THE public accords health workers special recognition because of the important role they play in saving human lives and safeguarding the health of the people.
Consequently, health workers are better paid. In addition, patients and their relations are prepared to reciprocate this gesture in cash or in kind.
Following agitation for better conditions of service for health professionals in the country, the government responded by appointing consultants to examine the remuneration of those professionals, particularly doctors.
The consultants acknowledged the importance of health professionals by recommending attractive packages for them, a move that has placed health workers above their counterparts anywhere on the continent.
However, it appears that our health professionals are still dissatisfied with their conditions of service.
At its National Executive Meeting held at the weekend, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) called on the Ministry of Health to expedite action on the salary negotiations of health workers to avert any possible unrest in the health sector.
We know that the government is studying the single spine salary structure (SSSS) to enable it to put the framework in place for its implementation. On other fronts, the National Tripartite Committee has been meeting to redefine the minimum wage to take into account present national and global realities.
It is instructive that the GMA is not in principle against the SSSS, except that it wants “placement on this structure to be based on a comprehensive job evaluation study which, luckily, has been done by consultants appointed by the government”.
But for our recognition of the role of health professionals in our health delivery system and by extension our national development agenda, our riposte to the latest agitation from the doctors would have been, “Give us a break.” Lest we are mistaken, let us make it clear that we recognise the need for all workers to be decently rewarded for their labour.
For some years now, health professionals have held society to ransom by embarking on industrial actions during which many people have lost their lives.
Certain actions taken by health workers in the past, especially when they had turned their backs to their consulting rooms and wards, were inimical to the needs of society and against their Hippocratic Oath.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appreciates the sacrifices made by majority of our health workers, some of them practising in the remotest parts of the country. Nonetheless, we think that society has also made sacrifices to enable them to undergo long training at our medical schools and, in some cases, abroad.
We concede that our health professionals work under very trying conditions, but they also have some privileges that are peculiar to their profession.
The huge investment in the health sector can be mutually beneficial if our health workers regard responsibility to their patients as paramount and desist from hanging their stethoscopes in defiance of their own code, which defines the standards for acceptable behaviour for all health workers.
This time round, Ghanaians ask our health workers to spare them the agony of deserted health facilities and follow the necessary grievance procedures to seek redress for their concerns.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
IN SEARCH OF FOOD SECURITY (MON, MARCH 30, 2009)
GHANA can achieve food security only when the people are able to feed themselves locally.
Currently, we are unable to achieve food security largely because of the lack of a clear-cut policy on how to wean ourselves from imported food items, particularly rice, maize, wheat and tomatoes.
Certainly, no country can build a strong economy, if it is unable to feed its people from food grown locally.
For many years now, many people have expressed concern about the millions of dollars spent importing rice to feed our people. It is strongly believed that a little of the money spent on food importation can be channelled into a fund to provide credit for farmers to produce these foodstuffs locally.
President J. E. A. Mills said in Cape Coast that the country’s overdependence on outside support and intervention in the areas of food aid created a subservient culture, which affected the national psyche and mentality.
There are many who are in the same dilemma as the President because just like him, they find it difficult to understand why in the midst of rich resources, Ghana still goes cap-in-hand for food handouts.
We, therefore, urge the government to initiate the necessary policy interventions to ensure that the country breaks away from its reliance on food aid. Indeed, we lose our respect, if we continue to go a-begging when we have all it takes to make us a great nation.
The Daily Graphic will be the last to advocate a close door policy during this era of globalisation. What we need is the exploitation of the positive advantages of globalisation for the good of the country.
We are aware of the difficulties in the agricultural sector, such as the unwillingness of the banks to support our farmers because of the high risk factor. Also, agriculture has not been made attractive to our youth, some of whom consider any endeavour in farming or fishing as a punishment.
The Daily Graphic believes that the only way we can become self-sufficient in food production is the introduction of more pragmatic measures to attract people into farming and fishing.
The intervention, which must be meaningful and enduring, should not be limited to credit facilities and the provision of inputs, but should include far-reaching policies to open up the rural areas.
for, if, for instance, our rural areas lack good roads, good drinking water, good schools and good health facilities, no amount of credit to farmers will motivate the youth to go into farming.
The government’s Youth-In-Agriculture policy can achieve success and help to end our over-reliance on food imports if more incentives are provided to the agricultural sector to motivate people to venture into agriculture rather than flocking into the cities for non-existent white collar jobs.
The Daily Graphic reminds the authorities to factor the provision of agricultural inputs into major policy interventions to revolutionise the sector. Unfortunately, our agricultural authorities, including extension officers, are unable to disseminate the latest technological advancement in the field to enable farmers to increase their yields.
It is strange that sometimes, credit facilities and inputs such as planting materials and fertilisers are delivered to farmers long after the planting season and certainly that would be an exercise in futility.
We all relish the Acheampong Operation Feed Yourself (OFY) programme because of the successes it attained.
We look forward to the return of the OFY magic that will stimulate every Ghanaian to farm every parcel of land to help Ghanaians reduce their expenditure on food items.
Currently, we are unable to achieve food security largely because of the lack of a clear-cut policy on how to wean ourselves from imported food items, particularly rice, maize, wheat and tomatoes.
Certainly, no country can build a strong economy, if it is unable to feed its people from food grown locally.
For many years now, many people have expressed concern about the millions of dollars spent importing rice to feed our people. It is strongly believed that a little of the money spent on food importation can be channelled into a fund to provide credit for farmers to produce these foodstuffs locally.
President J. E. A. Mills said in Cape Coast that the country’s overdependence on outside support and intervention in the areas of food aid created a subservient culture, which affected the national psyche and mentality.
There are many who are in the same dilemma as the President because just like him, they find it difficult to understand why in the midst of rich resources, Ghana still goes cap-in-hand for food handouts.
We, therefore, urge the government to initiate the necessary policy interventions to ensure that the country breaks away from its reliance on food aid. Indeed, we lose our respect, if we continue to go a-begging when we have all it takes to make us a great nation.
The Daily Graphic will be the last to advocate a close door policy during this era of globalisation. What we need is the exploitation of the positive advantages of globalisation for the good of the country.
We are aware of the difficulties in the agricultural sector, such as the unwillingness of the banks to support our farmers because of the high risk factor. Also, agriculture has not been made attractive to our youth, some of whom consider any endeavour in farming or fishing as a punishment.
The Daily Graphic believes that the only way we can become self-sufficient in food production is the introduction of more pragmatic measures to attract people into farming and fishing.
The intervention, which must be meaningful and enduring, should not be limited to credit facilities and the provision of inputs, but should include far-reaching policies to open up the rural areas.
for, if, for instance, our rural areas lack good roads, good drinking water, good schools and good health facilities, no amount of credit to farmers will motivate the youth to go into farming.
The government’s Youth-In-Agriculture policy can achieve success and help to end our over-reliance on food imports if more incentives are provided to the agricultural sector to motivate people to venture into agriculture rather than flocking into the cities for non-existent white collar jobs.
The Daily Graphic reminds the authorities to factor the provision of agricultural inputs into major policy interventions to revolutionise the sector. Unfortunately, our agricultural authorities, including extension officers, are unable to disseminate the latest technological advancement in the field to enable farmers to increase their yields.
It is strange that sometimes, credit facilities and inputs such as planting materials and fertilisers are delivered to farmers long after the planting season and certainly that would be an exercise in futility.
We all relish the Acheampong Operation Feed Yourself (OFY) programme because of the successes it attained.
We look forward to the return of the OFY magic that will stimulate every Ghanaian to farm every parcel of land to help Ghanaians reduce their expenditure on food items.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
GO BLACK STARS, GO (MARCH 28, 2009)
TOMORROW, the Black Stars, the senior national football team, begin another journey towards the 2010 World Cup with a home tie against Benin at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
Paired in Group D alongside Mali and Sudan, the Black Stars, based on current performance and to some extent previous record, are considered the favourites to pick the sole ticket to the 2010 World fiesta.
While the bookmakers tip Ghana ahead of the other three, the Stars must be guided by events of the past so as not to be complacent.
In previous qualifiers, the Stars were always rated above the other teams, but it was the so-called minnows in Africa football that prevented Ghana from qualifying for the fiesta in 2002. We should learn from history.
The Stars know the task ahead and it is heart-warming that they are not underrating any side or taking anything for granted.
The legacy of Ghana’s maiden appearance at the 2006 World Cup cannot be overemphasised. Apart from greatly enhancing the image of the country at the international level, it impacted positively on the careers of the individual players.
It is for this reason that the DAILY GRAPHIC urges the Stars to start the journey to South Africa 2010 on a right note, beginning with not just a win but a convincing one against Benin tomorrow, irrespective of the challenge they pose.
When the opportunity provides itself, they must score as many goals as they can so that the qualification will not be contingent on any permutations, assuming the other teams also come up with similar good performances.
The unflinching support from the government, the entire nation and all the sponsors is enough to motivate the Stars to deliver good results.
Coach Milovan Rajevac admits the importance of the entire qualifiers and particularly this first match and has promised that he will do everything possible to get it right.
We call on the players to eschew complacency, unnecessary distractions, as well as losing focus, as these things have always worked against the team.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes the return of such key players as Michael Essien of Chelsea and Matthew Amoah of NAC Breda couldn’t have been more timely as all hands would be needed on deck to make the 2010 dream a reality.
It is painful to recall that for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers the Stars lost their first game away to Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou but subsequently won the remaining matches. They do not have to take such a risk this time around because of the high expectation of Ghanaians.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is aware that the journey to South Africa 2010 will not be a straight route as there will be obstacles. We are, however, optimistic that the Stars will be among the five teams that will represent Africa at the continent’s own party in South Africa.
But in tune with the old adage that says, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step”, for the Stars and Ghana, the journey to South Africa certainly must start with a win against Benin tomorrow.
Go Black Stars, go!
Paired in Group D alongside Mali and Sudan, the Black Stars, based on current performance and to some extent previous record, are considered the favourites to pick the sole ticket to the 2010 World fiesta.
While the bookmakers tip Ghana ahead of the other three, the Stars must be guided by events of the past so as not to be complacent.
In previous qualifiers, the Stars were always rated above the other teams, but it was the so-called minnows in Africa football that prevented Ghana from qualifying for the fiesta in 2002. We should learn from history.
The Stars know the task ahead and it is heart-warming that they are not underrating any side or taking anything for granted.
The legacy of Ghana’s maiden appearance at the 2006 World Cup cannot be overemphasised. Apart from greatly enhancing the image of the country at the international level, it impacted positively on the careers of the individual players.
It is for this reason that the DAILY GRAPHIC urges the Stars to start the journey to South Africa 2010 on a right note, beginning with not just a win but a convincing one against Benin tomorrow, irrespective of the challenge they pose.
When the opportunity provides itself, they must score as many goals as they can so that the qualification will not be contingent on any permutations, assuming the other teams also come up with similar good performances.
The unflinching support from the government, the entire nation and all the sponsors is enough to motivate the Stars to deliver good results.
Coach Milovan Rajevac admits the importance of the entire qualifiers and particularly this first match and has promised that he will do everything possible to get it right.
We call on the players to eschew complacency, unnecessary distractions, as well as losing focus, as these things have always worked against the team.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes the return of such key players as Michael Essien of Chelsea and Matthew Amoah of NAC Breda couldn’t have been more timely as all hands would be needed on deck to make the 2010 dream a reality.
It is painful to recall that for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers the Stars lost their first game away to Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou but subsequently won the remaining matches. They do not have to take such a risk this time around because of the high expectation of Ghanaians.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is aware that the journey to South Africa 2010 will not be a straight route as there will be obstacles. We are, however, optimistic that the Stars will be among the five teams that will represent Africa at the continent’s own party in South Africa.
But in tune with the old adage that says, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step”, for the Stars and Ghana, the journey to South Africa certainly must start with a win against Benin tomorrow.
Go Black Stars, go!
Friday, March 27, 2009
GHANA-NIGERIA TIES MUST GROW (MARCH 27, 2009)
There appears to be a love/hate relationship between Ghanaians and their Nigerian counterparts, especially those who have relocated to Ghana.
On a number of occasions Ghanaians have accused Nigerians of being responsible for the rise in the crime wave in the country.
It is common to hear some Ghanaians remarking, “Oh Ghanaians are not like that,” and “Nigerians have distorted our values.” Consequently Nigerians are accused of all types of crime, including the incidence of armed robbery, drug trafficking, cyber fraud and white-collar crime.
Indeed, all the bad things that Ghana has been noted for in recent times, including the infamous “Sakawa” (computer fraud), have been attributed to Nigerians. It is unfortunate that the historic bond of friendship between Ghana and Nigeria is being sacrificed on the altar of mere suspicion and perception.
It is in this context that the DAILY GRAPHIC wants to examine the appeal made by the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, to stop generalising criminal issues involving Nigerians living in the country.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that it would be an unfortunate generalisation if Ghanaians labelled every foreigner, including Nigerians, lawless, just on account that a few of them have been arrested for their alleged involvement in criminal activity.
We do not think that it is in the character of Nigerians to be fraudulent, but in every society there are bad elements. The Akans say that “Efie biara Mensa wo mu”, to wit, “In every home there is a third male born”, which means that although some people can have negative character traits, not all members of the community are bad.
Ghana and Nigeria have had long-standing relations and a lot of things in common. We are both former colonies of the British Empire; we are English-speaking countries and members of the Commonwealth. Arguably the two countries are considered the most powerful in the sub-region. In addition, there are many Nigerian businesses, particularly banks, operating in the country, while some Ghanaian business men and women are operating in Nigeria.
This is not to say, however, that the two countries have not had their ups and downs. We have been arch rivals in soccer competitions, while there have been healthy competitions between people of the two countries for supremacy in the fields of education.
No matter how relations between Ghana and Nigeria are looked at, there are a lot of things that bind us positively which can be further exploited to strengthen the existing ties.
However, putting much emphasis on the nationalities of people involved in crime tends to feed on the wrong perception that only Nigerians or people from a particular nation tend to be criminals or engage in criminal acts.
We call on Ghanaians and Nigerians to celebrate the positive things that promote progress and development and stop the stereotyping of people, including even our own people, because they come from a particular part of the country.
All that we are saying is that everybody, including foreigners who live on the soil of Ghana, must join forces with the law enforcement agencies to deal with criminal gangs, but we should be mindful that such actions do not unnecessarily strain the relations between Ghana and Nigeria.
On a number of occasions Ghanaians have accused Nigerians of being responsible for the rise in the crime wave in the country.
It is common to hear some Ghanaians remarking, “Oh Ghanaians are not like that,” and “Nigerians have distorted our values.” Consequently Nigerians are accused of all types of crime, including the incidence of armed robbery, drug trafficking, cyber fraud and white-collar crime.
Indeed, all the bad things that Ghana has been noted for in recent times, including the infamous “Sakawa” (computer fraud), have been attributed to Nigerians. It is unfortunate that the historic bond of friendship between Ghana and Nigeria is being sacrificed on the altar of mere suspicion and perception.
It is in this context that the DAILY GRAPHIC wants to examine the appeal made by the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, to stop generalising criminal issues involving Nigerians living in the country.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that it would be an unfortunate generalisation if Ghanaians labelled every foreigner, including Nigerians, lawless, just on account that a few of them have been arrested for their alleged involvement in criminal activity.
We do not think that it is in the character of Nigerians to be fraudulent, but in every society there are bad elements. The Akans say that “Efie biara Mensa wo mu”, to wit, “In every home there is a third male born”, which means that although some people can have negative character traits, not all members of the community are bad.
Ghana and Nigeria have had long-standing relations and a lot of things in common. We are both former colonies of the British Empire; we are English-speaking countries and members of the Commonwealth. Arguably the two countries are considered the most powerful in the sub-region. In addition, there are many Nigerian businesses, particularly banks, operating in the country, while some Ghanaian business men and women are operating in Nigeria.
This is not to say, however, that the two countries have not had their ups and downs. We have been arch rivals in soccer competitions, while there have been healthy competitions between people of the two countries for supremacy in the fields of education.
No matter how relations between Ghana and Nigeria are looked at, there are a lot of things that bind us positively which can be further exploited to strengthen the existing ties.
However, putting much emphasis on the nationalities of people involved in crime tends to feed on the wrong perception that only Nigerians or people from a particular nation tend to be criminals or engage in criminal acts.
We call on Ghanaians and Nigerians to celebrate the positive things that promote progress and development and stop the stereotyping of people, including even our own people, because they come from a particular part of the country.
All that we are saying is that everybody, including foreigners who live on the soil of Ghana, must join forces with the law enforcement agencies to deal with criminal gangs, but we should be mindful that such actions do not unnecessarily strain the relations between Ghana and Nigeria.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
TIME TO ERADICATE TB (MARCH 26, 2009)
Health, they say, is wealth, for which reason many countries spend large chunks of their budgets on the health needs of their people.
Any country with an unhealthy population is likely to make very little progress. The population of such a country will spend most of their time queuing for medical care.
In the case of Ghana, where agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, productivity will suffer when majority of the people are not healthy, resulting in the high prices of food.
For this reason, the Daily Graphic is worried about the upsurge in reported cases of some diseases in the country. Some of these diseases, such as Buruli ulcer, TB, guinea worm and yaws, were at certain stages said to have been eradicated. But, suddenly, they are afflicting people, even those in the urban centres.
The assurance by President J. E. A. Mills that his government will step up efforts towards the eradication of Buruli ulcer and other diseases is, therefore, refreshing.
These diseases do not only incapacitate their victims but also immobilise them in such a way as to affect their productivity, especially those in rural communities.
It is sad that we are confronted with the menace of these diseases on a very large scale at a time when there are technological advancement and better health facilities in most parts of the country. The treatment for some of these diseases, such as TB and Buruli ulcer, in public health facilities is free, and yet, for some inexplicable reasons, the victims are not making use of the facilities.
At the national launch of World TB Day in Bolgatanga on Tuesday, it was reported that Ghana records about 14,000 new cases of TB every year, as against an average of 5,000 cases recorded in the 1980s. The Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, said the increase in the reported cases could be the direct result of the increase in HIV sero-prevalence rate and other socio-economic factors such as poverty and lack of accommodation.
The situation in the case of TB has become more alarming because persons with HIV/AIDS are susceptible to TB, while some strains of the disease have now become resistant to the drugs commonly used to treat it.
Public education on the diseases has become imperative because local beliefs have contributed to the slow progress in bringing the disease under control.
The Daily Graphic urges TB patients to collaborate with health workers by following the treatment plans, including the drugs given to them at the health facilities.
We also call on health workers, particularly public health workers, to disabuse the minds of the public about the superstitious beliefs surrounding TB and other diseases so that patients can seek better care for their health problems.
Our health workers and policy makers must exploit the inherent advantages in advances in science and technology to help control the spread of diseases and free the energies of the people for productive activities.
The Daily Graphic also calls on the government to initiate policy interventions that will improve the income levels of the people so that we can rise above some of the health challenges that are rearing their ugly heads as a result of poverty and traditional beliefs.
We need to empower our people with knowledge so that they can adopt preventive measures to stop the spread of TB and other diseases.
Any country with an unhealthy population is likely to make very little progress. The population of such a country will spend most of their time queuing for medical care.
In the case of Ghana, where agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, productivity will suffer when majority of the people are not healthy, resulting in the high prices of food.
For this reason, the Daily Graphic is worried about the upsurge in reported cases of some diseases in the country. Some of these diseases, such as Buruli ulcer, TB, guinea worm and yaws, were at certain stages said to have been eradicated. But, suddenly, they are afflicting people, even those in the urban centres.
The assurance by President J. E. A. Mills that his government will step up efforts towards the eradication of Buruli ulcer and other diseases is, therefore, refreshing.
These diseases do not only incapacitate their victims but also immobilise them in such a way as to affect their productivity, especially those in rural communities.
It is sad that we are confronted with the menace of these diseases on a very large scale at a time when there are technological advancement and better health facilities in most parts of the country. The treatment for some of these diseases, such as TB and Buruli ulcer, in public health facilities is free, and yet, for some inexplicable reasons, the victims are not making use of the facilities.
