“COCOA is Ghana and Ghana is cocoa” is how some analysts have described the country, which is the second-leading exporter of cocoa in the world.
Cocoa beans and products from Ghana have gained world acclaim such that in faraway Japan, if the chocolate on their shelves is not from Ghana, buyers from that country hesitate in patronising the product.
That is the extent to which our cocoa beans and products are perceived and adored by buyers on the international market such that they describe them as “premium” quality.
The DAILY GRAPHIC, therefore, finds as a worrying development the impasse between the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the licensed buying companies (LBCs) over the non-payment of bonuses to some cocoa farmers in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Consequently, the farmers may be at the receiving end of this tango because as the saying goes, “When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.”
The DAILY GRAPHIC is not interested in the blame game, but rather to appeal to the conscience of the two parties to resolve to find a quick solution to the impasse.
The COCOBOD recently announced preparation towards its yearly ritual of syndicated loans to finance the purchases of cocoa for this year’s cocoa season.
The over US$1 billion dollar syndicated loan is a testimony of the international financial system’s faith in our ability to deliver on the yearly cocoa purchases.
Be that as it may, the worry is that such wrong signals from the cocoa sector can impact negatively on our ability to source such funds, use them for the intended purpose and repay same in good time.
Over the past four years, the country has been able to produce cocoa beyond our regular yields. the windfall has been very encouraging and the opportunity to even go beyond the more than 600,000 tonnage exists for us to explore to make money to wean ourselves off donor partners.
Furthermore, there have been heavy investments in the cocoa industry. Cargil has doubled its cocoa processing plant to about 60,000 tonnes during the same period, likewise Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), which, at the end of its expansion programme, would have the capacity to produce about 62,000 tonnes of cocoa products for export.
All these companies depend on cocoa purchases for their production.
Therefore, the row between the COCOBOD and the LBCs has far-reaching implications for the country.
As our leading export crop, cocoa should not be undermine in any way by us, bearing in mind that the country is in difficult times.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls for reason and above all responsiveness on the part of all the parties to ensure that our farmers are not denied the very little compensation due them as a reward for their hard work.
If anything at all, this is the time for prompt action to enable the country to take advantage of the commodity boom on the international market in respect of our cocoa exports.
The Daily Graphic, therefore, recommends dialogue between the Cocobod and the LBCs to resolve the issue amicably and we trust that good reason will prevail.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Sunday, September 6, 2009
SODOM AND GOMORRAH CAN'T STALL DEVELOPMENT (SEPTEMBER 6, 2009)
THE Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Ishmael Ashitey, has indicated the readiness of the government to demolish the sprawling and famous squatters’ dwelling in the heart of Accra, popularly called Sodom and Gomorrah, because of security concerns.
This move may be good news but one that is long overdue.
For residents or rather squatters of this hotbed of political manoeuvring, however, the move may not be very pleasant.
Indeed reports indicate that the settlers, or for want of a better description, the squatters, have indicated their resolve to resist any attempts at ejecting them from their illegal abode.
We do not want to enter into the debate as to the legal justifications or otherwise of the action being taken against the squatters.
The Daily Graphic’s concern is primarily the inertia of state institutions to enforce by-laws within their jurisdiction and the seeming lack of political will to do what is right.
The problem of Sodom and Gomorrah manifests itself at other slums in every part of the city of Accra and other urban settlements in the country.
From Airport, through East Legon, Dansoman, Tema, name it, every part of the city, be it residential or the central business area, has slums that defy the harmony required among spatial, social and environmental aspects of a city.
The only way we can guarantee ourselves liveable places in Accra and other cities is to remind the people of a popular quote from former President Jerry John Rawlings that; “Our problem is not knowing what is right but rather doing what is right.”
It is this same lack of appreciation for what is right and lawful that today we are confronted with such national challenges like what to do with the squatters of Sodom and Gomorrah. Is it surprising that as a nation, we are where we are because we all have failed in our individual roles to do what is right?
