Breast milk becoming contaminated — CSIR

Breast milk, which is deemed the most hygienic and nutritious food for babies, is becoming contaminated from chemicals found in e-waste and plastics.

A research by the Water Research Institute (WRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has revealed that the harmful chemicals found in plastics, electricity transformers, paints, capacitors and from bad disposal of electronic waste cause birth defects.

They also cause cancers, as well as defective neuro-development in children, among other things.

Dr Kwadwo Ansong Asante, a Senior Scientist at the CSIR, made this known when briefing his fellow scientists during an internal seminar on the research in Accra yesterday.

The research assessed levels of halogenated contaminants in human breast milk in Ghana.

Some of the analyses were done in Japan.

Halogenates consist of brominates flame retardants (BRFRs) such as polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) which are widely used in polymers and consumer products to minimise the extent of fire or slow down combustion of these materials.

The other is polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), which also contaminates the environment and is used in hydraulic fluids, insulating oil for electricity transformers, capacitors, plasticisers, adhesives and paints. Plasticisers are added to make plastic products soft.

Dr Asante explained that the research, which was done at the various e-waste points in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale, indicated that due to the poor disposal of such chemicals, they found their way into the food of some mothers.

“Estimated hazard quotient via human milk showed that all the PCBS values exceeded the threshold of one, indicating potential health risk for newborns,” he said.

Dr Asante said although breastfeeding should be encouraged because of the well-documented benefits, efforts must be made to lower contaminants in breast milk, so that protective measures would be initiated to avoid potential harmful effects to the newborn.

He said although Ghana did not produce PBCBs, the illegal and uncontrolled usage of PCB oils also known as “dirty oil” and obsolete equipment should be of concern as potential sources.

He said they were also in high quantities during the disposal of e–waste and also contaminated water from textile coating and production of insulation boards.

Another research revealed that pollution from the burning of e-waste at Agbogbloshie was highly cancerous through inhalation and skin contact.

Mr Samuel Obiri, another scientist with the CSIR made the revelation when he presented another finding on “Human health risk assessment as a result of exposure to e-waste at Agbogbloshie Scrap yard, Ghana”.

He said the cansogenic substances were released into the water bodies which run to the sea, thereby contaminating the fish in the sea and those who took such fish were prone to cancer and children would also have very low intelligent quotient.

He said the worst affected were those who undertook recycling of materials through burning, and added that they were seriously susceptible to cancers.

Mr Obiri said the entire test conducted indicated that the level of pollution in the area and its surroundings far exceeded World Health Organisation (WHO) permissive levels.

PUBLISHED: October 4, 2013

Sterling International Ltd donates to Red Sea Housing Services

Sterling Int. Ltd. Has presented one of its customers, Red Sea Housing Services, with a set of German made Clemco Blasting Equipment valued at GHC 19,000.00.

The donation was to reward Red Sea Housing Services for being a loyal customer over the past four years.

Cresta Paint Industries Ltd is a leading Paint manufacturing company in Ghana with focus on exports to West Africa and having excellence in manufacturing of Polyurethane Paints, Polyurethane Clears, Hardeners, Thinners, Adhesives and ancillary products.

 From left to right- Mr. Emmanuel Dagadu, Mr. Todd Vansky & Mr. Arun Patil

 In an address, Mr. Arun Patil, one of the Directors of Sterling International Ltd assured the Management of Red Sea Housing Services of continued technical assistance and prompt service delivery to ensure that Red Sea meets its contractual obligations on schedule to maintain its reputation for excellent performance.

He added that Sterling International Ltd was proud to be part of the success story of Red Sea Housing Services and thanked the Management for their custom and confidence in JOTUN Protective coatings, a testimony to quality under aggressive environments.

Mr. Todd Vansky, Assistant General Manager of Red Sea Housing Services Ltd. who received the equipment on behalf of the company was highly appreciative of the support his company has enjoyed from Sterling International over the years.

Sterling has provided free technical training to the sprayers of Red Sea Housing and the Blast Machine was an icing on the cake, he said. Present at the function was the Production Manager, Mr Lito Regalado and heads of the Blasting and Painting Departments.

NDC, NPP urge peaceful co-existence

The two main political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), have urged Ghanaians to use the opportunity of the August 29 Supreme Court judgement to demonstrate to the entire world that they can co-exist peacefully in such trying times. 
 
They also advised the security agencies to up their game and assure Ghanaians and the international community that Ghana, which is considered as an oasis of peace, would be intact and nothing untoward would be allowed to occur, before, during and after the August 29 Supreme Court judgement.

The National Organiser of the ruling NDC, Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, and a Vice-Chairman of the NPP, Mr Fred Oware, made the call in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic in reaction to a caution from the US Embassy to its citizens in Ghana.

The US Embassy in Ghana last Monday advised US citizens of a potential increase in political tensions and the possibility of isolated violence associated with the anticipated August 29 announcement of the Supreme Court’s decision on the legal challenge to 2012 Presidential election results.

