Madam Alice Attipoe Acting Director General of the National Sports
Authority (NSA) has commended Kwame Amponfi Jr Acting Director of the
Greater Accra Regional Sports Directorate for effecting change in
administration and management as well as organizing an awards ceremony
to motivate workers.
Addressing patrons, guests and workers of the Authority at the second
Regional awards event held on Tuesday at the Accra Sports Stadium, she
congratulated the staff who supported Mr. Amponfi Jr. to chalk successes
despite the few challenges in the system.
“I believe in motivation especially when it comes from within, the
internal one from the person acting and not motivation from the
external. If one is self motivated he or she can go very far. The NSA is
cash strapped but we can see some success and I believe the future is
far and we shall get there” she said.
Madam Attipoe noted that when the government implements
Decentralisation of sports, the regions and MDA’s will be very serious
to encourage sports men and women in the regions to become national
athletes.
She hoped that the good old days of Alice Anum and Mike Ahey will be
back, because the NSA will continue to play its leadership role and
provide assistance to the regions as managers and administrators.
According to the Acting Director General, all regions will benefit same
from the Authority as there would be no discrimination, because every
region has the potential to produce a sports star.
Edmond Appiah, an administrator who won the overall best worker award
said without the support of his co- workers and the motivational
director, he could not have been recognized.
He said there was no secret to his hard work than being dedicated to
his duties. He advised his colleagues to take life serious and do every
thing with seriousness.
Edmund Kwame Kpeglo, a senior coach in basketball who got the Most
Dedicated and Disciplined Regional coach said he is self motivated and
loves the work he does that is why he is always recognized and rewarded.
Maclean Atsu Dzienyo, a disabled athlete who won gold in an
International Open Wheel chair race covering 42 kilometers in South
Africa was also rewarded. He said disability is not inability and urged
those disabled beggers by the street sides to find better jobs to make
proper living.
He was very confident to be recognized and rewarded by the SWAG next year at the 40th awards.
Kwame Amponfi Jr. the Regional Sports Director said they have a few
challenges in attracting funds, inadequate office accommodation, lack of
sports equipment, non-exitence of modern training facilities and
transportation as well as scholarships for outstanding sports students
in the region.
He mentioned some of their achievements in organizing French classes
for coaches, coming up with the Peer Review programme, renovating and
rehabilitating the Tema Sport Stadium, formation of regional teams in
various disciplines who are involved in residential and non-residential
camping with the aim of winning the National Unity Games.
He recalled pursuing human capacity programmes for staff and a HIV/AIDS
awareness seminar handled by Dr. Opata, the Greater Accra HIV/AIDS
Cordinator.
He commended the media and a few sponsors of the awards ceremony such as COB-A Ventures and Tagoe’s Kitchen.
Among the high profile diginaries who graced the programme were the
Greater Accra Regional minister, Hon.Julius Debrah and executives of the
NSA.
SOURCE;Ghanaweb
Saturday, 8 March 2014
GT EXPANDS TO CAPE COAST
As part of its branch expansion programme, the
Guaranty Trust Bank (Ghana) Limited, has extended its footprints to the
Central Region.
The move forms part of the bank’s commitment to bring more convenience to the doorstep of customers and the general public.
The new branch brings the total number of branches of the bank to 27.
A release from the bank said, “It also brings to seven, the number of regions in which GT Bank operates. The others are Greater Accra, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Western, Volta and the Northern regions”.
It said the new Cape Coast branch, which is located at F87/3 Kotokuraba Road, near the Kotokuraba Market and towards the Mfantsipim School, offered universal banking services, efficient in-branch internet banking platform, as well as fast and reliable money transfer services, just like all other GT Bank branches.
“Customers and the general public in and around Cape Coast or from elsewhere in the Central Region can also make airline e-ticket reservation payments (British Airways / Iberia & Starbow), ECG and Ghana Water bill payments, mobile money transactions, VFS Visa payments at the branch”, the release said.
It said aside its normal banking hours from 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m, the branch was fitted with a 24-hour ATM that enabled Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus, Maestro and China Union Pay cards transactions.
The release quoted the Managing Director of the bank, Mr Lekan Sanusi, as saying, “It is part of our growth strategy and desire of the Bank to bring its services closer to customers and non-customers across the length and breadth of the country”.
