Branding is not only about painting cars and buildings in your corporate colours, it is much more than that. It about providing quality service to your clients and creating an emotional attachment between the company and the customer.
Before one brand, you must first have an identity. These are the visual elements of the company. Logo, colour, sometime the design of your building can also be regarded as an identity. For instance some companies have the same structure of their buildings, regardless of location or size of the company.
Branding is an area that many companies have ignored, but I suggest that they begin to take it seriously because it will give them the needed exposure, for their services and products as well.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
What is a brand?
A brand is a name, term, sign, symbol, association, trademark or design which is intended to identify the products or services of an organisation(s) and to differentiate them from that of competitors. It is important to note that a brand has functional and emotional elements which creates a relationship between customers and the product or service
Monday, October 5, 2009
Adopt good business practices-Private School owners advised
PRIVATE school owners have been urged to adopt good business practices in their institutions to attract the needed funding for the development of their institutions.
The lack of good business environment has been identified as one of the challenges facing most private schools particularly those operating within less endowed communities in the country.
The Project co-ordinator of the Mitchell Group International (IMG), Mr Baba Donatus Anaba, said this in an interview with the Daily Graphic at a four- day -training programme for private school owners in Accra.
The training programme is being funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and co-ordinated by IMG with Opportunity Industrialisation Centre International (OICI) as the facilitating agent.
Mr Ananba said three main observations had been made with regards to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goal of education for all.
Some of the observations were that the governments were not likely to achieve the target of education for all even with the significant assistance being received from donor communities.
Mr Anaba again mentioned the challenges of springing up of private mushroom schools of varying qualities particularly within less privileged communities in developing nations.
It is to address these difficulties that the USAID is sponsoring the programme aimed at teaching private school owners best business management practices, to enable them to strengthen and broaden their financial management capacities.
Mr Anaba said the programme for owners of the 40 selected schools would cover basic records keeping, credit and financial Management and skills in entrepreneurial development.
Facilitators are also expected to take participants through the basic requirements needed to be credit worthy in the above mentioned areas.
Participants would also learn how to develop a good business plan in order for them to write good business plans to access loans from financial institutions.
In 2008, TMG and USIAD carried out a private school need assessment in twenty of the poorest schools in Accra to identify the basic needs and challenges of private schools in the country.
As a result of that assessment and also of likely funding partners and training institutions, this project was developed at a stakeholders meeting in May 2008.
Some stakeholders who attended this meeting included districts and circuit supervisors, Opportunity International; the lending institution, Ghana National Association of Private School (GNAPS), OICI; the trainer, TMG and USIAD as the sponsors.
The lack of good business environment has been identified as one of the challenges facing most private schools particularly those operating within less endowed communities in the country.
The Project co-ordinator of the Mitchell Group International (IMG), Mr Baba Donatus Anaba, said this in an interview with the Daily Graphic at a four- day -training programme for private school owners in Accra.
The training programme is being funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and co-ordinated by IMG with Opportunity Industrialisation Centre International (OICI) as the facilitating agent.
Mr Ananba said three main observations had been made with regards to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goal of education for all.
Some of the observations were that the governments were not likely to achieve the target of education for all even with the significant assistance being received from donor communities.
Mr Anaba again mentioned the challenges of springing up of private mushroom schools of varying qualities particularly within less privileged communities in developing nations.
It is to address these difficulties that the USAID is sponsoring the programme aimed at teaching private school owners best business management practices, to enable them to strengthen and broaden their financial management capacities.
Mr Anaba said the programme for owners of the 40 selected schools would cover basic records keeping, credit and financial Management and skills in entrepreneurial development.
Facilitators are also expected to take participants through the basic requirements needed to be credit worthy in the above mentioned areas.
Participants would also learn how to develop a good business plan in order for them to write good business plans to access loans from financial institutions.
In 2008, TMG and USIAD carried out a private school need assessment in twenty of the poorest schools in Accra to identify the basic needs and challenges of private schools in the country.
As a result of that assessment and also of likely funding partners and training institutions, this project was developed at a stakeholders meeting in May 2008.
Some stakeholders who attended this meeting included districts and circuit supervisors, Opportunity International; the lending institution, Ghana National Association of Private School (GNAPS), OICI; the trainer, TMG and USIAD as the sponsors.
Women urged to take interest in decision-making
A GENDER and Social Development Consultant, Mrs Dede Bedu-Addo, has said that in spite of the remarkable achievement made by Ghanaians on gender issues, women remain underrepresented in all sectors of the country.
She said for instance, the presence of women in parliament had not increased over the last decade and explained that it did not represent the total population of women in the country as compared to their male counterparts.
Mrs Bedu-Addo was speaking at a day’s public forum organised by ABANTU for Development for women within the Teshie-Nungua community in Accra.
The about 60 participants who attended the programme were women who have shown considerable willingness to partake in the decision-making process of the country.
Mrs Bedu-Addo said the 2000 parliamentary elections resulted in the election of only 18 women into the 200-seat parliament of the country.
She said when the number of seats were increased from 200 to 230, only 25 women were elected into parliament.
Mrs Bedu-Addo was not happy that the number of female regional ministers, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCE), as well as those in parliament and the Cabinet was dropping.
She expressed her dissatisfaction that though a large number of women aspirants contested in the 2008 general election, most of them were not elected due to some unfavourable factors on the political terrain.
She mentioned some of these factors as the process of socialisation that prepared men rather than women for leadership positions, the inadequate exposure of women to public life and the demands of women’s reproductive roles.
The Senior Programmes Officer for ABANTU for Development, Mrs Hamida Harrison, said that participation by women in politics should not be limited to only to supporting the political aspirations of their male counterparts.
“Women have the ability, just as their male counterparts to take up any position in politics, leadership, management and all other sectors of the economy”, she said.
Mrs Harrison was worried that in situations where women indicated their willingness to contest political positions, their efforts over the years had been thwarted by the male-dominated political and administrative structures.
She indicated that just as the women had the right to vote, so do they also have the voice to speak on issues of national development.
She noted that the need for women’s participation in the decision-making process had become more relevant as most of the decisions taken impact more on women and children than any other person.
She said Ghanaians must begin to practise true democracy. “If we are truly democratic, then the minority should not be controlling the majority in the country”, she added.
Mrs Harrison said that women formed about 52 per cent of the country’s population and added “if this information is true, then it should be expected that women should constitute about 50 per cent in all leadership positions in politics both at the local and national levels”.
She emphasised that if politics was truly all about sharing, the women must be allowed to form an integral part of the sharing process in order to address their peculiar needs.
To address these imbalances in the society, both presenters called for affirmative actions, which Mrs Harrison defined as an action to balance the imbalance brought about by, economic cultural, political and educational issues.
This call for affirmative action was buttressed with examples of the free education for children in the north and the School Feeding Programme as affirmative actions taken by governments to correct certain imbalances in the society.
She said for instance, the presence of women in parliament had not increased over the last decade and explained that it did not represent the total population of women in the country as compared to their male counterparts.
Mrs Bedu-Addo was speaking at a day’s public forum organised by ABANTU for Development for women within the Teshie-Nungua community in Accra.
The about 60 participants who attended the programme were women who have shown considerable willingness to partake in the decision-making process of the country.
Mrs Bedu-Addo said the 2000 parliamentary elections resulted in the election of only 18 women into the 200-seat parliament of the country.
She said when the number of seats were increased from 200 to 230, only 25 women were elected into parliament.
Mrs Bedu-Addo was not happy that the number of female regional ministers, metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCE), as well as those in parliament and the Cabinet was dropping.
She expressed her dissatisfaction that though a large number of women aspirants contested in the 2008 general election, most of them were not elected due to some unfavourable factors on the political terrain.
She mentioned some of these factors as the process of socialisation that prepared men rather than women for leadership positions, the inadequate exposure of women to public life and the demands of women’s reproductive roles.
The Senior Programmes Officer for ABANTU for Development, Mrs Hamida Harrison, said that participation by women in politics should not be limited to only to supporting the political aspirations of their male counterparts.
“Women have the ability, just as their male counterparts to take up any position in politics, leadership, management and all other sectors of the economy”, she said.
Mrs Harrison was worried that in situations where women indicated their willingness to contest political positions, their efforts over the years had been thwarted by the male-dominated political and administrative structures.
She indicated that just as the women had the right to vote, so do they also have the voice to speak on issues of national development.
She noted that the need for women’s participation in the decision-making process had become more relevant as most of the decisions taken impact more on women and children than any other person.
She said Ghanaians must begin to practise true democracy. “If we are truly democratic, then the minority should not be controlling the majority in the country”, she added.
Mrs Harrison said that women formed about 52 per cent of the country’s population and added “if this information is true, then it should be expected that women should constitute about 50 per cent in all leadership positions in politics both at the local and national levels”.
She emphasised that if politics was truly all about sharing, the women must be allowed to form an integral part of the sharing process in order to address their peculiar needs.
To address these imbalances in the society, both presenters called for affirmative actions, which Mrs Harrison defined as an action to balance the imbalance brought about by, economic cultural, political and educational issues.
This call for affirmative action was buttressed with examples of the free education for children in the north and the School Feeding Programme as affirmative actions taken by governments to correct certain imbalances in the society.
CAL Bank launches rights issue
CAL Bank has launched its rights issue to raise an amount of GH¢30 million through the issue of 150 million new ordinary share to investors.
The offer that opened last Monday will run till Friday, October 23, 2009.
In an address at the launch, the Managing Director of New World Renaissance and lead managers of the offer, Ms Abena Amoah, said the 150 million shares were being offered at GH¢ 0.20 per share.
Ms Amoah said though there was no minimum shares to be bought by investors, each investor was expected to purchase at least 200 shares.
She explained that the offer was an affirmation of the bank's resilience to overcome the challenges in the industry and chart a new future full of opportunities for the bank.
She was confidence that the offer would again enhance the bank’s profitability, boost its lending capacity and strengthen existing processes at the bank, geared at serving their customers better in the years ahead.
A Director of the bank, Mr Paarock Vanpercy, who launched the offer, said it would enable the bank to expand the number of branches which currently stood at 13 and also expand the number of ATMs from 40 to 50 by the close of the year.
He commended investors who invested in the bank in 2004 and had stayed with the bank throughout the period of growth and encouraged them to buy more shares.
The Managing Director of the bank, Mr Frank Adu Jr, said the bank's re-capitalisation process had coincided with the government's desire to reposition itself to gain local and international recognition.
Mr Adu said shareholders in March this year approved an increased in equity capital of up to GH¢ 100 million to enable the bank embark on a new strategic growth.
In 2004, CAL Bank came onto the financial market with an Initial Public Offer (IPO) of GH¢ 5.4 million. Since then the bank has consistently and steadily grown its market share and assets base.
The offer that opened last Monday will run till Friday, October 23, 2009.
In an address at the launch, the Managing Director of New World Renaissance and lead managers of the offer, Ms Abena Amoah, said the 150 million shares were being offered at GH¢ 0.20 per share.
Ms Amoah said though there was no minimum shares to be bought by investors, each investor was expected to purchase at least 200 shares.
She explained that the offer was an affirmation of the bank's resilience to overcome the challenges in the industry and chart a new future full of opportunities for the bank.
She was confidence that the offer would again enhance the bank’s profitability, boost its lending capacity and strengthen existing processes at the bank, geared at serving their customers better in the years ahead.
A Director of the bank, Mr Paarock Vanpercy, who launched the offer, said it would enable the bank to expand the number of branches which currently stood at 13 and also expand the number of ATMs from 40 to 50 by the close of the year.
He commended investors who invested in the bank in 2004 and had stayed with the bank throughout the period of growth and encouraged them to buy more shares.
The Managing Director of the bank, Mr Frank Adu Jr, said the bank's re-capitalisation process had coincided with the government's desire to reposition itself to gain local and international recognition.
Mr Adu said shareholders in March this year approved an increased in equity capital of up to GH¢ 100 million to enable the bank embark on a new strategic growth.
In 2004, CAL Bank came onto the financial market with an Initial Public Offer (IPO) of GH¢ 5.4 million. Since then the bank has consistently and steadily grown its market share and assets base.
Firm introduces high-tech security products
A foreign firm, in partnership with a Ghanaian company, has introduced a wide range of security products into the country to ensure general security in the banking industry.
The products introduced by Godrej and Boyce Company Limited and Hysen Data System
included burglar and fire resistant safes, strong room doors, security alarm systems and safe deposit lockers for jewellery and other valuable items.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Vice President and Head of Business of Godrej Security Solutions, Mr D E Byramjee, and the Associate Manager in charge of Africa, Mr Deepak Kumar Khara, said the need for security solutions in Ghana, and particularly for the banking sector was necessitated by the increasing numbers of fire outbreaks, theft and burglary and their associated loss of money and valuable property.
He said armed robbery attempts in corporate institutions could not be avoided; rather, measures could be taken to minimise their impact on the affected institutions and individuals in the process.
Furthermore, he explained that the company also offered fire resistant record and filing cabinets which provide total protection for all important files and other valuable documents.
Mr Byramjee said his company’s range of fire and burglar alarm systems, surveillance system, currency handling solutions, and other security systems were among the best in the world.
He emphasised that long before coming to Ghana their security products had captured the markets in the banking sector in Asia, America, Germany, and other continents, adding that the focus now was to make an impact on the African market within the non-banking sector which includes super markets, shops and homes world-wide.
Mr Byramjee explained that to reinforce its global confidence in its products that were rigorously tested and stringently manufactured, the company had implemented an Integrated Management System (IMS) comprising ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14000:2004 and OHSAS 18001:1999, thus making the company the only one in the industry to have tested three certifications.
He assured would-be customers in Ghana that the focus of the company was to give their them total peace of mind while going about their everyday duties.
Mr Byramjee added that the company had duplicate keys and combination keys of all the products they had sold since 1907 when it commenced business in India.
The company has over the last few months trained technicians to handle all the after-sales service needs of their clients in Ghana.
He, therefore, called on the public and corporate organisations to spend some of their budget allocations on acquiring the company’s security systems for their homes and organisations.
The products introduced by Godrej and Boyce Company Limited and Hysen Data System
included burglar and fire resistant safes, strong room doors, security alarm systems and safe deposit lockers for jewellery and other valuable items.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, the Vice President and Head of Business of Godrej Security Solutions, Mr D E Byramjee, and the Associate Manager in charge of Africa, Mr Deepak Kumar Khara, said the need for security solutions in Ghana, and particularly for the banking sector was necessitated by the increasing numbers of fire outbreaks, theft and burglary and their associated loss of money and valuable property.
He said armed robbery attempts in corporate institutions could not be avoided; rather, measures could be taken to minimise their impact on the affected institutions and individuals in the process.
Furthermore, he explained that the company also offered fire resistant record and filing cabinets which provide total protection for all important files and other valuable documents.
Mr Byramjee said his company’s range of fire and burglar alarm systems, surveillance system, currency handling solutions, and other security systems were among the best in the world.
He emphasised that long before coming to Ghana their security products had captured the markets in the banking sector in Asia, America, Germany, and other continents, adding that the focus now was to make an impact on the African market within the non-banking sector which includes super markets, shops and homes world-wide.
Mr Byramjee explained that to reinforce its global confidence in its products that were rigorously tested and stringently manufactured, the company had implemented an Integrated Management System (IMS) comprising ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14000:2004 and OHSAS 18001:1999, thus making the company the only one in the industry to have tested three certifications.
He assured would-be customers in Ghana that the focus of the company was to give their them total peace of mind while going about their everyday duties.
Mr Byramjee added that the company had duplicate keys and combination keys of all the products they had sold since 1907 when it commenced business in India.
The company has over the last few months trained technicians to handle all the after-sales service needs of their clients in Ghana.
He, therefore, called on the public and corporate organisations to spend some of their budget allocations on acquiring the company’s security systems for their homes and organisations.
Global women attend workshop
THE Women’s Ministry of the Global Evangelical Church has initiated moves to empower women in the church to be economically viable to contribute to poverty eradication among women.
As part of the initiative, the women have undergone a day’s training in wealth creation in Accra aimed at making them economically independent.
The programme brought together about 600 hundred women from various congregations of the church in Accra.
Speaking on the theme, “How to create and maintain wealth in an economic downturn”, the Secretary of the Accra Presbytery of the Women’s Ministry of the church, Mrs Patricia Tegbe-Agbo, said God had endowed Ghanaian women with a lot of creativity “but our problem is our inability to identify this potential and make ample use of it”.
She said women must not see wealth creation as the preserve of a certain class in society.
“You have immense abilities capable of transforming your own lives and that of the country,” she added.
She led the participants through some principles of wealth creation and how to sustain it, adding that until a person got the fundamentals of wealth creation right, it was impossible for anyone to create wealth for herself and her family.
Mrs Tegbe-Agbo told the women that wealth creation started with what one loved doing or would like to do and the first step, therefore, must be directed at doing what one loved to do or loving what one did best.
She encouraged them to be focused on whatever they were doing, adding that many people were not able to make it because they had divided attention, as a result of which they were unable to accomplish any of the many things they aspired to do.
She urged the women to be creative and original in all their doings in order to have a competitive edge at the market for the products they would create.
As part of the initiative, the women have undergone a day’s training in wealth creation in Accra aimed at making them economically independent.
The programme brought together about 600 hundred women from various congregations of the church in Accra.
