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Parliament unamused about GH₵62m rent on Missions abroad

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Property rental for Ghanaian Missions abroad cost the Foreign Affairs Ministry an estimated GH₵62m, or approximately US$14m in 2017, a report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs has revealed.

The amount covers rent payment for Ghanaian Missions in 52 cities across the world, comprising Africa, America, East Europe, Asia and Europe.

Parliamentarians who were not amused by the colossal sums called on the ministry to consider acquiring permanent properties in some of the cities involved.

Parliament has meanwhile approved GH₵456m for the ministry and its departments and agencies for implementation of their planned activities for the 2018 fiscal year.

In Africa, for instance, the report indicates the ministry paid US$393,000 as rent in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, making it the most expensive rent payment among the 23 regional African cities that house Ghanaian Missions.

Also, in the Americas, Washington was the most expensive – costing the ministry US$514,000 whereas in Eastern Europe and Asia, Beijing was the most expensive, costing the ministry US$484,584.

Additionally, in Europe the Foreign Affairs Ministry had to pay US$1.4m as rent for its Mission in Geneva, Switzerland.

Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu urged the ministry to review the rent and property processes, with a view to acquiring permanent buildings for the Missions.

The report nonetheless indicates that the ministry informed Committee members it intends renovating a number of properties in some selected Missions, while it intends acquiring new properties at other locations.

A total of 31 Missions are scheduled for this exercise, and the Committee has appealed for the Finance Ministry to release the budget to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and enable it to complete the important exercise on time.

The report also captured that the ministry had sent proposals to the Ministry of Finance to increase passport application fees from GH₵50 to GH₵100 for ordinary passport processing.

The fees, which form part of the Internally Generated Funds(IGF) of the ministry, is used to defray part of the processing cost, cost of re-tooling, and for establishment of PACs in all regional capitals in order to ease the acquisition process.

Veep lauds local vaccine production …local manufacturers to benefit

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Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has lauded the establishment of a dedicated human vaccine manufacturing factory in Ghana, given the rising cases of infectious diseases in the West Africa sub-region.

Dr. Bawumia commended the initiative and pledged government’s full support for the project. He said: “The project is relevant not only for Ghana, but Africa as a whole”.

Reported cases of the Swine Flu (H1N1) in the Ashanti Region, and Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM) in some parts of the country’s northern regions, have made the need for readily-available vaccines more pressing now than ever.

In the West Africa sub-region, the Ebola epidemic has shown how easily infectious diseases can cross the porous borders in the region.

Africa is mostly dependent on external sources for its vaccine supply, with about 99 percent imported as finished products. Local production along with related technologies is almost non-existent; therefore, the initiative by Merck KGaA and Ridge Management Solutions to set up the factory is expected to serve as a catalyst for further growth within the sector.

The project’s key aspects are the basic design and facility construction, as well as equipment supply installation, technology transfer, validation support, training and qualification of staff.

Ghanaian pharmacists, scientists and doctors are expected to benefit from the technical know-how when the project takes-off.

Set up in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1668 by Friedrich Jacob Merck, Merck is the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company.

Over the course of 350 years, the company has become a global pharmaceutical giant with over 50,000 employees spanning 66 countries – who are united by their passion for new ideas, the possibilities of technology, and the potential to make a difference in the world.

The company is known internationally as Merck. However, in the US and Canada it operates as EMD Serono in Healthcare; EMD Millipore in Life Science: and EMD Performance Materials.

Merck’s portfolio includes medicines to treat cancer, multiple sclerosis, infertility, growth-disorders, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and thyroid disorders.

Ridge Management Solutions, on the other hand, is a project management development company with a diverse team of professionals primarily involved in capital raising, business development and construction.

RMS is headed by Mr. Andrew Clocanas, a serial entrepreneur whose business projects and endeavours have consistently entailed significant barriers to entry.

He was one of the first to establish a diamond polishing facility in Namibia, in line with government’s initiative to begin beneficiation of its local resources.

