THE Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Alban S.K Bagbin says that unless measures are taken to safeguard water sources, the volume of water available to the country will reduce drastically.
Currently, he said, the current average annual volume of water of 40billion cubic meters represented only 29 per cent of the volume of water recorded in 1960.
Mr Bagbin said from 1960 to 2010, the quantity of raw water available to Ghanaians had reduced by a factor of three, due to increase in population.
Mr Bagbin said this when he addressed members of the Western Regional Security Council, heads of departments, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives in the region.
He said the country’s population had grown from 6.5 million to an estimated 23 million now and explained that by the annual population rate, this reduction factor would have doubled to six by 2050, which meant that the water available to Ghanaians would have reduced by a factor of six.
“This means that today, the quantity of water available to us, per person, has reduced to about a third of what it was in 1960, and will further shrink to a sixth by 2050”, he explained, adding “in order words, the water available to us today is only 29 per cent of the 1960 value, and will be only 16 per cent by 2050”. Mr Bagbin said aggravating the situation was the pollution of the water resources resulting from our own activities like timber felling, bad farming practices such as bush burning and improper use of various agro-chemicals, car washing, dumping of waste into or near water courses and illegal gold mining activities, popularly known as ‘galamsey’.
He said statistics on water in the country from measurements taken on all river systems in Ghana such as the Volta, Tano, Ayensu, Densu, Ankobra and others had it that the average annual volume of water available to the country was about 40 billion cubic meters per year.
This, he said, was the amount that was replenished to the people annually through rainfall.
In addition to these surface water resources, he said, we also had groundwater and its quality was generally good except for some cases of localised pollution and areas with high levels of iron, fluoride and other minerals.
He said salinity in certain groundwater occurrences was also found, especially in some coastal aquifers, adding that “this notwithstanding , we can conclude that if properly conserved, managed and distributed, the surface and groundwater resources of the country should be adequate to meet current and future demands”.
Mr Bagbin said Ghana had signed up to achieve the targets set under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which cut across all sectors of the country’s development agenda.
He said for the MDG target for water and sanitation, it was expected that Ghana would have provided access to 76 per cent of the population with improved water by the year 2015 and that by the end of 2009, more than 59 per cent of the country’s population had access to improved drinking water supply.
“Our minimum target is to achieve the MDG goal of 76 per cent coverage by 2015. I wish to emphasise that this is the minimum we as a government wish to achieve. Our target is to reach 85 per cent by 2015 and universal access by 2025, ” he said.
He noted that if Ghanaians were truly committed to improving the quality of life of the people for a’ Better Ghana’, improving access to water was the one sure way to go.
Mr Bagbin said this would directly result in increased productivity by the farmers and workforce, higher enrolment and retention of girls in school, and enhancement in women’s dignity and ability to lead.
He said it would also result in the reduction in morbidity and mortality rates, reduction in pre and post-natal risks and prevention of water borne diseases.
He said to achieve the above objectives, it required dedication and tenacity of purpose.
Therefore, he added that it was incumbent on every member of the team, which included not only staff and members of agencies under the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, but also non governmental organisations, water and sanitation practitioners, the development partners and, everybody, to religiously apply himself or herself to the task, since water was everybody’s business.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
NHIS REGISTERS 1,338,160 PEOPLE...In Western Region (PAGE 35, OCT 19, 2010)
THE National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has so far registered a total of 1,338,160 people in the Western Region.
The figure represents about 61 per cent of the estimated 2010 population of 2,558,100 in the region. There are 15 mutual health schemes operating in the 17 administrative metropolitan, municipal and districts assemblies in the region.
The Western Regional Manager of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Francis Asante-Mensah, announced this at a meeting of the regional heads of boards and departments in Sekondi.
He said returns from the various schemes indicated that the schemes were growing fast and that claims had been paid up to June, 2010.
He mentioned lack of suitable office accommodation for some of the schemes as some of the challenges and appealed to the metropolitan, municipal and the district assemblies to see the schemes as their own and provide them with suitable office accommodation.
