DAILY GRAPHIC, Friday, December 30, 2011. Ghanaians React To Fuel Price Increases With Mixed Feelings

Story: Graphic Reporters

There are mixed reactions to increases in fuel prices and transport fares announced by the National Petroleum Authority and the Ministry of Transport in Accra on Wednesday.

While the Trade Union Congress and  some commercial transport owners, drivers and passengers  have expressed disappointment others said the decision was in the best interest of the economy.

Other sections of the public also entreated the government to formulate effective strategies to mitigate the effects of such price hikes.

In a statement signed by the General Secretary, Mr Kofi Asamoah, the TUC said it had noted with “deep concern and outright dismay” the announcement by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) of fuel price increases by between 15 and 30 percent.

The TUC said the increases during the yuletide with all the commitments of Ghanaian workers as well as the imminent payment of the school fees of wards in January, 2012, were astronomical.

“We find it difficult to appreciate how government could slap such astronomical increases on the Ghanaian workers, their families and the travelling public in the middle of the Christmas festivities, especially, when many workers went into the season without receiving their salaries. Working people also have school fees and other commitments in early January to pay,” the statement said.

While pointing out that the timing of the announcement of fuel price increases was wrong and unacceptable, the TUC emphasised the untold hardship the increases would bring to families and households.

The TUC noted that the fuel price increase announced by the NPA was the second increase for the year, with the first increase announced on January 3, 2011, with the increase of between 20 and 30 percent.

“For 2011, therefore, Ghanaians have had to endure a cumulative increase of between 35 and 60 per cent increases in fuel prices.

This astronomical increase is compared with the timid increase of 20 percent in wages and salaries across board for public sector workers for the whole year.

“This means that for the ‘action year’, Ghanaian workers and their families have only witnessed an erosion of their incomes giving the very direct link between fuel price hikes and the general price levels in the country,” it added.

The statement said TUC had on several occasions expressed concern over such exorbitant increases in fuel prices, equally expressing concern over the manner in which fuel prices were determined and announced in the country.

Transport fares at the Neoplan station in Accra have increased to almost 30 per cent even though the NPA had approved    10 per cent as inter-city fares, reports  Zainabu Issah & Mary Ankrah in Accra.

Mr John Tetteh, the First Trustee of the Neoplan Drivers Union told the Daily Graphic  that the increment of the petroleum products also affects the prices of spare parts and lubricants.

The new fare prices include Accra to Kumasi 49 seater bus which previously cost GHC 13 is now GHC 15, 31 VVIP seater from Accra to Kumasi now cost GHC 22, an increment of 20 per cent, Sunyani 49 seater bus formerly GHC16 now GHC19.

The rest are from Accra to Wenchi 49 seater bus now costs GH 20 which was formally GH17, Accra to Bibiani also increased form GH 14 to GH17. Techiman to Accra also now costs GHC 19 with Accra to Kintampo increasing form GH18 to GH21.

The Transport Manager of the VIP Transport services at the Nkrumah Circle, Mr Eric Botswe told the Daily Graphic that they increased their fares only around 12 noon today (Thursday), after a board meeting held by the Board Members of the company.

Before 12 noon, they were taking a fare of GHC 10 for the Yutong buses that moved from Circle to Kumasi, but have now increased the fare to GHC 15. The VIP buses that used to charge GHC 20 from circle to Kumasi has also increased to GHC 25.

Marian Ansah & Moses Awiah reports that the situation was not different at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle trotro station where most transport operators although dissatisfied about the increase in the petroleum prices, stated that there was nothing they could do about it, because the government had already taken its decisions.

They said they were contented that the passengers had not given them any problems so far.

Mr Stephen Ana, the Secretary of the Biakoye Taxi Drivers Union said the increment came unexpected that at the moment some taxi fares in his jurisdiction will be increase and others will maintain the old prices until another petroleum increment.

This was because the little increment on those fares are insignificant and would not cause any problem to the drivers.

He added that the union was still waiting for the National Coordinating Council of the GPRTU to print the new fares list to paste so that passengers will have a fair ideal about the new developments in the station.

Mr Ana pointed that the taxi fares from Circle to Dansoman which supposed to be increased from GHC 1.50 to GHC1.65 is GH 1.60, Circle to North Kaneshie and Fadama still remain GHC 1.10 while North Kaneshie to Swanlake has moved from 0.60Gp to 0.70Gp for Peugeot cars.

