| News Home (Main Page) | | African Newspaper | | LATEST WORLD NEWS | | | Ghanaian Media: | | Public Agenda | | GNA-Ghana News Agen. | The Statesman | | | | NEWS ARCHIVE 2009 | | NEWS ARCHIVE 2008 | | NEWS ARCHIVE 2007 | | PHOTO REPORTS | | VIDEO REPORTS | | ARTS in GHANA | | Food & Drinks in Ghana | | Africa Cup 2008 | | Ghana Hotels | | Links / Websites | | Ghana Districts | | Ghana Tourism | | Ghana Classifieds | Names in Ghana | | | | * 25.01.2010 | I’m Against Akufo-Addo’s Comments – NPP Chair * Source: The independent | Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Robert Yaw Owusu Amankwah, is expressing worry over comments he claims o have been passed by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, which he says, have the potential to fragment the party.
He is alleging that, the 2008 flag bearer of the NPP was on a recent visit to the region to meet some selected 15 constituency chairmen (out of 39) and during that meeting, he is alleged to have said that, he would not be able to work him (Yaw Amankwah) as regional chairman and Mr. Stephen Ntim, one of the aspirants seeking to be elected the party’s national chairman.
Yaw Amankwah told an Accra based radio station on Friday that, although he was not part of the meetings, allegedly held at the residence of another party stalwart, Dr. Amoako Tuffour, he was privy to discussions therein and believes the specific comment of Nana Addo not being able to work with some persons in the party, did not augur well for party unity. He said, Nana Addo is no ordinary member of the party, and given that, he is a potential flag bearer again, he should not be sowing seeds of disunity in the NPP.
According to Yaw Amankwah, Nana Addo as an individual has every right to hold any meeting however, once he decides to make it a party agenda, he should be reminded to hold himself as a unifier rather than driving a wedge amongst members.
Yaw Amankwah told Ekuorba Gyasi that, he is seeking reelection as regional chairman and will work with Nana Addo “from the bottom” of his heart, if Nana Addo also gets the nod as flag-bearer, and said, it would be unfortunate that, he would go round to soil the ground in advance, drawing an analogy that, a good parent cannot love some of his children and hate the others, else they will rebel against him. | German couple builds kindergarten for community * Source: GNA | Sovie-Konda (V/R), Jan. 25, GNA - Mr Joseph Z. Amenowode, the Volta Regional Minister, has said the government would provide permanent structures for all basic schools operating under trees. He said government was building and furnishing 165 school buildings for schools operating under trees, 250 permanent structures for kindergartens and would abolish the shift system in basic schools. Mr Amenowode said this at the inauguration of a model kindergarten at Sovie-Konda in the Kpando District.
It was funded by Mamaga Akosua I, Paramount Queen of SASADU (Saviefe, Alavanyo, Sovie and Akrofu) with support from Jurgen Hattebuhr, a German couple.
He said the development and provision of basic education facilities was a shared responsibility among the government, the community and development partners.
Mr Amenowode said the government would provide inputs that would ensure that such community self-help projects work effectively towards achieving national objectives. He said their allocations of 620,000 and 130,000 of free exercise books and school uniforms respectively had been received and their distribution would start on Monday.
Mr Francis Ganyaglo, Kpando District Chief Executive, said the district's action plan on basic education included the construction of five kindergartens and the supply of 500 mono desks. He called on both private and public institutions to assist the district and commended the generosity of the initiators and sponsors of the facility.