Mr Asante-Mensah said the difficult terrain of the region posed a challenge during monitoring while the high poverty level of some of the residents in the region had made it difficult for them to enrol on the schemes.
He said between now and next year, about 80 per cent of people in the region would be educated on the one-time payment of premium while the staff would embark on a membership drive.
Mr Asante-Mensah appealed to the Western Regional Co-ordinating Council and the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly to fast track the acquisition of land for the construction of the office complex for the NHIA.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, expressed concern about the numerous agitation and demonstrations going on, stressing “These do not augur well for the investment drive of the country.”
He said the Western Region had become the focus of many investors as a result of the recent oil discovery so nothing should be done to scare them.
The regional minister also raised concern about the situation where people were organising fraudulent training courses in the oil sector in the region with the conviction that they would be offered employment on the oil rig at the end of the training programmes.
He warned the civil servants and heads of government organisations not to get involved in such quack training programmes.
The figure represents about 61 per cent of the estimated 2010 population of 2,558,100 in the region. There are 15 mutual health schemes operating in the 17 administrative metropolitan, municipal and districts assemblies in the region.
The Western Regional Manager of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Francis Asante-Mensah, announced this at a meeting of the regional heads of boards and departments in Sekondi.
He said returns from the various schemes indicated that the schemes were growing fast and that claims had been paid up to June, 2010.
He mentioned lack of suitable office accommodation for some of the schemes as some of the challenges and appealed to the metropolitan, municipal and the district assemblies to see the schemes as their own and provide them with suitable office accommodation.
Mr Asante-Mensah said the difficult terrain of the region posed a challenge during monitoring while the high poverty level of some of the residents in the region had made it difficult for them to enrol on the schemes.
He said between now and next year, about 80 per cent of people in the region would be educated on the one-time payment of premium while the staff would embark on a membership drive.
Mr Asante-Mensah appealed to the Western Regional Co-ordinating Council and the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly to fast track the acquisition of land for the construction of the office complex for the NHIA.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, expressed concern about the numerous agitation and demonstrations going on, stressing “These do not augur well for the investment drive of the country.”
He said the Western Region had become the focus of many investors as a result of the recent oil discovery so nothing should be done to scare them.
The regional minister also raised concern about the situation where people were organising fraudulent training courses in the oil sector in the region with the conviction that they would be offered employment on the oil rig at the end of the training programmes.
He warned the civil servants and heads of government organisations not to get involved in such quack training programmes.
Monday, October 18, 2010
GOVT TO SPEND $12M ON FOUR WATER PROJECTS IN WR (SPREAD, OCT 18, 2010)
THE government has secured more than US$ 12 million from the International Development Agency (IDA) of the World Bank, for the rehabilitation and improvement of five water systems in the Western Region.
The execution of the project is expected to improve the water supply in the region because of the envisaged growth and economic expansion that might result from the commercial production of oil and gas in the region.
The five beneficiary communities are Axim, Aboso, Elubo, Bogoso and Prestea.
The rehabilitation of the water system at Axim is expected to cost US$ 2,547,690.00 and that of Aboso will cost US$ 2,465,236.00 while the work at the Bogoso will cost US$ 2,229,120.00.
In the case of Elubo, the project will cost US$ 1,732,107.00 and that of Prestea will be rehabilitated at the cost of US$ 2,965,971.00.
The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin, who announced this in Sekondi last Saturday, said contract negotiations for the projects were far advanced for the project to begin next year.
Apart from the short-term measure, he said the government was undertaking extensive studies to assess the water resources potential of the region.
Mr Bagbin said studies currently underway included the assessment of the Ankobra and Tano rivers and the assessment of underground water potential in the region.
That, he explained, was in recognition of the industrial and commercial potential of the Western Region, which had long been established and enhanced by the recent discovery of oil and gas.
Addressing members of the Western Regional Security Council, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) and heads of departments on the water situation, Mr Bagbin said the water supply system at Inchaban in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis appeared to have reached its abstraction limit and that River Pra would serve as another source to complement the Inchaban system.
Under the long-term investment plan for 2025, he said the major works to be undertaken were the Sekondi/Takoradi Water Supply System and the Essiama Enclave.
