More pictures of the visit to Ghana

Accra, July 11, GNA - US president Barack Obama left Accra on Saturday evening after his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa since his inauguration.

He was seen off by his host President John Evans Atta Mills, ministers and a crowd of people at about 1900 hours. In pre-departure comments, President Mills described the visit as "very successful" and thanked President Obama, his family and delegation for honouring Ghana and choosing it for his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa which he described as "a very successful".

President Mills also thanked his guest for the message he delivered in Parliament on his vision for Africa and said it showed that there was hope because hope was a powerful weapon.

He was optimistic that the visit would open doors for the country. President Obama said the visit had been meaningful to him adding that he discussed the future of Ghana and Africa with President Mills. He said he would never forget the image of his two daughters at the Cape Coast Castle walking through the "door of no return".

During the two-day visit, he delivered a speech to the Ghanaian parliament in which he outlined his vision for Africa, held bilateral talks with President Mills and toured the Cape Coast Castle, a former slave post some 1670 kilometres west of Accra.

President Obama said he chose Ghana for his first visit because of its strong democratic credentials.

Accra, July 11, GNA - President Barack Obama made his long-awaited historic Africa policy speech to an enthusiastic crowd that defied the long queue, hours of waiting and elaborate security checks. The people came from far and near and not even the long queue, hours of waiting and elaborate security checks could daunt the spirits of Chiefs, Parliamentarians, and Priests not to partake in the historic occasion.

When President Mills and Obama finally made their entrance to the packed Accra International Conference Centre, which had been transformed into Parliament House for the occasion, echoes of "Yes, we can," a campaign slogan used by Obama, greeted them. Although, this was the third successive visit by a sitting President of the United States to Ghana after President Bill Clinton (1988) and George W Bush (2008), this was seen by all as different because "a son of the continent was reconciling with his roots".

Besides, no visiting American President had ever addressed the Ghanaian Parliament.

Members of Parliament, most of whom were clad in the traditional Kente, joined in the euphoria with chants of the "Yes, we can" slogan. When the Winneba Methodist Church youth choir rendered the national anthems of the two countries, the stage was set for the commencement of proceedings.

There was deep silence as President Obama outlined his vision for the continent hinged on four areas of democracy, development, public health and conflict management.

The speech was laced with promises of opportunities and admonishing that Ghana and other African countries could succeed by tapping into opportunities that existed around them.

"This is the defining moment of Africa and America relationship. It is the blue print that can propel the continent out of its difficulty," Mohamed Ibn Chambas, President of the Economic Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)said in reaction to the speech.

President Obama's speech touched on agriculture and conflict saying, "I believe we need to go to the basics by producing what we need and avoiding costly conflict to grow our countries."

"I like the positive signals that the speech is sending out to the rest of Africa. We can succeed through our won efforts and not dependence on aids and handouts from others," Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, a former Minister of State told the GNA.

To Dr Abu Sakara, Vice Presidential Candidate for the CPP in the 2008 elections, democracy was cardinal for any future development that the country needed to engage in and it was important to value human dignity.

"The message marks a very good beginning and my expectation was exceeded and I hope the leadership of the countries in Africa would adhere to cardinal principles espoused in the address," Samia Nkrumah, daughter of the first President of Ghana, told the GNA.

Togbe Afede Agogbomefia of Asogli Traditional Area said the speech offered food for thought and gave hope and reason that the destiny of developing countries was in their own hands. Mr Olakunle Abimbola, a Nigerian said )the visit and the speech marked a great day for Africa."

Accra, July 11, GNA - US President Barack Obama was on Saturday morning officially welcomed to Ghana at a brief ceremony at the Castle, Osu. The US President and President John Evans Atta Mills arrived at the Castle in the "Beast", the official vehicle of the US President, at about 0910.

The two presidents mounted the dais and took the national anthems of the two countries as a 21-gun salute boomed in the background. The US President inspected a guard of honour mounted by a detachment of troops from the Ghana Armed Forces. The two leaders are due to begin bilateral talks that will hinge on economic cooperation and good governance. Shortly after the bilateral talks the US President will be guest at breakfast with some 300 people at the Castle, move to the La Hospital, address Parliament where he will lay bare his Africa policy stressing good governance and democracy and then fly to Cape Coast to visit the Cape Coast Castle.

