• 13.07.2008

NDC determined to wrestle power from NPP



Kumasi, July 13, GNA- Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said that the Party's determination to wrestle power from the New Patriotic party (NPP), in this year's election would not be achieved on silver platter.

Dr. Kwabena Adjei, National Chairman of the Party advised all eligible voters to register when the Electoral Commission opens the voters' register to enable them to exercise their franchise. Mr Baba Jamal, General Secretary of the Party, emphasized the importance of the on-going National Identification Exercise in the country and urged them to register.

Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Party said the people in the Zongo's must be accorded the necessary respect and dignity as Ghanaians.

Alhaji Baba Yahaya, Regional Coordinator of the Caucus said the establishment of the group was to mobilize all people in Zongo communities to support the NDC in its campaign effort.

Alhaji Gado Sulemana, a staunch member of the NDC in the Asawase Constituency urged members to unite as one people to enable the party to win the election this year.

Source:
GNA

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German philanthropists to sponsor School Feeding Programme

Alavanyo-Kpeme (V/R), July 13 GNA - A group of German philanthropists led by Ms Cornelia von Wulfing is to undertake a 10-year School Feeding Programme costing more than 150,000 Ghana Cedis at the Alavanyo Senior High Technical School (ASTECH) and the Nkonya-Tayi Roman Catholic Primary School.

Other members of the group are Ms Wulfing's daughter, Sara Fayed, and Mr and Mrs Enzberg Pieper.

Ms Wulfing, also "Ngoryifiaga", Development Queen of Saviefe, Akrofu, Sovie and Alavanyo Development Union (SASADU) announced the programme at its inauguration at Alavanyo-Kpeme at the weekend. She has constructed a girls' dormitory block and provided a school bus to ASTECH.

Ms Wulfing said the Group's School Feeding Programme known as the "Alamsamo" initiative, aimed at helping to break the poverty cycle in those communities, improve the health of students and pupils and encourage them, especially girls, to concentrate on their education.

Togbega Tsedze Atakora VII, Paramount Chief of Alavanyo Traditional Area, praised Mamaga Akosua (Ms Wulfing) for her development initiatives in the SASADU communities.

He cautioned the citizens against unsolicited interference in the implementation of the "Alamsamo" initiative. Nana Okoto Kofi III, Paramount Chief of Nkonya, said he was happy that the two traditional areas that were formerly foes have begun attracting the goodwill of the international community now that they have chosen the path of peaceful co-existence.

Mr John Peter Amewu, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive, said he was happy that the private sector was beginning to get involved in expanding the horizon of the Government's School Feeding Programme. Togbega Gabusu VI, President of Volta Regional House of Chiefs, urged the beneficiary communities to adopt and support the programme and see in it the beginning of many good things coming their way following the cessation of hostilities between them.

Mr Maxwell Blue, Headmaster of ASTECH, thanked the philanthropists for their gesture and drew attention to lack of potable water at the School and inadequate infrastructure to cater for the increasing student population.

Source:
GNA

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Let truth prevail - Mills

Kumasi, July 13, GNA - Professor John Evans Atta Mills Flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Sunday said the prevalence of the truth and fair play could ensure peace during and after the December elections.

He said; "The NDC wants no confusion and the breach of the peace in this year's election . let the winner win fairly as well as looser. Prof. Atta Mills made the remark during a colourful Muslim wedding ceremony of Mr. Mohammed Ayariga, member of Prof. Atta Mills campaign team and wife, Jamila.

Prof. Mills said it is Allah who blesses marriages and wished the couple peace in their marriage.

He said peace was one attribute that, promoted harmony and development and that the root of virtue was truth and honesty. He said, "We want peace and development for our dear nation. The NDC will not do anything that will not promote peace." Among the teeming crowd were NDC top officials and Mr. John Dramani Mahama, NDC running-mate to Prof. Atta Mills.

Source:
GNA

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Kwahu East District Assembly approved the President's nomination

Source:
GNA

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• 12.07.2008

President abhors treatment of drivers



Accra, July 11, GNA - Mr. Andrew Awuni, Presidential Spokesperson and Press Secretary to the President has said President John Agyekum Kufuor abhorred the behaviour of military men who are said to have ordered a number of offending drivers to arrange dead bodies at the 37 Military Hospital mortuary.
"The behaviour is simply unacceptable and cannot be endorsed by government," he said.

Speaking to journalists at the airport, Mr Awuni said the country was governed by rules under the constitution, adding that these rules had to be respected at all times, irrespective of the offence of any person. He said President Kufuor endorsed the decision by the military hierarchy to investigate the matter, in order to bring military personnel who are guilty of the offence to book.


Source:
GNA

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Repair works on Adomi Bridge begins

Juapong (E/R), July 12, GNA - Measurements and minor metal works began on Saturday to precede actual emergency repairs on the 50-year-old Adomi Bridge that links the Eastern and Volta Regions. An Engineer of the Ghana Highways Authority (GHA), who spoke to the Monday, July 14 when plant and equipment would have been brought to the site.

Meanwhile, the Bridge was opened to traffic on Saturday July 12, contrary to initial announcement by the GHA that it would be closed to traffic between 0900 hours and 1200 hours from Saturday July 12 to Saturday August 2.

As a result of the announcement many travellers, who wanted to beat the deadline, left for their destinations early and by 0900 hours long queues of vehicles had formed on both sides of the Bridge with their drivers waiting anxiously to pay the bridge toll and cross. Some curious and adventurous people, including students and youth groups, also travelled to the Bridge to observe the cracks that have developed under it.

The local fishermen cashed in and carried people to observe the cracks under the Bridge for a fee.

Source:
GNA

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UK delegation calls on Tema Mantse


Tema, July 12, GNA-- A delegation of students and teachers from Rossington All Saints College in Doncaster, UK, on Friday paid a courtesy call on Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Krakru II. They are in the country for an exchange programme, sponsored by the British Council, to learn Ghanaian cultural practices and how schools in Ghana inculcate cultural elements in the training of students. Nii Kraku called on stakeholders in and outside Ghana to invest in the education of children in the country, especially those in deprived areas, saying education was the key to development. He said the Tema Traditional Council had established an educational endowment fund and was also liaising with the Tema Metropolitan Education Directorate to initiate measures to improve education in the area.

Nii Kraku commended the College for supporting the Akodzo School with computers and accessories and appealed to the delegation to assist computer students to enable them to further their education in the UK. Mr David Russel, Leader of the group, said U.K and Ghana had lot of things in common, socially and politically. He said the visit was to strengthen the ties between Ghanaian schools and the College, under the "Dreams and Teams" plan, a component of the exchange programme that allowed students of partner schools to be trained in leadership skills. The Tema Traditional Council installed Mr Russel as Tema Manhean development chief, with the stool name, Nii Adjetey Agnokeba.

Source:
GNA

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Investors urged to invest in the North


Tamale, July 12, GNA- Mr Mohammed Amin Adam, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) has urged investors to take advantage of the numerous opportunities the implementation of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) would bring to the Northern Region and invest in the area. He said the MCA was a key strategy aimed at poverty reduction through the transformation of agriculture, leading to an increase in productivity at all levels of the economy. Mr Adam said this at the inauguration of the District Advisory Committee (DAC) of the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) for the Tamale Metropolis on Friday.

The committee is made up of representatives from farmer based Organizations (FBOs), banking and micro-finance institutions, women's groups and civil society organizations. The DAC is to give advice and provide local input to the MiDA to enable it to effectively address peculiar problems associated with the implementation of MiDA projects in the Metropolis. Mr Adam said the Northern Region plays a strategic role in the development of the country, because of its vast, rich and fertile lands, which were suitable for the cultivation of different varieties of food and cash crops. He said investors should therefore take advantage of the opportunities and establish facilities such as factories and industries for the processing, packaging and transportation of the agriculture products.

