Prez
Kufuor warns Kumasi Metro on intended 800 per cent tax hike
A Police constable on death threat
Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2002 - The Federation of
Association of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) is working relentlessly to ensure the
setting up of the export trade house which will help exporters and those who
want to venture into the sector.
FAGE Chief Executive, Augustine Adongo, was reacting to a suggestion from a top
bank official that, if the non-traditional sector will move from the plateau of
$400 million earnings a year, then there is the need for an export trading
house.
The bank official, who spoke on anonymity, recommended that such trade house
could work on the lines of the Cocoa Marketing Company of Cocobod. Such a
trading house it was further explained, should be able to provide the needed
information on various commodities; capable men to negotiate for good prices
and to provide information on the prevailing trend on the global market.
Many exporters do not know what it takes to buy and sell offshore so such
people need the trade house to enhance their confidence. “It is precisely what
we are striving for. It seems the bank official has read our thoughts”, says
Adongo. He said such a trade house will also help consolidate volumes, and
advise on quality of commodities. In addition, it will establish backward
linkages with the farmers.
The executive director said, FAGE has identified a local consultant and another
one from the United Kingdom. He explained that the idea is to tap both local
and foreign experiences for the good of the exporters. He cited Export Trade
House for Horticulture in Kenya and another house in Zimbabwe as examples which
have worked so beautifully.
Mr Adongo noted that, the federation has a link with CDI of Holland, which has
enormous professional experience in export trade houses. He indicated that
whether, such houses should be public-private ventures or solely private is one
of the questions that the consultants will critically examine for
recommendations.
He shared the bank official's suggestion that such house will give confidence
to those who venture into the sector. Besides, the trade house will have the
business influence to do serious bargaining for the commodities. On salt, the
bank official said it is important that practical support to the idea rather
than lip-service is given to the project.
He suggested that it should be possible for those who are doing well in the
industry to be encouraged. It should also be possible to resolve whatever
problems there are at the Songhor Salt Project, and encourage Panbros, Ningo
Salt and El din, for example. He commended Unilever Ghana Limited for the good
job it is doing in the salt industry. – Daily Graphic
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Former Parliamentarian tells MPs ‘corruption led us to HIPC’
Accra (Greater
Accra) 04 April 2002 - Corruption and bribery has led Ghana into the Highly
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, Mrs Stella Ankomah Boakye-Boateng,
former Member of Parliament for Mpohor Wassa East in the Western Region, boldly
told the Parliamentary Privileges Committee on Wednesday.
Stella
Ankumah, who was before the Committee in Parliament to answer allegations of
bribery and corruption she allegedly levelled against MPs, as reported in the
Ghanaian Times of 11 March, this year, denied saying MPs take bribes as the
publication implied.
According
to her what shed did say was that there is bribery and corruption at the
District Assembly Tender Board of which she herself was a victim and that was
what had led the nation to declare itself HIPC. “I never said MPs take bribes,
what I did say was that there is a great deal of bribery and corruption at the
District Assembly levels and I also did indicate that as a woman and an ex-MP
over there I was a victim of bribery and corruption several times,” the
outspoken former MP asserted.
Stella
Ankomah contended that though being an MP in the district did automatically, by
law, qualify her as a member of the District Assembly Tender Board Committee,
she never had the opportunity to attend a single meeting of the Board because
of the bribery and corruption that went on there.
She further
submitted that during her tenure as MP in the district, she had the opportunity
to bring these allegations against her District Tender Board before the Public
Accounts Committee in Parliament. She pointed out that not only is there
bribery and corruption in government, but this is extended even to the private
sector and this has led the nation into HIPC.
When pushed
by Hon Ken Ohene Agyapong, MP for Assin North, to explain what she meant by
being a victim of bribery and corruption herself, the firebrand said what she
meant was that she was tempted on several occasions by desperate bidders to use
her influence on the tender board to enable them win contracts of some sorts.
