Fish vs. Oil: Officials Respond to Fishermen

Fish vs. Oil: Officials Respond to Fishermen  Press on the Link Above to Read

Signs point to Ghana’s ministries of environment and tourism. Image by Christiane Badgley. Ghana, 2011.

The fishermen I’ve met around Sekondi-Takoradi are angry about oil, blaming the development of Ghana’s Jubilee Field for decreased catch levels.

They acknowledge that overfishing has hurt fish stocks in recent years, but insist that the no-fishing zone around the offshore rig and increased shipping traffic have had a harmful impact on their catch.

READ HERE

 

Ghana Oil Industry Yet to Create Jobs

Ghanaians assumed new employment opportunities would arise after oil was discovered off shore several years ago, but thousands are still waiting for jobs to materialize.

A local company recently held a graduation ceremony for 913 people trained in welding, pipe-fitting, electrical work and specialized construction. The graduates were participants in a new program intended to create a qualified labor pool for Ghana’s new oil industry. But officials say only 1,000 jobs will be created by 2020 and some of those jobs may not be given to Ghanaians.

The Ghana Oil and Gas Service Providers Association estimates that the development of a robust downstream sector can create up to 100,000 jobs. But this won’t happen without aggressive policy and action from the government.

by: Christiane Badgely

Another Whale Washed Ashore at Nkontompo – Western Region

Breaking News :
Another #whale washed Ashore this time it landed at the shore of Nkontompo in the #Sekondi #Takoradi metropolis in the Western Region Tuesday night (3/09/2013).

This has become very rampant  and it is soo devastating to learn that this could  be the fourth whale or more washed ashore at different locations along the coasts of our  region alone in the past four days.
On Monday 2/09/2013 the same endangered sea mammal of different size was washed ashore at Asanta in the Ellembele district of the same region.
It has come to us as a shock of the total disregard of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on their failure to perform their duty as required of them by the state.
We have noted that oil companies did not perform any fisheries impact assessment before exploration and drilling started as the law required despite the numerous calls by other NGO`s including the Fisheries Commission.

The EPA had the mandatory responsibility to compel all of the oil companies working in the deep seas of the Western Region to conduct Fisheries Impact Assessment in order to protect the country’s marine resources, but they failed blatantly to do their mandatory job.

We believe that the increased and frequent number of dead whales and other marine life washed ashore are all due to Oil exploratory and Drilling activities within the deep seas of the region. The Jubilee Oil field is located 60km offshore in the Atlantic Ocean between the Deep water Tano and West Cape Three Points blocks (Axim) in the Western Region.
Today our hard working fishermen are forced to sit idle at home unemployed due to these same activities of the oil companies.
since the start of oil exploration at the Jubilee Oilfields, supply vessels traffic had increased on the high seas which had resulted in some vessels destroying the nets of fishermen and even capsizing fishing boats without paying any compensation to them. Today livelihoods of our fishermen has been hit hard since a radius of 500-kilometres had been earmarked as out-of-bounds for fishing, depriving them of their movements on the high seas for their livelihoods.

With these and other numerous challenges and the negative effects of oil exploration and drilling on our fishing communities and our environment in general in this country it is more than enough and it has become a must for authorities and the state to pay attention in order to avoid further problems that awaits us.
We appeal to government to wake up and come to the aid of the good people of the region.

#mdnuhu
Nzema Youth Association

15 dead whales washed ashore in the Western Region alone.

Fifteen dead whales have been washed ashore between 2008 and 2013 in the Western Region since drilling of crude oil started in 2010, Emmanuel Ohene Marfo, a deputy Western Regional Fisheries Officer of the Fisheries Commission, said .

According to him, dead whales being washed ashore was becoming rampant and called for proactive measures to check it.

He said a dead baby whale was found along the beach of Asemnda in the Ellembelle District last week and another one was washed ashore on September 2 at Essiama, both in the same district.

Mr. Marfo said most of the whales and marine life that were discovered dead were found close to the oil rigs which gives credence to the suspicion that oil drilling could be a possible cause of death of the mammals.

He said the oil companies did not perform any fisheries impact assessment before drilling started as the law required and criticized the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to perform their duty.

Mr. Marfo mentioned some possible causes of death of marine life in the area as colliding with vessels, excessive noise in the sea, parasite infestation and normal death.

He appealed to EPA to live up to its responsibility by compelling the oil companies to conduct the fisheries impact assessment in order to protect the country’s marine resources.

