By: Mary Mensah, ACCRA
Police to pursue justice for assaulted journalists-- IGP assures GJA
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Alhassan, has assured the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) that it will leave no stone unturned to ensure that justice is served in the assault against the two Multimedia journalists at Senchi in the Eastern Region.
He described the incident as very unfortunate and said the police administration took a serious view of brutality perpetrated by its personnel against civilians.
Mr Alhassan said whenever such incidents occurred everything possible was done to get to the bottom of the matter, irrespective of the victim’s status.
Serious attention
At a meeting with the GJA executives at the Police Headquarters in Accra last Tuesday, the IGP said the case was receiving serious attention; the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) was investigating the criminal aspect while the Police Professional and Intelligence Bureau (PIPS) was also investigating the conduct of the policemen.
He said the police recognised the very important role of the media in modern-day policing and would do everything to maintain the cordial relationship that already existed between the two institutions.
“We are in a democratic dispensation where freedom of speech is revered, and the police will not be part of any effort to stifle it”, he said.
Mr Alhassan indicated that the police appreciated the essence of the media in any democratic state and this had informed the service to initiate measures to foster a cordial relationship with the media.
The police, he said, would not do anything to jeopardise that friendship.
GJA to defend members
The President of the GJA, Mr Roland Affail Monney, indicated that the GJA executives visit to the Police Headquarters was to meant to make a formal complaint and demand the immediate investigation and subsequent punishment of the perpetrators of the brutal assault on some journalists.
Mr Monney said as the umbrella body of journalists in the country, the GJA would at always defend their members who were mistreated in their line of duty.
He, however, expressed the association’s appreciation of the police’s swift response to the incident and added that the current achievements chalked up by the police administration could not have happened without the unflinching support of the media.
The President of the GJA commended the IGP for his effective leadership which had led to the general public’s respect for the police administration and added that the bad lots should not be allowed to tarnish the police’s hard-won reputation.
Last week, two police officers, Django Fatau and Mr Tetteh shoved aside Joy News’ reporter, Matilda Wemegah and slapped the cameraman, David McCarthy, for filming a scuffle between the policemen and a trailer driver on the Senchi ferry in the Eastern Region.
Quick Read
The Police Administration is investigating the alleged assault of two journalists from the Multimedia Group at Senchi in the Eastern Region.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Police Professional and Intelligence Bureau (PIPS) are investigating the case.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Solar Home Systems needed to address power problems
Solar Home Systems needed to address power problems
By:Mary Mensah, ACCRA
The Board Chairman of the Energy Commission has stressed the need for the immediate deployment of Solar Home Systems (SHS) to address the current challenges facing the country.
He said the deployment of renewable energy systems could also be applied to achieve the objective of further lowering consumer demand on the power supply system.
Rooftop Solar
Dr Kwame Ampofo, who said this at a stakeholders meeting on rooftop solar installation in Accra yesterday said if all homes could have their lighting loads and other small appliances such as radios and fans removed from the grid and placed on SHS ,they could be some reduction in the grid load .
He said this would be good for the energy economy and would also result in continuous power for beneficiaries but with lower electricity bills.
Electricity Consumption
The chairman said a cursory look at the electricity consumption profile of the Ghanaian economy indicated that the industrial and residential sectors of the economy held the biggest potential for making sufficient impact on the power supply system through demand management.
“It is for this reason that we have selected the residential sector to be the avenue for achieving significant reduction in the load profile of the power system,” he said.
He said even though there were several technological interventions available to manage the residential load, a desirable technology was the deployment of solar photo voltaic technology,especially packed as Solar Home System (SHS).
He said it was common knowledge that the power sector of the country was facing a number of challenges the combination of which had led to a gaping imbalance between the electricity supply capacity of the national grid and electricity demand.
Load Shedding
According to him, the challenges were due to poor hydrology, erratic and unreliable fuel supplies and also the non-availability of some generating units and to respond to these, the utilities were compelled to impose a load-shedding regime of between 350 and 600 megawatts.
He said to quickly ease the pressure on the electricity supply system ,there was the need to look at the demand side of the energy balance where there were a lot of opportunities for addressing the current challenges.
