Gambia News Gazette

Mr Alhassan Andani, an Economist and a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Stanbic Bank, has advised the government to adopt effective and efficient digital systems for Ghana’s credit management.

Mr Andani asked the government to build robust technological infrastructure that would limit human control in loan acquisitions and implement mechanisms that would monitor the efficient use of such monies.

The former Banker was speaking with the Ghana News Agency on Thursday evening, on the margins of the launch of the 10th anniversary of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management (CICMG), Ghana, in Accra.

He said doing so would go a long way to curb the recurrent debt crisis and called on Ghanaians to seek accountability from the government, while limiting their expectations not to pressure for debt accumulation.

He also advised political leaders against making ambitious promises in their bid to be elected to offices from the District Assembly level to Parliament, and the Presidency, which put pressure on
the government to spend beyond budgets.

Mr Andani, who is currently the Executive Chairman, LVSAfrica – an integrated business advisory and enterprise development firm, said this while bemoaning the recurrent Ghana’s debt crisis.

Ghana’s debt is now ‘unsustainable’, with the government implementing a US$3 billion loan-support programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to overturn the situation and reach 55 per cent debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 55 per cent by 2028.

‘Our current debt situation leaves so much to be desired; I’ve been in finance for a very long time, but we’ve not seen this level of despair within our credit system, and the impact on financial services,’ Mr Andani said.

The former Banker of more than 20 years of experience, including credit management, attributed Ghana’s frequent debt crisis to the inability of governments to select people that would use the funds borrowed optimally.

He, therefore, recommended the utilisation of digital technologies to allocate loans to
the most efficient users and ensure proper monitoring to yield good returns in the country’s productive sectors so it could pay back.

He explained that credit was invariably at the centre of financial services because it was often the means of getting adequate funds from those who had the money, investing it to get profit to repay as loan.

‘Financial service providers gather resources from surplus owners who want them for safe keeping and access it anytime they want and also make it available to those who want to use it create asset and develop enterprises,’ he said.

‘It’s for all the operators; the government, citizenry, financial service providers, and regulators to rethink our role and manage expectations, and rearrange the payment, which is what’s been done, and be able to pay back,’ he advised.

Speaking at the event, Dr Anthony Aubynn, Chairman, CICMG, urged credit management professionals to continue to be agents of change, advocating policies that would promote responsible lending practices and fin
ancial inclusion.

Dr Aubynn said it was important to ’embrace innovative technologies, such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics to streamline processes, mitigate risks, and extend financial services to underserved communities.’

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ambassador of Cameroon to the United States of America, Henri Etoundi Essomba, revealed that members of the Elections Cameroon shall visit the embassy in line with drawing up and revising the voter register.

He added that the delegation would consult administrative and political stakeholders within the jurisdiction of the Embassy of Cameroon in the USA.

Between April 22 and May 22, 2024, these political parties are expected to appoint their representative to be included in the registration commission.

The AMbassador did not mention whether this registration will lead Cameroonians living in the US to vote from abroad.

While some African countries allow their Diaspora to vote from their countries of residence, Cameroon does not allow such voting. Anyone with a voter’s card is expected to travel home and vote.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The Accra Circuit Court Three has remanded a supervisor into police custody for allegedly stabbing a businessman with a broken bottle, and a screwdriver.

Samuel Nii Duodoo denied causing harm to Mr Isaac Kwadwo Asare and would be brought back to the Court on May 7, 2024.

Giving the facts, Police Chief Inspector Christine Bansah told the Court presided over by Mrs Susanna Eduful that Mr Asare, the complainant, was a resident of Zongo Lane, Accra.

The accused person, Duodoo, is also a resident of Swalaba, Accra.

Chief Inspector Bansah said a year ago, both the complainant and accused person had a misunderstanding over then rental of an apartment in which the accused allegedly threatened that he would deal with the complainant.

Chief Inspector Bansah said on April 05, 2024, at about 1500 hours, the complainant was relaxing in a nearby house where the accused allegedly bumped into him and assaulted him.