Kwadwo Kyei Yamaoh, Programmes Officer of the Friends of the Nation, a non-governmental organization based in Takoradi, said the frequent death of whales and other marine resources required scientific research to ascertain the cause.

He said such endangered species needed protection from the state and appealed to the government to take stringent measures to protect them.

Some inhabitants in the Region expressed worry over the trend and appealed to all the stakeholders in the fisheries sector to dialogue in order to find a lasting solution to the problem.

myjoyonline.com

Sing peace, act peace after the SC final Verdict

Ghana: A Country Redeemed after a Peaceful Election, let us dignify that after the Supreme Court adjudication.

Preach Peace Act peace. Indeed peace is priceless.

To a large extent, the prevailing peace in Ghana is a result of the disciplinary nature of Ghanaians as well as the many reforms that the country has undertaken to create a peaceful environment through the use of organized religious bodies, social institutions like youth associations, sports clubs etc as well as a credible institutions like the Peace Council. Ghanaians also trust the reformed judiciary, which has demonstrated its professionalism, independence, and capacity to adjudicate on complex matters, including this controversial presidential election. One major lesson for the international community is that peace is more likely to be durable when it’s the people of Ghana and their own institutions that are left to handle their problems.

The electoral process, its challenge at the highest court of the motherland (The Supreme Court) and the peaceful environment Ghanaians have created during such an intense political tension  shows that indeed we are people most outstanding in dignity and the little advice to ourselves now must be that we all hold on tight to peace and wait patiently for the adjudication from the Supreme Court on this election petition which we all have waited in patience during the trial period.

Such patience in peace is worth it a million times, it has become a testament to the progress Ghana has made in strengthening its democratic institutions, and the desire of the Ghanaian people to allow justice to prevail and to move the country forward.

Nzema Youth Association is also echoing what has already been preached that , whatever the outcome of the supreme court verdict, everybody should accept it in peace. Think Ghana first before any of all the political parties.

We appeal to the youth of our motherland Nzema and Ghana as a whole to close embrace peace at all times and kick against any attempt by “selfish” politicians who are ready to misuse the youthful exuberance to cause mayhem in any locality after the Supreme Court verdict.

We remind ourselves that political disorder in neighbouring Cote d’ Ivoire, Egypt and Libya should serve as bitter lessons to us to preserve Ghana’s trade mark as a peaceful Nation, this is worth it.
We are of high certainty that this final verdict will yield fruitful results for our welfare as a nation.
Preach Preach, act peace.

Nuhu Mohammed
Nzema Youth Association
Public Relations Officer.

I screen!!! I screen!!! I scream!! Okyeame Kwame on Hepatitis B

Posted by Okyeame Kwame

This is Hepatitis, Know it!, Confront it!!
Four years ago, I went in for a hepatitis B test. It was expensive; it was GHc40. I gaped, I wondered; how will the ordinary Ghanaian afford? How will he/she even know that he must fear this stealthy killer with rarely any symptoms at all?

I organized two doctors; Dr. Kwame Boadu and Dr. Osei Appiah to conduct free screening for people who may not be able to afford and also sensitize the public about it. At the time, WHO had given the prevalence rate to be 12%. I researched about it, and I was alarmed. We engaged the media so that the sensitization will get a wider coverage- especially the social media in order to reach the youth.

Ei! By the way, hepatitis B is caused by the Hepatitis B virus which causes inflammation of the liver which can eventually cause death http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatitis_B. It is basically transmitted through body fluids, but the main mode of transmission is through sex.

Coming back to the screening, so far, we have screened 5,000 people since 2009. When we started screening in 2009, as per WHO statistics, the prevalence rate was 12%; but after 4 years of screening, according to our data, the prevalence rate is 15% and counting.

I know that I am not the only person passionate about the screening, There are other bodies involved; both private and government – putting in efforts to see hepatitis B driven away.
My worry is, after all this effort from all involved, the disease is still potent, and the prevalent rate has not come down. I ponder over these questions:

• Are we not doing enough?
• Are we using the right communication tools?
• Are people still just having unprotected sex indiscriminately?
• Are people simply not ready to change their lifestyles?

One thing comes to mind; I have realized over the years that screening without vaccination takes all the people we screened, who are negative, back into the high risk zone. I have failed at a few challenges in life, but hepatitis B will certainly not be in the list. I WILL FACE IT, CONFRONT IT AND DEFEAT IT!!

From next year, though expensive and administratively complex, I believe that if we; the government, and all of us involved in the sensitization process add the vaccination to it, we will arrest the epidemic.

