Ghana Blog

Poor BECE (Secondary) Results in E.Region - Ghana

2009-08-08T13:11:00.002+01:00

School records 0% BECE pass for eight years!! - Ghanaweb

Not a single pupil from the Anyinam Kotoku Local Authority Methodist Junior High School (JHS), near Akyem Oda in the Eastern Region, has passed the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for the past eight years.

The situation has adversely affected enrolment as there are currently only eight students in the school who are about to enter form three to prepare for the BECE in April, next year.The unfortunate development has compelled the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Birim South, Baffour Mensah Takyi, to hold a stakeholders' meeting attended by teachers, parents, school prefects, traditional rulers, officials of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the district assembly, at Anyinam Kotoku to identify the problems and find lasting solutions to them.

Addressing the meeting, Baffour Takyi threatened to close down the school and transfer the teachers and pupils to other schools if the staff and parents of the school did not take realistic measures to reverse the poor performance of the pupils.

He dismissed the notion by the teachers, pupils and some parents that a spiritualist had revealed that someone had cast a spell on the school by spiritually planting an amulet on the school compound, hence the children's poor academic performance.
The DCE warned that the government could not continue to invest huge sums of money in education without getting any fruitful results.He advised the parents and teachers of the school against misusing the labour of the schoolchildren for their selfish interests.

Baffour Takyi also cautioned the pupils to refrain from truancy and lateness to school, warning "drastic action would be taken against any schoolchild who would go to the bush in search of 'bonawa' (games) at the expense of his/her education".

The Royal Bretuo Abusuapanin of Anyinam Kotoku, Nana Kwame Fosu Akowiah, who acted as the spokesperson for the chiefs and people of the town, said the continuous poor academic performance of the schoolchildren was of great concern to them.
He, therefore, thanked the DCE for assembling the stakeholders in education to find out the challenges that militated against the academic progress of schoolchildren and help find antidote to them.

Mr Fosu stressed that the traditional rulers and parents would practically support any practical move to be adopted to reverse the falling standards of education in the area.

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New - HIV gene decoded for new treatments

2009-08-08T13:07:00.001+01:00

Structure of HIV genome 'decoded' (Source: BBC News)

The team hope their work will pave the way to new treatments
Scientists say they have decoded the entire genetic structure of HIV-1 - the main cause of Aids in humans.
They hope this will pave the way to a greater understanding of how the virus operates, and potentially accelerate the development of drug treatments.
HIV carries its genetic information in more complicated structures than some other viruses.
The US research, published in Nature, may allow scientists the chance to look at the information buried inside.
HIV, like the viruses which cause influenza, hepatitis C and polio, carries its genetic information as single-stranded RNA rather than double-stranded DNA.
The information enclosed in DNA is encoded in a relatively simple way, but in RNA this is more complex.
We are also beginning to understand tricks the genome uses to help the virus escape detection by the human host
Ron Swanstromstudy author
RNA is able to fold into intricate patterns and structures. Therefore decoding a full genome opens up genetic information that was not previously accessible, and may hold answers to why the virus acts as it does.
The team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said they planned to use the information to see if they could make tiny changes to the virus.
"If it doesn't grow as well when you disrupt the virus with mutations, then you know you've mutated or affected something that was important to the virus," says Ron Swanstrom, professor of microbiology and immunology.
"We are also beginning to understand tricks the genome uses to help the virus escape detection by the human host."
Deep inside
Dr David Robertson from the University of Manchester welcomed this "definitive analysis".
"What this may reveal is some of the proteins operating at a level below the structures, which may have all sorts of functions within the virus.
"More generally, if we can unpick the structures then we can compare the systems of different viruses and gain new understanding of how they work."
Keith Alcorn of the HIV information service NAM added: "Encouraging the virus to mutate is not a new idea, but it is one of a number of options on the table.
"How important this information will be for the development of new drugs remains to be seen, but it is a useful addition to what we know."

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Owning your Ghana Home - 2009

2009-05-30T17:03:00.007+01:00

By C.F. Prah - Cedezhomes Ltd

The current global market downtown and recession in many developed and developing markets such as South Africa has reduced choices in investing in countries such as Ghana.

Unfortunately, despite Africa being an innocent bystander in the global credit crunch crisis, we have all been hit in varying degrees particularly with finances in our pockets. One will be forgiven to say, we wait until the situation improves before investing back again in the property market in Ghana. Well, I'll say do so at your peril, for in 2 to 4 years time, Ghana will be one of the emerging markets for business in West Africa. With the discovery of large off-shore oil reserves of Tullow Ltd, drilling of Ghana petroleum is expected in early 2010 with a large oil industry for its 25 million people and other outside skilled staff.
The oil industry in Ghana will need locally trained as well as experts from abroad to assist in the smooth running and distribution for local and foreign markets.

Lack of housing in Accra is currently a growing problem with many completed houses still holding their value or increasing further by 8-10% each month in price. Renting is also getting very expensive with the average chamber and hall (with kitchen) with toilet facilities being GHc 60 per month and rising. General workers pay has remained but inflation has risen to 15% since the new Mills' administration came into power. Food stuffs at the local markets in Accra are getting more expensive for most with GHc 100 being the average spend every week to fortnight if they wish to survive. However average pay remains at approximately GHc 150 for blue colour workers.

With such difficulties, the new government may wish to address the housing crisis in due course but for investors and potential homeowners, this may be the best time to secure a Ghana property in Accra. Ghana's successful elections in 2008 has shown the world that democracy does work in Africa. There has been several blue chip companies now set up in Ghana such as Volvo, Porche, Mercedez, Toyota, Vodafone and others are doing well there.

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DR Congolese flee widespread unrest

2009-04-02T20:09:00.000+01:00

Congolese flee widespread unrest - BBC

Many of the FDLR fled to DR Congo after the 1994 Rwandan genocide
Some 250,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been displaced following an operation to flush out Hutu rebels, aid agency Oxfam has said.

The joint operation against the rebels earlier this year was hailed as a great success by both Rwanda and DR Congo.
But now that the better-trained and equipped Rwandan army has left DR Congo, the Hutu militia is reportedly re-emerging from the forests.

Oxfam says various armed groups are now attacking civilians in the east.
Marcel Stoessel, Oxfam's country director in DR Congo, said the continued insecurity in North Kivu Province was making it difficult to deliver aid to those displaced.
"There is widespread looting, burning of villages and an unacceptable peak of sexual violence," he told the BBC.

Tens of thousands of people are fleeing from around the town of Kanyabayonga towards Lubero, a more populated area where they felt safer, he said.
"Oxfam is very worried that continued military operations are having a serious effect on the people who've had to flee their homes," he said.

On-and-off fighting involving the Hutu FDLR militia, the army and other militias has already displaced more than one million people in North Kivu since late 2006.

No pay
The BBC's Africa analyst Mary Harper says reports from the area indicate that it is members of the Congolese army and the FDLR militia that are attacking civilians, each accusing them of supporting the other side.
The fact that Congolese soldiers have not been paid for the past three months adds to the problem.

They are hungry, frustrated and probably terrified of attack from the many armed groups in the region, she says.

It seems the FDLR has not been crushed at all, she adds, rather that it engaged in a tactical retreat, vanishing for a few weeks only to reappear as a determined fighting force.

The FDLR's presence in DR Congo lies behind years of unrest in the region.
Some of the group's leaders are accused of taking part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered.
After the 1994 genocide, many of those responsible crossed into DR Congo as Tutsi rebels took power in Rwanda.
Rwanda has twice invaded DR Congo, saying it wants to stop the FDLR from staging attacks.

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LIFE for Lucky Dube's 3 Killers

2009-04-02T19:48:00.003+01:00

Report by BBC - 2/4/09

A South African judge has sentenced three men to life in prison for killing reggae star Lucky Dube in 2007.

The 43-year-old was shot as the three stole his car in a Johannesburg suburb in a case which shocked the nation.
Family members broke down in tears, cheered and applauded in response, the South Africa Press Association reports.

"The sentence won't heal me, but we are happy they were arrested and that the law took its course," his wife Zanele Dube said afterwards.
The BBC's Mpho Lakaje outside the South Gauteng High Court says musicians and fans gathered outside to show their support.
I don't think we will ever recover from this. But we are happy that justice has been done
Backing singer Tonique Thala - South Africa's singing peacemaker
The court had heard that the three men thought their victim was Nigerian and did not realise his identity until they read about it in the newspapers the following day.

Our reporter says one of the banners outside court read: "Lucky Dube did not look like a Nigerian; he's an African."
According to Sapa, the court also sentenced Sifiso Mhlanga, Julius Gxowa, and Mbuti Mabe to 15 years each for the attempted robbery of Dube's car.
Murder alarm

One of Dube's backing vocalists said there was a sense of relief that the trial was over.
"I don't think we will ever recover from this. But we are happy that justice has been done," Tonique Thala said.

South Africa's best-selling reggae artist, Dube recorded 22 albums in Zulu, English and Afrikaans during his 25-year career.
The killing had led to renewed domestic calls for the restoration of the death penalty in a bid to stem one of the world's highest murder rates.

Our reporter says South Africa's international image has been tarnished by its alarming crime levels. Nearly 19,000 people were murdered last year, according to official statistics.
Millions of visitors are expected for next year's football World Cup.

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Sanitaton worsens in La sub metro

2008-07-16T15:59:00.000+01:00

Story by Naa Lamiley Bentil
One major problem facing the La sub.metro office of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly is the lack of sound sanitation in the La community.

Indiscriminate dumping of refuse and defecating in drains is a common practice in the community according to the sub.metro director, Mr Noah tumfo. He attributed the indiscriminate dumping of refuse partly to the reduction in the number of sanitary site in the area from 12 to six . He explained that the six sanitary sites were woefully inadequate to cater for the many household in the community.
The sub-metro, however,had to give up the six sanitary sites when owners of the land which they were sited demanded the lands on which they were located.
He said even when the sites were 12, there were issues of overflowing refuse skips and indiscriminate dumping, and ask how much more when sites were now just six.
Mr Tumfo said the Ghana @ 50 project for the community, which was the construction of two public places of convenience at strategic locations had stalled for over a year now.
The two projects, one at Gonse near the La Presbyterian Church, and the other at Agyeman, close to the Regimanuel Gray offices, are both at the lintel level.
The community, he said, urgently needed the facility but had been unable to complete the two projects since they were awarded by the Ghana @ 50 secretariat.
Attempts to get officials of the secretariat to get work on the project completed had proved futile, Mr Tumfo said.
Mr Tumfo said the work of the sub-metro was a daunting one but gave the assurance that in spite of the challenges, the personnel were doing their best to ensure sound sanitation practices.
He expressed regret that some residents in this day and age found nothing wrong in defecating into drains and beaches, and appealed to such people to halt the practice to ease the sub-metro's work.