Mr Adam said Tamale in particular, was strategically placed to accelerate the development of the three northern regions because it had facilities such as an airport, which could facilitate the transportation of goods abroad. The MCE said there was also a lot of land around the airport for the construction of the necessary infrastructure for the purposes of enhancing trade and providing allied services. He said the Metropolitan Assembly had also acquired land for the construction of an inland transit port, which would enhance economic activities between the northern sector of the country and its neighbours.

Mr Martin Eson-Benjamin, Chief Executive Officer of MiDA, who inaugurated the Committee said, the DAC were to facilitate the progress of work of the MiDA and must therefore not be seen as one, which would "add a layer of bureaucracy or become another bottleneck in our implementation process". He briefed the people on the objectives and aims of the MiDA and urged them to take advantage of it to boost agricultural production and also improve upon the standards of their lives.

Source:
GNA

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Ghanaian jailed for smuggling 'slave' into the UK


An accountant who helped his wife smuggle a 14-year-old Ghanaian girl into Britain to act as their slave has been jailed for 18 months.
Samuel Quainoo, 59, and his wife, teacher Mrs Quainoo, 37, forced the girl to cook and clean in the house as well as being the primary carer for their two young sons, she claimed.
At Isleworth Crown Court today, Judge Jonathan Lowen handed Ernestina a suspended sentence.

The couple admitted one count of child trafficking, but denied they have treated her like a slave.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was given "hand-me-downs" from Mrs Quainoo to wear.

She told the court that from 8am until 5pm or 6pm, she was expected to feed, clothe and wash their baby, as well as sleep in the same room as him at night.
She claimed she was promised an education and job when she moved here with Mrs Quainoo four years ago, but instead was rarely allowed out alone, and had to work for free as the family's live-in babysitter.

The teenager claimed to have had considered suicide because she was so unhappy in Britain, the court heard.
After two years she walked into the local social services department at Hillingdon saying she needed medical care because she was ill with Hepatitis B.

The girl was smuggled by the accountant and his wife from Ghana with false documents. But although the couple admit trafficking the child into Britain in 2004, they deny ill-treatment and said they treated her "like a daughter".
The teenager said she had worked for the accountant's wife as a live-in carer for her first baby in Ghana, although Mr Quainoo lived in the UK.

She claimed she was made to come to Britain by her mother, who had been promised by Mrs Quainoo that they would send her to school and, when the time came, find her a job.
But although she said she was happy "in the beginning" and was paid for her work when working for Mrs Quainoo in Ghana, she said everything changed when they started preparations to move to Britain.

The teenager, from a village close to Accra, told police the Quainoos had changed her name, said she was their daughter and told the authorities she was younger than her real age to help apply for a two year visa to the UK in April 2004.

She arrived in Britain in July that year and moved into the Quainoo's family two bedroom home in West Drayton, Middlesex.
She said: "When we were coming to England she told me that she wanted me to look after her son for him so she have to change my name."
Her wages of £7.50 a month were stopped, and when they arrived she claims the education she was promised was not mentioned again.

She said: "They don't pay me any money, They gave me £10 once."

In an interview with police in May 2006, which was played to Isleworth Crown Court, the girl said: "I used to go to work so I would have to look after the baby every day, morning to evening. Me and the baby, we share a bedroom together.

"I stay alone. I look after the baby. He's not going to school so I had to look after him. I feed him and do everything. They don't pay me any money. They once gave me £10 to go to the shop, but only once.

"I came here and I don't have any friends. Sometimes I would go out and then I don't have anybody to talk to. I just walk, walk, walk and then get back home.
"Sometimes I go and stand by the river side or somewhere like that."

The girl, who is now 18, also claimed she was not allowed to leave the house without permission and that her only friend was a woman she befriended in the library, who she went to visit when she was contemplating suicide.

She told police: "I went to the library because I was looking for help, that if I told my mum that I have suffered so much I will kill myself you're not going to see me again."

The Quaimoos claim they treated the girl "like a daughter'"and encouraged her to attend college by giving her a prospectus. They say she was free to come a go as she pleased, and was given her own door-key.

In his statement two years ago the accountant explained how he left his wife in their native Ghana to complete a university teaching course while he came to Britain.

He added that although she was from a poor village background, they hoped to "assist her development and education", improve her English and get her into college. And when she contracted hepatitis B he made sure she was treated properly.

But he said she had become increasingly badly behaved and threatened him with an "evil" voodoo spell.
He told police the girl had demanded to see a voodoo priest within months of arriving to make the "concoction", or "one of us will go mad".

The father-of-two said in a statement: "This was an evil spell made in Ghana, this worried us a lot because voodoo still exists in Ghana so we proposed we would arrange a priest in Ghana. This voodoo concoction still exists."

A special Newton hearing started yesterday to decide which of the two sides is telling the truth. Judge Jonathan Lowen said effectively the youngster was claiming "all she ever was in their house was a servant or a slave".

He said it was "clear that girl's entry was carefully planned" with bogus birth and baptism certificates used to fool High Commission staff in Accra into thinking she was their daughter and granting her a visa.

Dismissing the teacher's evidence of unstinting love and care for the youngster as 'inconsistent' with the facts, he accepted the teenager's account of being a 'servant or slave' during her two year ordeal 'and nothing more than that'.

She was 'especially vulnerable because of her dependence upon the Quainoos for her identity' and was 'was simply treated as a worker without pay.

'She was effectively excluded from all the aspects of life as a teenager, which had she truly been treated as a daughter she would surely have enjoyed.

'She was without any financial means, without any independence and kept without regard of her need for friends. She was kept as an employee without any rights whatsoever. She was never treated as a child who had become a daughter. You exploited the illegality of the fabric of her life here. You abused the trust she place in you.

'This was a case of utter exploitation where she was entirely subservient to your will.

Source:
Daily Mail

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• 11.07.2008

National Awards cost $1.4 million



... Kufuor Medal cost £33,000

  While the controversy surrounding this year’s presidential awards appears to be receding, much more has come up 

  and that is the cost of the medals.

The grand medal, won by honorees like comedian Agya Koo was the cheapest, costing just about 95 pounds each.

Information available to Joy FM also indicates that more than 22,000 pounds or 43,500 Ghana cedis (¢435m) was used to ship the medals from Britain to Accra.

When asked about the invoice, Presidential Press Secretary Andrew Awuni who returned last night with the President from the G8 summit in Japan, said he had not sighted the document.

He however said government would respond accordingly to the matter in due time.


Source:
jfm

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Sunon Asogli power plant has started ....


Tema, July 11, GNA - Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Ho Asogli State, the brain behind the Sunon Asogli Power Plant project, an Independent Power Plant (IPP), has said the Shenzhen Energy Group from China had followed due processes to acquire the required licence.

Togbe Afede said even though the company is yet to receive operational license from the Energy Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) it had to start the project in order to meet the deadline.

The project would utilize natural gas from the West African Gas Pipe Line from Nigeria to produce 560 megawatts electricity of which 200 megawatts would be produced by the end of the year upon the completion of the first phase.

The chief, who was reacting to concerns raised by the Energy Commission on the commencement of the project without acquiring licences, said the process of getting a land title, which is one of the requirements of the Energy
Commission and the EPA, takes about one year and this would delay the project.

The Energy Commission on Wednesday said five IPPs under construction in the Tema metropolis were yet to submit their land title documents to
the commission to enable them acquire their operational licences. The plants are the Sunon Asogli Power Plant, Volta River Authority (VRA) Plant, Kpone Power Plant, Mining Reserve Plant and Tema Osorno Plant.

Togbe Afede said even though he is a strategic investor, he is yet to
benefit from tax exemptions as stipulated by the Ghana Investment Promotion
Centre (GIPC) due to the delay in the processes. He said the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning as well as the
Ministry of Energy had given his outfit permission to clear two containers of heavy
duty equipment and thermals expected to arrive in the country early next month. Togbe Afede said 50 percent of the first phase of the project that cost 160 million dollars had been completed and that about 80 percent of the workforce
is local people who receive training from the Chinese experts working on the project.

He said it was the wish of the company to help Ghana to get enough energy that would enable the country to export energy to other African countries.


