Erudite software launched

Dream technology in collaboration with Ben-Multi group of companies and Centre for Academic Excellence (CENFAX) has launched Erudite Software to be used by schools from the Basic to Senior High level in record and information management.

Mr. Robert Afanu, a software developer with dream technology, said “the software is a student’s model for storing and retrieving information instead of searching through piles of files which teachers spend so much time in doing.”

He said the motivation leading to the establishment of the software was that, through his time in school, he realized that teachers and the management of schools spent much time in searching for information of students and spent much more time calculating marks, all of which was time-consuming.

Erudite Software can be used to check school attendance of both staff and pupils. This can assist with the performance assessment of both teachers and pupils.

It is also a tool for the academic assessment of students, a task teachers spend so much time in doing. It can calculate the academic scores of pupils. “On the click of a bottom, erudite will do this in seconds.” Mr. Afanu confirmed.

According to Mr. Bernard Essibuah, CEO of Ben-Multi Group of Companies and CENFAX, the software has been experimented on a number of schools and the outcome was positive and very efficient.

“The head of those institutions were very excited about such a product on the market. They said that in this age and time of technology, things had to take shape.” He added.

The market value of the software together with an additional computer and after-sales service goes for GH¢1000. As part of the package, an expert is available upon sale to take takes teachers and management of the buyer or school through the software. The software together with two or three computers went for GH¢1500 and GH¢2000 respectively.

The CEO indicated that interested persons could grab a copy for themselves at the Ben-Multi book services or Centre for Academic Excellence (CENFAX).

FirstBanC launches new products

FirstBanC has launched two products, known as the Provident Fund Migration Service and the Heritage fund, in Accra.

The Provident Fund Migration Service is a free service designed to help businesses and institutions - both public and private - to design, restructure and make their Provident Funds compliant with the new Pensions Act 2008, Act 766.
Under this service, FirstBanC will assess and transfer existing provident funds to make them compliant with Act - including registration with the National Pensions Regulatory Authority (NPRA).

It also provides tax-free mortgage-financing benefits for employees of the business and institutions. The service is for employees of all businesses and institutions whether in the private or public sectors, including government, NGO’s, CBOs and FBOs.

For organisations and businesses with an existing scheme, FirstBanC will provide professional valuation services to determine the fair value of the scheme.
The Heritage fund is an open-ended equity market mutual fund with the primary aim of achieving long-term capital growth and building wealth for its shareholders.

The fund seeks to raise a minimum amount of GH¢100,000 during the Initial Public Offering (IPO) at an initial cost of 20Gp per share. The offering for shares of the Heritage fund began on Monday and ends on August 16.

The investment can be used to meet your medium to long-term financial needs, which includes financing of education, acquisition of property, retirement planning and so on, and is intended to build a similar solid foundation for investors to achieve solid growth, sustainable income and long-term value.
It operates by mobilising funds from shareholders which are then invested in high-yielding equity and fixed-income instruments.

Mr. Richard Kwame Asante, Chairman of the NPRA, said the outfit will continue to regulate the movement of schemes at all times to ensure that everyone enjoys the service, and added that there are lots of benefits in registering with the NPRA.
“There are opportunities under the scheme, but you have to take advantage of these opportunities and I encourage other financial institutions to introduce similar products to bring competition in the marketplace.” He made these comments at the launch of the new products.

Mr. Mawuli Hedo, CEO of FirstBanC, said the company would introduce more products and services in order to attract more customers, since it provides investors with the aim of long-term capital growth and wealth-building, and enriched every individual to go in for such products. Interested persons can acquire application forms from branches of FirstBanC, Stanbic bank, Zenith bank, Agricultural Development Bank and The Trust Bank across the nation.

Mr. E. K. Akoto, Chief inspector of Taxes, Internal Revenue Service, advised employers that filing of taxes returns is very necessary and therefore encouraged them to take up the two funds since they had lots of benefits.

Western Union Rewards Loyal Customers

Western Union Ghana brought its World Cup 2010 promotion to an end last week, rewarding many loyal customers.

The promotion was to build up excitement towards the just ended 2010 FIFA World Cup Tournament in South Africa.

The draw for the promotion took place at the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) at Ring Road branch, Accra, with presence from the various banks that transact business with Western Union.

The winners were picked in a random selection of entry coupons submitted by participants.

Ten customers were proud winners of flat screen television and 200 customers won Western union branded T-shirts and baseball caps. The ten winners were: Emmanuel Ayayi, Sarfo Kwabena, Ouedrago Abdul Razak, Stephen Simms Mensah, Joshua Dankwah, Gibril Mutala, Akwasi Boateng, Ellen Boakye, Akupem Frank and Abass Mohammed.

