Sunday, December 13, 2009

GOLD FIELDS SOLVES SOCIAL PROBLEMS IN OPERATIONAL COMMUNITIES (PAGE 38, DEC 14)

GOLD FIELDS Ghana Limited (Tarkwa Mine) has completed a number of development projects for 10 rural communities in its catchment area in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality and the Prestea-Huni Valley District in the Western Region in its 2009 financial year.
The projects cost GH¢ 2.8 million.
The communities are Tarkwa, Samahu, Abekoase, Tebe, Huniso, Pepesa, Brahabobom, New Atoabo, Akoon and Awudua.
The projects numbering 26, included the rehabilitation of the Samahu-Pepesa road, sinking of three wells at New Atoabo, Brahabobom and Samahu, provision of ceilings and furniture for existing classrooms at Huniso, Awudua and Brahabobom and the rehabilitation of the Ntakasu bridge.
The mining company has also offered assistance to the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) to construct a Geological Engineering Laboratory at Tarkwa, upgraded community centres at Samahu and Abekoase, constructed a link road and bridge for Tebe, rehabilitate the Tebe roads and a community centre at Huniso.
It has so far spent GH¢ 15.2 million on community development projects since the inception of the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation in 2002.
The foundation was established to ensure that the communities in which the company operates reap sustainable benefits from the mine through investment in socio-economic projects.
Speaking at the inauguration and handing over of the projects at Abekoase, the General Manager of Gold Fields Ghana (Tarkwa Mine), Mr Peet van Schalkwyk, said it was the desire of the company to see improvement in the living conditions of residents of these communities and their neighbours.
He said the company was still partnering its contractors to assist in the development of the communities.
In the last financial year, he said, Banlaw Africa Limited, Engineers and Planners (E&P), Sandvik Mining and Construction and Allship Company Limited assisted in various ways.
Mr Schalkwyk expressed the hope that the contractors would continue to assist Gold Fields in the development of its stakeholder communities.
The general manager said the Sustainable Community Empowerment and Economic Development Programme (SEED), a five-year community development plan for its primary stakeholder communities was in the fourth year of its implementation.
The programme, he explained, placed emphasis on building the capacity of the beneficiary communities in order to improve on their economic and social status.
Also, he said, the scholarship scheme instituted in the 2005/2006 academic year for deserving and needy students in the communities to pursue further studies at the vocational, senior high school and tertiary levels of education was being sustained.
He said 166 students had so far benefited from the scholarship scheme and new beneficiaries would soon be selected for this academic year.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, said the projects clearly demonstrated the mining company’s commitment to ensuring that communities in its operational area received maximum benefit from its operations.
“Indeed, by the provision of these projects, the company has bequeathed to the communities and the entire Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal and Prestea-Huni Valley District assemblies a lasting legacy which will be enjoyed by generations after the company has ceased to operate in the area, ” he said.
Mr Aidoo urged Gold Fields Ghana and other stakeholders, particularly the municipal assembly, to do a checklist to ascertain the current condition of the projects already provided and how useful or otherwise the projects had been to the respective communities.
The findings, he noted, would be very useful for the review or continuation of the provision of the projects.
He called on parent/teacher associations and school management committees to constantly meet to evolve programmes and strategies that would ensure that what the communities got from their social partners and stakeholders were not only well maintained and used for the purposes for which they were provided, but also ensure that quality standards were maintained long after the social partners had handed them over to the beneficiary communities.
The Apintohene, Nana Kwabena Ango, said Gold Fields Ghana (Tarkwa Mine) had been enjoying a peaceful atmosphere as a result of the mutual understanding and cooperation existing between management of the company and the mining communities.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

55 APPRENTICES GRADUATE AT UMAt (PAGE 20, DEC 9)

FIFTY-four apprentices from mining companies operating in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality and the Prestea/Huni Valley District of the Western Region have completed a-four year trades men training programme at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa.
The training programme was organised by the Western Region Traineeship Programme in collaboration with the mining companies which selected the beneficiaries from their host communities.
The aim of the training programme is to provide the country with competent people to handle the high demands of the trade skills required for the mining and associate industries.
The subjects they went through included bench fitting, machining and repairs, engineering drawing and components, engineering science, mathematics, transmission systems, beam, stub axle, steering components and braking system, internal combustion engines and vehicle layout, English Language and report writing as well as hydraulics.
Others were fuel injection systems, heat treatment, welding and fabrication, lifting principles, plant electrics, suspension systems, epicycle gear and automatic transmissions and pneumatics.
The rest were first aid, fluid transmissions, maintenance planning, plant installation, small plant, power shift and shuttle transmissions as well as computer studies.
Since 2002, tools and equipment, computers and their accessories, worth US$ 33,944.62, have been bought for the university to be used in the running of the courses.
In July 2007, the sponsoring companies purchased one double-cabin Toyota vehicle which is being used by the training coordinator to liaise with the companies to ensure effective coordination of the programme.
A ceremony has been held at Tarkwa for the second graduation and certificate presentation to the 54 trained apprentices who completed course programmes at the UMaT recently.
Speaking at the ceremony, a lecturer at the University of Mines and Technology, Mr Bernard Kumi-Boateng, assured the people who did not have any skills to take part in the mining jobs not to be despondent and throw up their hands in despair because they had no formal training for mining, which was a specialised field.
He said there were several sections/departments in the university where these people could be offered less than a year’s programme to give them skills that would enable them to work in the mining industry.
“I can say with absolute confidence that the University of Mines and Technology has departments with competent teaching staff that can train these unskilled people in the communities to fit so well in the various mining industries available in less than one academic year”, he emphasised.
Mr Kumi-Boateng urged mining companies that were not part of the training programme to liaise with the chiefs, opinion leaders and the labour office to identify the unskilled indigenes of the communities in which they operated and sponsor them for the training.
Also, he said, the companies would have to sign a memorandum of understanding with UMaT to train such people while they in turn made some resources available to the university.
He said the companies would have to absorb them after the training whenever there was vacancy in any of the sections for which they had been trained.
The Programme Training Coordinator, Mr James Tettevi, explained that infrastructure development started in the university in 2006 and that the programme had to be moved to the university’s basic schools for classes. The workshops where they had practicals and demonstrations were affected and some practical lessons had to be deferred.
Mr Tettevi explained that the development which had to take about 18 months to complete, ran into years and that now that most of them were being completed, the workshops and classrooms which were used by the programme were now earmarked for other purposes dear to the heart of the university.
He, therefore, appealed to the university to get them additional classrooms, and a room to be developed into a demonstration workshop for practicals.
The Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Chief Executive, Mrs Christina Kobbinah, urged the organisers to ensure the sustenance of the training programme to equip the teaming unskilled youth in the municipality with the required skills to make them productive.
An Assistant Registrar of the University of Mines and Technology, Mr Andrews Doku, said the mining companies and the university were playing very important roles to ensure the success and sustainability of the programme.
He urged the mining companies to obtain permission from the university to construct a big lecture theatre on the campus for the programme.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

GOLDEN STAR ESTABLISHES OIL PALM PLANTATION (PAGE 20, DEC 8)

GOLDEN Star Resources (GSR) Limited, a mining company, has established a 790-hectare oil palm plantation as a community smallholder plantation for farmers in the Mpohor Wassa East District of the Western Region.
The plantation was established in 2006 at the cost of US$ 1.8 million and a total of 104,000 oil palm seedlings have so far been raised for the project.
Smallholder farmers numbering 132 have been allocated four-hectares each of the plantation to manage for their own benefit.
Traditional authorities in the area have promised to release 8,774 hectares freely for the project, 5,800 hectares of which have already been released.
The project has also provided employment for over 310 contract employees within the mine’s catchment areas and is meant to help reduce poverty through employment generation and create wealth through sustainable agri-business.
It will also develop a sustainable alternative livelihood scheme for the communities with contributions emanating from mining.
A company, Golden Star Oil Palm Plantation (GSOPP) Limited, has been established as a subsidiary of Golden Star Resources Limited to manage the plantation.
A ceremony was held at the weekend for the allocation of plots on the plantation to 63 smallholder farmers at Wassa Ateiku.
In an address read on his behalf by the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Mr Ben Aryee, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda said the Government had not taken a back seat in this respect.
He said it had proactively initiated the development of 10,000 acres of oil palm, 6,000 acres of which had already been developed in the Prestea-Huni Valley area, adding that this had created 7,000 jobs.
In this regard, he said the Government’s policy required mining companies to put in place alternative livelihood programmes designed to enhance the economic and social wellbeing of the communities among which they operated, in fulfilment of their corporate social responsibility.
Alhaji Dauda said that, in addition to the mining activities, would augment employment generation while the mine was in operation and also provide a replacement of economic activity after the mine was closed. It would also prevent or at least minimise the likelihood of the development of the dreaded “ghost mining towns” phenomenon.
“Indeed, classic Ghanaian cases can be cited at Bibiani, Tarkwa and other mining towns in this area, which had socio-economic activities virtually halting when mining activities slowed down or stopped”, the minister explained.
The results, he said, were unemployment, poverty and in some cases, even complete abandonment of the once thriving communities.
“Against this background, this initiative by Golden Star Resources to create a sustainable community-based agri-business through the development of oil palm plantations to provide economic livelihoods in its stakeholder communities, both during and after the mines have closed is a laudable one”, he said.
The Vice-President (Operations) of Golden Star Resources, Mr Dan Owiredu, explained that the GSOPP had been conceived as a major innovative smallholder plantation development project and a flagship in corporate social responsibility.
He said on the basis of its community engagement and support policy, the company was promoting through GSOPP an approach that ensured the full participation of and total benefit to the people.
“This project is a true example of a strategic partnership under which the chiefs freely offered their lands and support, whilst GRS committed itself to promoting and investing into the cultivation of oil palm to create employment and wealth for the people”, he said.
Mr Owiredu said as a major feature, the GSOPP had developed a unique business model based on community consultation and focused on creating immediate employment and long-term income that had attracted support from a range of stakeholders.
Essentially, he explained, this business model ensured that oil palm development was carried out in a more sustainable, environmentally friendly and socially responsible manner.
To help fund this major agricultural project, he said the Golden Star Resources had steadily invested in a number of community projects through a Community Development Fund into which the company paid a charge of a US$ 1 per ounce of gold sold and 0.5 per cent of its pre-tax profits.
This special allocation of funds, he explained, was separate from the revenues the mine’s operations paid in the form of royalties to the government, which for the past five years amounted to US$ 27.9 million from the company’s two operating mines at Bogoso and Wassa Akyempim.
Mr Owiredu said the company was looking for development partners to enable the company achieve and accelerate a target rate of establishing over 500 hectares per annum to benefit more communities.
The Member of Parliament for Wassa Mpohor East, Mr A.E. Amoah, commended the mining company for the establishment of the project, but urged the company to develop a special farming project for the young women in the area.
The Omanhen of the Wassa Fiase Traditional Area, Osagyefo Kwamina Ennimil V1, advised farmers in the area to embrace the oil palm project wholeheartedly to help improve their living conditions.

