It is not only the NDC that is doing us in! The NPP is also in cahoots with the NDC to sell us out for a mess of potage!
The entire political class from across the political spectrum has been bought by powerful interests ... read full comment
It is not only the NDC that is doing us in! The NPP is also in cahoots with the NDC to sell us out for a mess of potage!
The entire political class from across the political spectrum has been bought by powerful interests and deep-pockets to IMPOSE Genetically Modified Foods on unsuspecting Ghanaians!
This is about our health, not politics. It is time every Ghanaian who wants to stay healthy begin to demand and put pressure on our politicians to vomit the money they have been given and do the right thing!
Former President Kufuor wants us to believe he is a statesmen. What kind of statesman sells his own conscience and his people's interests just for dollars?
We are certainly not Roundup ready!
NO TO GMOS! GMO=POISON!
Ekow 9 years ago
Good observations, Brother Tutu. But Kuffour's action should not surprise you. This is a man who traveled or was out of Ghana for 5 years out of his 8 years in office just collecting per diem in millions of dollars.
Don't ... read full comment
Good observations, Brother Tutu. But Kuffour's action should not surprise you. This is a man who traveled or was out of Ghana for 5 years out of his 8 years in office just collecting per diem in millions of dollars.
Don't forget the sale of Ghanatelecom, the building of stadia, Ghana@50, Jubilee House etc and to top it up with the looting of Ghana with his bogus EO Group in the oil deal. A president who buys a hotel and lies to Ghanaians that it was for his son who was unemployed. How could an unemployed person be offered a 2 million loan. The Banks are not stupid and due diligence would inform them the loan was at risk of default. The guy had no credit history. We are not fool but thanks to Newmont Gold.
This man who calls himself a statesman totally sold the nation to enrich his himself, family and cronies with impunity. Kuffour, Rawlings and P V Obeng are among the richest in the country. What sickens me currently is appointment of Kwesi Botchwey as leading figure to face the IMF in Ghana. Wasn't this same Kwesi Botchwey who led Ghana to the slaughter house with the same IMF WB (SAP, ERP etc)?
I will continue saying this: REMOVE NPP and NDC if you want Ghana to be what Nkrumah wished it. To me Ghana is a failed State period!!!!
Opinionman 9 years ago
Just wondering where you got your information from regarding GMOs containing toxic pesticides.
Conventional science of GMOs have it that herbicide-tolerant GMOs reduce amount of herbicide use in crop farming since a a single ... read full comment
Just wondering where you got your information from regarding GMOs containing toxic pesticides.
Conventional science of GMOs have it that herbicide-tolerant GMOs reduce amount of herbicide use in crop farming since a a single broad-spectrum herbicide will be sufficient for use to control weeds. Compare to conventional farming whereby many different herbicides would have to be used in controlling weeds on the farm.
If you understand the genetics of GMO production, you would have nothing to worry about GMOs. For lack of knowledge people make lots noise about GMOs as if they are poisons being forced down their throat. The truth is they aren't.
Ekow 9 years ago
You are so ignorant and not worth spending one's precious time debating. Please go and do more reading instead of quoting from wrong sources. GMO is not good for us biologically, its not good for us economically as we would h ... read full comment
You are so ignorant and not worth spending one's precious time debating. Please go and do more reading instead of quoting from wrong sources. GMO is not good for us biologically, its not good for us economically as we would hand over our very lives to Monsanto. They (west)have taken over our mineral resources and that is enough.
Please go and do more research before you exhibit your ignorance.
Carol Biophilia 9 years ago
Organic farmers use Bt bacteria on their crops to fight certain insects. The bacteria are natural parts of the environment worldwide and are not toxic to humans or even to the insects not specifically targeted by the particul ... read full comment
Organic farmers use Bt bacteria on their crops to fight certain insects. The bacteria are natural parts of the environment worldwide and are not toxic to humans or even to the insects not specifically targeted by the particular strain of Bt. Bt GM crops have a gene in them to produce the protein that kills certain insects. The protein isn't harmful to anyone or anything except the certain target insects if they start to eat the plant. There are no GM crops that contain any pesticide other than the harmless Bt protein, which is found in nature and has been used by natural farmers for decades.
