RURAL TECHNOLOGY FACILITY COMMISSIONED AT MANKESSIM



Osagyefo Amanfo Edu VI ( Paramount Chief of Mankessim)

By: Kwamina Bamfo-Agyei

The paramount chief of Mankessim traditional area Osagyefo  Amanfo Edu IV has appealed to Ghanaians to patronise made in Ghana products to support local producers to produce more of the goods.

He said this at the commissioning of the Rural Technology facility in mankessim by the Vice President John Dramani Mahama.

The Rural Enterprises with support provided the facility from the Government of Ghana, International Fund for Agricultural Development and African Development Bank.

Osagyefo Amanfo Edu IV appealed to the government to rehabilitate the irrigation system for the cultivation of vegetables for the feeding of the oil workers in Western region. He said this would assist in generating employment for the youths in the area to improve their living condition. 

Vice President  of Ghana John Dramani Mahama

The Vice President John Dramani Mahama appealed to the youths to take advantage of the rural enterprises programme for them to acquire skills in which they can create their jobs. He called on the district assemblies to collaborate with the Rural Enterprises programme to create jobs for the youths.

The National Director of the Rural Enterprises programme, Kwasi Attah-Antwi noted that the programme was started on a piloted basis with two districts in 1995 and the programme now covers sixty-six districts. He said the third phase of the programme will cover one hundred and sixty districts.

Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade

The Country Representative of African Development Bank Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade disclosed that the bank would approve seventy million dollars for the third phase of the programme. She said the bank is satisfied on the prudent usage of the fund provided for the programme.

The Minister of Trade and Industry Hannah Tetteh noted that the technology facility would enhance the operations of artisans in mankssim and said students in and around mankessim would benefit from the facility. She said  that over 99% of the fund provided was used in the execution of the programme. She appealed to the district assemblies to provide offices for the Business Advisory Centre for them to be qualified for the rural technology village.

Cape Coast Polytechnic gets new Council members

President John Evans Atta Mills has appointed new Council members for the Cape Coast Polytechnic which would be would be chaired by Professor B. A. Osei of the University of Cape Coast.

Other Members of the new council include Mrs Gloria Baiden-Koomson, as Government appointee, Mr Charles Emmanuel Oppong, representative of the Convocation of the Cape Coast Polytechnic, Mr Emmanuel Asamoah-Boahin, Polytechnic Student’s Council and Mr Samuel Kwame Ansah, Polytechnic Alumni Association.

The rest are Mr Ato Panford, Representative of the Association of Ghana Industries, Mr John Alateng Ayarik of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union, Miss Evelyn Sarpong, Representative of the Ghana Employer’s Association, Mrs Marie-Acquiline Bafour-Oduro, Mrs Emilia Aning, representative of the Ministry of Education, Mr U. S. Tettey, representative of the Polytechnic Teachers association of Ghana and Mr K. A. Simpson, Acting Rector of the cape Coast polytechnic.

A statement signed by Mr Paul Kofi Krampa, Director of the Public Relations unit of the Ministry of Education on Saturday, said the new council which replaces the earlier one which was dissolved by the President, would be formally sworn in by Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Minister of Education on Monday December 5 at the Cape Coast Polytechnic.

CENTRAL REGION TAKES BEST FARMERS' AWARD

Vice President Presenting the Prize to the Best farmer

Farmers from Central region took the overall best farmer award and a farmer in the region took the second place. The best fisherman also went to the region.

This year’s Best farmer award went to Central Region and the winners were from the region of excellence.

56-year-old Ignatius Agbo, from the Upper Denkyira East District in the Central Region is the overall best farmer for 2011 at the 27th National best Farmers day.

He takes home a fully furnished three-bedroom house to be built at a location of his choice plus a generator, laptop and a fully loaded modem and a trip to India.

Ignatius Agbo beat 66 other contestant with a farm size of four hundred and eighty (480) acres with 200 acres currently under cultivation.

