Kofi Annan urges African
leaders to fight AIDS
Public urged to ensure
utility services deliver - Wereko-Brobby
Kufuor makes changes in
deputy ministerial nominees
NPP activists cautioned
against scrambling for appointments
Tripartite Committee
adjourns without agreement on minimum wage
Government urged to assist
fishermen to repair boats
Pharmacists urged to adopt
new management practices
Don't criticise government
for joining HIPC - Baba
Syndicate milks Unilever
675.9 million cedis
President
nominates more Chief Executives
Solar energy
is good alternative - Official
Aliu to host stakeholders
meeting on youth
Pay attention to public
sector - Abeasi
Government intervention in
business must diminish - Apraku
Ghana hooked on to on-line
D-Dialogue network
Big buses to
replace small commercial vehicles - Eghan
Kofi Annan urges African
leaders to fight AIDS
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan on Monday urged African leaders to use this week's summit on AIDS to step up their efforts to fight the disease.
Now that the silence on the disease has been broken and more people are being informed of its devastating impact, a concerted effort is needed both at the community and national levels to fight it.
"Now people are speaking up and awareness is increasing. Countries like Botswana, Senegal and Uganda have managed to stem the spread of the disease," Mr Annan told journalists at the airport when he arrived for a three-day private visit after which he will join African leaders at the AIDS summit due to open in Abuja, Nigeria on Wednesday.
The UN Chief said the world body is collaborating with other partners including pharmaceutical companies to support the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Mr Annan lauded Ghana's peaceful elections and the smooth transition of government and said they have projected the country to the outside world.
He urged all Ghanaians to work together to build on this achievement, adding that the international community has the goodwill to assist the country to attain its socio-economic goals.
Asked about his opinion on Ghana, opting for the Highly Indebted and Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, Mr Annan said, it was for the managers of the economy to decide what they thought was appropriate for the nation at the time.
On the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the UN Secretary-General said there is hope for progress in negotiations because President Joseph Kabila has indicated his commitment to dialogue.
"Also, the protagonists are now co-operating," he said, but added that there is much work to be done.
Asked whether he has bright chances to be re-elected for a second term as UN chief, Mr Annan responded " I hope so." Mr. Annan will hold talks with President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday.
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Public urged to ensure
utility services deliver - Wereko-Brobby
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 24 April 2001
Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, Government Adviser on Energy, said at the weekend that the public has a duty to adopt a vigorous monitoring of the operations of the utility services to ensure that they deliver.
"While there is the indication that consumers are prepared to pay the new utility tariffs, it is also part of their responsibility to monitor the operations of these services to ensure that they provide quality service."
Dr. Wereko-Brobby was speaking on a Radio BAR current affairs programme in Sunyani to explain the new increases in water and electricity tariffs by the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC). The increases, 103 per cent for the Electricity Company of Ghana and the Volta River Authority, and 96 per cent for the Ghana Water Company limited, take effect from next month.
Dr Wereko-Brobby suggested the adoption of a programme - The Utility Hour - by radio stations to give the people an opportunity to discuss issues affecting these services more dispassionately.
He reiterated the government's determination to adopt openness and transparency in all decisions affecting the people to enhance democratic governance.
In order to avoid technical and other problems, the energy adviser said people or institutions wishing to extend services to their residence on their own should always do so with the knowledge of the institutions concerned.
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Kufuor makes changes in
deputy ministerial nominees
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor has made changes in the nominations of two deputy ministers, a statement signed by Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Government Spokesperson, said on Monday.
Prof. Abena Busia who was nominated as Deputy Minister of Economic Planning and Regional Integration is staying on in the United States for a while longer to enable her to complete her contract with her University.
It said President Kufuor has nominated as her replacement Ms Gloria Afua Akuffo, private legal practitioner and assigned her to be Deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney General.
Capt. Nkrabea Effah Dartey (RTD) originally nominated to that position has been re-designated to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
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NPP activists cautioned
against scrambling for appointments
Edumfa (Central Region) 24 April 2001
The Central Regional Minister, Mr Isaac Edumadze on Sunday charged members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rally behind the government in its efforts to revamp the nation's economy and not be solely interested in scrambling for appointments.
