Vodafone Ghana to axe 950 workers
Tension, apprehension and suspicion have hit Vodafone Ghana as 950 workers of the company are due to be laid off in what the company calls a “compulsory redundancy programme”.
The workers are not sure yet who will be affected.
Vodafone Ghana is embarking on this exercise to trim down its work force as a new management policy.
The Chief Manager for Corporate Communications, Mr. Isaac Abraham told the media at a press conference that the decision to trim the workforce was to enable the company deliver better services to its customers.
As part of the redundancy package, Vodafone would give three months notice and an exit strategy that includes, counseling, entrepreneurial training and support to enable the affected workers transition smoothly.
Vodafone Plc acquired 70% of Ghana’s national telecom provider, Ghana Telecom in August last year on a debt-free, cash free basis. Ghana’s Parliament approved the sale despite the opposition’s stance against the transaction. Following the sale, the new government has established a commission to look into the transaction that led to the sale of the national telecom provider.
Vodafone Ghana recently trimmed down the 4,000 workforce of the company when 850 workers gave up their jobs through the voluntary programme. But a good number of the workers who are not prepared for the programme have grown apprehensive, which has led to suspicion and tension.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
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Ghana government to revamp railway sector with $135m – Minister
Mike Hammah - Transport Minister
Mr. Mike Hammah, the Minister of Roads and Transport, has said about $134 million would be required to extend the Eastern, Central and Western railway lines to the Boankra Inland Port for smooth take off of the facility.
The government would take four years to complete the different linkages to the port to serve neighbouring land locked countries to the north of Ghana.
Speaking to newsmen at Boankra after his inspection of the completed office complex of the Shippers’ Council, he said $45 million would be needed to complete the Western line, $55 million for the Eastern line and an additional $34 million on the Central line.
The Minister was in the region to see problems facing the transport sector and to interact with workers of the railways.
Touching on the 1.8 kilometre road linking the inland port with the Accra/Kumasi highway, the minister said efforts were being made to review the contract to ensure value for money.
He said part of a 02-million dollar loan contracted by the government would be used to address problems at Kaasi where any time it rained the place got flooded making it impossible for the trains to operate.
He gave the assurance that the government would do all it could to revamp the railway sector and urged the workers to also play their part well.
Mr. Kofi Opoku-Manu, the Ashanti Regional Minister, said railways play unique role in the socio-economic development of a nation and it is incumbent on all stakeholders to support the government to revamp the sector.
Source: GNA
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Ghana Audit Service to be modernized, made more professional
Mr. Richard Quartey, the acting Auditor General, has appealed to auditors to discharge their mandate with ultimate care and change their attitude to work to change the face of the service.
He said the management of the Audit Service is in the process of instituting changes intended to modernize the Service to make it more capable and professional in fulfilling its watchdog role over public funds and properties to meet international standards.
Mr. Quartey was addressing District, Municipal, Metropolitan and Regional auditors from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions in Tamale on Thursday at a short-term training on the Public Procurement Act (Act 663) of 2003.
He said a new corporate plan document, which charts a path and direction that requires the Audit Service to engage more professional accountants, engineers and architects and other professionals to enhance performance is being drawn.
The workshop is collaboration between the Audit Service and the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) and funded by the German Development Co-operation (GTZ) aimed at training 631 Audit officers in relation to the statutory duties of auditors under the Act.
Mr. Quartey said with the assistance of the European Union, most of the Auditors had already been trained in modern financial audit techniques, IT audit and performance audit.
He said since procurement required major commitments and expenditure of funds, inefficiencies or uneconomical practices within the procurement function could have detrimental effect on the finances of an organization.
He called on other organizations including the Serious Fraud Office, the media and the police to play their respective roles in safeguarding public funds.
Source: GNA
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Ghana to get University of Energy
Mr. Kofi Opoku Manu, Ashanti Regional Minister, on Wednesday said government has planned to establish a School of Allied Science and a University of Energy, to help improve the manpower needs of the country.
He said it was the wish of government to absorb greater percentage of the funding tertiary education to enable more students to pursue higher courses at that level.
Mr. Manu said these in a speech read on his behalf at the opening of the Seventh Annual Congress of the University Student’s Association (USAG), at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Kumasi.
The three-day event is on the theme: “Funding University Education in Ghana–Obligation of State, Corporate Institutions and Students.”