In the statement, the US urged its citizens to maintain a high level of vigilance, take appropriate steps to increase their security/ safety awareness during this politically- sensitive period and avoid the offices of political parties, the Supreme Court, the buildings of other institutions associated with the elections, and all political rallies.

The Supreme Court of Ghana is expected to give its judgement on August 29, 2013 on the election petition filed by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the 2012 NPP presidential candidate, his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, the NPP National Chairman.

The petitioners are challenging the results of the Electoral Commission (EC) which declared President John Dramani Mahama as the elected President in the 2012 election.

Mr Oware and Mr Gyan spoke separately to this reporter on phone. the two maintained that the call by the US Embassy to its citizens in Ghana was not out of place; however, Ghanaians must react in a mature manner to the verdict and add a feather to their cup.

According to Mr Gyan, a lot of countries across Africa could not pass similar hurdles when they were presented with issues of such nature, hence the decision by the US to warn its citizens to be cautious.

He noted that it could also be that the US was aware of some intelligence that Ghana’s security agencies had no idea about and suggested that Ghanaian security agencies must liaise with their US counterparts, share such intelligence and nip in the bud any elements that would taint the nation’s peaceful record.

He described the August 29 judgement as an opportunity for Ghanaians to market their peaceful nature and penchant for a stable nation to the international community especially, “for investors to come and invest in Ghana’s bourgeoning democracy.”

Mr Oware said Ghana would use the judgement as a launch pad to leap to greater heights among nations that had embraced democracy and rule of law and prove to the world that an African nation was capable of living peacefully after such verdict.

He also appealed to the security agencies to live above board and deal with any law breaker according to the dictates of the law irrespective of their political affiliations.
By Donald Ato Dapatem
Writer’s email: donald.dapatem@graphic.com.ghThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Dunkonaa safe for estate houses - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission

Experts at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) have asked estate developers not to entertain fears in putting up houses in randon gas-prone areas in the country such as Dunkonaa.
 
According to the scientists, by instituting remedial measures to check the high levels of the gas, which is harmful to human health, building and living around such radon-prone regions could be safe.

They said by getting scientists to measure the extent of radon gas availability, they could advise developers on how best a building could be built to avoid the harmful effect of the gas.

In June this year, a Daily Graphic report quoted the National Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Kofi Portuphy, as  cautioning that a seemingly harmless gas that emitted from the ground might be slowly and negatively affecting the health of people who live at Dunkonaa and its environs in the Ga-South municipality in the Greater Accra Region.

The fume, which is colourless, odourless and tasteless, is known to be a major cause of respiratory infections, blood poisoning and lung cancer in areas where it is highly concentrated.

In 2000, studies conducted by a team of scientists, including scientists from the GAEC, indicated that the gas coming out of the Dunkonaa area was highly concentrated.

Briefing the Daily Graphic at a GAEC laboratory where some studies had been conducted on radon gas in Ghana, the two Principal Scientific officers of the commission, Dr F. G. Offosu and Mr Osborne C. Oppong, stated that their department had conducted research at some radon gas-prone areas in Accra, including Dunkonaa and its environs.

Effect on Human Cells
With less concentration of the gas, the human cells are affected through breathing but the cells repair themselves without any harmful effect on the individual. However, where the gas is concentrated, destroyed cells cannot repair themselves, leading to serious illness. The effect of inhaling radon gas is cumulative, meaning it takes a longer period in harming humans.


Room levels and remedial actions
First Level: When the measured radon is 150 B per metre cube, remedial action could be taken to reduce the effect drastically and make the area conducive for human habitation. With this, one can stay in a house and take remedial measures which include allowing adequate ventilation in the room.

 Second Level: Where the level is 400 B per metre cube (m3). This level calls for immediate action. With this, people must leave in the area and buildings immediately to allow experts to advise them on the type of remedial actions to take.


About Dorkunaa
Mr Oppong said his outfit had been undertaking some work in the area and that with remedial steps such as the creation of adequate ventilation for the rooms and applying proper concrete casting on all floors, preferably with tiles, living in such areas would be safe.


Lack of logistics
Although GAEC is endowed with world renowned scientists, it lacks basic scientific apparatus and laboratories to undertake constant measurement of radon emissions, which are prevalent in some  parts of the country.

The commission does not have resources to purchase basic Alpha Tracks detectors which are used to collect samples from the fields to place under microscopes to determine the levels of radon emissions.
A roll of detector costs $1000.


National action
With the high prevalent rate of radon gas in most parts of the country, Ghana must have a map indicating areas that have radon gas, their levels and what prevails at every part of the country.



Creation
According to the GAEC scientists, radon gas emissions were discovered millions of years ago from decayed  uranium in the soils. During the decaying process, the decomposed uranium in the soil produces the radon gas. It is colourless, odourless and inert, that is it does not react with anything in the atmosphere.
“Ventilation is a crucial factor. Always cast floor concretes at a go and not in bits and pieces”, Mr Oppong stated.

It is dangerous to undertake casting of floors in bits and pieces because they tend to create holes in the floors.