When asked
whether this did not go to mean that there is lobbying at the Tender Boards,
Stella Ankomah maintained that she did not use the word lobby as reported by
the paper, adding “I was bold enough to have pointed this out on the very floor
of this Parliament and I did give so many examples.”
She,
however, pointed out that she had been badly paraphrased because what she was
just trying to do was to give reasons why women should go into politics,
especially, why they should take advantage of the upcoming district assembly
elections.
But,
according to the editor of the paper, Mr Tom Dorkenoo, who appeared before the
Committee earlier, what his reporter filed were the exact words of the former
MP. The newspaper editor explained that as such he had no reason to verify the
truth of the statement because, according to him, the statement came from a
former MP and this gave him reason to believe that she was speaking on
authority.
It would be
recalled that Stella Ankomah, who was said to be speaking as a resource person
at a seminar organized by the Christian Mothers’ Association, an NGO in Ho,
Volta Region to encourage women to take up the initiative to go into politics
and other public activities, was reported by the paper to have said that MPs
take bribes. The publication has since embarrassed the Parliamentarians, who
are seeking the truth of the report. Hearing was adjourned to Thursday. – The
Chronicle.
NB: The
Ghanaian Chronicle has meanwhile, in a publication, unreservedly apologised to
the government and people of Ghana for publishing what is clearly a violation
of the government’s directive on inflammatory material on the Yendi crisis, in
its lead story on Wednesday. “We deeply regret this gross act of
insensitivity,” the apology carried.
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comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 04 April 2002 - President J.A. Kufuor has warned the Kumasi
Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) not to dismantle the support base of the New
Patriotic Party (NPP) by being exploitative in fee fixing. “The people should
feel their government is in power,” he reportedly said at a meeting with party
executives and a section of the assembly members of the KMA on 23 March, this
year at The Residency in Kumasi.
The
President’s concern follows hints of KMA’s intention to increase rates, fines
and taxes by more than 800 per cent. The meeting was to assess the situation at
KMA following agitation by a group of 30 assembly members who had criticised
the modus operandi of the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Maxwell Jumah,
accused of arbitrary decisions regardless of the provisions of Legislative
Instrument 1614.
Sources
close to the meeting told the Chronicle that the President was unhappy about
the way members of the assembly conducted themselves in arriving at decisions
without reference to the L.I. He reportedly reminded the assembly members of
their role in meeting the developmental aspirations of the people, based on the
L.I.
President
Kufuor is said to have rebuked the assembly for not using its powers as
enshrined in the L.I. properly. He pointed out that political power at the
metro level resided in the assembly and that the Chief Executive was only an
implementing agent of decisions of the assembly.
He noted
that flaws in administration should not be placed at the doorstep of the MCE
alone. “It is a collective responsibility for an assembly to fail in its
obligations to the people.” The President, therefore, charged the assembly
members to put their acts together, plan and bring to the fore proper decisions
for execution by the MCE and not allow themselves to be used at the expense of
the people.
President
Kufuor also hinted that a monitoring team would be dispatched to Kumasi to
assess the performance of KMA. Party executives and a section of assembly
members are calling for a review of intended increases in rates, fines and
taxes because they would add to the hardship of the people.
The
Chronicle has learnt that the KMA plans to increase the rate of ¢12,000 a month
to ¢100,000 for example. The KMA is currently charging a fine of ¢200,000 for
every vehicle towed for unauthorized parking. About 20 to 30 cars are towed
every other day the Task Force goes into operation, the MCE told a meeting of
the assembly recently.
Meanwhile,
the NPP Regional Chairman has advised assembly members against selfishness,
which has the tendency to divide their ranks. “Their (assembly members’) main
interest should be the promotion of the welfare of the people,” he said.
In a
related development, Mr Maxwell Jumah, has ordered investigations of bribery
leveled against some members of the Transport Commission and Task Force of the
Assembly. He has charged the Complaints and Public Relations Committee of the
Assembly to probe the activities of the Commission originally appointed as an
advisory body to the mayor.
