14.10.2007
Federation of the Disabled to act against disabled beggars
Ho, Oct. 14, GNA-The Ghana Federation of the Disabled is to take measures to rid the streets of disabled beggars.
Mr Nicholas Halm, National Secretary of the Ghana Association of the Blind (GAB) gave the hint at the second Biennial Regional Convention of its Volta Region branch in Ho. The Federation comprised the Ghana Association of the Blind (GAB), the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled, Ghana National Association of the Deaf and Parents Association of Children with Intellectual Disability.
Mr Halm said the initiative was to demonstrate the Federation's indignation towards the practice and public concern. He observed that some of the disabled beggars have the skills, but have failed to apply them to productive use because begging has become a lucrative, easier and a quicker means of making a living. There were also those disabled beggars who are victims of exploitation by some family members.
He said there were also those who begged because of poverty, which required social support to overcome.
Mr Halm said the Federation would seek to have the law against begging enforced, especially in the case of those who have the capacity to stay off begging as a source of living. He announced that the Federation would decentralize its presence to the regions and districts to further strengthen collective action at those levels to the benefit of its members.
Mr Halm stressed the need for all disabled persons to act with greater unity at all levels instead of through loose alliances. He commended the Volta Region branch of GAB for coming tops of advocacy ability to raise funds, which has attracted international attention leading to the establishment and operation of a well-equipped regional office.
Captain George Nfodjo (rtd), Member of Parliament for Ho Central assured the disabled that they have the goodwill of government and Parliament as demonstrated in the passage of the Disability Act and the allocation of two percent of the District Assemblies Fund to cater for their needs.
He urged the disabled to seize the opportunity provided by the law to protect their rights in society. Captain Nfodjo said their disabilities were made up for, by sharper mental faculties and talents that the seemingly able people do not have. Mr Fidelis Attoh, acting Volta Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, who presided said, " we are all stakeholders in the affairs and welfare of the disabled". He said the Disability Law and its enforcement underlined that collective responsibility.
Source:
GNA
Rural enterprises project launched at Daboase
Daboase (W/R), Oct. 14, GNA- Ghanaians have been reminded that the Government's Rural Enterprises Project (REP) is aimed at encouraging the development of indigenous businesses at the district level. Mr. Joe Baidoe-Ansah, Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiative, who gave the reminder on Friday, explained that, "this could be done consistently through the investment of capital and technological know-how for the people." The Minister was speaking at the formal launch of the Project at Daboase in the Mpohor Wassa East District of the Western Region. Mr. Baidoe-Ansah said the economic growth of the country was the responsibility and there was the need to create opportunities for rural people to make them part of the development process. He stated "There is evidence that people are making efforts to move on with their lives in spite of the everyday challenges and the only way out is to assist them to acquire skills to make them productive and independent."
Mr. Baidoe-Ansah appealed to parents to support their children who had benefited from skills training under the REP to enable them to initiate their own businesses.
Mr. Anthony E. Amoah, the Regional Minister, said the REP, which formed part of the Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy was initiated to ensure rapid economic growth, reduction in the levels of poverty and to equip the citizenry with entrepreneurial skills. He urged district assemblies to incorporate the activities of the REP in their development plans to ensure its sustainability. Mr. Amoah advised the Mpohor Wassa East Assembly Implementation Committee to work towards success of the project irrespective of the challenges and to judiciously utilise resources allocated to it. Mr. Edward T. Amprofi, the District Chief Executive, said the REP would stimulate the establishment and expansion of private businesses and micro enterprises.
He said it would also enhance the quality, designing and packaging of goods produced by rural micro and small enterprises.
Source:
GNA
Muslims in Winneba end fasting
Winneba (C/R) Oct. 14, GNA-The Winneba Chief Imam, Alhaji Geberim Abubakar Mohamed Mahamadu Amed III, on Saturday led Muslim in Winneba in an open prayer to end their month-long fasting.
He urged politicians to go about their campaign in a very decent manner that would not disturb the peace the nation is enjoying. Chief Imam appealed to Ghanaians not to allow politics to divide them because they are one people, adding that division would do the nation more harm than good.
He cautioned the youth, especially Muslims to be law abiding and desist from indulging in activities that would not contribute towards their progress and that of the nation. The chief of Zongo Community in Winneba, Alhaji Sulemanu Salaga IV advised Muslims not to use the festivities to engage in violence because the religion is one of peace.
He expressed the hope that the successful month-long fasting would bring glory to Ghanaians and ensure a prosperous nation. The MP for Effutu and Minister of Public Sector Reforms, Mr. Samuel Owusu Adjei said the road in the Zongo area would be rehabilitated alongside with others in the town.
Mr. Kofi Taylor, Effutu constituency chairman of the New Patriot Party urged Muslims to continue to pray for the nation and God's guidance and wisdom for its leaders for proper administration of the country.
He called on Ghanaians to support the government to supportf the National Health Insurance Scheme, school feeding programme and capitation grant that have paved the way for every child to attend school.
Mr. Mike Allan Hammer, an aspiring NDC parliamentary candidate for Effutu and Mr. Yaw Afari, Convention People Party constituency chairman called for peace among political parties in the country.
Source:
GNA
Upper East Moslems Celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr
Bolgatanga, Oct 14, GNA- Moslems have been called upon to pray for sustenance of peace especially during the forthcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
The Upper East Regional Imam of Moslems, Yusif Adams, made the call in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region during this year's Celebration of Eid-Ul-Fitr of Moslems on Saturday.
He urged Politicians to preach their messages devoid of insults since that does not augur well for democracy, saying Politicians needed to demonstrate maturity in their campaigns. He also entreated Moslems sects to co-exist peacefully since peace was the bedrock of development of every nation, adding that the Islamic Religion was a Religion of peace and not a Religion of violence. The Imam urged all Moslems to work harder to generate higher productivity wherever they found themselves. This, he noted, would attract more blessings to them from Allah.
Source:
GNA
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Today Is Sallah
At the end of a 30-day period of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims throughout the country will mark the occasion with the celebration of the Eid el Fitr today, Saturday 13th October, 2007.
In view of the festival falling on a Saturday, Monday has been declared holiday by the government. Muslims enjoy two national holidays- Eid el Fitr and Eid el Adha.
The date could alter elsewhere in the world because of time differences and the time of spotting the crescent of the moon to signal the start and the end of the annual religious exercise.
Eid el Fitr is Arabic, meaning the festival after fasting which is characterized by feasting and moderate merriment.
The festival, fondly called Sallah in Hausa will be characterized by congregational prayers at the Independence Square and other locations throughout Accra and the regions.
At the Independence Square, where the National Chief Imam will lead other Islamic faithful in prayers, President John Agyekum Kufuor or Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama could be in attendance to deliver a speech as is characteristic of such occasions.
The decision on the Sallah date was reached by the National Hilal Committee of Ghana, an Islamic body which meets on dates for religious festivals and rituals, in consultation with the Ameer (Head) & Missionary-in-charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana and the National Chief Imam.
According to a release from the Mission, Ahmadi Muslims will say the Eid el Fitr prayers at Bustan-e-Ahmad, the National Conference Centre of the Mission at Ashongman, near Madina at 8am.
The congregational prayers are followed by mostly unruly behaviour by some youth, especially in Nima.
The Police in the suburb in conjunction with the Neighbourhood Watchdog Committee have drawn up an elaborate programme to tackle the annual anomaly.
Source:
Daily Guide
Muslims asked to shun violence
Accra, Oct. 13, GNA - Major Sheikh Seidu Adam, Chief Imam of the Ghana Armed Forces, on Saturday called on Muslims and Ghanaians to reject, denounce and refuse recourse to violence since "it wounds the very image of Islam and our nation".
"Let us appreciate the value of peace and work together to build a culture of peace and solidarity in which everybody can firmly engage in the construction of an increasingly fraternal society.''
"It is up to us all to be educators of peace, human rights, of freedom which respects each person", he said at the celebration of the Eid-ul-Fitr, the end of the month-long Ramadan fast, at the Al-Aziz Central Mosque at Burma Camp in Accra.
Among those present were Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, President of the ECOWAS Commission, diplomats and senior serving and retired military officers.
Maj. Adam said the nation needed disciplined citizens, God conscious people, hard work, honesty, loyalty, dedicated, patriotic and healthy work force for accelerated development.
"Hence, you should appreciate these values which are the goals of the Ramadan fast and eschew vices such as drunkenness, drug addiction, promiscuous behaviour, robbery, all of which have eaten deep into our social fabric", he said.
The Chief Imam called on Muslim youths to prepare themselves for the challenges that confronted Islam and the nation and to improve on their potentials to become responsible adults and productive citizens. "You are also required to obtain adequate skills that will place you at a high advantage or expose you to greater opportunities", he told the youth.
Maj. Adam appealed to the elderly to leave a legacy that would form the foundation for development in future by preparing the youth for future leadership roles and to also provide opportunities for enhanced development.
"We must pass on the knowledge and rich experiences we have acquired over the years in all spheres of life to inspire a high sense of responsibility among the youth."
Maj. Adam urged Muslim politicians to consider politics as a means to render service to the people, offer themselves as servants to the nation and to play politics of harmony, cooperation, sacrifice and selflessness.
He said be they in opposition or ruling parties, both parties should see themselves as "two sides of the coin" that needed each other to survive and to "propel the nation's development". The Imam called on personnel of the armed forces and other security services to remain focused on their primary role for the growth of the country's young democracy.
The Defence Minister, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, said religion played an important role in moulding the character and attitudes of people, particularly in the military where discipline and obedience were important.
He appealed to Muslims to allow the renewal of their faith and commitment to reflect positively in the discharge of their duties for the nation to enjoy sustained peace and stability.
Lt. Gen J.B. Danquah, Chief of the Defence Staff, said it was essential that Muslims applied the lessons learnt from the Ramadan to give practical demonstration of the virtues of effective devotion, honest dedication and closeness to Allah, in their family life styles and civic responsibilities, as well as in their professional careers. The congregation prayed for the unity, peace, progress and prosperity of the nation.
Source:
GNA
Classroom blocks for four schools under trees
Akuntanim (B/A), Oct 13, GNA - Squadron Leader Ben Anane Asamoah (RTD), Dormaa District Chief Executive, has cut the sod for construction work to begin on classroom blocks estimated at 2.6 billion cedis for four 'schools under trees' in the district.
The projects, funded by the GETFund, comprise six-unit classrooms with libraries, offices and teachers' common halls for the Methodist Primary schools at Amasu, Dormaa-Ahenkro, Dormaa-Akwamu and a three-unit classroom block for the Methodist Junior High School at Akuntanim. In separate speeches in the various communities, the DCE said the government's prudent educational policies had led to increases in pupils' enrolment, triggering the need for additional classrooms. Squadron Leader Anane Asamoah said 5,126 dual desks were being manufactured for distribution to basic schools "to ease the perennial problem of inadequate furniture in schools in the district". He said pupil/teacher ratio in the district had also increased tremendously due to the recruitment of teaching assistants under the National Youth Employment Programme.
"The District Assembly's next target in education is to intensify the campaign against child labour to ensure that all children of school-going age are sustained in school as well as the maximum utilization of the improved educational facilities.'' Squadron Leader Anane Asamoah urged the beneficiary communities and the Methodist Church to lend moral support and offer communal labour for the early completion of the projects.
Source:
GNA
Nkoranza roads cry for maintenance
Nkoranza (B/A) Oct 13 GNA - Major Derek Oduro (rtd), MP for Nkoranza North, has expressed concern over the deplorable condition of roads in the constituency.
Interacting with Mr. Mohammed Abbas, district engineer of the Department of Feeder Roads at Nkoranza on the rehabilitation of the roads, the MP said in spite of the fact that the area was a major food producer the road network was was in poor state.
He said Dromankese and its catchment communities were noted for the production of food crops like yam, maize and groundnuts but the people have had to risk travelling on poor roads before reaching marketing centres.
Major Oduro said the current rains had compounded the problem as some of the communities had found it difficult to get means of transport to Nkoranza to sell their farm produce.
He mentioned the Nkoranza-Tom feeder road as one that needed immediate attention as residents of the area had been completely cut off from the district capital.
"Because the roads are not tarred, vehicles get stuck on the muddy road during the rainy season and their very dusty nature in the dry season is a big inconvenience to the people", the MP added. Major Oduro called on the district engineer of feeder roads to help initiate measures to address the problem.
Mr. Abass said he would take an inventory of roads in the area for priority to be given to the busy ones for re-construction and urged Assembly Members in the district to help in the exercise.
Source:
GNA
Muslims in Wa offer prayers to mark the end of Ramadan
Wa, Oct. 13, GNA - Mr. George Hikah Benson, Upper West Regional Minister, on Saturday called on Muslims not to abandon the good habits they had acquired during the period of Ramadan. Rather they should continue to lead exemplary lives and allow the spirit of sacrifice, commitment, forgiveness, unity and togetherness to guide their daily activities.
"Let us also hold on to the principles of sound moral values as enshrined in the Holy Koran and the tradition of the Holy Prophet". Mr. Benson said this when he addressed Muslims at the forecourt of the Regional Coordinating Council after they had prayed to mark Eid-Ul-Fitr.
They were led in prayers by Alhaji Mohammed Foroko, the (Jaime Iman), the Iman in charge of Friday Prayers. He reminded the Muslims that unity was an important ingredient for peace, progress and development and should therefore be upheld to lead the people to prosperity.
"Peace and unity are virtues that cannot elude us if we cultivate the spirit of understanding, love and togetherness. "We must work towards these virtues in order to create a better country for the present and future generations".