“We believe that Cape Coast, potentially, has as much to offer the bank as we intend to offer the people in the region”, he added.
The Head of Corporate Affairs of the bank, Mr Ben Ackah-Mensah, also expressed his delight about GT Bank’s presence in Cape Coast and stated that, aside the bank increasing its customer base, it was clearly an opportunity to further boost the brand’s visibility and equity in the country through the provision of its innovative products and excellent service delivery to students, business people, traders and the general public in the region.
He further stated that, “We clearly understand the diverse nature and history of the region and that our entire banking system, especially our robust internet banking platform could be hugely beneficial to customers there”.
The move forms part of the bank’s commitment to bring more convenience to the doorstep of customers and the general public.
The new branch brings the total number of branches of the bank to 27.
A release from the bank said, “It also brings to seven, the number of regions in which GT Bank operates. The others are Greater Accra, Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Western, Volta and the Northern regions”.
It said the new Cape Coast branch, which is located at F87/3 Kotokuraba Road, near the Kotokuraba Market and towards the Mfantsipim School, offered universal banking services, efficient in-branch internet banking platform, as well as fast and reliable money transfer services, just like all other GT Bank branches.
“Customers and the general public in and around Cape Coast or from elsewhere in the Central Region can also make airline e-ticket reservation payments (British Airways / Iberia & Starbow), ECG and Ghana Water bill payments, mobile money transactions, VFS Visa payments at the branch”, the release said.
It said aside its normal banking hours from 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m, the branch was fitted with a 24-hour ATM that enabled Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus, Maestro and China Union Pay cards transactions.
The release quoted the Managing Director of the bank, Mr Lekan Sanusi, as saying, “It is part of our growth strategy and desire of the Bank to bring its services closer to customers and non-customers across the length and breadth of the country”.
“We believe that Cape Coast, potentially, has as much to offer the bank as we intend to offer the people in the region”, he added.
The Head of Corporate Affairs of the bank, Mr Ben Ackah-Mensah, also expressed his delight about GT Bank’s presence in Cape Coast and stated that, aside the bank increasing its customer base, it was clearly an opportunity to further boost the brand’s visibility and equity in the country through the provision of its innovative products and excellent service delivery to students, business people, traders and the general public in the region.
He further stated that, “We clearly understand the diverse nature and history of the region and that our entire banking system, especially our robust internet banking platform could be hugely beneficial to customers there”.
SOURCE;GHANAWEB
TRADE FAIR EXHIBITORS BEMOAN HIGH COST OF STANDS, GATE FEES
A number of exhibitors at the ongoing 18th Ghana International Trade
Fair have stated that the high cost of the stands and gate fees are
adversely affecting patronage of the event.
According to them, the cost of a stand is too expensive, thereby discouraging potential exhibitors from patronising the event.
One of them said, “people are saying the products being exhibited here are already on the market so why should they pay to come and patronise products they can always buy from the open market.”
Feedback
These were the feedbacks received when the Daily Graphic interacted with a number of exhibitors at this year’s trade fair.
The fair, which is on the theme; “Development through Trade and Investment,” has attracted over 400 local and international exhibitors, according to Mr Abdul-Shakuru Zakaria, Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited.
It is being organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) in collaboration with the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI).
The number of exhibitors notwithstanding, believe this year’s fair could have been better if a number of steps had been taken.
At the Akosombo Paper Mill stand, attendants said there was no effective pre-fair publicity to create awareness in order to boost patronage.
According to them, the cost of a stand is too expensive, thereby discouraging potential exhibitors from patronising the event.
One of them said, “people are saying the products being exhibited here are already on the market so why should they pay to come and patronise products they can always buy from the open market.”
Feedback
These were the feedbacks received when the Daily Graphic interacted with a number of exhibitors at this year’s trade fair.
The fair, which is on the theme; “Development through Trade and Investment,” has attracted over 400 local and international exhibitors, according to Mr Abdul-Shakuru Zakaria, Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited.
It is being organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) in collaboration with the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI).
The number of exhibitors notwithstanding, believe this year’s fair could have been better if a number of steps had been taken.
At the Akosombo Paper Mill stand, attendants said there was no effective pre-fair publicity to create awareness in order to boost patronage.