But much as the Daily Graphic blames such state institutions for the lack of professionalism on their part, we equally lay the blame squarely on politicians who, at the turn of every event, would want to use every opportunity to score cheap political gains at the expense of national development.
Our attitude to approaching every thing under the sun with a political eye has led us to take decisions that only go to aggravate our national crisis.
The move by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) should not only be limited to squatters, who mainly are the vulnerable in our society, but extended to include all illegal structures in every part of the country.
While we do not condone acts of lawlessness in our society, we must make it point to ensure that as a state, we adhere strictly to United Nations convention on the right to a decent accommodation.
The Daily Graphic shares in the statement by Helen Keller, who said, “Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice can never be attained.”
Unless something positive is done now, this group of people in the slums can create social problems for society. That is why the squatters must be foremost in our planning.
It is our wish that the exercise will be carried out in the best interest of the people, and that we will learn lessons from our mistakes and resolve never to look on unconcerned when people flout the regulations on spatial development.
This move may be good news but one that is long overdue.
For residents or rather squatters of this hotbed of political manoeuvring, however, the move may not be very pleasant.
Indeed reports indicate that the settlers, or for want of a better description, the squatters, have indicated their resolve to resist any attempts at ejecting them from their illegal abode.
We do not want to enter into the debate as to the legal justifications or otherwise of the action being taken against the squatters.
The Daily Graphic’s concern is primarily the inertia of state institutions to enforce by-laws within their jurisdiction and the seeming lack of political will to do what is right.
The problem of Sodom and Gomorrah manifests itself at other slums in every part of the city of Accra and other urban settlements in the country.
From Airport, through East Legon, Dansoman, Tema, name it, every part of the city, be it residential or the central business area, has slums that defy the harmony required among spatial, social and environmental aspects of a city.
The only way we can guarantee ourselves liveable places in Accra and other cities is to remind the people of a popular quote from former President Jerry John Rawlings that; “Our problem is not knowing what is right but rather doing what is right.”
It is this same lack of appreciation for what is right and lawful that today we are confronted with such national challenges like what to do with the squatters of Sodom and Gomorrah. Is it surprising that as a nation, we are where we are because we all have failed in our individual roles to do what is right?
But much as the Daily Graphic blames such state institutions for the lack of professionalism on their part, we equally lay the blame squarely on politicians who, at the turn of every event, would want to use every opportunity to score cheap political gains at the expense of national development.
Our attitude to approaching every thing under the sun with a political eye has led us to take decisions that only go to aggravate our national crisis.
The move by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) should not only be limited to squatters, who mainly are the vulnerable in our society, but extended to include all illegal structures in every part of the country.
While we do not condone acts of lawlessness in our society, we must make it point to ensure that as a state, we adhere strictly to United Nations convention on the right to a decent accommodation.
The Daily Graphic shares in the statement by Helen Keller, who said, “Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other's welfare, social justice can never be attained.”
Unless something positive is done now, this group of people in the slums can create social problems for society. That is why the squatters must be foremost in our planning.
It is our wish that the exercise will be carried out in the best interest of the people, and that we will learn lessons from our mistakes and resolve never to look on unconcerned when people flout the regulations on spatial development.
Friday, September 4, 2009
MEDIA CAN BE LETHAL (SEPTEMBER 4, 2009)
THE debate over social responsibility in the media has become relevant today given the claim that journalists are partly to blame for the spectre of a polarised nation.
Leading members of the Catholic and Presbyterian churches in Ghana have taken politicians and the media to task for the polarisation when they spoke on behalf of millions of Ghanaians who do not have the opportunity to speak publicly.
Indeed, recent events have made many people to question whether some media practitioners do not have any better way of handling national issues than the hate speech and propaganda they force down the throat of their readers, listeners and viewers.
In fact, the venom that sometimes comes from the pens and microphones of journalists and commentators, makes society wonder whether the media can count on the public trust to behave responsibly.
