Suame Magazine, a popular industrial and manufacturing hub in the Ashanti regional capital has been gutted by fire.The blaze consumed eight shops destroying properties running into thousands of cedis.Fire Officers are trying to fight the blaze.This is the second fire disaster in the regional capital.The Kumasi central market got gutted by fire barely two weeks ago.The fire was hours apart from a similar disaster that befell jewellery shop Letap, in the national capital Accra today.

The West Africa Network for Peace Building, Ghana (WANEP-Ghana) has initiated dialogue between the Konkombas and Bimobas with the view to finding a lasting solution to the Kpemale conflict in Nankpanduri in the Northern Region.On the theme “Promoting Peace Through Dialogue,” it is bringing together opinion leaders from both sides of the conflict, key stakeholders and peacemakers who can contribute meaningfully to the resolution of the conflict.Since June 4, 2012, the Bimobas and the Konkombas have been fighting over a parcel of land at Kpemale, a suburb of Nankpanduri.  A number of people have died as a result of the recurring conflict, with many homes destroyed.At the opening of the dialogue in Tamale, an Executive Committee Member of WANEP-Ghana, who is also the Catholic Bishop for Yendi, Most Reverend Vincent Boi-Nai, commended the Northern Regional Co-ordinating Council, the District Chief Executive for East Mamprusi, the Catholic Church of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese, the Konkomba Youth Association and the Bimoba Youth Association for their untiring efforts towards the organisation of the dialogue.He reminded the people that violence could not be a conduit to resolving conflicts, adding that “we must all be reminded that peace is not a gift to be received but a task to be undertaken”.The Executive Director of WANEP, Mr Emmanuel Bombande, expressed delight that the two protagonists had mutually agreed to help find a solution to the conflict.“The fact that both Konkombas and Bimobas are sitting together here is a significant achievement and I will entreat you not to think about what you did to each other during the conflict in this meeting but to see yourselves as peace-loving people who are out to find a solution to an unfortunate situation,” he admonished.The Northern Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Ken Yeboah, expressed delight that a dialogue had been organised to find a solution to the conflict.For his part, the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Bede Angwataazoma Ziedeng, commended both Konkombas and Bimobas for the strides made earlier on their own through dialogue.He described the Kpemale area as one of the least developed areas in the region, and said the conflict had worsened the already bad situation in the area.Credit: Graphic.com.gh

The West Africa Network for Peace Building, Ghana (WANEP-Ghana) has initiated dialogue between the Konkombas and Bimobas with the view to finding a lasting solution to the Kpemale conflict in Nankpanduri in the Northern Region.On the theme “Promoting Peace Through Dialogue,” it is bringing together opinion leaders from both sides of the conflict, key stakeholders and peacemakers who can contribute meaningfully to the resolution of the conflict.Since June 4, 2012, the Bimobas and the Konkombas have been fighting over a parcel of land at Kpemale, a suburb of Nankpanduri.  A number of people have died as a result of the recurring conflict, with many homes destroyed.At the opening of the dialogue in Tamale, an Executive Committee Member of WANEP-Ghana, who is also the Catholic Bishop for Yendi, Most Reverend Vincent Boi-Nai, commended the Northern Regional Co-ordinating Council, the District Chief Executive for East Mamprusi, the Catholic Church of Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese, the Konkomba Youth Association and the Bimoba Youth Association for their untiring efforts towards the organisation of the dialogue.He reminded the people that violence could not be a conduit to resolving conflicts, adding that “we must all be reminded that peace is not a gift to be received but a task to be undertaken”.The Executive Director of WANEP, Mr Emmanuel Bombande, expressed delight that the two protagonists had mutually agreed to help find a solution to the conflict.“The fact that both Konkombas and Bimobas are sitting together here is a significant achievement and I will entreat you not to think about what you did to each other during the conflict in this meeting but to see yourselves as peace-loving people who are out to find a solution to an unfortunate situation,” he admonished.The Northern Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Ken Yeboah, expressed delight that a dialogue had been organised to find a solution to the conflict.For his part, the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Bede Angwataazoma Ziedeng, commended both Konkombas and Bimobas for the strides made earlier on their own through dialogue.He described the Kpemale area as one of the least developed areas in the region, and said the conflict had worsened the already bad situation in the area.Credit: Graphic.com.gh