Some passengers at the  various lorry parks admitted that   it was in the past that passengers quarrelled with drivers and their conductors over increase in transport fares when fuel price was increased, due to lack of communication writes Alice Aryeetey

They stated that things are not the same anymore since most people now have radio and television sets, as well as read newspapers in their homes and work places, from which they get most information from.

“There is no need in fighting over this, when you hear it on the radio that fuel prices have been increased”, a passenger said.

From Tamale Vincent Amenueveve reports Drivers who ply between Savelugu and Tamale said business slowed down when the new fuel prices were announced as most residents in Tamale and Savelugu were reluctant to travel. The fares between Tamale and

Savelugu have gone up from 1.20 Ghana cedis to 1.50 Ghana cedis.

The Northern Regional Vice Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Alhaji Abukari Chendiba,confirmed the fuel hikes and new transport fares but warned drivers to charge the approved transport fares that have gone up by 10 percent.

He urged them to  avoid overloading as a means of making more money at the expense of the passengers’ comfort and safety.

He said the various stations have been instructed to boldly display the new fares on their respective notice boards for passengers to be aware of them.

A taxi driver, Mr. Abdulai Mohammed stated that the 15 percent price hike in petrol does not tally with the 10 percent increment in transport fares. He explained that the discrepancy was likely to affect commercial drivers than the rest of the public.

Mr. Adam Mohammed, a student was not happy at the fuel increases saying “money is hard to come by these days”.

From Koforidua, Nana Konadu Agyeman, reports that all the transport union executives at the various lorry stations in the New Juaben Municipality have complied with 15 per cent increases in fares.

At the Kumasi Lorry Park, fare for Koforidua-Kumasi bound air-conditioned vehicles had been increased from GH8 to GH9, while the fare for the ordinary ones had also shot up from GH7 to GH8.

Vehicles plying Koforidua-Somanya road had increased their fare from GH2.20p to GH2.50p, while those travelling from Koforidua to Krobo-Odumase had been raised fare from GH2.40p to GH2.70p.

Koforidua-Nkawkaw bound vehicles had their fares increased from GH3.20p to GH4, while air-conditioned vehicles moving from Koforidua to Accra had also raised their fare from GH4.20p to GH5, with the ordinary vehicles increasing their fares from GH3.50 to GH4.

At the main taxi rank, fares for taxi cabs running short destinations within the municipality had seen a GH0.50 increment, while long destinations within the area with rough roads such as Agavenya, Trom, Osabane, Okorase and parts of Kasadjan had their fares increased by GH0.10.

A number of passengers the Daily Graphic spoke at the various stations expressed no resentment at the fares increases but hoped that there would not be further fare increase in the near future.

Managers of fuel stations in the Sunyani Municipality have started implementing the announcement of the increases in the commodity while drivers plying the various routes in the area and beyond have adjusted their fares correspondingly reports Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah in Sunyani.

 From the lorry stations to the various destinations, taxi fares which attracted 40Gp and 50Gp, have now gone up to 50Gp and 60Gp respectively while Urvan bus drivers from Sunyani to Kumasi are charging GHC50.00 instead of the previous fare of GHC40.00.

From Sekondi/Takoradi, Moses Dotsey Aklorbortu, reports that the increase in the fuel prices announced by NPA has reflected in various fuel and LPG stations in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis.

 Before the approved 10 per cent fare adjustment was announced, drivers at various lorry stations had adjusted their prices a little higher than what was announced.

Some of the drivers were rather charging between 50 and 100 per cent which resulted in some form of heated argument between the drivers and passengers in the early hours of Thursday.

At the Sekondi/Takoradi station prior to the increment, Takoradi to Adiembra was GHc70p and had been increase to GHc1.00 and Sekondi-Takoradi and Essikado had also been increase from GHc70p to GHc1.00 and GHc1.20p respectively.

The situation was  replicated in other parts of the metropolis but some passengers at lorry parks  at Anaji refused to board the ‘trotro’ due to the arbitrary increament but the situation was later resolved.

At the time of going to the press, situations have normalized and drivers were going on as usual.