Without advocating a return to the era of the “Culture of Silence”, as well as the restoration of the Seditious and Criminal Libel Laws, it is important for the inky fraternity to appreciate the power they wield so as to use it for the public good.
The DAILY GRAPHIC would always encourage the media to hold public office holders accountable for their actions but it is equally essential for media practitioners to recognise that although the media can be a tool for development, it can be a lethal weapon, if misapplied.
The actions and inaction of journalists sometimes create the impression of a conspiracy of silence within the media when it comes to upholding its own ethics.
Whatever the challenges, the media have done a lot to guide and guard our democracy to the present level, where it has won international acclaim.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the media to take a cue from the harm a reckless statement on a radio station in Rwanda did by way of causing a genocide and make a vow to exercise media freedom with responsibility.
Let us not have any illusions that God loves us better than people in countries ravaged by war. We are on course because we are trying hard to play by the rules.
The barbaric incident at Agbogbloshie on Tuesday, August 25, 2009, when some Ghanaians took machetes, chased their own brothers and butchered three of them, should not be lost on us.
The determination on the part of journalists to build public confidence in their businesses will determine which media organisations survive and prosper and which ones fail in the current financial crunch.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is very much aware of the fact that good stories sell newspapers, draw viewers and win accolades but these are attained if the stories represent the truth and facts on the ground.
While we bemoan bad journalism, we should also celebrate the efforts of many good journalists who have used their skills to promote the well-being of the people.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appeals to the National Media Commission (NMC) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to play more proactive roles in encouraging journalists to spike stories that cannot stand up to the truth.
The NMC, as the regulator, should bite while the GJA should encourage its members to be more ethically conscious and responsible.
Leading members of the Catholic and Presbyterian churches in Ghana have taken politicians and the media to task for the polarisation when they spoke on behalf of millions of Ghanaians who do not have the opportunity to speak publicly.
Indeed, recent events have made many people to question whether some media practitioners do not have any better way of handling national issues than the hate speech and propaganda they force down the throat of their readers, listeners and viewers.
In fact, the venom that sometimes comes from the pens and microphones of journalists and commentators, makes society wonder whether the media can count on the public trust to behave responsibly.
Without advocating a return to the era of the “Culture of Silence”, as well as the restoration of the Seditious and Criminal Libel Laws, it is important for the inky fraternity to appreciate the power they wield so as to use it for the public good.
The DAILY GRAPHIC would always encourage the media to hold public office holders accountable for their actions but it is equally essential for media practitioners to recognise that although the media can be a tool for development, it can be a lethal weapon, if misapplied.
The actions and inaction of journalists sometimes create the impression of a conspiracy of silence within the media when it comes to upholding its own ethics.
Whatever the challenges, the media have done a lot to guide and guard our democracy to the present level, where it has won international acclaim.
The DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the media to take a cue from the harm a reckless statement on a radio station in Rwanda did by way of causing a genocide and make a vow to exercise media freedom with responsibility.
Let us not have any illusions that God loves us better than people in countries ravaged by war. We are on course because we are trying hard to play by the rules.
The barbaric incident at Agbogbloshie on Tuesday, August 25, 2009, when some Ghanaians took machetes, chased their own brothers and butchered three of them, should not be lost on us.
The determination on the part of journalists to build public confidence in their businesses will determine which media organisations survive and prosper and which ones fail in the current financial crunch.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is very much aware of the fact that good stories sell newspapers, draw viewers and win accolades but these are attained if the stories represent the truth and facts on the ground.
While we bemoan bad journalism, we should also celebrate the efforts of many good journalists who have used their skills to promote the well-being of the people.
The DAILY GRAPHIC appeals to the National Media Commission (NMC) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to play more proactive roles in encouraging journalists to spike stories that cannot stand up to the truth.