Source:
GNA

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NPP is the best - Apraku



Wa, July 10, GNA - Dr Kofi Apraku, National Campaign Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has urged Ghanaians to retain the Party in power because it has proved to be the best that ever ruled the country. He said in spite of the global economic challenges, all economic indices were showing resilience through prudent management, which was not the case when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) faced a similar situation during its rule.

"You do not change a captain when times are difficult; you keep him to calm the storms. When the NDC faced challenges, the economy almost collapsed."

Dr Apraku was inaugurating a 12-member Upper West Regional Campaign Monitoring Team of the NPP at Wa.

He said the NPP government increased Gross Domestic Product from 3.7 billion dollars in 2001, to 15 billion dollars and that this would further be doubled when the country starts commercial production of oil. Dr Apraku advised all party supporters to unite and rally behind the flagbearer, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo to ensure total victory in the elections.

"If you say you are Apraku's man, Kyeremanten's man or Nana's man, and you refuse to come together, we will all suffer at our various levels if we give power to the NDC". Alhaji Abdul-Rahman Abubakari, Regional Chairman of the NPP, said the Party would increase parliamentary seats and presidential votes in the Region this year.

He said the NPP did well in terms of provision of social services and infrastructural development, adding that this feat put the party in a favourable position to package and sell a message of hope to the people.

Source:
GNA

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Minister awards her company govt contracts


Oboshie has caused financial loss to the state -CJA

The Committee for Joint Action (CJA) has cited Minister for Tourism and Diasporan Relations, Mrs. Oboshie Sai Cofie, as one of the top NPP personalities who have caused financial loss to the state under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Her name came up as the Chief Executive Officer of Axis Advertising Agency Ltd., and as the sole director of another agency, Media Touch Productions Ltd, two companies that are working on state contracts.

A member of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), Mr. Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Who disclosed this information to the press in Accra, said, Media Touch Productions Ltd was given a contract by the National Health Insurance Council (NHIC).

According to him, the Auditor-General’s report for the period January, 2005 to September 2005 revealed that, Axis Advertising was awarded a media consultancy contract to monitor and revise media campaign and advertisement, a contract the NHIC sole-sourced the company for, while two other companies, Media Plus and the Minister’s Media Touch were also contracted by the Council to post advertisement at various media houses.

“The two companies (Media Plus and the Minister’s Media Touch) charged agency services as well as commissions totaling ¢359,925,286 for the same services provided by Axis Advertising Ltd,” he said, adding that, the auditors advised the Council not to pay that sum of money to the two media houses and called for abrogation of the contract with them. This, Mr. Pratt said, is only a small part of the general looting of state coffers by members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government and their friends. Mr. Pratt noted that, the NHIC contrary to the Procurement Act, Act 663, had as the time of the audit, not set up the requisite structures, yet went ahead to procure various items worth ¢12,296,607,329.

The NHIC, he said, applied sole sourcing procurement method for those purchases, and did not refer the contracts, which were worth more than ¢2.0 billion, to the Ministry of Health as the law requires. According to the CJA, Article 21 (5) of the Procurement Act, 2003 states: “A procurement entity shall not divide a procurement order into parts or lower the value of procurement in order to avoid the application of the procedures for public procurement.” However it explained, the NHIC, in contravention of that policy fragmented the procurement of 1,550,000 campaign brochures worth ¢2,112,000,000 into eight (8) transactions, lowering the value of the procurement order from [a total of] ¢2,112,000,000 to ¢276,000,000 each as well awarded the contract to eight different suppliers.

The leading member of CJA indicated that, out of the NHIC contract for media work and others, a whopping ¢9,552,801,541, representing 78.0%, went to the two sister companies, Media Touch and Media Plus. Furthermore, he said, the then Executive Secretary of NHIS, Dr. S. A. Akor, and two task force members Mr. Ampong Darkwa and Mr. Kwasi Amo, paid themselves honorarium for thirteen (13) days a month as well extra honorarium of ¢112.2 million contrary to the Minister of Health’s directive that, members of the ministerial task force should be paid honorarium for only ten (10) days for every month.

The auditors recommended the collection of the excess monies from the three gentlemen, which amounts, they directed, must be paid into the Council’s coffers.Mr. Praff said, consultants’ appointment included Mr. Ampong Darkwa and Mr. Kwasi Amo, both members of the Ministry of Health’s Ministerial task force.“Mr. Ampong Darkwa established a company, Mckof (GH) Ltd, and was awarded consultancy contracts worth ¢1,332,296,000 by the NHIS whilst Mr. Kwasi Amo established a company, Organizations and Systems Ltd which was also awarded consultancy contracts worth ¢1,250,176,000”, he stressed.

At the Ga DMHIS, he said, the company; Organizations and Systems Ltd was paid additional ¢56,000,000 for installation and maintenance of computerized management information and control systems even though ¢120,000,000 had been paid to the same company for the same job. Touching on the breach of procurement law, he noted that, the contract awarded to Media Touch Productions Ltd and Media Plus respectively by the National Health Insurance Council (NHIC) for adverts and NHIS documentary drama in print and electronic media through single source procurement method are examples.

To the CJA, it is unacceptable when officer, aware of the requirements of the Procurement Act and Stores Regulations (1984), made officers who received goods to act as verifiers and auditors. Also, government incurred a cost of ¢58.6 million citing the 17,000 copies of wall posters, which were not accounted for, Mr. Pratt added.He called on the government to publish all actions taken in connections with the Auditor-General’s report on the NHIS; prosecute all those identified as having contravened the Public Procurement Act as required by law and should take steps to retrieve all monies stolen or misapplied under the NHIS.“Until President Kufuor takes actions to rectify these and other acts of malfeasance within his government, all his claims about the application of the law on public accountability shall remain hollow and meaningless,” he stressed.

Source:
The Independent

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Manager Defrauds 72 workers of GH¢27,000.00


Cape Coast, July 11, GNA - Prince Ato Kini, a former branch manager of Elmina Noble Character Credit Company, was on Friday remanded in prison custody by a Circuit Court in Cape Coast for allegedly defrauding 72 workers to the tune of GH¢27,000. Kini whose plea was not taken would reappear on Thursday, July 24.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Hope Azasoo told the court, presided over by Mr Richard Asiedu-Badu, that Kini was found to have defrauded the workers through huge deductions from their salaries. Chief Inspector Azasoo said through investigation, it was discovered that Kini who also facilitated loans for the workers, normally issued cheques that were more than the agreed loans requested and then asked the beneficiaries to pay the balance after collecting the monies from the bank.

Self-styled business man defrauds Reverend Minister

Cape Coast, July 11, GNA - Benjamin Ackah, a 35-year-old business man was on Friday remanded by a Circuit Court in Cape Coast for allegedly defrauding a Reverend Minister of GH¢6,200 under the pretext of buying him a bus. Ackah pleaded not guilty and he will reappear on July 22, 2008.

The prosecution told the court, presided over by Mr Richard Asiedu-Badu, that Ackah who claimed to be a businessman met a Pastor of the Christ Divine Church in Cape Coast and convinced him that he could purchase him a Nissan Urvan bus at a cost of GH¢6,200.

Chief Inspector Azasoo alleged that after collecting the money Ackah went into hiding and the Pastor reported the matter to the police. He said Ackah was arrested and he promised to pay the money. However, he went fled again while on bail. He was later arrested in Accra when he duped another person by the same method.

Source:
GNA

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• 10.07.2008

Ben Ephson warns Rawlings - "Secrets would be told"


The Editor of the Daily Dispatch, Mr. Ben Ephson, has warned ex-President Rawlings to get his facts right before daring to attack him else he would be forced to reveal certain secrets.
He was responding to allegations by the former President that he, Ephson, has always been a secret spy for foreign intelligence agencies and that the journalist, while in prison, had authored a coup speech for Major (Rtd) Courage Quashigah.

But Mr. Ephson said he was exercising restraint in his response because he respected the Office of the President that Mr. Rawlings once occupied.

"I have never at any time sold secrets of this country, if Mr. Rawlings wants to revisit the Isa Model book and what he did with those Germans and so on, the secrets would be told but I am saying he is a former Head of State and I would be measured for now”.

