HIPC initiative cannot save
Ghana - Mahama
Reserve constituents for women contestants - Hawa
Parliament to debate
restoration of the ESB soon – Aidoo
SFO, other agencies update skills in investigations
Ghanaian Journalist wins radio division award of CNN competition
"Don't disappoint Ghanaians"- Otumfuo urges Kufuor
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 April 2001
The Ghana Police is investigating transfers of huge sums of foreign currencies outside the country involving Mr Dan Abodakpi former Minister of Trade and Industry and Mr Victor Selormey, former Deputy Minister of Finance.
A statement issued by the Public Relations Directorate of the Service and signed by the Director Richard Badweh on Friday requested Mr Selormey, who is reported to be outside the country to report to the CID Headquarters or the Police Information Room as soon as he returns.
Mr Abodakpi has already been contacted and is helping the Police the statement said.
Others wanted in connection with the investigations are one Mr Haizel of the Ministry of Trade, who is on terminal leave and Eva Mends of USAIDS Desk at the Ministry of Finance. Agnes Datsa, Head of Bilateral Relations of the Ministry of Finance, has also been contacted and is helping the Police.
"The Police investigations are in connection with the court computerisation study, which involves a contract sum of 899,000 US dollars and the Science and Technology Valley Study to promote public and private sector partnership for technology growth in Ghana involving payments totalling 400,000 US dollars", the statement said.
It said Mr Victor Selormey is further required to help unravel the mystery surrounding the allocation of two million US dollars from the Chinese Exim Bank to a non-existent company.
The statement requested the three officials, who are not yet in touch with the Police to report to the Head of CID or the duty officer at the Police Information Room as soon as possible.
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HIPC initiative cannot
save Ghana - Mahama
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 April 2001
Dr. Edward Mahama, leader of the People's National Convention (PNC) said on Sunday that the biggest problem facing the nation is mismanagement and low productivity and until the government addressed them, "no HIPC initiative can save us."
"If the government sees HIPC as a solution to the nation's problems, it is unfortunately a big mistake," Dr Mahama told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra and urged proponents of the initiative to deliberate on its effects.
The government has opted for the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative that qualifies it for debt relief from donors.
Dr Mahama said HIPC cannot be viewed only through the positive door but the negative door must also be made available to the public to understand the social implications.
The PNC, he said "will fight for the social and economic development of the nation and resist policies that tend to worsen the conditions of the ordinary person."
"Policies or initiatives that tend to aggravate the precarious living standard of the ordinary Ghanaian whose interest we seek to improve must be resisted," he said
Dr Mahama, who was the presidential candidate of the PNC, in the last election, said the government must develop the productive base for efficient management of the country's resources.
Dr Mahama said international law stipulates that a poor person cannot own property. Therefore, by going HIPC, state institutions and organisations such as the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Ghana Water Company Limited, Ghana Commercial Bank, and Tema Oil Refinery would be privatised as part of the conditionalities attached.
He said higher remuneration for workers would have a rippling effect on higher productivity, which the nation needs for socio-economic advancement.
Dr Mahama, therefore, called on the government and other social partners to expedite action on salary increases to reflect economic realities and reduce the hardship workers are currently undergoing.
He said the government should be able to pay a realistic minimum wage in spite of the economic difficulties, adding "a government of the PNC would have been able to fulfil its campaign promise of five dollars a day within its first 18 months in office."
He said Dr Hilla Limann's government between 1979 and 1981 was able to pay a realistic minimum wage within the short time it was in office, adding that, by the time it was overthrown, it had managed the country's internal debt at zero and external debt of 568 million dollars.
On the proposed increase in water and electricity tariffs, Dr Mahama said he does not support it unless there is a concerted effort to increase income.
He said Dr Kwame Nkrumah established some of these agencies as public service institutions and not profit making entities, and cautioned against the swift shift of focus as it would have a serious economic implication.
Dr Mahama said PNC, as an opposition party, would offer constructive criticism to government and where possible offer alternative suggestions.
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Berekum (Brong Ahafo)
02 April 2001
Madam Hawa Yakubu,
Minister of Tourism, on Saturday suggested that a certain number of
constituencies in the country be reserved solely for women contestants during
elections to boost female representation in Parliament.
