THE Executive Director of HFC Investment Services, Mr Joseph Nketsiah has stated that this year will prove exceptionally difficult for investment funds in the country.
He said returns from investment funds like all other investments would be hard hit as the result of the current global financial crisis.
“Ghana as a major recipient of donor inflows and primarily a commodity exporter will find it difficult to avoid the much anticipated world wide recession this year”, Mr Nketsiah stated.
He said this at the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Accra to present the 2008 annual reports and financial statements of HFC’s Unit Trust, Equity Trust and Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) funds.
Mr Nketsiah said the effect of the global financial crises on the Ghanaian economy was expected to be much visible this year as the Ghana Stock Market had already received its fair share of the turmoil in the global capital markets through market corrections and depreciation in stock prices.
He said the Ghana Stock Market was expected to see further turbulence when investors’ outstanding sale orders were executed.
This he said could trigger a downward movement in the prices of the respective stocks, adding that, as an exchange that had enjoyed huge patronage of foreign investors, it stood to suffer from the effects of the global financial crisis on the foreign investors as they sought to sell their stake in most listed companies, in order to realise their capital gains.
Mr Nketsiah said government’s commitment to achieve set macro economic targets had led to strong and positive expectations by both businesses and consumers about the prospect of the economy in 2009.
“We expect that government’s policy of curbing spending in the economy through tightening its monetary policy will hold interest rates relatively high throughout the year”, he stated.
Presenting the annual report on HFC REIT for 2008, he said the year saw a slowdown in development in the real estate sector as compared to the previous year adding that, it was the result of the slowdown in the global economy.
He said the fund completed construction and sold four two-bedroom semi-detached houses, four four-bedroom two-storey up-mark houses and had began work on two four-bedroom duplex houses.
Mr Nketsiah said the fund awarded contract for work to begin on the construction of a 30 two-bedroom semi-detached houses.
He said these activities helped the fund to achieve a yield of 28.97 per cent for 2008 as compared to 17.5 per cent for 2007, adding that, the fund value increased from GH¢1.4 million to GH¢1.71 million.
Touching on the Equity Trust fund, he said there was an improvement in the net fund value by 323.93 per cent from a value of GH¢0.95 million to GH¢4.03 million by the end of 2008, adding that, the fund posted a yield of 38.80 per cent to close the year.
He said this represented an all time high return since 2005 and a performance which competed favourably with other schemes in the country.
On Unit Trust, Mr Nketsiah said the fund posted an annualised yield of 18.70 per cent at the end of the year, compared with 12.75 per cent recorded within the same period in 2007.
He said this meant that a GH¢1,000 investment made in January 2008 would have become GH¢1,187 in December 2008.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Govt won’t terminate appointments - of NYEP beneficiaries (25/6/09)
Story; Abdul Aziz and Jennifer Dornoo
Beneficiaries of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) have been assured that the government has no plans to terminate their employment contracts.
Instead the NYEP is to recruit an additional 100,000 youth onto the programme between July 2009 and January 2010.
Since its inception in 2006, the programme has had a total of 332,500 youth registered.
Mr Abuga Pele, the National Co-ordinator of the NYEP, who gave the assurance at a press conference in Accra last Tuesday, therefore, urged those attacking offices and officers of the programme to put a stop to it.
He said there had been a few reported cases of attacks on NYEP offices with particular reference to the Tamale Offices, where the liaison officer of the Northern Region had been asked to investigate.
He pointed out that some publications in the media were suggesting that the government was planning to terminate employment contracts of NYEP staff including District Employment Co-ordinators.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to transforming the NYEP into a permanent, better-funded employment agency, adding that there were plans to implement appropriate exit plans for the career progression and professional development of programme beneficiaries.
Mr Pele acknowledged certain irregularities in the programme such as the existence of ghost names and assured Ghanaians that a head count would be done to check such irregularities.
He said since the announcement of the head count exercise, the current population of youth under the programme had reduced, adding that the number would reduce further when the exercise was undertaken.
He said the exercise would ensure that people who were no longer working under the NYEP but were still taking allowances would be dealt with, while others who had finished serving their contracts but were still at post would exit to enable other youth in the country to benefit from the programme.
Mr Pele said a memo had been prepared suggesting to the government a policy directive to instruct all public organisations to absorb five per cent of beneficiaries attached to their outfits during recruitment or training exercises, as well as to create the appropriate structures for beneficiaries to exit into mainstream employment.
He appealed to all Ghanaians to cooperate with the government in its efforts to streamline the programme and make it more sustainable for the benefit of the youth in the country.
Beneficiaries of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) have been assured that the government has no plans to terminate their employment contracts.
Instead the NYEP is to recruit an additional 100,000 youth onto the programme between July 2009 and January 2010.
Since its inception in 2006, the programme has had a total of 332,500 youth registered.
Mr Abuga Pele, the National Co-ordinator of the NYEP, who gave the assurance at a press conference in Accra last Tuesday, therefore, urged those attacking offices and officers of the programme to put a stop to it.
He said there had been a few reported cases of attacks on NYEP offices with particular reference to the Tamale Offices, where the liaison officer of the Northern Region had been asked to investigate.
He pointed out that some publications in the media were suggesting that the government was planning to terminate employment contracts of NYEP staff including District Employment Co-ordinators.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to transforming the NYEP into a permanent, better-funded employment agency, adding that there were plans to implement appropriate exit plans for the career progression and professional development of programme beneficiaries.
Mr Pele acknowledged certain irregularities in the programme such as the existence of ghost names and assured Ghanaians that a head count would be done to check such irregularities.
He said since the announcement of the head count exercise, the current population of youth under the programme had reduced, adding that the number would reduce further when the exercise was undertaken.
He said the exercise would ensure that people who were no longer working under the NYEP but were still taking allowances would be dealt with, while others who had finished serving their contracts but were still at post would exit to enable other youth in the country to benefit from the programme.
Mr Pele said a memo had been prepared suggesting to the government a policy directive to instruct all public organisations to absorb five per cent of beneficiaries attached to their outfits during recruitment or training exercises, as well as to create the appropriate structures for beneficiaries to exit into mainstream employment.
He appealed to all Ghanaians to cooperate with the government in its efforts to streamline the programme and make it more sustainable for the benefit of the youth in the country.
Any end to floods in Accra?(Feature)25/06/09
Asks: Jennifer Dornoo
THE nation’s capital, Accra, has over the years been experiencing floods. The floods normally come along with severe casualties, including loss of lives and the destruction of properties worth millions of Cedis.
Just last Friday, June 19, 2009, at least seven lives were lost while a number of private and public property including roads were destroyed. Additionally, many people were rendered homeless after two hours of rain.
What happened on Friday was not different from a similar incident that occurred in Accra on April 7, 2008. On that occasion severe floods hit parts of Accra following a downpour and destroyed property and rendered dozens of people homeless at areas such as North Kaneshie and the Odawna Shopping Mall.
The question one may ask is how we can deal with the situation. Is there any hope that we can minimise floods and reduce the consequences anytime it rains in Accra?
The answers are not farfetched, but do we have the political will to deal with the situation?
Indeed, nobody can dream of controlling rainfall but the consequences of the rainfall can be minimised.
The nation’s capital has obvious problems. There are many unauthorised structures along waterlogged areas and along the streets. These structures impede the free flow of water any time it rains hence the floods.
One wonders whether there are state institutions responsible for the planning of Accra. More often than not, we are slow in taking action until catastrophe occurs. How can the authorities sit aloof for settlements like Sodom and Gomorrah to spring up only for us to attempt at pulling them down at a greater cost to the individuals and the state?
Besides the unauthorised structures, the careless disposal of industrial and domestic waste is also a factor responsible for the floods. Gutters that should serve as avenues for free flow of water have been choked making it difficult for water to get easy access.
Furthermore, wetlands and waterlogged areas have been converted into residential areas and for commercial activities.
The planned decongestion of the city by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) should be supported by all. The congestion in the Accra central business district created by the traders is one of the causes of the huge garbage in the area and a contributory factor to the floods.
