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•  23.09.2007

 Gas explosion in Ghana injures 130

KUMASI, Ghana (AFP) -

A gas explosion in Ghana's second-largest city Kumasi has wounded about 130 people, a hospital official said late Saturday.

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"Initially 123 people were brought in and late in the night about seven more came," Stephen Opuni, head of the accident and emergency centre at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, told AFP.

No deaths were reported from Friday's accident. Opuni feared the injury toll may be higher than 130.

"People were rushing anywhere where they could get medical attention," he said.

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UK Drug Teens rushed to hospital


The two British schoolgirls accused of trying to smuggle £300,000 of cocaine out of Africa have both been struck down by malaria.

Yetunde Diya and Yasemin Vatansever, who are both 16, were rushed into hospital after falling ill with fevers and flu-like symptons.

Last night a narcotics officer who has been helping to look after them said: "Both girls have been very unwell - they are weak and listless."

The pair - who each accepted £3,000 and a free holiday in return for "carrying a package" - are being held in squalid conditions in between court appearances.

Their concrete cell is in a narcotics department building surrounded by open sewers - the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes which carry the disease that kills three million people a year.

They are only allowed out for a daily shower, court appearances and - now - weekly trips to the hospital for treatment.

The girls, both students from North London, were arrested at the end of June as they tried to board a British Airways flight in Ghana. They were each carrying a laptop bag with 7lbs of cocaine stashed in secret pockets.

They have both pleaded not guilty to drug smuggling. In July the Sunday Mirror was the first paper to gain access to the girls, who told us: "We have been stitched up. We just want to go home."

The two former friends now barely speak, with Yetunde blaming Yasemin for persuading her to take part.

Their trial is expected to last another fortnight. If found guilty they face up to three years behind bars in Ghana.

Source:
sundaymirror

 Kpalba bridge submerged by floods


Kpalba, (N/R), Sept. 23, GNA- The devastating floods that hit the Northern Region has submerged the Kpalba bridge, which linked Yendi to the Saboba/Chereponi District, disrupting socio-economic activities in the area.

This came to light when Mr. Ernest Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture, visited the District to assess the extent of damage caused by the floods to farmlands.

The Minister also visited some communities in the Yendi, West Mamprusi and Tolon/Kumbungu Districts.

Mr. Charles Bintin, a Minister of State at the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Saboba/Chereponi, accompanied Mr. Debrah to tour Saboba.

Mr. Francis Abdulai Neindo, District Agriculture Officer for Saboba/Chereponi, said the district lost about 1719 acres of farmlands to the floods.

He said the floods destroyed about 250 acres of yam, 500 acres of rice, 160 acres of soya bean, 611 acres of maize, 149 acres of groundnuts and 32 acres of guinea corn.

He said the communities severely hit by the floods in the Saboba/Chereponi district incuded Tanjameli, Yankali, Jankpriya, Kang and Demon.

At Demon, Mr. Debrah's entourage had three of their vechicles stuck in the mud when they attempted to use a footpath to inspect some flooded farms.

Source:
GNA

University of Mines TESCHART inaugurated


Tarkwa (W/R), Sept. 23, GNA - The University of Mines branch of the Tertiary Students Chapter of the
Convention People's Party (CPP), has been inaugurated at Tarkwa in the Western Region.

The ceremony was attended by Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Dr Kweku Sarfo, Mr Bright Akwetey, all CPP presidential aspirants as well as Naa Koi Dei, and Dr Abu Sakara, who are vying for the party's 1st Vice National Chairmanship position. Speakers at the function called for a unified, vibrant and unshakable youth wing for the CPP capable of mobilizing and effectively energize the country's youth for the growth of the party and the nation.

They recalled the energy, serious brain work and commitment that Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the country's first President and architect of the Tarkwa School of Mines now University of Mines and Technology displayed and charged leaders of the TESCHART to prepare the minds of students and non-students alike on the need to vote the CPP to power come 2008.

Mr Kofi Baidoo an aspirant of the National Youth Organizer's post in the party, stressed the need for all committed and loyal CPP youth in the country's tertiary institutions to intensify their off campus membership campaign drive during vacation periods.

Mr Baidoo reminded the youth that this was the time for them to rally fully behind the CPP, the party whose leader selflessly and single-handedly led the nation to build the Akosombo Dam, established several industries, other infrastructure, as well as many higher educational institutions in its struggle toregain political power to enable it to correct things that had gone wrong for many years. Mr K Tetevi, was elected President of the University of Mines and Technology branch of the TESCHART.

In a message Mr Kojo Armah, Member ofParliament (CPP) Evalue Gwira, commended the leaders of the University of Mines and Technology branch of TESCHART for accepting the challenge to lead the party and expressed the hope that they would live up to expectation.

Source:
GNA

 New political movement formed

...to promote independent candidates

Accra, Sept. 23, GNA - A new political movement, the Platform for Independent National Alternative (PINA), has been formed to sponsor independent candidates for the 2008 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

A spokesman for PINA, Mr. Sampson Yeboah, said it was an alternative to all registered political parties and would have "clearly distinctive local and national policy choice for voters".

Mr Yeboah told the Ghana News Agency that PINA with the motto: "The National Mission First," is a local initiative seeking to rescue the nation from corrupt, divisive, exclusive and chronically under-performing national politics of financial persuasion, ethnic affiliation, religious identity and misplaced personal attributes, that now plague and threaten the future of multi-party democracy in Ghana. He said: "To help steer Ghana away from this looming danger" PINA is committed to a programme of adopting and sponsoring any qualified Ghanaian who intends to stand as independent candidates at the Parliamentary and Presidential levels on a common nationwide platform." "The platform is intended and will provide policy choice for voters as alternative to what any of the registered political parties can and will offer."

Mr. Yeboah said movement was seeking the assistance of voters to set up "PINA Victory Voluntary Clubs" to support all adopted and sponsored independent candidates in all polling stations. He said any five or more such eligible voters within a polling station area who formed the Club might apply to be registered as such. Mr. Yeboah said where two or more candidates were short-listed in the presidential slot or a constituency seat, they would be expected to go through a test of direct voters' primary elections, to select the winner to move onto the national level elections as a sponsored independent presidential or parliamentary candidate.

According to the requirements for candidates, all applicants must satisfy the legal requirements to stand for and hold public office in Ghana.

The prospective parliamentary candidate may be a serving or former member or chief executive of a local assembly and or may demonstrate acceptable managerial and executive career record in national and international companies or organisations.

The prospective presidential candidate may possess all the qualifications of a prospective parliamentary candidate, a serving or former member of parliament, or a serving or former member of government.

Applicants must state the grounds for their claim to be independent of all the political parties in not more than 150 typed words, provide in not more than 200 words, a six-point action plan to transform their constituency, and contest as independent presidential candidate within the next four years in a manner that any of the existing political parties is incapable of achieving in government.

Mr. Yeboah said applicants should provide copies of their Curriculum Vitae, three referees, which should be delivered to: The Human Resource Agency, PMB, C.O Tema, by October 15, 2007. He said applicants would be informed of the results of the initial selection process by 31st October, 2007.

Source:
GNA

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• 22.09.2007

VRA apologises to customers for blackout



Accra, Sept. 22, GNA- The Volta River Authority (VRA) apologised to all electricity consumers and the general public for the blackout that affected the entire country in the afternoon of Thursday, September 20 and Friday September 21.

A press release signed by Ms. Abla Fiadjoe, Acting Director Corporate Services of VRA, on Saturday, said, "this unfortunate incident was due to a sudden system disturbance which occurred as a result of the tripping of the Ghana-Cote d`Ivoire tie-line." It explained that the loss of the tie-line led to the tripping of a number of transmission lines in the Western corridor of the VRA power system.

The release indicated that "to avoid any damage to the generating facilities, the built-in mechanism for protecting such equipment automatically shut down all the units, leading to the blackout at 12:06pm last Thursday."

It said normal restoration process was started and the first generator was brought on line at Akosombo 25 minutes later at 12:31pm, following which supply was gradually restored to all sub-stations in the country by 5:16pm that day.

The release said "the line tripped again at 3:34pm on Friday, leading to curtailment of supply to some parts of the country but the line was restored later at 4:32pm."

The release said VRA`s technical team was working with their Ivorian counterparts to resolve the problem. It said VRA deeply regretted both incidents and trusted that consumers would bear with the Authority as it solved such problems.

Source:
GNA

President Kufuor Arrives In New York


... to address UN General Assembly

 Govt's appeal for flood victims yielding fruits


Accra, Sept. 22, GNA--Following government's appeal for assistance for distressed persons affected by floods in the three northern regions, international donor agencies, non-governmental organizations, private companies and individuals, have started donating relief items. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is to provide $2,000,000.00 through a 'Flash Appeal' launched for the flood victims. Out of the amount, the World Food Programme (WFP) will utilize $1.5m for the purchase of food items while the remaining $500,000.00 is used for other relief items.

Mr. Dauda Toure, Resident Representative of the United Nations announced this at a meeting between the Cabinet Inter-Ministerial Committee on the disaster and donor agencies, international organizations, and religious bodies at the Castle, Osu, on Friday, 21st September 2007.

The meeting chaired by Mrs. Mary Chinery-Hesse, Chief Advisor to the President and Chairperson of the committee, examined the report of the joint assessment team that toured the disaster regions earlier this week.

The WFP announced a relief package made up of 694 tons of cereal, 83 tons of grains and 40 tons of cooking oil for 75,000 persons with a value totalling $500,000.00 dollars.

It also announced a package of 30 tons of high energy biscuits for 40,000 displaced people, out of which 22 tons is already being distributed with 8 tons on standby.

The U.S. Embassy has made available $50,000 worth of relief items through the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), while the Department for International Development (DFID) has also contributed $250,000 through the Red Cross. The Catholic Relief Services has contributed an extra $20,000 to complement ongoing relief activities. UNICEF also has relief items for 75,000 persons some of which have already been dispatched to the affected areas. They include care items for pregnant women and "school-in-a-box" packs for displaced children. To facilitate the ongoing programme Plan Ghana has committed $220,000 worth of assistance, $120,000 of which will be for food items and the rest for non-food items. The church of Latter Day Saints has already donated items worth $15,000 to victims in the Upper East, and will be donating more items worth $150,000 shortly.

Other humanitarian assistance is from the Chinese government which has donated $30,000.00. The Spanish government has also donated 4 tons of tents and blankets totalling ?220,000 which are already iIn the country, with the rest of the consignment made up of seven tons of medicine and medical supplies expected to arrive by next week. The Red Cross has also stated that it has 10,000 volunteers on stand-by to help in distributing relief items, and doing whatever is needed to help the victims.

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture will also be making its inputs of machinery, seedlings and technical advice to the victims, most of whom are farmers. This would mainly be for vegetable farming to ensure that the people will have alternative sources of income, until they can return to cultivating the crops they were growing before. An NGO, World Vision Ghana, will be taking delivery of tarpaulins, food items and medicines next week, from their international partners to support relief activities. Personnel from the Ghana Army have also offered their services as labour force, in erecting the tents provided by the donor agencies and also for further reconstruction works to be undertaken in the North.

Ghanaian companies that have made donations so far include: Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) which is providing 1,000 ceramic pot filters valued at $15,000.00, designed to purify all drinking water for about 400,000 people. The company has already delivered 500 of the filters and will make the rest available by next week. Melcom Ghana Limited has donated 1,730 pieces of buckets, water drums, and cups valued at Gh=A2966.57 while the Volta Foundation has donated 200 pieces of treated mosquito nets, three 50 kilogramme bags of rice, three 25 kilogramme bags of sugar, and one carton each of Geisha tuna fish, cooking oil and tomato paste. Crocodile Machetes Company has donated quantities of cutlasses, hoes, 'T' shirts and hats to the victims.

Among individuals who have so far donated are Mr Asio Banin of Nat-San Company limited and Madam Juliet Sekyere, a business woman in Tema, who donated a bale of blankets and used clothing respectively. The government wishes to announce that the National Disaster Relief Fund: Account Number 100 - 863 - 151 - 2453 has been opened at the Bank of Ghana, and all persons wishing to make cash donations to the victims of the flood in the three northern regions should kindly pay them into the account.

