First Rural Credit Union Inaugurated

From Stephen Kwabena Effah, Agona Nyakrom
Wednesday, 22 November 2006 (Page 9)

The first of 20 rural credit unions to be established throughout the country to support the mobilisation of rural savings was opened at Agona Nyakrom in the Central Region on Friday.

The ¢510 million sponsored initiative by the Barclays Bank of Ghana in partnership with the Ghana Co-Operative Credit Unions Association, is part of the bank’s micro banking programme launched last year.

Under the initiative, the bank will support the unions by funding the first set of deposit boxes for the people, provide office spaces for the unions and pay a credit manager for two years.

The Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, in a speech read on his behalf said that government, under the Millennium Challenge Account, allocated 20 million dollars to rural and community banks for on-lending to micro, small and medium enterprises.

He noted that government has also secured 25 million dollars from its development partners to support small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) to get access to credit at a cheaper cost.

Mr.Baah Wiredu said the bane of the development of the micro and SMEs is access to finance, adding "I therefore see this partnership as key to providing a lot more access to funds for our micro and SMEs".

The Managing Director of Barclays Ghana, Mrs.Margaret Mwanakatwe, noted that mobilization of rural savings has been one of the key challenges facing the finance sector, adding that credit unions are best placed to perform that function.

She said it was as for this reason that Barclays introduced the Micro banking policy to work with and through financial intermediaries to bring banking services and product to the doorstep of most petty traders and market women.

"Since February when we begun working with Susu Collectors in Accra and Kumasi, we have mobilized ¢18 billion in deposits and given out ¢1.5 billion as loans", she added.

The Chairman of the Board of Ghana Co-Operative Associations, Robert Ngissah, said credit unions exist not completely for profit but to provide a safe, convenient place for members to save money and get loans and other financial services at affordable rates.

Pensions Service Company Takes Off

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Monday, 13 November 2006 (Page 3)

PREMIER Pensions Administration Company, a services company for pension plans, has been inaugurated in Accra.

Founded in September, Premier, as it is called, is a private company expected to provide third party administration services, pension trustee services and software development for pensions systems under the pensions reforms.

Inaugurating it, the chairman of the Pension Reform Implementation Committee, T. A. Bediako, urged companies and Ghanaians to brace themselves to meet the challenges and capitalise on opportunities offered by the pension reforms.

"With the pension reforms taking place in Ghana, I believe that many companies will be seeking to establish, redesign or refine their pension schemes," he said.

Mr Bediako pointed out that as result of the reforms, a growing number of organisations would be outsourcing the administration of their pension plans to specialists in the field.

That the demand on a pensions administration have become greater with the ever-increasing complexity of legislation, higher member expectations and greater trustee responsibilities, he said.

He said that pension has become a topical issue in Ghana in recent times because of its implications for life after retirement.

He recalled that it was as a result of agitations and protests by organised labour that government set up a Presidential Commission on pension which also recommended, among other things, a new three-tier pension structure.

Mr Bediako said the committee to implement the recommendation is currently preparing hard toward the implementation of the reforms.

"The committee will facilitate, among other things, the drafting of a new pension reform bill that will give legal backing to all the recommendations requiring the passage of laws," he said.

The Chairman of Premier Pensions Administration Company, Yaw Berkoh Nketia, said the company would provide reliable, customer focused and cost effective pension administration and trustee services that would generate maximum returns for all its stakeholders.

'Don't Publish Low Class Books'

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 11 November 2006 (Page 3)

THE Ministry of Education, Science and Sports has warned publishers against putting low class supplementary books with sub- standard language onto the market.

"Any publisher found to have introduced low class supplementary readers with sub-standard language will be sanctioned," Angelina Baiden-Amissah, Deputy Minister for the ministry said.

She explained that such acts would in the long run "corrupt the intellectual ability of the reading public" and therefore asked publishers to desist from the practice.

The minister gave the warning at the 2006 National Reading Competition organized by the Ghana International Book Fair Trust as part of the 6th Ghana Book Fair in Accra on Thursday.

In all, some 60 pupils from 40 basic schools across the country received awards including reading and writing books, cash, school bags, T-shirts and wall clocks.

Mrs Baiden-Amissah observed that there are some books on the market which have spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and sub-standard language.

She spoke about what she called a silent revolution going on globally where children are now educating themselves through books, game devices, and the internet, and stressed that the Ghanaian child should not be left out.

Children must be enabled, through the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education programme to have access to quality education to be able to read and write.

She said reading enhances one’s vocabulary and raises the intellectual tone of society, adding, "Reading is an inexpensive means of developing the mind and a giant step towards academic excellence for a better future."

Mrs Baiden-Amissah said it is the duty of parents to guide children to mould their life for a meaningful adulthood and called on publishers and book sellers to aid this responsibility by providing children with reading materials and increased access to books.

