Home Blog Page 1689

$122m vaccines factory for Accra

By
MAXWELL OFORI
-
0
President Akufo-Addo performing officials function for work to start on the project

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has broken ground for the construction of a vaccine manufacturing factory in the country.

The construction of the US$122.6 million vaccine plant is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024, and production will commence in 2025.

The private sector-led project, owned by DEK Vaccines Limited, a consortium of Ghanaian pharmaceutical companies, is expected to produce 600 million doses of vaccines annually.

The vaccines to be manufactured include COVID-19, malaria, HPV, pneumonia, rotavirus, and cholera with the full value chain.

The President arriving at the venue for the programme

The project has a plan to construct a total of four fill and finish lines that can fill any type of vaccine and provide full-time employment for over 250 people.

SELF-SUFFICIENT

In his address preceding the groundbreaking, President Akufo-Addo indicated that the factory would propel the nation to be self-sufficient in the production and manufacturing of vaccines.

“It all started on February 28, 2021, with Update 24 of what has come to be known as the Fellow Ghanaians series of addresses to the nation at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when I declared to the Ghanaian people my determination to see to the manufacturing of vaccines here in Ghana,” he recalled.

Chiefs and Queenmothers seated for the programme

He stated that the COVID-19 vaccine nationalism exhibited by the developed countries called for urgent action to safeguard Ghana for the unforeseen future.

JOURNEY

President Akufo-Addo recalled that, as had “been the norm,” this idea, like the Free Senior High School (Free SHS), was downplayed by a section of the public, who thought it was a lofty idea that could not be implemented.

Regardless of that, he set up a Presidential Vaccine Manufacturing Committee, whose work was to formulate a concrete plan of action towards domestic vaccine development and manufacturing.

The plan of action, the President noted, culminated in the establishment of the National Vaccine Institute in July 2021, with a US$25 million seed investment from the European Investment Bank.

President Akufo-Addo and dignitaries pose for the camera

On February 14, 2023, the National Vaccine Institute Bill was enacted by Parliament, which has received presidential assent, and its Board of Directors will be out in the open later.

RETURN TO NORMALCY

President Akufo-Addo recalled the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the loss of lives and businesses, but expressed delight in vaccines savaging the disaster.

According to him, far from viewing the pandemic as a disaster to which the world was powerless, Ghana fully embraced the lessons it taught the nation, including the importance of strengthening its unity and solidarity with countries on the continent.

While acknowledging the vaccines that Africa received from abroad, he noted that Ghana, Rwanda, and Senegal are together venturing into development and manufacturing and are determined to become vaccine manufacturing hubs in sub-Saharan Africa.

“In the short term of two years, DEK Vaccines Limited will fill, finish, and package COVID-19 and the other vaccines I have enumerated,” he stated.

In the medium term, five years, President Akufo-Addo said the target is to continue to establish more domestic vaccine manufacturing plants in the country, to produce vaccines to meet WHO standards, and then see to a long-term plan of production in ten years using innovative technology.

The Presidential Dais

In his welcome address, the Managing Director of DEK Vaccines Limited, Pharm., Dr. Kofi Nsiah-Poku, said COVID-19 was “an eye opener” and that the ceremony was taking place as a result of the vision of President Akufo-Addo.

Acknowledging the call by the WHO for the world to prepare for the next pandemic, Dr. Nsiah-Poku assured the gathering that the DEK factory is designed to have a reserved capacity for any emergency or pandemic.”

The Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr. Nsiah Asare, speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the Vaccine Manufacturing Committee, Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, said the DEK Consortium has developed a bankable business plan to provide enough resources to be able to put up the factory.

Speaking as the representative for the European Union, which is a bilateral partner, Ambassador M. Irchad Razaaly said the EU has stuck to its promise to support Ghana in its journey and transformation into a pan-African vaccine manufacturing hub.

The EU has given a five-million-euro grant to the DEK Consortium to commence the construction and manufacturing of vaccines in Ghana.

Tradition on full display

The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Harriet Thompson, commended the government and the company for the step they took, adding that the project would open the door for more partnerships.

The Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu was represented by Tina Mensah, Deputy Health Minister who said the President’s vision for a Ghana Beyond Aid was the driving force for the ministry.

Prez to commission 312 housing units for Police 

By
admin
-
0
President Akufo-Addo

The first phase of A 504-Accommodation facility made up of one- and two-bedroom housing units for the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Meteorological Agency, Civil Aviation, and DVLA is set for commissioning on Wednesday 19th April, 2023

The first phase of the project, which includes 312 housing units, also has a fully furnished clinic, school block for JHS and Primary, police mobile maintenance unit, police station, fuel depot, and garage will go a long way in reducing the accommodation challenges facing the police

The Second phase will see the construction of 192 housing units, taking the total number to 504 housing units.

