Microsoft Lumia & Juliet Ibrahim to make Singapore trip happen for 3 couples

What better place to spend the New Year (2015) than the beautiful South-Eastern Asian country of Singapore, home to the world’s most attractive tourist sites?

With just a week to Christmas, Microsoft Lumia, is offering beautiful and exciting Singapore to Ghanaians on a silver platter through its “#MakeItHappen” p r o m o t i o n , running now till the end of December.

With just a ‘selfie’ taken with Lumia 530, 630, 535, 730, 830 and 930, and posted on Microsoft Lumia Ghana facebook page, one stands the chance of going on an allexpense paid dream holiday to Asia in the New Year.

E x p l a i n i n g the participation process, Mr. Kolawole Osinowo, Business Manager, Microsoft Mobile Devices and Service, Ghana, said, “to qualify for the promotion, one has to take a selfie with one or all of the selected Lumia phones and upload them to Microsoft Lumia Ghana Facebook page with the Hashtag #MakeItHappen #Ghana #LumiaSelfie followed by the IMEI number of the phone(s)

As part the campaign, market activations are currently on-going at selected Malls and shopping centres including, the Telefonika Store – West Hills Mall, Compu Ghana Store, Marina Mall, and the OSU Mall. Celebrity Juliet Ibrahim the brand ambassador for the #MakeitHappen Campaign will also make an appearance at the selected malls to part take in the ‘selfie’ sessions.

He disclosed that owners of the top three ‘selfies’ shots will win an all-expense paid trip to Singapore with a partner. Mr. Osinowo urged Ghanaians to make this year’s Christmas a memorable one using Lumia phones to capture all their wonderful moments.

The Lumia range of 730 and 830 boosts a full High Definition 5megapixel front facing camera for users to take perfect selfies and share quickly and easily on their social networks, while the Lumia 830 with its sleek and elegant look, brings Microsoft’s flagship style and performance to more people with integrated Microsoft experiences and superior PureView imaging.

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Guinness Ghana initiates GH¢515,000 water treatment plant for Alogboshie, Atebubu

Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited has cut the sod for the commencement of two Water Health Centres for Alogboshie, a suburb of Achimota in the Ga West Municipality, and Atebubu in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The combined GH¢515,000 project is fully funded by GGBL and the Diageo Foundation and will provide access to clean potable drinking water to over 40,000 inhabitants of both communities under its flagship community investment programme, Water of Life.

This project brings to 9 the total number of Water Health Centres GGBL and Diageo Foundation have sponsored across the country since 2012.

A Water Health Centre is a miniature water treatment system consisting of boreholes connected to a reverse osmosis plant and a housed ultra violet system to treat water for communities.

Speaking at the sod cutting ceremony at Alogboshie, Richard Ahiagble, Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility Manager said, “the selection of Alogboshie, a community close to our Achimota Brewery and Atebubu, where we source local raw materials for our production is in line with our commitment to invest in enriching communities in which we have direct operations and source locally. "

He revealed that last year, GGBL invested in a Community Health Post and the construction of a one classroom block as part of our employee volunteering programme for the Alogboshie community.

He added that recent research on the impact of the Water of Life programme revealed the effect to extend beyond the simple provision of access to clean drinking water.

"The study shows that the programme has contributed to the reduction of water-related diseases from 15% to 3% in the communities where a Water of Life project has been placed. We hope that with the construction of this facility, we can create jobs and empower these communities as well”, he added.

Ekow Blankson, Vice President and Business Head of WaterHealth International, Ghana added “Guinness Ghana has partnered with us to provide WaterHealth centres to over 8 communities. The feedback from these communities has been great and the impact has been tremendous. We are excited to partner on these projects as well and are happy at the level of support we are already receiving from the two communities. We will be training and employing residents from these communities to operate and manage the facility once completed – creating local jobs and supporting livelihoods.”

The two projects are expected to be completed by January 2015.

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Royal Bank marks 2nd anniversary with clean-up exercise

As part of celebration to mark its second anniversary, the Royal Bank in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited undertook a cleanup exercise at the Princess Marie- Louise Children's Hospital in Accra.

The initiative was aimed at exposing members of the community to the importance of maintaining a clean environment through frequent clean up exercises.

Management of staff of the bank were seen sweeping and cleaning gutters in an around the hospital to prevent any outbreak of communicable diseases.

The bank also donated an amount of GH¢5,000, food stuff, toiletries and other items to support the hospital upcoming Christmas party.

Head of Strategic Planning, Research and Corporate Affairs, Dr. Kwame Baah-Nuako said the decision to clean up is to support government campaign on sanitation.

He noted that the choice of the Children's Hospital for the exercise is to ensure children who are more susceptible to communicable diseases remain in good health to enjoy Christmas.

Dr. Baah-Nuako said as a people centered bank, they always seek to champion social activities to improve the lives of the unprivileged in society.

“The focus area for the Royal Bank foundation is health and sanitation so when we decided to celebrate our second anniversary, it came naturally to the bank to do things that support what the foundation is doing” he added.

