Day: February 29, 2024

Agri-Impact Limited, an agribusiness development firm, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to advocate and enhance agricultural businesses among youth through technology.

The partnership will help create dignified and fulfilling jobs for 326,000 young women, young men focusing especially on women, and also to eradicate the false mindset about agriculture among students.

Mr Dan Acquaye, Chief Executive Officer of Agri-Impact Limited and Professor Ben Banful, Provost, College of Agric and Natural Resources, KNUST, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective institutions.

Mrs Julie Asante-Dartey, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Agri-Impact Limited, speaking to the media said the agreement would scale up youth involvement in agriculture, build their capacity and be ambassadors of agribusiness.

She said the partnership would also help leverage the electronic-learning platform of the University to train over 500 youth, who would use I
nformation Technology and Communication (ICT) to create enterprises in the agribusiness industry.

Mrs Asante-Dartey said it was important for students to have the passion of creating businesses in agriculture to secure a lifetime job, adding that it would help reduce the high level of unemployment faced by the youth.

‘The training is to help students become entrepreneurs and ambassadors of agriculture’, she said.

The Deputy CEO said, the project would be a four-year development in rice, soya, poultry and tomato production.

She said with the aid of the University, students would have an effective value chain to work together and increase productivity, smooth market access and enterprise efficiency.

She expressed the hope that after four years, the project would generate at least $200 million revenue every year to help cut down importation by 10 per cent.

She said the idea of partnering the University was to involve academia in the project to develop policies on agribusiness for effective implementation.

P
rofessor Robert Aidoo, Dean, Agribusiness and Intergrated Supply Chain Management, KNUST, emphasised on the importance of collaboration between the two entities in meeting the demands of agribusiness development among Ghanaian youth, especially young men and women.

He said the University recognised the MoU as an important step to working together to bring agricultural businesses to the doorstep of Ghanaian youth by ensuring that stakeholders worked to achieve success in the agricultural sector.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Zoomlion Foundation, in collaboration with the Accra College of Education, has launched an initiative dubbed ‘Agenda Zero Waste’ as part of efforts to get everyone on board in tackling sanitation challenges in the country.

The initiative is aimed at involving teacher trainees to be champions of environmental education across the country.

Launching the initiative, Mr Robert Kwaku Adjei, the Writers’ Bureau Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, speaking on behalf of the Managing Director of Zoomlion, Madam Gloria Anti, emphasised that the company through the initiative was nurturing a community of passionate individuals who will be actors in the sanitation space in the near future.

He said the initiative also signified a momentous move to address waste management and climate change in the country.

The event, which was on the theme: ‘Achieving Zero Waste: The Role of The Teacher Trainee in Combating Climate Change’, was also used to unveil the Green Generation Champions, an environmental club for tertiary insti
tutions.

The Principal of Accra College of Education, Prof Samuel A. Atintono, said the sustainable management of waste was a critical component of global efforts to mitigate climate change, preserve and present the planet for future generations.

‘The time is up for all, especially our young teacher trainees, to rise up to work towards achieving zero waste in order to recover the negative impact of climate change,’ he said.

According to him, the onus is on all citizens to improve consumption patterns and adopt sustainable waste management practices that protected the environment through recycling of waste.

The National Coordinator of Zoomlion Foundation, Mr Thomas Narh Korley, said Zoomlion had committed resources to the mobilisation of the youth and children to change the sanitation narrative in the country.

He explained that even though Zoomlion’s public education programmes had achieved remarkable results, they still needed to educate citizens on reducing, re-using and recycling of waste instead of du
mping it on landfills, which resulted in environmental and health hazards.

‘We are therefore drumming home that waste is a resource and we need everyone to appreciate that fact and lean towards benefiting from it,’ he stressed.

He said the Foundation agreed to work with the Accra College of Education because the teacher trainees were key stakeholders in involving children and the youth to impact the knowledge of transforming waste into resource.

‘So when they become professional teachers they would not find it difficult at all to teach children and the youth to transform waste into resources,’ he emphasised.

He said Agenda Zero Waste would be replicated in all tertiary institutions, particularly teacher training colleges in the country.