The Chief Iman, Alhaji Yakubu Issahaque, appealed to the government and donor countries to assist flood victims in the region with food and building materials to rehabilitate their houses. He called on health workers to step up their HIV/AIDS education to sensitise the youth on the dangers of the virus.
On Friday the Al-Suna Muslim sect called on Mr. Benson after the end of Ramada prayers and its leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yakubu Sidik, called on stakeholders in the region to find amicable solution to all chieftaincy, religious, land and political disputes to ensure the smooth administration of the region. He appealed to politicians to be mindful of their campaigns and the language and messages they give to the people to deepen the democratic process in the country.
Source:
GNA
GT introduce hotlines to check telephone fraud
Elubo (W/R), Oct.13, GNA- The Ghana Telecommunications (GT) Company has introduced toll free hotlines for its customers to report fraud, cable theft, unauthorised tapping of phone lines and manipulations of payphones.
The hotlines, which will help check acts that degrade the operations and service delivery of GT are 08617857 and
021-232043. Mr. Eammuel Dziko, a General Manager of GT in charge of Strategy and Business Development, disclosed these at a public forum organised by the company as part of its outreach programme at Elubo in the Western Region on Thursday.
He said GT innovations such as Easyfone, Easytalk and Smart Phone were aimed at reducing telephone bills of customers and to make it easy for them to access the company's lines.
Mr. Joseph Kyei, Western Regional Commercial Manager of the Company, announced that the company would soon open an office at Elubo and advised the customers to register their telephones with GT to reduce the risk of being stolen.
He also urged mobile phone users to be mindful of locations when making calls because weather affects reception of phones. Mr. Kyei asked customers to pay their telephone bills promptly and regularly and to use pre-paid cards to reduce their bills.
Source:
GNA
This year's Hajj must be problem-free - Kufuor
Accra, Oct. 13, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Saturday called for an end to the annual ritual of poor organisation of the Hajj, resulting from bad planning and the pursuit of parochial self-interest on the part of some members of the Hajj Committee.
"For this year's pilgrimage, I demand that those entrusted with this onerous responsibility discharge their duties honourably and efficiently," he said.
They should not be enticed by lucre or a sense of profit from the transactions, he said, when he joined the country's Muslims at the national celebration of the Eid-ul-Fitr, the end of the month-long Ramadan fast, at the Independence Square in Accra. Among those present at the large gathering was Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama.
President Kufuor said the Hajj was an important pillar of Islam and that frustrating the life-long ambition of any Muslim in fulfilling that sacred obligation would be tantamount to acting against the holy teachings of Islam.
"Let this year's pilgrimage therefore be problems-free to serve as a referring point for future pilgrimages." He used the occasion to draw attention to the need for all to help sustain the prevailing atmosphere of peace in the country. President Kufuor said as a people it was important to cultivate the virtues of patience, tolerance and fellow feeling and endeavour to eschew all forms of violence and anti-social conduct. "The peace that we currently enjoy must never be taken for granted, but it should be nurtured and guarded jealously for the benefit of future generations."
"All of us should contribute our quota in building a Ghana where liberty will not descend into chaos and where freedom will be exercised with responsibility and fellow feeling."
President Kufuor again called on all segments of the society to take the issue of education more seriously, pointing out that in the rapidly globalizing world, the qualities that would give anyone competitive advantage were intellectual and creative abilities, which could only come through investment in a balanced education. He therefore asked Muslim leaders to champion the cause of education in their communities.
Alhaji Gado Mohammed, a member of the National Eid-ul-Fitr Planning Committee, praised the Government for the sound management of the national economy and said there was the need to work harder and remain focused on the economic development path chosen.
He said with this the future could only be brighter. He also appealed to all Ghanaians to conduct themselves well for a peaceful run of the 2008 general elections. Earlier Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, the National Chief Imam, led the congregation to say special prayers for the peace, prosperity and progress of the nation.
Source:
GNA
CJ deplores endorsement of fraudulent documents
Accra, Oct. 13, GNA - The Chief Justice Mrs Justice Georgina T. Wood on Friday deplored the attitude of some notaries public who endorsed fraudulent documents submitted to embassies saying the judiciary had been under attack from embassies who had found them not to be trustworthy following the presentation of such fraudulent documents. "Indeed, as officers of the court, the Supreme Court is empowered under the law to suspend you from practicing for any period or order your name to be struck out of the roll of notaries," she said when she swore into office 41 notaries public at the Supreme Court in Accra. Notaries public are persons who have been in legal practice for not less than 10 years and are of high moral character and integrity. A notary is also a qualified and experienced lawyer trained in the drafting and execution of legal documents, prepares contracts, leases, powers of attorney, articles of partnership, wills and other instruments and their work is recognised internationally.
Mrs Justice Wood said: "If you willfully certify or propound any false statement or document or if you fraudulently and with intent to deceive, conceal, withhold, or prevent any fact or document pertinent to the subject of a notary act you will be guilty of misdemeanour." She urged them to use a reasonable amount of skill, care and diligence in their work saying, "failure to exercise due diligence, care and skill may lead to unpleasant consequence such as withdrawal of licenses of the notary public".
"Determine the identity of the person requesting a notaries act. You must not notarise a signature of a person who had not appeared before you," she told them.
Spelling out the functions of the notary, Mrs Justice Wood said they would be required to authenticate documents that could be used abroad and appealed to them to be conversant with principles and procedures of foreign countries.
She called on them to be proficient in one or two foreign languages and acquire basic knowledge in international law saying they should not to depend on translators and interpreters to do their work for them. The Chief justice further charged the notaries public to bring their capacities as lawyers to salvage the image of the judiciary thereby becoming ambassadors of the nation. She said it was important for the notaries public to maintain a registry of all activities performed by them in order to serve as a record base and asked them to notify the judiciary of any changes of names and address.
Source:
GNA
Standards must hit international practices
Accra, Oct. 13, GNA - Standards and Regulatory bodies have been urged to approach standardization and its related activities in an integrated manner that should be in line with international best practices.
Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, a deputy Minister of Ministry of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiative said, "A fragmented approach will not augur well for the nation's growth and development since standardization is the foundation for industrial and economic growth, hence sustainable development and good public governance".
Speaking at the 38th World Standards Day on Friday in Accra under the theme, "Standards and the Citizen: Contributing to Society" Ms.
Botchwey noted that standards affected every aspect of human life that made life easier, healthier and the world a safer place to live in. The occasion is also to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Ghana Standards Board, 50 years of Ghana's independence and 60 years of International Organization of Standardization Ms Botwe said public policies could not be developed and implemented in isolation when they impacted on trade, health, security or environment. World Standards Day is celebrated worldwide every October 14 and it is aimed raising awareness of importance of international standardization to the world economy and promotes its role in helping meet the needs of all business sectors.
The Deputy Minister of Trade expressed concern that consumer protection, environmental protection, sustainable protection of natural resources, safety at work, environmental friendliness of products and manufacturing process were becoming important in the promotion of an ecological, economical and socially sustainable development. She called on the citizenry to eschew mediocrity, insist on their rights and embrace standards for a better, safer and healthier life on the day which was to raise awareness of the importance of international standardization to the world economy and promote its role in helping meet the needs of all business sectors.
Mr Maxwell Kofi Dwumor, a deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development said the ministry would soon mount a nationwide sensitization and educational campaign on the use of bar codes for exporters in planning and execution of their export orders.
He said another campaign would also be launched in productivity improvement in which firms in small and medium sized categories would be assisted to install quality management systems in their workplaces. Mr Adu Gyamfi Darkwa, Executive Director of GSB noted that Ghana, other developing countries together and transitional economies were confronted with challenges in the areas of quality and confirmation of compliance and needed improvement in those areas.
He called for effective implementation of sustainable development and facilitation of trade that would embrace metrology, standardization and conformity assessment, which were the three pillars used by business and government for economic growth and sustainable development. Fraternal messages from other stakeholders called for the enforcement of regulations on standards for sustainable development and to ensure the safer and quality health of the people.
Nana Odeheno Gyapong Ababio II, President of National House of Chiefs who chaired the function urged GSB to intensify its efforts to enable it realise its vision of becoming the leading national standards body on the continent.
Source:
GNA
Soldier killed at military exercises
Accra, Oct. 13, GNA - One soldier was killed and another seriously injured on Friday during live military exercises at the Bundase Training
Camp at the Accra Plains, following the "back blast" of a weapon they were operating. A statement on Saturday signed by Colonel E.W.K. Nibo, Director of Public Relations, said the exercises were being conducted to demonstrate
the land combat firepower of the Ghana Armed Forces. It said the injured soldier, who was currently on admission at the 37 Military Hospital, was in a stable condition when the Minister of Defence, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah and the Military High Command visited him. "Investigations into the cause of the accident have already begun and the media are advised to be circumspect ... bearing in mind the sensibilities of the bereaved family."
The statement said further details on the deceased would be released after the next of kin had acknowledged notification.
Source:
GNA
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GHANFUA increases price of bread and flour products
Kumasi, Oct 12, GNA - The Ghana National Flour Users Association (GHANFUA), has announced an upward adjustment in the price of bread and other products as a result of persistent increase in the price of flour.
Under the new measures, which took immediate effect, the minimum price for a loaf of bread was to be sold at 60 Ghana pesewas whiles the maximum will be sold at 150 Ghana pesewas. Mrs Comfort Potua, President of the Ashanti regional branch of GHANFUA announced this at a news conference organized the by the Association in Kumasi on Thursday.
She noted that since the past four months a 60 kilogramme of flour had been increased by 60 per cent from 24 Ghana cedis to 38 Ghana cedis for Takoradi Flour Mills while Irani Brothers and GAFCO, distributor and manufacturer, sold at 40 Ghana cedis. Mrs Potua said the increase had affected flour users and that it was time they adjusted prices to arrest the situation. She stated that flour products were important food items eaten by almost everybody and therefore its increase in prices would affect every home.
The President said they could not continue to work at a loss and therefore appealed to the government and Flour producers to reduce the price of flour to enhance their activities. She stressed the need for non-members to join the association to help ensure uniformity in the production of bread and other flour products and also appealed to the public to bear with the situation.
Source:
GNA
Police offer reward for arrest of hardened criminal
Kumasi, Oct. 12, GNA - The Ghana Police Service have offered GH=A22,000 as reward to any member of the public that would volunteer information l3eading to the arrest of a suspected hardened criminal who for sometime now had been committing multiple robberies in the Kumasi Metropolis and the Sunyani Municipality.
The suspect according to the police used an unregistered motorbike to undertake his robberies and was believed to be of medium height, fair in complexion and had a tribal mark on his left cheek.
He was said to normally carry out his nefarious activities wielding two AK 47 rifles...
> READ MORE : GHANA POLICE SERVICE
World Vision sends relief items to flood victims
Accra, Oct. 12, GNA - World Vision Ghana Relief Team on Friday dispatched a second consignment of emergency relief supplies from Accra to the Bongo District in the Upper East Region to support thousands of people left homeless by recent floods.
The items worth GH=A253,309.00 (533,090,000.00) are 1,800 pieces of student mattresses, 1,600 blankets, 800 lanterns, 1,600 insecticide treated mosquito nets and 930 cooking utensils. The rest include packets of chlorine tablets and other water purification items to disinfect and restore boreholes and hand-dug wells that were contaminated by the flooding.
An earlier consignment comprising 800 bags of maize, 100 bags of beans and 40 boxes of iodated salt was sent last week. World Vision Ghana Associate Director for Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs, Mr Ebenezer Okoampa, announced that the supplies are expected to arrive in hard-hit Bongo by Saturday October 13, for distribution.
He disclosed that ever since the government of Ghana requested for assistance from the international community, after declaring the three Northern Regions a "Disaster Zone" in September 2007, World Vision initiated consultations with government and other relief agencies on the response, and made initial donation of items worth 5,400 US dollars. World Vision's plan for now is to distribute essential non-food items - including blankets, tarpaulins for shelter, and clothing - to provide immediate aid to affected children and families.
"We expect to reach some 950 households of 6,000 people immediately with these aid supplies," says Mr Okoampa.
Earlier, World Vision Ghana National Director, Mr Sam Asare and the team had visited the organisation's Area Development Programmes affected by the floods. Mr Asare interacted with the affected people particularly children and assured them of the organisation's support. The recent flood, which is the worst to hit the three Northern Regions in 10 years, affected eight districts where World Vision currently has Area Development Programmes (ADPs). They are Bongo, Talensi-Nabdam, Savelugu-Nanton, Tolon-Kumbungu, Gushiegu-Karaga, Saboba-Chereponi, West Mamprusi "Overseas" and Zabzugu-Tatale ADPs. These ADPs are currently carrying out various development interventions in education, water and sanitation, health and nutrition, food security and micro-finance among others. World Vision development partners sponsored more than 15,000 children in these areas. World Vision has been part of Inter-Agency/Government Assessment Team that visited the flood-affected areas. Others include United Nations Disaster Assessment Coordination (UNDAC) Team, UNICEF, Ministry of Interior through the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and some international non-governmental organisations (NGOs). As part of the medium and long-term responses, World Vision is in consultation with its development partners and support offices to assist in the areas of food security and shelter to rehabilitate school buildings and houses for seriously affected communities. World Vision Programmes Director, Mr. Eugene Asante disclosed that the German government has approved a budget of 12,250 US dollars to support interventions in shelter for flood victims in Bongo District of the Upper East Region of Ghana. Part of the funds would also be used to monitor the progress of relief activities.
