The Vice President noted that with an estimated 90 percent of African imports and exports conducted by sea transport, the issues of maritime safety and marine pollution has become a critical issue that calls for serious attention.

[contextly_sidebar id=”5OYX73EUdjxw7xt4NcCRzgy8ZCavaGPc”]Speaking at an opening ceremony of Third Ministerial Conference of the Abuja MoU on Port State Control for West and Central African Countries, in Accra, the Vice President said security at the various port should be tightened so as to meet international standards.

“Tighten your net when carrying out port state control inspection in order to ensure that all ships that call to do business at our port are seaworthy and operate in accordance with standard and regulations,” he said.

A Ghanaian fishing vessel was reported to have been hijacked by some unknown persons believed to be pirates yesterday[Wednesday]

The Deputy Director of Environment and Safety Standards at the Ghana Maritime Authority, Captain Inusah Abdul-Nasir, who confirmed this on Eyewitness News, narrating the circumstances under which the vessel was hijacked, said the incident was reported to the Ghana Navy around 6:00 pm on Monday.

There were five persons on board the fishing vessel, but the abandoned vessel has been rescued by the Ghana Navy.

The five, including three Koreans, one Ghanaian and a Greek national, are believed to have been taken hostage by some alleged Nigerian hijackers, who attempted to seize the tuna vessel, Marine 711 on the Keta high seas on Monday.

Briefing the media at the Tema Port, the Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Commodore James Kontoh said although the Ghana Navy was taken unaware in this instance, they will intensify their surveillance to forestall any such occurrence.

“For the past 48 hours, we have had series of attacks which we tried to unravel. It all happened Monday dawn about 03:30 when a speedboat came to the Tema anchorage area and forcefully took over a vessel and started heading towards the Togolese waters until the vessel complained of not having enough fuel to continue the journey.”

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Vice President expressed his optimism at the positive outcome of the various fiscal policies being implemented under the new regime to relieve businesses of the fiscal burdens in their operations.

[contextly_sidebar id=”1h0CLkA8u95mlWlNPBFIQkVPgZhyVSDj”]Dr. Bawumia was addressing a delegation of the Ghana Chamber of Mines who paid a courtesy call on him at the Flagstaff House in Accra.

The delegation, led by the President of the Chamber, Mr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, the 1st Vice President, Mr. Eric Asubonteng and the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Sulemanu Koney, sought to introduce the leadership to the Vice President of the Republic and to assure him of the Chamber’s unflinching support.

Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Bawumia re-echoed the government’s quest to support the mining industry, “a major partner in the economic development of the country”.

He said the government is inviting business partners into various sectors to create an interrelated economy that can rely on internally generated revenue for key developmental projects.

He said the government is inviting business partners into various sectors to create an interrelated economy that can rely on internally generated revenue for key developmental projects.

Dr. Bawumia explained that the NPP administration is keen on ensuring that the local content drive in the industrial sectors are strengthened and made more beneficial to local entrepreneurs and businesses, adding there will be “the creation of linkages among the industries in the country” to bolster value for Ghanaians. According to him, there

According to him, there is, therefore, a need to develop a mutually beneficial relationship between the Chamber and the government to ensure that the process becomes a reality.

On the issue of illegal mining, Dr. Bawumia reiterated the government’s commitment to develop the Multilateral Mining Integrated Project (MMIP), which is a holistic approach towards tackling the illicit activity.

He intimated that the government already sees the Chamber as a key stakeholder of the MMIP.

President of the Chamber, Mr. Addo-Kufuor, on his part, stated that it is the Chamber’s expectation that all of the relevant ministries will demonstrate the same resolve by the Vice President to partner with the Chamber to propel the local content agenda and to find a lasting solution to illegal mining.

Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Mr. Sulemanu Koney, explained how the VAT on Exploration inputs had contributed to the unattractiveness of Ghana as the foremost mining destination in the sub-region.

Mr. Koney stated that in recent times, most investors have turned their attention to neighbouring West African countries due to the fiscal reliefs presented to businesses in the mining sector and urged the Vice President to take a look at such progressive business enabling policies.

The Vice President assured the delegation that the issue of the country’s unattractiveness will be captured holistically in the 2018 budget and promised to continue to work with key agencies to improve Ghana’s image as the preferred mining and business destination on the continent.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gov’t will help legal mining companies thrive – Bawumia appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

President Mahama during a rally in the Ablekuma North Constituency on Tuesday, asked Dr. Bawumia to reveal the cost of the exercise, saying since the latter was the Deputy Bank of Ghana at the time, he should be able to let Ghanaians know the actual cost of the exercise.

[contextly_sidebar id=”q83j1i0XgMTlr3Z3hr5RDdtBq3tKDJyK”]His comments did not sit down well with Dr. Bawumia, who in a sharp rebuttal on Facebook, said the President’s request was fueled by propaganda and a “demonstration of incompetence.”

But speaking on Eyewitness News, the Economist backed President Mahama’s call, saying a response by Dr. Bawumia who has been out of government several years ago, will promote transparency and bring closure to the matter.

“This is not the first time Dr. Bawumia has been questioned about the cost of the redonimation. For transparency and credibility or trying to provide your willingness of trying to be accountable to the people of Ghana, I think Dr. Bawumia should just go ahead and say that yes; I spearheaded the process and this was the amount that was involved….What is wrong at this point in time for Dr. Bawumia to say this is the amount that I spent on it, that is very important.”

He further intimated that, Bawumia’s  position as the Vice Presidential Candidate of the NPP requires him to come clear on the issue.

“… I think the point that should interest all of us is that the redenomination was a very important project especially within the Central Bank that affected us as a country. We also have said several times that Dr. Bawumia was said to have spearheaded that process and is one of the achievements that have been mentioned about his work within the Central Bank; and now that he has taken public office as a Vice Presidential candidate, I think that the best that can be done is that he comes clear on it.”

Mahama’s request shows incompetence – Kwarteng

But a member of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Kwaku Kwarteng, described as unnecessary the request for Dr. Bawumia to come clear on the cost of the exercise, saying the President can easily have access to that information from the Bank of Ghana if he wishes to have it.

He said the President’s request smacks of incompetence. Kwaku Kwarteng further wondered why the President was making such a request when the information was already in the public domain.

“It is completely an unnecessary question but I think it reflects the incompetence of this government because the information the President calls a secret is actually in the public domain.”

He observed that “on the 6th of November 2007, during the delivery of the monetary policy report, this matter came up in the Daily Graphic and it was widely discussed by many media houses” adding that the auditors account is available” for the President’s perusal.
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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