Back page (lead), November 28/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine, Winneba
THE Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, last Wednesday cut the sod for the commencement of work on two major projects totalling €21 million at Winneba in the Central Region.
The projects are a fishing wharf to replace the fish landing site in the town and a district hospital to improve the provision of medical services for the people.
The Vice-President said the fishing wharf project was one of a total of 14 fishing harbours and landing sites, which also included the construction of six cold storage facilities for the people in the fishing communities in the country.
He said each of the harbours and landing sites will ensure calmer waters, have an area for mending nets, a premix fuel depot, cold stores and refrigeration facilities; crèches or day care centres, administration blocks, power stations, fish markets and net storage sheds.
Reports indicate that about 10 per cent of the country’s population is engaged in fishing and fisheries-related activities.
The country’s fish consumption requirement stood at 720,000 metric tonnes as of 2005 as against the total fish supplies of 400,000, leaving a deficit of 320,000.
Against this background, Alhaji Mahama said the government had structured a policy for a more focused attention to the fisheries sector of the economy to promote accelerated and sustainable fisheries aquaculture development as a tool to reduce poverty and enhance foreign exchange earnings.
He said the modernisation and revamping of the fisheries sector of the economy had entailed taking bold steps to introduce the use of fibre glass for the construction of canoes and boats with inboard engines.
Alhaji Mahama said in some fishing communities, lives, canoes and fishing gear had been lost during high tides and stormy weather which occurred during the rainy seasons and reiterated that the harbours and loading sites would be constructed in a way that would calm the tides to ensure safe landing.
He said in order to ensure efficient management of the projects across the country, a Fishing Harbours and Landing Sites Management Authority as well as a Cold Store and Refrigeration Authority are to be set up.
On the hospital project, Alhaji Mahama said the government was aware of the major challenges that faced the health sector in the past and noted that efforts were underway to restore the health facilities to their former glory not only by refurbishing and expanding existing ones but by adding more to meet demand.
He said the Winneba project was selected due to its strategic location in terms of handling trauma care as it lay along the major Trans-West Africa highway.
The Minister of Fisheries, Mrs Gladys Asmah, said fishing schools were to be established to train the youth who wanted to take fishing as a profession.
She was of the view that the projects would not only create jobs for the people but also provide them with sustainable income as well as transform the town.
Mr Samuel Owusu-Adjei, the Minister of Public Sector Reforms and the sitting Member of Parliament for the area said the government had fulfilled many of its promises to the people.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Let football unify nation - Veep
Sports page (lead), November 28/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Professional League Board (PLB) have jointly urged soccer enthusiasts to use the beauty of the game as a unifying force to maintain the peace and stability the country presently enjoys.
The heads of the two bodies said although the general elections were around the corner, it was important for football lovers to use the resumption of the local premier league to defuse whatever tensions that exist in the country prior to the elections.
The President of the GFA, Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi and the chairman of the PLB, Mr Abra-Appiah, made the call at a dinner hosted by the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, at his official residence at Cantonments in Accra last Wednesday night.
The occasion was to fraternise with the football administrators, as well as share ideas on how to move football to an appreciable level.
Mr Nyantakyi said football had the power to unite people because different people from different clubs support a particular club and would always cheer together.
“Football is the biggest constituency and it is even bigger than the voters register’, he added.
Mr Nyantakyi described the Vice President as a major contributor to the development of sports in the country since his days as the chairman of one of the country’s formidable clubs, Real Tamale United (RTU).
“Alhaji Mahama was very instrumental in getting the various stadia refurbished and new ones built to host the CAN 2008, and we are proud of that”, he said.
Mr Appiah on his part reiterated the need for unity in the country through soccer.
He said the country was not at war because of the general elections and asked all to shift their focus on the soccer season so as to reduce the tension in the country.
Proposing a toast for the night, Alhaji Mahama said; “So clearly, football is about the only area of national endeavour where true democracy reigns”.
He said the fans participated and made their voices known at club and national level adding that “At the GFA level, performance is constantly under scrutiny and threat of voting from your peers”.
The Vice president urged the football family not to rest on their current achievements but work hard to capitalise on the opportunities derived from hosting the CAN 2008 and the reaching of the group stages at the recent World Cup.
“These events have marketed the domestic game to the world. Now there is modern state of the art infrastructure as well as enhanced revenues from sponsorship and international recognition’, he said.
He said the country needed to be careful with the democracy so they do not “throw out the baby with the bath water whenever we feel aggrieved”.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Professional League Board (PLB) have jointly urged soccer enthusiasts to use the beauty of the game as a unifying force to maintain the peace and stability the country presently enjoys.
The heads of the two bodies said although the general elections were around the corner, it was important for football lovers to use the resumption of the local premier league to defuse whatever tensions that exist in the country prior to the elections.
The President of the GFA, Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi and the chairman of the PLB, Mr Abra-Appiah, made the call at a dinner hosted by the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, at his official residence at Cantonments in Accra last Wednesday night.
The occasion was to fraternise with the football administrators, as well as share ideas on how to move football to an appreciable level.
Mr Nyantakyi said football had the power to unite people because different people from different clubs support a particular club and would always cheer together.
“Football is the biggest constituency and it is even bigger than the voters register’, he added.
Mr Nyantakyi described the Vice President as a major contributor to the development of sports in the country since his days as the chairman of one of the country’s formidable clubs, Real Tamale United (RTU).
“Alhaji Mahama was very instrumental in getting the various stadia refurbished and new ones built to host the CAN 2008, and we are proud of that”, he said.
Mr Appiah on his part reiterated the need for unity in the country through soccer.
He said the country was not at war because of the general elections and asked all to shift their focus on the soccer season so as to reduce the tension in the country.
Proposing a toast for the night, Alhaji Mahama said; “So clearly, football is about the only area of national endeavour where true democracy reigns”.
He said the fans participated and made their voices known at club and national level adding that “At the GFA level, performance is constantly under scrutiny and threat of voting from your peers”.
The Vice president urged the football family not to rest on their current achievements but work hard to capitalise on the opportunities derived from hosting the CAN 2008 and the reaching of the group stages at the recent World Cup.
“These events have marketed the domestic game to the world. Now there is modern state of the art infrastructure as well as enhanced revenues from sponsorship and international recognition’, he said.
He said the country needed to be careful with the democracy so they do not “throw out the baby with the bath water whenever we feel aggrieved”.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Too much being spent on malaria cure — Quarshigah
Back page, November 26/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Minister of Health, Major Courage Quarshigah (retd), has described as alarming the $762-million expenditure on malaria per annum and said that should be a wake-up call for all to adopt preventive measures to reduce the impact of the disease on the economy.
According to him, although the ministry was doing its best to reduce malaria infections, not much was being achieved and indicated that all hands must be on deck to bring the situation under control.
The Health Minister said this when the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, inaugurated a new Chiropractic Wellness Centre at Dzorwulu in Accra yesterday.
Chiropractic and massage therapy, used in combination, form a powerful healing approach to relieving one’s pain and increasing his/her body's mobility and resilience.
“If this amount that we spend every year is channelled into the provision of social infrastructure, our country will be more developed than it is today,” he added.
The call comes at a time when the various parts of the country’s major cities, particularly Accra, have been engulfed in filth and stagnant waters, the two conditions that enhance mass breeding of mosquitoes which cause malaria.
Major Quarshigah said the budgets on other diseases were equally alarming but did not disclose the amount except to add that the country was spending too much on the curative aspect of medicine.
He said Ghanaians had to embrace the need to take the right diet and also ensure a clean surrounding.
The Health Minister said should this be adhered to, the country would be able to channel funds where they would be more profitable than spending them on preventable diseases.
The life expectancy rate in the country has been put at 57 years by the Ministry of Health and this, Major Quarshigah described as unfortunate and urged all to be careful of what they ate and how they kept their surroundings.
He said as a member of the Chiropractic and Wellness Centre in the country, he had learned a lot and urged others to join it.
Alhaji Mahama, in commending the owner of the centre, said, “at a time when the life expectancy of Ghanaians is declining at an unacceptable rate, this is an event which is not only dear to my heart but relevant to the health needs of the nation”.
He said in spite of the fact that effective health care provision required a concerted effort on the part of the citizenry, the government, communities, and the private sector remained a vital partner in health care provision.
“A more essential collaboration between the government and the private sector, which is the engine of growth, is required in order to fully cater for the health needs of the populace and ensure better health for Ghanaians,” he said.
He said often, preventive measures were more sustainable than curative ones and it was against this background that the focus of health care in Ghana had recently emphasised the need for regenerative health.
“A glance at the statistics reveals that many lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, gout, obesity and high blood pressure are on the increase and many of the affected tend to be in their most productive years,” he said.
For his part, Dr Manns, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the centre, said the services at the centre were virtually free, a move that is meant to entice many more people to patronise it to improve their health.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Minister of Health, Major Courage Quarshigah (retd), has described as alarming the $762-million expenditure on malaria per annum and said that should be a wake-up call for all to adopt preventive measures to reduce the impact of the disease on the economy.
According to him, although the ministry was doing its best to reduce malaria infections, not much was being achieved and indicated that all hands must be on deck to bring the situation under control.
The Health Minister said this when the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, inaugurated a new Chiropractic Wellness Centre at Dzorwulu in Accra yesterday.
Chiropractic and massage therapy, used in combination, form a powerful healing approach to relieving one’s pain and increasing his/her body's mobility and resilience.
“If this amount that we spend every year is channelled into the provision of social infrastructure, our country will be more developed than it is today,” he added.
The call comes at a time when the various parts of the country’s major cities, particularly Accra, have been engulfed in filth and stagnant waters, the two conditions that enhance mass breeding of mosquitoes which cause malaria.
Major Quarshigah said the budgets on other diseases were equally alarming but did not disclose the amount except to add that the country was spending too much on the curative aspect of medicine.
He said Ghanaians had to embrace the need to take the right diet and also ensure a clean surrounding.
The Health Minister said should this be adhered to, the country would be able to channel funds where they would be more profitable than spending them on preventable diseases.
The life expectancy rate in the country has been put at 57 years by the Ministry of Health and this, Major Quarshigah described as unfortunate and urged all to be careful of what they ate and how they kept their surroundings.
He said as a member of the Chiropractic and Wellness Centre in the country, he had learned a lot and urged others to join it.
Alhaji Mahama, in commending the owner of the centre, said, “at a time when the life expectancy of Ghanaians is declining at an unacceptable rate, this is an event which is not only dear to my heart but relevant to the health needs of the nation”.
He said in spite of the fact that effective health care provision required a concerted effort on the part of the citizenry, the government, communities, and the private sector remained a vital partner in health care provision.
“A more essential collaboration between the government and the private sector, which is the engine of growth, is required in order to fully cater for the health needs of the populace and ensure better health for Ghanaians,” he said.
He said often, preventive measures were more sustainable than curative ones and it was against this background that the focus of health care in Ghana had recently emphasised the need for regenerative health.
“A glance at the statistics reveals that many lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, gout, obesity and high blood pressure are on the increase and many of the affected tend to be in their most productive years,” he said.
For his part, Dr Manns, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the centre, said the services at the centre were virtually free, a move that is meant to entice many more people to patronise it to improve their health.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Can MTN ride the storm?
Comment and Analysis (Telecommunications, page 12 and 14) November 25/2008.
By Charles Benoni Okine
The continent of Africa has now become the centre of concentration for mobile telephony companies across the globe because of the tremendous opportunities that Africa presents in the telecom sector.
The liberalisation of the sector, the extension of services by multinational conglomerates and the active competition currently in place in the sector have all contributed to what analysts describe as the telecom revolution. Since the processes of liberalisation and privatisation have been taken into consideration by African countries such as Ghana, the telecommunication infrastructures have improved drastically. Against this background, many African governments have developed their telecommunication infrastructure by privatising their former state-owned enterprises and opening the flood gates for the global giants to enter and partake. This brings to chap focus, the sale of the 70 per cent shares in the Ghana Telecommunications Company (GhanaTelecom) to Vodafon and the entry of Zain and Globacom into Ghana this year after MTN, the present market leader and Millicom Ghana, operators of tiGO have dominated the market.
With more than 82 million mobile users, Africa has undoubtedly been the fastest-growing mobile market in the world particularly over the past five years with millions more waiting to join the fray.
According to the African Business Pages, Nigeria's mobile market for instance is growing at more than 100 per cent annually. In Ghana the penetration is at an average of 30 per cent.
The journey to MTN
Even before the competition within the sector began, Scancom Ghana Limited, entered the market to set up the first GSM mobile telephony business with a brand name spacefon. There already in existence Mobitel which was run by Millicom Ghana Limited but the difference between the two was that the later was analogue.
Spacefon was the brand for the elite because compared to the other, it was expensive to get hooked onto it. Even cell phones to get it connected was not cheap and even easy to come by.
The company in realising moves being made by others such as GhanaTelecom to enter the market and Millicom switching to GSM, intensified their marketing campaign to ensure that it did not only maintain its lead but also win more customers.
After a long term service, the hints dropped that Spacefon was going to go Areeba because the owners of the company had offloaded their shares. In the end the rumours were true and then another aggressive marketing strategy was adopted to sell the new brand name, Areeba, to the customers.
In less than three years, the ownership of the company changed hands again and this time to MTN for a whooping sum of about $5.5 billion.
Brief about MTN Group Limited is a leading provider of communications services, offering cellular network access and business solutions.
The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) under the Industrial – Non-cyclical services – Telecommunications sector. The MTN Group reported revenue of R17.2 billion for the six-month period ended 30 September 2005.
To date, the MTN Group has invested over R23,4 billion in telecommunications infrastructure across the African continent.
In Ghana, MTN has over the past 12 years been the market leader and states categorically on its website that “As the leading telecommunications company, MTN is focused on providing excellent telecommunications services across the African continent. We believe that through access to communication comes economic empowerment.”
MTN has a wide variety of network services as well as segments. These are specially designed for different kinds of people to enhance their mobile experience.
MTN is a household name throughout much of Africa with a presence in 21 countries in African and the Middle East.
As part of its quest to give back to its customers, MTN Ghana has launched a foundation (MTN Ghana Foundation) which is driving its Corporate Social Responsibility Programs.
MTN survival so far.
MTN now controls more than 50 per cent of the market and it has a subscriber base of a little below seven million.
The company has managed to use branding and a combination of the Ps in the marketing mix namely Product, Price, Place and Promotion.
About the product, MTN has used that aspect of packaging as well as services as its tramp card to entice the market.
With the pricing, MTN has ensured that its brand is priced competitively. It studies what its competitors are doing and its able to price the brand to make it continuously attractive and cheaper.
