THE Deputy Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Omane Boamah, has indicated the government’s commitment to review the Minerals and Mining Act of 2006 to ensure safer environmental practices in mining companies.
He indicated that the reviewed bill also focuses on oil spillage and other environmental abrasions.
Dr Boamah said this at the inauguration of the SGS Monitoring and Analytical Services Laboratory in Tema.
Dr Boamah said the Minerals Act of 2006, which replaced the one passed by the PNDC limited the payment of royalties to six per cent and affected the livelihood of indigenes since mining companies did not allow for commercial farming on their concessions, and that was impacting negatively on such communities.
He expressed joy at the initiative of private enterprises such as SGS, which played leadership roles by investing in the environment and quality management standards. He called on mining communities to help safeguard the environment from pollution and depletion noting “if the environment is depleted, GDP growth is meaningless”.
He appealed to private and public laboratories to co-operate with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and his ministry to streamline their operations and asked the SGS to consider establishing another laboratory in the Western Region since transporting samples from the oil fields for testing in Tema could affect productivity.
The Managing Director of the SGS, Mr Dominique Gouvernayre, said the company’s role as a leading force in inspection, verification, testing and certification services provision could not be overemphasised.
He said the success achieved by the company’s geochemical laboratory which was constructed about 20 years ago engineered the setting up of the monitoring and analytical services laboratory.
Mr Gouvernayre said since its establishment the laboratory had undergone massive transformation and metamorphosed into a first-class international laboratory equipped with modern facilities.
The drive to address the concern of our needs and meet their demands as well as management’s decision to adopt quality systems has seen them moving miles to acquire the ISO 17025-2005 accreditation in July this year, Mr Gouvernayre said.
He added that the company would in future expand its operations into other sectors of the Ghanaian economy and readily provide expertise in the areas of oil and gas as well as sustainable environmental practices.
The newly opened laboratory is for the purposes of testing metals and analysing petroleum and petrochemical products.
The laboratory also analyses environmental, food, sampling inorganic, bacteria, waste water, soil, and feed samples.
Friday, September 11, 2009
MONA SHOWS CLASS AT TIGO OPEN (GRAPHIC SPORTS, PAGE 11)
MONA Myles-Lamptey, Ghana’s scratch queen, last Saturday showed class by beating over 200 golfers in this year’s tiGo Tema Open Championship played at the Tema Country Golf Club. She took home the giant trophy.
Mona of the Achimota Golf Club returned a gross score of 163, beating Grace Afriyie who played a gross of 168 to the second position, while visiting Vivienne Kouame from Cote d’Ivoire placed third with a score of 174.
Unknown Vincent Coffie from the Achimota Golf Club emerged the new king in the men’s scratch event with 139, score beating visiting Togolese Mawuli Richard and host club’s Ernest Opoku to the second and third positions respectively. They grossed 148 and 152 respectively.
Vincent Torgah failed to defend the title he won last year by placing third in the professionals 72 hole event, scoring 285.
Victor Brave-Mensah walked away with GH¢1,000 for placing first in the professional category, followed by young sensation, Kodwo Banni from Kumasi who took home GH¢650, while Torgah received GH¢500 for his efforts.
Lady Scientific Florence Etwi-Barimah, who is also known as “Old Soldier” among golfers following her exploits in the game, was on target in the ladies handicap event recording a net score of 144, beating veteran Adelaide Owusu-Adjepong (148) to second position and Margaret Addison (148) to third.
Frederick Boateng from Takoradi scored 144 in the men’s handicap, with MK Quarshie and Ashis Gajjar of Celebrity following in that order.
Bluffing Oswald Amuzu also of Celebrity who was tipped prior to the tournament to win could not live up to expectation.
President of Ghana Golfers Association, Dr Felix Frimpong, called for an improvement in the game so as to attract more people to appreciating the sport. He paid glowing tribute to Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of the tiGo network for sponsoring the event.
Outdoor manager of tiGo, Mr Bismark Odoom, pledged his outfit’s commitment to moving the sport to higher heights.
Manager of the Tema Country Golf Club, Mr Ebenezer Adablanu, said tiGo’s must be a shining exemple to all corporate world.
Mona of the Achimota Golf Club returned a gross score of 163, beating Grace Afriyie who played a gross of 168 to the second position, while visiting Vivienne Kouame from Cote d’Ivoire placed third with a score of 174.
Unknown Vincent Coffie from the Achimota Golf Club emerged the new king in the men’s scratch event with 139, score beating visiting Togolese Mawuli Richard and host club’s Ernest Opoku to the second and third positions respectively. They grossed 148 and 152 respectively.
