Monday, September 29, 2008

EFFORTS TO MAKE 'GALAMSEY' LEGAL (PAGE 20)

THE National Security Co-ordinator, Dr Sam Amoo, has said the government is seriously looking for a way out to make illegal small-scale gold mining activities in the country legitimate and profitable.
He explained that the government would provide the needed training and support, as well as protection, for those who would engage in legitimate small-scale mining activities.
However, he stressed it was also the responsibility of the government to protect the investments that some companies and people had made in the country, adding, "The major challenge is to protect those who have invested in the country."
Dr Amoo was speaking during an interaction with representatives of some mining communities in Tarkwa. They are Prestea, Huni Valley, Aboso, Mbea-Nsuta and Brumase, all mining communities in the Western Region.
He noted that the most important security was livelihood and that the government had serious plans to make their livelihood legitimate, saying, "Livelihood is part of human security, as well as national security."
The Western Regional Minister, Mr A. E. Amoah, said the government was interested in how everybody earned a living, "but we need to do things that will make everybody happy".
He said illegal mining activities had come to the notice of the National Security Council, hence the meeting.
Mr Amoah said the government had done well in helping the youth to secure jobs, adding, however, that that did not mean that they should go about their activities illegally.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

AKUFO-ADDO ASSURES COCOA FARMERS (PAGE 16)

THE flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has given the assurance that an NPP Government will work to ensure that the country retains its position as the world’s leading producer of cocoa.
In this connection he said if voted into power cocoa production would hit one million tonnes within the next two years.
Furthermore, he said he would institutionalise a pension scheme for cocoa farmers, the same as government workers were enjoying, to serve as a moral booster to increase cocoa production.
Nana Addo-Addo said this when he addressed three separate rallies at Bibiani and Sefwi Bekwai in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai District and Ankwawso in the Wassa Amenfi West District, at the beginning of his one-week campaign tour of the northern part of the Western Region.
"Now is the time for cocoa farmers to have pension rights," he declared.
He explained that when the NPP Government took over in 2001, it was able to increase the cocoa production in the country from about 350,000 tonnes to 750 tonnes, through various interventions such as the mass cocoa spraying exercise and scholarship for cocoa farmers’ children.
The NPP flag bearer was ushered into the Western Region through Bibiani where he addressed a mini rally, after the launch of the NPP Manifesto in Kumasi.
He said the next NPP government would do everything possible to ensure the increase in cocoa production in the country.
Again, he said the NPP Government had increased the price of cocoa from about GH¢20.17 in 2001 to GH¢120 per bag.
He noted that no government since independence had done more for cocoa farmers than the NPP.
He mentioned the mass cocoa spraying exercise, scholarship scheme for children of cocoa farmers and the cocoa farmers housing scheme as well as the tarring of roads leading to cocoa-growing areas, as some of the NPP government’s interventions that had boosted cocoa production in the country.
Touching on education, he emphasised that it was the key to the development of any country, citing Malaysia, South Korea and Singapore as examples of countries that had transformed their societies after wiping out illiteracy.
Nana Akufo-Addo stated that "we must wipe out illiteracy from our society to facilitate the total transformation of our society".
He said, if the country would succeed in its social transformation, there was the need to banish illiteracy.
Concerning the school feeding programme, he said when voted into power he would phase out the pilot scheme where two schools were selected in each district for the programme.
He said the next NPP government would implement the general programme for all basic schools in the country to have access to the school feeding programme.
Nana Akufo-Addo bemoaned the introduction of tribal politics into the body politic, saying “we don’t want tribal politics, it will take us back”.
A leading member of the NPP, Mr Alan Kojo Kyerematen, stressed the need for the party to win this year’s general election convincingly.
He, therefore, urged party faithful to spread the good news about the development activities of the party such as the provision of hospitals, good roads, electrification project and portable water to win floating voters for the party.
Mr Kyerematen described Nana Akufo-Addo as a brave and knowledgeable man and an astute politician who had been defending the rights and freedom of the people and called on the electorate to vote him as the next president of the country.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

MORE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN TWIN-CITY (PAGE 29)

