Rainfall exposes drainage flaws in Accra suburbs
ACCRA, April 27, GNA - A three-hour downpour on Sunday rendered parts of Kaneshie and its environs flooded while residents pedestrians and motorists were marooned and waited patiently for the floods to subside. Many homes, petrol service stations, storage facilities and the main Kaneshie market road, Obetsebi Lamptey circle and the Odaw drainage were dangerous areas to tread as flood waters rose to waist level.
When the Ghana News Agency's photo journalists got there, pedestrians and motorist were struggling to navigate the little dry spots and least affected landscapes to reach their various destinations.
Around the Kaneshie market area, market women, shoppers and commuters had to run for cover whilst many from church services had to struggle to join the nearest "trotro" buses to whisk them away to safety.
Source:
GNA
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Kufuor Will Not Be Touched
-- John & John pledge
… His constitutional privileges will also not be varied
… he and Rawlings will be consulted on national issues
The Newly Appointed running mate of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama, says the new NDC government would not engage in political witch hunting. According to him, the government under Prof. Mills will protect President Kufour and give him all the respect and courtesy that he deserves, as one of the only two surviving former Presidents of Ghana.
In an exclusive interview with The Chronicle, John said under no circumstance would the courtesies and facilities due to President Kufour be withdrawn, even if he was critical of the new NDC government.
“These facilities were constitutionally guaranteed and could not be withdrawn as happened in the recent past”. He stated that Prof Mills would treat both Presidents Rawlings and Kufour equally and respect them as elderly statesmen, and their advice and criticism would be appreciated and taken in good faith. Mr. Mahama maintained that the Serious Fraud Office, CHRAJ and other anti- graft agencies would be empowered to carry out their legal mandates, adding that they will also amend the constitution to remove the bottleneck on the legal restriction that prevents CHRAJ from investigating a matter without receiving a formal complaint.
“Investigations into corruption would be fair and transparent and without reference to one’s political colour or ethnic origin”. He disclosed that they would also scrap the office of accountability in the office of the president. Touching on the role the media would play, the running mate said the new NDC would engage the media as an ally in nation building, adding that programs would be put in place to help the media in fulfilling its watch dog role assigned to it in the 1992 constitution. He said such programmes would be transparent and be implemented under the aegis of the National Media Commission and the Ghana Journalist Association. He reiterated that the new NDC does not consider the media as an enemy, but as a partner in disseminating its programmes and messages to the people.
John Mahama recently returned from Kumasi, where he was warmly received by the Asantehene and the people of Kumasi. He was reported to have given a well applauded presentation on NDC’s energy policy on behalf of Prof. Mills at the KNUST energy seminar.
Source:
chronicle
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Govt prepares to battle the “oil curse”
Big oil is coming to Ghana and the outcome could be explosive, civil society warns
ACCRA(IRIN) - Two oil exploration companies recently said the discovery of an estimated three billion barrels of oil is set to propel the country into the league of the big African oil producers when production starts in 2010.
Some 18.2 percent of Ghana’s 22 million people are deemed “extremely poor” by the UN as they live on less than a dollar a day, struggling to access basic social services like health, water and education.
The potential for the oil finds to transform the economy and the lives of the poorest people is manifold.
Ghana’s officials, however, say they are concerned that the oil discovery is “perhaps the greatest managerial challenge” facing the West African country in the 51 years since it gained independence.
“At this point we acknowledge that we lack the know-how to manage this enormous resource but we are blessed with the experience of others,” said Francis Ackah, engineering manager of the Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC), the agency which oversees the country’s petroleum resources.
In March 2008 Ghanaian President John Kufuor, speaking at an extractive industries forum, warned that “instead of being a blessing, oil sometimes proves the undoing of many… nations who come by this precious commodity”.
Avoiding the Nigeria scenario
Oil revenues in countries like Angola, Chad, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea have not translated into a significant improvement in basic living standards for many of the poorest people in those countries.