The US President arrived in Accra on Friday night to a warm proverbial Ghanaian "Akwaaba" to begin his momentous two-day visit, his first to a sub-Saharan African nation since assuming office. The US Presidential jet, Air Force One, which is making its third call to the Kotoka International Airport, after President Bill Clinton (1998) and President George W. Bush (2008), touched down around 2105 hours.

Moments later, President Obama accompanied by his wife Michelle, their two daughters, Malia and Sasha, and a 50-member delegation, came out of the aircraft to euphoric cheers. There were moving scenes at the airport as President John Evans Atta Mills, resplendent in a smock and his wife Naadu, in a wax kaba cloth, approached the gangway to receive the US first family. Nadei Okaikoi, eight-and-half years old class three pupil of ALSYDS Academy, presented a bouquet to President Obama.

The US president and his wife and children, full of smiles, were introduced to the welcoming party which included politicians from across the political divide, including Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the losing presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Election 2008. The festive atmosphere was enhanced by a dancing troupe from the National Dance Company whose Coordinator, Mr George Lamptey, said they were performing heraldic dances meant to welcome the august visitor and his family and make them feel at home. President Obama savoured the moment by taking a few steps to the "frontonfron" beat and encouraged his wife, who was then walking with Mrs Mills, to join in dancing to the beat.

Text of Obama's speech to parliament

of Ghana

The official text of President Barack Obama's speech Saturday in Accra, Ghana, as prepared for delivery and provided by the White House:

Good morning. It is an honor for me to be in Accra, and to speak to the representatives of the people of Ghana. I am deeply grateful for the welcome that I've received, as are Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama. Ghana's history is rich, the ties between our two countries are strong, and I am proud that this is my first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as President of the United States. I am speaking to you at the end of a long trip. I began in Russia, for a Summit between two great powers. I traveled to Italy, for a meeting of the world's leading economies. And I have come here, to Ghana, for a simple reason: the 21st century will be shaped by what happens not just in Rome or Moscow or Washington, but by what happens in Accra as well.

This is the simple truth of a time when the boundaries between people are overwhelmed by our connections. Your prosperity can expand America's. Your health and security can contribute to the world's. And the strength of your democracy can help advance human rights for people everywhere.

So I do not see the countries and peoples of Africa as a world apart; I see Africa as a fundamental part of our interconnected world — as partners with America on behalf of the future that we want for all our children. That partnership must be grounded in mutual responsibility, and that is what I want to speak with you about today.

We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans. I say this knowing full well the tragic past that has sometimes haunted this part of the world. I have the blood of Africa within me, and my family's own story encompasses both the tragedies and triumphs of the larger African story. My grandfather was a cook for the British in Kenya, and though he was a respected elder in his village, his employers called him "boy" for much of his life. He was on the periphery of Kenya's liberation struggles, but he was still imprisoned briefly during repressive times. In his life, colonialism wasn't simply the creation of unnatural borders or unfair terms of trade — it was something experienced personally, day after day, year after year. My father grew up herding goats in a tiny village, an impossible distance away from the American universities where he would come to get an education. He came of age at an extraordinary moment of promise for Africa. The struggles of his own father's generation were giving birth to new nations, beginning right here in Ghana. Africans were educating and asserting themselves in new ways. History was on the move. But despite the progress that has been made — and there has been considerable progress in parts of Africa — we also know that much of that promise has yet to be fulfilled. Countries like Kenya, which had a per capita economy larger than South Korea's when I was born, have been badly outpaced. Disease and conflict have ravaged parts of the African continent. In many places, the hope of my father's generation gave way to cynicism, even despair.

It is easy to point fingers, and to pin the blame for these problems on others. Yes, a colonial map that made little sense bred conflict, and the West has often approached Africa as a patron, rather than a partner. But the West is not responsible for the destruction of the Zimbabwean economy over the last decade, or wars in which children are enlisted as combatants. In my father's life, it was partly tribalism and patronage in an independent Kenya that for a long stretch derailed his career, and we know that this kind of corruption is a daily fact of life for far too many.

