Thursday, July 30, 2009

EFFORTS TO GROW MORE SOYABEANS (PAGE 14)

THE government is negotiating with the Chinese and Indian governments for the procurement of equipment for the cultivation of soyabeans in large quantities.
Currently, many farmers are engaged in the production of the crop, but unlike maize, there are no planting and harvesting machines for the cultivation of soyabean which has a high nutritional value.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, who disclosed this after a familiarisation tour of Ghana Nuts Limited (GNL), an agro-processing company at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region, advised farmers who are engaged in the cultivation of the crop to form co-operatives to make maximum use of the equipment on arrival.
The management of GNL said the company had the capacity to buy all the soyabeans produced by the farmers to process into oil.
Mr Ahwoi said now that there was a ready market for the crop, his ministry would hasten the negotiations for the early delivery of the machinery.
He consequently directed that a well-skilled agro-logistic team comprising his ministry and the GNL should meet immediately to discuss the way forward towards the mass cultivation of the crop.
The Deputy Managing Director of the GNL, Mr Prince Obeng Asante, said it was the vision of the company to become the agro-processing centre of excellence within the sub-region.
He said, the company had a total workforce of 997, 454 of them women, who were engaged in the production of soyabean oil, soy meal, lethicin, soap stocks, shea butter, shea meal, rice bran oil, rice bran meal, cotton seed oil, cotton seed meal, among other agro-products, for both industrial and household consumption, as well as for export.
He disclosed that to make for value addition, the company was into the generation of electricity using shea meal to fuel the steam turbine, while it also generated 3.5 megawatts of power; one megawatt for factory use and 2.5 megawatts sold to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Mr Asante said for enhanced value addition and extension, the GNL processed 4,000 tonnes of meat and fish from its fish and poultry farms per year, 25,000 tonnes of soap per year and 60,000 tonnes of maize into maize oil, maize meal for poultry and maize grit for the brewery industry, as well as corn flakes.
He appealed to the government to hand over the Ejura Farms in the Ashanti Region to the company to enable the management to undertake large-scale mechanised soyabean cultivation, adding that the company also needed easy access to farm machines, financial resources, storage facilities, extension services, support for soyabean and groundnut production and a level playing field in the cooking oil industry, among other requests.
On the company’s corporate social responsibility, the deputy managing director disclosed that his outfit had renovated and adopted the Children’s Ward at the Techiman Holy Family Hospital and developed a modern laundry service at the hospital.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

AYUM SHOWS THE WAY IN BEST TIMBER PRACTICES (PAGE 20)

THE Ayum Forest Products (Mim) Limited, a forest resource concession holder in the Asunafo North Municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region, has committed about $500 million towards a reforestation project in the degraded Amama Forest Reserve at Atronie, near Sunyani.
From 2003 when the programme began, the company has planted over five million indigenous tree species.
The tree species which cover an area of 42.28sqkm, include Cinderella, Ofram, Ceiba, Mahogany, Edinam, Wawa, Utile, Emire, Kyenkyen, Koto, Kokrodua, Mansonia, Asanfina, Makore, Akasaa and Ortie.
Currently, the company sources about 80 per cent of all wood material input from its own managed lease area while its current forest management practices are in line with Ghana’s Forestry Laws and regulations as well as the logging manual.
In addition, the company is highly committed to forest restoration in degraded areas and reclamation of log sidings in productive forest areas, using indigenous species.
As one of the largest timber companies in the country, Ayum has the opportunity to positively influence the Ghanaian landscape through its commitment to, responsible forestry practices to become a leader in the sub-regional forest products industry.
Recently, the company joined the Global Forest and Trade Network-West Africa, thereby, committing its forest concessions to responsible forest management through credible certification. In addition to the forest concessions under the company’s management, Ayum also agreed to implement responsible procurement policies for the timber entering its sawmills, veneer and plymills.
The company’s forest reserves are crucial to the conservation and protection of biodiversity in the Guinean Moist Forest Eco-region, which is considered the most rich region in West Africa.
Some of its concessions are located in the Bia-Goaso-Djimbarakrou conservation corridors, which comprises a network of forests that lie across the border between Southern Ghana and South Eastern La Cote d’Ivoire.
The responsible management and identification of high conservation forests in these concessions will help to protect habitats for vulnerable or threatened species. By providing an example for other companies to follow, Ayum will assist the Global Forest Trade Network-West Africa in reaching a tipping point in responsible forest standard business practice by 2015.
During a recent interaction the management of the company had with the press at Mim, near Goaso, the Director of Administration of Naja David Group, Mr Akufo Owoo, hinted that Ayum had adopted a waste management system that ensured proper management and disposal of waste at all levels of the company’s operations. “Wood processing is conducted in a manner that generates minimum amount of waste and that notwithstanding, the greater proportion of waste generated in the factory was recycled and utilised in its production process, “ he said.
He said the company was committed to the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Global Forest Trade Network programme and to this end, it had identified and developed special management plans to protect the habitat of the recently rediscovered and highly endangered Rock Fowl in collaboration with the Ghana Wildlife society.
Mr Akufo-Owoo indicated that Ayum would continue to work with WWF- West Africa Forest Programme Office to improve the quality of forest management and implement a veritable, documented step-by-step process to achieving the Forest Stewardship Certification (FSC).
He said the company also believed that the forest was a backbone of the Ghanaian economy and had the potential of contributing significantly to the company’s aspirations of achieving poverty reduction and sustainable . “The company’s goal is, therefore, contribute to sustainable development in Ghana and was determined to adopt and practice the principles of responsible forest management, “ Mr Akufo-Owoo said.
He said Ayum was committed to the development and welfare of communities and people within its operational areas, sustainable resources management and value addition through down-stream processing of timber.
The commitment towards local development is manifest in the company’s numerous development programmes in communities such as Adabokrom in the Juabeso-Bia District in the Western Region, Atronie and Mim/Akwaboah in the Goaso Municipality.
“Ayum believed that a committed workforce was an asset to the company and therefore, it attached a great deal of importance to the development and well-being of its workforce of 2,157, “ Mr Akufo-Owoo said and that management regularly organised training workshops and refresher courses on occupational hazards and health matters for its employees.
It runs a 24-hour health post with competent health personnel supported by a well-equipped ambulance to provide emergency services.
It was expected that other timber companies in the sub-sector would emulate its practices.