DAILY GRAPHIC, Thursday, December 29, 2011. Traders abandon Odorna Market



The abandoned stalls at the Odorna Market

 Story & Picture: Mary Ankrah

ONE of the biggest markets in Accra, the Odorna Market at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, is now virtually empty, four years after it was opened, because the traders  complain of low patronage as a result of hawkers besieging the pedestrian walkways.

Most of the traders who spoke to the Daily Graphic said sales in the first few months were good but now things were not good as they had anticipated because pedestrian hawkers had taken over most of the customers.

Although the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says it is removing all pedestrian hawkers and continues to urge the traders to relocate to the market as there are still spaces there, the hawkers have paid no heed to the call.

Meanwhile, traders have abandoned their stalls in the Odorna Market to sell along the streets near the lorry station because people hardly go to the market to make purchases.

 “When customers shop from the small market and get to the lorry station, they feel that is the end of the market so they pick vehicles and go home,” the Vice-President and Public Relations Officer of the Petty Traders Association of the market, Mr Paul Adu-Boahen, told the Daily Graphic.

The abandoned stalls have become sleeping places for porters (“kayayei”) and street guys, a development which makes the place unsafe for traders.

The market also lacks electricity, a warehouse to store goods, a fire post, a police station and security.

Mr Adu-Boahen said it was difficult for electronic dealers to sell their goods because they could not test their appliances for their customers, while those who sell drinking water are also affected.

 Besides, there had been incidents of loss of goods and theft as a result of the lack of security guards and a warehouse.

He said most traders got loans from banks to do their business and it would be an unpleasant situation for them if their businesses did not bring good returns, since it would be difficult for them to pay back those bank loans.

Among the products sold in the market are foodstuffs, provisions, food products, electronic goods, textiles, second-hand clothes, shoes, bags, jewellery, hair products, beverages, cooking utensils and others.

There are also hair salons, dressmaking shops, cold stores, chop bars and a lorry station.

The petty traders are, therefore, urging the government to provide the amenities they need, while the AMA should endeavour to fulfill its promise to provide gutters, security, a police station and banks to make the Odorna Market attractive for traders to stay and sell their goods there, instead of selling on the pavements

DAILY GRAPHIC, December 23, 2011. Xmas In The Air As Shoppers Besiege Accra




Hundreds of shoppers besieged the central business district of Accra to purchase items for the Yuletide

  Story: Mary Ankrah

With three days  to Christmas, the Central Business District (CBD) is bursting with business activities as shoppers, motorists, pedestrians, traders and hawkers struggle for space to make the best out of the festive season.

All roads leading to the city centre are choked with human and vehicular traffic as last minute desperate shoppers troop to Accra to buy their goodies for the celebration.

Human and vehicular traffic was more intense yesterday following the siege by visitors and residents who were engaged in last-minute shopping for the season and the situation is likely to get worse within the next 48 hours.

In spite of the introduction of the one-way routes in the CBD by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly about a year ago, most commuters to Accra were frustrated in finding their way to the shopping centres.

In an attempt to manage the vehicular traffic, the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police Service has put in place mechanisms to deal with the situation to ensure that shoppers and motorists move about more freely.

Despite the milling crowd of shoppers, traders expressed mixed reactions about patronage, explaining that most of the shoppers were just on a widow-shopping spree.

They added that some of the shoppers attributed the slow business atmosphere to lack of money in the system, delay in the payment of salaries for December and the fact that parents were thinking of payment of school fees in January 2012.

Compared to last year,  there has been a hike in prices of goods, but that notwithstanding, the goods like rice, cooking oil, drinks, confectionaries, children’s  clothing and shoes are on high demand.

Prices show that a 5kg of rice which used to sell between GHc8 and GHc11 is now selling between GH¢11 and GHc16; cooking oil that went for between GH¢10 and GHc13 is now between GH¢15 and GH¢17; children’s dress which sold between GH¢6 and GH¢8 is now above GH¢10, while shoes that sold at GH¢5 last year are now GH¢12.

“Most people are complaining that there is no money in the system and they have to pay school fees immediately after Christmas, so they are being careful with spending,” Esi Amoah, a children’s dress seller said while wiping sweat from her face.

A shoe seller who gave his name as Yaw said patronage had not been as good as expected but was optimistic that he would sell more as the Christmas day approached.

