MPs of last Parliament collected 20 million cedis each as ex-gratia
SSNIT ejects tenants in arrears of rent
Lotto receivers, workers defy Finance Minister's order
Restore security services at Budumburam - Refugees
Government's vision is sustained economic growth- Osafo-Mensah
Minister urges cotton companies to resolve zoning controversy
Man arrested for slashing girlfriend
Ghana Water Company to manage only eight water systems in Ashanti
Traders to be re-settled at Kumasi Race Course
Sam Arthur Memorial lecture held in Accra
De-confiscate our assets - Ghana Co-operative Marketing Association
GNPC should focus on core business - Minister
Mahama: Mallam Isa relieved of post as acting PNC chairman
Ohene urges PROs of Ministries to be proactive
Fishermen in Upper West asked to stop polluting water bodies
VAG petitions
government on executed generals
Government to revamp GIHOC Footwear
Confusion at GHACEM may affect cement price
- Association
Bososu (Eastern Region) 04 April 2001
Members of the last Parliament (MPs), who served their full term of office, have each been paid an ex-gratia award of 20 million cedis.
The beneficiaries included Mr Osafo Marfo, Minister of Finance and MP for Oda, Mr Hackman Owusu Agyemang, Foreign Minister and MP for New Juaben North, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Attorney General and Minister of Justice and MP for
Abuakwa.
Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, MP for Fanteakwa,who was speaking at a meeting of the Executive Members of the Fanteakwa Constituency branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), at Bososu said it is not true that Ministers of State in the former government and MPs of the party alone benefited from the ex-gratia award.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo explained that the ex-gratia award was a constitutional provision and all public officers, who qualified by its definition, benefited from the scheme.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the national debt of 7.5 billion dollars, which amounted to 41 trillion cedis included loans contracted since independence, adding that as at 1981, the total national debt was around 4.5 billion dollars.
He explained that all the loans, which were contracted by the previous government, were used on development projects, including the expansion of the Tema Harbour and the construction of roads, building of schools, hospitals through out the country.
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said that the development projects were to facilitate economic development of the country adding that profit accruing from such investment could be used to repay the loans.
He said the government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), could not deny knowledge of the country's debt since the 2000 budget referred to it.
"The continuous hammering on the national debt was an attempt by the ruling government to find an excuse for its inability to honour its electoral promises."
He said though the government continued to "make fetish of the national debt, it presented a budget of 14.3 trillion cedis, the highest in the history of the country and more than double the seven trillion budget presented by the former government last year."
Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said, "if the ruling government claims to have the personnel to better manage the economy, it should provide pragmatic and innovative methods to solve the micro-economic problems facing the country."
He explained that the NDC had been "slow in reacting to the false accusations made against it by the ruling NPP administration, because the party felt it should be given the opportunity to settle down as a new government."
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Koforidua (Eastern Region) 04 April 2001
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) at Koforidua is ejecting tenants of its office complex and the Effiduase Workers Flats, who owe rent arrears of three months and more.
The exercise, which began on Tuesday, was to execute an order by a Koforidua Community Tribunal given last February, following a suit filed by SSNIT against 11 tenants, who owe rent arrears of three months and beyond.
A source close to the Prosecution Unit of the SSNIT said five of the tenants have been ejected, two have settled their case out of court and the remaining four have appealed for a stay of execution.
It said since the institution of the court action, payment of rent has improved considerably from 25 million cedis in December 2000 to 31 million cedis in January and 51 million cedis at the end of February, this year.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April
2001
Members of the National Lotto
Receivers Union (NLRU) and workers of the Department of National Lotteries
(DNL) on Wednesday prevented agents of Simnet Ghana Limited, a company claiming
joint ownership of DNL, from installing their equipment on the premises of the
DNL.
This is in spite of a letter by Mr
Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance that Simnet should be allowed to install
its equipment.
The letter to the Acting Director
of DNL quoted the 2001 budget, which said: "All agreements with the
Department of National Lotteries relating to lotteries business, which were not
yet operational should be suspended until further notice to enable the Ministry
of Finance to study their revenue implications"
The Minister's letter dated 27th
March 2001, said: "The purpose of this letter is to inform you that while
the Ministry of Finance is studying the revenue implications of such
agreements, Simnet personnel should be allowed to install the equipment in
order not to create any technical problems."