The chairperson of the Trust, Akoss Ofori-Mensah, said besides helping to increase one’s vocabulary, books give emotional and social awareness, encourage creativity and raise the quality of learning.

Stars On Parade To-night

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 11 November 2006(Times Weekend)

THE stars will to-night shine like never before at the posh Accra International Conference Centre.

The auditorium, if not set on fire, would certainly be close to that experience when over 13 Ghanaian music stars, stage what could be described as a spectacular musical performance expected to be second to none in the recent history of the industry.

Mr. All 4 Real (Ofori Amponsah), Batman, Obrafour, Lord Kenya, Akatakyie, Praye, Obour,Tic Tac, Ewura Esi, Wutah, King Ayisoba and Kwaku Gyasi are the stars billed to perform.

The rest are the evergreen celebrated highlifers: A.B Crentsil, C.K.Mann and Papa Yankson.

Christened: "Joy FM Nite with the Stars", it will be no other’s business than the stars’ showing off their stagecraft, creativity, lyrical and musical powers.

All eyes will undoubtedly be on Batman, Obrafour and Ofori Amponsah who have been nominated from the lots to be voted for by the public as the Best Joy FM artiste for the year 2006.

This year’s contest is expected to be a keen one because all the nominees have carved a niche for themselves for the period they have been in the music industry, and the fact that their latest albums have been a hit.

Last year, it was the contemporary highlifer, Ofori Amponsah, who beat Obour, K.K. Fosu, Castro and Kofi Nti to be crowned the Joy FM Music Star of the year 2005 at the event which gave the audience exactly what they had come for.

For his prize, he took home ¢60 million worth of air time, a plaque, three months supply of Gordon’s Spark drink and three boxes of Lux beauty soap.

Tonight’s event will be no exceptional as it promises to be fun and excitement. Some of the artistes will be pairing with some staff of Joy FM, the organizers of the annual event.

The host of the Cosmopolitan Mix, Doreen Andoh will pair with Ofori Amponsah to perform his hit song "Emmanuella" while the Mr. Tumtum (DJ Black) pairs with Obrafour to remix his finest "Heavy" and Ato Kwamena Dadzie, a member of the morning show team joins Rootsman King Ayisoba to sing the hit song "I want to see my father".

Bola Ray a.k.a Bolex, the host of Joy Drive Time will perform "Samini" with the MOBO Award winner, Batman while Kwadwo Oppong Nkrumah pairs with C.K Mann to do Adwoa Yanki.

Speaking to Times Weekend, the Events and Promotion Executive of Joy, Gabriel Appiah said the Nite with the Stars was introduced in 2000 with the aim of promoting Ghanaian music.

He explained that the nominees for the Joy Music Star Award were selected based on their standings on the Joy Local Chart Show adding ,"It is the public who will be those to choose their star through voting by SMS on a Tigo short code."

Voting will end today at exactly 12 noon.

Students Told To Stop Frivolous Lifestyles

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Monday, 06 November 2006 (Page 4)

Students of tertiary institutions have been advised against unnecessary competition to the detriment of their pursuit of academic excellence.

The Managing Director of Unique Trust Financial Services, Prince Kofi Amoabeng, who gave the advice observed that some students are now competing in fashion and use of flashy cars instead concentrating on their studies.

He questioned: "Who do you want to impress. Is it the world population of 70 billion or Ghana’s over 20 million people?"

Speaking at the fourth matriculation ceremony of the Wisconsin International University in Accra on Saturday, he advised students to avoid craving for unworthy things.

"Control your personal interest. Go at your own pace and do not try to impress anybody," he urged.

In all, 366 students were admitted into the university for a four-year programme in various fields.

Mr.Amoabeng said that leadership in Africa has failed the generation a for not providing excellent education, adding that "the systems to ensure that people who qualify get what they deserve or are put in the right place, have failed us as a nation."

"Those who come out from our educational institutions with the best grades are not the best," he said and explained that some of them get their grades by dubious means like "grade buying".

He advised the students to be realistic in all aspects of life and stay focused.

Always make their grievances known to the authorities and not resort to attempts to overthrow the system.

The Principal of the university, Dr. John Anum Sackey, said that the number of matriculants is the largest intake since the establishment of the university in 2000, bringing the student population to 720.

He said that the university has begun evening programmes for workers who want to improve their professional competencies.

It's An Offence To Withold Info On Human Traficking

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 04 November 2006 (Page 3)

ARE you aware that failure to disclose information about human trafficking in the country constitutes an offence punishable by law?

Well, the Human Trafficking Act (694) of 2005 says so: A person with human trafficking information who fails to report to the police is liable to a fine of ¢30 million or a jail-term of not less than a year or both.