Speaking on the theme, “How to create and maintain wealth in an economic downturn”, the Secretary of the Accra Presbytery of the Women’s Ministry of the church, Mrs Patricia Tegbe-Agbo, said God had endowed Ghanaian women with a lot of creativity “but our problem is our inability to identify this potential and make ample use of it”.
She said women must not see wealth creation as the preserve of a certain class in society.
“You have immense abilities capable of transforming your own lives and that of the country,” she added.
She led the participants through some principles of wealth creation and how to sustain it, adding that until a person got the fundamentals of wealth creation right, it was impossible for anyone to create wealth for herself and her family.
Mrs Tegbe-Agbo told the women that wealth creation started with what one loved doing or would like to do and the first step, therefore, must be directed at doing what one loved to do or loving what one did best.
She encouraged them to be focused on whatever they were doing, adding that many people were not able to make it because they had divided attention, as a result of which they were unable to accomplish any of the many things they aspired to do.
She urged the women to be creative and original in all their doings in order to have a competitive edge at the market for the products they would create.
New Scan, X-ray machine commissioned
AKAI House Clinic has commissioned a scan and a digital X-ray machine at a ceremony in Accra.
The light-speed 64-Slice Volume CT scan is a 64-channel detector which can cover the anatomy with an extremely fast speed while simultaneously providing an exceptional resolution.
Due to its record breaking coverage speed, it has the capacity to attain 43 millisecond temporal resolution, which means that doctors can effectively freeze the motion of the heart, thereby ensuring a more accurate diagnosis in the treatment of heart diseases and other life-threatening illnesses.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kumbour, who commissioned the new facilities, assured the private sector of the government’s support for developing health facilities in the country.
Dr Kumbour said that the health of the public was important to the present government so every help would be given to the private sector to enable it achieve this single objective.
The sector minister called on the administrator of Akai Clinic to take good care of the facility to ensure that the facilities have a longer lifespan.
Dr Kumbour said the government’s support to the health sector was part of the government’s policy of making Ghana a health tourism centre in the sub-region.
The Medical Director of Akai House Clinic, Dr Adrian Oddoye said the installation of the new facility was to achieve the clinic’s objective of providing a world-class diagnostic service and becoming a leader in preventive healthcare in the country.
Dr Oddoye said his administration had spent a lot of time and money in training all clinicians at the centre to ensure accurate patient diagnosis.
In the past, a lot of time was spent on examinations to ensure that they did not miss anything, he said, but now with this new facility they can obtain high resolution images and that enables them to make quicker decisions.
The facilities were supplied by GE Healthcare, whose President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr John Dineen was present to grace the occasion.
The light-speed 64-Slice Volume CT scan is a 64-channel detector which can cover the anatomy with an extremely fast speed while simultaneously providing an exceptional resolution.
Due to its record breaking coverage speed, it has the capacity to attain 43 millisecond temporal resolution, which means that doctors can effectively freeze the motion of the heart, thereby ensuring a more accurate diagnosis in the treatment of heart diseases and other life-threatening illnesses.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kumbour, who commissioned the new facilities, assured the private sector of the government’s support for developing health facilities in the country.
Dr Kumbour said that the health of the public was important to the present government so every help would be given to the private sector to enable it achieve this single objective.
The sector minister called on the administrator of Akai Clinic to take good care of the facility to ensure that the facilities have a longer lifespan.
Dr Kumbour said the government’s support to the health sector was part of the government’s policy of making Ghana a health tourism centre in the sub-region.
The Medical Director of Akai House Clinic, Dr Adrian Oddoye said the installation of the new facility was to achieve the clinic’s objective of providing a world-class diagnostic service and becoming a leader in preventive healthcare in the country.
Dr Oddoye said his administration had spent a lot of time and money in training all clinicians at the centre to ensure accurate patient diagnosis.
In the past, a lot of time was spent on examinations to ensure that they did not miss anything, he said, but now with this new facility they can obtain high resolution images and that enables them to make quicker decisions.
The facilities were supplied by GE Healthcare, whose President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr John Dineen was present to grace the occasion.
NYK Launches Ghana operations
An international shipping company, Nippon Yusen Kaisha Line (NYK), has launched its operations in Ghana in partnership with a local shipping company, Antrak Ghana Limited.
By this relationship, Antrak thus becomes the sole agent of NYK Line in Ghana, the second in Africa after South Africa and the first in the West African sub-region.
Customers of both shipping giants will by this relationship have the opportunity of a direct transportation of their goods from any part of the world to Ghana and the West African sub-region.
At a reception to celebrate the launch of NYK Line in Ghana with their clients, the President and Chief Executive Officer of NYK Group Europe Limited, Mr Masaniichi Morooka, said NYK could pride itself with 124 years of extensive experience in the shipping of goods across the world and had the history of providing quality carriage globally.
Mr Morooka said other benefits to be enjoyed by this partnership included direct services between main markets in Asia and South Africa and a direct connection to global network.
He said his organisation offered the most competitive transit times in the world thereby reducing the time and cost of doing business across its operational areas globally, as well as established networks in Asia.
Mr Morooka added that NYK was the biggest shipping line in Japan and the ninth largest shipping company globally making it an ideal agent for any local company worldwide.
With this advantage on it side, the president said any shipping line that forged any relationship with NYK stood the chance of rocking shoulders with the other giants in the industry while serving its clients.
Mr Morooka commended Ghana for making significant strides in the industry over the last three decades after 30 years of absence from Ghana.
He was hopeful that the new relationship would be a step towards building another bridge between Asia and West Africa by helping importers and exporters of Ghana to have their goods transported in a safe and timely manner.
The General Manager of Antrak Group Limited, Mr Alexandre Freland, told the Daily Graphic that the relationship with NYK had become necessary due to the increasing demand in the shipping industry.
"The recent discovery of oil in Ghana and the government’s quest to expand cocoa production has further increased the need for marine transportation,” he said.
Mr Freland explained that his company was not affected by the financial crisis because it was able to maintain its volume and also added other shipping lines.
He said Antrak with about 55 years of experience in the industry was repositioning itself with this relationship to serve customers better.
By this relationship, Antrak thus becomes the sole agent of NYK Line in Ghana, the second in Africa after South Africa and the first in the West African sub-region.
Customers of both shipping giants will by this relationship have the opportunity of a direct transportation of their goods from any part of the world to Ghana and the West African sub-region.
At a reception to celebrate the launch of NYK Line in Ghana with their clients, the President and Chief Executive Officer of NYK Group Europe Limited, Mr Masaniichi Morooka, said NYK could pride itself with 124 years of extensive experience in the shipping of goods across the world and had the history of providing quality carriage globally.
Mr Morooka said other benefits to be enjoyed by this partnership included direct services between main markets in Asia and South Africa and a direct connection to global network.
He said his organisation offered the most competitive transit times in the world thereby reducing the time and cost of doing business across its operational areas globally, as well as established networks in Asia.
Mr Morooka added that NYK was the biggest shipping line in Japan and the ninth largest shipping company globally making it an ideal agent for any local company worldwide.
With this advantage on it side, the president said any shipping line that forged any relationship with NYK stood the chance of rocking shoulders with the other giants in the industry while serving its clients.
Mr Morooka commended Ghana for making significant strides in the industry over the last three decades after 30 years of absence from Ghana.
He was hopeful that the new relationship would be a step towards building another bridge between Asia and West Africa by helping importers and exporters of Ghana to have their goods transported in a safe and timely manner.
The General Manager of Antrak Group Limited, Mr Alexandre Freland, told the Daily Graphic that the relationship with NYK had become necessary due to the increasing demand in the shipping industry.
"The recent discovery of oil in Ghana and the government’s quest to expand cocoa production has further increased the need for marine transportation,” he said.
Mr Freland explained that his company was not affected by the financial crisis because it was able to maintain its volume and also added other shipping lines.
He said Antrak with about 55 years of experience in the industry was repositioning itself with this relationship to serve customers better.
Abedi commends Graphic
THE Chief Football Ambassador for the Africa Nations Cup trophy tour, maestro Abedi Ayew Pele, has commended the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) for its role in the promotion of sports in the country, particularly football over the years.
He specifically lauded the role played by newspapers of the graphic stable for his personal rise to international fame and urged the company to do same for the other up and coming sports men and women in the country.
Mr Abedi Ayew said this when he presented the CAF trophy to the Managing Director of GCGL, Mr Ibrahim Awal in his office in Accra.
Mr Abedi Ayew recounted his experience with GCGL some 30 years ago, when in 1978 the late S K Mainoo in deposited an educational sponsorship fee with the GCGL for his education up to the University level.
“This gave me the opportunity to be part of the Graphic family and to bring the trophy here today is not only an honour but a sweet homecoming,” he added.
Mr Abedi Ayew also used the occasion to commend the study growth in the organisation of football on the continent and urged the media to provide the needed support and motivation for the development and growth of sports on the continent.
Mr Abedi Ayew said he was honoured to be touring Africa with the trophy for the second time and commended Standard Bank’s (the parent company of Stanbic Bank) for giving him the opportunity and the support for the past two years.
The Managing Director of Stanbic Bank, Mr Alhassan Andani, assured of Standard Bank’s support for the development of football , which he indicated would run till 2016.
Mr Andani indicated that the purpose of organising the trophy tour for the second time was as a result of the success of the first tour and added that, “we also want to bring the trophy to the fans who are the true custodians to them have a feel of it.”
Mr Andani said the bank’s financial commitment to CAF was in line with the bank's effort at supporting sports development in Africa.
The Managing Director (MD) of Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Mr Ibrahim Awal, who received the trophy, assured the trophy tour team of GCGL’s support during the tour and to bring Angola 2010 to Ghanaians.
He commended Stanbic Bank for supporting the development of sports in Ghana since it inception in the country and on the continent.
Mr Awal said since Ghana was the first stop of the trophy, it must motivate the Black Star to bring the trophy back to where it took off.
He specifically lauded the role played by newspapers of the graphic stable for his personal rise to international fame and urged the company to do same for the other up and coming sports men and women in the country.
Mr Abedi Ayew said this when he presented the CAF trophy to the Managing Director of GCGL, Mr Ibrahim Awal in his office in Accra.
Mr Abedi Ayew recounted his experience with GCGL some 30 years ago, when in 1978 the late S K Mainoo in deposited an educational sponsorship fee with the GCGL for his education up to the University level.
“This gave me the opportunity to be part of the Graphic family and to bring the trophy here today is not only an honour but a sweet homecoming,” he added.
Mr Abedi Ayew also used the occasion to commend the study growth in the organisation of football on the continent and urged the media to provide the needed support and motivation for the development and growth of sports on the continent.
Mr Abedi Ayew said he was honoured to be touring Africa with the trophy for the second time and commended Standard Bank’s (the parent company of Stanbic Bank) for giving him the opportunity and the support for the past two years.
The Managing Director of Stanbic Bank, Mr Alhassan Andani, assured of Standard Bank’s support for the development of football , which he indicated would run till 2016.
Mr Andani indicated that the purpose of organising the trophy tour for the second time was as a result of the success of the first tour and added that, “we also want to bring the trophy to the fans who are the true custodians to them have a feel of it.”
Mr Andani said the bank’s financial commitment to CAF was in line with the bank's effort at supporting sports development in Africa.
The Managing Director (MD) of Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Mr Ibrahim Awal, who received the trophy, assured the trophy tour team of GCGL’s support during the tour and to bring Angola 2010 to Ghanaians.
He commended Stanbic Bank for supporting the development of sports in Ghana since it inception in the country and on the continent.
Mr Awal said since Ghana was the first stop of the trophy, it must motivate the Black Star to bring the trophy back to where it took off.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Legon demolish houses
Many houses at various stages of construction located on farmlands belonging to the University of Ghana at Nungua, were demolished in a special exercise at dawn yesterday.
The exercise, executed by the authorities of the University of Ghana, under heavy police and military security, was to protect the land from encroachment by private individuals and other developers.
The houses affected included a 15-unit two storey building, a senior high school classroom block, some companies, a warehouse, a church and a block factory. Other structures demolished were several walls and wooden structures.
The exercise, which began at 5 am, took the occupants of the houses by surprise as many of them were still in bed at the time.
Most of the occupants who were caretakers quickly called their landlords on phone to inform them of the demolition exercise.
The farmland, covering 2570 acres, was acquired by the University of Ghana from the Nungua Stool in 1940 for agricultural research.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor N. B. Tagoe, said the action to demolish the structures became necessary because several appeals to the developers to stop the encroachment did not yield any positive results.
Apparently worried that several portions of the university's farmlands were being taken over by illegal developers, Professor Tagoe explained that the 2570 acres belonging to the university were acquired for agricultural research purposes and must be used for the intended purpose .
He, therefore, cautioned persons who had acquired parcels of land in that area to stop further development otherwise the university would use every available means to protect its property.
“If you have bought land within the area from any group or individual go back and take your money,” he advised.
The Head of the Agriculture Research Centre of the University of Ghana, Dr Augustine Naazi, explained that the land was given to the university for a lease period of 200 years, we are only about 50 years into the lease period,” he said.
Dr Naazi said the land at the moment was being used by the research centre for grazing purposes. “This land is not even enough for the grazing of our animals,” he added.
Last July, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda, ordered the immediate demolition of all illegal structures on the land to pave way for the university to use the land for its intended purpose.
The minister also instructed all groups and individuals who had built structures on the land located within the Nungua Farms off the Tema Motorway to stop work and vacate the land immediately or risk being ejected with force without any compensation.
The exercise, executed by the authorities of the University of Ghana, under heavy police and military security, was to protect the land from encroachment by private individuals and other developers.
The houses affected included a 15-unit two storey building, a senior high school classroom block, some companies, a warehouse, a church and a block factory. Other structures demolished were several walls and wooden structures.
The exercise, which began at 5 am, took the occupants of the houses by surprise as many of them were still in bed at the time.
Most of the occupants who were caretakers quickly called their landlords on phone to inform them of the demolition exercise.
The farmland, covering 2570 acres, was acquired by the University of Ghana from the Nungua Stool in 1940 for agricultural research.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor N. B. Tagoe, said the action to demolish the structures became necessary because several appeals to the developers to stop the encroachment did not yield any positive results.
Apparently worried that several portions of the university's farmlands were being taken over by illegal developers, Professor Tagoe explained that the 2570 acres belonging to the university were acquired for agricultural research purposes and must be used for the intended purpose .
He, therefore, cautioned persons who had acquired parcels of land in that area to stop further development otherwise the university would use every available means to protect its property.
“If you have bought land within the area from any group or individual go back and take your money,” he advised.
The Head of the Agriculture Research Centre of the University of Ghana, Dr Augustine Naazi, explained that the land was given to the university for a lease period of 200 years, we are only about 50 years into the lease period,” he said.
Dr Naazi said the land at the moment was being used by the research centre for grazing purposes. “This land is not even enough for the grazing of our animals,” he added.
Last July, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda, ordered the immediate demolition of all illegal structures on the land to pave way for the university to use the land for its intended purpose.
The minister also instructed all groups and individuals who had built structures on the land located within the Nungua Farms off the Tema Motorway to stop work and vacate the land immediately or risk being ejected with force without any compensation.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Ghana does not use child labourers
Vice-PresidenT John Dramani Mahama has dismissed suggestions that Ghana uses children or forced labour in her cocoa industry, saying minors who accompany their parents to farms is part of social integration and not child labour.
He said minors who accompanied their parents to farms was part of their social integration and not as child labourers as being peddled about in some parts of the United States of America (USA).
Launching the “Good Taste of Ghana”, a new cocoa milk drink by Cargill Ghana Limited, in Tema yesterday, the Vice-President said recent attempts to list Ghana as a country that used child labour or forced labour on her cocoa farms was designed to tarnish the image of the country in the international community especially in the eyes of countries that patronised the country’s cocoa.
“Ghana as a signatory to various conventions on child labour would not allow any infractions such as child labour to happen in the country, especially in a prime sector like cocoa,” he emphasised.
Mr Mahama said the country’s cocoa had found its way into food products consumed all over the world, thereby making the crop Ghana’s topmost export commodity and the mainstay of the economy.
He said in spite of that remarkable achievement, “we have never been able to realise full value of our cocoa because of inadequate capacity to fully process Ghana’s cocoa beans”.
The Vice-President said as a result, about 80 per cent of the value of cocoa from the country was constantly shipped to developed countries for value addition, saying that the situation denied the country revenue, value addition, foreign earnings, technology, job creation and skilled development.
Mr Mahama said the entry of Cargill into the cocoa industry was a manifestation of President Mills’s vision to reclaim the full value of the country’s cocoa.
He said the government had initiated programmes to process at least 60 per cent of cocoa production.
That, he explained, was intended to provide a ready market for the projected increase in the annual crop yield from 700,000 metric tonnes to 1,000,000 metric tonnes within the next three years.
The Vice-President was impressed at Cargill’s capacity to transform Ghana’s cocoa beans into a wide range of products that would be sold on the global market, thereby providing the country with the highest level of value addition in cocoa.
The Managing Director of Cargill Ghana Limited, Mr Leo Winters, said Cargill had been associated with Ghana’s cocoa over the last 40 years and was happy to note that the relationship between Cargill and Ghana had improved tremendously over the years.
Mr Winters said the $100,000,000 investment by Cargill in the processing of cocoa beans in the country would help bring the good taste of Ghana’s cocoa to the world.