Mr Osafo-Maafo said he hoped that
the letter would clear all existing doubts regarding the budget statement on
lotteries and that the DNL would extend the necessary co-operation to Simnet.
The workers and lotto receivers,
spotting red hand and head bands, rushed on the vehicle of Simnet's agents and
prevented them from off-loading their equipment.
With the assistance of the Police,
the agents of Simnet sat in their car and drove out of the DNL premises amidst
shouts from the crowd.
The development is based on an
agreement signed between Simnet, the previous management of DNL headed by
Colonel (Rtd) Martin Gbikpi and the Ministry of Finance in June 1999.
Under the 10-year management and
consultancy agreement Simnet would provide and operate computerised lotto
coupon machines at DNL. The agreement is renewable in five years in either
Malaysia or Britain.
The agreement, which did not
become operational until the change of government, also committed the
accounting, personnel and technical departments of the DNL to Simnet for the
period.
Mr Dan Mensah, Chairman of the
over 10,000-member NLRU, told newsmen that the agreement was shrouded in
secrecy, saying that it threatens the fate of both lotto receivers and workers
of the DNL.
He explained that under the
agreement, Simnet is to install computerised machines at communication centres,
fuel stations and shops to sell coupons and said this would lead to loss of
commission to lotto receivers and eventually retrenchment of DNL personnel.
Mr Mensah alleged that when the
NLRU registered its disagreement to the deal last year, "Simnet officials
offered to bribe us with 10,000 dollars to agree with the move."
"If the agreement is genuine,
why should they offer to give us 10,000 dollars to keep mute and allow them to
carry on?" he asked.
He said Col. Gbikpi, has created
the impression that lottery needs to be computerised before it can generate
enough revenue.
However, he said, since the manual
system was replaced with a computerised system, DNL's contribution to the
national budget has taken a nosedive from 25 per cent in the 1980s to one per
cent now.
Mr Mensah said information
available to the NLRU indicates that Simnet was registered at the Registrar
General's Department in March 1999, entered into agreement with DNL in June
1999 before registering with the National Investment Council in October the
same year.
This, he said, raised questions
about how genuine Simnet is, adding that the union members and DNL workers
would continue to oppose the deal until the government invited all stakeholders
to deliberate on issues affecting the industry.
They have, therefore, sent a
petition to the Minister appealing for an opportunity to discuss the matter.
"Until then we will not sell
coupons for DNL anymore - we will keep the proceeds of sales of coupons to
ourselves," he said.
"If the government does not
want us to help them settle some of the 41 trillion cedis debt then we will not
trouble ourselves."
The Acting Director of DNL, Mr J.
B. Danquah refused to comment on the issue and insisted, against the desire of
workers, that newsmen should leave the premises of the DNL to allow him to hold
a meeting with the workers.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April
2001
Liberian Refugees at the
Budumburam Reception Centre on Wednesday appealed to the government to restore
Police services to the camp to ensure peace and stability.
They also appealed to the
authorities to re-open the offices of the representative of the National
Mobilisation Programme (NMP) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) to check the activities of unregistered refugees.
At a press conference to give
their side of the recent riots at the camp, the Liberian Welfare Council (LWC)
appealed to the government to investigate the incident and release 24 Liberians,
who are currently in detention.
Mr John S. Connell, Chairman of
the Council, said it is unfortunate that such an incident should happen after
more than 10 years of "a peaceful stay in Ghana".
"Despite the recent
unfortunate incident at the camp, we remain grateful to the government and the
peace-loving people of Ghana for providing a safe haven for us Liberian
refugees since 1990," he said.
Mr Connell said since July last
year, the camp has been subjected to uncertainty, fear and insecurity after one
Samuel Boateng, a Ghanaian, claimed that a portion of the land they are
occupying belongs to him.
He said in January this year, the
insecurity at the camp heightened with the stabbing and slashing of more than
16 Liberians by unknown assailants.
Mr Connell refuted the allegation
that some youth at the refugee camp vandalised the Police station and offices
of the NMP and UNHCR on March 24 because the Police did not hand over to them a
30-year-old Ghanaian, suspected to have stabbed a Liberian.
"If the youth wanted to mete
out instant justice to the suspect, why then would they have sent him to the
Police station and later demand that he should be handed over?"
He said it was rather the belief
that the Police had released three suspects without informing the LCW and the
fear that appropriate action would not be taken to avert the growing insecurity
at the camp that heightened the brutalities.
