Vice President John Dramani Mahama: Government's policy fair to solve challenges of governance

Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday gave the assurance that government's on-going Policy Fair in Accra, would entrench grassroot participation in the governance of the country and give meaning to the "Better Ghana Agenda".
  
He said it was also a platform to showcase the potentials and challenges of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies and to demystify the art of governance by narrowing the interface between public sector institutions, the private sector and civil society organisations.
  
Vice President Mahama gave the assurance when he launched the first ever week-long fair on the theme: "Engaging the citizenry for a better Ghana."
  
He said every organisation in the country had a stake in nation building, hence the need for the sharing of ideas and views through such exhibitions to facilitate development.
  
"The initiative is underscored by the conviction that the enterprise of nation building is a collective effort of its… population. To this end, government expects to use this policy fair to further open up governance and get the ordinary Ghanaian to be part of the development process of this country."
  
He announced that the policy fair would be an annual affair, which would be extended to the regions.  
  
Vice President Mahama said the fair would enable government to take a critical look at the 3, 947 schools under trees, free school uniform and exercise books programme, special scholarships for science and Mathematics students and youth in Agriculture programme among other interventions.
  
Mr. John Akolgo Tia, Minister of Information said the fair was to serve as the turning point of information delivery in the country that would equip his outfit with adequate measures to formulate acceptable development agenda.
  
He commended the stakeholders that brought the programme into fruition and pledged to continue working with them for the development of the country.
  
Mr. Paul Victor Obeng, Chairman of the National Development Programme Commission, called on the Public Sector to collaborate effectively with government to achieve the better Ghana Agenda of the ruling National Democratic Congress.

Source: www.ghananewsagency.org

Minister Hannah Tetteh: Ghana Standards Board tasked to protect consumer interest

Trade and Industry Minister Hannah Tetteh 

Trade and Industry Minister Hannah Tetteh has charged the Ghana Standards Board to assess the impact of high-risk goods on the country's economy, prevent the importation of cheap and substandard goods, and protect the interest of consumers.

She said "Items and goods found not conforming to our standards should be destroyed to serve as a deterrent to people in such shoddy business".

Ms Tetteh was speaking at the end of a workshop organized to prepare the Ministry's medium-term plan for 2010-2013 and to review its performance for the first quarter of 2010 at Koforidua.

It was attended by Chief Executives of agencies operating under the Ministry, including the National Board for Small Scale Industries, Rural Enterprises Project, CEDECOM, GRATIS Foundation, Ghana Heavy Equipment Limited, Ghana Standards Board, Ghana Export Promotion Council, Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, Export Development and Investment Fund, Ghana National Procurement Agency and Ghana Free Zones Board.

She asked the Standards Board to position personnel at all entry points of the country, not limiting its operations to the Kotoka International Airport.

The Minister commended the Board for setting up a destination inspection team to check the influx of shoddy and inferior goods into the country.

Ms Tetteh noted that government has decided to transform the Ghana Trade Fair into a modern facility of international standards by next year through a public-private partnership.

She commended all agencies working under the Ministry for their contribution to national development, tasking them to collaborate in implementing common or overlapping projects in order to save money.

Ms Tetteh said the Ministry has formed a taskforce to rid the country of pirated goods, especially textiles.

She cautioned that retail business is exclusive for Ghanaians and foreigners could only engage in such activity under strict regulations.

She added that the Tariff Advisory Board has been established to deal with complaints regarding dumping of goods on the Ghanaian market and to advice government on tariff related issues to ensure that all companies conform to the country's trade laws and policies.

Ms Tetteh assured that in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications, her ministry has initiated a project to strengthen micro, small and medium enterprises, and establish an Information and Communication Technology facility within the framework of the Free Zones Enclave with 50 acres of land earmarked.

She said the Furniture City project that forms part of the framework, seeks to support about 300 carpenters and craftsmen to improve upon their ingenuity and enable them create jobs.

Ms Tetteh said that a new transformer had been procured to improve power supply to the Free Zones Enclave.

She claimed that Africa has attracted investors, including Indians, who have set aside US$ 5 billion for businesses on the continent, with particular interest in Ghana because of the favourable and stable political climate.

