Friday, 12th August, 2022

Page 2

Satellite images appear

to show major damage

and a 00warplanes at a

Crimea airbase following

explosions there this

week.

The Saky base in the west of

Russian-ruled Crimea was rocked

by a string of blasts on Tuesday,

killing one person.

The base's runways appear

intact, but at least eight aircraft

seem damaged or destroyed with

several craters visible.

Ukraine has not claimed

responsibility - but this new

evidence suggests the possibility

of a targeted attack.

It also dispels Russia's denial

that any of its aircraft were damaged.

The images, from the USbased

Planet Labs, show large

areas of scorched earth left from

fires that erupted.

Most of the damaged or destroyed

aircraft are in a specific

area of the base where a large

number of planes were parked

out in the open - away from the

cover of hangars.

Before and after satellite

Former US President Donald

Trump has declined to

answer questions as part

of a New York state investigation

into his family's

business practices.

Mr Trump had sued in an

effort to block the interview at the

New York attorney general's office

on Wednesday.

State officials accuse the

Trump Organization of misleading

authorities about the value of

its assets in order to get favourable

loans and tax breaks.

Mr Trump denies wrongdoing

and has called the civil probe a

witch hunt.

An hour after he was pictured

arriving at the Manhattan

office where he was questioned

under oath, Mr Trump released a

statement in which he criticised

New York Attorney General Letitia

James and the broader investigation.

"Years of work and tens of millions

of dollars have been spent

on this long simmering saga, and

to no avail," he said. "I declined to

answer the questions under the

rights and privileges afforded to

every citizen under the United

States Constitution."

images:

Two types of fighter jets,

including Su-24Ms, have been

damaged by explosions, along

with two buildings nearby.

How the base was damaged,

or by what, is still unconfirmed.

William Alberque, from

defence think tank IISS, has told

the BBC that two buildings may

have been used to temporarily

store weapons, and would have

been targeted for maximum

impact on the fighter jets parked

nearby.

The base's runway, and permanent

weapons storage sites

located further away from the

planes, seem untouched.

Mr Alberque says it is likely

that cluster munitions were

used, but Ukraine doesn't have

the kind of missiles needed to

carry out this kind of attack.

If Ukraine is responsible, he

suggests they used repurposed

S-300 missiles, typically for surface-to-air

attacks, or anti-ship

Neptune missiles.

But Louise Jones, head of

intelligence at McKenzie Intelligence,

says the satellite images

DAILY ANALYST Friday, 12th August, 2022

aren't conclusive enough.

If makeshift missiles were

used, Ms Jones says there's no evidence

they missed any potential

targets.

"To be that accurate at that

range with possibly an experimental

munition is unlikely," she

suggests.

Another scenario would be a

sabotage operation by Ukrainian

special forces or paramilitary

groups. Ms Jones says this isn't

impossible, but again highly

unlikely.

A third option, she adds, is

that the explosions were an

accident - caused by a fuel leak, or

ammunition exploding in one of

the two storage sheds.

Russia has blamed the blasts

on this latter option and said fire

safety rules were being flouted on

the base.

The before and after images

from Planet Labs, which

monitors hundreds of satellite

feeds over Ukraine, are the first

independent confirmation that

the base may have been damaged.

Until now, details about the

extent of the explosions' impact

have been scarce.

Ukraine has not claimed

responsibility and its defence

minister suggested that careless

Russian soldiers could be to

blame.

"I think that Russian military

guys in this airbase ruined their

very simply known rule: don't

Donald Trump refuses to answer

questions in New York investigation

Ms James' office confirmed

that the interview took place on

Wednesday and that "Mr Trump

invoked his Fifth Amendment

right against self-incrimination".

"Attorney General James

will pursue the facts and the law

wherever they may lead," the

statement added. "Our investigation

continues."

His deposition comes just

days after the FBI executed an

unprecedented search warrant at

his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, as

part of a separate investigation

that is reportedly linked to his

handling of classified material.

While the attorney general's

investigation is a civil one,

a parallel investigation is being

carried out by the Manhattan

District Attorney's office which

could result in criminal charges.

Legal analysts suggest Mr

Trump may have declined to

answer questions on Wednesday

because his answers could have

been used against him in that

criminal investigation. The former

president invoked the Fifth

Amendment, which protects

people from being compelled to

be a witness against themselves

in a criminal case.

Media caption,

Trump on people pleading the

Fifth Amendment: 'Disgraceful'

The questioning lasted around

four hours, and included lengthy

breaks, his lawyer Ronald Fischetti

told US media.

Mr Trump began by reading

a statement into the record condemning

the attorney general and

her investigation and invoking his

Fifth Amendment rights.

He proceeded to say "same

answer" to every question he was

asked.

Ms James' office has said that

the depositions - a legal term that

means testimony not given in

court - were among the last remaining

investigative procedures

to be carried out.

Once the investigation concludes,

the state attorney general

could decide to bring a lawsuit

seeking financial penalties

against Mr Trump or his company.

Ms James had sought Mr

Trump's deposition - and that of

two of his children, Ivanka and

Donald Trump Jr - for more than

six months while the family

resisted subpoenas through the

New York court system.

Lawyers for Mr Trump had

Global News

Ukraine war: Crimea

airbase badly damaged,

satellite images show

smoke in dangerous places," said

Oleksiy Reznikov. "That's it."

Ukraine's air force said about

a dozen Russian warplanes were

destroyed, though.

The UK's Defence Secretary,

Ben Wallace, suggested that the

fact there were two separate

explosions points to an attack

rather than an accident. He also

defended Ukraine's right to target

Crimea.

"It's absolutely legitimate for

Ukraine to take lethal force, if

necessary... in order to regain not

only its territory, but also to push

back its invader," he told the BBC.

Any attack by Ukraine inside

Crimea would be seen as an escalation

of the war. Russia sounded

a warning last month when

ex-President Dmitry Medvedev

threatened that "Judgement Day

will instantly await" if Ukraine

targeted Crimea.

Crimea is internationally

recognised as part of Ukraine -

but the Black Sea peninsula was

annexed by Russia in 2014. Many

Ukrainians see this as the start of

their war with Russia.

Following Tuesday's blasts,

President Volodymyr Zelensky

dedicated his nightly address to

Crimea and suggested that he

believed Ukraine must retake the

peninsula before the war can end.

Russia annexed Crimea in

March 2014, after the territory -

which has a Russian-speaking

majority - voted to join Russia

also attempted to sue Ms James in

a bid to prevent her from questioning

the former president and

his children.

But in February, a New York

Supreme Court judge ruled that

all three must sit for depositions.

Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr were

questioned earlier this month.

The judge said the investigation

had uncovered "copious

evidence of possible financial

fraud" giving the attorney general

a "clear right" to question under

oath the former president and

in a referendum that the global

community deems illegal.

The vote was hastily organised

after unmarked Russian

troops took control of several

strategic sites around the peninsula

Ṙussia's annexation came

after Ukraine's Russian-backed

president was ousted following

months of pro-European protests.

On 24 February this year

- eight years after the Crimea

annexation - Moscow launched

a full-scale invasion of Ukraine,

using Crimea as a springboard

to move Russian troops deeper

inside Ukraine.

In other developments:

• Foreign ministers

from the G7 group of nations say

Russia must immediately hand

back control of the Zaporizhzhia

nuclear power plant to Ukraine

because of safety fears. The facility

and its surrounding area saw

shelling last week, which Russia

and Ukraine blamed on each

other

• The Ukrainian military

reports a bridge in the occupied

part of Kherson region has been

rendered unusable after being

struck by artillery earlier in the

week. Ukraine has mounted a

counteroffensive in the area

• Russian investigators

have launched a criminal inquiry

against journalist Marina

Ovsyannikova, who denounced

Russia's invasion on live TV

two of his children involved in the

business.

Ms James hailed the judge's

decision as a victory, saying that

"justice has prevailed".

The investigation, which was

first opened in 2019, seeks to prove

that Mr Trump and the Trump

Organization misrepresented the

value of assets in order to obtain

favourable loans and tax breaks.

The alleged fraud is said to have

taken place before Mr Trump took

office.

DAILY ANALYST

Friday, 12th August, 2022 Page 3

Akufo-Addo, Gov’t support

Legal Aid Fund, Law Reform

Fund With GH¢2.2m

The President of the

Republic, Nana Addo

Dankwa Akufo-Addo,

and the Government,

through the Ministry

of Finance, have supported the

Legal Aid Fund and the Law

Reform Fund with a contribution

of GH¢2.2 million, aimed at

promoting the rule of law in the

country.

Speaking at the launch of the

Law Reform Commission Fund

and the Legal Aid Commission

Fund on Wednesday, 10th August

2022, at the Law Court Complex

in Accra, President Akufo-Addo

noted that the Law Reform

Commission, designated as a

subvented agency under the

Ministry of Justice, advocated

for the establishment of the Law

Reform Fund.

The Fund, according to the

President, should have been in

operation some ten (10) years ago,

but this has not been the case.

According to President, the

Law Reform Commission, for

example, had only one vehicle,

which it acquired in 1996, but

through the intervention of the

Attorney-General, in February

this year, the Commission

was supplied with two (2) new

vehicles, bringing its current fleet

to three (3).

“Being fully aware of the

significance of reform and

development of the laws of any

country, not only will I launch

this crucial Fund, but I will also

throw my full weight behind all

activities which will result in

the mobilisation of additional

resources for the work of the Law

Reform Commission,” he said.