However, Anita Ansah, a confectionary and drinks seller, had a different experience. “People are buying a lot of biscuits and drinks and I am sure sales will even go higher close to December 24,” she said.

The situation was not different at the Kaneshie Market.

Mr Kojo Amoako, the owner of a retail shop in Kaneshie, said he usually made close to GH¢1,000 a day during the festive season, but  indicated that he could not  boast such amount this year as sales had gone down.

DAILY GRAPHIC, Friday, December 23, 2011. Hospitality enterprises asked to be professional in service delivery



Graduates of the school in a group photograph at the graduation ceremony


Story: Mary Ankrah

THE Ministry of Tourism has urged tourist and hospitality enterprises to provide professional services by training their staff to meet the competition in the global world.

A Deputy Director at the Ghana Tourist Development Company (GTDC), Mr Kwabena Asante-Donkor, who read a speech on behalf of the Minister for Tourism at the graduation ceremony of the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management last Saturday, said the need for training had made the ministry to establish a platform to sort out priorities, whereby a standardised and improved curriculum had been established for all hospitality training institutions Ghana.

He said the act transforming the Ghana Tourist Board into an authority had been passed by Parliament to enhance powers for professional capacity training for the industry.

The Rector of the school, Mr Goyimwole Enukomeko Kpodo, in his address, announced that the school had been given an accreditation to start a degree programme from 2012.

He entreated the graduates to treat everyone equally, whether white or black, in their job wherever they might serve.

A total of 80 students were awarded certificates and diplomas in Hotel and Restaurant Administration which confirms the skills and knowledge they have acquired throughout the courses.

Those who showed exceptional performance in their studies were rewarded for their efforts.

The school trains and equips students with the know-how in the hospitality industry.

Apart from that, the school publishes a bi-monthly newspaper, “Tourism Today”, as a channel of communicating tourism-related issues to promote tourism in Ghana and Africa.

DAILY GRAPHIC, Thursday, December 22, 2011. Princess Marie Louise Hospital fetes children

Story: Mary Ankrah

THE Management Board and staff of the Princess Marie Louise Hospital in Accra has organised a Christmas party for the children at the hospital.

The event is celebrated annually to show love to the children in the hospital and elsewhere.

The Medical Superintendent of the hospital, Dr Eric Sifah, said the completion of  the hospital’s Surgical Block had helped to reduce the referral of surgical cases to other health centres, adding that the hospital would soon complete its Neo-natal Unit.

He mentioned that despites these improvements, the number of staff kept reducing because some of them had to leave for further studies abroad.

Speaking at the event, Rev. Fr Andrew Campbell said Christmas was a season for family togetherness but in Ghana, there were so many broken families.

This, he said, was as a result of parents being too busy for work, attending social activities such as funerals, weddings and other events.

He, therefore, advised parents to stay with their families this Christmas because the season is meant for families to come together.

The Minister for Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Juliana Azuma-Mensah, who represented the First Lady, Mrs Ernestina Naadu Mills, also commended the Management Board of the hospital for showing love to the sick children and their mothers.

The minister said women were becoming the heads of household, saying that the 2010 census revealed that there was rising numbers of female-headed households which meant that most women were looking after their children on their own as compared to men.

She said most parents put their jobs and trades ahead of their children, leaving the children in the care of househelps and nannies or male members who may abuse them or they may be found in the company of bad groups or peers who might influence them into vices such as smoking, drinking, stealing and others.

Mrs Azuma-Mensah, therefore, called on parents to be more responsible and love their children so that they do not become wayward in the society.

The minister, on behalf of the First Lady, presented food items consisting 20 bags of rice, eight gallons of cooking oil, one carton of tin tomatoes and 25 crates of eggs to the children.

Other groups such as Melcom Group Limited gave some items, Addia Cutlass Limited presented a public address system worth GH¢4,000 to the hospital while the Knights and Ladies of Mashall presented a refrigerator to the hospital. Movenpick Hotel sponsored the events with foods.

DAILY GRAPHIC, Saturday, December 17, 2011. 2 Bodies fund renal centre for Military Hospital



Affected Kidney

 Story: Mary Ankrah

THE Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) and the Christian Community of Microfinance Limited (CCML) have launched an advocacy fund to acquire a dialysis machine to cater for kidney patients at the 37 Military Hospital.

