Shoppers stranded in town
Accra, Dec. 24, GNA - Hundreds of people who stood at both the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in front of the Ghana Commercial Bank Tower and the Makola shopping area on Monday rushed for vehicles to enable them to do their last minute Christmas shopping.
Most commercial drivers plying the Circle- Accra route were either reluctant to load passengers or charged extra fares before picking passengers who stood begging to be picked even if it meant paying higher fares.
At the Asylum Down Round About Taxi stations, most of the drivers increased their fares to 50 Ghana pesewas instead of 40 pesewas, while others waited for passengers to hire them for higher fares. A driver who plied the Circle- Accra route said it took him about two hours to move from Circle to Accra and observed that there were many people and traffic jam in town.
A man who gave his name only as Kofi speaking to the Ghana News Agency said because of the heavy traffic he was waiting till evening or after the Christmas season before he did any shopping. He gave a word of advice to people who went shopping to try and save some money so that they could pay their children's school fees and other expenses after the Christmas season.
Source:
GNA
Historical literature launched
Accra, Dec.24, GNA - A book entitled "Fifty Years of Independence, authored by Dr Joseph Godson Amamoo, Barrister, Writer and former Ghanaian Ambassador, has been launched to illustrate major political and economic events of the country during the past half century. A statement on Monday signed by Dr Amamoo said the 634-paged book also attempted to highlight some of the way forward to the political and economic problems illustrated. The statement said Dr. Amamoo encouraged the youth to be bold and forward-looking in putting their thoughts into writing and not to be afraid of failure.
He further advised Ghanaians to ensure that the horrendous and mass human rights abuses and bad governance of the past were never repeated. He however, said no matter how inefficient, corrupt or bad a government may be, the ballot box should be the only and proper way of effecting political change as was done in all developed countries and some of the developing nations.
Source:
GNA
Boost For Electricity
THE SHORT and long term measures implemented by government to safeguard and boost the nation’s energy sector requirements for accelerated growth is to receive another support as Atholl Energy Ghana Limited will commence work on a 320 megawatts turbo power plant.
The facility valued at $200 million would be sited at Takoradi in the Western Region, with funds for the project to be provided by private commercial banks in London.
The project, which would take three years to complete, would be carried out in collaboration with Siemens Industrial Turbo Machinery (UK) and would be powered on a gas turbine technology.
Already, Atholl in collaboration with Siemens Industrial Turbo-Machinery have signed an agreement with the Ministry of Energy to begin construction of a 75 MW gas turbine plant support for the nation.
Disclosing this in an interview with CITY AND BUSINESS GUIDE, Craig Murray, Chairman of Atholl Group said since Ghana’s economy is growing at an annual rate of 6 percent per annum with increases in power demand especially from the industrial sector, there is the need to support the country to achieve its target.
Recounting the good reputation of the nation, which made it possible for his outfit to secure private financing for the project, he said, “Commercial banks in London are always willing to lend monies to investors and corporate entities to do business in Ghana because of its stable economy.”
He added that the project after completion would help forestall any dangers regarding electricity supply and augment the ever increasing demand of power for industry, which is expected to consume 700 MW annually soon.
While the first phase of the 75 MW project to be sited in Tema is expected to commence in February next year and will see the production of 25 MW by April 2008, the second phase of the project would generate 50 MW and would be completed in September 2008.
When completed, the gas turbine which can use both diesel and gas is expected to be connected to the national grid.
Importantly, both projects would later be connected to the West Africa Gas pipeline to source gas for its operations, when it begins.
Source:
Daily Guide
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Drivers complain about police harassment
Accra, Dec. 24, GNA - Mr. Seth Sallah, the station manager for Accra-Ho branch of the co-operative drivers union has complained about the number of police officers on the Accra-Ho road this festive season. "The number of police barricades on the highway is too many and they always demand money from us whether one has all his vehicle particulars right or not," Mr. Sallah stated.
He made the allegation when the GNA visited the Ghana co-operative drivers union's Tudu branch.
Mr. Sallah expressed happiness that there were a lot of buses on the road unlike last year when it was difficult for passengers to get transportation to their destinations. "This year a lot of people are not travelling and I think it is due to the economic situation in the country, but I hope the situation would improve as the year draws to an end", he added. He commended the conduct of the union's drivers since so far his office had not recorded any casualties. "We have educated our drivers a lot and warned them not to drink and drive since anyone caught smelling of alcohol would be sanctioned and asked to go home," he stated.
Some of the passengers who spoke to GNA said despite the hard economic difficulties facing them, they still find reason to be grateful to God for bringing them this far and there is no better way to say thank you to God than going to your village and celebrating the yuletide with one's family.
Source:
GNA
Christmas fever grips Tema residents
Tema, Dec. 24, GNA - Residents of Tema on the eve of the Yuletide, flocked the Community One Central Market, to make last minute shopping towards the celebration of the birth of Christ in grand style. The market was filled to capacity as shoppers made frantic movements to buy basic necessities ranging from children's clothes to foodstuffs, Christmas decorations, drinks and other items. Poultry dealers who during the outbreak of the Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) complained bitterly about virtually no sales, were making brisk business as many people had flocked their coops with some buying live and dressed fowls, which sold between GH=A29.00 and GHC12.00. Prices of some of the items had suddenly shot up with a 50 kilo of "delta", "AAA", Rocky and CIC rice selling at GHC33.00 cedis instead of the previous GH=A225.00, with a gallon of cooking oil going for GH=A29.00.
Palm nuts, pepper were scarce, while the sizes of cucumber, garden eggs had shrunk, prices of plantain and cassava had not changed as four fingers of "apantu" bigger size remained the same as 50 pesewas. A vegetable seller told the GNA that many people have developed the taste for garlic because they claim it has medicinal value so its patronage had gone high making sales very good. Children's clothes were given out between GH=A220.00 and GH=A215.00, but common on the market were biscuits, toffees, soft drinks, toys, decorations and stars.
The usual vehicular traffic characterized with such festivities made movements uncomfortable as vehicles could delay in traffic for about an hour, thus compelling commuters to alight and walk if they were closer to their destinations. Masqueraders have also made their presence felt, however, unlike the previous days when they drummed and danced to the tune of music moving from house to house this time they only roamed the streets concentrating on soliciting for money from passengers. Jubilant celebrants have ignored government ban on the firing of crackers popularly known as "knock outs" and have continue to fire them at random.
Source:
GNA
Celtel completes privatisation process for WESTEL
Accra, Dec. 24, GNA - Government has officially welcomed Celtel International BV, as a new market entrant into the telecom sector after it paid USD115 million to the government, signifying the termination of the privatisation process of Western Telesystems Limited (WESTEL). The receipt of Celtel's payment, represents transaction payment of its shareholding in WESTEL and concludes the Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA), a statement issued by the Ministry of Information and National Orientation said on Monday.
The statement, signed by Ms. Oboshie Sai-Cofie, the Minister, said this left a balance of five million US dollars subject to the completion of due diligence by the time of assumption of the company by Celtel. It said the transfer of Western Wireless International (WWI)'s 66.67 per cent shares to the Government of Ghana in 2005 and the need to secure strategic investment to re-position WESTEL as a significant telecommunications service provider in the country necessitated its privatisation.
The statement recalled an earlier statement issued on October 24, 2007, informing the public about the conclusion of negotiations for the divestiture of WESTEL stating that, a price offer of USD 120 million had been agreed for 75 per cent shareholding, following extensive negotiations.
It said this reduced to 70 per cent within three years, when Celtel would release five per cent of its shares in addition to those to be released by the government and floated on the Ghana Stock Exchange to benefit the Ghanaian public.
Under the agreement, a USD 25 million due to the National Communications Authority and payable over an 11-year period of the licence's lifespan was reduced to USD15 million, and paid outright as part of the offer price of USD 120 million. The outright payment is actually a deal struck to save government some money.
It was also made clear that Kinz Telecom, as the highest bidder for WESTEL, was not able to fulfil its undertaking to make payment within an agreed stipulated period, hence, the government invited Celtel as the next successful bidder into the negotiations.
The statement said the privatisation exercise for Ghana Telecom was still in progress and that offers received so far had not met the expectation of government.
Source:
GNA
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Machine-guns used to clear slum for football
Kumasi -- THE sound of bulldozers tearing down his neighbours' homes abruptly woke Ibrahim Addalah, a schoolteacher, just after dawn broke. Behind the earth-movers marched a platoon of 200 policemen and soldiers, brandishing flame-throwers and machine-guns, ordering residents to leave their homes immediately.
They had come to clear his house, a corrugated iron shack in a shanty town he shared with 15,000 migrant workers, just outside a new football stadium that will host matches in the African Cup of Nations next month.
The teeming slum was being swept away to spare fans and visiting stars, including Premier League players such as Didier Drogba of Chelsea and Kolo Touré of Arsenal, the sight of grinding poverty on their way to the giant Baba Yara stadium.
"The bulldozers got bogged down in the mud and there were so many houses they couldn’t reach them all, so the military set fire to the whole slum," Addalah said last week.
"My school is gone. The community had bought us a blackboard; we had made a small school. It took us a long time to get all those things: the benches, the books. They gave us no time to leave; they just burnt our homes and our future to the ground. Now we are living in the rubble with nowhere to go."
Addalah is among 5,000 slum-dwellers left behind in the Zongo district of Kumasi, sheltering from the rain under blue plastic sheets and binbags and eking out a pitiful existence in the remains of their homes in Ghana’s second city. Built in the late 1970s, Zongo was meant to be a temporary resettlement camp, but like most African shanty towns it grew into something more – a vibrant community with a school, a church, half a dozen mosques and thousands of homes made of brick, thatch and asbestos.
The slum-dwellers claimed the police gave them no warning of their raid. “No one had time to collect their things. The police beat them with canes,” said Shefawu Awadu, 34, a mother of three. “I tried to grab what I could but the soldiers caned me to stop me getting into my house. I’m left with nothing.”
Zongo’s residents say their slum was cleared because of antiMuslim prejudice. A huge number of impoverished northerners, mainly Muslims, have been drawn south in search of jobs. The tournament, they claim, offered the local authorities an excuse to clear them out.
Government officials believe the tournament will bring a financial windfall. One in three of the country’s residents scrapes by on less than 50p a day; most players will stay in Accra’s five-star African Regent hotel, with suites starting at £400 a night.
An African Cup of Nations spokesman said that the government was determined to clean up Ghana for the tournament. “There is a need to beautify the country to make it attractive,” he said. “All hands must be on deck in order to achieve this goal.” Meanwhile, Addalah watches his former pupils playing among piles of bricks, corrugated iron and shards of broken glass. In the distance a 20ft-high poster of the Chelsea star Michael Essien announces the impending arrival of some of the world’s wealthiest black footballers.
PICTURES
Source:
Sunday Times
NPP Congress thrown into confusion
Accra, Dec. 23, GNA - The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Delegates Congress at the University of Ghana was thrown into confusion for over an hour following allegations of vote buying.
Mr Lord Enoch Commey, National Organiser of the party, picked the microphone from the Electoral Commission officials and shouted that the voting rules have been breached by an aspirant, whose agents were seen engaging in vote buying at the congress grounds.
The National Organiser alleged that Mr Paul Afoko, a known follower and supporter of Mr Alan Kyerematen, was distributing dollar bills to influence delegates in their voting.
Mr Commey said immediately he alerted the Police to arrest Mr Afoko but the police ignored him hence his resort to use the main platform to call for cessation of the voting.
His allegation was retorted to by Mr O. B. Amoah, Deputy Minister for Education, who is also a delegate, who challenged Mr Commey to use the proper procedure for reporting breaches, which stipulated that he should have lodged a complaint with the Electoral Officers. Other party delegates and officials criticised Mr Commey for the manner in which he sought redress to his allegation, especially being a National Executive Member. They called for an apology from him to the party.
Mr Commey, however, told journalists that he was not sorry for what he did and that given the chance he would do it again, saying what he did save the day and upheld the party's democratic principles. He explained that immediately the Electoral Commission took over the voting process at the congress, he lost his position as congress official and assumed his delegate status, so he acted in his capacity as a delegate.
"The people who are criticising me do not come from the background I come from and they did not attend the school I attended, we only met in this party so they may have acted differently but this is me and I was not wrong.
"In fact I have received several congratulatory text messages from party leaders for taking that bold step to save the day," he said amidst cheers from his supporters.
Mr Afoko, who is also a delegate to the congress, however, denied the allegation but was escorted out of the precincts of the congress grounds by heavily armed security personnel. He was saved from being physically attacked by the police who used tear gas to control the crowd.
The Police also escorted out of the congress premises a cameraman, who took pictures of scenes during the confusion and took his camera from him.
Police officers also manhandled a TV3 Cameraman, who took shots of the ensuing confusion and seized his camera, while party delegates accused journalists, who gave live commentary of what was happening of coming from the camp of the National Democratic Congress. Mr Peter Mac Manu, NPP National Chairman, described Mr Commey's behaviour as unfortunate but assured the delegates that the allegations would be investigated and appropriate action taken in the interest of the party.
Source:
GNA
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Soldiers urged to brace up for challenges in 2008
Ho, Dec. 23, GNA- Mr Francis Poku, Minister for National Security on Friday called on the Military to brace up for the challenges expected in the country in 2008.
He said national and international activities to be hosted by the country including the CAN 2008 and the country's general elections would test the country's much-admired peaceful status and urged the military to prepare thoroughly to defend the country's positive image. Mr Poku said these he when addressed this year's West African Soldiers Social Activity (WASSA) of the 66 Artillery Regiment in Ho. He observed that naturally, some deviants and unpatriotic citizens would foment troubles in their communities and during major national and international activities and asked the military not to give anything to chance in maintaining the hard won reputation of the country as a peaceful one.
The Minister praised the 66 Artillery Regiment (Volta Barracks) for its role in ensuring peace in the Volta Region and urged it to maintain its professional standard.
He noted that the Regiment was well represented at the Ghana @ 50 celebrations and had helped the country to achieve an international image of peace through its activities in the country and at peacekeeping missions.
Mr Poku commended the Regiment for promoting civil-military relationship and called on civil society to support it in its quest to peace building.
Mr Poku congratulated wives of soldiers of the Regiment for their continual support to the soldiers and appealed to them to continue with their "good work'.
Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Kotia, Commanding Officer of the Regiment said the Barrack's services were more societal oriented and called on society to see the Military as partners in development. Mr Kofi Dzamesi, Volta Regional Minister appreciated the efforts of the Barracks in keeping " hot spots" in the Region under control especially the role it played in the Anloga chieftaincy dispute and pledged the continual support of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council to the Barracks.
Inter-Battery Mortar stripping and assembly competitions were held and awards given to deserving soldiers and civilians.
Source:
GNA
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JoyFM: Confusion at NPP Congress
Voting at the New Patriotic Party National Delegates Congress at the University of Ghana has been suspended for over an hour following allegations of vote buying.
Mr. Paul Afoko, a known follower and supporter of candidate Alan Kyerematen was alleged to be distributing money to influence delegates in their voting.
Paul Afoko, a delegate to the congress has denied the allegation but has had to be escorted out of the precints of the congress grounds.
The trouble started when NPP National Organiser, Lord Commey exclaimed that voting rules have been breached without mentioning names.
