GRi Newsreel 23-04-99 

Kumasi (Ashanti), 23rd April

About 2000 foreign dignitaries and tourists are expected in Kumasi to witness the enstoolment of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as the new Asantehene and the 16th occupant of the Golden Stool on Monday, April 26.

The ceremony will involve the performance of a number of rites, including the wearing of the "Batakarikesie"(war attire), ridding in a palanquin and firing of muskets by the new King to prove his ability to command and lead the Asante nation.

Nana Otuo Serebour II, Juabenhene and chairman of the 21-member Enstoolment Planning Committee, announced this at a meeting of the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) and the Asanteman Council in Kumasi on Thursday.

He said the ceremony will be held at the Kumasi Sports Stadium instead of Dwaberem, Manhyia Palace, due to the large number of people expected.

The programme begins in the afternoon of Sunday, 25th April, when the Asantehene-elect would sit in state at Pramakesieso at the precinct of Manhyia Palace to receive chiefs and dignitaries.

Between 1100 and 1300 hours on Monday, April 26, other rites would be performed at Pampaso, near the Kumasi Fort, which will be witnessed only by the various divisional heads of the KTC and paramount chiefs of Mampong, Adansi, Offinso, Ejisu, Kumawu, Oyoko, Nsuta and Juaben.

Nana Serebour said each of the heads will be accompanied by a retinue of not more than five people and would be clad in black mourning cloth (Kuntunkuni).

According to Nana Serebour, in the evening, the Asantehene-elect, now in possession of all his regalia, with the exception of the Golden stool, and wearing the Batakarikese, will ride in a palanquin from Pampaso to the stadium, where all the paramount chiefs and the dignitaries would be seated.

The Asantehene-elect would not sit in state at the stadium, but would fire a musket three times for the Oyoko clan, the Nifa (right wing) and Benkum (left wing) chiefs.

He would then exchange greetings with the dignitaries before he leaves to rest for the actual enstoolment in the night. Nana Serebour said at midnight of the same day, the Mamponghene, supported by all the paramount chiefs, would hold the Asantehene-elect, lift him up and place him on the Golden Stool three times signifying his formal enstoolment.

After this Gyaase, Manwere, Ankobea and Nkosuo divisions of KTC would then escort the Asantehene to a room called "Mereda"(I am sleeping) in the Manhyia Palace.

The Juabenhene said at 1000 hours on Tuesday, the Asantehene would sit in state for the paramount and divisional chiefs to swear the oath of allegiance to him.

Distinguished citizens of Asanteman would be permitted to pay homage to the Asantehene, amid traditional rumming and dancing.

All would be clad in white cloth to signify the end of the Asantehene's enstoolment and it would be a day of merry making.

Born on May six, 1951, Barima Kwaku Dua Bonsu, the last of the six children of Madam Efua Kobi, now Nana Efua Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, Asantehemaa, ascends the Golden stool as Otumfuo Osei Tutu II with a clear focus to foster the economic and social development of Asanteman.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu is expected to heal the wounds of the past and build bridges towards greater unity and harmony within the whole country, Nana Serebour added.

Accra (Greater Accra), 23rd April  

Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Education, on Thursday said that an education regulatory bill is to be placed before parliament. The bill will among other things ensure that private schools operate under the rules of the Ministry, Mr Spio-Garbrah said during a meeting with executives of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) to discuss problems facing them.

Problems discussed included the exclusion of private Senior Secondary Schools on the selection cards of students sitting the Basic Education Certificate Examination.

Other issues were the refusal of some private schools to charge fees approved by the Ghana Education Service and the exclusion of GNAPS in the decision making process with regards to the education reform programme.

Mr Spio-Garbrah commended private schools for complementing government effort and said the ministry will study their problems for solutions but advised the members to operate in a way that will attract investors into the educational sector.

Mr Philip Perry Pearce-Pearson, president of GNAPS noted that private schools are under the supervision of GES and advised the ones flouting the regulations of the service to stop.

He called for the early passing of the education regulatory bill to help ensure sanity in the sector.

There are 2000 private schools in the country. Two thirds of them are basic and the remaining in the second cycle level.

Accra (Greater Accra), 23rd April 

President Jerry John Rawlings left Accra on Thursday to attend two conferences in the United States. He will be away for a week.

In Denver, Colorado, he will address the national conference of Black Mayors on the potential for viable partnership between the government and major US cities and enterprises in Ghana.