Thank you MTN Ghana Foundation, MDS Lancet Laboratories, GhanaWeb, Japan Motors, Vita Milk, DDP and all my media partners. One Mic Entertainment is truly grateful to you for supporting this save-a-life-campaign.

IT WILL SURELY BE OK!!!!

courtesy:
okyeamekwame / ghanaweb

World Humanitarian Aid

What do you think the world needs more of? World Humanitarian Aid

This year’s World Humanitarian Day campaign, launching officially on Monday, asks you: “In one word, what do you think the world needs more of?”

To get started, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recorded a video explaining his word: “Teamwork.” http://ow.ly/nR1rD

More info here: http://www.worldhumanitarianday.org/

Nationwide Immunization against polio kicks-off

Nationwide Immunization against polio kicks-off

This year’s national immunization exercise has started with about 5.8 million children from zero to five years expected to be immunized against the deadly polio disease.

About 45,000 volunteers have been trained for deployment in every part of the county to undertake the three-day national vaccination exercise for a successful vaccination, aimed at maintaining Ghana’s status as polio –free country.

Mr. Dauda Sepah Shaibu a Senior Community Health Assistance at the ALHAJI NUHU MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE CENTRE (Kamgbunli in the Ellembele District), in an interview said the programme has successfully began and all trained professionals have been dispatched to the various villages and towns in the district towards the vaccinations.

He urged parents to co-operate with all volunteers in order to ensure that all eligible children were vaccinated against polio.  He advised parents that Polio is  one of the six childhood killer diseases that affects the nervous system and causes permanent paralysis and as such should not be entertained in any way and that the only way to get rid of this killer disease was through early vaccination which is being offered free by the government of Ghana.

He also detailed that every child who receives the vaccine has the little finger of their right hand marked with black indelible ink to prevent double vaccination.

MR. Shaibu Sepah added that everyone must take it upon him/herself to ensure that the news of the vaccination in progress is spread to all households to ensure that no child is left out. The vaccination is said to last for three days continuous.

Nkroful home of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah under most serious threat of complete extermination through mining

Photo source: peacefmonline

Nkroful village under most serious threat of complete extermination through mining.

From critical observation dear people, it`s just a matter of say about five years to come and the historical birthplace of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah the first President and the first Prime Minister of Ghana will be completely exterminated from the Ghanaian map due to ongoing mining activities in this most important heritage town. Foremost proponent of Pan-Africanism, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was a progressive influential leader in the latter half of the 20th century. He was a founding member of the Organization of African Unity and the winner of the Lenin Peace Prize in 1963.

Nkroful Village

Nkroful village, the birthplace of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is located near Axim in the Western Region. It stands inland 5 km from the coastal highway, from the Essiama town junction turnoff.

This is a very indigenous village and very famous as the birthplace of Kwame Nkrumah, the founder and first president of independent Ghana.

Dr. Nkrumah was born in Nkroful on September 21, 1909, was raised there, and on July 9, 1972 was also buried there after his death. It is also home to the mystical River Subre, and it is close to three forest reserves, Draw River Forest Reserve, Ndumfri Forest Reserve, and Shelter Forest Reserve.

The very sad and most unfortunate news from Nkroful today is, this historical and most important and well recognized village from all indications is about to be completely wiped out from existence. Under this circumstance it is only the government of Ghana and his caring citizens as well as the Nzema Traditional council who can wake up to the defense of Nkroful.

Infact if there is no quick intervention from today then we are afraid the unthinkable will happen. The government must not sit idle and allow the Adamus Resources Limited, other Small Scale compounded by operations of illegal Miners (Galamsey operation) who have infamously sought to take over this heritage site as their mining grounds for the extraction of Gold, careless of all the consequences on the people and this historic village. This has been most unfortunate and undoubtedly already, many questions and pointing fingers is directed to our Gov`t as to why they sit idle for such a heritage site to be condemned to mining for no reason whatsoever.

Series of agitations and strong appeals by the Custodians of the land, the entire citizenry as well as members and executives of the Nzema Youth Association for government to intervene seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

These threatening activities of mining in this historic village lead by the Adamus Resources Limited which is holding almost all of the mining concessions in Nkroful, the involvement and position of both the Western Regional Coordinating Council and the National Security to deprive the community of its natural rights, through all the means to relocate the community and subject this historical town into mining is highly surprising to all discerning Ghanaians and the world over considering the high importance of this town.

