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Minister woos investors for $120m to retool GBC

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Mr Samuel Jinapor addressing the conference

Mr Samuel A. Jinapor, minister for Lands and Natural Resources says the Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC) is well positioned to become the anchor of Ghana’s integrated aluminum industry.

According to him, GBC, which has been in existence for over eighty (80) years can increase production through strategic partnership and investment to support the President’s vision of building an integrated aluminum industry to spur industrialisation and socio-economic development of Ghana.

The Minister was speaking at the twenty-seventh (27th) edition of Fastmarkets Bauxite and Alumina Conference, held in Miami in the United States of America recently.

The Conference, held annually, is the largest bauxite conference in the world and brings together producers, miners, suppliers, analysts, refiners and other experts in the Bauxite, Alumina and Aluminium industry from across the world, to deliberate on emerging issues in the bauxite and aluminium industry.

Speaking to investors on the second day of the Conference, Mr. Jinapor said Ghana Bauxite Company produces premium trihydrate bauxite with typical alumina content of fifty-two percent (52%), which makes its products very competitive on the international market.

He said Ghana has the capacity to produce over ten million metric tonnes (10,000,000Mt) of bauxite annually, but is currently producing just a little over one million metric tonnes (1,000,000Mt).

According to Mr. Jinapor, the low production is largely due to lack of investment in the Company over the years. The Ghana Bauxite Company has, since its establishment, been controlled by foreigners, until 2021 when Ofori-Poku Company Limited (OPCL), acquired the eighty percent (80%) shares of the Company previously held by a Chinese company, Bosai. The remaining twenty percent (20%) shares of the company is held by Government, through the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), making the Company wholly Ghanaian-owned.

Mr. Jinapor said the current management of the Company, led by Mr. Isaac Ofori-Poku, the Executive Chairman, has made huge investments in the company since the take-over, and has brought efficiency into the company and returned it to profitability. He said the company currently requires about One Hundred and Twenty Million US Dollars (US$120,000,000.00) to retool its existing plant and machinery, to produce a minimum of five million metric tonnes (5,000,000Mt) annually.

In addition to increasing production, the Company plans to construct a one point six million metric tonnes (1.6 million Mt) per annum capacity refinery to refine part of the bauxite it mines.

This, the Minister said, will become the fulcrum of the integrated aluminium industry, with the Company mining and refining bauxite to supply the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) with alumina, to smelt into aluminium for the downstream industry.

He called on the investor community to partner with Ghana Bauxite Company to realise its full potentials.

“The profitability of Ghana Bauxite Company is not in doubt and promises good returns on investment,” the Minister said.

Mr. Jinapor underscored the need to build an integrated aluminium industry in the country. He said of the over One Hundred and Eighty Billion US Dollars (US$180,000,000,000.00) aluminium industry market, only 7.66 is generated from raw bauxite, while the rest is generated from processed bauxite.

He said it is not enough to mine and export our bauxite if we are to derive optimal benefit from the mineral. He said in accordance with its mandate to promote and develop an integrated industry, GIADEC is implementing a Four-Project Agenda, to expand the existing bauxite mine and add a refinery solution, develop three (3) additional mines together with refineries, and modernise and retrofit VALCO, to smelt alumina produced in Ghana.

He said the three new mines, together with the existing one operated by the Ghana Bauxite Company, are expected to produce ten to twenty million tonnes of bauxite annually, of which approximately half will be refined in Ghana. He wooed investors to take advantage of this promising industry and invest in Ghana.

Aisha Huang: Investigator’s evidence

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Aisha Huang

En Huang, aka Aisha Huang, a Chinese woman in the middle of an illegal mining controversy, is challenging the authenticity of videos and images captured by the investigator in her trial.

According to Aisha Huang, the videos and images submitted to the trial court by the investigator, ASP Charles Adaba (Rtd), had no GPS addresses indicating where they were captured.

Speaking through her led counsel, Miracle Attachey, she claimed the video footages and images tendered before the court by the investigator could be from any geographical location in the country.

Aisha Huang’s counsel explained to the court, presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, last week, that the drone that was used to capture the supposed images of illegal mining had an inbuilt system that labels addresses on images.