“It is worthy to recall that the President of Ghana, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, in his recent visit to China, secured support from the Government of China for the Sekondi/Takoradi Water Supply System”, he said.
“In all these efforts, government expects from the staff of the Ghana Water Company Limited absolute dedication in delivering services to the people”, he added.
Touching on Rural and Small Towns Water Supply, he said the percentage of people in the region with access to potable water was 63 per cent in the urban areas and 44.2 per cent in the rural areas.
However, he said the recently completed 20 Small Towns Project funded by the European Union (EU) and facilitated through the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), as well as other currently ongoing projects were expected to increase the water coverage to 56.7 per cent in the rural areas at the end of 2010.
Mr Bagbin said despite those improvements in water coverage, a disturbing issue that had engaged the attention of the ministry had to do with proper management of the systems in the small towns and rural areas, which unfortunately become non-functional after a few years of operation.
The situation, he said, was not acceptable, and urged the district assemblies to exercise their due oversight control to ensure that the facilities were operational at all times, or with minimal downtime.
The execution of the project is expected to improve the water supply in the region because of the envisaged growth and economic expansion that might result from the commercial production of oil and gas in the region.
The five beneficiary communities are Axim, Aboso, Elubo, Bogoso and Prestea.
The rehabilitation of the water system at Axim is expected to cost US$ 2,547,690.00 and that of Aboso will cost US$ 2,465,236.00 while the work at the Bogoso will cost US$ 2,229,120.00.
In the case of Elubo, the project will cost US$ 1,732,107.00 and that of Prestea will be rehabilitated at the cost of US$ 2,965,971.00.
The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin, who announced this in Sekondi last Saturday, said contract negotiations for the projects were far advanced for the project to begin next year.
Apart from the short-term measure, he said the government was undertaking extensive studies to assess the water resources potential of the region.
Mr Bagbin said studies currently underway included the assessment of the Ankobra and Tano rivers and the assessment of underground water potential in the region.
That, he explained, was in recognition of the industrial and commercial potential of the Western Region, which had long been established and enhanced by the recent discovery of oil and gas.
Addressing members of the Western Regional Security Council, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) and heads of departments on the water situation, Mr Bagbin said the water supply system at Inchaban in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis appeared to have reached its abstraction limit and that River Pra would serve as another source to complement the Inchaban system.
Under the long-term investment plan for 2025, he said the major works to be undertaken were the Sekondi/Takoradi Water Supply System and the Essiama Enclave.
“It is worthy to recall that the President of Ghana, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, in his recent visit to China, secured support from the Government of China for the Sekondi/Takoradi Water Supply System”, he said.
“In all these efforts, government expects from the staff of the Ghana Water Company Limited absolute dedication in delivering services to the people”, he added.
Touching on Rural and Small Towns Water Supply, he said the percentage of people in the region with access to potable water was 63 per cent in the urban areas and 44.2 per cent in the rural areas.
However, he said the recently completed 20 Small Towns Project funded by the European Union (EU) and facilitated through the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), as well as other currently ongoing projects were expected to increase the water coverage to 56.7 per cent in the rural areas at the end of 2010.
Mr Bagbin said despite those improvements in water coverage, a disturbing issue that had engaged the attention of the ministry had to do with proper management of the systems in the small towns and rural areas, which unfortunately become non-functional after a few years of operation.
The situation, he said, was not acceptable, and urged the district assemblies to exercise their due oversight control to ensure that the facilities were operational at all times, or with minimal downtime.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
SHS STUDENTS SENSITISED TO OIL AND GAS (PAGE 11, OCT 13, 2010)
THE Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment (KITE), a non-governmental organisation has organised a sensitisation forum on the country’s emerging oil and gas industry for some selected senior high schools in the Western Region.
The forum which was on the theme: "Ghana’s Emerging Petroleum: What Every Student Needs to Know", was to facilitate improved stakeholder access to relevant information on Ghana’s emerging petroleum industry.
The schools were also given 50 copies each of KITE’s two publications on the oil and gas industry to be kept in their libraries.
