Category: General

Ghana’s International Electro-Technical Commission National Committee has held its Annual General Meeting and Conference in Accra, bringing together stakeholders from different institutions to deliberate on its work of developing standards and impact on the country.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir Hammond, in an address on his behalf, underscored the important role of the Electro-technical Committee in developing standards to ensure the country’s socio-economic development.

He said the issue of standards was even more critical now in the face of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which provided a huge market of more than 1.3 billion people for the benefit of the country.

He said adherence to standards would allow Ghana to benefit tremendously from exports to neighbouring African countries to enhance economic growth and at the same time ensure that citizens were not short-changed with sub-standard goods.

The Minister commended the National Committee for its sterling performa
nce and urged them to build on it.

Mr Danladi Bukari, the President of the IEC National Committee, said standards were critical as they allowed us to meet evolving trends in the industry and to ensure that the country maintained and met the demands of nations.

He said the committee has the expertise to develop new standards and it was necessary to bring stakeholders together at such a forum to take stock of what is happening and what their needs are to be able to begin work on new standards to benefit the country as a whole.

Again, standards also help us to create economic opportunities for our people all the week, I mean cutting across agriculture industry, service, what have you. So when we are able to get the right standards, what it means is that we are able to harmonise our weights at the continental level and also at the global level, to the extent that if you take a service or boost from Ghana, because it meets a certain standards, you are able to trade that service and goods in other jurisdictions,
which is very good for economic development. So for the benefits of standards

The Deputy Coordinator of the Ghana Scaling-Up Renewable Energy Programme (SREP) said the forum allowed the various stakeholders to go through some of the things the IEC National Committee had done and their impact on the nation.

He said standards played a key role in every facet of the economy, right from finance, through engineering as they were very critical in the country’s decisions.

‘As we evolve in terms of economic development and social growth, there are changes that are happening and there’s a need for us to make sure that we have standards that allow us to streamline those changes so much that we can stay relevant within the committee of nations.

‘So when we can get the right standards, what it means is that we can harmonise our weights at the continental level and also at the global level, to the extent that if you take a service or goods from Ghana because it meets certain standards, you can trade that service and g
oods in other jurisdictions, which is very good for economic development. So for the benefits of standards, I think the list is endless,’ he said.

Ghana is an Associate Member of the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC) and has enjoyed some benefits, including increased awareness and use of IEC International Standards, helped by removing technical trade barriers and also use of the IEC Conformity Assessment Systems.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, subsidiary of Shandong Gold, a Chinese mining firm, has refurbished the Upper East Regional Office of the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga at a cost of GH?204,000.00.

The renovation works comprised changing of the roofing, ceiling, washroom facilities, lighting systems, burglar proof, fixing of cracks, repainting of the building, and plumbing works.

The gesture was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility to help rebrand the Agency to befit its status as Ghana’s industrial news hub and a preferred source for local and international news.

The Cardinal Namdini Mining Ltd has secured mining lease to venture into large scale gold mining activities in the Talensi District for the next 15 years and is currently investing about one billion dollars in the construction phase.

It is expected to officially start mining in August, 2024.

Handing over the facility to the Management of GNA, Mr Feng Baoli, the Vice President of the Mine, said the company was pleased to
be associated with the success story of the Agency and the gesture was to consolidate that relation.

The role of the media in the successful operations of the company and the mining sector in general could not be overemphasized, he noted, and expressed the belief that strengthened working cooperation and relations, particularly with the GNA, was the way to go.

‘This is just the beginning because we have not started mining operations yet, we are only in the construction phase but the key thing is to keep this good relationship and we are open to supporting you in any way we can,’ he added.

Mr Albert Kofi Owusu, the General Manager, GNA, expressed gratitude to the Management of Cardinal Namdini Mining Ltd for swiftly responding to the Agency’s request to renovate the office.

He expressed optimism that the gesture would help improve news production.

Over the years, the Agency had had good relations with the Chinese Embassy in Ghana, he said, and that the current partnership with the Mine would further conso
lidate that cooperation.

Mr Owusu noted that inspite of the negative stories that surrounded mining activities by foreigners, particularly at the time the company was venturing into the sector, it had been able to approach its mining activities differently through engagements, community resettlement, and other corporate social responsibilities.

