Literacy rate in Volta Region is appalling
Anloga, May 31, GNA - Professor Victor Gadzekpo, President of Central University College at Oyibi near Accra on Friday expressed concern about the low literacy rate in the Volta Region, particularly in Anlo Traditional Area.
He therefore appealed to parents to take advantage of the free education policy at the basic level to enrol their children in school. Professor Gadzekpo expressed the concern at the launch of the 50th Anniversary of Anlo Senior High School (ANSECO) at the weekend at Anloga.
The celebration is scheduled for April next year. He said 48.7 per cent literacy rate for the Region and 50 per cent for the Anlo area was not good, stressing that an area could only make giant strides in development when its literacy rate was above 90 per cent.
Professor Gadzekpo said the 2000 Population and Housing Census showed that girls drop out figures of 78 per cent from Junior High School (JHS) to the Senior High School (SHS) and 35 per cent from SHS upwards was appalling.
He said this situation should be a matter of concern to all and sundry. "We in Anlo would have to seriously sit up, reflect on the figures and get our kids to school," Professor Gadzekpo stated. "We must not wait for government to tell us before we send our children to school.
"This is the only way for us as a people to develop out intellectual capacities which would eventually lead to the creation of jobs and attaining wealth in our localities," he said. Professor Gadzekpo reminded the people that land for farming, which was their main occupation, was becoming limited. He observed that they also lacked the technology in modern day fishing and therefore had no choice but to send their children to school so that they could return to assist develop the area. Professor Gadzekpo said girl enrolment in schools in the Anlo area was not encouraging despite the higher women population in the area. He described structures at ANSECO as demoralizing, saying the school needed more classrooms, infrastructure for boarding as well as transport facilities.
Professor Gadzekpo appealed to Government and Keta Municipal Assembly to assist improve facilities at the school. He asked past and present students to assist in making the school much better to attract the best students from all parts of the country. "Students must not follow the world, vain things and never give in to bad peer pressure and must submit themselves to school rules," he stated Mr Wilberforce K Azumah, Headmaster of the School said current total student population was 1,251 out of which 568 were girls and a teaching staff of 52.
He called for the early implementation of the model school programme in the school. Mr Azumah said ANSECO continued to chalk enviable positions in both curriculum and extra-curriculum activities. He said in 2007 and 2008 the school emerged champions in the national constitution game competition.
Source:
GNA
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No Drugs for clinics in South-Tongu for three months
Soakage, May 31, GNA-The South-Tongu District Directorate of the Ghana Health Service has not dispatched fresh pharmaceutical supplies to some clinics in the area for the past three months, because of the lack of skilled staff to dispense them.
As a result, the Angorto Health Centre at Dordoekope had to turn away a three-year old boy, rushed there by his parents with convulsion, as there were no drugs for his treatment.
Ms. Benedicta Seshie, Director, South-Tongu District Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) who confirmed this to the GNA in an interview at the weekend said the situation was grim and needed urgent attention.
She said shortage of staff was particularly hitting the very base of the medical care system adding that, besides midvives at the Sogakope District Hospital and Kpotame, there were no midwives in the public sector in the district.
Miss Seshie said her outfit had contacted the Volta Regional Health Directorate requesting for the posting of five midwives, one Public Health Nurses and 15 Community Health Nurses to save the situation in the area. She said Dordoekope needed a Medical Assistant in view of its strategic location.
Miss Seshie also complained about encroachment on lands designated as property of the GHS. She said at Tefle for example, members of the community continued to bury corpses on the compound of the clinic, though the agreement before the clinic was that the community would stop using the area as a cemetery.
Miss Seshie said private developers were also encroaching on GHS lands and compounds in Sogakope and that the chiefs of the area had been contacted to help stop the trend. When contacted, Miss Kate Aku Aglah, South Tongu District Chief Executive (DCE) said the Assembly was talking with the landowners to give sometime to government to pay the appropriate compensations for their land. She explained that government acquired the land by executive instruments but was yet to pay for them.
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GNA
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Banker donates two vehicles to NDC
Accra, May 31, GNA-The Flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evans Atta Mills on Saturday reiterated his party's vision of providing quality leadership to better the socio-economic condition of the nation.
Professor Atta Mills gave the assurance when he received two pick-up vehicles, valued at 32,000 dollars at a ceremony in Accra. The two vehicles were donated by a Ghanaian investment banker, Mr George Ricketts-Hagan who is resident in the United Kingdom.. Prof. Atta Mills said the gesture is not only serving as an encouragement to the party and other Ghanaians, but also demonstrate the beliefs and faith Ghanaians in the Diaspora have in the NDC towards the attainment of the nation's vision of a better Ghana. The Flag bearer assured Ghanaians that he would win the December elections convincingly, saying the pick-ups would serve as a resource to implement programmes for his election as President.
Mr. Ricketts-Hagan said he was motivated to donate to the Atta Mills campaign for President because he is convinced that his honesty and sincerity were leadership qualities needed in the country today. He urged other well meaning Ghanaians to emulate the gesture.
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GNA
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60 NDC supporters injured in accident
Tamale, June 1, GNA- 60 supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) sustained various degrees of injury in an accident on Saturday at Datoyili in the Northern region, on their way to welcome Mr John Dramani Mahama, running mate of Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Flagbearer of the party.
Dr Prosper Akambong, Medical Director of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, who confirmed the number to the GNA on Sunday, said 35 of the of the accident victims had since been treated and discharged, while the remaining 25 with severe injuries were still on admission. He said two of them were in critical condition and expressed the hope that every attention and effort would be put in place to ensure that they were saved.
No extra death had been recorded
Meanwhile, Mr John Dramani Mahama visited the accident victims later on Saturday night and sympathised with them and gave the assurance that the entire "comradeship" of the NDC was with them in spirit and that "God would facilitate their recovery to join the party in the big victory in December".
Mr Mahama paid tribute to the lady, who lost her life in the accident and said "All NDC members would continue to remember her in our daily prayers for her soul to rest peacefully by our Creator."
A young lady by name Wassila Baba, who was in a critical condition, managed to stretch her hand at the entourage and enquired about the running mate, saying, "Where is John and Lawyer Haruna?"
"I know I am injured. If I die I sacrifice my life in the true spirit of the party and I have not regretted for the ordeal since it is for the good cause of the NDC, but when you are celebrating your victory in December and I'm not there don't forget to remember me," she said.
Ms Wassila's pathetic statement moved Mr John Mahama and Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketia, General Secretary of the party, who almost shed tears and assured her that her life was in God's hands and would not allow
her t perish. One female membe r of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party died on Saturday while others sustained serious injuries in an accident when their vehicle in which they were travelling to welcome Mr John Dramani Mahama was involved in accident off the Tamale Kumasi highway.
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GNA
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Fire Service closes down businesses
Tema, May 30, GNA - Officials of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) at Tema on Thursday closed down four industries and a hotel operating in the Tema Metropolis for not possessing fire certificates. The affected industries were the Ghana Printing and Packaging Limited, Cleaning Solutions, dealers in detergents; Diamond Cement Depot, and the West African Commodities and the Courtesy International Hotel at Tema Community 10.
The operation team, which comprised personnel from the GNFS, Ghana Police, the Bureau and National Investigations (BNI), City Guards, Environmental Protection Agency and National Disaster Management Organisation also arrested two Automobile Gas Installation operators, Mr Louis Agbey and Mr Daniel Anim and impounded their tools for operating illegally.
Mr Prince Billy Anaglatey, Tema Regional Fire Training Officer, who led the team, said the exercise was aimed at ensuring that all establishments complied with the Fire Service Certificate regulation. He said the industries have been given four days to regularize their documents on the possession of certificates, failure of which they would be prosecuted.
According to him, management of the industries have ignored persistent warnings to secure fire certificates authorizing their operation, whilst some of them have experienced fire outbreaks before. For the operators, he explained that the area where they were operating was in a curve and close to a welding shop, thus posing threat to lives and property as any ignition could cause fire outbreak. Mr Anaglatey explained that business entities were enjoined to comply with the Fire Service Legislative Instrument (LI 1724 of 2004) to possess fire certificates.
The LI stipulates that industries, health facilities, chop and drinking bars, stores among others, should be in compliance of the law by ensuring that they have general safety precautionary measures in place to protect lives and properties in the event of fire outbreak. Mr Anaglatey said before issuing certificates, firemen conducted inspection of the premises to satisfy themselves with the occupancy, exit points, warning detection systems, and installation of electrical gadgets.
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GNA
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Ghana marks Walk the World Hunger Campaign
Accra, June 1 GNA-Hundreds of people from both local and international communities on Sunday embarked on a 6-kilometre walk through some principal streets of Accra to mark the 5th Annual End the hunger: Walk the World Campaign.
The walk, which was organized by the World Food Programme and sponsored by corporate partners, TNT and UNILEVER, was both an advocacy and fundraising event meant to raise awareness about global hunger and to raise funds to feed those faced with hunger who needed assistance. Thousands of walkers in 70 countries across the globe participated to reaffirm the world's commitment to meet Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 1 and also save millions from hunger by 2015. The walk started from the premises of the Golden Tulip Hotel through Liberation Road and ended at the Independence Square. Funds raised this year would be used in supporting school feeding and girls' education incentives for the poorest children who are at risk of dropping out in pre-school, Primary and Junior High School. Addressing the walkers before they set off, Ms. Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State of Education, Science and Sports gave the assurance that government was on track in achieving MDG 1 through reduction in poverty, under-nourishment and hunger.
"Government is aggressively pursuing the School Feeding Programme (SFP)and farmers would be provided with adequate incentives to enable them to increase production and provide enough food for the poor and hungry in Ghana," she said.
Miss. Ohene said through the efforts of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the World Food Programme(WFP) and the School Feeding Programme(SFP), more than 40,000 pupils have been enrolled in schools located in 34 Districts of the country.
She said the Capitation Grant would support poor households as a measure to buffer shocks of increase in food and commodity prices. Miss Trudy Bower-Pirinis, Country Representative of the United Nations World Food Programme said the WFP had launched an appeal for 750 million US dollars to maintain its capacity to feed 70 million of the world's most vulnerable citizens.
"Today's walk would provide funds for school meals to assist the 59 million children who attend school everyday including those in Ghana. WFP's response to the crisis is not only to provide life saving food assistance but also to assist governments to identify and target the newly vulnerable while supporting the market development of nutritious, cost effective food and supply chains that are closer to the beneficiaries," she said Miss Bower-Pirinis added that, WFP was committed to purchasing 60 percent of all commodities, valued at 10 million US Dollars to be used in community- based feeding programmes as a form of support for Ghanaian farmers.
"WFP is also supporting the promotion, procurement and distribution of locally produced fortified commodities such as the Corn Soya Blend, Iodized Salt and Palm Oil which contain vitamins and minerals for growth, brain development and protection against disease," she said Miss Bower-Pirinis said the event started in 2004 with 200 walkers and 2,000 dllars was raised, adding that, last year it multiplied to over 1000 walkers in Accra and Tamale generating 20,000 dollars. The "Fill the Cup" campaign, which sought to use the power or the red cup to remind everyone that it takes as 25 cents to fill the cup and feed a child in school was launched before the walk started. Stanchart Bank donated a cheque of GH¢1000 to support the campaign.
Some individuals and organizations were awarded certificates for participating in the event as well as their commitment to the campaign.