Of course, we also know that is not the whole story. Here in Ghana, you show us a face of Africa that is too often overlooked by a world that sees only tragedy or the need for charity. The people of Ghana have worked hard to put democracy on a firmer footing, with peaceful transfers of power even in the wake of closely contested elections. And with improved governance and an emerging civil society, Ghana's economy has shown impressive rates of growth. This progress may lack the drama of the 20th century's liberation struggles, but make no mistake: it will ultimately be more significant. For just as it is important to emerge from the control of another nation, it is even more important to build one's own.

So I believe that this moment is just as promising for Ghana — and for Africa — as the moment when my father came of age and new nations were being born. This is a new moment of promise. Only this time, we have learned that it will not be giants like Nkrumah and Kenyatta who will determine Africa's future. Instead, it will be you — the men and women in Ghana's Parliament, and the people you represent. Above all, it will be the young people — brimming with talent and energy and hope — who can claim the future that so many in my father's generation never found.

To realize that promise, we must first recognize a fundamental truth that you have given life to in Ghana: development depends upon good governance. That is the ingredient which has been missing in far too many places, for far too long. That is the change that can unlock Africa's potential. And that is a responsibility that can only be met by Africans.

As for America and the West, our commitment must be measured by more than just the dollars we spend. I have pledged substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in Africa's interest and America's. But the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of aid that helps people scrape by — it is whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change. This mutual responsibility must be the foundation of our partnership. And today, I will focus on four areas that are critical to the future of Africa and the entire developing world: democracy; opportunity; health; and the peaceful resolution of conflict.

First, we must support strong and sustainable democratic governments. As I said in Cairo, each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: governments that respect the will of their own people are more prosperous, more stable and more successful than governments that do not. This is about more than holding elections — it's also about what happens between them. Repression takes many forms, and too many nations are plagued by problems that condemn their people to poverty. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves, or police can be bought off by drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top, or the head of the port authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny, and now is the time for it to end.

In the 21st century, capable, reliable and transparent institutions are the key to success — strong parliaments and honest police forces; independent judges and journalists; a vibrant private sector and civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in peoples' lives. Time and again, Ghanaians have chosen Constitutional rule over autocracy, and shown a democratic spirit that allows the energy of your people to break through. We see that in leaders who accept defeat graciously, and victors who resist calls to wield power against the opposition. We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth. We see it in police like Patience Quaye, who helped prosecute the first human trafficker in Ghana. We see it in the young people who are speaking up against patronage and participating in the political process.

Across Africa, we have seen countless examples of people taking control of their destiny and making change from the bottom up. We saw it in Kenya, where civil society and business came together to help stop postelection violence. We saw it in South Africa, where over three quarters of the country voted in the recent election — the fourth since the end of apartheid. We saw it in Zimbabwe, where the Election Support Network braved brutal repression to stand up for the principle that a person's vote is their sacred right.

Make no mistake: history is on the side of these brave Africans and not with those who use coups or change Constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.

America will not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation — the essential truth of democracy is that each nation determines its own destiny. What we will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance — on parliaments, which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard; on the rule of law, which ensures the equal administration of justice; on civic participation, so that young people get involved; and on concrete solutions to corruption like forensic accounting, automating services, strengthening hot lines and protecting whistle-blowers to advance transparency and accountability. As we provide this support, I have directed my administration to give greater attention to corruption in our human rights report. People everywhere should have the right to start a business or get an education without paying a bribe. We have a responsibility to support those who act responsibly and to isolate those who don't, and that is exactly what America will do.

This leads directly to our second area of partnership — supporting development that provides opportunity for more people.

With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base for prosperity. The continent is rich in natural resources. And from cell phone entrepreneurs to small farmers, Africans have shown the capacity and commitment to create their own opportunities. But old habits must also be broken. Dependence on commodities — or on a single export — concentrates wealth in the hands of the few and leaves people too vulnerable to downturns.

In Ghana, for instance, oil brings great opportunities, and you have been responsible in preparing for new revenue. But as so many Ghanaians know, oil cannot simply become the new cocoa. From South Korea to Singapore, history shows that countries thrive when they invest in their people and infrastructure; when they promote multiple export industries, develop a skilled work force and create space for small and medium-sized businesses that create jobs.

