Vice-president John Dramani Mahama has called on the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the Paramount Chief of the Techiman Traditional Area to tackle the problem of chieftaincy with level headedness.
He said since the two traditional areas shared common culture and traditional values, there was the need for them to bury the hatchet for peace to prevail.
The vice-president who said this at the installation of a new Yagbonwura, Tuntumba Boree Essa I, at Damongo in the Northern Region, expressed concern about pockets of chieftaincy and political upheaval in some parts of the country and appealed for calm.
The new Yagbonwura, know in private life as Tuntumba Sulemana Amanfo Jakpa, the Kusawgu Wura.
“This should be a turning point in our lives. No political is worth more than the drop of blood. Shedding of blood to get political power is not the best, he stressed.
He appealed to the new chief to make land registration in Gonja a priority.
According to him as society progresses it is incumbent on chiefs and leaders to adopt new ways of administering land.
Mr. Mahama said the era where lands were not registered as essential commodity were past, adding that “we must now put values on our lands.”
He said the only way the country could confront the eminent food problem well is to use arable land.
Mr. Mahama noted that the healthy environment created by the Mills’ administration would attract investors who would large tracks of land and therefore cautioned against the release of such lands “for a few bottles of drinks and paltry sum of money”
“I appealed to you to seek the proper counseling before you dispose off the land. Investment should not be done at the expense of the toil of our forefathers who laid their blood to acquire the land for us,” he said.
He gave the assurance that the water and road projects earmarked for the area would be completed on time and commended the chiefs and people of the area for the unity of purpose.
The vice-president commended the kingmakers for their sense of integrity in choosing and installing the successor to the Yagbon skin after the demise of Alhaji Bawa Doshie I.
He called on other ethnic and traditional authorities, particularly Dagbon, who were facing chieftaincy problem to emulate the shining examples of the kingmakers of the Gonja Traditional Area.
For his part, the Northern Regional Minister Moses Mabengba said the government , through the Northern Rural Growth Programme, has selected some districts in the region to pilot dry season farming.
“The block farming programme for Youth in Agriculture has been very encouraging in the district. We intend to expand and extend it to cover other parts of the district so as to engage as many of the youth as possible.
The new King, Boree Essa I assured genuine investors of his willingness to release land for projects that could be beneficial to the area.
He called on the government to implement the Youth in Agriculture module of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), stressing, “my chiefs and I are prepared to make land available for programmes that would create jobs and bring prosperity to our people.
Story: Wisdom Peter Awuku
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Veep Secures 1000 Tractors
Vice President John Dramani Mahama has secured a 1000 tractor facility running into millions of dollars from India’s farm machinery manufacturer Mahindra to support Ghana’s agricultural sector.
The company has also agreed to support the government with other agricultural machinery and spare parts component.
Addressing the press on his arrival at the Kotoka International Airport from India where he attended the 6th Asia-Africa Conclave in New Delhi, Mr. Mahama described the trip as fruitful and basketful of opportunities.
The Vice-President, who was accompanied by the President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) Nana Owusu-Afari, attended three-day conclave with other ministers, business people and experts from 34 African countries to discuss business projects worth $9 billion.
Vice-president John Dramani Mahama, who was the guest of honour at the conclave, said the Ghanaian delegation took advantage of the conclave to renew and facilitate bilateral projects arrangements between the two countries.
Significance among this project is India’s readiness to establish a fertilizer plant in Ghana which would use expected bi-products of the oil find to support the industry.
It is estimated that the facility will supply Ghana’s total fertilizer needs and the excess exported to India.
According to the Vice-President a team of Indian experts were expected in the country in a couple of weeks to conduct feasibility studies on a canalisation of the Accra Plains, using water from the lower Volta to irrigate the land, adding that a similar project had been designed for the White Volta to irrigate the overseas areas of the Northern Region.
Mr. Mahama mentioned that with the support of India, Ghana was looking at the possibility of setting up an urban transport system that would run on gas instead of diesel.
“The country is also looking at further possibilities of securing India Oversea Development Assistance into strategic sectors of the country such as energy, especially rural electrification, agricultural and agro-processing.
He was welcome at the airport by the India High Commissioner to Ghana Ruchi Ghanashyam and Mr. Baffoe-Bonney, Special Advisor to the Vice-President.
The conclave laid out a roadmap for the second edition of the India-Africa Forum Summit to be held next year. India hosted the first summit in New Delhi in 2008.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna inaugurated the conference that sought to give a fresh momentum to India s multifaceted engagement with the African continent.
The sixth India-Africa Project Partnership conclave has been jointly organised by the commerce and external affairs ministries, the EXIM bank and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
The conclave revolved around four linked sub-themes: India-Africa partnership, Rural economies, Africa tomorrow and Going Green.
The meet provided a platform for Indian and African leaders to intensify their bilateral and regional partnerships, scale up Indian participation in Indian participation in Africa s long-term development projects, enhance capacity building initiatives and resource mobilization programmes.
Story: Wisdom Peter Awuku
The company has also agreed to support the government with other agricultural machinery and spare parts component.
Addressing the press on his arrival at the Kotoka International Airport from India where he attended the 6th Asia-Africa Conclave in New Delhi, Mr. Mahama described the trip as fruitful and basketful of opportunities.
The Vice-President, who was accompanied by the President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) Nana Owusu-Afari, attended three-day conclave with other ministers, business people and experts from 34 African countries to discuss business projects worth $9 billion.
Vice-president John Dramani Mahama, who was the guest of honour at the conclave, said the Ghanaian delegation took advantage of the conclave to renew and facilitate bilateral projects arrangements between the two countries.
Significance among this project is India’s readiness to establish a fertilizer plant in Ghana which would use expected bi-products of the oil find to support the industry.
It is estimated that the facility will supply Ghana’s total fertilizer needs and the excess exported to India.
According to the Vice-President a team of Indian experts were expected in the country in a couple of weeks to conduct feasibility studies on a canalisation of the Accra Plains, using water from the lower Volta to irrigate the land, adding that a similar project had been designed for the White Volta to irrigate the overseas areas of the Northern Region.
Mr. Mahama mentioned that with the support of India, Ghana was looking at the possibility of setting up an urban transport system that would run on gas instead of diesel.
“The country is also looking at further possibilities of securing India Oversea Development Assistance into strategic sectors of the country such as energy, especially rural electrification, agricultural and agro-processing.
He was welcome at the airport by the India High Commissioner to Ghana Ruchi Ghanashyam and Mr. Baffoe-Bonney, Special Advisor to the Vice-President.
The conclave laid out a roadmap for the second edition of the India-Africa Forum Summit to be held next year. India hosted the first summit in New Delhi in 2008.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna inaugurated the conference that sought to give a fresh momentum to India s multifaceted engagement with the African continent.
The sixth India-Africa Project Partnership conclave has been jointly organised by the commerce and external affairs ministries, the EXIM bank and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
The conclave revolved around four linked sub-themes: India-Africa partnership, Rural economies, Africa tomorrow and Going Green.
The meet provided a platform for Indian and African leaders to intensify their bilateral and regional partnerships, scale up Indian participation in Indian participation in Africa s long-term development projects, enhance capacity building initiatives and resource mobilization programmes.
Story: Wisdom Peter Awuku
Veep in India for Investment conclave
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday arrived in New Delhi, India, to participate in the Sixth Annual Confederation of Indian Industries Conclave to explore investment opportunities for Ghana.
The programme, the sixth in the series, is organized by the Government of India; Export and Import (EXIM) Bank of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry and it is aimed at fostering investment partnerships between Indian Companies and African countries.
The Vice President would among other activities hold talks with the Business Community in India and hold bilateral talks with government officials of India, trumpet out the business potentials of Ghana and sign memoranda of understanding with companies or businesses that would express interest in investing in Ghana. He would also deliver an address on the investment potentials of Ghana and whip up the enthusiasm of Indian Companies to invest in Ghana, among other things.
The three-day programme, which would attract Presidents, Vice Presidents and top Government officials from selected African countries, would also seek to empower governments to create jobs and reduce the high rate of unemployment in their countries.
Vice President Mahama is the second Vice President to attend the programme from Ghana after Former Vice President Aliu Mahama, who attended a similar programme in 2007.
Vice President Mahama would also interact with the Ghanaian community in India. 14 March 10
Source: GNA
The programme, the sixth in the series, is organized by the Government of India; Export and Import (EXIM) Bank of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry and it is aimed at fostering investment partnerships between Indian Companies and African countries.
The Vice President would among other activities hold talks with the Business Community in India and hold bilateral talks with government officials of India, trumpet out the business potentials of Ghana and sign memoranda of understanding with companies or businesses that would express interest in investing in Ghana. He would also deliver an address on the investment potentials of Ghana and whip up the enthusiasm of Indian Companies to invest in Ghana, among other things.
The three-day programme, which would attract Presidents, Vice Presidents and top Government officials from selected African countries, would also seek to empower governments to create jobs and reduce the high rate of unemployment in their countries.
Vice President Mahama is the second Vice President to attend the programme from Ghana after Former Vice President Aliu Mahama, who attended a similar programme in 2007.
Vice President Mahama would also interact with the Ghanaian community in India. 14 March 10
Source: GNA
Veep in India for Investment conclave
Veep in India for Investment conclave
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday arrived in New Delhi, India, to participate in the Sixth Annual Confederation of Indian Industries Conclave to explore investment opportunities for Ghana.
The programme, the sixth in the series, is organized by the Government of India; Export and Import (EXIM) Bank of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry and it is aimed at fostering investment partnerships between Indian Companies and African countries.
The Vice President would among other activities hold talks with the Business Community in India and hold bilateral talks with government officials of India, trumpet out the business potentials of Ghana and sign memoranda of understanding with companies or businesses that would express interest in investing in Ghana. He would also deliver an address on the investment potentials of Ghana and whip up the enthusiasm of Indian Companies to invest in Ghana, among other things.
The three-day programme, which would attract Presidents, Vice Presidents and top Government officials from selected African countries, would also seek to empower governments to create jobs and reduce the high rate of unemployment in their countries.
Vice President Mahama is the second Vice President to attend the programme from Ghana after Former Vice President Aliu Mahama, who attended a similar programme in 2007.
Vice President Mahama would also interact with the Ghanaian community in India. 14 March 10
Source: GNA
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday arrived in New Delhi, India, to participate in the Sixth Annual Confederation of Indian Industries Conclave to explore investment opportunities for Ghana.
The programme, the sixth in the series, is organized by the Government of India; Export and Import (EXIM) Bank of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry and it is aimed at fostering investment partnerships between Indian Companies and African countries.
The Vice President would among other activities hold talks with the Business Community in India and hold bilateral talks with government officials of India, trumpet out the business potentials of Ghana and sign memoranda of understanding with companies or businesses that would express interest in investing in Ghana. He would also deliver an address on the investment potentials of Ghana and whip up the enthusiasm of Indian Companies to invest in Ghana, among other things.
The three-day programme, which would attract Presidents, Vice Presidents and top Government officials from selected African countries, would also seek to empower governments to create jobs and reduce the high rate of unemployment in their countries.
Vice President Mahama is the second Vice President to attend the programme from Ghana after Former Vice President Aliu Mahama, who attended a similar programme in 2007.
Vice President Mahama would also interact with the Ghanaian community in India. 14 March 10
Source: GNA
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Galvanize the energies of youth to continue Nkrumah's vision - Veep
Vice President, John Dramani Mahama has paid glowing tribute to Hideyo Noguchi for his immense contribution in the field of tropical medicine in Ghana.
Dr. Noguchi, the Japanese researcher whose work, life, and dedication to the health needs of humanity led to the establishment of the Noguchi Institute for Medical Research in Accra in 1979.
He said Dr.Noguchi, who laid down his life for medical research in yellow fever, has in no doubt, enhanced human progress and survival in Ghana and the world at large.
Mr. Mahama made the observation at the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Memorial Symposium held in Accra in March 2010.
The Symposium formed part of programmes and activities for the historic visit of His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan to Ghana.
The vice-president said the work of Noguchi cannot be underestimated citing the United Nations Millennium Development Goals decision to adopt, in September 2000, to fight diseases and improve health care in the area of child mortality, and maternal health care as well as tackle complex diseases was a testimony of the foresight of this illustrious son of Japan.
Mr. Mahama stressed that the Noguchi Memorial Institute established in honour of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, which is the foremost in the sub-region, has contributed enormously to disease control, capacity building and job creation for nationals.
He also stressed that the institute, since its inception, has focused its attention on infectious and communicable diseases such as malaria, measles, tuberculosis and other diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. “The Institute has also taken into research into nutrition, food contamination, parasitic diseases and other problems of public health importance and health systems in the country”, he stressed.
The Vice President was particularly happy that the Institute has served as a platform for continuous collaboration in the development and exchange of ideas and information between Japanese and Ghanaian researchers.
Mr. Mahama commended the Government and people of Japan for being true friends to Ghana, acknowledging that the Japanese taxpayers have continued to fund some of the most critical infrastructural projects in Ghana while young Japanese Oversea volunteers continue to arrive in Ghana to serve in some of the remote and deprived parts of our country.
Mr. Mahama also expressed satisfaction and appreciation for the work the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Institute was undertaking, which, “Undoubtedly, opened our understanding to parasitic and communicable diseases and also contributed immensely to medical research into parasitic and other related diseases in the country”.
For his part, Crown Prince Naruhito said the efforts of great number of people concerned with medicine and health that have followed in Dr. Noguchi’s path have discovered vaccines and the measures taken against yellow fever have significantly advanced compared to the time when Dr. Noguchi was devoting himself to his research.
The Imperial Highness who is an Honorary President of the United Nations Secretary-Generals Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, however, bemoaned that despite the enormous gains in research the 21st century still holds gloom for Africa.
He said Africa continues to suffer from a great number of infectious diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS where over 22.4 million Africans are infected with the HIV/AIDS resulting in about 1.4 million people dying from the virus.
Prince Naruhito, therefore, called on the International Community to take immediate action against such serious problem.
He also urged those attending the symposium to contribute to raising the awareness of the importance of research in the field of infectious diseases and that it will strengthen the healthcare system in Africa.
Story by George Azrigo and Gloria Asinyo
Dr. Noguchi, the Japanese researcher whose work, life, and dedication to the health needs of humanity led to the establishment of the Noguchi Institute for Medical Research in Accra in 1979.
He said Dr.Noguchi, who laid down his life for medical research in yellow fever, has in no doubt, enhanced human progress and survival in Ghana and the world at large.
Mr. Mahama made the observation at the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Memorial Symposium held in Accra in March 2010.
The Symposium formed part of programmes and activities for the historic visit of His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan to Ghana.
The vice-president said the work of Noguchi cannot be underestimated citing the United Nations Millennium Development Goals decision to adopt, in September 2000, to fight diseases and improve health care in the area of child mortality, and maternal health care as well as tackle complex diseases was a testimony of the foresight of this illustrious son of Japan.
Mr. Mahama stressed that the Noguchi Memorial Institute established in honour of Dr. Hideyo Noguchi, which is the foremost in the sub-region, has contributed enormously to disease control, capacity building and job creation for nationals.
He also stressed that the institute, since its inception, has focused its attention on infectious and communicable diseases such as malaria, measles, tuberculosis and other diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. “The Institute has also taken into research into nutrition, food contamination, parasitic diseases and other problems of public health importance and health systems in the country”, he stressed.
The Vice President was particularly happy that the Institute has served as a platform for continuous collaboration in the development and exchange of ideas and information between Japanese and Ghanaian researchers.
Mr. Mahama commended the Government and people of Japan for being true friends to Ghana, acknowledging that the Japanese taxpayers have continued to fund some of the most critical infrastructural projects in Ghana while young Japanese Oversea volunteers continue to arrive in Ghana to serve in some of the remote and deprived parts of our country.
Mr. Mahama also expressed satisfaction and appreciation for the work the Hideyo Noguchi Memorial Institute was undertaking, which, “Undoubtedly, opened our understanding to parasitic and communicable diseases and also contributed immensely to medical research into parasitic and other related diseases in the country”.
For his part, Crown Prince Naruhito said the efforts of great number of people concerned with medicine and health that have followed in Dr. Noguchi’s path have discovered vaccines and the measures taken against yellow fever have significantly advanced compared to the time when Dr. Noguchi was devoting himself to his research.
The Imperial Highness who is an Honorary President of the United Nations Secretary-Generals Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation, however, bemoaned that despite the enormous gains in research the 21st century still holds gloom for Africa.
He said Africa continues to suffer from a great number of infectious diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS where over 22.4 million Africans are infected with the HIV/AIDS resulting in about 1.4 million people dying from the virus.
Prince Naruhito, therefore, called on the International Community to take immediate action against such serious problem.
He also urged those attending the symposium to contribute to raising the awareness of the importance of research in the field of infectious diseases and that it will strengthen the healthcare system in Africa.
Story by George Azrigo and Gloria Asinyo
Veep Lauds Japan’s Support
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday commended the Japanese government for their continuous support to Ghana in the socio-economic development.
According to him, Japan has been one of the countries in the world that has over the years offered grants and loans to Ghana without interest and other conditionalities attached to the loans.
Vice President Mahama said these when he hosted Prince Naruhito, the Crown Prince of Japan at the Akosombo Presidential Lodge in the Eastern Region as part of his three-day official visit to Ghana.
The Prince who was followed by a delegation of government officials and media practitioners also watched video clips of the Akosombo dam project and the potentials of the area in job creation and the reduction of youth unemployment in the country.