PUMP-FITTED WELLS FOR THREE TAIN COMMUNITIES (PAGE 20)

Three wells fitted with pumps have been drilled for three remote and deprived communities in the Tain District of the Brong Ahafo Region.
The communities are Tabor, Kamancheli and Mekoda.
Before the project, the beneficiary communities had to walk long distances in search of water which was not even wholesome for consumption.
The projects which costs over $24,000 were financed jointly by Roswell and Living Way Community Churches in Atlanta and Los Angeles, respectively in the United States of America (USA), with the support from the Brute Labs team, also of the USA, through the instrumentality of  the Ghana branch of Pioneers-Africa, a religious organisation.
Inaugurating the facilities at Tabor, the National Director of Pioneers-Ghana, Mr Fred Agbossey-Dimako, said the provision of clean and safe water was critical for reducing child mortality and improving maternal health.
He said it also contributed to fighting poverty and hunger, and ensured a healthy community that could engage in productive agricultural activities.
Mr Agbossey-Dimako said the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs), which provided a policy framework for development initiatives such as the provision of potable water would end in 2015.
“I doubt if we are any where near the future that we seek for our people. The fact, however, cannot be lost on us that the scale and complexity of the challenge requires a partnership approach, “ he said.
Mr Agbossey-Dimako said it was also important for people to realise that they were responsible for the health of one another.
The director gave the assurance that his organisation would continue to serve in the Tain District, which he described as “remote”,and other deprived communities in the country.
He paid tribute to one Mr Joshua To of Pioneers-Africa for his immense contribution towards the provision of the facilities.
He announced that his organisation had established a health centre at Banda Ahenkro, and had rehabilitated the old Banda Agricultural school blocks which were being used as the Bandaman Senior High School. The organisation periodically organises free medical outreach programmes in the community.
Mr Agbossey-Dimako said his organisation was constructing wells in some deprived areas in the Upper West and Central regions, and urged the beneficiary people to take very good care of the facilities in order to prolong their life span.
Mr Reuel Kim, the leader of the team from the USA who participated in the inaugural ceremony, said the group was inspired by God to assist the deprived people with a potable water  system, and that it was the beginning of other things to come.
He invoked God’s blessings on the people and urged them to renew their faith in the Almighty whom he described as the giver of everything, including water. Quoting from the Bible, Mr Kim recalled the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land and how they were provided with water mysteriously through Moses.