Nigeria is the largest oil exporter in Africa, producing 2.5 million barrels per day, but between 2004 and 2005, it dropped seven places on the UN human development index, from 151 to 158 out of 177 countries monitored.
Over 70 percent of Nigeria’s 130 million inhabitants survive on less than a dollar a day, according to the UN, even though world oil prices have soared. The oil-rich south is plagued by protracted unrest as local communities demand a share of the revenue.
This situation is what Ghanaian officials say they are keen to avoid.
Money starts flowing
The first major discovery that hinted at the riches under Ghana’s coastline was announced in June 2007. A second major find was confirmed in February 2008. Both discoveries were 65km off the coastal town of Effasu.
The government is aiming to produce 100,000 barrels per day in early 2010. Output is expected to reach 200,000 barrels in five years, when Ghana would be the seventh largest oil producer in Africa.
The GNPC estimates revenue levels of almost US$3 million per day, or some US$1.6 billion per year. Ghana’s current gross domestic product (GDP) is US$31.23 billion and per capita income is US$1,400.
The money has already started flowing. On 1 April US-Canadian company Tullow Oil, one of the exploration groups, declared payment of tax liabilities of US$2.3 million to the government.
Transparency
Farouk Al-Kasim, an oil resource management consultant from Norway who is in Ghana to assist in capacity building, told IRIN the biggest challenge the Ghanaian government faces is ensuring transparency from the outset and avoiding corruption.
To achieve this, the country must first review its legal framework, specifically the Petroleum Exploration and Production Law passed in 1984, Al-Kasim said.
Accusations are already flying that transparency is not working as it should.
“We need to keep an eagle eye on the contracts we are signing with the oil companies,” said the Executive Secretary of Transparency International’s local chapter, Vitus Azim.
He said the current agreement-signing processes with the oil companies had been “less than desirable” and that if civil society and local communities were not allowed to monitor the deals from the outset it “could spell disaster”.
Ghana has consistently scored averagely on the Transparency International corruption perceptions index. In 2007 it was ranked 69 out of 180 countries surveyed worldwide.
Kojo Kwarteng, a spokesperson for the government, dismissed the concerns. He told IRIN the government was currently most concerned about making sure it could independently verify the profits oil companies were making so it could make sure it was getting its cut.
Under existing law, companies involved in the exploration and production of oil will pay royalties to the government of 5 percent, as well as interest, and income tax of 35 percent.
“What we need is clear guidelines backed by law to make sure we are not shortchanged,” Kwarteng told IRIN.
The “Norway model”
GNPC official Francis Ackah said the government’s longer-term plan was to adopt the so-called “Norway model” of resource allocation, a revenue management scheme employed in Norway, the world’s third largest oil exporter.
Norway in 1990 set up the Petroleum Fund of Norway. Run by the central bank, the fund converts oil revenues into stocks and bonds. The fund then hires external managers to invest the assets. Finally, the money is allocated to social services like roads, schools, houses, and health centres, and is given out as loans to small-scale businesses.
Steve Manteaw of the Ghanaian non-governmental organisation ISODEC said Ghana is “not developed enough” to employ this model and cannot afford to put money away in a fund when it has so many immediate needs.
“We must develop a ‘Ghanaian model’ that will factor in our peculiarity, but incorporating all best practices across the world,” he said.
Transparency International’s local chapter, however, believes the “Norway model” is the best for Ghana “because of its core principles of transparency and independence in oil revenue management”, said Transparency International’s Azim.
As civil society and the government haggle over oversight at the top level, community leaders have made it clear they are not going to remain silent.
“We will not sit down for the wealth to elude us, we are ready to fight for what rightfully belongs to us,” warned Asagyefo Ogyeahohoo, the traditional chief of one of the communities whose shores will soon play host to oil exploration activities.
“The battle has just begun,” he promised.
