About 400 children in hazardous labour in South Tongu-ILO
| Godzekpota-Agave, June 29, GNA- About 400 children are engaged in hazardous labour in the South Tongu district, an International Labour Organization (ILO) sponsored census has shown. A hundred of such children aged between five to 17 years are cattle drovers in Atsieve, Dendo, Yorkutikpo, Avorvi, Dokploame and Fieve. Others are into fishing and oyster collection while the rest were trafficked to other parts of the country to engage in fishing. Mr Sylvanus Adukpo, South Tongu District Co-ordinator of the ILO "Time Bound Project" (TBP), made these disclosures at the World Day Against Worst Forms of Child Labour at Godzekpota-Agave in the South Tongu district.
It was under the theme, "Education, the right response to child labour". Mr Adukpo said the project has since last year, rescued 246 of such victims, rehabilitated and enrolled them in schools and taking care of their fees, uniforms, books and other essential items. He said International Needs Ghana (ING), a non-governmental organization (ngo), a partner in the project, is negotiating with the Volta Region Cattle Owners Association to help withdraw the children from the business.
Mr Adukpo, who is also the Volta Region Co-ordinator of ING appealed to the South-Tongu District Assembly, a co-sponsor and implementing agency of the project, to help speed up the negotiations with the cattle owners for the early withdrawal of the children. He advised parents to stop selling their children because the practice jeopardizes the future of the children and the long-term family prospects.
Ms Kate Aku Agla, District Chief Executive for South Tongu, said the Assembly, through its Community Child Labour Committee, would eradicate the practice in the district, to enable all children to go to school and be able to realize their full potentials. She appealed to both parents and guardians to partner the Assembly and other organizations to confront the problem. Miss Agla said poverty could not be an excuse for pushing children into child labour, when the School Feeding Programme and other interventions are there to ease the burden on parents in getting their children to school. Ms Seline Kuto, South Tongu District Director of Education asked parents to give priority to their children's education above everything else. Source:
GNA
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Two communities in AAK district get boreholes
Nsonyameye (C/R), June 29, GNA- Mr Fred Agbossey-Dimado, Executive Director of Pioneers-Ghana, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO), based in Accra, on Saturday, appealed to the government to waive taxes on donations made to charity and other humanitarian purposes. He said more often than not, they find it difficult to clear goods donated to them, due to the high taxes imposed on such goods, stressing, it was a drain on most NGOs.
Mr Agbossey-Dimado made the appeal during the commissioning of two bore holes at Nsonyameye and Bebianeha, both farming communities in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankesse district in the Central region. The projects, estimated at GH¢18,000 were constructed by Pioneers-Ghana and Brute Labs from California in the United States of America.
The two communities and the surrounding villages have no potable water and only rely on stagnant water, which causes water borne diseases in the area. Mr Agbossey-Dimado advised the elders and people of the communities to take good care of the facilities and contribute towards its maintenance.
Mr Joshua To, leader of Brute Labs, who jointly commissioned the projects with Nana Odum Darkoh IV, chief of Nsonyameye, expressed the hope that the facilities would improve the lot of the people in the area and commended Mr Fred Agbossey-Dimado and the two communities, who worked assiduously to complete the projects. Nana Darkoh on behalf of the two communities thanked Brute Labs and Pioneers-Ghana for providing them with potable water and hoped it would go a long way to improve the lot of the people. Pioneer-Ghana is Ghana branch of Pioneers Africa, a non governmental organisation committed to serving the development needs of rural communities.
Mr Kofi Opoku Tufuor, Central Regional Director of the Community Water and Sanitation project, urged the communities to set up committees to ensure regular maintenance of the facilities.
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GNA
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Police intercept 380 slabs of cocaine
Cape Coast, June 29, GNA- Officials of the Cape Coast Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), on Sunday intercepted 380 parcels of substance suspected to be cocaine concealed 19 travelling bags at Ataabadze-Junction near Elmina in the Central region. The regional Police Commander DOCP Rose-Bio-Atinga, who briefed the media at Cape Coast said, following orders from the police head office to embark on an aggressive vehicles check for items such as arms and drugs, especially on private vehicles, the regional MTTU began the exercise on Sunday.
She said the officials led by the unit Deputy Commander, ASP Fredrick Kojo Asare Mensah, were on duty at Ataabadze -Junction about 0800 hours when they intercepted a Toyota vehicle with registration number GR1204 Y with three people on board, heading towards Accra. She said when the vehicle was searched 19 travelling bags loaded with substances suspected to be cocaine were concealed in the boot of the vehicle.
DOCP Bio-Atinga said whiles they were conducting the search, two of the suspects, known only as Chiko and Michael escaped into a nearby bush, whiles the driver Samuel Mills-Robinson, 49, was arrested. She said Mills-Robinson offered the police 5,000 dollars for his release, but they refused the offer and took him to the regional police head office.
Mills- Robinson told the police that he was hired by some Nigerians to convey the substance from Bogoso to Accra for a fee of 40,000 dollars.
The regional Commander said the case was still under investigations and that everything would done to get the other two suspects arrested, and that, the substance would be send to the forensic laboratory for a test.
DOCP Bio-Atinga called on the public to support the police by giving them the relevant information to enable them to do their work effectively.
The Central regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur, who went to the regional police head office upon hearing of the arrest, commended the police for the good work done and said he had realized that the Cape Coast MTTU lacked transport and promised to help address the situation. 29 June 08
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Akufo-Addo predicts landslide victory for NPP
Koforidua, (E/R), June 29, GNA-Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, flag bearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), on Friday predicted a landslide victory for the party in the forthcoming presidential and parliamentary elections.
He apologised to party members and supporters who have been hurt one way or the other, especially parliamentary aspirants who lost the NPP primaries or were disqualified by the National Executive Committee of the party and urged them to burry their differences and rally behind the party for a massive victory in December.
Nana Akufo-Addo rendered the apology when he addressed NPP supporters and sympathizers at the NPP Eastern Regional solidarity conference at Koforidua.
He said at the moment NPP needed absolute unity to move the party forward to victory.
Nana Akufo-Addo said if the party united, there was no political party in the country that could withstand NPP. "If you do not win to become a member of parliament or executive member of the party, that does not mean you cannot serve the party again", Nana Akufo-Addo stressed.
He said he was encouraged by the response of the people in the areas he had visited and urged the NPP supporters to work harder to ensure that the massive response was translated into votes in December. Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, NPP National Campaign Manager, said the eight years achievements of President John Agyekum Kufuor were far better than the nineteen years rule of former President Rawlings and his two governments.
He said the people have embraced the National Health Insurance Scheme policy the Capitation Grant, School Feeding Programme and mass transportation introduced by government towards improving the living standards of the people.
Mr Yaw Sarfo Maafo, former minister for finance, cautioned Ghanaians to be wary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) propaganda aimed at destroying the NPP government. Mr Yaw Gyekye Amoabeng, Eastern Regional chairman of the party, predicted that the party would win not less than 26 seats in the region in the 2008 Election.
Other speakers included Mr Kwabena Agyepong, former press secretary to the president, Mr Emmanuel Agyarko, parliamentary candidate for the lower Manya and Ms Susana Mensah former Eastern Regional Deputy Minster. The NPP Parliamentary candidates in the region were introduced to the supporters.
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GNA
Asogli Chiefs call for cleansing of Ho Residency
Ho, June 29, (Gaitu/Kanyi), GNA- Chiefs and elders of the Asogli State have called for the ritual cleansing of the Volta Regional Minister's residency in Ho if they are to attend this year's Republic Day reception there.
The demand followed the death of one Mr Dzikunu Agbale in a confrontation with the Police at the residency on Monday June 2. The incident also later led to the death in hospital of Mr. Theophilous Tetteh-Nartey, Ho Municipal Police Commander from wounds sustained during the incident.
Mr Steve Selormey, Volta Regional Co-ordinating Director (RCD), told the Ghana News Agency when contacted that the Chiefs put their demand before him. He said he acknowledged that Ewe tradition demanded that in such tragic situations where death occurred, some rituals would have to be carried out to cleanse such places. Mr Selormey said he made the chiefs' delegation aware that the rituals could not be performed in the absence of the Regional Minister, Mr Kofi Dzamesi who has travelled out of the country. He said Mr. Dzamesi was expected back in the country on Saturday June 28 but he (Selormey) has not heard from him. Mr Selormey said if it was not possible to perform the rituals before the reception on July 1, then the Chiefs of Asogli would be excused from attending the party.
He said after that the necessary arrangements would be made by which time the Minister would be back to address the demands of the Asogli chiefs.
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Falling education standard in rural areas
... due to lack of infrastructure
Obawale, (E/R), June, 28, GNA-Mrs. Francisca Borkor Bortey, Eastern Regional chairman of the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC), on Friday attributed falling standards of education in rural areas to lack of infrastructure.
She has therefore proposed the setting up of a national rural education infrastructure fund to speed up the rate of development of rural education in the country.
Mrs Bortey made the proposal at the launch of this year's annual Global Action Week on Education Celebration at Obawale in the Yilo Krobo District.
This year's event, which was under the theme; "quality education to end exclusion", brought together more than 700 school children and teachers from the basic level within the district.