His allegation was retorted to by Mr. O.B. Amoah, Deputy Minister for Education who is also a delegate, who said the proper procedure for reporting breaches, should have been to lodge a complaint with the electoral officers.
Indeed some delegates alleged that Paul Afoko was seen distributing cash in dollars.
According to Joy News correspondent, Evans Mensah, Paul Afoko said he had only visited the gents when some delegates and aspirant Kwabena Agyapong accosted him and accused him of distributing money.
Afoko was saved from being physically attacked by the police who used tasers to control the crowd.
Policemen providing security at the event have driven all cameramen away from the altercation.
Monitored reports suggest that a cameraman of the TV3 Network has had his camera taken away by some policemen who are controlling the situation with tasers on anyone they deem to be standing in their way, delegates and journalists mainly.
Source:
JoyFM
One dies in accident near Winneba
Winneba, (C/R), Dec. 22, GNA-Mr. Daniel Governor Amezumeh was killed on the spot and 20 others received various degree of injuries when a 207 Bus on which they were travelling to Accra was involved in an accident with a private car near Gomoa Mpota on the Winneba Accra road on Friday. According to the Winneba Police, 15 of the injured were treated and discharged at the Winneba government hospital while three males said to be in critical conditions were rushed to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. The police said two of the injured whose names were not disclosed are responding treatment at the Winneba Government hospital. Amezumeh's body had been deposited at the Winneba Hospital mortuary for autopsy while police investigation into the accident continues, he said.
Source:
GNA
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Police nab pick-pocket at NPP Congress
Accra, Dec. 22, GNA - The heavy police and military presence at the Special National Delegates Congress of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) yielded dividend as they nabbed a pick-pocket as early as 1000 hours.
The young man in the T-Shirt of a flag bearer aspirant was arrested by the police when he attempted to dip his hand into the pocket of a delegate.
Ghana Police Service has deployed about 2,000 policemen and policewomen and unspecified number of military personnel at the Congress.
The Police and Military personnel were armed with water canons, riot control gears, the mounted police constabulary had cordoned off the premises and only allowed people with accreditation inside.
Police Director of Operations, Patrick Timbilla said the heavy police presence was due to the large number of delegates; supporters; aspirants as well as cross-section of the public that would be attending the congress.
"There will be enough men, there will be horses, there will be water canons and all will be ready to handle any eventuality. We are bringing as many policemen as we can.
"We have taken over the major event area right from today until the last delegate leaves on Monday."
Source:
GNA
MCA to kick off in all districts next year
Winneba, C/ R, Dec. 22, GNA- The Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Development Authority(MCA) Mr Martin Eson-Benjamin has stated that the programme would start in all the 23 districts early next year as proposed in an agreement between the United States and the government of Ghana
He also assured beneficiary districts to discard the doubts and concerns that the country was not going to receive the 547 million dollars grant to undertake its listed programmes.
Mr. Eson-Benjamin made the call when he addressed the forth ordinary meeting of the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District in Winneba on Friday.
He said the money has been deposited in the US treasury to be released to the Ghana government in instalments as contained in the agreement for five years.
The Chief Executive Officer noted that Ghana was selected by the US government because the country has political stability, growing economy and committed to good governance and the rule of law. He stated that the government of Ghana has also made consistent investment in the people, increasing economic freedom and key player in Regional Peace-Building.
Mr Eson-Benjamin the country benefited due to her recognition of commitment to just and democratic governance, control of corruption, human and civil rights , transparency and equality.
He stressed that in those days where donors determined how the money should be used, adding that this perception has been erased due to prudent economic management.
The CEO said under the MCA, five new six classroom blocks with an office, stores, master bungalows and teachers quarters would be constructed in the Awutu-Effutu-Senya to improve quality education.
He said 11 roads totalling 250 kilo-meters would be constructed and tarred in the farming communities to enable farmers to bring their produce to marketing centres, saying that facilities would be provided to avoid post harvest loses that had been a major problems facing farmers in the country. The CEO said loan facilities would be extended to Farmer Based
Organization (FBO) to expand their farms and businesses, adding that, borrowers may apply for loan amounts of not less than one thousand Ghana cedis (GHC 1000).
He stated that beneficiaries would be given orientation on the MIDA enterprise training programme which comprised training in strengthening the business capacity and in the use of agro-chemicals. Mr. Eson-Benjamin said Zonal Advisory Committee would be formed that will comprise Assembly members, Agriculture Officers and District Chief Executives to draw up strategies that would enhance the implementation of the Millennium Development
Authority(MIDA).
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Tutor- Student Ratio in NTCs deteriorates
Kumasi, Dec.22, GNA- The Ministry of Health (MOH) is working out a comprehensive incentive package and schemes to be instituted for tutors in the Nurses' Training Colleges (NTCs), effective next year. The move is part of measures to motivate the tutors to work harder to ensure academic excellence in the institutions.
It was also intended to attract the youth to take up teaching appointments in these colleges to make up for the ageing staff. Mr. James Antwi, Deputy Director in-charge of Human Resources at the MOH disclosed this at a Matriculation ceremony of the Kumasi Nurses' and Midwifery Training College in Kumasi on Saturday.
In all, a total of 420 freshmen were enrolled into the college to commence a three-year Diploma programme in Nursing and Midwifery. The Deputy Director said the institution of the incentive schemes was necessitated by persistent complaints from Principals of NTCs about the deteriorating tutor-student ratio in these colleges which was affecting academic work.
He said, within the last two years, tutor-student ratio in NTCs across the country had deteriorated from 1: 15 to 1:30 and that the MOH would do all that it could to improve the situation for excellent tuition and quality health care delivery. Mr. Antwi advised parents to desist from bribing Principals of NTCs to facilitate the admission of their wards into these institutions. He said bribery, in whatever form was against the laws of the country and that, the Ministry would not hesitate to call to order Principals who misconduct themselves in the admission processes. Mrs. Gladys Fabyan, Principal of the College, said in spite of the hazards associated with the profession, nurses and other health professionals should always be cheerful and calm in their work and appreciate the fact that, in so doing, they were indeed serving God. She charged the freshmen to be serious with their studies to ensure the successful completion of their education.
Source:
GNA
Assembly asks landlords to provide toilets in their houses
Apam (C/R) Dec. 22 GNA-The Gomoa District Assembly has directed all landlords in the district to ensure that toilet facilities are provided in their houses for the convenient of occupants.
It has also directed that sellers of consumable items are medically examined to ensure that they are free from any contagious diseases.
The Principal Environmental Assistant, Mr. Simon Kojo Yohans said this at a lecture at Apam on Friday. He said sanitation-related diseases account for about 70 per cent of all cases reported in hospitals in the area.
These include malaria, worm infestation, typhoid, skin disease, diarrhoea and pneumonia.
Mr. Yahans was worried about the environmental degradation going on in the country, adding that because of greediness, people were cutting protective trees indiscriminately without thinking of the effect. He called for the protection of the environment and ensure cleanliness of the surroundings. A retired Eastern Regional Director of Social Welfare, Mr. Michael Kweku Quaye, who chaired the function, appealed to the Gomoa district Assembly to increase the number of Zoomlion workers at Apam to help rid the town of filth. Mr. Quaye urged the Environmental staff to prosecute sanitation offenders because public education has failed to change their attitude towards sanitation issues.
Source:
GNA
Mother and son in court for assault and rape respectively
Cape Coast Dec. 22 GNA- A 55-year-old trader, Comfort Aboagye-Mensah and her son, Kwesi Gyan, a 21-year-old unemployed were on Friday granted a total bail of GH=A210,500.00 for allegedly assaulting and raping one Maame Esi, a 19 year-old woman at Breman-Baako, respectively. They both pleaded not guilty, and would re-appear on January 4, 2008.
Prosecuting, Principal State Attorney, Mr Anthony Rexford Wiredu told the court presided over by Mr Richard Asiedu-Badu that on June 22 this year, at about 1400 hours, the victim went to her farm to pick some cocoyam leaves (kontomere). He said on her way home, she passed through Aboagye-Mensah's farm, where Gyan and a friend, now at large spotted her and ordered her to stop, which she obliged.
He alleged that the two friends, asked her to put down the sack containing the "kontomere" leaves, they then searching it accused her of stealing from Gyans mother's (Aboagye-Mensah's) farm. Mr Wiredu said the victim tried to prove her innocence, but they would not listen, and pushed her to the ground and sexually abused her in turns.
After the act they took the victim to Gyan's mother who was then working at the other side of the farm and told her that the victim had stolen some "kontomere" from her farm.
He said the mother without listening to the victim side of the story, started beating her up after, which she took the "kontomere" from her.
The victim went home crying and reported the matter to the Chief of the village, who advised her to report to the police.
Source:
GNA
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Ghana: Presidential Campaigners Invoke God.
21/12/2007 - Accra Mail (Accra)
"The duty of a prophet and messenger of God is not to force the people to believe but to convey the commandments of God to the people for them to do the will of God and get blessed with abundant wealth and have their numerous problems solved or they disobey the commandments of God and have their problems multiplied and receive the punishment from the creator of the Seven Heavens and Earth, the Supreme God."
The above is taken from a pastoral letter addressed to Ghanaians by a Man of God who says he sees the NPP congress this weekend as a process which the NPP can use to advance its fortunes or collapse its chances in ignominy.
The issue of God's anointing has loomed large in the campaign with almost all the presidential aspirants either calling on God to bless them or giving God his due by saying that it is God who creates kings/leaders. In a letter to delegates published in today's edition of ADM, presidential aspirant Arthur K concludes with these words " pray for Allah/God to give you guidance and read the Book of Samuel as God chose King David, for in the end, your vote is work that you will do on behalf of God and your country. May your vote be a blessing to our country, our NPP and your children."
Another aspirant, not a Muslim, Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey has the great invocation of InshaAllah in his poster adverts. The Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama has always maintained that it is Nawuni (God) who makes kings; Paapa Owusu Ankomah, Alan Kyeremanten and others have all reiterated at one time or the other the supremacy of God in this election process, no doubt with each thinking of himself as the one God would eventually bless. Some of the aspirants have gone on record to say that they have been divinely ordained to rule Ghana and some pastors have gone public to prophesy that victory would come the way of some of the candidates.
Belief in the spiritual dimension of human existence is very strong in all Ghanaian communities and no matter what level of western education acquired, many people would still reserve a place in their psyche for the spiritual. It can often be taken to absurd exploitative and criminal levels where pastors, mallams and some self-proclaimed seers feed fat on desperate people seeking answers or assistance when confronted by heavy odds.
But whether by coincidence or genuine insight, some of them are able to predict very accurately about the outcome of events. The mainstay of the many prayer camps and churches and mosques dotted all over the country is predicting the future for their adherents.
It is something not to be taken lightly at all.
And so when the race to succeed President Kufuor started, not surprisingly, some Men of God waded in with predictions.
In these closing days of the campaign, ADM has received from a man not new to its pages a kind of a pastoral letter to Ghanaians asking them to implore the delegates to vote for Vice President Aliu Mahama because the propitious hand that put him together with President Kufuor in 2000 is still not broken. The selection of another aspirant, he said, would break that initial propitious decision and could cost the NPP the election in 2008.
This is heady stuff which many would either scoff at or treat with contempt, but the question still remains: What if he is right?
In the pastoral letter, with many arcane and complex messages, the man who simply calls himself Prophet Mohammed the Dreamer draws on Christian and Islamic scriptures to arrive at his conclusions. He also presents a series of events which he prophesied accurately - a lot of which, by the way are verifiable.
He said the divine proof of what he is trying to get across is when in 2000 and 2004, the Holy Bible and Holy Quran were used by President Kufuor and Vice President Aliu Mahama "to swear the oath of the highest office of this nation for the first time in the political history of the nation "
For this reason, he said he is imploring the delegates to go for Aliu not because of him as a person, but because that's where the good fortune of the NPP still lies for Election 2008.
Clutching at straws? We will have to wait till Saturday December 22 2007 and more importantly December 2008 when the generality of the Ghanaian electorate line up to select a successor to President Kufuor. This is destiny time..
Source: © Reborn Radio
Alan Cash in Freefall?
... Selling off the US embassy hunts him
Firm intelligence gathered from the Chronicle's field reporters, confirmed that Mr. Alan Kyeremanten is in freefall in the standing of delegates for this Saturday's congress.
Instead of playing by the book and the simple code of conduct, the usually genteel Alan has managed to provoke a backlash across the nation with the aspirant suffering the most electoral bleeding in Upper East and West where it has become almost too late to recover.
With executive influence now openly in evidence, the standing of the golden boy has become almost fatal and last nights visit of the President to Brong Ahafo region on ostensibly official visit, was interpreted by locals to be a meeting with party chairmen. The lights at the official residence had to be turned off before the party chairmen allegedly sneaked in to jaw-jaw with the President who plugged for his favourite son. Most of the chairmen were said to be away, on purpose on not, but it was established that Alan's base in the region now hangs on a needle.
However through Mr. Peter Adom, pockets of towns like Kintampo, Techiman North and South where DCE Razak leads an Alan for President campaign right to the tip of Ashanti region at the borders of Kumawu town. Here Mr. D, K Edusei remains the sole remaining chairman of chairmen loyal to Alan, the rest of the super chairmen of the Asante NPP having broken ranks from the corp of supporters which include Mr. Phillip Basoa.
In the Volta region, the rebellion to the Kyeremanten imposition has backfired badly with his North Dayi chairman Efo Phillipo breaking party code of conduct by moving out of his territory to campaign with him in Takoradi. The deselect ion of Mr Raymond Okudzeto, the grand financier of the party in the region and promoter of the Volta Foundation ostensibly by powers that have left a sour taste in the mouth of delegates who see him as the force behind the wrath against Nyonyo Agboada, otherwise known as Torgbui Sri, and touched off a serious revolt against Alan.
The understanding is that Alan warned Mr. Tommy Amametekpor when he learnt from his intelligence sources that even though he is the President's close friend, Tommy who is the president's adviser in the region is seriously a supporter of Nana Akufo Addo, and not Alan. He has allegedly been threatened with banishment by an Alan Presidency if he does not fall in line.
The region that saved the NPP from certain defeat, Central region, is where Alan began to sew his seeds even before the whistle for the campaign began.
After returning in a hush after a diabetic insulin stroke threatened, Alan left the United States hurriedly after he sold off the United States embassy and bought another property in the town but at a much more reduced price as a replacement.
The story of the sale and the buyer, a Phillipino business is steeped in scandal that the National Democratic Congress is waiting to unload at the heat of the 2008 general elections.
In the Biakoye Constituency, Chairman Anane Forson fought tirelessly for his constituency and managed to get accreditation to the delegate's congress at the eleventh hour. It emerged the pro-Alan forces in the region schemed to have the businessman chairman rejected when it was discovered that Anane and his 10 member executives were not entirely comfortable with Alan, even though Alan had staged his most rapturous rally in that constituency. To Mr. Kosina who contested and lost out to Anane Adjei Forson who supports Alan. Tommy, 63, recommended a coordinator for Akufo Addo, Mr. Blagogee, but he is suspected to be a Trojan horse. Mr. Peter Amewu, the DCE was told to verify Biakoye's standing at the courts and he returned on 14th December to the Hohoe High court to confirm that there is no court order standing against Biakoye going to delegates conference.