PROBLEMS AFFECTING DEVELOPMENT IN WESTERN REGION (PAGE 20, DEC 8)

THE Western Region has five problems militating against its socio-economic transformation.
These are the poor road network, chieftaincy disputes, land litigation, illegal gold mining and currently, the unprecedented sale of lands around the catchment area of the oil field.
Past governments tried their best to solve these problems, while the present government is also doing what it can to confront these pressing issues.
But out of these problems, the most worrying situation is the poor road network in the region, even though attempts have been made to improve the situation.
This reporter has had the opportunity to criss-cross the region and can say that the road network situation in the Western Region, particularly in the rural areas, is not the best.
The irony of the situation is that most contractors who are awarded road contracts in the region abandon them after inspecting the roads, while others start and abandon them midway, while others do shoddy work on them.
It is said that the region’s difficult terrain as well as rainfall pattern are contributory factors to this problem.
Therefore, it has been suggested that a special package or preferential treatment should be given to road construction in the Western Region to attract road contractors to the region, otherwise the region would continue to suffer as far as road construction is concerned.
The Western Region has a total feeder road network of approximately 5,500 kilometres, out of which 3,149 kilometres are engineered, with 861.6 kilometres partially engineered and 1,458.1 kilometres un-engineered.
In 2007, 38.27 per cent of the region’s roads was described as good, and this improved to 39.49 per cent in 2008.
The percentage of a fair road network in 2007 was 14.89 per cent and was increased to 22.21 per cent in 2008, while the poor road network in 2007 was 46.82 per cent which was reduced to 38.39 per cent in 2008.
This year, routine maintenance will be done on 1,756 kilometres of road, while there will be spot improvement on 51.21 kilometres.
A total of 24.50 kilometres of roads in the region will be rehabilitated this year, while 37.70 kilometres will be re-surfaced and 16 bridges constructed.
There are also plans to rehabilitate some of the cocoa roads in the region this year.
In all, a total of 260.6 kilometres of the cocoa roads have been planned for surfacing.
In November last year, a total of 430.2 kilometres were awarded for reshaping at a total cost of GH¢ 848,451.62.
On the state of the highways in the region, some major road projects are ongoing, which include the reconstruction of the 56-kilometre Sefwi Bekwai-Ashiem-Asankrangwa Road.
The road being constructed by Messrs Midwest Contract Works, involves a contract sum of GH¢ 45.3 million and is 30 per cent complete.
The road will have double seal bituminous surface, while major bridges and pipe culverts would be constructed to improve safety; that is expected to be completed next year.
The 53-kilometre Asankrangwa-Enchi road is also being reconstructed at an initial cost of GH¢ 24 million and it is expected that the cost would rise to GH¢ 72 million as a result of variations.
It will also have a double seal bituminous surface, while major bridges, box culverts and pipe culverts will be constructed with dangerous and sharp curves being eliminated by massive cut and fill.
About 35 per cent of the work on the road has been completed and the whole project is expected to be completed between 2011 and 2012.
There are other major road rehabilitation projects slated for next year, which include the reconstruction of the 95-kilometre Tarkwa-Bogoso-Ayamfuri Road.
Tenders for the road project were expected to be opened between November and December this year, and estimated to cost GH¢ 76 million.
The road is to have asphalt, while narrow and weak bridges will be reconstructed.
The accident spot at “Cobbold Hill” will be greatly improved, while all major intersections will be redesigned to promote safety.
The project is expected to commence between March and April 2010 and completed between March and April 2013.
It is expected that after the reconstruction of the roads, transportation of goods and services between the northern zone and the south would be greatly facilitated, while immeasurable socio-economic benefits would be derived.
The reconstruction of the 110-kilometre Agona Junction-Elubo Road is another major project that needs attention in the region.
The project which is expected to begin in June, next year and completed in June 2012, is to be funded with a loan facility from the World Bank.
In respect of the District Capital Roads Improvement Project, a total of 40 kilometres of roads are being executed in the Western Region at the cost of GHҐ 991,722.00, while approval has already been given for the surfacing of the Sefwi Wiawso and Asankrangwa town roads.
Addressing the Western Regional House of Chiefs recently, the Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, solicited the cooperation of the chiefs in solving the problems of the region to ensure the rapid development of the region.
He cited the chieftaincy disputes, land litigation, illegal mining, poor road network and the unprecedented sale of lands as some of the problems.
Mr Aidoo explained that the Western Regional Coordinating Council was to facilitate the overall development of the region by effectively coordinating, monitoring and evaluating the activities of the ministries, departments, agencies as well as the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies and non-governmental organisations in order to improve the quality of life of the people.
As such, he said, the council had some administrative and development planning functions to perform.
“With this important and challenging role that the Regional Coordinating Council has to play in the development of the region, it goes without saying that it can only do that in collaboration with other stakeholders and the regional house of chiefs is one of such important collaborators”, he emphasised.
Therefore, the expectation is that the chiefs would collaborate effectively with the Regional Coordinating Council to solve the numerous problems, as a prerequisite for a meaningful rapid socio-economic as well as road infrastructure development of the Western Region.
People in the region deserve a better road network to commensurate their contribution to the national kitty.

SCHOOL FOR MENTALLY-HANDICAPPED APPEALS FOR SUPPORT (PAGE 29, DEC 8)

THE acting Headmistress of the Twin City Special School for the Mentally Handicapped, Madam Beatrice Mayne, has appealed to banks, organisations and individuals to assist the school to construct a kitchen and a laundry towards its smooth running.
She explained that the absence of these two facilities was affecting the effective running of the school.
The school has been relocated to its new site at Essipong from its old place which was located on a hill at Ekuase, near Sekondi an earthquake prone area.
Madam Mayne made the appeal when the Ahantaman Rural Bank Limited made a donation to the school.
The bank had earlier made a similar donation of GH¢ 1,400.00 to the Sekondi School for the Deaf.
The items included confectioneries, gari, bags of sugar, oranges, pineapples, tins of fish, boxes of key soap, loaves of bread, sachet drinking water, bags of rice, toilet rolls, bags of rice, gallons of cooking oil and bunches of banana.
The acting headmistress advised parents to send their children who are mentally challenged to the school for their orderly development and not to hide them in their rooms.
She also urged the public not to shy away from such children since it did not augur well for their development.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ahantaman Rural Bank, Mr Joshua Ackah, said management and staff of the bank were concerned about the welfare and education of the children in the two special schools in the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis.
He added that the donations, which formed part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the founding of the bank was to express their concern to the children.
Mr Ackah said the bank had a social responsibility to all the communities and educational institutions in its catchment areas.
The board chairman said the bank would pay regular visits to the schools to know their problems and assist in their solution.

MANAGING THE ENVIRONMENT...Sekondi/Takoradi metro take up the challenge (PAGE 29, DEC 8)

ENVIRONMENTAL health and management has been the bane of some metrpolitan assemblies.
Just like Accra, Kumasi and Tamale, the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolitan assembly also faces the problem of solid and liquid waste disposal and management.
Though the magnitude of the problem in the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis may not be the same as that of Accra and Kumasi, the Environmental Health and Management Department of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) has envisaged the influx of people to the metropolis as a result of the oil find, with its corresponding increase in public health nuisance.
As a result, the department is beefing up staff strength, ensuring the revision of bye-laws and the intensification of education on the airwaves.
The inability of the STMA to complete its landfill site at Osofokrom is also not helping effective waste disposal and management in the metropolis.
The assembly continues to discharge liquid waste into the sea at Enyiresia, near Sekondi, while solid waste in communal containers sometimes remain at their locations for days before collection, with drainage systems choked with all kinds of materials.
Also, solid waste from households is deposited on the roadside for more than a week before it is collected by private waste management contractors who have been hired to do so by the assembly.
It is against this backdrop that a two-day professional development workshop on sanitation reporting was organised for journalists in the metropolis to appreciate the enormity of environmental/sanitation issues and their effects on the people in the metropolis.
Speaking at the workshop, the Environmental Health Officer of the STMA, Mr Ahmed Sulley, explained that people lived in an environment and depended on the environment for their survival.
He said if those factors were in their natural state and not disturbed, they would pose no danger to people’s health.
According to Mr Sulley, in order to attain good health and have long span of useful life, people must manage the factors which constituted the environment, explaining, “This is known as environmental health.”
The basic requirements for a healthy environment, he said, included a hygienic environment, clean air and adequate and safe food.
He further explained that the surrounding composed of the air we breathed, which was essential for life but could be polluted, as well as the food we ate, which could make us grow but at the same time could be polluted, the water we drank, the soil we grew crops in, the sea and the sand and the rocks.
The environmental health officer described sanitation as a way of life, saying that it was the quality of living that was expressed in a clean home, industry, farm, as well as neighbourhood.
Mr Sulley mentioned some the challenges facing his outfit as the poor attitude of the populace towards sanitation, such as indiscriminate defecation and disposal of refuse.
He also mentioned inadequate staff, enforcement of bye-laws and lack of roadworthy vehicles for the department as challenges confronting it.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), environmental health comprises those aspects of human health, including quality of life, that are determined by physical, biological, social and psycho-social factors in the environment (WHO 1993).
It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing, correcting, controlling and preventing those factors which will adversely affect the health of present and future generations.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

COASTAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME LAUNCHED (PAGE 38, NOV 23)

AN Integrated Coastal and Fisheries Governance (ICFG) programme has been launched in the Western Region.
It is to support the government in achieving its fisheries development objectives of poverty reduction, food security, sustainable management and conservation of the coastal and marine ecological system.
It also seeks to provide alternative means of livelihood for communities in the six coastal districts of the Western Region.
They are the Ahanta West, Ellembele, Jomoro and Shama districts, as well as the Nzema East and Sekondi/Takoradi metropolises.
It will also ensure that the country’s coastal and marine ecological systems are sustainably managed to provide goods and services that will generate long-term socio-economic benefits for the communities, while sustaining biodiversity.
The ICFG programme is a four-year initiative supported by the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the agency is to spend US$10 million on it in the next four years.
It is being implemented through a co-operative agreement with the Coastal Resources Centre of the University of Rhode Island, with the WorldFish Centre, Sustainametrix and Friends of the Nation.
Other implementors are the Department of Fisheries, the coastal districts in the Western Region and other key government, private sector and non-governmental organisation stakeholders in the fisheries sector as key partners.
The programme seeks to address the over exploitation of fisheries resources and the decline of fish stocks, conflicts between artisanal, as well as industrial/semi industrial fleet and oil/gas companies, and the weak capacity for governance of coastal and fisheries resources.
It will also address the high population growth rates, high poverty and poorly planned coastal communities, increased human activities and pressures in the coastal zone, as well as threats to biodiversity assets such as wetlands, mangroves, lagoons, turtle nesting areas and the impact of climate change along the coast.
In an address read on his behalf by his deputy, Ms Betty Bosumtwi-Sam, to launch the programme in Takoradi, the Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, said the advent of the programme was timely, since it was being launched at a time when fish stock in the water bodies was being depleted as a result of bad fishing methods.
“I am hopeful that this initiative will help in replenishing the fish stock to provide all-year round fishing activities for fishermen and empower them financially,” he said.
He expressed regret that though the fishing industry was one of the oldest, it had not been given the needed attention and, as a result, it had not been able to satisfy domestic demand.
The USAID Country Director, Ms Cheryl Anderson, noted that the country’s coastline had seen many changes and that the project would help the government and the communities to manage the coastline.
She said the project would be built and expanded based on past experiences.
Ms Anderson noted that fish catch today was not the same as it was about 10 years ago, explaining that there were about 12,000 fishing canoes in the country today as against 1,000 in the 1990s.
The Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Annor Adjaye III, said the project was a challenge to the people of the region.
He urged the management of the project to ensure transparency and accountability and also co-operate with the chiefs and people in the beneficiary communities towards its successful implementation.

Friday, November 13, 2009

GREL SUPPORTS 14 SHS STUDENTS (PAGE 11, NOV 13)

THE Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) has offered scholarships to 14 students selected from the seven traditional areas in the Western Region to pursue further education in their various senior high schools.
Two students each, a male and a female, were selected from the Wassa Fiase, Ahanta, Lower Dixcove, Upper Dixcove, Gwira, Lower Axim and the Nsein Traditional Areas of the Western Region where the company operates.
GREL established the scholarship scheme in collaboration with the Association of Chiefs on Whose Lands GREL Operates (ACLANGO) in 2005, and since then, 49 students have benefited from the scheme.
Each year, the company spends over GH¢40,000 on the beneficiary students for payment of their fees, boarding and lodging.
The beneficiaries of the 2009/2010 academic year are Augustine Adjei, Ruth Nyame, Ebenezer Kwakyi Eshun, Dorothy Dechie, Fred Asante, Christina Archer, Sebastian Josiah Ghartey and Beatrice Harp Amihere.
The rest are Isaac Kwasi, Eva Kwofie, David Yankey, Grace Kwaw, Kingslove Quarm and Ruth Tanne.
Speaking at a short ceremony in Takoradi to present the awards to the beneficiary students, the Ahanta West District Chief Executive, Mr Jones Amoah, commended management of GREL for setting up the scholarship scheme, which would help the students to further their education.
He urged the company to monitor the academic progress of the students to know whether the scheme was achieving the purpose for which it was established.
Mr Amoah also urged parents to encourage their wards to study hard.
“We want you to become assets to your communities, the company, the district, the region and the country,” he said, adding, “We do not want you to become liabilities, so cease this opportunity to better your lot”.
The Managing Director of GREL, Mr Marc Genot, said the company had been able to assist in the development efforts of its host communities as a result of the mutual understanding and co-operation existing between the company and the chiefs of the 84 communities in the area.
He advised the students to set their priorities right, since time was not on their side, adding, “There is no time for fun, but time for hard work”.
Mr Genot urged them to have interest in agriculture, since there was a bright future for educated people in agriculture.
The Chairman of ACLANGO, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, said some companies established scholarship schemes to assist students in the region, but it did not last.
He expressed appreciation to GREL for its support on behalf of the chiefs of the communities within which GREL was operating.
Awulae Kwame also commended the Government for extending electricity to most parts of the Western Region and the country as a whole.
However, he regretted that most of the schoolchildren were not making good use of it by not studying in the nights, while the parents looked on unconcerned.
The Ahanta West District Director of Education, Mr Jerry Hanson, said GREL’s contribution to education in the district had helped to improve the academic performance of schoolchildren in the district.
He advised the students to remain focused in their academic studies to enable them to achieve their set objectives in life.
The Human Resource and Administrative Manager of GREL, Mr J. C. Garbrah, said the students were extremely fortunate to be offered the scholarships, since 32 students applied for it, but only 14 were selected after a competitive interview.
He asked them to take full advantage of the opportunity and make good use of it.
On behalf of his colleagues, Master Augustine Adjei thanked the chiefs and the company for the opportunity given them to pursue further education, and promised that they were going to learn hard to achieve the purpose for which the scholarship scheme was set up.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

MINING COMPANY ESTABLISHES AGRIBUSINESS PROJECT (PAGE 21, NOV 10)

GOLD Fields Ghana (Tarkwa Mine) Limited has established an agribusiness project at Abekoase in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality in the Western Region to help create employment for the community members and also serve as a legacy for the area after the closure of the mine.
The Abekoase Agribusiness Project, which is on a pilot basis, will be replicated in other mining communities in the catchment areas of the company.
It consists of 20-acre oil palm plantation inter-cropped with maize, plantain and pineapples.
The project has a one acre vegetable farm, six big fish ponds each stocked with 5,000 fingerings of tilapia and one pond stocked with 5,000 mudfish.
The mining company will also construct additional four fish ponds to bring the number to 10, and expand the 20-acre oil palm plantation to 100, establish a piggery and start the rearing of sheep.
The company has constructed a project office and a storeroom at the project site and has employed 35 permanent staff, most of whom are from Abekoase and Samahu, both mining communities within the catchment area of the company.
Speaking at the inauguration of the project, the General Manager of the company, Mr Peet van Schalkwyk, said the company sought to play a role in the sustainable development of its host communities and remained conscious that mining operations would eventually come to an end.
“Our new community development strategy is therefore to set up sustainable, profit making businesses in our catchment area,” he explained.
Mr Schalkwyk said the pilot project which had been undertaken at Abekoase, had yielded positive results, adding that it would be replicated in other communities.
“For us, we are not interested in the millions of Ghana cedis that we spend in the communities, but rather the impact that this has on the community members,” Mr Schalkwyk emphasised.
He said the company, occasionally undertook studies to assess the impact of the projects on the beneficiaries.

RURAL BANKS MUST ENCOURAGE SAVINGS (NOV 10, PAGE 20)