The NMC, as the regulator, should bite while the GJA should encourage its members to be more ethically conscious and responsible.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
CALL THEM TO ORDER (SEPTEMBER 3, 2009)
AN efficient road transport system provides the oxygen for the free movement of people and goods across the length and breadth of the country.
Although we have not been able to pave all the road networks in the country to first-class standards, our rail and air transport was considered the most efficient in post-independent Ghana.
At least in the 1960s and early 1970s the rail network served the needs of the travelling public and businesses in the catchment areas of the rail road.
Students enjoyed travelling by trains to and from their schools and those in areas not served by the rail roads would connect to their destinations by road. Those were the days of the rail romance when it was a delight to travel by rail because of its safety, comfort and reliability.
Even as a small country struggling to build its economy many years ago, Ghana Airways was then the airline of choice of most travellers on the continent.
There is no doubt that Ghana is doing well in many spheres of human endeavour and for which reason we have been touted as a model but the failures in certain areas can be avoided if we get our act together.
The country has not done well in managing its transport companies over the years. The popular Omnibus Service Authority (OSA) and the City Express Service (CES) have collapsed because of mismanagement while Intercity STC is a shadow of its former self.
While the state finds it challenging to run mass transportation, the private operators, but for whose efforts the economy would have come to a standstill, are in brisk business.
The mass transit system offers the best way to address the bottlenecks in the transportation system and facilitate the free and quick movement of the people.
The previous government established the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) to break the monopoly of the private operators and offer cheaper alternatives to commuters.
Mass transit systems do not offer all the solutions to the transportation challenges. Some commuters complain about the system because it can be crowded, dirty and uncomfortable.
Also with limited budgets from subsidised services, such a system is not able to maintain its equipment and fleet of buses.
It is, therefore, not surprising that the MMT has decided to ground 400 buses imported from China in 2006 because of the non-availability of spare parts and trained mechanics to repair them.
The DAILY GRAPHIC finds it very worrying that the buses have been grounded due to lack of foresight on the part of those who secured the buses on behalf of the company.
The mass transit system has fulfilled a felt need in our cities and rural areas where commuters always struggle for transport, especially during the peak periods.
But as things stand now, many commuters including schoolchildren and workers who have relied on the buses will be stranded and will have to look for alternative means to travel to and from their destinations.
No matter the challenges, the DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the government to renew interest in reviving the country’s moribund public transportation system.
The surge of interest that greeted the introduction of the mass transit system must never be made to die but rekindled to complement the efforts of hardworking private operators.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks that it is unpardonable for the company to acquire the buses from China without due diligence and technical support in the event of breakdowns.
We dare not kill the interest that mass transit has engendered after efforts to increase ridership of the public transport system. The Ministry of Transport should do everything to save the MMT but action should include severe sanctions against those whose actions or inaction has led to the current state of the MMT.
Although we have not been able to pave all the road networks in the country to first-class standards, our rail and air transport was considered the most efficient in post-independent Ghana.
At least in the 1960s and early 1970s the rail network served the needs of the travelling public and businesses in the catchment areas of the rail road.
Students enjoyed travelling by trains to and from their schools and those in areas not served by the rail roads would connect to their destinations by road. Those were the days of the rail romance when it was a delight to travel by rail because of its safety, comfort and reliability.
Even as a small country struggling to build its economy many years ago, Ghana Airways was then the airline of choice of most travellers on the continent.
There is no doubt that Ghana is doing well in many spheres of human endeavour and for which reason we have been touted as a model but the failures in certain areas can be avoided if we get our act together.
The country has not done well in managing its transport companies over the years. The popular Omnibus Service Authority (OSA) and the City Express Service (CES) have collapsed because of mismanagement while Intercity STC is a shadow of its former self.
While the state finds it challenging to run mass transportation, the private operators, but for whose efforts the economy would have come to a standstill, are in brisk business.
The mass transit system offers the best way to address the bottlenecks in the transportation system and facilitate the free and quick movement of the people.
The previous government established the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) to break the monopoly of the private operators and offer cheaper alternatives to commuters.