Mr. Manu said government has intended to review the Social Security and National Insurance (SSNIT), students’ loan scheme to meet the needs of beneficiaries.
He said the GETfund would be used to expand and improve infrastructure in educational institutions.
Mr. Manu said the government would involve students and other stakeholders in the formulation of education policies to solve problems facing universities in the country.
He advised students to avoid strikes and demonstrations, which could affect their academic calendar, and adopt consultation and diplomacy in settling disputes.
Dr. Joesph Samuel Annan, Deputy Minister of Education, said that government has allocated 35 per cent of the national budget for education, which according to him was the highest in Sub-Sahara Africa.
He urged individuals, Churches, organizations and parents to support tertiary education since government alone could not shoulder the huge funding of the sector.
Mr. Maxwell Ofosu Boakye, President of USAG, said the association played vital role in resolving conflicts at the University of Development Studies (UDS), the Islamic University and the Katanga Hall of KNUST last year.
Mrs. Vesta Adu Gyanfi, Vice Dean of Students Affairs of KNUST, urged beneficiaries of the SSNIT loan scheme to repay the package to enable others to benefit from the scheme.
Source: GNA
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AngloGold Ashanti makes record second quarter earnings from Ghana, Tanzania
AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., reports an 11% second quarter earnings from its mines in Ghana and Tanzania.
AngloGold Ashanti, Africa’s largest gold producer and the third largest gold producer in the world reported in a press release issued on Friday July 31, 2009 and copied to ghanabusinessnews.com that its adjusted headline earnings increased to $167m, or US47 cents a share in the three months to 30 June, compared with $150m, or US42 cents, in the previous quarter.
This record earnings, the company said was achieved after improved performances from its Tanzanian and Ghanaian regions helped boost production.
“We saw a strong operating performance across most of the operations and a nice sweetener from our received gold price,” Chief Executive Officer Mark Cutifani said.
“We’re seeing the results of our interventions in the continued improvements at Obuasi and the early signs of a recovery at Geita are also very encouraging for us.”
AngloGold Ashanti’s production during the period rose to 1.127Moz at a total cash cost of $472/oz, from 1.103Moz at $445/oz in the prior quarter. Higher production and lower costs were realised in South America and in Africa, outside of South Africa, it added.
According to the press release, the company has appointed new management this year to oversee its operations in Ghana and Tanzania, part of its strategy to ensure appropriate skills at each level in the organization.
The release said, Obuasi in Ghana reported a 10% rise in production to 101,000 ounces and a 16% drop in cash costs to $589/oz, while Geita in Tanzania posted a 43% increase in production to 63,000 ounces and a 14% decline in costs.
The company’s West Wits operations in South Africa raised production by 7%, despite the large number of public holidays around Easter and the general election. The Vaal River operations, however, reported a 15% decline in output and a commensurate increase in costs, largely due to safety-related stoppages.
Eight miners of AngloGold Ashanti tragically lost their lives across the company’s operations during the quarter.
According to the company’s management, this safety performance is a matter for concern and it has intensified efforts to improve overall safety across its operations.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi
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Ghana schools Nigeria on how to keep the lights on
Ghanaian Deputy Minister for Energy, Dr. Kwabena Donkor yesterday said if Nigeria wants to tackle the problem of erratic power supply it must show seriousness by separating electricity from partisan politics and make it a national priority.
Speaking in Lagos at the 5th annual lecture of Aelex law firm, with the theme: ‘How Ghana Kept The Lights On,’ the minister identified effective management of the power system and a strong political will to achieve the overall agenda of government as a major ingredient for improving power generation.
“Let me state that keeping the lights on would require an effective management of the power system and a strong political will to ensure adequate, reliable and cost-effective power supply to achieve the overall developmental agenda of the government.
“It would also require a determination of the body politic, devoid of partisanship, to see electrification as a development imperative and access as an economic right,” he said.
Donkor explained that the major reason why Ghana had been able to keep the lights on was the fact that since 1990, every government in Ghana had been committed to the full implementation of power policy, even the military administration.
Disclosing that Ghana’s current access to electricity is about 65 per cent of the population, Donkor said this makes the country one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa with high rate of accessibility to electricity supply.
The Minister, however, admitted that Ghana had also faced power crisis, in 2006 and 2007, but that immediate measures were taken to mitigate the impact of the crisis on the economy and the people of the country.
He noted that at the inception of his country’s National Electrification Scheme (NES), only 478 communities were connected to the national grid and accessibility was only about 20 per cent. He said well over 4000 towns are connected to the national grid now.