As Africans reach for this promise, America will be more responsible in extending our hand. By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we will put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves. That is why our $3.5 billion food security initiative is focused on new methods and technologies for farmers — not simply sending American producers or goods to Africa. Aid is not an end in itself. The purpose of foreign assistance must be creating the conditions where it is no longer needed.

America can also do more to promote trade and investment. Wealthy nations must open our doors to goods and services from Africa in a meaningful way. And where there is good governance, we can broaden prosperity through public-private partnerships that invest in better roads and electricity; capacity-building that trains people to grow a business; and financial services that reach poor and rural areas. This is also in our own interest — for if people are lifted out of poverty and wealth is created in Africa, new markets will open for our own goods.

One area that holds out both undeniable peril and extraordinary promise is energy. Africa gives off less greenhouse gas than any other part of the world, but it is the most threatened by climate change. A warming planet will spread disease, shrink water resources and deplete crops, creating conditions that produce more famine and conflict. All of us — particularly the developed world — have a responsibility to slow these trends — through mitigation, and by changing the way that we use energy. But we can also work with Africans to turn this crisis into opportunity.

Together, we can partner on behalf of our planet and prosperity and help countries increase access to power while skipping the dirtier phase of development. Across Africa, there is bountiful wind and solar power; geothermal energy and bio-fuels. From the Rift Valley to the North African deserts; from the Western coast to South Africa's crops — Africa's boundless natural gifts can generate its own power, while exporting profitable, clean energy abroad. These steps are about more than growth numbers on a balance sheet. They're about whether a young person with an education can get a job that supports a family; a farmer can transfer their goods to the market; or an entrepreneur with a good idea can start a business. It's about the dignity of work. Its about the opportunity that must exist for Africans in the 21st century.

Just as governance is vital to opportunity, it is also critical to the third area that I will talk about — strengthening public health.

In recent years, enormous progress has been made in parts of Africa. Far more people are living productively with HIV/AIDS, and getting the drugs they need. But too many still die from diseases that shouldn't kill them. When children are being killed because of a mosquito bite, and mothers are dying in childbirth, then we know that more progress must be made.

Yet because of incentives — often provided by donor nations — many African doctors and nurses understandably go overseas, or work for programs that focus on a single disease. This creates gaps in primary care and basic prevention. Meanwhile, individual Africans also have to make responsible choices that prevent the spread of disease, while promoting public health in their communities and countries.

Across Africa, we see examples of people tackling these problems. In Nigeria, an interfaith effort of Christians and Muslims has set an example of cooperation to confront malaria. Here in Ghana and across Africa, we see innovative ideas for filling gaps in care — for instance, through E-Health initiatives that allow doctors in big cities to support those in small towns.

America will support these efforts through a comprehensive, global health strategy. Because in the 21st century, we are called to act by our conscience and our common interest. When a child dies of a preventable illness in Accra, that diminishes us everywhere. And when disease goes unchecked in any corner of the world, we know that it can spread across oceans and continents. That is why my administration has committed $63 billion to meet these challenges. Building on the strong efforts of President Bush, we will carry forward the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will pursue the goal of ending deaths from malaria and tuberculosis, and eradicating polio. We will fight neglected tropical disease. And we won't confront illnesses in isolation — we will invest in public health systems that promote wellness and focus on the health of mothers and children.

As we partner on behalf of a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings — and so the final area that I will address is conflict.

Now let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at war. But for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.

These conflicts are a millstone around Africa's neck. We all have many identities — of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe, or who worships a different prophet, has no place in the 21st century. Africa's diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God's children. We all share common aspirations — to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families, our communities, and our faith. That is our common humanity.

That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systematic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. All of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.

Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, Ghana is helping to point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon, and in your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, keep the peace, and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational force to bear when needed. America has a responsibility to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there is genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems — they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response. That is why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy, technical assistance, and logistical support, and will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa and the world.

In Moscow, I spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected, and violations of those rights are opposed. That must include a commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don't, and to help those who have suffered. But ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like Botswana and Ghana which roll back the causes of conflict, and advance the frontiers of peace and prosperity.

As I said earlier, Africa's future is up to Africans.