THE hitherto lack of culture of savings among the rural communities prompted the development of rural banks in the country to solve this problem and bring the rural people on board the banking system.
This was a problem to the overnment since people living in the rural communities who are mostly farmers, kept their monies in their rooms and as such, the monies were either stolen or destroyed, whenever there was fire outbreak in their houses.
The establishment of rural banking system in the country started in 1976 through the initiative of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), with the Nyakrom Rural Bank in the Central Region as its first. Over a period of time, a number of rural banks were established all of which came together to form the Association of Rural Banks in 1981.
The withdrawal of the BoG’s technical banking services from the Rural and Community Banks (RCBs) in 1994, necessitated the commissioning of SGV Consultants to study the situation and make recommendations.
Upon subsequent feasibility studies and recommendations by Messrs J.S. Addo Consultants, the ARB Apex Bank Limited was established and commenced operations on July 2, 2002.
The bank provides the Rural and Community Banks with technical, managerial and financial support services.
Today, the RCBs constitute the largest banking network with about 127 banks and over 560 banking offices throughout the country.
Many rural banks were established in the initial stages, but some of them could not survive as a result of liquidation problem, making them to be declared distressed.
The banks are to mobilise funds from the rural communities and also cultivate the culture of savings among the rural people.
It is further envisaged that the rural banks would plough back part of their profits accrued from their banking activities to assist the towns and villages in their operational areas.
Since their inception, the rural banks have contributed meaningfully towards the development of the communities in their catchment areas, particularly in education.
The banks have granted loans and advances to their respective shareholders, as well as their customers to start or expand their business activities such as farming, trading, cottage industry and transport.
This has gone a long way to improve the living conditions of most of the people in the rural communities in the country.
Through the adoption of prudent and efficient policies, the banks have been able to stay in business to contribute effectively to the socio-economic development of the rural communities in particular, and the country as a whole.
The Fiaseman Rural Bank Limited at Bogoso in the Prestea-Huni Valley District in the Western Region, is one of such banks to have braced all odds over 21 years of its existence to survive and contribute to the socio-economic transformation of its immediate communities and the country at large.
Last year, the bank granted loans and advances totalling GH¢1,726,574 to its customers, as against GH¢1,378,873 granted in 2007, representing an increase of 25.2 per cent.
Out of the amount, GH¢178,774 went into agriculture, while GH¢15,542 went into cottage industry, with GH¢347,031 going into trading.
A total of GH¢2,587 went into the transport sector, while GH¢1,182,640 went into other commercial activities.
The bank proposed an amount of GH¢44,275.44 to be paid as dividend for 2008 even though the bank posted a pre-tax profit of GH¢187,009 in 2008, as against the 2007 profit of GH¢202,359.18.
The proposed dividend formed 27 per cent of the after tax profit for 2008.
Total loans granted under the microfinance scheme by the bank in 2008, amounted to GH¢555,752, as against the 2007 figure of GH¢369,842, representing 50 per cent increase.
Beneficiaries of the loan facility were often traders, street vendors, service providers and artisans who operated micro enterprises in the bank’s catchment area.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fiaseman Rural Bank Limited, Osagyefo Amanfo Edu, announced these at the 21st annual general meeting of shareholders of the bank at Bogoso.
He said the total deposit grew from GH¢2,701, 239.37 in 2007, to GH¢3458,434.80 in 2008, representing a percentage growth of 28 per cent.
Osagyefo Edu attributed the bank’s achievements to aggressive deposit mobilisation drive.He said the shareholders’ funds grew from GH¢653,717 in 2007, to GH¢780,024 in 2008, showing a growth of 16.2 per cent.
Osagyefo Edu said the Apex Link Domestic Money Transfer product was highly patronised during the year under review, adding that a total of GH¢749,606 was transferred through that transfer medium of the bank to the various beneficiaries.
He said the Western Union Money Transfer was introduced to the bank in May, 2008 and as of December 31, 2008, GH¢51,993.78 had been paid to various clients by the bank.
Osagyefo Edu stated that the bank spent GH¢3,900 on its corporate social responsibilities, saying, “In the ensuing year, we programme to use a percentage of post tax profit on social responsibility with much emphasis on education”.
In an address read on behalf of the Managing Director of the ARB Apex Bank Limited, Mr Eric Osei-Bonsu, he stated that diversification of products and creation of niche markets were important to reduce risk and to take new opportunities.
He said by niche markets, he meant the creation of products that would enter the minds and capture the attention of people whose loyalty towards the product could be assured.
He said rural and community banks within a particular catchment area, could team-up to develop that kind of product to strengthen the niche market so that the benefits could be shared.
Mr Osei-Bonsu advised the rural banks to develop a marketing strategy that would reach where the clients were stationed and speak their language.
He said the banks should be able to research into what financial services were being offered by competitors in and around their geographical area of operation.
That, Mr Osei-Bonsu said, would help them adopt their own competitive strategies for differentiation and positioning of their services.
“Research has shown that micro finance institutions, including rural banks, pay little attention to promotion of products and services because they are deemed expensive,” he said.
He added, “But you must now consider creating or strengthening your marketing departments to ensure revenue growth, customer satisfaction and financial sustainability”.
That, the managing director explained, was because marketing was the core of the forces that drove businesses and profits.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

FIASEMAN RURAL BANK HOLDS GENERAL MEETING (PAGE 20, NOV 3)

THE Fiaseman Rural Bank Limited at Bogoso in the Prestea-Huni Valley District in the Western Region granted GH¢1,726,574 as loans and advances to its customers last year, as against GH¢1,378,873 granted in 2007.
Out of the amount, GH¢178,774 went into agriculture, while GH¢15,542 went into cottage industry with GH¢ 347, 031 going into trading.
A total amount of GH¢2,587 went into the transport sector, while GH¢1,182,640 went into other commercial activities.
The bank proposed an amount of GH¢44,275.44 to be paid as dividend for 2008, even though the bank posted a pre-tax profit of GH¢187,009 for the year, as against the profit of GH¢202, 359.18.
The proposed dividend forms 27 per cent of the after tax profit for 2008.
Total loans granted under the microfinance scheme by the bank in 2008 amounted to GH¢555,752, as against the 2007 figure of GH¢369,842, representing a 50 per cent increase.
Beneficiaries of the loan facility were often traders, street vendors, service providers and artisans who operated micro enterprises in the bank’s catchment area.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Osagyefo Amanfo Edu, announced these at the 21st annual general meeting of shareholders of the bank at Bogoso.
He said the bank's total deposit grew from GH¢2,701,239.37 in 2007 to GH¢3,458,434.80 in 2008, representing a percentage growth of 28 per cent.
He attributed the achievements to aggressive deposit mobilisation drive.
He said shareholders’ funds grew from GH¢653, 717 in 2007 to GH¢780,024 in 2008, indicating a growth of 16.2 per cent.
Osagyefo Edu said the Apex Link Domestic Money Transfer Product was highly patronised during the year under review, adding that a total amount of GH¢749,606 was transferred through that medium to various beneficiaries.
He said the Western Union Money Transfer was introduced to the bank in May, 2008 and as of December 31, the same year, it had paid GH¢51, 993.78 to various clients.
Osagyefo Edu said the bank spent GH¢3,900 on its corporate social responsibilities, saying, “In the ensuing year, we programme to use a percentage of post tax profit on social responsibility with much emphasise on education”.
In a speech read on behalf of the Managing Director of ARB Apex Bank Limited, Mr Eric Osei-Bonsu, he stated that diversification of products and creation of niche markets were important to reduce risk and to take new opportunities.
He said by niche markets, he meant creation of products that would enter the minds and capture the attention of people whose loyalty towards the product could be assured.
Mr Osei-Bonsu said rural and community banks within a particular catchment area could team up to develop that kind of product to strengthen this niche market so that the benefits could be shared.
He advised the rural banks to develop a marketing strategy that would go where the clients were stationed and speak their language.
Mr Osei-Bonsu stated that banks should be able to research into what financial services were being offered by competitors in and around their geographical areas of operation.
That, he said, would help them adopt their own competitive strategies for differentiation and positioning of their services.
“Research has shown that microfinance institutions, including rural banks, pay little attention to promotion of products and services because they are deemed expensive,” he said, adding, “But you must now consider creating or strengthening your marketing departments to ensure revenue growth, customer satisfaction and financial sustainability”.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

GOVT TO BUILD RESIDENTIAL FACILITY FOR GHANA NAVY (BACK PAGE., OCT 31)

THE government has acquired a 300-acre land at Aboadze in the Shama District of the Western Region for the construction of a residential facility for the Ghana Navy.
This gesture is to ensure better living conditions for the officers and men to enable them to discharge their assigned roles effectively and efficiently.
The government will, within the constraints of the economy and other competing national development needs, ensure that the Navy is equipped within the requisite resources to effectively and efficiently perform its assigned roles.
The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, announced this at a ceremonial parade to mark the 50th anniversary of the Ghana Navy at the Western Naval Command yesterday.
He also used the occasion to unveil a bust in memory of the Unknown Soldier.
He noted that the Navy had been performing essential roles with the limited resources at its disposal in terms of logistics and equipment.
“Over the years, the fleet of the Ghana Navy has been grappling with many problems as a result of lack of funds, manpower and inadequate logistical support,” he said..
He said there was the need for a credible military force capable of insulating the nation against external aggression by land, sea and air, while assisting in diverse ways to enhance security.
The provision of modern equipment and maintenance of ships, he said, was another area receiving attention from the government.
“Many of us do not often see the Navy at work and, therefore, we tend not to value the usefulness and positive contributions it makes towards national aspirations and development,” he said.
That, he explained, was due to the fact that the Navy performed its duties and operations on sea, out of sight of the general public.
Mr Mahama said the government was doing everything possible to ensure that the requisite platforms were acquired for the Navy from Korea and China.
The ceremony was attended by service commanders from the Ghana Air Force, the Ghana Police, the Ghana Army, as well as members of the general public.
Eight officers of the Ghana Navy, both serving and retired, were given various awards for the dedicated roles they played in the Navy.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

WORK ON SELECTED STORM DRAINS ONGOING (PAGE 30, OCT 29)

CONSTRUCTION work on selected storm drains in the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis are on course.
About 56 per cent of work on the project is completed, as against the projected 62 per cent, as a result of the rains during construction.
The project was awarded in February 20, last year, and it is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
With a contract sum of GH¢3,188,476.00, it forms part of the Urban Environmental Sanitation Project (UESP) being funded by the International Development Association.
It involves the improvement of 1.8 kilometers of the Kokompe -Adakope drain, improvement of 1,120 meters of the Ashanti Road-Kokompe drain and the construction of reinforcement rain concrete of 600 meters of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL)-Maersk drain.
The rest are the construction of reinforcement concrete lining of 550 meters of the West Tanokrom main stream drain, the construction of two culverts on the Effia Nkwanta Hospital branch drain and the construction of 500 meters reinforcement concrete lining of the Kansaworodo-Effia-Number Nine drain.
The Project Co-ordinator of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, Mr Simon Labi Addo, who briefed the Daily Graphic on the progress of work, said the construction of the two culverts on the Effia Nkwanta Hospital branch drain would be completed by the end of this month.
He said work on the Kansaworodo-Effia-Number Nine drain was 95 per cent complete, while work on the West Tanokrom main stream drain was 40 per cent complete.
“The projects are supposed to be completed by the end of this year. If the rains do not interrupt work, the project should be completed as scheduled”, he stated.
Mr Addo, however, expressed concern about the swampy nature of some of the areas, which, he added was creating a difficulty in the operation of machinery. .
The Sekondi/Takoradi Storm Drain Project is being executed by Messrs China Zhong Hao (Ghana) Limited, with Municipal Development Collaborative Limited (MDC) as consultants.