3 BA DISTRICTS BENEFIT FROM RURAL GROWTH PROGRAMME (PAGE 20)

THREE districts in the Brong Ahafo Region and the three northern regions have been selected to benefit from a programme dubbed “Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP).”
The Brong Ahafo districts are Tain, Pru and Sene, and the northern regions — Northern, Upper East and Upper West.
The three northern regions are considered to be poor in terms of all socio-economic indicators and as such the decision by the government to implement the programme there is quite laudable.
The Brong Ahafo Region, however, has been drawn into it by virtue of the wide range of its agro-ecological zones.
The vegetation of the region comprises 25 per cent of forest, 11 per cent semi-deciduous forest and as high as 64 per cent savannah. This provides the region some level of diversity in the utilisation of agricultural resources.
Additionally, the Brong Ahafo Region has a fair rainfall distribution, fertile soils and a high farming population of approximately 70 per cent.
The overall goal of the programme is to achieve sustainable agriculture and food security for the rural poor and improved rural livelihoods in northern Ghana and the northern parts of the Brong Ahafo Region.
It also aims at developing  agricultural commodity value chains and increasing agricultural production.
It will help vulnerable groups, including women and the youth, to create profitable commodity and food value chains and in addition, help improve market linkages with domestic and export markets for agricultural production.
The NRGP is highly demand-driven and private sector-led and adopts a value chain approach for developing agriculture in the beneficiary districts.
Nearly 45,000 households will directly benefit from a comprehensive intervention, including strengthening of producer organisations, infrastructure improvement, such as roads, irrigation schemes and improved access to agricultural production, processing and marketing funding.
The project, which will run for eight years, is under the auspices of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and is  jointly funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) at a total cost of US$103.55 million.
IFAD is advancing US$22.33 million and the grant of US$0.40 with the AfDB will offer a loan of US$61.22 million                                              
IFAD formulated the programme in 2006 following a request from the Government of Ghana (GoG), and subsequently appraised it in July 2007 after which the government requested the AfDB to co-finance the project with IFAD.
This is to help achieve wider geographical coverage and increase agriculture-related infrastructure such as irrigation schemes and rural roads.
The NRGP is consistent with the Ghana Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II) and Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy II, which now constitutes the framework for donors’ support to the development of the agriculture sector.
The project is strongly market and productivity oriented, private sector-led, involving farmers, traders, processors, exporters, service providers and banks and it will provide an incentive framework for private firms to do agricultural business in the north and supply linkages, have multi-stakeholder dialogue and public private partnerships, build sustainable private institutions, as well as bring in innovation and flexibility.
“We don’t want the north to export poverty to the south as it has been the case all the time but we want the north to export quality agricultural produce down south. If we provide them with proper things they won’t be nuisances anywhere,” the National Programme Co-ordinator, Mr Roy Ayariga, observed. The programme has four different aligned components. The first is the commodity chain development, under which producer organisations would be strengthened, establishment of Inter-Professional bodies, preparation and implementation of results-based commodity business plans, as well as the development of a commodity fund. This will be followed by the rural infrastructure development component which will involve small-scale irrigation development such as dams, river-pumping machines and underground abstractions to irrigate at least 4,500 hectares. Under this component also will be the development of marketing infrastructure, which will involve 800 kilometres of farm tracks and 600 kilometres of feeder roads, 270 culverts, upgrading of 348 kilometres of trunk roads, construction of 10 bridges while farmers will be assisted to acquire group transport and storage/bulk facilities. The remaining two components are access to financial service and programme co-ordination.
Planned under the project are four commodity windows to be pursued including industrial crops such as Soybean, groundnut and brewery sorghum.
Women crops such as shea-nut, moringa, African rice sesame, export horticulture such as okra, chilly, French bean, Asian vegetables and papaya; and an animal-based window such as guinea fowl production, fish farming and small ruminants and pigs rearing.
About 372,000 rural households or three million people living in these households out of 1.56 million who are women will directly benefit from the programme with improved rural infrastructure and water facilities, improved access to financial services and increased agriculture production, processing and marketing.
This is expected to lead to an increase in incomes and household food security, as well as improved living standards.
 The programme was officially launched in all the participation regions. In the Brong Ahafo Region, the ceremony took place at Kintampo and was well attended by farmers, chiefs, district chief executives, district co-ordinating directors, staff of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), and Presiding Members, among other dignitaries. 
The National Co-ordinator of the programme, Mr Ayariga, said a strong linkage between industries and agriculture was the key to poverty reduction and wealth creation, especially among the rural poor in Ghana in general and the Northern Savanna area in particular.
According to him, farmers got poorer when the cost of production far exceeded the revenues from their produce, mainly due to poor market, and attributed poor prices of local agricultural produce to cheap imports and farmers’ lack of knowledge of the requirements of the markets, both in terms of quality standards and the marketable varieties.
He explained that the NRGP sought to establish a strong linkage between producers and consumers by adopting the commodity value chain approach to agri-business.
The Project Co-ordinator pointed out that with the rising of global food crises, local producers were now in an advantageous position because it was cheaper for importers of various agricultural commodities to look in the country to purchase those commodities and that past interventions had always been skewed towards increasing yields and the introduction of new varieties.
That is why, he said, under the NRGP, farmers’ knowledge of market requirements and strengthening of the entire linkage between the market and the farmer, was the central focus.
The Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Eric Opoku, who launched the programme, said the current global dispensation had engendered a process where co-operate economic power concentrated in value addition and set quality standards to meet the demands of the global competitive market.
He stressed that production and distribution of goods and services had become smaller in the global village while the supply chain flowed freely across national boarders. 

MINISTER LAUNCHES GREENING GHANA DAY AT YEFRI (PAGE 46)

THE Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Collins Dauda, at the weekend, launched this year’s Greening Ghana Day at Yefri, near Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region, with a call on the youth and key institutions to start engaging in a massive tree planting exercise throughout the country to help resuscitate the depleted and degraded forest resources.
The theme for the launch was; “The role of the youth in Greening Ghana”.
The minister disclosed that there were about 5,170,916 schoolchildren in the primary, junior high and senior high levels and that, if each of those children were encouraged to plant at least one tree per quarter per year, it meant that Ghana would have about 20,683,664 trees every year. In that regard, he said his ministry was making the necessary arrangements for schools and their pupils/students who would do well in the planting of more trees to be given awards.
“I, therefore, call on the heads of schools to join me to encourage schoolchildren to learn the culture of growing trees, because it is important to encourage the youth who form a greater proportion of the working population of Ghana to engage in tree planting exercise,” Alhaji Dauda appealed.
The minister, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asutifi South, explained that in the current circumstances of high youth unemployment rate, the Greening Ghana programme provided a good opportunity to offer greater employment to the youth, and consequently, generate wealth, thereby reducing poverty in many communities.
According to the minister, the devastating effects of forest degradation, especially during the past two decades, were beginning to manifest in the seeming extinction of premium timber species, such as Odum, Mahogany, Sapele and many others, resulting in the drastic reduction in the raw material base of the timber industry, loss of biodiversity, drying up of water bodies as well as the loss of tourist sites, which were all important sources of national revenue.
The acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Forestry Commission (FC), Mr Alhassan N. Attah, disclosed that the FC, under the supervision of the ministry, was pursuing major programmes in addressing the problems of forest and wildlife resource depletion and environment degradation in the country.
The programmes, he said, were focused primarily towards securing the national resource base, developing the natural resource base and optimising the flow of benefits from the resource to the country and, particularly, to the resource owners.
Mr Attah explained that the Greening Ghana Day was actually to announce to the general public about the suitable period for tree planting and to encourage as many people as possible to plant trees each day.
Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, in his welcoming address, condemned the activities of chainsaw operators in the country, saying that such nefarious activities had contributed significantly to the depletion of the country’s forest resources while bush and wild fires were also contributory factors as well as continuous farming activities.
A Member of the Council of State, Mr J.H. Owusu-Acheampong, who chaired the function, also appealed to heads of institutions, opinion leaders and all other stakeholders to spearhead the crusade to plant more trees, since that was the only way the Greening Ghana programme could be realised.

