3RD BEST IN GHANA SOCCER FIESTA ENDS IN GRAND STYLE

Administrative Manager of PSL, Fauziatu Adam and one of the scouts from Serbia, Duro Ivanisevic

Egyptian Super Agent - Mohammed Shiha

After the match between Dreams FC and Local Black Stars

Group photograph of Dreams FC players

 By: Fauziatu Adam

The bi- annual soccer tournament, organized by Proton Sports Limited (PSL), that uniquely assembles all the best talents in the Ghanaian league in one colourful platform ended last week in grand style.

Dubbed ‘3^rd BEST OF GHANA SOCCER FIESTA 2012’, this year’s tourney which was mainly held at University of Ghana, Legon Ajax Park saw two phases.

The first phase started from 15^th to 21^st November featuring scouts like Mr Albert Martens, Chief African Scout for Anderlecht, Belgium, Mr Sasha Empacher , Former Marketing Manager of Bayern Munich , Germany, Mr Johannes Rupprechter, Scout from Greuther Furth, Germany, Mr. Ivanisevic Djuro, a FIFA licensed agent,  Serbia and , Mr. Carlmichael Bordogna from Italy.

The second phase also started from26th November - 3rd December and saw scouts like Mr Mohammed Shiha, FIFA Licenced Agent, Egypt, Mr Emam Mohamdeen, Egypt and Mr Aboutalep Mohammed, Egypt.

Participating teams for this year’s tourney included, defending Premier League Champions, Kumasi Asante Kotoko , defending  FA Cup Champions, New Edubiase United, stalwart  Division two side,  Dreams Football Club and Inter Allies Football Club . Others were Division one Campaign, Tudu Mighty Jets, Peace Babies, Cheetah FC and the Local Black Stars.

The Managing Director of PSL, Mr Kurt Okraku said this strategy makes it easy for foreign clubs to always have the right of first refusal on budding Ghanaian talents.

“Recognising the opportunities football competitions offer in promoting the standards of football clubs and players, Proton Sports Services instituted this mini soccer tournament, which has seen its third year, to assemble all the best talents in the football industry under one platform to unearth and nurture them”, he added.

The previous tournaments discovered top notch footballers like Abdul Bashiru who is on the verge of joining Udinese Calcio SPA, John Entwi with Ismailly FC, Baba Abdul Rahman who was first discovered by Anderlecht, and courted by Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City and now signed with Greuther Furth in Germany.

Proton Sports Services is a sports marketing and management consultancy firm which deals in Events Management, Sports Legal Services among others based in Accra Ghana with our operational divisions in the United Kingdom and Germany.

Established in 1999 with sole intention of injection professionalism in the way sports is run/promoted/managed in Africa, the company helps in developing varied targeted marketing programs and promotional events designed specifically for each client.

PSL’s Executive team holds over 30 years of cumulative experience in professional Football, Sports Marketing, Finance, Law and General Sports Management. We work as a team and deliver results from our joint efforts.

Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications to partner CSR Foundation Ghana

Members CSR Foundation in a group photograph with the team from the Chamber of Telecommunications.

Corporate Social Responsibility Foundation Ghana (CSRFG) has proposed partnership with the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications to promote CSR activities among telecommunications companies in Ghana.

This was when members of CSFRG called on the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the chamber, Kweku Sakyi-Addo to officially introduce the Foundation to the Chamber.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees Joseph Emmanuel Allotey-Pappoe, who led the delegation, stressed the need for a partnership of business, civil society and government for the country to deepen the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) culture and reap its full benefits.

He stated that it was to promote such a culture that the CSRFG had been set up to create a society of CSR-committed and compliant corporate citizens and individuals, adding that the Foundation in line with its mission had within the first year of its establishment published two issues of a quarterly magazine ‘CSR Watch Magazine’ and also organized the first annual CSR conference in December 2011 to create awareness through its advocacy programmes.

Mr. Allotey-Pappoe invited the chamber to partner the Foundation and Ghana Standards Authority in the organizing a sectoral-based CSR seminar for captains in the telecoms industry to share orientation on CSR best practices.

On his part, Kweku Sakyi-Addo expressed his excitement about the possibility of a partnership between the two bodies.

He said the relevance of CSR for the telecommunications sector cannot be overemphasized and stressed that the players in the telecommunications sector take corporate governance serious.