Mamaga Akosua, also known as Cornelia Wulfing, a German entrepreneur and development consultant, said her gesture was to supplement government's efforts towards building a strong foundation for child education. She pledged to expand the scope of her assistance within and beyond the SASADU areas towards ameliorating some problems in rural Ghana. Togbega Tsedze Atakora, Paramount Chief of Alavanyo Traditional Area, reminded the citizens of SASADU that the corporate development of the area "stares at them in the face" and they should refrain from over-reliance and dependence on development partners. Mr Axel Schultz, a German philanthropist, donated 2,000 Ghana cedis towards equipping the facility. | | ______________________ |
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| LATEST GHANA NEWS Monday, 25 January 2010 WEEK 04 - 2010 |
| * Monday, 25 January 2010 | Struggling Within The NDC: Reshuffle: Ayariga Moved To Trade Ministry As Avorka Replaces Bagbin... * Source: Peace FM / Ghana-Net | Reshuffle: Ayariga Moved To Trade Ministry As Avorka Replaces Bagbin Replaces Albert Abongo ... Peace FM can confirm that Presidential Spokesman, Mahama Ayariga, is heading to the Trade Ministry as a Deputy Minister.
Current Minister of Information, Zita Okaikoi is heading to the Tourism Ministry.
She replaces current Tourism Minister, Juliana Azumah Mensah.
Hon Azumah Mensah is moving to the Women and Children's Ministry. The rest are:
Alban Bagbin - Ministry of Works and Housing
E.T Mensah - Ministry of Social Welfare and Employment
Martin Amidu - Interior Ministry
Akua Sena Dansoa - Youth and Sports
John Tia - Ministry of Information
Mahama Ayariga - Deputy Trade Minister
Inusah Fuseini - Deputy Energy Minister
Hon. Cletus Avorka - Majority Leader in Parliament
Hon. Rashid Pelpuo - Dep. Majority Leader
More coming up... | | > BACK to TOP < | President Mills reshuffles Ministers * Source: GNA | Accra, Jan. 25, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Monday reshuffled his Cabinet.
A statement from the Office of the President on Monday signed by Mr. Mahama Ayariga, Presidential Spokesperson said Mr. Martin Amidu, had been appointed Minister-designate for the Interior; Mr. John Tia replaces Mrs. Zita Okai-Koi as Minister-designate for Information, whilst Mrs. Okai-Koi becomes the new Minister for Tourism.
Mr. Enoch Teye Mensah as Minister-designate for Employment and Social Welfare, whilst Mr. Stephen Amoanor Kwao moves to the Office of the President as Minister of State and Mr. Alban S.K. Bagbin, Majority Leader replaces Mr. Albert Abongo as Minister-designate for Water Resources, Works and Housing.
Others are Mrs. Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs, whilst Ms Akua Sena Dansua becomes the new Minister for Youth and Sports; Mr. Moses Magbenba replaces Mr. S.S. Nanyina as Northern Regional Minister-designate; Mr. John Gyetuah, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry moves to the Office of the President as Minister of State-designate and Mr. Mahama Ayariga, Deputy Minister-designate for Trade and Industry. Mr. Inusah Abdulai Fuseini replaces Dr. Kwabena Donkor as Deputy Minister-designate for Energy; Mr. Nasamu Asabigi, Deputy Minister-designate for the Northern Region.
The statement said Mr. Cletus Avoka, former Minister of the Interior and Mr. Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, former Minister of Youth and Sports are to be re-assigned whilst Alhaji Iddi Saani is to be replaced as Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing. | | > BACK to TOP < | Seven banks now links customers' account to their e-zwich cards * Source: GNA | Accra, Jan. 25, GNA - Seven banks have completed the interoperability process that enables them to link their customers' traditional accounts to their e-zwich cards.
With this successful integration, it will now be possible for bank customers to transfer cash from their accounts onto their e-zwich cards and vice versa.
The seven banks are Cal Bank, Standard Chartered bank, Merchant bank, and Zenith Bank, the United Bank for Africa (UBA), International Commercial Bank and the Trust Bank.
The integration process, which was recently completed, has introduced flexibility in the use of the e-zwich cards, as customers can go to any Point of Sales (POS) device and transfer cash from their bank account onto their e-zwich cards and either use to shop or even transfer money to another cardholder.
The interoperability also known as e-zwich bank2card/Card2bank is expected to greatly enhance the use of e-zwich cards.