Monday, July 20, 2009

ASUNAFO NORTH NIHIS SCHEME MANAGER ORDERED TO STEP ASIDE (PAGE 35)

THE newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Sylvester A. Mensah, has ordered the manager of the Asunafo North District Mutual Health Insurance Scheme, Mr J. Appau, to step aside immediately to pave way for an investigation into his alleged gross misconduct.
Consequently, he has set up a three-member committee chaired by a representative of the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, to investigate the matter and report to the NHIA within 21 days.
The other members of the committee are Mr Nicholas Afram Osei, the National Claims Manager of the NHIA, who is to move to the region to act as the regional manager and also take responsibility of the Asunafo North scheme, together with Mr Aimee Yuori, the head of the Legal Department of the authority.
As part of his decision to restructure the scheme in the region, Mr Mensah also directed that the scheme managers of Tano North and Berekum, Messrs Amankona Diawuo and Stephen Kankam, respectively, were to report to the regional office of the scheme to be re-assigned by the acting regional manager.
He described the transfer of the two as promotions.
Furthermore, Mr Mensah directed that the current Regional Manager, Mr William Sabi, should move to the national headquarters of the scheme in Accra to take temporary responsibility of the claims department.
Again, Mr Mensah ordered that the Public Relations Officer of the scheme in the region, Mr Michael Appiah Sarpong, should move to the Corporate Affairs Department of the NHIA in Accra.
The CEO made the changes when he addressed the core management staff of the 19 schemes in the region at the Eusbett Hotel in Sunyani as part of his nationwide familiarisation tour.
He also announced that forensic audit would be conducted in all the schemes throughout the country to determine whether or not they were operating effectively.
According to Mr Mensah, some of the schemes were applying their premiums on administrative and overhead expenses.
Accompanied by other directors and consultants of the NHIA, Mr Mensah said clinical audit would also be conducted on all claims paid previously to service providers to ascertain their veracity.
He, therefore, advised the scheme managers to get their records ready as a team would soon embark on random checks.
The CEO observed that some of the schemes had as many as 15 members constituting the board of directors superintending over between six and seven core management staff.
He alleged that in some cases, some of the board members took loans which were eating into the accounts of the scheme, a situation he said would not be tolerated.
Mr Mensah noted with concern the laxity on the part of the staff, especially those responsible for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sections, saying that in certain cases, those responsible for data entries were reluctant to do the work at the expense of subscribers.
He, therefore, charged the scheme managers to effectively supervise their staff or else be held responsible.
Mr Mensah again alleged that fraud had been detected in some instances and warned that whoever was caught for that offence would face the full rigours of the law.
He emphasised that it was not the intention of the government to sack any staff, since they were all public servants, but cautioned them to do the right thing.
Mr Mensah also identified delays in the printing of identification cards for clients as a teething problem, stressing that the issuance of temporary ID cards to subscribers had some cost implications which the authority was putting in place mechanisms to address.
According to him, the campaign promise by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) before the 2008 general election to institute a one-time payment of premium by subscribers would become a reality by the end of next year.
Mr Mensah said the entire NHIS needed a rethinking and, therefore, the NHIA was conducting legal review of the system to make it more viable, efficient and effective.
He observed that some of the schemes had poor office accommodation, improper layouts and lack of space.
According to him, the various assemblies and the Regional Co-ordinating Councils (RCCs) had critical and central roles to play in the operations of the schemes, especially in the areas of housing the schemes in their respective districts.
The CEO announced that 120 medicines had now been added to the essential drug list, and expressed the hope that the measure would address the problem clients faced in accessing the required medication when they attended health facilities.
Mr Mensah gave the assurance that the conditions of service of the staff would be looked at to bridge any disparities.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, urged the scheme managers to discharge their work professionally and avoid politicisation of the programme, for which some of them were noted.
“Do not read politics into the scheme and insulate yourself from politics because a change of government does not affect you as public servants,” he stressed.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo appealed to the authority to ensure that subscribers were issued with their cards promptly and to also improve upon the quality of pictures on them.

STRENGTHEN SUPERVISORY ROLES OVER DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES (PAGE 15, JULY 17)

THE Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, has called on the various Regional Co-ordinating Councils (RCC) to strengthen their supervisory roles over the district assemblies.
He said the RCCs should be empowered to apply sanctions against non-performing and errant assemblies.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo made the call when he gave an address during the inauguration of the re-constituted Brong Ahafo RCC in Sunyani.
The Regional Minister suggested that a separate cost centre be created for the RCCs so that their programmes and activities could be budgeted for and funded adequately to enable them to perform their functions satisfactorily.
He disclosed that, “We have no development budget to undertake development activities, such as the provision of office and residential accommodation for public officers who are posted to the region to work”.
According to him, the RCC subsisted on the funds allocated to the office of the President under government machinery and had to apply to that office for the funds to run the secretariat, which he said sometimes delayed unduly, thereby frustrating the programmes and activities of the secretariat.
The Regional Minister pointed out that by the Constitution the role of the RCC was to facilitate co-ordination, monitoring, supervision and backstopping of the assemblies and to provide a forum for representatives from local authorities and the chiefs.
However, he said, the RCC performed several functions which, he noted, were not captured in the legislation and that the most significant functions, in so far as they accounted for a sizeable proportion of the RCC’s resources, were, protocol function, involving the hosting of dignitaries and the celebration of national and regional events.
“We are also expected to co-ordinate and monitor the activities of decentralised ministeries departments and agencies (MDAs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that operate at the regional level and that is the reason why regional heads of MDAs are ex-officio members of the RCC,” he explained.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo said it was disheartening to observe that in spite of these extensive responsibilties assigned to the RCC by the legislation, the regulatory environment, as presently conceived, neither recognised the region as a decision-making body within the local government structure nor provided the RCCs with the means of enforcement and the sanctions that were necessary to ensure the districts’ compliance with central government policies and programmes.
He declared, “No provision is made for the funding of the assigned functions beyond ad hoc arrangements through warrants, the two per cent of total District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocation to the region and in recent past, HIPC Funds”.
The regional minister observed that sanitation in the municipalities and districts, especially in the urban communities, had been deteriorating and that the assemblies appeared to have been overwhelmed by the filth that had engulfed almost every major town in the region.
He further noted that drainage systems meant purposely for the free flow of waste water were chocked with silt and refuse while communities did not have proper places of convenience, and that, the management of both liquid and solid wastes was not up to standard and for some places, liquid waste was dumped indiscriminately on the ground.
He said most municipal/district assemblies did not even have technically engineered final disposal sites.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS — REVEREND GYAMFI (PAGE 16)