Mobile phone texting of “Kidney” to the short code 1962 across all networks has been developed to take effect from January 2012 and it is intended to generate funds in support of the project.

The kidney project, dubbed, “Save a cedi to save a kidney”, is anticipated to build and stock an ultra-modern Renal Centre at the 37 Military Hospital to address the rising incidence of kidney malfunction in society.

The 37 Military Hospital, one of the most patronised health centres in the country, has no kidney unit and so it refers kidney cases to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

According to an urologist at the hospital, Lt Col Sunny Mante, in a month about “40 patients who need dialysis get access to the facilities out of 80 patients. The remaining 40 patients don’t get access, either because of finance or the non-availability of admission facilities”.

That, he said, indicated that the establishment of the Renal Centre at the 37 Military Hospital would go a long way to provide affordable treatment for those who needed that intervention.

At the launch of the kidney project, the General Secretary of the CCG, Rev Dr Fred Deegbe, said the church of God is noted for building schools, hospitals, agricultural stations and other interventions for the benefit of society.

He noted that the kidney project would enable patients suffering from kidney-related illnesses have access to quality care and reduce the pressure on the facilities at Korle-Bu.

Rev Dr Deegbe called on Corporate Ghana to support the 37 Military Hospital to help save lives.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Mr Albert Essamuah, the chairman of the CCML board, stated that the CCML was associated with the project to help the poor access health care and be able to manage themselves.

He said if everyone was able to contribute to purchase the dialysis machine, the cost for the treatment of kidney diseases would be affordable.

Chronic kidney disease in Ghana is said to be on the increase, with the Renal Unit of Korle-Bu recording 3,281 cases in 2010.

The figure, according to the Head of the Korle-Bu Renal Unit, Dr Charlotte Osafo, was a 38 per cent increase over that recorded in 2009.

Risk factors for kidney disease are high blood pressure, diabetes, overweight, as well as smoking, excessive alcohol intake, people with a family history of kidney disease, abuse of pain killers, among others.

DAILY GRAPHIC, Friday, December 16, 2011. Emmaland Resources exploits iron ore in NR

Mr Ababio delivering  the welcome address at the inauguration ceremony.

Story: Mary Ankrah

EMMALAND Resources Ghana Limited, an iron ore mining company, has been granted prospecting license to exploit for iron ore in the Sheini Hills of Zabzugu Tatale in the Northern Region of Ghana.

The license issued to the company covers an area of approximately 55 kilometres long by an average of seven kilometres wide and approximately 400 square kilometres.

A large deposit of the mineral which can last for 200 years has been found in that area.

The mining project, a joint venture between Emmaland and Cadero Resource Corporation, will focus on a large scale undeveloped iron deposit with world class potential, and the project is anticipated to add considerably to the Ghanaian economy.

This marks a turning point in Ghana’s dependence on gold and cocoa as a major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

With regard to employment creation, the company at its current exploratory stages has developed and maintained a well-resourced exploratory team, largely staffed by the local people, with some expatriate input.

Its also targeting to employ more than 10,000 people.

At a ceremony to inaugurate Emmaland Minerals Centre, the Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, said the government had put in place several interventions to generate employment for the people of Ghana and had invested GH¢84 million to expand the Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP) for more people to gain employable skills.

He said government was “pleased to see an indigenous Ghanaian company partnering with a multinational company to create jobs for the people, especially the youth.”

Mr Ankrah stated that the government would support the initiative to make the project a success as long as they worked in accordance to the laws of the land and also work for the benefit of the indigenous people.

The Member of Parliament for Okaikoi North Constituency, Mrs Elizabeth K. T. Sackey, said the introduction of the “Golden Age of Business” by the past administration, under the leadership of the former President John Agyekum Kufuor was, therefore, not a mere rhetoric as it was to promote the private sector as the engine growth of the national economy.

According to Mrs Sackey, the government has introduced and promoted a business atmosphere with, “less government intervention, with a view to creating an enabling environment that would accelerate the growth of businesses in the country.”

The Chief Executive Officer of the Emmaland’s Resources Ghana Ltd, Mr Emmanuel Ababio, told the Daily Graphic that the company was conscious about its social responsibility so it had graded the road to link Zabzugu to the Sheini Hills and constructed a bridge over the river between the Sheini and Camp A.

