Daily Heritage June 16

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02 CONTENT DAILY HERITAGE FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017 DAILY QUOTE Trust because you are willing to accept the risk, not because it's safe or certain - Anonymous ANNIVERSARIES 18 Jun, Father’s Day 25 Jun, Eid al-Fitr 3 Jul, Republic Day Holiday 1 Sep, Eid al-Adha WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH Email: info@dailyheritage.com.gh Facebook: facebook.com/dailyheritagegh z WORLD London fire: Prime minister orders full public inquiry James Town, Elmina to get fishing harbours BUSINESS POLITICS SPORTS CITY Updates P.04 P.10 About 160, 624 units of blood collected nationwide in 2016 Seek God before marriage • Philanthropist to Ghanaians P.15 THE CHIEF Executive Officer of the National Blood Service, Ghana, Dr Justina Kordai Ansah, said in 2016, a total of 160, 624 units of blood was collected nationwide. Abraham Attah, Hero Film crew donate to Tamale schoolchildren Vodafone’s Instant Schools to provide free education P.11 I have not retired from football yet — John Mensah MULTIPLE AWARD-WINNING teen actor Abraham Attah and the Hero Film crew have donated a number of Toms shoes to underprivileged schoolchildren in the Northern Region. BY MUNTALLA INUSAH muntalla.inusah@dailyheritage.com.gh THE MINISTRY of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development has revealed plans to construct two fishing harbours and 15 landing beaches across the country. The sector Minister, Mrs Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, made this known when she paid a working visit to the Central Region to assess the level of damages caused to the fishermen who were affected by Sunday’s tidal waves. "If you listened to our budget, it was mentioned in it. We are going to construct 15 landing beaches but four will be constructed this year. James Town is going to be a fishing harbour, Elmina is going to be a fishing harbour, but the others are going to be landing beaches within the fishing landing sites. There is going to be sea defence and breakwaters to control the speed of the tide to prevent some of these destructions,” she said. Govt’s support While commiserating with the fishermen Published by: EIB Network / Heritage Communications Ltd. Managing Editor: William Asiedu: 0208156974 Editor: Kofi Enchill: 0265653335 ISSN: 0855-5230 7 VOL 7 Location: Kasapa FM building, Adabraka. Box AD 676, Adabraka, Accra, Ghana Telephone: +233-0302- 236051, 020-8156974 026-5653335 Adverts/Mktg: Paul Ampong-Mensah 024-4360782 Fax: +233-0302-237156 Email: Dailyheritagegh@ gmail.com www.dailyheritage.com.gh FRIDAY RealFeel® 34° Precipitation 40% SATURDAY RealFeel® 34° Precipitation 41% SUNDAY RealFeel® 32° Precipitation 46% who had lost their boats and other property as a result of the sea surge, the minister said the fishermen would be supported. “We have assessed the situation and we realised that they had lost so much. They have lost their fishing vessels, they have lost their fishing gear and nets, they have lost their outboard motors and worse of it all, is what has happened in Cape Coast, where a life was lost. “The Fisheries Ministry and the Fisheries Commission have assessed the situation and we are going back to take a decision on how to support the fishermen with some fishing boats. “We are getting into the fishing season and these fishermen will need their fishing boats, their fishing gear and nets to go fishing so we have to find a way to support those who have lost their vessels," the minister said. One dead, property destroyed It emerged during the visit to the Central Region's fishing communities that in Cape Coast one fisherman died as a result of the waves; over 20 boats and related equipment at Ankaful, Kwamantse, Abandzie, Anomabo • CONTINUE ON PAGE 3 RealFeel® 26° Precipitation 57% RealFeel® 25° Precipitation 65% RealFeel® 25° Precipitation 50% ACCRA www.accuweather.com
WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERITAGE FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 2017 A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him James Town, Elmina to get fishing harbours - David Brinkley • READ FROM PAGE 2 and Cape Coast were all destroyed. While some of the boats could be repaired, many of the equipment were destroyed beyond repairs. Unapproved nets The minister observed that many fishermen in the region were using mono-filament nets (rubber nets) which are inappropriate for fishing. She bemoaned the practice, especially in Cape Coast, and called on the fishermen to, as a matter of urgency, desist from using these unapproved nets. The fishermen later assured the minister that they would adhere to her advice and also appealed to the government to respond quickly to their plight. They commended the minister for taking time off her busy schedule to call on them and to assure them of the government’s support. Insurance scheme The Paramount Queen of Anomabo Traditional Area, Nana Broba Darbo I, called on the government to educate and sensitise the fishermen to the need to insure their vessels. She also appealed to the government to support the fishermen by helping them remove the old vessels at the various beaches, which are creating congestions at the beaches. The queen also called for the Fisheries College to be revived to provide education to the fisherfolks, as well as revive an old cold store in the area for them. The minister, in her response to the insurance package, said, "last year, the fishermen were put on an insurance scheme, but we are going to look into the insurance scheme to see what it is. What we know is that it was state money used in paying the premium, but we think that any insurance scheme should be made sustainable so we think that we have to sit and strategise so that these fishermen will take their destiny into their own hands and pay the premium themselves.” The victims also appealed to the minister to ensure that they make available to them wood that could be used to repair their boats. Who was there? The Minister was accompanied on her visit by the Municipal Chief Executive of Mfantseman, Kelly Kenneth Essuman, the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman, Ekow