1,000 Ghanaians to benefit from oil and gas capacity programme — Agyarko

BENJAMIN XORNAM GLOVER      

08 NOVEMBER 2017

Mr Boakye Agyarko — Minister of Energy

More than 1,000 Ghanaians are to benefit from an accelerated oil and gas capacity (AOGC) programme annually to empower them to secure jobs in the oil and gas sector.

Under the programme which was launched in Accra on Tuesday, 200 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will be provided with the capacity to gain competitive advantage in the oil and gas industry, while some 300 employees in public institutions are expected to be prepared to support the development of oil and gas policies and the enforcement of industry regulations.

The Minister of Energy, Mr Boakye Agyarko, who launched the programme on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, said the initiative was in fulfilment of the government’s campaign promise to aggressively invest in education and skills enhancement for Ghanaians to participate meaningfully in the oil and gas industry.

The AOGC programme is expected to build the capacity of the beneficiaries in four thematic areas — technical, vocational and apprenticeship development and utilisation; capacity development of educational institutions; small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) capacity building and public institutional development and sector management.

The programme is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Energy to fill current skill gaps in the sector by strengthening the oil and gas industry.

Significant role

Launching the programme, Mr Agyarko said the oil and gas industry played a significant role in the economy of Ghana, and so in line with the government’s objective of creating jobs for the teeming masses of Ghanaian youth, the industry must serve as a major source of employment.

He said the only problem that existed was that many people had not acquired the requisite technical expertise to meet the often very high standards set by the oil companies.

The AOGC programme, he said, would guarantee that local service providers and personnel were given the requisite skills and technical know-how, from entrepreneurship to engineering, to strengthen their effective participation in the oil and gas sector, as well as allied industries.

He indicated that with the increased upstream activity, the number of petroleum activity local service providers and their personnel were expected to increase.

Therefore, the AOGC programme was well placed to prepare Ghanaians to take advantage of the massive opportunities that would be provided by the ongoing and new developments in the oil industry, he added.

Local Content and Participation

The minister said the passage of the Petroleum (Local Content and Participation) Regulations, 2013(LI 2204) had created a congenial legal environment that obliged international oil companies to have local components in their operations and a detailed succession planning strategy for graduation and incorporation of Ghanaians in their operations.

He directed the Petroleum Commission to ensure the full implementation of the regulations by ensuring that all oil companies, especially those involved in the provision of services, employed the technicians trained under the AOGC programme.

Caution

Mr  Agyarko said the government was committed to increasing upstream activity, particularly following the favourable judgment on the maritime boundary dispute with Cote d’Ivoire.

To that end, he cautioned all the companies holding oil blocks under the petroleum agreements to demonstrate their commitment to execute their contractual obligations.

More to be done

The acting Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Commission, Mr Egbert Faibille Jnr, said from a modest level of localisation at the onset, currently, more than 62 per cent of people who worked in the industry were Ghanaians.

“What is pleasing is that Ghanaians are increasingly occupying senior management and core technical positions in the industry. We, however, concede that a lot more can be done and ought to be done,” he said

The Country Director of the World Bank Group for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Dr Henry G. R. Kerali, commended Ghana for initiating the programme, saying it would ensure the continued capacity building programme beyond the support offered by the World Bank.

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/1-000-ghanaians-to-benefit-from-oil-and-gas-capacity-programme-agyarko.html

Ada celebrates Asafotufiami

BENJAMIN GLOVER             

07 AUGUST 2017

Djetse Abram Kabu Akuaku III (middle), Paramount Chief of the Ada Traditional Area, delivering his address at the durbar

The chiefs and people of the Ada Traditional Area in the Greater Accra Region celebrated their annual Asafotufiami festival last Saturday with the firing of muskets, amid dancing and general merrymaking.

The annual festival is celebrated mainly in remembrance of the heroic achievements of the founding fathers and ancestors of the area during the many wars of survival and development of the Ada people.

It is a warriors’ festival accompanied by firing of muskets by traditional military groups. This year’s was the 80th edition.

The celebration, which drew a number of people, both residents and non-residents, to the durbar grounds, was on the theme: “Peace and unity as a tool for socio-economic transformation of Ada Traditional Area.”

Former President Jerry John Rawlings, Dr Nii Kotey Dzani, a member of the Council of State, Mr Daniel McKorley, Group Chairman, McDan Group, a Deputy  Minister for the Interior and MP for Ayawaso Central, Mr Henry Quartey, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Daniel Titus-Glover, the MP for Ada and Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Mrs Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe Ghansah, the MP for Sege, Mr Christian Otuteye, the DCEs for Ada East and West and other government functionaries, as well as the Kumawuhene, Barima Sarfo Tweneboa Kodua, who represented the Asantehene, graced the colourful ceremony. 

