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Bullets fly during clash over take-over of lorry station

Ashaiman, April 26, GNA - Seven persons, between the ages of 25 and 35 sustained severe bullet wounds during a clash over the alleged take-over of the Ashaiman main lorry station popularly known as the "Kufour park" by two groups believed to be NDC activists on Saturday in Ashaiman.

They were rushed to the Tema General Hospital where one of them, James Arua whose condition was serious is still on admission. The six others were treated and discharged but they are to report to the hospital on Monday to have the bullets in their bodies removed. They are Ishmael Worlanyo, Abdulai Abukakar, Suleman Tahiru, Iddrisu Yakubu, Mohammed Usmanand Yakubu Alhassan.

Police reinforcement from the Tema and Accra Police Buffalo Units were called in to disperse the groups to restore peace and order. Information gathered indicated that Mr John Kwadwo Gyapong, former MP for Kadjebi-Akan constituency had the license to operate the lorry station and that the contract ends in December 2009.

However, on the onset of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, the two groups wanted to take over the operation of the park leading to the clash. Chief Inspector Olivia Turkson, Tema Regional Police Public Affairs Officer, confirmed the incident and said the police is investigating to know the truth of the claim. The Regional Police Commander, DCOP John Kudalor warned the groups to follow the laid down procedure to the claim of the facility to ensure peace in the area.

Asanteman holds durbar to climax

10 years of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II

Bongo (UE), April 25, GNA - The Bongo District Assembly in the Upper East Region, on Friday failed to endorse the President's nominee for District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area. Mr Clement Akugre Atia, a 51 year old former DCE for the area failed to obtain two thirds of the total number of assembly members as required by Law. Out of the 48 totalled votes cast, he got 30, while 18 voted against him.

The assembly is to be reconvened in ten days time to vote again. Earlier on, the Assembly elected Mr Ben Akansise as the Presiding Member, who called for the assembly's maximum cooperation and support to develop the area.

Mr Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, expressed disappointment about the assembly's failure to confirm the nominee. Mr Woyongo appealed to members of the assembly to burry their political differences and placed the development of the district above partisan politics.

He also asked them to reconsider their decision and vote the president's nominee on the next voting date. In related development, the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly endorsed the President's nominee, Mr Epsona Harry Ayamga, a 62 year Private Medical Practitioner as the Municipal Chief Executive. Out of the 37 votes, he polled 35 votes representing 97.2 per cent of total number of assembly members. Swearing the MCE into office, the Regional Minister, tasked him and the assembly to review the sanitation bye-laws and ensured that it was strictly enforced to serve as a deterrent to people who litter the surroundings.

Mr Woyongo advised the MCE to live a modest life and also be transparent in his administration. He asked him to serve everybody in the Municipality equally and not to discriminate. He told him to address issues such as poverty, ignorance and diseases which were the major problems confronting the people in the area.

Mr Ayamga commended the members of the assembly for endorsing him and said he would work assiduously together with them to bring development to the area. He called for the Assembly's support and cooperation to enable him steer the affairs of the Municipality.

602 killed by accidents in first quarter of the year

Accra, April 24, GNA - Ghana has lost 602 lives through road accidents in the first quarter of the year, almost double the figure recorded within the same period last year.

The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) said the first quarter of 2008 saw 339 deaths and over 60 per cent of the fatalities were caused by speeding.

Mr Rudolph Beckley, Manager of Research, Statistics and Information Technology of NRSC, said this in Accra on Friday at a day's workshop organised by the Ministry of Health for its drivers. He expressed the fear that should the trend continue, the situation could be pushing not only Ghana but the globe to meeting the lethal record that road fatalities would become the third cause of deaths by 2020.

Mr Beckley said the country continued to lose four lives daily, depriving the economy of 1.6 per cent of the Gross domestic Product which amounted to 165 million dollars annually.

Males also accounted for 70 per cent of crash victims, he said, since they were less careful on the road that than female drivers. Mr Beckley asked the public to clear the misconception that accidents were caused by spiritual forces and said 90 per cent of them were caused by human factors such as the disregard for road regulations.

He cautioned drivers and their mates against using driving as fun, saying "the speed that thrills is the speed that kills". He also advised passengers to demand driver discipline, since the paying of fares was a contract between them and the drivers to ensure that they were transported safely to their destinations.