The Court heard that they were separated by people around and on the same day around 2030 hours, the acc
used allegedly pursued the complainant when he was having fun at a nearby drinking spot.

Chief Inspector Bansah said the accused on seeing the complainant pounced on him and without any provocation broke a beer bottle and inflicted multiple wounds on the complainant.

The accused again used a screwdriver to stab the complainant at the stomach, the prosecution said, adding that the complainant bled profusely and was rushed to the James Town Police Station where a Police Medical report form was issued to him to attend hospital for treatment.

Chief Inspector Bansah said the accused was arrested by the people around and handed over to the James Town Police where he was re-arrested for investigation.

She said Duodoo admitted the offence in his investigation cautioned statement to the Police.

After investigation, the accused was arraigned.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Addis Ababa: The Disaster Risk Management Commission (DRMC) stated that it is undergoing a significant overhaul to strengthen its ability to manage and respond to the uncertain humanitarian needs.

The commission has started pre-deployment training for management and staff of the commission at the African Leadership Excellence Academy today.

Disaster Risk Management Commissioner Shiferaw Teklemariam on the occasion said the commission is implementing reforms, including revised policy, new human resources structure, preparedness in terms of resources and technology to manage and respond to the uncertain humanitarian needs.

The Council of Ministers has approved the revised Disaster Risk Management Policy in February which was in use for about 20 years.

The reform activities following the implementation of the revised policy, will equip the commission with more qualified and agile workforce prepared to handle emergencies, he stated.

According to him, the commission should also be equipped with the necessary
human and material resources as well as technology to strengthen its ability to manage and respond to the uncertain humanitarian needs in the country.

Therefore, the commission is undergoing an internal reorganization to streamline operations and optimize its effectiveness in tackling humanitarian crises.

The reform activities are crucial at a time when aid is dwindling while the need is huge, he noted, adding that the government shouldered most portion of the humanitarian burden to save likelihoods, compromising other development activities.

However, with dwindling support from international stakeholders, it is crucial for the commission to become more self-sufficient and adept at managing these complex situations, he stressed.

The revamped commission will be better equipped to anticipate, prevent, respond to, and recover from disasters, ultimately safeguarding the well-being of Ethiopian citizens during times of crisis.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

A total of 28 males in the Central Region, representing 82 per cent, and six females, representing 18 per cent, were killed by road crashes from January to March 2024.

The figure reveals an approximate ratio of 1:5, meaning that one female to five males are killed in every road crashes, confirming a similar trend in recent past of higher road fatalities of males than females.

Similarly, two people, being six per cent of people killed in road crashes, were below 18 years, whilst 32, representing 94 per cent, were adults above 18 years.

That indicates that for every 16 adults above 18-years killed, a child below 18-years also dies, revealing relatively high road traffic death ratio of 16:1 for adults than for children.

This is partly due to the high risk of exposure of adults and males to traffic incidences as compared to children, Mrs Linda Affotey-Annang, the Central Regional Head, National Road Safety Authority, told the Ghana News Agency in Cape Coast on Friday.

A total of 245 road traffic crashes, re
sulting in 410 injuries and 34 deaths, were reported as against 231 crashes, 33 injuries and 42 deaths recorded over the same period last year.

The figures represent a 6.1 per cent increase in road crashes, 78.8 per cent increase in injuries and a 19.0 per cent reduction in deaths.

The crashes involved 387 vehicles of all categories; private, commercial, motorbikes, or cycles and 476 casualties, 66 fatalities or deaths and 410 injuries.

Of the reported cases, vehicles involved, people injured and pedestrian knockdowns, respectively increased by 6.06, 1.84, 8.75 and 53.49 per cent, but people killed decreased by 19.05 per cent when compared to the same period of 2024.

On monthly distributions of crashes, injuries and deaths, Mrs Affotey- Annang said the month of March recorded the highest number of crashes of 101 whilst February recorded the least number of 52.

For injuries, January recorded the highest of 161 whilst March had the least; 95.

The rate of decrease for deaths in 2024 was approximately 3.5 p
er month compared to the 1.5 decrease per month for 2023.