Touching on the Legal Aid

Scheme, which is obligated by

the Constitution and the Legal

Nothing can stop us

from building the

National Cathedral

Aid Commission Act, 2018 (Act

977), to offer legal aid through

the provision of legal services to

the poor and vulnerable through

legal education, President

Akufo-Addo noted that the

Commission operates in eleven

(11) regional capitals and fortysix

(46) districts nationwide to

administer the services of the

Commission.

The President stated that,

in spite of its staff strength

handicap, the Commission, for

example, in the first half of 2022,

received a total number of seven

thousand, five hundred and

fifty-eight (7,558) court cases, and

resolved three thousand, one

hundred and sixty-three (3,163) of

them. Out of the four thousand,

four hundred and fourteen

(4,414) ADR cases received, two

thousand, two hundred and

thirty-three (2,233) were resolved.

With the main source of

funds of the Commission being

Government funds, allocated to

it by the Ministry of Finance, he

bemoaned that fact that these

funds are inadequate.

“The current office

accommodating the Commission

has, in fact, become too small, and

literally unfit for the attainment

of the objects of the Office. The

Greater Accra Regional Office and

the Head office, for instance, are

crammed together on the ground

floor of the Council for Law

Reporting building. Until this

year, the Legal Aid Commission

had only six (6) vehicles, the last

of which it acquired in 2007,” the

President said.

He continued, “It is

refreshing, again, to hear that,

through the intervention of

the Attorney-General, Godfred

Yeboah Dame, thirteen (13)

vehicles have been recently

Frontpage Stories

delivered to the Legal Aid office,

increasing its number of vehicles

from six (6) to nineteen (19). I

have noted the critical needs of

the Commission. The depressing

and deplorable conditions

within the Commission clearly

point to some essential needs

that have to be addressed to

help the Commission perform

its mandate, and they will be

addressed.”

Describing the proper

functioning of the law as a vital

tool for development for any

country, President Akufo-Addo

assured that even though the

challenges facing the country

are many, the promotion of

the rule of law is of the utmost

importance, and cannot take

a back seat, no matter the

circumstances.

“It is necessary for

Government to lend its support

to institutions whose objects

promote the cause of the people,

institutions such as the Law

Reform Commission and the

Legal Aid Commission,” he stated.

The President was hopeful

that the launch of these Funds

will usher in a new, progressive

chapter in the lives of the

two Commissions, and urged

all Ghanaians to contribute

generously to the Funds. He

assured the Attorney General

that the Minister for Finance,

through Parliament, will provide

more adequate resources for the

sustenance of these Funds.

He also urged the Board

of the Legal Aid Commission,

which is chaired by a respected

Justice of the Supreme Court,

Mr. Justice Nene Amegatcher,

and the Board of the Law Reform

Commission, which is chaired by

the prominent legal practitioner,

Mr. Anthony Akoto Ampaw,

to discharge dutifully their

mandates of managing the Funds,

in accordance with section 34 of

Act 977 and section 13 of Act 822

respectively.

“I congratulate the Attorney-

General for his activism towards

the realisation of the statutory

requirement to establish these

two Funds. Let us, together,

mobilise to build and assist him

in the discharge of this vital task.

And, to that end, I am personally

contributing one hundred

thousand cedis (GH¢100,000) to

each of the Funds. I am aware

that Government, through

the Ministry of Finance, is

contributing an initial, modest

seed fund of one million cedis

(GH¢1 million) to each of the

Funds. Hopefully, the Minister

will do even more,” President

Akufo-Addo added.

The Secretary to the

Board of Trustees of the

National Cathedral, Rev.

Victor Kusi Boateng,

says nothing can stop

the construction of the National

Cathedral.

At a presser organised by

the Kumasi Council of Christian

Churches at Asuoyeboa in the

Kwadaso Municipality of the

Ashanti Region yesterday, Rev.

Kusi-Boateng said: “no words,

actions or inactions from

Ghanaians or even any of the

Board Members can hinder the

construction of the National

Cathedral.”.

The pastor also used the

opportunity to debunk rumours

that some prominent members

have quit the Board of Trustees

due to mismanagement or

disbursement of funds.

"We, the board members wish

to categorically state that none of

our members has resigned from

the board except Dr. Mensah

Otabil, whose reasons cannot be

disclosed to the general public,".

Rev. Boateng stated.

The Chairman of the Kumasi

Council of Christian Churches,

Most Rev. Prof. Daniel Yinka Sarfo,

also admonished all Ghanaian

Christians especially those

within his jurisdiction to donate

in support of the construction of

the cathedral.

He asked rhetorically, “Is it

a blessing or a curse to build a

National Cathedral?” adding that

the “irony of it all is that while

Muslims are supporting it, some

so-called Christians are against it

[Cathederal].

He then pleaded with

Ghanaians to wholeheartedly

donate ¢100 monthly to support

the construction of the cathedral.

Man arrested in Zabzugu on

suspicion of being a terrorist

A

35-year-old foreign

national is in the

grips of the Zabzugu

police on suspicion of

being a terrorist.

According to the youth in

the town, they have seen some

suspicious persons in the town

lately.

They say these men, about

six of them, pretend to be insane.

According to them, they see

these same people make calls.

This raised suspicion among

the youth because of recent

terrorist activities in the subregion.

One of the suspects was

arrested and is currently in

custody pending investigations.

The assemblyman for the

area, Iddi Yussif narrated the

incident.

“On Monday evening, the

youth of Zabzugu were alarmed

by the presence of some

unknown persons in the town.

They got hold of one of them–a

man, who is said to be from Chad.

According to residents, the man

paraded himself as insane all this

while. The youth were alarmed

when they saw this same man

with a phone. As soon as he

realised he had been seen, he

threw away the phone and run to

an elderly person for protection.

They claimed he speaks Hausa.”

“I was from the farm when I

saw people gathered at a spot. We

went closer and were told that

the suspicious man had rushed

to the elderly for protection. The

youth said they saw him making

a phone call, something they

thought was suspicious. How can

a madman be making phones?

You know this time the insecurity

in the subregion is serious, and

we have to be conscious.”

“We have seen other strange

people around lately. We have

been on the lookout since then,

only to see this happen. The

National Security should be on

high alert.”

Source: Citi News

Page 4


You can’t take the law

into your own hands

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has advised

the Ada Traditional Council not to take the law into

their own hands by imposing restrictions on Radio

Ada and its reporters from covering important events.

It has also cautioned Radio Ada and its staff to

refrain from using insulting or unacceptable language in the

discharge of their duties.

The GJA gave caution following the ban on the station and

its reporters from covering the Asafotufiami, the festival of the

Chiefs and People of the Ada Traditional Area by the Ada Traditional

Council.

Since its establishment 24 years ago, Radio Ada has covered

Asafotufiami every year, but this year, for the first time in its

history, it was denied its status at the celebration of Asafotufiami.

Prior to this year’s Asafotufiami, the Ada Traditional

Council in a letter stated that Radio Ada will not be allowed to

mount a stage at Ada Asafotufiami Park.

Also, Neneme will not grant interviews to journalists from

Radio Ada.

It also stated that Noah Dameh, Serwah Warri, and Amanor

Dzeagu who happen to be hosts of programmes with unrefined

language towards Neneme were not to be seen at the park in

Radio Ada paraphernalia.

According to Ada Traditional Council, the aforementioned

used “insulting” and “disrespectful” language while addressing

the leasing of the Songhor Lagoon to an investor for the mining

of salt.

They also cited the regular practice of the reporters mentioning

the names of Neneme without according them their

titles and also inciting the people to hoot at Neneme and call

them names during a demonstration.

Addressing the issue at a press conference in Accra yesterday,

August 11, 2022, the GJA President, Mr Albert Kwabena

Dwumfour encouraged both the Ada Traditional Council and

the management of Radio Ada to find amicable ways of resolving

their differences.

"The GJA calls on the Ada Traditional Council not to take

the law into their own hands and that it should endeavor to

use the due process of law to address its concerns. The Council

must also refrain from actions that have the tendency to

endanger the lives of the radio station and its staff. We also

advise Radio Ada and its staff to refrain from using insulting

or unacceptable language in the discharge of their duties. They

should endeavor to exhibit high professional standards at all

times. We, however, encourage them to continue to discharge

their constitutional mandate as provided in Article 162(5) of the

1992 Constitution to hold the responsibility and accountability

of the government to the people of Ghana. They must continue

to play the watchdog role of the media in the interest of the

people," he said.

Mr. Dwumfour continued, "We wish to encourage both the

Ada Traditional Council and the management of Radio Ada

to find amicable ways of resolving their differences. We urge

them to consider each other as partners in development and

work together to promote development in the area. The GJA is

interested in seeing peace restored between the Ada Traditional

Council and Radio Ada."

Meanwhile, he said the matter has been discussed with the

leadership of the Ghana Police Service and they have assured to

provide full protection to the staff of Radio Ada.

"We have discussed the case of Ada Radio with the leadership

of the Ghana Police Service who have assured us of full

protection for the staff of Radio Ada to enable them to go about

their normal duties. We believe calm will soon return to Ada so

that development will also find space in the land through the

vent provided by the media," he added.

The President of the

Ghana Journalists Association

(GJA), Mr. Albert

Kwabena Dwumfour,

has stated that the imposition

of restrictions on Radio

Ada and its reporters by the Ada

Traditional Council is unjustifiable

and an affront to press

freedom.