Mrs Bortey also identified lack of incentives to teachers, especially those who accept postings to rural areas as another problem hampering the educational sector and urged government to institute a special incentive package for them. She said Ghana's efforts to achieve the targets of Universal Primary Enrolment and Completion by 2015 as enshrined in the Education for All Protocol, for, which Ghana was a signatory continued to be of tremendous
concern to the coalition and its partners. Mrs. Bortey said it was against that background that the coalition was collaborating with the Ministry of Education Science and Sports, Ghana Education Service (GES), and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education to ensure that the country achieved the target. She said the current deficit of 24,000 teachers could prove unrealistic if government did not remove admission quotas on teacher training colleges and make rural teaching attractive.
She commended the government for supplementing teacher shortages with community education teaching assistants under the National Youth Employment Programme, and described it as a step in the right direction. Mrs. Bortey said two years after the introduction of the School Feeding Programme on pilot basis; the time was ripe to expand it to all public schools.
Mr. Gladstone Tetteh, GNECC zonal coordinator for the Krobo area, on his part said the coalition was made up of 225 civil society organizations with the basic objective of promoting good quality basic education for all.
He gave the assurance that the coalition would continue to collaborate with all stake holders to ensure quality education for rural children.
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GNA
Hoteliers call for reconstitution of Tourist Board
| Sunyani (BA), June 28, GNA - The Brong Ahafo regional branch of Ghana Hotels Association has called for the re-constitution of the board of directors of the Ghana Tourist Board. The Association said in a communiqu=E9 passed by 46 members at a meeting in Sunyani that the Board had remained in office for too long and there was the need to inject dynamism into it. The meeting discussed an adverse report of the Tourist Board on hotels in the region and new strategies to improve the operations of hotels in region. The communiqu=E9 indicated that for Tourist Board to function effectively its Board of Directors must be proactive in addressing new challenges.
Mr. Philip Kofi Ntiamoah, Brong Ahafo regional chairman of the Association appealed to the Value Added Tax Service to cancel the payment of penalty on VAT returns as it had been assumed that most members of the Association granted credit facilities to government institutions, which delayed the payment of VAT. "Until they receive payments from government institutions it is always difficult to look for money elsewhere to pay for VAT", he said.
The regional chairman commended some hotels, including Eusbett Hotel and Regent Resort Hotel in Sunyani for winning awards in the just ended 2008 awards night for hotels in the forest zone held in Kumasi. Mr. Ntiamoah advised members to appreciate the reduction of copyright fees by the Copyright Society of Ghana and make prompt payment in order not to infringe on copyright laws. Mr. Francis Tapena, Brong Ahafo regional director of Ghana Tourist Board advised people willing to invest in the hotel industry to procure licences before operating. Mr. Adu Gyamfi, proprietor of South Ridge Hotel in Sunyani asked hoteliers to install fire extinguishers on their premises in order to avoid prosecution at the law courts by the Ghana National Fire Service. Source:
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Parliamentary Press Corps Dean bemoans insufficient funds
Sogakope (V/R), June 28, GNA- Mr Andrew Edwin Arthur, Dean of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC), at the week-end challenged the Leadership of Parliament to be assertive in their efforts to have enough funds to execute parliamentary tasks.
He said the situation on the lack of funds was serious and the earlier the situation was reversed the better it would be for Parliament to meaningfully exercise role of check and balances. Mr Arthur made the call at the beginning of a two-day workshop on parliamentary reporting for members of the Corps, in Sogakope in the Volta Region.
"Almost sixteen years into the Fourth Republic, we are still talking about lack of funds to provide meeting rooms for Parliamentary Sub-Committees. We are still talking about lack of funds to provide certain departments with accommodation
"I call on the Leadership of Ghana's Parliament to look for answers to why Parliament finds itself in such a situation. I urge them to diagnose the problems and find the antidote to the myriad of problems that are impacting negatively on the performance of our MPs. "We believe that something can be done about this situation. The House must assert itself," Mr Arthur said.
The lack of funds has become a thorny issue that has slowed or halted a number of activities at the Legislature.
Mr Arthur listed some as the construction of an office complex, unhonoured checks at the banks, lack of offices for MPs, which had compelled some of them to convert their vehicles into offices. The Press Corps, also, has no access to a single computer in Parliament to facilitate the work of its members; either to internet or fax facilities.
These myriads of problem, according to Mr Arthur, had made the institution of Parliament a laughing stock and a mockery. "This is very embarrassing as the situation is quite different in some African countries which are less endowed. It appears from what we see and hear about the predicament of Parliament that, we in this country do not see to value the Legislature," Mr Arthur said. The Dean however, expressed appreciation to the Office of Parliament for accepting to sponsor the workshop in spite of its limited finances.
He urged the journalists to apply the knowledge they would acquire in their reportage " to catch the attention of the general citizenry and carry them along with what goes on in Parliament."
Mr. Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, General Manager in-Charge of Newspapers, Graphic Communications Group, in a presentation, said journalists who report from Parliament must understand and appreciate the inner workings of Parliament and the impact it had on national development. He called on the Corps to educate the citizenry to accept that Parliament was more important to democracy that the Executive, explaining that Parliament is the only arm of government where diversity and partisanship can openly be canvassed.
"Whereas the Executive and the Judiciary are in practice not to openly demonstrate any bias, Parliament has the fullest authority to be partisan, including formal structures of the majority and minority and the Whips," Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh said.
He reiterated the need for the reporters to understand the institution of Parliament, its functions, law-making processes, privileges and immunities, and skills to lobby MPs to engage them in private discourse in the public interest. Mr. Freddie Blay, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, proposed a scholarship fund by Parliament for the training of Ghana's Parliamentary correspondents.
He praised the journalists for their efforts, despite the constraints, in publicizing the work of Parliament, adding, "democracy cannot thrive unless it is linked to publicity. Mr Blay called on the journalists to effectively play their watchdog roles. "Sometimes, you have to hurt us to make us happy" he said, but cautioned against inflammatory reporting.
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E.T. Mensah declared unopposed
Prampram, June 27, GNA -- The incumbent Member of Parliament for Ningo/Prampram Constituency, Enoch Teye Mensah has been retained as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate for Election 2008.
He was declared unopposed by Mr Augustine Ntiamoah, Dangme West District Electoral Officer at the constituency's fifth delegates congress at Prampram
Mr Mensah who would contest the seat for the fifth time was declared unopposed after his opponent Mr Christopher Zutah, an educationist, was disqualified for not being an active member of the Party. He promised to retain the seat for the Party because the constituency belonged solely to the NDC.
However, Mr Mensah urged Party activists, supporters and sympathisers in the constituency to educate their relatives on the need to register during the re-opening of the voter's registration.
He said the NDC would win 60 per cent of votes in Election 2008, 30 per cent for New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the remaining 10 per cent for the other political parties.
Mr Daniel Annang, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of NDC advised members of the Party not to be satisfied with just winning the seat but must work towards winning with a massive margin.
He explained that a win with a massive margin in NDC safest constituencies including Ningo/Prampram would compensate for the margins in constituencies belonging to the NPP.
Nii Teye Appehnarh, Chairman of Ningo/Prampram Constituency said it had 172 communities and a voter population of about 50,000. Source:
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Enoch Teye Mensah |
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Speed ramps cause of some road accidents
Accra, June 27, GNA - The use of speed ramps on highways in rural areas has proven dangerous and has ironically exacerbated the spate of accidents on some roads, Deputy Minister of Transportation, Mr Magnus Opare Asamoah, said in Parliament on Friday. He said in spite of the 50kph speed limit signs installed at approaches to settlements and the occasional police patrol to enforce speed limits,
drivers continue to speed at settlements, resulting in road accidents. The Deputy Minister was responding to a question on when the construction of speed ramps on roads in the Ningo-Prampram constituency would begin.
Mr. Opare Asamoah said in place of speed ramps, the Ghana Highway Authority "has designed traffic calming schemes with rumble strips, delineators and studs to make them reflective in the night." "Under the 2008 approved budget for road safety works, provision has been made for the implementation of traffic calming measures on a number of roads in the Greater Accra Region, including the Dawhenya-Prampram, new Ningo-Nyibenya, Dawa-Koni Kablu Junction." "Evaluation of bid for these works has been completed for award," he added.
Responding to another question, the Deputy Minister said it was the policy of government to link all district capitals with their major towns.
"It is also the policy of government to tar the district capital roads'', he said in response to when the Dadieso town roads in the Suaman constituency would be tarred."
"It is expected that the construction of the road from Enchi to Dadieso will commence this year. During the course of the construction, the main road through Dadieso will be tarred and subsequently the town roads." 27 June 08
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EU assists government to reduce forest depletion
Twifo-Praso (CR), June 27, GNA - The European Union (EU) in collaboration with Government of Ghana have began registering illegal chain-saw operators, under an European Union Chainsaw Project, to control depletion of forest resources and help minimize further destruction of the ozone layer in the country.
Under the project, stakeholders in eight selected forest reserves, including Assin Atandansu Reserve are being educated on effects of environmental degradation through chainsaw operations to assist in preserving the equatorial forest for posterity.
Mr Seth Kwame Duodu, Assistant District Manager of Assin Fosu and Twifo-Praso Forest Reserves, speaking to GNA at the launch of this year's Central Regional celebration of "World Environmental Day" said the EU was undertaking similar projects in Guyana, a South American country which also has equatorial forest.
He said equatorial forests had broad leaves that facilitated the absorption of "ultra carbon compound", the substance that depleted the ozone layer and subsequently caused global warming.
Mr Duodu said the project was laudable because, controlling chainsaw operators in the country had become a major challenge facing the Forestry Division as all efforts including formation of taskforce to clamp down their activities had not yielded the desired impact as they adopted various tactics to continue with their nefarious activities. He said Government and the EU were evolving means to review the Legislative Instrument (LI) 1649 of 1997 that banned the sawing of logs by chainsaw machines.