Kweku Sakyi-Addo also assured the Foundation of the chamber’s readiness to partner and support CSRFG to promote CSR in the country.

Mr. Allotey-Pappoe presented copies of the second issue of the “CSR Watch” magazine to Mr. Sakyi-Addo.

Modelling CSR Initiatives in Ghana. A case for NADeF

Background.

Mining and especially gold mining has always been a key sector in the Ghanaian economy. Since the 16^th century Ghana has been a world leader in the production and export of gold. During colonization, British economic strategy focused extensively on the extraction and shipment of the valuable mineral.

 The attraction of gold in Ghana continues to provide incentive for extensive foreign direct investment in the country. Companies based in the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia have all become major investors in the nation’s gold mining industry.

The debate over whether mining in general has benefitted the Ghanaian economy and the general society rages on. Critics sometimes emotionally and genuinely relate the negative impact of mining on communities and question the economic rewards to the country at large. Environmental, Socio-economic and even moral issues are raised in the advancement of arguments against mining.

The colonialist reap of Ghana’s prime mineral resource and previous mining operations which yielded little benefit to the country may rightly draw negative nostalgic memories and justify continuous call for caution against mining generally. 

However, it is an established fact that everything we depend on is either made from minerals or relies on minerals and mining for its production. It is thus important, realizing the inevitability of mining, to find ways of exploiting the positive impact of mining to the fullest, so as to reduce its negative impact to the barest minimum or even to make the negative impact insignificant altogether.

Further, foreign direct investment in this global world economy is unavoidable. For Ghana, our quest and commitment to attain sustainable development must be demonstrated through the institution of the right laws and policies and also to encourage Multinational Corporations with demonstrable commitment to be partners in development to initiate programmes that will enhance the living conditions of the communities in which they operate and the country at large through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. Newmont Ghana Gold Limited’s NADeF (Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation) is a worthy case study for corporate bodies whether large or small in the country.

Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Newmont Mining Corporation, Wayne W. Murdy visited Ghana in 2005 and made a public commitment to contribute $1 per ounce of gold sold and 1% of net pre-tax annual profit from its mining operation in Ahafo for the sustainable development of the mine area. This pronouncement was made before mining begun in Ahafo in 2006, in fulfillment of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) avowed commitment to contribute towards the sustainable development of the Ahafo Mine Communities.

Consequently, NGGL alongside the Chiefs and people of the ten (10) Ahafo Mine Communities formed the Ahafo Social Responsibility Forum (ASRF) to deliberate on how to execute the commitment.

The ASRF which is made up of 53 members representing traditional rulers, local and regional governments, youth, women, farmers, local NGOs and NGGL, with an independent Moderator and a Co-Moderator, deliberated for over two years and came up with 3 main Agreements:

Relationship Agreement: This is to strengthen further the cordial relationship between NGGL and the Community.

Employment Agreement: This spelled out modalities governing the employment of locals by NGGL.

Foundation Agreement: Focuses on the funding and implementation of sustainable development projects within the Community.

The Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation (NADeF) was subsequently incorporated as a trust limited by guarantee and a nine member Board of Trustees was sworn into office on 29th May 2008.

Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation (NADeF) is a sustainable community development Foundation, operated through a Foundation Agreement developed and signed between Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and the Ahafo Social Responsibility Forum (ASFR). ASRF in a true strategic and participatory communications approach is represented by 10 Ahafo Mine Communities, Local Government, and Regional Government and Civil Society groups, to share resources granted to the Foundation through an annual contribution from Newmont to support community development programs in the area of the Ahafo Mines’ operations. 

The Foundation utilizes funds to support the following key areas of development:

Human Resource Development

Economic Empowerment

Provision of Infrastructure

Natural Resources

Cultural Heritage and Sports

Social Amenities

 The Board of Trustees of the Foundation is chaired by Mr. Saarah Mensah a former minister of state of Ghana. 

There is also the Sustainable Development Committees (SDC) of the 10 Community Towns (Adrobaa, Afrisipakrom, Gyedu, Kenyasi # 1, Kenaysi # 2, Ntotroso, Susuanso, Terchire, Wamahinso and Yamfo)   which prepared project proposals according to the specific and peculiar needs of the community and sent them for endorsement by the respective District Assemblies.

