Seth J. Bokpe's Ghana Newsreel

A WORKSHOP aimed at training the staff of the Curriculum and Research Division of the Ministry of Education (MoE) to train Ghanaian teachers in Information and Communication Technology ( ICT) has ended in Accra. The workshop which was held under the auspices of Intel, manufacturers of microchips, formed part of a world-wide programme called the “World Ahead Programme” which was to make both students and teachers computer literate. The programme is currently run in Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, India, Tanzania, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The 3-day workshop based on Project-based Learning had Mrs Ronke Bello of Schoolnet Nigeria, as the facilitator. Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Corporate Affairs Manager for Intel West Africa, Mr Olubunmi Ekundare said the project was Intel’s contribution to the development of ICT in Ghana, adding that the next phase of the programme would be to help improve the ICT facilities of schools in the countr

Ghana needs to train more engineers for it is to make a headway in its development agenda, the newly elected President of Ghana Institution of Engineers, Ing Kwasi Amoako Kwakwa, has stated. Speaking at the 41st Presidential Inauguration and Gala Banquet of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE) on Saturday, Ing Kwakwa, in his inaugural speech, said the country currently had 3,000 engineers, a number which was woefully inadequate to raise the standard of living of Ghanaians in the near future. The occasion, which brought together the movers and shakers of the engineering sector in Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, had Mrs Justice Vida Akoto-Bamfo swearing in a 28-member council led by Ing Kwasi Amoako Kwakwa. Five members of the institution were elevated to the position of fellows of the institution while Ms Joyce Aryee, the Chairperson of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, and Mr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, the immediate past President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), were made ho

CHRISTIANS all over the country yesterday joined their counterparts throughout the world to commemorate the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem some 2,000 years ago. Waving palm fronds, amidst singing and dancing, young and old Christians marched through the streets in their local communities to commemorate the day, popularly referred to as Palm Sunday. For many Christian churches, Palm Sunday, often referred to as Passion Sunday, marks the beginning of the Holy Week which ends on Easter. Albert K. Salia reports from the Martyrs of Uganda Catholic Church, Mamprobi, that the Parochial Vicar, Rev Fr Matthew Mensah, urged Christians to stand their ground and insist on the truth. He said no matter the challenges that might come in the way of believers, it was important that they stood firm on their convictions. Rev Fr Mensah cited the example of Jesus Christ, who did not pander to his accusers and Pilate and became victorious in the end. Catechist Eugene Akuamoah Addo of

Work on the Adjen Kotoku Redevelopment in the Ga-West Municipality meant to decongest the central business district (CBA) as well as relocate traders from Old Fadama will be completed in June 2010. The project which forms part of the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project (KLERP) and being executed by International Dredging is estimated to cost approximately GHC 172.2 million. The Minister of Water Resources Works and Housing, Mr Alban S.K Bagbin , made this known when he visited the project sites of Adjen Kotoku and the Korle Lagoon to familiarise himself with work on the project, access the state of work as well as seek the co-operation of the inhabitants for its timely completion. When completed, the Adjen Kotoku Township will be transformed into a commercial centre with facilities including bulk timber market, Roads, bulk breaking markets, sewerage treatment plant, electrical network, potable water supply, educational facilities, health services and transport terminals.

With effect from 2015, more than 10,000 traditional birth attendants (TBAs), will not be allowed to handle deliveries because of their inability to handle complications which lead to maternal mortality. Rather, they will be trained to provide information on proper antenatal care, support family planning initiatives and educate expectant mothers on the need to attend health facilities. The decision was taken jointly by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) as part of measures to ensure that Ghana meets targets 4 and 5 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The Reproductive Health Co-ordinator of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, who made this known to the Daily Graphic admitted that even though phasing out the TBAs remained a big challenge, it was necessary if the country was to meet the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5. The MDG 4 is to reduce child mortality by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, while MDG 5 is to re

A new book entitled “Between The Lion And The Elephant-Memories Of An African Diplomat” authored by Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, the chairman of the National Media Commission, has been launched in Accra. The ceremony, which was under the distinguished patronage of former President John Agyekum Kufuor and the current Vice-President, John Dramani Mahama, also had some of the bigwigs in the country’s political circles including Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, Mr Alan Kyerematen, the Foreign Minister, Mr Mohammed Mumuni, members of the academia, members of the diplomatic corps, heads of media institutions and traditional rulers in attendance. The book is a collection of Ambassador Kabral’s memories and impressions of his seven years’ ambassadorship to Sierra Leone and Cote d’Ivoire. It also offers rich perspectives on Ghana's foreign service, peacekeeping, economic diplomacy and diplomacy in conflict situations and also focuses on how Sierra Leone emerged out of its crisis. It al

