With the banter on Genetically Modified foods onging within the media in Ghana, the Graphic Communications Group Limited organsied a media training for journalists in Accra last Thursday. Currently, Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG) is kicking against the introduction of the genetically-modified (GM) foods and crop. In addition, they embarked on a march against the introduction of genetically modified crops and foods into the Ghanaian market on October 12, 2012 at the Agbloboshie market in Accra, to sensitise traders to the health effects of the crops and call on them to reject their introduction. According to them, GM foods were associated with heart diseases, fibroid, diabetes and cancers, among others, and, as such they were not good for human consumption. They also raised concerns about the economic implications farmers and the country were likely to face if the crops were allowed into the country. Besides, the FSG believes government breached the National Bio-safety Act 2011 by allowing the processes, when the National Bio-safety Authority has not been set up. Interestingly, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is calling for an extensive stakeholder debate to unravel the full effects of GM foods before it is accepted and produced commercially in Ghana. Meanwhile, the National Biosafety Committee, the nation's interim regulator of GM foods in the country,  has assured Ghanaians that there is nothing harmful about GM Foods. A member of the committee and former Director General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Prof. Walter Alhassan Sundow, who was a resource person at the training, said it is certain GM foods that have gone through the required safety testing procedures could be considered safer than the conventionally produced ones because of the tedious approval procedures they go through. He noted that GM crops have the potential of producing pest resistant, nitrogen efficient and drought resistant crops, and thereby help to increase yield and more nutritious crops quality. The CSIR is currently undertaking confined field trials of GM rice and cowpea, expected to hit the market soon. With all these battles, the big question on most people's mind is what at all is GM foods? According to the Wikipedia, they are foods produced from organisms that have had specific changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. These techniques have allowed for the introduction of new crop traits, as well as a far greater control over a food's genetic structure than previously afforded by methods such as selective breeding and mutation breeding. Commercial sale of genetically modified foods began in 1994, when Calgene first marketed its Flavr Savr delayed ripening tomato. To date most genetic modification of foods have primarily focused on cash crops in high demand by farmers such as soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil. These have been engineered for resistance to pathogens and herbicides as well as better nutrient profiles. GM livestock have also been experimentally developed, although as of November 2013 none is currently on the market. Controversies The controversy is a dispute over the use of food and other goods derived from genetically modified crops instead of conventional crops, and other uses of genetic engineering in food production. The dispute involves consumers, biotechnology companies, governmental regulators, non-governmental organisations, and scientists. The key areas of controversy are whether GM foods should be labelled, the role of government regulators, the objectivity of scientific research and publication, the effect of GM crops on health and the environment, the effect on pesticide resistance, the impact of GM crops for farmers, and the role of GM crops in feeding the world population. Proponents This group claims that there are many advantages including the following: • Crops are more productive and have a larger yield. • Potentially, offer more nutrition and flavour (although this is debatable). • A possibility that they could eliminate allergy-causing properties in some foods. • Inbuilt resistance to pests, weeds and disease. • More capable of thriving in regions with poor soil or adverse climates. • More environment friendly as they require less herbicides and pesticides. • Foods are more resistant and stay ripe for longer so they can be shipped to long distances or kept on shop shelves for longer periods. • As more GMO crops can be grown on relatively small parcels of land, they are an answer to feeding growing world populations. Corporations Some corporations insist that genetically modified foods are safe because changing a few genes here and there does not make a crop toxic or dangerous. The claim is why shouldn't we alter nature to meet our needs? And also because there are many natural organisms that human beings have transformed to serve their purpose. Critics Critics cite the dangers of GMO noting the following: • Scientists can choose which genes to manipulate, but they don't yet know where in the DNA to precisely insert these genes and they have no way of controlling gene expression. Genes don't work in isolation, changing a few could change the whole picture, with unpredictable results. • The use of genetically modified food should not be encouraged without research into the risk factors. • Not labelling is wrong and unfair to the consumers who should have the right to know what they are buying so they can decide for themselves whether they want to buy the food or not. Even if health safety factors are not an issue, some people might have moral or religious objections. They should not have to eat GMOs if they don't want to. • GM crops pose a risk to food diversity as the plants are much more dominant. • Herbicide-resistant and pesticide-resistant crops could give rise to super-weeds and super-pests that would need newer, stronger chemicals to destroy them. • GMO crops cross-pollinate with nearby non-GMO plants and could create ecological problems. If this were to happen with GMO foods containing vaccines, antibiotics, contraceptives and so on, it would very well turn into a human health nightmare. • The claim of ending world hunger with GMOs is false. World hunger is not caused by a shortage of food production, but by sheer mismanagement, and lack of access to food brought about by various social, financial and political causes. • GMO technology companies patent their crops and also engineer crops so that harvested grain germs are incapable of developing. This is not empowering to impoverished Third World farmers, who cannot save seeds for replanting and have to buy expensive seeds from the companies every year. The new technology also interferes with traditional agricultural methods which may be more suited to local environments. GMOs are not the answer to world hunger and health. Instead, focus should be on improving organic agricultural practices which are kinder to the earth and healthier for humans. • There are many more questions about genetically modified food that can only be answered through time, research and experience. Which side of the argument do you belong to ? This is the crux of the matter in the ongoing debate of GMOs. Food is an emotional topic. It matters a great deal to all of us. We are what we eat after all. The subject is also of vested interest for the corporations that manufacture genetically modified seeds and agricultural technologies. The arguments are intense and passionate.  

