President, NEF Participants Commend Veep

By Edmund Mingle

President Mahama (left) with his Deputy, Vice President Amissah-Arthur

Participants at the just ended National Economic Forum, have lauded the immense contribution and performance of Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, whose contribution they say led to the successful consensus achieved at the forum.

According to them, the exemplary contribution and zeal exhibited by the Vice President to develop practicable solutions to the challenges facing the nation, highly motivated the participants to give off their best.

Many of the participants, particularly those who know the Vice President from a distance, said they were surprised at the performance of the Vice, expressing confidence that the President has a good backing.

The participants’ commendation followed President John Mahama’s public appreciation to his deputy for his immense contribution and commitment towards addressing the challenges confronting the economy.

Closing the forum held at Senchi, near Akosombo in the Eastern region after the adoption of the Senchi Consensus which proffered vital practical solutions to the nation’s economic problems, President Mahama renewed his confidence in the Vice President, saying his contribution to national development and leadership demonstrated at the forum, “is not short of exemplary.”

He was confident that his deputy would continue to lead the Economic Management Team, which he said had been emboldened by the Senchi consensus, to develop the pursue the necessary interventions for economic growth.

Dr. Steve Manteaw, Coordinator of the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC), said “he gave a very good account of himself.”

According to him, the Vice President’s workaholic nature, incisive knowledge and high level of openness surprised many, adding that he remain active throughout the three day forum to ensure that the outcome was successful.

“I think that he showed a great deal of commitment and dedication to the whole process. He contributed to the discussions and he was deeply involved.

“I’m not privy to what he does when he is out of the public view, but the fact that the person is not in the public view does not necessarily mean he is not working.

“But I can speak to what I’m privy to and that is the fact that he is a very hard working person, very dedicated and committed and a damn good facilitator,” he said.

Kof Asamoah, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), said said he was in total agreement with the commendation by the President.

He said he considered the performance the Vice President worth emulating, adding that “his determination to get the work done” remained admirable.

 “He actively co-ordinated the whole thing from the very beginning till the end and sometimes into the late night and it was just appreciable that he was on his feet all through from the planning stages. It was quite commendable and encouraging.”

  
According to political analysts, the performance of the Vice President, who work output was in full glare for all the dozens of participants, corrects the negative impression about him.

According to the analysts, although the Vice President is known workaholic in government cycles, his absence from public view gives an impression that he was not working.

That impression, they said may have fuelled speculations that others were been groomed to take up the NDC running mate position for the 2016 elections.

Atuabo Residents Yearn for Free Port Project

From Edmund Mingle, Atuabo

Residents of Atuabo in the Western region have urged Parliament to expedite action on the Agreement for the establishment of the Atuabo Free Port to offer essential services to the oil industry.

According to the residents of Atuabo and surrounding communities, the project offers a lot of promise for job creation and development of the area, indicating that they are eager to host to project.

During an project assessment tour of the communities by journalists at the weekend, traditional and opinion leaders, traders, Assembly members and youths who were interviewed at random, were happy about the economic and job creation prospects from the project.

The Commercial Agreement for the 650million dollar Atuabo Freeport project is currently before Parliament, and its approval would pave the way for construction works to start for the project that is expected to create more than 2,500 jobs.

Lonrho, a British firm is promoting the project, in which the government has a 45 per cent carried interest although the government would not provide any counterpart funding.

The Report of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Finance and Roads & Transport, on the commercial agreement among the government, Lonrho Ports Ghana Limited and Atuabo Freeport Ghana Limited in respect of the Ghana oil and gas Freeport project, was presented to Parliament before the House went on recess last month.

During the media tour of the area, the residents, who were keen on having the project, demonstrated good knowledge about the projects and its expected impact on the economy of the area.

John Quarshie, Assemblyman for Atuabo told journalists on the tour that the residents were very eager to have the project.

According to him, although the Ghana Gas project was also in the area, the establishment of the Freeport holds more promise for the residents since they would be jobs for both skilled and unskilled youths.

“We would be highly disappointed if this project does not come on,” he said.

Currently, he said the community members were mobilising themselves into groups such as traders, caterers, fishmongers and artisans to be able to take advantage of the trade and business opportunities that would fall out of the project.

He acknowledged the bureaucratic challenges that was hindering the start of the project, but expressed optimism that Parliament would approve the project for the benefit of the people of the area and Ghanaians in general.

