Friday, August 21, 2009

FOREIGNERS TAKE OVER GALAMSEY (BACK PAGE)

Foreign nationals have virtually taken over illegal mining in the country, a research conducted by the Ghana Chamber of Mines has revealed.
The research established that 95 per cent of the foreigners, including Chinese, Togolese, Malians and Burkinabes, do not have licences to operate the illegal business, otherwise known as galamsey, but have expressed the willingness to register if allowed to do so.
The findings of the research were presented by Dr Toni Aubynn, leader of the research team, at a validation and sensitisation workshop at Tarkwa in the Western Region.
In response to the findings, the Ghana Chamber of Mines has initiated an advocacy programme to encourage the artisanal small-scale miners to formalise their businesses and operations.
That is because the chamber has identified the benefits of artisanal small-scale mining to the local communities and the country, in the area of employment generation and the provision of means of livelihood to people.
The research indicated that in 2008 alone, the artisanal small-scale mining sector produced 425,000 ounces of gold and generated a total revenue of US$340 million.
Additionally, the sector employed between 100,000 and 300,000 people with the annual income per a miner estimated at $1,700.
Dr Aubynn said the study indicated that people were motivated to go into artisanal small-scale mining due to poverty and unemployment.
He explained that between 40,000 and 60,000 people were believed to be directly engaged in artisanal small-scale mining in the study areas including Wassa Akropong, Damang, Bogoso and Obuasi.
Dr Aubynn said the research indicated that males dominated the artisanal small-scale mining operators, comprising about 95 per cent who were in their youthful to middle ages.
He said only about 15-20 per cent of them were believed to be indigenes of their operational areas, while most of them, about 60 per cent, had some basic elementary education with about 25 per cent who had had education up to secondary school.
The study, he said, showed that some of the operators from Bogoso, Prestea and Obuasi were former employees of large-scale mining companies who had been laid off.
Again, he explained that in the Obuasi and Prestea-Hemang areas, the reduction in mine workforce over the years had aggravated the situation.
He mentioned lack of arable lands due to mining, the need to fulfil family responsibilities, expectation of quick returns and continuation of traditional trade bequeathed by families as some of the motivating factors.
On the way forward, Dr Aubynn urged the government and local authorities to strengthen, review and enforce the laws on artisanal small-scale mining in the country.
He also called on them to strengthen and resource mining institutions, establish an artisanal small-scale mining fund, among others.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ms Joyce Aryee, noted that artisanal mining had been a vocation in the country since pre-colonial times.
However, she said it was after the promulgation of the Minerals and Mining Law, PNDCL 153, that the Small-Scale Mining Law PNDCL 218 was enacted to cater for mining on a small scale.
Ms Aryee pointed out that PNDCL 218 was a bold attempt to formalise small-scale mining in the country.
She added that the subsequent growth of the mining sector was accompanied by an unprecedented growth in unlicensed small-scale mining, which is an illegal activity.
She emphasised that while small-scale mining had proven to have a great employment potential, its informal nature did not make it possible for the state to benefit optimally from the endeavour.

Friday, August 14, 2009

VODAFONE EXTENDS SERVICES TO MORE COMMUNITIES (PAGE 20)

VODAFONE Ghana is rolling out a comprehensive coverage plan that will ensure an all-round availability of service in all communities in the Western Region.
In line with the plan, 85 additional cell sites are in various stages of development, while 22 of them are almost completed.
The Head of Corporate Communication of Vodafone Ghana , Major (retd) Albert B. Don-Chebe announced this at a press soiree organised by the company for media personnel at the Takoradi Beach Hotel.
He said four of the cell sites had come on air since the beginning of this month.
Major Don-Chebe said the company took its corporate social responsibilities seriously, adding that in recent times, it had contributed more than GH¢1,200,000 in cash, inputs and services to various educational institutions and communities.
He said the company had also devoted special attention to improve access to communications in second-cycle schools and deprived communities.
According to him, 200 senior high schools had so far benefited from the installation of community SIM phones under the programme, while more than 110,000 SIM cards had been distributed to students and rural dwellers at no cost.
Major Don-Chebe said since the arrival of the Vodafone brand on April 15, this year, the company had been working hard to bring the benefits of its international experience and globally-acclaimed products and services to its customers in particular and the citizens in general.
He said three months after its launch, the company had grown its customer base by over 35 per cent and that it was fast growing its network in the country.
The company, he said, had created more than 7,000 direct and indirect jobs in sales and distribution throughout the country, and had also appointed 14 regional distributors to ensure availability of Vodafone products nationwide.
“As a result of all these activities, we have made great improvement in our services, increased roaming traffic and added new voice and data destinations”, Major Don-Chebe added.
“Fault resolution time has been enhanced significantly while corporate business is showing strong growth, an indication of confidence by business, government and corporate customers in the company’s capability”, he added.
He said in line with the company’s commitment to the preservation of our national culture, Vodafone Ghana had spent GHc 120,000.00 to sponsor rich cultural festivals in the country since the beginning of the year.