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GNA
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Government supports rice farmers in Ashanti
Kumasi, June 1, GNA - Mr. Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has stated that government has since last year given a total loan of 120,375.97 Ghana cedis to 60 rice farmers in the Ashanti Region for the cultivation of local rice. The move, he said, forms part of measures initiated to ensure success of the Inland Valley Rice Development and Nerica Rice Dissemination Projects aimed at increasing the production of local rice to reduce its importation whiles increasing the income of smallholder farmers. He indicated that the projects cover a total land area of 724.25 acres in three districts of the region, namely, Ejisu-Juaben, Ejura and Ahafo-Ano South.
Mr Owusu-Ansah was speaking at the Regional People's Assembly held in Kumasi at the weekend. Touching on the Special Maize Programme, he said under the scheme, government had so far given a total sum of about 1,656,000 Ghana cedis as loans to 13,800 farmers in the Region to support them in boosting maize cultivation and that the beneficiary farmers were also given technical support for the success of the programme. The Regional Minister stated that expansion works were currently underway at the Barekese and Owabi Dams and when completed would increase water supply from the current 16 million gallons to 27 million a day to the metropolis. Besides, he said, about 50 kilometres of pipelines were being laid to boost water coverage to 70 per cent. On drainage works, Mr Owusu-Ansah announced that within the last seven years, projects executed totalled about 179.89 kilometres, noting that areas which benefited from these works included Suame, Kropo, Suame-Kotoko and Adiembra. The rest are Daban, Kwadaso-Nsuom, Tarkwa-Maakro, Gyinase and Asuoyeboa.
The Regional Minister stressed that a total number of 253 culverts were also constructed at the cost of 3,341,819.84 Ghana cedis and that the length or roads rehabilitated during the period measured 110.82 kilometres whilst an amount of 15,773,372.36 Ghana cedis was spent on the works.
He announced that 9.90 kilometres of roads had been provided with streetlights at a cost of 731,880 Ghana cedis.
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GNA
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Black Stars spank Libya 3-0
Kumasi, June 1, GNA - The Senior National Team, the Black Stars on Sunday spanked the Greens of Libya 3-0 in their opening encounter of the 2010 FIFA World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations (ACN) Qualifying Series played at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
It was the Libyans, who went into attack when referee Maillet Eddy Allen of Seychelles whistled for hostilities to begin and nearly took the lead in the second minute as a result of a defensive blunder but Skipper John Mensah came in quickly to save the situation before Osam Ben Saleh could cause any havoc.
The Libyans went on attack again in the fifth minute with Ali Khalifa Alsbay missing the post narrowly with a grounder. He had another opportunity in the sixth minute but again missed narrowly.
After the scary moves by the Greens, Black Star lifted their game up and started sending forays into their opponents' half of the field and one of such yielded a corner kick in the eight minute which was taken by Laryea Kingston but Prince Tagoe's header went over the bar.
The Black Stars stepped up the heat and in the 16th minute, Manuel Agogo gave a pass to Prince Tagoe, who raced with the ball and shot it into the net leaving Libyan Goalkeeper Samir Abbud sprawling.
The goal spurred on the Stars and they probed for more goals. In the 21st minute, Sulley Muntari delivered one of his characteristic shots but Keeper Abbud parried it to corner. The resultant corner kick was wasted.
In the 30th minute, Osama Hamadi pushed a goal-bound shot from Prince Tagoe to corner, which was also wasted. Osama Ben Sella was flashed the yellow card in the 34th for rough play.
In the 53rd minute Agogo failed to connect a cross from Prince Tagoe, he, however, made amends in the 54th minute when he headed home a cross from Kingston.
Agogo wasted an opportunity in the 51st minute and in the 63rd minute Mutari's shot hit the upright.
In the 65th minute, Kingston sealed the doom of the Libyans with a perfect right footer after receiving a pass from Afful Harrison.
Sensing danger the Libyans made some changes, with Nader Karra taking over from Khaled Hussen and Ahmed Elmassli coming in for Ali Khalifa Alsbaay in the 67th minute. Sulley Muntari received a yellow card for rough play in the 69th minute.
The substitution nearly paid off when the Libyan came close to scoring but Goalkeeper Richard Kingson saved substitute Emmassli's shot in the 70th minute. The Libyans wasted another opportunity in the 71st minute when Ahmed Osmar shot wide a minute later.
Libya exhausted their substitution with Mohamed Zubya taking over from Osama Ben Saleh in the 77th minute.
In the 80th minute, the Black Stars also made two quick changes with Eric Bekoe and Haminu Dramani replacing Agogo and Muntari, respectively and exhausted their substitution with Francis Dickoh coming in for Skipper Mensah in the 83rd minute.
Michael Essien made a deep incursion in 84th minute but Goalkeeper Abbud made a dramatic save and pushed the ball to corner. Dickoh headed the corner kick over the cross bar.
The Libyans made a last minute attempt with inter positional changes and accurate passes but found the Defence of the Stats impenetrable, bringing the final score of the match, which was watched by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Ghana 3, Libya 0.
Line up - Black Stars: Richard Kingson; John Painstil; Harrison Afful; Eric Pappoe; John Mensah/Francis Dickoh; Anthony Annan; Laryea Kingston; Michael Essien; Manuel Agogo/Eric Bekoe; Prince Tagoe; Sulley Muntari/Haminu Draman.
Libya: Samir Abbud; Ejlal Walid; Shibani Younes; Hamadi Osama; Elmughrby Mohammed; Slil Abdul Vaser; Abdusalam Nader; Hussel Khalid/Karra Nader; Osman Ahmed; Alsbaay Ali Khalifa/Elmassli Ahmed; Salen Ben Osama/Zubya Mohammed.
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GNA
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Armed robbers rape girls in front of their father
Six armed robbers, dressed in female apparel, last Thursday gang-raped two sisters in a house at Batsonaa near Tema after robbing the household of valuable items, including laptops and mobile phones.
The young ladies, aged 20 and 22, were raped in turns in the full glare of their father, who also sustained serious wounds in the attack.
This was after the robbers had locked up five boys who were sleeping in the boys' quarters.
Narrating this sordid ordeal to the Daily Graphic on his hospital bed, the victim, (name withheld) said the robbers struck when the family was about to retire to bed.
He said the robbers, who also made away with GH¢500, attacked the five boys and locked them up before entering the main house by forcing the door open.
The victim said he struggled with the robbers after he realized that the guns they were wielding had no bullets, but the robbers overpowered him, got hold of a shovel they found in the compound of the house and used it to inflict multiple wounds on his head, hands and legs.
According to him, in order to save his head and face from continuous battering, he used his hands to shield his head but the robbers used the shovel to hit his two legs.
He said after inflicting multiple wounds on him, the robbers raped two of his daughters, but spared a third because she screamed and fainted when she emerged from the bedroom and saw her father in a pool of blood.
He said some soldiers who received a distress call went to the scene but the robbers had bolted when they arrived.
The victim was later rushed to the Sakumono Community Hospital for treatment but was referred to the 37 Military Hospital for further treatment.
The Community 18 police are investigating the case.
Source:
Daily Graphic
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Techiman welcomes NDC's John Mahama
Techiman, May 31, GNA- Mr John Dramani Mahama, running mate of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Friday began a nine-day tour of the Northern part of the country.
Responding to a rousing welcome in Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region, which dragged late into the night, Mr Mahama told the people that the NDC would form the next government come 7th January 2009.
"If the overwhelming welcome you have given to me today would be translated into votes then on January 7, 2009 Prof. Mills would assume the governorship of the country."
He said, "This huge welcome is a show of love for me and Professor Mills and for the big NDC. Professor Mills and I have accepted to be your humble servants come January 2009 and we would not disappoint you when you give us the key to the Castle by voting overwhelmingly for the NDC."
He said the NDC has embarked on a campaign of "Peace and Love" and asked its followers to adopt both attributes saying, "Insults and lies would not bring the votes."
He said the campaign slogan "Greater Ghana" that the party has adopted came from the background that the NDC did a lot during its administration and that the NPP was also playing its part and that what was confronting the nation now would not be achieved through "comparing of records."
He said when the NDC privatised the telecommunication industry, it created a boom in that industry and that he commissioned one of the first three FM stations in Techiman, when he was then the Minister of Communication.
Mr Mahama said there was the need to establish more FM stations to employ Ghanaians and not the "comparing of records".
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the party said the NDC was not in government and could not have pledged any state property or the newly found oil to finance its campaign.
He alleged that the Local Government, Rural Development and Environment Minister Mr Kojo Adjei Darko had said that the NDC has pledged the newly found oil to a foreign interest to buy pick-ups for its campaign.
Mr Asiedu Nketia said if any party could do that then it would be the NPP because "The NDC is not in government and has no control over state resources and any party, which is capable of doing that, is the ruling government."
Mr Mahama also visited some Zongo communities within the Techiman Municipality where he solicited the people's support to ensure a convincing victory in the December polls. Mr Mahama was accompanied by Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, vice National Chairman, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, National Youth Organiser and Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia.
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GNA
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399 kg of cocaine impounded
Nsawam (E/R), May 31, GNA - The Kibi and Nsawam police in a joint operation on Friday impounded 399 kilogrammes of suspected cocaine in a vehicle with registration number GT 3359 Z, belonging to Evowe Logistics Company at Teshie in Accra.
Briefing the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Nsawam, Chief Superintendent of Police and also Divisional Commander of Kibi in the Eastern Region, Mr. Owiredu Nkansah said the arrest of the suspected cocaine was effected upon a tip-off.
Chief Supt. Nkansah said the substance was transported from Guinea via Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
He said the three persons on board the vehicle, Kofi Amenu, 30, driver; Anani Kwabena 34; and Debli Kofi, 33 are in police custody assisting the Nsawam police in their investigations. Chief Supt. Nkansah said the vehicle has been impounded at the Nsawam Police Station while the suspected cocaine had been sent to the Police CID Quarters in Accra for further investigations.
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GNA
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HIV cases rise in Upper West
WA, May 31, GNA- Mr George Hikah Benson, Upper West Regional Minister on Friday, expressed his concern about the recent rise in HIV cases in the region from 2.6 per cent in 2006 to 3.3 per cent in 2007. He noted with sadness that while the national prevalence rate had decreased from 3.2 per cent to 2.6 per cent during the same period, that of the region has risen so sharply.
He called on all health workers to redouble their efforts in reducing the rate of spread of the virus.
Mr Benson was launching this year's nurses' week in the region at Wa, which is being celebrated under the theme: "delivering, quality, serving communities: nurses leading primary health care". He asked members of the nursing profession to rekindle their enthusiasm towards ensuring the health of the people throughout the country.
The Regional Minister reminded them that without their cooperation and total commitment to their work, the British Government's gesture of releasing funds for the provision of free prenatal services to pregnant women would not yield the desired result.
Mr David Salifu, Regional Secretary of the Ghana Registered Nurses' Association called on Chiefs in the Wa East District and the District Assembly to get their people to stop "the barbaric, criminal and inhuman act" of attacking health workers in the district.
According to him, health workers in the district were living in a state of perpetual fear following the assassination of one of their colleagues early this year and subsequent attempts by certain individuals in the district to allegedly assault a nurse. He further called on the Regional Police Commander and the Judiciary in the region to bring those who were associated with these crimes to book, warning that the association would not hesitate to withdraw its services if such acts of barbarism persisted. The Association appealed to the Ministry of Finance to address the "unfair and uneven" health sector salary structure, which was greatly affecting junior nurses and made them worse off than before.
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GNA
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Prayer camps turned into maternity homes
Some spiritual churches operating within the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis and other parts of the Western Region are creating anxiety for medical staff and workers in the area.
The churches, particularly the 12 Apostles Church, popularly called "Nakaba" in Western Region parlance, are said to be persuading pregnant women, who visit their churches for prayers not to go to hospital to be delivered of their babies but rather to deliver on the church premises in a special place called "Gardens".