Energy Efficiency
This, he said, included energy efficiency initiatives, responsible consumer behaviour and a shift to non-grid renewable energy systems to quickly ease the pressure on the electricity supply system and offer the needed relief that the country needed.
He said to achieve these objectives ,the Energy Commission was proposing a market approach for the self-sustaining deployment of the SHS.
Quick Read
A meeting with stakeholders to discuss how the housing industry could take advantage of the country’s abundant solar resources has opened in Accra .
By:Mary Mensah, ACCRA
The Board Chairman of the Energy Commission has stressed the need for the immediate deployment of Solar Home Systems (SHS) to address the current challenges facing the country.
He said the deployment of renewable energy systems could also be applied to achieve the objective of further lowering consumer demand on the power supply system.
Rooftop Solar
Dr Kwame Ampofo, who said this at a stakeholders meeting on rooftop solar installation in Accra yesterday said if all homes could have their lighting loads and other small appliances such as radios and fans removed from the grid and placed on SHS ,they could be some reduction in the grid load .
He said this would be good for the energy economy and would also result in continuous power for beneficiaries but with lower electricity bills.
Electricity Consumption
The chairman said a cursory look at the electricity consumption profile of the Ghanaian economy indicated that the industrial and residential sectors of the economy held the biggest potential for making sufficient impact on the power supply system through demand management.
“It is for this reason that we have selected the residential sector to be the avenue for achieving significant reduction in the load profile of the power system,” he said.
He said even though there were several technological interventions available to manage the residential load, a desirable technology was the deployment of solar photo voltaic technology,especially packed as Solar Home System (SHS).
He said it was common knowledge that the power sector of the country was facing a number of challenges the combination of which had led to a gaping imbalance between the electricity supply capacity of the national grid and electricity demand.
Load Shedding
According to him, the challenges were due to poor hydrology, erratic and unreliable fuel supplies and also the non-availability of some generating units and to respond to these, the utilities were compelled to impose a load-shedding regime of between 350 and 600 megawatts.
He said to quickly ease the pressure on the electricity supply system ,there was the need to look at the demand side of the energy balance where there were a lot of opportunities for addressing the current challenges.
Energy Efficiency
This, he said, included energy efficiency initiatives, responsible consumer behaviour and a shift to non-grid renewable energy systems to quickly ease the pressure on the electricity supply system and offer the needed relief that the country needed.
He said to achieve these objectives ,the Energy Commission was proposing a market approach for the self-sustaining deployment of the SHS.
Quick Read
A meeting with stakeholders to discuss how the housing industry could take advantage of the country’s abundant solar resources has opened in Accra .
Movenpick Hotel bar opened to all - General Manager
By: Mary Mensah, ACCRA
THE Management of Movenpick Hotel in Accra has denied a publication in the Daily Graphic that the hotel has a policy that prevents single or a group of women from accessing its facilities, unless escorted by a man or men.
According to the General Manager, Mr Axel Hauser, it was the policy of the hotel to treat its guests, patrons and visitors equally and offer them the needed professional services.
First Class Services
“We are here to offer our guests first-class services and will never do anything that will compromise or tarnish the reputation of the hotel,” Mr Hauser said.
He said currently, women formed the majority of the population, for which reason no business entity in its right senses would prevent or turn them away from such a facility.
Mr Hauser was speaking to the Daily Graphic following a reader’s concern published in the letters column of the Monday, February 16, 2015 edition of the paper, on an incident the writer said occurred at the Movenpick Hotel Bar/Lounge on Friday, February 6, 2015.
No Incident
Mr Hauser said after their attention was drawn to the Daily Graphic publication, management of the hotel carried out an investigation and found out that no such incident had occurred at the hotel.
He said the Movenpick Hotel bar was opened to all people throughout the week, adding that every Friday and Saturday, life music was played which attracted a number of guests to the hotel.
“For people not to get confused and enter the restaurant instead of the bar the management placed a red carpet in front of the corridor and positioned a member of staff there to direct people,” he said.
