Armed robbers strike at Elmina
Resources management programme launched
Women groups customary practices that retard progress abolished
Disaster management organisation takes stock of environmental problems
Govt will not pay salaries of staff of area councils, Ahwoi
Research institute appeals to Asantehene to consolidate lands
Youth call for proper check on environment
Workers Union and company sign memorandum of understanding
Nana Konadu commissions poultry complex
Armed robbers strike at Elmina
Elmina (Central Region), 24th June 99 –
A policeman on duty at a petrol filling station on the Cape Coast-Elmina road was wounded in the left arm when a group of five armed robbers attacked the station in the early hours of Tuesday.
The robbers succeeded in taking away his "AK 47" rifle loaded with five rounds of ammunition.
A watchman who was guarding the premises with the policeman had severe beatings before he escaped.
The Central regional police commander, Mr Jossie Bossman Amofa, who disclosed this to newsmen in Cape Coast, said the policeman is on admission at the Cape Coast central hospital where he is reported to be doing well.
Narrating the incident, Mr Amofa said the watchman heard an unusual noise at dawn and shouted for help.
He said the policeman, Constable Osei Tutu, who had taken cover, came out to assist but he was suddenly attacked by two of the robbers followed by the rest who were wielding weapons.
Constable Osei Tutu managed to run to a nearby petrol filling station where another policeman was on guard duty.
The commander said the armed men left the scene without breaking into the offices of the station where the attendants had locked up themselves in the room.
He said the attendants could not telephone outside for assistance because the manager had locked the telephone.
Mr Amofa said the police have intensified patrols between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. and appealed to the public to report people whose movements are suspicious to the police.
He called on petrol filling station managers to strengthen their security since the police cannot afford to attach two or three policemen to each filling station in the region.
In another development, the regional police command has impounded a "Toyota corona" taxicab, which was found parked at a spot at Nsuakyi, a suburb of Cape Coast.
The regional police crime officer, Mr Bartholomew Agbenyega, told newsmen that the taxicab without a registration number was discovered on February 18, this year and was towed to the regional headquarters.
The cab's side glass to the driver's seat had been broken and there was no ignition key in it.
The crime officer said the car is suspected to have been stolen but nobody had come to claim ownership in spite of several messages sent out to police units in the country.
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Resources management programme launched
Elmina (Central Region), 24th June 99 -
Ghana is to spend 90 million dollars over ten years to protect, rehabilitate and manage national lands, forest and wildlife resources and increase incomes of owners of these resources.
Mrs. Christina Amoako-Nuama, Minister of Lands and Forestry, said this at the launching of the ''Natural Resources Management Programme" (NRMP) for a successful implementation of the programme at Elmina on Tuesday.
The programme, funded by the government of Ghana, the World Bank and other agencies has five components- high forest resource management, bio-diversity conservation, Savannah resources management, wildlife resource management and environmental management co-ordination.
Mrs. Amoako-Nuama said the programme would be carried out in three phases, the first covering a period of two years with the second and third each covering four years.
She said the purpose of the NRMP was to underwrite the implementation of the Forestry Development Master Plan (1996/2020) as well as the Forestry Protection Strategy and to support the implementation of the National Environmental Action Plan.
The Minister said the comprehensive programme would address major sectoral issues through project interventions.
Mrs. Amoako-Nuama said a total of 25.70 million dollars would be spent on the first phase of the five components while the second and third phases would take 37 million dollars and 27.30 million dollars respectively.
She said her ministry would be the lead agency for co-operation with the Ministries of Food and Agriculture, Mines and Energy, Environment, Science and Technology and Local Government and Rural Development.
The principal beneficiaries of the programme, she said, would be the rural communities who own the resources while secondary beneficiaries would include the users of sustainable supplies from the resources.
In addition, global benefits would include maintenance of genetic diversity, conservation of endemic species, preservation of unique ecosystem and habitats and enhancement of the quality of the environment.