This unfair exercise of “power” on the peace loving people of Nkroful is most disheartening and if necessary steps are not taken as a matter of urgency this could lead to a re-occur of brutal clashes between the good people of Nkroful and the Western Regional Security personnel who unfortunately only seeks to sideline with the occupies of their lands accusations which has been proven by the chiefs and people of the land.

The Custodians of the town through numerous efforts to stop these threatening mining activities had proved futile, adding that since the operators are fully guided by the Western regional security forces  and are well armed it has been very difficult to get rid of such threatening activities rendering them to live in fear and pain.

 

In our view it’s most shocking to think why Ghanaian leaders are staying mute on this issue, after all Nkroful has become a very important and major historical tourist attraction site. Through this medium we call on the Ministry of Tourism and Ghanaians in general not to refuse to recognize the importance of the cultural and historical heritage of Nkroful and the people of Nzema. All the needed support and helping hand should be stretched to the chiefs and people of Nkroful to help save this heritage village from being wiped out of the Ghanaian map.

At this juncture we wish to draw the attention of our President His Excellency John Dramani Mahama that the Great constitution of our Great Republic has vested him the powers needed to take control of this situation, this is a very important town in the history of Ghana and with all urgency help save Nkroful from total destruction by Adamus Resources and other miners on the ground.

We appeal and we reemphasize to H.E President John Mahama to immediately and compulsorily acquire all of Nkroful Land as a first step towards designating Nkroful as a national heritage site. By this medium we are assured of the timely intervention by all discerning Ghanaians to save Nkroful Now or Never.

by: Sultan Nuhu

 

World No Tobacco Day

World No Tobacco Day
31 May 2013

Every year, on 31 May, WHO and partners everywhere mark World No Tobacco Day, highlighting the health risks associated with tobacco use and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death globally and is currently responsible for killing one in 10 adults worldwide.

The global tobacco epidemic kills nearly 6 million people each year, of which more than 600 000 are non-smokers dying from breathing second-hand smoke. Unless we act, the epidemic will kill more than 8 million people every year by 2030. More than 80% of these preventable deaths will be among people living in low- and middle-income countries.

The ultimate goal of World No Tobacco Day is to contribute to protect present and future generations not only from these devastating health consequences, but also against the social, environmental and economic scourges of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke.

The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2013 is: ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
In Ghana;

The Ghana Health Service is advocating a ban on the use of cigarettes in Ghanaian movies as a way of controlling the use of tobacco in the country. The call comes as countries across the world mark No Tobacco Day Friday May 31.

Deputy Director and Head of Disease Control Department at the Service, Dr. Kyei Faried, told Joy News, although there have been some progress made in fighting tobacco use in Ghana, stopping smoking in movies will go a long way to bring success to the fight.

Dr Faried believes GHS has already made positive progress on some fronts in the fight against tobacco smoking. “For instance in Ghana you cannot [find] tobacco advertised openly”, he stated.

According to him, to facilitate the success of the fight against smoking, every agency must take up a responsibility towards the fight.

He said the Ghana Health Service’s plan for the year is to meet the leadership of the movie industry in the country to see they can prevent actors from “sticking a cigarette into their lips”.

Dr Faried also wants movie makers to start including to their scripts statements that will discourage smoking.

He believes this approach would be successful because the law prohibits “any act that will negatively influence somebody on the use of tobacco”.

sources:
who.int
myjoyonline.com

Happy African Union Day

Forward Into a United Africa Now

Happy African Union Day to all Africans on the continent and beyond who share the idea of a Free & Independent United Africa. We use this opportunity to strongly appeal to our leaders to as a matter of seriousness hold in high esteem the mantle handed down to us the new generation from the freedom fighters such as Dr. kwame Nkrumah, Marcus Garvey, King Haile Selassie, Sékou Touré, Sarwat Pasha, Léopold Senghor, Robert Mugabe, Patrice Lumumba, Philibert Tsiranana, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, David Dacko, Jomo Kenyatta, Hastings Kamuzu Banda, Francisco Macías Nguema, and the many more great liberators of the African continent. AU was established to unite Africans and bring economic growth to the continent.

Leaders you have the power to move the continent forward into Unity. we are ever ready to support A UNITED AFRICA ! HAPPY AFRICA LIBERATION DAY !

Sir Appiatus cautions Senior High School Graduates

Mr. Emmanuel Kwame Appiah
Senior Teacher At Nsein Methodist School.