We would like to remind all concerned that a 24 hour Operations Room is operating at the Ministry of the Interior. It is the coordinating point for all relief activities, and enquiries about the disaster should be directed there. The telephone numbers to the OPS ROOM are as follows: 22 Sept. 07

Source:
GNA

 Do more to alleviate suffering in north - Govt urged


Accra, Sept 22, GNA - The Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA) has commended the government for declaring the northern part of the country as a disaster zone. In a statement in Accra, it however called on the government to do more for the people of the area to save them from their current predicament, which had been worsened by floods.

In the statement signed by Mr Ayorogo Bismark Adongo, President, NORPRA stated that even though the declaration was commendable it was only what it called "a mere fulfilment of Article 31section 9 of the constitution without its social and economic benefits felt by the people".

It said declaring the north, as a disaster zone without sufficient genuine and real transfer of resources from the Central Government to alleviate the suffering of the people was meaningless since it could not effectively and efficiently arrest the deteriorating situation.

According to NORPRA, considering the amount of resources in the coffers of the state, the government could have done better for the people than it was currently doing in view of the severity and intensity of the disaster.

It pointed out that the government should have supplied relief items in life-sustaining quantities but not the current "peanuts" where a community of over five hundred people were given a bag of rice or other cereal to share.

NORPRA described the situation as "a mockery at efforts made to address the situation" and urged the government to do more by providing relief items in life-sustaining quantities to the destitute and subsidise prices of building materials especially cement for the disaster victims.

The government should also empower experts in earth building technology to enable them to transfer technology for the construction of durable buildings that could compete the lifespan of cement block structures for sustainable development to the rural poor.

NORPRA called on the people in the area to put "eagle eyes" on the relief items to ensure that they reached the affected persons in sufficient quantities following reports of the alleged diversion of relief items by some individuals for their selfish interest. It commended the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Sandema, Mr Thomas Kofi Alonsi, for alerting the security agencies when the diversion of relief items by some officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) was detected and called for steps to ensure their prosecution.

Source:
GNA

NPP prez aspirants rush for nomination forms


Accra, Sept. 22, GNA - Most of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag bearer aspirants on Saturday rushed to purchase nomination forms at 500 Ghana cedis as the party officially opened nominations from September 22 to November 22.

Mr Daniel Kwaku Botwe, Former Minister of Information and National Orientation and General Secretary of the Party; Reverend Professor Mike Ocquaye, MP for Dome Kwabenya and Former Minister of Communications and Energy; Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, MP for Ofinso North and Former Minister of Trade, Industry and President's Special Initiatives (PSI) were among the first to pick nomination forms.

The rest were; Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, MP for Manhyia and Former Minister of Defence, Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, Former Presidential Spokesman and Press Secretary and Captain Nkrabea Effah Dartey (Rtd) MP for Berekum and Former Deputy Minister of the Interior. Mr Alan Kyerematen, Former Minister of Trade, Industry and PSI; Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, Former Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations; Papa Owusu Ankomah, Former Minister of Education, Science and Sports; and Mr K. Boakye Agyrako, a Banker also purchased their forms. Nana Ohene Ntow, General Secretary of the party, who received and directed the procedure for the purchase of the forms, urged the aspirants to adhere to the party's code of ethics and guidelines for organizing campaigns before and during the December 22 Special National Delegates Congress.

He said aspirants, their agents and supporters must desist from statements and acts of omission and commission that overtly undermined the NPP government, the President, unity and integrity of the party at the national, regional, local and international levels.

"Aspirants and their agents must desist from vilification of other contestants as it has the tendency to set party leaders in conflict with each other...violence and acts of intimidation shall have no place in the on-going campaign and all aspirants and their agents shall respect this rule," the General Secretary stated.

Nana Ohene Ntow reiterated a directive to party officers at the national, regional, constituency, polling station levels as well as overseas branches, Members of Parliament, Ministers of State, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives to refrain from openly declaring support of any branch, constituency or organ for any individual candidate or campaign for him.

"Aspirants, party executives or their agents and delegates should refrain from what has become known as 'CAMPING' - depriving other contestants access to delegates so camped. Sanctions shall be applied appropriately," he said.

The NPP General Secretary urged delegates to resist attempts or coercion by any of the aspirants to swear oath to secure favourable votes.

Other aspirants yet to purchase their forms are, Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama; Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, MP for Abuakwa and Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and New Partnership For Africa's Development (NEPAD).

Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, MP for Akim Oda and Former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and Education, Science and Sports; and Dr Kwabena Arthur Kennedy, a US-based medical practitioner.

The rest are Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Heart Surgeon and Former Chief Executive Officer of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital; Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, MP for New Juaben North and Former Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing and Mr Mohammed Musah, a Former Central Regional Youth Organiser of the party, Mr Felix Owusu Agyepong, Former Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.

Source:
GNA

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• 21.09.2007

Flood victims appeal for building materials


Sandema (U/E), Sept. 21, GNA - Flood victims in the Upper East Region have appealed to the government and benevolent organisations to assist them with building materials so they could start putting up their houses.

The victims said many of them did dry season farming and needed to work on their housing before preparing for farming during the latter part of October.

The victims made these known during interactions with a team of benevolent organisations visiting the region to acquaint themselves with the effects of the floods.

"It would be difficult to combine building and farming but the two have to be done because we cannot continue to live in schools and at the same time work to feed ourselves.''

At the Sandema Preparatory School where about 150 people have taken refuge, Baba Akanawarlamiya, an old man who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said they needed cement to make strong foundations, coal tar to plaster the walls and roofing sheet.

He said the mud houses collapsed during the flood and their food and property washed away.

Their only source of food came from rations the District Assembly and National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) gave them. Mma Asiaka Akanpanayari, who had her grand daughter with her, said she could save only two pans and a bucket when the water filled their house and they had to run to safety.

She and her two adult sons, daughter in-law and grandchild had been staying in the school for the past one month and now had to leave the classroom in the morning to sit under trees until classes were over so they could go back, she said.

At Nyansa near Sandema Mr. Anye Nalembe, who was sitting under a shed in front of the remains of his mud house, said the flood took him and his family by surprise when they heard shouts from their neighbour and realised that their surroundings were filling up with water.

"I called my wife and children and we run up on to a hill and sat there for about two hours until the water subsided and we got down. By then all our rooms were on the ground and my millet, rice and animals all gone. I could not save anything and I feel so helpless", he said.

Madam Abadigswe Ayengsire said many affected persons in her neighbourhood at Nyansa sought refuge on a hill for three days, got down to get some vegetables for cooking, and to scoop out the water that filled the rooms for those who had one or two rooms still standing. She said the family of six did not feel secure sleeping in the two rooms as the walls were still wet and the mud plastered roof leaked badly.

Pointing at the broken barn, she said all the family's millet was washed away and they were depending on vegetables grown in front of their house for their meals.

Source:
GNA

 Five die in motor accident on Kumasi/Accra road


Kumasi, Sept 21, GNA - Five persons including a three-year -old boy died n Thursday night when a bus on which there were travelling from Kumasi to Anwomaso near Ejisu was ran over by an articulated truck loaded with sheanuts.

The accident occurred in front of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Police Station.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Gabriel Ndabagamsi, District Commander of the Zongo Police Station, told the Ghana News Agency the driver of the articulated truck lost control of the vehicle when he was negotiating a curve and ran over the bus.

He said police have arrested one Toufiq Ali, 30, the driver, to help in investigations.

Source:
GNA

 More donate to flood victims


Accra, Sept. 21, GNA - Touched by the plight of the flood victims in the three Northern Regions (Upper East, Upper West and Northern), four companies and the Spanish Embassy on Friday donated various items worth millions of cedis to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) towards their upkeep.

The companies are Melcom Ghana Limited, Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited, the Volta Foundation and Crocodile Machetes Limited. The Spanish Embassy donated tents, blankets and medicine worth 220, 000 thousand euros.

Presenting the items, Mr Jorge Montediegre, Spanish Ambassador, said the donation followed an appeal the government made to his country.

Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) also donated ceramic pot filters estimated at Gh=A2 17,000 (170 million cedis) to the victims. Speaking at the presentation, Pamela Djamson-Tettey, Corporate Relations Director, said the company had it as its aim to let about 10,000 people from the affected communities benefit from that gesture by next week.

She said since the company used sorghum in the manufacture of some of its products, a quantity of the filters would be distributed to sorghum farmers in the affected areas saying, "the farmers are stakeholders in our business, and GGBL believes that it is the right thing to do".

She said GGBL as part of its social responsibilities had come up with a project known as "Water for Life Programme" which was aimed at providing 200,000 Ghanaians with access to potable water by the end of the year.

Under the initiative, about 40,000 people already had access to potable water through the distribution of 4000 water filters in some priority rural communities in the country.

The Volta Foundation, an NGO with aimed at the development of the Volta Region also donated food items, including bags of rice, sugar, cooking oil and canned tomatoes fish and 200 pieces of treated mosquito nets valued at about 11 million cedis.

Crocodile Machetes Limited, machete manufacturing company, also donated their products valued at 21 million cedis while Melcom Ghana Limited donated biscuits, plastic wares and cash of 25 million cedis. Nana Obiri Boahene, Minster of State, at the Ministry of the Interior who received the donations on behalf of the government expressed appreciation to the donors and promised that the items would be distributed fairly to the victims.

He appealed to all to help the flood victims by donating towards their well-being.

Source:
GNA

UN supports flood victims



Accra, Sept. 21, GNA - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday said it had sent a consignment of high energy biscuits from its UN Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRS) in Accra to support victims of the recent floods in the northern parts of the country. A statement issued by the WFP in Accra said an initial consignment of 25 metric tones of the biscuits had been dispatched to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture's central warehouse in Tamale for distribution to 25,000 of the most vulnerable and food insecure victims.

Floods that hit the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions have affected more than 250,000 people.

According to the statement, this was the first time since the establishment of WFP in December 2006 that the Accra Humanitarian Response Depot (HRD) had presented items for use in Ghana. Mr Eugene Ndianabo, UNHRD Manager, said: "For the sixth time in less than one year, we are witnessing some positive results of the establishment of the Accra UNHRD - a reduction in delivery time and operating cost of humanitarian assistance in West Africa."

WFP and UNHRD, the statement said, were part of a joint assessment mission comprising government agencies, United Nations systems and non-governmental organisations that toured the three regions.

To date, the Accra Depot has dispatched 131 metric tones of emergency food and non-food items for assistance in natural and man-made disasters in West Africa.

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency that gives food to an average 90 million poor to meet their nutritional needs, including 58 million hungry children in at least 80 of the world's poorest countries.

Source:
GNA

Flood Victims Cry Out

...Where are the relief items?

Thousands of displaced persons affected by the recent flooding disaster in the Upper East Region are yet to receive any form of relief items. About 90,703 persons, mostly women and children, have been displaced while 19,621 houses have been destroyed due to the floods. Also, 150, 000 hectors of farmlands have been destroyed, affecting crops such as maize, millet, groundnuts and guinea-corn, according to the regional minister.

This came to light when a Cabinet Inter-Ministerial Disaster Relief Committee set up by President Kufuor to assess the situation in the 3 northern regions visited the region. Although several relief items have been sent to the region by government, NGOs, religious bodies and private individuals, the situation on the ground indicates that these measures are just a fraction of what is required to normalise the food situation in the region.

The President has already declared the affected areas a disaster zone. Several residents in Gabiri, Kum, Kugblia, Taringa, Mugnuri, Kulungugu and the Builsa community told The Statesman that they have not received any relief items. In Kusabriga No.1, a resident, Mark Ayubeogo said his house got destroyed 3 weeks ago as a result of which he and his families are now putting up with relatives. "They've given us nothing. We have nothing to eat. Everything is gone�, he lamented.

Earlier, when these concerns were mentioned to the regional minister, he explained that although several relief items have been received, they were but �just a drop in the ocean�.

Help is on the way though. Members of the Inter-Ministerial Disaster Relief Committee, which includes the Ministers of Information and National Orientation, the Interior, and Agriculture, have visited most affected areas and presented food items to the people in an effort to provide relief to flood victims in the disaster zones.

