Page 48: February 29, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has described West Africa as a cocaine stockpiling centre and attributed the problem to widespread corruption and poor law enforcement structures.
It said drug traffickers perceived the sub-region as having a permissive working environment for the drug trade as many of the countries face “difficulties in controlling their territory and administering justice, and are plagued by corruption”.
This was contained in its October 2007 publication “Cocaine Trafficking in Western Africa: Situation Report”.
It said the geographical position of West Africa made it easier for cocaine from South America to get to the growing market in Europe.
Moreover, it said, there had been increased law enforcement successes in the Caribbean and in Europe, which might have played a part in the development of alternative routes for traffickers.
Citing cases of corruption and weak law enforcement in the sub-region, it said in Guinea-Bissau, the authorities seized 670 kilogrammes of cocaine in September 2006 but freed the suspects soon after their arrest and the drug consignment disappeared.
It said another example was the volumes of cocaine seized in Africa as compared to volumes seized by European navies off the coast of Africa.
“In 2005, the total cocaine seizures for all 53 African countries amounted to about 2.5 metric tonnes, while in July 2005, in a single catch in Europe, the Spanish navy seized 3.1 metric tonnes in a Ghanaian ship, representing almost 40 per cent more than the cocaine seizures on the entire continent,” it said.
The report noted also that “in 2006, the Spanish navy seized a total of 9.8 metric tonnes of cocaine off the coast of Africa, more than three times the seizures on the entire continent, which amounted to about 2.9 metric tonnes”.
It said preliminary data for 2007 clearly showed that West Africa was emerging as an important staging post along the route from South America to the growing cocaine market in Europe.
It said preliminary data for the first nine months of 2007 indicated a record level of 5.7 metric tonnes of cocaine seized in African countries, which represented an increase of 50 per cent compared to 2.8 metric tonnes seized in 2006.
“Out of the 5.7 metric tonnes of cocaine seized so far in 2007, 99 per cent were reported from West African countries: 2.4 metric tonnes were seized in Senegal in June, almost 1.5 metric tonnes in Mauritania between May and August, 0.6 metric tonne in Guinea Bissau in April, 0.5 metric tonne in Cape Verde in March, 0.4 metric tonne in Benin in August and 0.2 metric tonne in Guinea,” it said.
According to the report, in 2006, two seizures in West Africa, one made in Ghana involving 1.9 metric tonnes and one in Guinea Bissau, 0.6 metric tonne, both accounted for 90 per cent of all seizures reported on the continent.
“And this is probably only the tip of the iceberg because the lack of seizure reports from neighbouring Western African countries does not necessarily mean the absence of trafficking in these countries, but more likely the deficiency of law enforcement capacities,” it said.
“The phenomenon is growing not only in volume, but also in sophistication, with traffickers having established air connections between Latin America and Africa. Speed boats, until recently, used only for cocaine trafficking between Latin America and the United States, are now also used between Africa and Europe,” it said.
The drugs are mostly shipped to West Africa on fishing boats and freighters, with the drug usually concealed in areas built especially for that purpose in the frame of the boat, such as a modified oil tank.
The report said the cocaine seized in Ghana in May 2006 in a small coastal village provided a good example of countries along the Gulf of Guinea being used by traffickers for stockpiling.
It said the drug traffickers had also successfully managed to organise and set up direct flight connections with small planes between Latin America and West Africa with interceptions of some of such flights in Guinea Bissau and Mauritania, for example.
It said the analysis of selected EU airport seizures also highlighted the importance of western Africa in cocaine trafficking.
“In 2006, out of the 822 reports of cocaine seizures in European airports sent to UNODC, 122, representing 13 per cent, were made from flights originating from Africa. Of the 122 cases of cocaine seizures from African countries, 117 or 96 per cent originated from western African countries,” it said.
The report said based on the 117 cases reported to the UNODC, the average quantity of cocaine seized in European airports from flights originating in western African countries was 3.9 kilogrammes per incident in 2006, stressing that “in 42 cases, the drug was concealed in the luggage (an average of 5.3 kg) and in 30 cases, cocaine had been ingested (an average of 0.8 kg)”.
It said the importance of western Africa in trafficking cocaine to Europe was also evidenced by the nationalities of the persons arrested for drug trafficking at European airports.
