Category: General

Madam Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the President’s Representative at the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, is rallying support from all stakeholders to invest massively in the provision of quality water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to propel the nation’s rapid development.

‘I call on all to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to prioritizing water and sanitation as the cornerstone of national development,’ Madam Alhassan said.

She added: ‘These investments are not merely expenditure, but rather strategic investments in the well-being and prosperity of our society.’

Speaking as the Guest of Honour at opening of the 3rd Executive Breakfast Conversation, a multi stakeholder dialogue, in Accra, organised jointly by World Vision, a child focused Christian relief, development and advocacy organization, and some partners, the Representative, also the Minister Designate for the sector, noted the need for strong water, sanitation and hygiene activities in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Go
als and individual national progress and development.

The breakfast conversation, on the theme ‘Repositioning Water and Sanitation as Key Driver of National Development’ discussed the enabling role of water, sanitation and hygiene for accelerated growth and wellbeing and why the country should prioritise and recognise it as national development priority.

The Sanitation and Water Minister Designate described water, sanitation and hygiene as dealmakers in national development, and called on stakeholders to identify the power investment in clean water, sanitation and hygiene education.

‘As we stand at the threshold of progress, it’s imperative that we identify the transformative power of investing in clean water infrastructure, sanitation facilities and hygiene education,’ Madam Alhassan said.

Dr Kodjo Mensah-Abrampah, Director General (DG) of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), who chaired the opening, said if the nation wanted to reach the target of being a developed nation by 2057, it sho
uld look at its development forecast holistically in terms of policies, institutional arrangement, capacity building, financing; and reporting for people to have a better appreciation of WASH for fuller participation.

Dr Mensah- Abrampah noted that only one percent of the national resources goes into WASH.

He noted that improvements had been made in the provision of water, but was challenged by quality.

Dr Mensah-Abrampah called for increased efforts to reduce plastic use as its improper management had choked the nation’s water bodies and further threatened the development of tourism.

‘You’re in Ghana, and want to swim in the waters, see all these plastics’, the NDPC DG said and added, ‘you buy one key in Ghana, and they wrap it with four plastics.’

Madam Laura Cristina Del Valle, National Director, World Vision Ghana, said World Vision believed in a better world for children.

She gave an assurance that World Vision was committed to partnering state and non-state actors to co-create sustainable solution
s to water and sanitation challenges.

‘Nothing can be more important to child well-being… there’s a lot more government, development partners and all of us can do to facilitate sustainable access to safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene if we work together in the spirit of mutual co-operation,’ Madam Del Val said.

Mr Harold Esseku, a civil engineer, and Senior WASH Specialist at the World Bank wondered why some workers did not have toilets in their homes and rather come early to workplaces to take advantage of the toilet facilities at the workplace.

He called for the strengthening of structures of WASH to make up for the excess pressures from increased population.

Participants at the dialogue were drawn from the Ministries, Department and Agencies, the Parliament of Ghana, the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, corporate Ghana, non-government and civil society organisations, the private sector, academic and research institutions, religious institutions and the media.

A brief synthesis
report would be compiled and the end of the conversation and it would be shared with all relevant stakeholders, to be used for purposes of advocacy and policy influence.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, the Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Area, has asked politicians to conduct their 2024 general election campaigns devoid of intemperate language and rancour.

He said everything possible should be done to avoid needless acrimony often linked with elections by being tolerant of divergent views and mutual respect.

‘There is no need for anybody to die because of an election,’ he said and admonished the electorates, particularly the youth, not to allow themselves to be influenced by politicians to cause mayhem before, during and after the 2024 general election.

‘The political parties must call their members to order, unite their front to tolerate dissenting views through effective collaboration and sense of purpose to spearhead development,’ he stated.

Osabarimba Kwesi Atta was speaking at the launch of the 2024 Oguaa Fetu Afahye on the theme: ‘Celebrating the City of the first, our People and our Future.’

The launch coincided with the unveiling of the 60th anniversary logo depicting the
crab as a strong icon of authority celebrated on the first Saturday of September.

Osabarima Kwesi Atta cited the recent reports of gunshots at a voter registration centre in the Cape Coast Metropolis, saying they were unwarranted.