The schools were the Takoradi Senior High School, Archbishop Porter Girls Senior High School, Fijai Senior High School, Ghana Senior High Technical School, Takoradi Business/Technical College, Takoradi Technical Institute, Bompeh Senior High/Technical School and Sekondi College.
The rest were Ahantaman Senior High School, Saint John’s College, Diabene Senior High/Technical School, Methodist Senior High/Vocational School, Shama Senior High School, Baidoo Bonsoe Senior High School, Saint Mary’s Boys Senior High School and Holy Child College of Education.
In his presentation, the Executive Director of KITE, Mr Ishmael Edjekumhene said everywhere in the world, particularly in the developing countries where oil was found, there were some challenges.
These challenges, he said, were how to manage the high expectations of the people, and the countries’ resources to make the people happy, as well as how to manage the environmental consequences.
He urged the students to share the information they had received with their colleagues who were not at the forum.
He noted that prospecting for oil was a very risky and expensive venture, since oil exploration, development and production were capital intensive and not labour intensive and as such, not a major direct employer.
Mr Edjekumhene advised the students to be realistic in their expectations and not to change their courses because they wanted direct employment in the oil and gas industry.
He explained that although the oil field was located in the territorial waters of Ghana, the oil industry was global in character and very competitive.
A tutor at the Takoradi Senior High School, Ms Beatrice Klutse advised the students to be careful when choosing their future career.
The forum which was on the theme: "Ghana’s Emerging Petroleum: What Every Student Needs to Know", was to facilitate improved stakeholder access to relevant information on Ghana’s emerging petroleum industry.
The schools were also given 50 copies each of KITE’s two publications on the oil and gas industry to be kept in their libraries.
The schools were the Takoradi Senior High School, Archbishop Porter Girls Senior High School, Fijai Senior High School, Ghana Senior High Technical School, Takoradi Business/Technical College, Takoradi Technical Institute, Bompeh Senior High/Technical School and Sekondi College.
The rest were Ahantaman Senior High School, Saint John’s College, Diabene Senior High/Technical School, Methodist Senior High/Vocational School, Shama Senior High School, Baidoo Bonsoe Senior High School, Saint Mary’s Boys Senior High School and Holy Child College of Education.
In his presentation, the Executive Director of KITE, Mr Ishmael Edjekumhene said everywhere in the world, particularly in the developing countries where oil was found, there were some challenges.
These challenges, he said, were how to manage the high expectations of the people, and the countries’ resources to make the people happy, as well as how to manage the environmental consequences.
He urged the students to share the information they had received with their colleagues who were not at the forum.
He noted that prospecting for oil was a very risky and expensive venture, since oil exploration, development and production were capital intensive and not labour intensive and as such, not a major direct employer.
Mr Edjekumhene advised the students to be realistic in their expectations and not to change their courses because they wanted direct employment in the oil and gas industry.
He explained that although the oil field was located in the territorial waters of Ghana, the oil industry was global in character and very competitive.
A tutor at the Takoradi Senior High School, Ms Beatrice Klutse advised the students to be careful when choosing their future career.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
FIASEMAN BANK DECLARES PROFIT (PAGE 22, OCT 12, 2010)
THE Fiaseman Rural Bank Limited at Bogoso in the Prestea-Huni Valley District in the Western Region recorded a profit of GH¢331,593.28 in 2009, representing 77.32 per cent as against GH¢187,009.67 recorded in 2008.
The bank granted loans and advances of GH¢2,159,142.71 to 2,300 of its customers in the year under review as against GH¢1,726,574.31 given out in 2008.
Forty-eight of the 2,300 loan beneficiaries were women, which emphasised the bank’s inclination towards gender economic empowerment.
The bank’s total investment increased from GH¢1,874,250.70 to GH¢3,413,792.04, representing 82.15 per cent growth, while total shareholders’ funds increased from GH¢780,023 in 2008 to GH¢1,076,819.59, showing a growth of 38.05 per cent.
Total deposit of the bank also grew from GH¢3,458,434.80 in 2008 to GH¢5,193,185.99, which was achieved through aggressive deposit mobilisation drive and quality customer service delivery.