Dr. Baah-Nuako promised their continuous support for the Princess Marie-Louise Children's Hospital.

Receiving the items and cash donation on behalf of the hospital, the Medical Superintendent, Dr. Eric Sefah said the donation was very timely as they prepare for their Christmas party.

He stressed that the donation will go a long way to bring a smile to the faces of the children.

Dr. Eric Sefah made a passionate appeal to corporate institutions and individuals to support their bid to provide a better health facility

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CAPE VERDE:ON TRACK

Cape Verde formally the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an island country crossing an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean. Located 570 kilometres (350 miles) off the coast of Western Africa, the islands cover a mutual area of slightly over 4,000 square kilometres (1,500 sq mi).

Cape Verde's economy has been progressively mounting since the late 1990s, and it is now officially measured a country of average development, being only the second country to have achieved such transition, after Botswana in 1994.

Cape Verde's prominent economic growth and enhancement in living conditions despite a lack of natural resources has reaped international recognition, with other countries and international organizations often providing development aid. Since 2007, Cape Verde has been categorized as a developing nation.

Cape Verde has few natural resources. Only four of the ten main islands (Santiago, Santo Antão,São Nicolau, Fogo, and Brava) normally support significant agricultural production, and over 90% of all food consumed in Cape Verde is imported. Mineral resources include salt, pozzolana (a volcanic rock used in cement production), and limestone.

Its small number of wineries making Portuguese-style wines have traditionally focused on the domestic market, but have recently met with some international acclaim. A number of wine tours of Cape Verde's various microclimates began to be offered in spring 2010 and can be arranged through the tourism office. The economy of Cape Verde is service-oriented, with commerce, transport, and public services accounting for more than 70% of GDP. Although nearly 35% of the population lives in rural areas, agriculture and fishing contribute only about 9% of GDP. Light manufacturing accounts for most of the remainder.

Fish and shellfish are plentiful, and small quantities are exported. Cape Verde has cold storage and freezing facilities and fish processing plants in Mindelo, Praia, and on Sal. Expatriate Cape Verdeans contribute an amount estimated at about 20% of GDP to the domestic economy through remittances. In spite of having few natural resources and being semi-desert, the country boasts the highest living standards in the region, and has fascinated thousands of immigrants of different nationalities.

Investment Opportunities in Cape Verde

Fishing

 Cape Verde’s waters are opulent in under-exploited marine resources, forming a countless potential for investments in the fishing industry. The fishing industry is budding and backs to a large portion of the country’s exports. However, Cape Verde has fishing potential yet to be fully exploited. Two foremost international fishing grounds border the islands, which are spread across

Tourism

Presently the islands of Sal (alone, 65% of tourism activities in the country), Boa Vista, Sao Vicente and Santiago are desired there is growing need for modern accommodation facilities on other islands as well

Transport Sector

 One of the main significances in the transport sector area is to transform Cape Verde into a shipping support podium and a regional air transportation hub.

Sea Cluster

As far as a Sea Cluster is apprehensive, the Government is now endorsing the Island of S. Vincent as a Regional Center for processing, marketing and export of marine resources. Investments are greeted in cold storage, ship repair and maintenance, transshipment and Bunkering and handling facilities, along with major public-private partnerships for the construction and management of a new deep sea Port and of a Cruise Terminal in the Island of S. Vincent.

Air Cluster

Investments are very much greeted into an Air Cluster, mainly in the privatization of the national air carrier – TACV. The government is aiming at a strategic partnership for the development of synergies on traffic and economically profitable activities and operations with African, European and South and North American markets/ destinations, along with major opportunities in the concession of the four major international airports operations and services. A niche of opportunities exists within this cluster for aircraft maintenance and handling and air navigation services.

Energy Sector

Cape Verde’s determined growth plans in the energy sector is to have 50 percent of electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2020 which will necessitate big investments in power and water infrastructure, and their use of alternative energy presents great opportunities. Cape Verde has one of the best wind regimes in the World (18m/s) and a great potential for solar energy with a ratio of 6-8 kWh/m²/day.

Information and Communication Technology

 Another priority area is in Information and Communication Technology, which is set to play a lead role in the economic expansion of the country in the medium and long terms.

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President Armando Guebuza inaugurates roads in northern Mozambique

The Auasse/Mocímboa, Praia/ Palma and Macomia/Auasse roads in the province of Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, with a combined length of 225 kilometres, were inaugurated by the country’s President, Armando Guebuza, the Mozambican press reported. Rebuilt with a loan of 93 million euros granted by the Portuguese State, the road linking the district of Mueda and the districts of Mocimboa da Praia and Palma is 122 kilometres long and the road between Mueda and Macomia is 103 kilometres long. The two roads were rebuilt by construction companies Ceta, of Mozambique and Andrade Gutierrez, of Brazil. Guebuza then travelled on to Zambezia province to inaugurate the road between Gurué and Magige.

