Category: General

As part of efforts to make exploration of mineral resources beneficial to mining communities, stakeholders in such communities have been sensitised on their rights as citizens.

The exercise, which was held in seven regions. including Ashanti, Eastern, Western, Western North, Central, Bono, and Ahafo Regions, also exposed participants to Ghana’s mining laws and reforms on compensation and resettlement.

Ghana is endowed with numerous mineral resources and the largest producer of gold in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2023, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited alone paid GHC 823.72 million in taxes, royalties, and levies to the Government of Ghana through the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

However, excessive exploration of mineral resources has not impacted the lives of persons living in mining affected communities, with the sector also being one of the highest human rights violators.

To address these human right violations and ensure sustainable livelihoods for people living in such communities, the Livelihood and Environm
ent Ghana (LEG) in partnership with Third World Network-Ghana, has been building the capacity of stakeholders in the seven regions.

The capacity building training formed part of the ‘Power of Voices in Fair for All Project’ with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

It targeted youth and women groups, traditional rulers, Assembly and Unit Committee members, civil society organisations, farmers, religious leaders, mine workers and the media.

Also in attendance were representatives from the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Ghana Health Service (GHS), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Department of Social Welfare as well as Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

The training also built the capacity of participants on how they could get adequate compensation from their crops, land and properties that may be destroyed by mining companies.

Among the models to enhance adequate compensation high
lighted by the Resource Person included ‘Good pricing (Abochi price), Application of Compensation principles in section 74 of the Minerals and Mining Acts (Act 703, 2006).

These include savage cost, deprivation of use, loss of earnings, loss of expected income, life expectancy of the crop and benefits that cannot be assessed in monetary terms such as scholarships for children, access to loan facilities, prestige, and access to desired partner (wife or husband).

Mr. Richard Adjei-Poku, an Environmental Scientist and a Human Rights Activist, indicated that both Article 20 (2a) of the 1992 Constitution and Section 73 (1) of the Minerals and Mining Act 703 (Act 703, 2006) mandates companies to exercise prompt payment of fair and adequate compensation to persons whose properties would be affected by their operations.

‘Again, Mining Regulation 2012 Compensation and Resettlement Regulation L.I 2175 also mandates companies to pay property owners within three months after an amount of compensation have been agreed
by parties and defaulted companies are legally mandated to pay 10 percent interest anytime compensation remains unpaid,’ he further explained.

He said Section 100 (1), Minerals and Mining Act (Act 703, 2006) and UN Guiding Principle on Business and Human Rights (2011) compelled governments and the regulatory agencies to ensure proper implementation and companies’ compliance with the mining laws, including respect for human rights.

LEG is a research and advocacy Not-for-profit and Non-governmental organization established in 2004 to promote community rights, minerals governance, and provide sustainable livelihood skills for marginalised persons in society.

It also promotes environmental sustainability, including climate change awareness creation, education and biodiversity conservation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Institutes under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) undertaking the ‘Seed for Resilience’ project, have engaged farmers to update and take feedback on indigenous leafy vegetables production meant to enhance healthy dietary eating.

The Crops Research Institute (CRI) and the Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute (PGRRI) are undertaking the project, which is aimed at ensuring that indigenous leafy vegetables are sustainably produced by farmers and made available to the public as part of efforts to ensure food security in the country.

The project is being funded by the Crop Trust.

Over the last two years, 20 assertions each of amaranth (Aleefu), Corchorus (Ayoyo) and Hibiscus (Sule) had been supplied by the CSIR-PGRRI to the CSIR-CRI to research and multiply them.

The selections are now being multiplied to be supplied back to the farmers for planting.

Dr. Daniel Ashie Kotey, Director of CSIR- PRRIG, at the Seed for Resilience germplasm user group feedback and Review workshop at F
umesua near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region, noted that, these vegetables were important and constituted essential sections in the diets of Ghanaians.

Farmers, agricultural officers and researchers drawn from Barekese and Boadi attended the workshop, which gave updates and the way forward of the project.

Indigenous leafy vegetables according to Dr Kotey, were important for combating climate change and promoting healthy diet, food and nutrition security in the country.

He said although they were essential in nutrients like iron, phosphorus, zinc and folic acid, the focus had always been on exotic vegetables with some people throwing away these vegetables in favour of the exotic vegetables.

This had been a great concern to the research institute because some of these crops (indigenous leafy vegetables) have developed their unique characteristics over a period and suited to Ghana’s agricultural system.

Dr. Kotey indicated that the diversity researchers were bringing and evaluating with the farmers contained use
ful genes that tolerated pests and diseases, saying farmers did not have to spray against these pests and diseases.

Dr. Patricia Pinamang Acheampong, Principal Research Scientist, CSIR-CRI, assured Ghanaians of researchers’ steadfast actions in making the diversity of useful indigenous leafy vegetables available to farmers for cultivation in a very sustainable manner to the benefit of themselves and the public.

She said these crops were very useful in combating many health challenges citing roselle, as one which had become popular for its use for the ‘Sobolo drink’.