Yesterday, Alan breezed into the Freedom Hotel at Ho in the Volta region yesterday and left out Biakoye in his money train as Kofi Dzamesi, Stephen Ntim and Kenwood Nuworsu helped him in distributing c50 million for each of the 22 constituencies but left only c5 million to the constituency to fix their car. In this particular, the discrimination against Biakoye will reverberate in the town
Source:
Chronicle
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NPP Congress Is Only "A Rat Race" - Bagbin
Photo: © R.K. ghana-net.com
Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon. Alban Sumanu Bagbin has wished the New Patriotic Party (NPP) well in their National Delegates Congress, which starts on Saturday, December 22, 2007 to elect a flag bearer for their party. Mr. Bagbin, also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nadowli West, said, the congress should be conducted with decorum and in a peaceful manner, and went ahead to wish all the 17 presidential aspirants well.
He however said, many of the aspirants should have withdrawn from the race long ago. "An unexamined life is not worth living," he quoted, adding, "I thought a lot of them, would have seen that the time is not riped for them to be in the contest. Nonetheless, they should exercise their democratic rights," Mr. Bagbin told The Independent in an interview. According to him, the congress is only "a rat race" to succeed President Kufuor. He said definitely whoever will be elected will only contest the National Democratic Congress (NDC`s) Professor John Evan Atta Mills. But Mr. Bagbin maintained that, whatever the case may be, the NDC will emerge victorious in the 2008 elections.
The Nadowli West MP also expressed worry about complains that some aspirants are campaigning in a glamorous manner. He said the situation where some of the 17 aspirants used money to influence people to undo their opponents is not a healthy sign in any democracy. He described that as "filthy opulence," and added, "There is no society that thrives without imbibing the principles and values that are treasured by mankind. We need to re-define the parameters of our democracy. We need to instill in our youths values that are treasured."
According to Mr. Bagbin, there is the need for the nation to enact a law that outlaws some kinds of expensive political campaigning in the country. For instance, he said, a law could be enacted against the exchange of money for votes. In his closing remark at the end of the third session of Parliament last Tuesday, Mr. Bagbin stated that the Public Accounts Committee sitting show-cased what a parliamentary committee is capable of. "The revelations at the public hearing of the Public Accounts Committee reminded me of what a South African columnist once wrote, "Once upon a time, a very long time ago, we had the Civil Service, until civility went by the board and it became the Public Service.
"Then there was no longer service to the public and it became the government service. It now appears, judging by the Auditor-General`s latest report and other articles in the press, that the government service has deteriorated into self-service." The Majority Leader and MP for Tema West, Abraham Ossei Aiddoh, noted that, the peaceful and successful congresses by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the People`s National Convention (PNC), and that of the Convention People`s Party (CPP) is a testimony that Ghana`s democracy is maturing. Mr. Aidooh also said that though the NPP had by far many contestants than other parties, that was not unexpected.
He prayed that the congress of the NPP will also come off in peace and tranquility.
"May the best among the lot win," he said.
Source:
The Independent
Supreme Court quashes CHRAJ's application
Accra, Dec. 21 GNA- The Supreme Court by a majority decision of four to one on Friday quash an application brought before it by the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on whether the commission had powers to investigate issues publish in the media without a formal complainant.
The suit also included the Mr Joe Ghartey, Attorney General and Minister of Justice as party to the case.
The court, which empanelled five Supreme Court Justices for the sitting, included the Mrs Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Stephen Brobbey, Dr. Justice Kofi Date-Baah, Mr Justice Julius Ansah and Mr Justice Aninakwah.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice was represented by Mr Alfred Asiamah-Sampong, a Deputy State Attorney, Mrs Evelyn Keelson, a Senior Attorney and Ms Barbara Sackey.
Nene Amegatcher, Lead Counsel for the Commission, after the judgment asked the court to give directive as to the position of previous cases which the Commission had investigated without formal complaint.
"My Lords, I humbly submit that the court should give its directive on the issue because there was likely to be more legal challenges to Commission because of this judgment"
However, Mr Joseph Kwesi Agyemang Lead Counsel for Dr Richard Anane rejected the claims of the applicants and said what the court sought to do was whether the commission had powers to investigate issues published in the media without a formal complainant.
He said there were enough laws and legal authorities to deal with, when the issue comes up.
The Chief Justice in her decision said Article 218 (a) required that a formal complaint have to be lodged with the commission before it could investigate issues published in the media or made at public fora. She said if formal complaint were not made to the commission people could subject the process to abuse and make wild allegations against public official based on mere suspicion and speculations.
She said Article 218 (e) was never meant to be a catchall provision in the constitution and that a formal complaint was needed to start an investigation into alleged corruption by a public official. Mr Justice Stephen A. Brobbey in his decision said a complaint had to be made by an identifiable body or person.
He said the ordinary or natural meaning of the word "formal complaint" should first be understood before resorting its constitutional interpretation.
He said complaint made under Article 218 (a)(b) and (c) required that there should be an identifiable complainant to help the commission do its investigation.
He urged CHRAJ to make new regulations to streamline complaint made under informal compliant process.
Dr. Justice Kofi Date-Baah, who disagreed on the issue, said Article 141 of the 1992 constitution was inconsistent with the Common Law. He argued that CHRAJ was not a quasi-judicial body or an inferior judicial body.
He said the court should focus on the direct constitutional interpretation of the word and not what anybody says it is. Dr. Justice Date-Baah also stated that to insist on formal complaint for the Commission work would constrain them and defeat the Commission's mandate to fight corruption and abuse of human rights in the system. Mr Justice Julius Ansah and Mr Justice Aninakwah in their decisions insisted a formal complainant was needed in order for people not make unsubstantiated allegations against public officials on speculations in the media.
They said the complaint must not be in a vacuum and that it must be traced to an identifiable body or person.
Source:
GNA
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Policemen convicted on drugs charges
Accra, Dec. 21, GNA - An Accra Fast Track High Court on Friday slapped a total jail sentence of eighty-one years on three policemen who allegedly aided Sheriff Asem Dake, the prime suspect in the disappearance of 76 parcels of cocaine on board the MV Benjamin to escape arrest.
Detective Lance Corporal Dwamena Yabson, General Sergeant David Nyarko and General Lance Corporal Peter Bondorin, each received 25 years in hard labour on promoting prohibited business relating to narcotics in addition to two-years each for corruption of public officers. This the court said would serve as a deterrent for other serving police officers.
The three policemen, Nyarko, Yabson and Bondorin had pleaded not guilty.
A fourth policeman, Detective Sergeant Samuel Amoah, is on the run. He jumped bail granted him and his accomplices by an Accra Regional Tribunal.
Handing down the sentence, the court presided over by Mr Justice Anin- Yeboah, a court of Appeal Judge, expressed regret at the behaviour of some police officers through whose negligence Sgt. Amoah was able to escape.
By this act, the image of the Police Service had been tarnished as a result of the escape of Sgt. Amoah from the grips the police.
"It is very unfortunate that the police allowed him to escape, this is very disgraceful to the Service".
Justice Annin-Yeboah said it was very strange that the three, who were asked to effect the arrest of a harmless disable person like Sherrif Asem Dake a.k.a The Limping Man, could not arrest him but let him off the hook.
He said all the three policemen allowed themselves to be influenced by money as a prosecution witness, a fisherman whose evidence made the court to believe that all the three policemen followed Dake to his house and received money in dollar bills.
The court described his evidence as overwhelming and credible as he was able to convinced the court beyond all reasonable doubt that all the policemen were in the house including some fishermen.
"My Lord, Sgt. Amoah sat in the house for a while and said he wanted to go out to stroll and as we went out, we saw Dake handing something to the police, we all boarded the vehicle. It was some pieces of hundred dollar bills and we shared," the fisherman had told the court.
The court said this evidence was crucial, as it left the court no doubt that all the three policemen were in the house of Dake and therefore rejected their defence, which the court did not believe. The court described the three policemen as not being impressive at all in their evidence and that they indeed received money from Dake and that there was a lot of inconsistencies in their story. The court said the conduct of the three policemen indicated that they told lies under oath and indeed received money. It went on to say the action of Bondonrin was incredible as he was armed with a rifle but refuse to arrest Dake who used money to influence him. It said all the three policemen's conduct showed that they were present at the scene to arrest the "Limping Man" but made money to influence them.
The prosecution called nine witnesses to prove their case while defence called one witness.
The case for the prosecution was that on April 26, last year, MV Benjamin arrived on the high seas at the Tema Port. The vessel was carrying 77 parcels of cocaine imported by one Sheriff Asem Dake.
Soon after the vessel arrived, the parcels of cocaine were offloaded unto two canoes, which sailed to Kpone Beach, near Tema. Some fishermen who spotted the canoes became suspicious and called the owner of the canoes.
The owner of the canoes and others informed Sergeant Amoah who was stationed at Tema New Town. He in turn mobilized the other accused persons and they proceeded to the Kpone Beach.
At the beach, the accused persons looked on until Asem Dake offloaded the drugs into a four-wheel vehicle.
The accused persons then followed the vehicle to Tema where Dake gave them some money and they failed to arrest him. Relatives, friends and sympathisers of the three including their wives broke down in tears, jumping and wailing, as policemen marched the convicts towards a waiting vehicle ready to take them away to begin their sentences.
Source:
GNA
China to establish a general hospital for malaria
Accra, Dec. 21, GNA- The Ministry of Health on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese government for the commencement of a 100-bed capacity general hospital for malaria treatment in Accra.
The hospital, to be sited at Teshie is a total grant from the Chinese government who would design, construct and supervise the project.
Mr Zhang Xuejian Head Officer of the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design signed on behalf of the Chinese government whilst Major Courage Quashigah (Rtd) signed on behalf of Ghana government. Hu Yujie, Economic and Commercial Chancellor of the Chinese Embassy said locating the hospital at Teshie was appropriate to serve Tema and its environs.
He said there was a strong collaboration between the Ghana and China and hoped this grant would further strengthen the collaboration adding, "The collaboration should bring progress to both countries". Major Quashigah commended the Chinese government for the gift and said it was a big relieve to Ghana since it was going to solve one of the nation's biggest health problems, which is malaria.
He noted that the Ministry was liaising with the Chinese Ministry of Health for the establishment of a malaria research centre in Ghana and hoped the establishment of the hospital and the research centre would bring together the orthodox medicine and traditional Ghanaian medicine for smooth health care administration.
Source:
GNA
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BoG will not extend deadline for the use of old currency
Obuasi, Dec. 21, GNA - The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has stated that it will not extend the December 31, 2007 deadline for the use of the old currency as a legal tender in the country.
Mr. Chris Apau, the Ashanti Regional Manager of the BoG, who disclosed this therefore, charged the public to avoid any inconveniences by using the remaining days to change any old notes and coins in their possession.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Obuasi branch of the First Allied Savings and Loans Limited, Mr. Apau stressed; "the old notes and coins will cease to be legal tender, however they can still be changed at any bank, rural bank and savings and loans companies, including First Allied Savings and Loans Limited".
The Regional Manager said it was the responsibility of all to continue to take good care of the new notes and also study the security features to avoid being duped.
He congratulated the First Allied Savings and Loans |Limited for the role it played in the successful implementation of the re-denomination exercise.
Mr. Apau emphasised that it was the policy of the BoG to bring banking facilities closer to the people and commended First Allied for opening a branch at Obuasi.
The Managing Director of First Allied, Mr Philip Y. Amaky observed that within the past few years the financial sector had witnessed tremendous growth both in terms of number of licensed banks, their assets base, and credit exposures to the public.
"I am pleased to say that First Allied has had its fair share of this quantum leap in the banking industry and today, according to statistics by the regulator, the Bank of Ghana, we are among the leaders, if not the leader in the savings and loans sector," he said.
Mr Amakye said the Obuasi branch was the fifth in the Ashanti Region and ninth countrywide and that, "we are ready now to reach out to the small-scale enterprise sector here in the city of gold with our broad range of services and products designed to meet the varying needs of this sector."
The Managing Director further pledged to be more innovative, particularly in their products development and credit management practices to meet the challenges facing the majority of the people in the informal, micro, small and medium scale vocations who continued to cry for efficient and effective financial services delivery. The Bishop of the Obuasi Diocese of the Catholic Church, the Most Rev Thomas K. Mensah, who presided noted that the bad or good performance of financial institutions had a direct image of the country's economy and therefore called for fair and just banking operations.
Source:
GNA
Who owns the 400 VW saloon cars?
To residents in the East Legon neighbourhood, the mystery surrounding the ownership of some brand new saloon cars parked behind the long wall on the one-way road from Tetteh-Quarshie interchange, Accra, has become the stuff of gossip.
Not even investigations conducted by The Statesman could be conclusive on the matter and that failure even deepens the mystery.
Our checks indicate that someone, purportedly on behalf of government, has purchased about 400 Volkswagen saloon cars from Auto Parts Ghana Limited for the National Identification Authority to be used as "taxis."
Emmanuel Kwakye, Human Resource Manager of Auto Parts, local agent for Volkswagen vehicles said that the vehicles were ordered by Government for the National Identification Authority.
"I understand that the vehicles are going to be used as taxi cabs by government, but I don't have much information about it. What I know is that we were paid to deliver the vehicles for government," he stated.
He told this paper the vehicles were 400 in total.
However Bertha Aboagye, an official of the National Identification Authority denied any knowledge of the vehicles. "I don't know anything about the cars which are purported to have been bought by the Authority. No one has been informed about incoming vehicles and I have no idea about who owns the cars or the organisation they belong to," she said.
Attempts by The Statesman to seek the reaction of the Executive Director of the Public Procurement Board, A B Adjei, over the issue failed, as his staff said he was unavailable and could not be reached.
However, Jaclyn Kwofi, Executive Assistant to the CEO of the Board told The Statesman in a telephone interview that she wasn�t aware of any purchasing agreement between the Authority and Auto Parts Ghana to supply Volkswagen vehicles for the state.
"I don�t know anything about it and have never seen any document covering such deals. I think you need to speak to my boss, he can probably, confirm or deny it," she stated.
The Deputy Minister of Information, Frank Agyekum also told The Statesman he had no knowledge of the cars and their owners. "I don�t know anything about what you are saying and I am not aware that government has purchased VW cars for the National Identification Authority," he said.
Source:
Statesman
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UCC UTAAG President asked Ghanaians to maintain peace, unity
Yayakwano (C/R), Dec 21, GNA- Mr Emmanuel Abole, president of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) branch of the University Teachers' Association of Ghana (UTAG), on Thursday urged Ghanaians to maintain peace and unity in the country particularly, during the 2008 Election. He said the utterances of some politicians in recent times indicated that they were recklessly seeking power.
Mr Abole said if they were not checked, their activities would drive the nation to destruction, a situation all well-meaning Ghanaians have prayed against and will not want to entertain.
The lecturer, who made the call in a message titled "dealing with our differences for a united nation", to climax the association's end of year get-together, at Yayakwano, near Cape Coast, stressed that politics must act in the supreme interest of the nation.
Mr Abole said events of the post-independence era, largely fuelled by ignorance about what it takes to build a nation, and the inability to achieve consensus as to how to work efficiently, coupled with leadership and inter-generational power struggle, have "widened the lines of fissure even more."
He said this had resulted in the inability of the people to achieve and maintain consensus on national interests adding it would "therefore be prudent for all to appreciate our past in order to build for ourselves a nation we all desire."
Mr Abole urged Ghanaians to settle their differences and build a united nation.