Mrs Estelle Appiah, Director at the Attorney-General’s Department, revealed this at a two-day capacity workshop on the Act in Accra on Thursday.

She said anyone found guilty of human trafficking or serving as an intermediary, could face imprisonment for a term of not less than five years.

She, therefore, advised people with information on human traffickers to report to either the police, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, or a reputable civil society organisation.

The workshop, which was organised by the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs for religious bodies in the country, was to sensitise them on the provisions of the Human Trafficking Act.

It also sought to empower them to identify issues of trafficking within their communities so as to assist the ministry in its effort to prevent the practice in the country.

A Supreme Court Judge, Justice Sophia O. A. Adinyira, said that although every modern constitution has fundamental human rights and freedoms enshrined in it as declared by the UN Conventions, yet those freedoms, personal liberty and human dignity of people continued to be abused.

She asked religious leaders, to develop strategies of cooperation with others who seek support, protect and give refuge to those who suffer human rights abuses as an effort to prevent their occurrence in their communities.

Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children’s Affaris, said an estimated 400 Ghanaian children were suspected to have been trafficked into Guinea and Gabon.

"It is estimated that out of 6.36 million children aged between five and 17 in the sub-Saharan Africa, 2.47 million are engaged in economic activities," she said, adding that in Ghana, over 1,000 of them are involved in dangerous labour in fishing communities and in the sub-region.

Massive Turnout For Immunization

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Thursday, 02 November 2006 (Page 3)

There was a massive turnout in the Accra metropolis for the maiden edition of the Integrated Child Health (immunisation) campaign, which began throughout the country yesterday.

As early as 10 am, long queues of enthusiastic parents with their children had formed at the various centres when the Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Professor Badu Akosa, and the media toured some centres in high-density areas of the metropolis, including Bukom, Nima, Kokomba market area and Sodom and Gomorrah.

Under the campaign, which ends on Sunday, children under the age five are being immunised against polio and measles while those between six months and five years will, in addition receive vitamin A capsules.

Children below the age of two will receive free insecticide treated bed nets as well.

In all, there are 9,500 vaccinators and vaccination centres, and 28,500 volunteers for the exercise

However, it came to light that some parents in their desire to get the free bednets understated the age of their children.

Prof.Badu Akosa expressed the fear that the rush may lead to shortage of the nets for which over two million have been earmarked for the programme, and should that happen it will be difficult for the GHS to procure additional ones.

Briefing the media during the tour, he said that measles cases in the country dropped from 12,000 to 2000 between 2000 and 2002 adding, "Last year Ghana recorded 500 cases and has not recorded any death resulting from measles within the last three years."

On polio eradication, Prof. Badu Akosa said that Ghana has satisfied the three-year polio free record and is awaiting certification, but indicated that as long as Nigeria and other parts of the world at large are not polio free, "Ghana is also not free and has to keep the pressure and immunize our children."

Street Vendors Protest

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Wednesday, 01 November 2006 (Page 3)

THE Ghana Street Vendors Association has accused some officials of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) of illegally registering people for allocation of stalls at the Pedestrian Shopping Mall (hawkers market) at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.

The association, which is made up of some street hawkers in Accra, warned that if the practice was not checked by the AMA, it could undermine the registration process.

"If care is not taken, the purpose for which the market was built would not be achieved," they said.

Addressing a press conference in Accra yesterday, the secretary of the association, Tony Eshun, expressed dissatisfaction about the process of registration for the allocation of stalls by the AMA.

He said after submitting their completed registration forms with two passport pictures to the AMA, all traders are now being asked to come to the AMA head office and pay ¢200,000 for the registration of the stalls.

He, therefore, appealed to the AMA to explain to the traders what happened to the registration forms that the association submitted to the AMA.

He explained that following a request by the AMA on March 5, 2005, the association registered its members, issued them with membership cards and submitted the names of 600 members who filled the forms to the AMA.

"But our people now fear that they would not be considered in the allocation of stalls, at the market because of the way the registration process is being handled by the AMA," Mr Eshun said.

US Relocates Hangar To Ghana

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 28 October 2006 (Page 4)

The US Ambassador to Ghana, Pamela Bridgewater, on Thursday inaugurated a hangar at the Air force Base at Burma Camp for the mission’s aircraft, which was relocated from Cote d’Voire to Ghana in 2004, following the political unrest in that country.

The aircraft, popularly known as Cobra Zero one, provides regional support for the Us mission in 27 US embassies in west and central Africa.

Ms Bridgewater commended the Ghana Air Force for assistance and support it provided the US Defense Attache’ in Ghana.

She indicated that the aircraft is an invaluable resource to the US embassy in Ghana and the other 26 embassies in west and central Africa that it supports.