Former President Jerry John Rawlings exchanging pleasantries with some chiefs at the durbar

War on sanitation

Speaking at a grand durbar to mark the occasion, former President Rawlings underscored the need for all to be responsible in dealing with the sanitation issue in the country.

President Rawlings, who was recently honoured by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly for his advocacy for a clean environment, said if given the opportunity, he would jail a minimum of three persons a week for destroying the environment.

“We are very lucky the honour given me is a ceremonial one. Had it been ‘real’, every week I will jail about three to five people for sanitation-related offences until Accra becomes clean again,” he said.

A  band from Dodowa performing at the durbar

 The former President called on Ghanaians to be a little more patriotic by helping to arrest those who did the wrong things to prevent the spread of diseases.

“Let us not make things worse for ourselves. Typhoid, Hepatitis B and cholera cases are high in our country because of our attitude towards the environment. As a result, we all need inoculations. Let us not make things worse for ourselves,” he urged.

Anti-galamsey fight

President Rawlings also lauded President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s anti-galamsey effort, as well as the President’s charge on the Legislature to exercise authority over the financial dealings of the Executive, saying this is very rare and urged Ghanaians to take note of these things so they could judge for themselves if the right things were being done.

He accused the previous administration of issuing a lot of fishing licences to foreign vessels which had led to over-fishing and depletion of the marine waters and expressed the hope that the sitting government would address the situation.

“It is bad enough that poaching is going on but to authorise and issue licences well above the number that should be in our fishing waters is irresponsible. Some things are irredeemable when destroyed but we are waiting to see what this government will do about it before it gets too late,” former President Rawlings said. 

Govt committed

Dr Nii Kotei Dzani (left), a member of the Council of State, interacting with Mrs Comfort Cudjoe-Ghansah (right), the MP for Ada East, and Mr Henry Quartey, a Deputy Minister of the Interior, at the durbar

A Deputy Minister of the Interior, Mr Henry Quartey, who represented President Akufo-Addo, gave an assurance that the fight against galamsey was not going to be a nine days’ wonder.

He said the President was committed to the fight to ensure that Ghana’s water bodies were preserved, protected and the lands reclaimed, to enable the citizenry to enjoy a good environment and potable water.

Mr Quartey stressed that the anti-galamsey fight, just like the fight against corruption, was not targeted at any individual but rather, it was being pursued as a national security issue hence the President’s resolve to deal with anyone who engaged in it.

On sanitation, he reiterated the President’s resolve to make Accra the cleanest city in the ECOWAS sub-region if not Africa and appealed to all to rally round that call to keep the environment clean.

Unity

The Kumawuhene, Barima Tweneboa Kodua, who represented the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, commended the chiefs for sustaining the festival over the years and urged the Ada Traditional Council to continue to use the festival as a tool to foster unity and socio-economic development by mobilising resources to help the government’s development efforts.

Palace Project

The Paramount Chief of the Ada Traditional Area, Djetse Abram Kabu Akuaku III, in his welcome address, said this year’s festival had been dedicated to two key projects, namely a palace for the paramountcy and the construction of a Community Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound, to take care of the health needs of the people.

“This palace project has become necessary because the Ada State has existed for about 400 years without one and the current role of chiefs in the political dispensation has demanded for such a project which will help the chiefs to also contribute meaningfully towards the socio-economic development of the traditional area and the country as a whole,” he said.

Oath swearing

At the durbar grounds, greetings were exchanged between the chiefs and his subjects while the 10 Asafoatsenguame (war captains) in the Ada State renewed their allegiance to the paramount chief, to serve the state whenever they were called to do so.  

However, a misunderstanding among one of the clans, Dangbebiawe, as to who was the rightful person to swear allegiance to the chief, led to a clash which stalled the festival briefly but with the help of the security agencies, order was restored.

 Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh

via:https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ada-celebrates-asafotufiami.html

Weekly clean-up exercise begins in Tema

BENJAMIN XORNAM GLOVER    

23 AUGUST 2017

 A section of residents of Community One in the clean-up exercise

The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has embarked on a three-week clean-up exercise to help rid the metropolis of filth.

The clean-up exercise, which is in response to the sanitation challenges facing the metropolis, is being carried out in phases.

During the first phase, the municipal chief executive (MCE) and staff of the TMA, as well as assembly members and residents came out to sweep public places and clear drains.