THE Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) has since the beginning of this year embarked on 38 development projects in the metropolis to improve the living conditions of the people in various communities in the metropolis.
Eighteen of the projects have been completed and handed over, while others are at different stages of completion.
The completed projects include the conversion of a “kraal” into a health post at Mampong Abasa at the cost of GH¢150,000, the refurbishment of a sub-metro committee room in Sekondi at GH¢11,882, the construction of a six-unit classroom block for the twin-city Special School at Essipun at the cost of GH¢110,391.95, the construction of a six-classroom block at Supomu Dunkwa at the cost of GH¢103,523.46 and the construction of a three-classroom block at the Tanokrom Ahmadiyya School at the cost of GH¢42,134.86.
Other projects are the construction of a three classroom block each at Inchaban and Kansaworodo at a total cost of GH¢84,198.23, the continuation and completion of a four-unit classroom block at the old hospital in Sekondi at the cost of GH¢36,251.13, the construction of a three-unit classroom block at Ekuase at the cost of GH¢54,308.36.
Others are the construction of steps at Ngyinamoabakam in Sekondi at GH¢599, the construction of a bridge at Essaman at the cost of GH¢697.50 and the construction of a two-room urinal at the Sekondi market at GH¢999.10.
The rest of the completed projects are the storm drains and checking of flooding at the STMA Primary and Junior High schools in Sekondi at the cost of GH¢26,747.95 and the renovation of staff quarters at the Supomu Dunkwa Clinic and Limb Fitting Centre at the cost of GH¢9,991.32.
The Public Relations Officer of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Mr John Laste, who briefed the Daily Graphic on the assembly’s development projects, said the assembly also supplied ancillary materials to complete work on the assembly’s chamber, as well as a female urinal at the cost of GH¢7,840.00.
Other works included the supply of executive furniture to the STMA chamber in Sekondi at the cost of GH¢9,807.50 and the supply of air-conditioners and stationery to the assembly at the total cost of GH¢33,722.80.
Projects which are at different stages of completion are an accident and emergency ward at the Takoradi Hospital at an estimated cost of GH¢155,683.85 and a fabrication laboratory at the Takoradi Technical Institute at the cost of GH¢198,613.60. The projects are 40 per cent complete. There is also the construction of a two-storey dormitory block for the twin-city Special School at Essipun at the cost of GH¢284,607.00, which is 75 per cent complete, a six-unit classroom block at Ntaamakrom at the cost of GH¢107,763.14, which is 70 per cent complete, as well as a two-storey 12-unit classroom block at Gethsemane at Kweikuma, near Sekondi.
Mr Laste explained that all the projects slated for the previous year were forwarded to the ensuing year.

STREET LIGHTING PROJECT BEGINS IN SEKONDI/TAKORADI (PAGE 29)

The Sekondi/Takoradi streetlight project has begun with 12.94 kilometres of roads lighted.
The lighted roads are the 2.97 kilometre Sekondi-Takoradi road, the 1.05 kilometre Independence Road, the 3.33 kilometre J.B. Danquah Road, the 0.63 kilometre Paa Grant Road, the 0.57 kilometre Lagos Town Road, the 3.45 kilometre Sekondi-Takoradi road and the 0.96 kilometre Lagoon Road.
The lighting project will cover a total of 33.63 kilometres of streets in Sekondi-Takoradi and the erection of 1,121 electric poles.
Other streets/roads to be covered under the project are the 0.57 kilometre Master Kudjoe Road, the 0.96 kilometre Air Force Service Road, the 0.93 kilometre Kofi Annan Road, the 0.66 kilometre Beach Road, the 0.90 kilometre Paa Grant Road (phase two), the 1.11 kilometre Lagos Town Road (phase two), the 1.17 kilometre Number Nine Road, the 1.44 kilometre Takoradi Polytechnic Road, the 1.68 kilometre E.C.G. Road and the 0.72 kilometre Kwamina Anaifi Road.
The rest are the 3.00 kilometre Nana Kosena Angn Road, the 0.51 kilometre Poase Road, the 0.30 kilometre Well Road, the 3.21 kilometre Ketan Road, the 2.94 kilometre J.B. Danquah Road and the 0.57 kilometre I.K. Kumah Avenue Road.
The Public Relations Officer of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA), Mr John Laste, told the Daily Graphic that the project was being executed by Elsewedy Electric Ghana Limited and that it was to be completed by October, this year.
He said almost all the major roads had been completed.
Touching on the construction of storm drains in the twin-city, Mr Laste said this had started at the Effia-Number Nine and the West Tanokrom drains.
From there, he said, the contractors would move to the Kokompe-Adakope drain, adding that the contractors were working according to their working plan.
Concerning parking lots for articulated trucks in the metropolis, Mr Laste explained that the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly did not have a problem with cocoa trucks, since they had a parking lot at Apowa, near Takoradi.
He said the assembly had secured land at Mpintsin near Kojokrom for fuel tankers and other articulated trucks carrying bulk commodities.
He, therefore, urged the articulated truck and fuel tanker drivers to disabuse their minds that the land meant for the lorry park had been sold out, adding that the assembly was looking for a private investor to develop the land.