They should not allow the current economic situation to divide their ranks, but give constructive support to the government by pooling ideas and resources to facilitate the fulfilment of its campaign promises to the people, he said.
Mr. Edumadze made the call at a victory rally organised at Edumfa in Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District by the constituency branch of the party.
The Minister said he was happy that the President's nomination of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives started with the region, and expressed the hope that the nominees would be given the necessary approval and support to enable them to discharge their responsibilities.
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Tripartite Committee
adjourns without agreement on minimum wage
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
The Tripartite Committee on Monday adjourned sitting without agreement over a new minimum wage.
The closed-door meeting attended by government officials, the Ghana Employers' Association and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) would reconvene on Monday April 30.
The meeting was adjourned from last week because the labour movement and the government could not agree on an acceptable minimum wage. The TUC is demanding 6,000 cedis while the government offered 5,000 cedis.
The minister of Manpower Development and Employment, Mrs Cecilia Bannerman said all parties would reconsider their positions during the recess and expressed the hope that when they reconvene again next week, they would reach an agreement.
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Government urged to assist
fishermen to repair boats
Sekondi (Western Region) 24 April 2001
Nana Effirim IV, Acting Chairman of the Western Region Fishermen Service Centres Union, has called on the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the government to assist fishermen, whose canoes were damaged by a rainstorm which hit Sekondi-Takoradi last week to repair them.
Nana Effirim, who is the Chief Fisherman of Shama, made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sekondi on Monday.
He said the rainstorm destroyed a number of canoes and boats at Sekondi, New Takoradi, Abuesi, Shama and Aboadze beaches.
Nana Effirim said some of the canoes and boats could be repaired while others are beyond repairs.
Mr. Francis Mills, Deputy Regional Co-ordinator of NADMO also in an interview said the fishermen have petitioned the organisation for assistance but this has been forwarded to the National Headquarters for action to be taken.
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Pharmacists urged to adopt
new management practices
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
The Registrar of the Pharmacy Council, Mr M.F. Awuku-Kwatia, on Monday called for new management and administrative systems to meet emerging challenges of the profession in the prevailing socio-economic conditions and regulatory environment.
Addressing a meeting of pharmacy proprietors and owners drawn from the Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta Regions on matters affecting their operations and the way forward in Accra.
Mr Awuku-Kwatia said pharmacy practice in the country had changed with time and seen dramatic changes over the last few years, thereby increasing the challenges to pharmacy proprietors globally.
In the light of this, he said, the Council had developed and adopted a strategic plan to foster and maintain a good co-operative and collaborative relationship with all stakeholders.
The Registrar said over the years, pharmacy proprietors, superintendent pharmacists, and other auxiliary staff had been confronted with a number of issues such as conditions of service, employment agreements and contracts as well as laws and regulations affecting pharmacy practice.
"All these have an effect on pharmacy practice, especially when the respective roles of all the key players are not clearly defined," he said.
Mr Awuku-Kwatia called on them to be transparent and non-discriminatory to be able to build a consensus to move pharmacy practice to greater heights.
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Don't criticise government
for joining HIPC - Baba
Tamale (Northern Region) 24 April 2001
Alhaji A.B. Baba, a former Northern Regional Minister, on Monday appealed to Ghanaians not to criticise the government for joining the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.
He said the government would not have been able to service the Country's debts and still carry out meaningful development programmes if it had not joined HIPC.
Alhaji Baba, who made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tamale, said that with better negotiation terms, the government would be able to revamp the economy in the shortest possible time.
Commenting on the 100 days of the NPP government in office, he said that was a short period for Ghanaians to expect much from the new government.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to be patient with the government to put its economic structures in place to be able to deliver.
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Syndicate milks Unilever
675.9 million cedis
Tema (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
The Tema Police on Friday smashed a three-man syndicate that has milked Unilever Company an amount of 675.9 million cedis since 1999.
