Monday, December 31, 2007

ASD LUMBER TAKES OVER WVLC (Page 22)

Story: Kwame Asiedu Marfo, Takoradi

ASD Lumber Ghana Company has physically taken over the possession of the Western Veneer and Lumber Company (WVLC) in Takoradi.
The new company was granted the right of entry to the WVLC after going through the necessary procedures, including the payment of 20 per cent of the amount.
The Head of Public Affairs of ASD Lumber Ghana Limited, Mr William Newman, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that the company was granted the right of entry on October 16, 2007, but had to wait as a result of the payment of the workers end of service benefit.
“We decided to exercise restraint to allow the government to sort out the end of service benefit”, he said.
According to Mr Newman, the ASD Ghana Limited was going to employ about 99.9 per cent of the workers since they were already conversant with the handling of the machines and equipment.
“We will employ about 1,500 people within 12 months of operation and thereafter”, he said.
“Also what we will pay them will be far better than what they were receiving”, he added, saying “we have taken over and will use about a week to rehabilitate the place”.
Mr Newman said the new management entered the WVLC peacefully without any problem.
Hopefully, he said by January 3, 2008 the company would start production.

PLASTIC MENACE WORRIES TAKORADI WATER PRODUCERS (Page 23)

Story: Kwame Asiedu Marfo & Juliet Aguair, Takoradi

THE Sekondi-Takoradi Agona Sachet Water Producers Association (STASWAPA) has expressed concern about the increasing indiscriminate littering of the environment, as well as the general apathy of the public towards attitudinal change needed for the sustainable management of waste in the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Area.
The association is equally concerned about the blame the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly (SAEMA) has directed at its members, as well as attempts by the assembly to surcharge the association for the problem.
The President of STASWAPA, Major Rex Nuamah (retd), expressed the concern at a press conference in Takoradi on the non-enforcement of waste management bye-laws by SAEMA in relation to the forthcoming 26th African Cup of Nations (CAN 2008) tournament, of which Sekondi is one the host venues.
“This we have expressed in uncertain terms to the assembly as misdirection and would want to use this platform to reiterate our disgust at the initiative, and urge the metro assembly to rather discharge its responsibility of ensuring the enforcement of its sanitation bye-laws (solid and liquid waste management bye-law 2000),” he explained.
Infact, he said, Clause (3) of the SAEMA “Solid and liquid wastes management” Bye-law 2000 enjoins the assembly to be exclusively responsible for the management of both solid and plastic wastes within the entire administrative area of the assembly.”
“We are of the view that the assembly cannot evade responsibility and turn round to blame our association for the problems of plastic waste management within the metropolis,” he stated.
He said it should be noted that there were other actors that used plastic products for packaging and sachet producers were one of the many actors.
“In our view, the enforcement of the regulations and other activities, including providing more dust bins, educating the public on proper waste disposal, would ensure sanity  within the metropolis for the football fiesta and well beyond it,” he said.
He said the sachet water producers association had on various occasions carried out their social responsibilities by supplying drinking water for every clean-up exercise organised by the assembly within the metropolis, adding that “we have bought large bins from the assembly to manage the internal waste generated in our operation”.
He called on all stakeholders to put their effort together in fighting the menace of plastic waste within the metropolis.
Also, he urged SAEMA to provide adequate litter bins at vantage points within the metropolis to help curb the situation.
The Omanhene of Western Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Annor Adjaye, said people in the Shama Ahanta East metropolis would have to appreciate that the assembly spent millions of cedis on waste management.
“Waste is being generated by ourselves,” he said, adding that “we are the very people not disposing properly”.
He pointed out that people in the metropolis should not wait for the Ghana 2008 tournament before they kept the city clean.
He noted that since supporters and visitors would be in the metropolis for the tournament, waste would increase, therefore it behoved us to manage our waste responsibly before and after the tournament.
Awulae Annor Adjaye said lack of cooperation from the public to ensure compliance of the bye-law had been a major problem.
He called for monitoring of waste management staff in the metropolis, adding that “this in a way would help waste management in the metropolis”.
The association also launched a jingle on the need for the individual to ensure that plastic waste was disposed of at the right places.

