Lack of strong vehicle for Axim hampering fight against armed robbery
Axim, (W/R), July 20, GNA- The Nzema East District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Dan Ohene-Djan has appealed to Non-governmental Organizations and philanthropists to assist the police with vehicles to enable them fight the increasing armed robbery cases in the area.
Making the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Axim, ASP Ohene-Djan expressed concern about lack of a robust vehicle for effective patrol duties. According to him, presently there is only one old vehicle for patrol duties, which breaks down constantly, making it unsuitably for effective patrol duties to fight against armed robbery.
ASP. Ohene-Djan said in each of the recent two armed robbery cases at Ayisakro near Axim, where the robbers mounted a road block and robbed some travellers of their monies, the police vehicle was broken down. He said before the police could mobilize a private vehicle to the spot, the robbers had fled into the bush, adding that, the police could have tracked them down if there was a vehicle at their disposal during the period.
When contacted, the Nzema East District Chief Executive, Mr. Joshua Kwadjah Ellimah confirmed the story and said the Assembly sometimes paid the cost of repairs of the vehicle and he could not say whether the Assembly would be able to provide them with a new one.
Source:
GNA
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Veep decries inadequate training for journalists
Accra, July 20, GNA- Vice President Alhaji Mahama at the weekend noted that inadequate training of Ghanaian journalists in the midst of rapid political and socio-economic development is affecting the practical demands of the media.
"This is a challenge, which offers many exciting opportunities for training institutions," he said at the fourth graduation ceremony of the African University College of Communications (AUCC), at the new campus of the academic facility at Adabraka in Accra, on the theme: " Communicating Africa's Potentials: The Role of African Universities." Vice President Mahama said the media wielded an enormous power that could shape society negatively and positively, stressing: "Misuse of the power of media communication has been known to start genocides and other conflicts.
"Media power has been known to ruin reputations and collapse business empires. But it has also exposed injustices and projected the marginalised."
Vice President Mahama said, although journalists were enjoying a liberal environment to carry out their professional duties, they owed it a duty to society to be responsible.
He observed that a functional and effective system of self-policing ethics is of utmost importance to the practice of journalism. He appealed to the graduates to be agents of change and let their training inspire and encourage them to stand up and fight for the common good, values and ideals of society. Vice President Mahama emphasised: "Challenge yourself to rise to a high level of professionalism where ever you are called upon to serve. "We have no excuse to encourage mediocrity. Mediocrity will limit the aspirations of our people and reduce us to mere consumers of what we are told and taught."
Mr Kojo Yankah, Founder and President of AUCC, said although the university was maintaining Media and Communications as its flagship, new programmes in Business, Hospitality, Management, Africana Studies and Information, Communication and Technology were being introduced in September, 2009.
He noted that Africa is yet to gather the confidence to reject the worldview that tends to denigrate the way of life of Africans. Professor Kwesi Yankah, Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon and Chairman of the Governing Council of AUCC said students pursuing Diploma in Journalism could continue to attain Bachelor of Arts degree in the discipline.
Professor Kofi Asare Opoku, Vice President of AUCC called for an educational system that would not make Ghanaians strangers in their own environment. Miss Yolanda Della Tay emerged as the overall best student out of the 113 successful students, comprising 82 females and 31 males.
Source:
GNA
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Atta Mills Fun Club inaugurated in Tamale
Tamale, July 20, GNA - Hajia Raliatu Yakubu, Northern Regional Women's Organizer of National Democratic Congress (NDC) has urged members of the party, especially first time voters to register when the Electoral Commission opened the voters register.
Hajia Raliatu made the call on Saturday at the inaugural ceremony of Atta Mills Fan Club in Tamale.
She said attending rallies, using party paraphernalia and having party identification cards would not bring the NDC into power unless party supporters registered and voted massively for the party flagbearer and it's Parliamentary Candidates in the forthcoming general elections in December.
Hajia Raliatu alleged that some people were going round collecting Voters Identification Cards from women with the promise of giving them loans and cautioned NDC women to be wary of such people.
She told the women to collect the loan when they were given to them but should not hand over their Voters Identification Cards.
She entreated Ghanaians to consider the hardship they were going through and
take a wise decision by voting NDC back to power, come December. Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, First Vice-National Chairman of the NDC urged the electorate to consider their present living conditions under the NPP government as against when the NDC was in power and vote wisely.
"What was the price of a ball of kenkey, a bag of cement, a gallon of kerosene
in the NDC era and what their prices are now", he queried. Alhaji Yahaya appealed to the NDC faithful to remain law abiding and refuse to be provoked by the insults and intimidation of the opposition and rather concentrate on carrying out their campaign to win more souls to the NDC fold to ensure a resounding victory for the party in the December elections.
The Atta Mills Fun Club consisted of sympathizers of the NDC from all the three constituencies in the Tamale Metropolis.
Source:
GNA
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Prince Philip in Accra for Ex-Servicemen conference
Accra, July 19, GNA - Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, arrived in Accra Saturday evening on a four-day visit during which he will preside over the 30th triennial conference of the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL).
Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, is the Grand President of the RCEL.
A statement by the League said the conference, which would be held in Accra was being organised in collaboration with the Veterans Association of Ghana.
Prince Philip was met on arrival by Vice President Aliu Mahama and some Ministers of State. 19 July 08
Source:
GNA
One-in-a-Million Twins: One White, One Black
- BERLIN, Germany
Twin boys with different skin color have been born to a mixed-race German couple, a once-in-a-million occurence according to doctors.
The twins were born by Caesarean section on Friday, July 11, but they were kept from public until Wednesday, German television reported.
"Yes, I did not believe it, almost until now," their mother Florence Gerth said through translation. "They are five days old now and I'm still looking at them and asking myself, 'Are they my children?' It is unbelievable, it is unbelievable. And I thank God, that it's me, because I've heard that the odds are one in one million," she added .
Stephan Gerth, the twins' father said the only thing that matters is "they are healthy and lively".
"This is the most important thing. If white or black, this is of second-rank in this case," he said.
Ryan has lighter skin than his twin Leo. Their mother, Florence originally comes from Ghana and their father, Stephan is from Potsdam near Berlin. They have been married for eight years.
Mixed race women and men have genetic codes for both light and dark skin, according to experts. Doctors believe the Gerth twins inherited entirely different genetic codes from their parents.
The occurrence is not unprecedented. In 2006, British twins Layton and Kaydon Richardson were born to a mother of English and Nigerian heritage.
"As they were gradually getting older, Kaydon started to change color, got darker and Layton, his hair started to go fairer," said Kelly Richardson, the twins' mother. "And then it was like when we went out in public people really started pointing it out."
Mixed race women and men have genetic codes for both light and dark skin, according to experts. Doctors believe the Gerth twins inherited entirely different genetic codes from their parents.
Source:
7 News
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Dual Nationality Disqualifies Aspiring NPP MP
The legal committee of the New Patriotic Party has advised the party hierarchy to annul the election of Professor Kojo Amoako as the party’s Abuakwa North parliamentary candidate on the grounds of holding dual nationality.
The professor was said to have made false declaration to the vetting committee in his bid to become the NPP parliamentary candidate.
He was said to be holding a Ghanaian and United States nationality before filing to become the NPP’s parliamentary candidate.
In a letter cited by Joy News from the Legal Committee and addressed to party chairman Mr. Peter Mac Manu, indicate that the Professor violated article 94(2) of the national constitution which states that a person shall not be qualified to be a Member of Parliament if he holds allegiance to a country other than Ghana and article 2(4) of the NPP constitution which states no member shall be entitled to apply for nomination as an MP unless he qualifies under our electoral laws to become an MP.
After a careful scrutiny of 3 petitions sent before the legal committee, including that of the sitting MP, the committee said it was not impressed with the explanation by the professor that he planned to renounce his citizenship and would not have owed allegiance to any other country.
The committee said the professor failed to renounce his citizenship, rendering him ineligible to apply for the party’s candidature.
The Committee has therefore requested that Prof. Amoako’s application, vetting and election be annulled.
Meanwhile the party’s Steering Committee has referred the several unresolved parliamentary primaries to the highest decision making body of the party, the National Executives Committee for consideration and decision.
Source:
jfm
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Parliament Delays Vodafone Decision
... Sale Suspended?
Accra, July 18, GNA- Parliament on Friday went on recess without the ratification of the Sale and Purchase Agreement signed by the government to sell 70 per cent stakes in Ghana Telecom (GT) to Vodafone International Holdings BV.
The report of the joint Finance and Communication committee which considered the 900 million-dollar deal was not ready to be laid when the Speaker called for it.
The agreement, which was signed in Accra on July 3 by representatives of government and Vodafone, has been heavily criticized by members of the opposition National Democratic Congress, the Convention People's Party, as well as some civil society groupings. Some of the critics held that the 900 million dollars offer price was too low while others questioned the inclusion of the national fibre optic backbone which had hitherto, not been part of GT's infrastructure, in the deal.
Just before the joint Committee met after the morning session of Parliament, the government reintroduced an amended version of the Agreement to members in order to address some of the concerns raised by critics.
But when the House reconvened for the afternoon plenary, Members were told the Committee's Report was not ready so the expected approval was deferred.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Paul Okoh, Chairman of the Committee on Employment, Social and State Enterprises, said the deferment did not mean that the House had thrown off discussions on the deal.
He said there were loopholes which needed to be corrected to enable the House to reach a consensus on the deal.
However, Mr Kojo Armah, (Evalue Gwira) and co-Chairman of the Committee, said the deferment was to allow time to correct procedural matters, following an agreement by the leadership for the House to look at the final Report.
"We can't continue to be state-led all the time. we still need a large public share in an institution like Ghana Telecom," Mr Armah said. Mr Felix Twumasi-Appiah, (NDC-Sene) said Government "had listened to the voice of reason" on the deal.
He said posterity would be better judges on the concerns raised by the NDC on the sale, adding that in the pursuit of public private partnership, the nation should not end up selling its national assets.
During the sitting, the Road Traffic Amendment Bill, the Anti Terrorism Bill, the Geneva Convention Bills were passed and a number of loan agreements were ratified.
Some of the loan agreements were GHc30,000,000 credit agreement for a Government of Ghana Affordable Housing Projects; An amount of 12.3 million euros for the implementation of the extension of the Kwanyarko Water Supply Rehabilitation and Expansion Project and a 17.1 million euros for the implementation of the Koforidua Water Supply Project.
The House also approved the agreement on a seven million-dollar loan to finance the procurement of operation vehicles for the security agencies; 18.8 million euros for construction and equipping of the Winneba District Hospital and 42.8 million dollars to support the power system reinforcement project.
The Leadership of the House thanked Members and the press for their contribution towards the success of the session.
Mr John Tia, Minority Chief Whip, observed that the country was at a critical point as it prepared for the elections in December and urged fellow legislators to be mindful of their actions and utterances in order to preserve the security of the state.
Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah Bonsu, expressed sorrow over the death of former Speaker Ala Adjetey, and announced that the House and the Presidency would work in tandem with the family for a befitting funeral for him.
Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, the Speaker, expressed appreciation to his two deputies for their support and pledged that the House would mourn the loss of the former Speaker.
Source:
GNA
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Sale of GT suspended
JOyFM --
The much anticipated debate on the controversial deal on the sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone has failed once again to come on leading to a suspension of the deal.
The suspension follows the failure of the Joint Committee on Finance Communication of Parliament to lay the report on the deal between the government and Vodafone before the House.
The House which rose on Friday, July 18, 2008 for recess was expected to debate the bill on Thursday but it postponed the debate to Friday when the bill would have been ratified.
But the sale has now been suspended indefinitely.
The Majority Leader of Parliament, Mr. Abraham Osei Aidoo said members of the House needed some time to study the report and make informed debate on the deal.
He said members of the House may be recalled during recess to consider the bill and other important bills.
He rejected suggestions that the government bowed to pressure.
According to him, if the report had been laid early enough to enable members study it, the bill would have been passed.
He said the suspension will allow adequate time to study the report and make useful contributions to ensure that the deal is well refined.
Reacting to concerns that government had gained notoriety for pilling up bills and trying to push them through on the last day of sitting of a session, Mr. Aidoo said the practice was bad.
He however stressed the need for the House to be well resourced in order to effectively deal with issues before the house.
Government entered into a deal with Vodafone to offload its 70 per cent shares valued at $900 million.
But the deal was vehemently opposed by opposition political parties and civil society organisations who saw it as unprofitable deal.
They argued the sale of GT to a foreign company amounted to a demonstration a lack of confidence in the Ghanaian.
Alhaji Asuman Banda a business magnate detests the very idea of the sale.
"it is better to mismanage ourselves than to allow somebody to manage us",he said.
But government argued the sale was necessary to save the company which it said was in debt.
Story by Malik Abass Daabu / JOyFM --
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Ghanaian Jailed in Cuba for Human Trafficking
Ghanaians living in Cuba have appealed to the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to intervene in the illegal sentencing of a Ghanaian pharmacist, who was wrongly charged with human trafficking.
Making the appeal through The Chronicle, the Ghanaian community in Cuba called on the appropriate Ghanaian authorities to immediately cause their own investigation into the imprisonment of the victim, Mr. Lawrence Zogli Goka, in Havana, Cuba.
Spokesperson for the Ghanaians living in Cuba, Robert Fakye, said Lawrence Zogli is a Ghanaian citizen who resides in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and a registered Pharmacist, and a key member of the Ghanaian community in the Caribbean Island. He is also a father of two.
On October 25th, 2005, Lawrence arrived in Havana to visit his Cuban girlfriend, Angela, and their newly born baby girl, Laura, in Villa Clara, a province in Cuba. He also intended to obtain a copy of his academic transcript from his former school in Cuba, the University of Camaguey, to pursue his PhD in Pharmacy.
While waiting for his rented car at the airport to pick him up, he was approached by a Bahamian friend who asked him to help transport a Chinese citizen from Havana to Camaguey, since he (Lawrence) was also going there.
Mr. Fakye stated that on November 1st, 2005, Angela was informed by the Cuban State Police that her boyfriend, Lawrence, had been detained in Camaguey for his alleged involvement in human trafficking.
He was detained for two weeks during which he was interrogated for the alleged crime, but he insisted on his innocence.
He was later transferred to Havana, where he was remanded until he made court appearance in January, last year.
According to the group, the Ghana Embassy in Cuba was notified about his incarceration.
Subsequently, a Cuban state Lawyer, named Malvis Avila Rodriguez, was contracted by them to help defend the case. However, during the legal proceedings the lawyer failed in her attempt to obtain bail or release for the accused.
In January 2007, Mr. Zogli was tried in Camaguey and sentenced to nine years in prison. Since then multiple appeals have been filed but to no avail.
Source:
Ghanaian Chronicle
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Police should not use drivers' pockets as banks
Accra, July 19, GNA - Deputy Attorney General and Deputy Minister of Justice, Mr Kwame Osei-Prempeh, has cautioned law enforcement agents to be wary of extortion of monies from road traffic offenders as Parliament passed the Road Traffic Amendment Bill.
He said the 90 per cent reduction in penalties for road traffic offences under the amended law should make offending road users pay their penalties to the state rather than diverting them into individual pockets of some law enforcement officers to avoid prosecution. The object of the Bill, which Parliament passed before it rose for recess on Friday, is to reduce the number of penalty units for each motor traffic offence to 10 per cent of the penalty units specified in the Road Traffic Act, Act 683 of 2004.
Thus, an offence attracting 100 penalty units (GHC 1,200) will now attract 10 penalty units (GHC 120).
Also, prison sentences for motor traffic offences in the parent act have been reduced considerably by one third. Mr Osei-Prempeh said most drivers and road users' inability to pay fines paved way for bribery of police and other law enforcement agents and this had further led to more people being sent to jail over minor offences to exacerbate the problems of already overcrowded prisons.
He said the huge fines contained in the original law in 2004 had not necessarily decreased road traffic accidents even though the fines as then provided in Act 683 were intended to serve as deterrent to curb the level of indiscipline on the roads of Ghana.
"However, instead of the fine serving as a deterrent, it was so exorbitant that it rather created an avenue for some drivers to pay bribes to some law enforcement officers to avoid prosecution. This defeated the purpose for which the Road Traffic Act, 2004 (Act 683) was enacted," Report of Committee on Roads and Transport said. The Report also said the Road Traffic Amendment Bill would not create any vacuum in the parent Act, as the number of penalty units for offences specified in the Schedule of the referral is consistent with the number of penalty units for the same offences specified in the original act.
The Committee viewed the reduction in prison sentences as a step in the right direction to compel offenders to pay fines rather than being imprisoned.
Mr Osei-Prempeh said the President was worried about the number of person that languished in jail for traffic offences. Also, there have been calls by the public to the Chief Justice to temper justice with mercy in meting out punishment to road traffic offenders.
He urged drivers to educate themselves on the law to avoid being taken advantage of by some law enforcements agents. "If any police officer takes money from any driver, the driver should find a way to take his or her number and report that officer to the Ministry of Justice. Mr Osei-Prempeh promised that his outfit would team up with the transport owners' associations and drivers' unions to get drivers and other road users educated on the amended bill.
Source:
GNA
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Sale of Ghana Telecom Gathers Political Storm
A Political storm is gathering over the Ghana Government's recent announcement that it had sold 70 percent of Ghana Telecom for $900 million to Vodafone, the worlds leading mobile telecommunications operator.
Quite unexpectedly, the proposed sale of GT has united the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Convention Peoples' Party (CPP) at least for now. The two opposition parties have so far vociferously raised the stakes against the sale of one of Ghana's biggest assets and revenue earner.
The NDC in particular seem not to have a problem with the privatization, except the lack of openness in the privatization process, expressing its disappointment at the "general lack of openness and transparency in the privatization of a major national asset, which has major national security and economic implications." NDC quite rightly questioned why the privatization of GT could not have been subjected to a competitive process as required by the Public Procurement Act of Ghana.
Both parties have stated that they would renationalize GT when they win the presidency. That would be history repeating itself, given that the NPP annulled the sale of GT to Telecom Malaysia when it assumed office in 2001.
While the NDC has decried the price as low, considering the huge assets of GT, the CPP has completely rejected the sale of GT and called on "well-meaning Ghanaians to oppose the NPP government's impending sale of 70.0% shares in Ghana Telecom to a foreign "strategic investor", Vodafone."
In a statement issued earlier this week, the CPP cited two reasons for opposing the planned privatization of GT. Firstly, the CPP says it "lacks economic merit and will, in the long run, cost the state far more than the paltry US$900 million it is receiving for the sale", and secondly that the "notion that only foreigners can effectively manage our affairs is offensive to our dignity as human beings and undermines the CPP's cherished belief that, 'The Blackman is capable of managing his own affairs.' "
CPP argues that a casual look at GT shows that the company is capable of generating profits far in excess of its sale price, "if only we would emplace proper management that is free of political interference and is publicly accountable to Ghanaians."
Part of CPP's fears are based on the failure of the Malaysians and Norwegians managers to turn GT's fortunes around, which supports the fact that the mere transfer of ownership or management to foreigners will not solve GT's or Ghana's problems.
"Currently, Ghana Telecom owns One-Touch mobile services, has near monopoly over fixed lines, dominates broadband services, and has a major share of the internet backbone, SAT-3. Assuming, conservatively, a combined subscriber base of 2,000,000 and daily average net revenue per subscriber of US$3.00, GT can easily make US$2.2 billion per year, or US$11.0 billion in five years, far more than the US$500.0 million investment being promised by Vodafone", says Ekow Nelson, a Ghanaian based in London.
In line with the call for transparency in the deal, in 2007, a Ghanaian Diaspora professional group, called the Ghana Leadership Union (GLU) announced plans to pool resources to buy a controlling stake in one of the country's biggest assets, Ghana Telecom, if the process was open .
In a statement , the President of GLU, Dr. Kwaku A. Danso, said, "the founders of our nation Ghana did not use taxpayers' funds to set up State-owned enterprises (SOEs) only to be sold to foreigners, or to insiders of the government who use proxies to buy these SoE's and leave the real stakeholders with the debts. This practice must be stopped, by any means necessary".
Asked about the investment strategy, the initiative's lead promoter in the UK, lawyer George Asomaning responded, "It is our intention to ensure that as much of the actual investment received gets channeled into the infrastructural development of Ghana Telecom, so as to position the company to deliver on its promise and to return a sizeable profit for the shareholders, the citizens of Ghana".
Nifa Bankroh, the organizer of the "Lets buy Ghana Telecom" initiative stated, "If Ghanaians do not get involved in the acquisition, ownership and management of significant state owned enterprises that are being divested, the likelihood of Ghanaian nationals being able to control the factors that affect their economic future will be marginal at best, and probably negligible.
Ghanaians are becoming increasingly nationalistic when it comes to divesting state assets; so the question of whether Vodafone or any other strategic investor would represent the national interest keeps coming up. The botch sale of GCB and ADB are classic examples of public opinion prevailing over government plans.
The fear is that in return for US$900m, Vodafone will not only assume control of OneTouch (Ghana Telecom's mobile arm), but also, ownership of Ghana's fixed telecom network (both core and access) will be transferred and with it, monopoly over the provision of international, long distance telephone and fixed broadband services.
One Ghanaian analyst has argued that Ghana Telecom's 1.4 million mobile customers represent just over 0.5 percent of Vodafone's global subscriber base of 260 million.
How strategic is that for Vodafone?
Given that Vodafone or any other strategic investor achieves 100 percent mobile penetration with a relative small population of 22 million people (which is less than 10 percent of Vodafone's subscribers), Vodafone's stated target market share of 25 percent will only represent 2.2 percent of its current total subscriber base and that won't be achieved for another 5 years at least.
"So it remains to be seen whether or not this turns out to be as strategic for Vodafone as the government assumes it will be for Ghana."
The worry is that is it really strategic for Ghana to hand over her fixed telecom network to a company which although is the world's largest mobile provider by revenue, has relatively little experience of running or investing in building fixed telecom networks anywhere in the world? What exactly will Vodafone bring in terms of deep and in-house experience to this business?