Additionally, he indicated that the Council was collaborating with the security agencies to quell any unforeseen disturbances in the area.

Similarly, he reminded the media, particularly some local radio stations in the city, to refrain from being the conduit to denigrate the Oguaa Traditional Council.

‘The insults, curses, and insubordination are destroying Cape Coast. The Traditional Council is there for all and anyone who needs information is so welcome.

‘Sometimes it becomes disheartening how some radio stations without regard, insult the Traditional Council as if they are talking to their children. The Traditional Council has been quiet for long, hoping such radio stations will refrain and reform from their misdeed, but I can assure you that the Council is now watching them
keenly,’ Osabarima Kwesi Atta cautioned.

He reflected on the harmonious relationship between the Traditional Council and the media fraternity towards sustaining peace to accelerate development.

For that matter, he urged such media houses to exercise utmost decorum on their unguarded attacks on the Traditional Council to avoid the consequence thereof.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A total of 32 people have so far been challenged in their bid to become eligible voters in Tema, in the ongoing limited voter registration exercise.

Mr Manasseh Ofusuhene Asante, the Tema Metro Electoral Officer, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the challenged cases mostly bordered on residential issues.

Mr Asante said party agents raised challenges against people if they suspected they were minors, not 18 years old, non-Ghanaians or not a resident of the electoral area they claimed to reside in.

‘So far, challenge cases have been on residential issues, with only one on impersonation,’ he added.

He gave the assurance that the District Registration Review Committee (DRRC), which works like a court, would sit on the challenge cases and give their judgement before voter identity cards could be issued to the persons the challenge was raised against.

Meanwhile, more than 1,318 people, made up of 581 men and 737 women, were successfully registered by the Tema Metropolitan Office of the E
lectoral Commission in the ongoing limited voter registration exercise.

The registration exercise, which commenced on May 7, 2024, is expected to last for 21 days, and it is intended for persons who have turned 18 years old since the previous registration and persons who are 18 and older but have yet to register.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A police inspector and four other suspects are in the grips of the Akosombo Divisional Police Command following their involvement in the attempted smuggling of 231 bags of dried cocoa beans to Togo.

The team of military personnel who were on duty around the bridge on the Akuse Dam on Wednesday arrested the suspects, which included one inspector, Adam Mahama, who was acting as an escort to the truck carrying the contraband en route to Togo.

The identities of the other four suspects, who are currently being processed for court upon further investigations, have been given as De-Graft Otto Mote, Soga Godwin, Baba Issah, a driver, and his mate, Joseph Aha.

According to information, the military personnel, whilst on duty around 9 pm on Wednesday, intercepted two vehicles: a Benz Ateco Truck with registration number GW 4873-22, which was carrying the 231 bags of dried cocoa beans concealed under animal feed, and a Mazda Pickup with registration number GW 3556-S, said to be acting as an escort to the cocoa-laden t
ruck.

They were said to have loaded the consignments from Asuboi, near Suhum, and were transporting them to Togo via Asutsuare and Adidome.

Upon interrogations and subsequent admission, the suspects were handed over, together with the seized cocoa beans, to the Akosombo Divisional Police for further investigations and possible prosecution on charges of purchase of cocoa without authority contrary to S4 of the Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 1984 (PNDCL81), attempting to smuggle cocoa beans contrary to S317(i) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), and attempting to export cocoa beans that have not been inspected, graded, and sealed by an inspector of cocoa, contrary to S3 of the Cocoa Industry Regulations Act, 1968 (NLCD278).

The COCOBOD has in recent times intensified its crackdown on the illicit activities of the cocoa smuggling syndicates, who are said to be depriving the country of several millions of Ghana cedis from the proceeds of the sale of cocoa beans.

Over the last four weeks, five people
have been sentenced to a total of 19 years of imprisonment with hard labour for their various roles in an attempt to smuggle dried cocoa beans to Togo.

Source: Ghana Web

Over the weekend, Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II shared a meal with approximately 1500 patients across various government health institutions in the Kumasi Metropolis.

Nana Gyambibi, the brother of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, stated that this gesture was intended to include the patients in the celebrations of Otumfuo’s 25th Anniversary while they were hospitalized.