President Akufo-Addo is expected to commission yet another major project undertaken by his government as part of measures aimed at addressing the accommodation needs of the Ghana Police Service

The project, developed by Unique Development Company, is a land swap agreement between the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry, Lands Commission, Ministry of Interior, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission and the private developer.

During one of the inspections, a Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Benito Owusu Bio said the agreement was reached when government realised that the Police Service was in urgent need of accommodation, which also fell in line with the government’s plan to build Morden Barracks for the security services as their numbers kept increasing by the day.

He indicated that the construction began in 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the progress was interrupted and almost halted

The Deputy Minister explained that the project also includes a 10 Unit, 2 bedroom accommodation for the engineering and mechanic department of the Service with offices, canteens, and a police post to ensure their safety.

The Deputy Minister clarified that the project has also relocated the residents of the Ghana Airport Company and the Meteorological Service at Jubilee Enclave to pave the way for the construction of the Jubilee City Project.

KMA rolls out sustainable revenue mobilisation … With AfD, ASToN support

By
SEBASTIAN R. FREIKU
-
0
The Mayor of Kumasi handing a POS to a Bantama revenue collector

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has rolled all three basic requirements for the implementation of electronic taxation (e-taxation) to ensure a sustainable revenue mobilisation.

The e-taxation concept is the use of smart and digital technologies in the management and operations in the city.

Following the selection of Kumasi for the project, the KMA has established a comprehensive database of all property values, with commercial and residential demarcation for proper tax management purposes.

Mayor Sam Pyne flanked by the PM and Metro Coordinating Director while addressing the revenue field officers

It has also established a centre to process data, and further gone to the extent of procuring 70 Point of Sale (POS) devises to ensure effective digital revenue collection, mainly from business operative permits and licences.

The POS has a 24-hour internet connectivity, provided by MTN.

The project is being implemented with the support of the Africa Smart Towns Network (ASToN), and funded by Agence Française de Développement (AfD) at €100,000.

The Mayor of Kumasi, Mr. Samuel Pyne, while distributing the POS devices on Monday, urged the revenue collectors of the assembly at the various Sub Metro Councils to work diligently and achieve results to ensure proper accountability and development in the Metropolis.

Mr. Pyne assured them that the KMA would ensure that the requisite equipment and tools, including desk top computers and adequate POS devices, are procured, as well as ensure a well functioning internet service to make the Data Centre functional.

Mr. David Abbam Adjei, Metro Finance Officer, disclosed that the Data Centre captures about 85% of businesses in the Metropolis for the purposes of taxation, and hoped the Assembly’s Internally Generated Fund (IGF) would be sustained.

Meanwhile, the Revenue Sub-Committee of the Assembly has directed that all Sub-Metro Councils must distribute demand notices to business concerns in good time to ensure effective revenue collection to raise funds for its development agenda.

Dissolve Management Committee of Ho Market -Mamaga Akua Dei II

By
SAMUEL AGBEWODE
-
0
The Ho Central Market women at the VRCC, where they presented the petition for the Regional Minister

The Paramount Queenmother of the Asogli Traditional Area, Mamaga Akua Dei II, has directed the Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr. Divine R.K. Bosson, to dissolve the committee appointed by the Assembly to manage activities in the Ho Central Market with immediate effect.

Mamaga Akua Dei said it was clear to the chiefs and queenmothers of Asogli that the MCE had no respect for tradition and culture, since Mr. Bosson and the Assembly had shown that they would not respect and work with the Market Queen appointed by the Queenmother of Asogli, Madam Joyce Norvixoxo.

The Paramount Queenmother gave the directive at a press conference in Ho on Monday, five days after market women demonstrated against the Ho Municipal Chief Executive and the Assembly for refusing to recognise the Market Queen appointed by the Paramount Queenmother and refused to work with her.

Mama Akua Dei explained that the Market Queen, Madam Dagbey Mansah, was duly installed some years back, but as she advanced in age, her health deteriorated and she became indisposed, therefore, as tradition demanded, when a Queenmother became inactive as a result of sickness, someone is appointed to act on her behalf, per the tradition of Asogli.

She continued that since Madam Dagbey Mansah was ill, the queenmothers met and appointed Madam Joyce Norvixoxo as the acting Market Queen of the Ho Central Market, and since then had been working with the Municipal Assembly and the then MCE, Mr. Pii Bansah.

Mamaga Akua Dei further explained that she was taken ill about two years ago and travelled abroad for medication, on her return she was informed that a new MCE called Mr. Divine R.K Bosson had decided not to work with the Market Queen appointed by the Asogli Queenmother, and decided to form a Management Committee to administer activities in the market.

She said she called the MCE to find out as to whether the information given her that he (MCE) also claimed that the Ho Central Market was the property of the Assembly, but he denied it, saying he never said the market belonged to the Assembly, but agreed that he and the Assembly decided not to work with the Market Queen.

