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• 25.05.2008

Orange farmers appeal to company to purchase produce


Asamankese, (E/R) May 25, GNA - Orange farmers in the Kwaebibirem District have appealed to Pinora, the fruit processing company near Asamankese to purchase their produce to prevent them from rotting. They said they relied, to a large extent on the company to purchase their oranges since they expanded their farms when the company was set up three years ago in order to be main suppliers of raw materials of the company.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Kade, a spokesman for the farmers, Mr Alex Owusu Gyapong, said the farmers were increasingly becoming disappointed as a result of the company's reluctance or inability to purchase large quantities of their produce as expected. He said early this year, he harvested four and a half truck-loads of oranges but the factory was able to buy only three trucks. Unfortunately for him, he said he did not have ready market for the rest of the one and a half truck-load and most of the produce were left to rot.

Mr Gyapong expressed the hope that the company would increase the quantities of oranges that it buys so that it would not let the farmers down. He appealed to Pinora to pay for the produce of farmers in time to give farmers some hope.

Source:
GNA

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CAN 2008 LOC Exposed!!!

…over attempt to cheat drivers

Over one hundred drivers, whose services were hired during the recent Africa Cup of Nations in the country, have still not been paid by the Local Organizing Committee (LOC).

The drivers, made up of twenty nine bus drivers, and eighty four saloon car drivers, have raised different concerns on how unfaithful the LOC has been to them.

They have described the LOC, as a complete failure, for their inability to live up to expectations.

The pain and anger, written on the faces of the drivers, has created an unfriendly atmosphere, between them and the LOC, especially the Fleet Manager of the Ghana@50 Secretariat, Mr. Ben Nyarko, who was supposed to pay of the drivers.

The Fleet Manager, however, explained that he received a letter from the LOC, indicating that the money had been transferred into the Ghana@50 account, and so he immediately wrote a memorandum to his boss, Dr. Charles Yves Wereko Brobbey, informing him of the directive.

His outfit later got to know that no money had been transferred, as they were made to believe.

“The procedure for the transfer of the money is to channel it through the Ministry of Finance to the LOC, and finally landing into the Castle account, before it can get to me for disbursement,” he added.

He further raised alarm, on how he faced the difficulty of handling more than three hundred calls, from the drivers each passing day, all on the same issue.

“Even though this is not the first time they have come into contact with me, they are behaving as if they did not know me,” he said.

Mr. Nyarko blamed the unusual behaviour of the drivers on the LOC, who had told them that they had released the money to him.

He alleged that he knew the LOC was trying to pay them back, for not allowing them to cheat the drivers.

According to him the LOC was going to pay GH¢15, across board to all the drivers, instead of GH¢25 for saloon cars, and GH¢35 for bus drivers.

Each driver would have earned GH¢700 on average, during the period of the tournament.

Delving into the unfortunate incidence of the alleged driver who called him on his mobile phone, threatening him, he said, he was in his office last week Monday, when he received a phone call where the caller told him, in plain language, that he had given him one week to give him his money, else his life would be in danger.

He, however, described as ungrateful, the action on the part of the driver, if he could behave in such an ungodly manner, after fighting on their behalf to prevent the LOC from cheating them.

He has since reported the case to the polic,e at the Ghana Police Headquarters.

An official at the Independence Square, who pleaded anonymity, said the Ministry of Finance released money for usage during CAN 2008, and this money had been transferred into a Bank of Ghana escrow account, meaning they could not have access to the money.

He said they were waiting for the Controller and Accountant General, to move the money into the government account for use.

He, therefore, called on the drivers, to exercise restraint, since the money would be given out to them very soon.

When this reporter spoke to a cross-section of drivers, at the forecourt of the Independence Square, several sentiments were raised.

They revealed that during the CAN 2008, they were grouped into four, to serve the needs of the four match venues - Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi and Tamale.

According to the leader of the Kumasi team, John Oteng Osei, MTN promised each driver a mobile phone, with credit to make communication among them very easy, but they never saw anything like that.

They used their own money to buy credit, which cost them several Ghana cedis.

He added that after going through these series of disappointments, at their various centres, the Transport Co-Coordinator of the LOC, whose name he gave as Eddie, asked him to come for his money, but he refused with the explanation that he was not responsible for his payment.

“He wanted to pay GH¢15 per day, to pave the way for the other drivers to accept whatever they are given,” he added.

The leader of the Tamale team, Iddrisu Sulemana, on his part, described the LOC as a total failure.

He said they had no food to eat in Tamale. “It took four days for the LOC to get food for us to eat,” he said.

He added that getting a place to sleep, was also a problem for them, rendering most of them sick in the process.

Some drivers also had to buy fuel with their money, and got the refund later, because there was no one ready to provide money for that.

The drivers were exposed to all forms of inhuman treatment, during the whole period that the tournament lasted.

The drivers were however pleading with all persons concerned in their payment, to do so quickly, because they were in total distress.

Source:
Chronicle

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Omanhene demands apology from Police

Bekwai (Ash), May 25, GNA - Nana Kaakari Appau, Omanhene of the Bekwai Traditional Area, has said the Police Administration owed the people of Bekwai an apology over the recent brutalities meted out to them during a demonstration by some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after a primary held at Bekwai. He said his two protest letters sent to the Police Administration had received no response and this was worrying in view of the many citizens including school children who sustained injuries. Nana Kaakari Appau was speaking to newsmen in his palace at Bekwai on Saturday.

During the demonstration on May 14 police fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators who were supporters of the loosing parliamentary aspirant.

Nana Kaakari Appau said the conduct of the police was unfair, unprofessional and infringement on the right of the people since there was no tangible reason for their action.

He said the police who are supposed to protect the people were rather harassing them. "I believe the action of the police was motivated by a group of people to kill my subjects for unknown reasons". Nana Kaakari Appau said when people took refuge in his palace, which is a sacred place, police fired teargas and rubber bullets at the forecourt of the palace.

Source:
GNA

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Kuffuor announces changes to his cabinet


... Bartels Loses position to JAK's brother

... 2 New Positions created?

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• 24.05.2008

AMA gives ultimatum on use of pan latrines


Accra, May 24, GNA - The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has given landlords in the Accra Metropolis two years' ultimatum to, either convert their pan latrines into water closet or KVIP by the year 2010 or face prosecution.

Mr. Devine Dornu Sappor, Chief Environmental Health Officer of Metropolitan Public Health Department of the AMA who gave the warning on Wednesday said, dumping into public, drains, open spaces and the carrying of the toilets itself is dehumanizing and the spread of contagious disease hence the need to phase it out in the system. He said the abolition itself is a way of controlling those diseases while the AMA has also made some times available under the Urban Environmental sanitation project II (UESP) as the assembly hopes to construct 1,500 toilets from the project fund.

Under the UESP project which was going to be funded by the African Development Bank (ABD), landlords would have the opportunity to access subsidized facilities for the conversion of pan latrines into water closets with in-built overhead tanks or KVIPs while undertaking 4200 connections of PVC pipes from homes to the main sever lines of the metropolis under the Accra sewerage project. Mr. Sappor advised the landlords in the metropolis still using pan latrines to take advantage of the facilities available to avoid arrest and prosecution after the year 2010.

Source:
GNA

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Open University to be established to improve skilled labour

Koforidua, May 24, GNA- Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister for Education, Science and Sports, announced that plans were far advanced for the establishment of an open University to improve upon skilled labour in Ghana. He said it was part of the Education Reform to strengthen technical and vocational education training (TVET) in Ghana. Prof. Fobih announced these at a ceremony at Koforidua on Friday to hand over 10 buses to technical and vocational institutions in the Eastern, Northern, Ashanti and Upper West Regions.

He said government was committed to revamping the TVET through out the country because the economy depended partly on such institutions and the Polytechnics

Prof Fobih advised the heads of beneficiary institutions use the buses to facilitate school activities and not for social activities such as funerals. Mr Kwadwo Afram-Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister said products of technical and vocational training institutions stood a better chance of being self-employed than depending on government for jobs. Alhaji Alhassan Umar, principal of the Bawku Technical Institute, who spoke on behalf of the Association of Principals of Technical and Vocational Institutions, commended the authorities for the gesture and said it signified government's commitment to TVET and the Education Reforms.

The Beneficiary institutions included Abetifi, St. Joseph, Koforidua, Amankwakrom and St Paul's Technical Institutes in the Eastern Region and Krobea Asante Technical Vocational and Kumasi Technical Institute in Ashanti region. The rest were Dabokpa Technical and Vocational, Bawku and St Paul's Institute in the Northern and Upper West regions respectively.

Source:

GNA

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CEPS chief decries corruption in the service


Aflao, May 24, GNA - Mr Emmanuel Doku, Commissioner of CEPS, has announced stringent measures to curtail corruption and extortion in the service and said public perception of graft in the service was "undoubtedly very high".