The Vice President said Japan had helped Ghana in education, Health, Science and Technology and particularly thanked the Crown Prince Naruhito for choosing to visit Ghana when the relationship between the two countries was growing stronger.
He gave the assurance that Ghana would continue to play her role in ensuring that relationship between the two countries was strengthened further to benefit generations to come.
Prince Naruhito who did not talk during most of his visits watched the video footages and had a closed door talks with the Vice President.
He later made a whistle stop at Akuse Junction where he inspected the produce of grafted mangoes and interacted with the sellers.
Crown Prince Nahiruto has since left Ghana for Kenya to continue with his two nation tour of Africa.
He was seen off at the airport by Mr. Mahama.
Story by: Wisdom Awuku (Office Of The Vice President)
According to him, Japan has been one of the countries in the world that has over the years offered grants and loans to Ghana without interest and other conditionalities attached to the loans.
Vice President Mahama said these when he hosted Prince Naruhito, the Crown Prince of Japan at the Akosombo Presidential Lodge in the Eastern Region as part of his three-day official visit to Ghana.
The Prince who was followed by a delegation of government officials and media practitioners also watched video clips of the Akosombo dam project and the potentials of the area in job creation and the reduction of youth unemployment in the country.
The Vice President said Japan had helped Ghana in education, Health, Science and Technology and particularly thanked the Crown Prince Naruhito for choosing to visit Ghana when the relationship between the two countries was growing stronger.
He gave the assurance that Ghana would continue to play her role in ensuring that relationship between the two countries was strengthened further to benefit generations to come.
Prince Naruhito who did not talk during most of his visits watched the video footages and had a closed door talks with the Vice President.
He later made a whistle stop at Akuse Junction where he inspected the produce of grafted mangoes and interacted with the sellers.
Crown Prince Nahiruto has since left Ghana for Kenya to continue with his two nation tour of Africa.
He was seen off at the airport by Mr. Mahama.
Story by: Wisdom Awuku (Office Of The Vice President)
Highlight of Vice President John Mahama’s Visit to Korea
H.E. Mr. John Dramani Mahama, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana paid an official visit to the Republic of Korea at the invitation of the Korean Government from March 1—4, 2010.
The Vice President was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included the Ministers of Food and Agriculture (Hon. Kwesi Ahwoi) and of Water Resources, Works and Housing (Hon. Alban Bagbin); the Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Regional \Integration (Hon. Chris Kpodo), Finance and Economic Planning (Hon. Seth Terkper), and of Energy (Hon. Emmanuel Buah).
The delegation also included the Minority Leader (Hon. Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu) as well as Chairman (Hon. James Klutse Avedzi) and Ranking Member (Hon. Anthony Akoto Osei) of the Finance Committee of the Parliament. The inclusion of the Minority is particularly significant because it underscores Government’s commitment to an all-inclusive approach to prosecuting the Better Ghana Agenda. A number of Ghanaian businessmen went with the delegation.
Vice President Mahama and his delegation were warmly received by and also held very fruitful discussions with, the President and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea as well as leaders of the business community, from the private and public sectors in Korea, who were interested in doing business in Ghana.
During the meetings, both the Vice President and his hosts heartily indulged in courtesies that commended Ghana’s advancement in democratic governance and people-centered development efforts. They also applauded Korea’s accession to membership of the OECD, its assumption of leadership of the organization this year and the focus on cooperation with Africa that will define that leadership role. In particular, the two countries reaffirmed South Korea’s decision to play an active role in Ghana’s socio-economic development through the strengthening of mutual-beneficial cooperation.
The Vice President showed appreciation for the wealth of goodwill and support expressed by the Korean Government and reassured both the Government and the private sector of the prevailing peace and stability that ensured guaranteed foreign direct investment and joint venture partnerships in the country. He drew attention to several Korean activities that existed in Ghana already.
At the end of the visit, the Vice President and his delegation were assured of collaboration by the leading Korean Group of Companies, STX Corporation, through its subsidiaries and affiliates in undertaking a “Ghana Investment Plan” for which a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the STX Corporation and the Government of Ghana.
Under the Ghana Investment Plan, STX Corporation will make investment for, and execute agreed and commercially viable sub-projects with the Government of Ghana providing the necessary support and cooperation.
The projects included:
1. The National Housing Project (GNHP) under which STX is to build 200,000 units of housing in all the ten regions of Ghana, and for which basic data collection and housing design have been completed since the conclusion of a bilateral agreement in December 2009. Total investment amounting to US$10 billion is estimated for the project.
2. Construction and operation of industrial plants; STX intends to invest for, and build various industrial plants in Ghana including, but not limited to, a cement plant, a rolling mill, and autoclaved lightweight concrete (ALC) plant.
3. Stabilization and improvement of operations of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), under which the Government of Ghana confirms its intension to work with STX to secure stable crude oil supply. STX also confirmed its intention to conduct preliminary feasibility study in the construction and operation of oil tank terminals while the Korea National Petroleum Company (KNOC) also expressed interest in collaborating with GNPC on various petroleum projects.
4. Vocational Training of Ghanaian Human Resources: STX and other organizations have agreed to join Government of Ghana’s efforts to improve work skills of Ghanaian human resources. STX will make its best efforts to secure and arrange Korean Government’s cooperation for GOG to set up a training programme with the assistance of Korea’s Knowledge Sharing Project (KSP) and official Development Assistance (ODA) programme. The KSP and investment programs would also benefit Ghana’s ICT and Public Financial Management (PFM) efforts aimed at improving the economy.
5. Other Potential Cooperation Opportunities; As a world leading shipping and shipbuilding company, STX has expressed firm intent to expand the scope of cooperation with Ghana into the fields of shipping and logistics transport business and construction of commercial and specialized vessels.
In the field of food security, Ghana and Korea agree to share technology and know-how in the agricultural sector. In that connection, Ghana’s Minister for Good and Agriculture has extended his visit to Korea by two days to hold further discussions, initiated during the Vice President’s visit, on mutually-beneficial collaboration with the Korean Rural Development Administration (KRDA) which has tremendous expertise and experience in seed, plants, modernized and mechanized farming.
On bilateral financial relations, the Ghana delegation discussed the EXIM facility with the Korean government and EXIM Bank officials and agreed to take the necessary steps to remove all obstacles that have affected the administration of the facility in recent years. Technically, Ghana is deemed to have defaulted in honoring its full loan obligations as a result of the inability of the two countries to complete the debt-relief process under the HIPC programme. The Korean legislature was required to provide the necessary relief granted by OECD and some non-OECD states to Ghana in accordance with the agreed terms under the HIPC arrangement. This action has now been completed and the two countries have agreed to complete the process expeditiously to allow a new EXIM Bank programme to start this year and fund several of the projects envisaged above.
In cooperation within the wider international community, the Ghana delegation appreciated and commended Korea’s policy towards developing closer collaboration and partnership with Africa within the framework of the Korea-Africa Forum and reassured the Government of Korea of Ghana’s sustained key role in advancing the cause of African development.
The Ghana delegation also reassured the Korean Government of Ghana’s ready disposition to continue to share experiences and concerted efforts in addressing global issues of common interest.
The delegation welcome the prospect of the visit to Africa, including Ghana, by the President of the Republic of Korea in the summer of this year 2010 and considered the visit as an eloquent testimony for renewing shared commitment to further deepen relations to the mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries.
Story by: Wisdom Awuku (Office Of The Vice President)
The Vice President was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included the Ministers of Food and Agriculture (Hon. Kwesi Ahwoi) and of Water Resources, Works and Housing (Hon. Alban Bagbin); the Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Regional \Integration (Hon. Chris Kpodo), Finance and Economic Planning (Hon. Seth Terkper), and of Energy (Hon. Emmanuel Buah).
The delegation also included the Minority Leader (Hon. Osei-Kyei Mensah-Bonsu) as well as Chairman (Hon. James Klutse Avedzi) and Ranking Member (Hon. Anthony Akoto Osei) of the Finance Committee of the Parliament. The inclusion of the Minority is particularly significant because it underscores Government’s commitment to an all-inclusive approach to prosecuting the Better Ghana Agenda. A number of Ghanaian businessmen went with the delegation.
Vice President Mahama and his delegation were warmly received by and also held very fruitful discussions with, the President and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea as well as leaders of the business community, from the private and public sectors in Korea, who were interested in doing business in Ghana.
During the meetings, both the Vice President and his hosts heartily indulged in courtesies that commended Ghana’s advancement in democratic governance and people-centered development efforts. They also applauded Korea’s accession to membership of the OECD, its assumption of leadership of the organization this year and the focus on cooperation with Africa that will define that leadership role. In particular, the two countries reaffirmed South Korea’s decision to play an active role in Ghana’s socio-economic development through the strengthening of mutual-beneficial cooperation.
The Vice President showed appreciation for the wealth of goodwill and support expressed by the Korean Government and reassured both the Government and the private sector of the prevailing peace and stability that ensured guaranteed foreign direct investment and joint venture partnerships in the country. He drew attention to several Korean activities that existed in Ghana already.
At the end of the visit, the Vice President and his delegation were assured of collaboration by the leading Korean Group of Companies, STX Corporation, through its subsidiaries and affiliates in undertaking a “Ghana Investment Plan” for which a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the STX Corporation and the Government of Ghana.
Under the Ghana Investment Plan, STX Corporation will make investment for, and execute agreed and commercially viable sub-projects with the Government of Ghana providing the necessary support and cooperation.
The projects included:
1. The National Housing Project (GNHP) under which STX is to build 200,000 units of housing in all the ten regions of Ghana, and for which basic data collection and housing design have been completed since the conclusion of a bilateral agreement in December 2009. Total investment amounting to US$10 billion is estimated for the project.
2. Construction and operation of industrial plants; STX intends to invest for, and build various industrial plants in Ghana including, but not limited to, a cement plant, a rolling mill, and autoclaved lightweight concrete (ALC) plant.
3. Stabilization and improvement of operations of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), under which the Government of Ghana confirms its intension to work with STX to secure stable crude oil supply. STX also confirmed its intention to conduct preliminary feasibility study in the construction and operation of oil tank terminals while the Korea National Petroleum Company (KNOC) also expressed interest in collaborating with GNPC on various petroleum projects.
4. Vocational Training of Ghanaian Human Resources: STX and other organizations have agreed to join Government of Ghana’s efforts to improve work skills of Ghanaian human resources. STX will make its best efforts to secure and arrange Korean Government’s cooperation for GOG to set up a training programme with the assistance of Korea’s Knowledge Sharing Project (KSP) and official Development Assistance (ODA) programme. The KSP and investment programs would also benefit Ghana’s ICT and Public Financial Management (PFM) efforts aimed at improving the economy.
5. Other Potential Cooperation Opportunities; As a world leading shipping and shipbuilding company, STX has expressed firm intent to expand the scope of cooperation with Ghana into the fields of shipping and logistics transport business and construction of commercial and specialized vessels.
In the field of food security, Ghana and Korea agree to share technology and know-how in the agricultural sector. In that connection, Ghana’s Minister for Good and Agriculture has extended his visit to Korea by two days to hold further discussions, initiated during the Vice President’s visit, on mutually-beneficial collaboration with the Korean Rural Development Administration (KRDA) which has tremendous expertise and experience in seed, plants, modernized and mechanized farming.
On bilateral financial relations, the Ghana delegation discussed the EXIM facility with the Korean government and EXIM Bank officials and agreed to take the necessary steps to remove all obstacles that have affected the administration of the facility in recent years. Technically, Ghana is deemed to have defaulted in honoring its full loan obligations as a result of the inability of the two countries to complete the debt-relief process under the HIPC programme. The Korean legislature was required to provide the necessary relief granted by OECD and some non-OECD states to Ghana in accordance with the agreed terms under the HIPC arrangement. This action has now been completed and the two countries have agreed to complete the process expeditiously to allow a new EXIM Bank programme to start this year and fund several of the projects envisaged above.
In cooperation within the wider international community, the Ghana delegation appreciated and commended Korea’s policy towards developing closer collaboration and partnership with Africa within the framework of the Korea-Africa Forum and reassured the Government of Korea of Ghana’s sustained key role in advancing the cause of African development.
The Ghana delegation also reassured the Korean Government of Ghana’s ready disposition to continue to share experiences and concerted efforts in addressing global issues of common interest.
The delegation welcome the prospect of the visit to Africa, including Ghana, by the President of the Republic of Korea in the summer of this year 2010 and considered the visit as an eloquent testimony for renewing shared commitment to further deepen relations to the mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries.
Story by: Wisdom Awuku (Office Of The Vice President)
VEEP ASSURES INVESTORS OF GOV'T SUPPORT
The Vice President, John Mahama has lauded the collaboration between the people of Nzema in the Western Region and investors from Trinidad and Tobago which will lead to the establishment of an industrial estate and an energy city in the region.
The project would cater for all activities that would be taking place in the Western Region due to the oil fine.
The vice-president assured them of Government’s commitment to assist the two parties in their long short to long term plans.
He said the location of Nzema to the Ghana’s oil find makes the area conducive to host a number of activities in the Western Region.
Mr. Mahama said this when a joint team from the Western Region led by Chief of Western Nzema , Awulae Annor Adjei III and the investors led by Mrs. Ann Marie De Silva called on him at the Castle to seek government’s commitment to the mutual benefit in the execution of the projects.
Vice-President said Government was particularly happy that the investor was working closely with the chiefs and people in their catchments area, a situation not common to other countries that had found oil, leading to untold hardship to their citizenry.
He advised Ghanaians to be cautiously optimistic about the oil fine since the product may not be the panacea to all their worries.
He therefore urged Ghanaians to take advantage of the numerous opportunities the oil discovery bring instead of looking at it from a different perspective.
Mr. Mahama urged the investor to work closely with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) since that will afford them the opportunity to know at firsthand how much it will cost them to be hooked onto the West African Gas Pipeline project.
Awulae Annor Adjei III said the chiefs of the area considered the importance of land to their people, especially to generations unborn, and had not sold the land but rather leased it to the investors.
He also added that the investors had agreed to vacate the site and return it to its owner if by 2015 they had not delivered on their promises.
Awulae Annor stressed the fact that the investor had agreed not to relocate inhabitants but rather upgrade them when the need be, create a buffer zone for possible expansion and for future agricultural purposes.
For her part, Mrs. De Silva said the possibility of the project is feasible and had come to replicate what had been done in other countries such as Trinidad and Tobago
He pleaded with government to ensure that the project is not starved of gas since the commodity is the sole engine of the project.
Feb. 23 2010
Story by: Wisdom Awuku (Office Of The Vice President)
The project would cater for all activities that would be taking place in the Western Region due to the oil fine.
The vice-president assured them of Government’s commitment to assist the two parties in their long short to long term plans.
He said the location of Nzema to the Ghana’s oil find makes the area conducive to host a number of activities in the Western Region.
Mr. Mahama said this when a joint team from the Western Region led by Chief of Western Nzema , Awulae Annor Adjei III and the investors led by Mrs. Ann Marie De Silva called on him at the Castle to seek government’s commitment to the mutual benefit in the execution of the projects.
Vice-President said Government was particularly happy that the investor was working closely with the chiefs and people in their catchments area, a situation not common to other countries that had found oil, leading to untold hardship to their citizenry.
He advised Ghanaians to be cautiously optimistic about the oil fine since the product may not be the panacea to all their worries.
He therefore urged Ghanaians to take advantage of the numerous opportunities the oil discovery bring instead of looking at it from a different perspective.
Mr. Mahama urged the investor to work closely with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) since that will afford them the opportunity to know at firsthand how much it will cost them to be hooked onto the West African Gas Pipeline project.
Awulae Annor Adjei III said the chiefs of the area considered the importance of land to their people, especially to generations unborn, and had not sold the land but rather leased it to the investors.
He also added that the investors had agreed to vacate the site and return it to its owner if by 2015 they had not delivered on their promises.
Awulae Annor stressed the fact that the investor had agreed not to relocate inhabitants but rather upgrade them when the need be, create a buffer zone for possible expansion and for future agricultural purposes.
For her part, Mrs. De Silva said the possibility of the project is feasible and had come to replicate what had been done in other countries such as Trinidad and Tobago
He pleaded with government to ensure that the project is not starved of gas since the commodity is the sole engine of the project.
Feb. 23 2010
Story by: Wisdom Awuku (Office Of The Vice President)
Galvanize the energies of youth to continue Nkrumah's vision - Veep
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Friday called on the Planning Committee of the Kwame Nkrumah Centenary Celebrations to galvanize the energies of the youth to continue with the uncompleted ideals of Nkrumah.
He noted that the youth played a significant role during Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah's struggle to secure independence and foster development for Ghana and the entire African continent. "I believe it is only fair that we follow those steps to succeed", the Vice President said when he launched the first of 10 Regional series of campus lecturers to be delivered throughout the country at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
The lectures are meant to commemorate the ideals, concepts and themes of Dr Nkrumah in the struggle for independence as part of his centenary celebration.
Vice President Mahama reiterated calls for the Nkrumaist ideals to be incorporated into the school's curriculum to enable students to study about his goals, visions and ideologies.
He recalled the humble beginnings of Dr Nkrumah and indicated that that was never a hindrance against his pursuit for higher education and urged the youth that no matter one's background, with quality education, it was possible to attain greater heights.
Vice President Mahama announced that heads of states of African Union member countries as well as old friends of Nkrumah are expected in the country to climax the Centenary Celebration in May and called on Ghanaians to offer their maximum support for its success. "Nkrumah's personal friends and cronies such as Kenneth Kaunda, Sam Nujoma and all Pan-Africanists would all be in the country to participate in the Centenary celebrations" he emphasized.