Ms Tetteh said "They are looking for commercial partnership in Africa, especially from Ghana" and asked business entities in the country to brace themselves for an investor summit to be held at Accra International Conference Centre, Accra, from 24th to 25th May, 2010.

She called on the agencies to take advantage of the ongoing national policy fair and share their success stories with Ghanaians.


Source: Ghana News Agency 

Mr John Tia Akologu, Ghana's Minister of Information, urges Ghanaians diaspora to visit the Ghana Policy Fair

Mr John Tia Akologu, Minister of Information, on Tuesday urged Ghanaians living in and around Accra to visit the Ghana Policy Fair to interact with various Ministries, Department and Agencies about the policies, programmes and services that they provided.

    

The Fair, an exhibition of policies projects and activities of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) is under the theme "Engaging the Citizenry for a Better Ghana".

     

Mr Akologu said the Government wanted to get closer to the people and to involve them in issues of governance saying, "Government welcomes suggestions from the public".

    

The Information Minister, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency at the Accra International Conference Centre, venue of the Fair, organized by the Ministry of Information, said the Government wanted to create public awareness about its policies, programmes and activities.

    

He said the programme would be extended to the other regions to enable Ghanaians, who were not in the capital city and its environs, to get access to such information and to understand Government policies.

   

He also encouraged individual Ministries, Department and Agencies to mount organisational exhibitions to give the general public information about their activities.

    

The Minister further urged Ghanaians to be bold and courageous to approach the Public Relations Outfit of any MDA or MDDA to enquire about policies and programmes that they did not understand.

    

More than 100 Ministries, Department and Agencies are exhibiting their policies, programmes and activities and explaining to visitors what their organisations are doing to facilitate the "Better Ghana Policy" of the Government

     

Ghana News Agency (GNA), supplier of news to more than 100 Media outlets and organizations is also showcasing its products and services.

    

Senior staff members, attired in the Agency's colours, were on hand at its stand also decorated in the same colours, to tell visitors the "GNA Story".

    

On display are copies of important news items that helped to "rescue" Ghana after Election 2008, when many people thought the country was at the brink of a major political upheaval.   

    

GNA is Ghana's only wire service and as the parent news medium, supplies accurate news stories to all the other media houses nationwide in addition to some Ministries, Departments, educational institutions and the foreign missions in Ghana.

     

The Ministry of Tourism organized a cultural dance troupe to showcase the rich Ghanaian dance and culture. It is displaying beds and other tourists' attractions in the country.

    

The Ministry of Education also has a stand where all Government's educational programmes including the one laptop per child project are being showcased. Samples of the laptop are on display.

    

Ms Annie Anipa, Assistant Commissioner and Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Revenue Authority, one of the Agencies that exhibited their services, said the Authority had become the main revenue agency for the Government.

     

The Ghana Revenue Agency consists of the Custom, Excise and Preventive Service, Internal Revenue Agency and any other tax collecting agency in the country.

    

Ms Anipa said "Ghana has a Revenue Authority that aims at improving efficiency in tax collection," and announced that the Authority intended to modernize the tax collecting process and to explain to Ghanaians the importance and benefits of paying taxes.

    

Ms Anipa said the Revenue Authority would soon embark on an outreach programme to make revenue collection and payment easy and said the taxpayer would be treated as a customer or client and provided with excellent client services.

     

"We are also going to set up Customer Service Centres to give access to Ghanaians, who do not understand issues about tax payment to ask questions."

   

The public, mostly workers went round the various stands interacting with officers and feeding their eyes on the variety of items on show at the stands.

Source: www.ghananewsagency.org

Marked for Deportation, Ghanaian Scholar Cries for Help

By Taiwo Olawale

Malam Issah Hassan Tikumah, a former Social Studies lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria has alleged that he is being hounded by security men and some “reactionary forces” because of a book he wrote on the niqab (face veil worn by Muslim women). He said he now lives in fear.

