Fiapre (B/A), July 11, GNA – The Catholic University College of Ghana branch of the Student In Free Enterprise (Sife) on Tuesday presented its national SIFE championship trophy to the university’s Vice chancellor, Professor James Ephraim Hawkins at a short ceremony at Fiapre, near Sunyani.      The team also received other awards namely, the SIFE Spirit award, the best Faculty Advisor award, an amount of GH¢ 500.00, as well as the best Ecobank fellow award.      Presenting the trophy, Mrs. Vida Korang, Faculty Advisor for SIFE attributed the enterprise success to commitment, team work, determination and dedication, which had seen the university win its prestigious award for the first time.      She said the SIFE programme was meant to prepare students for the real world by challenging them to address real problems confronting society today by developing community outreach projects and participating in a series of competitive events, which builds them up to develop team work, leadership and communication skills to set them apart from the average university student.      She enumerated the benefits likely to accrue to the university following the winning of the award as, recognition in the international media, opportunity to interact with administrators of universities from other 39 countries across the world, opportunity to network and sell CUCG to business, charity organisation and donors, opportunity to develop exchange programmes, scholarships and business partnership for students and lecturers to the Sife world cup.      Nana Ofori Akoto, President Sife CUCG, said Sife is an international non-profit organisation that brings together diverse network of tertiary education students, academic professionals and industry leaders around the world to share the mission of creating a better, more sustainable world through the positive power of business.      He said participating students formed teams on their campuses and apply business concepts to develop outreach projects that improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need, while developing the skills to become socially responsible business leaders.      “An annual series of regional and national competitions provide a forum for teams to present the results of their projects and the winner advances to the prestigious SIFE World Cup”, he stated.      He said the team presented three projects for this year’s competition namely; Beyond deliverance, See Fiapre and Bread for Better Life and managed to beat 15 other tertiary institutions participating in the competition.      Receiving the trophy, Prof. James Ephraim Hawkins, Vice – Chancellor of the University, on behalf of the bishops, students, staff and governing council of the university congratulated the team for raising high the image of the university.      The Vice - Chancellor pledged the unflinching support in material and financial terms towards the team’s activities, adding that, “their effort is an attestation that something good is happening at the private universities.”        The Sife team, by emerging as the national champions, would represent the country in Washington for the World Cup, at the Sife world Cup competition slated for September this year.     GNA...

Some aggrieved contractors for the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) today the besieged the premises of GETFund to demand payment of monies due them.

Kenyasi (B/A),  July 11,  GNA – The mining industry paid GH¢ 645 million in corporate tax to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and this represents 36.26% of the total company tax collected in 2011.   As the number one tax payer and the highest contributor to the GRA in the country, the sector again contributed about GH¢ 1 billion to the GRA representing 27.61% of the total GRA collections in the same year.   Dr. Tony Aubyn, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, said this in a speech read on his behalf at the apprenticeship graduation, promotion and matriculation ceremony of Newmont’s apprenticeship programme at the company’s plant site at Kenyasi in the Asutifi District.   Forty-six new apprentices selected from the 10 mine-take communities were enrolled to pursue the four-year apprenticeship progrmme in mechanical engineering and 26 trainees graduated.   The mine-take communities are Kenyasi Number One, Kenyasi Number Two, Ntotroso, Gyedu, Wamahinso in Asutifi and Adrobaa, Techire, Afrisipakrom, Yamfo and Susuanso in the Tano North districts.   Dr. Aubyn said between 2003 and 2011 there had been a sharp increase in royalties mining companies had been paying to the government and that royalties had jumped from GH¢ 19, 054,625 to GH¢ 218, 922,903 during the period.   Notwithstanding these contributions to the sector, he said, the increasing activities of illegal mining operators continued to be a threat to the good image of the industry.   “Due to this menace, member companies continue to spend huge sums of money yearly to protect their concessions which have often been the targets of these illegal miners”, he said.   Dr. Aubyn gave the assurance that the chamber would persist in its advocacy to promote legal small scale mining and also engage policy makers and other stakeholders on the negative repercussions of this menace.   Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister,  appealed to the continuing trainees and the in-coming ones to remain focused and make the best use of the opportunity.   He appealed to management of Newmont and the employees to always resort to social engagement through dialogue for resolving grievances to promote a peaceful working environment to achieve increased productivity.   Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo also appealed to the traditional rulers and the communities in the operational area to cooperate with Newmont for peaceful co-existence.   The External Relations Manager on the mine, Mr. Kojo Bedu-Addo, said the apprenticeship programme was established during the construction phase of the mine in 2005.   He said 25,000 dollars was spent on each of the apprentices during the four-year training period.        GNA...