“Supply of adequate, reliable and economically priced power supply is vital for the socio-economic development of every nation. It has been observed that the GDP growth rate of a nation has a direct relationship with the growth in the per capita electricity consumption.
“The development of the various sectors of the economy, such as industry, agriculture, health, education, tourism, etc. depends heavily on reliable, adequate and economically priced power.
“The vision of the energy sector of Ghana is to provide adequate and reliable energy supplies to all sectors of the Ghanaian economy to support socio-economic development, poverty reduction and also for export,” he said.
He advised that rural electrification must be taken seriously, adding that attempts by politicians to extend electricity to the rural areas must not be viewed with political coloration.
He also called for effective revenue generation from electricity and efficient energy conservation programme.
Donkor further revealed that it was important for government to carry out energy efficiency programmes in the energy supply system in order to defer the construction of power plants in the interim and get more mileage out of existing generating assets.
“Even, in the Ministry of Energy, we have had cause to have power outages when our account department is yet to pay for the prepaid meters,” he said.
His words: “As part of the efforts at mitigating the impact of the recent power crisis in Ghana, the Ministry of Energy, in August 2007, launched the National Compact Fluorescent Exchange Programme, which was intended to reduce the national electricity demand by 200-220 MW.
He added that: “A total of about 6 million compact Fluorescent Lights were imported into the country by Government and distributed to government institutions and households free of charge.
Speaking to THISDAY on the reason for the choice of the topic for the lecture, the Managing Partner of the Aelex law firm, Mrs Funke Adekoya (SAN), said, “This year we are talking about power to find out what Ghana did and how they did it and if there is any thing we can learn from them or can we pick anything from them.
“Every year we try to choose a topic that is of interest to the general public and also of interest to the legal profession. Everybody will agree with me that this year, everybody has been talking of the power situation.”
Source: ThisDay
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Gold Fields to hit one million ounces of gold by 2011
Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday commended Gold Fields Ghana for plans to increase its current gold production level from 900 ounces to one million ounces from 2009 to 2011.
He said government was also appreciative about the company’s effort in improving the lives of people in its operational area through the community livelihood programme.
The Vice President gave the commendation when a delegation of the company called on him at the Osu Castle.
He said the venture was in direct response to government’s plan to push the Western Corridor Development agenda, to accelerate the development of the area.
Mr. Mahama urged the company to, however, be responsive to the needs of the people and operate responsibly.
The Leader of the delegation and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Nick Holland said the current conducive economic environment pertaining in the country had encouraged Gold Fields to invest more money into lead gold production.
He assured the government of his company’s commitment to meeting environmental standards, as well as the needs of the people and the country.
Mr. Peter Turner, Managing Director of the company in Ghana, emphasized the respect the corporate entity have for the people of the Western Region, saying Gold Fields would not sideline them in terms of social development.
He said the company invested in agri-business, particularly in the areas of fish and poultry farming, piggery and oil palm plantation to meet some of its social obligation to provide job opportunities for the youth.
Currently, Gold Fields Ghana operates in Tarkwa and Daamaa.
Source: GNA
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Fraud victim insists he paid GH¢18,000 to magistrate
A lecturer based in the US, who was allegedly defrauded by Ms Anna Jane Ghartey, a magistrate of an amount of GH¢18,000.00, to sell a parcel of land to him, said he paid all the money to the accused.
Professor Emmanuel Kwasi Adjaye, told an Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday that he paid all the monies to the accused for which she acknowledged and issued him with receipts.
He also denied claims by the Defence that it was Samuel Aidoo, the second accused who sold the land to the complainant and not Ms Ghartey.
Prof Adjaye was answering questions during cross-examination by Mr Edward Darlington, Counsel for Ms Ghartey at the on-going trial in Accra.
Ms Ghartey a magistrate at a juvenile Court in Accra, is currently on interdiction.
The magistrate together with Samuel Aidoo, a building contractor has been charged for conspiracy.
Ms Ghartey was additionally charged with two counts of defrauding by false pretences and forging of documents.
They have pleaded not guilty to the charges and are on GH¢30,000.00 bail with two sureties to be justified.
Prof Adjaye also denied claims of the defence that he had not tendered the original copies of documents covering the transactions at the High Court, which is handling the civil suit.