A Police source named the three as Mr Sarfo Budu, Clearing Agent for Sabesco, Mr Peter Sallah, Accounts Supervisor and Mr Opoku Arthur, Accounts Clerk, who doubles as cashier, both of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Tema.
The syndicate used cheques paid in by Unilever to cover payments made in cash by other customers and pocketed such amounts.
The source said that Unilever's clearing agent handles all the company’s imports through the Tema Port. The agent collects invoices from GPHA and submits them to the company for payment.
Unilever pays all their bills to the port with cheques through the agent, who hands them to the cashier of GPHA.
However, instead of paying such cheques on ordinary days, the agent and the cashier wait till weekends when they might have collected enough cash for payment of other transactions and use the cheque to cover them.
It explained that the cashier with the assistance of the accounts supervisor enter the cheques into their books and ensure that it covers those monies that they had collected and shared.
In addition the two accounts officers of the GPHA with the connivance of the clearing agent, inflate the amount, which should be paid by Unilever on the invoice.
Superintendent Daniel Tetteh Angor, Regional Crime Officer confirmed the story.
He said three other workers from Unilever, who sign the invoices and cheques, were also invited but have been released on bail until full scale auditing and investigations are made. He declined to give their names.
Superintendent Angor said the suspects would soon be arraigned.
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President
nominates more Chief Executives
Accra (Greater Accra)
24 April 2001
President John Agyekum
Kufuor has made further nominations for the appointment of Metropolitan,
Municipal and District Chief Executives.
A statement signed by
Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development in
Accra on Monday named 12 nominees for the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Northern and
Eastern regions.
The nominees for the
Ashanti Region are Mr Maxwell Kofi Dwumah (Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly), Mr
George Frimpong Asante (Asante Akim North) and Mr L.
Opoku Boateng (Sekyere
East).
For the Brong Ahafo
Region, the President has nominated Mr Baffuor Awuah (Sunyani), Mr N.L. Anane
Agyei (Tano), Mr K. Kyereh Yeboah (Berekum) and Mr Ampofo Twumasi (Nkoranza).
The nominees for the
Northern Region are Mr M. Habibu Tijani (Yendi), Mr Prince Adani Imoro (Tamale
Municipal Assembly) and Alhaji Saani Iddi (Nanumba).
The nominees for the
Eastern Region are Mr Kwasi Adjei Boateng (New Juaben Municipal Assembly) and
Mr Yaw Yiadom Boakye (Kwaebibirem).
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Solar
energy is good alternative - Official
Accra (Greater Accra)
24 April 2001
Mr Ernest A. Asare,
Director for Communications and Marketing of the Energy Foundation, on Monday
said the foundation is proposing that all new government buildings should
include solar technology in their building designs.
He said this proposal
also applies to street lamps yet to be erected, as well as buildings to be
constructed by real estate developers.
Mr Asare, who was
speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, said the proposals are to
speed up the extensive adoption of solar energy usage.
He said although the
initial cost of investment in solar energy use is high, it goes along with
advantages that make it a worthy investment.
He said unlike
hydroelectric power, which is characterised by recurring operational cost, the
cost of maintaining solar power after the initial cost is negligible.
Mr Asare said solar
energy use has no adverse effect on the environment and it could also help
develop the local industry as people get involved in the sale of solar
accessories such as batteries.
He said as part of the
Energy Foundation's effort to make the adoption of solar energy easy, it is
exploring the setting up of a local assembly of solar panels and accessories
to help reduce cost.
The foundation is also
seeking investors in solar energy generation.
He said one major
breakthrough for the foundation is that the government has granted a request
for reduction of duties on solar equipment.
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Aliu to host stakeholders
meeting on youth
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
Vice-President Aliu Mahama would on Thursday meet with all stakeholders to brainstorm on the establishment of a National Youth Committee to help formulate and implement all youth related programmes.
The meeting is part of efforts by the Vice-President, who has an oversight responsibility over the Ministry of Youth and Sports, to reactivate national interest in youth activities stalled by several years of neglect.
Mr Andrews Awuni, Public Relations Officer at the Office of the Vice-President, made this known to newsman on Monday at the Afienya Youth Leadership Training Institute, near Tema, during a visit of the Vice-President.