It took a Police reinforcement
team from Winneba and Accra a hectic time to bring the situation under control
on March 24.
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Tumu (Northern Region) 04 April
2001
Revenue Collectors of District
Assemblies in the Upper West Region who refuse to change their attitude to work
and continue to embezzle monies they collect, would be dismissed, Mr. Sahanun
Mogtari, the Regional Minister has warned.
He said, "the Assemblies
cannot continue to pay workers who prevent efforts of maximising revenue by pocketing
monies they collect".
Mr Mogtari gave the warning last
Monday when he met with staff of the Sissala District Assembly.
He noted that some collectors use
dubious means of collecting revenue and refuse to account for it while others
indulge in other malpractices that are very difficult to detect.
"It is regrettable that such
corrupt workers are those who complain about poor conditions of service."
The Regional Minister advised the
Assemblies not to rely mainly on the Common Fund but rather strengthen their
revenue-generating structures to collect more revenue.
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Akwatia, (Eastern Region) 04 April
2001
The Eastern Regional Minister, Dr
Francis Osafo-Mensah has said that the government's vision is one of
accelerated and sustained economic growth, equal opportunity for all,
commitment to law and order and a disciplined and enlightened society.
It is the determination of the
government to make the country achieve substantial progress within the first
four years in office, Dr Osafo-Mensah told a durbar of chiefs and people of
Akwatia to mark their Denkyembuo festival.
He said the Government would
ensure that by the next 10 years, workers would get better wages and raise the
income per capital for all Ghanaians.
To achieve this, Dr Osafo-Mensah
said a number of policies have been taken including the Highly Indebted Poor
Countries (HIPC) initiative in order to ensure sanity in the economy.
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Tamale (Northern Region) 04 April 2001
Mr Ben Bukari Salifu, Northern Regional Minister, on Tuesday met representatives of cotton companies operating in the region to seek ways to stem a seemingly controversy over a zoning programme instituted by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).
The Ministry has decided to zone cotton farms in the 13 districts of the region to facilitate the operations of the eight cotton companies operating there but a number of traditional rulers in the region, including some paramountcies, have vowed to resist the zoning programme, citing the Ministry's failure to consult and involve them, as custodians of the land, in the decision making process.
The traditional rulers have also expressed apprehension that the zoning would give monopoly to the Ghana Cotton Company Limited, which currently operates in 10 of the districts.
They have also suggested that some of the companies should amalgamate.
Briefing the Regional Minister about the zoning programme, Mr Jacob Wumnayah,
Regional Director of Agriculture, said all the companies had agreed that the district should be zoned since the programme would boost the cotton industry.
He said, for instance, that last year when some cotton farms in some of its districts were zoned as a pilot project, the yields from these farms were twice as much as those obtained from farms that had not been zoned.
Mr Wumnayah told the Regional Minister that a French company would provide a 11 million-dollar assistance to the cotton industry in the region only if the zoning programme was implemented.
The Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), which provides financial support to the cotton companies, would also withdraw such assistance if the zoning was not carried out.
The Regional Director admitted, however, that the chiefs were not consulted before the decision to implement the zoning programme was taken.
But explained that representatives of the cotton companies were tasked to educate all the stakeholders on the benefits of the exercise.
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Takoradi (Western Region) 04 April 2001
A 36-year-old employee of West African Mills (WAMCO) at Takoradi, Joshua Hagan, who allegedly shot his girlfriend with an arrow and later slashed her with a cutlass, is helping the police in their investigations.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in charge of crimes, Mr. Yusif Chilala, who briefed the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday, said the suspect had for some time been accusing his 19-year-old girlfriend, Rebecca Essuman, a student, of flirting with another man, a charge she has denied.
He alleged that on March 31, this year, Rebecca visited Hagan in his house at Takoradi New Site.
After a brief exchange of words with Rebecca, Hagan shot at her with a bow and arrow and later slashed her with a cutlass.
Neighbours around the house, on hearing the screaming of Rebecca, rushed to the house only to find her lying in a pool of blood with cutlass wounds all over her body, he said.
Rebecca was rushed to the Effia-Nkwanta Hospital where she was admitted.
The suspect was later arrested and when he was questioned, admitted the offence.
Meanwhile, a hospital source told the GNA that Rebecca is responding to treatment.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 04 April 2001
The Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) will operate only eight out of its present 25 water systems in Ashanti Region when it is finally privatised.