The MD said as part of the company’s commitment to cocoa-growing areas, it was working closely with CARE International to provide 70 cocoa-growing areas in the Ashanti Region with some education opportunities for children in an effort to increase school attendance by 17.5 per cent.
The Director of Cocoa powder Sales of Cargill, Mr Piet Van Amelrooij, said Ghana’s reputation as the leading producer of high-quality cocoa beans was well established in the world of cocoa and in the cocoa processing industry.
Mr Amelrooij commended cocoa farmers in the country for their dedication and professionalism in pre-harvesting and post-harvesting work that made cocoa from Ghana the best in the world.
He called for the continuous collaboration among Cargill, cocoa farmers and the government to maintain the very high demand of the country’s cocoa on the international market.
He said minors who accompanied their parents to farms was part of their social integration and not as child labourers as being peddled about in some parts of the United States of America (USA).
Launching the “Good Taste of Ghana”, a new cocoa milk drink by Cargill Ghana Limited, in Tema yesterday, the Vice-President said recent attempts to list Ghana as a country that used child labour or forced labour on her cocoa farms was designed to tarnish the image of the country in the international community especially in the eyes of countries that patronised the country’s cocoa.
“Ghana as a signatory to various conventions on child labour would not allow any infractions such as child labour to happen in the country, especially in a prime sector like cocoa,” he emphasised.
Mr Mahama said the country’s cocoa had found its way into food products consumed all over the world, thereby making the crop Ghana’s topmost export commodity and the mainstay of the economy.
He said in spite of that remarkable achievement, “we have never been able to realise full value of our cocoa because of inadequate capacity to fully process Ghana’s cocoa beans”.
The Vice-President said as a result, about 80 per cent of the value of cocoa from the country was constantly shipped to developed countries for value addition, saying that the situation denied the country revenue, value addition, foreign earnings, technology, job creation and skilled development.
Mr Mahama said the entry of Cargill into the cocoa industry was a manifestation of President Mills’s vision to reclaim the full value of the country’s cocoa.
He said the government had initiated programmes to process at least 60 per cent of cocoa production.
That, he explained, was intended to provide a ready market for the projected increase in the annual crop yield from 700,000 metric tonnes to 1,000,000 metric tonnes within the next three years.
The Vice-President was impressed at Cargill’s capacity to transform Ghana’s cocoa beans into a wide range of products that would be sold on the global market, thereby providing the country with the highest level of value addition in cocoa.
The Managing Director of Cargill Ghana Limited, Mr Leo Winters, said Cargill had been associated with Ghana’s cocoa over the last 40 years and was happy to note that the relationship between Cargill and Ghana had improved tremendously over the years.
Mr Winters said the $100,000,000 investment by Cargill in the processing of cocoa beans in the country would help bring the good taste of Ghana’s cocoa to the world.
The MD said as part of the company’s commitment to cocoa-growing areas, it was working closely with CARE International to provide 70 cocoa-growing areas in the Ashanti Region with some education opportunities for children in an effort to increase school attendance by 17.5 per cent.
The Director of Cocoa powder Sales of Cargill, Mr Piet Van Amelrooij, said Ghana’s reputation as the leading producer of high-quality cocoa beans was well established in the world of cocoa and in the cocoa processing industry.
Mr Amelrooij commended cocoa farmers in the country for their dedication and professionalism in pre-harvesting and post-harvesting work that made cocoa from Ghana the best in the world.
He called for the continuous collaboration among Cargill, cocoa farmers and the government to maintain the very high demand of the country’s cocoa on the international market.
Justify investment in your education— Finatrade scholarship beneficiaries told
THE Director of Corporate Affairs of the Finatrade Group, Mr John Awuni, has advised students on Finatrade scholarship to justify the company's investment in their education by studying hard.
That, he said, would encourage other corporate organisations to commit their resources to help improve education in the country.
Mr Awuni gave the advice when he presented a cheque for GH¢300 to each of 15 students from the School of Agriculture of the University of Ghana, Legon.
The amount covers payment of bursary for the first semester of the 2009/2010 academic year.
Mr Awuni, who is also the Executive Secretary of Finatrade Foundation, said similar amounts would be presented to beneficiaries of the Finatrade scholarship scheme in other universities including the University for Development Studies (UDS), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
He said the scheme, which started in 2004, was the company's contribution towards the development of education in the country.
In addition to the bursary, Mr Awuni said the company also offered internship to a number of students from those institutions in order to integrate them into the corporate world before graduating.
He urged the students not to focus their attention on making money alone but also making good name for themselves.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, said funding of tertiary education had been a challenge to many stakeholders in education all over the world.
The situation, he said, continued to deprive a number of brilliant needy students from having access to quality education.
He, therefore, called on corporate organisations to channel more of their resources into the educational sector by providing scholarships and teaching and learning facilities in the schools and by building infrastructure.
Prof. Tagoe said the university on her part had initiated a student financial aid scheme to help needy students who could not pay their fees to do so.
He advised the students to work hard to commit Finatrade to increase the number of beneficiaries of its scholarship scheme.
The Vice Chancellor also commended Finatrade for the long-standing relationship between the organisation and the universities.
The Dean of the School of Agriculture, Prof. Kwame Offei, expressed worry about the number of students who could not gain admission to the universities because they did not have the wherewithal to do so.
Prof. Offei said the Finatrade Group’s contribution to the education of needy students in the school was, therefore, in the right direction and advised the students to maintain their current academic performance to remain on the scheme.
The Provost of the College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, Prof. Ben K. Ahunu, was grateful for the gesture and asked the students not to go abroad to seek greener pastures but should "remain in the country and contribute towards it development.
That, he said, would encourage other corporate organisations to commit their resources to help improve education in the country.
Mr Awuni gave the advice when he presented a cheque for GH¢300 to each of 15 students from the School of Agriculture of the University of Ghana, Legon.
The amount covers payment of bursary for the first semester of the 2009/2010 academic year.
Mr Awuni, who is also the Executive Secretary of Finatrade Foundation, said similar amounts would be presented to beneficiaries of the Finatrade scholarship scheme in other universities including the University for Development Studies (UDS), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
He said the scheme, which started in 2004, was the company's contribution towards the development of education in the country.
In addition to the bursary, Mr Awuni said the company also offered internship to a number of students from those institutions in order to integrate them into the corporate world before graduating.
He urged the students not to focus their attention on making money alone but also making good name for themselves.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, said funding of tertiary education had been a challenge to many stakeholders in education all over the world.
The situation, he said, continued to deprive a number of brilliant needy students from having access to quality education.
He, therefore, called on corporate organisations to channel more of their resources into the educational sector by providing scholarships and teaching and learning facilities in the schools and by building infrastructure.
Prof. Tagoe said the university on her part had initiated a student financial aid scheme to help needy students who could not pay their fees to do so.
He advised the students to work hard to commit Finatrade to increase the number of beneficiaries of its scholarship scheme.
The Vice Chancellor also commended Finatrade for the long-standing relationship between the organisation and the universities.
The Dean of the School of Agriculture, Prof. Kwame Offei, expressed worry about the number of students who could not gain admission to the universities because they did not have the wherewithal to do so.
Prof. Offei said the Finatrade Group’s contribution to the education of needy students in the school was, therefore, in the right direction and advised the students to maintain their current academic performance to remain on the scheme.
The Provost of the College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, Prof. Ben K. Ahunu, was grateful for the gesture and asked the students not to go abroad to seek greener pastures but should "remain in the country and contribute towards it development.
‘Emulate life style of Dr Kwame Nkrumah’
THE Synod Clerk of the Global Evangelical Church, Rev Prince Y. Tefe, has urged politicians and the youth to emulate the life style of Dr Kwame Nkrumah as Ghanaians prepare to celebrate his birthday.
Rev Tefe said that the policies and programmes of Dr Nkrumah, the First President of the Republic of Ghana, were geared towards the interest of the country first before any other consideration.
The Synod Clerk was speaking at the annual youth forum of the Ebenezer Chapel of the Global Evangelical Church at Ashaiman on the theme, “From Success to Significance”.
Rev Tefe explained that many personalities across the political divide and Africa had attributed the independence of Ghana to the man who was declared the man of the century as a result of his selfless dedication towards the attainment of freedom, particularly for Ghana and Africa at large.
“If our politicians and the youth of today, would follow the standards set by the First President, Ghana would have made some remarkable achievement in all areas of our economy,” he said.
Rev Tefe was worried politicians would always want to seek their own interest and that of their families first before seeking the national interest.
This attitude, he said, continued to thwart the economic, social, political and development efforts made by Dr Kwame Nkrumah during his life time.
He commended the government for its efforts in honouring the First President of the republic of Ghana, and called on the government to educate the youth on the selfless and hardworking life style of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Rev Tefe urged the youth not to lose hope in the system they found themselves in inspite of the challenges the government was facing, “the most relevant thing to do now is to concentrate on your education and seek the will of God in your life.”
He asked the youth not to measure success only by the number of houses and posh cars they see people drive about, “just as Dr Nkrumah did your success in life is measured by your contribution towards society long after you are dead” he added.
For his part, the Director of the Youth Ministry of the church, Rev H.A.K. Agbesinyale, said success and significance in life was the result of ones contribution to the life of others. He therefore urged the youth to endeavour to contribute in their small ways to the life of others.
As Christian youth, you have the opportunity to affect the life of other people around you, “you are not holding that office or that opportunity for nothing, but God has placed you there so you can glorify God through what you do”.
Rev Agbesinyale challenged the youth not to be limited by their current circumstances, rather, he urged them to be challenged by it to achieve greater things in life for the nation.
Rev Tefe said that the policies and programmes of Dr Nkrumah, the First President of the Republic of Ghana, were geared towards the interest of the country first before any other consideration.
The Synod Clerk was speaking at the annual youth forum of the Ebenezer Chapel of the Global Evangelical Church at Ashaiman on the theme, “From Success to Significance”.
Rev Tefe explained that many personalities across the political divide and Africa had attributed the independence of Ghana to the man who was declared the man of the century as a result of his selfless dedication towards the attainment of freedom, particularly for Ghana and Africa at large.
“If our politicians and the youth of today, would follow the standards set by the First President, Ghana would have made some remarkable achievement in all areas of our economy,” he said.
Rev Tefe was worried politicians would always want to seek their own interest and that of their families first before seeking the national interest.
This attitude, he said, continued to thwart the economic, social, political and development efforts made by Dr Kwame Nkrumah during his life time.
He commended the government for its efforts in honouring the First President of the republic of Ghana, and called on the government to educate the youth on the selfless and hardworking life style of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Rev Tefe urged the youth not to lose hope in the system they found themselves in inspite of the challenges the government was facing, “the most relevant thing to do now is to concentrate on your education and seek the will of God in your life.”
He asked the youth not to measure success only by the number of houses and posh cars they see people drive about, “just as Dr Nkrumah did your success in life is measured by your contribution towards society long after you are dead” he added.
For his part, the Director of the Youth Ministry of the church, Rev H.A.K. Agbesinyale, said success and significance in life was the result of ones contribution to the life of others. He therefore urged the youth to endeavour to contribute in their small ways to the life of others.
As Christian youth, you have the opportunity to affect the life of other people around you, “you are not holding that office or that opportunity for nothing, but God has placed you there so you can glorify God through what you do”.
Rev Agbesinyale challenged the youth not to be limited by their current circumstances, rather, he urged them to be challenged by it to achieve greater things in life for the nation.
Ashaiman Municipal Assembly Ashaiman Municipal Assembly
THE Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (ASHMA) has initiated three more modules under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) aimed at creating jobs for the youth in the municipality.
The three modules are Youth in Trade and Vocation, Agriculture and ICT.
Already, three other modules, Youth in Community Policing, Nursing Assistance and Sanitation, which are under the management of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, are in operation.
Mr Addinortey Numo, the Municipal Chief Executive, said this when he addressed the youth of Ashaiman at the Ebenezer Chapel of the Global Evangelical Church and assured them of the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges facing the youth in the municipality.
He said the government acknowledged the immense potential of the youth and the need to use them for national development.
“The youth of our nation constitute a great asset. Therefore, there is the need for us to harness their energies for productive activities for their development,” he added.
Mr Addinortey lamented that though funds for the development of various projects in the municipality were ready, “we are faced with the problem of the unavailability of land in the Ashaiman Municipality to execute the projects”.
He added that this situation was driving away potential investors from the area and cited the case of two developers from the United States who had expressed their interest to construct a training facility in that area.
Mr Addinortey said the project was intended to facilitate the training of the youth in various vocations in the area.
The Municipal Chief Executive, therefore, used the opportunity to appeal to the various stakeholders, including Tema Traditional Council, Tema Development Corporation, churches, groups and individuals to come to the aid of the assembly by making land available for the execution of various projects within the assembly.
Additionally, Mr Addinortey urged the youth to eschew any form of misconduct that would disrupt the peace and stability in the area, and also avoid the use of drugs, which usually induced them to misconduct themselves.
He mentioned teenage pregnancy and a very high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the area as the two major challenges facing the municipality.
To address these issues, the Assembly had intensified its education on adolescence reproductive health and on causes and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
The three modules are Youth in Trade and Vocation, Agriculture and ICT.
Already, three other modules, Youth in Community Policing, Nursing Assistance and Sanitation, which are under the management of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, are in operation.
Mr Addinortey Numo, the Municipal Chief Executive, said this when he addressed the youth of Ashaiman at the Ebenezer Chapel of the Global Evangelical Church and assured them of the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges facing the youth in the municipality.
He said the government acknowledged the immense potential of the youth and the need to use them for national development.
“The youth of our nation constitute a great asset. Therefore, there is the need for us to harness their energies for productive activities for their development,” he added.
Mr Addinortey lamented that though funds for the development of various projects in the municipality were ready, “we are faced with the problem of the unavailability of land in the Ashaiman Municipality to execute the projects”.
He added that this situation was driving away potential investors from the area and cited the case of two developers from the United States who had expressed their interest to construct a training facility in that area.
Mr Addinortey said the project was intended to facilitate the training of the youth in various vocations in the area.
The Municipal Chief Executive, therefore, used the opportunity to appeal to the various stakeholders, including Tema Traditional Council, Tema Development Corporation, churches, groups and individuals to come to the aid of the assembly by making land available for the execution of various projects within the assembly.
Additionally, Mr Addinortey urged the youth to eschew any form of misconduct that would disrupt the peace and stability in the area, and also avoid the use of drugs, which usually induced them to misconduct themselves.
He mentioned teenage pregnancy and a very high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in the area as the two major challenges facing the municipality.
To address these issues, the Assembly had intensified its education on adolescence reproductive health and on causes and prevention of HIV/AIDS.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Resource Ghana Broadcasting Corporation-GJA
THE Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has called on the Government to restructure and resource the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to enable it to play a more effective public service broadcasting role in the country.
The call was contained in a document submitted by the GJA to the Minister of Information , Mrs Zita Okaikoi, on transforming GBC into a true public service broadcaster in the country in Accra yesterday.
The document was compiled by the GJA with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and KAB Governance Consult after conducting a series of consultation with the public from the middle of 2007 to May 2009.
It recommended, among other things, the need for the Government to transform GBC as the only state-owned broadcasting organisation, especially in the areas of its legal mandate, funding and philosophical outlook.
It also called on the Ministry of Information, which has responsibility over GBC, to actively support the corporation to secure the financial resources towards the restructuring process.
The document requires the state to put in place measures that would mandate all broadcasting stations in the country to undertake a minimum transmission of public service broadcasting.
It asked the Ministry of Information to link up with the National Media Commission (NMC) to provide the required leadership and impetus to transform GBC into a true public service broadcaster for the advancement of the country’s democracy and socio-economic development.
The document further called for the establishment of a public service broadcasting fund to support public service broadcasting in the country.
The sources of the fund should include direct allocation from the Consolidated Fund, a percentage of talk time tax imposed on mobile phone users and a percentage of licence fees paid by prospective radio and television stations for the acquisition of frequencies.
Such a fund, the document indicated, must be insulated from political and commercial interests and should be managed by the NMC.
The President of GJA, Mr Ransford Tetteh, who gave a brief presentation on the document, said the GJA recognised the effective role public service broadcasting played in the consolidation of the country’s democratic culture, hence the need to resource GBC to perform better.
“Public service broadcasting plays an imperative role in the dissemination of information and the provision of a medium for all sections of the society to express their opinion,” he noted.
Mrs Okaikoi, receiving the document, commended the GJA, Friedrich Ebert Foundation and KAB Governance Consult for the initiative, which she said was in line with the Government’s policy of transforming GBC.
She expressed worry that although her ministry spent about 75 per cent of its budgetary allocation on GBC, it was not making the needed impact on the media landscape.
Mrs Okaikoi gave the assurance that as part of the initiative by the Government to transform GBC, the current TV licence fee would soon be increased from 30Gp per annum to GH¢5 per annum.
That, she said, would help mobilise resource towards the restructuring process and called on the management of GBC to clean up the place because “we cannot achieve any result if the current state of work environment is not changed”.
She also called on the members of the public who had not been paying their TV licence fee to do so.
The call was contained in a document submitted by the GJA to the Minister of Information , Mrs Zita Okaikoi, on transforming GBC into a true public service broadcaster in the country in Accra yesterday.