He said even though Ghana had attained 50 years of nationhood, the country was still in the process of being formed into one body of people with a common descent, language, culture or historical tradition adding that nation building involved putting disparate communities together to make up one entity.
Mr Abole said, "the slogan one people one destiny is still a dream that Ghana is striving to achieve, and it is in the face of such reality that the need to strive for a better integration becomes imperative." He stressed that the electorate should guard against reckless politicians and called on Churches and other religious groups to preach peace.
Source:
GNA
Sunyani residents fear epidemic at abattoir
Sunyani (B/A), Dec. 21, GNA- The Sunyani abattoir is currently operating under unhygienic and sub-standard conditions due to the lack many amenities needed for a good sanitary service. The situation is so deplorable that many residents have expressed the fear that the municipality might soon be engulfed in an epidemic. The abattoir lacks separate standard confinement required for roosting cows, goats and sheep before finally prepared for sale to the public.
The roosting is therefore carried out in the open and on pieces of pieces of timber. When GNA visited the place to ascertain the conditions under which meat was produced, parts of slaughtered animals were seen littered in the area.
The situation at the abattoir is so appalling, with flies and scavengers hovering around for pieces of meat. Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, Mr Nuamah Hayford, Veterinary Officer In-Charge, expressed his regret that in spite of several requests to the Municipal Assembly, who run the facility, nothing concrete had been done.
He said a tanker, which was supposed to empty the septic tank forth nightly, which contained waste blood and other materials from the slaughtered animals, rarely visited the place.
Mr. Hayford expressed his regret that no consultation was made with stakeholders and other decentralized departments regarding the construction of the new slaughter at New Dormaa, a suburb of Sunyani. "There is no way I can allow an anthrax carcass or an animal with tuberculosis in. I was trained in Botswana and we have the expertise and the required experience to manage the place. The current abattoir would be used as a meat shop when the new one is opened", he stated.
Mr Micheal Peprah, Environmental Officer In-Charge, dismissed the view that activities were carried under unhygienic conditions since they inspected and monitored every process.
When reached, Mr. Simon Opoku, Sunyani District Environmental Officer, admitted that all the problems confronting the abattoirs saying that, it was a nation-wide problem. "The Assembly has only one vehicle involved in dislodging waste liquid in the whole municipality and it's very expensive, so we have to manage it", he said.
Asked why no consultation was made with stakeholders concerning the construction of the new abattoir, he said he couldn't comment on it since he assumed duty only this year.
Source:
GNA
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Newmont Akyem Project fetes journalists
Koforidua, Dec. 21, GNA - Mr Robin Budden, General Manager Newmont Akyem Project, has commended journalists in the Eastern Region for their active participation in the company's programmes and activities. He said that active participation gave the company encouragement to do more in their efforts at building understanding, trust and support for the company not only with the media but more importantly with their communities.
Mr Budden said this in a speech read on his behalf at an end year soiree for the media in Koforidua.
He said the company had chosen the path of consultation, dialogue, partnership and collaboration as the basis of building a relationship based on mutual respect.
Mr Budden said that collaboration and respect had been demonstrated through community engagement and the collective and shared investments aimed at sustainable community development.
He said the company believed that its long-term success depended on creating value and wealth within its communities and that the maximum benefits would come from empowerment of people to improve their own lives and enhanced capacity of social institutions and groups. Mr Oduro-Kwarteng Marfo, Principal Communication Officer of the Newmont Akyem Project, appealed to the media to continue to work closely with the company to make the "Akyem Project an epitome of how mining companies and their communities should relate to each other". Newmont Akyem Project is a mining company operating in the Birim North District.
Source:
GNA
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Company Bans Employees From Getting Pregnant
Junior staff, of the Mining Department of Newmont Ghana Gold Ahafo Mine have embarked on an indefinite strike action, to register their disagreement with management and their representatives, over the decision not to have an end of year party for the mining operations and maintenance crew.
The Chronicle learnt that, though the denial of annual end of year party was the basis for their demonstration, there was more to it.
The irate mine workers are complaining about inequality in monthly salaries and non-payment of leave allowances.
They are also not happy with management's decision to include medical, school fees, among other allowances, to their monthly salaries for them to be taxed.
According to some of the protestors, the Head of the Mine Department, Ervin Key has proposed to the management, and threatened to phase-out female workers in the department, who have been operating the dump trucks and other moveable machine, with the reason that, the rate at which they frequently get pregnant was alarming.
They continued that Mr. Ervin Key buttressed his assertions that, the frequency of pregnancies recorded at the Department, on the part of the female workers, was affecting productivity of the company, and needed to be addressed immediately.
Some of the incensed junior staff, alleged that the Departmental Head made some racist comments, but that allegation was quickly refuted by majority of the protestors, who The Chronicle contacted. The protestors argued that Mr. Key's threat to phase-out the female workers, in the department due to the rate at which they were getting conceived had no bas
is, because they were not given specific periods during which they could get pregnant, after they have been given employment. "Once a person is married and is gainfully employed, he or she has the right to have her family, so Key was trying to infringe on the rights of the female workers," they stressed.
The Chronicle's source disclosed that the demonstration was planned for the early hours of Monday December 17, around 3:00am, at the fuel filling station of the mines, but the senior drivers instructed their juniors to park their vehicles, without any tangible reasons being given. A few minutes later, the senior drivers used dump trucks to block the main entrance to the administration offices.
The striking junior workers, who were not perturbed, however insisted that until their manager was dismissed, they were not resuming work, urging NGGL management to negotiate with the mine workers union on the leave allowances, and should as a matter of urgency arrange for the end of year party.
According to them, they were not resuming until their grievances were resolved, but in a release issued by the management of Newmont Ahafo Mine, a meeting was being scheduled with the leadership of the Ahafo Branch of the Ghana Mine Workers' Union, to address the concerns raised by the Junior Staff of the Mining Department.
According to the statement, management of the Mining Department, together with representatives from the Human Resource Department (HR), had met with the Shift Crew leaders on Friday December 14, to discuss the Mine Department's inability, due to logistical and time constraints, to organize an end-of-year party, for the mining operations and maintenance crews.
The statement continued that following the meeting, a section of the Junior Staff of the Mining Department embarked on the work stoppage, to register their disagreement with management and their representatives, over the decision not to have an end-of-year party.
The statement revealed that, from management of NGGL investigations, other concerns have also been raised and they were meeting with the leadership of the Ahafo Branch of the Ghana Mine Workers' Union, to discuss those concerns through a jointly-agreed due process for responding to disagreements and grievances, set out under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), between Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and the Ghana Mine Workers' Union.
"All other employees are at work, and it is Management's belief that the terms and conditions and due process spelt out in the CBA, should be allowed to work," management of NGGL stressed.
They assured that management was committed to, and was working towards speedily resolving the aggrieved staff's concerns, to ensure a peaceful and harmonious working environment at the Ahafo Mine site.
Source:
Ghanaian Chronicle
Accra-Tema sub-urban railway inaugurated
> TRAIN STATION "ASOPROCHONAA" SEE HERE THE PHOTOSTORY < ( PLEASE VISIT AGAIN )
Tema, Dec. 20, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday asked people illegally occupying lands earmarked for development of the country's rail transportation to relocate without delay.
Inaugurating the Phase One of the Accra-Tema sub-urban railway services, he said, the activities of the encroachers were thwarting Government's efforts at rehabilitating the railway lines. He said communities along the railway lines and indeed all Ghanaians should be supportive of the drive towards restoring the railway system to its former vibrancy and glory within the national economy.
This phase of the project, which runs from Accra to Asoprochonaa cost about 9.2 million dollars to complete and is expected to facilitate the movement of about 4,000 commuters daily between the two Metropolitan areas at a relatively lower cost than road transport. It also has an added advantage of helping to ease traffic congestion on the roads.
President Kufuor announced that the Government was negotiating with some private investment groups to rehabilitate and extend work on the Eastern and Western rail lines.
Besides, it has set aside an amount of GH 90 million Cedis generated from the floatation of Euro Bonds to get them into good shape. The current development policy with regard to refurbishing and modernizing the railway network, he said, was to promote private sector development through public-private partnerships involving Ghanaian investors and credible partners around the world.
Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Harbours and Railways, said orders had been placed for the delivery of ultra-modern Diesel Multiple Unit sets with their accompanying trailer cars to ply the restored Accra-Tema line.
Ghana would be the first country in the West African sub-Region to have such modern system. The Minister gave the assurance that Phase Two of the project, which would terminate at the Tema Port, would be completed on schedule by the end of 2008.
President Kufuor later went on a train ride on the rehabilitated line.
Source:
GNA
4 Aspirants Unhappy with Kufuor
Over President’s Alleged Interference
In spite of consistent denials by President Kufuor that he is backing one of the 17 presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the matter has surged to the fore just two days to the hour of decision. According to the Daily Graphic, four of the contestants whom the paper spoke to on Wednesday revisited the issue.
The Northern Sector Campaign Manager of Vice-President Aliu Mahama, George Ayisi-Boateng, waded deep into it, claiming that delegates were under "intimidation and machination by officialdom to vote for the “President’s candidate”. While Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor described the rumours as untrue, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman would not be drawn into the debate. However, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey and Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo said although the President was backing one of the candidates in the race, the delegates would not yield to any machinations.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Kumasi, Mr Ayisi-Boateng said it was a fact that all was not well with the party as it moved closer to the congress and that the opposition could easily cash in to cause trouble for the NPP. "While officialdom moves to support one candidate, the NDC, our main opponent, is also praying that the NPP elects the wrong candidate whom it can easily beat," he said. The campaign manager stressed that it was intriguing to find the KMA Chief Executive and her husband selected as delegates from one constituency.
He said the issue was very serious and raised a number of questions about the selection procedure for delegates. Mr Ayisi-Boateng also touched on the latest report that the President was not going to cast his vote as a delegate and said "this is in order". Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, one of the aspirants, was explicit in saying that President Kufuor’s support for one of the aspirants had the tendency of weakening the party. Dismissing any suggestion of a possible break-up in the party as a result of that, he said there could however be many other ways in which the President’s bias could undermine the party, such as apathy, disillusionment and disaffection in the party activists. “I am worried about it in the sense that it may discourage the activists of the party from working for the party although they may vote for it,” he told the Daily Graphic.
There is strong suspicion among NPP insiders arid political observers that President Kufuor has given his blessing to Mr Alan Kyerematen, one of the aspirants, although the President has dismissed that suspicion. Last October, the President held a crucial meeting with the aspirants and other party executives, at which he told them that he did not support any of the aspirants. The meeting was held behind closed doors and attended by NPP national executive members, including the National Chairman, Mr Peter Mac Manu, the General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow, and the National Organiser, Lord Commey.
Although there was no official statement on what transpired at the meeting, snippets of information the Daily Graphic gathered pointed to the fact that the key issues centred on how the aspirants could carry out their campaigns based on issues and ensure that the ruling government handed over to itself. The President was said to have denied the rumour of his support for Mr Kyerematen. In spite of that, Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey told the Daily Graphic on Wednesday that politics was about public perception and that a stronger signal of the President’s neutrality and readiness to work with anyone who won the flagbearership would be served if he (President) did not vote at the congress. “But I think it's a little bit late now because the President has already declared that he has his choice, unless he declares whoever emerges winner as his choice,” the two-time winning Campaign Manager of President Kufuor in 2000 and 2004 said in a calm demeanour.
Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey likened the situation to the infamous ‘Swedru Declaration’ when former President Rawlings publicly proclaimed his then vice, Prof John Evans Atta Mills, as his successor for the flagbearership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which declaration led to a break-up in the party. He said although the break-up did not take a huge chunk of votes from the NDC, it nevertheless took away some key workers who could have been essential to the party's electoral machine. Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said the Swedru Declaration also affected the public perception of candidate Mills, “so we should be careful that we do not repeat the mistakes that the NDC made.”
According to him, the NPP had a record of choosing the right candidates at congresses and expressed the hope that delegates to Saturday’s congress would once again choose the right candidate, “the right candidate being the one around whom the whole party can unite, and who has competitive advantage, especially in two critical regions - the Greater Accra and Volta Regions". Nana Akufo-Addo was confident that the choice of the NPP flag bearer would depend on the delegates to Saturday’s congress and not the dictates of the party leadership or even the President. He said three key factors - the mass appeal of the candidate, his ability to unify the party and a candidate who can push the country into a middle-income status - would be the major determinants at the congress.
He said although the perception that the President was supporting a particular candidate had become a major issue within the party, he was not worried about it because he believed he possessed the competence and ability that the delegates were looking for. On the perception that President Kufuor was supporting Mr Kyerematen, he explained that for many people it was a reality within the party. “It is a decision that the President has made. I believe that despite that the decision on Saturday will depend on merit,” he assured his supporters. He said the key matter delegates would consider before voting would be who could unite the party and lead it to victory, come December 7, 2008.
He noted that he was in a good relationship with all the aspirants and that their quality, substance and calibre made him confident that the NPP as a mass political party, had a future. Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, another aspirant, asserted that the delegates attending the congress would not be influenced by money. He said they would maintain the character of the party by voting for a candidate who had a mass appeal beyond the NPP, somebody who could push for a national accelerated growth and win power for the party in Election 2008. Giving a rundown of his campaign tour of the country in a telephone interview, Mr Osafo-Maafo said, “I have an appeal beyond the NPP. My proven track record is a clear manifestation and I am a symbol of unity. On Saturday, I will win the election.”
Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, also an aspirant, however, denied the rumour that the President had thrown his support behind Mr Kyerematen. He said when he heard of the rumour, he went personally to the President and asked him about it but the President denied it. He said knowing who President Kufuor was, he believed him when he said it was not true that he was supporting Mr Kyerematen. Dr Addo-Kufuor said he had also done his investigations on the quiet but had no evidence to prove that the President was supporting one aspirant. He, therefore appealed to the delegates to discard that notion “and consider the aspirant who had a good track record and a string of achievements in order to make a meaningful choice for the party.
He also urged them to look for the one who was experienced enough and could be easily marketed in every nook and cranny of the country. Dr Addo Kufuor described himself as the man with all those qualities and appealed to the delegates to vote for him to lead the party to victory. Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman would not be drawn into the debate on whether or not the President was supporting a candidate but underscored the need for a result-oriented, hands-on practical President who could boldly implement agreed programmes and build on the socio-economic foundations so far laid.
“He said that was what was important and that whoever emerged winner must be supported by all the aspirants to rally around the flag of the NPP to win and maintain power. “We shall see to it that the party never splits. The experience of 1979 is too painful. If we had stayed together and not split and the PFP had won the election, the history of this nation would have been different,” he said.
Source:
Daily Graphic
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Air Namibia Hits Turbulence in Ghana Airspace
Ghanaian authorities have put in motion attempts to block the Namibian national air carrier from operating a twice a week flight schedule on behalf of an independent airline in Ghana, the Economist has learnt.
A high level delegation from Ghana arrived in Windhoek last week to meet with officials from Air Namibia, and the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication.
Air Namibia has reached an agreement with an unspecified independent air carrier to fly its excess passengers between Ghana and the United Kingdom.
The independent air carrier is said to be inundated with excess passengers which it can no longer accommodate and had identified Air Namibia as a cost-effective and reliable airliner to partner with. The arrangement would see Air Namibia flying passengers from Ghana to the UK twice every week. This agreement is also set to bring extra cash into Air Namibia's coffers.