Mr. Attachey also accused the investigator of not being led by the arresting Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) officers to the supposed site where the four Chinese men were apprehended.

The investigator, in response during cross examination, said he was not an IT person, and also not the one who operated the drone that took the images.
He further told the court that although he did not go to the alleged galamsey site with the arresting officers, he, together with two others, were led by the Chief and elders of Bepotenten, the area to the illegal site called Sukumo and Gyaman.

The court was equally told that the investigator received briefing from the GIS Director of Operations, Charles Y. Bediako, before embarking on his trip to Bepotenten in the Ashanti Region.

The following are excerpts of the cross-examination.

Q. Can you tell this honourable court when you visited Bepotenten?
A. In June, 2017.
A. Before this visit on June 8, 2017, had you visited Bepotenten before?
A. No.

Q. Can you tell this honourable court the purpose of your visit to Bepotenten on June 8, 2017?

A. I visited Bepotenten on investigations in the case of operating illegal mining by the accused and four others.
Q. Did you visit Bepotenten alone or you went as a group?
A. I went with a driver and another person for security reasons.

Q. What is the name of this other person?
A. DSP Justice Oppong (rtd), also known as Nana Oppong.
Q. He works with the Ghana Police Service, not so?
A. Yes, my lady.

Q. Apart from the visit of June 2017, did you visit Bepotenten again?
A. Yes.
Q. When was that?

A. My lady, I’m not very sure of the date.
Q. On this other visit to Bepotenten, who did you go with?
A. I went with Nana Oppong.

Q. So you will agree with me that on all your visits you went with no immigration officer, but only Nana Oppong and the driver?
A. Yes.

Q. You will agree with me that Nana Oppong and the driver, including you were, were not part of the arresting officers of the four Chinese and the accused?
A. It is in my evidence-in-chief that I was not part of the arresting officers.

Q. I’m putting it to you that Nana Oppong and the driver were not part of the arresting officers of the accused person and the four Chinese men?
A. I’m in court as an individual and he is talking about Nana Oppong and the driver.

Q. So can you tell this honourable court who took you as the investigator to this alleged site that you took videos and images of?

A. I visited Bepotenten, and I first met the Odikro of the village to know my mission at Bepotenten and Odikro brought his elders and I explained to them why I was at Bepotenten, and he asked one Okyeame Appiah , Mr. Amenye and one Tey to led me to the site. So these are the people who led me to the site.

Q. These people you mentioned earlier- Odikro, Okyeame Appiah, Amenyah, and one Tey – were also not part of the arresting team, I put that to you?

A. My lady, when the case was referred to me on April 23, 2017, the accused person and the four Chinese men had already been arrested by the GIS and were being investigated for an immigration offence by the GIS. I was asked to investigate the criminal activities of the accused and the four Chinese men.

So the accused persons were already in custody before I started the criminal investigation. So I was not at the site when they were arrested. So I cannot tell that these persons I mentioned were there.

Q. Can you tell the court where exactly the four Chinese men were arrested?
A. My lady, from my investigations they were arrested at the Sukumu site.
Q. As an investigator, you saw no need to go to Bepotenten with the arresting officers to show you where the four Chinese men were arrested?

A. My lady, in my evidence-in-chief, I said when the case was referred to me I visited the GIS Headquarters, and I met the Director of Operations, Charles Y. Bediako, and I had a brief from him, and I met the four Chinese men and the accused person herein. From the briefing from the Director of Operations at the GIS Head Office, so I met the Odikro and they took me to the arresting site.

Q. So it is the basis on this information you gathered from the people you mentioned above that you went on [a]shooting spree of videos and sill images of land sites which you have put before this honourable court as Exhibit B series?
A. It is investigations that took me to the site to establish where the accused persons were working.

Q. Let’s go to the images. You labeled the files marked Exhibit B series?
A. Yes.
Q. And these Exhibit B series were images and videos taken by drone?

A. Yes, it was operated by a person.
Q. And this drone is operated by an app by the operator, which has a global position in the system (GPS); you would agree with me sir?
A. I do not agree.