He was speaking at the third in a series of public forums dubbed Commissioner/Stakeholders forum on Friday at Aflao aimed at forging a closer working relationship between the service and its key partners to facilitate legitimate trade and revenue mobilization. Mr Doku said an Internal Affairs Unit (IAU) based on the US model where complains would be collected, investigated and action would be created as part of the anti-graft fight in the service. "We are urging our strategic partners to develop anti-corruption initiatives and embrace sanctions for corrupt practices and general malfeasance that can undermine our integrity." He said other measures were being introduced to allay the fears and concerns of stakeholders with regards to the operations of CEPS. Streamlining of clearance procedures to offset delays at the ports, redefining standards for professional and ethical conduct and the need to reconcile the divergent interests of the numerous players in the trade team, inter agency consultation and coordination were some of the other measures.

CEPS, Mr Doku said, was going by the World Customs Organization (WCO) advocated Framework Of Standards (FOS) to promote custom-business partnership and explained that the concept of Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) for easy verification of contents in containers had been introduced.

He said CEPS had proposed setting up of a joint consultative committee between customs and its partners as an interactive platform on customs operational matters to build a beneficial relationship. Mr Doku called for support in the fight against smuggling, illicit trade in drugs and ammunition and said there was the need to form collaboration with border communities in these areas. Participants mainly traders, transport and clearing agencies expressed worry about extortion by security personnel on the roads and the very bad nature of the Aflao border area roads that they claimed made truck loaded with goods to tilt and fall inhibiting human and vehicular movements.

Source:
GNA

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Kufuor Off To Japan


..attends TICAD IV, World Economic Forum

Accra, May 24, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor left Accra for Japan on Saturday to attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) scheduled for May 28 to 30 in Yokohama. A statement issued by the office of the President signed by Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to the President and Presidential Spokesperson said the TICAD Conference was being organised by the Japanese government and the UN and allied bodies with the main objective of promoting African development.

It said the conference would focus on Boosting Economic Growth and Ensuring Human Security, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and consolidation of peace.

It would also address issues relating to the environment and climate change on the African continent, the statement added. Thirty-three Heads of States, it said, would attend the conference and share their thoughts on critical aspects of the three thematic areas.

From Japan, President Kufuor would continue to Cape Town, South Africa to address the world Economic Forum on Africa. The Forum is a platform to address crucial economic and business issues in Africa and share experience on current trends in the world economy. Several world business leaders would be attending the form..

Source:
GNA

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Ghana Is Now Home for Digital Mobile TV



With a partnership between Black Star TV and South Korean company 2ii Tech, Ghana has become home to the first service in West Africa for mobile-phone-enabled TV content viewing. Employing Terrestrial Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (T-DMB) technology, the new service allows users to view movies, sports, music videos, 24-hour news and current affairs.

Accessories and the handset necessary for viewing, known as FonTV, cost GHC350 (US$345.66) and include free service for the first three months, after which time subscribers pay GHC4 per month. The battery lifespan of the phone is three hours of viewing time on a single charge.

Ghana Telecommunication Company (GT), operator of Onetouch mobile phone service, is currently the only mobile network to operate FonTV, but South Africa's MTN and DSTV have plans to launch another mobile TV with different technology. The launch of the service comes after three months of a successful pilot program.

Ibrahim Adjei, corporate affairs manager of Black Star TV, said in an interview that Ghana's main attraction for the service is its "strong, stable economy [and] the conducive political atmosphere, underscored by a strong market of mobile penetration with the current seven million subscribers."

"Ghana also has a well-developed and innovative media, which facilitates our operations. The country also boasts of a good human resource capacity, with high enrolment in institutions offering Information Technology and Information and Communication Technology courses. All the above factors are buttressed by the professionalism and capabilities of the Ghanaian business partners that form Black Star TV."

Although Ghana is the first to embrace the T-DMB technology, countries like Nigeria, Uganda and South Africa also have access to Mobile TV, but rely on analog technology.

The new service, which covers the Greater Accra Region, will be extended to the Ashanti Region in the next three weeks, followed by the Northern, Western and Central regions, in that order. Managers of the mobile TV hope to cover all of the 10 regions by early 2009. The two companies will ensure the service reaches parts of Ghana where there is no television signal, he said.

In the future, the partnership plans to introduce e-commerce services to allow consumers to use the digital mobile television platform to trade goods and services, as well as a traffic watch service, with a dedicated channel on which viewers can observe (via networks linked to CCTV cameras) road networks that are free from congestion.

Beyond the delivery of digital mobile television, 2ii Tech and Black Star TV hope to establish a manufacturing plant in Ghana.

Buzz up!

Source:
PC World

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• 23.05.2008

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NDC Will Use Prez Palace


... it will be stupid on our part not to use it The National Democratic Congress (NDC) vice running mate, Hon. John Dramani Mahama, has hinted that Prof. Mills will definitely use the Flagstaff House which is currently under construction as the seat of government, should NDC win the December general elections.

He said since it was state resources that was used to construct the Presidential palace, it would be stupid for the NDC to refuse to use it for the purpose for which it was put up.

Speaking on ‘Good Evening Ghana’ programme on Metro TV, last Tuesday night, John Mahama said NDC still stands by its position that there was no need for the government to waste taxpayer’s money on the Presidential palace adding, “it is a misplaced priority”. He noted that the NDC government would not have embarked upon such a project because some sectors of the economy needed urgent attention.

According to John Mahama, the $60 million that has been spent on the project so far, just for executive comfort, could have been used to provide water, electricity and roads for the ordinary Ghanaian. He noted that despite NDC criticism on the project, they would still use the new Presidential palace as the seat of government should they win power, because it would be wrong for them to refuse not to use it.

John Mahama, further told his host, Paul Adom Otchere, that when the NDC assumes power it would not repeat NPP mistakes by spending lavishly on the executive. Such expenditures, he noted, would be postponed and the money channelled into provision of water, electricity, education and roads. The NDC vice running mate also chastised the government for failing to give credit where it is due. He noted that a number of policies that were put in place by the NDC government led by former President Rawlings, were now bearing fruits but NPP was refusing to give due credit.

According to him it was through the effort of the former Minister of Education, Dr. Ekwow Spio Gabrah and the NDC government that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) was established. He said though NPP did not support the policy, it is the revenue accruing from the GETFUND that they are using to provide infrastructure at the various educational institutions in the country. He claimed that the government had even abandoned the idea of making budgetary allocation to the sector and relying solely on the GETFUND. He also noted that it was through the policy they put in place that has today transformed the telecommunication sector of the economy.

Touching on energy, John Mahama said an Atta Mills’ government would look at the cost build up of crude oil right from the Tema Oil Refinery to the filling stations to ascertain if there were certain inefficiencies that could be eliminated to reduce the cost of production. They would also look at the tax components and see if they could eliminate some of them to make the final product relatively cheaper to the consumer. He also promised that the NDC would set up special oil fund to manage our oil revenue.

He disagreed with his host that Ghana would have struck oil earlier if the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) under the Rawlings government had concentrated on its core activities, instead of investing in non-core areas. He argued that the achievement of the oil find was because the NPP government continued from where NDC left off. Hon. Mahama, who is also the MP for Bole-Bamboi, further argued that Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, former Chief Executive of the GNPC did nothing wrong when he decided to invest in other non core areas. According to him, it was GNPC, under Tsatsu that established Western Telecommunications system (WESTEL) with $10 million.

He said, today WESTEL has been sold to foreign investors at the cost of $100 million, and yet the man who initiated the investment that has now benefited the country is facing trial for causing financial loss to the state.

John Mahama reiterated his position that the NDC government would not witch hunt any member of NPP as had happened in the recent past. On the June 4th 1979 revolution that brought ex-President Rawlings to power, Mahama said he was in the University then when the coup occurred, but revealed that he did not support the killings that accompanied it.

He, however, contended that Ghanaians should not look at only the negative side of that coup but also the positive side, to make fair judgement. He said the late Prof. Adu Boahen did acknowledge in one of his books that the 1979 revolution was a popular one though it had its negative side.

Source:
The Chronicle

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Kweku Baako 'Dumps' Nduom


Mr. Kweku Baako Editor-in-Chief of the Crusading Guide newspaper also a well-known member of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) has joined forces with the party's Member of Parliament for Ellembele, Mr. Freddie Blay to canvass support for the NPP presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo.

Mr. Kweku Baako who said his position is still consistent with the CPP/NPP alliance in previous elections, dared the CPP leadership to expel him. Whatever decision his party's executives take against him, "I will not lose anything" he declared.

Conceding that the CPP's presidential candidate Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom had made the party more attractive, he said his "conviction and conscience" indicate that the CPP cannot win the 2008 elections.

Speaking on a television programme yesterday, Mr. Baako noted that "Dr. Nduom even knows that I am supporting Nana he is not happy even though he has made CPP more attractive."