"I was arrested by the PNDC in September 1987 and released in February 1988. I spent five months in the BNI and I was released, ifI was working for the foreign agencies that would have been a good opportunity for me to escape with my then four-month old baby and wife and go and enjoy life but I stayed in this country," he explained.

Mr. Ephson warned: "He is talking about the coup speech, he has opened the Pandora's Box and I hope he would be ready to take what is coming out of it; in the 90's Major Courage Quashigah was arrested for a coup attempt and he was in the BNI cells, other coup plotters had been tried and executed but for best reasons known to him, Major Quashigah was kept in BNI cells, I was approached by one of Quashigah's conspirators that I needed to write a coup speech."

The senior journalist said he wrote the speech to have evidence that indeed he had been contacted to do such work and that Major Quashigah read the speech, did some corrections to it and sent it back to him.

He said if Rawlings wants to know the details and facts of that issue, he should contact the then Deputy Director of National Security, one Commander Asasi-Gyimah who is still alive and was at the National Reconciliation Committee (NRC) to testify.

"In terms of measuring the speech, you know there are certain words I do not want to use because he has been a former head of state and it is unfortunate, but if he wants to attack me he should get the facts right.

"I want him to address the issue of how, if not for a few Ghanaians, the ex-president would have sent Ghana down the path of may be Zimbabwe or Nigeria; he should address that issue," Mr. Ephson added and advised that Mr. Rawlings is too tired and needed to rest.

Source:
Daily Guide

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December 7, "needs" political tolerance from all - Minister

Kumasi, July 10, GNA - Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has urged Ghanaians to continue to preach political tolerance to ensure peace as the country prepares towards the December 7, 2008 polls.

He noted that "tolerance has been a pre-requisite to peace, respect, harmony, success and national development and that should be sustained at all times." Mr Owusu-Ansah was speaking at a forum organized by the Asante Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Kumasi on Wednesday.

The forum attended by over 100 participants including Reverend Ministers, Members of Parliament (MP's) and other identifiable groups, was under the theme: "Going onto Maturity towards Political Tolerance in the Election Year".   He lauded government's effort so far in promoting political tolerance which he described as an important ingredient to consolidate the democratic dispensation. He said since the assumption of office in 2001, the government has adhered to fundamental human rights, the recognition to opposition in governance ensuring political tolerance in the country.   Mr Owusu-Ansah, who was speaking on the role of the ruling party towards political tolerance in an election year, observed that Ghana has been the show piece of democracy in Africa.   Mr Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, MP for Asawase, said the criticisms of the opposition have helped to keep the government on its toes to ensure good governance. He said the opposition has been in good partnership with the government and hoped there would be consensus building always to promote development in the country. Mr Isaac Owusu, Deputy Ashanti Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), urged all stakeholders to assist the commission in its efforts to ensure free and fair elections this year.   Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante, Head of Religion Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University (KNUST), said political tolerance is vital for democracy and

appealed to the people to continue to express their views on issues of national concerns. During an open forum, the participants blamed the media as being responsible for some of the violence and conflicts on the basis of misinformation and sensationalism and called for accurate and responsible reportage.

They also called on the EC to prepare a credible voters' register for the country to enable many voters exercise their franchise in the December 7 polls.

Source:
GNA

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Nana Akufo-Addo begs Northerners ....


... to stop "one-way-voting"

Bole (N/R), July 10, GNA - Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has pleaded with the people of the North to stop the "one-way-voting" and vote to retain the NPP for continuity.

He said since 1992, people in the North had refused to vote for the NPP saying: "Times have changed and you need to move with it and change your entrenched positions and vote for me in the December elections to bring development to your doorstep no matter where you are coming from."

Nana Akufo-Addo made the appeal when he made whistle stops at some communities at the entry points and along the route of Bamboi in the Northern Region to the Upper West Region where he would begin a four-day official tour of his 22-day tour of the three Northern regions.

The communities visited were; Bamboi, Mandari, Bole, Sawla, Tuna and Kalba where he met with opinion leaders and party members and explained his vision for the nation when voted to govern the country in 2009.

Addressing a mini rally at Mandari and Bole in the Bole-Bamboi constituency, Nana Akuffo-Addo claimed that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would never come back to power again and stressed the need for all Ghanaians including those in the North to rally behind the NPP for a well deserved victory in December.

He said Mr John Dramani Mahama, running mate to Professor John Atta Mills, NDC flagbearer, who hailed from Bole, did nothing for the area as an MP and asked the constituents to reject him and the NDC since he (Dramani) and the NDC never had the interest of the area at heart. He said the tarring of the Bole-Bamboi trunk road, which was now 90 per cent complete, was a testimony of NPP's commitment to developing the constituency and integrating it to the rest of the country.

Nana Akufo-Addo said the NPP would make good use of the various dams and dug-outs in the Northern sector and introduce new methods of farming and subsidize farm inputs to farmers to transform the regions. Alhaji Abubakari Saddique Boniface, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing said that the NPP had already won the December elections and advised people of the area to be part of the victory by voting massively to retain the government.

Besides' Alhaji Boniface, Nana Akufo-Addo is being accompanied by Mr Alan Kyeremanteng, member of the campaign team of Nana Akuffo Addo, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister, Mr Osafo Marfo, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, all former ministers of state, Ms Gloria Akuffo and Alhaji Moctar Bamba.Source:
GNA

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• 09.07.2008

Fire guts parts of Kaneshie Market


There was a huge fire outbreak in a store at the Kaneshie Market yesterday afternoon. It destroyed foam mattresses, mobile phones and an unspecified amount of money.
According to the owner of the store, Kwaku Okine, the fire started suddenly at about 4.30 p.m. after an explosion from the electricity meter.

"The fire spread very quickly, and engulfed the whole store but I managed to escape before calling the fire service," he told the Times on arrival at the scene after the blaze had been brought under control.

Fire Station Officer, David Ofori, who led the team of fire personnel attributed the cause of the outbreak to excessive heat.
He said the store owner had packed mattresses from the ground to the ceiling, thereby leaving no room for ventilation.
Mr Okine said it took them ten minutes to reach the scene, after they received the call at about 5.20 p.m. about the fire outbreak.

"We used ten minutes to bring the fire under control and in 20 minutes, everything was over," said Mr Okine.

The police had a hectic time trying to prevent looting by people taking advantage of the situation.

Source:
Ghanaian Times

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   Four injured in Tema motorway accident

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Akufo-Addo is not a Lawyer -Mrs Rawlings



... He did not go to any law school
... worked with the France-based legal firm as an economist

Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings has flung yet another attack on NPP flag-bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, challenging the veracity of his legal credentials.
Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings said she has enough evidence to prove that the former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, and flag-bearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party is not a Lawyer after all, contrary to what his curriculum vitae beams with.

Nana Konadu who was addressing the Greater Accra wing of the Tertiary Education Institutions Network of the NDC in Accra said Nana Addo has for too long been “lying about his own capacity and capabilities.”

“We cannot sit down for them to peddle these lies around,” she said.

However checks on an NPP dedicated web portal www.ibelieveinghana.com  shows pages displaying a stark contrast of the claims of the first lady.


Education: Lancing College, Sussex, England and the University of Ghana, Legon (B.Sc. Econs 1967).
Profession: Lawyer, called to the English Bar (Middle Temple) in July 1971; called to the Ghanaian Bar in July 1975; associate counsel, Coudert Fréres (Brothers), major US law firm, at its Paris office in France (1971-75); junior member of the chambers of U.V. Campbell (1975-79); senior partner and co-founder in 1979 with Dr. Edmund Prempeh of prominent law firm, Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co.

The website details the flag-bearer’s age, education, family, as well as his favourite past-times.

His profession is the sixth item which the website presents as a Lawyer, called to English Bar in July 1975 and served as legal counsel with Coudert Fréres (Brothers), “a major US law firm,” at their Paris office.

Even though these present Nana Addo as a legal achiever, the former first lady said it is all a blatant string of lies.

