Day: May 20, 2023

Some 150,000 farmers are to benefit from agricultural inputs subsidy and extension services under the Sustained Africa initiative, an Agriculture Emergency Response Collaborative Platform for Africa.

The package will include the distribution of 15,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer, 5,000 seed packs and biostimulants as well as 30,000 metric tonnes of cereals.

The initiative is being spearheaded by the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness in collaboration with Export Trading Group (ETG) Agri-Inputs and other firms.

The goal of the project is to contribute to the sustenance of the fertilizer value chain through an emergency response that involves stimulating the trade of local cost-effective fertilizer to support food security.

Mr Bryan Acheampong, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, speaking at the launch of the initiative, said it was in line with government’s plan to match food consumption, export and industrial requirements.

Part of the plan, he explained, would see a shift from the traditional government fertilizer subsidy programme to a regime where the private sector would be facilitated to support farmers with input credit.

‘This will take away the burden of farmers looking for inputs like seeds and fertilizer as well as the cost of machinery. It will reduce the cost to about 85 per cent for farmers,’ he said.

While commending the ETG and its partners, he appealed to them to increase the number of beneficiaries from five per cent of farmers nationwide to 10 per cent.

He said through the programme, farmers would be able to buy fertilizers at a discount price of GHS 215 instead of regular market rate of GHS 300 and GHS 400.

Mr Fred Akowuah, Country Director, ETG Agri-Inputs, stated that the Sustained African initiative aimed at revolutionising the fertilizer value chain by linking farmers to relevant actors, and equipping them with improved agricultural practices.

The approach of the initiative, he said, was to ensure that farmers had access to fertilizers, seeds and other inputs at the right place, time and the needed quantities.

‘We want to demonstrate live the last mile approach. In pursuant to this, 50 new ETG depots are being built,’ he said.

Nana-Aisha Mohammed, Regional Manager of West Africa, Sustain Africa, said the initiative had a special package for 5,000 youth in the sector.

She said the Extension Service Division and the Plant Protection Regulatory and Service Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would deliver the technology transfer and quality of inputs component of the programme.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Thousands of mourners from all walks of life, Saturday, thronged Kumawu in the Ashanti Region to pay their last respect to the Member of Parliament (MP), Philip Atta Basoah, who died after a short illness in March, this year.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was among the key government officials and MPs who were at the funeral.

Also in attendance were some New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopefuls; Mr Allan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, and Mr Kennedy Ohene Agyapong.

All parliamentary candidates representing various political parties in the Kumawu by-election also paid their last respect to the man they are seeking to succeed.

Kumawu has been the centre of attraction for the past one week with visitors, especially political figures, storming the town ahead of the by-election scheduled for Tuesday, May 23.

Personalities such as former President John Dramani Mahama, Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Chairman, and Mr Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, General Secretary of the NDC, all been visited constituency this week.

The NPP is poised to retain the Kumawu seat, which it won in 2020 with a little over 3,000 votes, knowing that the independent candidate, Mr Kwaku Duah, who gave the late MP a run for his money, is still in the race.

Its Regional Chairman, Mr Bernard Antwi- Bosiako, has been living in Kumawu since the demise of the MP to make sure no stone is left unturned in maintaining the seat for the ruling party.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The ‘Ghana Week in DC’ which is set to take place from October 9 to 14, 2023 in Washington, DC, would be launched in Accra, tomorrow Sunday May 21, 2023, at the Accra City Hotel.

The Week would feature a series of activities with a goal of promoting Ghana as the preferred destination for travels, investments, trade, sports and culture for the historical diaspora.

Last year, a delegation from the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and the Beyond the Return Secretariat travelled to Washington DC to engage with key stakeholders involved in planning the historical event.

A release issued to the Ghana News Agency, in Accra, said the highlights of the Ghana Week DC would be a football match between one of Ghana’s Premier League teams and DC United.

