Somalia News Gazette

The Meridian Port Services (MPS) Terminal 3 in Tema Port has received its first call from a liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessel barely a week after a 366-metre Maersk vessel visited the port.

The vessel, CMA CGM Scandola Vallette, is a Malta flagged 15,128 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessel and one of the 13 vessels of the same class designated for the newly introduced West Africa Express Service (WAX).

The vessel, which berthed at the port as its first call to West Africa, was carrying 9,161 TEUs of goods bound for the region, out of which 4,939 TEUs were scheduled to be discharged in Tema.

Out of the total discharged in Tema, 1,938 TEUs of transshipment boxes were reloaded into feeder vessels for their destination in other ports in West Africa.

Mr. Oussama Yakra, the Cluster Managing Director for Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia at CMA CGM, addressing a delegation led by Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport who visited the berthing site, said ‘the first port to be called in W
est Africa is Tema, and it’s not a coincidence.’

Mr. Yakra said the visit was the fruit of a long-term vision that Ghana made several years ago to expand the capacity of the port.

Mr. Mohammed Samara, the Chief Executive Officer of MPS, noted that Tema was gradually living up to its hub port ambition, adding that this would help Ghana achieve its goal of becoming an ideal destination for investments.

He said the West African market is huge, with millions of consumers and producers; therefore, Ghana must have the ability to tap into this kind of global economy by becoming a hub not only for trade but also for industry.

‘This is something really interesting that we should actually encourage and pursue; this is the dream for Ghana and the AfCFTA to create interconnectivity within the region and the wider continent in the long run,’ he said.

Mrs. Sandra Opoku, the Director of Tema Port, said the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) recognises the efforts shipping lines were making to augment the maritim
e trade in the region, promising that her outfit would do its best to complement such efforts.

She said they were excited to have one of the biggest ships calling at MPS, especially at a time that the GPHA had augmented its tugboats that could steer in these big vessels.

‘Kudos to my marine operations team for making sure that we bring this vessel to berth safely, and this is our commitment to you and to all the other shipping lines that we are ready to serve you,’ she said.

Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport, stated that the historic birthing of the vessel in Tema was an indication that Ghana was committed to protecting the environment.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Presbyterian Relief Services and Development (PRESED), an agency of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has provided cash support to 1000 individuals; approximately 5,383 households in the Volta Region, to alleviate the plight of victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage.

The multipurpose cash transfer, funded by the ACT Alliance, is for the beneficiaries to procure basic needs to relieve them of their plight and enable them to bounce back to life.

Mr Emmanuel Nyarko Ankamah, the Ghana Forum Coordinator of the Alliance and National Coordinator for PRESED, said the Alliance was touched by the plight of the affected persons, hence the support from the Rapid Response Fund to help reduce their plight.

He, therefore, called on all relief agencies to come together to implement livelihood enhancement programmes to assist the affected persons and their communities.

Mrs Rebecca Sabah, the National Director for Development and Social Services, Presbyterian Church of Ghana, said the Church, as part of its social witne
ssing, had commiserated with the affected persons and their families since the unfortunate incident happened.

It had provided numerous supports, including distribution of relief items and water supply to Mepe, Tokpo, Tefle, Battor, Sogakope, Ada, Sokpoe, Adidome and Akuse.

‘The Church is planning more support such as the provision of potable water and distribution of educational materials in Mepe and surrounding communities,’ she said, and expressed the Church’s appreciation to the ACT Alliance for the gesture.

The Act Alliance is a global faith-based coalition operating in more than 120 countries with more than 140 members.

The alliance works on humanitarian aid, gender and climate justice, migration and displacement, and peace and security to support local communities.

Its goal is to promote a locally led and coordinated approach to advocacy, humanitarian and developmental issues.

The beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the Church and development partners for the kind gesture.

Ms Yayra Grace, a sing
le mother resident in Sogakope, said she would use the money to repair her damaged house.

Ms Doris Amehlor from Mepe, on her part, said she would use her share to start a business.

The Volta River Authority (VRA) began the controlled water spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams on September 15, 2023, due to the consistent rise in the inflow pattern and water level in the Akosombo reservoir.

The total number of persons affected was approximately 36,000 in nine districts (NADMO, 2023).

The increased numbers widened the unmet basic needs in sectors such as food, WASH, health, education and livelihoods.

Based on the humanitarian gaps identified during needs assessment, the Presbyterian Relief Services and Development decided to provide the multipurpose cash for 1000 households through mobile cash transfer based on community consultation of their unmet needs.

In addition to the cash, the response will support 200 most affected farmers replacing their seeds and tools lost to the floods.

Source: Ghana New
s Agency

One hundred and twenty trading standards inspectors under the Ghana Standards Authority and the British Standards Institution partnership have graduated after completing their training programmes.

The inspectors are the first cohort in the country to undertake this training, aligning to GSA’s evolved mandate, to ensure safe, fair and legally compliant marketplaces, helping local businesses and protecting consumers.

The Standards Partnership is a UK Government funded programme, being led by BSI, to enhance trade through international standards.