  Two policemen who have been extorting monies from people who withdraw monies from automated teller machines (ATM) have been arrested. The two officials, whose names were not given, are believed to be members of a group engaged in such operations. According to a statement signed by the Director General of Public Affairs at the Ghana Police Service, DCOP (Rev) David Nenyi Ampah-Bennin, the two were arrested upon intelligence from the public. It said, a third member, General Lance Corporal Adu Poku is currently on the run. The statement noted that investigations into the operations of the policemen have started in earnest and the public would be duly informed of the outcome. The Police Service expressed appreciation to individuals who volunteered information which led to the arrest of the policemen.  

  Thomas Ofori, unemployed, was on Monday, January 13, 2014 handed a 24-month jail term by a Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Mr D. W. P. Amedior, for stealing six heavy duty truck batteries worth GH¢2,100 belonging to Nato Company. Ofori pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing and was convicted on his own plea. He was arrested while on board a taxi on December 18, last year around 4:30 a.m. by police personnel during a snap check at Santasi near the Opoku Ware Senior High School (OWASS) in Kumasi. Presenting the facts of the case, Chief Inspector Rose Essuman told the court that on that fateful day, personnel from the mobile patrol unit were on duty around OWASS conducting snap checks. She said during the exercise, the personnel stopped the cab on which Ofori was on board and when it was searched, four of the heavy duty truck batteries, which were suspected to have been stolen, were found hidden in the car. Chief Inspector Essuman said Ofori was arrested and during interrogation, he admitted to have stolen the batteries from the said company and when the director of the company was contacted, he confirmed that the company had suffered series of battery thefts in the past. However, during interrogation, Ofori disclosed that he  had stolen only six out of the 36 batteries that the company claimed had been stolen.  

  A 44-year-old driver, Alex Boateng, has been fined GH¢144.00 by the Odumase-Krobo Circuit Court for careless and inconsiderate driving, causing unlawful damage and failing to report an accident. Ten penalty units on the first two charges were imposed on Boateng who faces eight months’ imprisonment with hard labour in default, while the third charge attracted two penalty units (in default he would serve four months’ imprisonment). The prosecutor, ASP Richmond Akwasi Yeboah, told the court, presided over by Mr Asmah Akwasi Asiedu, that the complainant was a media marketer resident in Accra and in charge of a private saloon car, while the accused, Boateng, a resident of Somanya, was a driver in charge of a cargo truck. He said on December 22, 2012, at about 6:05 p.m., Boateng loaded his vehicle with yams, driving from the Akosombo direction towards Kpong. He said on reaching a section of the road at Belekope, a fishing community near Kpong, Boateng  was overtaking two stationary vehicles parked by the roadside without due care and attention and in the process, lost control of the steering wheel and suddenly veered off his lane and hit the saloon car, which was then coming from the opposite direction, causing damage to it. The prosecutor said Boateng abandoned his vehicle after the accident and ran away to an unknown destination. He said police intelligence later led to his arrest at Somanya.  

  Despite efforts by the police to clamp down on the Okada business, it is obvious that motorbikes used for commercial purposes have become a booming venture which is gradually engulfing the Accra metropolis and other regions. From the General Post Office area and the Agege Taxi Station at the Rawlings Park, both in the central business district, to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital at Korle Gonno, Dome and Kwabenya in Greater Accra Region, through to the north; Agbozome, Dzodze and Klikor in the Volta Region, the business booms. Currently, the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service has banned the use of motorbikes for commercial purposes in the country. However, this seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Besides, the biggest challenge facing the police is how to differentiate between a private motorbike user and a commercial one. This is evident in the statistics from January to December last year, with as many as 2,570 private and Okada users being crashed in various accidents. In the middle of last year, the MTTD announced its readiness to deal with operators of Okada when it arrested 73 commercial motorbike riders and pillions. Out of the number, 26 were processed for court, out of which 20 were fined between GH¢600 and GH¢1,000. Two pleaded not guilty, while six of the motorbikes were confiscated. Patronage Patronage of Okada has been due to the heavy traffic jams in the capital city. A number of people who go shopping prefer the services of the Okada riders to reach their destinations. In view of the terrible traffic, some workers also use the Okada, instead of trotro and other public transport services, to avoid reporting for work late. In a chat with The Mirror, an Okada rider, Ibrahim Sango, said patronage was very high, as some commuters preferred Okada services to get to their destinations more quickly than being in vehicles which hardly moved because of the intensive traffic in the metropolis. “Yes, business slowed down a bit after the Christmas festivities. However, I can say the business is picking up, since many people prefer hiring us to their places of work and the various shopping centres, especially in the mornings, because we are able to manoeuvre our way through the traffic,” he explained. Another operator, Avon Quarshie, disclosed that his daily sales had increased from GH¢50 to GH¢150 and described it as a lucrative and unstoppable venture. He said he charged between GH¢2 and GH¢5, depending on where the passenger would alight. For instance, from the Opera Square in Accra Central to the Graphic Communications Group Head Office by taxi costs between GH¢5 and GH¢7, while an Okada charges GH¢3. A businessman, Edwin Asante, who is into debt collection, said he preferred using the Okada because it was faster compared to mini buses and taxis. “My office is at Kasoa but my clients are in Accra Central. Therefore, most of the time I park my car and use the Okada, since it is faster and cheaper, especially in this day of fuel price increment,” he explained. Dangers of Okada A visit to some of the Okada ‘stations’ in Accra revealed that many riders did not use helmets nor provided any for their passengers. Quarshie and 10 of his friends operate from the General Post Office area to Korle-Bu, Dansoman and Mamprobi. Quarshie has a helmet but does not use it often. According to him, some passengers did not also find it comfortable wearing the helmet. Recently, the Queen of Koforidua-Ada in the New Juaben municipality, Nana Ama Amponsah, died after she had been knocked down by a motorbike. That was not an isolated case, as there have been several deaths involving Okada. Origin of Okada Okada is a commercial motorbike business that emerged in Nigeria in 1980. The business entails the transportation of fare-paying passengers from one point to another. Interestingly, Okada was coined from the defunct Okada Airline that used to operate quick-fix operations of flying passengers from one airport to another. Law enforcement Deputy Commissioner of Police (DSP) Alexandra Obeng, who is in charge of Research and Training at the MTTD, said the law required motor riders to wear protective and reflective apparel. Regulation 128 compels riders to wear reflective jackets, helmets, knee and elbow caps and riding boots. DSP Obeng explained that that regulation was flouted by most Okada riders, who disregard the law and ride on  the pavements and the opposite side of the highway, dangerously manoevering and displaying in traffic. According to him, those who argued for the business to exist usually claim: "If we ban Okada business, many people will be unemployed." That logic is also flawed because if we allow them to do their business because they will be unemployed, then we should also allow thieves, prostitutes and child traffickers to do their work because if they are prevented from doing their work, they will be unemployed. Until 2012, there was no law to legally arrest and prosecute people who used motorbikes for commercial transportation purposes. Intensified calls by some members of the public who disapproved of the practice due to safety issues, however, led to the promulgation of a law which now makes it illegal for motor riders to carry fare-paying passengers from one point to another.  

