Ho, Oct. 31, GNA - The Ho-Polytechnic Chapter of the Tertiary Education Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said anymore delay in the reform of the educational sector could dampen the development fortunes of the country.     It said currently number of drop outs along the process in the progression from the beginning through to the middle and the tertiary level, as a result of access and affordability, should be a big worry for development planners.     These views were stated at a press conference in Ho on Tuesday addressed by Samuel Teye Akor, Chapter President.     TESCON Ho-Polytechnic Chapter said its views were based on diligent surveys by field officers and that the biggest lingering threat to national development was the progressive lowering standards in education “especially at the most important stage of a child’s formative years, the basic education level”.     It said NPP’s proposed “redefinition of basic education, to make it compulsory and free up to Senior Secondary School level,” should be the panacea to the problem of Ghana’s hordes of unskilled young people without the wherewithal and capacity to continue education from the Junior High School level.     TESCON Ho-Polytechnic Chapter said the Nana Akufo- Addo’s free-SHS policy would raise capacity levels of all human capital than was the case now.     It said President John Mahama’s variant of increasing access now and free-SHS later, was ‘begging the problem’.      TESCON Ho-Polytechnic Chapter complained about poor BECE results and that “out of the total number of 1,121,817 students who sat for the BECE in the past three years (2009, 2010 and 2011) 574,688 failed to achieve the past mark”.          “This sudden reversal of student’s performance, resulting in a peculiar constant decline in standards since 2009 calls for urgent, detailed analysis.     “It signifies a crisis in education at the basic level that requires urgent and deliberate attention from government,” the statement said.     The Ho-Polytechnic TESCON Chapter said the NPP had always been an educational-sector focused party, which during the eight-year tenure of ex-President John Kufuor face-lifted many Senior High Schools, transformed the infrastructural setting of Ho Polytechnic, raised human resource base of polytechnic lecturers across Ghana.     It raised issue with the irony of President Mahama, himself enjoying free SHS education but hiding behind the smokescreen of quality and access first, to deny other Ghanaians that opportunity.      Flanking Mr Akor, as he read the statement were, Moses Aglina Patron, Felix Dogbe First Vice-Chairman and Felix Akuamoah-Nyako, Second Vice-Chairman.   GNA ...

Kumasi, Oct. 31, GNA – About 150 Presiding Members (PMs) of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) on Wednesday gathered in Kumasi to discuss ways to strengthen the performance of the assemblies.     The three-day meeting is meant to assist them to have clear understanding of their roles and to carefully examine measures to bring more progress to the people.     Nana Owusu Appeasa II, the acting Chairman of the National Association of PMs, reminded his colleagues to establish good working relationship with the Chief Executives and the other staff.     He said this was vital for the smooth running of the assemblies.     He said the decentralization policy had put a lot of responsibilities on them and that they needed to work assiduously to inject some pace into the development of the communities.    Nana Appeasa advised them to be fair and transparent in their conduct to sustain the confidence and trust of the assembly members.     They should do everything to ensure that the assemblies remained non-partisan.   GNA ...

Accra, Oct. 31, GNA - Daasebre Professor Oti Boateng, Omanhene of New Juabeng Traditional Area, has launched a book, entitled Development in Unity, to mark his twenty years anniversary celebration as the traditional ruler of the area.     He said the book was also in honour of the people of the area for the opportunity and honour extended to him to serve them for the past years.     “Last Friday was exactly 20 years since my enstoolment as the Omanhene of New Juabeng Traditional Area, it is therefore dedicated to the people of the Area, Ghana and the developing world,” he said.     Daasebre Oti Boateng said the book was the first of three volumes that covers his life experiences, reflected in a research work with ten chapters on education, population and health, media relations, among others.     “This book is therefore a precious gift of peace and prosperity to the people of New Juabeng Traditional Area, Ghana and the world”.     Professor Ivan Addae-Mensah, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, launching the book on Monday in Accra, commended the author for compiling his wealth of experience for the benefit of people.       GNA ...