THE Catholic Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese, Most Reverend Mathew Kwasi Gyamfi, has urged members of the church, particularly the body of Knights and Ladies to get involved in politics since it is not a dirty game.
“Seek positons in parliament, in cabinet and ministerial appointment as well as other posts, continue to get involved in decision making at the local, national and international levels because in this way you are able to bring the message of Christ to bear on socio-economic and political issues,” he explained.
Most Rev. Gyamfi gave the advice when he delivered the keynote address at the 7th Bienniel of the  Cape Coast Commandery convention of the Knights and Ladies of St. John International, a para military organization within the Catholic Church in Sunyani.
The theme for the five-day meeting is, “Go The Mass is Ended: Commission to Evangilisation — The Role of Knights and Ladies”.
He declared, “Evangelise politics because it is sick and do things as Christ did. Let us feel the touch of the Catholic moral and social teachings in the Presidency, if you become the president of Ghana, in parliament, Cabinet, in the Ministries, in your business and in all sectors of the society where you find yourself”.
The Bishop further pointed out that, as Knights and Ladies, “You are called to become agents of change in society through the exercise of justice and truth in all sphere of life and it is to help you do this that we urge you to actively get involved in politics”.
He said, however that, as they struggle to become defenders of truth and justice, they ought not to lose sight of the high ideals they were committed to pursue which he said, centred on love, compassion, honour and moral integrity.
Most Rev. Gyamfi, indicated that, the bishops would be grateful if the Knights and Ladies would openly support and even explain further the position of the church on issues such as the handing over of mission schools back to the management of the church, the computerisation of the Senior High School, abortion, same sex marriage, fidelity in marriage and abstinence as the only sure ways to prevent the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
He said as a body and as individuals, they could prudently and respectfully draw the attention of the church hierarchy to certain things that they need to know but which they were apparently unaware of, saying, “That is also part of your responsibility in evangelisation”.
Bishop Gyamfi pointed out that, it was a matter of urgent concern for the church in Ghana that some members of the Knights and Ladies were also members of other secular Knighthood, such as the Freemasons and Odd Fellows.
“It is important to note here that, one cannot be a Catholic and belong to a Knighthood that is outside the church. Your allegiance as a Knight to Jesus and his Church must be complete and unequivocal. You cannot serve two masters and you know as well as I do that the Vatican has issued a statement since 1732 that makes it clear that Catholics cannot be members of orders, such as Odd Fellows and Freemasons or any secular orders outside the C atholic Church,” he cautioned.
According to him, the call of the time was to promote instead of defending the faith in the midst of cynism, faithlessness and godlessness, adding that, Knights of today were summoned to a renewed vocation of promotking and protecting the faith through genuine witnessing of their lives, both in word and in deed.
“Your role as Knights in the commission to evangelisation is to constantly carry the church with you to all areas of your life-family, politics, friendhips, work and business, among other areas”.
The outgoing Grand President, Noble Sr. Brigadier General Dennis Adjei, directed all district and local commandery exercutives to ensure that, no member of the Knights and Ladies belonged to any Masonic association since the church would not entertain such a person.

ENSURE TRANSPARENCY IN DISCHARGE OF DUTIES — BEDIAKO (PAGE 15)

THE District Chief Executive (DCE) for Jaman South, Mr Julius Ata Bediako, has advised heads of departments to ensure transparency, accountability and exhibit a high sense of responsibility and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
That, he said, would promote and create a congenial atmosphere for an effective socio-economic development of the area.
Mr Bediako pointed out that the National Democratic Congress (NDC)-led government strongly believed in probity, accountability and transparency, and therefore, cautioned them to eschew corrupt practices and rather focus on the development agenda of the district.
Mr Bediako, who gave the advice when he interacted with the departmental heads of the district assembly at Drobo in the Brong Ahafo Region, further urged them to be disciplined and lead exemplary lives for their subbordinates to emulate.
He said the practice where some people would rush to FM stations on trivial matters was not in tune with any serious  development objectives, saying that they should not hesitate to approach one another on issues that beat their minds.
The DCE pointed out that, since he was operating an open-door policy, the heads should also feel free to educate him on any matter they were well  versed in rather than attempt to undermine his administration, saying, “Let us all see ourselves as working partners to achieve the better Ghana we are craving for”.
The District Co-ordinating Director, Mr M.M. Saani, also called for the spirit of team- work among the various departments and asked them to rededicate themselves to the programmes and policies of the new government which were geared towards the overall development of the country.
Mr Saani stressed the need for the heads to promptly submit reports on their activities so that the assembly could quickly take the necessary actions on them, and also charged them to attend their quarterly meetings to compare notes that would result in the improvement of their delivery.
In another development, the Jaman South District Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, has embarked on an intensive HIV and AIDS awareness campaign, aimed at preventing the spread of the disease in the district.
The theme for the campaign is, “Know your HIV Status”.
Addressing  a mini durbar of the chiefs and people of Gonasua, the acting District Director of Health Services, Madam Grace N. Vire, noted that since the HIV and AIDS were detected in 1986, many people had suffered in various forms.
She, therefore, urged the churches, chiefs, other opinion leaders and all stakeholders to join hands in the crusade against the spread of the pandemic.
The acting director appealed to the chiefs to collaborate with the district assembly to pass a bye-law that would limit or prevent students from attending festivals and dances in the night, which she noted were the avenues of contracting the disease.
Mr Daniel Owusu-Amponsah, the Jaman South District HIV/AIDS Co-ordinator, observed that, in view of the fact that the area shared a boundary with La Cote d’Ivoire, the prevalence of the disease was high, disclosing that out of 216 pregnant women screemed between January and March this year, six tested positve.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME MAKES PROGRESS (PAGE 15, NSEMPA)

By Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah

THE Asutifi District is one of the 22 districts in the Brong Ahafo Region. It is located at the South Western part of the region, which shares boundaries with the Sunyani Municipality in the North, Tano South District in the northeast and Ahafo Ano North in the Ashanti Region.
The district, which has Kenyasi as its capital and about 50 kilometers from the regional capital, Sunyani, has an estimated land areas of 1,500 square kilometers.
Its population, according to the 2,000 Population and Housing Census is about 84,475 but the current figure is believed to hover around 92,475.
The people are predominantly farmers with about 77.6 per cent of the labour force engaged in agriculture that is crop farming and animal rearing. The major items produced are cocoa, cassava, plantain, oil palm, cocoyam and maize.
Activities of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) currently operating the Ahafo Mine have in a way brought some fortune to some major towns in the area, namely Kenyasi, Ntotroso, Gyedu and Wamahinso.

Healthcare providers

Thanks to the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme, (NHIS), healthcare in the district has been tremendously boosted. A number of mutual health schemes, have been created and they are offered at the St. Elizabeth Catholic Hospital at Hwediem, Kenyasi, Acherensua, Gyedu and Dadiesoaba Health Centres, The Gambia and Sienchem clinics as well as a number of CHPS compounds and maternity homes.
There are three main referral providers, namely the St John of God Hospital at Duayaw Nkwanta, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi and the Regional Hospital in Sunyani.
According to a recent report on the Asutifi District Health Insurance Scheme (ADHIS), as at December 31, 2008, the total enrolment figure for both new registrations and renewals, increased from 47,301 in 2007 to 70,812, representing 52.0 per cent and 76.6 per cent respectively. The coverage for the district from 2005 to 2008 stood at 77.98 per cent of the total population.
In terms of gender, 33,990 of males registered, while 36,822 females enrolled in 2008, representing 48 per cent and 52 per cent respectively, as indicated in the report. However, in 2005, 17,896 people representing 19.4 percent registered while 25,097 representing 27.1 per cent joined in 2006.

New registrations and renewals

Enrolment analysis under new registrations indicates that 25,551 children under 18 years representing 54.85 per cent registered, Informal (18-69), 15,164, representing 32.55 per cent; SSNIT contributors 738, (1.58 per cent), SSNIT Pensioners, 56 (0.2 per cent), Aged 2,755 (5.91 per cent), indigents 38 (0.08 per cent) and pregnant women 2,280 (4.89 per cent).
For Renewals, 15,328 children under 18 years renewed their cards, representing 63.26 per cent, Informal, 4,617 (19.05 per cent), SSNIT contributors 1,525 (6.29 per cent), SSNIT pensioners 81 (0.33 per cent), Aged 2,651 (10.94 per cent) and Indigents, 28 (0.12 per cent).
The total income for the scheme in 2007 stood at GH¢ 350, 046.31 while the figure rose to GH¢ 924,825.23 with expenditure totaling GH¢ 195,311,36 for 2007 and GH¢ 1,808, 645.45 in 2008.

Attendance
For both Out-Patients Department (OPD) and In-Patients Departments (IPD) as at the end of December 2008, the attendance of insured clients of the Scheme who utilised the accredited health facilities was OPD - 311,550 and IPD - 7, 505, totaling 319,055.
The cost incurred for the insured clients covering the same period were, GH¢2,736,743.85 (OPD), GH¢592,314.45, totaling GH¢3,329,058.30.
The scheme has also adopted very cordial and excellent relations with its publics by ensuring that all matters are resolve in an amicable manner.

Challenges
The ADHIS has observed that the processing of the national ID cards took a long time, which therefore, caused frustrations for clients. The scheme is also calling for a review of the drug list to include some basic medicines, which had been excluded.

Way forward
It is expected that, at least 90 per cent of members will renew their membership each year for the next five years and that, all monthly claims from the various health providers will be thoroughly vetted and payments made by the middle of every ensuing month.
The scheme also expects that, fraud control measures would be instituted by the end of June 2009 and claims administration computerised by 2010.