It is unfortunate that seven lives were lost in last Friday’s floods but the incident should serve as a wake-up call for us to take action to prevent similar occurrences. There is the need to restructure the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to make it more proactive instead of reactive.
Nobody needs to tell us that the floods have become part of us and every year they are likely to occur. We should, therefore, prepare instead of always sitting down for floods to occur before we take action. A stitch in time saves nine.
There is the need for Ghanaians to stop politicising efforts by the government to clear the streets of hawkers, unauthorised structures and filth to reduce the impact of floods and save lives and property.
THE nation’s capital, Accra, has over the years been experiencing floods. The floods normally come along with severe casualties, including loss of lives and the destruction of properties worth millions of Cedis.
Just last Friday, June 19, 2009, at least seven lives were lost while a number of private and public property including roads were destroyed. Additionally, many people were rendered homeless after two hours of rain.
What happened on Friday was not different from a similar incident that occurred in Accra on April 7, 2008. On that occasion severe floods hit parts of Accra following a downpour and destroyed property and rendered dozens of people homeless at areas such as North Kaneshie and the Odawna Shopping Mall.
The question one may ask is how we can deal with the situation. Is there any hope that we can minimise floods and reduce the consequences anytime it rains in Accra?
The answers are not farfetched, but do we have the political will to deal with the situation?
Indeed, nobody can dream of controlling rainfall but the consequences of the rainfall can be minimised.
The nation’s capital has obvious problems. There are many unauthorised structures along waterlogged areas and along the streets. These structures impede the free flow of water any time it rains hence the floods.
One wonders whether there are state institutions responsible for the planning of Accra. More often than not, we are slow in taking action until catastrophe occurs. How can the authorities sit aloof for settlements like Sodom and Gomorrah to spring up only for us to attempt at pulling them down at a greater cost to the individuals and the state?
Besides the unauthorised structures, the careless disposal of industrial and domestic waste is also a factor responsible for the floods. Gutters that should serve as avenues for free flow of water have been choked making it difficult for water to get easy access.
Furthermore, wetlands and waterlogged areas have been converted into residential areas and for commercial activities.
The planned decongestion of the city by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) should be supported by all. The congestion in the Accra central business district created by the traders is one of the causes of the huge garbage in the area and a contributory factor to the floods.
It is unfortunate that seven lives were lost in last Friday’s floods but the incident should serve as a wake-up call for us to take action to prevent similar occurrences. There is the need to restructure the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to make it more proactive instead of reactive.
Nobody needs to tell us that the floods have become part of us and every year they are likely to occur. We should, therefore, prepare instead of always sitting down for floods to occur before we take action. A stitch in time saves nine.
There is the need for Ghanaians to stop politicising efforts by the government to clear the streets of hawkers, unauthorised structures and filth to reduce the impact of floods and save lives and property.
Monday, June 22, 2009
NRSC to introduce free towing service (22/06/09)
Story: Francis Yaw Kyei & Jennifer Dornoo
THE National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) is to introduce a free nation-wide commercial towing service to tow break down vehicles on roads within a shorter period.
NRSC indicated that annual fatality figures and injuries were caused by break down vehicles that were left unattended to.
It, therefore, organised a workshop with its stakeholders in the road industry to deliberate on how effectively to implement the project.
The stakeholders were the Motor and Traffic Transport Unit (MTTU), transport operators, towing companies, Ministry of Transport, road agencies, Judicial Service and the Ghana Bar Association.
They were expected to comment on the project, suggest other operational systems, legal systems and how to effectively sustain the project.
The Director of Research Evaluation and Monitoring at the NRSC, Mr David Adonteng, told the Daily Graphic that vehicle owners would be expected to pay a small fee periodically as insurance to run the service.
He said five companies would be identified and licensed to undertake this project in collaboration with the NRSC.
Each company, he said, would establish four corridors on the Accra-Kumasi-Sunyani road, the Accra-Eastern-Volta Region, Accra-Winneba-Cape Coast-Takoradi, and the Kumasi- Kintampo-Bolgatanga road.
Mr Adonteng said these companies would work effectively and arrive at every disabled vehicle within 30 minutes to an hour to tow it away.
He said a free toll communication system would be introduced for drivers to call those companies whenever they had any problem on the road.
The Managing Director of Pergah Transport, Ms Bertha Ansah Gjan, said road traffic crashes involving disabled vehicles were increasingly becoming a source of worry for road safety managers.
She said many times, heavily loaded trucks broke down whilst in traffic and drivers were left with limited choices at the expense of public safety considerations.
She said available data from the NRSC indicated that about 21 per cent of annual fatality figures and injuries were caused by heavy goods vehicles, many of which broke down and were left unattended to on the road..
Ms Gjan urged participants to come out with creative, practical, sustainable and cost effective means of managing the towing of break down vehicles.
THE National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) is to introduce a free nation-wide commercial towing service to tow break down vehicles on roads within a shorter period.
NRSC indicated that annual fatality figures and injuries were caused by break down vehicles that were left unattended to.
It, therefore, organised a workshop with its stakeholders in the road industry to deliberate on how effectively to implement the project.
The stakeholders were the Motor and Traffic Transport Unit (MTTU), transport operators, towing companies, Ministry of Transport, road agencies, Judicial Service and the Ghana Bar Association.
They were expected to comment on the project, suggest other operational systems, legal systems and how to effectively sustain the project.
The Director of Research Evaluation and Monitoring at the NRSC, Mr David Adonteng, told the Daily Graphic that vehicle owners would be expected to pay a small fee periodically as insurance to run the service.
He said five companies would be identified and licensed to undertake this project in collaboration with the NRSC.
Each company, he said, would establish four corridors on the Accra-Kumasi-Sunyani road, the Accra-Eastern-Volta Region, Accra-Winneba-Cape Coast-Takoradi, and the Kumasi- Kintampo-Bolgatanga road.
Mr Adonteng said these companies would work effectively and arrive at every disabled vehicle within 30 minutes to an hour to tow it away.
He said a free toll communication system would be introduced for drivers to call those companies whenever they had any problem on the road.
The Managing Director of Pergah Transport, Ms Bertha Ansah Gjan, said road traffic crashes involving disabled vehicles were increasingly becoming a source of worry for road safety managers.
She said many times, heavily loaded trucks broke down whilst in traffic and drivers were left with limited choices at the expense of public safety considerations.
She said available data from the NRSC indicated that about 21 per cent of annual fatality figures and injuries were caused by heavy goods vehicles, many of which broke down and were left unattended to on the road..
Ms Gjan urged participants to come out with creative, practical, sustainable and cost effective means of managing the towing of break down vehicles.
(High lead levels in children around Agbogbloshie(22/6/09)
STUDIES have revealed high levels of lead in the system of children living in the immediate vicinity of Agbogbloshie, as a result of the people engaging in electronic waste (e-waste).
The hazard, which has long term effects such as cancers and chronic diseases, will result in imminent public health crises for which huge sums of money, which could be used for more profitable ventures such as the construction of infrastructure, would be channelled to control the crises.
This was stated by the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, in a speech read on his behalf at a health forum organised by the Greater Accra Regional Coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in health, on the theme: “Effective collaboration and partnership with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in quality health care delivery” in Accra.
He said innocent people who were unaware of the health hazards associated with the e-waste were engaged in the extraction of lead and other metals by burning the gadgets, thus releasing noxious fumes into the atmosphere, resulting in respiratory diseases for the residents of the surrounding areas.
He said manufacturers of the electronic gadgets had found new dumping sites for their obsolete products in developing countries.
That, Mr Vanderpuije said, was partly due to the loose controls at the entry points in developing countries.
He said the city was confronted with another environmental challenge, the increasing population in the city.
He said that had resulted in the emergence of slums in most parts of Accra.
He noted that housing was inadequate, and sewage facilities and proper waste disposal were virtually non-existent in most places.
The metropolitan chief executive said the city was wallowing in filth as the 2,000 tons of waste generated daily outstripped the daily collection of 1,500 tons of waste from the dumping sites.
He said challenges like these could not be handled by the city authorities alone, and therefore, stressed the need for collaboration and partnership with CSOs for an effective environmental health maintenance in the city.