Anecdotes
According to Mr Oppong, as part of the project work for some science students pursuing their Master’s programmes, they were asked to measure the radon gas in some new estates in the Greater Accra Region.

He said the students, with the permission of the wife of the owners of one of the estates, placed a radon measuring gadget in one of the rooms and one outside. He said when the owner of the house saw the machine, he accused the scientists of putting juju in his room to kill him.

He said not even the persistent explanation from the scientists and other members of the household could calm him down. He destroyed the machine that was placed indoors although the outdoor machine indicated no dangerous levels of radon gas.

The second story was that some students studying at the commission needed to use the radon machine for their practical work but due to lack of a means of transport, they decided to board the staff bus to town.

He said the group decided to place the radon gas measuring machine in a thatched house at Dome in Accra which had very little ventilation. Although the occupant of the thatched building died mysteriously, they could not attribute his death to the unacceptable high levels of radon gas measurement taken at the place.
By Donald Ato Dapatem/Daily Graphic/Ghana

GHANA'S OIL INDUSTRY TO YIELD $20 BILLION IN 5 YEARS

Ghana’s oil industry is expected to rake in $20 billion in investment in the next five years. The Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Mr Emmanuel Kofi Armah-Buah, announced this at the launch of the GNPC Oil and Gas Learning Foundation in Accra yesterday.
 
He said it was imperative that the country put its house in order to be able to derive maximum benefit from both the development of oil wells and investments in the sector.


Mr Armah-Buah said in pursuance of this objective, the local content law had been placed before Parliament and would mature for implementation after 21 sitting days.

Once the instrument becomes operative, he said all contracts in the oil and gas sector would be guided by the new policy direction on local content.

“What this means is that starting from the next major project in Ghana’s oil and gas sector, I mean the TEN Field (Tweneboah-Enyera-Ntoumme), complex development and production, all contracts will be guided by this new policy direction. No contract will pass without local participation,” the minister added.

These notwithstanding, he pointed out that “the local content policy and regulations would be meaningless if the people and institutions who would be required to provide skills, services and supplies lack the capacity to do so”. Accordingly, Mr Armah-Buah said, the ministry had invested in building the capacities of people and institutions to be able to take advantage of these developments.

He mentioned the establishment of the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC) to build the capacity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as one such initiative.

Mr Armah-Buah also announced that the Petroleum Exploration and Production Bill had undergone further stakeholder consultations to enrich it and was awaiting Cabinet’s approval, before it would be laid before Parliament.

AGREEMENT ON FUNDING FOR TAMALE AIRPORT WORKS SIGNED.

THE Ghana Airports Company Limited, managers of the nation’s airports, has signed a $100-million commercial agreement with Queiroz Galvao, a Brazilian construction company, for the upgrading and expansion of the Tamale Airport to enable it to reach international standards.

The Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, Mrs Doreen Owusu-Fianko, signed for the company, while the Managing Director of Queiroz Galvao, Mr Marcos Alexandre Silva, initialled it for his outfit at a short ceremony in Accra.

The first phase of the renovation will involve the construction of structures and the rebuilding of the runway from the current 2,500 metres to 4,500 metres to accommodate any aircraft from any part of the world.

Already, Parliament has given its assent to the loan and the project is expected to be completed within 18 months.

Giving the background to the project, the Minister of Transport, Mrs Dzifa Attivor, said it was part of the government’s efforts at expanding opportunities in every part of the country and also ensure that Ghana positioned itself as the gateway to and hub of the West African sub-region.

She said apart from serving Ghanaians in the northern part of the country, the new Tamale International Airport would also provide services for other sub-Saharan regions, including Burkina Faso and Mali.

She said when the Brazilian company arrived in Ghana after a business tour of Brazil by President John Mahama, it expressed interest elsewhere but she “pleaded with the company to deal with Tamale for us first”.

Mrs Owusu-Fianko explained that because Ghana had only one international airport — the Kotoka International Airport — anytime there was a problem all flights had to be directed to either Nigeria or Cote d’Ivoire.

She added that the airport would serve those travelling to Mecca and also aid the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority in the export of perishable goods, especially fruits and vegetables, to Europe.

She said Tamale would also derive the benefits of being an aeropolis where skyscrapers would be built, coupled with other profits that came with the establishment of an international airport.

Mr Silva said 95 per cent of the workforce on the project would be Ghanaians.

ELECTION BODIES ADVISED TO COLLABORATE WITH MEDIA

Election Management Bodies (EMBs) in Africa have been advised to collaborate strongly with the media to ensure that electoral processes become sources of stability and launchpads for accelerated development on the continent.

The Special Advisor on EMBs for African Union Commission, Dr Kelechi Akubueze, who gave the advice, expressed worry that for the past three decades elections and democratic transition had been the major sources of instability, mayhem and displacement of people both at home and abroad, and that this situation, which had painted Africa as a dark continent, must be halted.

He was speaking at the opening of a week’s intensive training workshop for journalists and election managers from 25 countries at the plush Radisson Blu Hotel in Addis Abba, Ethiopia.

