Feel free and comment: (But, please INCLUDE the HEADLINE and date of the article) | Please note: Some links may open in a new window! - Private Schools Fleece Parents Over BECE Registration Fee- Workers demand immediate increase in salary - Osafo Maafo in court to fight EOCO invitation - Betty Mould swerves journalists over Woyome saga - Nana Addo Is Confused - Appiah Ofori - Police Service interdicts DSP Mawuenyega - Row over New promotions in police service - Fight against corruption
Mills, Kufuor -the value is the same - Sucatrade unwholesome chicken parts to be destroyed - Akufo-Addo swerves all to keep Woyome heat on NDC - NDC group gives gov’t 4 days to arrest NPP gurus - We Were Angered By “Rented Press” Label – Editor - PPP Blasts CPP - NPP Will Come Back To Power- Ex-President Kufour - Wikipedia and other websites shut down - ETV Ghana Outdoors 100 Most Influential Ghanaians - A Boy’s Suffering, Father’s Pain! - Rawlings Office Apologises Over Security Man's Conduct - Owner of Nigerian vessel pays compensation to govt of Ghana |  Now even more than 150! | 
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| Latest Ghana News Ticker: | Private Schools Fleece Parents Over BECE Registration Fee * Source: Daily Graphic
Some ome private schools in the country are charging above the approved registration fee for this year's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Even though the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) have approved GH¢8.55 as registration fee, some of the schools are charging as much as GH¢107.
The phenomenon is particularly widespread among private schools in Accra which hide behind cost incurred during the registration process to add a string of charges to the approved fee.
While some public schools charge between GH¢12 and GH¢15, some private schools collect between GH¢30 and GH¢110.
For example, at the Holy Family Roman Catholic School at Mataheko, BECE candidates are paying GH¢107; Queen’s Model School at Kotobabi, GH¢60; EP Church School, Mamprobi, GH¢30; Green Pasture Preparatory School at Awoshie, GH¢50; King Edward School at Gbawe, GH¢50; Emmanuel Methodist Preparatory School at Anyah, GH¢40, Holy Cross School at Tetegu near Weija, GH¢30.
A letter dated October 2011 and signed by the acting Director-General of the GES, Mrs Benedicta Naana Biney, noted that 'the fee approved by the Ministry of Education is GH¢28.50.
The government will pay a subsidy of GH¢19.95. This amount represents 70 per cent of the approved fee of GH¢28.50'.
'Parents are, therefore, requested to pay GH¢8.55 per candidate as entry fee for the examination,” it further stated.
It noted that 'any additional charges, such as cost of photograph, should be negotiated with parents/guardians'.
The letter cautioned that 'under no circumstance should heads of schools go on their own way to prescribe charges for parents to pay'.
But this is not the case in many schools. In some of the schools, the authorities charge GH¢10 for passport-sized photographs and GH¢5 for online registration.
While some of the school heads declined to comment, the Headmaster of Queen’s Model School, Mr Dome Carlson, told the Daily Graphic that other fees, including mock examinations, passport pictures, high school selection forms and group photographs, were added to the registration fee.
“We do not want to burden parents by asking them money every now and then for those items and so we agree with parents to put it in one lump sum which they pay at once.
“The private schools have always done better than the public ones because of the level of preparation we give our students through mock examinations and other academic exercises. For instance, in our school we write about four mock examinations before the BECE examinations,” he explained.
He discredited allegations that the schools were using the BECE registration exercise to unduly burden parents when there was a clear directive from the GES on what to charge.
Mr Carlson’s position was trumpeted by the President of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools, Mr Godwin Sowah, who told the Daily Graphic that the private schools were justified in charging the said fees because “other things go into ensuring that the students are comfortable when writing the examination”.
The GES, he stated, could not impose fees on the schools because preparing the students for the examination went beyond just registration.
“In some of the schools, transport fares and even lunch are made part of the fee because the schools are not allowed to write the examination on their premises and the students have to be fed as well,” he stated.
“All those things are components of the registration fee and the schools have the right to add them,” he stated.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the acting Deputy Director-General of the GES in charge of Basic Education, Mr Stephen Adu, urged parents to report all schools that were charging illegal fees to the metropolitan/municipal and district directors of education to ensure that the appropriate action was taken against those schools.
He noted that even though the schools had the right to organise mock BECE examinations for their students, those programmes should not be added to the registration fee.
'It is illegal for any school to make mock examination fee part of the registration fee. What we are encouraging is for the schools to involve parents in their decision making on such issues,' he explained.
Mock examinations, he stated, were very necessary to prepare the candidates for the examination.
He said in situations where mock examination fee was made part of the registration fee, parents should insist on the breakdown of fees to ensure that school heads did not take advantage of the situation.
'We are not in favour of schools charging high fees, but it is equally important that parents assist the schools to prepare the candidates to pass the examination,” he said. | Workers demand immediate increase in salary * Source: Joy Online
Government employees say though the early payment of salary will ease the burden on their finances as a result of the economic hardship brought about by fuel price increases, they will prefer an immediate salary increase.
Government has directed the Controller and Accountant General’s Department to pay all workers by the close of this week but the workers anticipate that prices of commodities will continue to rise as traders pass on cost to consumers, fearing their plight may worsen from February.
Some government workers whom Joy News sampled their opinion, asked the government to restore subsidy on petroleum products or increase salaries, while others dismissed in outright the impact of government’s directive on their lives.
Meanwhile, NAGRAT has already kicked against the decision and wants the tripartite committee to fast track salary negotiations.
The TUC holds a similar position and has issued a statement demanding the restoration of fuel subsidies.
Secretary General of the Union, Kofi Asamoah told Joy News they will soon mount pressure on the government to meet their demand.
“The whole position of removal of subsidies which was imposed by the IMF is unbearable, so we are quite consistent and we are asking the government to as much as possible restore the subsidy.
“It is not a matter of paying workers earlier than their scheduled time; the fact is that the current level of pay and the economic hardship that has been brought by the fuel increases is so much that we cannot afford it.”
He said regional leadership meetings would be held on Wednesday to conclude their next line of action. | Osafo Maafo in court to fight EOCO invitation * Source: Joy Online
Former Finance Minister in the Kufuor administration Yaw Osafo Maafo has appeared before an Accra high court Wednesday to defend his decision not to honour an invitation by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO).
