Day: February 2, 2024

Some Cold store operators at Kasoa in the Awutu-Senya- East Municipality of the Central Region, have kicked against government’s intention to place a 15% VAT on electricity consumption.

In an interview with the GNA, they expressed dissatisfaction about the move saying, that will cripple their businesses.

Mrs Mary Danquah, a Cold store operator with postpaid meter at the Kasoa old market, in an interview with the GNA said cost of electricity was already high without the tax.

She said her monthly electricity bill was between Ghc1,500 and if that tax was imposed, she would have no choice than to close-down the shop.

Another operator mentioned GHS1,500 electricity bill every week, and when they tried regulating the power by switching off their refrigerators, their products went bad.

They vehemently opposed the move and called on government to rescind the decision.

They bemoaned the numerous taxes they were already burdened with and urged the government to be considerate in imposing additional tax on electr
icity to save their businesses.

Some youth employees expressed frustration that business owners were threatening to shut down their businesses if the new VAT was introduced, saying they would be rendered unemployed.

They appealed to the government to reconsider the decision in order not to escalate the unemployment situation in the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ashanti Regional Office of the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has outlined strategies to promote responsible road behaviour for the year 2024.

The target is to bring down fatalities on the roads this year by working closely with relevant stakeholders, especially road users.

Mr Kwasi Agyenim Boateng, the Regional Head of the Authority in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said his outfit would focus on the critical road user risk groups such as passengers, pedestrians, motorcyclists and tricycle riders in the region.

‘We are looking at the safety of vehicle occupants, pedestrians, and motorcycle riders as our main focus this quarter,’ he reiterated.

To address vehicle occupant safety, the Regional Head said, they would do a lot of enforcement of road safety standards at lorry terminals, as well as major highways.

The Authority would also enforce operational standards which involved audits, during which vehicle and driver standards would be examined to ensure they were worthy for the road
.

Mr Boateng said passenger engagements at lorry terminals would also be intensified by enlightening them on their responsibilities including how to handle passenger-driver conflicts and over speeding issues.

The passengers, he said, would also be sensitised on basic road safety regulations, to empower them to always insist on road safety practices.

‘If you want to travel at night and the vehicle you are about to board has no reflective tapes, I don’t think you should go ahead and put your life at risk,’ he advised.

He said pedestrian safety especially at school zones would also be prioritised as part of efforts to address knockdowns at such crossings.

‘There will be a lot of sensitisations for school children and teachers on the need to be safe along the highways to make them responsible road users,’ he added.

He said the education would also be extended to community members along highways, especially in rural areas where over speeding was very common, compelling residents to construct unauthorised spe
ed humps.

‘What we have noticed is that these unauthorised speed humps are reactions to over speeding, so we will take them through the right channels to engage road agencies on how to construct proper speed humps,’ Mr Boateng said

On reducing motorcycle and tricycle accidents, he said the NRSA would embark on road safety education in mosques and identifiable tricycle rider groups where he believed most of the riders could be reached.

He said their objective was to encourage the usage of helmets to reduce fatalities when motorcycles were involved in accidents.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Enchi District Magistrate Court has remanded Kojo Armoh, a 35-year-old farmer into police custody for allegedly making an offensive statement about Nana Kojo Meah III, the Chief of Boinso, in the Aowin Municipality, Western North Region.

Armoh, a resident of Boinso who was charged with offensive conduct, pleaded not guilty.

Earlier, the court presided over by Mr Lawrence Buanor-Buer, granted the accused bail of GH?10,000 with one surety, and ordered that Armoh should be accompanied by his elders to visit the chief’s palace and render unqualified apology customarily.

Detective Chief Inspector Joseph Kwadwo Agyare, who led prosecution prayed the court to rescind the decision and rather remand Armoh.

The court agreed and the accused would re-appear before the court on February 2, 2024.

On January 11, 2024, at about 19:34 hours, a witness in the case and two others saw Armoh standing amid many people at ‘City Office’ a popular area at Boinso making an audio recording with his mobile phone and insulting
the complainant.

Detective Chief Inspector Agyare said the witness informed Nana Meah III and he came over to verify what he heard, met Armoh lambasting him and his elders without any proof.

He said Nana Meah III felt humiliated, reported the incident at the Boinso Police Post, but the case was later referred to the Enchi District Police Command for further investigations.

The court heard that the complainant produced the audio recordings Armoh made to the police, and statements were taken from him and the witnesses as well.

