The AfricaNews articles of adomfeh
Ghana's emerging tourism village of Nzulezo
45 year old Mensah Kasapa was born at Nzulezo, a community built on stilts and platforms suspended above the Amanzuri Lake in the Jomoro District of Ghana's Western Region. - He has lived here long enough to understand the intrigues of life on top of the waters.
The over 550 inhabitants of Nzulezo are predominantly farmers and brewers of local dry gin, known as ‘Akpeteshie’. “It is not profitable to fish in the dry season”, said Mensah, though the inhabitants go fishing during the rainy season.
Life is difficult, he complained, referring to the subsistent agricultural activities of the community.
According to Mensah, the routine journey through the water…Hope City project is a result of rlg risk taking syndrome
Chief Executive of Rlg Communication, Roland Agambire, says his company took a bigger risk to launch the Hope City project to make Ghana a competitive hub in the ICT world. - According to him, the “risk taking syndrome” will not stop, believing that it is risky for businesses to refuse to take risks.
He has therefore dared young Ghanaian graduates to be ready to take up risky ventures that would move the country to the next level.
“Rlg took the risk to train young people, cultivate the culture of entrepreneurship in them and as we speak today, we took the risk to say that what is happening in the West, South, East, it can happen in the Centre; Ghana is in the middle o…US$60,000 Yara Prize for agriculture innovation in Africa
The Yara Prize Committee is inviting nominations for a candidate that deserves recognition for achievements in combating hunger and poverty and enhancing food security and sustainable agricultural development in Africa. - “The Yara Prize 2013 will have a specific focus on youth and agriculture, paying particular attention to innovation and entrepreneurship”, said Committee head, Jørgen Ole Haslestad, who is also the President and CEO of Yara International ASA.
He noted “an important part of the current discourse on agricultural development in Africa is about creating more interest and engagement amongst the continent’s increasingly youthful population”.
Th…Ghana’s aquaculture boosted with improved Nile Tilapia
Ghana’s the Water Research Institute (WRI), in partnership with WorldFish, has developed the ‘Akosombo’ strain of Nile Tilapia, which grows three times faster than non-improved tilapia. - The improved variety is to increase aquaculture productivity and food security in West Africa.
For local consumption, an increase in productivity can result in greater availability of fish in the market, reducing the price of the product and making it more accessible to poor consumers.
“The response is phenomenal, the tilapia industry in Ghana is booming with the new Akosombo strain. At the current pace, tilapia production in Ghana is projected to increase tenfold b…Farming Academy for the Ghanaian youth
Yara Ghana, leading mineral fertilizer manufacturer and distributor, is initiating a scheme to promote the business of agriculture among young people. - The ‘Farming Academy’ has the aim of driving students from the primary through to the senior high school level to learn best practices in crop production whilst appreciating opportunities in the agricultural sector.
“Yara is all about knowledge; we don’t believe we just sell fertilizer, but we bring the knowledge that comes with it”, said Mehdi Saint-André, Managing Director of Yara Ghana.
According to him, the Academy will discourage the perception that farming is a punishment and rather inculcate in stud…How Fairtrade benefits Ghanaian cocoa farmers
Worldwide demand for cocoa to make chocolate products may be growing; but that does not necessarily point to increased income for cocoa farmers. - As the cocoa industry gathers for the annual International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) conference in Abidjan to discuss the future for cocoa, Ghana’s Kuapa Kokoo, the biggest cocoa farmers’ cooperative explains how Fairtrade, democratic organization and farmer empowerment are key to the success of its operations and the future livelihoods of farmers.
According to Christiana Ohene-Agyare, President of Kuapa Kokoo Farmers Union, the co-operative exists for the benefit of its members and Fairtrade has played a crucial role in helping far…Ghana activates foremost Technology Hub
A centre of technology has been activated at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) as an innovative hub for students with ideas to solve socio-economic problems. - The TechHub serves as the foremost mobile and web laboratory in Ghana where students are trained as ICT developers and future socially responsible entrepreneurs in the high-tech industry.
Vodafone Ghana furnished the physical infrastructure of the hub and provided the equipment including servers, computers, smartphones and other devices covering a wide range of user platforms.
Commercial Director, Nii Boye Adjei, says the company recognizes the enabling power of technology, hence its preparedness to …Mobile broadband to create 1.4 million jobs for Ghanaians
Ghana's mobile broadband industry should create about 1.4 million jobs between 2015 and 2020, according to the GSMA, which represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. - The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) should be increased by an additional $1.5 billion in the digital dividend with the necessary spectrum allocations.
Peter Lyons, GSMA Director of Spectrum Policy for Africa and the Middle East, says mobile operators in Ghana would need sufficient spectrum and he is optimistic “when the analogue television switch off is completed, then additional spectrum will be free for mobile broadband in the digital dividend”.