A typical example of the situation on the ground vis-�-vis the relief efforts can be drawn from the Builsa district where 15,000 person have been rendered homeless and 6,000 hectares and 2,180 tonnes of foodstuff have been destroyed. Yet, this district has 224 bags of rice, 397 cartons of oil and 200 pieces of student mattresses, just to mention a few.As part of their work, the team has visited most of the affected areas and even flew to Daboya, which has been cut off due to the floods, to interact with the affected people and presented them with food items which included bread, kenkey, canned fish, and 500 bags of maize, 10 bags of salt, 500 bags of rice and 45 gallons of cooking oil and blankets.

According to a statement issued by Information Minister Oboshie Sai Cofie, three vehicles containing a third consignment of relief items such as plastic buckets, plates, cups, mattresses, bags of rice and roofing sheets from the government have been dispatched to the Upper East Region by the National Disaster Management Organisation. The Ministry of the Interior has also taken delivery of a consignment of relief items donated by the Spanish Embassy for distribution to the affected. Another consignment of non-food items donated by the Japanese High Commission is expected to arrive in Accra shortly consisting of 5 generators sets, 400 blankets, 384 portable jerry cans, 20 tents, 5 water tanks with a capacity of 3500l each, among others.

"The Ministry is also expecting a package from the Salvation Army which will be arriving soon. It includes 100 shelter boxes each containing tents, sheets, cooking pots, blankets, ground sheets, water purification packs, plastic waste sacks, among others. The Chinese Ambassador has donated $30,000 towards relief activities ongoing in the country and GHACEM Limited has also donated 2,000 bags of cement for distribution to the affected communities," she added.

The Ministerial Committee has also met with representatives of some professional organisations like the Ghana Institute of Surveyors, the Ghana Institute of Architects, the Ghana Institute of Planners, the Ghana Institute of Engineers, Ghana Telecom, the Ghana Private Road Transport Union and the Association of Road Contractors and deliberated on ways top speed up the relief effort."At the meeting some measures to be taken were considered to enable government rebuild the infrastructure lost during the flood, prevent such disasters in the future and progress with plans for the reconstruction to the areas affected."

Speaking to The Statesman, Anderson, regional NADMO officer for the Upper East region said the local NADMO was unprepared for a disaster of such magnitude because they do not have in place a "strategic stock of relief items"."If there were strategic stocks, the government would have been better off in handling such a situation", he stressed. According to him, the need for a strategic stock of relief items has been on the drawing board for years but succeeding governments have failed to implement it, and have always "taken things for granted".However, the region was able to respond rather quickly and provided the first relief item on the 29th of August. This was only possible because the regional NADMO built up a small strategic stock out of their own initiative.

Briefing the Ministerial task force, the regional minister, Alhassan Samari said the biggest threat to the region is famine. Farmers make up about 90% of the region's population. In a related development, Interior Minister Kwamena Bartels has reassigned George Isaac Amoo to the disaster desk at the Ministry, and his position offered to Kofi Kesse Manfo, immediate past Deputy Inspector General of Police.

Source:
The Statesman

Chiefs to monitor relief items?


Yendi(N/R), Sept. 21, GNA - Mr Ernest Akubour Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), has urged traditional rulers to assist in monitoring the distribution of relief items to flood victims in affected areas.

He explained that traditional leaders were closer to the people and in a better position to ensure relief items were distributed to the victims.

Mr Debrah made the appeal during a courtesy call on Kanpakoya Naa Abdulai Yakubu Andani, Regent of Yendi at his palace. The Minister, who is a member of the inter-ministerial task force to supervise distribution of relief items was touring some districts in the Northern Region to assess the extent of damage to farmlands and institute measures to assist affected farmers. Mr Debrah said when the drought, which preceded the floods hit the Northern, Upper East and West Regions, government intervened and provided planting materials, fertilizers and insecticides to enable the farmers to re-crop.

He said, "unfortunately, the floods immediately followed destroying everything".

The Minister urged farmers to exercise patience adding: "These are natural disasters that cannot be predicted and prevented. They serve as wake-up call for us to store more food against emergency". He also paid a courtesy call on the Bolin Lana Mahamadu Abdulai.

Source:
GNA

Devastation leaves homeless and hungry in dire need


SANDEMA, Ghana -- As rain fell in torrents onto her dirt-walled home in northern Ghana, Asubonga Apebani tried desperately to staunch the leaks in her roof.

But when floodwaters swirled through her village, her house collapsed, leaving her homeless and hungry along with hundreds of thousands of other hapless Africans who have suffered a similar drenching fate across the continent's sub-Saharan belt.

"I have no sleeping place and the grain stores also fell down. All of our crops have totally failed. We have no food. We are starving . . . we have been eating only one meal a day," said Apebani, 67, who comes from Pungu in Ghana's Upper East region.
She is among more than 300,000 people driven from their homes in north Ghana alone by torrential rains and floods that have swept over East and West Africa in recent weeks, destroying homes and schools and washing away crops and livestock.

s aid agencies swung into action to try to house and feed the homeless and protect them from disease, many flood victims in northern Ghana were sleeping at night in schools while they tried to salvage by day what was left of their belongings.

"The roof fell down . . . The sand covered our possessions. We had to dig them out," said Agodem Abablore, 72, who with his wife Azekpajlie said they had not eaten for over a day.

Like many elderly villagers, they refused to leave their fragile homes when the floods worsened, choosing to stay behind to try to guard their possessions and livestock.

And many have lost everything.

Farmer Majid Issaka from the Builsa district, one of the worst affected, saw his farm on the edge of a river disappear beneath the floodwaters. "I came and saw the crops were destroyed," he said.

He and others feared disease fomented by the floods would cause many more victims from cholera and malaria. "The mosquitoes are coming and many people have been falling sick," he said.

George Isaac Amoo, coordinator of Ghana's National Disaster Management Organization, said that, while floodwaters were receding in most places, there was a serious threat of food shortages unless more rapid relief arrived.

The rains and floods inflicted extensive damage on a northern region that was traditionally Ghana's major food basket, growing rice, maize, millet and sorghum. "This flood is unprecedented; thousands of acres of farmland have been destroyed, including livestock," Amoo said

"Barns and silos . . . stored food . . . Infrastructure like bridges and roads have all been destroyed," he added.

Ghana's government was distributing food rations and United Nations experts were up in the north assessing emergency needs.

Cocoa, Ghana's main export, is not grown in the flood-hit north, but heavier than normal rain has produced black pod, a fungal infection, in some major producing areas.

Source:
he Vancouver Sun

 Sea water used for bathing & Washing



As a result of the decline in water supply to most surburbs in Accra, residents of Teshie are compelled to use sea water to bath and wash their cooking utensils.

According to a report by WaterAid, a non-governmental organisation, the volume of water supply in most parts of the world including Ghana have seen a downward trend.

Over a billion people dont have access to safe drinking water and a half billion don't have somewhere safe and clean to go to toilet.

As a result a child dies every fifteen seconds from water and sanitation related diseases and people's livelihoods, education and dignity are also affected.

This unfortunate global picture does not exclude Ghana, where it is being estimated that more than nine million people do not have access to safe drinking water.

The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) is responsible for urban water supply and at the moment has about 86 supply systems serving a total population of six million.

As at 2004, urban water coverage was estimated at 59 per cent and is expected to reach 85 per cent by 2015 in line with the Millennium Development Goals.

According to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) many urban communities face shortfalls in water supply and the situation is even more critical in the major cities.

A study by WaterAid Ghana, a non-governmental Organization in selected localities within the Greater Accra Metropolis revealed that the main source of water supply for the Metropolis was pipe borne water supply from Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).

The study revealed that supply of water from GWCL was inadequate to meet the increasing demand for water in urban areas on account of their obsolete equipment and limited capacity of their plants. For most households in Nima and Teshie, the taps were opened mostly in the night and only for about three or four hours.

In some instances, interruptions in water supply could last for up to six months compelling residents in the two communities to travel over long distances to fetch water.

According to the study the perennial water supply situation in the two communities and many others was as a result of damaged old pipelines, increase in demand for potable water as a result of the rapid housing and industrial development and expansion, especially in Teshie.

Besides that the secondary service providers such as water tanker services, power tillers and domestic vendors charged comparatively higher rates for water supplied.

The reports indicated that residents in Teshie living along the beach bath and wash their bowls with sea water and rinse their bodies with sachet water.

In Nima a few cups of water supply for bath and high cost of water has resulted in low water consumption levels among the poor. In some communities women and chil�dren have to spend up to 8 hours a day collecting water from far away, unprotected and possibly contaminated sources.

According to the Ministry of Water Resource, Works and Housing, an individual is required to have access to not less than 20 litres of water per day, and individuals in poor urban communities should also have access to between seven litres and 18 litres of water per day.

WaterAid says while 100% of respondents prefer water from GWCL only 45% rely on supply from this source. In Accra for example it has been estimated that only approximately 25% of residents enjoy 24-hour water supply.

Little wonder the country faces serious constraints meeting the challenge of providing adequate for all rural and urban residents. With GWCL`s unaccounted water of about 50% of total output, the volume of water that is effectively sold is less than half of the daily demand.

About 30% have an averaged 12 hours service everyday for five days a week. Another 35% have service for two days each week, while the remaining residents on the outskil1s of Accra are completely without access to piped water supplies.

It has been noted that Ghanaian cities tend to develop ahead of planning. Many new sites are therefore not connected to the water network for decades. Communities with the worst picture are those slums inhabited mainly by squatters.

Besides that they are not even legally recognized as communities by the municipal or metropolitan authorities, let alone possessing the right to water facilities. Water related diseases are therefore very prevalent in these slums.

A community with safe water facility does not only benefit from easy access to clean potable water and reduction in water borne disease but also frees up time for people usually women to have the opportunity to generate income and for children's education.

Water from unconventional sources like streams and drainage gutters are used in the absence of water from safe sources also patronage of "Sachet" or "pure" water becomes unusually high.

The residents of Teshie and Nima especially the poor find themselves in a vicious cycle as a result of poor access to water supply and delivery services.

The use of water from unsafe sources put residents at high risk of water related diseases.

The study revealed hat 70% of respondents n Nima and 64% in Teshie attend hospital owing to the stress they go through to access water.

According to the residents the toil involved in accessing water especially during the dry season has not only health implications on them but also deprive them of productivity especially among the self-employed.

Those who engaged in water related economic activities have no choice but to produce less or nothing at all as a result of having to invest their time searching for water.

Also in rural areas, District Assemblies need to be properly funded to fulfill their responsibilities for water services and such funding should be anchored within district-owned plans.

The World Bank in a report on meeting the challenges of accelerated and shared growth of the country indicated that while the media and many observers are focusing on the energy crisis, the country is facing a silent water crisis. This crisis also threatens the achievement of important Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

According to the report, water has numerous economic and social activities in both private and public sectors that rely on the supply of clean water to operate.

The report stated that access to safe water in 2005 was estimated at approximately 53% for rural water, while coverage for urban water supply was estimated at 58%, a drop of some 3% from 2004.

Source:
Public Agenda

More Ghanaian women beating thier husbands!



The number of domestic violence cases reported by men against women in Accra is increasing, while those reported by women against men are on the decline.

According to statistics available at the Accra Regional Office of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, between January and August 2007, 150 cases were reported by men, as against 116 cases for the whole of last year.

On the other hand, 2,380 cases were reported by women between January and August 2007, as against 3,484 cases reported by women within the same period last year.

According to the statistics, 49 assault cases were reported by men against women between January and August last year, as against a negligible figure in the previous years, while assault cases reported by women against men dropped from 1,902 between January and August 2006 to 1,420 within the same period this year.

On reported cases of threat against women, the statistics showed a decline from 482 between January and August 2006 to 152 within the same period this year, while rape cases also dropped from 142 in 2006 to 89 in 2007.

Reported cases of defilement decreased from 482 in 2006 to 255 in 2007, while cases of abduction reported also declined from 148 in 2006 to 76 this year.