Addressing violence against women in Ghana

2008-06-25T12:39:00.001+01:00

A story by Nana Oye Lithur - Graphic paper (17/6/08)

In 2003, a Ghanaian court adjudicated on a case, convicted, sentenced and repatriated an Indian national for defiling two Ghanian girls. It was discovered afterward that he was HIV positive.No protocols or guidelines had been adopted by the judiciary, Attorney General, Ghana Health service, or the department of social welfare to address emerging linkages between rapes, incest, defilement and HIV/AIDS at that time.

This Indian escaped serving his sentence at the Nsawam prison, the girls were through the defilement, exposed to the HIV virus.this sad case of the girls were taken up by gender advocates but no assistance was given to them by the Ghana health service.

There are no national standards under our criminal justice system on conducting routine HIV testing for convicted, and or accused rapist, basically due to the cost implications and a lack of coordination between the judicial service, Attorney General;s department and Ghana Health service.

Or is it a lack of commitment on their part? this leaves hundreds of girls who are defiled through condomless sex very vulnerable. In 2004 and 2005 defilement was the second case reported at the Domestic violence and victim support unit of the Ghana police service recording 734 and 713 cases were respectively.

On average therefore,roughly 700 girls in Ghana were forced in one year to have sex with men without condoms. this obviously places a lot of Ghanaian children at risk of HIV.

Oil hits new price levels

2008-06-17T18:19:00.002+01:00

Crude oil prices surged to a new record high yesterday by nearly 140 US dollars by a barrel, propelled by weakness in the US dollar which offset the bearish impact of plans by Saudi Arabia to boost output.

US light, sweet crude for July delivery was up to 3.74 at 138.60 US dollar a barrel after falling as much as 1.40 Us dollar a barrel, or about 1 per cent, earlier in the session. US crude set a record high of 139.89 US dollars a barrel.

London Brent crude was up 3.05 at 138.16 US dollars. Prices leapt as the dollar fell after publications of the data from the New York Federal Reserved that showed manufacturing in the state of New York contracted in June for the fourth time in five months.

''Prices rose sharply in three minutes. US manufacturing data was week, so it is pressuring the dollar down, '' said Mike Wittner, energy analyst at Societe General.

Earlier in the session prices has dropped back after United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon said over the weekend that Saudi Arabia, the world biggest oil exporter, was set to increase output to 9.7 million barrels per day in July, its second supply boost in many months.

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Inflation inches up

2008-06-17T17:50:00.000+01:00

The rate of inflation rose by 1.59 per cent to close the month of May at 16.9 per cent, the Ghana Statistics Service (GSS) has said.

The major movers of the index was due to higher cost of transport and food items. The 1.6 per cent change from April to May indicated that consumer prices in the country were continuing to feel the pressure of higher global fuel and food prices.

Overall, food items, mostly fish, bread and cereals, contributed 7.2 per cent to the monthly increase. Non - food items, including transport, contributed 9.7 per cent.

Ghana's consumer prices maintained their upward march despite the Bank of Ghana's decision last month to raise its prime interest rate by a bigger - than - expected 175 basis point to 16 per cent to try control inflation.

It is the intention of government to inflation to a single digit by the close of the year. However, with geopolitical events coupled with the crude oil prices, it is impossible to bring inflation to a single digit by the close of the year.

Since January this year, the rate of inflation has been rising steadily. At the beginning of the year,the rate stood at 12.8 per cent and close at 13.2 per cent by the end of February rising again in March to settle at 13.8 per cent.

The rate closed at 15.8 per cent in April.

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NGOs promote education in Sawla - Tunu - Kalda District

2008-06-12T10:27:00.002+01:00

NGOs have instituted measures including the Complementary Education Programme (CEP) to assist children aged between eight and 14 in the Sawla - Tunu - Kalda District of the Northern Region, to help them read and write in their mother tongue, as well as in the study of numeracy.

A baseline survey conducted in 2005, which revealed that 45,000 children in the district were out of school thereby compounding the high illiteracy rate in the newly created district.

In this regard, the organizations have organized week - long skills building training workshop to equip 27 CEP facilitators in the district to offer participants new teaching methodology skills and ideas, as well as mainstreaming HIV/AIDS in the CEP programme.

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Zimbabwe elections not free and fair

2008-06-12T09:33:00.000+01:00

A campaign of violence in Zimbabwe has extinguished any hope of free and fair run off presidential elections, Human Rights watch has warned.
In a new report, the New - York based group said it had extensive evidence linking senior officials loyal to Robert Mugabe with violence incidents.

The report said torture camps has been run by President Mugabe's governing ZANU - PF party and its allies.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai faces Mr. Mugabe in June 27 vote.
The Human Right Watch report said violence against supporters of Mr. Tsvangirai Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had worsened in the lead up of the run - off.

'' Zimbabwe can't vote freely if they fear their vote may get them killed'', said Georgette Gagnon, Africa Director at Human Right Watch.

The much - delayed results from the first round in March showed Mr Tsvangirai ahead, but not by enough to win outright.

Mr Mugabe is widely accused of economic mismanagement, resulting in a runaway inflation, soaring unemployment and the decline of Zimbabwe's agricultural sector.

Mr Mugabe blames former colonial power Britain and its Western allies for the crisis.

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Oil reserves in Ghana

2008-06-11T15:59:00.001+01:00

Commercial production of oil scheduled to begin in Ghana in the first quarter of 2010 with initial output of 120,000 barrels a day.
The second phase of the oil productions is expected to in output to 250,000 barrels in day in 2012.Total investment requirement for the production is 5 billion Dollars.

A test conducted by Kosmos Energy of the United States of America (USA) in the Jubilee Well in the Tano Basin yesterday flared 5,000 barrels of oil.

The successful test run yesterday cleared any doubts about abundant oil reserves in Ghana and it will pave the way for commercial productions of the black gold in the country.

Briefing President J.A Kuffour at the Castle, Osu, yesterday on the result of the test run, Mr. Jim Mosselman, the Chief Executive Officer of Kosmos, said, "Today is, indeed, a glorious day for Kosmos and Ghana.

The significant oil find and the prospect of commercial exploitation of the product are occurring at the same time of soaring oil and food prices on the world market, a situation which is causing a lot of ripples in the economies of developing countries such as Ghana.

Responding, President Kuffour, who was apparently excited, said he so far impressed with the transparency with which the Kosmos was conducting its operations and also the relationship between the company and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.

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Criminal Elements in Ghana

2008-06-06T18:03:00.000+01:00

Source- Daily Graphic -May 2008

Six armed robbers dressed in female clothes, gang -rape two sisters in a in Batsonaa after robbing a household of valuable items, including laptops and mobile phones.

The ladies who are aged 20 and 22 were raped in turns in the full glare of their father, who also sustained serious wounds in attack.
This incidence happened after five boys who were sleeping in the boys' quarters had been locked up.

Narrating the story to Daily Graphic, the victim on his sick bed said, the robbers attacked them when they were about to go to bed.
He said the robbers, who made away an amount of GHC 500, attacked and locked the five boys before enforcing them to open the main door.

He said he struggled with the robbers after realizing that they had no bullet in the gun they were having. However, the robbers were able to overpower him after they got hold of a shovel in the compound which they used in wounding him.

According to one of the victims, in order to save his head and face from multiple wounds, he used his hands to shield his head but the robbers used the shovel to hit his legs.

His two daughters were raped after inflicting multiples wounds on him but the third daughter was spared because she fainted after she emerging from the bedroom to see her father in a pool of blood.
Soldiers rushed there for their safety but they got there when the robbers had gone.

They were rushed to Sakumono Community Hospital for treatment but later referred to 37 Military Hospital for further treatment.

Community 18 Police is investigating this incident.

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New changes to visas times to UK

2007-12-18T19:21:00.000Z

Tourist visa times 'to be halved' - 18/12/07 by BBC

The government is consulting on new visa restrictions to Visitors to the UK would have to leave after three months instead of the current six under new visa proposals being considered by the government.

Families might also have to pay a financial deposit to ensure relatives from outside the EU whose visit they were sponsoring left the UK on time.
The government said the bond, put out to consultation, was "not for everyone, but where we think there's a risk".

But immigration groups said it would be "unfair" on poorer families.
The proposals are aimed at those who deliberately overstay or work illegally in the UK.
The government has not revealed how much families would be asked to pay to sponsor an overseas visitor, but press reports suggest it could be a £1,000 bond.

'Risky people'
In addition to shortening standard tourist visas, the government might also introduce special occasion visas for events such as the London Olympics in 2012.
VISA PROPOSALS
Cash deposit for visiting family members
Visa stay cut from six to three months
Creating specific business and specialist visas
Creating one-off visa for 2012 Olympics

Q&A: Visitor restrictions
Families oppose visa reform
The consultation was launched as the government announced that over a million fingerprints had now been collected from overseas foreign nationals applying to come to the UK, under a new scheme to "export" Britain's borders.
Immigration minister Liam Byrne said: "Tougher checks abroad mean we keep risky people out.
"By next spring we'll check everyone's fingerprints when they apply for a visa; now we're proposing a financial guarantee as well - not for everyone, but where we think there's a risk.
"Our aim is to make the system both more secure, but also to ensure that we maintain the UK's position as a destination of choice for tourists."

Cultural events:
Visitors to the EU may be offered a cut price and time-limited visa to visit the UK to encourage group travel, the consultation document says.
The government is trying to deter people to come for family visits - this is unfair
Habib Rahman, Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants

It also asks whether sporting fixtures or cultural events, such as regional folk festivals or the Edinburgh festival fringe, should be included in the special one-off visa category.

It says that although 5,750,000 visitors entered the UK for purposes other than business in 2006, the "vast majority" stayed for less than three months.

According to the Office for National Statistics' 2005 International Passenger Survey, only 1.1% of overseas residents visiting the UK as tourists stayed for three months or more.
The visa consultation will run for 12 weeks, until 10 March 2008, on the Home Office website.

Fingerprints
The Conservatives dismissed the government's proposals as a "headline grabbing gimmick" and repeated their call for an annual limit on immigration.
Habib Rahman, chief executive of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the new measures would discriminate against poorer families.

HAVE YOUR SAY
Sounds entirely reasonable and no worse than the requirements any other country imposes
Peter Symonds, UK

Send us your comments
"The government is trying to deter people to come for family visits. This is unfair."
Applications for visas have gone up by about 50% in the past five years and more than two million were issued last year.

Under a new scheme, visa applicants in more than 120 countries are now required to provide fingerprints if they want to visit the UK.
Global checks

So far checks have identified over 10,000 applicants who have previously been fingerprinted in the UK in connection with immigration cases or asylum applications, the government said.
Those refused entry include an Iraqi citizen who had earlier been refused asylum in the UK under a different identity and a Nigerian citizen who had been jailed for shoplifting under a different identity and deported from the UK.

From spring 2008 the aim is for the biometric checks to be extended to all visa applicants globally.