At the national launch of World TB Day in Bolgatanga on Tuesday, it was reported that Ghana records about 14,000 new cases of TB every year, as against an average of 5,000 cases recorded in the 1980s. The Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, said the increase in the reported cases could be the direct result of the increase in HIV sero-prevalence rate and other socio-economic factors such as poverty and lack of accommodation.
The situation in the case of TB has become more alarming because persons with HIV/AIDS are susceptible to TB, while some strains of the disease have now become resistant to the drugs commonly used to treat it.
Public education on the diseases has become imperative because local beliefs have contributed to the slow progress in bringing the disease under control.
The Daily Graphic urges TB patients to collaborate with health workers by following the treatment plans, including the drugs given to them at the health facilities.
We also call on health workers, particularly public health workers, to disabuse the minds of the public about the superstitious beliefs surrounding TB and other diseases so that patients can seek better care for their health problems.
Our health workers and policy makers must exploit the inherent advantages in advances in science and technology to help control the spread of diseases and free the energies of the people for productive activities.
The Daily Graphic also calls on the government to initiate policy interventions that will improve the income levels of the people so that we can rise above some of the health challenges that are rearing their ugly heads as a result of poverty and traditional beliefs.
We need to empower our people with knowledge so that they can adopt preventive measures to stop the spread of TB and other diseases.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
GO AHEAD, REGSEC (WED., MARCH 24, 2009)
THE Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has made an incentive offer of GH¢300 to all residents of the Tamale metropolis who surrender illegal weapons in their possession to the security agencies within the next one month.
The decision, which was taken at an emergency meeting, followed the failure of residents to surrender even a single weapon when the first deadline announced by the Northern Regional Minister elapsed last Friday.
But barely 24 hours after the REGSEC decision, a security analyst, Mr Emmanuel Sowatey, has taken the body to task. In his opinion, “the weapons buy-back move by the REGSEC is wrong and out of place”.
For him, the more important thing for the REGSEC to do was to address the demand-supply chain of the weapons.
He also explained that the REGSEC should have identified and indicated what type of weapons were being retrieved because the GH¢300 offer was ambiguous.
According to him, an AK 47 cost about GH¢1,000.
Much as the DAILY GRAPHIC appreciates the issues raised by Mr Sowatey, we think that it is important to take the first major step, rather than fold our arms and look on unconcerned.
We, therefore, applaud the REGSEC for its bold initiative after that initial failure and urge the council to intensify public education on the matter to make the exercise a success.
As the REGSEC has already indicated, its next line of action will largely depend on the extent to which the people will comply with the latest directive and we have no qualms with that.
But if the scenarios provided by Mr Sowatey are anything to go by, then it would not be surprising if the people refuse to surrender the expensive and more potent AK 47 and the REGSEC would have to start mapping out a strategy to ensure that it wins the war against the illegal trade in arms.
For our part, we suggest a search-and-destroy operation and if it should, indeed, get that far, it will be the duty of all residents to co-operate with the REGSEC and other security agencies to flush out all the bad nuts in the metropolis.
The people of the Tamale metropolis and the Dagbon area have the constitutional right to live in peace and breathe the air of freedom. Consequently, we cannot allow a few disgruntled elements to take the law into their own hands and make life uncomfortable for the law-abiding members of society.
It has cost the nation a fortune to keep the peace in the Dagbon area all these years, but for how long can we continue to do this when majority of our people are wallowing in abject poverty?
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks it is time to nip the problem in the bud and nothing must stop us in our efforts to bring the situation in the Tamale metropolis in particular and the Dagbon area in general to normalcy.
The decision, which was taken at an emergency meeting, followed the failure of residents to surrender even a single weapon when the first deadline announced by the Northern Regional Minister elapsed last Friday.
But barely 24 hours after the REGSEC decision, a security analyst, Mr Emmanuel Sowatey, has taken the body to task. In his opinion, “the weapons buy-back move by the REGSEC is wrong and out of place”.
For him, the more important thing for the REGSEC to do was to address the demand-supply chain of the weapons.
He also explained that the REGSEC should have identified and indicated what type of weapons were being retrieved because the GH¢300 offer was ambiguous.
According to him, an AK 47 cost about GH¢1,000.
Much as the DAILY GRAPHIC appreciates the issues raised by Mr Sowatey, we think that it is important to take the first major step, rather than fold our arms and look on unconcerned.
We, therefore, applaud the REGSEC for its bold initiative after that initial failure and urge the council to intensify public education on the matter to make the exercise a success.
As the REGSEC has already indicated, its next line of action will largely depend on the extent to which the people will comply with the latest directive and we have no qualms with that.
But if the scenarios provided by Mr Sowatey are anything to go by, then it would not be surprising if the people refuse to surrender the expensive and more potent AK 47 and the REGSEC would have to start mapping out a strategy to ensure that it wins the war against the illegal trade in arms.
For our part, we suggest a search-and-destroy operation and if it should, indeed, get that far, it will be the duty of all residents to co-operate with the REGSEC and other security agencies to flush out all the bad nuts in the metropolis.
The people of the Tamale metropolis and the Dagbon area have the constitutional right to live in peace and breathe the air of freedom. Consequently, we cannot allow a few disgruntled elements to take the law into their own hands and make life uncomfortable for the law-abiding members of society.
It has cost the nation a fortune to keep the peace in the Dagbon area all these years, but for how long can we continue to do this when majority of our people are wallowing in abject poverty?
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks it is time to nip the problem in the bud and nothing must stop us in our efforts to bring the situation in the Tamale metropolis in particular and the Dagbon area in general to normalcy.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
PROTECT WATER BODIES, SUSTAIN LIFE (TUES. MARCH 24, 2009)
LAST Saturday was observed as World Water Day to draw attention to the importance of water to the survival of every nation.
The observation was on the theme, “Shared Water, Shared Opportunities”.
Speaking at a flag-raising ceremony in Accra to mark the day, the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Albert Abongo, said, “Access to water for domestic and productive agricultural and other economic activities has a direct impact on the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger in our country.”
“Water is life”, everybody acknowledges, and for this reason governments and local communities have adopted measures to protect their water sources.
In some rural communities in this country and elsewhere, water bodies are treated with reverence and worshipped as gods. Several sacrifices are made to these water bodies in order to sustain them.
Also, in days gone by, farmers were prohibited from farming near the banks of water bodies. In some instances, people in the villages were told not to engage in any activity in special forests reserved along the banks of rivers because they were likely to see certain unpleasant things in them.
Frankly speaking, these were just some precautionary measures adopted by our elders to save our water bodies and the forests nearby from encroachment.
Today, in the name of civilisation and technological advancement, we have rubbished these simple native injunctions, to the detriment of our survival.
Now population explosion and the uncontrolled exploitation of our resources have ganged up to deny us the benefits from the country’s natural resources. Almost all major water bodies, including the River Densu, on which the Weija Dam is sited, and the Volta River, on which the Kpong Dam is built, are facing serious threats from uncontrolled human activities.
Encroachers have built very close to these dams and others in the country, while farmers have destroyed the green belts that prevent siltation and evaporation.
Persistent education of members of communities lying near water bodies on the need to protect these resources has not been heeded.
Every year we are faced with prolonged periods of travelling long distances in search of water, and yet the people ignore appeals to protect water sources.
Many residents of Accra and other cities and towns do not have regular access to potable water. The reason is not far-fetched, though, as demand has outstripped supply because many people are migrating to the urban centres. For instance, output from both the Kpong and the Weija plants is about 90 million gallons per day but demand is about 140 million gallons per day.
The lack of good drinking water creates the environment for water-borne diseases to thrive because many of the people who cannot afford the high cost of water depend on ponds and other untreated water sources.
The DAILY GRAPHIC foresees a bleak future as the rainfall pattern becomes less predictable. This situation will be aggravated by extreme floods and drought, making it expensive to manage the scarce water resources to meet the growing demand of the population.
It is about time all of us returned to the basics of sustainable management and desist from encroaching on our water bodies in order to sustain human life.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, calls on Ghanaians to co-operate with the Water Resources Commission to protect the country’s water bodies to guarantee water for all at all times.
The observation was on the theme, “Shared Water, Shared Opportunities”.
Speaking at a flag-raising ceremony in Accra to mark the day, the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Albert Abongo, said, “Access to water for domestic and productive agricultural and other economic activities has a direct impact on the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger in our country.”
“Water is life”, everybody acknowledges, and for this reason governments and local communities have adopted measures to protect their water sources.
In some rural communities in this country and elsewhere, water bodies are treated with reverence and worshipped as gods. Several sacrifices are made to these water bodies in order to sustain them.
Also, in days gone by, farmers were prohibited from farming near the banks of water bodies. In some instances, people in the villages were told not to engage in any activity in special forests reserved along the banks of rivers because they were likely to see certain unpleasant things in them.
Frankly speaking, these were just some precautionary measures adopted by our elders to save our water bodies and the forests nearby from encroachment.
Today, in the name of civilisation and technological advancement, we have rubbished these simple native injunctions, to the detriment of our survival.
Now population explosion and the uncontrolled exploitation of our resources have ganged up to deny us the benefits from the country’s natural resources. Almost all major water bodies, including the River Densu, on which the Weija Dam is sited, and the Volta River, on which the Kpong Dam is built, are facing serious threats from uncontrolled human activities.
Encroachers have built very close to these dams and others in the country, while farmers have destroyed the green belts that prevent siltation and evaporation.
Persistent education of members of communities lying near water bodies on the need to protect these resources has not been heeded.
Every year we are faced with prolonged periods of travelling long distances in search of water, and yet the people ignore appeals to protect water sources.
Many residents of Accra and other cities and towns do not have regular access to potable water. The reason is not far-fetched, though, as demand has outstripped supply because many people are migrating to the urban centres. For instance, output from both the Kpong and the Weija plants is about 90 million gallons per day but demand is about 140 million gallons per day.
The lack of good drinking water creates the environment for water-borne diseases to thrive because many of the people who cannot afford the high cost of water depend on ponds and other untreated water sources.
The DAILY GRAPHIC foresees a bleak future as the rainfall pattern becomes less predictable. This situation will be aggravated by extreme floods and drought, making it expensive to manage the scarce water resources to meet the growing demand of the population.
It is about time all of us returned to the basics of sustainable management and desist from encroaching on our water bodies in order to sustain human life.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, calls on Ghanaians to co-operate with the Water Resources Commission to protect the country’s water bodies to guarantee water for all at all times.
GETTING OUT OF CREDIT CRUNCH (MONDAY, MARCH 23, 2009)
TWO of Ghana’s major development partners last week pledged to fulfil their promises to support the country to attain its development goals.
The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Yu Wenzhe, and Mr Hans Christian Winkler, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Accra, said in separate discussions with journalists during visits to the Graphic Communication Group Limited that in spite of the credit crunch, their countries would not cut aid to Ghana and that if there must be a review, it would go up.
This piece of information must gladden the hearts of many who are worried about the effects of the global economic meltdown on our living standards.
Today, the uncertainty surrounding the global economic outlook is quite bleak, as countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia experience the shrinking of their economies.
It is in this context that the Daily Graphic welcomes news of further support from Ghana’s trading partners in the wake of slowing growth. The onus is now on us to use whatever support that will come our way to improve upon infrastructure and expand the economic base.
Quite heart-warming is that quite in contrast to the global economic decline, growth in sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to go up. But it is equally worrying that rising food prices will impact negatively on inflation.
The Daily Graphic believes that the time has come for the government to engage all sectors of society in fashioning out the necessary interventions to deal with the global economic challenges.
We are aware of ongoing discussions among the groups that form the National Tripartite Committee to determine the minimum wage, a forum at which the challenges facing the economy will be tabled by the government with the view to getting some suggestions from organised labour and employers.
The issues confronting the economy should not be left to the government alone to deal with because we are in the boat together and the success of government’s interventions will rub positively on all Ghanaians.
We commend the governments of China and Germany for their support for Ghana during these trying times.
But in view of the fact that aid inflows cannot be guaranteed because of the credit crunch, the Daily Graphic reminds the international community to focus more on expanding trading activities with developing countries, as that partnership appears more enduring than aid.
The days ahead will certainly be tough, particularly for all income earners, especially those who receive salaries and wages, because inflationary pressures will reduce our purchasing power.
There will be a lot of pressure on food items, especially major staples such as maize and rice, from now until the next harvest period. And during the period, the government’s austerity measures will be put to test.
Notwithstanding the challenges, we hope that with prudent fiscal planning and monetary policy instruments, the country can maintain stable prices for goods and services and that this can stimulate growth.
The Daily Graphic believes that the austerity measures can receive popular support only when our leaders demonstrate by word and deed that they are ready to share in the country’s economic burden.
The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Yu Wenzhe, and Mr Hans Christian Winkler, the Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Accra, said in separate discussions with journalists during visits to the Graphic Communication Group Limited that in spite of the credit crunch, their countries would not cut aid to Ghana and that if there must be a review, it would go up.
This piece of information must gladden the hearts of many who are worried about the effects of the global economic meltdown on our living standards.
Today, the uncertainty surrounding the global economic outlook is quite bleak, as countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia experience the shrinking of their economies.
It is in this context that the Daily Graphic welcomes news of further support from Ghana’s trading partners in the wake of slowing growth. The onus is now on us to use whatever support that will come our way to improve upon infrastructure and expand the economic base.
Quite heart-warming is that quite in contrast to the global economic decline, growth in sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to go up. But it is equally worrying that rising food prices will impact negatively on inflation.
The Daily Graphic believes that the time has come for the government to engage all sectors of society in fashioning out the necessary interventions to deal with the global economic challenges.
We are aware of ongoing discussions among the groups that form the National Tripartite Committee to determine the minimum wage, a forum at which the challenges facing the economy will be tabled by the government with the view to getting some suggestions from organised labour and employers.
The issues confronting the economy should not be left to the government alone to deal with because we are in the boat together and the success of government’s interventions will rub positively on all Ghanaians.
We commend the governments of China and Germany for their support for Ghana during these trying times.
But in view of the fact that aid inflows cannot be guaranteed because of the credit crunch, the Daily Graphic reminds the international community to focus more on expanding trading activities with developing countries, as that partnership appears more enduring than aid.
The days ahead will certainly be tough, particularly for all income earners, especially those who receive salaries and wages, because inflationary pressures will reduce our purchasing power.
There will be a lot of pressure on food items, especially major staples such as maize and rice, from now until the next harvest period. And during the period, the government’s austerity measures will be put to test.
Notwithstanding the challenges, we hope that with prudent fiscal planning and monetary policy instruments, the country can maintain stable prices for goods and services and that this can stimulate growth.
The Daily Graphic believes that the austerity measures can receive popular support only when our leaders demonstrate by word and deed that they are ready to share in the country’s economic burden.
THE RELEVANCE OF ECOWAS (SAT. MARCH 21, 2009)
IN 1975, some Heads of State of the West African sub-region mooted the idea for the formation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Since then, ECOWAS has been the key player in efforts at strengthening economic and regional integration.
However, quite contrary to the expectations of the founding fathers, ECOWAS is yet to provide the right stimulus for the integration of the sub-region.
One of the major protocols of ECOWAS, the free movement of people, is yet to be attained. A visit to any of the border towns in the sub-region reveals the ugly spectacle of ordinary people in long queues, sometimes being brutalised by border security and customs officials, on the flimsy excuse that they are not carrying travelling documents.
At some of the border towns, such as Aflao in Ghana and Lome in Togo, Seme in Benin and Badagry in Nigeria, border officials have refused to observe the protocols and continue to harass travellers, some of whom travel to the neighbouring countries to visit relations and friends.
Presently, immigration officials at Aflao and Lome openly extort money from travellers before they are allowed to cross the border. It has become a harrowing experience for ECOWAS citizens to travel freely in the sub-region in order to transact business.
Although the economies of individual countries in the sub-region are too weak to compete on the international market, our leaders are doing very little to expedite action on the protocols.
With a population of more than 250 million, the sub-region can be a force to reckon with if our leaders work hard to integrate their markets and other economic endeavours so that the space will become bigger to market our commodities.
Presently, ECOWAS activities gain prominence at the level of governments, while the citizens contribute virtually nothing to the activities of the sub-regional body because it has sidelined the people.
Thus, many of the people who travel in the sub-region do not even know their rights and obligations under the protocols in order to challenge border officials when their rights are being trampled upon.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, welcomes moves by some civil society groups to create public awareness of the ECOWAS protocols, especially the one dealing with the free movement of people.
These groups, including the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), the Abusua Foundation, the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), the Ghana Youth Network and other governmental institutions, have held a rally at the Paga border in the Upper East Region to sensitise the people to the regional protocols.
These protocols, which were adopted some decades ago to facilitate the free movement of people and other collaborations, have not helped to ease travelling frustrations in the sub-region.
Members of the travelling public within the sub-region have gone through nightmarish experiences because of the numerous roadblocks and illegal barriers and the extortion of money by border officials at every border or checkpoint.
The DAILY GRAPHIC acknowledges the huge challenge in achieving the protocols on free movement, a single currency and increased trade. Nonetheless, we want our leaders to galvanise our people to the ideals of ECOWAS in order to create a borderless sub-region.
We also call on the ECOWAS Secretariat to engage more stakeholders in the sub-region, such as media organisations, to educate the people and the agencies on the benefits of an economic and political union.
However, quite contrary to the expectations of the founding fathers, ECOWAS is yet to provide the right stimulus for the integration of the sub-region.
One of the major protocols of ECOWAS, the free movement of people, is yet to be attained. A visit to any of the border towns in the sub-region reveals the ugly spectacle of ordinary people in long queues, sometimes being brutalised by border security and customs officials, on the flimsy excuse that they are not carrying travelling documents.
At some of the border towns, such as Aflao in Ghana and Lome in Togo, Seme in Benin and Badagry in Nigeria, border officials have refused to observe the protocols and continue to harass travellers, some of whom travel to the neighbouring countries to visit relations and friends.
Presently, immigration officials at Aflao and Lome openly extort money from travellers before they are allowed to cross the border. It has become a harrowing experience for ECOWAS citizens to travel freely in the sub-region in order to transact business.
Although the economies of individual countries in the sub-region are too weak to compete on the international market, our leaders are doing very little to expedite action on the protocols.
With a population of more than 250 million, the sub-region can be a force to reckon with if our leaders work hard to integrate their markets and other economic endeavours so that the space will become bigger to market our commodities.
Presently, ECOWAS activities gain prominence at the level of governments, while the citizens contribute virtually nothing to the activities of the sub-regional body because it has sidelined the people.
Thus, many of the people who travel in the sub-region do not even know their rights and obligations under the protocols in order to challenge border officials when their rights are being trampled upon.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, welcomes moves by some civil society groups to create public awareness of the ECOWAS protocols, especially the one dealing with the free movement of people.
These groups, including the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), the Abusua Foundation, the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), the Ghana Youth Network and other governmental institutions, have held a rally at the Paga border in the Upper East Region to sensitise the people to the regional protocols.
These protocols, which were adopted some decades ago to facilitate the free movement of people and other collaborations, have not helped to ease travelling frustrations in the sub-region.
Members of the travelling public within the sub-region have gone through nightmarish experiences because of the numerous roadblocks and illegal barriers and the extortion of money by border officials at every border or checkpoint.
The DAILY GRAPHIC acknowledges the huge challenge in achieving the protocols on free movement, a single currency and increased trade. Nonetheless, we want our leaders to galvanise our people to the ideals of ECOWAS in order to create a borderless sub-region.
We also call on the ECOWAS Secretariat to engage more stakeholders in the sub-region, such as media organisations, to educate the people and the agencies on the benefits of an economic and political union.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
THE CARNAGE MUST STOP (FRIDAY, MARCH 20)
THE nation mourns yet again after precious lives were lost in some horrific accidents last Wednesday.
Increasingly, these accidents are becoming a regular feature on our roads and, for the umpteenth time, the whole nation has been thrown into a state of despair as questions continue to be asked about how best the issue can be addressed.
Indeed, the causes of these accidents are not far fetched and most of the time we are quick to identify them immediately after the accidents occur.
