| HOME | | NEWS ARCHIVE 2009 | | NEWS ARCHIVE 2008 | | NEWS ARCHIVE 2007 | | PHOTO REPORTS | | VIDEO REPORTS | | AUDIO REPORTS | | EDITORIAL | | LATEST WORLD NEWS | | | | Ghana Districts | | ARTS in GHANA | | GET FREE STUFF | | Food & Drinks in Ghana | | Africa Cup 2008 | | Ghana Hotels | | Links / Websites | | Ghana Districts | | Ghana Tourism | | Ghana Classifieds | Names in Ghana | | | | | | * 15.02.2009 | Asokwa - NPP suspends 17 executives | According to Joy FM and the NPP Regional secretariat (Ashanti); seventeen New Patriotic Party members in the Asokwa constituency in the Ashanti Region have been suspended indefinitely for misconduct.
The seventeen are trouble makers and flouted the party’s constitution with impunity. Spokesperson of the seventeen affected executives, Osei Effah Amponsah, told Joy FM correspondent Ohemeng Tawiah the decision is "unconstitutional" and without basis.
Source: ghanaweb -news .com
| Akropong School for the Blind pleads for increase in feeding grant | An appeal has been made to the government to increase the feeding grant for students of Akropong School for the Blind which currently stood at GP 80 per student daily.
The government was also asked to release the feeding grant on time to avoid the pressure on the school authorities who were forced to provide food for students when the grant was not available.
Mr John Stanley Annor, Headmaster of the school made the appeal at a ‘Day of Caring’ ceremony organized by United Way Ghana, a philanthropic organization and sponsored by Newmont Ghana Limited at Akropong in the Eastern Region.
Mr Annor said the meagre amount and the delay in releasing the grant did not make for nutritious meals for the students to improve the development of their mental capabilities.
The problem of the Akropong School for the Blind is not only about feeding and grant; textbooks are not written in brail, making learning very difficult for the students, he said.
In addition, there is lack of accommodation for the staff, inadequate classrooms and dormitories for the increasing number of students.
The Headmaster said facilities such as water and other recreational centres were not available to make students engage in social events for their physical upkeep.
He said however that, the school was making strides in academic performance and expressed the hope to showcase some handicrafts by the students to solicit public support for their activities.
Newmont Ghana Limited mobilised a large team of its employees, including top management personnel to the school’s campus to show love and affection to the students, painted the entire school building and dormitories, built summer huts for the students’ recreational activities, cleared weeds and presented food items to them.
Mr Yaw Antwi-Dadzie, External Affairs Manager of the company said the programme was a way of demonstrating leadership in corporate social responsibility.
Mr Antwi-Dadzie said, apart from honouring its responsibility for communities impacted by its activities, Newmont also made it part of its responsibility each year to show love to the deprived in society by donating items and engaging in environmental cleanliness activities.
The Akropong School for the Blind, started in 1936 currently has a student population of 350.
Source: GNA
| | * 13.02.2009 | Approval of nominees rescheduled | Accra, Feb. 12, GNA - Parliament could not debate a report of the Appointments Committee and approve or reject ministerial nominees based on the work of the committee as scheduled for Thursday.
This followed complaints by some members that they needed time to study the report and make meaningful contribution to the debate. Meanwhile, Mr Edward Doe-Adjaho, Chairman of the Appointments Committee, criticized a clerk to the Committee for mistakes in the report laid in the House Today, saying it was hindering progress and general work of the committee, one reason for the rescheduling of the debate.
Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, Minority Leader, said the committee members and the staff had to work under pressure and sometimes late into the night, a possible reason for the mistakes in the report. Mr Alban Bagbin, Majority Leader, who agreed, said the committee had to work under pressure and members of the committee should be well motivated to encourage them. The House is expected to give its final verdict on the nominees on Friday. | | * 12.02.2009 | | Minister-Nominees for Regions vetted | Accra, Feb. 11, GNA - Mr Kofi Opoku-Manu, Minister-Nominee for the Ashanti Region, on Wednesday told the Parliamentary Appointments Committee that should he become the political head of the Region he would adopt a management style that would unite the people. He said despite the fact that the Region was a stronghold of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) it would be in the interest of development for the people to come together as one.
Responding to a question from a committee member about reports of clashes over control of places of convenience in the Region and how he would integrate the Region that largely did not vote for the ruling NDC Government, the Nominee said he would adopt a management style that was not confrontational. He said all sides of the political divide were needed to bring development to the area and, therefore, there was the need to build consensus in this direction.
Mr Opoku-Manu identified congestions associated with hawkers and traders, using the streets to sell, as one area that needed urgent attention. In response to steps to stop the recurrence of the recent Baba Yara Stadium disaster involving Hearts and Kotoko, which claimed four lives, the Mr Opoku-Manu said a tough stance must be taken to hold persons responsible accountable.
Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Minister Nominee for the Brong Ahafo Region, told the Committee in response to a question on Regional Ministers, who controlled District, Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives under them that he would give them free hand to work. He said he would consult with them on critical issues to bring development to the area.
On plans to deal with the forest cover of the Region, which was being depleted and turned into a savannah, he said it would be proper to embark on a re-forestation programme and to enforce laws related to the issue. Mr Nyamekye-Marfo said the Region had various areas such as the quarry and agro sectors that could be developed to create jobs for the people.
| "I will be a mother of all in Central Region" - Benyiwa-Doe | Accra, Feb. 11, GNA - Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, Minister-Nominee for Central Region, on Wednesday said she would be a mother to all and ensure that children in the Region benefited from the many quality educational institutions in the Region. Mrs Benyiwa-Doe, who appeared before the Parliamentary Appointments
Committee, said: "It is unfortunate that due to poverty, people of the Central Region cannot afford to attend the schools in the Region, but under my administration we will implement a quota system that will ensure that people from the Region get a fair share of the quality education the Region offers," she said. When quizzed on her date of birth Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said her parents were illiterate so they could not tell the exact date on which she was born. When asked if she had considered the possibility of having been given the wrong date of birth, February 28, 1950, she said: "Honourable Chairman I wouldn't know that."
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said she collected her End-of-Service Benefit under the Chinery-Hesse recommendations a month ago in answer to a question whether she had benefited from the Chinery-Hesse Report. She said she was supposed to have received her end-of-service benefit (ESB) in 2005 after serving in Parliament between 2001 and 2004. Asked about her characterisation of all members of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government as cocaine dealers, she said it was wrong for her to have used the conviction of only a member to make such a generalisation.
Later in the day Alhaji Mahmood Khalid, Regional Minister-Nominee for the Upper West Region, said he would take advantage of the hard working nature of the youth and women in the Region to mobilise them for income-generating activities as part of an agenda to deal with poverty. He said he would liaise with the appropriate agencies to ensure that link roads between the Region and other regions were constructed in an expeditious manner.
| | * 11.02.2009 | | Iddrisu promises vibrant mobile telecommunications | Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minister-nominee for Communications, on Tuesday said when given the nod to be minister he would expedite action on the implementation of mobile number portability (MNP) to empower consumers to make better choice of mobile phone services.
He made the promise when he was being vetted by the Parliamentary Appointments Committee for the position of Minister of Communications.
“It is time for the regulation regime to make it possible for mobile phone users to be able to migrate from one network to the other with the whole of the phone numbers, including the network code and I think that it is about time the National Communications Authority (NCA) brought MNP on,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu made the statement in response to a question Mr Atta Akyea, NPP Abuakwa South, posed regarding the poor network quality of some of the mobile phone service providers and the need to empower the consumer to migrate to other networks and yet keep their numbers.
Mr Akyea expressed worry over the fact that the NCA, which was the regulator, seemed unconcerned about the interest of the consumer and was rather in the business of granting licences to the network operators to expand their subscriber base on their problematic networks.
Dr Matthew Prempeh, NPP Manhyia, also mentioned the need to bring MNP on board to enable the consumer to punish poor network quality by migrating.
He noted that even with the presence of six multi-nationals in the country, tele-density was still poor to the extent that there were several dark spots across the country where it was difficult to make or receive calls.
Dr Prempeh also suggested the need for the regulation regime to make it possible for people’s finger prints to be read when they dialled numbers on their handsets, in order to prevent the situation where people used phone chips to threaten others and threw them away without being traced.
Mr Iddrisu said; “Ghana’s mobile network is generally poor and needs to be beefed up to 3G, which is about the standard internationally”.
But the questioners reminded him that MTN and Zain recently launched 3.5G services even though the Ghanaian technology was supposed to be poor nationwide.
Mr Iddrisu said with as many as six multi-national operators in Ghana, there was the needed for a more efficient and effective regulator.
“We need a stronger regulator” he said.
He said with regards to tele-density the country had 52 per cent tele-density but it was more focused in Accra and Kumasi, adding that, the problem was that of interconnectivity between the network operators.
“Under my stewardship we will maintain an open access facility for all to enable interconnectivity to be properly streamlined,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu said the network operators had very cordial relations and he would capitalise on that to ensure that they worked together to provide quality service to consumers.
Source: GNA
| | * 10.02.2009 | Talensi-Nabdam NDC appeals to President Mills to rescind decision on Asaga | Kongo (UE), Feb. 10, GNA - Executive Members and supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Nadam and Talensi Constituencies in the Upper East Region on Monday appealed to President Atta Mills to rescind his decision on the withdrawal of Mr Moses Asaga as the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing. They made the appeal at a Press Conference held at Kongo near Bolgatanga.
A leading member of the NDC in the Nabdam Constituency, Mr Thomas More, explained that Mr Asaga had contributed a lot to the development of the constituency, the Region and the nation as a whole. He said though Mr Asaga faulted for not consulting other members of the Economic Management sub-Committee as said, his good sides as far as the development of the nation is concerned were significant and should not be downplayed.
