Mr. Gilbert Sebik, Regional Trade and Industry Officer, MOTI has urged stakeholders to strive to harness youth contributions toward achieving Ghana’s national development programme. Mr. Sebik said ensuring financial protection and empowerment of children and the youth will require forging innovative partnership to achieve the desired impact. He stressed that seeking to expand the frontiers of financial inclusion to the youth through a multi-stakeholder approach is appropriate and timely, as it will contribute to the improvement of the financial landscape of Ghana. It is gratifying to note that many actors and stakeholders share the view and show commitment toward enhancing opportunities of providing financial services to the youth -- who form the critical mass of the population and the pivot for the expansion and diversification of Ghana’s financial sector Mr. Sebik added. The Regional Trade and Industry Officer who disclosed this to the B&FT in an interview noted that it will also help reduce the unemployment rate when the youth acquire entrepreneurial skill with the necessary funds to achieve their aim without depending on the government for job, or migrate to the south to search for non-existing jobs -- which ends with more of them in a bad situation. He said government needs to take steps to develop a national financial inclusion strategy of which the Ghanaian child and youth would be at the centre.He said the strategy would also seek to broaden access, awareness and appropriate use of a range of financial services through tailored financial capability programmes. The Regional Officer stressed that there is need to raise awareness on the range of financial products and services available to consumers to help them better understand and manage their personal finances to achieve financial security. He said experience in most developed economies had shown that early financial education in a person’s life leads to financial independence and sound investment decisions. He said knowledge, understanding, skills, motivation and confidence are the basic principles that enable individual’s to make financial decisions in their personal circumstances. He lamented that Ghana’s population consists of a large proportion of children less than 15 years who need support in becoming productive in order to contribute to national development efforts. He urged stakeholders to intensify their various advocacy actions to ensure that children and the youth are included in the proposed National Financial Inclusion Strategy. In a related development he called for intensified farmer education by government and other stakeholders in the cotton industry on the new methods of farming to boost production. He said the low level of literacy among farmers has made it difficult for them to adapt to modern technology to increase yields, thereby resulting to the falling standard of the textile industries in the country. According to the Regional Officer, most of the textile industry depends on the cotton to increase the production of the local textiles which also creates some job employment for the youth and also the government generating some revenues to embark on developmental projects to reduce the unemployment rate among the youths.  Mr. Sebik noted that the gradual collapsing of the textile industries in the country is paving the way for importation of the foreign textiles, which is rather creating jobs and revenue for the foreign investors only and not the nation at large. He stressed that climate change, threats of diseases and pests, sales and application of unapproved chemicals on cotton are some of the factors that retarded progress in the cotton sector in the country. He said effects of climate change are being felt in most of the cocoa growing areas due to the change in rainfall patterns, which was also affecting the application of fertilisers and incidence of cotton trees. He urged farmers to develop simple and effective labour-saving technologies to curb physical labour, and focus on intensive rather than extensive cotton cultivation practices with the application of fertiliser in a responsible manner -- adding that this will enable them to achieve their target as well as help the industry to expand and absorb more of the youth. By Samuel SAM, Tamale

THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency (EPA) has revealed that it may approve flaring of gas at the Jubilee Oilfield. Partners of the Jubilee Oilfield have for sometime now re-injected gas into the oil field. But lead operator of the Jubilee field, Tullow oil says the field’s reservoir had reached a level where it is not safe […]

Aspiring Chairman of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Fred Oware, says he decided to run against his boss because he (Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey) was hitherto indecisive about seeking re-election. “I think you need to ask him how many times he said he would offer to run and how many times he also told us that he wasn’t going to [...]The post ‘I’m not a traitor’ — Fred Oware appeared first on The Ghanaian Times.

