* Sunday, 20.12.2009

Tongo, (UE), Dec.20, GNA- Comic Relief, a United Kingdom Charity, is rolling out a pilot dubbed "Tackling Educational Needs Inclusively" (TENI) in all basic schools in the Talensi Nabdam District in Upper East, West Mamprusi District in Northern and Jirapa in the Upper West Regions. The five-year project started aimed at achieving retention , transition and performance rates of all school children in basic schools in the operational areas of the project and would be replicated in other parts of the three Northern Regions if successful.

Three Organizations are implementing the programme in the Talensi-Nabdam;

They are the Link Community Development (LCD), the lead Agency, Integrated Development Centre (ISODEC) both NGOs and the Directorate of the National Service Secretariat of the District. Speaking at a stakeholders meeting on the project in the Talensi-Nabdam District, the Project Assistant Development Officer of LCD, Mr. Osman Bala, stated that his outfit would lead the implementation of the "School Performance Review" (SPR) process where examinations would be conducted periodically for the school children with emphasis on Mathematics, English and the Sciences.

He explained that this had been tried and tested by the LCD in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the past and had worked perfectly and even led to the improvement of Basic Education Certificate Examination(BECE) results in beneficiary communities. Mr. Bala said LCD would also help improve the school Management Systems and Governance, strengthen communities to hold schools accountable for the performers of learners and improve District Planning and co-ordinations of all outputs in schools and also improve community ownership of schools. The District Director of the National Service Secretariat, Mr. Michael Zure, said the National Service Secretariat under its Voluntary Service Programme had recruited 700 teachers to augment the teaching staff of the GES for all the project implementation areas.

According to him,265 had been attached to the GES of the Talens-Nabdam District who would be teaching various subject areas including Mathematics, English, French and Information Communication Technology (ICT). He said another batch of the Volunteer teachers have also been attached to the Parents Teacher Associations(PTAs) and School Management Team (SMTs)to assist them run the affairs of the schools saying, most of PTA and SMTs had no vision and mission for their schools.

Mr. Azure said they would from time to time be motivated by sponsorship under the project to enroll at teaching training colleges to help address the shortage of trained teachers in the system.

Mr. Jonathan Adabere, Regional Manager of ISODEC in Upper East Region, advocacy player of the TENI Project, stated that the low rate of retention, transition and performance of school children was very low and blamed the situation partly on the withdrawal of school children by some parents in the area and said parents, PTA as well as SMTs of schools would be sensitized on the need to retain their wards in schools.

The District Director of Education, Mr. Francis Ayaba commended the sponsors and implementers of the programme and said it would help improve the falling standard of education in the District and called on parents, PTA and SMTs to live up to their responsibility. The Steering Committee of the TENI Project in the Talensi-Nabdam District is made up of a representative from District Assembly, GES, LCD , National Service Secretariat

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Ghana To Open A New Consular Office In Glasgow -Scotland   * 20.12.2009

 Ghana is to open a new consular office in Glasgow , Scotland, in the ssss United Kingdom as from January next year to facilitate diplomatic functions in the area.

This follows a study by the Foreign Office and the high demand of consular activities as well as communications and efficient relationships between the Ghanaian community and the Ghana Mission in the UK.

Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK, Professor Kwaku Danso Boafo disclosed this at a forum of members of the Ghanaian community in the British Midlands in Liverpool.

The forum which was organised by the Merseyside Association of Ghanaians was attended by hundreds of Ghanaians living in Liverpool, Manchester and their vicinities.

Glasgow, with a population of around 580,000, is Scotland's largest city and is also the commercial capital. Scotland is one of countries forming the UK. The capital is the UK's largest retail centre after London. It is one of Europe's top 20 financial centres and is home to many of Scotland's leading businesses. Currently it is estimated that about 3,000 Ghanaians reside in the Glasgow area alone, half of whom are known to be professionals.

The opening of the consular therefore will help meet the challenges facing Ghanaians in the area, regarding visa and passport services as well as other diplomatic needs.