"We would be grateful if you could kindly rescind your decision, taking into consideration his past contribution and records when he once served as a deputy Minister of Finance and ranking member on various portfolios in Parliament."
Mr More noted that the withdrawal of Mr Asaga as the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing would affect the party during the 2012 election since the opponents would use it to campaign against the NDC. He stressed that President Mills should view Mr Asaga's positive sides and temper justice with mercy by giving the MP the second chance. "We know he erred, but as a listening father, we plead with you to temper justice with mercy and give him a second chance," he pleaded. Mr More indicated that Mr Asaga signed the Memo that led to the disbursement of the ex-gratia award to MPs on January 16th 2009, four days before it caught the public's attention, and noted that it was therefore wrong for people to think that he ignored public opinion and signed the Memo as being alleged.
In another development, a former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Professor Saa Dittoh, and a former President of the Regional House of Chiefs, Naba Sigri Bewong, both natives of the Nabdam area, have also appealed to the President to reconsider his decision by revalidating the nomination of Mr Asaga.
Professor Dittoh and Naba Sigri noted that one of the pledges the President made to the people of the north during his campaign was to bridge the gap between the area and the south, and that the appointment of Mr Asaga as the Minister-designate for Water Resources, Works and Housing was in line with that directive. They noted that Mr Asaga is somebody who is capable, committed and knows the deprived nature of the north, and could play a key role when made the Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing towards bridging the North-South development gap.
"Everybody makes mistakes, and Mr Asaga has learnt his lesson and should be pardoned and given the second chance taking into cognizance the positive and progressive development he has brought to the nation," they pleaded. They noted that it would not only be a great loss to the constituency but the entire region and the nation if Mr. Asaga is withdrawn as the designated Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing. | | Crime has increased in the Western Region-Police | Sekondi Feb. 10, GNA - Criminal cases in the Western Region increased from 16,167 in 2007 to 19,380 in 2008, an increase of 3,213, a press release from the Regional Police Command has stated. The release was signed by Superintendent Victor Seth Agbetornyo, the Regional Crime Officer and issued at Sekondi on Monday. Minor cases, it stated, including petty stealing, assault, causing unlawful damage and inducing tenants to quit, increased from 15,616 to 18,854 during the same period.
Prominent among the cases were non-maintenance of children, which hitherto were not reported to DOVVSU, but the public has began reporting them as a result of constant education.
The release said in 2007, 10 attempted murder cases were recorded but decreased to seven cases in 2008 while armed robbery cases increased from 18 in 2007 to 22 in 2008. It said 88 narcotic cases were recorded in 2007 as against 112 cases in 2008, while rape cases decreased from 67 cases in 2007 to 49 cases in 2008. The release said defilement cases decreased from 263 cases in 2007 to 230 cases in 2008, while abortion cases increased from 46 cases in 2007 to 50 cases in 2008. It said in 2007, 49 murders cases were recorded as against 54 cases in 2008 and some of the cases were still under investigations while a considerable number are currently pending before court.
The release said most of the cases were recorded in the Sefwi area and victims are either farm owners or farm hands. It said "The modus operandi has been that the perpetrators hide under cover of darkness and shoot their unsuspecting victims from a distance". "The arrests so far made indicate that the suspects were litigating with their victims and most were land related cases," the release said. It said out of 112 drug related cases, 10 were cocaine cases while 102 were Indian Hemps cases.
The release said Policing in general has improved as compared to the previous year despite the rise in crime wave. It said some of the challenges facing the police include the public refusal to give out information for police operations, lateness of complains, lack of logistics and unreliable information that disrupt police operations. The release said the Intelligence Units of the Command would be enhanced to source for information on activities of criminals and also motivate the public to give information. It said the police will work with landlords regarding tenants with suspicious character and also patrol in crime prone areas at night to be intensified. The release said the Regional Command has recommended to the Police Administration to create a patrol division in the service. | | | | ______________________ |
| Please note: Some links may open in a new window! | * 15.02.2009 (Sunday) | | GO to WEEK 8 ( 16.02.2009 - 22.02.2009 ) | | Fake doctor performs surgery | A man who posed as a medical doctor and practiced in a number of hospitals and clinics in the Volta Region is in the grip of the Akatsi police.
Michael Acheampong, 28, was arrested on Thursday after he had performed surgery on a hernia patient, James Dogbe at Noggar Clinic, a private clinic at Akatsi where he had worked for four months. The patient developed complications after the operation.
Disclosing this to the Times on Thursday, a police source said Acheampong, had earlier worked as a medical doctor at Comboni Hospital in the South Tongu District for four months after introducing himself as a medical practitioner to the hospital's authorities.
He absconded when he realised that the hospital's authorities were becoming suspicious of his capability. He then moved to work in various private clinics in the region.
The source said anytime he realised that his employers were getting suspicious of him, he absconded.
Luck however ran out on him on February 5, when he was arrested after a surgery he performed on a hernia patient went bad. The patient's condition got worse after the surgery.
The source said the Medical and Dental Council, acting on information about Acheampong's activities, sent a retired medical superintendent from Accra to Noggar Clinic to keep surveillance on him.
It was when the hernia surgery got complicated and Acheampong attempted to abscond that he was arrested.
After investigations he was arraigned before the Akatsi District Magistrate's Court and was remanded in police custody pending further investigations.
His plea was not taken and is to reappear on February 25.
The court presided over by Mr Daniel Norkpoh ordered the police to conduct further investigations to ascertain the extend of damage and the number of patients who have died as a result of the accused person's practice.
> BACK TO TOP < | | Minister demands loyalty from Staff | Accra, Feb 15, GNA - The Minister of Lands and Forestry, Alhaji Collins Dauda, has demanded from the staff of the Ministry loyalty and dedicated service to enable the government deliver on its promises to the people.
Speaking at a meeting with the staff on his first day in office on Monday, Alhaji Dauda reminded that the task of sustainable management of the country's natural resources calls for high level of hard work. He said while he would recognize the contribution of all individuals and institute reward schemes to motivate staff for hard work, he would, however, not tolerate laziness.
"I demand from you all to demonstrate a high level of sincerity in all dealings so as to move the agenda of sustainable management of the resources forward," he said.
Alhaji Dauda told the staff that the big challenge of ensuring that future generations benefited from the country's natural resources could only be achieved in an atmosphere of togetherness and the determination of all to give off their best to the development of the sector. "In this direction, we must all warm ourselves up and get to the task," he said and asked the heads of the various departments to prepare to educate the public through effective communications of the various projects and programmes of the Ministry.
He asked the departmental heads to appreciate the work of their subordinates, saying that success in the programmes and projects of the Ministry would depend on the contributions made by all. Mr Ahmed Bin Saliah, Chief Director of the Ministry, said the staffs would provide the necessary support and asked the Minister to give them recognition and attend to their needs. | | Statement of Bongo Youth - Congratulation | HON. ALBERT ABONGO
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
BONGO CONSTITUENCY
DEAR SIR,
CONGRATULATIONS FOR YOUR NOMINATION AS MINISTER DESIGNATE FOR WATER RESOURCES, WORKS AND HOUSING
On behalf of me and the Youth Wing of “Bongo” Constituency resident in the Greater Accra Region, we wish to congratulate you on your nomination as a Minister Designate for Water Resources, Works and Housing.
The step is in the right direction following your keen interest to ensure the provision of good drinking water to needy communities and also provide affordable houses for institutions like the Police Service, Military and other Public Officers.
Since your election as the Member of Parliament in 2001, your immense contribution in the construction of wells and bore-holes in the Constituency cannot be ruled out.
It is in this direction that, we see your nomination as God’s abundant blessing on the Country as a whole and hope you will successfully go through the Parliamentary vetting process.
Thank you.
Signed: ADUKO MATTHEW APUSI YAABA
(SECRETARY/”BONGO” YOUTH (ACCRA)
0245-041238 | | > BACK TO TOP < | | British woman raped on gap year work scheme in Ghana | A British woman has been raped while working on a Government-funded gap-year scheme in Africa.
The woman was allegedly assaulted last week in a remote part of rural Ghana. According to reports, she was part of a group of around 20 British young people working on a tourism project in a small village. She was drinking with friends but became separated from the group and was attacked.
It is thought only one man was involved in the alleged assault. No arrests have been made. After the incident, the girl was said to be in a very distressed state and received medical attention. It is understood that her mother has been informed.
The attack follows growing concerns about the vulnerability of youngsters on placements around the world.
One source involved in the scheme said that volunteers often had little supervision from British authorities.
‘This has been on the cards for some time,’ he said. ‘There have been complaints from people on the ground that there should be more security and supervision to ensure their safety.’
The project in Ghana is helping to develop tourism by improving the environment.
The volunteers, aged between 18 and 25, have had their trips, including flights and insurance, sponsored by the Government, although the projects are run by charities in the UK and Ghana.
The Foreign Office said: ‘We can confirm an incident occurred in Ghana and we are providing assistance to the British national involved.’
> BACK TO TOP < | | * 14.02.2009 | | Omanhene appeals to former President Kufuor ... | | Apam (C/R), Feb. 14, GNA -The Omanhene of Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Area, Obrifo Ahunak Ahbor Ankobea II, has appealed to former President J.A. Kufuor to intervene in the Chinery Hesse ex-gratia impasse which has generated controversy in the country. |  | Making the appeal through the GNA at Apam on Friday, the Omanhene said since a group of the beneficiaries held the that the Chinery Hesse report was approved by the former President and the then Parliament, the sitting President had no authority to review it, it became imperative that intervention of the former President could save the situation. |
The impasse, he said, "posed a threat to our young democracy and the earlier it was resolved, the better it would be for national security." | He appealed to the government and the members of the current Parliament to soften their stands on the issue and consider future leaders who used "their bare floor as chairs, tables and exercise books or slates in some schools."