Health authorities in Kumasi say they are making little progress in efforts to use family planning as one of the measures to eliminate maternal mortality.

Sunyani, July 11, GNA – The Customs Division of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Command of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) last Friday seized uncustomed eight bails of imitated wax prints valued at GH¢ 4, 632.00.   The items were being moved from the Northern Region to the Ashanti Region by two women traders only known as Mariama and Janet.   Customs duty on the 600 yards factory packed cut pieces of the wax print concealed under maize, beans and rice in a KIA truck with registration number AS 9319P is GH¢ 2, 559.38.   The Command has imposed a GH¢ 10, 000 penalty on the items. The amount also covers carrier penalty.   Briefing newsmen in Sunyani on Tuesday Mr. Isaac Desmond Abbey, the Sector Commander, said the Division received a tip-off and impounded the vehicle in Techiman and brought it to the regional headquarters in Sunyani.   Mr. Abbey said when the traders were interrogated they admitted that they bought the items from the Techiman central market.   He said the Division had given the traders some time to pay the penalty and in default the items and the vehicle would be auctioned to defray the penalty.   Mr. Abbey commended the public for their support in fighting smuggling in the region and appealed to residents of border towns in the region to support the Division.       GNA...

DuPont, a developer of genetically altered crops, commissioned the Global Food Security Index as a means of identifying areas where reforms were most urgently needed and ranked Ghana 68th out of 105 other countries.

Employees at the Community Affairs Department at Gold Fields GhanaÂ’s Tarkwa Mine have taken a giant step to touch the lives of pupils in the companyÂ’s area of operations by instituting a Career Guidance and Mentoring Programme in selected schools.

The Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Paul Victor Obeng has urged government to invest part of revenues generated from non-renewable natural resources into sectors such as agriculture to boost the economy.

The Ghana Chamber of Mines has been studying a report which proffers solutions to bridging the gap between indigenous enterprises and the countryÂ’s mining industry.

The police authorities, yesterday, disputed claims by Islamic sect, Boko Haram which claimed responsibility for weekend's massacre in some villages in Plateau State.

THE world football governing body, FIFA, will next week appoint the two figures who will play key roles in the efforts to banish corruption from the soccer governing body, a decision that was originally due to be taken in May.

An Indian court granted bail on Tuesday to a female international athlete charged with raping her former girlfriend, who has alleged that she is actually a man, reports AFP.

Al Wasl announced via its official Twitter account that the club has parted company with coach, Diego Maradona, reports Goal.com.

Government has predicted an overwhelming overhaul of the countryÂ’s sporting facilities and infrastructure from early next year.

Igesund was handed the national team reins last month ahead of Steve Komphela, who was initially expected to take up the number-two role, or at the very least a position on SAFA's technical committee.

A two-match ban given to Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho for poking Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova in the eye has been lifted as part of a general amnesty, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Tuesday.

Fifa risks damaging world football by moving to less stringent regulation of players' agents, English Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore said on Tuesday.

Arsenal captain Robin van Persie could reportedly perform a surprising u-turn by committing his future to the club, just days after revealing he would not sign a new deal.

The 20-year-old midfielder - who made 16 first-team appearances for Liverpool last season - finalised his new deal on Tuesday morning.

Chelsea captain John Terry pointed to his work helping African footballers and their charities as evidence he isn't prejudiced during police interviews heard at his racism trial on Tuesday.