Also, a total of 66 pedestrians were knocked down, representing an increase of 53.49 per cent as against 43 knockdowns in 2023.

To understand the enormousness of the crashes, she explained that road traffic accidents had been categorized under fatal, serious or minor depending on the severity.

‘Fatal crashes are crashes which have resulted in the death of at least one person or more within 30 days of the crash, serious crashes are crashes, which have resulted in a serious injury of at least one person, leading to hospitalisation for at least 24 hours.’

‘Minor crashes are those resulting in a minor injury of at least one person, hospitalised for less than 24 hours or no injuries at all,’ she said.

She repeated the Authority’s resolve to inducing positive behavioural change among road users for them to observe and advocate compliance of road traffic regulations.

Also, road users must support the authority and other stakeholders and report traffic i
nfractions as a collective responsibility.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Addis Ababa: Of late, the National Intelligence and Security Council issued a statement, emphasizing the significance of the Transitional Justice Policy which the country has embarked on rectifying injustices inherited from past history.

Ethiopia is a big country with a population of 120 million and with a diverse range of resources. Nonetheless, the country has not yet attained its aspiration as well as material progress due to its backward political system. It is unfortunate that Ethiopia’s stagnated political practice and divisive discourse has left fundamental issues of the country unanswered for centuries.

As a result, Ethiopia has endured various transgressions, heinous activities and violation of basic human rights. Those in political authority have thus far disregarded the voices of others by placing the blame on the people they view as violators.

A series of political systems have not only engulfed the country and its people into a miserable life but also caused serious hostilities and resentment
among citizens. Authorities crushed those forces that made demands for change of course, resulting in that disputes were unsettled and transferred to posterity, weakening the statehood of Ethiopia. Such approaches have been dragging the nation for an endless bloodshed, fragmentation, and face the quagmire of poverty.

As these backlogs of Ethiopia have caused protracted disputes, misunderstandings, and instability, the country should come up with a viable mechanism which could change the state of affairs.

To this effect, the reformist government of Ethiopia has adopted a Transitional Justice Policy as a viable mechanism to heal the wounds of the victims and avoid resentment which has been the main causes to the instability and underdevelopment of the country.

In this regard, the current government is striving to write a new history and reversing the centuries-old resentment and hostilities by implementing the Transitional Justice Policy.

The transitional justice policy which is believed to contribute to su
stainable peace, reconciliation and justice in Ethiopia has been developed through extensive consultations with pertinent stakeholders and incorporating international experiences with the objective to avoiding resentment by breaking the dichotomy between the transgressors and the victims.

One of the bold steps and matured leadership of the Ethiopian government is its move to settle disputes through peaceful means. The Pretoria Peace Agreement is an unprecedented decision of the government. The peace deal ended the conflict in northern Ethiopia by fostering a culture settling disputes peacefully. This peace agreement signifies a mature and resolute decision to prevent future generations from inheriting a legacy of winners and losers characterized by animosity. By embracing this alternative approach, the nation managed to halt bloodshed and conflict.

By signing of the peace agreement, the government went beyond its obligations stipulated in the accord and implemented a series of measures deemed necessary to c
ultivate trust and sustain peace.

Considerable financial resources have been allocated by the government to facilitate financial and economic activities in the Tigray region. Given the substantial benefits of peace, the government has achieved beyond its obligations to heal the wounds inflicted by the conflict. However, this should be considered as a responsibility lies with the government and should not be misconstrued as an act of fear.

In order to expedite the process, a National Rehabilitation Commission has been established. Hence, reconstruction and rehabilitation initiatives have commenced in the Amhara, Afar, and Tigray regions. The government has also established an environment conducive to the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to Amhara, Afar, and Tigray regions.

Specifically, in compliance with the agreement, it is imperative that the TPLF militants and other armed groups must disarm to address the issues surrounding areas defined by claims of identity and administrative affairs.

Efforts
to restore peace and resettle those displaced by the war must be ended. Failing to learn from past mistakes is more detrimental than committing an initial error. Without drawing lessons from our past mistakes, it is incumbent upon us to collaborate in subduing those who persist in perpetuating the same problems we face today. We must heed the dire consequences of employing law enforcement without exercising patience, as evident in our recent history.