GHANABA 9 years ago
China has rejected 250,000 tonnes of GM dried grains from the US due to continuing contamination.They are sending them back to US.Are you more educated on this issue than them? They have more than the population of Africa to ... read full comment
China has rejected 250,000 tonnes of GM dried grains from the US due to continuing contamination.They are sending them back to US.Are you more educated on this issue than them? They have more than the population of Africa to feed with less arable land.Give us a more incisive and coherent reply.Half literates like us need info from our erudite brothers.
BOY ALINKO 9 years ago
We know Perz. Kuffour very well. You don't have to tell us about his love for 'per diem'.
We know Perz. Kuffour very well. You don't have to tell us about his love for 'per diem'.
isaac 9 years ago
first, what Kuffour does with his life now is none of your business.Clinton, for example is giving talks everywhere and collecting huge fees for his service and no one is giving him grief. Spend your time on Mahama and how he ... read full comment
first, what Kuffour does with his life now is none of your business.Clinton, for example is giving talks everywhere and collecting huge fees for his service and no one is giving him grief. Spend your time on Mahama and how he and his school boys are running down the economy.
Secondly, where are you getting all these info on GMO from. What is GMO food anyway? Genetically modified organism/food is made on proven science and not on some gut feeling "facts". Why would you time/money and effort be spend on modifying the existing gene pool, if by modifying it we would not derive any benefit from it. It's possible to feed(overfeed) the worlds 7billion population now because of GMO. Maize/corn which would have taken 6months to mature/harvest now takes about 6 weeks. Genes are genetically modified to make them more resistant to pest, in which case little or no pesticides would be used.
People like you- half educated/literate are the ones making it difficult for every one because you are always spreading wrong info which most of the time it hard to correct.
Fullstop 9 years ago
"Maize/corn which would have taken 6months to mature/harvest now takes about 6 weeks." This was the breed that God gave us. That was why our grandparents harvested corn twice a year. Why must we give credit for every good thi ... read full comment
"Maize/corn which would have taken 6months to mature/harvest now takes about 6 weeks." This was the breed that God gave us. That was why our grandparents harvested corn twice a year. Why must we give credit for every good thing to man. You will remain slaves to other people's ideas if you cannot pray to your maker to help you sort through this mess. Good living does not help us to live forever. God does.
OKOE 9 years ago
WHEN YOU HEAR AND SEE OUR SO CALLED STATESMEN LEADING THIS GMO AGENDA IS BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GETTING OUT OF THEIR SUPPORT. THEY DO NOT CARE BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT TOUCH OR BUY ANYTHING GMO. THEY HAVE THE MONEY TO B ... read full comment
WHEN YOU HEAR AND SEE OUR SO CALLED STATESMEN LEADING THIS GMO AGENDA IS BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GETTING OUT OF THEIR SUPPORT. THEY DO NOT CARE BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT TOUCH OR BUY ANYTHING GMO. THEY HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THE BEST AND THE MOST EXPENSIVE MONEY CAN BUY AND CARE LESS WHAT HAPPENS TO THE REST OF US. WHENEVER YOU SEE THEM PRETENDING THEY ARE FOR YOUR INTEREST IS A LIE. THEY ARE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES. NEVER BELIEVE THEM. THEY WILL SELL GHANA IF THEY CAN AND WALK FREE AND ENJOY THE MONEY.
Mama Tula 9 years ago
Okoe, Thanks very much for your nice contribution. Are you saying people like Kyufuor has not already sold Ghana??
The sale of Ghana Telecom is an example for you to see. The question is how much money do they sell Ghana to ... read full comment
Okoe, Thanks very much for your nice contribution. Are you saying people like Kyufuor has not already sold Ghana??
The sale of Ghana Telecom is an example for you to see. The question is how much money do they sell Ghana to enjoy themselves??
Kwame 9 years ago
If GMO was good and will help the food shortages as they claim, WHY then as China banned all GMO products.
Importing and Growing, they have millions of people to feed.
It must be the sun that fuddles the African's brain. No ... read full comment
If GMO was good and will help the food shortages as they claim, WHY then as China banned all GMO products.
Importing and Growing, they have millions of people to feed.
It must be the sun that fuddles the African's brain. No M.P. or leader gives a dam about the their own people, just the bank balance living a false life.
Remember this, GOD is watching, God will punish, those who have wealth power and abuse, will suffer and next time will be beggars on the street living in filth. we have to live both a positive and negative life. before we enter the kingdom of Heaven, no matter what your religious beliefs are.