But, quite ironically, these accidents keep recurring in similar manner, despite the findings of committees set up to investigate previous ones with the view to preventing their recurrence.
On many of our roads, signposts displaying speed limits have become beautification showpieces, as very few motorists obey them; drivers reeling of liquor and in stupor turn on the wheels with reckless glee as our roads, many in very good conditions, provide festering ground for human slaughter in the name of motor accidents.
On the Motorway and other asphaltic roads, some motorists believe that they can speed till the accelerator can take it no more, when it is expressly stated that the speed limit is 100 km/h. Unlicensed drivers take to the wheels and go on adventure on the streets, turning the roads into death traps.
The latest carnage should drive us into some serious thinking and analysis of how best to address the causes of these accidents in the short, medium and long terms.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that the enforcement of basic traffic regulations is still a very grey area that needs urgent attention.
The recklessness on our streets is attaining dizzying heights and a radical and consistent approach to effectively manag the use of our roads by motorists is critical to reversing a very disturbing trend.
In this endeavour, it may be helpful for the relevant security agencies to employ the use of electronic surveillance gadgets to track the activities of motorists on a 24-hour basis.
The money spent on road accidents a year makes it imperative that the nation invests in electronic surveillance, as that has proved to be very effective in monitoring the activities of motorists and holding them in check in developed countries.
The Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service must also show greater commitment to address these challenges by first positioning itself as a very professional unit with personnel who will chart a new era of religious enforcement of traffic regulations.
The MTTU should intensify its decision to deploy more personnel on the roads because indications are that motorists tend to respect the regulations when they know of police presence on the roads.
It is heart-warming to note that President John Evans Atta Mills has called an emergency meeting of all the stakeholders in the road and transport sector to find solutions to the carnage which has generated anxiety among Ghanaians.
The DAILY GRAPHIC hopes that such a well-intentioned initiative will encourage transport unions to take action to stem indiscipline on our roads and restore sanity to help prevent the loss of precious lives.
While mourning those who have so far lost their lives in road accidents, the DAILY GRAPHIC urges the police to act swiftly to restore order on the roads and their rod should not spare articulated trucks from neighbouring countries that carry goods in utter disregard of the stipulated axle load.
Increasingly, these accidents are becoming a regular feature on our roads and, for the umpteenth time, the whole nation has been thrown into a state of despair as questions continue to be asked about how best the issue can be addressed.
Indeed, the causes of these accidents are not far fetched and most of the time we are quick to identify them immediately after the accidents occur.
But, quite ironically, these accidents keep recurring in similar manner, despite the findings of committees set up to investigate previous ones with the view to preventing their recurrence.
On many of our roads, signposts displaying speed limits have become beautification showpieces, as very few motorists obey them; drivers reeling of liquor and in stupor turn on the wheels with reckless glee as our roads, many in very good conditions, provide festering ground for human slaughter in the name of motor accidents.
On the Motorway and other asphaltic roads, some motorists believe that they can speed till the accelerator can take it no more, when it is expressly stated that the speed limit is 100 km/h. Unlicensed drivers take to the wheels and go on adventure on the streets, turning the roads into death traps.
The latest carnage should drive us into some serious thinking and analysis of how best to address the causes of these accidents in the short, medium and long terms.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that the enforcement of basic traffic regulations is still a very grey area that needs urgent attention.
The recklessness on our streets is attaining dizzying heights and a radical and consistent approach to effectively manag the use of our roads by motorists is critical to reversing a very disturbing trend.
In this endeavour, it may be helpful for the relevant security agencies to employ the use of electronic surveillance gadgets to track the activities of motorists on a 24-hour basis.
The money spent on road accidents a year makes it imperative that the nation invests in electronic surveillance, as that has proved to be very effective in monitoring the activities of motorists and holding them in check in developed countries.
The Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service must also show greater commitment to address these challenges by first positioning itself as a very professional unit with personnel who will chart a new era of religious enforcement of traffic regulations.
The MTTU should intensify its decision to deploy more personnel on the roads because indications are that motorists tend to respect the regulations when they know of police presence on the roads.
It is heart-warming to note that President John Evans Atta Mills has called an emergency meeting of all the stakeholders in the road and transport sector to find solutions to the carnage which has generated anxiety among Ghanaians.
The DAILY GRAPHIC hopes that such a well-intentioned initiative will encourage transport unions to take action to stem indiscipline on our roads and restore sanity to help prevent the loss of precious lives.
While mourning those who have so far lost their lives in road accidents, the DAILY GRAPHIC urges the police to act swiftly to restore order on the roads and their rod should not spare articulated trucks from neighbouring countries that carry goods in utter disregard of the stipulated axle load.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
WELL DONE, AGRA, STANDARD BANK (MARCH 19, 2009)
ALLIANCE for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the Standard Bank have initiated a public-private partnership programme to unleash the potential of smallholder farmers in four countries on the continent.
The two organisations hope that their bold initiative will promote growth by making available affordable loans for agriculture value chains in Ghana, Mozambique, Uganda and Tanzania.
In that regard, AGRA and Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank, have come together to create a $100 million fund for Africa’s smallholder farmers.
The expectations of the two organisations from the project include the provision of loan opportunities for smallholder farmers, as well as small and medium-size agricultural businesses, previously considered very risky.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) governing the partnership was signed in Accra yesterday by top officials of the bank and AGRA, as well as agriculture ministers of the four participating countries.
It is hoped that this credit package will help to stimulate agricultural production in the four countries, with the possibility of creating ripple effects in other countries on the continent.
In the words of Mr Kofi Annan, the Chairman of AGRA, the present global financial crisis and inflation, food shortages and trade imbalances pose huge social, economic and political risks.
It is an undeniable fact that lack of access to finance has become a major obstacle that prevents farmers from purchasing basic inputs such as good seeds, fertiliser and small irrigation equipment needed to raise farm productivity and generate profit.
Many people on the continent have been worried about the inability of governments to unlock the agricultural potential in order to put abundant food on the tables of the people, most of whom can hardly afford a meal a day.
It is also difficult to understand why our governments have not been able to provide adequate credit for players in the agricultural sector to create jobs and generate individual and national incomes.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that the vicious circle of low agricultural productivity on the continent can be a thing of the past if our governments provide the needed support for farmers.
We call on the governments of the participating countries to take bold steps by devoting more resources to the agricultural sector. Presently, we spend quite a big percentage of national resources to import rice, although Ghana abounds in arable land that can be exploited for food security and the generation of incomes and employment.
If we continue to pay lip service to agricultural productivity, we shall be compelled to go round the world begging for food to feed our people.
The DAILY GRAPHIC encourages the participating countries to take advantage of the initiative by AGRA and Standard Bank to reduce our reliance on food imports.
To achieve this, therefore, we call on the government to provide incentive packages and other loan schemes for those who want to venture into farming, especially those who would want to participate in the Youth in Agriculture programme.
We commend AGRA and Standard Bank for their efforts to buffer the risk associated with lending to the agricultural sector so that our farmers can access credit to expand their operations.
The two organisations hope that their bold initiative will promote growth by making available affordable loans for agriculture value chains in Ghana, Mozambique, Uganda and Tanzania.
In that regard, AGRA and Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank, have come together to create a $100 million fund for Africa’s smallholder farmers.
The expectations of the two organisations from the project include the provision of loan opportunities for smallholder farmers, as well as small and medium-size agricultural businesses, previously considered very risky.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) governing the partnership was signed in Accra yesterday by top officials of the bank and AGRA, as well as agriculture ministers of the four participating countries.
It is hoped that this credit package will help to stimulate agricultural production in the four countries, with the possibility of creating ripple effects in other countries on the continent.
In the words of Mr Kofi Annan, the Chairman of AGRA, the present global financial crisis and inflation, food shortages and trade imbalances pose huge social, economic and political risks.
It is an undeniable fact that lack of access to finance has become a major obstacle that prevents farmers from purchasing basic inputs such as good seeds, fertiliser and small irrigation equipment needed to raise farm productivity and generate profit.
Many people on the continent have been worried about the inability of governments to unlock the agricultural potential in order to put abundant food on the tables of the people, most of whom can hardly afford a meal a day.
It is also difficult to understand why our governments have not been able to provide adequate credit for players in the agricultural sector to create jobs and generate individual and national incomes.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that the vicious circle of low agricultural productivity on the continent can be a thing of the past if our governments provide the needed support for farmers.
We call on the governments of the participating countries to take bold steps by devoting more resources to the agricultural sector. Presently, we spend quite a big percentage of national resources to import rice, although Ghana abounds in arable land that can be exploited for food security and the generation of incomes and employment.
If we continue to pay lip service to agricultural productivity, we shall be compelled to go round the world begging for food to feed our people.
The DAILY GRAPHIC encourages the participating countries to take advantage of the initiative by AGRA and Standard Bank to reduce our reliance on food imports.
To achieve this, therefore, we call on the government to provide incentive packages and other loan schemes for those who want to venture into farming, especially those who would want to participate in the Youth in Agriculture programme.
We commend AGRA and Standard Bank for their efforts to buffer the risk associated with lending to the agricultural sector so that our farmers can access credit to expand their operations.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
THE PAIR TRAWLING PALAVER (WED, MARCH 18)
THE Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has again reiterated its desire to clamp down on pair trawling in our territorial waters.
The Director of Fisheries at MoFA, Mr Alfred Tetebo, told the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday that the ministry would not renew the licences of pair trawlers in the country, explaining that “any trawler caught in pair trawling will be engaging in an illegality”.
Last year, the practice of pair trawling in the country’s territorial waters became a big issue, particularly during the electioneering.
The then government took pains to explain the genesis of the practice and what it had done to end it, including the acquisition of two speed boats for the Ghana Navy.
It is instructive to note that Mr Tetebo revealed that pair trawling was initially for small canoes and vessels but that the bigger trawlers also joined in, thereby depleting marine resources.
Fishermen along the coast were among those who raised the red flag that the activities of pair trawlers were throwing them out of business.
They were particularly worried that when pair trawling was at its peak in the country’s waters, the price of fuel products, including premix, also shot up through the roof and it became a costly venture to go fishing.
Indeed, the fishermen and those who voiced out their protests against pair trawling did not do so out of their dislike for the government but because the practice posed a major challenge to the fishing industry.
But for some interventions by the then Ministry of Fisheries, the fishing industry would have collapsed by now.
It was not only the fishermen who bore the brunt of the activities of pair trawling; the practice also seriously affected the availability of fish in homes and at restaurants.
During the fishing season last year, for instance, the effects of pair trawling was very biting because the normal bumper harvest was missing, as the stock of herrings in our territorial waters had been depleted.
But the Daily Graphic wants to caution that the ban on pair trawling alone will not restore the fishing industry to its past glory, if other logistics are not provided for our fisher folk.
Thankfully, the NDC government has adjusted the price of premix fuel downwards and already some fishermen have expressed optimism that the gesture will help them to make more income from their operations.
They, however, spoke about the high cost of other inputs and fishing gear, such as nets and outboard motors.
However, while the government takes steps to address the concerns, the fishermen also have a responsibility to put a stop to some of their bad practices, such as the use of light, dynamite and other poisonous chemicals during their fishing expeditions.
The fishing industry plays an important role in the economic development of any society, particularly in the maintenance of a balanced diet in our homes.
The Daily Graphic, therefore, encourages the government to do all that it can to increase productivity among our fisher-folk in particular and the fishing industry in general by taking steps to eliminate the bottlenecks hindering growth in the sector.
Let it not be said again by our fisher folk that the pledge by the authorities to eliminate pair trawling is doublespeak. The fishermen will have hope, only if real action is taken by the authorities to address the challenges.
The Director of Fisheries at MoFA, Mr Alfred Tetebo, told the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday that the ministry would not renew the licences of pair trawlers in the country, explaining that “any trawler caught in pair trawling will be engaging in an illegality”.
Last year, the practice of pair trawling in the country’s territorial waters became a big issue, particularly during the electioneering.
The then government took pains to explain the genesis of the practice and what it had done to end it, including the acquisition of two speed boats for the Ghana Navy.
It is instructive to note that Mr Tetebo revealed that pair trawling was initially for small canoes and vessels but that the bigger trawlers also joined in, thereby depleting marine resources.
Fishermen along the coast were among those who raised the red flag that the activities of pair trawlers were throwing them out of business.
They were particularly worried that when pair trawling was at its peak in the country’s waters, the price of fuel products, including premix, also shot up through the roof and it became a costly venture to go fishing.
Indeed, the fishermen and those who voiced out their protests against pair trawling did not do so out of their dislike for the government but because the practice posed a major challenge to the fishing industry.
But for some interventions by the then Ministry of Fisheries, the fishing industry would have collapsed by now.
It was not only the fishermen who bore the brunt of the activities of pair trawling; the practice also seriously affected the availability of fish in homes and at restaurants.
During the fishing season last year, for instance, the effects of pair trawling was very biting because the normal bumper harvest was missing, as the stock of herrings in our territorial waters had been depleted.
But the Daily Graphic wants to caution that the ban on pair trawling alone will not restore the fishing industry to its past glory, if other logistics are not provided for our fisher folk.
Thankfully, the NDC government has adjusted the price of premix fuel downwards and already some fishermen have expressed optimism that the gesture will help them to make more income from their operations.
They, however, spoke about the high cost of other inputs and fishing gear, such as nets and outboard motors.
However, while the government takes steps to address the concerns, the fishermen also have a responsibility to put a stop to some of their bad practices, such as the use of light, dynamite and other poisonous chemicals during their fishing expeditions.
The fishing industry plays an important role in the economic development of any society, particularly in the maintenance of a balanced diet in our homes.
The Daily Graphic, therefore, encourages the government to do all that it can to increase productivity among our fisher-folk in particular and the fishing industry in general by taking steps to eliminate the bottlenecks hindering growth in the sector.
Let it not be said again by our fisher folk that the pledge by the authorities to eliminate pair trawling is doublespeak. The fishermen will have hope, only if real action is taken by the authorities to address the challenges.
CONFLICTS RETARD OUR PROGRESS (TUESDAY, MARCH 17)
WE have been compelled to return to the challenges posed by conflicts in northern Ghana because of their potential to derail any agenda by the government to bridge the gap between the south and the north.
There is a correlation between peace and development because experience has shown that development initiatives are stifled in communities involved in conflict. The peace and stability which the country has enjoyed for more than two decades now has rekindled investor confidence in Ghana.
The government will need to make a lot of sacrifices to raise the necessary resources to implement development activities in the north.
But unless the people reject the path of violence, no amount of injection of capital will help to bridge the gap between the north and the south.
It is in this vein that the DAILY GRAPHIC agrees with the statement by the Upper East Regional Minister, Mark Owen Woyongo, that unnecessary conflicts would greatly hamper the government’s commitment to bridge the developmental gap between the northern part of the country and the south.
Speaking at the first matriculation ceremony for diploma students of the Gbewaa Teacher Training College at Pusiga, he said the objective for the establishment of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority could only be realised “if we stop the unnecessary conflict which tends to retard development in the area”.
The DAILY GRAPHIC has always expressed worry about the refusal of some of our compatriots to say ‘no’ to conflicts and expose those who incite the people to take the law into their own hands.
It is time everybody recognised that the utter disregard for rules and regulations can lead to confusion, violence and loss of lives in society.
When these happen, the government will have to reallocate resources meant for the development of our country to maintain law and order, as well as pay extra money in the form of allowances and ration for security personnel to maintain the peace, as is the case in Bawku presently.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is far from advocating silence on the part of people with grievances. We are convinced that the country’s justice system has clear-cut procedures for addressing the concerns of aggrieved persons.
It is dangerous for any person who is aggrieved to take the law into his or her own hands or adopt self-help to seek justice. Our society has been faced with serious challenges in recent times, particularly in the wake of the global credit crunch.
We will continue to trail behind our brothers and sisters in the developed countries if we compel our government to channel scarce resources into conflict resolution initiatives such as the rebuilding of communities vandalised during communal violence.
Resources are scarce today and investors are looking for peace havens to invest. Luckily, Ghanaians have demonstrated to the whole world that in spite of the difficulties, we are determined to promote the ideals of democratic governance that encourage individual liberties.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, calls on all well-meaning Ghanaians to reject those who want to perpetuate conflict in our communities so that the enabling environment will be created for the people to harness the country’s resources for their well-being.
There is a correlation between peace and development because experience has shown that development initiatives are stifled in communities involved in conflict. The peace and stability which the country has enjoyed for more than two decades now has rekindled investor confidence in Ghana.
The government will need to make a lot of sacrifices to raise the necessary resources to implement development activities in the north.
But unless the people reject the path of violence, no amount of injection of capital will help to bridge the gap between the north and the south.
It is in this vein that the DAILY GRAPHIC agrees with the statement by the Upper East Regional Minister, Mark Owen Woyongo, that unnecessary conflicts would greatly hamper the government’s commitment to bridge the developmental gap between the northern part of the country and the south.
Speaking at the first matriculation ceremony for diploma students of the Gbewaa Teacher Training College at Pusiga, he said the objective for the establishment of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority could only be realised “if we stop the unnecessary conflict which tends to retard development in the area”.
The DAILY GRAPHIC has always expressed worry about the refusal of some of our compatriots to say ‘no’ to conflicts and expose those who incite the people to take the law into their own hands.
It is time everybody recognised that the utter disregard for rules and regulations can lead to confusion, violence and loss of lives in society.
When these happen, the government will have to reallocate resources meant for the development of our country to maintain law and order, as well as pay extra money in the form of allowances and ration for security personnel to maintain the peace, as is the case in Bawku presently.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is far from advocating silence on the part of people with grievances. We are convinced that the country’s justice system has clear-cut procedures for addressing the concerns of aggrieved persons.
It is dangerous for any person who is aggrieved to take the law into his or her own hands or adopt self-help to seek justice. Our society has been faced with serious challenges in recent times, particularly in the wake of the global credit crunch.
We will continue to trail behind our brothers and sisters in the developed countries if we compel our government to channel scarce resources into conflict resolution initiatives such as the rebuilding of communities vandalised during communal violence.
Resources are scarce today and investors are looking for peace havens to invest. Luckily, Ghanaians have demonstrated to the whole world that in spite of the difficulties, we are determined to promote the ideals of democratic governance that encourage individual liberties.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, calls on all well-meaning Ghanaians to reject those who want to perpetuate conflict in our communities so that the enabling environment will be created for the people to harness the country’s resources for their well-being.
Monday, March 16, 2009
FINANCING EDUCATION (MARCH 16)
President John Evans Atta Mills on Saturday touched on a subject that will gladden the hearts of many students in tertiary institutions.
He announced at the 2009 congregation of the University of Ghana (UG) that the government would not espouse full-cost recovery in tertiary institutions.
“Providing quality education, the cycle will never be complete without quality tertiary education. That is why the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC’s) social democracy agenda does not believe in full-cost recovery,” he said.
In our part of the world, particularly since the adoption of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in the 1980s, our partners have insisted on certain key reforms in the social services sector. These reforms include cost recovery in education, health and utility services.
Sometimes it makes sense for donors or creditors to demand proper accounting of the resources they provide us to improve on living conditions.
The decay or deterioration of facilities in most of our public institutions, particularly in the health and educational sectors, is the result of the lack of resources to renew or expand these structures.
Thus, one is greeted with the sad spectacle of people sleeping on the floor in the wards of public hospitals, while in our universities, students are crowded into lecture halls and residential blocks.
The way out of this predicament does not lie solely in the introduction of cost recovery in a country where the majority are on subsistence.
The state, as is the case in the so-called advanced societies that give us support, provides safety nets for the vulnerable before it introduces measures to compel those who have to pay for social services. That is why, in the advanced economies, they have the dole system to support the marginalised in society.
In providing support for students in tertiary institutions, it will be necessary for governments to go beyond espousing the policy of not recovering full cost to carry out a needs assessment of students. There are some students from rich homes and it will not be too much to ask their parents and guardians to contribute to their education.
Society itself has its priority areas and to be able to develop the skilled manpower base to prosecute such an agenda, it will also be worthwhile for the government to expand the scholarships, grants and bursary schemes for students who excel in some areas, no matter their economic circumstance.