Furthermore, reported cases against men who exposed their children to harm dropped from 86 within the same period last year to 63 this year, while cases of indecent assault against men dipped from 47 in 2006 to 32 in 2007.

With regard to reported cases on offensive conduct against men, the figure declined from 192 last year to 121 this year, while cases of incest also dropped from three to two.

The statistics indicated that more men were reporting domestic violence cases at DOVVSU. Between January and August this year, some of the cases reported by men against women were threat, 18; offensive conduct, 28; stealing, 14; exposing children to harm, 10; causing harm and damage, 15; failing to cater for children, five; attempted abortion, two; sexual harassment, three, and abduction, six.

According to officials of DOVVSU, although more men were beginning to report cases of domestic violence to the unit, they were nevertheless shy of appearing in court, as a result of stigmatisation.

Last Monday, a man was reported to have walked into the offices of DOVVSU in Accra with blood oozing from his nostrils and face to report a case of assault on him by his wife.

He was said to have told the police that his wife had been beating him for a long time but now he had decided to report the matter to the police so that she did not kill him.

According to the Public Relations Officer of Accra DOVVSU, Inspector Irene Oppong, in some instances, the men who reported the cases looked capable of beating their wives who assaulted them but they preferred reporting the matter to exacting revenge.

She attributed the growing confidence men had in DOVVSU to outreach and awareness creation programmes undertaken by the unit to sensitise the public to the fact that the unit did not exist only for women.

Inspector Oppong said men had now realised that everyone could be a victim of domestic violence and so they were no longer ashamed to report cases to the unit.

According to her, the cases of sexual harassment were normally about women who wanted to go back to their men after a broken relationship. She said against the wish of the men, "come-back" women resorted to calling the men on phone and visiting them in their offices.

Inspector Oppong said with regard to cases filed against women for lack of care, it was observed that although the men provided money for the upkeep of their chi1dren, their wives used the money for other purposes.

She said in other instances, some women packed out of their matrimonial homes and abandoned their babies.

Source:
Daily Graphic

 Three hundred defect from NPP to NDC


Accra, Sept 21, GNA - Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, National Organiser of the National Democratic Party (NDC) on Thursday welcomed 300 defectors from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the NDC in the Odomeabra/Obom Cons tituency in the Ga West District of the Greater Accra Region.

Fifty of the defectors who claimed they were former executive members of the various wards and constituency executives in the NPP, among other grievances, said they were defecting because the promises made them for employment was not fulfilled.

Their spokesman, Mr Samuel Asamoah, former Constituency Secretary said although after the 2000 elections they continued to stay with the NPP and campaigned for it to win the elections they were abandoned and the MP for the area, Mr Daud Anum Yemoh who they had stood against was the only official who was helping and interacting with them.

Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo said Ghanaians were seeing "things" for themselves and they did not need any "angel" to tell them the political situation and direction of the country under the NPP government.. He asked them to embrace the "house to house" campaign the NDC flagbearer, Professor Jphn Evans Atta Mills had embarked on and to remain true and faithful to the party.

He said the confidence of the electorate was growing in the NDC, especially after its successful fund raising dinner held recently in Accra.

Although he came short of giving the actual amount realised at the dinner, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said pledges people made to donate bicycles, motor-bikes and vehicles to the NDC were "huge and encouraging." Mr Yaw Boateng Gyan, Deputy National Organiser of NDC asked the people to vote for Professor John Evans Atta Mills to win the 2008 elections and to remain vigilant at the polls.

Mr Akwei Thompson, NDC Greater Accra Regional Organiser asked the people to compare their living conditions that had called for a change and how they lived now and decide on the election of a suitable government, come 2008.

The party officials later inaugurated the NDC ward office at Obom.

Source:
GNA

Three killed by lightning

Accra, Sept. 21, GNA - Three people were struck to death by lightning at Cantonments in Accra during the heavy down pour that hit the capital Thursday evening.

The three are Daniel Kudo, 29, and David Mawusi, 42, both cane weavers and an unidentified man.

ASP Frank Addei, Cantonment District Police Commander, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Friday that Kudo was using a mobile phone at the time of the incident occurred and that might have attracted the lightning.

Yaw Attah, an eyewitness, told GNA that around 1730 hours after close of work on Thursday, Mawusi joined Kudo under a shade in front of their workshop to collect his daily wage.

He said while the two friends were negotiating how much was to be paid another man came to ask them for money and just then the lightning struck. The eyewitness said other colleagues, who were then sheltering in the workshop behind the shade saw Kudo answering a call and during the process saw the three behaving in a funny way. He said when they got to the scene the three were unconscious, adding that it took them sometime before they got a vehicle to convey them to the Police Hospital, where the three were pronounced dead on arrival. The bodies have since been deposited at Police Hospital morgue pending autopsy.

Source:
GNA

Ghana Post Company undergoes transformation

Demolish NPP Club House - Akwetey


One of the Convention People's Party (CPP) presidential aspirants, Mr. Bright Akwetey, has demanded an immediate dismantling of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Club House which is directly opposite the Electoral Commission (EC) in Accra, alleging that the House may contain all kinds of equipment which the Party might use to rig the presidential and parliamentary elections in December 2008.

Mr. Akwetey, who made this demand in an exclusive interview with the Ghanaian Observer in Accra last Wednesday, asserted that the rejuvenated CPP has better chances of winning the elections, if effective mechanisms are put in place to ensure free and fair elections in the country.

The CPP Presidential aspirant stressed: "If the elections are free and fair and if the NPP is not allowed to use their Club House directly opposite the Electoral Commission, which is using various equipment that could facilitate rigging during the election ... the CPP stands a better chance of winning the 2008 elections ...”

He predicted that both the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) will lose the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections abysmally to the CPP, despite the caliber of their 'presidential' material they will be fielding in 2008.

The CPP top gun has also called for the pulling down of the NPP Club House opposite the Electoral Commission, asserting that not only will the NPP be tempted to use it as a base to manipulate the electoral process, but could also pull a fast one on the other political parties during the up-coming 2008 elections to entrench themselves in power.

According to Mr. Akwetey, the track records of the NDC and NPP's seven years of ruling indicate they came to enrich their pockets and those of their families and cronies, under the guise of their so-called philosophy of property-owning democracy.

"If you look at the policies of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), they came to sell national enterprises. And if you look at the policies of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), they are also selling the national enterprises and the strategic assets," he charged.

The CPP Presidential aspirant argued that if these negative developments continued unchecked, sooner than later, Ghana will be left destitute, with Ghanaians continuing to solicit for assistance from rich nations all over the world.

"They pursued the policies that did not benefit the people ... A few people are living in good houses, while majority of the people are lying outside, without shelter. This is clear in Nima, Tudu and other places. They don't care about them ... " he said.

Bright Akwetey also stated that the NDC presidential candidate, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, originally carried CPP credentials, which is against selling of state enterprises. He affirmed that selling of state property to a few affluent private individuals is bad, but he (Prof. Mills) cannot condemn that owing to his association with the NDC tradition today.

"Prof. Mills has CPP background; but he is now compelled to believe in the NDC tradition. The NDC has run this country before, and they sold national assets so cheaply to people who are not even utilizing those assets ... " Akwetey said.

He predicted that when a CPP government assumes power in 2009, it will completely change the face of this policy and, since it is evidently clear that the NDC presidential candidate does not believe in selling off state property, he will be wooed to the side of the CPP.

Source:
The Ghanaian Observer

 ACP countries not ready to compete with EU countries

• 18.09.2007

NADMO receives more donations for flood victims


Accra, Sept.18, GNA - Donations towards the upkeep of flood victims in the three Northern Regions (Upper East, Upper West and the Northern Regions) received a boost on Tuesday when two organizations and an individual made a contribution of 28.2 million cedis to the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO).

Primex Ghana Limited, a food manufacturing company donated their products valued at 17 million cedis whilst Christians Helping Children International, a non-governmental organisation presented items worth 11.2 million cedis.

Madam Juliet Nkunu, a Tema-based Philanthropist also donated second hand clothing to the victims.

Receiving the items, Nana Obiri Yeboah, Minister of State, Ministry of the Interior said the items would be sent to the Disaster Management Committees in the three Northern Regions for distribution to the flood victims.

He expressed his appreciation to all the donors and called on other individuals and companies to come to the aid of the flood victims.

Source:
GNA

NDC cannot win elections -Obed

"There is no way the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) can win any meaningful general elections in the country; be it the 2008 general elections or beyond," the Founder and Patron of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah, has prophesied.

NDC can believe it or not, but it can never win any elections, because the good people of the land have lost confidence in that party, Dr. Obed Asamoah added.

Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah spoke these words of prophesy when he was addressing teeming supporters of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) at Awutu Bawjiase in the Awutu-Efutu-Senya District of the Central Region at the weekend.

According to him, evidence abounds to show that since 1996 the NDC has not been in touch with voters and the masses across the country. The recent District Level Elections, he explained, showed the NDC the exit from political elections, and it should have known then that its days were numbered.

Dr. Asamoah affirmed, "Supporters of Democratic Freedom Party should not be afraid that we are getting late in the race for power. We are not. Those of you who were members of the NDC must forever remember that the split in that party arose principally over differences of opinions with regards to the chances of the party given a particular leadership.

"The intolerant ones in the leadership of the party sought to silence those of us with a difference of opinion through brute force, forgetting about the democratic precepts of the national constitution," he observed and added, "I can assure you that, our appreciation of the situation has not changed, and we cannot see how NDC can win the 2008 elections and [any] beyond".

Explaining further, Dr. Asamoah noted that, among other factors is the significant pointer to the fact that in the recent District Assembly elections, the NDC did not show any improved strength in the Central Region.

According to him, if the NDC should win any elections, it should win the Central and Western Regions massively, but indications are contrary these days.

"Successive general elections in the 'country have demonstrated the erosion of support for the' NDC presidential candidate in the Central Region, he observed and explained, "In the 1st Round in 2000, it had 43.73%; in the 2nd Round, it had 39.69%, and in 2004 it had 39.20%. The situation in the Western Region was about the same."

The founder of DFP continued, "Contrast that with the NPP voter strength progression in NDC strongholds from 4.95% to 14% in the Volta Region between 1996 and 2004. [Over the same period], the NPP had 33.45% to 36% in the Northern Region; from 17.61% to 31.66% in Upper East and from 11.19% to 32.23% in Upper West. I have always said that until the NDC can win in Central and Western Regions, it has no chance of winning elections."

According to Dr. Asamoah, it is true that District Assembly elections are not conducted along party lines, but because of the realisation that District Assembly members are focal point of organization, it is an open secret that political parties use that election to test their strength.

He disclosed that the NDC lost miserably in the two regions to the west of Greater Accra, adding, it has to know that its days are numbered.

Dr. Asamoah lamented their politic of impunity. Apparently referring to the NDC, he cried out, "It is politics of impunity to organise vicious attack in the media intended to denigrate the chairman of your own political party even in an election year.

It is worse to do it using persons who cannot compare with him in terms of age, education, achievements, experience and political clout. This is extreme indiscipline, and leaders who can foster that are not fit to rule Ghana. No nation can make progress without discipline."

He continued, "It is politics of impunity to wantonly destroy a hotel built with a loan of about US$6 million close to an election.

This is extreme contempt for public opinion and the human rights provision of the Constitution. It is politics of impunity to organise hooligans to beat up women at your own party congress on the grounds that they differ with you in opinion."

"Such conduct contemptuously ignores the dignity of women who constitute the majority of the Ghanaian population," he added.

Dr. Asamoah, who is the former chairman of the NDC cautioned voters and the nation as a whole by saying "Ghanaians must judge political parties and their leaders by their attitude to politics of impunity.

The DFP abhors it. By joining us you have committed yourself to a crusade against it and against other political evils."

Touching on the vision of his party, the DFP founder and patron announced that, the party intends to offer the opportunity for the youth and women to assume leadership in the country.

He disclosed that, DFP has on the drawing board innovative ideas such as agricultural revolution for poverty reduction that will also be a basis for industrialization, the inclusion of chiefs in membership of District Assemblies and devolution of certain powers of administration to them, restriction of trade liberalisation and the enjoyment by private schools of capitation grant and other privileges."

