GRi Newsreel Ghana 10 - 04 - 2001
Government does not spend 150 million cedis
on food - Agyapong
Most hotels in
Volta Region below standard –GTB
President accepts
request of Chief justice
Government appointees to KMA sworn in
Ghana receives International support for
HIPC initiative
Committee to investigate Water Company
allegations
Okyenhene Decries land degradation at
Akwatia
Minster apologises for inadequate
information on HIPC
Dormaa elects two candidates for Electoral
College
Kenyan delegation inspects Tema Port X-ray
Scanner
US congressional team calls on President
CSIR Institutes directed to form committees
on commercialization
Three Northern Regions to develop Oncho
Freed Zone
Rainstorm renders thousands homeless at Sene
Workshop on tomato processing ends
Bolgatanga Police arrest two child
traffickers
Power pool for West Africa to be established
President to
attend extraordinary summit of ECOWAS in Abuja
Government does not spend 150 million cedis
on food - Agyapong
Accra (Greater Accra) 10 April 2001
Mr Kwabena Agyapong, a government spokesman, on Monday denied a publication in an Accra weekly that the government spends 150 million cedis a month on lunch for the Presidency.
He told the Presidential Press Corps at the State House that the government had wanted to treat the said publication 'with the contempt it deserves' but for the sake that it brings into question its policy of prudent management of available resources.
The "Ghanaian Democrat" wrote in its Monday edition that the government spends five million cedis a week on packed lunch from the Golden Tulip Hotel.
The paper alleged that Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Chief of Staff and Minister of
Presidential Affairs signs the cheques for payment every week.
"It is totally untrue and baseless that workers at the state House and presidential staffers are given free lunch. The food we eat here is cooked locally and we pay 10,000 cedis for a plate," Mr Agyapong stated.
Mr Agyapong dismissed another publication in the "Public Agenda" that the French government is funding the refurbishment of the President's Office and private residence, near the Kotoka International Airport.
The paper said the French government's alleged involvement undermines President Kufuor's 'zero tolerance for corruption'.
Mr. Agyapong explained that the government is beefing up security at the President's residence by providing a fence wall.
"The NPP is operating an open-door policy to afford the journalists the opportunity to cross-check their facts," he said, adding that they should feel free to approach the appropriate sources for clarification.
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Most hotels in
Volta Region below standard –GTB
Ho (Volta Region) 10 April 2001
Most of the hotels in the Volta
Region do not meet Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) standards for the industry.
Out of a total of 66 registered
hotels in the region, only 17 are rated, with the Lorneh Lodge at Tegbi and
Villa Cisneros Resort at Sogakope, as the only three- star hotels.
Freedom and Chances Hotels, both
in Ho and Green Star Hotel at Hohoe are two-star, with the remaining rated as
one-star.
Miss Diana Edu-Owusu, Resource
Officer of the Ho office of GTB, who disclosed this in an interview with the
Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Monday, said, "if we are to go strictly by our
standards most of the hotels would have to close down"
She described the general state of
the hospitality industry in the region as unsatisfactory and incapable of
promoting the ambitious tourism agenda of the GTB and the Volta Regional
Co-ordinating Council, (VRCC).
She corroborated GNA survey
findings that many of the drinking bars in Ho do not have urinals.
Miss Edu-Owusu said salaries of
workers in the industry in the region, range between 90,000 cedis to 180,000
cedis a month.
She complained of lack of interest
of the proprietors in sponsoring their workers for training, which compelled
the GTB to cancel a training session last year.
Miss Edu-Owusu said a similar
course for this year to expose hotel and restaurant workers to house keeping
and front office management, among others, has been scheduled for May.
She noted that proprietors are
sometimes hostile towards the GTB, when it offers to train newly employed staff
of tourism establishments.
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President accepts
request of Chief justice
Accra (Greater Accra) 10 April
2001
The President has accepted the
request of the Chief Justice, Mr. I.K.Abban, to proceed on leave prior to early
retirement on grounds of ill health, with effect from May 1, 2001.