Mr Duodu explained that currently, chainsaw operators supplied about 70 per cent of sawn lumber consumed by the local market as the registered timber firms which had been mandated to supply 20 per cent of their products to the local market had refused to comply with the directive.
He said when the timber firms complied with the directive, chainsaw operators could be controlled and their activities checked and would be taxed to generate revenue for the nation because currently their operations were illegal and did not pay taxes. Mr Duodu called for an intensified tree planting by Ghanaians to help save the country's forests and beautify the environment. Some members of the public expressed concern about the illegal mining along the banks of Pra River and littering of the environment with plastic waste.
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Tsikata should be honoured, not imprisoned - Prof. Atta Mills
Elubo (W/R), June 26, -GNA-
Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Wednesday expressed misgivings about the imprisonment of Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, the former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) for causing financial loss to the state.
He was speaking at separate rallies in 15 communities as part of the third phase of his campaign tour of the Western Region. The communities included Half Assini, Tikobo Number One, Benyin, Nkroful, Asasetre, Ayinase, Apataim, Essiama, Nsein, Axim, Agona Nkwanta, Lower Dixcove, Upper Dixcove and Busua.
Prof. Atta Mills said Mr Tsikata and his colleagues at the GNPC sacrificed so much to lay the foundation for the country's oil and gas exploration and he should have been honoured for his services to the country.
He said many people are been presented with national awards for contributing nothing towards the country's development but Mr Tsikata, who deserved an award has been imprisoned. | | Prof. Atta Mills said an NDC government under his leadership would put funds accruing from the country's oil and gas industry to good use instead of using it to enrich relations and members of government. He said, "The NDC would properly manage money from oil to create jobs and wealth instead of enriching wives and relations".
He said he would also set up a plant to manufacture fertilizer in the Western Region using oil and gas that have been found there, upgrade and modernize the Kikam Technical Institute and resuscitate the Essiama Oil Mills.
Prof. Atta Mills said the country has not fittingly honoured its first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah despite the sacrifices he made to gain independence for the country.
He said Dr Nkrumah should be accorded a 100 years anniversary next year and if the NDC is in power at that time, the day would be set aside as a public holiday for all to reflect on the good works of the late President.
Prof. Atta Mills used the occasion to appeal to the Electoral Commission (EC) to live up to the task and organise a free, fair and credible elections in December this year because the country's democratic dispensation is at stake and the whole world is watching the direction the country would go after the elections.
He also urged the political parties to conduct campaigns devoid of insults and acrimony so that the country would stay united after the elections.
Prof. Atta Mills said the NDC would continue his clean campaign because it believes in democracy and good governance.
Mr. Sekou Nkrumah, son of Dr Nkrumah, said his father worked mainly to improve conditions in Africa and Ghana and although he had his mistakes he served the interest of Ghana and Africa.
He urged people in the Nzema area to throw their full weight behind Prof. Atta-Mills and the NDC to win the December elections to spearhead the development of their area and the country.
Mr Nkrumah said, "The spirits of Dr. Nkrumah and the common people are with the NDC which is interested in improving lives of the common man," adding that the time has come to elect a humble President like Prof. Atta Mills who would not arrogantly display wealth". Source:
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AMA calls on Ghana@50 Secretariat to settle its debt
Accra, June 26, GNA-The Accra Metropolitan Assembly has appealed to the Ghana @ 50 Secretariat to pay the Assembly a total of 900,000 new Ghana cedis for work done for the Secretariat during the Ghana @ 50 celebrations.
The Assembly has also called for the release of its special allocation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Country's fund to enable it to carry out its duties.
Speaking during a working visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology on Thursday, Mr. Stanley Adjiri Blankson, Metropolitan Chief Executive of the AMA said waste collection contractors were not doing their work because the AMA was not paying them.
He noted that the AMA was in the process of rezoning the metropolis in order to make waste collection contractors more responsible and dedicated to their various zones.
"As a result of the rezoning, the 18 contractors that the Assembly had has been reduced to 13. They shall work for five months after which only the competent ones will have their contracts renewed", he emphasized.
He said although the AMA had 13 units to take care of, about 60 percent of its internally generated revenue was invested in the Waste Management Unit alone due to the huge filth created in the Metropolis. He said so far, all the 39 identifiable heaps in the metropolis had been cleared by the waste management company, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, and that henceforth it would be responsible for clearing all minor heaps of filth in the city.
Mr. Blankson noted that the current waste dumping site at Oblogo was almost full and would be closed down in August.
"As a matter of urgency, the AMA is to develop another quarry site at Sabah near Weija as the new site. We also appeal to the Government to finance the Kwabenya Landfill project which has been on the drawing board for years", he added.
Mr. Kwame Owusu Frimpong, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee appealed to the AMA to do everything within its jurisdiction to improve upon the sanitary condition of the Metropolis in order to avoid the outbreak of disease.
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NPP Flag bearer spells out vision for nation
Accra, June 26, GNA - The Flag bearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Thursday outlined a pro-active governance blue print for accelerated national development and asked Ghanaians to vote for him base on the benchmarks to implement it.
The Nana Akufo-Addo Governance Blue print focus on development of human resources, creation of jobs, building affordable housing units, holistic educational improvement system, and enhance health care. Other areas include instituting vigorous campaign against corruption, intensify the fight against the drug menace that has engulfed the nation, adhere to law and order, recognition for traditional authority, improve public sector and prudent economic management.
Nana Akufo-Addo made the presentation at interactive platform dubbed; "An Evening Encounter With A Presidential Candidate," a live political platform on Ghana Television and other media networks organised by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in collaboration with Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and Joy FM.
The platform under the auspices of the Ghana Political Parties Programme enables the various presidential aspirants with representation in Parliament to educate the electorate on their visions, plans and how they intend to govern the country, should they be elected as President of Ghana.
Nana Akufo-Addo was the third Flag bearer to appear after Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom of the Convention Peoples Party and Professor Evans Atta Mills, of the National Democratic Congress. Dr Edward Mahama of the Peoples National Convention would appear on July 3.
He said: "I come from a background where public service is considered a duty, and where privilege and good fortune demand even greater commitment to the common good.
"I am fully aware of the responsibility the job of leader brings as I am fortunate enough to carry a sense of the history and struggles that made that job possible as well as apprised of the challenges and opportunities of the future. Crucial to this future, is how to unleash energies to broaden the horizon and to realise the hopes of every man, woman and child in Ghana".
Nana Akufo-Addo said there are no short-cuts for Ghana. Only hard work, creativity and a sense of enterprise can produce the accelerated economic development that will bring to all Ghanaians the basic deliverables they so richly deserve from their Government, namely, the very best of public services, including an effective, humane healthcare system, access to a secure and reliable justice system and access to a quality education in Ghana that rivals any in the world.
"But we cannot get anywhere without sufficient financial resources. And to grow these financial resources, we need to look more and more to ourselves within Ghana and among Ghanaians in the Diaspora than we have in the past. We need to develop and pursue a clear policy of Ghanaian Economic Empowerment.
"To do so we should not be shy of introducing policies that look, first and foremost, after our own people at every level of our economy. We must pursue a proactive but pragmatic agenda by picking, stimulating and increasing the number of Ghanaian winners in all sectors and build champions of industry who can compete anywhere in the world," he said.
Nana Akufo-Addo said under his Presidency the nation would make use of globalisation in such a way as to enhance the nation's capability and capacity. We should be bold and devise and push an agenda that gets people out of the cycle of subsistence wages and informal, ad hoc economic activities, into the formal sector. "I believe in leading by example. I believe in the cohesive richness and the manifest destiny of this great nation's diversity. I believe in the can-do spirit of our people. I believe in Ghana," he said.
Mrs. Jean Mensa, IEA Administrator questioned present and past government why the farmers continue to use cutlass and hoe for farming, dependence on rain feed agriculture, poor infrastructural development, and vulnerability of the economy 50 years after independence. She said the nation now looks forward for leaders who can take bold initiatives to alleviate the suffering of the masses across the nation.
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Netherlands supports $13 million water project
Accra, June 26, GNA -
Improving access to potable water and sanitation is critical to achieving good health which would facilitate economic growth and poverty reduction, Mr. Abukakur Boniface Saddique, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, said on Thursday.
He said there was therefore the need to accelerate investment in safe water provision through the rehabilitation and expansion of water supply systems for both rural and urban communities.
Mr. Saddique said this at a ceremony to sign a $13 million grant by the government of the Netherlands to support Ghana's Urban Water Project which sought to mobilize investment to expand distribution networks especially to low income consumers.
The grant makes the Dutch government a co-financier with World Bank in the Urban Water Project.
He said the Ministry had over the years been a partner to the government of Netherlands through the utilization of ORET funds with a Grant value of 200 million dollars.
He said Weija, Winneba, Sekondi-Takoradi and Cape Coast water supply systems had been rehabilitated and expanded under the funding while current interventions were been sought for Koforidua, Kpong and New Tafo, among other places.
Ms. Katherine Bain, Country Manager, World Bank, said the project was expected to provide about 600,000 people with potable water in urban areas by 2010.
She said findings indicated that it was necessary to invest over one billion dollars in order to satisfy the water demand in 81 urban areas by 2025.
"Therefore much more investment is needed from the government, development partners and private investors." Ms. Bain said the project was also supporting studies by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission aimed at improving services in poor communities in the Greater Accra Region.