Both the National Chairman of the DFP and the Organiser Alhaji Isaaka Rahman, and Mr. Osei Piesie Anto, tasked supporters to set themselves forth organisers to ensure victory for the party in the 2008 general elections.

Source:
The Independent

VOA: Ghana Hardest Hit in West Africa Floods, 350,000 People Affected


In West Africa, some 17 countries have been affected by flooding and right now it appears Ghana has been hardest hit. The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies says at least 30 people have died in northeastern Ghana. Most of the deaths are attributed to drowning, watery diarrhea or the collapse of mud houses.

Niels Scott is the operations coordinator for Africa for the federation. From Geneva, he spoke to VOA English to Africa Service reporter Joe De Capua about the flood situation.

“Ghana is one of the worst hit of the countries, if not the most vulnerable to this recent continuation of flooding that we’ve had all year. About 350,000 people are affected, which is not much less than the severe floods we had in Sudan two months ago. 110,000 hectares of farmland have been washed away. The crops on top of the farmland have been washed away. People’s grain stocks have been destroyed. There’s a very strong risk of communicable disease breaking out. There are a number of aspects of this flooding which make us think that we need to work very hard to make sure there’s not a larger humanitarian catastrophe ahead,” he says.

Scott describes the health problems triggered by the floods. “At the moment, we’re looking at increasing cases of cholera and watery diarrhea. In Ghana, we’ve got an additional problem. There’s a large influx of black flies, which cause river blindness. In any kind of flooding situation where you’ve got open wells you’ll have contamination of the water, which will cause any number of gastric problems. So those are some of the things. But ahead of that, when the lean season starts and people run out of food because the crops have been destroyed, we’ll have a whole new vulnerability being created by lack of access to food,” he says.

The federation says, “Hundreds of Ghana Red Cross volunteers and staff have been mobilized over the past weeks in all affected communities. They are providing first aid, helping evacuate people to high ground, and assisting them in salvaging whatever belongings they can. They are also distributing relief items.”

Scott says, “We’re hoping to get out some chlorine tabs and other forms of rendering safe drinking water to the people. Some mosquito nets when they’re out in the open to protect them against the malaria bearing mosquitoes, which are starting to breed in the stagnant water. We’re helping them with a bit of shelter, equipment.”

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has launched a preliminary appeal of $1.2 million to support relief operations in Ghana.

Source:
VOA

Three die in Northern Ghana conflict

The protracted conflict between Konkombas and Bimobas in the Northern Region erupted last Sunday leaving in its wake three persons dead and many others injured.

Reports reaching the Daily Graphic also said a number of houses in various communities of the area were burnt and properties running into billions of cedis destroyed and/or looted.

The police, under the command of the Northern Regional Commander, Mr Ephraim Brakatu, have since moved to the area to take control and restore calm.

According to the sources, the renewed conflict arose from a misunderstanding between a Bimoba man and a Konkomba man at the Jimbali Market in the district.

Three houses in the Jimbali area were reportedly burnt immediately after the conflict erupted.

The situation degenerated when other people believed to be from the two ethnic groups in contention, mobilised themselves and attacked one another after news went round that their kinsmen were involved in a fight at the market.

Sources at the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) that confirmed the story, however, told the Daily Graphic in Tamale yesterday that the security agencies were yet to ascertain the remote and immediate causes of the disturbances.

The source further said the extent of damage to property was yet to be known and that the BNI was in the process of confirming casualties that resulted from the disturbances.

Members of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) also met yesterday and adopted measures to forestall further disturbances in the area.

Source:
Daily Graphic

Indebted patients to be detained at hospital


Breman Asikuma (C/R), Sept. 18, GNA - Management of the Breman Asikuma Catholic Hospital has said in-patients who fail to pay their bills and have not registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme would be detained in the hospital kitchen.

Mr Tachie Ansah, the hospital Secretary, told the GNA that even though the Health Insurance Scheme had been instituted to assist the poor and the needy for affordable treatment, people are not taking advantage of it.

Mr Ansah said one Abena Safoaah 25, seamstress, delivered at the hospital in July and is indebted to the hospital to the tune of over 2.5 million cedis.

He said her relatives had not been able to settle the bill and had come to plead for her to be allowed to go home and come back later to pay. When contacted relatives husband and wife complained of poverty and said they would depend on donors and loans to settle the bill.

Source:
GNA

Kufuor congratulates Koroma


Accra, Sept. 18, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday sent a congratulatory message to the newly sworn-in President of Sierra Leone, Mr Ernest Bai Koroma.

A release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the message noted in part, the sterling leadership qualities of President Koroma and expressed the strong hope that the tenure of the new President "will solidify the unity of the people of Sierra Leone and consolidate peace and security" in that country.

The message expressed optimism that the tenure of President Koroma would witness "The further strengthening of the traditional bonds of friendship and cooperation existing between Ghana and Sierra Leone". President Koroma was sworn into office as President of the Republic of Sierra Leone on Monday September 17, 2007, after having been formally declared winner of the presidential run-off by the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone.

Source:
GNA

France sends two helicopters for flood relief effort


Accra, Sept. 18, GNA - France has sent two helicopters to assist in relief operations in Northern Ghana where floods have wrecked havoc over large areas in the three northern regions.

A statement from the French Embassy in Accra said the two PUMA helicopters, which arrived in Tamale on Monday night, were sent following a request by the Government of Ghana to partners for assistance to sustain the relief operations in the area. "These helicopters will transport government officials, United Nations and European Union teams to different places in order to help them in their evaluation of immediate relief needed in the affected areas," the statement said.

Heavy rains since the end of last month have claimed up to 18 lives and displaced more than 250,000 people in the three Northern regions - Upper East, Upper West and Northern.

Roads and bridges have been washed away, houses have collapsed and large areas are under water.

There are fears of hunger and health problems in the three regions.

Source:
GNA

Ahmadiyya donates to flood disaster victims


Bolgatanga, Sept. 18, GNA- The Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana on Monday donated a quantity of food items estimated at about 20 million cedis or 2000 Ghana Cedis to victims of the Upper East flood disaster. The Regional Minister, Mr Alhassan Samari, received the items, which included 120 mini-bags of maize, 10 mini-bags of sugar and 10 mini-bags of rice.

Alhaji Awudu Musah, Upper East Regional President of the Mission, who made the presentation, indicated that the consignment was the initial response of the Ahmadiyya Mission to the appeal for assistance for the flood victims, and that more relief aid would follow in due course.

"We believe it is only human that we come to the aid of our brothers in distress," he said, adding that although the donation was small, it was the hope of the Mission that the items would help ameliorate the suffering of the affected persons.

Mr. Samari expressed his appreciation to the Ahmadiyya Mission on behalf of the victims for the kind gesture and gave the assurance that the donation would get to the needy.

"In this time of need no donation is too small," he said and renewed his appeal to capable individuals, organisations and religious bodies to come to the assistance of flood victims in the area. Later in an interaction with media representatives, Mr. Samari called for accuracy and circumspection with regard to reports they file on the disaster situation in the Region.

He pointed out that in view of the misfortune that had befallen it, the Region was now the centre of attention not only in Ghana, but also worldwide as a result of advanced information technology. "Please do well to cross-check on any information you may not be very clear about, so that you do not misinform the rest of the nation and the outside world about the situation in the region," he said.

Source:
GNA

Youth urges govt to address challenges in the North


Wa, Sept. 18, GNA- A coalition of youth associations in the Wa Municipality has appealed to the government to take urgent measures to address the development challenges of the three Northern Regions to bring them to a comparable standard.

The coalition also drew the attention of government on the plight of the people and advocated for appropriate policies that would reduce poverty and hunger in the three Regions.

This was contained in a communiqu=E9 issued and signed by eight youth representatives of the various political, religious, ethnic and civic organisations in the Wa Municipality after a three-day civic education workshop.

The Tamale Ecclesiastical Provincial Pastoral Conference (TEPPCON) a Catholic NGO organised the forum, which was on the theme: "Challenges of development: The role of the youth".

They discussed the potentials, constrain and challenges of the roles of the youth in the socio-economic development and urged the government to mobilize the youth irrespective of their political, ethnic and religious affiliations to discuss issues on governance at regional and national levels.

The coalition also urged the government to establish a youth study and action group to act as a watchdog against all forms of social vices and promote healthy interaction with District and Regional authorities to enhance social accountability.

The youth appealed to religious leaders to inculcate in the youth issues of good governance at the various places of worship and on radio discussions.

The government should also support them to carry out voluntary services, especially in the area of cleanup exercises to reduce malaria and other communicable diseases. They urged the government to provide the Wa Municipality with an ultra modern Regional hospital to cater for the health needs of the people.

The coalition called on the government to sensitise the youth and politicians to carry out decent political campaigns devoid of the use of provocative language in the 2008 polls.

Source:
GNA

Don't justify negative culture against women - Greenstreet


Elmina, Sept. 18, GNA - Professor Miranda Greenstreet, Chairperson of the Gender Development Institute (GDI) on Monday pointed out that although rape is the most often cited sexual violence against women, female genital mutilation, trokosi and widowhood rites were also forms of sexual and gender based violence.

She said these cannot be overlooked or justified on the grounds of tradition, culture or social conformity.

She said the term, also encompassed a wide variety of abuses that included sexual threats, exploitation, humiliation, assaults, molestation, incest involuntary prostitution, torture, and insertion of objects into genital openings.

Prof. Greenstreet, who is also a member of the National African Peer Review Mechanism (NAPRM) Governing Council, was speaking at the opening of "The 4th International Conference on Gender", being organized by the GDI, at Elmina.

The five-day event, is under the theme: "Sexual and Gender-Based Violence- A social Nightmare-Provoking Action", and has more than 50 representatives of gender-based organizations and institutions from Ghana, Botswana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia, Kenya, South Africa and Belgium attending. They would be briefing each other on the situations in their respective countries and exchange ideas as to how best to contribute towards resolving the situation.

She acknowledged that men and young boys, may also be vulnerable to sexual violence, but women and girls were more vulnerable, and cite surveys in Ghana in 1999 which revealed that such crimes against women, were mostly not reported for a variety of reasons, including threats, shyness, ignorance or fear of parents and relatives.

Prof. Greenstreet, therefore stressed the need for the concrete implementation of laws, legislations and policies formulated to curb the situation and said that, in addition, victims should be given "quality counselling" and be treated with empathy, care and support.

She expressed the hope that the conference, would discuss the problems and challenges in-depth and that the legal aspects of addressing them will be examined so that the prevalence of the problem would be minimized to enable females to play "a fuller role in the development of society".

In an address read for her, the Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, (MOWAC), Hajia Alima Mahama, said the need to ensure that attention to gender perspectives is an integral part of interventions in all areas of social development was made clear in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

The government of Ghana, she said was through various interventions, such as gender mainstreaming, ensuring balanced development through the equitable distribution of resources and benefits to both males and females.

She also briefed them on other policies and programmes geared towards women and girls' welfare and empowerment, through the establishment of MOWAC, which she said, was also training chief directors on gender concepts and gender mainstreaming. Additionally, a core of gender experts from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been identified and trained as trainers on gender issues.

Hajia Mahama however, consented that there were challenges to be addressed, relating to inadequate sex/gender disaggregated data, financial and human resource and capacity for gender analysis and budgeting and of coordinating the gender mainstreaming process. She therefore, called for a concerted effort from all MDAs and that, there was the need to intensify efforts at mainstreaming, adding that awareness creation and sensitization on gender issues and mainstreaming must be on-going by all stakeholders.

Mrs. Jane Kwawu, an International Gender Consultant who opened the conference, observed that the long - standing failure to protect and promote those rights and freedoms in the case of violence against women was a matter of priority and urgency to many nations and should be addressed.

She noted that until recently, sexual and gender-based violence and especially, violence against women and girls, was viewed as a private family matter, and had only been "moved from the shadows" during the last decade.

She pointed out that violence against women and girls was an obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of equality, development and peace, and violates, impairs and nullifies the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedom.

Mrs. Kwawu said women's rights advocates have mobilized within and across countries and regions to secure significant changes in national, regional and international standards and policies addressing the problem.

