The Ghana Energy Awards, which is being organized by Energy Media Group and GP Business Associates, seeks to recognize the efforts, innovation and excellent advocates within the energy sector, and to celebrate the tremendous work of the players.

The Awards ceremony, which will be held on Thursday, 30th November 2017 at the Labadi Beach Hotel, is under the auspices of the World Energy Council Ghana, and Ghana’s Ministry of Energy.

Over the past years, Obrempong Yaw Ampofo has been largely focusing his reportage on Ghana’s extractive sector – mining and energy, producing online and on air reports to highlight issues confronting the sector.

He is the author of the Obrempong’s Oil Diary, a regular publication which is dedicated to the energy sector and its peculiar challenges, and the “Obrempong Writes” series, which is also dedicated to issues in the mining sector, particularly irresponsible mining practices and its effects on the environment.

Obrempong is an Africa Center for Energy Policy, ACEP Media Fellow.

The six months training program at ACEP afforded him the opportunity to be directly trained by Ghana’s current Deputy Energy Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, then Executive Director of ACEP, Executive Director of ACEP, Benjamin Boakye and Dr. Ismeal Ackah, an energy expert currently with the Planning Ministry of Ghana.

After the training, he was equipped enough to start his industry focused publications.

His further association with the Co-Chair of the Ghana Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative GHEITI, Dr. Emmanuel Steve Asare Manteaw, who is also a member of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee PIAC, also afforded him the opportunity to understand the rather complex issues that play out in the oil and gas sector.

Since he got into contact with the aforementioned personalities, he currently assists some civil society organizations to track how Ghana’s oil revenues have been spent on different projects across the country.

Some of Obrempong’s works under the Obrempong’s Oil Diary Series include but not limited to “Six years of Oil in the eyes of labour; who is buying Ghana’s Oil, Dr. Matneaw asks; the proverbial vulture behind fuel explosions; sacrificing fishes for oil, a galamsey threat offshore; 10 years of Oil in Ghana, the story so far, the ECG Concession, the good, the bad and the ugly; among others.

The maiden Energy Awards with the theme; Energy for National Development: 60 years and Beyond” is being supported by the Ministry of Energy, the Energy Commission, the Petroleum Commission, World Energy Council Ghana, Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors, the Association of Oil Marketing Companies, Chamber of Petroleum Consumers – Ghana, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) among others.
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Citi FM’s Obrempong nominated for Best Energy Reporter award appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

You are deemed powerful and influential in many facets of our lives. You have, and continue to be the face of tradition whenever our culture is mentioned. You are the ones we resort to for wisdom when political systems appear to fail us. It is you we run to, when family matters seem unsolvable.

In fact, our heritage glitters to the world when you adorn yourselves in that colourful Kente cloth, necklaces, bracelets and other rich regalia.

Nananom, simply put, you are the unifiers of the spirit and soul our ancestors left to keep.

But Nananom, some of you in the last few decades have shown, by your decrees and actions that you are disappointing.

Some of you have disgraced yourselves and the very thrones you sit on. You have brought into disrepute the thrones your forefathers spilled bloods to pave way for your occupancy today. Some of you have brought into question, the dignity, the respect and the honor our tradition has long enjoyed.

It is regrettable to see many of you in the Western, Ashanti and Eastern regions engaging and defending ‘galamsey’ [Illegal mining] silently. Some of you own Changfans used to pollute ancestral rivers your grandparents guarded jealously.

For those of you Nananom involved in this, whichever way you look at galamsey, its negative and long term effects are damaging than the short-term happiness you pursue.

I just don’t get it! It is from you we heard for the start that “nsu a nsu, nsa a nsa”. [If it is water, let it be, if it is alcohol, let it be].

But let me respectfully ask, Nananom that, can drops of water from Pra, Ankobra, Tano or Birim; rivers of old, be used to perform these naming ceremonies these days?

It is shocking all this while that some of you have been accused by political figures that you are involved in the practice, no chief across the country has taken the bold step forward to amass support to end it. It is very shocking!

National House of Chiefs; please be concerned. Be concerned because many of your members in these three regions are fast losing the respect of the middle class and their very own local subjects.

When your subjects go wayward, see how you unleash traditional punitive measures to correct them! Why is it so hard for the National House of Chiefs to clean its house when some of its members are involved in activities that threaten the very people from whom they draw their powers?