The writer, Donald Ato Dapatem, addressing colleagues during the training in Addis Ababa

The training was organised by Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE), under the auspices of African Union (AU), International Institute for Democracy and Election Assistance, with funding from the Australian government.

BRIDGE is a modular professional development programme with a particular focus on electoral processes.

It represents a unique initiative where five leading organisations in the democracy and governance field have jointly committed to developing, implementing and maintaining the most comprehensive curriculum and workshop package available, designed to be used as a tool within a broader capacity development framework.

Dr Akubueze explained that Africa’s rich natural resources and excellent human wealth must be tapped for the development and progress of the majority of its innocent citizens, who were wallowing in abject poverty and that one of the ways to ensure these resources benefited the people was to hold free, fair, transparent and peaceful elections.

He noted that it was to forestall these unfortunate happenings in Africa that the AU, in collaboration with other stakeholders was building the capacity of EMBs and the media to adequately educate the populace to appreciate the urgent need to own the electoral process and guide them to a successful end.

In the past two years, AU and BRIDGE have trained over 40 election management staff who have been accredited full-time BRIDGE members in six countries. These BRIDGE accredited personnel are ambassadors in the various countries.

The Head of the International IDEA Office to the African Union, Dr Muna A. Abdallah, said the democratic process that was sweeping through the continent demanded that all the EMBs positioned themselves to deliver free, fair and transparent elections to ensure that the people enjoyed accelerated development.

She said it was incumbent on the media to ensure a level playing field for all shades of political parties to  share their aspirations with the people so that the electorate from an informed position would be able to select candidates of their choice and also be in a better position to demand accountability from their leaders.
By Donald Ato Dapatem/Daily Graphic/Ghana

Stakeholders reach consensus on tariff increase

The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) will soon announce an upward adjustment in electricity tariffs.

 This follows the general consensus among stakeholders for the commission to grant tariff increases.
Currently, the commission is at the stage of ‘interrogation’ where it is considering proposals by the utilities and their reasons for the adjustment.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah made this known to the Daily Graphic in Accra today.

The electricity producers made up of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the Volta River Authority (VRA) Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCO) are requesting for 166 per cent increase.

On the part of the Ghana Water Company, they are also requesting for 130 per cent, however since 30 per cent of the cost of the GWC is from electricity they had to wait for the electricity company to get their increases.

Under the interrogation stage, Nana Jantuah said the commission was considering the inputs of the utility service providers had been using and pledged to use in producing the electricity such as crude oil, equipment which were all procured in dollar denominations.

She said the 10 per cent annual demand for electricity which also a factor requiring expansion in the sector.

Create unit to check spending during elections -IEA says

THE Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), an independent  policy think tank, has called for the establishment of an independent, multi-partisan Parliamentary Budget Office to check what it calls “cyclical politically-driven” expenditure during election years by governments.

This, and the enforcement of the contingency and appropriations provision by parliament, it said, would save the country the unpleasant situation where after each election the economy was characterised by excessive expenditure which ballooned budget deficit to alarming levels.

A Senior Economist with the IEA, Dr J. K. Kwakye, made the call when he briefed journalists on ‘the true state of the economy,’ in the face of politically biased discourse on the issue by the main political parties.

“The economy was dealt a fatal blow in 2012 through the fiscal window. And we are currently suffering the fallouts of this cyclical, politically driven indiscretion. As a result of excessive expenditure, the budget deficit ballooned to 12 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, along with carry-over of substantial levels of arrears”, he said.

Dr Kwakye said “the economy is cash-strapped” and attributed the problem to the nation’s inability to collect enough revenue, lagging donor disbursement, arrears to contractors and non-payment of other statutory payments.


ECONOMY NOT BROKE
The IEA’s view runs contrary to that of the Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Terkper, who had stated emphatically that Ghana was not broke.

Although the minister admitted during interaction with journalists at the Peduase Lodge at Aburi early this month that the economy was facing some challenges, he contended that the country could not be described as being broke because of the challenges.

To address the challenges, he had enumerated that the managers of the economy think out of the box and come up with ways of taxing large income earners who had eluded the system, take a second look at tax exceptions, while at the same time enforcing tax compliance and reducing tax corruption.

ECONOMIC STABILISATION TAX
On the recently introduced economic stabilisation tax, he was of the view that it “is not such a good idea because it will further increase the cost of Ghanaian businesses and render them uncompetitive. This will further undermine domestic industralisation”.

Dr Kwakye said Ghana’s current export pattern which was raw material-based, had reduced exports receipts as against high demand for exports leading to a dwindling domestic industrial base.

“In 2012, the current account deficit was nearly $5 billion (13 per cent of GDP). Meanwhile, international reserves stand at just about $5 billion, which is less than three months of import cover. Given the country’s vulnerability to commodity shocks, a cushion of four to six months of reserves is required”, he contended.


EUROBOND
He said the government’s decision to float some Eurobond to generate funds to stabilise the economy, particularly to stabilise the currency, might not be a good idea because it would only be a stop gap measure and suggested that a long term stability of the currency hinged on addressing the economy’s weak fundamentals on a durable basis.