With place, the distribution of MTN is everywhere, just as its slogan goes “MTN, everywhere you go” because the company has ensured that in every corner, the brand is visible. Its market coverage is wide and the response has not been in doubt.
When it comes to promotion, it is clear that MTN has a huge budget for it. Whether it is about sales promotion, advertising, publicity or public relations, MTN has ensured that it does not take those to chance.
MTN and its customers:
In spite of its aggression in ensuring that it maintains or even add more to its subscriber list, there has been major challenges experienced by the customers of MTN.
Jojo Sinaman an Polytechnic student described the network services of MTN as a pain. “I call and I here my voice, yet the credit runs at my expense although the one I call does not here me speak”.
Justina Ampadu-Nyarko, a graduate from the African University College also expressed concern about the network quality and described the service as one that does not reflect what she described as the “loudness of a network which is a market leader”.
Yayra Amedzro, Office manager of West African market Links, had these strong words for a network she has been using for more than 10 years. “Their services stinks. I have decided to change to one of the new networks coming; I am not going to add to it as others have done. I will switch outright”.
Others have their various ways of describing the network quality and services they receive from MTN although they are religiously hooked to it.
With all intense and purposes, these anomalies in the service provided should entice them to leave the network but MTN continuos to grow. In certain years, growth is slow but generally, the bottom line is, there is growth of some sort.
Analysts have expressed fear about the services provided by MTN and why the regulator is silent about what is happening. They believe that MTN has the capacity do better but was riding on the back of the inability of the regulator to raise the rod or the refusal of subscribers to quit the network for other competitors.
What are MTN competitors doing?
Presently, MTN to MTN are also aggressively using the marketing mix to gain grounds and also ensure that they capture a greater market share. These they have done in the past but have lacked the resources to match the financial clout of MTN.
With advertising, the competitors are also spending huge sums of money to ensure that they embarked on massive outdoor advertising campaigns while using the both the electronic and print media as well.
They have come up with new and innovative products to make their brands more attractive.
For instance, tiGO allows its customers to make calls throughout most of the day with just a text to deduct up to Gh¢1 and the same goes for those who want to use the text messaging. The prices of their sim cards are almost free just like the others but they set the pace to have their sim cards reduced drastically. tiGO presently is in the second position with a little over 2 million subscribers.
OneTouch is also in the fray doing its own thing. It also allows its customers to make calls and pay for only the first three minutes. It has free night calls from 11 pm until the next morning. Its drive in the advertising circles is also no ‘kids stuff’. Presently with Vodafon on board having acquired 70 per cent stake in the company, the market is expected to become more exciting.
As the new Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr David Venn said “MTN has been able to capture the market because they had the resources to do what the others could not do”; But now we are here and we have what it takes to do even more than what put them where they are”. He said he believes in the staff of the company and was going all out”.
Zain and Globacom are yet to hit the market but they have also sent strong signals to the market that they are not in to joke. They all have plans to make international calls cost the same as the local calls as MTN has began with some selected countries such as Nigeria, Benin and Togo.
Another phenomenon in the market is the use of competitive-based pricing where the players use their prices based on the prices that competitors charge for similar products. The sale of the sim cards are a typical example.
Theuse of the product/market expansion grid where a portofolio-planning tool for identifying company growth oportunities through either market penetration, market development, product development and diversification is very rampant among the competitors.
The competitors are using all the grid. For instance with market development stretegies, competitors have always used increasing sales of their current market segments without changing their products. Here, they have open new market areas as a way of improving visibility and making access to their products easy for customers. They have used market development strategies where they develop new market segments for current company products. They have entered the rural areas to get at the least financially endowed and ensured that more of the youth and the aged get access to their products.
In the past, it was only MTN that reached almost every part of the country using all manner of marketing strategies and that has paid. It is agaisnt this background that the competitors are also trying to catch up.
Conclusion:
In spite of the odds, MTN believes that its operations is purely driven by five key values of Leadership, Innovation, Integrity, Relationships and Can-do, and insisted that it is poised to provide a variety of innovative, customer-focused products and services offering superior customer value propositions for the various market segments.
It also believes it is equipped with the right human expertise and technological know-how and will continue to excel to enable the organisation become the leading telecoms provider in emerging countries, Ghana inclusive.
It is evident from the continuos injection of huge sums of capital to add more cell sites and also put some mechanisms to improve the network service. This year, the company has spent almost $400 million on its expansion drive and as the Head of Corporate Affairs of MTN, Ms Mawuena Dumor always tells the media, “We are still spending because we are growing very fast”.
Competition in every industry is good because of the benefits there of not only for the players but more so for the clients of the players as well. Competition affords players to give off their best to either maintain their market share or increase it. Through competition, players within an industry are able to ensure that they give either good quality products or services, price well and also make themselves as visible as possible.
More than a decade ago, the generic name for the mobile telephony sector was Mobitel, the brand name for the analogue mobile phone service for Millicom Ghana Limited but today its undoubtedly MTN.
It has been proven that Mobile telephony has a positive and significant impact on economic growth, and this impact may be twice as large in developing countries as in developed countries.
That mobile phone use is growing faster in Africa than anywhere else shouldn't come as much of a surprise, given a moment's thought. Only 6 per cent of African citizens owned a mobile phone in 2004, so as prices drop (and low-cost phones made for the developing world come into the market), there's a huge potential market available. In Asia, North America and Europe, conversely, mobile phone use approaches saturation, so any remaining growth will be far slower as against that of Africa.
It will for MTN in the coming years but with its determination to continue to lead the market, it is clear that, whichever brand to take over might not have it easy.
By Charles Benoni Okine
The continent of Africa has now become the centre of concentration for mobile telephony companies across the globe because of the tremendous opportunities that Africa presents in the telecom sector.
The liberalisation of the sector, the extension of services by multinational conglomerates and the active competition currently in place in the sector have all contributed to what analysts describe as the telecom revolution. Since the processes of liberalisation and privatisation have been taken into consideration by African countries such as Ghana, the telecommunication infrastructures have improved drastically. Against this background, many African governments have developed their telecommunication infrastructure by privatising their former state-owned enterprises and opening the flood gates for the global giants to enter and partake. This brings to chap focus, the sale of the 70 per cent shares in the Ghana Telecommunications Company (GhanaTelecom) to Vodafon and the entry of Zain and Globacom into Ghana this year after MTN, the present market leader and Millicom Ghana, operators of tiGO have dominated the market.
With more than 82 million mobile users, Africa has undoubtedly been the fastest-growing mobile market in the world particularly over the past five years with millions more waiting to join the fray.
According to the African Business Pages, Nigeria's mobile market for instance is growing at more than 100 per cent annually. In Ghana the penetration is at an average of 30 per cent.
The journey to MTN
Even before the competition within the sector began, Scancom Ghana Limited, entered the market to set up the first GSM mobile telephony business with a brand name spacefon. There already in existence Mobitel which was run by Millicom Ghana Limited but the difference between the two was that the later was analogue.
Spacefon was the brand for the elite because compared to the other, it was expensive to get hooked onto it. Even cell phones to get it connected was not cheap and even easy to come by.
The company in realising moves being made by others such as GhanaTelecom to enter the market and Millicom switching to GSM, intensified their marketing campaign to ensure that it did not only maintain its lead but also win more customers.
After a long term service, the hints dropped that Spacefon was going to go Areeba because the owners of the company had offloaded their shares. In the end the rumours were true and then another aggressive marketing strategy was adopted to sell the new brand name, Areeba, to the customers.
In less than three years, the ownership of the company changed hands again and this time to MTN for a whooping sum of about $5.5 billion.
Brief about MTN Group Limited is a leading provider of communications services, offering cellular network access and business solutions.
The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) under the Industrial – Non-cyclical services – Telecommunications sector. The MTN Group reported revenue of R17.2 billion for the six-month period ended 30 September 2005.
To date, the MTN Group has invested over R23,4 billion in telecommunications infrastructure across the African continent.
In Ghana, MTN has over the past 12 years been the market leader and states categorically on its website that “As the leading telecommunications company, MTN is focused on providing excellent telecommunications services across the African continent. We believe that through access to communication comes economic empowerment.”
MTN has a wide variety of network services as well as segments. These are specially designed for different kinds of people to enhance their mobile experience.
MTN is a household name throughout much of Africa with a presence in 21 countries in African and the Middle East.
As part of its quest to give back to its customers, MTN Ghana has launched a foundation (MTN Ghana Foundation) which is driving its Corporate Social Responsibility Programs.
MTN survival so far.
MTN now controls more than 50 per cent of the market and it has a subscriber base of a little below seven million.
The company has managed to use branding and a combination of the Ps in the marketing mix namely Product, Price, Place and Promotion.
About the product, MTN has used that aspect of packaging as well as services as its tramp card to entice the market.
With the pricing, MTN has ensured that its brand is priced competitively. It studies what its competitors are doing and its able to price the brand to make it continuously attractive and cheaper.
With place, the distribution of MTN is everywhere, just as its slogan goes “MTN, everywhere you go” because the company has ensured that in every corner, the brand is visible. Its market coverage is wide and the response has not been in doubt.
When it comes to promotion, it is clear that MTN has a huge budget for it. Whether it is about sales promotion, advertising, publicity or public relations, MTN has ensured that it does not take those to chance.
MTN and its customers:
In spite of its aggression in ensuring that it maintains or even add more to its subscriber list, there has been major challenges experienced by the customers of MTN.
Jojo Sinaman an Polytechnic student described the network services of MTN as a pain. “I call and I here my voice, yet the credit runs at my expense although the one I call does not here me speak”.
Justina Ampadu-Nyarko, a graduate from the African University College also expressed concern about the network quality and described the service as one that does not reflect what she described as the “loudness of a network which is a market leader”.
Yayra Amedzro, Office manager of West African market Links, had these strong words for a network she has been using for more than 10 years. “Their services stinks. I have decided to change to one of the new networks coming; I am not going to add to it as others have done. I will switch outright”.
Others have their various ways of describing the network quality and services they receive from MTN although they are religiously hooked to it.
With all intense and purposes, these anomalies in the service provided should entice them to leave the network but MTN continuos to grow. In certain years, growth is slow but generally, the bottom line is, there is growth of some sort.
Analysts have expressed fear about the services provided by MTN and why the regulator is silent about what is happening. They believe that MTN has the capacity do better but was riding on the back of the inability of the regulator to raise the rod or the refusal of subscribers to quit the network for other competitors.
What are MTN competitors doing?
Presently, MTN to MTN are also aggressively using the marketing mix to gain grounds and also ensure that they capture a greater market share. These they have done in the past but have lacked the resources to match the financial clout of MTN.
With advertising, the competitors are also spending huge sums of money to ensure that they embarked on massive outdoor advertising campaigns while using the both the electronic and print media as well.
They have come up with new and innovative products to make their brands more attractive.
For instance, tiGO allows its customers to make calls throughout most of the day with just a text to deduct up to Gh¢1 and the same goes for those who want to use the text messaging. The prices of their sim cards are almost free just like the others but they set the pace to have their sim cards reduced drastically. tiGO presently is in the second position with a little over 2 million subscribers.
OneTouch is also in the fray doing its own thing. It also allows its customers to make calls and pay for only the first three minutes. It has free night calls from 11 pm until the next morning. Its drive in the advertising circles is also no ‘kids stuff’. Presently with Vodafon on board having acquired 70 per cent stake in the company, the market is expected to become more exciting.
As the new Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr David Venn said “MTN has been able to capture the market because they had the resources to do what the others could not do”; But now we are here and we have what it takes to do even more than what put them where they are”. He said he believes in the staff of the company and was going all out”.
Zain and Globacom are yet to hit the market but they have also sent strong signals to the market that they are not in to joke. They all have plans to make international calls cost the same as the local calls as MTN has began with some selected countries such as Nigeria, Benin and Togo.
Another phenomenon in the market is the use of competitive-based pricing where the players use their prices based on the prices that competitors charge for similar products. The sale of the sim cards are a typical example.
Theuse of the product/market expansion grid where a portofolio-planning tool for identifying company growth oportunities through either market penetration, market development, product development and diversification is very rampant among the competitors.
The competitors are using all the grid. For instance with market development stretegies, competitors have always used increasing sales of their current market segments without changing their products. Here, they have open new market areas as a way of improving visibility and making access to their products easy for customers. They have used market development strategies where they develop new market segments for current company products. They have entered the rural areas to get at the least financially endowed and ensured that more of the youth and the aged get access to their products.
In the past, it was only MTN that reached almost every part of the country using all manner of marketing strategies and that has paid. It is agaisnt this background that the competitors are also trying to catch up.
Conclusion:
In spite of the odds, MTN believes that its operations is purely driven by five key values of Leadership, Innovation, Integrity, Relationships and Can-do, and insisted that it is poised to provide a variety of innovative, customer-focused products and services offering superior customer value propositions for the various market segments.
It also believes it is equipped with the right human expertise and technological know-how and will continue to excel to enable the organisation become the leading telecoms provider in emerging countries, Ghana inclusive.
It is evident from the continuos injection of huge sums of capital to add more cell sites and also put some mechanisms to improve the network service. This year, the company has spent almost $400 million on its expansion drive and as the Head of Corporate Affairs of MTN, Ms Mawuena Dumor always tells the media, “We are still spending because we are growing very fast”.
Competition in every industry is good because of the benefits there of not only for the players but more so for the clients of the players as well. Competition affords players to give off their best to either maintain their market share or increase it. Through competition, players within an industry are able to ensure that they give either good quality products or services, price well and also make themselves as visible as possible.
More than a decade ago, the generic name for the mobile telephony sector was Mobitel, the brand name for the analogue mobile phone service for Millicom Ghana Limited but today its undoubtedly MTN.
It has been proven that Mobile telephony has a positive and significant impact on economic growth, and this impact may be twice as large in developing countries as in developed countries.
That mobile phone use is growing faster in Africa than anywhere else shouldn't come as much of a surprise, given a moment's thought. Only 6 per cent of African citizens owned a mobile phone in 2004, so as prices drop (and low-cost phones made for the developing world come into the market), there's a huge potential market available. In Asia, North America and Europe, conversely, mobile phone use approaches saturation, so any remaining growth will be far slower as against that of Africa.
It will for MTN in the coming years but with its determination to continue to lead the market, it is clear that, whichever brand to take over might not have it easy.