The government has already announced other changes to the visa system which Mr Byrne described as the "biggest shake-up of the immigration system in history".
They included a points-based system for economic migrants and the tightening of procedures for people bringing spouses into the country.

Handy tips in dealing with Flooding

2007-12-16T12:09:00.000Z

The torrential downpours of the past months this year have caused chaos and crisis across the UK. With some parts of England receiving two months' rain in 24 hours, rising floodwaters have left an estimated 250,000 homes under water.

Furthermore, hundreds of thousands of residents have been left without power or clean water. As Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, "Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink"!

So, if you're worried about the effect that invading water could have on your home (owned or rented), then check out these tips, which come courtesy of Nationwide BS, Fool.co.uk & CedezHomes (also water restorers) http://www.cedezhomes.co.uk/ :

1. Don't put yourself at risk. It would be crazy to put your life on the line in a reckless attempt to salvage your sofa from six feet of water!

2. Stay tuned. Keep your eyes and ears open for public announcements, and look out for emergency workers. For example, if the flooding is very bad, then you may be ordered to evacuate your home until it is safe to return.

3. Do not use electricity or gas supplies, as their safety may have been compromised.

4. Don't drink tap water until you've been advised that it's safe to do so.

5. Move essentials and valuables to safety. You should transfer food, clothing and televisions upstairs to limit damage, and move furniture away from the walls.

6. Keep water-damaged furniture and other home contents. Don't dispose of any items of value until authorised by a loss adjuster.

7. Call your home-insurance company at the earliest stage. Many firms provide a 24-hour helpline for policyholders to call for advice.

8. Have your insurance documents handy. Even if you haven't yet been affected by flooding, it's worth checking your policies to ensure that you have adequate cover should the worst happen. One estimate is that these inundations will cost the UK insurance industry around £2 billion, so insurers are bracing themselves for a flood of claims.

9. Perform any emergency repair works that will prevent further damage. However, more elaborate or permanent measures should not be taken without prior approval from your insurer.

10. Alternative accommodation: check whether your insurance company offers this as part of your cover. It's possible that you could be re-housed for weeks, so keep a complete record of any additional spending while you're not living at home.

11. Watch out guttering and rainworks problems. Although much of the recent damage has been caused by rivers bursting their banks, a waterfall from your guttering, if left untouched, could cause water damage to your property.

12. If you have comprehensive car insurance, dig out your policy and check to see what level of cover you have for flood damage. Again, call your insurer's helpline for advice.

13. Uninsured losses: if you don't have home buildings and contents insurance (and around one in four households doesn't), do what you can to reduce the level of your loss. Salvage what you can, without putting your health at risk.

14. Consider hiring your own loss adjuster. In theory, loss adjusters are supposed to be independent mediators, but they are hired by insurance companies and 'he who pays the piper calls the tune'!

15. Keep all receipts and other relevant paperwork safe. You'll need them to support your claim.
Once the floods have subsided, affected residents should begin their clean-up operation by (with the approval of a loss adjuster):

Oiling hinges and locks to prevent corrosion;

Leaving windows and doors open when they're at home to help water to evaporate; and

Removing the floor covering and then washing walls and floors with disinfectant and water.

Call a structural dryer/water damage restorer - eg CedezHomes Ltd has a qualified Water Technician & restorer based in Bedfordshire, UK. Visit our website at www.cedezhomes.co.uk for further contact details. We also offer independent loss assessing and claims management services in addition to our building team.

These bouts of flooding highlight the value of home insurance and car insurance to protect against catastrophe. According to one estimate, a typical flood claim averages between £20,000 and £30,000. Thus, although floods of this magnitude happen only once every few decades, their severe financial impact can leave many people high and dry.

Finally, if you've been baled out by your insurer, then you may find that your neighbourhood is later categorised as a high-risk area.
So, watch out for higher policy excesses or premiums when your next renewal notice arrives. After a big claim, or if your home is prone to flooding, you may find it difficult to find cover elsewhere, so this may be one of those occasions when you're better off sticking with your current provider, rather than shopping around for lower quotes.

Flood victims appeals in Northern Ghana

2007-09-21T23:07:00.000+01:00

Flood victims appeal for building materials in northern Ghana, W. Africa.

Sept. 21, GNA -

Flood victims in the Upper East Region have appealed to the government and benevolent organisations to assist them with building materials so they could start putting up their houses.

The victims said many of them did dry season farming and needed to work on their housing before preparing for farming during the latter part of October. The victims made these known during interactions with a team of benevolent organisations visiting the region to acquaint themselves with the effects of the floods.

"It would be difficult to combine building and farming but the two have to be done because we cannot continue to live in schools and at the same time work to feed ourselves.''At the Sandema Preparatory School where about 150 people have taken refuge, Baba Akanawarlamiya, an old man who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said they needed cement to make strong foundations, coal tar to plaster the walls and roofing sheet.

He said the mud houses collapsed during the flood and their food and property washed away.Their only source of food came from rations the District Assembly and National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) gave them. Mma Asiaka Akanpanayari, who had her grand daughter with her, said she could save only two pans and a bucket when the water filled their house and they had to run to safety.

She and her two adult sons, daughter in-law and grandchild had been staying in the school for the past one month and now had to leave the classroom in the morning to sit under trees until classes were over so they could go back, she said.

At Nyansa near Sandema Mr. Anye Nalembe, who was sitting under a shed in front of the remains of his mud house, said the flood took him and his family by surprise when they heard shouts from their neighbour and realised that their surroundings were filling up with water."I called my wife and children and we run up on to a hill and sat there for about two hours until the water subsided and we got down. By then all our rooms were on the ground and my millet, rice and animals all gone. I could not save anything and I feel so helpless", he said.

Madam Abadigswe Ayengsire said many affected persons in her neighbourhood at Nyansa sought refuge on a hill for three days, got down to get some vegetables for cooking, and to scoop out the water that filled the rooms for those who had one or two rooms still standing.

She said the family of six did not feel secure sleeping in the two rooms as the walls were still wet and the mud plastered roof leaked badly.Pointing at the broken barn, she said all the family's millet was washed away and they were depending on vegetables grown in front of their house for their meals.

New fisheries law for 2007 - Ghana

2007-02-03T17:08:00.000Z

New fisheries law in the offing - Minister

Akosua Village (C/R), Feb. 3, GNA - A new fisheries regulation will be put before parliament soon to give effect to the fisheries Act 625 that will help to control unlawful fishing practices.

Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Fisheries, announced this at the World Wetlands Day celebration held at Akosua Village in Winneba in the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District of the Central Region.

She said the new regulation when approved by Parliament would make it an offence for fishermen who fish with light and mosquito nets to be prosecuted.

The Wetlands Day celebration was on the theme: "Wetlands support fisheries; keep them healthy".Mrs Asmah said the fishing industry had enormous problems that required the involvement of all and sundry to help solve them to ensure rapid development of the sector.

The Minister called on the chiefs, opinion leaders, assembly members, politicians, civil society groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to help create the necessary awareness among members of the various fishing communities in the country.

She commended the fishing communities in the Central Region particularly the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Assembly for making the programme a success.

Mr Solomon Kwashie Abbam Quaye, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Awutu-Efutu-Senya, warned people in an around Winneba against dumping of refuse into the Muni Lagoon and the beaches, saying such acts undermined the efforts of the government and the Department of Wildlife to maintain a clean ecology.

The DCE announced that as part of efforts to maintain the beaches and the Muni Lagoon to attract tourists, five people had been arrested for flouting the District Assembly bye-laws by dumping waste at the beach.

According to the DCE the suspects would be arraigned before court to face the full rigorous of the law to serve as deterrent to others. Neenyi Ghartey VII, Omanhene of Effutu Traditional Area who presided, charged the residents of Winneba and surrounding communities to heed the warning and advice.

He urged them to assist the District Assembly to protect and preserve the lagoon and the beach to ensure a sound environmental hygiene.

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Poverty Still High in Ghana after 50 years

2007-02-03T16:54:00.000Z

Poverty still high in Ghana

Accra, Feb. 2, GNA - Professor Richard Joseph, a distinguished scholar on Africa Affairs, on Thursday noted that one out of three Ghanaians still lived in poverty.

He, therefore, called for a sustained high economic growth to achieve economic development in Ghana and Africa as a whole. "Ghana should attract sustainable private investments needed to accelerate economic growth and lift millions of Ghanaians out of poverty.

"Professor Joseph made the observation at the third 93Kronti ne Akwamu" Lecture organized by the Centre for Democratic Development on: "Ghana and Democratic Development in Africa".

The lecture, which was chaired by Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Former Senior Minister, was also dubbed the special jubilee edition and brought together politicians, students and non-Ghanaians, who shared their thoughts on democratic development in Africa.

Professor Joseph, who is also the Director, Programme of African Studies at the Northwestern University, United States, said that the international community was willing to support a sustained economic growth, acknowledging that Africans had a lot to contribute to the process of poverty eradication.

He lauded the 93Joseph Project" created by the Ministry of Tourism and Diasporan Relations as a well thought activity to commemorate the 50th independence anniversary celebration.

While acknowledging the important gains made in the country during the past 15 years in consolidating a constitutional democracy, Professor Joseph noted that certain factors still impeded Ghana's transition to a fast-developing nation such as education and health care facilities, which he said were inadequate.

He stressed the need to promote an institution-building culture that would strengthen State and non governmental organizations so that a democratic development would be facilitated in a broad sense.

The Professor of Political Science further proposed a development plan entitled: 93Ghana 2017" which listed educational and health revolutions; a cultural renaissance; expanding private capital investment and establishing Ghana as a model of democratic development among instruments that would provide Ghana with the political kingdom of a capable State, a responsive democratic system and a dynamic employment generating economy.

Professor Emmanuel Gyimah Boadi, Executive Director of CDD, said the annual lecture on democracy and governance was one of the centres initiative aimed towards bridging the gap between reflection, research and analysis on one hand and pro-democracy and good governance on the other, thus enriching public discourse on democratic and governance reforms.

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Top Tips For Winter Trips! - 2006

2006-12-21T00:27:00.000Z

"The Christmas break is fast approaching; indeed for some of us it may already have started! If you haven't already completed your Christmas shopping, there's still just about enough time to zip to the States and back to hammer that credit card and take advantage of the strong pound -- or to cross the Channel to enjoy the continental Christmas markets.

In fact, according to recent research by Sainsbury's bank, nearly 12% of us aren't even planning to spend Christmas in the UK this year, with Spain and France being our top destinations.

What's more, from asking around I've discovered that a fair few people aren't even thinking about Christmas, as they've moved onto planning next year's holiday, instead!
If you're about to book a holiday, or about to take one you've already booked, here are some tips for things to remember for a stress free time:

1. European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
If your trip is to Europe, do make sure you have a European Health Insurance card (EHIC). It entitles you to free, or reduced cost State medical treatment in any of the EU countries, plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland (Switzerland also applies the EHIC arrangement through an agreement with the EU).