According to Mamaga Akua Dei, Asogli, and for that matter, Ho, had been a peaceful area over the years and that the queenmothers would not allow any government appointee like the Ho MCE to be disrespectful to them, therefore, it was important for the MCE to dissolve the Market Management Committee and any other persons working in the name of the Assembly in the market to ensure peace.

She said market queens were found in the major markets in the Volta Region, and the country in general, who worked in collaboration with metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs), adding that she did not understand why that of the Ho Central Market would be different.

Mamaga Akua Dei stressed that even though the Ho Municipal Assembly paid a monthly rate on the land on which the market was situated, the place was for the chiefs and people of Asogli, and the Queenmother, once appointed by Madam Norvixoxo as acting Queen of the Ho Market, would continue to act in that capacity and administer its activities as tradition demanded.

Goaso East Assemblyman supports youth to acquire employable skills

By
ERNEST BEST ANANE
-
0
Dauda Tahiru presenting a start-up tools to a beneficiary

Mr. Dauda Tahiru, Assembly Member for Gauso East Electoral Area in the Obuasi Municipality, has supported some constituents to acquire employable skills.

It is part of plans to boost businesses and owners of small and medium scale enterprises, especially hairdressers and seamstresses, by supporting them with start-up kits, hence, the intervention.

As a result, the Assembly Member has donated sewing machines and hair dryers to selected seamstresses and hairdressers in the community to boost their businesses and to train other youth to reduce unemployment among the youth in the area.

He also presented clothes and sandals to children and organised free health screening for members of the community.

According him, the initiative was geared towards his quest to build the capacity of the youth in his electoral area in skills acquisition.

Mr. Dauda Tahiru, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Ya-Latif Engineering Center, disclosed that he had enrolled most of the youth in his training center free of charge.

He said the gesture was inspired by his desire to empower the youth towards addressing youth unemployment.

Under his education and skills training programme, the Assembly Member donated 100 pieces of sandals to pupils of the Saqquafiya School in 2021.

The Assembly Member implored the youth to focus on acquiring employable skills to engage them in more productive ventures.

Adramani Gauso, Odikro of Goaso, called on the youth in the community to prioritise education, and advised parents to commit resources and time towards educating their wards.

He stated that the chiefs were prepared to help any child who had the desire to pursue education to the highest level.

The Goaso caretaker Chief reiterated the pledge by leaders of the community to wean the community off criminal elements.

He gave the assurance that the leaders would not shield anybody who was bent on dragging the name of the community into the mud.

The beneficiaries expressed their profound gratitude to the Assembly Member for his resolve to help the youth to be productive in acquiring employable skills, and promised to use the equipments and tools to boost their businesses to enable them support other youth in the community.

Editorial: Introduction of pension scheme for cocoa farmers is long overdue

By
THE CHRONICLE
-
0
Editorial

In a story we carried in the Tuesday edition of The Chronicle, Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has begun a sensitisation exercise to register Ghanaian cocoa farmers on to a pension scheme.

The exercise is a three tier scheme and would be under the supervision of the National Pension Regulatory Authority (NPRA).

Whilst the farmers would contribute a minimum of five percent anytime they visit cocoa sheds to sell their produce, COCOBOD, on the other hand, would contribute one percent in support of the scheme.

At a sensitisation exercise at Tarkwa, Wassa Manso, the Head of Public Affairs of COCOBOD, Fiifi Boafo, explained that the importance of the scheme was to ensure that farmers benefit from their contribution to the economy.

He went on to say that since most cocoa farmers were beyond the ages of 50 years, the arrangement was such that those beyond that age would contribute for a period of five years, after which they would be entitled to reap their contributions.

The Chronicle is excited about the news of the pension scheme arrangement that COCOBOD has put in place for the welfare of the Ghanaian cocoa farmer.

Giving the readiness of the farmers to have the scheme rolled out, The Chronicle has no doubts about the sustainability of the scheme in question.

We believe the introduction of the pension scheme is long overdue, considering the contribution cocoa farmers have made in the economy, particularly in the area of foreign exchange.

If the government, through COCOBOD, has decided to set up a pension scheme to cushion cocoa farmers during their retirement age, then it is welcoming news.

However, in as much as we are excited about the arrangement, we will like to advise COCOBOD to tread cautiously and make sure every bottleneck that could hamper the smooth operation of the scheme is removed.

Most particularly is the five percent contribution that cocoa farmers would be paying into the scheme anytime they visit cocoa sheds to sell their produce.

What this means to The Chronicle is that COCOBOD would deduct five percent of the farmer’s sale at the shed, as their contribution to the scheme.