The completion of the hangar, she said, would besides providing shelter for the aircraft also offer its maintenance team clean and conducive environment to perform regardless of the weather.

Ms Bridgewater expressed the embassy’s appreciation to the Ghana Air Force for providing the space for the aircraft and maintaining it until now.

Air Vice-marshal Joseph Boateng, Ghana Chief of Air staff, said the GAF appreciates the support by the C-12 team since their arrival in the country and noted that, cooperation between the team and the GAF had been very fruitful.

He said the GAF enjoyed the teams training programme, among other things, and expressed the hope that the cooperation would be maintained further for the benefit of all.

3 Fire Recruits Collapse @ Passing-out Parade

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Monday, 30 October 2006

THREE Fire Service recruits who were passing out at the Fire Academy and Training School (FATS) in Accra last Friday, collapsed during the parade the start of which was delayed for over an hour.

The three, who collapsed in turns apparently due to the heat from the scorching sun, were rushed to an ambulance of the Ghana Ambulance Service nearby, made available for any such emergency, where they were given treatment.

The reviewing officer, was the Minister for the Interior, Albert Kan-Dapaah. The programme, scheduled to start at 8:30 am, eventually started at 9:58 a.m.

Mr. Kan-Dapaah in his address, called on the recruits to exhibit alertness, ingenuity and foresight to help transform the Ghana Fire Service (GNFS) to ensure effective delivery, stressing that much was expected of the service to cope with new and sophisticated circumstances and situations in the country.

He asked the service personnel to exhibit discipline, humility and selflessness to all manner of people they would come into contact with in the course of their work.

He advised them to offer assistance and within the powers given them by the nature of their appointment adding, "Any attempt to go beyond the confines of the law in the name of offering assistance to the public will not be tolerated."

The minister cautioned those who have joined the service due to certain preconceived notions to shed those negative tendencies since any act of indiscipline and corrupt practices would not be tolerated or condoned.

"You must exhibit uprightness, soundness of character and honesty much more than that you must not compromise the integrity of the service," he said.

Stressing that the service had carved a positive image for itself over the years, he urged the recruits to carry out the duty of positively promoting the image of the service.

He commended the teaching and non-teaching staff of the Academy for the training given the recruits.

Recruit Fireman Godwin Kumedzro, who took three awards out of four, was adjudged the best allround recruit while Recruit Fireman Michael Nii Aryee Quaye won the best in foot-drill award.

The 231 recruits of 185 men and 46 women underwent 18 weeks of training in technical and operational fire fighting.

NAGRAT Refutes GNAT's Claims

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Wednesday, 25 October 2006 (Page 3)

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) says it never received an invitation by the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) to join in the current negotiations of new salaries for teachers.

It said the only invitation from GNAT dated August 3, asked the NAGRAT to send its proposals to be included in a proposal GNAT had drafted.

The letter, the association said, also requested the NAGRAT to nominate two of its members to serve on a committee tasked to draft the GNAT proposal and therefore contended that, the letter from GNAT had nothing to do with salary negotiations.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra yesterday, the president of the NAGRAT, Kwami Alorvi, said however that if even GNAT had extended any such invitation to NAGRAT to join it at the salary negotiations, it would have declined it.

The conference was held at the National Secretariat of NAGRAT at Kokomlemle, Accra, to clarify issues related to the current strike and to respond to certain allegations leveled against the association.

"This is because GNAT lacks the capacity to extend such invitation to NAGRAT simply because it is not our employer. GNAT is only a trade union just as NAGRAT. It is the employer that has the duty to invite its employee associations to negotiate with it," he explained.

Mr. Alorvi, whose address was interrupted frequently with loud applause, and shouts from the graduate teachers present, stated emphatically that no meeting had been held between NAGRAT and the government since they started the strike 46 days ago.

He said the only letters NAGRAT received were from the Ghana Employers Association and the Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace requesting to know NAGRAT’s grievances.

He therefore challenged government to produce any evidence of such meetings adding, "the nation needs to be told whether the meetings were convened by letter, phone calls or through messages carried by errand boys."

He said what NAGRAT had officially heard from the sector minister was that "government does not recognise it and so it should join GNAT before government could talk to it."

On the numerous appeals to return to the classroom, the NAGRAT president said: "We want to point out that NAGRAT, has received no such appeals from any quarters other than the Ghana Education Service."

He said NAGRAT, cannot dispute the fact that it has read about such purported appeals in newspapers and heard them on air. But he added, such appeals through the media were to them confirmation of how teachers were marginalised and disregarded by both the government and the public.

He rejected the contention by some people that the strike had entered its seventh week and consequently made its mark, it should be called off.