Mr Lidi Remmelzwaal, Dutch Ambassador, said their contribution was to help Ghana to achieve the MDGs on access to water and sanitation. "On top of the investment support to urban water systems, various other Dutch organizations provide considerable knowledge and experience to the water and sanitation sector in Ghana," he said.
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NDC, PNC call for campaign against drug
Accra, June 26, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the People's National Convention (PNC) on Thursday called for a national non-partisan campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking. Mr. Danny Annan, NDC Greater Regional chairman and Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, PNC National Chairman, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra that, "drug abuse and illicit trafficking had become a threat to national security and stability, economic development, academic progression and the future of the youth."
They said they were therefore calling for a vigorous action to curb the demand and use of drugs.
Mr. Annan said the campaign to get rid of drugs from the society should be designed to make sure that the entire population waged a joint war. Besides the national campaign, Ghana should also offer and accept cooperation at the international and sub-regional level to fight the drug menace, which has engulfed the nation.
Mr Annan said all political parties, governmental agencies, law enforcement agencies media and civil society organizations, must work together as well to help combat drug use and trafficking, he said. "Public awareness is important, too," he said. "After all, if we can change the destiny of a young addict, be it a boy or a girl, and give proper guidance to a household where an addicted person was brought up, we can help prevent others from falling into this dangerous trap," the NDC Regional Chairman said. Mr Annan therefore called on all citizens to work against drugs.
"We should all join hands and act together to tackle the problem. No individual, family or community is safe where illicit drugs take control."
The two parties suggested a national programme for spreading awareness among the public regarding ill-effects of drug abuse and drug trafficking in the society, which should include group and panel discussions on "Drug Abuse and Law Enforcement" on Radio and TV. They also called for organisation of seminars, workshops, film shows on drug abuse prevention; distribution of backdrops, banners, posters, pamphlets and publicity through slide shows at communities across the country.
The rest are awareness campaigns within schools, colleges and tertiary institutions. Alhaji Ramadan called on the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to devote its resources and publicity materials to develop a Public Service Advertisement on ill effects of drug abuse and law enforcement instead of using state resources for political purposes. He said that, no society was safe as long as drugs were in circulation and called for general discussion about drugs. Alhaji Ramadan said the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking should provide Ghanaians the opportunity to talk in their homes and in the communities about drug abuse and the problems they create and the ways they could prevented. The International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking was instituted by United Nations General Assembly resolution 41/111 on December 7, 1987.
Source:
GNA
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President Kufuor hands over 200 buses to SHS
Accra, June 26, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday handed over keys to 200 buses to Senior High Schools (SHS) in five regions as part of the Government's continued efforts at providing the needed resources to promote quality education.
Bought at a total cost of 9.2 million dollars, they were given to SHS in Greater Accra, Volta, Northern, Upper East and the Upper West Regions.
Added to the buses were also eight four-wheel drive vehicles for the public Universities.
President Kufuor said the buses should make a difference to the performance of the schools to justify the investment. He observed that the provision of means of transport for second cycle institutions was an important ingredient for their efficient running and for generating a happy atmosphere among both teachers and students.
President Kufuor drew attention to the need for all to accept that the development of the human resource should be paramount if the nation was to meet its aspirations.
He said it was on account of this that the Government within the last seven years had put so much into education and expressed satisfaction with the vigorous infrastructure development that was taking place across board from basic to tertiary education.
"Between the GETFund and HIPC funds, Government has been able to change dramatically the face of education these seven years.
"I am proud that on the basis of broad consultation among stakeholders in the education sector, we have redefined what our schools should be like and we have settled for higher standards." He asked the school authorities to take good care of the buses and put them to good use.
Professor Dominic Fobih, Education Minister cautioned against their misuse and said offending heads of institutions would be sanctioned. The presentation, he said, was a manifestation of the importance the Government attached to the development of education.
Mr Samuel Bannerman Mensah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, said the Government through the improvement of educational infrastructure and logistics was helping to deliver on the mandate of quality education.
Source:
GNA
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NPP MP scorns National Awards list
The controversy over this year’s national awards is deepening with NPP’s out-spoken Member of Parliament for Assin North, Kennedy Agyepong, rubbishing the nomination list released by the Office of the President.
Employing uncomplimentary language, the straight talking MP on Adom FM’s political talk show Dea Mehu on Tuesday night, questioned the basis on which President Kufuor nominated himself for a national award while still in office.
He was neither charitable chastising whoever advised the President to pick some of the names appearing on the national honours list.
Mr. Agyepong said the profiles of some of the nominees for the awards made nonsense of its dignity and essence.
He specifically mentioned the name of Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to the President and Presidential Spokesperson, questioning how he (Awuni) could be honoured simply for serving as the Press Secretary to the President for barely two years.
Speaking on the same programme, Minority Leader Alban Bagbin confirmed that he would not accept the award because he believes he does not deserve it at this time in his political career.
“I don’t deserve the award. I am just serving the nation by virtue of my position as Minority Leader in Parliament. This alone does not deserve a national award”, Mr. Bagbin told the host of the program, Afia Pokua.
Bagbin also noted that the listing of President Kufuor for a national award amounts to creating a culture of “self glorification”.
When the programme host suggested that the Chief Justice could be the one to decorate President Kufuor with the newly-created highest national award, Mr. Bagbin exclaimed “that is nonsense”.
He stated that as a nation, “we have standards and value systems…and we cannot just allow the government to debase and devalue these values”.
The Minority Leader noted that some of the names on the list made the award an insult and said there must be a yardstick for the public to measure the contribution of nominees to the nation.
Alban Bagbin and Edward Doe Adjaho, also an NDC MP are the latest to join the list of nominees who have indicated they will not accept the national awards. Former President Rawlings and a former national security adviser, Captain Kojo Tsikata on Monday rejected the awards with Tsikata arguing that he did not know the mental processes that led to his name being included in the list.
Source:
Yaa Serwah (Adom FM)
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Volta Region leading in child labour-Survey
Ho, June 26, GNA - The Volta Region is the lead region in the practice of child labour, a Ghana Child Labour survey has indicated. It said 33.2 percent of children engaged in child labour in the country are in the region and most of these children are found in the agriculture, mining, fishing and kente-weaving sectors.
Mr. Edwin Gamadeku, Volta Regional Director, Department of Children, said this at the regional celebration of 2008 African Union Day of the African Child in Ho on Thursday.
The day, instituted by the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in July, 1990 to commemorate the 1976 massacre of school children in Soweto in South Africa, seeks to bring into focus issues affecting the effective development and well being of children in Africa. It was on the theme "Right to Participation - Let Children be seen and heard".
Mr. Gamadeku said the Department of Children and other stakeholders were working assiduously to bring to the barest minimum child labour and related issues in the region. He said children must be given the opportunity to be heard and seen and that their views must be given the due weight in any judicial administrative proceedings affecting them.
Mr. Peter Norvor, Volta Regional Deputy Director of Department of Social Welfare, Programmes and Child Rights who chaired the function, said the African traditional system denied children their rights and that "it is now time for society to respect the rights of children".
A debate organised by the Department on the topic "Children are too young to be seen and heard" as part of the day was won by Ho Methodist Junior High School.
Source:
GNA
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New Information Vans are not receiving regular maintenance
Koforidua, June 26, GNA - The new Information Services Department vans being used by District Information Officers are not receiving regular maintenance as expected.
While the vehicles were designed to go for maintenance after every 5,000 kilometres, some of the vehicles had made over 20,000 kilometres without maintenance because the District Information Officers are having problems in opening bank accounts to enable them receive funds from Accra for the regular maintenance of the vans.
Some of reporters of the Information Service Department also complained that the digital cameras that were sent to them were not accompanied by their chips hence the cameras could not function. These came to light when the Minister for Information and National Orientation, Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, met Municipal and District Chief executives, staff of the Information Service Department and media personnel in Koforidua.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng instructed the Directors of his Ministry who were with him to resolve the problem ed when they get back to Accra and ensure that all the District Information Officers receive their funding for regular maintenance of the vehicles. Mr Asamoah-Boateng said he had directed the Regional Information Officers to set up a monitoring scheme to select hard working staff for commendation.
He told the information officers that the ministry was reintroducing the operational allowances of 25 percent of their salaries that they used to enjoy to encourage them to work harder. Mr Asamoah-Boateng assured the staff of the ministry who had not been receiving their salaries that all the necessary documentation had been completed to ensure that they start receiving their salaries from the end of June.
He advised the staff of the Ministry not to politicize the information they give out and to remain neutral always.
Source:
GNA
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Supreme Court to hear case for Abodakpi's removal from Parliament
Accra, June 26, GNA - The Supreme Court will on July 15 hear the case in which a private legal practitioner, Mr. Kwasi Danso-Acheampong is seeking the removal of Daniel Abodakpi, Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta, from the House.
But the writ was nearly thrown out due to the odd nature of the case title and shortfalls in the pleadings.
However, the Supreme Court with a five-member panel said due to public interest in the case it would hear the matter.
The panel comprises Ms Justice Sophia Akuffo, Mr Justice Allan Brobbey, Mrs Justice Sophia Adinyirah, Mr Justice Darte-Baah, and Mr Justice S.K. Asiamah.
The court therefore asked Mr Danso-Acheampong, who represented himself, to amend the title of the case and join the Speaker of Parliament, Rules Committee in Parliament, Attorney-General as defendants in the case.
The court said the defendants should be served by July 11 and they should file their statements of case if any, pointing out that, "joining of the defendants was without prejudice" to the defendants.