Q. On the face of Exhibit B series there is no GPS, geographic location, let alone to talk about a location generated by drone or in the still image, apart from your labelling of that video?

A. My lord, I’m not an IT person. The operator I went with to the site took the recordings in the presence of me, including those that I have mentioned. Even though it may not have the GPS on the exhibits that I labelled at the various places that I labelled Sukumo and Gyama.

Q. At the last hearing date, you admitted that on one of your videos you did a mistake. Is that so?
A. I did not make a mistake.
Q. Did you meet Honourable Matthew Kwabena Abotsi during your investigations?

A. …
Q. So you will agree with me that the Exhibit B series could be a location anywhere in this country on the face of it or anywhere – example Ashanti Gold.
A. I don’t agree with counsel, because these images were taken at Sukumo and Gyaman.
Q. In your investigations, you mentioned excavators allegedly belonging to the accused person?

A. I did not say excavators, I said, when I visited the site there was an excavator that had been dismantled and under repairs.
Q. In your investigations did you find out the ownership of that excavator…?
A. It belonged to the accused person and a company called Golden Aisa Company Limited.

Q. As you are before this court there is no evidence or document relating to the ownership of the said excavator by the accused person or Aisa Golden Limited, I put that to you?
A. I disagree.

Q. You gave evidence on Mover 1, 2018, in a case titled Republic Versus En Hung and four other case No: CR3442/2917 is that not so sir?
A. That is correct.

Q. Have you heard of the name Nana Kofi Prempeh Zambrah, Kwame Amano, Samson Kofi Wiredu, and Edward Koranteng during your investigations?
A. My lady, Prempeh sound familiar in my ears if he can identify the people to me I can say I know them all.

Q. Did you have the opportunity to interrogate any of the people mentioned above?
A. My lord, it being six years now if he can tell the people I will be able to tell whether I had an interaction with them or not.

Q. You will agree with me that these charges levelled against the Accused person are based on happenings on 2017?

A. Based on the investigation I conducted in 2017/18.
Counsel: On this good not I’m done.
Prosecution: no re-examination.

 

Trader, 41, allegedly dupes high ranking Police Officer off $15k

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BERNICE BESSEY
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Court

A 41-year-old trader, Jeffery Owusu, has been remanded for allegedly defrauding a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) off an amount of US$15,000.00.

The accused, who is a resident of Speiman in the Greater Accra Region, was remanded yesterday by an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Halima El-Alawa-Abdul Baasit.

The accused has been slapped with the offence, defrauding by false pretences, but has pleaded not guilty.

The court was told by the prosecution that the DCOP was allegedly swindled by the trader in July 2016, while offering a Caterpillar D343 generator plant valued at $15,000.00 for sale.

Whist looking for a buyer, the senior police officer was introduced to the accused who said he had a client who was ready to buy the plant.

The court was told that the DCOP (complainant) released the generator to the accused to show it to his client for inspection.

The court was told that after the accused received the generator, he failed to return it and went into hiding.

On February 20, 2017, the complainant reported the case to the police and the accused was arrested.

The accused admitted the offence in his cautioned statement and pleaded with the police that he would return the generator or the money to the complainant.

As a result, the accused was released on police enquiry bail with the promise of returning the generator or the money, which failed and who also went into hiding.

The prosecutor indicated that all efforts made by the police to trace the accused person to his hideout proved futile, and a forfeiture bond was served on the surety to provide the accused, which also fell on deaf ears.

Interestingly, on March 27, 2023, a similar case was made against the accused and the new complainant led the police to arrest him at his hideout.

The prosecutor said that during interrogation the accused stated that he had sold the said Caterpillar D343 generator plant to one Alhaji Dramani Wayo in Kumasi and led the police to arrest the said buyer.

Unfortunately, the said Alhaji Dramani Wayo was nowhere to be found, and when the police invited him on phone, he allegedly bluntly said that he would he never report to any police.

The prosecutor said after investigations the accused was charged with the offence and put before the court.

The court has also issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Alhaji Dramani Wayo.

The case is adjourned to April 26, 2023.