THE Chairman of the Jayee University College Governing Council, Professor Jophus Anamoah- Mensah, has called on the government to develop an incentive system to enhance private sector participation in financing university education in the country. He said the initiative would help expand both public and private universities to take care of the increasing number of youth who desire university education and lifelong learning. Prof Anamoah-Mensah was speaking at the first matriculation ceremony of the Jayee University College in Accra. In all, 624 students were matriculated out of a total 1,500 who applied for admission to read courses including Human Resource Management, Marketing, Public Relations/Advertising, Journalism and Secretaryship and Management. They comprised 455 females and 169 males. Prof Anamoah-Mensah who was also the chairman for the occasion said the country was in an era when higher education was facing serious challenges in the areas of access, equity, q

THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has directed Crownville Enterprise Ghana Limited, a company mounting a telecom mast near the Bethany Preparatory School at Asylum Down in Accra, to dismantle the structure with immediate effect or face prosecution. The letter communicating the directive, which was signed by the Deputy Director, Mr Kwabena Badu-Yeboah, and dated March 12, 2010, said the mast was not covered by an environmental permit, contrary to the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Regulations 1999, LI 1652. The EPA acted following complaints by residents in the area that the mast was too close to their homes. The letter said investigations carried out by the EPA at the site and the documentation available to it indicated that even though the company applied for an environmental permit, the process had not been completed. It, therefore, requested the company “to cease further construction of the mast and dismantle it with immediate effect” until it obtained an e

The acting Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Moses Seidu Sumaila, has urged Christian leaders to lead the crusade against corruption and indiscipline in order to promote the country’s development agenda. “Corruption is a battle we have to collectively fight and win in order to bring progress to this country,” he stated. Rev. Sumaila was speaking at the Ordination Service for the church’s pastors in the Greater Accra Region in Accra. Before they were ordained, the pastors had to pass through two levels, the Exhorters and Licentiates, with each level characterised by the writing and passing of examinations. In all, 16 pastors were ordained, 31 others blessed and promoted to the Licentiates level and 33 Exhorters blessed for the work of the vineyard. Rev. Sumaila, who officiated the ceremony, noted that when the church began to deal with issues concerning corruption, it would lead to the transformation of society. He, therefore, urged the newly ordained pastors to

The Director of Clinical Training/Diagnostic Centre at the KF Medical Limited, Dr Sam Ofori, has called for the inclusion of basic training in ultra scan imaging in the training programme of midwives. He said such training would ensure that midwives would be in a better position to provide more supportive services to doctors through preliminary examinations, to enhance healthcare delivery. Dr Ofori was speaking to the Daily Graphic after a training workshop for 12 health professionals from the Greater Accra, Western, Eastern and Central regions. The programme was organised in collaboration with the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA), BK Medicals, a Denmark-based ultra sound equipment manufacturer, and the KF Medical Limited. The three-day programme was to equip the participants with basic knowledge and practical training in ultra scan imaging and report writing. Dr Ofori said one of the best means of reducing child and maternal mortality in the country was to equip mi

The Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) has expressed interest in acquiring stakes in the Jubilee Oil Fields currently in the hands of Kosmos Energy. A delegation from the KNOC led by its President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Young-Won Kang, made this known when it paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Energy, Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, at the Ministry. KONC is in the country at the invitation of the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, to partner and offer technical support to the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) in the oil and gas industry. KNOC is the national oil and gas company of South Korea and a vital industrial company in that country and currently has investments in more than 20 oil and gas fields across 14 countries which include Libya, Nigeria, Peru, Vietnam, Russia, Canada, Indonesia, Yemen and Kazakhstan. Mr Young-Won Kang said the company would work with the GNPC to ensure that the two institutions achieved the desired results for Ghana and pr

A Coalition of civil society organisations has called on the government to make the draft Petroleum Revenue Management Bill public now, just as it did in the case of the Local Content Policy. The coalition, made up of Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Ghana, the Ghana Research and Advocacy Organisations Network, Coalition on Human Rights Oil and Gas, and the Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment (KITE), said the publication of the document would ensure that Ghanaians contributed effectively to the ongoing discussions and consultations on the bill. Addressing a press conference in Accra last Thursday, the PWYP National Oil and Gas Co-ordinator, Mr Mohammed Amin Adam, said although a draft policy on petroleum revenue management had been developed, the inability of the government to publish or circulate the document for public scrutiny to encourage people to make informed contributions during consultations made the ongoing consultations speculative without any strong foundation.