Taking entrenched stand on the issue could be a recipe for industrial unrest in the country as some workers were waiting patiently for the recommended ex-gratia to be paid, for them to insist on their pound of flesh, he pointed out, adding, "if that happened the nation's economy could be thrown out of gear."
"The laws are made for man and man has power to amend them to suit a situation," the Omanhene stated.
Obrifo Ahor Ankobea appealed to the National Peace Council and all well- meaning citizens to intervene, saying that they should not wait for things to get out of hand before stepping in. > BACK TO TOP < | | Teachers in Bongo threaten to withdraw services | Pioneers of Diploma in Basic Education (DBE) teachers in the Bongo District have threatened to withdraw their services if the District Director of Education, Mr. Francis Agyeere, is not withdrawn from the district by the end of the second term of the academic year.
The 90 pioneers of DBE teachers stated this in a petition copied to the Regional Director of Education, District Chief Executive of Bongo, Bongo District Committee on Education and the Member of Parliament for the area.
The petition said most of the teachers who started working in 2007 had not been paid and are living on allowances.
It said they protested to the District Director and the Regional Director of Education and went on a sit down strike last December but upon assurance that they would be paid they resumed work but nothing had been done.
"It is regrettable to note that despite the group's decision to call off our strike on the 18 December, 2008 we have not been briefed as to whether he (Director) is working on our documents to facilitate the settlement of our arrears."
The petition said the District Director lacked a sense of empathy and communication skills and that his belligerence and outright issuance of threats was not creating a good working relationship between teachers and the District Directorate.
“The attitude of the Director will have a serious impact on education in the District if the situation is not reversed.”
Mr Francis Agyeere told the GNA that the Directorate was working to make sure that those teachers whose arrears had not been paid were paid and that their names had been compiled and submitted to Controller and Accountant General.
He said teachers who had perused further studies in the DBE had to undergo certain process for them to be upgraded and their names sent to the Controller and Accountant General.
Mr Agyeere said another procedure that delayed payment was the confirmation of their results from the West Africa Examinations Council before upgrading that some of the teachers had not done.
He said they were not the only teachers who were affected by the problem but that it was a nationwide issue that the Controller and Account General's Department was working at.
Mr. Agyeere urged the teachers to remain at post since the Directorate had upgraded most of them and their names submitted to the Controller and Account General’s Department.
Source: GNA
> BACK TO TOP < | | * 13.02.2009 (Friday..) | - "Black day, for some people.." Government freezes transfer of lands | The process of transferring government lands which have been reallocated by the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing to private developers has been suspended with immediate effect.
Letters to that effect, signed on behalf of the Chief of Staff by the Chief Director at the Office of the President, Mr L. B. Tusoe, have been dispatched to the relevant agencies which deal with government lands.
The heads of the relevant agencies which have been served with copies of the letter include the Chief Registrar, Land Title Registry; the Executive Secretary, Land Valuation Board; the Director of Surveys, the Survey Department; the Director, the Geological Survey Department; the Executive Director, the Wildlife Division, and the Director of Mines.
The letter, with reference number SCRJA.26/38, said any violation of the directive would attract severe sanctions.
The Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Alhaji H. I. Baryeh, confirmed to the Daily Graphic that the commission had received a copy of the letter and explained that by the directive, issuance of allocations and execution of leases relating to specific government land holdings had been' frozen.
He said some of the lands, strategic, were at Cantonments, Ridge and Roman Ridge, all in Accra.
He said the directive also applied to strategic government lands in all the regions!
The directive followed revelations at the sittings of the Government Transitional Team on the transfer of executive assets during which it was realised that some government lands, as well as houses, some of which were under construction, had been allocated to former ministers of state and other private individuals.
The letter to the relevant state agencies indicated that the transfer of public lands to private individuals defeated the purpose for which those properties were acquired in the first place.
It said on the part of the lands, they were government lands which were not meant to be shared among ministers of state and other individuals.
It said all the allocations would be reviewed after a new board for the Lands Commission had been put in place.
Other government sources explained that currently there was no Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing to re-examine and review the allocation of such lands.
It said the allocation of most of those lands, particularly those in Accra, had generated a lot of controversy, with the original owners calling for the lands to be returned to them.
> BACK TO TOP < | | Public reluctant to accept One Pesewa coin | | Juaso (Ash), Feb. 13, GNA - The One Ghana Pesewa coin, which was introduced as part of redenomination of the country's currency in 2007 is not easily accepted among the public either for purchases or change, a survey has revealed. | ORIGINAL SIZE .. dont loose`it.. ;-)  | Public reluctant to accept One Pesewa coin...The survey, mainly public opinion sampling on the acceptability the One Pesewa coin, conducted by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) further revealed many instances where some buyers prefer to let vendors to keep the coin, rather than collect it as change. In few instances, some people even refuse to accept the One Pesewa coin as legal tender, a situation which requires prompt action from authorities to step up education to drum home the fact that irrespective of its value, the coin remains a legal tender.
Some people who spoke to the GNA advocated the withdrawal of the coins from circulation, saying its continuous use as a medium for the transaction of business might create problems.
Mrs. Margaret Asante, a shop owner who supported this assertion, said though she accepted the coin from her customers, it was always a problem whenever she issued them as change to others.
She said she was keeping a box full of One Pesewa coins rejected by customers and urged Government to initiate steps to address the problem. > BACK TO TOP < | | * 12.02.2009 | | Albert Abongo replaces Moses Asaga | President Mills has nominated Mr. Albert Abongo, Member of Parliament for Bongo for the Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing.
He replaces Mr. Moses Asaga, whose nomination was revoked following his approval of the controversial ex-gratia awards.
It is significant to note that Mr. Abongo hails from Bongo which like Nabdam is in the Upper East Region. > READ THE FULL STORY |  Albert Abongo (left) during his visit to UK (Swansea / Wales) (c) EventPicture.co.uk and bongo-bongo.com / ghana-net.com | > BACK TO TOP < | | President Mills to set up committee on emoluments | Accra, Feb. 11, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills has decided to set up a Committee on Emoluments to revisit the issue of emoluments to specified public holders. The Committee would be set up in consultation with the Council of State when it is established.
A statement signed by Mr Mahama Ayariga, Presidential Spokesman, said the recommendations of the Committee would then form the basis for the final decision of the ex-gratia awards. The Committee would have one month for its work. The following is the full text of the statement. "On Wednesday, the 4th of February, 2009 the attention of the President was drawn to correspondence from the Ministry of Finance to the Controller and Accountant-General to effect payment of ex-gratia awards to the Ex-President, Ex-Vice President and Ex-Ministers and Members of Parliament, as per the recommendations of the Chinery-Hesse Committee on Emoluments. "Following investigations, it was established that there was no basis for proceeding with the ex-gratia payments as recommended by the Chinery-Hesse Committee.
"Under Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution, payment of emoluments to the Legislature as recommended by a statutory Presidential Committee on Emoluments has to be approved by the President whilst those of the Executive and Ministers have to be approved by Parliament. "However, the Presidency has not seen any approval for the payment for Members of Parliament by the previous Government, while there is controversy over the approval of recommendations in respect of the Executive.
"It, therefore, came as a surprise to the Presidency that Mr Moses Asaga, a member of the three-member team holding temporary responsibility for the Ministry of Finance, had purported to have authorized payment in spite of the clear absence of legal authority. "Consequently, the President ordered a withdrawal of the purported approval and withdrew the nomination of Mr Asaga as Minister-designate for the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing. "Having considered all the circumstances surrounding the matter, the President has decided to set up, in consultation with the Council of State when it is established, a Committee on Emoluments as stipulated under Article 71 of the 1992 Constitution to revisit the issue of emoluments to the specified public office holders. "The recommendations of the Committee will then form the basis for a final decision on the ex-gratia awards. The Committee will be given one month for its work.
"In the meantime, the President has decided that instead of the payment of ex-gratia of five months salary to Members of Parliament for each full year of service in addition to a resettlement grant equivalent to two months for every completed year of service recommended by the Chinery-Hesse Committee, they should be paid, on account, ex-gratia equivalent to four months salary for each full year of service as has been the convention, pending the submission of a report by the new Committee on Emoluments. "Recommendations in respect of all others covered by the Chinery-Hesse Committee Report will be determined after the submission of the report of the new Committee."
> BACK TO TOP < | | Houses not allocated to NPP functionaries | A Former Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Albaji Abubakar Sadddique Boniface, has denied that 719 out of the 3,000 housing units under the government's Affordable Housing Scheme have been allocated to functionaries and agents of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.
The former minister stressed that there were records to show that 200 out of the said houses had been allocated to the Ministry of the Interior to be given to personnel of the Ghana Police Service, adding that the identities of those policemen were not known to the ministry.
Reacting to a story in the Monday, February 9, 2009 issue of the Daily Graphic, Alhaji Boniface disagreed that the houses at Borteyman and Kpone in the Greater Accra Region had been sold to persons believed to be connected to the immediate past government.
He noted, however, that some of the institutions which submitted applications and were given the offer to purchase some of the houses were the Office of the former President, as well as that of the former Vice-President, adding that those offices qualified to make such requests, since there were public servants working there.
He also said the housing units, which were currently at various levels of construction, were 5, 994 and not 3,000, as was reported.