He said the Central Region had memorable historical relics and tourist attractions and served as the central point of Nkrumah's struggle for independence, hence the beginning of the lectures in Cape Coast. He commended the Planning Committee for their commitment and sacrifice in ensuring maximum participation.
"I want to further urge the Planning Committee to let the image of Nkrumah and what he actually stood for to emerge in the series of lectures and other programmes to serve as a reference point even beyond the celebrations," he said.
Professor Akilakpa Sawyer, Chairman of the Centenary Planning Committee announced that other programmes lined up included film shows, drama and cultural activities and called on all partners as well as collaborators to give of their best.
In a lecture, Mrs Esi Sutherland Addy, a member of the Centenary Committee and a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, urged Africans to be passionate about their own history and the totality of their lives as Africans as Nkrumah sought to inculcate in them. She noted that Nkrumah was determined to eliminate illiteracy in the country and therefore built so many schools from basic to the tertiary level.
Dr Nasser Gamal Adams, also a lecturer at the University of Ghana, deplored what he termed the "exploitative symbiotic relationship" between the African continent and "imperialists" or the western world. He said paradoxically, Africa is poor because it is rich and that its riches have rather caused its woes and pointed out that capitalist system had rather created excessive wealth for the West while it has generated increased squalor and poverty in Africa.
Dr Adams stressed that currently there is a new "colonialist elites" who together with their imperialists' partners were plunging the rich resources of the continent such as gold, diamonds and oil. He urged all Africans to unite and forge a common front to deal with issues confronting them to help better their lot.
Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang Vice-Chancellor of UCC, who chaired the function, said Dr Nkrumah has made a positive impact on many lives and mentioned education and research as some of his ideals.
She challenged academicians to make education relevant to the needs of society and also urged Africans to believe in themselves, be innovative and build their confidence to stamp out stereotyping others.
Feb. 12 2010
He noted that the youth played a significant role during Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah's struggle to secure independence and foster development for Ghana and the entire African continent. "I believe it is only fair that we follow those steps to succeed", the Vice President said when he launched the first of 10 Regional series of campus lecturers to be delivered throughout the country at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).
The lectures are meant to commemorate the ideals, concepts and themes of Dr Nkrumah in the struggle for independence as part of his centenary celebration.
Vice President Mahama reiterated calls for the Nkrumaist ideals to be incorporated into the school's curriculum to enable students to study about his goals, visions and ideologies.
He recalled the humble beginnings of Dr Nkrumah and indicated that that was never a hindrance against his pursuit for higher education and urged the youth that no matter one's background, with quality education, it was possible to attain greater heights.
Vice President Mahama announced that heads of states of African Union member countries as well as old friends of Nkrumah are expected in the country to climax the Centenary Celebration in May and called on Ghanaians to offer their maximum support for its success. "Nkrumah's personal friends and cronies such as Kenneth Kaunda, Sam Nujoma and all Pan-Africanists would all be in the country to participate in the Centenary celebrations" he emphasized.
He said the Central Region had memorable historical relics and tourist attractions and served as the central point of Nkrumah's struggle for independence, hence the beginning of the lectures in Cape Coast. He commended the Planning Committee for their commitment and sacrifice in ensuring maximum participation.
"I want to further urge the Planning Committee to let the image of Nkrumah and what he actually stood for to emerge in the series of lectures and other programmes to serve as a reference point even beyond the celebrations," he said.
Professor Akilakpa Sawyer, Chairman of the Centenary Planning Committee announced that other programmes lined up included film shows, drama and cultural activities and called on all partners as well as collaborators to give of their best.
In a lecture, Mrs Esi Sutherland Addy, a member of the Centenary Committee and a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, urged Africans to be passionate about their own history and the totality of their lives as Africans as Nkrumah sought to inculcate in them. She noted that Nkrumah was determined to eliminate illiteracy in the country and therefore built so many schools from basic to the tertiary level.
Dr Nasser Gamal Adams, also a lecturer at the University of Ghana, deplored what he termed the "exploitative symbiotic relationship" between the African continent and "imperialists" or the western world. He said paradoxically, Africa is poor because it is rich and that its riches have rather caused its woes and pointed out that capitalist system had rather created excessive wealth for the West while it has generated increased squalor and poverty in Africa.
Dr Adams stressed that currently there is a new "colonialist elites" who together with their imperialists' partners were plunging the rich resources of the continent such as gold, diamonds and oil. He urged all Africans to unite and forge a common front to deal with issues confronting them to help better their lot.
Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang Vice-Chancellor of UCC, who chaired the function, said Dr Nkrumah has made a positive impact on many lives and mentioned education and research as some of his ideals.
She challenged academicians to make education relevant to the needs of society and also urged Africans to believe in themselves, be innovative and build their confidence to stamp out stereotyping others.
Feb. 12 2010
VICE PRESIDENT SECURES IFC DEAL FOR GHANA
Vice President, John Dramani Mahama has secured a deal with the International Financial Corporation (IFC), a subsidiary of the World Bank to assist the country with technical support in its effort to map-up, number and name major streets with zip codes. Mr. Mahama told the IFC that Ghana needed technical support in the mapping-up, street numbering and street naming process to enable government to effectively and efficiently collect property rates and also make mailing easy in the country.
The vice-president made the request when he interacted with officials of IFC at the recent United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where the Vice President attended this year’s 14th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Governments meeting.
In a meeting with Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, the United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Mr. Mahama said Ghana would contribute to bridging the technological divide and make the country an ICT hub for Africa and a market where other sister African countries can draw from. In pursuant to this, Vice-president Mahama sadi it was imperative for government to review existing regulations to bring the sector up to standard to be in tune with international practice so as to build capacity for the future.
Mr. Mahama assured officials of the IFC of government’s commitment in keeping to and conserving the environment.
He said Ghana had already put in place policies like the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), the Youth-in-Agriculture policy and other afforestation programmes to generate employment for the youth and also check environmental degradation.
For his part, Mr. Janneh assured Mr. Mahama that the IFC has more than the necessary capacity, technology and financial resources to assist Ghana in achieving its objectives in its Information Communication Technology programmes and the street naming and numbering projects.
Mr. Janneh assured the vice-president of a team of experts who would soon visit Ghana to undertake feasibility studies of the street numbering and street naming project for the immediate commencement of the exercise.
In a related development, the Vice President, Mr. Mahama has repeated Ghana Government’s call on the Millennium Challenge Authority and the US government to reconsider making the bidding process for contracts under the Millennium Challenge Account flexible for local contractors to win some of the contracts.
He said this would create a multiplier effect and allow the building of indigenous local industries which would invariably improve the economy and standards of living. He bemoaned the way Chinese companies are winning all contracts under the MCA due to their financial muscle and said much as their local counterparts can not much the Chinese financially, they have the technical know-how to execute good quality jobs and called on the US government to involve local content in the award of contract in the MCA.
Mr. Mahama reiterated the call when a Special Assistant to the US President and Director of African Affairs, Ms. Michelle Gavin called on him at the UN Conference Centre in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia .
Mr. Mahama also said the Mills’ administration was taking all the necessary steps to fight the drug menace that rocked the country some years back.
He said government was seeking support to procure surveillance equipments for the Ghana navy to could monitor and apprehend intruding vessels, check the country’s territorial waters and pair trawling and guard the country’s new found oil.
He assured the Ms. Gavin that Government would not leave no stone unturned to ensure that Ghanaians benefit from the oil fine that would start streaming in November 2010.
Ms. Gavin assured the vice-president that her Government would do everything within her power to assist Ghana fight the drug menace.
She also assured the Vice President that she would relay the concerns he had raised with respect to the local content in the award of contract by the MCA.
The vice-president made the request when he interacted with officials of IFC at the recent United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where the Vice President attended this year’s 14th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Governments meeting.
In a meeting with Mr. Abdoulie Janneh, the United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, Mr. Mahama said Ghana would contribute to bridging the technological divide and make the country an ICT hub for Africa and a market where other sister African countries can draw from. In pursuant to this, Vice-president Mahama sadi it was imperative for government to review existing regulations to bring the sector up to standard to be in tune with international practice so as to build capacity for the future.
Mr. Mahama assured officials of the IFC of government’s commitment in keeping to and conserving the environment.
He said Ghana had already put in place policies like the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), the Youth-in-Agriculture policy and other afforestation programmes to generate employment for the youth and also check environmental degradation.
For his part, Mr. Janneh assured Mr. Mahama that the IFC has more than the necessary capacity, technology and financial resources to assist Ghana in achieving its objectives in its Information Communication Technology programmes and the street naming and numbering projects.
Mr. Janneh assured the vice-president of a team of experts who would soon visit Ghana to undertake feasibility studies of the street numbering and street naming project for the immediate commencement of the exercise.
In a related development, the Vice President, Mr. Mahama has repeated Ghana Government’s call on the Millennium Challenge Authority and the US government to reconsider making the bidding process for contracts under the Millennium Challenge Account flexible for local contractors to win some of the contracts.
He said this would create a multiplier effect and allow the building of indigenous local industries which would invariably improve the economy and standards of living. He bemoaned the way Chinese companies are winning all contracts under the MCA due to their financial muscle and said much as their local counterparts can not much the Chinese financially, they have the technical know-how to execute good quality jobs and called on the US government to involve local content in the award of contract in the MCA.
Mr. Mahama reiterated the call when a Special Assistant to the US President and Director of African Affairs, Ms. Michelle Gavin called on him at the UN Conference Centre in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia .
Mr. Mahama also said the Mills’ administration was taking all the necessary steps to fight the drug menace that rocked the country some years back.
He said government was seeking support to procure surveillance equipments for the Ghana navy to could monitor and apprehend intruding vessels, check the country’s territorial waters and pair trawling and guard the country’s new found oil.
He assured the Ms. Gavin that Government would not leave no stone unturned to ensure that Ghanaians benefit from the oil fine that would start streaming in November 2010.
Ms. Gavin assured the vice-president that her Government would do everything within her power to assist Ghana fight the drug menace.
She also assured the Vice President that she would relay the concerns he had raised with respect to the local content in the award of contract by the MCA.
Ghana-Italy Unite To Fight Organized Crime
The Governments of Ghana and Italy have intensified their resolve to fight organized crime and illegal immigration by signing agreements that would enable both the police and immigration agencies of both countries to collaborate in information sharing to check crime.
Addressing an Italian delegation led by the Italian Minister of Interior Robert Maroni at the Castle on Monday, Vice-President John Dramani Mahama stated that the level of sophistication being used by criminals across the world was a clear signal to governments that fighting crime was no longer the preserve of only one country.
He therefore reiterated the need for collaboration between countries, especially the developed and underdeveloped ones, to pool their resources to fight the menace of crime.
According to the vice-president Ghana will not hesitate to sign any agreement that will make the world a safer place to live.
He commended the Italian government for collaborating with Ghana to fight organized crime, trans border crimes, the drug menace, illegal migration and human trafficking.
Mr. Mahama said terrorism knew no bound and that the cost of living in peace was to be alert at all times, adding that illegal immigration and smuggling were cankers that needed to be weeded out.
Mr. Mahama indicated that young Africans, especially from Ghana, have lost their lives, in their quest to travel for greener pastures, embarked on dangerous journeys to migrate to Italy and other European countries.
He mentioned the death of about 40 Ghanaians in The Gambia as one of such dangerous ventures that had led to a stalled relationship between Ghana and The Gambia.
The vice-president therefore appealed to the Italian government to support Ghana with agricultural machinery and technology to revamp its agricultural sector to entice the youth to go into agricultural and to dissuade them from travelling abroad illegally.
He said the government of Ghana was determined to make Ghana a haven where the youth would be encouraged to stay in the country to deploy their talents for the development of the country.
The Italian delegation, who were accompanied by the Minister of the Interior Cletus Avoka and Appiah Kubi, the deputy Minister of the Interior later signed the two agreements at the Ministry of the Interior in Accra.
The agreement emphases capacity building and technical cooperation programmes to consolidated partnership approaches between Ghana and Italy.
It also seeks to provide exchange of information, joint operations and mutual visits.
“Moreover, it seeks to provide training and capacity building through professional seminars and courses, practical training as in the attachment of Immigration officers to Italian Immigration Operations.
“Lastly, the agreement seeks to provide technical support though the provision of equipment for Border control,” it said.
Hon. Avoka, signing on behalf of the government of Ghana, noted that “the world has become a Global village and Ghana as a member of the International Community has faced the same security challenges as experienced by many other countries.”
He mentioned that illegal immigration were characterized as trans-national crimes organized by international criminal organizations who were often connected to drug trafficking, terrorism, money laundering and arms trafficking.
Mr. Avoka acknowledged the importance of the agreement and said “this agreement therefore comes at an opportune time when the Ghana Immigration Service is expanding its Border Patrol Programme and requires all the support, both technical and financial to succeed.”
“The prospect of more training and equipment support for Ghana Immigration Service and the Police is very crucial in strengthening the Border management system as well as the enforcement capacities to combat cross border threats,” the Minister indicated.
He commended the Italian Government for the support and appealed for further assistance in all areas of Security for the Ghanaian Law Enforcement Agencies in their bid to curb and fight crime in the country.
For his part, Mr. Maroni praised the government of Ghana for its democratic principles and its role in curbing crime and maintaining peace in the sub-region.
He mentioned, in particular, internal security where Italian citizens residence in Ghana have mentioned that they have found Ghana a very peaceful place to live.
Mr. Maroni also said Italy was the only Schegen country that gives the highest of visas to Ghanaian applicants to Italy more than any other country.
He disclosed that the Italian government was putting in place measures to absorb qualified Ghanaians into the Italian economy, who wanted to live and work in Italy.
Mr. Maroni later presented 11 vehicles, made up of nine Toyota Land Cruisers with two of them to be uses as Ambulannces and two Toyota Coaster buses to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) for the Border Patrol Unit of the GIS.
Present at the function were Mr. Paul Tawiah Quaye, the Inspector-General of Police and some top GIS officials.
By Wisdom Peter Awuku and George Asirigo (Office Of The Vice President)
Addressing an Italian delegation led by the Italian Minister of Interior Robert Maroni at the Castle on Monday, Vice-President John Dramani Mahama stated that the level of sophistication being used by criminals across the world was a clear signal to governments that fighting crime was no longer the preserve of only one country.
He therefore reiterated the need for collaboration between countries, especially the developed and underdeveloped ones, to pool their resources to fight the menace of crime.
According to the vice-president Ghana will not hesitate to sign any agreement that will make the world a safer place to live.
He commended the Italian government for collaborating with Ghana to fight organized crime, trans border crimes, the drug menace, illegal migration and human trafficking.
Mr. Mahama said terrorism knew no bound and that the cost of living in peace was to be alert at all times, adding that illegal immigration and smuggling were cankers that needed to be weeded out.
Mr. Mahama indicated that young Africans, especially from Ghana, have lost their lives, in their quest to travel for greener pastures, embarked on dangerous journeys to migrate to Italy and other European countries.
He mentioned the death of about 40 Ghanaians in The Gambia as one of such dangerous ventures that had led to a stalled relationship between Ghana and The Gambia.
The vice-president therefore appealed to the Italian government to support Ghana with agricultural machinery and technology to revamp its agricultural sector to entice the youth to go into agricultural and to dissuade them from travelling abroad illegally.
He said the government of Ghana was determined to make Ghana a haven where the youth would be encouraged to stay in the country to deploy their talents for the development of the country.
The Italian delegation, who were accompanied by the Minister of the Interior Cletus Avoka and Appiah Kubi, the deputy Minister of the Interior later signed the two agreements at the Ministry of the Interior in Accra.
The agreement emphases capacity building and technical cooperation programmes to consolidated partnership approaches between Ghana and Italy.
It also seeks to provide exchange of information, joint operations and mutual visits.
“Moreover, it seeks to provide training and capacity building through professional seminars and courses, practical training as in the attachment of Immigration officers to Italian Immigration Operations.
“Lastly, the agreement seeks to provide technical support though the provision of equipment for Border control,” it said.
Hon. Avoka, signing on behalf of the government of Ghana, noted that “the world has become a Global village and Ghana as a member of the International Community has faced the same security challenges as experienced by many other countries.”
He mentioned that illegal immigration were characterized as trans-national crimes organized by international criminal organizations who were often connected to drug trafficking, terrorism, money laundering and arms trafficking.
Mr. Avoka acknowledged the importance of the agreement and said “this agreement therefore comes at an opportune time when the Ghana Immigration Service is expanding its Border Patrol Programme and requires all the support, both technical and financial to succeed.”
“The prospect of more training and equipment support for Ghana Immigration Service and the Police is very crucial in strengthening the Border management system as well as the enforcement capacities to combat cross border threats,” the Minister indicated.
He commended the Italian Government for the support and appealed for further assistance in all areas of Security for the Ghanaian Law Enforcement Agencies in their bid to curb and fight crime in the country.
For his part, Mr. Maroni praised the government of Ghana for its democratic principles and its role in curbing crime and maintaining peace in the sub-region.
He mentioned, in particular, internal security where Italian citizens residence in Ghana have mentioned that they have found Ghana a very peaceful place to live.
Mr. Maroni also said Italy was the only Schegen country that gives the highest of visas to Ghanaian applicants to Italy more than any other country.
He disclosed that the Italian government was putting in place measures to absorb qualified Ghanaians into the Italian economy, who wanted to live and work in Italy.