Takoradi (W/R), Oct. 31, GNA – The Sekondi-Takoradi Diocesan Bishop of the Methodist Church, the Rt. Rev Edward Ofori Donkor has said the church is committed to good quality education delivery and would continue to liaise with all stakeholders to discharge its mandate.     Rev Ofori-Donkor said this when addressing a one day capacity building workshop for staff members of the Methodist Senior High School (MESEC) at the Bethel Methodist Church in Takoradi.     The workshop which was on the theme: “Building the Capacity of Teachers for Sustained Quality Education", sought to sensitize teachers on the need to abide by the ethics of the profession and impact positively on students.     He said the church will continue to partner government to provide quality education saying it was important they assisted the educational institutions with the necessary logistics and the needed infrastructure to create a congenial atmosphere for academic work.     Speaking on the topic: "Current Educational Issues", the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Director of Education, Nana Kofi Mbeah, said as part of measures to ensure quality education in the country, the local authorities would exercise an oversight responsibility over teachers effective next year.      He said teachers will also be licensed by the National Inspectorate Board (NIB) as authorization for instructional delivery to maintain professional standards and also flush out quacks in the teaching profession.     Nana Mbeah said teachers who do not possess the requisite qualification will not be in a position to teach at a certain level on the academic ladder and advised them to upgrade themselves.     Very Rev Kubi Asuamah Yeboah, the Western Regional Manager of Methodist Education Unit, who spoke on the topic: "Creation of Effective Partnership with stakeholders and community", called for Regional Managers should have an oversight responsibility of education delivery in the Regions.     He said as a divine mission, the church will promote sound religious and moral education not only to educate children but also help transform their entire life so that they live and work to respect the elderly and glorify God.       GNA ...

Sekondi, Oct. 31, GNA - The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) on Wednesday disbursed part of its Disability Fund to 59 physically challenged persons in the Metropolis.     Captain Anthony Cudjoe (rtd), the Metropolitan Chief Executive, said this was the second time the Assembly was supporting the physically challenged in the area with funds.     He said some able-bodied persons fraudulently secured financial support during the first disbursement of funds and this prompted the Social Services Committee to carefully screen all the 150 applications submitted.     He said the Disability Fund is to assist the physically challenged and is not meant for other purposes.     Captain Cudjoe advised the beneficiaries to put money allocated to them to good use to enable them enjoy good standard of living and urged them to take advantage of other government interventions including the Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme (LESDEP).     He said the Assembly has set aside funds to support the training and capacity building programmes of the Association of the Physically Challenged.     Mr John Davies, Chairman of the Social Services Committee of the Assembly, has embarked on a programme at lorry parks to educate the public about the disability law and urged drivers to reserve the front seats of their vehicles for the physically challenged.     GNA ...

Sekyere-Hemang (W/R), Oct. 31, GNA - Mr Matthew Kesson, a local Preacher at the Saint Paul's Methodist Church at Sekyere-Hemang, has called on Christians to deepen their faith in God in times of adversity to overcome problems in life.      He recalled the examples of Job and Bathimeus in the bible, who exhibited a strong faith during critical moments to turn their life around completely.      Mr Kesson was preaching the sermon on Sunday on the theme: "Jesus opened the eye of the blind through faith” at Sekyere-Hemang in the Wassa-East district of the Western Region.      He said Job continued to worship God in faith in the midst of calamities and Bathimeus cried and insisted to see Jesus Christ to regain his sight.      Mr Kesson said if Christians will continue to make Jesus Christ the center of their life, they will triumph in the face of the storms in life saying it was only through faith backed by good works that one can tap the blessings of God as the early Christians did.     The preacher said in spite of the hatred, malice and persecutions many Christians suffer from the world, goodness will always triumph over evil if they remained steadfast in the Lord.   GNA ...