The Project Manager of World Vision Ghana Rural Water Project, Mr. Patrick Amoateng-Mensah has also indicated that the water team would disinfect boreholes that have been contaminated in the affected programme areas. He said the operation would begin as soon as the ground was firm enough for the heavy-duty trucks to move to the sites. Government reports put the death count at 46, so far with 21 occurring in Upper East, 15 in the Northern Region, and 10 in Upper West Region. The reports indicated 332,600 persons were displaced, 592 communities affected, 20,488 houses destroyed, 17 roads washed away, 5 bridges destroyed, over 8,000 hectares of farms washed away and 13,030 metric tonnes of grains and several livestock have been destroyed in the Upper East, Upper West, Northern and Western Regions.
Source:
GNA
National Farmers Day celebration takes place in Wa
Wa, Oct. 12, GNA - A 14-member Upper West Regional Planning Committee for this year's National Farmers Day celebration was on Friday inaugurated in Wa.
The committee to plan activities of the celebrations scheduled for December 7, has Madam Winifred Bawa Dy-Yakah, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister as its Chairperson.
The 28th Farmers Day is on the theme: "Ghana at 50 - Progress and Challenges for Sustainable Agricultural Development". Mr George Hikah Benson, Upper West Regional Minister, inaugurating the committee said the event was unique to the region as Ghana was celebrating its Golden Jubilee of self-administration. He said next year, the people of Upper West Region would be celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the creation of the region and urged the committee to work diligently toward a success farmers' day. The Upper West Region was created from the then Upper Region by the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) administration in 1983. Mr Benson urged people in the region to use the farmers' day to market the region to attract tourists to earn more money for the local people and the nation.
Madam Dy-Yakah, gave the assurance that the committee would work hard to achieve good results for a successful realization of the celebration in the region.
Mr Clement Eledi, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture and Chairman of National Farmers Day Planning Committee, assured the committee of the necessary logistics to facilitate its work.
Source:
GNA
No Chop money tops violent cases
Accra, Oct. 12, GNA - The Ashanti Regional Office of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) has received 264 cases for September, this year out of which 33 are defilement and 165 for Non-Maintenance.
A statement Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr Freeman Tettey, Public Relations Officer, DOVVSU said there were three cases each for attempted rape, incest and abduction and the Region also recorded one case each of sodomy and bigamy.
Forty-eight domestic cases were also reported at the Brong Ahafo office of DOVVSU. Of this, 17 are non-maintenance, six defilement and one rape. Cases of unlawful child removal is two.
The statement said, at the Tema Regional Office, 99 cases were reported of which 23 were for non-maintenance, one abortion, six rape and five abduction cases.
Upper West Region received 28 cases which included five non-maintenance, two abduction and three defilement. Central Region recorded 141 cases and that included five defilement, two criminal abortion, four child stealing and 88 non-maintenance cases.
Source:
GNA
100,000 jobs needed yearly
Accra, Oct. 12, GNA - A study on the job situation in Ghana revealed that the country must be able to produce at least 100,000 sustainable jobs every year for the next ten years to get overcome unemployment. Mr Akumba Ben Asamoaning, Country Representative of Amicus Onlus, a non governmental organization with the objective of directing young people into productive and income generating activities said on Friday He said the study carried out by Amicus Onlus recognized that in spite of efforts to create jobs, unemployment remained a problem to grapple with everyday.
"There is therefore the need to examine again the issue of job creation from a new perspective. The time has come for us to embrace change in our quest to create jobs. Ghana needs to embrace the new world order."
Mr. Asamoaning was speaking at the Third Amicus Youth Empowerment Summit 2007 which focused on enhancing the youth's knowledge about entrepreneurial skills and business opportunities.
"The main goal of Amicus Youth Empowerment Summit was, is and will always be to provide a platform that will inform and educate our youth on how to create jobs, but most importantly to avoid destructive and debilitating attitudes."
He pointed out that the government alone could not create jobs but could put in place sound and bold policies to guarantee a bright future. Mr. Asamoaning urged the youth to understand their role in the development of their future and said we can not afford to disappoint our forefathers who fought with their tears, blood and lives to give as this nation.
Nana Akomea, Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment, observed that the impact of Ghana's economic growth on employment had been slow hence the introduction of the National Youth Employment Programme to help solve the unemployment problem, especially among the youth. He pointed out that there was a correlation between economic growth and employment generation, however the country's economy need to grow by eight percent to be able to generate the desired employment growth rate. Nana Akomea said government was poised to facilitate quality human resource development with focus on the youth and mentioned that a draft youth policy and action plan were being drawn by carefully selected youth and it would be taken to cabinet by the end of the year. He said the sector Ministry had been involved in skills and leadership training through the National Vocational Technical Institute (NVTI) and the National Youth Council in a bid to help reduce unemployment among the youth.
The Minister mentioned the community policing, teaching and nursing programmes under the NYEP as interim measures being taken by government to reduce unemployment and said so far, 103,000 youth have been employed through the programme.
Touching on entrepreneurship, Nana Akomea said under the new educational reform students at the junior and senior high schools as well as those in tertiary institutions would take a compulsory course in entrepreneurship regardless of the subject of study to equip them to set up their own businesses when they were out of school
Mr. Herman Chinery-Hesse, Chief Executive Officer of Soft Tribe Limited, a renowned computer software firm, however said that government could not create jobs, explaining that the role of government was to facilitate the development of private businesses.
He said there was numerous opportunities in the country to make any individual start a business, "every solution to a problem is a potential job and wealth creation venture."
Mr. Chinery-Hesse urged the youth not to depend on government for jobs or stay at home waiting for employment opportunities since starting a business only depended on the will and not money at one's disposal. "As a country we need to get more people paying taxes," he said instead of every body depending on the government to earn a salary. He said Africa was doing only about two percent of global business even though there were a lot of natural resources, skills and talents that could be explored.
"There is a hunger for African products in Europe," he said and urged the youth to be up and doing.
Source:
GNA
Police caution against lawlessness on Eid-Ul-Fitr
Accra, Oct. 12, GNA - The Accra Regional Police Command on Friday called on Muslim leaders to advise their youth groups to desist from any act that would be in breach of the law during the celebration of Eid-Ul-Fitr.
It noted that some youth groups used such occasions to block roads, ride unregistered motorbikes, vandalise properties and cause general mayhem in certain parts of the city.
"We will not tolerate any breach of the peace in any community as happened in the past during such celebrations," the Police said in an official statement.
The Police said it shared the joy of a happy Eid-Ul-Fitr with Muslims, but warned that it could not compromise its professional stance on law breakers and other misfits during those happy occasions. "The (Police) Command therefore wishes to exhort all Muslim leaders to warn the youth groups to desist from any such acts in breach of the law because the Police will deal ruthlessly with anybody who will use the occasion to disturb the peace of the public," it said.
Source:
GNA
Gov't concludes WESTEL deal
There are strong indications that government has concluded the deal to hand a significant share of WESTEL communications to a strategic investor.
Government had earlier announced that it was set to sell majority shares in WESTEL to a strategic investor to enhance its operations and make it competitive.
An initial deal to sell the company to Kinz Telecom of the United Arab Emirates fell through as the two parties could not agree on a comprehensive price.
CITI FM`s sources indicate that Netherlands based Celtell communications has been given a 75% stake in the company.
Initially Celtell was prepared to buy a 66.34% of the company for an amount of $125 million but sources say after intensive negotiations, the two parties agreed on a price of $180 million for Celtell to own a 75% stake in WESTEL.
Celtell is set to begin active preparations to commence full scale operations in Ghana following the agreement.
Source:
CITI FM
Land speculators warned off Bui
Sunyani (B/A), Oct. 12, GNA - Mr. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister on Thursday expressed concern about the activities of land speculators at Banda in the Tain district of the region, where the Bui Hydro electric dam is to be constructed to get compensation.
He advised the Chiefs at Banda to collaborate with the District Assembly on matters concerning land in the area. Mr. Baffour-Awuah was addressing the second annual general meeting of the Regional House of Chiefs in Sunyani.
He explained that the benefits the region could derive from the project was enormous and appealed to the House to help take steps to resolve all chieftaincy and land disputes to avoid unnecessary litigations that could harm the project.
The Regional Minister underscored the importance of the project to the youth in the region and the Tain district in particular and asked the people to take advantage of the numerous jobs the project would create and to go into skill training that would make them employable. Mr. Baffour-Awuah disclosed that the Regional Coordinating Council and the National Disaster Management Organisation had delivered the first consignment of 100 bags of maize, five bales of used clothing, some plastic plates, cups and buckets worth GHC3000 (30 million cedis) to the Upper East Disaster Relief Committee for distribution to the affected flood victims in the region.
He appealed to the House of Chiefs to join in the mobilization of relief items in their respective traditional areas to help rehabilitate the victims in the three Northern regions.
Mr. Baffour-Awuah further stressed the need for the Chiefs to support the new educational reform programme in the area of the provision of accommodation for pre-school and teachers and urged them to find time to pay regular visits to the schools to boost the morale of both children and teachers to make the programme a success. He said very soon the district assemblies would embark on a street naming exercise to improve upon the identification and easy location of addresses stressing that since traditional rulers were the embodiment of the people, there was the need for them to lend their support towards development.
Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom IV, President of the Regional House of Chiefs expressed regret about the increasing rate of chieftaincy cases, which now stood at 59 as against 52 in 2006.
He attributed the rise to the lack of a Counsel to assist the judicial committees to adjudicate in the cases.
He appealed to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture to as a matter of urgency and the Attorney General's Department to assist and recommend a legal practitioner to the House for appointment. Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom IV also Omanhene of the Nkoranza traditional area disclosed that the House had decided to present GHC2000 (20 million) cedis as part payment of a pledge it made to support the Catholic University College of Ghana of GHC6000 (60 million cedis) in 2001.
The gesture, the Omanhene indicated, was because of the interest of the chiefs and people of the region had in tertiary education. Okatakyie Agyeman Kudom IV commended the Regional Coordinating Council for sponsoring two nominees of the house to attend the 2007 Annual New Year School at the University of Ghana, January this year.
Source:
GNA
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Africa: War Costs Continent U.S. $18 Billion Annually
11/10/2007 - allAfrica.com / © Reborn Radio Africa ( Germany )
A new study shows that conflicts in Africa cost the continent over 300 billion U.S. dollars between 1990 and 2005 – an amount equivalent to all the international aid received by sub-Saharan Africa in the same period.
The results of the study were released Thursday in a report by Oxfam International, the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) and Saferworld. The report is the first to show, on a large scale, the effect of conflict on Africa's gross domestic product (GDP).
In a statement released with the report, Irungu Houghton, a policy advisor with Oxfam, called the results of the study "shocking," noting that the figures were "almost certainly an under-estimate." According to the statement, the methodology used in the study does not measure the cost of influxes of refugees on neighboring countries or the costs of maintaining peace, rebuilding economies and other consequences of conflict.
The report also estimates that more than 95 percent of the Kalashnikov rifles commonly used in African conflicts are brought in from outside the continent.
Joseph Dube, an Africa coordinator with IANSA, called the statement for all African governments and other weapons-producing governments to support a strong and effective Arms Trade Treaty (ATT).
"The government whose factory produces the rifle is as responsible as the government who permits its ships to transport them… Without… regulation, the cost and suffering borne by Africans will continue to be immense," he added.
The United Nations General Assembly in October 2006 passed a draft resolution to form a team to study the "scope and feasibility" of an international Arms Trade Treaty. The United States was the only country to vote against the resolution, which would help mark and trace illicit small arms and light weapons. Twenty-four other countries, including Somalia, Sudan, China and Russia, abstained.
In a foreword to the Oxfam/IANSA report, Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appealed to governments to be bold in working for the ATT, calling the treaty "an opportunity to agree tough controls on the arms trade that would significantly help reduce armed violence in Africa and across the world."
Sirleaf emphasized the impact of conflict beyond combat: "In my own country, conflict has led to the squandering of rich mineral, agricultural, and human resources that should have benefited Liberia and its people. Although economic recovery has begun, it will take many years to recover from the destruction of infrastructure, the damage to businesses, and the loss of life and livelihood."
The First Committee of the UN General Assembly is discussing the Arms Trade Treaty this week.
Collapsed building kills family of four
Sunyani, Oct. 11, GNA - A collapsed building killed a family of four during a heavy downpour at Ntotoroso in the Asutifi District of Brong-Ahafo Region last Wednesday.
The deceased were identified as Madam Adwoa Dufie 38, Madam Ama Ntansah 50, Gifty Manu and Godfred Manu also known as Owura six years both children of Madam Ntansah.
Deputy Commissioner of Police James Opong-Boanuh, Brong Regional Police Commander told Ghana News Agency in a telephone interview that the rain started around 11 pm on the day of the incident. He said shortly after the rain had started, one of the walls to the room in which the victims were sleeping collapsed and fell on them killing them instantly.
DCP Opong-Boanuh said some residents who heard the noise of the collapsed wall came out from their rooms only to find the family trapped under the debris.
He said the residents quickly informed the police about the incident and some personnel went to the scene to retrieve the corpses from the debris.
DCP Opong-Boanuh said the corpses had been deposited at Hwidiem Government Hospital mortuary and would be released to the family for burial after autopsy.
Source:
GNA
Students' Newspaper launched in Accra
Accra, Oct. 11, GNA - A newspaper, "The Student Observer" targeted at students especially those in tertiary institutions was launched on Thursday with a call for its patronage because of its educational content.