Editorial: UK govt hit the nail right on the head; our health professionals must stay!

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THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

The United Kingdom has ranked Ghana among the list of 54 countries that should not be actively targeted for recruitment by health and social care employers. The announcement was made by the UK government in its revised code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England.

The code states that some developing countries such as Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria should not be targeted when actively recruiting health or care professionals.

In a release on the NHS website, the UK government explained that the listed countries have a UHC Service Coverage Index that is lower than 50 and a density of doctors, nurses and midwives that is below the global median (48.6 per 10,000 population).

The UK government added that the list was based upon the World Health Organisation (WHO) Workforce Support and Safeguard List, 2023, and will be updated alongside progress reports on WHO Global Code implementation and reported to the World Health Assembly every three years.

It was, however, stated that the list doesn’t prevent individual health and social care personnel from independently applying to health and social care employers for employment in the UK, of their own accord and without being targeted by a third party, such as a recruitment agency or employer (known as a direct application).

This does not come as a surprise to The Chronicle since a lot of hospitals, clinics and other health facilities are crippled with the shortage of healthcare professionals. This is despite the fact that a large number of nurses, doctors, midwives and other health professionals graduate from the various medical schools in the country.

Most of these health professionals travel out of the country to seek greener pastures, where there is the lure of better remuneration and conditions of service.

The few who stay in the country also refuse posting to rural and under-priviledged parts of the country. There has been news about one or two doctors or physician assistants manning a whole district health center.

It is clear that one of the push factors that send our health professionals abroad is to seek better remuneration and conditions of service.

The Chronicle thinks that it is time government takes a critical look at the working conditions of our health workers in order to nip the canker in the bud.

There is a saying that the growth of a country is dependent on how healthy its working class are. If our health professionals, who are to cater for us are all running away to seek greener pastures, then what becomes of the working class, as well as our younger ones who need good healthcare to grow well. It is worthy of note that a healthy mind dwells in a healthy body.

It is an open secret that government spends a lot to subsidise the education of medical doctors in the country. It is, therefore, incumbent on them to stay and give back to the nation.

Much as every Ghanaian has the constitutional right of movement, we implore on the health professionals to have it at the back of their minds that Ghana has now been listed among countries having a density of doctors, nurses and midwives that is below the global median (48.6 per 10,000 population).

It does not take rocket science to know what we must do to retain our medical professionals and even attract expatriates into our system. We need to emulate other successful countries and invest heavily in the health sector at all levels to provide adequately for the welfare of its professionals.

We must equip and maintain our public hospitals. We must make our health sector work so well that our leaders will prefer to be treated in Ghana, rather than the current practice of rushing to hospitals abroad and abandoning the very hospitals they have built.

Subsidising the training of our doctors is only one part of the solution. We must also provide adequately for their welfare and afford them the right work environment so that we retain them in the country and work to achieve a favourable global median of 48.6 per 10,000 population.

Modern classroom block commissioned for Agyeibikrom

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ERNEST BEST ANANE
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The DCE being assisted by Nananom and CEO of the NGO to commission the project

Adesuapa Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has built and commissioned a modern classroom block for the Agyeibikrom community in the Ahafo Ano South West District of the Ashanti Region.

The classroom block

The project comprises a two-unit Kindergarten (KG) block and a three bedroom teachers quarters.

Mr. Joseph Frimpong Bonsu, District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Ahafo Ano South West Assembly, expressed gratitude to the organisation for the project, noting that the process of development was a shared responsibility.

He pleaded with other stakeholders to emulate the shining example of the Adesuapa Foundation to complement the government’s efforts at improving the standard of education in the country.

The DCE disclosed that through the effort of Mr. Johnson Kwaku Adu, Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ahafo Ano South West Constituency, the Agyeibi community had a six-unit classroom block, funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).

He charged parents to be responsible as far as the education of their wards was concerned.

DCE Frimpong Bonsu noted that the government had made education free at the Senior High School level, and for that matter, there was the need for parents to ensure that all their children of school-going age enrolled in schools.

