* Friday, 08.01.2010

At least one man was killed and six others injured when gunmen sprayed the Togo soccer team bus with bullets. The attack has pulled attention away from the competition itself and focused it on the security situation.

Gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying the Togo football squad – killing the driver and wounding at least six others.

 Unknown assailants opened fire on the bus on its way to the African Cup of Nations as it was travelling through the Angolan enclave of Cabinda.

Among those injured were goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale of French amateur side GSI Pontivy and defender Serge Akakpo of Romanian outfit Vaslui. The other injured passengers include two team doctors and a journalist travelling with the team...

The attackers machine-gunned the vehicle after it crossed from the Republic of Congo into Angola's oil-rich territory of Cabinda.

The government called the incident an "act of terrorism".

Rebels who have been fighting for the region's independence later said they had carried out the attack. ...

Gunmen spray automatic fire at bus carrying players to African Cup of Nations tournament.

African football was in shock tonight after gunmen attacked Togo's national squad, including Premier League striker Emmanuel Adebayor, six months before the continent hosts its first World Cup.

The Togolese football team told tonight how they crouched under their bus seats for 20 minutes as they were "machine-gunned like dogs" by an armed gang in Angola.

The attackers reportedly killed the driver and wounded

four others... (also short video interview)

The office of former President John Agyekum Kufuor denies that the former President’s ex gratia has been paid.

The payment of a former President’s ex-gratia involves the provision of an office and residential accommodation, vehicles, payment of his office staff and security, among others. These must be approved by Parliament as stated in the Constitution.

Anima: (c) ghana-net.com

So far none of these have been met. Neither Parliament nor the Presidency has communicated any such provisions to the former President.

Sometime last December, an accountant from Parliament House, presented a cheque to former President Kufuor and requested him to sign out as his ex gratia.

There was no document attached to the cheque to explain the basis of the payment and so the former President asked that the cheque be sent back for the proper thing to be done.

Former President Kufuor subsequently requested an explanation from the office of the Presidency for the basis of the cheque and other matters concerning his resettlement. No explanation has been forth coming since then.

For the avoidance of doubt, the office of the former President wishes to state that no ex gratia has been paid to him. Signed:

Frank Agyekum Spokesperson Office of former President JA Kufuor

Source: Office of former President JA Kufuor

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The Twifo Atti-Morkwaa Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Kojo Ataborah, who thought he could help himself to a 19-year-old member of the party (name withheld) at Praso in the Central Region and got scot free, has found himself in the grips of law.

Daily Guide gathered that Ataborah, who was arrested by the Central Regional Police Command, has since been granted bail and is bragging in Praso that since his government is in power, nobody can touch him.

Briefing Daily Guide at Praso, a source revealed that on December 13, 2009, one Achaia went to the victim’s house to inform her that the Chairman wanted to meet with her at his hotel the following morning to discuss her sponsorship package the Member of Parliament (MP) in the area, Elizabeth Amoah Tetteh, had promised her.

The source continued that the victim, who was concerned about her education, left her home at Nyinase very early for chairman’s guest house, Adom Guest House, at Praso. The source said the victim, who was initially made to sit in the living room for the discussion, was later invited by the chairman to one of the guest rooms to have a look at something.

Daily Guide learnt that Ataborah then forcibly had sexual intercourse with her in the room before asking the teenager to leave. According to the source, three days after the incident the girl began to itch in her private parts, a situation which compelled her mother to ask for the cause. She then broke down and revealed the unpleasant incident to her mother. One Raphael, who was also at the victim’s house at the time, reported the crime at the Twifo Praso Police Station, after which Ataborah was arrested and detained for almost five hours.

The accused was later transported to the Central Regional Police Command where he was granted bail. Sources revealed that some ‘big fish’ are behind the issue and do not want it to go public.

Daily Guide can state that although Ataborah has four wives, he admitted to having sexual intercourse with the young lady during interrogation.

However, he was quick to add that the teenager was his girlfriend. A medical form has been issued to the victim to go for medical treatment. She is expected to return the form to the police.

Yes, I Caused NPP’s Defeat

The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Peter Mac Manu, has finally admitted after a series of accusations by supporters of the party, that he was the cause of the party’s painful defeat in the 2008 general elections.

He made the confession at the Eastern Regional Annual Delegates Conference held at Koforidua on Tuesday, this week, to elect executives to lead the region for the next four years. His confession shocked the delegates, who sat quietly in their seats, staring at him.

According to Mr Mac Manu, his lack of nimbleness and imagination to marshal party supporters across the country, to retain power as he promised, had made him regret and admit his failure. Based on this, he told the delegates that he had decided not to seek re-election, to pave the way for the fresh executives with fresh ideas to take over the party.

Even though he admitted that he was the cause of the party’s defeat, he vowed not to respond to the series of insults and attacks that some supporters were trading in the media, since the party had its internal structures to addressing such grievances. He entreated party members to ensure unity and peace, and desist from using the media as a tool to address issues, and rather use the internal structures to addressing such grievances.

