THE Managing Director of Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL), Mr Ekwunife Okoli, has expressed the readiness of the company to do business with the Graphic Communication Group Limited (GCGL).
He said that when he led a delegation from the company to pay a business visit to the Graphic Packaging Limited (G-Pak), a subsidiary of the GCGL.
The visit was to enable the officials of GGBL to acquaint themselves with the facilities at G-Pak.
The managing director, who was apparently impressed by the facilities at G-Pak, was accompanied by the Mr Edwin Baffour, the Corporate Relations Manager, and Joanna Kinson, the Head of Procurement.
He said it was the social responsibility of his company to do business with local quality printers who would always be ready to deliver on time.
He said it was also his company’s responsibility to work with world-class suppliers for better services, durability, quality and honesty.
Mr Okoli was of the hope that G-Pak would impress its customers.
For his part, the General Manager of G-Pak, Mr Charles Antwi, assured Mr Okoli of quality services and quick delivery of labels and posters.
He expressed his profound gratitude to the management of GGBL for the visit and added that he looked forward to doing business with GGBL.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Mining
THE Ghana Chamber of Mines has appealed to the government to increase the quantum of royalties returned to mining communities from the current nine per cent to 30 per cent.
The Chief Executive Officer of the chamber, Ms Joyce Aryee, who made the appeal, expressed the hope that the royalties when increased would be tied to providing specific infrastructural projects that would stimulate development in the communities.
At the opening of the 2009 Exhibition and Networking Forum in Accra yesterday, Ms Aryee said the Chamber would continue to push for the integration of the industry into the local economy, champion the attraction of Ghanaian investors into mining and encourage the government to mainstream mining as a catalyst for development.
The three-day forum is being organised by the Ghana Chamber of Mines on the theme, “Mining and sustainable development: Meeting inter-generational challenges".
She said the mining sector in 2008 returned $2.30 billion representing 63 per cent of mineral revenue through the Bank of Ghana and commercial banks in the country.
She added that out of that, six per cent was paid to the government both at the national and district levels in the form of royalties and tax and 10 per cent to the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) for electric power purchases.
She explained further that 13 per cent was also paid to local oil marketing companies for diesel fuel purchases and another four per cent of the mineral revenue was paid as taxes, levies and duties on fuel products to the government.
Ms Aryee said the mining industry had been consciously increasing the quantum of local inputs in its operations for sometime now and added that last year mineral-producing member companies of the chamber procured 47 per cent of inputs and 71 per cent of consumables locally.
She indicated that the promotion of local content in the Chamber’s operations was not just a social responsibility activity, but rather a direct response to Section 105 of the Minerals and Mining Law 2006, Act 703.
The Act states that "The holder of a mineral right shall in the conduct of mineral operations and in the purchase, construction and installation of facilities give preference to materials and products made in Ghana."
The law further states that the holder of a mineral right shall, in phases of its operations, give preference in employment to citizens to the maximum extent possible and consistent with safety and economy.
Ms Aryee emphasised that the Chamber did not condone unregulated mining in the country and would not assist persons engaged in the act.
She stated that the Chamber actively supported regulated and formalised small-scale mining sectors in the country.
She said the Chamber was currently undertaking advocacy on small-scale mining with the view of enhancing the understanding of the needs of the sector and also to inform strategy formulation to resolve challenges of the small-scale miner.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hannah Tetteh, said the intergenerational challenges facing the mining sector in the country needed to be addressed to ensure sustainable development of the sector.
She said in order to address these challenges there was the need for all stakeholders to help identify and address the challenges facing all operations in the sector.
She also called for the development of a comprehensive local content framework for the mining sector in order to reduce conflicts, tension and dissatisfaction.
The minister encouraged investors to enter into the production of mining implements locally and adhere to the policy of introducing local contents into the industry.
She advised mining industries to set up oil palm and bamboo plantations to replace the lost forest.
The three-day exhibition includes a "buyers and sellers", forum, which is designed to bring together mining companies as buyers of goods and services and local companies as sellers.
The Chief Executive Officer of the chamber, Ms Joyce Aryee, who made the appeal, expressed the hope that the royalties when increased would be tied to providing specific infrastructural projects that would stimulate development in the communities.
