Go beyond oil and minerals extraction in Africa - Kufuor

The Sixth African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum opened in Accra on Wednesday with a demand by President John Agyekum Kufuor on private sector operators in the United States (US) to increase their investments in Africa beyond the extractive industries of oil and precious minerals. He identified agro-processing, manufacturing and tourism as some key areas they could put their money into to assist in technology transfer and build the Continent's capacity to become more competitive and effective partners in trade.

Additionally, they should also look at the re-location of industries and outsourcing Information Communication Technology (ICT) contracts to the Region. The programme ends in 2015 and this, President Kufuor said, must be extended by five years to give Africa space to take full advantage of the opportunity. "Given the time constraint and the very serious capacity challenges, we must admit, Africa can hardly exploit the benefits of this huge initiative anywhere to the full. "I will therefore appeal, first to the US Government to extend the time of AGOA to 20 years, then to the countries in Africa as well as our development partners in the US to design and implement a specific and efficacious vehicle targeted at empowering African nations in terms of capacity building." President Kufuor said AGOA benefits must not be seen only from the perspective of the African.

He quoted the statement made by US President George Bush, while signing the AGOA Acceleration Act in 2004: "When America sells to Africa, it means employment for somebody in America" and said the programme, should, therefore, work both ways to everyone's advantage. President Kufuor noted that AGOA complemented by the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) assured Africa of America's goodwill. The three-day forum is providing the platform for Trade Ministers from the 39 AGOA qualified countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, representatives of the private sector, Civil Society groups and US officials to discuss ways of increasing US-Africa trade. The theme is: "As Trade Grows, Africa Prospers: Optimising the Benefits under AGOA." AGOA, a legislative initiative, opens up the US market to eligible countries to export over 6,400 duty-free and quotation-free products, estimated at more than 10 trillion dollars without reciprocity. Imports from Africa under this initiative totalled 44.2 billion dollars in 2006, a five-fold increase over 2001, when the programme began.

The increase involved mostly crude oil and apparel exports. The Head of the US Delegation, Ms Susan Schwab, said her country, was determined to serve as a strategic partner with Africa and would not stop, until the Continent has realised its enormous potentials. She noted that if the Region could increase its share of the global trade, which stood at two per cent, by a single percentage, it would be generating 70 billion dollars annually. This would be about three times the amount of development assistance it has been receiving. Ms Schwab spoke of the need for enhanced intra-African trade and South-South trading and re-affirmed the US commitment to reducing agricultural trade distortions. Ms Schwab, who is the Trade Advisor to President Bush, described the future of Africa as full of hope saying, there was now a new breed of political leaders, who were determined to turn the economic fortunes of the Continent around.

Mr Allan Kyerematen, Minister of Trade, in a welcoming address called for a conscious effort to coordinate and tailor US technical assistance programmes to support the capacity requirement of African countries to implement AGOA related activities. There was also the need to reinforce measures to draw more foreign direct investment from US companies to the continent. Mr Kyerematen, who is also responsible for Industry, Private Sector Development and President’s Special Initiative, suggested the establishment of an AGOA Fund and other financial instruments to support small and medium scale enterprises.

US President Bush in a pre-recorded message to the forum said this was a time of promise to the people of Africa and that the US would stand with the Region.GNA

Saudi Embassy hands over medical supplies to MOH

The Saudi Arabian Government on Wednesday handed over about six tonnes of medical supplies to the Ministry of Health to support health care delivery. The supplies included antibiotics; cough syrups; oral re-hydration salts (ORS); surgical antiseptics; measles vaccines and painkillers.

Mr Sameer Mahmoud Aggad, Ambassador of the Royal Saudi Arabia, said the presentation formed part of a free two-week medical outreach programme organised by the Saudi Government. The 20-member health team had camped at Nima in Accra for the past two weeks where it provided general health care and other specialized services such as Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) and paediatrics. He said the team, which included three women gynaecologists and a paediatrician, treated about 200 people daily during their two-week programme.

Mr Aggad stated that the medical outreach programme and the presentation of the drugs signified the strong relationship that existed between the two countries and pledged his country's support to assist Ghana in ensuring quality health care delivery. Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Health, thanked the Saudi Government for the gesture and appealed to the Ambassador to negotiate for a possible exchange programme between the two countries to ensure expanded knowledge of health professionals from both countries.