The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. In my country, African-Americans — including so many recent immigrants — have thrived in every sector of society. We have done so despite a difficult past, and we have drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos; in Kigali and Kinshasa; in Harare and right here in Accra.

Fifty-two years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: "It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice."

Now, that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. And I am particularly speaking to the young people. In places like Ghana, you make up over half of the population. Here is what you must know: the world will be what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, end conflicts and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can. Because in this moment, history is on the move.

But these things can only be done if you take responsibility for your future. It won't be easy. It will take time and effort. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you. As a partner. As a friend. Opportunity won't come from any other place, though — it must come from the decisions that you make, the things that you do, and the hope that you hold in your hearts.

Freedom is your inheritance. Now, it is your responsibility to build upon freedom's foundation. And if you do, we will look back years from now to places like Accra and say that this was the time when the promise was realized — this was the moment when prosperity was forged; pain was overcome; and a new era of progress began. This can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. Thank you.

Ghana-Net

People from the Biafra community shout slogans and wave flags as they wait for the arrival of U.S. President Barack Obama outside Kotoka International Airport

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-GNA-

US President Barack Obama arrived in Accra on Friday night to a warm proverbial Ghanaian "Akwaaba" to begin his momentous two-day visit, his first to a sub-Saharan African nation since assuming office.

The US Presidential jet, Air Force One, which is making its third call to the Kotoka International Airport, after President Bill Clinton (1998) and President George W. Bush (2008), touched down around 2105 hours.

Moments later, a brimming President Obama accompanied by his wife Michelle, their two daughters, Malia and Sasha, and a 50-member delegation, came out of the aircraft to euphoric cheers. There were moving scenes at the airport as President John Evans Atta Mills, resplendent in a smock and his wife Naadu, in a wax kaba cloth, approached the gangway to receive the US first family. Nadei Okaikoi, eight-and-half years old class three pupil of ALSYDS Academy, presented a bouquet to President Obama.

The US president and his wife and children, full of smiles, were introduced to the welcoming party which included politicians from across the political divide, including Nana Akufo-Addo, the losing presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The festive atmosphere was enhanced by a dancing troupe from the National Dance Company whose Coordinator, Mr George Lamptey, said they were performing heraldic dances meant to welcome the august visitor and his family and make them feel at home.

President Obama savoured the moment by taking a few steps to the "frontonfron" beat and encouraged his wife, who was then walking with Mrs Mills, to join in dancing to the beat.

A large crowd of youth wearing Obama T-shirts defied intermittent showers as they lined parts of the street to the airport to welcome the US President.

Ghana's romanticism and optimism of President Obama's visit has to do with his personal triumphs as these have to do with Ghana's own progression as a democratic state in a largely politically chaotic continent.

There was heavy security presence and roads leading to the airport were sealed off yet this did not dampen the enthusiasm of people who came out as the motorcade made its way out of the airport. Foreign Minister Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni said President Obama lived up to government's expectation as an inspirer.

He said the US president's whole demeanour at the welcoming ceremony was exhilarating and he lived up to the billing as an inspirer. Deputy Information Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said everything went well, describing it as "spotless".

Business for the visit begins on Saturday July 11, with a special welcoming ceremony at the Castle, where he would hold closed-door bilateral talks with President Mills.

President Obama would then be hosted to a big breakfast for about 300 guests, including former presidents Jerry John Rawlings and Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, as well as the presidential contestants of the 2008 elections, leadership of the religious bodies, traditional councils, civil society and business communities.

President Obama would then pay a brief visit to the La General Hospital briefly in Accra, before moving to the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), where Parliament would be convened to hear his formal address.

While at the AICC, President Obama would make a major policy statement that is expected to redefine America's relationship with Africa.

In line with his earlier pronouncements that his presidency would seek to assist Africa to reach the point where its citizens would be proud to stay and work on the continent, he would be expected, through his policy statement in Ghana, to set the tone for equal partnership between America and Africa, just like he has done elsewhere.

The major address ends President Obama's official activities in Accra.

He then moves to Cape Coast, the capital city of the Central Region, where he would be welcomed by the Ghana's own Obama, Vice President John Dramani Mahama and given a private tour of the Cape Coast Castle.