The bank declared a dividend of GH¢75,540.25 to be paid to the shareholders for 2009 as against GH¢44,275.44 paid in 2008.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Osagyefo Nana Amanfo Edu VI, announced these at the 22nd annual general meeting of shareholders of the bank at Bogoso.
He said the bank, in collaboration with the Community Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP), provided credit and technical assistance in support of small-scale fish farming in some parts of the catchment area of the bank.
He said a total of GH¢16,386.26 had already been disbursed to beneficiaries under the scheme.
Osagyefo Edu said the bank spent a total of GH¢3,900 on its corporate social responsibilities during the year under consideration as against GH¢2,100 spent in 2008, representing an increase of about 86 per cent.
He said under the bank’s new policy to increase community support, it had set aside an amount of GH¢15,108.05 this year, which formed five per cent of the year 2009 profit after taxation to honour and fulfil its social responsibility obligation.
The bank granted loans and advances of GH¢2,159,142.71 to 2,300 of its customers in the year under review as against GH¢1,726,574.31 given out in 2008.
Forty-eight of the 2,300 loan beneficiaries were women, which emphasised the bank’s inclination towards gender economic empowerment.
The bank’s total investment increased from GH¢1,874,250.70 to GH¢3,413,792.04, representing 82.15 per cent growth, while total shareholders’ funds increased from GH¢780,023 in 2008 to GH¢1,076,819.59, showing a growth of 38.05 per cent.
Total deposit of the bank also grew from GH¢3,458,434.80 in 2008 to GH¢5,193,185.99, which was achieved through aggressive deposit mobilisation drive and quality customer service delivery.
The bank declared a dividend of GH¢75,540.25 to be paid to the shareholders for 2009 as against GH¢44,275.44 paid in 2008.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the bank, Osagyefo Nana Amanfo Edu VI, announced these at the 22nd annual general meeting of shareholders of the bank at Bogoso.
He said the bank, in collaboration with the Community Based Rural Development Project (CBRDP), provided credit and technical assistance in support of small-scale fish farming in some parts of the catchment area of the bank.
He said a total of GH¢16,386.26 had already been disbursed to beneficiaries under the scheme.
Osagyefo Edu said the bank spent a total of GH¢3,900 on its corporate social responsibilities during the year under consideration as against GH¢2,100 spent in 2008, representing an increase of about 86 per cent.
He said under the bank’s new policy to increase community support, it had set aside an amount of GH¢15,108.05 this year, which formed five per cent of the year 2009 profit after taxation to honour and fulfil its social responsibility obligation.
Monday, October 11, 2010
PARTNERSHIP HAS POTENTIAL TO PROTECT TIMBER RESOURCES (PAGE 67, OCT 11, 2010)
THE President of the Ghana Institute of Foresters (GIF), Dr K. Asamoah Adam, has observed that the partnership agreement between Ghana and European Union to stop illegal logging, has the potential to be one of the effective tools to protect the timber resources of the country.
The Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) is a legally binding agreement between the European Union and partner countries to stop illegal logging.
Dr Adam, has therefore, stressed the need for timber operators to fully understand the agreement to enable them to contribute to its successful implementation.
He pointed out that Article 16 of the VPA seeks the active involvement of all stakeholders in the timber industry in the implementation of the agreement.
Dr Adam made the observation at a day’s workshop on the timber industry/VPA awareness creation and implementation for timber operators in Takoradi.
The workshop was organised by the Ghana Timber Association (GTA) and the Ghana Timber Millers’ Organisation (GTMO) to educate their members on the Voluntary Partnership Agreement which is scheduled for implementation in the country, in December this year.
The VPA is a bilateral agreement between the European Union (EU) and wood exporting countries, aimed at improving forest governance and ensuring that the wood importer to the EU market has complied with the legal requirements of the partner country.
Although there is no obligation for any country to enter into a VPA, once agreed upon, they are legally binding on both parties, committing them to trading in wood products that can be verified as legal.
Dr Adam stated that unsustainable logging, including execessive cutting, illegal logging, inefficient logging and milling had led to a high rate of forest destruction, culminating in environmental degradation and rural poverty.