Another thing! Is it not a shame that water pots in your chambers are now filled with sachet water? Your ancestors use to fill their pots from the riverside. The cool rivers that your ancestors used to fetch water while in their farms have been polluted.

Your ancestors knew some of the major rivers have alluvial gold in them. But did they choose their personal interest over their people? Absolutely not! They knew the over 2,000 communities dotted around major rivers depend on them for everyday well-being.

Nananom, take a tour, for example, to the Daboase Water Treatment Plant and see for yourselves whether you will drink tap water again if you return.

Go and see the turbid yellowish raw water that end in your kitchens at home and see if you will be convinced to take it. It’s very disappointing Nananom.

The Changfans and excavators you have bought just like the politicians and other businessmen, and have given them to desperate unemployed youth to head into cocoa farms and river bodies are open to Nana Nyame [God].

We have heard of those of you too who demand that ‘galamseyers’ visit your palaces and pay monies to you before you give them the go ahead.

Nananom, will you be men enough to stand tall to your predecessors should they wake up today to question your deeds? Hmm!

Finally Nananom, please stop facilitating foreigners and other people from mining in the Upper Wassa, Fure River and the Tonton Forest Reserves in the Western Region.

As we speak, the Forestry Commission and the Minerals Commission have given permission to people to prospect for gold in these reserves.

Question: When the gold is found in commercial quantities, will the forest reserve be depleted because of the gold?

Must we mine gold no matter where it is found? How many of the reserves have been added by the present generation to warrant taking down the previous?

God is watching us all, and he speaks of destroying those who destroy the earth at Revelation 11:18. Read it!

Nananom, I respect tradition and people who stand for it. Forgive your son if you find my submissions offensive. Those of you who are not involved, please get your colleagues to stop it OK? It’s not good.

For some traditional heads to be losing their respect because of these things, it will be disappointing if tradition collapses under your watch. Thank you.
Your son,

Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Email: [email protected]

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Dear Radio*,

Your coming into Ghana has been good for our democracy.

You brought an era of “days in the dark” to an end. You became irresistible in giving back power to the sons and daughters of our land. When people asked to be heard, you gave them the microphones. Thank you Radio!

Since private radio was “conceived” by the 1992 constitution [Article 162(3), it was not until June 1995 that Joy Fm was licensed to operate as a private radio. Prior to that in May 1994, Charles Wireko Brobbey [Tarzan] and his team of technicians were arrested for broadcasting his “Radio Eye” channel in Accra.

Tarzan’s broadcast was shut down by state security 24 hours after first broadcast. His crime was that, airing his channel was an attempt at breaking state monopoly over broadcasting. At this time however, the constitution had been “pregnant” of private radio liberty for some two years.

The real ‘freedom’ came when radio was reborn in the 2000s. The criminal libel law was repealed, and that opened the floodgates to freedom of speech ‘on radio’. Everyone was happy, including the Montie 3.

But my father was super happy. At least, he could finish his two balls of Fufu and light soup in peace without having to be dragged before the local Sanhedrin for commenting on the state of affairs at a public gathering in the village.

That was courtesy, radio privatization!
But dear Radio, you are 20 something years old in Ghana, and as it is expected of every maturing adult, a great sense of maturity is to be exhibited. Sadly, you appear fixated. You appear taking too much political breast milk even in your adulthood. You are eating too much “kooko” after 2 decades of being fed.

Radio and the “Political breast milk”
Dear Radio, be reminded that political figures in the 90s opposed the idea of your privatization. They feared their interests were going to be thwarted when you inform Ghanaians regularly of their actions. And so when they realized that your privatization was inevitable, they appeared to be your friends. In truth, they wanted to control you, which is why they continue to feed you with “breast milk”. They now own and influence your content.

But Radio, consider this: There were times in human history when political power was aggressively snatched and taken over by military men. After years of abuse, corruption, famine, under development, atrocities and misgovernment etc., time proved that the military regime was not “friendly”.

Democracy was opted. But democracy also meant “all” citizens agreeing to hand over power to a group of people through the ballot. With evidence of abuse of power in some democracies, this power needed to be policed by the citizens. The citizens entrusted this policing work largely to radio or the media.

Radio then became one of the means of serving as watchdog over politicians. That explains why the media is the fourth most powerful organ of the state. You police the executive, judiciary and the legislature. If you have realized, not every citizen is able to go to places where journalist are permitted entry. So, Radio, you dare not fail democracy!