It said in 2006, the UNODC recorded the arrests of 442 persons for cocaine trafficking from European airports and holders of African passports accounted for 16 per cent of the cases, with West Africa alone representing 14 per cent of all cases and 90 per cent of the Africans arrested.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Man held for possessing cocaine
Page 34: February 29, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A 29-YEAR-OLD national service person has been arrested for attempting to smuggle 27 pellets of white substances suspected to be cocaine to Holland.
Christopher Boakye Amponsah, who is doing his national service with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) at Nsawam, was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport on February 24, 2008 while going through departure formalities.
A source at the Bureau of National of Investigations (BNI), whose personnel effected the arrest, told the Daily Graphic on Wednesday that the suspect’s Mercedes C-Class Benz, with registration number GR 1954 X, has been impounded while investigations continue into his other acquired properties.
It said the suspect initially denied possessing any contraband goods but was taken to the BNI head office for observation.
It said the suspect was later taken to a hospital where he was examined and it was detected that he had swallowed foreign materials.
The source said when the suspect was taken back to the BNI head office, he discharged 24 pellets in a stool he passed.
It said he later expelled three more pellets in another round of stool discharge.
According to the source, it was at the point that the suspect admitted swallowing 27 pellets of the substance, which he claimed was given to him by someone identified only as Max.
It said the suspect claimed that Max had promised to give him 1,500 euros on delivery of the pellets in Amsterdam, Holland and alleged that Max had taken the lead to Holland to wait for him.
The source said a look at the suspect’s passport showed that he had travelled widely on the West African coast, South Africa and Europe particularly to the United Kingdom, Holland and Germany.
It said it could be deduced that the suspect was a courier considering the number of travels he had made and the property he had acquired.
It said as someone who had just completed his university education and was doing his national service, one wondered where he got his money to make such travels and acquire the Benz, a van and other properties still being investigated.
Moreover, it said, the suspect indicated that his parents were both deceased and he lived by himself.
Story: Albert K. Salia
A 29-YEAR-OLD national service person has been arrested for attempting to smuggle 27 pellets of white substances suspected to be cocaine to Holland.
Christopher Boakye Amponsah, who is doing his national service with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) at Nsawam, was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport on February 24, 2008 while going through departure formalities.
A source at the Bureau of National of Investigations (BNI), whose personnel effected the arrest, told the Daily Graphic on Wednesday that the suspect’s Mercedes C-Class Benz, with registration number GR 1954 X, has been impounded while investigations continue into his other acquired properties.
It said the suspect initially denied possessing any contraband goods but was taken to the BNI head office for observation.
It said the suspect was later taken to a hospital where he was examined and it was detected that he had swallowed foreign materials.
The source said when the suspect was taken back to the BNI head office, he discharged 24 pellets in a stool he passed.
It said he later expelled three more pellets in another round of stool discharge.
According to the source, it was at the point that the suspect admitted swallowing 27 pellets of the substance, which he claimed was given to him by someone identified only as Max.
It said the suspect claimed that Max had promised to give him 1,500 euros on delivery of the pellets in Amsterdam, Holland and alleged that Max had taken the lead to Holland to wait for him.
The source said a look at the suspect’s passport showed that he had travelled widely on the West African coast, South Africa and Europe particularly to the United Kingdom, Holland and Germany.
It said it could be deduced that the suspect was a courier considering the number of travels he had made and the property he had acquired.
It said as someone who had just completed his university education and was doing his national service, one wondered where he got his money to make such travels and acquire the Benz, a van and other properties still being investigated.
Moreover, it said, the suspect indicated that his parents were both deceased and he lived by himself.
Wanted by police
Page 40: February 28, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has appealed to members of the public to help it trace the whereabouts of a trader, Salamatu Musah alias Naana.
Naana, as she is popularly known, is wanted to help unravel the murder of a colleague trader, Kate Owusu, in Abidjan in November 2006.
The suspect is 5”4 inches tall, fair in complexion and slim.
According to the Director-General of the CID, Mr Frank Adu-Poku, a second suspect, Esther Gyamfuah, is currently assisting the CID in investigations.
He explained that Naana travelled to Abidjan in the company of the deceased and Gyamfuah to sell some goods.
He said an Ivorian national, who had been identified only as Nazar, allegedly facilitated the entry of the three women into Abidjan through the Elubo border.
Mr Adu-Poku said the deceased allegedly delegated Nazar to sell the goods on their behalf while they lodged at a hotel in Abidjan and waited for him.