The President of the Student Representative Council (SRC), Mr Richmond Adjei, explaining the rationale behind the programme, said there was so much filth on campus and to address it they decided to collaborate with Zoomlion to bring a lasting solution to the challenge.

‘
The collaboration birthed Agenda Zero Waste and the establishment of Generation Champions GGC,’ he added.

‘Zoomlion has done a great job for us by offering us a lot of support including the provision of waste bins to promote waste management on campus,’ he noted.

Mr Adjei further added that the SRC would not rest there, but lobby for more support to push forward the agenda.

He encouraged other tertiary institutions to adopt the initiative and institute programmes that would prompt students to promote good sanitation.

Zoomlion is providing training for the Green Generation Champions and resources for the implementation of Agenda Zero Waste Project.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Jeroen Verheul, Ambassador of the Netherlands Embassy in Ghana says security agencies must work at winning the full trust of citizens to enhance their fight against violent extremism.

‘If there is mistrust between citizens and security services, they won’t?report suspicious behaviour they notice within their communities. If you want to have an effective campaign, you need to enhance the trust between the population and security services,’ he said.

The Ambassador said this on Wednesday during the launch of the second phase of the Prevention of Violent Extremism through Social Accountability (PoVETSA) Project in Accra.

PoVETSA II, the follow-up of PoVETSA I, will continue to respond to threats of violent extremism and terrorism in Northern Ghana by addressing the fundamental causes of these issues while encouraging social cohesion and inclusive peacebuilding among civilians and security actors.

A key finding of the PoVESTA I project was the continued mistrust between citizens and security agencies in the
districts studied.

The study found that 41 per cent of males and 21 per cent of females have mistrust of security agencies.

The second phase of the project is being carried out by Catholic Relief Services (CRS), in collaboration with the National Peace Council (NPC) and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), with funding from the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

It will place a major emphasis on fostering trust between civilians and security personnel ahead of the December 7, 2024, parliamentary and presidential elections.

It will also target the Fulbe tribe to enhance social cohesion among host communities and trust in national security actors.

The project is part of a long-term effort to develop social accountability systems and create inclusive dialogue towards peace in Ghana.

Mr Verheul urged stakeholders to work together to prevent terrorism from becoming a reality in Ghana.

He expressed worry over the presence of political vigilante groups, saying this suggested that polit
ical parties or election candidates had doubts about the country’s security apparatus.

According to the Ambassador, 62 politically related vigilante groups exist in the Savanah region alone.

He stated that the existence of those vigilante organizations created an opening for Jihadist infiltration, which must be addressed urgently.

In a speech read on his behalf, Major General Richard Addo Gyane, Commandant of KAIPTC, said the Centre recognised the crucial importance preventive measures played in ensuring peace and security.

He said that KAIPTC had a long history of commitment to capacity building, research, and collaboration in the fields of peacekeeping and conflict resolution and that it would assist the initiative by offering specialised expertise and assistance for comprehensive capacity building.

The Commandant said the Centre would also contribute to tailored courses that equip defence and security actors and community leaders with effective conflict resolution strategies.

He said no single organi
zation can adequately manage the complex challenges of violent extremism and terrorism, and that alliances would benefit entities in combating emerging threats.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A 33-year-old businessman who allegedly collected $57,000 under the pretext of securing a Toyota Land Cruiser sport utility vehicle for a church but failed has appeared before the Achimota Circuit Court.

Andrews Amoah Ampaw pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretences.

Police say the Ampaw was arrested by Ghana Immigrations Service officials at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) while travelling outside the country.

The court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo admitted Ampaw to bail in the sum of GHC800,000 with two sureties to be justified with landed property.

It further ordered Ampaw to submit his passport to the Registry of the Court until otherwise directed.

He was also asked to report to the case investigator every Friday.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Stephen Ahiale said the complainant, whose name was withheld, is a clergy and an administrator at a renowned church in the country.

ASP Ahiale said Ampaw resides at Weija SCC, Accra.

On June 29, 2023, Ampaw collected a ca
sh amount of $57,000 from the complainant under the pretext of securing a 2019 Toyota Land Cruiser from Dubai for the church but failed.