The maximum participation of Ahafo Mine host communities in their own sustainable development is the objective of the NADeF model. Although Newmont has led the development of NADeF, it is owned by the Ahafo Mine host communities to literally determine, through their Sustainable Development Communities, the area in which to apply their funds from NADeF".

The governance structure has been designed in such a way that the majority of the board membership would be selected by the Ahafo host communities.

On 11^th October 2011, NADeF outdoored some of it projects and launched the NADeF website to update the public about the progress of the foundation.

A six-unit classroom block with an office, a computer room and a staff common room of the Saint Peter's Catholic Primary school was also commissioned at a durbar of chiefs and the local people of Ahafo to climax the series of durbars held to outdoor the projects.

Launching the website, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NADeF, Mr. Saarah-Mensah observed that the Foundation had so far, attracted over $7.4 million dollars from Newmont Ghana Gold Limited for various infrastructural and non infrastructural projects to improve the lives of the local people.

Out of these funds one thousand five hundred and eight (1508) students from the Ahafo area in various senior high schools and tertiary institutions across the country have benefited under a scholarship scheme under the non infrastructural projects of NADeF.

For the infrastructural projects, over 34 projects have either been completed or ongoing for the ten beneficiary communities.

The projects comprise 14-room teachers’ quarters at Adrobaa, four-unit teachers’ quarters and nursery school blocks, a nursery block at Gyedu, six-unit classroom block with office, store, staff common room and library at Kenyasi number two.

Others are the construction of a chief’s palace, community library, three-unit classroom block with office, staff common room at Susuanso, 20-seater water closet toilets at Akyease and Apantuase.

Further in Ntotroso, NADeF have successfully provided two mechanized boreholes, electricity for two schools, sporting equipment as well as construction of six-unit classroom block with office, staff common room and computer library.

Under the Foundation’s community projects, the Techire community has benefited from the construction of Polytank stands and mechanization of five boreholes, whilst Wamahinso community also benefited from the construction of six-unit classroom block with office, store, staff common room and library, as well as the provision of furniture and books and the renovation of the chief’s palace.

At Yamfo, NADeF has began constructing 14-seater water closet toilet, library, and Information Communication Technology Center with a conference room. The Foundation has also supplied furniture, books, computers and accessories, and constructed two-unit nurses’ quarters for the community.

The people of Afrisipakrom have been provided with a borehole, library and chief’s palace, and the Foundation was supporting the Kenyasi Number One community to construct a chief’s palace.

The Foundation had piloted a micro credit facility at Wamahinso, Gyedu and Ntotroso and had assisted 132 businessmen and businesswomen with GHC 40,000.

The Foundation also operates a four-year mine apprenticeship program targeted at young locals in the Ahafo area with the aim of increasing local employment in the Ahafo mine to 50 per cent by 2016.

Interviews with beneficiaries of both the infrastructural and non infrastructural project revealed their outmost elation over the success of the Foundation which is making life meaningful for them. For Abena Nyarko of Acherensua Senior High School and Agnes Boateng of Ola Girls, the scholarship scheme administered with funds under the Foundation could not have come at a better time. They explained how the scheme had saved them from dropping out of school at the junior high level.    

The headmistress of one of the beneficiary schools, St Peters Catholic School located in Kenyasi # 2, Sister Sarah Dora Wilberforce said the children had been studying under a tree for almost a year before NADeF came to their aid.

She pointed out the old school building which had its roofs removed. She explained that it took NADeF six months to put up the new six unit classroom block for the school immediately the Foundation were informed about the school’s plight. She was appreciative of the work of NADeF and urged them to keep up the good work to help develop the community.

Nana Kontoh Fofie, Kontihene of Kenyasi # 2 expressed his gratitude to Newmont for fulfilling their commitment to improve the living conditions of the people of the Asutifi area through the ASRF agreements.

Significantly all project contracts under the NADeF funds are awarded to local contractors.

One other important aspect of the Foundation’s work is that, as part of Newmont’s annual contributions to NADeF, there is a provision for the creation of an endowment trust fund. (An increasing proportion of the funds will be earmarked as endowment fund over the life of mine). What this means is that, even after the life of the mine where Newmont Ghana would have closed the mine, there would be a fund available to continue with development projects in the Asutifi area. Endowment provision funded via the annual contributions is scheduled as follows (10% - first 5yrs; 15% - second 5yrs; 20% - third 5yrs; and 25% - fourth 5yrs).