At the opening of the 2009 Exhibition and Networking Forum in Accra yesterday, Ms Aryee said the Chamber would continue to push for the integration of the industry into the local economy, champion the attraction of Ghanaian investors into mining and encourage the government to mainstream mining as a catalyst for development.
The three-day forum is being organised by the Ghana Chamber of Mines on the theme, “Mining and sustainable development: Meeting inter-generational challenges".
She said the mining sector in 2008 returned $2.30 billion representing 63 per cent of mineral revenue through the Bank of Ghana and commercial banks in the country.
She added that out of that, six per cent was paid to the government both at the national and district levels in the form of royalties and tax and 10 per cent to the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) for electric power purchases.
She explained further that 13 per cent was also paid to local oil marketing companies for diesel fuel purchases and another four per cent of the mineral revenue was paid as taxes, levies and duties on fuel products to the government.
Ms Aryee said the mining industry had been consciously increasing the quantum of local inputs in its operations for sometime now and added that last year mineral-producing member companies of the chamber procured 47 per cent of inputs and 71 per cent of consumables locally.
She indicated that the promotion of local content in the Chamber’s operations was not just a social responsibility activity, but rather a direct response to Section 105 of the Minerals and Mining Law 2006, Act 703.
The Act states that "The holder of a mineral right shall in the conduct of mineral operations and in the purchase, construction and installation of facilities give preference to materials and products made in Ghana."
The law further states that the holder of a mineral right shall, in phases of its operations, give preference in employment to citizens to the maximum extent possible and consistent with safety and economy.
Ms Aryee emphasised that the Chamber did not condone unregulated mining in the country and would not assist persons engaged in the act.
She stated that the Chamber actively supported regulated and formalised small-scale mining sectors in the country.
She said the Chamber was currently undertaking advocacy on small-scale mining with the view of enhancing the understanding of the needs of the sector and also to inform strategy formulation to resolve challenges of the small-scale miner.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hannah Tetteh, said the intergenerational challenges facing the mining sector in the country needed to be addressed to ensure sustainable development of the sector.
She said in order to address these challenges there was the need for all stakeholders to help identify and address the challenges facing all operations in the sector.
She also called for the development of a comprehensive local content framework for the mining sector in order to reduce conflicts, tension and dissatisfaction.
The minister encouraged investors to enter into the production of mining implements locally and adhere to the policy of introducing local contents into the industry.
She advised mining industries to set up oil palm and bamboo plantations to replace the lost forest.
The three-day exhibition includes a "buyers and sellers", forum, which is designed to bring together mining companies as buyers of goods and services and local companies as sellers.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
NYEP
THE 2008 evaluation report of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) indicates that participants in the programme receive an average monthly wage of GH¢50, which is lower than the prevailing national minimum wage of GH¢61.
The report also showed significant wage differences by gender, location, education and employment module.
For instance, male participants on the average earned eight per cent higher wages than their female counterparts in the same module.
It also indicated that the average wage for persons working in other administrative regions was significantly lower than persons working in the nation's capital, except those in the Brong Ahafo Region.
This came to light at a policy discussion workshop on youth employment in Ghana and the launch of the evaluation report of the NYEP in Accra last Tuesday.
The report was under the auspices of the Ghana Trades Union Congress Labour Research and Policy Institute, with funding from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
Making the presentation, the acting Head of the Labour Research and Policy Institute of the TUC, Mr Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, said persons employed in the community protection, rural education and internship modules earned higher wages, compared with what those in the waste and sanitation management module earned.
He explained that on the average persons employed in the auxiliary nursing and agri-business modules earned lower wages than those in the waste and sanitation management module.
According to the report, participants with higher levels of education were rewarded by the programme.
For example, participants with post-secondary education on the average earned 18 per cent higher wages than participants with no formal education, even when other observable factors were taken into account.
It also stated that participants had no access to benefits such as social security, medical care, sick leave and annual leave.
It further indicated that 64 per cent of participants indicated that the NYEP offered them their first wage employment.
Organisations and institutions using the services of NYEP participants include the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Ministry of Health (MoH).
The rest are the Ghana Police Service, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Zoomlion Company Limited and municipal councils.
Launching the report, the acting Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Rashid Abdul Pelpuo, said the NYEP was an important programme which needed to be supported by Ghanaians.
