Internal tourism to boost
national cohesion and rural economy-Bartels
Accra (Greater Accra)
31 October 2002- Debate on a draft legislation that seeks to replace the
existing Merchant Shipping Act, 1963 (Act 183) began on Wednesday. The
legislation, known as the "Ghana Shipping Bill", intends to bring the
law governing maritime activity in Ghana into conformity with the International
Maritime Organisation's (IMO) conventions on maritime operations.
The existing Merchant
Shipping Act was based on the English Merchant Shipping Act of 1894. Agyeman
Manu, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, who moved for the second reading
of the bill, said the bill incorporates international maritime conventions.
They are the Safety of
life at Sea Convention, the Load Line Convention, and Limitation of Liability
for Maritime Claims Conventions, the Mortgages and Lines Conventions, Salvage
Convention, the Tonnage Measurement Convention and the International Convention
of Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers.
He said the bill makes
adequate provisions for the regulation of inland waterways in Ghana. Manu said
responsibility for the establishment of navigational aids would rest with the
Ghana Maritime Authority if the bill is passed.
The function is now
exercised by the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority, but since the issue of
safety of navigation should be the responsibility of the maritime
administration, the bill transfers this function accordingly.
Abraham Ossei Aidoo,
Deputy Majority Leader, said the bill would help address the problems of
seafarers, especially, abandoned seamen. According to him, lawyers would no
longer conduct endless research for legal arguments and decisions on maritime
issues since the bill would have compressed all relevant laws into one
document. Mike Hammah, NDC-Efutu, called for the withdrawal of the bill since
it should be part of a comprehensive transport policy, which is yet to be drawn
up.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra)
31 October 2002- The Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs is assisting the
Women and Juvenile Unit of the Ghana Police Service to organise a capacity
building workshop for police personnel to enhance their performance in dealing
with women and juvenile cases.
The Ministry is also
assisting WAJU with support from DANIDA to print public education posters on
rape and child defilement and violence against women. Mrs. Gladys Asmah, the
sector Minister said this in Parliament on Wednesday when Yaw Effah-Baafi,
NDC-Kintampo asked what collaboration the Ministry has, with the WAJU to
enhance their performance.
The Minister said the
Ministry works in close collaboration with law enforcement agencies and those
concerned with human rights at the highest level and several cases and
complaints from women on issues of domestic violence, child and rape have been
referred to WAJU to handle according to the law.
Mrs Asmah said WAJU
has opened more offices in the regions as well as in Kumasi, Ho, Tamale and she
advocates for more offices to be opened in all the remaining regions to make
WAJU more effective.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
31 October 2002- The Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs has so far
received 10bn cedis of its share of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Fund
out of which 8bn cedis has been released to fishmongers and traders engaged in
food processing.
Out of the amount, the
Ministry allocated 100m cedis in October this year to fishmongers at
Bosumtwi-Atwima- Kwanwoma through their suspense account at the District
Treasury.
Mrs. Gladys Asmah, the
sector Minister said this in an answer to a question asked by Akwasi Afrifa,
NPP-Fomena on behalf of Poku Adu-Gyamfi, NPP-Bosumtwi as to what plans the
Ministry has to help fishmongers around Lake Bosumtwi as has been done for
fishmongers elsewhere.
Mrs. Asmah said under
the Government's Emergency Social Relief Programme, fishmongers in coastal
towns, communities and villages have been targeted, specifically to benefit
from supply of fishing inputs as well as credit facilities and promised to
assist fishmongers around Lake Bosomtwi to also benefit.
She said when the
fishmongers were mobilised and organised into groups of 10-15, they would be
eligible to benefit from the micro-credit fund under the Women's Development
Fund if only they opened an account with any rural or community bank in their
localities.
Ms. Akua Sena Dansua,
NDC-North Dayi in a related development asked the Minister what the policy of
the Ministry was towards the further development of women and children.
Mrs. Asmah said the
ministry, in collaboration with Technology, UK, a charity organisation has
distributed 672 computers to some schools and women training centres in some
deprived areas throughout the country.
She said the Ministry
was also concerned with cultural problems that inhibit development like the
Trokosi and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), while increasing the integration
of women and children into the development process.
Mrs Asmah said the
Ministry was also enhancing socio-economic the status of women and children
through the expansion of coverage of micro-credit to women farmers,
entrepreneurs, traders and food processors, access to technical and vocational
education through donation of sewing machines, cooking utensils and tools.
Mrs Asmah said in the
area of education, her ministry was working in close collaboration with the
Ministry of Education to assist children in deprived areas to reach unearth their
potentials.
As a first step, the
ministry has distributed books packaged into "Leisure Boxes" in the
Central, Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions. Hundred 100 boxes have so
far been distributed and the programme would be extended to other regions with
the assistance of Rotary Club of Tema, UNICEF and the Indian High Commission.
Ms. Dansua also asked
the minister about the criteria for accessing the Women's Development Fund and
how the ministry would do ensure that the fund was accessible to all qualified
applicants.
Mrs Asmah said the
criteria for accessing the fund are that applicants must belong to a group
between 10-20 members, open an individual account, and must be a farmer,
trader, entrepreneur or engaged in food processing.
She said the list of
individuals in a group and other information must then be channelled through
their District Co-ordinating Directors to the ministry for onward submission to
the rural banks for processing.
This is to screen them
to avoid a situation where one person could benefit from more than one funding
facility and once the application has been approved, funds would be channelled
to the rural banks of the applicant for disbursement when funds are available.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
31 October 2002- Kwamena Bartels, Acting Minister of Tourism, has said that internal
tourism was being repackaged as a medium for national unity and cohesion as
well as re-distribution of income in rural communities.
The Minister, who was
answering parliamentary questions said the Ministry of Tourism is constructing
several receptive attraction sites across the country to facilitate the idea.
"The facilities will help increase tourist visitations and spending,
thereby, creating more employment and income in the communities."
He named the Wli,
Kitampo and Boti Waterfalls, Paga Crocodile pond as some of the centres. The
rest are Ejuso/Bonwire historical Kente weaving centre, Assin Manso/Praso slave
route and Pusiga slave trade relics.
Bartels said District
Assemblies would be assisted to organize special events at attraction sites as
a way of creating awareness among the local communities. He lamented the meagre
income size of most Ghanaians, adding that it does not enable them to patronise
the various tour packages being sold by the operators.
"There is lack of
incentives for workers to travel during their leisure periods." He said
Ghanaians with disposable income prefer to travel outside the country for
holidays. The Minister said the Ministry is encouraging the formation of social
clubs, religious and workers' groups to participate in domestic tourism.
GRi…/
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