President Obama and his wife would be expected to go through the emotional experience at the gate of no return, after which he would call on chiefs and people of Cape Coast and Mrs. Obama would be enstooled a Queen mother.

He would then depart for the KIA where he and his host would give brief remarks before he boards Air Force One back to the United States. 10 July 09

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Kumasi, July 9, GNA - The Kumasi zonal office of the Foods and Drugs Board (FDB) has announced the presence of counterfeit coartem tablets, a brand of Artemeter- Lumefantrin anti-malaria drug, on the market in Kumasi.

The FDB has warned the public not to patronize the fake drug which has been found not to contain the active ingredients as has been stated on the label and package and thus has the potential of posing serious health hazards to its users.

Briefing a section of the press in Kumasi on Thursday, Mr. Joseph Yaw-Bernie Bennie, the Kumasi Zonal Officer, said his office has seized the drugs from some wholesale and retail pharmacies involved in its distribution and sale.

He mentioned the following wholesale and retail pharmacies as well as licensed chemical sellers in the metropolis as the ones distributing and offering for sale the counterfeit Coartem with batch numbers X0089 and M1200.

They are Salom Pharmacy Limited (Kejetia), Habmay Pharmacy Limited (Asafo), Pharmax Ghana Limited, (Bantama), New Tafo), Edikay Pharmacy, (Buokrom Estates), Tracmar Pharmacy (Anwomaso), Fredimens (KO-Ashtown). The Licensed Chemical Sellers are Martin Owusu Licensed Chemical Seller (Tanoso), Augustine Evans Adu Chemical Shop (Old Tafo). He expressed dismay that certain individuals have decided to undermine national efforts to treat malaria, now a pandemic, by importing and distributing the counterfeit.

A drug recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) under the Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) concept of malaria treatment has proved to be the most effective.

Mr. Bennie said while the original coartem manufactured in Switzerland has a yellow and white box containing four strips of the yellow tablet with six on each strip, the fake has a deceptively smaller box containing three strips with eight of the tablet on each strip. He said though the office had not yet received any report on adverse effects of the drug, with its fake status, the drug is likely to cause adverse effects and pose a menace to users. The FDB officer said though a multi-sector approach adopted last year to revamp mechanisms to enhance earlier detection on the open market has yielded positive results, a few of counterfeit drugs still find their way into the country.

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Accra, July 9, GNA - The Ministry of Tourism is consulting with the appropriate agencies to re-visit the formula for sharing proceeds from the Kakum National Park.

Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Tourism Minister, told Parliament that in 2006, cabinet gave approval for the sharing of revenue among various agencies and stakeholders.

This, she said, was as follows; "central government gets 10 percent of the proceeds, district assemblies get 20 percent, traditional authorities and communities take 20 percent with the remaining 50 percent going into a Maintenance Fund to manage the park." She however said; "The implementation of the formula has not been put in place since its publication in 2006." The Minister was responding to a question on the formula for sharing proceeds from the park.

She said the Ghana Heritage Conservation Trust (GHCT) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) assisted the Wild Life Division to manage the park. Mrs Azumah-Mensah said; "60 percent of the revenue is allocated to GHCT for maintenance, administration, utility, payments, etc, while the remaining 40 percent goes to the Wild Life Division of the Forestry Commission."

She said the formula for sharing was going to be revisited after consultations.

The Minister said the Tourism Ministry through the Ghana Tourist Board would work closely with the assemblies to develop the Sacred Fish Pond and other attractions in the Techiman Municipality in the Brong Ahafo Region. She was answering questions on plans to develop the spiritual fish habitat in the Tano River into a tourist site.

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The public engagement of US President Barack Obama in Accra, where he is to make a major policy statement on Africa, has been shifted from the Independence Square to the International Conference Centre because of the uncertainty of the weather.

The Communications Director at the Presidency, Mr Koku Anyidoho, told the Daily Graphic that the government was concerned that rains might disrupt the programme scheduled to take place on Saturday.

Mr Anyidoho said from the reading of the weather, the state ought to be saved from the embarrassment of the rain disrupting the programme, since the international spotlight would be on Ghana during the visit.

Besides, he said, it would amount to “a waste of resources” to the state if the government mounted tents, arranged seats and decorated the Independence Square only for the programme to be disrupted by the rain.