He said the report would be used by the ministry as a working tool and gave the assurance that the programme would be improved upon and sustained to enable more youth to benefit from it.
The report also showed significant wage differences by gender, location, education and employment module.
For instance, male participants on the average earned eight per cent higher wages than their female counterparts in the same module.
It also indicated that the average wage for persons working in other administrative regions was significantly lower than persons working in the nation's capital, except those in the Brong Ahafo Region.
This came to light at a policy discussion workshop on youth employment in Ghana and the launch of the evaluation report of the NYEP in Accra last Tuesday.
The report was under the auspices of the Ghana Trades Union Congress Labour Research and Policy Institute, with funding from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
Making the presentation, the acting Head of the Labour Research and Policy Institute of the TUC, Mr Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, said persons employed in the community protection, rural education and internship modules earned higher wages, compared with what those in the waste and sanitation management module earned.
He explained that on the average persons employed in the auxiliary nursing and agri-business modules earned lower wages than those in the waste and sanitation management module.
According to the report, participants with higher levels of education were rewarded by the programme.
For example, participants with post-secondary education on the average earned 18 per cent higher wages than participants with no formal education, even when other observable factors were taken into account.
It also stated that participants had no access to benefits such as social security, medical care, sick leave and annual leave.
It further indicated that 64 per cent of participants indicated that the NYEP offered them their first wage employment.
Organisations and institutions using the services of NYEP participants include the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Ministry of Health (MoH).
The rest are the Ghana Police Service, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Zoomlion Company Limited and municipal councils.
Launching the report, the acting Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Rashid Abdul Pelpuo, said the NYEP was an important programme which needed to be supported by Ghanaians.
He said the report would be used by the ministry as a working tool and gave the assurance that the programme would be improved upon and sustained to enable more youth to benefit from it.
Fishermen
FISHERMEN along the coast of Accra are making big catches but lack of pre-mix fuel and inadequate canoes are hampering their efforts to achieve bumper harvest this season.
Last June, the fishermen along the coast predicted bumper harvests this season and underscored the need for the authorities to address their logistic challenges.
And the signals along some fishing communities on the coast, picked by the Daily Graphic point to the realisation of that prediction as most of the fishermen are making good harvest ahead of the peak season in August-September.
Within the fishing communities of Osu Aborm, Alata, Mensah Guinea and James Town fishermen are making catches far exceeding what the fish mongers could patronise.
Some of the fishermen however said although the sings were there for a bumper catch, they were unable to take advantage of it because of the absence of enough logistics including pre-mix fuel and canoes.
The fishermen also complained about the activities of pair trawlers, saying they posed a threat to their occupation and lives.
They also complained about the use of light by some fishermen which normally disturbed their activities.
Because of the acute nature of the pre-mix situation some of the fisherman at Osu have abandoned their canoes while their counterparts at Mensah Guinea and James Town have resorted to running shifts with the few canoes they have at hand.
“Today (Thursday) is a busy fishing day but unfortunately only four canoes from Osu have gone fishing. This is because we have no fuel in our canoes. The situation is so disturbing and we don’t know what to do”, Teeto Lee, a fisherman at Osu lamented.
The Chief fisherman at Osu, Nii Gyamlogya also said “I have searched the whole of Osu for pre-mix fuel but I did not get any to buy”.
“The situation is so alarming and if immediate steps are not taken, things will get out of hand”, he added.
“There are a lot of fishes in the sea and sometimes we even get tired of catching them but lack of fuel and its high price is really affecting us, Togbo Annan the Chief Linguist added to the general lamentation.
According to them, one canoe needed as much as 16 gallons of fuel for just one trip.
At Mensah Guinea and James Town the fishermen had resorted to the laborious use of hand paddles to power their canoes because they could not get the need fuel for the use of outboard motors.
The fishermen said apart from sapping their energy, the use of paddles endangered their lives at sea, especially when they encountered high tidal waves.
Interestingly, out of about 50 fishermen at Mensah Guinea, only five had canoes of their own.
Most of them could not afford the high prices of the canoes, which costs GH¢5,630.
Normally, the fishermen went fishing for a week or at least four days but those who could not wait for their friends to return had to either join them or wait patiently for their turn.
“We all have families to cater for so the situation becomes very difficult for us especially when you do not have a canoe to use” , Amassah Kottey a fisherman said.