Mass transit systems do not offer all the solutions to the transportation challenges. Some commuters complain about the system because it can be crowded, dirty and uncomfortable.
Also with limited budgets from subsidised services, such a system is not able to maintain its equipment and fleet of buses.
It is, therefore, not surprising that the MMT has decided to ground 400 buses imported from China in 2006 because of the non-availability of spare parts and trained mechanics to repair them.
The DAILY GRAPHIC finds it very worrying that the buses have been grounded due to lack of foresight on the part of those who secured the buses on behalf of the company.
The mass transit system has fulfilled a felt need in our cities and rural areas where commuters always struggle for transport, especially during the peak periods.
But as things stand now, many commuters including schoolchildren and workers who have relied on the buses will be stranded and will have to look for alternative means to travel to and from their destinations.
No matter the challenges, the DAILY GRAPHIC calls on the government to renew interest in reviving the country’s moribund public transportation system.
The surge of interest that greeted the introduction of the mass transit system must never be made to die but rekindled to complement the efforts of hardworking private operators.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks that it is unpardonable for the company to acquire the buses from China without due diligence and technical support in the event of breakdowns.
We dare not kill the interest that mass transit has engendered after efforts to increase ridership of the public transport system. The Ministry of Transport should do everything to save the MMT but action should include severe sanctions against those whose actions or inaction has led to the current state of the MMT.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
SAD CASE OF REMAN PRISONERS (SEPTEMBER 2, 2009)
THE plight of remand prisoners at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons cast a slur on our reputation as a country committed to freedom and justice.
It was revealed during a visit to the Nsawam Prisons on Monday by Mr Francis Emile Short, Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), that 1,554 remand prisoners had demanded their immediate trial since their continued stay in prison without trial was an abuse of their fundamental human rights.
It is difficult to understand why the prosecutors from the police service and the Attorney-General’s Department will keep remand prisoners in our prisons for as long as 20 years when the burden of proof rests on the prosecution.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is saddened by the plight of the remand prisoners in view of the principle in legal circles that it is better to have 99 criminals breathe the air of freedom than to have one innocent person convicted.
Most of the remand prisoners find themselves in their present circumstances because of their involvement in petty crimes.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks it is not just enough to bemoan the overcrowding in our prisons. The entire penal system requires an overhaul, if our prisons are to be decongested.
Oftentimes, judges are blamed for the delay in the dispensation of justice and the overcrowding in the prisons.
The courts only interpret the law and unless provisions of the criminal code are reviewed to give discretional powers to judges to grant bail for certain offences, our prisons will be choked with remand prisoners.
Also, police prosecutors and state attorneys delay trials when they plead with the courts for long adjournments to conduct investigations into the cases.
The DAILY GRAPHIC commends the CHRAJ for its persistent crusade for improvement in the conditions of our prisons.
Unfortunately, the CHRAJ does not have the powers of a court to grant bail to the remand prisoners. It can only sensitise the authorities about the conditions of the prisoners.
However, the good news is that the Minister of Justice, the Chief Justice, the Inspector-General of Police and other stakeholders have initiated moves to right the wrong inflicted on some of the remand prisoners.
Any review of the penal system should give our judges power to be innovative in dispensing justice instead of the general practice of what is called the “warehousing” of criminals.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recommends community service as an alternative to prison for petty criminals. This approach, however, raises the issue of the capacity of the Department of Social Welfare to supervise criminals on community services.
In many jurisdictions, petty criminals are forced to pay their debt to society by offering certain services to the community such as the clearing of garbage.
Our prisons should help to repair the deficiencies in prisoners and return them as productive members of society.
The thousands of remand prisoners in our prisons are knocking at the door of justice and it should be opened to them now.
It was revealed during a visit to the Nsawam Prisons on Monday by Mr Francis Emile Short, Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), that 1,554 remand prisoners had demanded their immediate trial since their continued stay in prison without trial was an abuse of their fundamental human rights.
