Ghana hosts International Chamber of Commerce conference
Interest of medical students wanes by completion of course –Study
Ghana
is far from meeting demand for animal protein-Dr Antwi
African
Governments urged to review policies for irrigation
Asantehene
inaugurates board Golden Development Company
President
Kufuor begins tour of the Western Region
Police
warn of fake chemicals on market
NPP women challenge 31st December to prove
its NGO Status
Accra (Greater Accra) 22 October 2001 - The women's wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed shock and dismay at attempts by the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings to distance the 31st December Women's Movement from the National Democratic Congress (NDC). It has therefore challenged the Movement to prove its NGO status.
A statement issued in reaction to two interviews, which were aired on the TV 3, an Accra-based television station, the NPP women's wing said it is too late for the movement to distance itself from the NDC.
The statement says Ghanaians have not forgotten the apostolic zeal with which members of the movement openly campaigned for the NDC in their red berets.
The statement also challenged the former First Lady to provide facts and figures about funds used in establishing the numerous gari processing factories, whose commisionong left the District Assemblies with millions of debts.
"There is no doubt that the DWM which had an office in every District Assembly and collected market tolls, used teachers paid by the state in their nurseries free of charge while they charged their parents, abused the office of the First Lady in soliciting funding for the DWM projects and used government guarantees for its foreign loans."
It therefore called on government to order a full-scale probe of the former First Lady and her movement rather than the current audit going on. -JoyFM
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Accra (Greater Accra) 22 October 2001 - A website that is expected to cover all aspects of tourism in Ghana, has been designed by Information Technology section of the Ashanti Goldfields Limited for the Ministry of Tourism. It is intended to expose the comprehensive tourism features of Ghana.
The site is also expected to be in full gear by the end of November. The initial cost of the site is between US $ 5,000 to $10,000. Madam Hawa Yakubu, Minister of Tourism during an interaction with the Press in Accra, described the site as very essential, adding "tourists would know much more about what Ghanaian tourism entails and increase the number of tourists Ghana attracts."
She said, when the site becomes operational, it would enable the country to share tourism ideas with other countries without necessarily travelling to those countries. She disclosed that experts have already been posted to various regions to assemble information on attractive places and cultures for the website. - JoyFM
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Accra (Greater Accra) 22 October 2001 - Ghana will host the second Africa Regional Conference of the international Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The two-day conference, which takes off on October 25, is under the theme "Working Together for Investment Policies and Actions in Africa."
About 500 delegates from both developed and developing countries are expected to participate in the conference, which is expected to provide a platform for regional and international policy-makers and the business community to hold in-depth discussions on trade, investment and regional priorities.
Discussions will focus on how African governments can best work with businesses to improve regulatory framework to enhance Africa's competitiveness as a destination for foreign investment. Returns on investments in some African countries are higher than in most countries in the developing world. It is in recognition of the vast investment potentials in Africa that the International Chamber of Commerce has started focusing its activities on the continent.
Under an agreement with the United Nations, ICC is working with other agencies to make more information available on investment prospects in Africa and encouraging private sector development. Consequently, the ICC, through its Nigeria National Chapter, organised the first Africa Regional Conference in Abuja, Nigeria, in November 2000.
Topics to be treated at the 2nd Africa Regional Conference include Global Trade and Investment Policy, Qualifying the Protection of Doing Business in Africa, Financing African Business, IT Convergence in the Media Industry: Opportunities,
Threats," Economic Commerce/M-Commerce" and Arbitration's a Driver for Investment and Development".
Prominent speakers will include ICC Secretary General, Maria Livanos Cattaui; Ishmael Yamson, Chairman, ICC Ghana; Adebayo Alade-laba, Director, Global Energy and Project Finance, Credit Suisse, USA; Dr Nii Quarnor, Executive
Chairman, Network Computer Systems, and Hon Nana Akufo-Addo, Attorney General and Minister of Justice. The ICC is the only representative body that speaks with authority on behalf of private business from all sectors in every part of the world.
It also provides essential services, foremost among them being the ICC International Court of Arbitration, the world's leading institution of its kind. The ICC groups member companies and associations from over 130 countries. They are the source of
ICC's expertise in all aspects of international business.
The over-riding task of ICC today is its members meeting the demands of an integrated global economy. It speaks for no special interest group within business. Companies increasingly look to ICC as they adjust to a world in which the state's role in the economy is no longer pre-eminent.