The prosecution said Ampaw went into hiding and all efforts to trace him and retrieve the money proved futile.

On February 12, 2024, information gathered indicated that Ampaw was travelling outside country when he was arrested at KIA by Immigration officials and handed over to Legon Police in a similar case.

The prosecution said the complainant identified Ampaw when he was apprehended.

During interrogation, the prosecution said Ampaw admitted the offence in his caution statement.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Volta Regional Police Command Tuesday found an inmate hanged in the Akatsi Police cells.

Simon Doeve, accused of murder, was going through committal at the Akatsi District Court and was remanded to go back to the Court on March 13, 2024, but hanged himself ahead of the court date.

The Police suspect no foul play as the body had no marks of assault.

His body has been deposited at the Ho Teaching Hospital for preservation and autopsy.

Police brief said Doeve was remanded into Police custody on February 12, 2024, and on the same day, he hanged himself.

Investigation revealed that at about 0350 hours, the counter non-commissioned officer sergeant Gideon Ndsuga visited the cells and detected the accused person was not part of the inmates.

When he enquired, he was told Doeve was in the washroom, only to find him hanged on the fan hook on the ceiling with a duster used for the cleaning of the washroom.

The brief said the family of the deceased was informed by Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Andrews Boadu
Ekumah, the Regional Police Commander.

Afterwards, the family was allowed into the cells to identify him.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr John Oti Bless, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Nkwanta North, has called on Turkey to share its agriculture expertise with Ghana for the sector to thrive.

He said as the world needed to feed a growing population and with less land, the right investment in agriculture will inure to its expansion to meet the demands of the population.

‘Agriculture is a major source of Turkey and Ghana putting our money behind food and crop production, processing, and distribution with adequate expertise from Turkey will be a good investment for our folks, majority of whom are farmers,’ he said.

Mr Oti Bless made the call on Wednesday in Parliament during a familiarisation meeting between members of Parliament (MPs) who are members of the Ghana-Turkey Friendship Association, and Mr Huseyin Gungor, the Turkey Ambassador to Ghana.

He said Ghana and Turkey’s economic relationship had grown from strength to strength, especially in the last decade as Turkish overall African Policy began to take s
hape.

‘Ghana and Turkey’s relationship dates back to 1958 where currently, the relationship has strengthened over the years.

‘Bilateral trade and investment in the Ghanaian economy by Turkish companies have grown significantly culminating in a record growth at the end of 2020,’ he said.

Mr Oti Bless noted that cooperation between the two nations on mutually accepted terms and conditions would facilitate infrastructural development to open avenues for economic growth.

While the MPs lauded Turkey for the role played in offering scholarships to promote academic excellence in the country, they also appealed for them to be engaged in their constituencies to monitor their respective projects.

Mr Gungor, on his part, said double taxation, promotion and protection of investment were the pending documents important to him as part of his 2024 agenda, which would cushion Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as a source of insurance.

He urged Ghanaians to start development programmes in agriculture for its practical
ity.

Ghana has enjoyed good relations with Turkey since independence, except for a period of strained rapport during the later years of the Nkrumah regime.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister of Roads and Highway, has urged contractors working on the Tema Motorway Roundabout Project- Phase Two to complete the project ahead of schedule.

The Minster said just as the Phase One of the project was completed ahead of schedule, he wanted the second phase to also be completed earlier to bring relief to commuters.

Mr Asenso-Boakye said this during a tour of the project site at the Tema Motorway along with officials from his Ministry and the Ghana Highway Authority.

The contractors, JFE Engineering Corporation, planed to complete the project by December 2024; however, the Minister impressed on them to speed it up to the closing weeks of October 2024.

The project dubbed: ‘The Project for the Improvement of Tema Motorway Roundabout Phase II’ commenced on July 15, 2022 and consists of the construction of a recommended third-tier flyover of the Tema Harbour – Akosombo stretch.

The project stretches from the Total Fuel Station at Tema Community Nine towards the Ashaiman Ti
mber Market on the Tema – Akosombo road.