He pledged the Agency’s commitment to supporting interventions and activities that would bring improvement in the lives of Ghanaians while assuring the Mine’s management of balanced news stories towards strengthening the partnership and impacting the country positively.

‘We are a responsible Agency that covers the entire country with our reporters and stringers all over the country and one thing people trust GNA for is our credibility,’ the General Manager said.

‘This is because we have inbuilt system for fact-checking stories before disseminating them to the rest of the world.’

Mrs Hannah Zemp-Tapang, the Upper East Regional Manager of the Agency, commended Cardi
nal Namdini Mining Ltd for the support and reiterated the office’s open-door policy for continued collaborations to meet the interests of the two parties.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Residents at the Duayaw-Nkwanta Zongo in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region have expressed joy about the construction of a steel bridge, and storm drains in the area.

The old and dilapidated wooden bridge, according to the residents, was a death trap.

They therefore expressed their appreciation to the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tano North constituency for her development initiatives.

Dr Freda Prempeh, the MP for the Tano North Constituency is funding the construction of the two storm drains and the bridge in the neighbourhood.

The residents told the Ghana News Agency (GNA), during a visit, that, the projects had brought a great relief to them because the poor drainage systems and uncontrolled flooding in the neighbourhood exposed children to dangers and risked their lives.

They said they were extremely overjoyed about the progress of work, and expressed the hope the projects would be completed as soon as possible, as the rains set in.

Dr Prempeh, who visited the site, inspected the p
roject, and pledged to complete it by April this year.

‘It is my hope and vision to try as much as possible to complete as many as possible the projects I have initiated in the Constituency. I just handed over about 20 boreholes,’ she stated.

The MP also promised to ensure that most development projects she was putting up in the constituency were completed and handed over before her exit as an MP in January 2025.

Source: Ghana News Agency

PATH Ghana, an international non-governmental organization has launched a group called ‘Women at PATH Ghana’ for its women staff to invest in them and inspire progress.

The group launched as part of the celebration of the International Women’s Day comprised of all women who work in the PATH Ghana office.

‘Women at PATH Ghana’ formed part of PATH’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy, recognizing the needs of special groups of workers.

This signifies a noteworthy achievement in the organization’s unwavering dedication to empowering women and advancing progress.

It was on the theme ‘Invest in Women, Inspire Progress.’

Dr. Patience Cofie, the Country Director of PATH Ghana, expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the leadership and staff of PATH for the tremendous support shown towards the launch of ‘Women at PATH.’

‘Women at PATH’ seeks to advance gender equality and empowerment of women and create an inclusive environment where women could thrive and contribute meaningfully to building a soci
ety where health is available and accessible to all.’

Speaking on inclusivity as a fundamental value, the Country Director emphasized the significance of both men and women in advocating for gender equality and advancing women’s rights within the organization.

Mrs. Aline Adamou Barry, the DEI Program Assistant, said the objectives of ‘Women at PATH,’ include having a comprehensive plan to deal with gender issues, find a balance between work and personal life, and help women progress in their careers.

Mrs Barry emphasized the importance of creating a welcoming and supportive environment where women could learn from mentors, develop new skills, and connect with others.

Mrs Vera Karikari Bediako, the Principal Programme Officer, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, speaking on behalf of the Chief Director, congratulated PATH for the initiative and encouraged other organizations to emulate them.

While appreciating the Country Director of PATH for her leadership qualities called for the need to
establish a gender policy and a mentorship programme for young ladies.

Dr. Kwadwo Asante Afari, representing the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative asked PATH to establish a special space for women to refresh themselves and breastfeed their babies. ‘Continue to be a good partner in health research and interventions,’ he added.

Mrs. Sophia Ampofo, representing the Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PPME), Ghana Health Service, presenting a poem titled, ‘leave her alone,’ urged women to embrace their individual journeys and fulfill their purpose in their generation.

PATH is an international non-governmental organization with a presence in 70 countries. PATH Ghana has been active for 15 years with several interventions in maternal, newborn and child health as well as non-communicable diseases, vaccines, and health policy advocacy.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission has asked the three-striking Teacher Unions to return to the negotiation table for swift conclusion on conditions of service.

