GRi Newsreel 09-04-99

  Koforidua (Eastern Region), 9 April 

The Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation (GWSC) and two Japanese firms are discussing the construction of a treatment plant on the Birim River at Bunso and an underground reservoir to solve the perennial water problem facing the Koforidua Municipality.

In the interim, a Spanish consortium, Gestagua Ibadesa, has been awarded a contract to rehabilitate the water treatment facility at Densugya, near Koforidua, which serves the New Juaben Municipality.

The project, when completed, will increase daily water supply to Koforidua from the current 1.2 million gallons to 1.8 million gallons.

Mr Emmanuel Fosu, Eastern Regional Director of the GWSC told reporters at Koforidua on Wednesday that the Koforidua-Densugya project forms part of an integral water supply project costing 10 million dollars for the Eastern Region. It includes the rehabilitation of water systems at Nsawam, Nkwakaw, Asamankese, Anum-Boso and the Akuapem Ridge.

Currently, water is rationed every other day for residents of the municipality. Mr Fosu said the treatment plant on River Birim, which flows throughout the year, would serve the Osiem, Kukurantumi, as well as the New and Old Tafo townships. The facility will also augment water supply from Densugya for Koforidua.

On the underground water reservoir, he said the firms were seeking a spot outside Koforidua because water tables there contain iron, which is dangerous for human consumption.

Cape Coast (Central Region), 9 April 

The Central Regional Co-ordinating Council (CRCC), will insist that only contractors with track records for executing quality building projects are awarded contracts in the region.

In addition, sub-contractors will be required to be properly registered and have the requisite key professionals before getting contraacts.

The Central Regional Minister, Lt. Col Charles Agbenaza (rtd), announced these measures at Cape Coast on Thursday at a meeting with members of the regional branch of the association of building and civil contractors.

The meeting was to map out strategies to solve problems facing the construction industry in the region, as well as discuss complaints about shoddy work and uncompleted projects.

The Regional Minister said the measures would help to bring sanity and discipline in the industry, and to ensure the judicious use of monies allocated by the government for such projects.

Col Agbenaza was not pleased with the "mushrooming" of contractors overnight, following the introduction of the district assemblies common fund.

"These novices came in with inexperience and that has resulted in a high incidence of poor execution of projects".

The Regional Minister said a monitoring team, made up of experts in the building industry, has been set up to inspect all on-going projects in the region.

The chairman of the association, Mr Emmanuel Debrah-Mireku urged the RCC and district assemblies to deal with only recognised contractors to ensure quality projects.

Accra (Greater Accra), 9 April 

The Ghana Cocoa Board (GCB) said on Thursday it has made available on equal terms, its warehouses to all Local Buying Companies (LBCs) and Produce Buying Companies (PBCs) with effect from today, Friday, April nine.

A statement issued by the Board in Accra said the measure is part of government's policy to deepen competition in the internal marketing of cocoa, and to provide a level field for all companies involved. The Board called on all interested LBCs to contact its chief executive on the locations, terms and conditions under which the warehouses would be made available to them.

Babile (Upper West), 9 April 

Researchers at the Babile Agriculture Station in the Upper West region have identified cassava as the most promising crop that can sustain food security in the three northern regions.

"Cassava is tolerable to drought and can also do well on less fertile land," the researchers said.

Farmers should, therefore, be encouraged by all stakeholders in agricultural development to go into large-scale cultivation of the crop.

Mr Salifu Ziblim, officer in charge of adoptive research component of the National Agricultural Research Project, said improved cassava sticks would be provided to farmers in the region to undertake large-scale production of the crop. He mentioned cowpea as another promising crop that can raise the income level as well as the nutritional requirements of the people. "It can be cultivated twice in our erratic raining season and also add nutrients to the soil," Mr Ziblim said.

About 196 black sticks, popularly known as "Ashanti black" and meant for livestock production, are undergoing genetic improvement study at the station.

Apam (Central Region), 9 April

The New York chapter of the Gomoa Citizens Association in the United States has donated assorted drugs worth about 5 million cedis to the Gomoa District Health Management Team (DHMT). The items include syringes, hypertensive and anti-biotic drugs.

The treasurer of the chapter, Mr Kow Annan, who made the presentation at Apam on behalf of the association on Friday, said it is in appreciation of the good work the DHMT is doing to improve health delivery in the district.

Mr Annan said their primary concern is the health of their relatives at home and promised to continue to support programmes in the country.

The District Chief Executive, Mr Kow Anyanful, and the District Director of Health Services, Miss Diana Hall-Baidoo, who jointly received the drugs, thanked the donors and appealed for more support from other citizens working outside the country.

Asanteman celebrates 40th day rites for late Asantehene.

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 9 April 

Asanteman on Thursday observed the 40th day rites of Otumfuo Opoku Ware the Second the late Asantehene.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu the second, Asantehene-elect, sat in state at the Manhyia Palace to receive homage from sympathisers from all walks of life.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu, in "Koben"(red cloth), his right shoulder smeared with red ochre and wearing "denkyemkye", a hat made of crocodile skin, rode in a palanquin from the palace to the funeral grounds.

Accompanied by state sword bearers, Otumfuo Osei Tutu was taken through some streets around the Palace and Ashanti New Town before returning to the funeral grounds at 1400 hours.

There was traditional drumming, singing of dirges and appellations and cheers from the crowd.

With the firing of musketry at the background, the milling crowd of mourners surged forward to catch a glimpse of the Asantehene-elect who sat in state for the first time since his installation last Monday as Kumasihene.

Nana Afua Kobi Serwaa Ampem the Second, Asantehemaa, and her retinue as well as paramount and divisional chiefs, had to move at a snail's pace to the funeral grounds because of the large crowd, which the few policemen on duty found difficulty to control.