It is difficult to understand why the prosecutors from the police service and the Attorney-General’s Department will keep remand prisoners in our prisons for as long as 20 years when the burden of proof rests on the prosecution.
The DAILY GRAPHIC is saddened by the plight of the remand prisoners in view of the principle in legal circles that it is better to have 99 criminals breathe the air of freedom than to have one innocent person convicted.
Most of the remand prisoners find themselves in their present circumstances because of their involvement in petty crimes.
The DAILY GRAPHIC thinks it is not just enough to bemoan the overcrowding in our prisons. The entire penal system requires an overhaul, if our prisons are to be decongested.
Oftentimes, judges are blamed for the delay in the dispensation of justice and the overcrowding in the prisons.
The courts only interpret the law and unless provisions of the criminal code are reviewed to give discretional powers to judges to grant bail for certain offences, our prisons will be choked with remand prisoners.
Also, police prosecutors and state attorneys delay trials when they plead with the courts for long adjournments to conduct investigations into the cases.
The DAILY GRAPHIC commends the CHRAJ for its persistent crusade for improvement in the conditions of our prisons.
Unfortunately, the CHRAJ does not have the powers of a court to grant bail to the remand prisoners. It can only sensitise the authorities about the conditions of the prisoners.
However, the good news is that the Minister of Justice, the Chief Justice, the Inspector-General of Police and other stakeholders have initiated moves to right the wrong inflicted on some of the remand prisoners.
Any review of the penal system should give our judges power to be innovative in dispensing justice instead of the general practice of what is called the “warehousing” of criminals.
The DAILY GRAPHIC recommends community service as an alternative to prison for petty criminals. This approach, however, raises the issue of the capacity of the Department of Social Welfare to supervise criminals on community services.
In many jurisdictions, petty criminals are forced to pay their debt to society by offering certain services to the community such as the clearing of garbage.
Our prisons should help to repair the deficiencies in prisoners and return them as productive members of society.
The thousands of remand prisoners in our prisons are knocking at the door of justice and it should be opened to them now.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
GLOOM OVER HEALTH CARE (SEPT 1, 2009)
THE lack of a law to enforce guidelines, standards and codes of practice on private medical laboratories sends shivers down the spines of Ghanaians so far as the quality of health care in the country is concerned.
The immediate past President of the Association of Private Medical Laboratories (APML), Mr Otuo Adade-Boateng, who raised the issue in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, said the absence of regulation was also hampering the fight against HIV and AIDS because there was the possibility of being diagnosed of having contracted the pandemic when that was not the case and vice versa.
The lack of legislation to regulate the operation of private medical laboratories has opened the floodgates for any individual with or without the know-how but is desirous of entering the business to establish a medical laboratory without any licence or authorisation.
Although quite late in the day, we have been told that the Ministry of Health is in the process of developing guidelines, standards and codes of practice to regulate private medical laboratories in the country under an Allied Health Bill.
Our worry is that a number of people may have lost their lives due to wrong diagnoses from sub-standard laboratories in the country.
But knowing how long it takes for bills to be passed in this country, do we have to wait any further before something is done about the situation?
The Daily Graphic thinks that in the interim, steps must be taken to put in place a regulatory body to handle the situation, since the issue has to do with life and death.
Already some health professionals have described the trend as a very dangerous phenomenon which must be regulated immediately to ensure that unlicensed health facilities do not qualify as service providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and put the health of premium holders at risk.
We are told that if someone belonging to one blood group was transfused with another type of blood, he or she would die within an hour.
This is a serious matter which should receive the attention of the authorities immediately, instead of the lukewarm approach to the mushrooming of private laboratories in the country.
If for any reason we are unable to act on a number of issues with despatch in the past, we should now see the danger signals when the challenge concerns the health of the people.
The good news is that without waiting for a bill to be passed, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has begun an exercise to evaluate its accredited health facilities, which include laboratories.