It is designed to increase economic stability, boosting sustainable and inclusive growth, supporting job creation and reducing poverty.

The programme supports governments and national standards bodies in SP countries by helping to strengthen quality infrastructure and increase the use of international standards.

It was first piloted in partnership with GSA, in November 2022.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond, the Minister of Trade and I
ndustry, urged the inspectors to abide by the tenets of the profession.

Baroness Hoey of Lylehill and Rathlin, UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Ghana, pledged continuous support to the GSA to help boost trade and protect consumers.

Professor Alex Dodoo, Director General GSA, said: ‘We are delighted to be able to recognise the achievements of the trading standards inspectors,

who will play a key role for GSA and towards our goals of boosting trade.

‘Through the Standards Partnership programme our capacity at GSA has expanded and it has contributed to a new workforce, through various activities and training. But also, wider than GSA, our partners and local organisations will benefit as we continue on the transformational journey and unleash the potential of Ghanian industry.’

It aligns with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to stimulate intra-Africa trade, emphasising value-added production and trade across all sectors of the continent’s economy.

Volodymyr Yakubov, Internatio
nal Projects Director at BSI said: ‘This event not only acknowledges the achievements of the inspectors but also signifies the ongoing collaboration between the UK and Ghana to improve market practices and strengthen the national quality infrastructure.

‘We are proud to be able to join GSA for this event and for the ongoing partnership that will continue to

deliver impact.’

In addition to Ghana, the SP programme is currently being rolled out in 10 other countries and island regions: Bangladesh, the Caribbean, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, the Pacific Islands, Rwanda and Uganda.

It aims to support national standards bodies in all countries and enable businesses to build resilient, diversified supply chains with high-quality products and services – resulting in greater choice and lower prices of goods.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Keta Municipal Health Directorate in the Volta Region has urged the public to work together to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the communities.

This will help create more awareness and further mitigate the rate of spread of these diseases.

NTDs are a diverse group of tropical infections that are common in low-income populations in developing regions of Africa, Asia and the Americas.

They are caused by various pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and parasitic worms (helminths).

These diseases are contrasted with the ‘big three’ infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and malaria), which generally receive greater treatment and research funding.

In sub-Saharan Africa, the effect of neglected tropical diseases as a group is comparable to that of malaria and tuberculosis.

NTD co-infection can also make HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis more deadly.

Madam Dora Kugbonu, a Health Promotion Officer, Keta Municipal Health Directorate, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the
sidelines of this year’s NTDs Day, called on individuals and communities to get together and address the inequalities that resulted in neglected tropical diseases.

The Day was to create better awareness on the devastating impacts of NTDs on the poorest populations around the world, she stated.

She said NTDs were a diverse group of some 20 conditions that were widespread among people in rural areas, who were in vulnerable situations.

They could also be found in war zones and areas where water safety, sanitation, and access to healthcare were inadequate or suboptimal.

Madam Kugbonu said NTDs affected more than one million people globally and was responsible for thousands of preventable deaths in various communities every year.

‘The diseases were called ‘neglected’ because they were ranked very low on the global health agenda and received lower attention when they appear.’

She outlined some examples of such diseases as Buruli ulcer, leprosy, trachoma, yaws, foodborne trematode diseases, and human African t
rypanosomiasis among others.

Madam Kugbonu said the disease was preventable and the public must prioritise their health issues by visiting the hospital regularly for checkups.

She appealed to individuals, chiefs, heads of institutions, corporate entities, and community leaders among others to work together to eliminate those diseases.

This year’s World Neglected Tropical Disease Day was on the theme: ‘Unite, Act, Eliminate.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

Chief Justice Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo has led a team from the Judicial Service to donate1,000 bags of cement to support the Safe Alternative Housing Project for victims of the Akosombo Dam spillage.

The housing project was initiated by Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament (MP) of North Tongu, after the spillage of the dam.

This followed the MP’s efforts to offer temporary structures to accommodate victims of the flood in the constituency.

Chief Justice Torkornoo handed over the cement to Mr Ablakwa and pledged to commence the drilling of a borehole to supply water for the flood victims.

The Judiciary, as an Arm of Government, would continue to offer its support to the victims, whenever it was deemed necessary, she said.

Mr Ablakwa, the chiefs and elders received the donation and expressed gratitude to the Chief Justice and her entourage for the support.

He, however, called on corporate Ghana to keep extending their support to the victims.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Yara Ghana Limited, a fertilizer company, as part of its Yara Connect Loyalty Programme, has presented tricycles and a motorbike to its top four retailers as their rewards under the programme.

The top four retailers were Hadara Enterprise located in Wa; Saka Enterprise located at Bawku, and Bolnaba Enterprise located at Bawku, all of which received a tricycle each; and Abowine Enterprise located in Bolgatanga, which received a motorbike.

The top four retailers accumulated the highest points in the Yara Connect Loyalty Programme in the year, 2023.