He said there had been global actions for the promotion of sustainable forest management.
That, he said, included the ecosystem approach that focused on resource as a whole and not components of the ecosystem.
Dr Adam, who is also a board member of the Forestry Commission said it was one of the objectives of the VPA to ensure that all timber from partner countries had been verified as fully legally compliant.
He added that it would also ensure good governance and transparency as well as policy and legal reforms to better capture revenue and rents.
He said there would be public and private procurement policies that recognised efforts to ensure supply of legally harvested forest products.
Dr Adam added that there would be promotion of Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT)-licensed products on the European timber market.
He also indicated that there would be a prolonged life span of forest resources as a result of the reduction in illegal logging.
The acting Director of the Timber Validation Department of the Forestry Commission, Mr Chris Beeko, further explained that the VPA was a new system of measuring and reporting compliance to the legal standard or the existing law.
He said it was an improved system of collecting, collating and reconciling transaction data along the entire process chain, and also a history of change in ownership and custody of export consignments.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Timber Millers’ Organisation, Mr E.E.Acquah-Moses, urged the timber operators to regard the VPA as an effort towards sustainable forest management in the country.
The Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) is a legally binding agreement between the European Union and partner countries to stop illegal logging.
Dr Adam, has therefore, stressed the need for timber operators to fully understand the agreement to enable them to contribute to its successful implementation.
He pointed out that Article 16 of the VPA seeks the active involvement of all stakeholders in the timber industry in the implementation of the agreement.
Dr Adam made the observation at a day’s workshop on the timber industry/VPA awareness creation and implementation for timber operators in Takoradi.
The workshop was organised by the Ghana Timber Association (GTA) and the Ghana Timber Millers’ Organisation (GTMO) to educate their members on the Voluntary Partnership Agreement which is scheduled for implementation in the country, in December this year.
The VPA is a bilateral agreement between the European Union (EU) and wood exporting countries, aimed at improving forest governance and ensuring that the wood importer to the EU market has complied with the legal requirements of the partner country.
Although there is no obligation for any country to enter into a VPA, once agreed upon, they are legally binding on both parties, committing them to trading in wood products that can be verified as legal.
Dr Adam stated that unsustainable logging, including execessive cutting, illegal logging, inefficient logging and milling had led to a high rate of forest destruction, culminating in environmental degradation and rural poverty.
He said there had been global actions for the promotion of sustainable forest management.
That, he said, included the ecosystem approach that focused on resource as a whole and not components of the ecosystem.
Dr Adam, who is also a board member of the Forestry Commission said it was one of the objectives of the VPA to ensure that all timber from partner countries had been verified as fully legally compliant.
He added that it would also ensure good governance and transparency as well as policy and legal reforms to better capture revenue and rents.
He said there would be public and private procurement policies that recognised efforts to ensure supply of legally harvested forest products.
Dr Adam added that there would be promotion of Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT)-licensed products on the European timber market.
He also indicated that there would be a prolonged life span of forest resources as a result of the reduction in illegal logging.
The acting Director of the Timber Validation Department of the Forestry Commission, Mr Chris Beeko, further explained that the VPA was a new system of measuring and reporting compliance to the legal standard or the existing law.
He said it was an improved system of collecting, collating and reconciling transaction data along the entire process chain, and also a history of change in ownership and custody of export consignments.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Timber Millers’ Organisation, Mr E.E.Acquah-Moses, urged the timber operators to regard the VPA as an effort towards sustainable forest management in the country.
Friday, October 8, 2010
HELP REPAIR TARKWA ROADS...MCE appeals to mining companies (PAGE 22, OCT 8, 2010)
THE Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mrs Christina Kobina, has appealled to mining companies operating in the municipality to intervene in the rehabilitation of the Tarkwa town roads since the situation is assuming embarrassing proportions.
“Desperate situations call for desperate measures and l would like to appeal for assistance to improve Tarkwa town roads,” she emphasised.
Mrs Kobina made the appeal at the zone three safety and first aid competition which was organised under the auspices of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, the inspectorate division of the Minerals Commission and Gold Fields Ghana (Tarkwa Mine) Limited at Tarkwa.