It said Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia were known as the DMV area and one of the key markets when it came to promoting Ghana for tourism and business opportunities.

The release said Paxton Baker, CEO PKB Enterprises, would be at the Ghana Media Launch to share details on the collaboration.

The Chief Executive Officer of the GTA, Mr Akwasi Agyeman, said the ‘ Authority is excited with the outcomes of the partnership outreach culminating in the organising of the Ghana Week, DC.’

That, he said, would help cement the gains of the ‘Beyond the Return’.

‘Already we have seen a steady rise in arrivals in the first quarter of 2023’.

Partners of the event are GTA, GIPC, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana Football Association, Embassy of Ghana – Washington, DC, City of DC, Mayor Office and PKB Enterprises.

Source: Ghana News Agency

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says Africa and the world will miss outgoing Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari.

‘As leaders, we all have our high and low moments, but I have no doubt that posterity will be kind to Muhammadu Buhari.

‘West Africa, Africa, and, indeed, the world will miss his leadership – the leadership of the military ruler turned consummate democrat, who was extremely solicitous of Nigeria and Africa’s interest, and who sought for principle in all decisions in which he took,’ the President remarked.

He was speaking at the public presentation and launch of two biographies, ‘State of Repair – How Muhammadu Buhari tried to change Nigeria for Good’, by Anthony Goldman, and ‘The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari’, by Senator Abu Ibrahim, in Abuja, Nigeria.

The two new books talk about the legacies of President Buhari.

He is expected to exit the seat of power on May 29, 2023, when the incoming government would be sworn in.

President Akufo-Addo, who chaired the event, in a Facebook post, congratulated the Englishman, Anthony Goldman, and the Nigerian, Senator Abu Ibrahim, the two authors, for their industry and scholarship.

He urged authors, poets and playwrights on the continent ‘to tell the African story truthfully and with flair, and to give praise where it has been earned, and criticism where it is deserved.’

In 2015, Buhari (born on December 17, 1942), was elected as Nigeria’s President, the first time an opposition candidate assumed the helm peacefully, following years of political turmoil in the country.

The former military leader had served as Nigeria’s Head of State in 1984-85.

Buhari assumed office at a period when jihadist insurgencies had reached their peak, with abductions and kidnappings being reported daily.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Angolan head of State João Lourenço Saturday in northern Cuanza Norte province pressed the button that “symbolises” the authorisation to divert the Kwanza river to continue the construction work on the Caculo-Cabaça hydroelectric facility, with capacity of 2,272 megawatts of electricity.

The ceremony paves the way for the beginning of the excavation work in the open air for the construction of Caculo-Cabaça dam wall.

The work for the temporary diversion of the river has two (2) tunnels, and can drain a maximum of 3,400 cubic metres of water.

The project

Caculo-Cabaça Hydroelectric Power Station is located along the middle Kwanza corridor, where the hydroelectric power stations of Cambambe, Capanda and Laúca are also located.

The area of the hydroelectric basin in the dam section is 112, 663 square metres and the total expected average annual flow is of 591 cubic metres per second.

The reservoir, at full storage level at elevation (630), has a storage capacity of 436 cubic metres per hour.

Caculo Cabaça Hydroelectric Plant will produce, on average 8, 566 gigawatts of energy per year.

~This will allow an annual saving of 2.8 million tons of coal and, therefore, a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in nine million tons.

These reductions will bring considerable ecological benefits as they will contribute to the mitigation of environmental pollution and the control of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

Construction work on Caculo-Cabaça Hydroelectric Facility, in northern Cuanza Norte province, is being undertaken by 81 percent of Angolan workforce, a total of 2,047 workers.

The contract, with a physical execution of around 10.52 percent, involves a total of 2,527 workers, including nationals and foreigners.

The Angolans, mostly young, are proud to be part of the project.

Many of them with experience acquired in the construction of the hydroelectric power plants in Capanda, Laúca (Malanje), and Cambambe (Cuanza Norte).

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)