The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), has been urged to effectively collaborate with District Assemblies to design more pragmatic programmes to improve food processing facilities within the small-scale industrial sector.

Reverend S K. Fugah, national president of the Association of Small-Scale Industries (ASSI), said such a move could help small-scale industrialists to add value to agro-products by way of processing and also avoid waste during bumper harvests.

Rev. Fugah made the proposal at a forum of the Ashanti Regional branch of the ASSI in Kumasi last Tuesday held to evaluate programmes of the association and map out strategies to enhance the growth and development of the ASSI in the region.

He called on the Factories Inspectorate Division of the Ministry of Trade and Industries to mount sustained educational programmes to enlighten managements and employees of industrial set-ups on the importance of using protective devices while at work.

Rev. Fugah advised employees not to only crave for the provision of protective gadgets by management, but to also ensure that they use such devices when provided.

He explained that management had a moral duty to provide such gadgets and should never relegate such a task to the background since management and the whole industry stand to gain when accidents are reduced and the safety of employees guaranteed.

Mr Kwame Obuor, Ashanti Regional chairman of ASSI, announced that a fair on "made in Ghana goods" will be held by the close of this year and urged all members to patronise it.

The Commonwealth is still very relevant notwithstanding the wind of change towards a uni-polar world.

Mr Ian Mackley, British High Commissioner, in an interview with the GNA on Thursday in Accra said the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 54 countries, mostly former British colonies, is unique and covers issues common to both the developed and developing world.

"It is a complete range, a big spectrum of a global society. It covers developed and developing countries, the rich and poor, north and south, east and west. It is a family that cuts across all the known devices."

Mr. Mackley said the three-day visit of the Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II from November seven to November nine, will deepen Ghana-British relations.

The Queen will hold talks with President Jerry John Rawlings and address Parliament.

The Queen, who is paying her first visit since 1961, will address a durbar of chiefs in Accra and go on a ride through some of the principal streets.

" It will demonstrate her continued support for democratic principles in the Commonwealth", the high commissioner said.

He said although member countries of the Commonwealth do not vote at meetings, they work with consensus on matters of common concern, particularly in the areas of democracy, good governance and economic development.

"Unlike the others, such as the eastern European bloc, the Latin America bloc, or the Asian bloc, the Commonwealth family has always worked with one understanding, to promote development of its peoples. It tops them all, and cuts across all divides.

"But the flexibility and understanding of the family does not necessarily mean there is no discipline. The rules are clear", he said and cited Pakistan which is facing disciplinary action following a military take-over in that country.

He said a fact-finding Commonwealth team including Ghana's Foreign Minister Victor Gbeho visited Pakistan to assess the situation and their report will be presented to the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government's Meeting in Durban, South Africa.

Mr. Mackley however, said he is not in a position to speculate on what the heads will do with the report and referred to the Harare Principles which enjoin member countries to uphold human rights and democratic governance.

On UK-Ghana relations, Mr. Mackley said Britain ranks Ghana very high among its former colonies and has always worked towards forging closer links.

He said his country is satisfied with the pace of socio-economic progress in Ghana, especially in the area of democracy and commended the people for their hard work and sacrifice.

"Ghana has all the necessary democratic institutions in place a Parliament, an Electoral Commission, a human rights commission and a vibrant opposition. They are all very functional."

Ghana is the UK's fourth largest market in Sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya.

Britain's exports to Ghana in 1998 amounted to 222 million pounds while Ghana's exports within the period, excluding gold, were 155 million pounds, compared to 135 million pounds in 1997.

Between January and August this year, UK's exports amounted to 115 million pounds while Ghana's exports have reached 130 million pounds.

UK's exports to Ghana are mainly manufactured goods, industrial and electrical machinery while her imports include cocoa, coffee, spices, fish, cork and wood, fruits and vegetables, and furniture.

Britain, with an investment of 800 million pounds in Ghana, has the largest number of foreign companies in Ghana.

Asked if his office has received notice from any local pressure group or political grouping to undertake demonstration to press home a point during the Queen's visit, Mr Mackley said there has been no such indications so far.

"However, we cannot entirely rule out any such incidence," he added, citing the present wave of agitation by a section of students and workers as one of the things that might arise.

The Eastern Regional secretary of the NDC, Mr. J.W. Agyekum, has advised farmers to form co-operatives to enable them to fight for appreciable prices for their produce.

He explained that because farmers could not organise themselves when it comes to determining prices for agricultural produce, they were always cheated by the better organised traders and other marketing groups.

Mr. Agyekum gave the advice on Wednesday during the formal re-opening of the Mangoase market at Mangoase in the Akuapem North District.

The market, which used to be the biggest in the Eastern Region in the early parts of the century, collapsed in the1980s.

He called on the chiefs and people of the area to protect the market against drug addicts and criminals who would like to use it for anti-social activities in the night.

Mr. Agyekum urged the youth to take advantage of the provision of electricity in the area to establish small-scale industries to help create employment.

Mr. Anthony Gyampoh, Akwapim North District Chief Executive, said for the past seven years, the district assembly had provided 11 schools in the district with new school blocks and renovated the school buildings of 10 others.

He gave the assurance that the district assembly will ensure that the Mangoase-Amanhyia and the Tinkong-Mangoase roads would be tarred.

Mr. Aboagye Aidoo, an elder of the town who spoke on behalf of Nana Akwaa Amoh the second, Mangoasehene, said the first settlers of Mangoase arrived there 1886 and that one of the first places where cocoa was grown after the initial planting at Mampong-Akwapim by Tetteh Quarshie and until 1928, was Mangoase.