For this reason, he said, if Mr. Freddie Blay who is the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament is supporting Nana Akufo-Addo for the CPP and NPP collaboration to continue "then he has my support".

He said since his party is not in a position to wrestle power from the NPP, there is no way he is going to sit down for the NDC to come back to power.

He said he was still not convinced that the NDC is capable of defending, protecting and sustaining Ghana's democracy. He said he also feared the NDC would decimate further, the already disunited Nkrumaist front if it is voted into power.

"I have a strategic commitment" Mr. Baako said, "to ensure that the NDC does not win".

He appealed to the general Nkrumaist leadership to analyse critically the status quo of the country's politics based on "the balance of forces as they stand today, the nature of the forces at play and the strategic interest of the CPP You can't even aggregate your forces to become a more serious contender; now we are going for elections and you expect me, Kweku Baako to expend my energy on a divisive front for the NDC to slip through."

It is still not clear how this would play out because the CPP leadership has signaled its displeasure and intends to take disciplinary action. It is a Hobson's Choice: any decisive action against Messrs. Blay and Baako could lead to major rifts within the party; refusal to take any action to would open up the party to criticisms of weakness, which in an election year is a tag no party would want to wear.

The NDC faced a crisis when Mrs. Rawlings clashed with Professor Mills over the choice of running mate; the NPP's crisis came in the form of Alan Kyeremanteng's resignation; could the CPP be about to face its own now?

Source:
ADM

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Suffering Ghana: Kufuor's Speech


"Good Evening Fellow Ghanaians,

"Over the past few years, the entire world has been witnessing severe phenomenal developments and trends, some of which are traceable to natural causes and others to market forces. These are cumulatively generating turbulence with complex and far-reaching effects on practically all the nations of the world, including our own Ghana.

"Some of the impact is engendering rapidly escalating costs in the commodity markets around the world. A typical example is the uncontrollable rising costs of petroleum products and food.

"The whole world is concerned about these abnormal developments. Indeed, in many parts of the world, including some neighbouring countries in our sub-region, these harsh trends have led to dislocation of economies, rioting and strikes.

"At the just ended UNCTAD XII, which took place here in Accra last month, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon devoted much time to discussing the global food problem. Since then, he has set up a task force to take the necessary steps to assist countries most affected by the turbulence in the market.

"Thank God, because of its current strength and resilience, our national economy has managed to withstand the terrible shocks of the market so far.

                                  Watch the Video!

"For this, credit must be given to the able, disciplined and far-sighted management of the economy of our country by the government backed by the Central Bank, over the past 7 years.

"The resilience stems in part from the strategic importance of achieving the completion-point of the HIPC initiative in 2004, and thereby freeing Ghana of indebtedness to the tune of about USD8billion from both bi-lateral and multi-lateral creditors.

"The economy's resilience stems also from the stabilization of the currency, and the rapid and substantial build up of reserves, which have increased the import cover from the low level of 2 weeks in the year 2001, to the current level of over 2 months.

"We must also not overlook the robust recovery of credit worthiness, which is recognized internationally. This was confirmed clearly last year by the over subscription of Ghana's Euro bond issue by USD3.2billion.

"In this regard too, we should pay tribute to our sister country Nigeria for according Ghana, during the first term of this government, supplier's credit for the import of crude oil covering 30,000 barrels per day on a 90-day credit basis, and currently, 60,000 barrels per day on a 30-day basis.

"Fellow Ghanaians, but for these pragmatic and far-sighted arrangements, our socio-economy would have long succumbed to the unfortunate circumstances that have befallen many countries within Ghana's development bracket.

"This is the background from which government has decided to engage the nation on the measures which I am bout to announce to mitigate the effects of the rising costs of petroleum products and food in the country.

"Over the past two years, the nation's crude oil import bill has risen from USD500million in 2005 to USD2.1billion as at the end of last year and is moving to USD2.5billion. And this is for the same quantity of oil. In November last year, the current budget was prepared on an estimated crude oil price of USD85 per barrel. Within the first quarter of this year alone this estimate has been overshot to beyond USD125 per barrel. As I speak to you now, the price is USD135 per barrel. The experts project that the price may rise as high as USD200 before the end of the year.

"Fellow citizens, obviously, this trend is throwing the budget out of gear, and nobody could have predicted this. This is the main cause of the swelling costs of transportation, utilities and food, which are making life difficult for everybody.

"In the face of these challenges, government has constituted a taskforce, which has been studying the situation on a continual basis so as to recommend such actions as would be necessary from time to time, until stabilization and normalcy are achieved. It is as a result of this that government has decided on the following measures for which the Minister of Finance has been directed to urgently seek parliamentary approval.

" First, import duties on rice, wheat, yellow corn and vegetable oil are removed. Importers are therefore enjoined to reduce prices accordingly. Indeed, it should be a criminal offence to attempt to re-export these items, which are being declared tax-exempt purposely for the benefit of the local market.

"The excise duty and debt recovery levy on premix oil are removed to assist our fishing communities.

"The excise duty and debt recovery levy on gas oil, kerosene and M. G. Local (Marine Gas Oil), are also being reduced. Dealers in these products and transporters should, therefore, reduce prices and fares accordingly to the benefit of consumers and passengers.

"Government has also decided to increase its support for the production cost of electricity to bring relief to domestic consumers.

"Government will subsidize the cost of fertilizer and ensure effective distribution to farmers to assure a good harvest.

"Fellow citizens, Government is already in consultation with its development partners to import and stock-pile additional supplies of rice and wheat to enhance food security.

"Fortunately, agriculture has done well over the past year as a result of which local staples like maize, yam, plantain, cassava and cocoyam are available in reasonable quantities even during this lean season.

"In addition to on-going policies and programmes, government is stepping up attention and investments in the sector. In this regard, it is directing the management of the Afforestation Programme to increase the planting of foodstuffs in the TUONJA demarcated areas around the country.

"The Aveyime rice project has been re-launched with vigorous planting of the nucleus farm. Local farmers are being encouraged to go into satellite farming in cooperation with the nucleus farm to boost locally produced rice.

"Further, the Ministry of Agriculture is directed to step up the supply of tractors at subsidized rates to farmers. It is also to accelerate the provision of small irrigation dams, and through its extension services oversee the supply of improved seeds and ensure an adherence to best practices among farmers.

"The Millennium Development Authority is also directed to accelerate the pace of implementation of the Millennium Challenge Account Programmes in all the selected districts.

"These measures need the support of all sections of our community for effective implementation. I am therefore appealing to all of you to rally behind government to ensure that our society goes through these difficult times with minimal stress.

"Fellow Ghanaians, even though these measures will involve cutting down on some of our development projects, I want to assure the entire nation that there will be no cut back on the policies designed to protect the vulnerable of society. Some of these are the School Feeding programme, the Capitation Grant, the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Metro Mass Transport, the National Youth Employment Programme and the Micro-Finance and Small Loan Scheme (MASLOC).

"Fellow citizens, in Ghana's current situation, the adage that there is a silver lining to every dark cloud holds true. Providence has been kind to us in the recent oil find, which has provided us with a bright light at the end of the tunnel. Pumping of the oil is programmed to start within the next two years. A carefully studied regulatory system to ensure transparent management is being prepared for parliamentary approval. Therefore, these difficulties of today should only be temporary. Let us therefore rally together confidently and look ahead into the future with hope and optimism.

"Thank you and may God bless us all.(End full text)."

Source:
GNA

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Two soldiers, policeman appear before Court on murder charge


Koforidua, May 23, GNA- Two military men and a police detective corporal on Tuesday were brought before a Koforidua High Court charged with two counts of murder of George MacLean Atuah, a driver, near Ayekotse, a suburb of Suhum in the Eastern Region last year. The accused persons were, Police Detective Lance Corporal Felix Dagadu, Corporal Ibrahim Bukari and Staff Sergeant Robert Adama, both of the Ghana Army.

General Constable David Darko, also implicated in the offence, is however, on the run.

The accused, who are members of a joint Police-Military Anti-Armed Robbery patrol team pleaded not guilty to the charges. A Chief State Attorney, Mr. Anthony Gyambiby, told the court, presided over by Mr. Justice Francis Miezah Anyimiah, that Atuah died after receiving severe beatings from the accused persons while driving to Suhum from Mangoase.

He said the security personnel, who were on a patrol mission in the region had chanced upon the driver, whom they accused of careless driving when attempting to overtake a taxi cab ahead of the patrol vehicle.

According to Mr. Gyambiby, the deceased, then driving a Hyundai car with registration number GR 3690 M, was chased by the accused persons. He said on reaching Ayekotse, a suburb of Suhum, the deceased took to his heels, and after a hot chase, the accused persons pounced on him and assaulted him with their weapons. He said after a while, they took him to the Suhum Police Station's charge office where he collapsed and later died while being conveyed to the Suhum Government Hospital. Mr. Gyambiby said a pathologist's report has confirmed that the deceased died as a result of assault while there was no justification of the brute force employed by the accused persons. An emotional Kwame Okantah, mate of the deceased driver who appeared as the first prosecution witness, played-up the last moment of his master who on the day of his death had driven to Mangoase on seven occasions to pick passengers to Suhum. He said the police did not signal them to stop when they overtook them until the firing of gunshots.