For, we know that some students have used their loans from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to acquire luxury items, instead of using the money to facilitate qualitative education for themselves.
Indeed, the Daily Graphic concedes that the majority of students could have dropped out of school but for the support they received from the loans scheme.
Nonetheless, with the credit crunch staring at the globe, we call on the government to desist from dishing out handouts to students just on account that some people cry that they cannot afford it.
Although the Daily Graphic agrees that full-cost recovery will deny the poor access to education, a wholesale programme would be difficult for the economy to sustain.
However, we welcome the initiative by the government to calm the agitation on our campuses, but it should come up with a comprehensive needs assessment programme that can throw up for identification needy students so that they can be appropriately supported.
He announced at the 2009 congregation of the University of Ghana (UG) that the government would not espouse full-cost recovery in tertiary institutions.
“Providing quality education, the cycle will never be complete without quality tertiary education. That is why the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC’s) social democracy agenda does not believe in full-cost recovery,” he said.
In our part of the world, particularly since the adoption of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in the 1980s, our partners have insisted on certain key reforms in the social services sector. These reforms include cost recovery in education, health and utility services.
Sometimes it makes sense for donors or creditors to demand proper accounting of the resources they provide us to improve on living conditions.
The decay or deterioration of facilities in most of our public institutions, particularly in the health and educational sectors, is the result of the lack of resources to renew or expand these structures.
Thus, one is greeted with the sad spectacle of people sleeping on the floor in the wards of public hospitals, while in our universities, students are crowded into lecture halls and residential blocks.
The way out of this predicament does not lie solely in the introduction of cost recovery in a country where the majority are on subsistence.
The state, as is the case in the so-called advanced societies that give us support, provides safety nets for the vulnerable before it introduces measures to compel those who have to pay for social services. That is why, in the advanced economies, they have the dole system to support the marginalised in society.
In providing support for students in tertiary institutions, it will be necessary for governments to go beyond espousing the policy of not recovering full cost to carry out a needs assessment of students. There are some students from rich homes and it will not be too much to ask their parents and guardians to contribute to their education.
Society itself has its priority areas and to be able to develop the skilled manpower base to prosecute such an agenda, it will also be worthwhile for the government to expand the scholarships, grants and bursary schemes for students who excel in some areas, no matter their economic circumstance.
For, we know that some students have used their loans from the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to acquire luxury items, instead of using the money to facilitate qualitative education for themselves.
Indeed, the Daily Graphic concedes that the majority of students could have dropped out of school but for the support they received from the loans scheme.
Nonetheless, with the credit crunch staring at the globe, we call on the government to desist from dishing out handouts to students just on account that some people cry that they cannot afford it.
Although the Daily Graphic agrees that full-cost recovery will deny the poor access to education, a wholesale programme would be difficult for the economy to sustain.
However, we welcome the initiative by the government to calm the agitation on our campuses, but it should come up with a comprehensive needs assessment programme that can throw up for identification needy students so that they can be appropriately supported.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
THAT OUR ROADS MAY BE SAFE (MARCH 14)
THE spate of road accidents in the country is an issue of great concern to many Ghanaians, as there appears to be no let up.
At the height of the recklessness on our roads, the Motor Traffic and Transport (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service has declared a new era of effective patrols on highways in the country.
To show its commitment to the cause of restoring sanity on our roads, the MTTU has, indeed, begun deploying more highway patrol men to help enforce road regulations as part of efforts to reduce the spate of road accidents in the country.
The latest initiative by the MTTU is commendable, as it aptly expresses a commitment to address a very nagging issue that has plagued us for many years.
It has been estimated that the country has one of the worst road accident rates on the continent and that alone should serve as a strong factor to challenge the relevant authorities to embark on an aggressive and effective drive to address our road safety woes.
In many developed countries, the presence of traffic cops on the highways serves as a strong deterrent for road traffic offenders, but that cannot be said of the situation in the country.
Time and again, complaints about unprofessional conduct on the part of traffic cops have received some spotlight but it appears the canker has been difficult to eliminate.
Traffic cops have often been accused of compromising their professional conduct by accepting bribes from road traffic offenders.
On assumption of office, the acting IGP, Mrs Elizabeth Mills-Robertson, outlined measures to ensure a more disciplined society and the intensified patrols on the streets are a strong indication that those declarations were not empty rhetoric.
While the DAILY GRAPHIC welcomes this development, we also wish to emphasise the need to remain committed to the ideals of the initiative.
In years gone by, traffic cops were jolted into action after public outcry over road accidents, but those drives only remained a nine days’ wonder.
This time round, there should be a greater desire to enforce the laws and that should not be left to the personnel of the MTTU.
As noted by the MTTU boss, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Daniel Avorga, the success of the initiative would also depend on the co-operation of drivers and the travelling public.
It is refreshing to note that this time round the police would not only check the activities of drivers but also educate them on the responsible and safe use of vehicles and the highways.
The enforcement of road traffic laws must be pursued in the most comprehensive manner and education, no doubt, will come in handy in this regard.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also wishes to encourage motorists, passengers, the media and, indeed, the entire citizenry to keep watchful eyes on the activities of drivers and traffic cops to ensure that best practices and professionalism are preserved.
We, therefore, advocate the introduction of more surveillance cameras on our highways as a way of identifying reckless drivers who can then be “named and shamed” appropriately.
By demonstrating such consciousness, together Ghanaians will be helping to restore sanity on our roads in order to prevent the loss of innocent lives through avoidable accidents.
At the height of the recklessness on our roads, the Motor Traffic and Transport (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service has declared a new era of effective patrols on highways in the country.
To show its commitment to the cause of restoring sanity on our roads, the MTTU has, indeed, begun deploying more highway patrol men to help enforce road regulations as part of efforts to reduce the spate of road accidents in the country.
The latest initiative by the MTTU is commendable, as it aptly expresses a commitment to address a very nagging issue that has plagued us for many years.
It has been estimated that the country has one of the worst road accident rates on the continent and that alone should serve as a strong factor to challenge the relevant authorities to embark on an aggressive and effective drive to address our road safety woes.
In many developed countries, the presence of traffic cops on the highways serves as a strong deterrent for road traffic offenders, but that cannot be said of the situation in the country.
Time and again, complaints about unprofessional conduct on the part of traffic cops have received some spotlight but it appears the canker has been difficult to eliminate.
Traffic cops have often been accused of compromising their professional conduct by accepting bribes from road traffic offenders.
On assumption of office, the acting IGP, Mrs Elizabeth Mills-Robertson, outlined measures to ensure a more disciplined society and the intensified patrols on the streets are a strong indication that those declarations were not empty rhetoric.
While the DAILY GRAPHIC welcomes this development, we also wish to emphasise the need to remain committed to the ideals of the initiative.
In years gone by, traffic cops were jolted into action after public outcry over road accidents, but those drives only remained a nine days’ wonder.
This time round, there should be a greater desire to enforce the laws and that should not be left to the personnel of the MTTU.
As noted by the MTTU boss, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Daniel Avorga, the success of the initiative would also depend on the co-operation of drivers and the travelling public.
It is refreshing to note that this time round the police would not only check the activities of drivers but also educate them on the responsible and safe use of vehicles and the highways.
The enforcement of road traffic laws must be pursued in the most comprehensive manner and education, no doubt, will come in handy in this regard.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also wishes to encourage motorists, passengers, the media and, indeed, the entire citizenry to keep watchful eyes on the activities of drivers and traffic cops to ensure that best practices and professionalism are preserved.
We, therefore, advocate the introduction of more surveillance cameras on our highways as a way of identifying reckless drivers who can then be “named and shamed” appropriately.
By demonstrating such consciousness, together Ghanaians will be helping to restore sanity on our roads in order to prevent the loss of innocent lives through avoidable accidents.
Friday, March 13, 2009
DEALING WITH THE WASTE MENACE (MARCH 13)
WASTE management has become a very big headache for our administrators, both at the local and central government levels.
For some time now administrators in the cities and urban areas have been spending a large percentage of their budgets on waste disposal, with few results.
On the other hand, rural dwellers have devised very innovative ways of waste management, including burying and burning the garbage to protect the environment.
In the past, the environment was wholesome in the rural communities because environmental regulations were enforced. Traditional authorities complemented the efforts of local councils by co-operating with sanitary inspectors to enforce compliance with environmental bye-laws.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) became so helpless in dealing with the waste crisis a few years ago that it advocated a ban on the booming trade in sachet (“pure”) water. However, it was unable to build the necessary public opinion in support of its action.
But the debate will not die down, in view of the growing challenge that plastic waste poses to all district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies.
That is why the DAILY GRAPHIC endorses the position taken by the Vice-President, Mr John Mahama, when he told a national forum on environmental sanitation in Accra on Tuesday that “the time has come for us to take a decision on plastic waste and a ban on plastic is not out of the question”.
While we contend with solid waste disposal countrywide, residents of Accra also have to deal with the nuisance caused by the emptying of human waste into the Atlantic Ocean.
And to address the problem, the AMA, with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), plans to begin rehabilitation works on the Human Waste Treatment Plant near the Korle Lagoon in Accra.
The disposal of the liquid waste into the sea near James Town has earned the area the name Lavender Hill because of the powerful stench emanating from the area.
The waste disposal menace has become a burden like the proverbial Santrofi bird — if you pick it, you are in for trouble; if you let it go, you rue your loss! And now is the time for action.
A few years ago, Blowplast Company Limited, a private company, established a recycling plant near Kpone and engaged agents throughout the country to supply it with plastic waste for a fee.
In spite of challenges with raw materials, although the city of Accra finds it difficult to dispose of plastic waste, the management of the company keeps the dream alive.
In other countries, the authorities have enforced other initiatives, such as “polluter pays more”, to such an extent that local administrations have enough resources to deal with the challenge.
The recycling of waste into energy or compost for agriculture is big business that can be properly harnessed to support the employment and wealth creation agenda of the government.
There is money in waste management and the government must offer the necessary incentives to businesses engaged in the industry to get returns on their investments while motivating other investors to venture into the sector.
This will help to control waste in the system and reduce the health risks associated with waste mismanagement, as well as update the country’s business profile.
For some time now administrators in the cities and urban areas have been spending a large percentage of their budgets on waste disposal, with few results.
On the other hand, rural dwellers have devised very innovative ways of waste management, including burying and burning the garbage to protect the environment.
In the past, the environment was wholesome in the rural communities because environmental regulations were enforced. Traditional authorities complemented the efforts of local councils by co-operating with sanitary inspectors to enforce compliance with environmental bye-laws.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) became so helpless in dealing with the waste crisis a few years ago that it advocated a ban on the booming trade in sachet (“pure”) water. However, it was unable to build the necessary public opinion in support of its action.
But the debate will not die down, in view of the growing challenge that plastic waste poses to all district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies.
That is why the DAILY GRAPHIC endorses the position taken by the Vice-President, Mr John Mahama, when he told a national forum on environmental sanitation in Accra on Tuesday that “the time has come for us to take a decision on plastic waste and a ban on plastic is not out of the question”.
While we contend with solid waste disposal countrywide, residents of Accra also have to deal with the nuisance caused by the emptying of human waste into the Atlantic Ocean.
And to address the problem, the AMA, with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), plans to begin rehabilitation works on the Human Waste Treatment Plant near the Korle Lagoon in Accra.
The disposal of the liquid waste into the sea near James Town has earned the area the name Lavender Hill because of the powerful stench emanating from the area.
The waste disposal menace has become a burden like the proverbial Santrofi bird — if you pick it, you are in for trouble; if you let it go, you rue your loss! And now is the time for action.
A few years ago, Blowplast Company Limited, a private company, established a recycling plant near Kpone and engaged agents throughout the country to supply it with plastic waste for a fee.
In spite of challenges with raw materials, although the city of Accra finds it difficult to dispose of plastic waste, the management of the company keeps the dream alive.
In other countries, the authorities have enforced other initiatives, such as “polluter pays more”, to such an extent that local administrations have enough resources to deal with the challenge.
The recycling of waste into energy or compost for agriculture is big business that can be properly harnessed to support the employment and wealth creation agenda of the government.
There is money in waste management and the government must offer the necessary incentives to businesses engaged in the industry to get returns on their investments while motivating other investors to venture into the sector.
This will help to control waste in the system and reduce the health risks associated with waste mismanagement, as well as update the country’s business profile.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
WE CAN (MARCH 12, 2009)
GLOBAL financial institutions and eminent African statesmen have raised the red flag over the economic difficulties that confront African countries this year because of the global economic downturn.
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are worried that the economic gains made by many African countries will slip because of the meltdown.
Consequently, African leaders are calling for more aid commitment from multilateral and bilateral institutions and the donor community.
Unfortunately, the so-called major economies of the world have also not been spared the global economic and financial crises.
Yesterday, the World Bank Vice-President for Africa, Ms Obiagelli Katryn Ezekwesili, sounded the alarm when she called on President J. E. A. Mills and reminded Ghanaians to brace themselves up for the grim economic situation for this year.
Some reports indicate that the financial crisis today is the worst since World War I. Faced with this grim outlook, even the countries that practise free market economy to the letter are trying quickly to reverse the rule books, such that the state will be called upon to take a front-line role in the reconstruction of their economies.
A statist approach to development, which was rejected in the past and described as unworkable, has suddenly become the best model.
The US and the UK governments have intervened with huge sums of money to bail out banks and mortgage firms in order to save jobs and protect people’s incomes.
These countries used to tell governments in African countries to stay clear of investing in strategic industries and leave the private sector to do so. While they preached private investments in strategic industries and advised African countries to recover cost in the educational, health and utility sectors, they provided handsome subsidies for their farmers to be competitive.
Thus it looks impossible for African countries to secure support from donors to battle the economic crunch, and that is why it is crucial for African governments to look within for solutions to the crisis.
Recently, the Bank of Ghana adjusted the prime rate upwards in an attempt to reduce inflation.
That policy intervention has its own disadvantages, as an increase in interest rates cannot stimulate investments.
The time has, therefore, come for us to find innovative ways of reviving the economy.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that the government can show the way to strengthening the economy by adopting self-reliant policies to stimulate food production in order to assure everybody of at least a meal a day.
We do not need much foreign support to cultivate the land because in 1973 when the late Kutu Acheampong introduced the “Operation Feed Yourself” programme, he was able to stimulate the patriotic instinct in most Ghanaians, such that all available spaces were turned into crop fields.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also calls on the government to introduce pro-poor interventions to reduce the pain of the economic crisis on the vulnerable in society.
By now everybody is aware that the pressure on the budgets of donor countries in the coming months are going to be tight, but through our ingenuity to devise local initiatives, we can engender more economic activities and lead the way to lessen the burden on the people.
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are worried that the economic gains made by many African countries will slip because of the meltdown.
Consequently, African leaders are calling for more aid commitment from multilateral and bilateral institutions and the donor community.
Unfortunately, the so-called major economies of the world have also not been spared the global economic and financial crises.
Yesterday, the World Bank Vice-President for Africa, Ms Obiagelli Katryn Ezekwesili, sounded the alarm when she called on President J. E. A. Mills and reminded Ghanaians to brace themselves up for the grim economic situation for this year.
Some reports indicate that the financial crisis today is the worst since World War I. Faced with this grim outlook, even the countries that practise free market economy to the letter are trying quickly to reverse the rule books, such that the state will be called upon to take a front-line role in the reconstruction of their economies.
A statist approach to development, which was rejected in the past and described as unworkable, has suddenly become the best model.
The US and the UK governments have intervened with huge sums of money to bail out banks and mortgage firms in order to save jobs and protect people’s incomes.
These countries used to tell governments in African countries to stay clear of investing in strategic industries and leave the private sector to do so. While they preached private investments in strategic industries and advised African countries to recover cost in the educational, health and utility sectors, they provided handsome subsidies for their farmers to be competitive.
Thus it looks impossible for African countries to secure support from donors to battle the economic crunch, and that is why it is crucial for African governments to look within for solutions to the crisis.
Recently, the Bank of Ghana adjusted the prime rate upwards in an attempt to reduce inflation.
That policy intervention has its own disadvantages, as an increase in interest rates cannot stimulate investments.
The time has, therefore, come for us to find innovative ways of reviving the economy.
The DAILY GRAPHIC believes that the government can show the way to strengthening the economy by adopting self-reliant policies to stimulate food production in order to assure everybody of at least a meal a day.
We do not need much foreign support to cultivate the land because in 1973 when the late Kutu Acheampong introduced the “Operation Feed Yourself” programme, he was able to stimulate the patriotic instinct in most Ghanaians, such that all available spaces were turned into crop fields.
The DAILY GRAPHIC also calls on the government to introduce pro-poor interventions to reduce the pain of the economic crisis on the vulnerable in society.
By now everybody is aware that the pressure on the budgets of donor countries in the coming months are going to be tight, but through our ingenuity to devise local initiatives, we can engender more economic activities and lead the way to lessen the burden on the people.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
2009 BUDGET (3)
For the implementation of the above activities, an amount of GH ¢202,629,307 has been allocated. Out of this, GoG is GH ¢60,541,825, IGF is GH ¢3,210,940, Donor is GH ¢138,876,542
Cocoa Industry
Government will give all the required support to the cocoa sub-sector to ensure that it achieves its maximum potential to enable the sub-sector enhance its significant contribution to the growth of GDP, foreign exchange earnings, employment generation and poverty reduction in the country
Performance in 2008
During the early stages of the 2007/2008 Crop Season, the producer price paid per tonne was GH¢950.00, about 70.97 per cent of the net fob. It was subsequently increased in February, 2008 to GH¢1,200.00, representing about 74.62 per cent of the net fob price.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) purchased 680,780.00 metric tonnes of cocoa in the 2007/2008 Main Crop Season, paid GH¢21,214,468.62 to cocoa farmers as the first tranche of bonus and intensified its Diseases and Pests Control Programme (CODAPEC).
The COCOBOD continued its Hi-Tech programme by encouraging the use of fertilizer application and improved planting materials in the 2007/2008 Crop Season. Domestic Processing
The current installed domestic processing capacity is around 313,000 mt. It is in line with the target of processing 50 per cent of cocoa beans locally by the year 2010/2011 as a medium term policy of the previous government.
Financing Arrangements
for Cocoa Purchases
In the 2007/08 Crop Season, the COCOBOD secured a pre-export trade finance facility of US$900.0 million from external and local financial institutions to support cocoa purchases.
Rehabilitation and Tarring of Cocoa Roads
The COCOBOD has embarked on the tarring of selected roads in the remote cocoa growing areas to improve efficiency of cocoa evacuation. Consequently, contracts have been awarded for the tarring of over 600 km of cocoa roads
Special Housing Scheme
The Cocoa Farmers Housing Scheme seeks to provide affordable houses for cocoa farmers. The department of Rural Housing (DRH), the Implementing Agency, has completed the construction of 10 unit houses in the Western Region. The programme has been extended to the Central, Ashanti and the Brong Ahafo Regions.
Warehousing Complex
In the 2007/2008 crop year, a 50,000 mt capacity Warehouse Complex (Dzata Bu) was inaugrated in Tema. Conveyor belts have been installed at the warehouse complex to facilitate easy loading of cocoa.
Cocoa Scholarship Scheme
The scholarship scheme which offers financial aid to children and wards of our cocoa farmers was given tremendous support during the 2007/2008 Crop Season. An amount of GH¢ 2,000,000.00 was used to support the scheme. Currently there are about 7,500 wards under the Scheme.
Cocoa Certification/Child Labour Issues
The COCOBOD intensified its sensitization programme on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour in cocoa production and also provided monetary support to the National Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour in Cocoa (NPECLC) in the cocoa sector to enforce the child labour provisions in various legislations and also to respond to international concerns about child labour abuses on cocoa farms in West Africa, as reflected in the Harkin-Engel Protocol.
The cocoa labour survey and the preparation of the Cocoa Certification Report which is a requirement under the Harkin-Engel Protocol was completed. The International Cocoa Verification Board (ICVB) has accepted the 2008 Ghana Certification Report (GCR).
The COCOBOD has established a Stabilisation Fund of GH¢29.30 per ton to provide guaranteed stable incomes for cocoa farmers in the event of a drastic fall in the world market prices of cocoa beginning from the 2008/2009 Crop Season.
