Day: June 25, 2024

Some contributors to the Social Security National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pension scheme in Tema have expressed worry over the challenges facing the scheme and its impact on the payment of benefits to pensioners.

They mentioned challenges such as the late payment of contributions to the scheme by the government, the lack of payment of the Tier 2 pension contribution, which is a mandatory occupational pension scheme that is fully funded and privately managed, as well as the current sale of 60 percent of SSNIT’s stake in top-class hotels to private investors.

The contributors told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in a random survey that such issues were worrying and therefore appealed to the government to listen to Ghanaians, halt the sale of SSNIT majority shares in hotels, and promptly pay Tier 2 and SSNIT contributions to boost the interest and confidence of workers to contribute to the scheme.

They mentioned that such challenges, coupled with the inclusion of pension bondholders in the domestic exchange progr
amme, have put many contributors in a state of worry for fear of not receiving what is due them when they go on pension.

They said some contributors may be forced out of service due to ill-health and may have to depend on such contributions and private investments to survive; therefore, such schemes must be handled well by the government.

‘As for me, I always say that our leaders do not think about us. Why will they play with our future? Why will they do things? Upon several calls, nothing has been done. It’s very sad. Our retirement is being threatened. Look at how senior citizens demonstrated that for their own money,’ Ms. Victoria Asare, a nurse, said.

‘The government’s silence over the sale of the hotels is deafening. What at all do these people want? They, the politicians, have left their work and amassed wealth, and nothing has been done. Well, the youth are not angry enough, and it is only in this country that this can happen,’ Mr. Cephas Kumi, a civil servant, stated.

He added, ‘You see, they do t
he things, and they go escape-free; there is no accountability, nothing; they are the most powerful; they do what they like; as for the SSNIT issue, the least said, the better.’

Meanwhile, some informal sector workers stated that they would prefer saving their retirement package privately rather than joining the SSNIT pension scheme.

‘As for me, I would rather hide the money in my house than give the money to these people to use; we all need to secure ourselves just as the leaders are also securing themselves; when you get older, it will be you alone,’ Mrs. Patricia Yartey, a fish seller, said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Prof George Gyan-Baffour, the Chairman, National Development Planning-Commission (NDPC), has called for collective efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs).

‘We must leverage the knowledge and expertise of all stakeholders, including the invaluable contributions of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), which acts as a global knowledge bank, allowing Ghana to benefit from the experiences and triumphs of others who have successfully navigated similar challenges,’ he stated.

Prof Gyan-Baffour was delivering an address at the maiden International Symposium organised by the University of Education Winneba (UEW), on the topic: ‘Economic Policies and Strategies for Addressing the Economic Aspect of Sustainable Development.’

It was on the theme: ‘Reflections on Ghana’s SDG Agenda: Consolidating Performance and Enhancing Sustainability,’ attended by deans, lecturers, students and representatives of civil society organisations.

He said consolidating such gains would involve assessi
ng the internal inconsistencies and adhocracies in the country’s economic strategies and policies to ensure sustainability.

To ensure consistency and focused strategic direction, the NDPC has launched a long-term National Development Perspective Framework-Vision 2057 to guide the country’s development, with the overall goal being to build a prosperous, inclusive and resilient economy, he said.

‘Ghana’s economic instability in the face of external shocks over the years indicates that there is the need to interrogate economic policies and strategies we have been pursuing in the past and also to look at broad factors including the implementation arrangements of these interventions by previous and current governments,’

He touched on the need to consolidate the little economic gains realised and initiate more forward-looking economic policies and strategies to strengthen its economic growth to achieve sustainable development.

Prof Gyan-Baffour explained that consolidating such gains would involve assessing the
internal inconsistencies and adhocracies in the country’s economic strategies and policies to ensure sustainability.

Globally there were significant efforts to achieve sustainable development and international commitments such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the New Urban Agenda and AU Agenda 2063, among others provided indicators to measure efforts towards achieving sustainable development.

‘Indeed, the National Development Planning Commission over the years has assured that these commitments are aligned to Ghana’s development processes and has experienced some

improvement in some aspects of our economic development, however whenever there are shocks as results of global economic uncertainties, they expose cracks in our economic policies and stratagems,’ he indicated.

Prof Gyan-Baffour indicated that building a more sustainable and prosperous Ghana required a shared responsibility, a commitment to collaborative action and spirit of inclusivity of which the Government, through the NDPC and
other institutions, was trying to achieve.

