Fishmongers in the Western Region have been introduced to a new fish smoking technology of using ovens that enhance their fish processing business. The ovens, which has been constructed for them by Kosmos Energy Ghana, an oil company as part of a social responsibility activity has roofing and heatproof, which ensure limited smoke that hitherto was a problem for the women. The ovens are energy efficient as less fuel is needed. It is also safe and more environmentally friendly. In addition to that, the company has constructed a facility where fish is kept on arrival from the shore for processing before smoking. Some women groups in Ankobra and Ekpu, in the Ellembele and the Jomoro districts have been trained on how to use the new technology. In all about 152 women involved in the fish smoking business have since been trained on the technology as well as on how to ensure business continuity during the lean fishing season and preventing post-harvest losses. They have consequently formed fishmonger associations so as to be able to use the facility. At a handing over ceremony, the Vice-president and Country Manager of Kosmos Energy Ghana, Mr Ken Keag, said: “Women in any society are central to its development.” He said the service provided by women in business could not be ignored; saying, “our support for their projects is an indication of our respect for the diverse people in our communities.” The Director of Corporate Affairs of Kosmos Energy Ghana, Mr George Sarpong said Kosmos believed in working together with its host communities to create value which was the right thing to do. The various women groups expressed appreciation for the gesture saying it marked a strong step towards growth for the fish processing business in the districts. They said their smoking areas, hitherto was not the best and was grateful for the training Kosmos has provided them. They acknowledged it would enable them to develop their businesses well.

  The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has threatened to adjust transport fares upwards if insurance companies pass on the Value Added Tax (VAT) on non-life insurance to transport operators. “Transport operators will be forced to adjust the fares accordingly should the premium on motor insurance go up,” the General Secretary of the GPRTU, Mr Steven Okudjeto, warned. Over the years, insurance companies have been excluded from VAT. However, the new VAT law now requires insurance companies to charge VAT on non-life insurance products, suggesting that the insurance on motor vehicles is likely to go up. The government in its quest to generate revenue seems to be increasing taxes at all levels. Some analysts have questioned the manner in which the government is taxing those already in the tax bracket. They have wondered why the government would not find innovative means to widen the tax bracket to rope in the millions who do not pay taxes but instead, have found ways to rather burden those who already pay transport. Transport operators will be justified, invariably, for their action because they are already burdened with a lot of hidden costs which goes to affect their profitability. For instance, due to the weakening cedi against the dollar, commercial vehicle operators are forced to pay more for the spare parts they buy to be able to keep their vehicle in shape. In many instances, this is not factored into their cost buildup. Their situation has been aggravated by the increase in petroleum products at the pumps every fortnight. Cost of insurance Mr Okudjeto told the GRAPHIC BUSINESS that the insurance cost had already gone up by 30 per cent, a situation which was already burdening operators and, therefore, should it go up again, the transport operators would not absorb the cost but adjust the fares accordingly. He said a lot of cost elements went into the adjustment of fares and, according to him, insurance cost was one of them. Mr Okudjeto, however, said the union was not aware of any intention of the insurance companies to charge VAT on non-life products.  Cost of spare parts The issue about spare parts is also said to be eating deep into the revenue of commercial transport operators. “The rising cost of spare parts is having a serious negative effect on the commercial transport business,” he said. Unfortunately, he said the GPRTU, despite its status as a private entity, did not have the power to implement their new charges until it was approved by the sector ministry. He said that was because the GPRTU was a limited liability entity that blended partnership and corporate structures. The Chairman for the Ghana Road Transport Coordination Council (GRTCC), Mr Ben Peprah Amoabeng, for his part, disclosed that “the GRTCC will cross the bridge when they get there.” He said if it happened that motor insurance went up, then they would look at adjusting the fares maybe within the first quarter of the year. New fares Mr Peprah also disclosed that after a period of deliberation between the GRTCC, GPRTU and the Ministry of Transport, new transport fares had been agreed and would take effect from yesterday January 27, 2014. He said the fares were increased by 20 per cent.  

A swift intervention by the Ashanti Regional Anti-Galamsey Taskforce saved a Chinese illegal miner from drowning after he jumped into an abandoned galamsey pit to escape arrest. Yuan Chen and two other colleagues have been operating at a mining site at Ampenkuro, near Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti region. He took to his heels on seeing members of the taskforce on an operation, and dived into a water–logged pit. Atwima Mponua is one of the district worst affected by illegal mining, resulting in heavy pollution of the Offin River and other streams. Several hectares of cocoa and other farmlands have been destroyed by Chinese and other foreign miners, leaving poor Ghanaian farmers helpless without compensation. Abandoned mine pits scattered over large expanse of land pose a danger to life and property in communities like Kotokuom, Anwiafutu, Moframfadwene, and Ampenkuro. The District Security Committee is overwhelmed by reports of residents falling into and dying in pits. Two Chinese, 24-year old Joshua Lee, Yuan Chen and a Russian were picked up by the Regional Anti-Galamsey Taskforce who stormed the area over the weekend. Lee, a former English student of Beijing City College was without any form of national identification had no passport or a work permit. According to him, he had been released from prisons two months ago before he joined the illegal mining wagon in the Atwima Mponua District. “The last time, I fought with some people and they took me to prison. I just came out of prison,” Lee claimed. When Immigration officials in the Regional Anti-Galamsey taskforce enquired about his passports, he replied, “I will go to the China embassy to get one”. District Chief Executive, Stephen Yeboah, told Nhyira FM some licensed mining firms have leased part of their concessions to illegal miners. He said such companies would be made to bear the cost of reclaiming the pits. “Every land in Atwima Mponua here where illegal mining is going on has owner according to the Minerals Commission. If you have property and you have allowed somebody to work on it and has left the pit, who should come and cover the pit for you? The owner of the concession [of course],” Mr. Yeboah insisted. Meanwhile, the Regional Security Council wants collaboration from all stakeholders in the fight against galamsey, as perpetrators get more sophisticated. Regional Security Liaison Officer, Bimpong Marfo revealed that illegal Chinese miners have changed their modus operandi as they now work in the night.