Shea-nut Industry
The COCOBOD assisted shea-nut farmers with wellington boots, hand gloves and anti snake-serum in order to promote the growth and development of the shea-nut industry in the country and to increase the incomes of shea-nut farmers. COCOBOD also provided funding for three licensed buying companies to purchase shea-nut from farmers.
Outlook for 2009
The COCOBOD will continue to pay the farmer a guaranteed price of not less than 70 per cent of the net fob price. COCOBOD will pay the remaining tranche of bonus of GH¢21,214,468.62 for the 2007/2008 Main Crop Season at the end of June 2009. The COCOBOD will also continue the control of the swollen shoot virus disease and improve the efficiency in the implementation of the programme.
Government will commit itself to the domestic processing of cocoa to provide more incentive packages for local production.
Additional incentives will be given to companies engaged in the tertiary processing of cocoa to produce chocolate and confectionery. This will help to achieve the 60 per cent target for local processing of cocoa and increase foreign exchange earnings from the export of cocoa products, as targeted by the NDC.
For 2008/09 crop year, COCOBOD has raised funds to the tune of US$ 1 billion to support the purchase of cocoa for the Crop Season. COCOBOD will also create an enabling field for local banks to participate actively in loan syndication for cocoa purchases.
In addition, the COCOBOD will make available the necessary funding for rehabilitation and tarring of roads in the major cocoa growing areas. About 100 houses will also be completed under the Special Housing Scheme for Cocoa Farmers. Furthermore COCOBOD will construct 100,000 metric tons capacity warehouse in Takoradi.
Coffee Production
The COCOBOD will continue to provide resources for scientific/agronomic research and extension in coffee production with the view to making the industry viable. COCOBOD will pursue activities towards increasing production levels of the crop.
Some of these are the identification of existing farmers and their farms, organising farmers’ fora as well as radio programmes in coffee growing districts to disseminate information on good agronomic practices to the farmers, conducting a survey of coffee propagation structures with a view to rehabilitating these facilities and establishing coffee seed gardens to supply elite planting materials to farmers.
Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
The Ministry seeks to ensure sustainable growth and accelerated wealth creation within an environment consistent with sound land use and administration, sustainable forest and wildlife management.
Performance in 2008
Lands Sub-Sector
The Lands Commission Bill was passed with new institutional arrangements for land administration. This established a commission with four functional divisions namely survey and mapping, land registration, land valuation and state and vested lands management. An organization, management and operations study to define the capacities and appropriate skill mix for the new agency is ongoing.
A total of 28 Customary Land Secretariats were established in 2008 with regional distribution as follows: four in Greater Accra, two in Eastern, one in Volta, two in Western, two in Central, three in Brong Ahafo, three in Northern, two in Upper West, three in Upper East and six in Ashanti. This brings the total number to 38.
The Ministry concluded the inventory of state acquired/occupied lands and began finalizing policy proposals and implementation of lands already inventorised. Government decided that portions of lands acquired for the Accra Training College, Madina Social Welfare, West Africa Secondary School, Odorgonno Secondary School and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission be given back to the original owners.
Government also directed that the encroachments on sites acquired for the Abeka Sports Complex, Ofankor Police Depot and Training School, Ofankor residential area and others be regularized by the Lands Commission.
A contract was awarded for the procurement of equipment for the establishment of the five permanent geodetic reference stations in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale and Bolgatanga. The Ministry also applied to the National Communications Authority for licenses for the frequencies needed to operate the radios on the equipment.
The Survey Department produced three Sectional Maps. Out of these three, two were approved for use whilst one is undergoing checks for approval.
The department also produced a total of 2,884 individual plans made up of 1,241 cadastral plans and 1,643 parcel plans. In addition, a total of 26 applications for composite plans were received, out of which 19 were completed for settlement of disputes.
The Survey Department embarked on the production of Orthophoto maps of selected areas for land use planning throughout Ghana. Pre-marking of photoblocks were successfully completed. On customary boundary demarcation, the first phase for Ejisu was completed and the second phase is ongoing. Work in the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Council also started.
To speed up land titling, the Land Title Registry (LTR) has embarked on systematic titling in Kumasi and Accra. Maps covering North Labone and Ringway Estates in Accra involving 1,400 parcels were produced.
The registry also re-surveyed two sectional maps using Digital Plane Tabling (DPT). The Land Administration Project has procured 16 additional DPT to encourage its use by professional surveyors in the country. In addition, two satellite offices of LTR are operational in Accra.
The Land Valuation Board (LVB) continued the supervision of private sector participation in inventory of state acquired and occupied lands in 10 pilot districts in Brong Ahafo, Eastern and Ashanti Regions.
The others were Yilo Krobo, Manya Krobo, Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar and Birim South in the Eastern Region. The others were Amansie East, Atwima-Nwabiagya and Sekyere West in the Ashanti Region and Sunyani, Techiman and Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The LVB assisted 12 Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies to revalue properties in their jurisdiction for revenue generation purposes. These assemblies were Accra Metropolitan, Twifu – Hemang Lower Denkyira District, Sekyere East District, Techiman Municipal, Assin South District, Ga West Municipal, Amansie East District, Sunyani Municipal, New Juaben Municipal, Cape Coast Municipal, West Akim District and Tema Municipal District. The revaluation of properties also started in three district assemblies namely Dangme East, Manya Krobo and Kpando.
A consultant completed a study on the development of a computerized mass appraisal system to develop a national database for land valuation.
Forestry and Wildlife Sub-Sector
The Forestry Services Division (FSD) harvested a total of 21,849 plantation trees with a volume of 5,466.73m3 from off forest reserve areas while 184,813 trees with a volume of 62,752.81m3 were harvested from on reserve areas during the year.
In addition, a total of 1,116,069 seedlings of various species were raised by FSD and private nurseries during the period which exceeded the target of 1,021,680 by 10 per cent.
To increase the nation°os forest cover by 10,000 hectares annually, FSD surveyed and demarcated 1,440 hectares under the Community Forest Management Project (CFMP) and 178 hectares under FSD model plantation programme.
The division also prepared 195 hectares under the Modified Taungya System, 152 hectares under the FSD model plantation programme and 891 hectares under the CFMP. About 789,050 seedlings were delivered under the modified taungya system and 104,434 seedlings of various species were raised in FSD nurseries during the period under review.
Under the HIPC Plantation Programme 1,127 hectares were surveyed and demarcated during the period. In addition, 1,405 hectares were prepared and 752,000 seedlings were delivered for planting. The programme still maintained the 12,100 workers engaged previously to continue with this year’s target.
The HIPC Plantation Programme has also accomplished the establishment of 26,600 hectares of plantation forest. It has facilitated the establishment of 15,000 hectares of plantations in off-reserve forests under its CFMP, whilst 3,000 hectares under its Urban Component were planted. The programme also supplied 4,000,000 seedlings to the Greening Ghana Programme.
Wildlife Division (WD)
The Division constructed 16km of Asibey Loop and 10 km of Grugbani road, and rehabilitated 30 km of Grugbani-Stup Hill-Lovi as Mole access roads.
The Accra Zoo took delivery of five camels donated by the Libyan Government. This has improved the number of exhibits in the Mini Zoo at Achimota Forest. In addition, Wildlife Division inaugurated Community Resource and Environmental Management Areas (CREMA) at Mognori near Mole National Park and trained Community Collaborative Unit staff.
Under the Institutional Capacity Development Training Plan, 150 Wildlife guards in Bia and Digya National Parks were trained. Revised syllabus for training of Wildlife Rangers was prepared.
The Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) was signed between the Government of Ghana and the European Union. A Memorandum on Climate Change was submitted to Cabinet.
Ghana’s Readiness Project Idea Note (R-PIN) among other country proposals for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) under the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), was reviewed.
Outlook for 2009
Lands Sub-Sector
The Ministry will complete the drafting of a new Lands Bill that will consolidate and update all the laws dealing with land ownership and tenures, land administration, surveying and mapping and land use planning.
The new Lands Commission Act 2008 (Act 767) will be implemented to create a new institutional framework for land administration. The construction of a new head office building for the new Lands Commission will begin. Computerization of the business processes of the new Lands Commission will also start. Intelligent scanning will be undertaken of the land registry records in Accra to enable the records to be sorted according to regions for the newly established land registries.
The central records of the new Lands Commission will be re- organised to ensure efficient land administration service delivery.
The establishment of a new Geodetic Reference Network for the entire country will be completed. The allodial boundaries of ten customary land authorities will also be demarcated and surveyed, and the titles registered in the Land Registries. Besides, systematic land titling to register 10,000 properties in Accra and Kumasi will be undertaken using the private sector.
In addition, a gender strategy for land administration will be completed and implemented.
The Valuation Services Division of the Lands Commission, in collaboration with selected district assemblies will carry out the revaluation of properties in order to update values of the properties as well as to bring on board the Valuation List new developed properties.
The assemblies are East Akim Municipal, Adenta Municipal, Atiwa District, Nkoranza District, Ho Municipal, Sunyani Municipal, Fanteakwa District, Birim South District, Birim North District, West Akim District, Sefwi Wiawso District, Kwahu West Municipal and Ashiaman Municipal.
To improve the cost effectiveness of rating valuation services, 12 district assemblies will have their valuation processes computerised. In addition, the Valuation Services Division will also organize sensitization seminars and workshops on improving property rate revenue generation for selected district assemblies’ staff in 9 districts.
337.
The Land Title Registration Division will continue with the registration of all transactions relating to land in declared districts, developing, keeping and providing readily accurate information on interests in land to the public. The Division will also provide security of tenure to land.
The Ministry and Office of the Administrator of Stool Land will develop guidelines for the utilization of royalties by District Assemblies to ensure that communities benefit directly from revenue generated from their areas.
Forestry and Wildlife Sub-Sector
A distance of 18,000 km of both internal and external forest reserve boundaries will be maintained during the year. FSD will continue with its routine inspection of both internal and external boundaries. Also, patrol duties will be undertaken in off-reserve and other forest reserves.
To promote the increase of the national forest cover by 20,000 ha annually, the following mainstream activities will be undertaken.
About 1,000,000 seedlings of various species will be raised in FSD nurseries. Private and community tree seedling producers will also raise about 25,600,000 seedlings of various species.
In addition, 20,000 ha will be surveyed and demarcated, and prepared for planting. An estimated 26,600,000 seedlings of various species will be delivered for planting.
Additional 22,000,000 pegs will be cut to plant both on and off reserve areas. Companies that have been allocated degraded forest reserve areas, and contrary to the terms of the allocation failed to develop plantations will have the areas taken back. About 12,600 jobs will be created and an estimated 160,000 mt of food crops will be produced from the plantation areas.
67 field staff of the Wildlife Division (WD) will be trained by the Mobile Training Unit in weapon handling and
wildlife laws for effective enforcement. In furtherance of this, the 6,750 sq km of land under the units will be covered in day and night patrol duties, to arrest and prosecute poachers.
The trans-boundary collaboration between Kyabobo nand adjoining FAZAO National Park in Togo will continue. Socio-economic studies in and around Ankasa to explore the possibility of establishing more CREMAs around Ankasa Conservation Areas will also be carried out.
The Timber Industries Development Division (TIDD) will disseminate results of the study on the removal of pungent smell in Dahoma. It will also review and publish prices of wood export. About 1,200 copies of monthly export statistics report will be produced and disseminated.
In collaboration with Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), TIDD will submit proposals for participation in creating a furniture city in the Tema Multi Purpose Industrial Park and also create public awareness of new species for building and construction.
Mines Sub-Sector
The Ministry will continue to explore, exploit and manage the country’s mineral resources on sustainable and environmentally friendly ways. To control negative impact on communities bordering mining locations, the Ministry will continuously monitor all mining operations as well as exploration companies to ensure compliance with the requisite mining agreements.
The Ministry will encourage the diversification of the mineral base to reduce over-dependence on few precious minerals. In this connection, the result of the airborne geophysical survey and the geological maps will be packaged for investors and mapping for base metals and other metals will be carried out
The Ministry will work to improve the relationship between mining companies and mining communities. Among the activities to be pursued include organising regular meetings with mining NGOs and civil society organizations, radio discussions on FM stations to disseminate information to ensure successful implementation of alternative livelihood projects in mining communities.
Government will continue to address social issues in mining communities including equitable distribution of mining revenues.
The Ministry will draft guidelines on the use of mineral royalties by District and Municipal Assemblies and undertake surveys to establish baseline data on social conflicts in mining communities.
For the implementation of the above activities, an amount of GH ¢80,034,267 has been allocated. Out of this, GoG is GH ¢14,097,316 IGF is GH ¢37,518,900 Donor is GH ¢18,418,052 and HIPC is GH ¢10,000,000
Ministry of Trade and Industry
The Ministry aims at developing a vibrant technology driven, competitive industrial sector that significantly contributes to economic growth and employment creation, particularly involving mass mobilization of rural communities and other vulnerable groups including women.
Performance in 2008
A number of legal, regulatory and institutional reform programmes were completed by the Ministry. These included a study on Effective Rate of Protection (ERP), establishment of Trade Tariff Advisory Board, installation of equipment for the electronic tracking of trucks for Transit Trade, offered credit to 100 MSME through the BDS funds and drafted the Competition Bill for submission to Cabinet.
The Ministry also developed and operationalised the Technical Barriers to Trade/Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary (TBT/SPS) website, a draft Consumer Protection Policy and designed Model Markets for Municipal and District Assemblies.
Under the Gateway Project the following construction works are nearing completion. These are the construction of Flyover Bridge and Access Road within Tema Port and the Tema Multi-Purpose Industrial Park (TMPIP), the installation of permanent power supply and distribution, construction of roads and side drains, water supply and distribution, power supply and distribution, and the construction of a security fence wall at the Tema multi-purpose industrial park.
As a result of efforts by Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) to improve market access, orders worth over US$20.0 million were received for medicinal plants and seeds.
The market access programmes undertaken included Rand Show, Johannesburg – South Africa, SIDIM Fair in Montreal, Canada, Vita Foods International 2008, Geneva –Switzerland, African Fair 2008, Tokyo – Japan, Joint Agric Show held in Tehran -Iran during the Ghana-Iran Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation meeting and the Royal Agriculture Show 2008, - United Kingdom.
GEPC has also established four mango nursery centres located at Ho and Nkonya-Kwamekrom in the Volta Region, Kpalo-Salaga in the Northern Region and Ada-Afiadenyingba in Greater Accra Region, involving a total of 120,000 grafted seedlings of export variety exotic mangoes.
Under the Cassava Starch PSI, 65 acres of high-cassava-starch-content planting material for multiplication were cultivated near Kasoa in Central Region. This is to enable the PSI to increase the output of raw material for starch production
To make available trained workforce for the garment industry, 2,000 sewing machine operators were trained. Apart from this, officers participated in Apparel Shows in the USA which resulted in securing orders to the tune of US$2.5m for the production of sportswear, ladies’ and Men’s wear, and overall uniforms.
The Ministry under the District Industrialization Programme provided financial support to the following companies; Dormaa Hatchery Project, N&C Foods, Northern Star Tomato Company, Pwalugu, Volta Star Textile Company, Juapong.
The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) organized Business Improvement Programmes for 5,600 enterprises and provided Advisory and Extension Services to 10,500 entrepreneurs to enhance their efficiency.
Additionally, 80 micro and small enterprises were supported to improve product packaging and quality. Training seminars were organized for over 1,000 students aimed at enhancing their capability to start their own business.
Through the GRATIS Foundation over 300 rural women were trained in various employable skills, including in batik and tie and dye production and marketing.
Furthermore, 74 final year apprentices graduated and took the Craft Certificate Examination (CCE) of the Ghana Education Service (GES). Sixty-four (64) new technical apprentices were also placed on a three-year apprenticeship training programme in metal machining, welding and fabrication, foundry and woodwork.
The Ghana Standards Board (GSB) intensified its inspection activities at the Ports including critically examining over 120,000 imported high risk goods. Additionally, 1,337 health and export certificates were issued to exporters to enhance export competitiveness. About 837 export consignments, factories, fishing vessels and manufacturing establishments were inspected.
The Ministry successfully hosted the UNCTAD XII Conference to bring to the fore trade and development issues confronting the world.
Outlook for 2009
The Ministry will monitor and improve the quality of trade and industry data in collaboration with the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). The Ministry expects to issue the Quarterly Trade Statistics Bulletin to promote decision making.
The Ministry will develop an Industrial Sector Policy to complement the Trade Sector Support Programme currently being implemented under the Ghana Trade Policy.
The Ministry is engaged in several parallel international trade negotiations. Consequently, the Ministry will require improved capacity, institutional strengthening and appropriate negotiation skills. This has necessitated the design of a capacity building programme. The Ministry will also re- establish the Inter-institutional Committees to ensure effective coordination with other stakeholders.
The Ministry will establish a Trade and Tariffs Advisory Board to promote a transparent tariff regime to ensure a level playing field for all economic operators. This will be a front runner to the establishment of the Ghana International Trade Commission.
In this regard, the Ministry will facilitate the establishment of shea nuts processing factories in the three Northern Regions with the capacity to produce 50,000 metric tons of shea butter per annum.
The Ministry will facilitate an integrated development of a viable petro-chemical industry in order to take full advantage of the exploitation of crude oil to produce fertilizer, PVC granules and other related products. The production of caustic soda, based on local salt production will be promoted.
The Ministry will undertake feasibility studies to ascertain the establishment of basic industries to support Ghana’s developmental efforts. In this regard, the focus will be on the development of such industries as iron and steel, brick and tile, as well as, clinker and cement production to create jobs
and wealth, especially at the districts. The Ministry will also assess the feasibility of reviving the textiles industry based on an integrated approach to revamp the textile and garment industry.
The Ministry will facilitate the use of appropriate incentive schemes to enhance credit delivery to MSMEs using EDIF, EXIM Guarantee and Development Banks, especially the National Investment Bank (NIB).
The Ministry will pursue efforts to enhance global and regional competitiveness of products from the country.
In this regard, an industrial support centre to coordinate assistance to firms to become internationally competitive will be established in consultation with PEF, AGI and GNCCI.
In order to reduce the volume of sugar importation and other allied products, the Ministry will support the setting up of an integrated sugar manufacturing project to produce sugar and ethanol in the Savelugu-Nanton District of the Northern Region. A by-product of this venture will be electricity.
The Ministry will establish a web-based product gallery to showcase made-in-Ghana goods. Additionally, the National Friday Wear Programme will be expanded to the districts to enhance patronage and create demand for made-in-Ghana garments and textiles to create jobs and wealth.
The Ministry will develop a National Export strategy to provide a strategic direction and road map for refocusing national efforts to achieve a quantum leap in exports.
In addition, CEPS Procedures will be simplified and the Remote Controlled Entry System for Customs Declaration strengthened as a means to facilitate Trade in Ghana.
The Destination Inspection Scheme will be reviewed with stakeholder participation to agree on the way forward in the area of customs inspection and valuation. In addition, CEPS procedures will be simplified and the electronic entry system for Customs Declaration, GCNet, strengthened. Preparation will also commence for the formulation of the second phase of the Gateway Programme to sustain the gains made under the first phase which ends in December 2009.
To boost Ghana’s Trade relations with the French-speaking countries, particularly in the West African Sub-region, the Ministry will support the training of 360 officers in the Public and Private Sectors in Business French over the next three years.
The Ministry will commence reforms aimed at overhauling Ghana’s quality infrastructure regarding Standards, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology (SQAM). This is to ensure consumer safety as well as meet international best practice, and clarify the role of standards setting and enforcing institutions.
The Ministry, in collaboration with the Ghana Institute of Quality will continue to organize workshops on Quality Management Systems to enable SMEs appreciate and install quality management system at the firm level. This is a strategic objective to enhance their competitiveness in both local and export markets.
The Ghana Standards Board (GSB) will be supported to offer technical support services to exporters in order for them to overcome technical barriers to trade (TBT) as well as to help them meet Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) requirements.
The Ministry will also set up an effective National Alert System to inform exporters about issues regarding sub-standard goods and changes in requirements regarding export products.