THE Chief of the Ewe Community in Sapeiman in the Ga-West Municipal Assembly, Torgbe Agah Semagloh I, has donated stationery worth GH¢720 to three schools in the municipality. The beneficiary schools, Sapeiman M/A Basic School, the Amasaman M/A Primary School and the Kuntunse M/A 1 and 2 Junior High School (JHS), received exercise books, packets of chalk and boxes of pen. Presenting the items, Torgbe Semagloh, who is also the youth chief of the area, said education remained the backbone of the country’s future, hence the need to ensure that pupils learned and passed their examinations. The Headmaster of the Sapeiman M/A Basic School, Mr Smiles Acheampong, received the items on behalf of his school, Mrs Stella Lartey for the Amasaman M/A Primary School while Mr Obed Agbenyo received those of the Kuntunse M/A Juniour High School. Torgbe Semagloh bemoaned the appalling performance of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates in the public schools, especially the

A Coalition of civil society organisations has called on the government to make the draft Petroleum Revenue Management Bill public now, just as it did in the case of the Local Content Policy. The coalition, made up of Publish What You Pay (PWYP), Ghana, the Ghana Research and Advocacy Organisations Network, Coalition on Human Rights Oil and Gas, and the Kumasi Institute of Technology and Environment (KITE), said the publication of the document would ensure that Ghanaians contributed effectively to the ongoing discussions and consultations on the bill. Addressing a press conference in Accra last Thursday, the PWYP National Oil and Gas Co-ordinator, Mr Mohammed Amin Adam, said although a draft policy on petroleum revenue management had been developed, the inability of the government to publish or circulate the document for public scrutiny to encourage people to make informed contributions during consultations made the ongoing consultations speculative without any strong foundation.

The Government of Ghana has secured a grant of $7.5 million for an emergency preparedness plan for Accra and its surrounding areas to mitigate the effects of perennial floods in the city. Part of the grant would be used to purchase equipment for clearing choked drainage systems and water tanks for the supply of fresh water to flood victims in emergency relief situations. This was announced by Mr Kofi Portuphy when he opened a workshop on emergency preparedness for 60 participants drawn from disaster management organisations in Accra yesterday. The organisations included the Ghana National Fire service, the Ghana Maritime Authority, the Ghana Navy, National Ambulance Service and the Ghana Police Service Mr Portuphy appealed to residents in Accra to put a stop to the practice of discharging refuse into the drainage system especially when it was raining. He said the Ministry of the Interior was working closely with other ministries to review the building code to empower NADM

Users of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes may heave a sigh of relief following an assurance by the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) that it would take delivery of gas yesterday. The relief may, however, be short-lived, since the 5,000 metric tonnes of gas expected cannot be enough for a nation whose LPG requirement is in excess of the supply. But TOR officials have assured the public that another consignment of 6,000 metric tonnes was expected 48 hours after the first delivery. They are also confident that the two consignments will be augmented with additional supplies from the refinery to make LPG shortage throughout the country a thing of the past. Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview, the acting Managing Director of TOR, Dr Kwame Ampofo, confirmed that there had been shortage of the product on the market, adding that the leaking supply pipelines which hindered the discharge of the product from a vessel last Wednesday was partly respo

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) will continue to recognise the Ga Mantse, King Tackie Tawiah III, so far as he remains the installed head of the Ga State. The Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, made the remark in an interview with the Daily Graphic when he led a team of the National and the Greater Accra Regional Executives of the party to pay a courtesy call on the Ga Mantse in Accra. The visit was to enable the party introduce its new executives as well as seek the blessing of Ga Mantse in its effort to recapture political power in the next general in 2012. The meeting with the Ga Mantse was attended by the Tema Mantse, Nii Adjetey Kraku III, the Osu Mantse, Nii Nortey Owuo III, Nii Kwabena Bonnie V of Osu Alata, Nii Dodoo Nsaki of Otublohum, Nii Ayikai III, and other leaders of the Ga Traditional Council. Among the NPP executives present were the first National Vice-Chairman, Mr Fred Oware, the National Treasurer, Madam Esther Ofori, the Communication Director, Mr K