Oheneba, Otumfuo’s son, told GHone News, “Otumfuo didn’t want to exclude anyone from his 25th anniversary on the Golden Stool. After dining with different groups within the Asante Kingdom, he wished to share a meal with hospital patients. However, due to protocols and the patients’ conditions, it wasn’t feasible. Therefore, he directed us to deliver a special hot meal to the patients on his behalf and to convey his wishes for their swift recovery,” he clarified.

The distribution of meals was as follows: Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital received 700 meal packs, Kumasi South Hospital 142, Tafo Government Hospital 67, Manhyia Government Hospital 123, and
MCH Hospital 81.

Prof. Otchere Addai Mensah, the Chief Executive of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), expressed gratitude to Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his numerous acts of kindness towards KATH, including the current renovations.

He also lauded the monarch for providing meals to patients during the Akwasidae festival, which coincided with the King’s 25th Anniversary as the 16th occupant of the Golden Stool.

Source: Ghana Web

The Minister for Trade and Industry, Honourable K. T. Hammond, MP has directed the Cement Manufacturing Development Committee (CMDC) to instruct cement manufacturing companies in Ghana to reverse immediately the increase in cement prices recently announced in the country.

The Minister, recalling his directive to the CMDC at its inauguration on 8th March 2024, further requested the publication of the retail prices of cement by all cement manufacturers in the country in a bid to stop the continuous arbitrary increases in cement prices.

He further reiterated his call for the CMDC to work with cement companies to ensure uniform cement prices nationwide by adopting a unified cement pricing mechanism akin to the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF) adopted by the National Petroleum Authority for fuel retail in Ghana.

The CMDC, which was established under the Ghana Standards Authority (Manufacture of Cement) Regulations, 2023 (L| 2480), is chaired by the Director General of the Ghana Standards Authority, Prof Al
ex Dodoo.

It comprises representatives of cement manufacturers, the Association of Ghana Industries, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ghanaian Institution of Engineers the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.

It is the regulator for cement manufacture in the country and is charged among other things to “promote the manufacture, wholesale and retail of cement and cement components”.

Source: Ghana Web

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has assured nursing trainees that he will ensure that trainee allowances will always be paid on time.

In a citinewsroom.com report, it indicated that Dr. Bawumia said there will no longer be a situation where allowances for nurses will be in arrears.

‘For us, we restored the alawa. For other people, they cancelled the alawa. And we are going to keep working hard. And I am going to keep my eyes on your alawa so that we can make sure that it is regular and comes and comes and comes. You will be assured of that. I am going to keep my eye on it. We are going to change this country,’ the vice president said while addressing nursing trainees in the Savannah Region.

The vice president assured nurses and midwives in Accra during a similar engagement on Tuesday, May 14, that GHS177 million will be disbursed on May 16 to settle the arrears owed to nursing trainees.

He said, ‘This Thursday, the Controller is transferring GHS177 million to the Ministry of Health to pay the nursing t
raining allowances. So I have also alerted Dr. Okoe-Boye to be on standby when the money hits the Ministry of Health account, they should move it quickly to the accounts of the nursing trainees so that they will have their alawa. It will drop.’

Source: Ghana Web

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir Hammond, has directed an immediate reversal of the recent increases in the prices of cement.

He also directed that retail prices of cement were published by all manufacturers in the country to stop the continuous arbitrary increases in major building material.

In a statement issued by the Ministry and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, May 15, the Minister asked the Cement Manufacturing Development Committee (CMDC) to carry out the instruction without fail.

The statement reiterated the Minister’s earlier call for the Committee to work with cement companies to ensure uniform cement prices nationwide.

That is to be done by adopting a unified cement pricing mechanism similar to the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF) adopted by the National Petroleum Authority for fuel retail in Ghana, the statement said.

The Committee, established under the Ghana Standards Authority (Manufacture of Cement) Regulations, 2023 (Ll 2480), is the regulator of cement ma
nufacture in the country.

It is, therefore, responsible for promoting the manufacturing, wholesale and retail of cement and cement components.

Its membership includes representatives of cement manufacturers, Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana Institution of Engineers, MoTI, and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation.

Source: Ghana News Agency