"The establishment
of a special "fund for girl-child education and empowerment, should also
be considered, to assist females to break out of the numerous constraints that
have restrained them from participating fully in national life, she said.
Madam Yakubu who was
speaking at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Berekum Secondary School,
at Berekum in the Brong Ahafo Region, said, "it is distressing that in
spite of 51 per cent of Ghanaians being women, only 18 of them are in Parliament.
"The statistics
for female participation in education is equally distressing and that is why
there is the need for a mechanism to encourage women to participate fully in
the educational and political life of the country to enhance their contribution
to nation-building".
Madam Yakubu gave the
example of Uganda where 34 seats are reserved for women contestants with the
rest opened to contestants of both sexes during elections.
"Cultural, marital
and reproductive factors have all conspired to suppress the assertiveness of
women and it is about time they are assisted to unleash their potentials for
the accelerated development of the country," she said.
Mr Ernest Kwaku Debrah,
Regional Minister noted that the theme for the celebration, "ensuring
equity and equality in education for sustainable growth and development",
aptly reflects and reinforces government's policies on gender equality.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 April 2001
Ghanaian scientists are sure they have found a clue to the mystery mermaid called "mami water" which has been at the centre of folk tales in many riverside communities in West Africa.
The scientists from the Institute of Aquatic Biology of the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Wildlife Department told the Ghana News Agency that mami water, the sea goddess reputed to be a source of absolute beauty and money could be the West African Manatee, a large aquatic herbivorous mammal.
"When spotted in night, its scaly body against the moonlight creates the impression of half fish and half woman," adding that the female manatee has two breasts with teats and dwells in tropical waters, whether fresh or saline.
Dr. Mamaa Entsua-Mensah a research fellow of the Institute said the female Manatee tend to look like women when they come out to inhale some fresh air at night.
"Because they are mammals, they have lungs and hence the need for them to take in air through their lungs."
Dr. Entsua-Mensah who made her research paper available to GNA said "because of the breast with teats, when people sight the mammals jumping out of the sea in the night to take in long deep breath of air, they are perceived as half woman, half fish."
Dr Entsua-Mensah said their total length often ranges from two to four metres and can weigh up to 450 kilograms.
"They have very small eyes, no external ears, short neck with forelimbs modified as fins, no hind limbs and a rounded fin in place of a tail."
She said studies conducted in Ghana by the Institute and the Wildlife Department indicate that the manatee could be found in the Abbey lagoon and the Volta estuary.
"They are also found in the rivers such as Dayi, Asukawkaw, Obusum, Sene and Oti within the Volta Lake.
"The mammals are spotted mainly in the night because they rest during the day and feeds mainly at night."
Dr Entsua-Mensah said it is difficult to evaluate the magnitude of manatee mortality through incidental or intentional catches because of inadequate information from the fishermen.
The fishermen consider mami water as sacred that cannot be talked about openly except after some rituals, according to enquiries made by the GNA in Accra.
Among fishermen in the Niger Delta in Nigeria, mami-water is considered a powerful woman who is very generous and very jealous.
Nigerian folk stories are told about persons whose fortunes have changed dramatically when they married mammy water, the mermaid, but lost everything when they became unfaithful to her.
"It is clear that the art of catching manatees is a very specialised one handed down from father to son and only certain families have the 'juju' to hunt the mammal", she said.
Dr. Entsua-Mensah said the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) based in Geneva has listed the West African Manatee as vulnerable.
"Studies on the Manatee in Guyana have shown that they breed poorly in confined areas and have a slow rate of reproduction even in the wild. It usually gives birth to one at a time - at most two," Dr. Entsua-Mensah said.
She said these mammals, which are harmless to man, can be used as weed control agents because of their feeding habits.
"They feed mainly on aquatic plants and consume as much as 20 per cent of their weight a day."
Dr. Entsua-Mensah said that because of the mammals long gestation period and slow reproduction rate a substantial time is needed to do basic research for successful manatee husbandry.
"Unfortunately a realistic appraisal of the potential of manatee for general aquatic weed control in Ghana indicates that it would take many years to establish enough numbers."
She said as manatee research promises to yield certain practical consequences, there is an urgent need to acquire scientific information on manatee biology, with particular emphasis on its mode of reproduction, anatomy, behaviour, ecology and physiology.