The monthly newspaper would be used to highlight issues affecting tertiary students while promoting entrepreneurship and economic empowerment of the youth. Other issues are motivational messages and profiles of successful young people, arts and entertainment, sports, financial management and health issues.
Mr Frank Agyekum, Deputy Minister of Information and National Orientation, launching the paper said it was adding to the democratic principles and economic growth of the country. He noted that the birth of a newspaper for students and by students was an indication that Ghana's democracy had been entrenched and urged the publishers to tackle issues that would inspire the youth. Mr Agyekum urged the publishers to ensure that they maintained the newspaper to survive.
Mr Bernard Avle, Breakfast Show Host on Citi FM, a local radio station in Accra, lauded the initiative and urged the publishers not to focus on issues like students reaction to high school fees but rather on building their capacities.
"Use The Student Observer to shape students thinking and increase their reading skills since reading among students has declined." Mr Mac Diamond Emekor Nyamekor, Host of an Inspirational programme "Maasem" on TV3, shared the success stories of young people who were successful and urged the youth to be focused.
"Nothing should deter us from making our dreams come true," he said. Mr Mahmoud Jahah, Chief Executive Officer of Mahlid Communications Limited, publishers of the newspaper, said it would focus on leading and inspiring the youth in the fight against poverty. "We would promote economic empowerment for the youth, promote free enterprise and give students the platform to express their views," he said.
The first two copies of the newspaper were bought for 100 Ghana cedis each.
Source:
GNA
We have not violated Performance Indicators - GT
Accra, Oct. 11, GNA - Ghana Telecom Company (GT) on Thursday said it has not violated any of the key performance indicators that govern its operations, saying it is disappointed at the position of the National Communications Authority that GT was not providing quality service.
A statement issued in Accra in response to NCA's action, GT expressed "shock and disappointment" at the NCA's statement and directive.
The statement said GT was in the process of being privatised with strategic investors currently in the country undertaking due diligence on the company.
GT therefore said it was reserving its comments on the matter. The NCA directive, among others, asked One Touch operated by GT and MTN to "clean up their acts by November 8, 2007, or face severe sanctions."
The Authority on Wednesday directed GT and MTN to cease new access line activation until their networks were appropriately dimensioned to take on additional capacity.
Both operators, who account for 88 per cent of the mobile traffic flow, were also asked to resolve their inter-network problems by October 19, 2007, failure of which the NCA would cause an audit to be undertaken and the offending party severely sanctioned.
It asked OneTouch to release interconnect facility to MTN to ensure free flow of traffic by the end of business day on October 19. The directive comes against the backdrop of persistent complaints of poor quality service rendered by the mobile networks - MTN, TIGO, OneTouch and Kasapa.
Mr. Bernard Forson, Director-General of the NCA at a media briefing on the same day said notwithstanding the appreciable strides made in the industry, "the quality of service is anything but good" and said operators had the responsibility to plan the dimension of their networks appropriately to absorb new market demands and growing traffic.
Source:
GNA
Fifty houses, five church manses submerged in Tano River
Tanodumasi (Ash), Oct. 11, GNA - About 50 residential houses and five church manses were submerged in the Tano River at Tanodumasi in the Atwima-Mponua District, when the river burst its banks following a torrential rainfall in the early part of the week.
The displaced victims are currently putting up with friends and relatives. Although there were no fatalities, property worth millions of cedis were destroyed.
The Tano River, which stretches across the town and two other small farming communities, Anansu and Kaporo Number Two, also destroyed farmlands and foodstuffs worth millions of cedis in the two villages. Briefing the Ghana News Agency when Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, Member of Parliament (MP) for the area paid a visit to the flood victims, Nana Akowuah, Krotinhene of Tanodumasi mentioned the submerged churches as; the Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Pentecost, Anglican and the Grace Bible churches.
He said personal effects, livestock, cocoa farms and foodstuffs worth millions of cedis had been destroyed and appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the District Assembly as well as philanthropists for relief aid.
Mr Kwame Asiamah who assured victims of government's support, called on the traditional rulers to release land to enable the victims put up new buildings. He later visited Anansu and Kaporo to assess the extent of damage.
Source:
GNA
1,000 kilometers of feeder roads lost to floods
Tamale (NR), Oct. 11, GNA - About 1,000 kilometres of feeder roads in the Northern Region lost to the floods may result in more communities being cut off or marooned if these roads are not fixed before the next rainy season.
Some 600 boreholes and dugout wells, which are sources of drinking water in the region, have also been lost to the floods.
Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister, speaking to journalists from the Ghana Chapter of the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) in Tamale on Wednesday said the Region was bracing itself for possible outbreak of water borne diseases because household toilets had collapsed along with homes, which may facilitate the spread of diseases.
The Minister said the Community Water and Sanitation Agency and other stakeholders were working hard to contain the situation. He said various measures were being adopted including the prospecting for new wells.
Alhaji Idris said by next week when the nutrition and health teams assisting in solving the crisis brought on by the floods met to review the situation, it was hoped that it would be possible to declare the Region to be out of a state of emergency.
He said this would mean that support from outside would be minimized and the local inhabitants would have to begin work to support the reconstruction process.
The journalists from AMMREN are in the region to asses the health status of the people, with particular attention to malaria cases to enable them to report accurately on the health situation on the ground. The trip is sponsored by the Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance, an African-led institution overseeing a research into malaria vaccines on the continent.
Source:
GNA
Motor riders Tamale Metropolis disapprove of Law on wearing of helmets
Tamale, Oct 11, GNA - Hundreds of motor riders in the Tamale Metropolis on Thursday rode speedily on their motorbikes without helmets to the Regional Police Station to register their disapproval of the law that required them to wear helmets while riding.
The protest, which started at about 09:30 hours did not attract any action from the police. They took off from the police station through the Regional High Court to the Regional Administration hooting, drumming and singing "aah, eeh, no helmet".
The protesters passed through the various principal streets of the Metropolis defiantly for about an hour.
The Police Motor and Traffic Unit (MTTU) in the Metropolis has of late mounted an exercise to arrest riders, who refused to wear helmets, in a bid to reduce fatal accidents but this the riders disagreed hence the demonstration.
The protesters claimed some of them, who were sent to court were fined between GH=A2400 and GH=A2 1,200, an amount they considered to be too high. Sources from police administration, which pleaded anonymity, however, expressed shock at the unlawful behaviour of the riders but said; "the law will surely take its course".
Source:
GNA
Sunyani Takes Delivery Of 30,000 Energy Bulbs
Space FM, Sunyani -The Sunyani Municipal Assembly has taken delivery of 30,000 energy bulbs for distribution to some communities in the area.The bulbs are to replace the high energy consuming incandencent bulbs. The Brong-Ahafo Region received a total of 300,450 energy saving bulbs
The Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Kwame Twumasi Awuah, told Space FM that the bulbs would help consumers pay low electricity tariffs and urged the people to ensure that they all have the bulbs in their homes and offices."This the best way to conserve energy, we must all therefore assist in this direction by using the energy saving bulbs", the MCE said.
The Northern Sector Coordinator for the distribution of the bulbs, Mr Alhassan Osman, who personally supervised the distribution of the bulbs in Sunyani by youth under the National Youth Employment Programme, said the acquisition of the incandescent bulbs by the government is part of measures to address the energy problem facing the country.
He noted that the use of the energy saving bulbs would help save about 200 MW of energy nationwide.Mr Osman explained that some consumers with the onion bulbs will have them replaced with the energy saving bulbs. "Those without any bulbs can not be given the energy saving bulbs because they must be accounted for at the end of the excercise", he pointed out.
The Coordinator said commercial establishments are not to supplied with the free energy saving bulbs because they can afford to buy them.
He warned the public not to buy any energy saving bulb with the inscription "free" adding that who ever attempts to sell such bulbs must be reported to the police.
Miss Helina Attaa Addae of God Provides Salon at Area 2, a suburb of Sunayni, told Space FM that the energy saving bulbs are really helpful because you pay low tariffs on them. "I have been using the energy saving bulb for sometime now and I find them very economical. I urge every body to use the energy saving bulb", she said. Most people were of the opinion that the bulbs should have been distributed to every body in the country.
Source:
Space FM,Sunyani
Sovereign Bond will close infrastructure devt gap
Accra, Oct. 11, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, has said Government intended to apply the 750 million dollar Sovereign Bond secured from the international market to close the infrastructure gap in the nation's development. He told journalists at a press briefing to explain the facility that the Government was to invest in growth catalytic areas to remove bottlenecks constraining growth.
The Bank of Ghana is the fund manager. It would operate it under the Capital Markets Committee chaired by Dr Mohamadu Bawumia, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana.
He said a number of portfolio projects had been identified within the area of energy, road transport and railways. "Projects selected for market finance should be high yielding with a high economic rate of return to allow the project pay for itself and should be growth catalytic by removing critical bottlenecks in the economy," he said.
He noted that Ghana was the first Sub-Saharan African sovereign country, except South Africa that had successfully accessed the international bond market. It has 10-year tenure with a coupon rate of 8.5 per cent.
Mr Baah-Wiredu said the access to the international Capital Market capped a historic process of transformation in economic management based on disciplined policies, good governance, fiscal monetary policy transparency and structural reforms.
"It came as the next logical step after the completion of the HIPC Programme and the Poverty Reduction Growth Facility Programme with the IMF which classified Ghana as a matured stabilizer."
He said the three areas of focus are mainly in the energy-transport sector including rail, where the economic rate of return for projects were identified as very high and could have significant impact on economic growth and employment.
Part of the proceeds would be leveraged into public private partnerships to encourage private sector participation in the provision of key infrastructural services in Ghana, and to play its role as partners for development.
The Finance Minister said Ghana would need to manage the fiscal deficit, keep inflation low and maintain exchange rate stability even while pursuing accelerated growth, stressing that, "we need to achieve rapid growth with stability".
Mr Baah-Wiredu said among the numerous benefits of the maiden sovereign bond issue was that it would serve as a benchmark for the corporate sector to develop their balance sheets to take advantage of capital market resources, provide strong policy signals for increased Foreign Direct Investment flows into the country.
Mr Jospeh Kofi Adda, Minister of Energy, welcomed the money saying it would enhance generation capacity, expansion and the rehabilitation of equipment, some of which, he alluded were as old as 60 years. "What we will be able to do with the 200 million dollars that we hope to get will be to change these equipment and bring efficiency that would curb the 400 million dollars a year losses to the State."
He said it was imperative for the Government to take another look at ensuring that the losses were recovered through an appropriate tariff regime.
The fund for the road sector would turn the Accra-Kumasi road among others into a dual carriage way 11 Oct 07
Source:
GNA
Barclays Bank donates to flood victims
Accra 11, Oct. GNA- Barclays Bank Ghana Limited offshore branch through the Minister of Interior presented a cheque of 75,000 Dollars to the Ghana International Red Cross. It was towards the upkeep of flood victims in the Upper West, Upper East, and Northern Regions and Enchi in the Western Region. Margaret Manakatwe, Managing Director of the Bank, presented the cheque to Mr. Kwamena Bartels, the Minister of Interior, on Wednesday in Accra.
Mrs. Manakatwe said the gesture formed part of the Bank's social responsibility to the people of Ghana. She said it was also in response to an appeal by the Ministry to individuals and organisations to assist the flood victims. Mrs. Manakatwe pledged the Bank's continues support for government towards the alleviation of the suffering of the flood victims aying the financial institution has donated 121,000 Dollars since the advent of the flood disaster.
Mr. Kwamena Bartels expressed government's appreciation for the gesture and said it came at the time when government has decided to put up a health facility to provide medical care to the victims. He said 255,000 people who remained displaced were prone to
diseases adding that there was an outbreak of water borne diseases, diaheorea and other diseases and multiplication of black files. Mr. Bartels thanked all Banks that contributed towards the rehabilitation of the flood victims, saying that the financial institutions had presented a total of 5.86 billion cedis to the government. He appealed to individuals, philanthropists and organisations to support government's efforts at rehabilitating the flood victims. Dr. Gladys N. Ashittey, a Deputy Minister of Health, thanked arclays Bank for the donation, which she said would assist in
facilitating government's efforts at providing drugs, food items and shelter for the victims.
Professor Stephen Addae, Director of the Ghana Institute of Management Public Administration and President of the Ghana Red Cross, who received the cheque from Mr. Bartels commended the Bank for the donation.
Source:
GNA
Two satellite post offices for Brong Ahafo
Sunyani (B/A), Oct. 11, GNA - Ghana Post Company is to build two more satellite post offices at Abesim and Fiapre in Brong-Ahafo to reduce pressure on the Sunyani Post Office. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Wednesday, Mr. Pat Asumin, Brong-Ahafo Regional Head of Ghana Post, said discussions were going on between the Company and chiefs of the two towns for the acquisition of land for the construction of the facilities. He said work was progressing on a new postal facility at Techiman, which would bring to two the number of such facilities in the Municipality adding, when completed.
Mr Asumin underscored the importance as well as the need for a new post office in Techiman to help reduce pressure on the existing one. The Regional Head said two extra vans had been provided the Sunyani Office of the company since he assumed office to enhance service delivery.
With the advent of Information Communication Technology, the company hoped to diversify its operations to meet the new technological challenges. "Unlike the early days, the number of mails and parcels we receive these days have drastically reduced just because today with the help of a mobile phone you can just send a text message or an e-mail right away and receive an instant reply", he stated.