“Ghanaians and other nationals who may need the services of the Ghanaian mission in the UK will not necessarily have to travel eight hours from Glasgow to London and back to seek such services”. The High Commissioner observed.

Special duties revolving around diplomatic relations between Ghana and the UK will however be run normally from the London offices of the High Commission. Professor Danso Boafo indicated that there was the need for diplomatic and consular services to be available to all Ghanaians regardless of where they live. He expressed the optimism that the consular office when opened will also facilitate trade and tourism promotions of Ghana in that part of the United Kingdom.

He said it will also release a reasonable level of pressure off officials of the London Office of the Ghana High Commission in terms of the high volume of passport and visa applications processed there. “It will therefore mean that officials can now work faster on visa and passport applications for our people.” He noted.

The High Commissioner also announced the readiness of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider the opening of one more consular office in the British Midlands to be sited in either Manchester or Liverpool. He explained that the Ghanaian population in the Midlands of the UK and the proximity to London, where the nearest consular services are available, among other factors srequire a setting up of a consular office in the area just as in the case of Glasgow. Professor Danso Boafo noted that the days when staff of the mission lord over the citizens were over. “We are your servants and you have to demand a service require of a servant from us”. He told the enthusiastic gathering. “When you realise that we have failed you in our duties, report us to be removed from here.” He told the gathering

The Deputy Head of Consular and welfare at the Mission, Mr. Edward Coffie expressed concern about the use of middlemen by some Ghanaians in acquiring visa and passports. He said, to eliminate these unscrupulous people from the operations of the mission, the visa and passport section of the mission will only process applications submitted by applicants themselves. The chairman of the Ghana Union, UK Mr. Kwame Adu called on all Ghanaians residing in the UK to desist from fronting for foreigners in the acquisition of Ghanaian passports. He said such unpatriotic practices would eventually render the Ghanaian passport valueless.

Source: Nana Sifa Twum, Liverpool – UK

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Kumasi, Dec. 20, GNA - Passengers who board the Metro Mass Transit Limited (MMT) buses, are to insist on the issuance of valid tickets commensurate with the fares they pay.

Mr Prince Owusu-Agyemang, an Assistant Traffic Officer of the MMT, gave the directive in an interaction with newsmen in Kumasi at the weekend. He said the issuance of valid tickets to fares paid was crucial to ensuring that the company maximized profits for its sustenance. It would also check cheating by conductors some of whom deliberately refused to issue valid tickets for their selfish gains, he said.

Mr Owusu-Agyemang therefore urged passengers on board MMT buses not hesitate to report conductors of suspicious characters to the authorities. He said the Kumasi office of the MMT had taken delivery of 20 new buses to beef up its fleet to convey passengers to and from the Central Business District to their various destinations.

Source: GNA

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* 19.12.2009

Kumasi, December 19, GNA - Mr. Cletus Avoka Minister of the Interior, has stated that the government has not instructed the police to shoot and kill as way of combating armed robbery in the country as is being speculated in some quarters.

He, however, emphasized that police personnel were at liberty to defend themselves when their lives and that of other innocent citizens are under threat from armed robbers and other criminals. "The fact that they are security men does not mean they don't deserve to live and government will not expose them to unnecessary danger." The Minister also hinted that Immigration officers at the country's border posts will be armed with small arms to defend themselves and others during their night patrols.

Mr. Cletus Avoka was speaking at a joint durbar of security service agencies in the Ashanti Region in Kumasi on Saturday. The durbar formed part of the Minister's tour of security installations and units in the Ashanti region. The Minister visited the Regional offices of the Ghana National Fire Service, Immigration Service, the Prisons Service, NADMO offices and the Regional Police Headquarters.

Mr. Avoka praised security agencies in the Ashanti Region, for their untiring efforts that has resulted in crime reduction in the region. He said it was through sacrifices in the face of the numerous challenges that had made the agencies, especially Police Service able to combat crimes resulting in the relative peace being enjoyed by residents. The Minister pointed out that the government was satisfied with their performance and asked them not to be complacent, especially during the yuletide.

