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.
Monday, June 29, 2009
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.
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