The Ghanaian government has already barred these communities from fishing around areas where oil exploration is under way; a move some of the community representatives say threatens their livelihoods.
Manteaw of ISODEC said: “Dialoguing with the communities to agree on a formula for distributing the oil wealth is a right the communities cannot be denied.”
Drawing on the experience of Nigeria, he told IRIN that excluding local communities in the decision-making process would “breed mistrust that could trigger the sort of conflict witnessed in Nigeria’s Delta region”.
Some civil society groups have even called for the country’s Human Rights Commission to be involved - to check that any promises made by government to the communities are honoured.
Manteaw noted that according to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, “after 100 years of mining gold in this country there is little to show [for it] in these communities.”
For him, promises by government to share out the gold wealth fairly with local communities have been nothing more than empty. Much of this he attributes to corruption.
Government spokesperson Kwarteng said critics should keep an open mind. “We are committed to doing things differently now; the lessons are being learnt; we hope our actions so far will be a testament to our resolve to make this enormous resource benefit the people,” he said.
Source:
IRIN
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Over 700 children involved in worst forms of labour in Kumasi
Kumasi, April 26, GNA- Over 700 children had been identified in ten suburbs of Kumasi as being involved in the worst forms of child labour. Out of the number, 410 have been selected to be given free education or employable skills.
Mr Martin Opoku Sekyere, Senior Labour Officer at the Kumasi Labour Office, revealed this in Kumasi on Friday, during a sensitisation programme organised by the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), in conjunction with the Labour Commission, for members of the Anloga Carpenters and Woodworkers Association.
He however noted that, some of the children could not be traced after the decongestion exercise due to the fact that, they were living in kiosks and other slumps when a research was conducted to identify them.
Mr Sekyere said that the education was in line with the joint collaboration between the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) in their efforts to fight against the worst forms of child labour. He mentioned the child labour prone areas as Anloga, Asafo, Aboabo Number one and Two, Moshie Zongo, Adum, Suame Kotoko, Race Course, Roman Hill and Dichemso.
The Senior Labour Officer emphasised said parents of the children selected would also be given employable skills by the Centre for Development of People (CEDEP) and the Small Skill Business Services Network (SSBSN).
It's being sponsored by the KMA and ILO, and would equip them with soft loans to enable them to take care of their children. Mr Michael Ampong, Senior Field Officer of the NCCE stressed that the worst forms of child labour deprive children of their education and also affect their health.
He said some of the children were exposed to sophisticated machines and hazardous chemicals at the carpentry shops, which were dangerous to their physical developments.
He also mentioned mining and trokosi as places where children perform tedious jobs, but added that, child work such as doing household chores were allowed since they do not pose any threat to the child's health.
The NCCE Officer said child labour is often caused by misplaced priority, poverty, violence in the home, peer pressure among others, saying, they could lead to death, deformity and increased dependency rate and cautioned all to desist from child labour. He said offenders could be prosecuted if they are reported to the Commission on Human Rights and Administration Justice (CHRAJ) and the Domestic Violence and Victims' Support Unit (DOVVSU).
Torgbuiga Mawufe-Ame Fugah, Chairman of the Anloga Woodworkers Association promised to help eradicate the menace, and appealed to policy makers to initiate policies to favour the micro and small scale industries.
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GNA
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Kufuor meets Alan & Nana Addo
President John Agyekum Kufuor yesterday held a three-hour meeting with the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Mr. Alan Kyerematen, runner-up in the flagbearership race.
The latter’s recent resignation from the ruling party, which received massive media coverage, was copiously discussed during the marathon session.
The meeting ended with a decision to empanel a committee to probe the allegations made by Mr. Kyerematen, with a view to reconciling the feuding stakeholders in the party, according to a release signed by Ambassador D.K. Osei, Secretary to the President.
President Kufuor, in his maiden public reaction to the resignation, appealed to party members and the public to desist from acts or statements likely to as he put it, “inflame passions”.