Vincent Torgah failed to defend the title he won last year by placing third in the professionals 72 hole event, scoring 285.
Victor Brave-Mensah walked away with GH¢1,000 for placing first in the professional category, followed by young sensation, Kodwo Banni from Kumasi who took home GH¢650, while Torgah received GH¢500 for his efforts.
Lady Scientific Florence Etwi-Barimah, who is also known as “Old Soldier” among golfers following her exploits in the game, was on target in the ladies handicap event recording a net score of 144, beating veteran Adelaide Owusu-Adjepong (148) to second position and Margaret Addison (148) to third.
Frederick Boateng from Takoradi scored 144 in the men’s handicap, with MK Quarshie and Ashis Gajjar of Celebrity following in that order.
Bluffing Oswald Amuzu also of Celebrity who was tipped prior to the tournament to win could not live up to expectation.
President of Ghana Golfers Association, Dr Felix Frimpong, called for an improvement in the game so as to attract more people to appreciating the sport. He paid glowing tribute to Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of the tiGo network for sponsoring the event.
Outdoor manager of tiGo, Mr Bismark Odoom, pledged his outfit’s commitment to moving the sport to higher heights.
Manager of the Tema Country Golf Club, Mr Ebenezer Adablanu, said tiGo’s must be a shining exemple to all corporate world.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
SPEED WORK ON SISNGLE SPINE PAY POLICY (PAGE 31)
THE Executive Secretary of the Civil Servants Association of Ghana, Mr James Ekow Amissah, has called on the government to speed up work on the single spine salary pay policy ahead of its implementation in January 2010.
He made the call at a day’s workshop for members of the Tema chapter of the association.
Mr Amissah said the Ghana Universal Salary Structure developed by the PriceWaterHouse Coopers in 1996 and was subsequently implemented in 1999, had witnessed several distortions, culminating in workers associations, particularly those in the health sector, embarking on industrial actions.
He attributed the failure of the universal system to the inability of its administrators to remain firm on salary negotiations of workers and appealed to stakeholders to be forthright with concerns of members.
He, however, warned that the association would oppose the single spine structure, if it did not meet the expectations of workers.
A consultant to the association, Mr Daniel Amamoo, indicated that the proposed structure lacked guidelines following the absence of a clear policy on it.
He said the general implementation of the single spine structure would not benefit members of the association, hence the need to collate data and make inputs to the government for a redefinition of the proposed package.
He, therefore, called on members to voluntarily help in the data collation as the government was still awaiting recommendations across the board before the implementation of the new scheme.
The Tema Metropolitan Secretary of the association, Mr Alfred Ofoe Agbodaba, in his welcoming address, said the growing demand for high productivity from employers, as well as increased expectations on the part of workers, had necessitated the need for an educational seminar to sensitise members to the new proposal by the government.
He said the three-month seminar was meant for all civil servants across the 10 regions of the country.
Mr Agbodaba also told the participants that the association had also developed a savings and loans scheme as part of measures adopted to relieve members of the enormous pressures and challenges facing them.
He said non-due paying members of the association would not access the funds and urged all to genuinely contribute to the growth of the fund.
He made the call at a day’s workshop for members of the Tema chapter of the association.
Mr Amissah said the Ghana Universal Salary Structure developed by the PriceWaterHouse Coopers in 1996 and was subsequently implemented in 1999, had witnessed several distortions, culminating in workers associations, particularly those in the health sector, embarking on industrial actions.
He attributed the failure of the universal system to the inability of its administrators to remain firm on salary negotiations of workers and appealed to stakeholders to be forthright with concerns of members.
He, however, warned that the association would oppose the single spine structure, if it did not meet the expectations of workers.
A consultant to the association, Mr Daniel Amamoo, indicated that the proposed structure lacked guidelines following the absence of a clear policy on it.
He said the general implementation of the single spine structure would not benefit members of the association, hence the need to collate data and make inputs to the government for a redefinition of the proposed package.
He, therefore, called on members to voluntarily help in the data collation as the government was still awaiting recommendations across the board before the implementation of the new scheme.
The Tema Metropolitan Secretary of the association, Mr Alfred Ofoe Agbodaba, in his welcoming address, said the growing demand for high productivity from employers, as well as increased expectations on the part of workers, had necessitated the need for an educational seminar to sensitise members to the new proposal by the government.
He said the three-month seminar was meant for all civil servants across the 10 regions of the country.
Mr Agbodaba also told the participants that the association had also developed a savings and loans scheme as part of measures adopted to relieve members of the enormous pressures and challenges facing them.
He said non-due paying members of the association would not access the funds and urged all to genuinely contribute to the growth of the fund.