THE Management of Movenpick Hotel in Accra has denied a publication in the Daily Graphic that the hotel has a policy that prevents single or a group of women from accessing its facilities, unless escorted by a man or men.
According to the General Manager, Mr Axel Hauser, it was the policy of the hotel to treat its guests, patrons and visitors equally and offer them the needed professional services.
First Class Services
“We are here to offer our guests first-class services and will never do anything that will compromise or tarnish the reputation of the hotel,” Mr Hauser said.
He said currently, women formed the majority of the population, for which reason no business entity in its right senses would prevent or turn them away from such a facility.
Mr Hauser was speaking to the Daily Graphic following a reader’s concern published in the letters column of the Monday, February 16, 2015 edition of the paper, on an incident the writer said occurred at the Movenpick Hotel Bar/Lounge on Friday, February 6, 2015.
No Incident
Mr Hauser said after their attention was drawn to the Daily Graphic publication, management of the hotel carried out an investigation and found out that no such incident had occurred at the hotel.
He said the Movenpick Hotel bar was opened to all people throughout the week, adding that every Friday and Saturday, life music was played which attracted a number of guests to the hotel.
“For people not to get confused and enter the restaurant instead of the bar the management placed a red carpet in front of the corridor and positioned a member of staff there to direct people,” he said.
Ghana Needs Agressive Leadership
By: Mary Mensah, ACCRA
THE Founder of the International Leadership Foundation (ILF), Dr Delanyo Adadevoh, has called for an aggressive leadership that will lead the country into a better future.
According to him, any development agenda without a strong and aggressive leadership backed by enlightened citizens would cause the country’s development aspirations to be a mirage.
“We cannot develop by trading other people’s resources; we have to build the capacity to transfer our own natural resources and add value to them”, he said.
Ethics and Leadership
Delivering an inaugural lecture at the annual lectures dubbed “Ethics and Leadership”, instituted by the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE) in Accra, Dr Adedevoh said he was looking for the day when Ghanaians would agitate against the country’s development agenda which had been going back and forth over the years”.
Delivering his address on the topic “Transformational Leadership and Ethics: A key Driver for Excellence and Wealth Creation”, Dr Adadevoh said in countries such as the United States of America (USA), issues of developmental agenda were settled and untouchable and subsequent governments had no choice than to continue from where their predecessors left off.
Technological Gap
Dr Adadevoh, who also serves as the Chairman of the Interim Leadership Team for the African Forum on Religion and Government (AFREG), said the gap left between developing countries and the Western World was a technological one which ought to be bridged.
He added that the skills of an aggressive leadership in the country had been lost, saying that “the time had come for all Ghanaians to embrace the kind of leadership that would lead the country into a true development.”
Dr Adadevoh said leadership involved engaging, equipping and empowering a growing force of willing followers to accomplish a commonly owned vision.
Economic Partnership
He expressed regret at the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which allowed the country unlimited access to the European market, while the Europeans exported their goods to Ghana duty free.
He said such a move meant that Ghana’s developmental agenda would be delayed for the next 20 years since already the country was a net importer of finished products from the developed countries.
Collapsed Buildings
A Justice of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Issifu Tanko Amadu, expressed concern about the rate buildings collapsed and asked the Ghana Institute of Engineers to sit up.
He urged them to set up a task force that would monitor structures being put up and ensure that there was a structural engineer otherwise the developers should be made to stop.
Mr Justice Amadu, who launched the lectures on behalf of the Chief Justice, Mrs JusticeGeorgina Theodora Wood, urged the engineering body to endeavour to bring any of their members found to have been involved in the construction of a collapsed structure to book, adding that “you must however give them a fair hearing.”
Code of Ethics
The President of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, Mr Magnus Lincoln Quarshie, explained that the “Ethics and Leadership” Lecture Series had been instituted by the GIE to be held in February of every year for the enhancement of ethical practice of the profession.
Quick Read
The Ghana Institute of Engineers has launched the Ethics and Leadership lecture series which would be delivered annually.
The inaugural lecture was on the topic "transformational leadership and Ethics, a key driver for excellence and wealth creation##” and was delivered by Dr Delanyo Adadevoh.