The National Board for Small Scale Industry (NBSSI) is being reconstituted and strengthened to provide technical and financial support for MSEs. In addition, the Ministry will support the decentralized Business Assistance Centres (BACs) in the districts to deliver quality integrated services to target MSEs. About 30,000 MSEs will be equipped with business improvement skills to enhance their production and marketing capabilities.
The Central Regional Development Commission (CEDECOM) will be strengthened to enable it expand its programmes and projects that contribute to job creation and poverty reduction in the Central Region.
The Ministry will strengthen the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) to provide world class export support services to exporters through market access facilitation, product development, trade information delivery, capacity building and coordination of national export agenda. In addition, Export Trade Houses will be established to address the supply response of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the export sector.
The Ministry will support the GRATIS Foundation to train 200 technical apprentices in metal machining, welding and fabrication, wood work and foundry.
GRATIS will also be equipped to design and prototype 4 new products namely: oil expeller, mechanical drier, hammer mill and mechanical cassava harvester.
For the implementation of the above activities, an amount of GH¢72,296,148 has been allocated. Out of this, GoG is GH¢9,740,064 IGF is GH¢11,844,500 and Donor is GH¢50,711,584
Ministry of Tourism
Tourism has economic potential far beyond its current performance. It is estimated that with the strong support by Government, tourism can become a lead foreign exchange earner and an economic engine for wealth creation, employment generation and poverty reduction within a short time.
The Ministry therefore seeks to use tourism as a tool for poverty reduction. In this regard the Ministry will decentralize tourism development and focus on community-based tourism.
To achieve this objective, Government will facilitate the improvement in standards of tourism attractions to promote patronage, develop efficient marketing strategies and enhance quality services of the hospitality industry.
Performance in 2008
The Ministry participated in six international conferences overseas and organized one international Seminar in Accra. These included the High Level Diaspora led investment as sources of financing for enhanced growth and development in Africa,(Cape Town South Africa), the first US Africa Tourism & Sports Seminar – “Making Africa the World’s next premiere travel destination (New York), Diasporan International Conference (Sydney, Australia).
The Ministry also hosted the UNWTO Regional seminar-workshop on “Tourism and Handcrafts: Two key sectors to contribute to poverty reduction and Economic Development in Africa” in Accra, Ghana. It also organized four Annual Events namely; National Chocolate Day, Para-Gliding, Emancipation/Joseph Project and World Tourism Day Celebrations.
Other activities undertaken include: the printing of 30,000 promotional brochures which were distributed to target groups, 2,186 accommodation and catering establishments in both formal and informal sectors inspected and issued with operational licenses as part of ensuring standards and quality service delivery, completed the construction of new building for Ghana Tourist Board Head Office and held on 8th National Tourism Awards for industry practitioners to promote competition and excellence in service delivery.
The Ministry organized training for 106 members of staff in various professional and industry related courses to improve service delivery. It also organised training for 5,386 hospitality service providers to enhance service delivery during CAN 2008.
The Hotel, Catering and Training Institute (HOTCATT), a training wing of the Ministry, offered pre-industry training for 239 school leavers in the following industry related skills: front desk office operations, housekeeping, food and beverage production, tour guiding and ground handling skills.
The Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) collaborated with FAO, CEDECOM and Ghana Maritime Academy to train 164 food service providers, Trade Association Executives and 29 Life-guards/pool attendants on aquatic life saving.
Work was started on two Tourist Receptive Facilities at Akwamufie and Saltpond in addition to the 21 located at various districts country-wide to open-up these sites for increased patronage.
GTB organized three meetings to facilitate the Public-Private Partnership Forum and prepared a draft Tourism Policy.
In addition, a draft Tourism Bill was prepared to restructure the tourism administration, including the establishment of the National Tourism Authority to regulate the tourism industry. It also completed the establishment of a Diasporan Unit.
The Old Accra Redevelopment Agency (OARA) was established and made operational with the following activities undertaken; tree planting around Ababio Square, rehabilitation and commissioning of Brazil House for tourist visitation as well as the acquisition of Land for relocation of residents from Sodom and Gomora to Adjen Kotoku. Work on the 4km link road to Adjen Kotoku and the 1st phase of 259 Room five- Star Ambassador Hotel was started.
The aerial photographs and Ortho-photo maps of Ghana’s coastline covering an area of 4,716 kilometer square (from Half Assini to Aflao) was produced to facilitate investment in the tourism sector as well as the creation of the proposed Area Coastal Management Authority.
Outlook for 2009
The Ministry will participate in three international conferences and four International and domestic fairs and exhibitions. It will also organize four major events namely: National Chocolate Day, Regatta, Carnival, Emancipation/Panafest celebrations. In addition Ghana will host UNWTO International Celebration of the World Tourism Day, which will give Ghana the opportunity to showcase its tourism potentials.
The Ministry will also produce and distribute tourism promotional materials in and outside the country through Ghana’s Missions abroad. Other measures will include repackaging and marketing Ghana’s major festivals will as well as launching Ghana’s Tourism Brand.
The Ministry will develop and upgrade an official tourism website to enhance global access to Ghana’s tourism.
The Ministry in collaboration with the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Secretariat will establish national hospitality standards, accreditation and certification for hospitality training institutions.
For the implementation of the above activities, an amount of GH ¢3,757,185 has been allocated. Out of this, GoG is GH¢3,372,185 and IGF is GH ¢385,000
Ministry of Energy
The Ministry is to develop and sustain an efficient and financially viable energy sector that provides secure, safe and reliable supply of energy to meet Ghana’s developmental needs in a competitive manner.
Performance in 2008
As part of measures to address the power crises in 2006/2007 which lasted over a year, Government supported the expansion of power generating capacity. These are 126MW Emergency Power Plants currently on standby after the power crisis and 80MW Power Plant by consortium of mining companies.
A number of power projects were also initiated as medium term strategies and fully funded by Government and VRA which created substantial financial burden on the national budget. These were 126 MW Tema Thermal Power Project (TT1PP); 49.5 MW Tema Thermal 2 Power Plant (TT2PP); engineering, procurement and construction of Gas Turbine Generators and balance of plant for the 230 MW Kpone Thermal Project in progress.
Additionally, as part of measures to resolve the power crises the Ministry on behalf of the Government of Ghana signed a power purchase agreement and a lease agreement with Balkan Energy Ghana Limited to refurbish, commission and commercially operate the 125 MW Osagyefo Power Barge.
The contract was signed in 2007 and Balkan was to complete the project in 90 working days and further expand the plant by additional 60 MW subsequently. Balkan Energy has not met the deadline for operating the plant as works on the power plant, transmission lines and substations to evacuate power from the power plant are still ongoing.
Work started on the Bui Hydro Project in 2007. Activities undertaken included clearing works on the dam site, topographic surveys, geological and hydro-geological investigations, relocation and resettlement to Jama in the Brong Ahafo Region of three communities living at dam site. River closure was achieved in December 2008 paving the way for works on the river beds to commence.
Rural Electrification
The rural Electrification in 31 communities in West Akim District was completed and commissioned. Material supply for the extension of power supply to 16 communities in Upper Denkyira district is almost completed.
Furthermore, 380 communities were connected to the national grid.
Additionally, 200 communities were connected to the national grid under SHEP-4. Under the extension of power supplies to 5+ communities per district initiative work commenced in communities with Low Voltage (LV) poles. A total of 11 communities in the Greater Accra and Volta Regions were completed.
Regional Capital Street Lighting Project
The regional capitals street lighting projects for Koforidua, Tamale, Cape Coast and Sekondi were completed.
Power Distribution Upgrade Project
The ECG undertook a number of projects to improve the reliability and quality of power supply as well as reduce system losses. These included the construction of 33 kV primary substations in Ofankor, Accra, Amanfrom,Kumasi and the commissioning of Abuakwa, Kumasi substation.
Under the ECG distribution system improvement project, preliminary activities on switching stations and substations were carried out in the following regions; Greater Accra (Dodowa, Tokuse), Eastern (Akuse Junction), Western (Bogoso, Bawdie), Ashanti (Ejisu, Kuntenasi), Volta (Jasikan) and Central (Dunkwa, Winneba, Swedru, Kasoa).
The Ministry in collaboration with Energy Commission and Energy Foundation procured and distributed 6 million compact florescent lamps (CFLs) as a load reduction measure to reduce the impact of power shortage in 2007.
Petroleum Sub-Sector
The offshore pipeline of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) Project from Itoki in Nigeria to Takoradi was completed. The gas pipeline from the Regulation and Metering (R&M) Station to VRA plant at Aboadze, the Gas conditioning facility, gas turbine works were also completed. Free flow (non-compressed) gas, which is in the pipeline at Takoradi is yet to be delivered to the power plant at Aboadze.
Secondary Gas Distribution Network Development
The cabinet approved six Legislative Instruments (LI) for regulating the Secondary Gas Market. Out of these, two were approved by Parliament. The remaining four are being reviewed at the Attorney General’s Department before submission to Parliament.
Exploration and Development of Hydro Carbon Resources
The appraisal programme on the Jubilee fields being managed by Messrs KOSMOS Energy and Tullow Oil Ghana Limited was completed. These companies and other Jubilee partners are currently preparing the Development Plans.
Outlook for 2009
The Energy Sector outlook for this year is to rollout a programme for the Government’s Energy For Growth Agenda.
Power Sub-Sector
The key elements of the Government’s Energy For Growth Agenda for the Power Sector are (i) increase power generation capacity to 5,000 megawatts in the medium term, (ii) add capacity at the transmission and distribution levels, (iii) open up the sub sector to independent power producers and private sector participants, (iv) increase access to electricity in all households, (v) pursue regional cooperation projects, (vi) implement power sector reforms, (vii) strengthen the regulatory institutions and (viii) reduce the cost of electricity production to achieve lower tariffs.
Power Generating Capacity Expansion
The VRA’s 126 megawatts (MW) Tema Thermal 1 Power Plant (TT1PP) will be completed and commissioned in the first quarter of 2009. The 49.5 megawatt Tema Thermal 2 Power Plant (TT2PP) will be completed and commissioned by mid 2009.
The completion of the ongoing 230MW Kpone Thermal 1 Power Plant (KT1PP) at Tema and the Bui Hydro Power Project will be pursued. Additionally, the independent power producer initiatives will be supported to enhance private sector investments in power generation. The expansion of the Takoradi International Company (TICO) power plant at Aboadze into a combine cycle plant will be intiated.
The refurbishment of the 125 megawatts Osagyefo Power Barge (OPB) Project will be completed this year. The development of infrastructure for supply of natural gas from the Jubilee Field will be accelerated this year to ensure that gas from the field is utilised for the operation of OPB. The completion of these projects will add substantially to the country°os power generating capacity and move us towards our vision of achieving 5,000 megawatts in the medium term.
Fuel for Power
The Ministry will continue to pursue efforts to get sustainable natural gas supply from the West African Gas Pipeline Project (WAGPP) for generation and other industrial uses. The Ministry will ensure that the technical and operational difficulties regarding the delivery and the use of compressed gas are resolved. The use of natural gas will enable Government to achieve lower power generation cost and therefore lower electricity tariffs.
Transmission projects
A number of ongoing critical projects will be continued this year to improve the operation of the transmission system to deliver reliable, safe, and efficient services. These projects include Obuasi-Kumasi 161 kV transmission line, Substation Upgrade Project and SCADA modernisation project. Also to be pursued is the 330 kV Aboadze-Tema coastal transmission line project. A third Bulk Supply Point Project and a second Bulk Supply Point Project in Kumasi will be intiated.
Power Distribution System and
Capacity Expansion
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Northern Electricity Department (NED) will continue the implementation of projects which are aimed at significantly improving their operations. These include prepayment metering expansion programme, upgrade of medium voltage network including the construction of additional primary substations, construction of call centres to enhance customer service operations and upgrade of the Low Voltage networks.
The Ministry will increase the pace of the expansion of access of electricity under the National Electrification Scheme (NES).
It will also continue the implementation of the following ongoing electrification projects: Grid extension to 130 communities; Extension of national electricity grid to 200 communities under the in the Self Help Electrification Programme (SHEP 4) Extension of electricity to 600 communities throughout the country also under the 5-Plus Communities per District Programme. Complete the extension of the national electricity grid to 16 communities in the Upper Denkyira District
Increasing ElectricityAccess
Through National Electrification Scheme
The Ministry will increase the pace of the expansion of access of electricity under the National
Electrification Scheme (NES). It will also continue the implementation of the following ongoing electrification projects:
• Grid extension to 130 communities;
• Extension of national electricity grid to 200 communities under the in the Self Help Electrification Programme (SHEP 4)
• Extension of electricity to 600 communities throughout the country also under the 5-Plus Communities per District Programme.
• Complete the extension of the national electricity grid to 16 communities in the Upper Denkyira District 426.
The Ministry will commence the following electrification projects. The extension of electricity to 106 communities in the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions, the extension of national electricity grid to 80 communities in the Ashanti & Eastern Regions and the Rural Electrification Project for Western, Central, Ashanti region and other identified communities in Ghana.
The Ministry will commence the Regional Capitals Street Lighting Projects with focus on Kumasi, Accra, Sunyani, Tema, Takoradi, Ho, Wa and Bolgatanga.
Renewable Energy
Madam Speaker, renewable energy resources, including small hydro, solar and wind energy will feature in the evolution of a balance energy portfolio that reflects advances in technology and Ghana’s natural resource endowment.
The following renewable energy projects will be pursued; Construction and operation of Tsatsadu mini hydro power plant; Training of technicians for solar PV installation and maintenance Solar Electrification projects in schools, security outposts, health centres and other public institutions;
Development of three mini grid systems and one grid connected system; Rehabilitation of solar grid system at the Ministry.
Electricity Access Through Intensification
Under the Ghana Energy Development Access Project (GEDAP), materials and equipments for the implementation of the project started arriving for work to commence this year.
Under the GEDAP electricity supply is to be extended to 880 rural communities within the next two years. The Ministry also will intensify the electrification in412 rural and peri-urban towns in 38 districts in the Eastern, Western, Ashanti, Volta, Central and Greater Accra Regions with connections to about 55,000 new customers. Similar intensification programmes will be under taken in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Brong Ahafo Regions to cover 151 towns and villages with connections of about 20,000 new customers.
Energy Sector Regulations for
Power Sector Reforms
The Energy Commission will facilitate the preparation of the following regulations to govern the operations of the Energy Sector as provided under the Energy Commission Act 541. This will include National Electricity Grid Code; Natural Gas Occupational Health and Safety Regulations; Energy Efficiency Standards and Labeling (Refrigerator, Refrigerator- Freezer and Freezer) Regulations, LI 1947; and Renewable Energy Law.
The Ministry will support the capacity development efforts of the regulatory institutions namely the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and the Energy Commission (EC) to enhance their regulatory oversight of the energy sector.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation
The Ministry will also implement measures to improve energy conservation in electricity consumption through energy management and efficiency projects in public institutions and also public education on energy conservation. The Ministry will implement projects to improve energy utilization in large electricity consuming public sector institutions.
IPP Policy Framework Review
In the wake of the power crisis of 2007, a number of IPPs entered into the electricity supply market. Some of these signed PPAs with the Ministry of Energy (MoE) and others with ECG. The Ministry of Energy had no mandate to sign a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) since it does not have the mandate/license to distribute electricity. Some of the IPPs do not have the license to operate as generating entities in the electricity market. In the case where the PPA was signed
between ECG and the IPP, PURC has the legal mandate to review the agreed upon tariff. ECG is lawfully permitted to off-take power from an IPP only at a price level that PURC agrees (Act 538 Article 17 Clause 2). In the light of the above, a review of all signed IPP contracts and PPAs to ensure compliance with all the laws governing the electricity market is critical.
Restoration of the
Finances of the Power Utilities
The Power Sector is facing financial challenges. . In lieu of re-imbursement of subsidies for electricity supply to VALCO and other residential consumers, GoG had been making significant budgetary allocations to cover the capital investment programs of VRA and ECG. An immense proportion (76 per cent) of the Sovereign Bond proceeds was earmarked under the GoG 2008
Supplementary Budget to cover capital expenditures for VRA, GRIDCO, ECG and Bui Power Authority (BPA). In addition, GoG has been providing direct payments to cover VRA working capital requirements for crude oil purchases for the thermal plants. That notwithstanding, the GoG budgetary transfers have not been adequate to cover revenue shortfalls and/or re-capitalize the three power utilities.
Clearly, the current state of affairs is unsustainable and should not be allowed to continue. To arrest this situation, the Ministry of Energy shall develop and implement comprehensive remedial measures, especially re-capitalization, that will ensure the long term financial viability of VRA, GRIDCO and ECG.
At the insistence of Power Sector creditors, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP) agreed, in May 2008, to conduct a Power Sector Financial Restructuring and Recovery Study, the findings of which was to inform the development of a Comprehensive Financial Recovery Plan for the three power utilities. The Ministry of Energy shall launch a study to inform decisions on re-capitalization of the three power utilities.
Looking forward, the Plan will, among others, seek to improve upon the financial operating ratios, reduce short term indebtedness and reduce arrears of each of the power utilities to suppliers and creditors. Moreover, the Plan will clearly mark out VRA’s core and non-core assets, effect full transfer of national transmission grid assets from VRA to GRIDCO, and “ring-fence” assets and liabilities associated with GoG sponsored gas-turbine power projects (Tema Thermal Power Project and Kpone Thermal Power Project). Petroleum Sub Sector
For the petroleum sub-sector, efforts will focus on (i) intensifying Tano Gas development and the exploration of the Voltaian Basin, (ii) Expansion of Tema Oil Refinery (iii) enhancement of local content in the development and exploitation of Ghana°os oil and gas resources.
Hydrocarbon Development and Extension of Ghana's Continental Shelf
438.
Currently more than ten international oil companies are prospecting for oil and gas in our sedimentary basins. Government will intensify its efforts to attract more companies. The Voltaian Basin which covers forty per cent of the land mass of Ghana is largely unexplored and Government will intensify efforts to promote the exploration and development of the basin.
439.
The Ministry will ensure that Ghana benefits, to the greatest extent possible, from discovery and production of oil and gas.
We will also ensure that local content provisions in Petroleum Law and Agreement are applied. To improve the human capacity in the petroleum sector, the Ministry will initiate the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for petroleum related studies and training.
440.
The Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and natural Resources, will also ensure the submission of the report on extension of Ghana's Continental Shelf beyond 200 nautical miles to the United Nations as part of efforts to secure the oil and gas deposits further offshore of Ghana.
Cocoa Industry
Government will give all the required support to the cocoa sub-sector to ensure that it achieves its maximum potential to enable the sub-sector enhance its significant contribution to the growth of GDP, foreign exchange earnings, employment generation and poverty reduction in the country
Performance in 2008
During the early stages of the 2007/2008 Crop Season, the producer price paid per tonne was GH¢950.00, about 70.97 per cent of the net fob. It was subsequently increased in February, 2008 to GH¢1,200.00, representing about 74.62 per cent of the net fob price.
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) purchased 680,780.00 metric tonnes of cocoa in the 2007/2008 Main Crop Season, paid GH¢21,214,468.62 to cocoa farmers as the first tranche of bonus and intensified its Diseases and Pests Control Programme (CODAPEC).
The COCOBOD continued its Hi-Tech programme by encouraging the use of fertilizer application and improved planting materials in the 2007/2008 Crop Season. Domestic Processing
The current installed domestic processing capacity is around 313,000 mt. It is in line with the target of processing 50 per cent of cocoa beans locally by the year 2010/2011 as a medium term policy of the previous government.
Financing Arrangements
for Cocoa Purchases
In the 2007/08 Crop Season, the COCOBOD secured a pre-export trade finance facility of US$900.0 million from external and local financial institutions to support cocoa purchases.
Rehabilitation and Tarring of Cocoa Roads
The COCOBOD has embarked on the tarring of selected roads in the remote cocoa growing areas to improve efficiency of cocoa evacuation. Consequently, contracts have been awarded for the tarring of over 600 km of cocoa roads
Special Housing Scheme
The Cocoa Farmers Housing Scheme seeks to provide affordable houses for cocoa farmers. The department of Rural Housing (DRH), the Implementing Agency, has completed the construction of 10 unit houses in the Western Region. The programme has been extended to the Central, Ashanti and the Brong Ahafo Regions.