Friday, December 21, 2007

CULTURAL AWARENESS PROGRAMME ENDS AT DABOASE (P21...Published Mon Dec 17, 2007)

Stiry: Kwame Asiedu Marfo, Daboase

ONE hundred participants, including pupils and students from basic schools and second cycle institutions, as well as artisans, artistes, apprentices and youth groups in the Mpohor Wassa East District in the Western Region have completed a day’s cultural awareness workshop at Daboase.
The workshop, organised by the Western Regional Directorate of the Centre for National Culture (CNC), was to create awareness of teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and hard drug addiction as well as HIV/AIDS to help promote behavioural and attitudinal change.
The participants were taken through causes and effects of teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, hard drug addiction and other social vices.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Western Regional Director of the CNC, Mr Ben Anaba, urged parents and family heads to intensify family bonds and other positive cultural practices such as puberty rites, extended family system, among others, in order to reduce vicious practices among them.
This, he said, would help the creation of an enabling environment for national development.
Mr Anaba noted that many parents and families had abandoned culture for the sake of modernity, which, to a large extent, caused divorce in marriages, improper care for children, teenage pregnancy, drug abuse, sexual promiscuity, among others.
According to Mr Anaba, the objective of the workshop was to promote behavioural and attitudinal change in society.

JOMORO DISTRICT COLLECTS GH¢127,000 IN REVENUE (Pg 21...Published Mon Dec 17, 2007)

Story: Kwame Asiedu Marfo. Half Assini

THE Jomoro District Assembly in the Western Region has bagged GH¢127,000 (¢1.27 billion) as revenue, as of October this year, out of the targeted revenue of over GH¢160,000 (¢1.6 billion) for the year.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Martin Yamikeh Ackah, announced this at the 3rd ordinary meeting of the first session of the assembly at Half Assini.
He said the assembly had the potential to generate more revenue, if members accepted the challenge of educating their communities on the importance of paying tax for the development of the district.
Mr Ackah reminded members of the assembly that educating their communities on taxation would ease pressure on revenue collectors and would also encourage the people to honour their tax obligations.
The DCE commended the assembly’s revenue collectors for their excellent performance and presented them with new uniforms worth ¢8.5 million.
Mr Ackah said as part of measures to strengthen the capacities of assembly members, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment had organised a training programme for all assembly members, and was also optimistic that the training would empower them to push the assembly ahead in its development agenda.
Touching on the activities of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) in the district, Mr Ackah said the programme had chalked up an enviable success in its bid to secure employment for the youth to make the Jomoro District a better place to live.
The programme, he said, had so far employed 423 youth in the various modules.
He said 240 had been employed as community teaching assistants, while 60 were being employed as health extension workers, with 23 taken on at the community protection unit.
He said 41 of the youth had been employed at the sanitation and waste management unit, while 31 and 28 had been employed at the paid-internship and agriculture business units respectively.
He expressed the hope that gradually other modules would be enrolled to offer more avenues to employ more youth in the district.
On water and sanitation, the DCE said the assembly was eager to ensure easy access to potable water for all communities.
He said constituency services on the small town water supply system under the district assembly was ongoing for the supply of pipe-borne water to Beyin.
In a similar vein, he said Nuba, Ezinlobo, Boyere,Tikobo Number 1 and Allowulley were to benefit from the small town water supply system under the auspices of the European Union, adding that consultancy services were ongoing.
Touching on the road network, Mr Ackah announced that contract works had been awarded to KINGSPOK for the bitumen surfacing of Ezinlibo Junction to Ezinlibo township and Half Assini town roads.
He said improvement of the 8.8 kilometres Etweako-Samenye feeder road had also been awarded to M/S Ashlaw Investment and M/S Benk Group Limited.
On electricity, the DCE told the assembly that Anobre Number 2, Ehoaka, Agyza, Ngelekazo and Azuleti communities had been included in the SHEP IV programme and that the contract had been awarded to Kwansah Enterprise with some of the electrical equipment already available at the site.
In his opening remarks, the Presiding Member, Mr Andrews Jos Ehwie, explained that the assembly existed to effectively mobilise and utilise all human and material resources for the improvement of the living conditions of the people with the support and collaboration of stakeholders.
He, therefore, urged the assembly members to discharge their duties with unity of purpose, determination, dedication and perseverance so that they would overcome the challenges facing the assembly and win fame for the district.