As the world moves fast toward the digital world, broadband will become strategic for all economies; so the critical need for utilizing ICT for economic growth, as the NDC argued in its statement is pertinent . Currently, Ghana Telecom's broadband is limited to a couple of metropolitan areas and it will be in dire need of further investment if the government wants to extend that reach to many rural people.
No doubt the government's e-government and other ICT initiatives for schools, hospitals etc economy will depend on a robust broadband infrastructure. "Yet this single most important strategic asset has been handed over to Vodafone which has by default become a monopoly provider when few, if any, competitive alternatives exist. We are proposing to transfer a public monopoly to a private one and that cannot be good for the future of our country", says the analyst.
Source:
Public Agenda
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EDITORIAL: The Ghana Telecom Deal Cannot Hold
Yesterday, the government hurriedly tabled the proposal for the sale of 70 percent of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone before parliament for approval. The government could get the deal approved, using its sheer numbers in parliament, but it would leave several unanswered questions over the prudence of the deal.
One thing that readily came to mind was that anytime government wants to foist a particular policy on the country, it waits until parliament is about to go on recess before rushing it. This raises the question once more over the executive's overbearing powers over the legislature
One trend that is emerging is that anytime an open and transparent procurement or evaluation process does not yield the answer the government likes, it abrogates it and appears to impose its own solution, often against the public interest. This is exactly what appears to have happened with the proposed sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone.
It also happened with Ghana Airways and the construction of the Ghana 2008 stadiums etc. Are we no longer interested in implementing the new Procurement Act which was passed recently by Parliament? If the government opened the deal to transparent bidding for the second time, we might have had a better deal than the $900 million Vodafone has offered. This newspaper adds its voice to civil society groups arguing that the deal with Vodafone smacks of a shady deal, considering the fact that MTN acquired then Areeba, whose assets come no where near GT's assets for a whooping $5 billion.
As with Ghana Airways, justification for the sale of Vodafone is that the government wants 'a strategic investor' - whatever that means. The fact is that Ghana Telecom's 1.4 million mobile customers represent just over 0.5 percent of Vodafone's global subscriber base of 260 million. How strategic is that for Vodafone?
Granted that Vodafone even achieves 100 percent mobile penetration with a relative small population of 22 million people, it would still be less than 10 percent of Vodafone's global subscribers. So it remains to be seen whether or not this is as strategic for Vodafone as the government assumes it would be for Ghana.
This worries over the strategy of Ghana handing over her fixed telecom network to a company that is the world's largest mobile provider by revenue, but has relatively little experience of running or investing in building fixed telecom networks anywhere in the world? What exactly will Vodafone bring in terms of deep and in-house experience to this business?
We join other civil society groups calling on the government to take a second look at the sale. Selling huge assets of GT perhaps, to pay off some debts or balance an aspect of the budget will only create a false sense of fiscal stability. When we have sold all the assets to balance things here and there, what will be left for future generations to boast of? A restructured and well tooled GT capable of generating sustainable revenues for the state is a better option.
It is our fear that unless the state has controlling interest in GT, its e-government and other ICT initiatives for our schools, hospitals and the rural areas might not be a priority to Vodafone. Yet, GT's broadband facility, (in addition to the country's fibre optic backbone) has been handed over to Vodafone, which by default would become a monopoly provider. Transferring a public monopoly to a private monopoly cannot be good for the future of our country.
Source:
Public Agenda
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Arts and Crafts producers attend workshop
Kumasi, July 18, GNA - Nana Brefo Boateng, a former director of the Kumasi Centre for National Culture, on Thursday charged Ghanaians to ensure that the next government promotes culture as the bedrock of society. He said past and present governments had ignored the promotion and funding of culture which had the potentials to drive socio-economic development of the nation.
Nana Boateng, who is also the Chief Director of the National Commission on Culture, expressed these sentiments when he chaired the opening session of a maiden workshop for Arts and Crafts Practitioners in Ghana at Kumasi.
The five-day programme, funded by the European Union, gave rise to the Cultural Initiative Support Programme (CSIP) as a result of the grant to government to enable it support the cultural sector. CISP had already provided training for administrators of cultural institutions, performance technicians and journalists.
The training was to make up for shortfalls and weaknesses in the implementation of Ghana's cultural policy. Nana Boateng reiterated that though the government had set up the Ministry of Arts and Culture, little was done to promote culture as the identity of the citizenry.
Mr. Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, Project Co-ordinator, said the objective of the workshop was to develop an inventory of the cultural sector which the public could appreciate as major components of Arts and Craft. Mr. Osei Bobie-Boahin, Head of Department of the Integrated Rural Arts, called on the practitioners to seek proficient training in order to produce the best of the arts.
Source:
GNA
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Health institutions in Volta Region to be Peer Reviewed
Ho, July 18, GNA- Public Sector Health Institutions in the Volta Region are to be Peer Reviewed periodically. This is to ensure continuous quality service delivery and improvement in their aesthetic environments. The Volta Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Andrew Arde-Acquah announced this at the end of a self-initiated peer review session of the Ho Municipal Hospital on Thursday.
Dr Arde-Acquah said health delivery institutions could not afford to compromise on "quality of care and customer satisfaction" through continuous quality improvement, a standard which peer reviewing has proved to ensure. He said the entire health sector is judged by the quality of clinical care it provides, hence the need to always find ways of improving on quality in that area.
The Central Regional Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Services of the GHS, Mr Ananga Yamyolia, who shared the Region's experiences and results from peer reviewing, said the dramatic transformation of the "Kasoa Clinic" from a chaotic situation was just one example of what the region has to show for adopting peer review of its health institutions.
He said peer review helps boost the morale of staff who are delighted to see quick improvement in their work environment, it also ensures cost effectiveness in a situation where resources for monitoring and supervision are limited, monitoring and supervision are conducted by peers of the host institution and thus removes the element of fear and supervision.
Other benefits include the sharing of experiences and lessons and participants, the methodology provides feedback to the whole staff in a durbar thereby allowing for wider participation. Mr Yamyolia said the peer review approach also ensures that good practices are quickly picked, criticisms by peers are quickly and readily accepted and healthy competition engendered. He said peer review in the GHS also posed resource constraints because issues raised on such forums require regional and national interventions such as staffing, equipment and infrastructure to be able to effect the improvements required.
The Ho Municipal Medical Superintendent, Dr Kofi Gafatsi Normanyo said the Hospital's management decided to undertake the exercise because of the tremendous improvements it brought to health institutions in the Central Region. In response to issues raised in the review, he said financial constraints and lack of maintenance, and renovation of the 83 year-old hospital posed very serious challenges to quality of care it offers to patients.
He said as a result of very serious financial constraints the focus of the management was to channel resources into areas that have the potential to generate income to be able to tackle non-income generating aspects of its operations.
Participants suggested that fees charged by the public sector health institutions under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) should appreciate considerably to enable those institutions improve on facilities that promote quality delivery. They were of the view that unless that was done public health institutions would soon lose their clients to the private health institutions whose fees are much higher than those in the public sector.
Source:
GNA
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Pregnant women take advantage of new package
Sunyani, July 18, GNA - Sunyani Mutual Health Insurance Scheme has registered 270 pregnant women since President John Agyekum Kufuor announced the introduction of the free maternal delivery package.
All of them have been issued with ID cards to enable them to access free maternal health service at both public hospitals and accredited private health service providers in the municipality.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Isaac Afari, acting Scheme Manager, said pregnant women would under the new system enjoy ante-natal, delivery and post-natal services. "The motive is to prevent and reduce maternal deaths which is part of government's commitment to achieving the millennium development goals", he said.
Mr. Afari said the new system not only catered for maternal cases but other diseases like fibroid and emergency accident cases andpregnant women already holding health insurance cards also qualified to enjoy the facility.
The Scheme Manager said the new system would cover four years after which it would be reviewed to ascertain if the set target of preventing and reducing the high rate of maternal deaths had been met.
He said the mutual scheme was preparing data for pregnant women who had flooded the premises and would be issued with temporary ID cards pending the introduction of the universal health insurance card that would enable them access free maternal service any where in the country. Some of the pregnant women who spoke to the GNA commended the government for introducing the system.
They said the programme had given "both the haves and the have-nots equal access to quality maternal health care".
Abigail Ayitey, a resident of Sunyani, said it was a worthy programme and promised "to spread the good message to others". Mary Ackah said the new system would help the poor who, otherwise, might not have been able to access quality health service. Abiba Alhassan said a lot of pregnant women abandoned their babies after delivery because they could not afford the hospital bill due to poverty.
"This gesture by the government will stem this practice", she noted and urged the authorities to ensure the prompt supply of drugs needed at the hospitals to avoid shortages.
Source:
GNA
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Police arrests 24 suspected criminals in Sekondi-Takoradi
Takoradi, July 18, GNA- The Police on Friday arrested 24 suspected criminals at various locations during a dawn swoop in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, Mr Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan, the Western Regional Police Commander, said at a press briefing at Takoradi. He said the suspects included Sunday Aggu and Latif Adebayo, both Nigerians, Janet Arhin, a woman and Alex Tay who is wanted for a stealing case by the Police.
The other suspects are Kwame Esuon, Papa Eric, Prince Mark Baidoo, John Cobbinah, Daniel Mustaph, Nii Sackey, Nana Foster, Francis Kwameson, John Eshun, Kwesi Nsu Nyameye, Isaac Biney, Paul Aidoo, Samuel Ofori Agyeman, Samuel Quarshie, Appiadu Rawlings, Francis Allotey, Moses Mensah, John Ahiamoah, Afedie Nyarko and Emmanuel Dodi Gyamfi. Mr Alhassan said the suspects who were arrested at their hideouts would be screened and those found to be criminals prosecuted.
He said items found on the suspects included three single barrel guns, 900 pieces of cartridges, offensive weapons, and leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, and a liquid substance suspected to be local gin.
Source:
GNA
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British cocaine teens freed
Accra, July 17, GNA- The two British girls arrested in July last year for attempting to smuggle six kilograms of cocaine worth US$300,000 from Ghana to the United Kingdom, were on Thursday set free after serving nine months in juvenile detention.
Yasemin Vatnserver, 17, and Yatunde Diya, 17, were whisked away at about 08.50 hours from the Borstal Home Senior Correctional Facility in Accra where they were held.
They were carried away in a white four-wheel drive vehicle belonging to the British High Commission and covered with Ghanaian "kaba" cloth to hide them from the cameras of journalists. Mr. Ben Allotey, a top Prisons official at the correctional facility, which was originally meant for boys, told the GNA that the British High Commission specifically requested that journalists should be kept at bay.
Early on Thursday morning when journalists arrived at the Home, they were kept waiting at the entrance with the excuse that visitors were only allowed in from 09.30hours.
But at about 08.30 hours officials of the British High Commission, the lawyer of the girls and a representative of an international legal rights civil society organisation were allowed to drive through. After about 20 minutes they drove out with the girls whiles journalists looked on because they were not allowed to use their cameras.