According to Dr Sulley Ali Gabass, medical officer in charge of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at the Western Regional Hospital in Takoradi, most women who visit these churches are brought to the hospital deep in the night with serious complications, which is not good for the health of the women and their unborn babies.
He explained that during labour, there are processes the delivery system has to go through before the child finally comes out.
"But these women at various camps are forced to push the baby when the time is not due and this results in injuries to the uterus which leads to excessive bleeding that sometimes leads to the death of some of these women," be noted.
He explained that "when you force the uterus, it bleeds and the expectant mother could die after delivery. In the process, many blood vessels are destroyed.
"They do not know the anatomy and the physiology of childbirth. They tell the women to push. Therefore, the uterus is forced to open up for the child to come out. We are professionals and when the child proceeds with the hand or the head we know what to do to save the situation," he said.
He added that the sad aspect of the situation was that such cases were always referred to the hospital at night when other professionals such as the anaesthetists had closed and gone home.
He appealed to the church leaders not to take over the job of the medical professionals but encourage their congregation to seek medical attention at recognised health centres.
Dr Gabass said sometimes the patients after safe delivery narrate to the medical staff their horrific experiences at such prayer camps.
He said despite advice that pregnant women should visit medical facilities regularly to avert any complications when labour begins, "they do not come but prefer the prayer camps to the health facilities."
Asked if the problem was attributable to poverty, he said "that can never be the case. About 90 percent of those who are brought here are fully registered members of the National Health Insurance Scheme and they understand how it works."
Source:
The Mirror
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SOS builds third Village in Kumasi
Kumasi, May 31, GNA- The SOS Children's Villages, Ghana, an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), on Friday laid the foundation stone for commencement of work on a third village in Kumasi, at the cost of three million dollars. The Village that would consist of 12 family houses, kindergarten, primary school, junior high school and social and health centres. Mr Kojo Mattah, National Director of the NGO, who made these known at the stone laying ceremony at Asokore Mampong in Kumasi ob Friday said the project would be completed by next year. He said the NGO, which was founded by the late Professor Hermann Gmeiner in 1974, was providing homes for abandoned and destitute children.
Mr Mattah said over 500 children were living at two SOS villages in Tema and Asiakwa whilst thousands more were admitted to the SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools.
He said the village when completed would accommodate 120 children to be drawn from Kumasi and its environs. Mr Mattah stressed "In addition, over 400 children would be selected for support under the family Strengthening Programme." He said GH¢60,000 have been disbursed to caregivers and foster parents at the Villages to enable them to expand their businesses. Professor Helmut Kutin, President of SOS Kinderdorf International (KDI), urged CONSAR Construction Limited and facilitators who would be working on the project to complete it on schedule, to enable the NGO to take care of homeless children.
Dr. Mrs. Margaret Nkrumah, SOS KDI Representative in Ghana, urged the people to support the project, saying, they should regard homeless children as their own and contribute to their welfare. Oheneba Adusei Poku, Akyimpemhene in Kumasi, and representative of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, thanked the NGO for seeking the welfare of deprived children in Kumasi and its environs. He said the project was in line with the Asantehene Education Fund, which had spent GH¢340,000,000. on the education of 5,000 school children and students nation-wide. Oheneba Poku said "Otumfuo shares your vision and is ready to support you to enable the Ashanti Region become at par with the other regions in terms of education." Nana Boakye Ansah Debrah, chief of Asokore Mampong, appealed to individuals and organisations to support programmes that seek the development of children.
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GNA
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Joaquim Chissano arrives in Ghana
Accra, May 31, GNA - The former President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano, has arrived in Accra to open the eighth Annual Stakeholders' Meeting of Medicines for Malaria Venture(MMV)
The two-day stakeholders meeting which would be inaugurated by Major Courage Quashigah, Minister of Health, would highlight MVS' achievements in the past year and discuss the progress of its role in the global malaria eradication campaign. A release issued by the MMV, said Mr Chissano, who is head of the Joaquim Chissano Foundation, would also preside over the MMV award ceremony, and present the winners of the first ever MMV Malaria Drug Innovation Award and the Project of the Year Award. It said MMV would also hold its second annual Access Symposium which opens on 1st June, 2008.
The release said MMV, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, would organize a drawing competition for selected primary school children, which would end with an Award ceremony on May 30, 2008 at the Ghana National Association of Teachers Hall in Accra. Medicines for Malaria Venture is the premier drug development organization focused on developing the best medicines for people at risk of malaria.
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GNA
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Decision to Award Mills Sparks Controversy ....
... Against President Kufuor
(VOA) -- In Ghana, President John Kufuor’s decision to award the presidential candidate of the main opposition National Democratic Congress ahead of this year’s general elections is generating controversy. The national women’s organization of President Kufuor’s ruling party is calling on the president to rescind his decision to grant John Atta-Mills the nation’s highest award for serving the nation. They contend that Kufuor’s move to honor the former vice president is not only right, but would give the opposition party bragging rights in this year’s election. But the opposition NDC party says their presidential candidate has served the nation with excellence and deserves to be honored, adding that Atta-Mills is poised to win the upcoming presidential vote. Rita Asobayire is the national women’s organizer of Ghana’s ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). From the capital, Accra she tells reporter Peter Clottey that her organization will continue to protest until President Kufuor changes his mind.
“We read in the papers that he (John Atta-Mills) has been nominated. We don’t know who has nominated him, but we are only pleading with the president that he should have a second look at that nomination,” Asobayire pointed out.
She said the opposition leader would gain political capital ahead of general elections if President Kufuor goes ahead to present Atta-Mills with the award.
“Why we are saying so is that we are in an election year, and there are other flag bearers of other political parties. So, why should one presidential candidate be singled out and given an award, which gives him some advantage,” she said.
Asobayire denied President Kufuor made a mistake by nominating the presidential candidate of the opposition NDC party for an award ahead of the election.
“I don’t think President Kufuor has made a mistake because if we go by what is published. It is saying that it is a nomination, and I don’t know who has nominated professor Atta-Mills,” Asobayire noted.
She said her women’s group would continue to appeal President Kufuor’s decision to give an award to the opposition leader.
“There was a letter from the minister for presidential affairs saying that the president has not appended his signature to any award, and that it is only a nomination, which they are still looking into, and that there are over 100 people who have been nominated for various awards. So, it could be that they are still looking into it, and we are only appealing as women that the president should have a second look at that nomination,” she said.
Asobayire said if anyone deserves the award, it is former President Jerry Rawlings – not opposition leader Atta-Mills.
“I don’t think so because we have a former president (Rawlings), the only surviving former president of this country. So I think if there should be such an honor, it should go to the former president who has contested twice, and won elections, and he is the only surviving president of this country,” Asobayire pointed out.
She reiterated that the advantage an award would give the opposition leader would work to the detriment of the presidential candidate of the ruling party.
“Yeah, you see this is a third-world country. It is not like America, and most of these things done could go a long way in hurting us in the elections. You know, we have rural areas. We have people who cannot read or write. So if they should see the president standing with Atta-Mills and giving him the award, that alone speaks volumes. Already, the opposition party has started saying that the president has endorsed Atta-Mills, which is not true. I know the president would never do that against his own flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Yes, I’m talking about perception,” she said.
Asobayire said her organization would not give up urging President Kufuor to rescind the opposition leader’s award.
“The president has traveled. He would be coming back home, and I think when he comes, there would be a meeting. He has the prerogative, and we cannot force the president to do what he wishes to do, but we are only appealing to the president to have a second look at that award,” Asobayire noted.
Source:
Peter Clottey for VOA
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Don't politicise Atta Mills nomination
Sunyani (B/A), May 30, GNA- Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Minister of Information and National-Orientation on Friday urged Ghanaians to refrain from "doing politics with Prof. Evans Atta-Mills' nomination" for the nation's highest award, saying nominees are awarded strictly on merit.
He said he was not in the position to tell whether or not Professor Atta-Mills' nomination, which has generated so much controversy in the political and the media circles, would finally be given the thumps up, until President Kufuor returns from his trip outside the country.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng was addressing a meeting with Information Officers and staff as well as Municipal and District Chief Executives in Brong-Ahafo.
The purpose of the meeting was to familiarise himself with the operations of the Information Service Department in the region and to interact with its staff.
The Minister said it was not the intention of the NPP government to score political points with the award "but was doing so. strictly as a matter of principle".
"He (Prof Mills) would be awarded if he deserves it. I cannot say whether he would be neglected or would be included among the list of those to be awarded until the President is back from his trips.
"As at now, no decision has been taken on the date for this national award programme. It could be before Christmas or next year in January or February", he stated.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng appealed to the officers to be focused as they go about disseminating information on government policies and asked them to undertake this duty devoid of political "colourisation".
The Information and National Orientation Minister also urged them to build strong relationship with their subordinates, while seeking clarification from their Municipal/District Chief Executives on any issue, which they were not clear about so that they can give accurate information on current issues.
He promised to restore other incentives in the service to the workers, provided they work hard and support the government's development agenda.
Mr Asamoah-Boateng urged MCEs and DCEs to collaborate with the security agencies to arrest private Information Service Officers who operate without licences in the region.
Source:
GNA
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Germany's GTZ assists district assemblies
Sunyani, May 30, GNA - The German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ)has donated items worth GHC 23,000 to the Brong Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council and three other districts in support of establishing reliable District Database System (DDS). The beneficiary districts are Kintampo South, Tano North and Tain and each received computers and accessories, printers, air conditioners and photocopiers, whilst the Regional Coordinating Council got scanners and laptop computers.
Ms. Lynda Amengor, Fiscal Decentralisation and Financial Management Advisor of GTZ, said DDS could be used for planning, budgeting, revenue mobilisation and decision making. She said GTZ, in collaboration with the Local Governance and Poverty Reduction Support Programme seven districts namely Jaman North, Jaman South, Asunafo North, Asunafo South, Dormaa, Wenchi and Tain were supported in 2004 to establish a database. She lauded the improvement of some districts in budget planning and revenue mobilisation.
Mr. Nikolas Beckmann, programmes leader of the Support for Decentralisation Reform who presented the items, also advised the districts to be committed in ensuring that their efforts paid off. He said the items were presented on request by the RCC in order that the entire region benefits from the gains made by the seven pilot districts. Mr. Nicholas Lenin Anane-Agyei, Tano North District Chief Executive, expressed gratitude on behalf of the other districts for the assistance.
Source:
GNA
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People of Yaakrom appeals for electricity
Yaakrom (B/A), May 30, GNA- The Chiefs and Opinion leaders of Yaakrom, a farming community in the Dormaa Municipality have appealed through their Municipal Assembly to government to as a matter of necessity, reconnect the town to the national electricity grid. A two-paged press release adopted after meeting at Yaakrom and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said electricity was extended to the town in December, 1997, and that a bushfire with unknown sources burnt down 44 of the high tension poles linking Yaakrom to Dormaa-Ahenkro culminating in their "sudden return to darkness".
The release, which was signed by Nana Kwasi Kontor, a Chief of the town, Mr Oppong Francis, the assemblyman and other opinion leaders, further stated that the disaster has resulted in an abrupt end to economic activities, triggered by the absence of electricity and outlying the villages.
It said apart from the loss of information, entertainment and educational programmes, the problem has also imposed on the community criminal activities, which the people felt was almost eradicated with the advent of light in the town.
The statement underscored the unprecedented relief that electricity brought to farmers, especially poultry tenders, and wished that something could be done to immediately restore electricity and bring back life to the industry.