'I am noted for being the first'
Graphic Business (Business Life, Page 30) November 25/2008
Mr David Venn the new chief executive officer of Ghana Telecom is not afraid of challenges. He believes that his desire and enthusiasm to succeed at all cost will make him shine in the Ghanaian telecommunication market. The competition, no doubt, is stiff, but Mr Venn is equally unbending, and says his company will be the “first”. Charles Benoni Okine profiles Ghana Telecom and Mr Venn
When the Government of Ghana decided to cede 70 per cent of its shares in Ghana Telecom to Vodafone it was not greeted with the funfair it had hoped for. Some observers were highly critical of the government, believing strongly that the deal was not in the best interest of the country.
The deal eventually went through parliament successfully, and today, with pride, Ghana Telecom is part of a strong global brand. The little euphoria that the deal generated has now died down, and now what analysts and Ghanaians want to see is a telecoms company that is able to match the other serious brands in the country.
With hindsight, many who had opposed the deal previously now believe that it was the best thing to happen to the company. Why is that so? Ghana Telecom was struggling financially. Because the government was the sole shareholder, it was not been able to raise the huge investment needed to compete in the market.
Therefore, even though it was the premier telecoms company in the country, its uptake of the mobile telephone market was slow. The main stumbling block was the lack of cash, and therefore, foreign investors found a way into the market and capitalised on the huge investment opportunities available.
Even though it eventually took seriously to the mobile telephony market, it is still behind MTN the market leader in the mobile telephony sector and Millicom Ghana, operators of tiGO, in second position. New entrants such as Zain and Globacom are also about to launch themselves into the market after receiving their licences to operate in the country. The market is surely getting interesting.
Vodafone’s involvement with Ghana Telecom has also changed the dynamics in the market, as far as competition is concerned, and even though MTN has promised to maintain its lead, its staying power will be severely tested; all the other players now mean business.
Having become the biggest shareholder with a drive to dominate the Ghanaian market, Vodafone, was careful in the selection of a new Chief Executive for the new venture, according to the company. It is with this in mind that Mr David Venn was appointed to Ghana. At 47, Mr Venn sees himself as the man with the credentials to lead the new face Ghana Telecom in Ghana, taking over from Mr Dickson Oduro-Nyaning whose contract ended on November 10.
Mr Venn is a respected business leader with proven experience in driving growth and implementing innovative business strategies; important attributes needed to survive the fierce competition that pertains in the sector.
He has a rich experience in the telecoms market of Africa, having spent the last five years in Zambia where he gained good knowledge and special insights into the African telecommunications market.
Mr Venn’s career in the telecommunications industry spans over 30 years during which time he has transformed average companies into fast growing and dynamic organisations that have made significant returns to shareholders.
Mr. Venn has worked in a number of telecommunications enterprises in the USA, UK and other parts of Europe.
He has also held leadership positions in Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia.
In an exclusive interview with Graphic Business, Mr Venn reaffirmed his commitment to the task ahead and noted: “I am noted for being the first wherever I find myself and that is why I accepted the offer to work in this company”.
He said he believes in innovation and was all out to ensure that Ghana Telecom regained its lost glory, which has affected its market penetration in the mobile telephony industry.
Even though there was some controversy surrounding the agreement, Mr Venn is not perturbed about the circumstances surrounding the sale except to say “it is business as usual and that is what I am here for”.
He believes that what happened was just an issue to do with politics and now the real business begins. Therefore, he has expressed his willingness to discharge his duties as per his mandate and not to meddle in politics of the country because, as he puts it, “that is not the reason I am here”.
Mr Venn is of the clear conviction that no matter which government is in power, its quest would be to see Ghana grow with many people in employment “and Vodafone is here to do exactly that for which reason the government of the day and in the future would be delighted to see.
He describes Ghana as a country with a conducive environment for businesses to grow and that Ghana Telecom would grow and flourish under his leadership.
Workers of the company were among the first group of people to believe in the government’s decision to sell its stake in the company, and it is something that surprises Mr Venn.
This is because quite often workers see agreements of this nature as a threat to their own future in the company.
According to him from his interaction with a few of the staff he could sense their eagerness to work to turn the fortunes of the company around.
Ghana Telecom, to him had been starved of fresh investments to enable it to make maximum use of the highly versatile, competent and experienced staff of the company. “My being here is to ensure that they are motivated to give off their best”, Mr Venn promised.
About competition, Mr Venn admitted that with giants such as MTN and Zain in the fray it was indeed not joke for any telecoms company to sit on the sidelines. Vodafone, he says, is in for the long haul.
Mr Venn says he has the passion to succeed and through dedication, innovation and experience and above all the injection of fresh capital into the company, the economic fortunes of the company should be transformed.
The Ghana Telecom CEO is of the view that what had made Ghana Telecom what it is was purely as a result of lack of cash and Vodafone is in to inject the right amounts of capital to enable the company to surmount the challenges in the fiercely contested telecoms market.
“Vodafone’s investment is to get the company well equipped technically with the state of the art telecommunication equipment that will completely transform its service to world class standards”, he said.
He said Vodafone is a serious company which does not toy with its businesses and indicated that “we are here to turn things around and our competitors and the customers will shortly see what we are here to accomplish”.
There have been speculations about the fact that Vodafone was not strong when it comes to fixed line operations and was therefore going to phase out that aspect of Ghana Telecom’s business. Mr Venn completely disagrees. “There is the fixed line and the broadband before the mobile and I can tell you that the investment into the business will cover all not only mobile”, he said.
He said the company was strong in all those areas and will not leave anything to chance as it strives to dominate the market in all its business areas.
Mr Venn has pledged his commitment to succeed just as he had done in Zambia and expressed the hope that the employees of the company will come on board to make that dream of making Ghana Telecom the number one in the industry a reality.
But in spite of his tramp card for enthusiasm and passion for success, Mr Venn will be faced with the challenge of overturning the tables in the mobile telephony sector which is dominated by MTN with more than 50 per cent share of the market presently.
The market, analysts believe, has an untapped potential of about 35 per cent with each of the existing players and the new entrants grappling to capture a chunk of it. That does not trouble Mr Venn the least, believing strongly that it is something he can effectively handle. But the biggest threat to his ambition will be how much Vodafone will commit to the Ghana operations now that the Group has announced a profit shortfall of GB£1 billion in its global operations. The Group CEO has announced cut backs in spending to accommodate the shortfall, and if this should affect Ghana, then Vodafone will really have a huge problem to deal with- and will not be able to compete in the market.
Mr David Venn the new chief executive officer of Ghana Telecom is not afraid of challenges. He believes that his desire and enthusiasm to succeed at all cost will make him shine in the Ghanaian telecommunication market. The competition, no doubt, is stiff, but Mr Venn is equally unbending, and says his company will be the “first”. Charles Benoni Okine profiles Ghana Telecom and Mr Venn
When the Government of Ghana decided to cede 70 per cent of its shares in Ghana Telecom to Vodafone it was not greeted with the funfair it had hoped for. Some observers were highly critical of the government, believing strongly that the deal was not in the best interest of the country.
The deal eventually went through parliament successfully, and today, with pride, Ghana Telecom is part of a strong global brand. The little euphoria that the deal generated has now died down, and now what analysts and Ghanaians want to see is a telecoms company that is able to match the other serious brands in the country.
With hindsight, many who had opposed the deal previously now believe that it was the best thing to happen to the company. Why is that so? Ghana Telecom was struggling financially. Because the government was the sole shareholder, it was not been able to raise the huge investment needed to compete in the market.
Therefore, even though it was the premier telecoms company in the country, its uptake of the mobile telephone market was slow. The main stumbling block was the lack of cash, and therefore, foreign investors found a way into the market and capitalised on the huge investment opportunities available.
Even though it eventually took seriously to the mobile telephony market, it is still behind MTN the market leader in the mobile telephony sector and Millicom Ghana, operators of tiGO, in second position. New entrants such as Zain and Globacom are also about to launch themselves into the market after receiving their licences to operate in the country. The market is surely getting interesting.
Vodafone’s involvement with Ghana Telecom has also changed the dynamics in the market, as far as competition is concerned, and even though MTN has promised to maintain its lead, its staying power will be severely tested; all the other players now mean business.
Having become the biggest shareholder with a drive to dominate the Ghanaian market, Vodafone, was careful in the selection of a new Chief Executive for the new venture, according to the company. It is with this in mind that Mr David Venn was appointed to Ghana. At 47, Mr Venn sees himself as the man with the credentials to lead the new face Ghana Telecom in Ghana, taking over from Mr Dickson Oduro-Nyaning whose contract ended on November 10.
Mr Venn is a respected business leader with proven experience in driving growth and implementing innovative business strategies; important attributes needed to survive the fierce competition that pertains in the sector.
He has a rich experience in the telecoms market of Africa, having spent the last five years in Zambia where he gained good knowledge and special insights into the African telecommunications market.
Mr Venn’s career in the telecommunications industry spans over 30 years during which time he has transformed average companies into fast growing and dynamic organisations that have made significant returns to shareholders.
Mr. Venn has worked in a number of telecommunications enterprises in the USA, UK and other parts of Europe.
He has also held leadership positions in Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia.
In an exclusive interview with Graphic Business, Mr Venn reaffirmed his commitment to the task ahead and noted: “I am noted for being the first wherever I find myself and that is why I accepted the offer to work in this company”.
He said he believes in innovation and was all out to ensure that Ghana Telecom regained its lost glory, which has affected its market penetration in the mobile telephony industry.
Even though there was some controversy surrounding the agreement, Mr Venn is not perturbed about the circumstances surrounding the sale except to say “it is business as usual and that is what I am here for”.
He believes that what happened was just an issue to do with politics and now the real business begins. Therefore, he has expressed his willingness to discharge his duties as per his mandate and not to meddle in politics of the country because, as he puts it, “that is not the reason I am here”.
Mr Venn is of the clear conviction that no matter which government is in power, its quest would be to see Ghana grow with many people in employment “and Vodafone is here to do exactly that for which reason the government of the day and in the future would be delighted to see.
He describes Ghana as a country with a conducive environment for businesses to grow and that Ghana Telecom would grow and flourish under his leadership.
Workers of the company were among the first group of people to believe in the government’s decision to sell its stake in the company, and it is something that surprises Mr Venn.
This is because quite often workers see agreements of this nature as a threat to their own future in the company.
According to him from his interaction with a few of the staff he could sense their eagerness to work to turn the fortunes of the company around.
Ghana Telecom, to him had been starved of fresh investments to enable it to make maximum use of the highly versatile, competent and experienced staff of the company. “My being here is to ensure that they are motivated to give off their best”, Mr Venn promised.
About competition, Mr Venn admitted that with giants such as MTN and Zain in the fray it was indeed not joke for any telecoms company to sit on the sidelines. Vodafone, he says, is in for the long haul.
Mr Venn says he has the passion to succeed and through dedication, innovation and experience and above all the injection of fresh capital into the company, the economic fortunes of the company should be transformed.
The Ghana Telecom CEO is of the view that what had made Ghana Telecom what it is was purely as a result of lack of cash and Vodafone is in to inject the right amounts of capital to enable the company to surmount the challenges in the fiercely contested telecoms market.
“Vodafone’s investment is to get the company well equipped technically with the state of the art telecommunication equipment that will completely transform its service to world class standards”, he said.
He said Vodafone is a serious company which does not toy with its businesses and indicated that “we are here to turn things around and our competitors and the customers will shortly see what we are here to accomplish”.
There have been speculations about the fact that Vodafone was not strong when it comes to fixed line operations and was therefore going to phase out that aspect of Ghana Telecom’s business. Mr Venn completely disagrees. “There is the fixed line and the broadband before the mobile and I can tell you that the investment into the business will cover all not only mobile”, he said.
He said the company was strong in all those areas and will not leave anything to chance as it strives to dominate the market in all its business areas.
Mr Venn has pledged his commitment to succeed just as he had done in Zambia and expressed the hope that the employees of the company will come on board to make that dream of making Ghana Telecom the number one in the industry a reality.
But in spite of his tramp card for enthusiasm and passion for success, Mr Venn will be faced with the challenge of overturning the tables in the mobile telephony sector which is dominated by MTN with more than 50 per cent share of the market presently.
The market, analysts believe, has an untapped potential of about 35 per cent with each of the existing players and the new entrants grappling to capture a chunk of it. That does not trouble Mr Venn the least, believing strongly that it is something he can effectively handle. But the biggest threat to his ambition will be how much Vodafone will commit to the Ghana operations now that the Group has announced a profit shortfall of GB£1 billion in its global operations. The Group CEO has announced cut backs in spending to accommodate the shortfall, and if this should affect Ghana, then Vodafone will really have a huge problem to deal with- and will not be able to compete in the market.
Borders won't be closed on Dec 7
Page 3 (lead) November 25/2005
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE government says it has no intention to close down any of the country’s borders on election day in order not to inconvenience the free movement of people and goods.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD, Mr Akwasi Osei-Adjei, who announced the measure at a meeting with envoys of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Accra, expressed the hope that the gesture would be reciprocated with the appropriate vigilance by neighbouring countries in order to forestall or check “any untoward behaviour or movement along the borders”.
The closure of the country’s borders to its neighbours on every election day has been the status quo since 1992, a move meant to prevent foreign nationals from taking part in the polls.
Such border closures has been the norm for many ECOWAS countries, including Togo, during its national polls, but Ghana has moved to set a precedent this year with the explanation to allow the free movement of people and also ensure that businesses do not come to a standstill.
He charged the embassies of ECOWAS member states in the country to prevail on their nationals not to participate in the December 7 general election.
He also asked them to advise their nationals to refrain from any acts that might infringe on the electoral laws or the peace of the country.
The minister stated categorically that “the elections are open to Ghanaians only and the principle of non-interference is to be respected”.
The meeting, which came barely two weeks before the general election, was to afford Mr Osei-Adjei the opportunity to brief the ambassadors on the efforts the government and other national stakeholders had made to ensure peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections next month.
The charge to the embassies comes in the wake of various allegations about the participation of foreign nationals in the recent limited registration exercise under the auspices of the Electoral Commission (EC).
Mr Osei-Adjei assured the nation that arrangements were in place to ensure successful elections, adding, “The government of Ghana is committed to ensuring the security of the state and the National Elections Security Task Force is prepared to ensure that a peaceful atmosphere prevails before, during and after the elections.”
He denied allegations that the government was hatching a plot to rig the elections and reiterated that it was committed to holding peaceful and successful elections.
Mr Osei-Adjei stressed the need for ECOWAS to remain focused on promoting peace and stability in the sub-region as efforts were made to address the daunting challenges of socio-economic development.
The acting Dean of the ECOWAS Group of Ambassadors, Mr Hassane A. Toure of Niger, assured the minister that their nationals would be advised accordingly.