  The first meeting of the Second Session of Sixth Parliament of the forth Republic of Ghana opened in Accra Tuesday morning, with Speaker Edward Doe Adjaho announcing that he has received "a number of petitions" on Ghana's Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) agenda. In a statement welcoming lawmakers from the Christmas and the New Year break, the Speaker said, "I have taken note of the fact that the Biosafety Act, 831, which was enacted in 2011 made provisions for the establishment of a regulatory body that is the National Biosafety Authority to deal with most of the concerns raised in those petitions.” The Speaker's comments came just hours after some Ghanaians took to the streets to demand immediate withdrawal of the Plant Breeders Bill from Parliament. Although the bill seeks basically to create a legal regime to grant and protect the rights of people in the business of breeding new plan varieties, critics of the Bill say the proposed legislation could endanger the lives of Ghanaians as well as compromise Ghana's food security. In a direct response to those concerns, the Speaker quoted relevant sections of the Biosafety Act at today’s sitting of Parliament in an attempt to allay the fears of critics of the Ghana's GMO agenda. He said, "Indeed, the objectives of the Act in Section 2 are: a) to ensure an adequate level of protection in the field of safe development, transfer, handling and use of genetically modified organisms, resulting from biotechnology that may have adverse effect on health and the environment, and b) to establish a transparent and predictable process to review and make decisions on genetically modified organisms specified in paragraph (a) and related activities.” Whilst drawing the attention of critics of the Plant Breeders Bill to the provisions of the Biosafety Act, the Speaker said it was import that Parliament considered the concerns of those opposed to GMOs in Ghana. He, therefore, referred the "matter to leadership [of Parliament] to consider and advice the Chair accordingly". The Speaker fell short of giving a deadline for the Leadership of the House to submit its report. Incidentally, Tuesday’s Order Paper of Parliament had advertised the Plant Readers Bill for scrutiny at the Consideration stage. However, the House did not take the Bill through the advertised stage. The Majority bench did not assign any reason for failing to take the Bill through the consideration stage at Tuesday’s sitting.  

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Bekwai, Madam Mary Juantuah, has challenged people to be development oriented and support moves towards development, instead of depending on the government alone for development initiatives in the country. She said there was the need for all stakeholders in the country to contribute their quota towards the development of the country, irrespective of which area it was coming from. Madam Juantuah made the call when she interacted with various stakeholders in the transport industry in Bekwai-Ashanti. The interaction was to discuss the laying of pavement blocks at the Bekwai Lorry Station, which is currently in a very deplorable state. There are potholes at the station, while it is very dusty, a situation that affects both traders and other users. The pavement project, estimated to cost GH¢488,000, is being funded through the municipality’s share of the Urban Development Grant and is expected to be completed in six months. There were representatives from the Public Works Department, the Ghana Highway Authority, the Department of Feeder Roads, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, Progressive Transport Owners Association and the Association of Garages. Another issue that was discussed was the relocation plan. The MCE said everything was being done to ensure that the people of Bekwai had a affair share of the national cake. She appealed to the various stakeholders involved in the project to support the assembly in its bid to improve the status of roads and other infrastructure in the municipality. Madam Juantuah said the successful completion of the project would not only enhance easy movement but improve upon sanitation and drainage systems at the station. The General Secretary of the GPRTU in Bekwai, Mr Joseph Boakye-Yiadom, commended the assembly for the initiative to put the lorry station into good shape and pledged the support of the drivers’ union to ensure smooth and early completion of the project. The Bekwai-Accra-Mankesim-Cape Coast Chairman of  the GPRTU appealed to the various stakeholders involved in the project to expedite action to ensure early completion to avoid inconveniencing the users of the park.