Mr. Avoka charged the officers to be loyal to their superiors, government and the country as a whole in the course of their duty, adding that, even though they might not like their leaders, they should always bear in mind they are serving their country and not individuals and also "do unto others as they would want others to do unto them" when they become leaders. "Don't think nobody has seen your work and continue your good work for the day of reckoning will come. Above all, work in unity, do it with faith, humility, simplicity, be fair but firm," he told the officers and men at the durbar.

He stressed that the visit was also to inspire them to work harder and advised them to have inter-agency relationship to get rid of crime which would serve as a legacy to their successors. The Minister reminded them to continue to be disciplined, show professionalism, and cooperate with each other to achieve results. They should also operate within the confines of the law so as to maintain a positive public image and promised the Ministry's support. He said that government will address their challenges holistically and said 45 percent of houses which are going to be built by the Ministry of Housing next year with support from the United States will be given to the security service.

Mr. Avoka also called on District Assemblies to use part of their funds to help put up building for the men as was being done in Bawku. The Minister charged them to always check their electrical systems since it was the cause for the burning down of the Foreign Affairs building and the Electoral Commission offices.

He said the government was poised to equip the National Fire Service and urged its officers to submit proposals for the modern equipment needed. Mr. Avoka said additional personnel will be recruited into the security agencies through the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) and those who show professionalism would be maintained in the Service. Mr. Avoka said government was considering alternative ways of punishing law breakers as a way of decongesting the prisons in the country adding, feeding grants for inmates will also be increased in view of the rising cost of food items.

DCOP Patrick Timbillah, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, thanked the public and the media for their cooperation and support to combat crime and urged the public to call on the police rather than the media when in distress for swift intervention of the police. He was happy about the professional manner in which personnel on night duty at Mamponteng managed to arrest a member of a robbery gang who opened fire on them at about 03 hours on Saturday. Mr. Emmanuel Amoako Yirenkyi, Regional Director for Immigration, said the institution was not meant solely for providing passport but to ensure that people migrated in accordance with the law. Assistant Chief Officer of the Fire Service, Mr. Philip Aheng-Mensah charged the public to be proactive especially during the dry season to avoid fire outbreaks in their homes and office premises.

Source: GNA

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VP wishes Ghanaians well at Christmas  

* 19.12.2009

Vice President John Dramani Mahama has in a Christmas message to Ghanaians urged persons living in conflict areas to use the occasion of the Christmas to change their circumstances by fostering reconciliation to create a new beginning. Delivering the message through the Castle Press Corps, Mr. Mahama noted that “Christmas is a season of peace and goodwill and we hope that this basic ingredient of Christmas would infuse everything that we do in this period of festivities.”

“I will like to call on people living in areas where they have experienced conflict in the past to use this season of peace and goodwill to mark a change and foster reconciliation among you to create a new beginning so as to break from the past of antagonism,” Mr. Mahama urged.

On issues of national politics, the Vice President reminded Ghanaians that the season also marks one year of President John Evans Atta Mills.

“President Mills’ administration in one year was faced with an economic challenge in respect of how to restore the economy and bring the core economy indicators back on truck. President Mills, indeed, inherited an economic deficit that witnessed the cedi stumbling at a very fast rate and an inflation that was rising through the roofs,” he said.

According to him, President Mills had to take austerity measures to stabilize the economy in order that it did not affect businesses and the quality of life of the people and this had been successfully done.

“Over the next few years, beginning from next year, government would push for growth and expansion in order that it would create permanent jobs in the public sector particularly in the agriculture sector.”

“Already we have seen an increase in food production in the country and government intention in the next three to four years is to be able to eliminate as much as possible the huge food import bills that we currently have,” Mr. Mahama assured Ghanaians.

He lamented over the reckless attitude of drivers on the road, especially during Christmas period, and urged “Ghanaians to be very careful about the use of our roads”.

“As we continue to improve our roads across the country and make them good for travel, you find that the good roads become slaughter houses and killing fields”, the VP sadly expressed.

