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FDA arrests herbalist for selling unregistered products

By
ERNEST BEST ANANE
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John Laryea Odai-Tettey, Ashanti Regional Director of FDA
Samples of the unregistered products

The Ashanti Regional Directorate of the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) has arrested a herbalist operating without a certified license. The suspect is producing products like Kooko Boga and Power Planet at Susuanso, near the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Kumasi.

Briefing the media, Mr. John Laryea Odai-Tettey, the Ashanti Regional Director of the FDA explained that, the arrest was made during one of the authority’s routine checks with the police to flush out some miscreants out of trade.

According to him, the arrest was through the usual surveillance of the residents who tipped off the authority and the police. He stated that his outfit is on the grounds to ensure the right medicine are displayed because products that are not registered with the authority and without market authorisation are not supposed to be on the market.

He stressed that, medicinal products can be dangerous if they are not approved through certification and could be contaminated and thus, endanger the health of the consumer, hence the need to do what is right and appropriate when one wants to enter into the business. He explained that, the move by the FDA is to ensure the safety and healthcare of the consumer.

Mr. Odai-Tettey assured that the FDA are ready to assist anyone who is ready and willing to be in proper business with registration and certification to enable them to openly display their products.

IMF negotiation: Gov’t won’t compromise on Ghana’s interest

By
admin
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Speakers at the Colloquium
Kojo Oppong Nkrumah speaking at the forum

Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has given the assurance that government will safeguard the country’s interest in its negotiation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

According to him, the current administration has a proven track record of putting Ghana first and as such, will do its best to negotiate a better deal with the Fund.

“What we can do is to look at the last two times we negotiated with the fund. Somewhere in 2018, when we negotiated an extension of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF), at that time we had rolled out a number of social protection programmes and there was that debate of, are we going to lose that programme in lieu of that one year extension.

“But we succeeded in showcasing the kind of growth happening in the economy for which reason we should be allowed to keep these programmes. Then just last year, when we went for a 1 billion facility, So if you look to the evidence of the last two, I think we can be optimistic that we will do our best to get the best deal for Ghana,” the Minister said.

He was speaking at the 3 Business Colloquium on Ghana’s Road to the IMF on Wednesday, July 6, 2022.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Friday authorised Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, to commence formal engagements with the IMF, inviting the Fund to support an economic program put together by the government of Ghana.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Information said this follows a telephone conversation between the President and the IMF Managing Director, Miss Kristalina Georgieva, conveying Ghana’s decision to engage with the Fund.

On the back of this, a high-level delegation from the IMF arrived in the country yesterday to start discussions with the government on how to support the country out of its current economic challenges. The delegation will commence in-person meetings with the government today in connection with the country’s request for an IMF-backed programme.

Watchman allegedly supervised stealing at Aza Paint

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Court

About US$15,372.6 worth of Hydro Colouring chemicals has allegedly been stolen from the warehouse of Aza Chemical Industries Limited by an employee, Felix Nortey, 28, under the watchful eyes of Bakumben Kwasi Benjamin, 27 and private security officer, who was at post.

Felix, Benjamin and two others – Fuseini Isahaka and Joseph Laryea – who are at large were allegedly responsible for the disappearance of about 89 mini drums of Hydro Colouring chemicals, which Aza Industries uses in the manufacture of paint, from its warehouse at the South Industrial Area in Accra.

Felix Nortey and the private security officer have been slapped with conspiracy to commit crime and stealing, but both have pleaded not guilty to the offence, and have been granted bail to the tune of GH¢60,000 with two sureties each.

The facts of the case as presented by the prosecuting officer, Chief Inspector Samuel Ahinbor, before the court, presided over by Afia Owusua Appiah, yesterday, was that the Director of Public Affairs Aza Chemical Industries Limited, Simon Sackitey, is the complainant in the case.

He said the company had since June 2021 been experiencing the theft of Hydro Colouring chemicals, but it was not until January, 2022 that its management caught the supposed thieves on camera and caused their arrest by the police.