NAGRAT, he said, respects all those who wish to intervene and mediate but "we are sorry to say that we will prefer them maintaining the dignity we accord them rather than meddling in this case only to be eventually disappointed by the government."

The NAGRAT president also denied allegations that he was once an NDC Constituency chairman in the Volta Region, and had once contested and lost the GNAT leadership position.

When contacted, the General Secretary of GNAT, Mrs. Irene Duncan-Adanusah, said GNAT invited the NAGRAT to join in the drafting of the proposal but NAGRAT did not turn up.

"Before you go for the negotiations, you have to know the content of the proposal," she said.

Traders Abandon Kasoa Market

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Monday, 23 October 2006 (Page 3)

SOME of the traders affected by the demolition of the old Kasoa market, have defied the district assembly and created a new market at the Kasoa Zongo area.

As a result, the new District Assembly market has been abandoned leaving only a handful of traders to do business there.

Poor sales at the new assemly’s market and the lack of enthusiasm on the part of most traders to relocate to the new market are District Assembly.

A visit by the Times to the market last Tuesday, a market day, revealed that the market was almost empty although the sheds at the market according to authorities of the assembly had all been allocated to traders.

Another visit to the market at the Zongo however revealed brisk business activity there with no benefit to the district assembly’s office.

Traders occupaying the about 300-metre stretch market from the front of the Odupong Kpehe Rural Bank through the Kasoa Central Mosque to the Odikro’s Palace and around, are said not to be paying any tax to the assembly.

However, Times investigations have revealed that the leaderships of the Zongo area market collects ¢5,000 daily as tax from each trader.

The assembly’s Kasoa market on a non-market day could be likened to a cemetery as only a handful of traders are seen sitting by their wares with hardly any buyer coming their way while brisk business continues to go on at the demolished old market grounds.

Consequently the traders have called for the immediate closure of the Zongo market and also urged the assembly authorities to make the lorry park at the new market the last stop for all commercial vehicles from Accra and elsewhere.

They argued that commercial vehicles plying Kasoa have made the old market site their boarding station or last stop hence most people end up their journey and do business there rather than pay the extra fare to get to the new market.

When contacted, the District Chief Executive of the Awutu-Effutu Senya District Assembly, Solomon Abbam Quaye, said the situation had greatly affected the revenue of the assembly.

He confirmed that traders who were moved to the new market following the demolition of the old one were going back to the Zongo market.

As to whether the assembly collects tax from the traders at the Zongo market, he replied: "You dare not go there."

Mr. Abbam Quaye said the assembly had received a number of threats from some residents following the demolition of unauthorized structures along the major roads in the town last week.

The old Kasoa market was demolished in February this year, to decongest traffic in the area which has since the reduced significantly.

Transparency Campaign On Mining Launched

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Monday, 16 October 2006(Page 12)

A coalition of civil society organisation in Ghana has launched a mining sector revenue transparency campaign to hold government accountable for the management of revenue from the mining industries in the country.

The campaign, dubbed "Publish What You Pay (PWYP)" is under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) that aims at improving natural resource governance in resource-rich countries through full publication and verification of company payments and government revenues from oil, gas and mining.

The initiative is also to promote sustainable development, reduce poverty and eliminate conflict and social tension in communities affected by extractive industries.

Speaking at the launch in Accra last week, the Coordinator of the campaign, Dr.Steve Manteaw said that the immediate causes of most of the violence characterising the mining sector in Ghana include irresponsible mining practices and failure on the mining companies to comply with compensation and resettlement agreements reached with communities.

"The reason most communities are up in arms today is that, while so much wealth is generated from mining and other extractives in the communities, the ordinary people become ever more impoverished," he said, adding that the pursuit of development through mineral exploitation is fast becoming an illusion in many developing countries.

"He said the EITI would provide a welcome opportunity of re-examining the institutional arrangements and mechanisms for minimising revenue leakages, to ensure that mining works for the people and contributes to national economic development.

"Transparency in the extractive sector is important not the least, because the sector resources are finite, non-renewable, but that the damage caused to the environment in exploiting them is long lasting", he stated.

"For which reason, we as a people must ensure that dividends from such undertakings are utilised responsibly, transparently, and to the benefit of all, especially those immediately and negatively affected by extractive activities", he added.

He noted that most extractive resource-rich developing countries score poorly on good governance indicator rankings and are found at the bottom third of Transparency International’s annual ranking of countries by perception of corruption.

The Economic Programme Officer of Open Society Initiative for West Africa, Michel Saraka Kouame said that West Africa has about 10 per cent of the world’s natural resources yet its citizenry continues to suffer from poverty.

He attributed the situation to the African leaders’ mismanagement of the natural resources.

He expressed his organisation’s support for the successful implementation of the programme to ensure better lives for the citizenry.