The weekly clean-up campaign lined up by the assembly began with the Tema East Constituency on August 12, this year. Last Saturday, it was extended to the Tema West Constituency and is expected to end at the Tema Central Constituency this weekend.

Poor sanitation

The MCE of Tema, Mr Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, who expressed concern about the deteriorating sanitation situation in the metropolis, disclosed that the assembly would deploy sanitation officers, popularly known as "samasama", to arrest residents who broke sanitation bye-laws.

He was optimistic that the measures would go a long way to halt indiscriminate littering in Tema.

“We are not going to relent in this exercise, and will arrest and prosecute sanitation offenders. We shall strictly go by the sanitation bye-laws without fear or favour,” he told journalists after touring the city to monitor the clean-up exercise.

The mayor, together with his management staff, participated in the exercise in the various communities such as Manhean, Bankuman, Community 1 (Central Business District) and the Community 1 Market.

The team also toured Communities 2, 3 and 5, as well as Sakumono, Baatsona Market, Klagon and Adjei Kojo communities where the assembly members mobilised residents to take part in the clean-up exercise.

Squatters

At Community 5 and Church Village, the MCE expressed concern about illegal structures at the banks of the Sakumono Lagoon which further exposed the inhabitants to flooding and gave the squatters an ultimatum to vacate the place, failing which the assembly would move in to demolish the structures.

The Assembly Member for the Community Five Railway Electoral Area, Mr Patrick Lawerh, conceded that the occupants were living there illegally, adding that several efforts to evict them had proved unsuccessful.

He, however, expressed optimism that under the Tema Restoration Agenda being pursued by the assembly, a solution would soon be found and the squatters relocated to a more convenient place.

Writer's email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/weekly-clean-up-exercise-begins-in-tema.html

Foundation donates to Tema female ward

BENJAMIN XORNAM GLOVER                    

29 SEPTEMBER 2017

From left to right: Mrs Abi Kyeremanteng and Mrs Sonia Antwi assisting Dr Kwabena Opoku-Adusei to cut the tape to officially inaugurate the renovated female medical ward

As part of efforts to improve healthcare delivery at the Tema General Hospital, the Women Empowerment Foundation International (WEFI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has renovated and adopted the female medical ward of the facility.

The project involved major renovation works, including re-roofing of the ward, changing of the ceiling boards, fixing and changing of bathroom and toilet facilities, painting of the ward, plumbing works, re-netting of the entire female medical ward, provision of notice boards among other installations.

WEFI also donated assorted hospital equipment as well as bedspreads, curtains, wheelchairs, patient gowns, hand gloves, nose masks, suction machines, scanners and walking aides to the facility. The entire project was estimated at about GH¢ 80,000.

The female medical ward, like many other units at the Tema General Hospital, a major referral hospital in the industrial city, has barely undergone any major facelift in the past years, a situation which has impeded healthcare delivery at the facility.

Charity works

The Founder of WEFI, Mrs Sonia Antwi, said the group was founded in 2009 as a charity organisation with the aim of providing support to the vulnerable in society.

She also said WEFI had undertaken similar projects at the Korle Bu, 37 Military and Komfo Anokye teaching hospitals.

Additionally, she said WEFI had granted educational scholarships to needy, brilliant students who were pursuing courses at the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and University of Cape Coast, while a number of young persons were being assisted to pursue technical and vocational education by the group.

Tema deserves modern hospital

The Medical Director of the Tema General Hospital, Dr Kwabena Opoku Adusei, commended WEFI for their support for the ward emphasising that it would help to bring relief to patients.

He appealed to corporate Tema to come to the aid of the facility since it was the only referral hospital for the whole metropolis with a population of about 900,000 and other neighbouring communities.

Dr Opoku-Adusei renewed his appeal to the central government to provide Tema with a modern hospital, stressing that the current state of the facility coupled with the outmoded infrastructure could not meet the health needs of the metropolis.

“Though the members of staff are doing their best, the lack of infrastructure is a major challenge. To solve the problem, we need a proper modern hospital,” he said.

Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/health/foundation-donates-to-tema-female-ward.html

Poultry farmers demand compensation for culled birds

BENJAMIN XORNAM GLOVER          

20 OCTOBER 2017

Poultry farmers demand compensation for culled birds

Some poultry farmers whose birds were culled as part of measures to contain the Avian Influenza (Bird flu) disease that hit the country in 2015, have called on the government to compensate them without any further delay.

The affected farmers who claimed they had not received any compensation from the government following the subsequent slaughter of their birds, as a preventive measure, said they were currently in dire financial difficulties.