The document was compiled by the GJA with the support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and KAB Governance Consult after conducting a series of consultation with the public from the middle of 2007 to May 2009.
It recommended, among other things, the need for the Government to transform GBC as the only state-owned broadcasting organisation, especially in the areas of its legal mandate, funding and philosophical outlook.
It also called on the Ministry of Information, which has responsibility over GBC, to actively support the corporation to secure the financial resources towards the restructuring process.
The document requires the state to put in place measures that would mandate all broadcasting stations in the country to undertake a minimum transmission of public service broadcasting.
It asked the Ministry of Information to link up with the National Media Commission (NMC) to provide the required leadership and impetus to transform GBC into a true public service broadcaster for the advancement of the country’s democracy and socio-economic development.
The document further called for the establishment of a public service broadcasting fund to support public service broadcasting in the country.
The sources of the fund should include direct allocation from the Consolidated Fund, a percentage of talk time tax imposed on mobile phone users and a percentage of licence fees paid by prospective radio and television stations for the acquisition of frequencies.
Such a fund, the document indicated, must be insulated from political and commercial interests and should be managed by the NMC.
The President of GJA, Mr Ransford Tetteh, who gave a brief presentation on the document, said the GJA recognised the effective role public service broadcasting played in the consolidation of the country’s democratic culture, hence the need to resource GBC to perform better.
“Public service broadcasting plays an imperative role in the dissemination of information and the provision of a medium for all sections of the society to express their opinion,” he noted.
Mrs Okaikoi, receiving the document, commended the GJA, Friedrich Ebert Foundation and KAB Governance Consult for the initiative, which she said was in line with the Government’s policy of transforming GBC.
She expressed worry that although her ministry spent about 75 per cent of its budgetary allocation on GBC, it was not making the needed impact on the media landscape.
Mrs Okaikoi gave the assurance that as part of the initiative by the Government to transform GBC, the current TV licence fee would soon be increased from 30Gp per annum to GH¢5 per annum.
That, she said, would help mobilise resource towards the restructuring process and called on the management of GBC to clean up the place because “we cannot achieve any result if the current state of work environment is not changed”.
She also called on the members of the public who had not been paying their TV licence fee to do so.
Help stem attack on media practitioners — GJA President calls on civil society organisations
THE President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Ransford Tetteh, has called on civil society organisations to help in the crusade against the consistent assault on journalists in the line of duty.
Mr Tetteh said journalists played a pivotal role in the dissemination of information and advancing the country’s democracy and must, therefore, be allowed to do their work within the confines of the law without any form of intimidation, particularly from politicians.
Mr Tetteh said this when MTN, the major sponsors of the 2008 GJA media awards ceremony, presented prizes to the award winners. The Best Journalist of the Year was won by Mr Kofi Akordor of the Daily Graphic, who also won the Columnist of the Year.
Each award winner took home a Laptop, modem and MTN starter pack.
Additionally, the winner of the best ICT and Telecom Reporter, Mr Charles Benoni Okine, will attend an all-expense-paid trip to participate in the Highway Africa conference in South Africa, while the Best Sports Reporter, Mr Maurice Quansah, will attend the 2010 World Cup also in South Africa, both on the ticket of MTN.
Mr Tetteh cited the most recent assault on Afua Pokua, a female journalist with Adom FM, a Tema-based radio station, by the bodyguard of former President J.A. Kufuor at the recent special delegates conference of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) held at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra.
He also cited attacks on journalists in the Eastern Region by supporters of the NPP during the rerun of the parliamentary election in six polling stations in the Akwatia Constituency in the Eastern Region and said such attacks should be condemned in no uncertain terms.
Mr Tetteh described these attacks as unwarranted, intended to undermine and retard the achievements gained in the promotion of media freedom in the country.
He said the patience of journalists was being pushed to intolerable levels and indicated that journalists in the country would not abuse the law by adopting self-help approach to achieve redress and called on the police to deal with those who would want to trample on the rights of journalists in the country.
Mr Tetteh said journalists would not be deterred by those acts of cowardice by a section of the public and would continue to work hard to demand accountability and transparency from the public.
The acting Customer Service Executive, Ms Afua Falconer, said MTN would continue to partner the media to consistently improve standards and build capacity in the field of journalism while rewarding excellence in journalism.
Ms Falconer gave the assurance that MTN would continue to be innovative and creative for the benefit of its cherished subscribers. “We will not compromise on our can-do spirit which requires that we give our subscribers the best of service at all times,” she added.
She commended the MTN-media partnership in sharing information and providing constructive feedback from customers regarding the company’s operations in the country.
She also asked the public to participate in the SMS-based Text GO 2010 promotion which is intended to whip up interest towards the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Mr Tetteh said journalists played a pivotal role in the dissemination of information and advancing the country’s democracy and must, therefore, be allowed to do their work within the confines of the law without any form of intimidation, particularly from politicians.
Mr Tetteh said this when MTN, the major sponsors of the 2008 GJA media awards ceremony, presented prizes to the award winners. The Best Journalist of the Year was won by Mr Kofi Akordor of the Daily Graphic, who also won the Columnist of the Year.
Each award winner took home a Laptop, modem and MTN starter pack.
Additionally, the winner of the best ICT and Telecom Reporter, Mr Charles Benoni Okine, will attend an all-expense-paid trip to participate in the Highway Africa conference in South Africa, while the Best Sports Reporter, Mr Maurice Quansah, will attend the 2010 World Cup also in South Africa, both on the ticket of MTN.
Mr Tetteh cited the most recent assault on Afua Pokua, a female journalist with Adom FM, a Tema-based radio station, by the bodyguard of former President J.A. Kufuor at the recent special delegates conference of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) held at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra.
He also cited attacks on journalists in the Eastern Region by supporters of the NPP during the rerun of the parliamentary election in six polling stations in the Akwatia Constituency in the Eastern Region and said such attacks should be condemned in no uncertain terms.
Mr Tetteh described these attacks as unwarranted, intended to undermine and retard the achievements gained in the promotion of media freedom in the country.
He said the patience of journalists was being pushed to intolerable levels and indicated that journalists in the country would not abuse the law by adopting self-help approach to achieve redress and called on the police to deal with those who would want to trample on the rights of journalists in the country.
Mr Tetteh said journalists would not be deterred by those acts of cowardice by a section of the public and would continue to work hard to demand accountability and transparency from the public.
The acting Customer Service Executive, Ms Afua Falconer, said MTN would continue to partner the media to consistently improve standards and build capacity in the field of journalism while rewarding excellence in journalism.
Ms Falconer gave the assurance that MTN would continue to be innovative and creative for the benefit of its cherished subscribers. “We will not compromise on our can-do spirit which requires that we give our subscribers the best of service at all times,” she added.
She commended the MTN-media partnership in sharing information and providing constructive feedback from customers regarding the company’s operations in the country.
She also asked the public to participate in the SMS-based Text GO 2010 promotion which is intended to whip up interest towards the FIFA 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Seed money for Nkrumah celebration
THE Government has released an amount of GH¢ two million as seed money towards the centenary celebration of the First President of the Republic of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
This, the Chairman of the Kwame Nkrumah Centenary Planning Committee, Prof. Akilagpa Sawyerr, said was less than the GH¢18,000,000 draft budget presented to the Government in the early part of July this year.
Prof. Sawyerr said this when he addressed the first press briefing on the committee's plans towards the celebration which is slated for September 2009 to May 2009.
He has therefore, called for public and corporate support for the celebration which is on the theme, "A life of Struggle, A Vision of Africa Unbound."
Prof. Swayerr said programmes towards the celebration had been planned in such a manner that would reflect the true national and international character of Dr Nkrumah.
He explained further that the committee had put in measures to ensured that not only did they have an effective programmes, but also meet all sections of Ghanaian society in its geographic and generational spread.
The chairman said the celebrations would be build around three clusters of activities and event, with each cluster reflecting the particular character of its climatic event.
The first clusters is the birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah which falls on September 21, 2009, the second will be the Independence Day celebration on March 6, 2010, and finally the Africa Liberation Day on May 25, 2010.
In addition, a series of activities and events reflecting all the various aspects of the celebrations, and spread over the country would be undertaken.
The committee also outlined four main blocks within which it would operate, the elements within the block include, the rehabilitating all centres of attraction relating to Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
There would also be public lectures and quiz competitions on the political and intellectual life of the First President.
The other element would be the re-enactment of various activities and events of Dr Nkrumah, prominent among them would be the commemoration of the 28 February crossroad shooting in Accra and in the regions.
The special feature of this event is the inclusion of the youth.The day had over the years been celebrated mostly by elderly persons in the country.
"What happens if these persons are no more with us ?" the Chairman asked.
Another member of the committee, Prof. Agyeman Badu-Akosa said members of the Nkrumah Foundation had begun the process of preserving all the legacies of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and called on the public to help retrieve these legacies.
This, the Chairman of the Kwame Nkrumah Centenary Planning Committee, Prof. Akilagpa Sawyerr, said was less than the GH¢18,000,000 draft budget presented to the Government in the early part of July this year.
Prof. Sawyerr said this when he addressed the first press briefing on the committee's plans towards the celebration which is slated for September 2009 to May 2009.
He has therefore, called for public and corporate support for the celebration which is on the theme, "A life of Struggle, A Vision of Africa Unbound."
Prof. Swayerr said programmes towards the celebration had been planned in such a manner that would reflect the true national and international character of Dr Nkrumah.
He explained further that the committee had put in measures to ensured that not only did they have an effective programmes, but also meet all sections of Ghanaian society in its geographic and generational spread.
The chairman said the celebrations would be build around three clusters of activities and event, with each cluster reflecting the particular character of its climatic event.
The first clusters is the birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah which falls on September 21, 2009, the second will be the Independence Day celebration on March 6, 2010, and finally the Africa Liberation Day on May 25, 2010.
In addition, a series of activities and events reflecting all the various aspects of the celebrations, and spread over the country would be undertaken.
The committee also outlined four main blocks within which it would operate, the elements within the block include, the rehabilitating all centres of attraction relating to Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
There would also be public lectures and quiz competitions on the political and intellectual life of the First President.
The other element would be the re-enactment of various activities and events of Dr Nkrumah, prominent among them would be the commemoration of the 28 February crossroad shooting in Accra and in the regions.
The special feature of this event is the inclusion of the youth.The day had over the years been celebrated mostly by elderly persons in the country.
"What happens if these persons are no more with us ?" the Chairman asked.
Another member of the committee, Prof. Agyeman Badu-Akosa said members of the Nkrumah Foundation had begun the process of preserving all the legacies of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and called on the public to help retrieve these legacies.
Take us to court-prison inmates declare
ONE Thousand five hundred and fifty four remand inmates at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons have demanded their immediate trial since their continuous stay in prison without trial is an abuse of their fundamental human rights.
The inmates, some of whom have been in prison for between three months and 20 years, alleged that police investigators demanded as high as GH¢1,200 from them and their families before taking them to court.
The inmates made the appeal when the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Mr Emile Short, toured the Nsawam Prisons yesterday to assess the conditions of the inmates.
The 1,554 prisoners form about 57 per cent of the about 3000 inmates currently been kept at the Nsawam prison. The prison was initially built for 717 inmates.
They said they had not had any legal representation since they were taken to the prison.
A second-hand clothes dealer who gave his name only as Kojo said he was returning from Nsawam to Accra in a hired taxi-cab with some goods on board when the police arrested him.
He said two days later, the police charged him with robbing a total filling station at Legon and “since 1998 I have been here with three other friends".
“I have been taken to court only once, which was last year,” he said.
Dan, another remand inmate aged 65, said he was arrested for a name same as his written in a pair of sandals found at robbery scene some 20 years ago at Sogakope.
, “I have been here for 20 years and now all I want is to be taken to court. If I am found guilty, so be it but I know I have no idea about that case for which I am being kept here,” he emphasised.
Other inmates chased mediamen to narrate the horrible conditions under which they were being kept and the deplorable state of facilities at the prison.
They claimed that their continued stay on remand at the prison could be attributed to negative attitude of police investigators.
They alleged that the remand warrant for most of the inmates had expired long ago and that police investigators went to renew their remand warrants without taking them to court.
Others also said investigators handling their cases at the initial stage had been transferred, hence their inability to deal with such cases.
The Daily Graphic, during the tour, came across disabled and blind 91-year-old woman who said she was arrested along with her husband, who was in possession of wee at the time of the arrest.
She said the husband was currently being kept at the Kumasi prison.
Mr Emile Short, in response to the demands and complaints of the inmates, assured them of the commission’s preparedness to help them, particularly those who had been on remand for as long as 20 years.
The Deputy Commissioner, Ms Anna Bossman, told the Daily Graphic the commission had initiated a programme with the Judicial Service and the Ghana Prison Service to decongest the prisons and also provide legal aid to the inmates.
She said though there had been some improvement in the conditions of the inmates over the last one year, there was still the need to do more in terms of the abuse of their rights.
Ms Bossman said the commission was also in contact with lawyers in the country to see how to solve some of the challenges confronting the inmates.
She said the commission would do all it could to better the conditions in prisons and also provide the inmates with the hope for an appeal.
The Commander in charge of the Nsawam Prison, DDP?????? A. K. Ansong Agyepong, who earlier briefed the Commissioner and his entourage on the conditions of the inmates and staff, appealed for support to run the place.
Mr Agyepong said the number of cars at the disposal of the prison was not adequate for the smooth administration of the place. He, therefore, appealed to the public for support, particularly an ambulance for the clinic at the prison.
He said in order to integrate the convicts into the society upon their release, the prison service had initiated a number of programmes, including various form of vocational training.
“Additionally, we are running a Junior High School (JHS), a Senior High School (SHS) and computer training for those who are interested," Mr Agyepong said.
The inmates, some of whom have been in prison for between three months and 20 years, alleged that police investigators demanded as high as GH¢1,200 from them and their families before taking them to court.
The inmates made the appeal when the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Mr Emile Short, toured the Nsawam Prisons yesterday to assess the conditions of the inmates.
The 1,554 prisoners form about 57 per cent of the about 3000 inmates currently been kept at the Nsawam prison. The prison was initially built for 717 inmates.
They said they had not had any legal representation since they were taken to the prison.
A second-hand clothes dealer who gave his name only as Kojo said he was returning from Nsawam to Accra in a hired taxi-cab with some goods on board when the police arrested him.
He said two days later, the police charged him with robbing a total filling station at Legon and “since 1998 I have been here with three other friends".
“I have been taken to court only once, which was last year,” he said.
Dan, another remand inmate aged 65, said he was arrested for a name same as his written in a pair of sandals found at robbery scene some 20 years ago at Sogakope.
, “I have been here for 20 years and now all I want is to be taken to court. If I am found guilty, so be it but I know I have no idea about that case for which I am being kept here,” he emphasised.
Other inmates chased mediamen to narrate the horrible conditions under which they were being kept and the deplorable state of facilities at the prison.
They claimed that their continued stay on remand at the prison could be attributed to negative attitude of police investigators.
They alleged that the remand warrant for most of the inmates had expired long ago and that police investigators went to renew their remand warrants without taking them to court.
Others also said investigators handling their cases at the initial stage had been transferred, hence their inability to deal with such cases.
The Daily Graphic, during the tour, came across disabled and blind 91-year-old woman who said she was arrested along with her husband, who was in possession of wee at the time of the arrest.
She said the husband was currently being kept at the Kumasi prison.
Mr Emile Short, in response to the demands and complaints of the inmates, assured them of the commission’s preparedness to help them, particularly those who had been on remand for as long as 20 years.
The Deputy Commissioner, Ms Anna Bossman, told the Daily Graphic the commission had initiated a programme with the Judicial Service and the Ghana Prison Service to decongest the prisons and also provide legal aid to the inmates.
She said though there had been some improvement in the conditions of the inmates over the last one year, there was still the need to do more in terms of the abuse of their rights.
Ms Bossman said the commission was also in contact with lawyers in the country to see how to solve some of the challenges confronting the inmates.
She said the commission would do all it could to better the conditions in prisons and also provide the inmates with the hope for an appeal.
The Commander in charge of the Nsawam Prison, DDP?????? A. K. Ansong Agyepong, who earlier briefed the Commissioner and his entourage on the conditions of the inmates and staff, appealed for support to run the place.
Mr Agyepong said the number of cars at the disposal of the prison was not adequate for the smooth administration of the place. He, therefore, appealed to the public for support, particularly an ambulance for the clinic at the prison.
He said in order to integrate the convicts into the society upon their release, the prison service had initiated a number of programmes, including various form of vocational training.
“Additionally, we are running a Junior High School (JHS), a Senior High School (SHS) and computer training for those who are interested," Mr Agyepong said.
Monday, August 24, 2009
‘Don’t rush to acquire wealth’
THE Moderator of the Global Evangelical Church, Rt Reverend Dr E. K. Gbordzoe, has called on the youth not to hurry into seeking material wealth at the expense of their future
He explained that wealth and prosperity did not come within a day, rather it is the result of hard work and self sacrifice.
Rev Gbordzoe made the call when he addressed the youth at the annual youth conference of the Global Evangelical Church at Kpando in the Volta Region over the week end.
The conference, which brought together youth across the country was on the theme: “Dreaming new Dreams”.
Rev Gbordzoe said the youth of the church and the country at large must learn to work hard in order to achieve their dreams of becoming what they want to be in the future.