Ms Theresa Randolph, Managing Director, Yara Ghana Ltd, speaking at a ceremony at Balshie near Tamale to present the rewards to the winners, said Yara Connect sought to provide a strongly connected input channel from Yara to farm, driving sustainable growth and contributing to thriving smallholder farming communities.

In a bid to strengthen its connection with the last mile retailer in the distribution chain, Yara Ghana, as part of its digital value chain offeri
ngs, introduced an application-based loyalty programme to help it (Yara) connect with its retailers while incentivising them to create loyalty to the Yara brand.

This gave birth to the Yara Connect App, which is available on the Android and Google Play Store for all retailers of Yara to download and scan the QR codes on the bags of Yara fertilizers they sell to farmers to enable them to accumulate points to gain rewards.

Ms Randolph said through Yara Connect, Yara Ghana was able to provide value added services to retailers in the form of product information, application rates and agronomic advice adding ‘Retailers are in turn empowered to advise farmers and recommend Yara as an effective solution to the farmers’ needs.’

She said so far, 554 Yara input dealers had been registered onto the Yara Connect App where several rewards in the form of Yara branded polos, raincoats, smart phones amongst others had been given in the year 2023.

She congratulated the winners and encouraged other retailers to commit full
y to using the Yara Connect App in all their transactions to stand the chance of winning the rewards.

Mr Yussif Mohammed, Managing Director, Hadara Enterprise expressed gratitude to Yara Ghana for the reward saying the Yara Connect App was helping him to track his transactions.

He said the tricycle was useful to his business because he would use it to support his customers by transporting the products from his shop to their final destinations.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, the outgone Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), has been pulled out of service to officially end a carrier spanning over four decades.

The ceremony, which was preceded by a guard of honour parade, saw the transfer of authority to his successor, Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah.

In his farewell address, Vice Admiral Amoama, who inspected the parade made up of 98 officers and men drawn from the Ghana Army, Ghana Navy, and the Ghana Air Force, urged the leadership of the GAF to ensure professional­ism by training all year-round.

‘Leadership is not about the rank you hold. It is about the life you touch and the legacies you leave,’ he said and urged the GAF and allied security agencies to support the newly appoint­ed CDS to perform his duty diligently.

The ceremony also saw the presentation of citations and gifts, including plaques, royal Kente and accessories, a double-door fridge, and a televi­sion set to Vice Admiral Amoa­ma by the Ministry of Defence,
officers, men, and defence civil­ian staff of the GAF, the GAF Command and Staff College, and allied security agencies.

Present at the ceremony, were Mr Kofi Amankwa-Manu, the Deputy Minister of Defence and Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima-Kwanwoma, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, a Deputy Minister of Education, and MP for Assin South, Superintendent (retd) Peter Lanchene Toobu, MP for Wa West, and Dr Zane­tor Agyeman-Rawlings, MP for Korle Klottey Constituency, as well as heads of allied security services, retired CDS and officers, members of Parlia­ment Select Committee on De­fence, Council of State, National Security Council, and a delegation of traditional leaders from Kwa­hu Mpraeso led by Nana Krobea Asante, Adontehene of Mpraeso, Kwahu.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Parliament’s Environment, Science and Technology Committee, has advised developers building around the MESTI E-waste PIU, in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency to be prepared to deal with whatever concerns their actions may cause.

The Committee also noted that they were taking steps to let the Local government and Local assembly be aware of the emerging development and put in measures to prevent future potential conflicts.

Dr Emmanuel Marfo, the Chairman of the Committee said during a working visit by some members of the Committee to the ‘Agbogbloshie’ Waste Collection Point and the Temporal Storage Site at Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC).

The Temporal Storage Site, which would be a central point between the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation and the Green Advocacy, the Project supervisors was financed by the German Development Cooperation but implemented by KFW.

As an avenue for receiving and not for recycling, with the interest of building local capacities for thermoplastic,
and eliminating burning as a means of metal recovery, the Project which is currently in the pilot phase is expected to end in 2026.

Dr Marfo called for the need to get encroachers away for the purpose for which the place was set up to be materialised without constraints.

‘…E-waste is one of the fastest-growing solid waste confronting not only Ghana but globally…and we are concerned about how electronic waste being generated could be handled given that the population is increasing, constructions and the handling of waste going forward,’ he said.

Dr Marfo, also the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Oforikrom, appreciated the work of the Project supervisors, especially when according to him they knew what they were about and were able to forecast the future hence proposing several measures to be put in place.

Mr Ebenzer Okletey Terlabi, the Ranking of the Committee, and a National Democratic Congress MP for Lower Manya Krobo, described as worrying the level of ignorance by developers and encr
oachers who had dismissed alleged warning signs by GAEC and were building in the area for human settlement.

Dr Vincent Nartey Kyere, the Team Leader, MESTI E-waste PIU, called for more private sector involvement than the government spearheading the endeavour.

He said private people who were investing in recycling facilities would be assured of locations, where they could get materials to feed their industries and where they could contain hazardous materials.

He said the group was working with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation to combat thermoplastics, one of the big issues that confronted the environment.

Source: Ghana News Agency