United States delivers food aid to Ghana
Make effective use of AGOA-US Commercial Attaché
Accra (Greater Accra)
19 March 2003
Currency Buying Selling
U.S. Dollar 8,454.09 cedis
8,651.00 cedis
Pound Sterling 13,250.94 13,563.99
Swiss Franc 6,113.75 6,253.99
Canadian Dollar 5,705.22 5,835.07
Danish Kroner 1,210.66 1,238.35
Japanese Yen 71.28 72.91
South African Rand 1,032.06 1,049.49
Euro 8,991.61 9,195.90
CFA Franc
13.71 14.02
Naira 67.62 69.19
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Accra (Greater Accra)
19 March 2003- France is to support the agricultural sector in Africa to enable
it attain the seven per cent average annual growth rate that would enable the
continent to achieve the millennium goals.
It was thus
considering her support to export subsidies, special and privilege trade
treatment and raw material prices, an official statement from the French
Embassy said. French President Jaques Chirac at the just ended Africa-France
Summit in France made the three proposals to encourage African countries to
develop ambitious agricultural policies to eliminate hunger and poverty on the
continent.
He said France was
prepared to liaise with the European Union and the G8 partners, to look into
eliminating the elements of actions that created instability and precariousness
for the most modest agricultural producers in Africa.
"France, for its
part, proposes that a moratorium, decided on by all the developed countries, be
placed on destabilising aid for agricultural exports to Africa for the duration
of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations."
The moratorium would
also apply to food aid used for commercial purposes and to privileged export
credits, President Chirac said and added that they would consider dialoguing
with Africa countries to know where their interests lay.
He stressed the need
to defend preferential treatment for Africa at the WTO and guarantee the
continent privileged and sustainable access to developed countries. President
Chirac said: "There is no agricultural competition between Europe and
Africa, there is complementarity. We import your tropical products and you use
our temperate products. The major challenge today is to improve the way in which
this complementarity functions by stepping up co-operation to give Africa a
firm market, which is the basis for faster development".
"In recent
years, we have not been attentive enough to Africa's real economic and trade
needs. We have allowed our relations to become hackneyed and risk losing their
special character, even though Africa's position in world trade has never been
so weak," he said.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
19 March 2003- Vice President Aliu Mahama on Tuesday said Ghana was well
positioned to facilitate the initiative of the World Economic Forum to mobilise
resources from West African entrepreneurs towards the implementation of NEPAD.
At a meeting with
Haiko Alfeld, the Forum's Director for Africa, at the Castle Osu, Vice
President Mahama stressed the commitment of the government to NEPAD (New
Partnership for Africa's Development) and said the private sector had the
expertise and knowledge to make the programme successful.
He said: "Our
government is a firm believer in a private-sector led economic growth, good
governance and the rule of law, which are all in line with the objective of
NEPAD and the position of our country in the Sub-Region makes it easier for us
to push the process."
NEPAD was born as a
result of a pledge by African leaders in October 2001 and aims at promoting
good governance, eliminating poverty and conflicts and addressing issues of
illiteracy and HIV/AIDS on the continent.
Vice President Mahama
said it was important for the public and private sectors to work in partnership
to enhance socio-economic growth and fulfil the aims of NEPAD, adding that
Ghana had the infrastructure to achieve that.
Alfeld, who is in
Ghana at the invitation of some Ghanaian businessmen to assess how they could
contribute to NEPAD, said the framework for their objective had been
successfully established in Southern Africa.
Following the Forum's
12th Africa Economic Summit, held in Durban, South Africa, in June last year,
more than 100 companies and many business leaders, signed up to support NEPAD.
They have endorsed a
declaration that commits businesses to develop best practices standards of
corporate governance throughout Africa, improve corporate social responsibility
programmes and help governments in various fields, working in partnership with
the NEPAD secretariat to achieve its aims.
Alfeld said the Forum
was responding to concerns that these efforts should not be concentrated in
Southern Africa, hence his visit to Ghana to replicate the programme. He said
with the favourable political will in Ghana, the government's commitment to
dialogue at the national, regional and international levels to resolve problems
and the positive attitude of the business community, the country would be used
as a focal point to reach the entire Sub-Region.
"We agree to the
principle that the programme should have a Pan-African character and I am
impressed with what I have seen in Ghana," he said. Alfeld said the next
African Economic Summit, which would be held from 11 to 13 June in South
Africa, would focus on moving NEPAD forward by exploring how business could
make available skills and technology needed to bridge gaps in capacity,
resources and expertise.
Seven African
leaders, including that of Uganda, Senegal, Kenya and Namibia, he said, had
indicated their intentions to attend the Summit. The Geneva-based World
Economic Forum, which started in 1971, is an independent international
organisation committed to improving the state of the world.