Prosecution said the audio recordings were made in Brosah language and it was translated by an independent person in Enchi as follows: ‘The elders of Boinso are senseless, they cannot think for themselves. The Omanhene of Enchi is controlling them. Duncan, if he is Odikro or chief, no one knows. Duncan is a drunkard like me.’

Armoh was picked by the police and confirmed that he made the audio recordings based on the love he had for the residents of Boinso community.

Detective Chief
Inspector Agyare, said Armoh that alleged Nana Meah III brought illegal miners to prospect for gold in a forest reserve at Boinso, but he together with some youth of the town objected and drove the miners away.

Armoh claimed that after that Nana Meah III engaged a timber contractor with the intent to cut trees from the same forest and they again stood against that idea.

The prosecutor said Armoh posted the audio recordings to ‘Boinso world,’ a social media handle created by a section of Boinso residents where they share ideas and address pressing issues in the community.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Wife of Vice President Mahamdu Bawumia, Hajia Mrs Samira Bawumia, who doubles as Global Ambassador for United Nations’ Clean Cooking Alliance, has given assurance to women in Jamestown, a suburb of Accra that government is intensifying education on LPG use.

She gave the assurance during a tour of Jamestown as part of her campaign for cleaner, accessible and affordable energy sources for cooking.

She was accompanied on the tour by Michael Regan, the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA).

The tour was intended to provide the team with first-hand information on prevalent cooking methods and fuel sources being used by many of the women in the area for cooking.

The visit not only highlighted strong Ghana-United States relations but also reflected a shared dedication to promoting clean cooking, leading to improved public health and sustainable living.

Jamestown, with its rich cultural and historical significance, served as the ideal setting, reflective of a typical Ghanai
an community, suitable for the exercise.

The area, known for its vibrant community, faced challenges with traditional cooking methods that often relied on less sustainable and unclean fuel sources, including charcoal, firewood, and tyres.

The delegation visited households, including two fish smoking facilities, a kenkey house and a banku joint; to observe the methods and fuels used in preserving fish and preparing meals.

In her interactions, Mrs Bawumia said: ‘Our women go through a lot of challenges to put food on the table, and cooking is the number one challenge.

‘A lot of the non-communicable diseases are from unclean cooking, respiratory illness, blindness and all of that, so we’re committed to helping our women to help transition from firewood and charcoal to cleaner energy sources.’

Mrs Bawumia highlighted the importance of embracing more sustainable and health-friendly cooking practices.

‘Our traditional cooking methods are an integral part of our culture. However, it is essential to balance thi
s with the need for environmentally sustainable and healthy practices,’ she stated.

Unclean cooking methods account for two-thirds (64%) of household air pollution.

In 2019, about two hundred and thirty-six thousand (236,000) newborn infants were estimated to have died of air-pollution-related causes in sub-Saharan Africa, according to the State of Global Air study.

Household air pollution accounts for an estimated four (4) million deaths every year.

In Africa, indoor air pollution caused 697,000 deaths in 2019.

The African Development Bank reports that the continent loses up to 2.4% of its GDP annually due to health problems caused by biomass cooking.

Mrs Bawumia, who also doubles as a champion of the World Health Organisation’s Health and Energy Platform for Action (HEPA), said the government was committed to increasing access to cleaner fuels through various programmes.

She mentioned the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) project.

The CRM is intended to resolve the challenge associated with the cos
t of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and make it accessible to the citizens, she stated.

The tour also involved a town hall discussion on alternative cooking methods and the potential for cleaner, more sustainable, and environmentally friendly fuel sources for the local population.

Other members of the delegation included Dr Henry Kokofu, the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Ambassador Virginia Palmer, the US Ambassador to Ghana and the Chief Executive Mr Officer of the US National Association for Derrick Johnson, the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP).

At the United Nations Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai in December 2023, Mrs Bawumia and Ambassador Regan engaged in a fireside conversation hosted by the Clean Cooking Alliance to discuss the impact of unclean cooking on lives, livelihoods, and the environment, as well as the role of national governments in accelerating clean cooking solutions through deliberate programs and policies.

It is against this backdrop that Amba
ssador Regan and his team are in Ghana to ascertain firsthand, the traditional cooking practices prevalent in Ghana and how they could help improve it.

Mrs Bawumia, over the years, has been a relentless advocate for women’s wellbeing and children, through her not-for-profit organisation, the Samira Empowerment and Humanitarian Projects (SEHP).