He said it was during the confusion that his master abandoned the vehicle to seek shelter away from the security men. Okantah said as he attempted to bring the vehicle to a halt after his master and the passengers had bolted, he was slapped in both ears by a policeman.

He said not long after, his boss was carried by the security men into the patrol car, which he also joined to the Suhum Police station. He realized at that point that his master was writhing in pains, breathing rapidly and not responding to calls. He said when Atuah finally spoke, he requested for water, which one of the accused persons offered but moments after, he collapsed into his arms. According to Okantah, a policeman on duty drew the patrol's team attention to the fact that they must seek medical attention for the deceased. He said when they finally did, Atuah was proclaimed dead at the Suhum Government hospital. Sitting continues on Wednesday.

Source:
GNA

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• 22.05.2008

Parliamentarians express worry about loss of incumbent MPs at primaries


Accra, May 22, GNA-Members of Parliament on Thursday expressed concern over the loss of experienced and incumbent members at the primaries of the various parties, and suggested that measures had to be taken to avert the situation which is likely to take a worse turn before the December general elections.

Alhaji Mubarak Muntaka, NDC-Asawase, was dilating on the issue which Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, NPP-New Juaben North had broached. Mr. Owusu-Agyemang had earlier raised an issue on the need for the Electoral Commission to brief the House on its preparation towards the conduct of Election 2008.

He had also drawn the attention of the House to the virtual absence of activities that had characterized business on the floor of the House in early days after its return from recess and the rather pile-up of work that caused extended sittings as it prepared for adjournment. He had said it was necessary the Leadership of the House came up with the schedule of the business of the House so that sitting MPs could properly allot time for their activities, both in and outside the House, especially as a number of experienced and incumbent MPs were losing the seats at the primaries.

Alhaji Mubarak regretted the loss of the mandate of the parties to the sitting legislators to represent them at the next parliamentary elections, explaining further that some MPs in some advanced democracies had been elected as many as 19 times, with some serving as long as 38 years.

Citing the vast knowledge of Mr. Osei Kyei- Mensah-Bonsu, Deputy Majority Leader, on the Standing Orders of Parliament, and the experience of the Deputy Minority Leader Mr Doe Adjaho, Alhaji Mubarak said such legislators become an invaluable storehouse of knowledge on parliamentary work.

He called on the House and the Ghanaian public to appreciate that keeping experienced MPs far outweighed the advent of new ones. Alhaji Mubarak called for steps to be taken by the House to advertise the contributions of the MPs, to national development and not to restrict their assessment to their achievements in the constituency. Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, NPP-Atwima Mponua, regretted that if care was not taken the House would lose many of the few women it had. He suggested a proportional representation of women and said the MPs must complement the efforts of one another to retain their seats. Mr Gershon Gbediame, NDC Nkwanta South, questioned why some District Chief Executives, who had been elected as parliamentary candidates were still at post contrary to the laws of the land.

The Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Adjaho warned that care must be taken not to impose people on the parties and constituents that would not represent their true choice.

Mr Kyei-Mensa Bonsu suggested to the parties to amend the relevant portions of their constitutions to make it possible to retain sitting MPs.

Mr Freddie Blay, First Deputy Speaker, who sat in the chair, urged the leadership of the House to find time to explore the issue as it affected not only the members, but the very institution of parliament, which they served.

Source:
GNA

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Kufuor announces reduction of petroleum product prices


Accra, May 22, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday announced the Government's decision to reduce Excise Duty and Recovery Levy on gas oil, kerosene and marine gas oil as part of a package deal to bring relief to Ghanaians in the midst of the global challenges, resulting from crude oil and food price hikes.

Additionally, debt recovery levy and excise duty on premix fuel as well as import duties on staples including rice, wheat, yellow corn and vegetable oil are to be removed.

In a nationwide broadcast, President Kufuor said the Government would also increase its support for the production cost of electricity, subsidize the cost of fertilizer and ensure effective distribution to farmers.

He said he had directed the Finance Minister to urgently seek parliamentary approval for these to help to reduce transportation fares and food prices.

President Kufuor warned that it would be criminal for anyone to attempt to re-export items declared tax-exempt purposely for the benefit of the local market.

The measures come at a time the nation's crude oil import bill has been mounting. From 500 million dollars in 2005, it rose to 2.1 billion dollars at the end of 2007 and now heading towards 2.5 billion dollars. The country's current budget was prepared on an estimated crude oil price of 85 dollars per barrel but within the first quarter of the year, it had overshot beyond 125 dollars per barrel with experts projecting that the price could hit an all time record high of 200 dollars per barrel.

President Kufuor acknowledged that the trend was throwing the budget out of control and said although the measures would involve cutting down on some of the Government's development projects, there was not going to be any cut back on policies designed to protect the vulnerable in the society.

Among these are the school feeding programme; the capitation grant; National Health Insurance Scheme; the Metro Mass Transport; National Youth Employment Programme and the micro-finance and small loans scheme. President Kufuor said to help to enhance the national food security the Government was in consultation with the country's development partners to import and stockpile additional supplies of rice and wheat. He further outlined a number of policy interventions to strengthen the performance of the agricultural sector of the economy, saying, the Government was stepping up attention and investment and had directed the Reforestation Programme to increase the planting of foodstuff in the "Tunja" demarcated areas around the country.

Again there had been a re-launch of the Aveyime Rice Project with the local farmers being encouraged to go into satellite farming in cooperation with the nucleus farm to boost local rice production. Besides, the supply of tractors to farmers at subsidized rates and provision of small irrigation dams, improved seeds and ensuring best practices would be intensified while the implementation pace of the Millennium Challenge Account Programme in selected districts are accelerated.

President Kufuor said these needed the support of all sections of the society for effective and successful implementation. He, therefore, asked all to rally solidly behind the Government to ensure that the country went through the difficult times with minimal stress.

The rising crude oil and food prices had led to dislocation of economies, rioting and strikes in some countries.

President Kufuor said Ghana's economy had managed to withstand the terrible shocks of the market so far because of its strength and resilience and gave credit to the disciplined and far-sighted management of the economy over the past seven years by the Government backed by the Central Bank.

Debt cancellation through the highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative freed the nation of indebtedness to the tune of about eight billion dollars from both bilateral and multi-lateral creditors.

Source:
GNA

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27% of teachers in Eastern Region are untrained


Koforidua, May 22, GNA - About 6,600 teachers out of the 25,020 teachers in the Eastern Region representing 26.5 per cent are untrained, Mr Kwadwo Affram- Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister announced on Thursday.

He said the situation was worrying because most of the untrained teachers were found in the Kindergarten, Primary and Junior High Schools which needed qualified teachers to ensure a good foundation. Mr Affram-Asiedu therefore urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in the Region to sponsor teacher trainees into training colleges to help redress the situation.

He said beneficiaries under the scheme should be bonded to return to teach in their respective benefactor districts after completion as part of the contractual agreement.

Mr Affram-Asiedu was addressing the Eastern Regional Meet the Press series in Koforidua.

He noted that the situation was as a result of the Region's inability to attract qualified or trained teachers to the area and said despite that there had been significant increase in enrolment at all the educational levels.

On the perennial water crisis confronting Koforidua Municipality and its environs, Mr Affram-Asiedu said with the construction of a 35 million euro water system at Bukunor in the Yilo-Krobo District, the situation would improve soon.

He explained that the water system when completed would supply at least four million gallons of water daily to consumers. On the activities of Fulani herdsmen that posed a threat to security in the Region, Mr Affram-Asiedu said despite numerous initiatives such as the 'operation cowleg' embarked upon by the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, the problem still persisted. However, he said all the affected district assemblies had been tasked to implement a Cabinet proposal that included the demarcation of designated areas for the headsmen to operate and their registration for easy identification.

Mr Frank Agyekum, Deputy Minister for Information and National Orientation, said price hikes in foodstuffs was a global issue but notwithstanding that government was determined to institute measures to mitigate suffering of the people. He therefore, called on the people to have confidence in the government and support its policies and programmes because the country had a bright future.

Source:
GNA

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Parliamentary Committee on roads recommends termination of road contract


Assin Foso, May 22, GNA- The Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport on Wednesday, recommended to the Central Regional tender board to terminate with immediate effect the contract of Progressive and Modern Contractors Limited on the upgrading of the eight kilometre Assin Foso-Praso road for non-performance.

The contract, which was awarded in July 2004 for a sum of GH¢1,450,500 was to be completed by July 2006, but the contractor asked for an extension till June 2008, only to abandon the project.