GHANA'S WEAK TAX SYSTEM BREAKING ECONOMY - REPORT
An international taxation institution, TAX JUSTICE NETWORK - AFRICA has
identified Ghana as one of many African countries where financial
secrecy and tax havens are crippling economic growth.
An investigative report by the group shows that Ghana has a weak tax authority with limited expertise and resources to tackle tax abuse.
The poor enforcement of the country’s tax laws also means that its high net worth individuals, often evade tax.
The report which received support from Ghana Integrity Initiative and the Christian aid mentioned that tax exemptions are proffered by governments that mistakenly believe tax breaks will attract sustainable investment.
Programs manager of Christian Aid, Ernest Okyere in an interview with XYZ News said these inequalities in taxation in many African countries had resulted in the widening of the gap between the rich and the poor.
The report investigated income inequality in eight sub-Saharan countries, namely Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and examined the ability of the tax systems in each to redistribute wealth.
Meanwhile, a financial analyst, John Gatsi, says Ghana has a lot to do to reform the tax regime.
Last month, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund advised Ghana to reform her tax regime by widening the net to raise more revenue.
Mr. Gatsi said it is an indictment on the Revenue Authority that it has failed to roll out meaningful tax reforms after several complaints and calls to that effect.
An investigative report by the group shows that Ghana has a weak tax authority with limited expertise and resources to tackle tax abuse.
The poor enforcement of the country’s tax laws also means that its high net worth individuals, often evade tax.
The report which received support from Ghana Integrity Initiative and the Christian aid mentioned that tax exemptions are proffered by governments that mistakenly believe tax breaks will attract sustainable investment.
Programs manager of Christian Aid, Ernest Okyere in an interview with XYZ News said these inequalities in taxation in many African countries had resulted in the widening of the gap between the rich and the poor.
The report investigated income inequality in eight sub-Saharan countries, namely Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and examined the ability of the tax systems in each to redistribute wealth.
Meanwhile, a financial analyst, John Gatsi, says Ghana has a lot to do to reform the tax regime.
Last month, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund advised Ghana to reform her tax regime by widening the net to raise more revenue.
Mr. Gatsi said it is an indictment on the Revenue Authority that it has failed to roll out meaningful tax reforms after several complaints and calls to that effect.
HOW WOMEN IN KENYA INSPIRE CHANGE
International Women’s Day is a chance for the world to reflect on the
achievements, struggles and gains made by women globally and to
highlight girls’ and women’s right to equality.
This year’s theme is ‘Inspiring change’ and it presents an opportunity to highlight how women in Kenya continue to inspire change in a dynamic world.
Kenyan women have stood out in the world of technology, sports, business and just this week, Lupita Nyong’o became the first Kenyan to win a coveted Oscar. Back in 2004, the late Professor Wangari Maathai became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Laureate, and her acceptance speech recognized those who worked quietly ‘without recognition to promote democracy, defend human rights and ensure equality between women and men’.
Even in this day and age, women face discrimination and prejudice. Yet, women all over the world continue to work hard to make a difference — to alter their lives and the lives of others.
Women are at the heart of most families playing the role of nurturer, provider, motivator and caregiver. Our mothers inspire us to dream and always try our best.
But tragically there are many children who never have the chance to know their mother. In Kenya a woman dies every 2 hours while giving birth, a truly shocking figure.
The Kenyan Government have made maternal health a priority, abolishing user fees in primary health facilities and providing free maternal care in all public health facilities.
The UK has been supporting these efforts to tackle maternal and newborn deaths. Through an on-going programme, the UK has committed £106 million (2010-2015, Kshs 15.3 billion) to increase equitable access to affordable quality basic health services.
Expected results from this programme include: helping more than 700,000 women access modern family planning services; distribution of 5.2 million bed-nets to pregnant women and children.
We have also funded a study to look at the costs of maternal death. The study has just concluded and will be launched next week. Titled ‘A Price Too High to Bear,’ it shows us the terrible shockwave of loss and pain that each maternal death causes for families and communities. It documents the financial costs of maternal mortality to poor households in rural Kenya, and the impact of a maternal death on the well-being of surviving children, families, and communities.
It shows that far too often a woman’s death in childbirth leads directly to the death of her newborn baby. Among the 59 maternal deaths examined, only 31 infants (52%) survived delivery. Of these 8 babies died in their first week of life and another 8 died over the next few weeks. In all only 15 babies (25%) survived.