GOVT DEVELOPS POLICIES TO ENSURE GROWTH (P.20....Published Mon Dec 17, 2007

Story: Kwame Asiedu Marfo, Azani

THE government, through the ministries of Food and Agriculture and Fisheries, has developed policies which have ensured accelerated growth and sustainability in the agricultural sector.
As a policy towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals, the government is promoting the cultivation of maize, cassava, rice and yam throughout the country to ensure food security nationwide.
The main objective of promoting these foods is to enable the country to attain food self-sufficiency so as to stabilise their prices on the market.
Besides the promotion of these food crops, some cash crops such as coconut and rubber plantations as well as cocoa farms in the Western Region are being rehabilitated to increase their yield.
Western Region, the highest producer of cocoa in the country, continues to receive attention in its cocoa production.
This year, the region received 608,740 bags of Asase Wura cocoa fertiliser distributed to over 80,000 cocoa farmers to cultivate a total of 158,730 hectares of cocoa farms in the region.
Besides cocoa production, the region also has a remarkable production of coconut, particularly in the Nzema areas.
The coconut sector has for many years been one of the main agricultural activities which serve as a source of livelihood and employment for the people along the coastal areas, especially for women who are involved in coconut processing and marketing.
Unfortunately, the sector has been devastated by the Lethal Yellowish Disease, locally known as Cape Saint Paul Wilt Disease (CSPWD).
Nationwide, about 4,000 hectares of coconut farms in the coastal belt have been devastated.
However, a five-year Coconut Sector Development Project (CSDP) was started between 1999 and 2005 to rehabilitate the devastated areas and to revitalise the coconut sector so as to increase the incomes of those who have been severely affected by the disease.
During the duration of the project, a total of 800 hectares of coconut farms were rehabilitated, which also led to the improvement of yields.
Through the application of fertilisers and the cultivation of high yielding seeds, the yields have doubled from an average of 60 nuts to 120 nuts per tree per year.
The project has led to the employment of over 2,000 farmers and processors  in the coconut sector in the region.
Although the project has ended, the government continues to support the industry to help all those who are interested in rehabilitating their farms.
The rubber industry has also received the needed attention in order to boost yield in the region.
The phase three of the Rubber Outgrower Plantation Project (ROPP) which became operational in January 2006 will continue till 2010.
The main objective of the project is to assist 1,750 new outgrowers to plant 7,000 hectares of rubber trees over a five-year period in the Western and Central regions.
Other supporting activities are research on outgrowers’ fields, strengthening of outgrower association and rehabilitation of roads.
The project is being implemented in the Jomoro, Nzema East, Ahanta West, Mpohor Wassa East, Wassa Amenfi West, Wassa Amenfi East and Wassa West districts as well as seven districts in the Central Region.
So far, 862 outgrowers have been assisted under the project to plant 1,067 hectares in the Western Region.
These facts were made known at the Western Regional celebration of 23rd National Farmers Day at Azani in the Ahanta West District.
Speaking at the function, the Western Regional Minister, Mr A.E. Amoah, announced that the necessary drawings had been completed for the construction of fish landing sites at Dixcove and Axim, both in the Nzema East District.
In addition, he said 2,000 hectares of land had been acquired at Shama for the construction of an aqua culture centre by a Chinese company.
He said more than 200 fish farmers had been trained in fish farming techniques, whilst about 300 of them had been educated on the relevant sections of the law on fisheries to ensure responsible fishing practices.
All these, he said, were aimed at improving the performance of the fishing industry.
In order to address the problem of financing, Mr Amoah said the government intended to introduce tax incentives to financial institutions to increase the flow of credit to the sector and also reduce interest rates on agricultural loans and to extend maturity terms of loans between five and ten years.
“Another area being considered is the development of Agricultural Development Fund/Farm Credit Corporation, with 100 per cent agriculture focus to provide a range of financial loans and insurance,” he said.
The Western Regional Director of Food and Agriculture, Mr David Okine, explained that the mission of the ministry was the development of the technology and effective transfer of technology to farmers and fishermen and other services to bring about increase in productivity and production.
He said 13 district planning sessions as well as regional ones were carried out at the beginning of this year to review the catalogue of farmers’ problems and develop strategies for extension and research work.
Mr Okine said the ministry had been working in collaboration with a research team from the University of Cape Coast, on the multiplication of high yielding and desirable cassava varieties in the Nzema East and Ahanta West districts.               