P.Koli 9 years ago
Wake up Ghana!
Wake up Ghana!
ROY 9 years ago
ALREADY OUR MANUFACTURING SECTOR HAS VIRTUALLY COLLAPSED. REGULATION OF GM FOODS IN GHANA MEANS CHEAP FOODS WILL BE DUMPED IN GHANA AND THIS WILL KILL OUR AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.OUR FARMERS WILL LEFT JOBLESS APART FROM THE FACT ... read full comment
ALREADY OUR MANUFACTURING SECTOR HAS VIRTUALLY COLLAPSED. REGULATION OF GM FOODS IN GHANA MEANS CHEAP FOODS WILL BE DUMPED IN GHANA AND THIS WILL KILL OUR AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.OUR FARMERS WILL LEFT JOBLESS APART FROM THE FACT THAT GM FOOD IS NOT HEALTHY.
IT IS VERY SURPRISING WHY KUFOUR IS SUPPORTING REGULATION OF GM FOOD KNOWING THAT KNOWING THAT THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL OF KILLING OUR AGRICULTURE APART FROM THE FACT THAT GM FOOD IS NOT HEALTHY.
IS IT THE PERSON WHO BECAME THE PRESIDENT OF GHANA? NO DOUBT OUR ECONOMY IS IN SHAMBLES. HE DOES NOT THINK ABOUT THE ADVERSE EFFECT REGULATION OF GM FOODS WILL HAVE ON OUR ECONOMY AND SOCIETY; HE SELFISHLY THINKS OF THE MONEY OR PER DIEM HE WILL EARN.
Follow the Evidence 9 years ago
Bt in organic farming and GM crops - the difference
One of the favourite arguments of the pro-GM lobby in support of Bt-toxin GM crops is that the Bt toxin has been safely used for decades by organic farmers.
Many thanks ... read full comment
Bt in organic farming and GM crops - the difference
One of the favourite arguments of the pro-GM lobby in support of Bt-toxin GM crops is that the Bt toxin has been safely used for decades by organic farmers.
Many thanks to Susan Pusztai for the following information which precisely delineates the very considerable differences between the use of Bt in organic farming and the use of the Bt toxin as a transgene in GM crops.
This should be read in conjunction with Arpad Pusztai's recent comments, posted to the ngin list, on the gut lesions which have been found in several animal feeding studies on GM crops.
---
Bt in organic farming:
The bt bacteria, commercially available for organic farming is a preparation of weakened or most often dead bacteria, which is sprayed only in the case of high insect infestation and only onto the affected area.
The bacterium inside the spray contains the pro-form of the so called bt toxin. This is not an active component, it needs to be tailored (cut to size) to produce the active bt toxin, which is effective as a pesticide.
When the insect eats the dead bacterium, the toxin is partially digested in the insect gut by proteolytic (cutting) enzymes and converted to active bt toxin. This is actually a lectin which binds to the gut wall of the insects and this interferes with the digestion/absorption of food, thereby preventing growth, maturation, reproduction.
The actual bacterium, which is not eaten by any insects, degrades in the light/sun/rain pretty fast (less than a day). The chances of pests developing resistance to it are very low indeed, since all the pests which are exposed to the toxin are affected by it.
NOTE! The ACTIVE TOXIN can only be found IN THE GUT OF THE INSECT.
Bt bacteria has no harmful effect on the environment as far as we know.
As far as human safety is concerned, the bacterium is only ever present on the surface of the plant and, if there were any remaining bacteria on the crop when it is prepared for consumption, it can be easily washed off.
There are several bt pro toxins produced by the different strains of bt bacteria. These active toxins are sequenced, patented and used by the different companies for their own GM bt-toxin transgenic crops.
Bt in GM crops:
The gene of one, or several of the active, trimmed toxin is transferred to the GM plant and will be synthesized in every single cell of the transgenic plant and the active toxin is being expressed by every cell, all the time. Therefore, the ACTIVE TOXIN IS IN EVERY PLANT CELL AND TISSUE, ALL THE TIME and cannot be washed off.
Pests are exposed to a low dose of the toxin in their environment all the time, which gives the best chances for developing resistance.
As far as safety is concerned, the active toxins are not easily degraded by gut enzymes and, since they are lectins, they all are very likely to bind to the wall of the mammalian/human gut.
