The planned introduction of Dangote fertilizer into the Ghanaian market and the inauguration of a 22-member committee to lead Ghana’s quest to seek reparation and restitution of trafficked cultural heritage and artifacts are some of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Wednesday.
The Graphic reports that Dangote Industries is set to introduce its fertiliser to the Ghanaian market.
A deal signed by the business mogul and Ghanaian businessman and chairman of Translas Logistics Company Limited, Alhaji Baba Kamara, has made the Ghanaian company the sole distributor of Dangote Fertiliser in Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire Togo and Burkina Faso.
This comes as a strategic relief to the nation at a critical time that the Russia-Ukraine war has caused shortages of urea-based fertiliser and driven prices up.
The two countries are major suppliers of urea, potash and phosphate; key components of fertilisers.
Confirming the arrangement, Alhaji Kamara said the product would be available in the market by June.
“Agriculture is the backbone of the economy in West Africa and the shortage of fertiliser around the world is threatening production and food security. To ensure that impact is not dire, Dangote has decided to expedite work on its fertiliser production and has also chosen Translas to be the distributor in Ghana and its neighbouring countries.
“Hopefully, by June, the first consignment should be arriving and this will be a big relief for the agricultural sector as the availability of fertiliser will give hope to farmers,” Alhaji Kamara said.
The newspaper says that an insurance firm, Hollard Ghana has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to prepare students for the job market.
The agreement will enable UCC students’ post-academic success as part of its Hollard X Academia programme.
The comprehensive Hollard X Academia initiative will enable a better future for students through; Hollard’s Streetwise Finance, mentoring, engagement, and resource sharing programmes aimed at providing back to the society.
The partnership will last for three years, after which it will be re-assessed for impact and continuation.
At a brief ceremony on campus, the Managing Director (MD) of Hollard Insurance, Daniel Boi Addo, said the partnership was part of the insurance firm’s corporate social investment effort.
“It is our pleasure to embark on this relationship with the fondly named, University of Competitive Choice. UCC is the third public university added to our partner schools under our Hollard x Academia initiative. We look forward to the impact working with the school will enable for its students.
“Being an entrepreneurial-minded business, we at Hollard believe in enabling our community to create better futures. To this end, Hollard X Academia has five advanced modules, including the Hollard Prize, Hollard Scholar Program, Hollard Streetwise Finance Engagement, Hollard Corporate Experience, and annual Thought leadership events. Through this partnership, we are confident UCC students will be well-equipped for the future of work,” he added.
The Ghanaian Times reports that a 22-member committee to lead Ghana’s quest to seek reparation and restitution of trafficked cultural heritage and artifacts has been inaugurated in Accra.
Chaired by Professor KodzoGavua, Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, the committee would identify and support researchers to elicit data that would support the government’s call and demand for restitution and reparation.
Speaking at the ceremony yesterday, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark OkrakuMante, said Ghana was one of African countries which had its cultural materials illegally taken away by the colonial masters between the 15th and 20th Centuries through looting, intimidation, and seizure, among others.
Related Articles Referring to historical data in February 1884, he noted that the British Forces invaded Kumasi and plundered countless valuable cultural objects.
Many of the illicitly trafficked materials, he said, had been sent to the British Museum, University of Oxford’s Pitt Rivers Museum and other public and private museums across Western Europe.
“It is reported that about 46,000 of the 90,000 African cultural objects that Europeans acquired on the continent between 1885 and 1969 are now under the custody of the Musee du Quai Branly in Paris,” Mr Mante added.
He stated that Ghana, since independence, have had its request for the return of Ghanaian cultural objects outside the country denied or ignored.
The newspaper says that the Government will borrow GH¢4.59 billion as fresh funds in the second quarter of this year to finance part of its budget.
This will, however, be higher than the G¢3.78 billion borrowed in the first three months of 2022.
From the Issuance Calendar, the entire ¢4.59 billion is expected to be mobilised from the domestic market, though non-resident investors can take part in some of the bonds that will be issued.
In all, government plans to issue a total amount of ¢24.69 billion, of which ¢20.10 billion is to rollover maturities.
The chunk of the monies to be borrowed will come from the 91-day and 182-day Treasury bills.
Whilst the three and six-month bill will be issued weekly, the one-year bill will be issued bi-weekly. There will also be some issuances of medium to long term bonds.
According to the Bank of Ghana (BoG), government expects the second quarter calendar to meet the requirements of market participants.
Ghana’s public debt increased to GH¢351bn in December 2021.
GIK/APA