The government is not happy about the concentration on sports at the expense of youth development by previous governments, he said.
"The Vice-President has made youth development his personal project, not because he is the one in charge of the youth and sports Ministry, but because the NPP manifesto has a special place for the youth."
Alhaji Mahama would visit all the eight youth training institutes in the country to ensure that the enabling conditions to facilitate teaching and learning are created.
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Pay attention to public
sector - Abeasi
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
Mr Kwesi Abeasi, Director-General of the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF), on Monday emphasised the need for the government to pay attention to the public and civil service in order to promote professionalism in that sector.
"The public and civil service is a critical part of government machinery and, therefore, requires proper handling to bring about efficient growth in the renewed effort of nation building," Mr Abeasi said in an interview with the GNA after a presentation at the second in a six-series workshop to develop an agenda for the National Economic Dialogue towards poverty reduction.
The economic dialogue is slated for May this year. The new administration has no problem directing the private sector as the engine of growth for the economy, he said.
This, he said, is due to the fact that most of the people who are at the helm of affairs come from the private sector.
What the government must do is to encourage efficiency in the public sector and secure the tenure of office of managers, directors and chief executives through the promotion of professionalism, he said.
"By so doing, governments may come and go but such provisions will curtail changes in government set-ups as we are witnessing today.
"Such a provision will also ensure that there are no breaks in on-going programmes," he said and added: "What should be new is that in these renewed efforts, we should resolve to put our political inclinations aside and put on our 'Team Ghana' thinking caps and forge a common plan that we all will be committed to in its implementation."
Monday's workshop focused on the private sector's role in the economy vis-à-vis the declaration by the President of the "Golden Age of Business".
Mr Abeasi mentioned efforts in 1996 and 1997 that culminated in the National Economic Forum in September 1997 and said the forum generated a broadened consensus on the way forward.
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Government intervention in
business must diminish - Apraku
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, on Monday stressed the need for a reduction in the government’s intervention in the running and management of businesses to give the private sector the needed boost to thrive.
As much as possible the private sector must be empowered to operate in a legal and supportive macro-economic environment, he said.
This, he said is driven by modern technology, innovation and value-added manufacturing.
"It is the vision and strategy of (the) Government to create such an economy, a new environment in which businesses can thrive," the Minister told a delegation of Dutch participants at a seminar on Trade and Investment Opportunities in Ghana.
The seminar gave the Netherlands Economic Mission, currently exploring investment opportunities in the country, an understanding of the trade and investment climate in Ghana, especially the opportunities and obstacles at this time of the country's political and economic development.
It provided opportunities for Ghanaian operators in the private sector to exchange views with the Netherlands delegation on how both countries could mutually benefit from investment opportunities.
Topics discussed included trade policy of the government and the enhancement of the private sector, good governance and zero tolerance of corruption, labour climate and promising economic sectors.
Dr Apraku said it is the government's belief that a free enterprise economy would pave the way for a sustained economic growth and provide equal opportunities for all Ghanaians.
Dr Apraku mentioned the construction, transport, energy, tourism and the agriculture sectors as areas with abundant investment opportunities.
The Minister also touched on fishing and agro-processing, value-addition in the textile and garments, wood and food processing and packaging sectors, in which, he said, the Netherlands has a comparative strength and capacity.
He asked the Netherlands government to evolve a support scheme for Ghanaian exporters in the non-traditional export sector, who are constrained by inadequate credit and technological know-how, to improve on their performance in the global market, especially in the EU and Americas.
Dr Apraku said government in the past few months had to make some difficult choices, not because it is insensitive to the plight of the people but because it has to take such decisions to correct the distortions in the economy.
He said all the decisions are necessary to ensure that any gains and opportunities that are created in the short-run meets the long-term needs of Ghanaians.
Mr Gerrit Ybema, Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade, praised Ghana's smooth transition from one government to another and said that the government's declaration of a zero tolerance for corruption would stimulate investors' interest.