Mr. Osafo Maafo was scheduled to appear before the state investigative body last week to assist in investigations into the controversial judgment debt payment to businessman Alfred Woyome.
He turned down the invitation, alleging that the EOCO has a different agenda from what President Mills had directed it to do in the Woyome judgment debt saga.
Mr. Osafo Maafo was Sports Minister at the time the contract for the construction of stadia for CAN 2008 was awarded. He’s in court to prevent the EOCO from compelling him to appear before it.
According to Joy News reporter Sammy Darko, who was in court, the judge for Wednesday’s hearing, Justice Dennis Agyei adjourned the matter to February 27.
The adjournment was due to the inability of counsel for EOCO to appear in court. He was said to be indisposed.
Counsel for Osafo Maafo on the other hand pleaded with the court to caution EOCO to stop going ahead with its investigations into the matter because that would amount to contempt of court because they were seeking a restraining order to that effect.
The judge cautioned both parties not to do anything that will prejudice the case.
Mr. Osafo Maafo appeared in court in person accompanied by O.B. Amoah, former Deputy Sports Minister as well as the Deputy Finance Minister under the Kufuor administration, Kwaku Agyeman Manu and other New Patriotic Party sympathisers. | Betty Mould swerves journalists over Woyome saga * Source: Citifmonline What was widely expected to be a press conference to offer Betty Mould-Iddrisu an opportunity to respond to the media and opposition attacks on her over the Woyome saga on Wednesday turned out to be a platform for the Education Ministry to tell journalists what the former Attorney General and Minister of Justice has been doing to improve the quality of basic education in Ghana.
Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu, the current education minister, did not attend the press conference. Instead, her deputy, Mahama Ayariga, was drafted to stand in for her.
Ahead of the press conference journalists were under the impression that Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu would state her position on calls for her prosecution and pressure on President John Evans Atta Mills for her dismissal.
But, after a horde of journalists invited to cover the presser sat down, an official of the Ministry announced that the planned meeting was to enable officials to share with journalists progress the Ministry had made in the education sector.
Hon. Ayariga, subsequently read to journalists a prepared text he said the minister had planned to present to the media in person but for an equally important official assignment she needed to attend.
He told journalists the Global Partnership for Educations has agreed to sink US$76 million into Ghana's basic education sector, which has lately been fraught with poor Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results.
The NDC Parliamentary candidate for Bawku said a significant part of the funding approved by the Global Partnership for Education will go into improving girl-child enrolment into schools.
| Nana Addo Is Confused - Appiah Ofori * Source: Citifmonline
The outspoken New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, P. C Appiah Ofori, has said the party’s flagbearer is suffering from indecision and confusion hence the delay in announcing a running a mate.
Mr. Appiah Ofori, who has declared open support for Alhaji M. N. D Jawula to partner Nana Addo for the 2012 general elections, said he is glad that the elders of the party are arguing in the same line as him although the flagbearer is thinking otherwise.
The NPP flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday made a last minute move described by close associates and top party executives as “a clever decision” aimed at ensuring his party makes a lot more political capital out of the ongoing Woyome saga by deferring the naming of his running mate for this year’s presidential elections until March.
However, the forthright lawmaker said the move is rather a confused and indecisive one which if not addressed immediately will have dire consequences on the party.
He said the situation has led to widespread consultations within the party beginning with an emergency meeting with all MPs of the party to find a solution.
“He is totally confused,” Mr. Ofori told Citi News. “He insists on picking Bawumia and I am happy to know that most of the members of the Council of Elders of the party don’t support that. ”
“He insists on his and majority of the people including myself oppose to it even though he has the right, but he does that with consultations with the Council of Elders and most of the elders are saying no… So I think he needs time to get the people to support him,” he added. | Police Service interdicts DSP Mawuenyega * Source: Citifmonline
The Ghana Police Administration has interdicted the embattled top female police officer DSP Gifty Mawuenyega Tehoda after being charged of abetment of crime and stealing of cocaine and subsequently remanded in prison custody.
DSP Tehoda, who is the second-in-command of the Commercial Crimes Unit at the Police CID Headquarters, was arraigned before court on Tuesday after the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) cited her for complicity in their interim report on the cocaine-turned-baking soda saga.
A statement from the Directorate of Public Affairs of the Police Service and signed by its acting director, DSP Cephas Arthur, said DSP Tehoda’s interdiction was in line with the Police Administration’s regulations.
Meanwhile, the police would want to assure the general public that it would cooperate with the relevant institutions and bodies to get to the bottom of the case, the statement added. | Row over New promotions in police service
* Source: The Chronicle
A few days after President Atta Mills announced the promotion of some six Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCOP) to Commissioner of Police (COP), The Chronicle has gathered that there is an uneasy calm at the helm of the police administration over the exclusion of five other accomplished officers.
The five DCOPs who were excluded from the list are DCOP David Asante-Apeatu, third in command after the Inspector General of Police; Mr. Stephen Andoh Kwofie, the Central Regional Commander; Mr. James Boanuh, Police Commissioner to the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID); Mr. Frank Adu-Poku, Director of Services and Mr. Patrick Timbillah, Ashanti Regional Commander.
On Friday, January 13, this year, there was a police wireless message from the IGP to all Regional, Divisional, District and Unit Commanders to inform them that 'His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana has on the recommendation of the Police Council approved the promotions of the under mentioned Deputy Commissioners of Police to the rank of Commissioner of Police with effect from 1 st January 2012.
Ofosu-Mensah Gyeabour, Director-General in Charge of Technical Services, Rose Bio Atinga, Accra Regional Commander, Dr. Peter Alex Wiredu, Acting Director of Ghana Immigration Service, Mr. John Kudalor, Director General Operations, Mr. Hamidu Mahama, Director General of Human Resource and Mr. Prosper Kwame Agblor, the Director-General of Criminal Investigations Department.'
What has also raised the tension in the service is that some officers have not received promotion since 2002, although under the policy of the service (maximum), a police officer must be promoted every four years.
Mr. Asante-Apeatu received his last promotion of DCOP in 2002 within the 10 years period he was the Director General of the Criminal Investigations Department and was subsequently appointed Director of the Specialized Crime and Analysis (SCA) Unit at the INTERPOL headquarters in Lyon, France.
Mr. David Asante-Apeatu's mandate covered Drugs and Criminal Organizations, Financial and High-tech Crime, Public Safety and Terrorism, Trafficking in Human Beings, and Criminal Analysis.