FACT SHEET
After rebasing of the economy in 2010, Ghana’s per capita GDP rose within the bracket of middle income countries.
Currently, Ghana’s GDP is about #$40 billion (GHC80 billion).
The per capita GDP is $ 1,500.

Write laws devoid of ambiguities – Attorney General

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mrs Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, has challenged legislative drafters to write laws devoid of ambiguities.
She said clarity of laws would reduce the areas of misunderstanding and in turn reduce the incidence of litigation that arose out of interpretation.
Mrs Appiah-Oppong, who made the call at the opening ceremony of the 8th Commonwealth Legislative Drafting Course for African member states in Accra yesterday, observed that a badly drafted law may lead to the violation of liberties and untoward circumstances not intended by the drafters.
The 12-week course, being attended by participants from 18 African countries, is under the auspices of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Ghana School of Law and the Government of Ghana.
The Minister explained that such laws, which were devoid of uncertainties were easily understood by a larger number of people most of whom would obey and this would lead to fewer violations and reduced cases for the law courts to deal with.
Mrs Appiah-Oppong said the drive to uphold the principle of rule of law, the tenets of good governance and democracy could not be separated from the work of the legislative drafters, adding that one of the critical poles of democratic governance was the creation of institutions with the necessary legislative backing.
She told the participants that legislative drafting was an important exercise and their ability to assimilate the lessons and put them to good practice would influence the course of history and destinies of people in their various jurisdictions.

Mrs Appiah-Oppong noted that legislative drafting demanded hours of concentrated intellectual labour and was extremely onerous, exacting and highly skilled task that was expressed by a unique kind of writing.
She asked legislative counsels that in translating policy into legislation, they had to foresee what the policy maker failed to see and make recommendations to address this to avert preparing legislation that could be the subject of several amendments in the near future.
The Director of Legal Education of the Ghana School of Law, Mr Kwesi Prempeh-Eck, announced that after years of organising the course, stakeholders had agreed that it would be made a permanent course at the Ghana School of Law.
He said the course had been enriched based on criticism, suggestions and feedback from participants and the experienced lectures.
A representative of the Commonwealth Secretariat, Mrs Job Oluwatoyin, described the work of legislative drafters as a silent job which had a great impact on the lives of most of the ordinary people in their various countries.

West Coast High speed rail project consultants meet beneficiary countries

Consultants working on the 1,178 kilometre West Coast High speed rail for the West Africa sub region yesterday presented technical details of the project to representatives of the beneficiary countries in Accra.
The work which has received the sanction of ECOWAS will start from Nigeria through Benin, Togo, Ghana and end up in Cote d I’viore.
The consultants of the project, HammcoBTB Engineering International Incorporated of Canada, met with the representatives of Ghana, Benin, Togo Cote I’dviore and Nigeria to brief them on the extent of work.
Ghana has already expressed interest but it is left with the commitment from the governments of Benin, Cote d’ Iviore and Nigeria for the commencement of work.
Mr Bimbo Siynbo of HammcoBTB said with a population of over 300 million people and a road network of 6.1 million kilometres, the sub region needed the rail line to ensure easy movement of its people and goods to accelerate sub regional development and integration.

He said most of the roads in the sub region were in a bad shape and bedevilled with blockages at the various international points, a situation that had hampered smooth intra trading among the people of  West Africa.
About the cost of the projects, he hinted that although it would be on the basis of public-private project, the consultants had received interest from the various private sector banks to provide the funding.
Mr Siynbo said his outfit was aware that the project was in the region of one per cent of the total gross domestic product of the entire West Africa, an amount which was even bigger than the entire national budget of some of the countries within the region.
For his part, the Head of Infrastructure for ECOWAS, Mr Kagnini Gogoua, stated that just as through private initiatives it was able to establish ECOBANK, Asky Airline and  ECOMARINE , it would provide the needed support for the realisation of the vision.
He said already heads of states of the region in their new vision of accelerated development through integration had started work on the  construction of a West African coastal road, and that they also had a vision for the rail line.
A Ghanaian representative of  MammcoBTB, Mr Divine Dzegbla, urged the technical people at the meeting to be well informed in order to get their governments approval at the yet to be organised grand summit of Transport Ministers in West Africa for the commencement of the project.
He commended Ghana’s Minister of Transportation for her singular role and support towards the realisation of the project.



FACET SHEET
The West Coast High Speed rail will cover 1,178 kilometres.
It will link Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana and Cote I’dviore.
West Africa has a total road network of 6.1 million kilometres