Mr. Randy Barnes, Regional Vice-President, Environment and Social Responsibility of Newmont Gold Ghana Limited in his remarks at the durbar of chiefs and the community explained that the company’s decision to create the Foundation was based on its conviction that creating shared value in the company’s host communities would substantially spur the growth of those areas and also be of greater benefit to the larger society.

Mr. Barnes observed that mining, like any other human enterprise, had its challenges and that there was a continuous effort by mining companies and other stakeholders to ensure that it was an activity that was carried out safely and responsibly and that Newmont Ghana remains committed to living their value of demonstrating leadership in stewardship of the environment and social responsibility by creating opportunities and shared value for the host communities.

Conclusion.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is defined by CSR Foundation Ghana as a planned, systematic and ethical corporate behaviour that meets statutory and regulatory requirements beyond an organisation's mission statement or charter and also satisfies the needs of all stakeholders and social imperatives in a transparent and sustainable manner for development.

Newmont Ghana Gold Limited through engagements with the communities in Ahafo culminating into the agreements, which gave birth to NADeF is one model of CSR and the efficiency of strategic communications in ensuring effective community engagements to ensure peaceful co-existence and improvement based on trust due to continuous interaction.

Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation is definitely a model worth profiling for other corporate bodies whether large or small to emulate.

For our part of the world, where the developmental challenges are various and diverse, having a partner committed to an engagement with the community and government to enhance the living conditions of the people through a well structured system of governance and funding in a sustainable manner is worth spreading for other organizations to replicate.

However central and local government must not shirk their responsibilities to the people due to such socially responsibly initiatives from responsible corporate bodies such as Newmont Gold Ghana Limited.  

With the right ethical conscience and a balance of responsibility between government, corporate organizations, civil society, communities, society in general and individuals in the country, Ghana would surely realize our sustainable development targets.

The NADeF model of Newmont Ghana Gold limited is certainly a demonstrable commitment by a responsible corporate body to contribute to sustainable development of the communities they operate and the country at large.

Okyenehene supports CSR Foundation Ghana

Okyenehene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin has pledged to support the CSR Foundation Ghana (CSRFG) to promote the conservation of the environment and  sustain corporate social responsibility activities in the country.

This came to light when the foundation officially visited him at his palace in Accra to introduce themselves and the rationale behind the formation  of the foundation and to formally invite him to chair the CSRFG maiden annual national CSR conference to be held in November and December this year.

Okyenehene, with pleasure expressed interest in supporting the foundation to protect the environment and hold corporate individuals accountable for their activities in the country.

Osagyefuo Amoatia, who is an environmentalist complained, with passion about the way politicians personalised  developmental policies which was the key contributing factor to underdevelopment in the country.

Ms Fauziatu Adam, Programmes officer, CSRFG introducing herself to Okyenehene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin

Ms Fauziatu Adam in a handshake with Okyenehene

Members of CSRFG in a photograph with Okyenehene

He called on the government to decentralize public and socio economic activities to other regional capitals to decongest the capital city and help in the economic wealth of the other regions to accelerate the total development of the country. 

Osagyeufo Ofori Panin further stated that the recent floods that hit the nation's capital and parts of the country should not be described as a natural disaster but a man-made disaster created by numb public and government officials.
"It was now time individuals took responsibility in conserving their environment  and put in place the right structures to taking care of the community and the people as a whole," he added.

Okyenehene expressed his interest in the foundation and promised that his office would be readily available to promote CSR initiatives in the country.

Briefing the Okyenehene, Mr Joseph Emmanuel Allotey -Pappoe, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the foundation who led the delegation stressed the need for a partnership  of  business, civil society and government for the country to deepen the CSR culture and reap its full benefits.

"It was for this reason that the CSRFG had been set up with a vision  to create a society of CSR-committed and compliant corporate  citizens and individuals which would be pursued through advocacy, training, conferences, awards, research, publications and advisory services," he stated. 

Explaining more about the conference, Mr Allotey-Pappoe said that, it was aimed at initiating a platform for national deliberation on CSR in Ghana and to adopt the communiqués at the end of the conference to encourage action from government, corporate organisations, civil society organisations, communities and society to form partnerships for the sustainable development in the country.