THE chiefs and people of Tanyigbe-Anyigbe in the Ho municipality of the Volta Region have launched a three-year development programme estimated at GH¢600, 000 that will give a facelift to the town and also improve on the standard of living of the people. The projects earmarked are roadworks aimed at opening up the area, covering the rehabilitation of major streets of the town to check erosion and to give concrete pavement to identified streets. Access roads will also be constructed to link new settlements. Bridges will be constructed across a stream, to open up the area for the extension of electricity and other amenities. In addition, the people had planned to install a public address system that would enhance communication in the town, thus relieving ‘gong-gong’ beaters of the physical strains they usually go through when disseminating information. The address system will also be used to rally citizens for meetings and other events. Launching the programme, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive, Mrs Fafa Akua Adinyira, commended the people for charting the path of self-help development because it was required more than ever since the country had attained the middle level income status and donors had withdrawn grants and aids to the nation. She pledged the support of the municipal assembly to ensure that their strategies were effectively implemented for the success of the programme. The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho-Central, Mr Benjamin Kpodo, said the launch of the programme was a great relief to him, saying that it signified a renewal of communal spirit that had flourished in the area in the past. He, therefore, commended the people and asked them to accelerate the tempo to enable them to catch up with neighbouring communities, adding that the development projects would certainly change the lifestyle of the people. Mr Kpodo advised the youth to devote their energies into productive ventures than wasting them on gambling and playing of cards and other frivolous activities that would bring no gain to them and the community. The chief of the town , Togbe Kwami Akoto V, appealed to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), Department of Feeder Roads, the Tanyigbe Youth Association and benevolent organisations to extend support to enable them to quickly execute the projects. He said equipment such as bulldozers, road graders, tipper trucks, loaders and technical expertise would be needed, adding that they were prepared to provide fuel for all equipment. Togbe Akoto disclosed that all families in the town had been levied towards the project and that more than GH¢25,100 had been generated for a kick start. In an address read on his behalf, the paramount chief of Tanyigbe traditional area, Togbe Kwasi Adiko V, commended the community for a progressive initiative and wholeheartedly endorsed it. “I urge every community to initiate some development action in the divisions and elsewhere. We can then all be better persons ourselves, for the society and the nation at large,” stressed. In a message, the Ngoryifia, Major–General Henry Anyidoho (retd), commended the people for rising to the challenges of meeting their development needs.

  The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) will take delivery of two vessels at the end of this month to enhance turnaround time in the transportation of manganese. The move is also expected to improve revenue mobilisation for the state as well as the companies involved. With the two vessels, Floating Storage Unit (FSU), in place, Ghana Manganese would be expected to increase its current exportable tonnage from 45,000 to more than 100,000. Speaking to the media at Takoradi, the acting Director of the Takoradi Port, Capt. J. Owusu Koranteng, said the FSU vessel would be positioned at the anchorage within 3.5 nautical miles, “safe from the port’s navigational approaches.” He said after successfully positioning the FSU, an accompanying shuttle vessel, which can carry up to 9,000 tonnes of manganese at a time, would then stockpile the manganese in the FSU for the ocean going vessels to load. Benefits Captain Koranteng said the arrival of the vessels would ensure fast loading of bigger tonnages and eliminate buoys, which was always hotly contested for by the vessels calling for manganese clinker and bauxite. He said currently, part of the cargo from the GMC was loaded at the manganese wharf and movement was difficult. “However, with the FSU vessel, the accompanying shuttle—which is about 130 metres long—will replace all the barges which had to do several trips,” he said. Captain Koranteng said the other benefit was that the operations of the FSU would be outside the main port, which means  more space for other activities. “For all intent and purposes, the project is expected to go a long way to have a positive effect on the efficiency of bulk cargo shipment in the port for revenue mobilisation,” he added. Tonnage before the new technology He said the FSUs were designed in a way that could withstand the transshipment in high seas and in rough weather and that its arrival was long over due. He added that the focus of the port was to ensure an increase in the volume of exported cargo with room turnaround time. “Some time ago, the exported cargo was as little as 630,000 tonnes per annum and by dint of hard work within last two years GMC has increased to two million tonnes.” He said it was important that the GMC was collaborating with the GPHA to increase their volume from the two million tonnes to more than four million tonnes. “It is informative to note that when cargo increases through the port, it means more opportunity for labour and other job opportunities as well as revenue to the state through GPHA and GMC,” he said. For his part, the Port Operations Manager of GMC, Mr James N.A. Attoh, said: “We will be loading 60,000 tonnes, 70,000 and 100,000 tonnes with monster of a vessel with a depth of more than 17 and 18 meters,” he said.  

Accra Market Limited, owner and operator of the Kaneshie Market Complex and car park, has made a donation for the procurement of 100 bags of cement to aid the construction of an office building for the Kaneshie Divisional Police Headquarters at a short ceremony at the construction site at Kaneshie. Making the donation, the Managing Director of Accra Markets Limited,Mr Kofi Duffuor Addae, explained that the company appreciated and recognised the critical role of the police as security watchdogs of the nation, especially their proactive initiative to contain crime at the Kaneshie division and the excellent cordial relations the company had established with the complex. Receiving the donation, Chief Superintendent Ernest Owusu, the Kaneshie Divisional Commander, expressed their appreciation for the donation and called on other benevolent organisations to emulate the example of Accra Market.