Alhaji Boniface pointed out that the houses had been allocated based on applications received from individual Ghanaians, as well as some institutions which made the requests on behalf of their staff, noting that all the applications were on file at the ministry.
The former minister explained further that the procedure for giving out the houses was not based on political connections but rather on first-come-first-served basis.
He, however, agreed that some of the beneficiaries could belong to the NPP, as well as other political parties, adding that the ministry would not know who belonged to which political party, since the applications did not include political party affiliations.
He pointed out that before he took over as the minister, his predecessor, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, had already allocated 130 housing units to some individuals.
He took the opportunity to deny reports that he signed letters for the sale of the houses in January 2009, adding that the letters were drafted for him in November and he signed them in December 2008, together with the one which allowed occupants of low-cost houses in other parts of the country to purchase them.
Alhaji Boniface said it was important for people to note that the houses were first and foremost offered for sale but not given out for free, adding that an applicant had to pay a. deposit of GH¢4,OOO out of GH¢25,OOO for a two-bedroom house and the rest of the payment spread over 16 years.
The former minister said the fact that some of the applicants bore similar surnames as the former President, Mr L A. Kufuor, did not automatically make them relations of the former President as portrayed by the report.
> BACK TO TOP < | | Minister-Nominee pledges to be tough on street hawkers | Accra, Feb. 11, GNA - Mr Armah Ashittey, Minister-Nominee for Greater Accra Region, on Wednesday said when given the nod he would take immediate steps to clear the streets of the capital of hawkers. He told the Parliamentary Appointments Committee, which vetted him that he had observed the challenges posed by street hawkers to the economy and was ready to deal with it. "I am ready to deal with the problem of street hawking in the capital but I'll need the support of both sides of the political divide because the challenge is not a partisan but a national one," he said.
Mr Ashittey's promise was in line with a campaign promise by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to deal pragmatically with the problem of street hawking. He noted that street hawking did not only pose danger to the lives of the hawkers themselves but caused human and motor traffic leading to the wastage of man hours and thus economic loss to the country. He said with all hands on deck the problem could be uprooted once and for all under his tenure as Regional Minister.
On the question of the congestion in Accra due to its position as both national and regional capital, he said he would support the transfer of the regional capital to Dodowa provided the Central Government could find the funds to upgrade that town to a befitting regional capital. He said he also had plans to build the capacities of the youth in the Region to provide them with employable skills, saying that he would encourage other Regional Ministers to do same in order to prevent rural urban drift which aggravated the congestion in the capital and compounded the problem of street hawking.
Mr Ashittey also promised to be tough on District, Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies, which did not perform their developmental role properly, saying that, he would provide effective supervision of the various assemblies to ensure that they delivered but those that exhibited laxity might have to be compelled to resign. Touching on the conflicting roles of Tema Development Corporation (TDC) and the Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA), he noted that TDC's role was restricted to development, planning, environmental and land management functions, whiles TMA was the administrator of the Municipality. "To kill the confusion, I will propose that TDC should be made the works department of TMA in order that TDC will not struggle with TMA over who had administrative responsibilities," he said.
On security, he said District Security Councils be made to be up and doing to protect the neighbourhoods and communities with the help of the Regional Security Council. "We will also restore the concept of neighbourhood watch committees and also resource the Unit Committees to assist in the area of protecting the neighbourhoods to ward off armed robbers," he said.
On the question of indiscriminate land sale and property development instead of land cultivation and protection for posterity in Accra, he said under his stewardship, he would ensure that land, which needed to be protected would be protected and land which needed to be developed would be developed according to properly laid down plan. "It is about time we realised the land ownership does not necessarily warrant land development because land must be developed within the context of town planning and I will ensure that," he said. He told the Committee that under his stewardship he would move towards ensuing that land meant for residential and industrial development were properly serviced.
> BACK TO TOP < | | | | * 11.02.2009 | | I Have Received Ex-gratia- MP Confirms | The Member of Parliament for Obuasi, Hon. Edward Anim has confirmed on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo” morning show, that he has received GH¢44,700.00 as end-of-service benefit or ex-gratia.
Hon. Edward Anim told the host, Kwami Sefa Kayi, that he realized that the ex-gratia award was in his account, when he checked it just last week; and the amount was GH¢44,700.00 but not GH¢70,000.00 as a section of the public is alleging. He said, he has not cashed the money because of the controversy surrounding it, but will cash it when every problem concerning the money is resolved.
> BACK TO TOP < | | Angry NDC youth besieged Ashaiman assembly | About 30 supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ashaiman on Tuesday morning besieged the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (AMA) and attacked the Coordinating Director over management of public toilets.
The Director, Mr Kwamina Akwa, who was assaulted, had his spectacles destroyed and mobile phone snatched.
A City Guard of the TMA told the GNA that the NDC supporters, wearing party “T” shirts and displaying placards arrived in three vehicles and forced their way into the premises of the assembly.
The guard, who wished to remain anonymous, said he informed the Ashaiman police but they failed to bring the situation under control.
He said it took the intervention of the Ashaiman constituency chairman of the NDC, Mr Issifu Briamah, to disperse them.
The City Guard said the NDC supporters were returning from a court that heard the case involving the forcible take over of toilets filed by operators who were managing them during the NPP administration.
The case was adjourned to February 17.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Albert Boateng, was said to be out of office when the incident occurred.
Mr Ibrahim Baidoo, a member of the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly, described the turn of events as unfortunate saying that the assembly should take a decision on the management of all the 18 public toilets at Ashaiman.
He said ideally public toilets should be managed by the assemblies in order to mobilize funds for development.
The Baidoo said those who took over the administration of the toilets do not pay commission to the assembly which is against the assembly’s agreement.
NDC activists forcibly took over the administration of all the 18 public toilets in Ashaiman soon after the NDC won power in the December 2008 general election.
He said nine years ago, people who were in charge of the toilets but mismanaged them, so the TMA took over the toilets and privatized them.
He said it was placed on tender for bidding and those who won the contract were allowed to operate them.
Source: GNA
| | | | * 10.02.2009 | | Vodafone suit fixed for March | Hearing of the legal addresses of parties in the Ghana Telecom (GT) / Vodafone International suit has been fixed on March 16.
The Fast Track High Court (Commercial Division) has therefore ordered plaintiffs within 14 days to file their addresses.
The defendants would also respond to the legal address from the date of service by plaintiffs, the court ordered.
The court would, on March 16 after listening to the legal addresses fix a date to deliver its ruling. |   | Issues for hearing at the next sitting, among other things would be whether or not the plaintiffs had any locus standi in the matter and whether or not the process adopted prior to and leading to the placement of Sales and Purchase Agreement before Parliament were in accordance with the procedures provided under the Companies Code and the Constitution.
Others are whether or not Articles 6 (1), (6), Articles 10 (7), 12 and 13 (21) of the agreement contravened the constitutional requirements and whether or not the High Court had the jurisdiction to determine the constitutionality of the agreement ratified by Parliament.
The plaintiffs made up of Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, Mr Kwame Jantuah and two others are also seeking the restoration of the fibre optic network to the Volta River Authority and an order for the true revaluation of the assets of GT.
They were also seeking the revocation of the agreement for the sale of Ghana Telecom (GT) to Vodafone International.
The lawyers were Mr Bright Akwetey, who represented the plaintiffs,
Mr. Festus Kayi for GT, Mrs P.J. Naana Dontoh, a Chief State Attorney who represented the Attorney-General.
The plaintiffs instituted the legal action against the previous government to halt the sale of the state-owned Ghana Telecom to Vodafone International.
On July 3, last year government announced an agreement on the sale of GT to Vodafone. In the agreement, government retained 30 per cent share.
Source: GNA
> BACK TO TOP < | | No ex-gratia funds released – AG | The controversy over the payment of ex-gratia has deepened with the claim by the Controller and Accountant-General (CAG), Mr Christian Sottie, that no money has yet been transferred from any government account for disbursement to Members of Parliament (MPs).
The source of the money reported to have been paid to some MPs got even more puzzling when parliamentary sources also denied the existence of any other means by which money could have been secured for the payment of the ex-gratia.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, Mr Sortie said if some MPs claimed that they bad cashed their benefits or found the amounts in their accounts, then that money would have come from elsewhere because "it did not originate from us".
Reacting to reports that at least six former and current MPs had collected their money, Mr Sottie stated that “no money was transferred at all to Parliament’s accounts at the Bank of Ghana” and wondered where Parliament got the money to effect those payments.
He explained that following the administrative approval asking for the payment to be made to the Executive and Legislature, he sent it back to the Ministry of Finance arid Economic Planning for counter approval because there had been an earlier directive from the Office of the President asking that prior approval be sought on all such payments before they were effected.
Mr Sottie said following the approval by Mr Moses Asaga, who was a member of the three-member team tasked with responsibility for the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, an advice was sent to the Bank of Ghana (BoG) on January 26, 2009 for the payments to be effected.
He said even before the BoG could act on the advice from the CAG, there was another directive asking that the payments be suspended.
Mr Sottie said based on that, he again sent a second advice to the BoG on February 2, 2009 cancelling the January 26, 2009 advice.
Asked if the payments could not have taken place before the second advice cancelling the first order reached the BoG, he answered in the negative.
"The money was not released. It did not reflect in our accounts," he stated.
According to him, the Controller and Accountant-General's Department did not pay individuals. What it did was to release bulk money into the accounts of the various ministries, departments and agencies, as well as other organisations, which in turn made the disbursement into individual accounts.
He explained that even before the directive seeking prior approval was issued, the procedure by the CAGD was to ensure that claims were legitimate before payments were effected.
When Parliament was reached with the disclosure of the CAGD, sources dose to the House told the Daily Graphic that Parliament had no other source of generating its own income from which it could have paid its staff or MPs.