“Fishing is our life and so if you do not have a canoe to work with then life becomes so unbearable”, one fisherman said almost in tears.
They called on the government to help solve the problem.
Last June, the fishermen along the coast predicted bumper harvests this season and underscored the need for the authorities to address their logistic challenges.
And the signals along some fishing communities on the coast, picked by the Daily Graphic point to the realisation of that prediction as most of the fishermen are making good harvest ahead of the peak season in August-September.
Within the fishing communities of Osu Aborm, Alata, Mensah Guinea and James Town fishermen are making catches far exceeding what the fish mongers could patronise.
Some of the fishermen however said although the sings were there for a bumper catch, they were unable to take advantage of it because of the absence of enough logistics including pre-mix fuel and canoes.
The fishermen also complained about the activities of pair trawlers, saying they posed a threat to their occupation and lives.
They also complained about the use of light by some fishermen which normally disturbed their activities.
Because of the acute nature of the pre-mix situation some of the fisherman at Osu have abandoned their canoes while their counterparts at Mensah Guinea and James Town have resorted to running shifts with the few canoes they have at hand.
“Today (Thursday) is a busy fishing day but unfortunately only four canoes from Osu have gone fishing. This is because we have no fuel in our canoes. The situation is so disturbing and we don’t know what to do”, Teeto Lee, a fisherman at Osu lamented.
The Chief fisherman at Osu, Nii Gyamlogya also said “I have searched the whole of Osu for pre-mix fuel but I did not get any to buy”.
“The situation is so alarming and if immediate steps are not taken, things will get out of hand”, he added.
“There are a lot of fishes in the sea and sometimes we even get tired of catching them but lack of fuel and its high price is really affecting us, Togbo Annan the Chief Linguist added to the general lamentation.
According to them, one canoe needed as much as 16 gallons of fuel for just one trip.
At Mensah Guinea and James Town the fishermen had resorted to the laborious use of hand paddles to power their canoes because they could not get the need fuel for the use of outboard motors.
The fishermen said apart from sapping their energy, the use of paddles endangered their lives at sea, especially when they encountered high tidal waves.
Interestingly, out of about 50 fishermen at Mensah Guinea, only five had canoes of their own.
Most of them could not afford the high prices of the canoes, which costs GH¢5,630.
Normally, the fishermen went fishing for a week or at least four days but those who could not wait for their friends to return had to either join them or wait patiently for their turn.
“We all have families to cater for so the situation becomes very difficult for us especially when you do not have a canoe to use” , Amassah Kottey a fisherman said.
“Fishing is our life and so if you do not have a canoe to work with then life becomes so unbearable”, one fisherman said almost in tears.
They called on the government to help solve the problem.
(Ga Mantse advises youth against over-indulgence in alcohol)
The Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Tawiah III, has advised the youth to drink responsibly especially during the celebration of this year’s Homowo festival.
He said the excessive intake of alcohol could be harmful to their health and the development of their future.
The Ga Mantse gave the advice when the management of Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) presented 60 cartons of assorted drinks produced by their company and an undisclosed amount of money to the Ga Traditional Council for the celebration of this year’s Homowo festival.
The items were received on behalf of the Ga Mantse by Nii Okaija III at the Mantse’s palace at North Kaneshie in Accra yesterday.
He advised the youth to drink quality beverages and commended ABL for producing quality drinks.
Presenting the items, the Managing Director of ABL, Mr Greg Metcalf, said the donation was in fulfilment of the company’s pledge to support the Ga Traditional Council to organise a successful festival this year.
He wished the Ga Traditional Council a successful celebration and expressed his hope that the items would be of great benefit to them.
The Gbese Mantse, Nii Okaija III, who received the items on behalf of the Ga Mantse expressed his appreciation to the ABL and called on other organisations to emulate the gesture.
He said the excessive intake of alcohol could be harmful to their health and the development of their future.
The Ga Mantse gave the advice when the management of Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) presented 60 cartons of assorted drinks produced by their company and an undisclosed amount of money to the Ga Traditional Council for the celebration of this year’s Homowo festival.
The items were received on behalf of the Ga Mantse by Nii Okaija III at the Mantse’s palace at North Kaneshie in Accra yesterday.
