From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah,
Sunyani
A project, designed to educate communities along protected wildlife parks in Ghana, Canada and Tanzania on the need to conserve the parks and help reduce poverty in the rural areas, has been launched in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The five-year project, dubbed “Protected Areas and Poverty Reduction: A Canada-Africa Research and Learning Alliance”, was initiated by the International Community-University Research Alliance (ICURA), a group of university researchers from over 102 countries around the world.
The project will provide alternative livelihood activities to the people in the protected areas to help reduce their poverty levels and also build staff capacity to generate new knowledge that will be of direct use to local communities, academics and government agencies in the participating countries.
It is being funded by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the International Development Research Corporation (IDRC) at the cost of US$1 million.
In Ghana, the Brong Ahafo Research and Extension Centre (BAREC) at the Sunyani Polytechnic (S-Poly) will oversee a 16-month research work to be conducted in three sites, namely the Mole and Bui National Parks in the Northern and Brong Ahafo Regions respectively and the Keta Lagoon Complex in the Volta Region.
Furthermore, scholarships would be offered to each person selected from the S-Poly, the Faculty of Forest Resources Technology (FFRT) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Sunyani campus and the Natural Conservation and Research Centre (NCRC) in Accra to pursue a PhD course at the University of Victoria in Canada.
A similar facility will be extended to the Tanzania programme, where research work would be conducted in the Serengeti National and Saadani National Parks.
Professor Kwasi Nsiah-Gyabaah, the Rector of S-Poly, who launched the project, observed that for many years, the government had developed several strategies to reduce poverty in the country but noted that, “One of the limitations of poverty reduction strategies is the wanton destruction of the natural resource base”.
“We have not recognised the importance of winning ways with wildlife and we still have not come to accept the role of wildlife and natural resources conservation in poverty reduction programme,” he declared.
Prof. Nsiah-Gyabaah pointed out that every year, large areas of Africa’s forests were illegally exploited for their valuable timber or cleared to make way for farmlands, while wildlife was hunted for meat or killed through indiscriminate bush burning.
Dr Grant Murray from the Vancouver Island University of Canada, a Director of the project, giving an overview of the project, mentioned four principal streams of the research to include benefits/cost of Eco-tourism and protected areas, human-wildlife interactions, governance structures and processes of decision-making and flows of information/knowledge mobilisation.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
MINISTER INAUGURATES TASK FORCE (MIRROR, PAGE 35)
From Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah,
Sunyani
A Task force to check chainsaw operations in the Brong Ahafo Region has been inaugurated in Sunyani.
Dubbed “Operation Halt Illegal Chainsaw Activities”, the exercise will involve the military, police and other security agencies, as well as forestry guards and representatives of the Brong Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC).
Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, in the inaugural address, expressed concern over the depletion of the once green forest reserves in the region.
He attributed the situation to bush fires, unscientific farming practices and operations of chainsaw operators, which had led to dramatic changes in the rainfall pattern and drying up of rivers.
”We need to check the activities of the people who are destroying our forest cover for the sake of posterity and if we do not act now, some few years to come all our forests will go and the impact will be disastrous for our children,” the regional minister cautioned.
He appealed to members of the task force to work diligently so as to stem the wanton destruction of the forest resources, and resist any attempts by some unscrupulous people to influence them to stop the checks.
The regional minister appealed to the judiciary to expedite action on cases of those who would be arrested and brought before the law courts, pointing out that if they were punished heavily, it would serve as a deterrent to others.
The Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion of Infantry (3BN), Lt Col Michael Amoah Ayisi, cautioned that members of the task force would apply minimum force to apprehend those operators who might want to resist arrest.
Mr William Baah, the Regional Forestry Officer, said an operation mounted by his outfit a couple of days ago had led to the seizure of 3,000 pieces of lumber at Goaso in the Asunafo Municipality.
Sunyani
A Task force to check chainsaw operations in the Brong Ahafo Region has been inaugurated in Sunyani.
Dubbed “Operation Halt Illegal Chainsaw Activities”, the exercise will involve the military, police and other security agencies, as well as forestry guards and representatives of the Brong Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC).
Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, in the inaugural address, expressed concern over the depletion of the once green forest reserves in the region.
He attributed the situation to bush fires, unscientific farming practices and operations of chainsaw operators, which had led to dramatic changes in the rainfall pattern and drying up of rivers.
”We need to check the activities of the people who are destroying our forest cover for the sake of posterity and if we do not act now, some few years to come all our forests will go and the impact will be disastrous for our children,” the regional minister cautioned.
He appealed to members of the task force to work diligently so as to stem the wanton destruction of the forest resources, and resist any attempts by some unscrupulous people to influence them to stop the checks.
The regional minister appealed to the judiciary to expedite action on cases of those who would be arrested and brought before the law courts, pointing out that if they were punished heavily, it would serve as a deterrent to others.
The Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion of Infantry (3BN), Lt Col Michael Amoah Ayisi, cautioned that members of the task force would apply minimum force to apprehend those operators who might want to resist arrest.
Mr William Baah, the Regional Forestry Officer, said an operation mounted by his outfit a couple of days ago had led to the seizure of 3,000 pieces of lumber at Goaso in the Asunafo Municipality.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
ASSEMBLIES LACK QUALIFIED PROCUREMENT OFFICERS (PAGE 13)
A Number of district assemblies in the Brong Ahafo Region do not have qualified procurement officers who are to oversee the legal procurement processes in the assemblies.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, who made this known in Sunyani, noted that trained procurement officers could help streamline procedures regarding the day-to-day purchases and other transactions by adhering to the Procurement Act.
Addressing a day’s Regional Financial Management workshop, organised by the Ghana Audit Service, the Regional Minister, therefore, charged the appropriate authorities to ensure that all the assemblies were provided with procurement officers who could interpret the law properly.
The workshop was attended by accountants in the various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and those from the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), District Finance Officers, District Co-ordinating Directors and staff of the Ghana Audit Service.
The workshop was aimed at addressing findings of an audit conducted last year across the country by Messrs Ernst and Young Chartered Accountants to bring a third-party review to the handling of the various transactions underlying receipts and disbursements of the Consolidated Fund.
The audit focused on transactions related to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing and selected departments under it, as well as 20 MMDAs drawn from each region in the country.
The workshop centred on budget preparation and reporting cycle, consolidated fund inflows, budget and public expenditure management systems, financial reporting formats, receipts and payments concerns, consolidated fund reporting issues, internal audit issues and internal controls.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo stressed the need for the assemblies to register all their fixed assets, so that at any given time they could account for them without any difficulty, pointing out that the accurate preparation of trial balances of the assemblies would also provide the basis for their income and expenditure accounts.
According to the minister, the startling revelations at the ongoing Ghana@50 probe in Accra should be an eye-opener to all those in positions of trust, since one day they would be called to account for their stewardship.
He said following what was currently going on at the probe, it was not far-fetched to conclude that, “Some of the politicians did not listen to the bureaucrats during the Ghana@50 celebration, regarding procurement and other activities, adding, “Politicians should listen to the bureaucrats to learn a lot from them as to what to do next.”
In his welcoming address, the Brong Ahafo Regional Auditor, Mr Charles Segre, noted that the findings of the wide-scope audit required additional attention alongside the immediate requirement to submit findings for the attention of Parliament.
According to him, the objectives of the audit were to provide an independent opinion on the financial statements and to review and report on the effectiveness of the system of internal controls of the audited organisations.
He pointed out that recommendations had been made, where appropriate, on how systems could be improved, but the key task was to examine whether existing systems were being followed and where necessary, “We have made practical recommendations on how enforcement could be tightened.”
Mr Segre noted that financial management in government agencies was largely decentralised, and that, in order to keep the extent of the work within reasonable limits and to ensure a timely completion, “We were required within each of the organisations to undertake a detailed audit of a proportion of the spending units or budget management centres.”
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, who made this known in Sunyani, noted that trained procurement officers could help streamline procedures regarding the day-to-day purchases and other transactions by adhering to the Procurement Act.