In the previous draws, four customers qualified to be sent on an all-expenses-paid trip to South Africa to watch the just ended FIFA World Cup and many others won consolation prizes.

The marketing officer of money transfer and remittances, Mr. Karikari Kyei, said that the only qualification to be part of the promotion was that one needed to just receive money from abroad through any Western Union agent nation-wide and fill a coupon.

“Though the Black stars could not make it to the semi-finals, we still had to fulfill our promises,” he added.

He also congratulated the winners of the draw and assured that, Western Union is fast and saves time; as such they wanted their customers to benefit always from their transactions.

cal bank donates to childrens hospital

Cal Bank Limited has donated a cheque for GH¢ 31,517.63 and food items worth GH¢ 200 to the Princess Marie-Louise Children’s Hospital as part of the banks 20th anniversary celebrations.

The donation was made at the Hospital’s premises in Accra and included boxes of fruit drinks and assorted biscuits amounting in total to GH¢ 200.

Mr. Frank Adu Jnr, the Managing Director of the bank, said as part of its corporate social responsibility, the bank decided to heed the call of the hospital and come to their aid.

“We have to take good care of the kids since they outnumber the adults, so that they will always look good and healthy,” he said.

The money donated will help the hospital complete the refurbishment of its surgical block which was started five years ago.

The donation was received by Rev. Father Andrew Campbell, a caregiver of the hospital, who thanked the bank for the gesture and called on individuals and organisations to help the hospital in similar manner.

This, he indicated, will bring the hospital to the standard of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital’s Children’s ward, to avoid the transfer of patients for surgery and emergencies.

He also said that the hospital needed more ambulances since the only one available, which is over fifteen years old, was the only mode of transportation for the hospital. The hospital’s lift is also in need of repair to facilitate the movement of patients and workers from the grand floor to the theatre. 

“We will do our best to make the hospital one of the best and we will call on you again anytime we need help,” he added.

After the donation, representatives of the bank went round to see the patients in the wards and spent time interacting with them and staff of the hospital. The construction site of the surgical block was also inspected.

Dr. Eric Sifah, the medical superintendent, thanked the bank on behalf of the hospital for its kindness and said the hospital will continue to count on then for assistance.

ONLY A MIRACLE

Do you believe in miracles?

Mr. Bernard Wiafe, a 35 year old manager, lived all his life concentrating on his business and planning for his future, neglecting complains from his mum about her being old enough and needed a grandchild. So she wants him to get married to fulfill her dream: as usual.

He has not bothered because he had always had the impression that all ladies were the same due to an experience he had some 7 years ago in trying to date a lady he knew very well he was going to get married to. This lady, after knowing Bernard for six months, could come to his house and spend the weekend. Little did he know that this lady was actually stealing from him little by little. She succeeded in stealing his money, jewels, document, clothes and everything you could think about, and she vanished in thin air without anyone knowing her whereabouts.

A year later, after his wounds had finally healed, friends and relatives advised him that not all ladies were the same and that there were still some good ones. Maybe he hasn’t searched well enough.

Six months later, on his way from the bank, he met this slim, fair coloured, beautiful lady, dressed in a silky stripped long green dress with short wavy hair, right at the entrance of the bank. “it was love at first sight” he never believed he could fall for a lady in that manner. He spent some time with this lady who introduced herself as Joan. Joan was a devoted Christian who was also waiting on the Lord to grant her heart desire of being a mother and a wife to her dream man. And Bernard was right there. They got to know themselves well enough for a year and decided to get married. Bernard could not believe himself, he was so much in love with Joan and couldn’t even live a day without seeing her.

However, on November 7th 1999, they got married and Bernard’s mother thanked God soo much for answering her prayers at the right time and said “for they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength”
Bernard and Joan lived happily with their business but had no kids after three years of marriage. Joan, as religious as she was, waited on the Lord. Avoiding all the pressure from her mother in-law.

In some few weeks, she felt some pains in her body and decided to see the doctor. At the hospital, the doctor confirmed she was 2weeks pregnant and did not have to do so much work. When her time was due, her in-law came to live with them at least to be around till after delivery. She was been driven around anytime she had something to do in town by her driver due to her condition.

Finally, she delivered at the expected time and it was a bouncy baby boy. Everyone was happy. Her in-law was full of happiness.