In an industry where most cocoa farmers are believed to be uneducated, we are advising COCOBOD to put in a mechanism where it would have on its database the total number of cocoa farmers who sell their produce at a particular cocoa shed in a particular community.

This will help in the auditing of the contributions from one shed to another, giving the total number.

So, in the event one or two contributions are not forthcoming, COCOBOD could easily trace to find out why. We are raising this concern because we cannot trust individuals who would be put in charge at the various cocoa sheds to do the deduction on behalf of the cocoa farmers for COCOBOD.

Again, we believe COCOBOD could do better by adjusting its one percent contribution in support of the scheme. In formal employment, the employers bear the greater contribution, because they make profit. It is not in doubt that COCOBOD is making huge profits from the sweat of the Ghanaian cocoa farmers.

COCOBOD’s desire to introduce a pension scheme for cocoa farmers is long overdue, and the time to act is now!

Dunkwa chief worried over deteriorating road network 

By
SEBASTIAN R. FREIKU
-
0
Okofrobour Obeng Nuakoh III - Dunkwahene

The chief of Dunkwa, Okofrobour Obeng Nuakoh III, has expressed worry over the deterioration of the Obuasi-Dunkwa road.

He noted that the stretch of the road, which was awarded on contract about four years ago, has recorded fatal accidents of late, because of its current deplorable condition.

The chief said these road accidents are claiming lives on weekly basis and called on the government to prevail on the contractor to put the road in a better condition to avoid the preventable accidents.

Speaking to the media at Dunkwa, in the Denkyira East Municipality, Okofrobour Obeng Nuakoh described work on the road as shoddy because major parts of the road had developed potholes, saying the situation is unbelievable.

Referring to the bridge spanning the Offing River, the Dunkwahene said the bridge is technically weak looking at the heavy vehicular traffic and that it needs urgent rehabilitation to avoid untoward incidents and fatal accident.

The Dunkwa chief appealed to the authorities to ensure that the Astro Turf project at Dunkwa, under the Zongo Development Authority, which sod was cut by Vice President Dr. Bawumia, is completed without any further delays.

He said the site has been taken over by reptiles and suggested the contractor is made to complete the project to promote sports.

Meanwhile, drivers plying the road have called on the Road Minister, Akwasi Amoako Atta, to come to the aid of travelers to stop the rampant road crashes on the stretch.

Lagos bishop accused of raping pastors arraigned

By
admin
-
0
Lagos bishop arraigned

The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, on Monday, granted a bishop, Oluwafeyiropo Daniel, who was accused of raping two of his church pastors (names withheld) bail.

Justice Ramon Oshodi however remanded Oluwafeyiropo who is the founder of I Reign Christian Ministry in Kirikiri Correctional Centre pending when he can perfect his bail conditions.

The defendant was granted N20m bail with two sureties in like sum.

Justice Oshodi said one of the sureties must be the owner of a property in Lagos State and the property must be enough to cover the bail sum.

“The original document of the landed property must be submitted to the Chief Registrar of Lagos State.

“The sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and must show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State,” he said.

The judge also ordered the defendant to deposit his passport with the chief registrar of the court and ordered an acceleration hearing of the case.

Credit: punchng.com

Court stops PDP from suspending Wike, others for anti-party activities

By
admin
-
0
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State

A Federal High Court in Abuja has barred the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from suspending or expelling Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and State Executive Members of the PDP in Rivers State over alleged anti-party activities.

In his judgment, Justice Inyang Ekwo held that the fears of Wike and other members of the PDP were well founded, and that suspending or expelling them will amount to the breach of their rights to freedom of association.

The judge, therefore, stated it is in the power of the court to grant redress to persons who have well established acts that would amount to the infringement of their rights.

The judge said members of political parties can not be suspended arbitrarily with compliance with the political party’s guidelines.

Wike, and four other PDP governors known as the G5, had openly campaigned against PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in the February 25 poll.

Credit: channelstv.com

Stowaway found dead in KLM flight from Nigeria

By
admin
-
0
KLM

A dead stowaway was on Monday discovered in the wheel well of a KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 777.

The aircraft (registered PH-BQM) flew from Nigeria’s commercial hub, Lagos, according to Belgium’s Aviation24.

It is still unknown how the undocumented passenger found his way into the aircraft but an inquiry has commenced.

The man might have died from hypothermia, a medical emergency that occurs when the body loses excess heat.

The Royal Dutch Marechaussee noted that stowaways survive sometimes but do not in most cases.

“Most of the time it goes wrong given the sharp drop in temperature,” a spokesperson said.

“On longer flights, temperatures can go down to minus fifty degrees, impossible to survive.”

The Royal Marechaussee is the national force of the Netherlands, performing military and civilian police duties.

Credit: dailypost.ng

1...1,6881,6891,690...2,451Page 1,689 of 2,451

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

©
The Ghanaian Chronicle