They hinted that in such a circumstance, it was the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning which could help unravel the puzzle as to whether there had been any payments at all and if so where the money came from.
When the Chief Director of the ministry, Nana Juaben-Boaten Siriboe, was reached for a confirmation of the source of the ex-gratia which was earlier reported to have been paid to the MPs, he could not immediately react to it because he was locked up in a meeting.
The January 16, 2009 release letter, signed by the Chief Director of the ministry, asked that the expenditure of GH¢25,048,083.00 (¢250 billion) "should be charged to Reserve Fund Account at the Bank of Ghana".
The letter, which was addressed to the CAG, was copied to the Clerk of Parliament, the Secretary to the President, the Chairman of the Economic Subcommittee of the Transitional Team, the Auditor-General, the Director of Budget and the accounts branch, both of the ministry.
Members of the Executive were to receive GH¢10,176,129 (¢101 billion), while GH¢14,871,954 (¢148 billion) was due those of Legislature to meet resettlement grants and the payment of ex-gratia.
A former MP, Mr John Ndebugre, said something was really amiss and called for an investigation into the matter.
"I am sure someone is not telling us the truth," he said.
> BACK TO TOP < | | Asaga's Unfolding Saga | *How charges of approval of already approved ex-gratia and allegations of wife-beating and compromising picture led to 1st ministerial casualty
EMERGING DETAILS surrounding the withdrawal of the nomination of former Deputy Minister of Finance, Hon. Moses Aduko Asaga, suggests that President Mills may have taken three issues into consideration in firing his ministerial nominee for Water Resources, Works and Housing.
Sources close to the presidency say the President’s immediate fury was sparked off by the approval of ex-gratia for former president J. A. Kufuor, his Veep Aliu Mahama and other public officers on January 16, this year.
The unsavoury reputation of the MP for Nabdam and one-time Minority Spokesman on Finance as a wife-beater which had seen some women’s group, including NDC women activists, seeking to derail his ministerial appointment, also caught the President’s attention, sources say.
But the most damaging information that sealed the doom of the nominee was suggestions to the president from top-level sources that the nominee may have been allegedly caught in a compromising situation in a picture with a lady which could hurt the new administration.
Though this allegation, which friends say is false, was not brought to the attention of the nominee, sources say the unproven allegation got the already boiling president to put in a call to the man who once verbally assaulted a colleague MP over that that MP’s negative assertions over the health status of the then candidate Mills.
Are you the one who approved the ex-gratia payment, the President is reported to have asked.
Yes, Asaga is said to have responded without a slightest hint of the trouble he had unleashed on himself.
The President, sources say, quietly made his decision known to him.
As long as he remains President, Mr Asaga would never be a Minister of State, he vowed.
The President’s decision, apart from internal opposition to Asaga’s nomination, stems from the fact that by the Mills-administration approval effected by the nominee, the government would find it difficult to legally halt the Chinery-Hesse Committee- recommendation on emoluments, which the Government had wanted to initially freeze together with that of the recently-approved section on facilities and privileges.
Significantly, a number of NDC MPs and appointees of both the former NPP administration and the Mills-led NDC have already received their benefits.
Others, including former President Rawlings, have since 2006 been drawing salaries recommended by the first phase of the Chinery-Hesse report on emoluments, sources say.
Those yet to draw from the emolument package include Asaga himself, as well as President Mills in his capacity as a former Vice President under the 1996-2000 Rawlings-led NDC administration.
Though Asaga’s approval process was a routine process of what had already been approved and even been effected, the NDC’s stand on the issue as well as public condemnation of the recently-approved facilities and privileges package of the report saw the administration promising to take a second look at recommendation; an act some suggested would amount to an illegality. Others however say the current Parliament can do so with the approval of the beneficiaries.
This is the third time Asaga has been caught in party instigated trouble. He was once removed from the position of a Minority Spokesman (Ranking Member) on Finance in a coup inspired by a group that felt he was not too critical of the then NPP administration despite his persistent critique of the Kufuor administration
Former deputy ministerial colleague Dr. Tony Aidoo in 2004 also demanded Moses Asaga’s removal as Minority spokesman because the MP had led the Minority to endorse the controversial CNTC loan agreement.
Asaga is one of the few Mills’ loyalists to go mad over attempts by some party insiders to engineer a change of the then NDC party candidate for the 2008 elections and current President Mills.
The former deputy Finance Minister has since apologised for the sins he was unofficially told led to his withdrawal, though sources say it’s unlikely to work as the President is bent on sticking to his decision.
President Mills is not likely to budge, a source told this paper Saturday.
An emotionally-battered Asaga over the weekend however appealed to the President to tamper justice with mercy and reinstate his nomination.
He has, however, found no sympathy in the eyes of women activist who say his nomination was problematic.
Some women groups were preparing to petition Parliament on information that the ministerial nominee in June 2006 was alleged by the wife and a cousin of his, Ms Ayesha Timako, to have battered his wife, Mrs Florence Asaga and forcefully ejected her from her Ridge home, leading to an initial police complaint which was later withdrawn.
The compliant at the time listed at least five people as having taken part in the thrashing meted out to the wife on the night of June 8, 2006, including the husband and alleged chief instigator, whom she said, began it all and ordered his younger brothers and dependants to finish it off.
Family sources at the time told this newspaper that Mrs Asaga, a graduate caterer, was beaten and almost stripped naked in the presence of her three kids as well as a foster daughter. She had to hold torn parts of her dress to prevent her nakedness from being exposed, relatives told this paper then.
Mr Asaga denied beating the wife at the time though he admitted having pushed her.
He, however, suggested that other men would have committed murder if faced with the reasons for which he is reported to have beaten his wife, accusing his cousin, Ms Ayesha Timako, of stoking the matrimonial fire in his home.
> BACK TO TOP < | Monday, 09.02.2009 | Six MPs pick ex-gratia cheques | At least six former and current Members of Parliament (MPs) have already, received their ex-gratia payments, government sources have confirmed to the Daily Graphic.
Although sources within Parliament and the seat of government would not disclose the identities of the beneficiaries, they indicated that the beneficiaries withdrew their moneys at some banks in Accra before President Mills ordered the suspension of the payments.
Mr Moses Asaga, a member of the Finance Subcommittee of the Government Transitional Team, was said to have authorised the payment of the ex-gratia on January 16, this year.
The sources explained that following reports to President Mills that the ex-gratia had been paid, a former MP was asked to check on his accounts and he later returned to confirm that the money had been lodged in the account.
That, they said, made the President to call for the suspension of the payments, at which point it was detected that six of the cheques had already been paid.
The President is expected to meet his team of advisors in the next few days to decide on the way forward on the issue.
The contentious issue to address is whether the beneficiaries will be asked to refund the money or be made to enjoy it, since it is no fault of theirs that the money has been paid into their accounts as ex-gratia.
The discussion will also deal with the outstanding MPs as to whether they should be made to receive theirs as authorized or they have to wait until the package is reviewed.
When contacted, a former MP for Zebilla, Mr John Ndebugre, said halting the payments to the beneficiaries would constitute a breach of the four-year contract of the beneficiaries.
According to him, those who had not collected their ex-gratia might have to go to court to challenge the decision of the government not to pay the money.
He denied withdrawing his and said he wished he had gone to the bank earlier to withdraw it.
"As I speak to you now, I am dying of hunger," he said.
Mr Ndebugre said Ghanaians were taking democracy too far and wondered why a demonstration by some people should compel the President to halt what were legal payments.
Meanwhile, Mr Asaga, who was said to have authorised the payments, has appealed to the President to temper justice with mercy.
He said the President should reconsider his decision to revoke his nomination because he had many positives which should not be overlooked because of a single misdeed.
Sources say the President's decision to withdraw Mr Asaga's nomination was because the President felt it would be difficult for him to entrust a ministerial position to a person who would not consult his colleagues or seek clearance and authorisation on controversial issues before implementing them.
Source: Daily Graphic | | > BACK TO TOP < | | Graphic: NPP functionaries share affordable houses | Seven hundred and nineteen out of about 3,000 housing units which are yet to be completed under the government’s Affordable Housing Scheme at Borteyman and Kpone in the Greater Accra Region have already been allocated to persons believed to be well connected to the immediate past government.
"Information available to the Dai!y Graphic indicates a massive scramble for the property by leading functionaries, members and associates of the outgoing New Patriotic Party (NPP) government even before the first unit is ready for habitation.
The beneficiaries range from people in the offices of former President J.A. Kufuor and Vice-President Aliu Maharna through Ministers of State and Members of Parliament to domestic associates and serial callers.
According to the information, the Office of the former President had been allocated 51 flats, while the Office of the former Vice President had 19 flats, as part of the 719 flats directly allocated by Messrs Hackman Owusu-Agyeman and Boniface Abubakar Siddique, former Ministers of Water Resources, Works and Housing.
Other ministers who featured in the property sharing included Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, a former Minister of Information and National Orientation, who secured flats for Zuleika Lorwia, Victoria Boakng Sarpong, Rex Obeman, among others; Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, former Rail ways and Harbours Minister, who secured flats for Mr Francis Quaye, Mr Kofi Korsah and' Mr Kiakah, all said to be personal acquaintances.
Mr S.K. Boafo, the Chieftaincy Minister in the NPP government was also cited as having used his political clout to secure flats for a number of people, including David Kwabena Adade and Kofi Poku.
Mr S. Owusu Agyei, a former Minister of Public Sector Reforms, also reportedly secured flats for Kojo O Agyei, Elsie Panyin Ansah and Jeff Amoa Brown.
