Inusah Fuseini, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources
Inusah Fuseini, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Inusah Fuseini says the government has so far destroyed and blocked 77 illegal mines in the country.
According to him, the government intends destroying all illegal mines in the country and has therefore warned concession owners, traditional leaders and farmers who connive with the illegal miners to put a stop to it or get sanctioned.
Illegal mining or Galamsey as it is known locally has become a national menace with even foreigners, especially Chinese taking part in it.
A lot of accidents lead to the death of many illegal miners in areas such as Obuasi amongst others.
The National security outfit undertook a joint operation in Obuasi recently to destroy all illegal mining pits in that part of the Ashanti region.
Inusah Fuseini who spoke at the 9th EXPANDED COUNCIL meeting of the Ghana Chamber of Mines held in the Ashanti regional capital Kumasi this morning said the government is making efforts to flush out illegal miners from the country since their operations have national security implications.
President Mahama says he is worried by the ongoing strike by teachers across the country.
He made the comment when he met the leadership of the Teacher unions at the Flagstaff House in Accra on Monday.
The President reiterated his appeal to the Teachers to call off their strike while their concerns are being looked into.
He spoke after the various parties came out with a communiqué regarding the strike.
He however cautioned the Teachers to be conscious of the public wage bill whenever making their demands.
“The industrial action embarked upon by the teachers has worried everybody in this country more so myself as the Chief Executive and I have continued to appeal to the teachers to go back to the classrooms”.
Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress, Kofi Asamoah has urged the government to be proactive in dealing with labour concerns before they escalate.
Ghana coach Akwasi Appiah has attributed his team’s impressive 4-0 win over Sudan to his players’ strict adherence to his tactics.
The Black Stars smashed their visitors in the 2014 World Cup qualifier with goals coming from Asamoah Gyan, Mubarak Wakso, Abdul Majeed Waris and Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu.
The win saw Ghana reduce Zambia’s lead in Group D to just one point as the race for the group’s sole progressive ticket heats up.
Many reasons have been ascribed to the superlative performance of the Black Stars before a packed crowd at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
But coach Appiah says his players were ‘tactically disciplined’ – the reason he believes was responsible for his team’s impressive win on Sunday.
“I believe tactically the players were really disciplined and they played their best to get the win for the nation,” he said after the game.
“The team is in a building process, we are trying to get a winsome side.
“But I was impressed tactically how we defended and how we attacked the opponent.
“There were a few lapses which are normal but we will make sure we make amends in our next game but overall the performance was really good.”
Ghana will now play back-to-back away games against Sudan and Lesotho in June before hosting Zambia in the final group game in September.
A leading member of the Convention People’s Party, Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa has given support to President Mahama’s call on media practitioners to shun sensationalism and the massive engagement in politics.
Speaking on Radio Gold Monday morning, Professor Akosa also took a swipe at media practitioners who give platforms to politicians to tout their ideologies.
According to the former Director General of the Ghana Health Service, the media, particularly radio, should not be used to advance any political ideologies of personalities and parties but rather advance the course of nation building.
Professor Akosa, reacting to President Mahama’s call, implored presenters to ensure their programming focusses on developmental agenda of governments, outlining ways in which the country’s challenges would be resolved.
He admonished media practitioners to shun bringing politicians on their shows.
To him, journalists are mandated to instil a sense of nationalism in the citizenry. This he noted should spell out measures to curb Ghana’s economic crises.
“Nobody needs to represent anybody else’s interest. But we do it in such an adversarial way and that is what the President said. It is such in an adversarial way that it is bound to get heated.”
“You create a lot of background noise that does not advance the course properly…at the end of the day the moderator should be able to summarize and say that look this is what will move the country forward,” he stated.
President John Mahama last Friday opened up a debate about the activities of radio morning show presenters.
Addressing executives of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and senior editors at the Flagstaff House, President Mahama described the kind of morning shows that are run on radio platforms in the country as lazy.
He explained that “Radio is the most potent media vehicle and it shapes perceptions of people and so even more than newspapers, radio must get it right in terms of shaping our people’s perception but often the style that is used is very lazy.”
The President therefore urged editors to desist from politicking on the airwaves.
Professor Akosa believed the President was spot on in addressing a pertinent issue with the media.
He also insisted that “Politics is not done on the radio. Politics is done in the chamber of the house of Parliament, whether in Committee rooms or in the main hall. Radio should not be; you can have one or two discussion programmes but let the focus be developmental agenda.”
“Politics necessarily does not advance the course of any country. What is important is the development agenda.”