Mining companies which participated in the competition are Gold Fields Ghana (Tarkwa Mine), Ghana Manganese Company (GMC), Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea Mine) Limited and AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine) Limited.
Mrs Kobina stated that the situation was assuming embarrassing proportions and that something urgent needed to be done whilst waiting on the central government to assist.
She said the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly had taken the issue up with the Ghana Highway Authority, the Department of Urban Roads in Accra, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, stressing that something urgent had been conceived.
“However, until that comes, we in the town and the municipality are those suffering. I stay here, most of you and your staff stay here and the situation is simply unbearable,” she stressed.
Mrs Kobina acknowledged that Gold Fields Ghana and other companies pay their taxes to the government, in addition to their social responsibility commitments to their communities, adding “All that notwithstanding, Tarkwa town roads need the intervention of the mining companies in and around Tarkwa”.
She commended Gold Fields Ghana and the other mining companies for the good work they have done in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, stressing
The General Manager of Gold Fields Ghana (Tarkwa Mine) Limited, Mr Alfred Baku, explained that the competition was an annual event by the various mining companies to demonstrate how the companies were prepared in case of any accident at the mines.
He said Gold Fields Ghana was committed to the theme of the competition, which was: “If it must be mined, it must be mined safely,” and would do everything possible to achieve the objective.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Dr Joyce Aryee in an address read on her behalf, expressed concern about the use of cyanides by illegal gold miners in processing gold in the various communities.
She said that needed urgent attention, and therefore, called on the National Security to take the necessary steps to nip the “worrying situation in the bud”.
AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine) came first with 81.5 points at the end of the competition, followed by Gold Fields Ghana with 72 points, while Ghana Manganese Company placed third with 71 points, with Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea Mine) placing fourth with 56.5 points.
AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine), therefore, qualified to represent zone three in the national competition.
“Desperate situations call for desperate measures and l would like to appeal for assistance to improve Tarkwa town roads,” she emphasised.
Mrs Kobina made the appeal at the zone three safety and first aid competition which was organised under the auspices of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, the inspectorate division of the Minerals Commission and Gold Fields Ghana (Tarkwa Mine) Limited at Tarkwa.
Mining companies which participated in the competition are Gold Fields Ghana (Tarkwa Mine), Ghana Manganese Company (GMC), Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea Mine) Limited and AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine) Limited.
Mrs Kobina stated that the situation was assuming embarrassing proportions and that something urgent needed to be done whilst waiting on the central government to assist.
She said the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly had taken the issue up with the Ghana Highway Authority, the Department of Urban Roads in Accra, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, stressing that something urgent had been conceived.
“However, until that comes, we in the town and the municipality are those suffering. I stay here, most of you and your staff stay here and the situation is simply unbearable,” she stressed.
Mrs Kobina acknowledged that Gold Fields Ghana and other companies pay their taxes to the government, in addition to their social responsibility commitments to their communities, adding “All that notwithstanding, Tarkwa town roads need the intervention of the mining companies in and around Tarkwa”.
She commended Gold Fields Ghana and the other mining companies for the good work they have done in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, stressing
The General Manager of Gold Fields Ghana (Tarkwa Mine) Limited, Mr Alfred Baku, explained that the competition was an annual event by the various mining companies to demonstrate how the companies were prepared in case of any accident at the mines.
He said Gold Fields Ghana was committed to the theme of the competition, which was: “If it must be mined, it must be mined safely,” and would do everything possible to achieve the objective.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Dr Joyce Aryee in an address read on her behalf, expressed concern about the use of cyanides by illegal gold miners in processing gold in the various communities.
She said that needed urgent attention, and therefore, called on the National Security to take the necessary steps to nip the “worrying situation in the bud”.
AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine) came first with 81.5 points at the end of the competition, followed by Gold Fields Ghana with 72 points, while Ghana Manganese Company placed third with 71 points, with Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea Mine) placing fourth with 56.5 points.
AngloGold Ashanti (Iduapriem Mine), therefore, qualified to represent zone three in the national competition.
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