It appealed to the government in general and the Energy Ministry in particular to consider the plight of Yaakrom and make the necessary replacement to restore light to the town.
Source:
GNA
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Mills Office responds to NPP's Boadu
The NPP National Youth Organiser, this afternoon on Joy FM’s midday news, allowed his emotions to run wild when he tried in vain to question the very tall, academic, public service, and political record of NDC Leader and Presidential Candidate, Professor John Atta Mills.
John Boadu, in his emotional outburst, described the nomination by President Kufuor of Professor Mills for the Order of the Star of Ghana, Companion Division, the nation’s highest award, as a “DISASTER”.
John Boadu’s use of the word “disaster” makes the point poignantly that his understanding of the word is the not the understanding of all those who have a proper grasp of the English language.
What John Boadu failed say, in his emotional outburst, is that, Professor Mills lectured him at the School of Administration, Legon, and therefore imparted quality knowledge to him.
If for any reason, John Boadu should come out to question the qualities of Professor Mills as a good lecturer, he would be the only person wearing that cap because senior members of his party such as Mr. Allan Kyeremanteng, Ms. Gloria Akuffo, Mr. Joe Ghartey, to mention a few, all benefited from the tutelage of Professor Atta Mills, and attest to the fact that the learned professor was very good at his vocation of teaching.
On the issue of Professor Mills’ tenure as Head of the Economic Management Team, during his time as Vice President, which John Boadu sought to describe as a “disaster”, the records speak for themselves and well-meaning Ghanaians know the contribution to nation building that the learned Professor Mills made during that period.
VAT and GETFUND, to mention just two innovative policy initiatives, saw the light of day during Professor Mills’ term as Vice President and Head of the Economic Management Team.
It is a matter of public knowledge the way John Boadu’s NPP opposed the introduction of VAT and GETFUND, but are benefiting from them in government, and sometimes even try disingenuously to claim them as their policy initiatives.
When it comes to the arena of sports, Professor Mills acquitted himself as a sportsman from his school days and played for the national hockey team on several occasions.
As a sports administrator, Professor Mills’ record as, Head of the National Sports Council, Chairman of the Black Stars Management Committee, as well as a Director of Accra Hearts of Oak, speaks volumes.
As Leader of the NDC in opposition, Professor Mills’ contribution to the peace Ghana enjoys as well as his contribution to the growth of the country’s democracy, are not things that John Boadu’s emotional outburst can wish away. For a fact, but for Professor Mills not having an inordinate desire to become president, he could have also declared the NDC winner of the 2004 election after Jake Obetsebi Lamptey and the NPP so did, and only the Good Lord knows what would have happened to the peace and stability the nation is enjoying. The emotional outburst of John Boadu shall do nothing to erase the manner in which Professor John Evans Atta Mills distinguished himself and continues to distinguish himself in all spheres of nation building.
Meanwhile, John Boadu, via his attempt to rubbish the very enviable record of Professor Atta Mills, has called the judgment of the Leader of his party, President John Agyekum Kufuor into question.
Obviously, John Boadu does not think that President Kufuor applied his brain to the decision to honour Professor Mills and that the President must have taken the decision without any sound and solid analysis.
In other words, John Boadu thinks very lowly of President Kufuor and believes that the President is a disaster.
It would be interesting to see how John Boadu turns round to applaud the stewardship of President Kufuor now that he has put it out in the public domain that he has enough reason to doubt the judgment and thinking capacity of the President of the Republic.
Source:
Koku Anyidoho(Head, Communications
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Law on Causing Financial Loss to the State ....
BAGBIN TO RESIST REPEAL OF LAW
The Minority Leader in Parliament, Hon. Alban S.K. Bagbin, has served notice that he would oppose any move for the repeal of the Law on Willfully Causing Financial Loss to the State.
He thinks that the First Parliament of the Fourth Republican Parliament was right in passing the law and therefore it should be retained. “ I think Parliament was right in passing the law on Causing Financial Loss to the State and I will resist any move to repeal it,” he declared.
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Hon. Bagbin made these remarks when commenting on an answer by Justice Jones V.M. Dotse, an Appeals Court Judge who appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Tuesday on his nomination by the President as a Supreme Court Judge.
When asked about his views on the Law on Causing Financial Loss to the State, Justice Dotse said it was “dangerous” for him to comment on the law since some of the cases before him in court border on it. However, he believes that the law has had “a negative backlash considering the manner it has been applied”, and if Parliament thinks in its wisdom that it should be repealed then he has no objection.
Three other judges who appeared before the committee included Messrs Justice Anin Yeboah, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie and Ms. Justice Rose Constance Owusu. Justices Yeboah and Baffoe-Bonnie also shared similar sentiments when they were confronted with the same question. “ If the House thinks it should be repealed then so be it, “ Justice Yeboah said.
In the past, the MP for Tema West, Hon. Abraham Ossei Aidooh was reported in the defunct Evening Newspaper, Friday, May 16, 2003 edition as warning that any attempt by government to introduce a bill aimed at amending or repealing the law on “Willfully causing financial loss to the state” will be rejected by Parliament.
“I will personally vote against the bill because I see nothing wrong with the current law,” the paper quoted him as saying at a symposium in Tema.
According to Hon. Aidooh, who is now the Majority Leader and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, he had been in touch with most of his colleagues from both sides of the House and their opinions were that any such bill would be defeated, the paper said.
Similarly, when Papa Owusu-Ankomah was the Attorney General and Minister of Justice in 2004, the Ghanaian Chronicle also reported him to have said that the review or repeal of the law on willfully causing financial loss to the state from our statute books was not on his priority list.
“Why the call for the review or repeal of this law from our statute books. Is it because a few ministers in the NDC government have been tried and convicted under the law? Look I am also a politician but we are talking about timing here...”
The Law of Causing Financial Loss to the State was passed in 1993 as amendment to the Criminal Code. It was sparingly applied under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Administration, but under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) regime the country has witnessed the trial and conviction of some ex-Ministers and functionaries of the NDC era.
Those jailed under the law and pardoned include; Kwame Peprah and the late Victor Serlomey, Finance Minister and Deputy respectively, Dan Abodakpi, Trade and Industry Minister, Ibrahim Adams, Food and Agriculture Minister and George Sipa Yankey, a government official. The former Chief Executive of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Tsatsu Tsikata, is currently on trial for the same offence.
Those who have called for the repeal of the Law on Causing Financial Loss to the State argue that it is a highly controversial law that could be subjected to elastic interpretation. In addition, they claim that it could stifle official initiative and discretion. Leading the call for the repeal is Dr. Sam Jonah, former CEO of AngloGold Ashanti.
The appearance of the four justices before the Appointments Committee is a constitutional requirement as per Article 144(2) of the 1992 Constitution, which stipulates that besides the Chief Justice, “ The other Supreme Court Justices shall be appointed by the President acting on the advice of the Judicial Council, in consultation with the Council State and with the prior approval of Parliament.”
Article 128(1) provides that, “ The Supreme Court shall consist of the Chief Justice and not less than nine other justices of the Supreme Court”.
Source:
Public Agenda
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National Awards Suspended?
This year’s National Awards which has generated a lot of controversy following the nomination of Professor John Evans Atta Mills as a recipient, may not be coming on after all. The recipients, according to deep-throat sources, might have to wait for another six months before being decorated.
Daily Guide gathered that the event, originally slated for 3rd July 2008, had been suspended till after the December general elections. A bird whispered to the paper that the suspension became inevitable following the agitations and political spin given to it when the media published five of the probable personalities on the list.
Even though no specific date had been given, the source intimated that it could come on in the first week of January next year, and it would probably be President John Agyekum Kufuor’s last official outdoor duty before handing over power on January 7, 2009.Prof Mills, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, was named last week as one of 158 personalities penciled to receive various categories of awards during this year’s Republic Day celebrations, but his inclusion was so politicized that it had to be called off in the national interest. The first political twist given to the award, when it was first announced by the President’s Press Secretary, Andrew Awuni, was by Koku Anyidoho, communications director of the Mills Campaign Team, when he asserted on a London-based Ghanaian radio station that by nominating the former vice president, President Kufuor had indirectly endorsed Mills as the one to take over the mantle of power come January next year.
It was followed by series of publications in pro-NDC newspapers including Ghanaian Lens owned by Koku Anyidoho, amplifying the spin. Anyidoho’s insinuation sparked spontaneous responses from activists of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), some of who frowned at the President for taking a ‘disastrous’ step. Not even a prompt clarification by the Chief of Staff, Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, which the final list was not ready, could quench the disenchantment sweeping across members of the ruling party. John Boadu, NPP National Youth Organizer was the first party man to officially express his displeasure at the President’s move, saying it was politically dangerous and ill-timed. He said it was ill-timed in the sense that it could give undue political advantage to some presidential candidates over their opponents.
“I believe strongly that since they are all competing, there is no need for any award to be given to any of them. If there is the need for an award, then all of them must be recipients,” he said, stressing that the award must be based purely on performance. Boadu contended that the former vice president had failed to impress the people in the areas of economic management and human rights protection, and therefore did not deserve the award. This was followed by the Deputy Majority Leader in Parliament, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, who indicated that he was not comfortable with the timing of the nomination. He said even though he was not against recognizing the works of people, there was nothing astounding about the former vice president for him to deserve the award.
And as if that was not enough, the women’s wing of the NPP on Wednesday joined the “no award chorus”, calling on the President to reconsider his decision. A statement issued in Accra and signed by the National Women’s Organiser, Rita Asobayire, noted that the party’s women members were confounded that a person who was vice president when several Ghanaian women were serially murdered has been named for an award. “The mass of our rank and file would be massively demoralized with such a decision and we therefore call on the President to reconsider and review the decision,” the statement stressed. The women said it was unacceptable and hard to understand that someone who was the Vice President of this country did not utter a word when his government, after shaving and beating up Selassi O’Sullivan Djentuh, boyfriend of Ezenator Rawlings at the Castle, threw the boy’s parents in jail for two weeks because they protested against the dehumanization of their son.
The brouhaha naturally prompted a sharp rebuttal from the opposition NDC, watering down the earlier position that President Kufuor was endorsing Mills with an award. The opposition NDC retorted - against Koku Anyidoho’s position - that the professor had nothing to gain politically from the award. While Mills’ running mate, John Dramani Mahama said the award would not give the professor any advantage in the December elections, the party’s propaganda secretary, Fiifi Kwetey, alleged that the idea of nominating the former vice president was an NPP ploy to ridicule Prof Mills. Sounding disturbed at the way the issue was being politicized, Boakye Kyeremanteng Agyarko, former vice-president of the Bank of New York, cautioned that if care was not taken the import of the entire award would be eroded and kicked into insignificance.
The first signal that the controversial award could be called off was noticed when the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng tried to explain that the nominations were not conclusive. The minister, who was making his first official statement on the matter through a release to the press on Wednesday, stressed that no nominee could describe himself as picked or honoured until the committee was out with its final list. “Government wishes to state that the nomination of Prof. Mills remains just that, and should not be misconstrued to mean that a definite decision has been taken on the matter,” it stated. The suspension of the award, observers noted, could help reduce the political tug-of-war it had generated.
Source:
Daily Guide
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Asokwa fire victims receive support
Kumasi, May 30, GNA - Some 224 people who received burns as a result of the Engas explosion at Asokwa in Kumasi last year have a total of 6,720 Ghana cedis out of 9,000 Ghana cedis raised by the Disaster Fund Committee. Each victim received 30 Ghana cedis based on a police report submitted to the committee.
