Kofi Ahovi

In the wake of Covid-19, the Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Emma Akyea-Boakye, has reassured travelers that the country’s airports are safe. She gave the assurance when Tamale Airport had its turn of the third phase of airport disinfection exercise in the country. According to her, the exercise has become necessary because very soon the country would switch into the Christmas festive mood which would see the influx of travelers all over the terminals. So with the Covid still lurking around, if we do this disinfection, we are sure that we have targeted the virus, and probably bacteria and any such vector around; so that we reassure our customers that will be passing through the airports and every Ghanaian that the airport is a safe place to go,” she said. However, Akyea-Boakye said in addition to the disinfection, it was imperative that travelers continued to observe the Covid-19 protocols by wearing nose masks and using alcohol-based hand sani...

As part of the country’s efforts to fight the coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic, the Ministry of Aviation (MoA) and Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL) on Monday (December 14, 2020,) evening begun the third phase of disinfection exercise at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA). The two-hour exercise, which was carried out from 9:30 p.m.,-11:30 p.m., covered facilities at Terminal 1 and 2 and all its open spaces. These facilities included restaurants, washrooms, arrival and departure halls, tarmac among others. Briefing journalists earlier, General Manager (GM) of Vector Control Services of Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL), Reverend Ebenezer Kwame Addae, said the exercise was to augment the quarterly disinfections at the country’s airports and keep them safe for users. We are carrying out these regular disinfection exercises at the country’s airports to keep them safe from the Covid, and also repose confidence in passengers travelling in ...

Xoom , PayPal’s money transfer service, announced that the company’s customers in the US, UK, Canada and Europe can now send secure and convenient money transfers directly to mobile wallets in key markets across Africa with a focus on the underbanked segment. This new service expands the company’s offering to send money to mobile wallets in Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe—with plans to include more markets in 2021. Mobile money services are being deployed rapidly across emerging markets as a key tool to further the goal of financial inclusion. Financial inclusion is instrumental in lifting the undeserved population out of poverty—and for driving economic growth. In 2019, the number of globally registered mobile money accounts surpassed the one billion mark. In Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe, over 60 percent of adults have mobile money accounts. This new service expands Xoom’s offerings in Africa as the current service al...

  We are pleased to introduce to Ghana and West Africa, and later the whole continent of Africa, and the world, a common platform for learning. Traditionally teachers met students in buildings on large tracts of land set aside for sharing knowledge in the form of courses taught by teachers. At the University level this involves millions and even billions of dollars invested. In places like Africa millions are denied opportunities due to poor infrastructure and distance from available schools and amenities. This should not be so anymore. Today cell phones and Wi-Fi Internet reaches many more millions than a few years ago and expanding. The cost of telecommunication devices keep dropping every year. MyGlobalStudents (MGS) is a platform designed by a Ghanaian company in collaboration with a private vision originated in California called Global Data Design by Dr. Kwaku A. Danso. In the 1960s Ghana had a vision from first Premier and President Kwame Nkrumah to develop her own technologi...

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), Benonita Bismarck has lauded the police service for its commitment to addressing road governance challenges in the promotion of transit trade. She said under the able leadership of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), James Oppong-Boanuh, the GSA is enjoying good collaboration with the police service  in addressing bottlenecks relating to its operations impeding the smooth passage of transit trucks along Ghana’s transit corridors. These were said on her behalf by the Head of Freight and Logistics of the GSA, Fred Asiedu-Dartey  on 11th November, 2020  in Kumasi during  the first in a series  of a sensitisation workshop organised by the GSA  to sensitise senior police officers on the importance of the transit trade. The event also sought to address key concerns relating to the conduct of  police officers deployed along the corridors. Read also: MPS T3 breaks all-time productivity reco...