Professor Dominic K. Fobih also featured on the list for Abena Akobeng, Afua Pomaa, Yaw Tandoh and Kweku Kuntin, all of telephone number 0244310954.
Madam Gladys Asmah, a former Minister of Fisheries, secured flats for David Aidoo, Vincent Yaw Kusi and Elizabeth Donkoh, who all used a common mobile phone number 0208299670.
Mr Charles Binipon Bintim, a former Minister of Local Government secured for himself flats numbered C8/ 1 and C4/1 at Borteyrnan-Nungua.
Nii Adu Daku Mante, a former Member of Parliament Korley-Klottey, got himself flats C8/3 and C4/3 at Borteyman-Nungua, while Mr Abanga Abdulai, the current MP for Bawku Central on the ticket of the NPP, got for himself flats C8/2 and C4/2 at Borteyman-Nungua.
Mr B. K. Aryeh, the MP for Upper Denkyira West and Mr Oppey Abbey, the MP for Awutu Senya, were also listed as direct beneficiaries of the flats.
A number of people including Nana Bema Kufuor, Nana Buakye Kufuor, Akwasi Michael Nuako, Robert'Odarno, Hajia Aisha, all of P. O. Box 235, Airport West, who are reported as being "politically well connected" to the past government, also benefited from the allocation.
Messrs Joshua Yahaya Kwota and Ibrahim H. Baryeh, described as serial callers and propagandists for the NPP, also benefited from the transaction.
According to the• source, GH¢71.5 million, comprising GH¢40 million of HIPC funds and GH¢31.5 million of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) money had so far been sunk into the first phase of the project, with no single flat completed yet.
The Kufuor government, in 2005, unveiled the Affordable Housing Scheme to provide 100,000 housing units at affordable prices to lower and middle-income civil and public servants.
Areas earmarked for the project included Borteyman-Nungua and Kpone in the Greater Accra Region, Ayigya dn Asokore Mampong in the Ashnati Region, Koforidua in the Eastern Region and Tamale in the Northern Region.
This being the first phase, the ministry is expected to build 4,994 housing units under the scheme. The Water Resources, Works, and Housing Ministry carried out bulk purchases of building materials which it supplied to' contractors and the cost deduced from the contract sums awarded.
The one-and two-bedroom flats, when completed, were to be handed over to art independent allocation committee to be allocated to junior and middle level civil and public servants.
Beneficiaries were to deposit between GH¢20, OO0 and GH¢25, OOO for one bedroom and two bedroom f1at, respectively, and the rest of the cost spread over 15 years for payment.
According to sources close to the project, the flats were at various stages of construction, ranging from foundation to near completion levels. A number of contractors, the source said had abandoned their jobs at Borteyman and Kpone, in particular, with reported as not showing up since last year.
Source: Daily Graphic
> BACK TO TOP < |
___________________________________________________________________ | LATEST GHANA NEWS 09.02.2009 - 15.02. 2009 WEEK 7 - 2009 | | | * 15.02.2009 - Fake doctor performs surgery - Minister demands loyalty from Staff - British woman raped on gap year work scheme in Ghana - Statement of Bongo Youth - Congratulation - Asokwa - NPP suspends 17 executives - Akropong School for the Blind pleads for increase in feeding grant - NGO donates to physically challenged - NDC cadres pounce on NHIS boss | * 14.02.2009 - Omanhene appeals to former President Kufuor - Teachers in Bongo threaten to withdraw services | * 13.02.2009 (Friday..) - "Black day, for some people.." Government freezes transfer of lands - Public reluctant to accept One Pesewa coin - Approval of nominees rescheduled | * 12.02.2009 - Albert Abongo replaces Moses Asaga > FULL STORY < - President Mills to set up committee on emoluments - Houses not allocated to NPP functionaries - Minister-Nominee pledges to be tough on street hawkers - Tetteh Quarshie gets a minute's silence - 39 cars retrieved from ex-govt officials - " 700,000 " tourists arrived in 2008 - OUR COMMENT... - Scam In Military Exposed - Minister-Nominees for Regions vetted - "I will be a mother of all in Central Region" - Benyiwa-Doe | * 11.02.2009 - I Have Received Ex-gratia- MP Confirms - Angry NDC youth besieged Ashaiman assembly - Iddrisu promises vibrant mobile telecommunications | * 10.02.2009 - Vodafone suit fixed for March - No ex-gratia funds released – AG - Asaga's Unfolding Saga - Talensi-Nabdam NDC appeals to President Mills to rescind decision on Asaga - Crime has increased in the Western Region-Police | * 09.02.2009 - Six MPs pick ex-gratia cheques - Second batch of Nominees vetted - Government cars vanish from garages - Graphic: NPP functionaries share affordable houses | | | Your REPORT Your STORIES * Your PHOTOS PUBLISH NOW! |  | | All about the Ghana Election 2008 | | |  |  | | | | * 15.02.2009 (Sunday) | | NGO donates to physically challenged | Inchaban (W/R), Feb. 15, GNA - New Blue Vision, a non-governmental organization (NGO), on Saturday donated detergents, toys, biscuits and medical equipment worth over 30,000 Ghana Cedis to some institutions in Sekondi and Takoradi in the Western Region. The beneficiaries were the Sekondi School for the Deaf, Twin-City Special School for the Mentally Retarded and the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital.
The donation was made at an event to mark this year's Valentine Day, organized by the NGO for inmates of the School for the Deaf and the Twin-City Special School at Inchaban near Sekondi. Mr. Alfred Biney, Director of the NGO, made the presentation to Mr. Kontoh Osei-Bonsu, Assistant Headmaster of the School for the Deaf, Madam Mary Hayford, Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital and Miss Elizabeth Amewowor, Headmistress of Twin-City Special School. In a related development Akroma Plaza and You '84 Supermarket and Hotel, presented 100 bags of rice, 100 cartons of Kallipo fruit drink and 600 cartons of assorted biscuits to the School for the Deaf, Special School and Father's Home Orphange.
Madam Gladys Ansah, Chief Executive Officer of the Akroma Plaza and You '84 Supermarket and Hotel made the presentation. Mr. Biney expressed worry that some parents did not accept their physically challenged children back home after completing the school for the deaf or abandoned them on the street to become beggars. He urged parents to send their physically challenged children to special schools and to contact the NGO through the Department of Social Welfare for school uniforms and shoes if they cannot afford to buy them. Mr. Biney said New Blue Vision was securing land to construct a vocational school to train the physically challenged and neglected children to enable them to earn a decent living. He appealed to government to ensure that all physically challenged persons benefited from the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Madam Hayford, advised pregnant women to attend antenatal clinic so that they could have healthy babies and explained that the health of the unborn baby was affected by poor diet, diseases and smoking among others. She advised mothers to ensure that their babies were immunized against childhood diseases such as measles and poliomyelitis. | | NDC cadres pounce on NHIS boss | The Central Gonja District Manager of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Mr. Mahama Dauda has been forced out of his office by some officials and supporters of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Buipe. His official vehicle has also been impounded by the Buipe District PoIice for safekeeping, due to the position taken by the NDC members to seize or burn it.
Speaking in an interview with The Chronicle in Tamale recently, Mr. Dauda said he suspected the incumbent NDC Member of d Parliament (MP) for Yapei/Kusawgu, Hon. Seidu Amadu to be the main architect behind the actions of the party officials and the foot-soldiers.
He alleged that the MP on the 21st and 22nd of January, 2009, held separate meetings in his house with the District Coordinating Director of Central Gonja Mr. Peter Maala, the Biupe NDC Chairman Abubakari Torti, the Secretary, Yahaya Musah and Mr. S.s. Bonkpuruso among others.
At the said meeting, he noted that pressure was mounted on the Coordinating Director to go and direct the affairs of the assembly. He was also allegedly asked to takeover the collection of revenues in the Buipe and the Yapei Market from the current Revenue Officer, Mr. Dauda Sapporo
The NHIS Manager asserted that just after the second meeting, the NDC officials led a mob to eject him from the office. They forcibly demanded all the keys to the 10 offices and the official vehicle. "They told me that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) did the same thing to them in 2001, and now that the NDC is in power, they will also retaliate".
According to Mr. Dauda, it took the swift intervention of the Police to save his life. The security officials therefore took the keys away from the NDC officials, locked up the offices, impounded the vehicle and handed the keys over to the Northern Regional Crime Office, for onward transfer to the Regional NHIS Secretariat. He also denied using his official vehicle to campaign for the NPP during the electioneering campaign
He said even though the NHIS office in Buipe is now open, he bas been advised by the security not to go there for his own safety. Mr. Dauda is now taking refuge in Tamale. Meanwhile, the Central Gonja National Health Insurance Scheme, he disclosed, had registered close to 30,000 clients between 2007 till date. Out of the number, about 26,000 he indicated have had their ID Cards while the remaining ID Cards are being processed and would be ready in three months.
According to him, the Scheme could have hit an all time record if not for the behaviour of the NDC officials, by playing politics with the scheme and misinforming the rural folks about its advantages.
Mr. Dauda however appealed to the NDC officials’ including the MP who he said was the number one person misleading and instigating the people to allow peace to prevail in the area for accelerated development.
In a telephone chat with The Chronicle, the MP for Yapei/Kusawgu Hon. Seidu Amadu admitted holding meetings with the Coordinating Director and his party officials. He however, explained that the meeting was necessitated by information, he had received from the officials of the NDC in the area who had planned to launch attacks on some departmental heads to reciprocate the ill treatment visited on them by the NPP in 2001.
