Day: June 30, 2024

Mr Johnson Senanu Amegashie, General Secretary, Union of Industry, Commerce, and Finance (UNICOF) of the Ghana Trades Union Congress, has urged Trade unionists to peacefully negotiate for their wellbeing in the workplace to ensure productivity.

Trade unionism, he noted, had become effective in the contemporary workplace because it was employing peaceful negotiations and social dialogue.

Mr Amegashie said this at the inauguration of the National Executive Council of the Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG) Union, of UNICOF, in Accra, over the weekend.

Mr Amegashie said it was an imperative for Management and Unions to hold negotiations in a manner that would foster cooperation and industrial peace.

Madam Faustina Adane, second National Vice Chairperson, UNICOF, inducted the Council members into office.

The programme was on the theme ‘The Power of Partnership: Management-Union Cooperation, Catalyst for Workplace Harmony and Productivity.’

Mr Amegashie urged the workers to pursue professionalism, strengthen teamw
ork and networking to excel in their delivery to their clients.

They should also be innovative and develop sterling products and services in addressing the needs of their clients.

This would always position the Bank to remain relevant and competitive in the financial space.

Mr Amegashie advised the Management to embrace the contributions of the employees and encourage them to use the appropriate channels, to express their views without intimidation or fear of being victimised.

That situation, he stressed, created an avenue for good corporate governance and the prevalence of industrial peace and harmony, which translated into higher productivity.

‘A Management that deliberately restricts its employees from expressing their views does so at the expense of depriving itself of valuable ideas from the staff,’ he said.

Madam Esi Wilson, Director, People and Transformation, CBG, advised the Council members of the Union to work collectively to create the Bank as the most trusted financial institution in the cou
ntry and beyond.

True leadership, she stated, was achieved through collaboration to meet the vision and mission of the bank.

‘Today’s programme is a testament to achieving a shared vision. Let us make CBG a force to be reckoned with in the financial sector,’ she advised.

Mr Charles Darko-Okine, Chairman of the Local Union of CBG Workers, UNICOF, said that through the efforts and hard work of members, coupled with prudent management practices, CBG made a profit in the first three years of its operations, after consolidation.

Mr Darko-Okine said the Union would adhere to the mission of the CBG Union to protect and promote the rights of workers and improve working conditions.

He urged management to conduct the second phase of workforce optimisation to address the challenges that were not resolved in the first phase, streamline operations, and improve overall efficiency.

The CBG Union was inaugurated on November 23, 2019, to provide a unified voice for the workers of the Bank in addressing their concerns an
d advocating the rights of members.

CBG’s sister banking institutions, in a joint fraternal message, urged CBG Union to work hard and improve productivity. ‘The sustainability of the bank is the sustainability of the worker,’ they urged.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Majeed Mohammed, Senior Development Officer, Strengthening Investments in Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation (SIGRA) has urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to take advantage of the SIGRA project to tackle issues of climate change.

He urged them to collaborate and coordinate with the women-led Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to ensure that climate adaptation plans were implemented well and yielded sustainable results that enhanced the resilience of citizens to the effects of climate change.

Mr Mohammed was speaking at the regional launch of the SIGRA project in the Volta Regional capital, Ho.

The SIGRA project is a five-year transformative initiative aimed to advance climate action and inclusive governance in Ghana.

Aligned with the Feminist International Assistance Policy of Global Affairs Canada (GAC), SIGRA seeks to enhance the resilience of Ghanaian citizens, particularly women, girls, and vulnerable groups, by promoting increased investments in inclusive and gender-r
esponsive climate adaptation initiatives.

It also seeks to enhance institutional capacity to integrate gender equality into national adaptation planning processes at the central and local levels, particularly focusing on the Northern and Volta regions, where vulnerability to climate change risks is most acute.

The project is funded by Global Affairs Canada and is being implemented by Cowater International in partnership with Government of Ghana through six key central-level ministries, departments, and agencies, and national and local CSOs including Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana and Women in Law and Development in Africa.