Source:
GNA
Chief wants Lawra-Jirapa-Lambussie confederation revived
Lawra, Oct. 11, GNA- A traditional ruler has called for the revival of the Lawra-Jirapa-Lambussie confederation in the Lawra District of the Upper West Region, towards the settlement of all disputes and development of the area.
Naa Ansoleh Ganaa, paramount chief of the Jirapa Traditional Area,noted that the absence of such a body had resulted in the escalation ofdisagreements, disunity and the underdevelopment of the area.
He made the call at a durbar of chiefs and the people of the traditional area as part of this year's Kobine festival celebration, at Lawra on Monday.
Naa Ganaa urged the people of Lawra, Jirapa and Lambussie to come together and settle all disputes amicably and pool resources for development to improve their standards of living.
"We must collectively be responsible for the settlement of all
disputes and tackle development challenges facing our people and mobilize the people to undertake projects to complement government'seffort."
Naa Ganaa expressed worry that trees, including dawadawa and shea butter trees were being cut
for use as firewood. He called on the chiefs to formulate laws to prevent environmental degradation to avert floods.
Naa Ganaa appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to provide improved seeds for farmers because of the erratic rainfall pattern in the area in recent times.
Naa Ganaa noted that many farmers were still cultivating low yielding and late maturing traditional crops.
He advised women in the area against high intake of alcoholic beverages and reminded them that they played a significant role in home management and nation building.
The festival is celebrated annually at the end of the farming season to give thanks to God and the ancestors in anticipation of a bumper harvest.
LINK : FESTIVALS in GHANA
Source:
GNA
Replace television license fee - Blewu
Takoradi(WR), Oct.11, GNA - Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has suggested that the television license fee should be replaced with an established fund. He said the fees charged were unrealistic and could not meet the increasing needs of a public service broadcaster.
Mr Blewu was contributing at a consultative forum on Public Service Broadcasting organised by GJA, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and KAB Governance Consult at Lagos Town near Takoradi on Wednesday. The forum was under the theme "Public Service Broadcasting in Ghana, The Way Forward."
He explained that the fund should be managed by a neutral institution such as the National Media Commission (NMC) instead of relying on government funds for Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC). Mr Blewu said allocation of funds from government should be paid directly into the fund to sustain public service broadcasting in the country.
He said collection of taxes on old and new television sets at the entry points could raise substantial revenue. Mr Kwesi Afriyie Badu Chief Executive Officer of KAB Governance Consult suggested that mobile phone taxes could be used to support public service broadcasting.
He said civil society must work hard and promote public service broadcasting to serve all interests.
Mr Berifi Appenteng, a Media Consultant said GBC should make conscious efforts to change their programmes and promote efficiency in all sectors of the organisation.
He noted that professional standards were falling in the organisation and efforts must be made to reverse the trend. Mr Appenteng called on GJA to intensify its education and re-training of members.
Source:
GNA
Give the city newsstands that befit it-Mayor
Accra, Oct. 11, GNA - The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on Thursday gave Editors of the various newspapers a two-week ultimatum to construct new and well-designed newsstands that would befit the capital or all such old structures would be demolished.
They are also to provide street vendors with jackets or aprons to make them look presentable while vendors are not to sublet their spaces to hawkers, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson said when the editors called on him in Accra on Thursday.
The editors and executives of the Ghana Journalists Association, Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) and the Vendors Association appealed to the AMA to give them time to address the issue of newsstands which are due to be demolished in the decongestion exercise to hit the capital on October 15.
The Accra Mayor asked them to meet the deadline so that the purpose of the exercise was not defeated.
The decongestion exercise is expected to rid the capital of all unauthorized structures and give it a facelift in preparation for CAN 2008. The exercise would also affect East Legon, Labone, Tetteh Quarshie Interchange and Spintex Road.
Nii Adjiri Blankson said this was to accord these first class residential areas the befitting status they deserved and enable them to pay first class property rate.
He said Mpeasem, Oponglo, Abotsiman and La Bawaleshi, all villages around the East Legon areas, would be exempted from the exercise. About 700 personnel from the Police, AMA and the National Youth Employment Programme would be deployed for the exercise until the end of CAN 2008, when skeleton personnel would be left.
Nii Adjiri said the beaches would also not be left out and he called on the media to support the exercise by educating the public. Mr Ransford Tetteh, GJA President and Spokesperson of the group, said they had called on the mayor to appeal for time to address the problem.
"We are not here to challenge the resolution passed by the Assembly that newsstands be included in the decongestion exercise, but to appeal for time to address the issue."
He contended that the meeting had become necessary because if the issue was not carefully addressed it could stifle the press and lead to loss of revenue to media outlets.
Mrs Gina Blay, President of PRINPAG, expressed appreciation to AMA for the grace period and assured the Mayor of improved and well designed newsstands that befitted the capital.
Source:
GNA
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Ghana: NGO Calls for More Humane Prisons.
10/10/2007 - Sebastian R. Freiku
A KUMASI-based NGO, Mmobrowa Foundation, has expressed grave concern over the state of prisons in Ghana and recommended that regulations governing Ghana prisons should be reviewed.
The foundation would want that accused persons in cases which cannot be tried after six months should released on bail.
The Chairman of the Foundation, Mr. Kwaku Owusu, a renowned philanthropist who raised these concerns, said prison facilities built before independence and meant for a population of five million were still being used and called for a review of the Criminal Code passed in 1960.
In the face of increased population and crime and police stations across the country against non-expansion of prison facilities, resulting in congestion in the prisons, Mr. Owusu has suggested that all accused persons be given charge sheets and brief facts and be furnished with copies of judgment within two weeks of delivery to enable them appeal against it if they so wished.
He observed that the prisons were congested because most of the suspects found it difficult to raise funds to appeal against judgments against them.
Owusu said all accused persons facing first degree felony charges like rape, defilement, robbery or murder should be released on bail if trial did not begin after six months.
According to Mr. Owusu, a countless number of minors had been thrown into jail, a situation he said only a prison review could solve.
He questioned why since 1957 more police stations, hospitals and courts had been built to the neglect of prisons in spite of the increased crime wave.
From the health point of view, Mr. Owusu disclosed that the prisons were becoming the breeding grounds for diseases, including sexually transmitted ones. He mentioned tuberculosis, cancer, skin diseases and the deadly HIV/AIDS as some of the diseases easily spread among the prisoners due to congestion.
As a result, Owusu has suggested that more prisons should be built to meet the needs of the current population, saying it was a shame that 50 years after independence, we were still using the slave camps as prisons.
According to him, James Fort and Usher Fort Prisons should rather serve as prison museums or resource centres to attract tourists instead of their current use.
Mr. Owusu was also worried about the welfare of prison officers whose lives had been affected by the bad state of the prisons.
According to Chairman Owusu, the lives of prisons officers were closely linked to that of the inmates and called for better conditions of service and better remuneration to boost their morale.
He described the prisons officer as the best security agent in the country in that when a soldier arrested a criminal, he handed them over to the police within minutes. The police at most handle the criminal for an hour before prosecution and thereafter the criminal spent a lot more, say a 25-year jail sentence with the prison officer who was not given any serious attention.
"The suffering prison officer should be well catered for and not neglected," he stated.
He also cited an example of a sergeant, an inspector, a DSP or an ASP compared to a colleague in the prisons service as indicating a vast difference because the personnel from the Ghana Police Service could afford a car, live in good houses and enjoy life unlike the counterparts in the Ghana Prisons Service.
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© Reborn Radio Africa ( Germany )
Mental health care to collapse if not reformed
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA - The Acting Chief Psychiatrist, Dr Akwasi Osei on Wednesday said mental health care in the country should be reformed or else it would collapse in the next five years if the present situation continued.
He said if the Mental Health Bill were passed into law it would move mental health care into the communities with the assistance of the community psychiatric nurses to ensure that treated patients had follow-up health care to ease the pressure on the three main psychiatric hospitals in the country.
This would also ease congestion, he said, adding that psychiatric doctors and patients would also have enough time for patients. Dr Osei noted that the psychiatric hospitals were receiving increasing numbers of patients because of the frequent awareness of treatment.
He was speaking at the launch of this year's World Mental Health Day in Accra being celebrated under the theme: "Mental Health in a Changing World: The Impact of Culture and Diversity". Dr Osei said the psychiatric hospitals were overcrowded because relatives refused to come for patients, who had been treated. He noted that enrolment of psychiatric nurses had increased from 50 about five years ago to 400 and expressed the hope this would go up to 1,000 a year in the near future to ensure that there were enough nurses to cater for mental patients.
Dr Osei said the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons had introduced postgraduate programmes to train more psychiatrists to beef-up the small number currently working in the country. He explained that there were 25 doctors with various levels of knowledge in psychiatry assisting in the three psychiatric hospitals - Accra, Pantang and Ankaful - and expressed the hope that the number would increase by next year.
Dr Osei said mental health remained a major problem worldwide and had escalated due to the increased number of refugees and internally displaced persons, which had weakened the social structures, making life unbearable and resulting in several diseases.
According to the International Organisation for Migration, it is estimated that there were 200 million migrants worldwide with women and children representing more than 50 per cent.
He expressed regret that certain cultures were so deeply rooted that they had become stagnant and continued to perpetrate suffering and humiliation against people with mental illness.
Dr Osei said mental illness was treatable and highly preventable and called on Ghanaians to ensure that they visited their relatives, who found themselves in psychiatric hospitals very often and also to accept them back home when they were treated.
Dr Gladys Ashitey, a Deputy Minister of Health, said mental health in Ghana had received a full programme of work for 2007-2011 and the Government was giving it the needed attention.
She said a World Health Organisation (WHO) document indicated that 10 per cent of the Ghanaian population suffered from mental illness and the Ministry was liaising with the Mental Health Unit to mitigate the problems of mental health in the country.
"The Ministry of Health will ensure that we train more psychiatric nurses, community psychiatric nurses and medical assistants and to establish the post of clinical psychologists." Dr Ashitey commenting on the draft mental bill said it had some difficulties, which sought to create a parallel system of health care that would lead to furth er fragmentation of the health services and this was being resolved. She noted that the Ministry had requested the Mental Health Unit to submit a position paper on the Health Insurance Scheme to ensure that mental patients were included in the Scheme. Ms Sophia Twum Barimah, Public Affairs Officer of WHO, who read a speech on behalf of the Country Director, Dr Joachim Saweka, said 450 million people worldwide suffered from mental health or neurological disorder and many of them suffered silently.
"Beyond the suffering and beyond the absence of care lie the frontiers of stigma, shame, exclusion and more often than not, if we cared to know, death", she said. She said WHO in collaboration with its member states and partners had developed strategies to assist national and local policy makers in implementing the recommendations, which focused on cost effective interventions to do away with barriers to treatment, service provision and service planning, among other things.
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GNA
Ghanaian dies after falling from seventh floor
A 34-year-old Ghanaian met his untimely death after falling from the seventh floor of a building in the Southeastern suburb of Amsterdam in The Netherlands.
The incident which occurred on Thursday 4th of October was as a result of a police raid ostensibly to arrest illegal migrants.
The police and sections of the Dutch press reported that the victim in an attempt to escape the raid 'jumped' from the seventh floor.
However witnesses claim that the man fell after a short scuffle with the police.
The Justice department that is leading investigations into the circumstances has issued an interim report stating that there was no physical contact between the police and the victim.
Ghanaians and sympathizers are holding a march today to protest against the police action.
The Dutch police made news last June when they invaded a popular caf? patronized by Africans and arrested over 100 illegal migrants. Among those arrested was famous Nigerian actor/comedian Nkem Owoh.
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Sankofa TV
Ministry to turn handicraft villages into tourist sites
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA - The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiative says it has plans to turn all handicraft villages into tourist sites and showcase them on the web. ...
Mr Francis O. Kusi, Director of Investment and Financial Services at the Ministry, said on Wednesday that it would be easier for tourists to locate tourism sites if they had fair knowledge about the country's tourism potentials and where to locate them. He was speaking on the topic: "Micro Small and Medium Scale Project (MSMSP)" at the 517th Monthly Meeting of Accra Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ARCCI) in Accra.
Mr Kusi said the project sought to make SMEs more competitive and enable them to create more jobs. The project would also help SMEs to reduce business constraints, strengthen business associations by assisting them have access to finance, market and also to develop their products. Mr Kusi said under the MSMSP government would encourage banks to give loans to SMEs under the partial credit guarantee programme and government would share any risks associated equally with the banks. He urged them to take advantage of the programme to expand their businesses and create wealth. Mrs Dorothy Kingsley-Nyinah, an Administrator at the Commercial Court, advised members to opt for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism to solve business disputes and save cost and time. She said ADR in commercial courts was free of charge but if one opted for an independent mediator, the court would recommend one but that would not be free.
Mr Douglas A Boateng, President of ARCCI, urged companies and business owners to be part of the solution to the floods in the three northern regions.
He announced that the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industries had donated 50 million cedis to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to carter for the victims. Mr Boateng said the Chamber was collecting donations on behalf of the victims and urged members to get in touch with the secretariat for account numbers.Source:
GNA
Digital broadcasting to be introduced
Takoradi (W/R), Oct. 10, GNA- Mr Berifi Apenteng, a media consultant on Wednesday said digital broadcasting would be introduced in the country within the next two years.
He was speaking at a consultative forum on public service broadcasting organised by the Ghana Journalists Association (GNA), Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and the KAB Governance Consult at Lagos Town near Takoradi.
The forum was under the theme "Public Service Broadcasting in Ghana, The Way Forward".