He said Nazar allegedly absconded with the goods.
He said Naana and Gyamfuah returned to Ghana three weeks later without Kate.
Mr Adu-Poku said the two women could not offer any reason why Kate did not return with them.
He said the daughter of Kate lodged a complaint with the Takoradi police in 2007, when she had still not heard from the mother.
The CID boss said since the case was reported to the police, Naana absconded from her Takoradi base and had still not been located.
Mr Adu-Poku said the Ghana office of the International Police Organisation (Interpol) had also issued an international warrant for the arrest of Naana.
He, therefore, appealed to any member of the public who knew the whereabouts of Naana to inform the nearest police station or the CID headquarters.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has appealed to members of the public to help it trace the whereabouts of a trader, Salamatu Musah alias Naana.
Naana, as she is popularly known, is wanted to help unravel the murder of a colleague trader, Kate Owusu, in Abidjan in November 2006.
The suspect is 5”4 inches tall, fair in complexion and slim.
According to the Director-General of the CID, Mr Frank Adu-Poku, a second suspect, Esther Gyamfuah, is currently assisting the CID in investigations.
He explained that Naana travelled to Abidjan in the company of the deceased and Gyamfuah to sell some goods.
He said an Ivorian national, who had been identified only as Nazar, allegedly facilitated the entry of the three women into Abidjan through the Elubo border.
Mr Adu-Poku said the deceased allegedly delegated Nazar to sell the goods on their behalf while they lodged at a hotel in Abidjan and waited for him.
He said Nazar allegedly absconded with the goods.
He said Naana and Gyamfuah returned to Ghana three weeks later without Kate.
Mr Adu-Poku said the two women could not offer any reason why Kate did not return with them.
He said the daughter of Kate lodged a complaint with the Takoradi police in 2007, when she had still not heard from the mother.
The CID boss said since the case was reported to the police, Naana absconded from her Takoradi base and had still not been located.
Mr Adu-Poku said the Ghana office of the International Police Organisation (Interpol) had also issued an international warrant for the arrest of Naana.
He, therefore, appealed to any member of the public who knew the whereabouts of Naana to inform the nearest police station or the CID headquarters.
"We asked GCAA to re-engage Kyeremanteng
Page 28: February 28, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has confirmed that it asked the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to re-engage the services of Alex Kyeremanteng.
Although it explained that there was nothing to link Alex Kyeremanteng to drug trafficking, its letter of December 3, 2007 to the GCAA confirmed that Kyeremanteng was arrested for his alleged involvement in the trafficking of narcotics drugs by courier to Australia.
The Public Relations Officer of NACOB, Mr Francis Amoah, however, said that the NACOB in its letter of December 3, 2007, to the GCAA indicated that Kyeremanteng may be called upon, should the need arise, in connection with the said case in the future.
Mr Amoah was reacting to concerns raised by some staff of the GCAA about the handling of the case.
The staff, who wondered whether the law on dealing with drug traffickers was meant for different people, alleged that Kyeremanteng had been throwing his weight about that nobody could touch him.
The Daily Graphic in its November 19, 2004, edition published a story from the NACOB that Kyeremanteng had parcelled cocaine in two plastic pharmacy prescription envelopes and a birthday card to be posted to a cousin in Australia.
Kyeremanteng allegedly admitted sending the parcel but explained that it was his cousin who gave him $900 to buy the drugs.
Eight Ghanaian passports bearing different names with varied professions were found in Kyeremanteng’s home when a search was conducted there by officials of NACOB when he was arrested.
Mr Amoah said he could not give any reason why Kyeremanteng was not charged as there was nothing on his file.
He said Kyeremanteng was granted police enquiry after his arrest for investigations to continue.
According to him, no formal charges had been preferred against Kyeremanteng since his arrest and the grant of police enquiry bail in 2004.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) has confirmed that it asked the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to re-engage the services of Alex Kyeremanteng.
Although it explained that there was nothing to link Alex Kyeremanteng to drug trafficking, its letter of December 3, 2007 to the GCAA confirmed that Kyeremanteng was arrested for his alleged involvement in the trafficking of narcotics drugs by courier to Australia.
The Public Relations Officer of NACOB, Mr Francis Amoah, however, said that the NACOB in its letter of December 3, 2007, to the GCAA indicated that Kyeremanteng may be called upon, should the need arise, in connection with the said case in the future.