The quickest way to apply is online, over the phone (tel. 0845 606 2030) or by filling in an application form at the Post Office. The card should take between 7 and 10 days to arrive. You can also apply for your spouse and any children under 16 at the same time; just make sure you have all dates of birth and any applicable National Insurance numbers.

Remember, carrying the EHIC card is a requirement for UK citizens in many EU countries. And remember, it only entitles you to basic medical care"

Ghana VAT Secretariat gets TOUGH

2006-12-18T01:39:00.000Z

"VAT Secretariat retrieves about 11 billion cedis'' -
Accra, Dec. 15, GNA -

The VAT Service Secretariat has so far retrieved about 11 billion cedis out of the total debt of 20 billion cedis owed the Service through distress actions it took to meet its tax collection target set for the year.

Following the distress actions, many businesses and companies had been closed down in some parts of the country in an effort to collect and recover the total debts owed, Mr Henry Sam, Head of the Enforcement Team, told the Ghana News Agency.

Three Accra Companies 96 the Mobile World, dealers in mobile phones owed 511.4 million cedis; Research and Marketing Services Ghana Limited owed 65.1 million cedis and Sunspot Hotel, which owed 95 million cedis, - were all closed down for defaulting in the payment of the tax.

When the Enforcement Team got to the Sunspot Hotel at the Airport Residential area, things took a different turn when some school children that had paid to use the poolside, demanded a refund of their money creating confusion between the workers and the children at the premises.

Other companies which defaulted included GIANT International Ghana Limited in Accra, which owed 83.7 million and Compudist Ghana Limited 62.3 million cedis.

Mr Sam said the defaulting period ranged from between six months and two years and the amount involved depended on the returns filed by the various companies.

He said the distress action came as a last resort after all means to collect the debt has failed. 'Even with that we issue them with a final demand notice before the action', he said. He urged all businesses registered with VAT to treat the Service with respect and to act within the time frame to avoid being embarrassed through this distressful action.

32 Drug smugglers arrested on one flight!!

2006-12-18T01:31:00.000Z

Source : GNA, 15 December 2006

"32 'drug smugglers' arrested on one flight

... 28 Nigerians & 1 Ghanaian
AMSTERDAM — Military police at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam have arrested 32 suspected drug smugglers on one flight.

The suspects were on board a flight from Casablanca in Morocco to Schiphol on Sunday, it was revealed on Friday.

The suspects were allegedly carrying swallowed balls of drugs in their stomach.

These types of suspects are referred to in Dutch as 'bolletjesslikkers' (ball swallowers).

A military police spokesman said it was an 'exceptionally' large number of suspects.

Military police search all passengers on flights coming from 'risk areas', but conducted a targeted operation on the Morocco flight after suspicions were triggered.

Some 28 of the suspects were Nigerian. The others came from the US, Ghana and Liberia.

The military police spokesman said drug smugglers are seeking new drug routes to evade the 100 percent inspections on flights from the Caribbean area."

The Moringa plant - A true treasure $$$

2006-11-28T13:49:00.000Z

A Reseacher at the University of Baroda in India, Ms Vanisha Nambiar, has said the Moringa tree, a medicinal plant which is abundant in Ghana, is the key to resolving the problem of malnutrition on the continent.

Ms Nambiar, who is also a nutritionist, said the plant, which is drought resistant, has high quantities of Vitamin A and significant quantities of Vitamin B, calcium, iron, protein, potassium, magnesium, selenium, zinc and amino acids.

According to her, the Moringa plant was also known to be an effective medication for epileptic, paralytic and diabetic patients. Additionally, it was effective for patients with obesity, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases.

Ms Nambiar indicated that every part of the plant was useful, including the seeds, which could be extracted for oil and also chewed, just like peanuts.

There is the need to share information and experinces in this regard if the commercialisation of the Moringa plant is to be fully realised.

She said CTA supported the Moringa workshop because it recognised its importance to both rural development and nutritional security.

The participants included nutrional and agricultural scientists, rural non-governmental organisations, farmers and private manufacturing companies.

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PMMC Dep. MD jailed for Contempt

2006-11-27T20:15:00.000Z

An Accra High court has sentenced the Deputy Managing Director in charge of Finance and Administration of the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC), DR Aristotle Ktey, to a one -month imprisonment for contempt of court.

He was found guilty of various wrongful acts he committed while an application was for injunction was pending at the High Court, including hiding the office keys of the Managing Director (MD), Mr Peter Boachie, thereby preventing the MD from resuming work after his annual leave.

Also when the case was called for hearing, the deputy managing director blatantly walked out of the court without putting up any defence.

In the same suite, the application for injunction sought by the managing director was granted, restraining the board and its chairman, Mr Stephen Adufour , from removing him from office.

" The board and the Chairman has no power to take that decision. This is because the term of the board has expired and the chairman had not obtained the authority of the shareholders to act beyond its powers," it said.

The court, therefore, ordered the respondents to observe the status quo and not to interfere with the plaintiffs work till the final determination of the case.

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Saga of the 77parcels of cocaine

2006-11-26T18:28:00.000Z

The Greater Accra Regional Tribunal discharged four persons, including the owner of the vessel which was allegedly used to cart 76 parcels of cocaine into the country.

Joseph Kojo Dawson, the owner of the MV Benjamin, Freeman Sosi, a boat owner, Evans Chawetey Tsekobi, a mechanic, and Alhaji Moro Mohammed were discharged by the tribunal after a Chief State Attorney, Ms Gertrude Aikins, had entered a nolle prosegui, which means the Attorney General has the powers to discontinue a case against an accused person.

The four persons had been charged with various counts of conspiracy, use of property to commit narcotic offence and abetment of crime.

According to counsel, Dawson was arrested on April 27, 2006, later granted bail by the circuit court and was complying with the bail terms, only to be re-arrested.

On his part, counsel for Tsekobi, Mr. Willie Amarfio, told he tribunal that there were no facts accompanying the original charge sheet or the substituted charge sheet.

Counsel for Alhaji Mohammed also prayed the court to grant his client bail on the ground that the accused person voluntarily reported to the police and was granted bail, only to be re-arrested.

Counsel assured the court the Alhaji Mohammed, who is currently on admission at the Police Hospital, would co-operate with the tribunal when granted bail.

on November 2, 2006, the court remaned the four to reappear on November 17, 2006, following Ms Aikins's submissin that he court should remand the accused person because investigations into the matter had not been completed.

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KNUST Dismiss 24 Students

2006-10-30T08:12:00.000Z

Twenty-four students of the University of Ghana, Legon, and of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology [KNUST] in Kumasi have been dismissed for breaching regulation governing the two Universities.

Eight students of the University of Ghana were expelled for their involvement in examination malpractices during the first semester examination of the 2005/06 academic year.

At the KNUST, 16 students, made up of 15 Nigerians and one Ghanaian, were dismissed for gross misconduct on campus.

Their dismissal followed diligent monitoring of their activities on campus by personnel of the security service as well as of other members of the University community.

In addition to the eight student dismissed at the University of Ghana, four students were also suspended for two semesters each while 10 others were reprimanded by the academic board of the University.

Out of the number expelled one was an MPhil student, five were Bachelor of Art [BA] students and two Bachelor of Science [BSc] students.

Their offences, the documents indicated, were possession of unauthorised materials in the examination hall as well as collusion during examination.

The Head of the KNUST Relations Office, Mr. Ben Andoh, explained that the authorities saw that the continued stay or presence of the 16 students on campus posed a great risk to the university connunity, particularly staff and dtudents.

He said the Vice- Chancellor after careful monitoring of the activities of the student on campus directed that they be dismissed.

Mr. Andoh said the dismissal of the students was not to prejudice ongoing investigations by the police into last weekend's disturbances on campus and other incidents.

University authorities had no option but to declare a state of emergency.

Calm has since returned to the campus following stringent security measures imposed by the University's security agencies.

The Head of Security at the KNUST Lt Col William Kofi Addo (retd), said that no incident had been recorded after the disturbances.

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Why Lift Ban on DDT?

2006-10-28T16:30:00.000+01:00

I was shocked to hear the news that the World Health Organisation(WHO) had lifted the ban on DDT for mosquito control in Africa.

DDT, an Organochlorine insecticide, was banned world-wide some 30 years ago, not only because of the associated hazards to users when carelessly handled, but mainly because of its high toxicity to man and other living organisms and its persistence in the environment which can result in the pollution of water bodies, the soil and the environment at large.

The use of DDT can lead to cancers and other serious illnesses in humans and animals and it is therefore surprising that the WHO which together with the Environment Protection Agency (US-EPA) are advocating the use of DDT again.

The WHO have decided even the less toxic chemicals which fall within the WHO/US-EPA class II (e.g some Carbamates, and Nitroguanidiness) should be phased out by the year 2015, can now see the ban lifted on DDT, a highly toxic class I chemical.

The loss of innocent lives that occurred in Benin in year 2001 caused by the misuse of Endosulfour, as well as the death of a baby elsewhere caused by DDT residue found in a nursing mother,s breast milk, are still fresh on our minds.

For example, the on-going sanitation campaign in Ghana and the use of safer and non-persistent chemicals such as the pyrethtoids, to mention but a few are good alternatives.

I entreat the appropriation authorities in Ghana and, indeed, the whole of Africa to halt this dangerous proposed action before it is too late.

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Parents Appeal To Striking Teachers

2006-10-27T13:23:00.000+01:00

The Coalition of Concerned Parent/ Teacher Associations (PTA) in the Greater Accra Region has made a passionate appeal to the government to expedite action on the grievances of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) which have culminated in the industrial action by some teachers.

It has also appealed to the striking teachers to reconsider their position ''for the sake of our children.'' This was contained in a release signed by its acting Chairman, Mr Alexander Yaw Danso, and the association in Accra.

It expressed the coalition's appreciation for hard work which the teachers do, as well as efforts which the government was making to resolve the issue but stated that as concerned parents, the coalition was calling on the teachers to reconsider their position.

The release said considering the fact that final-year senior secondary school students were going to write the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) together with their counterpart from other West African countries, it would be worthwhile for the teachers to rescind their decision.

It expressed regret that students in other West African countries were receiving continous tuition in preparation for their examination, while their counterpart in Ghana were at home.

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Research And National Development

2006-10-26T12:46:00.000+01:00

Research has a very powerful impact on Ghana's economy and policy. The successful use of research helps to set public policy base and feedback mechanisms for decision-making.

Some research outputs by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have had dramatic effects on the nation's poverty reduction process. Other types of research have helped improve the climate of ideas influencing policy makers and politicians.

The CSIR, the largest research organisation in Ghana, among other things, undertakes various types of systematic research activities.

These include construction, health, agriculture, forestry, industrial and policy research. Most of the research programmes of the thirteen institutes within the CSIR are officialy sponsored and often donor- financed.