Mr. Maroni later presented 11 vehicles, made up of nine Toyota Land Cruisers with two of them to be uses as Ambulannces and two Toyota Coaster buses to the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) for the Border Patrol Unit of the GIS.
Present at the function were Mr. Paul Tawiah Quaye, the Inspector-General of Police and some top GIS officials.
By Wisdom Peter Awuku and George Asirigo (Office Of The Vice President)
AU WELCOMES THE CELEBRATION OF NKRUMAH CENTENARY
The African Union (AU) has reiterated its commitment to honouring Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah by institutionalizing his birthday as a holiday on the African continent.
The declaration was made by the new AU Chairman Bingu Wa Mutharika after Vice-President John Mahama addressed African Heads of State and Government meeting at the 14th Ordinary Session of the African Union and the 16th Executive Council Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According President Wa Mutharika, who is also the President of Malawi, the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana by all stretch of the imagination and standard needed to be glorified because of his contribution to Pan-Africanism and his struggle for African liberation. He said the AU would definitely join Ghana in celebrating Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
AU Commissioner, Dr. Jean Ping in a separate meeting with the Vice-President, said even though he never saw the late Dr. Nkrumah he can stick his neck out that Nkrumah was Africa and Africa was Nkrumah.
He said the Commission through its Commissioner for Social Affairs, Culture and Sports was planning a commemoration for “This Great Man” and would not hesitate to incorporate and assist in whatever programme Ghana would come out with to celebrating Kwame Nkrumah.
Dr. Ping called on Ghana to submit a detailed timeline programme for AU to assist.
The declaration was made by the new AU Chairman Bingu Wa Mutharika after Vice-President John Mahama addressed African Heads of State and Government meeting at the 14th Ordinary Session of the African Union and the 16th Executive Council Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According President Wa Mutharika, who is also the President of Malawi, the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana by all stretch of the imagination and standard needed to be glorified because of his contribution to Pan-Africanism and his struggle for African liberation. He said the AU would definitely join Ghana in celebrating Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
AU Commissioner, Dr. Jean Ping in a separate meeting with the Vice-President, said even though he never saw the late Dr. Nkrumah he can stick his neck out that Nkrumah was Africa and Africa was Nkrumah.
He said the Commission through its Commissioner for Social Affairs, Culture and Sports was planning a commemoration for “This Great Man” and would not hesitate to incorporate and assist in whatever programme Ghana would come out with to celebrating Kwame Nkrumah.
Dr. Ping called on Ghana to submit a detailed timeline programme for AU to assist.
World Bank to support rice farming in Ghana - Vice President
Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on Tuesday announced that the government was negotiating with the World Bank to support Ghanaian farmers to increase rice production. He said when the agreement is sealed, the World Bank would support in the transportation of water from the lower Volta to irrigate arable rice farm lands in the Accra plains.
Vice President Mahama made the announcement when he inspected rice farms of Brazil Agro-Investment limited, a solely Brazilian organization, engaged in rice production in Dabala in the Volta Region. The Vice President said prudent agricultural policies adopted a year ago by the NDC Government were yielding dividends as rice production had stepped up by 30 percent within a one-year period and hoped that it would further be increased to about 60 percent within the next two years. He said the government annually spent about $500million dollars on the importation of rice alone.
Vice President Mahama said that with the new measures of providing tractors and irrigation facilities to organized farmers in the country, government could save about $300million dollars in the next three years. He gave the assurance that government would continue to support all private initiatives that were geared towards the development of every Ghanaian in the country.
Mr. Leor Valer, Director of the rice company, said its initial 150-hectare rice farm was encouraging and hoped to increase the production to 480 hectares in the next few months in the Volta Region. He said the company was targeting to cultivate 5000 hectares of rice in the next five years in the country and appealed to government to consider controlling the importation of rice into the country to boost local production. Mr. Valer said the rice farms had created jobs for the people in the area as many of them were now engaged in sewing, fertilisation, fishing, harvesting, milling, packaging among other activities. He said rice had become a major staple food for Ghanaians and called on the government to protect local rice production.
9 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
Vice President Mahama made the announcement when he inspected rice farms of Brazil Agro-Investment limited, a solely Brazilian organization, engaged in rice production in Dabala in the Volta Region. The Vice President said prudent agricultural policies adopted a year ago by the NDC Government were yielding dividends as rice production had stepped up by 30 percent within a one-year period and hoped that it would further be increased to about 60 percent within the next two years. He said the government annually spent about $500million dollars on the importation of rice alone.
Vice President Mahama said that with the new measures of providing tractors and irrigation facilities to organized farmers in the country, government could save about $300million dollars in the next three years. He gave the assurance that government would continue to support all private initiatives that were geared towards the development of every Ghanaian in the country.
Mr. Leor Valer, Director of the rice company, said its initial 150-hectare rice farm was encouraging and hoped to increase the production to 480 hectares in the next few months in the Volta Region. He said the company was targeting to cultivate 5000 hectares of rice in the next five years in the country and appealed to government to consider controlling the importation of rice into the country to boost local production. Mr. Valer said the rice farms had created jobs for the people in the area as many of them were now engaged in sewing, fertilisation, fishing, harvesting, milling, packaging among other activities. He said rice had become a major staple food for Ghanaians and called on the government to protect local rice production.
9 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
Veep Blasts Tabloid Joy fm
…Over Concocted Story
… Concerns Heighten Over Lowering Standards
Whilst the Editor of the New Punch newspaper, Ebenezer Ato Sam, a.k.a. Baby Ansabah, was busily purging his conscience over concocted stories against the current president, Joy FM, a popular radio station in reporting his story, ended up concocting their own story about the current vice President.
The usually genteel and media shy Vice President John Dramani Mahama, is said to be fuming with rage at Joy FM, for concocting such a terrible story about him.
The Joy FM story implied that Baby Ansabah, Editor of The New Punch newspaper was under pressure to make confessions about concocted stories he published against President John Evans Atta Mills, because he is acting under a spell of blackmail from a monetary payment he received from the Vice President.
Meanwhile, sources within Joy Fm’s newsroom have told The Enquirer that the initial storyline was that the government paid the editor to go on several radio stations with his confessions and again paid Metro TV to allow him to appear on their current affairs programme to repeat the allegations.
The Joy FM sources said, when they contacted the host of the Good Evening Ghana Programme, he debunked the story and stated that the decision to bring Mr. Ansabah on the TV programme was made by the producer of the show and that the allegation was too wild.
The Joy FM sources continued that when that leg of the story collapsed, another allegation surfaced immediately, which was that the Vice President had, as a condition for paying monies to Baby Ansabah, requested him to make certain confessions.
“Even that allegation too, was shot down by family members of the late pastor, who told us that they had not received any payment from Mr. Ansabah. In the absence of evidence that the Veep paid any money to Ansabah, there was no story. But my people went ahead and run the story against the Veep,” revealed the newsroom source.
Reacting to the Joy FM blackmail news story, the Office of the Vice President has described as “highly irresponsible another deliberate attempt to malign the Vice President, John Mahama, the Mills administration and the ruling NDC.”
The statement signed by John Abdulai Jinapor, Media Co-ordinator to the Vice President, said the JoyFM news report can, at best, be described as a “fabrication calculated to impugn the reputation of the Vice President.”
The statement said, Joy FM in its report claimed, among others, that it had been able to confirm that the Vice President assisted the said Baby Ansabah with money to pay compensation to the family of a pastor he allegedly knocked down in a motor accident. The statement says the report also falsely claimed that officials of the NDC used that assistance to blackmail Mr. Ansabah to avoid prosecution.
Mr. Janipor stated that neither has the Vice President given out any money to Mr. Ansabah nor has he coerced him to make any confession.
“Despite the clear denial by both a family representative of the deceased pastor and Mr. Ansabah that there has not been any such compensation paid, JoyFM claimed in its news report that it had gathered that as a fact and went ahead to broadcast the news item though it did not prove that so-called fact,” the Veep’s office stated.
The Office of the Vice President, in the statement said whilst the “Mills government believes in the freedom of the media and will continue to promote that, the media must desist from the deliberate peddling of falsehood and the fabrication of stories intended to malign personalities and institutions.”
The statement advised JoyFM, in particular, to remember the basics of journalism and endeavour to promote professionalism in the trade.
Meanwhile, there have been general concerns about falling standards at Joy FM, with others speculating that certain particular journalists at the station appear to have taken a negative political stance against the current government.
There are some media observers who also say the lowering of standards at the station could be attributable to the exit of key news anchors over the years.
These pundits say the station has not found fitting replacements for some of its key anchors, who include, Komla Durmor, Akwasi Sarpong, Sony Decker, Mawuko Zormelo, Stan Dogbe, and Paul Adom Otchere.
8 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
… Concerns Heighten Over Lowering Standards
Whilst the Editor of the New Punch newspaper, Ebenezer Ato Sam, a.k.a. Baby Ansabah, was busily purging his conscience over concocted stories against the current president, Joy FM, a popular radio station in reporting his story, ended up concocting their own story about the current vice President.
The usually genteel and media shy Vice President John Dramani Mahama, is said to be fuming with rage at Joy FM, for concocting such a terrible story about him.
The Joy FM story implied that Baby Ansabah, Editor of The New Punch newspaper was under pressure to make confessions about concocted stories he published against President John Evans Atta Mills, because he is acting under a spell of blackmail from a monetary payment he received from the Vice President.
Meanwhile, sources within Joy Fm’s newsroom have told The Enquirer that the initial storyline was that the government paid the editor to go on several radio stations with his confessions and again paid Metro TV to allow him to appear on their current affairs programme to repeat the allegations.
The Joy FM sources said, when they contacted the host of the Good Evening Ghana Programme, he debunked the story and stated that the decision to bring Mr. Ansabah on the TV programme was made by the producer of the show and that the allegation was too wild.
The Joy FM sources continued that when that leg of the story collapsed, another allegation surfaced immediately, which was that the Vice President had, as a condition for paying monies to Baby Ansabah, requested him to make certain confessions.
“Even that allegation too, was shot down by family members of the late pastor, who told us that they had not received any payment from Mr. Ansabah. In the absence of evidence that the Veep paid any money to Ansabah, there was no story. But my people went ahead and run the story against the Veep,” revealed the newsroom source.
Reacting to the Joy FM blackmail news story, the Office of the Vice President has described as “highly irresponsible another deliberate attempt to malign the Vice President, John Mahama, the Mills administration and the ruling NDC.”
The statement signed by John Abdulai Jinapor, Media Co-ordinator to the Vice President, said the JoyFM news report can, at best, be described as a “fabrication calculated to impugn the reputation of the Vice President.”
The statement said, Joy FM in its report claimed, among others, that it had been able to confirm that the Vice President assisted the said Baby Ansabah with money to pay compensation to the family of a pastor he allegedly knocked down in a motor accident. The statement says the report also falsely claimed that officials of the NDC used that assistance to blackmail Mr. Ansabah to avoid prosecution.
Mr. Janipor stated that neither has the Vice President given out any money to Mr. Ansabah nor has he coerced him to make any confession.
“Despite the clear denial by both a family representative of the deceased pastor and Mr. Ansabah that there has not been any such compensation paid, JoyFM claimed in its news report that it had gathered that as a fact and went ahead to broadcast the news item though it did not prove that so-called fact,” the Veep’s office stated.
The Office of the Vice President, in the statement said whilst the “Mills government believes in the freedom of the media and will continue to promote that, the media must desist from the deliberate peddling of falsehood and the fabrication of stories intended to malign personalities and institutions.”
The statement advised JoyFM, in particular, to remember the basics of journalism and endeavour to promote professionalism in the trade.
Meanwhile, there have been general concerns about falling standards at Joy FM, with others speculating that certain particular journalists at the station appear to have taken a negative political stance against the current government.
There are some media observers who also say the lowering of standards at the station could be attributable to the exit of key news anchors over the years.
These pundits say the station has not found fitting replacements for some of its key anchors, who include, Komla Durmor, Akwasi Sarpong, Sony Decker, Mawuko Zormelo, Stan Dogbe, and Paul Adom Otchere.
8 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
Vice President denies blackmail story
The Office of the Vice President has described as highly irresponsible, a deliberate attempt by a section of the media to malign the government through claims that some public officials attempted to blackmail a journalist.
A statement signed by John Abdulai Jinapor, Media Co-ordinator to the Vice President, said the story on an Accra radio station could best be described as a fabrication, calculated to impugn the reputation of the Vice President.
It refuted claims that Mr John Dramani Mahama assisted Baby Ansabah, the journalist with money to pay compensation to the family of a pastor he allegedly knocked down in a motor accident.
The statement said it was also false that officials of the National Democratic Congress capitalised on the assistance to blackmail Mr. Ansabah.
It said neither has the Vice President given out any money to Mr. Ansabah nor coerced him to make any confession.
According to the statement, despite the clear denial by a family representative of the deceased pastor and Mr. Ansabah about the report, Joy FM reported the allegations.
"While the Mills government believes in the freedom of the media and will continue to promote that, the media must desist from the deliberate peddling of falsehood and the fabrication of stories intended to malign personalities and institutions," the statement said.
The statement advised journalists to remember the basics of journalism and endeavour to promote professionalism in the trade.
7 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
A statement signed by John Abdulai Jinapor, Media Co-ordinator to the Vice President, said the story on an Accra radio station could best be described as a fabrication, calculated to impugn the reputation of the Vice President.
It refuted claims that Mr John Dramani Mahama assisted Baby Ansabah, the journalist with money to pay compensation to the family of a pastor he allegedly knocked down in a motor accident.
The statement said it was also false that officials of the National Democratic Congress capitalised on the assistance to blackmail Mr. Ansabah.
It said neither has the Vice President given out any money to Mr. Ansabah nor coerced him to make any confession.
According to the statement, despite the clear denial by a family representative of the deceased pastor and Mr. Ansabah about the report, Joy FM reported the allegations.
"While the Mills government believes in the freedom of the media and will continue to promote that, the media must desist from the deliberate peddling of falsehood and the fabrication of stories intended to malign personalities and institutions," the statement said.
The statement advised journalists to remember the basics of journalism and endeavour to promote professionalism in the trade.
7 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
Ghana to host conference on Right of Access to Information
A three-day African Regional Conference on the Right of Access to Information opens at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra this Sunday.
Organised by the Carter Centre and other African partners, the conference is to advance the right of access to information on the continent.
Former US President Jimmy Carter, Vice-President John Mahama, Attorney General Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu and Mr Sanjay Pradhan, Vice President of the World Bank Institute would be leading speakers at the conference, according to an official statement issued in Accra on Friday.
It said participants would be drawn from governments, regional and international institutions, civil society, media and the private sector from at least 15 focus countries on the continent.
In-depth discussions will be held on the four main objectives of the conference - Identify and explore challenges and potential solutions specific to Africa; Bring together stakeholders to enhance a regional community of practice; Encourage multi-stakeholder national clusters to advance the right of access to information; Create and disseminate regional findings and a plan of action.
The statement said the first day of the conference would be chaired by former President Carter and would reflect on the state of the right to information in Africa.
In addition, plenary panels will focus on questions such as "Does transparency matter?" and "If so, why have African countries not advanced further?" These panels will spotlight the value of transparency for managing oil revenues, addressing climate change, and improving development, as well as providing seeds for discussion on political commitment, institutional capacity, and civil society engagement.
The statement said the plenary sessions would serve to inform the discussions that will take place during the remainder of the conference. The second day, it said, would be dedicated to group work, with the participants strategically placed into one of five multi-stakeholder groups to explore topics such as politics and economy: shifting the balance toward openness; structural context and culture: creating an environment for transparency; non-state and multi-lateral actors: examining roles and responsibilities; regional norm-building: considering regional instruments and standards and demand and use of new technology: engaging citizens and increasing awareness "These working groups will examine the challenges to the passage and implementation of the law, constraints, and next generation issues, as well as engage the issue of impact-topics that without our consideration could undermine past advances or retard future gains in the right to information." It said each of the working groups would be led by a well-known facilitator with expert rapporteurs, and would be tasked with creating a set of findings and recommendations for the action plan.
5 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
Organised by the Carter Centre and other African partners, the conference is to advance the right of access to information on the continent.
Former US President Jimmy Carter, Vice-President John Mahama, Attorney General Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu and Mr Sanjay Pradhan, Vice President of the World Bank Institute would be leading speakers at the conference, according to an official statement issued in Accra on Friday.
It said participants would be drawn from governments, regional and international institutions, civil society, media and the private sector from at least 15 focus countries on the continent.
In-depth discussions will be held on the four main objectives of the conference - Identify and explore challenges and potential solutions specific to Africa; Bring together stakeholders to enhance a regional community of practice; Encourage multi-stakeholder national clusters to advance the right of access to information; Create and disseminate regional findings and a plan of action.
The statement said the first day of the conference would be chaired by former President Carter and would reflect on the state of the right to information in Africa.
In addition, plenary panels will focus on questions such as "Does transparency matter?" and "If so, why have African countries not advanced further?" These panels will spotlight the value of transparency for managing oil revenues, addressing climate change, and improving development, as well as providing seeds for discussion on political commitment, institutional capacity, and civil society engagement.
The statement said the plenary sessions would serve to inform the discussions that will take place during the remainder of the conference. The second day, it said, would be dedicated to group work, with the participants strategically placed into one of five multi-stakeholder groups to explore topics such as politics and economy: shifting the balance toward openness; structural context and culture: creating an environment for transparency; non-state and multi-lateral actors: examining roles and responsibilities; regional norm-building: considering regional instruments and standards and demand and use of new technology: engaging citizens and increasing awareness "These working groups will examine the challenges to the passage and implementation of the law, constraints, and next generation issues, as well as engage the issue of impact-topics that without our consideration could undermine past advances or retard future gains in the right to information." It said each of the working groups would be led by a well-known facilitator with expert rapporteurs, and would be tasked with creating a set of findings and recommendations for the action plan.
