Day: December 3, 2021

Accra, Dec 3, GNA-The Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Yohane Amarh Ashitey, has given the assurance that President Akufo-Addo’s signature agricultural campaign, Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) will only get better into the future.

On the sidelines of the celebration of the 2021 Farmers Day at Tema Community 7, Mr Amarh Ashitey told the Ghana News Agency that plans weree far advanced to invest even more into the Programme after it took off to a good start.

“You may have heard of the US$105million facility that the government is sourcing from the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) for the PFJ. That is just one of a number of investments that are going into the programme,”.

He added, “I can promise you that this masterstroke from President Akufo-Addo will only get better and better.”

Already, he pointed out, “The PFJ has been producing magnificent results, including; leading to Ghana becoming so self-sufficient in plantain production that it stopped importing and begun exporting plantain for the first time in many years.”

He added that the Programme was also providing jobs for the country’s youth and yielding millions in revenue for government.

“In the first year of its implementation, that is 2019, the PFJ raked in Ghc1.2billion for government. This was just the first year,” he said, adding, “it is the reason President Akufo-Addo and his government are encouraged to invest more into the PFJ.”

On food inflation, he said the perceived food inflation was one of the unsolicited side-problems of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“But now that we have a firm hold on COVID-19, we can only look forward to a future where President Akufo-Addo will earn even more praise for this wonderful programme. The PFJ will only get better”.

Mr. Amarh Ashitey also urged the Majority and Minority sides of Parliament to forsake entrenched positions over the 2022 budget and seek compromise for the benefit of the country.

“I think it is praiseworthy that the Majority and Finance Minister have taken the lead to offer the olive branch by agreeing to revise some of the programmes and levies. The compromises on the Agyapa deal, Aker Energy deal and the tentative agreement to revise down the e-levy are painful concessions by the government. I expect the Minority to respond in kind.”

Those in attendance included; the Member of Parliament for Tema East, Mr. Isaac Ashai Odamtten, the acting President of the Tema Traditional Council, Nii Adjetey Agbo, The National Dean of presiding members, Mr. Joseph Korto, Security Chiefs and Assembly members of Tema.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Sekondi, Dec. 03, GNA – The Western Regional Branch of the Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service has pledged to step up security and safety for commuters and motorists during the yuletide.

The Department would also enforce and arrest and prosecute offenders to deal with the increasing level of indiscipline on the road.

Chief Superintendent Isaac Kwasi Sorkpah, the Regional MTTD Commander, told the Ghana News Agency that the Region would also deploy more personnel to increase effective patrols both on foot and mobile.

He said most cities within the period of the yuletide and the new year, witnessed high economic and commercial activities with drivers taking advantage of the situation without recourse to passenger and pedestrian safety, “road accidents resulting into loss of lives have become a perennial problem and we are leaving no stone unturned to change the narratives”.

Chief Superintendent Sorkpah said the Department was collaborating with other relevant stakeholders to also promote more education and sensitization.

He said there would be massive highway enforcement teams consisting of not less than five personnel to check overspeeding, drunk driving, authenticate roadworthy stickers, adding “We want to minimize any violation of the road traffic regulations”.

The Department, in an exercise, had removed more than 2000 unapproved lamps on both small and long vehicles and cautioned against the practice which had become an avenue for accidents on the road.

Chief Superintendent Sorkpah added that the Accident Prevention Squad had been created as part of strategies to reduce road traffic crashes, “the Squad has the mandate to monitor major accident-prone corridors and help reduce speed by the use of telematics devices.”

Some personnel would be deployed to the various traffic intersections during rush hours to ensure a free flow of traffic and improve upon security and safety of both motorists and commuters.

The Western Region, he said, had recorded 91 crashes as against 83 for the period between January and September last year.

He entreated all road users to be cautious during the festive season and observe all safety protocols on COVID-19 to avoid an upsurge in the pandemic.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Anawuokrom (Ash), Dec. 03, GNA – Mr. Kwasi Addae, a 41 year-old farmer from Patrensa in the Asante-Akim Central Municipality, has been adjudged the overall best farmer at this year’s farmers’ day celebration held at Anawuokrom.