“Now we have somebody… who is coming and is also saying he is a lawyer, trained in France; it’s all a lie. He did not go to any law school. He has been practicing in Ghana as a lawyer but he never went to law school,” Nana Konadu said.

The former First Lady said contrary to Nana Addo claims, he had only been working with the France-based legal firm as an economist and nothing more than that.

Kufuor factor

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Sunyani, cleanest city in Ghana



Sunyani, the capital of the Brong-Ahafo Region, has been voted the cleanest city in Ghana for the year 2007 by the Ghana Tourist Board.

A citation accompanying the award prize and a plaque says "this cleanliness and freshness of the sights and sounds of this city makes it the toast of many a visitor to the Brong-Ahafo region".

It says, "Though recently elevated into a municipality, this city continues to employ effective sustainable waste disposal and traffic management practices."

"Thus, it is fast becoming the preferred destination for conference tourism with the support of its star rated and abundant catering service providers."

As part of its award, DPP, an advertising agency is offering a bill board worth GH¢1,000 for advertisements by the Sunyani municipality.

In another development, the Municipal Chief Executive for Sunyani, Kwame Twumasi-Awuah, has presented the award to the paramount chief of Sunyani, Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II, at his palace.

Mr Twumasi-Awuah said that the award follows the industriousness of the staff of the assembly and its development partners like Zoomlion, a waste management company.

He said the assembly has plans to plant along principal streets of the town to beautify it.

Mr Twumasi-Awuah urged the media to educate the public on how to keep the city clean.

The Sunyani Omanhene was delighted about the award and commended the assembly for its good work but cautioned against complacency.

He, however, expressed concern about the increasing number of kiosks placed haphazardly along streets in town and called for something to be done about it.

Nana Nkrawiri said since Sunyani was planned and designed by Europeans, its legacy must be maintained and appealed to municipal planning officers not to compromise on this.

Source:
Ghanaian Times

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More work needs to be done at KIA - Minister

CLICK HERE FOR  "AIRPORT  in  PICTURES"

Accra, July 9, GNA - The Minister of Aviation, Mr Joe Baidoe-Ansah, on Tuesday said although the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) was in good shape, a lot more needed to be done to improve its facilities. He said the Aviation Ministry was bent on fulfilling its role of ensuring that first class services were provided at the Airport. Mr Baidoe-Ansah said this when he toured some facilities at KIA for the first time since his appointment.

The Minister urged the workers to remain dedicated to duty in other to ensure continued growth of the facility.

Source:
GNA

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GHAPOHA faces US$11 million loss


Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GHAPOHA), is to lose US$11 million in credit facility lent to former Ghana Airways.

GHAPOHA is to lose the amount because of its inability to prove a charge over Ghana Airways' DC9 aircraft (9G ADU), consequently reclassifying its claim as unsecured from a secured claim.

GHAPOHA has not yet issued an official response on the matter and it is unclear whether it would resort to a legal action to retrieve the amount in question, or to at least prove its charge over the DC9 aircraft.

Indications are that even if GHAPOHA's charge on the aircraft should be ruled in its favour, proceeds from disposal would only be a meagre amount compared to the US$11 million credit claim, gauging by two aircraft and related equipment that were disposed for US$800,000 by the official liquidation.

To relieve it from the troubles of creditor claims since the liquidation exercise began, the official liquidator has tried to scale the number of claims. This has seen the downward revision of unsecured creditor claims from the US$170 million estimate at the 5th creditors meeting in November last year, to US$146 million in May this year reported from the 6th creditors meeting.

The revision came from the rejection of 30 claims amounting to approximately US$44 million for lack of supporting documentation and the reclassification of GHAPOHA's claim, according to the report prepared by Pricewater¬houseCoopers.

Apart from landed property disputes and suits initiated by former employees of Ghana Airways, the official liquidator is currently defending five law suits, ranging from technical and routine nature to major issues affecting potential realisations and claims.

At present, the DC9 aircraft has been lined up with other assets available for sale by the official liquidator.

Setting total payments against total receipts on the liquidation accounts and available funds, as at the close of May this year, came to US$6.5 million while future realisations by the close of liquidation are estimated at US$4.4 million.

Making demands on the obviously lean financial resource position of the liquidated airline are the US$6.75 million secured creditor claims and the Us$146 million unsecured creditor claims belonging to about 260 different claimants - all battling for settlement.

Source:
dg

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'Ritual killing' rescue in Ghana

BBC-- Police in Ghana are trying to reunite a teenage boy with his family after rescuing him from what they suspect was a ritual killing.

Two men have been given lengthy prison sentences for trying to sell the 16-year-old boy for $20,000 (£10,000).

Police believe he would have been killed for his body parts to be used for witchcraft.

Having rescued the boy, the police have issued a photo of him in order to try to find his relatives.

The photo published by the police shows Akwesi Buabeng staring into the camera looking a little bewildered. Akwesi is lucky to be alive after two men took him from the Volta region to Sefwi-Asawinso in the west of Ghana and tried to sell him.

The regional crime officer, Dennis Abade, said that after a tip-off, a policeman posed as a potential buyer.

Having been duped by the police, the men - both in their twenties - were arrested, put on trial and are now serving 20-year prison sentences.

Human head

The police suspect Akwesi would have been killed and his body parts used for witchcraft either in the west of Ghana or across the border in Ivory Coast.

Traditional healers are widely consulted in Africa and some people believe the use of body parts for a ritual can bring good luck and protect against disease or misfortune.

Marilyn Amponsah-Annan from the Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs said such cases were not common - partly because the police have received training to counter human trafficking.

She said people were also being more vigilant and were asking questions when they felt suspicious.

The police confirm that in the last two months there have been two other cases in the same area of Ghana - one involving the attempted sale of a human head.

In some cases relatives are privy to the crime and so if a child is then rescued it is not always easy to reunite them with their families.

Source:
BBC

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NDC attends Socialist International meeting


Accra, July 9, GNA - Three members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have returned home after attending a meeting in Athens, Greece organized by Socialist International.

General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, Director of International Relations, Mr Kofi Attor and Special Advisor to the International Relations Committee, Professor Kofi Awoonor also attended a meeting in Spain.

The meeting in Athens confirmed that the party is a full member of Socialist International. A statement signed by Mr Baba Jamal, NDC Deputy General Secretary (Finance and Administration}, said the delegation attended the 23rd meeting of Socialist International (SI) hosted by the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) of Greece where the party was admitted as a full member of the SI.

It said, in 2003, the party was admitted to SI as a consultative member at a meeting held in Sao Paolo, Brazil. The statement said the delegation continued to Spain at the invitation of the ruling Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) to attend their 37th Congress. According to the statement, the NDC delegation delivered a special message from Flag bearer Professor John Evans Atta Mills to the leadership of the PSOE after which high level consultations were held with top leaders of the party, during which a number of bilateral issues were discussed.

Source:
GNA

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• 08.07.2008

Central Region To Crown Mills?

NDC – 53.0%; NPP – 24%; CPP – 9.0%

The National Democratic Congress (NDC), which lost massive support in the 2004 elections to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is regaining its hold on the Central Region, The Heritage newspaper can reveal after a survey of willing voters was conducted there.

It came up that, if elections were held today, the NDC’s Prof. John Evans Atta Mills would get 52.87%, while the NPP’s Nana Akuffo-Addo would collect 23.56%, with the Convention People’s Party’s Dr. Kwesi Nduom settling for 9.42%.

It came up that, if elections were held today, the NDC’s Prof. John Evans Atta Mills would get 52.87%, while the NPP’s Nana Akuffo-Addo would collect 23.56%, with the Convention People’s Party’s Dr. Kwesi Nduom settling for 9.42%. Dr. Edward Nasigri Mahama of the People’s National Convention would follow with 1.04%. A clear departure from the pattern of polls that The Heritage has conducted in Metropolitan Accra, Northern region and the Makola and Okaishie markets of Accra has been observed in the Central region; whereas the new party scored respectable single digit percentage points in the four areas, the DFP scored 0% here in the Central region. None of the respondents the paper talked to mentioned the party or its presidential candidate, Emmanuel Ansah-Antwi, as their preferred choice.