We applaud the Kenyan government’s leadership and the First Lady’s Beyond Zero campaign to tackle issues that affect maternal and child health issues. Kenya has made great steps in safeguarding and consolidating women gains through institutions, policies and legislation put in place by the constitution to address gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The UK is committed to promoting gender equality and, like Kenya, we believe gender equality and women’s empowerment should be at the heart of all our development efforts. Indeed we have just passed a law that requires it to be.
Next week, the 58th Commission on the Status of Women, will reflect on the global challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for women and girls.
Global discussions underway point to the little progress made to address violence against women and girls, discriminatory social norms such as early and forced marriage and Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation (FGM/C).
This week International Development Secretary Justine Greening has called for Global action to be taken to stop girls being forced into marriage and recognise that it is exploitation as serious as any other form of child abuse.
In June this year our Foreign Secretary William Hague will host a Global Summit on Ending Sexual Violence. We hope that Kenya will have signed the “Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict” prior to the conference so that we can have their valuable input in delivering real progress on the ground in the fight against sexual violence.
As the UK, this International Women’s day we celebrate all the inspirational heroines across the 47 counties addressing the prevention and protection of girls and women against female genital mutilation/cutting, gender based violence, early marriage, maternal and neonatal mortality.
During our travels around the country we have certainly been inspired by the many women we have met, from the new women parliamentarians, to a young girl in Meru who had chosen – with her parents – an alternative rites of passage ceremony instead of FGM/C and told us she wanted to grow up to be a nuclear scientist.
And of course this week the words that we have reflected on most are those of Lupita Nyong’o in her Oscar acceptance speech when she said ‘…no matter where you’re from your dreams are valid.’
How true this is and we hope she will inspire the next generation of Kenyans to dream big.
Written by Dr Christian Turner (British High Commissioner to Kenya) and Ms Lisa Philips (Head of DFID Kenya
This year’s theme is ‘Inspiring change’ and it presents an opportunity to highlight how women in Kenya continue to inspire change in a dynamic world.
Kenyan women have stood out in the world of technology, sports, business and just this week, Lupita Nyong’o became the first Kenyan to win a coveted Oscar. Back in 2004, the late Professor Wangari Maathai became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Laureate, and her acceptance speech recognized those who worked quietly ‘without recognition to promote democracy, defend human rights and ensure equality between women and men’.
Even in this day and age, women face discrimination and prejudice. Yet, women all over the world continue to work hard to make a difference — to alter their lives and the lives of others.
Women are at the heart of most families playing the role of nurturer, provider, motivator and caregiver. Our mothers inspire us to dream and always try our best.
But tragically there are many children who never have the chance to know their mother. In Kenya a woman dies every 2 hours while giving birth, a truly shocking figure.
The Kenyan Government have made maternal health a priority, abolishing user fees in primary health facilities and providing free maternal care in all public health facilities.
The UK has been supporting these efforts to tackle maternal and newborn deaths. Through an on-going programme, the UK has committed £106 million (2010-2015, Kshs 15.3 billion) to increase equitable access to affordable quality basic health services.
Expected results from this programme include: helping more than 700,000 women access modern family planning services; distribution of 5.2 million bed-nets to pregnant women and children.
We have also funded a study to look at the costs of maternal death. The study has just concluded and will be launched next week. Titled ‘A Price Too High to Bear,’ it shows us the terrible shockwave of loss and pain that each maternal death causes for families and communities. It documents the financial costs of maternal mortality to poor households in rural Kenya, and the impact of a maternal death on the well-being of surviving children, families, and communities.
It shows that far too often a woman’s death in childbirth leads directly to the death of her newborn baby. Among the 59 maternal deaths examined, only 31 infants (52%) survived delivery. Of these 8 babies died in their first week of life and another 8 died over the next few weeks. In all only 15 babies (25%) survived.
We applaud the Kenyan government’s leadership and the First Lady’s Beyond Zero campaign to tackle issues that affect maternal and child health issues. Kenya has made great steps in safeguarding and consolidating women gains through institutions, policies and legislation put in place by the constitution to address gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The UK is committed to promoting gender equality and, like Kenya, we believe gender equality and women’s empowerment should be at the heart of all our development efforts. Indeed we have just passed a law that requires it to be.
