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GREL pays GH¢1.35 million bonus to loyal rubber farmers
● 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.
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.
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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Manhyia would serve as Ghana’s unifying force …Otumfuo assures on commemoration of 27 years on the Golden Stool
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, last Friday celebrated his 27th enstoolment with a colourful and culture-rich ceremony at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, drawing a distinguished gathering of dignitaries from across Ghana and beyond.
Clad in splendid kente and adorned in rich traditional regalia, the dignitaries added colour and elegance to the occasion, as the palace grounds came alive with a vibrant display of Ghanaian culture.
Traditional drumming, dancing and symbolic rites underscored the deep-rooted heritage of the Ashanti Kingdom, captivating guests and reaffirming the value of tradition in modern society.
Speaking at a high-level Executive Gala organised by the Diaspora Affairs Office of the Office of the President in strategic partnership with the E ON 3 Group, the ‘World-Meets-in-Ghana’ gala, the Asantehene urged Ghanaians to guard against the divisive tendencies of partisan politics.
The event was to honour the Asantehene’s nearly three-decade reign under the theme ‘Advancing Peace and Sustainable Economic Development through Royal Vision’.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that such attitudes threatened the country’s long-standing values of unity, civility and brotherliness.
He assured that Manhyia would continue to serve as a unifying force for the nation.
The celebration also featured the presentation of commemorative gold coins to notable national leaders, including the President, John Dramani Mahama, former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice President in recognition of their contributions to peace and national development.
By Spectator Reporter
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Energy Minister announces full restoration of power generation units after major grid disruption
Energy Minister, John Jinapor has announced that all power generation units affected by the recent national grid disruption have been fully restored and are back in service.
According to the Minister on social media, engineers, technicians and emergency response teams worked continuously to restore electricity supply and stabilise the national grid after the incident caused major challenges within the power sector.
In a statement, the Minister praised the efforts of personnel from the Ghana Grid Company Limited, Volta River Authority and Electricity Company of Ghana for their commitment and coordination during the emergency.
“Mission accomplished. All generation units are now back in service,” the Minister stated.
He explained that despite the scale of the disruption, technical teams worked around the clock to restore power and secure stability within the system.
“Through their tireless work, discipline, and commitment to country, power has been restored and system stability secured,” he said.
The Minister further expressed appreciation to the leadership and staff of GRIDCo, VRA, ECG and other supporting agencies for their collective response to the crisis.
According to him, the successful restoration of the system demonstrates the resilience and capability of Ghanaian professionals in times of national difficulty.
“This moment shows that even under pressure, Ghana can rely on the strength and skill of its people,” he added.
The Minister offered prayers for the country’s energy sector and the engineers who led the restoration efforts.
“May God bless our engineers, our energy sector, and our nation,” he stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