The bt toxin is in the soil, in the plant, in the pollen, in the nectar -- in short, in every part of the plant which is used as human food or animal feed.
Is there any difference between the two applications? Or are they 'substantially equivalent'?
Since 1996 in the US GMOs have lead to a net increase in pesticide use (meaning herbicides plus insecticides) of 404 million pounds, a 7 percent increase. By 2011, farms using Roundup Ready seeds were using 24 percent more h ... read full comment
Since 1996 in the US GMOs have lead to a net increase in pesticide use (meaning herbicides plus insecticides) of 404 million pounds, a 7 percent increase. By 2011, farms using Roundup Ready seeds were using 24 percent more herbicide than non-GMO farms planting the same crops.
motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2012/10/how-gmos-ramped-us-pesticide-use
Mark Donner 9 years ago
GMO is a poison. Eating genetically modified corn (GM corn) and consuming trace levels of Monsanto's Roundup chemical fertilizer caused rats to develop horrifying tumors, widespread organ damage, and premature death. rats exp ... read full comment
GMO is a poison. Eating genetically modified corn (GM corn) and consuming trace levels of Monsanto's Roundup chemical fertilizer caused rats to develop horrifying tumors, widespread organ damage, and premature death. rats exposed to even the smallest amounts, "developed mammary tumors and severe liver and kidney damage as early as four months in males, and seven months for females." The animals on the GM diet suffered mammary tumors, as well as severe liver and kidney damage. Everywhere GMO is being grown, food allergies, disorders such as autism, reproductive disorders, digestive problems, and others have been skyrocketing in the human populations.
There has been a drastic decline of crop-pollinating insects all over the world, and what this means for the future of the world's food supply. Wild pollinators like bumblebees, butterflies, and beetles are basically disappearing. GMO industrial agricultural practices are causing this insect genocide. Pollinating insects in general, which include a wide range of insects and other animals, are simply vanishing from their normal habitats and foraging areas. That lower diversity and lower abundance of wild insects means less fruits and destruction of the diversity of plants and their fruits worldwide.
GMOs cross pollinate and their seeds can travel. It is impossible to fully clean up our contaminated gene pool. Self-propagating GMO pollution will outlast the effects of global warming and nuclear waste. The potential impact is huge, threatening the health of future generations. GMO contamination has also caused economic losses for organic and non-GMO farmers who often struggle to keep their crops pure.
GMOs increase herbicide use. Most GM crops are engineered to be "herbicide tolerant"?surviving deadly weed killers. Monsanto, for example, sells Roundup Ready crops, designed to survive applications of their Roundup herbicide. Between 1996 and 2008, US farmers sprayed an extra 383 million pounds of herbicide on GMOs. Overuse of Roundup results in "superweeds," resistant to the herbicide. This is causing farmers to use even more toxic herbicides every year. Not only does this create environmental harm, GM foods contain higher residues of toxic herbicides. Roundup, for example, is linked with sterility, hormone disruption, birth defects, and cancer.
GM crops and their associated herbicides can harm birds, insects, amphibians, marine ecosystems, and soil organisms. They reduce bio-diversity, pollute water resources, and are unsustainable. For example, GM crops are eliminating habitat for monarch butterflies, whose populations are down 50% in the US. Roundup herbicide has been shown to cause birth defects in amphibians, embryonic deaths and endocrine disruptions, and organ damage in animals even at very low doses. GM canola has been found growing wild in North Dakota and California, threatening to pass on its herbicide tolerant genes on to weeds.
By mixing genes from totally unrelated species, genetic engineering unleashes a host of unpredictable side effects. Moreover, irrespective of the type of genes that are inserted, the very process of creating a GM plant can result in massive collateral damage that produces new toxins, allergens, carcinogens, and nutritional deficiencies.
GMOs do not increase yields, and work against feeding a hungry world.
Whereas sustainable non-GMO agricultural methods used in developing countries have conclusively resulted in yield increases of 79% and higher, GMOs do not, on average, increase yields at all. This was evident in the Union of Concerned Scientists' 2009 report Failure to Yield?the definitive study to date on GM crops and yield.
The toxins associated with GMO should never be tolerated. NEONICOTINOID PESTICIDE neurotoxins are absolutely the main factor causing the collapse of bee and pollinator populations along with other lethal chemicals, glysophate, etc. When these poisons are banned as they were in Europe the bee populations start to recover. GMO neonicotinoids, roundup etc. MUST BE BANNED OUTRIGHT and all the farmers along with USDA, Biotech and chemical companies told to cease and desist from what they are doing.