"All you need to do is to link your traditional bank account held at the same bank that issued you the card, and you can conveniently load money directly onto your card from your traditional bank account.
"Or push money from your card into your traditional bank account at any e-zwich point of sales terminal or e-zwich ATM where available in the country," the General Manager in charge of Project and Business Development at Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS) Archie Hesse said.
Mr Hesse said the remaining banks were working to complete the integration certification so they could also provide their customers with this service.
In another development, various banks have started paying good interest rates on monies kept on the e-zwich cards.
Mr Hesse explained that each e-zwich card has two wallets, one of which is the savings wallet which attracts interest.
Currently UT Bank pays the highest rate of 15 percent, followed by Cal Bank with 12.5 percent. Other banks paying equally handsome rates for the e-zwich cards include First Atlantic Merchant Bank 9.0 percent, Fidelity Bank 8.0 percent and Ecobank 6.5 percent.
The other rates are Guaranty Trust 5%, United Bank for Africa (UBA) 5.0 percent, Amalgamated Bank 3.0 percent, Stanbic bank 2.0 percent and Prudential Bank 2.0 percent.
These rates, according to Mr Hesse, are being used by the banks to mobilize deposits in addition to the increasing use of the biometric cards. Mr Hess, therefore, urged people to take advantage of the good interest rates and get an e-zwich card.
He expressed the hope that the payment of attractive interest rates on the card in addition to the completion of the integration of the traditional bank accounts to the e-zwich card would significantly boost the use of the e-zwich card.
There are currently over 340,000 cardholders. | | > BACK to TOP < | Ghanaians hailed Black Star's victory over Angola * Source: GNA | Accra, Jan. 25, GNA - Hundreds of jubilant football fans thronged principal streets of Dansoman, suburb of Accra, to celebrate Black Stars victory over their Angolan counterpart in a 1-0 quarter-final on Sunday. The fans most of whom were adults defied traffic regulations on the streets as they chanted and sung victory songs amid drumming and dancing. The Black Stars humbled the Angolans and shattered their Africa Cup of Nations dream with a lone goal that was fetched by striker Asamoah Gyan in the 16th minutes of the first half.
Eighteen-year-old Emmanuel Twieku, who was optimistic of the Star's victory before the match told the Ghana News Agency that though he did not expect a bumper harvest of goals for the Black Stars, he was sure of the Stars victory.
A young lady, who only gave her name as Naana predicted the game would run into extra time, but could not determine which of the contending teams would carry the day.
The principal streets in Dansoman were virtually deserted, minutes into the start of the game as most residents glued to their television sets savoring every minute of the game.
Most drinking spots and electrical and electronics shops were filled with unusual attendance and fans were heard yelling, clapping and groaning as they watch the match.
Goalkeeper, Richard Kingson's 29th minute save in the first half as well as a 43rd minute goalmouth melee in the Ghana's side, nearly eclipsed the lone goal joy the fans had held unto.
After the full minute of play was over, the once deserted streets were filled with vibrant activities as some drivers honked in celebration. Some jubilant crowd spotted at the Last Stop Trotro Station in Dansoman made up of miniature self-made choristers, sang their hearts out as they received support from passersby.
Most people expressed the optimism that the Ghana Black Stars would qualify to the final stage of the competition. | | > BACK to TOP < | NPP Congress Slated For February 27 * Source: Daily Graphic | The National Council of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has fixed Saturday, February 27, 2010 as the new date for its national delegates conference to elect new national executives for the party.
This is the third time the party is rescheduling its national delegates’ conference after previous postponements from December 19, 2009, January 29, 2010 and February 6, 2010. Party officials, however, told the Daily Graphic that this new date was final.
The conference is scheduled to take place at the Liberty Sports Stadium at Dansoman in Accra, the first time the party will hold its national delegates conference in an open place.
The essence is to enable the party to accommodate the anticipated large number of delegates, observers and journalists who will be attending the event.