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Coalition of NGOs in Health, Mr Eric Agbozo, said the forum was to identify gaps in the regional health review and find workable solutions through partnership with the necessary stakeholders.
He said the coalition was ready to partner with stakeholders in the health sector to deliver quality health care to the public.
The hazard, which has long term effects such as cancers and chronic diseases, will result in imminent public health crises for which huge sums of money, which could be used for more profitable ventures such as the construction of infrastructure, would be channelled to control the crises.
This was stated by the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, in a speech read on his behalf at a health forum organised by the Greater Accra Regional Coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in health, on the theme: “Effective collaboration and partnership with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in quality health care delivery” in Accra.
He said innocent people who were unaware of the health hazards associated with the e-waste were engaged in the extraction of lead and other metals by burning the gadgets, thus releasing noxious fumes into the atmosphere, resulting in respiratory diseases for the residents of the surrounding areas.
He said manufacturers of the electronic gadgets had found new dumping sites for their obsolete products in developing countries.
That, Mr Vanderpuije said, was partly due to the loose controls at the entry points in developing countries.
He said the city was confronted with another environmental challenge, the increasing population in the city.
He said that had resulted in the emergence of slums in most parts of Accra.
He noted that housing was inadequate, and sewage facilities and proper waste disposal were virtually non-existent in most places.
The metropolitan chief executive said the city was wallowing in filth as the 2,000 tons of waste generated daily outstripped the daily collection of 1,500 tons of waste from the dumping sites.
He said challenges like these could not be handled by the city authorities alone, and therefore, stressed the need for collaboration and partnership with CSOs for an effective environmental health maintenance in the city.
The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Coalition of NGOs in Health, Mr Eric Agbozo, said the forum was to identify gaps in the regional health review and find workable solutions through partnership with the necessary stakeholders.
He said the coalition was ready to partner with stakeholders in the health sector to deliver quality health care to the public.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
GAEC assists foster home (15/6/09)
Story: Leticia Ohene-Asiedu & Jennifer Dornoo
The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has donated items worth GH¢1,000 to the Christian Faith Foster Home at Frafraha in Accra.
The items included cartons of milk, bags of beans and sugar, cooking utensils, loaves of bread, electric irons, tubers of yam, cartons of fish, bags of water and foodstuffs.
Presenting the items, the Deputy Director-General of GAEC, Professor Yaw Serfor-Armah, said the donation became possible through the proceeds they got from the commission’s annual thanksgiving service which was organised with churches which had their premises on the commission's land.
He advised the children to obey their guardians in order to receive blessings from God.
He also encouraged them to study hard in order to attain higher positions in future.
Receiving the items, the Supervisor and Administrator of the Home, Madam Victoria Abraham, took the opportunity to appeal to the government and philanthropists to provide the community with pipelines to extend clean drinking water to the school, since it depended on water from a bore hole which was not hygienic enough.
She again appealed to the general public to provide them with stand-by generators to supply them with electricity during power outages.
She thanked the commission for its kind gesture and called on other institutions to emulate their example.
Picture: The Deputy Director-General of GAEC, Prof. Yaw Serfor-Armah (standing), presenting the items to the foster home.
The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) has donated items worth GH¢1,000 to the Christian Faith Foster Home at Frafraha in Accra.
The items included cartons of milk, bags of beans and sugar, cooking utensils, loaves of bread, electric irons, tubers of yam, cartons of fish, bags of water and foodstuffs.
Presenting the items, the Deputy Director-General of GAEC, Professor Yaw Serfor-Armah, said the donation became possible through the proceeds they got from the commission’s annual thanksgiving service which was organised with churches which had their premises on the commission's land.
He advised the children to obey their guardians in order to receive blessings from God.
He also encouraged them to study hard in order to attain higher positions in future.
Receiving the items, the Supervisor and Administrator of the Home, Madam Victoria Abraham, took the opportunity to appeal to the government and philanthropists to provide the community with pipelines to extend clean drinking water to the school, since it depended on water from a bore hole which was not hygienic enough.
She again appealed to the general public to provide them with stand-by generators to supply them with electricity during power outages.
She thanked the commission for its kind gesture and called on other institutions to emulate their example.
Picture: The Deputy Director-General of GAEC, Prof. Yaw Serfor-Armah (standing), presenting the items to the foster home.
MTN staff donate blood to Korle-Bu (17/06/09)
TWO hundred members of staff of Scancom Limited, operators of MTN mobile phone network, last Monday donated blood to the Korle Bu Blood Bank as part of the company’s social responsibility.
The Senior Manager of the MTN Ghana Foundation, Mr Robert Kuzoe, said the exercise was part of an annual staff volunteerism programme titled: “21 days of Y’ello care” initiated by the MTN Group President, Mr Phutuma Nhleko, in 2007.
He said the volunteerism programme was aimed at encouraging their staff globally to volunteer their services in supporting community development projects.
Activities for the programme included motivational talks to less-privileged children, career guidance, painting and construction projects.
Mr Kuzoe said MTN would pay visit to the Dzorwulu Special School to teach the children how to cook and have fun with them.
The Blood Donor Organiser of Accra Area of the Blood Centre, Mr Michael Sottie, said the blood bank needed regular supply of blood, because it could keep the blood for only 35 days.
He expressed deep appreciation to the staff for the donation and appealed to religious bodies, educational institutions and benevolent organisations to emulate the example of the company.
* Some MTN staff donating blood during the donation exercise.
The Senior Manager of the MTN Ghana Foundation, Mr Robert Kuzoe, said the exercise was part of an annual staff volunteerism programme titled: “21 days of Y’ello care” initiated by the MTN Group President, Mr Phutuma Nhleko, in 2007.
He said the volunteerism programme was aimed at encouraging their staff globally to volunteer their services in supporting community development projects.
Activities for the programme included motivational talks to less-privileged children, career guidance, painting and construction projects.
Mr Kuzoe said MTN would pay visit to the Dzorwulu Special School to teach the children how to cook and have fun with them.
The Blood Donor Organiser of Accra Area of the Blood Centre, Mr Michael Sottie, said the blood bank needed regular supply of blood, because it could keep the blood for only 35 days.
He expressed deep appreciation to the staff for the donation and appealed to religious bodies, educational institutions and benevolent organisations to emulate the example of the company.
* Some MTN staff donating blood during the donation exercise.
Germany-trained Ghanaians hold workshop (15/6/09)
A two-day capacity-building workshop to strengthen the entrepreneurial capabilities of Ghanaians trained in Germany has been held in Accra.
The workshop, which was organised by the Goethe-Institut in collaboration with Ruckkehrerburo Ghana, an association of Ghanaians trained in Germany, was on the theme, “Strengthening the entrepreneurial capabilities of the German-trained Ghanaian professional”.
The Head of Information and Library Department of the Goethe-Institut, Mr Kingsley Nii-Addy, said the workshop was aimed at enhancing the entrepreneurial capabilities of the returned professionals to start their own businesses and create job opportunities for the development of the country.
He said Ghanaians trained in Germany were highly skilled professionals who worked in different areas of the Ghanaian economy.
He said the workshop would give participants an insight into how to develop their entrepreneurial skills in order to contribute to the development of Ghana’s economy.
Participants were taken through planning businesses, ways of managing businesses, characteristics of an entrepreneur, financial management and others by various resource persons.
Professionals in various fields also shared their experiences as entrepreneurs with the participants.
A lecturer of the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Dr Daniel Quaye, who took the participants through the introduction of entrepreneurship, said most entrepreneurs in the country were just business managers and did not possess the qualities of entrepreneurs.
These qualities, he said, included innovativeness, being passionate about long-term goals, confidence, being work-oriented and having a strong competitive spirit.
He stressed the need for entrepreneurs to be innovative enough to produce goods that could be consumed in the country and exported as well to help the economy grow.
A lecturer of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Mr Emmanuel Dogbenoo, advised entrepreneurs to gradually review their strategic plans due to the dynamic nature of the world.
He said it was important for them to identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to help them develop good business strategies.
The workshop, which was organised by the Goethe-Institut in collaboration with Ruckkehrerburo Ghana, an association of Ghanaians trained in Germany, was on the theme, “Strengthening the entrepreneurial capabilities of the German-trained Ghanaian professional”.