" CSR Foundation Ghana’s Annual National CSR Conference is one of the vehicles to be used by the Foundation to initiate and promote deliberations on responsible corporate behaviour and to create a society of CSR committed and compliant corporate citizens and individuals in Ghana" he added.

He added that the first day of the conference would strategically focus on Ghana and the facilitators and presenters have been chosen from experts in the area of CSR in the country.

"The Speakers include Dr. Joyce Aryee, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Mines, Mr. Kweku Rockson ,a former acting rector of Ghana Institute of Journalism and a researcher in CSR and Professor Robert Hinson, Head of Marketing Department, University of Ghana Business School, both Board Members of CSR Foundation Ghana" he noted.

"Other speakers include, Mr. Kwamena Anaman, former corporate affairs director of Ashanti Goldfields Company, Mr. Bishop Akolgo Executive Director of Integrated Social Development Center, (ISODEC)", he said. 

"Some of the topics to be discussed are 'Corporate Social Responsibility: A Key Component for Sustainable Development through Partnership', 'Corporate Social Responsibility A Historical Overview', 'CSR in Ghana: The Case for Legislation and the Role of Government', 'CSR in Ghana: The Case for Voluntary Action and the Role of Corporations - The Corporate Credibility implications', 'The Role of Civil Society Organisations in the CSR Partnership Sustainable development', 'The scientific approach to ranking CSR Performance in Ghana-The CSR Foundation Ghana Methodology', he noted.

He added that the conference was expected to attract CEO’s and Corporate Affairs Directors from Ghana and beyond and will help deepen CSR practice, share knowledge as well provide critical information on global perspectives on CSR.

AGI TO PARTNER CSR FOUNDATION GHANA

CSR Foundation Ghana (CSRFG) and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI)have agreed in principle to form a partnership to promote corporate social responsibility in Ghana.

Chairman of CSR Foundation Ghana, Mr Allotey-Pappoe presenting a copy of the CSR WAtch Magazine to Mr Seth Twum, Executive Director of AGI 

This is the outcome of discussions at a courtesy call by the board of trustees of CSRFG on the management of the AGI in Accra.

Briefing the executives of AGI, Mr Joseph Emmanuel Allotey Pappoe, chairman of the board of trustees of the foundation who led the delegation stressed the need for a partnership  of  business, civil society and government for the country to deepen the CSR culture and reap its full benefits.

 He said time has come for business to embrace CSR, not as a policy of tokenism and volunteerism, but as a business philosophy and a planned, systematic and ethical corporate behaviour that meets statutory and regulatory requirements beyond an organisation's mission statement , noting that it should also satisfy the needs of all stakeholders and social imperatives in a transparent and sustainable manner for development.

He stated that it is for this reason that the CSRFG has been set up with a vision  to create a society of CSR-committed and compliant corporate  citizens and individuals which would be pursued through advocacy, training, conferences, awards, research, publications and advisory services.

Mr. Allotey-Pappoe revealed that in addition to the publication by the Foundation of the maiden issue of CSR Watch magazine last month, the Foundation would shortly advertise the first annual national CSR conference to be held in Ghana at the end of November this year adding that he would look forward to  AG's massive participation.  

In his response,  Mr. Seth Twum Akwaboah,  Executive Director of AGI expressed the Association's appreciation for the visit, noting that the Council of AGI, after considering the profile of the Foundation and its plans, was sure that the Foundation had a mission worth supporting. He accordingly pledged the Association's support for the Foundation's projects and programmes.  

Mr. Allotey-Pappoe presented copies of the CSR Watch magazine to the AGI.

GIJ To Introduce Courses In Oil Industry

Story: Seth J. Bokpe & Fauziatu Adam

The Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) will, from next academic year, introduce courses in Petroleum and Environmental and Climate Change Reporting in response to the emergence of the oil industry in the country.

The initiative is to ensure that products of the school are abreast of issues concerning the industry.

The Rector of the GIJ, Mr David Newton, announced this at this year’s congregation of the institute, which was on the theme: “The Role of Communication in Ghana's emerging oil industry'.

He advised Ghanaians not only to think of the economic gains of the industry but also consider the impact of the oil on the environment, including oil spillage, and other concerns such as dangers of pollution and influx of illegal immigrants.

“It is our hope that as new comers in the oil industry, we shall be guided by the lessons and experiences of other countries which are forerunners in the industry,' he added.