“It is unlikely the government will host President Obama at the Independence Square. The main reason is the weather. We do not want to cause any financial loss to the state,” he stressed.

On the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) function, Mr Anyidoho said it would be by invitation to personalities across the political divide, members of the diplomatic corps and identifiable bodies.

He said the function would be telecast live on various television networks in the country, to allow Ghanaians to observe all the proceedings.

According to the programme, President Obama and his wife, Michelle, will arrive in Ghana on Friday night. They will be met on arrival by President Mills and other high government officials at the Kotoka International Airport.

The two Presidents would then hold consultations that night. They would have a breakfast meeting on Saturday morning. Thereafter, President Obama and his wife, Michelle, would visit the La Polyclinic.

After that the couple would leave for Cape Coast, where they would visit the palace of the Oguaa Omanhen, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, who would sit in state with his sub-chiefs to receive the American First Family.

The chiefs would honour Mrs Obama with the title of a queen. Afterward, they would visit the Cape Coast Castle.

According to Mr Anyidoho, President Obama’s visit to Cape Coast would leave “a lasting impression” at the place. “Subsequent visitors will feel Obama’s presence there,” he stressed.

Mr Anyidoho said President Mills was encouraged by President Obama’s scheduled visit to Ghana and added that it was a recognition of the country’s democratic credentials.

He said President Mills felt that the visit indicated that America was keeping a close eye on Ghana. Mr Anyidoho said President Mills was of the view that the credit should not go to the government only but Ghanaians in general, since the democratic march did not start with the current government.

Besides, he said, it was a joy that President Obama’s visit coincided with the same year that the country was going to celebrate the centenary birthday of the founder and first President of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

Bolgatanga, July 8, GNA - Farmers in the Upper East Region in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and Tono Irrigation Programme are cultivating 1,700 hectares of rice. The fields that are expected to yield about 7,000 tonnes of the crop this year, have been ploughed and some cultivated but other portions are too wet for the broadcasting of rice due to recent heavy rains in the area.

Alhaji Issah Bukari, Managing Director of the Irrigation Company of Upper East Region (ICOUR), made these known when he and Alhaji Abdul Razaq Ziblim, Acting Regional Director of MOFA, took Mr. Mark Woyongo, Regional Minister, round the farms at the Kassena Nankana District and the Fumbisi Valley in the Builsa District on Tuesday. Alhaji Bukari indicated that there were enough fertilizers and other farm inputs for the project but said combine harvesters would arrive soon for reaping rice in the next three months. He gave the assurance that the Tono Programme would irrigate the fields in the event of any draught.

At Fumbisi Valley, where MOFA was assisting the farmers, Alhaji Ziblim said that the ministry had ploughed 700 hectares of land for 115 groups and farmers would be provided with seeds, fertilizer and other inputs.

He said they would repay expenses incurred, after harvesting their rice, which they were encouraged but not obliged to sell to the ministry.

Mr. Woyongo urged the farmers to co-operate with MOFA and Tono Programme to ensure maximum yield.

He said the country's rice import could be stopped or minimised in the next two years if the farmers put more lands under rice production. Mr. Woyongo urged agriculture personnel in the region to support farmers in the cultivation, harvesting and processing of rice. He advised the farmers to sell their produce to MOFA and not to smuggle it to neighbouring countries. The farmers appealed to MOFA to support them to put more large tracts of land under rice cultivation.

Accra, July 7, GNA - The tourism sector attracts low Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) investments though it recorded earnings of more than three billion dollars within 2001 to 2006. Mr. Robert Darko Osei, a Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research said on Tuesday that only 2.4 per cent of the investment went to the tourism industry. He said over the period, FDI earnings to tourism rose in 2004 to about 41 million dollars and called on policy makers to encourage investment in the sector.

Mr. Osei who was speaking at a day's seminar on how to maximize the benefits of tourism to investors in the sector and the Ghanaian economy, said the sector need the efforts of the government and the private sector to realize its full potential.

The seminar aimed at throwing light on a study carried out in 2008 on FDI and its impact on recipient economies such as Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius, Senegal and Mali.