The Head of Information and Library Department of the Goethe-Institut, Mr Kingsley Nii-Addy, said the workshop was aimed at enhancing the entrepreneurial capabilities of the returned professionals to start their own businesses and create job opportunities for the development of the country.
He said Ghanaians trained in Germany were highly skilled professionals who worked in different areas of the Ghanaian economy.
He said the workshop would give participants an insight into how to develop their entrepreneurial skills in order to contribute to the development of Ghana’s economy.
Participants were taken through planning businesses, ways of managing businesses, characteristics of an entrepreneur, financial management and others by various resource persons.
Professionals in various fields also shared their experiences as entrepreneurs with the participants.
A lecturer of the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS), Dr Daniel Quaye, who took the participants through the introduction of entrepreneurship, said most entrepreneurs in the country were just business managers and did not possess the qualities of entrepreneurs.
These qualities, he said, included innovativeness, being passionate about long-term goals, confidence, being work-oriented and having a strong competitive spirit.
He stressed the need for entrepreneurs to be innovative enough to produce goods that could be consumed in the country and exported as well to help the economy grow.
A lecturer of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Mr Emmanuel Dogbenoo, advised entrepreneurs to gradually review their strategic plans due to the dynamic nature of the world.
He said it was important for them to identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to help them develop good business strategies.
Friday, June 12, 2009
(MP promises to rehabilitate Ablekuma Central roads) 12/6/09
THE Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ablekuma Central, Mr Theophilus Tetteh-Chaie, has assured his constituents that he will do everything possible to ensure that roads in the constituency are rehabilitated.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, Mr Tetteh-Chaie said the poor state of the roads linking areas such as Mataheko, Abossey Okai and Gbortsui was of great concern to him and his people.
He said as part of the efforts, Mr Tetteh-Chaie said he was liaising with the Department of Urban Roads to facilitate the rehabilitation.
The MP recalled assurances given by the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Joe K. Gidisu, in response to a question he raised on the floor of Parliament concerning rehabilitation of the road network in the Ablekuma Central Constituency.
According to Mr Tetteh-Chaie, Mr Gidisu said the road network in those areas of the constituency which was designed in 1995 needed to be reviewed on the account of the development which had occurred since that period.
The MP said Mr Gidisu gave the assurance that the Accra Metropolitan Roads Department had carried out an inventory of the road network in the Mataheko, Abossey Okai and Gbortsui areas, while the Perigrino Aryee Street, the Lartebiokorshie Road, Mataheko Avenue and Dansoman Link had been identified for rehabilitation.
Mr Gidisu said rehabilitation of selected roads in Lartebiokorshie in the constituency was awarded to Messrs Alkaboat Limited at a total cost of GH¢299,540.98 for completion in eight months in February, 2007, but the contractor failed to deliver.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, Mr Tetteh-Chaie said the poor state of the roads linking areas such as Mataheko, Abossey Okai and Gbortsui was of great concern to him and his people.
He said as part of the efforts, Mr Tetteh-Chaie said he was liaising with the Department of Urban Roads to facilitate the rehabilitation.
The MP recalled assurances given by the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Joe K. Gidisu, in response to a question he raised on the floor of Parliament concerning rehabilitation of the road network in the Ablekuma Central Constituency.
According to Mr Tetteh-Chaie, Mr Gidisu said the road network in those areas of the constituency which was designed in 1995 needed to be reviewed on the account of the development which had occurred since that period.
The MP said Mr Gidisu gave the assurance that the Accra Metropolitan Roads Department had carried out an inventory of the road network in the Mataheko, Abossey Okai and Gbortsui areas, while the Perigrino Aryee Street, the Lartebiokorshie Road, Mataheko Avenue and Dansoman Link had been identified for rehabilitation.
Mr Gidisu said rehabilitation of selected roads in Lartebiokorshie in the constituency was awarded to Messrs Alkaboat Limited at a total cost of GH¢299,540.98 for completion in eight months in February, 2007, but the contractor failed to deliver.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
“Goodwill” is adversely affecting local trade(11/6/09)
The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) has appealed to the Ministry of Works and Housing and the Rent Control Department to enforce provisions of the Rent Act 1963 (Act 220) which makes it an offence for property owners to demand the payment of any money apart from rent.
The enforcement of the Rent Act would also check the payment of astronomical rent and other charges to property owners by tenants and traders.
At a press conference in Accra last Tuesday, the Deputy Secretary General of GUTA, Mr Alpha Shaban, who conveyed the concerns of the traders, said the trading community was being saddled with a “monstrous illegality” termed “Goodwill”.
Goodwill is huge amount of fees which, according to the Deputy General Secretary, ranged between $45,000 and $70,000 and is charged by property owners depending on the location of the business premises and their sizes.
The goodwill, which is separate from the normal legal rent, usually covers a period of 10 to 15 years.
Mr Shaban said what was more worrying about the goodwill was that no receipt was issued to cover the transaction and was not part of the tenancy agreement.
He said the union decided to research into the illegalities involved and their implications before holding the press conference to call for a halt to the illegal practice.
He said the various stakeholders had to stand up to the challenge to save the investments of the business community and protect the ordinary Ghanaian from the shackles of unsympathetic landlords.
Mr Shaban cautioned property owners who were into the practice to stop, adding that the union would be ready to defend its members and the larger business community in a court of law to prove their case.
The enforcement of the Rent Act would also check the payment of astronomical rent and other charges to property owners by tenants and traders.
At a press conference in Accra last Tuesday, the Deputy Secretary General of GUTA, Mr Alpha Shaban, who conveyed the concerns of the traders, said the trading community was being saddled with a “monstrous illegality” termed “Goodwill”.
Goodwill is huge amount of fees which, according to the Deputy General Secretary, ranged between $45,000 and $70,000 and is charged by property owners depending on the location of the business premises and their sizes.
The goodwill, which is separate from the normal legal rent, usually covers a period of 10 to 15 years.
Mr Shaban said what was more worrying about the goodwill was that no receipt was issued to cover the transaction and was not part of the tenancy agreement.
He said the union decided to research into the illegalities involved and their implications before holding the press conference to call for a halt to the illegal practice.
He said the various stakeholders had to stand up to the challenge to save the investments of the business community and protect the ordinary Ghanaian from the shackles of unsympathetic landlords.
Mr Shaban cautioned property owners who were into the practice to stop, adding that the union would be ready to defend its members and the larger business community in a court of law to prove their case.
Public warned against unhealthy lifestyles (11/6/09)
THE Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the District Directors of Health Service, Dr John B. K. Yabani, has cautioned the public against unhealthy lifestyles, which he said has resulted in the high prevalence rate of non-communicable diseases.
At the launch of the Regional Public Health Week Celebration at Madina Zongo in Accra yesterday, Dr Yabani said hypertension had occupied the third position among non-communicable diseases in the Ga East metropolis over the past three years.
Diabetes had also occupied the tenth position in the metropolis within the same period.
He said the prevalence of hypertension in the country was estimated at 30 per cent in a study conducted and added that five to 10 per cent of Ghanaians had been found to be diabetic.
Dr Yabani said non-communicable diseases could be prevented by adhering to healthy diets, avoiding smoking and drinking of alcohol, taking in lots of water, vegetables and fruits, as well as exercising regularly.
Some activities lined up for the celebration are clean-up campaigns, blood donation exercises, screening services, Body Mass Index (BMI) assessment and a health walk.
Dr Mawutorwu Brese, who represented the Regional Director of the Heath Service, said there appeared to be an epidemic of non-communicable disease currently as 30 per cent of the population in a study conducted were hypertensive.
He said about 11 per cent of boys and 19 per cent of girls among primary school pupils in Accra were obese.
This, he said, was the result of over-eating and the wrong choice of food with no exercise.
He advised the public to have peace of mind, live at peace with one another, avoid stress and have good rest.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Mr John Kwao Sackey, lauded the event and advised the people to adopt healthy eating habits devoid of tobacco and alcohol.