The two girls were arrested on July 2, 2007 at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) with three kilograms each of cocaine concealed in their laptop bags.
They were put on trial over a period of three months at an Accra Juvenile Court and sentenced to one year in juvenile detention. The court ruled that having been held in detention for three months during their trial they should serve only nine months in addition.
While the ruling pleased the girls, their families and British-based international legal rights organisations, Ghanaians, including the Minister of States at the Ministry of Interior, Nana Obiri Boahene, thought the girls should have been handed the maximum three-year sentence.
An official of the correctional facility told journalists that the girls were well behaved while in detention and did attend morning devotions religiously even though they were among boys.
Source:
GNA
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Timber Companies owing over 12 million Ghana cedis
Accra, July, GNA - At the close of business on June 30, this year, 927 timber firms owed the Forestry Commission a total of 12,410,567.55 Ghana cedis.
Out of this amount, a total of 1,700,000 has been outstanding since 1999 and is owed by some 388 timber firms, Mrs. Esther Obeng-Dapaah, Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines said in Parliament on Thursday.
In response to a question, she said some measures have been instituted to retrieve the monies. She said in January this year, the Forestry Commission, on the directives of the Ministry, contracted a legal firm to institute judicial process to retrieve 1,700,000 Ghana cedis . "Bank guarantees covering the total amount owed by companies is now being demanded from firms before granting entry permits so that in case of default of payment, the banks will be made to pay on behalf of the firms."
"The Forestry Commission, in accordance with terms and conditions for granting of timber harvesting rights to these companies suspended their operations and has issued a final demand notice to all the indebted companies to settle their liabilities by September 2008," the Minister said. She said the failure of these companies to pay up would result in extinguishing the rights of all companies to harvest timber in these areas.
Mrs Obeng-Dapaah, in response to another question, said the Nyinahin bauxite deposits in the Ashanti Region were the largest so far discovered in the country. "Currently, a due diligence permit has been granted to the Volta Aluminium Company Limited for six months to validate information obtained from previous exploratory works and initiate follow up actions. She was responding to a question on when work would begin on the bauxite deposits.
She said VALCO, together with some international companies, were carrying out due diligence.
Source:
GNA
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Dutch Ambassador pledges support for re-forestation, conservation
Accra, July 17, GNA - Ms. Lidi Remmelzwaal, the Dutch Ambassador in Ghana, has given the assurance that her country would continue to extend development assistance to Ghana for the implementation of its re-forestation and conservation programmes. In line with this, the Dutch envoy said the government would step up its support under the Natural Resources and Environmental Governance Programme (NREG) to bolster Ghana's efforts in sustainable management of her natural resources. A statement issued in Accra said the Ambassador was speaking during a courtesy call on the sector Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Mrs Esther Obeng Dappah in Accra.
The courtesy call, which was intended to update the Ambassador on progress on Dutch government-funded projects also provided a platform for the two of them to explore possible areas of collaboration between the two countries. Ms. Remmelzwaal announced that the Dutch government would make available an amount of $30m under the NREG in the 2009 financial year for disbursement on a number of conservation programmes prioritised by the government of Ghana. She therefore urged the Ministry to expedite action on the submission of its inputs for consideration by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
NREG is a donor funded facility which provides funding for government agencies including the Ministries of Local Government and Rural Development as well as the Lands, Forestry and Mines to pursue sustainable management programmes in selected communities across the country. Mrs. Obeng Dappah expressed appreciation to the Dutch government for the assistance extended to Ghana and said the support reflected the confidence of the Dutch government in the management of the economy.
Source:
GNA
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Take computer education seriously-computer engineer
Kumasi, July 17, GNA- Mr. Andrew Prah, a US-based Computer Engineer, on Thursday underscored the need for the nation to take Information Communication and Technology (ICT) education seriously. He explained that ICT had become an integral part of development and "we should invest in the sector at all levels of the nation's education for the realization of our goals".
Mr. Prah, who is the president of Prah IT Services in USA, was speaking at the opening session of this year's Tom's annual computer clinic workshop, on in Kumasi, on the theme "Manufacture of Computer". The workshop aimed at upgrading the knowledge and expertise of the participants who comprised lecturers and students in computer assemblage, article and paper writing as well as ICT in general. It was also to introduce students of the Electrical and Electronic Department of Kumasi Polytechnic to modern computer techniques. Mr. Prah urged participants to take the workshop seriously to enhance their career development.
Dr. Benjamin Kwasi Prah, Rector of the Polytechnic, commended Mr. Prah for his commitment to raising the standard of computer education in the country through workshops, fora and seminars, stressing that it was high time Ghanaian professionals living abroad brought their expertise and knowledge to bear on the nation's socio-economic development.
Source:
GNA
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More pregnant Women take advantage of free medical care
Hohoe, July 17, GNA- A total of 330 pregnant women attended ante-natal clinic at the Hohoe Municipal Hospital since July 9, this year, following the commencement of government's free medical care for expectant mothers.
A total number of 560 pregnant women attended antenatal in June before the take off of the free package.
Mrs Patricia Azumatse, the Hospital's Matron who said these in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the new policy has eased the hospital's burden of having to detain some pregnant women and those who were delivered of their babies for their inability to settle their medical bills.
Mr Christopher Dudziagbe, an official of the Municipal Mutual Health Scheme said 192 new pregnant women were registered under the Scheme since last Wednesday July 9, following the commencement of free registration of pregnant women.
Madam Victoria Abranie and Dora Paligei, both pregnant women told the GNA that they paid GHc 8.50 and GHc 9 respectively for medication the last time they attended antenatal clinic and praised government for the intervention.
President John A. Kufuor announced the free medical care policy for pregnant women after a trip to the U.K where the British government pledged 42.5 million Euros to support government's effort at reducing maternal mortality as envisaged in the Millennium Development Goals.
Source:
GNA
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More than half of sewer covers stolen in Tema
Tema, July 17, GNA- Sixty percent of sewer covers in the Tema Metropolis have been stolen, their irons extracted and sold as scraps posing health and environmental hazards to residents. The activities of the unpatriotic citizens have left the drains and manholes with depth ranging from five to 20 feet exposed, thus creating death traps in the metropolis.
Mr Mahamadu Abdulai, Head of the Waste Management Department of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Thursday, saying, the theft of the covers could lead to an outbreak of communicable diseases in the metropolis. He said children especially were vulnerable, as they normally pick their footballs, dolls and other objects that they play with from the open sewer, and therefore transferred the germs onto their bodies leading to the outbreak of cholera, diarrhea and other diseases. Mr Abdulai observed that stealing of the sewer slaps have increased due to the activities of scrap dealers, who added the iron to other metals collected to give weight to their goods when selling to the steel companies.
The Waste Management Head indicated that, while sewers constructed below the ground level often get blocked when their covers were removed causing an overflow whenever it rained, it also caused siltation in manholes leading to spillage of human waste. He therefore appealed to residents of Tema to be extra vigilant and assist the TMA to apprehend the culprits for prosecution, noting that the replacement of stolen sewer covers cost the Assembly thousands of Ghana cedis.
Mr Abdulai warned scrap dealers to exhibit patriotism in their work by desisting from buying irons and other metals obtained from sewer covers. Some victims of the stolen sewer covers have replaced them with wood but this is not as durable as the metals since they could cave in at any time.
Source:
GNA
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Norway to sensitise Ghana in management of petroleum revenue
Accra, July 17, GNA- Ghana has been included in Norway's "oil for development programme" that aims at assisting countries in their efforts to overcome challenges in transforming income from petroleum resources to improve the welfare of their citizens. This follows contacts made by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan with the Norwegian Government to learn from Norway's experience in the art of managing petroleum resources and revenue.
Energy Minister, Mr Felix Kwasi Owusu-Adjapong, announced the collaboration, in a statement in Parliament in Accra, on Government's draft policy on oil and gas, which he said was is yet to be submitted to Cabinet. "Even though the draft policy is yet to be submitted to Cabinet for their consideration and approval and subsequent presentation to Parliament, it is our view that the document will be further enriched if Honourable Members would be able to interact with their constituency on the subject matter during the recess and thereafter avail any inputs that they may have to either the Minister responsible for Energy or even directly to the Oil and Gas Technical Committee" Mr Owusu-Adjapong said.
The Minister told the House, which would go on recess from July 18, 2008, that Norway had proposed a petroleum management programme based on three thematic pillars of resource, revenue and environmental management. However, a Government technical Committee on Oil and Gas comprising representatives from Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the Attorney General's Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation and the Navy, formed to review the thematic areas, added energy security.
Mr Owusu-Adjapong added that seminars and fora had been organized in all the 10 geographical regions of Ghana, the proceedings of which "formed the bedrock for the development of Draft Oil and Gas Policy for the petroleum sector by the Oil and Gas Technical Committee." Contributions by Members encouraged the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation to participate fully in the management of the oil resources and revenue, and called for the strengthening of Ghanaian capacities, and good governance practices for the nation to reap maximum benefits from the oil find.
The House also adopted the Report of the Finance Committee on a Loan Agreement between the Government of Ghana and the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development for an amount of US$15,013,250 for the partial finance of a project to modernize the Ghana National Fire Service through the acquisition of fire tenders and associated appliances.
Mr Lee Ocran (NDC-Jomoro) in a contribution that seconded the motion, expressed concern about the lack of enough fire tenders, and accommodation for the staff of the Service. He said there was no fire tender in the whole of the Jomoro District in the Western Region, and the Fire Service on a number of occasions had to rely on help from neighbouring Cote d'Ivoire in times of emergency.
Other complaints by Members were on the lack of access routes in some parts of some cities for fire tenders in emergency situations. The House also took the Road Traffic Amendment Bill, which seeks to reduce the number of penalty units for each motor traffic offence to 10 per cent of the penalty specified in the Road Traffic Act, Act 683 of 2004, through the second reading, at which the principles of the Bill were debated.
The National Pension Reform Bill, which is to provide for pension reforms in the country by the introduction of a contributory three-tier system, was also read for the second time, and the House continued the debate on the third reading on the Anti-Terrorism Bill. Aside the laying of 19 papers relating to the mining sector, papers on five credit facility agreements were also laid before the House by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu.
They are: Credit Facility Agreement between the Government of Ghana and the US EXIM Bank for an amount of US$357,773,500 for the financing of the Self Help Electrification Programme, and Credit Facility Agreement between the Government of Ghana and Caylon Credit Agricole Bank of France for an amount of 85 million Euro for the Network Expansion and Loss Reduction Project of the Electricity Company of Ghana.
The third paper was a loan facility between the Governments of Ghana and Austria through Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG for an amount of 7,650,000 Euros for the construction and equipping of five polyclinics in Karaga, Kpandai, Tatale, Janya and Chereponi, all in the Northern Region of Ghana.
The other two agreements were: Medium Term Loan Facility between the Government of Ghana and the Fidelity Bank for an amount of Us$7,000,000 to finance the procurement of standardised operational vehicles for the security agencies, and a Credit Finance Facility between the Government of Ghana and Goldman Sachs International, UK, for an amount of US1 billion to finance priority road infrastructure projects countrywide.