It discussed ways of increasing tourism investment, enhancing linkages between tourism and the domestic economy, maximizing revenue per tourist to businesses and working with local businesses to improve quality of supplies to the sector.

Mr. Osei said the medium term strategy for 2003 to 2007 included reaching one million tourists by 2007, making tourism sector the third largest employer after agriculture and retailing and increasing foreign exchange from tourism to 1.5 billion dollars by 2007.

He said poor infrastructure development such as bad roads, were some of the problems affecting the sector, adding that certain tourism sites like Lake Bosumtwi had no priority programmes.

Accra, July 7 GNA - The Judicial Service on Tuesday expressed concern about a mob attack on the Registrar of the District Court at Dzodze in the Volta Region.

The service called on the police to be up to their responsibility and maintain law and order especially at the precincts of the court. A press release signed by Mr Justice Alex Poku Acheampong, Judicial Secretary, said it was unhappy about the news that an unruly youth had gone to the premises of the Dzodze District Court and beaten up the Registrar who had been accused of improper moral conduct and corruption.

"Much as we agree that public officials who misconduct themselves must be made to face the full rigours of the law and indeed, Her Ladyship the Chief Justice has set up a committee to investigate the allegations against the Registrar. The approach adopted by those who attacked the court was not right and should be condemned by all peace loving Ghanaians."

The statement stated that there were grievance procedures which should be followed whenever any person had a compliant against any a staff, Magistrate or Judge.

It added that the dissatisfied persons who attacked the court could petition the Supervising High Court Judge responsible for the region or the Complaints Unit of the Judicial Service or Office of the Chief Justice.

Jukwa (C/R), July 7, GNA - Nana Afrifa Yamoah II, chief of Jukwa, has said since the establishment of the Kakum National Park in 1995 no royalties had been paid to the land owners from the revenue accruing from its operation. The park is a major tourist attraction and is home to elephants and many other animal species, including several varieties of butterflies.

Nana Yamoah said this when the Twifo-Hemang-Lower-Denkyira District Chief Executive, Mr Foster Joseph Andoh, paid a courtesy call on the Denkyirahene, Odeefuo Boa Amponsem III, at Jukwa. He appealed to Mr Andoh to work in consultation with the Department of Game and Wildlife towards the payment of royalties. Nana Yamoah also appealed to the district assembly to enact bye laws to stem the rate at which domestic animals are left to roam, thereby causing public nuisance.

Odeefuo Boa Amponsem appealed to the government to create a separate district for the Hemang-Lower-Denkyira constituency to enhance the development of the area and create more job avenues for the youth. He advised to DCE to discharge his duties without fear or favour, be steadfast and ensure the equitable development of the district. Mr. Andoh said the assembly would acquire land banks in the district for future development and appealed for the support of the chiefs and land owners.

He said there plans to rehabilitate the markets at Twifo- Praso, Hemang, Wawase and Jukwa. Mr Andoh paid similar calls on Nana Kwesikenin III, Omanhene of Atti-Morkwa Traditional Area and Otumfuo Amoah Sasraku II, Omanhene Twifo-Hemang Traditional Area.

Minority 'Denied' the Right to Debate

$300m Loan

President Mills praised Libya for the wise use of her oil revenue,and gave the assurance that Government would ensure transparency in the use of the oil revenue for the benefit the people. "There must be transparency in the way we operate the sector. We have to use the resources for the benefit of the people, especially those in the area, develop capacity and the human resources," he said. President Mills reiterated Government's determination to run an open honest and transparent government, and added that "despite the inheritance of challenges, we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel".

He announced that the World Bank had promised a relief, and asked Ghanaians to have confidence and be patient with Government as it strove to rebuild the economy.

President Mills said the leaders agreed to observe the 100th birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's First President. In response to a question on the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, former Minister of Youth and Sports, President Mills said it was an unfortunate development, and the former Minister stated in his letter of resignation, "that there has been an error in judgment on his case".

However, President Mills commended Alhaji Muntaka saying "I think this is commendable, after some self examination, he should be able to realize his political ambitions. On the visit of US President Barack Hussein Obama to Ghana on Friday, President Mills said it was obvious the choice of Ghana was as a result of appreciation of Ghana's level of democracy. He said the visit would strengthen the relations between the two countries.

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