ICC members are instrumental in drawing up rules that businesses use everyday to reduce costs and uncertainties- on arbitration, banking and commercial contracts. In the process, they gain unique insight into the vital areas of trade facilitation – Joy FM
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Accra (Greater Accra) 22 October 20001 - A study conducted on some fifth and sixth year students of the University of Ghana medical school has revealed that the initial interest to pursue medicine wanes by the time they complete their training.
Fifty-nine percent of one hundred respondents made up of 75 percent male and 25 percent female revealed that long stay in school, stress associated with their courses and increased financial commitments to the course accounts for this phenomenon.
Seventy-seven percent of the respondents said they are not looking forward to a future in a noble profession that leaves them heavily indebted by the time they complete their training. Some students who are unable to pay their way have been forced to drop out of School.
This year, two students have been compelled to abandon their schooling and are considering other professions in accounting, administration and sports. A final year student of the Medical School, Frank Badu-Williams conducted the study. - JoyFM
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Accra
(greater Accra) 22 October 2001 - Ghana cannot meet its demand for animal
protein production from local sources because of constraints to the development
of the livestock industry, Dr Matthew Antwi, Deputy Minister of Food and
Agriculture in charge of Livestock, said on Monday.
The growth
of domestic ruminant industry in Ghana is affected by lack of breeding stock,
inadequate stock water and poor marketing systems, Dr Antwi told a meeting of
experts and other stakeholders in preparation for the meeting of Ministers of
the Central Sub-Market of Agriculture and Animal Resources in Accra.
The meeting
is a follow up to the recommendations of previous meetings funded by the
Committees of Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS).
He said
despite Ghana's vast resources of forages, its meat production remains low,
amounting to 66,283 metric tons last year and milk production about 27,000
metric tons.
"Ghana
imported 15,600 metric tons of frozen and processed meat and poultry products
valued at 25.5 million dollars last year. During the same period 10,800 metric
tons of milk products valued at two million dollars were also imported,"
he said.
The Deputy
Minister said cattle, sheep and goats were brought in from Ghana's northern
neighbours and the number is not known because they come through unapproved
routes.
He urged
the meeting to improve on the low volume of intra regional trade in animal
protein by putting in measures to market livestock as meat and meat product in
frozen form.
This, he
said, calls for the setting up of abattoirs and provision of cold storage
facilities from the abattoirs to the consuming centres.
GRi…/
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 22 October 2001- Mr Bamidele Dada, Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO) Regional Representative for Africa, on Monday urged African
governments to review their water resources development and irrigation policies
to meet the objectives of the continent's food security.
Opening a
five-day regional seminar on private sector participation and irrigation
expansion in sub-Sahara Africa, Mr Dada said irrigation remains an
indispensable tool if Africa is to improve food security.
"Water
control and soil moisture management are critical for reliable food production.
In Africa only some 12 million hectares, about six per cent of the total
cultivated land, are irrigated'' he said. About 70 participants from countries
in sub Sahara Africa are attending the seminar.
The FAO,
the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and the Technical Centre
for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA) are supporting the five-day
seminar.
Mr Dada
said if Africa took irrigation serious it could bring about increases in yield
of about 400 per cent over the same land area already under food cultivation.
"To do
this would require policy commitment on the part of governments, foreign
capital to build infrastructure, as well as active involvement of the private
sector and farming communities," he said.
He pledged
FAO's commitment to assist African countries in this urgent task. Mr Dada said
until recently irrigated agriculture was strongly and almost exclusively
supported by the state in Africa, adding that this cannot continue in the wake
of structural adjustment programmes.
"Governments
in the region can no longer provide the needed support that was extended to
irrigation project especially the large scale ones, hence the need for private
participation," he said.
Mr Dada
said there is the need to promote the emergence of new operators in this system
and private irrigation enterprise appears to be the most appropriate.
Mr Douglas
J Merrey, Director for Africa, IWMI, said privatisation of the irrigation
sector does not mean "to transfer management of irrigation schemes to
large national or multinational corporations."
He said if
private participation is done right it would involve empowering framers to
manage their own affairs better.
Mr Merrey
said the IWMI would soon establish an office in Accra for the West African
sub-region.
Major
Courage Quashiga, Minister of Food and Agriculture, said it is disheartening to
see volumes of water from the Volta River flowing into the sea instead of being
channelled for irrigation purposes.