He added that “drivers who drive recklessly kill so many people. Terrible accidents take place on our roads and I want to use this opportunity to appeal to drivers to drive carefully.”

“I want to urge drivers who drive in this yuletide not to drink and drive and when you decide to drink do not drive”, he said.

Mr. Mahama advised drivers who get tired while on their journey to take a rest to ensure that whoever was charged to convey passengers to and from their destinations arrive safely.

Source: By Wisdom Peter Awuku & George Asirigo (VP’s Media Unit

Chinese Company to redesign the pavilions at the Centre for National Culture (CNC) -Koforidua   * 19.12.2009

Koforidua, Dec 19, GNA- The New Juaben Municipal Assembly has contracted a Chinese Company to redesign the pavilions at the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in Koforidua for the relocation of the Beads Market from the Jackson's park.

Subsequently, the works committee of the assembly had been tasked to look into the initial clearance and quantifying of the project cost to enable the assembly to factor it into the budget. Mr. Alex Asamoah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), who disclosed this at an ordinary meeting of the assembly, also indicated that the assembly in boosting the economic activities of the area was putting up a building complex to be used as offices and stores for business. According to the MCE, apart from supporting the beads market to thrive, the relocation would also pave the way for the development of the periphery of the Jackson's park into a car park.

In addition, he mentioned that the area which had become a popular hideout for criminals in the municipality known as 'pintoa wala' had been earmarked for redevelopment into an ultra modern bus terminal and also to make way for the construction of an access road to the Reproductive and Child Health Centre (RCH) clinic.

He said although a task force set up in October to collect all outstanding revenues owed the assembly had spent its time adding, the work assigned was not fully completed so a skeleton team had been put in place to deal with containers and kiosks.

Mr. Asamoah mentioned that on the whole, the team realized GHC 84, 619 as at November 30, including the collection of rates, land, fees and fines, licenses, rent and investments.

According to the MCE, by the close of November, a total of GHC 809, 620, representing 64 percent had been collected as an Internal Generated Fund (IGF) as against a projection of GHC 1, 263,989 leaving a deficit of GHC 454, 368 to be collected.

He said the assembly also received a total of GHC 1,156,011 at the last quarter of 2008 and the first and second quarters of 2009 district assembly common fund (DACF) and an amount of GHC 709,901 under the Social Investment Fund (SIF) for payment of contractors executing its projects.

Source: GNA

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Information reaching The New Crusading Guide from the passport office in Accra indicates that Ghanaians are being denied passports as some people known as ‘connection men’ take a whooping GH¢300 to GH¢500 from applicants who can afford these sums of money.

This is happening at a time when the President and his diplomats are enjoying the use of biometric passports. Contrary to allegations that some people in influential positions had ordered for passports to be issued to only people close to the corridors of power, the New Weekend Crusading Guide can report that some powers-that-be at the Controller and Accountant-Generals office have deliberately refused to order papers for the processing of passport because of the biometric one which is going to be introduced soon.

The New Weekend Crusading Guide gathered that some people at the passport office, with their collaborators at the Accountant-General’s Department, have been doing business with the few passport papers available.

“I think those at the Controller and Accountant-General’s office should be held responsible for not ordering for papers to process passports close to six months now”, an official at the passport office told journalists.

A source at the passport office hinted that because biometric passports will be issued next year, officials at the office wanted to make a huge fortune from the few passports left before this year draws to a close.

According to a source, “Because we are entering into the biometric passport regime when the ‘kululu’ will stop, people now want to make money from the sale of the few current passports left and get rich quick”.

Ordinarily one pays GH¢10 in order to secure a Ghanaian passport but due to the nefarious activities of the faceless officials from both the passport office and the Controller and Accountant General’s, applicants are compelled to pay higher fees.

Source: New Weekend Crusading Guid

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Yes, I’m Illiterate: NDC Chairman 

* 18.12.2009

 The newly-elected Ashanti Regional Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Yaw Obimpeh, has admitted that he has a weak academic background.