A release signed by Ms Elizabeth
Ohene, the government spokesperson, said the president has noted the long
service of the Chief Justice to the nation and wishes him a speedy recovery,
adding that the President hopes that he has a well-earned retirement.
The release said, pending the
appointment of a substantive Chief Justice, the most senior of the Justices of
the Supreme Court, Mr.Justice E.K.Wiredu, will assume the office of Acting
Chief Justice in accordance with Article 144(6) of the 1992 constitution.
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Government appointees to KMA sworn in
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 10 April 2001
Twenty-eight new members appointed by the government to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) were on Monday sworn in, bringing the total number to 88, one less than its full complement of 89, since the Metropolitan Chief Executive is yet to be appointed.
Mr Justice Gilbert Mensah Quaye, Supervising High Court Judge of Ashanti Region, who swore them in, said oath taking and swearing in ceremonies are not for fun but rather issues that need to be taken seriously.
He urged them to strive at all cost to abide by all the promises and pledges they make under the oath since that was the most crucial element in every swearing-in and oath-taking ceremony.
Mr Justice Quaye told them that they would be judged by their ability and capacity to devise mechanisms to make the people benefit from the government's policies and programmes.
He urged them to be transparent and help the government to realise its policy and drive at ensuring a zero tolerance of corruption in the country.
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Ghana receives International support for
HIPC initiative
Accra (Greater Accra) 10 April 2001
The Vice-President of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Mr Anupam Basu and The German Ambassador, Mr Christian Nakonz on Monday held separate meetings with the President Mr John Agyekum Kufuor on the country's adoption of Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.
Mr Nakonz, who was the first to call on the President at the State House, said Ghana has taken a good step to avail itself of the positive aspects of the initiative to relieve the debt burden of the country and promote sound financial management.
He said a team from the German Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development would visit the country after Easter to draw up a two-year development co-operation programme with the government.
German entrepreneurs would visit Ghana and other parts of Africa as a follow-up to explore investment opportunities.
Briefing the press after the meeting with Mr Basu, which was held in camera, Mr Osafo Maafo, Finance Minister, said the support of the IMF is very vital to the success of the HIPC, adding that a meeting would be held with the Paris club on the country's debts.
The Paris club is an International group of donors and lenders to the Third World.
"We have to put cash flow on the repayment of debt," he explained.
Mr Maafo said the privatisation of state financial institutions like the Ghana Commercial Bank is part of the conditions attached to the HIPC initiative.
He said Government would, however, insist that anybody interested in the bank maintains its local network.
The Agricultural Development Bank is, however, not on the divestiture list due to its strategic importance in the agriculture sector, Mr Maafo said.
President Kufuor thanked The IMF and The German government for supporting the HIPC initiative, which he said, is the only way to stabilise the economy to promote development.
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Committee to investigate Water Company
allegations
Accra (Greater Accra) 10 April 2001
A five- member committee to investigate alleged malpractice in the Ghana Water Company was on Monday inaugurated by Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Works and Housing.
Justice Nicholas Yaw Boafo Adade, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, chairs the committee. Though it has no deadline to submit its report, members were however charge by Mr Bartels to present the report in the shortest possible time.
Other members are Squadron Leader Clend Mawuko Kwasi Sowu, a former member of Parliament, Mr Asare Boateng, Senior Auditor of the Audit Service, Mr Samuel Yaw Anim, a Chief State Attorney of the Ministry of Justice and Mr Frank Kofi Dei of the Ministry of Works and Housing.
The committee was charged to probe allegations in the procurement of stationery that would possibly last for 113 years, and Khaki drill at 42, 000 cedis per meter instead of the market price of 9,000 cedis per meter.
Other allegations to be investigated are excessive spending during Water and May Day celebrations.
Mr Bartels said the exercise is not to witch-hunt, but to establish the truth so that doubts would be cleared.