Next week, the 58th Commission on the Status of Women, will reflect on the global challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for women and girls.
Global discussions underway point to the little progress made to address violence against women and girls, discriminatory social norms such as early and forced marriage and Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation (FGM/C).
This week International Development Secretary Justine Greening has called for Global action to be taken to stop girls being forced into marriage and recognise that it is exploitation as serious as any other form of child abuse.
In June this year our Foreign Secretary William Hague will host a Global Summit on Ending Sexual Violence. We hope that Kenya will have signed the “Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict” prior to the conference so that we can have their valuable input in delivering real progress on the ground in the fight against sexual violence.
As the UK, this International Women’s day we celebrate all the inspirational heroines across the 47 counties addressing the prevention and protection of girls and women against female genital mutilation/cutting, gender based violence, early marriage, maternal and neonatal mortality.
During our travels around the country we have certainly been inspired by the many women we have met, from the new women parliamentarians, to a young girl in Meru who had chosen – with her parents – an alternative rites of passage ceremony instead of FGM/C and told us she wanted to grow up to be a nuclear scientist.
And of course this week the words that we have reflected on most are those of Lupita Nyong’o in her Oscar acceptance speech when she said ‘…no matter where you’re from your dreams are valid.’
How true this is and we hope she will inspire the next generation of Kenyans to dream big.
Written by Dr Christian Turner (British High Commissioner to Kenya) and Ms Lisa Philips (Head of DFID Kenya
Night falls on huge search for missing Malaysia Airlines passenger jet carrying 239 people
A
relative of a passenger onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 cries at
the Beijing Capital International Airport. Photo: Reuters
A major air and sea search was underway as darkness fell Saturday night following the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines flight carrying 239 people.
The aircraft relayed no distress signal, indications of bad weather or technical problems before vanishing from radar screens some 16 hours ago, as it travelled from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Authorities said they had no idea what had happened to the plane, while Malaysia Airlines said they had "no information" on its whereabouts.
The flight was being piloted by Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a Malaysian aged 53, with 18,365 hours' flying experience. He joined Malaysia Airlines in 1981.
Heartbreaking scenes were played out at Beijing and Kuala Lumpur airports as family and friends awaited news of the 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board, with tempers fraying as some demanded information.
Indonesia-based aviation analyst Gerry Soejatman said the clock was ticking on a “24-hour golden window” for search and rescue efforts.
“You can’t assume that there are no survivors, and if there are any, it is absolutely crucial that they are picked up within a day, or the chances of survival drops significantly,” he said.
A file photo of a Malaysia Airlines plane at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Photo: AP Throughout the day confusing messages emerged, with the Vietnamese at one point being quoted as saying the plane had crashed into the ocean. The claim was later withdrawn.
Malaysia Airlines said in a statement on Saturday afternoon that the company was "working with international authorities on the search and rescue mission" and that there was "no information" on the aircraft.
In a fresh statement released last night the airline said: "We understand everyone's concern on MH370 pax & crew. We're accelerating every effort with all relevant authorities to locate the aircraft."
Pham Hien, a Vietnamese search and rescue official, earlier said the last signal had been detected120 nautical miles southwest of Vietnam's southernmost Ca Mau province.
Director of Vietnam's airspace, Lai Xuan Thanh, said the plane had been over the sea and heading towards the country's airspace, but air traffic controllers were unable to make contact with the pilots before it vanished.
There were 153 Chinese nationals on board, including one infant, an airline representative said at a press conference on Saturday morning. Also on board were passengers from the following countries and regions:
Malaysia 38; Indonesia 7; Australia 6; India 5; France 4; United States 3 (including one infant); New Zealand 2, Ukraine 2, Canada 2; Russia 1, Italy 1, Taiwan 1, Netherlands 1, Austria 1. The spokesperson could not confirm if any HongKongers were among the Chinese nationals on board.
Dozens of relatives were on Saturday taken from Beijing airport to a nearby hotel where they were anxiously awaiting news of the aircraft's fate.
One man at the airport said his 60-year-old wife had been in a tour group with 20 other passengers onboard the flight.
A
crying woman is escorted to a bus for relatives at the Beijing Airport
after news of the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 plane on
March 8, 2014. Photo: AFPFlight MH370 lost contact with air traffic controllers near Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam at around 2.40am local time, the airline said in a statement. No distress signal was relayed before the aircraft disappeared.