Chief Directors and other senior officials at the various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have been urged to strengthen supervision and internal control procedures to prevent financial irregularities in their operations.The Auditor General, Mr Richard Q. Quartey, who made the appeal in the December 31, 2011, Financial Report on MDAs, also asked the officials to apply the necessary sanctions against offending officers and clients or organisations who defaulted in the settlement of their tax obligations.The recommendation followed intense scrutiny of the financial transactions of MDAs by the Auditor-General which revealed that the country lost GH¢118.8 million as a result of  irregularities in 2011.Additionally, the state purse also shrunk by $246,744.24 and £136,084.22 owing to similar phenomenon.The cataloguing of financial irregularities in the Auditor-General’s Report on MDAs and other agencies has become an annual ritual that seems to have no effects because affected MDAs are not seen to be taking any effective action to address the basic problems of lack of monitoring and supervision and non-adherence to legislation put in place to provide effective financial management of public resources.According to the Auditor-General’s Report on MDAs, the breakdown of amount lost to the state for the year 2011 include, tax irregularities which amounted to GH¢52,807,322.72 and GH¢13,824.11, representing 44.22 per cent.  Cash irregularities, on the other hand, led to the loss of GH¢ 33,583,678.14 and $76,883.31 and £122,260.11 representing 28.43 per cent as a result of irregularities.  Outstanding loans amounted to GH¢5,602,153.84 and $73,306.18 which is 4.78 per cent. For Payroll, the amount lost was GH¢ 909,278.80 and $76,496.25, representing 0.86 per cent, while Stores/Procurement resulted in the loss of GH¢ 780,027.67, which is 0.65 per cent.Failure by some MDAs to follow laid down procedure in the award of contracts also led to a loss of GH¢24,946,637.32, representing 20.88 per cent. Furthermore, the state incurred GH¢191,077.17 which accounted for 0.18 per cent as the MDAs neglected the deduction of the monthly rent from their staff salaries.According to the Auditor-General, the incident of cash irregularities were rife in the ministries of Justice and Attorney General; GH¢16,375,045.05; Health, GH¢12,089,459.63; Education, GH¢ 2,621,482.63; MoFEP GH¢ 2,004,238.00; Employment and Social Welfare GH¢ 276,723.53; Youth and Sports GH¢ 237,864.70;Defence, GH¢ 81,039.61 and other agencies GH¢ 84,758.12.The report noted that most of the “ tax  irregularities arose from poor supervision of schedule officers and failure to enforce tax laws and financial regulations, as well as failure by heads of MDAs to sanction offending staff.”For stores and procurement, the Auditor-General raised issues related to anomalies in “purchases not taken on ledger charge, contract variations, payments for uncompleted works and fuel coupons not properly accounted for.”There was also “failure to adhere to the Public Procurement Act, and Store Regulations.”“Unauthorised expenditure, misappropriation of revenue/other receipts, failure by accounting officers to properly acquit payment vouchers or produce them for inspection and validation and imprests not accounted for were responsible for the cash irregularities.Payroll irregularities involved mostly unearned salaries paid to separated staff, as well as irregularities in pension payments and the failure to ensure timely deletion of the names of separated persons.“Outstanding loans continued to be an issue because often, loans were granted without specifying terms of recovery and responsible officials fail to monitor performance, while the beneficiaries also do not willfully ensure that the loans granted them are being recovered,” the report stated.In 2011, the value of reported irregularities in contract administration was significantly higher as a result of contract management lapses that occurred particularly at the ministries of Health, Defence, Roads and Transport, Education and Employment and Social Welfare, the report further stated.Credit: Graphic.com.gh