Additionally, he has developed the largest multipurpose real estate project in Ghana (The Saglemi Project), which is currently under construction and aimed at creating a new conurbation that will include residential, commercial, industrial and recreational facilities for its inhabitants. This housing project will have over 11,000 homes upon completion.

GSA finally ready to provide metering equipment for oil and gas sector

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Seven years after oil production commenced, and several years after civil society sounded the alarm, the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has said it intends to implement the parallel metering system that is supposed to help monitor oil production volumes and safeguard revenues due the state.

In the past, government officials have parried concerns raised by the Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas to the effect that the state did not have enough measures in place to monitor oil production volumes.

But a report of parliament’s committee on trade, industry and tourism admits that the absence of the metering equipment “is causing a huge revenue loss to the state”, adding that “a public-private arrangement will be put in place” to ensure all parties to oil contracts are sure of production volumes.

Presenting the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s 2018 budget for approval, Chairman of the Committee-Nana Marfo Amaniampong, urged the ministry to collaborate with the Ministry of Energy and other agencies in the industry to pursue the policy of metering strictly.

His advice to the ministry follows the approval of GH₵418m for the year ending December 31, 2018, being budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Trade and Industry to enable it undertake its programmes and activities for the 2018 fiscal year.

Metering and calibration services are essential in order to guarantee precision and reliability and reduce costly errors in the oil and gas industry.

Utilising a common oil and gas pipeline or shared infrastructure brings the challenge of maintaining precise volume measurements, as even the smallest inaccuracy can come at a high cost.

Additionally, equipment used by businesses to check their own metering of fluids must be independently calibrated.

The report also states that GSA will expand its operations to include quality evaluation of petroleum products imported into the country, assaying of gold and other minerals for export, and ensure mandatory certification of all locally manufactured products.

In addition, the authority seeks to re-submit to Parliament for consideration and passage of the Ghana Standards Authority bill, which incorporates a review of the Ghana Standards Act,1973(NRCD 173) and Weights and Measures Act (NRCD 326,1975).

The committee also observed that the Ghana Standards Authority – the only statutory body mandated to do standardisation, metrology and conformity assessment – has seen its functions being replicated by other regulatory agencies in Ghana, due to the absence of a national quality infrastructural policy.

Digital Migration to cost GH₵219m

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Government will need an estimated GH₵219m to transition the country from analogue to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), a report of parliament’s Committee on Communications has revealed.

Parliament has meanwhile approved GH₵176m for the Ministry of Communications for the implementation of its programmes and activities in the year ending December 31, 2018.

The report further states that in line with the Ministry’s objective of building a digital terrestrial television platform to ensure that Ghana migrates from analogue to digital television, the ministry will in 2018 monitor digital transmission services nationwide before switching off analogue television in the second quarter of that year.

Presenting the report for Parliament’s approval of the ministry’s budget, Ken Ohene Agyapong explained that: “Set-Top-Boxes will be acquired to facilitate the migration. The ministry will intensify sensitisation and public awareness campaigns on the transition from analogue to digital TV and undertake the operationisation of the DTT company”.

Background

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) urged governments of the world to migrate from analogue broadcasting to digital by June 2015.

A number of countries have been able to migrate, including some in Africa. But Ghana, one of the most technologically advanced countries in Africa, has missed the deadline several times.

Ghana’s Ministry of Communications, in October 2015, signed a contract with K-Net Limited for the rolling out of the DTT project, which demanded completion of the DTT network within 12 months.

According to the report, in order for the ministry to realise the objectives set for 2018 it will require an amount of GH₵327,977,872.

However, the sum of GH₵176,435,511 has been allocated, which it reckons is not adequate for execution of the planned projects. This leaves the ministry with a funding gap of GH₵151,542,361.