The Committee led by its Vice Chairman, Mr Yaw Ntow-Ababio, made the recommendation, when it inspected the progress of work on some feeder roads and highways in Assin North and Mfantseman Township, as part of their tour of the Central Region.

The committee inspected the upgrading of the 8 kilometre Assin-Foso-Praso road, Saltpond-Junction-Afrangua road and the surfacing of the 6.5 kilometre Akonfudi-Camp-Appoliningo feeder road.

Also inspected were the 6 kilometre Akropong-Odumase feeder road as well as the Saltpond town phase II roads project and the Mfantsiman girl's school road.

Mr Ntow Ababio said it was unfortunate that the committee had to take such a decision, "but had to do so, since the government was not prepared to deal with non-performing contractors".

The Vice Chairman was also unhappy that some contractors bid for too many contracts, which they find difficult to execute and called on the road agencies to always do proper investigations before awarding contracts to avoid shoddy works and unnecessary delay of projects.

He suggested to the Ministry to ensure that contractors were given deadlines to complete their works, and that those who fail to meet the time limit should be sanctioned.

Mr Kwabena Karkari Apau, Municipal Chief Executive of Assin North, said apart from the Kumasi-Cape Coast highway, no other road in his municipality was tarred and appealed to the committee to help address the situation.

Mr Ntow-Ababio in reply, said with the approval of a project to tar 15 kilometres of roads in each district, Assin North would be given a priority when the programme begins.

The team also visited the camp site of Taisei Corporation, the company

working on the Ankamu-Yamoransa trunk road at Abonko, near Mankessim and commended the contractor for the work done so far, but expressed his concern about the quality of work done as compared to the one linking

Mallam to Winneba.

Source:
GNA

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Hohoe restored to normal supply of electricity


Hohoe (V/R), May 22, GNA - Electricity supply was restored to the Hohoe last Wednesday after the town endured eight days without power, following damage to one of its main transformers. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Hohoe, Mr Divine Vuha, Hohoe District Manager of the Electricity Company, commended the residents for their cooperation during the outage.

"We greatly regret the inconveniences our avowed clientele have suffered during the course of the problem, we appreciate your co-operation," he said.

However, in separate interviews, traders and other business people in the town said they were still counting the cost of the one-week blackout.

Ms Akos Tsigbenyo, who operates a local restaurant, said apart from the power outage affecting her stock of meat, she also incurred a daily fuel bill of GH¢40.00 to run a generator during the period. Managers of the "Chineke God" cold store said they also lost at least 10 cartons of fish. Mr Vuha said though power was restored, a new 10MVA transformer was being monitored 24 hours for its stability and appealed to residents and businesses to continue to bear with the ECG in its efforts to improve services.

Source:
GNA

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• 21.05.2008

UK gives relief to migrants to go home


Accra, May 21, GNA - The Ghana High Commission in London on Tuesday informed Ghanaians residing in the UK that the Home Office in a bid to re-enforce the need for migrants to the UK to go home after expiry of their visas, had issued a statement detailing measures for those who broke UK immigration laws.

The statement noted that the new immigration rules, effective April 2008, gave those who overstayed a clear incentive to go home of their own accord by granting them "shorter ban than they would receive if they waited for UK Borders Agency to remove them".

The new rules state: "Anyone who has previously used deception in an entry clearance application will have all future applications to come here refused for 10 years.

"Anyone who has previously breached our immigration laws in any other way that is, by overstaying, entering the UK illegally, telling lies in an immigration application or breaching the conditions of their leave by working illegally will be banned from returning for various periods, depending on how they left the UK following their breach. It said such persons would be banned for one year if they left voluntarily at their own expense; five years if they left voluntarily at public expense; and 10 years if they were removed or deported." The Home Office statement said the rules would not apply to anyone who was in the UK on March 17, 2008 and who went home of his or her own accord before October 1, 2008. It said: "We are giving anyone here illegally the last chance to go before the new rules kick in. If they leave before October 1, 2008 we will not automatically apply the ban to them, though they will still need to meet the other requirements of the immigration rules if they wished to obtain a visa.

Source:
GNA

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NDC Parliamentary candidate discharged for human trafficking


Accra, May 21, GNA - The Osu Magistrate's Court has discharged Mr Ibrahim Zubairu, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary candidate for Agona West, Central Region, who was charged for human trafficking related offence and was widely published early this year. The court discharged Mr. Zubairu, who is also a lecturer in Business and Financial Administration at the Accra Polytechnic, of aiding and assisting four Iraqis to enter Ghana and knowingly harbouring persons in contravention of the Ghana Immigration Act for lack of evidence.

He had pleaded not guilty and was admitted to GH 2,500 cedis bail with two sureties.

"Accused is discharged for lack of evidence" the Court, presided over by Mr Emmanuel Bart-Plange Brew said. The four Iraqis were Ali Thaker Abd-Al-Haleem, Mohammed Alhi Ahmed, Zina Tarik Fahal Al-Kubaisy and Rawan Mohammed. The Prosecution has it that on November 24, 2007, Zubairu and George Shanin Danjuma picked four Iraqis from IBIS hotel in Lome, Togo at about 2200 hours and drove them through several unapproved narrow routes.

Prosecution claimed that investigation revealed that Zubairu received 12,000 Euros from the Iraqis to be disbursed to one Pola Opoku for the necessary documentation and other expenses to pave the way for the Iraqis to travel to Europe through illegal means. Mr R.S. Blay, an Accra Legal Practitioner, represented Zubairu. Talking to the Ghana News Agency after his discharge, Zubairu said he knew the father of Zina, who is the daughter of one Dr Tarick Fahal, who is a lecturer at Lincoln University, UK while studying for his masters degree and as Muslims their friendship deepened. He said Zina was married to Ahmed and the two others were the siblings of Zina. They were travelling from Iraq to Europe through Ghana to meet their father.

He said when they arrived in Ghana, the Ghana Immigration Service gave them 21 days stay and during a check on their background, the Iraqis, who were stranded and had no money, mentioned Zubairu as a friend of their father. Zubairu said he contacted Dr Fahal, who sent money through the Western Union Money Transfer to cover their travelling expenses.

Source:
GNA

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Government committed to unite tourism and handicrafts sectors


Accra, May 21, GNA - Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, on Wednesday expressed government's commitment towards uniting the tourism and handicrafts sectors to alleviate poverty, especially among the youth and women. She said the two sectors depended on each other and there was the need to harness the collaboration based on a policy that promoted tourism in a broader sense.

Mrs. Sai-Cofie was speaking at the end of a regional workshop on Tourism and Handicrafts on the theme: "Two Key Sectors to Contribute to Poverty Reduction and Economic Development in Africa." The workshop which brought together over 150 participants from the tourism and handicrafts sectors from 25 African countries including Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Benin, Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon and Mauritania is being organized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in collaboration with the sector Ministry. The Minister, expressing her gratitude to participants, urged them to ensure that they implemented the various recommendations they had agreed on as a group.

Among the conclusions drawn from the workshop is the need for relevant organizations to develop research programmes aimed at enhancing training, marketing, pricing and quality products development. As part of the programme participants would be taken on a city tour of Accra. They would also proceed to the Eastern Region to tour selected tourists attractions including the Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa farm.

Source:
GNA

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Valley View University organizes ICT Expo


Oyibi (GAR), May 21, GNA - To boost communications in the country, the Ministry of Communications has come out with a new policy known as the Ghana National ICT for Accelerated Development which would help to create a people centred, inclusive and development oriented information society.

The policy would also give prominence to the fact that education, knowledge, information and communication were the core for human progress and that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) play a great role in virtually all aspects of human lives and the fact that technologies open new opportunities for development. Speaking at the Third ICT Exposition organised by Valley View University at Oyibi on Tuesday, Mr Kwesi Adu-Gyan, Chief Director of the Ministry of Communications, said many of the country's problems could have been solved if there had been the requisite ICT skills in its human resource to undertake the necessary changes of the nation's economy. "The wealth of a country is represented by the quality of its human resources, how well they are trained and the skills that they possess especially in this age of information and knowledge society," he emphasized.

Dr. Seth Laryea, President of Valley View University, said the idea for the institution of the ICT Expo was to demonstrate the fact that given the necessary training and assistance, young people in the society could become assets rather than liabilities.

He lauded the idea that since the inception of the Exposition three years ago, other institutions had been inspired to follow suit. He appealed to the government to develop a strategy which would ensure that all teachers in the country became computer literate and also liaise with computer manufacturing companies which would produce inexpensive computers for distribution to all junior and senior high schools.

Dr. Laryea urged all organizations to fully participate in ICT expositions which the university would organize since they stood to gain immensely from them.