He has 26 acres of cocoa farm, three acres of cabbage, 10 acres of maize, two acres of coconut, two acres of oil palm, four acres of cassava, garden eggs, and pepper as well as live birds.

He took home various prizes including knapsack sprayers, wellington boots, cutlasses, weedicides, and a tricycle.

In all, 25 farmers including four women and two farmer-based organisations were recognised for their immense contribution to agriculture in the Municipality.

The theme chosen for this year’s celebration was, “Planting for Food and Jobs -Consolidating Food Systems in Ghana.”

Mr Robert Kwakye, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) said this year’s theme affirmed the government’s plans to make the nation self-reliant by advancing agriculture in Ghana from subsistence farming to boosting investment in the sector, creating jobs, and expanding markets.

He said it was only when agriculture was treated as a business that accelerated economic growth could be attained and urged the youth to venture into agriculture since it was sustainable and had the potential of keeping them in employment all year round.

The introduction of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), he noted, had contributed significantly to the bulk of foodstuffs on the market, adding that the Municipality took delivery and supplied various fertilizers and seeds to farmers under the programme this year.

He said 15,000 oil palm seedlings were also distributed to farmers to cultivate 100 hectares of palm plantation under the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD).

“The objective of the initiative is to acquire enough planting material for the proposed One District One Factory (1D1F) oil palm factory in the Municipality,” he stated.

The MCE congratulated all the award winners for their contribution to food security and Ghana’s economy and also impressed on them to step up their efforts so that some of them could win national awards in the coming years.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Takoradi Dec. 03, GNA –Mr. George Nana Blay Nketsiah, a 59-year-old resident of Ntankoful in the Esikado Ketan constituency has been adjudged the overall best farmer in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

For his award, he took home a motor tricycle, Knapsack sprayer, five pairs of wellington boots, ten crocodile cutlasses, and a bag of lime.

Mr. Nketsaih, who has 36 years of experience in farming, owns an acre of mango farm, seven acres of cocoa, seven acres of palm nut trees, five acres of coconut, two and a half acres of plantain farm.

He is also into vegetable plantation, animal farms, and as well into the processing of oil palm.

Among the other awardees was Madam Agnes Panford, the best physically challenged farmer who took home eight-inch double bed latex foam, four pairs of wellington boots, half piece wax print, four crocodile cutlasses among others.

Other award winners were Mr Peter Donkor, best marine fisher, Madam Monica Benson, a best enterprising female farmer, and Mr. Emmanuel Domeh, best youth farmer.

In all, 17 farmers were presented with prizes ranging from cutlasses to tricycles in the 37th National Farmers Day celebration.

This year’s celebration is on the theme “Planting for Food and Jobs-Consolidating food systems in Ghana”.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive Mr Abdul-Mumin Issah stressed the importance of agriculture and fisheries in ensuring food security and employment and noted that it was not out of place to celebrate the players in those sectors.

He said the Government was committed to putting place the right measures to put agriculture on the path of transformation, hence, the introduction of the PFJ, which was improving the fortunes of the agricultural sector.

He called on the citizenry to embrace the PFJ concept and actively engage in it to reduce the importation of food crops, improve upon the living standards of farmers, food security for households and reduce rural-urban migration.

He said the Government would continue to work closely with the private sector and other development partners to build a resilient food system in the country.

He said the Government would continue to implement policies and programmes to consolidate the gains made under the PFJ to ensure food security in the country.

Mr Daniel Asimenu, Metropolitan Agricultural Director mentioned that agriculture provided direct and indirect employment to 21 percent of the population in the Metropolis.

He added that most of the farmers in the Metropolis were into subsistent farming with a few isolated commercial farms with crops such as cassava, plantain, maize, rice, yam among the major crops grown.