He said the countries would act within their competence to help ensure peaceful and successful elections in the country.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE government says it has no intention to close down any of the country’s borders on election day in order not to inconvenience the free movement of people and goods.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD, Mr Akwasi Osei-Adjei, who announced the measure at a meeting with envoys of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Accra, expressed the hope that the gesture would be reciprocated with the appropriate vigilance by neighbouring countries in order to forestall or check “any untoward behaviour or movement along the borders”.
The closure of the country’s borders to its neighbours on every election day has been the status quo since 1992, a move meant to prevent foreign nationals from taking part in the polls.
Such border closures has been the norm for many ECOWAS countries, including Togo, during its national polls, but Ghana has moved to set a precedent this year with the explanation to allow the free movement of people and also ensure that businesses do not come to a standstill.
He charged the embassies of ECOWAS member states in the country to prevail on their nationals not to participate in the December 7 general election.
He also asked them to advise their nationals to refrain from any acts that might infringe on the electoral laws or the peace of the country.
The minister stated categorically that “the elections are open to Ghanaians only and the principle of non-interference is to be respected”.
The meeting, which came barely two weeks before the general election, was to afford Mr Osei-Adjei the opportunity to brief the ambassadors on the efforts the government and other national stakeholders had made to ensure peaceful, free, fair and transparent elections next month.
The charge to the embassies comes in the wake of various allegations about the participation of foreign nationals in the recent limited registration exercise under the auspices of the Electoral Commission (EC).
Mr Osei-Adjei assured the nation that arrangements were in place to ensure successful elections, adding, “The government of Ghana is committed to ensuring the security of the state and the National Elections Security Task Force is prepared to ensure that a peaceful atmosphere prevails before, during and after the elections.”
He denied allegations that the government was hatching a plot to rig the elections and reiterated that it was committed to holding peaceful and successful elections.
Mr Osei-Adjei stressed the need for ECOWAS to remain focused on promoting peace and stability in the sub-region as efforts were made to address the daunting challenges of socio-economic development.
The acting Dean of the ECOWAS Group of Ambassadors, Mr Hassane A. Toure of Niger, assured the minister that their nationals would be advised accordingly.
He said the countries would act within their competence to help ensure peaceful and successful elections in the country.
Ballot papers go out today
Front page, November 25/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Electoral Commission (EC) will begin the distribution of ballot papers to the various regions from today in readiness for the December 7 presidential and parliamentary polls.
The distribution will begin with the three northern regions, which are Upper West, Upper East and Northern, and continue to the Brong Ahafo Region and then the Ashanti Region and down to the south.
The move, according to the Director of Elections at the EC, Mr Albert Arhin, formed part of measures to ensure that every corner of the country accessed the papers and other polling materials and logistics on polling day and on time.
He told the Daily Graphic that the papers would be distributed according to the number of registered voters per region, adding that “they will be handed over to the police for safekeeping and released on election day to the various polling centres”.
Voting is expected to begin at 7.00 a.m. on December 7 in all the 22,000 designated polling stations in the 230 constituencies across the country.
Each of the polling stations will have a unique stamp to authenticate the ballots to ensure easy identification.
Mr Arhin said the materials with the police would be heavily guarded to ensure that nobody tampered with them.
He said the EC was on schedule to ensure another successful election and noted that all the other election materials, including logistics, which would be needed on the polling day had already been dispatched.
Mr Arhin said it was the duty of the electoral officers in the regions to ensure that the materials were up to the requests they made.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Electoral Commission (EC) will begin the distribution of ballot papers to the various regions from today in readiness for the December 7 presidential and parliamentary polls.
The distribution will begin with the three northern regions, which are Upper West, Upper East and Northern, and continue to the Brong Ahafo Region and then the Ashanti Region and down to the south.
The move, according to the Director of Elections at the EC, Mr Albert Arhin, formed part of measures to ensure that every corner of the country accessed the papers and other polling materials and logistics on polling day and on time.
He told the Daily Graphic that the papers would be distributed according to the number of registered voters per region, adding that “they will be handed over to the police for safekeeping and released on election day to the various polling centres”.
Voting is expected to begin at 7.00 a.m. on December 7 in all the 22,000 designated polling stations in the 230 constituencies across the country.
Each of the polling stations will have a unique stamp to authenticate the ballots to ensure easy identification.
Mr Arhin said the materials with the police would be heavily guarded to ensure that nobody tampered with them.
He said the EC was on schedule to ensure another successful election and noted that all the other election materials, including logistics, which would be needed on the polling day had already been dispatched.
Mr Arhin said it was the duty of the electoral officers in the regions to ensure that the materials were up to the requests they made.
3 to offer assistance to informal sector
Business page (lead) November 22/2008
Story:L Charles Benoni Okine
THE SSNIT Informal Sector (SIS) Fund, a subsidiary of the Social Security and national Insurance Trust, the HFC Bank and the Boafo Microfinance Services Limited, have signed a tripartite agreement to offer attractive microfinance support to workers in the informal sector of the country.
Under the agreement, Boafo Microfinance, which also a subsidiary of HFC Bank will provide microfinance of between Gh¢500 and Gh¢10,000 to employees of the informal sector who are duly registered with the fund and unlike other schemes, will be entitled to a pension at the end of their working.
The signing of the agreement was done by Dr Francis Sapata-Grant, Managing Director of the SIS Fund, Mr Asare Akuffo of the HFC Bank while Mr Michael Osegge, Managing Director of Boafo Microfinance Services initialled for his company.
Dr Sapata-Grant after the signing ceremony said there were about 21,000 people presently registered with the SIS Fund.
There is an estimated 9.5 million constituting 80 per cent of the working population in the informal sector.
He said due to the unique nature of the fund, it is estimated that the number would more than quadruple by 2012.
Dr Sapata-Grant said under the Open Loan Scheme which was one of the products developed under the scheme, a member of the fund will be permitted, based on certain qualifying conditions to use the balance on his or her Occupational Scheme Account to secure a loan from Boafo Microfinance Services Limited for business development and home ownership purposes.
He said it was quite obvious that the business of providing social protection to the Ghanaian worker had assumed a different dimension through this creative and innovative approach.
Mr Akuffo said Ghana had a large informal sector and expressed the hope that through the joint efforts of SSNIT and HFC this large sector would eventually be formalised to provide them with even better services.
Story:L Charles Benoni Okine
THE SSNIT Informal Sector (SIS) Fund, a subsidiary of the Social Security and national Insurance Trust, the HFC Bank and the Boafo Microfinance Services Limited, have signed a tripartite agreement to offer attractive microfinance support to workers in the informal sector of the country.
Under the agreement, Boafo Microfinance, which also a subsidiary of HFC Bank will provide microfinance of between Gh¢500 and Gh¢10,000 to employees of the informal sector who are duly registered with the fund and unlike other schemes, will be entitled to a pension at the end of their working.
The signing of the agreement was done by Dr Francis Sapata-Grant, Managing Director of the SIS Fund, Mr Asare Akuffo of the HFC Bank while Mr Michael Osegge, Managing Director of Boafo Microfinance Services initialled for his company.
Dr Sapata-Grant after the signing ceremony said there were about 21,000 people presently registered with the SIS Fund.
There is an estimated 9.5 million constituting 80 per cent of the working population in the informal sector.
He said due to the unique nature of the fund, it is estimated that the number would more than quadruple by 2012.
Dr Sapata-Grant said under the Open Loan Scheme which was one of the products developed under the scheme, a member of the fund will be permitted, based on certain qualifying conditions to use the balance on his or her Occupational Scheme Account to secure a loan from Boafo Microfinance Services Limited for business development and home ownership purposes.
He said it was quite obvious that the business of providing social protection to the Ghanaian worker had assumed a different dimension through this creative and innovative approach.
Mr Akuffo said Ghana had a large informal sector and expressed the hope that through the joint efforts of SSNIT and HFC this large sector would eventually be formalised to provide them with even better services.
GWCL spends US$283.2 million on 21 projects
Back page (lead) November 22/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has spent about $283.2 million between 2001 and 2008 on completion of 21 major water projects throughout the country.
Prominent among the projects are the Cape Coast and Tamale Water Supply Expansion Projects, the Accra East-West Interconnection, the Kwanyaku Water Supply System and the Baifikrom Water Expansion Project.
The others are the Sekondi-Takoradi Rehabilitation, Winneba Water Expansion, Akwapim Ridge Rehabilitation and the extension of water supply from Awutu-Bawjiase to Mankrong and its surrounding areas, among others.
The Chief Manager in charge of Public Relations of the GWCL, Mr Michael Agyemnag, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that most of the funds for the projects were contracted from the Dutch government as loans and grants.
He described the projects as critical, particularly the Cape Coast and the Tamale projects, which he said, had brought to an end the perennial water problems that hit the two regional capitals during the dry seasons.
Mr Agyemnag said quite apart from the major projects that were mentioned, the company, from its own resources, had also spent some moneys to undertake repair works and lay pipes in various parts of the country, notably in the urban centres.
Although the amount is significant, it still falls far short of the more than $1.7 billion, required to fix the serious water problems in the country, according to the sector ministry’s sources.
For instance, the Kpong Water Works alone requires about $230 million to up its capacity to about 55 million gallons a day to enable it serve the eastern parts of Accra and the surrounding towns.
According to Mr Agyemang, the company, as a state-subvented institution, had effectively executed its mandate as per the loans guaranteed on its part and was determined to do more as and when the funds were available to undertake any project.
Mr Agyemang said apart from the completed ones, there were more projects that were ongoing in various parts of the country.
He cited the Koforidua Water Supply Project, the Kumasi Water Supply Project, the Accra/Tema Metropolitan Area (ATMA) rural project, among others.
Mr Agyemnag said in addition to these projects, there were also about 20 more projects that had been planned on the drawing board and indicated that “these will soon commence to augment the present supplies”.
He said there were such projects as the Yendi, Damongo, Bolga, Wa, Konongo, Obuasi and Mampong Water Supply Projects in the pipeline.
Mr Agyemang also mentioned the Berekum, Techiman, Sogakope/Lome, Kpandu, Ho, Akim Oda, New Tafo, Kibi, Kwahu Ridge and Sunyani Water Supply Projects.
He said the government was serious in talks with various donor partners to fund what had been dubbed the Kpong II-ATMA Water Supply Project at an estimated cost of $230 million.
This project, he said, would involve construction of a new 18,700,000 gallons a day and the expansion of treatment plant to 55,000,000 gallons a day.
Mr Agyemang said there would also be construction of new transmission mains through Dodowa, Adenta to the Accra Booster Station and distribution improvement, including reservoirs at Oyibi, Boi and Ofankor, among others.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) has spent about $283.2 million between 2001 and 2008 on completion of 21 major water projects throughout the country.
Prominent among the projects are the Cape Coast and Tamale Water Supply Expansion Projects, the Accra East-West Interconnection, the Kwanyaku Water Supply System and the Baifikrom Water Expansion Project.
The others are the Sekondi-Takoradi Rehabilitation, Winneba Water Expansion, Akwapim Ridge Rehabilitation and the extension of water supply from Awutu-Bawjiase to Mankrong and its surrounding areas, among others.
The Chief Manager in charge of Public Relations of the GWCL, Mr Michael Agyemnag, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that most of the funds for the projects were contracted from the Dutch government as loans and grants.
He described the projects as critical, particularly the Cape Coast and the Tamale projects, which he said, had brought to an end the perennial water problems that hit the two regional capitals during the dry seasons.
Mr Agyemnag said quite apart from the major projects that were mentioned, the company, from its own resources, had also spent some moneys to undertake repair works and lay pipes in various parts of the country, notably in the urban centres.
Although the amount is significant, it still falls far short of the more than $1.7 billion, required to fix the serious water problems in the country, according to the sector ministry’s sources.
For instance, the Kpong Water Works alone requires about $230 million to up its capacity to about 55 million gallons a day to enable it serve the eastern parts of Accra and the surrounding towns.
According to Mr Agyemang, the company, as a state-subvented institution, had effectively executed its mandate as per the loans guaranteed on its part and was determined to do more as and when the funds were available to undertake any project.
Mr Agyemang said apart from the completed ones, there were more projects that were ongoing in various parts of the country.
He cited the Koforidua Water Supply Project, the Kumasi Water Supply Project, the Accra/Tema Metropolitan Area (ATMA) rural project, among others.
Mr Agyemnag said in addition to these projects, there were also about 20 more projects that had been planned on the drawing board and indicated that “these will soon commence to augment the present supplies”.
He said there were such projects as the Yendi, Damongo, Bolga, Wa, Konongo, Obuasi and Mampong Water Supply Projects in the pipeline.
Mr Agyemang also mentioned the Berekum, Techiman, Sogakope/Lome, Kpandu, Ho, Akim Oda, New Tafo, Kibi, Kwahu Ridge and Sunyani Water Supply Projects.
He said the government was serious in talks with various donor partners to fund what had been dubbed the Kpong II-ATMA Water Supply Project at an estimated cost of $230 million.
This project, he said, would involve construction of a new 18,700,000 gallons a day and the expansion of treatment plant to 55,000,000 gallons a day.
Mr Agyemang said there would also be construction of new transmission mains through Dodowa, Adenta to the Accra Booster Station and distribution improvement, including reservoirs at Oyibi, Boi and Ofankor, among others.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Those involved in multiple registration to face prosecution
News page 21, November 21/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
ABOUT 76,000 people who registered more than once during the recent limited voters registration exercise conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) will be handed over to the police for prosecution next week.
According to the EC, from the trend, the number was likely to rise to about 200,000 by the time the process was completed.
The move is expected to deal a heavy blow to the party which has many of its supporters involved in the practice.
The Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, who announced this at a forum in Accra yesterday, said, “We will do our part and it is up to the police to also do their part by investigating the issue and prosecuting the culprits accordingly.”
Speaking at the Editor’s Forum on the theme, “The challenges of Election 2008”, the EC Chairman said “the commission is being compelled to do so because there is a precedent we are following: Somebody who was caught to have undertaken double registration was prosecuted and is languishing in prison and so the others must be treated same”.
He said the commission was deleting the names of foreigners and minors from the voters register, adding, “This is an exercise we are undertaking before, during and after the elections to ensure that the register is clean.”
An estimated 350,00 names have so far been deleted from the register in an exercise which is ongoing to ensure a fairly clean voters register.
The EC has said there are more ‘ghost’ names and names of minors and foreigners on the register which need to be cleaned up.
Dr Afari-Gyan also made another interesting revelation when he said that no one was expected to turn away people he or she felt suspicious about on polling day.
“We have agreed with the political parties that no one or party agent should challenge or prevent any person he or she suspects to be a minor or foreigner from voting because once his/her name is in the register, he/she is eligible to cast a ballot,” he said.
