Author: newsfilegh

A deepened trade relationship between Ghana and the United Arab Emirates in the area of gas derivatives is key in accelerating the economic growth agenda of the West African country which has a population of closed to 30 million and a per capita income of $4,211.85 in 2018. Deeper gas sector cooperation between Ghana and UAE is expected to drive the development of foreign trade between the two countries, create employment in Ghana and create wealth. “The UAE is a leading exporter of gas derivatives and this is an area we really want to deepen relationship”, Ghana’s Senior Minister, Yaw…

A deepened trade relationship between Ghana and the United Arab Emirates in the area of gas derivatives is key in accelerating the economic growth agenda of the West African country which has a population of closed to 30 million and a per capita income of $4,211.85 in 2018. Deeper gas sector cooperation between Ghana and UAE is expected to drive the development of foreign trade between the two countries, create employment in Ghana and create wealth. “The UAE is a leading exporter of gas derivatives and this is an area we really want to deepen relationship”, Ghana’s Senior Minister, Yaw…

Africa is at the crossroads of taking climate action in the midst of an urgency to meet the continent’s development needs. As the urgency to act on climate change grows, international climate policies and the advent of low-carbon technologies are reducing the demand for, and value of, fossil fuels. Carbon tracker estimates that 60-80% of coal, oil and gas reserves could be classified as unburnable if the world is to avoid disastrous climate change. This puts Africa at risk of asset stranding, especially in mineral resource-rich countries. A new report by the United Nations University – Institute for Natural Resources…

It has emerged in court that the committee which work primarily led to the prosecution of former COCOBOD boss, Dr. Stephen Opuni, and businessman Seidu Agongo had no expert vested in fertilizer testing. The committee investigated alleged fertiliser testing anomalies at the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG). The third prosecution witness, Dr. Yaw Adu-Ampomah who is the special advisor to the Minister of Agriculture on cocoa affairs admitted under cross-examination that the four-member committee he chaired had no experts in this area which was part of their mandate. Dr. Adu-Ampomah whose specialty is plant breeding and plant genetics had…

At least 24 people have died and dozens injured after heavy rains in Mugina district, Cibitoke province in western Burundi. According to the spokesperson of the security ministry, Pierre Nkurikiye, rescue operations are still ongoing after homes were swept away. Heavy rains pounding in the area have caused landslides that have destroyed and buried homes. “They are still digging up dead bodies,” an official, who declined to be identified, is quoted as saying to Reuters news agency. The hilly area experienced heavy rains resulting into the landslides, according to the underground reporters SOS Médias Burundi. East Africa is experiencing unusually…

On the occasion of this year’s Farmers’ Day, the Coalition for Cocoa Sector Reforms (CSR) is pushing for expedited action on the implementation of a cocoa farmers’ pension scheme announced by the government. Government has said it is working with the National Pensions Regulatory Authority to design and implement a sustainable pension scheme for cocoa farmers in the country to cushion them on their retirement. “A major threat to sustainable cocoa production is the ageing cocoa farmers and the lack of interest shown by the youth in cocoa farming,” vice president Dr Mahamudu Bawumia observed at the 20th-anniversary celebration of…

Operations of the two major banks that were merged to form OmniBSIC Bank has successfully been completed, managers have announced. OmniBank Ghana Limited and Sahel Sahara Bank Ghana Limited resolved last year to merge in order to pull resources together to meet the 400 million-cedi new minimum capital requirement by the Bank of Ghana which took effect from December 31, 2018. The merger, which was accepted by BoG in September last year, eventually saw the birth of OMNIBSIC Bank Ghana Limited in March 2019. Managers announced at the time efforts were ongoing to achieve “seamless cultural integration” and capacity building…

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) says it will from February 2020 cease payment of monthly benefits to all pensioners who fail to biometrically register with the scheme. All SSNIT pensioners who have not done the biometric registration of the scheme will automatically have their names deleted on January 31, 2020, a statement from the Trust announced. In 2014, all members of the SSNIT Scheme, including pensioners, were requested to re-register biometrically. Reminders were subsequently issued various channels for members/pensioners, but SSNIT said “there are some pensioners who are yet to go through the biometric registration process”. “The…

The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) says it will from February 2020 cease payment of monthly benefits to all pensioners who fail to biometrically register with the scheme. All SSNIT pensioners who have not done the biometric registration of the scheme will automatically have their names deleted on January 31, 2020, a statement from the Trust announced. In 2014, all members of the SSNIT Scheme, including pensioners, were requested to re-register biometrically. Reminders were subsequently issued various channels for members/pensioners, but SSNIT said “there are some pensioners who are yet to go through the biometric registration process”. “The…

The National Executives of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) were in Kyebi in the Eastern Region on Thursday, together with the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the party, Mr Kwame Zu, to apologise to the Okyenhene and Okyeman. Following that, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council accepted the apology and lifted the ban on the activities of the NDC in the area. The traditional council imposed a ban on the NDC following an unsavoury remark against the Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II by the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr Kwame Zu, during an anti-government protest in Kumasi, about…