Dr. Acheampong pointed out that, one main challenge by farmers in the peri-urban areas where these vegetables are mostly grown had been land acquisition.

According to her, these leafy vegetables were cultivated in lowlands and these same lands were being filled for building purposes, so it normally becomes impossible for continuous cropping in these areas.

Professor Moses Brandford Mochiah, Director, CSIR-CRI, called on the government and pol
icymakers to prioritize national funding for the PGRRI, which was dedicated to germplasm (genetic resources such as seeds, tissues and DNA sequences that were maintained for plant and animal breeding purposes, conservation and utilization goals.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The governor of the Far North region, Midjiyawa Bakary says victims of the May 2nd landslide in Florina in Maroua II failed to adhere to warnings to stop extracting rocks and crushing them into smaller particles on the hill where the incident occured for sale.

He was speaking while on the scene to take stock of the situation.

‘The SDO , D.O , and Mayor have warned the population severally to stop crushing rocks on the hill that collapsed. This was after a little girl of six years helping her parents crush the rocks to sell to construction engineers died of an accident in the process.’ Explained, the Far North governor.

Governor Midjiyawa Bakary regrets that despite this injunction taken, the population violated it and still went on with the forbidden activity.

‘We reiterate to the population of Florina to stop this activity. It is very dangerous. Authorities have found them a settlement. We are looking for means to move them there.’ Governor Midjiyawa Bakary stated.

The chief executive officer for the F
ar North region reminded that the two women who were pulled out alive are responding to treatment in the Maroua regional hospital.

It should be recalled that a mass of earth from the hill, probably provoked by over exploitation of rocks and vibration from the crushing activity killed three women and a little girl.

Relatives of the deceased persons are inconsolable.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Officials at the Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), a subsidiary of the Bank of Ghana, have urged users of GhnaPay to link their wallet to their bank accounts to ensure seamless transactions.

They said moving funds to and from a bank account to a GhanaPay mobile money wallet had become seamless and easy to perform once the accounts were linked.

GhanaPay mobile money, a service provided by various financial institutions including universal banks, rural banks, and savings and loans companies, is just like traditional mobile money services while seamlessly integrating banking features.

Accessible through USSD (*707#) or the GhanaPay App, available on both the Google Play Store and iOS App Store, GhanaPay offers unparalleled convenience and accessibility.

One of the standout features of GhanaPay is its account to wallet transfer capability, enabling users to link their GhanaPay mobile money wallet to multiple bank accounts. This functionality facilitates effortless movement of funds fro
m linked accounts into the GhanaPay mobile money wallet, providing users with unprecedented flexibility and control over their finances.

Mr. Sammy Darko, Head of GhanaPay at GhIPSS, emphasised that all banks were mandated to offer this service and encouraged the public to visit their bank branches to link their GhanaPay wallets to their bank accounts. He highlighted the convenience of linking multiple bank accounts to the GhanaPay mobile money wallet, underscoring the user-focused approach of the service.

‘The beauty of GhanaPay lies in its unique proposition as mobile money offered by banks, leveraging their collective strengths to deliver great services to customers,’ remarked Mr. Darko, urging the public to embrace the service. Currently all transfers from GhanaPay wallet to other mobile money wallets and bank accounts is free except for e-levy where it applies.

Renowned for its role in advancing financial inclusion in Ghana, GhanaPay simplifies account setup compared to traditional bank accounts while
providing a comprehensive suite of banking and mobile money services.

Additionally, GhanaPay offers a savings wallet feature known as ‘MyGhanaPay Savings,’ allowing customers to transfer funds from their primary wallet into a dedicated savings account with attractive interest rates of up to 2.5% or more per month, depending on the bank. This interest is separate from the quarterly interest accrued in the main wallet, positioning GhanaPay as the preferred choice for discerning users seeking superior mobile money services in Ghana.

The account to wallet transfer feature and the Savings wallet represent just a few of the innovative features expected to drive widespread adoption of the GhanaPay service, heralding a new era of seamless and cost-effective mobile money transactions.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Israel Mensah, the Assembly Member for Lawoshime Electoral Area in the Keta Municipality of the Volta region has appealed for the provision of social amenities in the area.

He said the intervention would provide comfort, convenience, and a better living environment for the residents.

Mr Mensah, in an interaction with the Ghana News Agency, explained that it remained his wish to see his people enjoy what others were also enjoying.

He called for the provision of a health centre, toilet facilities, access to good drinking water, roads, educational facilities, among other basic needs.

‘We do not have good roads, drinking water, good educational infrastructure, and the rest, so we need help urgently,’ he added.

Mr Mensah also disclosed that means of transport were a major challenge, especially during the rainy season as many were left with no option but to resort to the use of canoes to access other communities.

On education, Mr Mensah expressed worry over inadequate educational materials such as textboo
ks and furniture, school infrastructure, lack of ICT centres, and inadequate teachers which he said was affecting teaching and learning.

‘As the rainy season is getting closer, we need to put things to prevent jeopardizing students, teachers, and pregnant women who may cross the lake by canoe since they may not have access to the roads.’