Monday, September 22, 2008

GREL BUILDS 2 SCHOOLS IN NZEMA EAST (PAGE 39)

THE Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) has constructed a three-classroom block with an office each for two rural communities in the Nzema East Municipality in the Western Region.
The GH¢85,200 projects are to complement the government’s efforts at the provision of educational infrastructure for the rural communities.
The beneficiaries of projects, which form part of the company’s corporate social responsibility, were the Anibil Junior High School and the Nsein-Onzeaye Primary School.
The company is also refurbishing a three-classroom block at Chavene in the Lower Dixcove Traditional Area in the same municipality for a JHS to save schoolchildren in the community from trekking about four kilometres every day to attend school in the nearest town.
At a ceremony at Anibil to hand over the JHS block, the Managing Director of GREL, Mr Marc Genot explained that the company’s decision to build the school for the Anibil community was driven by its commitment to contributing to the advancement of education in the communities in its operational area.
Education, he noted, was the key to development in everybody’s life, as it destroyed ignorance and poverty and fostered knowledge and socio-economic well-being.
According to Mr Genot, education was also the only way through which a nation could renew itself in terms of its manpower needs for the future.
“For the children and people of Anibil, this school must be a lasting treasure for generations yet unborn. We hope that this beautiful classroom block will be well maintained so that 50 years from today, the structure will still be strong,” he stressed.
The managing director said in the last three years, the company had offered scholarships to 21 students in the seven traditional areas in its operational area to pursue secondary education.
He stated that the company was planning to sponsor one of those students through tertiary education in addition to seven scholarships to be given out this year.
Mr Genot said during the last long vacation in August/September, GREL organised vacation classes for more than 1,700 pupils in 21 communities in its operational area.
He said the full cost of the vacation classes, including learning materials, weekly snacks and payment for teachers, was borne entirely by the company.
According to Mr Genot, the aim of the vacation school programme was to assist the children to improve upon their academic performance and to discourage them from roaming about during the holidays.
“GREL shall continue to promote education in the communities in its operational area to assist in the development of the manpower base of these communities,” he emphasised.
The managing director, however, urged the communities in the operational area to live in peace with the company and settle any differences with patience and mutual respect to ensure peaceful co-existence.
In an address read on her behalf, the Western Regional Director of Education, Mrs Rebecca Afiba Dadzie, advised parents to take advantage of the various interventions the government had put in place, such as the Capitation Grant, to educate their children.
She further urged them to provide other materials that were not absorbed by the Capitation Grant.
The Paramount Chief of the Nsein Traditional Area, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, advised the chiefs and people in the Gwira Traditional Area to amicably settle the protracted chieftaincy disputes in the area to pave the way for the socio-economic development of the area.
He said that was necessary because without peace, there would be no meaningful development.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

MINING COMPANY FORMULATES HIV/AIDS POLICY (PAGE 40)