Cocoa Producer Price Increased

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 14 October 2006 (Page 3)

THE government has increased the producer price of cocoa from ¢9 million to ¢9.150 million per tonne.

Consequently, a 64 kilogramme of cocoa now costs ¢571,875 as against the ¢562,500 in the 2005/2006 cocoa season.

A total of ¢178.2 billion is also to be paid as bonus to cocoa farmers for the just ended main crop season.

The Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, announced this yesterday at a press conference in Accra to officially open the 2006/2007 main crop season.

He said the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has mobilised 810 million dollars for purchasing operations this year, adding, "We therefore have adequate funding to cover all cocoa purchases estimated to be ¢5.49 trillion".

He said with the exception of the 2004/2005 cocoa season,the government has since 2001 paid a total of ¢608.9 billion as bonuses to cocoa farmers.

"Following the increase in the producer price and the payment of bonus for the 2005/2006 main crop season purchases, an additional amount of ¢268.2 billion will be available to our cocoa farmers."

Mr.Baah Wiredu said the government was also committed to ensuring that all stakeholders in the cocoa industry were paid economic rates and fees to ensure the profitability of their businesses.

As a result, he said, increases in buyers’ margin for licensed buying companies, hauliers’ rates for evacuation among others and other charges, had been approved by the government to ensure that the cocoa industry, which occupies a centre stage in the country’s economy, sustains the gains made in the past six years.

The government attaches great importance to the cocoa sector and has consequently committed itself to ensuring that the necessary assistance is given to the cocoa sector, he said.

The government, he said, has for the past six years implemented various policy initiatives to increase producer prices and payment of bonuses, added value to cocoa products and modernised practices on cocoa farms.

Mr.Baah-Wiredu said cocoa output in the country has doubled since the 2000/2001 crop season, and has consequntly consolidated the country’s position as the world’s second largest producer of cocoa.

He said that in spite of the gains, the just-ended season encountered major challenges such as inadequate jute sacks, purple beans, and congestion at the take-over centres as well as delayed payments for cocoa purchased from farmers.

Government, he said, has also embarked on the tarring of a number of selected roads in the remote cocoa growing areas to facilitate the carting of the bagged cocoa beans to the depots .

The Chief Executive of COCOBOD,Isaac Osei said Ghana produced 740,457 tonnes of cocoa in the just-ended season, adding that it had forecasted 600,000 tonnes of cocoa for this season.

He said the COCOBOD has targeted producing a million tonne of cocoa in the near future noting that “currently, we are having increases in regions like the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti”.

Mr.Osei said the it has provided the Ghana Armed Forces 12 vehicles to patrol on the Ghana-Cote d’Iviore border to check smuggling of cocoa which he said is an economic phenomenon.

Gov't To Start Dialogue With NAGRAT Next Week

By Stephen kwabena Effah
Friday, 13 October 2006 (Page 3)

THE Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, will next week begin negotiations with the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) to resolve the current impasse on the teachers’ front.

The sector minister, Papa Owusu Ankomah, announced this, and said there is a negotiating process that government is following.


The Minister made this known when responding to a question at a special Meet-the-Press yesterday which brought together four sector ministers to address issues on wages, salaries and the NAGRAT strike in Accra.

The other three ministers were Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Manpower, Youth and Employment Minister, Boniface Abubakar Saddique and Public Sector Reforms Minister Paa Kwesi Nduom.

Papa Ankomah said the resolution of the strike by NAGRAT requires self discipline, restraint and cooperation with all, adding that the ministry’s directive to heads of schools to engage local teachers while the strike is on, is only a temporary measure to manage the crisis.

He asked the members of NAGRAT to join GNAT which has a bargaining certificate to negotiate conditions of service on behalf of all teachers.

Asked whether NAGRAT will be issued its own bargaining certificate, the Minister said that the government cannot subvert the law, adding that "The Ministry does not have the power to say that NAGRAT should be given a bargaining certificate to stand alone".

He appealed to the striking teachers to return to the classrooms, saying that "the effect of their action is very serious".

For his part, Mr. Baah-Wiredu said the GES requires ¢31.1 trillion for wages and other related remuneration.

This, he said, is difficult to meet because the total national revenue projected for the 2007 fiscal year is ¢31.5 trillion.
He explained that Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product for the year is ¢112.6 trillion and domestic revenue ¢26.4 trillion, out of which ¢14 trillion is used to service wages and related issues.

He said that the GDP for next year has been put at ¢128 trillion with a projected domestic revenue of 31.5 trillion.

The finance minister indicated that 53.1 per cent of Ghana’s total revenue goes to pay the wages of the 500,000 workers in the public service.

He said that the country’s ability to pay more wages depends on its ability to generate more revenue, stressing "we cannot overtask ourselves. When one sector is demanding the total revenue where do we fall at?"