Nana Fe-Baamoah, Asokwahene and Chairman of the Committee, said at the presentation of the amount to the beneficiaries in Kumasi that the number of beneficiaries could increase to 300 since 76 of the victims did not have their police reports. He said the committee would also consider them whenever they submitted their reports to enable the remaining 2,280 Ghana cedis to be disbursed to them.
Nana Fe-Baamoah extended gratitude and appreciation to individuals, churches and organizations for donating to the fund and presented them with certificates for showing concern to the victims The victims also thanked the donors for their support and called for more donations to the fund since the amount received was not adequate to cater for expenses incurred after the explosion. The explosion killed three people and injured many.
Source:
GNA
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NUGS demands resignation of IGP
Accra, May 29, GNA - The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), on Thursday called for the immediate resignation of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong in order to give the Police Service a new image.
Mr. Kweku Tuoho Bombason said: "NUGS believes that this is crucial, especially in the wake of the various unrests, unprofessional conduct of
some policemen, alleged corruption and maladministration to give the service a fresh face and image."
Mr. Bombason, speaking at a press conference in Accra noted that the situation was even more worrying where people expected to promote peace and security, especially the Police Service, seemed to be engulfed in illicit trade as clearly demonstrated by the missing cocaine kept in police custody.
"This equally has serious telling effects on quality human resource development of the nation as well as efforts being made to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of 2015," he added. NUGS also called on government to set up an independent committee to look into the activities of the Inter-Ministerial Task Force to carry out relief impact assessment exercise in the wake of the northern flood disaster. Mr Bombason said the last minute decision to deny NUGS the opportunity to be part of the impact assessment on flood affected areas should not be taken on face value.
"If this can be done to even NUGS, it means that a lot would be uncovered if an independent committee is established by his Excellency to probe the activities of those who administered the relief items to affected communities; no wonder some victims continuously insist that not even a tea-spoon of maize was received from government." On feeding grants, the union urged government to act immediately to enable Senior High School students in the north to return to school. "Indeed the union is stressing here that, if government fails within one week to get all Senior High Schools reopened in the three northern regions, we will advise ourselves."
Mr. Bombason further called for the removal of Mr. Ernest Adade, students' representative on the GETFUND Board saying, "We believe strongly that he is part of the unsatisfactory performance of the GETFUND Board."
"We further reiterate our call for a comprehensive Legislative Instrument to be passed detailing the modus operandi of GETFUND so as to avert haphazard use of this all important fund."
He said NUGS had already set up a five-member committee to investigate the quality of work executed from the proceeds of the Fund in some selected educational institutions across the country. On the students' loan scheme, NUGS urged all stakeholders to consider an increase of by at least 50 per cent effective 2008/2009. Mr Bombason noted that the recent conflicts in areas like Bawku, Anloga and Bunkprugu-Yunyuo were counterproductive to education, health and sustainable development.
"It is prudent that government looks at a more holistic way of resolving these conflicts so as to restore the needed peace and congenial atmosphere which is requisite for investment and development in general," he said.
Source:
GNA
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First Deputy Speaker commends NDC on democracy
Accra, May 29, GNA - The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Freddie Blay, on Thursday commended the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for its significant contribution towards attainment of effective democratic governance in the country.
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He noted in particular, the contributions of leading NDC members including Mr Johnson Aseidu Nketiah, the party's General Secretary and Mr. Kofi Attoh, Director of External Affairs.
Mr Blay, who is also the Convention People's Party (CPP) Member of Parliament for Ellemble made the commendation during the official launch of the Third Daily Graphic Governance Dialogue 2008 in Accra.
The Third Dialogue on the general theme: "Effective Democratic Governance: The Role of Stakeholders" was chaired by Osahene Offei Kwesi Agyeman IV, Krontihene of Akuapem Traditional Area and Board Chairman of Graphic Communications Group Limited. The dialogue is fixed for August 5th and 6th at the Accra International Conference Centre. A book on the Second Dialogue was launched by Mr Blay on behalf of the Speaker Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes.
Speaking on the theme, Mr Blay said as the nation prepared for the December general polls it was appropriate for Ghanaians to discuss problems resulting from bad governance, which had invariably contributed to the retardation of development on the African continent.
"The fact is, the failure of democratic institutions to function properly weakens their legitimacy in the eyes of the citizens," he said. He explained that the tendency of Africans to accommodate authoritarian regimes turned to be greater in countries with high income inequalities.
The Deputy Speaker urged African experts to use the Daily Graphic Dialogue platform to bring to a sharp focus attributes of good governance and articulate its benefit and relevance to prosperity, development and good democratic culture of the continent. He expressed surprise that only the NDC was represented at the function.
Mr Ransford T. Tetteh, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and Editor of Daily Graphic, explained that all the other political parties were invited and expressed surprise that they failed to turn up.
Mr Ibrahim Awal, Managing Director of Graphic Communications, explained the rationale behind the institution of the annual dialogue series which began in 2006.
He said the dialogue sought to provide a platform for discussion of governance issues germane to Africa's growth and development and improvement of the quality of life of its people.
Source:
GNA
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Village razed down in communal clash
The entire Jimbali village, in the Bunkprugu-Yunyoo District of the Northern Region, was yesterday razed to the ground in the second day of renewed fighting between Mamprusis and Bimobas over a parcel of farm land.
Jimbali is 15 kilometres from Togo.
Reports reaching the Ghanaian Times indicate that eight people have lost their lives while a number of people have sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds.
Yussif Ibrahim, District Coordinating Director has described Jimbali as "a ghost village".
Speaking to the Times yesterday, he said, as police/military re-enforcement arrived in Bunkprugu town, there was news that some youth had gone to Jimbali and burnt it completely.
Mr Ibrahim said no arrests have been made, but police patrol has been intensified.
As is the case in such conflicts, the women and children of the village have fled to seek refuge either in Togo or Nalerigu in the East Mamprusi District.
The fighting which broke out at Yunyoo on Sunday is now escalating to many surrounding communities, characterised by sporadic shooting and burning of houses, according to a police source at Bunkprugu who spoke to the Times in the afternoon.
A resident of Bunkprugu, who gave his name as Dubik, also said traders returning from the market at Gambaga were attacked by the youth at Bunkprugu on Tuesday.
He said but for the timely arrival of the military, the traders would have been killed.
Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Police Commander, Ephraim Barakatu, said another re-enforcement of security personnel has been sent to the conflict area to maintain law and order.
Source:
Ghanaian Times
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US Lottery Is Slavery: Spio-Garbrah
The Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has described the annual Green Card Lottery, operated by the American government as an "enlightened modern slavery" to fill US labour shortages. He has therefore called on the government to take a closer look at it as it is denying the country of its trained human resource.
Dr. Spio-Garbrah was delivering a lecture on the theme, "Ghana’s future: An e-agenda for human resource development (a modern term strategy with focus on education and health as e-solutions to Ghana’s growth)" at the British Council in Accra on Tuesday. The lecture was organised by the Ghana Renewal Institute and supported by the Centre for e-governance and the African Cancer Organisation.
Dr. Spio-Garbrah said as a former Ambassador of Ghana to the US, he protested and opposed this form of exploitation. Dr. Spio-Garbrah, who had lived in the US for 18 years, said he was not against emigration but argued that from the point of view of national development, the practice was not in the best interest of the country. For the country to be able to harness its resources for national development, he proposed the establishment and development of a ‘Global Network of Ghanaian Professionals’, which he explained, will ensure that the country gets a database of all its professionals in every part of the world to contribute their experience in their various expertise to the development of the country.
"It is sad that the country is not monitoring its most important assets as we cannot tell exactly the percentage of our experts and where they are," he complained. "Ghana has a bright future and so we must exploit fully its human resource," he added. Dr Spio-Garbrah said Ghana’s human resource, numbering about three million across the globe are among the best in the world and mentioned in particular world organisations such as the World Bank, the Commonwealth, African Development Bank and the UN System as areas where Ghanaians are among the most creative.
He called for investment in the country’s human resource to ensure that Ghana has the appropriate resource to enhance development and set targets for heads of the educational institutions regarding the number of professionals required to be trained every year and in which areas. The President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Leticia Obeng, said the country’s human resource was key to national development and called for prompt action to harness the resource, saying such a move is vital to national development.
The chairman for the occasion, Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, said a country that puts value on its ICT development is on its way to national development and stated that an effort in the e-agenda is extremely important and must be embraced by all.
Source:
Ghanaian Times
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Ghana hit by aviation fuel shortage
Ghana has been hit by shortage of aviation fuel, with officials blaming the situation on technical problems that have prevented delivery.
Suppliers have not been able to deliver aviation fuel for about one week, but airport sources said on Thursday that flight schedules at the Kotoka International Airport in Accra had not been affected.
Airport officials said airlines operating in Ghana had been told to refuel in neighbouring countries.
Flights at KIA not affected by fuel crisis.
Flight schedules at the Kotoka International Airport, have not been affected by the current shortage in aviation fuel.
Officials at KIA told the Ghana News Agency on Thursday that aircrafts at the airport were now resulting to alternatives places such as Nigeria and Togo to re-fuel their flights.
They said there was no cause for alarm as the situation was under control and the problem would be resolved in about one week.
According to the officials, the supplier companies have assured flights owners that the situation would be rectified in a weeks time.
Source:
GNA
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Ghana celebrates ECOWAS Day
Accra, May 29, GNA - Ghana on Wednesday said over the last 30 years ECOWAS has achieved successes and that the West African regional economy experienced an increase in GDP from 141.9 billion dollars in 2005 to 170.1 billion in 2006, rising to 199.1 billion in 2007.
The regional GDP is projected to 232.7 billion in 2008 and prospects for the region appear favourable in 2008.
An official statement the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD to mark the 33 anniversary of ECOWAS which fell on Wednesday said the positive economic outlook for the region were improved macro-economic management, improving governance and security situation in Members States.
It said the current global food crisis has however, had budgetary implications on the regional economy.
Nevertheless, the ECOWAS Commission and the 15-Member States are embarking upon policy measures to address the food crisis which could have severe socio-economic implications on the Community.
As a short-term measure, Agriculture Ministers meeting in Abuja Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 19 2008, decided on the need to invest four billion dollars between 2008 - 2010 to boost productivity. It said, "As a long-term measure, Member States have agreed to improve their budget allocation to agriculture, invest in local fertilizer production and subsidize agricultural production. The provisions of the Common ECOWAS Agricultural policy (ECOWAP) will also be implemented."
In the Energy sector, ECOWAS has made progress in the implementation of the West African Gas Pipeline and the West African Gas Pipeline primarily for electricity generation and other industrial uses will soon commence operation and provisions have been effected to extend the pipeline to other countries within the sub-region.
With regard to Free Movement of Persons, the ECOWAS Commission has intensified its efforts to sensitize Member States of a provision under this Protocol. The statement said that would help address the incidents of harassment along the boarders as well as promote the use of the ECOWAS Passport.
Thus the theme for this year celebration which is the "Free Movement of Persons without harassment" was very likely and significant considering the important role Free Movement played in the process of integration.
The statement said the security situation in the region has improved and joint efforts by ECOWAS and Member States in promoting dialogue, preventive diplomacy and peace building were clearly yielding positive results as evidenced by the steadily improving security environment within the sub-region.
"Democratization and electoral processes have also become the norm in the sub-region; with the year 2007 marking a successful year for Presidential and Parliamentary elections in West Africa." It urged the ECOWAS Commission to continue with its work in the promotion of democracy, good governance and rule of law. Despite the achievement of ECOWAS, it acknowledged that more remained to be done to remove the many barriers that impact on the free movement of Goods, persons and services across Ecowas common borders. The statement pledged Ghana's continued playing her part to make the visions of ECOWAS come into fruition.
