Day: April 22, 2024

An Accra High Court has granted Mr Adjenim Boateng Adjei, a former Public Procurement Authority Chief Executive Officer, a GH?4million bail.

He is to produce two sureties both of whom are to be justified with landed properties.

Mr Adjei pleaded not guilty to all eight fresh counts of using public office for profit and directly and indirectly influencing the Public Procurement Process using his office.

Earlier, an Accra High Court struck out a previous 17 charges against Dr Adjei and his brother-in-law, Mr Francis Kwaku Arhin filed on May 18, 2022.

The Court presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons admitted the accused person to bail and asked the Registrar to confirm with the relevant authorities the authenticity of the documents, while the sureties produced copies of their Ghana Cards to the Registrar.

The accused person is to leave his passport with the Registrar of the Court.

The Judge also directed that the copies of the bail bond be given to the prosecution for easy access.

The charge sheet p
referred four counts each of using public office for profit, contrary to section 179(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act.29), and indirectly influencing the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of a procurement contract, contrary to section 92(2)(b) of the public procurement act 2003 (Act 663).

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghana Irrigation Development Authority and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen collaboration and ensure sustainable water management and irrigation practices.

The MoU, which is heavily tilted towards research, will also look at training smallholder farmers to sustainably utilize the water resources. 

Dr Mark Smith, IWMI Director General and Richard Oppong-Boateng, Acting Chief Executive Officer of GIDA, signed the deal on behalf of their institutions.

Commenting on the five-year agreement, Mr Oppong-Boateng expressed the hope that the strategic partnerships would serve as fundamental resource for organisations to develop and expand linkages with well-established institutions.

‘Ghana has the potential to produce more and export to neighbouring countries.  We can only do that when we have sustainable water resources. Through this MOU, we are going to do a lot of research to look at how we can predict the rainfall and also how we can model o
ur water resources,’ he said.

The Authority currently manages over 180 irrigation schemes and has the vision of developing the available water resources and irrigation potential of about 1.9 million hectares for livelihood options in agriculture, (irrigation, livestock watering and aquaculture) at appropriate scales for smallholder and commercial farmers in all communities throughout the country.

‘We are very grateful and happy to see the signing of the MoU and hope it will help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 towards achieving water quality and sustainability for the survival of people and the planet,’ he said.

Mr Oppong-Boateng said the MoU would also bring on board expertise to predict with satellite imagery and modelling instead of using runoff coefficients in design of dams. 

Also, the MoU will help to mitigate the effect of climate change through the use of climate smart technologies, placing a limit on water usage and still have high production levels. 

‘If we don’t manage ou
r resources well, we will not be able to have water to produce food. So, for the small-holder farmer who doesn’t know anything about water conservation through this capacity building training, we will be able to tell them and even train them how they should use their water resources.’

On his part, Dr Smith said the MoU would deepen and make closer the strategic partnership IWMI have with the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority.

He said the two institutions had a shared objective to support the development of irrigation in Ghana to make sure it was sustainable and inclusive as well as productive.

Dr Smith said IWMI had been working in Ghana for the last 20 years on water management and irrigation development in a whole variety of respects that met maximum potential for supporting and strengthening farmers, their livelihoods and their families’ well-being. 

On measuring the impact of the project, Dr Smith said the partners would clearly want to see that ‘a partnership like this is really driving change a
nd driving impacts, especially impacts in policy and investment and the way that works.’

Also, impact on the ground that makes a real difference in people’s lives.

He said to implement the joint activities with GIDA, there was quite comprehensive monitoring frameworks for tracking the results and the impacts of our programmes together. 

‘So, we’ll be sure to have a strong evidence-based story to tell about the success, we hope, of this partnership,’ Dr Smith added.

He said IWMI was focused on driving change in water management that makes a difference in people’s lives through more formalized training approaches that we would build into different projects and also through partnerships that work from the ground through institutions, whether local water management institutions or district level water management institutions.

Dr Olufunke Cofie, IWMI West Africa Regional Representative, said the Institute was proud about co-developing innovations with stakeholders and beneficiaries, including smallholder farm
ers, government agencies, and non-governmental organisations that are working with farmers as well.

‘So, we’ve co-developed two innovations. One is about transforming waste into fertilizer, which we have done together and it’s being commercialized,’ she said.

Dr Cofie said IWMI continued to use its expertise to support the efforts of the government to take irrigation to the next level, to expand the area of irrigation, and to improve irrigation practices, particularly in the northern area where they only have opportunity to cultivate once a year.

‘There’s a need to improve the income and livelihoods of smallholder farmers by helping them with innovations, technologies, practices that they can draw on water whether it’s surface water or groundwater resources, to use it to have dry season production systems.  We help people to be more engaged, we help people to generate income,’ she added.