The remaining 17 systems will be handed over to the district assemblies for community management, Mr Ken Baffoe Maison, Ashanti Regional Chief Manager of the company, said in Kumasi on Tuesday.
Interacting with the media as part of the region's celebration of this year's World Water Day, Mr Maison named the systems to be managed by the company as Kumasi Metropolis, Mampong, Effiduase/Asokore, Agona, Obuasi, New Edubiase, Konongo and Tepa.
Those to be managed by the communities are Juaben, Asamang, Sekyedumase, Bekwai, Fomena, Akrokerri, Kyekyewere, Obogu, Juaso, Kona, Bompata, Manso-Edubia, Nyinahin, Ofoasi-Kokobin, Wiamoase, Jacobu and Kumawu.
Mr Maison gave the assurance that workers would not be laid off but would either be absorbed by the company or could opt to work for the district assemblies.
In a situation where any worker cannot be absorbed either by the company or assembly, he would be paid severance award, he said, but pointed out that the security personnel of the company would definitely be affected by the change.
Touching on the need to raise its tariffs, Mr Maison said at the moment, about 67 per cent of the company's production relates to the value of the dollar and, as a result, was finding things very difficult hence the decision to adjust tariffs.
He said the upward adjustment should have taken place last year but the GWCL was told by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to collect all its arrears before thinking of adjusting the tariffs.
Mr Maison said currently consumers in the region owe the company about 10 billion cedis but stated that the recovery rate is between 93 to 95 per cent.
He said domestic and commercial consumers owe about five billion cedis while government owed about four billion cedis with the remaining one billion cedis being for meter maintenance.
The Regional Chief Manager said the objective of the celebration of the day is to raise public awareness of the need to conserve water and encourage government to take steps to protect fresh water supplies which are being depleted by human activities the world over.
"It is pertinent to note that fresh water amounts to just two per cent of the total water body of the earth. In order to have good health, the water provided for use must be of adequate quantity, good quality and must be reliable."
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 04 April 2001
Traders on pavements and rehabilitated roads at the Kejetia terminal were on Tuesday directed to vacate the area and resettle at the abandoned Kumasi Race Course with immediate effect.
Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Re
gional Minister, who announced this at a meeting with the traders in Kumasi, spent three hours touring the "market area" to briefed traders on the rationale behind their resettlement.
He said force would not be used to eject the traders, rather they will persuaded to abide by the directive to leave peacefully. He, however, asked them to report or arrest anyone who attempts to collect money from them or acquires more than one plot in the new area.
The Regional Minister noted that there is too much filth in the metropolis with foodstuffs, fruits and vegetables being sold on the ground in an unhygienic manner, adding: "all of us should assist to make the metropolis clean".
Last Monday, Mr Boafo, accompanied by officials of the Kumasi Metropolitan Authority (KMA) and Urban Roads, inspected the Race Course.
He assured the traders who complained of the poor nature of the area and insecurity that access roads would be rehabilitated. A lighting system and a place of convenience would also be provided to upgrade the site.
The minister warned those who fail to leave the area for the new site that their plots would be given to other people.
Mr Amponsah Mensah, Kumasi Metropolitan Engineer, said the new site, which belongs to the Kumasi Turf Club, needs to be acquired by the KMA formally for the traders.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2001
Journalists has been asked to research and educate themselves on matters which hinder the smooth conduct of their profession in order to protect themselves and the public against infringements on their rights.
"There is nothing that immobilises more than fear born of ignorance of the law. Therefore, members of the press must make every effort to keep themselves abreast with developments of law on the practice of the profession."
Professor Henrietta Mensa-Bonsu, lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon, gave the advice when she delivered this year's annual Sam Arthur Memorial Lectures in Accra on Tuesday.
The lecture, on the theme "Promoting democracy, press freedom and the rule of law", forms part of activities marking this year's graduation ceremony of final year students of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ).
Prof. Mensah-Bonsu cited contempt of court and other matters bordering on court procedures as issues on which journalists could educate themselves.
"For good or for ill, the safety of our democracy has been confided in the care of the press, and the press must not fail us," she said.
She noted that freedom of speech, exemplified by a free press, was the first of the civil liberties that is attacked when a country is descending into dictatorship.
"Since that freedom guards all the other freedoms, none is left standing after press freedom falls."