His statement comes following

the ban of the station and

its reporters from covering the

Asafotufiami, the festival of the

Chiefs and People of the Ada

Traditional Area which was held

recently.

Since its establishment 24

years ago, Radio Ada has covered

Asafotufiami every year, it is always

accorded a prominent place

and space to mount its outside

broadcast equipment at the festival

grounds.

But this year, for the first time

in its history, Radio Ada was denied

its status at the celebration

of Asafotufiami.

According to the GJA President,

the blacklisting of the radio

station started with the Ada Traditional

Council failing to invite

Radio Ada for the coverage of the

official launch of the festival at

Treasure Island, Ada, on June 30,

2022.

He said on July 14, 2022, the

management of the radio station

wrote to the ‘Ada Asafotufiami

Planning Committee 2022’ to

draw its attention to what it

believed to be the “inadvertent

omission to the regular protocol

of the planning committee".

He continued that the management

followed up on its letter

with a delegation to meet the Ada

Traditional Council on August

1, 2022, to further discuss the

matter.

According to officials of the

radio station, the outcome of the

meeting with the Ada Traditional

Council was positive.

However, the Ada Traditional

Council followed up with a letter

to the radio station dated August

1, 2022, delivering the Council’s

decision to place restrictions on

Radio Ada as follows: That, the

Radio Ada will not be allowed to

mount a stage at Ada Asafotufiami

Park, that Neneme will not

grant interviews to journalists

from Radio Ada and also that,

Noah Dameh, Serwah Warri and

Amanor Dzeagu who happen to

be hosts of programmes with

unrefined language towards Neneme

are not to be seen at the park

in Radio Ada paraphernalia.

A

29-year-old woman at

Oforikurom, a town

near Samreboi in the

Wassa Amenfi West

Municipality has

dipped her 3-year-old daughter

in hot water, burning the lower

parts of her body.

Residents in the area indicated

that the whole issue was a

result of the girl misplacing eight

Cedi (GHC8) sandals the woman

bought for her.

Also, the woman was told that

her daughter was being sexually

abused(fingered) by some guys in

the vicinity and so out of anger,

GJA's take

Speaking at a Press conference

in Accra to address the issue,

Mr. Albert Kwabena Dwumfour

said upon hearing the news, he

directed the General Secretary

and the National Organising

Secretary to go to Ada to gather

firsthand information on the

matter to better inform the GJA's

intervention.

He said the GJA delegation

interacted with staff of Radio

Ada and persons close to the Ada

Traditional Council and therefore

had a good appreciation of

the issues at stake to inform its

address.

He said in its fact-finding

mission, persons close to the Ada

Traditional Council expressed

deep concern about the use of

“insulting” and “disrespectful”

language by programme hosts of

Radio Ada against Neneme.

He stated that they cited the

regular practice of the reporters

mentioning the names of

Neneme without according them

their titles and also inciting the

people to hoot at Neneme and

call them names during a demonstration.

Based on the above, Mr.

Dwumfour said, "Whilst appreciating

the concerns of Neneme

as indicated above, especially

what they described as 'unrefined

language' used to address them

by programme hosts of the radio

station, the GJA believes the

imposition of restrictions on the

radio station and its reporters

is unjustifiable. It is an affront

to press freedom as guaranteed

in Article 21(1)(a) and (f) of the

1992 Constitution of the Republic

of Ghana and Article 19 of the

Girl, 3, suffers severe burns

the woman boiled water and put

the toddler inside.

The issue was sent to the

Samreboi Police Station and

according to reports, the 29-yearold

woman was granted bail after

she was arrested.

Initially, the young girl was

taken to the Samartex Hospital

and they referred her to the

Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital,

but with the bills anticipated,

the girl hasn’t been taken to the

hospital.

Meanwhile, the 3-year-old girl

is unable to walk as the effect of

the hot water was severe on her.

Universal Declaration on Human

Rights."

With all due respect, Mr.

Dwumfour stated that the Ada

Traditional Council does not have

the right or powers to impose

such restrictions on Radio Ada

and its staff.

"We also consider the barring

of the three reporters of Radio

Ada from wearing the paraphernalia

of the radio station and

particularly the mention of their

names, a threat to their lives and

that of their family. We should

be mindful of how such public

disclosure of names of journalists

had led to the killing of

such journalists and we should

refrain from such actions. We

believe one major significance of

festivals is to use the occasion to

foster peace, unity and oneness

of purpose among the people to

promote the development of the

community. We also recognize

the concept of community radio

as being the rallying force for the

promotion of the culture and socio-economic

development of the

host communities," he added.

Meanwhile, he said the Ada

Traditional Council had filed a

complaint at the National Media

Commission (NMC) against Radio

Ada for professional misconduct

and commended them for taking

such steps because that is one of

the appropriate forums to seek

redress on such matters.

However, Mr Dwumfour said

the Ada Traditional Council violated

the NMC rules of engagement

for complaint settlement

by constituting itself into a traditional

court to punish the radio

station and its staff.

DAILY ANALYST


Tobacco harm reduction: The

imperative for alternatives

There are concerns

the world

over, about the

health effects of

tobacco, which is

mostly consumed by smoking

cigarettes, cigars, or

pipes.

In January 2021, the

company Johnson & Johnson

Consumer Health,

donated nicotine patches

worth $800,000 to Jordan

to help the country in its

efforts to lower smoking

rates. The donation was

received by the country’s

ministry of health.

This was after the public

health groups sounded the

alarm on the prevalence of

smoking among Jordanian

citizens as Jordan became

the country with the highest

smoking rate in the

world. A government study

carried out in 2019 in collaboration

with the World

Health Organisation (WHO)

revealed that eight out of

every 10 Jordanian men

smoked or regularly used

nicotine products.

The WHO Representative

for Jordan, Maria Cristina

Profili, in response to the

donation stated; “We are

grateful for this donation

which builds on WHO’s

existing efforts and a comprehensive

program to fight

tobacco control in Jordan.

The nicotine replacement

therapy will help thousands

of people in Jordan quit

tobacco and lead a healthier

life.”

But still, WHO and several

public health organizations

maintain a prohibitionist

approach toward

tobacco harm reduction.

Their position is that smokers

must quit the habit or

face the consequences of

death or a myriad of health

complications. Agreed, quitting

is the best option for

smokers but what alternative

choices or reduced-risk

products are available to

consumers who cannot or

do not want to quit?

A growing number

of public health experts

believe that providing less

risky tobacco or nicotine

products will achieve the

same objective of reducing

the health effects of smoking

tobacco and in some

instances help smokers

quit. These experts in many

ways are the proponents of

Tobacco Harm reduction.

In a statement by Professor

David Nutt of Imperial

College London, published

by Counterfactual, where

he urged WHO leadership

to launch a comprehensive

rethink of its approach to

tobacco control he says

about alternative products:

“There is no real scientific

doubt that these smoke-free

products are much safer

than smoking and that they

can help smokers quit. So

we should be working hard

to make that happen”

Tobacco Harm Reduction

(THR), is a public health solution.

The argument is that

the harmful effect of tobacco

is predominantly caused

by the way it is consumed –

smoking, but if the element

of combustion (smoking) is

removed and consumers are

provided with less risky or

alternative ways to consume

tobacco or nicotine

then the public health concern

on the health impact

of tobacco is reduced.

Increasingly, proponents

of THR are revealing success

stories. A significant

number of these stories

or acceptance of THR are

from developed economies

and hopefully, it will begin

to gain acceptance in less

developed ones.

For instance, In the United

Kingdom (UK), tobacco

harm reduction within a

regulated framework, encouraging

smokers to use

non-combustible tobacco or

nicotine products, is supported

by the UK government

and most of the public

health communities.

The National Institute

for Health and Care Excellence

(NICE) which issues

evidence-based guidance

on the most effective ways

to prevent, diagnose and

treat diseases and ill health

published guidance on tobacco

harm reduction. The

guidance recognizes that

quitting smoking is always

the best option for smokers

but it supports the use of

licensed nicotine-containing

products (NCPs) to help

smokers not currently able

to quit to cut down and as a

substitute for smoking.

Public Health England

(PHE) also published an independent

evidence review

on electronic cigarettes

which concluded that the

devices are significantly

less harmful than smoking.

Furthermore, in the

United States of America

(USA), the food and drug

administration (FDA) has

begun to license alternative

products as “modified risk

tobacco products.”

Sweden has long been

considered by keen industry

observers as a trailblazer

in cutting down smoking

rates among men. But

their strategy was the use

of reduced-risk tobacco

products like snus. Snus is

a nicotine pouch that a lot

of smokers have switched

to over the years. It enables

smokers who are unable or

unwilling to quit to enjoy

nicotine without having to

contend with the dangerous

substances that accompany

combustible tobacco

products.

In December 2020,

Frost & Sullivan, a consulting

firm that is worldrenowned

for its role in

helping investors, corporate

leaders and governments

navigate economic changes

and identify disruptive

technologies, mega trends,

and new business models

reported that Japan had

recorded a 34% drop in sales

of cigarettes between 2015

and 2019 (attributing this

decline to the availability of

non-combustible, reduced

risks products, mainly heated

tobacco products (HTP).

The report supports the

position that the availability

of non-combustible

alternatives and less risky

options are crucial for any

society to achieve a decline

in smoking among its citizens.

