Ghana loses about 25 percent of its annual cocoa output to the black pod disease, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) Anthony Fofie has said. Approximately 212,500 metric tonnes of cocoa beans, representing 25 percent of the 850,000 metric tonnes produced in 2012, was lost to the disease. This corresponds to an annual revenue loss of about US$700million, given average earnings of US$2.8billion from cocoa and related exports annually. “The black-pod disease is costing us and the farmers a lot; it can easily wipe out the entire crop, and that is a worry to us,” Mr. Fofie said. To halt the crop losses, its impact on farmer incomes and the resultant revenue losses suffered by the country, Cocobod last month signed a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement with the Netherlands Embassy and three other institutions to help fight the black-pod disease. The initiative, which has the Ghana Cocoa Growing Research Association Limited, Mars Incorporated and Mondelez International as partners, will make available over US$400million toward the production of new varieties of cocoa that can withstand the disease. According to a press release issued after the signing of the agreement between the partnership-institutions in Accra, the current programme -- which is expected to run for the next four years -- is a continuation of the Mabang Megakarya Selection Programme (MMSP) that was launched in 2005 as a joint initiative in cocoa breeding. An implementation board chaired by the Deputy CEO of Cocobod in charge of Quality Control, Dr. Yam Adu-Ampomah, was also inaugurated to see to the disbursement and continuation of the programme. The new initiative, which has Cocobod as the coordinator, is expected to help curtail the spread of the black-pod disease, thereby minimising its impact on farmers’ and national revenue. The Megakarya form of the disease is dominant in cocoa-producing communities in parts of the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions. Cocoa has for decades remained a strong pillar of Ghana’s economy, contributing substantial foreign exchange revenues to Government while serving as a source of livelihood to more than 800,000 farmers. These notwithstanding, challenges relating to pests and disease, ageing trees and harsh climatic conditions abound and continue to threaten the annual production targets of the country. But Cocobod says it is confident it will achieve its 2012-2013 crop-year harvest target of 800,000 metric tonnes, though the rains delayed in the early part of the season. Cocoa output peaked at one million metric tonnes in the 2010/2011 season, but declined to 850,000 metric tonnes in the 2011/2012 season. By Ekow Essabra-Mensah

  Government must purchase anti-retroviral drugs from qualified local producers in the face drying-up of the main external source of funds for buying the crucial medication used by HIV patients, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG) has said. “The money for purchasing ARVs is normally not Government of Ghana money; it’s from the Global Fund. The Fund has its own recommended suppliers, so the Ministry of Health cannot bypass them and buy locally. With the Fund not available now, Government should purchase the drugs locally,” Kwabena Asante, PMAG’s General Secretary told the B&FT. His comments come on the heels of an Auditor-General’s Report on the management and distribution of ARVs in the country, which recommended the purchase of the drugs from qualified local producer DANADAMS. The report also raised concerns about an impending shortage of ARVs due to delays in the delivery of the drugs by external suppliers, and the misappropriation of about GH¢600,000 collected from patients between 2005-2009 by HIV treatment centres in the country. â€œLocal producers can meet the demand. DANADAMS is currently expanding their facility. They have supplied anti-retrovirals to neighbouring countries like Benin and Sierra Leone before.  So they have the capacity to supply ARVs to persons living with HIV in Ghana,” he said. The National Aids Control Programme (NACP), the body responsible for keeping HIV in check,  failed to secure the US$1billion financial support it sought from the Global Fund to procure ARVs from 2012-2015. This means Government must now shoulder the financial burden for the purchase of the drugs. The Global Fund hitherto provided 90 percent of the funding for the purchase of anti-retroviral drugs, while the Government of Ghana’s contribution has mainly been in the form of capacity-building for health professionals involved in the treatment of HIV patients. By Dominick ANDOH  