An even scarier prospect: the "BT" version of GMO soybeans and corn, (basically pesticides engineered directly into the plant )
The “BT toxin” gene is put into the DNA of the corn in order for it to manufacture its own toxins that kill pests. The BT gene originated from a soil bacteria that also infiltrates the microflora (friendly digestive bacteria) in your gut. The Bt gene converts the microflora in your intestine into toxin-manufacturing machines.
So, to be clear, eating GMO corn products can cause your gut (which is primarily responsible for keeping you healthy) to turn into a breeding ground for tiny little pesticide factories inside your body, actively creating toxins which are designed to kill living things. These toxins are found in the blood and are readily transferred across the placenta to developing babies in the womb.
It is not only the NDC that is doing us in! The NPP is also in cahoots with the NDC to sell us out for a mess of potage!
The entire political class from across the political spectrum has been bought by powerful interests ...
read full comment
Good observations, Brother Tutu. But Kuffour's action should not surprise you. This is a man who traveled or was out of Ghana for 5 years out of his 8 years in office just collecting per diem in millions of dollars.
Don't ...
read full comment
Just wondering where you got your information from regarding GMOs containing toxic pesticides.
Conventional science of GMOs have it that herbicide-tolerant GMOs reduce amount of herbicide use in crop farming since a a single ...
read full comment
You are so ignorant and not worth spending one's precious time debating. Please go and do more reading instead of quoting from wrong sources. GMO is not good for us biologically, its not good for us economically as we would h ...
read full comment
Organic farmers use Bt bacteria on their crops to fight certain insects. The bacteria are natural parts of the environment worldwide and are not toxic to humans or even to the insects not specifically targeted by the particul ...
read full comment
China has rejected 250,000 tonnes of GM dried grains from the US due to continuing contamination.They are sending them back to US.Are you more educated on this issue than them? They have more than the population of Africa to ...
read full comment
We know Perz. Kuffour very well. You don't have to tell us about his love for 'per diem'.
first, what Kuffour does with his life now is none of your business.Clinton, for example is giving talks everywhere and collecting huge fees for his service and no one is giving him grief. Spend your time on Mahama and how he ...
read full comment
"Maize/corn which would have taken 6months to mature/harvest now takes about 6 weeks." This was the breed that God gave us. That was why our grandparents harvested corn twice a year. Why must we give credit for every good thi ...
read full comment
WHEN YOU HEAR AND SEE OUR SO CALLED STATESMEN LEADING THIS GMO AGENDA IS BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GETTING OUT OF THEIR SUPPORT. THEY DO NOT CARE BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT TOUCH OR BUY ANYTHING GMO. THEY HAVE THE MONEY TO B ...
read full comment
Okoe, Thanks very much for your nice contribution. Are you saying people like Kyufuor has not already sold Ghana??
The sale of Ghana Telecom is an example for you to see. The question is how much money do they sell Ghana to ...
read full comment
If GMO was good and will help the food shortages as they claim, WHY then as China banned all GMO products.
Importing and Growing, they have millions of people to feed.
It must be the sun that fuddles the African's brain. No ...
read full comment
Wake up Ghana!
ALREADY OUR MANUFACTURING SECTOR HAS VIRTUALLY COLLAPSED. REGULATION OF GM FOODS IN GHANA MEANS CHEAP FOODS WILL BE DUMPED IN GHANA AND THIS WILL KILL OUR AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.OUR FARMERS WILL LEFT JOBLESS APART FROM THE FACT ...
read full comment
Bt in organic farming and GM crops - the difference
One of the favourite arguments of the pro-GM lobby in support of Bt-toxin GM crops is that the Bt toxin has been safely used for decades by organic farmers.
Many thanks ...
read full comment
Since 1996 in the US GMOs have lead to a net increase in pesticide use (meaning herbicides plus insecticides) of 404 million pounds, a 7 percent increase. By 2011, farms using Roundup Ready seeds were using 24 percent more h ...
read full comment
GMO is a poison. Eating genetically modified corn (GM corn) and consuming trace levels of Monsanto's Roundup chemical fertilizer caused rats to develop horrifying tumors, widespread organ damage, and premature death. rats exp ...
read full comment