Source:
GNA
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Avoid selling fake products - Retailers told
Accra, July 17, GNA - Retailers should always put the interest of consumers first when faced with the temptation of accepting to sell fake products. "Whenever you decide to sell unwholesome products, you do nothing but put the health of your buyers in jeopardy," said Mr. Kofi Esuman, Quality, Safety and Health Manager of Unilever Ghana Limited. Speaking at a sensitization programme for retailers of Unilever products on Thursday, he cautioned retailers to be always alert and learn to differentiate between the products of Unilever and imitated ones.
"Nowadays, you will find a lot of imitated products of Unilever on the market and you need to be knowledgeable to be able to differentiate," he emphasized. He noted that, although fake goods came with low pricing, their health implications on the consumer were enormous.
Mr. Esuman called on both retailers and consumers alike to always report people who approached them for the sale of fake or unwholesome goods. He said very soon Unilever Ghana would embark on a programme to clear the market of all its imitated goods with no compensation to their sellers. He advised retailers and consumers to call toll-free number 080020030 to report people who would approach them with fake products for the necessary action to be taken against them.
Mrs Jennifer Bonah, an official of the Food and Drugs Board, said the Board had noted that a lot of fake products which found their way unto the markets were manufactured in Asian countries, especially China, and they came with low prices. She advised consumers to always buy from places they could trace when the need arose. Mrs Bonah noted that although some fake drugs were able to cure diseases their long term effects could not be ruled out.
Source:
GNA
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Rawlings Pays Last Respect to Aboagye Agyei II
Ejisu (Ash), July 16, GNA- Former President Jerry John Rawlings has paid his last respect to the late Paramount Chief of Ejisu Traditional Council, Nana Aboagye Agyei II, who was laid in state on Wednesday at his Palace in Ashanti.
The Former President was welcomed with wild cheers as he arrived at the Ejisu Township where thousands of mourners had thronged the Palace situated right in the middle of the township.
The Chief passed away in June this year at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), in Kumasi after a short illness.
Known in private life as Bob Anane Aboagye Agyei, he was a Lawyer by profession and was enstoolled as the Paramount Chief of Ejisu in 1993. Signing the book of condolence, former President Rawlings described the late Nana Aboagye Agyei as someone who stood for the truth and worked hard for peace in the country.
He said the late Chief was a pillar of the country's democracy. The former President, who was accompanied by some of the Ashanti Regional NDC executives, presented drinks and cash of GH¢1,000 towards the burial of the Chief.
Receiving the items on behalf of the Ejisu Traditional Council, Nana Bobie Ansah II, Bonwire Chief, who is the acting President of the Ejisu Traditional Council, commended the former President and his entourage for the homage and support they showed towards the burial of the late Chief. He also commended the NDC regime which allowed the late chief to serve the country as a member of the Council of State from 1997 to 2001.
Source:
GNA
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Police arrest Accra-based armed robbery gang operating in Kumasi
Kumasi, July 16, GNA- The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested four members of an Accra-based syndicate robbery group believed to be terrorizing Kumasi residents in the past few weeks. The group members, including a woman, residing in Accra suburbs such as Nima, New Town and Maamobi were suspected to have committed ten robberies between May 23 and June 27 this year.
This was disclosed at a press briefing by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Mr. Bright Oduro, out-going Crime Officer and the Deputy Commander of the Command in Kumasi on Wednesday. He noted that the gang, usually armed with action pump guns and cutlasses, among other deadly weapons, mostly snatched taxi cabs, robbed their victims, abandoned the vehicles and fled to Accra for sometime and the re-surfaced in Kumasi.
Sadat Mohammed 23, Abdullai Adamu alias Awudu 23, Rashid Nuru 21 and Kwame Appiah 20, as well as Mayi alias Burger, gang leader who is at large and Agnes Esiam alias Hajia, the suspected supplier of the weapons, were linked to robberies in Kumasi, Bekwai, Ejisu and Nkawkaw during the period.
During interrogation, they mentioned Ramani and Hamani also living in Accra as their accomplices, now at large, adding that, they robbed their victims of their valuables and cash of over GH¢20,000. The Police have therefore appealed to the public to give any information concerning those on the run for a GH¢2,000 reward as well as surrender any of the items in their custody.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr. Ayesu Opare-Addo, the new Regional Police Commander who later interacted with the media congratulated the media for promoting the work of the Police Service. He promised to work tirelessly and in collaboration with the media to ensure the safety of the public. However, DCOP Opare-Addo urged the media not to criticize destructively, saying they should be objective thereby ensuring productive reportage.
Source:
GNA
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64 die in road accidents during campaigns in UW since 1999
Wa, July 15, GNA - The Upper West Region recorded a total of 253 motor accidents during political party campaigns between 1999 and 2004. Mr Mohammed Mumuni, Road Education Officer of the Upper West branch of Road Safety Commission who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Wa on Tuesday said numerous cars and motorbikes were also damaged as a result.
He said 78 of the accidents were recorded in 1999 with 22 deaths, 103 accidents with 18 deaths in 2000 and 72 accidents with 24 deaths in 2004. Mr Mumuni attributed the high rate of political party campaign accidents to overloading, speeding and general indiscipline on the part of drivers
during such occasions. He therefore appealed to various political parties that have come out with a campaign code with the Commission to strictly adhere to the tenets of the code to avoid the recurrence of such accidents in the region. The Education Officer said his outfit, in addition to a public forum organised to sensitize the public in the dangers of accidents also periodically organize educational programmes on the local FM stations in the region. He said sensitization programmes aimed at reducing road accidents have also been organized for motorbike mechanics and their apprentices who usually ride carelessly during public programmes, including political party campaigns.
Mr. Mumuni expressed the hope that road accidents during this year's political party campaigns would be reduced due mainly to the high level of awareness created among he riding and driving public. "It is more dangerous with people who ride motorbikes without crash helmets and we hope that, with these educational programmes we are carrying out nothing nasty will be recorded this year," he assured.
Source:
GNA
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Kufuor’s ¢15 Billion Medal Company On The Run…Company Has Faceless Owners
The Enquirer’s investigations have revealed that the company which the Presidency awarded a whopping $1.4 million contract to supply medals without tender is not just a phony budding company but an offshore company who owners are by law kept secret. Details of shareholders and directors are by law not to be revealed to anyone, not even government of Ghana unless by an order of a court in a criminal investigation.
Cleave & Company International Limited, the company which supplied the medals though is registered as an offshore company in The Bahamas, operates from a small office in Jersey, Channel Islands which is also an offshore center in United Kingdom.
The only visible employees of Cleave & company International Limited at their offshore base in Jersey is a lying secretary and a dodgy one-man manger called Steve ‘Gonnry’.
The Bahamas registered Cleave & Company International Limited from which the Presidency purchased he jewelry is connect to another off-shore British Company known as Cleave & Company Limited. The two companies owned by the same faceless individuals were all registered in the year 2001.
On paper, the two companies Cleave & Company International Limited and Cleave Company limited have two separate office addresses and are supposedly managed by different people, but when The Enquirer’s undercover investigators phone the two separate companies from their different phone numbers, they all went to one evasive man called Steve “Gonnry”.
When The Enquirer phone Cleave & Company International Limited yesterday, a huge drama unfolded when investigators told the secretary that we were doing trade enquiries about the possibility of doing the business with them. The Secretary connected undercover investigators to one Steve Gonnry.
When Steve was asked whether Cleave & Company International Limited was an offshore company in the Bahamas operating in the UK, he answered that it was an International Company.
When he was asked whether they were operating in the Channel Island as an offshore company, Steve immediately began saying that the line is not very clear and terminated the call.
Within seconds when The Enquirer undercover called back, the same secretary who picked the call earlier now said, that within that second when the number was redialed, the secretary now said she was not the one who answered the call.
When she was told we were just on the phone with one Steve, seconds earlier she asked The Enquirer undercover to hold on and returned within seconds to announce that Steve, whom we were speaking to seconds earlier was not available to answer any further trade enquiries and suggested that Steve had vanished from the office within the same seconds.
The lying Secretary then told The Enquirer that nobody could answer any trade enquiries except Steve who had sneaked out of the office with the speed of wind just because of one question.
The Enquirer who already knew that Cleave & Company International Limited is connected to another British offshore company called Cleave & Company Ltd and operated by the same gang telephoned the company on their number which is different from the number of Cleave & Company International Ltd.
To the Surprise of undercover investigators, the same Steve Gonnry who had vanished from the phone line of Cleave & Company International Limited because of a question was the one who answered the call.
When The Enquirer undercover mentioned his name on the phone, Steve appeared frozen on the line and attempted to evade questioning by saying that he was not prepared to answer questions on Cleave & Company International Limited because he did not work for them.
The Enquirer persisted and told dodgy Steve that they already knew that Cleave & Company UK and Cleave & Company International Limited – Bahamas, were connected and so he could not claim not to be working for Cleave & Company International Limited when he had earlier answered the phone as a manager of Cleave & company International Limited.
The following are the excepts of the phone conversation.
ENQUIRER VRS. STEVE
Enquirer: Hello is that Cleave & Company
Steve: Yes please yes
Steve: My name is Steve Gonnry
Enquirer: Is Cleave & Company International Limited a subsidiary of British Group Cleave & Company Ltd.
Steve: Why do you ask
Enquirer: Because I know you are connected to Cleave Company Ltd UK under a string of offshore arrangement.
Steve: That’s correct
Enquirer: So am asking if Cleave & Company international Limited is a subsidiary of Cleave and Company UK.
Steve: No its not a subsidiary it’s a separate company.
Enquirer: So Cleave & Company International Ltd is the one registered in The Bahamas.
Steve: yes, it’s an International Company in Jersey UK.
Enquirer: Yes it’s based in Jersey but it is registered in The Bahamas?
Steve: Why do you ask?
Enquirer: Am doing a trade enquiry for a client and I what to know whether it’s the same company registered in The Bahamas.
Steve: yes it is
Enquirer: How long has Cleave & Company been in existence?
Steve: Why do you ask because there has been a lot of hassle today so I am here by own so unless you give me a reason why you want to know
Enquirer: Yes I want to know about your track record
Steve: We have been going since 2001
Enquirer: So how does Cleave & Company International Ltd and Cleave Company Ltd operate.
Steve: hangs up the phone and vanishes
Enquirer: The answer is that Cleave & Company International Ltd and Cleave & Company Ltd are all offshore companies run by a gang of faceless businessmen who use a complicated web to do their business in a manner that no one gets to know who they are.
Who Is Cleave Company Ltd:
Cleave & Company Ltd is a private limited Liability company established on 25/07/2001 in the United Kingdom whilst Cleave & Company International was established in The Bahamas in the Caribbean.
The objects of the company is manufacture of jewelry. As at 2001, the original name of the company was J.R. GAUNT & SON LIMITED. By 24/07/2004, the entire list of members and Directors were changed.
Source:
The Enquirer
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Nigerians & Malian Register As Ghanaians
Maliens and Nigeriens who have been offered the hospitable shoulder by the nation and its citizenry to perch on momentarily have wormed their way into registering massively at Kasoa in the Central region when the state set in motion the National Identification Registration exercise.