PHILANTHROPIST SUPPORTS MERCY FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL (PAGE 30, OCT 29)

A TAKORADI-based businessman, Mr Africanus Mensah, has donated GH¢ 1,000 to Mercy Foundation International (MFI), a non-governmental organisation in Takoradi, to take care of the needs of street and abused children in the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis.
The primary objective of the foundation is to assist the unfortunate needy child to acquire basic education, proper healthcare and be integrated into the society, with assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service.
Mrs Janet Mensah, mother of Mr Mensah who made the donation on his behalf, said her son would make more of such donations to needy children as his contribution towards the survival and development of children.
The Director of Mercy Foundation International, Pastor Oliver Osei-Gerning who received the donation, said currently, the foundation was running a shelter for victims of domestic violence, particularly for women and children in the Sekondi/Takoradi metropolis.
In pursuance of its noble objectives, he said, the foundation sheltered 58 trafficked children from April to December 2008, and that, through counselling, care and love to these children and help from the Department of Social Welfare and DOVVSU, the children had now overcome the mental trauma they experienced.
Pastor Osei-Gerning said the foundation had assisted 10 needy brilliant Junior High School pupils by offering them free computer training every three months.
“It must also be put on record that, MFI established four well endowed pre-schools to train illiterate street children with a duration of two years, after which they are integrated into the mainstream formal education sector”, he said.
He said the foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Employment, organised special training for 25 hard-core street children from different parts of the country, who had come to settle in the metropolis.
Pastor Osei-Gerning said the children were trained in various agricultural skills, including piggery, grasscutter rearing, snail farming, rabbitry and vegetable cultivation.

OIC APPEALS FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT (OCT 29, 2009, PAGE 30)

MANAGEMENT of the Sekondi/Takoradi branch of the Opportunities Industrialisation Centre (OIC) has made a passionate appeal to the government to assist the centre to get support from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to expand its teaching and learning facilities.
Management has therefore called on the Western Regional Coordinating Council to intervene on behalf of the centre to get assistance from the fund.
It has also appealed to all public spirited organisations and institutions as well as individuals to assist the centre to improve on its activities.
The centre is in need of funds to run its administration and also expand its infrastructural facilities, especially classrooms to ensure smooth teaching and learning at the centre.
The expansion of the centre’s classroom facilities would also enable it to increase admissions at the centre.
Currently, the government funding is basically for personnel emoluments while other activities of the centre are heavily funded by local and international donor agencies, companies, institutions, families and individuals.
The centre also operates a small scale production unit which engages in furniture and coffins production, metal works, building construction and repair works, block moulding, batik tie-dye production, canteen services and general secretarial services.
Proceeds from such economic ventures are used to complement government and community effort to sustain the programme.
To minimise the level of financial dependence on donor agencies, the OIC- Sekondi/Takoradi seeks to establish an Opportunity Investment Fund within a period of three years to serve as the main source of funding for the centre.
Besides funding, the centre also faces other challenges, including lack of adequate classrooms and modern workshop equipment.
The Programme Manager of the centre, Mr Moses Amoamah Antwi, explained to the Daily Graphic that the capacity for each existing classroom was supposed to be 25 trainees.
However, he said the same classroom was now being occupied by 75 trainees, about three times its capacity.
“This has brought pressure on the entire facility. The centre has outgrown its capacity and this calls for immediate attention”, he pointed out.
Mr Antwi therefore appealed to the Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, to intervene by helping the centre to get support from the Ghana Education Trust Fund to expand the centre’s facilities.
He said the centre had enough land to embark on such expansion programme.
He said the centre needed modern workshop equipment that would enhance the quality of skills training and also meet the current manpower needs of industries, institutions and vocations.
“We will, therefore call on the individual, corporate institutions, churches, the traditional authorities and the government to consider equipping the centre with modern equipment to enhance its operations”, he appealed.
Another enormous challenge facing the centre is the perennial flooding of the entire centre every year as a result of the very poor drainage system of the area.
“The entire centre is surrounded by a very poor drainage system which is a threat to our very existence in the metropolis”, Mr Antwi said, adding “And even as the rains set in we are not sure what would be our fate, we therefore call on the metropolitan assembly, corporate institutions and individuals to come to our aid to reconstruct the drainage system”.
Mr Antwi pointed out that the centre needed either a face-lift or relocation, since it was training a lot of people, most of whom had completed their Basic Education Certificate Examination.
The Opportunities Industrialisation Centre (OIC) Sekondi/Takoradi is a government subvented educational institution, under the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, contributing to the human development agenda of the ministry.
The centre was established in 1977 with four skill areas, namely office management and secretarial skills, carpentry, masonry and auto body repairs.
Currently, the centre provides two-year training in office management and secretarial skill up to the stenography level, computer skills, carpentry and joinery, masonry (construction), building draughtsmanship and welding and fabrication.
It also provides training in textile decoration, batik tie-dye and soap making, dress making, hair dressing, integrated English and mathematics and counselling services.
Since its establishment the centre has turned out about 5,000 skilled professionals in the various courses.
From 1977 to 1985 OIC Sekondi/Takoraddi was funded by the government, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), international donor agencies and the local community.
After 1985, funding came primarily from the government of Ghana, and since then the structural adjustment programme, arising out of the Economic Recovery Programme in the country in the mid eighties has drastically altered the level of funding OIC Sekondi/Takoradi receives from the government.

Friday, October 23, 2009

LONG LIFE CARAVAN EDUCATES PEOPLE IN HIV]AIDS (PAGE 20, OCT 23)

THE fourth edition of the Love Life Caravan on the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor arrived in the country last week through the Elubo Border Post in the Jomoro District in the Western Region to sensitise the people along the corridor to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
The caravan, which set off in Abidjan on September 28, this year, is on the theme: “Universal access for an HIV/AIDS-free corridor; time to make a difference”.
It is being organised by the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Organisation (ALCO) and funded by the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The caravan would travel a distance of 1,022 kilometres through Cote d’lvoire, Ghana , Togo , Benin and Nigeria to reach a targeted transit population of 50,000,000 people.
The target population includes truck drivers, commercial sex workers, security personnel, people living with HIV, young boys and girls, women traders and people at the borders.
The caravan would parade the major towns and cities and hot spots along the corridor, organise voluntary HIV testing for the people, especially pregnant women, treat sexually transmitted infections and distribute condoms.
A total of 42 voluntary counselling and testing centres have been set up in the cities and towns in the five countries for HIV/AIDS testing.
There will also be projection of films, sketches and plays, games and competitions on sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, with lots of prizes to be won.
At the handover ceremony, the Communication Specialist for the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Organisation, Mr Harvey De Hardt-Kaffils, said the people would be sensitised to the disease and advised to undergo voluntary testing to know their status to enable them to plan for a better life.
He said the people had now accepted the message.

GREL PROVIDES KINDERGARTEN BLOCK FOR DUAHORODO (OCT 23, PAGE 20)

THE Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) has constructed a two-classroom kindergarten block for the people of Duahorodo, a farming community in the Ahanta West District in the Western Region, at a cost of GH¢ 40,000.
The new classroom block will save the young children from trekking long distances to attend school at Chavene, Eluazo and Akwadaa, at the mercy of the weather.
The company has already provided seven school blocks for Nsuaem, Subri, Anibil-Barmiankor, Nsein-Onzeanye, Kedadwen, Apimanim Number One and Chavene since 2006.
It is currently constructing a three-classroom block for the Avrebo Junior High School, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
At the handingover ceremony at Duahorodo, the Human Resource and Administrative Manager of GREL, Mr J.C. Garbrah, said since the 2005/2006 academic year, the company had provided 49 scholarships for students within its operational area to pursue education in senior high schools and universities.
He said the company had been organising vacation classes during long vacations for schoolchildren in the catchment areas since 2006, adding that this year more than 3,000 pupils participated in the classes.
Mr Garbrah said GREL provided top-ups for teachers in its three schools at Nsuaem, Tsibu and Chavene, adding that the GREL basic school at Tsibu had been topping in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Ahanta West District for the past four years.
The Chairman of the Association of Chiefs on whose lands GREL Operates, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, noted with regret that the chiefs and people in the traditional areas who provided lands for the development of the rubber plantations in 1959/1960 did not benefit from the companies which started the plantations.
However, he said, in 2005 when GREL started providing people in the area with development projects, there had been gradual improvement in the living conditions of the people.
Awulae Agyefi said there were 84 communities in the eight traditional areas where GREL was operating and that the communities which were yet to benefit from the development projects should exercise patience since the projects would be distributed equally throughout all the traditional areas.
The Ahanta West District Director of Education, Mr George Jerry Hansen, expressed appreciation to GREL for its contribution towards education development in the district. He said the company was interested not only in the rubber plantations, but also in the mental development of children in its catchment area.
The Chief of Duahorodo, Nana Kwame Akro IX, said education was the light and wheels around which development revolved.
He, therefore, appealed to the parents in the community to reciprocate the good intentions of GREL by enrolling all their children of kindergarten age in the school and to ensure that they attended school regularly.
Nana Akro further urged the parents to pay particular attention to the needs of the pupils to encourage them to attend school to help lay good educational foundation for themselves.