5 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
Government to replace traffic lights in Accra-Tema
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Friday announced that the government would this year replace all the traffic lights with ultra-modern ones that would help reduce jams in the Accra-Tema Metropolis.
The modern traffic lights, he said, had back-up power that could sustain and work for extra two days when power goes off. Vice President Mahama announced this when he cut the sod for the commencement of work on a total of 53 kilometres of roads in Tema, Ashaiman and Kpone in the Tema Metropolis.
The projects, which would take one year to be fully executed, include asphalting, ordinary tarring and upgrading of roads in the Ashaiman, Klagon and Lashibi areas, were awarded on contract valued at about GH¢30 million from the Government of Ghana funds.
He said the current state where streets became jammed up with vehicles during lights off was unacceptable, considering the fact that more people were acquiring private vehicles in Accra and Tema.
Mr. Mahama explained that the current increase of tolls on the highways was to generate more funds to construct, maintain and upgrade more roads. He charged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to, at the end of every year, publish the total amount of money accrued from the tolls and how much would be used in financing road projects.
"Ghanaians are ready to sacrifice, but such willingness will only pay off, if those in leadership are also willing to be transparent." The Vice President appealed to the residents of the areas to cooperate with the contractors as the execution of those projects were likely to inconvenience them in one way or the other.
Mr. Joe Gidisu, Minister of Roads and Highways, said roads in the entire country needed special attention since a lot of them had not received any major rehabilitation since independence. He called on Chiefs in the project areas to cooperate with contractors and officials of the Ministry to reduce the perennial litigations that normally characterised such projects.
"The construction and upgrading of so many roads in the Accra-Tema Metropolis is a total demonstration that the Better Ghana agenda we promised is on course." Mr. Kempes Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, said in spite of the financial constraints the government was facing, it would do everything possible to upgrade all the roads in the area.
5 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
The modern traffic lights, he said, had back-up power that could sustain and work for extra two days when power goes off. Vice President Mahama announced this when he cut the sod for the commencement of work on a total of 53 kilometres of roads in Tema, Ashaiman and Kpone in the Tema Metropolis.
The projects, which would take one year to be fully executed, include asphalting, ordinary tarring and upgrading of roads in the Ashaiman, Klagon and Lashibi areas, were awarded on contract valued at about GH¢30 million from the Government of Ghana funds.
He said the current state where streets became jammed up with vehicles during lights off was unacceptable, considering the fact that more people were acquiring private vehicles in Accra and Tema.
Mr. Mahama explained that the current increase of tolls on the highways was to generate more funds to construct, maintain and upgrade more roads. He charged the Ministry of Roads and Highways to, at the end of every year, publish the total amount of money accrued from the tolls and how much would be used in financing road projects.
"Ghanaians are ready to sacrifice, but such willingness will only pay off, if those in leadership are also willing to be transparent." The Vice President appealed to the residents of the areas to cooperate with the contractors as the execution of those projects were likely to inconvenience them in one way or the other.
Mr. Joe Gidisu, Minister of Roads and Highways, said roads in the entire country needed special attention since a lot of them had not received any major rehabilitation since independence. He called on Chiefs in the project areas to cooperate with contractors and officials of the Ministry to reduce the perennial litigations that normally characterised such projects.
"The construction and upgrading of so many roads in the Accra-Tema Metropolis is a total demonstration that the Better Ghana agenda we promised is on course." Mr. Kempes Ofosuware, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, said in spite of the financial constraints the government was facing, it would do everything possible to upgrade all the roads in the area.
5 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
Veep - We would soon become food sellers instead of buyers
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Monday told the Ghanaian community in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that the government had drawn up agricultural policies to change Ghana from an importer to an exporter of food.
He said apart from acquiring numerous tractors for organised farmers in the country, the government was also investing in the Youth in Agriculture programme to take the country out of its permanent position of importing foodstuff that she could comfortably produce.
Mr. Mahama was interacting with the Ghanaian community as part of his five-day visit to Addis Ababa to attend the 14th Ordinary Session of African Union summit. He is also holding bilateral discussions with groups and governments from other parts of the World.
The Vice President said rice production, for example, had increased tremendously, while other staples such as maize and sorghum had also recorded significant increases.
He urged Ghanaians living in other parts of the country to consider investing in the country to take her to greater heights in the coming years. "Ghana has the comparative advantage of producing rice, sorghum, millet, cotton and other staples and we shall pay special attention to these areas to ensure that countries in the sub-region and beyond import these foodstuff from us."
He said the government would in the interim engage a lot more youth in the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEB) while alternative measures were sought to make the country comfortable to live in.
On oil production, the Vice President said the drilling of oil and gas would commence by November this year adding that, "Ghana has the potential of producing about 125,000 barrels of oil a day by 2015." Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister for Foreign Affairs, appealed to the Ghanaians in Addis Ababa to be law abiding and exhibit all the positive Ghanaian values.
He said Ghana was respected everywhere in the world because of her immense contributions in world-wide programmes adding "it will be unfair to exhibit negative attitudes which will consequently tarnish the image of the country".
1 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
He said apart from acquiring numerous tractors for organised farmers in the country, the government was also investing in the Youth in Agriculture programme to take the country out of its permanent position of importing foodstuff that she could comfortably produce.
Mr. Mahama was interacting with the Ghanaian community as part of his five-day visit to Addis Ababa to attend the 14th Ordinary Session of African Union summit. He is also holding bilateral discussions with groups and governments from other parts of the World.
The Vice President said rice production, for example, had increased tremendously, while other staples such as maize and sorghum had also recorded significant increases.
He urged Ghanaians living in other parts of the country to consider investing in the country to take her to greater heights in the coming years. "Ghana has the comparative advantage of producing rice, sorghum, millet, cotton and other staples and we shall pay special attention to these areas to ensure that countries in the sub-region and beyond import these foodstuff from us."
He said the government would in the interim engage a lot more youth in the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEB) while alternative measures were sought to make the country comfortable to live in.
On oil production, the Vice President said the drilling of oil and gas would commence by November this year adding that, "Ghana has the potential of producing about 125,000 barrels of oil a day by 2015." Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister for Foreign Affairs, appealed to the Ghanaians in Addis Ababa to be law abiding and exhibit all the positive Ghanaian values.
He said Ghana was respected everywhere in the world because of her immense contributions in world-wide programmes adding "it will be unfair to exhibit negative attitudes which will consequently tarnish the image of the country".
1 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
Veep - Government has no intenetion of abrogating the Vodafone deal
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Monday gave the assurance that the government had no intention of abrogating the deal with Vodafone Ghana despite some few concerns expressed about it. "There had been concerns on the deal, but as a government we are looking forward to streamlining those concerns to pave way for effective connectivity and industrial growth through Information Communication and Technology(ICT)."
The Vice President gave these assurance when a World Bank ICT delegation called on him at the Ghana Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to negotiate for investment in the sector in Ghana.
He said although there were Telecommunication networks in the country, there was the need to consider accepting other companies in the ICT sector to promote competition and quality services.
"We will make sure that Broadband internet services and other areas of ICT become accessible to Ghanaians everywhere and that is why partnership with experts like you is crucial and useful for our development". Mr. Mahama said Ghana was positioning herself to become the ICT hub on the entire African continent and called on its partners in that direction to respect their roles and responsibilities towards the achievement of that goal.
"We have prioritized ICT and several projects, by moving the sector from five per cent to almost 50 per cent in a very short time." He said the government was poised to promote the egovernance and eImmigration ICT programmes to speed up the development needs of the country and also facilitate the activities of migrants in the country. Dr. Mohsen A. Khalil, Director of Global and Communication Technologies who led the delegation said they would be happy to be given the opportunity to invest in the Telecommunication sector in Ghana.
He said their main aim was to provide interconnectivity in the West African sub-region to serve as a tool for rapid socio-economic development. "Currently the communication set ups in most West African countries is not the best and we believe that given the opportunity, we can facilitate the rapid development of the region through ICT." Dr. Khalil promised to collaborate with the government of Ghana to make ICT available to all the sectors of the Ghanaian society.
1 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
The Vice President gave these assurance when a World Bank ICT delegation called on him at the Ghana Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to negotiate for investment in the sector in Ghana.
He said although there were Telecommunication networks in the country, there was the need to consider accepting other companies in the ICT sector to promote competition and quality services.
"We will make sure that Broadband internet services and other areas of ICT become accessible to Ghanaians everywhere and that is why partnership with experts like you is crucial and useful for our development". Mr. Mahama said Ghana was positioning herself to become the ICT hub on the entire African continent and called on its partners in that direction to respect their roles and responsibilities towards the achievement of that goal.
"We have prioritized ICT and several projects, by moving the sector from five per cent to almost 50 per cent in a very short time." He said the government was poised to promote the egovernance and eImmigration ICT programmes to speed up the development needs of the country and also facilitate the activities of migrants in the country. Dr. Mohsen A. Khalil, Director of Global and Communication Technologies who led the delegation said they would be happy to be given the opportunity to invest in the Telecommunication sector in Ghana.
He said their main aim was to provide interconnectivity in the West African sub-region to serve as a tool for rapid socio-economic development. "Currently the communication set ups in most West African countries is not the best and we believe that given the opportunity, we can facilitate the rapid development of the region through ICT." Dr. Khalil promised to collaborate with the government of Ghana to make ICT available to all the sectors of the Ghanaian society.
1 Feb. 10
Source: GNA
Veep calls for bold action in decentralisation programme
Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on Monday appealed to all stakeholders engaged in the review process of the decentralisation programme to come out with functional and workable actions that would accelerate development. He asked them to identify local resources that could empower the district assemblies to implement the decentralisation process for the improvement in the living conditions of the people. The Vice President, who was opening a two-day stakeholders' conference on decentralisation in Accra, said the conference was in fulfilment of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) campaign promise to hold consultative meetings to review the district assemblies governance system.
He expressed dissatisfaction that Ghana had to take lessons notes about the decentralisation programme from Uganda, which understudied the process from the country.
Mr. Mahama said government would provide a platform for the debate on whether to appoint or elect district chief executives, but would have to start the process by addressing the weaknesses that had been associated with the position in the 1992 constitution. Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, mentioned lack of effective collaboration between the assemblies and traditional authorities and insufficient consultations on the provision of development projects as some of the pertinent issues identified during the regional consultative meetings. He said the review of the decentralisation programme would serve as a framework to improve on the current governance system and called on the stakeholders to fine-tune the programme to make it attractive to the people at all levels.
Mr Yieleh Chireh said gender issues that were prominently identified during the consultative meetings would be addressed to make governance convenient and comfortable for all those engaged in the decentralisation programme.
The two-day programme would among other things discuss political and legal issues, administrative decentralisation, decentralised planning, popular participation and accountability. It would also delve into issues concerning empowerment of the sub-structures, assembly elections, issues affecting persons with disability, involvement of non-state actors and motivation and remuneration of assembly members and staff.
Source: Ghana Web
He expressed dissatisfaction that Ghana had to take lessons notes about the decentralisation programme from Uganda, which understudied the process from the country.
Mr. Mahama said government would provide a platform for the debate on whether to appoint or elect district chief executives, but would have to start the process by addressing the weaknesses that had been associated with the position in the 1992 constitution. Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, mentioned lack of effective collaboration between the assemblies and traditional authorities and insufficient consultations on the provision of development projects as some of the pertinent issues identified during the regional consultative meetings. He said the review of the decentralisation programme would serve as a framework to improve on the current governance system and called on the stakeholders to fine-tune the programme to make it attractive to the people at all levels.
Mr Yieleh Chireh said gender issues that were prominently identified during the consultative meetings would be addressed to make governance convenient and comfortable for all those engaged in the decentralisation programme.
The two-day programme would among other things discuss political and legal issues, administrative decentralisation, decentralised planning, popular participation and accountability. It would also delve into issues concerning empowerment of the sub-structures, assembly elections, issues affecting persons with disability, involvement of non-state actors and motivation and remuneration of assembly members and staff.
Source: Ghana Web
Work on 132 megawatts combined cycle power plant to commence
Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on Monday cut the sod for commencement of work on additional 132 megawatts combined cycle power plant, at the Thermal Power Station at Aboadze near Takoradi.
The Vice President, who was assisted by Nana Kweku Binnah III, Omanhene of Shama Traditional Area Mahama, to perform the ceremony, said contract for the project was estimated at 185,359,651 Dollars and it was being financed with a loan from the Government of Canada and the Societe General of Canada and Investment Bank. He said government wanted to improve thermal power supply from its present 2,000 mega wats to 5,000 mega wats by 2015 to support the country's socio-economic development.
Vice President Mahama said government alone could not achieve this target with its own resources and would welcome private sector participation in the development of the country's electricity base to make energy available for domestic and industrial use. He said government has formulated a transparent framework within which private investors could operate and this was available at the Energy Commission.
Vice President Mahama said government was considering means f correcting disparities in regional distribution of energy through the National Electrification Scheme. He said the National Energy Accessibility Rate was 67 per cent and the Western Regional Energy Accessibility Rate which was 50 per cent was below the national average.
Vice President Mahama said government was endeavouring to improve the national rate and within the next three years, about 1,000 communities including communities in the Western Region would be provided with electricity.
He said government would construct hydro projects at various parts of the country in addition to the Bui Dam which was under construction to add 400 MW capacity to the existing power generation capacity. Dr Kwabena Donkor, Deputy Minister of Energy, said the low electricity price regime based on reliable and cheap hydro-generation must be regarded as a thing of the past if the country was to improve on the availability, reliability and security of power supply for industrial and domestic use. He said in the 1960.s and 1970.s, when power generation in the country was mainly from the Akosombo Dam, the country was able to produce and sell power for domestic and industrial use at very low prices.
Dr. Donkor said currently, there was a generation mix with about 50 per cent from thermal generation sources, using expensive crude oil and expensive diesel fuel with serious implications for cost of electricity generation and pricing.
He said: "The current generation mix throws up a production cost that is reflective of today's crude oil pricing that has hovered in the 80 United States dollars band for the last couple of months". Dr. Donkor said the gravity of power sector generation challenge was exacerbated by the obsolescence of transmission and distribution infrastructure.
He said transformers and associated equipment manufactured and installed in the early 1950's still formed the backbone of transmission and distribution infrastructure. Dr. Donkor said the nation under invested in the power sector after the 1960's, especially in transmission and distribution equipment and systems.
He said the transmission system was undergoing reinforcement to improve reliability and reduce vulnerability of the network, expand capacity network to support load growth and modernize the entire transmission network to meet internationally accepted standards of operation.
Dr. Donkor said the people have to collectively confront the high losses experienced in the distribution chain and while increased investment would reduce technical losses, the theft of power through illegal connections culminating in commercial losses must be addressed. He called on security agencies, community groups and patriotic minded individuals to help to bring this under control by arresting and reporting the perpetuators who live in their communities. Dr. Donkor said such commercial losses added to individual bills of consumers and it was, therefore, in their interest to help arrest this situation.
Mr. Kweku Andoh Awotwi, Chief Chief of the Volta River Authority (VRA), said the plant would consist of four gas turbines, four heat recovery stream generator and two steam turbines. He said the gas turbines would run on light crude oil, diesel oil and natural gas and the main contractor for the expansion project was the Canadian Commercial Corporation. Mr Awotwi said the VRA remained committed to fulfilling its mandate of supplying electricity for socio-economic development in the country and the West Africa Sub-region. He said the Takoradi Thermal Power Project, undertaken by the VRA, to supplement hydro sources of generation at Akosombo and Kpong, has contributed to achieving its corporate goal of ensuring efficient and reliable power supply. Mr Derren Schemmer, Canadian High Commission in Ghana, said Ghana was the first country in the sub-region to benefit from his country's economic assistance. He said many Canadian companies wanted to do business in the country because of the government's good policies and good governance. 18 Jan 10
Source: Ghana Web
The Vice President, who was assisted by Nana Kweku Binnah III, Omanhene of Shama Traditional Area Mahama, to perform the ceremony, said contract for the project was estimated at 185,359,651 Dollars and it was being financed with a loan from the Government of Canada and the Societe General of Canada and Investment Bank. He said government wanted to improve thermal power supply from its present 2,000 mega wats to 5,000 mega wats by 2015 to support the country's socio-economic development.
Vice President Mahama said government alone could not achieve this target with its own resources and would welcome private sector participation in the development of the country's electricity base to make energy available for domestic and industrial use. He said government has formulated a transparent framework within which private investors could operate and this was available at the Energy Commission.
Vice President Mahama said government was considering means f correcting disparities in regional distribution of energy through the National Electrification Scheme. He said the National Energy Accessibility Rate was 67 per cent and the Western Regional Energy Accessibility Rate which was 50 per cent was below the national average.
Vice President Mahama said government was endeavouring to improve the national rate and within the next three years, about 1,000 communities including communities in the Western Region would be provided with electricity.
He said government would construct hydro projects at various parts of the country in addition to the Bui Dam which was under construction to add 400 MW capacity to the existing power generation capacity. Dr Kwabena Donkor, Deputy Minister of Energy, said the low electricity price regime based on reliable and cheap hydro-generation must be regarded as a thing of the past if the country was to improve on the availability, reliability and security of power supply for industrial and domestic use. He said in the 1960.s and 1970.s, when power generation in the country was mainly from the Akosombo Dam, the country was able to produce and sell power for domestic and industrial use at very low prices.
