The Ga Traditional Council has dissociated itself from the coalition of Concerned Ga Chiefs who are demanding the removal of Accra Mayor Dr. Alfred Vanderpuije.In a statement, Acting President of the council, Nii Dodoo Nsaki, condemned the chiefs for attacking the integrity of the Mayor without basis.The chiefs at a news conference Thursday, called for the removal of Alfred Vanderpuije as Mayor of Accra, citing lack of co-oporation with the Ga people, and corruption allegations as reasons for the call.But the Ga Traditional Council said the “people who organised the press conference are not members of the Ga Traditional Council” and must be dis-regarded.The statement also indicated that the Ga Traditional Council did not approve of the use of the council's premises for the conference, and hence the public must not be deceived into thinking that they back the call to remove Alfred Vanderpuije."We wish to say that we appreciate and acknowledge the good works of the Mayor of Accra and pledge our full support for him, in his national development agenda for the Accra Metropolis", the statement said.Source: Myjoyonline.com

The Ga Traditional Council has dissociated itself from the coalition of Concerned Ga Chiefs who are demanding the removal of Accra Mayor Dr. Alfred Vanderpuije.In a statement, Acting President of the council, Nii Dodoo Nsaki, condemned the chiefs for attacking the integrity of the Mayor without basis.The chiefs at a news conference Thursday, called for the removal of Alfred Vanderpuije as Mayor of Accra, citing lack of co-oporation with the Ga people, and corruption allegations as reasons for the call.But the Ga Traditional Council said the “people who organised the press conference are not members of the Ga Traditional Council” and must be dis-regarded.The statement also indicated that the Ga Traditional Council did not approve of the use of the council's premises for the conference, and hence the public must not be deceived into thinking that they back the call to remove Alfred Vanderpuije."We wish to say that we appreciate and acknowledge the good works of the Mayor of Accra and pledge our full support for him, in his national development agenda for the Accra Metropolis", the statement said.Source: Myjoyonline.com

Five persons, including the Assemblyman, Mohammed Bawa, of the Banda Nkwanta electoral area, have already been arrested for illegal mining operations at the Bui National park, posing a threat to the Bui Dam.Reports say in recent times, illegal miners have suddenly surfaced and begun digging pits at the National Park.However, Park Manager, Samuel Darko Akonnor said authorities are closely monitoring and will continue to clamp down on any illegal mining activities.According to him, there has been an “incessant pressure” on the authorities of the National Park due to the galamsey activities.He explains that the illegal miners "dig a portion of the park and collect the gravels and sand and quickly get away in their pick-ups".But he said they are doing everything in their power to prevent the illegal activities from coming close to the dam.Source: Myjoyonline.com

Five persons, including the Assemblyman, Mohammed Bawa, of the Banda Nkwanta electoral area, have already been arrested for illegal mining operations at the Bui National park, posing a threat to the Bui Dam.Reports say in recent times, illegal miners have suddenly surfaced and begun digging pits at the National Park.However, Park Manager, Samuel Darko Akonnor said authorities are closely monitoring and will continue to clamp down on any illegal mining activities.According to him, there has been an “incessant pressure” on the authorities of the National Park due to the galamsey activities.He explains that the illegal miners "dig a portion of the park and collect the gravels and sand and quickly get away in their pick-ups".But he said they are doing everything in their power to prevent the illegal activities from coming close to the dam.Source: Myjoyonline.com

A total of 1,072 Chinese people working as gold miners in Ghana have returned to their homes in Shanglin County of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the county government said Thursday night.The Ghanaian government launched a crackdown on illegal mining in early June, arresting 169 Chinese workers. After consultations between officials of the two countries, the Chinese detainees were released.A number of Shanglin natives were among those arrested by Ghanian authorities on charges of illegal mining.A statement from the Shanglin government quoted an unnamed spokesman as saying that the "gold rush" started in 2006. It cited estimates that around 12,000 Shanglin natives have engaged in gold mining in Ghana to date."Even if they paid me 50,000 yuan a month, I would not go there again," said a villager surnamed Yang from Tanglong Village, Mingliang Township, who returned from Ghana on Sunday. (50,000 yuan is equal to about 8,115 U.S. dollars.)Inspired by stories of fast fortunes, Yang went to Ghana and worked at a Chinese gold mine as an equipment guard. He earned a monthly salary of 4,000 yuan, far exceeding what he would have made planting paddy rice back home.Yang heard about the Ghanian government's crackdown and quickly returned home with 24 of his peers."Ghana is chaotic. I just want to lead a stable life at home," he said.Though he suffered huge losses in Ghana, a villager from Dafeng Township surnamed Wei, 28, said he was grateful to have returned home.Wei went to Ghana as a hook machine operator and earned more than 10,000 yuan a month. Hoping make more money, he and a friend invested 500,000 yuan in a gold mine, but they encountered the Ghanian government's crackdown on illegal mining before turning a profit.He could not find buyers for his machines in time, so he left them in Ghana and caught a flight home.Wei called on local villagers to be rational when working overseas. They should take the customs, laws and social security in foreign lands into account.A Chinese joint work team of personnel from the Chinese ministries of foreign affairs, commerce and public security arrived in Ghana on Tuesday. The team is discussing issues linked to Chinese nationals in the crackdown on illegal gold mining with their Ghanian counterparts.A work team from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region also arrived in Ghana on Tuesday to assist the embassy in evacuating Chinese nationals.Source: Xinhuanet.com