He said the company was rehabilitating the Presidential Lodge at Zabzugu to use as a field office.

“We will also bring more revenue to support Ghana’s economy” he said, stating that the company would bring into the country $4.6 billion for the initial project.

Mr Ababio said the joint company was looking forward to becoming one of the first or second largest iron ore companies in the world.

DAILY GRAPHIC, Friday, December 16, 2011. The Dutch government supports Ankobra Gold Route project



A cross-section of participants during the workshop in Accra

 Story: Mary Ankrah

THE Government of The Netherlands has released funds for the support of work on the Ankobra Gold Route project.

The 18-month project which began in July, 2011, will cost a total amount of 315,000 euros of which 148,950 euros will be provided by the Government of The Netherlands.

The rest of the support will come from Ricerca e Cooperazione (RC), an Italian development NGO with 91,950 euros while 74,500 euros will be contributed by other partners, stakeholders and beneficiaries in Ghana.

The project is aimed at identifying and conserving cultural properties including  Ghanaian-Dutch objects, documents and artefacts along the Ankobra river in the Western Region of Ghana.
It is expected that the project will strengthen the common history and heritage shared by Ghana and The Netherlands.

 It is also anticipated that the project will promote a sustainable tourism in the area, generate employment and contribute to the economic and cultural development of the communities and institutions involved in the project.

The project is run by a consortium consisting of RC, the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB) and the University of Pavia (Italy). Co-applicants and contributors include the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), the Public Records and Archives Administration Department of Ghana (PRAAD), the University of Ghana (Departments of History), Atlantic World and the Dutch Programme (AWAD) and the University of Groningen (Netherlands).

A sensitisation workshop organised by the GMMB, on the theme; “The Ankobra Gold Route: Common Ghanaian-Dutch historical and cultural in Western Ghana” in Accra, created awareness on the Ghanaian relationship with The Netherlands and sought cooperation from stakeholders.

According Mr F. Ampofo of the PRAAD, 143 artefacts had been excavated at the project area to be exhibited at Axim in July next year.

He said the artefacts included objects, maps and paintings of both Ghanaians and the Dutch, stressing that more artefacts were yet to be excavated.   

Some participants advised that the project group should involve the youth and also sensitised the people of the community whose resources would be used to improve their livelihood to seek their cooperation.

They also recommended the project group to use practical strategies to deliver benefits to the Ankobra people and its environs to improve the quality of life of the people.

The workshop was attended by people from PRAAD, GMMB, RC group, representatives from The Netherlands Embassy, representatives from GTB, the media and other institutions.

DAILY GRAPHIC, Thursday, December 15, 2011. Armajro support Farmers Day with GH¢ 30, 000

Story: Mary Ankrah

 Armajaro Ghana Limited has presented a cheque for GH¢30,000 to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) as its contribution to this year’s Farmers Day celebration.
Making the presentation in Accra on Tuesday, Armajaro’s Director of Operations, Mr Nelson Kpodo-Tay, said the company had a strong reputation in the cocoa sector with innovations in the internal marketing of cocoa.

He said Armajaro had set up a dedicated team specialising in traceability and sustainability (T&S) across its commodity chain.

“We consider that traceability is key to the long-term success of any sustainability initiative and, therefore, we have invested in software systems and training to provide traceability for the projects with which we are involved,” he said.

He said in 2007, Armajaro successfully implemented a project to source traceable cocoa in Ghana.
So far, the company, through its Cocoa Traceable Foundation, has invested over US$2 million to improve water and sanitation, as well as education, in 52 communities in which it operates.

Mr Kpodo-Tay said the company would continue to help farmers spray their farms against cocoa diseases and pest which accounted for low productivity, while tree seedlings would be planted on cocoa farms to help reverse the trend of deforestation.

“As the company’s cotton operations grow in the north, it is expected that similar interventions will be possible,” he said.

A Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Fisheries, Nii Amasah Namoale, who received the donation, was grateful to Armajaro for its kind gesture.

DAILY GRAPHIC,Thursday, December 15, 2011. Herbal hospital opens at Sowutuom

The newly inaugurated herbal hospital complex at Sowutuom

Story: Mary Ankrah

A herbal hospital complex to provide alternative medicine in the Greater Accra Region and beyond was inaugurated at Sowutuom yesterday.