Chief Directors and other senior officials at the various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have been urged to strengthen supervision and internal control procedures to prevent financial irregularities in their operations.The Auditor General, Mr Richard Q. Quartey, who made the appeal in the December 31, 2011, Financial Report on MDAs, also asked the officials to apply the necessary sanctions against offending officers and clients or organisations who defaulted in the settlement of their tax obligations.The recommendation followed intense scrutiny of the financial transactions of MDAs by the Auditor-General which revealed that the country lost GH¢118.8 million as a result of  irregularities in 2011.Additionally, the state purse also shrunk by $246,744.24 and £136,084.22 owing to similar phenomenon.The cataloguing of financial irregularities in the Auditor-General’s Report on MDAs and other agencies has become an annual ritual that seems to have no effects because affected MDAs are not seen to be taking any effective action to address the basic problems of lack of monitoring and supervision and non-adherence to legislation put in place to provide effective financial management of public resources.According to the Auditor-General’s Report on MDAs, the breakdown of amount lost to the state for the year 2011 include, tax irregularities which amounted to GH¢52,807,322.72 and GH¢13,824.11, representing 44.22 per cent.  Cash irregularities, on the other hand, led to the loss of GH¢ 33,583,678.14 and $76,883.31 and £122,260.11 representing 28.43 per cent as a result of irregularities.  Outstanding loans amounted to GH¢5,602,153.84 and $73,306.18 which is 4.78 per cent. For Payroll, the amount lost was GH¢ 909,278.80 and $76,496.25, representing 0.86 per cent, while Stores/Procurement resulted in the loss of GH¢ 780,027.67, which is 0.65 per cent.Failure by some MDAs to follow laid down procedure in the award of contracts also led to a loss of GH¢24,946,637.32, representing 20.88 per cent. Furthermore, the state incurred GH¢191,077.17 which accounted for 0.18 per cent as the MDAs neglected the deduction of the monthly rent from their staff salaries.According to the Auditor-General, the incident of cash irregularities were rife in the ministries of Justice and Attorney General; GH¢16,375,045.05; Health, GH¢12,089,459.63; Education, GH¢ 2,621,482.63; MoFEP GH¢ 2,004,238.00; Employment and Social Welfare GH¢ 276,723.53; Youth and Sports GH¢ 237,864.70;Defence, GH¢ 81,039.61 and other agencies GH¢ 84,758.12.The report noted that most of the “ tax  irregularities arose from poor supervision of schedule officers and failure to enforce tax laws and financial regulations, as well as failure by heads of MDAs to sanction offending staff.”For stores and procurement, the Auditor-General raised issues related to anomalies in “purchases not taken on ledger charge, contract variations, payments for uncompleted works and fuel coupons not properly accounted for.”There was also “failure to adhere to the Public Procurement Act, and Store Regulations.”“Unauthorised expenditure, misappropriation of revenue/other receipts, failure by accounting officers to properly acquit payment vouchers or produce them for inspection and validation and imprests not accounted for were responsible for the cash irregularities.Payroll irregularities involved mostly unearned salaries paid to separated staff, as well as irregularities in pension payments and the failure to ensure timely deletion of the names of separated persons.“Outstanding loans continued to be an issue because often, loans were granted without specifying terms of recovery and responsible officials fail to monitor performance, while the beneficiaries also do not willfully ensure that the loans granted them are being recovered,” the report stated.In 2011, the value of reported irregularities in contract administration was significantly higher as a result of contract management lapses that occurred particularly at the ministries of Health, Defence, Roads and Transport, Education and Employment and Social Welfare, the report further stated.Credit: Graphic.com.gh