He said a lot of the youth today had lost focus and direction because their desires were not in agreement with God's purpose for their life.
The moderator said for one to discover his or her purpose in life, the person must first have an intimate relationship with the maker.
The main speaker and Synod Clerk of the church, Rev Prince Y. Tefe, called on the youth not to allow the pleasures of the world to force them to move away from God because He did not discriminate but did all things right in His own time.
Rev Tefe lamented the increase in anti-social vices which were affecting the lives of the youth and mentioned lesbianism, homosexuality, Internet fraud and occultism as having been learnt from watching foreign movies.
The Director of the youth ministry of the church, Rev H. A. C. Agbesinyale, challenged the youth to lead the crusade against the "get rich quick" attitude that had become a challenge to society.
Rev Agbesinyale called on the government to see the youth as the energy of the nation and provide them with the needed resources in order to make them develop their full potential.
Two members of the national youth council of the church, Mr Francis Adatsi and Mr Ken Kuleke, in an interview with the Daily Graphic urged youth bodies to be courageous enough to expose injustice in society.
They stressed that if Christians who formed the majority of the country’s population could eschew arrogance, hypocrisy and deep seated hatred for each other, “we can have a corrupt free society.”
The two added that those practices must first be eradicated from the church which would in turn impact on the society as a whole.
As part of the conference, the youth donated blood to the Margret Marquat Hospital in Kpando.
CAPTION
He explained that wealth and prosperity did not come within a day, rather it is the result of hard work and self sacrifice.
Rev Gbordzoe made the call when he addressed the youth at the annual youth conference of the Global Evangelical Church at Kpando in the Volta Region over the week end.
The conference, which brought together youth across the country was on the theme: “Dreaming new Dreams”.
Rev Gbordzoe said the youth of the church and the country at large must learn to work hard in order to achieve their dreams of becoming what they want to be in the future.
He said a lot of the youth today had lost focus and direction because their desires were not in agreement with God's purpose for their life.
The moderator said for one to discover his or her purpose in life, the person must first have an intimate relationship with the maker.
The main speaker and Synod Clerk of the church, Rev Prince Y. Tefe, called on the youth not to allow the pleasures of the world to force them to move away from God because He did not discriminate but did all things right in His own time.
Rev Tefe lamented the increase in anti-social vices which were affecting the lives of the youth and mentioned lesbianism, homosexuality, Internet fraud and occultism as having been learnt from watching foreign movies.
The Director of the youth ministry of the church, Rev H. A. C. Agbesinyale, challenged the youth to lead the crusade against the "get rich quick" attitude that had become a challenge to society.
Rev Agbesinyale called on the government to see the youth as the energy of the nation and provide them with the needed resources in order to make them develop their full potential.
Two members of the national youth council of the church, Mr Francis Adatsi and Mr Ken Kuleke, in an interview with the Daily Graphic urged youth bodies to be courageous enough to expose injustice in society.
They stressed that if Christians who formed the majority of the country’s population could eschew arrogance, hypocrisy and deep seated hatred for each other, “we can have a corrupt free society.”
The two added that those practices must first be eradicated from the church which would in turn impact on the society as a whole.
As part of the conference, the youth donated blood to the Margret Marquat Hospital in Kpando.
CAPTION
Consider risk in investments alongside benefits
THE Head of Treasury at CAL Bank Limited, Mr Philip Duodu Fynn, has advised the public to consider the risk involved in any form of investment they want to undertake and not necessarily the interest on that investment.
He cited the case of Pyram where the interest on investment in that financial institution was so high that it attracted a lot of Ghanaians, but were not able to pay the interest forcing it to fold up after a few months of operation in the country.
Mr Duodu Fynn gave the advice when he addressed customers of the Spintex road branch of CAL Bank at a customer focused meeting in Accra.
He said demanding higher returns on one's investment in itself was not a bad thing to do "but the question is, does the financial institution have the ability to pay that sum of interest," he asked.
He, therefore urged the public to invest with credible financial institutions so as to secure their investments and also to achieve their purpose of investing.
Mr Doudu Fynn also outlined the various stages on investment, which he metioned as Accumulating phase, Consideration phase and the Spending phase. These stages, he said, were very important in order to know what to do at every stage of the investment.
A General Manager of the bank in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr Philip Owiredu, answering questions from some customers gave the assurance that, the bank with all it achievement over the last few years was putting in place approprate measures to meet the demands of their cherised customer across the country.
Mr Owiredu said the purpose of the customer focused meeting was to educate their customers on the bank's products and also to address problems they encountered while doing business with the bank
He cited the case of Pyram where the interest on investment in that financial institution was so high that it attracted a lot of Ghanaians, but were not able to pay the interest forcing it to fold up after a few months of operation in the country.
Mr Duodu Fynn gave the advice when he addressed customers of the Spintex road branch of CAL Bank at a customer focused meeting in Accra.
He said demanding higher returns on one's investment in itself was not a bad thing to do "but the question is, does the financial institution have the ability to pay that sum of interest," he asked.
He, therefore urged the public to invest with credible financial institutions so as to secure their investments and also to achieve their purpose of investing.
Mr Doudu Fynn also outlined the various stages on investment, which he metioned as Accumulating phase, Consideration phase and the Spending phase. These stages, he said, were very important in order to know what to do at every stage of the investment.
A General Manager of the bank in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr Philip Owiredu, answering questions from some customers gave the assurance that, the bank with all it achievement over the last few years was putting in place approprate measures to meet the demands of their cherised customer across the country.
Mr Owiredu said the purpose of the customer focused meeting was to educate their customers on the bank's products and also to address problems they encountered while doing business with the bank
Karikari lauds media for sustaining democracy
The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Professor Kwame Karikari, has attributed improvement in the country’s democracy to the significant role being played by the media.
He, therefore, underscored the need to strengthen the capacity of the Ghanaian media to make them more effective in sustaining the country’s democracy and expanding the frontiers of freedom of expression.
Prof. Karikari made the remark at the first meeting of editors and media managers in the country to discuss the Ghana Media Standards Improvement Project, an initiative launched in June, 2009 to enhance the performance of the media in the country.
The project, which is a collaboration between the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the MFWA and funded by the Royal Dutch Embassy in Accra, seeks to develop and improve a culture of investigative, editing and analytical writing among Ghanaian journalists.
In a presentation of the concept of the project, Prof. Karikari said the project had become necessary as a result of the changing trends in the media industry worldwide and the need for Ghanaian journalists to catch up with these trends.
To achieve this, he said the pilot project was considering four main objectives in investigative reporting, to cover many of the issues that had not been covered by the media due to some factors beyond the capacity of the Ghanaian media practitioners.
Other objectives include the improvement in the management and administration of media houses.
The project seeks further to help and to empower media houses and their reporters to go into specific areas of specialisation such as petroleum, which is regarded as a very complex domain to report on.
It is expected to last for two years, and would involve four selected newspapers and eight radio stations, most of which must be based in the rural areas of the country.
The project would involve three main activities, which includes organising series of fora on selected issues of concern to the media, such as the use of photographs in newspapers.
Professor Nana Ansu-Kyeremeh, a lecturer at the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, presented a paper on preliminary findings on a survey conducted to establish the media habit of Ghanaians in the country.
He said the core objective of the research was to ascertain the public’s estimation of the media terrain and journalists in the country, as well as to establish who was reading what.
Though findings from the work were yet to be finalised and made public, he sought the permission of the house on the possibility of making the outcome into a media rating.
The Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr Ransford Tetteh, moderated the programme, while Mr Berfi Apenteng, a media consultant, led the discussions.
He, therefore, underscored the need to strengthen the capacity of the Ghanaian media to make them more effective in sustaining the country’s democracy and expanding the frontiers of freedom of expression.
Prof. Karikari made the remark at the first meeting of editors and media managers in the country to discuss the Ghana Media Standards Improvement Project, an initiative launched in June, 2009 to enhance the performance of the media in the country.
The project, which is a collaboration between the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the MFWA and funded by the Royal Dutch Embassy in Accra, seeks to develop and improve a culture of investigative, editing and analytical writing among Ghanaian journalists.
In a presentation of the concept of the project, Prof. Karikari said the project had become necessary as a result of the changing trends in the media industry worldwide and the need for Ghanaian journalists to catch up with these trends.
To achieve this, he said the pilot project was considering four main objectives in investigative reporting, to cover many of the issues that had not been covered by the media due to some factors beyond the capacity of the Ghanaian media practitioners.
Other objectives include the improvement in the management and administration of media houses.
The project seeks further to help and to empower media houses and their reporters to go into specific areas of specialisation such as petroleum, which is regarded as a very complex domain to report on.
It is expected to last for two years, and would involve four selected newspapers and eight radio stations, most of which must be based in the rural areas of the country.
The project would involve three main activities, which includes organising series of fora on selected issues of concern to the media, such as the use of photographs in newspapers.
Professor Nana Ansu-Kyeremeh, a lecturer at the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, presented a paper on preliminary findings on a survey conducted to establish the media habit of Ghanaians in the country.
He said the core objective of the research was to ascertain the public’s estimation of the media terrain and journalists in the country, as well as to establish who was reading what.
Though findings from the work were yet to be finalised and made public, he sought the permission of the house on the possibility of making the outcome into a media rating.
The Editor of the Daily Graphic, Mr Ransford Tetteh, moderated the programme, while Mr Berfi Apenteng, a media consultant, led the discussions.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
NGOs fight malaria
MINISTERS of Health in the West African sub- region have initiated policies and programmes aimed at eradicating malaria , the Minister of Health Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey has said.
The initiatives, he said had become necessary since no individual country has the capacity to fight or eradicate the disease from their respective countries.
Dr Yankey said this when he inaugurated the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Malaria (GCNM) in Accra and called on them to formulate policies that would compliment the government's effort at the eradication of malaria.
Dr Yankey mentioned some of the programmes currently going on in Ghana as the distribution of insecticide treated mosquito nets to a number of households and the distribution of treated curtains.
He said that the ministry was also in the process of mapping out all breeding sites for spraying.
These programmes among others, the minister said, would sustain the efforts made over the years at the eradication of malaria, admitting that eradicating malaria in the country needed the collaboration of all.
The minister said about three million malarial cases were reported annually in the public health care facilities while about 15 per cent of all deaths in the country were attributable to malaria.
Dr Yankey assured the leadership of the coalition of the government's support of achieving the government's dream of a malaria free society.
The Programme Manager of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), Dr Constance Bart-Plange said the NMCP had made some remarkable progress in the past by reducing the number of recorded cases of malaria at public health facilities across the country.
Dr Bart-Plange said the coming together of the NGOs in malaria was in the right direction as it would help in the formulation of unified programmes and policies at the national and community level towards the eradication of malaria.
The Minister of Women and Children Affairs, Ms Akua Sena Dansua said that malaria affected women and children than any other group in the country, for that reason she pledged her ministry's support to curb it.
She said anything that affected women and children would also impact negatively on the socio economic development of the country.
Ms Dansua called on the coalition to factor in their campaign issues early treatment, since this would prevent most of the death recorded as a result of malaria.
The country Director of Johns Hopkins University, Mr Emmanuel Fiagbey and the president of the coalition, Mr Collins Agyarko-Nti also addressed the gathering.
The initiatives, he said had become necessary since no individual country has the capacity to fight or eradicate the disease from their respective countries.
Dr Yankey said this when he inaugurated the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Malaria (GCNM) in Accra and called on them to formulate policies that would compliment the government's effort at the eradication of malaria.
Dr Yankey mentioned some of the programmes currently going on in Ghana as the distribution of insecticide treated mosquito nets to a number of households and the distribution of treated curtains.
He said that the ministry was also in the process of mapping out all breeding sites for spraying.
These programmes among others, the minister said, would sustain the efforts made over the years at the eradication of malaria, admitting that eradicating malaria in the country needed the collaboration of all.
The minister said about three million malarial cases were reported annually in the public health care facilities while about 15 per cent of all deaths in the country were attributable to malaria.
Dr Yankey assured the leadership of the coalition of the government's support of achieving the government's dream of a malaria free society.
The Programme Manager of the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), Dr Constance Bart-Plange said the NMCP had made some remarkable progress in the past by reducing the number of recorded cases of malaria at public health facilities across the country.
Dr Bart-Plange said the coming together of the NGOs in malaria was in the right direction as it would help in the formulation of unified programmes and policies at the national and community level towards the eradication of malaria.
The Minister of Women and Children Affairs, Ms Akua Sena Dansua said that malaria affected women and children than any other group in the country, for that reason she pledged her ministry's support to curb it.
She said anything that affected women and children would also impact negatively on the socio economic development of the country.
Ms Dansua called on the coalition to factor in their campaign issues early treatment, since this would prevent most of the death recorded as a result of malaria.
The country Director of Johns Hopkins University, Mr Emmanuel Fiagbey and the president of the coalition, Mr Collins Agyarko-Nti also addressed the gathering.
Provide for Agric insurance
THE National Insurance Commission (NIC) has called on insurance companies to develop products that would address challenges facing the agricultural sector.
Currently, there is no insurance company that offers any product for agriculture although the sector employs about 60 per cent of the country’s working population.
The Deputy Commissioner of the NIC, Mrs Nyamike Kyiamah, posed the challenge at the launch of the Donewell International Travel Policy in Accra on Tuesday.
The product, developed by Donewell Insurance Company, seeks to address the numerous risks faced by the travelling public to Europe. An insurance policy has become a requirement for travellers securing visas to travel to most European countries.
Mrs Nyamike said the agricultural sector, which accounts for 35 per cent of the nation’s GDP, could not be left out in matters of insurance.
She explained that any initiative to cover the sector would contribute towards increasing the level of insurance penetration in the country.
She said Ghana’s insurance penetration, currently at 1.6 per cent compared to an insurance penetration of 12.7 per cent for South Africa, was too low and needed immediate action to address the trend.
Mrs Nyamike observed that the discovery of oil in commercial quantity had opened up a huge market for insurance companies and challenged them to position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities.
In a statement read on his behalf, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, commended Donewell for the initiative and pledged the support of the government towards the growth of the insurance sector.
He tasked the players in the industry to take measures that would address the declining standard in marine insurance.
Dr Duffuor noted that the level of knowledge in insurance in the country was very low and called on the insurance companies to ensure consistent education of the public.
The Managing Director of Donewell Insurance, Mr Victor Larbi, said some of the benefits of the new policy were the payment of medical expenses and provision of legal assistance by an insurance company while the policy holder had travelled abroad.
Some other benefits include medical transportation being catered for, lost or delayed baggage and repatriation after treatment.
Currently, there is no insurance company that offers any product for agriculture although the sector employs about 60 per cent of the country’s working population.
The Deputy Commissioner of the NIC, Mrs Nyamike Kyiamah, posed the challenge at the launch of the Donewell International Travel Policy in Accra on Tuesday.
The product, developed by Donewell Insurance Company, seeks to address the numerous risks faced by the travelling public to Europe. An insurance policy has become a requirement for travellers securing visas to travel to most European countries.
Mrs Nyamike said the agricultural sector, which accounts for 35 per cent of the nation’s GDP, could not be left out in matters of insurance.
She explained that any initiative to cover the sector would contribute towards increasing the level of insurance penetration in the country.
She said Ghana’s insurance penetration, currently at 1.6 per cent compared to an insurance penetration of 12.7 per cent for South Africa, was too low and needed immediate action to address the trend.
Mrs Nyamike observed that the discovery of oil in commercial quantity had opened up a huge market for insurance companies and challenged them to position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities.
In a statement read on his behalf, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, commended Donewell for the initiative and pledged the support of the government towards the growth of the insurance sector.
He tasked the players in the industry to take measures that would address the declining standard in marine insurance.
Dr Duffuor noted that the level of knowledge in insurance in the country was very low and called on the insurance companies to ensure consistent education of the public.
The Managing Director of Donewell Insurance, Mr Victor Larbi, said some of the benefits of the new policy were the payment of medical expenses and provision of legal assistance by an insurance company while the policy holder had travelled abroad.
Some other benefits include medical transportation being catered for, lost or delayed baggage and repatriation after treatment.
‘Don’t rush to acquire wealth’
THE Moderator of the Global Evangelical Church, Rt Reverend Dr E. K. Gbordzoe, has called on the youth not to hurry into seeking material wealth at the expense of their future
He explained that wealth and prosperity did not come within a day, rather it is the result of hard work and self sacrifice.
Rev Gbordzoe made the call when he addressed the youth at the annual youth conference of the Global Evangelical Church at Kpando in the Volta Region over the week end.
The conference, which brought together youth across the country was on the theme: “Dreaming new Dreams”.
Rev Gbordzoe said the youth of the church and the country at large must learn to work hard in order to achieve their dreams of becoming what they want to be in the future.
He said a lot of the youth today had lost focus and direction because their desires were not in agreement with God's purpose for their life.
The moderator said for one to discover his or her purpose in life, the person must first have an intimate relationship with the maker.
The main speaker and Synod Clerk of the church, Rev Prince Y. Tefe, called on the youth not to allow the pleasures of the world to force them to move away from God because He did not discriminate but did all things right in His own time.
Rev Tefe lamented the increase in anti-social vices which were affecting the lives of the youth and mentioned lesbianism, homosexuality, Internet fraud and occultism as having been learnt from watching foreign movies.