She cited some of the achievements of these measures as the 1993 Convention on the Elimination of Violence against Women and the United Nations resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security in 2000. The problem, she said, however still existed, and that studies and literature review indicate that at least one woman in every three, has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her life time, adding that the rates could reach 70 percent in some cases. She said, though in recent years some progress has been made in efforts to eliminate the problem, much more remained to be done "if we are to end this impunity for violence against women, especially regarding evaluation of the impact of existing interventions." Mrs Kwawu, among others, therefore called for the implementation of laws that criminalize violence against women and build the capacities of law enforcement agencies, like the police as well as community leaders, parliamentarians and the media to enhance their knowledge about the problem.

In his welcoming address, Mr Wilbert Tengey, Chief Executive Officer of the GDI, said the GDI was compelled to organize the workshop as a result of the suffering of women and children in conflict areas like the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to him, "scores" of women in that country, have been raped, violated in other forms and their limbs cut off, adding that the conference was not only for sharing of experiences but to review such experiences for lasting solutions.

Source:
GNA

 Stability and absence of violence increases


Ho, Sept. 18, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, a Special Assistant to Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor, former Minister of Defence, said stability in the country was considerably better now than 10 years ago.

Mr Afriyie, who was speaking to the Ho Polytechnic branch of the Tertiary Education Students Confederation (TESCON) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), attributed the accomplishment to the good policies of the NPP government

He said the police and other security agencies were better motivated under the NPP government than under any other government and are committed to fight crime.

Mr Afriye said the NPP government had provided everything to make personnel of security agencies happy including the continuing provision of "excellent state of the art accommodation for the military".

"It is not for nothing that we are enjoying the peace we have in the country today - it is the investment the NPP government is making in security."

He said the government had created good relationship among the police, military and civil society towards ensuring peace. "Many soldiers are now living well and are able to buy their own cars, build houses and educate their children well". Mr Owusu Afriyie said government was also installing special communication gadgets to enhance the work of security agencies and called on all to support the bid to deepen peace in the country.

Source:
GNA

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• 17.09.2007

FM Stations Rally Support For Flood Victims


Joy 99.7 FM, has in conjunction with its affiliates; Adom FM and Luv FM, launched an appeal for support for flood victims of the three northern regions.

The Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions have been declared a disaster zone by the state following torrential rains that caused heavy flooding and left in its wake a destructive trail.

Apart from some eight persons confirmed dead, an estimated 260,000 people are said to have been displaced by the rains which also swept away some 4500 homes.

Programmes Director of Joy FM, Mr. Kofi Owusu, speaking on Joy FM’s Midday News explained that the parent company of the stations, Multimedia Broadcasting Company, which has six other media outlets under its stable, was concerned with the humanitarian needs required to restore the lives of the victims and the affected areas to normalcy.

Kofi Owusu appealed to public spirited individuals and organisations to donate cash or cheques into a special bank Account Number 0052010027306, named The Project, with the SG SSB Bank.

He said the donations could also be deposited with Joy FM at Kokomlemle in Accra, Adom FM in Tema or Luv FM in Kumasi.

Source:
jfm

 Contractors abandon workers housing projects


Majority of contractors working on the government housing project at Kpone and Borteyman have abandoned the site.

Efforts to trace them have proved futile as most of the telephone numbers and addresses they gave could not be reached.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Abubakari Saddique Boniface, came face-to-face with this spectacle when he paid a working visit to the project sites last Friday.

The project, which was introduced by the government to provide about 1,900 affordable housing units in the first phase at the cost of ¢200 billion for working people, is behind schedule by almost a year.

The units range from one-bedroom self-contained apartments to three-bedroom semi-detached houses and form part of the 100,000 housing units the government intends to construct before the end of 2008.

With the pace of work at the site, the dream of constructing 100,000 housing units may not be realised by 2008.

At Kpone, some of the buildings were at the foundation level while others were either at the lintel level or being roofed.

The situation was not different at Borteyman and a representative of the project consultant there, Mr Geoffrey Klu, said 14 contractors had had their contracts terminated due to the lackadaisical attitude they had adopted to work.

The minister, who was disappointed at the progress of work, said efforts would be intensified to locate the contractors and indicated that the ministry would convene a meeting quickly to find out why the contractors had abandoned the projects.

He said if after the meeting the contractors failed to undertake the project, the ministry would advise itself accordingly.

He said if it became necessary, the entire contract would be reviewed or terminated.

In a related development, the minister also toured the Korle Lagoon Ecological Restoration Project site.

The purpose of the project is to improve the ecological and environmental aspects of the KorIe Lagoon and to offer substantial improvements to the city's drainage and flooding problems by way of ensuring good flood water conveyance to the sea.

At the project site, the minister was briefed at every stage of the project by engineers of International Marine and Dredging Consultants and JV Dredging International.

The contractors complained that the project had delayed because whenever silt was removed from the lagoon, new garbage and materials went back into it leading to the lagoon being silted again.

The problem, according to the consultants, was the result of the activities of residents of Sodom and Gomorra and pollutants from upstream getting into the canals from other parts of the city. Mr Boniface said the government was sourcing funds to develop a parcel of land acquired at Adjin Kotoku to relocate the people of Sodom and Gomorra there.

He said a topographical survey of the relocation area and the preliminary design for the basic infrastructural facilities of the area had been prepared.

Source:
Daily Graphic

 Gyebiri builds day care centre


Gyebiri (B/A), Sep. 17, GNA - Residents of Gyebiri near Krobo in Techiman municipality are spending 14 million cedis (GHC1, 400) towards the construction of a community day care centre. The two-classroom block, an office and a store would be completed by January next year.

Nana Ameyaw Keseben II, chief of the town who was speaking at a durbar to mark the Fofie Yam festival, said 2.4 million cedis (GHC240) had so far been spent on the project. He said the project was being financed through voluntary contributions of 30,000 cedis per male and 25,000 cedis per female and a fund-raising harvest.

Nana Ameyaw said the Member of Parliament for Techiman North, Mr. Alex Kyeremeh, had provided two bundles of roofing sheets and 15 bags of cement.

He said the school would save the 40 children from commuting daily to Krobo to attend classes.

Nana Ameyaw appealed to the municipal assembly, NGOs and philanthropists to support them in the development of the area. Nana Kyeremaa Siassa II, Gyebirihemaa, called on parents to educate their girls dress decently and avoid dresses that could attract men to defile them.

Source:
GNA

Hill Top School in Kumasi celebrates 10th anniversary


Kumasi, Sept 17, GNA- Mr Owusu Boadu, Assistant Director of Education at the Kumasi Metropolitan Directorate of Education, has said that education is the best legacy parents could bequeath to their children.

Mr Boadu gave the advice at the second graduation and 10th anniversary celebration of the Hill Top School at Daaban in Kumasi at the weekend.

He urged parents to give quality education to their children to enable them to make meaningful contributions towards the socio-economic development of the country in future.

The theme for the occasion was "Education for Excellence, Knowledge and Integrity, the Lessons a Decade After".

He said the government was committed to the development of education and has introduced a new Educational Reform Programme, which has just taken-off in the country.

The Assistant Director observed that the government has also put in place measures including the introduction of the Capitation Grant and the School Feeding Programme in schools as well as the provision of classroom blocks and other facilities to enhance teaching and learning. Mr Boadu commended the efforts made by private schools towards the promotion of education and said the government appreciates the gesture and hoped that such partnership would continue.

Dr. Andrew Akwasi Oteng-Amoako, Director of the school, said the school started with only ten children in 1997 but now has a population of 900 pupils and students in the Nursery, Kindergarten, Primary and Junior High School.

He said the school placed first in the Kumasi metropolis, second in the Ashanti region and sixth among 2,600 basic Schools in the country at the Basic Education Certificate Examination last year. Mrs Cecilia Oteng-Amoako, Proprietress of the School said arrangements were far advanced for the school to establish a Senior High School next year to absorb the Junior High School leavers. She appealed to the parents and guardians to attend Parent-Teacher-Association (PTA) meeting regularly to deliberate on the development of the school.

Mr Frank Mpare, Secretary, who chaired the function, praised the school on the occasion and urged parents and guardians to take advantage of the governments efforts to promote education and send their children to schools.

Source:
GNA

SFO report: Scancom defrauds Ghana



Six months of investigations by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) into the operations of Scancom (Ghana) Limited have uncovered one of the most sophisticated networks in international money laundering, tax evasion and balance sheet fraud.

Following that finding; the SFO has called for action to repatriate about ¢8 trillion from the company which was sold by the Lebanese owned Investcom to Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) of South Africa in May 2006.

The amount, representing about one-sixth of the country's ¢44.8 trillion budget for 2007, was what was determined by the SFO as what Scancom defrauded the country of plus penalties.

The SFO stepped in following serious allegations made against the company regarding its financial operations, the discharge of its tax obligations to the state and the circumstances of its takeover by MTN.

It recommended the recovery of various sums of money being corporate tax and National Reconstruction Levy (NRL) evasion between April and December 2005, as well as between the period of January 1997 and March 2005.

The SFO also asked for the confiscation of $8,506,859.91, which had been unlawfully appropriated, with part having been used in surreptitious repatriation and the acquisition of equity in Scancom, by Investcom.

Apart from that, $29,636,636.02, which is dividend purported to pave been repatriated offshore, through the country's banking system, without any recorded traces of that transaction within the banking system, was also to be confiscated.

Other recommendations are the prosecution of SCANCOM and Investcom for money laundering offences and Scancom for financial statement balance fraud.

Agencies cited, through whose laxity these fraudulent deals were carried out, are the Bank of Ghana (BoG) and KPMG.

The SFO has recommended that a memorandum should be written to the BoG highlighting the weaknesses observed in the Bank's operational and control strategies in the area of foreign exchange management, while an explanation was to be demanded from KPMG, the external auditors of Scancom, for the glaring omissions and commissions, affecting the validity and reliability of the audited financial statements of Scancom.

A memorandum is also to be written to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and other appropriate bodies, highlighting limitations identified in the application of the GIPC Law and LI 1547.

The SFO has also recommended that Investcom repatriate to Ghana the sums of $21,649,170.99 $650,328,000 that were dividends of local shareholders fraudulently repatriated offshore, proceeds of the sale of the shares of Scancom to MTN attributable to local shareholders and the repatriation of the value in Areeba Cyprus attributable to local shareholders in Scancom, who are majority shareholders (51%).

Also, $15.0 million that was invested in Areeba Cyprus from funds from Scancom, Ghana is also to be repatriated.

Among the findings of the SFO, it came out that by a Technology Transfer Agreement registration certificate between Scancom and Investcom that was dated August 12, 2005, and GIPC letter of the same date, an agreement was reached under which a 13% net sales charge was to be charged between April 1, 2005 and March 31, 2014.

However, between April 1, and December 31, 2005, Scancom charged ¢416,489,558,575.63, which represented 18.76% of its net sales of ¢35,840,676,697.17, on the basis that revenue accrued evenly throughout the year.

The SFO said as a result a corporate tax of ¢35,840,676,697, levied at 28% and a NRL of ¢1,920,036,251.17 levied at 1.5% and totaling ¢37,760,712,948.8 were evaded.

It said under the 'Technology Transfer Agreement, it was provided that Scancom pay "reasonable reimbursements for expenditure incurred by Investcom" in respect of manage¬ment services that were to be provided by Investcom and attributed to LI 1547.

The SFO said that insertion offended provisions under the said LI 1547 and rejected "any management services charges attributed to that".

Another manipulation was the continued operation of a Management Support Contract between Investcom LLC and Scancom in 1997 and that was to run till 2003.

Although the contract was to be renewed annually, the BoG observed in a letter to the GIPC that it breached provisions of the LI 1547.

The SFO said despite that, in 2004 Scancom continued to operate the same management contract with "only cosmetic changes, and to charge a fee, almost a l00% and above the rates charged between 1997 and 2003". "Investcom manipulated the system by agreeing on a contract that ran for a year, renewable annually. LI 1547 requires that, for an agreement to be registered under the Act, it must run for a minimum of 18 months.