According to sources in the airline industry, the Abuja Treaty on intra-African air transport requires that such agreements must first be announcement after which a period should be given for objections, if any, from the affected parties.
The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority is said to have taken the advantage and objected as provided by the treaty. The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority is tasked with navigational services, air traffic services, licensing of aircraft and their personnel operating within their jurisdiction, and the regulation of the air transport industry in Ghana. It also regulates airspace over Ghana.
It has already given in writing its formal objections to both Air Namibia and the independent Ghanaian air carrier. The next step was to respond to, and address, the objections raised.
"Their objections did not carry any valid reasons," a source from the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications said last week. The meeting of last week was to consider the arguments raised in the objections from the Ghanaian officials.
Although various senior officials at the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications seemed to know of last week's meeting, none could provide more detail of what transpired in the meeting. The under secretary for air transport service, Joe Shipepe, referred all enquiries to the under secretary for civil aviation and to Kosmos Egumbo, the chief executive officer of Air Namibia. Egumbo did not respond to written questions e-mailed to his office. The Air Namibia official working on the project, Xavier Masule, was said to be out of the country.
Source:
Namibia Economist
Schools Feeding Programme - nine day wonder?
Begoro, Dec. 20, GNA - The Fanteakwa District Chief Executive, Mr Ebenezer Ofoe Caesar on Thursday denied rumours that the government's Schools Feeding Programme was a "nine day wonder".
Mr Caesar denied the rumours when answering questions on the programme at an assembly meeting at Begoro.
He said about 1,000 pupils were currently benefiting from the programme at the Bepoase Methodist Primary School, Osino D/A Primary and Abuorso Roman Catholic Primary schools.
He said the government was considering employing the services of cateresses to prepare food for the pupils as against the earlier plan to prepare food in the beneficiary schools.
He said his outfit would monitor closely the progress of the programme so as to eliminate loopholes that hinder its operation.
Source:
GNA
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Ghana - Confusion in Saboba NPP.
19/12/2007 - William Jalulah
DEVISION IS looming in the NPP in Saboba as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Saboba constituency, Mr. Charles Bintim has declared his intention to contest in the forthcoming primaries, which would elect a parliamentary candidate for the 2008 general elections.
The battle lines are now drawn, between the MP and four or more other potential candidates, after his November 28 declaration that he would be contesting in the upcoming primaries.
One of such candidates, Mr. Emmanuel Koten is said to be the biggest threat to Mr. Bintim. But some party members also say he is nowhere near the MP.
The Chronicle has gathered that some party members, who were in the MP's camp, have either joined Mr. Koten's camp or are yet to decide which one of the remaining four or more candidates to join.
Mr. Azumah Namoro Sanda, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Saboba/Chereponi, in an interview, admitted that there was division in the party at the constituency level.
He expressed worry about the manner in which some of the potential candidates, and their supporters, were going about soliciting support from party people and delegates.
According to the DCE, this division manifested itself on November 28, 2007, when Mr. Bintim held a meeting with the constituency chairman and executives to declare his intention to contest in the primaries.
He said but for the intervention of the MP, the beauty of the meeting, which was held at his (DCE's) residence, would have been marred.
According to him, it all started when Mr. Tigur Naabuo, formerly of Mr. Bintim's camp, appeared at the meeting. Displeased with his presence, supporters of the MP protested and asked him to leave, because he was not a member of the MP's team.
This resulted in a hot and protracted argument between Naabuo and the displeased members, until the MP calmed down tempers and allowed Nabuo to join the meeting, since he was a member of the party.
Mr. Sanda alleged that 15 minutes after the meeting, Mr. Naabuo rang Mr. Koten, who is presently studying in the UK, and discussed what transpired at the meeting with him and alleged that the DCE had declared his support for the MP.
He said Mr. Koten called him on phone and asked him why he had declared his support for Mr. Bintim and not him.
He also accused him of castigating him (Mr. Koten) at the meeting.
The DCE said he told Mr. Koten that he was surprised to hear things he did not say coming from him.
He then told him (Koten) that he only asked the chairman and executives to throw their weight behind any candidate that would emerge winner at the primaries, to retain the seat.
Efforts by this paper to speak to the constituency chairman, popularly called Charlie proved futile.
Meanwhile this paper has gathered that more of the candidates are likely to register their interest in the race, with the core motive of eliminating Mr. Bintim.
The former Minister for Local Government and Rural Development has been accused by some constituents of doing nothing, since he was made DCE before being voted for as an MP in 2004.
The candidates are also prepared to merge and support the one with brightest chance of winning, to beat the MP in the primaries.
Though this paper could not speak to the MP, it gathered that his preparations were far advanced to woo delegates to vote for him at the primaries.
Source: © Reborn Radio
Vote buying is a crime
18./19.12.2007
Perhaps, not many Ghanaians, especially politicians know that vote buying is an offence under the Criminal Code of 1960.
Section 240 of the code states that "A ... voter is guilty of corruption in respect of ... his vote, if he directly or indirectly agrees or offers his conduct as such … voter to be influenced by the gift, promise, or prospect of any valuable consideration to be received by such ... voter ... from any person whomsoever."
Whilst the above section talks about the voter who allows himself or herself to be unduly influenced by a politician, the subsequent section (section 241) focuses on the politician who influences the voter for his vote.
It states among other things
“ A person is guilty of corrupting a … voter in respect of … his vote, if he endeavours directly or indirectly to influence the conduct of such … voter in respect of … his/her vote, by the gift, promise, or prospect of any valuable consideration to be received by such … voter… from any person whomsoever.”
The law does not stop there. It includes even the fact that the crime would still have been committed if the voter was influenced at a time when he had not become such a voter. Section 242 clarifies matters further this way, “it is immaterial, for the purposes of section 240 or 241, that the person respecting whose conduct the endeavour, agreement or offer therein mentioned is made is not yet at the time of the making of such endeavour, agreement, or offer, such a … voter, if the endeavour, agreement, or offer is made in the expectation that he will or may become or act as such … voter.”
Whilst the criminal code is unambiguous as to the criminality of vote buying, the punishment ascribed to the offence is that of misdemeanor which hovers around a few months imprisonment; and legal experts say it is inadequate. The Acting Executive Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Mr. Theophilus Codjoe believes the punishment for the offence was made so mild because the criminal code was formulated at a time when vote buying had not become such a big deal.
“It is about time we reviewed it to let people know that the act is a crime,” he said.
He further contends that aside the lack of the legal infrastructure needed to deal with such acts the fact that they are mostly complicated and difficult to investigate makes matters worse.
It is believed that in other jurisdictions, persons related to political office seekers or holders, otherwise known as politically exposed persons are all investigated to ensure that monies are not unduly transferred to them. A lot of cash is believed to be involved in the whole vote canvassing process, as most of the political aspirants are believed to carry with them large sums of monies. The SFO boss believes that the situation is so because “our economy is so cash based,” which implies that a law has to be in place to put restrictions on the amount of money an individual can carry around at any point in time.
As political parties go to congress to elect their flag bearers for the 2008 elections, some of the aspirants are alleged to be doling out monies to delegates and prospective delegates in expectation of their votes.
The ruling NPP’s camp in particular has come up for criticism in many quarters in respect of alleged vote buying and delegate hijacking by some of the presidential apsirants. The renowned satirist KSM has for instance joked on several occasions that if NPP delegates do not build houses this time round then they won’t build any for the rest of their lives. This is in apparent reference to the perception that most of these delegates take monies from virtually all the aspirants ostensibly to vote for them.
At a press briefing marking the UN Anti-Corruption Day, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition devoted a lot of time talking about the activities of politicians wanting to seek the mandate of the people by offering them money. The coalition contended that the practice is undemocratic and must be checked. “As people aspiring to lead the country, we call on all party leaders and aspirants to desist from such acts of bribery and influencing voters as it does not auger well for the nation’s democracy. Real political choice is necessary to secure representation for citizens in a democracy, but once that choice is limited to a few who can pay, we risk selling our franchise to the highest bidder. Citizens must also understand that if they take monies offered by politicians in exchange for their votes or other advantages, they lose their moral courage to hold politicians to account,”
Moreover, the coalition called for a mechanism to control internal political campaigns and reinforce the framework for external campaign financing. It also called for the amendment of the Political Parties Act so as to make it more transparent and widened in scope to include internal party campaigns.
Source: Public Agenda
Source: © Reborn Radio
ISD starts public education campaign on 2008 Budget
Bolgatanga, Dec. 19, GNA- The Information Service Department (ISD), in the Upper East Region has embarked on a 14 day intensive public education campaign on the 2008 budget statement.
This was contained in a Press Release issued and signed by, Mr Akwasi Amankwaa, Upper East Regional Information Officer on Tuesday. It said the education campaign on the 2008 budget statement covers all the eight districts in the Region, reaching out to about 27,962 people in 511 communities.
Parts of the budget covered included the Northern Development Fund, construction of a 15 kilometres road in each district, supply of electricity to some of the communities in the Region, Subsidy of BECE Examination by the government and the issuance of Universal Health Insurance cards for members of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
It explained that communities were sensitised on the specific projects that were supposed to be executed under the 2008 budget statement, and mentioned the rehabilitation of the Tono Irrigation Dam in Navrongo, the Livestock block and the existing quarantine at Zebilla, Paga and Pusiga all in the Region. The ISD explained to the communities that under the 2008 budget statement, the Pwalugu Tomato factory would be hooked to the national grid and 150 flats, and a modern stadium built for the Region.
Source:
GNA
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Cape Coast Muslims mark Eid-ul-Adha
Cape Coast, Dec. 19, GNA - The Central Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur, on Wednesday appealed to Muslims not to allow themselves to be used by unscrupulous people to perpetrate trouble in the society. Nana Arthur said this when he joined hundreds of Orthodox Muslims at the Holy Child prayer grounds to mark Eid-Ul-Adha, festival of sacrifice, at Cape Coast.
He said the time had come for Muslims to stand-up to the challenges of the 21st century and not to engage in acts that would bring trouble and disunity, especially in Zongo communities.
Nana Arthur urged them to take advantage of the numerous interventions the government had put in the education sector such as the capitation grant, school feeding programme and the new education reforms and send their children, particularly girls, to school. He also enumerated the benefits of the National Health Insurance Scheme and urged those who have not yet registered with the scheme to do so.
In his sermon Sheikh Abubakari Hassan, regional Imam, appealed to the government to take over the organisation of Hajj, to help stem the ordeal Muslims pilgrims go through each year. He said pragmatic programmes should be put in place to ensure smooth Hajj, stressing that it was disheartening to see Muslims pilgrims go through such hard times before they move to Mecca. Sheik Hassan also called on the government to support the English Arabic schools in the country and help establish a school of Islamic studies in the region.
He prayed for the nation and its leaders as well as for peace and unity in war torn countries and in Ghana. At the cape Coast Technical Institute, Ameer of the Abura circuit of the Ahmadiyya Muslims, Alhaji Yakubu Zakaria told Muslims to use the sacrifice of Abraham as a landmark in whatever they do and endeavour to be each other's keeper.
He also advised them to be law abiding and refrain from all vices that would tarnish the image of the Ahmadiyya and to send their children to schools. The regional minister presented a bull and GH50.00 each to Orthodox and Ahmadiyya.
Source:
GNA
Support government policies -JAK
Dunkwa-On-Offin (C/R), Dec. 19, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor has said there was hope for Ghanaian children if only everybody would continue to support the government in the implementation of policies currently put in place for the nation's development.
He said, "With a politically stable atmosphere in the country, let us remember that the progress of every nation is its human resource and children are its vibrant source and society owes its children the responsibility of protection and development."
President Kufuor, who stated this in a speech read for him at the national children's Christmas party at Dunkwa-On-Offin on Tuesday, stressed the need to put children first in the decision making process by giving them assistance and support.
The party was attended by more than 1,000 pupils from selected schools in the Upper Denkyira and Lower Denkyira districts and each child was given a Ghana @ 50 T'shirt, a cap and treated to music, cultural performances and also presented with packed lunch and soft drinks.
He said the government's commitment in human and financial resources to promote the growth and development of its young ones had been prominent and that it had set the pace for other stakeholders to complement government's efforts for the best interest of children. "The relatively stable political atmosphere has enhanced a sustainable child development process. It is observed that during politically volatile situation, children and women bear the brunt of atrocities associated with such situations. We praise the Almighty God for the peace and tranquillity He has granted this country so far to make it an oasis of peace in the sub-region," he said.
The President said apart from being the first country to ratify the U.N. Convention on the rights of the child, the government had created a ministry to improve the lot of women and the development of children. President Kufuor said the various aspects of the educational reform programme, the capitation grant, school feeding programme and free city transportation for school children were all geared towards providing the needed environment for education and training of children. He said in recognition of the importance of the holistic growth, protection and development of children, the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy (ECCD) was being implemented under the supervision of a national secretariat and stressed that it was anticipated that more collaborations would be galvanized to effectively implement Ghana's ECCD policy for the welfare of its young ones.
The President told the children that HIV/AIDS still posed a serious health and development problem and urged parents and guardians to intensify their efforts in the child upbringing process and also ensure that their children avoided risky behaviour.
The Central Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur, in a speech read for him underscored the importance of education and appealed to parents to take advantage of the numerous government interventions in the education sector to send their children to school.
Ms Rosemond Blay, the Regional Director of Education, said the government recognized the importance of education and had put in place measures to promote education.
She commended the district for becoming first in the last BECE examination and urged them to not be complacent but to work harder. The District Chief Executive of Upper Denkyira, Mr Richard Anane Adabor, commended the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs for selecting the district for the party and asked the children to reciprocate the gesture by taking their studies seriously. H also called for unity, peace and tranquillity in the district to enhance the development of the area and advised the people in the district to desist from the writing anonymous letters about others.
Source:
GNA
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Veep joins Muslims in Tamale to offer prayers
Tamale, Dec.19, GNA- The Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Wednesday joined thousands of Muslims to offer prayers at the celebration of this year's Muslim festival of Eid-UL-Adha at the Tamale Jubilee park.
Alhaji Mahama asked Muslim parents to place emphasis on secular education and said without that, the people of the Northern part of Ghana would continue to lag behind in development. He said education could put them in key positions that could enable them to influence decision making towards accelerated development of the Northern part of the country.
Alhaji Mahama called on the Muslims to ensure that peace and unity prevailed and fight against poverty, disease and ignorance. He asked the people of the Tamale Metropolis to ensure law and order and exhibit the usual Ghanaian hospitality to foreigners who would come into the country to participate in the African Cup of Nations in the country next year.
Alhaji Mahama also appealed to Muslims to offer special prayers for him to be elected to lead the New Patriotic Party in the 2008 Presidential Election.
He said he has been tested and tried under the able leadership of President John Agyekum Kufuor and it was now time for him to assume the mantle of leadership to move the country forward.
Source:
GNA
Mine workers resume work
Sunyani, Dec. 19, GNA - Members of the Ahafo Branch of the Ghana Mine Workers' Union representing the unionised junior staff of Newmont Ghana's Ahafo Mine on Tuesday resumed work a day after embarking on a sit down strike.