THE police have arrested 13 suspected land guards for allegedly terrorising residents of Denchira in the Ga South municipality. They include Nii Lante Lamptey, a pastor; Yussif Okine,  Adzomli Moses,  both drivers;  Ali Adams, a scrap dealer; Bernard Monney, a labourer and  Ibrahim  Zion, a painter. Others are Ibrahim Yabari,  Abukarim Yahaya,  Alhassan Zakari,  all traders;  Dolami Seidu, a plumber and Davor Seth, an operator;  Abubakari Ayube and James Mawuli, both businessman. Weapons retrieved from them included a pump action gun, a single-barrel gun, six cutlasses, a locally manufactured gun, 11 cartridges and a knife. Media briefing Briefing the media in Accra yesterday, the Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Christian Tettey Yohuno, said on January 25, 2014, the police received information that land guards were terrorising residents of Denchira. He said personnel were quickly dispatched to the area, and successfully arrested the 13 suspects are in police custody pending their prosecution. Regional Commander Cautions Mr Yohuno gave an assurance that the police would not relent in its efforts to clamp down on the activities of robbers and deviants in society. “The police will continue to wage war on criminals and land guards in Accra and beyond in order to get rid of them,” he added. DCOP Yohuno reiterated the service’s commitment to protect lives and properties and cautioned those who engaged the services of land guards to put an end to it. He advised that if anyone had issues involving land disputes, the fellow should go to court for redress and avoid engaging the services of land guards.

The University of Pennsylvania has released the 2013 international ranking of think tanks, putting IMANI Ghana at number four in Africa, up from the eighth position it occupied last year. That was after the oldest and most prestigious think tank rating system in the world, dating back to the late 1980s, had co-ordinated the inputs of nearly 2,000 leading experts in the world and after assessing the work of nearly 7,000 think tanks globally. A report released by the university  showed that though only two more Ghanaian think tanks – IMANI and ISSER - made the overall top 150 think tanks in the world segment of the rankings, more Ghanaian institutions emerged prominent when certain filters were used to balance the wide variations in budgets and national support received by different think tanks in different parts of the world. For example, when the field is restricted to only think tanks in sub-Saharan Africa, as many as six Ghanaian think tanks feature, ranging from institutions best known for their effective advocacy, such as ISODEC, to more research-biased ones like CEPA. What is clear, though, is that think tanks that effectively combine both research and advocacy score higher points than those that excel in only one dimension, a fact that may have accounted for IMANI climbing four steps higher from its 2012 position to fourth, while CDD placed 13th, with ISODEC placing 49th. When the experts picked the 80 top think tanks from around the world that maintain some focus on the domestic economy in their regions of operation, five African think tanks made it, with IMANI following closely behind the Kenyan Institute for Public Policy Research & Analysis (KIPPRA) as the top performers. Despite their strong showing in the general index of top-ranked African institutions, Ghanaian think tanks, except IMANI, were unfortunately missing in some important specialised categories, such as skilful use of social networks, emphasis on innovative solutions, building of linkages in other regions with other institutions and direct impact on public policy, the report points out. IMANI was also the only think tank from Ghana to feature on the global list of best think tanks with an annual operating budget of less than $5 million, ranking eighth internationally, as well as on the list of the 100 best think tanks operating outside the United States of America. Commendably, the CDD joined IMANI on the list of the “80 top think tanks to watch in the world”, ranking 43rd, while IMANI ranked 30th, according to the report. The question is whether think tanks and institutions like them in this country can truly make an impact in ways that promote socio-economic transformation through broad-based development. It is not enough to design great research and lead forceful advocacy on the issues, as the likes of IMANI, ISODEC and the CDD have been doing with great success all this while. And it is certainly not enough to conduct research and advocacy with world-class flair so as to be recognised internationally. What is most important is the capacity and ingenuity to channel that advocacy and research into mechanisms that steadily change the practical conduct of national affairs for the better.