To reverse the trend, Mr Beckley said the NRSC was introducing the log book, which drivers would be expected to log in anytime they began a journey in order to reduce speeding. He also mentioned the installation of speed control gadgets in vehicles and the establishment of the National Drivers Academy to ensure regular training for drivers as some other measures. The NRSC, he said, had also developed a code to guide drivers working for the Ministries, Department and Agencies and other public
institutions. He advised drivers: "Always put behind you the problems at home when you begin to drive, ensure full control of your vehicles, effectively observe road regulations and take the safety of your passengers as your utmost responsibility." Speaking to drivers, Mr Robert Azumah, Acting Director of Administration of the Ministry, urged them to continue to work hard and to advise their peers to abide by road regulations.

He acknowledged the role of the drivers in transporting medicine, equipment and responding to emergencies in the health sector and pledged that they would be given the necessary support to enable
them to work effectively. Alhaji Saaka Damba, Transport Manager of the Ministry, encouraged the drivers to upgrade their skills.

Foreign Ministry justifies abrogation of agreement

of rights group

Accra, April 23, GNA - Nii Armah Ashietey, the new Greater Accra Regional Minister, and three public officials on Thursday appeared before an Accra Fast Track High Court for contempt. The three public officers are Mr F.T. Nartey, Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, Mr J. A. Tufour, Director of Administration, Accra Metropolitan Assembly and Chief Okai, Metro Chief Security Coordinator.

The Minister and the three public officials were said to have disobeyed the orders of court by mobilizing policemen and guards to halt construction work being undertaken by Continental Sikaman Agencies Limited at the Tudu Lorry Park.

When the case was called in the morning, the Minister was not in court. His counsel, Mrs Hannah Pearl A. Sereboe, told the court that the Minister was on national assignment.

The trial Judge Mr Justice David Ofosu-Quartey did not take kindly to her excuse and reminded her that the charge brought against the Minister was contempt and he was to appear in person. The trial judge said the court was sacred and therefore needed to be accorded its dignity and respect and stood the case down until 1400 hours.

When the press entered the court room at 1345 hours the Minister was already seated. At 1404 hours when the case was called Mrs Sereboe was not in court and the case was stood down and the trial judge ordered that she should be contacted on phone.

While efforts were made to get Mrs Sereboe she arrived. The court ordered all the parties, including Mr Borton Oduro, the Deputy Attorney General and Deputy Minister for Justice into chambers. On their return, the judge expressed regret about the display of red bands by some sympathizers and entreated parties to be calm. According to the judge the court premises were not a place for sympathizers to beat war drums saying it was the duty of the court to ensure that parties were at peace at the end of the day. It ordered the contractor to put work on hold and asked the women to go about their duties as "they try to resolve the matter". It therefore adjourned the matter to May 7.

Members of he Indigenous Caterers Association who were clad in red waiting outside the court jubilated as their leaders announced to them the outcome of the matter.

A contractor on April 21, this year filed a motion on notice at an

Accra Fast Track High Court to commit Nii Armah Ashitey, the new Greater Accra Regional Minister, and three public officials for contempt. The Minister and the three public officials were said to have disobeyed the orders of the court by mobilizing policemen and guards to halt construction work at the Tudu Lorry Park.

The Fast Track High Court had earlier ordered Kwame Danquah of Continental Sikaman Agencies Limited to complete work on the Lorry Park within 12 months and in an undertaking provide shops to the traders as soon as work was completed.

The suit said the four, who were aware of a pending suit, ignored the orders of the court and went ahead to halt work at the lorry station and their conduct should not go unpunished.

According to Mr Danquah, the conduct of the four was wilful and calculated at bringing the authority of the court into dispute. Meanwhile, the same court did not comment on the sentences of eight members of the Tomato Traders Association, who had been found guilty for contempt.

The eight, who were also aware of the suit, destroyed materials meant for work and moved to the foundation platform and turned it into a market place.

In a motion in support of an affidavit, Mr Danquah said on October 23, 2007, a writ of summons was issued against him and the AMA. Following his response, Mr Danquah said, the court set aside the order of interlocutory injunction and ordered him to sign an undertaking to complete a commercial property situated at Tudu within 12 months and give the plaintiffs the first option to relocate shops to them by July 25, 2008.