THE Founder of the International Leadership Foundation (ILF), Dr Delanyo Adadevoh, has called for an aggressive leadership that will lead the country into a better future.
According to him, any development agenda without a strong and aggressive leadership backed by enlightened citizens would cause the country’s development aspirations to be a mirage.
“We cannot develop by trading other people’s resources; we have to build the capacity to transfer our own natural resources and add value to them”, he said.
Ethics and Leadership
Delivering an inaugural lecture at the annual lectures dubbed “Ethics and Leadership”, instituted by the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE) in Accra, Dr Adedevoh said he was looking for the day when Ghanaians would agitate against the country’s development agenda which had been going back and forth over the years”.
Delivering his address on the topic “Transformational Leadership and Ethics: A key Driver for Excellence and Wealth Creation”, Dr Adadevoh said in countries such as the United States of America (USA), issues of developmental agenda were settled and untouchable and subsequent governments had no choice than to continue from where their predecessors left off.
Technological Gap
Dr Adadevoh, who also serves as the Chairman of the Interim Leadership Team for the African Forum on Religion and Government (AFREG), said the gap left between developing countries and the Western World was a technological one which ought to be bridged.
He added that the skills of an aggressive leadership in the country had been lost, saying that “the time had come for all Ghanaians to embrace the kind of leadership that would lead the country into a true development.”
Dr Adadevoh said leadership involved engaging, equipping and empowering a growing force of willing followers to accomplish a commonly owned vision.
Economic Partnership
He expressed regret at the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which allowed the country unlimited access to the European market, while the Europeans exported their goods to Ghana duty free.
He said such a move meant that Ghana’s developmental agenda would be delayed for the next 20 years since already the country was a net importer of finished products from the developed countries.
Collapsed Buildings
A Justice of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Issifu Tanko Amadu, expressed concern about the rate buildings collapsed and asked the Ghana Institute of Engineers to sit up.
He urged them to set up a task force that would monitor structures being put up and ensure that there was a structural engineer otherwise the developers should be made to stop.
Mr Justice Amadu, who launched the lectures on behalf of the Chief Justice, Mrs JusticeGeorgina Theodora Wood, urged the engineering body to endeavour to bring any of their members found to have been involved in the construction of a collapsed structure to book, adding that “you must however give them a fair hearing.”
Code of Ethics
The President of the Ghana Institution of Engineers, Mr Magnus Lincoln Quarshie, explained that the “Ethics and Leadership” Lecture Series had been instituted by the GIE to be held in February of every year for the enhancement of ethical practice of the profession.
Quick Read
The Ghana Institute of Engineers has launched the Ethics and Leadership lecture series which would be delivered annually.
The inaugural lecture was on the topic "transformational leadership and Ethics, a key driver for excellence and wealth creation##” and was delivered by Dr Delanyo Adadevoh.
Road Minister Inspects projects in Accra
By: Mary Mensah: ACCRA,
The Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Innusah Fuseini, has expressed satisfaction with the level of construction works so far done on some selected projects in Accra.
The projects are: the construction of the pedestrians footbridge at the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange, Traffic management works around the Accra Mall and the Polo Court Roundabout, reconstruction of the Giffard Road and the construction of the Burma Camp roads one and two.
The other projects are the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, construction of Awoshie-Pokuase road and community infrastructure projects, public transport improvement measures and the BRT on the Amasaman-Accra central business district (CBD) route.
Accompanied by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, and the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mrs Joyce Bawah Mogtari, the Roads Minister inspected six projects in Accra last Friday.
Level of Completion
Alhaji Fuseini said levels of completion ranged from 34 to 94 per cent and that all the contractors had worked within specifications, noting that all the projects would be completed on schedule.
He said the government, acting through the Department of Urban Roads, was implementing the Turket project to construct four pedestrian footbridges at hazardous road locations in Accra and Kumasi.
The four bridge locations as the Tetteh Quarshie, Mallam Market, Shiashie, all in Accra, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Junction (KNUST) in Kumasi.