Killer gas found at Dunkonaa

A seemingly harmless gas that emits from the ground may be slowly and negatively affecting the health of people who live at Dunkonaa and its environs in the Ga-South municipality in the Greater Accra Region.
Known as radon gas, the fume, which is colourless, odourless and tasteless, is known to be a major cause of respiratory infections, blood poisoning and lung cancer where it is highly concentrated.
The National Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Kofi Portuphy, told the Daily Graphic on Monday that the emission was not a new phenomenon.
In 2000, studies conducted by a team of scientists, including scientists from the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, indicated that the gas coming out of the Dunkonaa area was highly concentrated.
The study found that the potency of the Dunkonaa radon gas measured 2,000 Becquerel per square metre.
 Internationally, the allowable amount of radon gas for residential areas is 200 Becquerel per square metre.
The United States of America (USA) has pegged 200 Becquerel per square metre as the permitted amount of emission for residential areas and even with that the structures must have enough ventilation.
 In the United Kingdom, the allowable amount is 150 Becquerel per square metre.
 Mr Portuphy revealed that following that study, NADMO discouraged the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) from building its estates in the area, although the association had laid infrastructure, including roads and drains.
He said NADMO became curious when some residents of the area started reporting about the emission of smoke from the area some years ago.
He further stated that after the 1939 earthquake in the then Gold Coast, scientists advised state officials that Dunkonaa was a weak zone, since it was an earthquake epicentre, a situation which allowed the poisonous gas to emit.
According to residents of the area, the name ‘Dunkonaa’ was an adulterated one. Originally, the place was called ‘Dun ko naa’, which in Ga meant ‘the edge of smoke’, because the ground always emitted smoke.
Scientific publications explain that radon is formed as part of the normal radioactive decay chain of uranium. Uranium has been present since the earth was formed and its most common isotope has a very long half-life (4.5 billion years), which is the amount of time required for one-half of uranium to break down.
Unverified information volunteered by some residents of the area suggested that the RLG Communications building project which was earmarked for the area, the City of Hope, might no longer be located at Dunkonaa for health reasons.
Currently, Mr Portuphy said, NADMO was putting together its experts to undertake research again to ascertain the impact of the gas on people who had been living very close to the emission centre.
He said the area was declared a reserved green zone not suitable for human habitation and that it was for that reason that former President J.J. Rawlings intervened in 1998 to halt the development of the area after he had been briefed and shown documents indicating that the place was an earthquake epicenter emitting radon gas by NADMO.
Last month, the Vice-President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS), Professor Aba Bentil Andam, raised a red flag over the high concentration of radon in some parts of Ghana which could cause lung cancer when inhaled for a longer period.
 She called for a national radon map to help identify the geographical areas where the population was most at risk of exposure above the reference levels established by the World Health Organisation.
A visit to Dunkonaa by the Daily Graphic yesterday indicated that a large tract of land had been developed.
Parts of the area had covered drains, well laid out and tarred roads, some of which were deteriorating over time. Various types of buildings, ranging from estate houses to stores and storey buildings, had also sprung up.
A resident, Richard Lamptey, said he had been in the area for the past 15 years and claimed that the thick smoke that was emitting from the ground was from a god, saying it stopped after some rituals had been performed.
Ms Roseline Amankwa, another resident, said she had never heard of any poisonous gas. Rather, she argued, stories about the emission of radon were strategies by some people to take away their land.
A leading member of GREDA contradicted the claim that they discouraged from putting up the estate because of a dangerous gas emission although it was raised at the time they decided to put up houses in the area.
He said  basically, government policy stalled the efforts of GREDA to put up the houses at Dunkonaa but added that GREDA officials raised the issue at housing exhibition in the USA at the time for advice.
He said the estate developers were told that if they decided to go ahead with their project, they should construct big manhole to trap the gas so that it will not cause harm to the occupants of the estates.
However, other sources say that even the trapped gas in the manholes could still find its way into the building and become injurious to the health of the occupants.

PUBLISHED: June 16, 2013

Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala cautiones oil countries to build capacities

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has asked emerging African oil producing countries such as Ghana to be cautious in entering into contracts with foreign oil firms.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala, who for four year was the Managing Director of the World Bank Group, said Africans must first invest more in building their technical capacities and improve on their negotiation skills before entering into oil contracts.

She was presenting a paper on; “What Africa Should Do To Claim the 21th Century”, at the J.A. Kufuor Foundation Lecture Series in Accra last Friday.

Dubbed the Global Development Series, the lecture was the second since the establishment of the foundation, which is premised on three foundation pillars, Leadership, Governance and Development.
The vision of the foundation is to serve as a vehicle for the continued development and consolidation of leadership and democratic governance in Africa.

In her lecture, which traced Africa’s gradual economic recovery from the doldrums to its present promising state and the problems that must be addressed to get things right, Dr Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy for Nigeria, came up with the usual Nigerian jokes.

For instance, she said anytime she, as the Finance Minister, presented a bright outlook for the Nigerian economy, the ordinary Nigerian would retort,  “Ibi GDP growth we go chop? Nonsense!”

For her, the ordinary Nigerian was right in expressing his or her frustration in such a manner because economic achievements must reflect in the lives of the people.

Present at the lecture were former President J. A. Kufuor and his wife, Mrs Theresa Kufuor; the Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Terkper; the National Security Coordinator, Lt Col Larry Gbevlo Lartey,  as well as the leadership of some political parties.

On her advice to oil-producing nations, Dr Okonjo-Iweala, whose country started producing oil in 1958, said the production of oil created “few jobs and also limited economic diversification”, saying that before its first shipment of oil in 1958, 64 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was from agriculture and five per cent from manufacturing.