In a letter to THISDAY editor, Tikumah, who is a Ghanaian, revealed that his troubles started early this year when he published a book titled, Niqab (Face-veil): An Exemplary Sunnah or a Repugnant Innovation? He said some people, who opposed the contents of the book, threatened violence. To pacify them, the management of the university stopped the publication of the book and sacked him with immediate effect.

But his problems did not go away after the sack. He was detained by the police and some people wrote a petition to the state government. “It is a book I have published with all the necessary facts and yet I’m being treated like a hardened criminal just because some reactionary elements within the society are against that book. More than a month after my release or bail, I still have to report to the security everyday like a criminal whose run-away from prosecution is not unexpected – all this trouble for merely publishing a book some people are not happy with!”

Though some of his students have protested his sack and shabby treatment, he noted that security agencies have continued to harass him, threatening him with deportation in spite of the fact that he has “lived in Nigeria for the last 12 years, received my higher education in Nigeria and three of my children are Nigerians by birth.”

He said the most worrying aspect of the security treatment is the insistence of some policemen that they are watching him and would deal with him anytime they are ready, stressing that they now call him a “CIA agent disguising as a Muslim” so that they can easily hang him.

Tikumah rued the fact that he is being treated so badly despite the fact that he has “been struggling for the cause of Islam for the past 31 years.” He said, “And how could anyone accuse me of threatening peace and security in Nigeria when I have spent a great deal of my time, energy and money over the years working to foster peace and security in Nigeria?”

Source: www.thisdayonline.com

Minister Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah: Ghana to pump first oil from the Jubilee Field in the last Quarter Of 2010

A Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, on Friday announced that the country was on course to pump its first oil from the Jubilee Field come the last quarter of this year.

Production in the last quarter, he said, marked the beginning of the first phase of the Jubilee Field Project. A total of 120,000 barrels of oil a day and 120,000 mmscfd of gas a day are expected to be produced.
Mr Buah said Phase two would start in 2013 indicating that from that time 240,000 barrels of oil and 240,000mmscfd of gas would be expected to be produced on daily basis.

Mr Buah made this known in a speech read for him by Mr Joseph Ben Okai, the Director of Policy Planning at the Ministry of Energy, at the Central Regional forum on “local participation in petroleum activities” in Cape Coast recently.

The forum, which formed part of a series of “road show on petroleum and gas”, would be replicated in all regions of the country. It was organised by the Ministry of Energy in collaboration with the Central Regional Coordinating Council to solicit views from the public on the oil and gas sector.
Mr Buah said pipelines were under construction to convey gas to a proposed gas processing plant at Bonyere in the Western Region for the production of products such as ethanol, propane and fertilizer.
He said with the availability of gas as a cheap energy source, opportunities abounded for all kinds of industrial activities, adding that gas would be piped to the existing power plant at Aboadze in the Western Region to enhance electricity generation for the country.

Mr Buah said government was committed to and would ensure the active involvement of Ghanaians in the oil and gas exploration to help eradicate poverty among the populace.
He said other areas that would attract business opportunities include real estate development, telecommunications, banking, insurance, weather forecasting, search and rescue services as well as transport and catering.

He announced government’s intention to use the revenues to be accrued from the sale of the oil and gas to diversify the economy to enable every Ghanaian to benefit.

Mr Buah said the oil and gas would not overshadow other productive sectors of the economy such as agriculture, tourism and mining noting that Non Traditional Exports would be promoted alongside.

He said social amenities such as schools, hospitals and sanitation facilities would be provided with the oil and gas proceeds.

Mr Buah added that it would also enable government to support the development of the political, economic and social governance systems.

Mr Kojo Efonam, an oil and gas specialist from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), said systems were being put in place to minimize the effect of possible discharges and spillages of oil and gas at the field.
He said his outfit would ensure that residents of the oil producing areas were not unnecessarily exposed to the serious security risks as have been the case in other oil producing countries.

Mr. Kwaku Boateng, acting Director in charge of Petroleum at the Ministry of Energy, advised job seekers to also explore other areas such as the hospitality industry since direct job creation from the oil and gas exploration would be limited.

He said the oil and gas revenues would not change the lives of Ghanaians overnight but that its impact would be realized over a period of time.

Participants at the forum suggested among others that roads, hospitals and other requisite facilities should be constructed in the area.