Mr. Justin Kwesi Botor, District Education Director, also pleaded with teachers and the residents of the community to cultivate the maintenance culture to ensure that the facility lasted to serve the intended purpose for the benefit of future generations.

Christen Muller, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Adesuapa Foundation, commended the residents of the community for their support for the successful implementation of the project,  and advised the school children to make good use of the facility.

She urged the community members to always adopt a good maintenance culture to protect the project, and promised that her outfit would provide the same project in other areas of the District.

Nana Ahenkan, Queenmother of Agyeibikrom, appealed to the DCE, MP and the government to assist with other developmental projects, including their roads and electricity.

Mr. Elvis Owusu, Headmaster of the Agyeibi D/A Basic School, on behalf of the school management, expressed their gratitude to the Adesuapa Foundation for the project.

WB Water project connects 5,000 households in Greater Kumasi to GWCL

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ERNEST BEST ANANE
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Ing. George Asiedu, Coordinator - Greater Accra, Kumasi Metropolitan Area project

The Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GKMA) Sanitation and Water Project has connected about 5,000 households to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) pipeline to access clean and quality drinking water.

The project, sponsored by the World Bank (WB), is aimed at increasing access to water supply and improved sanitation in Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area.

Engineer Somuah Tenkorang, GKMA Water Project Coordinator, explained that, under Component 2 of the project, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, through the Ghana Water Company Limited, will construct, at least, 100 kilometres of pipeline works in all eight Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts (MMDAs) of the GKMA, to improve the water supply situation of, at least, 500,000 people, and ensure that 5,000 households were connected to the water mains.

Speaking at an event, organised to commemorate this year’s World Water Day, he stated that,  the New Service Connections aspect of the project was targeted at some selected pro-poor communities in the Greater Kumasi Area, thereby contributing to the alleviation of poverty in the society.

He disclosed that the GWCL had, so far, completed the preparation of an urban water supply master plan for the GKMA, and prepared a calibrated Hydraulic Network Model to serve as a decision support tool to guide all the investments under the project.

He said all necessary designs and pipeline routes had, therefore, been carefully selected to ensure that they achieved the set objectives under the project.

Inj. Somuah reiterated that alongside embarking on community engagement to promote private water connections, the GWCL had, so far, connected about 2,000 out of the 5,000 water connections in the GKMA.

He encouraged all low income communities to subscribe to the private water connections, which have been heavily subsidised under the project.

The Project Coordinator indicated that the project would also embark on a number of activities, including the establishment of a Telemetry system to enable GWCL to monitor the health of the water supply network to improve upon the efficiency of its operations.

He disclosed that the Ghana Water Company Meter Shop in the GKMA would also be upgraded to sustain the maintenance of water meters used in GWCL operations.

Inj. George Asiedu, Coordinator of Greater Accra, Kumasi Metropolitan Area (GAMA) (GKMA) also pleaded with the media to educate the general public on the need to acquire household toilet facilities to enhance sanitation and hygiene, since the media played key role in the education and sensitisation of the public on behavioural change as agents of change to improve the living standards of the people.

Dunkwa Nursing, Midwifery College holds  12th Matriculation for 953 students 

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SEBASTIAN R. FREIKU
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David Ben Sampson, Principal Dunkwa NMTC

A total of 953 students have gained admission at the Nursing and Midwifery Training College at Dunkwa-on-offin in the Upper Denkyira East municipality of the Centyral Region.

Odiamono Niri Twum Barmah II, Chief of Baadoa

They had been shortlisted from 3,415 candidates who applied to pursue various programmes at the college.

A hundred and three (103) male students have been registered to pursue Registered General Nursing (RGN) alongside their 310 female counterparts while 272 students are to study Nurse Assistant Clinicals with 268 for the Registered Midwifery programme.

Dr. David Ben Sampson, Principal of Dunkwa NMTC said at the12th Matriculation ceremony on Tuesday that the College, which was established in January 2009 as a Health Assistant Training school initially, has a student population of 2,122 and runs four Programmes namely Registered General Nursing (RGN); Registered Midwifery (RM); Nurse Assistant Clinical, previously Health Assistant Clinical and the Post NAC/NAP.