Calling for exercise of patience by workers, Mr. Baah-Wiredu said that spending so much time dealing with strikes in the middle of a fiscal year would not help the development of the country.

He recalled that when he was the Minister of Education, about 70 per cent of his time was spent on labour issues at that ministry and said although progress has been made towards better wages for workers, it is still not the best.

IPS Alumni Intervenes

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Saturday, 07 October 2006 (Page 19)

The Alumni of the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) has intervened in the impasse between the authorities and the student body in a bid to resolve the issue and get the students back to campus by next week.

In a meeting with the students’ body on Wednesday, the alumni convinced them to call off their planned demonstration yesterday.

The National Union Secretary of the IPS, Sampson Quansah, told the Times in an interview yesterday, that the alumni had assured the students that it would meet the school authorities to discuss how best to solve the problem to enable the students to return to campus by next week.

"The students cannot afford being out of campus since that would affect them greatly," he said, adding that most of the students are expected to commence their examination next month."

For his part, the president of the Chartered Accountant, Students Society, Dominic Naab, said that their decision to call off the strike was in part due to the absence of the Ministers for Education, Science and Sports at post yesterday.

He said that they are waiting for the outcome of the alumni’s effort to determine the line of action to be taken next.

An alumnus of IPS, Francis Dadzie, said they would today, meet the interim Students Representative Council set up by the school authorities.

He said that the alumni are very much concerned about the situation at the Institute, saying that "as an alumni, whatever happens has an impact on us".

What Is Conflict Of Interest?

By Stephen Kwabena Effah & Lizzy-Ann Nyama
Thursday, 05 October 2006 (Page 3)


The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) says the insufficient definition of, or code of conduct for public officers on, conflict of interest in the Constitution makes the processing of allegations before it a difficult task.

"The 1992 Constitution cautions public officers against placing themselves in conflict of interest positions, but does not provide sufficient definition or guide to conflict of interest," said Richard Quayson, CHRAJ’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Education and Anti-Corruption.

Mr. Quayson said this at a workshop organized by the CHRAJ in Accra yesterday, for media practitioners, to elicit their inputs to draft guidelines on conflict of interest developed by the commission.

The guidelines are designed to protect the integrity of official policy, administrative decisions and of public management.

Mr. Quayson said conflict of interest is a complex issue that reflects the structural problems of civilized society and relates to several facets.

He said that corruption and abuse of political and administrative powers for self-interest whether by an individual, group or party, is a problem in Africa that has disastrous damaging effect on both the public and private sectors.

The situation therefore requires policy-makers, government, public officials and all partners to "rethink and renew the national consciousness with new values and new cultural orientation aimed at avoiding and preventing those consequences that readily lead them to corruption".

Mr.Quayson said it was in this direction that the commission had designed the guidelines to, among other things, provide a general framework for determining conflict of interest situations and also guide public officials in the conduct of public business to address unethical behaviour in all public offices.

"An important strategy of the commission’s corruption prevention programme is to promote transparent and accountable practices, and built-in safeguards to minimize the possibility of the decision-making process being compromised by self interest," he stressed.

Presenting a paper on "The Anti-Corruption Mandate of CHRAJ", the acting Commissioner, Ms. Anna Bossman, said the insufficient definition on conflict of interest in the constitution "has not affected the commission’s work much" but added that there is the need to clarify the issue.

Group Calls For Law To Protect PLWHAs

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Wednesday, 04 October 2006 (Page 4)

The Ghana Network of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (NAP+ Ghana) has called on the country’s legislators to merge all HIV/AIDS policies into one law to protect the interest of PLWHAs.

"Policies are but administrative measures which do not wield the same level of compulsion as laws do," Major Moses Adraku (rtd), president of the network said at a workshop on HIV/AIDS law in Ghana in Accra yesterday.


However, Health Minister, Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), thinks the compulsive aspect of law may result in a backlash, build unnecessary resentment towards PLWHA and worsen their plight.

He said, "It may also erode or undermine the little remaining social support system available for PLWHA and their dependents," and therefore asked the network to understand the implications of such a law.

The two-day workshop was organized by the network to enable stakeholders examine the possibility of formulating a law to safeguard the interest of PLWHAs.

Major Quashigah said since the stigma and mysticism associated with people with HIV/AIDS have not been sufficiently dealt with and "indeed cannot be dealt with through legislation, people are going to find ingenious ways of circumventing the law".

Major Adraku indicated that the major challenges confronting PLWHAs in Ghana are stigmatisation and discrimination which limit the meaningful involvement of PLWHA in the national response programmes.

As a result, he said that PLWHAs remain largely invisible and decisions are made for them without their involvement stressing that, "indeed stigmatising environment remains one of the most agonizing and painful challenges in controlling the pandemic".