As it is stipulated in the Pretoria Agreement and enshrined in our Constitution, regional states are prohibited from maintaining armed and organized forces beyond the police and militia required for law enforcement at the state level; they should not exceed this limit. Hence, the disarmament process and associated procedures must be expeditiously implemented in accordance with the Rehabilitation Commission’s plan.

In nutshell, the Transitional Justice policy gives utmost attention to ensure its inclusivity and independence as the overall preparation involved 60
consultation sessions with regional stakeholders and another 20 sessions at the national level to gather inputs to improve the contents of the policy document.

The policy has been issued with the objective of laying out the system in which a transitional justice can be secured to bring forth sustainable peace, reconciliation, prevalence of law and order, justice and democracy. For its successful implementation, several instruments will be employed including criminal investigation, putting the culprits before the courts of law and investigating the truth, forgiveness, compensation and other possible means like introducing reforms in systems.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Kasapreko Company Limited, producers of Awake Purified Drinking Water, has increased its financial commitment to the Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, the Awake Purified Drinking Water brand donated GHS150,000 to the Cardio Centre, a 100% increase from previous donations of GHS75,000 over the years.

The GHS150,000 amount donated by Kasapreko Company, through its ‘One4Life’ charity-driven project, was the first-quarter payment of 2024 as they continue to support patients with heart conditions.

Since its inception, the ‘One4Life’ campaign has saved hundreds of children with severe heart conditions by setting aside 10 pesewas from the purchase of every 500ml of Awake Purified Drinking Water for donation.

Madam Linda Aidoo, Brands Manager at Kasapreko Company, stated that the company’s intention to increase support for the Cardio Centre was to make the funding accessible to more Ghanaians.

‘We want to thank Ghanaians for the Awake brand and their
continuous support towards donating to the Cardiothoracic Centre. We are committed to this partnership with Cardio Centre, as we financially support children with heart conditions.

‘We remain hopeful that our support will help facilitate better treatment and ease their financial burden while urging Ghanaians to patronise our products,’ she said.

Dr. Mark Mawutor Tettey, Acting Executive Director of the Cardiothoracic Centre, Korle-Bu Hospital, expressed gratitude to the Kasapreko brand for their increased support package for the centre.

He noted that the cost of administering better health care to people had increased over time, and it was essential for corporate Ghana to support their quest to render improved health services.

‘There are lots of patients who cannot afford the services we provide here, so this kind gesture by Awake is very much welcomed, and it would go a long way in supporting those who cannot afford it.

‘There is so much financial cost in the repair of machines or importing new ones for
centres, so this kind of support helps us mitigate the huge cost that comes with operating the centre.

Renowned Ghanaian gospel musician Diana Hamilton, who is also the brand ambassador for Awake Mineral Drinking Water, expressed excitement over the increased financial support for the centre.

‘It is a joy to see this day, and we are thankful for the ‘One4Life’ project, and hopefully we can do more in the future. Thank you to Ghanaians for patronising Awake Purified Drinking Water, knowing that a quota of their purchase goes to funding the Cardio Center. May God bless them,’ she said.

The ‘One4Life’ initiative has made a tangible difference in the lives of hundreds of children, and this increased funding will further support the Cardiothoracic Centre’s mission to provide quality care to those in need.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Addis Ababa: In a statement the National Intelligence and Security Council of Ethiopia issued recently, it emphasized the imperatives of the processes of the National Dialogue and Transitional Justice Policy which the country has embarked on rectifying shortfalls inherited from past history. This article focuses on the highlights of national dialogue.

The change of political power in Ethiopia in 2018 ushered in a great deal of democratic space for the people of the country. The incumbent government has been taking various series of measures to build strong and viable institutions vital for the transformation of the democratic system of the country.

Right from the outset, the government underlined that aggressive socioeconomic and political transformation was imperative to take Ethiopia into a new heights.

In its long history of statehood, Ethiopia lacked the experience of settling political differences, disagreements and conflicts in a legal and peaceful manner through discussions and dialogues, the statem
ent recalled.