He commended the 104 teaching and non-teaching staff, the college advisory board and the stakeholders Association for their developmental efforts to grow the college over the years.

The students swear the matriculation oath

The Principal encouraged tutors to put up their best to ensure effective teaching and learning towards achieving academic nursing and midwifery and professional goals.

Dr. Sampson also advised students who have any form of challenge to patronize the counselling unit of the college to better integrate into the institution and also effect good academic output as well as enhance normal adaptation to social life on campus.

He further advised the SRC and its leadership to go a step further in their duties to sensitise all students at the respective levels or classes to take their academic work seriously to avert poor performance and misconduct.

Ebenezer Forson Appiah, Municipal Chief Executive commended the management team, the Advisory board and the stakeholders for the successes chalked so far.

He acknowledged the infrastructure challenges that confronts the college and assured that the Municipal Assembly, as a major stakeholder in the progress or advancement, will assist the College at the appropriate time.

The chief of Baadoa, Odiamono Niri Twum Barimah II, who represented the Denkyira Traditional Council, advised the students to respect the authorities and take their studies seriously.

GHS wants accident centre constructed at Kintampo

By
FRANCIS OWUSU-ANSAH
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Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng and Mr Kwasi Adu Gyan, Bono East Regional Minister

The Bono East Regional Director of Health services, Dr Fred Adomako-Boateng has asked the government to establish an Accident and Emergency Centre along the Kintampo-Tamale highway to cater for accident victims.

According to the health director, the absence of such a facility on the highway has contributed to the high number of deaths from road crashes in the area.

“The most critical moment for an accident patient is the holding time, that is where the patient needs to be stabilised before being referred to a specialised facility for treatment” he stated while  attributing the high number of accident deaths to the lack of capacity of hospitals in the area to attend to high accident cases at any time.

Dr. Adomako-Boateng was speaking at the annual performance review of the health directorate at Kintampo on the theme: “Building structures for quality essential service delivery, preparedness and response for emerging and re-emerging diseases, the role of the community and strategic partnership”.

The Techiman-Kintampo-Tamale highway has been recording high numbers of accident cases annually. Last month, 23 persons died on the spot while 24 others were injured in an accident involving a Yendi-Kumasi bound grand bird bus and an articulated truck on the Kintampo-Tamale highway.

DISEASES

Dr. Adomako-Boateng said malaria, diarrhoea and respiratory tract infections are the leading causes of death of patients in the region and called for adequate steps to minimise the trend.

The Bono East Regional minister, Mr. Kwasi Adu Gyan, said the region is building structures for quality essential services.

He said the coordinating council is distributing newly recruited health professionals to the districts and communities to work with development partners to build the capacity of the district and regional rapid response teams.

“This is to enhance emergency preparedness plans and response to public health emergencies”, he said and added that “the Regional Coordinating Council is planning to site a teaching hospital in the region to provide tertiary level care as part of its strategic plan for the region..

“We have identified some development partners who have conducted extensive stakeholder consultation with major key players in the region, “he said and assured that the Regional Coordinator Council will continue to lobby for resources for all sectors including health.

The Bono East Regional Coordinating Council has meanwhile inaugurated a new medical stores meant to serve the region at Kintampo.

A wide range of high-quality medical supplies and equipment that would be used to treat various diseases and conditions and also serve as a vital distribution center for all the hospitals, polyclinics, health centres and CHPS Compounds in the region would be housed in the facility.

According to the Bono East Regional minister, Mr Kwasi Adu Gyan, the opening of the medical stores at Kintampo is part of the government’s strategy to enable citizens access adequate, quality medical supplies and equipment.

Mr. Adu Gyan said that the provision of comprehensive and integrated healthcare services to people is one of the core duties of any government.

According to the regional minister, the government is committed to ensuring that this is attained through a wide range of initiatives, including the opening of the regional medical stores.

The minister said the availability of medical supplies and equipment, health facilities in the region will help provide effective treatments to a larger number of people, regardless of their economic circumstances.

He asked district health directorates and the various hospitals in the region to patronize the services of the new regional medical store to make it one of the best if not the best performing regional medical store in the country.

