School of Veterinary Medicine College to commence
Accra, April 26, GNA -
A School of Veterinary Medicine College to train local veterinary doctors will commence this year under the College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences of the University of Ghana. The training, which will be a six-year course, will run just like the courses in the medical school.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in on Thursday in Accra after a press conference to launch the World Veterinary Day, Dr Kwasi Darkwa, Vice President of the Ghana Veterinary Medical Association said the Veterinary Council had completed its documents and presented them to the Academic Board of the University and was waiting for the go ahead.
He explained that all the 250 veterinary doctors in Ghana were trained outside costing the government 50,000 pounds per each student. "The establishment of the local training school will save the government the high cost in training veterinarians abroad." Dr Darkwa noted that the number of veterinarians was dwindling because the retirement and death of the old ones while others are due for retirement.
He said the establishment of the training school would reverse the ever-decreasing manpower resource base of the profession. Dr Enoch Boye-Mensah Koney, President of Association, said the celebration of the Day under the theme: "Celebrating our Diversity" would focus on creating awareness on the highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (bird flu) caused by the H5N1 strain. He said the public had little knowledge on veterinary services in Ghana and called for the need to educate the public on the diverse and significant roles and responsibilities of the profession in national development.
"Veterinary professionals are working in both upstream and downstream sectors of the economy. Many Ghanaians have the perception that the work of the veterinarian concerns 'injecting animals' only. We do more than that because of the diversity of our professional training. Thus, veterinarians work in human health, agriculture, industry and academia."
Dr Koney explained that the profession was providing effective and efficient delivery of animal health care and ensuring food safety and food security.
Mr Thomas C. Palmer, Senior Policy Officer of Food and Agriculture Organisation, said the veterinary profession was the first line of defence in protecting food supplies of animal origin from contamination. He said the diversity of the profession had provided opportunities to forge links between major global agencies of knowledge, which pursue actions to ensure the well-being of human beings. "Such vital linkages have been captured in the world directory of veterinary schools." The Association called on District Assemblies to enforce their bye-laws on stray animals to deter the public from allowing their stray animals like dogs, cattle, goats and sheep from roaming since rabies was still a problem.
The Association noted that rabies had no cure but could be prevented and urged the public, especially those who had animals to ensure that they were vaccinated against rabies.
Source:
GNA
Newmont observes Malaria Day
Sunyani April 26, GNA -
Newmont Gold Ghana Limited (NGGL) has launched a 35,000-dollar mosquito net re-treatment campaign in surrounding communities of its operational areas in Tano North and Asutifi districts.
Mr. Stephen Baffoe, Communications Director, announced this on Wednesday at a durbar organized by the company at Gyedu in collaboration with the District Assembly and the district health directorate to commemorate the African Malaria Day. The durbar, which was held under the theme, "Free Africa from malaria now", was aimed at taking stock and reflecting on the enormity of its burden, social-economic impact and identified effective means of its prevention.
He said the campaign was to support efforts by the Ghana Health Directorate to increase the coverage of insecticide treated nets and the regional health directorate's medium term plan to fight against malaria. Mr. Baffoe added that about 20,000 mosquito nets would be turned into insecticide treated nets.
He stated that statistics on malaria cases were very challenging, noting that children, the nation's future leaders, were bearing the brunt of the disease, whilst women were vulnerable during pregnancy. The Communications Director noted with regret that all attention was on HIV/AIDS, neglecting malaria, which had become a threat to the health of millions around the world.
"The nation is faced with a serious challenge and this needs all hands on deck to achieve the goal of the struggle against malaria", Mr. Baffoe said.
Alhaj Dr. Mohammed Ibn Ibrahim, Brong Ahafo regional director of health services in a speech read for him said about 50 percent of all out-patient department (OPD) cases at the various health centres in the region last year were all malarial. He said prompt and effective treatment, the use of insecticide treated nets and environmental management were important strategies to control malaria.
The regional director urged members of the general public to live under hygienic environment to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes and commended NGGL for contributing immensely to bring health care delivery to the door steps of the people. Mr. Opoku Peprah, Asutifi District Chief Executive, reiterated the call on the people to try as possibly to maintain environmental management by weeding around their houses. He said the Assembly as part of efforts in maintaining clean and healthy environment had engaged 25 sanitation workers through the Zoom-Lion company to tackle sanitation in the community.
27 April 2007
Source:
GNA
The people need the truth to manage the energy crisis
Accra, April 26, GNA -
Speakers at a Socialist Forum on Thursday called on the government to tell the people of Ghana the whole truth surrounding the energy crisis in order to make them understand, sacrifice and lend their support to manage the problem as a national crisis.
Dr. Yao Graham, Coordinator of the Third World Network of Africa said about 80 per cent of Ghana's population was in the informal sector where the impact of the energy crisis was felt the most.
He said the energy crisis as currently pertained would take a longer period to be solved and there was the need to give the people information that would help them make long term plans to salvage their industries and also contribute to solving the crisis through energy conservation.
Dr. Graham said, in order not to get entangled with more crises, lessons must be learnt from policy recklessness where the government would not tell the people the truth and make promises that were untenable.
He said the government was advocating an immediate replacement of six million bulbs with energy conservation ones at the cost of about 18 million dollars and that this should not be done in the middle of crisis as it was a long-term project as the European Union was also advocating but to achieve it by 2010.
Mr Kwesi Pratt Jnr. Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper noted that putting the blame on the failure of the rains was like blaming God for the country's energy crisis.
He said this had been a monumental policy failure of government since the inconsistencies in the rainfall pattern had been known many years but the inefficiencies in the energy sector coupled with the untruths by the government had compounded the problem Mr Pratt said the World Bank submitted a report to government last year predicting a 50 per cent loss in the energy generation capacity of Ghana but unfortunately government did everything to hide it from the public.