Mr Solomon Bekure, a representative of the World Bank group, said the group has continuously provided technical and financial support to the government and a host of other local partners in the natural resources management sector.
The group is looking forward to the strict enforcement of existing policies that would stem over exploitation of the country's forestry resources.
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Women groups want customary practices that retard progress abolished
Elmina (Central Region), 24th June 99 -
Women groups, in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem district, have called for the abolition of all customary practices, which retard progress of women.
They cited puberty rites, which have some extreme practices that encourage rape and therefore called for their abolition.
The women, including members of the 31st December Women's Movement (DWM), Police Wives Association, GNAT Ladies Association, Fishmongers, Salt Winning and Gari Processing Association, made the call at a seminar on "abolishing some cultural practices" at Elmina on Tuesday.
The women called for the abolition of widowhood rites, which allow widows to be smeared with pepper and wear black cloths throughout the year. They are in addition, denied food during the funeral of their husbands.
They suggested that the costs of marriage and funeral ceremonies should be cut down by the elimination of wake-keeping and expensive parties that accompany burial and thanksgiving programmes.
They called for stiffer punishment for men who defile and rape girls. Madam Comfort Fiona Odartey, Regional Director of the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD), organisers of the seminar, said the role of women in the developmental process couldn't be over-emphasised and called on chiefs and Parliament to enact laws to protect the interest of women.
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Disaster management organisation takes stock of environmental problems
Axim (Western Region), 24th June 99
A 20-member team comprising Members of Parliament and officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) are assessing environmental problems in the Nzema East and Jomoro districts.
Other stakeholders include Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Board for Small-Scale Industries (NBSSI).
Mr Kofi Portuphy, National Co-ordinator of NADMO, is leading the team, which include Mr Freddie Blay, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Elembelle and Mr Kojo Armah, Member of Parliament for Evalue Gwira.
The team is inspecting the extent of damage caused through dumping of toxic waste into the sea in the two districts and coconut trees infested by the Cape St. Paul wilt disease.
It has already visited Jaway Wharf, Elubo, Half Assini, Atuabo, Axim and Aiyinasi.
Mr Portuphy told members of the Nzema East district assembly on Tuesday that the tour is at the instance of President J.J. Rawlings.
He said specialist agencies have conducted studies to find lasting solutions to the toxic waste problem in the two districts.
Mr Portuphy said the Presidents of Ghana and Cote D'ivoire recently signed an agreement to find a common solution to the problem, which is threatening both countries.
He called for Task Forces in the electoral areas to assist NADMO in its work and to find employment for the youth.
Mr Blay asked assemblymen to create awareness about environmental problems along the coast in the two districts, which are of great concern to the government and people of Nzemaland.
He urged the people to initiate programmes to improve their living standards, adding the government would supplement community efforts at development.
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Govt will not pay salaries of staff of area councils, Ahwoi
Tepa (Ashanti), 24th June 99 –
The government will not pay the salaries of the staff of Town and Area Councils, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, announced on Tuesday.
This is because the town and area councils are expected to keep 50 per cent of revenue they collect and use them as salaries.
Mr Ahwoi was answering questions after addressing the Ahafo-Ano North district assembly at Tepa as part of his visit to the district.
He explained that if government takes up the payment of the salaries of the town and area councils," very soon district assembly members will also be asking for salaries, a situation we cannot meet".
The Minister said the government will not allow its detractors to kill the Poverty Alleviation Fund designed to create access to credit for all hardworking Ghanaians to improve upon their productivity, incomes and standard of living.
He said the NDC promised in its 1996 manifesto to improve on the living conditions of Ghanaians and that it is a social contract for which the policy has been designed.
Mr Ahwoi said the Poverty Alleviation Fund is meant to address unemployment, the rural-urban migration and raising of rural incomes on a countrywide basis.
Over the two-year period of 1997-1998, a total sum of 43 billion cedis should have accrued to the fund in all districts, he said, adding that on the average this means 390.9 million cedis in each district.