20-YEAR-OLD CULTURAL COMPLEX UNCOMPLETED (PAGE 20)

A REGIONAL cultural centre complex started in the Western Region about 20 years ago is yet to be completed for the promotion of cultural activities in the region.
The centre, being financed by the government through the National Commission on Culture, comprises a closed theatre/auditorium, crafts village, artists’ hostel, administration block and sociological garden.
The centre also has facilities like research library/museum, an open air theatre, a car park and durbar grounds.
The Western Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture (CNC), Mr Ben Anaba, briefed heads of departments meeting at the Regional Co-ordinating Council in Sekondi on the status of work on the project.
He said outstanding works on the project included the polishing of terrazzo flooring, mending of some leakages, excavation of drainage to check flooding, external works including terracing and landscaping provision of spot lights and a car park, and furniture for the auditorium.
Mr Anaba said the CNC was a member of a programme management unit for the rehabilitation of Fort Appolonia at Axim in the Nzema East Municipality in the Western Region.
He explained that the project, which was funded by the Italian government, was to promote the culture of the Nzema people and the provision of a crafts market, using the rehabilitated fort as a training centre, as well as an outlet for the sale of crafts.
The regional director said nine people and institutions from the region had benefited from a Cultural Initiative Support Programme (CISP).
He stated that the CISP was a European Union-supported programme with grants for the promotion of the cultural heritage, including festivals, traditional medicine, folklore and documentation of cultural elements, performing arts, fine art and craft, film and audio/visual language and literary arts, comprising poetry, short stories, traditional and oral literature.
Mr Anaba said the centre received a grant of GH¢7,000 from the CISP to provide living skills for street hawkers in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis. 

20-YEAR-OLD CULTURAL COMPLEX UNCOMPLETED (PAGE 20)

A REGIONAL cultural centre complex started in the Western Region about 20 years ago is yet to be completed for the promotion of cultural activities in the region.
The centre, being financed by the government through the National Commission on Culture, comprises a closed theatre/auditorium, crafts village, artists’ hostel, administration block and sociological garden.
The centre also has facilities like research library/museum, an open air theatre, a car park and durbar grounds.
The Western Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture (CNC), Mr Ben Anaba, briefed heads of departments meeting at the Regional Co-ordinating Council in Sekondi on the status of work on the project.
He said outstanding works on the project included the polishing of terrazzo flooring, mending of some leakages, excavation of drainage to check flooding, external works including terracing and landscaping provision of spot lights and a car park, and furniture for the auditorium.
Mr Anaba said the CNC was a member of a programme management unit for the rehabilitation of Fort Appolonia at Axim in the Nzema East Municipality in the Western Region.
He explained that the project, which was funded by the Italian government, was to promote the culture of the Nzema people and the provision of a crafts market, using the rehabilitated fort as a training centre, as well as an outlet for the sale of crafts.
The regional director said nine people and institutions from the region had benefited from a Cultural Initiative Support Programme (CISP).
He stated that the CISP was a European Union-supported programme with grants for the promotion of the cultural heritage, including festivals, traditional medicine, folklore and documentation of cultural elements, performing arts, fine art and craft, film and audio/visual language and literary arts, comprising poetry, short stories, traditional and oral literature.
Mr Anaba said the centre received a grant of GH¢7,000 from the CISP to provide living skills for street hawkers in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis. 