While the proponents

of tobacco harm reduction

have always called for the

availability of alternative

products, the response of

WHO to the aforementioned

donation of nicotine

patches to Jordan would

seem to lend credence to

this notion as it openly

celebrated the provision

and availability of alternative

products, reduced risk

options to cigarettes.

It is imperative we develop

a balanced approach

to our polity. In seeking a

drop in smoking rates in Nigeria

or across Africa, what

strategies do the relevant

health authorities and regulatory

agencies have? What

is their stance on tobacco

harm reduction (THR) and

reduced-risk alternative

products?

How well do they understand

THR? What independent

research and studies

are they undertaking to improve

their knowledge and

understanding to enable an

objective appraisal of this

concept?

If the ultimate goal

is to achieve a decline in

smoking rates and reduce

the adverse health impact

of tobacco, evidence from

countries that are succeeding

continues to show that

tobacco harm reduction

must be pursued as a public

health solution despite

or in addition to ongoing

smoking cessation initiatives.

Nigeria, as with other

African countries (particularly

in Sub-Saharan Africa)

must institute robust

dialogues and engagements

with all relevant stakeholders

to formulate effective

policies and guidelines for

the availability and use of

reduced-risk products. Policies

enacted on scientific

evidence and the rights of

consumers to have access to

these products are not just

essential but are a crucial

step to reducing smoking

rates and the health impact

of combustible tobacco

products.

Leaving things the way

they are will have limited

impact on the reduction of

smoking incidence and will

not help the government to

achieve swiftly the public

policy objectives of reducing

the health risks associated

with combustible

tobacco.

By Olufisayo Adeoti

Page 6


ECG drags two to court

for interfering with

distribution systems

Electricity Company of

Ghana (ECG) has

dragged two persons

before an Accra Circuit

Court for interfering

with the company’s supplier’s

distribution systems and meters.

Daniel Abban, a 56-year-old

Electrical Engineer, and Henry

Teye Adjirackor, a 48-year-old

Electrical Technician, have been

charged with conspiracy to steal,

stealing, intentionally interfering

with the Distribution system or

meter.

Adjirackor who was

additionally charged with

intentionally interfering or

knowingly allowing interference

with suppliers Distribution

system, pleaded guilty.

Adjirackor however denied

the three other charges and he

was admitted to bail in the sum

of GHS20,000 with one surety.

The court presided over

by Mr Bright Samuel Acquah

convicted Adjirackor on his

own plea on the fourth count

The Ghana Private Road

Transport Union (GPR-

TU) has announced

its decision to roll out

a mandatory vehicle

towing system, effective October

2022.

Chairman of GPRTU Mohammed

Abass told Nyanakontotn

Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio

87.5Fm that the towing system

is to ensure the quick removal of

faulty vehicles from roads.

He noted that the new towing

system is in partnership with the

Road Safety Management Service

Limited (RSMSL).

The contractual agreement

between the GPRTU and RSMSL,

he explained requires vehicle

owners to pay annual subscription

fees depending on the type

of intentionally interfering or

knowingly allowing interference

with suppliers Distribution

system.

The court sentenced

Adjirackor to a fine of GHC5,400

cedis in default, serve 18 months

imprisonment.

The court issued a bench

warrant for the arrest of Abban

who failed to appear in court.

The matter has been

adjourned to August 27.

Earlier Mr Lambert Keriba,

counsel for Adjirackor, prayed

for bail and asked the plea of

his client be retaken as he (the

accused) sounded jittery and

confused.

Mr Paul A Abarigah, who

represented ECG, said the

complainant in the case is as

a staff of the company accused

persons claimed to be working

with Electro-Meters.

He said during the month of

June this year, the complainant

together with staff from Korle-Bu

District on their normal exercise

GPRTU to rollout

mandatory vehicle

towing system

starting October 2022

of vehicle.

He noted that Taxis would

pay, GH¢50; “Trotros”, GH¢80;

long buses, GH¢300; and foreign

trucks, GH¢1000.

He explained that when the

system was first introduced, authorities

wanted to impose it on

them, but after deliberations, it

was suspended, and the system,

was refined, and stakeholders

agreed on the modalities through

a PPP agreement.

He indicated that drivers will

have to subscribe to an online application

that has been developed

to effectively deliver the service.

He concluded that the system

is subject to parliamentary

approval before the implementation

can begin.

to check on illegal connection

and non-function meters,

detected that some meters used

by customers were stolen meters.

Counsel for ECG told the

Court that users of the “stolen”

meters were disconnected and

they were asked to come to report

at the ECG office.

In the process, prosecution

said the accused persons names

were mentioned as those who

supplied them.

According to the users of the

meters, the meters were sold

between GHS650 and GHS700.

Accused were identified and

they were picked up by the Police

The Ministry of Transport

has reiterated its

commitment to ensure

that the Ghana’s civil

aviation is not used for

human trafficking and its related

activities.

It said it would continue

to deepen collaboration with

relevant stakeholders to pursue

strategies to ensure that human

trafficking was curbed.

Dr Frederick Adom Obeng,

a Deputy Minister of Transport

said this at the opening ceremony

of a capacity building training

and sensitisation forum for

aviation staff in Accra.

Human trafficking involves

the recruitment, transportation,

transfer, harbouring, trading or

receipt of persons for the purpose

of exploitation, including prostitution,

servitude and removal of

organs, within and across national

borders.

People are trafficked by the

use of threat, other forms of coercion,

abduction, fraud, deception,

abuse of power and unknowingly.

Mr Obeng said safety and

security were the backbone of

the aviation industry, however,

human trafficking was one of the

gravest problems affecting migration

and human rights with

detrimental effects on national

security.

and in their caution statement

they admitted the offence.

The Prosecution said the

accused persons indicated that

the meters were sold after they

had been disposed of by the Tema

Regional office to scrap dealers at

Agbogbloshie.

Prosecution said

investigations revealed that the

He noted that the aviation industry

was one of the transportation

routes used by trans-national

criminal immigrants whose

activities included trafficking

and other kinds of illegal trade

such as smuggling.

The Deputy Minister said

cases of trafficking were reported

on daily basis around the globe

and data available consistently

showed that women and children

were the most affected.

Hence, he called for steps to

be taken to implement measures

to combat trafficking, protect

the safety and security of the

aviation industry with the focus

of safeguarding women and

children.

Mr Obeng said the industry

provided the only rapid worldwide

transportation network

essential for global business, and

supported economic growth, created

jobs and facilitated international

trade and tourism.

The Deputy Minister said the

Ministry’s vision was to make

the country the aviation hub

within West Africa sub-region to

open the country up to improve

air connectivity, boost trade and

tourism.

“We would see that last week,

President Nana Addo Dankwa

Akuffo Addo commissioned the

Sunyani Airport. We would also

original meter numbers were

“covered” by another number,

and they used the new number in

purchasing credit.

Additionally, prosecution

said in some instances, they used

the details of the new number

to activate them for respective

customers.

Civil aviation not to be used to

enhance human trafficking

note that the Kumasi Airport and

the Tamale Airport are all being

labelled as international standards,”

he said.

The Ministry, Mr Obeng said,

in collaboration with the GCAA

made tremendous strides in

ensuring proper regulation of the

sector to maintain high aviation

safety and security standards

in line with International Civil

Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

standards.

“We’re committed to the

provision of the needed support

and facilitate an enabling

environment for fighting human

trafficking,” Mr Obeng said.

Assistant Commissioner of

Immigration Edith Penelope Arhin,

Commander of Kotoka International

Airport, said the Service

was the first point of contact for

entry and exit of persons and also

one of the key stakeholders in

combating human trafficking in

the country.

“Our mandate as a Service of

facilitating legitimate travel and

protecting human rights makes

curbing trafficking in persons a

paramount undertaking for us as

a law enforcement agency,” she

said.

The Commander said human

trafficking and smuggling were

interlinked, since it usually morphed

into human smuggling.

She said the Service established

the Anti-Human Smuggling

and Trafficking in Persons

(AHSTIP) Unit to contribute to

the fight against the menace.

Madam Arhin said it also provided

protection and assistance

to victims of human trafficking

by giving them shelter whiles

investigations were ongoing and

ensured that their rights were

fully respected.

She called on agencies to collaborate

effectively and partner

international, Governmental and

Non-Governmental Organisations

and support joint investigations

into trafficking crimes to

eradicate it.

Friday, 12th August, 2022

DAILY ANALYST

Page 7

President Nana Addo

Dankwa Akufo-Addo

Wednesday launched

two statutory funds

aimed at enhancing

access to justice delivery and

modernizing the laws of Ghana.

They are the Legal Aid

Commission Fund and the Law

Reform Commission Fund. Both

statutory Funds were unveiled

with seed money of One million

Cedis each.

The Legal Aid Fund is

intended to provide a sturdy

mechanism for the provision of

comprehensive legal assistance

to the poor in Ghanaian society

in all cases, whilst the Law

Reform Fund would be leveraged

to undertake projects for the

development and reform of the

laws of Ghana in tune with modern

trends and develop human

resources in law reform.

Speaking at the event, held

at the Law Court Complex in Ac-

cra, President Akufo-Addo who

made a personal donation of

GHc100,000 each to both funds,

said the development was a

catalyst for equality, justice and

fairness in society.

He noted that the Legal Aid

Fund would enable the Commission

to support the vulnerable

in society to have access to legal

services, such as advice, representation

and education on legal

matters, and thus ensure justice

delivery for all irrespective of

one’s status.