But as you continue to go about your policing work, Radio, politicians will want to feed you with their milk, and will do anything to get you to drink. The reason?

“When a million people hear the same subject matter, the same arguments and appeals, the same music and humor, when their attention is held in the same way and at the same time to the same stimuli, it is psychologically inevitable that they should acquire in some degree common interests, common tastes and common attitudes”. [Cantrell H. and Allport G.W. 1935]

With this in their minds, you have to guard against their tricks. They will want to use you to propagate their lies and cover their wrongs. You should not sit down for this group to decide what you police. Know that there is going to be a real threat. Drink not their milk, Radio!

At this stage, permit me to pay glowing tribute to some of your finest sons, at least those that I met.

Radio, encourage the likes of Bernard Avle, Kwame Sefa Kayi, Richard Dela Sky etc. who I know match these politicians boot for boot on their channels not to sway. Tell the upcoming practitioners to learn from these ones. Let them know how radio started, where it has reached, and where it is going. Tell them to stop wining and dining with politicians.

Radio in the gutters
At the national level, radio, sometime in 2016 turned against people who fought for its liberation. Judges who fought for media freedom were the people you sought to abuse. The Montie 3 is an example. Some of your sons have wined and dined with those in power to their entrapment. They have fallen in love with their wine. As a result, they spit fire [biegya] uncontrollably. But the aftermath we all know. This was at the national level.

In rural Ghana, Radio, the story may not be same, but also disturbing. Many of the Radio channels are sadly owned by people Radio must police. I believe you see the irony here! Picture a rural politician knowing he or she is one step close to either a win or lose in an election. They decide the content and pattern of what presenters and host should say. They pay for abusive language, intimidating commentary, shallow debates, biased commentators, skewed news content, cooked up stories among others. That’s what radio sees in rural Ghana. In fact, in rural Ghana, I am tempted to say Radio sees dirty local politics than probably in the big cities. Like what is done on Montie or Oman Fm, a stance is taken to discredit opposing political parties. Politicians are supported by some watchdogs to drag radio into the gutters!

Fixated Radio
Society is dynamic. It keeps changing at all levels. Our collective developmental needs too; either as individuals, town council, sub metro, district, region or a country keeps evolving. For radio to be relevant and police power, it needs to follow the trend, invest in research, give in house training to its staff and employ new hands when the need be. The ultimate goal is to get people in power do the right thing.

Sadly, many rural radios are repeating what listeners have been told years back. No investment into finding new heights. I got furious last week when one radio station in Cape Coast was asking listeners to comment on whether they will like to marry a rich man or poor man. In this day and age in the 21st century?

Others have also resorted to affiliating. A rural radio seeing national news as its major news bulletin is problematic. Affiliating, despite its other importance impedes rural development. It does not encourage rural radios to invest in research that will grow themselves and their communities. Do you see Peace Fm or Adom Fm listing over a hundred affiliate radios during their news bulletin? The numbers even keeps growing!

Like police, radio is always looking for the bad guys and unravels their bad acts. If the police are not well trained or resourced, your guess is as good as mine. In short, radio, we are in the 21st century, wean yourself from politicians, they are not your friends! Invest in research and data collection. Keep your library in shape for long, and build the capacity of your staff.

Remember where you were, and the treatment politicians meted out to you before your privatization. Remember where you have reached, and where you want to go.

Know that you have people more than politicians to account to. Notice that power belongs to the people, and whichever group they wish to give, they do. Understand your place in this democratic dispensation. Notice that the 21st century politician is more cunning than you might have thought! Above all, notice that the interest of the people overrides our individual wishes.
Thank you Radio
[*Radio as used here refers to the media; print, online and other forms]

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana
[[email protected]]

The post Dear Radio [Article] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Picture it; they are collecting fresh leaves to cover the dead if there are any. They are calling the police to inform them of the incident. They are calling Fire Service and Ambulance Services to come to the scene.

Some are administering instinctive first aid techniques. Out of pulse, others are putting survivors in taxis or available cars and rushed to nearby health facilities.

At this stage, personal belongings of victims don’t matter. “We are talking about life here, and you are saying what?”

They continue. They assist clear road if crashed car(s) are in the middle of road. They later provide eyewitness accounts to safety officers when they asked.