The survey sampled the opinions of 955 people from all walks of life including drivers, market women, residents, students, farmers and fishermen and commuters, among others. Questions asked them included, “If elections were held today, what political party of presidential candidate would you vote for”, and “do you think the CPP or a new political party should be given the chance to rule the country?” In all, 955 respondents from Abura Dunkwa, Kasoa, Agona Swedru, Cape Coast, Elmina and Mankessim among other communities were interviewed one-on-one, using the random sampling method of research at market places, stores, in houses, vehicles and on roadsides, as well as at pubs and other public places. The research was conducted between Sunday, June 29, and Saturday, July 5, 2008.

Out of the number 505, representing 52.8798%, stated clearly that they would vote for Prof. Mills and the NDC; 225, representing 23.5602%, said they would endorse Nana Akuffo-Addo to continue the good works of the NPP administration; 90 voters, representing 9.4208%, rooted for the comeback of the CPP with Papa Nduom as president, while none of the respondents mentioned the DFP. Sixty-five (65) respondents, representing 6.80628%, could be styled floating voters, as they had not decided which particular presidential candidate or political party to vote for while 60, equating 6.28272% had decided not to vote at all in the elections.

Farmers who rooted for the NDC complained of high cost of agricultural inputs, such as chemicals used in organic farming, among others. Traders, on the other hand, complained about the high cost of their wares that had resulted in high living costs. They indicated to this reporter that, due to the high cost of items, sales had reduced drastically because people were unable to spend above their food needs. Some taxi drivers held the view that the NDC government was better than the NPP owing to the high cost of petroleum prices and wanted to revert to NDC; rather than giving NPP another mandate.

Those who responded in favour of the NPP wanted a continuation of the party in government, under the leadership of Nana Akuffo-Addo.

There cited the National Health Insurance Scheme, School feeding programme, Ghana’s stability and peace, freedom of expression and the many development projects undertaken by NPP under President John Agyekum Kufuor as their reason. According to such respondents, Ghana was moving forward in development and that there was no need to turn back. Those who went for the CPP’s Nduom said they had seen enough of the NDC and NPP and wanted a real change in government. According to this category of respondents, they would vote for the CPP because they had tested both the NDC and NPP but that both parties had failed to improve the lot of Ghanaians. They were emphatic: the CPP must be given the chance to rule Ghana again.

The Central region has become very important to political parties” campaigns in this year’s battle for the people’s mandate, owing to the significant role it played in the 2004 general election that catapulted the NPP to a second-term of office. The NDC, which had nine parliamentary seats from the 2000 elections with the NPP having eight out of 17, retained only two of its seats, while the NPP won 16 seats out of 19, when two more constituencies were created before the 2004 election. And the NPP supported the CPP in KEEA to win that seat. The poll results may in a way confirm the unstable nature of Central region’s voting trends, as no political party had had a steady hold of the region since 1992.

Source:
The Heritage

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VRA cautions public about Burkinabe spillage


Accra, July 8, GNA - The Volta River Authority (VRA) on Tuesday advised residents and communities along the banks of the White Volta River and its tributaries in the three northern regions to take precautionary measures to avoid being adversely affected by possible water spillage from Burkina Faso.

In a statement signed by Ms. Abla Fiadjoe, Acting Corporate Affairs Director, VRA said the Burkinabe authorities were expecting excessive rainfall from July through September, which could lead to possible spilling of water from the Bagre and Kompienga dams.

It said the spillage may cause the White Volta River to swell and likely occupy its normal flood plains.

VRA therefore advised residents and communities along the banks of the White Volta River and its tributaries to take precautionary measures to avoid being adversely affected. Spilling of water from Burkina Faso dams and heavy rains last year led to widespread flooding that caused extensive damage to life and property.

Source:
GNA

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Kufuor Joins Amin & Bokassa



President John Agyekum Kufuor has finally joined the league of the Bokasas and Idi Amins of African politics. He has given the highest national honour to himself with all smiles and pomp. Obviously he could not trust the verdict of the people on his administration so he decided to proclaim himself the greatest.
The award, the Order of the Star and Eagles, was ceremoniously handed over to Mr. Kufuor by the Chief Justice of Ghana amid appellations usually reserved for chiefs and traditional authority. The irony is that President Kufuor himself explained that the award would be given to the Presidents as they assume duty with a replica of the colour being presented when they are leaving office and if they so wish.

President Kufuor assumed office more than seven years ago and he has five more months to go as head of state. In the 1960s Kufuor and his Danquah traditional accused Ghana’s first president Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of cultivating a personality cult because his photographs were hanged in public buildings. An obviously satisfied and happy President Kufuor told his audience that it is not easy to be President. Who can doubt this when President Kufuor spends more time traveling around the world and sleeping in the most expensive hotels instead of fighting corruption at home. President Kufuor must be a very tired man and it is just as good he is going home and will return no more to the seat of government.

Listen to President Kufuor:

“The law establishing the award of national honours did not provide specially for an order for the Head of State, which is the highest office of the land. Today I wish to announce that by the powers vested in me by the constitution as President and Head of State of the Republic and after wide consultation, I have instituted a new order solely for Presidents of the Republic. It will be known as the Grand Order of the Star and Eagles of Ghana as symbolized in the nation’s Coast of Arms to compliment the State Sword which is currently the main symbol of office.

“The Order of the Star and Eagles is to be the highest order of the nation. Henceforth, every new president will be given the colour of the order as he or she is sworn into office. And this order will be worn on all formal national occasions. On successful completion of a term of office, the President will be presented with a replica of the colour, if he or she so desires. This is the rational governing my decision to institute the Order of the Star and Eagles of Ghana as the top of all the state awards created since 1960. This order will be conferred on the president by the Chief Justice.”


Source:
The Insight

 Licensed Buying Companies to be banned



Koforidua July 08 GNA- Mr Isaac Osei, Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), on Tuesday warned that any Licensed Buying Company (LBC), which misappropriated cocoa farmers' bonus would be banned and prosecuted.

He said the Government had so far given a total of 16 million Ghana Cedis to LBCs to be paid to cocoa farmers as bonuses as at July 01 this year, adding, that anyone found to be sitting on the farmers money would not be spared.

Mr Osei who said this when he interacted with district chief cocoa farmers, LBCs, cocoa farmers and staff of the COCOBOD drawn from the Eastern Region in Koforidua, also cautioned producer clerks to guard against adjusting their weighing scales to cheat farmers. He told the farmers that the government's commitment to ensure that they lived in dignity could be seen in the upward adjustment in the producer prices of cocoa, adding that, cocoa prices being paid to them, was unprecedented in the history of the cocoa industry. Mr Osei announced that solar street lightning would be provided soon at cocoa growing communities, while 60 kilometer of feeder roads in some selected areas would be tarred.

He said the cocoa farmers housing scheme would be accelerated, adding that, under the programme a farmer was to pay for the cost of the building within 10 years.

The Chief Executive expressed worry about smuggling of cocoa to neighbouring countries and said the government would not sit down unconcerned to spend huge sums of money to subsidy the cost of fertilizers and other chemicals only for the produce to be sold elsewhere.

He advised cocoa farmers in the region whose crops were affected by the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease to allow those trees to be cut down, so that they would replanted later. Mr Osei noted with concern that the region hitherto was among the leading ones in cocoa production, but due to the incidence of the swollen shoot disease, it now occupies the fifth position out of the six cocoa growing regions in the country. He earlier paid a courtesy call on Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu, Eastern Region Minister, and Daasebre Dr Oti Boateng, Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area.

Mr Afram Asiedu observed that the mass cocoa spraying exercise as well as incentives being given to farmers had resulted in cocoa production being tripled over the past seven years. He appealed to the Chief Executive to investigate complaints by some cocoa farmers that the spraying exercises were being done on partisan basis.

Nana Kakari Addo, Regional Manager, Quality Control Division, COCOBOD, earlier said the region had registered significant increase in cocoa production in spite of the widespread menace of the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease in the area.