The former NDC Ashanti regional organizer told Fox Fm in an interview that he is a form four certificate holder.”I, Obimpeh, won’t lie about my educational status, yes I’m a form four leaver,” he proudly emphasized.

The 53-year-old businessman was reacting to accusation by party activists that the delegates had elected an illiterate as regional chairman of the party.

Mr. Obimpeh noted that though his educational level is nothing to write home about, he is endowed with natural wisdom to proficiently man the affairs of the party. He said because he is naturally gifted with knowledge, he has a better understanding of contemporary issues more than people in the party who claim to be graduates.

“Because of my in depth knowledge in current affairs, I discuss politics and socio-economic issues more effectively than the so-called graduates in our party,” the NDC chairman stressed.

Polling 140 votes out of the 300 votes cast, Mr. Obimpeh crushed gurus like Ahaji Saanie, Frank Osei Mensah and Dominic Anomah to win the chairmanship slot at the congress held at Asante Mampong on Tuesday.

Whereas Ahaji Saanie came into the race as the first vice regional chairman, Mr. Osei Mensah entered with a huge backing of ex-President Rawlings whilst Mr Anomah jumped in as the party’s 2008 parliamentary candidate for Tafo/Pankrono Constituency.

Mr Obimpeh explained that he was able to beat these bigwigs because the delegates knew him as a foot soldier who had suffered in diverse ways for the party. Speaking on the same network, Doe Tamakloe, the Ashanti regional director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), attributed his defeat to forces beyond his reach. As the incumbent regional secretary, Mr Tamakloe was seeking re-election but his bid hit the rocks when he was overwhelmingly defeated by Joseph Yamin, the party’s 2008 parliamentary candidate for Kwadaso Constituency.

Apparently devastated by the crashing defeat, the NADMO Boss contended that his loss was masterminded by forces in the party who did not want him to continue as regional secretary. Mr. Tamakloe noted that at the appropriate time, he would come public with the identity of the forces within the party who fought against his re-election.

Source: Daily Guide

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* 17.102.2009

The former Member of Parliament for Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region, and aspiring General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Captain (Rtd) Kwame Nkrabea Effah Dartey has stated that Ghanaians are crying for NPP to come to power in 2012 to save them from the ruling government’s mismanagement of the economy.

“As I speak to you now, Ghanaians are hungry for the return of the NPP into power in 2012 to salvage them from the economic crunch that has been created by the President Mills led NDC government.

A number of people I have spoken to have expressed their readiness to return the NPP into power. It is up to us as a party to re-strategise our campaign programmes and communications and put in place strong leadership to capture political power in 2012”.

Captain (Rtd) Kwame Nkrabeah Effah Dartey made the comments when toured some constituencies in the Central Region to announce his intention to contest the General Secretary position of the New Patriotic Party scheduled for early February, 2010.

He received a rousing welcome as he addressed constituency executives in Agona East Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, Gomoa West, Assin North, and Efutu last Sunday.

He therefore called on the delegates to the national delegates’ conference to ensure that they vote for competence and level-minded people who can boldly lead the NPP into power in 2012. “Time has changed and we must change with time. The NPP must change with time. We must change the way we were doing our things yesterday, because we cannot do those things today.”

According to the former MP, the NPP lost the 2008 general elections because of two reasons. He mentioned neglect of footsoldiers adding that for the 8 years that the party was in power, it failed to take proper care of its footsoldiers.

“Because of this, about 300,000 NPP supporters and sympathizers refused to cast their votes because they were highly disappointed at the way and manner the party treated them. The party needs new leadership to steer the affairs of the party to enable it secure the 23,000 votes difference it lost to the NDC in the 2008 elections. Another reason was that, the party did not place mature and vigilant people at its polling agents and as a result so many things went against the NPP.”

The retired military officer assured the delegates that if given the nod, he will ensure that the party trains its polling agents well enough to be extra vigilant at their various polling stations. Nkrabea Effah Dartey said, “I will ensure unity and discipline to sustain the party for the next 50 years. If given the nod, I will make sure that there is operational efficiency in all the constituencies and will equip all party officers to operate efficiently with funds provided for them.

