Ghana can earn $300m from cashew if production increases – Association

The prospects of Ghana’s cashew production is high because the country can rake in between $300 and $400 million if she increases her cashew production from the current 50,000 metric tonnes to 200,000 tonnes annually. 

Mr Windfred Osei Owusu, President of the Ghana Cashew Industry Association, who made the observation on Tuesday, added that the country could attain the goal if 90 per cent of the raw cashew nuts were processed. He was speaking in Accra at the launch of the World Cashew Festival and Expo 2013 in Africa, on the theme: “Value Chain and Gains-Focusing on the Potential to Leverage Profit in Each Sector of the Cashew Industry and in New Markets.” The event, which is expected to come off between September 16 and 19, would be organised by the African Cashew Alliance’s (ACA), to assist players in the industry to develop the value-chain process. The four-day programme would also provide a platform for cashew farmers, processors, traders, exporters, service providers, retailers, equipment manufacturers, bankers and other stakeholders to fashion out innovative ways to improve and sustain the industry. Mr Owusu called on the Government to roll out the Cashew Development Project and similar policy interventions to sustain the industry. He was optimistic that if the players received Government support, similar to those enjoyed by cocoa, palm and mango farmers, the cashew business would thrive. 

Mr Owusu appealed to Government to make funds available to cashew farmers through the Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund. He called on the farmers to join associations and apex bodies to access technical support to build their capacity to sustain their businesses. Mr Owusu said increased investor interest in the industry was a positive indication that the sector had much to offer in terms of job creation, poverty alleviation and income generation. He said one of Brazil’s leading cashew businesses, was in the process of setting up a 35,000-metric-tonne capacity facility at Prampram, in the Eastern suburb of Accra. Mr Owusu said he was hopeful the project would create 2000 direct jobs and other auxiliary employment opportunities and called on the media to sensitise the public on the economic and the nutritional value of cashew products. 

Mr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture expressed Government’s commitment to partner ACA to ensure that the cashew industry became vibrant. He discredited speculations in the media that the cashew production in the country was dwindling. Speaking on the upcoming Cashew Festival, Mr Roger Brou, Managing Director of ACA, said the event would give farmers the platform to explore innovative business prospects in the industry. Beekeeping and production of cashew-apple juice are some new markets farmers could discover. Ghana is said to have produced more than 20,000 metric tonnes of raw cashew nuts in the year 2012, with its production largely centered in the Brong-Ahafo Region. 

The country is considered to be the hub for trading cashews from neighbouring countries, including Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso. In total, more than 80,000 metric tonnes of raw cashew nut was exported in 2011. On the processors side, Ghana has an installed processing capacity of about 18,000 metric tonnes.

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Ghana Business News 

Ghana's Daily Minimum Wage now GHȻ5.24

The Daily Minimum Wage is now pegged at GHȻ5.24 It has been increased by 17 per cent from GHc4.48 by the National Tripartite Committee (NTC) at the consultation of its 2013 National Daily Minimum Wage (NDMW) meeting on April 30, 2013.

It takes effect from May 1, 2013.

This was contained in a communiqué jointly signed by the Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Nii Armah Ashietey for government, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Employers Association (GEA), Mr Alex Frimpong for the President of GEA and General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Mr Kofi Asamoah for Organised labour.

“Any establishment, institution or organisation whose daily minimum wage is below the new National Daily Minimum Wage should adjust its wages upward accordingly,” it said.

It said the committee had recommended that the NDMW should be tax exempt.

The National Tripartite Committee reiterated its commitment to the improvement of incomes and productivity in both the public and private sectors.

"I think this is terrible... what happened to sustainability..."

Courtesy:
myjoyonline

Ghana Fashion & Design Week Announces Plans for 2013 Event

Ghana Fashion & Design Week® (GFDW) is pleased to announce the return of the event in the city of Accra, this October 2013, with the exact date and venue soon to be made public. With Accra ranked 4th must visit city  this 2013 by New York Times publication out of a list of 46 cities around the world, the second edition of Ghana Fashion & Design Week  event promises to elevate the fashion scene in Accra to the next level of experience and development.

Starbow to begin 2nd daily return Tamale flights to Accra

The Starbow Airline will, as from Monday, February 4, 2013, be operating a late afternoon Accra-Tamale-Accra Flight.

The new addition to the Starbow timetable will make it possible for travelers from both Accra and Tamale to conduct day return business between the two cities which will remove the prolonged visits and needless costs through night stopping. 

It will also provide customers in Tamale the opportunity to travel to Accra in the evening to conveniently connect onto international services from Accra.