Source:
GNA
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South African High Commissioner Summoned
Accra, May 29, GNA - The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD, Mr Akwasi Osei-Adjei on Tuesday summoned the South African High Commissioner, Mr Rapulane Sydney Molekane to the Ministry to discuss the situation in South Africa where xenophobic attacks against Africans have led to dozens of deaths.
A statement issued in Accra on Thursday said the Foreign Minister expressed concern about reports of attacks on and intimidation of Ghanaian nationals resulting in the injury of at least two people. The statement said the High Commissioner confirmed that no Ghanaian had been mentioned among the dead, and no specific information about attacks on any Ghanaian had come to his attention.
Mr. Molekane said any such information would be speedily investigated, adding that, the authorities were now in control of the situation and were taking appropriate measures to protect all foreign nationals in South Africa.
The statement said the Ghana High Commission in South Africa had reported that in the Cape Town area about 70 nationals had their business properties destroyed in a locality and 20 others were affected at a different location.
However, most nationals who initially sought refuge in designated centres had now returned to their homes and the High Commissioner was monitoring the situation.
In a related development, President John Agyekum Kufuor has, on the margins of the TICAD IV currently taking place in Yokohama, Japan, met President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and obtained assurances regarding the personal safety of the Ghanaians in that country. The statement said President Kufuor was also expected to participate in the World Economic Forum in South Africa next week and would use the opportunity to obtain a first hand account of the situation.
He would meet the Ghanaian community to reassure them of their personal safety as well as inform them of government's plans underway to mitigate their condition.
Source:
GNA
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Journalists visit MVP at Bonsaaso
Bonsaaso (Ash), May 29, GNA- A 12-member press team from the Tokyo International Conference of Africa (TICAD), has paid a two-day visit to the Millennuim Village Project (MVP) at Bonsaaso in Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region The group included journalists from the British Broadcasting Corporation, Pan African News Agency, Inter Press Service, Asahi Shimbun, East African Business Week and African Renewal. The team also toured 15 communities and inspected work on a clinic at Manso-Datano, kindergarten at Wonnipanindue, clinic at Watreso, and cocoa nursery at Akyerekyerekrom. Mr Samuel A. Afram, cluster manager and team leader of the MVP, led the visitors to inspect the project. He said the scheme that focused on health, agriculture, environment and community development was being implemented in 30 communities in the district. Mr Afram said the assembly, staff of the project and government collaborated efforts to rehabilitate roads, provide social amenities and extend electricity to some communities. Mr Nicholas Gouede, programme officer of TICAD, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) African Bureau, said the visit was to enable the team to assess MVP projects being funded by the Japanese Government.
This, he said, would help in the preparation of the final document for the forth coming TICAD conference that would take place from May 28 to May 30 in Yokohama, Japan. Mr Gouede commended the MVP staff for their contribution to the development of education, health and agriculture in the district.
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GNA
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I'll Review Kufuor's Tax Policies - Akufo-Addo
The flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo has promised to reduce corporate tax to 15% for manufacturing industries to boost that sector of the economy, if elected as President of the Republic in December 2008.
“My government will address the multiplicity of tax and tariffs regime to support industry by working with the business community to introduce appropriate reforms to consolidate and reduce the tax burden on businesses” Akufo-Addo said in reference to the tax regime inherited by the ruling Kufuor administration from its predecessor Rawlings PNDC/NDC administrations.
He said a New Tariff Advisory Board (NTAB) would be used as a vehicle for the review, adding that it would review “on an urgent basis, the scope, attitude and culture of Custom Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), in order to make it more effective, transparent and business friendly in its operations.”
The flagbearer made this promise at a meeting with the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in Accra last Friday.
At the meeting, he presented new initiatives which would help address some of the challenges confronting industry.
According to him, combating unfair trade practices would be addressed by enforcing administrative regulatory measures, together with vigorous policing of the country’s borders to reduce smuggling.
“We would use aggressive efforts, consistently with applicable WTO rules, to protect our industries against dumping and other unfair practices” he noted, adding “with this belief, we shall work with you to pass the Industrial Development and Competitiveness Bill which you have developed.”
Nana Addo Dankwah added that to make this more effective, additional resources and personnel from the Ghana Standards Board and the Food and Drugs Board will help protect the health and safety of consumers, as well as shield local industries from unfair competition from outside.
“For example, lacklustre enforcements of standards that permit dumping of sub-standard aluminium sheets onto our markets harm the public and weaken our industries. This must cease,” he stressed.
Nana Addo Dankwah emphasized that his government would strengthen the National Board on Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) to provide them with technical assistance.
“However indirect costs would also be addressed through the introduction of measures to reduce business approval processes to less than 5 days for new business applications and to reduce corruption by accelerating the e-government project,” he noted.
Other solutions to indirect costs, he said, would be the introduction of necessary changes in the public procurement laws and regulations that would commit all ministries, departments and agencies to use at least half of the goods and services which is provided by local organizations.
This, he said, will make available to local manufacturers, a large ready-made market that will drive productivity, reduction of delays in payment to business for goods and services supplied to government by private business and government will be required to pay interest on outstanding balances after 90 days.
“Therefore there is the need to reform the legal administrative and regulatory environment by completing the process of developing, passing and enforcing the Standards Bill, implementing the Consumer Protection Policy, complete the revision of the companies’ code to introduce international best practices to the country’s business environment and modernizing the investment code and decentralizing its administration.” Nana Akufo-Addo emphasized.
According to him, the current worldwide food shortages and resultant increase in prices have underlined the need for food security for the country.
“We must add as much value as possible to our primary products,” he suggested as one of the means to deal with the global food crisis.
“It is against this background that we shall have food security and add value to our agricultural products by increasing productivity through the provision of irrigation, higher-yielding seeds, storage facilities and road network” he stressed.
He revealed that the establishment of agro-based industries in each of the regions based on the local strengths, would help achieve the goal of making the country self-sufficient, adding that this will enable the country add value to her agricultural products.
Source:
gye nyame concord
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Krobos unhappy about delays in releasing report
NEW. Watch live television from Ghana, the latest Ghanaian movies and OBE TV.
Odumase [ER], May 28, GNA- The people of Manya Krobo are seething with anger over the inability of the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council (ERCC), to release a report the council commissioned into the ownership of the Odugblase Limestone quarry, which is being contested by both the Manya and Yilo Krobo traditional Councils.
Nene Dome Siakor, Divisional Chief of Suisi of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council, said his people want the council to make public the report so the entire world could know "whatever is on the table" and how it affects them.
Speaking at the seventh edition of the District turn of the People's Assembly held at the Agormanya Parish Hall on Wednesday, Nene Siakor said the Manya people were unhappy over the failure of the ERCC to release the report to them despite several presentations made to that effect.
He said although the council did not hold the current Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Afram Asiedu personally responsible for the hold-up, they, nevertheless, expected him to expedite action on the issue and make the report public soon.
The Odugblase quarry is acclaimed to have large deposits of stones, which are being mined for production of cement.
From an economic point of view, the quarry could serve as a lucrative source of income to the traditional council declared as the legitimate owner.
To avoid the jostling over ownership stifling the project, the ERCC, under then Regional Minister, Mr Yaw Barimah, commissioned a committee to authenticate the ownership of the land and although the committee duly presented its findings, the report had never been made public. Other issues, which came to the fore at the assembly, were the need for the Volta River Authority (VRA) to pay compensations to owners of land it acquired in building the Akosombo power Generation Dam and the status of Akuse.
Contributors re-asserted what they said was their eternal right to Akuse because it is part of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council and cited a Supreme Court judgement and other relevant laws to buttress their point.
On the issue of compensation by the VRA, the District Chief Executive, Mr David Sackitey Asare, said available records indicated that compensations had been paid by the government to the affected parties and there were instances where some individuals collected monies on behalf of their families without making it known to the other family members. However, if there are still people who have records to prove otherwise, they would receive the needed support in demanding what is due them, he added.
Source:
GNA
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Accounts clerk of Graphic Communication Group in court for stealing
Accra, May 28, GNA - An Accounts Clerk of Graphic Communications Group Company, Ho branch on Wednesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for forgery, possessing forged documents and stealing GH¢ 140,000 cash belonging to the company.
Daniel Tsali, pleaded not guilty to the three charges and the court admitted him to bail of GH¢140,000 cedis with four sureties to reappear on June 18, this year.
The Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr. George Abavelim told the court that the complainant was Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Managing Director of Graphic Group of Communications. ASP Abavelim said in April this year, while the company was preparing its account books for 2007 Financial Audit, it was detected that between January 2007 and March 2008, and amount of GH¢ 140,000, which the suspect had collected from vendors, and agents of the company was not lodged at the bank.
Prosecution said Tsali however, presented fake pay in slips to show that he had deposited the said amounts in the bank. On May 19, this year Tsali who went into hiding after being alerted that the police were after him went to the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police Service. ASP Abavelim said police investigations however revealed that Tsali secured a stamp similar to that of the Ghana Commercial Bank, Ho Branch and stamped various pay slips amounting to GH¢ 140,000. The prosecutor said Tsali also forged signatures purported to be that of Tellers of the bank and presented them to the head office of the company and he could not offer any tangible explanation to his actions.
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GNA
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Ghanaians urged to help cut fish imports
Cape Coast, May 28, GNA - Mrs. Gladys Asmah, the Minister of Fisheries, has appealed to Ghanaians to go into aquaculture as a profitable business venture and not just as a hobby to curtail the nation's fish imports.
She said the nation imports 200 million dollars of fish annually to make up for the annual deficit and that aquaculture, could produce enough fish to offset the deficit of about 400,000 metric tons. Mrs Asmah, who made the appeal on Tuesday when she inaugurated the Central Regional Fish Farmers Association (CEREFFA) in Cape Coast, said her ministry was "aggressively pursuing" the Aquaculture Development Policy.
She said the policy was supported by the "stark fact and reality that the country's marine resources continue to dwindle resulting in low catch by fishermen."
Mrs Asmah said the aquaculture industry held a good potential and that her ministry was evolving strategies to address constraints such as quality fish seed and feed, inadequate extension services and support, market and the now emerging threat of security.
She said the ministry was supporting an FAO project in the Volta Basin to develop a fast growing Specie, the Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT), that will make fish farming commercially and economically attractive, adding that GIFT takes about four to six months to mature for harvesting.
She said some fish farmers had also been encouraged to produce quality fingerlings to supply farmers and out-growers, while the ministry was beefing up the staff of the Fisheries Directorate with expertise and skills to help fish farmers with extension services.
Mrs. Asmah lauded the formation of the association and said it would give them a platform to discuss their problems and challenges, to exchange ideas and to exchange equipment.
Mr. Samuel Obodai, the Deputy Central Regional Minister, appealed to fish farmers in the country to form or join existing associations to enable them influence policies, readily access loans, as well as seek redress to their grievances.
Mr Kafui Bekoe, Regional Director of Fisheries, appealed to the government to make available grants, machinery and other materials to the farmers.
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GNA
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Ghana Will Teach Us a Thing Or Two (Namibia)
The newly appointed Minister of Trade and Industry, and the country's first Prime Minister, Dr Hage Geingob, wants Namibian people to display an entrepreneurial spirit like that of the Ghanaians.
"People there do not rely on hand-outs and jobs from Government. They work long hours, they trade, they sell all sorts of products and commodities on the streets to make a living," he said.