At a special delegates conference held on August 22, 2009, the NPP amended some provisions in its constitution to expand the party's Electoral College for the national delegates’ conference to about 4,600.
After reviewing the current state of affairs in the party, the Council, at its meeting in Accra last Friday, upheld a proposition by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to reschedule the conference for late February.
A wide-range of issues believed to centre on the unity, development and progress of the party were discussed during the seven-hour meeting, but the leadership of the party declined to comment on them, explaining that those issues were not for public consumption.
The Director of Communications of the party, Mr Kwaku Kwarteng, told the Daily Graphic after the meeting that the council decided to re-schedule the date for the national delegates’ conference in order to give room for constituencies which were yet to hold their delegates conferences to do so.
The holding of constituency delegates conferences pave the way for the organisation of regional delegates conferences and subsequently the national delegates conference.
All the regions have concluded their regional delegates’ conferences, with the exception of the Ashanti Region where some nagging issues, including legal matters, have made it impossible to hold a regional conference.
The NPP is grappling with a court action filed by the Chairman of the Asante Akim North Constituency, Nana Adu Asabere, at the Kumasi High Court restraining the regional and national executives of the party from holding the Ashanti Regional delegates conference on the grounds that some constituencies in the region were yet to conduct their conferences and so holding the regional delegates conference will disenfranchise some delegates.
The case has been adjourned to January 27, 2010, exactly one month ahead of the new scheduled date for the national delegates’ conference.
According to the NPP constitution, there must be at least a one-month time lapse between the last regional conference of the party and its national delegates’ conference.
Mr Kwarteng said the decision by council to extend the date to late February was to allow room for all outstanding issues to be resolved in order to enable as many delegates as possible to take part in the national delegates’ conference.
He, however, indicated that irrespective of the resolution of those outstanding issues, the national delegates’ conference would come off on the scheduled date because the party already had a quorum to hold the conference.
The National Council is the second highest decision-making body of the NPP after the national delegates’ congress and its membership include the former President, the former Vice President, former party chairmen, former general secretaries, NEC members, sitting Members of Parliament and regional representatives.
The party has already vetted 32 candidates to contest for the various national executive positions, with the chairmanship promising to be the hottest.
Five contenders - Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, Mr Felix Owusu Adjapong, Mr Stephen Ntim and Mr Sammy Crabbe - are headed for a contest some political analysts .envisage to be too close to call.
Eight candidates are contesting for the three vice-chairman positions, but that is not generating public attention as much as the position of General Secretary for which five very affable candidates are vying. The incumbent General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow, is being challenged by Messrs Nkrabea Effah-Darteh, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah and Busia.
Three persons are vying for the National Organiser position, two for the position of Treasurer, four for the position of Youth Organiser; two for the Women's Organiser position, and three for the position of Nasara Co-ordinator.
Considering the internal wrangling in the party, mainly centred on the Akufo-Addo and the Alan Kyerematen factions, as well as the successful national delegates congress organised by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Tamale recently, some political analysts have intimated that the NPP will be under pressure to come clean with its national delegates conference.
Mr Kwarteng dismissed that suggestion, saying the NPP had always held peaceful national delegates conferences and congresses and so the patty was under no pressure to do it again.
"In fact, if we go for conference and there is violence, it will be big news; but if the conference is peaceful, it will not make news at all unlike others whose holding of peaceful congress is considered big news,” he said | | > BACK to TOP < | NDC calls for procedures to seek redress to grievances * Source: GNA | Gomoa Abora, Jan 25, GNA - The Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Samuel Adu-Yeboah, has appealed to party members and supporters to use laid down procedures to seek redress to grievances. He said the Regional Executives of the party would not tolerate any deviant attitude from a member or supporter and urged those who rushed to the media on any minute problem to stop it.