Mr. Asante-Apeatu and two others have been appointed directors to key roles within INTERPOL's Executive Directorate for Police Services (EDPS), which was announced at the General Secretariat on Monday.
DCOP Asante-Apeatu is a Masters' degree holder in Chemistry from the Kharkov State University in Russia and a trained Forensic Scientist in various disciplines such as Document Examination, Firearms and Ballistics, and Controlled Drug Analysis.
He is a Government of Ghana gazetted Firearms Examiner and also a gazetted Controlled Drug Analyst.
Internationally, he has worked at the Sarajevo Police Academy as an Instructor in Human Dignity, Police Ethics and Criminal Investigations under the auspices of the United Nations Task Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1997 to 1998.
He was the team leader in a successful homicide investigation under the request of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNAMIL).
He is the team leader in the ongoing investigations into the mass murder of more than 50 people, mostly West African nationals, in The Gambia.
DCOP Asante-Apeatu was the Lead Investigator in the serial killing of more than 30 women that led to the arrest of a culprit who had been prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to death.
Under the supervision of Mr. Asante-Apeatu and based on intelligence, the CID successfully conducted an operation that resulted in the seizure of 588 kilogrammes of cocaine with the street value of about $38 million.
Mr. Oppong-Boanuh on the other hand was last promoted to the rank of DCOP in 2006. He has under his sleeves extensive professional policing and managerial skills, United Nations experience and knowledge of the Darfur mission from its formative stages.
He has worked in the United Nations Mission in Mozambique (ONUMOZ) in 1994 and with the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor (UNTAET) from 2001 to 2002. | Fight against corruption
Mills, Kufuor -the value is the same
* Source: Public Agenda
...Both men not prompt with investigations - GII Boss
If there is any commonality between former President John Agyekum Kufuor and his successor President John Evans Atta Mills as far as fighting corruption in Ghana is concerned, it is their inability to institute prompt investigations into allegations of corruption.
This assessment of the two leaders is the view of Vitus Azeem, Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, who is also not satisfied with how President Mills answered a question posed on Ghana's performance in the latest edition of the Transparency International's (TI) Corruption Perception Index at last week's editors' forum at the Castle, Osu.
Ghana ranked 69 out of 182 countries on Transparency International's 2011 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) released on December 1, 2011 with a score of 3.9 compared to its 62nd ranking with a score of 4.1 in 2010.
At the editor's forum, a journalist teased the President's mind as to whether he felt efforts at curbing corruption were not yielding desired results. Responding, President Mills appeared to blame the TI for highlighting corruption among politicians, pointing out that corruption was not exclusively related to politicians, and that all manner of people in diverse fields were culpable.
Sharing a thought on the President's answer to the question with Public Agenda, Mr. Azeem felt the President missed the opportunity to give a comprehensive response by rather blaming TI.
According to him, TI's report was only a reflection of responses it received from surveys, including responses from Ghanaians, most of whom felt politicians were most corrupt when they participated in the latest survey.
Besides, politicians such as the President were the ones that the buck stops with as far as acting on corruption is concerned. So if someone blamed a politician they could be doing so because the politician failed to act to arrest a particular situation, he clarified.
While in opposition, President Mills' National Democratic Congress (NDC) faulted the Kufuor-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration for failing to institute investigations into the infamous Bamba gate, the Richard Anane case, diversion of Ghana@50 resources, "Hotel Kufuor" acquisition by the former President's son, alleged misapplication of funds at Ghana Energy Commission under the leadership of Kofi Asante, the 77 parcels of cocaine, sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone, etc.
The tables have turned, thanks to the 2008 polls, and the NPP has been on the case of the NDC, catalysed by suspicious developments like the Muntaka saga, GHC90 million Mills campaign money, Woyome-gate, the GHC160,000 unaccounted impress given to presidential aide, Stan Dogbe, the disbursement of compensation for Ghanaians murdered in Gambia, etc.
President Mills is currently reeling under the pressure of Wayome-gate, and anti-corruption campaigner Azeem believes the current administration's handling of the saga is an "indication that a lot of effort is still required to effectively tackle corruption in Ghana."
Legislation
While both Kufuor and Mills failed on prompting investigations, same cannot be said of the two men in respect of passage of legislations. Both ex-president Kufuor and President Mills should receive credit for the passage of various corruption-related legislations, according to Mr Azeem.
He recalled the passage of laws such as the Public Procurement Act and Financial Administration Act in 2003 and subsequently the Whistleblowers Act in 2006 and the Anti Money Laundering Law in 2008.
The Mills administration has also witnessed the formulation of the Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) GUIDELINE by the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) and the Bank of Ghana (BOG), consistent with the Banking Act, 2004 (Act 673), as amended, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2008 (Act 749).
Both administrations have committed Ghana to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). The NPP administration committed Ghana to it in 2003 while the NDC government has been able working to extend the process to the oil and gas sector.
Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Information, contended recently in an interview with Accra-based private radio station, Joy FM that the Mills administration also deserve commendation for moving the Right to Information Bill from cabinet to Parliament, installing new scanners at the airport to check the drug menace, strengthening the Economic and Organised Crimes Office, collaborating with the media, in addition to the president making snap visits to the Tema Harbour and offices of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) where reforms are being implemented in a bid to fight corruption.
Prosecutions
Mr. Kufuor received initial commendations for the swift prosecution of Mallam Issah, then Minister for Youth and Sports, for losing funds which he carried personally to disburse to players of the national senior soccer team, the Black Stars as bonuses.
He followed this prosecution with the prosecution of ex-ministers and officials of the NDC such as former Finance Minister, Mr. Kwame Peprah, former Deputy Finance, Minister Victor Serlomey, and Tsatsu Tsikata, former boss of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.
He was, however, chastised for his failure to prosecute his own men.
President Mills, whose party vigourously accused its predecessors of perpetrating wanton levels of corruption on the other hand, has failed to nail any official of the former government, prompting party founder Jerry Rawlings to accuse the Mills government of being equally corrupt.
Former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, received constant bashing from NDC faithful for not securing the imprisonment of NPP government functionaries after the State lost a series of cases, including the Ghana@50 case, under her watch. | - Sucatrade unwholesome chicken parts to be destroyed *Source: GNA Accra, Jan 18, GNA -The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has said it would destroy the heavily contaminated chicken parts at the Bulk Cold Storage of Sucatrade, importers of the poultry products.