ALLEGED AMERICAN PAEDOPHILE ARRESTED..He's said to have defiled 8 children (1B)
Story: Della Russel Ocloo, Tema
A 65-year-old white American who is alleged to have defiled eight children at Adjomakope, near Sege in the Dangme East District, has been arrested and arraigned before the Tema Circuit Court.
The suspected paedophile, Patrick Ken Larbash, who denied the charge, has been remanded in custody to reappear on September 22, 2009.
According to the Tema Regional Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rebecca Nyamah, the suspect allegedly often lured the victims aged between three and 12 years to his residence on the pretext of providing them with food and candies.
In the process, he allegedly engaged the children in sexual encounters by stripping himself naked for the children to suck his genitals while a digital camera had been set up to record the act.
ASP Nyamah told the Daily Graphic in Tema that her outfit recently received complaints from the Greater Accra Regional office of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs of the suspect’s activities.
Following the complaints, the regional department organised a sensitisation workshop on the Domestic Violence Law, Act 723 for residents of Adjomakope.
At the end of the workshop, some children within the community narrated to the officials the ordeal they had been subjected to by the suspect.
Subsequently the officials lodged a complaint at DOVVSU, which investigated the matter leading to the arrest of the suspect.
The suspect in his cautioned statement denied the allegations. However, a search conducted in his room revealed a Nokia 6080 phone, a digital camera, a laptop, pen-drives and other recording gadgets containing pornographic materials showing him stripped naked and children sucking his genitals.
A 65-year-old white American who is alleged to have defiled eight children at Adjomakope, near Sege in the Dangme East District, has been arrested and arraigned before the Tema Circuit Court.
The suspected paedophile, Patrick Ken Larbash, who denied the charge, has been remanded in custody to reappear on September 22, 2009.
According to the Tema Regional Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rebecca Nyamah, the suspect allegedly often lured the victims aged between three and 12 years to his residence on the pretext of providing them with food and candies.
In the process, he allegedly engaged the children in sexual encounters by stripping himself naked for the children to suck his genitals while a digital camera had been set up to record the act.
ASP Nyamah told the Daily Graphic in Tema that her outfit recently received complaints from the Greater Accra Regional office of the Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs of the suspect’s activities.
Following the complaints, the regional department organised a sensitisation workshop on the Domestic Violence Law, Act 723 for residents of Adjomakope.
At the end of the workshop, some children within the community narrated to the officials the ordeal they had been subjected to by the suspect.
Subsequently the officials lodged a complaint at DOVVSU, which investigated the matter leading to the arrest of the suspect.
The suspect in his cautioned statement denied the allegations. However, a search conducted in his room revealed a Nokia 6080 phone, a digital camera, a laptop, pen-drives and other recording gadgets containing pornographic materials showing him stripped naked and children sucking his genitals.
Friday, September 4, 2009
ROUSING WELCOME FOR NEW EDUBIASE (PAGE 39)
NEW Edubiase Football Club has received a rousing welcome from their teeming supporters and residents in and around New Edubiase following their qualification to the Glo Premier League.
The municipality, which was decorated in the blue and yellow colours of the club, went agog when the team arrived home at the weekend.
Supporters met players and officials of the club on arrival at Assin Fosu amidst brass band music through the major towns along the main Assin Fosu-Obuasi highway.
The thick and uncontrollable crowd followed the team through some principal streets in New Edubiase till they arrived at the chief’s palace where they met Nana Asiamah Oguashie II.
Nana Asiamah congratulated the team on their qualification to the premiership and for bringing glory to Edubiaseman.
He revealed that the traditional authorities had allocated a large parcel of land to be developed into a mini-stadium which would be used as the club’s home venue.
He also pledged to assist the club to finance the project.
Nana Asiamah, however, cautioned the management and playing body not to be complacent about their qualification but rather strive to win more laurels.
The team will soon announce a sponsorship deal from a corporate institution in the country.
The municipality, which was decorated in the blue and yellow colours of the club, went agog when the team arrived home at the weekend.
Supporters met players and officials of the club on arrival at Assin Fosu amidst brass band music through the major towns along the main Assin Fosu-Obuasi highway.
The thick and uncontrollable crowd followed the team through some principal streets in New Edubiase till they arrived at the chief’s palace where they met Nana Asiamah Oguashie II.
Nana Asiamah congratulated the team on their qualification to the premiership and for bringing glory to Edubiaseman.
He revealed that the traditional authorities had allocated a large parcel of land to be developed into a mini-stadium which would be used as the club’s home venue.
He also pledged to assist the club to finance the project.
Nana Asiamah, however, cautioned the management and playing body not to be complacent about their qualification but rather strive to win more laurels.