His scale of operation includes Cocoa 160 acres, Oil Palm 12 acres, Citrus 15 acres, Plantain 15 acres, cow pea 2 acres, sweet potatoes 1acre Cassava 5 acres, Coconut 2 acre, vegetables together with his livestock occupying about 50 acres.

The one time Assembly man currently employs 35 permanent workers and an additional 62 casual workers on his five farmers scatted in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality.

He was the Regional Best Farmer for the Central Region in 2002 and 2005 respectively.

Receiving his award, Ignatius Agbo thanked former President Jerry Rawlings for instituting the National Best Farmer Award and also former President J.A Kufuor and President J.E.A Mills for ensuring the day is observed.

He however regretted of the non- availability of motorable roads to transport their crops which has increased post harvest loses over the years.

Ignatius Abgo called on government to walk the talk and provide farmers with the needed resources for accelerated growth.

This year’s celebration which is under the theme: “Grow more food; research for sustainable Agricultural development” is to stress the importance of Science and Technology in Agriculture.

The Vice President John Dramani Mahama in his speech commended farmers for their invaluable role in assuaging the impact of the global food crisis on the country.

He said an investment in Agriculture which now contributes about 30% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the sure way to eradicating poverty.

Vice President Mahama reiterated the government's commitment to make Agriculture a key component in the economy in spite of the oil discovery.

He also urged the farmers to venture into mechanized farming and move away from the indigenous one which largely depends on the vagaries of the weather.


The second national best farmer is 39-year-old Assemblyman, Daniel Ankoma Mends from the Assin South District of the Central region. He took home a tractor with implements and an insurance cover for a year.

44-year-old Philip Kwaku Agyemang from the Brong Ahafo region came third and was rewarded with a double cabin pick-up truck and a year's insurance cover.

The National Best Fisherman went to 39-year-old Agya Kwesi and National Best Livestock farmer went to 70-year-old Joseph Boney.

The annual event, held at Agona Nsaba in the Central Region, is to salute the tireless efforts and sacrifices of Ghanaian farmers who even in the face of the challenges continue to feed the nation.

In all, sixty-six distinguished farmers and fishermen in the country received national honours and took home various prizes including bicycles, fridges, Wellington Boots, sewing machines, agro products among other at the colourful ceremony at the Agona Nsaba Presbyterian School Park.

Chirano Gold supports farmers day

By: George Naykene

The Management of Chirano Gold Mines Limited on Wednesday presented eight bicycles, two LCD television and two DVD to the Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai district and the Sefwi Wiawso Municipal assembly towards this year’s farmers day celebration.

Presenting the items, Mr. Koduah Dapaah, Health Safety Environment and Corporate Responsibility Manager of CGML said the presentation formed part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the company.

 He said farmers form a critical section of society whose contribution to the survival of the individual and the society as a whole cannot be ignored and commended the winners of this year’s event.

Receiving the items Mr. SeiduMahama, Finance officer of BABDA and Mr. BukariLaahAlhassan, Ministry of Food and Agriculture Sefwi Wiawso, expressed their appreciation to management for the presentation and pledged that it would be fairly distributed to the beneficiaries.

FOOTBALL VS RUGBY IN GHANA

Soccer is known to be the most popular sport in the world and especially in Ghana, but is rugby likely to have its place in this African country as well? Whatever it is, some volunteers from Projects Abroad NGO come every year to teach rugby to the Ghanaian students in order to help the rugby organisation in Ghana to develop this sport within the country.

Rugby and soccer are so different sports that rugby may not suit Ghana. The eternal fight between football and rugby fans, which have neither the same point of view nor the same expectations of entertainment, may answer this question." When you play rugby you can't be lazy ", said Troy Robertson, an Australian volunteer in Ghana and a casual rugby player too, " every player has to be at 100% if they want to see their team win, unlike football where you can see lazy players counting on the best players of the day ". Indeed, even if football is also a team sport the mentality is different. “Cheating in soccer is really annoying, for instance ", Troy Robertson complained,

“Even if rugby is a rougher game, the players are more fair play and seldom sent off ".