He said he finds it interesting to note that whilst Ghana water Company was unable to provide funds for the procurement of chemicals for the treatment of water, the same company was able, "in one breath to procure stationery to the tune of 5.5 billion cedis."
The terms of reference include investigations into the appropriateness of procedures used in the purchase of stocks of the company.
To investigate the award and certification of various contracts, foreign and local and in particular contracts for the supply of meters, overhead tanks, construction and rehabilitation of water system among other things.
Also included are promotion and transfers within the company in the last two years and the frequent water shortages and measures taken to ameliorate these shortages.
Justice Adade thanked the government for the confidence reposed in the members and called on the public who have any information to furnish the committee either in writing or personally.
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Okyenhene Decries land degradation at
Akwatia
Akwatia (Eastern Region) 10 April 2001
The Okyenhene, Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin at the weekend decried the wanton land degradation in Akwatia as a result of mining activities and called for an end to the practice.
He noted that mining companies in the area provide employment to the youth, but urged authorities to reclaim the land after their activities, so that it could be used for other economic activities.
Osagyefo Amoatia, who was on a tour to Akwatia to interact with the chiefs and people, deplored the reckless manner in which surface mining is being carried out, in the town and said it should cease.
To ensure sustainable mining of diamond, immediate steps should be taken to reclaim all mined out areas, he said.
The Okyenhene also expressed concern about the rate at which the forest in Okyeman is fast disappearing as a result of activities of both timber companies and chainsaw operators.
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Minster apologises for inadequate
information on HIPC
Cape Coast (Central Region) 10 April 2001
The Central Regional Minister, Mr Isaac Edumadze on Monday apologised to Ghanaians for the government's inability to adequately inform them about the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC), initiative, before adopting it.
He explained that it was because the government was running out of time, since it had been given a time frame within which to decide.
Mr Edumadze noted that although Ghana is not poor, the government was compelled by circumstances to accept the HIPC initiative, adding that the country would enjoy financial relief under it.
The Minister rendered the apology at separate meetings with heads of government departments and assembly members at Cape Coast, during his familiarisation tour to districts in the region.
The initiative would assist the government in ensuring that more investments are made in the various sectors of the economy.
He commended workers for the sacrifices they have been making, even in the face of economic hardships and gave the assurance that the government would do everything possible to increase salaries and ensure good working conditions.
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Dormaa elects two candidates for Electoral
College
Dormaa-Ahenkro (Brong Ahafo) 10 April 2001
The Dormaa District Assembly has elected two representatives to the Regional Electoral College of the Council of State at an emergency meeting at Dormaa-Ahenkro.
They are Mr S. H. Baah, a retired educationist and Nana Boakye Agyemang, a traditional ruler.
The Assembly, however, failed to elect its Presiding Member after three rounds of voting supervised by the Electoral Commission.
The position of the Presiding Member became vacant following the termination of the appointment of Nana Baffour Twum, who was a government appointee.
The candidates, Mr Samuel Yeboah, teacher and Mr C. K. Owusu, a retired court registrar, failed to secure the two-third majority votes.
Nana Martin Mensah, Chairman of the Wamfie Tribunal, swore in 21 government appointees to the assembly. He advised them to work hard to ensure the development of the district.
Mr F. Y. Banduah, District Co-ordinating Director, said the absence of a District Chief Executive and Presiding Member had affected the district.
He said the next meeting of the Assembly was scheduled for April 12 and appealed to the members to endeavour to a Presiding Member to ensure the smooth running of the district.
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Kenyan delegation inspects Tema Port X-ray
Scanner
Tema (Greater Accra) 10 April 2001
A three-man delegation from the Kenya Revenue Authority and Cotecna Inspection Office of that country on Monday inspected the X-ray Scanner at the Tema Port, which is currently the only one in Africa.
The delegation led by Mr John Munge, Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority, is in Ghana to study how the Scanner operates for the possible installation of a similar one at the Port of Mombasa.