Mr. Andy Smith, Head of Commercial at Starbow said 

“Starbow will provide an enhanced service using our BAE146 Jet and it’s reduced flight times between the two cities that will provide benefit to the business community by offering them a significant improvement in cost efficiency over existing services and enable a full days business in ether Tamale or Accra with a return in the same day”.

Departure time from Accra to Tamale is 16:15, and from Tamale to Accra is 17:45, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Story by: Myjoyonline

Ghana's New President, Mr. John Mahama holds First Cabinet Meeting

President and members of Cabinet.

President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday began his first day in office with an emergency cabinet session, following the demise of the late President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday July 24 in Accra.

Earlier, President Mahama led the cabinet ministers including Henry Martey Newman, Chief of Staff and the Secretary to Cabinet, Ben Eghan, in a time of prayer to commit the soul of the departed President Mills to the care of the almighty.

President said, “It is said that in every adversity there are opportunities…may this adversity that has befallen us turn into opportunities for the government, God should give us the strength to continue with the Better Ghana Agenda.”

President Mahama arrived at the Castle at around 11.20 am in the company of his Aide-de Camp, security officers and upon alighting from an ash saloon car, a grief-stricken but confident looking President Mahama waved to some staff at the Presidency and the media who had assembled in droves to capture whatever was going to transpire.

He then headed straight to his office, where he occupied as Vice-President, and later emerged in the company of Mr. Martey Newman, Mr. Eghan and some officials to begin the emergency cabinet session in an adjoining building.

Although all Ministers at the meeting were tight-lipped, it is believed that they deliberated on issues concerning the performance of late President Mills funeral, the nomination of a new Vice President and the re-organisation of the NDC party to elect a new Presidential candidate for the December general election.

Source: GNA, GhanaWeb

"Ghanaians always hope for the best..."

Former Vice President of Ghana, Mr. John Mahama, Sworn in as President.

John Mahama signing in as the New President of Ghana.

Newly sworn-in president, Mr. John Mahama has paid glowing tribute to the late President John Mills. In a short speech after he was sworn-in by the Chief Justice President John Mahama said “I lost a father, a friend and a senior colleague.” 


According to him, the president died at 2:15 pm after a short illness. In a sombre mood and a heavy heart, President Mahama on behalf of the government and the people of Ghana extended his condolences to the family of the late president. He said Prof. John Atta Mills was a humble and modest person throughout his years public life and the finest tribute to give the late president is to maintain unity and stability in the party and country as a whole.


Courtesy:
myjoyonline

Ghana's President, John Evans Atta Mills Announced Dead

Former President of Ghana, John Evans Atta Mills.

GHANA's President, John Atta Mills has died suddenly on this day [24th July, 2012] after celebrating his 68th birthday three days ago [21st July, 2012]. Hours after being taken ill, he was reported dead at 14.15GMT at the 37 Military Hospital, Accra, Ghana. 

 "It is with a heavy heart that we announce the sudden and untimely death of the president of the republic of Ghana," the statement said, adding that Mills, who had travelled recently abroad for a medical check-up, died hours after he got sick on Tuesday. He was announced dead, without providing a cause, the presidency said. According to the constitution, Vice President John Dramani Mahama is to take over as interim leader and he is to address the nation shortly. 

Mills was to be the ruling party's candidate. The late president had recently travelled to the United States for what had been described as a routine medical check-up. Mills took over as Ghana's president in January 2009 after a narrow win in 2008 with a less than one per cent margin against  the opposing candidate.

In July last year, Mills was nominated to be the ruling the National Democratic Congress party's presidential candidate for December 2012 elections. The primary represented the first time in the country's history that a sitting president competed for his own party's nomination. Mills beat his only rival in the party primary, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, the wife of ex-military leader Jerry Rawlings. 

Mills rose to prominence in 1997 when Rawlings named him vice president - a position he held until the former coup leader-turned-elected president made way for Kufuor after the 2000 elections. After finishing his law studies in Britain, Mills came home to teach law for 25 years at a Ghana university. Ghana, a country of some 25 million people, recently joined the ranks of the world's large-scale oil producers. It was the country chosen by Barack Obama for his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as US president in 2009.

"I am in tears as I write this message. We, the people of Ghana have lost a father. We will always remember and pray for the peaceful rest of our former president, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills."

Galamsey operators impregnate school girls at Gomoa Ajumako

"They came to mine but now they have decided to exploit the women instead..." 

A Galamsey is a local artisanal gold miner. 

Some galamsey operators have impregnated about seven school girls in the Gomoa Ajumako Township of Ghana and this has led to serious concerns among the teachers in the area. Some of these teachers spoke to Adom TV  but the prefer to remain anonymous and their main worry was with the attitude of most parents who failed to provide the  needs of their wards.  This  is what they believe  has driven these young girls to fend for themselves by depending on the galamsey operators .