Among initiatives the ministry intends to undertake with NITA is included commercialising 50% of the public infrastructure to generate revenue for this purpose – the construction of an ICT Park to accelerate research and development and entrepreneurship among the youth. In pursuance of this, the ministry has entered into a framework agreement with the Republic of Mauritius, and an estimated amount of GH₵70m will be required for the project.

Furthermore, the ministry will undertake construction of 20 e-CICs in unserved and underserved communities to address the challenges of low connectivity, interconnection, high cost of access and availability of ICTs.

The ministry, through Ghana Post, will continue implementing the National Digital Addressing System by developing postal codes to feed into the National ID system and make Ghana Post the preferred government agency for address verification.

BIOGAS technology can help Ghana achieve SDGs—Nana Akua Owusu-Afriyie

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Biogas-Plant-Renewable

 

Biogas technology has been recognised as having a high potential in helping Ghana achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly in the areas of waste management, sanitation and renewable energy.

Speaking at the launch of the Biogas Association of Ghana, Nana Akua Owusu-Afriyie, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma -North constituency and board member for the Energy Commission said:

“The biogas technology has tremendous advantages that is key to the sustainable development of Ghana’s economy particularly in accelerating the country’s quest to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.

She explained that a successful biogas and bio technology industry will facilitate Ghana’s achievement of the SDGs with regards to Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 13 (Climate Action), Goal 14 (Life Below Water), and Goal 15 (Life on Land).

Nana Akua Owusu-Afriyie outlined the particular areas where biogas technology could yield positive results for Ghana’s development. “The biogas technology can serve as a solution to changes with waste disposal and sanitation”, she said.

“In Ghana this same technology can be used to treat the city’s liquid waste to produce electricity, heat and organic fertiliser for agricultural purposes. This is could also help to purify our polluted lagoons and turn them into tourist and recreational sites”, she continued.

She added that the biogas technology had potential in the renewable energy sector, making reference to Ghana’s first 100KW biogas power plant in Ashaiman, which feeds into the national grid.

In spite of these advantages, the MP however bemoaned the lack of proper regulation and standards for the industry.

“There are currently no standards for biogas systems and this has resulted in the construction of sub-standard biogas plants which do not function satisfactorily,” she lamented.

Nana Akua Owusu-Afriyie therefore tasked the Energy Commission, within the space of two years, to implement a certification program for biogas installers. She further asked the Commission to develop an all-inclusive road map towards the regulation of commercial activities in the biogas industry. This, she believed, would go a long way to improve the quality of installations in the country.

The launch of the Biogas Association of Ghana (BAG) was to educate practitioners and urge them to get licensed with the association which had been in existence since July, 2016. The BAG aims at promoting sustainable development of the biogas and biomass sectors in Ghana via four key thematic areas:

To liaise with relevant authorities to standardise and license practitioners in the sector; undertake research activities; ensure development of standards in the sector through training; and promote the biogas sector in Ghana through the formulation of policies that border on improving sanitation, accessibility to energy, agriculture and climate change mitigation.

The newly launched association is managed by a nine-member Executive Board, led by Dr. Elias Delali Aklaku as President.

Kennedy Aryeetey Tetteh | thebftonline.com | Ghana

Dep.Trade Minister in a furious tirade with Okudzeto over expats awards charges

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Carlos Ahenkorah
The parlour of Parliament was nearly turned into a boxing arena, Tuesday, when the deputy Minister of Trade & Industry, Carlos Ahinkorah, and the  MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, traded insult over alleged money charged expatriates who sat beside the President during the recent Ghana Expatriates Business Awards.

Had it not been the swift intervention of Alhassan Suhuyinu, MP for Tamale North, the encounter would have turned into a fisticuff.

It all started when Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa was interacting with some journalists of the Parliament over the alleged extortion of money from expatriates who sat beside President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during the Ghana Expatriates Business Awards a fortnight ago.