ANGLOGOLD Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine) Limited has formulated a comprehensive HIV/AIDS policy to help create a conducive environment in the workplace in order to eliminate the stigma and unfair discrimination arising from the disease.
The policy is also to uphold the rights and dignity of affected employees in effectively dealing with the epidemic.
It will ensure the prevention, as well as the restriction of the disease through education, the provision of condoms and the effective treatment of sexually acquired infections.
Under the policy, there will be Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) services for employees with their written consent, prescribed pre-and post-test counselling and a health care worker-patient relationship, and that results will be strictly confidential.
The policy will provide care for employees infected with the virus through comprehensive hospital benefits and the company’s Wellness Clinic, including the provision of anti-retroviral treatment.
Appropriate programmes would be implemented under the policy to minimise the impact of the disease on safety and health within the company, while it would also monitor and evaluate the company’s performance in its HIV/AIDS programmes, while working to continually improve its performance.
The Human Resource Manager of AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine), Mr Kweku Awuku, who announced the policy at the re-launch of the company’s VCT programme at Iduapriem, said it would provide support for employees who would no longer be able to fulfil their role in the company through an ill-health retirement programme linked to home-based care programmes.
He said it would ensure that employees were aware of the policy and their relevant responsibilities by making such policies accessible on the company’s Internet website, participating in community programmes dealing with the epidemic, supporting a more broad-based approach and also partnering with all stakeholders to contribute to effectively deal with the epidemic.
According to Mr Awuku, the company acknowledged the seriousness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the workplace and also recognised that the sustained health of the employees was integral to achieving its mission and to the success of its business and that the disease represented a health threat in the company’s operations in the sub-Saharan Africa.
To this end, he said the company had promised to offer affordable health care for employees through the company’s facilities.
Mr Awuku stressed that the company was committed to prompt and supportive action in response to any major health threats in the regions within which the company operated.
The Tarkwa/Nsuaem Municipal Director of Health Services, Dr Jack Gali, bemoaned the attitude of some health workers who did not respect the secret and confidentiality of people who went to the health facilities for Voluntary Counselling and Testing on HIV/AIDS, but disclosed it to other persons.
He noted that people were prepared to go for the test but the attitudes of the health workers were preventing them from going for the VCT.
“Our inability to keep our mouth shut is preventing people from coming for the test,” he emphasised, adding, “They do not respect the secret and confidentiality of the people as they disclose their health status to other people with impunity”.
Dr Gali advised the workers to gather courage and go for the test.
He, however, noted that it was not the test which was posing a problem but the collection of the results, which was very difficult.
Dr Gali commended the mining company for initiating the programme, adding, “You are not only interested in mining the ore, but also caring for the workers and people living in your catchment communities”.
The Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine) Limited, Mr David Kwesi Renner, said the company had taken initiatives to ensure good health of its workers, as well as the host communities.
He, therefore, urged all the workers to voluntarily go for the test, stressing, “We want each and everyone on the mine to voluntarily go for the test”.
Mr Renner also called on those who had done it to encourage their colleagues to have the test done since it was in their own interest.
He further called on people in the host communities to go for the test since it was free of charge.
Dr Hayford Etteh of the Sam Jonah Clinic, the mining company’s health facility, said the HIV/AIDS pandemic had become a social problem and stressed the need for people to protect themselves.
Research, he said, had shown that the disease was more prevalent in mining areas, as well as border towns .
Dr Etteh said the company had psychological and social support for those people who would test HIV-positive.

EMBA LINKS SUPPORT TAKORADI HOSPITAL (PAGE 29)

EMBA Links Telecom Service, an MTN products dealer in Takoradi, has presented medical equipment to the Takoradi Hospital towards the delivery of quality health care by the facility.
The donation, which preceded the formal opening of the telecom service, included a suction machine and BP equipment.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Deputy Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwasi Blay, noted that the remarkable gesture sought to complement the government’s efforts at delivering adequate health care in the metropolis.
“While commending the efforts of Emba Links on this score, l urge other corporate bodies in the region to emulate this shining example by also donating medical supplies and equipment to other hospitals, clinics and health centres in the region,” he said.
He noted that the opening of the telecom service lent credence to the government’s enduring promise to make the private sector the engine of growth of the economy, adding, “The establishment of a ministry responsible for private sector development buttresses government’s belief in the private sector.”
Mr Blay also said the entry of Emba Links into the telecommunication industry would raise the level of competition among the various players, as each would strive to catch the attention of customers through a range of strategies and initiatives, saying, “Such a healthy situation will ultimately be beneficial to the final customer”.
He said the opening of the service was very significant, as the opening of yet another business in the thriving telecommunication industry was certainly bound to complement the government’s efforts at the creation of employment and wealth and reducing poverty in the metropolis, adding, “This will eventually lead us to the attainment of a middle-income status by the year 2015.”
Mr Blay advised the management and staff of the company to provide quality services, since customers had become discerning and would opt to do business with entities that provided the best of services.
“Management and staff should also cultivate a healthy and friendly relationship with customers, whose patronage of your services will move the company to a greater height,” he emphasised.
The Chief Executive Officer of Emba Links, Mrs Judith Arthur, said the company was committed to delivering a superior distribution network that would ensure that MTN products were available everywhere within its assigned territory.
In an address read on his behalf, the Sales and Distribution Executive of MTN, Mr Ebenezer Asante, said the appointment of Emba Links was directly connected with MTN’s commitment to its cherished customers and ensuring that its products were available at as many customer touch points as possible.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

GMC COMMITS GH¢160,000 FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (PAGE 22)