Mr Amoah was reacting to concerns raised by some staff of the GCAA about the handling of the case.
The staff, who wondered whether the law on dealing with drug traffickers was meant for different people, alleged that Kyeremanteng had been throwing his weight about that nobody could touch him.
The Daily Graphic in its November 19, 2004, edition published a story from the NACOB that Kyeremanteng had parcelled cocaine in two plastic pharmacy prescription envelopes and a birthday card to be posted to a cousin in Australia.
Kyeremanteng allegedly admitted sending the parcel but explained that it was his cousin who gave him $900 to buy the drugs.
Eight Ghanaian passports bearing different names with varied professions were found in Kyeremanteng’s home when a search was conducted there by officials of NACOB when he was arrested.
Mr Amoah said he could not give any reason why Kyeremanteng was not charged as there was nothing on his file.
He said Kyeremanteng was granted police enquiry after his arrest for investigations to continue.
According to him, no formal charges had been preferred against Kyeremanteng since his arrest and the grant of police enquiry bail in 2004.
Monday, February 25, 2008
A-G appeals against Tichler's jail term
Page 20: February 25, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Attorney-General's Department described as “disproportionate to the gravity of the offence” the four-year sentence imposed on Thomas Tichler, the 57-year-old Briton, who was convicted for causing harm and indecently assaulting a three-year-old girl.
It has, accordingly, filed a notice of appeal at the High Court seeking an increase in the sentence, which was passed on Tichler by an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs Georgina Mensah-Datsa.
The notice, which was filed last Friday, said additional grounds would be filed on receipt of the certified true copies of the judgement.
Tichler was convicted on Tuesday, February 19, 2008, on two counts and sentenced to four years and two years respectively to run concurrently effective November 2, 2007, the day he was remanded in custody.
Passing judgement, the judge said he took into consideration the fact that Tichler was assaulted by the father of the girl, while the physical injury to the victim was not permanent.
Tichler was said to have inserted his fingers into the victim’s vagina but he denied the offence and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
A total of seven prosecution witnesses, comprising the victim, her parents, the victim’s two siblings, a medical doctor and the investigator in the case, testified against Tichler.
Tichler testified and denied any wrongdoing and called two witnesses to testify for him.
The facts of the case were that Tichler, who arrived in Ghana on September 25, last year for a three-month attachment with the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), committed the offence at the residence of the victim on October 13, 2007, barely a week after he had arrived in the country.
According to the prosecution, Tichler visited the victim’s father at North Legon, near Redco Flats, on October 13, 2007 and on reaching the house, the victim’s father left the victim and her two siblings in the care of Tichler in order to purchase some items from town.
Tichler engaged the victim and her two siblings, aged eight and six, at the sitting room but later managed to engage the victim alone and succeeded in inserting his fingers into her vagina.
Not quiet long after the incident, the victim’s mother arrived from town and just as she entered the kitchen, Tichler followed her and requested for water to wash his hands.
Later, the victim went to her mother and said she wanted to urinate and while helping her, the mother noticed blood stains in the victim’s panties.
The victim mentioned the accused person as the one who inserted his fingers into her vagina when she was questioned by her mother.
Tichler was arrested and handed over to the Legon police.
The victim was later taken to hospital where she was examined, treated and discharged.
According to the court, the evidence of the little girl, which was taken in camera, was spontaneous and was not disjointed to seem as if it had been rehearsed as suggested by the defence.
It said the girl’s story was consistent, articulate and honest and showed that the convict’s act of carrying the girl on his shoulders and putting her down on the sofa were very contemporaneous with the time of the commission of the offence.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Attorney-General's Department described as “disproportionate to the gravity of the offence” the four-year sentence imposed on Thomas Tichler, the 57-year-old Briton, who was convicted for causing harm and indecently assaulting a three-year-old girl.
It has, accordingly, filed a notice of appeal at the High Court seeking an increase in the sentence, which was passed on Tichler by an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs Georgina Mensah-Datsa.
The notice, which was filed last Friday, said additional grounds would be filed on receipt of the certified true copies of the judgement.
Tichler was convicted on Tuesday, February 19, 2008, on two counts and sentenced to four years and two years respectively to run concurrently effective November 2, 2007, the day he was remanded in custody.
Passing judgement, the judge said he took into consideration the fact that Tichler was assaulted by the father of the girl, while the physical injury to the victim was not permanent.