It was in protest against management's decision not to organize an end of year party for the mining operations and maintenance crews. A meeting between management of the mining department, representatives of the Human Resource Department and the Shift Crew leaders resolved that an end of year party be held for the aggrieved workers but on shift basis since management could not hold one party for the workers, numbering about 700.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr. Stephen Baffoe, Principal Communication Officer of Newmont Ahafo Mine.
"The management of the mining department, together with representatives from the human resource department met with shift crew leaders on Friday, December 14 and discussed the mine department's inability due to logistical and time constraint to organize an end of year party for the mining operations and maintenance crews". The statement said management of Newmont Ghana's Ahafo Mine also met with the leadership of the Ahafo Branch of the Ghana Mine Workers Union to discuss other concerns pertaining to higher remuneration and better conditions of service through due process set out under the Collective Bargaining Agreement between Newmont Ghana Gold and the Union.
It added that the gold company was committed to resolving the aggrieved staff's concerns to ensure a peaceful and harmonious working environment at the Ahafo Mine site.
Source:
GNA
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Ghana - Criminal Code Criminalises Vote Buying.
18/11/2007 - Basiru Adam
Perhaps, not many Ghanaians, especially politicians know that vote buying is an offence under the Criminal Code of 1960.
Section 240 of the code states that "A voter is guilty of corruption in respect of his vote, if he directly or indirectly agrees or offers his conduct as such voter to be influenced by the gift, promise, or prospect of any valuable consideration to be received by such voter from any person whomsoever."
Whilst the above section talks about the voter who allows himself or herself to be unduly influenced by a politician, the subsequent section (section 241) focuses on the politician who influences the voter for his vote. It states among other things " A person is guilty of corrupting a voter in respect of his vote, if he endeavours directly or indirectly to influence the conduct of such voter in respect of his/her vote, by the gift, promise, or prospect of any valuable consideration to be received by such voter from any person whomsoever."
The law does not stop there. It includes even the fact that the crime would still have been committed if the voter was influenced at a time when he had not become such a voter. Section 242 clarifies matters further this way, "it is immaterial, for the purposes of section 240 or 241, that the person respecting whose conduct the endeavour, agreement or offer therein mentioned is made is not yet at the time of the making of such endeavour, agreement, or offer, such a voter, if the endeavour, agreement, or offer is made in the expectation that he will or may become or act as such voter."
Whilst the criminal code is unambiguous as to the criminality of vote buying, the punishment ascribed to the offence is that of misdemeanor which hovers around a few months imprisonment; and legal experts say it is inadequate.
The Acting Executive Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), Mr. Theophilus Codjoe believes the punishment for the offence was made so mild because the criminal code was formulated at a time when vote buying had not become such a big deal. "It is about time we reviewed it to let people know that the act is a crime," he said.
He further contends that aside the lack of the legal infrastructure needed to deal with such acts the fact that they are mostly complicated and difficult to investigate makes matters worse.
It is believed that in other jurisdictions, persons related to political office seekers or holders, otherwise known as politically exposed persons are all investigated to ensure that monies are not unduly transferred to them.
A lot of cash is believed to be involved in the whole vote canvassing process, as most of the political aspirants are believed to carry with them large sums of monies. The SFO boss believes that the situation is so because "our economy is so cash based," which implies that a law has to be in place to put restrictions on the amount of money an individual can carry around at any point in time.
As political parties go to congress to elect their flag bearers for the 2008 elections, some of the aspirants are alleged to be doling out monies to delegates and prospective delegates in expectation of their votes.
The ruling NPP's camp in particular has come up for criticism in many quarters in respect of alleged vote buying and delegate hijacking by some of the presidential apsirants. The renowned satirist KSM has for instance joked on several occasions that if NPP delegates do not build houses this time round then they won't build any for the rest of their lives. This is in apparent reference to the perception that most of these delegates take monies from virtually all the aspirants ostensibly to vote for them.
At a press briefing marking the UN Anti-Corruption Day, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition devoted a lot of time talking about the activities of politicians wanting to seek the mandate of the people by offering them money.
The coalition contended that the practice is undemocratic and must be checked. "As people aspiring to lead the country, we call on all party leaders and aspirants to desist from such acts of bribery and influencing voters as it does not auger well for the nation's democracy. Real political choice is necessary to secure representation for citizens in a democracy, but once that choice is limited to a few who can pay, we risk selling our franchise to the highest bidder. Citizens must also understand that if they take monies offered by politicians in exchange for their votes or other advantages, they lose their moral courage to hold politicians to account,"
Moreover, the coalition called for a mechanism to control internal political campaigns and reinforce the framework for external campaign financing. It also called for the amendment of the Political Parties Act so as to make it more transparent and widened in scope to include internal party campaigns.
Source: © Reborn Radio Africa
More Trouble In The NPP
Lawsuits Hang Over Party While Gov’t Officials Openly Campaigning For Alan Cash
The December 22nd Congress of the ruling New Patriotic Party is increasingly facing imminent postponement as indications are that some peeved party faithfuls would drag the party to court over the processes that have been used to select delegates in several constituencies across the country.
The Ghanaian Lens can today reveal that the National Headquarters of the NPP has received a deluge of written complaints from several constituencies across the country over selection of delegates.
Speaking to some of the persons behind the complaints lodged with the NPP National Executives, it was pretty clear that all of them believe that the process of selection/election of delegates from their respective constituencies had been skewed to favour President Kufuor’s preferred candidate, Alan ‘Cash’ Kyeremanteng.
The petitions are flying in from all over across the country. In Accra alone, at petitions have been received from at least four constituencies, including Ablekuma Central and President Kufuor’s Ayawaso West Wugon constituency. Information available to The Ghanaian Lens indicate that petitions have also been received from constituencies in the Ashanti region, Central Region, and Western region over selection of delegates.
But one NPP insider told this paper that the spectre of court cases may not affect the December 22nd Congress.
“I know of these threats to go to court, but if the constituencies that do not have any lawsuits hanging over them could form a quorum, then the congress would not be affected,” the insider stated.
The insider agreed that these troubles that are compelling people to start looking towards the law courts could be a ploy by some persons to disenfranchise particular constituencies that some aspirants might be seeing as unfavourable.
Highly knowledgeable sources within the NPP National Executive Committee have told this paper that the situation, with regards to complains about strenuous efforts to skew the selection of delegates to favour Alan Kyeremanteng, is not different in the three northern regions.
The Ghanaian Lens has learnt that the NPP national headquarters has received a petition from the Bongo constituency, where the chairman of the constituency, Alhaji Raulf Abolga, together with his Women Organiser, Madam Janet Asumda, together with other constituency executives have been out-manoeuvred and displaced by the DCE.
Investigations by The Ghanaian Lens indicate that the DCE, Francis Asampana, apparently working under direct instructions from the Castle, called a meeting of a few pliable polling station chairmen in the constituency to select/elect delegates from the Bongo constituency.
But the Chairman, the Women Organiser, and other aggrieved executives of the Bongo constituency are challenging the list of so-called delegates that has been prepared from what one of them described to this paper as “an illegal meeting conducted by the DCE” to elect/select delegates.
Indications are that several DCEs have succumbed to the terror-tactics that saw President Kufuor dismiss twelve DCE in one fell swoop.
Quite apart from the fact all the dismissed DCEs were said to be persons who were not particularly ‘friendly’ to Alan Cash, all the dismissed DCE’s also have the peculiarity of being from the northern parts of the country. The spectre of being disgracefully dismissed from office through the media, as has happened to twelve of his colleagues, must have been driving the Bongo DCE to do the kinds of things that the Bongo constituency executives are complaining about.
Meanwhile, as at the time of going to press, credible information from the Upper West region has it that the Minister of Tourism & Diasporan Relations, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Mr. Paul Afoko, together with the Upper West Regional Minister, Mr George Hikah Benson, and the Mayor of Tamale, Mohammed Adam Amin Anta, were in the Upper West region where they are waging a strenuous campaign for Alan Cash.
Stay tuned. Your authoritative Ghanaian Lens would bring you a blow by blow account of how the government officials are campaigning for Alan Cash Kyeremanteng in the Upper West Region.
Source:
Ghanaian Lens
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Yewu Demo for Tamale, Kumasi, Cape Coast
Massive Yewu Demo
Rocks Accra – Ho, Tamale, Kumasi, Takoradi, Cape Coast, Others To Follow
Ghanaians from all walks of life literally poured out on the streets of Accra last week to protest the unbearable living conditions pertaining in the country, and to send a resounding message to the Kufuor-led NPP government to re-examine its policies with a view to making life a little more bearable for the good people of Ghana.
At the end of the demonstration, there was no doubt about the message that the people of Ghana were sending to the government, as the sheer numbers of the demonstrators by itself demonstrated that people are really feeling the suffering in the land.
As the demonstration progressed from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle through the Kojo Thompson road, people came out of their houses to join the demonstration, some shop owners closed their shops and joined the ranks of the demonstrators, and some taxi drivers abandoned work for the day and joined the demonstration.
One shop owner, who this reporter personally saw close her shop to join the demonstration told this reporter, when she was asked why she closed her shop to join the demonstration that, “I believe that I must add my voice to the message that this demonstration is intended to send to the government. We are suffering too much. Look, I open my shop from 8am to about 5pm everyday, and sometimes nobody even passes through to even ask of the price of anything, yet at the end of the month I have to find money to pay my bills.”
“These days, the utility bills alone can to put us out of business. But when the problems presented by the high utility tariffs are also compounded by huge increment in fuel prices, including even LPG and Kerosene, the total effect is that absolutely nothing is happening. Those who are surviving are the small table-top traders who do not have to pay the high rents that some of us have to pay for our shops and stores, as well as the high utility tariffs that we are compelled to pay,” lamented the lady shop owner, who gave her name simply as Shirley.
A man who gave his name as Kweitsuru, and said that he is a taxi driver, told this reporter that he joined the demonstration because he believes that President Kufuor is not being told the truth by those around him.
“My brother, I am totally convinced that President Kufuor has lost touch with we, the ordinary people of the land, and so he is not being told the truth about how his policies are killing us,” Kweitsuru stated.
“I am convinced of this,” he explained, “because this was a man who told us at the time the international price of crude oil was around thirty dollars that selling petrol at ¢6,400.00 (or G¢0.64p) was, to use his own words “criminal”. So, now that the international price of crude oil is around one hundred dollars, if his government wants to sell it at “criminal” levels at all the price should not be more than ¢25,000.00 (or G¢2.5p). But that is not the case, petrol is now being sold at almost ¢50,000.00 (or G¢5.00). This is worse than criminal!!”
“I believe that Mr. Kufuor would not want to be referred to as “criminal”, that is why I believe that if he really knew what is going on he would have acted to intervene. I sincerely hope that he would hear the very loud message we are sending out today and act like the Executive President that he is to make life more bearable for us. These days, we are forced to charge fares that many people are unable to meet,” Kweitsuru prayed.
“Take for instance, a worker travelling by taxi from Circle to Dansoman has to pay a fare of ¢8,000.00 (or G¢0.8p) per trip. Note that this is not ‘dropping’ or ‘charter’ fare but normal taxi fare. How much is that worker being paid by his employers to keep paying ¢16,000.00 (or G¢1.6p) on a round trip each day to and from work? Note also that most workers have to board vehicles at least twice a day before arriving either at work or home. How are they to survive? The effect is that most of them have stopped boarding taxis, which means that our business as taxi drivers is gradually dying!” Kweitsuru lamented.
Yesterday’s demonstration, which was organised under the aegis of the Committee of Joint Action (CJA) lived up to its billing as a demonstration to demonstrate that the people of Ghana are really dying as a result of the unfeeling policies of the government. Dubbed “Yewuo”, the demonstrators carried placards that told the story of how the people of Ghana are dying through suffering. Some of the placards read, “Yewu oo, Yewu”, “Our Fishermen Are Dying”, “LPG too! Why oh, Why?”, “Everywhere Suffer Suffer”, “Too Much Wahala In The Land”, among others.
The demonstrators finally converged at the Hearts of Oak training park near the Lotteries headquarters, where they were addressed by leading members of the CJA, including Mr. Kwesi Pratt Jnr., Mr. Bernard Mornah, Alhaji Ramadan, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, Ama Benyiwa Doe, Charles Kofi Wayo, and many other leading figures on the political scene.
Earlier, the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Ageymang Rawlings addressed the protestors at the Freedom and Justice Park at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle before the commencement of the protest.
She lamented the lack of truth and justice under the Kufuor administration. “The lies are too much, where is truth? Where is justice?” she asked. Nana Konadu assured the people of Ghana of a humane NDC government under Atta Mills, a government that would pursue people-centred policies aimed at providing enabling environment to ensure that no Ghanaian, and no part of Ghana, is left behind on the development ladder.
Addressing more to the government than to the demonstrators, Mr. Kwesi Pratt Jnr. expressed the hope that government would hear the loud protests of Ghanaians concerning the high level of suffering in the land.
He warned that if government persists in its obduracy, more ‘Yewuo’ demonstration would take place across the nation to ensure that the government adheres to the dictates of the masses upon whose mandate government officials are in power.
A counter demonstration threatened by a hitherto unknown group calling itself Committee for Advancement Democracy, believed to be a pro-government group, failed to come on.
But, intelligence trickling in to the offices of the Weekly Standard has it that pro-government elements are in the process of organising a demonstration to pass a vote of confidence in government’s handling of the economy. According to the intelligence reports, the pro-government demonstration would be known as “Ye Tease”.
Source:
Ghanaian Lens
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Twifo Oil Palm Plantation (TOPP) to install steam turbine to become energy self-sufficient
Twifo-Ntafrewaso (C/R), Dec. 17, GNA - The management of the Twifo Oil Palm Plantation (TOPP) Limited is to acquire and install a 1,500 KVA steam turbine and boiler, to make the company self-reliant in energy for milling and household use.
Mr Nenenyo Mate-Kole, Managing Director of the company announced this at the annual workers durbar and Awards Day on Saturday. Prizes ranging from television sets, bicycles, sewing machines, suitcases, roofing sheets, radio cassette recorders, Wellington boots, cutlasses, soap and certificates were presented to the award winners. Forty-one workers were honoured, while 80 received long service awards.
Mr Yaw Gyasi from Ntafrewaso, was adjudged the best harvester, while Mr Joseph Amponsah, the best re-planter, both took home a bicycle each.
Mr Mate-Kole commended the award winners and urged them to maintain their dedicated services that won the award and other employees and contractors for their hard work.
He announced that the company had instituted a scholarship award scheme for six brilliant but needy students in senior high and technical schools in Twifo and Atti Morkwaa communities.
Mr Mate-Kole said six children of some of the employees were offered full scholarships to pursue their senior high school education last year, while six others were offered half-scholarship under the sponsorship of Unilever Foundation for Education and Development (UFED).
Mr Mate-Kole announced that the company's finances showed remarkable improvement, raking-in 25 billion cedis (excluding restructuring cost) as against 14 billion cedis the previous year, representing 78.6 percent growth over the previous year. He said the company produced 14,454 tons of oil and 4,248 tons of palm kennel this year.
The Managing Director said the company placed much emphasis on crop quality by paying a premium price and discounted low quality crop, adding that, the system would be intensified to enable farmers who sold quality crop to be paid more.
Mr Samuel Agyeibi-Kessie, Twifo Hemang-Lower Denkyira District Chief Executive, commended the company for its contributions towards the development of the District and assured management of the Assembly support in it operations.