THE Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) Limited has committed GH¢160,000 as its community assistance budget for 2008/09 to finance various development projects within the Esuaso Divisional Stool Council in the company’s operational area of Western Region.
Since 2002 when the first community assistance budget of GH¢50,000 was presented to the chiefs and people in the 16 communities, there has been a significant growth of the budget to GH¢130,000 last year.
The company has so far spent a total of GH¢550,000 within the last six years to provide many infrastructural projects for the stakeholder communities.
They include the completion of six new school blocks, the renovation of another one, the provision of eight aqua toilet facilities, four markets and a community library, as well as the provision of agro processing machines for two communities, while many other projects are still under construction.
The GMC has also spent GH¢125,000 as bursaries to 2,180 students from the area, while out of the current budget, a total of GH¢40,780 has been approved to be shared as bursaries among 568 students from the 16 communities.
The Managing Director of the GMC, Mr Jurgen Eijgendaal, who presented the budget at Wassa Nsuta in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, emphasised that substantial funds had also been spent outside the scope of the assistance budget for the construction of a new tarred road and a drainage system.
He said the ongoing transformation of the Nsuta Hospital was bringing improvement in the health delivery system in the communities.
Mr Eijgendaal noted that in areas where there was sound co-operation and communication, good results were achievable.
“With the Esuaso Divisional Stool Council, we have created the right forum to obtain sustainable development in our catchment area,“ he stated.
The managing director explained that the idea of establishing an interactive community relations programme by unifying the various communities into one community had proven to be an improved and effective form of dialogue.
Mr Eijgendaa said in line with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as well as the Ghana Chamber of Mines guidelines, sustainable development had recently become an integral part of doing business.
Mr Eijgendaal said the GMC had at an early stage identified the need for harmonious co-existence by building good neighbouring relationships with all its communities.
He stated that “the concept of working with a stool council has been proven to be more effective and transparent than communicating with the various traditional players on a sheer individual basis as it was the case in the past”.
Mr Eijgendaal said the Esuaso Divisional Stool Council had been firmly embodied as the main tool to provide sustainable development projects to all its members.
The Tarkwa/Nsuaem Municipal Chief Executive, Mr George Mireku Duker, emphasised that the initiative of the GMC to present its community assistance budget to the public was a clear manifestation of the company’s firm commitment to provide the communities in its catchment area with basic social amenities and sustainable alternative livelihood projects as part of its social responsibilities.
“I will, therefore, urge the management of GMC to ensure the sustenance of this laudable initiative, and also endeavour to involve the chiefs and opinion leaders in the selection of projects and other interventions, which would go a long way to improve the lot of their people,” he stressed.
Mr Duker noted that it was only when such a rapport was established that society would appreciate the need to peacefully co-exist with mining concerns for mutual benefit.
The Banmuhene of the Esuaso Divisional Council, Nana Kofi Appiah, expressed gratitude to the management of the GMC for the yearly community assistance budget as well as the award of bursaries to the beneficiary students to pursue further studies.
He gave the assurance that the chiefs would encourage the beneficiary students to learn hard to justify the establishment of the award scheme.
The Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ms Joyce Aryee, said it was so wonderful that the partnership between the GMC and the communities had lasted, adding, “Where there is no peace, development will be very difficult or impossible.”
She, therefore, urged the chiefs to ensure the maintenance of law and order in their areas of authority at all times.

Friday, September 12, 2008

GALAMSEY OPERATORS UNDERMINE INSURANCE BUILDING (PAGE 21)

THE foundation of the newly constructed offices of the Juaboso Mutual Health Insurance Scheme in the Juaboso District in the Western Region is being destroyed by illegal gold mining operators, popularly known as “galamsey”.
The illegal gold diggers have dug trenches measuring between 120 and 300 feet near the building, as well as many horizontal tunnels, thereby threatening the very foundation of the building, which is fully equipped and operating efficiently.
An inspection tour of the area by the Daily Graphic revealed that more than 10 of such deep trenches had been dug near the offices of the scheme.
It was also established that about 1,000 illegal gold miners were operating in the area near the building, with more than 40 of the miners working in one trench at a time.
“Today is a break day otherwise you would have met about 1,000 workers here,” one of the illegal operators, who gave his name as Kwadwo Mensah, remarked, adding, “As we are speaking now, there are many miners underground, who would come out at the appropriate time”.
According to Mensah, the area was an old colonial mining concession and that the indigenes of Juaboso were aware that there was a gold-bearing rock in the area, adding, “This is a mining area and l spend GH¢6,000 on the construction of one trench”.
The Manager of the Juaboso District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, Mr John Koah, said the management of the scheme had written to the Juaboso District Assembly about the illegal gold mining activities in the area and had given the illegal operators an ultimatum to leave the premises of the scheme, but they had not complied.
Meanwhile, as of August 31, 2008, the scheme had registered 87,942 clients, representing 54.4 per cent of the total population of the district.
The scheme also registered a total of 1,541 pregnant women between July and August, this year, and had paid a total amount of GH¢1,497,643.10 as claims between 2006 and August, 2008.
The scheme has also paid the highest individual medical bill of GH¢1,690 to a client who received medical care at the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

