It is unclear whether this move is a deliberate one to frustrate the supply of gas, considering that the LPG Marketers have vehemently kicked against Government’s approach towards ensuring safety in the sector following the Atomic Junction explosion.

[contextly_sidebar id=”toGbP5YT91ixFJFiYxdbbdjzB5DAvZRs”]Confirming their decision to Citi News, the Vice-Chairman of the Association, Gabriel Kumi, said the conclusion was made in the interest of public safety to allow a task-force put in place to carryout all technical works on their outlets to avoid the rampant shut down by authorities.

“The authorities are moving around the whole country, closing down operations, and we feel that it is not fair and we want to do an introspection so we decided that we should shut down operations across the country and form a task-force to make sure all our operations are up to the standard. We don’t want to be sitting down there for authorities to be coming down in a rambo style to be shutting down operations. We feel we want to help them. We are not on strike.”

Mr. Kumi said LPG operators and the LPG Tanker drivers union, will also cease operations from today [Wednesday.

He however said that no timeline can be given for when the maintenance works will end.

LPG marketers threaten suit over cylinder re-circulation policy

The leadership of the LPG Marketing Companies Association had earlier indicated that its members are agitated over cabinet’s decision directing the implementation of the gas cylinder re-circulation policy within a year; and the suspension of construction work on newly built fuel stations.

According to the leadership, the directive has whipped up public sentiment against their members and increased their risk of doing business.

Following last week’s Atomic Junction Gas explosion, President Akufo Addo, and his Cabinet directed the review of all existing and newly awarded licenses for operators, among others.

But the Public Relations Officer of the Association, Kwame Owiredu, told Citi News their members are contemplating legal action among other options, against the directive.

“As to the constitutionality of the fiat issued by Cabinet, our members are agitating. Aside the suit that they are contemplating, some of them are actually saying that if the NPA is painting them as if their operations are death traps; they are explosions in waiting, they might as well stop operating because you can’t licence somebody and then come back and designate them as high risk or low risk. They are really agitating… By the close of the week , we will issue a press statement and let Ghanaians know what we intend to do.”

Cylinder Re-circulation Module will collapse our businesses – LPG marketers

This threat comes days after the Public Relations Officer of the LPG Marketers Association, Bernard Owiredu, expressed his outfit’s disquiet over plans to introduce the module.

Mr. Owiredu had indicated that, the current module is targeted at collapsing their businesses, despite their many years of existence in the industry.

Cylinder circulation won’t favour the poor – COPEC

The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), also raised concerns about the Cylinder Re-circulation Model of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) distribution, suggesting it may burden poor Ghanaians.

The Chamber’s Executive Director, Duncan Amoah, noted the inflexibility of the programme and suggested the old system of distribution be employed alongside the new module ordered by President Nana Akufo-Addo.

–

By: Marian Ansah & Zoe Abu Baidoo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Dean of the School of Business and Law, Dr Daniel Bagah  on Tuesday stated that a draft proposal had been submitted to the National Council for Tertiary Education Committee (NCTEC) for approval,  after which accreditation would be sought for the Bachelor of Law programme.

He indicated that it would be introducing Bachelor in Law and Business Studies and BSC in Law and Development Studies in the next academic year,  noting that the two are among four new courses being introduced in the University.

Dr Bagah was speaking at a UDS, signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Professor Wayne Dunn of the Corporate Social Responsibility Training Institute (CSRTI).

The CSR Training Institute is collaborating with the UDS to design training programmes that would imbibe corporate social responsibility values in individuals and organizations,  to ensure the achievement of some targeted goals.

The MOU, among other aims, is to develop certificates and post-graduate and PhD programmes in the field of corporate social responsibility.

Dr Bagah indicated that the UDS has adequate human resources and infrastructure to start the programme, and urged interested students to get prepared for the take-off of the programme.

He lauded the CSR programme that the UDS had signed a MOU, stressing that concept notes were being put up and that some of the staff of the UDS would be trained in the course content after which it would be opened to the general public at the UDS official building in Accra.

He said the programme would be outdoored on  September 18 this year in Accra to attract more people for the programme, and stressed that it would later be incorporated into the concept to mount degrees and PhDs in corporate social responsibility.

Vice Chancellor of  UDS, expressed concern about the poor value corporate social responsibility on the part of companies, and urged them to exhibit positive attitudes to promote development.

He indicated that many companies in the country instead of being resourceful and deliver tangible things that would improve and enhance the living standards of communities in which they work, they rather engage in donations and beauty pageant programmes, saying, “These are things that will not help society.”

Prof. Yakubu said companies must promote the welfare of communities by providing development-oriented projects that would enhance the livelihoods of people in their geographical areas to complement the work of government.

Prof Dunn who is the President and Founder of CSRTI,  said the collaboration was  well-thought, since it intended to build the capacities and orient the corporate world in achieving its stated objectives.

He observed that corporate social responsibility was not just about donating and presenting items to communities, but creating enabling environment that would give more opportunities to people in organizations’ operational areas.

Professor Dunn who is also a Lecturer at the University of McGill in Canada, said the collaboration if effectively implemented, would develop ways that businesses serve shareholders and society through innovative programmes to help people and government.

Source: GNA

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According to them, the move will aggravate the already “perilous woes of tertiary students who are undeniably overburdened with extortionate cost of education in the country.”

Government has directed the public universities and polytechnics to pay their own utility bills; hence, public universities are deciding to pass the utility costs on to the students.

But a statement signed by the SRC executives of UDS stated that the plight of the Ghanaian student is worsening and “this move will further create a bleak future for our educational system.”

Below is the full statement

GOVERNMENT SHOULD RECONSIDER ITS DECISION TO REMOVE SUBSIDIES ON UTILITY BILLS FOR PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Governance is all about taking decisions to better the life’s of people, but when those decisions are rather going to worsen the situation and make the cost of education expensive, then we have to be circumspect and proper introspection as well as due diligence must be done to ensure that our living conditions are not exacerbated.

Our notice was drawn to the fact that Government is contemplating of removing all forms of subsidies and Subventions to Public Tertiary Institutions in the country especially the various Public Universities, they have started with Utilities Bills, a move that will only but succeed in aggravating the already perilous woes of tertiary students who are undeniably overburdened with extortionate cost of education in the country.

This Utility Bills will be transferred to Students and hence each Student will pay averagely an additional GH¢ 350.00 for Non-Residents and GH¢450.00 for Residents in addition to his or her fees.

Last academic Year, First Year Students pay GH¢1,092.00 as their admission fees. Ceteris Paribus, this year Students will pay GH¢1,542.00 and GH¢1442.00 without cost of Accommodation, cost of food, cost of Handouts etc.

This could serve as a deterrent to prospective University Applicant considering the cost involve. If aggresses remain as they are, then we fear of a low intake in the upcoming potential applicants. Government should consider proroguing its decisions.

This current position of Government will go against the backdrop of which University for Development Studies was established. UDS was established to make University Education accessible and affordable to the People in the North and the country at large.

We are therefore pleading with Government to re-consider its decision regarding the removal of these subsidies and subventions on tertiary Institutions.

The plight of the Ghanaian Student is worsening and this move will further create a bleak future to our educational system.

Ofosu Emmanuel                  SRC President, UDS                          

Hubert Adehokey Elorm       SRC, Vice President, UDS                

Mensah Enoch McRoyal,       Local NUGS President, UDS          

Karikari Kwabena Julius        PRO, SRC UDS                               

By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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