Cape  Coast, Oct. 31,  GNA - A public consultation forum aimed at developing a National Action Plan for the Open Government Partnership (OGP) initiative has been held at Cape Coast.      The forum, organized by the Public Sector Reform Secretariat (PSRS), is the final to be held across the country and was attended by 30 participants from the Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions made up of Assembly members, Non-Governmental Organizations, other public officials as well as the media.     The OGP is a new voluntary, international multi- stakeholder initiative that is aimed at securing concrete commitments from governments to their citizenry to promote transparency, empower citizens, as well as fight corruption and harness new technologies to strengthen governance.     It is also aimed at improving the work of the public services, increase public integrity, manage public resources effectively, create safer communities as well as increase corporate accountability.     Mr Alhassan Azong, Minister of State at the Presidency, in a speech read on his behalf, said Ghana signed onto the OGP initiative in September 2011 in New York and is expected to develop a National Action Plan for submission to the Global Secretariat of the OGP by December 2012.     He said it was for this reason that the Fora have been held in all ten regions in the country to solicit and collate views from the public to develop a National Action Plan and that the Fora would be followed by a national validation of the reports in Accra.     Mr Azong said even though Ghana has past and on-going government initiatives and actions that are aligned to the OGP’s values and principles, “these efforts need to be amply demonstrated, monitored and evaluated over a period of time”.     He said the Action Plan would be developed around four thematic areas which are fiscal transparency, citizen engagement, right to information bill and accountability as well as technology and innovation.     Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Central Regional Minister, said the forum was an important national assignment and that the decisions taken would have an impact on all saying everyone had to ensure its success.     Dr Kwesi Jonah, a consultant at the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEC), said the OGP was an on-going, open-ended and open-to-all process and that every citizen has a duty to contribute to it.   GNA ...

Accra, Oct. 31, GNA – AngloGold Ashanti and Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has launched a programme dubbed the “African Mining Skills Initiative” (AMSI) to address the skills deficiency facing the mining sector.     The initiative, which was launched at the end of the Eighth African Development Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, aims at reducing Africa’s shortage of skills and providing human resources required to adequately support the mining and mineral sector to speed up Africa’s development and growth opportunities.     A statement to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday said: “The mining sector in Africa is booming, but the continent’s educational institutions are not currently in a position to meet this growing demand for a broad range of skills”.       It added that there was the need to meet the needs of African governments and helping civil society and the private sector to grow, hence it was imperative to increase the number of Africans with minerals skills.       It said to meet the needs of governments, civil society and the private sector, a drastic increase in the number of Africans with ‘minerals skills’ was needed    The statement underscored the importance of the AMSI in establishing the required partnerships in the mining industry and strengthening the human and institutional capacities in the African mining sector, emphasizing, “Creating these capacities would strengthen Africa’s bargaining power.”     It said, “Africa needs to participate more effectively in the minerals value chain”, adding, “this would lead to inclusive growth and economic transformation that address vulnerabilities”.     The statement explained that the complex world of the future requires moving beyond recognizing minerals skills as being engineering and geology, but appreciate that the modern minerals sector requires competency in areas such as strategic planning, law, finance, fiscal policy, environment, community affairs and human rights.     It is in this vein the AMSI aims to focus on broad skills development in Africa in relation to the minerals sector taking a holistic view of skills and institution building for the minerals industry, the statement said.   GNA ...

Accra, Oct. 31, GNA - Lt General. Joseph Smith, Minister of Defence has called for the use of dialogue in settling differences and avoiding violence especially during this elections period.     He said during the Second World War six million people lost their lives and many properties were destroyed but after many years of fighting a solution was eventually sought on the negotiation table hence the need to consider dialogue first by any group of persons.     He said this at the launch of the Ghana National Action Plan GHANAP 1325 for the Implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution UNSCR 1325 on Wednesday in Accra.     The UNSCR 1325 is an initiative of the united nations UN to deal exclusively with women in armed conflicts and establish a comprehensive agenda on women, peace and security.     It also seeks to ensure the participation of women in peace processes and peace building activities and gender-sensitive training for personnel involved in peace support operations.    Madam Juliana Azuma-Mensah, Minister of Woman and Children's Affairs, said the U.N. called on Member States to continue the implementation of the Resolution 1325 through the development of National Action Plans or other national level strategies. .      She said the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs, to operationalize and implement UNSCR 1325 was supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), amongst others in developing a three-year Ghana National Plan of Action (GHANAP 1325) on Women Peace and Security to be implemented from 2012 to 2015 which was launched at the event.     The launch which was on the theme: ‘Women, peace and security’ was aimed at creating awareness of GHANAP 1325 and facilitating the dissemination of the plan.     “This Action Plan emphasized the vital roles women could play in conflict prevention, through participation in peace negotiations as well as developing mechanisms to address gender-based and sexual–based violence, with regard to the promotion of women's human rights,” Madam Azuma-Mensa said.     She said the Plan of Action was based on three pillars, namely the participation of women in conflict prevention, peace and security institutions and processes; protection and promotion of the human rights of women and girls in situations of conflict and peace support operations; and the prevention of violence against women including sexual, gender-based and conflict-related violence.      Madam Azuma-Mensa said considering the issues embedded in the pillars, the security sector  would have a major role to play in the implementation of the National Plan of Action which was co-signed by the Ministries of the Interior and Defence.     Participant at the launch included representatives of all security agencies in Ghana, civil societies and representatives from all ministries. GNA ...