He urged
communities along the Volta River to take advantage of their location to make
use of the water for irrigation purposes.
Major
Quashiga said land earmarked for irrigation in places such as the Greater Accra
Region has been encroached upon.
He cited
the Weija Irrigation Project that initially had about 1,500 hectares of land
but has been reduced to about 400 hectares due to encroachment.
Maj.
Quashiga urged the participants to come out with workable solution to
irrigation problems, adding: "A lot of countries within the sub-region had
tried irrigation in one way or the other without success."
GRi…/
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Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 22 October 2001 - The Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II on
Saturday inaugurated the 13-member Board of Directors for newly established
Golden
Development Holding Company (GDHC) in Kumasi, which will spearhead the
development of Asanteman.
The board,
which has Dr Kwame Donkor Fordjour as its chairman includes, Mr. Sam Jonah,
Chief Executive of Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC), Mr Paul Victor Obeng,
one-time advisor to former President J.J Rawlings on governmental affairs, Mr.
Kwabena Darko, Professor Abena Dolphyne and Professor Mrs Ernestina Addy.
The rest
are Dr. Christine Amoako-Nuamah, a former Lands and Forestry Minister in the
NDC administration, Oheneba Agyemang Atwereboana, Hiahene, Mr. Anthony
Attah-Poku, Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Lovelace Prempeh,
Professor Paul Kwame Nyame, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, immediate past Governor of the
Bank of Ghana (BOG) and Mr. A.S.Y. Andoh.
The company
will undertake multi-sectoral regional development projects to accelerate the economic
and social growth in Asanteman through subsidiary companies under health,
education, tourism and infrastructure, banking and financial services,
agriculture and agro-business, land and forestry sectors.
The
Asantehene tasked the board members to explore opportunities to raise a minimum
ordinary share capital of 150 billion cedis to start operation.
Otumfuo
Osei Tutu said chieftaincy now does not involve going to war against one's
neighbours but that the war chiefs had to wage now is the war for quality
education, health and employment.
He said as
board members, they should start thinking of how to reactivate the shoe and
jute factories in Kumasi so that the numerous unemployed youth roaming the
streets can be employed.
The
Asantehene said since his assumption of the throne, he had set up a number of
committees, some of which had performed creditably, while others simply did not
perform and charged the board to achieve results.
"If
you run the company down it will not reflect only on you members but on me as
well. You should remember that you are going to manage funds not only for
Asanteman but the whole country since when you float shares, it will not be for
only Asanteman."
Otumfuo
Osei Tutu said the company is autonomous and should not tolerate interference
from Manhyia or any other individual or organisation. He therefore, urged them
to discharge their duties without fear or favour.
GRi.../
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Asemasa,
(Western Region) 22 October 2001 - President J.A Kufuor arrived at Asemasa, a
village at the borders of Western and Central Regions on Sunday to begin a
four-day official visit to the Western Region.
He was
welcomed by Mr. Joseph B. Baidoo, Western Regional Minister, Mrs. Gladys Asmah,
MP for Takoradi and Minister for Women and Children Affairs, Papa Owusu
Ankomah, MP for Sekondi and Majority Leader of Parliament and Minister of
Parliamentary
Affairs and Mrs. Angelina Baiden Amissah, MP for Shama.
After the
exchange of greetings, President Kufuor stood in an open car to respond to
cheers by an enthusiastic crowd who had lined up the routes from Asemasa to
Sekondi.
President
Kufuor and his entourage then drove to the Abode Thermal Plant where Mr.
William Sam Appiah, Deputy General Manager of the Plant, briefed him on their
operations.
The plant
produces 550 megawatts of power to supplement the national grid. Officials who
met the President at the Plant were Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey, Chief Executive
of the Volta River Authority, and Mr. Albert Kan Dapaah, Minister of Energy.
President
Kufuor later unveiled a plaque at the plant to commemorate his maiden visit to
the Power Station.
GRi../
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 22 October 2001 - The Police Administration on Sunday warned
that Decis and Gostallic chemicals on the market purported to perform certain
specific functions are fake and the public should not purchase them.
Samples of
the chemicals usually in the form of brown liquid have labels implying that
they can enhance the growth of apples and the performance of horses.
According
to a statement by the Police Public Relations Directorate in Accra samples of
the drugs examined at the laboratory indicated that they are solutions of
acetic acid.
The
statement said "the products are being used apparently to defraud members
of the public."
GRi../
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