  For sleeping with his 15-year-old younger sister and impregnating her at Oketsen, near Mankrong-Junction in the Central Region, Kofi Awadzinu, 33, has been jailed 15 years with hard labour by the Agona Swedru Circuit Court. Awadzinu reportedly sneaked out of town with his pregnant victim ostensibly to abort the foetus in a hospital at Adeiso, where the doctor declined to terminate the pregnancy and informed the victim’s elder sister, leading to the arrest of Awadzinu. The Presiding Judge, Mr Yaw Atta Sampson, convicted Awadzinu on his plea of guilty to the charges of incest and defilement and handed him the sentence. Inspector S. Opoku-Mensah said the victim lived with her brother, Awadzinu, at Oketsen, near the Mankrong Junction, and added that in June 2013 Avadzinu’s wife travelled out of town. The prosecutor said Awadzinu took advantage of his wife’s absence and continuously slept with her younger sister. Inspector Opoku-Mensah said in November 2013, an elder sister of the victim asked her to come and live with her for a while at Weija. According to the prosecutor, when the victim arrived at Weija, the elder sister noticed that she was pregnant. The prosecutor said enquiries made revealed that the victim was impregnated by Awadzinu. Inspector Opoku-Mensah said even though Awadzinu denied responsibility when he was confronted, he nevertheless sneaked out of the town with the victim to abort the pregnancy at the hospital.  

  A former National Coordinator of the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), Abuga Pele has been charged on 19 counts, including wilfully causing financial loss to the state for his role in the controversial GYEEDA scandal. Mr Pele is charged alongside the Chief Executive Officer of Goodwil Interantional Group, Philip Assibit. According to Citifmonline, the Financial Division of the Fast Track High Court has since granted self-recognizance bail to Mr. Abuga Pele. He was granted bail with two sureties while while Mr Assibit has been asked to produce two sureties with a justification of GHC 2 million. The two men, however denied the charges brought against them in court.  

  More troubles seem to be brewing on the head of a 27-year-old “self-styled,” pastor, Ernest Abotsi (aka) Salasi Koomson, after the Police preferred three similar charges of kidnapping against him in three separate incidents. The Police have now prepared three different dockets - charge of kidnapping three different minors in three different churches in Accra. When Abotsi mounted the dock to respond to his plea, he started speaking inaudibly, but the court asked him to rather start thinking about the language in which he was going to respond to his plea, instead of the enchantment. He was, however, declined bail and subsequently remanded by the court presided over by Ms Ellen Amoah.    The trial judge noted that the court had the duty of protecting society, especially the vulnerable, including children.        According to the court, there were series of cases against the accused person, and it was probable that he may commit similar offences if granted bail.    Abosti has been remanded to re-appear on February 6. Earlier Mr Augustines Obuor, who represented Abotsi, prayed the court to admit his client to bail, noting that, bail could be granted to Abotsi despite the charges leveled against him. According to Mr Obuor, although Abotsi was hated by some Ghanaians, he has substantial sureties including his parents to sign the bail bond if granted. Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) A. Suleman did not oppose  the bail application in the case in which Abotsi has been accused of kidnapping a nine-year-old girl from the Winners Chapel at the North Industrial Area. He is alleged to have taken a ransom of GH¢3,000.00. ASP Suleman, however, prayed the court to add a justification to the bail condition, and consider the fact that there were series of cases being reported against the accused person.    In another development, Abotsi denied kidnapping a 10-year-old boy at the International Central Gospel Church at Abossey Okai on December 1 last year, and taking a ransom of GH¢3,000.00. On December 8 of last year, Abosti was said to have again kidnapped an eight-year-old girl at the Winners Chapel at the North Industrial Area and taken a ransom of GH¢3,000.00. The Police has accused Abotsi and Isaac Atei in another case for allegedly kidnapping a nine- year- old victim at Quodesh Light House Chapel at North Kaneshie.  