As a fantastic research organisation, the CSIR produces outputs in the form of know how, processes, methods, equipment, products and service for private sector development. The major contributions include pozzolana cement, improved variety of maize, cowpea, rice, soya bean and sorghum.

Others are fufu and kokonte flour, high protein weaning food, chorkor smoker, wood shingle roofing and burnt bricks.

The rest are improved planting materials for Odum, Teak and Wawa, snail farming, liquid soap, plant biogas technology, wood processing machines, soil conservation and land management practices.

It must be emphasised that it is through scientific research that any society can be changed significantly and rapidly. Research could bring about economic improvement.

Research encourages the movement of new methods, ideas and mechanisms to solve problems. Research bring about doing old thing in new and improved ways.

If it is true that developed countries owe their progress partly to technological and scientific progress, then the government should encourage scientific and technological research.

The nation needs to apply science and technology systematically to the agricultural, industrial, health and construction sectors of the economy to raise productivity and increase technical efficiency.

This calls for effective interactions between the government and the CSIR. It needs political recognition to make it play its useful role in society.

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Ghana Earns 84.9 Million Euros from Wood Exports

2006-10-16T10:24:00.000+01:00

Ghana earned 84,914,450 Euros from the export of 217,590 cubic metres of wood products from January -June this year.

The export of secondary wood products, comprising lumber, veneer, boules, peg, and plywood during the period, fetched 74,968,508 Euros [88.30 per cent] with kiln dried lumber constituting 55.82 per cent of the value.

Significantly, the increasing kilning capacity of the timber industry, the high export unit price for kiln dried lumber and domestic disincentive for the export of air-dried lumber contributed to the relatively stable levels of earnings from that product.

Foreign interest in Ghana's Tertiary wood products was fairly keen and price of furniture parts remained generally stable in the major markets and impressively high in the United Kingdom [UK], France and the United States of America [USA].

The price of other tertiary wood products, such as dowels, moulding, broomstick and profile boards also firmed well especially this June.

Sixty-six countries imported wood products from Ghana, ten of which contributed 66,315,888.13 Euros [78.01 per cent] to the period's total export earnings. The USA, India and Italy remained the major destinations for Ghana's wood products export just as during a similar period last year.

Ghana's wood products exports to the ECOWAS markets were equally encouraging with the export of plywood and lumber to Nigeria and Togo respectively, topping the products mix.

Plywood export of 21,750 cubic metres to Nigeria was the highest volume from Ghana during the period under review, in addition to fetching the highest unit price of Euro 317 per cubic metre and contributing 57.24 per cent to the total export value of the product.

Our only major worry is the environment and the rate of lumbering compared to tree planting exercises in Ghana. With so many trees being cut and the weather being extremely hotter than before at the same time 5 years back, we may have a problem. Most Ghanaians then look for shade or run to air-conditioners for instant relief.

We hope the Government of Ghana can bear this in mind before depleting all our vitally important rainforests. Of course, we are aware the results will be truly catastrophic!

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Ghanaian Designated Certified Examiner

2006-10-16T09:35:00.000+01:00

The Association of Certified Fraud Examiner [ACFE], the world's leading provider of anti-fruad training and education, has conferred the certified fraud Examiner [CFE] designation on Mr. George Otoo, a Ghanaian.

CFEs are knowlegeable in four areas considered critical to the fight against fraud.

The areas are fraudulent financial transactions, criminology ethics and legal elements of fraud investigation.

The ACFE Board of Regents awards the designation only to professionals who meet a set of stringent criteria, including character, experience and education.

A press release issued by ACFE said ''Mr. Otoo has successfully met these criteria and now joins the ranks of over 16,000 business and government professionals worldwide who have also earned the CFE certificate.

The release further explained that a CFE had the ability to examine data and records to detect and trace fraudulent transactions, interview suspects to obtain information and confessions and write investigative reports.

Mr. Otoo also advises clients on findings and testifies at trials, as he is well versed in the laws relating to fraud investigations and understands the underlying factors that motivates individuals to commit fraud.

The ACFE has over 37,000 members, sponsors more than 103 chapters worldwide and provides anti-fraud educational materials to over 100 universities.

CEFs have investigated more than 1 million cases of criminal and civil fruad worldwide.

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The Importance of Language in Ghana

2006-10-13T11:12:00.000+01:00

English is the official language of Ghana. Credit in English language is a requirement for admission to a tertiary institution.

At the local level, the ability of an individual to speak other dialects usually takes away suspicion. It is advantageous for administrators and politicians to speak more than one language.

In the International setting, one has to speak more than one International language to be competitive. By virtue of the geographical location of Ghana (surrounded by three French speaking countries), it is necessary that French is taken more seriously.

There is another reason for greater emphasis on the teaching and learning of French in Ghana. French and other European languages have their roots in Latin or Greek.

There are several French words which are either the same in English or slightly different. A good knowlege of French and European languages helps in the comprehension of the English language.

There are also 'corporal punishment' which means punishing by inflicting pain to the body. The French words 'cent' means hundred. Again, the French word 'mille' means thousand. In English there is 'millennium' which is thousand years. The French word 'amour' for a loving relationship.
From the above, it is evident that a good knowlege of French and other language is a means of stronger knowledge in the English language. The ten regional centres for the teaching and learning of French, ''Centre Regional pour I' Enseignement du Francais [CREF]'' must be properly equipped to play the expected role in national development.

The Ministries of Education Science and Sports, Foreign Affairs, Regional Co-operation and NEPAD,Communications, the French embassy and all stakeholders must ensure the smooth running of the CREF centres across Ghana.

Among the numerous needs of the centres, provision of transport and additional staff for week-ends, etc will go a long way to strengthen their operations.

This will be another way of improving the level of using different languages in our mother land [Ghana].

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Peaceful Reconciliation in Ghana!!

2006-10-12T13:16:00.000+01:00

The Chief justice of Ghana, Mr Justice G.F Acquah, has called for a shift from heavy punishment to the process of reconciliation as the best way to peaceful co-exist in conflict areas in the Ghana.
The Chief justice, who was speaking at a seminar on conflict resolution, management and peace building in Ghana said no society could exist in peace if its people were not reconciled after a conflict. He said the causes of some conflicts included the lack of democratic governance.

The Chief justice stated that the nature of the colonial structures, which was inherited by the colonies, did not sometime promote good governance. He said another factor was the increasing scarcity of vital resources resulting from both rapid population growth and natural disasters.

He explained that lack of openness, press freedom and the rule of law in some African countries had led to the stifling of democracy, resulting in conflict situations on the continent. The exclusion of the opposition from participating in governance could compel the opposition to look for an outlet to channel their grievances.

He also urged Afican government to re-orient their people to believe in their capacities to fend for themselves through self-reliance and not encourage them to rely on the government for all their needs.

Mrs Pamela Bridgwater, the US Ambassador to Ghana and sponsors of the seminar, said disputes over chieftaincy destabilises the progress Ghana had made during the last decade.The ambassador further observed that official instruments could prove ineffective in overcoming traditional practices which discriminate against women and children, as well as the infirm and the mentally ill.

Ms Bridgwater suggested the employment of Alternative Dispute Resolution to serve its useful role in mediating conflicts in the country, Ghana in particular and Africa in general.

She said constructive discussion ought to replace Ghana's polarised political scene, which had led to occasional use of intimidation, and sometimes violence, to settle disputes.

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Exam Cheats To Be Jailed

2006-10-12T10:36:00.000+01:00

Cheats to Jail...

Candidates found guilty in examination malpractice will now be sentenced to jail terms, in addition to fines.

This follows the passage of the West African Examinations Council [WAEC] Act by parliament which is aimed at imposing stiffer punishment on people who engage in examination leakage and other form of examination malpratice.

The Deputy Director of legal services of WAEC said the illegal possession of an examination paper attracted a fine varying from 12 million to 30 million cedis, instead of the various fines of between 200,000 and 500,000 cedis.

He said the penalty for other types of malpratice, such as giving an examination question paper to another candidate and disclosing the contents of an examination paper to another person, now varied from 12 million to 30 million cedis or two years imprisonment.

Impersonation now attracted a fine varying from 6 million to 12 million cedis, while copying during examination attracted the same fine. Candidates found in possession of offensive materials would now pay a fine of between 9 million and 18 million cedis, in addition to the cancellation of their entire results.

Assault on invigilators, supervisors and inspectors would now attract a fine of between 12 million to 24 million and imprisonment terms ranging from one to two years.

The candidates should avoid all irregular activitives, such as bringing foreign materials to examination halls, using electronic communication devices, passing of notes, receiving assistance, among others.

Some of the candidates expressed concern about alleged malpractice which occured during examinations, with the connivance of some invigilators.

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Ghana Health Ministry supports Psychiatric Hospitals

2006-10-09T12:48:00.000+01:00

The Ministry of health [MOH] has provided an undisclosed amount of money for the psychiatric hospitals to temporarily solve the threat of hunger which faces the inmates.

The Acting chief of the hospital said that the ministry provided some funds to feed the inmates. The amount provided was enough to feed the inmates for only two to three weeks. On Friday, 22 september 2006, about 1,050 inmates of the hospital might go without food if the hospital did not receive funds from the government.

The Acting chief said, the hospital spent a total of 220 million cedis (approx. $25,000) monthly on feeding its inmates. According to a mental health nurse at the hospital many of the inmates had been left there by relatives without any visits '' so the issue of food from home does not come in at all.

A source at the MOH indicated that a meeting was held at the ministry on the day of the publication to see how best the issue of lack of funds to feed the inmates of the hospital could be solved without further delay.

A doctor at the psychiatric hospital who wishes not to be named said, ''as we walk now, if we do not not have money by the close if friday, we can not feed the patients. And yet everybody knows that we do not carry out the cash and carry policy here so we do not generate income .

He explained that recently the hospital was forced to spend the little money it had on training health assistants and furthermore, that this money had not been reimbursed.

This situation had reduced the inmates per day from three to two. The hospital staff have therefore called on people in the position to help to do their best in support of mental health care in Ghana to help save the inmates from imminent hunger.

If this article has touched you and you know someone with mental illness, do use the many voluntary charities and organizations to make a donation for mental health patients in Ghana.

For your property in Ghana recommendation just visit us at www.cedez.com . We build, develop and sell properties in Ghana at very affordable prices.