The FDB in statement, copied to the GNA in Accra on Tuesday, said it would not grant Sucatrade’s unreasonable request to repackage the chicken, and that the Board would treat it with all the contempt that it deserves. It said:“FDB will go ahead and destroy the said heavily contaminated consignment of chicken parts averaging about 1,000 cartons”.
The FDB will also like to use this opportunity to ask the general public to disregard and treat with contempt the latest press statement by Sucatrade (Finatrade)”, and described it as irresponsible, diversionary and an attempt to mislead the general public.
It will be recalled that the FDB alerted the public of unwholesome chicken parts belonging to Sucatrade Limited, a subsidiary of Finatrade Group of Companies.
The Board on its routine monitoring activities found that Sucatrade Limited located in Tema, Community One, had unwholesome chicken parts stored in its Bulk Cold Storage Facility.
As indicated in the earlier press release, inspection of the said consignment showed the lumping together of the unwholesome chicken parts and torn cartons in a caked form parked directly on the bare floor and against the walls of the cold room in two large heaps.
According to the FDB the state in which the products were found compromised its safety, which was clearly confirmed by a laboratory analysis (microbiological) on the products.
The test indicated that the chicken parts were heavily contaminated by bacteria such as E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and thermotolerant Coliforms. Food contaminated by E. coli, if consumed could lead to serious food poisoning, which is manifested in diarrhea, vomiting and serious stomach cramp. Staphylococcus aureas will produce an entero-toxin in food contaminated with it, even when such food is cooked.
The toxin would persist and cause inflammation of the gastrointestinal lining of the consumer, causing a disease situation called staphylococcal food poisoning.
The consumer will suffer from nausea, severe vomiting, diarrhea and major stomach cramp.
The thermo tolerant coliforms, which were also detected in the product are bacteria that would withstand heating, this makes the food contaminated by the bacteria even more harmful when cooked and could cause food poisoning when consumed.
The heavy presence of these microorganisms renders the chicken parts unwholesome for human consumption.
The presence of the above mentioned bacteria in the unwholesome chicken parts found in the cold storage facility of Sucatrade (Finatrade) poses a serious danger to public health, the statement said.
“In spite of this danger, Sucatrade went ahead to request the FDB permission to repackage this heavily contaminated consignment of chicken parts for the Ghanaian market for public consumption”.
The FDB said it would continue its monitoring of the operations of all Bulk Cold Storage facilities to ensure that it adhere strictly to good cold storage practice, and gave assurance that it would continue to ensure public health and safety. | Akufo-Addo swerves all to keep Woyome heat on NDC * Source: Citifmonline
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday made a last minute move described by close associates and top party executives as “a clever decision” aimed at ensuring his party makes a lot more political capital out of the ongoing Woyome saga.
At a crucial National Council of Elders Meeting of the NPP, Nana Addo deferred the naming of his running mate for this year’s presidential elections until March. Insiders say the decision was to allow the NPP sustain the rising pressure on the Mills administration over the never-ending Woyome saga.
Insiders told Citi News after the meeting that although Nana Addo was ready to submit his choice of running mate to the party elders, good counsel prevailed the timing of the announcement could divert public discuss, which until now has been about the widely publicised Woyome Saga, thereby easing the intense pressure on the Mills administration.
It comes just days after the Information Ministry admitted that the Woyome judgment debt saga could cost the Mills-Mahama ticket votes at the December polls.
A Deputy Information Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, reportedly told Accra-based Radio Gold over the weekend that: “I honestly think that this whole Woyome affair is causing enough headaches and could be the singular most debilitating hurdle that could work against the re-election of Professor Mills and so every conduct and every statement on this matter must be watched. This is the time for a lot of maturity…”
Pollster Ben Ephson shares in the view of NPP insiders. He said any announcement by the main opposition party in respect of the vice presidential candidate will take the heat on the ruling government.
He is convinced the National Democratic Congress is sweating under the ongoing Woyome scandal and any announcement too soon of a NPP running mate could give the NDC a reprieve.
Mr. Ephson told Joy FM the NPP may be delaying the announcement for good reasons. | NDC group gives gov’t 4 days to arrest NPP gurus * Source: Joyonline
A youth group calling itself Concerned Members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has given the government up to Friday to compel officials of the past administration to appear before the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to account for their roles which made the State to lose huge sums of monies in payment of judgment debts.
They threatened to hit the streets if government fails to heed their demand within the stipulated timeframe.
The group insisted the entire cabinet under the erstwhile Kufuor government must be arrested to assist with investigations into the controversial GHS 58 million judgment debt paid to NDC guru, Alfred Agbesi Woyome.
Members of the past government have refused to cooperate with the investigative body to unravel the circumstances leading to the payment of that quantum of money to Mr Woyome as directed by President John Evans Atta Mills.
National Chairman of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, has said the party would only encourage its members to participate in a public inquiry such as the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament.
But the NDC youth group, incensed by the NPP’s stance, say the party has no right to dictate to the President as to which organisation should carry out the investigations.
“We find the actions of Obestebi Lamptey to be criminal. Anyone who acts to protect criminals or stand in the way of lawful investigations is himself a criminal who must be prosecuted.”
“We call on the state to immediately arrest Mr Obestebi Lamptey,” Secretary of the group, Robert Kpeteme, told journalists during a press conference in Accra Tuesday.
“Indeed Nana Addo, Kufuor, Osafo Marfo, Kan Dapaa, and the entire cabinet of 2005/2006 must account for why their recklessness and irresponsible decisions in government led to the lost of over a hundred million Ghana Cedis as judgment debt,” Robert insisted calling for the resignation of NPP flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
They also questioned the motives of the Attorney-General, Martin Amidu, whom they say has “resurrected a dead and buried case against Mr Woyome...particularly when NPP companies and individuals have been paid judgment debts by the same government.”
“The NPP did not suffer the kind of ridicule and frustrations Mr Woyome’s own party colleagues in government have subjected him to,” they stated, pledging their unflinching support for the NDC financier. | - We Were Angered By “Rented Press” Label – Editor * Source: Peacefmonline
One of the Seven newspaper Editors sympathetic to the cause of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) party that came out with the same headline on Monday, has explained that their action was not premeditated but simply because they were pissed off with the description given to them by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu.