Mr Danso-Acheampong contends that Mr. Abodakpi mandatorily vacated his seat as MP for Keta Constituency on February 5, last year when he was convicted by the fast track High court to a 10-year jail term for causing financial loss to the state and defrauding by false pretences.
He was therefore seeking the Supreme Court's interpretation of section 10 of the Representation of the People Law 1992, Law 284 to have Mr. Abodakpi removed from Parliament on the charges of defrauding by false pretences, which had been confirmed by the Court of Appeal. He is also seeking the interpretation of Article 97 of the Constitution on the legibility of an MP and the Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution which spells out that convicts cannot be in Parliament. Mr Tony Lithur, who represented Abodakpi, said his client was only served two days ago with the notice of hearing and he (Mr Lithur) was served with memorandum of issues which he said he found quite strange. Ms Valerie Amartey, Chief State Attorney, said the
Attorney-General's Department was waiting for the outcome of Abodakpi's appeal against his conviction at the Court of Appeal. The court of Appeal in a 2-1 decision upheld the judgement of the Fast Track high Court which convicted Abodakpi to a 10 year jail term. He has served notice that he will appeal the decision at the Supreme Court.
Source:
GNA
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Only three vessels licensed to fish in Ghanaian waters
Accra, June 26, GNA - Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Fisheries, on Thursday told Parliament that between January 2005, to December 2007, only three vessels were licensed to fish in Ghana's territorial waters. "Their operations have brought about an increase in the work of the canneries directly and contributed an amount of 162,265.00 Ghana cedis to the Ministry's internally generated funds earnings," she explained.
Mrs Asmah was responding to a question on how many foreign fishing vessels have been licensed by the Ministry between January 2005, to December 2007, to fish in Ghana's territorial waters and how much was realized from their license fees.
She said the Ministry and the Fisheries Act do not license foreign vessels to fish in the country's waters.
Mrs Asmah said after due consideration of a request by the canneries, the Pioneer Food Company, a Ghanaian registered company in Tema was given permit to import three tuna fishing vessels to augment the supply of raw materials to their canneries with the option of providing quantities of fresh tuna to a company, Myroc Limited. "Sometime in 2007 when the demand for processed canned tuna and tuna products got to its peak, the tuna canneries decided to increase their fresh tuna processing facilities in order to meet the market demand for processed canned tuna for both the domestic and export markets."
Mrs. Asmah said since the supply of fresh tuna from "our water was not sufficient to satisfy the demand of the canneries, they approached the Ministry with a request for license to import tuna vessels to enable them fish for fresh tuna to feed their canneries to increase the supply for fresh tuna and ensure regular supply to their canneries." "Mr Speaker, this intervention has enabled Pioneer Food Company, to add another production line to its operations."
Source:
GNA
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Asuboa citizens threaten to boycott Election 2008
Asuboa-Ashanti, June 26, GNA - Citizens of Asuboa near Asankare in Asante Akim South District have threatened to boycott Election 2008 for alleged neglect by government.
They contended that governments were elected to address developmental problems of the people but they had been denied development projects over the years.
They expressed the sentiments at a National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) durbar to educate them on political tolerance at Asuboa.
Nana Adarkwa-Yiadom, Aseneahene of Asuboa expressed concern about the deplorable condition of the three-kilometre Asankare-Asuboa road which drivers charged 60GP.
He said road had been on tender for the past three years after publications in the media but had still not been awarded on contract. Mr Stephen Aburam Asamoah, Asante Akim South District Director of NCCE appealed to them to exercise their franchise during the elections because it was their civic responsibility.
He stressed the need for political tolerance as the key to the success of democracy because it enhanced national unity, stability and development.
Mr Asamoah explained that political tolerance encouraged people belonging to different political parties to live without fear of intimidation, conflict and physical violence.
Source:
GNA
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Public outcry took Police off the roads - NRSC
Ho, June 26, GNA -The temporary withdrawal of the Police from the roads was in response to public outcry regarding the uncoordinated activities of the various Police units and the unprofessional conduct of some of them.
Mr. Elvis Gbesemete, Volta Regional Co-ordinator of the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) gave the explanation at a day's seminar in Ho on Wednesday regarding accidents involving political activists. Only the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was represented at the seminar meant to sensitize participants and design a comprehensive strategy to curb those accidents.
Mr. Gbesemete said other police units, with specific duties to check crime on the roads allegedly took over the duties of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), thereby creating inconveniences for both drivers and the travellers.
He said measures have now been instituted to coordinate the activities of all Police units and that the MTTU was also restructured to perform its functions professionally.
Mr. Gbesemete advised leaders of political parties not to use tipper trucks and cargo trucks in conveying their supports to and from rallies. The parties should also not hold rallies in the night, he recommended. He appealed to the political parties to always invite emergency service providers like the Ambulance Service, Fire Service and the Police to their rallies to give assistance in cases of emergency.
Mr. Gbesemete advised drivers to be cautious when driving saying, "a mistake by a doctor causes the death of only one person but a mistake by a driver can cause the deaths of dozens of people".
He said it would be necessary for political parties to check the alcohol levels of drivers they engage to convey their supporters to and from rallies. A memorandum of understanding was signed between the NRSC, the political parties and the various drivers' unions not to use cargo and tipper trucks during their campaigns this year.
Source:
GNA
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Ghana's cocoa production more than doubled within eight years
Koforidua June 26, GNA - Mr Isaac Osei, Chief Executive of COCOBOD, on Thursday said the country's cocoa production shot up from 300,000 tons to over 700,000 tons within eight years.
He said this was achieved as a result of implementation of good policies and it is expected that by 2010 cocoa production will reach one million tons a year.
Mr Osei said this when he launched the 70th anniversary celebration of Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) in Koforidua. He said backed by harmonious policies from government and COCOBOD a lot of scientific research results had gone into comprehensive programmes such as COPAPEC and High-tech leading to good results in the cocoa industry.
Mr Osei reminded CRIG of the special role they are expected to play for the attainment of the one million target set by the COCOBOD. He expressed optimism that CRIG would continue to propel the growth of the economy through provision of tried and tested technologies for farmers to maximize their yield.
Mr Kwadwo Baah Owiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, appealed in a speech read on his behalf that CRIG should take up the challenge and work hard to improve the quality of cocoa to enable the country's cocoa to enjoy even a much better premium.
He urged the institute to let farmers have better understanding of the use of pesticides and fertilizers and adopt recommended agronomic, fermentation and drying practices to meet the quality expected by the markets.
Mr Baah Owiredu said the country is faced with the problem of pesticides residues, polycyclic aromatic hydro carbons contained in beans drying on the tarmac or over wood fires which apparently are harmful to human health.
He said there was also the question of Ochratoxin in cocoa beans with its potentially carcinogenic effect adding that more research development and education was required to reduce to the barest minimum the effects of those factors.
Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, Eastern Regional Minister, in a speech read for him said he foresaw further development of CRIC into a world class research institute in all aspects of its mandate crops.
Dr Y. Adu Ampomah, Executive Director, CRIG said the vision of the institute is that by 2010 the Ghana cocoa industry and that of the other mandated crops would be research-driven and commercially viable. "At least 1,000,000 tones of cocoa will be produced annually, of which, at least, 40 percent will be processed in Ghana".
Source:
GNA
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Ghana releases certification Report on Child Labour in Cocoa industry
Accra, June 26, GNA - The National Programme for the Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour in Cocoa (NPECLC) coordinated by the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment has released two reports in relation to eliminating worst forms of child labour in cocoa. A press statement on Thursday said the two reports; the Cocoa Labour Survey in Ghana also called scale-up survey and the Hazardous Child Labour Activity Framework, (HAF) were reviewed at a separate key stakeholder meetings about three weeks ago.
It said the survey was conducted in the current 2007/2008 cocoa season as a scale up to a pilot survey conducted in 2006 covering 15 cocoa-growing administrative districts within the six cocoa-growing regions that accounted for 60%of cocoa production in Ghana. It said as part of a National Child Labour Activity Framework being developed for all sectors, HAF was also developed to clearly spell out hazardous conditions of cocoa related activities and determine which ones children should or not perform.
Over 1,700 households, 3,452 children aged between 5 and 17 and 1,391 adults were interviewed as well as 66 focus group discussions involving children and adults were conducted by a team of researchers drawn from the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness of the University of Ghana, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Ghana Statistical Service, Employment Information Bureau, the University Ghana Medical School and Civil Society Organizations undertook the research which covered it said.
The survey examined specific economic and demographic information on the cocoa sector, child and adult working practices in addition to detailed description of legal frameworks and remediation activities to promote child welfare with analyses and recommendations to improve occupational health and family welfare within the cocoa communities in the country. It said the government was committed to eliminating worst forms of child labour in cocoa and other sectors as a sure means to achieve overall child development. The government commended COCOBOD for committing funds for the NPECLC to expand remediation activities to uncovered districts, the World Cocoa Foundation for supporting the survey and UNICEF and the Royal Danish Embassy for supporting remediation activities. Government also expressed appreciation to the support by district assemblies and civil society organizations working to ensure the practice is eliminated.
Source:
GNA
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President Kufuor meets with Naba
Accra, June 26, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday expressed concern about the continued blood-letting in the Bawku area as he met with the Bawku Naba as part of on-going efforts to calm and restore the situation to normalcy.