The order
follows complaints that members of the Commission were extorting monies ranging
between ¢300,000 and ¢700,000 from members of the public in the course of their
operations. – The Chronicle.
NB: The
Ghanaian Chronicle has meanwhile, in a publication, unreservedly apologised to
the government and people of Ghana for publishing what is clearly a violation
of the government’s directive on inflammatory material on the Yendi crisis, in
its lead story on Wednesday. “We deeply regret this gross act of
insensitivity,” the apology carried.
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comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Yendi’s story-censorship – government to involve stakeholders
Accra
(Greater Accra) 04 April 2002 - Following mixed reactions from the media to the
government’s decision to vet reports relating to the Yendi conflict, the
Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, has
indicated the government’s readiness to include the National Media Commission
(NMC), the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and other stakeholders to make
the vetting decision more acceptable.
Mr
Obetsebi-Lamptey was reacting to a suggestion by the Editor-in-Chief of The
Crusading Guide, Kweku Baako Jnr., urging the government to change their format
by adding media stakeholders like the GJA, NMC and other media organisations to
make their decision to vet news items on Yendi more acceptable to media personnel.
“We have
taken the trouble to go on the web and do some research into the so-called
developed countries and how they do things and what we have got here in front
of me (indicating a document) is the notice of the UK and what they do is
basically what you are suggesting. We have no problems. We would invite the GJA
to let us have persons who can help us with how to do these things because we
need more people,” Jake said in reaction to Mr Baako’s suggestions.
Referring
to a precedent in the Ghanaian context (in the wake of the Konkomba/Nanumba
conflict in 1994), the Information Minister quoted the Emergency Powers Act.
1964 (Act 472) Declaration 1994 saying that “No person shall issue any report
or any publication on the conflict in the area of the State of Emergency unless
the report or publication has been cleared with the commander or officer
authorised by him. No person shall issue any radio or television report on the
conflict in the area under the State of Emergency unless the report has been
cleared with the Commander.” – The Crusading Guide.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 04 April 2002 - The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has expressed
shock and dismay over the sudden death of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani, Paramount Chief
of Dagbon Traditional area. This was contained in a release issued and signed
by Mr Harona Esseku, National Chairman of the party.
He added
that, “The party’s sadness is even more deepened by the fact that the late
Ya-Na was involved in a number of peacekeeping efforts in the North. The NPP
National Chairman, on behalf of the party, expressed his deepest condolences to
the bereaved family and entire people of Dagbon traditional area.
The NPP
called on the people of Dabgon, opinion leaders and traditional authorities to
exercise maximum restraint whiles the government finds permanent solution to
the chieftaincy problem that has bedeviled the Dagbon State for years.
The party
commended the government for the steps so far taken to ensure peace in the
Dagbon area, especially the high-powered Ministerial delegation sent to the
Dagbon area by His Excellency President John Kufuor. The NPP urged the Security
Agencies involved in the investigation to do thorough work so as to bring the
perpetrators of the heinous crime to book. – The Crusading Guide.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2002 - The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has noted that the directive from the Minister of Information that all media houses should submit news report on the Dagbon crisis for vetting is unworkable.
A statement issued in Accra on Tuesday and signed by the GJA President, Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie after a consultative meeting between the association’s executive and senior media practitioners said the GJA has met with the Minister, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, to seek clarification on the implementation of the directive.
It said while the GJA is making moves to resolve the matter amicably, it recognises the need for all media houses to be circumspect in their reporting of the Dagbon crisis and all other conflicts with a potential for national destabilisation. “In the meantime, the GJA insists that all journalists and media houses should abide by the provisions of the GJA Code of Ethics,” the statement said. – Daily Graphic.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2002 - About 5,000 people are said to have been displaced as a result of various ethnic conflicts in the Northern Region. The conflicts had also resulted in the destruction of 190 compound houses.
Mr Akwasi Owusu Akyaw, the director of operations of the National Disaster Management organization (NADMO), disclosed this in Accra on Tuesday at a ceremony to thank Melcom Limited for donating 200 medium pieces of polymats worth ¢3 million to the organisation.