Dr. Donkor said currently, there was a generation mix with about 50 per cent from thermal generation sources, using expensive crude oil and expensive diesel fuel with serious implications for cost of electricity generation and pricing.
He said: "The current generation mix throws up a production cost that is reflective of today's crude oil pricing that has hovered in the 80 United States dollars band for the last couple of months". Dr. Donkor said the gravity of power sector generation challenge was exacerbated by the obsolescence of transmission and distribution infrastructure.
He said transformers and associated equipment manufactured and installed in the early 1950's still formed the backbone of transmission and distribution infrastructure. Dr. Donkor said the nation under invested in the power sector after the 1960's, especially in transmission and distribution equipment and systems.
He said the transmission system was undergoing reinforcement to improve reliability and reduce vulnerability of the network, expand capacity network to support load growth and modernize the entire transmission network to meet internationally accepted standards of operation.
Dr. Donkor said the people have to collectively confront the high losses experienced in the distribution chain and while increased investment would reduce technical losses, the theft of power through illegal connections culminating in commercial losses must be addressed. He called on security agencies, community groups and patriotic minded individuals to help to bring this under control by arresting and reporting the perpetuators who live in their communities. Dr. Donkor said such commercial losses added to individual bills of consumers and it was, therefore, in their interest to help arrest this situation.
Mr. Kweku Andoh Awotwi, Chief Chief of the Volta River Authority (VRA), said the plant would consist of four gas turbines, four heat recovery stream generator and two steam turbines. He said the gas turbines would run on light crude oil, diesel oil and natural gas and the main contractor for the expansion project was the Canadian Commercial Corporation. Mr Awotwi said the VRA remained committed to fulfilling its mandate of supplying electricity for socio-economic development in the country and the West Africa Sub-region. He said the Takoradi Thermal Power Project, undertaken by the VRA, to supplement hydro sources of generation at Akosombo and Kpong, has contributed to achieving its corporate goal of ensuring efficient and reliable power supply. Mr Derren Schemmer, Canadian High Commission in Ghana, said Ghana was the first country in the sub-region to benefit from his country's economic assistance. He said many Canadian companies wanted to do business in the country because of the government's good policies and good governance. 18 Jan 10
Source: Ghana Web
Bishop Abadamloora laid to rest
The mortal remains of Most Reverend Lucas Abadamloora, Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese of the Catholic Church, was on Saturday interred at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bolgatanga, according to the traditions of the Church. Most Reverend Abadamloora died on December 23, 2009, after succumbing to brief bouts of ill health and just three days after returning from a farewell mass in honour of Cardinal Turkson in Cape Coast.
Thousands of mourners gathered at the uncompleted Basilica in Bolgatanga where the burial mass was held amidst sorry and grief as believers, family and friends bid the father of the diocese farewell. Bishop Abadamloora was nominated on March 30, 1994, as Bishop Elect to succeed the Right Reverend Rudolph Akanlu who had resigned as Bishop on health grounds. Bishop Abadamloora was consequently consecrated and enthroned Bishop of the diocese on the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, on Wednesday June 29, 1994, to become the third Bishop of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese since its elevation.
The Bishop was born on the 22nd December 1938 and coincidentally, celebrated his 71st birthday and died the following day. Bishop Abadamloora started school at the Saint Paul's Primary Boarding School in Navrongo in 1948 and continued at the Saint Mary's Middle School, Navrongo for two years and later to the Charles Borromeo's Minor Seminary where he obtained his Ordinary Level certificate.
He enrolled at the Government Secondary School at Tamale now Tamale Senior High after which he pursued numerous academic laurels. The Bishop had a tall list of educational achievements and prior to his death last December, he was the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference; a position he was re-elected to man in 2007.
Most Reverend Philip Naameh, Metropolitan Arch-Bishop of Tamale, who led the mass, recounted the lofty plans and actions of the late Bishop and said:" he would be remembered for his wonderful counselling and quest for peace for humanity and unity within the Catholic Church. Most Reverend Mathew Gyemfi, Catholic Bishop of Sunyani, who read a tribute on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference, recalled the enormous contributions of his deceased colleague to the fraternity and the Catholic Church as a whole and said Bishop Abadamloora worked hard and tirelessly to uplift the image of the Catholic Church in Ghana, adding:" he directed the affairs of four plenary Assemblies of the Conference."
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo, who read a tribute by Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on behalf of government, said Bishop Abadamloora's consecration came at a ripe time when the Diocese had developed cracks along ethnic lines which threatened its unity "however, by his tact and care for the growth of the church, Bishop Abadamloora restored peace and unity in the diocese." The Vice President further acknowledged the key role the late Bishop played in mediation efforts at restoring peace to war torn Bawku and said the part he played in helping government to find some answers to the Bawku conflict would never be forgotten.
Mr. Mahama urged Christians, especially those in the Catholic faith to take solace in the death of the Bishop to reaffirm their beliefs, faith and practices and to be more spiritually minded so that they could help reduce corruption which in recent times was eating deeply into the fabric of society.
A representative of the Catholic Conference of Nigeria in a tribute, indicated that the late Bishop did not only serve the people of Ghana but showed keen interest in the growth of the church throughout the world and in particular Nigeria and said his exemplary life style would be replicated throughout the Catholic faith.
Source: Ghana Web
Thousands of mourners gathered at the uncompleted Basilica in Bolgatanga where the burial mass was held amidst sorry and grief as believers, family and friends bid the father of the diocese farewell. Bishop Abadamloora was nominated on March 30, 1994, as Bishop Elect to succeed the Right Reverend Rudolph Akanlu who had resigned as Bishop on health grounds. Bishop Abadamloora was consequently consecrated and enthroned Bishop of the diocese on the solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, on Wednesday June 29, 1994, to become the third Bishop of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese since its elevation.
The Bishop was born on the 22nd December 1938 and coincidentally, celebrated his 71st birthday and died the following day. Bishop Abadamloora started school at the Saint Paul's Primary Boarding School in Navrongo in 1948 and continued at the Saint Mary's Middle School, Navrongo for two years and later to the Charles Borromeo's Minor Seminary where he obtained his Ordinary Level certificate.
He enrolled at the Government Secondary School at Tamale now Tamale Senior High after which he pursued numerous academic laurels. The Bishop had a tall list of educational achievements and prior to his death last December, he was the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference; a position he was re-elected to man in 2007.
Most Reverend Philip Naameh, Metropolitan Arch-Bishop of Tamale, who led the mass, recounted the lofty plans and actions of the late Bishop and said:" he would be remembered for his wonderful counselling and quest for peace for humanity and unity within the Catholic Church. Most Reverend Mathew Gyemfi, Catholic Bishop of Sunyani, who read a tribute on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference, recalled the enormous contributions of his deceased colleague to the fraternity and the Catholic Church as a whole and said Bishop Abadamloora worked hard and tirelessly to uplift the image of the Catholic Church in Ghana, adding:" he directed the affairs of four plenary Assemblies of the Conference."
The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo, who read a tribute by Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on behalf of government, said Bishop Abadamloora's consecration came at a ripe time when the Diocese had developed cracks along ethnic lines which threatened its unity "however, by his tact and care for the growth of the church, Bishop Abadamloora restored peace and unity in the diocese." The Vice President further acknowledged the key role the late Bishop played in mediation efforts at restoring peace to war torn Bawku and said the part he played in helping government to find some answers to the Bawku conflict would never be forgotten.
Mr. Mahama urged Christians, especially those in the Catholic faith to take solace in the death of the Bishop to reaffirm their beliefs, faith and practices and to be more spiritually minded so that they could help reduce corruption which in recent times was eating deeply into the fabric of society.
A representative of the Catholic Conference of Nigeria in a tribute, indicated that the late Bishop did not only serve the people of Ghana but showed keen interest in the growth of the church throughout the world and in particular Nigeria and said his exemplary life style would be replicated throughout the Catholic faith.
Source: Ghana Web
Mahama urges NDC members to close ranks
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was at the crossroads and called for the closing of ranks within to address its challenges and those of the Nation.
Speaking in a reflective tone at the NDC Eighth National Delegates National Congress in Tamale, he called for sober reflections to eliminate the discordance and the polarisation that had characterised the ruling Party in recent times.
"Our survival depends on the manner in which our differences are handled," Vice President Mahama said, and stressed the need for unity, cohesion, hard work and resilience to move the Party and the nation forward in the right direction.
Attributing the victory of NDC in Election 2008 to direct Divine intervention, the Vice President urged Party members not to do anything that would ruin its fortunes.
He said every effort was made to rob the NDC of its electoral victory but the intervention of God saved the situation and that the current disunity within the Party should stop.
Vice President Mahama said the Party seemed to have been set in a self-destruct mode - bickering and open hostility towards one another - which he blamed on a break in communication and urged members of the Party to forget the past and forge ahead as a united Party. He paid tribute to members, who lost their lives or suffered incapacitation in the cause of the Party, and urged the delegates to stand firm and come out of the congress more united than ever to ensure a straight victory in 2012.
The Vice President blamed the previous NPP administration for failing to give ear to a national security advice in 2008 of impending economic crisis in July of that year - that the rate of inflation was accelerating, which was bound to lead to increase in interest rates, depreciation of the cedi and inability to pay salaries. "That caution was prophetic but was not heeded." The Eurobond money was taken, which meant that money was taken from the private sector investment capital.
According to the Vice President VODAFONE was sold to raise some money to 'cool the overheating'.
He said it became very clear that whoever would win Election 2008 was going to be compelled to take radical measures to bring the economy back on track.
Vice President Mahama said those measures included the biting of the bullet and self-discipline.
Former President Jerry John Rawlings said many Ghanaians were under excruciating pain and urged the Government to apply the right analgesic to reduce their suffering.
He said he would continue to admonish the Government until it took the appropriate action because "we are dealing with the fate the nation" and urged the entire delegates to throw their weight behind President John Evans Atta Mills.
Alhaji Sumani Zakari, Northern Regional Chairman of the Party in a welcoming address commended members of the Party for the orderly and peaceful manner they had conducted themselves so far.
He said: "Some people were saying that we will fight. We have not fought and we won't fight so let us put our political competitors to shame by recording an incident-free congress."
Sixty-five candidates have filed their nominations to contest the 10 positions available.
They are: two for the National Chairmanship; 18 for Vice Chairman/Chairperson; two for General Secretary; seven for Deputy General Secretary; one for National Organiser; seven for Deputy National Organiser and three for National Treasurer.
The rest are, one for Deputy National Treasurer; two for Propaganda Secretary; eight for Deputy Propaganda Secretary and 14 for National Executive Committee Membership.
Contestants including Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings; Dr Ekwo Spio-Garbrah; Asiedu Nketia, the incumbent General Secretary and Dr Kwabena Adjei, the incumbent National Chairman. Under the Party's current constitution, the congress should have come off in December 2007, after its last one in Koforidua in December 2005.
However, when that congress could not be held at the time for financial and other constraints, the Party invoked its constitutional provisions to extend the tenure of the present Executives. 16 Jan. 10
Source: Ghana Web
Speaking in a reflective tone at the NDC Eighth National Delegates National Congress in Tamale, he called for sober reflections to eliminate the discordance and the polarisation that had characterised the ruling Party in recent times.
"Our survival depends on the manner in which our differences are handled," Vice President Mahama said, and stressed the need for unity, cohesion, hard work and resilience to move the Party and the nation forward in the right direction.
Attributing the victory of NDC in Election 2008 to direct Divine intervention, the Vice President urged Party members not to do anything that would ruin its fortunes.
He said every effort was made to rob the NDC of its electoral victory but the intervention of God saved the situation and that the current disunity within the Party should stop.
Vice President Mahama said the Party seemed to have been set in a self-destruct mode - bickering and open hostility towards one another - which he blamed on a break in communication and urged members of the Party to forget the past and forge ahead as a united Party. He paid tribute to members, who lost their lives or suffered incapacitation in the cause of the Party, and urged the delegates to stand firm and come out of the congress more united than ever to ensure a straight victory in 2012.
The Vice President blamed the previous NPP administration for failing to give ear to a national security advice in 2008 of impending economic crisis in July of that year - that the rate of inflation was accelerating, which was bound to lead to increase in interest rates, depreciation of the cedi and inability to pay salaries. "That caution was prophetic but was not heeded." The Eurobond money was taken, which meant that money was taken from the private sector investment capital.
According to the Vice President VODAFONE was sold to raise some money to 'cool the overheating'.
He said it became very clear that whoever would win Election 2008 was going to be compelled to take radical measures to bring the economy back on track.
Vice President Mahama said those measures included the biting of the bullet and self-discipline.
Former President Jerry John Rawlings said many Ghanaians were under excruciating pain and urged the Government to apply the right analgesic to reduce their suffering.
He said he would continue to admonish the Government until it took the appropriate action because "we are dealing with the fate the nation" and urged the entire delegates to throw their weight behind President John Evans Atta Mills.
Alhaji Sumani Zakari, Northern Regional Chairman of the Party in a welcoming address commended members of the Party for the orderly and peaceful manner they had conducted themselves so far.
He said: "Some people were saying that we will fight. We have not fought and we won't fight so let us put our political competitors to shame by recording an incident-free congress."
Sixty-five candidates have filed their nominations to contest the 10 positions available.
They are: two for the National Chairmanship; 18 for Vice Chairman/Chairperson; two for General Secretary; seven for Deputy General Secretary; one for National Organiser; seven for Deputy National Organiser and three for National Treasurer.
The rest are, one for Deputy National Treasurer; two for Propaganda Secretary; eight for Deputy Propaganda Secretary and 14 for National Executive Committee Membership.
Contestants including Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings; Dr Ekwo Spio-Garbrah; Asiedu Nketia, the incumbent General Secretary and Dr Kwabena Adjei, the incumbent National Chairman. Under the Party's current constitution, the congress should have come off in December 2007, after its last one in Koforidua in December 2005.
However, when that congress could not be held at the time for financial and other constraints, the Party invoked its constitutional provisions to extend the tenure of the present Executives. 16 Jan. 10
Source: Ghana Web
Vice President Commends Foreign Students in Ghana
Vice President, John Dramani Mahama has called for a mutually beneficial globalization between countries of Africa and the developed world.
He said the emergence of globalization has made the world a small place, requiring people all over the world to make the effort to learn about others culture to make interconnectivity and integration possible.
Mr. Mahama said this when a team of 20 students from the University of Hong Kong paid a cutesy call on him at the Castle, Osu in Accra.
The students were part of an exchange programme organized by Beyond the Pivot (BTP) a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Heng in the Upper West Region.
The students are here to engage other foreign partners to have exchange programmes on trade, education and culture that would benefit both parties.
Mr. Mahama lauded the students for the initiative they had taken to come and share in an exchange programme with their counterparts in Wa in the Upper West Region.
He said their effort was commendable because if they had depended on National Geography, a documentary programme on television like many people do they would not have visited the country because that particular network portrays Africa as a continent of animals.
He said Africa was a beautiful continent like any other continent.
The Vice President urged them to give off their best and also learn from their new environment such that on their return, others would like to visit the country.
The Leader of the delegation, Miss. Violet Xu was full of praise for Ghana, saying the country was a dream land, and beacon of hope for Africa because of its peaceful nature and freedom of expression.
She said much as Ghana was peaceful it would still need assistance like many developed countries particularly in areas where the country lacks.
Miss. Xu explained that BTP was registered with the government of Hong Kong and had been working closely with Rural Aid Action Programme (RAAP).
|By: George Asirigo (Office Of The Vice President)
He said the emergence of globalization has made the world a small place, requiring people all over the world to make the effort to learn about others culture to make interconnectivity and integration possible.
Mr. Mahama said this when a team of 20 students from the University of Hong Kong paid a cutesy call on him at the Castle, Osu in Accra.
The students were part of an exchange programme organized by Beyond the Pivot (BTP) a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) based in Heng in the Upper West Region.
The students are here to engage other foreign partners to have exchange programmes on trade, education and culture that would benefit both parties.
Mr. Mahama lauded the students for the initiative they had taken to come and share in an exchange programme with their counterparts in Wa in the Upper West Region.
He said their effort was commendable because if they had depended on National Geography, a documentary programme on television like many people do they would not have visited the country because that particular network portrays Africa as a continent of animals.
He said Africa was a beautiful continent like any other continent.
The Vice President urged them to give off their best and also learn from their new environment such that on their return, others would like to visit the country.
The Leader of the delegation, Miss. Violet Xu was full of praise for Ghana, saying the country was a dream land, and beacon of hope for Africa because of its peaceful nature and freedom of expression.
She said much as Ghana was peaceful it would still need assistance like many developed countries particularly in areas where the country lacks.
Miss. Xu explained that BTP was registered with the government of Hong Kong and had been working closely with Rural Aid Action Programme (RAAP).
|By: George Asirigo (Office Of The Vice President)
SADA Goes Beyond The 3 Northern Regions-Veep
Vice President John Mahama has indicated that the establishment of the proposed Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) is to address the developmental needs of not only the three Northern Regions but the entire Savannah regions of Ghana including northern Volta and Brong Ahafo Regions.
He said this in the wave of fear being peddled around that SADA was being concentrated on the three Northern Regions, leaving behind some other regions that face similar inbalance in the developmental needs of the people.
Mr. Mahama made these remarks in Ho, on Saturday, when he opened a two day SADA workshop dubbed “Engagement with Parliament on the Savannah Accelerated Development Strategy and Programme, A Time for Action”.