The Managing Editor of the Daily Democrat Newspaper, Emmanuel Opare-Djan reiterates the position of these pro-government media outlets advocating the dismissal of Attorney General, Martin Amidu, saying the he (Amidu) has failed to discharge his duties efficiently and must with immediate effect resign or be sacked by the president.
The A-G in a press release last Wednesday described sections of the pro-government media as “a partisan and rented NDC press group who perceive that I am not performing the duties of my office in their partisan political interests” and accused the Daily Post, National Democrat and the Ghanaian Lens of allowing themselves to be used by an unnamed colleague minister of state.
But the A-G’s statement has been condemned by NDC loyalists with some calling for his dismissal for failing to use internal party structures to address his grievances.
Indeed, quite remarkably, on Monday January 16th, not less than 7 pro-government newspapers (Daily Post, National Democrat, Ghanaian Lens, The Informer, Daily Democrat, The Catalyst and The Crystal Clear Lens), rolled out with a similar screaming headline “A-G Martin Amidu Must Go”.
Opare-Djan argues the A-G does not share in the vision of the ruling NDC party. To him, the fiery response of a statement by the A-G which he claimed sought to insult journalists who were only performing their duties of analyzing the performance of government appointees was like a love letter from a broken hearted man.
“It was unfortunate the kind of unprintable words used by the A-G to describe the same media that stood by him a couple of months ago,” he said.
He added that when the NDC media realized that the former A-G, Betty Mould-Iddrisu was under-performing, they pushed for her removal, all in the hope that Mr. Amidu would do a better job. But that was not to be.
The Daily Democrat Editor challenged Mr. Amidu on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia morning show to be bold and name the identity of the colleague Minister of State who he alleged has connived to unleash the gullible section of the “rented NDC press” on him.
“It is appalling that a whole Attorney General will make vain allegations and leave it hanging without substantiating his claims…not all the NDC press is ganging up against Mr. Amidu…we didn’t plan (coming out with the same banner headline) except that we all share the same sentiments that Amidu must go…and we were angered by the description he gave us,” he said. | - PPP Blasts CPP * Source: Peacefmonline The Secretary of the newly-formed Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Kofi Asamoah has launched an attack on the Head of Research and Strategic Planning Committee of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Kwabena Benyarko for calling on Dr. Ndoum to officially resign from the party or be sacked after a two-week ultimatum.
He said, “The leaders of the CPP should stop being petty and rather focus on receiving the thousands and millions of people they claimed were waiting for Dr. Ndoum’s exit in order to join the party.”
Mr. Kwabena Benyarko has asked the 2008 flagbearer of the party, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom to officially resign. Speaking on an Accra-based radio station, Mr. Benyarko said the CPP has written to the former flagbearer requesting him to tender in his resignation letter, however there has been no response.
“We need him to officially inform us that he has resigned from the party or else we will sack him,” he said.
In an interview with Daily Guide, Kofi Asamoah, who is also a special aid to the founder of PPP, Dr. Ndoum said, “How can you sack somebody who is not a member of your political party. I think it is a misdirected statement made by the party. As far as we are concerned, Ndoum is no more a member of the CPP.” He said the statement that was released by Dr. Ndoum on 28 December 2011 showed that he had resigned from CPP.
“I don’t know why the party executives can’t mind their own business but still going over one man they said he is not relevant, unimportant and was a problem as far as the CPP was concerned,” he said.
“I have read the constitution of CPP both the previous and current one and there is nowhere that it stated explicitly a procedure for members who want to leave the party to follow”.
However, he said there is a portion in the constitution that states that if a member joins another political party whose model conflicts with that of CPP then the person ceases to be a member of the party.
He said Dr Nduom is no longer a member of the party by virtue of his decision to form or join the PPP whose ideals conflict with those of CPP.
“I think all of us join political parties at our own free will. So we can also stop at any point in time at our own free will. The style adopted by Dr. Ndoum is the press statement which announced his official resignation as far as his future relationship with CPP is concerned,” he said.
Kofi Asamoah said “CPP feels threatened by the massive support PPP has received and that is why they are coming out with strategies to undermine Dr. Ndoum and his newly-formed party.
He said their fears indicate the imminent end of the CPP.
Meanwhile Kofi Asamoah said they have not received any letter from the CPP asking Dr. Ndoum to officially resign or be sacked, adding, “I have read it in the media that the Chairman of CPP, Samia Nkrumah has written a letter to Dr. Ndoum to officially resign, but as I speak to you now, we have not received any official letter to that effect and when we do receive it we will respond appropriately”.
He said leaders of CPP will become a laughing stock and Ghanaians will consider them as petty if they go on with their intended action.
After weeks of internal wrangling in the CPP, Dr. Nduom announced his departure from the party and subsequently formed a new party, PPP. | - NPP Will Come Back To Power- Ex-President Kufour * Source: GNA Former President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday expressed confidence in the electorate saying they would guarantee the country good governance by voting the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) into power come December 2012.
He expressed the optimism in Accra when he met journalists who had been waiting in anticipation for the outcome of the party’s National Council meeting was being held in-camera.
Former President Kufuor stressed: “Ghanaians would do justice and will give good governance. NPP will come back to power.”
When asked to comment on Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo’s choice of running mate, he said that the party’s constitution required that the flagbearer of the party made his own choice, adding he was optimistic Nana Akufo Addo would “choose a worthy running mate.”
Mr Aliu Mahama, Former Vice President who later joined his former Presidential peer in addressing journalists, said the party’s constitution required that Nana Akufo Addo announced his running mate by the first quarter of this year adding he was hopeful he would produce a running mate by March 2012.
Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, General Secretary of NPP, said the Council meeting discussed issues including the biometric registration and the issue of the running mate.
He said the party would not interfere in the matter of the choice of the flag bearer’s running mate though the flagbearer was required by the constitution to make the choice in consultation with the National Council of the party.
Some names have come up for discussion in section of the media for a possible running mate for Nana Akufo Addo and they include Alhaji M.N.D. Jawula, Lepowura of Kujolobito Gate of Lepo-Kpembe in the Northern Region; Mr Ambrose Dery, Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Lawra/Nandom; Mr Alhassan Haruna, Deputy Managing Director of Metro TV and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the 2008 running mate of Nana Akufo Addo.. | - ETV Ghana Outdoors 100 Most Influential Ghanaians * Source: Global Media Alliance Accra, 17th January, 2012: In a unique demonstration of its commitment to impacting society, e.tv Ghana, the fastest growing television station in Ghana, has released an official list of the 100 most influential Ghanaians for 2011. The list, which features people from various sections of Ghanaian society, is to acknowledge Ghanaians who made significant impact and news in the country in the year under review.