He explained that about 75 to 80 per cent of over 500 residents in the communities could not have access to essential human needs and some farming communities in the area that produced cassava, maize, sugarcane, okro, and others faced issues of post-harvest losses due to the absence of a marketing centres.

The challenges, he said, called for assistance from individuals, organisations, philanthropists, and the government to alleviate the plights of his people.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Residents of Brukum Trawa, a rural community near Sekesua in the Upper Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region, have threatened to boycott the 2024 general election due to a lack of social amenities.

The community members shared their grievances with the Ghana News Agency during an interview, stating that they had been deprived of essential services.

Nene George Sangmortey, the Chief of Brukum Trawa, expressed frustration over the years of neglect by the state in terms of community roads, electricity, and telecommunications networks, which were negatively impacting their lives and farming businesses.

He said vehicles were unable to transport farm produce, forcing the residents to find alternative but difficult methods to move their produce to the market centres.

‘We feel we’re not a part of Ghana, as we have been neglected by successive governments,’ Nene Sangmortey said.

‘Vehicles are unable to ply the road to transport farm produce; when we harvest them, we will have to do everything possible to ma
ke the stuck vehicle move, a situation that is destroying our livelihoods.’

Despite nearby villages being connected to the national power grid and having access to telecommunications, the residents of Brukum Trawa had not experienced any such improvements, the Chief said.

Ms Sarah Awatey, a resident, said the poor road conditions had persisted for years without any signs of improvement, and though residents had attempted to organise communal labour to fix the road, erosion during rainy seasons continued to erode their gains.

She said the community had reached out to the District Assembly for assistance, but to no avail.

‘We have been organising ourselves to construct the road through communal labour, but during rainy seasons, erosion has been affecting the road, and we have called on the district assembly to help us, but to no avail,’ she said.

Pregnant women had had their share of complications when being transported to seek antenatal care, Ms Awatey said, citing instances where some in labour gave birt
h on the road while being conveyed on motorcycles.

Ms Dora Awatey, a trader, said the lack of electricity had led to increased snake bites, forcing people to leave their homes.

‘Due to the absence of telecom reception, it is difficult for companies to contact their customers here,’ she said.

‘And market women who also have to travel from Kumasi, Accra, and other regions to buy farm produce from us will wait for our calls before proceeding and so the network has become a bane to our business.’

Mr John Tetteh, another resident, said they would not support any political party in the upcoming elections if their issues remained unresolved.

‘We have informed the chief that we will not attend meetings if political figures invite us,’ he said.

‘Since we are in an election year, they should provide us with electricity, rehabilitate our road to aid transportation of our farm produce, and fix telecommunications networks, otherwise we will not entertain any campaign here.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

A member of the civil society in Buea South West region has raised concern on the timid registration of citizens on the electoral register, highlighting ‘lack of trust in the electoral system, lack of synergy between Elections Cameroon, ELECAM and civil society organizations.

He also higlighted the lack of public interest on mainstream media and reading culture, lack of capacity within the civil society on voter education and electoral processes and lack of national identity card due to cumbersome acquisition procedures and delay in production’.

Results of these findings revealed on May 2, 2024 in Buea, during the 2nd edition of the regional platform for permanent consultation between ELECAM and other stakeholders of the electoral process at local level, served as assignment to ELECAM to adopt fruitful strategies for improvement.

‘Some of the observations are challenges which we are going to reflect on and review our strategies’. Assured, Tambe Tiku, member of the ELECAM Board.

ELECAM South West said the
se strategies are gradually being implemented.

‘We have been advised to not only exploit WhatsApp or Facebook for sensitization but to take advantage of public activity areas where we can place out kits to have more and more Cameroonians register. So far we have registered 6,000 more voters compared to the previous registration. Thus a percentage rate of 200%.’ Tambe TIKU, member of the ELECAM Board revealed.

ELECAM has four months from now to mobilize the maximum of Cameroonians at local level to have this names on the electoral register.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

A 21- year- old woman, Mary Magdalene, who stays at Dambai, is appealing to benevolent individuals and organisations to help support her from losing her sight.

She said she began experiencing pains in her right eye since age two and the situation had worsened to the extent that she now could not bend down without much discomfort.

Magdalene, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), disclosed that anytime she bent down, she felt like her eyeball was falling out.

‘My eyesight is really giving up. I hardly see things. With much effort, I see things double all the time. I can’t see in the dark at all, and if I relax my eyes, I can’t see at all during the day.’

She said her fear was the problem escalating to her other left eye and called for urgent assistance.

Magdalene said as a farmer, her productivity began to dwindle because of her predicament, adding that the lack of funds also prevented her from seeking medical help to correct her eye problem.

She said her father once took her to the WoraWora
Government Hospital but there had been no improvement in the condition.

Magdalene, also a student, has resorted to harvesting and selling mangoes to finance her education and medical bills.

She noted that any support for her eye care and education would go a long way to help her and her family and make her contribute her quota towards the national economy.

Source: Ghana News Agency