GOVT WILL IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS IN WR (PAGE 20)

THE Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, has stated that educational infrastructure and learning facilities in the region will be expanded to improve academic standards in the region.
He said the academic standard of the region was not encouraging and that the region was lagging behind in educational development.
Mr Aidoo said this when the National Imam of the Ahlus Sunna Wal Jama’a, a Muslim sect, Sheikh Umar Ibrahim Imam, called on him in Sekondi.
He said the educational units of the various churches in the region would be taken on board to ensure that all the children who had reached school age were enrolled and that the region’s academic standard had been improved.
The regional minister stressed that education thrived where there was peace, adding that the region had been peaceful in spite of few minor chieftaincy disputes in some areas.
He appealed to the Muslim community to help promote quality education in the region.
Sheikh Umar Ibrahim Imam said the Islamic Educational Unit was collaborating with the government to develop education for the Muslim child.
He noted with regret that the Islamic Educational Unit had been established but the Muslims were not taking advantage of the unit.

WESTERN REGION FACES INFRASTRUCTURAL PROBLEMS (PAGE 20)

INFRASTRUCTURAL development is a major contributory factor to the meaningful transformation of any region.
Which is the more reason why infrastructural development, be it road network or civil works is of major concern to the people in the regions.
Western Region is confronted with many problems such as poor infrastructural development, chieftaincy disputes, land disputes and illegal gold mining activities popularly known as ‘galamsey’.
While the Western Regional Co-ordinating Council (WRCC) is working around the clock to address these problems, it has now come to light that some of the contractors who have been awarded contracts in feeder roads, highways and civil works in the past years, woefully failed to perform.
The situation has contributed to the poor nature of the road network in the region which has militated against the orderly development of the region.
It has been established that a total of about 50 feeder roads and highways as well as civil works contracts awarded to some various contractors who bid and won the contracts in the region in the past years were either abandoned or the contractors failed to perform or their performance left much to be desired.
Some of the contractors were even paid mobilisation funds only to disappear soon after receiving such funds.
The contractors who were awarded contracts for the rehabilitation and to carry out spot improvements of some feeder roads as well as the construction of bridges on some selected feeder roads in the region collected thousands of Ghana cedis, but disappeared after collecting the money.
The contractors include Messrs El-Shine Limited who was awarded a contract for the surface dressing of the Apowa-Adjoa road at a cost of GH¢20,379.29, Maripoma Enterprise Limited who was awarded contract for the rehabilitation of the Juaboso-Bungaro road at the sum of GH¢16,176.76 and also for the rehabilitation of the Kramokrom-Kodjokrom feeder road at the contract sum of GH¢11,937.73.
Others are Messrs Westlande Company Limited who was awarded the contract for the rehabilitation of the Ayerebo-Ahunyame Aderekazo road at a cost of GH¢9,505.70 and also for the rehabilitation of the Gwira Banso-Kwesikrom feeder road at the contract sum of GH¢7,932.03 and Ghaber (Ghana) Limited who was awarded a contract for the rehabilitation of the Nkonya-Dompoase road at cost of GH¢8,999.54.
The rest are Messrs Auroras Limited who was awarded a contract for the spot improvement of the Kokofe-Ashiem feeder road at the sum of GH¢6,055.77, Firmastert Limited who was awarded a contract for the rehabilitation of the Dahara Junction-Dahara road at a cost of GH¢14,917.58, Nyagsi Engineering Limited who was given a contract for the rehabilitation of the Dadieso-Kwasuo-Frafraline road at a cost of GH¢44,501.08, Bonso Brothers Group Limited who was given a contract for the spot improvement of the Nkonya-Dompoase road at a contract sum of GH¢19,709.62, Kamsad Construction Limited who was awarded a contract for the surface dressing of the Essiama Town Roads at a cost of GH¢67,415.00 and Eagle Star Enterprise Limited who was given a contract for the construction of a bridge on the Atobiase-Sekyere-Obuasi feeder road at the contract sum of GH¢35,789.37.
Some of the contractors who were awarded contracts on the highways but absconded after being given the contracts included Messrs Frankad Company Limited who was awarded a contract for the upgrading of the Sefwi Wiawso-Akontombra road and Gabason Construction Works who was given a contract for the sectional regravelling of the Juaboso-Ahenbenso road.
