Ghana TV News, 27.06.2010 | | | | Survival of Northern Star Tomato Factory depends on resource support- Report * Source: GNA | Accra, June 27, GNA - A report on the Tomato Value Chain in the Upper East Region, has suggested the need for collaboration between stakeholders to provide the initial support needed for effective operations of the Northern Star Tomato Factory (NSTF).
The report asked the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) and Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to facilitate the relationship between the company, farmers and the private sector.
The report produced by the Ghana Trades and Livelihood Coalition, a farmer advocacy group, said at current levels the tomato value chain in the Upper East Region is beset with problems of human resource, finance and innovation, which are not combining well enough to create a competitive tomato enterprise.
The quantity of fresh tomato presently produced in the region is very inadequate, and may not be enough to supply traders and the NSTF. The report called for expansion in production in the dry season through managed irrigation of farm lands along the White Volta from the Upper East through the Northern and Brong Ahafo regions. Other means of increasing supply to the market, such as contract and block farming should be considered. There is also the need for MOTI to provide the autonomy needed by the NSTC to run efficiently. The report called on the ministry to take immediate steps to facilitate and put in place an independent board and management for the NSTF. It said the factory should be resourced and expanded to full capacity and should have a canning facility and buy tomatoes at good prices from farmers.
The role of the board and management should include facilitating a better relationship in the value chain in the Upper East Region initially and incrementally in the Upper West, Northern and Brong Ahafo regions. The report said MOTI and Ministry of Foreign Affairs should facilitate the creation of a joint enterprise with Burkina Faso for the production, processing and marketing of tomato. "The success of a joint venture evolves on an efficient management of the NSTC to create and sustain effective forward and backward linkages within the production chain.
"Clearly, the absence of efficient management at the NSTC is a serious threat to the growth and sustenance of the tomato value chain in Ghana." The report called on the Savannah Agriculture Research Institute (SARI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research to research into the seeds used by farmers in the Upper East Region. A uniform variety of certified seed that could be cultivated during the rainy and dry seasons in large quantities should be researched into by SARI to guarantee a good source of seed. Adequate extension service delivery by the MOFA should be stepped up periodically, for example after every three years, to ensure transfer of knowledge that improves yield, chemical application and other farm practices. Besides, existing groups of farmer organisations require strengthening by MOFA to be able to participate and contribute to growing the tomato industry through well functioning clusters and value chain relationships. | Jubilation in Ghana: Six injured in Tamale * Source: GNA | Tamale, June 27, GNA - Six soccer fans in Tamale, Northern Ghana, were on Saturday injured in separate incidents while celebrating the 2-1 defeat the Ghana Black Stars inflicted on the U.S.A. at the ongoing South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup.
When GNA visited the Out Patients Department of the Tamale Teaching Hospital the records showed that Majeed Obedia, 32; Mohammed Muto Wakilu, 27; Adam Karim, 19; Musah Mariam, 11; Mustapha Fuseini, 22 and Sumaila Safura, 14 had reported with various degrees of injury they had sustained while in jubilation.
At Ho in the Volta Region the celebration started after Kevin Prince Boateng scored the opener for the Black Stars five minutes into the game. Fans of all age groups and sexes poured into the streets after the second goal by Asamoah Gyan and celebrated till the early hours of Sunday. The fans in various groups marched from one end of the town to the other amidst singing, dancing and ululating after the stress of watching 120 minutes of the duel.
A 60-year old woman told GNA that she could not watch the match because of tension but she could, however, not miss out in the celebrations. The normally fluid traffic in the Municipality was jammed for the greater part of the night, while drinking bars were crowded with some of the patrons blowing vuvuzelas.
A European visitor to Ho, who gave her name only as Raffaela, was among a group Europeans, who joined in the jubilation. She said the Black Stars played very well and deserved the victory.
At Cape Coast in the Central Region hundreds of soccer fans took to the street Saturday night to celebrate the Black Stars' victory. Immediately the Referee whistled for the end of the match, soccer fans most of them clad in national colours poured unto the streets, sang and danced to brass band music and waved flags amidst the tooting of vehicle horns.
In an interview with the GNA, Nana Aidoo, Chief Executive of Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs Football Club, commended the Black Stars for defeating U.S.A. to qualify for the next stage of the competition.
He noted that the victories chalked by the National Team had made Ghanaians proud and asked the Stars to sustain their fighting spirit to enable them to win the cup.
Some of the fans, who gathered at the main Takoradi Highway Shell Filling Station in Cape Coast, danced deep into the night and discussed the splendid performance of the Stars.
Earlier some fans predicted a "cool win" for the Stars, to GNA, citing the 1996 results as a reference.
Mr James Biney, a newspaper vendor, told GNA that the Black Stars would perform creditably and advance to the next stage of the competition and urged Ghanaians to pray for the Team.
At Elmina, soccer fans danced to "kolomashie", a traditional dance, cheered and paid glowing tribute to the Black Stars for their selflessness and dedication that had brought the Team that far.
At Aflao, a border town in the South-Eastern Ghana, entry and exit procedures slumped as Officers on both sides of the Ghana-Togo Border joined in the celebrations and hordes of jubilant soccer fans crossed from one side to the other without any hindrance.
"Better declare the borders free today," the exhilarated Togolese fans from Lome, kept screaming as they poured into Aflao, Ghana, dancing and praising the Black Stars.
Across the border in Kodzoviakope and Nyekonakpoe, both in Lome, the capital of Togo, the GNA joined fans clutching Ghanaian miniature flags in the celebration.
Many Togolese think Asamoah Gyan had sometime magical that makes him score match deciders. | | |
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