The meeting with Naba Asigri Abugrago Azorka at the Castle, Osu, was also attended by Members of the Peace Council, Ministers of State and Members of Parliament (MPs) from that part of the country. In brief remarks before going into closed doors, President Kufuor said the whole nation was disturbed by the inhuman acts happening there. It was completely out of place and totally unacceptable for citizens to be hacked savagely.
The situation in Bawku, he reminded the leaders, if allowed to get out of hand could hold the entire nation to ransom. History and traditions should not become a drawback on the nation's progress, he stated, adding, "We cannot allow this in today's Ghana. The Government has a responsibility."
He said his expectation was that the meeting was going to be a watershed point that would turn the situation around. President Kufuor had previously met separately with the Bawku Naba and the Nayiri, the Overlord of the Mamprusis, to listen to their views on how to peacefully resolve the crisis.
Added to this, he has enlisted the support of the Peace Council made up of revered and distinguished Ghanaians and chaired by Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson, to help the feuding parties to find a common ground.
The Council had visited the conflict area more than once.
Source:
GNA
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Hundreds flee Bawku
Hundreds of residents are fleeing the conflict zone in Bawku and heading for neighbouring communities in Burkina Faso and Togo following sporadic gunshots in the municipality on Monday night.
An immigration officer at the Kulungugu Border Post who asked not to be named told the Daily Graphic that majority of those fleeing were women and children, adding that they were mainly of the Moshie ethnic group.
The source said those fleeing claimed that they had relatives in those countries and hoped to live there until the situation in Bawku improved.
He said people in Kulungugu were currently living in fear and could no longer go about their normal duties freely.
"My brother, people living in Kulungugu rely on Bawku for everything, be it foodstuffs, hospital or banking services, and given the intensity of fighting, we are afraid to go out there. With the month coming to an end, some of us are worried whether we can go to Bawku for our salaries from the banks," he said.
"In fact, some of us are living in fear because we live in rented apartments in town, and with the new tactics adopted by the feuding factions, we are virtually living in fear as we do not know when and who next those involve in the fighting would attack," the Immigration officer said.
Last Saturday, one Zackaria Abagre, a Mamprusi man, was allegedly stoned to death at Buabula, near Sabongeri, a Kusasi community, after he had gone out in search of his missing horse.
This led to the massacre of about a dozen Kusasis in a retaliatory attack by Mamprusis.
In the latest development, seven persons, including five children who sustained various degrees of injury have been transferred to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. And a man, identified as Issaka Hasmin, 24, a Moshie, was gunned down at a suburb called Zemaasa.
On Monday, amidst heavy rains there were sporadic gunshots all over the Bawku township, and, according to a source, the shooting was so intense that people in far away Kulungugu could hear the shots, which triggered the mass exodus of residents.
It would be recalled that in May, this year, when there was resurgence in the fighting in Bawku, some people fled to Goulongousi, a town in Togo, to seek refuge. Those who fled, after their houses and shops had been burnt, were mainly Mamprusis from Pusiga.
Although some of them are said to have returned others are still seeking refuge in that town.
Source:
Daily Graphic | |
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Kufuor invites Bawku Naba for talks on Bawku conflict
Accra, June 25, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor has invited the Bawku Naba, Asigiri Abugrago Azoka II, for another round of talks on Thursday at the Castle Osu, following the eruption of fresh violence that has killed 13 people.
A press release signed by Mr Andrew Awuni, Press Secretary to the President and Presidential Spokesman, said the meeting was part of a consultative process that had been going on for some time now towards finding lasting solution to the ethnic disturbances in Bawku and its environs.
President Kufuor had a meeting with the Bawku Naba and elders of the Mamprusis last month after which tensions appeared to have calmed down.
President Kufuor has, ahead of Thursday's meeting, appealed to the feuding factions to exercise restraint and give peace a chance while their Leaders continued with efforts to resolve the age-long dispute. Eleven people were last Saturday killed and seven others injured in Buabula, near Sabongare, in the Bawku Municipality in the Upper East Region in a retaliation bid after a Mamprusi man was allegedly killed by Kusasis.
The carnage began when one Mr Abugre Zakaria, alias Amengo, a Mamprusi man, lost his horse and went together with two colleagues to search for it at Buabula, near Sabongare, on Saturday at about 1700 hours.
While searching for the horse, they were kidnapped by some people believed to be Kusasis. Amengo's colleagues managed to escape but he was killed.
In retaliation it was alleged that a group of Mamprusis disguised themselves and went to the area where their compatriot was murdered and they killed 10 people, who were mostly women, children and the aged. Two more deaths were recorded subsequently.
Hundreds of people have been fleeing the area to Togo and Burkina Faso as sporadic gunfire has been ringing in the area since the weekend.
The Ministry of the Interior announced on Monday that the curfew imposed on Bawku Municipality and its environs following hostilities between the Kusasis and Mamprusis had been renewed for another week from June 23. The curfew hours still remained from 1800 hours to 0600 hours each day.
The Interior Minister Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor in a press release announced that the curfew would be subject to revision depending on the security situation in the area. The renewal of the curfew was based on the advice of the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC), the press release said.
"Government is very much concerned about the renewed hostilities between the Kusasis and Mamprusis in the Bawku Municipality and continues to urge all citizens and well-meaning people in the area to exercise the utmost restraint to give peace a chance,"
the press release said.
Source:
GNA
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Western Region NDC supporters defy downpour to welcome Mills
Asasetre (W/R), June 25, GNA - Large crowd of people in the Ellembelle Constituency in the Western Region, on Tuesday defied a downpour to welcome Professor John Evans Atta-Mills, flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Nkroful, Essiama, Apatiem, Ainyinasie and Asasetre.
Professor Mills, who is on his third phase of campaign tour of the Region, was accompanied by members of the party's campaign team, national and Regional executives.
Professor Mills told the people that the NDC government when voted into power would use proceeds from the oil find to develop the country. He promised that NDC government would tar the six-kilometre road from Teleku-Bokazo-Asasetre that had become deplorable.
Professor Mills said the NDC would revive the Essiama Oil Mills factory to create jobs for the youth in the area as well as established a rice industry in the area to increase production.
Madam Ama Benyewa Doe, National Women Organizer of the party, also pledged that said the NDC would tackle the developmental needs of the Nzema area when voted back into office.
Mr Lee Ocran, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jomoro urged the people not to sell their votes, but rather vote wisely to a candidate of their choice come December.
The chief of Asasetre, Nana Kaku Kpanyinli IV, appealed to Professor Mills and the party to deliver on their promises should Ghanaians decide to give them the mandate.
Other people with Professor Mills were Mr Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku Central and Dr. Sekou Nkrumah, son of the late Dr Kwame Nkrumah, first President of Ghana.
Source:
GNA
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UNICEF, GJA school Journalists
Akosombo (ER), June 25, GNA - A two-day orientation workshop to sensitise the media on guidelines for ethical reporting on children ended at Akosombo on Tuesday with a call on journalists to be sensitive when reporting on children.
The workshop organised by UNICEF in collaboration with Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) also provided the journalists with the opportunity to share ideas on ethical dilemmas they encountered in their work, using the GJA and the International Federation of Journalists guidelines.
Mrs Mali Nilson, UNICEF's Chief of Child Protection Section, said although Ghana was the first to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, some forms of abuse on the rights of children still persisted.
She noted that statistics released by the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service showed that defilement cases increased from 154 in 1999 to 1,578 in 2007, representing an average of four cases daily.
Mrs Nilson said in the last 10 years, orphanages in the country had also increased from 10 to over 150, indicating that child neglect and irresponsible parenting were also on the rise. She also expressed concern at the denial of justice to children, saying about 90 per cent of children in remand homes worldwide were often innocent, yet their cases were left unattended. Mrs Nilson said it behoved the media to take up the challenge by educating society on the rights of children, while drawing government's attention to respecting international conventions and protocols for their protection.
She also urged government to expedite action to develop a legislative instrument to give the necessary backing to the Domestic Violence Act.
Mr Bright Blewu, General Secretary of GJA, expressed optimism that the orientation would help journalists to avoid over sensationalism and always work in the best interest of children. Some other topics treated were Interviewing Techniques of Reporting on Children and Vulnerable Groups, Photos and Responsible Use of Images and UNICEF's Principal Guidelines on Reporting on Children.
Source:
GNA
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Police shoot dead one armed robber at Akim Oda
Akim Oda (ER), June 25, GNA - Akim Oda Police on Wednesday dawn shot dead an armed robber who was among a gang that had robbed several people in Akim Swedru.
The Divisional Police Commander ACP Ben Agadana told journalists that two of the robbers, Isaac Kofi, a labourer, 18, and Seth Asirisi, 25 a carpenter, have been arrested and would soon be prosecuted. Nine rounds of live cartridges, mobile phones and a DVD Player were been retrieved from the robbers. According to the Commander, the body of the unidentified robber had been deposited at the Akim Oda government hospital mortuary pending identification and autopsy.
He said the Divisional Patrol Team rushed to the scene when they received a distress call from the victims of Coppon Saw Mills area at about 0100 hours on Wednesday. ACP Agadana said the team engaged the robbers who were using locally manufactured pistols in a shootout and in the process shot one of them was shot dead. His identity is not immediately known. He said the robbers had forcibly broken into the residence of one Madam Agartha Openewaa and made away with three pairs of camp boot shoes and over 1,300 Ghana Cedis.
They later broke into the residence of Madam Christiana Love, a trader, where they stole mobile phones, a DVD player, a computer and an amplifier.