The filth left in the middle of CMB road The CMB area of the Central Business District of Accra, much touted as the “Millennium City”, has been overtaken by mountains of refuse. The entire area is engulfed with a pervasive stench emanating from the heap of refuse. A visit by DAILY GUIDE to some parts […]

Three suspected armed robbers and their three accomplices who allegedly robbed residents of the Koforidua Medical Village and other communities in the New Juaben municipality appeared before the Koforidua Circuit Court yesterday, charged with robbery, rape and dishonestly receiving stolen items. Their pleas were not taken and the court, presided over by Mr Ebenezer Osei […]

The Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL) has forwarded a resolution by 40 journalists who attended a day’s seminar on GMOs to Parliament on the need to delay the passage of the Plant Breeders’ Bill. The journalists urged the parliamentarians to thoroughly debate the bill before passing it into law.   Appeal to parliamentarians They appealed to the parliamentarians not to rush the debate on the bill, expressing their belief that “further engagement of all stakeholders will enhance the outcome of the debate in the House and the final legislation will address the fears and anxiety of all Ghanaians.” Seminar on GMOs The journalists were part of media practitioners who attended a day’s seminar, organised by the GCGL  and the Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD). The seminar sought to equip the journalists with ample knowledge on GMOs and the Plant Breeders’ Bill to enable them to do in-depth write- ups on the topic. The resource persons took the journalists through the benefits and the risks associated with the GMOs, and the Plant Breeders’ Bill, which is currently before Parliament for consideration and its implications if passed into law. Need for thorough debate The journalists said many Ghanaians were uncertain about the relationship between the passage of the bill and the introduction of GMOs in the country. They said all Ghanaians must subject the bill and issues concerning GMOs to further interrogation so that Ghanaians would make the best choice.  Concerns of PUSAG In a related development, the Private Universities Students’ Association of Ghana (PUSAG) has also called on Parliament to vote out the Plant Breeders’ Bill. It further advised Ghanaians to reject any attempt by any group of people to adopt GMO foods, which would be propagated in the unlikelihood event of parliament approving the bill. These were contained in a statement jointly signed by Benjamin Panlogo-Logodam and Raphael Apetorgbor, the National President and National Media Relations Officer respectively of PUSAG. The Plant Breeders’ Bill and its implications The statement cautioned that the passage of the Plant Breeders’ Bill would allow the importation and exportation of genetically engineered or genetically modified seeds. The bill is yet to be p[assed  by Parliament. It said among others that the passage of the bill would be detriment to national development and would ultimately surrender the economy to the multinational companies.  The statement said GM seeds are contract barring seeds, meaning that farmers cannot replant from the same seeds they have used but would have tocontinue to buy from the seed companies.  “This would cause more hardship to our farmers and also cause the devaluation of our cedi,” the statement said. It contended that assenting to the plant breeders’ bill would be closely associated with the Bond of 1844, paving up way for neo-colonialism.

Economic Times5.2m teachers to be recruited globally in 2015 – UNESCOThe PunchNot less than 5.2 million teachers are billed to be recruited globally by governments in 2015, according to a statement signed by UNESCO's Director of Education-for-All, Mrs. Pauline Rose. The statement issued in Abuja said the recruitment was aimed at ...$130bn a year wasted on poor quality education: UNCapital FM KenyaUNESCO report: higher illiteracy rate, more waste in education than previously ...Deutsche WelleIndia has highest population of illiterate adults: UNHindustan TimesMoneycontrol.com -DAWN.com -Economic Timesall 40 news articles »

Capital FM Kenya$130bn a year wasted on poor quality education: UNCapital FM KenyaPARIS, Jan 29 – A quarter of a billion children worldwide are failing to learn basic reading and maths skills in an education crisis that costs governments $129 billion annually, the UN's cultural agency warned in a report Wednesday. Inadequate teaching ...India has highest population of illiterate adults: UNHindustan Times$130 billion a year wasted on poor quality education: UNDAWN.comIndia has highest population of illiterate adults at 287 million: UN reportEconomic TimesArabianBusiness.comall 38 news articles »