The alleged mastermind of the 419 scheme that was used to dupe hundreds of Ghanaians has been grabbed by the police. Elikplim de-ben Selassie, the Chief Executive Officer of the Mass Social Welfare Scheme, was arrested at his hideout at Akropong in the Eastern Region. The suspect, who is believed to have orchestrated the scam which had duped hundreds of people of thousands of Ghana cedis, had gone under cover since December 17, 2013 when  six of his workers  were arrested. Policemen  picked him up from his hideout. The  police said Selassie had been interrogated and would be put before court. One of his accomplices, Ofosu Boateng,who was the head of protocol at the company, is still on the run. The scam The company, in April 2013, advertised extensively in the media that it was engaged in a social intervention project targeting to alleviate poverty among five million Ghanaians. At its launch at the Accra International Conference Centre, the company promised to provide top-up medical insurance, educational grants, building materials, access to an affordable housing scheme,  business set-up capital and community infrastructure. To subscribe, an individual had to pay a membership registration fee of GH¢20 for a lifetime registration card and he or she was required to pay GH¢10 periodically. Managers of the scheme claimed they had strategic partners in Europe who supported the scheme financially and also had the support of the Government of Ghana.  The company, which guaranteed assistance in social security services, claimed it had a workforce of about 2,900 officers across the country. Six suspects arrested  It would be recalled that six suspects — Francis Atta-Agyapong Junior, the Director of Operations of the company; Mawuli Agbota, an Accounts Officer; Samuel Nyamekye, an Administrative Assistant; Robert Atsrim, the Assistant Director of Operations; Patrick Quansah, a Network Engineer, and Solomon Lamptey, an Operations Officer — were arrested by the Sowutuom Police.  Victims The victims of the scam include politicians, businesses, individuals and employees of the company.  The Odorkor District Police Commander, Superintendent Abraham Acquaye, told the Daily Graphic that 250 employees of the company who had to pay GH¢225 each before gaining employment for a monthly salary of GH¢500 or GH¢600 had also been duped of millions of cedis by their employer. A number of companies which had supplied items such as cars, cement, roofing sheets, iron rods, rice, cooking oil, generators, home appliances, among others, are said to have told the police that cheques issued by de-ben Selassie were dud.  The items, according to the police, were retailed to registered members of the scheme on a hire-purchase basis without interest. Since the arrest of the suspects, more than 100 victims have reported their cases to the Odorkor Police. Supt Acquaye has advised members of the public with any form of information to report to the police. Writer’s email address: [email protected] 

  Professor Marian Ewurama Addy, the popular host of the National Science and Maths Quiz television programme - Brilliant Science and Maths Quiz- has passed on, aged 72. Prof. Addy, who died after a short illness on Tuesday, January 14, 2014 will be buried on March 1, 2014 at Saltpond. She was the first woman professor of science in Ghana and also a resource person for science education programmes in the country. As the Quiz Mistress of  the  weekly Science and Maths quiz programme on television, she contributed immensely to science education by making the subject interesting to Ghanaians of all ages. It is believed that her quiz mistress role inspired many female students to study science. Prof. Addy was a Professor of Biochemistry. She was educated at the St Monica’s Secondary School and continued to the University of Ghana, where she studied for a degree in Botany. She later obtained  a master’s and doctorate degrees in Biochemistry at the Pennsylvania State University. In the 1970s, she took leave from the University of Ghana to become the Director of Programmes for the Science Education Programme for Africa (SEPA), a Pan-African programme for pre-tertiary science education, which was based in Accra. Prof. Addy was married to Mr Ebenezer Charles Oko Addy, a Sociologist and one time athlete who won a gold medal in the 4 x 100 relay race at the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica in 1966. They were blessed with two daughters - Naa Lamiley Addy-Sadowsky and Lamiokor Esi Addy.  