He recounted the impact of the PFJ especially on the welfare of beneficiary farmers in the Metropolis and said many farmers who hitherto could not take care of their families were now able to do so.

The PFJ programme, he said if well implemented, would reduce crops such as rice, maize, and rice importation, improve upon farmer living standards and reduce rural-urban migration through the creation of jobs.

He said though the contribution of agriculture to the country’s GDP had dwindled in recent times, its contribution was still enormous, accounting for about 18.9 percent of GDP.

Source: Ghana News Agency

One of the country’s proudly wholly-Ghanaian-owned technology giants, K-NET has been honored with three well-deserved awards at the maiden FIN Awards held at the plush Movempick Ambassador Hotel in Accra.

K-NET emerged as the FIN Technology Infrastructure Backbone Company of the Year and FIN IoT Infrastructure Champion, while the CEO of K-NET, Richard Hlomador walked away with the Special Award for DTT (Digital Terrestrial Television) Personality.

The awards event formed part of the maiden Africa Cashless Payment Systems (ACPS) Conference, which saw industry players from various parts of the continent discussing how African can bridge borders via digitalization and facilitate intra-continental trade within the context of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

A total of 42 awards were won on the night by some 18 institutions and 20 personalities in the digital and cashless industry, as well as business leaders, regulators, policymakers and at least one journalist.

Several awardees took home one or two awards, but K-NET was one of two organizations that picked up three awards for their outstanding contribution to the digitalization of the country spanning over decades and using completely local expertise to rub shoulders with the multinationals in the space.

K-NET Limited is a Telecommunications Company with tremendous experience and knowledge in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions and specializes in the delivery of innovative communication products and business solutions for use by corporate organizations, government agencies, military and the general consumer public.

Its focus is in delivering world-class solutions tailored for the needs of local and international customers in the following service areas; Teleport; Broadcasting; Wide Area Networks; Rural Telephony; Solar Power Plants; Long Term Evolution; Private 4G; 4G over Satellite and IOT.

Speaking of rural telephony, K-NET works with the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) to provide over 40 solar-powered telecoms towers and counting in unserved and underserved communities to ensure the telcos can provide connectivity to those communities at affordable rates.

Over the years, K-NET has provided Managed Networking and Communications solutions (Data, Voice and Video) to large, medium and small businesses throughout Ghana with an average annual growth rate of nearly 200% year to year. No other primary Data Communications services provider in Ghana has rivalled this achievement.

The company’s clients are corporate organizations, whose main lines of businesses include banking, mining, TV and Radio broadcasting, publishing, manufacturing, education, governance, and merchandising.

K-NET has enormous industry knowledge and have worked with some of the leading mobile operators in various capacities, including but not limited to providing support in backhauling GSM traffic from remote rural communities; and also, as an ISP providing data connectivity to their subscribers.

Currently, K-NET has the best teleport service in Ghana using its 11.3m VSAT teleport and hub located in Accra, Ghana, built with state-of-the-art systems for high-level service delivery.

Its teleport services provide long term and occasional solutions to broadcast clients in Ghana who operate Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) or Direct to Home (DTH) platforms and channels.

K-NET is the force behind Ghana’s DTT infrastructure and it currently manages the National DTT Head-end in Accra.

But the services of K-NET go beyond the borders of Ghana. They have installations in Liberia, Togo, Sierra Leone serving state organizations, private institutions and communities with both IT and broadcasting solutions.

K-NET is also fast becoming a giant in media production, live events hosting, live broadcasting on all platforms (traditional and new media) and more at the Tesano state-of-the-art event centre where leading Ghanaian Dancehall act, Shatta Wale held his maiden virtual concert during Covid-19 lockdown.

K-NET has indeed remained the most silent technology and digital industry giant, whose work and solutions impact almost every Ghanaian and the people of other countries but the company has done all this on the quiet.

The company is a Private Limited Liability Company registered under the Companies Code 1963, Act 179 of Ghana and has been in operation since 1996.