Mr Apenteng, who is also a honorary member of the GJA, said television and radio sets in use would have to be replaced because they cannot pick up transmission of the digital technology. He said digital broadcasting would make efficient use of the frequency spectrum and make broadcasting cheaper, apart from an increase in the number of broadcasters, there would be more specialised channels. Mr Apenteng said public service broadcasting is crucial for Ghana's development and national unity and the GBC is well placed to transform into a true public service broadcaster. He said the corporation and the National Media Commission should take the lead in this direction and engage the public in discussions on its role and relevance.
Mr Appenteng proposed that the GBC be allowed to derive funds from a variety of sources to make it financially independent and free from government pressures.
Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of the GJA, said the country needs public service broadcasting to nurture its democracy. He said the public should own the public service broadcasting and support it to perform its expected roles.
Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, Chief Executive Officer of KAB Governance Consult, said as broadcasting is an important tool in the development of nations, a public service broadcasting station should be truly independent of government's economic influence and commercial pressures. Ms Dela Folie, a representative of FES, said the FES would involve itself in activities that would empower the media to strengthen the country's democratic process. 10 Oct. 07
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GNA
Teleko-Bokazo youth deny brutalising police
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA - The Police was on Tuesday accused of destroying houses, looting stores and stealing money from the people of Teleku-Bokazo, Nkroful and Anwia in the Nzema East District of the Western Region.
A Spokesman of a group calling itself concerned citizens, Mr Stephen Donkor told a news conference in Accra that contrary to earlier media reports that the youths of the area vandalised the villages, it was rather the police that carried out the pillaging.
He said the youths were not involved in the burning down of houses and breaking into stores.
"As I'm speaking, my 72-year old father's house was vandalised and he has to start life all over again," he said.
"Why should the youth whom I am leading come to my house and destroy my property at night and retreat into the bush?" Mr Donkor asked. He said the whole village was deserted as both the young and the old had to run for dear life.
The news conference was organised by the National Coalition on Mining to give the people from the two communities the opportunity to tell their side of the story and to find amicable solutions to the problem confronting them.
On September 30, the youth of the two communities were alleged to have brutalised two policemen from the Mobile Force Unit of the Ghana Police Service in Takoradi and seized their AK 47 assault riffles loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition each.
Some youth were said to have gone to Adamus Resources Limited, a gold prospecting company, to resist an attempt by the Company to bring in prospecting machines to the site.
According to Mr Donkor they had on a number of occasions met with the former Minister of Lands and Forestry and told him why they were resisting any attempt by companies to carry out surface mining in those communities.
Mr Donkor alleged that the Minister assured them that he would meet with the Leadership and members of the communities to find amicable solution to the issue but they never heard from him.
He said the two communities were occupying a small plot of land and ejecting them from their settlements meant depriving them of the right of belonging and putting them under a different traditional area. "Apart from that we are farmers and those of us in the hinterland produce food to feed those along the coast. For that reason we cannot allow surface mining as it would lead to starving our people," he said. He, therefore, appealed to the authorities; civil society organisations and the National Coalition on Mining to assist them to get legal aid to represent those arrested and also to help them to solve the problems.
Mr Abdullah Dramani, Co-ordinator of the Coalition, alleged that the incident was not an isolated one, as it was linked with systematic police brutalities meted out to mining communities.
"We are not saying that they should not maintain law and order but they should be able to do that without beating and brutalising the victims," he said.
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GNA
GCB to introduce a new package
Kumasi, Oct. 10, GNA - The management of Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) is to introduce a new package to ensure high quality service and reduce long queues in its banking halls.
The 'Royal Banking' is expected to ensure GCB meet the needs of customers and emerging challenges of the global banking environment. Mr Franklin Asamoah, Member of the Board of Directors of GCB, announced this at the sod cutting for the construction of a new bank complex at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi on Tuesday.
The project is estimated at about 14.9 million Ghana cedis and being undertaken by Consar Construction Company.
Mr Asamoah said hallmark of the new package were, flexibility, speed and convenience for customers.
He said the bank's Internet banking would be implemented nation-wide after it had networked its 135 branches.
Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, Vice-Chancellor of KNUST commended management of the bank for its decision to build a new banking complex at the university to serve the needs of students and its catchment area. He appealed to corporate bodies to commit resources to improve on the infrastructure of the university to facilitate academic work.
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GNA
Snakebite cases rise in aftermath of floods in the north
Daboya (N/R), Oct. 10, GNA - The Daboya Health Centre in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region has seen a rise in snakebite cases following recent floods, which hit the northern parts of the country. Mr Dawura Adams, Senior Medical Assistant at the Centre, told a group of journalists on a tour of the Northern Region that in the past two weeks the health facility had received about five snakebite cases although for the past two years the Centre had not handled any case involving snakebites.
Recent floods that hit the three northern regions destroyed life and property with humans, animals and reptiles fleeing. Mr Adams told the journalists from the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) that the centre had to refer the snakebite cases because there was no anti-snake bite serum to treat victims. The journalists are in the Region to assess the health status of the people, with particular emphasis on malaria cases following the floods that hit the area from late August to early September. Mr Adams said malaria was top on the list of common cases of Out Patients' Department attendance with diarrhoea and upper respiratory tract infections being common cases at the Centre.
He said pregnant women were being served with intermittent preventive treatment for malaria, while treated bed nets were also being made available to cut down on malaria.
Mr Adams said the Centre, which served about 38 communities in the West Gonja District, had until recently faced problems with how to reach the communities with services because it had only one motorcycle. He said following the floods, however, the Health Minister, Major Courage Quashigah had made 10 bicycles and two motorcycles available to the Centre, which served Daboya and other communities in the District known as "overseas" because of its inaccessibility.
Earlier, Petty Officer Seidu Gariba of the Eastern Naval Command in Tema, who assisted in ferrying the journalists to cross the While Volta River to Daboya, said the Navy had been on hand after the floods to ferry people including snakebite victims from Daboya, which could only be accessed by boat or helicopter, to near-by health facilities.
He said they were also helping in carting relief items to the area.
The trip by the journalists was sponsored by the Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance, an African-led institution involved in researching into malaria drugs and vaccine across the continent supported by a 17 milion-dollar Bill Gates Foundation grant.
The trip is to help the journalists to have first-hand information about the malaria situation on the ground and report on real stories of people affected by the floods and how they could be helped.
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GNA
Relief items for flood victims leaves Accra for the North
Accra, Oct.10, GNA - Government on Wednesday dispatched eight trucks with relief items to the three northern regions to support victims of floods that left in their wake death and widespread devastation to crops, land, houses and roads.
The items included cooking utensils, roofing sheets, mats, blankets and plastic wares.
They are part of government's efforts to help those who have been displaced or affected by the floods.
Nana Obiri Boahen, Minister of State at Ministry of the Interior, who dispatched the team from Accra, reiterated government's commitment to support the victims and vulnerable people in the society. He urged government officials in the affected regions to ensure the items reached the people who really needed them in order not to thwart government's effort.
"I will follow up to the area in two weeks to find out for myself how the items are being distributed and whether they reached the right people, that is those who really need them," the Minister said.
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GNA
Medical team presents drugs to Ahafo Ano North District Hospital
Tepa-Ashanti, Oct. 10, GNA - A medical team from Project Cure, a Denver-based Health Care Foundation has presented drugs worth about 15,000 dollars to the management of Ahafo Ano North District Hospital at Tepa-Ashanti.
The 10-member team from Missouri University School of Medicine also offered free medical care to patients at the hospital and Manfo Health Centre during their four-day stay in the district.
Madam Claire Cunningham, a Management Staff of the Foundation, speaking at a reception in honour of the team, said it would assist the hospital with medical equipment and drugs that were expected in the country soon.
Nana Adusei Atwenewah Ampem, Omanhene of Tepa Traditional Area commended the team for their humanitarian service and presentation of drugs to the hospital. Nana Agyemang Prempeh, Ahafo Ano North District Chief Executive appealed to management of the Foundation to initiate an exchange programme for medical staff of the hospital to improve on health care deivery in the district. Dr Isaac Akuamoah Boateng, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, expressed appreciation to the team for their dedication to duty and care for the people.
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GNA
Campaign against global poverty launched
Accra, Oct.9, GNA - A global campaign dubbed; "Stand up and Speak out" against the eradication of poverty and hunger by 2015 was on Tuesday launched in Accra with a call on policy-makers and rich nations to honour their promises to poor countries under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
This year's campaign is targeting one million Ghanaians, which would include members of the various coalitions and individuals who are expected to sign to the movement to stand up and speak out against poverty.
The coalition has also lined up a week of activities from Oct 9-16 to include floats, talks and lectures at churches, markets, schools and other public places with all culminating in a Stand Up and Speak Out Day on October 17, 2007.
The Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) in collaboration with a coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) is organizing the programme to raise awareness and promote advocacy among the Ghanaian population towards the eradication of poverty and hunger. Mr Kofi Amponsah Bediako, Government Spokesperson on Social Services who represented Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Coffie, Minister of Information and National Orientation (MINO), launching the programme said poverty eradication was fundamental to the attainment of better life for the citizenry.
He said government fully supported the Non- Governmental Organizations (NGOs) for their determination to eradicate poverty. He said the fight against hunger and poverty should not be left to government alone.
Mr. Dauda Toure, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative urged the campaigners to educate the people on why they must stand up and speak against hunger and inequality in the world.
He said the GCAP and other global campaigners were making sure that the international community kept faith with the people by fulfilling their pledges.
He said achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality and maternal mortality were some of the declarations made under the MDGs. Mr. Toure said MDGs should be the minimum package that developing countries must address if they really wanted to eradicate hunger and poverty.
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GNA
National Blood Policy launched
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA - The Minister of Health Major (rtd) Courage Quashigah, on Wednesday launched the National Blood Policy in Accra with a call for appropriate measures to be taken in the collection, screening, processing, storage and use of blood and blood products. "Although a life saving intervention, blood transfusion carries with it the risk of acute or delayed complications and transmission of transfusion transmissible infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis, malaria and others," the minister cautioned.
Major Quashigah said transfusion-transmitted infections could be eliminated or substantially reduced through integrated strategy for blood safety, which included a well organised, nationally co-ordinated blood service, testing of all donor blood for transfusion, blood grouping and compatible testing.
The 22-page policy document comprises situational analysis, aims and objectives and defines strategies to achieve targets. It also spells out the role of the National Blood Service (NBS) and other institutions such as hospital blood banks, transfusion committees and public health reference laboratory to meet international standards. Policies regarding laboratory testing, processing, storage, quality assurance and clinical transfusion practice were also outlined in addition to guidelines on ethical conduct, human resource strategy, finance and active research development programmes. Major Quashigah said approximately two-thirds of all blood transfused went to children and women of child bearing age who had many more productive years to live.
He said this brought into sharp focus the concepts of availability and safety of blood and blood products.
He said millions of lives were saved each year through blood transfusion worldwide, but in developing countries, people died due to the inadequate supply.
Dr Justina Ansah, Director, NBS said the success of the policy depended on effective collaboration with all stakeholders to achieve its objective of making blood safe, adequate, affordable and accessible to all hospitals countrywide.
She said blood safety in Ghana, like other African countries, deserved special attention, considering the high prevalence of transfusion transmissible infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, syphilis and malaria.
Dr Ansah said safety of blood therefore comprised blood collection, which incorporates education, motivation, recruitment, and retention of low risk blood donors in addition to quality testing, processing and appropriate clinical use of blood. She said the launch would be followed by nation-wide dissemination and subsequent implementation processes and expressed the hope that it would improve the blood services offered in the country.
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GNA
Monday declared public holiday
Accra, Oct. 9, GNA - The Ministry of the Interior on Tuesday informed the general public that Monday, October 15 should be observed as a public holiday.
A statement signed by the sector Minister, Mr. Kwamena Bartels said since Eidul-Fitr falls on Saturday, October 13, President John Agyekum Kufuor had declared Monday a public holiday.
The statement therefore called on the general public to observe it throughout the country.
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GNA
No more compensation for poultry farmers ...
... without bio-security measures
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA - Poultry farmers, who refuse to observe bio-security measures on their farms, would henceforth not be paid any compensation in case of an avian influenza outbreak, Mr Ernest Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture, warned on Tuesday. He said although the Government paid compensation totalling about 1.4 billion cedis for 27,356 birds that were destroyed as part of the control measures and those that died during the last outbreak, it would no longer pay compensation on a wholesale basis again. "Compensation would only be paid to farmers, whose poultry are attacked although they observed all the bio-security measures," he said at the opening of a three-day regional simulation workshop for Anglophone West African countries for control of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu).
The workshop with participants from Ghana, The Gambia and Sierra Leone is an experience sharing one with a comprehensive view of what it takes from human and financial resources to deal with an outbreak. It is being organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) with support form USAID.
Ghana's success story in dealing with this year's outbreak would be the main topic for discussion.
Mr Debrah said staff of the Veterinary Services Directorate had started training poultry farmers on the importance of bio-security on their farms and would continue until all poultry farmers were reached. "After the training, compensation will not be paid to farmers, who do not observe bio-security on their farms in case of any future outbreak," he said.
Mr Debrah said despite the lifting of the quarantine restrictions, the public was reminded that Avian Influenza was still present on the globe and in the West African Sub-Region.
"It is, therefore, very important for all poultry farmers to continue to ensure maximum bio-security on their farms so as to prevent the entry of the virus onto their farms." l The Minister reminded the public that the importation of live birds and all poultry products from infected countries was still banned. He called on the security agencies, especially those along the country's borders, to continue to be vigilant and ensure that live birds or poultry products did not enter the country.