Fear and panic have gripped medical doctors of the Eastern Regional hospital, Koforidua due to numerous armed robberies at the Medical Village, about two kilometres from the hospital. The robberies, which were intense last year with not less than three occurrences each week, led to one doctor being brutalised by the robbers who took away items such as laptops, flat screen television sets and iPads. There was a case of a female doctor who during one of the robberies was “manhandled” at an apartment she shared with three other doctors outside the medical village. Doctors leaving One of the doctors had already left and some of them are contemplating saying goodbye to the hospital if adequate measures are not instituted for their security. Although the police acted promptly in December, by erecting a tent at the Medical Village with patrols within the premises, most of the doctors are still scared of the robbers and have not been responding to night calls for emergency cases at the hospital. 50 Doctors In all, there are 50 resident doctors attached to the hospital out of which 20 are housed at the Medical Village with the rest staying in hired buildings. The hospital, which is the biggest health facility in the region with specialists, serves as a referral point for the numerous state-owned district hospitals, as well as the private hospitals and clinics in the region and some parts of the Volta Region. Trauma Commenting on the situation, the Hospital Administrator, Mr Peter Boateng, said although the police had erected a tent at the Medical Village, the doctors were still traumatised and not responding to night calls for emergency cases. Dilating further on the issue, he said the armed robberies started in 2012 and that although the hospital complained about it no action was taken. Mr Boateng said the situation worsened in 2013, which witnessed armed robbery attacks of not less than three within a fortnight at certain periods of that year. Police response Such a situation compelled the hospital administration to write to the regional minister with copies of the letter to the Regional Police Commander after which policemen from the New Juaben Municipal Police Command erected a tent at the Medical Village where day and night patrols were also conducted. Mr Boateng said no armed robbery had occurred since the police made their presence felt at the place in December last year. “The police are there but cannot be near most of the doctors’ houses throughout the night so they are scared to come out for emergency cases in the night because they do not know who they will meet when they come out of their residences,” Mr Boateng stated. The persistent armed robbery attacks on the doctors and their unwillingness to respond to night calls for emergency cases has led to the chiefs and opinion leaders within the New Juaben Municipality appealing to the Regional Police Command to pay attention to the issue. Chief Abu Adams expresses concern One of such traditional rulers, Chief Abu Adams, head of the Dagomba Community in the region, who was rushed to the regional hospital in the night at the weekend and was lucky to have a stand-by doctor to attend to him, was of the view that special security arrangements should be put in place at the Medical Village to protect the doctors. ACP Abass Abaa However, the Deputy Eastern Regional Police Commander, ACP James Abass Abaa, said the police had done the best to protect the doctors and that going the extra mile in that respect was not possible due to lack of personnel and equipment, especially vehicles. CCT option He, therefore, suggested to the doctors to subscribe to the installation of close circuit television (CCT) system that would be linked to police operations as the only way to guarantee 100 per cent safety. That was after ACP Abass Abaa had met the doctors with the information that he had personally arranged for the installation of CCT at their residences which they were to pay for the cost of installation to which the doctors had not yet responded. Hear him: “There are 210 crime-prone spots in the New Juaben municipality out of which tents have been erected at 10 of such places each with six policemen for day and night duties, making the number 60. 2,700 Policemen “There are 2,700 policemen in the region and if we are to erect tents in all the 210 crime-prone areas, where do we get the men and operational vehicles and this is why I have suggested to them the installation of the CCT at a minimal cost which they are yet to do,” ACP Abass Abaa stated. The Deputy Regional Police Commander, therefore, repeated his call to the doctors to go in for the CCT for their own protection, adding that the police had done their best in that respect.      

  The Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC Ghana), Mr Kofi Asamoah, has expressed support for the call for a state burial for ace journalist, Komla Afeke Dumor. Mr Asamoah described the Ghanaian BBC journalist as an astute media professional who placed Ghana on a high pedestal.  He said Dumor had left an indelible mark in the annals of history. Mr Asamoah made the call when he signed a book of condolence in memory of the departed journalist in Accra. The TUC boss added that Mr Dumor was a fine journalist who attached much commitment and dedication to his work, and that such a person only needed to be highly commended like any other great person cherished by the country. “The TUC believes that if you do your work well as a Ghanaian in helping to promote the country both within and outside, you need to be recognised. It is not only political leaders who deserve state burials. Any Ghanaian who is committed to the growth and development of the country deserves such honour,” Mr Asamoah observed. He described the passing away of Komla Dumor and Samuel Hesse of Metro TV/ETV as a big blow to the congress. According to Mr Asamoah, the congress was shocked at the death of the journalists because their deaths were sudden and occurred on the same day. He said the world had lost great journalists, and encouraged media personnel not to be discouraged in their pursuit of excellence despite what had happened. The TUC expressed its deepest condolences to both the Dumor and Hesse families. Other dignitaries who had already signed the book of condolence at the International Press Centre include the Chairman of the National Media Commission, Mr Kabral Blay-Amihere, and the Director of the Public Affairs at the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, Nana Yaa Jantuah.  

A dispute between the management of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and staff of the Accra-Tema Metropolitan Area Production Unit (ATMA) over the payment of overtime allowances has degenerated into a threat by the staff to shut down five water production plants at the end of the month if the monies due them are not paid. The workers, numbering 180, have also demanded the resignation of the Chief Manager of the ATMA, Mr Emmanuel K. Appiah, who they accuse of arrogance, corruption and disrespect. The plants, namely the Kpong, Weija and Ada Kesseve headworks and the Tema and Accra booster stations, supply water to Tema,  Accra and some settlements close to the two metropolises. The leader of the agitated workers, Joseph Mensah, told the Daily Graphic that as part of the Collective Agreement (CA) of the company, workers were entitled to overtime allowances. But he claimed that since Mr Appiah assumed office, he had failed to ensure that monies due workers were paid them. Also, he said, Mr Appiah had produced a new duty roster which eliminated overtime hours. Mr Mensah also accused Mr Appiah of corruption, saying a clique had been established at the ATMA head office, which was headed by the Chief Manager and which siphoned money into private pockets. Another leader of the workers, Moses Anum, said Mr Appiah, contrary to a government directive that hampers should not be distributed at Christmas at the expense of the state, gave out hampers to the tune of GH¢12,000. That amount, he said, could have been used to repair machines at the treatment plants and for the replacement of old parts to boost water supply. “Currently, some of our machines need replacement of parts to make them function efficiently but due to the failure of management to replace those parts, the machines are idle. It is difficult to understand what the priorities of management are,” he said. Mr Anum said there had been an old practice of allocating 25 kilogrammes of rice and a gallon of oil at the end of every year to each worker within the ATMA but when Mr Appiah assumed office, he cancelled that offer without recourse to the workers’ agreement.  Instead, he said, Mr Appiah allocated to each worker 10 kilogrammes of rice and a litre of oil, a deal which workers had rejected. “We have made it known to him that we do not want the rice so he should take it to his home. We are simply not interested,” he said. When the Daily Graphic contacted Mr Appiah on the premises of the ATMA headquarters on Wednesday, he failed to deny or confirm the allegations. Instead, he brought in the Chief Manager of the GWCL in charge of Public Relations, Mr Michael Agyeman, who also failed to confirm or deny the allegations but sought to dissuade the reporter from going ahead with the publication. “We do not want anything in the papers which would cause fear and panic,” he said, adding that the issues raised “could be false.” However, he said, they would be brought to the attention of the Managing Director and investigated. According to him, Mr Appiah assumed office only in October and there were no indications yet that he had engaged in any untoward act.