The team will soon announce a sponsorship deal from a corporate institution in the country.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
TIGO GOLF OPEN SATURDAY , DAILY GRAPHIC (PAGE 47)
THE Tema Country Golf Club will stage the annual tiGo Tema Open Championship this weekend.
The competition, which is the club’s flagship event, seeks to re-enact the rivalry among the top guns such as Baba Akologo, Vincent Torgah and Eric Henaku at the professional level.
Captain of Tema Golf Club, Kwaku Okyere, and his vice, Dr Paul Owusu Baah, will lead the home team against the Achimota squad which is expected to be captained by Mike Aggrey, with the Celebrity team being led by Pierre Coussey.
More than 100 golfers have already signed up for the competition.
Geoffrey Avornyotse, Joe Ampofo, Akwasi Poku who spoke to the Daily Graphic at separate interviews expressed optimism to carry the day but Oswald Amuzu and Renne Kwame have called off their bluff.
Sponsors, Millicom Ghana Ltd, operators of tiGo mobile network believe the sponsorship is their contribution towards making the sport great in the country.
The competition, which is the club’s flagship event, seeks to re-enact the rivalry among the top guns such as Baba Akologo, Vincent Torgah and Eric Henaku at the professional level.
Captain of Tema Golf Club, Kwaku Okyere, and his vice, Dr Paul Owusu Baah, will lead the home team against the Achimota squad which is expected to be captained by Mike Aggrey, with the Celebrity team being led by Pierre Coussey.
More than 100 golfers have already signed up for the competition.
Geoffrey Avornyotse, Joe Ampofo, Akwasi Poku who spoke to the Daily Graphic at separate interviews expressed optimism to carry the day but Oswald Amuzu and Renne Kwame have called off their bluff.
Sponsors, Millicom Ghana Ltd, operators of tiGo mobile network believe the sponsorship is their contribution towards making the sport great in the country.
COCAINE VESSEL HELD AT TEMA , DAILY GRAPHIC, Front Page(1b)
Story: Rose Hayfron Darko & Della Russel Ocloo, Tema
A Joint operation by the National Security, the police, the Narcotic Control Board and the Port Security has led to the discovery of five bags of substance suspected to be cocaine on board a Panaminian vessel which docked with cargo later found to be sugar from Brazil.
A Filipino crew member whose identity is yet to be established was alleged to have committed suicide after the discovery of the cocaine.
The 23 crew members, as well as the ship, have been placed under security guard to avoid any intrusion.
The area around Berth Three, where the vessel MV St Eferm docked yesterday afternoon, was cordoned off and declared a security zone.
Information gathered at the port indicated that Agency Global Cargo and Commodities based in Tema was the local agent for the vessel.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the incident in Tema, the Chairman of the NACOB Board, Captain Assassie Gyimah (retd), said the vessel arrived in the country 10 days ago but was able to berth yesterday afternoon only for the security to discover the bags of the substance suspected to be cocaine.
He said the substance looked like sugar and, therefore, required expertise of officials of the security agencies and NACOB to detect the substance.
He said the vessel, flying a Panamanian flag, carried 14,000 tonnes of sugar from Brazil.
Captain Gyimah said security search during the joint operation at about 5.30 p.m. uncovered five parcels of whitish substances believed to be cocaine.
Meanwhile the body of the Filipino crew member has been conveyed to a mortuary in Accra for further examination and autopsy.
A Joint operation by the National Security, the police, the Narcotic Control Board and the Port Security has led to the discovery of five bags of substance suspected to be cocaine on board a Panaminian vessel which docked with cargo later found to be sugar from Brazil.
A Filipino crew member whose identity is yet to be established was alleged to have committed suicide after the discovery of the cocaine.
The 23 crew members, as well as the ship, have been placed under security guard to avoid any intrusion.
The area around Berth Three, where the vessel MV St Eferm docked yesterday afternoon, was cordoned off and declared a security zone.
Information gathered at the port indicated that Agency Global Cargo and Commodities based in Tema was the local agent for the vessel.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the incident in Tema, the Chairman of the NACOB Board, Captain Assassie Gyimah (retd), said the vessel arrived in the country 10 days ago but was able to berth yesterday afternoon only for the security to discover the bags of the substance suspected to be cocaine.
He said the substance looked like sugar and, therefore, required expertise of officials of the security agencies and NACOB to detect the substance.
He said the vessel, flying a Panamanian flag, carried 14,000 tonnes of sugar from Brazil.
Captain Gyimah said security search during the joint operation at about 5.30 p.m. uncovered five parcels of whitish substances believed to be cocaine.
Meanwhile the body of the Filipino crew member has been conveyed to a mortuary in Accra for further examination and autopsy.
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