According to him, that agreement came about in view of the potential trouble it might create at particular polling stations, adding that “to avoid this we are of the view that people should not be turned away”.
“The EC, for its part, is doing all it can to ensure that those who do not qualify by virtue of age, nationality or have undertaken double registration will have their names deleted,” he said.
His comment is expected to start another round of debate in the media and in political circles, as it will be expected to be a major challenge on election day.
Dr Afari-Gyan said the commission was also likely to face another major challenge when it came to electoral materials being moved to all the 22,000 polling stations on the day of the elections.
He said on that day the police and other security personnel were expected to be there to accompany the materials but stressed categorically that “we will not wait for any security personnel before moving. When it is time to move, we will move without the security personnel because we cannot afford to get to remote places late to create confusion”.
On the issue of inaction on the part of the EC when complaints about electoral fraud were made in the media, he said anyone with such complaints would have to go to the EC directly, not use the media.
He said the media were not the official place for such complaints and made it clear that “the EC will not act unless the complaint is official, either to us or from the security agencies”.
Dr Afari-Gyan recounted a few incidents in which district chief executives (DCEs) had used their positions to bully police officers by preventing electoral officers from performing their duties.
“Because they are heads of the district security councils, they tend to use that power to stop the district police commanders from carrying out their duties,” he said, and described the practice as unfortunate and unacceptable.
Answering a question on the declaration of results, he said, “In Ghana we allow total parallel tabulation of results and so the EC and the parties get the results almost at the same time and the winner is known by all.”
He said each of the parties was expected to have 22,000 results slips on which it had all the results as declared from the polling stations where all the parties had their agents well represented.
Dr Afari-Gyan reiterated his advice to the parties to ensure that they selected knowledgeable and literate people to be their polling agents.
“This advice is one they should not toy with because the agents should be able to read and write. If they are unable to read or write, it may go against the parties,” he explained.
He asked all Ghanaians to be one another’s keeper and ensure that the process was not a violent one to maintain the peace the country presently enjoyed, as well as continue to win the trust and confidence of the international community.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
ABOUT 76,000 people who registered more than once during the recent limited voters registration exercise conducted by the Electoral Commission (EC) will be handed over to the police for prosecution next week.
According to the EC, from the trend, the number was likely to rise to about 200,000 by the time the process was completed.
The move is expected to deal a heavy blow to the party which has many of its supporters involved in the practice.
The Chairman of the EC, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, who announced this at a forum in Accra yesterday, said, “We will do our part and it is up to the police to also do their part by investigating the issue and prosecuting the culprits accordingly.”
Speaking at the Editor’s Forum on the theme, “The challenges of Election 2008”, the EC Chairman said “the commission is being compelled to do so because there is a precedent we are following: Somebody who was caught to have undertaken double registration was prosecuted and is languishing in prison and so the others must be treated same”.
He said the commission was deleting the names of foreigners and minors from the voters register, adding, “This is an exercise we are undertaking before, during and after the elections to ensure that the register is clean.”
An estimated 350,00 names have so far been deleted from the register in an exercise which is ongoing to ensure a fairly clean voters register.
The EC has said there are more ‘ghost’ names and names of minors and foreigners on the register which need to be cleaned up.
Dr Afari-Gyan also made another interesting revelation when he said that no one was expected to turn away people he or she felt suspicious about on polling day.
“We have agreed with the political parties that no one or party agent should challenge or prevent any person he or she suspects to be a minor or foreigner from voting because once his/her name is in the register, he/she is eligible to cast a ballot,” he said.
According to him, that agreement came about in view of the potential trouble it might create at particular polling stations, adding that “to avoid this we are of the view that people should not be turned away”.
“The EC, for its part, is doing all it can to ensure that those who do not qualify by virtue of age, nationality or have undertaken double registration will have their names deleted,” he said.
His comment is expected to start another round of debate in the media and in political circles, as it will be expected to be a major challenge on election day.
Dr Afari-Gyan said the commission was also likely to face another major challenge when it came to electoral materials being moved to all the 22,000 polling stations on the day of the elections.
He said on that day the police and other security personnel were expected to be there to accompany the materials but stressed categorically that “we will not wait for any security personnel before moving. When it is time to move, we will move without the security personnel because we cannot afford to get to remote places late to create confusion”.
On the issue of inaction on the part of the EC when complaints about electoral fraud were made in the media, he said anyone with such complaints would have to go to the EC directly, not use the media.
He said the media were not the official place for such complaints and made it clear that “the EC will not act unless the complaint is official, either to us or from the security agencies”.
Dr Afari-Gyan recounted a few incidents in which district chief executives (DCEs) had used their positions to bully police officers by preventing electoral officers from performing their duties.
“Because they are heads of the district security councils, they tend to use that power to stop the district police commanders from carrying out their duties,” he said, and described the practice as unfortunate and unacceptable.
Answering a question on the declaration of results, he said, “In Ghana we allow total parallel tabulation of results and so the EC and the parties get the results almost at the same time and the winner is known by all.”
He said each of the parties was expected to have 22,000 results slips on which it had all the results as declared from the polling stations where all the parties had their agents well represented.
Dr Afari-Gyan reiterated his advice to the parties to ensure that they selected knowledgeable and literate people to be their polling agents.
“This advice is one they should not toy with because the agents should be able to read and write. If they are unable to read or write, it may go against the parties,” he explained.
He asked all Ghanaians to be one another’s keeper and ensure that the process was not a violent one to maintain the peace the country presently enjoyed, as well as continue to win the trust and confidence of the international community.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Help govt to check diversion of pre-mix fuel
News page 47 (Lead) November 17/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE President of the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF), Nana Kwao Otuo V, has urged members of the association and its affiliates to intensify their efforts at helping the government to halt the diversion of premix fuel for fishing and other supporting facilities meant to enhance fishing and farming in the country.
He said due to the diversionary tactics of some operators in the system, farmers and fishermen were not fully benefiting from the government’s subsidies on inputs depended on by farmers and fishermen in the discharge of their duties.
Nana Otuo made the call when he presented a certificate of recognition to the Ghana Fishing Fuel Dealers, Retailers and Users Association (GFFDRUA) at a short ceremony in Accra yesterday.
By the presentation, which was preceded by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), the new association becomes a fully recognised affiliate of GNAFF and will among others, function under the constitution of GNAFF.
It will also require both parties to form a joint executive team to work to improve the socio-economic welfare of members by improving access to general agricultural inputs such as fuel, lubricants, fishing nets, timber for boats, outboard motors and accessories, among others.
Nana Otuo described the members of GFFDRUA as forceful and expressed the hope that they would play by the rules to ensure that they achieved their aims and objectives.
He said the government was doing its best for the fishing and farming sectors and that players within those sectors needed to derive the maximum benefits.
The Chief Executive of GFFDRUA, Mr Philip Blessman, who received the certificate and signed the MOU on behalf of the association, expressed the gratitude of the association to GNAFF for accepting it as an affiliate.
He said the association had gone far to ensure that the diversion of premix fuel to inland ports such as Yeji and others was brought under control.
“We are using the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to fish out all those who do the diversion and we are making a significant head way,” he said.
Mr Blessman said the subsidies on fishing implements and fuel needed to be enjoyed by players in the sector who would, in turn, make the prices of fish, among others, more affordable to the people.
Picture A: Nana Otuo V (left), the President of GNAFF, presenting a certificate of recognition to Mr Blessman, the Chief Executive of GFFDRUA, after the signing of the MOU. Looking on are members of the GFFDRUA.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE President of the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF), Nana Kwao Otuo V, has urged members of the association and its affiliates to intensify their efforts at helping the government to halt the diversion of premix fuel for fishing and other supporting facilities meant to enhance fishing and farming in the country.
He said due to the diversionary tactics of some operators in the system, farmers and fishermen were not fully benefiting from the government’s subsidies on inputs depended on by farmers and fishermen in the discharge of their duties.
Nana Otuo made the call when he presented a certificate of recognition to the Ghana Fishing Fuel Dealers, Retailers and Users Association (GFFDRUA) at a short ceremony in Accra yesterday.
By the presentation, which was preceded by the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU), the new association becomes a fully recognised affiliate of GNAFF and will among others, function under the constitution of GNAFF.
It will also require both parties to form a joint executive team to work to improve the socio-economic welfare of members by improving access to general agricultural inputs such as fuel, lubricants, fishing nets, timber for boats, outboard motors and accessories, among others.
Nana Otuo described the members of GFFDRUA as forceful and expressed the hope that they would play by the rules to ensure that they achieved their aims and objectives.
He said the government was doing its best for the fishing and farming sectors and that players within those sectors needed to derive the maximum benefits.
The Chief Executive of GFFDRUA, Mr Philip Blessman, who received the certificate and signed the MOU on behalf of the association, expressed the gratitude of the association to GNAFF for accepting it as an affiliate.
He said the association had gone far to ensure that the diversion of premix fuel to inland ports such as Yeji and others was brought under control.
“We are using the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) to fish out all those who do the diversion and we are making a significant head way,” he said.
Mr Blessman said the subsidies on fishing implements and fuel needed to be enjoyed by players in the sector who would, in turn, make the prices of fish, among others, more affordable to the people.
Picture A: Nana Otuo V (left), the President of GNAFF, presenting a certificate of recognition to Mr Blessman, the Chief Executive of GFFDRUA, after the signing of the MOU. Looking on are members of the GFFDRUA.
Ensure regular maintenance of facilities - Veep
Page 14 (lead) November 17/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine, Kumasi
THE Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has called on educational institutions that benefit from projects funded from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to ensure their regular and prompt maintenance.
“That way, future funds can be invested in the provision of additional infrastructure and for expansion rather than rehabilitation of the same stock of facilities,” he advised.
Alhaji Mahama made the call when he joined the students and school authorities of the Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School to celebrate the school’s 11th Speech and Prize-giving Day in Kumasi at the weekend.
The highly attended ceremony also provided the Vice President the opportunity to inaugurate some GETFund-funded projects such as a dormitory block and places of convenience.
Established in 1960 and named after one of the bravest female war veterans in the country’s history, Yaa Asantewaa, the purely girls school now has a student population of 1,520.
Soon on his arrival, Alhaji Mahama was made to inspect a guard of honour mounted by the smart-looking school cadet corps, who also entertained the large crowd to some spectacular drills.
The Vice President did not leave the students out of the advice he gave on the maintenance of school facilities, for he admonished the students to avoid antisocial attitudes that undermined academic work and also cause damage to school facilities.
“Spend your precious time attending classes promptly and regularly, cultivating the habit of reading and learning to be punctual and respectful,” he advised.
Alhaji Mahama reminded the students of the upcoming general election, saying “some of you are of age and will be voting in the elections on December 7, 2008”.
“The first is to ensure that you do not allow yourselves to be used as instruments of violence and disruption in the run-up to the elections,” he said, adding that “Secondly, you have a moral obligation to preserve your future by advising your less privileged friends and relatives to appreciate the best choices”.
Alhaji Mahama said the country’s desire to become a modernised middle income society with a per capita income of at least a $1,000 by the year 2015 and rising thereafter depended on the knowledge foundation the educational system could provide.
The Vice President also challenged the leadership of schools to enhance the training of their girl students by sensitising them to a positive mindset about the larger dimension of social relations and the fast moving global social economy.
“In particular, no Ghanaian girl should be dragged down or her ambitions limited by outmoded cultural practices and traditional beliefs; but we all are aware that attitudinal change demands consensus and sustained advocacy,” he said.
The Vice President commended the school authorities and the students for the laurels chalked up in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) over the years.
Mrs Elizabeth Malik-Jabir, the headmistress of the school, said the school had been described as one located in a lightning zone and called for funds to enable the authorities pay for a device meant to prevent the effect of lightning when it struck, in order to avoid any casualties.
She also appealed for funds for the construction of staff bungalows to enable the teaching staff to remain on campus.
Dramatic scenes characterised the arrival of the Senior Prefect of the school, Ms Vicentia Appiah-Kwarteng, when she was about to deliver her address.
While the Master of Ceremony was pushing for her to quicken up since the programme had already delayed, about 43 other prefects, including some cadet corps members, defied the odds and instead, majestically walked ahead of the senior prefect by way of leading her to the dais amidst laughter.
In her report, Ms Appiah-Kwarteng, who discharged her duties without being perturbed by the negative comments against her from sections of the crowd, painted a positive picture of the school, particularly the areas of academic, sports and social events.
She expressed the hope that the school library, which was partly damaged by a recent lightning that hit the school, would be reconstructed and expanded to be able to accommodate the large number of students who patronised it.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine, Kumasi
THE Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has called on educational institutions that benefit from projects funded from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to ensure their regular and prompt maintenance.
“That way, future funds can be invested in the provision of additional infrastructure and for expansion rather than rehabilitation of the same stock of facilities,” he advised.
Alhaji Mahama made the call when he joined the students and school authorities of the Yaa Asantewaa Senior High School to celebrate the school’s 11th Speech and Prize-giving Day in Kumasi at the weekend.
The highly attended ceremony also provided the Vice President the opportunity to inaugurate some GETFund-funded projects such as a dormitory block and places of convenience.
Established in 1960 and named after one of the bravest female war veterans in the country’s history, Yaa Asantewaa, the purely girls school now has a student population of 1,520.
Soon on his arrival, Alhaji Mahama was made to inspect a guard of honour mounted by the smart-looking school cadet corps, who also entertained the large crowd to some spectacular drills.
The Vice President did not leave the students out of the advice he gave on the maintenance of school facilities, for he admonished the students to avoid antisocial attitudes that undermined academic work and also cause damage to school facilities.
“Spend your precious time attending classes promptly and regularly, cultivating the habit of reading and learning to be punctual and respectful,” he advised.
Alhaji Mahama reminded the students of the upcoming general election, saying “some of you are of age and will be voting in the elections on December 7, 2008”.
“The first is to ensure that you do not allow yourselves to be used as instruments of violence and disruption in the run-up to the elections,” he said, adding that “Secondly, you have a moral obligation to preserve your future by advising your less privileged friends and relatives to appreciate the best choices”.
Alhaji Mahama said the country’s desire to become a modernised middle income society with a per capita income of at least a $1,000 by the year 2015 and rising thereafter depended on the knowledge foundation the educational system could provide.
The Vice President also challenged the leadership of schools to enhance the training of their girl students by sensitising them to a positive mindset about the larger dimension of social relations and the fast moving global social economy.
“In particular, no Ghanaian girl should be dragged down or her ambitions limited by outmoded cultural practices and traditional beliefs; but we all are aware that attitudinal change demands consensus and sustained advocacy,” he said.
The Vice President commended the school authorities and the students for the laurels chalked up in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSSCE) over the years.
