Satellite receivers for Radio Central commissioned
Improve conditions in the rural areas - Dr Delle
Minimise corruption in the fishing industry - Akyeampong
Tema (Greater Accra), 15th November 99
The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Union Fenosa Group of Spain, on Friday, signed an agreement for the construction of an 80 million-dollar thermal and steam power plant at Tema.
The plant, to generate 80 megawatts of electricity, is to complement the Tema industrial load of 60 megawatts and to cater for the power needs of the Free Zone area.
Work on the project will commence next year and is scheduled for completion by the end of year 2001.
Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister responsible for Mines and Energy and Mr
Musah Adam, Managing Director, signed for ECG.
Mr Tomas de Miguel, Union Fenosa's Director for Africa and Mr Eduardo Oliveira, a representative of Expansion Exterior, Financial Consultants for Union Fenosa, signed for the foreign company.
Mr Adam said the project would also involve the upgrading of the existing high voltage network at Tema and the building of new primary sub-stations at Lashibi and Ashaiman.
This would increase the capacities of sub-stations and the lines and cables connecting them to improve power supplies.
It would also have a computerised customer service package while ECG staff would be trained in modern methods of utility business and the company's training centre at Tema up graded.
Mr Spio-Garbrah said the agreement demonstrates the determination of the government to liberalise the energy sector for private investment.
He said government would create an attractive investment environment for independent power producers to participate in the Wholesale Power Supply Market (WPSM).
Mr Miguel said his company has experience in 35 countries including Kenya, Zimbabwe, Angola and South Africa.
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Satellite receivers for Radio Central commissioned
Cape Coast (Central Region), 15th November 99
A 23 million-cedi satellite receiver provided by German radio station, Deutsche Welle (DW), to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation for use by its Radio Central Frequency Modulation (FM) station in Cape Coast was commissioned on Thursday in Cape Coast.
The equipment, comprising a satellite dish, a receiver and a power unit will enable Radio Central to rebroadcast Deutsche Welle radio programmes in English from Europe to its listeners for two hours a day.
The Deputy Central Regional Minister, Mr. H.Q. Jehu-Appiah, described the co-operation between Radio Central and DW Radio as "an avenue for bringing Ghana and Germany closer together and a means to further cement the bonds of friendship between the two countries".
Mr. Jehu-Appiah said he had followed with keen interest African reports and 'Newslink' live broadcast programmes on Radio Central from DW radio and hoped the co-operation between the two stations would not be a nine days' wonder.
He, however, warned that the nation is moving towards globalisation of the airwaves, which would open new doors for the acquisition of information, "there is the need to safeguard the integrity of our Ghanaians airwaves".
The Cultural Attache of the German Embassy in Ghana, Dr Florian Reindel noted that many Ghanaians are interested not only in home affairs but also want to be informed about developments in other parts of the world.
He said Deutsche Welle, which focuses on live-reporting in its programmes, offers competent coverage of events from and about Europe and that listeners would get reliable and credible information on world politics, the economy and cultural affairs.
The Regional Director of the GBC, Mr. Amamoo Panyin, expressed gratitude to German Radio for the equipment.
He said DW radio programmes including spotlight on sport and other items "have livened the airwaves on Radio Central's 92.5 FM station".
Mr. Godwin Agbenovor, Director of Radio, launched the third anniversary of Radio Central and said GBC would strive to provide decent, honest and objective programmes.
He pointed out that some of the FM stations are not popular because of the insulting language they use, stressing that GBC would not join the bandwagon to indulge in those negative tendencies to divide and create tension in the country.
Mr. Agbenovor appealed to district and municipal assemblies to assist the GBC as a national broadcasting organisation to continue to provide information to the people, saying "government alone cannot fund GBC".
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Improve conditions in the rural areas - Dr Delle
Accra (Greater Accra), 15th November 99
A leading member of the Convention Party (CP), Dr Edmund Delle has said conditions of the people living in the rural areas especially those in the northern regions of Ghana are still poor and must be improved immediately.
He said the poverty and health situations in Nandom and other parts of the Upper West Region are the worst.
Dr Delle was speaking at the inauguration of the Tiereber Association, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to the development of the Nandom Traditional Area and other communities in the Upper West Region in Accra on Saturday.
Dr Delle, who is the director of the Rabito Clinic, Osu, in Accra and Chief Patron of the Association said the massive mobilisation of human and financial resources of the people in the Nandom area is needed to propel the development of the area.
He announced plans to set up a specialist clinic for the treatment of skin diseases in Nandom, adding that one of such has been established in Wa.
A Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Mrs Ama Benyiwa Doe, whose speech was read on her behalf, said human resource development is a necessary tool for the development of the country.
She said government has intensified efforts to improve on the standard of living and conditions of people in the rural areas and the country at large.
She said training of school dropouts and people with economic, social and other difficulties is being pursued.
Profossor Paul Antwi Danso of the Department of Modern Languages of the University of Ghana, Legon, urged the people to embrace education saying "you cannot afford to be illiterate."
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Minimise corruption in the fishing industry - Akyeampong
Accra (Greater Accra), 14th November 99
A Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Mike Akyeampong, on Friday accused the fishing sector of Ghana's economy of being engulfed in corruption.
Abuses in the sector and other problems make it more difficult to control corruption, Mr Akyeampong said while inaugurating a 12-member Fisheries Management Operation Committee in Accra.
The committee, chaired by Dr Samuel Dufu, an executive member of the National Fisheries Association of Ghana, will advise the Ministry of Food and Agriculture on fishery management issues and help revive the fishing industry.
Mr Akyeampong said negotiations are underway between the government and donors to help salvage the industry.
Mr George Hammond Anyane, acting Director of Fisheries, said fishing contributes about 63 per cent of animal protein.
He called for collaborative efforts among the government and fishing communities to preserve fisheries resources from exploitation.
Dr Dufu gave the assurance that members of the committee would place their experience at the disposal of the ministry to resolve problems confronting the sector.
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