WORKSHOP ON CHIEFTAINCY ACT ENDS (PAGE 34)

A three-day workshop on the Chieftaincy Act, 2008, Act 759 and Code of Ethics for Nananom the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs has been held in Sunyani.
The meeting, which is the first in a series for members of Regional Houses of Chiefs in the country, is being supported by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).
The Chieftaincy Act 759 of 2008, which amended the previous Act of 1971, Act 370, came into effect in June last year and provides for the administration of the chieftaincy institution, starting from the National and the Regional Houses of Chiefs to the various Traditional Councils.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Alex Asum-Ahensan, expressed regret that the document which was expected to guide Nananom in the execution of their functions in the areas of their installation, proceedings during adjudication of land and family issues, custody of stool properties and administration of finances, among other matters, had not been disseminated adequately to the traditional authorities.
He urged Nananom to formulate regulations as required in Section 71 of the Act to give full effect in the administration of the document, since such regulations made it expedient for the Act to be administered effectively.
Mr Asum-Ahensan, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Jaman North Constituency, noted that the regulations would help Nananom to formulate their Standing Orders, prescribe fees, fines and other issues pertaining to the administration of the institution of chieftaincy.
He pointed out that some chieftaincy conflicts had dragged on for a long time owing to the fact that some of the parties to those conflicts were unable to pay the fees which were sometimes determined arbitrarily by members of the constituted judicial panels.
“Such challenges will be addressed if adequate regulations are made for transparency in our chieftaincy judicial process. I will, therefore, be anxiously looking forward to proposals to be submitted to my ministry in this respect in due course,” the minister said.
He expressed the hope that at the end of the meeting Nananom would appreciate the immense benefits to be derived from the Act and feel very confident to use it as a reference material in all chieftaincy issues.
Naba Pugansoa, Naa (Prof.)John S. Nabila, the President of the National House of Chiefs, explained that before the passage of the new chieftaincy Act 2008, the repealed Act of 1971 was not in conformity with the 1992 Constitution.
For instance, he noted that, Article 89 (2) (b) provides that the President of the National House of Chiefs shall be a member of the Council of State and while the tenure of office of Members of the Council of State is four years, the tenure of office of the President of the House under the now repealed act, was three years, saying that there were several of such inconsistencies.
He said the National House of Chiefs therefore initiated processes towards the revision of Act 370 which finally led to the passage of the new Act 759.
The president expressed his heartfelt gratitude to KAS which he said had been supporting the chieftaincy institution generally and in particular the National House of Chiefs to organise the series of workshops.
In his welcoming address, Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II, the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, observed with satisfaction that all governments of the country had recognised the existence of the chieftaincy institution and provided the necessary support to Nananom.
Mr Klaus D. Loetzer, the Resident Representative of KAS, pointed out that as a foundation that had worked in the country for 43 years, helping to promote socio-economic development, “We recognise the role of our indigenous institutions and bodies in the socio-economic growth of the country”.
He noted that the requisite legal framework to regulate the manner and conduct of Nananom in modern times reflected the dynamic nature of the chieftaincy institution, adding that through the efforts of the various stakeholders, the new chieftaincy Act had now been passed.

ENSURE REP PROJECTS SUCCEED — MS TETTEH (PAGE 16)

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hannah Tetteh, has thrown a challenge to Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) whose areas have been selected to participate in the Rural Enterprises Project (REP) to ensure that the project was successfully implemented in their respective communities.
She maintained that the success or collapse of the REP, which was an integrated rural development package aimed at improving the living conditions in the rural areas and contribute to the reduction of poverty through increased self employment, depended largely on the beneficiary municipal and district assemblies.
Ms Tetteh threw the challenge at a day’s orientation seminar for new MDCEs and coordinating directors of participating districts of the REP at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The REP, which is in its second phase of implementation, is mainly funded by the Government of Ghana (GoG), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), at a cost of about $29 million.
Currently, the project is being implemented actively in 53 districts countrywide and in all the regions. Since its inception in 1995, the REP has gradually evolved to become a strong force in employment generation and poverty reduction efforts in the country and achieving its objective of building a competitive micro and small scale enterprises sector in the participating district.
The minister pointed out that the main drivers of the REP were the districts while the ministry only acted as an overseer, adding that the commitment on the part of the MDCEs was the panacea to the success or otherwise of the project.
Ms Tetteh reminded the participants that during the run-up to the 2008 general election, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) made a lot of promises to the people of Ghana and that the pivot of all those promises was to make the country a better one.
She said Ghana could only be better when the people had jobs and subsequently had money in their pockets, and it was when they were satisfied with that, that they would acknowledge that indeed, the NDC government they voted for had brought a change into their lives.
I know your passion to make these promises work and I trust that you will create the opportunities for the people to have jobs and I know your qualities and capabilities and I want you to think about the promises that we made,” the minister stressed.
Ms Tetteh emphasised that “we as a government have the responsibility to show to Ghanaians that we meant what we said and that we would deliver better lives for the people and so we need to move away from mere rhetorics to realities”.
She urged the MDCEs to pay much more attention to the project by committing the needed resources towards its implementation in their respective districts since she said, the REP had a lot to show, adding that,“Your reward will be in the people having their lives changed to a better one”.
The minister declared, “Be at the forefront of making the project work and do not only make it work but also patronise the products of the REP to encourage your people to do same and let all of us give priority to made in Ghana goods but not to disregard or discard them”.
Mr Kwasi Atta-Antwi, the Project Coordinator, in a welcoming address disclosed that, the current phase of the project which started in 2003, was expected to end in 2011, saying that with about 58 per cent physical achievement and 45 per cent level of disbursement of donor funds as of March this year, there was a lot to be done in the few months ahead to complete the entire project.
He indicated that the institutional framework for the implementation of the project, had now been firmly established and a lot of impact was already being achieved in the areas of operation.
According to him, at the district level, Business Advisory Centres had been set up in each district with the full support and contribution from the district assembly and the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI).
Similarly, Mr Atta-Antwi said, 18 Rural Technology Facilities were being established at some selected districts and that, those centres and facilities were being resourced by the REP to serve as a one-stop shop for all Micro and Small Enterprise activities within the districts.
“From our experience, the sustainable functioning of these two main district-based implementing units can only be attained with the strong commitment, dedication, ownership and leadership of the district assemblies”, the project coordinator said.