The SFO contends that having regard to 'substance over form' argument, the contract effectively ran for eight years, and ought to have been registered by the GIPC under LI 1547, failing which rendered the contract unenforceable."

The SFO added that "resulting from the manipulation over the period of eight years, Investcom LLC was paid fees at about 7.5% of net sales instead of a maximum of two per cent of profit before tax for the period of 1997 to 2003, and about 15% of net sales instead of two per cent of profit before tax for 2004 and January to March of 2005 in line with provisions under LI 1547".

"The cumulative effect of this was a total of about ¢158,216,068,685.78 worth of corporate tax and NRL evaded." The SFO said from the findings of their investigations, it had been established beyond reasonable doubt that there had been the "willful infraction of the law".
PIC: scancom receives award from Veep

Source:
Daily Graphic

I am a political super tanker - Frimpong-Boateng


Accra, Sept. 17, GNA - Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, Flag bearer aspirant of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Sunday declared: "I am a political super tanker who manoeuvres in electoral deep waters focusing on issues to transform the economy".

"The so called heavyweights are novices operating in shallow waters through intimidations, insults, personality attacks, vindictiveness, which retard development," he added in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Accra.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng debunked the notion that "he is a new entrant into the political field especially the NPP flag bearership contest loaded with known political stalwarts of the party".

He explained that due to the sensitive nature of work at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, "I needed to maintain a high level of political neutrality to ensure that all patients have the confidence to face me without any political fear bordering their minds".

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, a Heart Surgeon and former Chief Executive Officer of the hospital, defended his resignation "as moving from 'mending hearts' to 'mending the nation' through the political platform".

"I have trained scores of heart surgeons for Ghana, 20 for Nigeria and a Togolese. I think this is the time to move on...I do not intend to stay at the hospital and continue intimidating younger surgeons. I would rather move on and guide them from afar".

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng described the NPP, as the best political party in the country, and appealed to the electorate to renew its mandate "for Ghanaians to experience new democratic pragmatic governance under his presidency".

He said given the chance to lead NPP to Election 2008 as the flag bearer, would be a good omen for the party, "as we do not need to enter the electoral battle field with a lot of baggage to defend".

The Heart Surgeon appealed to delegates to the party's Special National Delegates Congress in December 22, to avoid the mistake of electing any other candidate, apart from Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng.

He noted: "That would mean arming our political opponents with ammunitions to defeat us at the Presidential and Parliamentary elections".

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng asked the NPP delegates to give him the mandate to transform the nation, and set the country on the path of economic independence and emancipation.

"The power for total freedom is in your hands use it wisely by electing Prof Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng as the flag bearer of NPP for Election 2008," he added.

On the economy, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng expressed concern about Ghana's continuous dependence on the international community for basic facilities "we depend on the outside world to resource our institutions"

He said, "It is unacceptable that after 50 years of ationhood, about 80 per cent of inputs into agriculture, education and health are from foreign sources".

"We cannot resource our institutions because we are not creating enough wealth. We are not creating wealth because it is taking us too long to change the structure of the national economy from a heavily dependent on the export of raw materials to the export of knowledge and technology".

"Our world is essentially driven by technology. Energy, agriculture, medicine and health, clean air and water, transportation, sanitation, management use and conservation of natural resources - all are based ultimately on science and technology," he added.

The Heart Surgeon stressed the need for Ghana to focus on science and technological advancement for national development.

He explained that every country's development depended on its ability to understand, interpret, select, adapt, use, transmit, diffuse, produce and commercialize scientific and technological knowledge in a manner appropriate to its culture, aspirations and level of development.

Prof. Frimpong-Boateng noted that the poverty gap was a technological gap stressing that: "The categorization of nations into advanced and developing is based on their scientific advancement".

"Low income levels go with low scientific and technological status, while high income levels correspond with high scientific and technological programme".

Source:
GNA

 Dutch reverend supplement school feeding programme


Zangu (NR), Sept 17, GNA- Three schools in the West Mamprusi District of the Northern Region would get free lunch under a three-year private pilot school-feeding programme.

A Philanthropist, Reverend Father Frans Meddens, a Catholic Priest based in Holland and his friends are sponsoring the programme of a package of locally grown food for the pupils of the schools. Under the programme, which started last year the school would receive food items such as maize, groundnuts, soya bean, fish and cooking oil.

Mr. Franz Josef Zemp of the Gbilugu ecological farm near Walewale who is overseeing the programme, said feasibility studies done in the communities earlier, revealed that parents were ready to participate in the programme by doing the cooking and serving as well as storing the food items.

Mr Zemp said this at the weekend when he visited the Zangu Primary School also near Walewale.

He said the teachers gave their word to guide the pupils to start backyard gardens in the schools to grow organic vegetables for their consumption with the assistance of two organic farmers who would provide technical advise.

Mr. Zemp said in order to make the programme, more community-oriented, funds instead of food items would be given to the communities in future to purchase the food items from their localities for the schools.

Since the past six weeks, the three primary schools namely Zangu, Mishio, and Bomasa had received a total of 1,280kg of rice, 1,600kg of maize and 165kg of Beans.

Also made available to the schools over the same period were 165kg of soya beans, 160kg of groundnuts and 130 litres of cooking oil. The head teachers and some community elders, who received the items, thanked the donors and said it would help keep the children well fed and in school, especially with the poor harvest this year due to the floods.

The teachers said school enrolment was increasing and they expect that every child of school-going age in the communities would enroll this academic year.

The pupils had no soft drink and biscuits for their first day at school like their counterparts in the towns and cities, but they had plates of rice and fish stew for lunch, which they relished.

Source:
GNA

 HIV/AIDS awareness programme at Buduburam refugee camp


Buduburam (C/R), Sept 17, GNA- About 40 people at the Buduburam refugee camp have undergone HIV/AIDS Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) to know their status.

The free medical test was organized by the women's department of the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs to educate the people on the need to abstain from unprotected sex as well as on other health related issues.

Mrs. Jane Sefah, Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of HIV/AIDS of the Ghana Health Service said reports from health facilities in the country indicated that the disease was fast spreading despite intensification of educational campaign. She said upon the numerous reports about the dangers of the disease, some people have not changed their sexual behaviour and indulge in unprotected sex.

Mrs Sefah stated that every day approximately 150 people in Ghana get infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. According to her many people who are infected with HIV look and feel healthy for years before becoming sick and dying from the disease. She said such people unknowingly pass on the virus to others through the sharing razor blades, sex and injection needles. The Regional Coordinator urged families not to shun or avoid their relatives with HIV/AIDS, because they need love and care. She advised the students and unmarried to abstain from sex or else to use a condom to avoid contracting the disease.

Source:
GNA

Ghana's unemployment rate declining


Ghana’s unemployment rate has declined from 75.9% to 71.6% according to the World Bank, which says the drop is because of rapid population growth over the last couple of years.

Details of the 2006 Country Economic Memorandum report of the Bank however shows that while urban areas such as Accra saw very little increase in unemployment rates, rural areas witnessed a huge decline from 83.6% to 77.5%.

The World Bank report said a multivariate, micro-analysis suggests that the important declines in poverty in both urban and rural areas was not explained due to a higher labour supply but from higher returns from education, physical capital and higher land productivity.

It however indicated that the capital Accra is having a more worrying unemployment problem with close to 10% of the active population being available for work even if only 50% of them are actively looking for a job.

According to the report the country’s unemployment situation is largely concentrated in the youth segment and in most urban areas.

Again, the report mentioned high economic growth and a fairly flexible labour market as responsible for the control of the country’s unemployment levels. A shift of employment from the public to the informal private sector was also recorded in the report with the last 15 years seeing the percentage of public workers declining from about 13% between 1991 and 1992 to 9.4% towards the end of 1999 to 9.0% in 2005 and 2006.

The report also mentioned a relative decline in the public employment sector, but the situation has been fully compensated by an increase in both the formal and informal private sectors as wage employees rose from 7.8% in 1991-1992 to 14.5% in 2005-2006.

Source:
dailyexpressonline

The poor is getting poorer in Ghana


An ISSER report on the state of the Ghanaian economy for 2006 has revealed that whilst poverty levels reduced generally, the gap between the rich and the poor has rather deepened.

The report also showed that whilst budgetary allocation to local governments was not enough, the disbursed fund out of the allocation was less than one percent.

Presenting the report in Accra, the Director of ISSER (Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research) Professor Ernest Aryeetey said the economy in 2006 grew by 6.2% as against 5.7 in the previous year. The growth according him was recorded from only the manufacturing and industrial sectors of the economy.

The report which focused on a broad aggregate of the economy’s performance stated that Ghana remains a small economy whose policy direction is determined by external factors.

Whilst acknowledging the importance of China’s emergence in the economy in the area of market for commodities, Professor Aryeetey says it also presents risks and called for a clear-cut policy on relations with external economies.

The report painted a gloomy picture of the period under review as the largest ever deficit was recorded in 2006. The record 40% deficit was attributed to a rapid rise in public expenditure as a result of labour agitation for higher pay.

Professor Aryeetey observed that the stable 10.5% inflation and about 24% interest rate levels have made the country an investment destination, adding that the private sector does not worry as the economy remains unpredictable.

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Nii Boi Tagoe who chaired the function said there is no doubt that the energy crisis has had some effects on the business community.

Professor Tagoe said the report as presented by ISSER brings to light the need for policy changes.

Source:
dailyExpress

  Akufo-Addo's Involved In Traffic Accident

Tragedy hit the Akufo-Addo for President Campaign Team on Saturday when a brand-new pick-up van meant for its Brong Ahafo regional co-ordinator was involved in a serious accident in the Eastern region.

Nana Addo was nowhere near the scene of the accident, as he was busy campaigning in the Brong Ahafo Region.

This comes days after a juju composite against the leading New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirant was said to have been found on a tree at Alajo in Accra.

The motor accident happened on the Asamankese-Suhum road, after the driver tasked to deliver the vehicle branched off the Accra-Kumasi road for a ‘personal’ assignment. No fatalities were recorded.

The driver, Stephen Awuku, who works at the Kokomlemle campaign office of the presidential aspirant, suffered a fractured leg after the vehicle somersaulted several times. He is on admission at the Suhum Government Hospital.

According to Mustapha Hamid, spokesperson for the Akufo-Addo Campaign Team, “Nana has spoken to Stevo, who seems to be recovering well.

The vehicle, we hear, is a write-off, but we thank God that there appears to be no serious injuries”.

The vehicle was part of a consignment of 10 brand-new ones procured for Nana Akufo-Addo’s 10 regional co-ordinators who are working for his election as the flagbearer of the NPP in the December 22 National Congress at the University of Ghana, Legon .

The aspirant’s campaign tour, which was initially scheduled to begin last Friday in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions, according to Mustapha, had to be rescheduled, with the northern leg postponed in solidarity with the flood victims.

Instead, Mustapha Hamid was sent up there to deliver ¢200 million worth of relief items on behalf of the aspirant.

At Atebebu, Nana Akufo-Addo took his campaign strategy to another level by meeting about 400 party executives, plus scores of opinion leaders and well-wishers from three constituencies.

People crossed rivers in their numbers to hear Nana speak. The campaign organisers were overwhelmed by the large crowd which came to hear Akufo-Addo’s message of political leadership, loyalty, unity and vision.

Before this, only one aspirant was known to be meeting a wide gathering of constituency executives and polling station chairpersons.

The Atebubu meeting, which had the atmosphere of a mini rally, had all constituency and polling station executives of the party from Pru, Sene and Atebubu-Amantin in attendance.

>From there, Nana Akufo-Addo’s large convoy, which was cheered in every hamlet, village and town it passed through, took the message to Nkoranza, where the aspirant addressed more than 400 party executives and opinion leaders from both Nkoranza North and South.

Nana told potential delegates to vote for a candidate who is popular both within the party and in the country at large.

Speaking in impeccable Twi, he said, “If you choose me, marketing me won’t be difficult because I’m well-known by our grassroots and by even school kids.”

He urged also party members not to lose track of the main task at Legon on December 22.

“The choice is for a political leader, not an economist, a lawyer, etc. We need a candidate we can be confident can win.