At the conference of the Corporate Council on Africa in Houston, Texas, President Rawlings will receive an award on behalf of Ghana in recognition of the country's tremendous economic strides.

He was accompanied by the First lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, Mr Victor Gbeho, Minister of Foreign Minister, Dr John Abu, Minister of Trade, Mr Moses Asaga, deputy Finance Minister, Dr Kwabena Adjei, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Ms Patience Addow, Eastern Regional Minister.

He was seen off at the airport by Vice-President John Evans Atta-Mills, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, Chairman of the Council of State, Lt Gen. Ben Akafia, Chief of Defence Staff, Mr Peter Nanfuri, Inspector General of Police and the US Ambassador, Ms Kathryn Dee-Robinson.

Accra (Greater Accra), 23rd April

 The Ghana Education Service is to review its disciplinary code for schools.

This follows the unfortunate of Miss Carmen Joe, a JSS 3 student of the Osu Presbyterian Girls' School who died at the Ridge=hospital soon after she was punished for not wearing socks to school. Ms Carmen Joe was made to frog leap 150 times and although she continuously fell down in the process, she was made to restart until she collapsed and was rushed to hospital. She died two days after the incident.

A statement signed in Accra by GES Director-General, Professor C. Ameyaw-Akumfi, said the review will take into consideration recent unconventional punishments meted out to pupils and students by some teachers and reminded teachers to adhere to the GES guidelines in the administration of punishments.

The statement said the GES has "decided to bear a fair proportion of the funeral expenses of late Carmen Joe" and appealed to parents to ensure that their children are in good mental and physical condition before sending them to school to enable them to cope with school activities.

GES appealed to parents and communities to put the "unfortunate incident behind them and continue to support schools in all their programmes''.

Accra (Greater Accra), 23rd April 

The Central Regional Security Council has kicked against the First May date set for the celebration of this year=92s Aboakyir festival of the chiefs and people of the Effutu Tradtional area.

In a statement to Col Charles Agbenaza, Central regional minister, the council said May First, recognised internationally as Labour Day, was not convenient for the celebration of the annual festival at which a life bushbuck is caught from the forest by the competing Asafo (traditional military) groups of the area. The group that brought its catch to the town first was declared winner.

It said the decision for the postponement was reached at meeting of the council to assess the security situation in the area following growing tension between the two dominant communities in the area.

The statement said the communities have been advised against any breach of security at the town since the government will take every measure to prevent the breach of peace.

Gushegu (Northern Region) 22nd April 

The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Joshua Alabi has appealed to assembly members in the Gushegu/Karaga district to avoid factionalism, which he said is threatening the security of the area.

He said such divisive tendencies are also undermining the assembly's efforts at developing the district.

Addressing the district assembly at its second ordinary session at Gushegu on Thursday, Mr Alabi urged them to unite and ensure the sustained development of the district.

An uneasy calm reigns over the district as the assembly members are divided between two factions - Gushegu and Karaga.

The Karaga faction has accused the District Chief Executive of concentrating development projects in the Gushegu area to the detriment of Karaga.

They complain that Karaga does not have a decent junior secondary school, no senior secondary school nor official accommodation for workers.

Mr Alabi said no individual or group of persons should hold the district assembly to ransom on grounds of dissent and advised the members to use laid down procedures to seek redress to their grievances.

He asked them not to pursue individual, ethnic or political agenda against that of the assembly."

"Assembly members should be seen to be playing a more active role in the award, implementation and monitoring of contracts."

Mr Alabi urged the sub-committees of the assembly to be more vibrant and provide meaningful support and direction to the chief executives.

They should insist on the right procedures and strive to eliminate waste while ensuring the judicious use of resources, particularly the District Assembly's Common Fund.

The District Chief Executive, Mr Adam Alhassan said 150 million cedis of the poverty alleviation fund has been disbursed to 81 income generating groups in the district, most of whom are engaged in shea butter extraction, rice processing, rearing of small ruminants and weaving.

He said the Karaga electrification project has been awarded on contract and the assembly has bought wooden transmission poles at the cost of 96 million cedis for the project.

Saltpond (Central Region), 23rd April 

The Cape Coast district of the Methodist Church of Ghana needs about one billion cedis to enable it to complete a hospital project at Twifu-Ntafrewaso in the Central region.

The church bought the hospital building in 1996 from the Twifu Oil Palm Plantation. It will have three operating theatres and other modern facilities when completed.

The Reverend Justice K. A. Dadson, chairman and general superintendent of the district, made this known when he opened the 38th annual synod of the church at Saltpond on Thursday.