Out of the numerous projects undertaken by the students only 10 were selected for this year's exhibition due to the impact they were expected to make on some key sectors of the economy. These included a Road Maintenance and Monitoring System, which is capable of keeping track of all road events, maintenance schedules of vehicles and also alerting road officers of their maintenance schedules. Also on display was a Transport Management System for CEPS officials which could capture all relevant information on vehicles including information on their purchase date, total purchase cost, model and the year of manufacture. A machine which could track and resolve any situation that might arise as a result of mistake or attempted fraud in the case of Instant Money Transfer was also displayed.

Source:
GNA

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Kufuor calls for mutual respect between political system and chieftaincy


Accra, May 21, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor has emphasized the need for continued accommodation and respect between the modern political system and chieftaincy institution to promote Africa's development. Chiefs, he said, should support the modern political arrangement using their shared values to bring about more cohesion in the society. President Kufuor was speaking during a courtesy call on him by the Kabaga of Buganda in Uganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi.

The King from Uganda is in the country as a special guest of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who marked nine years of his ascension to the Golden Stool with an Akwasidae celebration last Sunday. The two, with the shared history of having their predecessors exiled to the Seychelles Island in the 19th Century for standing against British colonialism, used the occasion not only to renew the strong links between their Kingdoms but also discussed the project of working with their other traditional rulers to push Africa's development agenda. President Kufuor counselled that aspects of traditions and customs that were retrogressive to society must recede into history. He expressed his happiness about the decision of the two leaders to

unite with others to assist to speed up the pace of progress of the continent. President Kufuor noted that Africa had reached a period where traditional leaders had managed to combine tradition with Western education, something that stood them in good position to play crucial roles in society. He said: "We are proud you are a living memory of where we are coming from. You are one of the few monarchies left in our continent to remind the world that Africa has history and cultures. "Africans must be proud of ourselves and we receive you as Prince of Africa." The Kabaka commended the Government for the recognition and support given to chiefs, which was enabling them to make significant contributions towards nation building. He said he and the Asantehene agreed to strengthen the values and linkages between African keepers of traditional heritage, mentioning among them the Kings of South Africa, Swaziland, Nigeria.

Source:
GNA

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Pastor in court for stealing mobile phones


Ho, May 21, GNA - A self-styled pastor was on Tuesday remanded into police custody by a Ho Circuit for stealing mobile phones at a prayer camp.

Emmanuel Sarpei, a baker by profession pleaded not guilty and would reappear on June 4 this year.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Sampson Kwame Agboado told the court presided over by Mr Emmanuel Siammeh that, Sarpei presented himself as a pastor at the Bethel Prayer Camp near the Ho Polytechnic and had been acting as such.

He said on April 25, this year, at about 0930 hours after prayers, Sarpei asked two women at the camp to give him their mobile phones for an urgent call. Inspector Agboado said after taking the phones Sarpei disappeared from the camp. He said on May 7, this year at about 1400 hours, one Toto Ocloo a member of the prayer camp spotted Sarpei at Ho Housing Area and arrested him.

Inspector Agboado said Sarpei was thereafter taking to the prayer camp and later handed over the police. He said at the police station one Mawuse Kunu, a way-side mobile phone unit dealer also appeared to complain of Sarpei stealing her mobile phone, which she used to make calls for her clients. Inspector Agboado said Miss Kunu gave the phone to Sapei to make a call whilst she attended to another customer. He said before Miss Kunu could finish dealing with the new customer Sarpei had left with her phone. The Inspector said in his caution statement, Sarpei agreed having taking all the phones but insisted he did not steal them.

Source:
GNA

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• 20.05.2008

Make negotiations on oil public - GII

Accra, May 20, GNA - The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) on Tuesday asked government to make public all agreements signed on the country's crude oil to ensure transparency in negotiations.

This, it said, was necessary to inform citizens on tax concessions, repatriation of profits, environmental impact assessment and compensation to enable them to monitor producing companies and revenue. Briefing the press in Accra on findings of the 2008 Report on Revenue Transparency of Oil Companies and Lessons for Ghana, Mr. Vitus A. Azem, Executive Secretary of GII, said government must listen to all stakeholders, especially civil society and communities that would be negatively affected, in order to avoid signing bad deals. The report, compiled by Transparency International and the Revenue Watch Institute revealed that 60 per cent of the world's poorest lived in resource rich countries and revenue transparency of oil and gas companies were low.

Mr. Azem said considering the pressure on oil companies even in their home countries and Ghana's performance on the Corruption Perception Index, ensuring transparency was necessary. He said revenue in oil producing companies was expected to reach one trillion dollars this year, the highest in the industry, and this also made the quest for transparency more crucial. "The challenge now for Ghana is how to reconcile the gains and commitment made in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative process and take actions that would ensure transparency, openness and public accountability and trust of contracting the process," he added. Mr. Azem said the report had therefore asked Ghana to conduct thorough investigations on the operations of oil companies to avoid dealing with those with bad records.

He also expressed the need for civil society and the media to keep an eye on the resource by building networks and coalitions to present a unified voice to seek redress when their rights were being infringed upon.

The Ghana Stock Exchange and other regulatory agencies, Mr Azem said, should mandate the companies to publish information in a uniform and accessible manner. The Executive Secretary also tasked diplomatic missions to obtain information about these companies and negotiate for transparency through their governments. Mr Azem further called for legislations to back revenue transparency initiatives before production began.

Source:
GNA

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High Court freezes NDC primaries in Ho Central


Ho, May 20, GNA- A Ho High Court on Monday placed an interim injunction on the holding of the Ho Central constituency primaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

This followed an application by Mr William Asorgoe and Mr Yaw Agbeli, Constituency Executives of the party in respect of an alleged disqualification of one Mr Ben Eleblu who sought to contest the Ho Central primaries of the Party.

In an affidavit the applicants cited Mr Kofi Attor, Director of International Relations of the Party, Mr Ludwig Hlodze, Deputy National Youth Organizer and Mr Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary as having commented that Mr Eleblu was disqualified following the vetting of him and Captain George Nfodjo (Rtd) the incumbent Member of Parliament.

The applicants said Mr Eleblu's lawyers had written to the Flagbearer of the Party, Professor John Evans Atta Mills for thorough investigations into the matter before holding the primaries.

The affidavit said, while waiting for response from the Flagbearer and the National Executive Council of the Party there was information that the Party was preparing to conduct the primaries without investigating the matter.

It held that Mr Eleblu was a fully paid member of the party contrary to allegations that he was disqualified because he was not a paid up member of the party.

The applicants therefore prayed the Court to restrain Mr. Asiedu Nketia the Party's General-Secretary, Mr Winfred Agbemakplido Ho Central Constituency Chairman and Captain Nfodjo (rtd) from going ahead with holding the primaries until the matter was thoroughly investigated in the interest of the party.

Source:
GNA

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Blotted Ashanti Regional voters register ....

...is a challenge to the country's democracy-NDC

Osiem (E/R), May 19, GNA- Mr. Anthony Gyampo, Eastern Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), at the weekend said the current blotted voters' register of Ashanti Region made the voting population of that area equal to the total voting population of some other regions in the country.

He explained that the situation was a challenge to the democratic principles of the country where the will of the people should be the deciding factor in any proper democratic elections. Mr Gyampo was speaking at a strategic seminar organized for branch and ward youth organizers of the Abuakwa North constituency branch of the NDC at Osiem.

He said the situation threw a challenge to youth organizers of the party to ensure that all qualified and unregistered voters in their branches and wards were registered when the voters register is opened. Mr. Bismarck Tawiah, Eastern Regional organizer of the party, said the NDC had more to show and prove its good governance than the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which came to power in 2000 on promises it had not been able to deliver as at now.

Mr. Tawiah-Boateng said in the Eastern Region alone, as at 2000, NDC could boast of a lot of good roads including the Tema -Akosombo road, Koforidua-Akuapem roads, Nkurakan-Asesewa road and Otokporlu-Odumase road. He said most of the roads that the NPP government was boasting of, were projects that they came to inherit with the drawings and funds already available.

He said what the NPP did was to facilitate the construction, but which unfortunately it was not able to do to have them completed on schedule and yet they were making a lot of noises.

Mr. Tawiah-Boateng said the NPP was gradually turning the democratic governance of the country into dictatorship for the rich, adding that, it was the highest bidders who were being offered the mandate of the delegates at its primaries. He said the new image of the NDC required that every member of the party led exemplary life style that people in their communities would look up to them for leadership and direction. Mr Kwaku Asamoah, Regional Youth Organizer of the NDC, urged the youth organizers of the party to encourage as many young women as possible to join their fold.

He advised them to set up a nine-member youth organizers committee in all their branches and wards to help them in their mobilization work. Mr Simon Peter Asirifi, Parliamentary candidate of the NDC for the constituency, observed that from all indication, victory was awaiting the party in the area and in the country and what remained was only hard work to achieve that.