Obaahemaa Nyanda VI, Queenmother of Asamda, an adjoining community that would host an airstrip which is part of the project, believed the Freeport “project is long overdue.”

She is happy about the company’s plans for skills training for the youth in the community to be able to secure jobs at the port, indicating that that would help in the development of the area.

“We are highly supportive of the project,” she said, adding that they were confident the project would contribute to the speedy transformation of the area.

For his part, James Annor Afful, an opinion leader, said the company has so far dealt reasonably with the community, providing adequate information about the project, and believes it would offer mutual benefit to both the company and the community.

“The Lonhro project is for the good of area and the nation,” he said, adding that a plan has been made to use the technical institutions on the region to train indigenes to be able to secure direct and indirect jobs.

Although the project is yet to begin, Josehp Nyamenle Essien, and opinion leader and former headmaster of Nsein Senior High School at Axim, is praying for contracts from the project.

He was hopeful that contracts for catering, transportation and accommodation could be outsourced to the locals for them to derive the desired benefits.

The presentation of the Agreement to Parliament followed recent approval by Cabinet for the project which is expected to make Atuabo the West African hub for the servicing of vessels, especially those operating in the oil and gas industry.

So far preparatory works, which included feasibility studies, acquisition of land, successful community engagement and Environmental Impact Assessment have been completed for a smooth take off of the project.

Although the free zone project is being fully funded by Lonrho without a sovereign guarantee or counterpart funding from Ghana, the government has a 45 percent interest equity stake in the project while Lornho and its international partners hold the remaining 55 per cent.

In addition, as one of the conditions for Cabinet’s approval, the Port’s Governing Board would be chaired by a nominee of the government, while institutions like the Volta River Authority (VRA), Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA)and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust(SSNIT), have stakes in the project.

According to the Agreement, Ghana’s 45 per cent interest consists of 10 per cent carried interest for government and 35 per cent share to be owned by Ghanaian institutions including VRA, GPHA and SSNIT.

In addition, Lonrho would build a Naval base, forwarding bay and barracks at no cost to the government.

Services to be provided by the Freeport to the oil and gas industry include the development of logistics supply bases, offshore fabrications, rig and ship repairs, modification, maintenance and life support operations.

The Atuabo Freeport Complex, which would be operated in collaboration with the Ghana Port and Harbours Authority and other relevant agencies, would provide support services for the offshore oil and gas developments in Ghana as well as providing the infrastructure for companies wishing to offer services to their other Oil and Gas clients in the region.

It supports the government’s Medium Term National Development Policy Framework dubbed “Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda 2011-2013” which calls for spatial planning to encourage developments that bridge the spatial divide between the traditional economic growth points to other locations around the country and relieve the perpetual problem of congestion of the Ports in Ghana. 

The project begun August 2011 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Lonrho and the government for feasibility studies, which was funded by the former.

Lonrho currently operates in 18 African countries in the fields of infrastructure development, transport, agribusiness, hospitality industry and support services.

GPHA Workers' Union Declares Support For Atuabo Free Port Project

Mr. Isaac Klu ( in smock) addressing the press

By Edmund Mingle, Tarkoradi

The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) Workers Union yesterday (Wednesday May 14) declared its support for the Atuabo Free Port project in the Western region, saying the project holds a lot of promise for the country.

According to the workers, although they had initial concerns about the project, they were prepared to support it.

A resolution passed AT a meeting of Senior and Junior staff unions 
of GPHA on May 9, and read at a press conference in Takoradi on Wednesday said "We resolve that the unions are no against the development of Atuabo Free Port as misunderstood by sections of the public," they said.

Mr. Isaac Klu, Local Union chairman of Maritime and Dockworkers Union at Tema, who addressed the press, said they raised the concerns against the project initially because they believed any port development or construction of additional port must be the responsibility of GPHA as per the PNDC Law 160 and at worst, in partnership with GPHA to ensure that the public interest is upheld.

Hitherto, the GPHA have kicked against the 650 million dollar Atuabo Free Port (AFP) project which is expected to become a West African hub for the logistics and servicing of vessels and the oil and gas industry. 

The project, in which the government has 45 per cent share, although it will be fully funded by Lonrho and its partners, is currently awaiting Parliament's approval.