Mr Mohammed, said the project responded to the mutual commitments of both the Government of Canada and the Government of Ghana to address issues related to environment and climate change as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goal 13.

The Senior Development Officer said the focus on gender-responsive adaptation activities and involvement of women rights civil society organisat
ions was welcomed given that women and girls tend to bear the brunt of climate change.

He said the successful implementation of the project would directly improve the resilience of 627,000 Ghanaian citizens and up to five million people indirectly in the Northern and Volta regions of Ghana against the effects of climate change.

Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf emphasised that cooperation and support of stakeholders in the implementation process of the project was crucial.

The Minister congratulated Anloga and Akatsi North Districts in the Volta Region on their selection for the implementation of the project and entreated them and other stakeholders to offer the highest level of support and commitment to the project.

He said the impacts of climate change were evident in the Volta region, with rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall patterns, coastal erosion, and increased instances of flooding occurring frequently across many communities.

Dr Letsa said th
ese changes had disrupted the lives and livelihoods of many of the residents in the region, requiring urgent need for climate change adaptation.

‘This initiative from Global Affairs Canada and Cowater International is timely and essential,’ he said and assured the Volta Regional Coordinating Council’s support for successful implementation of the project.

Mr Geoffrey Groleau, Project Director at SIGRA noted that the project would strengthen the participation, voice, and influence of women-led CSOs in government decision making.

He said the project would also support Regional Coordinating Councils of Volta and Northern regions and strengthen the ability of targeted MMDAs to plan, implement, and report on climate adaptation initiatives.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Reverend Ebenezer Ayer, Head Pastor of the Priesthood Worship Centre, Assemblies of God, Tema Community Six, has called on Christians to position themselves well to pay heed to the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

Rev. Ayer mentioned that Christians must filter what their eye sees, ear listens to, nose breathes in, as well as what the mouth says, as they could influence their actions and decisions and determine their direction and guidance received on earth.

Preaching at the church’s tenth-anniversary celebrations, using Timothy 4:6, he said, ‘Every action you have taken or are about to take depends on the information you have received.’

He stated that false doctrines have been in existence over the years, citing the teachings of balaam in the book of Numbers to be known as one of the false doctrines in the Bible, which persuaded many people into fornications.

He cautioned Christians to check the doctrine underlying some prayer groups they had joined so that their spirit does not get corrupted, stressing tha
t information absorbed could either lead one to heaven or hell, hence the need to focus on the doctrine of Jesus Christ, which leads to salvation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Traditional leaders including Chiefs, queens, and opinion leaders in the Fodome Traditional Area of the Volta region, have undergone training on governance and chieftaincy-related.

The training is aimed at equipping the rulers of Constitutional mandates that would enhance proper execution of their various roles in the Area.

Mr Harry Attipoe, Registrar of the Volta Region House of Chiefs, the Facilitator, touched on the enstoolment and destoolment of Chiefs and queens.

He said the patrilineal and matrilineal inheritance were the two types of inheritance in Ghana adding that Article 277 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana clearly defined a Chief.

‘In Ghana a chief is a person put in a leadership position and expected to play certain roles in a community or area of jurisdiction in accordance with laid down traditional regulations’.

Mr Attipoe also noted that queens, who were also added to the list of traditional rulers in the Constitution, played a vital role especially among the Akans of Ghan
a, in nomination, guiding, influencing, and assisting in the selection of the traditional leadership in Ghana.

He said for one to be a Chief in Ghana, they had to belong to the family or families which were accepted by the people of the community, or area as ‘royals’.

Mr Attipoe said with regards to succession, every stool or skin had a name in the country, and it must be noted.

‘In Ghana, there are two systems of inheritance to every stool and skin and that is matrilineal and patrilineal. Every stool and skin also in rotary. It rotates from one gate to the other’.

He said in the past, it was rather easier to destool a chief or a queen mother by removing their sandals (alhinima) and slaughter a goat or sheep on the feet then openly declare him or her destooled.

‘This practice is illegal and contravenes Section 63 of the Chieftaincy Act 759 of 2008.

The legal procedure must be applied.

Mr Attipoe said to destool a chief or queen mother, the Kingmakers had to file a petition against him or her at the Tra
ditional Council they belonged to if they were not the paramount leaders.

He said a Judicial Committee would be instituted to try the accused ruler and only the charges of destoolment stated on the Chieftaincy Declaration forms should be leveled against the respondents.

‘In the case of a paramount chief or Queen mother the procedure has to be initiated at the Regional House of Chiefs’.

Mr Attipoe said any losing party from the Traditional Council had the option to appeal at the Regional House of Chiefs and to the National of Chiefs and the last option to appeal from the National House of Chiefs was to the Supreme Court.

He said the Supreme Court would then order the National House of Chiefs to expunge the name of the loser from the Register of Chiefs and it was only at the instance that the Kingmakers could customarily destool the Chief or Queen mother.

Togbega Gbedegbleme Akpatsa II, Paramount Chief of Fodome Traditional Area, said the training was important to all rulers in the paramountcy.

He said ad
hering to outcomes of the training would ensure peaceful co-existence in the area.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghana has shown good progress in providing safe environment for the development of children through sound policies, legal environment and implementation of radical interventions, Madam Faustina Yorke Awortwe, the Western Regional Director of Children has said.

She said children were integral part of the family and as such a child’s welfare could not be separated from that of the family, ‘it is the family that is responsible for transforming the child into a civilized adult.’

The Director for Children said a child needed to grow in a peaceful family environment where care and protection of the child was paramount, ‘good affection and provision of the material need to ensure their full and harmonious development.’

She was speaking at the 25th anniversary of the Chance for Children, a non-profit organization at Takoradi in the Western Region.

Mrs. Awotwe said it was an obligation for parents or adults to provide the basic necessary needs of life for their children including protection, assurance for survival
and development.

She appealed to all stakeholders to get involved in social services to support the child system to guarantee the right of all children to live a life free from violence, abuse, exploitation, and neglect.

Mr. Felix Kwakye-Abankwah, CFC, said the organisation which came to Takoradi in 2023 had since assisted more than 100 children with training and school needs to halt streetism.

He mentioned Effiakuma, Whindo and, New Takoradi as their operational communities.

Projecting into the future, he said, ‘we are looking at 30 street connected children for training and support.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper West Regional Minister, has expressed the hope that the Danku Block Factory (DBF), a newly commissioned block factory in Wa, will help reduce the unemployment rate in the region and the country.

He said aside the factory providing direct jobs for young people in the region, it would also create indirect job opportunities such as transportation services, raw material supply and maintenance services.

Mr Yakubu said this in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Joseph Abugre Atogyine, a Deputy Director at the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council, during the commissioning of the Danku Blocks Factory.

The Danku Blocks Factory, located in Danku community near Wa, is a new state-of-the-art block production company established by the Bill Group, a private business entity in the Upper West Region, which also operates the Bill Laboratory in the region.

Mr Yakubu indicated that the factory would contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of the region and serve as a beaco
n of hope and progress for the region.

‘Beyond economic benefits, the Danku Blocks Factory will empower the local community by providing skilled development and training opportunities.

Our youth will gain valuable skills in modern manufacturing techniques, enhancing their employability and prospects and contribute effectively to the growth and development of our region,’ he explained.

While commending the Bill Group for the initiative, Mr Yakubu said the high-quality products of the factory would play a critical role in the infrastructure development initiatives of the region.

He said it would ensure the availability of locally produced durable blocks, reduce construction costs, and ensure the timely completion of projects.

Dr Tony Basingnaa, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Danku Block Factory, indicated that the idea to establish the factory was birthed from the frustration he went through to acquire blocks for a building project.

He explained that the factory would serve as a viable alternati
ve for actors in the building industry who desire high-quality, durable, and eco-friendly blocks.

The CEO explained that the blocks were produced with the use of advanced technologies and the best raw materials – Sand, quarry dust and 10mm chippings.

The DBF produced different kinds of blocks including pavement, deco-blocks, and cuffs to provide exceptional customer experience and reduce the stress people go through to complete their building projects.

‘With our first-class and advanced machinery and equipment, DBF is well positioned to meet the growing demand for our customers and the building industry across the region and beyond with innovative products, and services.

To ensure quality, we monitor every stage of the manufacturing process to ensure that the quality of our finished products, including comprehensive strength and dimensional accuracy, is achieved,’ Dr. Basingnaa said.

He thanked all individuals, institutions and groups that played diverse roles to ensure his ideas came to fruition and exp
ressed hope that the intervention would meaningfully impact the region.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Drivers and commuters plying the Takoradi-Agona Nkwanta road have appealed to the contractor to speed up the construction process.

The 23-kilometer road, which connects Takoradi to Agona Nkwanta in the Western Region, has been under construction for over a month now, causing frustration among road users.

According to the commuters, the slow pace of work was causing unnecessary delays, damage to vehicles, and even accidents due to the poor condition of the road.

They, therefore, called for more urgency, citing the economic importance of the road, which connects Takoradi to other parts of the region.

Mr Emmanuel Terkpetey, a driver who spoke to the GNA, said they spent hours on the road every day, and it was affecting their businesses and daily activities.

‘We are appealing to the contractor to work day and night to complete the project if possible,’ he pleaded.

‘We understand that the contractor wants to do a good job, but we also need the road to be completed quickly,’ said Auntie Naana, a commuter.

Sh
e also pleaded with the contractor to speed up the work to alleviate their plight.

A visit by the GNA to the road from Takoradi to Apowa revealed that portions of the road had been blocked to pave the way for the construction of culverts across the road.

The construction of drains was briskly ongoing alongside both stretches of the road, while some parts were undergoing refilling.

The situation the GNA can confirm caused a huge vehicular traffic, especially during early morning and rush hours.

The rains have also impacted heavily on the road creating potholes and gullies, which caused several haulage trucks to tip over in their attempt to maneuver.

‘These instances lead to the blocking of the road sometimes for several hours and days on a few occasions.’

Meanwhile, the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has assured road users that the contractor was working hard to complete the project on schedule.

He said the contractor had promised to ensure that the road was completed within the
stipulated time.

The road formed part of the National Highway 1 (N1), and is being executed by Justmoh Construction Limited.

It involves the construction of four major bridges and several culverts.

Source: Ghana News Agency

 Mr Charles Abani, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ghana, says developing and developed countries must adopt win-win approaches to achieving sustainable development.

The west, he explained, must move away from narrow interests, pursue equity-based models, and address responsible production and consumption. 

Developing countries must also take responsibility, ensure policy congruence, adopt an investment mindset, and leverage indigenous knowledge and technology, Mr Abani said at a forum held in Accra.

The forum was jointly organised by the United Nations Ghana, United Nations University – Institute for Natural Resource in Africa, and University of Ghana under the theme, ‘Green Wins Fostering a Better Dialogue Towards Sustainable, Inclusive Natural Resource Governance’.

Mr Abani recommended to the global south and the west to work together to foster a better dialogue towards sustainable, inclusive natural resource governance to create a future that benefited all. 

‘And that can come sooner than
we currently predict and avert the looming crisis and potential catastrophe…with the right mindset, deployment of the right capacities, amplifying accountability, and investing in the most catalytic and transformative opportunities – collaboratively,’ he said.

The UN Coordinator stated that the impact of the triple planetary crisis climate change, biodiversity loss and waste could not be overstated and that the world needed a comprehensive strategy to address them. 

He said, ‘The developing countries have lower emissions but are abundant with natural resources needed for green transitions, while the west has technology and resources to facilitate the transition but are saddled with transition costs of high carbon-dependent models.’

Mr Abani suggested that both sides must bear costs, explaining that developed countries which were historical emitters must retrofit and transition more, while developing countries bearing the higher impacts must adapt more as well as grow greener.

‘Engage in honest and transpa
rent conversations and create scenarios that enable trade-offs to not lock each other in perpetual traps,’ he said.

Dr Christen Asare, a former Director at the Environmental Protection Agency, said Ghana’s natural resources and environmental governance structure must be reviewed to ensure they were well integrated to ensure green wins.

‘Most government agencies are working in silos and this does not promote environmental sustainability. The EPA bill is still stuck in Parliament because climate change has been included in the bill but other agencies think they have a role to play so it should not be under EPA,’ she said.

Dr Asare noted that sustainability had become a buzz word but not being practised citing the diverse actors involved in illegal mining despite its attendant impact on natural resources.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Government effective July 1, 2024, will pay GHC 103,251,072.01 to 324,073 households under the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, Ms Dakoa Newman, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has said.

She said the payment was for the 89th cycle, which were January and February 2024.

Ms Newman said this at a press conference on Friday, June 28, 2024, in Accra to address issues surrounding LEAP grant payments.

She attributed the delay in payment to Government planning, strategies and sensitisations to revise the amount paid to beneficiaries.

‘With immediate effect, the cash grants provided to households enrolled on to the LEAP programme will see a 100 per cent increase (Doubling of the Double),’ she said.

The Minister said the revised grant amounts would take immediate effect ensuring that their far-reaching benefits were felt without delay.

She said one eligible member household would now receive GHC 256.00 from GHC 128.00, two member household would receive GHC304.00 fr
om GHC152.00, three member households, GHC 352.00 from GHC 176.00 and four member household, GHC 424.00 from GHC 212.00 bi-monthly.

Ms Dakoa explained that it was to provide relief and support to the beneficiaries to enable them meet their basic needs more effectively as well as invest in their future well-being.

‘… And we believe with factors such as inflation, that has affected all of us in this country, it is necessary that the amount given to these beneficiaries is scaled upwards, and that is the reason for ensuring that we double the amounts that they are receiving and able to get the full benefits from the monies being given to them,’ she stated.

The Minister debunked the notion that ‘foot soldiers’ of the ruling Party were the beneficiaries of the grants.

Ms Dakoa said there was a rigorous assessment and reassessment processes to ensure that the right people were enrolled onto the programme.

According to her, out of the 2.4 million extremely poor people in the country, the LEAP programme catered t
o 1.4 million.

She assured beneficiaries that the Ministry would no longer default in payment of the grants.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has expressed concern over news report in which a female employee was physically assaulted by a manager at a Savings and Loans company at Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region.

The TUC said the behaviour of the manager was unacceptable and same violated the fundamental principles of respect, dignity and workplace safety.

In a statement issued and signed by Dr Yaw Baah, Secretary General,TUC, said the conduct of the manager also contravened the standards set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 190, which sought to eliminate violence and harassment in the world of work.

‘We, therefore, call for a thorough investigations into this matter and ensure that justice is served swiftly for the victim.’

‘We commend the Ghana Police Service for taking the matter on quickly.’

The TUC said it would continue to monitor the situation as ‘we stand in solidarity with the victim and all workers who face violence and mistreatment.’

It reaffirmed its commitment to promoting a sa
fe and respectful workplace for everyone.

Meanwhile, an Nkawkaw District court has convicted Ayivor Elikplim, a savings and loans Manager when he appeared before it on a charge of assault.

Elikplim has been remanded into lawful custody by the court as his sentence was deferred to July 2,2024.

Elikplim was seen in a viral video last week assaulting a female colleague for failing to account for GHC90.

Source: Ghana News Agency