The communications Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Mr Robert Coleman, has called on Ghanaians to join hands with the company and other waste and sanitation management companies to strive to meet the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goal (MDG7) on Environmental Sustainability by the year 2015. Mr Coleman was speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic to outline the vision and plans the company had developed in order to meet the target of improving basic sanitation in the country. “A New Year does not bring along an improvement in sanitation but a change in attitude brings an improved environment,” he said According to Mr Coleman, attitudinal change was key if the country was to meet its goals on sanitation, adding that all must strive to complement the efforts of Zoomlion “by changing our attitude and adopting better lifestyle towards the environment.” He expressed worry about bad sanitation practices in which people dumped refuse indiscriminately into gutters with impunity, littered everywhere, dumped refuse at unauthorised places, defecated into polythene bags and threw them into drains, among others, stressing that such behaviours would not aid to improve sanitation in the country. He called on the municipal, metropolitan and district assemblies (MMDAs) to amend their byelaws on sanitation and establish sanitation courts in their localities to deal expeditiously with persons who engaged in improper sanitary practices to serve as a deterrent to others. “All environmental health officers in the assemblies should intensify inspection of premises and drains in front of shops, houses, commercial institutions and summon such outfits which did not keep their environment clean to the courts for prosecution,” he said Mr Coleman expressed the view that “if we invoke our byelaws and crack the whip, people will change their attitudes.” He called on chiefs, religious and opinion leaders to help the assemblies in which they resided to organise periodic cleanup exercises and educate their people to adhere to proper sanitation practices. Plans to transform the sanitation situation. On the vision and plans to transform the sanitation situation to meet the MDG7 target, Mr Coleman said the company had recognised that the final disposal sites and the points of collection were usually far apart and intended to construct transfer stations in such localities in order to facilitate the easy collection and haulage of waste. The transfer stations, he said, would serve as temporary dumpsites before transporting the waste to the landfill sites or compost plants, usually, at night. Mr Coleman said the company also intended to embark on massive cleanup exercises in areas where filth had engulfed the surroundings and also use the opportunity to engage the people on the need to change their attitude by organising durbars at market centres, lorry stations etc. That, according to him, would be done together with the Information Services Department of the Ministry of Information, adding that the company would deal swiftly with the plastic bag menace in the country this year by setting up plastic recycling plants in most assemblies to recover the plastics from the environment. Meanwhile, he said, work had started on the construction of the Kumasi compost plant to enhance waste collection and disposal in the city.“Improving sanitation is a shared responsibility and we must all help the government to succeed,” he added. Adjin Kotoku and Abokobi dump sites Mr Coleman said work was still going on at the Adjin Kotoku Composite and Recycling plant, adding that the facility receive a lot of refuse trucks daily. “We do a lot of separation of the waste, plastics, card boards and rubber materials which are further processed into organic materials, such as fertiliser, for plant use,” he said. Concerning the Abokobi dumpsite, Mr Coleman said the company was currently liaising with the assembly members to see how best they could decommission the place to be used for recreational purposes.  “We are aware that the Abokobi dumpsite is full to capacity so we are working with the authorities to see if we could replicate what was done at the former Mallam dumpsite at the place,” he said. He said all waste materials were currently sent to the Tema engineered sanitation landfill site at Kpone which was jointly managed by the company and the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA). 

  A professor of biology, Sir Brian Heap, has advised Ghana to position itself as a major producer of food crops to the rest of the world by taking advantage of its arable land to do large scale agriculture. According to him, by doing so, Ghana will not only be self-sufficient in food production but a net exporter, a position which can also help ensure trade balance. “Ghana is in a unique position to contribute to the world because food demand is going to grow two fold in the next 50 years. So we need to produce more food on the land we already have available in abundance,” Sir Heap, the president of the European Academies Science Advisory Council and a Research Associate at the Centre for Development Studies, Cambridge UK, told the Graphic Business in an exclusive interview. There are reports which indicate that in the next 50 years the global population is going to go up by another two billion. According to the Word Food Programme, there are already 850 million people we cannot feed, a situation which raises the question about how to feed an additional two billion in the next half a century on top of the 850 million. While some are advocating the use conventional means to increase food production to be able to meet the growing demand for food all over the world, others are vehemently against any such practice, particularly the use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in food production. But Sir Heap who is also the head of Biosciences for Farming in Africa (B4FA) is of the view that “conventional plant breeding will be essential” if Ghana is to position itself to leverage the impeding situation at hand. Conventional agriculture Conventional plant breeding refers to the method of growing edible plants (such as fruit and vegetables) and other products. It is opposite to organic growing methods which attempt to produce without synthetic chemicals (fertilisers, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones) or genetically modified organisms. Conventionally grown products, meanwhile, often use fertilisers and pesticides which allow for higher yield, out of season growth, greater resistance, greater longevity and a generally greater mass. Sir Heap is of the view that if Ghana has large acres of arable land, then that should be “good news for the world because it opens up a huge opportunity not for Ghana only to develop conventional plant breeding and use conventional technologies in food production but also move to areas of recent development.” Ghana in its quest to move agriculture to the next level is in the process of passing a bill dubbed “The Plant Breeders Bill” to, among other things, protect and encourage plant breeders to do more for the agricultural sector. Although the government has come under a barrage of criticisms for introducing the bill in Parliament, Sir Heap is of the view that the move rather “puts you in a strong position.” Introducing GMOs in Ghana Among others, the introduction of GM foods is to increase crop yield. In Ghana, many wonder why the need to introduce GM foods because there is evidence that, a chunk of the food produced in the country already go waste. Against this background, they are of the view that more food will go waste if measures are not put in place to ensure that the harvested crops leave the farms to the market place. In the Western, Ashanti and the Northern regions in particular where foods in grown on a large scale, most of the farms do not have access roads to enable the trucks to easily cart the food to the areas where there is demand. “It is essential that we don’t consider GMOs in isolation because it will be a disaster”, Sir Brian said. “It has to be considered in the context of other things such as infrastructure so there has to be good transport systems, there has to be systems to provide information to the farmers as to how to grow these things and what modifications they need to make to their management systems”, he added. Sir Brian said “So it’s important to look at this in a holistic way and not simply isolate biotech.” He admitted that GMO not a silver bullet it’s part of a number of tools that can be used to increase food production to meet the growing demand presently and for the future. Why opposition to GMOs Sir Brian explained that “sometimes it is because people think there is something strange about the GM plants. We have to remember that with conventional plant breeding which people have been doing for many hundreds of years by crossing one species with another or crossing one variety with another to produce a hybrid, for example. What happens is that huge numbers of genes are transferred to hundreds of thousands of genes and in some cases parts of chromosomes.” He noted that “now the step taken is a much more precise way to know the genes you are transferring and the nature of it and where it is likely to go and the effect it will have.” He added: “So there is some misunderstanding about what genetic engineers are trying to do. Some think it’s strange because it might produce some strange mutation type products of something we have never seen before.” “But we need to understand that with conventional plant breeding it takes years and years, 10 years or so by repeated crossing or selection to get the plant you want,” he said. Sir Brian further noted that “With genetic engineering, there is a huge amount of testing that has to go into it to ensure that it is absolutely safe and it is the plant you want at the end of the day.” He also indicated that “in that sense there is not much difference between the two techs and as I said there is a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of people are giving wrong information about the process.” How to change negative perception According to Sir Brian, it is the duty of scientists to explain more about what they are doing so people can understand and also be able to explain to the lay public who do not have any science training. It is expected that the proponents of the idea will engage in a more massive campaign to explain the issues to the understanding of all so that people can make a case for or against GMOs using facts, rather than conjectures.  