Mrs Elizabeth Malik-Jabir, the headmistress of the school, said the school had been described as one located in a lightning zone and called for funds to enable the authorities pay for a device meant to prevent the effect of lightning when it struck, in order to avoid any casualties.
She also appealed for funds for the construction of staff bungalows to enable the teaching staff to remain on campus.
Dramatic scenes characterised the arrival of the Senior Prefect of the school, Ms Vicentia Appiah-Kwarteng, when she was about to deliver her address.
While the Master of Ceremony was pushing for her to quicken up since the programme had already delayed, about 43 other prefects, including some cadet corps members, defied the odds and instead, majestically walked ahead of the senior prefect by way of leading her to the dais amidst laughter.
In her report, Ms Appiah-Kwarteng, who discharged her duties without being perturbed by the negative comments against her from sections of the crowd, painted a positive picture of the school, particularly the areas of academic, sports and social events.
She expressed the hope that the school library, which was partly damaged by a recent lightning that hit the school, would be reconstructed and expanded to be able to accommodate the large number of students who patronised it.
Friday, November 14, 2008
We must recover huge losses
Spread (lead) Nov. 14/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine & Leticia Ohene-Asiedu
THE last downward review of petroleum prices is not the actual reflection of the drop in the price of crude oil on the international market, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has said.
It explained that the move was purely intended to ensure a recovery from the huge losses that had been incurred over the period when adjustments in the prices were frozen.
Speaking to the media in Accra yesterday, the Chief Executive of the NPA, Mr John Attafuah, noted that “the average decrease by our calculations was about 17 per cent but the authority, in consultations with the wholesalers, allowed only an average of 10 per cent reduction in the ex-pump prices to allow for the recovery of some of their losses”.
Analysts and members of the public had challenged the authority to come clean on the review as announced since November 1, 2008 because the percentage reduction in the prices was not a true reflection of what had transpired with respect to the downward prices on the international market.
The NPA boss said as per the arrangement between the NPA and the wholesalers, the recovery per month would be $12 million until the losses incurred had been fully recovered.
Mr Attafuah said the losses incurred since the freeze in May this year stood at $168 million.
He noted that despite the increases in crude oil prices to a record $147 per barrel on July 14, 2008, the motoring public in Ghana continued to buy fuel at prices set on May 3, 2008 when the crude price was $116 per barrel.
“Two very important factors used in the determination of petroleum product prices on the local market are world prices of crude oil and products and the exchange rate between the cedi and the US dollar. While the prices of crude oil and petroleum products were on the decline on the world market, the dollar, on the other hand, strengthened against the cedi, thereby making the local prices of petroleum products still high, compared to those set on May 3, 2008,” he said, adding, for instance, that “gas oil prices could have reached GH¢6.5 per gallon at the height of the crisis”.
Mr Attafuah also indicated that although the price premium in US dollar per litre was below the May 3, 2008 level from September 1, 2008, “the price premium in Ghana cedi per litre was higher than the May 3, 2008 figure”.
“It was not until October 16, 2008 that the price of premium, 70.850Gp per litre, started going below the May 3 levels of 76.3682Gp per litre,” he added.
Mr Attafuah noted that the “impact of the exchange rate on prices is the same for all the petroleum products”.
He said the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and the Bulk Oil Traders were expected to begin the recovery of their losses from November 1, 2008 when the prices were reviewed.
“We either pay it from the national budget or allow the NPA to manage its recovery through the pricing mechanisms,” he said.
Mr Attafuah said the NPA, by its mandate, was expected to protect the interest of both consumers and petroleum service providers.
“While we expect consumers to benefit from the price reductions on the world market, it is also important for us to ensure that petroleum service providers do not suffer unduly,” he said.
He said the decisions taken were the prerogative of the authority.
Contrary to public perceptions about the authority not being autonomous of governmental control, he insisted, “We have always worked to ensure the independence of the NPA, particularly with regard to the operational aspects of our mandate.”
“Indeed, the NPA Act, Act 691, 2005, requires that the authority, in performing its functions, shall not be subject to the control or direction of any person or authority other than the minister who may give policy directions,” he added.
Reacting to speculations that some of the oil marketing companies (OMCs) refused to quote the new prices when the downward reviews were announced, he said the monitoring division of the NPA was at hand to check the allegations but found none contravening the directive.
He urged any person who identified any OMC not quoting the new prices to report to the authority for action.
On transport fares, he said the NPA had no authority over the control of transportation fares and indicated that that responsibility fell solely on transport organisations.
Mr Attafuah said the NPA had held meetings with the executives of the Ghana Road Transport Co-ordinating Council prior to the announcement to discuss a review of the fares.
He pleaded with the council and other bodies in the transport business to allow some respite in the fares in view of the reduction in petroleum prices.
Premium petrol, which stood at 118.53Gp per litre is now selling at 106.65Gp, while gas oil (diesel) also sells at 109.85Gp per litre from the previous price of 120Gp.
Kerosene has also been reduced from 135Gp per litre to 102Gp, while premix fuel, the special fuel used in running outboard motors by fishermen at sea, is going for 66.12Gp per litre from 73.48Gp.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has also been reduced from the 100.44Gp per kilogramme to 91.91Gp per kilogramme.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine & Leticia Ohene-Asiedu
THE last downward review of petroleum prices is not the actual reflection of the drop in the price of crude oil on the international market, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has said.
It explained that the move was purely intended to ensure a recovery from the huge losses that had been incurred over the period when adjustments in the prices were frozen.
Speaking to the media in Accra yesterday, the Chief Executive of the NPA, Mr John Attafuah, noted that “the average decrease by our calculations was about 17 per cent but the authority, in consultations with the wholesalers, allowed only an average of 10 per cent reduction in the ex-pump prices to allow for the recovery of some of their losses”.
Analysts and members of the public had challenged the authority to come clean on the review as announced since November 1, 2008 because the percentage reduction in the prices was not a true reflection of what had transpired with respect to the downward prices on the international market.
The NPA boss said as per the arrangement between the NPA and the wholesalers, the recovery per month would be $12 million until the losses incurred had been fully recovered.
Mr Attafuah said the losses incurred since the freeze in May this year stood at $168 million.
He noted that despite the increases in crude oil prices to a record $147 per barrel on July 14, 2008, the motoring public in Ghana continued to buy fuel at prices set on May 3, 2008 when the crude price was $116 per barrel.
“Two very important factors used in the determination of petroleum product prices on the local market are world prices of crude oil and products and the exchange rate between the cedi and the US dollar. While the prices of crude oil and petroleum products were on the decline on the world market, the dollar, on the other hand, strengthened against the cedi, thereby making the local prices of petroleum products still high, compared to those set on May 3, 2008,” he said, adding, for instance, that “gas oil prices could have reached GH¢6.5 per gallon at the height of the crisis”.
Mr Attafuah also indicated that although the price premium in US dollar per litre was below the May 3, 2008 level from September 1, 2008, “the price premium in Ghana cedi per litre was higher than the May 3, 2008 figure”.
“It was not until October 16, 2008 that the price of premium, 70.850Gp per litre, started going below the May 3 levels of 76.3682Gp per litre,” he added.
Mr Attafuah noted that the “impact of the exchange rate on prices is the same for all the petroleum products”.
He said the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and the Bulk Oil Traders were expected to begin the recovery of their losses from November 1, 2008 when the prices were reviewed.
“We either pay it from the national budget or allow the NPA to manage its recovery through the pricing mechanisms,” he said.
Mr Attafuah said the NPA, by its mandate, was expected to protect the interest of both consumers and petroleum service providers.
“While we expect consumers to benefit from the price reductions on the world market, it is also important for us to ensure that petroleum service providers do not suffer unduly,” he said.
He said the decisions taken were the prerogative of the authority.
Contrary to public perceptions about the authority not being autonomous of governmental control, he insisted, “We have always worked to ensure the independence of the NPA, particularly with regard to the operational aspects of our mandate.”
“Indeed, the NPA Act, Act 691, 2005, requires that the authority, in performing its functions, shall not be subject to the control or direction of any person or authority other than the minister who may give policy directions,” he added.
Reacting to speculations that some of the oil marketing companies (OMCs) refused to quote the new prices when the downward reviews were announced, he said the monitoring division of the NPA was at hand to check the allegations but found none contravening the directive.
He urged any person who identified any OMC not quoting the new prices to report to the authority for action.
On transport fares, he said the NPA had no authority over the control of transportation fares and indicated that that responsibility fell solely on transport organisations.
Mr Attafuah said the NPA had held meetings with the executives of the Ghana Road Transport Co-ordinating Council prior to the announcement to discuss a review of the fares.
He pleaded with the council and other bodies in the transport business to allow some respite in the fares in view of the reduction in petroleum prices.
Premium petrol, which stood at 118.53Gp per litre is now selling at 106.65Gp, while gas oil (diesel) also sells at 109.85Gp per litre from the previous price of 120Gp.
Kerosene has also been reduced from 135Gp per litre to 102Gp, while premix fuel, the special fuel used in running outboard motors by fishermen at sea, is going for 66.12Gp per litre from 73.48Gp.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has also been reduced from the 100.44Gp per kilogramme to 91.91Gp per kilogramme.
Monday, November 10, 2008
SSNIT registers tremedious growth
Page 55 (lead) November 10/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) scheme has grown from GH¢630 million in 2003 to Gh¢1,639.8 million as of the end of last year.
This represents a positive growth of 160 per cent.
The trust also recorded a real return of 10.9 per cent on it investments last year, as against 4.3 per cent the previous year.
The Chairman of the SSNIT Board, Mr John Saka Addo, who announced this at the fourth SSNIT Stakeholders Forum in Accra, said the achievements placed the trust in a good stead to meet its obligations and liabilities in the years ahead.
The forum, which brought together a large number of contributors to the scheme, pensioners and the general public, afforded the stakeholders the opportunity to see the financial strength of the trust and the way forward.
Mr Addo said the trust was also able to reduce administrative cost ratio of contribution collection from 23 per cent to 14 per cent and noted, “We will not relent in our efforts and we shall pursue even more aggressive and prudent measures to be more efficient and judicious in managing the resources entrusted to us.”
He said while for the first time in the history of the trust it was able to record 102,567 new members last year, the pension population also recorded a steady increase of 10.39 per cent from 73,311 in 2006 to 80,952 in 2007.
He said the effort to recover social security contribution arrears recorded some modest gains and that reduced the cumulative indebtedness to 14.14 per cent of contributions, as against 15 per cent of contributions in 2006.
“We need to stress that the indebtedness of some distressed state-owned enterprises has greatly impacted on our overall debt recovery performance,” he said, adding, “We hope that in the coming years SSNIT and the government will agree on acceptable terms to settle those debts.”
In his report, the Director-General of the trust, Mr Kwasi Osei, said the results presented indicated that SSNIT was making steady progress in all its operational areas.
“A total amount of GH¢384.97 million was collected as contributions in 2007. This represented an increase of 34.23 per cent over the amount of GH¢286.80 million collected in 2006,” he said.
The chunk of the collection, he said, was payment from the private sector and the remaining from the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.
He said the trust had been audited by external auditors who reported that in its present state it was solvent until 2042.
However, Mr Osei said the management of SSNIT would continue to review its operations and embark on more aggressive campaigns to ensure that the scheme lasted a lifetime because of its role in guaranteeing the future security of workers in the country.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) scheme has grown from GH¢630 million in 2003 to Gh¢1,639.8 million as of the end of last year.
This represents a positive growth of 160 per cent.
The trust also recorded a real return of 10.9 per cent on it investments last year, as against 4.3 per cent the previous year.
The Chairman of the SSNIT Board, Mr John Saka Addo, who announced this at the fourth SSNIT Stakeholders Forum in Accra, said the achievements placed the trust in a good stead to meet its obligations and liabilities in the years ahead.
The forum, which brought together a large number of contributors to the scheme, pensioners and the general public, afforded the stakeholders the opportunity to see the financial strength of the trust and the way forward.
Mr Addo said the trust was also able to reduce administrative cost ratio of contribution collection from 23 per cent to 14 per cent and noted, “We will not relent in our efforts and we shall pursue even more aggressive and prudent measures to be more efficient and judicious in managing the resources entrusted to us.”
He said while for the first time in the history of the trust it was able to record 102,567 new members last year, the pension population also recorded a steady increase of 10.39 per cent from 73,311 in 2006 to 80,952 in 2007.
He said the effort to recover social security contribution arrears recorded some modest gains and that reduced the cumulative indebtedness to 14.14 per cent of contributions, as against 15 per cent of contributions in 2006.
“We need to stress that the indebtedness of some distressed state-owned enterprises has greatly impacted on our overall debt recovery performance,” he said, adding, “We hope that in the coming years SSNIT and the government will agree on acceptable terms to settle those debts.”
In his report, the Director-General of the trust, Mr Kwasi Osei, said the results presented indicated that SSNIT was making steady progress in all its operational areas.
“A total amount of GH¢384.97 million was collected as contributions in 2007. This represented an increase of 34.23 per cent over the amount of GH¢286.80 million collected in 2006,” he said.
The chunk of the collection, he said, was payment from the private sector and the remaining from the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department.
He said the trust had been audited by external auditors who reported that in its present state it was solvent until 2042.
However, Mr Osei said the management of SSNIT would continue to review its operations and embark on more aggressive campaigns to ensure that the scheme lasted a lifetime because of its role in guaranteeing the future security of workers in the country.
Hundreds mourn Baah-Wiredu
Front page, Novermber 7/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
SEVERAL hundreds of mourners and sympathisers from all walks of life yesterday converged on the forecourt of the State House to participate in the solemn state funeral in honour of one of the country’s finest Finance and Economic Planning Ministers, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu.
As early as 6.00 a.m., the coffin of the late minister, who died in South Africa at the age of 56, was placed under a special tent decorated in black and red, with beautiful flowers placed at the four corners, and opened for public viewing.
Gorgeously dressed in a black suit, a white shirt with a black bow tie to march, Baah-Wiredu, once an agile and active minister, lay motionless in a coffin, with his lower part covered with a rich Kente cloth.
The chief mourner, President J.A. Kufuor, and his wife, Theresa, arrived at the funeral grounds at exactly 9.30 a.m., shortly after the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, and his wife, Ramatu, had arrived to pay their last respects to the first minister to be appointed in the regime of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2001.
Also present to pay their last respects were the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes; the Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Georgina Woods, Members of Parliament, members of the Council of State, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Ministers of State, representatives of the various political parties and their flag bearers and a cross-section of the general public.