The projection for 1999 is that 29.7 billion cedis will accrue to the fund by December 1999. The average per district will be 270 million cedis.
Mr Ahwoi said what is needed is the human factor to make it work and that the human factor is for all Ghanaians who assess the funds to improve their enterprise.
"If the money is used on unproductive ventures such as financial speculation, no benefit would be derived by the community, no employment would have been generated, undue and unfair income would have been earned by the beneficiaries.
"But such activities would not improve food security, reduce poverty and enhance the value of the locality".
Mr Ahwoi said the government will not, however, abort this scheme thereby throwing away the baby with the bathwater, adding "we must make it work and the burden is on all of us to make it work".
"The assembly members, the credit approval committees, the beneficiaries owe it a duty to the nation to diligently pursue the implementation of the scheme", he pointed out.
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Research institute appeals to Asantehene to consolidate lands
Kumasi (Ashanti), 24th June 99 –
Professor Walter Alhassan, Director-General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has appealed to Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to help consolidate the 270,000 acres of land allocated to CSIR at Fumesua and Kwadaso to prevent encroachment.
He made the appeal when the CSIR and all directors of subsidiary bodies paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Tuesday.
The Director-General said since most of their institutes are agriculturally based, the lands are acquired for researches in agriculture and forestry.
The lush green stretch of lands could be preserved as wood logs and forests which would not only help halt the continuous degradation of the environment but also serve as tourists attraction spots.
Prof Alhassan said the CSIR, if given the necessary assistance, has the capability to use the knowledge of its experts in forestry to bring the city of Kumasi to its former Glory as the "garden city of West Africa".
The CSIR presented gifts comprising agricultural textbooks for junior and senior secondary schools worth over two million cedis, a crate of Schnapps, a soil map of the Ashanti region plus two million cedis cash to the Asantehene.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu expressed gratitude to the CSIR for the gifts and called on them to bring their useful findings to the doorstep of the ordinary farmer to boost agriculture.
The Asantehene also advised universities to liaise with the CSIR and use their findings as teaching materials and called on industries to fund and utilise CSIR research findings.
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Youth call for proper check on environment
Accra (Greater Accra), 24th June 99 –
Mr Freddie Blay, the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, on Wednesday opened the first National Youth Parliament on Environment and called on the youth to sensitise the public to adopt positive life-styles, which would sustain and protect the environment.
He noted that at a time when Ghanaians are witnessing an alarming trend among the youth ranging from armed robbery, gun toting and other social vices, there is a need for more challenging activities to occupy them so that they do not fall into self-destructive anti-social practices.
The National Youth Parliament, organised by the Ghana Wildlife Society, was held to debate on the sustainable use of natural resources and environmental issues among other things.
It was attended by students and pupils from first and second cycle schools, Wildlife Clubs and other youth groups.
Mr Blay said programmes such as the youth parliament is one such means of engaging the attention of the youth to deliberate on important issues facing the country in order to take the attention of the youth from anti-social activities.
"A school of thought is convinced that there is not enough challenging, exciting, socially and intellectually fulfilling activities to sufficiently engage the youth these days.
"Consequently several of them have fallen prey to some of these self-destructive anti-social vices".
Mr Blay charged the youth to vigorously task the older generation by making them more aware of the degrading environment.
"Each of you should begin by being more sensitive to your environmental problems, take part in advocating, debating and lobbying for positive environmental friendly issues."
Mr Sylvester Azantilow, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, said the National Youth Policy would be launched this year and that environmental issues would feature in it.
He noted that cattle rearing is no longer lucrative in the north because of the degradation of the savannah, adding that Burkina Faso is doing more to preserve their own environment as compared to Ghana.
Mr C.K. Asante, member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology, said the problem of environmental degradation is one of indifference by a large section of the society and urged all Ghanaians to help preserve the nation's natural resources.
The students and pupils who featured as members of parliament touched on the degrading mining activities of companies, defecating in polythene bags, bushfires and a host of other activities which contribute to a poor environment.
