The projection of the Institute for Energy Security that fuel prices will reduce in the second half of this month and the Togolese Ambassador’s call for firm stance to fight COVID-19 fiercely by adhering strictly to the safe protocols against the virus are some of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Wednesday.
The Times reports that the Institute for Energy Security (IES) has projected fuel prices to reduce in the second half of this month.
“The various changes in prices of the commodities on the international market are expected to affect local market prices in Ghana. For this window, with the 1.49 percent reduction in the price of the International Benchmark- Brent crude, the 2.17 percent decrease in price of Gasoline, the 1.77 percent decrease in Gasoil price and the marginal depreciation of 0.17 percent of the local currency against the US Dollar; the IES projects that price of fuel on the domestic market at the various pumps are set to dip as we enter the second Pricing-Window of August 2021,” IES said in a statement yesterday signed by its Research Analyst, Fritz Moses and copied to the Ghanaian Times
It said the downward adjustment may however be offset by the adjustments from the largest local market shareholder, GOIL, TOTAL and Shell.
IES said its monitoring done on a “15-day rolling basis,” indicated that the price of fuel on the local Ghanaian market remained stable within the window under assessment.
“Price of petroleum products within the first Pricing-window of August 2021 saw the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) continues to maintain prices at the pump from the first pricing window of July. The current national average price of fuel per litre at the pump remains pegged at GH¢5.97 for both Gasoline and Gasoil on account of the relative price stability,” it said.
The statement said the pricing-window also saw, Zen Petroleum, Benab Oil, Cash Oil, Goodness Oil, Top Oil and Frimps Oil recorded as the OMCs that sold the least-priced fuel on the local market.
The newspaper says that the Togolese Ambassador, Colonel Awoki Panassa, has urged Ghanaians and the citizens of his country to take firm stance to fight the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) fiercely by adhering strictly to the safe protocols against the virus, to promote accelerated regional integration.
He pointed out that the closure of the border between Ghana and Togo was not peculiar between the two countries but rather a necessary measure adopted by governments in the West African sub-region to avert an uncontrollable trend of the virus.
The envoy was speaking at a media encounter in Ho yesterday to cap a two-day tour of the Volta Region.
The visit was at the invitation of the Volta, Eastern and Oti branch of the Association of Ghana Industries.
Colonel Panassa acknowledged that Togolese and Ghanaians, especially the people of the Volta Region, were bonded by blood, language, culture and trade.
Therefore, he said that the closure of the common frontier between the sister countries was not a desired move by politicians but rather a necessity in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Now, the re-opening of the border is as much the responsibility of the people of the two countries as well as their respective governments.
“We must all observe the safety protocols and bring the spread of the virus to the lowest level to prompt the re-opening of the frontier,” he stated.
The Togolese Ambassador stated that Ghana and Togo had similar social and economic development challenges and needed mutual cordial ties to address those challenges.
The Times also reports that the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry (GhCCI) will hold its first ever “Ghana Construction Industry Excellence Awards” ceremony to recognise creativity, innovation and good governance in the country’s construction and built industry.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expected to be the guest of honour at the event scheduled for September 10.
The event would be preceded by a two-day National Infrastructure Summit and an Annual General Meeting (AGM) to take stock of progress, challenges and the way forward as well as to foster partnership and synergy with government, manufacturers, suppliers in the construction sector.
Speaking with the Ghanaian Times in an interview in Accra yesterday, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GhCCI, Emmanuel Cherry Awusanya, said the choice of the President as guest of honour was on the basis of his vision and transformational flagship programme of One District-One Factory (1D1F), One Village-One Dam (1V1D), Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), Agenda 111 Districts and Regional Hospitals, 2021 Year of Roads, Affordable Housing Projects.
The event according to Mr Awusanya, which would be the single largest gathering of industry players, would create a platform for acquiring knowledge on the introduction of new and modern trends of Technological methods, current equipment and products for efficiency, performance and Business engagements among others.
“It is our conviction that discussions at the conference will certainly enhance the policy initiatives of the construction industry in executing the government’s 1D1F, 1D1V, Agenda 111 Districts and Regional Hospitals, 2021 Year of Roads, Affordable Housing Project as well as taking advantages of the introduction of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area as a sector,” Mr Awusanya stated.
According to him, the 2021 infrastructural summit promised to be the single largest gathering of professional institutions, academia, trade and artisanal associations in the Built Environment and captains in the construction sector of the country.
The awards, Mr Awusanya indicated, had a range of categories suited for the various institutions, groups, associations and companies to tell their success stories.
The Graphic says that the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor, has reassured Ghanaians that he will not rest until he fulfils the mandate given him by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to fight and win the war against illegal mining, popularly called galamsey.
The minister said although the battle against the menace was a complicated one that could not be won “by just one stroke of an intervention,” it would be won eventually.
“I am guided by what the President indicated to me when he first called me to officially inform me that he would make me the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources. He told me that matters I was supposed to deal with at the ministry were about Ghana; the people’s forests; the people’s lands and the people’s minerals.
“I am aware of this and I will lead sustained efforts to win the fight against galamsey,” he said.
He was speaking at the inauguration of an 11-member Advisory Board of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in Accra yesterday.
The advisory board was inaugurated in compliance with Section 39 of PNDC Law 327, which mandates ministries to establish ministerial advisory boards.
Section 40(1) and (2) of the law states that the advisory boards are set up to: “promote constant interaction between the ministry and those who use the ministry’s services and to advise the minister on policy adjustments, planning objectives and operation strategies.”
GIK/APA