Narrating how things unfolded, he said on January 1, 2022, Benjamin was on duty as the night security guard in the Azar Company yard, and at the time Felix, who closed from work at 5.00 pm, came back to meet Benjamin, and together they stole 26 mini drums of Hydro Colouring chemicals, valued at US$5,448.10.

Using the same modus operandi, he said, the accused persons, together with their accomplices, on January 18, 2022, this time around, stole 63 mini drums of Hydro Colouring chemicals, valued at US$9,924.50 from the complainant’s company.

According to him, the accused persons and their accomplices loaded the drums of chemicals into a mini-KIA truck and drove away.

C/Insp Ahinbor stated that on each of the days that the accused persons stole the chemicals, they were captured by the CCTV camera fixed in the warehouse. On January 31, 2022, the complainant watched the CCTV footages and saw the accused persons in the video stealing the chemicals.

He added that Mr. Sackitey reported the matter to the police on February 17, 2022, and the accused persons were arrested for investigation.

The prosecuting officer said the accused persons admitted to the offence in their respective investigation cautioned statements to the police, and mentioned, Fuseini Isahaka and Joseph Laryea as their accomplices.

He added that the accused persons also mentioned one Kwasi Boadu as the one they sold the booty to, but failed to lead the police to arrest him.

The prosecutor said the accused persons were charged with the offence and arraigned after police investigations.

Editorial: We must endeavor to protect our trees

By
THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

Ghana is one of a few countries in the world blessed with so much resources, ranging from water, mineral resources, fertile lands to forests. We can boast about Aburi Garden, Achimota Forest Reserve and Atiwa Rain Forest among others, making us one of the most forested countries, with 35.1% of forest lands as at 2020.

The Chronicle is, however, saddened by the frequent felling of these trees, and the rise of deforestation in the country. Deforestation of Ghana’s primary forests jumped 60 percent between 2017 and 2018 – the biggest jump in any tropical country. Most of this occurred in the country’s protected areas, including its forest reserves.

These illegal activities endangering our forests call for immediate action from the Forestry Commission. However, the Forestry Commission, which was established to see to the sustainable management, development and protection of forest and wildlife resources, has not been up to the task.

The Chronicle is, indeed, appalled by another new trend where trees found in residential areas and located at the frontage of houses are cut down. The Forestry Commission has failed to strictly enforce the law of making those who cut down the trees plant replacement.

These trees benefit us in many ways than we can imagine, and they can cool the city by up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, by providing shade for our homes and releasing water vapour into the air through their leaves.

Trees reduce flooding as well, since raindrops that land on leaves evaporate straight into the air, so less water reaches the ground, preventing soil erosion. This can prevent the frequent flooding that inundates flood-prone areas of Accra, like the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, Dzorwulu, Kaneshie and Odorkor, just to mention a few. If we so happen to have trees at flood-prone areas, these downpours would have been controlled.

The Green Ghana project initiative by the lands ministry is to help mitigate the negative effects of climate change and also restore degraded landscapes across the country. This initiative has resulted in the planting of a lot of trees but we must also make an effort to protect the existing trees.

The Forestry Commission on its part is turning a blind side to the illegal cutting of trees at areas like East Legon, in Accra. The Trees and Timber Act, 19741(1), states: “A person shall not cut or fell a growing tree for export in log form or for conversion in a mill unless that person has first registered a property mark at the office of the Executive Director, Forests Division of the Forestry Commission, endorsed for the locality in which that person proposes to cut or fell.”

With this law in place, we ask for the intervention of the Forestry Commission to control the rate at which our trees are being felled.

Vehicles and motorists that ply our roads emit carbon into the atmosphere so with the help of trees, they can mitigate climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the atmosphere while storing carbon.

Trees as we know produce oxygen which we consume to survive and so we must endeavor to protect them so they are in existence for generations to come. As the saying goes, “If the last tree dies, the last man dies.”