Effa Dartey would not accept any form of indiscipline or factionalism in the NPP if given the nod to become the General Secretary. Above all, I will organise NPP membership roll to identify real members of the party.” He expressed the hope that the delegates would give him the nod to become the General Secretary of the NPP to propel the party into victory 2012.

The Gomoa West constituency chairman, Mr Joe Donkor appealed to all those seeking the highest offices of the NPP to carry out their campaigns in a very peaceful manner so as to sustain peace, unity and stability in the party.

Source: The Independent

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Minority attributes 90 percent of judgement debts to PNDC/NDC era   * 17.12.2009

Accra, Dec 17, GNA - The Minority in Parliament on Thursday stated that 90 percent of Ghana's judgement debts were attributable to the Provisional National Defence Committee (PNDC) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) governments. "This is because the PNDC/NDC governments failed to pay compensations to workers of over 300 Companies that were placed on divestiture for 18 years, only for them to turn round to blame all their misdeeds on the eight years of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration"

These were contained in a statement signed and presented by Mr. Joe Ghartey, NPP Member of Parliament for Esikadu/Ketan on behalf of the Minority on the constitutional, legal and governance issues arising in the country.

The statement said in his presentation of the 2010 fiscal year budget statement in Parliament, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning made certain remarks which it described as 'misleading and misinformation of the Public'.

It quoted the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning as saying "There has been a growing concern for the number of court judgements against government. This resulted in the payment of judgement debts amounting to GHC49.2 Million against a budget provision of GHC 30Million...The quantum of these court judgement debts increased substantially over the eight years due to bad governance".

The statement questioned why the NDC government had to sign contracts between City and Country Waste Limited and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly when the contracts did not go through the normal procedures of bidding and subsequent awarding of to the highest and better bidder.

The Minority claimed that the ruling was out to create mischief when it attributed the non-payments of compensation for lands acquired for the construction of the Akosombo Dam, which occurred during the reign of the first President Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. "Indeed to put the failure to pay for compensation for those who lost their land during the construction of the Akosombo Dam at the doorsteps of NPP is laughable to say the least and we wish to remind the government that they should without any hesitation pay compensation for the Bui Dam".

The statement argued that the NPP government did not embark on "systematic confiscation and destruction of private property without recourse to the law. Indeed the public hearings of the National Reconciliation Commission laid bare the sufferings of the Ghanaian due to the atrocities committed under PNDC/NDC regimes" The Minority said the people of Ghana wanted results and not excuses and they would continue to offer constructive criticisms by setting the records right for the people of Ghana to see the difference between the two regimes.

Source: GNA

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* 16.12.2009

 A woman and her six children, including seven month old twins, were completely burnt when their bedroom caught fire on Sunday, December 13, throwing the Atase Community near Barekese into a state of shock and mourning.

Helena Nsiah, 38, and her children, Achiaa, 17; Naomi and Gabriel Boakye both 14, Lydia Boakye, seven and the seven month-old twins, were sleeping in one of their two-room apartment when it was engulfed in flames.

The fire, said to have started at about 3am, also destroyed valuable items, including money.

The cause of the fire was not known but some people attributed it to an electrical fault. Inspector Mohammed Yusief Tankoh of the Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Unit and Helena’s husband, Samuel Nsiah, 46, who was not at home when the incident occurred was arrested for questioning but was released on bail.

He had left home moments before the outbreak. Inspector Tankoh said the fire spared the life of Helena’s 76-year-old mother who was sleeping in the adjoining room.

According to Inspector Tankoh, when Helena gave birth to the twins, her mother went to assist in taking care of the babies.

The old woman was given one of the rooms while the rest of the family slept in the other.

He said the old woman told police that about 3am on Sunday, she heard a loud blast from Helena’s room and when she went out she noticed the room was on fire.

Although her shouts alerted neighbours who came to fight the raging inferno, they could not save Helena and her children.