Mr Danquah said he, therefore, began work immediately but was cited for contempt together with the former Metropolitan Chief Executive of AMA, Mr Stanley Adjiri Blankson and brought before the court. The Court on October 5, 2008 directed Mr Danquah to continue with work and to complete the project on time.

However, during the course of work members of the Tomato Sellers Association stormed the site and destroyed properties. They were therefore cited for contempt and on April 8 the court convicted them but deferred sentence to April 20.

German tourists unhappy with poor sanitation,

street beggars

Accra, April 22, GNA - Dr Maurias Haas, German Ambassador on Wednesday said poor sanitation and street beggars in the country deterred most German tourists and affecting Ghana's image. He said the German Embassy had often received complaints from its visiting nationals that the situation put them off and therefore cautioned that without urgent measures, Ghana would risk loosing her tourists.

Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister of Tourism

Dr Haas made these known when he called on Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister of Tourism in Accra.

He said half of the German population of about 40 million was keen on travelling and as such Ghana could earn foreign exchange from German tourists should the country develop and promote her tourism industry. He said about 50 million Euros were spent annually by Germans on travel.

The Ambassador said Ghana also had the potential to tap benefits from eco-tourism and historic tourism and expressed the hope that the sector would be further promoted to offer more to tourists. Mrs Azumah-Mensah said government appreciated the concerns and assured him that the issue and challenges would be addressed. On the street beggars, the Minister said efforts to get them off the streets had not been successful, since dealing with such vulnerable people had some social implications.

She stated that the sanitation problem also remained a major challenge to government, but expressed the hope that with the support of other sectors, Ghana could be rid of the filth.

"We hope to intensify public education on environmental cleanliness whiles at the same tackling those factors that make it difficult to achieve the desired change", the Minister added.

On tourism promotion, Mrs. Azumah-Mensah said the Ministry was promoting domestic tourism in order to generate more local resources for the country, which had become more crucial now in view of the global economic crunch.

She called for the [german] Embassy's support and investment to help push Ghana high on the world tourism map for the sector to become one of the major foreign exchange earners.

There is growing suspicion among a section Of the Ghanaian populace in the wake of the official launch of the change-over of Ghana Telecom (GT) to Vodafone last week.

SHAME on GHANA!

Most BECE Candidates in Upper East Region not writing Ghanaian Language

Bolgatanga, April 22, GNA - Almost all candidates of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), in the Upper East Region would not write a paper in Ghanaian Language, even though it is prescribed by the West Africa Examination Council. It is only candidates in the Kasena-Nankana District of the region who would take an examin ation in "Kasim" language, as an option in Ghanaian Languages. These were disclosed to GNA by the Regional Director of Education, Mr. Fabian Belieb after he and the Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo visited some BECE examination centres in Bolgatanga. He said plans were far advanced by the Regional Education Directorate to conduct a survey and select the most common Ghanaian language being spoken in the area to be taught in schools as an examinable subject.

Mr. Belieb said that the "Gurine" Language was being considered for the exercise because it was widely spoken in the region. He said "Gurine" language was being read as a course at the University of Education, Wenneba, and appealed to qualified people to assist in teaching the language.

Mr. Belieb urged supervisors at the examination centres to constantly remind candidates of the examination instructions and guidelines, including the need for candidates to write their full names and index numbers on answer sheets and to shade answers with pencils and not pens among others. Mr. Woyongo asked the candidates to take the examination seriously and eschew examination malpractices that could lead to the cancellation of their results.

Over billion dollars invested in Ghana last year

by British investors

Accra, April 22, GNA - Dr. Nicholas Westcott, British Ambassador to Ghana, on Tuesday, said British investors in Ghana spent over one billion dollars last year alone, the largest by any country and even a record for the United Kingdom.

"We even look forward to more investment this year," he said and hinted that one UK Company would soon launch its operations in Ghana; "we look forward to trends in investments growing."

Dr. Westcott said the United Kingdom's aid programme was one of the biggest in Africa, contributing over 90 million Pounds sterling mainly in general budget support, relating that to the success of Ghana's democracy.

He made this known at the party to celebrate the Queen's birthday which fell on Tuesday. The birthday party is the 57th since the current Queen of England ascended the throne.

Dr. Westcott said: "The success of Ghana's democracy is an essential element in its attractiveness to foreign investors and in creating an environment that supports local businesses."