Mr Munge told newsmen that Ghana's solution to the problems of clearing procedures since the introduction of the X-ray Scanner is now well known through out the world and they were in Tema to study how the system operates.
He said Kenya Customs Officers are currently carrying out 100 per cent physical verification of goods at the port of Mombasa, which handles 260,000 tonnes of cargo annually. This slows down clearing procedures, resulting in wrong declaration of goods and loss of revenue to the state.
Mr Munge said the Scanner is currently the fastest way of clearing goods. It was, therefore, important to introduce it in Kenya to facilitate trade.
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US congressional team calls on President
Accra (Greater Accra) 10 April 2001
A seven-member US congressional delegation on Monday called on President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Osu Castle as part of a six-day tour of Africa to promote free trade, health care and other strategic development interests.
The delegation, led by Mr J.C Watts Jr., the fourth ranking Republican member of The House of Representatives, left Ghana on Tuesday for Nigeria, Morocco and Senegal after meeting with the business community in Ghana and a broad section of the people to discuss areas of co-operation.
Mr Watts said the visit, the first stop in West Africa, is to explore ways of enhancing bilateral relations.
The delegation held a one-hour meeting with the President, the Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama and some Ministers to highlight the development problems of the country and what form of assistance the US could give.
President Kufuor briefed the delegation about the HIPC initiative, which he said was the only option for the government since the country could not balance its external debt of over 300 million dollars.
"This constitutes a major crisis for a young government barely three months in office."
He said the unemployment rate is about 30 per cent whilst the growth of the industrial and agricultural sector is very minimal.
President Kufuor said the democratic process initiated at independence in 1957 has suffered 27 years of military intervention until the 2000 elections, which replaced for the first time a constitutionally elected government with another.
He called on the US to support his administration to promote the rule of law and market economy through a dynamic private sector initiative with a zero tolerance for corruption.
Alhaji Mahama expressed the hope that the visit would bring greater understanding and co-operation between the two countries and promote the priority development objectives of Ghana.
Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance said the NPP inherited an economy, which was plagued by high inflation rate, and low GDP, hence the need for the US to be sympathetic to the HIPC initiative.
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Regional Integration and Economic Planning said the congressional team could facilitate the efforts of Ghana to build a successful example of wealth creation and stability in Africa by being advocates of the initiative in congress.
Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor Minister of Defence said the numerous conflicts in the sub-region is threatening investor confidence in Ghana and called for further security co-operation with the US to boost peace, security and regional integration.
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CSIR Institutes directed to form committees
on commercialization
Fumesua (Ashanti Region) 10 April 2001
The Director-General and Institute Directors of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have been directed to form internal committees to manage the commercialisation programme of the Council, targeted to take off by the end of this month.
Professor Dominic Kwaku Fobih, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, who gave the directive, warned that directors of institutes that refuse to act on it would be sanctioned.
He was addressing a workers durbar as part of a familiarisation visit to the Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI) at Fumesua in the Ejisu-Juaben on Monday.
Mr Kwaku Amoah-Mensah, Director of BRRI, said they have the expertise for reducing construction cost by about 20 per cent and to generate employment, as most of their technologies are labour intensive.
He said the focus now is on the promotion of the institute's pavement tiles to replace concrete pavement and the "pozzolana" composite cement the BRRI has developed.
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Three Northern Regions to develop Oncho
Freed Zone
Lawra (Upper West) 10 April 2001
The Upper West Region is liaising with the Northern and Upper East Regions to come out with viable strategies to develop the Oncho Freed Zone of the three regions into rice farmlands.
The three Regions would also discuss ways of developing plans to make use of dams and dugouts to assist farmers to become self-reliant and reduce unemployment.
Mr Sahanum Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister, who said this at Lawra during his familiarisation tour of the Region, was reacting to a question as to whether the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government would continue with the development projects initiated by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
He said the NDC government initiated the projects with the "taxpayer's money and it is the same taxpayer's money the NPP government will use to continue the projects".
