The inauguration of the $35 million pharmaceutical manufacturing plant at Larpleku, Ningo-Prampram by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for manufacture of serum and vaccines is one of the trending stories in the Ghanaian press on Monday.
The Ghanaian Times reports that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday inaugurated a $35 million pharmaceutical manufacturing plant at Larpleku, Ningo-Prampram for manufacture of serum and vaccines.
The plant, which has one of the highest production capacities in West Africa is owned by Atlantic Lifesciences Limited, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company.
The company which is under the government’s One District One Factory Programme would begin commercial manufacturing of infusions, anaesthesia, vaccines and eye drops for the Ghanaian market as well as the West African region.
As part of the programme, the President also inspected Atlantic Lifesciences Limited’s serums and vaccines plant located at the same Larpleku factory site.
Inaugurating the factory, President Akufo-Addo said the establishment of the factory was a concrete manifestation of a new paradigm of economic development which government was vigorously pursuing to promote value addition and industrial activity within a conducive and business friendly environment.
He said the facility was a further fulfilment of the strides by the government in partnership with the private sector to set up at least one medium to large scale enterprise in every district in Ghana.
According to the President, while previous attempts of rural economic revitalisation in Ghana had focused mainly on the provision of physical infrastructural facilities, the 1D1F programme of his administration was focused on the provision and promotion of commercially viable business ventures to generate a sustainable and accelerated economic development in rural communities.
“Additionally the 1D1F will address the challenge of widespread poverty and underdevelopment among rural and periurban communities through the establishment of an institutional framework that will attract private sector investment and rural economic activities, create jobs and raise income levels,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo said the establishment of the factory would generate about 400 district direct
The newspaper says that only 14,000 workers out of the estimated 10 million self-employed and workers in the informal sector are captured onto the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), the Director-General of the Trust, Dr John Ofori-Tenkorang, has revealed.
He said the SSNIT pension scheme was not only for formal or public sector workers, but rather all workers both those in the formal and informal sector, adding that “self-employed persons and workers can also join”.
Self-employed persons and workers in the informal sector are not limited by law to contribute to only tier three but also contribute to the SSNIT person scheme so they can enjoy the benefits.”
Dr Ofori-Tenkorang disclosed this at a stakeholders meeting with leaders of self-employed persons and worker groups in the informal sector in the Eastern Region and SSNIT on Friday.
The meeting which was part of measures to expand and deepen coverage of the pension scheme to self-employed workers was also to enable SSNIT to explain the basic pension scheme to them and to enlighten them on the benefits derived from the pension scheme.
Speaking on the benefits, Dr Ofori-Tenkorang pointed out the unique benefits of the scheme and stated that the benefit pay-outs under the scheme was unparalleled by any other pension scheme in the country.
He indicated that the SSNIT Scheme pays Old Age Pension, Invalidity Pension, Survivors’ lump sum and emigration benefit and added that the value members derive from SSNIT outweighs members’ total contributions and accrued interests.
The Graphic reports that the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has expressed grave concern over the alarming rate at which cocoa farms are being destroyed by illegal mining, also called galamsey, across the country.
The Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD, Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, said in a presentation available to the Daily Graphic that more than 19,000 hectares (Ha) of cocoa farms had either been destroyed or affected by galamsey activities, leading to loss of income to farmers and investments by the board and the country at large.
In the presentation, made to the members of the boards of directors of COCOBOD and the Minerals Commission at a joint board meeting to find lasting solutions to the canker, Mr Aidoo said the destruction of cocoa farms through galamsey was pronounced in the Eastern, Western and Ashanti regions, from where more than 90 per cent of the country’s total cocoa production comes.
The meeting, which was convened by COCOBOD, the cocoa sector regulator, was co-chaired by the Board Chairman of COCOBOD, Peter Mac Manu, and the Board Chairperson of the Minerals Commission, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi.
The COCOBOD CEO disclosed that in the Eastern and the Western regions, more than 81 and 74 per cent, respectively, of cocoa farmlands had been affected by illegal digging and unregulated use of mercury and other chemicals to extract gold and other precious minerals.
In the Ashanti Region, he said, more than 68 per cent of cocoa farm areas were affected by the canker.
The newspaper says that the management of the Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM) has announced the re-launch of its popular “Tuesday Market”, an initiative aimed at creating awareness for Made-In-Ghana products and harness their potential for exports.
The event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at the World Trade Centre in Accra and will witness an exhibition of Made-In-Ghana products from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesday Market is a platform created by GEXIM for its clients and producers of Made-In-Ghana products not only to showcase their products but also serves as a one stop shop for the general public to purchase anything locally manufactured, from nicely packaged food items, cosmetic products, garments and textiles, leather products and many more.
The Chief Executive Officer of GEXIM, Lawrence Agyinsam, highlighted the importance of “Tuesday Market” and the motive for re-launching it.
“As a development bank championing the transformation of Ghana’s economy into an export driven one, it is important to explore innovative ways to showcase Ghanaian businesses and create avenues for revenue generation for these businesses. Tuesday Market is a way to promote the products of the SMEs we are financing to be patronised by the general public,” he stated.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer responsible for Banking & Business, Rosemary Beryl Archer also weighed in on the initiative saying, “in preparing our SMEs for export, it is important to build their capacities and also add value to their products.
GIK/APA