Tamale, Oct. 31, GNA – The MTN Foundation, as part of the one month long Savannah Fest has cut the sod for work to begin for the construction of a neonatal centre for the Tamale Teaching Hospital.     The project which is estimated at GH¢335,000 would provide intensive care to improve the survival rates for critically ill neonates and help meet the MDG 4 global initiative in reducing infant mortality.     The Network has commissioned a three-unit classroom block for the Kanvilli Presby JHS and donated medical equipments to the Chereponi District.     MTN has also helped organise a series of programmes such as football gala, health screening, health walk and a music show staged by Samini and Sarkodie, during the month long Savannah Fest.     Mr Admiral Abbey, Events and Sponsorship Manager of the MTN, told the GNA that the organization was going to make Savannah Fest an annual event to entertain and bring closer subscribers of the Network from the Northern parts of the country to the brand.      He said the MTN had entertained the youths in the Northern parts of the country and had commissioned and cut sod for some projects and was hopeful that MTN was going to win more customers in the region.     Mr Abbey said with the successful launch of the event with its music show that attracted many youths were indications of the growing brand support     He said MTN was the best brand in the country and had received many subscribers over the past years because ‘it enriches lives’. GNA ...

Accra, Oct. 31, GNA - The National Communications Authority (NCA) in collaboration with the Telecommunications Chamber will host a workshop on Thursday, November 1 at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.     The workshop will discuss the increasingly rampant cuts to telecoms cables that result in costly disruptions to telecommunications services and inconvenience to subscribers in the country.     A statement from the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications said the half-day event which will be opened by Mr Haruna Iddrissu, Minister for Communications, is being held in conjunction with the Department of Urban Roads, the Ghana Highways Authority and other roads sector institutions including the Association of Road Contractors (ASROC).     The NCA and Telecoms Chamber have in recent times expressed concern about the increasing spate of cable cuts and, especially, its implications for subscribers hence, the decision to work with all stakeholders to address this and other related issues that fall within the domain of telecommunications.     There have been several cable cuts this year leading to major outages of telecoms services with the majority of them occurring during road works.     Other issues to be discussed include relocation of telecoms cables during road construction, while road sector funding agencies will be asked to consider incorporating telecoms infrastructure at the inception stage of future roads projects as a matter of policy.     It is the aim of the NCA and the Telecoms Chamber to strive continuously towards ensuring that consumers get good quality from any telecommunications services, be it voice or data, the statement said.     It said the Authority would continue to conduct its routine monitoring exercises to ensure that consumers are provided with excellent services throughout Ghana.     Ghana has commenced the construction of the fibre optic project on the eastern corridor to intensify investments in mobile broadband infrastructure, improve quality of service and enable Ghanaians tap into the next-generation networks and technologies that should support smart education, governance and a knowledge-based economy.       GNA ...

Tamale, Oct. 31, GNA – The Ministry of Youth and Sports has donated a total of 4,160 footballs to 78 private and public Senior High Schools in the Northern Region to help unearth football talents in the country.     Each of the schools would receive 15 footballs and 115 each to the 26 districts in the region.     Dr Omani Boamah, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports who made the donation, said the balls were meant to be used by the beneficiary institutions to engage community football clubs and help promote the football in the country.     He said football is a game that promotes unity, understanding and transcends religious and ethnic boundaries.     Dr Boamah warned the beneficiary districts and head of institutions to desist from locking the footballs in their offices as if they were their personal properties but rather make good use of them.      The Minister called for the need to re-energize the curricular of the GES to include physical education where students could engage in physical sporting activities that would promote good health.     Alhaji Alhassan Issahaku, Northern Regional Coordinating Director, said the region possessed numerous football talents which needed to be unearthed for national benefit saying “the donation is the right step towards reviving talents in Northern Ghana”.            GNA ...