The 76 million Euro pedestrian bridges project is being funded by the Austrian government and the government of Ghana. The objective is to provide safe crossing for pedestrians at those locations and also allow traffic to flow freely without pedestrian interruptions.
At the Polo bypass in Accra, Alhaji Abass Awulu, Director for Urban Roads, who conducted the ministers round the projects, said henceforth the road from the Airport Roundabout to Woolworth, no longer linked the main 37-Tetteh Quarshie road from the Kotoka International Airport.
On the Awoshie-Pokuase road and community development project also in Accra, Alhaji Fuseini said the project sought to ensure improvement in mobility and accessibility to the rapidly developing north-western corridor of Accra.
Safety Measures
For her part, Mrs Mogtari advised the contractors to provide all the necessary safety measures, such as road markings on the road, as early as practicable.
“We all know what happened on the N1 Highway and we don’t want a recurrence of that on the new roads,” she cautioned.
For his part, Nii Afotey Agbo also said he was satisfied with the level of development in the region and urged the contractors to stay focused on the projects and work according to specifications.
The projects in Accra which started almost two years ago, are expected to be completed by the end of this year, to ease congestion on the Spintex and Tema motorway roads, as they would serve as major alternative routes.
Quick Read
• Work on a number of road and traffic management projects in the Accra metropolis are expected to be completed before the end of the year.
• They include the pedestrians footbridge at the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange, traffic management works around the Accra Mall and the Polo Court Roundabout and the reconstruction of the Giffard Road.
Pull quote
Alhaji Fuseini said levels of completion ranged from 34 to 94 per cent and that all the contractors had worked within specifications, noting that all the projects would be completed on schedule.
Ministry of Roads alters traffic routes to Spintex
By:Mary Mensah, ACCRA
The Ministry of Roads and Highways has altered traffic from Accra to Spintex, Accra Mall and Madina as part of efforts to ease traffic at the Tetteh Quarshie interchange.
Henceforth, motorists from Accra and the 37 Military Hospital to the Spintex area would be expected to turn right at the airport traffic light to the airport roundabout towards the Polo Grounds and then turn right unto the new diversion that links the Spintex road.
The Minister of Roads Highways, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, made this known when he toured some project sites in the metropolis .He was accompanied by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Afotey Agbo, and the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mrs Mogtari.
He expressed satisfaction at the rate of work on the roads on the eastern part of Accra after the inspection .
Accra Mall to Spintex
He said motorists exiting the Accra Mall to the Spintex area would be expected to turn right unto the new diversion by the mall which was close to the motorway, go straight and turn at the roundabout onto the Spintex road.
According to the minister, motorists coming from Spintex to Accra and 37 Hospital areas would be expected to turn left unto the new diversion towards the Polo Grounds and left to the airport roundabout then to Accra or 37.
Achimota to Spintex
He said motorists coming from Achimota to the Spintex area will have to descend the loop unto the mall roundabout and use the new diversion by the mall which was close to the motorway and go straight and turn to the Spintex road.
Alhaji Fuseini said motorists coming from Accra and 37 to Legon and Madina areas would be expected to use the main highway directly from 37 area, adding that those from the Aviance areas to Madina would have to drive to the airport roundabout and turn left to join the main road.
Projects to Complete
He said the projects, which started almost two years ago, were expected to be completed by the end of this year to ease congestion on the Spintex road and the Tema motorway in the coming years.
Apart from the roads, there will be an interchange at the Congo junction, improvement on the Teshie township roads, and total improvement on the Burma Camp roads as supplementary projects.
He commended the contractors for working within the scheduled time, adding that once completed, traffic on the Spintex road, Tema Motorway and Beach roads would ease as these roads would serve as major alternative routes.
Quick Read
Government to Construct Modern International Airport
By: Mary Mensah, ACCRA
The government’s plan to construct a modern international airport in the Dangbe West District in the Greater Accra Region is on course.
The Minister of Transport, Mrs Dzifa Attivor, has said.
Land acquisition process, she said, was currently ongoing.
The plan to construct a new international airport forms part of the government’s policy to open up the country by establishing at least an aerodrome in every region of the country.