Source: Ghana Web

Accra, Dec 03, GNA— Hundreds of Ghanaians, on Friday, thronged some beaches in the capital to commemorate this year’s Farmers’ Day celebration.

The holidaymakers defied the COVID-19 protocols despite the outbreak of a new variant of the virus, omicron, early this week.

The country is currently on high alert following the confirmation of the new variant, with health experts and professional bodies, including the Ghana Medical Association, calling on Government to intensify surveillance at the country’s entry points, as well as strict enforcement of the protocols to avert further spread into the communities.

A visit by the Ghana News Agency to some beaches in Accra revealed that there was total disregard for the protocols as put in place by government to control the spread of the virus.

There was absolutely no regard for social distance. No one was also seen in nosemask.

Many were seen walking hand-in-hand and hugging one another, with some swimming.

Mr Isaac Acquaye, a 19-year old, who was seen at the Dansoman Beach, in an interview with the GNA, said even though the virus still existed, life had to continue.

He said, “there is no sign the virus is leaving the world, in particular, Ghana any time soon so that should not deter people from having fun.”

Mr Acquaye said it was totally impossible for anyone to observe the protocols at the beach in times such as holidays.

“We cannot observe the protocol here at the beach because it is what it is. How can you swim with mask on or tell somebody not to swim close to you because you want to observe social distance. That is impossible,” he emphasised.

Ms Ruth Essien, 22, also reiterated the impossibility to observe the protocols at places such as beaches and urged the government to review the protocols and exclude beaches.

Ghana has witnessed a massive progress in the fight against the virus as the country’s daily new cases, as well as active ones have seen a downward trend in the last few months.

However, the country’s progress seems to have hit a snag following the confirmation of the omicron virus by the country’s health management body, the Ghana Health Service.

Government, early this year, announced plans to vaccinate twenty million Ghanaians before the end of the year to achieve herd immunity and minimise the pread o the virus.

However, as at November 21, 2021, only five million have so far received at least a single jab.

The Ghana Police Service has cautioned the public that, beginning January 2022, only persons with the vaccination cards would be allowed to access public places.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, has made a clarion call for waste management to be dealt with in a sustainable and timeous manner in the local environments.

He said such an approach should be done based on lessons drawn from technological advancement, taking into consideration peculiar cultural settings of the various environments.

Dr Siaw Agyepong made the call when he delivered the keynote address while participating in the Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit at Budapest, Hungary on Thursday, December 2, 2021.

It was on the theme: “Waste Management – Recycling, Burning or Exporting Rubbish.”

According to him, achieving such a “laudable objective” calls for a proper waste management system which must be seen as a process and not “an action.”

“A sustainable, integrated process should include but not limited to collection, treatment, recovery, recycling, disposal systems, financing models, operational models, technologies, and citizen engagement programmes,” he proposed.

The quest for sound waste management, Dr Siaw Agyepong pointed out, must be seen as a global human endeavour.

He buttressed this by quoting Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which stipulates that “everyone has the right to life” and Article 25 states among other things that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for his health and well-being and that of his family”.

While admitting that many countries still resort to poor disposal of waste, he stressed that it can also not be denied that the world has been provided today with three waste alternatives — recycling, burning and exporting rubbish.

To attain sustainable and integrated waste management, the executive chairman of JGC indicated that waste must first be seen as a resource and not waste.

“My humble submission (which I believe you all share) is that waste must not be seen as the undesired end-result of human activities, but as a resource which can be employed for diverse purposes. It offers trends and provides opportunities toward our pursuit of a better world,” he noted.

He was, therefore, happy that societies were progressively moving away from simply seeing waste as a bad end-product to a resource.

“Recent developments in some geographical areas, for instance, confirm that “pollution is, after all, a winnable battle”. This is a most welcome indication of a change in perception and resolve,” he said.

In the case of Africa, Dr Siaw Agyepong said solid waste especially, is projected to grow to 244 million tonnes per year by 2025 on the continent

This, he indicated, has seen the African Union (AU) call on African governments to commit to recycling at least 50 per cent of their urban waste they generate by 2023 and to grow urban waste recycling industries.