The Vice-President,  Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur has deplored the manner in which human activities have led to the wanton destruction of the environment. Environment Describing the environment as an inheritance, he said its continued depletion posed a threat to the survival of humanity and pointed out that the activities of illegal miners  had become an albatross and disrespect for the environment,  which is a gift from God. Mr Amissah-Arthur expressed these sentiments in Accra last Friday when a couple, Mrs Sophia Awortwi and Rev. Harry Awortwi, launched a book entitled “Mind Your Environment: It is Your Life Support.” The 201-page book has been dedicated to the preservation of the environment as it makes a case for the need to protect and conserve the environment for human habitation. The Vice-President, who was the special guest of honour, said: “We have a divine duty to protect the diversity of the ecosystem from destruction.” He lauded the authors for their effort and expressed the hope that the book would serve as a learning material from which students could draw useful lessons. Author Mrs Awortwi, who is a retired educationist, explained that the purpose of the book was to draw the attention of the citizenry to the fact that the care of the environment depended on them. She said the idea to write the book was conceived about 19 years ago and that after her university education she took interest in educating people on environment-related issues. Mrs Awortwi’s interest in environmental issues has earned her recognition throughout the country. Chapters The book has 17 chapters and various topics, including  those on pollution and environmental changes, noise pollution, climate change and global warming, waste management, women and the environment.   Writer’s email: [email protected]

The Volta River Authority (VRA) yesterday painted a gloomy picture of the future of energy supply, saying consumers should brace themselves up for tougher times in 2015. The Communications Manager of Volta River Authority (VRA), Mr Sam Fletcher, said the water level of the Akosombo Dam was very discouraging and the situation could get worse if the nation did not experience good rainfall this year. Speaking on Joy FM yesterday, Mr Fletcher underscored the need for stakeholders in the energy sector to step up efforts to instal more thermal plants to prevent a possible power  crisis. VRA plants The VRA is the dominant power generator in Ghana. It owns and operates the 1020-megawatt (MW) Akosombo hydroelectric plant, the 160-MW Kpong hydroelectric plant, the 330-hydroelectric TAPCO, the 130-MW Takoradi thermal 3 (T3) plant at Aboadze and the 126-megawatt Tema TI plant.  The VRA also operates the 80-megawatt mines reserve plant and the 50-megawatt Siemens plant, both in Tema. Challenge in 2015  Mr Fletcher said “today I can tell you that the water level in the Akosombo Dam is not encouraging. So I am anticipating that if the rains do not become better this year, in 2015, we will have a challenge; the dam might fail (to produce power) to some extent”. Officials of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum sounded the alarm bells about the predicament of the Akosombo Dam following the poor rainfall in 2013. At a meeting with journalists in Tamale in October 2013, the Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said unless there was good rainfall, the nation could face serious problems in 2015 and 2016. GRIDCo’s position Last week, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) said power supply shortfalls from GRIDCo had prompted the company to embark on emergency power management. But, in an interview, the Public Relations Officer of GRIDCo, Mr Albert Quainoo, said it could not be blamed for the power cuts being experienced by customers in most parts of the country. According to Mr Quainoo, the power situation would be stable soon. He said with the current maintenance works and upgrading of equipment being carried out by power producers, the country had a bright future in terms of energy production ahead.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has stated that financial constraints are hindering efforts to execute an agriculture census in rural areas. According to the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Clement Kofi Humado, the agricultural census has not been carried out in the past 20 years and it has resulted in a gap in the presentation of agricultural data in the country. Agricultural census The minister was speaking at a meeting on agricultural data and information systems. It was organised by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Accra. The meeting sought to reflect on the development of agriculture data and information systems in the country. “The situation is affecting presentation of data on growth of agricultural GDP, data for planning agriculture and many others,” Mr Humado added. Gaps To strengthen the agricultural statistics system, he said, the ministry conducted an improved survey known as the Ghana Agricultural Production Survey (GAPS). This was done to provide a more accurate, reliable and timely agricultural production at the district, regional and national levels for decision making. The minister said GAPS provided a detailed coverage of agricultural production activities, including vegetables, tree crops, livestock rearing and many others in 20 districts over two cropping seasons, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013. The 20 districts, included the Amansie West, Sekyere Afram Plains, Dormaa East and the Techiman municipality. He stated further that district information and communication infrastructure in the 20 districts needed to be upgraded to improve data collection and management under GAPS. Commitment MoFA, Mr Humado said, had shown a lot of interest and commitment towards the success of the GAPS. He added that MoFA trained 100 district agricultural statistical officers (DASO) for the GAPS in the 20 districts and the officers were mandated to collect and process data from the field. The Government Statistician, Dr Philomena Nyarko, said comprehensive information on the structure of the agricultural sector could be achieved through an agriculture census. “Data from agriculture census will be a valuable monitoring and planning tool for the government and other development actors,” she said. She said the agricultural census would provide an up-to-date sampling frame and establish solid systems for regular production and dissemination of reliable agricultural statistics.