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

UMaT SELECTED AS CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE (Page 21)

Story: Kwame Asiedu Marfo, Takoradi

THE University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) has been selected as a Centre of Excellence for training high-level manpower in mining engineering and allied disciplines in Africa, under the Human Resources Development (HRD) programme of the African Mining Partnership (AMP).
The government is, therefore, offering assistance to the university to improve on its infrastructure to meet the task.
The Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Madam Esther Obeng Dapaah, announced this at the graduation of 28 senior employees of the Tarkwa and Damang Mines of Gold Fields Ghana Limited (GGL) after eight months’ management development training programme at Tarkwa.
To date, 53 senior employees of the company have benefited from the programme since its inception in 2006 and about 30 per cent of the 2006 year group have been promoted to managerial positions
The training programme was organised in partnership with the University of Stellenbosch Business School in South Africa.
Madam Dapaah appealed to the Ghana Chamber of Mines and its members to collaborate with the university to fashion out appropriate training programmes for manpower development at all levels in the mining industry.
She said experience had shown that a trained workforce was an asset to the company, the employee and the country at large.
“By investing in the careers of their employees, employers enjoy improved retention rates, increased productivity, and a more committed and conscientious workforce,” she added.
The minister urged Gold Fields to extend the facility to the lower echelon of the workforce if they were not doing so already.
Madam Dapaah expressed her gratitude to the management of Gold Fields Ghana for instituting the programme for its staff and appealed to other mining companies to emulate their example.
The General Manager of Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Mr Ludwig Eybers, said the company had spent US$1 million in training programmes for employees this year and had budgeted same for the 2008 financial year.
He explained that the GGL Management Development Programme was a world-class leadership development programme.
He said the Gold Fields Management Development Programme (MDP) provided current and potential managers of Gold Fields Ghana, a world-class university-level leadership development.
This programme, he explained, was the flag ship component of the company’s commitment to build capacity among local managerial employees to take up leadership positions in Gold Fields Ghana and the group at large.
Mr Eybers said the University of Stellenbosch Business School-Executive Development (USB-ED) in South Africa was a fully fledged business institution.
He said the USB-ED programme also developed a tried and tested approach to customised programmes, where the approach customises programmes according to the specific needs of both the company involved, as well as the needs of the target group, to ensure a strategic fit.

NHIS MAKES GIANT STRIDES (Page 20)