Funded by the world's
foremost 1,000 companies, the Forum, which works with academia, the media,
government representatives and others, provides the collaborative framework for
the world's leaders to address global issues.
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Ho (Volta Region) 19
March 2003- The Volta Region Value Added Tax (VAT) Office collected 900 million
cedis out of a targeted 1.2 billion cedis for 2002, Mr Emmanuel Akpaku,
Regional VAT Head told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Tuesday.
He blamed the
shortfall on the "normally dull business activity" in the region and
consumer apathy. Akpaku, however, said the 2003 target of 7.4 billion cedis was
achievable due to the listing of more companies and new strategies to prevent
leakages in collections.
Giving a scenario of
VAT related business situation in the region, he said about 70 per cent of the
around 500 businesses registered to collect VAT were mainly small communication
centres.
Akpaku said the trend
of operation of these centres was that they folded up in no time after being
set up making monitoring by his Office difficult. The VAT Regional Head also
blamed government agencies for dealing with non-VAT collecting businesses
despite a directive from the Regional Minister to the contrary.
He said often
departments, including district assemblies, got services on credit and also
asked for rebates thereby weakening their position to insist on VAT receipts.
Akpaku expressed regret about the trend among small-scale service providers to
drop VAT components of cost in their invoices so as to enhance their
competitiveness.
He commended the Keta
Government Hospital for insisting that all companies they dealt with paid VAT
on their service charges. Akpaku said the VAT Regional Office was considering
writing to the Regional Minister to order the enforcement of the earlier
directive for all government agencies to deal only with VAT collecting
suppliers. He said this year "Test Purchase" measures would be stepped
up and VAT evaders would be prosecuted.
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Tema (Greater Accra)
19 March 2003- Madam Mary Carlina Yates, United States Ambassador on Tuesday
took delivery of 25,000 metric tonnes of wheat valued at over five million
dollars at the Tema port.
The wheat is under
the US government's food for peace programmes and is to be shared among three
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to address the needs of food security in
the country.
The NGOs are the Catholic
Relief Services (CRS), which will receive 12,500 metric tons, Adventist
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), 9,850 tons and Opportunities
Industrialisation Centres International (OICI), 2,650 tons.
Madam Yates explained
the whet would be sold to local flour mills, particularly, Irani Brothers and
Ghana Agro Foods Company (GAFCO) both in Tema and the proceeds used in
improving food security in the country, starting with the three northern
regions.
Payment for the wheat
would be in local currency. The Ambassador said the beneficiary NGOs would use
the money generated to fund projects such as training in modern methods of
agriculture and micro-credit to farmers to increase rural incomes through
higher crop yields.
The amount will also
be used to provide wells to improve access to clean drinking water, enhance
child survival, increase enrolment and attendance in primary schools, as well
as support vulnerable groups, including orphans, the elderly, as well as the
physically and mentally challenged.
Madam Yates noted
that the programme has contributed to the socio-economic development of Ghana,
and that in the northern region, ADRA farmers have increased crop yields from
290 kg to 850 kg per acre over a five-year period, increasing their net profits
on maize from about 76,000 cedis to 2.6 million cedis per acre.
The total enrolment
in primary schools, assisted by CRS within a four-year period increased by 43
percent, while last year, the CRS girls' education promotion project, which
provides take-home rations as an incentive for attendance, exceeded its target
of 48,300 by 7.2 percent.
Dr Abdul Majeed
Haroun, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industries, said the shipment was the
first of three major ones expected this year with a total of 32 metric tons. He
said the programme has been in existence since 1958, and its main thrust is to
bolster Ghana's food security by providing resources to the rural poor.
Dr Haroun emphasised
that the wheat would be sold and the proceeds will be used to support the
nutrition and development activities under the food for peace programme, which
currently supports about 495,000 people in all the 10 regions.
"However, our
main focus is the three northern regions, which appear to be the most food
insecure," he added citing statistics indicating that 42 percent of
Ghanaians suffer from some form of food insecurity.
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4.6
billion cedis surplus accrued
Accra (Greater Accra)
19 March 2003- The Minister of Finance, Yaw Osafo Maafo on Tuesday said 4.6
billion cedis had so far accrued as surplus income after the increment in
petroleum prices in January.
He, therefore,
proposed that the said amount now lodged in an escrow account be transferred
into the road fund. The Finance Minister had answered queries raised by the
Minority last Thursday on the legality of the deduction of the money and how
government intended to use it.
The queries came
about during a debate on the Custom and Excise (Petroleum Taxes and Petroleum
related Levies) amendment bill started on last Thursday but frozen until
Tuesday.