  African governments must improve their support for agricultural research organisations, Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has said. “The need for action on agricultural research is urgent. African Governments must increase funding for agricultural research and extension; farmers’ innovations must find their way into the research agenda to enable Africa achieve its goal of food sufficiency,” Mr. Amissah-Arthur said in Accra at the opening ceremony of the 6th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW). AASW, hosted by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) in collaboration with the Government of Ghana, brought together over 1,300 scientific researchers, extension officers, farmers, policymakers, development partners, civil society and NGO groups from across the world to discuss the theme “Africa Feeding Africa through Agricultural Science and Innovation”. According to Mr. Amissah-Arthur: “We need to emphasise scientific research in agriculture, the application of scientific methods and sustainable technologies, innovation and policies based on scientific research.“Meeting the goal of poverty reduction requires increased agricultural productivity to raise incomes, reduce food prices and stimulate growth in other sectors.” According to Dr. Kanayo Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) who delivered the keynote address, over the past three decades agricultural productivity in Africa has been stagnant or in decline. “Funding to agriculture, to universities and to research centres fell steadily and steeply. To make matters worse, average global spending on agricultural research also fell. “The development of a Science Agenda for Agriculture in Africa, under the auspices of FARA, is an important step on the road to a strong agricultural sector. It is all the more important because it is Africa-owned and Africa-led. It holds the promise of African farmers and citizens reaping the benefits of African research,” he said. He added that the timing of the 6th Africa Agriculture Science Week is particularly pertinent, with the recommendations emanating having a critical role to play in shaping Africa’s agricultural science agenda over the next three years. The highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Africa Award for Excellence in Food Security and Poverty Reduction to President John Dramani Mahama by the Chairman of FARA, Dr. Tiemoko Yo. The award, which was received on behalf of the President by the Minister of Agriculture, Clement Kofi Humado, is the highest award by FARA to honour Ghana for its significant progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goal of halving poverty and hunger ahead of the 2015 deadline. Highlights of the five-day Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW) included the observation of Ghana Agricultural Science Day and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FARA and the African Union Commission (AUC).           By Richard Annerquaye ABBEY  

The President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Ms. Jane Karuku, has lauded the good working relationship between AGRA and Ghana which has seen her establishment invest US$40.3million in 56 projects across the country. Ms Karuku was in the country for five days when she participated in the 6th Africa Agriculture Science week organised by the Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa (FARA) and paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Mr. Clement Kofi Humado, at the Ministry last week. AGRA works across the African continent to help millions of small-scale farmers and their family lift themselves out of poverty and hunger, and has former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan as Board Chair. Ms. Karuku said AGRA is a granting mechanism created to break down barriers along the agriculture value chain that works across 16 African countries. Enumerating some of AGRA’s objectives and achievements, Ms Karuku said it supports the seed sector, where 15,000 agro-dealers link science and smallholder farmers; and it also assists them with market access, access to finance at lower rates as well as work with policies -- all in a bid to ensure food security and better incomes for smallholder farmers. She added that AGRA has engaged students at tertiary institutions like the University of Ghana in capacity-building programmes, numbering about 800 students, who were awarded certificates. Ms. Karuku identified policy problems as the bane to agriculture development in Africa, but lauded Ghana for making progress and introducing laws and policies that advance growth of the agriculture sector. For his part, the Minister of Food and Agriculture Kofi Humado also commended AGRA for its assistance to the agriculture sector -- especially in seed development, which he described as weak at the farmer level. He indicated that his ministry is the principal architect of the “Breadbasket” programme for Brong Ahafo and northern ecological zones to help reduce endemic poverty in that region. He noted that last season there was a lot of grain produced, but access to markets remains the major challenge. Consequently, he indicated that this year MOFA is focusing on market-access and stated that establishment of the National Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) was purposely to mop-up excess grain. Mr. Humado added that the capital outlay required by NAFCO is huge. He also mentioned the Savannah Marketing Company in Tamale is assisting in mopping-up the excess grains, and noted that the country requires a vibrant poultry, fish and piggery sub-sector to absorb the abundant grain being produced owing to the employment of modern agricultural methods by farmers. He said the Ministry is also looking at investing in technology like e-agriculture, and appealed to the private sector to assist with the provision of warehouses to store excess production. He concluded by saying that food security is a very big agenda that Governments alone cannot confront. He therefore called on everybody to come on board to ensure that the country achieves food security for its people. MOFA, he noted, is also investing heavily in the construction of warehouses.   By Konrad Kodjo Djaisi  