He however says government will…Africa leads the world in Mobile telecom growth
Sub-Saharan Africa has emerged as the fastest-growing mobile market in the world, with a phenomenal average annual growth rate of 44 per cent since 2000. - Mobile connections have leapt to 475 million, compared to just 12.3 million fixed line connections, representing the highest proportion of mobile versus fixed line connections in the world. With necessary spectrum allocations and transparent regulation, the mobile industry could fuel the growth of 14.9 million new jobs in sub-Saharan Africa between 2015 and 2020.
Based on research from Deloitte, the GSMA sub-Saharan Africa Mobile Observatory provides a comprehensive evaluation of the region’s mobile industry and its socio-economi…New vaccine trial reduces malaria by one-third
Latest vaccine trial results show a reduction in malaria by approximately one-third in African infants aged 6 to 12 weeks, lower than that seen in the older age group a year ago. - The results also showed there was no overall increase in reporting of serious adverse events in the infants vaccinated with RTS,S, demonstrating an acceptable safety and tolerability profile.
Eleven partner African research centres in seven African countries – Burkina Faso, Ghana, Gabon, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique – are conducting this trial, together with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI), with grant funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation …Samsung makes inroads in Ghana’s smartphone market
Samsung Electronics is recording strong sales on the Ghanaian market with its range of smartphones and tablets. - According to Emmanuel Owusu Kumi, Marketing Specialists for Samsung West Africa, the company is enjoying an average weekly sale of 3,000 handsets of the Samsung Galaxy S3.
He attributes the high patronage of smart phones to the growth in demand for the latest technology and mobile phone trends.
He spoke to Luv Biz Report at a Kumasi sub-launch of Samsung’s latest devises, including the Galaxy Tab II.
Mr. Owusu Kumi says Samsung is keen to increasing its visibility and sales in Kumasi, following its success in Accra.
The product launch and exhibition was organize…Ghana: PZ Cussons opens 5th Coolworld showroom in Kumasi
The Coolworld electrical retailing is fast growing as a major channel of PZ Cussons Ghana, says Charles Janney, Director of Corporate Affairs and Human Resource. - According to him, the joint venture between PZ and Haier of China, a global manufacturer of refrigerators and air-conditioners, is producing climate-specific products to suit the needs of the local market.
“This collaboration has actually targeted the West African market and it’s producing products that will withstand our rugged conditions here, and that is our trump card”, stated Mr. Janney.
He spoke to Luv Biz Report when PZ Cussons opened the 5th Coolworld Electrical Retail Store in Kumasi, to offer shop…Youth with ‘swag’ can succeed in agriculture
Cynthia Mosunmola Umoru is a young Nigerian lady passionately driving the beauty in agriculture in her home country. Proud to be a farmer, she's got her swag twitting @PrettyFarmer on her sleek tablet. - Cynthia produces food to feed her nation, and delights in inspiring other young persons to take up a profession in agribusiness.
Her company, Honeysuckle Ventures, distributes livestock produce to fast food companies and restaurants in Lagos and one of her farms is used for research and training of young farmers in the agri-food sector.
For Cynthia, it is critical that women and the youth focus less on the drudgery of agriculture and rather focus on the opportunities therein for f…Africa gets $10m boost for agricultural entrepreneurs
A US$10 million grant to support the development of Africa-based innovations to boost African agricultural growth has been announced by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Sida Representative, Henrik Riby and AGRA President, Mrs. Jane Karuku formalized the agreement this week in a signing ceremony at the African Green Revolution Forum in Arusha. - The grant is awarded by Sida as part of its program area focused on inclusive business and pro-poor economic growth, with investments that must significantly contribute to poverty reduction and rural development.
“We know that a more effective and pr…Annan sets tone for Africa's Green Revolution
Chairman of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Kofi Annan and co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Melinda Gates spent most part of Wednesday visiting Tanzanian rural cassava farmers. They also toured a commercial village dedicated to cassava processing, which is part of the Cassava Village Processing Programme (CVPP), an initiative supported by AGRA and implemented by Farm Concern International (FCI) in Eastern Africa. - The exercise was to learn more about the positive impact that higher yields and increased market opportunities bring to farm families, prior to the start of the three-day African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF 2012) in Arusha, Tanzania.
L…African researchers to support research policy
Five policy briefing papers to help shape debates on agricultural policies in sub-Saharan Africa have been launched in Nairobi, Kenya. The briefs summarise the findings of a group African researchers who presented their synthesis papers at a regional workshop organised by the Global Development Network (GDN) to present an African perspective on agricultural research and policy issues. - The GDN Global Research Project, ‘Supporting Policy Research to Inform Agricultural Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia’, is designed as a policy research project to enrich the body of knowledge related to agricultural issues.