Osafo Maafo said he
had not breached any law since he did not raise the road fund levy, but rather
labelled the excess money under "margins" component of the petroleum
price built up.
On Thursday, Seidu
Pakuna Adamu, NDC Bibiani/Anhwiaso/Bekwai, had questioned the legality of the
bill since he claimed the authority it sought to claim had already been
exercised.
He said the
Presidency had already levied Ghanaians without prior approval of Parliament,
which was unconstitutional. "Perhaps, the Minister was in dilemma, to come
to Parliament and meet the disapproval of the hike in petroleum prices as it is
tied to the levy or stay away and come later."
He said the integrity
of the House was being undermined by the Minister's request. Abraham
Osei-Aidoo, the Deputy Majority Leader, said the bill did not contain any piece
of information to suggest that it possessed a retroactive proposition.
He said Tema Oil
Refinery (TOR) was a limited Liability Company that had the right to adjust
prices of its products and set aside part of its money for any purpose that it
deemed fit.
The member said money
lodged in the escrow account could be transferred into the road fund without
breaching any legality. Now that the bill had been passed, the road levy jumps
from 230 cedis per litre of premium petrol to 400 cedis.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
19 March 2003- Parliament on Tuesday adopted the report on 57.3 million dollar loan
agreement between Ghana and the International Development Association (IDA) to
finance the second health sector programme support project.
The loan has a
repayment period of 30 years, 10 years moratorium, commitment fees of one-half
of one percent per annum, which may be waived at the discretion of IDA's Board
of Executive Directors.
Three-fourth of one
percent service charge per annum is payable on the principal amount of the
credit withdrawn and outstanding from time to time. Recommending for the adoption
of the report, Eugene Atta Agyepong, Chairman of the Committee on Finance, said
the objectives of the project was to improve the health status of the Ghanaian
population while reducing the geographical, socio-economic and gender
inequality in health delivery.
He said in
considering the loan, the committee noted that the health sector was still
confronted with challenges including high maternal mortality rate, persistence
of communicable diseases like malaria and tuberculosis and newly emerging non-communicable
diseases and relatively high levels of death and injury from road traffic
accidents.
Atta-Agyepong said
the prevalence of three percent in HIV/AIDS infection poses a major threat to
health and development and therefore, the Ministry of Health had embarked on
the health sector programme project to address these challenges.
He mentioned some of
the benefits to be achieved as the reduction of infant mortality rate from 57
to 50 per 1000 live births, under-five mortality rate from 108 to 95 live births,
reduce HIV prevalence to 2.6 percent and to increase the cure of tuberculosis
from 43 percent to 60 percent. The consequential resolution on the loan was
deferred due to low numbers in the House.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
19 March 2003- Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA) is progressively being
transformed in line with Government policy to enable it to focus efforts on the
provision and maintenance of basic port infrastructure and the regulation of
the private sector.
Under the new
programme, GPHA will be required to maintain a slimmer headquarters whilst the
two ports of Tema and Takoradi would be given greater operational autonomy.
Sector Minister Dr
Richard Anane who was addressing the third in the series of the meet-the-press
this year said to actualise this objective, government was undertaking various
projects aimed at increasing the operational efficiency and reduce the cost of
doing business at the ports.
The projects also
aimed to push the country to a position as the 'preferred destination in the
sub-region'. The Minister said as part of the efforts, Government through the
help of the Japanese International Cooperation Assistance (JICA) had developed
a master plan for the Tema and Takoradi ports.
The plan of Tema
seeks to expand the existing harbour with the construction of a new breakwater
on the western side of the harbour to accommodate third generation vessels.
It would also be
developed into a container terminal for fast developing container trade. The
plan for Takoradi, valued at 100 million dollars is to be implemented through a
concession to interested terminal operators on 'Build Operate and Transfer'
basis.
The Minister
expressed the hope that a contract for the project would be signed before
December this year. He said berths at the Tema Port had been dredged from 8.5
metres to 11.5 metres to accommodate larger and modern vessels, and reduce
waiting time of deep-drafted vessels. Similar dredging activities would be carried
out at the Takoradi port.
A contract was being
signed for private sector development of an area outside the bonded area of
Tema Port for the relocation of imported vehicles and the inspection of
imported cargo outside the bonded area.
This, the Minister,
explained would free up space for the efficient handling of containers inside
the port. Dr Anane said four additional private stevedoring companies had been
licensed, bringing the number to seven with a control of 75 percent of traffic
to offer competitive service to shippers.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
19 March 2003- The first Terminal Tripartite Meeting of the Government of
Ghana, UNDP and Global Environment Facility opened in Accra on Tuesday and
discussed the Renewable Energy Services Project (RESPRO).
