APA – Accra (Ghana)
The report that Sao Tome will soon have a port of entry at one of Ghana’s ports as part of efforts to strengthen the bilateral trade ties between the two countries in terms of port infrastructure is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Friday.
The Ghanaian Times reports that Sao Tome will soon have a port of entry at one of Ghana’s ports as part of efforts to strengthen the bilateral trade ties between the two countries in terms of port infrastructure.
A port of entry is a physical gateway that connects shipping or freight from one jurisdiction, such as a foreign country, to another.
Expected to be sited at either Tema in Greater Accra Region or Takoradi in the Western Region, the entry would receive goods from various part of the world for onward shipping to Sao Tome.
The Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah made the revelation, yesterday, when the Minister of Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Environment of Sao Tome, Mr Adelino Cardoso paid a courtesy call on him.
He said the Takoradi Port in the Western Region of the country was one of the most sophisticated ports in the world with modern infrastructure.
He explained that the Takoradi Port was built in 1928 with drafts measuring 8.3 metres and could not attract any huge investments, thereby making the government arrive at the decision to give the port a major facelift.
He said this led to the establishment of a new container multipurpose terminal built with a draft of 15 metres, among other modern facilities and equipment to facilitate better operations at the Takoradi Port.
“The Takoradi Port has been developed into a modern port with world class equipment and infrastructure. We are happy about the discussions currently going on between us and Sao Tome.”
“Very soon we will make the final decision as to which of the two ports that Sao Tome will use as their port of entry because the Tema Port is also equally in good shape,” he added.
Mr Cardoso who was in the company of other government officials from Sao Tome commended the government for the total transformation of its ports, especially the Takoradi Port.
The newspaper says that the Ghanaian government is sourcing funding for the construction of a nuclear power plant to support the country’s electricity production and provide more reliable and efficient energy to consumers.
Although the cost and the project sites are yet to be made public, Ghana is considering a partnership with the US to finalise the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to kick start the project.
The Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Professor Samuel Boakye Dampare, disclosed this yesterday in Accra, at a Ministerial Conference on International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC).
It brought together ministers of energy from Africa, high-level officials, nuclear energy representatives, and key stakeholders to discuss regional and international cooperation, and policies needed to advance nuclear energy programmes.
He said through the International Independent Atomic Energy, about 30 PhD students had undergone various skills abroad in nuclear and allied sciences programmes, as regulations governing the nuclear power plants had been completed.
Prof. Dampare said the government, through its relevant agencies, were considering whether to go in for medium or bigger nuclear plants, following the recommendation of the Commission and the Nuclear Power Institute.
He said in other to build strong institutions towards Ghana’s commitment for nuclear energy, the government, in 2015, established the Nuclear Regulatory Authority, as an independent body.
He said the School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences which was jointly established by the Commission and the University of Ghana, was building the human capacity for the nuclear sector.
The Director General of Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), Mr William D. Magwood, said the agency was committed to supporting the government to take full advantage of nuclear technology.
He said the agency had been supporting countries such as France, Japan, United States, Korea, United Kingdom and many others, and that the agency was committed to strengthening collaboration with Ghana and other African countries.
The Ghanaian Times also reports that the Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta has called on the private sector to join hands in a collaborative effort with government towards ensuring sustainable economic growth.
Addressing a landmark gathering of key government officials, industry leaders, and international partners at the inaugural Ghana Mutual Prosperity Dialogues (GMPD) yesterday, the Finance Minister emphasised the importance of the collective and focused efforts of government and private enterprises, to foster mutual economic prosperity.
“I am of the firm belief that the conversations that we are starting today are not just a bold step in the right direction; it also marks a new phase of deeper collaboration between the public and private sectors at the highest levels. It is our expectation that this will fundamentally shape the landscape and converge our efforts towards what is necessary in terms of plans, policies, programmes and timelines to accelerate the turnaround and transform the business landscape for entrepreneurship,” he said.
The event, which brought together five cabinet ministers, over 20 heads of key government institutions; and more than 200 CEOs, MDs and high level industry executives, stands as a substantial milestone in the country’s quest for mutual prosperity through public-private partnership.
This holds special significance coming after the nation’s recent macroeconomic challenges, further indicating the dogged determination, thought leadership, and focused efforts to surmount the challenges and pave the path toward a mutual and sustainable plan for prosperity.
The Graphic reports the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park now generates GH¢1.1 million a month following its rehabilitation.
Prior to the rehabilitation, the park was generating GH¢3,000 on the average a month.
Aside from the increase in revenue, the workforce at the park has since increased by 50 workers.
The Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, Dr Ibrahim Awal, said this at the inaugural Ghana Mutual Prosperity Dialogues in Accra yesterday.
Beyond these achievements, the minister said the national museum, which previously generated GH¢25,000 a month, now raked in GH¢350,000 after its rehabilitation, while 15 more workers had been recruited to work at the facility.
He, therefore, asked the private sector to take advantage of the opportunities that existed in the area of tourism in view of the enormous benefits it had for the country.
He said the objective of the government was to move tourism from its third position, in terms of contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP), to number one by 2025/2026.
Dr Awal indicated that the country was expecting 1.2 million international arrivals this year, as against almost one million last year.
GIK/APA