Ashaiman, Oct. 31, GNA - The Ministry of Health (MOH) will distribute 1.3 million female condoms to women organizations, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders as part of strategies to increase the patronage of the condom in the country.      Mr Alban Bagbin, Minister of Health announced this in a speech read on his behalf by Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Dankyira, Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) on Wednesday during the national re-launch of the female condom at Ashaiman.     The re-launch was under the theme: “Female condom for double protection”.     Mr Bagbin stated that government in collaboration with its partners purchased the large amount of the female condom for distribution.     He noted that research conducted by partners on the usage of the female condom in Ghana revealed that after its launch in May 2000, females have not being using it as expected.     He indicated that as part of recommendation from the study team, stakeholders agreed that the MOH, GHS and other health organizations must intensify education and promotion of the use of the female condom.     He said research in other countries has shown that the use of the female condom was the only safe female initiated contraception that protects the female against unwanted pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).     Mr Bagbin said female condoms has several advantages including dual protection, easy usage, affordable, gives opportunity to women to control sexual activities as well as help save and enhance the lives of females in Ghana.     He urged women to make use of the condoms while advising men to encourage their female partners to utilize the product.     Mr Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, Greater Accra Regional Minister, said the re-launch provides the platform for self-reflection and stock taking for the past years since the first launch of the condom.      Mr Agbo noted that it was sad that after the launch 12 years ago, available data on its use in the Greater Accra Region shows that, only 463 women had utilized the female condom this year.     He expressed the hope that the re-launch will help in the integration of the female condoms into the country’s sector-wide policies as well as within HIV/AIDS programming.   GNA ...

Accra, Oct. 31. GNA – Ms Hettie Mercer-Ricketts, Therapist and Chief Executive Officer of Spa Body N Beyond, on Wednesday admonished politicians to take advantage of the services of therapeutic experts to help them manage their political campaign stress.     Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, after a day’s therapeutic educational session for some leading politicians, Ms Mercer-Ricketts explained that owing to the hazardous nature of campaigning, politicians urgently need constant therapeutic massage to relieve their body, mind and soul of stress as they go through sleepless moments.     She said a soothing massage for instance can help a person unwind while a regular massage can help prevent illness.     “Therapeutic massage is helpful for traumatic victims, besides the emotional and physical pain, victims of trauma, past and present, often hold memories of events and by receiving massage from a trained professional, one can get back in touch with their body and mind to be able to access their emotions.” Ms Mercer-Ricketts added.     She noted long day of standing on one’s feet all day or sitting behind the desk throughout the day affects one’s health but with a good massage it will improve one’s blood circulation which can aid in the prevention of stroke or other illnesses.     She stated that a regular massage can ease pain, improve mood and reduces negative mood like depression, anxiety and anger and their associated hormones, in addition it can reduce depression in pregnant women and children.     Ms Mercer-Ricketts said the therapeutic treatments, which sought to help rejuvenate, revive and refresh, includes Swedish massage, Deep Tissue and Foot Massage.     Other benefits of therapeutic massage include prevention of insomnia or sleep disorders, improvement in athletic performances, strengthening the immune system of the body, promoting better and easier breathing, among others.     “Therapeutic massage helps to relieve stress which leads to many illness, it manages anxiety and depression, relieves aches  and pains all over the body, loosens tight joints and increases range of motion, it also helps lower high blood pressure, sports-related injuries, boost immunity, relieve headaches and increase blood circulation”, she said.     Ms Mercer-Ricketts emphasized that therapy massage is no longer available only through luxury spas and upscale health clubs but can be offered in businesses, clinics, hospitals and even at airports.      The CEO urged the leaders of all the political parties to seek regular therapeutic treatment and counselling. More ...