Known as the Agbeve Herbal Hospital, the10-bed facility has the capacity to handle over 500 cases daily.
The ultra-modern hospital has facilities to undertake laboratory tests and scan and provide other services. It has six units, namely: physiotherapy; nutrition; pharmacy; laboratory; scan and fitness.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, Alhaji Mohammed Agbeve, the hospital will handle almost all diseases both acute and chronic except insanity and HIV and AIDS.

Ahalji  Agbeve implored the government to formulate policies that would enable herbal practicing centres to have accreditation to provide service under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

In addition, he proposed that banks assist to grant flexible and long term loans with low lending rate to herbal practitioners for the development and promotion of the herbal industry.

Inaugurating the facility, Mr Samuel Boateng, a Director of Health, who represented the Minister of Health, said the government would continue to promote traditional medicine in the country through public-private partnership.

He, therefore, encouraged the management of the Agbeve Herbal Hospital and other herbal medicine practitioners to collaborate in the development of traditional medicine.

That the strengthening of the herbal industry would contribute to the economic development through growth in export, import, increase employment and increase government revenues.

He said: “Over 14 export medicinal plant materials and products generated about 15 million USD annually for the country, and thereby contributing to the achievements of the Millenium Development Goals 4 and 5.”

He advised herbal medicine practitioners to abstain from unethical practices that exposed people’s lives to danger.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Clement Humado, encouraged all Ghanaians to do a lot of exercises to enhance their physical fitness. He said frequent exercises ensured proper functions of the organs of the body, especially for those whose work involved sitting at one place.

He said national productivity depended on the health of its people.

Present at the ceremony were  the Ameer and Missionary-In-Charge, Ahmadiyya Muslims Mission, Ghana, the Minister for Youth and Sports, ministers, Parliamentarians, members from  Muslim communities, traditional leaders, herbal medicine practitioners and others.

DAILY GRAPHIC, Wednesday, December 14, 2011, Front pg & pg. 3. Ghana to increase power supply by 2015

Vice-President John Dramani Mahama (right) addressing the Millenium Challenge Account Ghana Program compact II at a ceremony in Accra. Those with him are Prof. Samuel Sefa-Dedeh (2nd left) and Mr Jonathan Bloom (left), Vice-President of the Millenium Chanllege corperation.

Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru & Mary Ankrah

   The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has stated that Ghana will increase power generation to ensure reliable power supply and become a net exporter of power in the West African sub-region by 2015.

He said Ghana had comparative advantage over its neighbouring countries and indicated that the country would explore other sources of energy, such as solar and biomass, to increase power generation.

Mr Mahama was speaking at a summit on the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Compact Two in Accra Tuesday.

The summit, attended by regulators, operators and consumers, was on the theme, “Powering Ghana for Accelerated Development”.

The MCA Compact Two is to fund power generation and transmission to ensure reliable power supply in the country.

The summit was to provide a forum for the participants to make inputs into the concept paper for the MCA II.

The Vice-President noted that power was critical to the development of the country because of its support for the industrial and the agricultural sectors.

He said the country’s energy demand was increasing, a situation which required adequate funding to improve infrastructure, and, therefore, thanked the US government for deciding to support Ghana under the MCA II and indicated that the expected increased power generation would create wealth and reduce poverty.

Mr Mahama said the government had already begun power sector reforms with the establishment of infrastructure to increase power generation.

“Investing in power, making it reliable and improving access are the ways to go,” he stressed.

He expressed the hope that MCA II’s support would improve the transmission system and regulation and promote private sector participation in the power sector.

He said there was the need for the projects under the MCA II to consider local content and technology transfer and  warned against giving contracts to lower bidders, since it created unfairness and affected the proper execution of projects.

A Deputy Minister of Energy, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, said Ghana continued to explore ways of making energy a fundamental right of all citizens and indicated that the main strategy of the energy policy was to increase the installed generation capacity from approximately 2,000 megawatts to 5,000 megawatts.

He said Ghana required $1.7 billion to meet its quest for universal access and indicated that the government had received $966.55 million from bilateral and multilateral institutions in that regard.

Alhaji Fuseini said there was a shortfall of $729 million, for which reason support from the MCA Compact II would be helpful.