Some members of the royal family, including the children and grandchildren of past occupants of the Golden Stool, were in their koben, their right shoulders and necks smeared with red ochre.

They wore garlands made of esuan (a climbing stem) and chewed kola, signifying. the loss of a great monarch and the people's sense of sorrow and grief.

Mr Kojo Yankah, Ashanti Regional Minister, his deputy, Mrs Joana Appiah-Dwomoh, Dr Christina Amoako-Nuama, Minister of Lands and Forestry, and Commander Pius M. G. Griffiths (Rtd), Deputy Minister of Communications, were among those who paid homage.

Others were District Chief Executives and the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Philip E.K. Antwi.

The rest were Parliamentarians from the region, Paramount and Divisional chiefs as well as representatives of some organisations and institutions.

All were either in koben or Kuntunkuni (black) cloth.

Achiaman (Greater Accra) 9 April 

Mr Jerry Nii Akwei Thomson, Ga District Chief Executive, said on Friday that inequality between men and women is a barrier to attaining a high standard of health for women.

Equality means the sharing of family responsibility, among others, he said at a day's workshop on the enhancement of rural women, organised for 40 women drawn from more than 30 villages within the Ga district.

The workshop was organised by the Advancement of Rural Women, an NGO championing the cause of rural women in collaboration with the National Commission on Women and Development (NCWD).

It was on the theme: "Technical Skills Development and Economic Self-Reliance". It forms part of activities to celebrate International Women's Day, which fell on March 8.

The women were taken through topics such the holistic nature of women's health, farm management, proper book keeping and family planning. Mr Thomson said it has been observed that women have low access to health care systems and services relative to men, a fact which, he recalled, received serious attention at the 1985 Nairobi conference on women.

Accra (Greater Accra) 9 April 

Mr Justice Olankunle Orojo, a retired chief judge of Nigeria, on Friday advised African countries to take advantage of the various traditional and cultural judicial machinery in their societies to provide a wide scope for more people to have access to justice.

"Many of the minor cases that bog down our lower courts today can be usefully and happily settled by traditional leaders in their Palace Courts", he added.

Mr Justice Orogo was delivering a paper on " Access to Justice, The Delivery of the Rule of Law by the Provision of Legal Services" at a four-day African Regional Conference of the International Bar Association (IBA) currently in session in Accra.

The conference is on the theme, "Practising Law in the 21st Century--Meeting the Challenges''.

He said in many African societies, the power and influence of the "palace courts" cannot be under-estimated.

"These courts settle scores of cases within a short time and that disputes are amicably settled and there is no 'winner' or 'loser', and both parties usually go away satisfied and happy."

The retired Nigerian judge said what should be considered is a legislation to back the system. "This will provide access to justice to a large number of people who cannot afford the expenses of the ordinary court procedure."

Amaasu (Before Ahafo) 9 April 

Twelve schools in the Dormaa district recorded zero per cent in

the 1998 Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE).

The schools include Kosane Local Authority, Ampenkro Tweapeasie Methodist, Kwakuanya Local Authority and Duasidan Presbyterian JSS.

Mr Chou En Lai Paul Ankomah, Public Relations Officer, Ghana Education Service, made this known at the inauguration of the Students Union at Amaasu in the Dormaa district on Thursday.

He attributed the low standard of education partly to lack of infrastructure, qualified teachers and supervision.

Mr Kwadwo Boateng, Dormaa District Chief Executive, said the Dormaa District Assembly has instituted a scholarship scheme for students and an education endowment fund as its contribution towards the development of education in the district.

Mr N. Ntim Gyakari, president, said the union, which was formed last year with a membership of 30 students, now has over 70 members.

 Barnaby Phillips: An attempt to overthrow his government is well underway Niger Prime Minister Ibrahim Assane Mayaki announced on state radio that President Mainassara had died in an "unfortunate incident".

 Foreign diplomats said President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara had been assassinated by members of his personal security guard.

 News of his death followed reports of tanks on the streets of the Niger capital, Niamey. The country has been cut off. Communication links to the capital are down.

 President Mainassara himself took control in a coup d'etat in 1996 Reports said the tanks were blocking access to the presidential palace and other key areas.

 The prime minister said the National Assembly had been dissolved and political party activity temporarily suspended.

 He said the current government would continue until a national unity government took over, and defence forces would guarantee security and public order.

 French radio said the capital was calm and military movements had dwindled.

 The circumstances of the president's death are unclear. Witnesses are reported to have said that soldiers fired on the president at Niamey Airport.

Sources at the airport said he was ambushed as he prepared to leave the capital. He was due to depart for Libya.

 The president's body is reported to have been taken to a clinic owned by his wife. Other bodies and wounded people are reported to have been taken to Niamey National Hospital.

 The airport was closed and officials said Air France had cancelled a flight due to arrive later on Friday.

 The military government of Niger has been in dispute with civilian opposition figures ever since a coup d'etat brought President Ibrahim Bare Mainassara to power in 1996.

 BBC Correspondent Barnaby Phillips says the upheavel shows that the president had also been losing support from crucial parts of the armed forces.

 On Thursday, the opposition demanded his resignation, following incidents surrounding vote-counting in local elections in February.

 Earlier in the week, the Supreme Court announced results and the cancellation of the poll in some constituencies.

UN chief Kofi Annan condemned the assassination and and appealed for a return to constitutional order.

 A a statement said the secretary general "wishes to reiterate his condemnation of such terrorist acts and any attempt to change the government of any country by force or by other unconstitutional means".

 "He calls on all political, military and civil society leaders to make every effort to avert violence in the country, and to work for an early return to peace, stability and constitutional order," it said.