ASSEMBLY ASSURES PHYSICALLY-CHALLENGED PEOPLE OF ASSISTANCE (PAGE 20, OCT 23)

THE Jomoro District branch of the Physically Challenged Association has been inaugurated with the assurance that the Jomoro District Assembly would help them in their activities any time they need genuine assistance.
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Victor Nyianyi Kablan, gave the assurance during the inauguration of the association at Half Assini.
He, however, informed members of the association of the existence of the Business Advisory Centre of the Rural Enterprise Project, and urged those who wanted to learn a trade to contact the centre for assistance.
He advised them not to be discouraged in life, because “we are all equal before God and that disability does not mean inability”.
Mr Kablan urged them also to strive hard to make good use of their given talents, adding that the district assembly would assist them to make life bearable.
The Jomoro District Officer of the Department of Social Welfare, Mr Samuel Nyanzu, enjoined the general public to assist the physically challenged, since some of them were in such condition through accidents and medical injections, apart from those who were born with the condition.
He briefed them on the special training institutions in the country for the deaf and dumb, the blind and the crippled, and advised parents to send their children with such disabilities there to be trained to become useful citizens.
Mr Nyanzu appealed to those who had not registered with the association to do so in their own interest.
The Presiding Member of the Jomoro District Assembly, Mr Francis Ehwie Armah, who chaired the function, urged the public not to look down on the physically challenged, but rather help them to survive.
He also advised parents not to abandon or neglect their children with disabilities.
Mr Armah implored the physically challenged people who sat by the roadside begging for alms to stop as the government was totally against such practice.
He suggested to the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare to support district social welfare officers to enable them to perform efficiently and creditably.

AIDOO WORRIED SBOUT SALE OF LANDS IN OIL FIND AREA (PAGE 20, OCT 23)

THE Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, has expressed concern about the unprecedented sale of lands by chiefs around the catchment of the oil find without recourse to the interest of future generations.
Those lands, he said, were acquired without any proper plans for development projects in those areas to improve the quality of life of the people.
According to him, it was within the government’s development plan to compulsorily acquire lands near the oil fields, adding that when that became feasible, all chiefs who had made unapproved sales of lands in their areas might be compelled to refund the money.
Mr Aidoo was addressing a general meeting of the Western Regional House of Chiefs in Sekondi.
He said forestry and wildlife were important sectors of the economy, accounting for about 15 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 25 per cent of the nation’s revenue.
Mr Aidoo noted with regret that most forest reserves in the region were under serious siege from chainsaw operators, illegal gold miners, as well as farmers who were plundering the region’s forest resources with impunity.
“In the Afoa Hills, Tano Suraw and Anhwiaso South Forest Reserves in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai District, farming activities are being carried out in those reserves with impunity,” he said.
Mr Aidoo said it was the same story in the Tano Anwia, Suhuma, Sui River and KRHI Forest Reserves.
“In the Bia, Dissue River, Muro River, Tano Suhien, Subri River and Bonsa River Forest Reserves, illegal chainsaw operations and felling of trees are also being carried out there in addition to illegal mining in the River Bonsa,” he added.
The regional minister said most chiefs were guilty of complicity in those unacceptable situations because as it was generally known, the illegal farmers in the forest reserves were mostly settler farmers from other parts of the country who got access to the reserves through the chiefs after paying drinks and other rents.
Mr Aidoo reminded the chiefs that for sometime now, there had been a joint military and police timber task force operation in the region’s reserves, which had brought about some transformation.
“It is important to note that but for these interventions, a good number of our forest reserves would have been devastated,” he said, adding, “Let us, therefore, come together and ensure the protection of the region’s forest resources in order to leave posterity a better, richer and more valuable endowment than what we inherited”.
The regional minister advised the chiefs to desist from renting lands in the region’s forest reserves to any person or group of persons to undertake economic ventures without entering into an agreement with the appropriate ministry.
The President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, Awulae Attibrukusu, said that Judicial Committees of the House of Chiefs were very important, and praised the House’s Judicial Committee for good work done.

ABOADZE THERMAL PLANT UNDERGOES MAINTENANCE (PAGE 20, OCT 23)

THE Takoradi Thermal Power Plant at Aboadze in the Shama District in the Western Region is currently undergoing its first major maintenance works after nine years of its operation.
The maintenance works, estimated at $12 million, are intended to maintain a high level performance, improve reliability, efficiency, as well as mitigate the environmental impact of the plant’s operation.
The works include the removal, testing, refurbishing, calibration and installation of heavy equipment such as compressor rotor, turbine rotor and generator rotor.
Repair works involving modifications, fabrication, painting and rehabilitation of the exhaust silencers and balance of plant equipment are to be carried out.
The filters in the inlet filter house, inlet silencers and combustion cans are also scheduled to be replaced during the major maintenance.
There will be relocation of electrical circuits as part of the modification works, to ultimately improve upon efficiency of the combustion turbine.
Planning for the current major maintenance started over a year ago due to the volume and complexity of works involved and it is scheduled to be completed in 27 days using the two-shift system for 12 hours per shift.
Plans are also underway to have the plant converted into a more efficient combined cycle power operation with the addition of 110MW steam turbine generator, with associated heat recovery steam generators.
When the expansion is completed, it would not only add significantly to the national generation capacity, but would also increase the plant’s efficiency from about 33 to 55 per cent, reducing cost of generation, improving the environment, as well as generating significant employment and technological transfer opportunities for the people in the Western Region and the country as a whole.
The 220MW single-cycle Takoradi Thermal Power Plant is a joint venture between TAQA Energy Company of Abu Dhabi and the Volta River Authority (VRA).
The plant is being operated by TAQA Generation International Operating Company (TGIOC), a subsidiary of TAQA, which owns 90 per cent of TICo and the VRA, which owns 10 per cent.
Briefing journalists after inspecting the progress of the on-going maintenance works at Aboadze, the General Manager of the Takoradi International Company (TICo) and Managing Director of TAQA West Africa, Mr Osafo Adjei, said per world benchmarks, a typical major maintenance of GE gas turbine should be completed in 42 days.
He explained that the special arrangement and efforts to complete all the works under world benchmarks were geared towards cutting down time and more importantly continuing to provide the quality supply of reliable power to the good people of Ghana.
Mr Adjei said TGIOC had performed several scheduled outages such as combustion inspection and hot gas path inspection in partnership with General Electric (GE), which has been contracted by TICo on a long term service agreement.
“In all the scheduled outages, TGIOC has optimized the outage schedule in order to maximize availability,” he said, adding, “The cumulative availability of T2 Plant is 94 per cent, which is higher than the industrial benchmark for single cycle base operation”.
The general manager further explained that the longest and most technical of scheduled inspection on gas turbines was the major inspection which was on-going.
Mr Adjei called on all stakeholders to support the national efforts to expand the thermal power plant.
He said the employees had worked for 2,600 days without any lost time accident, and promised to keep the track record untainted, even during the period of the major maintenance works.
That, he explained, was because both management and employees continued to own the safety programme in place and adhered strictly to it, saying “Safety is everyone’s business here”.
The Plant Manager-T2, Mr George Niako, who led media practitioners to inspect the maintenance works, explained that about 90 per cent of the filters were rusted as a result of marine effect.
He said the equipment also was undergoing the major maintenance to reduce emission from the plant so that the environment was not polluted.
Mr Niako further explained that the silencers were being replaced with new ones to reduce the noise level to about 65 decibel.

Monday, October 19, 2009

GOVT PRIORITISES FUNDING OF EDUCATION (PAGE 11, OCT 19)

PRESIDENT John Evans Atta Mills has said the Government is managing the funding of education with utmost commitment and priority since it regards education as a vital investment by the whole community.
The President has, therefore, urged graduates of polytechnics to be partners in development and accept postings to the rural areas because that was how they would help build the nation, a job that no one can do for us.
He said this in an address read on his behalf by the Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, at the 8th congregation of the Takoradi Polytechnic over the weekend, where graduates were awarded Bachelor of Technology and Higher National Diploma.
The congregation presented graduates for the 2006/07 and 2007/08 academic years. Out of the 3,000 students who have completed various programmes in the two academic years 1,500 of them were presented and received their certificates.
“You must never forget that, by your graduation, you are joining the working class who must contribute towards the promotion of sound economic growth and status of the country”, he stated.
He announced that this year, the Government has through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) released GH¢ 1.7 million for the construction of the four-storey building complex for the School of Applied Arts, the Rector’s residence and internal road network of the polytechnic.
Additionally, he said the Government had given out GH¢ 13,500 for research and staff development.
He explained that the mandate of polytechnics in the country was teaching and research, and that the polytechnic was to provide carrier focused and practical oriented training to equip students to make them functional in specific sectors of the economy.
“The research agenda of the polytechnic should be geared towards the conduct of research which will yield results of practical use to the needs of industry,” he stressed.
President Mills, therefore, urged the polytechnic to devote resources to the discharge of these responsibilities, which were teaching and research.
He noted that the nation’s limited resources for research, were worthy of encouraging more client-driven research, which would serve the dual purpose of immediately aiding the client, generating income for the polytechnic and improving the competence of lecturers and students.
“The time for the polytechnics to act is now. They must not only liaise with the Government and ministries, but also sponsor media programmes and open day celebrations at the various departments for the private sector and the general public”, the President said.
“This will expose the public and industry to applied research works which could be taken up by industries”, he explained.
The Chairman of the Takoradi Polytechnic Governing Council, Dr George K.T. Oduro, announced that plans were far advanced to launch a Takoradi Polytechnic Endowment Fund to support research, teaching and learning, and also provide support for brilliant needy students of the polytechnic.
He, therefore, appealed to the alumni of the polytechnic and organisations which utilised the services of products of the polytechnic to contribute generously to the fund when it was established.
Dr Oduro said student enrolment in the polytechnic continued to expand in all programmes, and was convinced that many Ghanaians were increasingly seeing the economic benefits of investing in polytechnic education.
Yet, he said inadequate resources in the polytechnic tended to limit its capacity to provide opportunities for many applicants to receive polytechnic education.
He said as he spoke, the polytechnic’s lecture halls were seriously congested, halls of residence terribly overcrowded, and laboratories underequipped and noted that there were still a number of uncompleted projects in the polytechnic.
He appealed to the Ministry of Education and the Western Regional Co-ordinating Council to come to the aid of the polytechnic in terms of completing, especially the administrative block, which had been neglected for some time now and the construction of additional large lecture theatres for the polytechnic.
The outgoing Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr Samuel Obeng Apori, said in the area of research findings, the polytechnic channelled a lot of resources in this direction and that had led to the publication of articles in many international and national journals as well as conference proceedings.
For example, he said the polytechnic, in collaboration with industrial set-ups had developed different particle chip boards using materials hitherto considered as waste such as palm fruit fibre, sugar cane bagasse, corn stalk and pennisetum purpereum.
Dr Apori said the quality of the particle chip board had been confirmed and that management was in the process of discussing the way forward for mass production.
Additionally, he said the companies which manufactured particle chip boards which had been suffering from lack of raw materials could now bounce back into full operation and employ more hands, since the palm fruit fibre, sugar cane bagasse, corn stalk and pennisetum purpereum were easily available.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