Tichler was said to have inserted his fingers into the victim’s vagina but he denied the offence and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
A total of seven prosecution witnesses, comprising the victim, her parents, the victim’s two siblings, a medical doctor and the investigator in the case, testified against Tichler.
Tichler testified and denied any wrongdoing and called two witnesses to testify for him.
The facts of the case were that Tichler, who arrived in Ghana on September 25, last year for a three-month attachment with the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), committed the offence at the residence of the victim on October 13, 2007, barely a week after he had arrived in the country.
According to the prosecution, Tichler visited the victim’s father at North Legon, near Redco Flats, on October 13, 2007 and on reaching the house, the victim’s father left the victim and her two siblings in the care of Tichler in order to purchase some items from town.
Tichler engaged the victim and her two siblings, aged eight and six, at the sitting room but later managed to engage the victim alone and succeeded in inserting his fingers into her vagina.
Not quiet long after the incident, the victim’s mother arrived from town and just as she entered the kitchen, Tichler followed her and requested for water to wash his hands.
Later, the victim went to her mother and said she wanted to urinate and while helping her, the mother noticed blood stains in the victim’s panties.
The victim mentioned the accused person as the one who inserted his fingers into her vagina when she was questioned by her mother.
Tichler was arrested and handed over to the Legon police.
The victim was later taken to hospital where she was examined, treated and discharged.
According to the court, the evidence of the little girl, which was taken in camera, was spontaneous and was not disjointed to seem as if it had been rehearsed as suggested by the defence.
It said the girl’s story was consistent, articulate and honest and showed that the convict’s act of carrying the girl on his shoulders and putting her down on the sofa were very contemporaneous with the time of the commission of the offence.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Probe operations of Narcotics Board
Page 3: February 22, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO security experts have called on President J.A. Kufuor to set up a high-powered independent commission of enquiry into the operations of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) since 2001.
Dr Kwesi Aning and Mr Emmanuel Addo Sowatey, who made the call in separate interviews in Accra yesterday, said an investigation into the life cycle of cases dealt with at NACOB could help in shaping up a policy and its implementation to address the challenges of the drug menace facing the country.
Dr Aning suggested that membership of the commission should include representatives of both public and private institutions who understood the drug business.
He said the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) should be made to send representatives to serve on the commission, since their expertise was much needed.
Dr Aning, who is the Head of the Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Department (CPMRD) of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, said the commission should not only review all the cases handled since the period but also the handling of exhibits and their whereabouts.
He said the level of infiltration into the national drug fighting agency was so high that the problem needed to be dealt with.
Dr Aning said he did not believe that the government should take the missing drugs at the Police Headquarters as an isolated case, since the problem was much bigger than that.
“We need to ensure that every drug that is said to have been destroyed has, indeed, been destroyed. This should not be difficult to find out, since there are procedures for destroying these drugs, after which certificates are to be counter-signed by all the parties, with pictures available,” he said.
“Were orders or directives issued for the destruction by the trial judges? When was it done and who were present?” he asked.
According to him, the drug problem had become a national crisis with serious security implications which must be dealt with immediately, since it could no longer be swept under the carpet.
“That is why it is important to set up a genuine independent commission, with support from the UNODC, to help address the challenges,” he stated.
Dr Aning said the investigation must cover the vetting of all staff, including the property they had acquired over the years.
He said all the bad nuts must be weeded out of the system to restore the credibility of NACOB.
For his part, Mr Sowatey said it should be easy to check on the cycle of any case, including the handling and management of exhibits.
“I call for a thorough review of the entire system,” he stated.
He said there were suspicions that arrests made in the period had fizzled out with nothing to show.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO security experts have called on President J.A. Kufuor to set up a high-powered independent commission of enquiry into the operations of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) since 2001.
Dr Kwesi Aning and Mr Emmanuel Addo Sowatey, who made the call in separate interviews in Accra yesterday, said an investigation into the life cycle of cases dealt with at NACOB could help in shaping up a policy and its implementation to address the challenges of the drug menace facing the country.
Dr Aning suggested that membership of the commission should include representatives of both public and private institutions who understood the drug business.
He said the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC) should be made to send representatives to serve on the commission, since their expertise was much needed.
Dr Aning, who is the Head of the Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Department (CPMRD) of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, said the commission should not only review all the cases handled since the period but also the handling of exhibits and their whereabouts.
He said the level of infiltration into the national drug fighting agency was so high that the problem needed to be dealt with.