Story: Kwame Asiedu Marfo, Sekondi

MANY people were sceptical about the viability of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) when it was introduced about four years ago.
Even some people, including politicians, decided to politicise its introduction, patronage as well as the successful implementation of the scheme.
However, a few years have passed and the scheme became operative in the districts. Now some of the clients have started to realise the immense benefits the scheme can offer.
In the Western Region, the scheme has made a remarkable impact on the health of the people in the districts where the schemes are being managed efficiently, particularly in the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai District.
For the first time in the history of the district, malaria dropped as the leading cause of death in 2006 to the sixth place as of the end of June, this year.
Health experts have attributed this phenomenon to early reporting of malaria cases at health institutions, facilitated by the NHIS as well as strict adherence to malaria treatment protocols.
The Western Region has 15 District Wide Mutual Health Insurance Schemes. The schemes had registered 821,243 clients, representing 37.5 per cent of the regional population as of June 30, 2007.
Out of this figure, 486,744 identity cards, representing over 59 per cent, had been issued out to insured clients within the same period.
Over ¢12 billion has been collected in premium from clients in the informal sector. The Western Regional Focal Person on NHIS, Mr James Ohenmeng Kyei, made this disclosure in an interview with the Daily Graphic on the impact of the scheme on the health status of clients in the region.
He mentioned that according to statistics in the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai District, utilisation level of health facilities by insured clients, representing 54.3 per cent, outnumbered non-insured clients.
Also, he said, 97 per cent of registered clients in the district had been issued with identity cards.
Mr Kyei, who is also the Western Regional Pharmacist of the Ghana Health Service, said there had been a steady increase in registration coverage due to increasing public confidence in the NHIS.
As of December 31, 2005, he said, the population coverage was 25 per cent and increased to 31 per cent by the end of 2006 and that as of June 30, 2007 the region had achieved a coverage of 37.5 per cent.
On whether the region would achieve the national target of 60 per cent coverage set by the National Health Insurance Council (NHIC) by the end of December 2007, Mr Kyei said the target may be too ambitious for the region as a whole due to a number of constraints.
However, he said, it was possible for at least five districts with over 40 per cent coverage as of 2007 mid-year to achieve the target.
“Indeed as of June 30, 2007, 162,563 clients representing 66.1 per cent of the district population of the Wassa West District had registered with the scheme”, he cited as an example.
Unfortunately, he said, six schemes had averages between 20 and 30 per cent, adding: “Therefore as a region, I believe that we can achieve a minimum of 45 per cent coverage by the end of the year”.
Reacting to clients’ complaints that they were wilfully delayed by the providers in the Ghana Health Service (GHS) facilities, he said it was a genuine concern expressed by clients.
However, Mr Kyei added that it had come to light that what had been perceived as wilful delay by the health providers was actually a delay caused by manual documentation.
He said further that the GHS had put in place an ‘internal provider-induced moral hazard’ in the submission of claims.
This control system, he said, involved a lot of documentation which, unfortunately, delayed insured clients.
Mr Kyei said the issue had been discussed at a national stakeholders meeting and that the National Health Insurance Council (NHIC) had promised to resource providers with computers and appropriate software to facilitate documentation.
This promise, if fulfilled, would eliminate manual documentation at least in bigger health facilities and the perceived wilful delay of insurance card bearers would be a thing of the past.
Concerning reports that insured patients were given cheap drugs such as paracetamol and multivite, he said the GHS facilities stock only quality and affordable medicines for both insured and non-insured clients.
According to Mr Kyei, malaria remained the leading cause of morbidity in the region.
He added that last year, malaria accounted for 45.5 per cent of all out-patients department (OPD) attendance.
“Therefore being prescribed and issued with two medicines on a visit to a health facility is normal and has nothing to do with one’s insurance registration status”, he added.
Mr Kyei also explained that the National Health Insurance Medicines List (NHIML) was a very useful document and that it met the World Health Organization (WHO) prescribing indicator target and must be encouraged.
However, he conceded that the revision of the NHIML was long overdue as a result of several challenges faced by the National Health Insurance Secretariat, adding: “I can assure you that the National Health Insurance Council will release the revised document soon”.
He said one of the challenges facing both providers and the schemes was the untimely release of funds by the NHIC for claims management.
Comparing the “cash-and-carry” system with NHIS, he said that before the introduction of the cash-and-carry programme availability of essential health commodities was less than 20 per cent.
However, he said, following the introduction of the cash-and-carry programme availability of health commodities shot up to about 98 per cent within 12 months and providers had access to essential quality medicines and non-drug medical consumables and that this led to client confidence in the healthcare delivery system at the time.
Therefore, he said, cash and carry achieved the aim of its introduction which was to ensure availability of quality essential medicines and non-drug medical consumables at all levels of health care at all times and at affordable prices.
Mr Kyei said health insurance on the other hand, had been introduced to remove financial barrier to health service and thereby provide registered clients access to quality health care without out-of-pocket payment being required at the point of service use.
Mr Kyei mentioned other challenges as lack of client understanding of NHIS, since some clients still presented receipts issued for premium payment to access health care as well as lack of logistics, such as printing and issuing of identity cards which affected the efficiency and effectiveness of the schemes.
Mr Kyei emphasised that the NHIS was a very important national development agenda and that all Ghanaians must come together to ensure its success.
He advised those who had not as yet registered with a scheme of their choice to do so, since it was in their own interest, adding that “since everybody pays indirect premium through the NHIS levy on certain goods and services all must register in order to reap the harvest”.

Monday, December 3, 2007

'ELECORATE MEET ELECTED' PROGRAMME HELD IN TAKORADI (Page 24)

Story: Kwame Asiedu Marfo & Juliet Aguair, Takoradi

THE District Chief Executive (DCE) for Wassa Amenfi East, Madam Doris Gyampoma Oduro, has noted that the involvement of communities in decision making is crucial to their development and the country at large.
She said if communities were allowed to participate in issues that affected their development needs, it would go a long way to ensure that they participated effectively in all development programmes.
Madam Oduro was speaking at a stakeholders’ dialogue on the “Electorate meet elected” project ¡in Takoradi.
The project, organised by the Foundation for Female Photo-journalists (FFP), with support from the Rights and Voice Initiative (RAVI), was attended by opinion leaders, assembly members, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and some unit committee members from the Ahanta West and Wassa Amenfi East districts of the Western Region.
The project was to ensure the participation and inclusion of community members in decisions affecting the communities by empowering them to gain knowledge of the constitutional roles and responsibilities of both the electorate and the elected.
It was also to strengthen accountability and transparency at all levels by deepening the knowledge of the electorate on their rights and responsibilities.
The DCE said before an assembly member attended an assembly meeting, he or she had to dialogue with the people on issues that affected them, adding that “after the assembly meeting, he or she has to meet the people and inform them about the discussions that took place”.
“Do not plan for them. Let them tell you what they need as a community because their involvement is very important,” she advised.
She said when the electorate voted people into power, they expected that their needs would be met.
She urged assembly members to work together with the communities to avoid any irregularities, saying, “Work for the people and implement their prioritised projects.”
She also advised assembly members not to involve themselves in chieftaincy issues since they were not king makers.
The Executive Director of the FFP, Ms Mardey Ohui Ofoe, explained that the project was to bring together assembly members and the electorate to identify the challenges confronting the assembly members which prevented them from meeting the electorate.
“We envisage that this intervention will address the interest of local communities, of which women form the majority,” she said.
She said the activities of the FFP project were public information and awareness campaign, training workshops on advocacy, lobbying and influencing skills for right holders, as well as publication and media engagement of issues.
“The bottom line of our project is to ensure that the final beneficiaries become more involved in the processes of development as everyone contributes his or her quota,” she explained.
She expressed the hope that the assembly members would present the interests of the communities at their general assembly meetings to ensure that their needs were met.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