When that is done, the authority can save the lives of its clients and in addition save the scheme from unnecessary claims for wrong diagnoses, which usually lead to wrong and expensive prescriptions.
The Daily Graphic believes that the gloom and doom that apparently hang over our health service as a result of the operators of fake medical laboratories can give way to a bright future, if the axe is made to fall on those who breach the standards and regulations, as well as their collaborators in the Ghana Health Service or Ministry of Health.
It is about time our public officials who are paid by the taxpayer to run the country’s health services sat up and acted decisively to save lives.
The immediate past President of the Association of Private Medical Laboratories (APML), Mr Otuo Adade-Boateng, who raised the issue in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, said the absence of regulation was also hampering the fight against HIV and AIDS because there was the possibility of being diagnosed of having contracted the pandemic when that was not the case and vice versa.
The lack of legislation to regulate the operation of private medical laboratories has opened the floodgates for any individual with or without the know-how but is desirous of entering the business to establish a medical laboratory without any licence or authorisation.
Although quite late in the day, we have been told that the Ministry of Health is in the process of developing guidelines, standards and codes of practice to regulate private medical laboratories in the country under an Allied Health Bill.
Our worry is that a number of people may have lost their lives due to wrong diagnoses from sub-standard laboratories in the country.
But knowing how long it takes for bills to be passed in this country, do we have to wait any further before something is done about the situation?
The Daily Graphic thinks that in the interim, steps must be taken to put in place a regulatory body to handle the situation, since the issue has to do with life and death.
Already some health professionals have described the trend as a very dangerous phenomenon which must be regulated immediately to ensure that unlicensed health facilities do not qualify as service providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and put the health of premium holders at risk.
We are told that if someone belonging to one blood group was transfused with another type of blood, he or she would die within an hour.
This is a serious matter which should receive the attention of the authorities immediately, instead of the lukewarm approach to the mushrooming of private laboratories in the country.
If for any reason we are unable to act on a number of issues with despatch in the past, we should now see the danger signals when the challenge concerns the health of the people.
The good news is that without waiting for a bill to be passed, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has begun an exercise to evaluate its accredited health facilities, which include laboratories.
When that is done, the authority can save the lives of its clients and in addition save the scheme from unnecessary claims for wrong diagnoses, which usually lead to wrong and expensive prescriptions.
The Daily Graphic believes that the gloom and doom that apparently hang over our health service as a result of the operators of fake medical laboratories can give way to a bright future, if the axe is made to fall on those who breach the standards and regulations, as well as their collaborators in the Ghana Health Service or Ministry of Health.
It is about time our public officials who are paid by the taxpayer to run the country’s health services sat up and acted decisively to save lives.
Monday, August 31, 2009
CO-OPERATE TO END 'MAST WAR' (AUGUST 31, 2009)
BY the last count, six telecommunications companies had been registered to operate mobile telephony industry in the country. Five of the companies are currently in a fierce competition for consumers from among the nearly 23 million population, while the sixth operator is feverishly preparing to launch its operations to make the market even more exciting.
From the 1990s to date, the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector has been very phenomenal making it possible for every village or hamlet to be accessed by cellular phone communications.
Indeed, cellular phones give true expression to the belief that the world has become a global village, making it easy for contacts to be made on any issue in every corner of the world.
Such is the high level of telephony penetration and the influence of information and communication technology (ICT) on the cultures of the world that certain countries are taking steps to introduce regulations for the use of the Internet to the displeasure of advocates of a free society.
Ghana’s mobile penetration base is estimated to hit 60 per cent by the end of this year. At the end of last year, the penetration rate was about 50 per cent with nearly 11.8 million mobile phone subscribers.
Despite the growth in the mobile telephony market, the fixed line penetration is woefully just about two per cent with Vodafone enjoying a monopoly in this sector.
The mobile telephony penetration has outpaced the growth of Ghana’s bandwidth, which has created challenges for efforts at achieving cheaper internet cost and quick accessibility because as of last year, internet usage was 2.7 per cent as compared to 5.3 per cent in the whole of Africa.