Geingob was welcoming the new financial product by First National Bank of Namibia targeted at small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
The Chief Executive Officer of First National Bank (FNB) Namibia, Leonard Haynes, introduced the product, called BusinessWise, to the minister last week.
"I would like to see that SME spirit of the Ghanaian people amongst Namibian SMEs. However, our people, our SMEs will need financial support from Namibian banks and I am pleased that FNB developed this BusinessWise account that will help alleviate the financial pressures from our informal sector," said Geingob.
The BusinessWise account from FNB Namibia is for entrepreneurs who want an easy to understand basic transactional banking account. Thus, the BusinessWise account is a card-based transmission type account that comes with no cheque book or credit facilities.
The account is ideal for entrepreneurs who do not qualify for a business cheque account because of background debt clearance, for instance.
Larger corporates with a maximum turnover of N$1 million per annum can also make use of the account, as a secondary account to their normal business cheque account.
Some of the many positive features of the BusinessWise account are that the account holders have access through visa electronic debit card, the usage of debit card for payments, low cash deposit fees, and the easy to read monthly statements mailed to the entrepreneurs regularly.
Payment of goods and services can also be made with the debit card.
However, owners of such accounts cannot make an overdraft and would not have access to a cheque book.
Only signatories to the BusinessWise account can have full signing powers on these accounts. No dual signing powers or partial signing powers are allowed, other than voluntary limits on debit card transactions, via their own individual customer profile which will always be linked to the account.
"We are most confident that this new product will serve the financial needs of our target market very well. It will also facilitate enterprise development and contribute to increased economic activity and job creation," said Haynes.
Source:
New Era (Windhoek)
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Man remanded for sodomizing 7-year-old boy
Accra, May 27, GNA - A 36 year-old man was on Tuesday remanded into prison custody by an Accra Circuit Court for having carnal knowledge with a seven-year old boy and a remand prisoner in police cells. Kweku Ebenezer has pleaded not guilty to the two charges. He is to reappear on June 17.
The case as presented by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr. George Abavelim was that at about 2330 hours on April 10, the accused who did not have a house approached the boy's mother for a place to live and was offered a kiosk in front of her house.
The prosecution said at about 0930 hours on April 12 Kweku, who was fond of playing with children, asked the victim to buy him food and he obliged.
When the victim brought the food Kweku lured him into the kiosk, forced the victim to lie down and thrust his manhood into his anus. An iced water seller who heard the victim crying raised the alarm and witnesses forced Kweku's kiosk open and caught him in the act. The prosecution said the victim's mother was informed on telephone and she caused the arrest of Kweku who was escorted to the Amasaman Police station.
On May 2 at about 0230 hours while the accused was being detained in cells with other inmates, he attacked Kwabena Agbeneyeke and forcibly had sex with him.
The prosecution said the victim shouted for help and the inmates rescued him from the grips of Kweku.
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GNA
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MCE denies buying low cost houses
Ho, May 28, GNA - Mr Mawutor Goh, Ho Municipal Chief Executive, has denied buying 72 low cost houses being put up for sale by government at the Mawuli Estates in Ho.
On the contrary, the Ho Municipal Assembly has made representations to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources to review the cost of the houses, Mr Goh said.
He said this when he explained issues pertaining to the sale of the houses at the second meeting of the Ho Municipal Assembly in Ho on Tuesday.
Mr Goh said what was in the custody of the assembly regarding the sale of the houses was an offer letter from the ministry to the assembly and not allocation letters meant for those occupying those houses. The ministry mandated the assembly to identify legitimate occupants of the houses who are not necessarily individuals but departments. Where departments are unable to buy the houses allocated to them, the opportunity would be given to the staff occupying such houses. He said the ministry requested from the assembly whether it wanted to buy some of the houses for its staff including those of decentralized departments.
Mr Goh said the assembly would need about 5.8 billion cedis being total cost of the houses, 20 percent of which was to be paid as deposit to be able to buy the houses.
He said the assembly considered the prices quoted as too high and had asked the ministry to review them downwards with indications that the request would be granted.
"I don't think I have done anything bad in this case", he said. Regarding estate development in the municipality, Mr Goh said a Chinese investor had expressed interest in investing in estate development.
He said already 30 acres of land had been earmarked for the project that would involve hire-purchase arrangements for public and civil servants over a period of 15 years for houses costing from up to 250 million cedis without a deposit.
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GNA
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Remove poster on 'NPP achievements' on buses
Accra, May 27, GNA - The Ministry of Information has been called upon to remove billboards and posters projecting the achievements of the government on buses of the Metro Mass Transport since they are offensive and did not reflect the true socio-economic and political landscape of the country.
Speaking to the GNA in Accra, the Chairman of the Odododiodioo Constituency of the NDC, Mr. Daniel Okai, pointed out that the posters and billboards were deceptive since state and not party resources were used to achieve goals and it was insincere for one individual or party to take the credit for any achievement.
He stated that some of the projects were even started by previous governments and said the posters and banners on the buses suggested that NPP resources were used for them, which was not true. Mr. Okai said the posters and banners on the buses amounted to using state resources for partisan ends.
He recalled that when the NDC was in power, the painting of party colours on railway locomotive engines was criticized and said state resources were used for the billboards and posters by the Ministry of Information.
The NDC Constituency Chairman noted that train coaches now do not have party colours but a complete picture of President J.A Kufuor on them and said the Ministry of Information should change the billboards and posters to reflect achievements of the government and not "NPP Government Achievements".
He said that he was not against successes and achievements of the NPP but stated that state money and resources should not be used for what he called "purely partisan ends" to favour the NPP at the expense of the tax payer.
"The government and the Ministry of Information should change all the billboards and posters and the partisan bias in their content removed", he said adding, "all Ghanaians should feel being part of the achievements since their taxes, were used to pay for them". "If after two weeks and they have not been removed there will be a massive demonstration to petition the Speaker of Parliament and call on all well-meaning Ghanaians to force the government to effect the changes," Mr. Okai said.
He said during the NDC era, the display of simple party colours at state functions was criticized by the NPP and questioned why government should now use state property and resources to project the party.
Source:
GNA
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Mills, Akufo-Addo to face public
Accra, May 27, GNA - The Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) has fixed June 11 and 26 as the tentative dates for the flag bearers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evans Atta Mills, and ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo respectively to meet the public to share their vision for the nation. The event dubbed: "Evening Encounters with Presidential Aspirants," seeks to offer a non-partisan platform for the presidential aspirants to engage the public, mainly academics, media practitioners, economists and a cross-section of Ghanaians.
Unlike a political rally where the candidates most often made promises without saying how to fulfil them, the IEA platforms offer the grounds for issue based dialogue.
"They are 'cross-examined' on their intended programme for the nation," Ms Victoria Lamptey, IEA Programmes Officer, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Tuesday.
She said IEA believed that "those who wish to govern must allow themselves to be subjected to probing questions by the people, to ensure that they understand their concerns and have the capacity to address them."
Ms Lamptey said the Evening Encounter forms part of IEA's efforts to meaningfully contribute to multiparty democracy in Ghana. Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, flag bearer of the Convention People's Party, appeared at the first encounter on May 14.
The Institute has also written to the People's National Convention (PNC) to clear its position on the alliance with the CPP for a possible date to be fixed for its flag bearer, Dr Edward Mahama.
Source:
GNA
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Let's rejuvenate the tourism sector - Oboshie
Accra, May 27, GNA - Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, on Tuesday urged staff in the tourism sector to help rejuvenate the sector since tourism was the single most important thing that could help the country move from the poverty brackets. She said tourism offices in the country should make people "feel Ghana" by using made in Ghana curtains, flowers, chairs and other odjects that could be used to promote the country. Mrs. Sai-Cofie threw the challenge when she met staff of the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), the main implementing agency of the Ministry, to have first hand knowledge about their operations, opportunities and challenges.
"We need to make people see and feel what we are doing and what is happening in the tourism industry," she said and urged the media to be a true partner with the tourism sector so that together tourism in Ghana would move forward as expected.
Mr. Martin Mireku, Acting Executive Director of the GTB, informing the Minister about their role, said the board did a lot of research and also ensured that standards sets were been adhered to. He said the Board would this year organize the National Regatta festival, Caribbean carnival and the National Tourism Awards, which is held bi-annually to honour people in the industry who were doing well in terms of complying with standards.
Mr Mireku expressed the Board's gratitude to government for the new head offices of the GTB and said plans were advanced for the staff to move from the old office to the new one.
Staff of the Ghana Tourist Board expressed concern about low salaries, lack of a substantive Board for GTB, lack of direction to tourist sites among other things to help grow the industry. At the Hotel Catering and Hospitality Training Institute (HOTCATT), the training wing of the Ministry, Ms Fati Dakubo, Director of the Institute, said there were numerous challenges the institution was battling with even though they had been able to train a lot of people in the sector.
The Minister pointed out that training was an important aspect of the hospitality industry, thus HOTCATT was dear to the heart of the Ministry.
She promised to pay more visits to the Ministries, Agencies and Departments so that she could be part of the growth in the tourism industry.
Mrs Bridget Katsriku, Chief Director of the Ministry, commenting on HOTCATT's situation said they were collaborating with the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) to expand the training facilities.
She expressed the hope that with the collaboration HOTCATT would be better in terms of infrastructure and efficiency. Mrs. Oboshie Sai-Cofie also visited various handicraft centres at Okpongblo. The visit to the handicraft centres was in line with the recently held seminar on Tourism and Handicrafts which called for a stronger collaboration between the tourism and handicrafts sectors.
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GNA
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Black flies brought under control at Bui
Bui (B/A), May 27, GNA - Communities in the Bui Hydro Electric Power Project area have expressed appreciation for the on-going disinfectation exercise in the area against the black flies, which they said had been a nuisance to them.
"Now we can put on short sleeved shirts unlike in the immediate past when one dared not because of the influx of the swarms of the black flies", Kwadwo Num, a farmer told a group of journalists from Sunyani. The spraying exercise, under the Bui Disinfectation Project, is being undertaken by Zoomlion, a private waste management company. The six-month onchocerciacis control programme launched in September last year is expected to end in August.
The programme, aimed at controlling the black flies that carry germs that river blindness onchocerciacis, is progressing steadily. Residents of the 15 fringe communities where farms, homes and along the banks of the Black Volta are sprayed said the programme had brought great relief to them.
Workers at the Bui Hydro Electric Power Project site also confirmed that the black flies had been brought under control under the programme and they really appreciated the efforts by government. "We are no longer disturbed by the flies. We are greatly relieved", Mr. Kwame Tawiah, a crane operator foreman, said.
Mr. Samuel Nortey, Vector Control Coordinator of Zoomlion, said the 15 communities covered under the spraying exercise included Bongase, Akayakrom, Bui Camp, Dokokyena, Bui Village, Agbekla and Jama. He said in all 650 workers were involved in the disinfectation exercise and apart from demobilizing the adult flies, six canoes were being used to destroy the larvae of the flies on the banks of the river. A section of the workers at the Bui Power Project interviewed complained of improper and hasty dismissals, lack of safety gears, decent accommodation, canteen and low remuneration by the Chinese firm, Sinohydro Corporation undertaking the hydro project.
Mr. G.D. Boateng, Project Director of the Bui Power Authority, when contacted about the workers' grievances said the Authority was not directly involved in the engagement of the workers, which was done by contractors.
He said the Authority would hold a meeting with the contractors to resolve all the concerns.
Mr Boateng said a temporary housing project had been started and would be completed very soon. Mr. Yangi Yixin, Project Manager of Sinohydro Corporation, said the company had brought in safety boots and hats and they were being distributed to the workers. "We have the best accommodation (which is a temporary arrangement) for the workers in the present circumstances and we pay for overtime," he said.
