Day: August 1, 2021

Accra,- The Government has spent GH¢ 8.1 million to preserve livelihoods under the Stabilization phase of the GH¢ 100 billion GhanaCares (Obaatan pa) programme.

Under this phase, Ghanaians were provided with foodstuffs free water and electricity to more than 200 vulnerable families and households.

The programme is an unprecedented, bold and audacious GH¢ 100 billion post-COVID programme to stabilize, revitalize and transform Ghana’s economy to create jobs and prosperity for Ghanaians over a three-year period.

Mr Charles Adu-Boahen, Minister of State, Finance said this at the Advantage Knowledge Forum on the theme: “Building Business Agility and Growth for AfCFTA and the Post COVID-19 Era.”

The Forum was organized by Enterprise Insurance in partnership with the Greater Accra Region Chapter Association of Ghana Industries (AGI).

He said government also provided GH¢ 750 million business support scheme to enterprise’s to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on MSMEs.

The Minister said the second phase, was a medium-term Revitalization Phase from 2021-2023 focusing on industrialisation, affordable housing and digitalisation.

He envisaged the programme would enable the government to boldly build up better and greener business environment.

The Minister said the government looked to see additional collaborations and partnerships between the public and the private sectors to implement policy initiatives under the GhanaCares Programme.

He called on the private sector to buy into the programme and take advantage of the opportunities available.

“This is because, it clearly outlines government’s strategic priorities,” he added.

Mr Keli Gadzekpo, Group CEO, Enterprise Group said over the past two years, the world had battled the pandemic and its impact on every aspect of life.

He said businesses faced substantial challenges as business operations were disrupted and normal work routines and social structures were interrupted due to the global pandemic.

He said to meet the challenges posed by the pandemic, businesses around the world had to react in agile and decisive ways.

“The magnitude and speed of change coming out of the pandemic has generated new forms of financial and operational risks as companies grapple with inflation, capacity constraints, and supply-chain disruptions,” he said.

He said it was now the time for businesses to reach out and seize the opportunities emerging in the recovery and build strategic resilience for the future.

Mr Gadzekpo said beyond its ground-breaking size, the AfCFTA promised to be a paradigm shift and a deeper commitment to the integration of the continent by negotiating goods and services simultaneously.

The Group CEO said the agreement was a potential economic game-changer for Africa’s development not only because of its potential to enhance intra-African trade.

He said it would also provide an opportunity for countries in the region to competitively integrate into the global economy, reduce poverty and promote inclusion.

Mr Tsonam Cleanse Akpeloo, Accra Regional Chairman, AGI said the Association had completed a comprehensive study on the impact of COVID-19 latter part of last year, and it showed over 80 per cent of its members have been affected by the pandemic.

He said they were fortunate for the government to relieve industry by providing the stimulus for businesses affected by COVID-19.

He said there was the need for the Development Bank of Ghana to support industries was a great intervention for industrial growth.

He said as a leading private-sector advocate in the country, they would continue to engage government and all stakeholders on issues that affected industries.

Mr Akpeloo said the Association would develop programmes and systems to scale up members to compete globally and “we will engage various stakeholders on Advantage Knowledge Forum to find solutions.”

On AfCFTA, the AGI Accra Regional Chairman said it was important to develop a well-planned and deliberate strategy and combine entrepreneurial and industrial efforts to reap the benefits of AfCFTA.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Accra, Aug 1, GNA – The management of Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation has stated that their Asset utilization has risen from 15 per cent to 85 per cent.

As a result, they said more of their fuel was transported by barges and pipelines than road transport.

They therefore denied that Tanker drivers were rendered jobless because of lack of stock at their depots.

In a statement reacting to the Ghana National Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union and copied to the media BOST said the transmission of fuel from their Primary Depot in Accra to Kumasi, Buipe, Akosombo and Bolga Depots were carried out through three modules:Road(Tankers, Pipeline and River Barges via the VoltaLake.

” BOST has two pipelines connecting the Tema-Akosombo and Buipe-Bolgatanga Depots.

“Over the past few years the two pipelines have been down and all the four river barges on the Volta Lake were also grounded.”

The statement said efficient resource utilization and focused management had resulted

in the full repair of four-river barges that were grounded and the two pipelines.

The statement said the Tema- Akosombo pipeline was expected to be in use by the close of the third quarter, while the river barge from Akosombo to Buipe takes 5,309,000/5400 litres, which was equal to 98 trucks . Pipeline is expected to be in use by close of the third quarter.

“In the process, more volumes of product get transferred to the northern depot through to Bolgatanga and other regions.”

It said for a faster and quicker movement of volumes to meet the increasing export demands the barges and pipelines were more efficient hence their inability to serve the Tanker drivers who used the roads.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Kumasi,- The Modernizing Agriculture in Ghana (MAG) Programme is assisting farmers in some selected areas in the Ashanti Region to acquire improved varieties of Taro (kooko) planting materials.

The four main new varieties being distributed to the farmers, especially in the Ejisu and Asante-Mampong Municipalities, include ‘CRI-Yen anya woa’, ‘CRI-Agyenkwa’, ‘CRI-Okumkom’ and ‘CRI-Huogbelor’.

They are being supplied by the Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI), one of the implementing agencies of the MAG Programme.

A statement issued by the CSIR-CRI, signed by Mr. Solomon Gyasi Boakye, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), and copied the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi, said the improved varieties had been carefully selected, because they were disease-resistant and climate-friendly.

At Ejisu, about 200 farmers drawn from 30 communities are to receive these new varieties, while 300 farmers at Asante-Mampong are also benefiting for increased yield and sustenance of their income and livelihood.

According to the statement, a farmers’ field day for harvesting and commencement of the distribution of the Taro planting materials to farmers at Ejisu, was recently held, under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture.

In attendance were the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Ms. Beatrice Serwaa Derchie, and Dr. David Anambam, Municipal Director of Agriculture, as well as Dr. Ernest Baafi, the Regional Research-Extension-Farmer Linkage Committee (RELC) Coordinator, and some researchers and agricultural extension agents.

Agricultural research scientists estimate that Taro is the most widely cultivated species in the genus Colocasia, and the fourth most consumed tuber crop in the world.

It has enormous health benefits which encompass building a strong immune system, lowering blood pressure, reducing weight gain and fatigue, preventing cell damage, building strong bones, and also supporting thyroid function.

The prevailing importance of the crop, therefore, had necessitated the new improved varieties, with the objective to boost production significantly in the interest of consumers and the Ghanaian farmer, the statement noted.

It said the MAG Programme focused attention on demand-driven research and alternative methods of extension delivery with the objective of increasing productivity through intensive farming.

It is designed to address productivity and value chain development management to add value to farmers’ produce for increased incomes while advancing a robust and diverse extension delivery system.

This long-term would help to facilitate the dissemination of technologies to farm households, farmer-based organizations, out-growers of nucleus farms, and others.

The ultimate outcome of the MAG Program is to foster a more modern equitable and sustainable agricultural sector that contributes to food security and also increase the adoption of relevant, production-enhancing technologies by men and women farmers in the country.

Additionally, it is designed to increase the adoption of market-oriented approaches to farm management by farmers, while ensuring private sector investment in sustainable agriculture input supply, production, marketing, and processing in the country.

The statement said some farmers at Gomoa Central in the Central Region, were also being supplied with the disease-resistant varieties of Taro planting materials.

The yield of Taro, according to researchers, was still low in Ghana as a result of poor production practices.

The CSIR-CRI would as such work assiduously through research to enhance its production to help alleviate food insecurity and poverty among rural farmers in the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency