Category: General

A total of 157 votes in the 240-seat legislature Wednesday backed in principle amendments to the Spatial Development of the Black Sea Coast Act, aiming to strengthen the authentic outlook of the Black Sea coast. The revisions were proposed by the leaders of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria Kiril Petkov and Hristo Ivanov, of GERB Boyko Borisov and the floor leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, Delyan Peevski.

The Socialist MPs abstained and Vazrazhdane voted against the revisions but the rest of the parties supported it.

The revisions extend the so called Zone A of the Black Sea coast, which is closest to the sea and where most forms of interferences are prohibited. It will stretch for 500 m behind three beaches for environmentally friendly tourism: Karadere, Irakli and Koral. Construction of fences, buildings and other structures shall be prohibited there. The use of self-propelled, tracked and earth-moving machines shall be prohibited, too.

The revisions also strengthen the protection
of sand dunes and prohibit any damage or flattening out of mobile (white) dunes, stable (gray) dunes with grass vegetation and forested dunes falling within the boundaries of Zone A, Zone B or within the urbanized areas of settlements beyond the boundaries of Zone A, except in cases of permitted development.

The penalties for bringing to the beach mobile facilities or structures without proper authorization are increased.

The bill of amendments stops the implementation of approved and enacted general and spatial plans, whose implementation has been allowed in violation of this Act.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr. Eunice Brookman-Amissah, a former Minister of Health, has received the Right Livelihood Award for her work in reducing preventable maternal deaths in Africa from unsafe abortions.

Dr. Brookman-Amissah, a former Ghanaian Ambassador to the Netherlands, was recognized for her tireless work over the past two decades in pushing for policy change and access to safe abortions for women and girls in Africa.

The Right Livelihood Prize, also known as the Alternative Nobel Prize, is an international prize that recognises and supports persons who provide practical and outstanding solutions to the world’s most pressing concerns.

Dr Brookman-Amissah received the award at a gala event in Stockholm, alongside three other laureates from Cambodia, Europe, and Kenya.

The Right Livelihood Foundation, located in Stockholm, Sweden, with the motto ‘Standing up for Human Courage,’ honours people and groups for their commitment to making the world a better place for all.

In her acceptance speech, Dr Brookman-Amissah express
ed happiness that the highly stigmatised subject of abortion was out of the closet in such a prominent manner.

She hoped that it would push governments to review their restrictive laws, make safe legal services available to all women in need of abortion, and put an end to the carnage of preventable deaths.

Dr Brookman-Amissah’s work at Ipas, the international organization working to bring about reproductive justice and eliminate preventable maternal mortality, centred on addressing the root causes of unsafe abortions and finding viable solutions at the national and regional levels.

As a result of her high-level political work with the Africa Union Commission and its agencies, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, regional health agencies such as the ECOWAS health agency WAHO (West Africa Health Organization), access to safe abortion has become normalized in the regional agenda.

Several countries, including Tunisia, Cape Verde, the Republic of South Africa, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Ben
in, Sierra Leone, Eswatini, and Kenya, have reviewed their laws to widen legal indications for abortion, and others, such as Ghana and Zambia, are providing safe services within their legal frameworks, while others are in the process of legal reform.

Africa has the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, accounting for thousands of maternal deaths globally.

Of the over 41 million abortions done worldwide, 25 million are unsafe, with 6.2 million, or a full 25 per cent, occurring in Africa alone.

And, of the 39,000 deaths globally from unsafe abortions, 25,000, or 60 per cent, occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 30 per cent of maternal mortality in the region.

African countries have the most restrictive abortion laws, which were all passed down from Napoleonic and English colonial legislation dating back to 1801 and 1861, respectively.

It is thought that Dr Brookman-Amissah’s leadership in this field has reduced maternal mortality from unsafe abortion by 40 per cent.

Meanwhile, colonial cou
ntries have repealed these regulations in the name of women’s health and rights, while African women continue to die and be maimed because of those antiquated laws.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Christian Service University College (CSUC), a liberal art evangelical institution based in Kumasi will be embarking on monumental projects to commemorate the Golden Jubilee celebration next year.

The projects will be the installation of solar energy, the acquisition of a bus, the upgrading of the Information and Technology infrastructure and the revamping of the Scholarship Fund.

Professor Sam Kofi Afranie, President of the College, disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA).

The anniversary celebration, which will begin in January and ends in September next year, will be on the theme, ‘Christian Service University College at 50: Achievements, Challenges and Prospects’.

Activities planned for the anniversary would be a courtesy call on Manhyia, Media Soiree, Anniversary Prayer Vigil, Health Walk and Medical Screening and Clean-Up exercise.

The rest would be Public Lecture, Courtesy call on National Personalities, Religious groups and Churches, History Month, Alumni Lecture, Dur
bar and Fundraising, Thanksgiving Service and Congregation.

Prof. Afranie said the College’s three main objectives was to reflect on the past 50 years of success and look forward to the future with hope and confidence, to raise the awareness of the college’s unique history and its visibility and positive

reputation at home and abroad and leverage on its achievements to mobilize support and resources to step boldly into the next50 years.

He said the College had impacted the socio-economic development of Ghana for the past 50 years even though its story had not been told.

Prof. Afranie said the College operated as a theological centre of excellence well over 30 years running certificate, diploma, and degree programmes respectively.

‘In September 2004, the College’s Council took a milestone decision to transform the College from solely theological College into a liberal Arts University College to offer programmes in business, communication, education, nursing, midwifery, information technology, computer sci
ence and planning and development’, he said.

Prof. Afranie said in the same year the College received its first certificate of accreditation from the National Accreditation Board now Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and in October 2005, became a University College and since then the institution has introduced more programmes and maintained rigorous academic standards to meet its vision and mission.

The President said in addition to academic affiliation with the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Cape Coast, the institution had entered into partnerships and collaborations in the area of research, student and faculty exchange programmes and other mutually beneficial areas as a move to sustain its vision of becoming a Christian University known for excellence in teaching, research and training in ethical leadership for social advancement.

‘The CSUC brand of tertiary education is unique in several ways,’ he said adding that it is characterised Chris
t-centred education, promotion of industry led academic programmes, student mentorship scheme and entrepreneurship programmes, student support services and scholarship scheme to enhance access to tertiary education.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The sixth China International Import Expo (CIIE), which concluded on November 10, was another fruitful event as the value of intended deals reached during the six-day expo hit $78.41 billion, which is 6.7 percent higher than the previous year.

The sixth CIIE, like previous editions, comprised the Business Exhibition, the Country Exhibition, the Hongqiao International Economic Forum, a slew of supporting activities as well as people-to-people cultural exchange events.

This year’s expo saw an impressive gathering of participants from 154 countries, regions and international organizations.

More than 3,400 enterprises, including 289 of the world’s top 500 enterprises and industry giants, showed off a record number of new products, technologies and services. Over 400 technologies, high-tech products, and innovative services made their debuts at the big show.

The sixth CIIE also welcomed over 750 trade missions. More than 600 intended deals were reached at 96 project signing ceremonies.

The Country Exhibition
, which resumed offline this year, allowed 72 countries and international organizations to showcase their scientific and technological achievements, culture and art. Among them were 11 first-time attendees, including Bahrain, the Central African Republic, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Mali, Oman, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Zimbabwe.

The sixth Hongqiao International Economic Forum, which included 22 sub-forums, had a record attendance of more than 8,000 participants.

High-profile government officials, Nobel Prize laureates, academicians, and a host of senior executives of industrial pacesetters from home and abroad were invited to discuss global openness. The World Openness Report 2023 was released during the event.

A record number of sub-forums were co-hosted by international organizations such as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), International Trade Center (IT
C), and the United Nations Global Compact.

The seventh edition of the CIIE is now gearing up for a new round of global road shows from December 4 to 12. The first stops are three European countries: Switzerland, Austria and France.

European companies have been regular participants of the CIIE and have benefited from the vast Chinese market.

According to France-based Schneider Electric, which attended the CIIE for the sixth time, the company had signed deals with more than 30 companies at this year’s expo, up 24 percent from the previous year. [Text Wrapping Break]’In the past, our business was mainly in the manufacturing and construction industries. This year, it has expanded to more than 10 industries including energy, commercial construction and life sciences. We look forward to more collaborations with China to achieve mutual benefits,’ a representative from the company said. 

So far, more than 100,000 square meters of exhibition area has already been booked for the seventh CIIE in 2024. Grab your spot
now at:

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), a non-profit think tank, is worried with the government’s decision to increase its domestically financed Capital Expenditure (Capex) from GH9.3 billion in 2023 to GH18.24 billion in 2024.

The increment, which was captured in the 2024 Budget, takes the domestic capex as a ratio of Total Revenue and Grants from 7.0 per cent in 2023 to 10.3 per cent in 2024.

Meanwhile, the budget for foreign financed capex was GH?10.48 billion as against GH?9.22 billion in 2023, representing an increment of about 12 per cent.

‘Since IFS has long called for increased budgetary allocations to capital expenditure to help accelerate economic growth and development, the budgeted increases in capital spending in 2024 should ordinarily be welcomed by us.

‘However, given the country’s fragile fiscal position, and because governments have historically used capital spending to pursue political goals in election years, helping to generate fiscal overruns and macroeconomic instability, the large i
ncrease in domestically financed capital expenditure is concerning to us,’ said Dr Said Boakye, the Acting Executive Director of IFS at a press briefing.

He warned that if the move is politically motivated, some of the expenditures were likely to be inefficient, because certain projects would be selected based on political rather than economic reasons, as has happened in the past.

‘In that case, it would be much better to save some of this expenditure to help cut the deficit and reduce associated debt service payments,’ he said.

According to budget estimates, overall capex for 2024 was set at GH28.72 billion, representing a capex ratio of 16.3 percent to total revenue and grants.

This contrasted with GH?18.61 billion in total capex in 2023, which represented a ratio of 13.9 per cent to total revenue and grants.

According to IFS, fiscal prudence, manifested in positive fiscal balance backed by strong and sustained fiscal consolidation, was a critical driver of macroeconomic stability in Ghana.

‘Therefore
, any interventionist policy by the government in the real sector aimed at stimulating economic growth, which will end up worsening the country’s fiscal balance will undermine macroeconomic stability,’ said Dr Boakye.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Farmers in the Upper East Region have decried the poor marketing of paddy rice after this year’s harvest and the challenges farmers are facing to mop up old stocks of the produce in the area.

Mr Isaac Pabia, the Regional Focal Person of the Peasant Farmers Association, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, described the issue as serious, which was affecting farmers’ incomes, considering the high cost of production and input.

He said fertilizer was purchased between GHC450 and GHC470 for the cropping season and the crops, including maize, sorghum and rice did so well but the major problem was marketing of the rice.

Though some farmers were able to link up to other local buyers, they were not buying as pledged.

‘If the Government has a policy to stop importation of rice, why do we leave all these difficulties of selling the produce in the hands of the farmers to struggle with after toiling so much to produce,’ he queried.

‘No concrete policy is being carved to solve the problem of farmers,’ he said,
and reiterated the need for installation of more mills in the region to help possess the paddy rice.

Mr Pabia said though there were some private initiatives to ensure the sale of the rice, there was no support from government to assist those initiatives to scale up.

‘The Buffer Stock Company, in line with its mandate to accelerate modernisation of agriculture and increase productivity of Ghanaian farmers, set up the company to mop up the excesses after production and when farmers are in the lean season help to stabilise prices of food produce,’ he said.

Since the beginning of the lean season the buffer stock had not purchased any produce from farmers, leaving them helpless.

He encouraged Ghanaians to consume locally produced foods to help farmers produce more to increase profit and ensure food security.

‘If we really want to encourage agriculture then we should, as a country, support this move with promotion of markets and key areas of input access,’ Mr Pabia said.

He commended the farmers for the good
job done despite the challenges and noted the food availability in the region, however money to purchase was a difficulty.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), a non-profit think tank, is worried with the government’s decision to increase its domestically financed Capital Expenditure (Capex) from GH9.3 billion in 2023 to GH18.24 billion in 2024.

The increment, which was captured in the 2024 Budget, takes the domestic capex as a ratio of Total Revenue and Grants from 7.0 per cent in 2023 to 10.3 per cent in 2024.

Meanwhile, the budget for foreign financed capex was GH?10.48 billion as against GH?9.22 billion in 2023, representing an increment of about 12 per cent.

‘Since IFS has long called for increased budgetary allocations to capital expenditure to help accelerate economic growth and development, the budgeted increases in capital spending in 2024 should ordinarily be welcomed by us.

‘However, given the country’s fragile fiscal position, and because governments have historically used capital spending to pursue political goals in election years, helping to generate fiscal overruns and macroeconomic instability, the large i
ncrease in domestically financed capital expenditure is concerning to us,’ said Dr Said Boakye, the Acting Executive Director of IFS at a press briefing.

He warned that if the move is politically motivated, some of the expenditures were likely to be inefficient, because certain projects would be selected based on political rather than economic reasons, as has happened in the past.

‘In that case, it would be much better to save some of this expenditure to help cut the deficit and reduce associated debt service payments,’ he said.

According to budget estimates, overall capex for 2024 was set at GH28.72 billion, representing a capex ratio of 16.3 percent to total revenue and grants.

This contrasted with GH?18.61 billion in total capex in 2023, which represented a ratio of 13.9 per cent to total revenue and grants.

According to IFS, fiscal prudence, manifested in positive fiscal balance backed by strong and sustained fiscal consolidation, was a critical driver of macroeconomic stability in Ghana.

‘Therefore
, any interventionist policy by the government in the real sector aimed at stimulating economic growth, which will end up worsening the country’s fiscal balance will undermine macroeconomic stability,’ said Dr Boakye.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Assembly member of the Teberebie Electoral Area in the Western Region drowned in the Bonsa River on Tuesday, around 1300 hours, while on his campaign tour.

Manasseh Addison Sackey, alias ‘Teacher Obour,’ who doubles as the Deputy Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency, was on his campaign tour with four persons when the unfortunate incident occurred.

Mr Francis Amoah, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Coordinator of Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and said Mr Sackey, until his demise, was the headteacher of the Abomponiso Municipal Assembly School.

On Tuesday, December 5, Manasseh Sackey, who had filed his nomination to contest in the upcoming District and Unit Committee election, slated for December 19, 2023, was traveling on a canoe to Mile Ten and Half, with four friends to campaign.

Midway through the journey, the canoe they were travelling on capsized and three of them managed to
swim out of the river, but Sackey and one Abeka, the canoe rider, drowned.

Mr Amoah said all attempts to rescue the two proved futile, as residents mobilised to search for the bodies of Sackey and Abeka, but to no avail.

The residents later reported the incident to the NADMO and the Police, he said.

Mr Amoah said after the elders had performed the rituals, the body of Sackey was retrieved around 1700 hours and it had been deposited at the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.

The search party would continue their work on Wednesday to retrieve the body of the second person, he said.

Meanwhile, a statement signed by the Constituency Secretary, Mr Stephen Ayombisa, copied to the GNA, said the NDC had suspended all party activities in the constituency and declared three days to mourn their hardworking departed colleague.

Source: Ghana News Agency