In a poll featuring a range of public figures associated with politics, sport, entertainment, religion and enterprise, viewers of etv Ghana were made to text their most influential person for the year 2011.
General Manager of etv Ghana, JOT Agyeman explains that ‘we were motivated by hearing directly from our viewers their own thought about who they think influence society in positive ways and the result we had coming in were amazing. We congratulate all our 100 most influential people and the contributions they have each made in their sphere of life and area of specialization’.
MOST INFLUENTIAL GHANAIANS 2011
100 Jackie Appiah (Actress)
99 Shamima Muslim (Broadcast Journalist)
98 Ama Abebrese (Actress/TV Presenter)
97 Abdul Salam Mumuni (Film Producer)
96 Paul Adom Okyere (TV Presenter)
95 Abraham Ohene Gyan (Film Producer)
94 Nana Aba Anamoah (Broadcaster)
93 Rebecca Acheampong (Musician)
92 Doreen Andoh (Broadcaster)
91 Hon. Doe Adjahoe (Politician)
90 Jessica Opare Safo (Broadcaster)
89 Mr. Kojo Bonsu (Entrepreneur)
88 Samini (Musician)
87 Hon. E T Mensah (Politician)
86 Emma Morrison (Broadcast Journalist)
85 Ebo Whyte (Playwright/Motivational Speaker)
84 Alban Bagbin (Politician)
83 Hackman Owusu Agyeman (Politician/Industrialist)
82 Sammy Kufuor (Ex. Footballer/Entrepreneur)
81 John Tia Akoglo (Politician)
80 Hannah Tetteh (Politician)
79 Kojo Antwi (Musician)
78 Stephen Appiah (Footballer)
77 Reggie Rockstone (Musician)
76 Rev Gideon Titi- Ofei (Academician/Motivational Speaker)
75 Funny Face (Comedian)
74 John Mensah (Footballer)
73 Kwesi Pratt Jnr (Social commentator/Publisher)
72 Abeiku Santana (Broadcaster)
71 Prof. Ernest Aryeetey (Academician)
70 Matilda Asante Appiah (Broadcast Journalist/Communications Expert)
69 Kwaku Baako Jnr (Social commentator/ Journalist)
68 Dr. Kwasi Botchwey (Economist/Politician)
67 Esther Cobbah (Communications Expert)
66 Gifty Anti (Broadcast Journalist)
65 Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (Broadcast Journalist)
64 Kofi Ansah (Fashion Designer)
63 Komla Dumor (Broadcast Journalist)
62 Michael Essien (Footballer)
61 Hon. Samia Nkrumah (Politician)
60 Dr. Kwasi Aning (Security Expert)
59 Prof. Atukwei Okai (Academician/Poet)
58 Ozwald Boateng (Fashion Designer)
57 KSM (Satirist/ Producer)
56 Kojo Yankah (Academician/Politician)
55 Shirley Frimpong Manso (Film Producer)
54 Andre Dede Ayew (Footballer)
53 Kwaku Sakyi Addo (Communications Expert/ Journalist)
52 Dr. Esi Sutherland Addy (Academician)
51 Sarkodie (Musician)
50 Kwasi Twum (Media Owner)
49 Kwasi Nyantakyi (Football Administrator)
48 Bishop Dr. Charles Agyin Asare (Pastor)
47 Father Andrew Campbell (Catholic Father)
46 Edward Effah (Banker)
45 Charles Kojo Fosu (Musician)
44 Dr. Kwabena Adjei (Politician)
43 Abedi Ayew Pele (Ex-Footballer)
42 Kyei Mensah Bonsu Osei (Politician)
41 Mr. Kwame Acheampong Kyei (Insurance Entrepreneur)
40 Her Ladyship Georgina Wood (Chief Justice)
39 Dr. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng (Heart Surgeon/Politician)
38 Bishop Dr. Dag Heward Mills (Pastor)
37 Dr. Micheal Agyekum Addo (Industrialist)
36 Mrs Theresa Oppong – Beeko (Estate Developer)
35 Mr. Kwaw Ansah (Film Maker)
34 Mr. Edward Boateng (Media Owner)
33 Dr. Kwabena Duffuor (Banker/Finance Minister)
32 Prof. Kofi Awoonor (Academician/Politician)
31 Mr. Osei Kwame Despite (Media Owner)
30 Most Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Asante (Academician/Reverend Minister)
29 Mr. Oko Nikoi Dzani (Industrialist)
28 Dr. Kofi Amoah (Industrialist/Entrepreneur)
27 Haruna Iddrisu (Politician)
26 Tony Oteng Gyasi (Industrialist)
25 Archbishop Nicholas Duncan Williams (Pastor)
24 Rt. Hon. Justice Bamford Addo (Speaker of Parliament)
23 Ernest Bediako Sampong (Industrialist)
22 Mr Albert Ocran (Entrepreneur)
21 Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings (Politician)
20 Elizabeth Villars (Industrialist)
19 Joyce Aryee (Politician / Pastor)
18 Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo (Politician)
17 Kwame Sefa Kayi (Broadcaster)
16 Victor Gbeho (Diplomat)
15 H.E. John Dramani Mahama (Vice President, Ghana)
14 Mr. Roland Agambire (Industrialist)
13 Mohammed Ibn Chambas (Diplomat)
12 Sam Jonah (Industrialist)
11 H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor (Politician/Ex-President, Ghana)
10 Mr. Ken Ofori- Atta (Financial Expert)
09 H.E. John Atta Mills (President , Ghana)
08 Dr. Alhaji Asoma Banda (Industrialist)
07 H.E. Jerry John Rawlings (Politician /Ex-President, Ghana)
06 Rev. Peter Cardinal Turkson (Catholic Cardinal)
05 Anas Aremeyaw Anas (Investigative Journalist)
04 Dr. Mensah Otabil (Pastor)
03 Prince Kofi Amoabeng (Industrialist/Financial Expert)
02 Otumfuo Osei Tutu II (Asantehene)
01 Mr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong (Industrialist)
GROUPS – Most Influential Ghanaians 2011
• Most Influential Industrialist - Mr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong
• Most Influential Church Leader – Dr. Mensah Otabil
• Most Influential Journalist – Anas Aremeyaw Anas
• Most Influential Financial Expert – Prince Kofi Amoabeng
• Most Influential Diplomat – Mohammed Ibn Chambas
• Most Influential Politician – Jerry John Rawlings
• Most Influential Broadcaster – Kwame Sefa Kayi
• Most Influential Entrepreneur – Albert Ocran
• Most Influential Academician – Most Rev. Emmanuel Asante
• Most Influential Media Owner – Osei Kwame Despite
• Most Influential Film Maker – Kwaw Ansah
• Most Influential Sports Personality – Abedi Ayew Pele
• Most Influential Traditional Leader – Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
• Most Influential Medical Practitioner – Dr. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng.. | - A Boy’s Suffering, Father’s Pain! * Source: By Manasseh Azure Awuni/The Finder
Kojo Njorfuni doesn’t look like someone who will survive another day. His breath seems to be failing, and as he struggles to breathe, you can count all his ribs without getting close to him. But the thirteen-year-old boy, who is paralysed from his waist downwards, has defied death and endured suffering with peerless stoicism. He even has hopes of getting back to school one day.