Other contractors whose performance has been found to be very poor and have had their contracts recommended for termination include Messrs Kendicks Construction Limited who was given a contract for the spot improvement of the 9.8 kilometre Sui-Yawkrom-Aprutu-Mesrenyame feeder road in 2007, Jerbarfo Limited who was given a contract for the spot improvement of the 3.6 kilometre Anakum-Dankwawura Number Two road in 2007, Maico (Ghana) Limited who was awarded a contract for the spot improvement of the eight-kilometre Anyinase-Tumentu feeder road phase one in 2008 and phase two of the same road.
Others are Messrs Josano Limited who were given a contract for the spot improvement of the Mile 82 of the Bodi road, Justmoh Construction who was awarded a contract for the surface dressing of the Alabokazo-Eikwe-Tikobo Number One road in 2006, Kamsad Enterprise who were awarded a contract for the surface dressing of the Essiama Town Roads and Rinancand Company Limited who was given a contract for the surface dressing of the Juaboso town roads.
Contractors who have been awarded contracts on the highways but have been recommended for termination as a result of non-performance include Messrs Powatex Investment Limited who was given a contract for the regravelling of the 10-kilometre Elubo-Asemkrom road, Trustsam Limited who was given a contract for the regravelling of the 10-=kilometre Dadieso-Africa road, Heals ‘B’ Limited who was awarded a contract for the regravelling of the Enchi-Dadieso road, Midwest Construction Works Limited who was given a contract for the regravelling of the 10-kilometre Sefwi Wiawso-Akontombra road.
Others are Messrs Hodna Construction Limited, for the regravelling of the 10-kilometre Sefwi Wiawso-Akontombra road, Assandurff Enterprise Limited, for the partial construction of the Ataneata Junction-Huni Valley road, K.B. Annan Limited, for the rehabilitation of the Enchi town roads, Nyagsi Engineering Limited, for the upgrading of the five-kilometre first phase of the Oseikojokrom-Benchima road and Cymain (Ghana) Limited, for the upgrading of the five-kilometre second phase of the Oseikojokrom-Benchima road.
Contractors who bid and won contracts but have not commenced work include Messrs Alben Construction Works who was awarded a contract in 2008 for the construction of a four-storey accommodation block for the Twin City Special School, Cymain Limited who was awarded a contract in 2003 for the upgrading of the five-kilometre Oseikojokrom-Benchima road and Heals ‘B’ Limited who was awarded a contract in 2002 for the surface dressing of the phase two of the Beposo-Adiembra-Himang road.
These came to light during the inauguration of the reconstituted Western Regional Co-ordinating Council in Sekondi.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo urged the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives as well as the Presiding Members of the various assemblies to be conversant with the locations of the projects so that they could insist on the right things to be done or report the conduct of the contractors for the necessary action.
He said it was obvious that the WRCC had responsibility towards the holistic development of the region.
“It is against this backdrop that l would like all of us to see the responsibility that is placed on our shoulders and the commitment and sacrifices that would be expected of us, if we should work effectively to leave some legacy behind when we leave office”, he stressed.
Mr Aidoo said he was mindful of some of the threats that faced the region, some of which were chieftaincy disputes and land litigation.
He specifically mentioned the chieftaincy disputes at Atuabo, Wassa Fiase, Princess Town, Akitakye, Sefwi Wiawso, adding that some of those disputes had cost the region lives and property and had been a drain on public funds.
Mr Aidoo said some of the major land disputes had occurred between the Inchaban Stool and the Department of Social Welfare, the Fijai Stool and the Archbishop Porter Girls’ School, adding that there was also a dispute over the buffer zone created for the Second Battalion of Infantry.
“One other challenge that faces us as partners in development is the issue of ‘galamsey’. The practice of illegal mining has been with us for a long time”, he added.
Mr Aidoo said the areas where ‘galamsey’ had been quite pronounced included Prestea, Mpohor, Damang, Akyempim, Tarkwa and Teleku Bokazo.
He stated that in all those areas, confrontations had occurred between the ‘galamsey’ operators and the established mining companies.
“Galamsey’ is now assuming alarming proportions, with its attendant polution of where water bodies. He cited for example that ‘galamsey’ was taking place directly in the Pra, Bonsa and Tano Rivers ”.
Mr Aidoo said the Regional Security Council had already carried out an eviction exercise around the River Pra and that similar exercises would be undertaken until the problem was resolved.