The Regional Minister advised the farmers to form an association that would champion their cause.
Mr Mogtari said assisting farmers to increase production would also reduce the over reliance food imports.
The Paramount Chief of the Lawra Traditional Area, Naa Abeifa Karbo advised the Minister to deal with issues in the region irrespective of political and ethnic lineage.
Naa Karbo said political heads though have their parties, should see unity, peace and development as the cardinal points rather than ethnicity and politics, which tend to create division.
The trip also took the Minister to Nandom, where he addressed the chiefs and people.
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Rainstorm renders thousands homeless at
Sene
Sene (Brong Ahafo) 10 April 2001
A severe rainstorm, lasting for three days has rendered thousands of residents in three communities in the Sene District homeless and damaged property worth millions of cedis. The communities are Wiase, Bantama and Lemu.
Three school buildings serving the communities were totally destroyed in the rainstorm, bringing school activities to a halt.
At Wiase, 18 buildings were totally destroyed and 17 other houses have their roofs ripped off.
Seven houses collapsed in Bantama and the roofs of 19 others were ripped off. The roofs of 41 houses were ripped off in Lemu.
Briefing the GNA, Mr Felix Twumasi-Appiah, MP for Sene, said the rainstorm has rendered many of the residents homeless and victims are putting up with relatives in less affected houses while others are staying in makeshift structures.
Residents in the most affected areas have left their communities and are staying in nearby communities in Kwame Danso, Kyeamekrom and Nyankontreh.
He indicated that due the bad condition of the only road from Atebubu to the area, the Volta River Authority (VRA) has not been able to attend to many high-tension poles that have fallen down, a situation he described as very dangerous and risky.
The MP has, therefore, advised the residents of the communities to disconnect electricity supply to their houses to avoid the occurrence of an electrical catastrophe
Mr Twumasi-Appiah appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to come to the aid of the affected communities.
He commended Mr Adae Fofie, District Chairman of the Concerned Citizens Association of Ghana, for his assistance to some of the victims.
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Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo) 10 April 2001
High-tension cables are being stolen at an alarming rate at Bonsu and Dotobaa, both communities in the Nkoranza District, where the people are undertaking Self-Help Electrification Programme (SHEP).
Mr Victor Ameyaw, a community leader from Dotobaa, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said it has been very difficult for the people to arrest the perpetrators, who carry out their diabolical acts at night.
He expressed regret that the practice would have a great effect on the power supply to the areas, "as it is an extra cost for the government".
He appealed to the contractor working on the project to detail some of his workers to supervise the work and protect the cables.
Mr Ameyaw appealed to assembly members and unit committees in the areas to set up watchdog committees to combat the crime wave in the area.
Meanwhile, dealers in electrical gadgets have been urged to help the people to arrest the perpetrators if they should attempt to sell their booty to them.
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Workshop on tomato processing ends
Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 10 April 2001
The Adventist Development Relief Agency (ADRA) has organised a two-day workshop on general management of its tomato-processing factory at Tuobodom in the Techiman District.
The workshop was designed for all the key players for the successful implementation of the project, the first of its kind to be established by ADRA.
Mr Richard Aboagye, Supervisor of ADRA, said the workshop was aimed at building the capacity of all those involved in the project.
"This will make everyone to understand his or her role and execute it well for the common good of the project".
Mr Aboagye said participants would be expected to gain an understanding of the basic purpose of getting into business.
He urged the participants to develop proper production planning and control mechanisms to get a better understanding of purchasing for the overall profitability of the business.
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Bolgatanga Police arrest two child
traffickers
Bolgatanga (Northern Region) 10 April 2001
The Police on Sunday had to fire tear-gas to disperse a large crowd that stormed the Bolgatanga Police Station to demand that two suspected human traffickers be released for instant justice to be meted out to them.