A total of 1,072 Chinese people working as gold miners in Ghana have returned to their homes in Shanglin County of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the county government said Thursday night.The Ghanaian government launched a crackdown on illegal mining in early June, arresting 169 Chinese workers. After consultations between officials of the two countries, the Chinese detainees were released.A number of Shanglin natives were among those arrested by Ghanian authorities on charges of illegal mining.A statement from the Shanglin government quoted an unnamed spokesman as saying that the "gold rush" started in 2006. It cited estimates that around 12,000 Shanglin natives have engaged in gold mining in Ghana to date."Even if they paid me 50,000 yuan a month, I would not go there again," said a villager surnamed Yang from Tanglong Village, Mingliang Township, who returned from Ghana on Sunday. (50,000 yuan is equal to about 8,115 U.S. dollars.)Inspired by stories of fast fortunes, Yang went to Ghana and worked at a Chinese gold mine as an equipment guard. He earned a monthly salary of 4,000 yuan, far exceeding what he would have made planting paddy rice back home.Yang heard about the Ghanian government's crackdown and quickly returned home with 24 of his peers."Ghana is chaotic. I just want to lead a stable life at home," he said.Though he suffered huge losses in Ghana, a villager from Dafeng Township surnamed Wei, 28, said he was grateful to have returned home.Wei went to Ghana as a hook machine operator and earned more than 10,000 yuan a month. Hoping make more money, he and a friend invested 500,000 yuan in a gold mine, but they encountered the Ghanian government's crackdown on illegal mining before turning a profit.He could not find buyers for his machines in time, so he left them in Ghana and caught a flight home.Wei called on local villagers to be rational when working overseas. They should take the customs, laws and social security in foreign lands into account.A Chinese joint work team of personnel from the Chinese ministries of foreign affairs, commerce and public security arrived in Ghana on Tuesday. The team is discussing issues linked to Chinese nationals in the crackdown on illegal gold mining with their Ghanian counterparts.A work team from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region also arrived in Ghana on Tuesday to assist the embassy in evacuating Chinese nationals.Source: Xinhuanet.com

Ghana has secured $145 million for the development and expansion of commercial agriculture.The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing a grant component of $45 million, while the World Bank will provide $100 million as a loan for the project.Already, the bank has disbursed $9.087 million.The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Clement Kofi Humado, said this at the inauguration of the National Project Steering Committee of the Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project (GCAP) in Accra yesterday.The committee will provide policy direction to the project implementation unit, discuss detailed work programme and spending allocations with the project implementation unit, approve the annual work plans and budgets and review progress made towards achieving the objectives of the project, among other things.GCAP aims at improving the investment climate for agri-business and develop Private-Public Partnerships (PPPs) and smallholder linkages towards increasing on-farm productivity and value addition in selected value chains.Inaugurating the committee, Mr Humado said the objective of the project was to increase access to land, private sector finance, input and output markets for small holder farmers from public, private partnership in commercial agriculture in the Accra Plains and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority zone.He said other areas to be tackled under the project were nucleus out-grower or contract arrangements.Mr Humado explained that the project would benefit both Ghanaian and international investors who would invest in new or expanded opportunities in the appropriate value chains.A Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, urged members of the committee to improve the investment climate in the sector to attract investments and also market commercial agriculture.Source: Graphic.com.gh

Ghana has secured $145 million for the development and expansion of commercial agriculture.The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is providing a grant component of $45 million, while the World Bank will provide $100 million as a loan for the project.Already, the bank has disbursed $9.087 million.The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Clement Kofi Humado, said this at the inauguration of the National Project Steering Committee of the Ghana Commercial Agriculture Project (GCAP) in Accra yesterday.The committee will provide policy direction to the project implementation unit, discuss detailed work programme and spending allocations with the project implementation unit, approve the annual work plans and budgets and review progress made towards achieving the objectives of the project, among other things.GCAP aims at improving the investment climate for agri-business and develop Private-Public Partnerships (PPPs) and smallholder linkages towards increasing on-farm productivity and value addition in selected value chains.Inaugurating the committee, Mr Humado said the objective of the project was to increase access to land, private sector finance, input and output markets for small holder farmers from public, private partnership in commercial agriculture in the Accra Plains and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority zone.He said other areas to be tackled under the project were nucleus out-grower or contract arrangements.Mr Humado explained that the project would benefit both Ghanaian and international investors who would invest in new or expanded opportunities in the appropriate value chains.A Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, urged members of the committee to improve the investment climate in the sector to attract investments and also market commercial agriculture.Source: Graphic.com.gh