Malaysia Airlines CEO, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, said in a press conference Saturday that the company was "deeply saddened" by news of the disappearance.
"Malaysia Airlines confirms that flight MH370 had lost contact with Subang Air Traffic Control at 2.40am, today.
"There has been speculation that the aircraft has landed at Nanming. We are working to verify the authenticity of the report and others.
People believed to be passengers' relatives waiting at Beijing airport on Saturday morning. Photo: Reuters"Flight MH370 was operated on a Boeing 777-200 aircraft. It departed Kuala Lumpur at 12.41 am earlier this morning bound for Beijing. The aircraft was scheduled to land at Beijing International Airport at 6.30am local Beijing time."
He added: "Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected passengers and crew and their family members."
A Malaysia Airlines spokesman told the South China Morning Post on Saturday that representatives were contacting the next of kin of passengers and crew members.
Earlier Saturday rumours circulated that the plane had landed safely, but Fuad Sharuji, Malaysian Airlines’ vice president of operations control, told CNN that they were untrue and the airline had no idea where the aircraft was.
An information board at Beijing airport shows the flight was "delayed". Photo: ReutersThe plane, a Boeing 777-200, left Kuala Lumpur 41 minutes after midnight on Saturday, and had been due to arrive in Beijing at 6:30am local time, the airline added.
A Malaysia Airlines spokesperson added that if the plane was in the air, it would have run out of fuel sometime around 8.30am.
“At this moment, we have got no idea where this aircraft is right now," he said on Saturday morning.
At Beijing’s airport, authorities posted a notice asking relatives and friends of passengers to gather to a hotel about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the airport to wait for further information, and provided a shuttle bus service.
Zhai Le was waiting for her friends, a couple who were on their way back to the Chinese capital on the flight. She said she was very concerned because she had not been able to reach them.
Reporters and relatives waiting at the Beijing airport on Saturday. Photo: Weibo screenshotA woman wept aboard the shuttle bus while saying on a mobile phone, “They want us to go to the hotel. It cannot be good.”
At Kuala Lumpur International Airport, family members looking sombre and distraught trickled in to a designated waiting area for loved ones, escorted by authorities.
“They gave us no information so far,” complained one man, who said his niece and her husband were on the flight for a one-week holiday in China.
Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister said: “The Foreign Ministry and the related Chinese embassies have started an emergency working mechanism. We will release the information as soon as possible."
Liu Guohua, general manager of Malaysia Airlines in greater China, at a press conference in Beijing. Photo: Simon Song“The Foreign Ministry and the relating Chinese embassies have started an emergency working mechanism and worked at our best to know about the concrete situation. We will release the information as soon as possible,” said Wang.
According to data from CAPA Centre for Aviation, the average age of Malaysia Airline’s fleet of Boeing 777-200ER are 14.3 years old. The average age of the fleet is 4.5 years old.
The same aircraft model of the Boeing 777-200ER crashed at San Francisco on July 6, last year. Asiana Airlines OZ214 crashed on landing at the west-coast American airport, killing three people and injuring 181 people.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement: “We are very concerned learning this news.”
“We are contacting relevant authorities and are trying to confirm relevant information.”
A map provided by live air traffic site flightradar24 shows the last position the flight was trackedA Beijing airport spokeswoman said the facility had activated an emergency response system. Screens at the airport indicated the flight was “delayed.”
An accident would be a huge blow for the carrier, which has bled money for years as its struggles to fend off competition from rivals such as fast-growing AirAsia.
It recorded its fourth straight quarterly loss during the final three months of last year and warned of a “challenging” year ahead due to intense competition.
In 2012, the carrier admitted it was in “crisis”, forcing it to implement a cost-cutting campaign centred on slashing routes and other measures.
In 2011, it chalked up a record 2.5 billion ringgit ( US$767 million) loss. Boeing, which has been beset by problems with its high-tech 787 Dreamliners put into service two years ago, including a months-long global grounding over battery problems last year, issued a brief statement on its Twitter feed.
“We’re closely monitoring reports on Malaysia flight MH370. Our thoughts are with everyone on board,” it said.
MAS has suffered few accidents in its history.
Friday, 7 March 2014
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