Addressing a day’s Regional Financial Management workshop, organised by the Ghana Audit Service, the Regional Minister, therefore, charged the appropriate authorities to ensure that all the assemblies were provided with procurement officers who could interpret the law properly.
The workshop was attended by accountants in the various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) and those from the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), District Finance Officers, District Co-ordinating Directors and staff of the Ghana Audit Service.
The workshop was aimed at addressing findings of an audit conducted last year across the country by Messrs Ernst and Young Chartered Accountants to bring a third-party review to the handling of the various transactions underlying receipts and disbursements of the Consolidated Fund.
The audit focused on transactions related to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing and selected departments under it, as well as 20 MMDAs drawn from each region in the country.
The workshop centred on budget preparation and reporting cycle, consolidated fund inflows, budget and public expenditure management systems, financial reporting formats, receipts and payments concerns, consolidated fund reporting issues, internal audit issues and internal controls.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo stressed the need for the assemblies to register all their fixed assets, so that at any given time they could account for them without any difficulty, pointing out that the accurate preparation of trial balances of the assemblies would also provide the basis for their income and expenditure accounts.
According to the minister, the startling revelations at the ongoing Ghana@50 probe in Accra should be an eye-opener to all those in positions of trust, since one day they would be called to account for their stewardship.
He said following what was currently going on at the probe, it was not far-fetched to conclude that, “Some of the politicians did not listen to the bureaucrats during the Ghana@50 celebration, regarding procurement and other activities, adding, “Politicians should listen to the bureaucrats to learn a lot from them as to what to do next.”
In his welcoming address, the Brong Ahafo Regional Auditor, Mr Charles Segre, noted that the findings of the wide-scope audit required additional attention alongside the immediate requirement to submit findings for the attention of Parliament.
According to him, the objectives of the audit were to provide an independent opinion on the financial statements and to review and report on the effectiveness of the system of internal controls of the audited organisations.
He pointed out that recommendations had been made, where appropriate, on how systems could be improved, but the key task was to examine whether existing systems were being followed and where necessary, “We have made practical recommendations on how enforcement could be tightened.”
Mr Segre noted that financial management in government agencies was largely decentralised, and that, in order to keep the extent of the work within reasonable limits and to ensure a timely completion, “We were required within each of the organisations to undertake a detailed audit of a proportion of the spending units or budget management centres.”
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
PLANTPOOL DONATES GRADERS TO TWO ASSEMBLIES (PAGE 21)
THE management of J.A. Plant Pool (Ghana) Limited has handed over two motor-graders to the Sunyani West and Nkoranza North District assemblies in the Brong Ahafo Region, to facilitate development projects being undertaken in the two areas.
The equipment was provided under a special pre-financed support package introduced by the company for Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies (MMDAs) in the country for their capacity building.
A representative of the company in its Sunyani office, Miss Aileen Koomson, who handed over the keys to the machines at a brief ceremony, stated that the provision of basic infrastructure such as feeder roads to link up the hinterland in the districts and the urban centres would enhance economic opportunities for the people, thereby improving their living conditions.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, who received the keys to the machines on behalf of the assemblies, expressed his appreciation to the company for its commitment to partnering the government in its development programme.
He expressed the hope that the machines would go a long way to help the assemblies in their development moves.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, therefore, urged the assemblies to ensure that they maintained the equipment regularly to prolong its lifespan.
The equipment was provided under a special pre-financed support package introduced by the company for Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies (MMDAs) in the country for their capacity building.
A representative of the company in its Sunyani office, Miss Aileen Koomson, who handed over the keys to the machines at a brief ceremony, stated that the provision of basic infrastructure such as feeder roads to link up the hinterland in the districts and the urban centres would enhance economic opportunities for the people, thereby improving their living conditions.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, who received the keys to the machines on behalf of the assemblies, expressed his appreciation to the company for its commitment to partnering the government in its development programme.
He expressed the hope that the machines would go a long way to help the assemblies in their development moves.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo, therefore, urged the assemblies to ensure that they maintained the equipment regularly to prolong its lifespan.
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