Through SEHP, she has supported about 8,000 pregnant women in the East Gonja Municipality, North East Gonja and Saboba Districts of Ghana with essential birth kits to prevent maternal and neonatal mortalities.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Meridian Port Services (MPS) Terminal 3 in Tema Port has received its first call from a liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessel barely a week after a 366-metre Maersk vessel visited the port.

The vessel, CMA CGM Scandola Vallette, is a Malta flagged 15,128 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessel and one of the 13 vessels of the same class designated for the newly introduced West Africa Express Service (WAX).

The vessel, which berthed at the port as its first call to West Africa, was carrying 9,161 TEUs of goods bound for the region, out of which 4,939 TEUs were scheduled to be discharged in Tema.

Out of the total discharged in Tema, 1,938 TEUs of transshipment boxes were reloaded into feeder vessels for their destination in other ports in West Africa.

Mr. Oussama Yakra, the Cluster Managing Director for Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia at CMA CGM, addressing a delegation led by Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport who visited the berthing site, said ‘the first port to be called in W
est Africa is Tema, and it’s not a coincidence.’

Mr. Yakra said the visit was the fruit of a long-term vision that Ghana made several years ago to expand the capacity of the port.

Mr. Mohammed Samara, the Chief Executive Officer of MPS, noted that Tema was gradually living up to its hub port ambition, adding that this would help Ghana achieve its goal of becoming an ideal destination for investments.

He said the West African market is huge, with millions of consumers and producers; therefore, Ghana must have the ability to tap into this kind of global economy by becoming a hub not only for trade but also for industry.

‘This is something really interesting that we should actually encourage and pursue; this is the dream for Ghana and the AfCFTA to create interconnectivity within the region and the wider continent in the long run,’ he said.

Mrs. Sandra Opoku, the Director of Tema Port, said the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) recognises the efforts shipping lines were making to augment the maritim
e trade in the region, promising that her outfit would do its best to complement such efforts.

She said they were excited to have one of the biggest ships calling at MPS, especially at a time that the GPHA had augmented its tugboats that could steer in these big vessels.

‘Kudos to my marine operations team for making sure that we bring this vessel to berth safely, and this is our commitment to you and to all the other shipping lines that we are ready to serve you,’ she said.

Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport, stated that the historic birthing of the vessel in Tema was an indication that Ghana was committed to protecting the environment.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Presbyterian Relief Services and Development (PRESED), an agency of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has provided cash support to 1000 individuals; approximately 5,383 households in the Volta Region, to alleviate the plight of victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage.

The multipurpose cash transfer, funded by the ACT Alliance, is for the beneficiaries to procure basic needs to relieve them of their plight and enable them to bounce back to life.

Mr Emmanuel Nyarko Ankamah, the Ghana Forum Coordinator of the Alliance and National Coordinator for PRESED, said the Alliance was touched by the plight of the affected persons, hence the support from the Rapid Response Fund to help reduce their plight.

He, therefore, called on all relief agencies to come together to implement livelihood enhancement programmes to assist the affected persons and their communities.

Mrs Rebecca Sabah, the National Director for Development and Social Services, Presbyterian Church of Ghana, said the Church, as part of its social witne
ssing, had commiserated with the affected persons and their families since the unfortunate incident happened.

It had provided numerous supports, including distribution of relief items and water supply to Mepe, Tokpo, Tefle, Battor, Sogakope, Ada, Sokpoe, Adidome and Akuse.

‘The Church is planning more support such as the provision of potable water and distribution of educational materials in Mepe and surrounding communities,’ she said, and expressed the Church’s appreciation to the ACT Alliance for the gesture.

The Act Alliance is a global faith-based coalition operating in more than 120 countries with more than 140 members.

The alliance works on humanitarian aid, gender and climate justice, migration and displacement, and peace and security to support local communities.

Its goal is to promote a locally led and coordinated approach to advocacy, humanitarian and developmental issues.

The beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the Church and development partners for the kind gesture.

Ms Yayra Grace, a sing
le mother resident in Sogakope, said she would use the money to repair her damaged house.

Ms Doris Amehlor from Mepe, on her part, said she would use her share to start a business.

The Volta River Authority (VRA) began the controlled water spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on September 15, 2023, due to the consistent rise in the inflow pattern and water level in the Akosombo reservoir.

The total number of persons affected was approximately 36,000 in nine districts (NADMO, 2023).