Last week THE SUN had to challenge a number of them who had queued up at Kasoa with their identifiable dressing of veils and turbans wrapped across their faces in over-flowing traditional wears akin to people of those countries. One registration official whom THE SUN queried said he initially protested the eligibility of the apparently ‘un-Ghanaian’ group to register but a bunch of macho youths popped up from the neighbouring Opeikuma vicinity to intimidate him and rain insults in a scary scene and so had to give in to registering them.
It will be recalled that the state elected to begin the registration exercise from the Central region only a few weeks ago and minus any check and supervision whatsoever, these crop of people from neighbouring West African countries fleeing economic hardships, have taken advantage of it to register en mass, even though they can hardly speak one local dialect of the many languages in the country.
One political pundit THE SUN spoke to expressed fear that it was possible for these people to register as voters when the voters’ registration exercise begins yet again, in which case one political party or the other may want to exploit the whole bunch of them to determine which Party emerges victorious in the upcoming general elections.
Source:
THE SUN
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NDC will be selfless - Mahama
Sankore (B/A) July 16, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Wednesday said its ministers would be selfless in dealing with the people and would set its priorities right. Mr. John Dramani Mahama, Running Mate of Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Flagbearer of the NDC said at Sankore in Brong Ahafo Region that, selflessness would be giving meaning to the party's philosophy of social democracy.
Mr. Mahama who is on a 10-day tour of the region said the NDC would always be reminded of what Prof. Mills had said that "the comfort of leadership must be subordinated to the welfare of the people". This was the core message of Mr. Mahama when he addressed mini rallies at Sankore, Acherensua, Atronie, Kenyasi One and Two, Goaso and Hwidiem.
He said the NDC would not do anything that would mar this year's elections "because we are winning and it is only those who are staring at defeat who would want the disruption of the election. "As we have always maintained, we would not condemn the NPP government for doing nothing, as they had condemn the NDC government for doing nothing.
"The NDC would not abrogate or cancel the National Health Insurance Scheme, the National Youth Employment Programme, School Feeding Programme but would review and expand them, so that the problems that the policies are going through would be avoided". Mr. Mahama said the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) was a constitutional obligation that every government had to undertake and the NDC would make the FCUBE absolutely free and that anything that is supposed to be free must be so.
He said the NHIS was "stinking" because it was engulfed in corruption and that the district health insurance scheme was in confusion as it seemed treating a patient from one district in another district was a problem.
"If the NPP had listened to us during the debate on the national health insurance policy, the scheme would not have found it self in a mess and that was why the NDC begun the project on a pilot basis so that it could be replicated nationally without any hiccups". Mr Mahama said for Mr. Samuel Odoi Sikes, former NPP National Chairman, to have said that this year's elections would be tough was an indication of NPP's failure, and that if the NPP had delivered on all the promises it made to Ghanaians there would be need for tough elections.
Mr. Mahama appealed to the electorate to ensure that this year's elections would be conducted in a peaceful atmosphere to ensure the nation's accelerated development.
Those accompanying Mr. Mahama on the trip are Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, National Organiser and Ms. Hanna Tetteh, Communications Director.
Mr. Mahama also introduced the parliamentary candidates of the various constituencies to the people and urged them to vote for them and Prof. Mills.
Source:
GNA
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PURC educate students on water, energy conservation
Tamale, July 16, GNA- The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), on Tuesday held a forum to educate students in the Tamale Metropolis on its functions and the conservation of water and energy, in Tamale.
The forum which was dubbed "Catch them young" was meant to instill in the youth the culture of conserving energy and water resources to sustain the utility companies and to reduce high bills charged on the utilities.
Mr. Abukari Jabari, Northern Regional Manager of the PURC, cautioned students against leaving taps opened after fetching water and also using electricity gadgets which consumed high voltages of energy in their dormitories.
He explained to the students that water and electricity they used in school was not free as their parents indirectly paid for them through payment of taxes.
Mr. Jabari who is also responsible for the Upper East and West Regions asked the students to educate their parents on the need to conserve energy and water and to make complains to the PURC if they had problems with issues concerning utilities.
Mr. Dan Afropong, Consumer Services Manager of the PURC, said the country faced intermittent energy problems partly because many Ghanaians did not have the culture of energy conservation. He said it was in this light that PURC organised the forum to educate the students to enable them to appreciate the culture of energy and environmental conservation.
Mr. Afropong said the PURC was among other things responsible for the fixing of tariffs, monitoring and setting of bench-makers for the utility companies. He said the PURC provides protection for consumers as well as a platform for making complains.
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GNA
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High patronage of junk food is major cause of illnesses
Kumasi, July 15, GNA - Mr. Samuel Adjei, Director of the Kumasi Centre for National Culture (CNC), says there is high incidence of non-communicable diseases in the country of late, partly due to high patronage of foreign junk food by many Ghanaians. He said cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and diabetes which were non-prevalent decades ago, were now taking a high toll on the working class.
Mr. Adjei said this in his opening remarks at the launch of local meals preparation course organized for students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Department of Culture and Tourism. The students who constituted the first batch to offer the newly introduced course, learnt the preparation of local meals such as 'Aprapransa', 'Tuo-Zaafi', 'Nuhu', 'Akapinkyi', 'Abunabunu' and 'Apem apisie,' as well as traditional snacks including 'Ogor' (roasted mashed cocoyam), 'Mpotompoto', 'Mpusuo' and 'Nfohon'.
Mr Adjei noted that local dishes were of a higher nutritional value because they did not contain much oil or over-cooked as compared to some continental menu.
He said natural spices such as ginger, black pepper and garlic, were used in their fresh state unlike some continental food that was prepared mostly with canned ingredients. Nana Sarfo Kantanka, Deputy Director of Performing Arts at the CNC, who organized the programme, said the course was introduced to promote local delicacies.
He called on schools offering home economics to teach the students how to prepare local dishes.
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GNA
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Former Speaker Ala Adjetey dies
Accra, July 15, GNA - Former Speaker of Parliament Peter Ala Adjetey is dead.
He passed away on Tuesday morning, according to sources close to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which he led as National Chairman from 1995-98.
Mr Adjetey, a celebrated lawyer and politician, was born in Accra on August 11, 1931 and he was the second Speaker of the Fourth Republic from January 2001-January 2005, after the late Mr Justice Daniel Francis Annan.
He was last seen in public on July three where he was among more than 200 people who were decorated with national honours. Mr Adjetey obtained his basic education at St. Paul's School at La, in Accra and Accra Bishop Boys' School. He had his secondary education at Accra Academy.
He proceeded to the University College of the Gold Coast, now the University of Ghana, where he obtained the University of London intermediate Bachelor of Arts degree in 1954.
Mr Adjetey, 76, proceeded to the United Kingdom where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from University of Nottingham in 1958. He was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in London in 1959 and returned to Ghana in the same year where he was also called to the bar. From 1959 to 1962, Mr Adjetey worked as a Law Officer with the Attorney General's Department.
He was a part-time lecturer at the Institute of Adult Education, University of Ghana, between 1960 and 1962. Mr Adjetey was also a part-time lecturer at the Ghana School of Law between 1964 and 1968.
He also served on numerous boards at various times including membership of the Judicial Council of Ghana from 1984 to 1989. He was the President of the Ghana Bar Association between 1985 and 1989. Mr Adjetey was the Member of Parliament for Kpeshie in Accra in the Third Republic (1979-1981) and also the leader of the United National Convention Parliamentary group during the same period.
In 1995, he became Chairman of the (NPP), a position he held until 1998. He was appointed the President of the African Bar Association in 2000.
Mr Adjetey was replaced as Speaker in 2005 by Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes when the NPP did not put him up for a second term but the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) supported his candidacy. Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Majority Leader, nominated Mr Sekyi Hughes, Member of the Council of State, as the Speaker, while Mr Alban Bagbin, Minority Leader, nominated Mr Adjetey.
Mr Sekyi Hughes polled 134 votes against 96 by Mr Adjetey.
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GNA
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Ala Adjetey was third most powerful person for four years
Accra, July 15, GNA - Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, former Speaker of Parliament who passed away on Tuesday morning, was the third most powerful person in Ghana for four years between January 7, 2001 and January 7, 2005.
As the first officer of the House, he acted on one occasion as President of the Republic when President John Agyekum Kufuor and Alhaji Aliu Mahama were out of the country.
The Office of Speaker was first created in Ghana, then the Gold Coast, in 1949 when the Governor ceased to be ex-officio President of the Legislative Council.
The Speaker ranks third in the official order of precedence after the President and Vice-President. The following have held the Office of Speakers of Parliament.
First Republic:
Sir Emmanuel Charles Quist, Kt., OBE- Mar 1951- Dec 1957
Justice Augustus Molade Akiwumi - Feb 1958 - June 1960
Joseph Richard Asiedu - July 1960 - June 1965
Kofi Asante Ofori-Atta - June 10, 1965 - Feb 22, 1966
Second Republic
Justice Nii Amaa Ollenu - Oct 1969 - Dec 1971
Third Republic
Justice Jacob Hackenburg Griffiths-Randolph - Sept 24, 1979 - Dec. 1981
Fourth Republic
Justice Daniel Francis Annan - Jan 7, 1993 - 1996
Justice Daniel Francis Annan - re-elected in 1997 for another four years Peter Ala Adjetey - 2001-2005
Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes - 2005-
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GNA
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Upper West police impound 5,999.500 grams of cannabis
Tamale, July 15, GNA- The Upper West Regional Police Command has impounded over 5,999.500 grams of leaves suspected to be cannabis supposedly coming from the Brong Ahafo Region to Upper West region. Mr. Augustine Gyenning, the Upper West Regional Police Commander, who disclosed this, said the leaves were meant for drug dealers who only used trade marks such as LM, DSC, TKM, M3, YB, DOK, AB, KO, TKM, MARK, RB, ABA, RC, KYO, DJ, ZZZ, SI, ENK, KKK, HD and DS.
He was speaking at a joint security meeting of regional and district police commanders from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions in Tamale on Monday to deliberate on security issues, the 2008 Election, traffic management and matters affecting the police personnel. Mr. Gyenning said the drugs were sent mostly to Burkina Faso by road and bush paths that lead to the banks of the Black Volta and then ferried across to that country.
He said spots in the regional and district capitals, where the drugs were being peddled, had been identified and the police were gathering information for the appropriate action.
Mr Gyenning said police patrols, snap checks and swoops on suspected drug dealers would be intensified. He said there was collaboration between the regional police command and the various transport unions to expose drug dealers. Mr Gyenning said, however, it was difficult for the police to obtain concrete evidence for the prosecution of suspected drug dealers. He appealed for funds and logistics to assist the police to get accurate information about the drug dealers.
Mr. Gyenning said other crimes mostly committed in the region were highway robberies and cattle rustling mainly by Fulani herdsman operating in the bush within Ghana and across the Burkina border and small pockets of gangsters who operate in towns.
On traffic management, he said although the region did not experience vehicular congestion some motorbike riders failed to wear crash helmet while riding.