Zambians in Ghana to study how mining sector operates  

By
admin
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The delegation in the meeting with their Ghanaian counterparts
Mr Mireku Duker, Deputy Minister for Lands addressing the delegation

A delegation from Zambia’s ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources, led Paul C. Kabuswe, has visited their Ghanaian counterparts, ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, to familiarise themselves with operations at the Ministry, particularly on issues relating to the mining sector in Ghana.

Mr Paul C. Kabuswe told the deputy minister for Lands and Natural Resources, in charge of mines, George Mireku, who received the delegation on behalf of his minister, John Jinapor, that  the visit to Ghana was to basically study Ghana’s Small Scale Mining Sector, exchange ideas and to learn best practice in the Ghanaian mining space.

He noted that for Africa to prosper, there must be strong and closer collaboration among African countries. “We need to collaborate and share ideas to help harness our resources as Africans and liberate ourselves economically, because we are not yet economically powerful as a continent, and as such I believe it is time we come together and exchange views and not to stay aloof.”

Paul C. Kabuswe briefing the ministry why they are in Ghana

He disclosed that Zambia has recently discovered gold and wants to embark on a very robust minerals explosion to ensure the mineral does not end up in wrong hands, adding that the country is mapping up the entire Zambia to among others help understand the extent of Mineralisation within the country.

He also noted that they have taken the decision to clean up their license system because they believe that “mining starts at licensing stage and if you don’t get it right from the beginning, you miss the point and, therefore, you must get it right from the beginning.”

He said to ensure an all-inclusive system, they have set themselves on a part to reorganise the mining sector of Zambia with a new mining policy framework to ensure this is strongly in place.

According to Kabuswe, his country believes Africa has the human resources to achieve whatever goal she has set for herself.

George Mireku Duker on his part updated the delegation on Ghana’s efforts to improve on the mining sector through its regulatory framework and decentralisation. He said he is happy that Zambia has shown interest in Ghana’s mining sector, disclosing that up to 500 companies have also shown their interest in the exploration of same and also harness opportunities in the country.

On value addition, Mr Duker said the Government, through the ministry, has set up agencies like GISDEC and GIADEC to promote and develop an integrated bauxite, aluminium, Iron and steel industry in Ghana.

He said as part of Ghana’s contribution to the Minamata Convention, government has procured mercury-free mining equipment, which efficiently recovers more Gold for artisanal and small scale miners and also encourage responsible mining in the country.

The delegation also paid a similar visit to the Mining regulator in Ghana, Minerals Commission and Precious Minerals and Marketing Company, which among others promotes the development of precious minerals and jewellery in Ghana.

By Wilhelmina Love Abananave

Distribution of textbooks to public basic schools begins

By
admin
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Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum - Education Minister

The distribution of textbooks and teacher’s guides to public basic schools in the country has commenced. This is in fulfilment of a promise made by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, after his re-election in 2020, to ensure that all Basic schools receive the books before the end of this year.

Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister for Education, who announced this on Wednesday in Accra, said the fulfilment of the promise made by the local Publishers to deliver the goods on the schedule was a piece of welcoming news to the nation.

Speaking to the media at the Appointed Time Printing Press in Accra, the Education Minister commended the Printers for completing the work ahead of schedule and urged them to ensure that it reached the schools early for use. He assured the nation that the government would continue to liaise with all the stakeholders to ensure that the books were delivered to all schools across the country on schedule.

Dr. Adutwum was upbeat that the distribution of the textbooks would go a long way to boost teaching and learning in all schools across the country. He hinted that the supply of books to schools would assist teachers and learners to enhance effective teaching and learning.

The Head of Marketing and Operations for Appointed Time Printing Press, Mr. Charles Adoo, said their completion of the work ahead of schedule was part of their desire to ensure that the books reached its destination on time for use.

He urged all Ghanaians to have faith in local printers and other industries since they can deliver the goods on time with quality assurance.

Background

The Appointed Time Printing Press was chosen to print Science Textbooks and their Teachers Guides for Primary one, two, three and four for the Greater Accra and Volta regions.

