary products with any of the campaign offices across the country before June 22, 2010
Mrs Biney explained that the collection and safeguarding phase would commence in August 2010 to March 2011 and advised the public to register any obsolete pesticide to make the campaign a success.
In the year 2000, the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) proposed an initiative to address the accumulation of obsolete pesticide stockpiles across the African continent, at the same time negotiations for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants were coming to a close.
African countries then requested for assistance to manage obsolete POPs pesticides, recognising that they pose serious threats to the health of both rural and urban population.
CLEANFARMS GHANA PROJECT LAUNCHED (page 31, April 7, 2010)
A project to locate and collect obsolete pesticides, veterinary products which pose a potential risk to the environment as well as human and animal health has been launched in Accra.
The project dubbed: "Cleanfarms Ghana Project" is a collaboration between CropLife Ghana, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (EPA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The objective of the project is to reduce the risk associated with obsolete stocks of pesticides that will over time deteriorate and cause harm to the environment.
Obsolete products include pesticides products that have expired, pesticides that have been banned or severely restricted because of high toxicity.
In a speech read on his behalf at the launch, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, said Agriculture inputs were key components of modern agriculture, contributing to increase in crop yields achieved in recent decades.
He, however, said the total disregard for effective and efficient disposal could create adverse effects on the environment and also the economy.
He said the issue about the proper disposal of obsolete pesticides as well as their containers was a major task which the Government of Ghana (GoG) alone could not manage without the help of the private industry.
"It is, therefore, heart-warming for CropLife International through its national association, CropLife Ghana, to initiate such an exercise and GoG through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would provide all the necessary assistance for the initiative”, he pointed out.
He said the agri-input business, largely due to the liberalisation policy of the government has increased the accessibility of inputs to the rural farmers, but had brought in its wake serious problems for the industry and therefore the need for all stakeholders to join hands to find a solution to the problem.
“ In this regard I will add my voice to that of the CropLife Ghana to call on all importers of agricultural inputs, especially, the pesticides, liquid fertilisers and veterinary pesticide products to set up mechanisms to retract all the used-empty containers from the field”.
Mr Ahwoi advised the general public to comply with the project directions and provide all the necessary information leading to the eventual cleaning and the disposal of such hazardous materials in the country.
Mr Ahwoi said it was a serious issue that needed to be tackled by appropriate authorities since it contributed massively to the stocking of obsolete products and was of the belief that the enforcement of the Pesticide Act would prevent future stocking of obsolete materials.
The Director, Chemicals Control and Management Centre of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr John Pwamang, said unusable pesticide posed greater risks to people, animals and the environment than products in good conditions.
Mr Pwamang said the project involves the safeguarding of obsolete stockpiles that are identified as needing urgent action.
Throwing more light on the project, the Local Project Co-ordinator, Mrs Juliet Biney, said information obtained from the national inventory of stocks and their locations would be stored in the Obsolete Pesticide Management System (OPMS) for the necessary environmental risk assessment.
She said one would be required to register any obsolete, unwanted pesticides and veterinary products with any of the campaign offices across the country before the June 22, 2010
Mrs Biney explained that the collection and safeguarding phase would commence in August 2010 to March 2011 and advised the public to register any obsolete pesticide to make the campaign a success.
In the year 2000, the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) proposed an initiative to address the accumulation of obsolete pesticide stockpiles across the African continent, at the same time negotiations for the Stockholm Convention on Persistence Organic Pollutants ( ??? ) were coming to a close.
African countries then requested for assistance to manage obsolete POPs pesticides, recognising that they pose serious threats to the health of both rural and urban population.
The project dubbed: "Cleanfarms Ghana Project" is a collaboration between CropLife Ghana, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (EPA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The objective of the project is to reduce the risk associated with obsolete stocks of pesticides that will over time deteriorate and cause harm to the environment.
Obsolete products include pesticides products that have expired, pesticides that have been banned or severely restricted because of high toxicity.
In a speech read on his behalf at the launch, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, said Agriculture inputs were key components of modern agriculture, contributing to increase in crop yields achieved in recent decades.
He, however, said the total disregard for effective and efficient disposal could create adverse effects on the environment and also the economy.
He said the issue about the proper disposal of obsolete pesticides as well as their containers was a major task which the Government of Ghana (GoG) alone could not manage without the help of the private industry.
"It is, therefore, heart-warming for CropLife International through its national association, CropLife Ghana, to initiate such an exercise and GoG through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would provide all the necessary assistance for the initiative”, he pointed out.
He said the agri-input business, largely due to the liberalisation policy of the government has increased the accessibility of inputs to the rural farmers, but had brought in its wake serious problems for the industry and therefore the need for all stakeholders to join hands to find a solution to the problem.
“ In this regard I will add my voice to that of the CropLife Ghana to call on all importers of agricultural inputs, especially, the pesticides, liquid fertilisers and veterinary pesticide products to set up mechanisms to retract all the used-empty containers from the field”.
Mr Ahwoi advised the general public to comply with the project directions and provide all the necessary information leading to the eventual cleaning and the disposal of such hazardous materials in the country.
Mr Ahwoi said it was a serious issue that needed to be tackled by appropriate authorities since it contributed massively to the stocking of obsolete products and was of the belief that the enforcement of the Pesticide Act would prevent future stocking of obsolete materials.
The Director, Chemicals Control and Management Centre of the Environmental Protection Agency, Mr John Pwamang, said unusable pesticide posed greater risks to people, animals and the environment than products in good conditions.
Mr Pwamang said the project involves the safeguarding of obsolete stockpiles that are identified as needing urgent action.
Throwing more light on the project, the Local Project Co-ordinator, Mrs Juliet Biney, said information obtained from the national inventory of stocks and their locations would be stored in the Obsolete Pesticide Management System (OPMS) for the necessary environmental risk assessment.
She said one would be required to register any obsolete, unwanted pesticides and veterinary products with any of the campaign offices across the country before the June 22, 2010
Mrs Biney explained that the collection and safeguarding phase would commence in August 2010 to March 2011 and advised the public to register any obsolete pesticide to make the campaign a success.
In the year 2000, the Pesticide Action Network (PAN) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) proposed an initiative to address the accumulation of obsolete pesticide stockpiles across the African continent, at the same time negotiations for the Stockholm Convention on Persistence Organic Pollutants ( ??? ) were coming to a close.
African countries then requested for assistance to manage obsolete POPs pesticides, recognising that they pose serious threats to the health of both rural and urban population.
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