Prior to the elections, he advised the contestants to place the interest of the party above their personal interests, since a win would not be an individual victory, but the party’s. At the end of the peaceful and well-organised elections, persons perceived to be admirers of Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, better known in political cycles as ‘Alan Cash’, trounced Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo’s perceived candidates.

Mr Samuel Yaw Annor, who was alleged to have sponsored ‘Alan Cash’ during the party’s presidential contest, was declared the chairman, with a total vote of 196, while his main contender, Mr Kofi Asare Lartey, chalked 159, with the incumbent, Mr Yaw Gyekye Amoabeng, and the former Director of the Ghana Law School, Mr Ansah Asare, polling 88 and 54 votes respectively. Alhaji Ulmar Babs Bodinga, who is the immediate past 2nd Vice Chairman, Mr Christian Kofi Tettey, with a massive 308 votes, whilst the latter recorded 193. Madam Afua Kyerewaa was declared the 2nd Vice Chairperson, after she polled out 244 votes, with her main contender, Madam Mercy Amo Darko, coming close with 170 votes.

With the secretary position, young Prince Aboagye overwhelmingly polled 354 votes to be declared the winner, with the incumbent, Mr Alecs Abogo and Martin Ameyaw recording 52 and 92 in that order, while the Assistant Secretary went to Antwi Boasiako with a vote of 367, and 135 for George Owusu. The Youth Organiser and Organiser went to Mr Samuel Annor Dompre and Seth Okyere respectively, whilst Eric Boakye Dafour clinched the Treasure position, unopposed.

In a related development, supporters of the party from the Abuakwa North Constituency, on Tuesday attacked their Member of Parliament (MP) Professor Emeritus Samuel Amoako, and subjected him to several beatings amidst unprintable insults. But for the timely intervention of the police, who whisked the NP form the furious supporters, a different story would have been told. The incident happened at the conference grounds, where the delegates were busily casting their votes to elect regional officers.

Information gathered by The Chronicle revealed that the disgruntled Abuakwa North supporters attacked the MP for going to court to restrain them from taking part in the just-ended Regional Annual Delegates Conference and Executives elections. According to the information, the action of the MP and cohorts to restrain the constituency from taking part in the conference was based on his conviction that the executives did not follow due process.

This development, according to information, infuriated the supporters, particularly the executives, who believed that they had been deprived of their legitimate right to elect regional executives they deemed fit to marshal the affairs of the party. When contacted on the issue, the MP expressed shock and surprise over the conduct of his constituents.

According to the soft-spoken Abuakwa North Legislature, the action of the constituents had taken him by surprise, since he could not fathom what made them act that way, but quickly added that “it might be the court injunction.”

Source: The Chronicle

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Kwesi Pratt Jnr., says the practice of paying gratuity or Ex-Gratia awards and emoluments to ex-Presidents and public office holders under Article 71 of the country’s 1992 constitution should be discontinued with immediate effect.

The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper believes the package is useless and irrelevant “in our current economic state.”

Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo”, the outspoken social commentator said the package in addition to retirement benefits of salary until death, was "a wicked idea and would not serve the larger interest of the public nor does it make economic sense."

He was re-echoing similar sentiments expressed by another panelist on "Kokrokoo", aspiring National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party, John Boadu, who had earlier called for a cessation of the practice.

President Mills on Thursday disclosed that the Ex-Gratia due to Ex-President Kufuor had been paid. According to him, the payments were made based on the recommendations of the Ishmael Yamson Committee, which he set up to review the Chinery-Hesse Committee report on Ex-gratia for public office holders under Article 71 of the constitution during the previous government.

But, Kwasi Pratt Jnr, who is also a leading member of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), a political pressure group, says it is unnecessary.

“Why should someone be allocated 6 chauffeur driven cars, 3 houses (including an office), a pension allowance, twice a year travel with the family to any place of their choice at the expense of the taxpayer?...It is pure greediness…Checks conducted indicate that the President takes home a little over GH¢5,000.00 a month in addition to his ex-gratia. Why?” he queried.

Mr. Pratt also lambasted Members of Parliament (MPs), accusing them of being egoistical in their demand for gratuity. He averred that if Parliamentarians really sympathized with and respected Ghanaians, they would have stopped taking such “huge ex-gratia.”

“They never thought of their constituencies but rather had more interest in their ex-gratia being paid….Hon. E.T. Mensah, MP for Ningo-Prampram for instance had been in Parliament since 1992…he has received so many ex-gratia which has flourished his personal life, yet his constituency lacks basic infrastructure….,” he alleged.

“I tell you, if a second look is not taken at this ex-gratia package, soon all Ghanaians would take to politics, clamouring for positions….politics will then become messier,” he stated.

Source: PeaceFM

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