Source:
GNA
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Two people die and 12 others injured in an accident at Awutu Berako
Awutu Berako(CR), July 14, GNA - An Akim Oda-Accra bound Mercedes Benz Bus knocked down two pedestrians killing them instantly at Awutu Berako in Awutu-Senya District in the Central Region on Monday morning.
The deceased are Opanyin Botwe 52, from Senya Berako and Madam Effuah Aboba 80, from Gomoa Feethe Kakraba. The injured included a 21-year-old Wakye seller, Melia Mensah who was rushed to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, five them to Winneba Government Hospital and six others treated and discharged at the Awutu Berako Health Centre.
Police Inspector John Anakwah, in-charge of Awutu Police Station, told Ghana News Agency at Awutu Berako that the accident occurred at about 0700 hours.
He said Mr Hayford Gyimah, driver of the vehicle with registration number GR 3102 U attempted to save Opanyin Botwe who was crossing the road but was knocked down and died instantly.
Police Inspector Anakwah said during the process the vehicle veered off its lane and hit Madam Aboba who was walking on the pedestrian side of the road killing her instantly and later Melia who was selling "Wakye" at the Awutu Berako lorry station.
He said the vehicle did not stop but crashed into a stationary taxi cab before injuring eleven people at the station. Police Inspector Anakwah said the corpses had been deposited at Winneba Government Hospital mortuary for autopsy and the police were investigating cause of the accident.
He appealed to drivers to be careful on the Winneba Junction-Kasoa road to avoid road accidents.
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GNA
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NPP Pulls Record Crowd
THE CROWD was like the sea at the Kasoa Old Park yesterday when President J. A. Kufuor told Ghanaians to vote for Nana Akufo-Addo, flag-bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as the next President of Ghana, a move which many people consider a technical-dress-rehearsal of the President’s handing-over ceremony on January 7, 2009.
President Kufuor himself was taken aback, and confessed that never before had he seen such a large number of people at a single political event in his forty-years of political career.
When Nana Addo arrived at the rally grounds at exactly a quarter after 4 pm, the enthusiastic crowd went into a type of ecstatic frenzy, almost impossible to be aptly described in cold print.
The already charged atmosphere became electrified when Nana Addo briefly did the Kangaroo dance by raising both hands mid-air and pushing them back and forth rhythmically to Philipa Baafi’s ‘Go High’ song; a Christian praise song which had been adopted as the official NPP campaign song for the December polls.
They seemed oblivious of the scorching sun and stood beneath the open skies, with hands raised skywards as they danced, screamed their heads off and cheered the various speakers.
Their passionate support for their party was undisputable. Every activity in and around Kasoa had come to a halt as food vendors and petty traders made brisk business; and every single pole all the way from the rally ground in the Central Region to Obetsebi-Lamptey Circle in the Greater Accra Region was decorated with NPP flags.
Vehicular movement on the Kasoa-Accra dual-carriage asphalt road almost came to a stand-still as drivers slowly accelerated their vehicles bumper to bumper.
A significant beauty about the spectacle was the fact that the crowd displayed signs of love and unity: some bought sachet water and shared among themselves, others bought biscuits and shared to anyone interested, and there were many of such gestures.
Source:
Daily Guide
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NDC expresses concern about impact of ID registration
Accra, July 14, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it is deeply concerned about the negative impact of the ongoing citizens identification registration programme by the National Identification Authority on the scheduled voter registration exercise to be undertaken concurrently by the National Electoral Commission (EC). A statement signed by Mr Jhnson Asiedu Nketiah, NDC General Secretary, said in accordance with the programme of activities earlier unveiled by the EC, the voter registration exercise should have commenced and been completed in May 2008.
The NDC, therefore, called on the EC to as a matter of urgency immediately announce the date of the commencement of revision of the voters' register.
The party also called on the ID Authority and the EC to synchronise their respective programmes in such a way as to avoid citizens confusing their activities to allow voter registration which is time bound to December 7 to be completed before resuming the citizens' identification programme. The NDC noted that the voter registration exercise was postponed due to certain logistical problems. "The Electoral Commission has assured the nation that as soon as the problems are resolved, the registration exercise would be undertaken and that the scheduled programme for the December 2008 elections would not be adversely affected.
"In spite of this assurance, no dates have as of now been announced and no preparations by way of advertisements and public sensitisation have commenced. It is clear therefore that the election scheduled of activities is in danger of running into difficulties of delay." The NDC said what was even "more disconcerting" was the parallel programme of the National Identification Authority, which had started in the Central Region.
"Having regard to the large illiterate population, the absence of adequate education and sensitisation of the people is likely to confuse the two programmes and easily lead to the mistaking of one for the other.
"In the event, the voter registration exercise which is time-bound to the December 7th poll and which has been preceded by the National ID is bound to suffer in patronage."
The NDC said the National ID programme also had the potential of deflecting attention and focus from the voter registration exercise with the consequence that people who were eligible to register may not become aware of the opening register when it did happen."
Source:
GNA
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Ghana, British police to collaborate to fight crimes
Accra, July 14, GNA- Mr Annan Cato, Ghana's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, last week initialled a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ghanaian and British Police to promote collaboration between the two security agencies to combat organized crime. In a short remark, Mr Cato said: "No country is an island of its own, therefore co-operation of this sort is of permanent interest to both Ghana and the UK."
A statement from the Ghana High Commission in London quoted Mr Cato as saying Ghana had had its share of organized crime in a sub-region bedevilled by instability and therefore would welcome any assistance from friendly nations to help combat it.
Mr Cato requested "walkie talkies" for the Ghana Police. The statement said Mr John Yates, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, signed on behalf of the British Police. The Memorandum is subject to review in 12 months.
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GNA
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British man in Ghana jail appeal
Accra, July 14, GNA - Thomas Allan Tichler, the 57-year-old Briton who was convicted for sexually assaulting the three-year-old daughter of his Ghanaian host, on Monday appeared before an Accra High Court to appeal against his conviction.
The grounds of his appeal are that the verdict of the Circuit Court was unreasonable and could not be supported having regard to the evidence available.
Tichler, a consultant was charged with causing harm and indecently assaulting the girl.
He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Mr Tony Lithur, counsel for Tichler, moving the motion, said the court in holding that the accused committed the offence contemporaneously with the carrying of the alleged victim on his shoulders, erred by substituting her case for that of the prosecution. Mr Lithur said the trial judge also erred in disregarding the medical evidence of Dr Emmanuel Sokpenyo, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, from the Ridge Hospital, which cast sufficient doubt on the prosecution's case regarding the cause of the victim's bleeding. He said the court failed to draw the proper inferences from the totality of the medical evidence adduced during the trial and that the immediate cause of the victim's bleeding was not supported by any medical evidence available during the trial. Counsel said the court failed to pay proper or sufficient regard to the numerous conflicts in the prosecution's case and thus relied heavily on the testimony of the victim.
Mr Lithur also said that the trial judge was wrong in saying that neither Kwabena, the house-boy, nor the workmen were present during the time the accused was in the house without the victim's mother and brother and that the workmen were not material witnesses. He further submitted that the court relied on the evidence of Detective Chief Inspector, Kwasi Atakpalai, the investigator on the case, in proof of the guilt of the accused when it was clear from the evidence that he could not have been present when the victim allegedly accused the appellant of the crime.
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GNA
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Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso expanded to prevent frequent spill over
Bagre (Burkina Faso), July 14, GNA - The Bagre Dam, in the Central East Province of Burkina Faso has been renovated and expanded to enable it take more water, and prevent frequent spillage that have for the past few years compounded the effects of floods in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
The height of the dam was increased by 1.5 metres and renovations done to strengthen its banks, at a cost of 18 Million Dollars, provided by the French Aid for International Development.
Mr. Issaka Maiga, Burkinabe Minister of Agriculture, who at the weekend jointly commissioned the Dam with the French Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Mr. Francois Goldblatt at Bagre, said the Dam irrigated 30,000 hectares of land and contributed much to agriculture, covering crop, animal husbandry and fishing.
He said irrigation farming had engaged most of the populace in the area and given young people meaningful employment that is keeping them off the streets. He explained that the Dam, built in 1994 had been renovated earlier at the cost of 33 million Dollars, but further works needed to be done to increase its capacity and limit spillage that was having adverse effects on Ghana.
Animal husbandry was an important industry in Burkina Faso and various crops besides the main tropical staples were doing well under irrigation and the country was exporting various fruits and foods including straw berry, mango, citrus fruits, vegetables and French potatoes.
Mr. Goldblatt said his country took special interest in the Dam because of its contribution to agriculture, electricity and the great potential it has to promote development in the country. The Bagre Dam presently provided 10 per cent of the Burkina Faso's electricity needs, Mr. Siengui Apollinaire, Director of Generation and Transmission said.
Mr. Alhassan Samari, Upper East Regional Minister who led the Ghanaian delegation to the ceremony, noted that even though the Dam was in Burkina Faso, it was very important to Ghana as it was built on the Volta River which runs through Ghana. He said, "The Volta River especially the White Volta is like blood coursing through the veins of the bodies of our two countries, Ghana and Burkina Faso.
"A person with insufficient or bad blood is but a few steps away from the grave. In the same way the waters of this river are so vital to the economies and prosperity of the people of our two countries and we must do all we can to ensure sufficient and clean water at all times.
"The things that sustain our lives should not be toyed with or taken for granted",
Mr Samari said.
He told the people of Burkina Faso that Ghana appreciated the good care they were taking of the Dam and River, as it served both Countries and the benefits would equally trickle down to the Upper East Region in Ghana.
"My strong conviction is that from our previous experiences and what we are witnessing today, we in the two countries shall continue to reap the benefits of the White Volta for many generations,"
he noted.
Ghana and Burkina Faso already have an agreement on the creation, composition, responsibility and cooperation of the Trans boundary Committee for the effective management of the resources of the White Volta Basin.
Source:
GNA
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Ghana signs 2007 International Coffee Agreement
Accra, July 14, GNA - Ghana's High Commissioner to the UK and Ireland, Mr. Annan Cato last Friday signed the 2007 International Coffee Agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana at the London headquarters of the International Coffee Organisation.
The new International Coffee Agreement which was adopted by a resolution of the International Coffee Council on September 28, 2007 at its 98th Session in London was submitted to the Ghana Cocoa Board as a designated contact for Government for submission to Cabinet and Parliament for study and ratification, a statement from the Ghana High Commission in London said.
The International Coffee Organisation (ICO) was set up in London in 1963 under the auspices of the United Nations because of the economic importance of coffee.
It has a membership of 77 countries including Ghana and consists of 45 exporting and 32 importing countries and functions through the International Coffee Council, the Executive Board, Private Sector Consultative Board, the Executive Director and a Secretariat. It is one of the world's largest traded commodities produced in more than 60 countries providing a livelihood for some 25 million people.
ICO is the main intergovernmental organisation for coffee, bringing together producing and consuming countries to tackle the challenges facing the world coffee sector through international cooperation.