International audit firm, KPMG, has completed auditing the pink sheets at the heart of the election petition challenging the declaration of President John Dramani Mahama as the winner of the 2012 Presidential election.The company was expected to present 15 copies of the final report to the registrar of the Supreme Court before 9 a.m. today.Each of the nine justices of the court were expected to be given copies, and so were all the parties in the case.The extra copy will go to the Judicial Secretary.This was disclosed to the Daily Graphic by a Senior Partner of KPMG, Mr Joe Winful, in Accra yesterday.The Statement of Poll and Declaration of Results forms, also known as pink sheets, have been at the heart of the election petition because the petitioners — the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; his running mate, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, and the Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey — have alleged that gross and widespread irregularities took place on the face of the pink sheets from 11,842 polling stations.Although they insist they supplied 11,842 pink sheets to prove claims of over-voting, persons voting without undergoing biometric verification, some presiding officers not signing the pink sheets and some polling stations having the same serial numbers, the respondents allege that they were not supplied with 11,842 pink sheets.The petitioners are currently relying on 11,115 pink sheets to make their case for the annulment of more than four million votes.Realising the controversy surrounding the actual number of pink sheets supplied to the Supreme Court Registry would not die down, the court, on May 9, 2013, appointed KPMG to audit the pink sheets.The AuditKPMG completed auditing the first set of pink sheets submitted to the Supreme Court Registry, issued a draft report on it and requested parties in the petition to respond to the draft report, but the court, on June 5, 2013, directed that the pink sheets of the President of the panel, Mr Justice William Atuguba, be used as control in the audit.As a result of that, the Supreme Court, on June 13, 2013, adjourned proceedings to today to enable the audit firm to complete its work to allow parties to rely on the report to make their case for and against the annulment of more than four million votes. “We will defend our work”Mr Winful declined to disclose the content of the report on the grounds that the firm was appointed by the Supreme Court and it was only fair that the court be allowed to see the content first.“We have done our professional work diligently and are prepared to defend our work when called to testify in the case,” he emphasised.“We worked thoroughly and tirelessly, including weekends and sometimes up to 2 a.m., in order to finish the work on time,” he intimated. Emergency MeetingReacting to the widely circulated report that lawyers for the petitioners had called for a meeting with the KPMG, Mr Winful explained that the meeting actually took place on Friday, June 21, 2013.He indicated that the meeting was to iron out a few issues before the issuance of the final report on the audit. The PetitionThe hearing of the substantive petition began on April 17, 2013.So far, Dr Bawumia and the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, have testified for the petitioners and President Mahama, as well as the NDC, respectively.The Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, began giving his evidence-in-chief on Thursday, May 30, 2013 and is currently being cross-examined by Mr Philip Addison, the lead counsel for the petitioners.The petitioners have alleged that the December 7 and 8, 2012 presidential election was fraught with malpractices of over-voting, non-signing of pink sheets by some presiding officers or their assistants, voting without biometric verification and duplicated serial numbers of pink sheets.However, President Mahama, the EC and the NDC have denied that any such irregularities occurred during the election.Credit: Graphic.com.gh

International audit firm, KPMG, has completed auditing the pink sheets at the heart of the election petition challenging the declaration of President John Dramani Mahama as the winner of the 2012 Presidential election.The company was expected to present 15 copies of the final report to the registrar of the Supreme Court before 9 a.m. today.Each of the nine justices of the court were expected to be given copies, and so were all the parties in the case.The extra copy will go to the Judicial Secretary.This was disclosed to the Daily Graphic by a Senior Partner of KPMG, Mr Joe Winful, in Accra yesterday.The Statement of Poll and Declaration of Results forms, also known as pink sheets, have been at the heart of the election petition because the petitioners — the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo; his running mate, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, and the Chairman of the NPP, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey — have alleged that gross and widespread irregularities took place on the face of the pink sheets from 11,842 polling stations.Although they insist they supplied 11,842 pink sheets to prove claims of over-voting, persons voting without undergoing biometric verification, some presiding officers not signing the pink sheets and some polling stations having the same serial numbers, the respondents allege that they were not supplied with 11,842 pink sheets.The petitioners are currently relying on 11,115 pink sheets to make their case for the annulment of more than four million votes.Realising the controversy surrounding the actual number of pink sheets supplied to the Supreme Court Registry would not die down, the court, on May 9, 2013, appointed KPMG to audit the pink sheets.The AuditKPMG completed auditing the first set of pink sheets submitted to the Supreme Court Registry, issued a draft report on it and requested parties in the petition to respond to the draft report, but the court, on June 5, 2013, directed that the pink sheets of the President of the panel, Mr Justice William Atuguba, be used as control in the audit.As a result of that, the Supreme Court, on June 13, 2013, adjourned proceedings to today to enable the audit firm to complete its work to allow parties to rely on the report to make their case for and against the annulment of more than four million votes. “We will defend our work”Mr Winful declined to disclose the content of the report on the grounds that the firm was appointed by the Supreme Court and it was only fair that the court be allowed to see the content first.“We have done our professional work diligently and are prepared to defend our work when called to testify in the case,” he emphasised.“We worked thoroughly and tirelessly, including weekends and sometimes up to 2 a.m., in order to finish the work on time,” he intimated. Emergency MeetingReacting to the widely circulated report that lawyers for the petitioners had called for a meeting with the KPMG, Mr Winful explained that the meeting actually took place on Friday, June 21, 2013.He indicated that the meeting was to iron out a few issues before the issuance of the final report on the audit. The PetitionThe hearing of the substantive petition began on April 17, 2013.So far, Dr Bawumia and the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, have testified for the petitioners and President Mahama, as well as the NDC, respectively.The Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, began giving his evidence-in-chief on Thursday, May 30, 2013 and is currently being cross-examined by Mr Philip Addison, the lead counsel for the petitioners.The petitioners have alleged that the December 7 and 8, 2012 presidential election was fraught with malpractices of over-voting, non-signing of pink sheets by some presiding officers or their assistants, voting without biometric verification and duplicated serial numbers of pink sheets.However, President Mahama, the EC and the NDC have denied that any such irregularities occurred during the election.Credit: Graphic.com.gh