A total of about 300,000 textbooks and teacher guides were being supplied by the Appointed Time Press.

Other Publishing firms across the country were also working seriously to ensure that they supplied their versions of the textbooks assigned to them.

As per the contract signed between the Ministry of Education and the Publishers, each publisher is expected to deliver the books to specific schools assigned to them within 120 days (June to September 2022) from the day of signing the contract.

By Felix Baidoo

Telecoms ‘Will Be The Fastest Growing African Business Sector’

By
admin
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Telecoms

 The telecoms sector will be the fastest-growing industry in Africa over the next five years as internet connectivity improves, new research* with business leaders for blockchain-based mobile network operator World Mobile shows.

When asked to pick the three sectors that they believe will see the strongest growth over the next five years, three out of four (75%) senior executives selected telecoms in the study.

It was comfortably ahead of the healthcare sector which emerged as the second choice selected by 61% of survey respondents as one of three industries that will see the strongest growth ahead of tourism at 44%

Senior executives at companies with combined annual revenues of more than $6.75 billion based in

Tanzania, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa were interviewed for the study.

Improvement in internet connectivity was identified as central to growth in the economy and across all sectors. Around two-thirds (66%) say it is important while 20% believe it is very important. The table below shows which sectors senior business executives believe will be the fastest-growing over the next five years.

World Mobile is helping to revolutionise internet connectivity in sub-Saharan Africa and is already working with the government in Zanzibar where it is launching a unique hybrid mobile network delivering connectivity supported by low altitude platform balloons.

Its blockchain-based network vastly reduces capital expenditure and cuts costs compared to traditional telecom operators. World Mobile is in discussions to expand in Tanzania and Kenya, as well as other territories underserviced by traditional mobile operators.

Micky Watkins, CEO of World Mobile said: “The expansion of telecoms across the African continent is central to driving economic growth and senior business executives clearly agree as they rank it well ahead of other major sectors of the economy.”

“To a great extent, growth in telecoms spurs growth in other sectors as societies become more digital and technology focused and that applies very much to financial services, healthcare, retail and education.”

“Not all parts of Africa however have strong internet connectivity and we want to help by providing a service which is affordable and reliable and look forward to working with governments across the continent.”

World Mobile’s balloons will be the first to officially launch in Africa for commercial use, offering a more cost-effective way to provide digital connection to people and is the first step in its mission to help bring nearly four billion people online before 2030 in line with the UN and World Bank’s SDGs.

The World Mobile approach is more sustainable, in environmental, social and governance terms. Environmental impacts are mitigated using solar-powered nodes, second-life batteries, and energy-efficient technology. World Mobile creates a positive societal impact through the application of its circular economy model – a “sharing economy” where locals share in the ownership and rewards of the network

Source: Phil Anderson, Perception A.

phil@perceptiona.com/0044 7767 491 519

Indian medical association honours Dr. Obu

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Prof. Nyarkotey Obu
Prof. Nyarkotey Obu Award

The Junior Doctors’ Network of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has honoured one of Ghana’s authors in Science, Medicine, and Naturopathy, Prof. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu, for his tremendous contributions and promotion of Modern Naturopathic Medicine in Ghana, and Africa as a whole.

The Network conferred Prof. Nyarkotey Obu with the title “Pioneer in Modern Naturopathy,” and the honour was marked with a ceremony held over the weekend at the ICMR-Regional Medical Research Center, Bhubaneswar, India.

The ceremony was in commemoration of Indians’ National Doctors Day celebration, which is observed on July 1 in memory of Dr. Bidhan Roy, the former Chief Minister of Bengal, who was known for his selfless service to humanity.

As a result, the Indian Medical Association celebrates all doctors and healthcare workers who have devoted their lives tirelessly to serving their country and people.

It was in the light of this that the Network acknowledged Prof. Nyarkotey, as a multitalented renowned young scholar, who is known for his frequent scientific articles in national newspapers.

