APA – Accra (Ghana)
The announcement of the suspension of the construction of new cement factories in Ghana by the Ministry of Trade and Industry is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Wednesday.
The Graphic reports that the construction of new cement factories suspended.
The directive by the Ministry of Trade and Industry which takes immediate effect is a temporary measure aimed at streamlining the issuance of permits by various regulatory institutions before the construction of new cement factories could be considered.
The directive was issued at the launch of a national quality policy in Accra yesterday.
The policy gives specific prescriptions for the operationalisation of a national quality infrastructure (NQI).
The NQI is a system that includes laws, policies, legal and regulatory frameworks, as well as institutions that oversee the production and supply of quality products and services.
It will ensure that the production and provision of goods and services meet internationally acceptable quality standards.
The directive was contained in a speech read on behalf of the Minister of Trade and Industry, K. T. Hammond, by the Director of Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones at the ministry, Dr John Hawkins Asiedu.
The minister also explained that the directive was to enable relevant authorities to address issues of concern to the government such as standards and quality assurance and adherence to environmental safeguards.
The Ghanaian Times says that the government yesterday activated a National Emergency Contact Centre to respond to calls from individuals and communities affected by the Akosombo dam spillage as part of the government relief efforts.
Affected persons who need urgent support including medical care are to dial 311 on all net-works to enable personnel at the centre to dispatch the appropriate team to their location and address their concern.
The Deputy Minister of Information, Fatimatu Abubakar, announced this at a press conference held in Accra to update the public on the government’s relief efforts after the Akosombo dam spillage.
She said the centre was set up by the National Information Centre and the Access to Information Division of the Ministry of Information to provide prompt response to the needs of the affected persons.
According to her, the government’s response to the situation, now involving about 40,000 victims, was in three phases; evacuation and relocation to safety; provision of relief items and rehabilitation of the effected communities.
According to her, the government’s response to the situation, now involving about 40,000 victims, was in three phases; evacuation and relocation to safety; provision of relief items and rehabilitation of the effected communities.
The newspaper reports that the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, yesterday opened the International Conference on Inclusive Insurance (ICII) with a call on insurance companies in Ghana to develop micro insurance products to protect the poor and vulnerable from the effects of climate change.
Micro or inclusive insurance is an insurance product aimed at the excluded or underserved market.
According to him, the poor were the worst affected by the climate shocks such as floods and drought.
The three-day conference being attended by 450 participants from 52 countries across the world is on the theme “From knowledge to action.”
It is being organised by Munich Re Foundation in partnership with the National Insurance Commission (NIC), Micro Insurance Network, Ghana Insurers Association and Insurance Brokers Association of Ghana.
Mr Ofori-Atta who delivered the keynote address said promoting inclusive insurance would help to expand insurance coverage in the country, which was below the Africa average of five per cent.
He said the current floods in Ghana and around the world demonstrated the growing impact of climate change on the environment.
Mr Ofori-Atta said the poor were vulnerable to climate shocks since they did not have the financial capacity to buy insurance.
The Finance Minister appealed to the international donors and the developed economies to support Ghana to raise financial resources to implement initiatives to combat climate change, indicating that Ghana would need about $4.21 billion to implement its National Determined Contributions to combat climate change.
Mr Ofori-Atta commended the Munich Re and partners for organising the ICII conference in Ghana to discuss measures to promote inclusive insurance in Ghana and Africa, stressing that insurance was critical to the development of any economy as it provided funds for long-term development and financial protection to people in times of emergencies.
The Acting Insurance Commissioner, Michael K. Andoh, said the poor had low resilience to and susceptible to climate risks.
“Mr Andoh said access to financial services was a key measure of resilience, saying financial inclusion promoted economic growth and social welfare and financial stability.
Mr Andoh said the conference would provide opportunity to discuss measures to develop innovative micro insurance products to serve the low segment of the society.
The Ghanaian Times also says that the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, is leading a delegation of government officials and individuals from the private sector, to the 25th China Mining Conference and Exhibition to be held in Tianjin, China, from October 26-28, 2023.
Since its inception in 1999, the Conference, which brings together governments, investors and other industry players, has become one of the foremost and influential mining forum across the globe. This year, more than 10,000 delegates and 400 exhibitors are expected to attend the conference, which is being held under the theme “Innovation promotes high quality development of mining.”
Ahead of the conference, the minister yesterday met some selected mining investors to make a pitch for investment in Ghana’s mining industry.
The minister will according to a statement also visit the operational sites and meet the senior leadership of some of the Chinese mining companies with interest in Ghana, including the Shandong Gold Group, operators of the Cardinal Namdini Project, Chifeng Jilong, owners of Golden Star Resources, and Tianyuan Manganese Industry Group, operators of Ghana Manganese Ltd.
The minister will join the Chinese Minister for Natural Resources, Mr Wang Guang Hua, and the chairman of the China Mining Association, organisers of the conference, for the formal opening of the conference.
He will, also, participate in a Minister to Minister Forum, where he will speak on developments in the Ghanaian mining industry, especially as it relates to green minerals.
At the Country Promotion Session on Friday, the minister will speak on the theme, “Leveraging over a century of mining to enhance value addition for the development of Ghana”, where he will make a case for increased investment in the value chain of the mining industry in Ghana, particularly value addition.
This is the first time the conference is being held fully in-person since the pandemic, and Ghana is taking advantage of it to promote her mining industry to support the country’s recovery.
GIK/APA