Inspector Tankoh said that Mr. Nsiah also told the police that he left home at about 2:30am to visit his cocoa farm before going to see their sick eldest son at a prayer camp.

The charred remains of the dead have been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

Source: GFhanaian Times

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HIV Positive cases rise in Volta Region - Report   * 16.12.2009

Ho, Dec. 16, GNA - A total of 3,309 out of 75,508 people, who were screened for HIV in the Volta Region between January and October this year, have tested positive.

This represents a 4.38 per cent increase over 2008 figure. The year 2008 saw 2,980 positive cases out of 71,270 people, who were screened. These were contained in a report obtained from the Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) by the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday. The report said out of the total positive cases from January to October 2009, 950 were male and 2,359 were female. In 2008, 2,138 female were said to have tested positive as against 842 male.

The report, which was compiled by Mr Joseph Kwami Degley, Regional Coordinator of HIV AIDS and Tuberculosis for the GHS, said 392 pregnant women tested positive for period under review. It said of the pregnant women, 319 were attending Ante-Natal Clinic (ANC) and receiving Nevirapine, a drug meant to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the disease.

Mr Degley advised the pregnant women especially those who have tested HIV positive to always attend ANC in order to protect their unborn babies. He observed that stigmatization was gradually reducing as more people were testing to know their status.

Source: GNA

Accra, Dec. 16, GNA - The Registrar General's Department (RGD), has registered 2,798 marriages under the Marriage Ordinance, this year. Last year, 3,032 marriages were registered, a tremendous rise ever recorded by the Department since its establishment.

Ms Josephine Tsekpo, Public Relations Officer of the Department, who disclosed these to GNA in Accra on Tuesday, said the figure for last year was below 4,688 marriages registered between January 2007 and September 2008. She said that this year's decline in registration was mainly because many churches in the country had received accreditation to register marriages.

Ms Tsekpo said Accra Metropolitan Authority also registered and celebrated matrimonies on Saturdays, when couples contracted marriages. Mr. J. Akufo Kissiedu, Chief Personnel and Marriage Officer of the Department, said marriages contracted under the Ordinance was more secure= d and recognized. He explained that marriages registered at the Department involved couples who, though were married for many years under the customary law wanted to legalize their marriage as well as would-be-couples whose ages ranged from 18 and above and who sought civil marriages.

Mr Kissiedu said marriage ceremonies were officiated at the Marriage Hall of the Department in Accra, from Monday to Friday between 0800 hours and 1700 hours.

On the issuance of Special Licences to couples under emergency situations, he explained that "a declaration form may be obtained from the department witnessed by two representatives each from both families if marriage is to be celebrated within the Department."

Mr Kissiedu said GH¢40 was charged for Special Licences, five Ghana cedis as celebration fee with additional five Ghana cedis for the marriage certificate.

Source: GNA

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NDC conference ends in confusion  

* 15.12.2009 

Adukrom-Akuapem (E/R), Dec. 15, GNA - The delegates conference of the Akropong constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) scheduled for Sunday December 13 ended in confusion.

Earlier on Saturday the constituency Chairman of the party, Mr Willie Addo Brown called for the postponement of the conference at a press conference because the constituency vetting committee could not submit its final report for the candidates to know if they were qualified to contest the election.

He complained that though the committee had not submitted its report to him as the chairman nor pasted it on the notice board as agreed, some of the delegates had got copies of the report and based on that raised protest on some decisions of the committee.

Mr Brown called for the release of the full report of the vetting committee before the conference could be held and said he had sent a letter on the position of the constituency to the Regional Executives of the party calling for the postponement of the delegates' conference.

On receiving the letter the Eastern Regional Secretary of the Party, Mr Anthony Gyampoh, directed that all the delegates and people who had filed their nominations should meet as planned for a way to be found at resolving the issue and if still the vetting committee report could not be produced, another vetting be organized for the conference to come off before the Regional Conference on Saturday, December 19.