However, the fact rugby is precisely a painful game is a point often mentioned by football fans. " I do not like play rugby because it's too physical, I'm too scared to be hurt ", Scott William Patterson confessed, a volunteer from Northern Ireland and a football supporter.” I think rugby players like to prove how manly they are, but me, I don't care how weak people think I am, it's a different mentality ", he added.

Similarly, technical skills required for football are often considered as being more impressing than physical skills in rugby game. “In rugby you just have to be strong, to run fast and do good tackles, to me, football skills are more exciting ", confirmed Scott Patterson.” Only the rules are technical in rugby “he added jokingly. In effect, people complain about rugby rules regarded as too difficult to understand, even for a casual supporter. Similarly, in the mind of most of people soccer is a much easier sport to teach and mostly a much cheaper game to play. Rugby is a richer sport because of the more expensive and sophisticated pitch. " You can't play rugby everywhere with friends as in soccer ", explained Scott Patterson, " That is the reason why football is the most popular sport in the world and especially in Africa, I guess ".

However, even if Ghanaians love soccer and that rugby is far from being the first national game, Mr George, supervisor of the rugby training in the Central Region, is more optimistic. " Rugby started to be developed in 2003 ", he reminded, "We even have our own national team called " Abura Bombas ", which will go to England in October to play a friendly match ". Indeed, rugby has a real organization in Ghana, led by Miss Gifty Annam Myers. She subsidizes equipments as balls and jerseys, and she got the building of a real rugby pitch located in Accra. “Thanks to Mr. Nicholas John, a British senior army soldier who organized the coaching courses in the Central Region, and thanks to the many volunteers who come to help us rugby is becoming more and more popular, at least in Cape Coast ", Mr. Georges asserted. However according to Troy Robertson, who is working with Mr. Georges, the lack of rugby pitches is a problem to expand the practice of this sport in Cape Coast. " Play this rough game on the ground and without real rugby goals is very difficult and is discouraging more than one ", he explained, " It is  too bad because even though most of the student don't really get the rules and do not seem to be interested in this sport, some of them are really good and involved ", he added. Thus, as long as rugby will not be subsidized properly the practice of this sport will not be able to be expanded in the Country.

CAPE COAST TOPPED MILO ACCRA INTERNATIONAL MARATHON

HON. Ebo Barton Oduro ( MP of Cape Coast) 

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Cape Coast, Mr Ebo Barton Oduro, has called on the youths engaged in sports to let their sportsmanship reflect in their social and political activities.

He explained that sporting activities apart from enhancing people’s life span, could also help in ensuring discipline and order among the youth and asked parents to encourage their children to take part in sporting activities.

Mr Oduro said these when the 12-member Cape Coast team, which participated in the 5th Annual Accra International Marathon (AIM), presented their medals to him in Cape Coast.

They presented the medals to show their appreciation for the MP’s support and commitment to their activities.

The team comprised seven boys, including a deaf and three girls, who competed in marathons of which they topped in the juvenile group.

Mr Oduro commended them for bringing laurels to the Region and urged them not to rest on their oars but to work harder to enable them to win more medals in future.

He urged them to take their education seriously, stressing that without it all their sporting activities would be meaningless since nobody would like to work with illiterate sports persons.

The MP promised to give them the needed support to enable them to participate in future marathons.

Dr Anna Bannerman-Richter, Director of the Accra International Marathon, commended the cape coast team for the splendid performance and encouraged more youth from the Region to participate in next year’s marathon.

She underscored the importance of regular body exercise which could reduce the cases of ailment such as diabetes and hypertension and other heart related diseases.

Dr Bannerman-Richter asked the general public to lead healthy life styles by checking food they eat.

She said the life expectancy of an average Ghanaians was below 60 years  as compared with people in Japan and other European countries, who live up to about 80 years, stressing that it was an embarrassing situation for the nation and that it was time for all to change their life style.

Dr Bannerman-Richter noted that an active and healthy life meant exercising regularly, eating good food and living a responsible life.