Monday, July 13, 2009

WORK ON ROAD PROGRESSING (PAGE 3)

REHABILITATION work on the 60-kilometre Techiman-Kintampo trunk road and the reconstruction of the 30-km Techiman-Wenchi road in the Brong Ahafo Region are progressing steadily.
The Techiman-Kintampo road, which is an integral part of the national route linking the northern and southern parts of the country and also provides a transit corridor for Ghana’s landlocked neighbours, is expected to be completed by March 1, 2011 with asphaltic concrete at a cost of GHҐ 36,058,579.20.
It is being jointly financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Government of Ghana (GoG) and the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Fund and executed by Messrs Shinsung Engineering and Construction Corporation Limited of South Korea. The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) is the implementing agency with Conterra Limited as the engineers.
When completed, the road will increase economic activities, facilitate marketing of agricultural produce, generate employment and subsequently reduce poverty in the area.
It will also reduce travelling time and cost of transportation of goods and generate higher transit traffic, thereby encouraging increased economic activity in the local service.
Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, last Thursday inspected the project, as well as the Techiman-Wenchi road, which was solely being funded by the GoG at a cost of GHҐ 15,310,888.64, with the GHA as the implementing agency and Messrs P & W Ghanem Limited as the local contractor. The project is expected to be completed by May, 2010.
Briefing the Regional Minister, who was accompanied by the Regional Director of the GHA , Mr Emmanuel Pireku, the Resident Engineer, Mr William Owusu-Banahene, pointed out that since the project was purely rehabilitation, the work component involved bush clearing, earthworks, widening the road from 0.9 metres to 12.3 metres and pavement finishing.
According to Mr Owusu-Banahene, the major problems facing the contractor were the failure of drivers to obey road directional signs within the constructional area, and suggested that the contractor should adopt stiffer measures to check those recalcitrant drivers.
He also indicated that some chiefs and landowners were making high demands for royalties, a situation which he said had become difficult for the contractor.
The Regional Minister underscored the importance of that stretch of road not only to Ghana but also to the neighbouring countries, giving the assurance that the government would provide the necessary assistance towards successful completion of the project.
Nana Fosu Gyeabour, a representative of the contractor working on the Techiman-Wenchi road, conducted the Regional Minister to inspect the road, which he said was 58 per cent complete.
Mr Nyamekye-Marfo commended the two contractors for a good work done, and urged them to continue in that spirit of commitment.

Friday, July 3, 2009

HOLY FAMILY HOSPITAL COMPLETES REHABILITATION (PAGE 43)

WORK on four projects at the Holy Family Hospital at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region has been completed at a total cost of GH¢251,750.16.
The projects involve the extension and refurbishment of the paediatric ward, reconditioning of the operating theatre and the construction of a physiotherapy complex and a surgical ward.
Ghana Nuts Limited (GNL), a Techiman-based company, financed the paediatric ward project while the remaining three were sponsored by Foundation Medical Help of Holland, through the instrumentality of Dr H. H. J. Wegdam, a retired surgical specialist from Holland, who worked at the hospital for about 12 years.
In addition, GNL donated and installed two industrial washing machines and two dryers to improve on the sanitary conditions at the hospital.
All the projects were dedicated and inaugurated by the Catholic Bishop of Techiman, Most Reverend Dominic Yeboah Nyarko, at a ceremony at the hospital’s premises last Monday, during a send-off party for Dr Wegdam and another retiree, Ms Rita Wilson, the former matron.
Speaking at the function, Most Rev. Nyarko lauded the outgoing surgical specialist, and acknowledged that through his efforts, many medical officers and nurses had come to work and train at the hospital.
“His personal and collaborative contribution to the infrastructural development of the Holy Family Hospital is phenomenal,” the Bishop said of Dr Wegdam.
“We would have liked to keep him for many more years, but life demands, personal health and family issues require that he retires at this stage of his life,” Most Rev. Nyarko stressed.
He asked for God’s blessing for him and Ms Wilson, who he said, had also served the hospital with a lot of commitment and dedication for the past 13 years.
Most Rev. Nyarko noted that the central location of Techiman in the country made it challenging to all workers at the hospital, adding that such a challenge called for due diligence to ensure that they rendered the best services in a very professional manner.
He pointed out that supervision, customer-centred attitude, professionalism, discipline, cleanliness and maintenance culture were a few areas that needed very serious attention by the management team and the diocesan health directorate.
The Bishop announced that work on the proposed Nurses Training College at the hospital would soon begin since a lot of preparation had already been done.
Rev. Fr. Dominic Yaw Assuahene, Director of the Diocesan Health Services, said as a Catholic health institution, it was the vision and ultimate goal of the hospital to give to those who were ill, a reason of hope by showing them God’s love and compassion.
“For us as a Catholic healthcare provider, service to the sick is service to God and what is left is the assistance all of us can give to the hospital just as our able sponsors for these projects have done,” he added.
The Managing Director of GNL, Mr Obed Asante, pointed out that the company had a firm belief in good corporate citizenship and had expressed its commitment to set aside a significant proportion of the company’s budget for the society in which it operated.
“We appreciate the immense contribution of this community to the survival and growth of our company and hereby affirm our unwavering commitment to a partnership with Holy Family Hospital,” he stated.
Mr. Asante expressed the hope that the existing partnership between GNL and the hospital would be strengthened for the ultimate benefit of the community that they mutually cherish and were committed to serve.
A letter from the donors read by Dr Wegdam said in part that, “We as a donor are only interested in good use of all items we bring to you. We have done our part the last twelve and a half years and we pray you will be able to match our efforts in also doing your part in maintaining a good surgical programme that can make good use of our donation.”