Earlier, before the President and his entourage arrived, the officiating minister, the Very Reverend Titus Awortwi Pratt, the Superintendent Minister of the Mount Olivet Methodist Church, Dansoman, the late minister’s place of worship, had asked the public to file past the body to pay their last respects.
While they did so, the Mount Olivet Methodist Church Choir and the Ghana Police Band respectively sang and played solemn hymnals from the Methodist Hymn Book to console the many sympathisers.
The coffin, after it had been closed, was draped in the national flag as a sign of respect and recognition of the dedicated duties the late minister had performed when he was alive.
In a tribute to Baah-Wiredu, who was honoured post-humorously by the international community as the African Finance Minister of the Year, President Kufuor described him as one who was very much concerned with the development of all.
“It is a matter of public record that when I was first sworn in as President of the Republic, the first ministerial appointment I made was Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu as Minister of Local Government and Rural Development. I had no hesitation and he did not let me down. Indeed, in the two other portfolios that he later held, he was exemplary,” the President added in the tribute read on his behalf by the Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and PSIs, Mr Papa Owusu-Ankomah.
Parliament, for its part, said, “Death has stung the nation yet another time. The sting is monstrously venomous, the time most unpropitious, and the victim most humble, most unassuming, spring-bouncy, variegating-haired son of the soil in whom the nation is well pleased.”
Tributes by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, his former church, Mount Olivet Methodist, Dansoman, the Diplomatic Corps and the Bretons Wood institutions were also read in his honour.
In a sermon chosen from the Gospel of John 14: 1-6, 27, the Right Reverend Abraham Tagoe, the Methodist Bishop of Accra, asked public officers to take a cue from the work examples of the late Finance Minister in order to earn themselves the name and honour when they were also no more.
Rev Tagoe used the occasion to call on Ghanaians to be at peace with one another and carefully consider the various messages presented by the political parties contesting the December general election before casting their votes to elect a new administration to govern the nation.
The body was later conveyed to his home town, Agogo in the Asante-Akyem District, for another burial service and burial on Saturday.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
SEVERAL hundreds of mourners and sympathisers from all walks of life yesterday converged on the forecourt of the State House to participate in the solemn state funeral in honour of one of the country’s finest Finance and Economic Planning Ministers, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu.
As early as 6.00 a.m., the coffin of the late minister, who died in South Africa at the age of 56, was placed under a special tent decorated in black and red, with beautiful flowers placed at the four corners, and opened for public viewing.
Gorgeously dressed in a black suit, a white shirt with a black bow tie to march, Baah-Wiredu, once an agile and active minister, lay motionless in a coffin, with his lower part covered with a rich Kente cloth.
The chief mourner, President J.A. Kufuor, and his wife, Theresa, arrived at the funeral grounds at exactly 9.30 a.m., shortly after the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, and his wife, Ramatu, had arrived to pay their last respects to the first minister to be appointed in the regime of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2001.
Also present to pay their last respects were the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes; the Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Georgina Woods, Members of Parliament, members of the Council of State, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Ministers of State, representatives of the various political parties and their flag bearers and a cross-section of the general public.
Earlier, before the President and his entourage arrived, the officiating minister, the Very Reverend Titus Awortwi Pratt, the Superintendent Minister of the Mount Olivet Methodist Church, Dansoman, the late minister’s place of worship, had asked the public to file past the body to pay their last respects.
While they did so, the Mount Olivet Methodist Church Choir and the Ghana Police Band respectively sang and played solemn hymnals from the Methodist Hymn Book to console the many sympathisers.
The coffin, after it had been closed, was draped in the national flag as a sign of respect and recognition of the dedicated duties the late minister had performed when he was alive.
In a tribute to Baah-Wiredu, who was honoured post-humorously by the international community as the African Finance Minister of the Year, President Kufuor described him as one who was very much concerned with the development of all.
“It is a matter of public record that when I was first sworn in as President of the Republic, the first ministerial appointment I made was Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu as Minister of Local Government and Rural Development. I had no hesitation and he did not let me down. Indeed, in the two other portfolios that he later held, he was exemplary,” the President added in the tribute read on his behalf by the Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and PSIs, Mr Papa Owusu-Ankomah.
Parliament, for its part, said, “Death has stung the nation yet another time. The sting is monstrously venomous, the time most unpropitious, and the victim most humble, most unassuming, spring-bouncy, variegating-haired son of the soil in whom the nation is well pleased.”
Tributes by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, his former church, Mount Olivet Methodist, Dansoman, the Diplomatic Corps and the Bretons Wood institutions were also read in his honour.
In a sermon chosen from the Gospel of John 14: 1-6, 27, the Right Reverend Abraham Tagoe, the Methodist Bishop of Accra, asked public officers to take a cue from the work examples of the late Finance Minister in order to earn themselves the name and honour when they were also no more.
Rev Tagoe used the occasion to call on Ghanaians to be at peace with one another and carefully consider the various messages presented by the political parties contesting the December general election before casting their votes to elect a new administration to govern the nation.
The body was later conveyed to his home town, Agogo in the Asante-Akyem District, for another burial service and burial on Saturday.
SSNIT to undertake prudent investments
Buisness page, November 7/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has indicated that it will continue to invest the contributions of workers of its social security scheme in profitable ventures.
The move, it said was to enable the Trust to have better returns to sustain the scheme.
The Director-General of the Trust, Mr Kwasi Osei, gave the assurance when he delivered a report on the scheme at the Fourth SSNIT Stakeholders forum in Accra.
The forum which attracted a large number of employers and workers provided a platform for the public to review the performance of the scheme in order to chart the way forward.
“Investment is one of the critical functions in the management of the social security scheme; As a partially funded scheme, we are challenged to maximise the returns on the contributions to enable us meet payment of benefits as and when they fall due”, he said.
The total investment portfolio of SSNIT as of the end of December 2007 grew by 37 per cent from Gh¢1,195.2 million in 2007 to Gh¢1,639.8 million.
Mr Osei said the Trust was also adopting the aggressive application of the social security statute to enforce compliance by recalcitrant employers.
This measure is in respect of employers total indebtedness to SSNIT in respect of social security contribution as of December 31, 2007 which stood at Gh¢54.44 million, representing an increase of 26.5 per cent over the previous year’s figure of Gh¢43.03 million.
Mr Osei said the Trust would also prosecute defaulting employers.
He said while doing so, the Trust would not ignore negotiations for payment of contribution arrears by genuinely distressed employers.
During the public forum, members congratulated the management and board of the Trust for the openness in which the scheme was being operated and called for the pensions paid to be increased to reflect the present economic conditions prevailing in the country.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has indicated that it will continue to invest the contributions of workers of its social security scheme in profitable ventures.
The move, it said was to enable the Trust to have better returns to sustain the scheme.
The Director-General of the Trust, Mr Kwasi Osei, gave the assurance when he delivered a report on the scheme at the Fourth SSNIT Stakeholders forum in Accra.
The forum which attracted a large number of employers and workers provided a platform for the public to review the performance of the scheme in order to chart the way forward.
“Investment is one of the critical functions in the management of the social security scheme; As a partially funded scheme, we are challenged to maximise the returns on the contributions to enable us meet payment of benefits as and when they fall due”, he said.
The total investment portfolio of SSNIT as of the end of December 2007 grew by 37 per cent from Gh¢1,195.2 million in 2007 to Gh¢1,639.8 million.
Mr Osei said the Trust was also adopting the aggressive application of the social security statute to enforce compliance by recalcitrant employers.
This measure is in respect of employers total indebtedness to SSNIT in respect of social security contribution as of December 31, 2007 which stood at Gh¢54.44 million, representing an increase of 26.5 per cent over the previous year’s figure of Gh¢43.03 million.
Mr Osei said the Trust would also prosecute defaulting employers.
He said while doing so, the Trust would not ignore negotiations for payment of contribution arrears by genuinely distressed employers.
During the public forum, members congratulated the management and board of the Trust for the openness in which the scheme was being operated and called for the pensions paid to be increased to reflect the present economic conditions prevailing in the country.
Aliu launches special fund on human trafficking
Page 47 (lead) November/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine & Emma Ballantine Dykes
THE Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has launched a special fund to support the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at the elimination of human trafficking.
The fund will be under the control of the Human Trafficking Board, headed by the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs. Ministries, including Health, Education, Science and Sports, Manpower, Youth and Employment and the Interior, are also represented on the board.
Alhaji Mahama condemned trafficking of any kind, ranging from the relocation of a child to work in the house of a relative to the highly organised criminal activities which lured vulnerable individuals into sex slavery or bonded labour.
He added that the government was committed to addressing trafficking within the country and said that “rigorous interrogation and effective remedial measures” were needed.
The Vice-President explained that Ghana already subscribed to a comprehensive legislature and programme framework aimed at tackling the menace and had signed various international treaties and agreements.
“The Human Trafficking Act of 2005 (Act 694) is expected to be the spear point that drives other rules forward. In this regard, the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs has detailed national action plans for effective implementation involving partnerships with relevant agencies, international development partners and civil society groups,” he stated.
He also drew attention to the various government schemes already in place which were designed to address the needs of those made vulnerable to trafficking due to poverty, mentioning the LEAP programme, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).
He emphasised, however, that those measures could only be successful if individuals appreciated the role they had to play in the campaign against human trafficking.
“Law enforcement agencies in particular need to be sensitive in their dealings because cross-border agreements are only as effective as the will to enforce them,” he warned.
The Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, also underlined the seriousness of the issue, describing human trafficking as “a dehumanising heinous crime” which called for concerted effort for its elimination from society.
She gave assurance that developing the institutions involved in ending human trafficking and helping victims was a key aim of the Human Trafficking Board, adding that initiatives were already underway to sensitise and build the capacity of government officials, law enforcement and security agencies, the judiciary, civil society organisations, the media, religious bodies and children.
She highlighted the board’s efforts at assisting in the rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked persons, providing support in the form of school uniforms, clothing, micro-finance and alternative livelihood skills training.
Hajia Mahama added that through interaction with community opinion leaders, chiefs, traditional rulers and queens, the board hoped to raise awareness of the issue in communities identified as ‘sending’ and ‘receiving’ areas.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine & Emma Ballantine Dykes
THE Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has launched a special fund to support the implementation of policies and programmes aimed at the elimination of human trafficking.
The fund will be under the control of the Human Trafficking Board, headed by the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs. Ministries, including Health, Education, Science and Sports, Manpower, Youth and Employment and the Interior, are also represented on the board.
Alhaji Mahama condemned trafficking of any kind, ranging from the relocation of a child to work in the house of a relative to the highly organised criminal activities which lured vulnerable individuals into sex slavery or bonded labour.
He added that the government was committed to addressing trafficking within the country and said that “rigorous interrogation and effective remedial measures” were needed.
The Vice-President explained that Ghana already subscribed to a comprehensive legislature and programme framework aimed at tackling the menace and had signed various international treaties and agreements.
“The Human Trafficking Act of 2005 (Act 694) is expected to be the spear point that drives other rules forward. In this regard, the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs has detailed national action plans for effective implementation involving partnerships with relevant agencies, international development partners and civil society groups,” he stated.
He also drew attention to the various government schemes already in place which were designed to address the needs of those made vulnerable to trafficking due to poverty, mentioning the LEAP programme, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP).
He emphasised, however, that those measures could only be successful if individuals appreciated the role they had to play in the campaign against human trafficking.
“Law enforcement agencies in particular need to be sensitive in their dealings because cross-border agreements are only as effective as the will to enforce them,” he warned.
The Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Hajia Alima Mahama, also underlined the seriousness of the issue, describing human trafficking as “a dehumanising heinous crime” which called for concerted effort for its elimination from society.
She gave assurance that developing the institutions involved in ending human trafficking and helping victims was a key aim of the Human Trafficking Board, adding that initiatives were already underway to sensitise and build the capacity of government officials, law enforcement and security agencies, the judiciary, civil society organisations, the media, religious bodies and children.
She highlighted the board’s efforts at assisting in the rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked persons, providing support in the form of school uniforms, clothing, micro-finance and alternative livelihood skills training.
Hajia Mahama added that through interaction with community opinion leaders, chiefs, traditional rulers and queens, the board hoped to raise awareness of the issue in communities identified as ‘sending’ and ‘receiving’ areas.
Dont politicise any form of crime
Page 3 (lead) November 4/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Police Administration has asked politicians to desist from politicising every form of crime in the country and allow it to function as per its mandate.
“They should leave us alone to do our work and we can assure them that we will always live above reproach by being fair, neutral and impartial to all,” it added.
The Director of Public Affairs of the Police Service, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, made the call in an interview with the Daily Graphic in reaction to calls by the various political parties to the service to demonstrate its impartiality and fairness to all parties contesting the December polls.
The service has come under severe criticisms lately following its handling of various clashes among party supporters, particularly between those of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to the parties, mainly those from the opposition side, many perpetrators of crime from the ruling party were let off the hook, while those belonging to the other side were either maltreated by the police or arrested, detained and made to face the full rigours of the law.
But DSP Ofori denied the allegation and said, “People only perceive this because they tend to politicise what we do by looking at what happens with a political eye and through political lenses.”
He said in effecting any arrest, the police did a thorough work to ensure that there was evidence of crime, saying where there was none, they let the suspect go free as per the law.
“By doing this, we are not being impartial because we do not consider the party colours of those we find to be infringing the laws of the country,” DSP Ofori said.
He said the police had never been part of any political party and would not do so under any circumstance.
He added that the police were not directly involved in the elections, saying, “Our duty is to provide security and that is what we are doing, for which we plead to be left alone to do our job.”
On the measures the police were taking to ensure the full protection of ballot boxes, he said, “We, in collaboration with the other security services, are going to deploy men to all the polling stations to ensure that ballot boxes are protected and also prevent any violent acts that may disrupt the voting process.”
He said there was presently in force a National Elections Security Task Force which was ably headed by the Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Mr Patrick Acheampong, and which comprised all the allied security forces to ensure a successful electoral process.
Asked whether the Police Service was training special forces to rig the elections in favour of the ruling party, as was being speculated in some quarters, he replied in the negative.
He said the Police Administration had special forces in place at all times which routinely trained in preparedness for major events in the country.
“They are a stand-by force which is deployed to maintain law and order when the regular forces are in difficulty and need rapid reinforcement to avoid bloodshed and mayhem,” he said.
DSP Ofori described what was being perceived as a special training to rig the elections in favour of one party as ridiculous, a fabrication and an absolute untruth being told to tarnish the image of the police prior to the December polls.
“We have not, in the history of this country, been held responsible for contributing to the rigging of any election and this is not the time for us to do so because it is not part of our mandate,” he stressed.