PLAN TO DEVELOP LORRY PARKS IN TWIN-CITY (PAGE 30)

DRIVERS in Takoradi find it very difficult to use most of the lorry terminals in the central business district (CBD), because the terminals are either not spacious enough or are not well developed to accommodate all their vehicles.
Besides, the terminals are in a very deplorable state to the extent that when it rains, they become extremely muddy, and the drivers find it very difficult to operate in them.
As a result, some taxi drivers also park haphazardly on the shoulders of the narrow streets which virtually block the streets, denying other road users right of way.
The most affected terminals are the Sekondi and Effia Kuma Newsite Taxi ranks, near the Zenith Hotel, the Harbour Taxi Station and the ‘Trotro’ station behind the former Glamour Departmental Stores, all in the CBD in Takoradi.
It is against this backdrop that the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) has come out with a comprehensive programme for the re-development of all bus/lorry terminals within the CBD in Takoradi.
The STMA, in partnership with the Tra-hic Company Limited, a private company in Takoradi, has started work on the bus/lorry terminal behind the former Glamour Departmental Stores at the cost of GH¢657,712.68.
The project, which is being financed by the Tra-hic Company, is to be completed within 18 months, comprising the construction of 20 locked-up stores, a two-storey office building, a canteen and the main terminal.
The project is to be based on build, operate and transfer (BOT) system. That means, after constructing the terminal, the private company will operate the terminal for 25 years and hand it over to the STMA.
However, the contract for the operation of the terminal by the private company is renewable.
The Public Relations Officer of STMA, Mr John Laste, told the Daily Graphic that it was part of the assembly’s programme to improve and expand the bus/lorry terminals in the CBD in the metropolis.
This, he said, was because most bus/lorry terminals in the city were in a very bad state.
Mr Laste said a space behind the Supper Star Hotel near the Takoradi Central Market was to be developed into a modern car park, while the Sekondi and Effia Kuma Newsite Taxi Rank, near the Zenith Hotel, would be relocated.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

STORM DRAIN BEING DESILTED (PAGE 30)

The main storm drainage system from the Takoradi light industrial area, also known as Kokompe, to a lagoon at Adakope which links the sea, is being desilted to avert the periodic flooding of the industrial area after a downpour.
The main road in the area is also being rehabilitated, while a place of convenience is to be constructed in the area.
As a result of the flooding a greater part of the area has become muddy and cannot be put to any good use.
Some people have turned the muddy area into a place of convenience.
Work on the two kilometre-drain will be completed within two weeks.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and PSI is funding the projects by way of support to the garages and markets in Sekondi and Takoradi, while Zoomlion, waste management experts, are the implementers.
The Western Regional Co-ordinator of the Zoomlion , Mr Felix Boankrah, who led the Daily Graphic to inspect the projects said the major drain had become the main problem because whenever it rained the whole area was flooded, disrupting all activities in the area.
He said an excavator had been brought in to desilt the drain.
Mr Boankrah said even though a new toilet facility would be provided the existing facility which had been abandoned would be rehabilitated prior to the provision of the new one.
The butchers and fish shops in the Sekondi market and a road at the Sekondi light industrial area are being rehabilitated. Security lights will also be provided in the area.
The Adviser to the Sekondi Zone of the Ghana National Association of Garages, Mr Isaac Forson, told the Daily Graphic that as a result of the bad nature of the road, customers were not patronising their activities and that the rehabilitation of the road would boost their business.
The Organiser of the Kokompe Number Two branch of the Ghana National Association of Garages, Mr Emmanuel Sunkwa, expressed happiness about the commencement of the project and commended the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Private Sector Development and President’s Special Initiatives (PSI) for its support.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

81 AUDIT SERVICE STAFF ATTEND WORKSHOP (PAGE 36)

EIGHTY-ONE field officers of the Audit Service in the Western Region have completed a two-week basic financial audit workshop to sharpen their skills to make them rise to the challenges of modern auditing.
Two separate workshops have been organised for 51 and 30 field staff in Takoradi and Tarkwa respectively.
The participants at the Tarkwa workshop came from Half Assini in the Jomoro District, Axim in the Nzema East Municipality, Bibiani in the Bibiani-Bekwai- Anhwiaso District, Enchi in the Aowin-Suaman District, Asankrangua in the Wassa Amenfi West District, Sefwi Wiawso in the Sefwi Wiawso District and Tarkwa in the Tarkwa /Nsuaem Municipality.
The participants were taken through topics such as audit planning, links between audit objectives, evidence, techniques and observations, how to gather audit evidence, developing a good audit finding and audit documentation, audit legal framework, leadership skills and practical field work.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the workshop at Tarkwa, the Western Regional Auditor, Mr Kwabena Nkansah Asare, reiterated the commitment of the Auditor –General to selfless devotion to duty and the fulfilment of the mandate of the service.
“You all agree that this workshop has sharpened your skills and certainly will make you rise to the challenges of modern auditing,” he said.
Mr Asare said “As you go back to your various duty posts, l encourage all of you to make use of the knowledge you have acquired and explore further to enhance your performance”.
He commended the participants for the patience and dedication to the workshop as well as the resource persons for their sense of duty.
The regional auditor reminded the participants that the general public was looking up to them to help protect the state’s resources for national development.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