He said Professor Evans Atta Mills' visit to Akosombo brought to the fore that the problem could not be resolved in less than 12 months which contradicted the government's position that it would take between a fortnight and a month to be resolved.
He said the generators imported to produce 50 megawatts of electricity were actually producing 20 megawatts and needed 2.7 billion cedis worth of gasoil a day to fuel them but this would worsen the plight of Ghanaians since its implications on the national budget could not be overemphasized.
He called on the intellectual class to stand up with authority to speak the truth rather than sing the masters praise in order to save the ordinary Ghanaian who would suffer in terms of any eventuality. Mr Robert Woode, an Engineer who could not help but to weep openly due to the crisis facing the country called for the cultivation of almond trees to produce oil to fuel generators to run the industries. He said the country had 16.3 million hectors of land area and Ghanaians could plant about five million hectares of almond tress which would generate 12.5 billion dollars revenue and also create jobs for the youth.
Source:
GNA
Ghana used as a pilot project in slum upgrading
Ashaiman (G/A), April 26, GNA-
The United Nations Habitat (Ghana) has declared its intention to use Ghana for a pilot project in the upgrading of slums to improve the lives of the people.
Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment announced on Thursday when addressing the "Federation for the Urban Poor" (FUP)an NGO.
He said to begin with Tulaku in Ashaiman and Sodom/Gomorrah in Accra would benefit from the pilot programme.
The Minister was joined by the Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Kraku the II on the tour of the slumps at Tulaku. The FUP, with its slogan as "homeless but not hopeless" is made up of residents of Tulaku seeking their welfare through financial contributions.
The Tema Mantse said the Tema Traditional Council (TDC) was prepared to allocate a 30-acre plot of land for the pilot project in Tulaku.
The Minister expressed government's readiness to supplement the efforts of associations who initiate programmes to improve their lot and encouraged such them to continue with the self-help programmes to win government's support.
According to him, the move by the UN Habitat was in line with government's policy of raising living standards of people living below the poverty line by providing them with the basic social necessities such as affordable houses, water and food.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng expressed his optimism of the reality of the project to ensure well-planned communities, because other developed countries went through similar experiences.
He however, impressed on the residents to observe environmental cleanliness for quality health and avoid unnecessary land litigations, which only retards progress.
The Minister praised Nii Kraku for the gesture and lauded the pro-activeness of some chiefs whose contributions promote developments in the communities.
Mr David Quaye Annang, Tema Municipal Chief Executive said the assembly would provide infrastructural facilities for the proposed project.
Madam Janet Adu, National Coordinator of Micro Credit on Small Business said the Federation, which has six branches in the country mobilizes funds through various activities to improve their lot. She said the Ashaiman branch, formed two and half years has so far raised a total of 400 million cedis for the procuring of land to put up affordable houses and appealed for government's assistance. Mr Kwadwo Ohene Sarfoh, Country Project Consultant of Slum Upgrading Facility urged members of the Federation to increase their membership to enable them to win support from government and the public. He said when completed the name Tulaku, which means a Kraal is likely to be changed for an appropriate one. 26 April 07
Source:
GNA
Kufuor urges Nigerians to exercise restraint
Accra, April 26, GNA -
President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday urged all sides in the Nigerian elections to exercise restraint and accept the constitutional process as the only means to resolve issues related to the electoral process.
A release signed by Mr Andrew Awuni, press secretary to the President, said President Kufuor appreciated the difficulties and complexities associated with the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria.
"In the transition, all parties committed to upholding the integrity of the greater nation should respect the legal procedures for dealing with whatever complaints they may have," President Kufuor, who is the current Chairman of the African Union said.
The statement disclosed that President Kufuor would leave for Lagos, Nigeria on Friday to join other heads of state in the sub-region to inaugurate a facility of the West Africa Gas Pipeline Project. "Ghana is a shareholder in the project for paying 90 million dollars as equity and is eagerly awaiting gas from the project to solve some of the country's energy problems."
The statement also said President Kufuor's visit to Lagos would afford him the opportunity to get a first hand feel of the situation in Nigeria as he continued his consultations with his colleagues around the continent on the situation.
All opposition parties in Nigeria have denounced the elections under which candidates of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) swept all the polls, including the Presidential race.
Source:
GNA
1,135 accommodation units licensed nationwide
Accra, April 26, GNA - Mr Martin Mireku, Executive Director of the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), on Thursday announced that 1,135 accommodation units nationwide had been given licence to operate as at the end of March 2007.
The licensing of these establishments is a yearly exercise done by the Ghana Tourist Board to ensure that operators in the hospitality industry were functioning within the set standards. Mr. Mireku, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said to enforce the set standards the board had put together a team of experts at the headquarters to check operators in the hospitality services every quarter.
"The Ghana Tourist Board will from next month start a regular exercise aimed at maintaining high standards in the hospitality industry."
He said there would also be a mid-year monitoring programme by the board to ensure that operators who had been given licences to operate maintained the standards all year round. Giving statistics, he said at the end of March this year there were 187 restaurants and 280 tour operators who had been given licence to operate.
There is also a check on the informal catering establishment, which include drinking bars and chop bars. Mr Mireku noted that there were a huge number of such informal joints in the country and the board had been able to licence 1,538 by March. There are 518 chop bars and the rest are drinking bars. He said the board had already trained teachers who would help the GTB staff in the enforcement programme.
Mr Mireku cautioned that operators who did comply with the set standards would have their establishments closed down and those who have been licensed would also need to show their licenses. "There are other measures by the board to ensure food safety," he said, adding that the board was also collaborating with the Ghana Standards Board for a nationwide training of hotel and restaurant operators to ensure food safety. 26 April 07
Source:
GNA