Mr Debrah urged the Ghana Poultry Development Board to set standards for the industry so that it could contain any outbreak. He said it was heart warming that the FAO and USAID had recognised the professionalism of those involved in the control of the outbreak in Ghana and chose to hold the workshop in Ghana for a chance to share such experiences.
Mr Edouard K. Tapsoba, FAO Representative in Ghana, said a desktop simulation was a first step towards a good preparedness and it should be complemented by field exercises and by real time alert exercises. Vigilance, he said, was still a key point to prevent any outbreaks. Dr Mensah Agyen Frempong, Director, Veterinary Services, who chaired the function, said diseases were no respecter of boundaries hence the need for all to be alert at all time. He reminded the public to report any unusual deaths of birds to the nearest Agriculture Office or Veterinary office. A similar exercise has been held in Bamako, Mali, for Francophone countries.
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GNA
Address land tenure and its administration - Panellists
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA - Panellists at the first ever "Business Roundtable with the Government of Ghana" organised by The Economist Conferences, a division of the Economist Intelligence Unit, have charged government to radically transform the country's land tenure system and administration to accelerate the expected foreign direct investment required to boost development.
Some of the panellists are Mrs Magaret Mwanakatwe, Managing Director, Barclays Bank, Ghana; Mr Albert Essien, Regional Director, ECOBANK; Mr Alhassan Andani, Managing Director, Stanbic Bank, Ghana and Olu Ogusanya of the Coca Cola Company Limited.
The Economist Conference a day's event was attended by representatives of local and foreign businesses, foreign missions, international and local banks that have interest in entering the Ghanaian economy. President John Agyekum Kufuor and Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance addressed the Conference. It was under the theme: Fifty Years of Independence Where to Go Now: Can Ghana Become West Africa's Next Business Gateway? The speakers noted that issues pertaining to land and land tenure and administration were critical to developing a certain level of confidence in the business industry and creating a positive image for Ghana as the preferred business destination in the West Africa Sub-Region.
The Economist Conferences provide an international forum bringing together key executives of international and local corporations with Presidents and their Ministers for off-the-record sessions. It also provides a platform for senior executives seeking new insights into strategic issues to meet and engage each other in meeting mutual goals.
Briefing the media, the panel led by Mrs Pratibha Thaker, Regional Director, Africa, Economic Intelligence Unit, said it was important for the Government to, not only provide a peaceful atmosphere for development; but also to ensure that private sector participants and operators were able to take advantage of policy initiatives that had the potential to bring about change in the society.
She said the event was not a public relations gimmick to score points for the Government, saying: "It is a demand on us by foreign investors in Ghana, who want to know what is going on in the country and what can be done to improve the situation by offering the Government and private sector operators a common platform to engage each other.
Mrs Thaker said Ghana having enjoyed a decade plus of political stability and economic reform had become a growing source of interest to foreign investors seeking to take advantage of the opportunities in the country's key strategic industries.
She said a number of key challenges still needed to be tackled if the Government wanted to achieve conducive culture for the business environment.
Mr Ogusanya said he was expecting a situation where as an investor, could sit by his computer; access a land bank site; identify a piece of land and its owner as well as the costs involved in acquiring it.
"If this is in place, it exudes confidence in the country and paints a positive picture of the existence of correct policies that make the life of an investor worth the money he intends to put in the economy."
Mr Essien said the event had the potential of putting Ghana on the world financial and political map as a good business partner.
"When the nation gets this higher leverage in the international socio-political arena, it brings about increased development and increased development activity means more business for our various businesses across the country," he noted.
Mr Andani said he was impressed with President Kufuor's vision to create a uniform land tenure system, adding that it was something the private sector was looking forward to.
Mrs Mwanakatwe was of the opinion that the Government should work double the rate at making housing affordable and increasingly accessible to all.
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GNA
UN team briefed on Alavanyo/Nkonya peace negotiations
Alavanyo, Oct. 10, GNA - The Mediation Committee on the Alavanyo/Nkonya decades-old land dispute, on Tuesday briefed a United Nations (UN) team at a meeting in Ho about the process and progress made so far.
Mr Keith Wright, Senior Secretary, Inter-Department Framework for Coordination for Early Warning and Conflict Prevention at the UN Headquarters in New York led the team, which met with representative groups of the Nkonya and Alavanyo sides at separate meetings to have a feel of the situation on the ground.
Other members of the team were, Ms Shan Cooke, Associate Political Affairs Officer, Department of Political Affairs, UN Headquarters, Dr Ozannie Ojeilo, Senior Governance Advisor, UNDP, Ghana and Mr Francis Azuimah, Peace and Governance Advisor, UNDP, Ghana.
Rt. Rev. Livingstone Buama, Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, who is chairman of the Mediation Committee said the process had firmly established in the minds of the two sides a commitment to building peace, making the presence of a police/military detachment now unnecessary.
He said the clergy-led process initiated by government in 2004 was being supported with technical advice and training by the West African Network for Peace Building.
Rt. Rev. Buama said every move had been meticulous, from the figuratively stormy first meeting of the representative groups, when their verbal and body language put them at uncompromising positions to this moment when the sides intermingle so much that all can see "there is light at the end of the tunnel".
He said apart from the talks with the chiefs, the process segmented into groups of youth, women, school pupils among others, each with its peace overture messages and strategies.
Rt. Rev. Buama said for easy permeation of the communities the mediation team had a three-tier structure, each side having consultative committees, which merged for joint consultative sessions.
He said each side's claim to the disputed land had been captured in two survey maps, both of which would be put on the table at a critical meeting for them to iron out their differences. Rt Rev. Buama, who was nominated by the two sides themselves to chair the committee, said the UN's contribution could add value to the process.
Mr Wright said the UN would prefer that conflicts were identified and settled before it progressed into real battles since enforcing peace was expensive and not always successful. He told a large number of Nkonya citizens who had converged at the Nkonya Secondary School Assembly Hall that they were brave to have fought with their feelings and decided for peace. Mr Wright said the peace process had caught the attention of the UN and that, he would facilitate any help that the UN system could give. Nana Okotor Kofi III, Omanhene of the Nkonya Traditional Area expressed confidence that "in the shortest possible time the people of Nkonya and Alavanyo would get to the top of the peace process". Nana Ampem-Darkoh II, Chief of Nkonya Ahundwo and Ankobeahene of the Traditional Area said their desire for peace was inviolable, warning that royals who would henceforth call for war should put their sons in front of the battle line.
At a meeting with the people of Alavanyo, Togbega Tsedze Atakora VII, Paramount Chief, said he could say without fear that the war was over but appealed to government to speed up development projects in the area.
The two sides jointly presented a kente cloth and strips with the inscription "Alavanyo and Nkonya Stand For Peace" to the UN team. Besides the committee and its consultative teams are a network of clergymen in the area who have been shuttling between the communities to promote peace.
The Catholic Relief Services provided the first funding besides government through the Ho Diocese of the Church to kick-start the process after which some help had come from the UNDP. The Nkonya/Alavanyo conflict over land, which had gone on for the past 83 years often resulted into gun fights resulting in numerous deaths from both sides.
It created a tense situation between the neighbours, many of whom had relations on the other side. The conflict also affected economic activity, as many who are predominantly farmers did not feel safe going to cultivate the land. Emma Foli, from Elavanyo-Agorme declaring the uselessness of the conflict was elated that the sides could now visit each other's markets and do business. The consensus in contributions at the meetings was that government should facilitate the economic development of the area to give jobs to the idle hands.
Source:
GNA
Kufuor calls for education on handling of LPG
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor has called on the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) and Oil Marketing Companies to embark on an intensive public education campaign to sensitise Ghanaians on the proper way to handle liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
He said since LPG would soon be the major domestic fuel for Ghanaians as work on the West Africa Gas Pipeline neared completion, there was the need for a sensitisation programme on the safe use of the product. President Kufuor said this when the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah presented a report on the recent gas explosion at Asokwa in Kumasi.
A statement signed by Mt Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to the President and Presidential Spokesman, said a major gas explosion occurred on September 21, killing three people and injuring more that 200 and destroying 115 houses.
Subsequently, a Committee of enquiry was set up to investigate the cause. The Committee was made up of representatives of the Ghana National Fire Service and National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
Presenting the report, the Regional Minister said though the incident could be attributed to negligence on the part of the handlers, the Government should consider coming going to the aid of the victims. He said at the moment the cost of damage was estimated at 1.2 billion cedis.
Mr Owusu-Ansah called for the establishment of the National Petroleum Authority offices in all the regional capitals to monitor the operations of gas stations to forestall recurrence.
Source:
GNA
Fake Aflao doctor faces similar charges at Yeji
Aflao, Oct. 10, GNA - Richard Brown Afful, who is standing trial at a circuit court at Aflao for posing as a doctor is to be transferred to Yeji in the Brong-Ahafo Region to be processed for court for a similar offence.
Afful was alleged to have used fake documentations to secure a job as a medical doctor at a Yeji Hospital but sneaked out of town only five days after the hospital authorities doubting his credentials reported him to the police.
The Aflao police told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that news about Afful's arrest and appearance in court at Aflao alerted the police at Yeji who sent down a request for his transfer.
Afful, who is scheduled to reappear before the Aflao Circuit Court on October 11, this year is being held by the Aflao police for transfer to Yeji.
He is charged with impersonation, false assumption of professional title and forgery.
At Aflao, Afful was alleged to have sought and got employment as a medical practitioner with a private hospital at Aflao but was busted. He was said to be operating with the registration number of a Dr Richard Kwame Mannah who passed out on September 15, 2006 from the University of Ghana Medical School and was currently doing his Housemanship at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. The Police said Afful confessed during interrogation that the certificates were forged for him by a friend now in the United Kingdom but whose name he could not say. 10 Oct. 07
Source:
GNA
FSDA-Ghana visits flood victims at Shime
Shime (V/R), Oct. 10, GNA - The Foundation for Sustainable Development in Africa-Ghana (FSDA-Ghana), a non-governmental organization working in the fields of education, health as well as in the promotion of income generating activities in the Shime area of the Keta District in the Volta Region, on Wednesday visited flood victims in the Shime in the Anlo Constituency.
The visit, which was undertaken by a team of 10 officials and consultants and was led by the Executive Director of the Foundation, Mr Frederick Alipui and Mr Clement Kofi Humado, Member of Parliament for the constituency.
The Keta District has a total landmass of 1,086 square kilometres, a third of which is covered by water bodies in the form of estuarine lagoons and creeks, with several hundreds of additional square kilometres of surrounding flood plains and marshlands. Shime area covers about 25 communities, made up of 2,346 households and a total population of 8,800, of which, women form about 70 percent. Most of the men have migrated to other are as in search of jobs while some of the communities have been displaced, due to heavy rainfall.
Farms have been submerged, houses collapsed and communities have been separated from one another by floodwaters. Women and school children have not been able to go about their normal day-to-day activities.
Furthermore, drinking water sources have been contaminated by floods and the risk of pollution by human and animal excreta have heightened the risk of water-borne, diseases.
The Foundation has appealed to benevolent organizations to come to the aid of the flood victims by providing building materials; temporary shelters, clean water, mattresses and mosquito nets to enable them live a better life.
Source:
GNA
NCA warns cell phone operators
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA - The National Communications Authority (NCA) on Wednesday directed cell phone networks to clean up their acts by November 8, 2007, or face severe sanctions.
NCA asked MTN network in particular to drastically improve its services to address hiccups resulting from growing traffic, which the public had been complaining about.
The directive comes against the backdrop of persistent complaints of poor quality service rendered by the mobile networks - MTN, TIGO, OneTouch and Kasapa.
The NCA also directed MTN and OneTouch to cease new access line activation until their networks were appropriately dimensioned to take on additional capacity.
Both operators, who account for 88 per cent of the mobile traffic flow, were also asked to resolve their inter-network problems by October 19, 2007, failure of which the NCA would cause an audit to be undertaken and the offending party severely sanctioned.
It asked OneTouch to release interconnect facility to MTN to ensure free flow of traffic by the end of business day on October 19. At a press conference in Accra to address the quality of service in the telecommunications industry in the country, Mr Bernard Forson, Director General NCA, said notwithstanding the appreciable strides made in the industry, "the quality of service is anything but good". He said operators had the responsibility to plan and dimension their networks appropriately to absorb new market demands and growing traffic.
"Consumers must not be short changed, with growing demand for services, anymore or less than your respective shareholders. The duality of growth and the provision of quality of service must be maintained at all times.
"The Authority, therefore, shall take all measures internally and externally to ensure that enhanced expansion corresponds to quality of service."
Mr Forson said in the NCA's qualitative and quantitative market assessment, the services of MTN and OneTouch needed improvement, particularly when both parties carried 88 per cent of total mobile network traffic.
"Consequently, any hitch in traffic flows will adversely affect service quality."
He said NCA had realized that as deplorable as the quality of service had been, the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in the licence conditions did not appropriately capture the realities on the ground. As a result it was possible for service to be sub-standard and still be in compliance with the KPI.
Mr Forson said in order to better align service level experience of the consuming public with the KPI, the Authority would immediately take steps to modify these performance indicators in the licence conditions. To complement these, he said, the NCA was negotiating with a reputable market research consultancy to undertake quarterly surveys of the quality of service as experienced by consumers, the results of which would be made available to the public and also be factored into the Authority's assessment of the operators.