He said people who were presumed healthy were pronounced dead within a short period as a result of no check-ups and unhealthy eating habits.
He urged all Ghanaians to join the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which was established to ensure affordable, accessible and quality health care.
At the launch of the Regional Public Health Week Celebration at Madina Zongo in Accra yesterday, Dr Yabani said hypertension had occupied the third position among non-communicable diseases in the Ga East metropolis over the past three years.
Diabetes had also occupied the tenth position in the metropolis within the same period.
He said the prevalence of hypertension in the country was estimated at 30 per cent in a study conducted and added that five to 10 per cent of Ghanaians had been found to be diabetic.
Dr Yabani said non-communicable diseases could be prevented by adhering to healthy diets, avoiding smoking and drinking of alcohol, taking in lots of water, vegetables and fruits, as well as exercising regularly.
Some activities lined up for the celebration are clean-up campaigns, blood donation exercises, screening services, Body Mass Index (BMI) assessment and a health walk.
Dr Mawutorwu Brese, who represented the Regional Director of the Heath Service, said there appeared to be an epidemic of non-communicable disease currently as 30 per cent of the population in a study conducted were hypertensive.
He said about 11 per cent of boys and 19 per cent of girls among primary school pupils in Accra were obese.
This, he said, was the result of over-eating and the wrong choice of food with no exercise.
He advised the public to have peace of mind, live at peace with one another, avoid stress and have good rest.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Ga East Municipal Assembly, Mr John Kwao Sackey, lauded the event and advised the people to adopt healthy eating habits devoid of tobacco and alcohol.
He said people who were presumed healthy were pronounced dead within a short period as a result of no check-ups and unhealthy eating habits.
He urged all Ghanaians to join the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which was established to ensure affordable, accessible and quality health care.
WFP walks to end hunger (11/6/09)
THE National Co-ordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Mr Michael Nsowah, has pledged to obtain all food items for the programme from small-scale farmers in the country.
This forms part of efforts adopted by the programme to aggressively pursue the objective of Home Grown School Feeding.
He said this during the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)’s annual global fundraising and advocacy walk dubbed: “End hunger-Walk the World” in Accra.
Mr Nsowah said despite the GSFP’s challenges, it remained the NEPAD model for poverty reduction in Africa, and could increase school attendance and enrolment as well as act as an effective outlet for food produced by the Ghanaian farmers.
He said the current global economic crises, preceded by last year’s increase in fuel and food prices had created anxiety about a resurgence of soaring hunger among the world’s most vulnerable.
He said following the new challenges facing the global community, there was the need for Ghana to work extra hard to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to reducing hunger and improving health and education by 2015.
Mr Nsowah said the debilitating effects of hunger were sometimes underestimated and added that the effects were tragic for individuals and staggering for nations.
“People who have experienced and survived hunger in childhood may have their minds permanently dulled, limiting their ability to analyse situations and to fully pursue their livelihoods,” he stated.
The Head of Programmes of the WFP, Ms Sibi Lawson-Marriott, said recent surveys had shown that the number of malnourished children living Ghana was declining.
She said the country had to be commended because of its efforts to ensure that children who were the most vulnerable were being fed.
The walk, which started from the Golden Tulip Hotel and ended at the Accra Shopping Mall, sought to raise awareness on the issue of hunger, particularly among children and raise funds to address the challenge.
From Tamale, Vincent Amenuveve reports that the Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Mabengba addressed participants after the walk to end hunger.
The Deputy Minister noted that Ghana’s ability to achieve the 2015 goals of reducing hunger and improving health indicators has been linked to the country’s ability to sustain food-based safety net programmes.
Mr Mabengba said the programmes must be specially targeted at vulnerable children in schools and pre-schools and pregnant women across the country.
He noted that the effect of hunger particularly on the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of children could permanently make such children dull and limited in analysing situations and pursuing their livelihoods.
“Most people focus on hunger’s physical manifestations such as emaciation of famine-affected population and the small stature of chronically malnourished people but the most damaging impact is on the IQ,” he pointed out.
According to him, “a vicious cycle can be created where hungry children become damaged adults with limited opportunities and capacities and end up having hungry children of their own”.
He, therefore, stressed the need for “targeted interventions in nutrition and learning to promote a virtuous cycle of good nutrition and learning through generations”.
The minister, however, pointed out that the current global economic crisis preceded by last year’s fuel and food price increases had created anxiety about a resurgence of soaring hunger among the world’s most vulnerable.
The Head of the WFP Sub-office in Tamale, Mr Ahmed Saeed, indicated that his outfit had purchased food items from farmers in Ghana worth millions of Ghana cedis to help eliminate hunger among children in deprived communities.
He, however, observed that in spite of these interventions some children in Ghana still went to bed hungry.
“We are resolute in our will and confident in our collective ability to feed those who are hungry and to protect those who are now at greater risk of hunger because of global events and poverty,” Mr Saeed stressed.
CAPTION: Some participants of the World Food Programme’s walk.
This forms part of efforts adopted by the programme to aggressively pursue the objective of Home Grown School Feeding.
He said this during the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)’s annual global fundraising and advocacy walk dubbed: “End hunger-Walk the World” in Accra.
Mr Nsowah said despite the GSFP’s challenges, it remained the NEPAD model for poverty reduction in Africa, and could increase school attendance and enrolment as well as act as an effective outlet for food produced by the Ghanaian farmers.
He said the current global economic crises, preceded by last year’s increase in fuel and food prices had created anxiety about a resurgence of soaring hunger among the world’s most vulnerable.
He said following the new challenges facing the global community, there was the need for Ghana to work extra hard to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to reducing hunger and improving health and education by 2015.
Mr Nsowah said the debilitating effects of hunger were sometimes underestimated and added that the effects were tragic for individuals and staggering for nations.
“People who have experienced and survived hunger in childhood may have their minds permanently dulled, limiting their ability to analyse situations and to fully pursue their livelihoods,” he stated.
The Head of Programmes of the WFP, Ms Sibi Lawson-Marriott, said recent surveys had shown that the number of malnourished children living Ghana was declining.
She said the country had to be commended because of its efforts to ensure that children who were the most vulnerable were being fed.
The walk, which started from the Golden Tulip Hotel and ended at the Accra Shopping Mall, sought to raise awareness on the issue of hunger, particularly among children and raise funds to address the challenge.
From Tamale, Vincent Amenuveve reports that the Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Mr Moses Mabengba addressed participants after the walk to end hunger.
The Deputy Minister noted that Ghana’s ability to achieve the 2015 goals of reducing hunger and improving health indicators has been linked to the country’s ability to sustain food-based safety net programmes.
Mr Mabengba said the programmes must be specially targeted at vulnerable children in schools and pre-schools and pregnant women across the country.
He noted that the effect of hunger particularly on the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of children could permanently make such children dull and limited in analysing situations and pursuing their livelihoods.
“Most people focus on hunger’s physical manifestations such as emaciation of famine-affected population and the small stature of chronically malnourished people but the most damaging impact is on the IQ,” he pointed out.
According to him, “a vicious cycle can be created where hungry children become damaged adults with limited opportunities and capacities and end up having hungry children of their own”.
He, therefore, stressed the need for “targeted interventions in nutrition and learning to promote a virtuous cycle of good nutrition and learning through generations”.
The minister, however, pointed out that the current global economic crisis preceded by last year’s fuel and food price increases had created anxiety about a resurgence of soaring hunger among the world’s most vulnerable.
The Head of the WFP Sub-office in Tamale, Mr Ahmed Saeed, indicated that his outfit had purchased food items from farmers in Ghana worth millions of Ghana cedis to help eliminate hunger among children in deprived communities.
He, however, observed that in spite of these interventions some children in Ghana still went to bed hungry.
“We are resolute in our will and confident in our collective ability to feed those who are hungry and to protect those who are now at greater risk of hunger because of global events and poverty,” Mr Saeed stressed.
CAPTION: Some participants of the World Food Programme’s walk.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Innolink to sponsor best reporter(9/6/09)mp
Story: Jennifer Dornoo & Martha Asantewaa Boateng
THE Vice-President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Affail Monney, has appealed to the government to fast-track the promulgation of the Right to Information Bill to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the association.