"The just ended 2007/08 main crop season registered a total grading of 53,364.05 tons, representing about 14 percent increase over the 46,875.01 tons that was realized in 2006/07 crop season". He said the quality of cocoa in the region had also improved tremendously since about 90 percent of the graded and sealed cocoa beans were bigger in size and of exportable quality.

On child labour, Nana Addo said management and staff of COCOBOD in the region had extensively sensitized farmers to send their children to school instead of engaging them on their farms. 8 July 08

Source:
GNA

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Parliament approves 80 million dollars for transport project


Accra, July 8, GNA -Parliament on Tuesday, through a resolution, approved an 80-million dollar facility to implement Ghana's component of the West Africa Transport and Transit Facilitation project.

The project involves, among others, the rehabilitation of the Buipe-Tamale road, construction of major rest stops along the Tema-Paga road corridor and the construction of satellite transit truck villages along the Tema port.

The loan would help in the construction of four main rest stops to be constructed for transit trucks at Savelugu, Sakam, Kintampo and another one to be sited between Kumasi and Nsawam.

A Finance Committee report presented to the House said the transport sector in West Africa played a key role in economic development generating about six percent of the sub-region's gross domestic product.

It said the sector had become the most dominant mode of transportation in the region accounting for 85 per cent of passenger and freight. The report said the project would therefore help improve the region's transport corridors in terms of cost, reliability, transit time and service delivery.

Source:
GNA

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• 07.07.2008

  Expensive political billboards are wasteful - DPP

He said these institutions created a campaign platform for flag bearers of the four parties with representation in parliament to interact with the electorate without offering the same opportunity to the rest of us. "This selectivity defeats the tenets of multi-party democracy," he said, and called on the three institutions to create similar platforms for others to give alternative ideas to the electorate. "We must not deny the electorate the opportunity to assess all the flag bearers," Mr Ward-Brew stated.

Source:
GNA

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CPP is capable of improving economy-Dr Nduom


Kumasi, July 7, GNA- Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, flag bearer of the Convention People's Party (CPP), has said the party was capable of adopting sound economic policies towards the socio-economic development of the country.

He, therefore, appealed to Ghanaians to vote massively for the party in the December 7 polls.

Dr Nduom, who was addressing a press conference in Kumasi on Monday, said the CPP was still formidable to unite the people to ensure the development of the country.

He said the people have been experiencing problems including increasing inflation, fallen rate of the currency and unemployment which affected development.

The CPP flag bearer said it was the CPP that could address such problems to put smiles on the face of Ghanaians. Dr Mduom said the party has been advocating change and that Ghanaians would have money in their pockets if the CPP is given the opportunity to administer the country.

He said the CPP administration led by the late Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, has remained the best party in the country. Dr Nduom explained that under the Dr Nkrumah led CPP the country experienced a lot of developments and cited the provision of electricity for domestic and industrial purposes, good railways system and the establishment of many enterprises.

He said that the party also bequeathed to the country an agenda to bridge the development gap between the people in the Northern part of Ghana and those in the Southern sector towards national unity. Dr Nduom stressed "We should unite and give proof to Ghanaians that given the chance, we can unite our polarized society to move the country ahead as one nation, one people with one common destiny".

He dispelled the notion that the CPP was fragmented and asked the party members including George Aggudey, Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa, Mr Kwaku Osafo, Mr F.W.Akuffo and others to join hands in strengthening the party. He commended the media for disseminating information about the party to Ghanaians and asked journalists to give equal coverage to all political parties.

Source:
GNA

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Govt gets tough on brain drain



To coincide with the 60th anniversary of Britain's National Health Service, the BBC looks at healthcare around the world. The BBC's Will Ross reports from Ghana where the ""brain drain"" has left hospitals struggling.

If you want to train in Ghana as a nurse and then disappear in search of greener pastures abroad, you better have deep pockets.

That is the message from the government as it attempts to stem the so called ""brain drain"" of health workers.

Nurses face a fine if they want to work abroad before serving in a Ghanaian hospital for five years.

""We have looked at the cost of training a nurse and if you default for the whole five years then you will be paying around 12,000 Ghanaian cedis, ($11,000, £5,500),"" says James Antwi, the Health Ministry's deputy director of human resources.

In theory a nurse wishing to work abroad would have to produce a certificate as proof of qualification and so until any fine has been paid, the Health Ministry can withhold the certificate.

The Ghanaian government says the threat of a fine has helped although the accountants have not exactly been inundated. Since the scheme was implemented three years ago just four people have paid fines of between $2,000 (£1,000) and $6,000 (£3,000).

In 2004, 700 nurses notified the ministry before going to work in Britain. But that has dropped massively to just six nurses leaving to work in the UK last year, according to the government.

This is, however, partly due to the fact that nowadays doctors and nurses from other parts of the European Union would be in front of Ghanaians in the queue for jobs in the British health system. It is also not clear how many have slipped under the government's radar.

There is no practical way of preventing a nurse from quitting the profession altogether and with low morale amongst health workers, retaining staff is a major challenge for the government.

------Back-to-back shifts

In the psychiatric hospital in the capital, Accra, young listless patients are watching music videos on television. A health worker is asleep, her head on a table. It is early afternoon. Other staff who have stayed awake are frustrated.

""I started in February and I still haven't been paid. And when you complain it is like it is the norm. You are told, 'It will come it will come,'"" says nurse Joanna Poku who trained in the UK before returning home.

""But at the end of the day there are bills to be paid. So I can see why nobody wants to stay here – it is very frustrating.""

A nurse in Ghana earns between $300 (£150) and $400 (£200) a month after tax but with rising transport and food costs, many are forced to take on a second job in private health and then to work back-to-back shifts.

So when the Health Ministry states amongst its visions and goals a desire to retain and increase productivity of health workers, why can it not pay all its workers on time?

""This problem has been with us for years and until we get decentralized human resource management and payroll management this problem may have to stay. But we are working hard to get a decentralized system sorted out,"" says Antwi.

The salary problem seems to be worst for newly enrolled health workers, as testified by the fact that junior doctors went on strike in Accra earlier this week. They were fed up waiting for their first salaries. They had started work back in October.

Apart from salary delays for new recruits, things are apparently improving for doctors (once they are on the payroll) and the exodus is slowing down.

""There are more opportunities for further training and we no longer have a situation at the end of the month where people are uncertain whether they are to be paid or not,"" says Dr. Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey, the general secretary of Ghana's Medical Association, before adding that there are still a few concerns about the conditions under which people are working.

------Ambitious

He believes that instead of focusing on stopping the brain drain, Ghana should consider training more health workers than it needs and then, under agreement with other countries, exporting the surplus whilst reinvesting some of the money earned.

""If it is really the case that Ghanaian doctors and nurses are that professional and well qualified, is there something to be gained by training say 5,000 a year and sending out 3,000?"" Dr. Sodzi-Tettey asks, pointing to Cuba for comparison.

Cuba has around 70,000 doctors. Ghana's population is twice the size of Cuba's but has just 2,300 doctors.

This plan, at least for now, seems a little ambitious when there is a morale problem amongst many Ghanaian health workers.

Living in her parent's home in Accra's Asylum Down suburb, 24-year-old nurse Francisca says she had to wait a whole year for her first salary.

""I will still stay in the medical profession, but I doubt I will stay working as a nurse because I believe nurses are being looked down upon in Ghana.""

Ms. Poku who came back home from the UK just four years ago is already thinking of calling the travel agent.

""If circumstances were good in our own country, who would want to leave? Home is home. It is peaceful. Why would you want to go to another country and stress out?

""It's because we are not comfortable,"" she says after crossing town for the second shift of the day.

Source:
BBC

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US$4.2 billion required to fix economy


Ghana requires more than US$4.2 billion to close its existing infrastructure gap over the next three years, Business & Financial Times has learnt.

For this year, government has pegged the financing gap for its development programmes at US$ 1.43 billion and will require about US$1.36 billion for its programmes in 2009.

Additionally, Ghana will need US$1.41 billion in 2010 for its development agenda, the same year that the country is expected to begin the production of crude oil in commercial quantities.