According to the group, an immediate compensation would go a long way to assuage their plight and enable them to settle their debts.

Affected farmers

Speaking to journalists at Kpone, Mr Lawrence Agorsor, one of the affected farmers, said the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) culled about 66,000 birds on 35 farms at Kpone-Katamanso, Achimota and in other parts of the Greater Accra Region, between 2015 and 2016.

Mr Agorsor, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Agrivision Farms, said the affected farmers were later issued with Certificates of Destruction and have since been waiting to receive the compensation due them.

He said the government, till date, owed them compensation to the tune of GH¢1,834,539.00 but all efforts to get the Ministry of Agriculture and the VSD to pay them had proven unsuccessful.

“We began demanding compensation when the former Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Madam Hannah Bissiw, was in charge. When this administration took over, we went to meet with the deputy minister of Agriculture in charge of livestock who told us he did not know anything about the matter. However, at a meeting held later on, the chief director at the ministry confirmed that we were owed money and that some affected farmers had received their compensation, hence the rest would be paid when money was available.”

He said since then, the unpaid farmers had made several follow-ups to the Ministry of Finance and also to the Ministry of Agriculture but no action had been taken on their situation.

Debts

Mr Agorsor said a number of farmers had run into debts as a result and others had not been able to revive their businesses.

He called on the government, the ministry and the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, to intervene and ensure that thy were duly compensated to enable them to stay in business.

Frustration

Madam Azoa Donkor of Stardom Farms Limited, said life had become difficult for her following the destruction of her birds and as such was calling on the government to speed up the compensation process.

Mr Justice Kubulai Kwame of Justice Farms, one of the affected poultry farmers, said failure by the government to compensate the distressed farmers would discourage them from reporting on the disease in the future.

“When the outbreak occurred, I wasn’t willing to have my birds culled but I was given an assurance that within three months after the exercise, I would be compensated but till now no money has been paid.

“I have had to rely on my savings to pay up my debts but I still owe a lot. I am appealing to the government to pay us our compensation,” he said.

While commending the government for its Planting for Food and Jobs programme, he urged the government to also pay attention to the poultry sector and support poultry farmers.

Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/poultry-farmers-demand-compensation-for-culled-birds.html

Women fish processors receive storage containers

BENJAMIN GLOVER 

 

26 OCTOBER 2017

The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development has handed over insulated containers to women who process fish in some parts of the country to enable them to preserve fish for longer periods before processing.

Beneficiaries of the locally manufactured fibre glass containers are in Tema, Mamford, Winneba, Apam, Sekondi and Moree.

Mrs Elizabeth Afoley Quaye (2nd right) inspecting one of the insulated fish containers. (INSET): The minister handing over the containers to Madam Awon Golga of the Tema Fish Processors and Traders Association. Picture: Benjamin Xornam Glover

The rest are Chokomey/Bortianor, Kokrobitey, Elmina, Keta and towns in the Ketu area.

The artisanal insulated containers are being piloted with sponsorship from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under its Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) to help preserve fish before it is processed.

The processors are expected to use ice to keep the fish chilled for 10 days.

Decline

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Minister, Mrs Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, who presented the containers to some of the fish processors in Tema last Tuesday, noted that the marine resource which happened to be the country's main source of fish, was on the decline due to over fishing, over exploitation and over capacity of fishing vessels.

This year, for instance, she said, the country did not experience the normal sardinella catch, hence interventions such as the storage containers to ensure availability of fish to Ghanaians.

Hygienic handling

Mrs Quaye noted that the measure would also promote and improve the fishing sector, especially handling and processing of fish hygienically, which had been a major challenge for the fisherfolk.

"This policy will ensure that small quantities of fish landed is not made to go waste due to poor handling. This principle of getting more from less ensures that post-harvest losses are controlled, as part of ensuring safe and quality fish for our consumers," she stated.

The minister said in addition to ensuring that there was fish and nutrition security, the ministry would also see to it that processors had access to poverty alleviation strategies, including loans and improved fish smoking ovens.

Appreciation

The President of the National Fish Processors and Traders Association, Mrs Regina Solomon, commended the ministry for training the women and providing them with the containers to preserve their catch of fish.

The MP for Tema East and Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Daniel Titus-Glover, also commended the fish processors for their contribution to the economy.

The MP also donated light-emitting diode (LED) street lights to beef up security at the fish processing centre at the Tema Fishing Harbour.