He said the right to information bill has been in the back burner for close to seven years with no hope of its promulgation in sight.
Mr Monney said this at the presentation of a sponsorship package by Innolink Limited, a printing and packaging firm, towards the 14th GJA awards in Accra yesterday.
This, he said, would help journalists to easily access reliable information and get evidence in support of their stories.
He said the bill, which had been in the public domain for seven years, needed approval to help journalists in the discharge of their duties.
Mr Monney thanked Innolink for the sponsorship package for the Best News Reporter in the Print Media category, which was a laptop, a one-week sponsored attachment with the Avusa Group of Newspapers in South Africa, an arranged meeting with the great and renowned international icon, Madiba Nelson Mandela, and a cash prize of GH¢5000.
It also included the printing of 1000 copies of the souvenir brochure for the 60th anniversary of the GJA and 14th media awards night.
He said sponsorship packages like these would motivate journalists to deliver their best and help them rise above challenges that confronted them.
The Marketing Consultant of Innolink Limited, Mr Franklyn Benefo, said the company had acknowledged that the media had positioned itself as the voice of the ordinary man in the street.
He said the ordinary man who had never sat in the classroom could now get himself connected to a radio station to express his views on issues of national concern.
"If democracy has to succeed, the media must be empowered and emboldened to play a leading role in this endeavour," he added.
Mr Benefo said it was the desire to recognise and appreciate the young men and women who produced the raw material from which the news was manufactured, that Innolink took the decision to sponsor the Best News Reporter for Print Journalism.
"In rewarding the effort of the Best News Reporter in Print Journalism, we pay tribute to all those printers and engineers who ensure that the wheels of the printing industry turn to produce the newspaper," he stated.
He said the company believed that high-level sponsorships were what were needed to obtain the best out of journalists.
THE Vice-President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Affail Monney, has appealed to the government to fast-track the promulgation of the Right to Information Bill to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the association.
He said the right to information bill has been in the back burner for close to seven years with no hope of its promulgation in sight.
Mr Monney said this at the presentation of a sponsorship package by Innolink Limited, a printing and packaging firm, towards the 14th GJA awards in Accra yesterday.
This, he said, would help journalists to easily access reliable information and get evidence in support of their stories.
He said the bill, which had been in the public domain for seven years, needed approval to help journalists in the discharge of their duties.
Mr Monney thanked Innolink for the sponsorship package for the Best News Reporter in the Print Media category, which was a laptop, a one-week sponsored attachment with the Avusa Group of Newspapers in South Africa, an arranged meeting with the great and renowned international icon, Madiba Nelson Mandela, and a cash prize of GH¢5000.
It also included the printing of 1000 copies of the souvenir brochure for the 60th anniversary of the GJA and 14th media awards night.
He said sponsorship packages like these would motivate journalists to deliver their best and help them rise above challenges that confronted them.
The Marketing Consultant of Innolink Limited, Mr Franklyn Benefo, said the company had acknowledged that the media had positioned itself as the voice of the ordinary man in the street.
He said the ordinary man who had never sat in the classroom could now get himself connected to a radio station to express his views on issues of national concern.
"If democracy has to succeed, the media must be empowered and emboldened to play a leading role in this endeavour," he added.
Mr Benefo said it was the desire to recognise and appreciate the young men and women who produced the raw material from which the news was manufactured, that Innolink took the decision to sponsor the Best News Reporter for Print Journalism.
"In rewarding the effort of the Best News Reporter in Print Journalism, we pay tribute to all those printers and engineers who ensure that the wheels of the printing industry turn to produce the newspaper," he stated.
He said the company believed that high-level sponsorships were what were needed to obtain the best out of journalists.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Education minister impressed with G-Pak's facilities (8/6/09)mp
THE Minister of Education, Mr Alexander Tettey-Enyo, has expressed satisfaction at the high quality of printing by Graphic Packaging (G-Pak), a subsidiary of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL).
He was convinced that G-Pak had the capacity to print all the educational materials needed to complement education in the country .
He gave the G-Pak high marks when he paid a familiarisation visit to the company as part of measures to determine the capacity of printing houses in the country to handle the printing of textbooks and exercise books in the country.
Mr Tettey-Enyo said the government intended to help local printers in the country to increase their capacity and give employment to the youth.
He was accompanied by his deputy, Mrs Elizabeth Amoah Tetteh, and the executive members of the Ghana Printers and Paper Converters Association (GPPCA).
Welcoming the delegation, the Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Mohammed Awal, said G-PAK had the capacity to print materials that were needed in the country to complement education.
He said if that policy was supported, job opportunities would be created for the unemployed, while state revenue would be increased for the socio-economic development of the country.
He later took the minister and his entourage on a tour of the various departments of the company.
The President of GPPCA, Mr James Appiah-Berko, said about $70 million was spent last year on printing textbooks outside the country.
He pleaded with the government to support the industry by reducing tariffs on raw materials imported into the country so that materials printed in the country would become affordable.
The minister and his team had earlier visited Type Press, Yasarko Press and Innolink.
He was convinced that G-Pak had the capacity to print all the educational materials needed to complement education in the country .
He gave the G-Pak high marks when he paid a familiarisation visit to the company as part of measures to determine the capacity of printing houses in the country to handle the printing of textbooks and exercise books in the country.
Mr Tettey-Enyo said the government intended to help local printers in the country to increase their capacity and give employment to the youth.
He was accompanied by his deputy, Mrs Elizabeth Amoah Tetteh, and the executive members of the Ghana Printers and Paper Converters Association (GPPCA).
Welcoming the delegation, the Managing Director of the GCGL, Mr Mohammed Awal, said G-PAK had the capacity to print materials that were needed in the country to complement education.
He said if that policy was supported, job opportunities would be created for the unemployed, while state revenue would be increased for the socio-economic development of the country.
He later took the minister and his entourage on a tour of the various departments of the company.
The President of GPPCA, Mr James Appiah-Berko, said about $70 million was spent last year on printing textbooks outside the country.
He pleaded with the government to support the industry by reducing tariffs on raw materials imported into the country so that materials printed in the country would become affordable.
The minister and his team had earlier visited Type Press, Yasarko Press and Innolink.
Sempe pupils briefed on their rights (8/6/09)p11
THE acting Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ms Anna Bossman, has urged children to report all forms of infringement of their rights to the police or the commission for thorough investigation and action.
Interacting with pupils of the Sempe One A Primary School in Accra last Friday, Ms Bossman said reporting infringements would contribute to the development of the culture of enforcing children’s rights.
The interactive programme was organised by CHRAJ on a pilot basis as part of its efforts to create awareness of human rights in selected basic schools in Accra.
It used the occasion to sensitise children to their rights and responsibilities, as well as the appropriate steps they were required to take when their rights were violated.
Ms Bossman encouraged children to be bold to report their parents who abused them or violated their rights to the commission.
She said it was a crime for parents not to look after their children and added that the necessary action would be taken to ensure that parents adhered to the rights of their children, such as fundamental human rights and the right to education and health.
The acting commissioner advised children to be law abiding and respect authority, perform their responsibilities and study hard so that they could grow to become responsible leaders in future.
She advised the children against drug addiction and all forms of child labour and asked them to focus on their education to be able to achieve their lifetime dreams and ambitions.
The Director in charge of Legal Services and Investigations at CHRAJ, Mr Joseph Whittal, said teachers had the right to discipline children when they misbehaved but not to the extent of degrading them or causing harm to them.
He assured the children of the commitment of CHRAJ to thoroughly investigate any report they made to the commission for appropriate measures to be taken to ensure that they enjoyed their rights.
During an open forum, the pupils asked questions and sought clarification on issues bothering them.
A similar interactive and sensitisation programme is expected to be organised by CHRAJ at the St Mary’s Anglican Primary School in Accra on June 12, 2009.
Interacting with pupils of the Sempe One A Primary School in Accra last Friday, Ms Bossman said reporting infringements would contribute to the development of the culture of enforcing children’s rights.
The interactive programme was organised by CHRAJ on a pilot basis as part of its efforts to create awareness of human rights in selected basic schools in Accra.