"We believe that in the short term, by authoritatively naming and shaming offending operators, along with sanctions, efforts will not be spared by operators to responsibly meet their obligations." Mr Forson said the Authority was in the process of acquiring a Quality of Service Drive Test Equipment to independently monitor the performance of the network operators and quantitatively measure degrees of service quality across the country in a timely manner. The Authority, he said, was exploring a portfolio of measures, including increased market participation, levying charges for access numbers, within the next quarter, and/or deploying Number Portability to enhance customer choice.
Mr Forson did not specifically indicate the kind of sanctions to be meted out to service providers, who flouted the conditions for being granted licences, but hinted that it could be a complete blackout of adverts and monetary sanctions. When a journalist told the NCA that the mobile operators knew the level to which the Authority could bite hence the low quality of service delivery, Mr Forson said: "Let them try me".
Source:
GNA
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New York opens slave burial site.
09/10/2007 - BBC.com
A burial ground for African slaves, which had been forgotten for almost two centuries, has been opened to the public in New York.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and poet Maya Angelou attended a dedication ceremony for a monument at the site.
The late 17th Century burial site was gradually built over as New York expanded, but was rediscovered during an excavation in 1991.
Some 400 remains, many of children, were found during excavations.
Half of the remains found at the burial site were of children under the age of 12.
The entire project has cost more than $50 million (£24 million) to complete.
The burial site in Manhattan was rediscovered during excavations for a federal building.
Forgotten sacrifice
Now a 25ft (7.6 metre) granite monument marks the site.
It was designed by Rodney Leon and is made out of stone from South Africa and from North America to symbolise the two worlds coming together.
The entry to the monument is called The Door of Return - a nod to the name given to the departure points from which slaves were shipped from Africa to North America.
"The tragedy was that for so many years, for centuries, people passing by this site did not know about the sacrifices they [the slaves] had made," Mr Leon said.
"Now we have an opportunity to right some of the wrongs of the past."
Enslaved Africans helped create the city of New York.
They worked in the docks and as labourers building the fortification known as Wall Street, which protected the city against attack from Native Americans.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that the excavations had revealed "one of the most uncomfortable and tragic truths in our city's history. For two centuries, slavery was widespread in New York."
Source : © Reborn Radio Africa ( Germany )
Kintampo takes delivery of 10,000 energy bulbs
Ampoma (B/A), Oct. 9, GNA- The Kintampo South District Assembly has taken delivery of more than 10,000 energy saving bulbs for distribution to some communities in the area. The bulbs would replace the incandescent bulbs, which consumes high energy.
The bulbs would be supplied to the people of Ampoma, Jema, Amoma, Krabonso, Pramposo, Krutakyi, Pamdu, Paniniamisa and Jema Nkwanta. Addressing the chiefs and people of Ampoma at a meeting to launch the project in the area, Mr. Yaw Adjei-Duffour, District Chief Executive (DCE), said the bulbs would help the people to pay low tariffs on electricity.
He urged the people to take proper care of the bulbs and watch the activities of some unscrupulous people who may intend stealing them. Mr. Adjei-Duffour said government had the vision and foresight for the development of the country and advised the people to rally behind the New Patriotic Party towards a resounding victory in 2008 elections. The DCE reminded the people of the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme and urged parents to enrol their children in schools.
Source:
GNA
Father beats daughter to death
A 45-year-old father of Mamponteng in Ashanti is on trial for allegedly beating his daughter to death.
Haruna Bismawu had allegedly accused his eldest child, Habiba Bismawu, 20, of sleep around with men.
His warning to her to desist from her immoral lifestyle had gone unheeded. When she returned home early on Monday after spending the night outside the home on Sunday, he was especially concerned because it was Ramadan when Muslims, by virtue of their religion, are obliged to stay pure.
Haruna reportedly grabbed Habiba and subjected her to severe beating.
She was said to have died on the way to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and was buried on the same day.
Haruna allegedly attempted to run away but was arrested by the Community Police.
Police Inspector Yusif Mohammed Tanko of the Ashanti Regional Police Public Affairs Unit told the Times that Haruna was put before the Mamponteng Magistrates Court on Monday charged with murder.
His plea was not taken and he was remanded into prisons custody to appear again on October 22.
Source:
Ghanaian Times
Security taskforce formed to protect traders
Kwame-Danso (B/A), Oct. 9, GNA- A security task force made up of the police and military has been formed in the Sene district of the Brong-Ahafo Region to help clamp down on armed robbery. Mrs. Cynthia Titiriku-Danso, District Chief Executive (DCE), who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Kwame-Danso, asked traders and travellers not to entertain any fears in coming to the district to transact businesses.
Mrs. Titiriku-Danso said the assembly is ready and committed to motivating the security agencies in the district to enable them to work hard to promote a peaceful co-existence and free movement without hindrance.
She expressed the optimism that the task force would discharge its duties to expectation and appealed to the people in the district to report persons with questionable characters to the police stations at Basa, Kwame-Danso and Kojokrom.
The DCE cautioned opinion leaders of the Fulani community to be cautious of the people they welcome to their areas. Barely two weeks ago, a group of armed robbers believed to be Fulani herdsmen stormed the district and attacked traders at Kwame-Danso and the Kajaji market.
During the robbery, three people sustained various degrees of cutlass and gunshots wounds, whilst the robbers made away with several millions of cedis.
One of the robbers apprehended revealed that his colleagues, mainly Fulani herdsmen, were residents of Yeji in the Pru district of the region.
Source:
GNA
Togbe Fiti appeals to chiefs to unite Ghanaians
Aflao, Oct. 9, GNA - Togbe Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of Aflao Traditional Area, has appealed to his colleague chiefs to build a common sense of belonging among Ghanaians as citizens of one nation. He said any sense of belonging along ethnic lines should be relegated to the background and replaced with a national belonging to ensure the peace of the nation.
Togbe Fiti, who was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after a visit to Kumasi as the guest of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, said chiefs needed to build blocks of friendship for their people to emulate them.
He said an example of what he envisaged was reflected in the brotherly reception accorded him by Otumfuo Osei Tutu in Kumasi when he joined him and other chiefs to mark the Akwasidae, followed by the final funeral rites of the Asantehene's brother.
Togbe Fiti said the time when chiefs were antagonistic and mistrusted one another, swaying their subjects along with them, resulting in long standing tribal and ethnic squabbles, were over.
He said the chieftaincy institution had become a catalyst for development and promotion of the national interest. "Let us end those inter-ethnic mistrust as there are no more wars being waged to gain supremacy over one another", he said. The chieftaincy institution, Togbe Fiti said, wielded respect and influence that it must apply to complement the new national orientation programme being undertaken by the political leadership. Togbe Fiti expressed appreciation to the Ewe community in Kumasi for their support during his visit and urged them to be united and strengthen the bond of friendship between them and the Ashantis and other people.
Source:
GNA
Human Resource Vital for Development : B/A Minister
Space FM, Nyankpala, (N/R) - The Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, has reiterated that no nation can develop without adequate human resource even though the nation could have abundant natural resources.
He has therefore challenged students to endeavour to excel in their studies to enable them make meaningful contributions to the over all national development.
"As students, you must take your studies serious and make good grades that would qualify you for positions to enable you assist in developing the nation", he said.
Mr. Baffour Awuah was addressing the University of Development Studies (UDS) branch of the Brong- Ahafo Students Union (BASU) at Nyankpala in the Tolon /Kumbugu District in the Northern Region. The occasion was to welcome fresh students from the Brong-Ahafo region to the campus.
Over 200 hundred students from the region were in attendance. There were also students from different regions who were attracted to the programme because of the presence of the region minister. The regional minister said "God can give you all the natural resources such as gold, diamond, timber among others but if you do not have the human resource to put all those resources to good use, the people would be poor".
He observed that many communities are sitting on gold and other minerals but of lack of human resource is depriving such communities of development.
Mr. Baffour Awuah commended the BASU members for proudly identifying with the region saying "the Brong-Ahafo region is blessed with good food, exciting people, conducive climate and weather and a warm culture and for that citizens of the region should be proud".
The regional minister pointed out that because of the above attributes, the region is gradually becoming the center for most national programmes.
"The Brong-Ahafo region is the heart of the country judging from its strategic location, its people and facilities available, no wonder most conferences and congresses are held in the region", he noted with pride.
Mr. Baffour Awuah was impressed at the number of students from the region, particularly girls, who are aspiring to greater heights adding that they should not be too satisfied with first degrees but rather aim at second degrees and other executive programmes that would place higher values on them.
"Do not be content with your first degrees. Rather you should go for second degrees, professional as well as executive programmes that would place high value on you|", he said. "Very soon, first degrees alone would not be enough for you to make the needed impact", the minister added.
He urged university students to organize vacation classes for the younger generation especially during the long the vacations. "By so doing, you would be assisting in providing quality education to many children", he said.
The regional minister also asked students who do not engage in social activities on campus to take a second look at their decisions because according to him, "students who are both academically and socially active, tend to make greater impacts in the society after school". He however reminded the students not to over indulge in socializing at the expense of their education. The president of BASU-UDS, Mr. Agyei Yeboah, commended the regional minister for attending the event. He said "this is the first time a regional minister is visiting students from his or her region. Indeed your presence has made our day".
Miss Vera Akyea Darko, a second year medical student, was full of praise for the regional minister. She told Space FM that "we never knew the minister was so accommodating, infact we thought he could not make it to the programme. He has really inspired us and we are very grateful".
Mr. Baffour Awuah later visited Grin FM, a campus radio station where he urged the management to always broadcast news and other programmes that would benefit the entire student population. He said in this information communication age, it takes people with enough knowledge in information communication to make that extra impact in the society.
Earlier, Mr. Baffour Awuah visited the Tamale Sports Stadium where he expressed satisfaction with progress of work.
Source:
Space FM, Sunyani
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Fifteen people die in accident
LINK : Road safety campaign in Ghana
Assorku-Essaman(WR), Oct. 08, GNA - Fifteen people died through a motor accident over the weekend at Assorku-Essaman near Shama junction in the Western Region.
Nine of the victims died on the spot while six others died at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital.
Their bodies have been deposited at the hospital's mortuary. Only Warrant Officer Agyekum of Second Battalion of Infantry has been identified among the deceased.
The victims were travelling from Accra to Takoradi on a Ford bus that crashed into a stationary articulated truck.
Briefing the media, Police Superintendent George Adussa-Poku, Western Regional Commander of Motor Transport and Traffic Unit (MTTU) said the articulated truck was carrying relief items and travelling to Enchi had parked along the main road when the bus driver drove into it killing some of the passengers instantly. Personnel of Ghana National Fire Service assisted to free the dead and injured.
Some of the injured are responding to treatment. In another development, Police Superintendent Adussa-Poku said a few hours later, another truck loaded with mattresses crashed into two Urvan buses. He said the driver Akwesi Bobre had been detained because on reaching the scene of the first accident, he failed to observe the direction of traffic and crashed into the two vehicles.
Source:
GNA
VP's Photographer in Armed Robbery Attack
8 October 2007
Accra
Mr. Abdul-Rahman Diallo, a cameramen working for Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama has become the latest victim of armed robbery.
He was attacked on the night of Thursday October 4 at his studio, Blackpool Multimedia in Achimota, near Kingsby Junction.
Narrating his ordeal to ADM, he said at about 9.30 pm, four armed men with a pump action gun and sharp cutlass descended on him and his staff.
They were aged between 18 and 25 years. He said they were "humiliated" as the robbers ransacked their studio and collected what little money they had, mobile phones, two digital cameras and sped off on two unregistered motorbikes. The phones they took away had the following numbers: 0244755023, 0244378157, 020816664, 0208433070 and 0245165761.
He reported the robbery to the Achimota Mile 7 Police Station. Mr. Diallo said the robbers did not wear any masks or any attempt at disguise.
A few days before this attack, another pressman in the company of his business associate from abroad were stopped near the Veterinary Service office in La, Accra between 12.00 and 1.00 am and robbed similarly by young men aged between 18 and 25 using a pump action gun and sharp cutlass.
They wore no masks and had no disguise. They made off with an assortment of euros and dollars. One of the foreign visitors had a gash from the cutlass. Narrating his ordeal to his media colleagues he said, "as you can imagine, whatever business deal we were conducting was destroyed by that action - the white men left Ghana badly shaken."
Dr. Kumbour, an NDC politician was also attacked recently by armed robbers without masks or disguise. According to him the robbers told him that they had been sent to kill him, but instead negotiated with him and spared his life after he had given them money! Of course a political slant was given this one and probably diverted from the real issue of the insecurity that the terrorists in Ghana want to institutionalize.
Source:
Accra Mail
KEEA to create 3500 Jobs
A great initiative by the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo (KEEA) Assembly in partnership with a Netherlands company, has brought into fruition a recycling plant that has the propensity of providing 3,500 jobs.
The plant, to be sited at Aburansa just within the KEEA vicinity, will ensure that all plastic or rubber containers are collected and sent to the plant for recycling purposes.
The Netherlands partnership company by name Ganda has already exchanged six visits with the KEEA executives, who helped cook the deal. Ganda is to fund the project almost single-handedly.
The project, thought to be the brain child of the Central regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur who happens to be the immediate past KEEA boss, should mop up the mass of the unemployed within the area.
Present KEEA District Chief executive Mr. John Frank Asmah has said, the plant machines will be fixed in May next year, while the factory is expected to be in operation between June and July 2008.
But even before that, the KEEA appears to have given employment to a great number of people who go on and about, collecting waste plastics which otherwise would have posed a big environmental mess to society.
The collectors then stash them into big bags which they send to the Assembly, where it is weighed and monies paid for their troubles.
Source:
-THE SUN