Washington PostNintendo boss cuts pay over profit lossNinemsnTeen on steps of private plane Young and richPrepare to be astounded and a little bit jealous of these kids who are uber rich and chronicle it all on instagram. The head of Nintendo says he will slash his pay in half as the video games giant said its nine-month ...Nintendo profit falls on sluggish Wii U salesBoston HeraldNintendo looks to power-up Mario after not-so-super Wii UReuters CanadaNintendo denies smartphone software rumor, says it has 'no plans' to offer mini ...Engadgetall 327 news articles »

DAWN.comNintendo boss to cut pay in half after profit diveDAWN.comNintendo products are displayed at an electronics shop in Tokyo on January 29, 2014. The head of Nintendo said on January 29 he would slash his pay in half as the videogames giant said its nine-month profit slumped 30 percent because of weak demand ...Nintendo rocked by weak Wii U salesCNNNintendo boss cuts pay over profit lossNinemsnRPT-UPDATE 1-Nintendo looks to power-up Mario after not-so-super Wii UReutersEngadget -New Zealand Heraldall 316 news articles »

The General Manager of Kubator Labs Company, Dave Nii Danso, has been remanded in police custody by an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly stealing GH¢750,000 from the vault of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB). Danso is said to have fraudulently transferred GH¢750,000 from the vault of the GCB into the accounts of three of his employees and succeeded in cashing GH¢51,000 through one of the accounts. He was charged with conspiracy to steal and stealing. Danso pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the court. He is to reappear before the court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri, on February 5, 2014. Danso’s arrest brings to two the number of persons arrested and remanded in police custody in connection with the fraudulent money transfer from the GCB’s vault.  Facts Presenting the facts of the case, the prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) A. Dery, said the accused person was the General Manager of Kubator Labs Company, a computer software development firm. He said in December, 2013, the accused requested three of his employees to give him their GCB account details for him to transfer some money into them and the employees complied. On December 20, 2013, GH¢250,000 was transferred into the three accounts and Danso requested the account owners to cash the money for him. One of them cashed GH¢51,000 over the counter and from an automated teller machine (ATM) for the accused person. The GCB later realised that the money had fraudulently been transferred into those accounts. The account owners were arrested when they attempted to cash some money from their accounts. DSP Dery said investigations led to the arrest of Danso, who admitted having received GH¢51,000 from one of his employees. Upon interrogation, Danso mentioned one Fred Humphrey, a Nigerian, as the one who transferred the money into the three accounts.  Background The GCB has been faced with the fraudulent wiring of huge sums of money from its vault into private accounts in recent times. About two weeks ago, a national service person was arrested for allegedly wiring huge sums of money from the GCB’s vault into some private accounts. Writer’s email: [email protected]

Government has denied claims that Abuga Pele, former National Coordinator of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), now Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), is being used as a scapegoat in the GYEEDA corruption saga. According to Felix Ofosu Kwakye, a Deputy Information Minister, the government would not benefit anything by using using anyone, including Mr. Pele as [...]The post Gov’t Denies Gyeeda Scapegoat Claims appeared first on The Ghanaian Times.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, has approved a new gender strategy from 2014 to 2018 to improve Africa’s economic transformation. “This represents a major milestone for the bank, and it puts in place one of the critical foundations for realising the ‘Africa at 50’ and ‘post-2015’ development agendas,” said Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, AfDB’s Special Envoy on Gender. “What is new [...]The post AfDB Approves New Four-Year Gender Strategy appeared first on The Ghanaian Times.

The IndependentState of the Union address 2014: President Obama's speech in fullThe IndependentMr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, my fellow Americans. Today in America, a teacher spent extra time with a student who needed it, and did her part to lift America's graduation rate to its highest level in more than three decades.Americans react to Obama's address to nationKansas City StarPresident Obama Focuses On Domestic Issues In State Of The UnionThe Daily VoiceObama hikes wagesMartinsville BulletinPacific News Center -WNIJ and WNIU -Patch.comall 6,019 news articles »

The Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA) has awarded a $400,000 contract for the study and design of a four-lane dual carriageway to the Tema Harbour. The GPHA, under the consulting contract, which would commence in February, expects Louis Berger …