Apart from supporting the growth of the oil and gas sector and yielding financial benefits for the State, the project is expected to lead to the speedy development of host communities particularly Atuabo whose chiefs have allocated a large track of land to represent their equity in the project.

"We are not against the Atuabo project, and we are not saying that the people of Atuabo do not deserve this glorious opportunity to be the first to directly develop," Mr. Klu said , adding that they were concerned with how GPHA could be allowed to effectively play a partnership role in the project.

He said they were convinced that the ATUABO FREE PORT LIMITED SHOULD BE OPENED TO MARKET COMPETITIVENESS WITHIN THE REGION, GIVING CUSTOMERS THE CHOICE IN TERMS OF COMPETITIVE SERVICE SATISFACTION AND THE ABILITY TO MEASURE PERFORMANCE LEVELS OF THE GAS AND OIL TERMINALS UNDER THE GHANA PORTS AND HARBORS AUTHORITY.

Explaining the reason for the softening of their stance, Mr Klu explained that based on information from the agreement before Parliament for ratification, the union has detected that the AFP is a Special Oil & Gas facility which would AFP have no adverse effect on è Takoradi and Tema harbours when completed. 

He also said the the worker have found that the initial operational period for the management of the port by the private entity  "is 10 years and not 20 years as we thought."

In additional, he said the unions were aware of the equity structure which favours government, as well as the opportunity for GPHA to participate in the project.

He, however, called for more clarity on the exclusivity issues, saying that although they have been made to understand that the project would not bar competition, proper guidelines needed to developed for the project.

Kutunse Property Owners Petition IGP Against Koans Estate

By Edmund Mingle

One of Koan Building Solution's bulldozers
 destroying an uncompleted building of
one of the property owners. 

A group of property owners at Kutunse, a suburb of Accra, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police for the urgent intervention of the police to stop the illegal construction activities of an estate developer which is causing insecurity in the area.

According to the Concerned Property Owners of Kutunse, Kofi Anokye, Chief Executive of Koans Building Solutions, an estate firm, has been leading landgaurds to terrorise land owners in his attempt to forcibly take over their plots. 

The petition, jointly signed by Francis Boahen, the chairman and 18 of the affected property owners, and presented to the IGP’s office of Friday, accused Mr. Anokye of leading violent attacks on individual property owners to take away theilegally acquired and registered plots.

In addition, they accused Mr. Anokye of getting away with the crime by using his acquaintance with some senior police officers.

“We the property owners and residents of Kutunse wish to bring to your attention developments in the area that are creating a lot of insecurity at Kutunse, a suburb of Accra.

“The insecurity stems from the conduct and actions of an estate developer, Mr. Kofi Anokye, CEO of KOANS Building Solutions Ltd, who has been 

terrorizing individual developers in an attempt to forcibly take over their legally acquired and registered plots of land for his estate project expansion.

“He has armed land-guards who have been beating us anytime we visit our site to work. In addition, he has been demolishing our buildings, most of which are at the roofing level, thereby preventing us to complete our projects without any basis.

“Hardly a day passes without the sound of sporadic shooting by his land-guards, putting the lives of people including new residents and construction workers in danger,” petition said.

According to the petition, the members of the group legally acquired the plots from one Samuel Kpakpo Allotey of Accra and had registered them without any objection from any quarters.

“Our main worry is that anytime we are beaten and we report the case to the Police, virtually nothing is done to bring Mr. Anokye to order,” it said, alleging that “He has been using the names of senior police officers, as his backing to perpetuate these crimes.”

Proving some explanation for the allegation, it said “anytime, he comes to the area to demolish our property, he would be heard bragging about his close acquaintance with senior Police Officers.” 

“A case in point was on Tuesday, April 8, 2014, when two of us were brutally beaten by the estate developer and his gang as we tried to stop the gang from demolishing our structures.

“After managing to escape, the two went to the Amasaman Police Station to report the matter, only for Mr. Anokye to appear and started giving the policemen on duty at the charge office orders on how to handle the case, and rather accusing our beaten colleagues of being land guards,” it said.

In his quest to forcibly take over the area by illegal means, it said Mr. Anokye has been putting up a number of structures on demarcated access roads and drains, with some of the structures blocking entrances of houses.

It said the group has repeatedly asked Mr. Anokye to take legal action against anyone he believed has encroached on his estate land, “but he has failed to do, and rather resorted to terrorizing us.”