A candidate who can first command the respect and admiration of our rank and file, the party’s loyal foot soldiers like yourselves who will be leading our campaign in the communities up and down the country.”

He advised prospective delegates to choose a leader who has been with the party through thick and thin and can unite it and inspire the nation with a vision that can bring everybody on board.

>From Nkoranza, the team travelled to Techiman, where they met constituency and polling station executives and opinion leaders from Techiman North and South constituencies.

Yesterday, the campaign took Nana Akufo-Addo to Wenchi, Sampa, Drobo, Berekum and Sunyani, where altogether, he addressed nearly 1,000 party members.

The well-organised campaign team travels with its own chef, standby generator, and PA system, including a rostrum, microphone and speakers.

The Akufo-Addo Campaign Convoy heads to the Ashanti Region on Thursday where he is expected to meet about 100 executives from all 10 Kumasi constituencies and over 800 polling station executives within the KMA area at the Kumasi Cultural Centre on Friday.


Source:
Daily Guide

West Akyem to improve on road network


Asamankese, Sept. 17, GNA- The West Akyem District would take delivery of a grader by the end of September, to enable the assembly to improve the road network in the area on regular basis. An arrangement for the purchase of the grader is almost complete, with the deposit of an initial amount of 300 million cedis, representing 20 percent of the total cost.

The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Kwabena Sintim-Aboagye announced this at the third ordinary meeting of the assembly at Asamankese.

He said the Amalgamated Bank in Accra is financing the purchase of the grader.

Mr Sintim-Aboagye said, under the routine maintenance of trunk roads programme for 2007 to 2008 in the district, contracts for the rehabilitation of a number of roads had been completed for work to begin.

He said the roads include the 17-kilometre Asamankese - Akroso road, 38 kilometres Asamankese - Kade road, 35 kilometres of the Asamankese - Suhum road and five kilometres of the Asamankese town roads.

The DCE said the government was seriously pursuing an aggressive programme to open up much of the rural communities in the district by re-shaping and tarring of dilapidated roads to make them motorable. He said approval had also been given for the commencement of the resurfacing of the 21-kilometre Osenase-Apinamang roads at the cost of 1.680 million US dollars.

The DCE said the ongoing rehabilitation works on the Akanteng-Kobriso road had to be held up temporarily due to the heavy rain, which was giving a lot of problems to the contractors. He said as soon as the rains stop, work would resume and assured the chiefs and people of the communities that their concerns were being addressed.

Mr Sintim-Aboagye said the rehabilitation and expansion of the two narrow bridges on the Topease-Osenase road was ongoing and the bridge on river Ayensu at Asuokaw on the Asamankese - Accra main road had also been awarded on contract awaiting the commencement of works shortly. He said the Asibirem - Okotokrom and Abuchenso bridges were also being re-awarded to new contractors for speedy execution of and expressed the hope that the projects would soon take off to provide relief and joy to all, especially the people of the beneficiary communities.

Source:
GNA

NPP, NDC Clash At Chief's Silver Jubilee


Space FM,Techiman - Some MPs and executives of the largest opposition NDC led by the former Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, I.K. Agyei Mensah, suffered a humiliation at the hands of the ruling NPP led by the current Brong- Ahafo Regional Minister Ignatius Baffour Awuah, during the celebration of the Sliver Jubilee of Oyeadeyie Asa Akompanin, Chief of Krobo in Techiman Traditional Area.

The 25th anniversary of the enstoolment of Oyeadeeyie Asa Akompanin was marked alongside the annual Yam Festival of the people of Krobo.

It all occured when the former Brong-Ahafo regional minister under the NDC government, I.K. Agyei Mensah tried to intimate that the NDC received 4 million dollars from the EU for development projects for which the party must be given the credit. Right after his speech which was to be the last on the programme schedule, the regional minister Baffour Awuah was given the platform to deliver a short address. His introduction by the MC was met with wild cheers with some people describing him as the best minister the region has ever had.

When he took the microphone, he sarcastically told the gathering that his senior brother was talking of development projects on an annual funding of 4 million dollars but the construction of the Bui Dam alone is costing 622 million dollars.

This comparison drew thunderous applause from the chiefs and people present. The Omanhene of the Techiman Traditional Area, Oseadeyo Ameyaw Akumfi, was seen smiling at the unfolding event.

Some youth argued that Mr. Agyei Mensah shouldn’t have made those weak remarks since they gave the current regional minister a huge advantage over the NDC.

However Mr. Agyei Mensah during his speech advocated for matured politicking in the country, which should be devoid of insult, personal attacks and blame games. He stressed that the peace of the country should be paramount, aside one's political affiliation, because" it is the aim of every political party to help in the development of the nation but with different policies".

The veteran politician who was flanked by both MPs for Techiman North and South, Mr. Alex Kyeremeh and Addai Simmons respectively as well as Constituency executives of Techiman North and South, stated that "it is time for the NDC to come back and accomplish the mission of taking Ghanaians to the land of peace and development".

The current regional minister, who was also flanked with constituency executives, started his address on a peaceful note after reacting to that of his senior colleague.

After countering the remarks of Mr. Agyei Mensah, the regional minister urged the chiefs to use Ghanaian culture to spearhead the fight against the spread of negative foreign culture, particularly indecent dressing among the youth.

Before that, the Chief of Krobo, who is also the Kyidomhene of the Techiman Traditional Area, urged colleague chiefs and other members of the chieftaincy institution to discard all unprogressive and powerless traditional gods and accept only God.

He stated that "gods and deities have over the years failed to bring progress to traditional communities", stressing that," the Krobo area is progressing because we adopted the almighty God in 1940 when our god ‘Anikoko’ proved powerless when it was stolen and has since not been found".

Oyeadeeyie Asa Akompanin has withinn his 25 years old reign undertaken several development projects including the provision of potable water, support for education, improved roads and construction of modern palace among others.

The occasion was used to lay the foundation stone for two projects, which are a ¢200million library for Krobo and a ¢ 400million Museum to promote culture, history and tourism in the Techiman traditional Area. The MP for Techiman North, Alex Kyeremeh pledged his continued support for the library project with the provision of 120 plywood boards and packets of roofing sheets as well as 100 bags of cement.

Source:
Space FM,Sunyani

I will not criticize Dr Mahama - PNC Presidential aspirant


WA, Sept. 17, GNA - Prof Yakubu Saaka, a presidential aspirant of the People's National Convention (PNC), said he would never criticize Dr Edward Mahama, the PNC leader, even if he decides to contest again to lead the party in the next elections.

"Dr Mahama has sacrificed enough to keep the name of the party alive and I will not use any platform to criticize him like what politicians in other parties are doing just because I want to be leader".

Professor Saaka, a Deputy Foreign Minister in the late Dr Hilla Liman's government and now domiciled in the USA, said this when he presented himself as a prospective flag bearer of the party to party functionaries at the Upper West Regional delegates' conference of the Party held at Wa on Saturday.

He said worked closely with Dr Mahama as presidential candidate during the past elections and believed it was now time he took over from him to lead the party to victory in 2008.

Prof Saaka mentioned lack of resources as the bane of the party and promised to use his contacts and international connections to mobilize funds to build the PNC to a winnable political force for the next elections.

"There is goodwill for the party but we are not giving people the opportunity to sell the party to make it attractive for people to join". Dr Edward Gyader, a leading member of the party, objected to the assertion in certain political circles that the PNC was a party for northerners and said if that assertion was right, the party would have used a shea tree as its symbol and not a coconut tree. "If a hotel is put up by a Sissala man it does not mean that only northerners should patronize that hotel even if it is the best around." He said there was some truth in describing the PNC as a poor party but ironically it had rich human resources that could propel the nation out of its numerous socio-economic problems if it was given the chance to govern.

Source:
GNA

Business executives to discuss investment opportunities


Accra, Sept. 17, GNA - Senior business executives across the West Africa sub-region would on October 9 join some government officials at a conference dubbed: "Economist Conference" to discuss issues ranging from managing projected tourism volumes to avoiding another destructive currency crash.

A statement issued by the Global Media Alliance in Accra on Monday said Ghana had become a growing source of interest to foreign investors seeking to take advantage of the opportunities in the country's key strategic industries hence the Economist Conference to assess investment opportunities in Ghana.

The conference would discuss key challenges that affect investors who wish to invest in Ghana, including the need to create conducive culture for the business environment.

Speakers at the conference would include President John Agyekum Kufuor, Madam Margaret Mwanakatwe, Managing Director, Barclays Bank, Ghana, Mr Guy Harrington, Chairman of Investment Banking and Corporate Finance and Emerging Markets, Citigroup, and Mr Mats Karlson, out-going World Bank Country Director.

Source:
GNA

Minister urges District assemblies to retrieve loans


Asamankese, Sept.17, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, the Eastern Regional Minster, on Monday urged district assemblies to step up measures to retrieve Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) loans from defaulters.

He said the fund, which was made available by government as a credit facility to boost capital base of small-scale traders, must not be a gift to the beneficiaries.

Mr Asiedu said he was not happy about the huge amounts of such monies owed by defaulters and that bold steps should be taken to bring defaulters to book.

Addressing the third ordinary meeting of the West Akyem District Assembly at Asamankese, he said in the "same manner as people demand probity and accountability from politicians and other office holders, it is prudent that we demand same from the defaulters of the fund". Citing the west Akyem District where 160 persons are indebted to the fund to the tune of 57 million cedis, he wondered if the PAF could achieve its purpose of alleviating poverty since the few beneficiaries had refused to pay to enable others to also benefit. Mr Asiedu expressed satisfaction with the work of the assemblies and urged them to focus their attention on the objectives of the three major areas set out by government for the total development of the country.

He said benefits of the private sector development, human resource development and good governance, which were the thematic areas to the people in the districts could not be overemphasized hence the need to focus on them.

Mr Asiedu advised all assembly members to desist from personalizing and politicising projects meant for the well being of the people, if the decentralization process was to succeed.

He later inspected projects in the district and called on the chief of Asamankese, Nana Kwaku Amoah III.

The Member of Parliament for Upper West Akyem, Mr Sallas Mensah, told the assembly members that the minority parties were opposed to the money-laundering bill because such a move could cut down capital inflows into the country.

He said although money laundering was becoming a global threat, a country like Ghana who was now developing stood the chance of losing with that law and urged the assembly members to be abreast with the times.

Source:
GNA

Floods: Aussies Call For Aid to Ghana


Christian Democratic Party senate team leaders in Western Australia and New South Wales have jointly called for a significant Australian contribution to the urgent provision of medical assistance to Ghana, the African nation which appears to have suffered most from current widespread inundation following exceptional rainfall across Central Africa.

CDP's WA Senate team leader Gerard Goiran said "The highest priority may be the threat of cholera, dysentry and typhoid. The Ghanaian Government led by President John Kufuor has been setting a fine example for Africa in terms of financial responsibility and prudent administration. So there exists an environment where the benefits of an aid project will genuinely reach the people who are suffering."

Pastor Paul Green, who leads the NSW CDP Senate team, added: "These devastating floods represent a tragic irony for Ghana, which for many years has suffered chronically from drought. Long-term drought has seriously impaired hydro-electricity production on which Ghana has traditionally relied, and this in turn has denied Ghanaians the full benefit of their wise government policies including currency stability and effective anti-corruption measures. The Ghanaians truly deserve our help.

Thousands of Australian citizens were born in Ghana., with the largest concentration of Ghanaian Australians being in inner south west Sydney. Ghanaian Australians have earned a reputation for hard work and sobriety, and they rarely trouble the courts or the welfare rolls.

Many Australians have connections with Ghana, especially through churches and through the mining industry.

Paul Green and Gerard Goiran are optimistic that practical generosity towards Ghana on the part of the Australian Government will prompt private companies and individuals to contribute.

Christian Democratic Party President Reverend the Hon Fred Nile MLC, supporting the call by Gerard Goiran and Paul Green, had this to say: "Ghana was the centre of the abominable slave trade, and western nations have a permanent responsibility to assist the Ghanian people. We can never do enough to compensate them for the wrongs done to their ancestors.

Source:
Accra Daily Mail

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