Mr Atta Boateng, Abuakwa North constituency Youth Organizer, challenged all youth organizers in the constituency to enter every home in the constituency and ensure that all the youth who had attained 18 years are registered. In a welcoming address, Mr Nimako Dankwa, constituency chairman of the party, expressed his appreciation of the seminar and said similar ones would be organized for branch chairmen and secretaries in the constituency.

Source:
GNA

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Students in Wa demonstrate

Wa, May 20, GNA - Students of Senior High Schools in the Wa Municipality on Tuesday demonstrated against the failure by the government to release feeding grants to headmasters to enable them to reopen schools in the Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions.

The students in a petition to the government said the Northern Scholarship (feeding grants) was their right and that the government should endeavour to release it on time to enable them to go to school. They said the delay in the release of the grant was affecting them negatively and called on the government to show sympathy to the plight of students in the north.

The students marched through the principal streets of Wa amidst shouting: "We want food, we want food" and converged at the Regional Coordinating Council where Miss Malma M. Mutiatu of Lassia Tuolo Senior High School presented the petition to the Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Madam Asibi Winfred Dy-Yakah.

Some of the students carried placards, which read: "No feeding grant, no vote", and "We need equal rights and justice, Mr. President". Madam Dy-Yakah told the students that government had released some funds to headmasters to reopen the schools soon.

She said the government was a caring and loving one and would not do anything that would jeopardize the education since human resource development had been the cardinal principle of the government. Madam Dy-Yakah urged school authorities that had not received their allocation to find out from the Education Ministry. He thanked the students for the mature manner they conducted themselves during the demonstration and advised them to use dialogue to resolve issues rather than violence.

Source:
GNA

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• 19.05.2008

Volta Regional Police personnel involved in robbery?


Ho, May 19, GNA - Mr Joy Afagbedzi, Volta Regional Police Public Affairs Officer has confirmed that some police personnel were being investigated for alleged robberies of mobile phones and cash while on operation at Aflao.

Four robberies took place around Aflao within the past 10 days. Police sources at Aflao told Ghana News Agency that three policemen, all from the Hawk Unit, a special Rapid Response Unit in the Volta Region allegedly raided the houses of Agbotsi Gbagbla and Mensah Dzenyo, both residents of Agbaweme, a village near Aflao in search of illegal arms.

They were, Sergeant Emmanuel Attigah, Constables Bukari Abdulai and Eric Agyire being quizzed over three of the robberies, which occurred on the night of Sunday May 11, this year.

Seven other police personnel allegedly involved in a fourth robbery on Tuesday May 13 have not been identified.

The sources said the three policemen and their alleged civilian accomplices, Francis Zutu who is on the run and Ben Midadze in police custody arrived at the village on motorbikes. It said after their operation, some of the residents also went on motorbikes chasing them and the alleged robbers abandoned their motorbikes and took to their heels. The sources said a report was made to the police and during initial investigations and hints of an identification parade the three police personnel reported themselves to the police administration. The complainants in their reports to the police at Aflao claimed they lost some monies in cedis and CFA francs. The source said one Kwame Sodetordzi also reported to the police that he lost 200 Ghana cedis during a similar raid when some policemen who claimed they were looking for illegal arms searched his home at Akporkloe, also near Aflao. With regard to the fourth incident, the sources said one Adzoa Boso, 75, reported that seven people dressed in police uniforms, accompanied by one Prosper Amuzu entered her house and broke into her son Torga Boso's room and he lost 550 Ghana cedis and 350 CFA Francs.

Source:
GNA

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Conduct thorough investigations into bloated register -NDC


Kumasi, May 19, GNA-The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has suggested to the Electoral Commission (EC) that any investigation into the national bloated register should include the time the bloating was effected, the people responsible for inflating the figures and in what manner the bloating was achieved. It said other issues which needed to be investigated should include why the bloating took place in Ashanti Region alone and in 13 constituencies where the registration of voters have swelled up to over 100 per cent and what was the motive behind the bloating exercise.

These were among some of the concerns of Mr. Daniel Ohene Agyekum, Ashanti Regional chairman of the NDC expressed at a press conference in Kumasi on Monday on the mode of declaration of 2004 election results, the manipulation of the 2004 presidential results by officials of EC and the bloated national register.

He said from the party's investigations conducted, the Ashanti region was the target and indeed victim of the voter register malpractices saying, "we have confirmed 13 constituencies in Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions where the registered number of voters have swelled up over 100 per cent".

Mr. Agyekum said the point deserved to be emphasised that the basis for a free, fair and transparent election which would ensure peace and stability in the country must and ought to be a credible register of all those who qualified and eligible to vote in a national election. The Regional Chairman, flanked by other executive members and party activists called on traditional authorities, religious leaders, professional and civil society organizations to join hands to invite the EC to provide a national voters register whose authenticity and credibility would not be in doubt to all stakeholders.

He said; "it is important that we all share the responsibility to ensure that we protect and defend our national constitutional and we therefore invite all political parties to commit themselves to a free, fair and transparent election in which results are declared by the EC which is the only guarantee for peace and stability in the country".

Touching on the manipulation of the 2004 election, Mr. Agyekum explained how the figures obtained by the presidential candidates during the election was manipulated as to give undeserved advantage to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate which enabled him to win. From EC collation result forms which were distributed to the Press, he said the designing of the collation form was such that it facilitated the manipulation of the results by some officials of the EC adding, "you will observe that the columns meant for the headings, name of candidate and the number of vote won by candidate were deliberately left blank". He stressed that this might have been a widespread practice which ensured that the NPP presidential candidate would win the election, wondering why the EC, as an institution, designed the form in such a way as to enable some members of its own staff to engage in this kind of electoral fraud.

He said for the avoidance of any doubt, the format for the collation forms should be designed to conform with the parliamentary candidates and that there should be a wider horizontal space for recording the results in the appropriate columns with a clear indication of name of candidate, votes obtained in figures and in words.

Source:
GNA

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Ghanaian Drug Baron Arrested In Brazil


Raymond Kwame Amankwah, a Ghanaian described as one of the most wanted drug barons, has been arrested in Brazil through a collaboration between the German Federal Police and its Brazilian counterpart.

He was arrested alongside two women, Mandy Veit, a German, and Irena Beata Ciaslak, a German-Polish, at the Pinto Martins Airport in Fortaleza, the capital of Ceara State in December 2007.

The three were said to be working for a Nigerian group in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Amankwah was waiting for the two women, Mandy and Irena, who were due to fly to Lisbon, Portugal, each of them carrying 3.08 kilogrammes and 3.097 kilogrammes of cocaine, respectively.

The Daily Graphic, in its August 13, 1996 edition, published a story in which the then Narcotics Unit of the Ghana Police Service had declared Amankwah, also known as Chanda Keita, wanted.

The Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom was said to have issued a bench warrant for his arrest in 1995 for being the brain behind a crack cocaine network whose bust led to the discovery of 5.5 kilogrammes of cocaine valued at £1 million.

It was also indicated that prior to that, INTERPOL had also issued a warrant for Amankwah’s arrest in 1990 on behalf of the judicial authorities in France for violating that country’s legislation on drugs acquisition, possession and importation.

The police said Raymond possessed two passports — a Ghanaian passport issued on July 19, 1988 and bearing the name Kwame Amankwah, while the other, an Ivorian passport, bore the name Kouame Amangouah and issued in Abidjan on November 15, 1985.

The Daily Graphic, in April 1995, reported that the British Police had seized £1 million worth of cocaine and that a Ghanaian ringleader had been declared wanted.

It said three accomplices — Mariame Keita, said to be Amankwah’s wife, Andre N’Guessan, a drug distributor, and Charles Oppong, said to be Amankwah’s lieutenant — had since been tried and were serving prison terms ranging from five to 20 years.

Confirming the arrest in a correspondence to the Daily Graphic, a Director of the Brazilian Supreme Court, Ms Madeleine Lacsko, said the three suspects were arrested after security personnel searched Mandy’s and Irena’s luggage at the airport while the two were waiting to fly to Lisbon at 7:30 p.m. and found the drugs hidden in false compartments.

It said Raymond, holder of Ghanaian passport number H1878450, was in custody at the House of Deprivation Provisional Freedom of Caucaia, while Mandy, holder of German passport A0883780, and Irena, bearer of German passport number 176705648, were being kept at female prisons at Presidio Desa, Auri Moura Costa.

It said the three were found to be part of an international drug trafficking network, a Nigerian drug mafia in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The correspondence said Amankwah had been in Brazil from January to November 2007, without leaving the country, and returned to Ghana in November 2007 for the marriage of his daughter.

It said investigations revealed that while in Brazil, Amankwah was receiving income from his business in Ghana, including some bank transfers and deposits on his international card.

It said he was staying at a hotel where he was paying between $500 and $800 monthly.

It said the Brazilian police had information that Amankwah had come to Brazil to raise a drug trafficking gang to supply drugs to Europe.