The Minority in Parliament led by their Chief Whip, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka alleged on the floor of Parliament when debating the 2018 budget estimate of the Ministry of Trade & Industry that the Ministry charged expatriates between US$25,000 and US$100,000 to offer them seats besides the President of the Republic at the Awards night. 

According to him, the fees charged were not the kind of fees approved by Parliament and that the monies were not accounted for in the internally generated fund of the Ministry’s accounts.

The Ministry of Trade & Industry in a statement denied the claim, noting that it played no role in the determination of prices for seats at the event.

But Mr. Ablakwa who was not convinced with the response from the Trade Ministry told the journalists that the act by the Ministry was an affront to the Fees and Charges Act.

To this effect, he urged the Ministry of Trade and Industry to immediately refund the “sums extorted to the expatriates” since the act is a disgrace to the nation. 

“This is dubious, immoral and unethical. They are using the Office if the President to extort money from expatriates”, he alleged.

While interacting with the journalists, Mr. Ahinkorah popped up from nowhere waiting for his return to respond to the claims being made by the North Tongu MP.

However, he got angry when Okudzeto Ablakwa accused the Ministry of Trade & Industry of using the Office of the President to extort money from expatriates in the country.

He then interrupted the interview, and accused Okudzeto Ablakwa of being a thief and a liar who has no evident to back his claims.

“Let him know that he is a thief. You have stolen through your life and you have even lied through your education”, a physically charged Ahinkorah told Okudzeto Ablakwa in the face.

Gov’t must takeover GCDG assets – MP

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Government has been urged to take control of the ailing assets of the Great Consolidated Diamond Ghana Limited (GCDG) and assist it secure prospective investors, the Member of Parliament for Akwatia, Mercy Adu-Gyamfi has appealed.

“I think it is time for them to hand over the mine back to government for a more serious investor to come in.

The chiefs and people of the Akwatia constituency are looking forward to the day when another group will take the mine which will in turn bring benefits to improve the quality of their lives” she told Parliament during her first statement on the floor of the house.

According to her back in 2011, the then Vice President [John Mahama] outdoored a wholly-owned Ghanaian company, Great Consolidated Diamond Ghana Limited (GCDGL) which had taken over the operations of the Ghana Consolidated Diamond (GCD) at Akwatia in the Eastern region.

She also added that the new company promised to invest US$100m in a five-year period and was expected to produce one million carats of diamond every year within the period. It also promised to create 2,500 direct jobs and 50,000 indirect jobs for support services.

The GCDGL had intended to establish integrated diamond mining and processing industry with the main objective of turning around the fortunes of the mine.

Ms Adu-Gyamfi also indicated that GCDGL promised to put in place an action plan and turn-around strategy that would lift the company from its then situation into a great mining firm in Africa, that was over six years ago.

She explained that these facts were contained in a publication released for the inauguration.

The inauguration brought great hope to the people of Akwatia and the constituents whose fortunes have, since large-scale mining begun in 1924, been linked with mining in the town.

“But what do we see now? [Mr. Speaker, the new company has, since its beginning, done no mining. Its interest has only been to putting together parts of plant and machinery and selling them as scraps”.

She also accused the company of selling sand and stone piled up all over the place through many years of mining operations by Ghana Consolidated Diamonds and the former British-owned Consolidated African Selection Trust (CAST).

“It is now clear that the new company does not have the intention or capability of doing any mining. Since they have also failed to live up to its financial obligations in taking over the mine”.

 

 

S.Africa’s Ramaphosa win as ANC leader heralds possible shift in policy – Moody’s

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The election of South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as the new leader of ruling African National Congress (ANC) opens up tentative prospects of a policy shift and rise in business confidence, ratings agency Moody’s said on Tuesday.

Moody’s lead sovereign analyst for South Africa, Zuzana Brixiova, said that in his campaign Ramaphosa “articulated a number of broad reform priorities which would, if implemented, begin to address weaknesses flagged when Moody’s placed South Africa’s Baa3 rating on review for downgrade in November 2017”.

