MTN Ghana launches 2022 MoMo month
Telecommunication giant, MTN Ghana has launched this year’s Mobile Money month in Accra. The 2022 edition is on the theme: ‘Accelerating Growth in Digital Payments – The Role of Partnerships’ is part of efforts to ensure digital inclusion. Speaking at the launch, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mobile Money Limited, Eli Hini said the feat chalked by MoMo is partly due to the mass awareness campaigns undertaken through the month-long campaign dubbed MoMo Month celebrations. He indicated that since 2012, MoMo month has been held annually to create awareness about the digital payment platform, drive financial inclusion and reward thousands of customers, agents and merchants. Mr. Hini noted that MTN MoMo has impacted the lives of millions of Ghanaians both home and abroad. Activities lined up to drive partnerships in the digital payment space during this year’s MoMo Month, he said include customer promos, digital fairs and market storms, stakeholder forum, a new initiative named as “Catch Them Young’ series, among others. Mr. Hini also thanked the various players in the industry who facilitated the launch of one the most revolutionary products to have been introduced onto the Ghanaian Finance market. “We say thank you to our Regulators, Partner Banks, Agents, and Merchants dotted across the length and breadth of Ghana” he added. For his part, General Manager for Sales Distribution of MTN Ghana, Abubakar Mohammed said the company’s decision to launch the MoMo Month at the Rawlings Park, a leading business hub in Ghana, is a testament that the company attaches great importance to businesswomen and small and medium businesses in the country.
Cardinal Namdini Mining Ltd accomplished its resettlement project promise at Biung and Accra New Site Area
A known mining establishment, Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited operating in the Talensi District of the Upper East Upper Region has successfully commissioned its Biung and Accra New Site resettlement projects. Apexnewsgh.com report The move is part of its process to resettle mining-affected people at Biung and Accra New Site area. According to Mr. Luis Santana, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, the Biung, and Accra New Site resettlement project was planned to improve housing infrastructure without necessarily changing the way of life and social interaction of the project-affected victims. He said: “In a more cost-effective way of providing urban-type services such as reticulated electric power, improved water supply and sanitation, improved community access roads and social services including schools, healthcare facilities, church among other for 61 families at Biung and 56 families at Accra New Site all located within the Namdini Mining Area”. Mr. Santana said, in acknowledgment of the potential social and environmental impacts associated with a such development project, Cardinal Mining Limited introduced the concept of sustainability to mitigate the impact of involuntary resettlement by putting in place livelihood restoration and vulnerable assistance programmes, which are aimed at economic empowerment and social enhancement of the project affected people. According to the CEO, all households at Biung and Accra New Site are beneficiaries of the livelihood restoration programme and have also been provided with agricultural extension services, tractor services to plough their farmlands, farm inputs including maize, millet, beans, and groundnut seeds, farming tools such as cutlasses, hoes, wellington boots, spraying machines, pesticides, and fertilizers. He revealed, that the company has engaged the services of a local NGO, Widows and Orphan Movement (WOM) to implement a vulnerable assistance programme to support vulnerable households during the transitional period of the resettlement to cushion them against shocks and hardship and to attain self-sufficiency. According to Mr. Santana, the vulnerable assistance programme is providing various assistance packages such as healthcare services, food rations, and micro-enterprise development among others. He believes the objectives of the programme will be realized when all stakeholders, project beneficiaries, and implementers effectively and efficiently play their parts. Meanwhile, he acknowledged that the collaboration between Cardinal Namdini, the District Assembly, Tongraan, Chief and the people of Biung and Accra New Site is making the project a success. “The ongoing partnership between Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited and its local stakeholders has also culminated in construction in construction of a 25km public road from Balungu to the mine at a cost of U$7 Million. Which when completed, will improve communication between nearby communities and serve as mine access road”. He explained He said the completion of the resettlement project pave way for the construction of the Namdini Gold project, with an estimated gold production of over 1 million oz au during the first 3 years of operation and an average of 278k oz au during its year’s mine life”. He revealed He is of the view that the government’s plan to promote the social-economic development of the northern part of Ghana is highly aligned with Shandong Gold’s strategic goal. Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited will uphold the principles of regulatory compliance, transparency, and world-class standard, and will be a responsible developer of the Namdini Gold Project. Mr. Santana however expressed his personal appreciation and thanks to the Honorable Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Deputy Minister of Mines, CEO and Staff of Minerals Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, Tongraan and the Talensi Traditional Council, Talensi District Assembly, The Chief and the people of Biung and all the Local Contractors and workers that with their hard work and dedication helped to make the resettlement project a success. Baare Chief, Naab Nyaakora Mantii who spoke on behalf of the paramount Chief of the Talensi Traditional Area, Tongraan Kugbilsong Nanlebegtang advised Cardinal Namdini, the CEO and subordinate not to neglect their social responsibilities. “We all know as part of your work, you have to, in terms of development, employment and other support the community or the traditional area at large. We plead with you to make sure we get what is due to us. Make sure you live peacefully and cooperate with one another. Take good care of these nice-looking buildings we are seeing, make sure you are able to coexist with our partners and do not confront them in terms of problems. Whatever problem you have there are lay down procedure”. He advised However, expressing his excitement Sector Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor said his excitement was as a result of the potential jobs the Namdini Mining operation is going to create for the people of the Upper East Region, it impacts on the social-economic development of the area and the country at large. “I was happy to learn that even before the first gold they poured Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited had already factored local content in its employment policy including senior management like the Company Secretary and the head of legal who are from this very region Upper East”. “This is indeed a sign that the operation of the mine will bring many more jobs to the people of this region and Talensi in particular”. “The conventional that gold was only found in the southern part of our country no longer holds. Today, active mining operations are ongoing in almost every part of the country including northern Ghana. Before any mining operation commences the law of our country particularly the Minerals and Mining Acts 206 Act 703 and the Mineral and Mining Compensation resettlement Regulation 2012 enjoined mining companies to resettle persons who will be affected by Mining operations and the Minister is empowered to ensure that the resettlement is done on a suitable manner, paying particular attention to the wellbeing of the people. “Having realized that the operation of Cardinal Namdini will affect people Biung and Accra New Site, it was incumbent on us to work with the company to ensure that all affected families are relocated. Together with the Minerals Commission and Company, we have worked tirelessly
UER: Water supply system will provide 20,500 cubic meters of water per day–Prez Akufo-Addo
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as part of his tour of the Upper East Region has said, the commissioned water supply system will provide the people of Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Paga, and its environs with Twenty Thousand Five Hundred (20,500).Apexnewsgh.com report President Akufo-Addo made the pronouncement during his speech at the Water project commissioning on Friday, August 5, 2022. He described the day as a very happy day for the people of the Upper East Region and indeed for the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. According to the president, work started on the project in his first time of office and he is grateful that the almighty has given everyone good health and life to witness the Commissioning. \ “You recall in January 2018, government through the agency of Ministry of Finance secured funding to the tone of Thirty-Seven Million Six Hundred and Eighty-Three Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty-Six Euros, consisting of Twelve Million Euros from Netherlands government and Twenty Five Million Euro facility also from Ing bank from the Netherlands to implement the Upper East Region water supply project. Following up on this, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resource together with the contractor structured the project into two phases with the aim of increasing the design heroism from 2030 to 2040 to make adequate provision for future demand in line with our policy to construct water project taking into consideration future population growth”. He said “The Upper East Region water supply system will provide the people of Bolgatanga, Navrongo, Paga, and its environs with Twenty Thousand Five Hundred (20,500) cubic meters of water per day which is approximately Four and a half million gallons of water per day, a three-four increase from the 1.5 million gallons a day currently available to the region”. President reaffirmed, that apart from Bolgatanga, Navrongo, and Paga, communities such as Zuarungu, Zaare, Sumbrungu, Kalbeo, Gambrigo, Winkongo, Tongo, Yorogo, and Kongo are also set to benefit from the project. He added: “Three Hundred and Forty-Seven Thousand Four Hundred and Forty-Six ( 347,446) People will be served with portable sink water”. “The execution and completion of the Upper East Water Supply Project fall in line with the programs of the government to achieve a target of Sustainable development goal number 6 of ensuring efficient management of water and sanitation for all”. He stressed However, he says government remains committed to creating an enabling environment through the provision of social infrastructure that will attract businesses to our communities. “Accordingly, I expect with the availability of portable water in this area investors will take advantage of government flagship programs such as One District One Factory (1V1F) this city to establish small and medium enterprises to employment for youth people so as to stimulate the growth and development of domestic performance. He stated He said for ensuring equity and an improved water supply, the government is working diligently to provide funds to improve the water supply situation in other parts of the country with the objective of ensuring equity and improved quality of life for all communities in the country”. Source: Apexnewgh.com/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen/President Tour/Upper East Region