The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, who chaired the forum called on participants to share information on the industry to people to enable people to make informed decisions.

Source: GNA

Nadia Buari Marries Secretly (Rumour)

Nadia Buhari, a movie goddess of immaculate beauty, is said to have gotten married recently and there is a wild hunt for who the husband might be though family sources have not said much.

As if to confirm the report, Nadia has started wearing a sparkling ring on her ring finger. She has been spotted wearing this sparkling ring at a number of official programs but has decided to keep the issue of her supposed marriage under wraps. “It’s my little secret. I’m not sharing that,” was all Nadia Buhari told myjoyonline when she was questioned about her new ring.

It is public knowledge that Nadia had been in a long-term love relationship with golden-boy Michael Essien of Chelsea Football Club and that has added a sting to the controversy surrounding her sparkling ring. Many would have concluded Essien was responsible for the ring on Nadia’s finger, if not for recent grapevine reports that suggested the two had called off their relationship for undisclosed reasons.

NEWS-ONE recently asked Nadia about her marriage plans and she was quite slippery on the subject. “I want to establish myself well before I get married. Before you become somebody’s wife you must have your own life. I have to work so hard to get to this point of my life and I am going to continue because I don’t think I have achieved enough or what I want to achieve. Marriage kind of pulls you down.

It demands a lot and I am not willing to relax, I want to work harder and get somewhere. I will get married but not any time soon. Probably a couple of years, I am not sure. But anyway, hey! You never know. I may say this now but tomorrow may come with something different,” Nadia told NEWS-ONE in that interview at Akosombo.

In that interview, Nadia explained that though her fans would want to know what is going on in her life, the media should be cautious and respect her privacy saying she considers matters concerning her relationship private.

“I feel that part of me is very personal, very private so it should stay that way. What I am bringing to the public is the movies. It is what I am doing, my career is my job. hat is what we should be talking about. I don’t like to talk about my private life and so I don’t want my private life out there.

“I am extremely quiet because I am a very shy person. You will never know me until you get close to me and you will know the kind of person I am,” she noted. She would, however, not talk about her alleged collapsed relationship with Michael Essien and speculations that she had a child with a Holland-based Ghanaian.

Nadia Buhari, daughter of music icon, Alhaji Sidiku Buhari, is undoubtedly one of the topmost actresses on the screens. She has become a household name in Africa most especially in Ghana and Nigeria and has close to 40 movies to her credit.

Essien says he may be forced to miss World Cup

Chelsea's Michael Essien may sacrifice playing for Ghana at the World Cup for the sake of the rest of his career.

Essien, 27, has not played for Chelsea since tearing a hamstring in December. He then hurt his knee on Ghana duty at the Africa Cup of Nations in January. "If I make it for the World Cup then great - if not I have my whole career ahead of me," he told Chelsea's official website.

"The last thing I want is to rush back and cause more problems down the line." Essien's last run-out in a Chelsea shirt was against Apoel Nicosia in the Champions League in December.

Having recovered from his hamstring tear, he then hurt his knee at the Africa Cup of Nations, but that was only expected to keep him out for six weeks.

It was anticipated he would make his Chelsea comeback in the Champions League game against Inter Milan, but his knee continued to swell up and he underwent four lots of surgery inside a fortnight. Essien is central to Ghana's hopes in South Africa, but with their first game against Serbia on 13 June, he has admitted that he might be forced to look on as a spectator. "The World Cup is the best and most difficult football tournament in the world and I would rather be there fully fit," he said on his official website. "We will just have to wait and see. If not I'll have to sit at home and support the team like every Ghanaian." Chelsea could also be without John Mikel Obi for their remaining fixtures - against Stoke, Liverpool and Wiganin the league and Portsmouth in the FA Cup final. Mikel tore his meniscus in the 2-1 defeat against Tottenham last Saturday, telling KickOffNigeria.com: "I won't play this weekend and the doctors say it will take about three weeks to heal, although there will be no surgery." Mikel has been named in Nigeria's World Cup squad of 44 and says he intends to be at their training camp in England at the end of April. "It is very important for all of us as players to get together, even if there is no match," he said.