A dinner in which the trio partook pointed at a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Source:
Daily Guide
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Care International to intensify support for Girl-Child education
Mampong (Ash), April 26, GNA - Care International, an International Non- Government Organisation (NGO), will as from next month intensify its support for girl-child education through the introduction of a project dubbed: "Innovation for Marginalized Girls' Education" (IMAGE) in the Mampong Municipality and the Amansie West District.
The project, which is designed to increase the involvement of stakeholders to brainstorm and find out why many girls were not in school with a view to providing a remedy, is aimed, among others, at improving girls enrollment, retention and performance in school. It will be implemented with the support of Patsy Collins Trust Fund Initiative, based in the United Stated of America (USA).
Mr. Eric Balangtaa, Sales facilitator of Care International, responsible for Mampong Municipality, announced this on Friday at a Girl-Child Education stakeholders meeting at Mampong in the Ashanti Region.
It was attended by 15 participants drawn from the Municipal education office, the beneficiary communities and the Municipal Assembly. The meeting was aimed, among others at creating more awareness among stakeholders on the role expected of them in the successful implementation of responsibility for Education of Girls' Active Learning (REGAL II) project.
Mr. Balangtaa, stated that, REGAL II which was launched on February 13 this year, after the successful completion of REGAL I in the same month was geared towards improving gender equality in basic schools in 40 communities in the Mampong Municipality and the Amansie West District. According to him, REGAL II project was designed to provide gender sensitive recreational and sanitary facilities in order to sustain girls' interest in school.
He explained that the meeting which would be held quarterly would update stakeholders' knowledge on the activities of REGAL II and also provide a forum for them to make input into the implementation process of the project so as to meet the challenges confronting it. According to him, so far 3,500 girls from the two districts have benefited from the project and that a total of GH¢66,000 has been spent by Care International on the project with the support from General Electric Foundation in the USA
In an address read for him, Mr. Haruna Oppong-Boateng, the outgoing District Chief Executive for Sekyere West advised participants to attached importance to the meetings and be punctual in order to promote girl-child education in the municipality.
Source:
GNA
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Military/police patrol team arrest suspected armed robbers
Sunyani April 25, GNA - The vigilance of the Brong-Ahafo Regional patrol team has led to the arrest of five suspected armed robbers including a 70-year-old man at Kintampo.
Briefing the press on Friday at Sunyani Deputy Commissioner of Police James Oppong _Boanuh, the Regional Police Commander, gave the names of suspects as Osumani Hamid Sambo, 70, trader, Ibrahim Bango,32, trader, Amadu Ibrahim, 56, farmer, Adamu Hamidu, 56, farmer, Asoma Adam 33, driver .
He said a joint military/police team had been patrolling the Kintampo/Tamale road due to frequent armed robberies and on April 22, police had tip-off that a gang of robbers were operating at a location between Babatokuma and Tahiru village.
The team moved to the place and came across a Tico taxi cab with registration number AS 1994Y with five occupants. The patrol team searched the vehicle and found one locally manufactured pistol and five live ammunitions, a torch light, a cutlass, a knife and an amount of 945 Ghana cedis.
He said the suspects were handed over to the Kintampo police and were on Wednesday arraigned before the Techiman circuit court charged with armed robbery and possession of arms. They were remanded and would reappear on May 8.
Mr Oppong-Boanuh commended the patrol team for their excellent performance on the region's highways and appealed to the public to assist police with information.
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GNA
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First World Malaria Day Marked in Accra
Accra, April 25, GNA - The Minister of Health, Major Courage Quashigah (Rtd) has called on Ghanaians to be responsible for their immediate environment for an aggressive scale-up of malaria control.
He said malaria was an enemy that should be tackled in "a military style from all angles, spray them dead, target their breeding sites by clearing all stagnant waters".