The occasion was also used to showcase the activities of IWMI to stakeholders in areas such as agricultural water manag
ement and irrigation, drawing attention to faecal sludge management, strengthening individual and institutions, contributing to their capacity through graduate studies, facilitating policy dialogue, contributing knowledge, evidence-based knowledge into policy processes, either in the agricultural sector or in the water and sanitation sector, something that we have been actively doing in Ghana.

Stakeholders also had a virtual reality experience.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Spanish Basque separatists are celebrating an historic parliamentary election victories, with the two parties in favour of independence for the northern Spanish region receiving 54 of the 75 seats in the parliament – more than ever before.

However, the governing coalition between the conservative Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), one of the parties that favours Basque independence, and the country’s ruling Socialists (PSOE) of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, will continue to rule.

This is because the PNV has ruled out governing with the other party that favours independence – the left-wing alliance EH Bildu. It and the PNV each won 27 seats in Sunday’s vote, according to electoral authorities.

The PNV and the PSOE, which have governed the region since 2016, have an absolute majority of 39 members of parliament – two less than before.

Despite the PNV’s unwillingness to govern with the EH Bildu, some are worried in Spain.

‘EH Bildu is becoming the alternative to power and is opening up a worrying scenario,’ co
mmented the renowned daily newspaper El Mundo.

‘Never before in the history of democracy has nationalism been so strong in the Basque Country,’ wrote the newspaper ABC.

In front of cheering supporters chanting ‘independence, independence,’ EH-Bildu lead candidate Pello Otxandiano shouted on election night: ‘This is spectacular…We are on the right track. We are making progress, and fast.’

The various separatist parties in the conflict region of Catalonia congratulated the 41-year-old engineer on his success.

On May 12, the new parliament in Barcelona will be elected. Sánchez’s minority government is dependent on cooperation with all separatists there.

With 27 seats, EH Bildu achieved by far the best result in the history of the alliance and also in the history of its predecessor parties.

One of the reasons the party is controversial is its refusal to label the former Basque underground organization ETA as ‘terrorist.’ It calls it an ‘armed group’ instead.

Like EH Bildu, which has former members of the d
isbanded terrorist organization ETA in its ranks, the PNV also seeks more self-determination for the region from the central government in Madrid, but is less radical in its approach.

Iñigo Urkullu also has a nationalist orientation, but is less radical.

Urkullu, 62, who has been in power since 2012, no longer presented himself as the leading candidate this time. He will most likely be replaced as prime minister by his party colleague Imanol Pradales, 49, if the PNV and PSOE agree to continue the coalition as expected.

The underground group ‘Euskadi Ta Askatasuna’ (ETA), which translates as ‘Basque Country and Freedom,’ was founded in 1959. It fought for an independent Basque Country for decades, carrying out some 3,000 attacks in which 857 people died and 2,600 were injured.

It was considered a terrorist organization by Spain, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and the European Union. It continued its fight even after the end of the Spanish dictatorship of Francisco Franco in 1975.

Th
e organization announced its dissolution in 2018. The Basque Country is now one of the most prosperous of Spain’s 17 autonomous regions, which correspond to the German federal states.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Mohammed Amin Adam, Finance Minister, says the government has taken steps to establish a single account to streamline the collection and distribution of revenue under the cash waterfall mechanism.

This development is to enhance transparency and accountability, while ensuring that beneficiaries within the value chain received what is due them – all aimed at improving revenue management

Dr Amin Adam said this during a press briefing at the just ended International Monetary Fund (IMF)/World Bank Group (WBG) Spring Meetings in Washington, US, monitored by the Ghana News Agency.

He said the government would, ‘establish a single collection account so that ECG [Electricity Company of Ghana] will not collect revenue through the many accounts that they operate. The move is to bring accountability and transparency to bear.’

Data provided by ECG to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) – utility sector regulator, shows that the electricity distributor is operating about 61 separate accounts.

The Pres
ident, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has asked the Management of ECG to ensure that the accounts were merged into one in line with IMF conditionalities.

It is against this background that the Minister announced the government’s plan to ensure that ECG operated a single account, in addition to a periodic auditing and publication of a cash waterfall mechanism report.

He also indicated that the government would in May 2024, sign an agreement on debt restructuring with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), and procure some one million revenue efficient meters into the country.

The Minister, who is also an Energy Economist, was confident that those measures would help reduce the deficit in the energy sector, ensure financial stability, while providing Ghanaians with reliable and affordable electricity.