Some Ga Chiefs who demanded the removal of Accra mayor, Dr. Alfred Vanderpujie, have given him a three-month ultimatum to fix the city’s problems or face ejection from office.The chiefs have accused the mayor of corruption, lack of cooperation with the Ga people and a lack of vision to develop the city.After a meeting with the mayor over the weekend, the chiefs said Dr. Alfred Vanderpuije has the next three months to address their concerns.Chief priest of Accra, Numo Ogbarmey III said they have asked the mayor to among other things rehabilitate the seven Ga palaces and the Traditional Council. He asked Dr. Vanderpuije to give the people of the Ga State the ‘same treatment he receives at home’.Failure to do this, Numo stressed, will invoke the wrath of the Gas.However the mayor has given contrasting account of what transpired between him and the chiefs during the meeting.Dr. Vanderpuije said the chiefs, together with the youth, expressed satisfaction at the work he has done so far to improve the city.He said the people have seen for themselves that “for the past five to six months, work has already begun [on the projects they want me to execute]”.Some monies have been allocated for the renovation of the chief’s palace, the Traditional Council and the Community Centre, the mayor stated.Credit myjoyonline

Some Ga Chiefs who demanded the removal of Accra mayor, Dr. Alfred Vanderpujie, have given him a three-month ultimatum to fix the city’s problems or face ejection from office.The chiefs have accused the mayor of corruption, lack of cooperation with the Ga people and a lack of vision to develop the city.After a meeting with the mayor over the weekend, the chiefs said Dr. Alfred Vanderpuije has the next three months to address their concerns.Chief priest of Accra, Numo Ogbarmey III said they have asked the mayor to among other things rehabilitate the seven Ga palaces and the Traditional Council. He asked Dr. Vanderpuije to give the people of the Ga State the ‘same treatment he receives at home’.Failure to do this, Numo stressed, will invoke the wrath of the Gas.However the mayor has given contrasting account of what transpired between him and the chiefs during the meeting.Dr. Vanderpuije said the chiefs, together with the youth, expressed satisfaction at the work he has done so far to improve the city.He said the people have seen for themselves that “for the past five to six months, work has already begun [on the projects they want me to execute]”.Some monies have been allocated for the renovation of the chief’s palace, the Traditional Council and the Community Centre, the mayor stated.Credit myjoyonline

The Editor in Chief of the Crusading Guide newspaper has called for “quick action” in "quarantining" the assets and properties of construction firm Waterville Holdings.Malik Kweku Baako Jnr said Andrea Orlandi, MD for Waterville must quickly be invited by the police, his passport confiscated as the state attempts to retrieve over €40 million illegally paid in judgement debts to his company.The New Crusading Guide newspaper editor made the comments on Joy FM and Multi TV news analysis programme Newsfile on Saturday.The comments come a day after the Supreme Court, partly ruled in favour of Citizen vigilante, Martin Amidu in a case brought against Wateville, Alfred Agbesi Woyome and Austro Invest for illegally receiving judgement debt from the state.Amidu held that the three had no legitimate contract to make any such judgement debt claim against the state.In a ruling delivered on Friday, the nine member panel unanimously agreed that the monies paid to Waterville were illegal and must be refunded.Because Alfred Agbesi Woyome is before the High Court on the same issue, the panel stayed a decision on the case brought against Woyome purely on jurisdictional grounds.They would rather the High Court give its ruling on the matter.Discussing the issue on Newsfile, Kweku Baako Jnr. said the ruling by the Supreme Court will be rendered useless if the police and other relevant agencies do not take steps to recover the monies from Waterville.He insisted the assets of Waterville must be confiscated and their MD prevented from moving out of the shores of Ghana.He said it will be costly to recover the monies from Orlandi if he is allowed to move out from Ghana’s jurisdiction.Commenting on the substantive matter, Baako said the ruling evokes a feeling of sadness and excitement at the same time.He was excited that the vigilance of one man, Martin Amidu had saved the country millions of dollars but was sad however with the state institutions, particularly the Attorney Generals Office which sat by and watched Ghana’s meager resources to be looted with reckless abandon.He said there were enough documentations available for anybody vigilant to know that the defendants had no contract to make demands from the state.Citing an August 6, 2006 letter from then Attorney General Joe Ghartey and another on October 28, 2008 by then Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani, Malik Baako indicated it was clear that Waterville, Woyome and Austro Invest had no right to demand a penny in judgement debt from the state.He was convinced the officials who paid the monies were either negligent or conspired to loot the nation.Credit: Myjoyonline