Quansah Hayford, Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mr Francis Ato Cudjoe, Lawyer Ata Dadzie, Director of Fisheries, officials of National Disaster Management Organisation and many others. id Ghana Gas in deep trouble BY ROSEMOND BOATENG ADDAI rosemond.adjetey@yahoo.com THE PUBLIC Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC) has disclosed that the indebtedness of the Volta River Authority (VRA) to Ghana National Gas Company (GNGC) has grown to approximately 91% under the period of its review. PIAC, at the launch of its annual report on management of petroleum revenues in Accra yesterday, explained that the debt rose from US$ 227.78 million in 2015 to US$ 434.70 million in 2016. The report revealed that not only is the failure of VRA to pay for lean gas supplied threatening the financial viability of GNGC, but it also prevents GNGC from paying for the raw gas supplies exported by Ghana National Petroleum Company(GNPC), thereby denying the Petroleum Holding Fund of the much-needed revenues for spending and saving. The report also showed that there was a 13.7% year-on-year decline in crude oil production in Ghana during the period under review with annual production dropping from 37.41mmbbls (102,498bbls) in 2015 to 32.30mmbbls (73,955bopd). PIAC explained that the decline in production occurred in spite of the fact that Ghana’s second major production field, the TEN field, came on stream in August, 2016 and actually contributed 16% (5.32mmbbls) to annual production. The report also stated that the decline in petroleum production in 2016 •As VRA fails to pay US$434m debt • Financial viability of Ghana Gas threatened •Dr Ben K. D. Asante, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Gas was caused by a 34-day shutdown of the Jubilee Field for maintenance from March 31, 2016 Mr Kwame Jantuah, Vice Chairman of PIAC, explained that PIAC, after reviews, has recommended that given that the GNGC may well have been caught up in the vicious cycle of the indebtedness of the energy sector utilities, which stood at US$ 2.4 billion at the end of 2016 “urgent and drastic measures would have to be devised by all key stakeholders to ensure immediate payment of the outstanding receivable owed the Ghana Petroleum Fund in respect of gas sales,” he said. He added that one potential source of funds that could have been used to defray VRA’s indebtedness to GNGC is the Power Generation and Infrastructure Support Sub-Account (PGISSA) established under the Energy Sector Levy Act, 2015 (Act 899). PIAC recommended that the proceeds going into the PGISSA have been earmarked for the repayment of the debt owned by VRA to 11 domestic banks as part of the strategy introduced by the government to deal with legacy debt problem facing the state-owned energy sector utilities. “Since termination of supply to VRA is not an option as yet, due to lack of alternative market for lean gas, PIAC is calling for an immediate meeting between the government, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and GNGC to agree on a clear roadmap for the clearing of VRA’s indebtedness to GNGC,” PIAC said. PIAC also recommended that GNPC should desist from spending part of its dwindling allocations on non-core business such as financing of the Western corridor roads. PIAC’s report aims at keeping Ghanaians and other interested stakeholders constantly informed on how the country’s petroleum revenues are being managed as well as providing platforms for citizens’ feedback to be collated and shared with policymakers. uniBank supports Muslim community BY MUNTALLA INUSAH muntalla.inusah @dailyheritage.com.gh UNIBANK (GHANA) Limited, the country’s most enterprising financial institution, has, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, donated mouth-watering items estimated at a cost of GH¢ 275,000.00 to the Muslim community at the Hajj Village in Accra. The gesture was the bank’s contribution towards providing pivotal social interventions through its agile Corporate Social Responsibility commitments. The substantial support includes a health post, a marketplace, a cow, 50 bags of rice, 25 bags of sugar, cartons of drinks and bottled water and many other items. Presenting the items on behalf of the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of uni- Bank, Dr Kwabena Duffuor II, Mr Clifford Duke Mettle, Director, Marketing and Alternate Channels, thanked the Muslim community for the opportunity to partner the bank. According to him, it offers its products and services on a much larger scale. He said the bank’s product offering of Bridge Financing, a Trade Finance Loan amount of GH¢24,000,000.00, is “to facilitate the transfer of funds to the Saudi Arabian Authorities to ensure that prospective Ghanaian pilgrims will be secured in Mecca.” The Director of Marketing and Alternate Channels touched on a variety of support packages for the Muslim community, including the bank’s preparedness to sponsor the organisation of this year’s Ghana Hajj Agents Association Seminars. He added that they will provide support towards the celebration of the Eid-ul-Fitr and media announcements/adverts to ensure full participation of the Muslim Community in the 2017 Pilgrimage to Mecca. He stated that the gesture is uniBank’s way of showing its gratitude and celebrating the spirit of togetherness. The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, through his spokesperson, Alhaji Marzuq, thanked Management of uni- Bank for the support and prayed for the success of the bank. Sheikh I.C. Quaye, Chairman of the National Hajj Board, also expressed gratitude to management of the bank for their conspicuous care for the Muslim community. He said the Hajj Board had instituted measures to ensure that pilgrims are taken good care of both at home and abroad. The short ceremony in Accra was graced by Samira Bawumia, the Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana. She applauded uniBank’s efforts and urged pilgrims to accept and cooperate with the new Hajj Board to ensure their safety. Continue on page 6 for more pictures.
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Daily Heritage June 16

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