Warehousing Complex
In the 2007/2008 crop year, a 50,000 mt capacity Warehouse Complex (Dzata Bu) was inaugrated in Tema. Conveyor belts have been installed at the warehouse complex to facilitate easy loading of cocoa.
Cocoa Scholarship Scheme
The scholarship scheme which offers financial aid to children and wards of our cocoa farmers was given tremendous support during the 2007/2008 Crop Season. An amount of GH¢ 2,000,000.00 was used to support the scheme. Currently there are about 7,500 wards under the Scheme.
Cocoa Certification/Child Labour Issues
The COCOBOD intensified its sensitization programme on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour in cocoa production and also provided monetary support to the National Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour in Cocoa (NPECLC) in the cocoa sector to enforce the child labour provisions in various legislations and also to respond to international concerns about child labour abuses on cocoa farms in West Africa, as reflected in the Harkin-Engel Protocol.
The cocoa labour survey and the preparation of the Cocoa Certification Report which is a requirement under the Harkin-Engel Protocol was completed. The International Cocoa Verification Board (ICVB) has accepted the 2008 Ghana Certification Report (GCR).
The COCOBOD has established a Stabilisation Fund of GH¢29.30 per ton to provide guaranteed stable incomes for cocoa farmers in the event of a drastic fall in the world market prices of cocoa beginning from the 2008/2009 Crop Season.
Shea-nut Industry
The COCOBOD assisted shea-nut farmers with wellington boots, hand gloves and anti snake-serum in order to promote the growth and development of the shea-nut industry in the country and to increase the incomes of shea-nut farmers. COCOBOD also provided funding for three licensed buying companies to purchase shea-nut from farmers.
Outlook for 2009
The COCOBOD will continue to pay the farmer a guaranteed price of not less than 70 per cent of the net fob price. COCOBOD will pay the remaining tranche of bonus of GH¢21,214,468.62 for the 2007/2008 Main Crop Season at the end of June 2009. The COCOBOD will also continue the control of the swollen shoot virus disease and improve the efficiency in the implementation of the programme.
Government will commit itself to the domestic processing of cocoa to provide more incentive packages for local production.
Additional incentives will be given to companies engaged in the tertiary processing of cocoa to produce chocolate and confectionery. This will help to achieve the 60 per cent target for local processing of cocoa and increase foreign exchange earnings from the export of cocoa products, as targeted by the NDC.
For 2008/09 crop year, COCOBOD has raised funds to the tune of US$ 1 billion to support the purchase of cocoa for the Crop Season. COCOBOD will also create an enabling field for local banks to participate actively in loan syndication for cocoa purchases.
In addition, the COCOBOD will make available the necessary funding for rehabilitation and tarring of roads in the major cocoa growing areas. About 100 houses will also be completed under the Special Housing Scheme for Cocoa Farmers. Furthermore COCOBOD will construct 100,000 metric tons capacity warehouse in Takoradi.
Coffee Production
The COCOBOD will continue to provide resources for scientific/agronomic research and extension in coffee production with the view to making the industry viable. COCOBOD will pursue activities towards increasing production levels of the crop.
Some of these are the identification of existing farmers and their farms, organising farmers’ fora as well as radio programmes in coffee growing districts to disseminate information on good agronomic practices to the farmers, conducting a survey of coffee propagation structures with a view to rehabilitating these facilities and establishing coffee seed gardens to supply elite planting materials to farmers.
Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
The Ministry seeks to ensure sustainable growth and accelerated wealth creation within an environment consistent with sound land use and administration, sustainable forest and wildlife management.
Performance in 2008
Lands Sub-Sector
The Lands Commission Bill was passed with new institutional arrangements for land administration. This established a commission with four functional divisions namely survey and mapping, land registration, land valuation and state and vested lands management. An organization, management and operations study to define the capacities and appropriate skill mix for the new agency is ongoing.
A total of 28 Customary Land Secretariats were established in 2008 with regional distribution as follows: four in Greater Accra, two in Eastern, one in Volta, two in Western, two in Central, three in Brong Ahafo, three in Northern, two in Upper West, three in Upper East and six in Ashanti. This brings the total number to 38.
The Ministry concluded the inventory of state acquired/occupied lands and began finalizing policy proposals and implementation of lands already inventorised. Government decided that portions of lands acquired for the Accra Training College, Madina Social Welfare, West Africa Secondary School, Odorgonno Secondary School and the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission be given back to the original owners.
Government also directed that the encroachments on sites acquired for the Abeka Sports Complex, Ofankor Police Depot and Training School, Ofankor residential area and others be regularized by the Lands Commission.
A contract was awarded for the procurement of equipment for the establishment of the five permanent geodetic reference stations in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tamale and Bolgatanga. The Ministry also applied to the National Communications Authority for licenses for the frequencies needed to operate the radios on the equipment.
The Survey Department produced three Sectional Maps. Out of these three, two were approved for use whilst one is undergoing checks for approval.
The department also produced a total of 2,884 individual plans made up of 1,241 cadastral plans and 1,643 parcel plans. In addition, a total of 26 applications for composite plans were received, out of which 19 were completed for settlement of disputes.
The Survey Department embarked on the production of Orthophoto maps of selected areas for land use planning throughout Ghana. Pre-marking of photoblocks were successfully completed. On customary boundary demarcation, the first phase for Ejisu was completed and the second phase is ongoing. Work in the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Council also started.
To speed up land titling, the Land Title Registry (LTR) has embarked on systematic titling in Kumasi and Accra. Maps covering North Labone and Ringway Estates in Accra involving 1,400 parcels were produced.
The registry also re-surveyed two sectional maps using Digital Plane Tabling (DPT). The Land Administration Project has procured 16 additional DPT to encourage its use by professional surveyors in the country. In addition, two satellite offices of LTR are operational in Accra.
The Land Valuation Board (LVB) continued the supervision of private sector participation in inventory of state acquired and occupied lands in 10 pilot districts in Brong Ahafo, Eastern and Ashanti Regions.
The others were Yilo Krobo, Manya Krobo, Suhum-Kraboa-Coaltar and Birim South in the Eastern Region. The others were Amansie East, Atwima-Nwabiagya and Sekyere West in the Ashanti Region and Sunyani, Techiman and Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The LVB assisted 12 Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies to revalue properties in their jurisdiction for revenue generation purposes. These assemblies were Accra Metropolitan, Twifu – Hemang Lower Denkyira District, Sekyere East District, Techiman Municipal, Assin South District, Ga West Municipal, Amansie East District, Sunyani Municipal, New Juaben Municipal, Cape Coast Municipal, West Akim District and Tema Municipal District. The revaluation of properties also started in three district assemblies namely Dangme East, Manya Krobo and Kpando.
A consultant completed a study on the development of a computerized mass appraisal system to develop a national database for land valuation.
Forestry and Wildlife Sub-Sector
The Forestry Services Division (FSD) harvested a total of 21,849 plantation trees with a volume of 5,466.73m3 from off forest reserve areas while 184,813 trees with a volume of 62,752.81m3 were harvested from on reserve areas during the year.
In addition, a total of 1,116,069 seedlings of various species were raised by FSD and private nurseries during the period which exceeded the target of 1,021,680 by 10 per cent.
To increase the nation°os forest cover by 10,000 hectares annually, FSD surveyed and demarcated 1,440 hectares under the Community Forest Management Project (CFMP) and 178 hectares under FSD model plantation programme.
The division also prepared 195 hectares under the Modified Taungya System, 152 hectares under the FSD model plantation programme and 891 hectares under the CFMP. About 789,050 seedlings were delivered under the modified taungya system and 104,434 seedlings of various species were raised in FSD nurseries during the period under review.
Under the HIPC Plantation Programme 1,127 hectares were surveyed and demarcated during the period. In addition, 1,405 hectares were prepared and 752,000 seedlings were delivered for planting. The programme still maintained the 12,100 workers engaged previously to continue with this year’s target.
The HIPC Plantation Programme has also accomplished the establishment of 26,600 hectares of plantation forest. It has facilitated the establishment of 15,000 hectares of plantations in off-reserve forests under its CFMP, whilst 3,000 hectares under its Urban Component were planted. The programme also supplied 4,000,000 seedlings to the Greening Ghana Programme.
Wildlife Division (WD)
The Division constructed 16km of Asibey Loop and 10 km of Grugbani road, and rehabilitated 30 km of Grugbani-Stup Hill-Lovi as Mole access roads.
The Accra Zoo took delivery of five camels donated by the Libyan Government. This has improved the number of exhibits in the Mini Zoo at Achimota Forest. In addition, Wildlife Division inaugurated Community Resource and Environmental Management Areas (CREMA) at Mognori near Mole National Park and trained Community Collaborative Unit staff.
Under the Institutional Capacity Development Training Plan, 150 Wildlife guards in Bia and Digya National Parks were trained. Revised syllabus for training of Wildlife Rangers was prepared.
The Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) was signed between the Government of Ghana and the European Union. A Memorandum on Climate Change was submitted to Cabinet.
Ghana’s Readiness Project Idea Note (R-PIN) among other country proposals for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) under the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), was reviewed.
Outlook for 2009
Lands Sub-Sector
The Ministry will complete the drafting of a new Lands Bill that will consolidate and update all the laws dealing with land ownership and tenures, land administration, surveying and mapping and land use planning.
The new Lands Commission Act 2008 (Act 767) will be implemented to create a new institutional framework for land administration. The construction of a new head office building for the new Lands Commission will begin. Computerization of the business processes of the new Lands Commission will also start. Intelligent scanning will be undertaken of the land registry records in Accra to enable the records to be sorted according to regions for the newly established land registries.
The central records of the new Lands Commission will be re- organised to ensure efficient land administration service delivery.
The establishment of a new Geodetic Reference Network for the entire country will be completed. The allodial boundaries of ten customary land authorities will also be demarcated and surveyed, and the titles registered in the Land Registries. Besides, systematic land titling to register 10,000 properties in Accra and Kumasi will be undertaken using the private sector.
In addition, a gender strategy for land administration will be completed and implemented.
The Valuation Services Division of the Lands Commission, in collaboration with selected district assemblies will carry out the revaluation of properties in order to update values of the properties as well as to bring on board the Valuation List new developed properties.
The assemblies are East Akim Municipal, Adenta Municipal, Atiwa District, Nkoranza District, Ho Municipal, Sunyani Municipal, Fanteakwa District, Birim South District, Birim North District, West Akim District, Sefwi Wiawso District, Kwahu West Municipal and Ashiaman Municipal.
To improve the cost effectiveness of rating valuation services, 12 district assemblies will have their valuation processes computerised. In addition, the Valuation Services Division will also organize sensitization seminars and workshops on improving property rate revenue generation for selected district assemblies’ staff in 9 districts.
337.
The Land Title Registration Division will continue with the registration of all transactions relating to land in declared districts, developing, keeping and providing readily accurate information on interests in land to the public. The Division will also provide security of tenure to land.
The Ministry and Office of the Administrator of Stool Land will develop guidelines for the utilization of royalties by District Assemblies to ensure that communities benefit directly from revenue generated from their areas.
Forestry and Wildlife Sub-Sector
A distance of 18,000 km of both internal and external forest reserve boundaries will be maintained during the year. FSD will continue with its routine inspection of both internal and external boundaries. Also, patrol duties will be undertaken in off-reserve and other forest reserves.
To promote the increase of the national forest cover by 20,000 ha annually, the following mainstream activities will be undertaken.
About 1,000,000 seedlings of various species will be raised in FSD nurseries. Private and community tree seedling producers will also raise about 25,600,000 seedlings of various species.
In addition, 20,000 ha will be surveyed and demarcated, and prepared for planting. An estimated 26,600,000 seedlings of various species will be delivered for planting.
Additional 22,000,000 pegs will be cut to plant both on and off reserve areas. Companies that have been allocated degraded forest reserve areas, and contrary to the terms of the allocation failed to develop plantations will have the areas taken back. About 12,600 jobs will be created and an estimated 160,000 mt of food crops will be produced from the plantation areas.
67 field staff of the Wildlife Division (WD) will be trained by the Mobile Training Unit in weapon handling and
wildlife laws for effective enforcement. In furtherance of this, the 6,750 sq km of land under the units will be covered in day and night patrol duties, to arrest and prosecute poachers.
The trans-boundary collaboration between Kyabobo nand adjoining FAZAO National Park in Togo will continue. Socio-economic studies in and around Ankasa to explore the possibility of establishing more CREMAs around Ankasa Conservation Areas will also be carried out.
The Timber Industries Development Division (TIDD) will disseminate results of the study on the removal of pungent smell in Dahoma. It will also review and publish prices of wood export. About 1,200 copies of monthly export statistics report will be produced and disseminated.
In collaboration with Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI), TIDD will submit proposals for participation in creating a furniture city in the Tema Multi Purpose Industrial Park and also create public awareness of new species for building and construction.
Mines Sub-Sector
The Ministry will continue to explore, exploit and manage the country’s mineral resources on sustainable and environmentally friendly ways. To control negative impact on communities bordering mining locations, the Ministry will continuously monitor all mining operations as well as exploration companies to ensure compliance with the requisite mining agreements.
The Ministry will encourage the diversification of the mineral base to reduce over-dependence on few precious minerals. In this connection, the result of the airborne geophysical survey and the geological maps will be packaged for investors and mapping for base metals and other metals will be carried out
The Ministry will work to improve the relationship between mining companies and mining communities. Among the activities to be pursued include organising regular meetings with mining NGOs and civil society organizations, radio discussions on FM stations to disseminate information to ensure successful implementation of alternative livelihood projects in mining communities.
Government will continue to address social issues in mining communities including equitable distribution of mining revenues.
The Ministry will draft guidelines on the use of mineral royalties by District and Municipal Assemblies and undertake surveys to establish baseline data on social conflicts in mining communities.
For the implementation of the above activities, an amount of GH ¢80,034,267 has been allocated. Out of this, GoG is GH ¢14,097,316 IGF is GH ¢37,518,900 Donor is GH ¢18,418,052 and HIPC is GH ¢10,000,000
Ministry of Trade and Industry
The Ministry aims at developing a vibrant technology driven, competitive industrial sector that significantly contributes to economic growth and employment creation, particularly involving mass mobilization of rural communities and other vulnerable groups including women.
Performance in 2008
A number of legal, regulatory and institutional reform programmes were completed by the Ministry. These included a study on Effective Rate of Protection (ERP), establishment of Trade Tariff Advisory Board, installation of equipment for the electronic tracking of trucks for Transit Trade, offered credit to 100 MSME through the BDS funds and drafted the Competition Bill for submission to Cabinet.
The Ministry also developed and operationalised the Technical Barriers to Trade/Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary (TBT/SPS) website, a draft Consumer Protection Policy and designed Model Markets for Municipal and District Assemblies.
Under the Gateway Project the following construction works are nearing completion. These are the construction of Flyover Bridge and Access Road within Tema Port and the Tema Multi-Purpose Industrial Park (TMPIP), the installation of permanent power supply and distribution, construction of roads and side drains, water supply and distribution, power supply and distribution, and the construction of a security fence wall at the Tema multi-purpose industrial park.
As a result of efforts by Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) to improve market access, orders worth over US$20.0 million were received for medicinal plants and seeds.
The market access programmes undertaken included Rand Show, Johannesburg – South Africa, SIDIM Fair in Montreal, Canada, Vita Foods International 2008, Geneva –Switzerland, African Fair 2008, Tokyo – Japan, Joint Agric Show held in Tehran -Iran during the Ghana-Iran Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation meeting and the Royal Agriculture Show 2008, - United Kingdom.
GEPC has also established four mango nursery centres located at Ho and Nkonya-Kwamekrom in the Volta Region, Kpalo-Salaga in the Northern Region and Ada-Afiadenyingba in Greater Accra Region, involving a total of 120,000 grafted seedlings of export variety exotic mangoes.
Under the Cassava Starch PSI, 65 acres of high-cassava-starch-content planting material for multiplication were cultivated near Kasoa in Central Region. This is to enable the PSI to increase the output of raw material for starch production
To make available trained workforce for the garment industry, 2,000 sewing machine operators were trained. Apart from this, officers participated in Apparel Shows in the USA which resulted in securing orders to the tune of US$2.5m for the production of sportswear, ladies’ and Men’s wear, and overall uniforms.
The Ministry under the District Industrialization Programme provided financial support to the following companies; Dormaa Hatchery Project, N&C Foods, Northern Star Tomato Company, Pwalugu, Volta Star Textile Company, Juapong.
The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) organized Business Improvement Programmes for 5,600 enterprises and provided Advisory and Extension Services to 10,500 entrepreneurs to enhance their efficiency.
Additionally, 80 micro and small enterprises were supported to improve product packaging and quality. Training seminars were organized for over 1,000 students aimed at enhancing their capability to start their own business.
Through the GRATIS Foundation over 300 rural women were trained in various employable skills, including in batik and tie and dye production and marketing.
Furthermore, 74 final year apprentices graduated and took the Craft Certificate Examination (CCE) of the Ghana Education Service (GES). Sixty-four (64) new technical apprentices were also placed on a three-year apprenticeship training programme in metal machining, welding and fabrication, foundry and woodwork.
The Ghana Standards Board (GSB) intensified its inspection activities at the Ports including critically examining over 120,000 imported high risk goods. Additionally, 1,337 health and export certificates were issued to exporters to enhance export competitiveness. About 837 export consignments, factories, fishing vessels and manufacturing establishments were inspected.
The Ministry successfully hosted the UNCTAD XII Conference to bring to the fore trade and development issues confronting the world.
Outlook for 2009
The Ministry will monitor and improve the quality of trade and industry data in collaboration with the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS). The Ministry expects to issue the Quarterly Trade Statistics Bulletin to promote decision making.
The Ministry will develop an Industrial Sector Policy to complement the Trade Sector Support Programme currently being implemented under the Ghana Trade Policy.
The Ministry is engaged in several parallel international trade negotiations. Consequently, the Ministry will require improved capacity, institutional strengthening and appropriate negotiation skills. This has necessitated the design of a capacity building programme. The Ministry will also re- establish the Inter-institutional Committees to ensure effective coordination with other stakeholders.
The Ministry will establish a Trade and Tariffs Advisory Board to promote a transparent tariff regime to ensure a level playing field for all economic operators. This will be a front runner to the establishment of the Ghana International Trade Commission.
In this regard, the Ministry will facilitate the establishment of shea nuts processing factories in the three Northern Regions with the capacity to produce 50,000 metric tons of shea butter per annum.
The Ministry will facilitate an integrated development of a viable petro-chemical industry in order to take full advantage of the exploitation of crude oil to produce fertilizer, PVC granules and other related products. The production of caustic soda, based on local salt production will be promoted.
The Ministry will undertake feasibility studies to ascertain the establishment of basic industries to support Ghana’s developmental efforts. In this regard, the focus will be on the development of such industries as iron and steel, brick and tile, as well as, clinker and cement production to create jobs
and wealth, especially at the districts. The Ministry will also assess the feasibility of reviving the textiles industry based on an integrated approach to revamp the textile and garment industry.
The Ministry will facilitate the use of appropriate incentive schemes to enhance credit delivery to MSMEs using EDIF, EXIM Guarantee and Development Banks, especially the National Investment Bank (NIB).
The Ministry will pursue efforts to enhance global and regional competitiveness of products from the country.
In this regard, an industrial support centre to coordinate assistance to firms to become internationally competitive will be established in consultation with PEF, AGI and GNCCI.
In order to reduce the volume of sugar importation and other allied products, the Ministry will support the setting up of an integrated sugar manufacturing project to produce sugar and ethanol in the Savelugu-Nanton District of the Northern Region. A by-product of this venture will be electricity.
The Ministry will establish a web-based product gallery to showcase made-in-Ghana goods. Additionally, the National Friday Wear Programme will be expanded to the districts to enhance patronage and create demand for made-in-Ghana garments and textiles to create jobs and wealth.