The five-day synod is on the theme "Supporting the Vision, The Role of the District", and is being attended by 200 delegates from circuits under the district. So far, an amount of 10.5 million cedis has been contributed towards the project by various societies within the church.

Reverend Dadson said the church also proposes to undertake other income-generating ventures, such as the construction of hostels for students in the municipality, including those from University of Cape Coast, teak farming and waste management.

Reverend Dadson said the church has an oil palm plantation and oil palm extraction projects for its women's division, which are being funded by the Methodist Relief and Development Fund (MRDF) of the United Kingdom.

He said the church recognises its role as the conscience of society and urged its members to strive to lead exemplary lives, help fight all forms of evil and to honour their tax obligations to accelerate development.

The Ga Traditional Council on Thursday announced that the customary month-long ban on drumming and noise making in the traditional area would begin at midnight on May three.

A statement issued in Accra said the ban, which is a prelude to the Ga Homowo celebrations, would be lifted at 1800 hours on June three.

It said the public was being informed for strict compliance so as to avoid the unpleasant incident, which occurred last year, between some charismatic churches and traditional authorities.

Sunyani (Brong Ahafo), 23rd April

The Sunyani office of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) today destroyed by fire 42 kilograms of marijuana seized from drug traffickers in Brong Ahafo.

They were made up of eight block-size parcels weighing four kilograms each and one which is a fertiliser-sack full weighing 12 kilograms.

The parcels of marijuana were intercepted at the Techiman and Babianiha barriers respectively but in each case, the traffickers managed to escape arrest.

Mr Isaac Ohene, Senior Collector in charge of Preventive who supervised the destruction expressed concern about the growing incidence of marijuana cultivation and trafficking in the Brong Ahafo region.

Mr Ohene noted that the situation could pose serious danger to the reputation of the region if it is not brought under control in time.

He therefore appealed to people in areas where the drug is either grown or sold to tip off the security agencies.

Odumasi (Ashanti), 23rd April

Mr Kojo Yankah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has given TAPCOM, a Kumasi-based construction company, one-month ultimatum to correct all defects on a 35.5 million-cedi three-classroom primary school project constructed by the company at Odumase in the Asante-Akim North district.

He described the quality of job done by the contractor, after inspecting the project, as "disappointing".

The classroom block which had been handed over to the district assembly only six months ago, has developed serious cracks on the walls, floor and around the windows and door frames. It was financed from the assembly's share of the Common fund.

Mr Yankah was in the district for two days as part of a familiarisation visit to inspect projects implemented by the assembly and to interact with the chiefs and people in the area.

Among the projects he inspected was the ground floor of a one-storey block for the Konongo Catholic primary school undertaken at a cost of 98 million cedis under the Public Investment Project (PIP).

Other projects Mr Yankah inspected included a 41.5 million cedi European Union (EU) assisted kindergarten complex for the Konongo Mines primary school and nurses' quarters at Agogo and Dwease, both implemented with support from the EU.

The rest were a 47 million-cedi Integrated Community Centre for Employable Skills (ICCES) jointly funded by the assembly and the Dwease-Praaso communities and a 35.7 million cedi staff bungalow for Owerriman senior secondary school at Domeabra.

Accra (Greater Accra), 23rd April

The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) on Friday said action is being taken to address the problem of the appearance of algae, a greenish substance, along the coastline of the Western region.

A statement issued in Accra said in 1993, the attention of the then Environmental Protection Council was drawn to the appearance of the substance and investigations conducted identified the material as an alga, a type of sea weed.

"Owing to its nature, the material is described as algal bloom. The bloom only flourished during the dry season and in a nutritionally rich marine environment." It said the bloom extended from the western coastline of the country westwards into Cote d'Ivoire and disappeared during the rainy season.

Investigations further revealed that there were economic activities within Ghana's side of the area which could lead to the high nutrient levels observed in the marine environment.

In addition to the scientific studies, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also had socio-economic studies undertaken to assess the possible impact of algal bloom on communities in the area.

The statement said EPA has since been monitoring its behaviour to determine the best way to manage it in a sustainable manner.

It said the studies led to the conclusion that fishing was adversely affected by the bloom leading to economic loss to the communities.

"The general conclusion from these studies indicates that the problem could be described as being of trans-boundary in nature with its likely source being the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire."

The statement said visits to the area confirmed that this year the substance had not appeared as it had done in the previous years.