Dr Aning said he did not believe that the government should take the missing drugs at the Police Headquarters as an isolated case, since the problem was much bigger than that.
“We need to ensure that every drug that is said to have been destroyed has, indeed, been destroyed. This should not be difficult to find out, since there are procedures for destroying these drugs, after which certificates are to be counter-signed by all the parties, with pictures available,” he said.
“Were orders or directives issued for the destruction by the trial judges? When was it done and who were present?” he asked.
According to him, the drug problem had become a national crisis with serious security implications which must be dealt with immediately, since it could no longer be swept under the carpet.
“That is why it is important to set up a genuine independent commission, with support from the UNODC, to help address the challenges,” he stated.
Dr Aning said the investigation must cover the vetting of all staff, including the property they had acquired over the years.
He said all the bad nuts must be weeded out of the system to restore the credibility of NACOB.
For his part, Mr Sowatey said it should be easy to check on the cycle of any case, including the handling and management of exhibits.
“I call for a thorough review of the entire system,” he stated.
He said there were suspicions that arrests made in the period had fizzled out with nothing to show.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Finatrade scholarship for 20 students
Page 48: Fberuary 20, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Finatrade Foundation yesterday presented scholarships to 20 second-year students pursuing courses in agriculture at four public universities in the country.
Each of the beneficiaries would receive GH ¢500 for every academic year of their period of study at the University of Ghana, Legon; University of Cape Coast, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University for Development Studies.
The award to the 20 students brought the number of agriculture students on scholarship from the foundation to 86 since the inception of the scholarship scheme in 2003.
The foundation was set up to promote socio-economic development and help reduce poverty. It also seeks to equip the beneficiaries with practical training on the job.
At a ceremony to present the award to the new beneficiaries, the Managing Director of the Finatrade Group of Companies, Mr Nabil Mourkazel, urged agriculture students to get into farming upon completion of their tertiary education.
He said agriculture offered the best business opportunity for any entrepreneur to succeed due to the increasing demand for food to meet the growing world population.
He said the world population was growing exponentially, resulting in shortages in food supply the world over.
He urged them not to be content with the degrees they would earn at the end of their studies but to endeavour to move into the field of putting their knowledge into practice.
A Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Clement Eledi, conceded that modernising agriculture would be difficult unless there were farmers who would be able to use the tools and equipment imported.
He said agriculture graduates, therefore, held the key to modernising agriculture and urged them to abandon the notion of working in offices after completion of their courses.
The Chairperson of the foundation, Ms Joyce Aryee, said the foundation had so far spent GH¢94,500 on the scholarships.
She said the Finatrade Group was also offering internship programmes for the beneficiaries so that they would have the experience of the world of work.
She said the group would also engage some of the graduates permanently after they had undertaken their national service.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Finatrade Foundation yesterday presented scholarships to 20 second-year students pursuing courses in agriculture at four public universities in the country.
Each of the beneficiaries would receive GH ¢500 for every academic year of their period of study at the University of Ghana, Legon; University of Cape Coast, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University for Development Studies.
The award to the 20 students brought the number of agriculture students on scholarship from the foundation to 86 since the inception of the scholarship scheme in 2003.
The foundation was set up to promote socio-economic development and help reduce poverty. It also seeks to equip the beneficiaries with practical training on the job.
At a ceremony to present the award to the new beneficiaries, the Managing Director of the Finatrade Group of Companies, Mr Nabil Mourkazel, urged agriculture students to get into farming upon completion of their tertiary education.
He said agriculture offered the best business opportunity for any entrepreneur to succeed due to the increasing demand for food to meet the growing world population.
He said the world population was growing exponentially, resulting in shortages in food supply the world over.
He urged them not to be content with the degrees they would earn at the end of their studies but to endeavour to move into the field of putting their knowledge into practice.
A Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Clement Eledi, conceded that modernising agriculture would be difficult unless there were farmers who would be able to use the tools and equipment imported.
He said agriculture graduates, therefore, held the key to modernising agriculture and urged them to abandon the notion of working in offices after completion of their courses.
The Chairperson of the foundation, Ms Joyce Aryee, said the foundation had so far spent GH¢94,500 on the scholarships.
She said the Finatrade Group was also offering internship programmes for the beneficiaries so that they would have the experience of the world of work.
She said the group would also engage some of the graduates permanently after they had undertaken their national service.
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