For rentals in Accra, Ghana, please contact us at our email info@cedez.com

THE DANCING MONEY BOX

2006-10-09T11:45:00.000+01:00

Many children may have never considered the need to save part of the money they receive each day for school or the money visitors to their homes give them as gifts. The dancing money box tells story of Ama and her sister, Vida, their mother, Auntie Alice and their Uncle, Akuete. Ama is the major character. The language is simple, the plot is uncomplicated and the diction is appropriate. Uncle Akuete makes an promise to his two nieces, ''save 50,000 and win a money box which sings and dances. Vida and Ama try to outdo each other to win the prize but the temptation of toffees, ice cream and also contributing some money to help pay grandma's hospital bill threaten the girls ability to win the prize. We also see how Ama uses her spare time to make beautiful smiling dolls which she sells. Parent should read and teach him or her the habit of finding his talents and developing them to earn income which probably may lead him to his future profession. One important lesson in the story is that, we don't have to rest till we acheive the best in life. Vida had the chance to save up to the 50,000, but couldn't because she compared the amount she had with Ama's own. Vida believed Ama couldn't win the box since she thought there was no way she could save again to receive the money box after she gave out all her intial savings to her mum to send grandma to the hospital. Also, she wasn't disciplined enough as she ended up using some of the money on toffees and ice cream. This calls attention to the fact that saving requires a high sense of discipline and self control. Finally, it would be great for every one to know more about the dancing money box and find out how to come up with brilliant ideas to generate some little money for future use.

For your Ghana property recommendation just visit us at www.cedez.com

For rentals in Accra,Ghana,contact us at our email info@cedez.com

Tree Planting projects in Ghana

2006-10-08T15:09:00.000+01:00

Tree planting projects in Ghana - 2006

The Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines in Ghana has embarked on planting 20,000 hectares of trees annually under President Kuffuor's Special Initiative on Plantation development.

The project is expected to cover 10% of the total land area of Ghana. The initiative is expected to help replenish Ghana's depleting forests, safeguard the environment and help to create more jobs at the same time.

Mr Adjei-Yeboah, the department's deputy minister discussed this in a speech during an international workshop on Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in Accra on 2nd October 2006.

He pointed out that many African countries including Ghana had started experiencing climate changes which were impacting adversely on the health and livelihoods of the people.

Furthermore, this is heavily undermining the growth opportunities crucial for alleviating poverty in Ghana and Africa as a whole.

Jobs are still scarce and October seems far hotter than anticipated. Unfortunately, solar technologies do not still seem to be an option to help energy demands for industry in Ghana.

Mr Adjei-Yeboah further added there has been a noticeable increase in droughts in Ghana which has also affected the water levels at the Akosombo Dam. Hence frequent power cuts where most Ghanaians have to have 12 hour power cuts every 3 days to save water. The Akosombo dam continues to be the main source of electrical energy for government, industry and people alike.

He also advocated during this speech that the government is now considering cleaner energy technologies such as solar, wind and bio-energy as an intergral part of Ghana's energy sources.

This will in turn help to reduce greenhouse gases and enable Ghana to be another shining example of progression and development apart from foot-ball/soccer.

Let us hope this turns to action and not just words from the government of Ghana.

If you want to rent property or to buy new build properties at Aburi Rd, Oyarifa and pay the
best prices in town, then link to our website www.cedez.com or email us at info@cedez.com
for further consultation.

Alternatively for property in UK, link to www.thequickpropertysale.com for quick professional services. Call them free.

KATAMANSU BATTLE OF 1826

2006-10-03T15:41:00.000+01:00

On the 180th anniversary of the Katamansu battle of 1826 in August 21, 2006 issue and the historical comments of lawyer Kwame Arhin of Nsuase law chambers, Kumasi. The Ga-Adangme article, which appeared in the Daily Graphic issue ofTuesday, September 5, 2006.
refers to this.

This is how the historical facts about the Katamansu Battle ensued. Therefore, some people would go all lengths to distort history. The Asantes will also do all they can to expose such people to the world is a statement to be taken seriously whether you are an academic, a historian or a lay person.

The Asantes did not own that part of coast at the time and did not like the Ga-Adangme taking the middleman stance in their trading with the British , so they, the Asantes decided among other clandestine motives to use force or revolt against the idea.

That move as well as their expansionist initiative was defeated woefully by the Ga-adangmes. The most important thing that enabled the the Ga- Adangmes was, they were supported by some ethnic groups like the Fantes, Akyims, Ewes and other southern tribes.

This enable them to defeat the Asantes during the Katamansu Battle.The Asantes fought and lost dreadfully. Finally, the Asantes did not hold any southern state of Ghana as vassals [bondsmen or slaves]. It was their own men whom they held as bondsmen and wanted to sell to the British as slaves. Furthermore, it was the Ga-Adangmes who defeated Asantes and took some of the Asante men as prisoners of war [POW] in the Katamansu Battle and not the British.

That defeat of the Asantes by the Ga-Adangmes really stopped the slave trade and did not help the British to further colonise the Gold coast [now Ghana]. It is also important to note here that the correct reference is the Battle of Katamansu and not Akatamanso.

For your Ghana property recommendation visit us at www.cedez.com
We also act as real estate consultants and land agents in helping Ghanaians and investors alike living abroad. Please email us at info@cedez.com for further information on hot Ghana property for sale or rent.

GHANAIAN FUNERAL

2006-09-28T13:55:00.000+01:00

Jenny is a 21 year old family friend from America and studying civil engineering.
She has taken one year off to render voluntary community service for a non- governmental organisation in Ghana. She is interested in Ghanaian culture and would like to do some research on funerals.

She visited us in Kumasi and wanted to take photographs of some unique culture scenes to send back to her family. She could not miss because the earsplitting music.She sat down on a plastic chair under a canopy where there a lot of women.

Whilst everybody was dressed in black cloth, she wore faded jeans and a white T- shirt. On top of that she had white skin. People with hairstyles that were covered with headkechiefs and a design of the kaba to give some air of a fashion parade. To her the whole atmosphere smelled of a carnival rather than a funeral.

Soon it was time for donations. People are obliged to donate money to help with funeral expenses. She was led to a beautiful house quite close to the funeral ground where she was served rice and minerals (Coke). Years ago, posters captioned ''obituary or home call irrespective of status or cause of death.

What is the proportion of funeral expenses to the medical bill of the deceased?
Generally, funeral expenses outweigh medical bills.

Finally, we have the answers to the issue. Funerals are far too expensive in Ghana and usually require organizing a large party for guests!!
If you have ever attended a funeral where the deceased had two or more children working overseas, you would know what opulence is.

For your property recommendations and solutions in Ghana, visit www.cedez.com
We build, develop and sell Ghana property- please, email info@cedez.com

Ghana Property - Ghanaian Food Part 3

2006-09-27T21:51:00.000+01:00

Banku

Banku is another of the favourite staple foods in Ghana.

Banku is cooked in a pot; Kenkey is partially cooked, then wrapped in banana leaves, maize or corn husks, or foil, and steamed.

What you need............

six to eight cups of corn (maize) flour or cornmeal (ground corn or ground maize); (White cornmeal is preferred, it should be finely ground, like flour. Latin American style corn flour, as is used in tortillas, tamales, pupusas, etc. is the right kind); for Banku only: a similar amount of equal parts corn flour and grated cassava tuber may be substituted. Sounds good? Why not give it a try.

Cedez design, build and develop property in Ghana. For more information visit us at http://www.cedez.com

2006 District Assembly Elections - Ghana

2006-09-27T20:41:00.000+01:00

Low turnout at polls: source - Daily Graphic - 27th September 2006

The 2006 District Assembly elections were held yesterday throughout the country of Ghana.
This is currently held every 4 years and gives the electorate the opportunity to elect new or hard working and progressive assembly leaders.

Voting however saw a poor turnout and it is alledged this is due to inadequate public education and the inability of assembly members to deliver on their campaign promises.

In Accra, voter turnout was far lower than the 2004 presidential and parliamentary polls. It has been noted there were delays in the distribution of some of the ballot papers and boxes due to the lateness of some of the ballot staff at the stations.

Polling officials dozed off as voting was reduced to a dull and grey experience.
Prez Kuffuor cast his vote at Dzorwulu electoral area and asked Ghanaians not to underrate the district level elections since they constituted a vital link in Ghana's democratic structure.

This unfortunately fell on deaf ears. Polls were counted and results have been ascertained.
Look out for the winners in the next few publications.

Perhaps, the ordinary man wants a little more than empty promises!!

For your property needs, contact www.cedez.com who have dedicated staff in Ghana and Uk to help assist you in securing accommodation.

Calls for sacking of Minister for transport - Ghana

2006-09-17T20:50:00.000+01:00

On Saturday 16th September, the commission investigating the case of Dr Anane, the minister for roads and transport, have ruled perjury and twisting of the truth by the Minister.

There have been calls for Dr Anane's dismissal ever since he gave his mistress, a Ms O'Brien, an American an amount of $30,000. The commission felt there was a conflict of interest when it found Dr Anane had employed her at the expense of the state.

Furthermore, Dr Anane's personal assistant, Mr Duodu-Bonsu has admitted remitting closer to $100000 to Ms O'Brien after she had an affair with Dr Anane at an Aids conference in the US earlier this year.

Ms O'Brien then got pregnant and had a boy who is the son of the Minister.

The case ensues as the commission hears from legal counsel for Dr Anane on the $100000 and the free Ghana airways ticket Ms O'Brien tried to reclaim.

The Saga of the missing 77 cocaine parcels

2006-09-10T17:33:00.000+01:00

Missing Cocaine parcels ravages on..

Kwabena Amaning aka Tagor and four suspects standing trial in connection with the importation of 77 cocaine parcels now missing in Accra have been refused bail by the Accra Circuit court. The suspects have been remanded for another two weeks while further police investigations are pending.

The trial judge, His honour, Mr Kwame Asiedu who ordered the remand, pointed out that no new evidence had appeared since the last hearing date to make him change his mind.

Nonetheless, Mr Asiedu advised the suspects to approach the High Court for a review of the bail if they were satisfied with the ruling. He has also advised the Police to pool resources in gathering all the evidence together for the prosecution counsel for the case.

The prosecution officer, DSP Boye Abicham told the court they needed more time for further investigations. The suspects namely Tagor, Kwabena Acheampong, Alhaji Issah Abass, Kwadjo Ababio alias Sumankwa and Victor Kisseh alias Yaw Billa all appeared in confident and flamboyant mood and colourful clothing.

They have been arrested on varing counts of possession of narcotic drugs and attempting to import narcotic substances illegally notably 78 parcels of cocaine into Ghana without license and promotion of enterprises related to controlled drugs.

The case has been adjourned til 21st September 2006.

For information on Ghana property and rentals link to www.cedez.com

CeDez homes ltd are a dynamic real estate developer and Ghana's best kept secret, well til now.
Send your enquiries to info@cedez.com and someone is bound to help you.

Government Loans to young venturers - Ghana

2006-09-09T17:00:00.000+01:00

On 6th Sept 2006, President Kuffuor launched the Micro-Credit and small loans fund in Accra. This fund is worth $50 million and beneficiaries, mostly to be young entrepreneurs were asked not to view this golden opportunity as a 'gift' from the government.