He appealed to the management of TOPP to extend the scholarship scheme to cover other areas outside of the company's operational area. The company staff engaged in sporting activities including tug-of-war, lime and spoon and sack race to mark the occasion.
Source:
GNA
Baby boy burnt to death at Jasikan
Jasikan, Dec. 18, GNA - A one-year-old baby boy was burnt to death at Jasikan when a candle lit by his mother allegedly started a fire in the room where he was sleeping.
Daweh Celestine, 19, the baby's mother said she was out fetching water and on her return saw the room in flames but was restrained from going to her son's rescue.
She said electricity to their house was disconnected at the time when her husband had travelled to Kumasi for the CPP Congress with the promise to settle the indebtedness on his return. Mr Solomon Kwame Donkor, Jasikan District Chief Executive, expressed his sympathy to the bereaved mother and donated GH=A250, a student mattress, plastic buckets and bowls, cups and some toiletries to her.
Source:
GNA
Aviation Minister happy with Tamale Airport project
Tamale, Dec. 18, GNA - Ms Gloria Akuffo, Minister of State at the Aviation Ministry, has expressed satisfaction at the rehabilitation at the Tamale Airport and appealed to the contractors to finish the job before the start of Ghana 2008 football tournament.
"From the layman's point of view, the facilities I saw, I think it is satisfactory and worth commending. I would be happier if everything is finished before the commencement of the Ghana 2008," she said. Ms Akuffo said this after she had paid a day's working visit to the Northern Region to inspect construction work at the Tamale Airport. The projects she inspected included the construction of VIP Lounge, renovation of the Arrival and Departure halls and marking of the tarmac. Consar Construction Company and Facul Roads Limited are the contractors.
Mr. Martin Addo, site engineer for the Consar Construction Company Limited, said the first phase of the work would be completed in the first week of January 2008.
Source:
GNA
Crime waves in Ashanti declines - Regional Command
Kumasi, Dec. 18, GNA - The Ashanti Regional Police Command has said that crimes, especially armed robbery cases in the region have declined significantly over the past months due to police-public co-operation.
The Command, however, said the police was not relenting in its effort to further reduce crime to its barest minimum in spite of the success so far chalked.
This was contained in a press release issued in Kumasi on Tuesday and signed by Inspector Mohammed Tanko, the Regional Police Public Relations Officer.
It reminded the public to give the police the accurate descriptions of routes and locations of their houses in times of emergencies as the police patrol teams find it difficult to locate crime scenes when they received distress calls.
The release also reminded the public that as the Christmas and New Year festivities approaches, criminals are on the high alert to deprive people of their hard earned monies and therefore it was important for people who commute the city centres with monies and valuables for commerce and trade, to be cautious enough in order not to fall prey to such miscreants.
It added that the police are on their local rounds to protect the people to ensure free and peaceful yuletide.
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GNA
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US visa fee goes up from January 1
Accra, Dec. 18, GNA - The United States Embassy in Accra on Tuesday announced that, effective January 1, 2008, the worldwide application fee for a U.S. Non-immigrant Visa will increase from USD $100 to USD $131 (or Ghanaian Cedi equivalent).
The worldwide application fee for a U.S. Immigrant Visa will also increase, from $335 to $355, it said.
A statement released by the Public Affairs Section of the U.S Embassy said; "These fee increases, which are being applied throughout the world, reflect the rising costs of processing visa applications, including the cost of enhanced biometric security features, information technology systems, and inflation."
It said non-immigrant visa applicants who paid the prior $100 application fee before January 1, 2008, would not be required to pay additional fees if they appeared for a visa interview before January 31, 2008.
Applicants who paid the prior $100 fee and appear for visa interviews after January 31, 2008, must pay the difference of $31 before their interview.
It asked applicants to pay at Standard Chartered Bank and obtain a new receipt before appearing for their interview. "All applicants paying after January 1, 2008, regardless of their interview date, must pay the full $131 fee."
The Embassy said all immigrant visa applicants who paid the prior $335 application fee before January 1, 2008, would be processed without further payment, regardless of their interview date. All applicants paying their fee on or after January 1, 2008, must pay the new $355 fee, regardless of their interview date. Most applicants pay their fees through the Department of State's National Visa Centre (NVC) in the United States. "Fee bills sent by NVC will reflect the change effective January 1, 2008. Applicants who make their payment after this date will be required to pay $355 even if their original bill displays the previous fee.
"This fee increase will also effect Diversity Visa applicants, who pay the immigrant visa application process fee at the time of their interview."
Source:
GNA
Delta celebrates first anniversary on Accra-New York route
Accra, Dec. 18, GNA - Delta Air Lines on December 12 celebrated the first anniversary of operating its Accra to New York route, a statement from the airline said in Accra on Tuesday. "We are extremely pleased with the performance of the Accra to New York flight, which has had an average load factor of over 70 per cent in the last year, with nearly 60,000 enplaned passengers over the year," Frank Jahangir, vice president sales and affairs for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said.
"The service is proving very popular for both business and leisure passengers, with customers flying from Accra having a choice of around 40 destinations throughout the United States, as well as connections to Latin America and the Caribbean," he added.
Delta is the only US airline to operate non-stop service between Ghana and the United States with daily services from Accra. The route employs Boeing 767-300 ER aircraft seating 214 passengers with 36 seats in Delta's award winning BusinessElite. Top destinations for Delta's Accra passengers include: New York, Atlanta, Washington, Boston and Baltimore.
Shum Pak-Wo, Delta's GSA Manager, Aviation Alliance Ltd. Said: "It is an exciting time for us, as we continue to build our presence in the Ghanaian market."
He said they planned in the first quarter of 2008 to open a second sales office in Kumasi, which would offer ticketing and reservations services to all our Delta customers.
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GNA
Compare your standard of living under NDC and NPP
Accra, Dec 18, GNA- Ghanaians have been urged to compare their standard of living now under the administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) with that of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) era. The comparison would enable them to realise which of the two political parties have the welfare of the people at heart. The call was made by Mr. Daniel Nii Okai, Chairman of the Odododiodoo Constituency of the NDC at a meeting of party members in Accra.
He noted that this assessment was necessary for them to know which of the two parties should be given the mandate to rule the country in the 2008 Elections.
Mr Okai said Ghanaians should compare the 41 trillion national debt left by the NDC to the 90 trillion cedis accumulated by the NPP in seven years to conclude which of the two deserved the right to manage the affairs of the country.
He explained that the NDC debt included that of previous administrations since Ghana attained independence. Mr Okai recalled that on assumption of office of the NPP in the year 2000, the administration created the impression that the NDC had mismanaged the affairs of the country leading to the debt it left behind.
He pointed out that the NPP after just seven years with one more year to go had accumulated more than double the debt of the NDC plus that of the previous administrations. The Odododoodio NDC Chairman said; "the NPP spending spree" should be seen against the background of "the huge debt forgiveness" by the country's foreign donors, increased aid from abroad and taxes, including the Value Added Tax (VAT).
Mr Okai said; "They are now even going to tax airtime calls on mobile phones and increase utility charges," to increase the amount of State money at their disposal.
He said parents could not afford the school fees and medical bills for their children in spite of the Capitation Grant, the School Feeding Programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Mr Okai called on the people, especially the electorate to be mindful of the "extravagant" campaign by aspirants vying to be the flag bearer of the NPP for the 2008 Election and asked themselves where they came by the huge sums they were spending for the primaries. "This is not the election itself and if they have such amount to spend on primaries, how much will they spend for the election itself and where did they get that amount from," he asked.
Mr Okai advised the people to vote for the NDC and its Presidential candidate Professor John Evans Atta Mills in the impending election to turn round their fortunes for the better.
He said Prof Atta Mills and the NDC had the antidote for their problems in line with the social democratic policy of the party, which placed the welfare of the people above all other considerations. This, he said, contrasted sharply with the NPP's property owning democracy policy that could not free the people from "the shackles of poverty since only a few would benefit, making the poor poorer and the rich richer".
Ghanaians wanted a change in 2000 and now can compare the NDC and the NPP to see which of the two should be given the nod to assume office after the next elections, Mr Okai said.
Source:
GNA
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Aggudey threatens legal action against CPP
Kumasi, Dec. 17, GNA - Mr George Opesika Aggudey, one of the presidential aspirants of the Convention People's Party (CPP), has urged the party's leadership to conduct thorough investigation into the conduct of some presidential aspirants that led to malpractices in the national delegates' congress of the party in Kumasi. He accused some of his colleague aspirants of trying to manipulate the electoral system to enable them have unfair advantage over him in the race.
Mr Aggudey told newsmen that the names of some of the delegates who were perceived to be his supporters had been intentionally deleted from the voters' register and threatened to take legal action to nullify the results of the elections.
He said it was imperative for the leadership of the party to ensure that the elections were devoid of all forms of malpractices in order to choose a rightful leader who could lead the CPP to victory. Mr Aggudey said he would use all constitutional means to fight against moves to deprive him of leading the party.
Mr Riley Opoku, the Congress Chairman, confirmed that Mr Aggudey had submitted an official protest letter but declined to comment. He, however, gave the assurance that the Leadership was engaged in discussions to address the anomalies for a successful congress. Meanwhile, counting of the ballot is underway after all night long voting by the delegates.
Officials from the National Electoral Commission are supervising the elections that are expected to choose a presidential candidate and national executives for the party.
Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa; Dr F.W.A. Akufo; Dr Kwaku Osafo; Mt Bright Akwetey and Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom are the other contestants for the CPP presidential slot.
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GNA
Bidders clear goods with false documents
Accra, Dec. 17, GNA - The government auction Task Force overseeing the sale of all overstayed containers at Tema Port on Monday said it had uncovered deals in which some professional bidders were using fake bank payment receipts to clear containers from the port.
Besides, some others were not paying anything at all on their winning bids and in the process denied government of needed revenue for development, Mr Harry Owusu, Executive Secretary of the Revenue Agency Governing Board told journalists at press briefing on the auction sales. Mr Owusu said checks at the Ghana Commercial Bank, where such monies were to be paid, confirmed that the bidders had actually failed to make the requisite payments even though the containers had been successfully cleared from the port.
So far five persons, all members of the so-called Professional Bidders, have been arrested in connection with the acts. The suspects are P.C. Mensah, Yaw Marfo, Kofi Owusu, Felix Boadi and A.A. Kodie.
He said although not yet established, it was strongly believed that these suspected miscreants might be enjoying some 'official' collaboration to be able to put their plans into effect.
"The Task Force is in the process of conducting a comprehensive investigation to ascertain how far the current system of clearing goods from the port has been abused," Mr Owusu said.
He said those developments impacted negatively on government's revenue mobilization drive and frustrated attempts by Customs, Excise and Preventive Service Management to meet its annual target. The Task Force was set up in September this year to see to the sale of over-stayed containers at the Port to help decongest it and unlock government revenue.
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GNA
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Dagbon Women Cry, As They March On Govt
Queen-mothers, wives, and princesses of the Andani Royal Family in the Dagbon kingdom embarked on a peaceful demonstration through the principal streets of Tamale on Monday, 10th December 2007, as way of putting pressure on the government and its agencies to find the killers of the late overlord of Dagbon Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani II.
The queen-mothers and the other royals were joined by hundreds of Dagbon citizens who clearly identify with the pain and agony of the royal family members.
The significant thing about the procession was that the majority of the participants were women.
The protestors marched through the principal streets of Tamale amidst drumming and singing, and finally converged at the offices of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, where they presented a petition to the Regional Coordinating Director, for onward presentation to the president John Ajyekum Kufour.
Some of the placards displayed by the protestors read, “Mr. President find the killers of Yaa-Naa”; “We will not accept a breach of our custom”, amongst others.
The petition accuses the NPP government of complacency in finding the perpetrators of the gruesome murder of the Yaa-Naa and about 40 others. The petition also challenged the president to act in accordance with the promise that he made during his nationwide broadcast that he would use all the security apparatus to apprehend the killers.
The petition further restated the Andani family’s opposition to the performance of the funeral of Naa-Mahamadu Abdullai at the Gbewaa Palace.
It says such a move would be in breach of the Dagbon custom, which must not be sacrificed in the name of peace and reconciliation.
The petition tags the proposed final peace agreement document drafted by the committee of eminent chiefs as a “so-called” one, “bogus and fraudulent”. Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Police Commander E. O. Brakatu, says the procession was in breach of the public order act, since the organizers failed to adhere to the advice of the police service to postpone it.
But the organizers who say the procession was also to coincide with the UN day for freedom claim they met all requirements and cannot be cited for breach of the law, particularly as the procession was most peaceful with no report of any untoward happening.
It would be recalled that in April 2006, the then newly newly enskinned regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya-Na Abdulai Yakubu Andani, called on President J.A.Kufuor to work assiduously to ensure that those who offended the law, resulting in the murder of his father Ya-Na Yakubu Andani 11 on 27th March 2002 would be brought to book no matter their political background for total peace to prevail. That was some four years after the Ya-Na was killed in a most gruesome fashion after “three days of sustained gunfire”, as it was described by the then Minister of Interior, Malik Alhassan.
Significantly, at the time the Ya-Na was under the “three days of sustained gunfire”, Hon. Malik Alhassan, who also happened to have been the MP for the Yendi constituency (which he still is), was making very strenuous efforts to get the people of Ghana to believe that media reports, particularly reports on Joy FM, that the Ya-Na and his palace had come under gunfire attack were all false.
Hon. Malik consistently told the Ghanaian public that he was in constant touch with Yendi and that the place was “calm”, only for him to come and tell Ghanaians after the Ya-Na had been killed denied that there was “three days of sustained gunfire” and that the Police and Military personnel stationed at Yendi could not go to the rescue of the Ya-Na because “they were afraid for their lives”.
Incredibly, almost six years after the killing of the Ya-Na in broad-daylight after “three days of sustained gunfire”, not even a single person has been brought to book for that dastardly act.
It is this apparent lack of interest in pursuing the perpetrators and bringing them to justice that has compelled the women of Dagbon, led by the queen-mothers, to embark on the demonstration as a way of bringing pressure to bear on the government to find the killers.
Most obsevers have interpreted government’s apparent lack of interest in finding the killers of the Ya-Na to mean that government is covering up for the sponsors of the assassins since arresting the assassins could lead to discovery of their sponsors.
Source:
Lens
New era dawns for CPP
Kumasi, Dec. 17, GNA - The Conventions People's Party (CPP) ended its National Delegates' Congress in Kumasi on Monday in a grand style as supporters of successful candidates went into wild jubilation. The supporters of the winning candidates, who were clad in red, white and green colours of the party trooped unto the streets of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), venue for the congress, singing and dancing to brass band music.
The congress marked a new era in the history of the CPP as many of the long-serving National Executives were torpedoed by the 1,901 delegates, who cast their ballots in an election supervised by the Electoral Commission (EC).
In the race for the Party's presidential slot for Election 2008, Mr George Opesika Aggudey, who had led the party for two consecutive elections, polled only 139 votes, representing 7.3 per cent of the total ballot cast.
In his stead, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom won a "onetouch" victory when he polled 1,022 votes representing 53.76 per cent of the valid votes cast. He was followed by Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa, who got 644 votes representing 33.87 per cent.