THE Alumni Association of the Mensah Sarbah Hall (Vikings) of the University of Ghana is to build a GH¢2.8 million students’ hostel for the hall to ease the chronic accommodation challenges that confront the hall. The five-storey facility would have self-contained rooms, a library, study rooms and common rooms. The immediate past president of the association, Mr Kofi Dua-Adonteng, disclosed this to the Daily Graphic at the launch of the association’s 2010 Homecoming and Flag hoisting ceremony in Accra. Activities earmarked for the Homecoming, which ends in July, include the Sarbah Alumni Celebrity Platform, an occasion to showcase the achievements of distinguished alumni of the hall, play games, re-enact some memorable events in the history of the hall, pay courtesy call on Vikings who have become traditional rulers. The Platform is followed by the climax of the homecoming, which is an alumni congress. Mr Dua-Adonteng said the project, which begins next month, was

The University of Mines and Technology (UMAT), Tarkwa has received a $500,000 Process Simulator from the Emerson Process Management(EPM)|, a multinational industrial plant manufacturing firm, to enhance the school’s oil and gas training programme. The equipment also known as the Emerson Plantweb Cruiser demonstrates the different processes in oil extraction. The two institutions also signed a Memorandum of Understanding which enjoins the EPM to provide technical support to the school in the area of manning the equipment and curricula development while the school is to ensure that the equipment is to be used only for the training of students. The General Manager of EPM, Africa, Mr Mark Tapson signed the document on behalf of his company while the Vice-Chancellor of UMAT, Prof Daniel Mireku-Gyimah signed it for the UMAT. Presenting an artist impression of the equipment , Mr Tapson said his outfit was committed to ensuring that Ghana had the right caliber of human resource when the

ZAIN Ghana has re-launched its 'Live Your Dream Too Campaign' to reward its customers for their contributions towards the company's success. As part of the campaign, customers could win up to GH¢ 75,000 every week. Users of both the company's fixed and mobile lines qualify to participate and win the prizes. The Live Your Dream Campaign, which was first introduced last year, saw the ultimate winner walking away with GH¢ 75,000, with thousand other Zain customers winning more than GH¢ 150,000 in cash prizes. Re-launching the campaign, the Marketing Manager for Consumer andPayphone, Mr Tara Squire, said Zain had brought the promotion to its customers as a move to give back and make life more meaningful to them. He said th is year, 100 winners would be drawn each week with 97 winning Zain products while the top three winners would be rewarded with cash. He noted that the first prize winner of each draw would be given the chance to play the Live Your Dream game,

THE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has recovered a significant portion of the documents lost in the fire that gutted its offices in Accra in October, last year. The ministry got the documents through secondary sources and from its partners and is currently pursuing other avenues to update its information profile. The sector minister, Mr Mohammed Mumuni, made this known when the South African Minister of International Relations and Co-operation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, paid a courtesy call on him at the ministry on Wednesday. South Africa and Ghana established formal diplomatic relations in 1994. Before then, Ghana was among the many African countries that denounced the apartheid regime by advocating its abolition. While the two countries share the same colonial legacy, Ghana is now South Africa's second-largest trading partner in Africa after Nigeria, with South African investment in Ghana diversified but dominated by mining, the largest and most lu

THE Energy Foundation and the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) have introduced an Appliance Standards and Labelling Programme to protect the country from becoming a dumping ground for energy-inefficient household appliances. Under the programme, only appliances meeting a minimum energy efficiency threshold will be allowed into the country. The Director of Communications and Marketing of the Energy Foundation, Mr Ernest Asare, made this known at a seminar organised by Amanadehyee ( an association of Prempeh College and Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ old students) at their Ninth Annual Inter-tertiary Congress in Accra. The seminar brought together old students of the two institutions in tertiary institutions across the country to deliberate on issues concerning their welfare, share ideas and create development agenda for their alma mater. Mr Asare, who was making a presentation on the theme: “Government Policy on Energy Conservation: The Role of the University Student”, said the standard regi