The President of Ghana asked people not to regard the scheme as compensation due to any community for disparities in rural and urban economic development. He stressed at a state meeting that the government expects full repayment of this loan so that other future applicants may be able to enjoy this facility.

The fund is expected to be disbursed to people engaged in all production ventures such as fishing, fishmongering, farming, hair dressing, dress making and mechanics to boost job creation and wealth as well as reducing poverty for the nation.

The fund attracts a minimal interest of 10% per annum and micro-credit operators would source credits for the fund from a minimum of 250 000 cedis to a maximum of 10 million cedis. Small scale operators can obtain funds from 11 million to 150 million cedis, or approximately 9000 british pounds.

The ruling party of the NPP headed by Mr Kuffour has already disbursed 230 billion cedis to over 150000 borrowers from micro-credit schemes since 2001 and 2002.

Creditors and loan companies are expected to participate in this excecution of the process to new business people earlier mentioned.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Women and Childrens affairs (MOWAC), Haija Alima Mahama, expressed gratitiude on behalf of all women in Ghana to the government for instituting the Women Development Fund.

Since the establishment of this fund, a total of 124 million cedis has been loaned to more than 200,000 women in Ghana.

She also mentioned in the same meeting that funds amounting to 7 billion cedis have already been made available to fishmongers and 600 out board motors amounting to 14 billion cedis to fishermen particularly south of the country.

All efforts, according to the government are being made to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of all ordinary Ghanaians alike.

However, since arriving in the country in May 2006 after a brief business trip in London, I have found money very scarce to find and more and more beggars on the street. More people seem to opting for the easy life of crime, swindling and prostitution. However, business still continues to boom in the private sector.

Petrol price increases have definitely not helped and currently stands at 40,500 cedis a gallon of leaded fuel. Prices of food and essential commodities are still expensive.

This main concern is the fund of $50 million goes to the right people to help improve standards of living. Very often, few people benefit from such initiatives because for a working population of at least 8 - 10 million, less than 1% benefit at all.

At least, its a start!!!

Ghana property sector continues to grow but affordability and very difficult to find. Rentals are even more difficult as few Ghanaians can afford the prices. Low mortgages with long payment years will be a very lucrative sector in the future.

Please link to www.cedez.com for future information on Ghana property, travel and tours and every day living tips in the sun kissed and fertile land of Ghana.

Ghana Property - Interesting Times Ahead

2006-08-28T17:40:00.000+01:00

Ghana Property

There are certainly interesting times ahead for property in Ghana. Never before have we seen so many developments as we are now with property being build almost at will.

At Cedez, our promotional activities on OBE TV have been phenomenal, and we thank all those that have purchased their dream home so far.

For those that are willing to wait and see what happens, I add a note of caution. Forget about the price of build. Land prices in Ghana are increasing at a great rate (never been seen before). We feel, it has never been a better time to purchase land and property than it is today. Similar to what has happened in the states and now the UK. Many people are now finding it extremely difficult to purchase property, especially the young. We feel the same thing will happen in Ghana.

Gone are the times where you could purchase land for Â£100 and then build when you were good and ready. Our research has shown us that land prices are rising at their mostfiercestt rate and we're not just talking about Accra. As with most hotspots, land prices have now started to increase on the outskirts of Accra and we can only assume this trend will last.

Those hoping to return home or invest in Ghana in a couple of years had better re-think and seriously look at investing soon. The Chinese are fast developing the infrastructure, factories etc and the government are encouraging foreign investment. We predict land prices toquadruplee in the next year, meaning the price of homes will increase respectively.

This blog posting has not been made to scare monger or even try to persuade you to invest early. We're merely trying to point out that to put off that investment in this beautiful country may be to your own detriment.

You can view our website at http://www.cedez.com or email us on info@cedez.com if you require extra info of the property available. We also purchase and sell land in many different areas. Alternatively, give us a call on (+44) 845 851 8233.

Charles and Des are the managing directors of Cedez Ltd who design, build and develop homes in Ghana. They are also property developers in the UK.

Ghana Property - Ghanaian Food Part 2

2006-08-24T08:18:00.000+01:00

KENKEY

The next installment of popular Ghanaian food is another favourite called "Kenkey".

Kenkey is one of the main fermented foods eaten in Ghana. This meal has been around for for years and is still consumed by those young and old. It is prepared from fermented ground white corn (maize). To prepare kenkey, the corn has to be ground first into flour and mixed with warm water, followed by fermentation (for two to three days) into maize dough.

The fermented dough is kneaded with your hands until it is thoroughly mixed and slightly stiffened, after which it is divided into two equal parts. One part of the fermented dough is partially cooked in a large pot of water for about ten minutes, stirring constantly and vigorously, after which it is combined with the remaining uncooked dough and mixed well.

The cooked half of the dough is called aflata. The aflata-dough mixture is divided into serving-sized pieces and wrapped tightly in banana leaves, cornhusks, or foil. The wrapped dough packets are placed on a wire rack above water in a large pot and allowed to boil and steam for one to three hours, depending on their size and thickness. The final product, kenkey is served with a sauce or any fish or meat dish. Lovely!!

More great dishes to follow....................

CeDez Homes

your developing partner

e: info@cedez.com

w: http://www.cedez.com

CeDez Are Ghana Property Developers

2006-08-21T20:41:00.000+01:00

Who Are CeDez Homes?

A question that is often asked by some of clients is "who are CeDez Homes and where have you come from in such short period of time. CeDez was born from its founders Mr Charles Prah and Mr Desmond Dreckett. We are full time property developers and investors in the US, UK, the Caribbean and of course Africa.

We have a combined experience and expertise in property of over 20 years. We currently have offices in the UK and also Accra and are currently looking for other sites throughout Ghana.

Our prime objective is not just to build property, but to literally build communities. Thus, what is a home without a community to embody it.

One of the main stumbling blocks for people to invest in Ghana is TRUST. This word trust is a big word and can't be taken literally. At least with CeDez you can rest assured that you're dealing with a reputable company that has only your best interests at the forefront at all times.

How Do I Purchase Property In Ghana?

At CeDez, we'll help you every step of the way. Whether you have your own land or not. CeDez can put things in place for you to acquire your dream home today. It's simple. If you have equity held within the property that you live in, you can release some of it to get the ball rolling. Please email us at info@cedez.com to obtain your FREE factsheet in how you can accomplish that today. Alternatively, you may wish to call our UK office on 0845 851 8233. Our office is open 24 hours a day to take calls from clients all around the world in different time zones.

How Long Does It Take to Build My Home?

To be honest, this is completely up to you. We can work around various timescales and are extremely flexible. We have some clients that need their property to be built within a matter of months. On the other hand, we have clients that require their property a year from now. Which ever option you choose, we can reserve the land at today's prices (all we require is a deposit) and save you money in the long run.

CeDez Homes

your developing partner

Ghana Property - 8 Taxes to Avoid (UK) - Bulletin

2006-08-20T16:54:00.000+01:00

Eight Taxes To Avoid - Introduced by CeDez Ltd

By Cliff D'Arcy of Motley Fool
August 9, 2006
"The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that carries any reward." (John Maynard Keynes)
Although nobody actually enjoys paying taxes, few people would claim that the UK would be better off without them.

Without taxes to redistribute wealth throughout society, millions of people would have no access to essential public services such as education, healthcare, housing, security and so on.

Indeed, in many ways, the history of taxation is the history of civilised society. The ancient Greeks moaned about it; it forced Mary and Joseph to move to Bethlehem (where Jesus was supposedly born in a stable); and Lady Godiva allegedly rode naked on horseback through eleventh-century Coventry to convince her husband Leofric, Earl of Mercia, to decrease
taxes on his tenants.

Over the centuries, taxes have also reflected the fashions of our nation. Land taxes were in existence throughout the last millennium and, as homes became larger, a window tax was introduced in 1696 and continued until 1851, which explains why some very old properties have bricked-up windows; and tobacco taxes were introduced by James I in the late 1500s
(he called tobacco "that obnoxious weed").

However, British society fiercely resisted a tax on income, on the grounds that revealing one's personal income was vulgar, and that income tax represented an unacceptable government intrusion into one's private affairs and, therefore, an affront to personal liberty.

Britain managed to oppose income tax until 1799, when the then Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger, introduced it as a temporary measure to help fund the war against France under Napoleon.

It was applied at a rate of 10% on income from all sources above £60, with reductions on income up to £200. Although it was repealed and reintroduced on
several occasions, this 'temporary measure' is still with us 207 years later!

That's enough on the history of taxation; let's now explore how we can reduce the personal taxes that we pay -- quite legally and at little or no expense. In alphabetical order, here are eight everyday taxes, together with tips on how to avoid or reduce them:

Capital Gains Tax (CGT)

You may be liable to CGT if you sell an asset for more than you paid for it, with a notable exception being your home (or 'principal private residence'). For example, if you buy 10,000 shares for £2 and sell them a year later for £3, you have made a capital gain of £10,000.

You can reduce your CGT bill by offsetting losses against gains, so it can be worth 'crystallising' a loss in order to offset gains elsewhere. Furthermore, everyone (including children) has an annual CGT allowance, which is £8,800 for the 2006/07 tax year. Thus, gains totalling less than £8,800 in the period from 6 April 2006 to 5 April 2007 will not incur any tax liability.

As transfers between spouses (or same-sex Civil Partners) do not trigger a tax liability, you can gift assets to your spouse in order to make use of his/her annual CGT allowance. Also, by spreading sales across separate tax years, you can take advantage of two or more CGT allowances. Using these two techniques, I helped a friend realise tax-free gains of over £40,000 on a company Sharesave scheme!

Personally, I avoid CGT worries by investing in shares inside an Individual Savings Account (ISA), which is a tax-free shelter inside which all capital gains and income go untaxed.
Thanks to ISAs, my wife and I can invest £7,000 apiece into shares each tax year. Hurrah!
Buy and sell shares for less with a low-cost online stockbroker!

Income Tax

It's quite hard to avoid income tax on earnings from employment, especially as it is deducted at source via the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system for employees. However, everyone has an annual tax-free personal allowance, which is worth £5,035 in the 2006/07 tax year.
One simple way to reduce your taxable earnings and, therefore, your income tax is to contribute to a company or personal pension.

Pension contributions attract tax relief at your highest rate, which means that a contribution of £100 costs a basic-rate (22%) taxpayer just £78, or a mere £60 for a higher-rate taxpayer.
You can also earn income-tax relief on contributions to Venture Capital Trusts or Enterprise Investment Schemes, but these are high-risk investments into small businesses,
which are best suited to sophisticated investors.

It's also worth taking steps to avoid tax on your savings interest. With an everyday, taxable savings account, taxpayers automatically lose a fifth (20%) of their pre-tax interest to the taxman. Higher-rate taxpayers have to hand over the same amount again, which means that they lose 40% of their savings interest to the taxman. The simplest way to avoid tax on savings is to make full use of the £3,000 per tax year that you can pay into a cash mini-ISA, which pays tax-free interest.