The other victim, Habib Haruna, was robbed of 600 Ghana Cedis on the main Akim Oda - Akim Swedru trunk road. ACP Agadana said the police were looking for one of the robbers who was on the run and stressed that robbery was on the increase in the municipality and assured residents that the police were doing everything possible to protect the lives and property of the people.
Source:
GNA
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Clinic Without Water For 10 Years ...
| Parliamentarians Learn That Maamobi Polyclinic Had No Water for Ten Years
(Accra) Some Members of Parliament (MP) during a recent visit to the Maamobi Polyclinic and its environs were dismayed when they were informed that the Polyclinic has not had regular water supply for the past ten years.
This problem according to the finance officer at the polyclinic is having a serious effect on the finances of the clinic since they buy four trucks of water per week at a cost of GH¢ 296.
According to a former assembly member of Maamobi West, the water crisis started in 1998 when the Olushegun Obasanjo Way was constructed and this led to the separation of the pipelines of Maamobi from residential areas of Roman Ridge, Airport and Dzorwolu.
The former assembly member revealed that several efforts to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and recently AVRL who visited the community proved futile.
The MPs who were made up of Committee Members of Gender and Children, Finance, government assurance, local and rural development and public accounts were at the suburb as part of their community engagement activities. The visit was organized by the Parliamentary Center, while Civic Response facilitated the engagement.
The activity took the form of a walk and plenary sessions with the youth, women and men .
While at the hospital, the MPs were informed by a nurse at the delivery ward that expectant women provide "Pure Water" or "Kufour gallon" of water for maternity and this is forcing them to compromise on sanitation at the maternity ward. Worse, the polyclinic does not have an incubator.
The Parliamentary Select Committee members expressed shock that the community being one of the most populous in the Accra Metropolis could not boast of regular supply of water.
Apart from water being the major problem of the polyclinic, there were a number of critical issues. It came to light that hospital has no ambulance, no sterilization equipment and has only one doctor. Besides, the the recovery ward is so small that babies, women and men are crammed into the same space.
The committee members were informed about a sit-down strike embarked on by nurses to get the state to improve the water situation and the response was for them to transport all patients to the nearest hospital.
The Maamobi Polyclinic witnessed some facelifting recently... ...during the recent visit of President George Bush of the USA.
Source:
Public Agenda |
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Suspicious object washed ashore near Aflao
Aflao, June 24, GNA - A drum-like metal object, the size of about four 50-gallon drums and about seven feet high was washed ashore at Abelikope, near Aflao on Monday.
The object is yellow in colour with two metal hooks and a flat plate resembling a satellite disc at its side.
It has been tied to a boat to prevent it from being washed back into the sea. It is sealed and its contents are unknown. Many people, including security personnel, fear the object could be an explosive device or might contain a poisonous chemical.
Mr. Justice Cudjoe, Ketu South District Chief Executive, Mr. Ahmed Issah Yakubu, Assistant Superintendent of Police in charge of Aflao District and personnel of the Bureau of National Investigations were around to take a look at it.
Mr. Yakubu advised the fisher folk in the area to stay away from it and that marine and chemical experts would be invited to examine it. The GNA was told that a group of young men spotted the object afloat about two nautical miles in the sea while playing at the beach and with a boat directed it to the shore.
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GNA
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Pupil shoots teacher to death
Kyereyaaso, (Ash), June 24, GNA - A 13-year-old pupil, Yaw Amankwaa of Kyereyaaso, D/A Primary School near Nyinahin, on Sunday shot to death 54-year-old Ms Felicia Gyemaa, a teacher in the school. Briefing the Ghana News Agency on Monday at Nyinahin Mr. Samuel Alordey, Superintendent of Police in-charge of Nyinahin District, said on June 22, Amankwaa saw his father Mr Maxwell Asare's single barrel gun when he was sweeping the father's room.
The boy loaded the gun with cartridge and as he played with the gun it went off hitting Gyemaa who was standing some distance away in the courtyard.
The pellets hit her in the head and she died on the spot. Mr Alordey said Nancy Owusu, who was standing close to Gyemaa, was also hit in the throat and was taken to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). The boy and his father are in police custody.
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GNA
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Parliament endorses AU, UN intervention in Zimbabwean crisis.
Accra, June 24, GNA-Parliament has condemned in strong language the intimidation of opponents of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and his ZANU-PF party and called on the African Union and the United Nations to set into restore calm to that country.
Both the Majority and Minority sides spared no words in scathing President Mugabe for the eruption of violence after the conduct of Presidential Elections.
The violence has prompted Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, to announce his withdrawal from the run-off presidential elections in that country. The condemnation followed a statement by Prof. Mike Oquaye, MP for Dome Kwabenya, in which he called on Africa and the World to act before it was too late, to "save Zimbabwe from human degradation, poverty, misery and disease"
Prof Oquaye in a graphic description said soldiers on the side of the ruling ZANU-PF are "burning people alive, molesting innocent human beings and unleashing atrocities on poor fellow citizens.
"The point about violence in Zimbabwe is that the government itself admits there is violence, save that it is the doing of the opposition. "Some details of the tragedy are that 86 people have been killed, several maimed, scores injured and 200,000 persons displaced."
Calling the atrocities a "sore on the conscience of the world," Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond, Deputy Minister of Energy lashed out at activities the 84-year-old President Mugabe and "his cabal" which had led to sky-rocketing prices and very dire economic, political and social situations.
"The full force of the African continent must be brought to bear on Mugabe and his cabal", Mr Hammond said.
Minority Leader, Alban Sumana Bagbin said, "the problem has now become a monster. We must stand up and stop the monster there. It is not serving anybody any good.
Describing the atrocities as "stupidity", Mr. Bagbin wondered why African leaders had treated Mr. Mugabe with kids' gloves, "sitting down and watching".
He urged the AU "to call an emergency meeting to halt the rot in Zimbabwe" and also adopt a mechanism to put in an interim government in Zimbabwe.
"We must give clear signals to our leaders that nobody is a repository of knowledge. If he [Mugabe] dies today, Zimbabwe will survive," Mr Bagbin said.
Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Abraham Ossei Aidooh recalled that Ghana and other African countries had supported in the fight for independence for Zimbabwe, when it was Rhodesia and supported a suggestion to put aside the issue of sovereignty of Zimbabwe and put an end to the atrocities there. The House also discussed a statement by Mrs Doris Seidu (NPP-Chereponi) on the need to find lasting solutions to the problem of head porters, nicknamed "kayayei".
Contributions suggested the need to address poverty in rural areas, especially the northern sector and resettlement schemes for the head porters.
Members also took the Anti-terrorism Bill through a second reading.
The object of the Bill is to provide legislation on terrorism, and bring it into consonance with international laws against terrorism. A memorandum on the Bill notes that; "although there are provisions in the Criminal Code 1960 (Act 29) on the safety of the state and other matters connected with terrorism, these are not considered adequate to meet current international best practices and standards on the subject.
"It is necessary to provide comprehensive anti-terrorism legislation to avoid a situation where the country may become a haven of terrorists because of laxity of the law."
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GNA
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Negotiations to privatise Ghana Telecom ends this month
Accra, June 24, GNA-Negotiations for the process to privatise the Ghana Telecommunication Company (GT) is to close by the end of June 2008, Dr. Benjamin Aggrey-Ntim, Minister of Communication announced on Tuesday in Accra.
He told Parliament while answering questions on the floor of the House that Government owned 100 percent shares in the Company, but the shares would be floated on the Ghana Stock Exchange when privatized. The Government of Ghana in 2006 took a decision to privatise the GT and Westel, a sister telecom company, within a two-year period through the sale of its shares in the two companies.
The understanding, according to the Minister, was to introduce competition and also to address issues of access to rural communities. It therefore became necessary to seek foreign investment to modernize publicly-owned telecommunication companies to enable them to compete in the presently liberalized telecommunications sector in the country. Dr. Aggrey-Ntim said the privatization of Westel was concluded in December 2007, but the offers received from some of the investors into GT had not been satisfactory and that had persuaded Government to invite further proposals from other investors into the GT.
He said Government, in the meantime through an agency called GIFTEL has intensified its activities through the erection of telecommunication masts and towers for use by all operators in previously underserved areas. The Ghana Communication Authority has also since 2006 divided the country into five zones for the purpose of granting two operating licenses for the development of Fixed Wireless Access services in the respective zones.
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GNA
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Govt concerned about Zimbabwe situation
Accra, June 24, GNA - The Government of Ghana on Tuesday expressed "deep concern" over the deteriorating political climate in Zimbabwe as it prepares for a run-off of presidential elections scheduled for Friday, June 27.
A statement signed by Mr. D.K. Osei, Secretary to the President, said while echoing the concerns of the international community over the current violence in Zimbabwe, it also wished to support mediation efforts by regional and continental leaders who were urging a return to dialogue between Zimbabwean party leaders as the only viable means to resolve their differences before the election run-off.
The government appealed to President Robert Mugabe and the entire leadership of Zimbabwe to resort to all necessary peaceful and expedient means to cause an immediate cessation of violence and mayhem in the country.
Ghana also called for the release of all political prisoners as a sign of goodwill and national reconciliation.
The government also called for the pursuit of dialogue between the government and all the opposition parties to achieve a conducive environment for free, fair and transparent elections in the country. "The government of Ghana hopes for a speedy return to normalcy in Zimbabwe on the foregoing terms." Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday pulled out of the run-off saying he did not want to jeopardise the lives of his supporters.
Mr. Tsvangirai, who leads the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has now sought refuge in the Dutch Embassy in Harare saying he feared for his life.