Writer's email: benjamin.glover@raphic.com.gh

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/women-fish-processors-receive-storage-containers.html

Footballers deserve secured retirement packages — Fianoo

BENJAMIN GLOVER  

03 NOVEMBER 2017

Kudjoe Fianoo — GHALCA boss

The chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GhALCA), Mr Kudjoe Fianoo, has underscored the need for clubs to put in place secured retirement packages for their players.

He explained that such an intervention would help curtail the challenges some football players faced when they finally hang their boots.

Speaking to the Graphic Sports in Tema during the funeral of Yakubu Abubakari, a former Black Stars and Ajax Amsterdam midfielder yesterday, Mr Fianoo noted that too many players faced poverty in retirement.

“The lessons we’ve learnt from his (Yakubu) sudden demise is that what plans do we have for players when they retire?”

The stories associated with his (Yakubu’s) last days were not pleasant.

As administrators, what welfare packages have we put in place for the future upkeep of the players if they should hang their boots?î he asked.

It is natural that not all of them can continue to be in football like coaches, etc.

Those who cannot continue in football, what plans do we have for them?î he queried.

He said as it was is done elsewhere in Europe, clubs should have retirement packages for their players.

Mr Fianoo also advised players to do more for themselves and invest their earnings while in active service so that when they retire, they can have something to fall back on.

While commending the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana, (PFAG) for taking steps and making strides to support both active and retired footballers, Mr Fianoo, who also serves as the Chief Executive officer of AshantiGold Sporting Club Limited, said there was the need for players to move a step further by making prudent investment decisions during their active playing days.

The General Secretary of the PFAG, Anthony Baffoe, said though the association runs a welfare account, which extends help to a lot of players, not every player contributes to it.

He stressed the need for players to contribute to the welfare account to make it grow.

"Even if it is a small amount, it is symbolic. It is important we all help to make it grow so that we can help more players out there" he appealed.

Mr Baffoe underlined the need for players, both active and retired, to sign onto the National Health Insurance Scheme so they can access health care services and screening regularly to help detect illness from the onset.

John Paintsil said It was very important for players to join groups like PFAG where collectively, they can seek support from each other.

“Life after football is not easy but we thank God for the PFAG which is doing well by rallying both current and former players together and seek their welfare”.

Ex-Ghanaian International, Awudu Issaka, aka Disco Dancer, advised young footballers to seek advice from retired players and also learn from their experiences to help build a successful career.

Writer’s email: Benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh

via: https://www.graphic.com.gh/sports/sports-news/footballers-deserve-secured-retirement-packages-fianoo.html

Cosmo Sea Foods Ltd donates to Tema Manhean Health Centre

By Benjamin Xornam Glover, Tema

 Mr Emmanuel Ato Cobbah, Chairman of the Cosmo Youth Power, (4th left) handing over the items to Mrs Agartha Ashitsoo Provencal,  Head of ENT unit at the Tema Manhean Health Centre.

Cosmo Sea Foods Company Limited based in Tema has presented medical items to the Tema Manhean Health Centre in the Greater Accra Region.

The items included a wheel chair, pulsimeter, bed sheets, aprons for nurses, reception counter, four benches with back rest, a weighing scales.

The donation forms part of the company’s contribution towards health care delivery in the community.

 Director

Speaking to the Daily Graphic after the presentation, the General Manager of Cosmo Sea Foods Company Limited, Mr Nemo Kin said his outfit which has been operating in the Tema community decided to extend its support to the Health Centre.

He lauded management of the Tema Manhean Health Centre for promoting quality health care in the face of limited facilities for people in the catchment area and expressed the hope that going into the future, the company will consider in what ways it can help to contribute towards the expansion of the facility.

Chairman of the CYP, a youth group within the company that spearheads Corporate Social Responsibility activity, Mr. Emmanuel Ato Cobbah also commended the managers of the health centre for their efforts in the face of challenges.

Mrs Agartha Ashitsoo Provencal,  Head of ENT unit at the Tema Manhean Health Centre conducting management and staff of Cosmo Sea Foods Company Ltd round the facility

Appreciation

Mrs. Agartha Ashitsoo Provencal, who is in charge of the Ear, Nose and Throat Unit at the centre, who received the items, thanked the company for their benevolence as it would go a long way to complement government support to the centre.

She appealed for support from the corporate world in addressing some of the challenges, including inadequate infrastructure for staff and patients that the facility is facing.

The Health Centre presently as a ten-bed capacity ward, which caters for both female, male and children who can only be detained and discharged at night at the centre.

She said due to the lack of infrastructure, the Health Centre’s problems are compounded by the pressure on their services by the large population of the town.