Moves to revamp domestic airline services
Government to resuscitate Aboso Glass Factory
Smuggling threatens textile industries
Minister on strategies on local rice production
GES ALL-Share makes slight gain
Moves to revamp domestic airline services
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2001
Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Minister of Transport and Communication, on Friday said that the ministry is perusing a programme to revamp the airline industry, particularly the domestic air services, which have come to a stand still after varied experiences by both Ghana Airways and the private sector.
"The government of Ghana therefore expects that well established airlines such as Swissair and South African Airways will share their experiences in developing domestic and regional services by establishing domestic and sub-regional carriers either on their own or in partnership with Ghana Airways or other Ghanaian entrepreneurs."
Inaugurating the new joint offices of Swissair and South African Airways in Accra, he appealed to the airlines to explore the possibility of investing in other areas such as establishing aircraft maintenance facilities in the country to cater for the sub-region.
Mr Bodo von Alvensleben of Swissair explained that the two airlines have much in common. "We have both been awarded prizes for delivering the best customer service in our respective parts of the world.
"Since Swissair has acquired a 20 per cent share of South African Airways in mid 1999, we have adjusted our respective schedules between South Africa and Switzerland to complement each other," he said.
Mr Maurice Phohleli, Regional Manager of South African Airways, said the success of South African Airways is assisted by "our code share partner Ghana Airways in that it allows them to sell on our aircraft in South Africa''.
He said Ghana is the only country in West Africa where South African Airways has decided to install a full office and represent the airline directly to its customers.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2001
The Government has initiated measures at resuscitating the Aboso Glass Factory, Dr.Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industry announced on Friday.
He said as part of the measures, the government would encourage investors to explore the possibility of manufacturing glasses and bottles to feed local soft drink and alcoholic beverage industries.
Dr. Apraku gave the assurance during a tour of the facilities of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company Ghana Limited, in Accra.
The company depends on imported bottles, thereby increasing the cost of production.
Dr Apraku said as part of efforts to turn the country into an industrial one, the government has provided $2.5 million for the rehabilitation of the Aboso Glass factory.
Any other firm seeking to invest in the glass and bottling sector would be assist.
The General Manager of the company, Mr Segun Ogunsanya said the company has been reinvesting all dividends adding, " bottling requires so much cash, and our shareholders understand that."
He appealed to the government to reduce duties on soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. The Minister's tour also took him to the Ghana Textile Printing (GTP), Printex, Ghana Textile Manufacturing Company (GTMC), Ghana Agro Food Company and the site of the Gateway Services Limited.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2001
Operators in the textile manufacturing industry on Friday decried smuggling of fabrics, especially from neighbouring countries into the country and asked the government to take immediate steps to stem the incidence to save their business.
They contend that smuggled textile materials sold at cheaper prices make locally produced fabrics sold at relatively higher prices un-competitive on the market.
Smuggling was the central problem that was stressed when the Minister of
Trade and Industry, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku toured some textile manufacturing companies in Tema to acquaint himself with their operations and learn of their challenges to see how best the Ministry could help improve their operations.
Dr. Apraku visited Printex, Ghana Textile Printing (GTP) and Ghana Textile Manufacturing Company (GTMC) Limited. The manufacturers also complained about the stealing of their designs by some companies in neighbouring countries, producing them on large scale and sending them back to the country to flood the market.
Dr. Apraku said smuggling is not only a threat to the textile industry, but also has serious implications for revenue generation, as smugglers do not pay any tax.
He called for the strengthening of controls at the borders to reduce smuggling. The Minister urged textile manufacturers to adjust their ways of production to meet the needs of local and international markets and team up with the Ministry to promote the use of locally made textiles.
They should also take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act which waives 10 per cent on taxes on goods from Africa into the United States of
America and explore markets in that country.
At the GTMC, Dr. Apraku urged the management and the workers of the company, which was re-opened recently after an eight month closure, to put the past behind them an forge ahead to increase production for the benefit of the company and country.
He tasked the management of the companies to come out with specific suggestions on how to improve their performance.
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Akuse (Eastern Region) 30 July 2001
The Ministry of Agriculture has shifted rice development in the country to the inland valleys to boost production for food security, employment and foreign exchange generation, Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), the sector Minister said on Friday at Akuse.
He not, noted that for Ghana to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production, the abundant inland valleys and swamps with their favourable natural resource- base scattered all over the country would be utilised.
It is in this connection, he pointed out, that there is on-going Lowland
Rice Development Project in the Northern Region, which is developing about 1,000 hectares of lowlands for rice production in valleys, with financial support from the French Government.
Major Quashigah was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 23rd four-week training course in scientific methods of rice production for 40 farmers, at Bok Nam Kim Agricultural School and Farms Limited, which has now been re-located at Akuse.
The school, which was established in 1984 at Kasunya near Asutsuare had trained 766 farmers, with some drawn from other West African countries. It has now been re-located at Akuse, on a 32-hectare land because of severe shortage of water that affected the students in their dormitories and practical work.
The land was offered by the Akuse Traditional Council, and sited at an area where they can use the Kpong irrigation dam.
The one-month course was wholly sponsored by Mrs. Young OK Kim, Chairperson and Chief Executive of Afko Group Limited at the cost of about 65 million cedis.
Maj. Quashigah said the government would, in due course, initiate two donor-funded inland Valley Rice Development projects in some selected districts in Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Western and Volta Regions.
He explained that all the on-going and proposed projects are "participatory in approach, seeking to inculcate the sense of ownership and responsibility among beneficiary farmers, processors and marketers in order to provide a basis for sustainable rice development in the target areas."
In all these rice development programmes, the Minister said, the target beneficiaries are small-holder rice farmers, millers and traders. Maj. Quashigah pointed out that while the country has a significant women rice farming population, who play a vital role in rice production, storage, processing and marketing, they are often not exposed to the same level of training in technologies that are available to men.
He called on the management of the school, to seriously consider running similar courses for only women rice farmers from next year, adding, "this would contribute immensely to our objective of improving rural household food security, incomes and livelihood, as well as recognising women as equal productive assets in the country."
Mr Eui-Min Chung, Korea Ambassador in Ghana noted that agriculture is the backbone of every economy and the main source for a nation, saying for a country to achieve economic growth it must be based on sound agricultural development.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2001
The Ghana Stock Exchange All-Share Index, the main indicator of the Stock Exchange, on Friday rose up slightly at 0.03 points to close the week at 937.07 points against 937.04 points on Wednesday.
Total volumes more than doubled at 29,200 shares as against 13,400 shares at the previous session as the market continued its struggle under heavy bearish sentiments.
Eleven equities traded shares on the market, but there was only one price change.
This stood in the name of Pioneer Aluminum Factory (PAF), which gained three cedis to close at 523 cedis.
Market capitalization was up modestly at 3,793.97 billion cedis from 3,793.92 billion cedis.
ABL 630
AGC 18,500
ALW 12,100
BAT 550
CFAO 60
EIC 2,890
FML 870
GBL 1,300
GCB 1,600
GGL 900
HFC 952
MGL 240
MLC 130
MOGL 19,650
PAF 523 +3
PBC 450
PZ 640
SCB 21,000
SPPC 350
SSB 2,300
UNIL 1,820
CMLT 425
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