  The Public Procurement Authority (PPA) is adopting new strategies to promote transparency and accountability in the award of government contracts, an official of the PPA has said. A key component of the strategies is the listing of all tenders online. The process is part of a pilot e-procurement project which provides a common platform for use by public institutions in public procurement and public financial management, and enhances competition by facilitating increased participation of service providers for government contracts. Other approaches that have been adopted to reduce corruption include publication of tenders of contracts above a certain threshold in newspapers and websites and public opening of tenders in competitive bidding. Financed by the World Bank, the e-procurement project is part of an e-Ghana project to introduce electronic transaction into government business. The introduction of the e-procurement system is expected to bring a major relief to contractors and suppliers who are often robbed of the genuine opportunity to win bids for contracts they tender. The system will also check rampant corrupt practices which emanate from the involvement of human interface in the procurement processes. PPA Activities Speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of the PPA, the Head of Human Resource and Administration of the PPA, Ms Yvonne Vanderpuye, said “Our collective monitoring of the process of selection and execution of contracts is critical to securing excellent values for the monies we spend.” “Even though our systems are not well developed, we are working hard on e-procurement that will take away the human factor as far as procurement is concerned or reduce the human interaction which is susceptible to corruption on most occasions,” she said.    She was addressing a stakeholder’s forum on Open Contracting, organised by Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) in Accra. Ms Vanderpuye said  “most times contracts are awarded and everybody goes to sleep but we must ensure that entities continue monitoring projects, until they are fully closed. For goods, until the goods are delivered into stores, and received according to the contracts awarded, the contracts have not been completed.” Critics of procurement process Currently, government spends 70 per cent of its budget after emolument on procurement of goods, works and services every year through contracts.   However, information related to such contracts is scanty, thereby, preventing the citizenry from deriving benefits of the huge investments. According to critics, even though Ghana’s Procurement Act was enacted on the principles of transparency, accountability, efficiency, economy and sustainability, there is growing perception that contracts are awarded not on the basis of factors including competence through evaluation criteria of specification, personnel, resources, experience, financial capacity and equipment holding but rather connections.   To change the trend, the World Bank Institute and World Bank Africa Region have supported diverse stakeholders in West and East Africa to promote open contracting initiatives. Stakeholders speak Mrs Florence Dennis, the Executive Secretary of the GACC, made a strong case for community participation, saying “these are contracts that our governments sign on our behalf. The whole idea is that if you want more transparency, more accountability, and more value for money, then these contracts that are signed on our behalf should be made open. There should be disclosure and participation in some of these contracts.” The Chairman of the Ghana Contract Monitoring, Dr Oboeh Ocansey, called for an evaluation of the establishment of the PPA to see if the country had really benefited from the law and the regulatory institution. Mr Mohammed Amin Adam, the Executive Director of Africa Centre for Energy Policy, expressed reservations about the lack of diligence on the part of Parliament before endorsing contracts for oil exploration in the country, some of which ended up in the hands of companies registered in secrecy jurisdictions. Writer’s email: [email protected]  