The Ministry will develop a National Export strategy to provide a strategic direction and road map for refocusing national efforts to achieve a quantum leap in exports.
In addition, CEPS Procedures will be simplified and the Remote Controlled Entry System for Customs Declaration strengthened as a means to facilitate Trade in Ghana.
The Destination Inspection Scheme will be reviewed with stakeholder participation to agree on the way forward in the area of customs inspection and valuation. In addition, CEPS procedures will be simplified and the electronic entry system for Customs Declaration, GCNet, strengthened. Preparation will also commence for the formulation of the second phase of the Gateway Programme to sustain the gains made under the first phase which ends in December 2009.
To boost Ghana’s Trade relations with the French-speaking countries, particularly in the West African Sub-region, the Ministry will support the training of 360 officers in the Public and Private Sectors in Business French over the next three years.
The Ministry will commence reforms aimed at overhauling Ghana’s quality infrastructure regarding Standards, Quality Assurance, Accreditation and Metrology (SQAM). This is to ensure consumer safety as well as meet international best practice, and clarify the role of standards setting and enforcing institutions.
The Ministry, in collaboration with the Ghana Institute of Quality will continue to organize workshops on Quality Management Systems to enable SMEs appreciate and install quality management system at the firm level. This is a strategic objective to enhance their competitiveness in both local and export markets.
The Ghana Standards Board (GSB) will be supported to offer technical support services to exporters in order for them to overcome technical barriers to trade (TBT) as well as to help them meet Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) requirements.
The Ministry will also set up an effective National Alert System to inform exporters about issues regarding sub-standard goods and changes in requirements regarding export products.
The National Board for Small Scale Industry (NBSSI) is being reconstituted and strengthened to provide technical and financial support for MSEs. In addition, the Ministry will support the decentralized Business Assistance Centres (BACs) in the districts to deliver quality integrated services to target MSEs. About 30,000 MSEs will be equipped with business improvement skills to enhance their production and marketing capabilities.
The Central Regional Development Commission (CEDECOM) will be strengthened to enable it expand its programmes and projects that contribute to job creation and poverty reduction in the Central Region.
The Ministry will strengthen the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) to provide world class export support services to exporters through market access facilitation, product development, trade information delivery, capacity building and coordination of national export agenda. In addition, Export Trade Houses will be established to address the supply response of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the export sector.
The Ministry will support the GRATIS Foundation to train 200 technical apprentices in metal machining, welding and fabrication, wood work and foundry.
GRATIS will also be equipped to design and prototype 4 new products namely: oil expeller, mechanical drier, hammer mill and mechanical cassava harvester.
For the implementation of the above activities, an amount of GH¢72,296,148 has been allocated. Out of this, GoG is GH¢9,740,064 IGF is GH¢11,844,500 and Donor is GH¢50,711,584
Ministry of Tourism
Tourism has economic potential far beyond its current performance. It is estimated that with the strong support by Government, tourism can become a lead foreign exchange earner and an economic engine for wealth creation, employment generation and poverty reduction within a short time.
The Ministry therefore seeks to use tourism as a tool for poverty reduction. In this regard the Ministry will decentralize tourism development and focus on community-based tourism.
To achieve this objective, Government will facilitate the improvement in standards of tourism attractions to promote patronage, develop efficient marketing strategies and enhance quality services of the hospitality industry.
Performance in 2008
The Ministry participated in six international conferences overseas and organized one international Seminar in Accra. These included the High Level Diaspora led investment as sources of financing for enhanced growth and development in Africa,(Cape Town South Africa), the first US Africa Tourism & Sports Seminar – “Making Africa the World’s next premiere travel destination (New York), Diasporan International Conference (Sydney, Australia).
The Ministry also hosted the UNWTO Regional seminar-workshop on “Tourism and Handcrafts: Two key sectors to contribute to poverty reduction and Economic Development in Africa” in Accra, Ghana. It also organized four Annual Events namely; National Chocolate Day, Para-Gliding, Emancipation/Joseph Project and World Tourism Day Celebrations.
Other activities undertaken include: the printing of 30,000 promotional brochures which were distributed to target groups, 2,186 accommodation and catering establishments in both formal and informal sectors inspected and issued with operational licenses as part of ensuring standards and quality service delivery, completed the construction of new building for Ghana Tourist Board Head Office and held on 8th National Tourism Awards for industry practitioners to promote competition and excellence in service delivery.
The Ministry organized training for 106 members of staff in various professional and industry related courses to improve service delivery. It also organised training for 5,386 hospitality service providers to enhance service delivery during CAN 2008.
The Hotel, Catering and Training Institute (HOTCATT), a training wing of the Ministry, offered pre-industry training for 239 school leavers in the following industry related skills: front desk office operations, housekeeping, food and beverage production, tour guiding and ground handling skills.
The Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) collaborated with FAO, CEDECOM and Ghana Maritime Academy to train 164 food service providers, Trade Association Executives and 29 Life-guards/pool attendants on aquatic life saving.
Work was started on two Tourist Receptive Facilities at Akwamufie and Saltpond in addition to the 21 located at various districts country-wide to open-up these sites for increased patronage.
GTB organized three meetings to facilitate the Public-Private Partnership Forum and prepared a draft Tourism Policy.
In addition, a draft Tourism Bill was prepared to restructure the tourism administration, including the establishment of the National Tourism Authority to regulate the tourism industry. It also completed the establishment of a Diasporan Unit.
The Old Accra Redevelopment Agency (OARA) was established and made operational with the following activities undertaken; tree planting around Ababio Square, rehabilitation and commissioning of Brazil House for tourist visitation as well as the acquisition of Land for relocation of residents from Sodom and Gomora to Adjen Kotoku. Work on the 4km link road to Adjen Kotoku and the 1st phase of 259 Room five- Star Ambassador Hotel was started.
The aerial photographs and Ortho-photo maps of Ghana’s coastline covering an area of 4,716 kilometer square (from Half Assini to Aflao) was produced to facilitate investment in the tourism sector as well as the creation of the proposed Area Coastal Management Authority.
Outlook for 2009
The Ministry will participate in three international conferences and four International and domestic fairs and exhibitions. It will also organize four major events namely: National Chocolate Day, Regatta, Carnival, Emancipation/Panafest celebrations. In addition Ghana will host UNWTO International Celebration of the World Tourism Day, which will give Ghana the opportunity to showcase its tourism potentials.
The Ministry will also produce and distribute tourism promotional materials in and outside the country through Ghana’s Missions abroad. Other measures will include repackaging and marketing Ghana’s major festivals will as well as launching Ghana’s Tourism Brand.
The Ministry will develop and upgrade an official tourism website to enhance global access to Ghana’s tourism.
The Ministry in collaboration with the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Secretariat will establish national hospitality standards, accreditation and certification for hospitality training institutions.
For the implementation of the above activities, an amount of GH ¢3,757,185 has been allocated. Out of this, GoG is GH¢3,372,185 and IGF is GH ¢385,000
Ministry of Energy
The Ministry is to develop and sustain an efficient and financially viable energy sector that provides secure, safe and reliable supply of energy to meet Ghana’s developmental needs in a competitive manner.
Performance in 2008
As part of measures to address the power crises in 2006/2007 which lasted over a year, Government supported the expansion of power generating capacity. These are 126MW Emergency Power Plants currently on standby after the power crisis and 80MW Power Plant by consortium of mining companies.
A number of power projects were also initiated as medium term strategies and fully funded by Government and VRA which created substantial financial burden on the national budget. These were 126 MW Tema Thermal Power Project (TT1PP); 49.5 MW Tema Thermal 2 Power Plant (TT2PP); engineering, procurement and construction of Gas Turbine Generators and balance of plant for the 230 MW Kpone Thermal Project in progress.
Additionally, as part of measures to resolve the power crises the Ministry on behalf of the Government of Ghana signed a power purchase agreement and a lease agreement with Balkan Energy Ghana Limited to refurbish, commission and commercially operate the 125 MW Osagyefo Power Barge.
The contract was signed in 2007 and Balkan was to complete the project in 90 working days and further expand the plant by additional 60 MW subsequently. Balkan Energy has not met the deadline for operating the plant as works on the power plant, transmission lines and substations to evacuate power from the power plant are still ongoing.
Work started on the Bui Hydro Project in 2007. Activities undertaken included clearing works on the dam site, topographic surveys, geological and hydro-geological investigations, relocation and resettlement to Jama in the Brong Ahafo Region of three communities living at dam site. River closure was achieved in December 2008 paving the way for works on the river beds to commence.
Rural Electrification
The rural Electrification in 31 communities in West Akim District was completed and commissioned. Material supply for the extension of power supply to 16 communities in Upper Denkyira district is almost completed.
Furthermore, 380 communities were connected to the national grid.
Additionally, 200 communities were connected to the national grid under SHEP-4. Under the extension of power supplies to 5+ communities per district initiative work commenced in communities with Low Voltage (LV) poles. A total of 11 communities in the Greater Accra and Volta Regions were completed.
Regional Capital Street Lighting Project
The regional capitals street lighting projects for Koforidua, Tamale, Cape Coast and Sekondi were completed.
Power Distribution Upgrade Project
The ECG undertook a number of projects to improve the reliability and quality of power supply as well as reduce system losses. These included the construction of 33 kV primary substations in Ofankor, Accra, Amanfrom,Kumasi and the commissioning of Abuakwa, Kumasi substation.
Under the ECG distribution system improvement project, preliminary activities on switching stations and substations were carried out in the following regions; Greater Accra (Dodowa, Tokuse), Eastern (Akuse Junction), Western (Bogoso, Bawdie), Ashanti (Ejisu, Kuntenasi), Volta (Jasikan) and Central (Dunkwa, Winneba, Swedru, Kasoa).
The Ministry in collaboration with Energy Commission and Energy Foundation procured and distributed 6 million compact florescent lamps (CFLs) as a load reduction measure to reduce the impact of power shortage in 2007.
Petroleum Sub-Sector
The offshore pipeline of the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) Project from Itoki in Nigeria to Takoradi was completed. The gas pipeline from the Regulation and Metering (R&M) Station to VRA plant at Aboadze, the Gas conditioning facility, gas turbine works were also completed. Free flow (non-compressed) gas, which is in the pipeline at Takoradi is yet to be delivered to the power plant at Aboadze.
Secondary Gas Distribution Network Development
The cabinet approved six Legislative Instruments (LI) for regulating the Secondary Gas Market. Out of these, two were approved by Parliament. The remaining four are being reviewed at the Attorney General’s Department before submission to Parliament.
Exploration and Development of Hydro Carbon Resources
The appraisal programme on the Jubilee fields being managed by Messrs KOSMOS Energy and Tullow Oil Ghana Limited was completed. These companies and other Jubilee partners are currently preparing the Development Plans.
Outlook for 2009
The Energy Sector outlook for this year is to rollout a programme for the Government’s Energy For Growth Agenda.
Power Sub-Sector
The key elements of the Government’s Energy For Growth Agenda for the Power Sector are (i) increase power generation capacity to 5,000 megawatts in the medium term, (ii) add capacity at the transmission and distribution levels, (iii) open up the sub sector to independent power producers and private sector participants, (iv) increase access to electricity in all households, (v) pursue regional cooperation projects, (vi) implement power sector reforms, (vii) strengthen the regulatory institutions and (viii) reduce the cost of electricity production to achieve lower tariffs.
Power Generating Capacity Expansion
The VRA’s 126 megawatts (MW) Tema Thermal 1 Power Plant (TT1PP) will be completed and commissioned in the first quarter of 2009. The 49.5 megawatt Tema Thermal 2 Power Plant (TT2PP) will be completed and commissioned by mid 2009.
The completion of the ongoing 230MW Kpone Thermal 1 Power Plant (KT1PP) at Tema and the Bui Hydro Power Project will be pursued. Additionally, the independent power producer initiatives will be supported to enhance private sector investments in power generation. The expansion of the Takoradi International Company (TICO) power plant at Aboadze into a combine cycle plant will be intiated.
The refurbishment of the 125 megawatts Osagyefo Power Barge (OPB) Project will be completed this year. The development of infrastructure for supply of natural gas from the Jubilee Field will be accelerated this year to ensure that gas from the field is utilised for the operation of OPB. The completion of these projects will add substantially to the country°os power generating capacity and move us towards our vision of achieving 5,000 megawatts in the medium term.
Fuel for Power
The Ministry will continue to pursue efforts to get sustainable natural gas supply from the West African Gas Pipeline Project (WAGPP) for generation and other industrial uses. The Ministry will ensure that the technical and operational difficulties regarding the delivery and the use of compressed gas are resolved. The use of natural gas will enable Government to achieve lower power generation cost and therefore lower electricity tariffs.
Transmission projects
A number of ongoing critical projects will be continued this year to improve the operation of the transmission system to deliver reliable, safe, and efficient services. These projects include Obuasi-Kumasi 161 kV transmission line, Substation Upgrade Project and SCADA modernisation project. Also to be pursued is the 330 kV Aboadze-Tema coastal transmission line project. A third Bulk Supply Point Project and a second Bulk Supply Point Project in Kumasi will be intiated.
Power Distribution System and
Capacity Expansion
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Northern Electricity Department (NED) will continue the implementation of projects which are aimed at significantly improving their operations. These include prepayment metering expansion programme, upgrade of medium voltage network including the construction of additional primary substations, construction of call centres to enhance customer service operations and upgrade of the Low Voltage networks.
The Ministry will increase the pace of the expansion of access of electricity under the National Electrification Scheme (NES).
It will also continue the implementation of the following ongoing electrification projects: Grid extension to 130 communities; Extension of national electricity grid to 200 communities under the in the Self Help Electrification Programme (SHEP 4) Extension of electricity to 600 communities throughout the country also under the 5-Plus Communities per District Programme. Complete the extension of the national electricity grid to 16 communities in the Upper Denkyira District
Increasing ElectricityAccess
Through National Electrification Scheme
The Ministry will increase the pace of the expansion of access of electricity under the National
Electrification Scheme (NES). It will also continue the implementation of the following ongoing electrification projects:
• Grid extension to 130 communities;
• Extension of national electricity grid to 200 communities under the in the Self Help Electrification Programme (SHEP 4)
• Extension of electricity to 600 communities throughout the country also under the 5-Plus Communities per District Programme.
• Complete the extension of the national electricity grid to 16 communities in the Upper Denkyira District 426.
The Ministry will commence the following electrification projects. The extension of electricity to 106 communities in the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions, the extension of national electricity grid to 80 communities in the Ashanti & Eastern Regions and the Rural Electrification Project for Western, Central, Ashanti region and other identified communities in Ghana.
The Ministry will commence the Regional Capitals Street Lighting Projects with focus on Kumasi, Accra, Sunyani, Tema, Takoradi, Ho, Wa and Bolgatanga.
Renewable Energy
Madam Speaker, renewable energy resources, including small hydro, solar and wind energy will feature in the evolution of a balance energy portfolio that reflects advances in technology and Ghana’s natural resource endowment.
The following renewable energy projects will be pursued; Construction and operation of Tsatsadu mini hydro power plant; Training of technicians for solar PV installation and maintenance Solar Electrification projects in schools, security outposts, health centres and other public institutions;
Development of three mini grid systems and one grid connected system; Rehabilitation of solar grid system at the Ministry.
Electricity Access Through Intensification
Under the Ghana Energy Development Access Project (GEDAP), materials and equipments for the implementation of the project started arriving for work to commence this year.
Under the GEDAP electricity supply is to be extended to 880 rural communities within the next two years. The Ministry also will intensify the electrification in412 rural and peri-urban towns in 38 districts in the Eastern, Western, Ashanti, Volta, Central and Greater Accra Regions with connections to about 55,000 new customers. Similar intensification programmes will be under taken in the Northern, Upper East, Upper West and Brong Ahafo Regions to cover 151 towns and villages with connections of about 20,000 new customers.
Energy Sector Regulations for
Power Sector Reforms
The Energy Commission will facilitate the preparation of the following regulations to govern the operations of the Energy Sector as provided under the Energy Commission Act 541. This will include National Electricity Grid Code; Natural Gas Occupational Health and Safety Regulations; Energy Efficiency Standards and Labeling (Refrigerator, Refrigerator- Freezer and Freezer) Regulations, LI 1947; and Renewable Energy Law.
The Ministry will support the capacity development efforts of the regulatory institutions namely the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) and the Energy Commission (EC) to enhance their regulatory oversight of the energy sector.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation
The Ministry will also implement measures to improve energy conservation in electricity consumption through energy management and efficiency projects in public institutions and also public education on energy conservation. The Ministry will implement projects to improve energy utilization in large electricity consuming public sector institutions.
IPP Policy Framework Review
In the wake of the power crisis of 2007, a number of IPPs entered into the electricity supply market. Some of these signed PPAs with the Ministry of Energy (MoE) and others with ECG. The Ministry of Energy had no mandate to sign a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) since it does not have the mandate/license to distribute electricity. Some of the IPPs do not have the license to operate as generating entities in the electricity market. In the case where the PPA was signed
between ECG and the IPP, PURC has the legal mandate to review the agreed upon tariff. ECG is lawfully permitted to off-take power from an IPP only at a price level that PURC agrees (Act 538 Article 17 Clause 2). In the light of the above, a review of all signed IPP contracts and PPAs to ensure compliance with all the laws governing the electricity market is critical.
Restoration of the
Finances of the Power Utilities
The Power Sector is facing financial challenges. . In lieu of re-imbursement of subsidies for electricity supply to VALCO and other residential consumers, GoG had been making significant budgetary allocations to cover the capital investment programs of VRA and ECG. An immense proportion (76 per cent) of the Sovereign Bond proceeds was earmarked under the GoG 2008
Supplementary Budget to cover capital expenditures for VRA, GRIDCO, ECG and Bui Power Authority (BPA). In addition, GoG has been providing direct payments to cover VRA working capital requirements for crude oil purchases for the thermal plants. That notwithstanding, the GoG budgetary transfers have not been adequate to cover revenue shortfalls and/or re-capitalize the three power utilities.
Clearly, the current state of affairs is unsustainable and should not be allowed to continue. To arrest this situation, the Ministry of Energy shall develop and implement comprehensive remedial measures, especially re-capitalization, that will ensure the long term financial viability of VRA, GRIDCO and ECG.
At the insistence of Power Sector creditors, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP) agreed, in May 2008, to conduct a Power Sector Financial Restructuring and Recovery Study, the findings of which was to inform the development of a Comprehensive Financial Recovery Plan for the three power utilities. The Ministry of Energy shall launch a study to inform decisions on re-capitalization of the three power utilities.
Looking forward, the Plan will, among others, seek to improve upon the financial operating ratios, reduce short term indebtedness and reduce arrears of each of the power utilities to suppliers and creditors. Moreover, the Plan will clearly mark out VRA’s core and non-core assets, effect full transfer of national transmission grid assets from VRA to GRIDCO, and “ring-fence” assets and liabilities associated with GoG sponsored gas-turbine power projects (Tema Thermal Power Project and Kpone Thermal Power Project). Petroleum Sub Sector
For the petroleum sub-sector, efforts will focus on (i) intensifying Tano Gas development and the exploration of the Voltaian Basin, (ii) Expansion of Tema Oil Refinery (iii) enhancement of local content in the development and exploitation of Ghana°os oil and gas resources.
Hydrocarbon Development and Extension of Ghana's Continental Shelf
438.
Currently more than ten international oil companies are prospecting for oil and gas in our sedimentary basins. Government will intensify its efforts to attract more companies. The Voltaian Basin which covers forty per cent of the land mass of Ghana is largely unexplored and Government will intensify efforts to promote the exploration and development of the basin.
439.
The Ministry will ensure that Ghana benefits, to the greatest extent possible, from discovery and production of oil and gas.
We will also ensure that local content provisions in Petroleum Law and Agreement are applied. To improve the human capacity in the petroleum sector, the Ministry will initiate the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for petroleum related studies and training.
440.
The Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and natural Resources, will also ensure the submission of the report on extension of Ghana's Continental Shelf beyond 200 nautical miles to the United Nations as part of efforts to secure the oil and gas deposits further offshore of Ghana.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)