TWIN-CITY'S WASTE MANAGEMENT WOES DEEPEN (PAGE 24)

The door to door collection of solid waste in Takoradi by the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly seems to be getting out of hand as waste deposited on the roadside to be collected by the private waste management contractors has piled up for weeks.
The irony of the situation is that scavengers which prey on the gathered waste end up scattering the waste around, thereby compounding the waste management problem in the twin-city. The most affected area is the Effia Kuma New Site and its surrounding areas.
This has been attributed to the fact that the assembly owes the contractors huge sums of money and also payments have not been regular.
Speaking at a recent assembly meeting, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Philip Kwesi Nkrumah, had this to say “We are owing the contractors for about eight months. We are not paying economic rate to the private contractors”.
He, therefore, urged the assembly members to sit down to review the rate to make the private contractors efficient, and further called on the various sub committees to put their heads together to ensure that the assembly generated enough revenue, adding “We are piling up debts.”
“Let us discuss the issue dispassionately; some of the companies are threatening to leave”, he said, adding “ their services are not the best but there are problems they are encountering”.
Mr Nkrumah noted that the assembly was not fulfilling its part of the bargain, and urged the members to come out with a solution.
The Chairman of the Finance and Administration Sub Committee of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, tasked the assembly to critically look at the waste management problem since it was taking about 40 per cent of the assembly’s total revenue, stressing “We are spending so much money on waste management”.
He noted that if the assembly’s monitoring system were to be working well the private waste management companies would have been operating efficiently.

BENKYEMAA JUNCTION-OSEIKOJOKROM ROAD PROJECT BEGINS NEXT YEAR (PAGE 20)

Reconstruction of the 81-kilometre Benkyema Junction-Oseikojokrom road in the Western Region, which is in a very poor state, is to start next year.
Designs for the reconstruction of the road have been completed.
The project forms the second phase of the 125.4-kilometre Sefwi Wiawso-Oseikojokrom Road Rehabilitation Project.
The first phase of the project, which is the 44.4-kilometre Sefwi Wiawso-Benkyema Road Rehabilitation Project, has been completed.
The General Manager of Interbeton BV, contractors for the project, Mr Albert J.van Warmerdam, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic after the inspection of the Sefwi Wiawso-Benkyema Road Rehabilitation Project.
He said a request had already been submitted to the Dutch Government in the Netherlands for financial aid for the implementation of the project.
Mr Warmerdam explained that there would be negotiations between the Government of Ghana and the Dutch Government to ensure the funding of the second phase of the rehabilitation project.
The complete rehabilitation of the entire road network from Sefwi Wiawso to Oseikojokrom, a border town, would facilitate the smooth transportation of farm produce and cash crops, particularly cocoa, to the market centres and the ports.

Ensuring the livelihood of local communities...GOLDEN STAR SETS UP PLANTATIONS (PAGE 20)