Accra, Oct. 31, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama, on Wednesday said the nation is aiming at achieving universal access to electricity and energy by 2016.    “This will be done by increasing power generation from the present 2,443 megawatts to around 5,000 megawatts in that time span.”     President Mahama said this in a speech read on his behalf during the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) meeting towards sustainable energy for all in West Africa in Accra.     He said government intends to make full use of the recently found gas resources to produce the energy required for the nation.     “It is only through cooperation, sharing and the pooling of our combined intellectual property, assisted to a large extent by the commitment of our private sectors that a new down of a better quality life will break on our peoples,” President Mahama said.     He said Ghana hope to bring on stream the Bui Hydro Electricity Dam that would complement the national output by 400 megawatts by the end of the first quarter of next year.      Mr Kadre` Desire` Ouedraogo, President of the ECOWAS Commission said sustainable energy is one of the key factors underling sustainable development in West Africa.      He said the over the past years ECOWAS member states had acted vigorously in the field of energy, notably by constructing the West Africa Gas pipeline in the rural and peri-urban areas, and also creating the West Africa Power Pool.      Mr Ouedraogo said it is the aim of ECOWAS to increase the use of renewable energy by 2030, with around 48 per cent of the overall electricity mix generated by large hydro, small hydro, and bio-energy, solar and wind energy. GNA ...

Accra, Oct. 31, GNA – Starbow Airlines, a domestic and regional airline would commence flights from Accra to Abidjan on Thursday November 8th, 2012.     The airline would fly five times weekly on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday, Fridays and Sundays, leaving Accra for Abidjan at 1730 hours and departing Abidjan to Accra at 1930 hours on all scheduled days, with the aim of having twice daily flights eventually.     Dr. Brock Friesen, Co-Chief Executive Officer at Starbow made the announcement at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday.     This would be the second regional route being run by Starbow, the first was a flight to Benin’s capital, Cotonou in last August 2012. Three more routes including Sierra-Leone (Freetown) and Monronvia would be added by the end of December, 2012.     He explained that the schedule of the Abidjan flights was put together with the business market in mind.     The flight times would ensure that business people are able to fly to Abidjan in the evening at 1730 hours, have a full day to work the following day and return with the evening flight, which leaves Abidjan at 1930 hours.     This, he said, would reduce costs for business people, who currently have to pay for two nights stay in hotels to do a day’s work.     With Starbow’s services, they would pay for only a day.     Dr. Friesen emphasized that the launch of flights on the two regional routes was part of Starbow’s “grand plan”.     He said the airline’s success on the domestic routes and the experience and expertise build from the first regional route meant “it would grow and quickly; with frequency and with quality service, adding that, the ticket prices are cheaper than what is known in this market.  He noted that air travel in Africa, especially West Africa was unbelievably expensive than anywhere in the world, caused mainly by high airport taxes, high cost of jet fuel and monopoly by the few airlines operating on these routes.     He said the airline intends to add another aircraft to its fleet of three aircraft soon and that in order to achieve the ultimate aim of service in 12 countries; it would have to at least double its fleet size.     On how Starbow would be affected by competition from existing carriers on the regional routes, Dr Friesen said the airline was not worried about competition because the Abidjan route was a large market and an increase in airlines on the route would stimulate growth. He stated that Starbow would be committed to these routes, which are their home routes unlike fifth freedom carriers (airlines that ply the route as extension or addition to their home routes, such as South African Airways who are doing Abidjan, aside from their home route), who would not be very committed because they are not their home routes.     GNA ...

Takoradi, Oct. 31, GNA – An explosion at the Aboadze Thermal plant on Wednesday killed two workers, Takoradi Police confirms to the Ghana News Agency in an interview.     According to ASP Ben Baah, Sekondi District Crime Officer, the police will launch an investigation into the incident immediately.     GNA investigation indicates that the two workers whose names were not given were working on a tanker before the explosion killing one instantly. The second person who sustained serious injuries was rushed to Aboadze Hospital but died later.     However GNA’s attempt to get Ms Olivia Adjei Larbi, Aboadze Thermal Plant officer in charge of Community Relations, proved futile.     More Later ...