The Vice President said the programme is already showing remarkable results, even before parliament formally enacts the Programme into law.
Mr. Mahama said several acres of arable lands for varied agricultural initiatives including sugarcane production has been acquired in the north under the programme.
He said the sugarcane would be processed into ethanol, which has a guaranteed market in Sweden. The vice President said the "the northern region is not poor by nature, and Ghana is not a poor country, but the current circumstances of development policy in the country make some parts poor, and thereby render the whole country poor,”
The vice-president attributed it to “failures in our development policies for more than a century have confined the northern Savannah as an example of our national tragedy of under development and poverty.”
Mr. Mahama reminded the MPs of their constitutional mandate, stressing that “Parliament must insist on adequate budget appropriations for the sustainable development of the whole of Ghana, in a manner that assures citizens of poorer regions like the three Northern Regions, Volta and Brong Ahafo that resources of the state shall be used judiciously in all of the interest of advancing development.”
He said there was the need for a proper coordination between the SADA and the districts closer to the project, but were not captured in the programme, to ensure that the intended goals and objectives of the SADA are effectively realised.
This, he said, would lead to a balanced regional development for the benefit and interest of the Nation.
Mr Mahama said it was unacceptable that, for a country, that yearns to develop, to have 80 percent of her industries and manufacturing firms concentrated in Accra and Tema, with the Ashanti and Western regions picking only 9 and 4 percent respectively, with the rest of the country lacking any economic opportunities.
He was of the belief that when this phenomenon is reversed, the huge human migration from the regions to the south to seek greener pastures would be significantly minimised, reliving government of its associated economic and social pressures.
Vice President Mahama said the programme was very dear to the heart of government and must yield a positive result, since it is one of the benchmark promises made by the NDC government. He said government laid a strategic development programme with more broad- based initiatives to capture a larger geographical coverage such as the northern part of the Volta region, which has a wider coverage than the Northern Development Fund initiated by the New Patriotic Party. Mr. Mahama said it is imperative for government to create "new growth poles" to spread the development opportunities to all regions, to help generate new jobs, such as the new sheanut processing plant to be built by the Brazilian government, which would generate tens of thousands of jobs in the North .
He said government would soon unveil the Jute factory project, a SADA initiative, which would manufacture jute sacks for export, while it's with its attendant job opportunities.
Mr. Mahama said he recognised the role and commitment of Parliament in pushing the SADA agenda forward and urged them to strengthen and consolidate their roles to ensure its success.
Mr. Alban Bagbin, Majority leader in Parliament said the conference would address the "unfortunate lack of mainstreaming the northern territories, which were part of the colonial Gold-Coast, but was left out of the country's developmental arrangement."
"Now, with the involvement of members of Parliament, we would be better informed about the SADA strategies to enable us to translate this policy into law,"
He urged members of parliament to monitor and evaluate the SADA's implementation to enable them to review and fine tune the policy as and when necessary.
Mr. Bagbin said there was the need to bring on board all stakeholders to find answers to the new challenges the SADA may bring along. He noted that, the zeal of members of all sides to see the reviewed SADA programme before Parliament was commendable, and hoped that the SADA Bill would be given "express attention".
In his welcome address, the Deputy Volta Regional Minister Col. Cyril Necku (retd) noted that by bringing the conference to the Volta Region would further enhance the image of SADA that it is not limited in scope as it is being perceived.
For his part, Dr. Sule Gariba, the Coordinator of SADA said the programme was organized for Parliamentarians from the geographical areas that SADA is to be implemented so as to give the lawmakers the first hand information on the progress of work and what is expected when the Bill finally goes to Parliament for endorsement.
He said the objective was for MPs to review and fine tune the objectives of the Programmes developmental agenda into a sustainable strategic plan for the northing part of the country.
|By: Wisdom Peter Awuku (Office Of The Vice President)
He said this in the wave of fear being peddled around that SADA was being concentrated on the three Northern Regions, leaving behind some other regions that face similar inbalance in the developmental needs of the people.
Mr. Mahama made these remarks in Ho, on Saturday, when he opened a two day SADA workshop dubbed “Engagement with Parliament on the Savannah Accelerated Development Strategy and Programme, A Time for Action”.
The Vice President said the programme is already showing remarkable results, even before parliament formally enacts the Programme into law.
Mr. Mahama said several acres of arable lands for varied agricultural initiatives including sugarcane production has been acquired in the north under the programme.
He said the sugarcane would be processed into ethanol, which has a guaranteed market in Sweden. The vice President said the "the northern region is not poor by nature, and Ghana is not a poor country, but the current circumstances of development policy in the country make some parts poor, and thereby render the whole country poor,”
The vice-president attributed it to “failures in our development policies for more than a century have confined the northern Savannah as an example of our national tragedy of under development and poverty.”
Mr. Mahama reminded the MPs of their constitutional mandate, stressing that “Parliament must insist on adequate budget appropriations for the sustainable development of the whole of Ghana, in a manner that assures citizens of poorer regions like the three Northern Regions, Volta and Brong Ahafo that resources of the state shall be used judiciously in all of the interest of advancing development.”
He said there was the need for a proper coordination between the SADA and the districts closer to the project, but were not captured in the programme, to ensure that the intended goals and objectives of the SADA are effectively realised.
This, he said, would lead to a balanced regional development for the benefit and interest of the Nation.
Mr Mahama said it was unacceptable that, for a country, that yearns to develop, to have 80 percent of her industries and manufacturing firms concentrated in Accra and Tema, with the Ashanti and Western regions picking only 9 and 4 percent respectively, with the rest of the country lacking any economic opportunities.
He was of the belief that when this phenomenon is reversed, the huge human migration from the regions to the south to seek greener pastures would be significantly minimised, reliving government of its associated economic and social pressures.
Vice President Mahama said the programme was very dear to the heart of government and must yield a positive result, since it is one of the benchmark promises made by the NDC government. He said government laid a strategic development programme with more broad- based initiatives to capture a larger geographical coverage such as the northern part of the Volta region, which has a wider coverage than the Northern Development Fund initiated by the New Patriotic Party. Mr. Mahama said it is imperative for government to create "new growth poles" to spread the development opportunities to all regions, to help generate new jobs, such as the new sheanut processing plant to be built by the Brazilian government, which would generate tens of thousands of jobs in the North .
He said government would soon unveil the Jute factory project, a SADA initiative, which would manufacture jute sacks for export, while it's with its attendant job opportunities.
Mr. Mahama said he recognised the role and commitment of Parliament in pushing the SADA agenda forward and urged them to strengthen and consolidate their roles to ensure its success.
Mr. Alban Bagbin, Majority leader in Parliament said the conference would address the "unfortunate lack of mainstreaming the northern territories, which were part of the colonial Gold-Coast, but was left out of the country's developmental arrangement."
"Now, with the involvement of members of Parliament, we would be better informed about the SADA strategies to enable us to translate this policy into law,"
He urged members of parliament to monitor and evaluate the SADA's implementation to enable them to review and fine tune the policy as and when necessary.
Mr. Bagbin said there was the need to bring on board all stakeholders to find answers to the new challenges the SADA may bring along. He noted that, the zeal of members of all sides to see the reviewed SADA programme before Parliament was commendable, and hoped that the SADA Bill would be given "express attention".
In his welcome address, the Deputy Volta Regional Minister Col. Cyril Necku (retd) noted that by bringing the conference to the Volta Region would further enhance the image of SADA that it is not limited in scope as it is being perceived.
For his part, Dr. Sule Gariba, the Coordinator of SADA said the programme was organized for Parliamentarians from the geographical areas that SADA is to be implemented so as to give the lawmakers the first hand information on the progress of work and what is expected when the Bill finally goes to Parliament for endorsement.
He said the objective was for MPs to review and fine tune the objectives of the Programmes developmental agenda into a sustainable strategic plan for the northing part of the country.
|By: Wisdom Peter Awuku (Office Of The Vice President)
Veep's Christmas Message to Ghanaians
Vice-President John Dramani Mahama has urged people living in conflict areas to use the occasion of Christmas to change their circumstances by fostering reconciliation to create a new beginning.
In a Christmas message to Ghanaians, which was conveyed to the Castle Press Corps at the Castle, Osu in Accra, the vice-president noted that “Christmas is a season of peace and goodwill We hope that this basic ingredient of Christmas would infuse everything that we do in this period of festivities.”
“I will like to call on people living in areas where they have experience conflict in the past to use this season of peace and goodwill to mark a change and foster reconciliation among you to create a new beginning so as to break from the past of antagonism,” Mr. Mahama urged.
On issues of national politics, vice-president Mahama reminded Ghanaians that the season also marked marked one year of the new administration under President John Evans Atta Mills.
“President Mills’ administration in one year was faced with an economic challenge in respect of how to restore the economy and bring the core economy indicators back on truck.
“President Mills, indeed, inherited an economic deficit that witnessed the cedi stumbling at a very fast rate and an inflation that was rising through the roofs,” he said.
According to the vice-president, President Mills had to take austerity measures to stabilize the economy in order that it did not affect businesses and the quality of life of the people and this had been successfully done.
“Over the next few years, beginning from next year government would push for growth and expansion in order that it would create permanent jobs in the public sector particularly in the agriculture sector.
“Already we have seen an increase in food production in the country and government intention in the next three to four years is to be able to eliminate as much as possible the huge food import bills that we currently have,” Mr. Mahama assured Ghanaians.
He lamented over the reckless attitudes of drivers on the road, especially during Christmas period, and urged “Ghanaians to be very careful about the use of our roads”. “As we continue to improve our roads across the country and make them good for travel, you find that the good roads become slaughter houses and killing fields”, vice-president Mahama sadly expressed.
He added that “drivers who drive recklessly kill so many people. Terrible accidents take place on our roads and I want to use this opportunity to appeal to drivers to drive carefully.”
“I want to urge drivers who drive in this yuletide not to drink and drive and when you decide to drink do not drive”, he said.
Mr. Mahama advised drivers who get tired while on their journey to take a rest to ensure that whoever was charged to convey passengers to and from their destinations arrive safely.
|By: Wisdom Peter Awuku & George Asirigo (Office Of The Vice President)
In a Christmas message to Ghanaians, which was conveyed to the Castle Press Corps at the Castle, Osu in Accra, the vice-president noted that “Christmas is a season of peace and goodwill We hope that this basic ingredient of Christmas would infuse everything that we do in this period of festivities.”
“I will like to call on people living in areas where they have experience conflict in the past to use this season of peace and goodwill to mark a change and foster reconciliation among you to create a new beginning so as to break from the past of antagonism,” Mr. Mahama urged.
On issues of national politics, vice-president Mahama reminded Ghanaians that the season also marked marked one year of the new administration under President John Evans Atta Mills.
“President Mills’ administration in one year was faced with an economic challenge in respect of how to restore the economy and bring the core economy indicators back on truck.
“President Mills, indeed, inherited an economic deficit that witnessed the cedi stumbling at a very fast rate and an inflation that was rising through the roofs,” he said.
According to the vice-president, President Mills had to take austerity measures to stabilize the economy in order that it did not affect businesses and the quality of life of the people and this had been successfully done.
“Over the next few years, beginning from next year government would push for growth and expansion in order that it would create permanent jobs in the public sector particularly in the agriculture sector.
“Already we have seen an increase in food production in the country and government intention in the next three to four years is to be able to eliminate as much as possible the huge food import bills that we currently have,” Mr. Mahama assured Ghanaians.
He lamented over the reckless attitudes of drivers on the road, especially during Christmas period, and urged “Ghanaians to be very careful about the use of our roads”. “As we continue to improve our roads across the country and make them good for travel, you find that the good roads become slaughter houses and killing fields”, vice-president Mahama sadly expressed.
He added that “drivers who drive recklessly kill so many people. Terrible accidents take place on our roads and I want to use this opportunity to appeal to drivers to drive carefully.”
“I want to urge drivers who drive in this yuletide not to drink and drive and when you decide to drink do not drive”, he said.
Mr. Mahama advised drivers who get tired while on their journey to take a rest to ensure that whoever was charged to convey passengers to and from their destinations arrive safely.
|By: Wisdom Peter Awuku & George Asirigo (Office Of The Vice President)
Gov’t To Demolish MOFA Tower
Vice-President John Dramani Mahama has accepted recommendations presented to him by the Committee that was constituted to investigate the fire outbreak at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the burnt office tower should be demolished.
The demolishing of the MOFA tower was part of the many recommendations presented by the committee set up by the government in November to, among other things, to enquire into the cause of the fire outbreak that generated a lot of controversies considering its strategic government property.
According to Committee, even though the committee endorsed the technical assessment of the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) that the building has lost a “considerable amount of strength” and that the building be restored, the cost of restoration would not make it worthwhile and therefore recommended it for demolishing.
Presenting the report to the Vice-President in a short ceremony at the Castle-Osu in Accra by Chairman of the Committee Kweku Twum Boafo of the Twum Boafo and Associates, it was established that the fire was “caused by an electrical fault.”
“It was also established that the Ministry did not have a good maintenance culture which could possibly have prevented such a fire from occurring,” it stated.
According to the Chairman, the Committee further found that even though the Ghana National Fire Service responded to the fire outbreak on time, the severe logistical limitations confronting the Service made it impossible for it to fight and control the fire effectively.
“The Committee, after assessing the firefighting equipment holding of the Ministry and the relevant fire protection installation, has concluded that the fire defense and suppression system of the Ministry was poor,” Mr. Twum Boafo lamented.
The report mentioned large volumes of valuable documents, including diplomatic demarches, furniture, fixtures, electrical as well as information technology equipment, were lost to the fire.
“Also, the backup system for the storage of importation documents, which had been installed but not made fully operational, was destroyed by the fire,” it noted.
Mr. Twum Boafo called on government to consider the fire incident and others as lessons which should spur the government on to taking proactive measures to give priority to fire safety and security matters.
Receiving the reports, Vice-President Mahama commended the members of the Committee for their diligence and tenacity to duty.
He said the establishment of facts that the fire was caused by an electrical fault had confirmed the fear of government.
Mr. Mahama said most of the structures being used by government were built in the 1960s and had not received any infrastructural improvement, especially in the use of modern gadgets like air conditioners, television sets and other electrical appliances and therefore had put a lot of pressure on power consumption at the Ministries, departments and agencies.
He was worried over the lack of facilities for the GNFS to able to fight fire from high structures and indicated that the time had come for a change.
This, Mr. Mahama disclosed that the government had already taken steps to resource the GNFS to be battle ready.
He promised to hand over the report to His Excellency the President Prof. John Evans Atta Mills for study and the appropriate measures to be taken in consonance with the recommendations in the report.
He disclosed that the Chinese government had accepted to assist the government of Ghana to put a new edifice to house the ministry.
The Committee, which was set up in October this year, was to, among other things, to assess the responsiveness of the Ghana National Fire Service to the disaster; to assess the firefighting equipment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and to enquire into the extent of damage caused by the fire.
It was also tasked to assess the loss of valuable documents and equipment; to enquire into whether there are adequate backup systems for the storage of important documents and to look into any other matter incidental to or connect with the disaster.
Other members of the Committee include Ken Dzirassah, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Don Arthur-office of the President, Assistant Commissioner of Police Robert Ayalingo, Klu Agyarko Attobra-Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu-Acting Chief Director, Ministry of Works and Housing and Morgan Brown-Director of Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Secretary to the Committee was G.E Ofori, Principal State Attorney of the Ministry of Justice.
Present at the ceremony were Hon. Cletus Avoka, Minister of the Interior, Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrissu, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Mrs. Zita Okaikwei, Minister of Information and her two deputies, Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa and James Agyenim Boateng and Dr. Valerie Sackey, Deputy Chief of Staff
Story by: Wisdom Peter Awuku (Office Of The Vice President)
The demolishing of the MOFA tower was part of the many recommendations presented by the committee set up by the government in November to, among other things, to enquire into the cause of the fire outbreak that generated a lot of controversies considering its strategic government property.
According to Committee, even though the committee endorsed the technical assessment of the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) that the building has lost a “considerable amount of strength” and that the building be restored, the cost of restoration would not make it worthwhile and therefore recommended it for demolishing.
Presenting the report to the Vice-President in a short ceremony at the Castle-Osu in Accra by Chairman of the Committee Kweku Twum Boafo of the Twum Boafo and Associates, it was established that the fire was “caused by an electrical fault.”
“It was also established that the Ministry did not have a good maintenance culture which could possibly have prevented such a fire from occurring,” it stated.
According to the Chairman, the Committee further found that even though the Ghana National Fire Service responded to the fire outbreak on time, the severe logistical limitations confronting the Service made it impossible for it to fight and control the fire effectively.
“The Committee, after assessing the firefighting equipment holding of the Ministry and the relevant fire protection installation, has concluded that the fire defense and suppression system of the Ministry was poor,” Mr. Twum Boafo lamented.
The report mentioned large volumes of valuable documents, including diplomatic demarches, furniture, fixtures, electrical as well as information technology equipment, were lost to the fire.
“Also, the backup system for the storage of importation documents, which had been installed but not made fully operational, was destroyed by the fire,” it noted.
Mr. Twum Boafo called on government to consider the fire incident and others as lessons which should spur the government on to taking proactive measures to give priority to fire safety and security matters.
Receiving the reports, Vice-President Mahama commended the members of the Committee for their diligence and tenacity to duty.
He said the establishment of facts that the fire was caused by an electrical fault had confirmed the fear of government.