The project, being funded with a Japanese grant of $27 million, is expected to provide an anchor for the continuous expansion of the 64 – kilometer Tema – Akosombo stretch.

The Minister admonished the contractors to employ a day and night-around the clock operations and add more staff if necessary to speed up the project completions.

Mr Asenso-Boakye said the full complement of the project when completed would ease the intense traffic in the area and improve free vehicular flow from Tema and other adjourning communities.

He added the project would serve both domestic and international traveling needs and improve the flow of movement from the Tema Harbour to Accra and the ECOWAS subregion as whole.

Mr Satoshi Yamamoto, Project Manager, Tema Roundabout Project- Phase Two, said the project was at 60 per cent complete.

He said work was almost done with the project’s piers and abatement, which would provide structural support to the overall project.

Mr Yamamoto said
the project would make it easier for the Tema Harbour to clear goods quickly, end traffic jam and improve trade integration and economic growth in the ECOWAS subregion.

The first phase of the project, funded with Japanese grant of $55.6 million, commenced on July 27, 2018 and was completed on April 2020.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ms Momoko Suzuki, Chief Representative, Japan International Cooperation (JICA), has expressed confidence in Ghana’s Civil Service Training Centre (CSTC) becoming the Centre of excellence in human resource capacity development in the West Africa sub-region.

She believed the Centre was well-positioned to train staff in the civil and public service and also provide support for neighboring countries in human capital development.

Ms Suzuki was speaking at a media engagement in Accra on JICA’s collaboration with CSTC over the past 15 years, which among other things, had culminated in the establishment of an ultra-modern e-learning platform called the ‘Learning Management System’ (LMS) at the Centre.

The platform, formed part of JICA’s technical cooperation projects implemented at the CSTC over the years.

It will help deliver online courses to personnel in the civil service as the Centre continued its in-person capacity development and career advancement mission.

The well-equipped Centre, provided by JICA, has
hybrid training rooms, studios, laptops, video cameras, and other learning essentials for trainees and facilitators.

Ms Suzuki was impressed with the cordial working relationship between JICA and CSTC, as it continued to extend support to the Centre through the provision of physical infrastructure and logistics.

She highlighted the importance of human resource development stressing that ‘a highly motivated civil service’ contributed to a stable State and enabled citizens to ‘have trust in the government’.

Ms Suzuki said a part of JICA’s global agenda was to ‘strengthen good governance and institutions’, adding that capacity building and improvement in ‘administrative practices and systems’ were essential to the mission.

‘Our collaboration has grown from strength to strength…I’m very proud to see this evolvement of CSTC and how the Centre has brought herself to this level and its high ownership and the enthusiasm to become more better.

‘We see CSTC as the Centre of excellence not only in Ghana but in the
sub-region. We believe that Ghana can support the neigbouring countries in the capacity development of the civil service.

‘CSTC is now one of the leading institutions to provide support to other countries, which would also enable the stability of the neighbouring regions,’ she noted.

Ms Suzuki expressed JICA’s commitment to work with the government of Ghana to develop the country’s human resources and achieve economic growth.

Mrs Dora Dei-Tumi, Principal, Civil Service Training Center, described JICA as ‘a beacon and catalyst of CSTCS phenomenal change’.

The said the myriad of support received from JICA had led to the grooming of high level facilitators, who in turn offered technical expertise to trainees.

Apart from training low and middle level civil service personnel, Mrs Dei-Tumi said the Institution also accommodated high level staff in both the civil and public service.

She noted that the new e-learning facility would augment the in-person training offered by CSTC, and called for more collaboratio
n from other institutions.

Mr. Masashi Yamanaka, JICA Expert, also touched on the importance of training and investing in people.

He praised the interactive and well-designed interface of the e-learning system, which would allow trainees to assess online courses on their phones and computers.

He highlighted other benefits of the system and expressed confidence in its effectiveness and efficiency.

The Ghana News Agency was told that four new e-learning courses had been run on the platform with positive feedback from participants.

Subsequently, JICA and CSTC would develop courses for practicing ‘Kaizen’ – the Japanese concept of ‘Continuous Improvement Learning’ in the public sector.

Source: Ghana News Agency