She said by 2010, agriculture’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP had shrunk to 40 per cent and that of manufacturing contracted to about four per cent.

She, therefore, urged African countries to emulate the example of Norway, which had a lot of oil but had diversified its economy, resulting in the creation of some of the world’s best manufacturing, shipbuilding and service industries.

Another issue the economic expert spoke about was Africa’s behaviour towards the threatening and devastating phenomenon of climate change.

Quoting from scientific research findings, she explained that the African continent had become warmer by about half a degree in the past century, whereas annual average temperatures were likely to rise between 1.5 and four degrees Celsius in this present century.

 Some of the consequences, according to Dr Okonjo-Iweala, were beginning to emerge, noting, for instance, that in 2000, Mozambique lost about $550 million as a result of flooding which reduced the country’s GDP by about 1.5 per cent.

She said Nigeria recently lost $700 million as a result of floods which affected 22 out of the 36 states and displaced about two million people.

In 2011, total grain production in Mauritania, Chad, Niger and The Gambia decreased by over 25 per cent due to low rainfall she noted, adding that some of the predictions were that up to 20 per cent of Africa’s arable land would become less suitable for farming by the end of the century.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala urged African nations to take the problems of climate change seriously because the Africa remained vulnerable to adverse weather shocks which could directly impact food production and prices and plunge many households into poverty.

We would continue to sansitise Ghanaians - LMVT

THE leadership of Let My Vote Count (LMVC) alliance, a multiparty group, has stated that it will not relent in its efforts at sensitising Ghanaians to the rigging of the 2012 election and engender consensus for electoral reforms.
It also described as false claims that the group had threatened judges of the Supreme Court, neither had it called on its supporters to throw bombs, explaining that the alliance was committed to deepening democracy through the pursuit of justice by legitimate and legal means.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr David Boateng Asante noted that the group believed in the rule of law and that it would not resort to any unlawful means to make its case across but expressed the view that “the Supreme Court would not substitute peace for justice”.
According to the group, which has publicly expressed its support for the three leading members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for petitioning the Supreme Court over the elections results, the elections were rigged and indicated that the Supreme Court would make democracy the winner over fraud.
He commended the three NPP leaders, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and their national chairman, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, for using the right avenue to seek redress unlike other leaders in some African countries who used violent means, even though tempers were very high.
The group, which was inaugurated recently in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency, has as its members, Mr Abu Ramadan, National Youth Organiser of the People’s National Convention (PNC); Mr Ernest Owusu-Bempah of the National Democratic Party (NDP), Mr Kwabena Bonfeh, a leading member of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), and Mr Sammy Awuku, Deputy National Communication Director of the NPP.
Explaining the political reform, he said the group was of the firm belief that the members of the Electoral Commission (EC) must have a tenure of office because the current situation where the chairman and his deputies stayed on till they retired was not democratic and also did not allow for innovation and efficiency.
“Democracy thrives when variety is introduced,” he said, and called for a national debate on the issue.
In an earlier statement signed by Mr Asante, the group described as “unfortunate unprofessional diabolic twist and turns given to our stories by certain media houses” and stated that the group was formed to rally support for the high-profile case of alleged electoral fraud being pursued at the Supreme Court; and call for electoral reforms at the Electoral Commission.
It expressed worry that some media houses and sections of the public who did not share in their ideals were attacking the personalities of some leading members of the group and added that no amount of vain threats would deter the group from pursuing justice.
“We remain firm and resolute that the 2012 elections were rigged massively for John Mahama. We will march forth in our legitimate quest for justice to be served to the good people of Ghana by rallying support for the pursuit of justice and push through for drastic electoral reforms in our Electoral Commission,” the statement added.