Speaking with the Ghana News Agency on these developments, Nana Amoasi VII, Executive Director, Institute for Energy Security (IES), lauded the government for the steps it had taken to solve the energy sector chall
enges.

However, Nana Amoasi VII, encouraged the government to continue to investment in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure, as well as expand capacity, improve reliability, and meet growing demands.

The IES Executive Director noted that signing a debt restructuring agreement with the IPPs could help reduce arrears and alleviate financial pressures on the government and utilities, potentially leading to improved stability in electricity supply.

‘By consolidating revenues and expenses into a single account, ECG can better track and allocate funds for operational and investment purposes, ensuring efficient utilization of resources and enhancing overall performance,’ he said.

On the part of consumers, he said, ‘in spite of the challenging economic situation today, Ghanaians should endeavour to pay their electricity bills promptly to support the sustainability of the energy sector, and practice energy conservation.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The police have arrested two persons in connection with the death of a United States of America national at Nyinasen near Cape Coast in the Central Region.

The two suspects, Wisdom Sete, a Togolese, and Yussif Afrim, were arrested on Friday 19th April 2024, at Assin Prasso for their involvement in the alleged murder of Naomi Jehubiyah.

A statement issued in Accra by Assistant Commissioner of Police Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Director Public Affairs, Ghana Police Service, said a preliminary police investigation indicated that Sete, believed to be the fiancée of the deceased, allegedly conspired with Afrim to kill Jehubiyah.

It said the body had been deposited at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital for preservation and autopsy.

The statement said the two vehicles belonging to the deceased had been retrieved from the suspects who were currently in custody assisting Police investigations.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Charles Teye Amoatey, Director, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Training and Consulting, says the World Bank has commended Ghana for mainstreaming environmental risk management in World Bank-funded projects.

He said the World Bank had made positive remarks about Ghana’s advancements in environmental and social risk management.

Prof Amoatey said the World Bank had allowed Ghana to use its own system to manage environmental and social risks on World Bank-funded projects.

That, he stressed, showed the level of maturity Ghana had achieved as a result of the impact of the environmental and social risk programme.

Prof Amoatey said this at the opening of the fourth session of a six-day training programme on the Essentials of Environmental and Social Risk Management (ESRM) in Accra.

The programme is organised by GIMPA in collaboration with the Regional Transport Research and Education Centre of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) funded by the World Bank Gro
up.

The training programme brought together 35 participants from the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, as well as local government and public service from the African continent, including Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.

The aim of the programme is to train participants to manage ESRM associated with projects being implemented on the continent for sustainable development.

Studies conducted on improving results in sub-Saharan Africa showed that financial institutions in the region did not achieve satisfactory environmental, social, health, and safety ratings.

Also, there is a lack of capacity among these institutions as well as member states to implement environmental and social risk management.

He urged African governments to prioritise  environmental and social risk management in every project at the inception stage to ensure that all environmental risk issues were properly managed.

The Professor said the World Bank had decided not to approve a project if there was no environment
al and social risk management report that came along with the feasibility studies.

He called for government support to actualize these initiatives, devoid of political interference in project implementation.

‘For example, if a project is coming up and we feel that due to the potential environmental impact, the project should not be approved, I think that the politicians should heed our advice and allow the technocrats to do their professional jobs,’ he said.

Professor Helen Essandoh, Director, Regional Transport Research and Education Centre, KNUST, said the course was launched in November 2022, to increase the capacity of environmental experts to manage development projects.

She said the participants would be taken through topics like regulations on the environment, land issues, gender issues, and labour issues, among others.

Sustainable development, she stressed, was hinged on the pillars of economic, social, and environmental sustainability.

Mr Jonathan Zinzi Aryitey, Representative of the World Bank
, said the programme was instituted due to gaps in human resources in the management of environmental and social risk.

All development projects, he stated, had humans at the core of their centres to ensure efficient and effective implementation, leading to positive outcomes.

‘For a project to have a true impact, then environmental and social risk management should be at the forefront to eradicate poverty and ensure the better living conditions of the citizens,’ he said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Some 100 women from four catchment communities of the Amanzule Wetlands in the Ellembelle district of Western region have been taken through various livelihood skills to reduce their dependency on the Amanzule Wetlands resources towards its sustainable conservation.

The four areas are Ampain, Azulenloanu, New Bakanta and Old Bakanta.

The beneficiary women, between the ages of 23 and 45 had for a long time trusted their mainstay to cutting of wetlands mangroves for firewood, fish smoking and mongering while, others cut the mangroves serving as a source of breeding grounds and other ecological activities for fishes and migrating birds for other household uses.

The women were trained in alternative livelihoods including soap making, decoration, pastries and beads making.

