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GREL pays GH¢1.35 million bonus to loyal rubber farmers

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● Mr Loenel Barrre, MD GREL

● Mr Loenel Barrre, MD GREL

The Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) has paid GH¢1.35 million to 790 rubber outgrower farmers who have continuously sold rubber to the company.

The payment known as “Fidelity Bonus’ was to reward the rubber outgrower farmers who demonstrated total loyal­ty to the company by deliver­ing rubber cup lumps to the weigh bridges and processing factories for eight consecutive months during the 2022-2023 agriculture season.

In a communique to the outgrower farmers, the GREL said it really appreciated the long-standing relationship with its outgrower farmers and the payment was to show appre­ciation and to boost their morale and also to encourage other outgrower farmers to be loyal to the company.

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GREL started as a small private plantation established by R. T. Briscoe in 1957 at Dixcove with a plantation size of 923 hectares.

The plantation was nation­alised into Agricultural Devel­opment Corporation (ADC) in 1960 and later, State Farms Corporation in 1962. At that time, the rubber plantation had expanded to Abura and Subri.

The Ghana Government, in 1967, established a joint ven­ture company with Firestone Tyre Company of USA to take over the rubber plantation. This joint venture company was Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL).

GREL became wholly state-owned in 1980 when Firestone sold its shares in GREL to the Ghana Government.

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However, the Ghana Government entered into a financing agreement with the then Caisse Française de De­velopment (CFD) now Agence Française de Development to rehabilitate and manage the company’s rubber plantation and to build a new rubber pro­cessing plant at Apimenim.

After the rehabilitation in 1996, the French management company, Societe Internatio­nale d Plantation d’ Hevea (SIPH) became the major shareholder of the company.

 By Peter Gbambila

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Justin Kodua Frimpong files nomination to seek re-election as NPP General Secretary

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General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.

He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.

Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.

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“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.

He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.

“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.

His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.

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The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.

The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.

By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme

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UGMC disputes Michael Blackson’s claims over late mother’s treatment

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The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.

In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.

The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.

According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.

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UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.

The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.

It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.

UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.

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The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.

The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.

Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.

By: Jacob Aggrey

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