The President commended

the Legal Aid Commission for its

sterling achievements even in

the face of logistical and human

resource challenges.

He pledged the government’s

commitment to addressing the

resource needs of the commission

to ensure that the institution

delivered on its mandate as

enshrined in the Legal Aid Commission

Act 2008, (Act 977)

Legal Aid and Law

Reform Funds launched

On the Law Reform Fund,

President Akufo-Addo remarked

that the statutory arrangement

would support research to refine

Ghana’s laws and strengthen

the Law Reform Commission to

identify particular areas of law

for reform.

He said the Fund would enable

the Commission to make

practical recommendations for

the development, simplification,

and modernisation of the law.

The President was hopeful

that the launch of these funds

would “usher in a progressive

chapter in the lives of the two

Commissions”.

“I urge all gathered here to

contribute generously to the fund

and I assure the Attorney General

that the Minister for Finance

through Parliament will provide

more adequate resources for the

sustenance of these funds,” he

said.

President Akufo-Addo also

charged the management and

boards of the two Commissions

to ensure that they employ

prudent measures in the management

and disbursement of

resources that would flow into

their respective funds.

“I also urge the board of the

Legal Aid Commission which is

chaired by the respected Justice

of the Supreme Court, Mr Justice

Nene Amegatcher, and the board

of the Law Reform Commission,

which is chaired by the

prominent legal practitioner,

Mr Anthony Akoto Ampaw, to

discharge faithfully, dutifully, the

mandates of managing the funds

in accordance with section 34 of

Act 977 and section 13 of Act 822

respectfully,” he said.

The Attorney General and

Minister for Justice, Godfred

Yeboah Dame stressed that the

establishment of the two funds

“will lay the building blocks for

the transformation of two very

important institutions whose

mandate is crucial for enhancing

access to justice delivery in the

country.”

He urged institutions of the

state, the diplomatic community,

civil society organizations, development

partners and stakehold-

ers to make generous contributions

to both funds to enable the

two commissions to attain their

objectives.

Supreme Court Judge, Justice

Jones Dotse, who represented the

Chief Justice, commended the Attorney

General and the Ministry

of Justice for their role in the establishment

of the two funds and

emphasized that Ghana’s laws

needed reforms to address the

challenges to justice delivery.

Whilst commending the

establishment of the Legal Aid

Fund, he stressed the need for the

General Legal Council to make

it mandatory for lawyers to do a

number of pro-bono cases before

the renewal of their licenses.

That, he said, would also

ensure that the poor and vulnerable

in society got access to legal

services to reduce the burden on

the Legal Aid Fund.

Divine Presbyterian

Church Inducts 9 YAF

Executives

Krobo: ECG workers only feel safe

working with military – ECG boss

The Managing Director

for Electricity Company

of Ghana (ECG), Samuel

Dubik Masubir Mahama

has indicated that

workers with his company feel

safe working with the military on

the Krobo land.

Residents of Nuaso, a suburb

of the Lower Manya Krobo

municipality in the Eastern

region, have protested against

the presence of the military and

the installation of prepaid meters

without engagement with the

community.

The situation resulted in

heavy tension in the area because

of the confrontation between

some agitating residents who

spontaneously kicked against the

presence of the military.

The volatile atmosphere

forced the military and the staff

of ECG to retreat from the area resulting

in power cuts for the Yilo

and Manyo Krobo residents.

But speaking to Nana Aba

Anamoah on Starr Chat Wednesday,

the ECG boss reiterated that

his men can only safely work

with the 64 Regiment of the Ghana

Armed Forces who are skilled

in electrical works to speed up

the work in the area.

“There have been a series of

meetings and we keep stating our

position on the matter, even if we

say today that we have forgiven

all the debt till July we have to

finish the exercise in August,

how do we finish the exercise in

August? It is by allowing us to

install these prepaid meters and

then we can actually think about

the debt and be able to quantify

it.

“But, the whole conversation

is about how to go about it. Even

if they say to install the meters

today we are okay. I cannot install

it all in one day. It will take time.

It will take probably within the

whole month or maybe about a

month and a half. Because I am

supposed to reach over 20,000

customers,” Mr Mahama stated.

He continued: “So they can go

ahead and speak to or sensitize

which group of people are the

pocket areas that are causing

the problem. So I can be working

my way towards there. It is

just about getting to a consensus

because what we have now if we

don’t nip this problem in the bud

now next year at the same time

we will have this same problem.

He said there are videos of

residents cutting down the power

lines in the areas but added

that the lines have been fixed

for power to be installed for the

people after a conversation.

“So what I am saying is that

my staff need to walk the lines

and check the transformers and

who is going to protect them.

Right now they feel safe under

the Ghana Armed Forces. We have

not had the best of relationships

in that area.

“I am not a second happy

about what is going on because I

understand what it means, my issue

is even now I cannot just energize

the line. I have to work the

line to check the transformers

because the information reaching

me is that they have dumped

sand in some of the transformers

which run with oil. Which means

that it is not going to work.”

Divine Presbyterian

Church located at

Anyaa in the Ga

Central Municipality

has inducted 9 newly

elected executives of the Young

Adults’ Fellowship (YAF).

The induction ceremony held

on Sunday 7th August 2022 during

a forenoon service of the church

was to officially initiate the new

executives into office. The inductees

who are expected to govern

the YAF group in the church

for the next 3 years included:

Daniel Asare as President, Eric

Tei-Mensah as Vice President,

Joyce Asamoah as Secretary, and

Deborah Quarcoo as Assistance

Secretary.

The rest are Grace Ampong

as Organizer, Laura Awuah as

Treasurer, and Charity Owusu as

Women’s Commissioner. Nicholas

Dugbaza as Financial Secretary

and Enoch Acquah as Evangelism

Coordinator.

Preaching on the theme: ‘The

Lord our God is our Fortress’, the

Minister in Charge of Divine

Presbyterian Church, Reverend

Patrick Acheampong, admonished

the new executives to put

their trust in God and rely on His

guidance in the discharge of their

duties.

He also counseled them to

learn to seek assistance from

their predecessors in order to

continue their good works.

“Psalm 46 reminds us of what

is real and true. There are trials

in our journeys, but never forget

that God is our strength, and

therefore, He is always available

to assist in times of trouble. I encourage

you to call on Him all the

time when the going gets tough.

Rely solely on God for guidance

in your work, and don’t forget to

walk closely with your predecessors

to learn from their rich

experiences”.

On behalf of the inductees the

President, Mr. Asare, expressed

appreciation to the Almighty God

for His grace that had enabled a

successful leadership transition

process. He also appealed to the

YAF group and the church to support

his team to serve the youth

and the church.

The service also witnessed an

appreciation ceremony for outgoing

executives of the YAF group.

In attendance were the Kwashieman

District Executives of the

YAF group and family and friends

of both outgoing and incoming

executives.

Page 8

Health


Mr Clifford Vengkumgmene,

the

Sissala East Municipal

Director

of Health Services,

has said the Municipality

had been hit by a high incidence

of malaria infections despite

several interventions.

He said the sensitisation,

distribution of long-lasting insecticide

nets, and the Seasonal

Malaria Chemoprevention, notwithstanding,

malaria topped

the list of Out Patients Department

(OPD) cases in the area.

“If you take the OPD attendance,

you will see malaria being

among the top 10 and if you aggregate

all, the malaria cases top

Lifenet International, a

faith-based nonprofit,

has supported two

health facilities of the

Catholic Church in the

Volta Region.

The NGO, on Tuesday

presented medical equipment

including delivery beds,

sterilizers, suction machines,

and drip stands, to the St. Francis

Clinic at Saviefe Agorkpo, and

the St. George Polyclinic at Liati.

Mr Idris Buabeng, Country

Director of the Organisation,

said while presenting the items,

that the donation was to help

the facilities enhance delivery,

and that the medical tools would

help increase facility capacity,

enhance minor surgeries and

other technical care.

He said addressing gaps in

essential medical equipment

formed part of the focus of

the Organisation, which had

committed to supporting facility

budgets for medical equipment.

“The facilities would now

have freedom to re-dedicate

that budget to others including

quality management and other

essential needs,” the Country

Director noted.

Lifenet International,

headquartered in the United

States of America, also provides

capacity enhancement for the

health staff of the facilities

it supports, and has online

learning systems to help meet

its goal of quality health care.

The Organisation also

the list of OPD top 10 cases, and

it is in all our facilities,” he said.

Mr Vengkumgmene, in a

presentation during the Mid-

Year Health Sector Performance

Review at Tumu in the Upper

West Region, said a total of 5,588

OPD attendance, representing

18.8 per cent of 29,660 for the

year 2022, were malaria cases.

He said in 2020 malaria came

second with 6,695, representing

24.6 per cent of the OPD attendance,

and was still second in

2021, with 6,585, representing

23.6 per cent.

He said this made the infection

an area that required additional

attention to contain in the

Municipality but commended

Sissala East Health Directorate

worried over high malaria cases

the staff and management of

the health sector for teamwork,

which had led to some gains

made.

Mr Vengkumgmene said Sissala

East was among the highest

performing districts using the

key performance indicators and

had received awards for three

consecutive years – 2019, 2020,

and 2021.

“I have accepted the challenge

to maintain the position

every single year. I was initially

scared but with the staff’s support,

we shall sustain the gains,”

he noted.