The self-employable skills training by the Centre for Sustainable Rural Agriculture and Development (CSRAD) was under its project; ‘Greening and Integrating Youth and Women to Strengthen the Conservation of the Amanzule Wetlands for Generati
onal Benefits’ funded by the New England Biolabs Foundation.

Dr. Michael Kermah, the Director for CSRAD and the Project Manager indicated that the Amanzule wetland was a biodiversity hotspot which hosted diversity of wildlife of global conservation importance including some that were classified as critically endangered (e.g. Mecistops cataphractus) by the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.

He said, apart from the livelihoods training, the project had developed animated handbook on wetlands, wise use principles and sustainable conservation approaches for dissemination and education of women while, leaflets with the same content had been printed for further education of school children.

He said in addition, the project was finalising the development of an Amanzule Wetlands Mobile App to serve as Mobile Digital Book with information on the local, national, and global significance, wise use principles, endangered wildlife, and creative conservation approaches.

On his part, the Head of Programmes at CSRAD, M
r. Ebenezer C. Adebah, revealed that an earlier project implemented by CSRAD between 2018 and 2019, which was also funded by the New England Biolabs Foundation with support from the Rufford Foundation, educated school children in the four catchment communities on innovative conservation approaches.

The children then identified critical conservation threats in their respective communities and developed and matched specific conservation approaches to address those threats and exhibited them at a conservation forum.

Mr. Emmanuel Ackon, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer for CSRAD said the current project which began in August 2023 in the area would contribute immensely to strengthening the conservation of the Amanzule wetlands and its associated endangered wildlife or biodiversity and ecosystem benefits.

A grand durbar held to climax the livelihood training programme was attended by diverse stakeholders including, the chief of Bakanta, Nana Ackah Nwozah III, Wildlife Officer from the Ghana Forest
ry Commission in Ellembelle District, Mr. Jaward D. Dramani, the District Director of the Business Advisory Center (BAC), Mr. Edward Arthur, and Mr. Isaac Owusu Manu, Director for Community Development Agency at the Ellembelle District Assembly and other media including West End Radio.

The Chief of Bakanta community was pleased with the training of the women but called for start-up support to help the women to fully function.

The Officer from the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission praised CSRAD and the donor partners for the alternative livelihoods provided for the rural women.

He said to drive ‘the achievement of a sustainably conserved wetlands, women economic empowerment and bridging the social inequality gap between men and women is highly needed as they equitably contribute to sustainable conservation.’

Some of the women expressed unflinching joy for the skills acquired and asked that they were resourced with start-up packages to enable them to start their own businesses soon.

Ms Theresa A
ndoh Ackah, a 23-year single mother who dropped out of dressmaking apprenticeship was happy that the free alternative skills could take her out of her current economic difficulties and reduce her dependency on the wetland for livelihood.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Farmers in the Bono East Region have accepted the phase II of the planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) initiative by the government to increase food production and to check food security in the area.

The farmers observed that the phase II of the programme entails a comprehensive package of getting easy access to inputs and chemicals to motivate and facilitate work of farmers to be able to produce in quantity.

The farmer’s expressed the sentiment at a day sensitization meeting at Techiman in the Bono East Regional organized by the Department of Agriculture to train farmers and other stakeholders to acquire all the necessary knowledge about the programme.

They noted that the programme was introduced at the right time that they were in the farming season and were ready to apply all the knowledge acquired to be able to produce quality food for both local consumption and export to generate foreign exchange for the country.

Mr. Bawa Amidu Bono, East Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of the Department of Ag
riculture, said the phase II of the progamme was intended to solve all the limitations and challenges of the PFJ Phase.

Mr. Amidu indicated that the key objectives of the programme included ensuring food security, increase productivity and production, promoting import substitution, exports, agro-processing, creating jobs and wealth, particularly for the youth.

Mr. James Adu, Bono East Regional Director for the Department of Agriculture, disclosed that 11 Priority commodity value chains were selected for the realization of the objectives of the PFJ Phase II which include Rice, Maize, and Soya bean, Sorghum, Tomato, Pepper, Onion, Cassava, Yam, and Plantain.

Mr. Adu said the PFJ phase II would move away from direct input subsidy to smart agricultural credit, which may come as Input Credit System, Quality Fertilizer, Improved Seeds, Support Services, Day-old chicks, Feed and vaccines, Secured Credit, Storage and Distribution Infrastructure as well as commodity trading to guarantee market and stabilize prices,
Digital Agricultural and Agribusiness Platform, line of sight management, monitoring, and coordination inclusive.

He called on all to support the implementation of the programme to help fight food insecurity to be able to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).

Source: Ghana News Agency