Public Asks Govt to Keep Fuel Subsidies

A number of residents of Accra have expressed grave reservations about suggestions that the government should remove fuel subsidies, saying such a move will rather compound the already harsh economic conditions facing Ghanaians.
Rather, they have asked the government to develop an innovative way of solving the problem, instead of always hiking fuel prices with the excuse that it will come up with social mitigation measures for the poor but which never materialise.
Some city dwellers who spoke to the Daily Graphic yesterday questioned the claim by the government that it was subsidising fuel prices which contained huge tax components.
Others also pointed out that people in authority were always in a rush to increase fuel prices because they never used  their hard-earned incomes to buy fuel.
Already, civil society organisations such as the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Imani Ghana, ISODEC and the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) have strongly kicked against the proposed fuel price increases.
According to the government, from 2009 to 2012, it subsidised fuel products to the tune of GH¢1.5 billion.
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) forecasts that subsidising fuel prices this year will cost the government about GH¢2.4 billion.
Pouring his heart out at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) Trotro Station in Accra, a 46-year-old driver, Mr Andrews Badu, stated that the removal of subsidies on fuel prices would mean the “government purposely wants to destroy the transport business in the country”.
“What is the reason behind the call to remove subsidies on fuel prices? Is it to ensure that the government gets enough revenue to fuel the activities of other sectors of the economy? Whatever the reason, the government should not forget that some of us in the driving business will suffer,” he said.
Sounding very religious, Mr T. Tandoh, who claimed to have worked as a taxi driver for 16 years, said, “I’m not bothered.”
He said his family had, over the past decade, leaned on the mercies and provisions of God such that “I, particularly, care very little about fuel subsidies”.
However, Mr Tandoh said, the removal of subsidies on fuel prices would, without doubt, affect the livelihood of many drivers.
Mr Eric Adjei doubted whether the government was really subsidising fuel prices and asked: “How can the government be subsidising and yet we continue to pay so much for fuel?”
“What is the essence of having oil on our shores and yet suffering so much? Where is the oil money?” he quizzed.
At Abuja, a slum near Accra Brewery, Ms Efua Attah, a tomato seller, said she joined a long queue overnight to vote only for her taxes to be used to fund the lavish lifestyles of MPs.
She said any increases in fuel prices would lead to her becoming jobless.
Another trader, Nana Ama Yeboah, noted that members of government promised to be of great help to market women when they were craving for power but now “one can clearly see they were all lies; otherwise the government will not come up with this”.
 “We are suffering and if the government doesn’t come to our aid, we will take action. Again, the goods are not as expensive as the tax on them.The goods are like cocaine,” she said.
Reacting to the issue on Facebook, Mr Eric Agboada, a National Service person, did not mince words when he said, “I totally disagree with Mr Alex Mould of the NPA. In the first place, it’s not true that that huge amount is used to subsidise fuel. We have gone beyond these falsehoods.”
He challenged government officials making the case for fuel price hikes to “tell us the last time they bought fuel personally without a coupon or claim sheet”.
“The government should take out the many tax components from the prices of the fuel and we will pay the realistic price.....period,” he added.
Mr Cyrus Stan DeGraft-Johnson,  for his part, said, “If they remove the subsidies, I will be shocked!”
“Has the ratio of the poor to the rich or private cars to commercial vehicles changed? What's wrong here? I don't want to believe that after electricity and water and almost poor public health care, there is the threat of petrol wahala too,” he lamented.
Mr Mohammed Sani of Sekondi also wrote: “I don’t see the reason our MPs should be given these huge amounts to hire rooms. If they truly care for the masses, that money could be used to subsidise fuel prices in order to help the poor in society.”
 Nabi Princess Ama Ardayfio urged the government to use the levies and tolls collected at toll booths and other places to offset any losses incurred in the energy sector.

Published: Feb. 14/2013

Eastern regional NDC, Okyehene in tango

The Okyehene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has described comments by the Eastern Regional executive of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) regarding his recent visit to the Presidency as “unfortunate”.
He also noted that claims that he refused to use the occasion to  allude to the legitimacy of the President but addressed a politically- sponsored agenda to make the President pledge to accept the court ruling on the 2012 elections when it was unnecessary, had the potential to “expose him to hatred and must therefore be withdrawn”.
Reacting to the allegations, lawyer for the Okyehene, Mr Kwame A. Boateng, a lawyer for the Okyehene, noted that as a chief the Okyehene spoke against politics of insults and violence and urged both the NDC and the NPP to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court in the case of a petition against the 2012 presidential election.
Last Tuesday, Okyehene the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs led  members of the House to pay a courtesy call on President John Mahama to congratulate him on his assumption of office as the President of the Republic and also to discuss some challenges facing the region.
President Mahama made it clear at the meeting that he would respect the verdict of the Supreme Court on the petition challenging the results of the December 7, 2012 presidential polls.
Last Wednesday, three members of the NDC regional executives from the Eastern Region, Mr Sumaila Mahama, Mr Tawiah Boateng and Mr M.M. Doh, Regional Chairman, Organizer and Deputy Secretary respectively, signed a statement condemning the Okyehene for advising the President and other parties to accept the Supreme Court verdict.
Okyehene’s lawyer urged the regional executives to retract the allegation and apologize but if they failed to do so he would be compelled to complain to the national leadership of the party.
In their press statement, the regional executive were of the view that  Nananom should have used the occasion to apologize to the President for acts of violence and disrespect perpetuated against him (President) and his entourage during his last visit to the Eastern Region and Kyebi in particular.
The chiefs, the statement said should have also apologised on behalf of their subordinates who were actively involved in campaigning for certain candidates in the last year’s elections.
The statement also expressed concern about comments that the President should have consulted the Regional House of Chiefs before nominating Mr. Julius Debrah as the regional minister- designate which it said suggested a disapproval of his nomination by the region.
“We wish to state without any shred of doubt that the whole region is grateful to the President for nominating Mr Julius Debrah as the Regional Minister and as a party, we are excited because we see the appointment as a recognition of his hard work as Chairman of the NDC in the region as well as his hard work at the Ghana Tourism Authority”, the statement indicated.
The regional executive of the party also thanked the President for the nominations he had so far made and congratulated Mr Debrah, as well as Mr Seth Terkper and Dr Omane Boamah for their nominations and subsequent confirmation as ministers respectively for Finance and Economic Planning and Communications.