He explained that the religious clashes between the Al-Sunna and Tijaniya sects in the West Gonja District led to about 2000 people being displaced with 88 houses also burnt down, while the clash between the Taming and Poli in East Mamprusi, left about 3000 people displaced and 102 compound houses destroyed.
Mr Owusu Akyaw, who stressed the need for more relief items for the people, thanked the management of Melcom for the donation. For his part, the Managing Director of Melcom Limited, Mr Mensah A. Melwani, said, the donation was made at the request of NADMO. – The Ghanaian Times.
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Ho (Volta Region) 04
April 2002 - A member of the Council of State, Nana Ogyeabour Akompi Finam II,
has urged chiefs to take advantage of the provisions on chieftaincy under the
constitution to transform the institution into a vibrant and dynamic one
capable of moving the region forward.
“Whatever our difficulties and aspirations, let’s water them down; otherwise,
we will continue to use limited resources to keep peace instead of promoting
development,” he stated. Nana Akompi said this when he addressed the chiefs and
elders of Ziope, Ho and Ave-Afiadenyigba in the Akatsi district.
The visit forms part of a tour intended to learn at first hand problems in the
Volta Region. He explained that the Council of State is a non-partisan
constitutional body that stands for fairness, adding that every citizen should
put politics behind him and rally behind the government to successfully manage
the country.
Togbui Binah Lawluvi VI, Fiaga of Ziope Traditional Area, appealed to the
Council of State member to use his good offices to impress on the Ministry of
Energy to make operational the electrification project which has been completed
in the town since 1999. He said although the people have committed a lot of
resources to undertake the Self-Help Electrification Project (SHEP), the delay
in connecting it to the national grid is frustrating the people, adding, “it is
a painful thing for the people to remain in darkness till now.”
At Ave-Afiadenyigba,
Nana Akompi commended the kingmakers, chiefs and queenmothers for the
prevailing peace in the town, under Togbui Gbordzekpor, who has ruled for the
past 25 years. “Peace and prosperity have eluded many chiefdoms, due to
conflicts, but you have maintained the peace of the town to facilitate the
present level of development,” he said.
Torgbui Gbordzekpor, who celebrated the 25th year of his enstoolment,
said the task of leadership is not an easy one, but with dedication, and vision
coupled with the support of the people, the community has steadily forged ahead
in development over the years.
He, therefore, thanked his subjects for the support and encouragement during
his 25 years reign, which has caused the community to reach its present level
of social and economic development. The Assembly-member for the area, Mr Victor
Adevuh-Quarshie, made a passionate appeal for donor assistance to enable the community
to complete the SHEP in the town.
According to him, ¢24 million is needed for the procurement of 50 low tension
poles to supplement 70 poles already procured for the project. “It is our
ardent belief that, if our area is connected to the national grid, many
vocational jobs and other income generating avenues would be opened for the
youth to halt the rural-urban drift,’ he stated. – Daily Graphic.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2002 - The Police on Tuesday said it had forwarded a docket on an alleged assassination attempt on two journalists to the Attorney-General’s Office for advice, a source told the Ghana News Agency.
The Police have charged Mr Victor Smith, an aide to the former President, with conspiracy to commit crime after he and A.K. Mensah, a member of the Action Forum, a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Youth Group, drafted a letter to warn the two journalists to desist from criticising former President Jerry Rawlings.
The two journalists are Mrs Margaret Amoakohene, a social commentator and a lecturer at the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Legon and Mr Kweku Baako Junior, Editor of ‘The Crusading Guide.’ The source told the GNA that investigators have finished with their work and were seeking further advice from the law office of the state. The source said as soon as the recommendation, were ready, the police would proceed on any further action.
Mr Smith is currently on police enquiry bail. An Accra daily and a weekly newspaper, on March 19, published what was described as “a sinister plan to eliminate a number of journalists whose comments and writings were critical of the former President.”