The Minister of Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs, Dr Henry Seidu Danaa, has stated that attempts to amend the Chieftaincy Act are aimed at refining the law to meet all challenges confronting the chieftaincy institution in modern times. He said when power was delegated to chiefs, they were expected to use it to assist the government in bringing law and order in their jurisdictions, adding that issues such as galamsey mining and Indian hemp cultivation could be controlled under the ambit of effective chieftaincy authority. According to him, the new version of the law states that those who refused to respond to the summons of chiefs would be liable for prosecution. Dr Danaa was addressing the first meeting of the year of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs at Ho last weekend. He said the government was committed to fashioning out proposals to transform the chieftaincy institution, which has existed for more than 200 years, to make it more relevant to the Ghanaian society and the international community. He, therefore, urged all to work together to bring modernisation into the chieftaincy practice, such as the proposal to admit queens into the regional and national house of chiefs. Dr Danaa said all elevations of traditional councils would be conducted in a manner devoid of rancour and added that some traditional areas had paramount chiefs without traditional councils and once the name of a paramount chief appeared in the regional house of chiefs, they were recognised. In an address, the President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs and Agbogbomefia of Asogli, Togbe Afede XIV, said the house so far had 59 permanent members, from the original 15. He added that all the 118 paramount chiefs would become permanent by the end of the year. He, however, gave the condition that all traditional areas must have well furnished secretariats with furniture and equipment and that all chiefs should attend their traditional council meetings. Togbe Afede disclosed that there were 28 chieftaincy conflicts pending and expressed the hope that there would be enough understanding and collaboration with the standing committee to ensure their resolution by the end of the year. On development projects, he announced that a contractor had been identified for the new airport project in Ho and work was expected to begin soon, while work was also progressing steadily on the construction of facilities for the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS). He advised chiefs to provide the requisite leadership to inspire their people to enable them to partake in the development process in their communities. The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, called on chiefs and queens to be patient because the government had so many good things in mind for the region. He acknowledged their support for him and his deputy and also commended them for remaining calm even in the face of agitating issues. For his part, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, who was on a two-day duty tour of the region, expressed regret on the state of Kpando Stadium and said there was a proposal to rehabilitate the stadium in view of its use as the grounds for premier league encounters. He asked all stakeholders to make inputs into proposals for a new stadium for the region—whether the new one proposed for UHAS should serve that purpose or that the old sports stadium should rehabilitated in addition to the new one proposed for UHAS. He later inspected a 53.36 acres of land earmarked for a sports complex in Ho, which is already saddled with encroachment by estate developers.   Mr Afriyie-Ankrah appealed to chiefs to pray for the Black Stars as the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup got nearer, because the Stars were in a tough group.

A 29-year-old man who allegedly defrauded more than 30 people of thousands of cedis under the pretext of recruiting them into the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has been arrested. The suspect, Ransford Koranteng, is said to have charged each victim GH¢3,000 which the prospective customs officers were paying in installments. Contract letter Briefing journalists in Accra, the Chief Revenue Officer of the Customs Division, Mr Seidu Iddrisu, said the suspect deceived the victims that he was an agent for the GRA. The suspect, according to the Mr Iddrisu, took the original certificates of some of the victims. The victims were also said to have been sent to a forensic laboratory where their fingerprints were scanned with a view of making the recruitment exercise look credible. Mr Iddrisu said some of the victims received “contract of employment” letters and were asked to wait for their appointment letters which were to be issued by the government. Arrested with support of victims He said the suspect was arrested last Friday after the Intelligence Unit of the GRA lured the suspect with the help of some of the victims whom the suspect had scheduled a meeting with. Mr Iddrisu cautioned the public to be alert in order not to fall victim to such fraudsters and indicated that the Customs Division of the GRA had not mandated any agent to undertake a recruitment exercise on its  behalf. “GRA does not recruit through any agency. When we are recruiting, we do not take any money.” Victims tell their story One of the victims, who gave her name only as Elinam, said she had paid GH¢1,500 as part payment for the GH¢3,000 charge and an additional GH¢100 for the fingerprints exercise. “I realised that he was a fraudster when a friend’s father who works at Customs saw the contract letter and confirmed that it was not coming from the GRA,”  she lamented. Another victim, Jessica Ativui, a senior high school graduate, who related the same experience, said she had paid GH¢1,750 while a third victim had parted with  GH¢700.