In every street corner or community can be found young people trading in top-up credits for mobile phones while fuel stations and convenience shops trade in handsets and credits.
The Daily Graphic urges the government to intensify efforts to reduce cost of operations of ICT companies so that more Ghanaians can have access to mobile telephony and the Internet.
While the government takes steps to help Ghanaians to enjoy the benefits of ICT, the players also have a responsibility to provide affordable services to their customers.
We, therefore, support the call by the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, on players in the telecommunications industry to ensure fair and healthy competition to enable services to be extended to all consumers irrespective of their geographical location.
A look at the industry indicates that there is fierce competition among the players not only for subscribers but also for the country’s airspace.
The Vice-President was right when he noted that instead of the mobile phone companies sharing facilities such as masts to bring down cost of infrastructure and, thereby, reduce cost of services and products to the benefit of the consumer, the networks had entered into “mast war”.
The collective efforts that the Vice-President recommended, if properly regulated by the National Communications Authority (NCA), can provide the level playing field and a competitive environment to engender quality services at affordable prices to the people.
The erection of masts by mobile phone service operators especially on tall buildings and mountainous locations in the country has become an eyesore and a matter of concern to residents of those areas.
The Daily Graphic calls on the players in the telecommunications industry to harness the potential in the sector to leverage the country’s development agenda and to the advantage of the ever-growing list of clients in the mobile telephony industry.
From the 1990s to date, the liberalisation of the telecommunications sector has been very phenomenal making it possible for every village or hamlet to be accessed by cellular phone communications.
Indeed, cellular phones give true expression to the belief that the world has become a global village, making it easy for contacts to be made on any issue in every corner of the world.
Such is the high level of telephony penetration and the influence of information and communication technology (ICT) on the cultures of the world that certain countries are taking steps to introduce regulations for the use of the Internet to the displeasure of advocates of a free society.
Ghana’s mobile penetration base is estimated to hit 60 per cent by the end of this year. At the end of last year, the penetration rate was about 50 per cent with nearly 11.8 million mobile phone subscribers.
Despite the growth in the mobile telephony market, the fixed line penetration is woefully just about two per cent with Vodafone enjoying a monopoly in this sector.
The mobile telephony penetration has outpaced the growth of Ghana’s bandwidth, which has created challenges for efforts at achieving cheaper internet cost and quick accessibility because as of last year, internet usage was 2.7 per cent as compared to 5.3 per cent in the whole of Africa.
In every street corner or community can be found young people trading in top-up credits for mobile phones while fuel stations and convenience shops trade in handsets and credits.
The Daily Graphic urges the government to intensify efforts to reduce cost of operations of ICT companies so that more Ghanaians can have access to mobile telephony and the Internet.
While the government takes steps to help Ghanaians to enjoy the benefits of ICT, the players also have a responsibility to provide affordable services to their customers.
We, therefore, support the call by the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, on players in the telecommunications industry to ensure fair and healthy competition to enable services to be extended to all consumers irrespective of their geographical location.
A look at the industry indicates that there is fierce competition among the players not only for subscribers but also for the country’s airspace.
The Vice-President was right when he noted that instead of the mobile phone companies sharing facilities such as masts to bring down cost of infrastructure and, thereby, reduce cost of services and products to the benefit of the consumer, the networks had entered into “mast war”.
The collective efforts that the Vice-President recommended, if properly regulated by the National Communications Authority (NCA), can provide the level playing field and a competitive environment to engender quality services at affordable prices to the people.
The erection of masts by mobile phone service operators especially on tall buildings and mountainous locations in the country has become an eyesore and a matter of concern to residents of those areas.
The Daily Graphic calls on the players in the telecommunications industry to harness the potential in the sector to leverage the country’s development agenda and to the advantage of the ever-growing list of clients in the mobile telephony industry.
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