He said the meeting was not to plan any evil but to advise the NDC members to be cautious about what they intended to do by using the right channel or involving the Coordinating Director to remove the Revenue Collectors in the Buipe and Yapei Markets, the Non-Formal Education Coordinator and the National Health Insurance Manager, since the NPP also sacked their members and took away their official motorbikes from them, which they reallocated to NPP activists.
"Already, the collectors are not making accounts to the appropriate authorities, but to some individuals including assembly members", he said. Hon Amadu therefore vehemently described as false, all the allegations against him.
On the other hand, when The Chronicle contacted the Central Gonja District Coordinator, Peter Maala he confirmed the meeting with the MP, but declined to tell what actually transpired in the meeting with the excuse that he could not grant any interview without permission from the Regional Coordinating Director.
Source: Chronicle
| | * 12.02.2009 | Tetteh Quarshie gets a minute's silence | Accra, Feb. 12, GNA - Ghana's historic figure, Tetteh Quarshie, who introduced cocoa into the country on Thursday received a minute's silence in recognition of his contribution to the success of the cocoa industry.
This was at the prompting of Professor Kofi Agyekum, Senior Lecturer of Linguistics at the University of Ghana, Legon, who chaired the launch of the first ever Cocoa-Chocolate International Festival in Accra on Thursday.
The festival, being organized by Centuries International Cocoa-Chocolate Festival Organization scheduled for September, this year, is to promote coca cultivation as well as the processing and consumption of cocoa products such as Brown Cocoa Powder, Chocolate, candies, soap, and body lotions. Prof. Agyekum lauded the efforts of Tetteh Quarshie for ensuring the nurturing and mass cultivation of cocoa in Ghana and the ingenuity of Ghanaian researchers and private sector investors who have made it possible for Ghanaians to enjoy a wide range of cocoa products on the market.
He therefore urged other Ghanaians to manage their time profitably, be creative and leave their footprints for the benefit of posterity. Dr Yaw Owusu Ampomah, Director of the Cocoa Research Institute (CRI), Akim Tafo, who was the guest speaker, gave a brief history of the advent of cocoa, initial problems with cocoa diseases such as capsid and swollen shoot and how the then West African Cocoa Research Institute and later the CRI had researched to contain them. He said the institute had now developed technologies to not only fight cocoa diseases but researched into high yielding and disease-resistant cocoa varieties that start bearing fruits after 18 months instead of the original variety that took six to seven years before bearing fruits.
He also cautioned on the use of fertilizers and insecticides that could pose great danger to human health and the environment, adding that the environment should not be compromised.
Dr Ampomah praised Tetteh Quarshie for selecting the best cocoa bean variety that had made Ghana the producer of the best quality cocoa in the world, saying producers of chocolate today always made sure that some 70 per cent of the materials for chocolate came from Ghana's cocoa. He therefore advised farmers to produce cocoa in a more humane manner that can benefit the farmer and to ensure that technologies are used to improve production to enable Ghana to attain a production level of some one million tons per annum.
Dr Ampomah expressed worry that Ghana's cocoa was getting contaminated with some unwanted residues and expressed the need to support the CRI to address the problem and not simply pay lip service to the cocoa industry. When this is done, he said, Ghana could move from the current production level of 650,000 to 700,000 to one million tons. | 39 cars retrieved from ex-govt officials | The government has so far retrieved 39 high-performance vehicles from former President J.A. Kufuor, former Ministers of State, members of the former government and party functionaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The vehicles which are made up of saloon cars and four-wheel drives were retrieved between January 5 and February 9.
Two Mercedes Benz cars, two Ford Expedition, and two BMW 7SL vehicles were retrieved from the former President.
According to a government source, a Peugeot 607 was also retrieved from the former President's household.
The source said a Toyota Crown saloon car, had to be towed from the house of Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, former Tourism Minister, because it had no battery, back tyres, and no tools.
One Toyota pick-up and two Toyota Land Cruisers were taken from Mr D.K. Osei, Secretary to the ex-president and Mrs Mary Chinery-Hesse, Special Advisor to the ex-president.
According to the source, a Peugeot 406 in possession of Mr Joe Baidoe-Ansah, former Aviation Minister, and a VW Passat in the custody of Madam Ama Busia, member of the Council of State were also retrieved.
Other vehicles retrieved are a Toyota Fortuner in possession of Mr J.B. Amofa, a Toyota Land cruiser used by Mr Tonny Amematekpor, and Peugeot 407 in ex-president.
According to the source, a Peugeot 406 in possession of Mr Joe Baidoe-Ansah, former Aviation Minister and a VW Passat in the custody of Madam Ama Busia, member of the Council of State were also retrieved.
Other vehicles retrieved are a Toyota Fortuner in possession of Mr J. B. Amofa, a Toyota Land cruiser used by Mr Tonny Amematekpor, and a Peugeot 407 in the possession of Mr Y.B. Asamoah.
From the residence of the former Chief of Staff, Kwadwo Mpiani, four vehicles, a Rover 75, a Toyota Landcruiser, a Toyota Explorer and a Nissan Pick-up - were retrieved.
Other vehicles now in government possession are a Toyota Landcruiser used by Prof. Appiah Adu, a Toyota Landcruiser by Mr Agyeman Duah, a Nissan Patrol by Mrs Bampoe Addo, a Toyota Landcruiser by Dan Agyeman, and a Rover 75 being used by General Joshua Hamidu.
The government also retrieved a Toyota Landcruiser from Prince Oppong, a Rover 75 and a Toyota Landcruiser from Mr J.H. Mensah while a Peugeot 406 and 607 each were taken from Alhaji Haruna, Nana Akomea, Kan Dapaah and from Mrs Theresa Kufuor, former First Lady.
Also retrieved are a Toyota Camry used by Mr Joe Ghartey, former Attorney-General, a Rover 75 by Mrs Gladys Asmah, former Fisheries Minister, a Peugeot 607 by Dr Anthony Akoto Osei and a Toyota Camry by Mr Osei Adjei.
The government also took possession of Rover 75 from Dr Richard Anane, a Peugeot 40, from O.B. Amoah, and a VW Phaeton from Kwabena Agyapong, former Presidential Spokesperson.
The NDC government, after taking over from the NPP regime, gave directives to members of the previous government, to return to the State, all government vehicles in their possession.
While some complied, others did not, thus compelling the government to take steps to retrieve the vehicles in their possession.
According to the source, the Government would take further steps to retrieve the vehicle still in possession of the former government officials and party functionaries.
Source: Ghanaian Times
| | 700,000 tourists arrived in 2008 | Last year, CAN 2008 sank US$824,000 into Ghana’s economy and increased tourist arrivals by 19%.
A recent survey undertaken by the Ghana Tourist Board on the impact of CAN 2008 on the country’s tourism industry indicates that more than US$824,000 was sunk into the Ghanaian economy during the recently-held Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Ghana.
The survey, undertaken by the Ghana Tourist Board, covered about 130 accommodation facilities in the four host venues and Cape-Coast, was intended to examine the impact of the tournament on the economy through spending and hotel reservations. In all, about 187 guests were involved in the survey and they indicated that they spent on average US$4,411.40 during their 16-night stay in the hotels, tournament data from the Ghana Immigration Service indicated.
The survey report further shows that the major hotels, which have five- and four-star ratings, enjoyed high patronage with an occupancy rate of 91.4 percent, followed by three-star hotels at 90.5 percent while the two-star hotels had a 68 percent occupancy rate.
Projected tourists arrivals for last year is pegged at 698,069 with receipts in monetary value amounting to US$1.2 million, as against 586,612 arrivals in 2007 amounting to US$1.17 million.
This reflects a consistent increase in tourism revenue over the years. In 2005 the country earned US$836 million.
The income generated from these arrivals grew at an even stronger rate, 11.2% annually for the same period, hitting US$680 million in 2005.
The hospitality industry, particularly hotels, had the largest chunk of the revenue taking up 34 percent of the expended income, while the transportation and food sectors had 11 percent each with the entertainment industry enjoying eight per cent.
Domestic tourism last year saw a total of 417,558 arrivals to the country, comprising 303,668 residents visiting 25 tourist sites and 113, 890 non-residents patronising domestic tourism.
The figures indicate that Ghana has not yet hit the intended one million tourists target earmarked in 2007 to coincide with the country’s Golden Jubilee celebrations and the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery, since Ghana boasts of many landmark castles and sites used in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.
The target was developed to make tourism the leading sector of the economy through foreign exchange earnings and employment creation.
Currently, tourism is one of the fastest growing sector in the economy and is expected to grow at an average rate of 4.1 % per annum over the next two decades.
In terms of employment generation, projected figures for 2008 were 232,883 compared to the previous year’s figure of 206,091, representing a 13% growth in employment generation.
| | GhanaWeb-News COMMENT: | BIGGEST RUBBISH EVER! AS EVEN A GHANAIAN COUNT`S AS A "TOURIST" TO GHANA, WHEN HE VISITS GHANA WITH A FOREIGN PASSPORT!!! (BRITISH/GERMAN/ITALIAN/US...) | Please count for yourself: HERE the BIG 3 BA - daily / once = 300 maximum Lufthansa - daily / once = 300 maximum KLM daily / once = 300 maximum 900 people x 365 days= 328.500 (if you count ANY PERSON as TOURIST.. ;-) =328.500 Please dont make the MISTAKE and count the other Airlines...(Like AirAfriq, Kenya Air, Virgin Nigeria, AllItalia! | | Scam In Military Exposed | Officials of the Ghana Armed Forces who had persistently denied media reports of an impending ethnic cleansing in the military, have now been caught pants down, DAILY GUIDE can say.
Nine days after the paper alerted the public on the alarming development, and the abrupt stoppage of a military training of over 400 recruits, fresh documents intercepted by the paper have proven beyond reasonable doubt that the Public Relations Directorate of the force had lied to Ghanaians about the situation.