The Minister made the call at the World Malaria Day, which is the first to be organised to replace the Africa Malaria Day instituted in 2000.
The day under the theme: "Malaria - A Disease without Borders" was considered at the World Health Assembly held in May last year where delegates from member states observed that global awareness of malaria remained low despite the high death toll and cost of the disease. The health Assembly therefore, resolved that world malaria day should be commemorated annually to provide education and understanding of malaria and spread the information, intensified implementation of national control strategies in a whole year.
Major Quashigh said: "malaria does not respect immigration laws, the mosquito does not need visa from you to travel to Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, Burkina Faso or even to Europe to continue its havoc" and asked "why do you think they spray their aircraft when they are leaving Ghana"? He explained that eliminating malaria would increase productivity and wealth and that money spent on malaria could be channelled into building of more schools, clinics and other infrastructure. The Minister urged governments, corporate bodies, and international institutions to unite for an aggressive improvement of the control of malaria.
Dr. Joacquim Saweka, World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative who read the message on behalf of the Africa Regional Director, Dr. Luis Sambo called on highly endemic countries to give priority to accelerating implementation of interventions and strengthening, monitoring and evaluation systems to give reduction of the malaria burden.
He said investment in strengthening health systems, capacity and links with community based interventions should be the cornerstone of the orientation to accelerate progress for better health and development.
Improved partnership would also be needed to reduce the burden of the disease and break its vicious cycle, disability and poverty, which jeopardising the attainment of the MDGs.
"Moving forward on the continuum of malaria control to elimination will require increased and long term commitment, strong partnerships and advocacy, sustained and predictable financing, thorough analysis and appropriate response to implementation bottlenecks and continuous monitoring of programmes performance against investment".
Dr. Constance Plange-Rhule, Programme Manager for Malaria Control took participants through how malaria is transmitted, its symptoms, treatment and prevention said it was time to act to eliminate the malaria parasite, and track the parasites through the use of effective anti-malarial and through microscopy to give the actual malaria prevalence rate for the country.
She urged all to get their surroundings clean to avoid the breeding of mosquitoes and unite to fight the enemy mosquito.
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GNA
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NDC urges Government to release electoral funds to EC
Accra, April 24, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Thursday called on the government to release electoral funds to the Electoral Commission (EC) to ensure update preparation towards the December general polls.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, NDC General Secretary told newsmen at a press conference in Accra that the party upheld the principles that a credible voter's register is fundamental requirement for transparent and fair elections.
"We are therefore strongly appealing to the government to adequately resource the EC to ensure that any doubt about the credibility of the electoral process is cleared," he said.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah explained that signals picked by the party indicated that the EC seems to be handicapped financially. He said the EC indicated during the recent Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting that due to financial constraints the Commission cannot undertake the re-opening of the Voters Register at all the over 21,000 polling stations but rather would limit the exercises to only 5,000 electoral centres.
Mr Asiedu Nketiah said the EC Commissioners explained that due to limited registration materials, especially photographic equipment, the country would be zone into two "as the commission can only establish 2,500 workstations at a time."
The NDC said the date slated for the commencement of the first major electoral activity for the December general polls-re-opening of the voters register is barely a two-weeks away but "the EC has so far not demonstrated to Ghanaians any effort to establish workstations at all the 5,000 electoral areas simultaneously.
He said: "For the avoidance of doubt the NDC categorically rejects any claim by the EC that their inability to provide 5,000 workstations simultaneously is due to inadequate funding.
"However if they still persist with that reasoning then we urge the government as a matter of urgency to provide the Commission with the necessary resources to enable it cover all the 5,000 electoral areas simultaneously."
The NDC also appealed to the EC to immediately inaugurate the Independent Investigative Committee, which was supposed to examine the discrepancies in electoral figures of about 13 Constituencies in the Ashanti Region.