The third phase of the national market disinfection is underway. The exercise is aimed at controlling the spread of the Covid-19 virus in the country. The exercise which begun early Monday morning at Wenchi in the Bono Region saw all the markets, shops and other public places disinfected. Amponsakrom, Subinso, Boku and other nearby towns also had their markets disinfected by the Zoomlion sanitation officers with support from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development. Richmond Sarfo, the Assemblyman for the Wenchifie Ntoase Electoral Area, who spoke on behalf of the MCE, Dr. Prince Kwaakye Afriyie, said the quarterly disinfection exercise has become even more important as other countries are experiencing second and third waves of the virus. He mentioned that the Assembly has provided enough Veronica buckets, hand sanitizers and nose masks to the market women as a measure to curb the spread. "We know the virus is still with so we are ensuring that the spread i...

The Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, has cut sod for the construction of the solid and liquid waste treatment plant at Gbalahi in Sagnarigu Municipality in Tamale. He observed that the facility, which is expected to create 75 direct and over 200 indirect jobs, will help address the unemployment in the region while addressing the rural-urban migration. The project will help in creating job for the teaming youth which will help curb rural-urban migration” he stressed.  The minister further stressed that the waste treatment plants will enhance cleanliness in the region and improve on the sanitation which was becoming a concern to the municipal and district assemblies.   With Tamale being adjudged the third largest and fastest growing city in the country, the minister said “A very clean environment will give the city a dignified look". He therefore urged the citizens to practice preventive measures to avoid contracting diseases as "poor sanitation goes with health pr...

The Minerals Commission has held a two-day capacity building workshop for a cross section of media professionals in the bid for them to have a general overview of the minerals and mining operations in the country. The training workshop forms part of the commission’s drive to engage journalists on the emerging trends in the mineral and mining space as well as the challenges pertaining in the sector and the role of the media to report accurately. Participants were taken through topics such as Overview of the Mineral Commission Act, 1994 (ACT 450) and 2006 (Act 703), Types of Mineral Rights and Licensing Acquisition Procedure, Mining life cycle (stages of mining) and Statutory Reporting. Read also: Air Malta to start operations in Ghana this year The rest are Small Scale Mining in Ghana, Community Mining Scheme, Act 995-Offences under the Minerals and Mining Act 703, Support Service and Local Content, Fiscal Regime in Ghana and Compensation and Settlement. In an address, the Chief Execut...

  MTN , Ghana’s leading Telecommunications Company is set to host the 29 th edition of MTN Business World Executive Breakfast Meeting on October 8, 2020, under the theme, ‘ The Changing Face of Retail in Ghana: Scaling Successfully With Innovation And E-commerce ’. The breakfast meeting which will stream live on MTN Ghana’s Facebook page (mtnghana) and on YouTube (@mtnghana) from 10:0am is designed to give startups a unique opportunity to interact with distinguished speakers who are making great strides in their businesses through e-commerce and innovative services. Speakers to join the discussion are Kosi Antwiwaa Yankey - Executive Director, National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), Emi-beth Aku Quantson , CEO of Kawa Moka Coffee, Alex Bram , CEO of Hubtel, Gwen Gyimah Addo - CEO The Hair Senta/Business Strategist and Violet Amoabeng - CEO of Skin Gourmet Ltd. According to Industry Intelligence Experts, E-commerce in Ghana is growing and changing in terms of innovation...

Eastern Region became the eighth region to benefit from the on-going integrated recycling and compost plants being constructed across the country by Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL) and its partners, Komptech, in partnership with government. With the exception of Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions whose plants have been inaugurated, work was currently on-going on solid waste treatment plants in Western, Western North, Ahafo, Bono and Bono East Regions. The Eastern solid waste treatment facility, which is expected to be completed within four months, would be sited at Akwadum, a suburb of Effiduase in the New Juaben North Constituency . It has the capacity to process tonnes of solid waste a day into compost to be used for agricultural purposes among other useful end products. When completed, the facility would receive waste from municipalities including New Juaben North and South, Effiduase, Suhum, Abuakwa North and South, Yilo Krobo, Koforidua, Okere and others. This means that the facility ...