Accordingly, amendments were made to existing laws and policies that were bottlenecks for the democratic system by engaging independent experts during the first two or three years of office. All these measures were made to expedite the nation building process by creating an enabling environment for the public and stakeholders’ wider engagement in all aspects of the country’s endeavors.

The council noted that the country experienced rampant resentments and distrust perpetuated over the past several decades among the various sections of the society coupled with the interests of individuals and groups that operated in the name of political party, fueling different forms of conflict and instability in the country. This is mainly attributed to the weak democratic culture that the country experienced in its history in resolving political disputes, arguments, and conflicts through peaceful talks and dialogues.

The political culture in our nation has been shaped by the ambitions of individuals who ha
ve taken over positions of authority through coercion and have continued to impose their will by having complete control over everything available to them until they are removed by force.

In response to this challenging situation, the country has conducted extensive processes to hold the first ever inclusive national dialogue that involves all segments of the society with a view to resolving centuries old predicaments that the country is facing, heal resentments and wounds caused during the heinous acts of previous political systems.

The reformist government has been reiterating its full support and commitment to the successful conduct of the inclusive dialogue that aims at correcting major fault lines paving the way for creating consensus on basic national issues to the 120 million peoples.

The incumbent government has demonstrated the emergence of a new political culture through a national election that showed the desires of the people and formed a government that is based on the will of the peoples. Mor
eover, the government has demonstrated that this nation is common home for the citizenry. To this effect, the government engaged leaders and members of other political parties into the state nomenclature, which is a new political departure in the history of Ethiopia.

Towards rectifying rampant mistakes inherited from the past, the government initiated the establishment of an independent National Dialogue Commission with 11 commissioners who have proven scholarly independence, impartiality and enthusiasm to see a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Ethiopia.

The commissioners of the National Dialogue, who were appointed to serve their country, are of high caliber and rich experience. The law has empowered them with extensive power to conduct their duties of coordinating and conducting an inclusive national dialogue. They have now charted out extensive outlines on how the inclusive dialogue should be conducted by consulting pertinent stakeholders.

Accordingly, the process of identifying candidates, who would
participate in the national dialogue in 10 regional states and two city administrations and districts have been completed. Meticulous and painstaking tasks have been accomplished in this regard. It has also engaged communities at all levels.

This strategy has considered the public who are the owners of the process as the epicenter of the entire deliberation.The process in the dialogue including the preparation of agendas was not done only from top to bottom but has also initiated idea generation for discussion and agendas were suggested to the higher bodies of the commission

It is expected that the commission will commence dialogue in regional levels within few weeks. It is also expected to finalize identification of participants shortly in areas where identification of participants have not yet conducted.

Thus far, some 12,294 participants have been identified from 679 districts, that would participate in the process, have already been identified.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has asked the government and the various political parties to strategically incorporate and prioritise agriculture policies aimed at investing in irrigation infrastructure in their 2024 general election manifestos.

It said in the midst of climate change impacts leading to erratic rainfall, prolong droughts and perennial floods which were adversely affecting food production, there was the need for climate-smart and adaptive agriculture to address threats of food insecurity.

It said investing in viable irrigation infrastructure would not only help to promote all year farming but would propel smallholder farmers to remain in business and contribute to achieving sufficiency.

Dr Charles Nyaaba, Chief Executive Officer of Akuafo Nketewa, a Business Unit of PFAG, made this call during the Inaugural Peasant Farmers Day Celebration held at Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region.

The celebration was organised by PFAG in collaboration wi
th the Akuafo Nketewa and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture on the theme: ‘Deepening the Role of Smallholder farmers in Promoting Food and Nutrition Security in the Midst of Climate Change and Global Crisis.’

Dr Nyaaba explained that the agriculture sector played a critical role in the socio-economic growth of the country and there was the need for political parties seeking to govern the country to prioritise and advance policies that would attract the youth to the sector.

‘One cannot do meaningful farming today by just relying on rain fed farming. Across the globe, irrigation is being prioritised as a keen catalyst for agricultural development.