Over the last 12 months, five research teams from leading A…Africa must beware of Chinese influence
The Chinese are aiding African countries with finance and infrastructural development, investing in multibillion-dollar projects in roads and transport, schools, hospitals and stadia. As Africa's largest trading partner, the socio-economic benefits of the Chinese new found love with Africa looks enticing and welcomed. But there is growing concern for African leaders to beware of the inherent dangers of organized crime involving Chinese dissidents migrated into Africa as part of the investment package. - In the past three months alone, the Chinese have been in the headlines for all the bad reasons across Africa.
In Nigeria, 13 Chinese nationals were arrested on suspicion of engaging i…Ghana’s stored wealth in urban garbage
A recent World Bank report on the state of municipal solid waste around the world predicted a sharp rise in the amount of garbage generated by urban residents from the current 1.3 billion to 2.2 billion tonnes per year by 2025. According to the report, the annual cost of solid waste management is projected to rise from the current $205 billion to $375 billion, with much of the increase is coming in rapidly from growing cities in developing countries. - Ghana is surely not exempt from the consolidated data on waste generation, collection, composition, and disposal.
The rapid growth in the country’s urban population calls for urgent attention in resource mobilization “to reduc…Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative wins award
The Ghana Bamboo Bikes Initiative has been announced as one of eleven winners at the 2012 World Business and Development Awards (WBDA) for its efforts to improve living standards in some of the world's most disadvantaged communities. The Awards recognize innovative business models that deliver both commercial success and help improve social, economic or environmental conditions - otherwise known as inclusive business models. - The Initiative was recognized at a ceremony concluding the Business Action for Sustainable Development Business Day taking place as part of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), where world leaders along with thousands of participants from governm…Ghana: Foreign retailers cited for currency depreciation
The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is attributing the sharp depreciation of the Ghana cedi against major currencies to the illegal activities of foreigners in the retail sector. GUTA President, George Ofori, has cited this as one of the justifications in the renewed drive to flush out foreigners operating in the retail business, emphasizing their threat to the Ghanaian economy. - According to him, the high demand for the dollar to meet the huge imports non-Ghanaians involved in the retail trade results in scarcity, pushing the exchange rate higher.
“These foreigners come in as manufacturers’ representatives who are here to take commission on behalf of their manufact…Ghana upbeat of cocoa production prospects
Ghana has the potential to catch up with Ivory Coast in cocoa production by 2015 if present interventions and support for farmers are sustained. This is according to Eric Asare Botwe of Olam Ghana, the third largest Licensed Buying Company in the internal cocoa marketing and a leading trading company operating in 20 products across the world. - He said the benefit of guaranteed prices for farmers and application of the high-tech fertilizers and other technologies should propel the country to scale-up production.
“Can you imagine that doing three years of high-tech, we’re already in one million [metric tonnes], if we do it like Cote D’Ivoire has been doing for so many yea…Ghanaian social entrepreneur picks UN award
Ghanaian social entrepreneur, Kwaku Kyei has been selected as a winner of the 2011 UNEP SEED Initiative Award. The Awards recognize inspiring social and environmental entrepreneurs whose businesses can help meet sustainable development challenges. - Kwaku has been using his holistic education from Valley View University and talents to contribute to Ghana’s green economy through his Recnowa Initiative www.recnowa.org which he co-founded with three young enterprising Ghanaians.
The project is contributing to the fight against the plastic waste menace in Ghana by up-cycling waste into high fashion goods whiles creating employment opportunities for street youth and unemployed artisans.
…SA staggers on war against corruption
High levels of corruption are the conversation of the day in South Africa, a country respected on the African continent for her economic buoyancy and thriving democracy. One reason for corruption's higher profile has been the strong stance taken by Thuli Madonsela, the official Public Protector, who heads the country's ombudsman service. - Her record in pursuing corruption complaints since her appointment two years ago has taken the ruling ANC government by surprise and gained wide public acclaim.
However, David Lewis, Executive Director of Corruption Watch, a new anti-graft institution, has no confidence in the country’s success in fighting corruption, citing South Africa…Ghana moves to gain from carbon trade
Ghana is looking at its capacity needs in meeting the implementation requirements of one of the key strategies in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change. A stakeholder workshop is holding in Kumasi in the Ashanti region of the country to assess opportunities and challenges for the country to tap into the future of the REDD+ mechanism. - Nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions are as a result of deforestation and forest degradation, through agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, destructive logging and fires.