Ghana first acceded to the International Coffee Agreement on 9th September 1964 and has been a signatory to all the Agreements with Ghana Cocoa Board as the implementing agency for the Government of Ghana. Even though Ghana produces only a fraction of the world's coffee output, the Ghana Cocoa Board is responsible for Ghana's coffee industry and is represented at International Coffee Meetings by the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Company (UK).
The statement said coffee exports in Ghana reached their highest level in 1997/1998 with an export of 10,000 metric tonnes. Since then, there has been a gradual decline in exports due to the slump in world market prices, poor pricing policy and lack of Government support.
The decline is also due to poor yields being encountered by farmers and unsatisfactory farm management, with the major factor being poor planting materials.
The Cocoa Research Institute at Tafo has said breeding attempts being made to help rectify the situation include the development of high yielding robusta and arabusta coffee.
The arabusta programme is mainly to improve the quality of our coffee. So far some robusta selections have been made which give about three tons per hectare, which is a significant improvement over the local robusta, which gives 0.8 tons per hectare under similar conditions.
The statement said to revamp the industry, Government, through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, had directed the Ghana Cocoa Board to draw up effective strategies, including the provision of incentives to farmers to rehabilitate old farms and establish new ones.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Mr Jose Dauster Sette, Head of Operations of the ICO and Edem Amegashie-Duvon, London Manager of Cocoa Marketing Company.
Source:
GNA
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Bawku Naba calls for peace in Bawku
Bawku (U/E), July 14, GNA - The Paramount Chief of the Bawku Traditional Area, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II at the weekend called on his subjects to halt all hostilities in the area to maintain the current peace and stability.
He warned especially Kusasis not to avenge the death of their relatives but to report all forms of attacks to the law enforcement agencies.
He said Kusasis by nature were not bloodthirsty people and explained that the age-old tradition was that where one mistakenly killed a fellow human being, the land was pacified and the relatives reconciled for life to continue.
The Bawku Naba said this at a meeting with his Divisional and Sub-Chiefs to inform them about the outcome of his recent meeting with President J.A. Kufuor in Accra.
He further urged his subjects to allow anybody no matter who they were, wishing to cultivate their farmlands to do so without any hindrance, as there could be a food shortage in the area if some people were not given the chance to farm.
Naba Azoka told his chiefs that President Kufuor recognised him as the only legitimate paramount chief in the Bawku area and held him accountable for the instability in his traditional area. He told them that President Kufuor urged him as a matter of urgency to find a lasting solution to the protracted conflict between Kusasis and Mamprusis in the Bawku Municipality. According to the Bawku Naba, he also honestly told President Kufuor that he had tried several times to get the other side to come to terms to bring lasting peace to the area and that he was not responsible for the regeneration of the conflict.
He said he appealed to President Kufuor, to prevail on the Paramount Chief of Mamprugu Traditional Area, Nayiri Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai to stay out of the Bawku chieftaincy affairs and he obliged. He said he had declined the Nayiri's request to be allowed to travel to the Naa Gbewaa Shrine at Pusiga to offer sacrifice because none of the three Nayiris he had seen and known had ever offered any such sacrifice at the Naa Gbewaa Shrine to pacify the Chief Ancestor of the North.
All the Chiefs agreed in principle to observe, maintain and work to sustain the peace.
The Military Officer in charge of peacekeeping in the area, Lt. Col. Awuah Mantey warned the people against hiding behind the conflict to pursue selfish interests and said Bawku was not a war zone and so the laws of the country would be applied. He said anybody found guilty of any crime would be culpable and the necessary legal action taken against such offenders; "vengeance should not come from you, leave it to the law," he added.
He reiterated the need to allow farmers to go about their farming activities and the need for the people to burry their differences so that they could enjoy the implementation of development projects meant for the area. The conflict in Bawku has resulted in the loss of many lives and destruction property running into millions of cedis. Currently the Regional Security Council in consultation with Ministry of the Interior has revised the dusk to dawn curfew hours imposed on the area from 1800 hours to 0600 hours.
Source:
GNA
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Govt Pushes Draconian Law To Parliament
A dangerous scepter is being visited on the political landscape in Ghana by the NPP government. It is the ugly scepter of intolerance, which is resulting in the restriction of political space for the enjoyment of freedom and human rights. We are already witnessing the disturbing situation whereby the NPP government is hiding under the rule of law to systematically victimize its political opponents.
The introduction of a bill on anti-terrorism is meant to provide the NPP government with yet another power to get at political opponents and other ordinary people who may be exercising their inalienable right to free expression and basic human rights.In an era of global insecurity, it is necessary to introduce measures and laws meant to effectively combat the scourge of terrorism. However it becomes difficult to support a law, which by its design, is intended to restrict the rights of people in an unreasonable manner.
The introduction by the NPP government of an Anti-Terrorism Bill would have been welcome except that by the way in which they have defined terrorism, they have deliberately dragged in extraneous issues and have sought to criminalize persons or groups of persons who may have genuine reasons to protest against acts of injustice that they genuinely feel are being perpetrated against them. I am concerned that the definition of terrorism in the current bill is an attempt to blur the distinction between terrorism and the legitimate struggles of people facing an oppressive and vindictive government, or even those that may be fighting against foreign occupation.
The memorandum to the Anti-Terrorism Bill relies on the Un Security Council resolution 1373 for legitimacy. However, it is clear that UN Security Council by is clear that UN Security Council by its various resolutions restrict the definition of terrorism to: “Criminal acts, including against civilians, committed with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury, or taking of hostages, with the purpose to provoke a state of terror in the general public or in a group of person or particular persons, intimidate a population or compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act.”
Public demonstration and protest marches cannot, in any genuine democracy, be classified as criminal acts even if in the process, they may occasionally result in unplanned skirmishes. When then does the NPP government include demonstrations including, stoppages by workers fighting for improved working conditions, as acts of terrorism? The answer is simple: it is part and parcel of the NPP attempt to narrow the social and political space for the exercise of democracy and human rights. If the NPP government’s definition of a demonstration is accepted, the December 2007 “Yewuo” demonstration in Accra, and the January 2008 “Blrukiti” demonstration in Tamale against economic hardships could be classified as acts of terrorism.
Looking at the NPP definition of terrorism, any genuine demonstration by the people of Dagbon to express their concerns about the government’s cover-up of the murder of the late Ya-Na and forty of this people could be classified as acts of terrorism. Again, if in the face of the overwhelming pollution of the rivers, streams and land areas in the Kenyasi No. 2 areas by a mining company, the people of Kenyasi NO. 2 should decide to embark on a public demonstration to protest against them, and if in the process an agent-provocateur throws a stone at a vehicle owned by the mining company, the people who organized the demonstration could be charged with terrorism and be imprisoned for 25 years.
Taking account of the fact that the NPP government and its supporters have always used the Preventive Detention Act as justification for the overthrown of the Kwame Nkrumah government in 1966, it smacks of hypocrisy and double standards that the same people should now be passing such a draconian law, which to all intents and purposes extends beyond the limits of the Preventive Detention Act.
It is an undeniable fact that as the days have gone by, the NPP government without any clue as to how to resolve community conflicts has become increasingly militarist in its approach to resolving disagreements. We are all witnesses to the gruesome manner in which Issa Mobila was allowed to be murdered by soldiers with o questions asked. We have seen how the NPP government allows police officers to shoot suspects (and sometimes innocent people) at will. More recently, we witnessed the unjustified murder of two people during a demonstration in Ashiaman. To top it all, we have heard of the actions by the soldiers at 37 Military Hospitals to force suspected traffic offenders to fondle the breasts of dead women or cuddle dead children. Some of the suspects have reported that they were locked up in the hospital’s mortuary deep-freezers along with dead bodies.
To proceed from these and add people who may be genuinely protesting against injustice, or attempting to draw public attention to issues, as criminals, is to say the least, taking us further along the slippery road to intolerance and tyranny. If we do not take care, we will be sleep-walking to a state of tyranny if the NPP government is allowed to criminalize the exercise of democratic rights. Unlike the period between the late 1950s and the mid 1960s when the forebears of the NPP (NLM and UP) were committing acts of terrorism in this country with their bomb throwing, all in pursuit of ethnic and political goals, this cannot be said about Ghana today.
Currently, what is happening in various parts of the country is that there are pockets of ethnic tension that need political commitment and effective strategies to resolve. Without the skill or political will to resolve these conflicts, the NPP is going to resort to “buga buga” methods which will enable them to throw people into prison for long periods without any commitment to resolving the core causes of those conflicts.
Source:
The Insight
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Many scramble for unwholesome contraband goods
Akpatoeme(V/R), July 14, GNA- Officials of the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) and Environmental Health Department at Aflao last Friday came under intense pressure from the public to temporary suspend the destruction of a large quantity of assorted unwholesome contraband goods at Akpatoeme near Penyi.
The destruction, however, took place at a remote location later. Inhabitants from the surrounding communities besieged the original destruction site at Akpatoeme and struggled among themselves and with the officials, in attempts to retrieve some of the goods, even from the blazing fire.
Some of the items destroyed were ivory, pornographic materials, pharmaceuticals, including Chinese made sex stimulants, alcoholic beverages, mosquito coils and sleek knives.
Others were medicated soap, cigarettes, un-matched shoes and sandals, paints and pirated compact discs (CDs). Mr. William Adzraku, Senior Collector of CEPS, who led the team, told the GNA that the Service has stepped up its operations to deal with increasing attempts at smuggling contraband goods into the country. He appealed to the border communities to avoid aiding the smugglers and assist with vital information towards safeguarding the country's interest and security.
Mr. John Ametepe, Chief Environmental Officer in charge of the Aflao border said the smuggling of unwholesome goods including pharmaceuticals into the country, needed to be checked thoroughly, in order to protect the health of the citizenry.
Source:
GNA
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Ghana and Burkina Faso to strengthen relationship
Tenkudogo (Burkina Faso), July 14, GNA - Mr Alhassan Samari, Upper East Regional Minister and Mr Simeon Sawadogo, Minister for Central East Region of Burkina Faso have reiterated plans to work as a team to develop their regions and strengthen the relationship between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
They said the two regions had so far been collaborating in agriculture, health, and trade and would strengthen the team work between them to tackle issues on Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, Immunization and Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM). The two Ministers were speaking at a meeting in Tenkudogo, capital town of Central East Region of Burkina Faso, at the weekend before the inauguration of Bagre Dam that had in the past contributed to flooding in the Upper East Region during a spillage.
They noted that but for the political barriers, people from the two Regions who spoke the same dialects and had similar traditions and cultures would not have had any differences living together. In trade and agriculture, movements across the two countries would be made easy by relaxing some immigration restrictions while farmers continue to organize to undertake exchange field trips to learn from each other, techniques that would help improve their farm yield and methods of storage.
While the two Ministers tried to communicate in the official languages of French and English, they had no problem conversing freely in the Moshie dialect.
The Bagre Dam provides 10 per cent of the electricity needs of Burkina Faso and is used extensively for irrigation, farming and livestock rearing. It was rehabilitated and expanded to increase its capacity and thereby reduce the need for spillage. Mr Samari was invited to the inauguration because of the friendly relationship between the two regions and Ghana's interest in the dam.
Source:
GNA
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