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Mali decorates Gen. Kazura for his services

The outgoing Force Commander of the UN Mission in Mali, Maj. Gen. Jean- Bosco Kazura, was earlier this week bestowed upon the National Order of Mali, by the Malian government in recognition of his role in pacifying the country.

Gen. Kazura received the medal from Malian Defence Minister Bah N’Daw during a ceremony attended by Minusma officials, senior Malian military officials and Mali’s Chief of staff, Brigadier General Mahamane Touré.

During the ceremony, Mali’s Chief of Staff was quoted saying: “You leave us when our expectations are not yet fulfilled, whereas you have accumulated a wealth of expertise that is second to none in the knowledge of the Malian situation. You are well familiar with all the players, the issues, and it is today, when your contribution is vital that you decide not to renew your contract”.

“You did what you could. The ball remains more than ever in the camp of Minusma. Malians have their eyes on the Minusma to fulfill its mandate successfully,” Gen. Touré said, Kazura thanked the people of Mali and the country’s leaders, particularly President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, for their hospitality.

“I did not come to Mali for its beauty and warmth but for its people and for ourselves, because it would be a shame to think that the problem of Mali is only a national one.

It is global. The Rwandan people will never forget the participation of the Malian army to restore peace in Rwanda after the crisis of 1994. We must put our efforts together to overcome the crisis in Mali,” he said.

Gen. Kazura completes his tour of duty, 18 months after he was appointed to head the UN peacekeeping mission in the West African nation.

He has been heading the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (Minusma), which took over from an African peacekeeping force. Minusma’s current mandate expires in June next year.

It was established by the Security Council under Resolution 2100 and tasked to carry out a number of securityrelated tasks and support political processes in Mali, including assisting the transitional authorities in extending and re-establishing state administration throughout the country.

Prior to his appointment as Force Commander, Gen. Kazura was Commandant of the RDF School of Infantry in Gabiro. Last Friday, he toured Timbuktu where he urged continued vigilance and discipline on the part of Minusma in bid to fully pacify Mali.

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Ghana and Kenya sign seven agreements to boost ties

President John Dramani Mahama and his Kenyan host, President Uhuru Kenyatta, have supervised the signing of seven key agreements to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two nations, at the conclusion of a three-day state visit of the Ghanaian leader.

Two of the agreements, which were signed at the State House in Nairobi, centred on the development of partnerships in Air Services and Trade, whilst five Memorandums of Understanding, (MOUs), were signed on Tourism, Agriculture, Energy, Oil and Gas, Information and Communications Technologies, (ICTs), and Education. Some elements of the agreements include efforts to reduce the cost of doing business between the two countries, cooperation in tourism training, and the exchange of technical information in agriculture.

In bilateral discussions preceding the signing ceremony, the two leaders exchanged ideas on the need to establish Double Taxation Agreements between the two nations and how to protect investments in each other's country. They further discussed how Ghana and Kenya could serve as effective sub-regional aviation hubs in West and East Africa respectively.

President Mahama congratulated his Kenyan host on the recent decision of the International Criminal Court, (ICC), to drop charges of crime against humanity and genocide levelled against him over the killing of more than 1000 people during the 2007 elections.

President Mahama (who is Chair of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS)) noted that Kenya, as the largest economy in East Africa, and Ghana, as the second largest economy in West Africa, could forge stronger partnerships that boost intra- African trade and deliver jobs, opportunities and prosperity to the people of both nations.

The Kenyan leader, who is the current Chair of the East Africa Community (EAC) commended President Mahama on his leadership as Chair of ECOWAS, especially in addressing terrorism and insecurity, fighting the ebola outbreak disease in some West African countries and also assisting the people of Burkina Faso to return their nation to a state of normalcy after the citizens uprising that resulted in the resignation of President Blaise Compaore.

The two Presidents characterised the visit as the re-opening of a new and promising chapter in Ghana-Kenya relations, to build on the warm, deep and historic pre-independence bonds established by Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Kenya's founding President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta.

President Kenyatta thanked President Mahama for undertaking this historic three-day state visit, which is the first ever by a sitting Ghanaian Head of State. In his response, President Mahama extended a reciprocal invitation to his host to undertake a state visit Ghana at a date to be agreed by both Governments soon.

On arrival at State House, President Mahama inspected a guard of honour mounted by troops from the Kenya Defence Forces and received a twenty-one gun salute.

Earlier on Friday morning, President Mahama laid a wreath at the Mausoleum of the late Kenyan President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, during a solemn ceremony.

The two Presidents also toured the vast compound of the Kenya National Youth Service, where thousands of Kenyan youth are trained and deployed every year into various sectors and communities. The leaders inspected heavy equipment and trucks that are used for the construction of boreholes and roads, in deprived communities, such as the Kibera slum area in Nairobi.

President Mahama, who also served as a Special Guest of Honour at Kenya's 51st Independence anniversary celebrations (or Jamhuri) Day on Friday, 12th December, leaves Kenya on Sunday, 14th December 2014.

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