He said in view of the re-opening of the voters register slated for May 8th to 20th, the party demands that the Committee starts its work immediately to ensure timely completion before the start of the registration exercises without which the exercises would be an effort in futility.
The EC on April 11, this year announced the setting-up of a nine-member Independent Investigative Committee to analytically scrutinize the voters register in order to establish the legitimacy or otherwise of the alleged bloated register in the Ashanti Region. The Committee is made up of two EC Officials, four representatives of the political parties and an official each from the West African Examination Council, the Statistical Service and the Bureau of National Investigation.
The Committee had a two-week mandate from the day of inauguration to complete the task of delving into the NDC's complaints of the bloated register.
The Committee was also mandate to scrutinize the source of the discrepancies and how to prevent its occurrences and make the appropriate recommendations to the Commission. Professor John Evans Atta Mills, the flag bearer of the NDC last March, expressed concern about the bloating of the voter's register in 13 constituencies in the Ashanti Region.
He said the figures in the 13 constituencies were so outrageous that there was the need for proper investigations to set the records straight, adding that, any political party that believes in democracy should find out why the register was bloated in the 13 constituencies. Professor Mills stated that the issue should not be the worry of the NDC alone but all the political parties in the country. He said the bloating of the registration in the 13 constituencies should be a national concern and that the matter should be dealt with appropriately or else he would find it difficult to accept the electoral process.
The party claimed that they got information on the bloated figure from the EC on a CD Rom after writing officially to the Commission and agreed to an investigation to ascertain the truth or otherwise.
Source:
GNA
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Akufo-Addo urges Ghanaians to renew NPP's mandate
Adeiso (E/R), April 24, GNA - Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has appealed to Ghanaians to consider the achievements of the NPP government over the past seven years and give it another chance to continue to develop the country.
He said this when his campaign tour to the Eastern Region took him to Adeiso in the Upper West Akyem constituency on Wednesday where he addressed supporters of the party. Nana Akufo-Addo said the NPP government over the last seven years had undertaken more development projects in all parts of the country to improve the living standard of the people.
He said giving the NPP another chance to govern the country meant giving development of the country a chance. Nana Akufo-Addo said the National Health Insurance Scheme, the School Feeding Programme, the Capitation Grant and the Mass Cocoa Spraying exercise among others introduced by the NPP government had taken a lot of burdens from the people, assuring that more of such interventions would be introduced when given the mandate in December.
He expressed concern about the inability of the NPP to win the Upper West Akyem constituency seat from the National Democratic Congress in previous elections and said the party would do all it could positively to win the seat for the first time come December 7. Mr Kwabena Sintim Aboagye, West Akyem Municipal Chief Executive, said the constituency had benefited from government interventions since it came to power in 2001.
He said the area had benefited from road construction, school building, clinics and rural electrification and that 31 more communities would benefit from the electrification project this year. Mr Sintim-Aboagye also mentioned that the Asuokoo small water project would soon be completed at the cost of 8 million Ghana cedis. Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, a former Minister of Education, Youth and sports, said Nana Akufo-Addo had a lot of experience to move the country to the next level of development and appealed to Ghanaians to give him the mandate to continue the good works of President Kufuor.
Source:
GNA
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Ban on drumming begins May 12
Accra, April 21, GNA - The Ga Traditional Council announced on Monday that this year's ban on drumming and noise making to herald Homowo will begin on May 12.
A statement signed by Mr. Bernice Bempong, Assistant Regional Registrar, said the ban would be lifted on 12th June. It said Nungua would celebrate its Homowo on July 5, Lante Djan We (August 2), Tema (August 8), Ga Mashie (August 16) and Osu, Ka, Teshie, Kpone, Prampram and Ningo (26 August).
Source:
GNA
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12th UNCTAD to ensure benefits reach developing countries
Accra, April 21, GNA - The 12th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) which opens in Accra on Sunday would aim at limiting the impact of a potential global slowdown and ensuring that the benefits of "second-generation globalization" reached all the world's developing countries and poorest populations.