DISSOLVE WISE BOARD, MANAGEMENT — SUPPORTERS (PAGE 63)

AGGRIEVED supporters of Sekondi Eleven Wise Football Club, have passed a resolution calling for the dissolution of the board of directors. as well as management of the club for mismanagement and breach of agreement.
The supporters suggested that both the board of directors and the management should be replaced with an interim management committee for the club.
According to them, the issue of breach of agreement must be taken seriously, and addressed accordingly to avoid legal action against signatories of the agreement.
They explained that in the year 2006, the club signed an agreement with Global Avanti Sports Alliance (GASA), part of which states that “GASA” may not assign or otherwise transfer his rights or delegate its obligations, including the disposal of the share acquisition, without first presenting the first option of purchase to the membership of Sekondi Eleven Wise congress”.
This was contained in a statement issued to the press in Takoradi and signed by the secretary of the supporters union, Mr David Quainoo.
“It has come to our notice that GASA has transferred its rights and powers to Global Media Alliance (GMA) which has nothing to do with Sekondi Eleven Wise Football Club”, the statement said.
It added that a preliminary search conducted at the Registrar General’s Department in Accra, had indicated that Global Avanti Sports Alliance was no more in existence.
“The Global Media Alliance which is now managing the club, has no legal rights, and has no power to do so”, it stressed adding, “Sekondi Eleven Wise has no agreement with them but rather with Global Avanti Sports Alliance”.
According to the statement, the Chief Executive Officer of the club, Mr Jamil Maraby had failed the club and that he was not a team player and therefore, cannot lead the club to achieve its ultimate aim and achieve successes.
“We suggest that he must be directed to hand over the club to the traditional rulers who represent the club”, it said.
The statement explained that the club

is Sekondi-based but is now Accra-based since both the offices of the chief executive officer and the administrative manager were in Accra, with the latter being an Accra man who was in charge of a relegated club, Sporting Miren.
It said the establishment of the offices in Accra did not augur well for the club, and was in contravention of the business plan of the club.
It continued that management failed to purchase a club house and a bus for the club as agreed and that they were aware that the club house being occupied by the players now was rented, while the ownership of the bus was unclear.
“The recent transfer of some 11 players of the club has created uneasy calm in the support base. We are reliably informed that the board of directors is not aware of that decision taken by the technical handler. In our opinion some of the players need not be transferred”, it said.
                                                       

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

AGONA JUNCTION-ELUBO ROAD TO BE RECONSTRUCTED (PAGE 14)

THE 110-kilometre Agona Junction-Elubo road which forms part of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor, an international road which cuts across Cote d’lvoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria, is to be reconstructed.
The project, which is to begin in June next year is part of the Aflao-Accra-Cape Coast-Takoradi-Elubo road.
The road has been designed to meet high international standards.
A public forum was held at Esiama in the Ellembelle District last Tuesday where engineering designs of the road were exhibited to solicit stakeholders’ contributions, suggestions, comments, concerns and complaints towards the final design of the project for approval by the World Bank.
In his presentation on the engineering designs and provisions for traffic safety to the public at Esiama, a principal engineer of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) headquarters in Accra, Mr Joseph Atsu Amedzake, said rumble strips would be installed at community entrances and junction approaches to calm traffic.
He said guard rails would be fixed at sections which would have side activities to prevent random crossing of pedestrians that could lead to accidents, while service lanes and lay-bys would be provided.
He said the major junctions to be improved include the Esiama Junction, Alabokazo Junction, Ayisakro Junction and Apimanim Junction.
The principal engineer said one axle load station would be constructed to check excessive loading of vehicles.
This, he said, was to ensure that the investment made on the project was protected.
The Principal Valuer of the Ghana Highway Authority, Mr Kofi Archer-Kwajan, said so far, the project had identified 2,094 properties, including 744 houses and 1,350 farms to be affected.
He said the houses had been inspected and measured, while the farms and crops had been enumerated for the payment of compensation.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, said the chiefs and people should attend such fora to express their views and make suggestions on the designs and not to wait for the project to begin before they write protest letters against the contractor.
A Senior Social Development Specialist of the World Bank, Dr Antoine Lema, said the policy of the bank was that the people must be involved in whatever project the bank was funding, and that it should be beneficial to the people.
The Director of Planning of the Ghana Highway Authority, Mr Peter Asumadu, said the project was not intended to leave anybody poorer than he/she was after its implementation.
He said all gravel pits where gravels would be taken for the project would be reclaimed for the landowners to continue their farming activities.
Mr Asumadu explained that engineering, environment, driver behaviour, the condition of the vehicle; downpour and fog were contributory factors to the numerous road accidents in the country.
He said all the stakeholders in the road sector were working towards the reduction of road accidents in the country.

Monday, October 12, 2009

RETURN NKRUMAH'S FAMILY HOUSES — ADZOBEA KPENYILE (PAGE 20, OCT 6)

THE family members of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, have called for the de-confiscation of the family houses seized after the 1966 coup.
They expressed the hope that as part of the centenary celebration of Nkrumah’s birthday, his home town, Nkroful, would be given the needed attention by providing it with many social amenities in memory of the late President.
 The family head, Mr Adzobea Kpenyile, who made the appeal through the Daily Graphic at Nkroful, said the family houses at Nsuayem and Nkroful had not as yet been released to them and the situation was creating a problem for the family.
He said personnel of the Ghana Police Service were currently occupying one of the buildings at Nsuayem, while the one at Nkroful was being used as a museum.
Mr Kpenyile said at the moment the family members were many and so they needed more residential facilities, hence the appeal.
He stressed the need for the government to rehabilitate the buildings before returning them to the family.
Mr Kpenyile commended the government for its recognition of Dr Nkrumah through the celebration of his centenary.

11 COMMUNITIES DEVELOP PLANS TO IMPROVE THEIR LOT (PAGE 20 , OCT 6)

ELEVEN cocoa farming communities in the Wassa Amenfi West District in the Western Region have drawn up community action plans depicting their various needs to facilitate the social, economic and environmental transformation of their respective communities.
They are also meant to develop the capacities of the farming communities.
The communities are Juantokrom, Akokofe, Jaman, Essakrom, Nkwantanum, Nsabrekwa, Nyame Nnae, Takyikrom, Wiredukrom, Sewayor and Bokakore.
The action plans were drawn up after dialogue and sensitisation meetings conducted by Codesult Network, a local non-governmental organisation and community engagement partners for Mars Partnership for African Cocoa Communities of Tomorrow (iMPACT) project.
The iMPACT project’s technical partners include the German Development Co-operation (GTZ), Africare, the International Foundation for Education and Self-help (IFFES), Sustainable Tree Crops Programme (STCP), the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) and the Rainforest Alliance (RA).
Each of the technical partners has a specific role to play for the effective execution of the community action plans.
An exhibition has been organised at Asankragwa to showcase the developmental change that has come about as a result of a strategic partnership initiated through a participatory process starting with the dialogue and sensitisation.
The iMPACT project engaged Codesult Network to dialogue with and sensitise the selected project communities to their development needs to come up with an action plan based on a vision which will in turn be addressed by the various technical partners and the district assembly, with the communities taking the leading role.
Speaking at the exhibition, the Executive Director of Codesult Network, Mr Robert Obiri-Yeboah, said 11 hand-dug wells had been constructed for the communities.
He said community health volunteers had been trained to identify basic illnesses in the communities and support the various community health nurses.
Mr Obiri-Yeboah added that 24,000 tree seedlings of different species had been supplied to cocoa farmers, while 35,000 cocoa seedlings had also been supplied to them.
He said the cocoa farmers had been trained in integrated crop and pest management.
According to him, the project had changed the development face of the 11 communities. 

WORKERS URGED TO OFFER DEDICATED SERVICES (PAGE 20, OCT 6)

THE District Chief Executive (DCE) for Jomoro in the Western Region, Mr Victor Nyianyi Kablan, has urged civil/public servants and security personnel in the district to be committed, dedicated, resourceful, innovative and exhibit a high sense of discipline in the performance of their duties.
He also urged them to work hard to make the district a better place to live in.
Mr Kablan made the call when addressing staff of the various decentralised departments and agencies in the district during a tour to identify their problems and help find solutions to them.
The DCE visited the District Health Directorate, the Half Assini Government Hospital, the Ghana Fire Service, the Ghana Police Service, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, the Environmental Health Unit, the National Commission for Civic Education and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency.
 He also visited the Elubo Border Post, where he addressed officers of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Police Service.
He told the workers that they had been employed to serve the people of the district and the nation at large.
The DCE stressed the need for them to avoid negative tendencies likely to divert their attention from the mission of achieving maximum political, social and economic development and the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life of the people.
He promised that the assembly would try to solve some of the problems facing the departments and advised the workers to take good care of the few facilities that they had at their disposal.
Mr Kablan commended the security officers in the district for striving to protect lives and property in the area.
He, however, advised them not to be partisan in carrying out their official duties.
The Chief Collector of CEPS at the Elubo Border Post, Mr Nathan Quayson, said the service alone contributed about 65 per cent to the government’s total annual revenue.
He appealed to the assembly to help CEPS to acquire a speed boat or an outboard motor to enable the personnel to chase and arrest smugglers who crossed the border in canoes.
The Jomoro District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Tanko Issifu, requested for more policemen at Elubo to ensure maximum security in the town.
According to him, the discovery of oil in the district would attract many people to the area and that was likely to increase the crime rate there.