  Sitting uncomfortably on a stool under a neem tree on the land that used to accommodate their house, Rosemary Perimah watched over what the family could salvage. With eyes filled with tears, she gazed at the rubbles of their demolished house in the hope that the hand of the clock could be turned back so she could regain her property. Rosemary and others at Promiseland and Solomon City, suburbs of Adjei Kojo near Ashaiman, are, obviously, yet to come to terms with the reality that their houses were demolished on January 22 and 23, 2014 by the task force from the Tema Development Corporation (TDC), with the demolishing exercise still ongoing at the time the Daily Graphic visited the site. She, like the hundreds of residents in the affected area, slept in the open overnight after the task force razed down every building in sight on the parcel of land which is part of the 63-square miles area belonging to the TDC. Rosemary told the Daily Graphic that her husband, a policeman, received a call on Thursday, informing him that members of the task force were pulling down their house. She said when his husband rushed to the area, the team had carried out the exercise and destroyed every item in the house, leaving them homeless and stranded. “If you look at the present economic condition in the country, it is very painful for someone to toil and lay hands on money to put up some small structure, only for it to be brought down this way,” Rosemary said, adding that they had documents attesting to the fact that they bought the land legally from the chiefs. Joseph Perimah, a nurse, said he was returning from work on Wednesday, when he received telephone calls that their house had been demolished, while household chattels were being thrown about recklessly. “My problem now is how to raise a substantial amount of money to relocate,” he said. The task force, together with a joint police and military team, has so far pulled down over 100 structures, displacing more than one thousand residents. Pain and anguish Struggling to narrate his experience, Lawrence Koranteng, who showed the Daily Graphic team the architectural drawings of his house, said: “I watched in anguish as the task force pulled down my house and bulldozed my belongings.” Mr Koranteng said he bought the land seven years ago from the traditional rulers, adding that he made follow-up visits to the offices of the TDC but was told there had never been any issue concerning the ownership of the land.   He, therefore, proceeded to commence work on the structure two years ago and just when he had roofed it, the task force popped up to demolish it. “Since I started work on this project, officials of the TDC have been coming around but they don’t complain.  We met both the chiefs and TDC officials to find out if there was a problem with the land, but we were assured that the land was safe to build on, only to be confronted with this havoc,” he said. Mr Issaka Sumaila, 72, lamented; “At my age, where do I start? I cannot run around the way I was doing some years back. This is where I have called home. This is where I always hoped to rest finally, but with this, I am confused. I leave everything to Allah. We are powerless and we can only commit the people who carried out this act into the hands of Allah.” Another resident, Mr Muniru Yussif, a member of staff at the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, who lost his home in the exercise, questioned the rationale behind the exercise.  “Where are we going to sleep, look at people’s properties all scattered over the place? Under the prevailing condition, what do they expect us to do, perhaps armed robbery. Maybe we should all go and acquire guns for robbery. If we succeed fine, if they kill us, the better,” he said. Political twist Some residents could not help it but point accusing fingers at the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), which they claimed had let them down. An aggrieved resident went to the extent of burning an NDC flag in protest at the exercise. Mr Mawudem Kumado, an executive member of the NDC in the area, said he would not blame anyone for their plight, but the government which they campaigned and voted for.  “What is happening is very terrible. This land was acquired legally and under no circumstances can anyone refer to us as illegal occupants,” he added. In the midst of the confusion and anger, the Daily Graphic spotted an official of the Electricity Company of Ghana who had come around to distribute bills to occupants of the affected area. The said official was booed at and had to leave the scene in haste to avoid the wrath of the affected residents. Acquisition of land According to the TDC, the land in question was acquired in 1952 from the traditional authorities of Nungua, Tema and Kpone and leased to the TDC to develop a new township for Tema. Over the years, however,  the TDC has lost thousands of acres of land to encroachers,  while government land covering over 740 acres had also been taken over by encroachers.   Writer’s email: [email protected]  

  The Ghana News Agency (GNA) has signed a partnership agreement with the Agenzia Italia (Italian news agency) to enable the two organisations to share ideas and promote exchange programmes from time-to-time. The collaboration is to help in technical cooperation in training and news gathering skills. Speaking at the ceremony, the Board Chairman of the GNA, Mr Reginald Laryea said the collaboration would help foster the relationship between Ghana and Italy.  He said the partnership would aid in the exchange of programmers and ideasand enable the two agencies to disseminate accurate and credible information to the public. With the signing of the agreement, Mr Laryea said he was hopeful that the GNA would meet the demands of its public. He applauded the Italian community in Ghana for their support to the development effort of Ghana and said the GNA would help bring to the fore, the positive contributions of Italians in the country. Reason for choosing Ghana Stating the reason for choosing Ghana over other African countries for the partnership, the Chief Executive Officer of the Italian news agency, Mr Gianni Di Giovanni, indicated that Ghana was a fast developing country that allowed the free flow of information from government agencies to the public, especially through dominant media.  He said plans were underway to liaise with other news agencies in Africa for effective coverage of Africa for the outside world.  Mr Giovanni said he was optimistic that the agreement between the two agencies would offer the world quality reportage at all levels of development due to the experience both institutions have.  

  ABANTU for Development, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) and women’s right and policy advocate, has called on the government to address critical issues relating to gender equity in the oil and gas sector. It said there were critical issues on gender in the oil and gas value chain that should equally engage the attention of policy makers, the private sector and civil societies. Currently, the oil and gas value chain in Ghana focuses, particularly, on scientific, technical and economic issues. In response to the numerous concerns regarding the gender and social responsiveness of the oil and gas sector, ABANTU has formulated gender mainstreaming guidelines for the oil and gas industry to be considered by policy makers. Platform for stakeholders The Programme Officer for ABANTU, Mrs Gertrude Owusu, gave a hint of the guidelines in an address at a seminar organised to offer stakeholders the platform to validate the draft guidelines. “Despite the work done by some civil societies as part of contributions to community-level engagements on the importance of the oil find as far as the livelihoods of people in some selected communities are concerned, there is yet no policy commitment and direction in developing the needed gender framework that can address the gender gaps and achieve concrete benefits for people in different social groups with reference to the oil and gas industry,” she noted. Project partners She said the document, which was yet to be confirmed, was formulated in collaboration with the Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ghana, Women in Law and Development Africa (WiLDAF) and the Network for Women’s Right in Ghana (NETRIGHT) and funded by STAR-Ghana. Mrs Owusu said the initiative was part of their collaborative one-year project on “women’s agency strengthened to demand accountability, equity and transparency from industry actors for improved livelihoods.” Key guidelines The Programmes Manager of ABANTU, Mrs Ellen Dzah, in her presentation on the draft guidelines, said the national policy for development, governance and management of oil and gas resources should be undertaken with the overall commitment to social and gender equality, with specific and differential needs, interest and concerns of men and women taken into account. Mrs Dzah said according to the draft, policy makers should create the space for women and other marginalised groups in the oil and gas sector. She said that would ensure that there was equity in the sector in terms of gender. Participants in the workshop called on the government to intensify the activities of civil societies in policy making. They also said their recommendations should inform policy making. About ABANTU ABANTU's work is aimed at increasing women’s participation in decision making and influencing policy making.  ABANTU also seeks to strengthen NGOs to be more effective actors in the policy-making processes.  It does this through research about women’s experiences and participation in policy making, training and advice for organisational strengthening and information on mobilising resources.  

