Government releases $3 million for seismograph * To record earth tremors

Front Page: Daily Graphic, January 19, 2010.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE government has approved the release of $3 million for the purchase of a seismograph, the device used to measure and record earth tremors, Alhaji Collins Dauda, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has disclosed.
He told the Daily Graphic yesterday that all the necessary documentation for the release of the amount was at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning awaiting the release of the money.
The only seismograph of the Geological Survey Department broke down two years ago.
Alhaji Dauda said he was anticipating that the money would be released by the close of this week to enable the ministry to procure the equipment from Canada.
He, however, said he could not tell how soon the equipment would be brought down but indicated that because of the urgency involved, the ministry would ensure its early delivery as soon as payment was effected.
He explained that when his attention was drawn to the breakdown of the equipment, the ministry wrote to the National Procurement Board seeking approval for sole sourcing from the manufacturers, Nanometrics of Canada, due to the urgency involved, but the board declined the request for sole sourcing.
He said the board insisted that the ministry did an open tender but after he personally intervened and explained that the situation in which the country found itself did not allow for open tender, the board finally gave in.
Alhaji Dauda said the ministry, therefore, wrote to the Finance Ministry on December 29, 2009 for the release of the amount.
“As I speak with you now, officials from my ministry are following up at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning for the release of the funds,” he added.
He described the earthquake hoax as a blessing in disguise because it woke everybody up to his or her responsibilities.
He, however, reminded Ghanaians that the equipment did not detect earthquake but only measured and recorded the tremor levels.
A Deputy Information Minister, Mr Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the rumours reinforced the need for mobile phone operators to register SIM cards.
He said it was emerging that the rumour had emanated from a text message, adding that tracing the source would have been easier if SIM cards had been registered.
He said the government was resolute in the registration of SIM cards and indicated that the National Communications Authority (NCA) was leading the way, with the National Security Council Secretariat monitoring events.
The National Security Co-ordinator, Lt Col Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, denied that the registration of SIM cards had been suspended.
He said mobile phone operators requested for an extension of time, which was granted, noting that it was wrong for anyone to say that the registration of SIM cards had been suspended.
He gave the assurance that the authorities would ensure that mobile phone operators fulfilled their obligation by the six-month extension they requested for.
Last year, mobile phone operators were given up to December to register SIM cards but some operators called for an extension of the period.