‘We plead with government and all political parties to re-invigorate interest in constructing the Pwalugu Multi-purpose dam, re-engineering and desilting all our silted dams including the one-village one dam and supporting the youth with one household, one borehole to help them to do dry season farming,’ he said.

Dr Nyaaba explained that the PFAG was committed
to collaborating with the government and other private sectors to improve food production and contribute significantly to ensuring food security and reducing poverty in Ghana.

‘We cannot do that without commitment from our policy makers in ensuring comprehensive policies and initiatives that prioritise agricultural investment, modernisation of agriculture and the welfare of our farmers,’ he said.

Apart from the high cost of production due to high cost of inputs, Dr Nyaaba indicated that lack of access to markets for food produced in Ghana had been one of the major challenges facing smallholder farmers.

‘One of the biggest challenges we have identified is corruption and politisation of agriculture policies and it is not only one government, when government brings inputs, tractors and any support for farmers, those who are not farmers are the ones who are benefiting, so apart from calling on the political parties to come out with agriculture policies, we want to see their commitment to fighting corruption,’
he said.

Mr Wepia Awal Adugwala, President, PFAG, said the smallholder farmers produced most of the food consumed in Ghana, however, they had not been given the needed support since 2021 and there was the need to address challenges such as high cost of inputs, mechanisation services, among others to help them increase productivity.

The occasion was also used to launch the Peasant Farmers Cooperative Credit Union, Pension and welfare scheme for peasant farmers, training for farmers on agro-ecological practices whilst some farmers received awards.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Four unions under the Trades Union Congress (TUC) of Ghana in the Central Region in collaboration with Agyare Realty Limited, a real estate company, have held a workshop on property acquisition for their members.

The session sensitised the workers on the importance of acquiring property before retirement and how to procure genuine property without losing their investments.

The participating workers numbering about 100, were drawn from the Public Services Workers Union (PSWU), Teachers and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) and the Local Government Service.

The real estate company, as part of the collaboration, also offered to sell plots of lands to the members of the unions and their associates on instalment basis over a period of 48 months.

Mr Stephen Kwame Mensah, Regional Industrial Relations Officer, Health Services Workers Union of PSWU, observed that many public sector workers could not acquire property before retirement due to their meagre salaries.

‘And even when you have your own money to pay fo
r the land, sometimes you are faced with issues of land guards and unnecessary litigations,’ he said.

The partnership was therefore to offer innovative assistance, particularly to public sector workers to get their own property at affordable rates with convenience.

‘The Health Services Workers’ Union has already taken the lead and the process has started, going for it in our numbers will help beat the price rate of the land down,’ Mr Mensah said.

Mr Stephen Ofosu Agyare, Chairman of Agyare Realty Limited, maintained that it was better to buy land earlier, than to wait till one is ready to build, given the perpetual increase in land prices.

He, however, cautioned the public to be vigilant when purchasing land by following all legal procedures and buying from the right sources.

He explained that aside from real estate companies, it was safer to buy land from families or stools instead of individuals to avoid falling victim to scammers.

He acknowledged that the salaries of public sector workers were meagre
but insisted that one did not need huge sums of money to acquire property.

‘We believe that with a good payment structure and a good opportunity, you can have a property and buy it with ease,’ he stressed.

Mr Agyare expressed the company’s commitment to helping workers secure litigation-free property to give them a comfortable retirement.

‘We want to make sure that we help our clients get affordable litigation-free lands with flexible payment structure taking into consideration, our salaries, gathering money to buy property is quite challenging.

‘If you are a government worker, a structure like this is something that you should always be opting for,’ he encouraged.

Source: Ghana News Agency

A total of 136 smallholder farmers and aggregators have been recognised at the Inaugural Peasant Farmers Day celebration held at Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region for contributing significantly to the food basket of the country.

The awardees received prizes ranging from farm inputs to home appliances including fridges, television sets, bags of fertilizer, knapsack sprayers, tarpaulin, insecticides, and cash.

It was organised by the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), in collaboration with the Akuafo Nketewa Company Limited, a business unit under PFAG, and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).