Questioned by the defence Counsel whether he knew the one who prepared the documents, Prof Adjaye replied in the negative but insisted that it was Ms Ghartey who gave the papers to him.
He denied assertions by the defence that it was Aidoo who asked one Ashley, a solicitor to prepare the documents covering the lands and not Ms Ghartey as claimed by the complainant.
He was asked by the defence whether he (Prof Adjaye) was aware that his brother Dr Adjaye had previously bought a land from one Rose Agbo and later introduced Aidoo to Ms Ghartey as the agent?
Prof said he was not aware of any transactions between Dr Adjaye and Rose Agbo and that his brother did ask Ms Ghartey to act as his solicitor.
He also maintained that Ms Ghartey was not just an agent of Aidoo as the defence would have the court to believe but sold the lands and collected the monies herself.
The case as presented by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mary Agbozo said the complainant is Professor Joseph Adjaye, who resides in the US.
Some time in December 2006, Anna sold a parcel of land to the complainant for GH¢ 11,000.00.
Anna claimed the land belonged to one Rose Agbo who had instructed her to sell the land on her behalf.
Prosecution said soon after the sale, Anna prepared documents in respect of the land and handed over to the complainant.
In August 2007, Anna sold another land to the complainant for GH¢ 7,000.00 but when the complainant went to develop the land, he was prevented by another developer.
Prosecution said documents prepared on the said plots were later found to be forged.
Anna promised to replace the two parcels of land but she failed.
Prosecution said Anna also failed to refund the complainant’s money.
Source: GNA
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Government will not look on as traders hike prices – Minister warns
Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister, has warned that government would not sit unconcerned for a group of people to create difficult economic situations to discredit it.
He said although the economic crunch had affected everything including the prices of items, government would not allow people to use politics to hike prices as a way of punishing innocent Ghanaians for voting for it.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said this when he visited the Regional office of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) in Koforidua where he was informed that traders had intentionally hiked the prices of food stuffs and building materials in the municipality to discredit the government.
He said the information would be investigated by National Security adding that government’s pledge of creating a better Ghana was on course and any impediment put in its way would not be tolerated.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said politics ended with the elections, and it behooved on all political parties to join hands with the winner to build a viable economy that would benefit all.
Mr Alex Asamoah, New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, who accompanied the minister, corroborated the information and called on all to be vigilant and patriotic.
Nana Owusu Sekyere, former CPP Regional Chairman, appealed to the minister to create a new satellite market to save the people from hardship and protect the image of the government.
He thanked the minister for the political maturity he had exhibited by extending a hand of friendship to the CPP, an opposition party.
He said the regional branch of the CPP in the 2008 run-off supported the NDC and hoped that the government would not let it down.
Source: GNA
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Nigerian pastor declines to swear by Bible
A Nigerian Pastor who appeared before an Accra Circuit Court on Thursday declined to swear by the Bible.
Pastor S. Ovia said he preferred to affirm in open court that he was going to produce Bertha Akosua Boatema, a trader who is accused of defrauding 36 persons of GH¢ 13,500.00 under the pretext of renting rooms to them.
The court presided over by Mr D.E.K Daketsey in July ordered the arrest of Boatema for failing to appear before it.
Because the Police could not trace Boatema, the court compelled her surety Nana Oware, to produce her in court.
When the case was called Boatema resurface in the court room but could hardly walk.
Pastor Ovia who accompanied her to court said Boatema was receiving prayers and treatment at his church and pledged to ensure that Boatema pays the monies promptly.
The court however did not only take his verbal submission but asked that he should swear by the bible and provide written commitment.
“I swear by the Almighty God to ensure prompt payment of the monies so help me God,” Pastor Ovia declared.
When Pastor Ovia appeared in court he brought along GH¢ 4,000.00, as part payment.
Mr Owusu Sekyere, Boatema’s lawyer informed the court that his client had already paid GH¢ 2,500 to the Police.
He prayed the court to give her time to pay the rest of the money.
The court obliged and adjourned the matter to August 27.
It asked the angry would be tenants who had insisted they should be given some of the monies to remain calm until at least half of the money was retrieved.
Boatema is alleged to have defrauded 36 persons under the pretext of providing them with rooms to rent but failed to do so. She has pleaded not guilty and the court admitted her to bail.
Source: GNA
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Change Or Die. Your business must change to survive. As much as we wish it would, nothing stays the same. Some industries change faster than others. Some markets are more fixed. To stay in business, you need to watch both and change as they do, or before.
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