He further expounded that political talks should be held in the House of Parliament because “the Parliamentarians represent their political parties and represent their constituents. In the House of Parliament, there will be party political discussions on national issues. That’s where politics get done…Local politics can be in the local assembly or district assembly chamber. Beyond that, it’s not radio that does politics.”
Deputy Director of Communication for the NPP, Samuel Awuku has slammed President John Dramani Mahama for accusing some media practitioners of unprofessionalism and practicing “lazy journalism, saying the president’s latest outburst deepens the notion that he lacks understanding of “democracy“.
President Mahama in an interaction with Senior Editors and Executives of the Ghana Journalists Association last Friday, chided media practitioners for using their medium to set agendas which do not enhance national development.
An unamused President Mahama, expressed concern about the quality of radio presenting in the country, especially the daily newspaper review segments and political talk-shows which pitch persons against each other, describing it as a lazy format.
In a sharp riposte to the president’s comments on Okay FM’s “Ade Akye Abia” programme, Sammy Awuku criticized President Mahama for behaving like an alien who resides in another country, when it was clear that most of the unproductive issues developed from his party members.
He explained that it smacks of hypocrisy for President Mahama to lambast the media when his own General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia has been using and had used the same avenue in the past, to call the NDCs’ founder, a ‘barking dog”.
“Jerry John Rawlings attended an event at the Conference Center and remarked that the NDC had killed his body through severe insults. At another event, he made it clear that promotion in the NDC was spurred by who could best insult,” Awuku said.
Cataloging a litany of events to back his claim, Samuel Awuku pointed out that not too long ago when former President Kufuor offered a piece of advice to government on how to handle Hon. Kennedy Agyapong’s “treasonable” comments without heightening tension in the country, then vice president Mahama declared via the media that they (government) would use a ‘bulldozer to kill an ant whose intention is to foment trouble’ for the nation.
He went on to reveal that it was the same president who deemed it fit to use the word “baloney” to describe people who opposed the STX housing deal.
“When the late former President Mills passed on and Haruna Iddrisu, a member of the funeral planning committee came out to tell Ghanaians that the late president would be buried at the Flagstaff House, President Mahama directed people who raised concerns about the burial grounds to stop their ‘useless talks’. Meanwhile the ‘useless’ talks were provoked by a minister of state,” he added.
The Ghana Tourist Authority (GTA) in Upper East Region has stated that it is not aware of the existence of the Tono Recreational Pool that claimed the live of a final year student of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic last Friday.
The Regional Director of the Authority, Alhaji Hakeem Ismael has told A1 Radio his office was not aware of the facility and said those who operated it did so illegally and should be arrested by the Police for engaging in illegal business and subsequently causing the death of an innocent person.
It would be recalled that this paper reported on Monday that a final year student of the Bolgatanga Polytechnic, Kwabena Bayingme, got drowned at the Tono Recreational Pool last Friday when he and his colleagues went there for socialization as part of their SCR week celebrations.
But in an interview with this reporter on his knowledge about the existence of the facility, Alhaji Hakeem stated that the facility was not in the records of the GTA and this therefore made its operation illegal because the laws of Ghana mandate the GTA to register and regulate such facilities.
He explained that in the records of GTA in the region, only two hotels, Blue Skies Hotel at Zuarungu and Ex-Teee Crystal Hotels that have swimming pools but they were not using them because he has insisted that not until they train and recruit qualified swimming pool attendants, they would not be allowed to operate them.
According to him, as far as he was aware, the Tono pool was closed down in 1995 at the time he was a student at Navrongo Secondary School and he never knew it had been reopened for public use.
He however admitted he was aware of the Irrigation Company of Upper Region’s (ICOUR’s) Guest House at Tono which he said he recently inspected.
Alhaji Hakeem is challenging the recreational facility to produce its GTA Lincese and District Assembly permit authorizing its operation or else, the Police must take up the matter and ensure that the owners are brought to book.
“He said whoever that might have poured water into the pond and is operating it as a swimming pool is a criminal and should be treated as such” he stressed.
Information indicates that the pool in question has claimed many lives in past.
He lamented that whenever he leads his team to close down sub-standard facilities like guest houses and hotels, owners of such facilities run to minister and DCEs to intervene on their behalf. He cited the recent incident in which he led a team of Police and his staff to close down a brothel after which he received so many calls from ministers and DCEs calling to intervene.
On Monday, Alhaji Hakeem who was out of the region on an official duty sent his staff to inspect the place but when they got there, water in the pool had been drained and the club closed down.