The congregation, the second after the institute received its charter to award its own degrees, had 120 students graduating with Diploma in Communication Studies.

Miss Winnifred Ashong-Lamptey emerged as the Overall Best Student and received the Best Journalism Student Award.

The Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) sponsored her prize comprising a laptop , a set of books and a six-month internship with the GCGL.

Other award winners were Miss Abla Emefa Adjei ,the Best Professional Student; Mr Francis Kobina Abban, the Best Student in English Language; Miss Regina Asamoah, the Best in Public Relations , Advertising and Marketing.

Mr Newton added that the institute had introduced an exchange programme with both local and foreign universities and institutions to give the necessary exposure to students and lecturers of the school.

He explained that the initiative would lead to a cross-fertilisation of ideas on a wide range of academic activities.

'In order to reach this objective, the institute has established collaboration with UNESCO, the Open Society Initiative of Africa, Kwantlen University in Canada, Rhodes University in South Africa and other international research organisations.

Mr Newton further stated that the institute would, from the next academic year, launch its portal to ensure greater efficiency in checking examination results and online registration of prospective applicants and also improve upon and update the internal systems and the procedures in the institute.

He said as part of the expansion programme, the academic board had recommended the establishment of a social science faculty as a third faculty, adding that new courses such as Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Business and Management Studies would also be rolled out under a review exercise underway.

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Education, Major M. S. Tara (retd), in a speech read on behalf of the Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, urged the institute to go beyond official government support and 'identify other sources of funding that will complement government’s efforts and accelerate the common agenda to enable it realise its full potential as the foremost centre of communication excellence in the country'.

'With the discovery of oil in the economy, GIJ will be expected to be in the vanguard of training more journalists who will be equipped with the tools and nuances of what the new industry brings,” he said.

He, therefore, advised the management of the institute to adopt new strategies and educate future journalists and public relations practitioners to become conversant with the demands of the oil industry and its communication imperatives.

Major Tara urged the graduates to imbibe the virtues of humility and professionalism and avoid the temptation of using short-cuts to riches and fame.

In a speech read on his behalf, the Chairman of GIJ Governing Council, Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini, made a passionate appeal to all the alumni of the institute to come together and contribute their quota towards the development of the institute.

He observed that the institute had the potential and capacity to turn around its fortunes.

HIV menace on the rise

Story: Fauziatu Adam
Current estimates indicate that 267,000 Ghanaians, including 25,000, children are living with HIV/AIDS, according to the International Health Care Centre (IHCC).
What is even frightening is that 2,500 Ghanaians are infected with the virus and 2,000 deaths are recorded annually.
Dr Naa Ashiley Vanderpuije, a health expert at the IHCC which manages AIDS cases, made this known at a workshop organised on HIV/AIDS for opinion leaders in Muslim communities in Accra.
The workshop was funded by the African Women's Fund and initiated by Yada da Allah, a Muslim women’s outreach organisation, and the Muslim Women and AIDS Association of Ghana.
The estimates are consistent with projections by the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) from 2009 to 2015.
In its National HIV Prevalence and AIDS Estimates 2009-2015 Report, the NACP projected that the country's HIV prevalence was expected to rise gradually from 267,069 in 2009 to 280,219 in 2011.
That is due to the combined effects of population growth and an increasing number of HIV-infected persons who are living on anti-retroviral therapy (ART).
According to the report, 22,177 new infections were registered in 2009, while 20,313 AIDS deaths were recorded, with 26,150 new infections and 17,046 deaths being projected for 2011.
Addressing the workshop, Dr  Vanderpuije said people living with the virus could also play an important role in limiting its spread and, therefore, stigmatising them would not help them progress in society.
"They can help prevent further infections and improve the quality of their own lives through positive behavioural change. People who have HIV but who are not yet ill can live full and productive lives. People living with HIV/AIDs should not be stigmatised or discriminated against. Rather, they deserve our compassion, care and support," she added.
She called on leaders in all sectors to do their part to limit the spread of HIV.
"If our leaders — political, religious, business, non-governmental, community, district and all others — individually and collectively do their part, I am convinced that we can change the course of this epidemic and limit its impact on the development effort in Ghana," she noted.
The President of Yada da Allah, Mrs Mariam Yussif, said the main aim of the workshop for opinion leaders in the Muslim community was to sensitise them to the virus and what they could do to prevent it.