Describing journalists as watchers of a "lit beacon", the law lecturer said protecting their freedom to propagate the truth called for "constant watchfulness and alertness".
Prof. Mensa-Bonsu said the rule of law demands that government, in all its actions, is bound by rules that make it possible to know how it will judiciously define, observe and balance the use of coercive powers while citizens act on that basis.
"A free press serves the workings of democracy and rule of law by making available to citizens the necessary information required to make participation in the governing process meaningful," she added.
She noted with concern that journalists, by their action and inaction, could cause a re-introduction of media licensing laws abolished under the prevailing constitution.
Prof. Mensa-Bonsu cited the failure of journalists' contribution to the 'Radio Eye' issue and the contest between the National Media Commission and the National Communications Authority on the control of frequencies as examples.
She noted that the distinction between public interest and the protection of the privacy of public officials was a matter that courts in well-established democratic jurisdictions, like the United Kingdom, France, US and Australia, were grappling with.
"This fact notwithstanding, perhaps the benefit to be derived from protecting our young press from crippling damages is stronger now than the need to create precedent in the courts."
The late Sam Arthur was the first Ghanaian GIJ Director.
One of his sons, Mr Jude Arthur, Managing Director of First Atlantic Merchant Bank Limited, on behalf of his brothers, pledged a seed sum of 30 million cedis to help procure materials to facilitate students' pursuit of journalism.
He described his father as a man who was more concerned with making a good name than making wealth, and urged GIJ students to identify with that value and do what his father would have done if he had had the means.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2001
The Ghana Co-operative Marketing Association on Tuesday appealed to the Government to restore to it all its confiscated assets in the hands of the Ghana Cocobod.
The Association is also demanding payment of over 40 billion cedis from Cocobod as compensation for profits made within the period its assets were in use and for an outstanding judgement debt.
The association's executive members made the appeal in Accra when they presented a petition to the President through the Minister for Justice, Nana Akuffo-Addo and the Minister of Manpower Development, Mrs Cecilia Bannerman.
The petition asked President John Agyekum Kufuor, to intervene and restore the association's assets since the laws confiscating the assets were repealed in 1996.
The Managing Director of the Association, Mr Baffour Senkyere, quoted Act 516 of 1996 and a Bill promulgated by the NDC government in 1997 to restore assets of individuals and organisations to their owners as a move towards reconciliation in support of their claim.
He said although the bill was approved by Parliament, it has never received Presidential assent.
Mr Senkyere said to further punish the association Cocobod has withdrawn its licence as a buying company.
He said this has brought untold hardship to members and deepened the financial crisis of the association, which owes over five billion cedis in bank loans.
He said the government should make co-operatives the centre of its economic policies for meaningful economic development.
Nana Akuffo-Addo assured the association that the petition and a report would be sent to the President after he had studied it.
Nana Akuffo-Addo reiterated government's commitment to making its policies human-centred, saying if the economy should move forward it would take people to move it forward.
"It is the feeling of our government not to confiscate any assets of individuals and companies without recourse to the courts. The days of decrees during which the state takes arbitrary decisions are over," he added.
The association was founded in 1928 and has 547 buildings and sheds scattered all over the country. The association's assets were first confiscated in 1961 by the first republican government and de-confiscated in 1969 by the government of the second republic.
It was again confiscated in 1972 by General Kutu Acheampong's government and returned in 1981. In 1994, the PNDC confiscated it the again.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2001
A three-man committee was on Tuesday set up by the Ministry of Energy to probe the operations of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
The committee, which has Professor Andrew Addae, National Project Co-ordinator of the International Atomic Energy Commission as chairman, Mr Joseph Kweku Atta Wiredu, a Management Consultant and Godfried Kesse, a Geologist, as members, has one month to submit its report.
Mr Kan Dapaah, Minister of Energy charged members to study the law establishing GNPC and come out with recommendations that will help restructure the corporation to focus on its core business of exploring for hydrocarbon.
He said, " the government is not pleased with reports on the operations of GNPC. Some of these will have to be investigated especially some of the contractual agreements.
Mr Dapaah said GNPC has over the years divested into non-core business activities, thus losing focus of its fundamental role in the energy sector.
"The search for hydro-carbon is important and there must be an institution to do that."
He urged the committee to identify all assets of GNPC and recommend ways to dispose of those that are non-core related and no longer needed, adding that, this will either be given to relevant state institutions to manage or sold to the private sector.