The others were Dr Kwaku Osafo, who polled 48 votes representing 2.52 per cent; Mr Bright Akwetey had 37 votes representing 1.95 per cent and Dr F.W.A. Akufo had 11 votes representing 0.57 per cent of the valid votes cast. The total valid votes cast were 1,901. Dr Edmund Delle, who had over the years represented the Party as the National Chairman and Leader, also lost in the contest for the position as he polled 392 votes as against the 1,017 votes by Mr Ladi Nylander; while Mr Iddrisu Egala was voted as the Deputy National Chairman with 500 votes.
The National Vice-Chairmanship position went to Dr Abu Sakara after he had polled 481 votes with Mr Eric Benyako being given the mandate as First Deputy National Vice-Chairperson when he poled 295 votes whilst Madam Araba Bensti-Enchil polled 277 votes to be elected as Second Deputy National Vice-Chairman.
In the contest for the General Secretary, Mr Ivor Greenstreet polled 942 votes to be elected to the position and Mr Mike Nii Ahele Nunoo had 299 votes to be given the mandate as First Deputy General Secretary. Mrs Evelyn Alamisi Anabilla was voted the National Organiser after she had polled 778 votes and Mr Africanus Amankwaa-Appiah polled 508 votes to be elected as the First Deputy National Organiser while Nana Kwaku Domfeh, had 379 votes to get the mandate as Second Deputy National Organizer.
Mr James Bomfeh and Mr Francis Opae-Tetteh had 1,054 votes and 857 votes to be elected as National Youth Organiser and Deputy National Youth Organizer, respectively.
In the race for the National Women's Organizer, Hajia Hamdatu Haruna had 1,282 votes to get the nod with Mrs Rose Anim polling 631 votes to be elected as Deputy National Women's Organiser.
Mr Mike Eghan had 828 votes to become the National Treasurer while Naa Kordai Asimeh polled 468 votes to be elected as First Deputy National Treasurer, with Dr Adolf Lutterodt being elected Second Deputy National Treasurer
The congress was generally peaceful and well-attended by a host of party supporters, sympathizers and activists as well as observers. Dr Delle promised that the old Executives would continue to collaborate with the new one for the sustenance of the Party's programmes and development projects.
He urged the old Executives to bury their differences and contribute their quota to enhance the Party's chances of winning next year's elections.
Dr Nduom thanked the Party for the confidence reposed in him and promised to evolve new strategies to ensure that it wrested power from the New Patriotic Party next year. EKB
Source:
GNA
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Robbers now target churches
Sunyani, Dec 17, GNA - Some churches in Sunyani Municipality have been the target of armed robbers in the run-up to Christmas as worshipper in three churches were attacked within a week. Superintendent of Police Charles Antwi, Sunyani Municipal police commander, told GNA that reports made separately by leaders of the churches indicated that the robberies were carried out with the same method.
He said worshippers at Living Grace Ministry, Jesus Redemption Ministry and Church of Pentecost were attacked during midnight services. The police commander said leaders of the churches reported their cases to the police at about 0100 hours on different days. The leaders told police that four masked armed robbers took their watchmen hostage before entering the church.
The robbers, who were wielding guns and cutlasses, ordered the congregation, including the leaders, to lie down and collected their mobile phones, monies, watches and jewels.
After taking the booty from the congregation, they gave warning shots and vanished from the premises, he said. The police commander appealed to church leaders to inform the police about their night programmes during the Christmas so they would be provided with security.
He gave assurance that the police had stepped up patrols in the night to forestall the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents. In another development some passengers travelling on the Accra/Kumasi road were robbed of their mobile phones and monies by a group of armed robbers.
Mr. Frank Aggrey Fynn, Brong-Ahafo Regional Circulation Assistant of Graphic Communication Group, told the GNA that on reaching a place between Nkawkaw and Bereku at about 0100 hours on Monday, they saw about 20 vehicles parked by the side of the road and they thought one of them had been involved in an accident.
He said when the Neoplan bus on which he was drew near, they saw a lot of people lying on the ground and one of the robbers stood in front of the bus and ordered the driver to stop. The robber stood at the entrance of the bus and instructed passengers to come out and to drop their mobile phones and monies on the ground and lie down.
"Those who did not have any money or mobile phones were beaten. An old lady who claimed she did not have any money was stripped naked and her money, which she hand tied around her waist removed." "I felt for the woman and in an attempt to look at what was happening one of the robbers slapped me and shouted at me to put my head down," Mr. Fynn said.
The robbers later fled into the bush with huge sums of money and mobile phones.
Some people have appealed to government to allow soldiers to combine with the police to go on night patrols, on especially the Kumasi-Accra road during the Christmas festivities. Mr. Kwaku Senkyire, a businessman, expressed regret that the country had degenerated into such "a chaotic state" and appealed to the security agencies not to deal leniently with such economic saboteurs. "They (armed robbers) need to be finished wherever they will be found operating to serve as a deterrent to like-minded citizens or foreigners", he said.
Madam Grace Siriboe, a caterer, said she was scared to travel to Accra for her goods and also appealed for a reinforcement of the security on the country's major roads during the festivities to curb the activities of the armed robbers.
She also advocated for "instant justice" for armed robbers who would be caught in the act "because they are human beings who do not deserve to exist in society".
Source:
GNA
Ghana Telecomm lands $200m bond
Accra, Dec. 17, GNA- The Management of Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited (GT), has announced the successful issuance of a 200 million-dollar corporate bond facility.
This restores GT's financial flexibility and access to vendor financing to support the company's much needed programme of upgrading and extension of fixed and mobile networks.
The bond adds no new debt to the company, representing a balance sheet structuring exercise designed to refinance the company's existing portfolio of maturing short term commercial obligations and generally extending the maturity profile of the company's debts. The facility would significantly enhance the network's operations, a statement issued by GT in Accra on Monday said.
The amount is an aggregate principal amount of corporate bonds to be issued and the first US Dollar denominated Africa Corporate Bond outside South Africa and Nigeria.
The statement said the GT notes carried an 8.5 per cent coupon and amortized annually in five equal instalments of 40 million dollars, maturing on 29 October 2012.
The GT notes were arranged by Iroko Securities Limited and placed by Iroko Financial Products Limited and Exotix Limited. According to Mr Joe Owusu-Ansah, Acting Chief Financial Officer of Ghana Telecom, "the successful placement of a bond of this size is further confirmation of the wisdom of our financing and business strategy which is principally aimed at reversing the erosion of our market share and indeed aggressively reclaiming our position as the leader in the Ghana telephony market".
He explained that the high level of investor interest shows that "the international capital markets share our view of GT's potential and prospects and I am especially pleased with the number of renowned investors that participated in the transaction."
Mr Guy Essom=E9, Director, Structured Products, Iroko Securities, said he was elated by the successful conclusion of the arrangement. He said "the transaction represents the first foray of a Ghanaian corporate in the international capital markets."
Mr Guy Essom=E9 said it comes closely on the heels of the Government of Ghana's own Eurobond issue and was priced at a 1% yield spread above that of the Government of Ghana. "This is proof of the purpose and the success of the Government of Ghana Eurobond issue, one objective of which was the ability to establish a benchmark against which other domestic issuers could be priced," Mr Essom=E9 said.
Mr Peter Bartlett, Managing Director of Exotix, described the deal as "ground-breaking because Ghana Telecom is the first corporate entity to issue a USD denominated bond in sub-Saharan Africa, except South Africa."
Twelve investors took part in the transaction illustrating that a large deal issued by an unrated borrower could be successfully managed and distributed by smaller investment banking houses like Exotix and Iroko Securities.
"We believe that this kind of African deal requires specialist handling by entities that have an established track record in Africa and a dedicated sales-team to handle the challenge of distributing relatively illiquid product."
GT said the transaction was proof that it was possible for large Ghanaian companies to diversify their source of funds and investor base by accessing offshore markets without government guarantee, in spite of the absence of a strong partner which can lend its name to their credibility.
Source:
GNA
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Last batch of pilgrims flown out
Accra, Dec. 17, GNA - The last batch of 520 Hajj pilgrims left Accra at 1745 hours on Monday bringing the total to 2,516 under a special dispensation Saudi Arabian Authorities granted Ghanaians after Friday's closure of Jeddah Airport.
The pilgrims were flown out in six batches beginning on Saturday morning.
The first flight picked 295 pilgrims, while 337 pilgrims were on board the second.
Five hundred and twenty-nine Hajj pilgrims, forming the third batch, left Accra at 1450 hours on Sunday for Jeddah aboard a Boeing 747 aircraft that came from Saudi Arabia.
The fourth and fifth batches made up of 295 and 540 pilgrims, respectively, left on Sunday night with the sixth batch of 520 pilgrims leaving on Monday. The extension granted Ghanaians ends at midnight Monday.
It had earlier been expected that about 2,700 pilgrims would make the trip but it turned out that some did not have valid travel documents.
President John Agyekum Kufuor had to intervene to get the Saudi Arabians to receive the Ghanaian pilgrims after the Jeddah Airport was closed on Friday December 14, 2007.
Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to the President, said the Government successfully secured an extension for Ghanaian pilgrims to arrive in Saudi Arabia on December 17, 2007. The Government on Thursday announced it was stepping in to get stranded Ghanaian pilgrims airlifted to Saudi Arabia for the Hajj, one of the most important pillars of Islam. Mr Awuni said President Kufuor had ordered an investigation to unravel the cause of the unfortunate situation that led to the pilgrims becoming stranded in Accra.
Source:
GNA
Security men in court for stealing yellow corn
Tema, Dec. 17, GNA - Four security men, Baba Issah, Christian Ahiamadzi, Abdul Rahman and Richmond Sarpong who allegedly conspired with a cargo truck driver to steal bags of yellow corn belonging to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) appeared in a circuit court in Tema on Thursday.
The Tema Circuit Court 'A' presided over by Mr Charles Asiedu granted the four bail in the total sum of 400 million cedis with one surety each.
The four pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy to steal and stealing and are to re-appear in court on January 16, next year. Prosecution told the court that the four were detailed to guard the Global Haulage Warehouse at Kpone near Tema on December 08 this year. They allegedly conspired with one Seidu, the driver of Mercedes Benz Cargo Truck with registration number AS 9308 X to steal bags of yellow corn belonging to MOFA, which were stored in the warehouse. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Duuti Tuaruka, told the court that at about 1700 hours, the four left the warehouse unattended to and allowed the driver and other accomplices to load the truck with their booty.
DSP Tuaruka said the driver and the others bolted leaving behind the truck loaded with 16 bags of the yellow corn when a policeman chanced on them and raised the alarm. He said the four accused persons re-surfaced minutes after their accomplices had fled.
Investigations were still underway to apprehend the driver and the others at large, he added.
Source:
GNA
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Ejura-Sekyedumase District sponsors 153 untrained teachers
Ejura (Ash), Dec. 17, GNA- The Ejura-Sekyedumase District Assembly is sponsoring 153 untrained teachers in the district under the untrained teacher training in Diploma Basic Education (UTTBE) programme at the cost of over GN=A27,650.
Dr. Joseph Ayarkwa, District Chief Executive (DCE), who announced this said, 96 teacher trainees were also being sponsored by the assembly at the cost of GH=A29,600 each academic year.
Dr. Ayarkwa was speaking at this year's Best Teachers and Workers Award ceremony at Ejura on Thursday, under the theme "Meeting the challenges of the New Education Reform through a Motivated and Resourced Teacher". Thirty-five teachers and workers selected from the basic and second cycle institutions received various awards including Table Top Refrigerators, colour Television sets, Electric Gas Ovens, Bicycles, Roofing Sheets, Standing Fans and Wall Clocks estimated at over GH=A27,000.
Dr. Ayarkwa announced that, 87 teaching assistants have been engaged under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to fill various vacancies in the schools.
The District Assembly, he said, has put-up new classroom blocks at Baware, Mbanoa, Ejura Brigade, Ejura Anglican Primary, Sekyedumase Seventh Day Adventist, Zabrama, Ayenboboano and Sekyedumase Presbyterian School to absorb the increasing number of pupils.
Dr. Ayarkwa said, the district assembly has also constructed a four-unit teachers' living accommodation each at Nsubonta, Adiembra Nkwanta, Anyinasu, Sekyedumase and Bayere Nkwanta to attract, motivate and retain teachers who were posted to the area.
Under the Community-Based Rural Development Project, the District Chief Executives said, 14 institutional KVIP's were being constructed at Atakura number 1, Atakura number2, Babuso, Samari Nkwanta and Bisiw. Nana Tawia Tiwaa II, Queen of Ejura who presided, lamented the poor and low enrolment of girls in the schools and advised parents and guardians to encourage their girls of school-going age to go to school. She commended teachers in the district for their sacrifices and hard work and advised them to keep it up.
Source:
GNA
Parliament urged to pass legislation on Northern Development Fund
Accra, Dec. 17, GNA - The Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), a pressure group, has urged Parliament, especially the Northern Caucus to ensure that a legislation is passed on the Northern Development Fund.
A statement issued in Accra on Monday and signed by Mr Bismark Adongo Ayorogo, President, the group said the enactment of a law to establish and govern its operations would not only lead to its sustainability and perpetual existence, but also make it possible for ordinary citizens to take appropriate legal action against any government or institution that might be found to show little commitment to the fund.
The statement said like the District Assemblies' Common Fund (DACF), the law should stipulate a specific amount from total tax revenue each year to be allocated to the fund.
"The 48 percent of government expenditure for Northern Ghana advocated by the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy 1 (GPRS1) was never implemented. Now that the government has listened to the cries of the poor and has taken the bold step to bridge the development gap between the north and the south, it is not too late to revisit the GPRS1 stipulation and use the same percentage as a starting point for allocation of state resources to the Northern Development Fund." According to the statement, development experts had indicated that the active participation and involvement of the end beneficiaries in any development programme was the surest way of achieving its successful implementation.
The statement urged all parliamentarians from the north, to use the Christmas break to discuss with their constituents the socio-economic development potentials of the three northern regions and specific areas that the fund should target.
This it said would enable them to get first hand information and acquire in-depth knowledge about the people's needs and aspirations. "It is our strong belief that this will lead to effective prioritisation of programmes and projects and the drawing up of a marshal plan for the development of Northern Ghana," the statement said, adding, a budget for the marshal plan would properly inform and convince government of the inadequacy of the GH=A225 million allocated to the fund.
The statement reiterated government's call on its development partners to contribute significantly to the alleviate the sufferings of the vast majority of people who were poor and vulnerable.
It also urged all stakeholders including civil society organisations to show keen interest in the fund by contributing towards it as well as monitoring the inflow and utilization of resources to ensure its judicious use.
Source:
GNA
Twifo District to get nursing training school
Twifo-Praso (C/R), Dec. 17, GNA- Mr Samuel Agyeibie-Kessie, the District Chief Executive of Twifo-Hemang-Lower-Denkyira, said a nursing training school would be opened in the area in January next year. He appealed to the people to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme for accessible and better health care delivery. Mr Agyeibie-Kessie was speaking at the annual get-together organized by the Twifo-Praso branch of the Ghana Pensioners Association on Saturday.
He asked the people to take advantage the Capitation Grant and School Feeding Programme and send their children to school. Mr Agyei-Kessie said the assembly would honour senior citizens in the area who have contributed towards the development of the district. He donated 100 Ghana cedis and pledged 50 bags of cements and three packets of roofing sheets towards the construction of an office for the association.
Mr Peter Akowuah, chairman of the association, said the group would contribute to the development of the district.
Source:
GNA
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