Meanwhile, the Manager of the pool and spinner at the club, who declined to give his name, claimed the facility is licensed and has been operating for a very long time now.
A third suspect allegedly involved in the exportation of the 1,500 kg of gold to Turkey on Friday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Joseph Kwame Donkor, a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Constituency Chairman for Agona West has been charged with two counts of abetment.
Donkor is accused of assisting Peter Kofi Bedzra to export gold to Turkey. He has denied the charges and the court presided over by Mrs Patience Tetteh Mills admitted him to bail.
Donkor was granted bail in the sum of GHC 100,000 with two sureties with one to be justified. He is to report once a week to the Bureau of National Investigations.
He is to re-appear on April 8.
Donkor’s appearance before the court brings the number of people arrested to three.
Peter Kofi Bedzra and Frank Mould have earlier been put before the same court.
Bedzra being held for forgery of documents, exportation and smuggling of minerals has denied the charge and is on GHC100,000 with two sureties.
Mould, a clearing agent had been remanded after pleading not guilty to altering of forged documents and abetment of crime.
Earlier Mr Teye Azu, Counsel for Donkor prayed the court to admit his client to bail as he was known and that he was the NPP Chairman for Agona West therefore would not escape.
Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Abraham A. Annor, told the court that Mould operated at the Kotoka International Airport.
In December last year, one Valid Moradi Moghaddam and his partners, all Arabs, were in Ghana to buy gold.
Prosecution said they came into contact with Omanye Gold Mining Limited, who sold to them a quantity of gold weighing 1.5 tonnes valued at 52 million dollars.
Prosecution said the buyers packed the gold in 30 boxes to be exported to Dubai.
Mould, prosecution said, with intent to evade the requirement of the law, assisted Peter Kofi Bedzra to forge a Geological Survey Department certificate, a Bank of Ghana Foreign Exchange Form 4(a) and Goods Movement Certificate.
The three certificates enabled the movement of 30 boxes of gold to go through customs and other security checks at KIA and the gold bars were exported to Dubai on December 31, 2012.
Further investigation had disclosed that on December 29, last year a chartered flight arrived to carry the consignment to Dubai.
Donkor is said to have had knowledge of the arrival of the flight and as such made hotel reservation at Golden Tulip for seven crew members and paid for their bills.
Prosecution said on December 31, last year, Bedzra and one Believer together with others went to KIA to see to it that Mould processed the consignment for export.
Donkor kept communicating with Believer on phone until 2230 hours when the plane left the shore of Ghana with the 30 boxes of gold.
However the gold was intercepted and detained at Turkey because the documents accompanying the gold were not genuine. The documents include a Geological Survey Department certificate, bank of Ghana Foreign Exchange Form 4(a) and Gold Movement Certificate to facilitate the export of 1,500 kg.
Following an accusation that the government of Ghana was involved in the gold scandal, it ordered the BNI to commence investigations into the matter.
Rumours gaining currency that sensational music trio; VIP may be on the brink of parting ways, has been denied by a member of the group.
There were rumours that the Boogie Down Nima group, made up of Abdul Hamidu Ibrahim (Lazzy, now Zeal), Emmanuel Promzy Ababio (Promzy) and Joseph Nana Ofori (Prodigal), are on the verge of breaking up after about two decades of being together.
The news about Prodigal releasing his solo song triggered the controversy about the possible split but the musician told Myjoyonline.com the speculations have no basis.
According to him, “If something is going on with VIP, we are too grown and too old to keep secrets from the public. There is nothing going on in my camp, we are happy.”
Prodigal explained that he has only agreed with the group to release some singles onto the market, something fans should also expect from Zeal and Promzy.
He said, “in the future we will be dropping solo joints under the umbrella of VIP. We can’t split because we’ve been together for years.”
“Promzy is coming out with Letter to Hiplife and Zeal is also coming out with a couple of songs too,” he added.
Apart from solo songs, plans are far advance for each member to release individual albums “but still under the umbrella of VIP,” Prodigal revealed.
He maintained that “If you listen to our albums, we have songs some of us did,” individually and that, moves to release individuals songs should not come as a surprise.
The rapper released his DJ single Thursday. He explained that it “is basically a song I did for the DJs for the love and support they’ve given us throughout our career because without the DJs, [our] songs will never be played anywhere.”
Prodigal disclosed that he has recorded about seven songs which will be released soon. He will be ready to perform at shows if need be, he added.