The increased numbers widened the unmet basic needs in sectors such as food, WASH, health, education and livelihoods.

Based on the humanitarian gaps identified during needs assessment, the Presbyterian Relief Services and Development decided to provide the multipurpose cash for 1000 households through mobile cash transfer based on community consultation of their unmet needs.

In addition to the cash, the response will support 200 most affected farmers replacing their seeds and tools lost to the floods.

Source: Ghana New
s Agency

One hundred and twenty trading standards inspectors under the Ghana Standards Authority and the British Standards Institution partnership have graduated after completing their training programmes.

The inspectors are the first cohort in the country to undertake this training, aligning to GSA’s evolved mandate, to ensure safe, fair and legally compliant marketplaces, helping local businesses and protecting consumers.

The Standards Partnership is a UK Government funded programme, being led by BSI, to enhance trade through international standards.

It is designed to increase economic stability, boosting sustainable and inclusive growth, supporting job creation and reducing poverty.

The programme supports governments and national standards bodies in SP countries by helping to strengthen quality infrastructure and increase the use of international standards.

It was first piloted in partnership with GSA, in November 2022.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond, the Minister of Trade and I
ndustry, urged the inspectors to abide by the tenets of the profession.

Baroness Hoey of Lylehill and Rathlin, UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Ghana, pledged continuous support to the GSA to help boost trade and protect consumers.

Professor Alex Dodoo, Director General GSA, said: ‘We are delighted to be able to recognise the achievements of the trading standards inspectors,

who will play a key role for GSA and towards our goals of boosting trade.

‘Through the Standards Partnership programme our capacity at GSA has expanded and it has contributed to a new workforce, through various activities and training. But also, wider than GSA, our partners and local organisations will benefit as we continue on the transformational journey and unleash the potential of Ghanian industry.’

It aligns with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to stimulate intra-Africa trade, emphasising value-added production and trade across all sectors of the continent’s economy.

Volodymyr Yakubov, Internatio
nal Projects Director at BSI said: ‘This event not only acknowledges the achievements of the inspectors but also signifies the ongoing collaboration between the UK and Ghana to improve market practices and strengthen the national quality infrastructure.

‘We are proud to be able to join GSA for this event and for the ongoing partnership that will continue to

deliver impact.’

In addition to Ghana, the SP programme is currently being rolled out in 10 other countries and island regions: Bangladesh, the Caribbean, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, the Pacific Islands, Rwanda and Uganda.

It aims to support national standards bodies in all countries and enable businesses to build resilient, diversified supply chains with high-quality products and services – resulting in greater choice and lower prices of goods.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Keta Municipal Health Directorate in the Volta Region has urged the public to work together to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the communities.

This will help create more awareness and further mitigate the rate of spread of these diseases.

NTDs are a diverse group of tropical infections that are common in low-income populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas.

They are caused by various pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and parasitic worms (helminths).

These diseases are contrasted with the ‘big three’ infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and malaria), which generally receive greater treatment and research funding.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the effect of neglected tropical diseases as a group is comparable to that of malaria and tuberculosis.

NTD co-infection can also make HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis more deadly.

Madam Dora Kugbonu, a Health Promotion Officer, Keta Municipal Health Directorate, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the
sidelines of this year’s NTDs Day, called on individuals and communities to get together and address the inequalities that resulted in neglected tropical diseases.

The Day was to create better awareness on the devastating impacts of NTDs on the poorest populations around the world, she stated.

She said NTDs were a diverse group of some 20 conditions that were widespread among people in rural areas, who were in vulnerable situations.

They could also be found in war zones and areas where water safety, sanitation, and access to healthcare were inadequate or suboptimal.

Madam Kugbonu said NTDs affected more than one million people globally and was responsible for thousands of preventable deaths in various communities every year.

‘The diseases were called ‘neglected’ because they were ranked very low on the global health agenda and received lower attention when they appear.’

She outlined some examples of such diseases as Buruli ulcer, leprosy, trachoma, yaws, foodborne trematode diseases, and human African t
rypanosomiasis among others.

Madam Kugbonu said the disease was preventable and the public must prioritise their health issues by visiting the hospital regularly for checkups.

She appealed to individuals, chiefs, heads of institutions, corporate entities, and community leaders among others to work together to eliminate those diseases.

This year’s World Neglected Tropical Disease Day was on the theme: ‘Unite, Act, Eliminate.’

Source: Ghana News Agency