The conference would seek to identify policies for meeting the urgent needs of the peoples of developing countries and would discuss topical issues in trade and development, such as multilateral rules and disciplines on financial activity and currency flows similar to those regulating international trade.
The theme of UNCTAD XII is: "Addressing the opportunities and challenges of globalization for development".
UNCTAD XII has brought together Heads of State and Government, including the President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor; the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva; the President of Finland, Tarja Halonen; and the President of Sierra Leone, President Bai Koroma, as well as ministers, delegates, representatives of the private sector and non-governmental organizations, experts, artists and journalists. Since September, representatives of UNCTAD's 193 member States have been trying to reach consensus on the text that would be adopted in Accra. The negotiating text reveals their vision of how to respond to current economic questions, and would define UNCTAD's work programme for the next four years.
These intensive negotiations would continue in Accra during sessions of UNCTAD XII's Committee of the Whole. Created in 1964, UNCTAD is responsible for helping developing countries integrate into the world economy so that they benefited as much as possible from trade, investment and development. It aims to guide debate and reflection on global development questions so that the combination of national policies and international action generates sustainable development.
It is the only organization in the UN system to treat development questions in an integrated manner.
Africa would feature prominently at the Accra Conference. The Heads of State and Government would focus on measures needed for African countries to benefit more from globalization and on what should be done to strengthen the international community's efforts to promote development-friendly trade and economic growth in Africa.
This debate would be chaired by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and moderated by UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi. The general debate, which begins on Monday, would be transmitted live on the Internet and would give Heads of State and Government and delegations the opportunity to express their opinions on trade and development issues.
Source:
GNA
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Driver convicted for reckless driving
Awutu (C/R), April 21, GNA - Mr Kofi Ahiabor, presiding over a District Magistrate's Court at Awutu, on Monday imposed a fine of 800 Ghana Cedis on Clement Afful, driver, when the court found him guilty on two charges of dangerous driving and negligently causing harm.
The court ordered that 400 Ghana Cedis out of the fine should defray the cost of a kiosk destroyed by the driver, 200 Ghana Cedis compensation to Police Sergeant James Adabor who the convict knocked down and 200 Ghana Cedis to the state.
In default Afful, who pleaded guilty, would go to jail for two months in hard labour.
Prosecuting, Chief Police Inspector Helena Aidoo told the court that on April 5 a policeman stopped Afful for checks but he sped off, knocked down Sgt Adabor and drove into a kiosk.
Source:
GNA
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Government, NGOs asked to assist victims of Bawku conflict
Bolgatanga, April 21, GNA- Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have been asked to provide emergency food relief to communities affected by the recent violence in Bawku in the Upper East Region.
The appeal was made by the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Religious Groups of Bawku Peace Initiative at the weekend. This was contained in a statement signed by the twelve NGOs and religious bodies that formed the Coalition of CSOs and religious groups of Bawku Peace Initiative.
It was issued to the press after they met in Bolgatanga to deliberate on a comprehensive conflict transformation strategy for the Bawku Municipality.
The Statement said "We have observed that as a consequence of the flood disaster of 2007 coupled with the recent escalation of violence, the food security situation in Bawku is precarious and we urgently appeal for help.
It also appealed to government to consolidate the ongoing efforts aimed at sustaining peace in Bawku and urged all citizens of the area to help in maintaining calm.
The statement said "We members of civil society organizations and religious bodies have taken stock of our involvement and collective responsibility in contributing to peace."
It indicated that the groups were recommitting themselves to engaging fully with all groups in the Bawku conflict to sustain peace and development.
The statement said "We have resolved to intensify consultations in support of the people of Bawku to engage in dialogue towards the search for peace."
It commended the President John Agyekum Kufuor, the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, parliament, religious leaders and security agencies for their contributions towards restoring peace in Bawku.
Source:
GNA
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