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• Knee Injury May Keep Ghana's Essien Out Of World Cup

Knee Injury May Keep Ghana's Michae Essien Out Of World Cup

Michael Essien may miss the World Cup because of his long-term knee injury, the Ghana and Chelsea midfielder said on Saturday.

Essien has been sidelined since the African Nations Cup finals in Angola in January and recent complications have stalled his recovery.

"If I can make it in time for the World Cup then great but if not I still have my whole career ahead of me and that is more important than anything," he told the Premier League club's website (www.chelseafc.com).

"The last thing I want to do is rush back too soon and cause further problems down the line."

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• Essien says he may be forced to miss World Cup.

Kennedy Agyepong to run for President

New Patriotic Party hot head and firebrand, Hon. Kennedy Agyepong has announced today that he is nurturing presidential ambitions. Speaking to Moro Awudu on Citi FM's morning show, the Assin North MP revealed that he is only 50 years and "knows what time it is" so he will be the best president for Ghana. Hon Agyepong would not state specifically when he will run but he was full of confidence that when he does run, he will win.

He indicated that the reason why he will win can be traced to his simple dressing which makes him approachable and the fact that since 1992 nobody has contributed the amount of cash comparable to what he has given the NPP.

The NPP maverick decried the Akyem Ashanti divide in the NPP and said it was absolutely useless. He said if the trend continued, they will push Ashantis and Akyems aside and that will even make his presidential bid easier since he is from the Central Region. He had tough and unkind words for the "suspended" Ashanti Regional NPP Organiser Kennedy KanKam who he accused of being naïve and reckless.

Hon. Agyepong renewed his support for Nana Addo and controversially argued that if Nana Addo was president he will never have charged Kwadwo Mpani and Charles Wereko Brobbey no matter what.

Source: ghananewslink.com

Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) legislation extended to Ghana’s oil industry

By Kofi Adu Domfeh

The Government is extending legislation on the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI) to Ghana’s oil and gas sector for full disclosure.

Deputy Ministry for Energy, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah says the initiative coupled with the Freedom of Information Bill, is expected to ensure good governance in the oil and gas industry.

The Ghana National petroleum Corporation and the Environmental Protection Agency have also been tasked to ensure that operators strictly abide by set standards.

He disclosed this in speech read for him at the Ashanti regional forum on the Local Content and Local Participation in Petroleum Activities. The Local Content policy framework, which has been approved by Cabinet is to be developed into legislation to ensure Ghanaians obtain maximum benefits from the oil find.

Mr. Buah noted the prevention of resource curse requires that exploratory and productive activities are not exposed to serious security risks.

He says the construction of pipelines to convey gas to the Aboadze Thermal plant among other industrial project offer prospects for local professionals and investors.

“We have plans to build an industrial estate to house the petrochemical and other industrial facilities. A mini harbor, warehousing facilities and storage tanks would be required. A rail line would also be required. With the availability of gas as cheap energy source, any sort of industrial activity can take place within the area.

“As for ancillary business activities like real estate, telecommunications, banking, insurance, weather forecasting, search and rescue services, transport and catering, the opportunities are unlimited”, the Deputy Energy Minister stated.

Mr. Buah challenged local investors and businesses to improve their capacity and skills level to take up investment opportunities available in the emerging oil and gas industry.

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Ghana Government Buy Over 1,300 Tickets For Fans to attend the 2010 World Cup.

• About 450 football lovers could be air-lifted free to South Africa.

By K.N.S Mensah, Goal.com


Approximately 1,346 tickets have been secured by the Ghanaian government for selected supporters’ groups, government officials and other institutions to enable the to attend the 2010 World Cup.

The tickets are for Ghana’s three preliminary round matches at the summer showpiece in South Africa.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports invested close to $120,000 to buy the tickets, as four supporters unions failed to raise the needed funds to acquire match tickets. According to Graphic Sports, the Millennium Supporters' Union was the only group that managed to purchase 633 tickets for the Ghana fixtures.

The government is looking for much greater funding to finance the trip to South Africa for nearly 450 Ghanaian football enthusiasts.

Source: www.goal.com