According to government's figures, the urban water sector needs massive investments of about US$635 million for this year alone, while the energy and education sectors will need US$400 million and US$401 million respectively for this year.

The agriculture sector needs US$20 million followed by the rural water sector requiring US$24.5 million for this year.

Already government's subsidies estimated at US$103 million a month to cushion Ghanaians against surging world crude oil and food prices is having a toll on government’s budget.

The B&FT said it has learnt from the Ministry of Finance officials that financing the gap will require generating funds from a range of sources including increased government's budget, additional donor flows and non concessional borrowing.

As a result, government has declared that it will continue to rely on and seek concessional loans, and grants from its multilateral and development partners to fund its development programmes and expects to raise an annual average of about US$1.5 billion in concessional aid from between this year and 2012.

"Government's non¬concessional borrowing will average between US$24-550 million every year from 2008-2012 and this includes the 2008, 2009 component of the international capital market bond issues and commercial borrowing," finance officials have said adding "subsequent bond issues will average US$250 million per annum."

It is also envisaged that public/private partnership (PPP) initiatives will enable government to finance at least 30 per of the funding gap using the PPP models.

Source:
Business & Financial Times

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Trotro drivers carry corpses at 37 Military Hospital


Some drivers of Commercial vehicles (trotro) and their mates have been subjected to dehumanizing methods of punishment allegedly by military guards at the 37 Military Hospital for flouting traffic regulations.

Offending drivers and their mates were allegedly detained in the hospital's mortuary and made to arrange dead bodies or mop up water on the floor.

Investigations by the Times revealed that the practice started about three weeks ago to punish recalcitrant "trotro" drivers.

"One soldier hit my chest and forced me to arrange bodies," Paul Twum, a 20-year-old driver's mate, told the Times.

Twum said he spent about an hour at the mortuary.

"They made me to carry a dead child on my chest as if I am carrying my child," said Kwesi Daniels, a driver who suffered the ordeal two weeks ago.

Another driver, who declined to give his name, alleged that "they made me fondle a dead woman's breast".

When the Times visited the hospital at about 11 a. m. last Thursday, three drivers and their mates had been detained at the entrance of the hospital, while the passengers pleaded for their release.

A female Lieutenant-Colonel (name withheld) was threatening at the top of her voice to send the offending drivers into the mortuary.

"We have to teach you a lesson," she shouted.

Assisted by two corporals on guard duty at the main gate of the hospital, the Lt-Col. told the pleading passengers that the drivers were being punished because they had been stopping close to the entrance of the hospital instead of going to the bus stop.

That practice, she said usually created congestion at the entrance which posed problems, for the hospital, especially when ambulances were moving in and out.

The detained "trotro" drivers were released later after the passengers questioned the justification for the release of a Metro Mass Transport driver who was guilty of the offence.

The passengers suggested that a "No Parking" sign be mounted at the entrance to inform drivers of what to do.

When the Times contacted the Commander of the hospital, Brigadier-General Wadhwani, on Friday for his reaction, he immediately summoned the female officer in question, one of the Lance Corporals on duty at the entrance on Thursday, and the mortuary attendants for queries.

The mortuary attendants admitted giving the offending drivers and their mates work to do but denied asking them to pack bodies.

One of the attendants, told the Commander, in the presence of the Times reporter, that he only made the victims to sweep and clean the floor of the mortuary.

He said the victims were brought in batches by the Lance Corporals for the attendants to put them to work.

According to him, some offending drivers were made to weed the compound of the mortuary.

On her part, the female officer told the Commander that she alighted from her car on Thursday while entering the hospital, to assist the guards at the gate because the drivers "were not obeying the boys".

She admitted giving instructions that the offending drivers and their mates be given work to do before they were released, but did not follow up to know the kind of work they were made to do.

Brig-Gen Wadhwani, expressed regret at the incident, describing it as "very unfortunate", and said appropriate disciplinary action would be taken against the soldiers and the mortuary attendants.

"It is improper and goes against our regulations in dealing with civilians," he said.

He said the action also goes against the standing orders of the Unit, which does not give powers to soldiers to arrest and punish offending civilians, explaining that the power of arrest lies with the Military Police who hand over people they arrest to the police.

"These are unfortunate excesses in handling civilians who were doing the wrong thing," he said.

Source:
Ghanaian Times

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Prepaid meters affecting smooth administration in public institutions


Ho, July 7, GNA - The installation of pre-paid meters on the premises of subvented organizations in the Ho Municipality is posing challenges to the operations of such bodies. This came to light on Monday when the Ghana News Agency visited some Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Ho to find out how they were coping with the new prepaid meters.

It found that, many of such offices were unable to buy credit (units) to recharge their meters, thus bringing their operations to a virtual standstill.

Some of the offices visited had their meters showing red lights, a signal that they have to re-charge their meters, whilst others around the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, have been without electricity power for some time now. Corroborating the GNA's observations, Mr Lord Benjamin Boni, the Volta Regional Accountant of the Ghana Education Service said the situation was affecting productivity and equipment of the Service. He said the Service had to look for "ways and means", sometimes falling on monies meant for other purposes to re-charge their meters to keep the offices running.

Mr Boni said the schools were doing the same thing, which he said, was not healthy for academic work. He said though the GES had received letters from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to forward electricity bills to it for payment, nothing had been done leaving the institutions to their fate. The Accountant said as a result, students forgo lessons when there was no money to buy credits and workers idled about in the offices when the credit was finished.

He urged government to respond to the problem quickly by releasing resources. Mr Nelson Akagbor, Volta Regional Director of the Geological Survey Department told the GNA that, the office had bought unit three times since October last year and had been without electricity whenever the Department had no money to re-charge its meter.

Source:
GNA

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Police Commands hold joint press conference

Takoradi, July 7 GNA - Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, Western Regional Police Commander, on Monday said the Police is ready and prepared to handle any eventuality that may arise before, during and after the December Presidential and General elections. Speaking at a press conference jointly organised by the Western and Central Regional Police Commands at Takoradi, he said the Regional Police Command has formed a Rapid Deployment Force to handle any crises during the campaigns and elections.

Mr Alhassan said the Police is working round the clock to ensure trouble free electioneering campaign and elections in collaboration with other security agencies such the Custom, Excise and Preventive Service(CEPS), Immigration, Prisons and the National Fire Services.

He said day and night foot and mobile patrol had been intensified to ensure that people go about their daily activities without hindrance in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and the Districts. Mr Alhassan said following recent highway robberies, night patrols were being conducted on the Takoradi-Elubo and Takoradi-Cape Coast highways.

He said random swoops are also being conducted on the hideouts of criminals in the metropolis and on illegal miners. Mr Alhassan said the Regional Police Command is leaving no stone unturned in instilling discipline in Police personnel and disciplinary action has been taken against nine policemen for absenting themselves from duty.

He said two constables who assaulted a taxi driver at Sefwi Wiawso for failing to stop at a check point had been interdicted and investigation was being conducted into the case while two other policemen were being processed for court, charged with failure to provide necessaries of health and life for their children born outside wedlock.

Mr Alhassan said to ensure that police personnel in the region conformed to the rules and regulations of the Service as well as circulars from the National Police Headquarters, the Regional Police Command had formed a monitoring group to monitor police duties and professionalism.

He said the region was relatively calm with few cases of robbery, murder, chieftaincy and motor accidents and the Police and other security agencies in the region had managed to bring the crime situation to a tolerable level and strenuous efforts were being made to bring them to the barest minimum.

Mrs Rose Boi Antinga, Central Regional Police Commander, said the Central Regional Police Command had met representatives of the political parties to discuss the Public Order Act 491 and other election laws.

She advised political parties to notify the Police at least five days before political rallies saying permit for rallies would be strictly issued on first come first served basis. Mrs Antinga said the parties should also form committees to liaise with the various transport groups for transport for rallies and ensure that vehicles are not overloaded with supporters. She said drivers should not be given alcohol and rallies should start early and close on time.

Source:
GNA

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