According to one of the teachers, some of the parents are aware of the affairs of the daughters and to an extent, these parents have not only expressed their interest but have also  offered to support the girls probably hoping to gain financially.

Another teacher said she had five pupils  who were already pregnant... two in Classes 5 and 6; with five others in the Junior High School. This makes it a total of ten. Together, the teachers believe that this trend is affecting teaching and learning and that even when the bold and courageous ones return to the classroom, they are unable to function as they used to prior to their pregnancy and delivery. 

They have reported this to the authorities to prosecute those galamsey men who impregnate the young girls. A gentleman described the situation as chronic adding that in one instance a man impregnated three young girls.


Courtesy: myjoyonline

Dzigbordi Dosoo, New TV Host on Africa Magic

Dzigbordi Dosoo

Today's woman calls herself the 'Millennium Woman'. One of such women is the elegant Dzigbordi Dosoo [pronounced Gee-bore-dee). She is a wellness, image and lifestyle coach, entrepreneur and very recently, talk show host amongst many other things. AfricaMagic Entertainment viewers have watched her work as the wellness expert for Pamper Your Mum.

Dzigbordi is currently the CEO and founder of the Allure Group Africa, the first Day Spa in Ghana. Her knowledge of the beauty and skin care has led her to co-create ‘kanshi’, an authentic African skin care range.

Her love to speak and encourage others through motivation served as the footpath towards the start of her TV show – The Dzibordi Show. Style Magazine called her "Africa's Oprah" but this mother and wife hopes to help people find personal success in different spheres of their lives from work related problems to finances, relationships and mental strength through her show.


The Dzigbordi Show is expected to be a thirteen part hour-long show, aired on AfricaMagic Entertainment and has been showing since Monday, 9 July at 17.30 CAT.

"I wish her all the best on her show and can't wait wait to see how it all plays out."

Courtesy:

My Joy Online

Ghana's Version of 'The Bachelor'

Multi-TV brought to Ghanaian homes the first ever 24hour reality show in May, 2012, [almost two months ago]. The show, I'm In Love with Bomaye, bearing similarities to the popular show 'The Bachelor', began with twelve young women of varied cultural backgrounds and ethnicity, and one man... The King... also called Bomaye. 


All twelve women were given the task of winning the King's heart while undergoing challenges and series of activities in the house. 


Today with less than seven women in the house, the show continues until that one woman is left standing by the side of the King... Her King, Bomaye after thirteen weeks.


Fascinated, this Ghanaian girl suggests that you check out this show on Multi-TV's Cine Afrik.




Courtesy:
myjoyonline 

Yvonne Nelson and the Fake Louis Vuitton Case

After being accused of selling fake Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags in her Accra-based boutique in January of 2012, Yvonne Nelson, a popular Ghanaian actress,  still had to face threats of being sued by Louis Vuitton.


So far, Louis Vuitton is said to have lost this court case. Afew months ago, this is what she had to say to the world:

I believe the persons behind these stories have other motives and the way they keep repeating it makes me suspect they want to give my fashion shop a bad reputation just to collapse my business for reasons best known to them. I’m shocked because I don’t even sell Louis Vuitton or Gucci. Any person who has been to my shop can attest to this. I don’t even have more than 5 bags in my shop. All my bags are Aldo and they are sold out.

Ask other persons who sell designer stuff and they would tell you that most people will not like to buy $3000 LV bags if brought them here or $5000 Chanel bag. So when I buy such stuff outside, I use them myself and I don’t come out making noise about my bags like some websites seem to suggest. I only tweeted a picture of my personal bags. People can come and check them out and also check LV website and let see the difference - Yvonne Nelson [January, 2012]

Courtesy:
Louis Vuitton loses case Over Yvonne Nelson's fake Louis Vuitton
Yvonne Nelson Selling fake and imitated brands of Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags 

Celebrity News: Diana Hamilton Heads Out!

Ghanaian Celebrity, Diana, has moved on to do greater things. Popular gospel musician, Diana Hamilton, who won the Best Artiste Europe at the Africa Gospel Awards 2011, has made plans to drive across the country. The reason for this drive... Peace!

She calls it a ‘Nationwide tour’ and hopes that this will be her own little way of contributing to building Ghana’s Peace and Harmony, especially during the upcoming 2012 general elections. The writings of a Ghanaian girl overheard during an exclusive interview with Peacefmonline.com that, the tour, which will take off in Accra, is going to be happening in all the other regions of Ghana. The target group, politicians, educational institutions, civil servants among others. Diana said “The fundamental objective of this tour is to ensure that every individual and institution in the country will pledge the support to ensure peaceful elections in 2012.”