The National Co-ordinator of the MCA II, Prof Samuel Sefa-Dedeh, said his outfit wanted to incorporate the views of stakeholders to put Ghana in a better position to access the MCA II.

The Vice-President of the MCC, Mr Jonathan Bloom, gave the assurance that the MCC would collaborate with Ghana to improve power generation and supply in the country.

DAILY GRAPHIC, December 11, 2011. CPP Flag-bearer Race: Nduom Shelves Ambition

Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom

Story: Dominic Moses Awiah & Mary Ankrah

AN aspiring presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, has suspended his bid to run as the flag bearer of the party in the 2012 general election.

Rather, he has decided to assume a back-seat role in the affairs of the party to avoid being accused of overshadowing the leadership and taking over the party.

To ensure a level playing field for all presidential aspirants of  the party, he has further decided to stop all campaign and regular activities with the regional and constituency executives of the CPP, hoping that that approach will leave the field wide open for aspiring presidential candidates such as Mr George Aggudey, Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, Mr Bright Akwetey and others to campaign for the support and attention of delegates mandated to elect the presidential candidate.

At a press conference in Accra yesterday to convey Dr Nduom’s decisions, the Youth For Nduom 2012 said Dr Nduom would rather focus his attention on organising his campaign, supporters and volunteers outside of the CPP.

Speaking on behalf of Dr Nduom, the Spokesperson for the Youth for Nduom 2012, Mr Nii Armah, said in order to avoid conflict, “Dr Nduom will speak from his personal perspective and not as the party’s spokesperson, as alleged by the General Secretary of the party, Mr Ivor Greenstreet”.

He debunked the assertion that Dr Nduom was responsible for the poor showing of the party in the 2008 general election.

“To ascertain the real causes of the 2008 result, Dr Nduom wishes that a committee be established under the auspices of the CPP’s Council of Elders, working with the Ghana Peace Council,’’he stated.
     Mr Armah expressed the view that  some people in the CPP were using Dr Nduom to mask their own shortcomings.

According to him, Dr Nduom had no intention of disrespecting the leadership of the party, stressing that “all his effort was geared towards improving the support base of the party’’.
   “Since the 2008 general election, Dr Nduom has never relented in his effort to reorganise the CPP,’’ he said.

Last Tuesday, the Chairperson of the party, Ms Samia Yaba Nkrumah, accused Dr Nduom of creating disunity and conflict among the party’s supporters and delegates.

According to her, Dr Nduom was responsible for the decision of one-third of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to convey an urgent meeting to fix a date for the CPP’s presidential primary.

Reacting to the chairperson’s allegations, Mr Armah said the party was only looking for someone to blame for its inability to organise its primary. 

A member of the Youth for Nduom 2012, Mr Kofi Asamoah-Siaw, told the Daily Graphic that Dr Nduom was the only candidate capable of leading the CPP in the 2012 general election.

“Apart from Dr Nduom, who else can overtake the NPP and the NDC?’’ he asked.

He said the CPP’s chances of taking power from the NDC depended on Dr Nduom.

DAILY GRAPHIC, Saturday, December 10, 2011. Osu St James Catholic Church inauguration

The Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle,
sprinkling water on the plaque during the dedication ceremony

Story & Picture: Mary Ankrah

THE Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, has officially opened and dedicated the St James Catholic church, a Ghanaian community church at Osu.

The magnificent edifice, which began 10 years ago, was built through the generous, hard work and selflessness of different individuals and families in the church.

Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle applauded the congregation for their immense contributions and consistent support towards the

At the ceremony,  awards were presented to Rev. Fr James Duncan, past Parish Priest and  Rev. Fr Daniel M.Tettedji, the Parish Priest.

Members of the church, who made substantial contributions towards the building project, were also rewarded.

The church also donated Gh¢ 2,000 each to the  Ga rural area Parish and to the Catholic Digest, a publication of the church.

The story of St James Catholic church started 40 years ago, with some Ghanaians joining the Lebanese community for the celebration of Holy Mass at St Maroun church at Osu-RE.

A year later, other Ghanaians joined resulting in an increase in membership which led to occasional clashes with the Lebanese community,creating inconveniences for both communities.

The Ghanaian community decided to acquire a plot of land in 1995 to build their own church.