He advised the youth to drink quality beverages and commended ABL for producing quality drinks.
Presenting the items, the Managing Director of ABL, Mr Greg Metcalf, said the donation was in fulfilment of the company’s pledge to support the Ga Traditional Council to organise a successful festival this year.
He wished the Ga Traditional Council a successful celebration and expressed his hope that the items would be of great benefit to them.
The Gbese Mantse, Nii Okaija III, who received the items on behalf of the Ga Mantse expressed his appreciation to the ABL and called on other organisations to emulate the gesture.
Accra Metro Roads Begins Desilting Drains
The Accra Metro Road Department has begun desilting drainage systems on the Kaneshie Mallam Road and the Obetsebi-Lamptey roundabout as part of efforts to prevent the perennial floods in the area.
The exercise is also to allow the free flow of water through the drains that are usually choked with filth anytime it rained.
The Kaneshie First Light and the Obetsebe-Lamptey-Kaneshie Odorkor road is always rendered unmotorable anytime it rains.
This is because some unscrupulous persons have removed the iron gratings that covered the drainage system on the roads which allowed foreign materials to choke the gutters.
An official of the Accra Metro Road Department explained to the Daily Graphic last Thursday that the iron gratings served as a sieve or filter which prevented silt and garbage from entering the drains.
He cautioned the general public particularly residents of Kaneshie to be vigilant and report persons who steal the iron gratings to the appropriate authorities.
He also appealed to them to co-operate with the department during the exercise.
Picture: Some workers of the Accra Metro Department desilting the drains during the exercise.
The exercise is also to allow the free flow of water through the drains that are usually choked with filth anytime it rained.
The Kaneshie First Light and the Obetsebe-Lamptey-Kaneshie Odorkor road is always rendered unmotorable anytime it rains.
This is because some unscrupulous persons have removed the iron gratings that covered the drainage system on the roads which allowed foreign materials to choke the gutters.
An official of the Accra Metro Road Department explained to the Daily Graphic last Thursday that the iron gratings served as a sieve or filter which prevented silt and garbage from entering the drains.
He cautioned the general public particularly residents of Kaneshie to be vigilant and report persons who steal the iron gratings to the appropriate authorities.
He also appealed to them to co-operate with the department during the exercise.
Picture: Some workers of the Accra Metro Department desilting the drains during the exercise.
Legon receives Chinese language textbooks
Story: Leticia Ohene-Asiedu & Martha Asantewaa Boateng
THE Chinese Embassy has presented 2,000 Chinese textbooks and reading materials to the University of Ghana, Legon.
Making the presentation, the acting Chinese Charge d’Affairs, Mr Wang Lushan, said the books were to assist Ghanaian students studying the Chinese language at the university.
The items included reading books in English and Chinese, video tapes and DVDs.
He explained that currently 30 Ghanaian students had completed their training programme in Chinese, adding that last year four students from the University of Ghana were given scholarships by the Chinese Embassy to study in China.
He said the embassy had provided the University of Ghana with two instructors and four volunteers to help teach the language.
He said four volunteers had also been sent to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to teach the language.
Mr Lushan said a degree course would begin in August this year for beginners.
He was of the hope that the materials would enhance their studies.
Receiving the materials, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ghana, Professor E.K. Osam, expressed the hope that the university would become a centre where students from the West African sub-region would come to learn the Chinese language.
THE Chinese Embassy has presented 2,000 Chinese textbooks and reading materials to the University of Ghana, Legon.
Making the presentation, the acting Chinese Charge d’Affairs, Mr Wang Lushan, said the books were to assist Ghanaian students studying the Chinese language at the university.
The items included reading books in English and Chinese, video tapes and DVDs.
He explained that currently 30 Ghanaian students had completed their training programme in Chinese, adding that last year four students from the University of Ghana were given scholarships by the Chinese Embassy to study in China.
He said the embassy had provided the University of Ghana with two instructors and four volunteers to help teach the language.
He said four volunteers had also been sent to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to teach the language.
Mr Lushan said a degree course would begin in August this year for beginners.
He was of the hope that the materials would enhance their studies.
Receiving the materials, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Ghana, Professor E.K. Osam, expressed the hope that the university would become a centre where students from the West African sub-region would come to learn the Chinese language.
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