That, the Commission said, was to ensure that the four concerns out of the 16 raised by the Unions were resolved.

This comes on the back of the announcement of an industrial action by three Teacher Unions.

The Unions – Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana (CCT-Ghana) – declared an indefinite strike on Wednesday, March 20.

However, at a press briefing on the same day in Accra, Mr Benjamin Arthur, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Commission, said the call by the Unions ‘is in bad faith’.

He said the best intervention was for the two parties to engage because both parties needed each other.

‘We’re committed, willing and open to engage, and we’ve demonstrated that by inviting them. So, we’ll be waiting to see how best we’ll continue wi
th our engagement [on Thursday, March 20],’ Mr Arthur said.

‘If what they [the Teacher Unions] have cited as delays is anything to go by, then the strike is really what’s going to cause the delay, because we’ve made tremendous progress,’ he stated.

‘We were expectant that Thursday by 1400 hours [2:00pm] at least, we should be able to conclude the negotiation,’ he stated.

The Unions cited delays on the part of the government in negotiations on their Collective Agreement, which addressed issues such as allowances for teachers in underserved areas, entertainment allowance, and housing/rent allowance, following the expiration of the existing one Agreement in 2023.

They said the agreement should have been completed on or before February 29, 2024.

They also cited delay in the distribution of laptops to some members, and failure on the part of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to institute a functional Scheme of Service for teachers as reasons for the industrial action.

The Fair Wages and Salaries Commission’s
CEO called on the leadership of the three pre-tertiary teacher unions to call off the strike for engagement to continue.

He urged parents and pupils across the country to keep calm as the Commission worked relentlessly to have a lasting solution to the impasse.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Joy Hesse Ankomah, the Deputy Director, Human Settlement Unit, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), says recycling is one of the surest ways to protect nature.

Recycling, he explained, ensured that waste became a resource for the production of new materials that was continuously used as long as possible.

Mr Ankomah was speaking at the opening of an exhibition organised by the EPA in Accra to commemorate this year’s Global Recycling Day (GRD).

GRD instituted with the intention of changing the mindset of government, businesses, communities, and individuals to make them appreciate recycling as a resource instead of just waste.

The celebration which is on the theme, ‘Recycling Heroes’ recognised the people, places and activities that showcased how recycling contributes to an environmentally stable planet and a greener future which will benefit all.

The exhibition saw in attendance Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Waste Landfills Company Limited, Sea Waste Systems, Universal Plastic Products and Recycling, Waste
Segregation and Composting Movement, Jekora Ventures, among others to showcase their recycled products.

Mr Ankomah said each year the recyclables saved over 700 million tonnes in Carbon dioxide emissions and that this was projected to increase to 1 billion tonnes by 2030.

‘Every year, the Earth yields billions of tonnes of natural resources and at some point, in the not-too-distant future, it will run out, that is why we must think again about what we throw away seeing not waste, but opportunity,’ he said.

Mr Ankomah said the last decade had been the hottest on record, and that the world was facing a climate emergency of unparalleled proportions.

He added that ‘if we do not make significant and rapid changes, humans would see continued rising global temperatures, the melting of icecaps, continents on fire and rapid deforestation.’

The Deputy Director said rising temperatures directly affected humanity with increased poverty, immigration from displaced communities, job losses, waste mountains and natural
habitats disappearing.

‘We have the power to make lasting changes to combat this, and with recycling being recognised in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030, we are seeing many individuals, governments and organisations taking direct action to support the global green agenda’

‘There is no doubt recycling is on the front line in the war to save the future of our planet and humanity,’ he added.

Madam Ernestina Kwakyewa Sintim, a Representative of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, said the recycling day was a huge day for the company, adding that, ‘when it comes to waste, to us everything is valuable.’

Mr Bubu Kumordzie, the Waste Segregation Officer, Jekora Ventures Limited, said company encouraged clients to segregate their waste at source, adding that at the point of generation of waste, it was essential for segregation rather than lumping everything together.

‘Though our core mandate is waste collection, we have thought about being circular, therefore we convert waste into something profitable,’ he added.

Source: Ghana News Agency