He therefore commended Ghana for the conduct of the December 2008 elections and said Ghana had shown the way for other countries to achieve a stable democratic system. Commenting of the relationship between Ghana and the United Kingdom, Dr. Westcott said, "Ghana holds a special place in the heart of Her Majesty and the Royal Family," and announced that President John Atta Mills would be paying an official visit to the UK as a guest of the British government from May 6-8 for meetings with the Prime Minister and other senior government figures.

Dr. Westcott also made comments about the global financial crisis and the recent G20 summit which promised about one trillion dollars additional support, much of which was for developing countries, and said although the additional support would help there was the need to cut spending in order to make ends meet.

"Spending has to be cut in the UK by 50 billion pounds sterling, to make ends meet, though our core aid programme will continue at the same level as last year," he said.

He also announced that there woul d be support from the British Council, Ghana, for sporting and cultural legacies from the London 2012 Olympics and a doubling of opportunities for schools, pupils and experts to link with their counterparts in the UK. Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Attorney-General, who spoke on behalf of government, expressed government's gratitude to the UK government for the support they gave to the country and said efforts by the British government and other donors had helped to improve Ghana's chances of attaining the Millennium Development Goals. "Notwithstanding the global financial crisis, the British government has recently announced that it would provide Ghana with 80 million pounds," she said. Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu said Ghana was prepared and willing to work in concert with all stakeholders to address issues such as climate change, rising food prices, drug menace, terrorism, migration and human trafficking.

Accra, April 21 (GNA) - Former President John Agyekum Kufuor left Accra Monday night for the United States and Germany where he will attend separate high-level meetings on reform of the World Bank and improvement in land administration in Africa.

A statement signed by Mr Frank Agyekum, Spokesperson of the former President, said Mr Kufuor's first stop will be in Washington DC where he will attend the first meeting of a 12-member high-level Commission set up this year for the modernization of the World Bank.

The Commission, headed by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo, is charged with making recommendations to the Bank's President Robert Zoellick on how the institution is governed so that it can better fulfill its mission of overcoming global poverty.

Other members are Mrs. Sadata Ogata, President of Japanese International Cooperation and former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Dr Zhou Xiaochuan, Governor of the People's Bank of China and Mr Pascal Lamay, Director-General of the World Trade Organization. Former President Kufuor will continue to Berlin, Germany on April 26 for the 2009 African Presidential Roundtable which will focus on 'Leadership Challenges of Land Reform in Africa.'

The forum is being organized by the African Presidential Archives and Research Centre at Boston University, USA. It is an initiative for former democratically elected leaders of Africa to share their ideas and experiences with a global audience.

Former President Kufuor will be hosted to a luncheon by German President Horst Kohler during the visit. He will be away for about 10 days.

Foreign Minister criticised on termination of privileges

to rights group

Accra, April 21, GNA - The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), a pressure group, on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction about the way and manner in which diplomatic privileges accorded the Africa Legal Aid, an international organisation with headquarters in Accra, was terminated.

"It is regrettable that in spite of our complaints against Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs, he has not departed from his arbitrary ways upon being approved by Parliament as a Minister for Foreign Affairs," Mr Kwabena Bomfeh, Spokesperson for AFAG, said at a press conference in Accra.

He noted that the conduct was a violation of due process and against the rule of law.

"If Alhaji Mumuni can, without providing any reason whatsoever, terminate the entire agreement between the government of Ghana and an international human rights agency, then one shudders to think of the extent to which he can abuse his powers as foreign minister in the nation's relations with other international organizations."

Mr Bomfeh said the terms of reference for the agency's diplomatic privileges in the agreement stated that any dispute between the parties shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with Act 38 under the Arbitration Act of 1961.

"It is pertinent to note that no dispute had occurred between the government of Ghana and Africa Legal Aid to warrant the termination of the provisions of the agreement," he added.

Mr Bomfeh said the action by the Foreign Minister was a blatant disregard for mandatory provisions of the agreement and called on him as a matter of urgency to resign.

 ... Diplomat in her own country

The Mills administration has withdrawn a controversial diplomatic status granted Ms Evelyn Ankumah, Executive Director of the Africa Legal Aid, an NGO, and Managing Director of the Labone-based Working Girls Fitness Centre under the previous NPP administration, which made her a diplomat even in her own home country.