Apostle Dr. Alfred Koduah, the Head of the Church of Pentecost, Teshie- Nungua Area has called on society including men to be wary of post modern ways of living that seem to separate society from God. Speaking at the climax of the Pentecost Men’s Ministry (PEMEM) week celebration at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) Graceland, Nungua, Accra, Apostle Dr. Koduah said Secular Humanism is a dangerous philosophy and should not be entertained among Christian circles. He explained that the Secular Humanist theory believes that people can be good without God. “They do not believe in God and the afterlife, they do not believe in the Bible, and Jesus Christ at all,” Apostle Koduah emphasized. They believe in evolutionism as against creationism, they believe we were once Chimpanzees and yet there are a lot of Chimpanzees still in the bush for centuries and I wonder why they have not yet joined the human race after all these years of our existence,” Apostle Dr. Kodauh said. Secular...

The National Insurance Commission (NIC) will soon hit the metropolitan and district business enclaves of the country, to intensify its sensitisation and enforcement drive on the compulsory property insurance. The Compulsory Commercial Property Insurance Task force comprises officials of the NIC and other relevant stakeholders such as the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana National Fire Service. This was disclosed in a statement by the Commissioner of Insurance, Justice Yaw Ofori. He indicated that though the Insurance Law, Act 724 of 2006 made it compulsory for privately owned business entities to insure their properties, many are yet to comply. The law, per Sections 183 and 184, makes it mandatory for all commercial properties either under construction or completed, to have valid insurance certificates. Read also: Northern Regional Minister appeals to citizens to obey COVID-19 protocols The compulsory property insurance is to provide financial protection against legal liabilities aris...

The World Bank has released the Next Generation Africa Climate Business Plan (NG-ACBP), which sets out a blueprint to help Sub-Saharan African economies achieve low carbon and climate-resilient outcomes. The Plan calls for countries to seize the opportunity to scale-up climate resilience to grow their economies and reduce poverty, redouble efforts to increase energy access across the region, and take advantage of sustainable and innovative approaches to leapfrog into greener development pathways.  Without rapid deployment of inclusive, climate-informed development, 43 million additional people could be pushed below the poverty line by 2030 in Sub-Saharan Africa. As the largest financier of climate action in Africa, the World Bank will use this new Climate Plan to build on a strong track record under the original plan in which the Bank supported 346 projects with more than US$33 billion in World Bank financing over the past six years. The climate challenge cuts across eve...

  About 2849 jobs, representing 24% of job losses, have been restored after the ease of COVID-19 restrictions.  This follows an interview of about 40,040 people in a survey regarding the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on their jobs. 11,657 of the interviewees said they lost their jobs. According to the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awauah, there has been a drop of 4.5% in unemployment rate since coronavirus restrictions was eased. This is based on data from the Ghana Statistical Service. Read also: AfDB sponsors African Green Revolution Forum Taking his turn at the “Meet the Press Series” today, he revealed that a National Employment Scheme will be implemented to deal with employment issues in the future, should such crisis hit the country or the world at large. Baffour-Awuah also hinted that a Tripartite Technical Committee will be established to oversee the implementation of labour policies. He lauded President Akufo-Addo on measures put in p...

  Ghana’s economy grew by -3.4% Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate in the second quarter of this year, the first time it has contracted since 1983. According to figures released by the Ghana Statistical Service, the heavy fall was largely attributed to some restrictions on activities in the economy, which virtually came to a standstill during the partial lockdown period, as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak. With oil, the economy recorded -3.2% GDP growth rate in quarter two. Addressing Journalists, Government Statistician, Professor Samuel Kobina Annim explained that the agriculture sector was the only one that recorded a positive growth rate for the period. The agric sector recorded the highest growth rate of 2.5 percent between April and June 2020. Read also: Food prices push inflation up to 11.4% in July 2020 Industry and services sectors however grew by -5.7% and -2.6% respectively for 2020 Quarter Two. The Livestock sub-sector recorded the highest year-on-year growth...

The Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources Cecilia Abena Dapaah, has today paid a working visit to the construction sites of the two sewerage system facilities at Ashaiman Newton and Bankuman communities in the Tema and Ashaiman Municipalities. The visit was to enable the sector Minister inspect various ongoing drainage and sewerage projects in these areas under the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA) SW Project. Addressing the media, the sector Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah expressed satisfaction with the project and commended the contractors for a good work done despite covid-19 challenges. She, however, urged the contractors to work diligently to finish the project on time. Myself and the MCE, we are happy with the level of work but I want to entreat the contractors as well as the consultants to work diligently to make sure these projects are completed on time,” she stated. Read also: Promoting the rights of agricultural workers: how Fairtrade Africa makes the difference Th...

The Chief Executive Officer of MTN Ghana, Serlom Adadevoh , has announced that the Y’ello care package which gives customers the opportunity to access a variety of learning channels to support their children’s learning and entertainment needs during Covid-19 will still continue until the pandemic is over. Speaking with journalists and some industry stakeholders in its maiden virtual annual Editor's forum in Accra, he said the package was introduce to alleviate the burden imposed on parents by the Covid-19 pandemic "so until the pandemic goes away those websites will still be zero rated" He added that “Our customers are very important to us and we believe the zero rating of over 25 educational online sites is a great relief to our customers and their children and other dependents. MTN will continue to explore other opportunities to make life a whole lot brighter even in these difficult times”. Read also: MoMo month: MTN encourages use of digital platforms MTN Ghana alone h...

  President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, has cut sod for the construction of a solid waste treatment plant at Fiaso in the Techiman South Municipality within the Bono East Region. The sod cutting ceremony which forms part of the President’s two-day tour in the Bono East Region was done together with the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR)- Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Bono East Regional Minister-Kofi Amoakohene and the Paramount Chief of Techiman Traditional Area-Oseadoyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV. The 15-million Euro project, which is expected to be completed within four months, is under a partnership of Zoomlion Ghana Limited (ZGL) and its private sector partners and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources. Read also: Coordinating Directors urge govt to support Zoomlion Speaking at the event, the Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Dapaah, said the president is heavily investing in addressing the sanitation challenges of the country as part of his vision of making Ghana one of...

  A recent poll by iPollgh shows that electorate’s loyalty to party is waning as more people describe themselves as independent and fewer people automatically vote for the party they sympathize with. A plurality of respondents said they typically voted for the party with the most compelling message in an election and this was true across all demographics. According to the poll, 57% of respondents who are graduates said they will vote for a party with most compelling message as against 20% who said they will vote for a party that they are a member of or support. Again, 56% of post graduates respondents said they would vote for most compelling message while 21% said they would vote for a party that they belong to. Interestingly, 58% of Junior High School respondents said they would also vote for a candidate or party with a compelling message. Read also: Ghanaian women have less financial decision-making power- Afrobarometer survey shows On election 2020 itself, good governance and t...

The African Development Bank returns as a top-tier partner of the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) – Africa’s largest agriculture conference – to be held online for the first time from 8-11 September 2020, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tenth annual AGRF will be headlined by African Heads of State and Government, and will bring together delegates from governments, civil society, the private sector and research communities. AGRF 2020 is hosted by the Government of Rwanda and the AGRF Partners Group, organized under the theme  Feed the Cities, Grow the Continent. Leveraging Urban Food Markets to Achieve Sustainable Food Systems in Africa . As COVID-19 causes disruptions across Africa, we must prioritize policy support, especially for small and medium enterprises that produce, process and market 60% of food consumed on the continent,” said Wambui Gichuri, Bank Acting Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development. “We need to enhance movement of inputs and ...