According to the group, Mr. Anokye has been defending his actions with a supposed court injunction on the land which has been nullified long ago with the ruling on the matter by a Koforidua High Court which ruled against him.

“In that matter, of which the court documents have been attached to this petition, Mr. Anokye sued Mr Samuel Kpakpo Allotey and two others over the portions of the land (which does not include ours). The court initially imposed an interlocutory injunction pending the determination of the case. “At the end, the court on November 12, 2013, found Mr. Anokye guilty of bringing the matter to the wrong court in the Eastern region since the land is in the Greater Accra Region. A cost of GHc1,000 was awarded against him in favour of the defendants, which he duly paid.

“Yet, Mr. Anokye continues to deceive people, including police personnel that he has secured an injunction on the land,” it said.

The group indicated in the petition that they could also use land-guards to wade off Mr. Anokye’s land-guards, “but we think that is not the best”.

“As law abiding citizens, we are by this petition appealing to you to use your good offices to ensure that he is called to order since he cannot take the law onto himself.

“There is the need for the Police to bring him to order for peace to prevail in Kutunse,” the petition added.

Meanwhile, the group has also petitioned the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to intervene in the matter.

Lister Hospital Assists Martey Presby School

By Edmund Mingle

Add caption

The pupils and teachers of the Martey Tsuru Presbyterian Basic School in the Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipality of the Greater Accra, heaved a sigh of relief with the commissioning of a GH¢4,500 water reservoir system for them.

It consists of two big polytanks and a standpipe platform. The Lister Hospital and Fertility Centre, located in the area, financed the project, in response to an appeal made by the school, to the management of the hospital for assistance to access potable water.

The 650 pupils and teachers of the school, hitherto grapple for water, which at times disrupt teaching and learning.

At a brief handing over ceremony, on Tuesday, Dr. Edem K. Hiadzi, the Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, said “the provision of the water system is part of the hospital’s corporate social responsibility and our commitment to assist the community we operate in”.

He said the hospital values the provision of quality education, and keen on ensuring that it was improved upon in our host community.

According to Dr. Hiadzi, there is the need to create a congenial learning environment to enable the children to perform creditably in their academic work.

He promised that the hospital would continue to support the school to improve teaching and learning, saying “we shall continue to support the kids who are our future leaders.

Mr David Pickering, the Administrator of the Hospital, was optimistic the system would provide some comfort for the children so that the challenges of access to water, would not affect academic activities in the school.

The Headteacher, Mrs. Janet Addo-Okyere, expressed her appreciation to the management of the hospital for the facility, which she described as timely.

She said the water system would provide a lot of relief to cushion the rampant water shortage experienced in the area.

Isofoton Case Thrown Out

By Edmund Mingle

Mrs. Marrietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, Attorney-General

An Accra Fast Track High Court has dismissed an application for stay of exercise of summons for Isofoton S. A. to refund part of a judgment debt wrongly paid to it by the government.

The dismissal of the application paves the way for the State to retrieve $325,472 from the Spanish company.

Isofoton S. A. had filed a motion praying the court, presided over by Justice K. A. Ofori-Atta, to set aside a writ of summons and statement of claim against the company by the Attorney- General (A-G) for the company to refund the cedi equivalent of $325,472 to the State.

Among the reliefs it sought, the company claimed that the court lacked the jurisdiction to ascertain the writ of the plaintiff, and that the plaintiff’s suit was wrongly filed indicating an abuse of the process of court.

But the court, dismissing the application on Tuesday, reasoned that the plaintiff’s writ, was proper, indicating that the writ of summons was a way to retrieve the funds from the defendant.

The case will now travel its natural course, and the counsel for Isofoton S.A. represented in Ghana by Mr. Anane-Agyei Forson, has seven days to file its defence.

In the Plaintiff’s claim, the A-G is seeking a refund of $325,472 to the State. The money was the first instalment of a wrong $ 1.3 million judgment debt the company was demanding from the State. The A-G is also seeking interest accrued on the amount and cost.

On June 21,2013, the Supreme Court directed the company to refund all moneys it had so far received from the government on the grounds that the agreements resulting in the payments were unconstitutional, and therefore, null and void.

The Supreme'Court’s decision followed an application by a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Martin Amidu, who argued that the payment of the judgement debt done in March 2011, was wrong because the company had no basis to make the claims against the government since it had no contract with the government of Ghana which had been breached.