The meeting discussed
the experiences and lessons learnt on the project with the objective of
incorporating them in future projects. The RESPRO seeks to address sustainable
energy paths for social and economic development that can use renewable energy
and fuel supply technologies in place of fossil fuel-based electrification.
Opening the meeting,
Albert Kan-Dapah, Minister of Energy commended the role of RESPRO in meting the
energy needs of most deprived communities, adding that under the project, 80
rural communities in the three Northern regions have solar energy services.
"Indeed, over
1,800 homes, which hitherto relied on inferior lighting systems such as candles
and kerosene lanterns, have been provided with solar home systems,"
saying, "seven remote rural clinics have been equipped with solar PV
systems for very critical health activities and refrigeration of
vaccines."
Kan-Dapaah said 42
schools have been provided with solar system and, "are now able to study
at night. "This should allow them to improve on their performance at
school." Kan-Dapaah said when the National Electrification Scheme (NES)
was initiated about 10 years ago it was intended to provide the basis for
accelerating socio-economic welfare and wealth generation in the rural areas,
"and this is what the government intends to pursue."
He said even though
its only 17 percent of the rural areas, who have access to electricity, this
would be changed through the RESPRO project. Kan-Dapaah said the biggest
challenge was the huge financial support that a wider use of solar PV systems
in any country demanded.
The MP for
Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo, Namburr Berrick said the project did not meet the full
impact of its target. He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview after
the meeting that the people could not even use irons since they needed 10,000
watts to charge a pressing iron.
"But the maximum
that the RESPRO project is providing for the communities is 100 watts. What
they have now can only power small fridges and some types of TV sets." He
said the schools mentioned as having electricity only have them in their
compounds and not wired to their classrooms where they can have an effective
use.
"They will need
extra panels to generate extra wattage for such purposes." Berrick said
government should go ahead and ensure that the full benefits other communities
enjoyed when connected to the national grid, should be available to the rural
communities in the three Northern Regions.
He said residents pay
25,000 cedis for 100 watts and 15,000 cedis for 50 watts. Berrick was not happy
with the low level of involvement of the community in responding to the power
needs of the people in the area, saying invitations to consultative meetings
often came after they had taken place. "I therefore urge government to
increase its portion of funding for such projects to create a level playing
field for all communities," he added.
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Tema (Greater Accra)
19 March 2003- Ms Janice M. Bruce, Commercial Attaché of the US Embassy in
Accra has called on Ghanaian businessmen and women to use the African Growth
and Opportunity Act (AGOA) as an effective instrument to help them gain a better
foothold on the international market.
She said, however,
AGOA was not enough and by itself cannot and should not be expected to ensure
their success as a first class international trading partner. "Much would
depend on each Ghanaian company's approach to researching their markets,
studying the demographics of their target audience, assessing customer needs,
focusing on competitive pricing, quality and customer service", she added.
Ms Bruce was speaking
at the commissioning of the first Ghanaian firm to export locally made socks
under the President's Special Initiative (PSI) on Garments and Textiles and
AGOA at Tema.
The one-million
dollar Network Knitwear Fabrics Limited, manufactures of sporting socks for
export established in March last year, has so far exported about 400,000 dozens
of socks.
The company, which
employs about 360 workers, is expected to export about four million dozens of
socks this year and plans to expand its production with the importation of more
equipment.
It is a joint venture
between the Company and Kentucky Derby Hosiery and Southern Textile Exchange,
both in the United States, which imports most of the raw materials, the
labelling and printing from the US market and exports the finished products
under AGOA to the US markets.
Ms Bruce said
government's policy, legal and regulatory framework, which governed the daily
operations of commerce in Ghana and its relations with foreign investors, was
of equal importance.
She said, "when
these elements operating in harmony and unison, serve as the foundation for
each company, then the benefits offered by AGOA could serve as a springboard to
help the companies make the sale, find an investor or sign the long-term
contract".
The US Commercial
Attaché said trade was the answer and the means by which Ghana would succeed in
its aspirations for a stronger economy and a better life for its citizens.
"This nation has
embarked on a course which recognizes that trade, internal, regional and
international is the most effective and sustainable means by which to generate
employment, improve technical and managerial skills, transfer of technology and
achieve a higher standard of living for the people".
Ms Bruce said the
commissioning of the factory, was a hallmark of progress, marking Ghana's advancement
in international trade, further strengthening the commercial linkages between
Ghana and the US.
She said it also
served to underscore the importance and the potential of the contributions that
AGOA could make to Ghana's commercial and economic development.
"The impressive
circumstances of this new venture highlight the fact that Ghana's private
sector has accepted the mantle of responsibility to help propel the nation
towards greater economic prosperity, human development and the achievement of the
government's vision of a Middle Income status by the year 2020", she
added.
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