The Wassa East District Security Committee (DISEC) last Saturday swooped on illegal gold miners who had returned to the Pra River to continue their illicit gold mining activities. The illegal miners, popularly referred to as “galamseyers”, returned to base after an earlier national security clampdown on them last year. Seven huge floating “galamsey” platforms mounted in the middle and along the banks of the river were destroyed by the DISEC team. The exercise followed a Daily Graphic publication that the activities of the illegal gold miners had resulted in siltation at the intake point of the Daboase Water Treatment Plant. The team extended the exercise to Sekyere Didiso, a cocoa farming community, where the illegal miners had cut down some cocoa trees to indulge in their activities. Shortage of water A visibly shocked Wassa East District Chief Executive, Mr Anthony Emmanuel Aggrey, said residents of the Wassa East, Shama and Sekondi/Takoradi areas were currently facing an acute water shortage as a result of the siltation of the intake point of the treatment plant. He said the intake points at Bosumase, Heiman and Daboase which supplied water for treatment to parts of the Central Region, notably the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo- Abrem District, were all choked. For her part, the Wassa East Co-ordinating Director, Mrs Rachel Fosua  Sarpong, said the exercise, although expensive, had to be sustained to rid the area of illegal gold miners. She stressed the need for collaboration among all the adjoining districts and other stakeholders to preserve the Pra River from further pollution. click to watch video on destruction of galamsey operations on Pra river

Accra, January 27, 2014   -   Prof. Ernest Dumor, father of Komla Dumor, accompanied by family members, on Sunday 26th January 2014 called on the President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV to inform him formally about the passing of his son which occurred in London on Saturday 18th January 2014. Receiving Professor Dumor, Togbe Afede XIV described the news as heartbreaking and said that he and the whole of the Volta Region House of Chiefs would stand firmly behind the family in all that the family would be doing in respect of the funeral. Professor Dumor indicated that the family had taken a decision to bring Komla back home to Ghana for his burial. He added that documentation associated with transporting the body back to Ghana was far advanced. The family used the opportunity to once again thank Ghanaians for their support, love and prayers. Prof. Dumor said, “We are mindful of the worldwide legacy that Komla has left behind and thank the Almighty God for the impact of Komla’s life.”Professor Dumor added that he has been particularly struck by how deeply young people have been expressing their sympathies. The family would ensure that in the arrangements for the funeral, the involvement of such young people is not overlooked. The family is undertaking the consultations needed so that the numerous people who feel a deep sense of loss at Komla’s passing are able to participate meaningfully in his final journey.Present at the meeting with the President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs was Togbi Amenya Fiti V, Paramonunt Chief of Aflao.

  The Ghana News Agency (GNA) has signed a partnership agreement with the News Agency of Italy, or Agenzia Italia (AGI), for collaboration in a number of areas, including the exchange of news and technical co-operation. The agreement, the first of its kind involving the GNA and a foreign news agency, would enhance the two-way flow of news and information between Ghana and Europe, as well as exchange programmes for the sharing of experiences by journalists from the two news organisations. Speaking during the signing ceremony at the GNA headquarters in Accra, Dr Bernard Otabil, General Manager of the GNA, who initialled for his organisation, described the event as “a turning point in the history of the Agency”. He said in addition to enhancing their credibility, the partnership would also enable both agencies serve the information needs of their people better and promote the cause of development. He thanked the AGI delegation for their expression of confidence in the GNA, and said the agreement would help improve the performance of both the GNA and the AGI. Dr Otabil also commended the Italian Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Laura Carpini, who had played a significant role in making the partnership between the two news agencies possible. On his part, Mr Gianni Di Giovanni, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AGI said the agreement would allow the two countries to strengthen their relationship, as well as foster cultural co-operation. Mr Di Giovanni said the GNA was established around the same period as the AGI, and that with same reputation, they would be able to positively impact the dissemination of news worldwide. He said the AGI was currently embarking on an international expansion drive, and that the collaboration with GNA and other African news organisations was an important aspect of the initiative. Ms Laura Carpini, Italian Ambassador to Ghana, noted that the agreement between the AGI and GNA would further strengthen the bilateral relations between Ghana and Italy. The ambassador further indicated that the two countries were socially, culturally and economically related and that her mission would be looking forward for new areas of partnership between the people of Ghana and Italy. She congratulated the GNA and the AGI on the agreement reached, saying that it would allow for the free flow of information not just between Ghana and Italy but to other parts of the world as well. Mr Reginald Laryea, Chairman of the GNA Board of Directors, noted that Italy had proved to be one of Ghana’s reliable supporters in many ways. “The signing of this agreement today is a concrete confirmation of that relationship”, he added. Mr Laryea said the exchange of news between the GNA and AGI was a significant move, especially for Ghanaians resident in Italy. Other members of the AGI delegation from Italy were Mr Alessandro Pica, General Manager and Mr Roberto Iadicicco, Editor-in-Chief of the agency.