The West African Insurance Institute (WAII), the premier training body for insurance practitioners based in Banjul, Gambia, has appointed new executives for the 2013 -- 2015 academic years. The names listed to run the affairs are well-known insurance practitioners who have practiced the profession for decades. The names are Aaron Issa Anafure -- Vice Chairman of the Governing Council, Ghana. The rest are Everett Clark, Chairperson, Academic Board; Barrister O. Ladipo-Ajayi Chairman, Evaluation Committee, Nigeria. The Chairman of the Finance & Audit Review Committee, who is yet to be chosen, will be the representative from the Gambia. The appointing committee also named the following as Council members. They are, from Nigeria: Fola Daniel -- Commissioner, NAICOM; Rotimi Fashola -- MD IGI; Barrister Laide Osijo; Sakiru Oyefeso, Kola Adedeji and Steve Ojuguo; and Professor Mike Ikupolati -- WAII Director General and Secretary of the Council. Those from Ghana include Lydia Bawa, Commissioner National Insurance Commission (NIC); Gustav Siale, Managing Director, Ghana Reinsurance Company; Aaron Issa Anafure, MD, SIC Life; and Doris Awo Nkani, MD, SIC Insurance. Augustus Kanu; Commissioner of Insurance, Hassan Gbessay Kanu; Alice Onomake; and Solomon Samba all hail from Sierra Leone. The rest are Joseph Mills Jones, Governor, Central Bank of Liberia; Sam O. Mintah and Dan Naatehn from Liberia. Pa Alieu Sillah, Commissioner of Insurance, Gambia; Dawda Sarge; and Kwasu Darbo are all from Gambia -- as is William Coker, WAICA Secretary General. B&FT also learnt that a strong academic board has also been appointed. The members are O. Oladipo-Ajayi; F.K, Lawal; Dr. M.O. Ajala; Akin A. Ogunbiyi; and Oluyombo Bammeke, all from Nigeria. Frank Oppong-Yeboah and Ivan Avereyireh are from Ghana. Raymond Macualey and Ronald Hingston are from Sierra Leone, while Momo Fortune is coming from Liberia and Ebou Bittaye and Alimameh Jobarteh are from Gambia.                                    

Two bodies, the West Africa Monetary Institute (WAMI) and West Africa Insurance Companies Association (WIACA), will be meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, next week to push for an integration-agenda. The meeting of the bodies is to accelerate the process of setting a new agenda for all WAICA nations -- Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone to operate under the same regulatory framework. The Director-General of WAMI, Dr. Abwaku Euglama, disclosed this to B&FT in an interview last week. The Director General stressed that the need has come following the realisation that all WAICA member-countries operate under common rules. According to him, WAICA is the umbrella-body of all Anglophone insurance companies while WAMI is the body responsible for preparing the ground for a common currency for the sub-region in two years, to create a common regulatory framework on banking for players in the sector. He revealed that the insurance sector is the least developed in the sub-region, and the Abuja meeting will bring on-board Guinea. Dr. Enulama also revealed that the attempt to harmonise regulations will strengthen the cooperation and overall development within the insurance sector of West Africa. He said the idea is to make sure that laws which apply to insurance companies in Ghana apply to insurers in other states of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) Dr. Euglama explained further that currently Nigerian insurance companies have set up subsidiaries across the sub-region; as such, the integration will bring a lot to bear in terms of corporate governance. He revealed that the banking sector has already concluded its harmonisation process for a take-off of the union and the “Eco”, the common currency. He therefore, called on WAICA member-countries to collaborate in making the integration a reality.