Kojo’s ankles and knees are draped in white bandages, which are soaked with fluid discharges from his sores. As his father turns him over the bed to give a clear view of what he calls the “decay” of his lower back and buttocks, Kojo writhes as the rags which cushion him are all soaked with the discharge and hold on to the bandage. A urinary catheter is also inserted into him to drain urine from his bladder since he cannot visit the washroom.
Kojo has been in the hospital for four months now and though the medical authorities speak of some improvement in his condition, his sores are far from being healed. The health authorities here say they don’t have the capacity to work on the cause of his paralyses – a fractured spine. So unlike other patients who see improvements in their conditions, Kojo and his family only hang on to faint hope, an expectation of some miracle.
“Sometimes, I wish my son never stepped into the classroom. I would have preferred a son who could neither read nor write to the suffering Kojo is going through now,” Mr. Njorfuni Wajah, Kojo’s father, says, fixing a vacant and distant stare as if he’s trying to see beyond the wall of the hospital ward, back to the day it all started. It was a day he dreads to remember, but which he cannot forget.
The Banda Tragedy
Njorfuni Wajah did not go to farm on Friday, November 21, 2008. Quite apart from the fact that the dry season had set in and there was not much work to do, Friday is Njorfuni’s “bad day.” For many people with similar traditional beliefs, such days are sacred; they neither fish nor farm. On that uneventful morning, Njorfuni Wajah decided to meet a friend at the market square of Banda, a town in the Krachi West District of the Volta Region. His son, Kojo, had eaten his breakfast of rice bought from a nearby vendor and left for school.
Sahadatu Ibrahim, a senior high school leaver, was the class three teacher of English Arabic Primary School in Banda in November 2008. There are only two trained teachers in the school – the headteacher and his assistant. The head teacher does not teach so the fate of the children of this school is left in the hands of some pupil teachers and volunteers from the community. The class three teacher had just finished marking the class register and gone to place it in the office when the unexpected happened.
“It took all of us by surprise,” says Yeyie Sei Selisah, the assistant head teacher. “It had not rained in a long time. Neither was there a storm that day. All we saw was that the walls collapsed.”
Why the building collapsed or how it collapsed, however, did not matter. What mattered most were the lives of the pupils, as teachers and older pupils made frantic efforts to rescue the victims. They were swift, but too late to save all of them.
One pupil, Master Godwin Ayensu, who sat near the collapsed wall, died on the spot, while another pupil, Sumaila Labil, fell into coma. Others, including Kojo and Sumaila, had to be rushed to safety. Unfortunately for the children, the road from Banda to Krachi was (and still is) very deplorable and the absence of an ambulance meant that they had to make do with an equally deplorable benz bus. When Njorfuni Wajah heard that his son was among the children injured by the falling classroom wall, he made straight away for the Banda Health Post, where he was told that the children had been transferred to the Krachi Hospital. “Kojo did not look injured. No part of his body was bruised, and since he was not crying, we thought his was not as serious as the rest. For three days, the doctors saw nothing wrong with him, except that he said he could not sit or stand,” Kojo’s father recounts. “It was on the third day when I pressed my hand against his back that I realised his backbone had a problem.”
Health authorities said the extent of injuries sustained by six of the children could not be treated there so they referred Kojo, together with five other pupils, to the Volta Regional Hospital in Ho. But the Krachi Hospital had no ambulance so they had to send for an ambulance from Ho. The ambulance arrived, after four days, the seventh day after the accident. Sumaila was still unconscious.
Injured Children abandoned
Kojo’s father said no official of the Ghana Education Service or the district assembly accompanied parents of the injured children to Ho. And since the parents were not financially prepared, they became stranded when the Volta Regional Hospital again referred them to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
Mr. Kwaku Larbi, a presenter on GBC’s Volta Star Radio, said the plight of the children and their parents reached the station through someone and the station decided to appeal for funds to assist them. Kojo’s father said he had met an old friend who hinted him of possible help if the media were brought in. But the situation was so critical that the parents could not wait for external help. Kojo and Sumaila were, however, the only children whose parents were prepared to take them to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. The rest received treatment and left without the recommended surgeries. The reason was they didn’t have money. According to Njorfuni, an official of the GES gave Sumaila’s mother and him GH?50 each, and apart from the ambulance, which was given by the hospital authorities in Ho, nobody offered them any help.
Sumaila regained consciousness after almost two weeks. The health authorities at Korle-Bu said he needed to undergo a surgery but his mother said she could not afford it. When the physical condition improved, he left. But Kojo’s condition had worsened and he had to undergo the surgery.
It was one month and three days after the wall collapsed and fractured his spine that Kojo Njorfuni had his spinal surgery at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. The appeal made on the Volta Star Radio had attracted the sympathy of the Krachi West Constituency Member of Parliament, Hon. Francis Osei-Sarfo, who according to Mr.Kwaku Larbi, donated GH? 1000 to help in the treatment of the children. Mr. Larbi recalls that half of the amount was given for the treatment of Kojo while the rest was shared among the other victims. Kojo’s father has confirmed receiving that amount but stated that it was not enough. He said he sold almost all his valuable assets to survive the sixty-six (66) days he spent in the hospital with his son.