Mr Dapaah urged the committee to determine appropriate manpower levels of the organisation and make recommendations for restructuring for its effective running.
Prof. Addae assured the Minister that members would work hard in view of the importance of energy to the national economy.
"We will diligently and in honesty come out with recommendations that would ensure that the state gets maximum benefits from GNPC."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2001
Dr Edward N. Mahama, Leader of People's National Convention (PNC), on Tuesday confirmed that the former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mallam Ali Yusuf Isa, has been relieved of his post as the acting chairman of the party.
He said: "Mallam's acceptance of a post in the government of the NPP (New Patriotic Party) contravenes the decision of the National Standing Committee (NSC) barring all executive members including the presidential candidate from accepting any appointment from the NPP."
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on reports about the sacking of Mallam Isa, Dr. Mahama said Mallam Isa chaired a NSC meeting on January 20, which decided that it was politically suicidal for any executive member to accept appointment in the government.
However, the party agreed that any member of the party without executive portfolio was free to offer his or her services to the government in a personal capacity.
Dr. Mahama said the standing committee made it clear that in spite of the decision, any executive member who accepted appointment in his or her personal capacity must resign the position held in the party.
Mallam Isa hit the headlines when many people questioned his performance at the vetting by Parliament for his ministerial appointment.
Less than a month after taking office he was sacked by President John Agyekum Kufuor after being at the centre of the mysterious disappearance of about 46,000 dollars being winning bonus for players of the Black Stars in Sudan.
Mallam Isa claimed he put the money in his suitcase, which was checked in as cargo by officials of the ministry, but these officials said the former minister removed the money from the suitcase after they advised against it.
Dr Mahama said the Bolgatanga meeting issued a three-point resolution on the party's position with the NPP government, stating that it has not entered into any political alliance.
The party does not object to individual members accepting appointments in their own capacities.
The resolution stated that Mallam Isa's acceptance of an appointment in the government amounted to vacating of his post as the acting chairman of PNC.
It directed that in accordance with the party's constitution the first Vice Chairman, Colonel (Rtd) David Gbong Zanlerigu should act as the party's chairman until congress is convened to elect a substantive one.
He said Mallam Isa has not been sacked from the party but relieved of his executive post.
Dr Mahama said other issues relating to the last elections, the performance of the party and preparation for Election 2004 were also discussed.
He said the party would not be distracted from its national agenda to concentrate on an individual.
"When we fail to talk about national issues and concentrate on personal and individual agenda Ghana cannot move forward."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2001
Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State for Media Relations, has urged Public Relations Officers (PROs) in the ministries to be proactive in the execution of their duties and help transmit the government’s policies into the public domain.
At her maiden interaction with staff of the Information Services Department (ISD) serving as PROs of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, she said it would be her Ministry's policy to harmonise pronouncements emanating from the ministries so that they would be in line with the government's policy.
A statement issued on Tuesday by Mr James Ampadu, Acting Director of the ISD, said Ms Ohene proposed a weekly meeting with the PROs to brief them on government policies and cabinet decisions in order for them to be well informed to deliver factual and accurate information.
"The officers will in turn tell the minister of their activities of the previous week and their projections for the week."
Such interactions will help officers know the activities of each ministry so that they will co-ordinate government information to avoid any divergences or misrepresentation.
The Minister also promised to organise training for the officers to upgrade their skills.
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Wellembelle (Upper West) 04 April 2001
Mr. Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister, on Monday urged traditional authorities in the region to stop fishermen from polluting water bodies with chemicals.
He said the practice does not only destro
y aquatic life but poses a serious health hazard to both human beings and livestock.
The Regional Minister was addressing the chiefs and people of the Galibaga Traditional Area at Wellembelle during a familiarisation tour of the Sissala District.
The tour also took him to Tumu, Gwollu and Zim.
Mr Mogtari gave the assurance that the government would not discriminate, in the distribution of development projects, against communities that voted against the NPP.
The Paramount Chief of the area, Kuoro Mumuni Dimbie said he would mobilise his people to assist the government in the implementation of its development programmes.
He said the Wellembelle clinic is a visible legacy of the Progress Party during its 27 months' rule and expressed the hope that the NPP would demonstrate that, it is the true offshoot of that regime.
At Gwollu, the Regional Minister advised people living in border areas to check smuggling of petroleum products to neighbouring countries.
He said smuggling of these products starves the nation of foreign exchange as money that could be used for development goes into importation of more crude oil.
Mr. Mogtari urged the people to preserve the remains of the Gwollu defence wall as a tourist attraction.
The people appealed to the government to create a separate district for them from the present Sissala district, a new constituency and to re-demarcate the electoral areas.
They also called for extension of electricity to Gwollu, upgrading of the Gwollu Clinic to a hospital and the building of a senior secondary school.
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VAG petitions
government on executed generals
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April
2001
The Veterans Association of Ghana
(VAG) on Tuesday presented a petition on behalf of the widows of Armed Forces
Generals and other senior officers executed during the 1979 coup d'etat to Dr
Kwame Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence, for onward transmission to the
President.
The widows of the executed
officers presented a petition a fortnight ago to President John Agyekum Kufuor
through the first lady, Mrs Theresa Kufuor for the bodies of their husbands to
be released for proper burial.
Among those present at the VAG
presentation were the widows of General Akwesi Afrifa, General E.K Utuka and
Air Vice Marshal Yaw Boakye.
Executed in 1979 in the heat of
the June 4 Uprising were General Afrifa, General Utuka, Air Vice Marshal
Boakye, Rear Admiral Joy Amedume, General Ignatius Acheampong, Major-General
Robert Kotei, General F.W.K. Akuffo and Colonel Roger Felli.
Major General E.K. Sam (rtd), a
government nominee to the Council of State, who presented the petition, said as
officers and gentlemen who served the nation, they should be given proper
burial.
He urged government not only to
release the bodies but give them full military burial in the tradition of the
armed forces.
Dr. Addo Kufuor said President
Kufuor has expressed concern about the issue and that the matter was receiving
an "urgent and sympathetic" attention.
He said the President's decision
on the petition would be communicated to the widows.
Dr Addo Kufuor referred to an
alleged attack on the Osu Police Station by some soldiers and gave the
assurance that those involved would be dealt with accordingly.
"As long as I remain the
Minister of Defence, servicemen cannot brutalise people anyhow," he said.
Some soldiers on Sunday allegedly
attacked police personnel on duty at the Osu Police Station for detaining their
colleagues.
The minister said servicemen are
expected by government, the people and constitution to always behave in a
responsible way.
At the meeting were the acting
service commanders, other senior officers of the Ministry of Defence and Lt.
Gen. Albert Ocran, Chairman of VAG.
GRi../
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Government to revamp GIHOC Footwear
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 04 April 2001
Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, on Monday said the government will revamp the GIHOC Footwear Company in Kumasi to create jobs for the youth.
As a first step, the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council (ARCC) would convene a meeting to solve an impasse between Nana Agyeman Tietoa, Juansahene and Managing Director of the Company and the workers as well as individuals and companies, which have rented warehouses of the company for their operations.
Mr Boafo announced this after inspecting the premises as part of his familiarisation tour of establishments in the region.
Mr Peter Nkansah, Chief Engineer of the company, said about 600 million cedis would be required to revamp the company and employ additional workers to the current 75 workers.
He said since 1982, activities of the company went down due to the failure of government institutions and the security agencies to place orders for their products.
Mr Nkansah said with the present state of the machines and equipment it could produce about 200 pairs of various types and sizes of shoes, boots and sandals for institutions a day.
He said some of their warehouses were rented to some people to generate funds to keep the company running but their major problem has been patronage of their products.
GRi../
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Confusion at GHACEM may affect cement price
- Association
Takoradi (Western Region) 04 April 2001
The Executive of the National Association of Cement Distributors have called on the management of Ghana Cement Works (GHACEM) to resolve the confusion with their staff before it leads to a hike in the price of the product.
They expressed the fear that if the impasse was not resolved, the situation might lead to shortage of cement on the market, create price hike and eventually affect the building and construction industry.
The Association expressed the fear at its National Delegates' Conference held in Takoradi at the weekend. It said the early resolution of the impasse would enable the members to lift locked up cement without further delay.
The Association said its members have not been supplied since three weeks ago and this is creating serious financial problems for them.
It explained that most members are operating with bank loans and would be expected to pay interest so the impasse was going to push some of them into bankruptcy.
The Executive said they might be compelled to look for supply from other companies to keep their businesses going.
GRi../
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