The Director of the youth ministry of the church, Rev H. A. C. Agbesinyale, challenged the youth to lead the crusade against the "get rich quick" attitude that had become a challenge to society.
Rev Agbesinyale called on the government to see the youth as the energy of the nation and provide them with the needed resources in order to make them develop their full potential.
Two members of the national youth council of the church, Mr Francis Adatsi and Mr Ken Kuleke, in an interview with the Daily Graphic urged youth bodies to be courageous enough to expose injustice in society.
They stressed that if Christians who formed the majority of the country’s population could eschew arrogance, hypocrisy and deep seated hatred for each other, “we can have a corrupt free society.”
The two added that those practices must first be eradicated from the church which would in turn impact on the society as a whole.
As part of the conference, the youth donated blood to the Margret Marquat Hospital in Kpando.
He explained that wealth and prosperity did not come within a day, rather it is the result of hard work and self sacrifice.
Rev Gbordzoe made the call when he addressed the youth at the annual youth conference of the Global Evangelical Church at Kpando in the Volta Region over the week end.
The conference, which brought together youth across the country was on the theme: “Dreaming new Dreams”.
Rev Gbordzoe said the youth of the church and the country at large must learn to work hard in order to achieve their dreams of becoming what they want to be in the future.
He said a lot of the youth today had lost focus and direction because their desires were not in agreement with God's purpose for their life.
The moderator said for one to discover his or her purpose in life, the person must first have an intimate relationship with the maker.
The main speaker and Synod Clerk of the church, Rev Prince Y. Tefe, called on the youth not to allow the pleasures of the world to force them to move away from God because He did not discriminate but did all things right in His own time.
Rev Tefe lamented the increase in anti-social vices which were affecting the lives of the youth and mentioned lesbianism, homosexuality, Internet fraud and occultism as having been learnt from watching foreign movies.
The Director of the youth ministry of the church, Rev H. A. C. Agbesinyale, challenged the youth to lead the crusade against the "get rich quick" attitude that had become a challenge to society.
Rev Agbesinyale called on the government to see the youth as the energy of the nation and provide them with the needed resources in order to make them develop their full potential.
Two members of the national youth council of the church, Mr Francis Adatsi and Mr Ken Kuleke, in an interview with the Daily Graphic urged youth bodies to be courageous enough to expose injustice in society.
They stressed that if Christians who formed the majority of the country’s population could eschew arrogance, hypocrisy and deep seated hatred for each other, “we can have a corrupt free society.”
The two added that those practices must first be eradicated from the church which would in turn impact on the society as a whole.
As part of the conference, the youth donated blood to the Margret Marquat Hospital in Kpando.
Cal holds customer focus meeting
THE Head of Treasury at CAL Bank Limited, Mr Philip Duodu Fynn, has advised the public to consider the risk involved in any form of investment they want to undertake and not necessarily the interest on that investment.
He cited the case of Pyram where the interest on investment in that financial institution was so high that it attracted a lot of Ghanaians, but were not able to pay the interest forcing it to fold up after a few months of operation in the country.
Mr Duodu Fynn gave the advice when he addressed customers of the Spintex road branch of CAL Bank at a customer focused meeting in Accra.
He said demanding higher returns on one's investment in itself was not a bad thing to do "but the question is, does the financial institution have the ability to pay that sum of interest," he asked.
He, therefore urged the public to invest with credible financial institutions so as to secure their investments and also to achieve their purpose of investing.
Mr Doudu Fynn also outlined the various stages on investment, which he metioned as Accumulating phase, Consideration phase and the Spending phase. These stages, he said, were very important in order to know what to do at every stage of the investment.
A General Manager of the bank in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr Philip Owiredu, answering questions from some customers gave the assurance that, the bank with all it achievement over the last few years was putting in place approprate measures to meet the demands of their cherised customer across the country.
Mr Owiredu said the purpose of the customer focused meeting was to educate their customers on the bank's products and also to address problems they encountered while doing business with the bank
He cited the case of Pyram where the interest on investment in that financial institution was so high that it attracted a lot of Ghanaians, but were not able to pay the interest forcing it to fold up after a few months of operation in the country.
Mr Duodu Fynn gave the advice when he addressed customers of the Spintex road branch of CAL Bank at a customer focused meeting in Accra.
He said demanding higher returns on one's investment in itself was not a bad thing to do "but the question is, does the financial institution have the ability to pay that sum of interest," he asked.
He, therefore urged the public to invest with credible financial institutions so as to secure their investments and also to achieve their purpose of investing.
Mr Doudu Fynn also outlined the various stages on investment, which he metioned as Accumulating phase, Consideration phase and the Spending phase. These stages, he said, were very important in order to know what to do at every stage of the investment.
A General Manager of the bank in charge of Finance and Administration, Mr Philip Owiredu, answering questions from some customers gave the assurance that, the bank with all it achievement over the last few years was putting in place approprate measures to meet the demands of their cherised customer across the country.
Mr Owiredu said the purpose of the customer focused meeting was to educate their customers on the bank's products and also to address problems they encountered while doing business with the bank
License Journalists-Dattey
THE Executive Secretary of the National Accreditation Board (NAB), Mr Kwame Dattey, has called for the licensing of journalists as a prerequisite for them to practise in the country.
The licensing, he said, did not imply that restrictions were being placed on journalists in the performance of their legitimate duties and work.
Making the suggestion at the first meeting of the Governing Council of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) in Accra yesterday, Mr Dattey said the licensing would rather help to improve the media landscape as the unprofessional ones would not be allowed to operate.
He said there were too many individuals in the country who carried themselves as journalists, whose conduct, he said, was questionable and denigrated the image of the profession.
Providing further justification for his suggestion, Mr Dattey said the measure, if implemented, would also contribute to eliminating mushroom journalism schools, most of whom were operating without proper accreditation from the NAB.
By his suggestion, he said unless one was licensed by the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) or an appropriate body, that person should not be allowed to do anything as a professional journalist or be recognised as such.
The Chairman of the Governing Council of GIJ, Mr A. B. A Fuseni, assured the public of the council’s commitment to transform the institute to reflect the current trends in the media industry.
Mr Fuseni explained that recent development in the media landscape required a very high calibre of human resource to match up to the challenges of the industry.
He said that challenge demanded absolute commitment on the side of the council to formulate policies and give direction to the institute to enhance the calibre of the products that the institute turned out every year.
He said one of the immediate tasks of the council was to help in shaping students for the job market, both in and outside the country.
“To this end, our focus as council would be to update training facilities, especially in the areas of information communication technology (ICT), provision of basic infrastructure and the recruitment of seasoned staff, both teaching and non-teaching, for the institute,“ he added.
Mr Fuseni expressed worry about the limited facilities in the school, saying the situation was driving away too many potential students from the institute.
He, therefore, called for extra commitment on the side of council members to address the situation.
The Rector of the institute, Mr David Newton, in his report, gave an overview of previous strategic plans that were developed and what had been achieved in that direction.
Mr Newton said in 2006, another corporate strategic plan was developed, and noted that “so far, two major achievements have been recorded under the new corporate strategic plan”.
The two, he said, included the passage of the new legislation, Act 717, to make GIJ a degree-awarding institution and the granting of ??? a Presidential Charter in June, 2009.
He informed the council on progress made so far on the construction of a 12-unit classroom block which was awarded as far back as 1998, and said that only the basement of the project had so far been completed.
Mr Newton attributed the delay in the project to a lack of funds and the inability of the contractor to pre-finance the project.
The licensing, he said, did not imply that restrictions were being placed on journalists in the performance of their legitimate duties and work.
Making the suggestion at the first meeting of the Governing Council of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) in Accra yesterday, Mr Dattey said the licensing would rather help to improve the media landscape as the unprofessional ones would not be allowed to operate.
He said there were too many individuals in the country who carried themselves as journalists, whose conduct, he said, was questionable and denigrated the image of the profession.
Providing further justification for his suggestion, Mr Dattey said the measure, if implemented, would also contribute to eliminating mushroom journalism schools, most of whom were operating without proper accreditation from the NAB.
By his suggestion, he said unless one was licensed by the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) or an appropriate body, that person should not be allowed to do anything as a professional journalist or be recognised as such.
The Chairman of the Governing Council of GIJ, Mr A. B. A Fuseni, assured the public of the council’s commitment to transform the institute to reflect the current trends in the media industry.
Mr Fuseni explained that recent development in the media landscape required a very high calibre of human resource to match up to the challenges of the industry.
He said that challenge demanded absolute commitment on the side of the council to formulate policies and give direction to the institute to enhance the calibre of the products that the institute turned out every year.
He said one of the immediate tasks of the council was to help in shaping students for the job market, both in and outside the country.
“To this end, our focus as council would be to update training facilities, especially in the areas of information communication technology (ICT), provision of basic infrastructure and the recruitment of seasoned staff, both teaching and non-teaching, for the institute,“ he added.
Mr Fuseni expressed worry about the limited facilities in the school, saying the situation was driving away too many potential students from the institute.
He, therefore, called for extra commitment on the side of council members to address the situation.
The Rector of the institute, Mr David Newton, in his report, gave an overview of previous strategic plans that were developed and what had been achieved in that direction.
Mr Newton said in 2006, another corporate strategic plan was developed, and noted that “so far, two major achievements have been recorded under the new corporate strategic plan”.
The two, he said, included the passage of the new legislation, Act 717, to make GIJ a degree-awarding institution and the granting of ??? a Presidential Charter in June, 2009.
He informed the council on progress made so far on the construction of a 12-unit classroom block which was awarded as far back as 1998, and said that only the basement of the project had so far been completed.
Mr Newton attributed the delay in the project to a lack of funds and the inability of the contractor to pre-finance the project.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Global Evangelical Church, Nungua Youth Ministry Bible Studies
Global Evangelical Church (Rohi Chapel, Nungua) youth Ministry
Theme: Reviving the Ministry through Discipleship and Holiness
Bible Studies- Reviving the Ministry (Revelation 2:1-7)
Introduction
We have heard of boxers who started very well but after a few wins started losing and never made their way back to the boxing ring. We know of footballers who made money becuase of their skills but are now very poor. There are equally men of God who were once on fire for God, performing miracles and were threat to satan's camp but cannot pray for themselves now. We can list similar examples but the big question is why can't these "big names" hold on to their victory to the end or is it possible to finish still a winner?
Section A
1. What does the passage say?
2. What are some of the commendation made by the Lord?
3. What are some of the shortcomning the Lord identified in this church?
4. What positive comments can you make of the youth ministry
5. Discuss how a church or ministry can be commended and repremanded at the same time.
Section B
1. What is the meaning of the word revive?
2. What are some of the situations that mandate revival?
3. Do you think you need revival yourself?
Section C
1. What are some of the things we have to do as a ministry to revive the ministry?
2. What do you have to do as an individual?
Theme: Reviving the Ministry through Discipleship and Holiness
Bible Studies- Reviving the Ministry (Revelation 2:1-7)
Introduction
We have heard of boxers who started very well but after a few wins started losing and never made their way back to the boxing ring. We know of footballers who made money becuase of their skills but are now very poor. There are equally men of God who were once on fire for God, performing miracles and were threat to satan's camp but cannot pray for themselves now. We can list similar examples but the big question is why can't these "big names" hold on to their victory to the end or is it possible to finish still a winner?
Section A
1. What does the passage say?
2. What are some of the commendation made by the Lord?
3. What are some of the shortcomning the Lord identified in this church?
4. What positive comments can you make of the youth ministry
5. Discuss how a church or ministry can be commended and repremanded at the same time.
Section B
1. What is the meaning of the word revive?
2. What are some of the situations that mandate revival?
3. Do you think you need revival yourself?
Section C
1. What are some of the things we have to do as a ministry to revive the ministry?
2. What do you have to do as an individual?
Rastafarians mark 117th anniversary
THE Rastafari movement in Ghana last Thursday celebrated the 117th birthday anniversary of Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia with a commitment to promote unity within the movement.
The day, which was marked with an educational forum to educate the Rastafari movement and the public on the work and life of the man referred to within the Rastafari community as the King of Kings, was a departure from the usual musical shows that had marked the celebration over the years.
In an interview with the Director of Juddah promotion, the organisers of the programme, Jahknow Kojo Kombolo said the main purpose of departing from the usual musical show was to educate the public on the Rastafari movement.
Jahknow Kombolo added that it was also to disabuse the mind of the public about the negative images of Rastaferian.
???“People see the Rastaman as all the bad things one could think of on the street, no man, the Rastaman is a man of peace and integrity,” he said.???
Jahknow Kombolo said rasta was not all about wearing dreadlocks.He called on the public to disregard people who wear dreadlocks and do bad things around as they were not true Rastamen.
Ras Kofi Collins in a separate interview with the Daily Graphic, said the Rastafari Council had established the Black Star Line Cooperative Credit Union, (B S L C U) as part of efforts to empower their members to be economically reliant.
Ras Collins added that the main objective of the union was to foster wealth creation mentality within the Rastafari community and facilitate the culture of saving.
Haile Selassie was born Lij Tafari Makonnen translated literally to mean,??? child and serves to indicate that every youth is of a noble blood.???
He was later named Ras Tafari Makonnen, Ras, translated to mean, head, and is equivalent to the “Duke”, though it was often rendered in translation as Prince. In 1928, he was elevated to the position of Negus, meaning King.
Upon his ascension to the Emperor in 1930, he took the name Selassie, meaning “Power of the Trinity.”
Haile Selassie’s full title in office was His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the tribe Judah, and an Elect of God.
The day, which was marked with an educational forum to educate the Rastafari movement and the public on the work and life of the man referred to within the Rastafari community as the King of Kings, was a departure from the usual musical shows that had marked the celebration over the years.
In an interview with the Director of Juddah promotion, the organisers of the programme, Jahknow Kojo Kombolo said the main purpose of departing from the usual musical show was to educate the public on the Rastafari movement.
Jahknow Kombolo added that it was also to disabuse the mind of the public about the negative images of Rastaferian.
???“People see the Rastaman as all the bad things one could think of on the street, no man, the Rastaman is a man of peace and integrity,” he said.???
Jahknow Kombolo said rasta was not all about wearing dreadlocks.He called on the public to disregard people who wear dreadlocks and do bad things around as they were not true Rastamen.
Ras Kofi Collins in a separate interview with the Daily Graphic, said the Rastafari Council had established the Black Star Line Cooperative Credit Union, (B S L C U) as part of efforts to empower their members to be economically reliant.
Ras Collins added that the main objective of the union was to foster wealth creation mentality within the Rastafari community and facilitate the culture of saving.
Haile Selassie was born Lij Tafari Makonnen translated literally to mean,??? child and serves to indicate that every youth is of a noble blood.???
He was later named Ras Tafari Makonnen, Ras, translated to mean, head, and is equivalent to the “Duke”, though it was often rendered in translation as Prince. In 1928, he was elevated to the position of Negus, meaning King.
Upon his ascension to the Emperor in 1930, he took the name Selassie, meaning “Power of the Trinity.”
Haile Selassie’s full title in office was His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Conquering Lion of the tribe Judah, and an Elect of God.
Census pilot project to cover six districts’
THE Government Statistician, Dr Grace Bediako, has disclosed that the 2009 population and housing census pilot project slated for October and November, 2009 will cover only six districts including some key settlements in Accra.
The selected districts include, Bia, Sene, Saboba, Awutu Senya, and Chiriponi. In Accra the exercise will cover, Osu Klotey, East Legon, and Commonwealth and Volta Halls of the University of Ghana, Legon.
Dr Bediako who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview said the change of date was because some of the selected districts were likely to experience some amount of rainfall during that time of the year.
The government statistician said the Statistical Service considered a number of factors including the eco-logical zone of the district, newly created districts, fast growing areas, institutions and high wall residential communities in the selection process.
She again added that, these districts and areas were selected having in mind some of the difficulties the area might pose to officers during the original census in 2010.
Dr Bediako said that the pilot project was estimated at $ 1.2 million and explained that the amount did not include logistics that would again be needed for the original census in 2010 such as vehicles, allowance for personnel and data processing among others.
The Census Co-ordinating Director, Mr David Kombat who was present at the interview said the pilot project would cover three weeks, explaining that the actual data collection would be done in the second week of the exercise while the first and second weeks would be for field work.
Mr Kombat said committees for all the districts had been formed and were expected to start work in the districts.
He said the committees would have the responsibility of putting in place the appropriate measures to make the exercise successful .
He explained that unlike the registration for voting during elections where each voter was expected to register in person, only responsible persons in each house would be made to speak on behalf of all the others.
He, therefore, called on all persons within the respective districts to provide their vital information before going out of their homes during the period.
The selected districts include, Bia, Sene, Saboba, Awutu Senya, and Chiriponi. In Accra the exercise will cover, Osu Klotey, East Legon, and Commonwealth and Volta Halls of the University of Ghana, Legon.
Dr Bediako who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in an interview said the change of date was because some of the selected districts were likely to experience some amount of rainfall during that time of the year.
The government statistician said the Statistical Service considered a number of factors including the eco-logical zone of the district, newly created districts, fast growing areas, institutions and high wall residential communities in the selection process.
She again added that, these districts and areas were selected having in mind some of the difficulties the area might pose to officers during the original census in 2010.
Dr Bediako said that the pilot project was estimated at $ 1.2 million and explained that the amount did not include logistics that would again be needed for the original census in 2010 such as vehicles, allowance for personnel and data processing among others.