He reiterated his call on politicians to allow the service to function the way it ought to, adding that if they did that all would see how professionally the police discharged their mandate as per the law.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
THE Police Administration has asked politicians to desist from politicising every form of crime in the country and allow it to function as per its mandate.
“They should leave us alone to do our work and we can assure them that we will always live above reproach by being fair, neutral and impartial to all,” it added.
The Director of Public Affairs of the Police Service, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, made the call in an interview with the Daily Graphic in reaction to calls by the various political parties to the service to demonstrate its impartiality and fairness to all parties contesting the December polls.
The service has come under severe criticisms lately following its handling of various clashes among party supporters, particularly between those of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
According to the parties, mainly those from the opposition side, many perpetrators of crime from the ruling party were let off the hook, while those belonging to the other side were either maltreated by the police or arrested, detained and made to face the full rigours of the law.
But DSP Ofori denied the allegation and said, “People only perceive this because they tend to politicise what we do by looking at what happens with a political eye and through political lenses.”
He said in effecting any arrest, the police did a thorough work to ensure that there was evidence of crime, saying where there was none, they let the suspect go free as per the law.
“By doing this, we are not being impartial because we do not consider the party colours of those we find to be infringing the laws of the country,” DSP Ofori said.
He said the police had never been part of any political party and would not do so under any circumstance.
He added that the police were not directly involved in the elections, saying, “Our duty is to provide security and that is what we are doing, for which we plead to be left alone to do our job.”
On the measures the police were taking to ensure the full protection of ballot boxes, he said, “We, in collaboration with the other security services, are going to deploy men to all the polling stations to ensure that ballot boxes are protected and also prevent any violent acts that may disrupt the voting process.”
He said there was presently in force a National Elections Security Task Force which was ably headed by the Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Mr Patrick Acheampong, and which comprised all the allied security forces to ensure a successful electoral process.
Asked whether the Police Service was training special forces to rig the elections in favour of the ruling party, as was being speculated in some quarters, he replied in the negative.
He said the Police Administration had special forces in place at all times which routinely trained in preparedness for major events in the country.
“They are a stand-by force which is deployed to maintain law and order when the regular forces are in difficulty and need rapid reinforcement to avoid bloodshed and mayhem,” he said.
DSP Ofori described what was being perceived as a special training to rig the elections in favour of one party as ridiculous, a fabrication and an absolute untruth being told to tarnish the image of the police prior to the December polls.
“We have not, in the history of this country, been held responsible for contributing to the rigging of any election and this is not the time for us to do so because it is not part of our mandate,” he stressed.
He reiterated his call on politicians to allow the service to function the way it ought to, adding that if they did that all would see how professionally the police discharged their mandate as per the law.
Fairness Please
Front page (lead) November 1/2008
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
POLITICAL parties contesting this year’s general elections yesterday asked three institutions — the Electoral Commission, the media and the security agencies — to help create an atmosphere for free elections in December by demonstrating fairness to all.
While committing themselves to ensuring peace wherever they found themselves on the political platform, they said the role of the three institutions were crucial and therefore urged them to eschew partiality and instead demonstrate absolute neutrality.
The parties, represented by either their presidential candidates or running mates, made the call at the Editor’s Forum in Accra, which was meant to provide a common platform for all the leaders of the parties to commit themselves to peace before, during and after the general election.
Party leaders who attended the forum included Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mrs Petra Amegashie, running mate to the presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Mr John Dramani Mahama, running mate to the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Mr T.N. Ward Brew, presidential candidate of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP).
The rest were Mr Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi, presidential candidate of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and Mr Kwabena Adjei, the presidential candidate of the Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD), a breakaway faction of the NPP.
In turns, each of them demonstrated their commitment to peace, but emphasised that it was also necessary for the youth, as well as the government, to ensure that they fully backed the democratic process by tolerating divergent views from all quarters.
Concerning their placement on the ballot paper, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, who was asked to speak first, said his party , since its establishment, had demonstrated its love for peace and would continue to work towards that at all times.
He said his party’s commitment to peace did not begin this year but in 1992, when, after losing the general election, which he described as largely flawed, the party chose to write a book, “The Stolen Verdict”, which he authored, as a way of expressing the party’s resolve to maintaining peace in the country instead of resorting to violence.
Nana Akufo-Addo then turned his attention to the EC and entreated the commission to act with dispatch in responding to complaints from the political parties to maintain its integrity and credibility among voters.
He urged all media houses to show good judgement when reporting issues that may lead to violence and consequently appealed to the youth not to allow themselves to be used by any political party for any violent activity.
Mrs Amegashie, for her part, said there were agitations in the system because some political parties were not being treated fairly and, therefore, felt cheated.
“Each of us believe we will win but let us resolve that should we not win, we will only go back to learn from our mistakes and launch another campaign when the time is due because we might be lucky next time,” she added.
Mrs Amegashie entreated the parties to be each other’s keeper because each party’s contribution was key to ensuring accelerated development and growth in the country.
She said the media needed to be seen as neutral, adding that “even when there are inflammatory statements on the political platform, the media can tone down the language in their reports to the masses”.
Mr John Mahama of the NDC said the forum was not organised for what he described as a superficial show but for people to frankly indicate and demonstrate their commitment to peace.
He said Ghana was at a critical stage of its existence and said, “We have successfully held four general elections in this country and we cannot afford to fail this fifth time to maintain the goodwill and international respect we have earned as a country”.
Mr Mahama, however, noted that peace could not come when there was a lot of hot air being blown into the system and called on all to truly demonstrate their commitment to peace through their actions and statements.
He cited the role of the Electoral Commission as crucial, saying “the EC has a duty to organise elections in a manner that will not create room for any party to complain about its conduct.
Mr Mahama cited the incidents that characterised the limited registration of new voters, where minors were allegedly registered but the electoral officers and agents refused, for whatever reasons, to turn those minors away and noted that unless the polling assistants and the agents lived up to their responsibilities, there would be avenues for complaints that will not augur well for the democratic process and the peace the nation badly yearned for.
The Presidential candidate of the CPP, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, said the “CPP will continue to engage in politics of ideas and offer our brand of government of inclusion using people; I am offering a soft heart to create a just and caring society and a leadership that will work with great sense of urgency to implement solutions so that our people can enjoy the benefits early”.
While others called on the EC to be steadfast and fair to all, he said the CPP would not do or say anything that would undermine the credibility of the EC because “if the commission loses its credibility, so will the credibility of the elections be lost; if we have anything important to say to them, we will say it to them directly and also during the Inter-party Advisory Committee meetings”.
“We all must acknowledge the fact that we have problems,” he said and noted that “it is important to face the fact that there are differences between the postures of the political parties on the matter of peace; there are differences between the Presidential candidates; there are differences in our backgrounds outside politics and in government”.
He mentioned the role of the media in ensuring peace and brought to the fore some of the reckless attributions and twists given to speeches made on the political platform.
He claimed that he had been a victim of such attributions and twists and indicated that that was not good for the peace of the nation.
The presidential candidate for DFP, Mr Ansah-Antwi, said political parties should demonstrate their unflinching commitment to the election process by signing a pact to abide by the result of the election as the first step to consolidating the gains made since the inception of multi-party democracy in 1993.
“It is only then that we can do away with elements whose unbridled quest for political power, no matter the cost to the general welfare of the people, would be kept in check,” he asserted.
He said the media’s role had become more crucial than ever since democracy could not survive if the media, being the fourth estate of the realm, became aloof when openness and free expressions of thought were suppressed.
“The media cannot overlook the abuses of the liberties of the individual and the freedoms therein, which are vital for the growth and development of society,” he emphasised and affirmed his commitment to peace, noting that, “democracy thrives on openness and it is the media which can ensure this by exposing the failings of official holders and guiding them to their responsibilities”.
Mr T. N. Ward-Brew, for his part, expressed his commitment to peace and urged the electorate to also demonstrate theirs for peaceful elections in December by following the election procedures, and comporting themselves to avoid any disturbances at the polling stations.
He said it was the duty of every Ghanaian to behave well during the elections and called for fairness in each other’s private life as a reflection of the country’s commitment to holding peaceful election.
He later took a swipe at the IEA for what he described as the display of bias and gross injustice to the political parties that were not included in the recent presidential debate.
The RDP presidential candidate, Mr Kwabena Adjei, said it behoved the EC to give the election procedure the needed attention it deserved by not giving any preferential treatment to any political party.
“We are all calling for peace but none is calling for justice,” he stated, adding that the peace being called for was not just for the purposes of the elections but also period after them.
The function was chaired by His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, the Catholic Archbishop of Cape Coast, who expressed the hope that the symposium had created a symphony for peace in the country.
He urged all the candidates to ensure that they backed their words and pledges with deeds to make Ghana a country free of violence.
Story: Charles Benoni Okine
POLITICAL parties contesting this year’s general elections yesterday asked three institutions — the Electoral Commission, the media and the security agencies — to help create an atmosphere for free elections in December by demonstrating fairness to all.
While committing themselves to ensuring peace wherever they found themselves on the political platform, they said the role of the three institutions were crucial and therefore urged them to eschew partiality and instead demonstrate absolute neutrality.
The parties, represented by either their presidential candidates or running mates, made the call at the Editor’s Forum in Accra, which was meant to provide a common platform for all the leaders of the parties to commit themselves to peace before, during and after the general election.
Party leaders who attended the forum included Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mrs Petra Amegashie, running mate to the presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Mr John Dramani Mahama, running mate to the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Mr T.N. Ward Brew, presidential candidate of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP).
The rest were Mr Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi, presidential candidate of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and Mr Kwabena Adjei, the presidential candidate of the Reformed Patriotic Democrats (RPD), a breakaway faction of the NPP.
In turns, each of them demonstrated their commitment to peace, but emphasised that it was also necessary for the youth, as well as the government, to ensure that they fully backed the democratic process by tolerating divergent views from all quarters.
Concerning their placement on the ballot paper, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, who was asked to speak first, said his party , since its establishment, had demonstrated its love for peace and would continue to work towards that at all times.
He said his party’s commitment to peace did not begin this year but in 1992, when, after losing the general election, which he described as largely flawed, the party chose to write a book, “The Stolen Verdict”, which he authored, as a way of expressing the party’s resolve to maintaining peace in the country instead of resorting to violence.
Nana Akufo-Addo then turned his attention to the EC and entreated the commission to act with dispatch in responding to complaints from the political parties to maintain its integrity and credibility among voters.
He urged all media houses to show good judgement when reporting issues that may lead to violence and consequently appealed to the youth not to allow themselves to be used by any political party for any violent activity.
Mrs Amegashie, for her part, said there were agitations in the system because some political parties were not being treated fairly and, therefore, felt cheated.
“Each of us believe we will win but let us resolve that should we not win, we will only go back to learn from our mistakes and launch another campaign when the time is due because we might be lucky next time,” she added.
Mrs Amegashie entreated the parties to be each other’s keeper because each party’s contribution was key to ensuring accelerated development and growth in the country.
She said the media needed to be seen as neutral, adding that “even when there are inflammatory statements on the political platform, the media can tone down the language in their reports to the masses”.
Mr John Mahama of the NDC said the forum was not organised for what he described as a superficial show but for people to frankly indicate and demonstrate their commitment to peace.
He said Ghana was at a critical stage of its existence and said, “We have successfully held four general elections in this country and we cannot afford to fail this fifth time to maintain the goodwill and international respect we have earned as a country”.
Mr Mahama, however, noted that peace could not come when there was a lot of hot air being blown into the system and called on all to truly demonstrate their commitment to peace through their actions and statements.
He cited the role of the Electoral Commission as crucial, saying “the EC has a duty to organise elections in a manner that will not create room for any party to complain about its conduct.
Mr Mahama cited the incidents that characterised the limited registration of new voters, where minors were allegedly registered but the electoral officers and agents refused, for whatever reasons, to turn those minors away and noted that unless the polling assistants and the agents lived up to their responsibilities, there would be avenues for complaints that will not augur well for the democratic process and the peace the nation badly yearned for.
The Presidential candidate of the CPP, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, said the “CPP will continue to engage in politics of ideas and offer our brand of government of inclusion using people; I am offering a soft heart to create a just and caring society and a leadership that will work with great sense of urgency to implement solutions so that our people can enjoy the benefits early”.
While others called on the EC to be steadfast and fair to all, he said the CPP would not do or say anything that would undermine the credibility of the EC because “if the commission loses its credibility, so will the credibility of the elections be lost; if we have anything important to say to them, we will say it to them directly and also during the Inter-party Advisory Committee meetings”.
“We all must acknowledge the fact that we have problems,” he said and noted that “it is important to face the fact that there are differences between the postures of the political parties on the matter of peace; there are differences between the Presidential candidates; there are differences in our backgrounds outside politics and in government”.
He mentioned the role of the media in ensuring peace and brought to the fore some of the reckless attributions and twists given to speeches made on the political platform.
He claimed that he had been a victim of such attributions and twists and indicated that that was not good for the peace of the nation.
The presidential candidate for DFP, Mr Ansah-Antwi, said political parties should demonstrate their unflinching commitment to the election process by signing a pact to abide by the result of the election as the first step to consolidating the gains made since the inception of multi-party democracy in 1993.
“It is only then that we can do away with elements whose unbridled quest for political power, no matter the cost to the general welfare of the people, would be kept in check,” he asserted.
He said the media’s role had become more crucial than ever since democracy could not survive if the media, being the fourth estate of the realm, became aloof when openness and free expressions of thought were suppressed.
“The media cannot overlook the abuses of the liberties of the individual and the freedoms therein, which are vital for the growth and development of society,” he emphasised and affirmed his commitment to peace, noting that, “democracy thrives on openness and it is the media which can ensure this by exposing the failings of official holders and guiding them to their responsibilities”.
Mr T. N. Ward-Brew, for his part, expressed his commitment to peace and urged the electorate to also demonstrate theirs for peaceful elections in December by following the election procedures, and comporting themselves to avoid any disturbances at the polling stations.
He said it was the duty of every Ghanaian to behave well during the elections and called for fairness in each other’s private life as a reflection of the country’s commitment to holding peaceful election.
He later took a swipe at the IEA for what he described as the display of bias and gross injustice to the political parties that were not included in the recent presidential debate.
The RDP presidential candidate, Mr Kwabena Adjei, said it behoved the EC to give the election procedure the needed attention it deserved by not giving any preferential treatment to any political party.
“We are all calling for peace but none is calling for justice,” he stated, adding that the peace being called for was not just for the purposes of the elections but also period after them.
The function was chaired by His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson, the Catholic Archbishop of Cape Coast, who expressed the hope that the symposium had created a symphony for peace in the country.
He urged all the candidates to ensure that they backed their words and pledges with deeds to make Ghana a country free of violence.
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