It was themed: ‘Deepening the role of smallholder farmers in promoting food and nutrition security in the midst of climate change and global crises’.

Dr Charles Nyaaba, the Chief Executive Officer, Akuafo Nketewa Company Limited, explained that more than 80 percent of the food consumed in Ghana was produced by peasant farmers, however, their efforts were hardly rec
ognised.

Most of them were mostly left out of the government’s annual farmers’ day celebration despite their immense contribution, he said, and that the maiden awards scheme was to motivate and attract more people into farming.

‘Peasant farmers are responsible for all the raw materials we get for industries and export but in terms of reward, they are usually ignored,’ he noted.

‘I say this because most of the smallholder farmers are in the hinterlands and even travelling to the nearest district offices of department of Agriculture to access extension services and information is a problem.’

‘But because we work with them and they are our members we need to recognise some of these people’.

As part of creating a support system for the smallholder farmers, a Credit Union was launched to provide loans for them to engage and improve upon their business.

Dr Nyaaba noted that access to finance from the banks had always been a challenge for smallholder farmers and the support from government was unsustainable, s
caring youth and women from continuing or venturing into farming.

‘With this Farmer Cooperative Union, the farmer can contribute some amount and whenever that farmer needs financial support, can access it.’

‘The thinking is to establish the farmer cooperative union in the then 10 regions and form our own bank called the farmers bank.’

The occasion also saw the launch of a pension scheme to support the smallholder farmers in their old age.

Mr Wepia Awal Adugwala, President, PFAG, noted that climate change was hitting hard at the agriculture sector and posed significant threat to Ghana’s food security, and underscored the urgent need for adaptive agriculture.

He explained that apart from supporting smallholder farmers with subsidised farm inputs, improved seeds, and mechanisation services to reduce cost of food production, there was the need for government to invest in irrigation to encourage all year-round farming.

Mr Charles Ayuebono Adam, the Principal Agriculture Economist in charge of Policy, Plannin
g, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, MoFA, said unlike the phase one of the planting for food and jobs, which was subsidy based, the second phase was input-credit base and encouraged the farmers to register to benefit from the programme.

Ms Christina Abaadaa, who won the best female sorghum producer, urged the government to support peasant farmers, especially the women, with tractors services, adding that: ‘anytime we are competing with men for tractor services, we don’t get it’.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has identified six priority areas to drive the operationalisation of its Global Strategy in water management research in West and Central Africa.

These priorities are building resilient agri-food systems against climate change, reducing risks from droughts, floods, and compounding systems water risks, and enabling circular water and food economy innovations.

The rest are leveraging water for resilience in fragile and conflict-affected settings, strengthening gender equity in water resources utilization and management, and supporting water infrastructure and allocation decisions.

Dr Olufunke Cofie, IWMI West Africa Regional

Representative, told the Ghana News Agency that the six priorities were crucial and would influence its global strategy.

Dr Cofie was speaking in an interview during a Regional Stakeholder Consultation on IWMI’s Strategic Priorities on Transforming Water Systems for a Sustainable Future in West and Central Africa in Accra.

The event
was to operationalise IWMI’s global strategy through the development of a regional strategy roadmap, codesign and develop mechanism for Research for Development, jointly identify and pursue resource mobilisation opportunities and strengthen networks and future.

She said it was important to have a strategy to guide directions of water management to ensure stakeholders remain focused on their operations.

Dr Cofie said, ‘if strategies are not in place, they will not be able to define their priorities and these Global Strategy was based on Regional Dialogues.’

She said it was to draw an action plan on how they would operationalize the strategy through clearly defined priorities that they agreed upon.

Dr Mark Smith, the Director-General of IWMI, said the strategy had been developed for operationalisation for the next seven years to help address water management challenges.

He said it was to help IWMI’s partners and the countries they work in to become water-secured and manage water better.

The Director-Gener
al said the strategy was to address water risk or drought, flood, and women inequality.

He said, ‘without effective water management, we can easily lose the gains made regarding growth and development.’

Source: Ghana News Agency