Consequently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has written to inform Ms Ankumah of the decision to strip her of her diplomatic status.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Mummuni, told the Gye Nyame Concorde in a chat before he flew out of Accra last week that the decision was taken in the best interest of the nation during efforts by this paper to find out the diplomatic status of Ms Ankumah.

He confirmed that he had issued directives for the CD number used by the lady and a diplomatic passport issued to her by the last administration to be withdrawn.

Efforts to reach Ms Ankumah by press time on the withdrawal of her diplomatic status have proven futile but sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs say the letter was delivered to her in the absence of the Foreign Minister last Wednesday.

Ms Ankumah is presently in court with the New Crusading Guide newspaper over the paper's report that her Working Girls Fitness Centre, which sells itself off as a health centre, allegedly serve as a front for sordid carnal pleasures.

Sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs suggest that the Ministry presently has two petitions before it on cases involving the stripped diplomat in which allegations that she may have waved her diplomatic immunity to escape the clutches of two Ghanaian courts feature prominently.

The Ministry is also said to have begun an internal probe to find out. the circumstances that led to the controversial agreement granting the lady a diplomatic status, making her immune to the court of even her own country.

The agreement between her and the Ministry, sources say, did not have the name of the official of the Ministry who approved the diplomatic immunity. The name of the witness who countersigned is also not on the agreement, making it highly irregular, sources say.

In order not to wash its dirty linen in public, the Ministry quietly sent off a letter to the stripped diplomat last Wednesday, informing her of the withdrawal of her diplomatic status.

Accra, April 20, GNA - Mr Paul Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman of the National Media Commission, on Monday said the restructuring process of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) must be completed and brought to full closure by end of year.

He therefore charged the new board members of the corporation to brief the commission on how they would proceed with the restructuring exercise by 20th May, 2009, expressing hope that the deadline would be met.

At the inauguration of the new board of directors for the corporation, Mr Adu-Gyamfi said the restructuring would proceed on some non-negotiable principles which would ensure that GBC remained a public service broadcaster, the corporation will not be divested, privatized or commercialized and the National Media Commission shall not permit the victimization of any staff of GBC in the name of restructuring. Restructuring of an organization involves planning and providing new strategy or structures for an organization to reduce financial burden.

Mr Adu-Gyamfi said the NMC still did not have documentation on the many things the Ministry of Public Sector Reforms claimed they had done on behalf of the GBC in the name of restructuring and expressed hope that some transparency would emerge on those issues in the coming months.

"When we inaugurated the outgoing board, two years ago, I was hopeful that we could complete the restructuring process under the leadership. The board took up the challenge and prepared itself and actually worked towards that. Unfortunately, the project could not materialize." Mr Adu-Gyamfi said the time was ripped for all stakeholders to put their hands on the wheels and redeem GBC, saying, "The time for action is now".

Professor John Bright Kwabla Aheto, Chairman of the new board of directors, said GBC must strive to be independent, credible, trustworthy and impartial in news and coverage of current affairs. "Policy makers and politicians of all divides must do what is needed to ensure continued national role for GBC. We must all ensure a plural public service.as a nation we must accept that universal access for audiences to public services though all the new technologies is an issue that cannot be left to the market." Expressing his strong support for public service broadcasting, Prof. Aheto said it must be allowed to evolve both in programming and in responsible regulations, adding: "We must change and be allowed to change to reflect our changing audience and market place without abandoning our public service values; we need fresh, thinking, revitalized workforce."

Prof. Aheto noted that the biggest challenge in the digital world was how to get the right content to the audience it is intended for and said as broadcasting technology developed, the aim of GBC should be to follow the model of the mobile phone technology with open standards. He said GBC should be looked upon and treated as an independent organ from governments of the day.

"Its internal management, including the content of programmes and timing of broadcasting them must be free from government interference." "GBC while being required to improve its own governance, transparency and accountability, must be explicitly granted independence from government just as the central bank is," he emphasized. Prof. Aheto said the board will be opened to advice and called for cooperation from staff.

Other members of the Board are Mr Edward Asare, Mr Yaw Wiredu Prepprah, Ms Vicky Wereko Andoh, Mr Gayheart Mensah, Mr Abdulai Dramani, Ms Ophelia Ablorh, Mr Kwaku Mensah Bonsu and Mr William Ampem Darko, Director-General of the GBC.