The statement said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to liaise with the government of Cote d'Ivoire to find a lasting solution to the problem in view of its trans-boundary nature.

It assured the public, especially the affected communities, that MEST is mindful of the linkage between environmental issues and social and economic activities and it will do everything possible to ensure that this and other similar problems are addressed in a holistic manner.

Accra (Greater Accra), 23rd April

The ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) on Friday urged media institutions to undertake World Environment Day activities to raise public awareness on the environment, a statement from the ministry said in Accra today.

World environment Day falls on June five under the theme "Our earth, Our Future, Just save it." A n international ceremony will be held in Tokyo, Japan to mark it.

Locally, Ghana has chosen a theme "Save our Earth, Save our Future."

Activities to commemorate the day in Ghana include a national clean-up exercise by second cycle institutions and churches on Friday, May 28 and Saturday May 29, respectively.

There will also be community clean-ups, inter schools quiz competitions to be organised at Sunyani and a durbar at Techiman, Brong Ahafo.

The release urged journalists to raise public awareness in giving a human face to environmental issues and empowering people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development.

Accra (Greater Accra) 23 April

The Ministry of Communications on Friday said it has not tested or approved of any computer software or hardware, which offers total solution to the Y2K problem as claimed by some individuals and companies.

"Neither the Ministry of Communications nor the 2YK Project Office has tested any such products for remediation of the Y2K problem", a statement issued in Accra and signed by Comander P. M. G. Griffiths (rtd), a Deputy Minister of Communications said,.

The public has therefore been cautioned to be very circumspect in dealing with individuals and companies marketing computer softwares and hardwares, who cite "the Ministry of Communication's Y2K office as having approved or tested such products".

"The Ministry has compiled a data base of solution providers and its Y2K Project Office is ready to offer free advice to any individual or company that so desires."

The contact telephone number is 225014. The Fax number is 221636. E-mail: "Y2K @ Ghana.com".

Berekum (Brong Ahafo) 23 April

Children and women need to be educated on the intestate law to enable them to stand against cheating and maltreatment in the event of the death of husbands, Mrs Mary Boakye, Berekum District Chief Executive has said.

The maltreatment and neglect of widows and children by families of deceased husbands are due to their ignorance of the law.

Mrs Boakye was speaking at a workshop in Berekum to round off a one-week programme organised in the Brong Ahafo region by the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), under its legal literacy project.

The programme was aimed at educating women and other vulnerable groups on the laws of intestate succession and wills.

Mrs Boakye urged parents to make the education of their children a priority to enable them to attain responsible positions in the future.

Mobile clinics were organised for various women groups, workers, students and opinion leaders at Wenchi, Techiman, Nkoranza and Berekum.

Participants also discussed maintenance of children, laws on marriage and conflict resolution between married couples.

Miss Luch Arthur, a member of FIDA advised women to ensure that their marriages are duly registered for their future security and that of their children.

The country's laws supersede that of any religious group's arrangement, she reminded married couples.

Relatives and not friends of couples should witness marriage under the ordinance or custom, to make it more authentic, she added.

Abonsrakrom (Brong Ahafo) 23 April

Nine communities in the Dormaa district in a joint fund-raising organised at Abonsrakrom on Thursday bagged 5.4 million cedis in aid of an electrification project.

The communities are Abonsrakrom, Twumkrom, Koraadaso, Nsenia, Dwaaho, Taforo, Kosane, Beasease and Kyeremekrom.

The project estimated at 90 million cedis is to be financed through special development levies of 3,000 cedis for residents and 10,000 cedis for non-resident citizens.

Mr Kwadwo Boateng, the Dormaa District Chief Executive, commended them for their initiative and hoped that its completion would help improve their living conditions.

In another development, the government is providing potable water to three communities in the Tano district under its small towns water projects at an estimated cost of three billion cedis.

The beneficiary communities, Bechem, Duayaw-Nkwanta and Derma, are contributing a marching fund of 150 million cedis each while the Bechem district assembly is providing 90 million cedis.

The District Chief Executive, Mr Opoku Atuahene, who made this known at the first ordinary meeting of the assembly on Thursday, said drilling of mechanised boreholes has started.

Seven communities in the district are also to benefit from the Self-Help Electrification Project, he said.

They are Asukese, Akrisipakrom, Koforidua, Dwenease, Mansin, Breme and Kwasu.

Mr Atuahene said 120 poles would be acquired at 54 million cedis in addition to what the communities had bought for the project.