A Senior Teacher at the Nsein Methodist School and a member of the Nzema Youth Association Mr. Emmanuel Kwame Appiah, has in a brief and short message via the Nzema Youth Association page cautioned all students who have graduated from Senior High School  this year to be cautions and abstain from any form of excessive entertainment detrimental to their future.

He emphasized that these graduates forms the very future of a new Ghana and therefore needed direction from both parents and society as a whole. It is therefore imperative on all of us as good citizens to do our best in protecting our future leaders he further added to his call.

Below is the full transcript.

I am using this medium to ask our younger SHS LEAVERS to let go off those numerous beach jams and other activities which could be fatal to their lives. For such activities perished others sadly before their certificates and result slips arrived.

As we have witnessed from past events, most often such events (massive beach jams and partying) leads to alcohol intakes and intoxication which could easily influence one into immoral acts. some of these immoral practices have lead many into contracting serious Sexually Transmitted Diseases & Infections and HIV/AIDS, and the rest suffered unwanted pregnancies at their teens among other social vices thereby shattering their ambitions of furthering their education.

I therefore plead with our fellow brothers and sisters to advise and counsel our siblings before the mishaps stem from the beach jams and other massive over partying.
Thank you
Appiatus Gentle

Ghana`s Way Out of Poverty

Ghana’s prosperity must be powered by knowledge, skills and innovation. This vision is realised where workers and industry are committed to lifelong learning; businesses are characterised by their ability to innovate, prosper and compete; communities cooperate to improve their regions; young people make sound career decisions based on relevant and current information and continue their careers in Ghana; and public policy, including funded programmes, is strategically aligned and responsive to resolving workforce, education and economic issues.

For Ghana to compete and prosper in the 21st century, economic success is dependent upon the creation and sustainability of a knowledgeable and skilled workforce that will support not only the growth of existing businesses, but the addition of new, high wage industries. The systems that create the policies and implement the strategies that connect workers and the workplace must be both agile and innovative in their responsiveness to market driven demands and shifts in the country’s economy and demographics.

Ghana will be prosperous in the 21st century because our people and firms will have a competitive level of education and training, accessed through a delivery system that aligns all resources, public and private, to provide the right skills and technology, at the right time.

 There are five key factors in the success equation. First and foremost is the enabling system that creates the environment and provides the resources, support and services that facilitate success for employers, adults and youth. The second factor is the employers who create jobs; invest their own resources in facilities, technology and training; and who drive the skills of the workforce through high expectations and financial rewards for meeting those expectations. The third factor is the competent adult workforce. Presently and for the next few decades, the workforce is and will comprise primarily of individuals who have not been engaged in education or training since leaving school or college. Their willingness and ability to participate in lifelong learning and skill acquisition will largely drive the ability of employers to innovate and compete. Another factor in the equation is the emerging workforce (youth. Additionally, it is recognised that access to technology and/or innovation increases a firm’s competitiveness or capacity to hire additional skilled labour.

The Skills Development Fund (SDF) is an important tool in this context. It is a challenge fund providing a demand driven response to three critical challenges encountered by the productive sectors of Ghana: an adequately qualified labour force; the urgency of training institutions providing up-to-date skills training; and access to state-of-the-art technology. The SDF caters to the skills needs of the formal and informal sectors of the economy; it will be available for pre-employment initiatives and address the needs of continuous skills upgrading. The Fund will also support partnerships between science and technology providers and industry targeting productivity improvements, product diversification, and growth through technology development or organisational innovations.

Charles Cofie

SDF Committee Chairman            

How to lodge complaints against your MP

How to lodge complaints against your MP

There is no formal procedure for complaining if you are unsatisfied with the service you have received from your Member of Parliament. If you are not satisfied with the treatment you have received you have three courses of action available to you.

First you can take your complaint to the local party association. Although there may be no immediate sanction they can take, the choice of who is selected to represent the constituency in future elections rests with them. There should be a contact number and address in your local telephone directory. Alternatively, you can write to the party’s headquarters.

The other option is to write to the Chief Whip of the party to which your MP belongs. The address is:
[Name of Party]
Chief Whip’s Office
Parliament House
Accra

That office will deal with the complaint from there.
The Parliamentary Select Committee does not deal with a Member of Parliament’s decision on how to handle a constituent’s case or a Member’s views or opinions. The remit of the Commissioner is mainly concerned with breaches of the Code of Conduct and the registration and declaration of financial interests and benefits.

credit:
ghanamps.gov.gh