He explained that the sector

had performed well using the

key performance indicators,

with Ante-natal attendance

being 98.7 per cent against a

target of 80 per cent, whilst

Family Planning was 41 per cent

against a 40 per cent target of

40 per cent, skilled delivery was

89.7 per cent against a target of

60 per cent.

“The maternal mortality

ratio stood at 66 per cent of

100,000 live births meaning we

recorded one maternal death in

April, which is unfortunate, we

will work on that and change

it, no woman should die giving

birth,” Mr Vengkumgmene

observed.

Two health facilities supported

with essential medical equipment

helps ensure quality facility

management and has periodic

training and monitoring visits

to that effect.

It established presence in

Ghana in 2021, and had since

supported 25 health facilities,

nine of which belongs to the

Catholic Church.

Mr Buabeng said Lifenet

plans to reach out to 96 health

centres nationwide within the

period of three years.

Hanson Torde, Diocesan

Health Director, commended

the Organisation for aiding the

Region, and said the support

helped sustain the shared

responsibility outlook of health

delivery.

He said the two facilities

recorded commendable

performance, and that the

support would help them deliver

more to clients and promised

that the Diocese would ensure

the equipment was wellmaintained.

The Diocesan Health Director

appealed to traditional leaders to

support health workers posted to

their areas, to help address the

deficiency of professional health

staff in rural areas.

Edwin Keteku, Administrator

of the St. Francis Clinic, a 24-bed

facility, said the donation was

timely as the cost of healthcare

delivery escalated due to

inflation.

He said the IGF of lower

health facilities had come under

constraint as a result, and that

with the support, quality health

delivery would be made more

affordable and sustainable.

He mentioned inadequate

transport, water and electricity

supply, medicines, and consumables,

and poor communications

services as challenges facing the

directorate and called for government’s

assistance in those areas.

He urged the National Health

Insurance Authority to reimburse

the facility of its claims as

early as possible.

Mr Yakubu Fuseini Batong,

the Sissala East Municipal Chief

Executive, entreated all other

departments to emulate the Mid-

Mrs Florence

Hagan, the

Greater Accra

Regional

Population

Officer, has urged the

government to prioritise

Reproductive Health Rights and

Choices to control population

growth in the country.

She said addressing

reproductive health issues like

family planning, early marriage

and childbirth and teenage

pregnancies would help achieve

the Sustainable Development

Goal three.

Mrs Hagan said population

growth, especially in the Greater

Accra Region had put a lot of

pressure on the limited resources

and infrastructure, which called

for urgent action.

She said this in Accra at a

press briefing to commemoration

this year’s World Population Day

(WPD) on the national theme:

“Prioritizing rights and choices;

harnessing opportunities, the

road to a resilient future for all.”

The global theme for this

year’s WPD: “A world of eight

billion: towards a resilient future

for all, harnessing opportunities

and ensuring rights and choices,”

seek to draw attention to the

world population growth

expected to hit about eight

billion by the end of this year.

The global event is

commemorated on July 11.

The 2021 Population Census

revealed that Greater Accra

population increased from

4,010,054 in 2010 to 5,455,692 in

202

Ṫhe figure makes Accra

the most populous in Ghana,

overtaking Ashanti region since

1970.

Greater Accra Region,

she stated, was becoming

overpopulated as a result of high

level of in-migration from other

regions and immigration from

neighbouring countries, which

needed urgent attention.

The 2014 Survey on

Demographic and Health shows

that the total fertility rate is

2.8 children per woman in the

country.

Mrs Hagan said the fertility

Year Performance Review of the

Ghana Health Service, saying:

“If all the departments undertake

this exercise, things will be

better.”

He asked the Municipal

Health Director to furnish the

Assembly with the needs of the

Directorate to be included in

their programmes adding that

the Tumu Hospital Children`s

Ward, which had been closed

over structural defects, was one

of the critical focuses of the

Assembly.

Ghana government urged to

prioritise reproductive rights

to control population growth

rate attested to that fact that the

region’s youthful age structure

was largely as a result of

migration and urbanisation.

“We need to be concern about

Ghana’s youthful population

because they represent the

economic workforce driving the

economy,” she said.

She said Ghana achieving a

demographic dividend required

that the country understood

the size and distribution of

its population, its current and

projected age structure and the

pace of population growth.

The situation, she

emphasised, meant national

needs must be matched with

a sequence of short, medium

and long-term investments

that guaranteed the rights of all

the citizenry to enjoy access to

sectors of development.

She called on relevant

authorities to add their voices to

promote policies, programmes

and legislation to end child

marriage, reduce teenage

pregnancies and support

evidence-based and girl-centred

investments to empower them

with information on their

health rights.

Dr Farida Njelba Abdulai, the

Acting Greater Accra Deputy

Director, Public Health, Ghana

Health Service, said as the world

population got to eight billion, it

was necessary to prioritise the

number of children to have for

proper care.

“As health service, we work

to ensure that family planning

services are safe, acceptable,

affordable, effective and

geographically accessible for

all,” she said.

To improve financial access,

she said the National Health

Insurance Authority this

year approved the use of the

Authority’s card to access family

planning services to increase the

uptake of the services.

Some of the participants

urged the leadership of the

National Population Council

to liaise with the religious

leaders to educate the public on

reproductive issues, especially

with family planning.

DAILY ANALYST


progress toward developing an

Integrated Aluminium Industry

praying the court to restrain GoG

from mining in the Atewa Forest.

Project 4 - The modernisation

and expansion of the VALCO

smelter to improve efficiency and

increase capacity

The VALCO smelter is currently

running on two out of its

five potlines and producing about

50,000 tonnes of primary aluminium

per year, out of its installed

capacity of 200,000 tonnes.

The other 3 potlines have been

shut down, and beyond repairs

due to lack of maintenance and

repairs over the years. VALCO has

the capacity for direct employment

of over 1,200 Ghanaians but

currently employs 705 Ghanaians.

Following the establishment

of GIADEC in 2018, and the consequent

transfer of the Government

of Ghana’s 100% holding to

GIADEC, immediate steps were

taken by GIADEC to establish the

VALCO Board. The Board was duly

inaugurated in August 2020.

A collaboration between

GIADEC and VALCO, as part of

VALCO’s recovery plan, secured

approval from government for an

injection of funds into the Company’s

operations in 2021, leading

to the maintenance and repairs

of its two (2) and only operating

potlines. This completed the stabilization

phase of the Company.

GIADEC working closely with

VALCO has recorded some modest

gains over the period. VALCO for

the first time in twelve (12) years,

recorded a positive Earnings

Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation

& Amortization (EBITDA) for the

year 2021. The trend is expected to

continue in 2022, and in the coming

years, if the required investments

are made.

The implementation of Project

4 - the modernisation and expansion

of the VALCO smelter to

improve efficiency and increase

capacity, is to ensure that VALCO

is positioned to sustainably grow

and be profitable, and to contribute

towards establishing and realising

the linkages of the upstream

and downstream components of

the Masterplan for Ghana’s IAI.

The mordenisation and retrofitting

of the VALCO smelter will

result in a new installed capacity

of 300,000 tonnes which will be a

major boost to realisation of the

plan.

A well-capitalized VALCO,

operating with modern technology,

will ensure that the plant is

more efficient, more productive,

competitive, and can ultimately

drive the transformation of the

downstream sector of the IAI in

Ghana.

The execution of Project 4

alone, will require significant

investments in excess of USD 600

million. This will thus, require a

strategic investor/partner with

the financial capacity and technical

know-how, to partner GIADEC

to expand, retrofit and modernize

the plant.

Ghana’s downstream sector

remains underdeveloped using

less than 7,000 tonnes of the

about 50,000 tonnes of aluminium

VALCO currently produces. With

a forecast of about 300,000 metric

tonnes of aluminium after VALCO

has been retrofitted, GIADEC is

working to revive and expand the

downstream sector to take advantage

of the excess aluminium that

would be produced.

This will ensure that we maximize

in-country value by producing

finished aluminium products

to substitute imports and grow

domestic market share in the Aulights

and identifies all the key

components such as supporting

infrastructure – railways, port

facilities and power, as well as the

allied industries, and the regulatory,

statutory, and environmental

frameworks, that will be vital to

the successful implementation of

Ghana’s IAI.

In September 2021, President

Akufo-Addo launched all four (4)

projects of the IAI and witnessed

the signing ceremony between

GIADEC and its strategic partner

to execute Project 2, Rocksure

International.

The four (4) key projects, are

together, estimated to cost $6

billion to implement. The projects

are:

Project 1 – Expansion of existing

mine at Awaso and building of

a refinery.

Project 2 – Development of a

mine at Nyinahin-Mpasaaso and a

refinery solution.

Project 3 – Development of a

mine at Kyebi, a second mine at

Nyinahin-Mpasaaso and building

of a refinery.

Project 4 – The modernisation

and expansion of the VALCO

smelter to improve efficiency and

increase capacity.

STATUS OF ALL 4 PROJECTS

UNDER THE IAI

Project 1 - Expansion of existing

mine at Awaso and building of

a refinery

The Awaso bauxite mine has

been in operation for over 80

years. The mine is managed by

Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC)

which, until recently, was jointly

owned by the Chinese mining

company, Bosai Minerals Group

Limited (Bosai), which held an

80% stake, and the Government

of Ghana a 20% stake The Government

of Ghana’s stake in GBC is

now held by GIADEC.