Dr. Entsua-Mensah called on the police, Chiefs and the public to be involved in the manatee conservation as a step in protecting Ghana's bio-diversity especially in areas where the numbers of the mammals have gone down.
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Akim Oda (Eastern Region) 02 April 2001
The timber and wood workers union (TWU) of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Saturday warned that it would resist any attempt to revoke the ban on the exportation of logs.
The union has therefore advised groups and individuals who are parading the corridors of the government and lobbying for the ban to be reversed to desist from such manoeuvres.
Mr Joshua Ansah, acting Secretary of the union gave the warning at the first National Executive Council meeting of the TWU at Akim Oda.
"We supported the idea to give more credence to government's policy of down-stream processing to give added-value to our wood products and earn more foreign exchange while also providing employment for our people," Mr Ansah observed.
He called on the government to take immediate steps to stop the exportation of charcoal adding that such activities are seriously undermining the sustainability of the forest.
Mr. Ansah re-affirm the union’s decision to help sustain the timber trade and industry and proposed the representation of the union on the ministerial advisory board of the Ministry of Lands Forestry and Mines.
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Parliament to debate
restoration of the ESB soon – Aidoo
Sekondi (Western Region) 02 April 2001
Parliament will soon debate on the restoration of the end-of-service benefits to workers, Mr. John Aidoo, Western Regional Minister told a meeting of Civil Servants in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis in Sekondi on Thursday.
He said the government would implement the decision of Parliament as soon as a go ahead is given.
Mr. Aidoo assured civil servants of government's preparedness to address their problems and urged them to unite and support the government to re-build the country and improve their living and service conditions.
He said he would do everything possible to ensure that civil servants in the region have transport to convey them to and from work.
Mr. Aidoo said he is currently arranging with the management of the Ghana Railway Corporation to provide railway transportation to workers.
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Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 02 March 2001
Members of the northern zone branch of the Ghana Hoteliers Association comprising Techiman, Nkoranza, Kintampo and Wenchi Districts have appealed to the Ministry of Local Government to help stop the double collection of Hoteliers' licence fees by the Ghana Tourist Board and the district assemblies.
They said that under the legislative instrument, the Ghana Tourist Board is solely mandated to collect such fees, but the district assemblies are also collecting the same fees.
The members made the appeal at the first general meeting of the association in Techiman on Tuesday.
The meeting was to draw an action plan for the collection of hotel licences, and the payment of fees during the year.
Mr Philip Kofi Ntiamoah, Chairman of the association alleged that apart from collecting such licences and fees, the assemblies were also collecting property rates on a commercial basis.
This double taxation has forced some hotels to fold-up, he said, and called on the ministry to help rectify the situation "as tourism has been projected to be the number one foreign exchange earner for the country."
He called on the government to punish public officers who embezzle public funds.
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Pokuase (Greater Accra) 02 April 2001
Recent consignment of Ghana's pineapple export to the European market was rejected due to the toxic levels of pesticides detected.
This is due to poor harmonisation of food controlling systems in the country leading to widespread misapplication of agro-chemicals. Mr. Vespel Suglo, Deputy Director in charge of Pesticide Management, Ministry of Food and Agriculture disclosed to the GNA last Friday at Pokuase, near Accra.
Mr Suglo, who was reacting to high incidence of food poisoning being recorded in the country, attributed the problem to inappropriate farming practices, even though, there are a number regulatory bodies to check such malpractices.
He said the Food and Drugs Board and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could spearhead the education on the proper use of chemicals often misapplied by ignorant farmers.
Mr. Suglo said, due to the mixed crop system practised by most farmers, dangerous pesticides meant for cash crops are often diverted for fast yielding food crops.
"If we want to encourage non-traditional exports, we have to manage and regulate the use of inorganic chemicals," he explained.
He said for Ghana to be competitive on the export market "there is the need to ensure high quality control of our products to meet the stringent requirement of the European market.
Mr Suglo suggested the need for strict enforcement of the pesticides control and management Act that empowers the EPA to monitor the importation of agro-chemicals.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 April 2001
A 13-day training programme for personnel of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) on investigative interviewing and management of investigations ended in Accra on Friday.