The two suspected to be child traffickers were arrested in separate incidents.
One of them, Akua Signa was transporting 13 children aged between eight and 13 years from Emuna in the Central Region to Gambia through Burkina Faso and was arrested by Immigration Officers at the Namoo border, near Bongo, between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
The other, Paul Kwabena Apreku, a farmer, was arrested for trafficking in six boys aged between 13 and 20 years from Wulu, a farming community in the Upper West Region, to Faaman in the Ashanti Region to engage them as labourers on his orange farm.
Signa explained that she was part of a group of traders, who were taking the children, with their parents' consent, to Gambia to assist in fishing and other commercial ventures.
She said at the Namoo border, Immigration Officers refused them exit because of the children and she volunteered to send them back to Emuna, while her colleagues continued the journey to Gambia.
Birth certificates she showed to journalists as documents covering the children turned out to be faked as none of the children responded to the names on the certificates.
The youngest among them was forced by Signa to respond. He could only give his father's name as Ishmail.
The boy, whose name was on the certificate as Kofi Ishmail, pointed to Signa as his mother, but could not tell her name.
Immigration officers, who accompanied Signa to the Bolgatanga District Police Station, corroborated her story.
They said they were on the lookout for people engaged in human trafficking.
Apreku, who hails from Faaman in Ashanti, said he sought the consent and approval of the children's parents through his sister, an Akpeteshie seller at Wulu.
He added that the parents of the boy's including the chief of the area, were involved in the agreement to let them go and work on his orange farm.
He said he sent four boys from the village to Faaman two years ago to engage in orange farming as labourers, adding that farmers in the area agree together with the boys to provide a radio set and a bicycle for each of the boys at the end of each farming season.
They, in addition, pay for their medical care, clothes and feeding.
The eldest among them, 20-year-old Mohammed Abu, defended Apreku and said they were not stolen but were taken with the consent of their parents.
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Power pool for West Africa to be
established
Accra (Greater Accra) 10 April 2001
A West African Power Pool (WAPP), which will ensure the optimum delivery of electricity generated in the sub-region is to be established soon.
So far, all technical issues concerning the project have been concluded, Mr Gabriel Quain, Acting Director of Power of the Ministry of Energy, told the GNA in an interview in Accra.
He said the institutional issues of the power pool, which was mooted four years ago by West African states, is being tackled. Mr Quain said the WAPP would ensure the availability and reliability of power, which would in turn improve business activities.
It would also reduce the cost of power generation for member countries.
The project comes against the background of inadequate supply of power to meet current peak demands in some countries and the excess of it in other member countries.
The project will take into consideration the various systems of power generation available in the region and combine them effectively.
Currently, Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire have an interconnecting system that makes either country buy or sell power depending on demand and supply. Ghana also has an agreement to supply power to Togo and Benin.
The West African Gas Pipeline under which Ghana, Togo and Benin would have access to cheap gas from Nigeria would also help Ghana generate power from its Thermal Plant at Aboadze, near Takoradi.
Mr Quain said a central point, which would allow for all countries in the sub-region to be connected under the WAPP would be created.
"This point, which would be called the Central Load Dispatch, will be the nerve centre of the project where power is distributed to member countries.
"As at now the location of the Central Load Dispatch has not been determined but it is believed that very soon all these hurdles will be cleared," he said.
Mr. Quain said currently only four countries; Ghana, Togo, Benin and Cote d'Ivoire are connected. This arrangement existed long ago when Ghana used to supply them with power.
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President to
attend extraordinary summit of ECOWAS in Abuja
Accra (Greater Accra) 10 April
2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor
leaves Accra on Tuesday for Abuja, Nigeria to attend an extraordinary summit of
the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).
The President, who will be away
for two days, will be accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr
Hackman Owusu-Agyeman.
Mr Kwabena Adjepong, government's
deputy spokesman told the press that the meeting would discuss the security
situation in the sub-region, among other issues.
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