GRi Newsreel Ghana 15 - 02 - 2001
Agriculture Ministry urged to re-introduce subsidies
QIC donates 20
million to Heart Foundation
Accra (Greater Accra) 15 Feb. 2001
Ms Catherine Dee Robinson, US Ambassador to Ghana on Wednesday urged the government to build on the positive image Ghana attained under the previous regime and translate it into economic growth.
"I believe that this government senses the opportunity to build on the success of Ghana's peaceful transition ... and hope that it will work hard to capitalise on the positive attention Ghana is receiving from around the world."
Ms Robinson said this when a 14-member American business delegation from Affiliated Computer Services Business Process Solutions (ACS -BPS) of the US called at the Accra site offshore office to acquaint themselves with the performance of the company six months after its establishment.
ACS-BPS is a free zone company that deals in data processing currently processing medical and dental claims for Aetna Life Insurance Company in the US.
Ms Robinson said as Ghana garners a reputation as a bastion of peace and stability in West Africa, American business will grow increasingly in the economic opportunities to be found in Ghana.
"Dedication to democracy, peaceful transitions power, rule of law will increasingly cause American business to look at what Ghana has to offer," Ms Robinson said.
She said as American businesses look at Ghana, many would be encouraged by what they find - the importance government places on a business climate that will promote growth of the private sector and the avowed objective of 'zero tolerance for corruption'.
She said ACS-BPS Ghana venture demonstrates the possibilities of the global workplace in the information age, the opportunities for mutually beneficial private sector investment and economic dividends that can be reaped when a nation demonstrates devotion to peace and stability.
The event had messages from the Ministers of Manpower Development and Employment and Education and representatives of Transport and Communications, and Trade and Industry ministries.
Mr John Richter, a Director at the Ministry of Trade and Industry said Ghana's vision is one of accelerated and sustained economic growth that provides equal opportunities for all.
"We believe that a free enterprise economy is the surest guarantee of economic growth and prosperity and we are of the conviction that only a positive partnership between government and private sector can deliver prosperity."
He said government is aware of the challenges that globalisation and liberalisation pose adding that the phenomenon makes it imperative for Ghana to introduce even more dynamic programmes, to prepare the country to withstand the intensity for increasing world wide competition.
" ... The Ghana Trade and Investment Gateway programme has been developed to position Ghana as a major investment destination in the sub-region, a very dynamic region of about 240 million people."
Mr Tom Blodgett, President of ACS- BPS said Ghana was chosen as a location "for the fact that we wanted a country that had a stable and willing government to support our operations.
"We also needed a country that had the right technology and skills, and I am very pleased to say that after six months of operations, I can say the quality of work is tremendous."
ACS-BPS' Accra office now employs 288 people and intends to hire 1,000 people by the fifth year of operation. The company, listed on the New York Stock Exchange, was founded in 1983 and employs 9,000 people with an annual revenue of 180 million dollars.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 15 Feb. 2001
Alhaji Hassan A. Sunmonu, Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Trades Union Unity (OATUU) on Wednesday called on the government to replace the World Bank/IMF poverty alleviation programme with a wealth creation policy.
He said, "it is high time African governments realised that the poverty alleviation programme of the World Bank and IMF is only making consultants richer and increasing Africa's debts as poverty still remains a pandemic in Africa.
"What we need in African countries is not a suspicious poverty alleviation programme, but a wealth creation policy, which must begin with the creation of decent well paid jobs for our peoples," he said. "When we create well-paid jobs, poverty will take care of itself."
Alhaji Sunmonu was addressing the first quarterly meeting of head of departments under the Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment (MMDE).
He said since the implementation of the programme, unemployment levels and poverty levels have increased in Africa, adding that under the situation the masses suffer as a few consultants and corrupt government and private sector officials enjoy.
"How many jobs and capacity development opportunities have the poverty alleviation programme created in this country," Alhaji Sunmonu asked, "It is no secret that the poverty alleviation programme has not helped matters for the masses of this country."
Alhaji Sunmonu said this government must have a policy driven towards the creation of decent well-paid jobs to put money in the pockets of workers and food on their tables.
He deplored the situation where government distant itself from matters between employers and labour until there is industrial unrest, saying that this situation must change.
Alhaji Sunmonu appealed to the new minister to impress it upon her colleagues in cabinet to change their perception about employer-labour issues with the view to adopting more proactive measures to industrial unrest.
The Minister, Mrs. Cecilia Bannerman, said the NPP government will pursue programmes that will generate more jobs, adding that the ministry would support NGOs and other bodies in job creation activities for the under-privileged.