"Currently, there is no law, or an act of parliament in Ghana passed with specific reference to how persons living with HIV/AIDS or affected by AIDS should be treated or which gives them any adequate rights or protection," he indicated.

Major Adraku said that although there are good provisions in other laws that can be used to adjudicate HIV/AIDS, such provisions are not HIV/AIDS-sensitive, stressing that PLWHAs need greater protection from aggressive persons in the communities.

The UN AIDS Representative in Ghana, Dr. Warren Naamara, said that discrimination against PLWHA in the country "is a sign of ignorance and poor application of laws".

He noted that the country’s human rights and criminal laws are not adequately applied, saying "we will do well if these laws are appropriately applied".

By putting in place proper laws, he said stigmatisation and discrimination in the country would reduce to the barest minimum.

He expressed the UN AIDS support for the network and Ghana AIDS Commission in the national response programmes.

Chanta Fire:Mum Dies

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Wednesday,27 September,2006 (Front Page)

Felicia Duodo, the 30-year-old fishmonger, who together with her one-and-a half year old son sustained multiple burns when fire gutted their room at Chantan, a suburb of Accra on September 16, died last Saturday at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) where she had been on admission for a week.

The son, Augustine Tikwa, is however responding to treatment and hospital sources said he was expected to be discharged yesterday.

Felicia is the third member of the family to die after her husband, Kofi Tikwa, an auto sprayer, and their other son, seven-year old Ebenezer Tikwa died on the day of the incident.

The fire was said to have been caused by a lit candle placed close to the wooden structure that the family had used as accommodation for the past 10 years.

Personal belongings including a television set, sound system, two video decks, refrigerator, gas cylinder and cooking ware were among the debris of the completely burnt structure.

The source told Times that Augustine was getting well and would be discharged by the close of day but "he will be required to come for further check-ups and for the dressing of the wounds.

The source said that the discharge of the boy was upon the request of the relatives of the deceased mother who said they could not pay for the hospital bills.

Strange Image At Maamobi

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Tuesday, 26 September 2006 (Front Page)

ONE hundred and sixty days after the March 29 solar eclipse and four days after the annular eclipse, there was yet another phenomenon yesterday in Accra.

This time, it was at Maamobi, predominantly muslim suburb of Accra where a mysterious image allegedly appeared in a Mosque and three rooms in various houses.


Significantly, it was three days after the start of this year’s Ramadan by Muslims.

The alleged appearance of the mysterious golden image attracted hundreds of residents in and around Maamobi.

They thronged the area to catch a glimpse of the image believed to be similar to the holy cloth used to cover the ‘kaba’ (the most holy structure in muslim located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia towards which muslims face when praying).

The strange imageThe image which was allegedly sighted in a room in the area around 4.30 am with some Arabic writings could better be seen through louvre blades.

When the Times got to the various scenes around 10:30 am, one of the houses which reported the appearance allegedly lost it People from far and near, young and old, students and traders alike were seen struggling to peep through the windows of the various locations where the phenomenon reportedly appeared, as all the entrants to the rooms, including the mosque, were closed.

Salim Alhassan, an eye-witness, who allegedly witnessed the phenomenon in his father’s room, told the Times that he was in the room at about 4:30 am when his grandmother entered to serve his father a cup of tea, and upon seeing the image which had then started developing, she started screaming.

He said that upon questioning, she pointed to the image with some Arabic writings on it, adding that at first, it was not very visible but gradually became clear and visible.

He said information about the image spread very fast and people started thronging the area to view it.

The Imam of Eakaza Mosque, Dzazaudeen Abubakar, told the Times after watching the image at all the four location that the only difference between the phenomenon and what is in Mecca is that the one in Mecca is black in colour while what appeared at Maamobi was shiny.

Asked of its significance to Islam, he replied: "It makes us believe that Islam is a good religion on the earth".

A young lady, who gave her name only as Saddia, thinks the appearance of the image is a blessing from God, considering the fact that they are in the fasting period.

"It has strengthened my believe that Allah is great and is really there for us," she said.

Sheikh Shaibu Arimiyao, Greater Accra Regional Manager of the Islamic Education Unit, when contacted, said that even though he had not seen the image, the basis of people’s belief in it needed to be established.

He cautioned Muslims to exercise maximum restraint "in order not to be misled into a belief that is alien to Islam".

He said: "We in Islam do not believe that an object that is sacred and situated at a particular place (Mecca) can appear elsewhere" he added.

Sheikh Arimiyao noted that there were satanic forces that could deceive people into some imaginations, hence the need for the Muslim faithful to be cautious about the image.

When the Times contacted the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Nuhu Sharubutu, he said he had not heard about it and so could not comment on the matter.