Mrs Dzifa Attivor made this known at the 2014 annual general meeting of the Chattered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Ghana in Accra yesterday.
New members were admitted into the CILT.
Regional Airport
She said the role of regional airports within the broad aviation hub would be to serve as feeder airports to the international airports.
She said an aviation system master plan study was currently ongoing with support from the World Bank to identify probable locations for greenfield aerodromes in order to guide a systematic development of the aviation sector.
Aviation hub
The theme for the meeting was, “The Role and Importance of an Aviation Hub in the Economic and Social Development of the Country”.
The Minister said the theme was in line with the ministry’s vision to make Ghana an aviation hub within the sub-region.
With regard to infrastructure development, she said, there were major infrastructure works in progress which when completed would make the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) an aviation hub.
Potential Benefits
Mrs Attivor said for the aviation hub concept and policy to be successful and to derive the associated potential benefits, necessary infrastructure and safety measures, among other facilities should be in place.
She said there was also the need for a home based national airline to drive the programme and a key elopement was to ensure an effective distribution of transit and connecting passengers.
First phase
The minister said the first phase of the arrival hall expansion was partially opened for use and would be fully completed by the end of the first quarter of 2015 to accommodate the growing number of travellers .
According to her, negotiations were also ongoing for the award of contracts for works to start in the first quarter of 2015 on the construction of a third terminal, adding that the construction of a southern apron at KIA for wide body aircraft was nearing completion.
New facelift
She said those projects would give a new facelift to the airport with modern infrastructure to handle the growing traffic as well as transit facilities to ensure flexibility in travel.
Mrs Attivor indicated that further important areas that would ensure the sustainability of the drive to create Ghana as an aviation hub was in the area of training and capacity building for the aviation sector.
Quick Read
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Ghana has held its annual general meeting in Accra.
The theme for the meeting was, “The Role and Importance of an Aviation Hub in the Economic and Social Development of the country”.
The government’s plan to construct a modern international airport in the Dangbe West District in the Greater Accra Region is on course.
The Minister of Transport, Mrs Dzifa Attivor, has said.
Land acquisition process, she said, was currently ongoing.
The plan to construct a new international airport forms part of the government’s policy to open up the country by establishing at least an aerodrome in every region of the country.
Mrs Dzifa Attivor made this known at the 2014 annual general meeting of the Chattered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Ghana in Accra yesterday.
New members were admitted into the CILT.
Regional Airport
She said the role of regional airports within the broad aviation hub would be to serve as feeder airports to the international airports.
She said an aviation system master plan study was currently ongoing with support from the World Bank to identify probable locations for greenfield aerodromes in order to guide a systematic development of the aviation sector.
Aviation hub
The theme for the meeting was, “The Role and Importance of an Aviation Hub in the Economic and Social Development of the Country”.
The Minister said the theme was in line with the ministry’s vision to make Ghana an aviation hub within the sub-region.
With regard to infrastructure development, she said, there were major infrastructure works in progress which when completed would make the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) an aviation hub.
Potential Benefits
Mrs Attivor said for the aviation hub concept and policy to be successful and to derive the associated potential benefits, necessary infrastructure and safety measures, among other facilities should be in place.
She said there was also the need for a home based national airline to drive the programme and a key elopement was to ensure an effective distribution of transit and connecting passengers.
First phase
The minister said the first phase of the arrival hall expansion was partially opened for use and would be fully completed by the end of the first quarter of 2015 to accommodate the growing number of travellers .
According to her, negotiations were also ongoing for the award of contracts for works to start in the first quarter of 2015 on the construction of a third terminal, adding that the construction of a southern apron at KIA for wide body aircraft was nearing completion.
New facelift
She said those projects would give a new facelift to the airport with modern infrastructure to handle the growing traffic as well as transit facilities to ensure flexibility in travel.
Mrs Attivor indicated that further important areas that would ensure the sustainability of the drive to create Ghana as an aviation hub was in the area of training and capacity building for the aviation sector.
Quick Read
The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), Ghana has held its annual general meeting in Accra.
The theme for the meeting was, “The Role and Importance of an Aviation Hub in the Economic and Social Development of the country”.
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