It is however estimated that 25% reduction in annual global deforestation rates could be achieved by 2015 if adequate financing is made available for resu…Ghana’s bamboo bikes factory to expand
The bamboo bikes factory in Kumasi, Ghana, is hoping to scale up production by 250 percent at the end of year. The Bamboo Bikes Limited began production of 750 bikes for a test run in Kumasi early this year to serve the transportation needs of healthcare workers, teachers, students and farmers in rural Ghana. - The company was established as the first large-scale bamboo bicycle production company in Africa, with a target to produce up to 20,000 affordable bikes a year. The factory currently employs 20 people.
It is an offshoot of investment-related projects under the Millennium Cities Initiative (MCI) at the Earth Institute at Columbia University.
Addressing a stakeholder forum in Kuma…Petroleum retailing booms in Ghana
Ghana's emerging oil industry is creating, as anticipated, new economic opportunities. More vehicles are expected to be imported into the country, which reasonably means increased demand for petroleum products. This, perhaps, informs the growing investment in fuel retail stations. - The upstream oil industry is barely ten months old, but there is a proliferation of petroleum retail outlets and fuel service stations across the country.
Downstream market activities of supplying products, including bitumen and lubricants, have over the years been handled by the oil marketing companies.
The deregulation policy of the petroleum sector has however attracted indigenous entrepreneurs and …Ghana: Community exposed to environmental risk
Residents of Ohwim-Amanfrom near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana are protesting the siting and operations of a factory in the area. According to them, paper manufacturer, T &Y Company, is polluting their environment which exposes them to health risk and also destroying aquatic life. - The Chinese factory started operating in the community about two years ago. The company recycles plastic waste and produces toilet rolls and other plastic products.
Residents of Ohwim and Amanfrom, however, say locating the factory in a residential area is an affront to their dignity. They are not enthused about the environmental record of this company.
Some are reporting respiratory infections …GHANA: Disabled painter holds solo exhibition
One of Ghana's finest disabled painters Joel Kwadwo Acheampong, will be staging his first solo exhibition of paintings at the Alliance Française in Kumasi this Thursday. Joel has no arms and can hardly do anything without being supported. - He paints with brush in his mouth and in 2008 received a Grand Medal Award from ex-President Kufuor as a role model for the physically disabled.
His Manager, Mark Gyedi Nyante said the national honour in visual arts has exposed Joel to the world and built his confidence to paint spectacular pieces.
Works on display will include African arts; village scenes, motifs like the Akan Adinkra woven into intellectual presentation and Joel will be on ha…Ghana: Book publishers want industry legislated
The Ghana Book Publishers Association (GBPA) is in discussions with interest groups to fashion out legislation to regulate the influx of low-standard books on the local market. The group is hoping to sanitize the industry and promote professionalism by striving to enhance the image of publishing, which practitioners expect will lead to increased awareness of the group's role in educational and national development. - According to Mr. Oppong Kwaku Amponsah of Adwinsa Publications, “the GBPA Council is developing a strong voice for the industry – one that cannot be ignored”, adding that a stakeholder’ conference will soon be held to address issues relating to the b…GHANA: Bamboo bikes in high demand
A bamboo bikes initiative in Kumasi - Ghana's second largest cosmopolitan city - is scaling up the production of high-quality multi-purpose bicycles for the Ghanaian, European and US markets. Bamboo is the fastest growing canopy for re-greening of degraded lands. It also provides nutrition for humans and animals as well as helps improve air and water quality. - But in Ghana, a local bamboo bike industry is emerging to deliver a sustainable and affordable form of transportation that satisfies local needs and suitable for export. Compared to the production of traditional metal bicycles, bamboo bikes require less electricity and no hazardous chemicals.
Bernice Dapaah is Executive Direct…Ghanaian producers offered ICT platform
Locally produced goods and services in Ghana will soon get international recognition as Made in Africa Investment Limited, a produce marketing company, concludes arrangements to enlist them on a website. The CEO of Made in Africa, Emmanuel Mbigbo said the website would be opened for the local manufacturers to boost their potentials for international trade. - The company is partnering the Association of Small Scale Industries (ASSI) to expand the benefit of ICT adaptation to informal business operators with export potentials.
Mr. Mbigbo said the Ashanti region was chosen as the company’s first point of call in Ghana because of the ingenuity of artisans and other smallscale manufactur…Ghana: University lecturers to strike
University lecturers and other supporting staff of Ghana are planning a sit-down strike. The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has served notice it is joining others in public universities to register their protest over salary arrears. - The Public Services Joint Standing Negotiating Committee concluded a 10 percent pay increase across-the-board for all public servants effective January 2010.
According to Luv FM, the committee agreed payment of the new salary levels will be effected in July while arrears will be paid in two tranches in August and September.
However, TEWU members in public universities say the…