‘Let us seize this opportunity to identify innovative solutions, strengthen our national SDG agenda and collectively to build a future that is not only sustainable and prosperous, but also equitable, ensuring no one is left behind on this journey towards a better tomorrow,’ he added.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Irchad Razaaly, the European Union (EU) Ambassador to Ghana, has embarked on a two-day visit to the Upper West Region, where he witnessed the progress made under the European Union Ghana Agriculture Programme (EUGAP).

The visit underlines the EU’s support to the Government of Ghana in fostering sustainable livelihoods.

A release copied to the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday said during the visit, Mr Razaaly engaged with local communities and observed two projects that exemplified Ghana and the EU’s shared vision of sustainable agricultural development in the country.

In Wa, he met with the Tibourataa Women Group, producers of the ‘Neem Crop Protector”, a purely biological agent for effective pest control.

The Crop Protector, with its by-products, Neem Seed Oil, Neem Cake Powder, and Neem Husk Mulch, are manufactured in Wa at the Neem Seed Processing Factory, providing permanent employment for 12 women and income for an additional 580 women farmers supplying neem seed to the factory.

The neem products we
re commercially available for farmers nationwide, as they were stocked by agro-input shops, the release said.

The Tibourataa Women Group themselves applied the Neem Crop Protector for the cultivation of vegetables in their own greenhouse.

”The production of these vegetables demonstrates the commercial viability of environmentally friendly farming methods and fostered economic empowerment among women,’ it said.

Mr Razaaly’s second visit was to the Sunmabo Farmer Group in Dandafuro, Wa Municipality, where climate-resilient agriculture is practised.

Through the establishment of a demonstration plot for Conservation Agriculture (CA), the community learned farming techniques that preserved the soil and environment and diversified their production by growing cashew trees in addition to their crops.

‘With these strategies, the farms are protected against extreme weather. Cashew trees are well adapted to the climate in north-western Ghana and therefore provide a climate-resilient source of income for smallholde
r farmers.’

The EU supported the distribution of 300,000 cashew seedlings to communities and the establishment of Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs), to ensure continuity in applying what the community had learnt, the release said.

That would enable the women to make independent economic decisions such as buying farming equipment and quality seeds.

‘These collective saving schemes give women reliable access to finance for agriculture and other resilience-building activities. The inclusion and support of women-led agribusinesses and women’s participation in agribusiness decision-making is of high importance to the EU. VSLAs in north-western Ghana enable 26,000 women to access finance.’

These projects, which the EU is funding its implementation together with the German Development Cooperation, exemplified how community-led initiatives and innovative agricultural practices could drive positive change, improve livelihoods, and build more resilient local economies.

Through the successes of initiat
ives like the Tibourataa Women Group and the Sunmabo Farmer Group, the EU and its partners aimed to cultivate stronger, more resilient agricultural sectors, while safeguarding the planet for future generations.

These interventions are being implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in north-western Ghana on behalf of the EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

EUGAP is the largest ongoing EU programme in Ghana, with a budget of EUR 132 million.

The programme comprises three pillars: Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH), Market-Oriented Agriculture Programme in North-West Ghana (MOAP NW) and Productive Investment Programmes (PIP) in the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The emperor and empress of Japan received a ceremonial welcome of military pomp and pageantry as their state visit to Britain began on Tuesday in London.

Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla greeted Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Horse Guards Parade where some of the nation’s most prestigious military regiments were on display.

The two heads of state warmly shook hands as did their wives under a large purpose-built pavilion that shielded them from the blistering summer sun.

William, Prince of Wales had escorted the emperor and empress from their overnight residence, arriving almost 10 minutes late in chauffeur driven cars.

The three-day state visit comes in the midst of a general election. During Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign there were no incoming state visits at the same time as a general election.

A Japanese foreign ministry official said the emperor and empress’s visit would not be a political one and it was hoped it would forge ‘friendly relations across generations’ between Jap
an’s imperial family and the British royal family.

In 2017, a Spanish state visit by King Felipe VI was quickly rescheduled – after an agreement between the late Queen and King Felipe – because the date clashed with a snap election in the UK.

A Palace spokesman said this week’s programme had been ‘slightly adapted’, adding: ‘As a general principle, it has of course been adapted as a result of the current pre-election period of sensitivity.’

Missing elements appear to be the usual talks with the prime minister, a speech to the Palace of Westminster by the visiting head of state, and meetings with opposition leaders.

Waiting on the parade ground was a guard of honour formed by the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards who, when not performing ceremonial duties, are fighting soldiers.

They were joined on parade by the Mounted Band of the Household Cavalry with their magnificent Shire Drum Horses, leading four divisions of the dazzling Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

In the distance could
be heard the low rumble of a 41-gun royal salute fired from Green Park by the king’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and at the Tower of London the same number of volleys was fired by the Honourable Artillery Company.