The Editor in Chief of the Crusading Guide newspaper has called for “quick action” in "quarantining" the assets and properties of construction firm Waterville Holdings.Malik Kweku Baako Jnr said Andrea Orlandi, MD for Waterville must quickly be invited by the police, his passport confiscated as the state attempts to retrieve over €40 million illegally paid in judgement debts to his company.The New Crusading Guide newspaper editor made the comments on Joy FM and Multi TV news analysis programme Newsfile on Saturday.The comments come a day after the Supreme Court, partly ruled in favour of Citizen vigilante, Martin Amidu in a case brought against Wateville, Alfred Agbesi Woyome and Austro Invest for illegally receiving judgement debt from the state.Amidu held that the three had no legitimate contract to make any such judgement debt claim against the state.In a ruling delivered on Friday, the nine member panel unanimously agreed that the monies paid to Waterville were illegal and must be refunded.Because Alfred Agbesi Woyome is before the High Court on the same issue, the panel stayed a decision on the case brought against Woyome purely on jurisdictional grounds.They would rather the High Court give its ruling on the matter.Discussing the issue on Newsfile, Kweku Baako Jnr. said the ruling by the Supreme Court will be rendered useless if the police and other relevant agencies do not take steps to recover the monies from Waterville.He insisted the assets of Waterville must be confiscated and their MD prevented from moving out of the shores of Ghana.He said it will be costly to recover the monies from Orlandi if he is allowed to move out from Ghana’s jurisdiction.Commenting on the substantive matter, Baako said the ruling evokes a feeling of sadness and excitement at the same time.He was excited that the vigilance of one man, Martin Amidu had saved the country millions of dollars but was sad however with the state institutions, particularly the Attorney Generals Office which sat by and watched Ghana’s meager resources to be looted with reckless abandon.He said there were enough documentations available for anybody vigilant to know that the defendants had no contract to make demands from the state.Citing an August 6, 2006 letter from then Attorney General Joe Ghartey and another on October 28, 2008 by then Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani, Malik Baako indicated it was clear that Waterville, Woyome and Austro Invest had no right to demand a penny in judgement debt from the state.He was convinced the officials who paid the monies were either negligent or conspired to loot the nation.Credit: Myjoyonline

The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) would next year introduce a biometric registration and instant issuance of identification cards to subscribers.Mr Sylvester Mensah, National Director of the NHIA, said the initiative would ensure efficiency and quality healthcare delivery.He made this known in a speech read on his behalf at the inauguration of a regional administrative complex for the Authority in Sekondi on Friday.The office complex comprised 11 offices, a board room, a scanning room, a security post and a kitchen.Mr Mensah entreated the management and staff of the NHIA to work as a team and develop a culture of maintenance.The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which started in 2004 with about one million subscribers, had increased to more than eight million with more than 85 per cent of the population getting health care services.The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Mr Alfred Ekow Gyan, said the NHIS is one sure way by which government would ensure equitable and universal access to health care for the citizenry and reduction in the mobility rate.He noted that the problem of delayed payment of claims to service providers is almost a thing of the past and that clients of the Scheme would not be deprived from receiving quality treatment from service providers.The NHIS legislation- Act 1962 of 2003 was to enable the vulnerable in the society to access quality healthcare services.The NHIS had since paid more than GH¢550 million claims to 3,200 service providers. across the country.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

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