Dan Botwe lauds Common Fund Administrator for supporting sensitive projects

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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some government officials standing in front of the new edifice

Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Daniel Botwe has praised the Administrator of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF), Mrs. Irene Addo Lartey, for her special interest and effort in seeing to the completion of an office block for the Local Government Service.

Provision of the edifice, he said, is in line with Government’s agenda to deepen decentralisation in response to Article 20 of the Constitution. The Service, he said, is being equipped with the necessary facilities to enable it accomplish its obligations.

These remarks were contained in a solidarity message delivered on behalf of the Minister at the commissioning of the new office block for the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service (OHLGS) on Wednesday 5th April, 2023.

Dan Botwe disclosed that since the establishment of the Local Government Service, one of its major challenges has been inadequate office accommodation.

The Management and staff of the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service, he said, have had to operate from limited office accommodation over the years.

He said “It, therefore, comes as a relief to commission this ultramodern office facility, which is a result of the collaboration of the Ministry, the Office of the District Assembly Common Fund and the Office of the Head of the Local Government Service.”

“I commend the Administrator, Mrs Irene Addo Lartey, for her special interest and effort in seeing to the completion of this edifice.”

He urged the Head of Service, his Management and staff to put to good use the support government has provided by constructing the Office Block.

He assured provision of the office accommodation should enable the Head of Service to deploy the appropriate human resource to perform to its maximum capacity.

He also urged staff of the Service to utilize the facility proficiently and to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.

He expressed hope the Office Block will position the OHLGS to collaborate effectively with the Ministry to drive the decentralisation Agenda.

In his welcome address, Head of the LGS, Ing. Dr. Nana Ato Arthur disclosed that one of the challenges the Service has had to deal with for the past years was limited space for staff to engage in their official business.

He said a cursory walk through some of the offices of the OHLGS showed a picture of overcrowding and congestion, which had adverse effect on the productivity of staff and did not also auger well for an institution that had the mandate of administrative decentralization in the country.

According to him, although the need for additional office space was long overdue, the completion of the block brings a great relief to him as Head and the OHLGS as a whole.

“This new office block is a five-storey building with features that have been designed to include interactive spaces for the comfort of staff and visitors alike.”

“And it will surprise you to know that with the hardwork of the Contractor, this project was completed within 20 months at a cost of GH¢30 million,” he disclosed.

Dr. Ato Arthur thanked government, the Minister, the DACF Administrator, the Contractor, the Consultant and all who worked tirelessly towards successful execution of the project.

Kano Assembly passes State Emirates Bill 2019

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admin
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Kano House of Assembly

The Kano State Emirate Council Amendment Law 2019 has been passed into law by the State House of Assembly during its plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Rt Hon Engineer Hamisu Ibrahim Chidari, on Tuesday.

The bill was passed into Law after it underwent a series of deliberations in the Committee of the whole House.

Similarly, in today’s session, the House received a letter from the Executive Governor seeking the screening and confirmation of the appointment of Barrister Mahmoud Balarabe as the substantive Chairman of the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission. The House committed the letter to the House Standing Committee on Anti-Corruption for further Legislative action.

Similarly, the House also received a letter from the Executive Governor on a draft bill for the establishment of a Rural Access Road Agency, and the letter was committed to the House for further action. The governor also sent another letter on Kano State Anthem developed by the Kano State Government and Bayero University for consideration and enactment into Law as well as that of draft sectoral and systematic land titling and registration bill 2022 (1443 A.H.) for deliberations and passage into Law by the House.

The House was also in receipt of a letter seeking confirmation for the approval of Balarabe Hassan Karaye as full-time commissioner in the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission and that of Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency Amendment number two bill of 2922 (1444 A.H.)

The letters were committed to the relevant committees for further legislative actions.

The House adjourned sitting to tomorrow, Wednesday, in a motion moved by the Majority Leader and member representing Warawa Constituency, Hon. Labaran Abdul Madari, and was seconded by Hon. Sale Ahmed Marke, Member representing Dawakin Tofa Constituency.

Credit: dailypost.ng

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