The alleged plotters specifically mentioned Mr Kweku Baako’s contribution on News File, a programme on an Accra FM station hosted on Saturday’s and Mrs Margaret Amoakohene’s contribution on GTV’s Breakfast Show. Mr Smith has admitted on an Accra radio station that he drafted the so-called letter about the two journalists when he was approached by A.K. Mensah to do so. – The Ghanaian Times.
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Tema
(Greater Accra) 04 April 2002 - A dismissed soldier, who escaped from police
custody, took away an AK 47 assault riffle and later shot dead a detective, has
been apprehend by the Tema Community I police. The straw that broke the camel’s
back was when the ex-serviceman went to rape a woman at gunpoint.
A report
monitored on Adom FM at Tema says early January, this year, the dismissed
soldier, Felix Dzifa Apusa, 26, was detained by the police at Dzodze in the
Volta Region for an offence. He reportedly broke jail and took with him an AK
47 assault riffle, which he handed over to armed robbers for an operation.
The
gangsters were arrested during one of their raids, but Dzifa escaped to Tema
and took residence at Site 2. On February 27, this year, he went back to
Dzodze, armed with a pistol, fired and killed the detective Sergeant W. Agbeko,
who was in charge of his case.
He was said
to have killed the detective because the cop refused to destroy the docket on
his case, in spite of an emissary he sent to the investigator. Dzifa, who is
described as the most wanted criminal by the Criminal Investigations Department
(CID), of the Ghana Police escaped back to Tema.
Over the
weekend, Dzifa, who reports say slept with at least three women against their
will, went to a dead end in his criminal activities when he allegedly raped a
married woman at gunpoint in his ‘ghetto’ Site 2. The woman told the police
that Dzifa met her on the way to the market and pointed the gun (pistol) to her
head and marched her into his ghetto. He used his belt to lash her severely in
the room and forcibly had sexual intercourse with her.
Traumatised,
she went home and informed her husband. The two reported the incident to the
police at Community I where four armed men were detailed to effect his arrest.
On seeing the police, Dzifa reportedly attacked with a shot. The police
returned fire and after a few exchanges, he surrendered and was sent to the
station.
The police
at Ho on hearing of his arrest asked that he be sent to them to face the other
charges. Latest information indicates that he has been sent to Keta to assist
in other investigations. It was revealed that Dzifa’s last unit was the First
Battalion. He robbed at Wuraba, near Denu, and fled to Lome where he continued
his robbery activities until he was chased out and he fled back to the country.
– The Chronicle.
NB: The
Ghanaian Chronicle has meanwhile, in a publication, unreservedly apologised to
the government and people of Ghana for publishing what is clearly a violation
of the government’s directive on inflammatory material on the Yendi crisis, in
its lead story on Wednesday. “We deeply regret this gross act of
insensitivity,” the apology carried.
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comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Kuntenase (Ashanti Region) 04 April 2002 - A band of macho men on Easter Monday, stormed the police station at Kuntenase in Ashanti and released their colleagues being held in cells in connection with a stealing case. The two “freed” suspects were named as Salifu Abbas and Kwasi Owusu.
Police, sources said on Thursday that about 9.00 am on Easter Monday, some military personnel arrested the two men and handed them over to the Kuntenase Police for allegedly stealing personal effects of some holiday makers at Abono, near Lake Bosumtwi. While the suspects were being held in custody pending investigations, a group of macho men numbering about 20, besieged the police station after the military personnel had left.
The serious-looking macho men demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the two suspects. When Corporal P. Agyemang, the only station orderly present, hesitated, the macho men attacked him, forced the cells open and took away the two suspects. There were no other suspects in the cells at the time of the attack. An intensive search has been mounted for the arrest of the macho men and their two “freed” colleagues. – The Ghanaian Times.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2002 - Construction Pioneers (CP), an expatriate construction firm, is to refund an amount of 48 million Deutse Marks (DM) to government for payments of monies that were not due the company.