Kobe Bryant the greatest LA Lakers player – Magic Johnson

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Kobe Bryant was called the “greatest” Los Angeles Lakers player of all time by Magic Johnson as his number eight and 24 shirts were retired.

Five-time NBA champion Bryant, 39, ended his 20-year career in April 2016 as an 18-time All-Star.

The ceremony to retire his jerseys took place at half-time of the match against NBA champions Golden State Warriors.

“We’re here to celebrate the greatest to ever wear the purple and gold,” said ex-Lakers player Johnson.

Johnson, who is now Lakers president of basketball operations, added: “He made us rub our eyes and wonder what did we just see.

“There will never, ever be another Kobe Bryant.”

Bryant won three NBA titles wearing the number eight and two in the 24, having played 10 seasons wearing each number.

He is the 10th player to receive the honour of having his jerseys retired with the list also including Johnson. The others are; Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor, Gail Goodrich, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, James Worthy, Jerry West and Jamaal Wilkes.

The crowd chanted Bryant’s name and gave him a standing ovation during his ceremony.

“Thank you so much for tonight,” said Bryant.

“It’s not about my jerseys that are hanging up there for me. It’s about the jerseys that were hanging up there before.”

‘We asked for your hustle and you gave us your heart’

Some of Bryant’s achievements include being the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player and two-time NBA Finals MVP. He was also two-time NBA scoring champion and a two-time Olympic champion.

He finished as the Lakers’ all-time point scorer and third on the NBA’s all-time list with 33,643 points.

In his final game, he also became the oldest player in NBA history to score 60 points.

“What we’re celebrating is the journey you took us on for those 20 years,” said Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.

“If you separate the accomplishments of each of those jerseys, both of those players would be in the Hall of Fame.

“We asked for your hustle and you gave us your heart which was so much more. You have forever made your mark on this franchise.”

The fight against galamsey menace

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The Omanhene of Asokore Asante in the Ashanti Region, Nana Dr. S.K.B. Asante, has charged government to begin consulting and involving chiefs in the issuance of licences to Artisanal and Small-Scale miners in particular.

According to the astute legal luminary, chiefs are the best way to provide legitimate advice and knowledge on the consequences of activities in their areas – and also curb the overwhelming amount of land cases pending before the courts with regard to mining.

Speaking during a UNDP Policy Dialogue on policy options for addressing gaps and challenges in the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Legal Regime, Nana Dr. S.K.B. Asante said chiefs ought to be given a say in the activities of mining because they are accountable to the people and often bear the consequences of illegal mining activities.

“There are larger interests in the whole mining process in Ghana. It is important that government involves chiefs in the process of mineral licencing in the country. I would ask that we be involved in the decision – especially the paramount chiefs, to advise and bring their knowledge to bear on the process. Our consent must be sought. After all, the lands belong to Nananom or families who are from the royal families.

“We must be involved before the licence is granted, and we must also be involved in managing and enforcing the laws. We must understand the difference between large-scale and small-scale mining. And my view on large-scale mining is that we the chiefs must be consulted. This is because you are dealing with huge mineral resources which affect the whole nation,” he stated.

We are certain that such a collaboration will stop some of the suspicions that people have about our traditional rulers and the role that they have played in the sale of lands to illegal miners.

Recently, scores of youth in mining communities in Western, Eastern, Central, Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Regions  accused their chiefs and traditional leaders – together with politicians and police officers – of sabotaging government’s efforts to flush out the irresponsible and destructive activities of illegal small-scale miners in the country.

According to them, their chiefs and traditional leaders who sell lands to illegal miners to mine gold and other minerals are making the government look bad in the eyes of the public, especially those in the mining communities who had so much hope in government to fight illegal mining activities, popularly termed galamsey.

We believe such a close collaboration between the regulatory agencies and traditional rulers would go a long way to help curtail and end this menace that has the potential to destroy the country.

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