"We propose to effect major programmes that will generate road construction and rehabilitation, urban renewal, rural regeneration, sanitation and environmental protection, land reclamation, low cost housing development as well as special projects to engage the youth in self-employment," she said.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 15 Feb. 2001
Mrs. Cecilia Bannerman, Minister of Manpower Development and Employment (MMDP) said on Wednesday that her ministry will vigorously pursue programmes and legislation aimed at stemming child exploitation in the country.
She said there are over 800,000 children in exploitative jobs especially in the informal sector such as agriculture, mines and homes, adding that the new ministry would work diligently to curb this complex phenomenon.
The minister was speaking at her maiden meeting with 25 heads of department of the ministry to explain the rationale for its new name and mandate. The ministry was known as Employment and Social Welfare under the NDC regime
She said the ministry is conducting a survey on the child labour situation under the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 182 on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour, which Ghana ratified last year.
The first phase of the survey, which began in July last year, will cover a two year period, at the end of which 2000 children are expected to be retrieved from various forms of exploitation.
"The ministry will ensure that the programme which is funded by the United States is vigorously pursued and outstanding subsidiary legislation on the Children's Act is completed and enforced."
Mrs. Bannerman said the new name of the ministry only seeks to place emphasis on skilled manpower development in all sectors of the economy to ensure that Ghana becomes competitive on the global market.
"The new emphasis on the production of a highly skilled motivated workforce that can meet the demands of a modern technology-based industrial sector which, will thrive in a competitive global market, is not to neglect the other functions of the ministry," she said.
She said the NPP government does not intend to sacrifice the interest of the disadvantaged in society just to achieve its manpower development goals, adding that the social welfare mandate of the ministry would rather be effectively integrated into a sustainable programme.
"In collaboration with our social partners, we will strengthen and support the existing programmes on children, the aged and people with disabilities to ensure that disadvantaged members of our society enjoy equal rights and opportunities in the nation and the weak are protected from exploitation and neglect," she said.
Mrs. Bannerman said there is the need for a re-orientation of manpower development programmes in the various sectors of the economy to meet international standards, "if Ghana should remain competitive on the global market."
To achieve this, she said the ministry will collaborate with state and private employers, as well as training institutions to determine the current and future manpower needs of the country, with the view to developing appropriate programmes to be effected.
Mrs. Bannerman said existing programmes run by institutions under the ministry would also be reviewed to enable those institutions to provide the necessary training needed to meet the challenges of the time.
"We will also encourage and support private institutions engaged in vocational and apprenticeship training to do like-wise and ensure that their programmes are relevant," she said. "It is our dream to sharpen every tool that has the potential to contribute to the development of the country."
Mrs. Bannerman assured the directors of transparency and fairness saying, "I come with an open mind to work with everybody in the spirit of mutual respect and trust despite your individual political affiliations."
Mrs. Beatrice Katsriku, Chief Director of the ministry assured the minister of support by the staff.
She advised the heads to read the manifesto of the NPP to redesign their programmes to be in line with the policies of the new government.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 15 Feb. 2001
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has been urged to place emphasis on small scale irrigation systems, re-introduce subsidies on agricultural inputs and provide good storage and agro-processing facilities to increase agricultural production.
It should also improve upon the Youth-In-Agriculture programme by providing adequate assistance to persons who have had training in agricultural institutions and wish to go into farming.
The Ghana National Agricultural Technical Class Association made the appeal in a congratulatory message to Major Courage Quashigah, Minister of Agriculture on his appointment.
The message called for an introduction of efficient marketing strategies for agricultural products and the development of suitable programmes to assist public servants that are interested in engaging in agriculture.
It urged the minister to take a "personal interest in the welfare and development of the staff, particularly, the grassroots and middle level personnel who are the main implementers of various policies and programmes of the ministry."
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QIC donates 20
million to Heart Foundation.
Accra (Greater Accra) 15 Feb. 2001
Patients who undergo heart surgery
will now pay 50 percent of the cost while the Heart Foundation picks the other
half.
Ms Anastasia Himans,
Administrative Officer of the foundation announced this on Wednesday when she
received a cheque for 20 million cedis from Quality Insurance Company Limited
(QIC) in Accra.
Ms Himans appealed to the public
to sustain donations to the foundation, saying in 1998, 9000 people contributed
to the foundation but the number reduced to 500 last year.
Ms Elizabeth Dugble, Managing
Director of QIC, said the company is glad to be associated with a public
institution like the Heart Foundation.
She said one of the goals of QIC,
established by the Catholic Church, is to provide assistance to such
institutions to give more people access to their services.
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