“As a group, the African Union sees proper waste management as being central to ensuring human and ecosystem health, and this provides economic and environmental benefits. While significant efforts are being made across Africa to ensure better access and services, many places still have inadequate infrastructure for efficient waste management,” he said.

On waste management situation in Ghana, Dr Siaw Agyepong contended that successive governments have been keen on dealing with the waste menace.

“In 1999, Ghana first published its Sanitation Policy which was later updated in 2010. A strategic ‘National Environmental Sanitation Strategy and Action Plan’ was enacted and this included an investment plan to ensure the achievement of the policy,” he recounted.

In spite of all these good policies, he underscored that Ghana lacks the requisite financial resources to support the full implementation of these policies which has brought in its wake some challenges in the disposal of waste.

According to him, it was in the midst of these challenges that Zoomlion Ghana Limited, a subsidiary of JGC, introduced modern technology to revolutionise the sanitation industry.

The efforts of Zoomlion, he noted, has led to a paradigm shift from carting waste for burning or burial to the use of simple modern collection processes and dumping at landfill sites.

He said JGC through Zoomlion has ensured the effective and timely collection of waste thereby reducing littering and indiscriminate dumping; crude dumping; and burning of waste.

This, he said, has helped largely to mitigate and divert uncontrolled Greenhouse Gas emissions which worsen climate change.

He used the opportunity to highlight some of the accomplishments of Zoomlion. Among these, he said, included the tricycle concept, composting and recycling, plastic recycling, liquid waste treatment and 1 Million Bin Concept.

He said Zoomlion has also been collaborating with the academia in the pursuit of a sustainable environment while creating job opportunities for people.

“Hence, we have partnered the following universities: University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Harvard School of Public Health, the Harvard Centre for African Studies (on whose Board I am privileged to serve) among other academic institutions to bring about innovations in our efforts in ensuring a sustainable future,” he mentioned.

Source: Ghana Web

Ho, Dec. 3, GNA— The Unity Borborbor Group at Avexa, a farming community in the Ho West District of the Volta Region was adjudged the best performing group in this year’s Centre for National Culture’s (CNC) Borborbor competition held at Awuiasu in the district.

They beat the other six groups to be crowned champions and were given a trophy, certificate, and a cash prize while the rest of the groups from second to seventh positions received a certificate and a cash prize.

Kekeli Borborbor group from Kpoeta and Agbe Yeye Borborbor group from Amedzofe garnered the second and third positions respectively while Ayape Borborbor group from Biakpa had the fourth.

The fifth position went to the Dunenyo Borborbor group from Ashianti while the Lorlornyo Zibo group from Awuiasu and Power Youth Borborbor group from Biakpa secured the sixth and seventh positions respectively.

The event was full of excitement as performers twirled two handkerchiefs in a uniform gesticulation with a great demonstration of prowess of waist power to entertain the audience.

Mrs. Bernice Deh-Kumah, Volta Regional Director of the Centre said Borborbor music when properly developed could serve as an income generation avenue for the groups and the communities.

Speaking on the theme: ‘Borborbor; an exportable cultural asset for wealth creation’ she said the dance could be made more attractive and exported to other countries to create wealth.

Mrs. Deh-Kumah urged the groups to form a committee that would spearhead their affairs and to give them a strong voice to promote the dance.

Mr. Ernest Victor Apau, Ho West District Chief Executive commended the groups for sterling performance and high display of skills and pledged to offer them the needed support to maintain the heritage.

He said happiness was therapy, and that borbor music was a kind that could be enjoyed by both old and young people to keep them healthy and productive.

Mr. Apau urged members of the various groups to register for the Ghana card and be prepared to take advantage of any opportunity that might come their way.

Ms. Beatrice Gah, Ho West District Director, CNC, underscored the need for the country’s rich tradition and cultures to be developed and showcased to the rest of the world.

Source: Ghana News Agency