Source:
GNA
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Transport operators asked to reduce fares
Accra, May 27, GNA - The Ghana Road Transport Co-ordinating Council (GRTCC) on Tuesday directed all road transport operators to revert to the March 20 approved road transport fares following a reduction in the price of diesel. An official statement signed by Nana Danso Atekoasa Agyemang, Acting Chairman, said the basis for implementing fares that became operational on May 3 no longer existed due to the reduction of the price in diesel to GH cedis 1.20 per litre. "The GRTCC appeals to all road transport operators, commuters and the public to cooperate for the success of this exercise," it added.
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GNA
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Labour movement denounces South Africa xenophobic violence
Accra, May 26, GNA - An Africa labour movement has condemned widespread xenophobic violence against migrants in South Africa and urged President Thabo Mbeki "to take immediate and effective action" against such acts.
The Nairobi-based African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) in a letter to President Mbeki said it was outraged that the lives and properties of tens of thousands of innocent migrant workers and their families were subject to hatred and violent attacks.
"The loss of increasing number of innocent lives, the hundreds of severely wounded and thousands of displaced people and the shock and traumatic effects on all their relatives and others have caused a deep social crisis among the predominantly urban population of South Africa," the letter signed by Mr Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, General Secretary said. The letter obtained by the GNA in Accra said all efforts were needed to maintain peace in South Africa and to create an enabling environment for a real social integration of migrant workers in the South African communities.
ITUC-Africa said, it was aware of the underlying factors which had caused deep frustrations, especially among the younger part of the South African working population.
"Lack of employment, lack of income, poor housing facilities, insufficient education and the apparent inability of the government to successfully tackle these problems have caused anger and despair among these deprived groups of the South African working population. "The absence of a future with a decent life for South Africa's younger generations has now turned against migrant workers, the most vulnerable groups in the South African labour force." The letter told President Mbeki that his government was "the first to be responsible and the first to be blamed" for these unprecedented outbursts of xenophobic and anti-immigrant feelings. ITUC-Africa said it agreed that migrant work could neither be separated from the process of African economic integration nor from the process of globalization.
"We recognize that migrant work as a feature of open economies comes with challenges and difficulties for many countries, not only for South Africa but for many countries in all regions of the world. It requires well thought out and clear policies to effectively integrate migrant workers in the South African communities." "It requires the application of the labour laws to all workers to stamp out shameless exploitation.
"It requires the maintenance of the rule of law to protect the lives and properties of all. It requires social justice and peaceful and decent lives for all," it said. The labour movement asked President Mbeki to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the violent attacks. The letter reminded South Africans that, during the dark era of apartheid, workers across Africa, united in the predecessor organisations of ITUC-Africa, and tirelessly contributed to the defeat of the apartheid system. "African workers' solidarity strengthened South African workers to take their future in their own hands and to make their country a welcome and safe place to live." The labour movement therefore, demanded President Mbeki's "immediate and effective action to end the violence and to take all necessary measures to ensure that this xenophobia will no longer pollute the social fabric of your beloved country". Dozens of foreign workers have been killed and their businesses destroyed by a wave of xenophobic attacks against them. 26 May 08
ATTENTION RECIPIENTS: ITEM 07 ENDS OUR SECOND TRANSMISSION
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GNA
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Govt "playing hide and seek" -Doctors
... Threaten Strike
Accra, May 26, GNA - The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) warned on Monday that it was being pushed to resort to industrial action to press for better salary and other employment issues and blamed the Ministry of Health for the situation.
A GMA press statement signed by Dr E. Adom WInful, President, and Dr Sodzi Sodzi-Tetty, General Secretary, at the end of its Third National Executive Council Meeting at Sogakope, said members of the Association had followed due process and laid down procedures in conformity with the letter and spirit of the labour laws, but their grievances had not been attended to.
The GMA said the salaries of doctors and dentists had not been reviewed for over two years, adding that, the government had been playing "hide and seek" with them.
It said despite numerous efforts by the GMA through respective dialogue meetings, communiqu=E9s, both formal and informal discussions with relevant members of government, including the Ministers of Health, Finance and Economic Planning, key officers in the office of the President, the National Labour Commission and President John Agyekum Kufuor, government had still refused to review and increase their salaries.
It said the Government, represented by the Ministry of Health had continued to avoid the Association and had been deliberately refusing to conclude discussions and sign a finalized Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which has been jointly prepared, reviewed and agreed upon by the GMA and the Ministry of Health which would bring to rest this issue of salary review and other major employment issues between the membership of GMA and government.
The statement said the National Executive Council (NEC) recognised and acknowledged the challenges of the economic situation in Ghana as it affected the livelihood of Ghanaians, including doctors and dentists. However, it said, the GMA expected that government, as the major employer of its members, would fulfil its responsibility in line with the labour law of Ghana to GMA members, by similarly increasing their salaries.
"The membership of GMA has reached the end of their tether and is being pushed to exercise their rights to resort to industrial action and the Ghanaian public should hold government responsible for the consequences emanating from any industrial action, since government has shown itself not to respect past decisions and commitments made through dialogue," the GMA said.
Source:
GNA
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Ghana and Iran sign MOU on joint cooperation
Accra, May 26, GNA- Ghana and Iran has signed a number of Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding at the end of their Third Session of the Permanent Joint Commission of Cooperation in Tehran, Iran.
1. IRAN TRADE FAIR / ACCRA
The Session was convened to review the state of implementation of the cooperation agreement signed between Ghana and Iran in Accra on November 15, 1990 and to explore new opportunities for cooperation, to strengthen bilateral economic relations between the two countries at both governmental and private sector levels.
This followed a visit to Iran by Mr Akwasi Osei-Adjei, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD at the head of Ghana's delegation from May 20-23 this year.
The Iranian President Dr. Ahmadi Nejad, expressed his country's readiness to expand cooperation with Ghana in all the sectors negotiated, under the framework of the Joint Commission for Cooperation. A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD said the meeting discussed various issues including Banking and Finance, where the Export Guarantee Fund of Iran (EGFI) agreed to extend short, medium and long term suppliers' credit amounting to US$350 million to reputable Ghanaian banks through the Export Guarantee Fund of Ghana.
It is to be accessed by the private sector for small-scale business development, and that negotiations would begin soon between the EGFI and the Export Guarantee Fund of Iran and Ghana to map out the modalities for administering the lines of credit.
The Minister was accompanied by Mr Clement Eledi, Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Mr Kwame Ampofo Twumasi, Deputy Minister for Energy and Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Ghana's Ambassador to Iran.
The delegation held bilateral talks with a number of high-ranking Iranian officials, including Mohammad Reza Eskandari, Minister of Agriculture and co-chairman of Joint Commission for Cooperation, Dr. Manouchehr Mottaki, Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. Fatah, Minister of Energy, Mr. Samsami, Acting Minister for Economy and Financial Affairs and Mr. M. Nozari, Minister for Oil.
The statement said the deliberations between the delegations of Ghana and Iran took place in a frank and cordial atmosphere. The two sides agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in Agriculture, and also collaborate on research and technology transfer in the development of vaccines and serums for humans and livestock, as well as in biotechnology and genetic engineering.
They also agreed to cooperate in the area of cultivation improvement methodologies; development and exchange of planting material; provision of engineering and technical services; development of feasibility studies for the production of chemical fertilizers in Ghana; and joint-venture investment in agriculture.
On Trade, Economic and Financial Cooperation, the Iranian side expressed its readiness to establish private joint-venture companies to undertake technical and engineering projects such as cement production, power generation and downstream petrochemical industries. The Iranian side also expressed interest in exploring opportunities in Ghana for joint-partnerships in vehicle and tractor assembling plants as well processing plants to add value to cocoa production. To establish confidence among Iranian business operators, the two sides initiated negotiations on Agreements for the avoidance of Double Taxation and investment promotion.
The statement said Iran also agreed to extend to Ghana, loans of US$250 million for rural electrification and US$100 million for the financing of cottage industries, aimed at job creation to stem the rural-urban drift.
On Energy, Ghana and Iran agreed to cooperate in the development of oil and gas with particular reference to the acquisition of seismic data on Ghana's Voltaian Basin.
"Towards this end, Iran is to dispatch a team to Ghana in the near future to discuss the modalities for the execution of this project." The two sides agreed to cooperate on the development of human resources for the Ghanaian petroleum industry, power generation, transmission and distribution in the country. Ghana welcomed the interest expressed by an Iranian company to participate in the construction of power generation plants as an Independent Power Producer in Ghana. On Education, the two sides agreed to exchange instructors for technical and vocational education, grant scholarships to students and to conduct joint research in science, technology and medicine at the tertiary level. On Health, Iran agreed to a request by Ghana for support in training nurses and other health workers at post-graduate levels and to organize periodic workshops on Public Health Care.
The two sides agreed to support health campaigns in HIV/AIDS, malaria control and other communicable diseases in collaboration with the Ghana Red Cross Society.
On Sports, Ghana and Iran agreed to cooperate in updating the skills of coaches, physical education instructors and athletes. The two sides also agreed to exchange lecturers on Sports Science, Administration and Management. Ghana and Iran agreed to develop their capacities in broadcasting and in news and programme exchange; technical cooperation; and the automation and digitization of radio and television broadcasting systems. On Transportation, the Iranian side expressed interest in investing in the development of port infrastructure and participation in sea-freighting of goods to and from Ghana on competitive basis.
Other areas in which the two sides reached agreement covered the promotion of collaboration between the Customs Administrations through the conclusion of a Customs Agreement, based on the provisions of the model text of the World Customs Organization; cooperation on tourism promotion; and on Environmental issues, including waste management and biodiversity conservation.
Source:
GNA
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Chief sets up fund for Catholic University
Sunyani, May 26, GNA - Mr. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Brong- Ahafo Regional Minister, has appealed to chiefs and people of the region to focus on issues that would help reduce poverty and illiteracy. He said the government alone could not bear that responsibility hence the need for chiefs and people to encourage, especially the youth, to be focused on their education.
Mr Baffour-Awuah said this at the 10th anniversary celebration of enstoolment of the Sanaahene of Sunyani Traditional Area in Sunyani. The anniversary was aimed at raising funds for "The Sanaahene Scholarship Scheme" to help needy students who excel at the Faculty of Public Health and Allied Science at the Catholic University College at Fiapre.
Mr. Baffour-Awuah lauded the efforts of the traditional council in promoting education and appealed to other chiefs to do their best in the development of their communities.
He donated GHC 500 and pledged to pay GHC 200 monthly towards the scheme and appealed to churches, NGOs, individuals and philanthropists to collaborate with the traditional council in supporting the scheme. Nana Tabiri Ampem Kyeremeh II, Sanaahene of Sunyani Traditional Area, said his interactions with students, lecturers and the university administration revealed that most people could not have access to education due to financial problems and the scheme was the only way to help such people.
He appealed to the public to contribute to the scholarship scheme, saying contributions would go into a fund that would be managed by a scholarship committee to be supervised by the Vice-Chancellor of the university.
Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri II, Omanhene of Sunyani Traditional Area, urged chiefs and families to resolve any differences amongst them with regards to enstoolment of chiefs to enable the region to continue to enjoy peace and stability.
He advised people in the municipality who had acquired plots of land for residential and other purposes not to build houses haphazardly but to follow laid out rules and regulations. "Those who have put structures at unauthorized places should remove them to beautify the city," he said. Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri appealed to politicians to conduct their campaigns devoid of insults, intimidation and antagonism and to concentrate on issues that would accelerate national development.
Source:
GNA
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