He said the existence of good entrepreneurial skills would determine the success or failure of the private sector, adding that government's commitment and banks' friendliness to assist the private sector would go a long way to boost participation in the economy.
Mr Ybema said there are plans to restore the Elmina Castle and invest in the social, education and economic infrastructure to boost tourism.
He underscored the importance of infrastructure in the economic development of a country, saying without it there could be no development.
The Netherlands Ambassador, Mr Alexander Heldring said government's emphasis on the Golden Age of Business should open the way for foreign investment.
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Ghana hooked on to on-line
D-Dialogue network
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu on Monday cut the tape to connect Ghana to the network of Democratic Decentralisation Dialogue (D-Dialogue), an online forum for the exchange of information among local government practitioners and their partners.
Ghana is the first anglophone country in Africa to get hooked to the network, launched two years ago and shared by some francophone countries including Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea and Mali.
The facility was created by the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) of North Carolina, US, and the Leland initiative with financial support from the USAID to deepen continued dialogue on decentralisation issues among key players in sister countries.
D-Dialogue is co-ordinated in Ghana by Mr Kojo Yankah, a communications expert and a former politician.
Mr Baah-Wiredu lauded the initiative and expressed the hope that it would deepen the decentralisation process in the participating countries, especially in Ghana.
He restated the government's commitment to restructuring, strengthening and empowering local government institutions at the lower levels by providing access to political authority and at the same time make leaders accountable to the people.
"We need to strengthen probity, accountability and transparency at all levels of government, especially at the district assembly level, with regular and unannounced visits and inspections by senior government officials," the minister said.
To attain maximum goals, Mr Baah-Wiredu proposed among other things that in addition to dialoguing on line, members of the network should meet periodically in person to "put faces to the names on the Internet."
He said problems associated with Internet access would be addressed to motivate participation in the programme.
Mr Yankah said the Ghana network would link local government practitioners in districts in all 10 regions in addition to partners such as journalists and other members of civil society.
Ms Rebecca Gardell, a representative of the RTI, said Ghana was chosen to be the first anglophone country because the country showed the potential and the will to broaden her decentralisation process.
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Big buses to replace small
commercial vehicles - Eghan
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 April 2001
Taxis and other smaller commercial vehicles would be phased out from the central business districts when the government's proposed mass transportation project takes off next year, Mr. Ben Eghan, Chief Director of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, said on Monday.
Mr Eghan told the GNA in an interview in Accra that smaller commercial vehicles would be replaced with big buses, which would operate from specific terminals and interconnecting points, through designated routes at specific times.
"Most of the current transport terminals would change and the smaller commercial vehicles would serve as a feeder transport system to bring passengers from remote areas and city enclaves to bus terminals," he said.
He was speaking after he opened a two-week regional refresher course on decentralisation and planning for about 40 members of the Institute of Housing and Urban Development (IHS) on behalf of Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Minister of Transport and Communications.
Mr Eghan said the project is intended to decongest the cities and ensure that smaller commercial vehicles do not compete with the big buses.
He said apart from private and goods vehicles, all other commercial vehicles would be confined to the city enclaves, adding that the programme will be implemented in conjunction with all stakeholders in the transport sector on strictly business and commercial basis.
Mr Eghan said discussion is currently going on between the government and some private sector investors on that project and all the transport unions would be duly consulted when the time comes.
Under the project, he said private investors would be assisted by the government to obtain loans at concessionary rates to run the big buses, adding, "we are not going to encourage soft loans and guarantees any longer." He announced that there are also plans to repair the Accra-Tema rail line.
"Another rail line would be laid from the coast to up north to ensure effective transportation network," he said. "This is a necessary pre-requisite to the attraction of heavy investment to the country."
In a speech read on his behalf, Mr. Owusu-Adjapong said linked with the effort to decongest the cities is a plan to provide an additional one million telephone lines country-wide.
He said currently there are only 215,498 fixed telephone lines backed by mobile services to some 152,850 subscribers.
Mr. Owusu-Adjapong said Accra alone needs about 500,000 lines by the close this year, adding that from the rate at which services are being provided, it appears unlikely to achieve the target.
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