A Memorandum of Understanding

(MOU) was signed between

GIADEC and Bosai Minerals

Group Limited to expand the

Awaso mine and build a 1.6mm

tonne alumina refinery. However,

due to Bosai’s decision to pull out

of the operations and exit the

country, the execution of Project

is currently on hold.

Following Bosai’s exit, however,

a Ghanaian Consortium, OPCL,

has acquired the 80% shares in

GBC which was held by Bosai,

with GIADEC retaining its 20%

holding.

GIADEC in collaboration with

the Government of Ghana and its

new partner, OPCL, has worked to

stabilise the existing operations

at Awaso. GBC has since commenced

mine expansion plans

at the Subri Hill in their Awaso

Concession with the support of

GIADEC. The new outlook for GBC,

in the short to medium term, is to

ramp up production from 1million

tonnes per annum to 2 million per

annum.

Meanwhile, GIADEC is poised

to reinitiate Project 1, and is

currently assessing the capacity

of OPCL to execute Project 1

which involves the expansion of

the existing Awaso mine and the

building of a refinery.

Project 2 - Development of a

mine at Nyinahin-Mpasaaso and a

refinery solution

In September 2021, Rocksure

International, a wholly owned

Ghanaian Company, signed an

agreement to partner GIADEC to

execute Project 2, under an eventual

joint venture partnership

arrangement.

Rocksure International Limited

is currently on-site and has

commenced drilling and Mineral

Resource Estimation (MRE)

works at Nyinahin Block B - The

Prospecting work is expected to

be concluded by end of this year

and will pave the way for the

building of a mine (with a refinery

solution) in the Nyinahin-Mpasaaso

area.

The impact of the activities

of the partner – Rocksure International

have been visible in

the community resulting in the

creation of direct and indirect jobs

(through supportive businesses)

a situation which has boosted

the local economy and offered renewed

hope to the teeming youth.

Chief Executive Officer of GIA-

DEC, Mr. Michael Ansah, on a recent

visit to inspect the progress

of work, was taken on a tour of the

project site to observe the processes

of collecting bauxite samples

for testing at the laboratory.

He was also introduced to

state-of-the-art drilling machinery

being used to conduct diamond

drilling which, according to

the Project Geologist, will help obtain

quality or core samples that

will be analyzed at the laboratory

to check for alumina content.

Project 3 - Development of a

mine at Kyebi, a second mine at

Nyinahin-Mpasaaso, and building

of a refinery

GIADEC has finalized negotiations

with a preferred strategic

partner and is going through the

necessary approval processes

ahead of an imminent announcement.

An imperative, and essential

part of developing Project 3 is the

strict adherence to environmental

planning standards and considerations,

and to need to drive world

class responsible mining standards.

GIADEC will ensure that a

Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) is

produced from the Baseline Biodiversity

and Hydrology Studies

that have been conducted by the

Faculty of Natural Resources of

the Kwame Nkrumah University

of Science and Technology

(KNUST), on behalf of the Environmental

Protection Agency

(EPA), in the Atewa Forest Range,

which contains the Kyebi bauxite

reserves, and together with all

requisite regulatory agencies,

ensure its implementation.

This is part of efforts to ensure

that our operations are within a

sound and sustainable regulatory

framework that will protect

the vegetation, water bodies and

wildlife.

A case is currently ongoing at

the High Court of Ghana, between

some civil society organisations,

and individuals, against the Attorney

General (the Government

of Ghana (GoG)), with the former

Ghana’s first President,

Kwame Nkrumah had

the vision to industrialise

Ghana’s economy

and identified the Integrated

Aluminium Industry (IAI)

as a good starting point.

With an operating bauxite

mine in Awaso and the establishment

of the VALCO smelter by

Kaiser Aluminium of the United

States of America, the IAI dream

was on its way to becoming a reality.

The building of the Akosombo

Dam, primarily, to provide cheap

and reliable power to VALCO with

the excess energy to power other

industrial projects provided an

impetus to Nkrumah’s industrialisation

drive.

The vision was for the private

investors to work towards establishing

the full value chain of an

Integrated Aluminium Industry

in Ghana, which would ensure

the mining of bauxite, refining

bauxite into alumina and smelting

alumina into aluminium, all

within Ghana.

Sadly, this vision never materialized,

leaving Ghana with a

bauxite mine in Awaso and the

VALCO smelter in Tema but the

country still has no refinery. Currently,

all bauxite mined in Awaso

is exported, and the alumina

component needed for VALCO’s

smelter operation is imported.

President Akufo-Addo with

his vision of a ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’

identified industrialisation as a

major pillar; with an Integrated

Aluminium Industry as one of the

strategic anchor industries to lead

the industrialisation drive.

This vision of a ‘Ghana Beyond

Aid’ subsequently birthed the

Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development

Corporation (GIADEC).

GIADEC was established through

an Act of Parliament - The Ghana

Integrated Aluminium Development

Corporation Act, 2018 (Act

976) assented to in August 2018

with a clear mandate to promote

and develop an IAI in Ghana.

Empowered by its objects

under Act 976, GIADEC holds and

manages all of Government of

Ghana (GoG)’s current and future

interests and investments in the

IAI which includes the entire

value chain in the production of

aluminium.

GIADEC currently holds

GoG’s one hundred percent Volta

Aluminium Company Limited

(VALCO) and the twenty percent

minority stake in Ghana Bauxite

Company Limited (GBC) respectively.

Additionally, the prospecting

rights to all of Ghana’s

approximately nine hundred

million metric tonnes of bauxite

have been novated to GIADEC.

Through a series of engagements

with Government of

Ghana stakeholder organisations,

GIADEC has developed an Outline

Masterplan for Ghana’s IAI. The

Masterplan underpins the execution

of Ghana’s IAI.

It defines the four key projects

the Corporation is driving to

develop the upstream part of the

full value chain of the Integrated

Aluminium Industry in Ghana.

The Masterplan also high-

tomotive, Electrical, Construction

and Packaging sectors.

A thriving Downstream Aluminium

Industry will be a vibrant

industrial powerhouse made up of

manufacturing companies creating

thousands of jobs, including

high-paying jobs for the teeming

youth.

Project 4 - the modernization

and expansion of VALCO is, therefore,

key to achieving the vision

for the downstream

The Integrated Aluminium

Industry is a ‘game changer’! It is

at the heart of Ghana’s industrial

transformation agenda. When fully

implemented and prioritized,

it will lead to a transformation of

Ghana’s economy, and massively

turn around the economic fortunes

of Ghana.

The IAI, alone, has the potential

to create hundreds of thousands

of jobs across every level

of the value chain and could be

the panacea to Ghana’s unemployment

woes, whilst improving

Ghana’s GDP substantially.

The timing for developing

Ghana’s IAI is right as the aluminium

market, though volatile,

is looking very favourable and

is forecasted to even get better.

There has been a rising demand

in the use of aluminium significantly

by about 54% in the last

decade due to its lightweight, high

strength, and recycling properties.

This upward trend in production

is likely to continue in

the years to come along with the

healthy pace of increase in the

usage of aluminium. The development

of the downstream will

ensure we lock in value in Ghana

while significantly boosting the

economy.

The execution of all four (4)

projects under the IAI master

plan are at various stages of implementation.

The infrastructure

underpinning the IAI i.e power,

ports and harbour, railway and

roads are equally being developed

under the relevant agencies

in tandem. This is a multi-year,

multi-billion-dollar investment

programme.

The vision of developing an

IAI in Ghana is now clearly defined,

and execution is on course.

The integration of four (4) operating

bauxite mines, two refineries,

the VALCO smelter, and vibrant

downstream industry, accompanied

by the supporting infrastructure

i.e an expanded ports and

harbour with increased capacity,

railway and supporting network,

and a low-cost and stable power

supply, will be critical to success.

Since its establishment,

GIADEC has been living up to

its mandate of developing and

promoting an Integrated Aluminium

Industry, giving credence to

President Akufo-Addo’s vision of a

“Ghana Beyond Aid”.

By Saanu Abacha

Page 10

Mr Alberto

Calderon, the

Global Chief

Executive Officer

of AngloGold

Ashanti Ltd, Wednesday said

the company had invested more

than one billion dollars in Ghana

over the past few years.

He said 86 per cent of the

investments were retained with

The Ashanti Regional

Customs Division of

the Ghana Revenue

Authority (GRA)

generated a total of

GH184.5 million as revenue at

the end of July 2022.

The amount is out of the total

target of GH383,913,600.00 for

this year.

Mr. Edmund Augustine

Omari, Ashanti Regional Sector

Commander said the collection

was behind the target of the

region by 50.1 per cent.

He explained this was due

to the inability of the taxpayers

to rake in enough income

because of the current economic

situation in the country.

“The Bulk Oil Storage and

Transportation Co Ltd (BOST)

our major taxpayer, is not

making enough,” he explained,

and assured management of

working hard to meet the target

before the year ends.

Mr Omari, who was speaking

at the opening of the 2022

Customs Division Management

Retreat in Kumasi, spoke of lack

of logistics and personnel as

factors impeding collection of

revenues.

The five-day meeting

is being held on the theme

“Simplification of Customs

Procedures in Achieving 2022

Revenue Target”.

The meeting will among

other things discuss the GRA

risk management structure,

simplification of bonds and

treaties, overview of terrorism

Business

AngloGold made over

one billion dollars

investments in Ghana

registered partner Ghanaian

companies, while 98 per cent

of its 4,000 employees were

Ghanaians.