Mr Adu-Yeboah, a lawyer, told the GNA in an interview that very often the party hierarchy in the region got to know of a perceived problem of a supporter or a group of supporters in the media and that did not show respect for the leadership.
He cautioned those who use the media to settle personal scores with Municipal or District Chief executives to stop it since that was detrimental to the government's "a better Ghana" agenda. The Regional Chairman advised people who had problems with Municipal or District Chief executives to see the Regional Minister to lodge their complaints.
Mr. Adu- Yeboah commended delegates who attended the eighth National Delegates' Congress of the party at Tamale for their comportment. He said as stated by President John Atta Mills at the Congress, the campaign for election 2012 had begun and urged supporters to gird their loins for the battle.
"We must remove complacency from our campaign strategy since the election is not going to be a done deal," he said. He said the region was mapping out a strategy to improve upon the party's performance in election 2008 and that it all depended on a hard work. | > BACK to TOP < |
_____________________________________________________ ----- | Archived News for 2010 | | | Monday, 25 January 2010 | - Struggling Within The NDC: Reshuffle: Ayariga Moved To Trade Ministry As Avorka Replaces Bagbin... - President Mills reshuffles Ministers - Seven banks now links customers' account to their e-zwich cards - Ghanaians hailed Black Star's victory over Angola - NPP Congress Slated For February 27 - Ministerial Reshuffle: First Batch of Casualties - I’m Against Akufo-Addo’s Comments – NPP Chair - NPP vows to wrest New Edubiase parliamentary seat - German couple builds kindergarten for community - New National Daily Minimum wage is 3.11 Cedis - Peace in Central Region under threat - NDC calls for procedures to seek redress to grievances | | | Go to 26.01.2010 Go to 24.01.2010 Go to 23.01.2010 Go to 22.01.2010 Go to 21.01.2010 Go to 20.01.2010 Go to 19.01.2010 Go to 18.01.2010 | | Your REPORT Your STORIES * Your PHOTOS PUBLISH NOW! | 
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| | | | * 25.01.2010 | Ministerial Reshuffle: First Batch of Casualties * Source: The Crystal Clear Lens | President John Evans Atta Mills is set to announce the first batch of his long-awaited ministerial reshuffle somewhere this week, a source close to the Presidency has told the Crystal Clear Lens newspaper.
While, the source said, some Ministers may be dropped from their positions for failing to live up to the expectations of the President, others may be moved from their current portfolio to other sectors, where their expertise would be useful to the government.
Ministers to be affected, according to our scout, include Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, Minister for Foreign Affairs; Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei; Minister for Energy; Mrs. Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Attorney General and Minister for Justice. Others include Ms. Hanna Tetteh, Minister for Trade and Industry, Cletus Avorka, Minister for Interior and Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Communications. Some deputy Ministerial positions in the Energy, Information and Trade may also be affected in this first batch of the reshuffle, the source confirmed.
Checks by the Crystal Clear Lens newspaper have revealed that President Mills, after one year of his administration, has discovered where each Minister’s strength lies.
But for the recent National Delegates’ Congress of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) held in Tamale, the Capital of the Northern Region last weekend, the President would have announced the reshuffle to put to rest the speculative reports in the media.
President Mills recently told the nation that he would come out with his first reshuffle but was silence on the date when asked. This, he disclosed when he met some editors and senior reporters of some media houses in the country on the first year anniversary of his administration.
However, the President told the editors that they would be the first to know when he was set to announce the lists. According to our Castle source, the impending announcement of the reshuffle by the President has sparked off some panic reactions of shivering and jittery among the Ministers and their deputies leading to some tension at the Castle.
Almost everyday, not less than two Ministers are being spotted at the Castle to brief the President about the performance of his or her sector. | NPP vows to wrest New Edubiase parliamentary seat * Source: GNA | Menang (Ash), Jan 25, GNA - Mr Prince Anfo Boahen, New Edubiase Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has vowed to wrest the area's parliamentary seat from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The NDC has held on to the seat since 1992 but the Mr Boahen says this would change in election 2012.