The Board of Directors of Access Bank Plc, the parent company of Access Bank (Ghana) Limited, has appointed Mr. Herbert Wigwe as the new Group CEO designate of one of Africa’s largest banking institutions. Mr. Herbert Wigwe, 46, currently the Group Deputy Managing Director and Board Chairman of Access Bank (Ghana), will succeed Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede who will retire at the end of 2013 after eleven and a half years of outstanding performance. In line with the bank’s robust succession planning policies, Aigboje and Herbert will spend the next 6 months implementing a seamless handover. Mr. Wigwe’s appointment comes as no surprise, as he was one of the pioneering and founding members of Access Bank Plc in 2002.  Herbert has a complete understanding of Access Bank’s strategies, culture, technology and competitive environment, and has been instrumental in shaping the Bank’s remarkable transformation over the years. Importantly, he has strong relationships with the entire management team and customers of the bank. Under his leadership as Board Chair, Access Bank Ghana has witnessed phenomenal growth in key performance indicators over the past four years. The Bank has built enormous goodwill from the Ghanaian publics, as evidenced by the many industry awards it has won and its renewed vision to become one of the top-3 banks in Ghana. “We are pleased to hear of this announcement. Having worked with Mr. Wigwe in the last two years, we are convinced that his background and skills make him a perfect fit to lead Access Bank in its next chapter of transformation,” said Mr. Dolapo Ogundimu, Managing Director of Access Bank Ghana. Mr. Ogundimu added: “Ghana remains an important market for the Access Bank Group. With his understanding of the local market and business terrain, Herbert’s appointment will be useful in propelling the Bank to become one of the market leaders in this industry. “I am excited to take on this new role,” said Mr. Herbert Wigwe. “Access Bank has incredibly talented employees and is in a strong position to further its leadership in the industry. I look forward to leading Access Bank in the years ahead and helping to make it even stronger than it is today. I would like to thank the Board for their strong endorsement and the opportunity to lead this great institution. I look forward to meeting our employees, customers, and shareholders across our various markets in the weeks and months ahead.”   Prior to joining Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe served as an Executive Director responsible for Corporate Banking in Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.  In 2002, he resigned to join Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede in transforming Access Bank Plc as Group Deputy Managing Director. Herbert is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He also holds Masters Degrees in Banking and International Finance from the University College of North Wales and Financial Economics from the University of London respectively.  

Nwabiagya Rural Bank Limited at Barekese in the Ashanti Region has launched the celebration of its Silver Jubilee celebration, having chalked up 25 years of fruitful success in the rural banking industry. The Bank has officially opened the Silver Jubilee celebrations with a float through the principal streets of the central business district in Kumasi, on the theme ‘25 years of excellence in rural banking; the challenges of providing affordable and competitive financial service -- the journey to the top’. As part of activities to mark the official opening of the celebration, the Bank has made some donations to some orphanages in Ashanti Region. The Bank has donated some large quantities of assorted food items, drinks and toiletries worth over GH₵3,000 to the Missionaries of Charity New Life Home at Mbrom and the Offinso Training and Rehabilitation Centre for the Disabled in the Atwima Nwabigya District of the Ashanti Region. The donation, which was part of the corporate social responsibilities (CSR) of the bank, comes while the Nwabiagya Rural Bank is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of its establishment. Presenting the items to the heads of the two Centres, in their separate locations during the weekend, Nana Owusu  Sarfo  Anwona II, Board Chairman of the Bank, said the items -- though just a token -- are among other things to honor founding members of the Bank who had the genuine desire and goodwill to commit to the Bank’s establishment. He said the Bank has made much progress since it started, helping several individuals and businesses in the country -- for which reason it is currently ranked among the top-three rural banks in Ghana. He hinted that it will continue to improve upon its products and services to meet the growing needs of the numerous customers who have for all these years remained committed, and have rallied behind the Bank to get it where it is. The nun in charge of the Missionaries of Charity New Life Home at Mbrom, Sister Ellen, receiving the items on behalf of the inmates expressed her profound gratitude for the kind gesture of the Bank. By Kizito CUDJOE, Kumasi