Kofi Ahovi

Nu World Africa, a Non Governmental Organization, in collaboration with Hero productions has organized a one-day seminar for students to mark the United Nations day against the exploitation of the environment during wars and armed conflicts. The seminar was to educate the youth on the effects of environmental degradation. The youth were advised to protect the environment, preach peace and more importantly, practice what they say to ensure that the nation remain peaceful during after the general election in December this year. They were also warned about the possible exploitation of the youth in times of war. The seminar, which was under the theme, “Safeguarding the Environment,” was graced by representative from the Forestry Commission, Environmental Protection Agency and United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

By Elikem MENSAH Ghana’s trade deficit has widened in the first nine months of 2008. It recorded a deficit of US$716.8m compared with a deficit of US$566.9m during the same period in 2007. The deficit was basically financed mainly by drawdown of reserves including the balances of sovereign bond proceeds of US$750m that accrued in the last quarter 2007. However, the Bank of Ghana (BoG) has projected that the overall balance of payment deficit is expected to narrow to US$490m compared to a surplus of US$413.1m in 2007. Total merchandise exports stood at US$4,017.5m, an average annual growth of 30.8% at the end of September 2008. Export of cocoa beans and products amounted to US$1,160.9m compared with US$910.8m for the same period in 2007 representing an annual growth of 27.5%. Cumulative cocoa purchases for 2007/2008 season through the end of September 2008 amounted to 758,908 tonnes, against a forecast of 650,000 tonnes for the entire crop season. Gold export for the first nine months a...

By Jeorge Wilson KINGSON The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has presented communication gadgets and other items totaling GH¢45,200 to the Ghana Police Service (GPS) to enhance its operational efficiency. They include walkie-talkies, close circuit cameras and television (CCTV), motorbikes and emergency tents. The presentation which is the first in the series of other presentation to be made to the police by the AGI is intended to help the service tackle the surge of crime in industrial locations across Accra and the Tema metropolis. The presentation was the result of a high profile meeting held in July this year between the executives of AGI, the top hierarchy of the GPS and the Ministry of Interior. A joint committee of the AGI and the Police Service was formed to determine the required logistics. At the presentation ceremony last week, the Minister for Interior, Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor, said that apart from next month’s general elections which posed a serious challenge to the Ser...

Raphael Adeniran The West African Gas Pipeline Project (WAGP), whose operational timeline has fallen behind schedule by more than two years, is expected to begin operations by December this year, official with the Nigerian Gas Company said last week. The pipeline which connects Nigeria’s natural gas supplies to Ghana through Togo and Benin, was initially scheduled to deliver its first batch of natural gas by 2005, but had to be shifted to 2007 due to technical and funding constraints. Officials of WAGP halted the project after leaks were detected in supply pipelines in Nigeria in 2007. "We should complete the clean up of the pipelines by the end of the month and begin to provide 30 million cubic feet per day (mcfd) of gas to Ghana from December," Sam Ndukwe, the pipeline's budget coordinator for the Nigerian Gas Company, told the press on the sidelines of an industry conference last week. Ndukwe estimates natural gas delivery through the pipeline will increase to 130 mcfd...

By Kofi Ahovi Barclays Bank Ghana has marked its Make A Difference Day (MADD) activities through out the country by supporting the communities in which the bank operates in. As part of the activities, the bank visited several basics schools to paint, clean and clear the surroundings of these institutions of bushes as well as donated items. The bank made available over GHc57, 000 grants for the MADD project. MADD is a day set aside by Barclays every year, which staff of the bank gets involved in activities that make a difference in the lives of the community by contributing their skills, competences, time and energy. Such activities mostly include awareness creation on health challenge such as HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, diabetes, painting school building and hospitals and clean- up exercises. In the past it included seminars on basic book-keeping for traders, talks on savings, fun activities for orphanages, and construction of places of convenience among others. According to the Managing...

By Fred SARPONG The Ghana Cocoa Board has presented a brand new double cabin Toyota pick-up, value at US$29,000 to the 2007 National Best Cocoa Farmer for his contribution to the growth of cocoa sector in the country. Presenting the vehicle and an insurance certificate to the best farmer, the Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Agronomy and Quality Control (A & QC), Tony Fofie said that the board and as well as the whole nation appreciate the effort of farmers in the country especially cocoa farmers. Fofie indicated that the presentation is to motivate other cocoa farmers in the country to work hard to earn such award. The winner, Nicholas Kwarbeng, a 58 year old farmer from the Brong AhafoRegion qualified as the 2007 National Best Cocoa Farmer with 120 hectares of cocoa farm,. He harvested 2,600 bags of cocoa in 2007. Meanwhile, President John Agyekum Kufuor has inaugurated a US$100 million cocoa processing plant for Cargill Ghana Limited in Tema. The company is an internation...