Speaking with some NPP supporters at Menang in the Adansi South District, he said given the poor performance of the Mills Administration, there was no way the NPP would not win both the presidential and parliamentary election in the area if it adopted an effective campaign strategy.
He urged the polling station executive to launch vigorous political education to help the predominantly settler farming population to understand the ideology of the NPP and broaden its appeal. He said with the electoral promises made by the NDC turned into a mirage, the NPP was the only hope for Ghanaians.
Mr Boahen called for political tolerance and asked his party members not to see their opponents as enemies but to live with them in peace. This, he said, was the way to grow and develop the nation's democracy.
Mr Kwaku Poku, the Constituency first Vice-Chairman, told the supporters that victory would not come on a silver platter and that they would have to work hard and maintain a united front to return the NPP to power. | New National Daily Minimum wage is 3.11 Cedis * Source: GNA | Accra, Jan. 25, GNA - The new National Daily Minimum Wage is GH¢3.11 and it takes effect from February 1, 2010, the National Tripartite Committee (NTC) announced on Monday.
The 17 per cent increment from GH¢2.65 was arrived at after a fruitful deliberations between labour and employers.
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of a meeting in Accra jointly signed by Mr. Stephen Amoanor Kwao, former Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Reverend Dr. Joyce Aryee, Vice President of Ghana Employers' Association and Mr. Kofi Asamoah General Secretary, Ghana Trade Union Congress (GTUC).
It said any establishment, institution or organization whose daily minimum wage was below should be adjusted upward, while with the implication of tax on incomes it was tax exempt and be the tax-free threshold of the 2010 personal income schedule.
"The tax-free threshold has now increased from GH¢240 to GH¢1,008 per annum," it said.
The NTC reiterated its commitment to the improvement of incomes and productivity in both the private and public sectors. | Peace in Central Region under threat * Source: GNA | Gomoa Abora, Jan 25, GNA - Mrs Ama Benyiwa Doe, Central Regional Minister, has noted with concern the influx of criminals in the Region in recent times due to the police clamp down on armed robbers in Accra. "The proximity of the Region to Accra has made the area a safe haven for the criminals", the Minister said, and advised residents to be on their guard and to report suspicious characters found in their communities to the police.
Mrs. Benyiwa Doe gave the advice at the annual Akwambo Festival of the people of Gomoa Abora near Apam at the weekend. "Mob attacks, armed robbery, rape and defilement are on the increase in the Region, she noted, and urged the people to support the law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime.
The Regional Minister said the School Feeding Programme was being expanded in the Region to cater for more schools, and urged the beneficiary communities to cultivate farms to support the Programe. Mr. Francis Kojo Arthur, Member of Parliament for Gomoa West, advised the youth to embrace the Youth in Agriculture programme to ensure food security for the country.
"We need fresh blood to support our aged parents who have been feeding the nation all these years," the MP said.
Mr. Theophilus Aidoo-Mensah, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Gomoa West, said work would start on the expansion of the water supply system to address the perennial water problem facing Apam and its environs by early February, and appealed to those whose kiosks and structures would be affected during the laying of the pipes to cooperate with the contractors. The DCE announced plans to organize quiz competitions among schools in the district to encourage the pupils to learn. Mr. Kow Anyanful, Central Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), called on Ghanaians to use education to reduce poverty in the country.
Nana Kwesi Hammah V, Aborahene, appealed to the government to reconstruct the Abora-Mumford-Brofoyedur road which had become unmotorable, to facilitate the movement of people and farm produce. He advised parents to show interest in the work of teachers and pupils and to support them to enable them to give of their best. "Open confrontation with teachers must be eliminated," the chief stated. School uniforms the DCE pledged to the children of Abora District Assembly Primary School during his visit to the school in September 2009, were presented.
Mrs Margaret Abban-Acquaye, Headmistress of the School, thanked the DCE for honouring his pledge. |
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