EVERY mining company, particularly those into gold mining, needs the support of the people living within the communities in which it is located to enable it operate smoothly and peacefully.
As a result of this, establishment of cordiAal relations between a mining company and stakeholder communities is very crucial, and anything short of this is likely to disturb the peace and the smooth operations of the company.
Some years back, Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea) Limited, a gold mining company in the Western Region, experienced a number of violent confrontations emanating from residents of the mining communities as a result of environmental and developmental issues the people complained about, and that resulted in a sour relationship between the two entities.
To forestall cohesion and create a better co-existence between the company and the people, the company had to provide some social amenities for the community, but even that did not satisfy the community.
However, in April, 2006, the management of the company decided to promote development of oil palm plantations in its mining communities by using the smallholder concept, in partnership with the traditional authorities.
The traditional authorities have pledged a total of 14,000 hectares for the project and have so far released 9,800 hectares, while about 487 hectares of the oil palm plantation has been developed for selected farmers in the host communities.
The communities include Bogoso, Akyempim, Chujah and Maase-Nsuta. At Bogoso, a 275-hectare oil palm plantation has been established and allocated four hectares each to 69 smallholder farmers in the community.
To ensure the effective management of the oil palm plantations, Golden Star Oil Palm Plantation Limited (GSOPP), a limited liability company, has been formed to see to the day-to-day activities of the farmers.
The cardinal objectives of the company are to develop a sustainable alternative livelihood project for the communities as a result of contributions from mining, reduce poverty through employment generation, as well as wealth creation through sustainable agri-business.
The GSOPP solicits land from the traditional authorities who offer their land to become partners of the scheme, and in collaboration with the chiefs, smallholder farmers are selected to participate as beneficiaries to the scheme, while the GSOPP provides funds for the development of the plantations through the Golden Star Resource (GSR) Foundation and other development partners.
Briefing the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on the activities of the gold mining company and how it affects the host communities, the General Manager of Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea) Limited Mr Nigel Tamlyn explained that the cost of the plantation development was treated as loans to the smallholder farmers.
He said GSOPP had collaborated with the plantations industry such as the Benso Oil Palm Plantations (BOPP) as partners for the marketing of the produce and the needed expertise.
By this concept of partnership, he said the major issues of land tenure, associated with large-scale developments in the country, were eliminated.
According to Mr Tamlyn, the GSOPP would develop a successful community-based and sustainable alternative livelihood project that would positively impact on the communities.
He said it would develop over 5,000 hectares of oil palm with the appropriate processing facility in the mining communities which would generate over 4,000 direct jobs and that the ripple effect would result in over 10,000 beneficiaries from all the catchment areas.
This, he noted, would ultimately reduce the need for people to embark on illegal mining activities.
The Executive Director of GSOPP, Mrs Mary Ankomah Boakye-Boateng, explained that a five-member board and a management team had been put in place to manage the plantations.
She explained that even though Golden Star was funding the project, the people in the communities owned the plantations, adding that it was the main alternative livelihood project of the people.
Mrs Boakye-Boateng said a memorandum of understanding (MOU) had been signed with Unilever Ghana to assist in the development of the plantations.

Monday, September 1, 2008

OSAGYEFO BARGE TO BE OPERATIONAL SOON (PAGE 50)

The Osagyefo Barge, a power generating facility at Effasu/Mangyea in the Jomoro District of the Western Region, is expected to be operational within two months.
According to the Jomoro District Chief Executive, Mr Martin Yamekeh Ackah, what remains to be done are some operational works, including the erection of high tension electricity poles to enable power from the barge to feed the national grid.
Mr Ackah made the announcement at the second ordinary meeting of the Jomoro District Assembly at Half Assini and expressed the hope that within two months the barge would be activated to augment power supply from the Akosombo Dam.
It is expected to add 450 megawatts of electricity to the national supply.
The first phase of work on the Osagyefo Barge by Balkan Company Limited has already been completed.
That phase involved the construction of residential and office accommodation for the workers, rehabilitation of the barge and other preparatory works deemed necessary for the generation of power.
The second phase, which according to the DCE is almost completed, involves the actual use of the barge to generate electricity.
The project has provided employment for over 100 people in the community, comprising plumbers, electricians, cooks, painters, carpenters and traffic controllers, among others.
Also involved in the project are 12 locally trained technicians and 15 expatriates from the United States of America working directly on the barge.
Touching on the oil discovery in the Western Region, Mr Ackah said even though the discovery was within the geographical reach of the Jomoro District, it would be appreciated if the assembly members as well as the people in the district would avoid making false statements and claims which could blemish the image of the district.
“This is not to say that people in the district should not challenge any information on the oil find that is likely to bring the image of the district into disrepute”, he emphasised.
The district chief executive announced that the assembly realised GH¢31,905.14 from internally generated fund (IGF) during the second quarter of this year and expressed the hope that with prudent measures in place, the assembly would be able to achieve its revenue target of GH¢170, 400.00 for this year.
Mr Ackah noted that the decision by the Jomoro District Assembly to suspend the development of new projects to enable the assembly to complete ongoing projects was yielding positive results.
He pointed out that the number of ongoing development projects had reduced drastically, since the decision was taken about a year ago.
The Presiding Member of the Jomoro District Assembly, Mr Andrew Jos Ehwie, appealed to members of the assembly to assist in ensuring violence-free electioneering in their electoral areas.
He also urged members of the assembly to explain some of the government’s programmes and policies such as the National Health Insurance Scheme, the National Youth Employment Programme and the School Feeding Programme to people in their communities for them to appreciate what the government was doing to push the country forward.