He said VIP, the 2011 Ghana Music Awards Artiste of the Yearwinners, is preparing to shoot and release two music videos, Follow Meand Want It, urging fans to look forward to them.
The Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP) has described as “grossly understated” government’s 2013 oil revenue projection of US$581.7million based on projected oil production of 83,341 barrels per day and a crude oil price of US$94.36 per barrel.
“In our view, the projected production volume of 83,341 barrels per day is highly conservative considering that Jubilee’s peak production of 120,000 barrels has been rescheduled to the middle of 2013 with the year’s production starting at about 111,000 barrels per day,” a press release from the energy policy think-tank said.
“We also estimate that crude oil price for the year will average a little above US$100 per Barrel, on account of the estimated global economic growth at 3.5% for the year (World Economic Outlook) compared with 3.2% in 2012,” the statement said.
ACEP said its position is underscored by “a wide variation between the Government’s crude oil projection and that of Kosmos Energy, which put the expected average production between 105,000 and 115,000 barrels of oil per day in 2013, with the midpoint of the range representing an increase of greater than 50 percent from the 2012 average.”
In a follow-up interview, the Executive Director of ACEP, Mohammed Amin Adam, told the B&FT that although government may be trying to “moderate expectations” since they could not meet previous targets, it is imperative that the right information is given to the public.
“In their attempt to moderate expectations they also appear unrealistic; and therefore if they receive more than they have projected, are they going to say they have done better? Are they going to say Jubilee is doing well? Meanwhile, it is not necessarily the case that Jubilee is doing well — but it is because we under-projected and so we think that the right information should go out to the public for purposes of proper budgetary planning and for proper tracking by citizens,” he said.
To ensure transparency in oil revenue management, ACEP said even as it recognises the efforts of Government in acknowledging the role of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), “Government must give meaning to this acknowledgement by providing the PIAC with adequate resources to carry out its mandate in line with Act 815.”
The Government has projected in the 2013 Budget Statement that total receipts from oil will be US$581.7million based on projected oil production of 83,341 barrels per day and a crude oil price of US$94.36 per barrel.
Thus, an estimated crude oil volume of about 6 million barrels will be lifted by the Government and the GNPC as the country’s share of petroleum.
Ghana closed the gap at the top in Group D with an efficient 4-0 win over Sudan on Sunday in Kumasi in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying.
Majeed Waris scored his first competitive goal for the Black Stars in the second half before substitute Emmanuel Agyemang Badu also tapped in from his lay off after first half goals from Asamoah Gyan and Mubarak Wakaso.
The win pushes the Black Stars to just one point behind Zambia with three matches to go in the second round stage of qualifying.
With the leaders, Zambia dropping points in their 1-1 draw with Lesotho, an hour before Ghana kicked off at the Baba Yara Stadium, the stakes were also high as the result handed either side an opportunity to close the gap at the top.
After a bright start, the Black Stars captained by Sulley Muntari made incursions into the half of the Nile Crocodiles but could not find the back of the net.
Sudan also had their moments in the opening half as goalkeeper Fatau Dauda was quick to go to ground to grab a shot to the near post.
However Gyan opened the scoring when he beat Isaac Vorsah to the scoeing opportunity by tapping in from close range with goalkeeper Elmuez Muhgoub beaten by a header to the far post after 19 minutes.
Ghana continued knocking but Sudan were difficult to break down in defence.
Nineteen minutes after the opener, Harrison Afful dribbled his marker, went to the byline and delivered a cross which Wakasom, who was on the edge of the box met with his left foot to give Ghana a two-nil lead.
Two goals after the opening half, Sudan opened up in the second half but it was Ghana who had the best of the opening minutes.
But seven minutes into the half, Gyan suffered a muscle injury and was replaced by Agyemang Badu.
Another change soon followed as Muntari gave way to Solomon Asante before Emmanuel Frimpong was handed his debut when he took over from Rabiu Mohammed in the 67th minute.
Though the tempo of the game dropped, Ghana were still keen on pushing for more goals.
Waris in the 79th minute scored with a header from Asante’s cross before he turned provider, when he squared the ball to the far post for Agyemang Badu to bundle in five minutes later.
Ghana starting XI Fatau Dauda, Harrison Afful, Richard Kissi Boateng, John Boye, Isaac Vorsah, Rabiu Mohammed/Emmanuel Frimpong, Sulley Muntari/Solomon Asante, Kwadwo Asamoah, Abdul Majeed Waris, Asamoah Gyan/Agyemang Badu, Mubarak Wakaso.