It used the occasion to sensitise children to their rights and responsibilities, as well as the appropriate steps they were required to take when their rights were violated.
Ms Bossman encouraged children to be bold to report their parents who abused them or violated their rights to the commission.
She said it was a crime for parents not to look after their children and added that the necessary action would be taken to ensure that parents adhered to the rights of their children, such as fundamental human rights and the right to education and health.
The acting commissioner advised children to be law abiding and respect authority, perform their responsibilities and study hard so that they could grow to become responsible leaders in future.
She advised the children against drug addiction and all forms of child labour and asked them to focus on their education to be able to achieve their lifetime dreams and ambitions.
The Director in charge of Legal Services and Investigations at CHRAJ, Mr Joseph Whittal, said teachers had the right to discipline children when they misbehaved but not to the extent of degrading them or causing harm to them.
He assured the children of the commitment of CHRAJ to thoroughly investigate any report they made to the commission for appropriate measures to be taken to ensure that they enjoyed their rights.
During an open forum, the pupils asked questions and sought clarification on issues bothering them.
A similar interactive and sensitisation programme is expected to be organised by CHRAJ at the St Mary’s Anglican Primary School in Accra on June 12, 2009.
smoking pupils rate alarming (8/6/09)p.3
A SURVEY conducted by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has indicated that 50 out of 1000 pupils surveyed smoke cigarette every day, a Principal Health Research Officer of GHS, Mrs Edith Wellington, has said.
Mrs Wellington said though the numbers might not be that huge the rate at which pupils were taking to smoking was alarming and drastic measures were needed to address the problem.
In an address to mark the post World No Tobacco Day in Accra last Saturday, Mrs Wellington said the measures were needed because children who smoked at their early stages stood the risk of many harmful effects of the smoke and were likely to get addicted at an adult age.
The event was organised by Coalition of Non-governmental Organisations in Tobacco Control (CNTC) and was to create awareness on the harm tobacco use caused to the individual and the community, as well as to sensitise Ghanaians to the tobacco control bill which is expected to be passed by the end of the year.
Mrs Wellington said the GHS had trained a number of teachers across the country to educate children on the dangers of smoking and had embarked on an awareness creation programmes in some selected schools in the country.
She said the GHS was working in collaboration with stakeholders such as the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ministry of Health (MoH) to reduce the menace.
She said a draft bill for tobacco control was ready to be sent to Parliament for approval and implementation.
When passed the law will ban the smoking of tobacco at public places for the safety of non-smokers in the country.
The law will also ensure that children below the age of 18 are not sent to buy cigarette or are not allowed to sell the product.
The Vice-President of CNTC , Mr Oscar Bruce, called on the government to speed up the passage of the tobacco control bill.
That, he said, would reduce the harmful effects of tobacco on individuals and ensure the health of people.
The President of HealthPage Ghana, an NGO, Dr John Kwawurah, said cigarettes contained a substance called nicotine, an addictive chemical which made it difficult for smokers to stop smoking.
Additionally, cigarettes also contain about 4000 dangerous substances or chemicals which can cause cancers of the lungs, lips, tongue, throat and eye problems, hypertension and other heart-related diseases.
He said non-smokers who inhaled cigarette smoke were even at a higher risk than the smokers because smokers smoked out 85 per cent of the content of the cigarette leaving non-smokers to inhale it.
He said lung diseases which were rare had become very common in hospitals these days as a result of smoking.
Dr Kwawurah said pregnant women who smoked tobacco were at risk of giving birth to babies with deformities or having miscarriages. Additionally, tobacco could also lead to impotence in men.
He advised the youth to stay away from tobacco and avoid peers who would try to influence them into smoking, since it could lead to addiction and pose serious health threats to them and other people.
Mrs Sophia Twum-Barima, a representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), stressed the need for people to be sensitised to the implications of smoking and inhaling tobacco smoke to protect the health of the public.
She said it was important to impose high taxes on tobacco products to make them unaffordable, as well as generate revenue for the government to build hospitals to treat tobacco-related diseases.
Mrs Wellington said though the numbers might not be that huge the rate at which pupils were taking to smoking was alarming and drastic measures were needed to address the problem.
In an address to mark the post World No Tobacco Day in Accra last Saturday, Mrs Wellington said the measures were needed because children who smoked at their early stages stood the risk of many harmful effects of the smoke and were likely to get addicted at an adult age.
The event was organised by Coalition of Non-governmental Organisations in Tobacco Control (CNTC) and was to create awareness on the harm tobacco use caused to the individual and the community, as well as to sensitise Ghanaians to the tobacco control bill which is expected to be passed by the end of the year.
Mrs Wellington said the GHS had trained a number of teachers across the country to educate children on the dangers of smoking and had embarked on an awareness creation programmes in some selected schools in the country.
She said the GHS was working in collaboration with stakeholders such as the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ministry of Health (MoH) to reduce the menace.
She said a draft bill for tobacco control was ready to be sent to Parliament for approval and implementation.
When passed the law will ban the smoking of tobacco at public places for the safety of non-smokers in the country.
The law will also ensure that children below the age of 18 are not sent to buy cigarette or are not allowed to sell the product.
The Vice-President of CNTC , Mr Oscar Bruce, called on the government to speed up the passage of the tobacco control bill.
That, he said, would reduce the harmful effects of tobacco on individuals and ensure the health of people.
The President of HealthPage Ghana, an NGO, Dr John Kwawurah, said cigarettes contained a substance called nicotine, an addictive chemical which made it difficult for smokers to stop smoking.
Additionally, cigarettes also contain about 4000 dangerous substances or chemicals which can cause cancers of the lungs, lips, tongue, throat and eye problems, hypertension and other heart-related diseases.
He said non-smokers who inhaled cigarette smoke were even at a higher risk than the smokers because smokers smoked out 85 per cent of the content of the cigarette leaving non-smokers to inhale it.
He said lung diseases which were rare had become very common in hospitals these days as a result of smoking.
Dr Kwawurah said pregnant women who smoked tobacco were at risk of giving birth to babies with deformities or having miscarriages. Additionally, tobacco could also lead to impotence in men.
He advised the youth to stay away from tobacco and avoid peers who would try to influence them into smoking, since it could lead to addiction and pose serious health threats to them and other people.
Mrs Sophia Twum-Barima, a representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), stressed the need for people to be sensitised to the implications of smoking and inhaling tobacco smoke to protect the health of the public.
She said it was important to impose high taxes on tobacco products to make them unaffordable, as well as generate revenue for the government to build hospitals to treat tobacco-related diseases.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Buses(5/6/09)mp
Story: Emmanuel Bonney & Jennifer Dornoo
The Ministry of Education yesterday presented 22 buses worth GH¢ 770,000 to selected senior high schools (SHS) to promote effective teaching and learning.
The beneficiary schools include Sefwi Bekwai, Nandom, Aduman, Dadieso, Dorfor, Prang and Sekyedumase, Labone and the St Thomas Aquinas Senior High Schools.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo, said the presentation was another giant step towards enhancing teaching and learning in the schools.
He said the presentation of the 33-seater buses was in pursuit of the government’s desire to ensure that all senior high schools were provided with means of transportation to facilitate school activities.
He said since assuming office, the NDC government had come out with many programmes to ensure that all senior high schools were well placed for the task of producing students of high calibre.
Mr Tetteh-Enyo said education was currently at the forefront of the national development agenda, adding that the desire “to ensure effective teaching and learning in the schools placed enormous responsibilities on teachers”.
He appealed to teachers to rededicate themselves to their profession as the government would ensure that teachers were provided with the necessary tools and incentives to enable them to perform their duties effectively.
He urged the various beneficiaries to take good care of the buses and maintain them well to give them a longer life span.
The Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr Samuel Bannerman-Mensah, appealed to the heads of institutions to use the buses for the operations of the GES and school activities.
The headmistress of Labone Senior High School, Mrs Joyce Agyekum, on behalf of heads of beneficiary schools thanked the ministry for the buses and assured the sector minister that the buses would be well maintained.
The Ministry of Education yesterday presented 22 buses worth GH¢ 770,000 to selected senior high schools (SHS) to promote effective teaching and learning.