Who are these people? They are each of us’ immediate emergency life jackets! No! They are more! They are temporal situational thieves!

Have you provided emergency assistance at any accident scene before? What did you do to the mobile phones, the hand bags, the laptops, the Ipads, the monies, the other goods, the suitcases and the likes? Did you hand them over to the police or road safety officers who came around? Did you take conscious effort at securing or protecting the belongings of those incapacitated?

Have you been saved in the same car crash that took the life of others? In the midst of the unfortunate, did you claim ownership of item(s) belonging to someone who died? Did you ensure the belongings of the dead or the incapacitated got back to their relatives?

Are you a police or safety officer who was handed over belongings of the incapacitated? Did you end up keeping them in your room or, you went the extra mile to locate and hand them over to their relatives? Are there in your office, items belonging to accident victims gathering dust because probably you do not like what is inside?

If your answers to these questions in truth are that you did some wrong, then you are a temporal situational thieve! And if you are a habitual situational thief, then you are a permanent highway robber! A profiteer of sorrowful moments!

Many are the people in Ghana that have had to grieve over double tragedies arising from a single trouble; the loss of a loved one and the loss of a precious belonging. It can be equated to a notorious robber taking all your lifetime possessions whilst taking your life. It’s a double trouble!!!

Some of those who escape death but have to battle its marks could have had their life put back in shape if they had the chance to be given their belongings. Sadly, these temporal highway thieves, these robbers in suit who in truth lacks true sympathy for accident victims sees these tragic moments as snail picking seasons. They make away all belongings of the victims.

Collins Ayamga is 23 years now. He and his father were involved in an accident on the Apam Takoradi stretch in September 2012. Then 18 years, his when his father was taking him to school in Takoradi after the third term holidays.

“I lost my dad and my dad’s friend in the accident. They were in the front seats. I remember hearing screams from those in the town when our car smashed in the packed truck. That was all I remember. My mother told me after two weeks that, my chop box and its makeup, my father’s laptop that was at the back of the seat, his phones, my dad’s friend phone all the documents that were at the back were all missing. Till date we did not see them”.

“For me, I had my suitcase after returning from the hospital three days later but the content was completely ransacked. For my purse, the Sumsung S4 phone and monies, they were never found”. Deborah Ansah-Anagi, Takoradi.

Transportation system in Ghana is a shame, courtesy the Ghana Private Road Transport Union GPRTU, Progressive Transport Owners Association PROTOA and the transport ministry at large. Apart from primary successfully moving people from Accra to Kumasi, Accra Takoradi, or Accra to elsewhere, what other improvement has come to the sector? Even in the famous Yutong buses, people eat rice and stew and all manner of foods in the air-conditioned buses.

That’s just on a lighter note. Years down the line, rickety buses abound on our streets. Accra, the seat of government is a mess. The intra trotros around Circle are just unfit for the new the Dubai. Picture hard working Ghanaians packed in old rickety buses after hard day’s work at present day Nkrumah “Dubai” Circle? The GPRTU and Co thinks this is the best they can offer Ghanaians. Fast forward to rural Ghana.

In rural areas, it is still a norm to pack people in cars like sardines. Picture six people in the back seat of a rickety taxi and three in front. Tell me I am lying! Is it the best for the people who work to bring up the GD whan whan P? That’s the story. But it’s not surprising. Accra the capital is struggling, let alone rural Ghana.

Add that to the poor data collection on passengers travelling more than 30kilometers. No one knows who is in the bus with me. No one knows what is on you. These facts can be collected and left at the station before journeys start, such that in the event of any accident managers of the station can do some tracking easily to relatives.

You could also have a team of investigators at each station which will visit accident sites to recover belongings of people [which they took stock of them before the journey started] which might have been “stolen” by these temporal highway thieves.

How many persons are killed each year in Ghana in motor accidents? Thousands! So you can understand the magnitude of the problem. Were their belongings found and handed over to their relatives, No, they were stolen!

Usually, families and loved ones take consolation from the fact that the person survived the accident, and so leaves the lost item “to God”. But this is not right! Yes, it’s not right! Why will you report a robbery incident in your home to the police even if they only stole your possessions but did not take your life, but will hesitate to report same to safety officials? They are all thievery and must be reported and pursued. If not, this canker may well live with us till the end of time!

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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo
[E-mail: [email protected]]

The post Accident scene thievery; what really kills surviving victims [Article] appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.