The Census Co-ordinating Director, Mr David Kombat who was present at the interview said the pilot project would cover three weeks, explaining that the actual data collection would be done in the second week of the exercise while the first and second weeks would be for field work.
Mr Kombat said committees for all the districts had been formed and were expected to start work in the districts.
He said the committees would have the responsibility of putting in place the appropriate measures to make the exercise successful .
He explained that unlike the registration for voting during elections where each voter was expected to register in person, only responsible persons in each house would be made to speak on behalf of all the others.
He, therefore, called on all persons within the respective districts to provide their vital information before going out of their homes during the period.
AFAG Demonstration
Hundreds of demonstrators yesterday hit the streets of Accra to protest against what they perceive as a harsh economic condition and the failure of the government to fulfil its campaign promises.
Organised by the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), a pressure group, and identifiable groups, including the National Service Scheme (NSS), traders, students and some fishermen, the demonstration was peaceful and incident-free.
Clad in red clothes and bands, the demonstrators walked from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, through the Nkrumah Avenue to Farisco and then to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to the Ministries and converged on the Accra Hearts of Oak Park, close to the Arts Centre.
The people, who demonstrated for well over four hours, carried placards, some of which read “Atta 419”, “Where is the better Ghana?”, “No premix”, “Atta Walk your talk”, “Atta fix the economy”, “Where is the jobs you promised us?”, “Avoid killer loans”, “Our children need pampers”.
Some of the demonstrators also wore pampers, others were also seen chewing kebab. Some fishermen sat in their canoe that had been mounted on a big truck and paddled as their way of demonstrating against the shortage of premix fuel.
According to Chief Superintendent B. Bonga of the Ghana Police Service, which provided 350 men and women to provide security, there was no major incident and the demonstration could, therefore, be described as “peaceful and incident-free for now”.
Addressing the demonstrators at the Hearts Park after the demonstration, Mr Kwabena Bonfeh, a leading member of the alliance, commended the people for turning out in their numbers to participate in the demonstration, which was “to defend our democracy from those who threaten it”.
“There are people in power who think they can perpetuate in Ghana a culture of deceit, falsehood, lies, misrepresentation, pretence, intimidation and vague propaganda which constitute the very anti-democratic credentials notable of illegitimate regimes,” he alleged.
He said most fishermen in the country could not go fishing, although this period was their peak fishing season, because some people were smuggling the fuel to other areas, thereby denying the fishermen the fuel to go fishing.
Mr Bonfeh, who is also the National Youth Organiser of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), added that salaries of teachers and nurses had been slashed, traders were facing precarious commodity prices and students had had their school fees increased astronomically all due to the bad economic decisions of the current administration.
Mr Bonfeh urged Ghanaians not to allow politicians to take them for a ride and should constantly raise reservation against President Mills’s decision to allow his Foreign and Sports Ministers who had corruption issues to answer to be parading without any charges.
He said President Mills had arrogated to himself the power to review the work of Parliament in violation of the principle of separation of powers and added that he was in constant touch with his lawyers and would take the matter to the law courts.
He also asked what had become of the 40 per cent women representation promised by the NDC in their manifesto, their pledge to fight corruption and the promise to relieve Ghanaians of their heavy tax burden, and added that the NDC used all these promises to deceive Ghanaians to vote them into power.
Mr Bonfeh disclosed that AFAG would replicate the demonstration throughout the 10 regional capitals in the country to educate Ghanaians on the corrupt and deceptive nature of the NDC administration and the need to keep it on its toes.
A national service person, Master Harold Boateng, noted that he was of the view that he would be employed at the Ministry of Health where he did his national service but this could not happen because of the conditionalities on a World Bank loan.
The demonstration also attracted some bigwigs of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) including Nana Ohene Ntow, NPP General Secretary; Mr Dan Botwe, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere; Ms Shirley Ayokor Botchwey, MP for Weija; Dr Akoto Osei, a former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance; and Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, a former Information Minister, who was in the company of his wife.
Organised by the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), a pressure group, and identifiable groups, including the National Service Scheme (NSS), traders, students and some fishermen, the demonstration was peaceful and incident-free.
Clad in red clothes and bands, the demonstrators walked from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, through the Nkrumah Avenue to Farisco and then to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to the Ministries and converged on the Accra Hearts of Oak Park, close to the Arts Centre.
The people, who demonstrated for well over four hours, carried placards, some of which read “Atta 419”, “Where is the better Ghana?”, “No premix”, “Atta Walk your talk”, “Atta fix the economy”, “Where is the jobs you promised us?”, “Avoid killer loans”, “Our children need pampers”.
Some of the demonstrators also wore pampers, others were also seen chewing kebab. Some fishermen sat in their canoe that had been mounted on a big truck and paddled as their way of demonstrating against the shortage of premix fuel.
According to Chief Superintendent B. Bonga of the Ghana Police Service, which provided 350 men and women to provide security, there was no major incident and the demonstration could, therefore, be described as “peaceful and incident-free for now”.
Addressing the demonstrators at the Hearts Park after the demonstration, Mr Kwabena Bonfeh, a leading member of the alliance, commended the people for turning out in their numbers to participate in the demonstration, which was “to defend our democracy from those who threaten it”.
“There are people in power who think they can perpetuate in Ghana a culture of deceit, falsehood, lies, misrepresentation, pretence, intimidation and vague propaganda which constitute the very anti-democratic credentials notable of illegitimate regimes,” he alleged.
He said most fishermen in the country could not go fishing, although this period was their peak fishing season, because some people were smuggling the fuel to other areas, thereby denying the fishermen the fuel to go fishing.
Mr Bonfeh, who is also the National Youth Organiser of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), added that salaries of teachers and nurses had been slashed, traders were facing precarious commodity prices and students had had their school fees increased astronomically all due to the bad economic decisions of the current administration.
Mr Bonfeh urged Ghanaians not to allow politicians to take them for a ride and should constantly raise reservation against President Mills’s decision to allow his Foreign and Sports Ministers who had corruption issues to answer to be parading without any charges.
He said President Mills had arrogated to himself the power to review the work of Parliament in violation of the principle of separation of powers and added that he was in constant touch with his lawyers and would take the matter to the law courts.
He also asked what had become of the 40 per cent women representation promised by the NDC in their manifesto, their pledge to fight corruption and the promise to relieve Ghanaians of their heavy tax burden, and added that the NDC used all these promises to deceive Ghanaians to vote them into power.
Mr Bonfeh disclosed that AFAG would replicate the demonstration throughout the 10 regional capitals in the country to educate Ghanaians on the corrupt and deceptive nature of the NDC administration and the need to keep it on its toes.
A national service person, Master Harold Boateng, noted that he was of the view that he would be employed at the Ministry of Health where he did his national service but this could not happen because of the conditionalities on a World Bank loan.
The demonstration also attracted some bigwigs of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) including Nana Ohene Ntow, NPP General Secretary; Mr Dan Botwe, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere; Ms Shirley Ayokor Botchwey, MP for Weija; Dr Akoto Osei, a former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance; and Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, a former Information Minister, who was in the company of his wife.
Private partnership needed for census — Dr Bediako
THE Government Statistician, Dr Grace Bediako has called for private partnership in preparation towards the 2010 Population and Housing Census.
This partnership she said is very crucial particularly for the Census Reference Day which is the day set aside for every Ghanaian “in an ideal situation” to be counted.
In an interview, Dr Bediako said the Census Reference Day is important for the avoidance of double counting.
Dr Bediako mentioned for instance, the telecommunication companies as potential partners who would send text messages to their subscribers reminding them of the day.
Others, she said, could also brand the officers who would be involved in the collection of the data or any other thing that could be done to mark the day so that people could easily remember the day.
Dr Bediako mentioned that private partnership was needed to create the much needed awareness on the Census Reference Day.
The government’s s tatistician said both the private and the public sector would need the data collected for their works and should therefore be involved in the exercise.
She reminded the public that, the Population and Housing Census is different from the voter registration where each person is expected to register in person.
“In the census only a responsible person in the house would be required to speak on behalf of all the others in the house,” she said.
Dr Bediako added that a similar partnership would be needed for the pilot census in October and November, 2009.
"The Census Reference Day is the day officers who come to a household will for instance ask about those who were in the house on the Census Reference Day, and these are the people who will be counted” she said.
Dr Bediako stressed that the relevance of the day must be communicated properly to the public.
Explaining further, she said for instance if one resided permanently in Accra, but travelled to visit the parents in, say, Adaklu Waya in the Volta Region on the 18th October, 2009 which is the Census Reference Day; This person, she said, would be counted among the people of Adaklu Waya and not Accra even if he returns to Accra before his household in Accra were counted.
This partnership she said is very crucial particularly for the Census Reference Day which is the day set aside for every Ghanaian “in an ideal situation” to be counted.
In an interview, Dr Bediako said the Census Reference Day is important for the avoidance of double counting.
Dr Bediako mentioned for instance, the telecommunication companies as potential partners who would send text messages to their subscribers reminding them of the day.
Others, she said, could also brand the officers who would be involved in the collection of the data or any other thing that could be done to mark the day so that people could easily remember the day.
Dr Bediako mentioned that private partnership was needed to create the much needed awareness on the Census Reference Day.
The government’s s tatistician said both the private and the public sector would need the data collected for their works and should therefore be involved in the exercise.
She reminded the public that, the Population and Housing Census is different from the voter registration where each person is expected to register in person.
“In the census only a responsible person in the house would be required to speak on behalf of all the others in the house,” she said.
Dr Bediako added that a similar partnership would be needed for the pilot census in October and November, 2009.
"The Census Reference Day is the day officers who come to a household will for instance ask about those who were in the house on the Census Reference Day, and these are the people who will be counted” she said.
Dr Bediako stressed that the relevance of the day must be communicated properly to the public.
Explaining further, she said for instance if one resided permanently in Accra, but travelled to visit the parents in, say, Adaklu Waya in the Volta Region on the 18th October, 2009 which is the Census Reference Day; This person, she said, would be counted among the people of Adaklu Waya and not Accra even if he returns to Accra before his household in Accra were counted.
Monday, June 29, 2009
TOR recover debt
THE Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) has within two weeks recovered GH¢14 million owed it by oil marketing companies (OMCs).
THE Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Kwame Ampofo, who took office about four weeks ago said the debt collection was part of an initiative by the new management to recover all outstanding debts owed by the OMCs to prevent the refinery from collapse.
The CEO, who made this known in an interaction with the Daily Graphic on Sunday said the action was also to safeguard the operations of a number of banks who advance monies to the refinery.
He said there were too many irregularities in the refinery that needed drastic measures to turn around to relieve TOR from its huge debt to enable it to carry out its duties effectively to meet the demand of Ghanaians.
Dr Ampofo said for instance that the CEO of the refinery had an unlimited allocation of fuel, a situation, he said, led to abuse of the system at all levels.
He said the refinery spent a lot of money installing CCTV cameras in the premises but had to recruit a lot of security personnel.
Dr Ampofo said the refinery had the capacity to employ not more than 600 workers, but noted that there were over 1000 workers currently on the payroll of the company.
On the oil find, he said, the government was developing a local content to be imputed into the Oil and Gas Bill to be presented to Parliament soon.
Dr Ampofo explained that the local content were measures being put together to protect the indigenes of the local communities within the areas of operation and the general public for the country to reap the maximum benefit from the oil find.
He stated that the bill seeks to prevent oil companies from brining into the country certain kinds of workers such as drivers, cleaners and cooks among others.
It also seeks to prevent the outsourcing of some types of services to foreign companies, some of them he mentioned as transport companies and food vendors.
Dr. Ampofo said the idea was to create more job avenues for a lot of Ghanaians.
He said oil companies would be expected to register their enterprises in Ghana and must be in partnership with some other indigenous companies.
THE Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Kwame Ampofo, who took office about four weeks ago said the debt collection was part of an initiative by the new management to recover all outstanding debts owed by the OMCs to prevent the refinery from collapse.
The CEO, who made this known in an interaction with the Daily Graphic on Sunday said the action was also to safeguard the operations of a number of banks who advance monies to the refinery.
He said there were too many irregularities in the refinery that needed drastic measures to turn around to relieve TOR from its huge debt to enable it to carry out its duties effectively to meet the demand of Ghanaians.
Dr Ampofo said for instance that the CEO of the refinery had an unlimited allocation of fuel, a situation, he said, led to abuse of the system at all levels.
He said the refinery spent a lot of money installing CCTV cameras in the premises but had to recruit a lot of security personnel.
Dr Ampofo said the refinery had the capacity to employ not more than 600 workers, but noted that there were over 1000 workers currently on the payroll of the company.
On the oil find, he said, the government was developing a local content to be imputed into the Oil and Gas Bill to be presented to Parliament soon.
Dr Ampofo explained that the local content were measures being put together to protect the indigenes of the local communities within the areas of operation and the general public for the country to reap the maximum benefit from the oil find.
He stated that the bill seeks to prevent oil companies from brining into the country certain kinds of workers such as drivers, cleaners and cooks among others.
It also seeks to prevent the outsourcing of some types of services to foreign companies, some of them he mentioned as transport companies and food vendors.
Dr. Ampofo said the idea was to create more job avenues for a lot of Ghanaians.
He said oil companies would be expected to register their enterprises in Ghana and must be in partnership with some other indigenous companies.
Tragedy,floods kill family of three in kumasi
PARTS of the Accra metroplis experienced heavy flooding again during Sunday’s downpour.
The rain which lasted for almost the whole day, affected both economic and church activities in the capital.
The streets were mostly empty in some areas with most residents staying indoors to avoid any mishap in the course of the downpour.
While the the main Odaw drain was filled to its brim, the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle, Mpramprom, under the Kaneshie overheard bridges, First Light, Dansoman junction and the Darkuman junction were affected.
The frontage of the PHC Motors, on the side of the Royal House Chapel and parts of the Graphic Road, among other places were also flooded.
All the major and minor drains were flooded making the flow of water difficult.
At the First Light, some younmen took advantage of the situation to charge GHC 1 to carry? stranded persons from one end of the road to the other.
These youngmen also were seen pushing vehicles that got stuck in the flood water for a fee. An elderly woman and the grand child died on June 19, during a heavy downpour.
During a tour of flood-prone areas last Thursday, the Head of Drainage and Flood Control at the Hydraulogical Services Department of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Hosing, Mr Wise Ametefe Last At the First Light, said a major drain at First Light needed to be redesigned and expanded.
He said the drain which took water from Mataheko, Bubuashie and Darkuman was too narrow to take the volume of water from those areas.
Compounding the problem, he said, was the laying of a utility cable and choking of the drain by garbage and plastic wastes.
The rain which lasted for almost the whole day, affected both economic and church activities in the capital.
The streets were mostly empty in some areas with most residents staying indoors to avoid any mishap in the course of the downpour.
While the the main Odaw drain was filled to its brim, the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle, Mpramprom, under the Kaneshie overheard bridges, First Light, Dansoman junction and the Darkuman junction were affected.
The frontage of the PHC Motors, on the side of the Royal House Chapel and parts of the Graphic Road, among other places were also flooded.
All the major and minor drains were flooded making the flow of water difficult.
At the First Light, some younmen took advantage of the situation to charge GHC 1 to carry? stranded persons from one end of the road to the other.
These youngmen also were seen pushing vehicles that got stuck in the flood water for a fee. An elderly woman and the grand child died on June 19, during a heavy downpour.
During a tour of flood-prone areas last Thursday, the Head of Drainage and Flood Control at the Hydraulogical Services Department of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Hosing, Mr Wise Ametefe Last At the First Light, said a major drain at First Light needed to be redesigned and expanded.
He said the drain which took water from Mataheko, Bubuashie and Darkuman was too narrow to take the volume of water from those areas.
Compounding the problem, he said, was the laying of a utility cable and choking of the drain by garbage and plastic wastes.
Accra hosts course on peace operations
A two-week International Peace Support Operations course intended to equip the military and civil society organisations to ensure peace and stability in Africa has opened at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Centre (KAIPTC) in Accra.
Ninety participants drawn from 13 African countries including Togo, Nigeria, Zambia, Cote d’Ivoire and some civil society organisations from Ghana are attending the course.
The course is being sponsored by the KAIPTC.
In an address at the ceremony of the programme, the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. J. H. Smith (retd), said peace support operations had become necessary on the continent as a result of the numerous conflicts and crisis in recent times.
He said Ghana’s contribution to peacekeeping over the last four decades had been commended by the international community and added that the training would further enhance the capacity of personnel in their operations.
“Ghana has been in the forefront of contributing states in peacekeeping operations; today, the country is ranked seventh in troop contribution in the world with over 2,500 troops deployed on peacekeeping missions,” he said.
He said the nature of intra-state conflicts had necessitated a change from traditional peacekeeping to a new generation of multi-disciplinary and multi-dimensional peace support operations.
Lt. Gen. Smith commended the centre for initiating the programme and called on the participants to put in their best to make the course a fruitful one.
The Commandant of KAIPTC, AVM C.E.K. Dovlo, said the course was designed to address issues raised as conflicts became more complex and the peace overtures by the international community grew in complexity.
“Today’s peace support operations has seen increasing roles of different actors and participants as opposed to the dominance of the military in the old traditional peacekeeping or peace enforcement environment,” he said.
