Day: May 11, 2023

The implementation of the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) programme in the Akrofuom District in the Ashanti Region is curbing illegal mining activities in the area.

Many young people who prior to the implementation of the programme, were depending on illegal mining popularly known as ‘galamsey’ for their livelihoods, are turning to farming and taking advantage of the flagship programme of the government.

Dr. Maurice Jonas Woode, the District Chief Executive (DCE) said, the intervention is making significant impact in the fight against illegal mining.

He was speaking during a presentation of 10,000 free cocoa seedlings to some cocoa farmers under the PERD programme at Akrofoum.

The DCE in collaboration with the Member of Parliament (MP), Mr. Alex Blankson made the presentation, bringing up to 50,000 the total number of seedlings distributed to farmers so far in the area.

According to the DCE, the programme had culminated in unprecedented number of youth showing interest in planting coconut seedlings which is the crop chosen by the district under the programme.

‘Many of the youth hitherto, had no interest in farming. Over the time most of them found solace in illegal mining.

However, the potential profitability of coconut farming, which can yield fruits in as little as 36 months and could be cultivated all year-round – has caused them to reconsider their decision,’ he said.

He said many young people had recognised the value of the crop, which had led to increased participation in this year’s seedling distribution.

The PERD programme is a decentralized National Tree Crop Programme to promote rural economic growth and improve households’ incomes of rural farmers through the provision of certified improved seedlings, support services and regulatory mechanism.

‘Our goal is to encourage communities that rely primarily on mining to recognise the profitability and advantages of farming.

By doing so, we hope to create a shift towards agriculture-friendly economies that can provide new job opportunities and promote sustainable growth,’ he said.

Dr. Woode said the long-term objective of the distribution of coconut seedlings was to ensure availability of raw materials for a future coconut processing factory in the district.

He said extension officers have been deployed to monitor the seedlings planted by the farmers to prevent diseases and provide support to those encountering difficulties in their farming activities.

‘With the benefits already being seen by those who began planting the seedlings at the start of the programme, we are now planning on ways to cultivate coconuts on a large scale in the district and create sales channels for farmers,’ the DCE observed.

Mr. Alex Blankson, the MP said his office and the Assembly had been collaborating to make farming more profitable in the district.

‘Initially, the youth were skeptical about the relevance of the programme but after witnessing the benefits that those who planted coconut trees gained, more young people participated this year,’ he said.

He said plans were underway to plant some of the seedlings on lands damaged by illegal mining activities to reclaim them for agricultural purposes.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Government has initiated steps to develop a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAPBHR) to protect and safeguard the fundamental human rights of people within the business sphere.

The plan sought to ensure that both state and non-state actors conducted their business activities within the framework of the standards of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPBHR).

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, and the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice are spearheading the development of the plan.

On completion, Ghana would be the third African country to draw the NAPBHR after Kenya and Uganda.

At a stakeholders’ consultative workshop in Wa on the Action Plan’s development, Mrs Mary Nartey, Co-Chairperson of the National Action Plan Steering Committee, said when completed, the Plan would be a blueprint for both state and non-state actors and businesses on how to protect and respect the rights of people.

She said it was to ensure that businesses complied with the applicable human rights existing within Ghana and globally and to address any negative impact of their business operations on human rights.

‘The realisation of human rights requires a complementary approach hence the consultation on the development of the Action Plan for all of us to respect the rights of all persons,’ she said.

Mrs Nartey commended ActionAid Ghana (AAG) and other development partners for providing funding for the stakeholders’ engagements.

Mr Samuel Sabuli, the Project Manager, AAG, in a speech read on behalf of the Country Director of AAG, commended the Government for taking steps to develop a NAPBHR in line with the UN recommendations.

‘On daily basis we hear or read about the harrowing stories of employees, consumers, and community members who fall victim to actions of businesses that violate their rights as humans,’ he said.

These right abuse actions sometimes lead to environmental pollution, underpaying of workers, or forcefully evicting communities and depriving them of their livelihoods,’ he said.

Mr Sabuli appealed to the NAP Steering Committee and the stakeholders to go through the process with a gender-sensitive lens to ensure that gender issues were not relegated to the background in developing the plan.

‘This is very important because most often issues of gender are usually not taken into consideration. Let’s ensure that issues of gender in business are catered for,’ he said.

The AAG, since its inception in Ghana, had been supporting communities and building their capacities to identify and resist human rights violations in any form.

Mr Ubeidu Siddique, the Upper West Regional Director of CHRAJ, said respecting the fundamental human rights of people was everybody’s business, including business entities.

‘It is the thinking that the development, adoption, and effective implementation of a national action plan for business and human rights will only be successfully robust if it receives broader engagement and support among key stakeholders like you,’ he indicated.

The stakeholder engagements across the 16 regions of the country are to solicit inputs into the development of the Plan and to appraise stakeholders of the concept of human rights, and the gaps identified in the National Baseline Assessment, conducted earlier.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan has concluded a series of “successful” discussions in Abu Dhabi for two national development projects, namely the Seychelles International Airport and the Port Victoria extension developments, according to a press statement from State House on Thursday.

Following the discussions, Ramkalawan “expressed his total satisfaction with both meetings held and has conveyed his sincere gratitude to the President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for the collaboration and his personal interest in the development in our two main facilities that connects us to the world.”

For the airport project, the meeting held on May 10 took place with a delegation from the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company PJC (ADDHC PJC) and the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), including the ADAC managing director and chief executive officer, Jamal Salem Al Dhaheri.

The discissions “centered on a full review of the concept and works completed so far. For the next step, a technical team comprising of both Abu Dhabi and Seychelles will conduct final planning works after which the comprehensive airport concept proposal will be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval” said State House.

In November 2022, EGIS Emirates was appointed for the review and preparation of an updated 30-year airport master plan for the Seychelles International Airport. The selection of EGIS Emirates, a global consulting, construction engineering and operating firm, was completed through a request for proposal through a memorandum of understanding. The MoU was signed between Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC), SCAA and the Ministry of Transport in July 2022.

Furthermore, a technical team from Abu Dhabi Ports will undertake a working visit to Seychelles before the end of May 2023 for “a complete audit of the port which will include the infrastructure, shipping and trade elements. From there, the way forward will be decided,” according to State House.

A meeting with the Abu Dhabi Ports Group (State House) Photo license: CC-BY

The meeting concerning the port expansion was held with the managing director and group CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports Group, Mohamed Al Shamisi, and other senior executives of the group.

Abu Dhabi has agreed to provide technical advice for the expansion of Port Victoria and construction of other projects related to fishing ports.

Ramkalawan was accompanied during the meetings by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Sylvestre Radegonde, the Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques, the Secretary of State for Finance, Trade and Investment, Patrick Payet, the chief executive officer of the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), Garry Albert, and the chief executive officer of Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA), Sony Payet, and the Seychelles Chargé d’Affaires in the UAE, Terry Romain. The UAE Chargé d’Affaires in Seychelles, Ahmed Alneyadi, was also present.

Source: Seychelles News Agency