One day when everyone had left home and she had run out of food for the home, she decided to go to the market with the driver to get something for the house. When they arrived at the market and she was just about to step down from the vehicle, the baby fell from her and the driver just applied the reverse brake and the tyres walked on the arm of the baby. What a pity! Tears started to roll down the cheeks of Joan and asked God why this had happened to her. The baby was rushed to the hospital and the doctor upon seeing the condition in which the baby was, he said “it is only God who can save him and that ONLY A MIRACLE can save your child”

SKIN BLEACHING

Variety is the spice of life, such as variety in food, clothes, hairstyles, etc. Variety also abounds in nature. That is why all people on Earth belong to different types of skin colours, from white to yellow and to black. Our living environment accounts for the different skin colours we have. For example, in cold climatic regions such as Europe, inhabitants tend to have a lighter complex due to the cold weather, whereas in Africa, darker skin is better suited in the hot and humid climate.

However, many people are bleaching their skin. Why do they do that? Is fairer skin really more appealing than darker skin?
Most ladies are proud and happy about their original skin colour but others would always want to change from their original skin to a supposed preferable one. They go in for products with the intention of changing their skin colour but unknowingly those products cannot be used in the tropics to get its desired effect.
Some would say “Black is beautiful, so why do I bleach my skin?” But some would say “I don’t like my colour people say I am too dark and they call me ‘Blackie’” They are so much intimidated by what people say about them and in trying to solve this problem, they end up messing up.

Moreover the proliferation of the beauty products and cosmetics on the market without education leads people into this situation.
Skin bleaching destroys the black pigment found in the epidermis (top layer of the skin). When this happens, the exposure of the dermis layer, underneath the epidermis layer, to the harsh weather will increase the incidence of skin cancer. The dermis cannot compensate for the absence of the epidermis and coupled with the hot sun, one will get a higher risk of cancer.

Most ladies too do not stick to one type of product. They end up switching from one product to the other within a short time. This is because they see no effective change in what they use and turn to have irritations on their skin. Since they do not know the exact product that caused their irritation it cannot be corrected as soon as possible. For these irritations, which include rashes, pimples and so on, it would take a long time to be corrected.

Thus we can see that though having fairer skin as desired, skin bleaching is also damaging to our skin.

OIL TROUBLE FOR LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN

Oil from the ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico is seeping into Lake Pontchartrain north of New Orleans, threatening another environmental disaster for the huge body of water that was rescued from pollution in the 1990s.

The lake rebounded then to once again become a bountiful fishing ground and a popular spot for boating and swimming.

It is threatened again after a weekend when tar balls and an oil sheen pushed by strong winds from faraway Hurricane Alex slipped past lines of barges that were supposed to block the passes connecting the Gulf of Mexico to the lake.

The oil could be the second setback in five years. Hurricane Katrina knocked out seafood docks and lakeside restaurants in 2005. The lake's water quality also took a hit when the Army Corps of Engineers drained New Orleans' contaminated floodwaters into the lake.

State authorities closed the lake's eastern reaches to fishing Monday, though most of it remained open. Barges were lined up at bayous and passes to stop the oil from coming in, and cleanup crews Tuesday used nets to collect tar balls from marinas and docks.

They also planned to lay 9,000 feet of special permeable booms, but the lake was too choppy for skimmer vessels to operate.

About 1,700 pounds of oily waste has been collected, said Suzanne Parsons Stymiest, a spokes woman for St. Tammany Parish.

The amount of oil infiltrating 600-square-mile Lake Pontchartrain appears small so far. And tests on seafood have not turned up any oil contamination, said Brian Lezina, a state biologist. But the pollution is distressing to the many people in Louisiana who have a deep attachment to the lake.

Lake Pontchartrain, named for the French count of Pontchartrain during the reign of Louis XIV, is on the northern edge of the city. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico by two main passes: the Rigolets, a winding passage of about 10 miles, and the Chef Menteur, around nine miles long.

For centuries, it has been a playground, a source of seafood and a backdoor route to New Orleans for invading British troops and hurricane storm surge.

Until the 1970s, its shores were a top destination for city folks who took streetcars and buses to the lake to swim and to dine at restaurants that cooked up the lake's crabs and other seafood. They played in penny arcades and rode the Zephyr roller coaster at the Pontchartrain Beach amusement park.

But pollution shut down the swimming and chased away marine life, and the amusement park closed in the early 1980s.

Slowly, the lake revived. In recent years, sightings of dolphins and manatees have delighted locals, and commercial and recreational fishing is thriving.

Anthony Montalbano Jr., the chef and owner of II Tony's, an Italian seafood restaurant next to the lake, said it has been a struggle to stay open. Katrina swamped his restaurant at Bucktown, a lakeside community in New Orleans that has the feel of a bayou town.

Source: statesmanjournal.com