The correspondence said it was established that Amankwah’s experience was highly needed by the mafia because the cost of a kilogramme of pure cocaine in Europe was 40,000 euros, while the price in Fortaleza, Brazil, was only $12,000.

It said Amankwah was apprehended with the help of seven security men, after he had resisted arrest.

It said Amankwah had met Mandy and Irena on November 28, 2007 and handed the bags containing the drugs to the two ladies.

It said although Mandy and Irena denied knowledge of the contents of the luggage, the police argued that they could not be innocent, having accepted fully paid international trips with monetary rewards just for the delivery of the bags.

The correspondence said Amankwah later allegedly confessed that they all knew what they were doing and acknowledged taking the drug from Ken Chukwuma, popularly known as Don, between the Paulista and Blanca avenues in Sao Paulo to hand it over to the ladies.

It said the investigations traced the international trafficking operations of the gang from neighbouring Benin where Mandy had been invited by a German, Thomas Kamp, for holidays and later given a bag containing drugs to be delivered in France for a fee of 4,500 euros, adding that Irena was also part of the trip to Benin and benefited from a similar inducement.

It said Kamp again met Mandy in Brazil and offered her 5,000 euros to deliver a bag containing drugs in London.

It explained that Kamp later left for London but Irena later joined Mandy in Brazil for the same purpose.

The correspondence said it was established that Amankwah was the contact person in Sao Paulo from whom the two ladies were to pick the bags containing the drugs.

According to it, the German police had been trailing Mandy for some time, although Irena had not come to security notice in Germany yet.

It, however, said Irena’s brother had been jailed in Peru for drug trafficking.

It said a Federal Judge, Dr Danilo Sampaio Fontenelle, sitting at 11th Vara, me Carlos, on March 24, 2008, for a pre-trial, declined bail for the suspects because of the seriousness of the case and the international dimension of the crime.

The judge, it said, also explained that the suspects were experienced international drug dealers who posed a serious danger to society if they were granted bail because they had no permanent address and no profession and, therefore, it was better that they were kept in jail.

It said Dr Edmac Trigueiro Lima is leading the prosecution, while Amankwah was being represented by two lawyers, Dr Paul Napoleao Quezado and Dr John Marcelo De Lima Perdrosa.

Source:
Daily Graphic

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Chief attacks MTN and others for poor service


Apam, May 19, GNA - A chief has appealed to the National Media Commission (NMC) to compel mobile telecommunication service providers to make customers have value for their money.

Obrifo Ahunaku Ahor Ankobea III, the Paramount Chief of Gomoa Akyempem Traditional Area in the Central Region, told the GNA in an interview ON Sunday that services rendered by the providers were an insult to the integrity of Ghanaians.

He said services, especially those rendered by the Media Telecommunications Network (MTN), were a disgrace to the country and urged NMC to place a ban on promotion and sponsorship programmes by service providers until they improve their services to customers.

"It seems telecommunication service providers are in the country to boost their ego through promotions but not to render telecommunication services to the people. The best means of promoting one's business is to render quality service to customers,"

he said. Obrifo Ahunaku Ahor Ankobea said investors and tourists who visit the country and would like to use cellular phones to communicate would be disappointed

"as the services are nothing to write home about."

He said escalating transport fares enjoined Ghanaians to rely on cellular phones. The nation, therefore, needs a reliable telecommunications network but not the type being rendered at the moment. The chief recalled the time NMC placed a temporary ban on the sale of sim cards and said their services improved a little but when the ban was lifted the services had gone worst.

"It is irritating making calls, especially on MTN these days, as it takes a longer time before the call goes through.

The popular response of switched off or out of coverage area greets a caller even if the person you are calling is standing besides you,"

he said and appealed to the NMC to save the people from exploitation.

Source:
GNA

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Cell phone penetration to hit 50%

Mobile phone penetration in Ghana is estimated to hit 50 percent by the end of 2010.

According to Joshua Peprah, Director in charge of Regulations and Licensing at the National Communications Authority (NCA), the country, which currently has over 8 million mobile phone subscribers, has already seen 36 percent penetration since the end of 2007.

Mr. Peprah disclosed this on Wednesday at the launch of Fon TV, a collaboration between Black Star TV and GT Onetouch that will give Onetouch subscribers the opportunity to view television on their mobile phones.

The new product comes with GPRS compatibility as well as call conference and internet provisions.

All over Africa especially Ghana, mobile phone usage has seen explosive growth since 2004 and there are more opportunities ahead as the NCA will soon license a sixth operator, Mr. Peprah hinted.

As at December 2007, MTN, the largest mobile service provider has seen its subscriber base hitting 3.9 million followed by Tigo with over 2 million subscribers. Onetouch had over 1.5 million while Kasapa had 248,000 subscriber base.

In addition to the boom in the mobile service provision, there had been a 2.7 percent penetration in the internet sector with 34 operational internet service providers (ISP) licenses, he added.

Ghana signed GE’O6 agreement to complete the transition from analog to digital TV by June 17, 2015 and according to the NCA it will provide spectrum efficiency-1 channel for 4-8 programmes, new licensing models and potential increased revenue from digital dividend.

This innovation will mean a TV station like TV3 network could broadcast about seven channels such as kiddie and sports programmes, he explained.

On the way forward, Mr. Peprah emphasized that the NCA will continue to adopt and maintain principles and policies that foster development through private sector as well as ensure a pro-business and competitive regulatory regime.

In addition, he explained, investment opportunities in telecommunication, data and BPO spaces will be expanded.

Source:
Daily Guide

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 Asantehene destools Mim chief


One of the chiefs who swore the oath of allegiance to the 'Golden Stool' more than 20 years ago, Nana Appiah Kusi Brempong II, has been barred by the Asanteman Council from holding himself as Oman¬hene of Mim in the Brong Ahafo Region.

In a landmark ruling over the weekend, the Asanteman Council said Nana Appiah Kusi Brempong, who swore the oath of allegiance to the late Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, was not a descendant of the rightful owners of the stool.

Chaired by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the council established that the uncle of Nana Kusi Brempong, the late Nana Kusi Appiah, who served as Mimhene, was only a secretary to the community, who was given the stool because of the valuable services he rendered to the community at the time.

The claim by Nana Kusi I Brempong that he had the right to succeed his late uncle was therefore rejected.

Nana Kusi Brempong, who was contesting the stool with a rival chief, Okofrobour Yaw Agyei II, a professor of aeronautic engineering, in a bitter dispute, expressed his surprise when Otumfuo finally pronounced the ruling of the council last Friday.

The council, however, accepted the genealogy traced by Okofrobour Yaw Agyei.

Okofrobour said his ancestors were the first to be sent to Mim as soldiers by the then Akwaboahene.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu, therefore, directed the kingmakers to go back and decide finally on Nana Yaw Agyei so that he could swear the oath of allegiance to him at the next council meeting.

By tradition, chiefs who owe allegiance to the Golden Stool are only recognised when they take the 'Ntamkesie', the revered Asante oath.

The Queen of the traditional area, Nana Durowaa, who had supported Nana Kusi Brempong all the while, was also declared a wrongful occupant of the stool after occupying it for about 30 years.

This was after the declaration by a former Asantehene, Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh II, in 1932 that the Mim stool was created without a queen was upheld.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu says that the decision taken by Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyem Prempeh still holds.

The two rival chiefs were asked to trace the lineage when the Council realised that it was the surest way of establishing who had the right to claim the stool.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu said by Asante tradition, it was the Akwaboahene, one of the chiefs in the Ashanti Region, who had the right to choose a chief for Mim.

In the substantive case, the Akwaboahene said he had no hand in the enstoolment of Nana Yaw Brempong.

Source:
Daily Graphic

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Minister briefs British Government on Northern problems


Tamale, May 19, GNA - Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister on Monday tabled the myriad problems confronting the three Northern Regions to the British government for possible assistance to address them.

He said despite the British government's enormous support in the pre-colonial era to redeem the North of its problems, there had not been any marked change in the status quo of the area.

Rather, he said, new problems including the guinea worm disease had emerged, which needed further support to combat to enhance the area's development. Alhaji Idris raised these concerns when Mr. Nicholas Westcott, the British High Commissioner in Ghana paid a courtesy call on him in Tamale on Monday. Mr. Westcott is in the Northern Region to inspect British Government funded projects and other development initiatives by British NGOs to identify areas of further support to mitigate the plight of the people.

Alhaji Idris said the three Northern regions were still grappling with the problems of water, health, infrastructure, unemployment and rural electrification, which needed to be addressed by the British Government as a gesture of reparation. He said the region was grateful to the Multi-donor Monetary Support by the British Government and stressed the need for funds to address the problem of peace and security, particularly, in the Northern Region.

Mr. Westcott said the British Government was mindful of the problems facing the entire country and it would do everything possible to help address the concerns raised by the Regional Minister. He gave the assurance that the British Government would also help to facilitate the promotion of peace and political tolerance in the region.

Source:
GNA

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