Inheritance Tax (IHT)

Although you may have been a basic-rate taxpayer for your entire life, you may find that your estate is taxed at 40% when you die.

Although all estates have a nil-rate band on which no Inheritance Tax is charged (£285,000 in the 2006/07 tax year), the standard rate of IHT is 40% on the excess above this threshold. Hence, it pays to take steps to reduce your IHT while you're alive, so learn more by reading our guide to Wills, Probate and estate planning.

Insurance Premium Tax (IPT)

Insurance Premium Tax is levied on general insurance policies, such as car insurance, home (buildings and contents) insurance, travel insurance, the dreaded payment protection insurance, etc. There are two rates: the standard rate of 5% and the higher rate of 17.5%.

Most everyday protection policies attract IPT at 5%, but the higher rate of IPT is levied on all travel insurance policies, plus any car insurance policies and extended warranties on domestic/electrical appliances which are sold by the provider of the goods themselves.

So, if you want to reduce the IPT that you pay, don't buy insurance from retailers and car dealers, and lower your premiums by shopping around before buying insurance and again at renewal time.

Motoring taxes

According to the AA Motoring Trust, excise duty and Value Added Tax (see below) typically account for roughly two-thirds (67%) of the cost of a litre of petrol or diesel. For example, here's a breakdown of a litre of petrol or diesel costing £1:

Item Cost (pence) Fuel (basic cost) 38.0 Excise duty @47.1p per litre 47.1 VAT @ 17.5% of 85.1p 14.9 Total £1

As you can see, excise duty and VAT account for 62p of the cost of our £1 litre of fuel; thanks to rising oil prices, this proportion has fallen from previous levels of 80% or so. If you'd like to slash your fuel bill and other motoring costs, read How To Beat Fuel At £1 A Litre.

'Sin' taxes

The government loves to tax addictive habits, because they are so hard to give up and, hence,
provide attractive, stable tax revenues! For example, the tobacco duty on a packet of twenty cigarettes amounts to 22% of the retail price, plus 10.51p per cigarette, plus VAT at 17.5% on the whole lot. Here's the breakdown of a packet costing £5.25:

Item Cost (pence) Cigarettes (basic cost) 121.1 Excise duty @ 22% of 525p 115.5 10.51p per cigarette 210.2 VAT @ 17.5% of 446.8p 78.2 Total £5.25

Hence, £4.04 of our pack of twenty cigarettes costing £5.25, or 77%, goes to the government, making cigarettes one of the most highly taxed goods in the UK! Although alcohol is taxed more lightly than tobacco, taxes account for around three-fifths of the cost of a bottle of spirits, more than half the cost of a bottle of wine, and around three-tenths of the cost of a pint of beer.

Also, almost an eighth (12%) of all money staked on the National Lottery goes to the government in tax, making it a jackpot winner to the tune of £600 million a year!
The antidote to sin taxes is simple: cut back or give up! For example, after the World Cup finished on 9 July, I started another month of extreme budgeting. As part of my financial detox, I've stopped both drinking alcohol and smoking, which has helped me to save hundreds of pounds, plus I feel great, too!

Stamp duty

When you buy a property, you have to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) at the following rates:
Property value Stamp duty land tax Up to £125,000 Nil £125,001 to £250,000 1% £250,001 to £500,000 3% £500,001 or more 4% . Note that the highest rate of SDLT applies to the full value of a property, so the stamp duty on a property costing £250,000 is £2,500, but the tax on a property costing £250,001 triples to just over £7,500. So, to minimise your SDLT bill when buying a house, stay below the trigger thresholds and drive a hard bargain with the seller!
Also, when you buy stocks and shares, you pay 0.5% stamp duty on the value of each purchase, which comes to £1 for every £200 which you invest.

I dodge this tax by investing in iShares, which are exchange traded funds based in Dublin, as I explained here.This cheap, simple investment is ideal for beginners and experienced investors alike!

Value Added Tax (VAT)

Introduced in April 1973 at a standard rate of 10%, this tax on goods and services is now levied at 17.5% on VATable goods (or 5% on reduced-rate items such as domestic fuel supplies, child car seats and women's sanitary products). The good news is that Britain has one of the lowest VAT rates in Europe, and the least widely applied.

Books and newspapers, children's clothes, everyday food, funerals and public transport are all VAT-exempt, or 'zero-rated'. On the other hand, chocolate biscuits (but not Jaffa Cakes), crisps and snacks, and children's clothing which can be worn by small adults are all VATable.

VAT is a 'consumption' tax, so the more you spend, the more VAT you pay. Hence, by cutting back on your spending, particularly on luxury goods, treats and vices, you also reduce your contribution to the VAT coffers. Eating healthily helps to reduce your VAT bill, because many fatty or sugary treats are VATable.

For example, potatoes are zero-rated, but potato snacks (such as crisps and chips) are VATable. Also, coffee, tea and milk are zero-rated, but fizzy drinks are VATable.
So, to avoid VAT, learn to spend less and budget more carefully!

Visit Http://www.Fool.co.uk and register free for financial articles.
Many thanks to HM Revenue & Customs for its history of taxation.

Visit us at http://www.cedez.com/ for more tips and overseas property news.
Selling your home made easy and getting help with debt visit: http://thequickpropertysale.com/
Get new mobile phone deals at http://www.cedezmobiles.2u.co.uk

Ghanaian Food -Fufu

2006-08-19T11:30:00.000+01:00

Fufu In Ghana

Fufu is considered one of the conventional west African meals available today. It's made by boiling cassava, yam, plantain or rice. The process of pounding the ingredients into a glutinous mass, usually in a giant, wooden mortar and pestle.

The Cooking Process

Place yams in large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until the yams are soft (maybe half an hour). Remove pot from heat and cool yams with running water. Drain. Remove peels from yams. Add butter. Put yams in a bowl (or back in the empty pot) and mash with a potato masher, then beat and stir with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. This might take two people: one to hold the bowl and the other to stir.

Shape the fufu into balls and serve immediately with meat stew or any dish with a sauce or gravy. To eat it, tear off a small handful with your fingers and use it to scoop up your meat and sauce.

More delicious food from Ghana to follow..............

Coming Soon..... Ghanaian Food

2006-08-11T19:11:00.000+01:00

Very soon, we'll be bringing you a few recipes on offer from this beautiful country........

GSB sensitises media on standards

2006-08-09T21:51:00.000+01:00

GSB sensitises media on standards

Accra, Aug. 9, GNA - Mr Adu Gyamfi Darkwa, Executive Director of the Ghana Standards Board (GSB), on Wednesday said effective implementation of metrology, standardisation and conformity assessment would enhance the nation's growth and social welfare.He said they formed the three pillars of sustainable development and were used by both the public and private sectors to optimise production, health, consumer protection, environmental safety, security and quality.

New Cedez advert now showing on OBE TV

2006-08-08T17:53:00.000+01:00

NEWSFLASH - CEDEZ NOW ON OBE TV

Cedez now have an advert running on the very popular OBE TV which can be viewed on channel 159 at Sky. The advert is basically outlining the services Cedez offer with regards to designing and building homes in Ghana.

Getting a construction company to build your property in Ghana takes extreme trust as most people well know. Getting experienced and trustworthy contractors is a big problem for expats. Some people have even found it difficult to get their own family to oversee a given project due to the lack of trust.

At Cedez, we have offices both in the UK and in Ghana. We're only a telephone call or email away and are willing to invite purchasers of land or property to come and have a look at the progress on their project.

Prices aren't too high and you'll find Cedez can be flexible and understanding with any given situation.

Funding at times can pose a problem. Finance is also available if clients are wishing to draw down some equity out of their current property. If you need help, we're only a telephone call away. You may call us on 0800 043 919 or email us on info@cedez.com.

Kind regards,

Charles and Des.

Cedez Ltd

Ghana Property

2006-08-06T21:34:00.000+01:00

GHANA PROPERTY - PROPERTY IN GHANA - GHANA PROPERTY DEVELOPERS

Are You looking to build your first home in Ghana?

Are you looking to return home in Ghana to a safe and quiet surrounding?

Have you got your own land and need help to build and develop you new home?

Do you need to purchase land in Ghana for a future development?

If you answered "YES" to any of these questions, then CeDez can help!!

At CeDezHomes we are committed to one common goal, which is to build your dream home to the highest quality and standards. We also present a unique opportunity to owning a holiday home in one of the most idyllic and vibrant places in West Africa - Ghana.

All developmental sites are registered in CeDezHomes providing you, our customer a seamlessly simple process of transferring you title deeds of your new home on final payment.

There are no gimmicks, hidden charges or poor services to expect at CeDezHomes. That’s because we share the views and ideals of our customers by listening and delivering an excellent of level of service as requested within a scheduled timeframe.

We have a UK branch and due to demand, we will be expanding to the US in due course.
Buying a home is considered one of the most important investments to make in ones life.

CeDezHomes are happy to provide valuable financial advice to our purchasers throughout the whole sales process of buying your dream CeDezHomes in the Sun.

We believe your choice is a wise one.
Ghana Property
Never before has the opportunity been as apparent as now to own your own property in Ghana.

Here Is a list of just some of the questions are clients have asked.

Q. Do you also source and buy land on my behalf.
A. at CeDez we a full and professional service to all our clients. Sourcing land for you is not a problem and we also have land banks of our own providing all the necessary paperwork and titles for your perusal.

Q. I don’t have a lawyer to handle my property affairs in Ghana, can you help?
A. No problem. We feel we work with the best property lawyer in Ghana who is George Heward-Mills of "Dantu Chambers, Accra, Ghana". He is highly proficient, efficient and more importantly can be trusted to handle your affairs in Ghana. We use George for all our property dealings.

Q. Must I be a Ghanaian national to own my dream home in Ghana?
A. Not at all. Ghanaian law imposes no restrictions to buying or owning property in Ghana. Direct foreign investment is welcome.

Q. Am I liable to pay tax if I choose to buy, sell or rent my Cedez property?
A. Whether you buy, sell or rent your CeDez home, at this point tax will not be charged. You are also free to transfer your funds abroad should you sell your CeDez home.
More frequently asked questions are available on our FAQ page………….

Real Estate In Ghana

There is abundance of land available in this beautiful country called Ghana, and at CeDez at we intend to design, build and develop as much quality Real Estate for our clients.
Most real estate designs have been based on very popular designs from the US, though, our designers and architects are happy to work with any designs you choose and bring forward.
Ghana Property Developers
Rest assured you're in safe hands when it comes to developing your new home in Ghana. We have respected and professional tradesman in Ghana that are able to build your new home to a very high standard.
At CeDez we cater for all your Ghana property needs……
CeDezHomes
Your developing partner
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GHANA PROPERTY - PROPERTY IN GHANA - GHANA PROPERTY DEVELOPERS