  A Japanese multinational firm, Marubeni Corporation, has expressed interest in investing in the energy and sugar sectors of the country.The move is to further boost socio-economic ties between Ghana and Japan.   The Senior Managing Executive Officer of Marubeni Corporation, Mr Shigeroe Yamazoe, made this known when he led a six-member delegation to pay a courtesy call on the Vice-President, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, at the Flagstaff House yesterday. Marubeni Corporation     Marubeni Corporation is one of Japan's major integrated trading conglomerates, also known as “Sogo Shosha”. The company has five groups and 12 divisions and is developing business in a broad range of fields. Its areas of interest include transportation machinery, power projects and infrastructure, plant and industrial machinery, metals and mineral resources. Collaboration Mr Yamazoe said the corporation was interested in collaborating with the government to support the energy sector as an independent power producer (IPP) to augment energy delivery in the country. He also said the sugar industry was expected to see a boost with the setting up of a new sugar plant. Vice-President The Vice-President recalled that relations between Ghana and Japan dated as far back as the 1950s. He said the doors of the country were opened to investors, stressing that the government had created a sustainable investment climate in the country for the benefit of the people. Mr Amissah-Arthur was particularly pleased with the corporation’s decision to invest in the energy sector. He explained that demand for electricity far outstripped supply, for which reason the government was exploring ways to expand power generation. “We encourage more independent power producers to come in and support,” he stated. On the issue of the establishment of a sugar refinery, Mr Amissah-Arthur welcomed the idea and urged the group to consider establishing the plant in the northern part of the country where there is a vast land for the purpose. Writer’s email: [email protected]  

More than 7,900 traders have benefited from a GH¢3-million loan facility from the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC) to support their activities. The Chief Executive Officer of MASLOC, Mrs Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, made this known when she paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister,  Mr Justice Samuel Agyei, in Sunyani on Wednesday. Mrs Tamakloe-Attionu was in the region to inspect projects financed by MASLOC and interact with stakeholders of its projects. According to her, a major challenge facing MASLOC was the perception that it had political linkages. Status of MASLOC She said MASLOC remained a non-political institution and called on small-scale businesses, especially market women and taxi drivers, to apply for the facility to expand their businesses for poverty reduction. Mrs Tamakloe-Attionu said enough education would be undertaken for the public to have indepth understanding of the facility. She added that the centre’s loan recovery rate was not the best, disclosing that 67 per cent was recorded as account recovery rate for 2013 and entreated beneficiaries to pay back on schedule in order not to be prosecuted. Mrs Tamakloe-Attionu appealed to the regional coordinating councils (RCCs) to help the centre acquire land for the construction of its regional offices in all the 10 regions, since MASLOC could not continue to operate from rented buildings. Support to small scale businesses Mr Adjei, for his part, commended MASLOC for its operation and support to small-scale businesses in the region and was optimistic that more traders in the region would benefit from the facility. He noted that the impression being created that the facility was only accessible to people with political linkage had become a major challenge to some political leaders, since people always thronged their offices for assistance to access the facility. The MASLOC CEO later visited a gari and oil processing factory at Bechem in the Tano South District and the Tanoso Pottery at Tanoso in the Tano North District. At Bechem, Mrs Ruth Mensah, the Director of Hope Rural Investment, a manufacturer of gari and oil palm, said MASLOC had been of  tremendous support to her company and encouraged the public to apply for loans from the establishment. She was, however not happy about the delay in disbursement after applying for the loan and called for measures to facilitate  early disbursement of the facility.

  The Ghana-Netherlands Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Programme (GNWP) has taken off in five metropolitan and municipal areas in the Greater Accra and Central regions. The five-year programme is aimed at improving sanitation and water delivery conditions of the people of Ga South, Ga Central and Ga West, all in the Greater Accra Region, and Cape Coast and Elmina in the Central Region. The programme is being funded by the Netherlands and Ghana governments at a cost of 150 million euros.   The Netherlands government has committed 100 million euros, while Ghana has provided 50 million euros for the project. Out of the amount, 30 million euros will be used as a counterpart fund to secure private participation for the programme. The programme As part of the programme, toilet facilities would be provided in schools and communities to prevent open defecation, water facilities would be extended to deprived areas and  campaign on hygiene and sanitation would be embarked upon to ensure attitudinal change.                 At a meeting to kick-start the programme, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), Mr Akwasi Opong-Fosu, stated that when completed, the programme would contribute immensely towards improving the deplorable sanitary and water conditions in the two regions. Mr Opong-Fosu expressed gratitude to the government of the Netherlands for its immense support in addressing the water, sanitation and hygiene challenges in the country.   The Head of Mission of the Netherlands in Ghana, Mr Harryvan Dijk, urged workers to be committed to the programme to ensure that it was successfully implemented.