AVM Dovlo said the course would cover key elements and principal organs of the UN operations and participants would have the opportunity to learn the most up-to-date information about the UN system and the challenges faced during peacekeeping operations.
He urged the participants to share experience from their respective countries in order to increase their knowledge on peacekeeping operations in other countries.
Ninety participants drawn from 13 African countries including Togo, Nigeria, Zambia, Cote d’Ivoire and some civil society organisations from Ghana are attending the course.
The course is being sponsored by the KAIPTC.
In an address at the ceremony of the programme, the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. J. H. Smith (retd), said peace support operations had become necessary on the continent as a result of the numerous conflicts and crisis in recent times.
He said Ghana’s contribution to peacekeeping over the last four decades had been commended by the international community and added that the training would further enhance the capacity of personnel in their operations.
“Ghana has been in the forefront of contributing states in peacekeeping operations; today, the country is ranked seventh in troop contribution in the world with over 2,500 troops deployed on peacekeeping missions,” he said.
He said the nature of intra-state conflicts had necessitated a change from traditional peacekeeping to a new generation of multi-disciplinary and multi-dimensional peace support operations.
Lt. Gen. Smith commended the centre for initiating the programme and called on the participants to put in their best to make the course a fruitful one.
The Commandant of KAIPTC, AVM C.E.K. Dovlo, said the course was designed to address issues raised as conflicts became more complex and the peace overtures by the international community grew in complexity.
“Today’s peace support operations has seen increasing roles of different actors and participants as opposed to the dominance of the military in the old traditional peacekeeping or peace enforcement environment,” he said.
AVM Dovlo said the course would cover key elements and principal organs of the UN operations and participants would have the opportunity to learn the most up-to-date information about the UN system and the challenges faced during peacekeeping operations.
He urged the participants to share experience from their respective countries in order to increase their knowledge on peacekeeping operations in other countries.
69 policemen prepare for duty in Dafur
SIXTY-NINE Officers of the Ghana Police Service selected for peacekeeping mission in Darfur have completed a two week pre-deployment training course in Accra.
The course was designed to equip the personnel with the necessary skills and knowledge of the mission.
The course was also designed to train them on the necessary precautionary measures to take while on the field to ensure their own safety and that of their colleagues.
At the closing ceremony, the Director General in charge of Administration and Welfare, COP M. A. Alhassan, urged the personnel to put into practice the the skills and knowledge they acquired during the training programme.
He said it was important for them to respect the traditions and culture of the host country to avoid any form of confrontation with the people in the communities where they served.
"You must also uphold the human right of those you have been tasked to protect and above all ensure your personal safety," he added.
COP Alhassan commended the governments of Germany, Denmark and Norway for their support in facilitating the course, assuring them that the personnel would perform to expectation.
In an interview, DSP Benjamin Agordzo, a course facilitator and member of the Mobile Training Team (MTT), said the participants were taken through operations of the United Nations, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU).
Other areas which were covered by the training were code of conduct, child protection, community policing and cultural awareness.
The participants were presented with certificates,and they are expected to leave for Darfur between July 20 and 25, 2009
The course was designed to equip the personnel with the necessary skills and knowledge of the mission.
The course was also designed to train them on the necessary precautionary measures to take while on the field to ensure their own safety and that of their colleagues.
At the closing ceremony, the Director General in charge of Administration and Welfare, COP M. A. Alhassan, urged the personnel to put into practice the the skills and knowledge they acquired during the training programme.
He said it was important for them to respect the traditions and culture of the host country to avoid any form of confrontation with the people in the communities where they served.
"You must also uphold the human right of those you have been tasked to protect and above all ensure your personal safety," he added.
COP Alhassan commended the governments of Germany, Denmark and Norway for their support in facilitating the course, assuring them that the personnel would perform to expectation.
In an interview, DSP Benjamin Agordzo, a course facilitator and member of the Mobile Training Team (MTT), said the participants were taken through operations of the United Nations, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union (AU).
Other areas which were covered by the training were code of conduct, child protection, community policing and cultural awareness.
The participants were presented with certificates,and they are expected to leave for Darfur between July 20 and 25, 2009
Take good care of pregnancies
ABOUT 11 per cent of premature foetal deaths in Ghanaian are the result of the inability of parents to take good care of pregnancy, a former Director-General of Ghana Health Service, Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, has said
Delivering the second public health lecture series of the Donewell Life Company Limited (DLCL) in Accra last Friday, Prof. Akosa said premature death did not start during adult life but it began from the womb when the baby was still unborn.
The lecture had the theme, "Why Ghanaians Die Prematurely," and was aimed at encouraging Ghanaians to practise healthy lifestyle.
Prof. Akosa is an advocate of healthy living. He has spoken extensively on the need to ban smoking in public places and the unbridled advertisement of cigarettes.
Prof. Akosa said the premature death of Ghanaians did not start when they were already adults.
"We have to start from the very basic level by taking care of the baby who is yet to be born."
To enhance the health of children, Prof. Akosa urged husbands to ensure that their wives were in perfect health before conception, in order for them to have safer pregnancy and delivery.
That, he explained, was important because a healthy mother was the first step towards achieving a healthy baby who would grow into a healthy adult, thereby ensuring a healthy nation.
With the current level of poverty in the country and the inability of families to have three square meals a day, Prof. Akosa suggested the use of beans as a dietary supplement for individuals.
He said though the life expectancy rate had increased from 40 since independence, to about 68, a lot still remained to be done in order to achieve health society toward national development.
Prof. Akosa said most Ghanaians die prematurely partly because of the country’s poor health system. "There are no ambulances in strategic locations to convey sick persons from their homes to hospitals; bad road networks result in foetal and preventable accidents on our roads and the care-free attitude of certain persons are all factors."
He also cautioned Ghanaians against the high-level consumption of alcohol and carbohydrates without corresponding exercise to burn it.
In an interview, the Managing Director of DLCL, Mr Samuel Oduro, said that the health of every individual was directly related to the development of the nation.
Mr Oduro said the public health lecture series formed part of the company‘s social responsibility and a way of addressing some of the health challenges Ghanaians were facing.
"Health, as we know, is life." That, he said, fit into the policy of the company to lead the crusade in creating the necessary public awareness in the country.
Delivering the second public health lecture series of the Donewell Life Company Limited (DLCL) in Accra last Friday, Prof. Akosa said premature death did not start during adult life but it began from the womb when the baby was still unborn.
The lecture had the theme, "Why Ghanaians Die Prematurely," and was aimed at encouraging Ghanaians to practise healthy lifestyle.
Prof. Akosa is an advocate of healthy living. He has spoken extensively on the need to ban smoking in public places and the unbridled advertisement of cigarettes.
Prof. Akosa said the premature death of Ghanaians did not start when they were already adults.
"We have to start from the very basic level by taking care of the baby who is yet to be born."
To enhance the health of children, Prof. Akosa urged husbands to ensure that their wives were in perfect health before conception, in order for them to have safer pregnancy and delivery.
That, he explained, was important because a healthy mother was the first step towards achieving a healthy baby who would grow into a healthy adult, thereby ensuring a healthy nation.
With the current level of poverty in the country and the inability of families to have three square meals a day, Prof. Akosa suggested the use of beans as a dietary supplement for individuals.
He said though the life expectancy rate had increased from 40 since independence, to about 68, a lot still remained to be done in order to achieve health society toward national development.
Prof. Akosa said most Ghanaians die prematurely partly because of the country’s poor health system. "There are no ambulances in strategic locations to convey sick persons from their homes to hospitals; bad road networks result in foetal and preventable accidents on our roads and the care-free attitude of certain persons are all factors."
He also cautioned Ghanaians against the high-level consumption of alcohol and carbohydrates without corresponding exercise to burn it.
In an interview, the Managing Director of DLCL, Mr Samuel Oduro, said that the health of every individual was directly related to the development of the nation.
Mr Oduro said the public health lecture series formed part of the company‘s social responsibility and a way of addressing some of the health challenges Ghanaians were facing.
"Health, as we know, is life." That, he said, fit into the policy of the company to lead the crusade in creating the necessary public awareness in the country.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Disability Council holds disability day
THE National Council for Persons with Disability has called on the public to embrace persons with disability to ensure their proper development and integration into society.
The Executive Chairman of the council, Mr Andrew Okaikoi, who made the call, said their integration was relevant because there was in each family at least one person with one form of disability or another.
He said this to mark the second National Day of persons with disability on the theme, “Hope for the future”.
Addressing pressmen and a section of persons with disability at the Alisa Hotel, Mr Okaikoi said the day brought into focus the government’s determination to ensure that issues about disability ceased to be a residual matter in national deliberations.
He said since the council was inaugurated by the President in April this year, a lot of peripheral work had been done in order to achieve the government’s objectives for setting it up.
He said the council had already held a series of discussions with members of the disability community to bring on board their concerns.
The chairman said the establishment of the council represented a giant step towards mainstreaming disability issues by giving them the needed national attention.
Mr Okaikoi said the council was in close contact with a number of organisations, including transport owners, the Pharmacy Council and the ministries, to include issues on disability in their deliberations.
In a related development, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has joined the government and the people of Ghana to commemorate the day and recognise the invaluable contributions of persons with disability to this nation.
The day is also being marked to create increasing awareness and understanding of disability issues and also take the awareness further into action.
According to the commission, it was proud to see the publication of the Disability Act which was recently made available in audio format, in consideration of those with visual impairment.
“In order that persons with disability receive just and equitable treatment the same as all people, it is essential that the corresponding government acts are made accessible through many media.
“Disability has often been misunderstood as inability, which is simply untrue. The disabled do not need our pity, they need our compassion and support.
“Persons with disability are important contributors to our families, communities and nation and their rights and deserve to live with equal self worth and dignity,” it said.
To ensure that the disabled could access and enjoy the same fundamental human rights which protect all people, the commission unreservedly reiterated its urgent call on the government to put in place a comprehensive Action Plan which guaranteed all persons with disability the full benefit of the provisions of the Disability Act.
The Executive Chairman of the council, Mr Andrew Okaikoi, who made the call, said their integration was relevant because there was in each family at least one person with one form of disability or another.
He said this to mark the second National Day of persons with disability on the theme, “Hope for the future”.
Addressing pressmen and a section of persons with disability at the Alisa Hotel, Mr Okaikoi said the day brought into focus the government’s determination to ensure that issues about disability ceased to be a residual matter in national deliberations.
He said since the council was inaugurated by the President in April this year, a lot of peripheral work had been done in order to achieve the government’s objectives for setting it up.
He said the council had already held a series of discussions with members of the disability community to bring on board their concerns.
The chairman said the establishment of the council represented a giant step towards mainstreaming disability issues by giving them the needed national attention.
Mr Okaikoi said the council was in close contact with a number of organisations, including transport owners, the Pharmacy Council and the ministries, to include issues on disability in their deliberations.
In a related development, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has joined the government and the people of Ghana to commemorate the day and recognise the invaluable contributions of persons with disability to this nation.
The day is also being marked to create increasing awareness and understanding of disability issues and also take the awareness further into action.
According to the commission, it was proud to see the publication of the Disability Act which was recently made available in audio format, in consideration of those with visual impairment.
“In order that persons with disability receive just and equitable treatment the same as all people, it is essential that the corresponding government acts are made accessible through many media.
“Disability has often been misunderstood as inability, which is simply untrue. The disabled do not need our pity, they need our compassion and support.
“Persons with disability are important contributors to our families, communities and nation and their rights and deserve to live with equal self worth and dignity,” it said.
To ensure that the disabled could access and enjoy the same fundamental human rights which protect all people, the commission unreservedly reiterated its urgent call on the government to put in place a comprehensive Action Plan which guaranteed all persons with disability the full benefit of the provisions of the Disability Act.
E.P Women Food processing centre for Dodowa
THE Women in Fellowship of the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church, Ghana is to establish a food processing centre at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region to empower women to be economically self-reliant.
Facilities at the centre would include a gym intended to take care of the health needs of the women, a guidance and counselling department, financial department to facilitate the provision of credit facilities to the women and a library.
The Co-ordinator of the Women in Fellowship of the EP Church, Rev. Mrs N. Adepena, made this known when she addressed the annual convention of the West Volta Presbytery (WVP) of the EP Church at the Trade Fair in Accra.
Rev. Mrs Adepena said the establishment of the centre was to empower the women in order to create a better world for themselves and their families, hence the theme for the convention: "Empowering women for a better future".
She said when the centre became operational, it would make loans available to the women who had the potential to minimise, if not eradicate, poverty in the country.
Rev. Mrs Adepena stressed that the church recognised the immense contribution of women in building the church and the country, hence the need to empower them to make them socially, spiritually and economically viable.
The Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Madam Akua Sena Dansua, acknowledged the importance of the project and pledged the support of her ministry and that of the government to facilitate the early completion of the centre.
Madam Dansua stated that in the interest of national development and economic empowerment of women, partnership between the church and government was necessary to attain that vision.
The minister urged the leadership of the church not to neglect the physical and economic empowerment of women in the church as it was a possible way of eradicating many of the social vices in the society.
She tasked the women to be responsible towards the upbringing of their children in order to secure a brighter future for them.
Some local foods prepared by the women were on display at the convention.
Facilities at the centre would include a gym intended to take care of the health needs of the women, a guidance and counselling department, financial department to facilitate the provision of credit facilities to the women and a library.
The Co-ordinator of the Women in Fellowship of the EP Church, Rev. Mrs N. Adepena, made this known when she addressed the annual convention of the West Volta Presbytery (WVP) of the EP Church at the Trade Fair in Accra.
Rev. Mrs Adepena said the establishment of the centre was to empower the women in order to create a better world for themselves and their families, hence the theme for the convention: "Empowering women for a better future".
She said when the centre became operational, it would make loans available to the women who had the potential to minimise, if not eradicate, poverty in the country.
Rev. Mrs Adepena stressed that the church recognised the immense contribution of women in building the church and the country, hence the need to empower them to make them socially, spiritually and economically viable.
The Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, Madam Akua Sena Dansua, acknowledged the importance of the project and pledged the support of her ministry and that of the government to facilitate the early completion of the centre.
Madam Dansua stated that in the interest of national development and economic empowerment of women, partnership between the church and government was necessary to attain that vision.
The minister urged the leadership of the church not to neglect the physical and economic empowerment of women in the church as it was a possible way of eradicating many of the social vices in the society.
She tasked the women to be responsible towards the upbringing of their children in order to secure a brighter future for them.
Some local foods prepared by the women were on display at the convention.
Danish govt to support
THE Danish Government has extended a $700,000 package to the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) to enhance its training programmes for the rest of 2009.
Announcing the package during a courtesy call on the Commandant of the KAIPTC, Air-Vice Marshall(AVM) C.E.K Dovlo in Accra, the Danish Ambassador, Mr Stig Barlyng, said the Danish government was committed to providing support to the centre periodically.
Mr Barlyng said his government had recognised the invaluable contribution of the centre to regional integration, peacekeeping, conflict management and resolution since its inception in 2004.
He pledged the commitment of the Danish government to enter into a long-term agreement with KAIPTC at the end of the year, when the current arrangement between Denmark and the centre expired at the end of 2009.
He advised the Ghana government to continue to maintain the ownership of the KAIPTC although it was a regional institution.
Mr Barlyng explained that his experience over the last few years about some regional and sub-regional bodies, indicated that most of those bodies did not work to expectation because of certain ambiguity about the true ownership of those regional bodies.
He called on the commandant of the centre to give more allocation to civilians on courses being run at the centre in order for the civilian community to appreciate the operations of the military and the centre.
The Ambassador again commended the management and staff of the centre for maintaining a clean and perfect landscape and said that, “this culture should be maintained.”
AVM Dovlo expressed his gratitude to the Danish government for the support, and promised the fund would be put to good use for the provision of training in conflict, crisis management among others to ensure peace and stability on the continent.
Contrary to public opinion that the centre charged fees on courses being run at the KAIPTC, the commandant said every programme at the centre had external funding, therefore, participants were not required to pay fees.
Announcing the package during a courtesy call on the Commandant of the KAIPTC, Air-Vice Marshall(AVM) C.E.K Dovlo in Accra, the Danish Ambassador, Mr Stig Barlyng, said the Danish government was committed to providing support to the centre periodically.
Mr Barlyng said his government had recognised the invaluable contribution of the centre to regional integration, peacekeeping, conflict management and resolution since its inception in 2004.
He pledged the commitment of the Danish government to enter into a long-term agreement with KAIPTC at the end of the year, when the current arrangement between Denmark and the centre expired at the end of 2009.
He advised the Ghana government to continue to maintain the ownership of the KAIPTC although it was a regional institution.
Mr Barlyng explained that his experience over the last few years about some regional and sub-regional bodies, indicated that most of those bodies did not work to expectation because of certain ambiguity about the true ownership of those regional bodies.
He called on the commandant of the centre to give more allocation to civilians on courses being run at the centre in order for the civilian community to appreciate the operations of the military and the centre.
The Ambassador again commended the management and staff of the centre for maintaining a clean and perfect landscape and said that, “this culture should be maintained.”
AVM Dovlo expressed his gratitude to the Danish government for the support, and promised the fund would be put to good use for the provision of training in conflict, crisis management among others to ensure peace and stability on the continent.
Contrary to public opinion that the centre charged fees on courses being run at the KAIPTC, the commandant said every programme at the centre had external funding, therefore, participants were not required to pay fees.
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