In his acceptance speech, Prof. Nyarkotey noted that medicine was not about competition, but about the wellbeing of patients, hence, there was a need to foster unity in the medical profession.

Prof. Nyarkotey used the opportunity to call on his colleagues in Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practitioners to exhibit a high level of professionalism and credibility, as that was the only avenue for them to be also recognised and accepted by highly recognised medical bodies around the world.

According to Prof. Nyarkotey, doing the right thing takes time, but it paid off in the long run, therefore, the recognition and achievement that he had accomplished would go down in the history lane of Naturopathy.

He used this opportunity to thank the President of India Medical Association, Junior Doctors Network, Odisha, and Dr. Mayukh Pandit, the Dental Surgeon who followed his work and nominated him for such an enviable award. Dr. Mayukh Pandit was also awarded the Most Eminent Researcher in India on the night.

Prof. Nyarkotey calls for collaboration between Natural Medicine Practitioners and the Medical Community in Ghana.  He also called on the Ghanaian government to take a keen interest in Naturopathic medicines and support research to improve the industry as it can generate revenue.

Prof. Nyarkotey is the President of Nyarkotey University College of Holistic Medicine and Technology, who led a team of experts to develop Ghana’s first National Occupational Standards in Naturopathy and Holistic Medicine at the Higher National Diploma(HND) and Bachelors level under the Commission for Technical and Vocational Educational and Training (CTVET). The College is also an educational member of the World Naturopathic Federation(WNF), Canada, and also registered under CTVET.

Kelly taken off suicide watch in prison

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
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R Kelly

Embattled RnB Singer, R. Kelly just won a legal battle to be taken off suicide watch after he filed a lawsuit against the prison.

In newly filed court documents, Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Warden Heriberto H. Tellez who was also named in the suit says he made the decision to remove Kelly from suicide watch following a “clinical assessment.” No further details on the assessment were provided.

Last week, Kelly filed his lawsuit claiming that he was being subjected to “cruel and unusual punishment” which violates his 8th Amendment rights after he was put on suicide watch at Brooklyn’s MDC.

In the suit, Kelly alleged that he wasn’t even thinking of killing himself and told prison officials just that. Kelly also claimed he was placed in these harsh conditions because of his celebrity status.

The feds initially filed a motion opposing the suit, saying they would clinically assess Kelly for the duration of his suicide watch.

Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison last Wednesday following his conviction last year on federal racketeering and sex trafficking charges.

Prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence Kelly to more than 25 years behind bars, while his defense attorneys asked for up to 10 years.

The ‘World’s greatest’ crooner is still facing another federal case out of Illinois, as well as a state trial in Minnesota in connection with child sex related crimes.

Nigerian Actress Tonto Dikeh enters politics

By
NANA KWESI COOMSON
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Tonto Dikeh

Nigerian Actress Tonto Dikeh has in a social media post announced her political ambition.

According to her, she has not actively pursued acting as a career in the past few years nor does she see herself going back to it anytime soon.

In an Instagram live, Tonto Dikeh stated that “before now, I really would not say I did a lot in that scene. It is not something that I’ve been frequent in the past few years so, I know that an artiste will always be an artiste but I just don’t see myself as an actress anymore.”

The Actress was chosen as the running mate to TonteIbraye, the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Rivers State, for the 2023 election.

When the announcement was made in June, Tonto Dikeh wrote “we are looking forward to investing massively in social protection, creating a social value system for young people, increasing women’s inclusion in our governance system, supporting small businesses and strengthening our traditional institutions to be active players in the drive to bring sustainable development to the good people of Rivers State.”

Meanwhile, the Nollywood Actress believes that life is about evolving and at some point people would like different things for themselves.

She added that actively participating in the movie industry would affect her role as a mother to her son.

“You just evolve, you want different things for yourself, just like I did I think two movies in the past year, one last year and one this year. I mean not to say I can’t do things like that but to be active in the industry like I used to is not a possibility. It won’t let me be a mum and I can’t jeopardize and I can’t compromise that for anything in the world” she said.

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