Accra, Oct. 31, GNA – About five million dollars is lost annually from the importation of onions from Niger and Burkina Faso to Ghana, which can be produced locally.     This was disclosed by Mr Haruna Ageshika, Secretary General of the Ghana Agricultural Producers and Traders Organisation (GAPTO) in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, on Wednesday.     He said conditions abound in the country for large scale production of onion, both for local consumption and export.     He said data collected by the Organisation in a project supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Agriculture Business and Trade Promotion in West Africa (ATP) in two markets in Accra and Kumasi showed that Ghana imported about 120 million dollars worth of the produce in 2010 and 2011, which was about 65 % of onion importation into the country.     Mr Ageshika said under the USAID/ATP project GAPTO also gathered data on livestock and maize importation into the country.     He said the organisation in collaboration with the Trade Investment Programme for Competitive Export Economy (TIPCEE); another USAID funded project, conducted a study into the cultivation of onions in the country in 2008 and 2009 and identified the Northern Region among other areas as suitable for large scale onion farming.     The GAPTO Secretary General said following the study, TIPCEE supported GAPTO financially and technically for a pilot large scale onion cultivation with what he called “promising yields”, but could not be sustained for lack of funding.     Mr Ageshika said GAPTO is being supported by the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC) for an advocacy initiative to get the Government and other interested institutions to establish an Onion Farmers Support Fund to promote the commercial cultivation of onion in the country.     He said under the initiative, it is envisaged that stakeholders would build consensus and develop a legal framework and roadmap to formulate policy for an Onion Farmers Support Fund to assist Onion farmers to expand their capacity for commercial production.     The GAPTO Secretary General noted such an initiative could save the country some foreign exchange, create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth and eliminate the rural-urban migration, especially from the northern parts of the country to the south.     It would also help equip the youth with skills which would enable them to earn an income, promote rural development and help raise living standards in those areas.     Mr Ageshika expressed the readiness of GAPTO to help local onion producers to market their produce and disclosed that the Organisation was preparing a proposal for government to promote onion production in the country, as a way of equipping the youth with employable skill.   GNA ...

Accra, Oct 31, GNA – The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) on Wednesday inaugurated KBA Comet Press, a new printing facility with an in-built capacity to print 75,000 copies of newspapers per hour.     The facility can eliminate film-making from the printing process, allowing high speed printing while maintaining high quality.     The company has also launched a redesigned website, www.graphic.com.gh to make it more user friendly and highly competitive in response to changing technology.     Mr Ken Ashigbey, Managing Director, GCGL, who made this known at the launch, said the printing facility was another major breakthrough in modern print technology.    He said: “Our new ten million dollars press has an in-built capacity such that even if we printed all the newspapers in Ghana, we will not be able to reach 40 per cent installed capacity.”   According to him, Graphic is currently the only high quality we-press for books and commercial printing in the country with the capacity to print all textbooks from government, which could be completed within 48 days.   “So the era of sending these orders out of Ghana are gone with the commissioning of the new press, let’s look within local content, more jobs for Ghanaians, more taxes for the Government and the development of our country Ghana,” he said.   Mr Ashigbey mentioned that the new website would provide complete multimedia experience and become a major source for the coverage of the 2012 elections.     “The two facilities will add to our rich resources and capabilities to offer meaningful contributions to the successful conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections on December 7,” he said.     He appealed to government to address the issues of taxes on raw materials saying: “While books imported into our country come duty free …printers in Ghana have to pay duty and taxes on the paper, inks and other raw materials… use for manufacturing the books.”     Mr Xorla Senaya, Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Information on behalf of the President, called on media practitioners to be mindful of their reportage and avoid hate speeches that may trigger violence during the elections.     He indicated that government is committed to ensure the growth of the media to enable them play their roles effectively to deepen the country’s democracy.     Mr Kabral Blay Amihere, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) encouraged the GCGL to continue to set the standard of media excellence for other private media houses to emulate, charging them to abide by the constitutional provision to offer equal opportunities to all political parties.     He announced that the NMC will from next week publish weekly report on the performance of the various media houses regarding their reportage, before, during and after the December elections.   GNA ...

Kumasi Oct. 31, GNA – The Nationwide strike action declared by the Civil and Local Government Staff Association (CLOGSAG) which was to start from today October 31, could not come off in all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the Ashanti Region.       This is because most regional and district offices did not receive their circulars to that effect.      Sources close to the Regional Co-ordinating Council told the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi that those who did not receive the directive went to work today.      “However some offices were closed today, an indication that they had been duly given the green light” the source added.     CLOGSAG yesterday directed its national, regional and district offices to close down starting from today to put pressure on Government and the Fair wages and Salaries Commission to address outstanding issues concerning the payment of premium to its members.     Mr Isaac Bampoe-Addo, Executive Secretary of the Association at a media briefing in Accra on Tuesday said the executives have been compelled to reach the decision as a result of their members accusing them of being “in bed ” with government leading to its failure to pay the premium.   GNA...