She added that stigmatisation of HIV/AIDs patients was very rampant in communities, hence the need to reach out to the leaders of the communities to enable them to disseminate the message to the people.

A Poly Inaugurates Competency-Based Resource Centre

Story: Fauziatu Adam

Accra Polytechnic has inaugurated a GH¢35,000 Competency Based Training (CBT) resource centre to enhance the training of middle-level, career-focused students who are equipped with skills and competence for the work environment.

The centre was financed by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), an independent government agency in Japan that provides technical co-operation and other forms of aid to developing countries.

The CBT, which promotes practical training instead of theoretical learning, ensures that all learners gain the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes or values to be successful in the learning environment and the workplace, particularly in the industrial sector.

An important characteristic of CBT is that it is focused not only on the actual jobs that are required in the workplace, but also the ability to transfer and apply skills, knowledge and attitudes to new situations and environments.

The assessment of competency of a learner under CBT is not about passing or failing someone, but the assessor's role is to work with the individual to ensure that sufficient evidence is collected to establish competence that meets the required standard.

Inaugurating the centre, the Director of the school, Dr Festus Addo-Yobo, said the school needed more committed and motivated staff with the needed competence to teach, using examples and relating theory to practice.

He said another major challenge was developing skills in the use of equipment or technique that requires the students to have access to the equipment and resources needed by polytechnics to provide the equipment for students to practice their skills before they are identified as competent.

He acknowledged the support of JICA which donated a Robust Photocopier Machine, a Camcorder, set of office furniture, Hydraulic Simulator, among others for the school.

He assured JICA that the institute would continue to ensure the efficient training of middle-level, career-focused and hands-on skilled power.

The Chief Representative of JICA Ghana, Jiro Inamura, expressed her appreciation to members of staff and students of the school for their support to the Japanese disaster-hit victims.

She expressed optimism that the centre would be used to disseminate the CBT methods to other vocational training institutions in a sustainable manner.

AAU TO BIDGE INFORMATION GAP WITHIN MEMBER UNIVERSITIES

Story: Fauziatu Adam

The Association of African Universities has established an Open Access Institutional Repository (database) (OAIR) to harness and disseminate research information within member universities for the development of Knowledge based economies in Africa.

A two day advocacy workshop organised by AAU and collaborated by the Research Libraries in Ghana (CARLIGH) and the Royal Tropical Institute of the Netherlands seeks to critically discuss and develop all technical issues, including copyright and the use of standard software in creating such a gigantic repository.

" The Rationale behind this workshop is to afford an opportunity for government officials, the academic and research communities, institutions and organisations to learn about the potential benefits of open access, to share ideas with colleagues and to inspire wider participation of the project" said secretary General, AAU, Professor Olugbemiro Jegede.

Participants from the universities across the continent are expected to acquire requisite knowledge to engage in advocacy for the creation of these repositories in their various institutions and the countries as well.

Deputy Minister of Education, Mr Mahama Ayariga in a speech read on his behalf  was of the view that national repository centres in Africa should act on a national scale, to serve all libraries in the country.

" Other roles that these centres should have are a national collection policies which would assist libraries in national inter-lending and  act as legal deposit and engage in co-operative cataloging to union databases" he said.

The challenges facing the African scholarly publishing and dissemination, he observed,  included the fact that universities, research bodies, research NGOs produce a large amount of knowledge, but do not always disseminate it widely.

" Apart from the lack of investment to do research, and to disseminate and publish research findings, the human resources capacity with the requisite publishing skills are not always readily available" he added.

He expressed his hope that the advocacy workshop would enable participants bring out policies which would act as guidelines for the establishment and smooth running of institutional repository centres which would enhance the production and dissemination of knowledge as a priority.

AAU is an international non- governmental organisation set up by universities in Africa to promote cooperation among themselves and with the international academic community.

The organisation was established in 1967 under the initiative of El Nazeer Dafaala, Director of the University of Rabat, Morocco at a founding conference in Rabat attended by representatives of 34 universities who adopted the constitutions of the organisation.

Headquartered in Accra, the organisation is the principal forum for consultation, exchange of information  cooperation  among universities  in Africa and operates in 3 official languages including English, French and Arabic.

Membership is opened to universities and other institutions of higher education in Africa as well as organisations and networks whose members are universities or engage in supporting universities.