A statement signed by Miss Evelyn Bekoe, Public Relations Officer said the programme was in response to a request by the SFO to the British government for the development of in-country capacity building for the institution.
Personnel from the Internal Revenue Service, Controller and Accountant General's Department, VAT Service and Customs, Excise and Preventive Service also participated in the programme, which was sponsored by the Department for International Development.
Mr. B. A. Sapati, Acting Executive Director of SFO thanked the British government for its support and urged the participants to put what they have learnt to good use.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 April 2001
Manfred Ashiboe-Mensah of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) was on Thursday honoured as winner of the radio category in the CNN African Journalist of the Year Award at a Ceremony in Johannesburg.
Ashiboe-Mensah's entry "Return of Gadaffi" was chosen from over 60 radio entries to receive the prize in this year's competition.
CNN in partnership with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) holds the competition, now in its sixth year.
Chairperson of the judging panel Dr Doyinsola Abiola said: "Manfred's radio entry demonstrated a particular level of excellence. His vivid rendition of the events at the OAU Summit in Lome was especially well conceived, illustrating the high standard and quality of his entry."
According to CNN International Networks President, Chris Cramer, Manfred and the rest of the winners represent the best of journalism in Africa, saying CNN has been dedicated to encouraging freedom of speech and maintaining high journalistic integrity.
"We are delighted to see this competition continue to nurture such a diverse range of talent from throughout the continent and in particular from Ghana, which continues to submit winning entries," he said.
Entries from Ghana this year totalled 104, nearly double that of last year's 52.
Past category winners from Ghana were Tom Dorkenoo (Weekly Spectator), who received a third prize in 1996, Daniel Brande of the GBC who was awarded a runners- up prize that same year, and went on to win the Radio Journalist second prize the following year.
Ashiboe-Mensah received a laptop computer and a printer, as well as a cash prize.
The overall 2000 CNN African Journalist of the Year Award was jointly won by Sam Rogers, producer of current affairs documentaries at e.TV and Jacques Pauw, Executive Producer of Special Assignment, SABC.
Other category awards include health, photography, arts and culture and general news print.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 April 2001
Otumfuo Osei Tutu I on Friday pledged his support to government policies that will improve the life of the ordinary Ghanaian and asked the Executive not to let the people down.
He said the people voted the government into power with the hope that it would turn round the precarious situation in which they found themselves. "It will therefore be inexcusable for the government to fail to deliver.
"Now that you have been elected, you cannot say you are giving up. At the end of four years, you will have to account for your stewardship," Otumfuo told the President Kufuor and his ministers in Accra.
The event, which took place at the Castle, Osu, was with traditional pomp and colour. The arrival of the Asantehene with a large retinue of chiefs and other office holders of the Kumasi Traditional Council was heralded with the blowing of horns and drumming.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu who said it is too early to assess the government, gave the assurance that he will support the president and his team towards a successful governance.
"You should be reminded that a government was voted out of office, giving way to your administration. The same will be done to you if you don't do a good job."
He urged the President's men and women to put aside hatred and self-centredness.
"You must adopt the concepts of truth and love to work towards a better Ghana," he exhorted the 14 ministers who were present.
Otumfuo told them to support the President in the task ahead. They should always act in collaboration with the chiefs and people so that at the end of the day, decisions taken will be beneficial to all.
"Whatever you do, it is for the nation and not for Kufuor, so if you don't perform, the people have the mandate to kick you out."
He wished the President and the other arms of government well saying the traditional authorities will be available for consultation.
President Kufuor
briefed the Asantehene about his last three months in office saying the
government is bracing up to the enormous task ahead.
A lot has gone wrong
that needs to be corrected, he said and expressed the hope that his team will
be given the goodwill to move the nation forward.
"We found out that
things have really gone bad," the President said citing the debt stock his
administration inherited.
He explained the fuel
price hikes and the HIPC option as some of the inevitable tough measures needed
to save the situation.
"We were using the
greater part of our external receipts totalling about 800 million dollars
yearly to offset the debt burden."
He said government has
had meetings with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the
World Bank and they have all pledged the goodwill to assist provided the right
decisions are made.
President Kufuor also
commented on the government directives asking some police officers to proceed
on leave, and the decision to retire the armed forces chiefs, saying they were
taken without malice towards the affected persons.
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