After unceremoniously dispersing young recruits from camp some 10 days ago under the pretext of lack of logistics, the top military administration is now neck-deep into an agendum to replace the recruits with the cohorts of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), a situation which lays bare the expert cover-ups of Colonel Emmanuel W.K. Nibo, the Public Relations Director of the Ghana Armed Forces.
A Board of Inquiry has officially been set by the Chief of Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, Brigadier-General R. Winful, to look into the process of recruitment of the potential recruits, which took place as far back as July 2008, with the intent of getting them replaced.
A letter constituting the board dated 6th February 2009, read:
“Four hundred and twenty (420) potential Army recruits were selected in a general recruitment exercise conducted in July 08 to commerce training at AFRTS. However, due to some pertinent issues raised on the conduct of the recruitment exercise, the planned training was put on hold to enable clarification of all matters in respect of the exercise. A Board of Inquiry is, therefore, being convened to conduct investigations into the recruitment exercise, clarify all issues raised on its conduct and make recommendations on the way forward”.
The board comprises Col. Braimah Musah (Provost Marshal – President), Col. S. Odoi-Gyampo (GHQ MED – member), Lt. Col. R.S. Nyaka (Army HQ – member), Lt. Col. T. Ampofo-Gyekye (Defence Intelligence – member), and Lt. Col. R. Adwini (GHQ Education – member/secretary).
As its terms of reference, the board is expected to among others determine whether proper procedures were followed in the selection, whether the bids for the various services, corps and units were met, whether regional balance was satisfied, and whether the list of 420 potential recruits was infiltrated by unqualified persons.
A group of seven officers have also been named in the document as witnesses. They are: Air Commodore C.E.K. Dovlo, Director-General, Personnel and Administration (DGPA); Col. K. Damoah (DMP); Lt. Col. R.A. Gyane (Army HQ); Lt. Cdr. E.O. Nyarko; Dr. A.H. Sahnoon; Dr. P.G. Agbenohevi (all of 37 Military Hospital); and Maj. J. Vander-Pallen (GHQ Rec).
DAILY GUIDE has gathered that after the board submits its report, not only will the entire 840 recruits (for 2 batches) be replaced with NDC faithful, but also, the recommendations will be used as a basis to sack a number of senior army officers, who are seen as stumbling blocks to the ‘new agenda’.
It would be recalled that when the story broke over the directive to stop the training exercise a few days ago, the PR directorate waded into the matter with a plethora of excuses, including lack of logistics.
When asked whether the same group of potential recruits would be recalled when logistics are ready, Col Nibo said he could not readily tell. He again could not tell when they would be recalled.
DAILY GUIDE has stumbled upon a directive from the echelons of the ruling NDC, asking each constituency to send four names of people the party considered fit to replace the now removed recruits.
“It is an unusual and frightening situation. The Army is supposed to be politically neutral, and that is the reason why we always insist on regional, geographical and religious balance during intake period. This country is gradually drifting towards a precipice,” a worried officer told the paper at the time.
The discrepancy between Nibo’s explanations and the fresh documents seems to be opening a can of worms in the military.
| | | * 09.02.2009 | | Second batch of Nominees vetted | Accra, Feb. 9, GNA - Mr Joe Gidisu, Nominee for the Ministry of Roads and Highway, said delays in the payment of local contractors were hindering the opening up of some portions of the country by these contractors.
He said when given the nod by Parliament, he would help in building the capacity of these contractors and help to empower them financially to ensure that they competed favourably with international contractors to win bids in the country.
Mr Gidisu, who was responding to questions from the Appointments Committee on Monday, said he would ensure that Ghana had value for money for roads constructed and urged Members of Parliament to take interest in projects being carried out in their constituencies to ensure that only good roads were constructed.
On charges that there were perceptions about corrupt practices associated with the operations of the Ministry, Mr Gidisu said he would pursue an open and transparent programme to deal with corruption. Alhaji Collins Dauda, Nominee for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, who also took his turn before the Committee, said he would go into commercial plantation to deal with environmental degradation and the restoration of the forest cover.
He said currently the forest cover of the nation could be pegged 1.6 million hectares, a major drop from 8.2 million hectares that the country enjoyed at the turn of the last century.
Mr Dauda also touched on the challenges posed by small-scale miners known as galamsey and chain saw operators, and said there was the need to streamline their operations to ensure that they operated within the laws.
On issues of land use, he said poor documentation, land ownership and lack of proper planning were some challenges, which should receive attention.
He said coupled with the promulgation of the new Lands Commission Act, there should be an improvement on land use. Dr Joe Oteng Adjei, Nominee for the Energy Ministry, when he appeared before the Committee said the policy of rural communities contributing to a percentage for electrification under the Self-Help Electrification Project would be reviewed to lesson the burden on these rural communities.
On issues of increases in electricity tariffs, Dr Oteng-Adjei said the use of pre-paid metres, the blocking of illegal use of electricity and the improvement of network and wires to reduce technical problems should add up to reduce electricity tariffs.
In response to perceptions that oil discovery was a curse to some African countries, the Nominee said the NDC Government would involve all stakeholders and pursue a policy of transparency to ensure that Ghana's discovery of oil became a blessing.
Ms Sherry Ayitey, Nominee for the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, who also appeared before the Committee, said she would pursue a programme of public education at various levels to address the problem of sanitation and ensure a clean environment. Mr Mike Hamah, Nominee for Transportation, told the Committee that he would use "Three Es Approach" - Education-Engineering-Enforcement - to reduce carnage on the country's roads if given the nod to become the Minister of Transportation.
He said he would work hard to regain the category one rating of Kotoka International Airport by the United States Federal Aviation Administration, which it lost because the liquidated Ghana Airways flew substandard plane to the USA. | Government cars vanish from garages | Some government vehicles which were clandestinely driven to garages and parked supposedly for repairs in the wake of the transition have been removed from the garages.
This apparently follows calls by the public to some local radio stations that some government officials were hiding their official vehicles at some places.
The vehicles include four wheel drives and double cabin pick-ups.
Times investigations revealed that some government officials and politicians had also parked their vehicles in residences, removed the tyres and put them on stones.
Some of the vehicles the Times located in some residences include a four-wheel Nissan Patrol Landcruiser with registration number GV 8892C belonging to the Environmental Protection Agency and a Mitsubishi Four wheel pick up with registration number GV2171 C.
The others are a TATA four-wheel drive pick up with registration GE 2071L belonging to NADMO, and a new Nissan bus with registration number GV 750 R belonging to the Ministry of Health.
There are also vehicles whose number plates had been removed but were identified by their drivers as belonging to the state.
Mr Yakubu Abugri, a concerned citizen, says considering what is happening, the government should, as a matter of urgency, establish regional and district assets committees to locate and all retrieve government property.
He said he was convinced that records of such vehicles could be ascertained from the ministries and the office of the Chief of Staff in Accra.
Hitherto, he said, such vehicles were kept on stones and later auctioned at give-away prices to the officials who arrange with the Chief of Staff's office thus creating artificial shortage of official vehicles in those ministries and departments.
The outgoing Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Women and Children's Affairs, Ms Paulina Abayaye, whose Nissan Pick-up with registration number GV 2171 C was found parked in another house away from her residence, claimed that because she was travelling to Accra, the driver decided to pack it in a walled house 500 metres away from her residence to avoid it being stolen.
Ms Abayaye is proceeding on transfer and has handed over to her successor.
The other heads of department, whose vehicles were found in garages, could not be reached for their explanations.
Source: Ghanaian Times
| | Kufuor accepts new appointments | Accra, Feb. 9, GNA - Former President John Agyekum Kufuor has accepted two more international appointments with the United Nations World Food Programme and the Milan Expo 2015.
This was contained in a joint statement by the Milan City Council and Alliance for Africa Foundation.
It said the World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director, Josette Sheeran, on behalf of the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon made this known to the former President in Milan.
It said with the UN, the former President has been offered to serve as Global Ambassador On Hunger for WFP.
On the Milan Expo 2015, former President Kufuor would serve on its board with the Prime Minister of Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, an economist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus, Mayor of Milan, Madam Letizia Moratti and others.
These offers, according to the statement, came on the heels of former President Kufuor's inauguration as the first president of the Alliance for Africa, an international development organisation, which has seed money of $15 million from the Lombardi Regional Government, Milan City Council and the EXPO 2015.
It seeks to work in the areas of health care services, education and defence of civil rights and their bearing on economic development. In his inaugural address on February 5, to policy makers, government representatives, members of the diplomatic corps and financial institutions from Rome and Milan, Mr Kufuor said international development had got to a stage where Africa could not be ignored. Africa's relations with Europe dated to 500 years ago and this, he explained, had not always been in Africa's favour as it had been the victim of exploitation all the time.
But the new era of globalisation and partnership that Africa seeks with the advanced countries, especially sharing of science and technology, would lead to a mutual benefit for both Africa and the rest of the world if it should be fulfilled.
This was because Africa was not a poor continent as attested to by the demand for its natural resources from the rest of the world. The Alliance for Africa which would operate its continental office from Accra, he said, was born out of this spirit of partnership between Africa and Europe.
The President of the Lombardi Regional Government, Formigoni, gave a policy position on Africa which was that, with the formal signing of the Alliance, a statement had been made that Africa would be vital for this century's development and that Europe should use its past relationship with Africa to be at the forefront of this engagement. "It is impossible to neglect Africa and we do so at our own risk." The Mayor of Milan, Letizia Moratti, on her part, was happy to see the launch of the Foundation a year after she first had discussions with Mr Kufuor.
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