President Nana Addo Dankwa

Akufo-Addo, in 2019, re-opened

AngloGold’s Obuasi Mine with

an initial investment of US$881

million after its shutdown in

2014.

The revamping of the Obuasi

GRA-Kumasi

generates GH184.5M

as revenue in July

in Africa and its effects on

trade (roles and challenges of

the Customs Division), trade

agreement and its effects on

revenue and the role of post

clearance audit in revenue

mobilization.

The Sector Commander

outlining the functions of the

Kumasi collection said they

ensure that goods that entered,

exited or transited their

operational areas went through

right customs procedures and

processes.

They also performed direct

export, temporal export,

voluntary import compliance,

free zones and petroleum

functions.

Mr. Omari hinted that

plans were far advanced to set

up a checkpoint on the Ejura-

Kumasi Road, where intelligence

gathered confirmed that it had

become a major smuggling route

in the Ashanti Region.

He, however assured that

the other existing checkpoints

located at Kubease, Ahenkro,

Mankranso, and Mpasatia in

the region would continue to

perform their duties effectively.

He mentioned that the

checkpoint at Anwiankwanta

on the Kumasi-Obuasi road

which linked to the Central and

Western Regions needed to be

relocated.

This was due to the ongoing

road construction which

had affected their day-to-day

activities on the stretch.


Mine has created employment

for the indigenes and boosted

the local economy.

Mr Calderon announced this

when he paid a courtesy call

on Mr George Mireku Duker, a

Deputy Minister of Lands and

Natural Resources in charge of

Mines, in Accra, ahead of his

meeting with President Akufo-

Addo at the Jubilee House.

He said the Mine would

continue to invest in its

shareholders and local

communities hosting its

operations to make a difference

in the lives of the people.

“We invest in many countries

in the world, from Australia,

Americas to Africa and I’ve been

to many places, and I can say

with certainty that the country

The Ghana Union of

Traders Association

(GUTA) is cautioning

that Ghanaians

may buy Christmas

goods at much higher prices in

December this year.

Goods, including food items

like cooking oil, rice, sugar,

second-hand clothing, and

frozen foods, as well as nonfood

items such as Christmas

trees, ribbons, and balloons for

decorations are mostly imported

by members of GUTA.

Dr Joseph Obeng, President

of the Association, told the

Ghana News Agency that if the

Government did not address

the depreciation of the Cedi

immediately, Ghanaians would

buy their Christmas goods at

expensive prices.

He said: “We would have to

bring as much goods as we can,

but to tell the truth, our capital

itself has dwindled. It means it

will also affect the volumes of

trade that we do, especially in

the last quarter of the year if the

trend continues.”

“When exchange rate goes

up, inflation goes up, interest

rate and all the indicators of

trading go up, it will definitely

affect the final pricing then it

will affect the final consumer

who already is suffering,” he

emphasised.

Dr Obeng noted that the

working capital of many

members of GUTA, the country’s

umbrella body of traders

(importers and exporters),

continued to deplete due to the

depreciation of the Cedi against

the Dollar amid high interest

rates on loans.

The President said that:

“It could be recalled that since

December 2021 when the dollar

was GHS6.4, our working capital

that welcomes us the most and

gives us support is Ghana,” Mr

Calderon stated.

Mr Duker, on his part,

gave the assurance that the

Government would continue to

create an enabling environment

for the large-scale mining

companies to thrive and ensure

a win-win situation.

He said government’s

dealing with the large-scale

mining companies would be

has been depleted by 40 per

cent. Now that the dollar has

reached GHS9, our worst fear is

that we are now going to make

Christmas orders from our

suppliers, which may aggravate

the situation.”

He said that the import

business had become

“gloomy and pathetic” as the

multinationals have taken over,

and their efforts to start looking

for goods to export to support

the economy had not yielded the

expected result.

He, therefore, called on

the Government to amend

the country’s investment

law on foreign retail trade

and wholesale to make the

multinationals deposit their

capital fund in Ghana for

transfers.

“We believe that the

government should have full

control of management of our

national resources as well as the

capability to solve this problem

in the shortest possible time,” Dr

Obeng, said.

anchored on transparency and

accountability by providing the

necessary information to them.

He said AngloGold Ghana

remained an integral part of the

government’s mining drive and

would continue to support it.

“The leadership of your

men here are doing so well and

they have shown quality and

competence in the company’s

operations,” Mr Duker said.

GUTA cautions public of increase

in prices of goods at Christmas

Inflationary pressures and

other factors have compounded

the economic hardship in

Ghana whose economy was once

described by the International

Monetary Fund (IMF) as the

fastest growing economy in sub-

Saharan Africa.

This has made the

Government to initiate

discussions with the IMF to

support Ghana’s homegrown

economic programme to restore

macroeconomic stability, anchor

debt sustainability, and promote

inclusive and sustainable

growth.

Meanwhile, the President

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

had said that the Government

was determined to work hard to

turn the economy around.

The President said that with

the measures put in place by the

Government: “I am confident

that we will revive and revitalise

the economy and put our

nation back on the path of rapid

economic growth.”

DAILY ANALYST


Caf President Patrice

Motsepe has stated

that they are going

to listen to divergent

views regarding the

Africa Super League.

Motsepe launched the Super

League on Wednesday in Arusha,

Tanzania, at Caf’s 44th general

assembly.

Although the African football

administrator has confidence in

the new competition, opposing

voices have been raised, and one

of the opponents is the South

African Football Players Union

(Safpu), which termed it an

ill-conceived and unworkable

idea.

"Part of our job is to engage

and to consult with all stakeholders,”

Motsepe told BBC

Africa Sport.

“And sometimes it's more

important to listen to those who

have got different views and also

those who disagree with you.

"I think some of them feel

that we haven't spoken to them.

We couldn't have spoken to everybody.

It's impossible. We will

engage with all of them."

Motsepe has always stressed

that the Super League is an avenue

to source more funds for the

African football competitions.

"I want to be in a situation

where there's competition

among all the leagues, and I

want the Champions League to

even get more prize money, and

to be competitive," he added.

Motsepe:

Impossible to talk

to everyone about

Super League

"My objective is to get money

for football infrastructure, for

players, club owners, stakeholders.

We are talking about anything

between $250m to $300m

every year," Motsepe explained.

"If you look at the numbers,

we are talking about $2.5m for

each of the 24 clubs to use, to

help with transport and accommodation

but also to buy

players."

On her part, Simba’s chief

executive officer, Barbara Gonzalez,

highlighted what she thinks

are the benefits of the inaugural

tournament.

"This is going to change the

face of African football as we

know it in terms of investment,

exposure, and marketing overall,"

Gonzalez said.

"As one of the leading football

clubs in the region, we're

extremely excited about this."

Fifa President Giani Infantino,

who was present during

the Super League launch, added

his voice on the idea that has

attracted divergent views across

the continent.

"Well, first of all, the African

Super League is a completely

different proposition than what

was proposed in Europe, which

was a kind of a breakaway thing

outside of the structures," Infantino

explained.

"This is done within the

structure within Caf, within

Fifa, within the football pyramid

structure."

Former Accra Hearts of

Oak striker, Kofi Kordzi

has said that he will

under circumstance

return to the club after

he was "humiliated" in the

public space.

Accra Hearts of Oak described

Kofi Kordzi and five other players

as surplus to requirement when

they announced their decision

to release them.

Despite his release from the

club, Accra Hearts of Oak are

yet to give him his letter as he

was told that some clubs have

expressed interest in him so will

not make him leave for free.

Asked if he would return to

the club, Kofi Kordzi told Saddick

Adams that there is no amount

of money that will compel him

to wear the Phobian jersey again

because of how he was treated.

“Football is played with the

heart but before God and man

even if Hearts of Oak give me

billions of dollars I can’t be able

to play for them again,” Kordzi

told Accra-based Angel FM.

Kofi Kordzi scored 7 goals in

the 2021/2022 Ghana Premier

League for the Phobians.

BBC broadcaster, John

Bennett has said new

Black Stars player,

Tariq Lamptey will

make significant

impact for the Black Stars at the

2022 World Cup.

The Brighton and Hove

Sports

I will never wear the Phobian

Tariq Lamptey will make

World Cup - BBC journalist

Albion defender is set to play for

the Black Stars at the 2022 FIFA

World Cup after completing his

nationality switch in June 2022.

Speaking with Gold TalkSport,

Bennett said he cannot wait to

watch the British-born Ghanaian

in Ghana colours.

“I can’t wait to see him [Tariq

Lamptey] in the Black Stars shirt

ahead of the [FIFA] World Cup,"

he said.

“I think he can really make a

difference down the right-hand

side for Ghana,” he added.

Following Ghana's

qualification for the 2022 FIFA

World Cup, five players switched

nationalities to play for the Black

Stars.

The players include Inaki

Williams, Tariq Lamptey, Stephan

Ambrosius, Ransford Yeboah, and

Patric Pfeiffer.

Mohammed Salisu, who had

requested more time to settle in

at Southampton, has also agreed

to play for Ghana.

The aforementioned players

will be available during the next

international break in September

2022.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup will

commence on Monday, November

21 and end on Sunday, December

18, 2022.

Ghana are in World Cup

Group H with Uruguay, Portugal,

and South Korea.

The Black Stars will begin

their World Cup campaign

against Portugal on November

24, followed by South Korea on

November 28.

They will wrap up their group

stage games against Uruguay

on December 2 at the Al Janoub

Stadium in Al Wakra.

Friday, 12th August, 2022

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