They called for the involvement of the youth in government programmes and other civic education campaigns.
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Workers Union and company sign memorandum of understanding
Akosombo, (Eastern Region) 24 June '99
Ghana's banana, produced by the Volta River Estates Limited (VREL) in Akosombo is the only one in Africa with fair trade certification, a feat achieved through the collaborative efforts of the company and the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) of the TUC.
VREL received the certification in November 1996 to become a fair trade banana producer.
Under the certification, the Company is expected to adhere to the IBR Protocol, which stresses the need for fair social partnership and environmentally friendly practices.
This is contained in a memorandum of understanding signed between the two bodies in Akosombo at the end of a seminar organised to mark the 40th anniversary of GAWU.
Mr Jorge Calvo, Managing Director, Mr Alex Yeboah Afari, Personnel Manager, both of VREL, and Mr Samuel Kangah, General Secretary and Mr Kingsley Ofei-Ansah, Deputy General Secretary, of GAWU signed the memorandum.
"GAWU and GREL consider this important event as the right occasion to reiterate their mutual support for each other as social partners and build on their relationship into the 21st century", the memorandum said.
The memorandum stressed that GAWU recognised the important role VREL is playing in providing employment and VREL on its part recognises the importance of workers as a vital resource in the production process.
The mutual recognition constitutes a basis for the concept and practice of social partnership", it added.
The memorandum said the two bodies have taken their social partnership further, by struggling to promote high social and environmental standards that culminated in making VREL's banana the only one on the African continent with fair trade certification.
GAWU and GREL reiterated the spirit of understanding underlying the concept and practice of social partnership and renewed their shared commitment in line with International Labour Code, in and around the plantation.
They are also committed to raising environmental standards, promoting a new work ethic consistent with productivity and the well-being of workers, and strengthening trade unions for enhanced social partnership.
The two bodies would continue to promote social dialogue within the enterprise and in the nation as a whole.
In a welcoming address, Mr Calvo said VREL "wants this partnership to extend for years to come, and to be more productive and fruitful".
"VREL has always been supportive of GAWU, not only on the local and national levels, but also on the international scene, where GAWU has gained international recognition and respect because of fair trade".
The VREL Managing Director acknowledged that the company "is passing through difficult (financial) times, but we know that with the support of GAWU we will successfully come out of this crisis".
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Nana Konadu commissions poultry complex
Asutsuare (Greater Accra) 24 June '99
The First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, on Wednesday commissioned an integrated poultry project at Asutsuare, in the Osudoku traditional area of Greater Accra region.
The facility was developed by Asutsuare Agriculture Holdings (AAH) with assistance from Gateway Farms and Commodities Limited and the UK-based Rexol Group.
It consists of five components and aims at producing high quality poultry products for the Ghanaian market and for export.
The poultry project includes a breeder farm hatchery estimated to hatch about 3.6 million eggs annually, a broiler farm that would produce about 1.3 million birds per year and a plant to process some 2.4 tons of broilers per year at 2,000 per hour. The plant would have cold storage units.
There would be a table egg layer farm that would produce more than 36,000 layers per annum each with annual egg production of 10.28 million.
Two feed mills would also be built with a capacity of five tons each that would produce 22,400 tons of compound poultry feed a year.
The owners say they also have plans to cultivate soyabeans and other related crops to feed the factory.
Already completed are five broiler sheds, two of which are in operation with a total capacity of 20,000 birds. The facility operates on an Israeli state-of-the-art technology with an automated feeding and water supply system.
Mr J. H. Owusu-Acheampong, Minister of Agriculture, recounted some problems facing the poultry industry, including high cost of production and high cost of credit from the banks and said the Ministry has instituted measures to improve the situation.
He urged the farmers to accept the reality of the liberalisation policy and brace up to meet the challenges.
Nana Konadu expressed the hope that the venture would improve the economic life of the local people.
Vice-President John Atta Mills urged the chiefs and people to give their maximum support for the success of the project.
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