The beneficiary schools include Sefwi Bekwai, Nandom, Aduman, Dadieso, Dorfor, Prang and Sekyedumase, Labone and the St Thomas Aquinas Senior High Schools.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo, said the presentation was another giant step towards enhancing teaching and learning in the schools.
He said the presentation of the 33-seater buses was in pursuit of the government’s desire to ensure that all senior high schools were provided with means of transportation to facilitate school activities.
He said since assuming office, the NDC government had come out with many programmes to ensure that all senior high schools were well placed for the task of producing students of high calibre.
Mr Tetteh-Enyo said education was currently at the forefront of the national development agenda, adding that the desire “to ensure effective teaching and learning in the schools placed enormous responsibilities on teachers”.
He appealed to teachers to rededicate themselves to their profession as the government would ensure that teachers were provided with the necessary tools and incentives to enable them to perform their duties effectively.
He urged the various beneficiaries to take good care of the buses and maintain them well to give them a longer life span.
The Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr Samuel Bannerman-Mensah, appealed to the heads of institutions to use the buses for the operations of the GES and school activities.
The headmistress of Labone Senior High School, Mrs Joyce Agyekum, on behalf of heads of beneficiary schools thanked the ministry for the buses and assured the sector minister that the buses would be well maintained.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
superstitious belief - Its impact on women’s development (30/5/09)
Superstitious beliefs are prevalent among women than men because less women are educated, compared to men. Most of the superstitious beliefs in our society are in the form of old traditions which are transmitted from one generation to another.
The Wikipedia free encyclopaedia says the word “superstition” is often used pejoratively to refer to beliefs deemed irrational. It is also commonly applied to beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy and spiritual beings, particularly the irrational belief that future events can be influenced or foretold by specific unrelated prior events.
Superstitious beliefs can be found in every culture and the Ghanaian culture is no exception. Many superstitious beliefs in our culture can be analysed from different angles.
First, some of these beliefs are associated with women. These beliefs show their old immature way of thinking. For example, they can guess the sex of baby by?????? a dead male snake.????????
Some superstitious beliefs which are related to bad or good luck can be found among adults in many cultures. (EXAMPLES????) know that there is no scientific justification for such beliefs, but some people still believe them and try hard to adapt their lifestyles to suit them.
Furthermore, children also have some superstitious beliefs. These beliefs also demonstrate their limited knowledge. They practise such beliefs without any family interference or correction. For instance, kids believe the red colour symbolises evil and hell whereas the green colour indicates the contrary. So, they choose the green-coloured items such as books and possessions
The issue of witchcraft and superstitious beliefs and their impact on African development was discussed at a one-day seminar in Accra as part of a campaign to disabuse the minds of the public on women and witchcraft as well as superstition. The seminar, which was organised by the Centre For Inquiry (CFI) Transitional, in partnership with the Ghana Chapter of Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA) was held on the theme “Witchcraft and Superstition: Impact on African Development”.
The President of the SWAA, Ghana, Mrs Bernice Heloo, said innocent, poor, illiterate and aged women had over the years been victims to false accusations of being witches, She stressed that there was the need to discard the ill-conceived notion that many women were witches since such perception undermined their ability to contribute meaningfully towards national development.
Mrs Heloo said the tagging of women as witches could lead to social exclusion, alienation and human rights abuses and that could psychologically undermine the capacity of women to empower themselves and contribute to national discourse and development.
She said because of the belief that women were witches, some of them had been tortured, neglected and in some extreme cases, murdered.
Mrs Heloo attributed the incidence of witchcraft accusations and superstition to the increasing number of spiritual churches which claim to be fighting against witchcraft.
She said SWAA was interested in the topic because a number of people who had been infected with the HIV virus attributed the cause to witchcraft and others also blamed women for bring the curse on them.
She said some of the ‘spiritual’ churches also keep HIV-positive persons for a long time with the excuse of praying for them and pointed out that some of the them were coerced by the pastors to announce in the media that they had been cured, while others became seriously ill and lost their lives.
She said in most cases, it was women who suffered most and, therefore, called on Ghanaians to help fight superstition through sustained educational programmes.
The Board Chairman of Amnesty International, Mr Vincent Adzahlie-Mensah, said witchcraft in Ghana was associated with stigmatisation and social violence, and argued that the phenomenon was the source of poverty, joblessness, sickness, sorrow and pain that many women went through.
He revealed that people who were accused of witchcraft were tortured and compelled to confess to avoid persistent torture.
Mr Adzahlie-Mensah said civil society organisations had a crucial role to play in reducing the menace by campaigning for the closure of camps for witches and protection of the aged.
The Chairman of CFI Transnational, Mr Leo Igwe, also stressed the need to fight against superstitious beliefs that had the tendency of undermining development, creating fear, hatred and confusion which oppressed women and undermined their ability to succeed.
The Wikipedia free encyclopaedia says the word “superstition” is often used pejoratively to refer to beliefs deemed irrational. It is also commonly applied to beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy and spiritual beings, particularly the irrational belief that future events can be influenced or foretold by specific unrelated prior events.
Superstitious beliefs can be found in every culture and the Ghanaian culture is no exception. Many superstitious beliefs in our culture can be analysed from different angles.
First, some of these beliefs are associated with women. These beliefs show their old immature way of thinking. For example, they can guess the sex of baby by?????? a dead male snake.????????
Some superstitious beliefs which are related to bad or good luck can be found among adults in many cultures. (EXAMPLES????) know that there is no scientific justification for such beliefs, but some people still believe them and try hard to adapt their lifestyles to suit them.
Furthermore, children also have some superstitious beliefs. These beliefs also demonstrate their limited knowledge. They practise such beliefs without any family interference or correction. For instance, kids believe the red colour symbolises evil and hell whereas the green colour indicates the contrary. So, they choose the green-coloured items such as books and possessions
The issue of witchcraft and superstitious beliefs and their impact on African development was discussed at a one-day seminar in Accra as part of a campaign to disabuse the minds of the public on women and witchcraft as well as superstition. The seminar, which was organised by the Centre For Inquiry (CFI) Transitional, in partnership with the Ghana Chapter of Society for Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA) was held on the theme “Witchcraft and Superstition: Impact on African Development”.
The President of the SWAA, Ghana, Mrs Bernice Heloo, said innocent, poor, illiterate and aged women had over the years been victims to false accusations of being witches, She stressed that there was the need to discard the ill-conceived notion that many women were witches since such perception undermined their ability to contribute meaningfully towards national development.
Mrs Heloo said the tagging of women as witches could lead to social exclusion, alienation and human rights abuses and that could psychologically undermine the capacity of women to empower themselves and contribute to national discourse and development.
She said because of the belief that women were witches, some of them had been tortured, neglected and in some extreme cases, murdered.
Mrs Heloo attributed the incidence of witchcraft accusations and superstition to the increasing number of spiritual churches which claim to be fighting against witchcraft.
She said SWAA was interested in the topic because a number of people who had been infected with the HIV virus attributed the cause to witchcraft and others also blamed women for bring the curse on them.
She said some of the ‘spiritual’ churches also keep HIV-positive persons for a long time with the excuse of praying for them and pointed out that some of the them were coerced by the pastors to announce in the media that they had been cured, while others became seriously ill and lost their lives.
She said in most cases, it was women who suffered most and, therefore, called on Ghanaians to help fight superstition through sustained educational programmes.
The Board Chairman of Amnesty International, Mr Vincent Adzahlie-Mensah, said witchcraft in Ghana was associated with stigmatisation and social violence, and argued that the phenomenon was the source of poverty, joblessness, sickness, sorrow and pain that many women went through.
He revealed that people who were accused of witchcraft were tortured and compelled to confess to avoid persistent torture.
Mr Adzahlie-Mensah said civil society organisations had a crucial role to play in reducing the menace by campaigning for the closure of camps for witches and protection of the aged.
The Chairman of CFI Transnational, Mr Leo Igwe, also stressed the need to fight against superstitious beliefs that had the tendency of undermining development, creating fear, hatred and confusion which oppressed women and undermined their ability to succeed.
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