He beat President Robert Mugabe in the March elections but could not obtain more than half of the votes to clinch an outright first round victory.
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GNA
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Kojo Tsikata Rejects National Honour
Accra, June 23, GNA - Capt. Kojo Tsikata (Rtd), National Security Coordinator in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has rejected the National Honour Of Order of the Volta (Companion Category) to be conferred on him by President John Agyekum Kufuor.
In a brief but strongly worded statement issued in Accra on Monday, June 23, Capt. Tsikata pointed out; "while abroad, I learnt of the bizarre proceedings in the High Court before Mrs. Henrietta Abban on Wednesday, 18, June which have led to the incarceration of my cousin Tsatsu.
"I have now learnt that my name is on a list of persons on whom national honours are to be conferred. I cannot fathom the mental processes that led to my name being put on the list.
"Let me put it beyond doubt that I will not accept any honours from President John Agyekum Kufuor or any of his cronies who have blatantly and cynically engaged in a systematic manipulation of the judicial process," the statement added.
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GNA
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Soldier Busted Over Weapons
| An unfortunate corporal of the Ghana Armed Forces on peace keeping in Lebanon has been arrested for illegally trying to smuggle two short guns out of Lebanon to Ghana.
Another 79 soldiers who successfully dispatched their guns by sea to Ghana are being trailed for arrest and retrieval of the guns when they arrive at the ports.
A source at the military barracks in Tamale told this reporter that the military man (name withheld for now) and 79 others on completing their peace keeping assignment in Lebanon bought the guns from a shop for export to Ghana, since gun selling is fast becoming a lucrative business.
The source told Public Agenda that a pistol in Lebanon costs $250 and can be sold in Ghana for more than GH¢2,500 about four times the price .He said the high cost of the sophisticated guns has lured many military men into illegally importing guns into the country for sale to civilians.
Giving details, the source said the corporal was arrested when he tried boarding a plane with the guns hidden in a speaker after the cargo plane failed to arrive for their luggage. For that reason the officials decided that the luggage be sent by sea, instead of by air.
The source told this reporter that it took more than four hours for the UN command to lobby the Lebanese government to release the corporal and also took the Ghana government another four to five hours to lobby the UN command for man to be released for trial in Ghana.
Investigators traced the source of the gun to a shop and the shop owner disclosed that, the corporal was just one of the many Ghanaian soldiers who bought two or more guns from him. He revealed that eighty Ghanaian soldiers bought guns from him with some buying as many as ten guns.
The source said some well meaning military officers are unhappy about the increasing importation of arms by some military men and women. "Look every body is now buying a gun which is not good and this is what has destabilize many countries", he lamented.
According to security experts, the proliferation of arms among civilians is the cause of the upsurge in crime and the many bloody chieftaincy disputes across the country.
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Public Agenda
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Nana Akufo-Addo urges the youth to vote for him
Krachi(VR), June 23, GNA -
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Flagbearer of New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Sunday urged the youth to vote for him during Election 2008.
He said it was only an NPP Government that could secure brighter and better future for them.
Nana Akufo-Addo made the call when addressing a rally at Kete-Krachi as part of his Volta Regional tour. He introduced Mr Douglas Osei-Nti, NPP Parliamentary candidate for Krach-West Constituency to the electorate.
Nana Akufo-Addo pledged that the next NPP Government would give priority attention to issues that would underpin an all-round youth development to enable them become useful citizens in the country.
In addition, he said they would pursue NPP's positive change chapter two agenda to build a dignified, united, free and prosperous country, expand educational opportunities at all levels, make secondary education free and extend the School Feeding programme to all public schools.
"NPP would not practice divide and rule tactics but develop every part of the country as one people, one nation with one destiny," he said.
Mr Allan Kyeremanteng, a leading member of NPP urged the electorate to compare achievements of political parties contesting this year's elections and decide which among them was best suited to govern the country from 2009.
Mr Boakye Agyarko, another leading member of the Party, advised the electorate not to mortgage their votes for gifts in the run-up to Election 2008 but secure a better future by voting for the NPP.
He described Nana Akufo-Addo as "the best man for Ghana 2008".
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GNA
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Armed robbers kill police Sergeant
MADINA, June 23, GNA-Four armed robbers on Monday attacked and killed a police personnel, Sergeant William Quansah who was accompanying a bullion van to the Madina branch of Ecobank.
Madina Police said the armed robbers bolted with a whole container of 60,000 Ghana cedis belonging to the bank and an AK47 belonging to the Madina Police.
When GNA contacted, the Madina District Police Commander on the issue, Chief Superintendent Paul Ayittey confirmed the story. Information gathered around the scene was that the armed robbers arrived in two vehicles, a BMW and an unregistered Golf car. Two of the armed robbers attacked the bullion van when it arrived and started discharging its contents and two other armed robbers attacked the police on guard in front of the bank.
The robbers wounded the police guard and made away with his AK47. After having shot Quansah, the robbers abandoned him on the ground while he bled profusely and they continued firing in the air and managed to carry the container with the money away.
Police re-enforcement did not come on time and the four armed robbers bolted with the money. With the help of a taxi driver who showed the direction the robbers took, Madina Police chased them on the Adjiringanor road but were unable to get them. Meanwhile, three other passengers were hit by stray bullets, two were in a trotro vehicle, while the other was driving a hired car towards Accra. He gave his name as Richard Adu who was hit in the neck and was receiving treatment at the Legon Hospital when GNA visited the hospital.
Meanwhile, both Chief Superintendent Ayittey and Legon District Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr. Sadique Osei were present and according to the Police, intensive investigations had started to arrest the armed robbers.
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GNA
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Perception of corruption among govt officials on the increase
... 70% of Ghanaians Perceive Corruption In The Presidency
Accra, June 23, GNA - The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) on Monday said most Ghanaians continued to hold the conviction that government officials were corrupt.
Presenting the 2008 Afrobarometer report, Professor Emmanuel Gyimah Boadi, Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, said the survey indicated that large majorities of Ghanaians (about 70 per cent) perceived corruption in the presidency and 77 per cent perceived government officials to be corrupt.
"The current levels of perceived corruption at the presidency represent large and significant increases over 2005 Afrobarometer report, which indicated that only a small majority, 56 per cent perceived corruption in the presidency and 67 per cent perceived corruption among government officials," Prof Gyimah-Boadi stated. The Survey dubbed: "Round 4 Survey," was conducted in March 2008.
The Ghana Police Service was rated the most corrupt with about 86 per cent; tax officials and the judiciary picked the second spot with 79 per cent each; and Government agencies were adjudged the third most corrupt institution with 77 per cent rating.
Other institutions mentioned in the corruption rating were; Members of Parliament with 73 per cent for the forth spot; elected local government officials and the presidency had 70 per cent each for the fifth spot.
Prof. Gyimah-Boadi said perceived corruption at the presidency and among MPs jumped 14 percentage points, representing the highest, between 2005 and 2008. Likewise, that for government officials went up by 11 percentage points.
Perception of corruption of the police jumped up by five per cent; Judges and Magistrates seven per cent; tax officials eight per cent; and elected local government officials, 10 per cent.
On government's effort to fight corruption, the 2008 Afrobarometer survey indicates that public opinion on has been declining.
In the 2002 survey, a solid majority of 63 per cent said the government was doing well in fighting corruption. By 2005, however, the government's anti-corruption performance rating had declined by 10 percentage points to only 56 percent and currently remains almost at the same level 55 per cent.
The Afrobarometer is an independent, non-partisan research instrument that measures the social, political and economic atmosphere in 20 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Afrobarometer questions cover a range of opinions and attitudes on democracy, governance, livelihoods, macro-economic policy, social capital, conflict and crime, political and civic participation and national identity.
The survey was undertaken in all 20 countries within a 12-month window, and on the average, Afrobarometer surveys take place at two-to-three year intervals.
The first three rounds of Ghana Afrobarometer were conducted in May 1999, September 2002 and March 2005.
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GNA
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DFP hits 200 offices nationwide
Kasoa (C/R), June 23, GNA - Mr Osei Piesie-Anto, The National Organizer of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP), has advised followers of the party to be loyal, dedicated to the party and work harder towards victory in the December elections.
Mr Piesie-Anto gave the advice last Friday, when he inaugurated the Awutu-Senya Constituency office of the party at Kasoa, in the Central Region, bringing the number of offices opened to 200 nation-wide. He advised people he described as "stomach Politicians" within the party to change their way of thinking to enable committed members to contribute generously to promote and sustain the DFP.
Mr Piesie-Anto urged members to preach peace, unity, love and understanding, adding,"the old politics of disturbance, conflicts, violence, insults and hatred are past and should not be encouraged." Mr John Amekah, Deputy General Secretary of the party, also advised members to seek information in order to know and propagate the good intentions of party to all and sundry for victory in December. Later, the leadership of the party paid a courtesy call on the chief of Kasoa, Chief Saidu Yussifu at his place, where its flag bearer, Mr Emmanuel Ansah Antwi, assured him and his elders of the party's preparedness to support the community in the provision of education, health and other infrastructure when they come to power.
The party introduced, Reverend Kofi Akofuah-Obeng, DFP's parliamentary candidate for the area as well as its Constituency executives.
The Constituency executives comprised Mr Mohammed Tigani, Chairman, Mr Antosen Banjamin, Secretary, Mr Charles Okine, Organizer, Miss Joyce Agavalenyo, Women Organiser and Mr James Adjei, Public Relation Officer.
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GNA
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