He commended the Embassy for being the first donor country to abide by the rules spelt out in the donation manual of the Ministry. "Previously, the Ministry was receiving expired drugs and obsolete equipment, which became a nuisance so we decided to come out with a donation manual to guide benevolent organizations who want to donate such items to us and the Saudis have followed the instructions in the manual and we are grateful," the Minister said.GNA

Lufthansa's Comments, Pure Mischief -Aviation Minister

Aviation Minister, Honorable Gloria Akuffo has described as unfortunate and mischievous a statement from Lufthansa Airlines saying they have cancelled all flights to Ghana.
The German Airline issued a statement yesterday saying that they have no option but to take Ghana off their destination map since government has indicated that it is giving them only one option of flying twice a week from Accra to Frankfurt and vice versa.
This follows the expiration of government’s certification for the airlines’ daily flights to Accra.
The directive left several passengers stranded at the Airport in Frankfurt unable to connect a flight to Accra on Saturday.
Speaking to CITI FM, Aviation Minister, Gloria Akuffo says negotiations are still on-going and government has no intention of turning its back on Lufthansa. She emphasized that the airline’s behavior is mischievous and unfortunate, insisting that under no circumstances did government send a directive to the airline canceling their relationship with them.
‘INSIDE STORY’‘Lufthansa had an outstanding relationship with the then Ghana Airways which allowed them five additional flights from Ghana to Germany, outside their already established two flights from the country.
The arrangement was to give Lufthansa more visibility in the country as well as to afford Ghana Airways some royalties.
When the royalties were not forthcoming, Ghana Airways took the issue up after which Lufthansa agreed to pay an amount of $1.2 million dollars to settle the issue.
Lufthansa, apparently, did not take kindly to a new arrangement by the Official Liquidator of Ghana Airways, allowing Ghana International Airlines to fly to Frankfurt and giving Lufthansa only two flights to Ghana.
They therefore wrote a letter to the Official Liquidator asking them to cancel GIA’s flights to Germany and allow them that privilege’.
Honorable Gloria Akuffo said the airline cannot use this mechanism to serve as a threat to the Aviation Ministry to cow in to their demands.Meanwhile, Travel and Tour Agencies in the country say they have still not received any official notification from Lufthansa concerning their decision to cancel their flights to Ghana.
They maintain that they are currently having problems with their clients since some of them have booked on the airline.
Mr. Johnny Nezer Moreau of Graceland Travel and Tours and former President of the Ghana Travel and Tour Agencies said the move by Lufthansa will surely tarnish the image of the airline in the country.
Lufthansa ends route to Ghana after disagreement with government Deutsche Lufthansa AG said it will stop flying to Ghana, following a disagreement with the Ghanaian authorities.
Lufthansa said the Ghanaian government had refused to renew the licence authorising it to fly every day to Accra international airport.
'Instead, Lufthansa was only authorised to fly two flights per week between Accra and Frankfurt. Unfortunately, the company cannot accept this proposal, as it is not financially viable,' the airline said.
Lufthansa's last flight serving Accra will run on Saturday evening. The company said it 'sincerely regrets being forced to withdraw Ghana from the map of countries which we serve'.
Ghanaian Aviation Minister Gloria Akuffo said Lufthansa could still fly to the country. She told Agence France-Presse that her government had not forced the airline to halt its flights, and that Lufthansa had sent her ministry draft agreements to be signed.
Source:CitiFM

Two Nigerians arrested with fake new Ghana cedi notes

Two Nigerians were arrested on Saturday by Customs officials at the Aflao border for possessing fake new Ghana cedi notes.
The watermark and the silver lining, the two main security features of the new Ghana Cedi note, were not on the notes found on them. The suspects - Michael Akinniyi Adetayo, 35, and 36 year-old Sunday Olaole Ogundeyi, have since been handed over to the Aflao police for further investigation.

Mr Ahmed Issah Yakubu, Assistant Superintendent of Police in charge of Aflao district, told the Ghana News Agency that the two Nigerians arrived at the last departure checkpoint at about 0630 hours on Saturday.
He said Customs officers, who had been on the alert for fake notes, examined the two thoroughly and found the fake currency in GH(1 and GH(10 denominations.
Mr Yakubu said the two claimed the notes were given to them when they went to exchange Naira into cedis while on their way to shop in Accra.

The Police have impounded their luggage.
Mr Yakubu said the two would be put before court on Tuesday for conspiracy and possessing fake notes.
Source:GNA