The team manager, Alhaji Mahmoud Seidu, thanked Mr Oduro for the moral and financial support he gave the team during the training and participation in the marathon.

He called on other stakeholders particularly parents to also support the team.

FOCUS ON COMPOSITE BUDGETING IN GHANA


By: Micheal Kwame Obeng


Micheal Kwame Obeng



 The passage of L.I. 1961 integrated the activities  of  all  decentralized departments into the Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) Legally, all resources that were formally under the management and control of decentralized departments were transferred to the MMDAs. 

In March, 22, 2011 all human resources were symbolically transferred from decentralized departments leaving the transfer of financial resources to complete the cycle.  This is a legal requirement of both the Local Government Act, Act 462 of 1993 and  the L.I. 1961.

Composite budgeting is an activity to give complete meaning to fiscal decentralization which has been on the drawing boards of successive governments since the implementation of the current decentralization and the Local Government systems emanating from PNDC Law 207 of 1988.  Recent Cabinet’s bold decision to implement composite budgeting is a step in  the right direction that needs commendation by all Ghanaians.

All financial plans and programmes of decentralized departments will now be  fused together and composed into the budgets of MMDAs.  The implementation date is 2012.  This is a strategic decision taken by government realizing the enormous benefits to be derived from the transfer of financial resources to MMDAs having already transferred political, administrative and decentralized planning as strategies enshrined in the law.

Before the implementation of composite budgeting, departments of MMDAs had their budgets from the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that they had held allegiance to, and these budgets did not form part of the budgets of MMDAs.  These budgets are now to be integrated into those of MMDAs consistent with good financial management system.

ADVANTAGES:   The advantages are numerous.  Few among them are as follows:

1.     It seeks to introduce uniformity in planning, budgeting, financial reporting and auditing of  all MMDAs.

2.     It guarantees participatory governance at the MMDA level.

3.     It promotes the ownership in the planning and budgeting systems of MMDAs.

4.     It facilitates prudent financial management in the MMDAs.

5.     Preparation of Warrants will now be done at the MMDAs instead of receiving warrants from Accra thereby cutting down cost, time and the delay in processing Warrants.

PILOTING:  Composite Budgeting has been piloted in about 25 MMDAs in Ghana since 2003.   The will power to replicate it to cover all MMDAs has been absent until now.  The Composite  Budget process takes into consideration the preparations, implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation, just  like the  National Budget Implementation process.  This is to ensure that National Budget Classification and harmonized chart of Accounts are used as a pre-requisite  of an adequate preparations for the tax ahead in 2012.  The evolution of an efficient and effective Public Financial Management system influenced the decision to implement Composite Budgeting.

BENEFITS:  Apart from ensuring sound financial discipline in the Public Financial Management  System it will also facilitate the following:

1.     Fiscal decentralization as enshrined in the Ghana shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA), 2010-2013 thereby promoting the Better Ghana Agenda of the present government.

2.     MMDAs will effectively manage critical sectors targeted at the poor in society.

3.     Financial reporting and auditing could be consolidated to ensure proper accountability.

4.     Duplication of programmes by MDAs will be minimized if not completely eliminated.

5.     It will ensure the bottom up approach using the MMDAs as focal points to accelerate development in Ghana.

OBJECTIVES:  There are three main objectives.  These objectives of composite budgets require the following:

1.     Knowledge of the Assemblies financial resources

2.     To integrate the various funding sources as well as sectors.

3.     MMDAs budgets will be integrated into the  National Budgeting System using the MTEF Activity Based Budgeting approach.

The rationale for composite budgeting is to ensure that the complete and total knowledge of the Assemblies financial resources and integrating all funding sources are obtained.  It is in fulfillment of the fiscal decentralization policy of government on the principle of “funds follow functions.”

            By:

MICHAEL K. OBENG

METROPOLITAN FINANCE OFFICER

CAPE COAST METROPOLITAN ASSEMBLY AND

STUDENT OF EXECUTIVE MASTERS IN BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION (EMBA)

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA BUSINESS SCHOOL (UGBS)