The Japanese national anthem was played, and the emperor inspected the guard of honour, accompanied by the king, who walked a few paces behind his guest.

The king wore a morning suit with a top hat, and he briefly removed his headwear as a mark of inspect when he passed the regimental colours.

Watching from the pavilion were the royal women, Queen Camilla, wearing an Anna Valentine dress and Philip Treacy hat, and the empress along with the waiting dignitaries, including foreign secretary Lord Cameron, Home Secretary James Cleverly and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley.

At the end of the welcome ceremony was the traditional carriage procession to Buckingham Palace where a private lunch will be held.

The two heads of state sat together in the lead coach, followed by Camilla and th
e empress who has an allergy to horse hair and as a precaution wore a face mask.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Apostle Eric Nyamekye, the President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has asked Ghanaians not to make the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary elections a religious battle.

‘We must try our best not to make this election a religious battle between Christians and Muslims. Whoever qualifies to be president must be a Ghanaian, once he is a Ghanaian, that is okay. We want Ghana to win at the end of the day,’ he said.

Apostle Nyamekye gave the charge at the 2024 Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council’s National Delegates Conference on Tuesday in Accra.

The theme for this year’s Conference is: ‘The Church: God’s Instrument for Peace and Transformation’.

The Conference is an avenue for the Council to take stock of its activities, account to members, discuss and address its challenges and advise them.

The President said each citizen had one vote, hence they must exercise their rights during the election peacefully to prevent disturbing the harmony that existed between Christians and
Muslims.

Apostle Nyamekye advised Christians to be circumspect in their utterances not to heighten the tension.

He said the Council had slated October 6, 2024, to organise a peace campaign to speak to the citizenry.

Apostle Samuel Amponsah-Frimpong, Chairman of Christ Apostolic Church International, said children of God must be carriers of peace, agents of reconciliation and conduits of God’s blessings to the world.

He said it was important for them to be intercessors and pray for the country.

‘Ghana needs prayers, the land is sick, our rivers and forests are crying for salvation, our forest reserves are being destroyed left, right and centre, river Pra is in jeopardy,’ he stated.

Reverend Dr Cyril G. K. Fayose, the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, said the collaboration with the GPCC had resulted in the transformation of some situations in the country.

He said the Christian Council of Ghana had set up an Eminent Persons Group to monitor activities before, during and after the 2024
Presidential and Parliamentary elections

The Reverend Professor Frimpong Manson, the immediate past President of the GPCC, called on the past executives of the Council to support the new ones for its growth.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Naana Adiki Manyeyo Adi, the Head of the Community Sustainability Department, Electrochem Ghana Limited, says the company is elevating the status of local women entrepreneurs within the Ada area.

This, she said, would prepare them for competitions in the business world.

Naana Adi said the commercial salt mining company was poised to grow with the women entrepreneurs in the area.

The company, which is a subsidiary of the McDan Group of Companies, has acquired three mining licenses covering about 41,000 acres of concession in the Ada Songor Lagoon for 15 years.

She said that as part of its corporate social responsibility, the company had not only embarked on developmental programmes but also put in programmes including interest-free loans to improve the business operations of women.

Naana Adi, who is the Queen of the Royal Adibiawer Clan, disclosed in an interview with the Ghana News Agency that her outfit organises training sessions in fiscal management for all loan applicants to facilitate the growth of
their businesses in the community.

She added that the local entrepreneurs, especially the women, need such training to prepare them for future competitions.

She explained that if such training were not given, it could lead to the mismanagement of the loan and expose the entrepreneurs to potential bankruptcy, which would stifle their dreams and eliminate them from the business community of Ada.

‘If you go to Makola, the Ga indigenes were not really prepared for its current cosmopolitan nature, and so other big businesspeople took over the core business sector. Most local entrepreneurs are subdued to the competition,’ she said.

She added, however, that ‘I am not being tribalistic here, but if the locals were ready or well prepared, they could have withstood whatever competition they came across and their businesses would boost instead of collapsing.’

Naana Adi stated that the loan initiative is not about the money alone but also to help the locals have business acumen and grow with the company together.

‘
As Electrochem is crawling now, we want to crawl, stand, walk, and grow with the local businesses. If the local businesses collapse, every burden will be left on the shoulders of the company, which may lead to its collapse. That is why we want to empower them to stand on their own and be independent so that the development of the community will be a shared responsibility for both the company and the locals,’ she stressed.

She expressed optimism that the company will play a key role in the development of the Ada State and called for the community’s support to drive the developmental agenda together.

Source: Ghana News Agency