General News
Block manufacturers unhappy with quality of building materials on the market
Block manufacturers in the Ashanti Region have expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of raw materials on the market.
They observed that a reduction in the quality and size of essential materials such as cement and iron rods is compromising the standard of their block production, ultimately affecting their profit gains.
Players in the construction industry have urged the Ghana Standards Authority to strengthen its surveillance of building products on the market.
Antiquated buildings erected amongst contemporary settlements have proven to stand the test of time, which according to experts, owe mainly to the quality of raw materials employed in their construction.
But block manufacturers argue recent metrology and quality of raw materials for building works are failing to meet the standard.
Manager for Akadire Blocks Factory, Ayingura Awene was worried about the emerging challenge.
“The sand, the quarry products that we procure, cement and irons have had all their standards compromised. Now, there is influx of cement which is good for the economy. But one of the challenges we’ve identified off late is that the weight of the cement is not good. It affects the design, especially for those of us who work with volumes. Because they may think one bag of cement is 50kg, perhaps that’s the dimension so they will be adding on other materials to get the products. So they just add up without taking the real measurement. At the end of the day, there could be some form of deficiency in their products,” he said.
In 2018, the government in collaboration with the Ghana Standards Authority established the National Building Code to ensure the safety of all public, residential and industrial buildings across the country.
The policy aims at streamlining actors in the Ghanaian construction industry with a common standard for public safety and protection, structural efficiency and environmental integrity.
In response to the concerns raised at a sensitization workshop, Acting Director of the Middle Belt of the Ghana Standards Authority, Samuel Kofi Frimpong, assured of stringent measures to rid the market of the substandard products.
“Our people will quickly go on the ground to conduct the checks. We will also contact the manufacturers to facilitate the location of these producers so we test their products and make sure it meets the standard. If it doesn’t, there will be penalties and even shutting down of factories to ensure there is sanity in the industry,” he assured.
Meanwhile, the industry players are calling for a review of policies guiding block certification.
They argue the exorbitant cost for the certification does not commensurate with the present market environment and may have tolling effects on their business.
“The law that was passed there wasn’t any proper consultations. Whenever we query them they tell us the consulting they did was 20 years ago. As of that time, the quality of the materials used for the production was different and so was the environment. They didn’t conduct any market analysis. They should have consulted us before passing the law,” one of the manufacturers emphasized.
General News
The traumatic experience of a Ghanaian bisexual
A Ghanaian man, using the alias Ibrahim for safety concerns, has boldly told his tragic story of being repeatedly assaulted in his community because of his sexual orientation.
Ibrahim, a Muslim, has described being targeted several times by assailants in his community over the years.
According to him, these attacks have become more intense this year as a result of Ghana’s parliament passing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
Ibrahim was attacked just as arguments around the passing of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill heated up, and he was attacked again shortly after the bill was passed in February.
The first incident happened on January 22nd, at about 5 p.m., near the Sen Cinema Mosque in Alajo North, Accra.
Ibrahim was the target of another violent attack four months later, on April 12, 2024, during the 3music Sallafest Concert at Alajo T Junction in Accra.
Ibrahim claims that the assaults were motivated by his sexual orientation, which had previously gone unnoticed in his society.
Ibrahim has resorted to secluding himself within for protection since he lives in constant fear of additional attacks.
He laments the absence of a support network in his village, with just a few understanding people living outside its borders.
However, the dread of repercussions keeps him from finding consolation or company outside of his close environs.
In an exclusive interview, Ibrahim described his terrible sense of loneliness and the psychological toll of the ongoing danger of violence.
He must navigate his everyday existence beneath the shadow of dread, unable to freely interact with the world around him for fear of serious bodily damage.
General News
Power interruptions damage our enterprises; release dumsor schedule – GUTA
The Ghana Union of Traders’ Associations (GUTA) has joined demands for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to produce a load-shedding schedule, citing the persistent power outages that are badly impacting companies and livelihoods across the nation.
GUTA issued a statement emphasising the considerable impact of the power outages on many sectors, including agriculture, trade, and industry.
According to them, firms are struggling to meet production schedules and prepare for their personnel as a result of the irregular power supply, which raises production costs and degrades living conditions.
Traders, store owners, wholesalers, tailors, dressmakers, electricians, and other artists are also suffering business losses as a result of the “Dumsor phenomenon.”
GUTA is asking for answers from ECG about the true reasons of the unpredictable power outages, measures to resolve the issue, and a deadline for resolution.
They also requested ECG to publish a timeframe for load-shedding so that companies may organise their activities appropriately.
Because of the unpredictability of power outages, many shop owners have turned to generators, which has resulted in rising fuel costs to keep them operating during outages.
General News
The Foreign Affairs Ministry cautions against travelling to Northern Mali
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has advised Ghanaians not to travel to certain areas of Northern Mali.
In an official statement, the Ministry underlined recent security concerns along critical routes connecting Mali and Niger, notably in the Gao and Ansongo regions of Northern Mali.
The Ministry mentioned incidents of terrorist activity targeting travellers along these routes.
“The Ministry remains committed to the safety of Ghanaians and will provide updates on the security situation in the region under reference in due course,” the statement went on to say.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry reminded the people to always prioritise their safety when travelling.
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