But he was happy that after surgery, Kojo could sit and was doing well. That was, however, not the end of the story. Kojo was asked to return in six months for a medical review, and that was when trouble began.
Pupils still suffering after three years
It is time for ICT in the Primary 3 class and a volunteer teacher has four words inscribed on the board. Around him sit more than fifty pupils, who seem unperturbed by the tides of deprivation. More than half of the class sits on the floor while some share kitchen stools with colleagues. But they should count themselves lucky. At the Nandikrom DA Primary School, where I passed before getting here, the pupils were busily working on their shelter, whose roof was blown away last night. Chairs or no chairs, these pupils look grimly determined to make an impact as they recite after the teacher: Computer! Mouse! Processing! Information! Monitor!
“How many of you have seen a computer before?” I ask after the greetings. No hand goes up. “How many of you have seen a mouse before?” I ask again. This time, half a dozen hands shoot up immediately. And they look utterly disappointed when I tell the first boy that the little troublesome rodent he has seen in his mother’s room is not the mouse being referred to here.
The classroom has no walls separating it from the other classrooms. It was in this classroom that a wall fell and killed a pupil and injured many others three years ago. It was initially built as an open pavilion and later walled with mud bricks to separate one classroom from the others and also to save the children from rain. But after the accident, all the walls were demolished, leaving the structure as open as it was first constructed. It has no traces of any falling wall. But the remnants of that fatal day in November 2008 can be found in the Primary Six classroom, where some of the pupils who were injured now are. Staring blankly into the camera is 14-year-old Sumaila Labil, who was unconscious for two weeks after the accident. He could not undergo the recommended brain surgery. Sumaila is now mentally deformed but he still manages to be in school. “He sometimes threatens to beat up his mother whenever his sickness comes,” says assistant head teacher of the school. Tekoyabe Sanja, a fourteen-year-old girl, is visually impaired as a result of the accident.
Thirteen-year-old Nakoja Nlebekuma is not in school. I trace him home only to find out that his injured ankle, which could not undergo surgery, has still not healed after three years. It is the reason he is not in school. “Sometimes, it is as if someone is using a pin pierce inside my leg,” he says. Tebore Faustina, 16, still feels pains in her left elbow while Sambia Solomon, 15, says his left foot and teeth have not stopped aching since the accident. Emmanuel Lamptey, 12, says he still feels the effect of the accident in his thigh and shoulder while 15-year-old Abdulai Yusif, who says a falling brick hit his head in the process, still suffers from headache.
According to information gathered by this reporter, the GES and the Krachi West District Assembly, which collaborated to transport the children from the school to the hospital, abandoned them afterwards. Checks at the Krachi Government Hospital revealed that the GES and the assembly did not pay the cost of treating the ten pupils who were rushed to the hospital in 2008.
The Krachi West District Director of Education, Mr Benard Akarah, says the GES has no insurance policy to support such pupils. “When it happens, we appeal to individuals and organisations to help, while we report to our superiors, which we did. Beyond that there’s nothing we can do.”
The Boy in the Wheel Chair
After the six months, Kojo Njorfuni could not return to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for the medical review because all attempts by his father to get some money, after defraying part of his previous debts, yielded no results. “I wrote to the district assembly and appealed to the education authorities, but no one gave me any answer,” says Njorfuni Wajah. Kojo has since been paralysed and developed bed sores and other infections that threaten his life. A nurse in Banda, who stumbled upon his condition early this year reported to the district health directorate and they decided to send him to the hospital for treatment. It was during the period that some school children made some donation through the GES to help him. That was spent on drugs and other expenses incurred during his hospitalisation. After four months in the hospital without much improvement, Kojo was discharged. Mr. Kwaku Larbi, the presenter on Volta Star Radio, recently helped to secure Kojo a wheel chair. It was presented to him in October this year, a month before the third anniversary of his endless slideshow of doom and gloom.
Dr. Felix Doe, the Krachi West District Director of Ghana Health Service, has very little hope in the ability to reverse Kojo’s situation. “It will be difficult for him to walk after being paralysed for three years without any medical attention during the period,” Dr. Doe observes.
Njorfuni Wajah’s pain is the level of neglect he has suffered from authorities of the GES and Kojo’s school. He says since he returned from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, no teacher from Kojo’s school has paid him a visit. The assistant head teacher of the school says it is true no teacher has visited the boy, but insists it is justifiable. “That man is behaving as if we are responsible for his son’s suffering,” he says.
Kojo is, however, hopeful that one day a saviour somewhere will help him to achieve his dream: “I want to be able to walk and go back to school,” the emaciated boy says, leaning back in his wheelchair.
| - Rawlings Office Apologises Over Security Man's Conduct * Source: Mediaexcelghana January 17, 2012
The attention of the Office of President Rawlings has been drawn to an incident at the gate to the office on the morning of Tuesday, January 17, 2011 involving security personnel stationed at the gate and occupants of a private vehicle that attempted to make a turn at the gate.
Our investigations have indicated that the security officer in his bid to direct the occupants of the vehicle to take the appropriate turn rather involved them in a violent altercation during which one of the occupants was assaulted.
Wish to state that we do not countenance violent or impolite conduct on the part of any member of our staff, either permanent or on secondment to the office and have subsequently requested the relevant state institution that posted the security personnel to withdraw the offending officer with immediate effect.
We hereby render an unqualified apology to the victims of the incident and the general public for any embarrassment it may have caused.
Signed: Hilary Afeku-Amenyo Director. | - Owner of Nigerian vessel pays compensation to govt of Ghana * Source: Joyonline Sekondi, Jan.17, GNA - A Nigerian vessel, Spirit River, that dumped toxic waste at an engineered landfill site at Sofokrom in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis last year, has paid a penalty of $220,000 dollars to the government.
The Public Relations Officer of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA), Mr Opoku Boateng told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Sekondi.
The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) spearheaded the move for the compensation.
Mr Boateng noted that since the toxic waste was deposited within the territory of the Metropolis as well as a facility constructed by the assembly, the people in the twin-city must benefit from the compensation given to the government.
The assembly had officially petitioned the MEST for a portion of the amount for a project that would benefit the people in the metropolis.
In March 2011, the vessel berthed at the Takoradi Port for a special operation, contracted a Takoradi-based waste management company to the dump toxic waste without authorisation from the government and STMA.. | Best Offer: | | | | | Latest Ghana News - Main Page |
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