Following the court’s judgment, the Attorney-General, on August 22,2013, filed a writ of summons and statement of claim in a bid to retrieve all moneys wrongly paid to the company.

But three months after the A-G had filed the suit, court bailiffs were unsuccessful in serving court documents on Isofoton S. A, thereby prompting the Attorney-General to resort to substituted service.

The Fast Track High Court, granted the request for substituted service and ordered that the writ of summons and statement of claim filed on August 22,2013 together with the court’s order, should be served on Isofoton per its lawyer.

The court had in its unanimous decision on June 21, 2013 directed that the refunds be made with interest until the date of final judgment

Isofoton S.A., which is involved in designing, manufacturing and supplying of solar energy products, was expected to engage on a project for agricultural irrigation and rural electrification based on solar technologies in 2006, but the then government is said to have abrogated the contract and re-awarded it to another Spanish firm.

The company was demanding judgment debt of $ 1.3 million for which the government had started paying in instalments, but the Supreme Court on February 8, 2013 put a hold on further payment of money to Isofoton S. A., until the final determination of the suit brought against it by Mr Amidu.

In its judgment, the Supreme Court held that the lower court hearing an action instituted against the government by Isofoton S.A. on the abrogation of the contract, had no locus to continue hearing the case because the court was of the view that it (lower court) did not have jurisdiction.

The Supreme Court’s June 21,2013 decision on Isofoton rendered the company’s action against the government at the lower court mute.

Ghana Infrastructure Fund plan takes off

By Edmund Mingle
Arrangements for the establishment of the Ghana Infrastructural Fund (GIF), to boost the development of infrastructural projects in the country, kicked off yesterday with a round table discussions among major stakeholders.

From R to L-- Ato Ahwoi, Vice President Aamissah Arthur, 

 

 

Finance Minster Seth Terkper amd Arthorney General, Mrs. Marrieta Brew Appiah-Oppong

 

 

The discussions, organised by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, offered the government, private sector players, financial institutions and development partners a common platform to discuss the creation of an effective framework for the fund.


The introduction of the Fund, which is captured in the last budget, aims at ensuring a robust preparation, execution and management of infrastructural projects required to enhance the growth of the economy.

Meanwhile a five-member GIF Advisory Committee, chaired by Mr. Ato Ahwoi, has been formed to, among other things, facilitate the drafting of a legislative instrument on the Fund to be tabled before Parliament for consideration.

The meeting, attended briefly by Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, discussed, a number of critical areas for the framework of the GIF such as its investment objectives, as well as its legal, governance and operations structure.

Seth Terkper the finance Minister, in setting the tone for discussions, explained that the establishment of such a fund, was critical in view of the need to mobilise adequate resources to improve the country’s infrastructural base urgently required for economic growth.

That, he said, would enable the nation to reduce and effectively manage its external debt since the fund would reduce government’s reliance on foreign loans for the execution of projects.

With regard to the possible sources of funding the Fund, he, apart from the contribution from the Valued Added Tax, the Petroleum Revenue Act would be reviewed to contribute to the GIF.

He gave the assurance that the fund, to be used to support projects in both the public and private sectors, would be independently managed in a transparent manner.

Measures according to him, were being taken to avoid shortfalls in the implementation of other public funds, adding that effective financing sources would be developed to ensure its sustainability.

“There is need for synergy between the GIF and other funds, as well as commercial facilities.
“We believe that between two to five years, we would be able to demonstrate that we are a country that can use smart mechanisms to effectively manage our debts,” the Minister assured.

Satheesh Sundararajan, Director of Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) at the World Bank, sharing global perspectives on infrastructure funds, urged Ghana to ensure that “there is a pipeline of well prepared projects” to be supported by the fund.

He noted that the absence of well planned projects had made it difficult to ensure efficiency in the management of such a fund.

“GIF could be very helpful to Ghana’s infrastructural development agenda,” he said, and urged the government to adopt the best financing options for the fund.

Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, ranking Member on Finance in Parliament, for his part, lauded the initiative, saying it would help to address the problems of project financing.

To avoid the mistakes of the past, he stressed the need for properly planned projects to be supported by the fund, adding that without well thought out projects, it would be difficult to mobilise resources for the fund, while the GIF could also be misused.

“We need to develop our capacity in project preparation,” he said.    
end