IN a move to make Ghana a safe tourism destination, the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) has collaborated with the Ghana Police Service and the Tourism Safety and Security Initiative (TOSS), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), to establish a Tourism Police Task Force (TPTF) in the country. The TPTF or Tourism Police will be a specialised unit within the Ghana Police Service which will provide security and safety for tourists and tourism establishments. It will also ensure that all tourism and tourism-related establishments registered with and were licensed by the GTB. Addressing a press conference to outdoor the initiative, a member of the task force, DSP Ruben Asiwoko, said the TPTF had become necessary, as “Ghana’s tourism is growing at a very fast rate and the challenge of insecurity has become clearly imperative”. “Tourism is assuming greater importance and, therefore, safety and security dimensions are very important and will not be compromised,” he stressed. DSP Asiwoko ind

THE Government will engage banks in the country to deliberate on acceptable interest rate structure that would benefit all stakeholders, and also provide a platform for a healthy competition among the banks to ensure proper credit pricing, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), Dr Kwabena Duffour, has said. He said the move was necessary because although the central bank had reduced prime rates, cost of borrowing at the various commercial banks in the country remained the same. Dr Duffour made this known in a speech read on his behalf by the Director of Budget at the Ministry, Mr Simeon Patrick Kyei, during a Ghana Employers Association (GEA) meeting held in Accra. The meeting aimed to enable the GEA to engage the MoFEP on the state of the economy, the MoFEP policy directions in 2010 and also to receive assurances from the government that the economy in 2010 would be conducive for the growth of business after a turbulent 2009 that was stifling to most companies an

THE National Media Commission (NMC) has observed that the lack of a clear-cut policy backed by a structured legal and regulatory framework is hampering the development and regulation of the advertising and the media industries in Ghana. It has, therefore, called for the formulation of a policy and regulatory framework to help ensure that sanity prevails in the two sectors. A member of the NMC, Mr Berifi Apenteng, who deputised for the Chairman of the commission, Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, made this observation at the Investiture Dinner for the President and National Council Members of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG). The occasion, which brought together the crème de la crème of the advertising industry in Ghana, the media and captains of industries, saw Mr Justice Novisi Aryene, a High Court judge, swearing in Mrs Norkor Duah as the new President of the AAG, with Mr Joel Nettey as Vice-President and Mr Teete Owusu Nortey as Treasurer. Other members of the Executive Coun

A US$17 million microfinance fund aimed at making access to capital easy for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro-entrepreneurs was launched in Accra. The fund, to be known as the “Goodwell Africa Fund”, is a partnership between JCS Investments Limited, a social investment company, and Goodwell Microfinance Development Company, an international for-profit business development company. The fund, which is the first equity microfinance fund in Ghana, would be invested in the entrepreneurial microfinance institutions (MFIs)with the goal of creating a substantial social impact and attractive financial returns. Launching the fund, the Director of Microfinance at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MoFEP), Mr Kobina Amoah, said the multi-faceted nature of using microfinance as an instrument for wealth creation required an integrated effort by all stakeholders. He said in that regard, the government, in partnership with other support institutions and development partners, h

THE Ghana Electrical Contractors Association (GECA) has observed that substandard electrical materials and gadgets brought into the country contribute to the fire outbreaks in the country. It has, subsequently, called on the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) to ensure that electrical materials brought into the country meet international standards. It also appealed to the government to empower the association to conduct a maintenance and engineering audit of all electrical installations in the country to ensure that lives and properties were not lost in blazes. The President of the association, Mr Joseph B. Walker, made the observation after a seminar on proper electrical maintenance and installation and their relationship to fire outbreaks in the country. The seminar, which was attended by members of the GECA, was aimed at educating them on the causes and prevention of electrical fire outbreaks. Mr Walker called for the separation of electrical contracts from building contracts to e

A SOLEMN wreath-laying ceremony was held yesterday at the Freedom Monument, near the Independence Square in Accra, to commemorate the 62nd Anniversary of the Christiansborg cross-roads shooting incident in 1948, which served as a major catalyst for the struggle for Ghana’s independence. The ceremony drew a large audience to the monument to catch a glimpse of the ex-servicemen as well as the re-enactment of the shooting incidence which was performed by the Ghana Actors Guild. The ceremony, was attended by the Minister of Defence , Lt Gen Joseph Henry Smith,who was the guest of honour ,officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), the Police, and members of the Veterans Association of Ghana (VAG). After the traditional,Christian and Muslim prayers, the bugle was sounded to invite all veterans to be on parade. The VAG contingent then marched to the parade grounds after which the roll of the veterans was called. A brief history of the incident was read after which flags w