Mr. Mahama said most of the structures being used by government were built in the 1960s and had not received any infrastructural improvement, especially in the use of modern gadgets like air conditioners, television sets and other electrical appliances and therefore had put a lot of pressure on power consumption at the Ministries, departments and agencies.
He was worried over the lack of facilities for the GNFS to able to fight fire from high structures and indicated that the time had come for a change.
This, Mr. Mahama disclosed that the government had already taken steps to resource the GNFS to be battle ready.
He promised to hand over the report to His Excellency the President Prof. John Evans Atta Mills for study and the appropriate measures to be taken in consonance with the recommendations in the report.
He disclosed that the Chinese government had accepted to assist the government of Ghana to put a new edifice to house the ministry.
The Committee, which was set up in October this year, was to, among other things, to assess the responsiveness of the Ghana National Fire Service to the disaster; to assess the firefighting equipment at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and to enquire into the extent of damage caused by the fire.
It was also tasked to assess the loss of valuable documents and equipment; to enquire into whether there are adequate backup systems for the storage of important documents and to look into any other matter incidental to or connect with the disaster.
Other members of the Committee include Ken Dzirassah, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Don Arthur-office of the President, Assistant Commissioner of Police Robert Ayalingo, Klu Agyarko Attobra-Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu-Acting Chief Director, Ministry of Works and Housing and Morgan Brown-Director of Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Secretary to the Committee was G.E Ofori, Principal State Attorney of the Ministry of Justice.
Present at the ceremony were Hon. Cletus Avoka, Minister of the Interior, Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrissu, Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Mrs. Zita Okaikwei, Minister of Information and her two deputies, Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa and James Agyenim Boateng and Dr. Valerie Sackey, Deputy Chief of Staff
Story by: Wisdom Peter Awuku (Office Of The Vice President)
Ex-footballer apologizes to Vice President
Samuel Osei Kufuor, former deputy captain of Ghana's National Soccer Team, the Black Stars on Saturday presented a letter of apology to the Vice President, John Dramani Mahama.
The former player was alleged to have been involved in an incident with some security personnel of the Vice President.
Media reports said on December 1st Osei Kufuor made an insulting gesture when the security detail asked him to pave way for the Vice President's convoy.
Reports said the player's vehicle was obstructing the convoy of the Vice President.
The Vice President however was said to have described the incident as "a little misunderstanding in traffic", adding that he knew that Osei Kufuor would never deliberately show him disrespect.
Vice President Mahama described Osei Kufuor as a younger brother and a friend saying, "I hope this brings an end to the matter once and for all." Osei Kufuor later made a presentation of soccer boots duly endorsed with his signature to the Vice President.
Credit: GhanaWeb
The former player was alleged to have been involved in an incident with some security personnel of the Vice President.
Media reports said on December 1st Osei Kufuor made an insulting gesture when the security detail asked him to pave way for the Vice President's convoy.
Reports said the player's vehicle was obstructing the convoy of the Vice President.
The Vice President however was said to have described the incident as "a little misunderstanding in traffic", adding that he knew that Osei Kufuor would never deliberately show him disrespect.
Vice President Mahama described Osei Kufuor as a younger brother and a friend saying, "I hope this brings an end to the matter once and for all." Osei Kufuor later made a presentation of soccer boots duly endorsed with his signature to the Vice President.
Credit: GhanaWeb
Permanent Committee on Pilgrimage to Mecca on drawing board
Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on Saturday said government was working towards the setting up of a permanent committee to oversee the progress of pilgrims to the Holy City of Mecca. He said this was meant to ensure that future pilgrims were insulated from any inconvenience.
Vice President Mahama made this known in an interaction with journalists at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), where he had gone to meet the first batch of the 254 Hajj pilgrims, who had returned to Ghana from Mecca.
The pilgrims formed part of the about 2,600 who left Accra for Hajj 2009.
Touching on the success of this year's Hajj, Vice President Mahama said the determination of President John Evans Atta Mills and the Hajj Committee and other stakeholders were crucial to the success of the pilgrimage. "We have learnt from the experiences of the past years. We are going to review the whole process and see how we can make it even better next year," he said.
The Vice President said he was satisfied with preparations at KIA to welcome the pilgrims, adding that it felt most satisfying to observe that there was a medical facility to ensure that every pilgrim was screened thoroughly.
Dr. Badu Sarkodie of the Disease Surveillance Department of the Ghana Health Service said the pilgrims would be observed during the 10 days of their arrival, which is the incubation period of the swine flu. "We are ensuring that no body comes in with a contagious disease," he said. Eight more flights are expected to ferry back the remaining pilgrims from the Holy city to Ghana till December 17. 12 Dec. 09
Credit: GhanaWeb
Vice President Mahama made this known in an interaction with journalists at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), where he had gone to meet the first batch of the 254 Hajj pilgrims, who had returned to Ghana from Mecca.
The pilgrims formed part of the about 2,600 who left Accra for Hajj 2009.
Touching on the success of this year's Hajj, Vice President Mahama said the determination of President John Evans Atta Mills and the Hajj Committee and other stakeholders were crucial to the success of the pilgrimage. "We have learnt from the experiences of the past years. We are going to review the whole process and see how we can make it even better next year," he said.
The Vice President said he was satisfied with preparations at KIA to welcome the pilgrims, adding that it felt most satisfying to observe that there was a medical facility to ensure that every pilgrim was screened thoroughly.
Dr. Badu Sarkodie of the Disease Surveillance Department of the Ghana Health Service said the pilgrims would be observed during the 10 days of their arrival, which is the incubation period of the swine flu. "We are ensuring that no body comes in with a contagious disease," he said. Eight more flights are expected to ferry back the remaining pilgrims from the Holy city to Ghana till December 17. 12 Dec. 09
Credit: GhanaWeb
Veep worried about falling standards of education in Akuapem Area
Vice President John Dramani Mahama, has expressed concern about the sharp decline of educational standards in the Akuapem area and called on the traditional authorities to take steps to address the situation.
Mr Mahama stressed that parents and the communities involvement was a critical factor in raising educational standards and that must be spearheaded by the local authorities.
He said the persistent score of zero percent of pupils in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), may not be that the children were not good but could be attributed to other factors, such as lack of parental care, school environment and teaching and learning materials. The Vice President mentioned that apart from the teacher factor, which was left for government, all the others could be addressed, when chiefs take interest in schools and collaborate with the heads to ensure that things were done in the correct way.
Mr Mahama, who was speaking at the annual Odwira festival of the people of Adukrom said the decline of educational standards coupled with the recent media reports of pornographic acts of some people in Akuapem must engage the attention of the leaders in the area.
He said government recognized the role of teachers in the improvement of education and had therefore put in measures to address the service conditions of teachers, despite the fact that teachers formed the largest sector of government employees.
Mr Mahama said morals were fast eroding in the Ghanaian society and called for concerted efforts from all to find solutions to the problem. He mentioned the internet fraud, popularly known as "Sakawa" that had led to Ghana being blacklisted by those operating the Internet commerce, as one of the negative activities that chiefs should address.
Mr Mahama told the people that "looking at the proverbial Akuapem discipline he was sad when media reports broke out of the pornographic acts in Akuapem" and advised the youth that "there was no short cut to life but only through hard work and honesty, which guarantees one's future". Osuodumgya Otutu Kono III, Chief of Adukrom, said in tackling the sharp decline of education, especially at the BECE levels, government must critically look at the Computer School Selection Programme (CSSPS), which was undermining community Senior High Schools system. He said the abolition of the 20 percent protocol for traditional authorities where average students were helped to get admission to schools was also a factor contributing to the decline at the BECE since parents and students got discouraged of the fact that they could not get access to a community school closer to them.
The chief assured the Vice President that Okere would take up the challenge and collaborate with heads of schools to ensure that schools use their classes hours judiciously. Distinguished citizens of Adukrom were honoured, including a student of Aburi Girls Presbyterian Secondary School, who scored eight-ones at the just ended BECE.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo and his deputy Mr Baba Jamal Mohamed
Credit: GhanaWeb
Mr Mahama stressed that parents and the communities involvement was a critical factor in raising educational standards and that must be spearheaded by the local authorities.
He said the persistent score of zero percent of pupils in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), may not be that the children were not good but could be attributed to other factors, such as lack of parental care, school environment and teaching and learning materials. The Vice President mentioned that apart from the teacher factor, which was left for government, all the others could be addressed, when chiefs take interest in schools and collaborate with the heads to ensure that things were done in the correct way.
Mr Mahama, who was speaking at the annual Odwira festival of the people of Adukrom said the decline of educational standards coupled with the recent media reports of pornographic acts of some people in Akuapem must engage the attention of the leaders in the area.
He said government recognized the role of teachers in the improvement of education and had therefore put in measures to address the service conditions of teachers, despite the fact that teachers formed the largest sector of government employees.
Mr Mahama said morals were fast eroding in the Ghanaian society and called for concerted efforts from all to find solutions to the problem. He mentioned the internet fraud, popularly known as "Sakawa" that had led to Ghana being blacklisted by those operating the Internet commerce, as one of the negative activities that chiefs should address.
Mr Mahama told the people that "looking at the proverbial Akuapem discipline he was sad when media reports broke out of the pornographic acts in Akuapem" and advised the youth that "there was no short cut to life but only through hard work and honesty, which guarantees one's future". Osuodumgya Otutu Kono III, Chief of Adukrom, said in tackling the sharp decline of education, especially at the BECE levels, government must critically look at the Computer School Selection Programme (CSSPS), which was undermining community Senior High Schools system. He said the abolition of the 20 percent protocol for traditional authorities where average students were helped to get admission to schools was also a factor contributing to the decline at the BECE since parents and students got discouraged of the fact that they could not get access to a community school closer to them.
The chief assured the Vice President that Okere would take up the challenge and collaborate with heads of schools to ensure that schools use their classes hours judiciously. Distinguished citizens of Adukrom were honoured, including a student of Aburi Girls Presbyterian Secondary School, who scored eight-ones at the just ended BECE.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo and his deputy Mr Baba Jamal Mohamed
Credit: GhanaWeb
Government will provide funds for transformation of cities - Veep
The Vice President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, on Sunday gave the assurance that government would fund programmes aimed at transforming major cities and districts into a more conducive environment for human habitation. He said: "once the local authorities come out with a good transformative but sustainable programme derived from a proper feasibility studies, government will provide funds to aid its implementation".
Mr Mahama gave the assurance in Accra when he joined the ongoing joint four-day meeting between Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and a delegation of the Earth Institute of the Columbia University, to deliberate on how to develop Accra into a Millennium city, which commenced on Saturday December 5, 2009. The Vice President said government had already developed an Urban Renewal Programme aimed at restructuring and properly planning the cities in the country to ensure that they had necessary amenities. He said Accra was a cosmopolitan area with its boundaries and population among others not clearly known adding that the springing up of new settlements within the city made its planning almost difficult.
The Vice President said this called for measures to ease pressure on Accra as well as other major cities by creating growth poles in strategic places where people could relocate to earn meaningful living rather move to the cities with the hope to finding better jobs and opportunities. Mr Mahama mentioned the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) which was being implemented in the Northern Region to offer job opportunities to people there, among others as some of government's interventions to ease pressure on the major cities such as Accra and Tema, which controlled about 80 per cent of the country's economic activities.
Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, AMA Chief Executive, reiterated his desire to modernize Accra to ensure that it had regular water and electricity supply, clean environment and good roads, effective drainage system and good private and public toilets.
Dr. Susan Blaustein, Co-Director of the Millennium City Initiative (MCI), and Leader of the Earth Institute's delegation said they would analyze the peculiar problems of Accra and designed appropriate remedies to help the Mayor to transform the city. Meanwhile, the day two of the meeting saw presentations on education and infrastructure problems in the metropolis and also budget for the AMA where 70 per cent of it is used for waste management.
Credit: GhanaWeb
Mr Mahama gave the assurance in Accra when he joined the ongoing joint four-day meeting between Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and a delegation of the Earth Institute of the Columbia University, to deliberate on how to develop Accra into a Millennium city, which commenced on Saturday December 5, 2009. The Vice President said government had already developed an Urban Renewal Programme aimed at restructuring and properly planning the cities in the country to ensure that they had necessary amenities. He said Accra was a cosmopolitan area with its boundaries and population among others not clearly known adding that the springing up of new settlements within the city made its planning almost difficult.
The Vice President said this called for measures to ease pressure on Accra as well as other major cities by creating growth poles in strategic places where people could relocate to earn meaningful living rather move to the cities with the hope to finding better jobs and opportunities. Mr Mahama mentioned the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) which was being implemented in the Northern Region to offer job opportunities to people there, among others as some of government's interventions to ease pressure on the major cities such as Accra and Tema, which controlled about 80 per cent of the country's economic activities.
Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, AMA Chief Executive, reiterated his desire to modernize Accra to ensure that it had regular water and electricity supply, clean environment and good roads, effective drainage system and good private and public toilets.
Dr. Susan Blaustein, Co-Director of the Millennium City Initiative (MCI), and Leader of the Earth Institute's delegation said they would analyze the peculiar problems of Accra and designed appropriate remedies to help the Mayor to transform the city. Meanwhile, the day two of the meeting saw presentations on education and infrastructure problems in the metropolis and also budget for the AMA where 70 per cent of it is used for waste management.
Credit: GhanaWeb
Vice President on Copenhagen conference on climate change
Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on Tuesday called on developed nations to demonstrate more commitment towards reducing carbon emissions.
He said if possible, developed countries should reduce emissions to about 40 per cent below the 1990 levels, asking how much of emissions cut could be met as the world meet at Copenhagen, Denmark, next week to discuss climate change.
Vice President Mahama made the call at a national forum organized by the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology as a preparatory meeting ahead of the International Climate change meeting on 7th December 2009, dubbed "Cop 15", where world leaders will meet to discuss the issue. "I expect that the world will sign a deal at Cop 15, Cop 15 must not fail humanity," he said.
Mr Mahama also advised Ghanaians to adopt energy efficient lifestyles, explaining that 50 per cent of energy usage in the country was used for lighting.
He, therefore, suggested that people switched to Candescent Florescent Light (CFL) bulbs and also to consider an alternative energy source such as solar.
Referring to the climate change as a development and governance issue, Vice President Mahama, said Africa was a poor victim, explaining that Africa's contribution to green house gases was low; however the continent would suffer the most in terms of the effect of climate change.
He said cocoa for instance could become a rare crop in the next 15 years if something was not done to reverse the effects of climate change. "Even some areas in the Brong Ahafo Region, which used to be a cocoa growing area, has been affected and these days cocoa does not grow well in those areas," Vice President said.
Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, said annual cost of climate change adaptation for Ghana would be between 300 and 400 million dollars per year from 2010 to 2050.
He said such monies would be use to cover agriculture, the coastal zone, energy, transport, social and regional integration. "Therefore government must anticipate and prepare for the stresses climate change is likely to add to the already challenging business of advancing development, alleviating poverty, assuring access to education and health care and moving towards gender equality."
Ms Ayittey said Ghana would need to enhance dialogue with neighbouring countries regarding the management of shared water resources and possible regional migration in order to effectively deal with the challenges of climate change.
Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Paramount Chief of Akyem Abuakwa, who chaired the forum, expressed concern about certain illegal activities that destroyed the environment and said such activities should be checked. He mentioned the activities of galamsey (illegal mining) operators and said they were destroying the river bodies and urged citizens not to condone and accommodate such illegal activities. "Let's maintain our forest, environmental conservation is about the future," he stressed.
Credit: GhanaWeb
He said if possible, developed countries should reduce emissions to about 40 per cent below the 1990 levels, asking how much of emissions cut could be met as the world meet at Copenhagen, Denmark, next week to discuss climate change.
Vice President Mahama made the call at a national forum organized by the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology as a preparatory meeting ahead of the International Climate change meeting on 7th December 2009, dubbed "Cop 15", where world leaders will meet to discuss the issue. "I expect that the world will sign a deal at Cop 15, Cop 15 must not fail humanity," he said.
Mr Mahama also advised Ghanaians to adopt energy efficient lifestyles, explaining that 50 per cent of energy usage in the country was used for lighting.
He, therefore, suggested that people switched to Candescent Florescent Light (CFL) bulbs and also to consider an alternative energy source such as solar.
Referring to the climate change as a development and governance issue, Vice President Mahama, said Africa was a poor victim, explaining that Africa's contribution to green house gases was low; however the continent would suffer the most in terms of the effect of climate change.
He said cocoa for instance could become a rare crop in the next 15 years if something was not done to reverse the effects of climate change. "Even some areas in the Brong Ahafo Region, which used to be a cocoa growing area, has been affected and these days cocoa does not grow well in those areas," Vice President said.
Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, said annual cost of climate change adaptation for Ghana would be between 300 and 400 million dollars per year from 2010 to 2050.
He said such monies would be use to cover agriculture, the coastal zone, energy, transport, social and regional integration. "Therefore government must anticipate and prepare for the stresses climate change is likely to add to the already challenging business of advancing development, alleviating poverty, assuring access to education and health care and moving towards gender equality."
Ms Ayittey said Ghana would need to enhance dialogue with neighbouring countries regarding the management of shared water resources and possible regional migration in order to effectively deal with the challenges of climate change.
Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the Paramount Chief of Akyem Abuakwa, who chaired the forum, expressed concern about certain illegal activities that destroyed the environment and said such activities should be checked. He mentioned the activities of galamsey (illegal mining) operators and said they were destroying the river bodies and urged citizens not to condone and accommodate such illegal activities. "Let's maintain our forest, environmental conservation is about the future," he stressed.
Credit: GhanaWeb
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