WESTERN REGION TAKES MEASURES TO RAISE EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS (PAGE 20, OCT 6)

INDEGENES of the Western Region, especially traditional rulers, opinion leaders and assembly members, have complained bitterly for being sidelined as far as employment by the oil companies working on the Jubilee Oil Field offshore West Cape Three Points is concerned.
They argue that people in the region, particularly those who live near the country’s exclusive economic zone where the oil field is located, should benefit from the activities of the oil companies with regard to employment.
They are unhappy that people from other regions and even those from outside the country have been offered employment on the oil rigs while contracts for the supply of equipment, food and other supplies have been given to outsiders.
This development initially dampened the spirit of the people, fearing that they would not derive maximum benefit from the oil find.
However, through regular interaction and public education by the oil companies to educate the people of the region on the activities of the companies, particularly on employment, it seems the people have realised that the oil and gas industry needs a highly skilled workforce, especially work on the oil rigs.
This means that people, including those from the Western Region, who aspire to work on the rigs or to be employed in the oil and gas industry should take education seriously, since expertise and special knowledge is a vital requirement to qualify one to become a core staff of the industry.
The chiefs and people of the region have now realised the need to increase the enrolment of children in schools if they want to derive maximum benefits from the oil industry.
Against this backdrop, it is important to analyse some statistics on education in the Western Region.
According to the 2000 Population and Housing Census, the region’s population is 1,924,577, out of which 42.4 per cent are under 15. The population growth rate is 3.2 per cent.
The projected population for 2009 is 2,566,919, while the projection for 2020 is four million.
Available statistics for the 2007/2008 academic year indicate that there are 1,759 kindergartens in the region, with total enrolment of 164,502. This comprises 1,332 public schools and 427 private ones.
There are 1,826 primary schools in the region, with total enrolment of 390,641 pupils. The schools comprise 1,405 public and 421 private ones.
The region has 1,065 junior high schools (JHS), comprising 806 public and 259 private, with total enrolment of 128,942 pupils.
In all, the region has 4,650 basic schools, with total enrolment of 684,085 pupils. These comprise 3,543 public schools and 1,107 private ones.
It has 41 senior high schools (SHS), out of which 13 are running technical programmes. In addition, there are three colleges of education, three nurses training colleges, a university and a polytechnic.
School enrolment analysis indicates that in the basic schools total enrolment levels increased by 8.4 per cent in the 2007/2008 academic year, while the SHS and tertiary institutions recorded about 41.4 per cent increase.
According to the statistics for the 2007/2008 academic year, there are 16,543 teachers in the basic schools in the region, out of which 7,545, representing 51 per cent, are trained, with 8,107 or 49 per cent untrained.
The region also has 1,542 teachers in the SHS, out of which 1,167 are trained, with 375 untrained ones.
From the above statistics, the indication is that school enrolment in the Western Region leaves much to be desired.
There are many factors preventing parents from taking their children to school or furthering their education, of which poverty is very cardinal.
Inadequate educational infrastructure in some of the rural communities and the pupils walking long distances to attend schools are also a disincentive.
Other challenges facing education in the region are the lack of qualified teachers and basic science laboratories and equipment, as well as dilapidated school buildings.
The metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, realising the problem, have allocated a greater part of their common fund to provide educational infrastructure in the rural areas. They have also instituted scholarship schemes to assist brilliant, needy students.
Besides, the assemblies have intensified their campaigns to educate parents on the need to enrol their children, especially the girls, in schools.
The traditional rulers are also playing positive roles in this direction by establishing scholarship schemes to assist brilliant, needy pupils and students in their communities. 

Thursday, October 8, 2009

MINING COMPANY ORGANISES COURSE FOR SAFETY OFFICERS (SEPT 28, PAGE 51)

GOLD FIELDS Ghana (Tarkwa Mines) limited has organised a two-week safety management training course for its 26 safety officers towards the attainment of acceptable safety standards as well as the development of effective safety system for the company.
The participants were taken through topics such as unsafe acts and conditions, hazard identification and risk assessment, incident investigations, documentation, environmental management, technical safety, occupational health and hygiene and management systems.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Operations Manager of Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Mr Gary Chapman, explained that the training programme was to ensure effective maintenance and management of the company’s safety system.
He said the programme was also to enable the company to concentrate and have focus on getting everybody to an equal safety standard.
A participant, Mr Francis Hooper Fynn, on behalf of his colleagues commended the management of Gold Fields for organising the course to upgrade their knowledge and skills in safety.
He promised that they would deliver as safety officers to the expectation of management.

JOMORO ASSEMBLY COLLECTS GH¢72,093.95 REVENUE (SEPT 24, PAGE 31)

THE Jomoro District Assembly in the Western Region has collected GH¢72,093.95 as its internally generated fund (IGF) in the first quarter of this year.
The assembly has also received GH¢165,193.12 as the first quarter allocation of the District Assemblies’ Common Fund, out of the total allocation of GH¢363,636.93.
The Jomoro District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Victor Nyianyi Kablan, announced this at the first ordinary meeting of the third session of the assembly at Half Assini.
He said the assembly had the potential for generating more revenue if the members accepted the challenge of educating the people on the importance of paying taxes for the development of their communities.
Mr Kablan, therefore, urged members of the assembly to educate people in their respective communities to honour their tax obligations.
Touching on education, he said the assembly was currently providing financial support for the district and regional science, technical and mathematics education programme at the cost of GH¢2,700.
The DCE stated that the assembly was sponsoring a number of teacher trainees to encourage them to return to the district to teach after completing their courses.
Mr Kablan said construction of an additional side ward for the Half Assini Government Hospital, which was abandoned, had been repackaged and awarded to another contractor.
The assembly, he said, was also committed to assisting students in health training institutions, that were prepared to work in the district after their training.
Concerning the mutual health insurance scheme, Mr Kablan said a total of 54,234 people, representing about 51 per cent, had so far registered with the scheme.
Mr Kablan was unhappy that in spite of the marginal increase, a large proportion of the population in the district was yet to register with the scheme.
He, therefore, enjoined members of the assembly to educate the people on the need to register with the scheme to enable them enjoy better health services.
Touching on water and environmental sanitation, Mr Kablan announced that about 70 per cent of the population in the district was enjoying potable water through the support of the district’s development partners.
“Apart from Tullow Oil Company, the European Union (EU) and the International Development Association have helped in this direction,” he said.
He said Nuba, Beyin, Bonyere and Ezinlibo communities were in the process of getting potable water through the efforts of the EU, the International Development Association and Tullow Oil Company.
He urged the beneficiary communities to keep the water systems working after their completion to pave the way for other communities to benefit from the facility.
Mr Kablan said the assembly had spent colossal sums of money to reshape portions of the feeder roads in the districts that were badly affected by the recent downpour to facilitate economic activities in the various communities.
He added that the surfacing of the Half Assini and Elubo town roads would continue.

TB IS PREVALENT IN MPOHOR WASSA EAST (PAGE 31, SEPT 25)

TUBERCULOSIS (TB) is prevalent in the Mpohor Wassa East District of the Western Region as a result of poor housing and nutrition, as well as the lifestyle of the people.
A total of 138 cases of the disease were detected in the district between 2007 and June, this year.
The District Disease Control Officer, Mr Joseph Kwabena Arthur, revealed this to the Daily Graphic after the celebration of the district’s TB Day at Sekyere Krobo.
He attributed some of the causes of the disease in the district to poor diet, adding that many people were living in small, poorly ventilated rooms.
According to Mr Arthur, excessive intake of alcohol and smoking also accounted for the high prevalence rate of the disease.
He said even though the prevalence of the disease was high, the detection rate was rather low; around 38 per cent.
Mr Arthur said the District Health Administration had adopted strategies to detect people affected by the disease.
He said community health volunteers had been formed to mount intensive public education on the disease to help reduce its occurrence.
Mr Arthur said traditional rulers, opinion leaders and the communities would be encouraged to assist in the detection of the disease in the district.
He stated that treatment supporters such as family members, health workers or assembly members in the communities would be identified to ensure that those suffering from the disease took their medication regularly and also completed the medication for the six-month period.
He explained that the treatment supporters would also report all problems that would emanate from the treatment to the clinics, health centres or hospitals that were treating affected persons.
According to Mr Arthur, the district had been divided into sub-districts for the detection and compilation of TB cases.
The District Director of Health Services, Ms Priscilla Amoah, urged the people to discard the notion that TB infection was spiritual.
She also allayed the fears of the people that the disease was not curable, adding that there were enough drugs for the effective cure of TB.
Ms Amoah stressed that all drugs for the treatment of the disease were given for free.
She stated that the low detection rate of people suffering from the disease was due to the stigma attached to it.
Ms Amoah advised them to report to the nearest clinic, health centre or hospital for the necessary test to be done if they had been coughing for a long time, to prevent the spread of the disease in the district and beyond.
The Deputy District Co-ordinating Director, Mr Mahama M. Sensau, who represented the District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Anthony Bassaw, called on the people to assist the health professionals to reduce the prevalence rate of the disease.
Mr Sensau said the district assembly would assist the Ghana Health Service to eradicate the disease from the district.
He lamented the re-emergence of TB in the society and stressed the need to mount an intensive public education on the situation.