SAMARTEX HONOURED BY AMSCO (Page 23. Sat. Dec 1, 2007)

Story: Kwame Asiedu marfo, Samreboi

THE Samreboi Timber and Plywood Company Limited (SAMARTEX), a timber processing company at Samreboi in the Wassa Amenfi West District of the Western Region, has paid GH¢34,765 as premium and other registration expenses for its 2,500 employees and dependants to the Amenfiman Mutual Health Insurance Scheme this year.
The company has been paying premium for the workers since the scheme started.
Besides, the company, has since 2004, spent GH¢157,526.58, representing five per cent stumpage fees paid into a social responsibility agreement (SRA) accounts for the development of communities in its operational area.
It has also completed an electrification project at Yakese costing GH¢10,686 and is constructing a community centre costing GH¢54,181 in the town. The company has so far spent GH¢10,836 on the project.
SAMARTEX has also provided a mechanised borehole for the people of Abochia at a cost of GH¢17,658. Besides, it is constructing a library and a computer laboratory costing GH¢19,750 at Nyankoman, out of which GH¢16,600 has been spent.
The Human Resource Manager of SAMARTEX, Mr Peter Damuah, announced this at a day’s workshop on forest protection strategies for forest and concession guards at the Enchi, Asankrangwa and Sefwi Wiawso forest districts at Samreboi.
He explained that the company provided the projects as a result of the continued existence of concessions where it harvested timber.
Mr Damuah stated that the company spent GH¢200,000 on road maintenance annually.
According to the human resource manager, the company was not connected to the national electricity grid but relied on its own generated electricity.
He said electricity and filtered or treated water were supplied free of charge to the Samreboi community.
Mr Damuah added that the company was sinking 10 hand-dug wells valued at GH¢20,000 for the Samreboi and Tigarikrom communities.
He said the company was managing a kindergarten and junior high school complex with 1,090 pupils, adding that the pupils, whether they were wards of employees or not, did not pay fees.
According to Mr Damuah, the company was constructing a new teachers’ quarters at an estimated cost of GH¢30,000.
He said all the 42 teachers in the school had been provided free accommodation by the company, which also offered scholarships for the wards of both employees and non-employees who excelled in the Basic Education Certificate Examination.
Mr Damuah said the company had since 2003 contributed GH¢11,200 to the Wassa Amenfi Education Endowment Fund.
The human resource manager stated that besides wood processing, SARMATEX was also involved in the regeneration of the natural resources at its disposal through the establishment of plantation and agro-forestry schemes.
“Our employees are encouraged to play an active role in community affairs,” he added.
The acting Director of Operations of the Forest Services Division, Mr Alexander Amoako-Buadu, said the forest and concession guards were the front-line staff in the forest management and that the guards were to protect the forest from any encroachment.
The Western Regional Manager of the Forest Services Division, Mr Kwakye Ameyaw, stressed the need for the sustainable management of the country’s forests for future generations.
He said the forests were very important for the survival of the people so they should not joke with it.
“If we are not careful and the forests are destroyed, the timber industry will collapse and its workers will suffer,” he stressed.
Mr Ameyaw stated that the workshop would raise the confidence of the forest and concession guards to enable them to protect the forests well.
The Asankrangwa District Manager of the Forest Services Division, Mr Kenneth Nimoh-Amoah, noted with regret that many forests in the country had been reduced to grasslands.
Mr Nimoh-Amoah said the forest policy was to ensure sustainable management of the forests, since people had different interests in the forests.