On Sunday morning, before the conference could come on, a group of young men invaded the house of Mr Gyampoh and threatened him with death if he came to the conference to conduct the vetting.

A meeting was called between the members of the vetting committee and the some members of the regional and the constituency executive to find a way of resolving the issue and at the end of it the conference at Mampong-Akuapem was closed without the election and the candidates were invited to a meeting at Adukrom-Akuapem.

At the Adukrom meeting, the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Ahmed Baba Jamal informed the contestants that the full report of the vetting committee would be ready by the end of that day and the election for the positions of constituency youth and women organizers with their deputies would come on the following Monday morning.

He said those candidates who were still holding positions at their branches should ensure that by Monday morning they had submitted their resignation letters to their branches with copies to the constituency else they should consider themselves disqualified as stated in the party's guidelines for the delegates' conference.

Mr Baba Jamal urged other contestants to prepare themselves for the elections on Thursday, December 17. He said the interim report of the vetting committee that was smuggled out into public domain had some faults as far as the interpretation of the guidelines was concerned.

As such after discussions with the committee, it had accepted the faults and so all those who filled their nominations had qualified to contest the election. No sooner had Mr Baba Jamal and majority of the contestants left the meeting place than the constituency chairman, Mr Brown and some few of the candidates came to the place saying that they had arrived for the meeting. When they were informed that the meeting had ended the cursed, swore and threatened some of the regional executives who were around.

The Akuapem North District Chief Executive, Mr George Opare Addo who was around, later informed Mr Gyampoh that after consultation with the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal, he had agreed that for security reasons all the arrangements made for the conference should be called off until further notice.

In all 85 contestants had filed their nominations to contest for 22 positions in the constituency.

Source: GNA

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Journalists to boycott NDC activities in B/A

* 14.12.2009

Sunyani, Dec. 14, GNA - Members of the Brong-Ahafo Regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), have resolved to boycott all official functions of the Regional Co-ordinating Council and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) until further notice.
The association said it would reverse its decision if the culprits in last Saturday's physical attack on journalists are arrested and brought to book.
A number of reporters were allegedly beaten up by some NDC members and supporters at the B/A @ 50 awards ceremony in Sunyani, during which the ex-President Jerry John Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings were the guests of honour.
The association condemned the attack, saying it was unwarranted and should be condemned by all right-thinking Ghanaians.
A press statement issued by the regional association said: "The GJA has noted that since the beginning of activities marking the B/A @ 50 celebrations the media in the region has been slighted by the organisers of the programme, but we have endured such ill-treatment."
The statement was jointly signed by Mr. Ian Motey, Regional Chairman= of the association and Mr. Larry Paa Kwesi Moses, Regional Secretary. It said the assault on Mr. Motey of the Ghanaian Times, Mr. Moses of TV Africa, Mr. Dennis Peprah of the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah of Daily Graphic and Michael Boateng of the Chronicle wa s unwarranted and should be condemned.
The statement said the attackers snatched two mobile phones and a wrist watch from Mr. Ampratwum-Mensah and Mr. Moses, whilst the wallet of Mr. Peprah, his reporter's notebook and that of Mr. Motey were also forcefully taken away.
The GJA deemed the action as uncivilised and an affront to press freedom and the rights of the media in the performance of their legitimate duties as mandated by the 1992 constitution.
The regional association expressed regret that none of the dignitaries at the function "restrained their members as they callously beat Mr. Dennis Peprah into pulp".
The statement said the irate mob smashed the side screen of a taxi cab that wanted to whisk Mr. Peprah away.
"What is even more worrisome was the mob attack on the press corps immediately after the programme.
The statement alleged that the incident happened in the presence of the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Kwasi Oppong Ababio, who refused to restrain the mob and retorted that: "You can't instruct me".
The statement quoted him saying in Twi that: "Se mo anka nkwasia sema enka ye be bo mo" (If you had not said stupid things they wouldn't beat you up." The association said a previous media report about the incident was inaccurate since the person who gave out the information, identified as an ice cream vendor was not at the scene.

Source: GNA

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