The DM 48 million is said to have been paid to CP through a proposed scheduled payment made by the former Minister of Finance, Mr Kwame Peprah, without reference to the Ministry of Road and Transport, the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department and the Auditor-General’s Department.
Information gathered by “The Evening News” indicates that the DM 48 million, which had already been paid to CP could not be assigned to any certification. According to sources close to the Ministry of Finance at a committee meeting conveyed by the ministry which was attended by the Accountant-General, Auditor-General, Minister of Roads and Transport, Ghana Highways Authority and CP it came out that really an overpayment of the amount was made to CP.
It said CP at the meeting agreed that the company has been overpaid by DM 48 million. An audited report also indicated that certificates raised and payments made for work done and settlements of claim revealed that a total of DM 48 million was overpaid to CP by the government.
The report said it was made clear by CP, that apart form the contract they executed, there was no documentary evidence to support government’s acceptance of the obligation to pay the amount, yet the former Minister of Finance gave instructions for the among to be paid to CP. It said the amount due to CP as at the end of October 2000 was DM 21 million yet it was over paid by an amount of DM 48 million. The report recommended that government takes steps to recover the excess payment with interest.
The report also indicated that although CP never undertook construction works on the Oda-Abirem-Nkawkaw road it nevertheless received payment. The sources again told “The Evening News” to get CP’s side of the story, but which proved futile as all officials contacted declined to comment on the issue. Officials of CP told the paper that it was only the managing director who could comment on the story because he is representing CP on the committee which was formed to looked into the issue. – The Evening News
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 March 2002 - Panellists at a public forum in Accra have observed that Ghana’s economy is too dependent on foreign donor support. The forum, organised by Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) and Save the Children Fund, discussed certain aspects of the NPP administration’s 2002 Budget Statement.
It was noted, for instance, that most of the sectorial projections of the estimates had over 70 per cent foreign support component. Some of the panellists said if pledges and expectations from donors turned out to be unfulfilled, Ghana’s budgetary provisions would be out of gear.
Kwesi Pratt, a journalist and one of the panellists, stunned the audience with leftist or socialist rhetoric’s quite different from the contributions of his colleague-panellists, made of Dr Akoto Osei, special advisor to the Minister of Finance, Moses Asaga, Minority spokesperson for Finance in Parliament and Dr Nii Noi Ashong, macroeconomist of the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA).
Kwesi Pratt described most of the submissions of the panellists as unworkable and said they represented the senseless prescriptions often offered by western agencies. He disagreed with reasons advanced for privatisation. He said some private companies in some Western countries had collapsed and asked wherein lies the much-touted efficiency of private companies. Kwesi Pratt’s contributions dwelt more on his distaste for capitalism and western concepts, which he described as neo-colonialist and exploitative.
Dr Akoto Osei, explained the rational (or the thrust) of the Budget Statement and said the emphasis would be stabilisation and growth. He emphasised that HIPC is meant to bring additional funds from donor sources, adding that it is a saving mechanism designed to re-allocate Ghana’s own funds which would have otherwise been used to pay our foreign debt. Funds accruing from HIPC would be channelled to the social sector to prosecute the poverty alleviation programme. He urged Ghanaians to disabuse their minds that HIPC would bring in additional funds.
Moses Asaga glorified the NDC record by quoting IMF figures, which suggested that from 1990-1999 poverty reduction had reached between 52 per cent and 58 per cent; life expectancy had increased while infant mortality had reduced. He said the World Bank/IMF support programmes of economic recovery in 1983 (ERP) and structural adjustment programmes (SAP) in 1985 enabled the country to achieve modest economic growth of 4.2 or 4.5 per cent.
On the 2002 Budget Statement, Asaga said the NPP policy on poverty reduction is laudable but “not evenly spread, especially in the three Northern regions and two other regions.” He submitted that some regions are comparatively well-off and urged that the deprived ones be adequately catered for.
He said the proposed 4.5 per cent GDP rate is low and would have expected a higher growth rate if the NPP wants to promote growth. He said the government’s proposals for 2002 lacked a mid-term programme and regretted its absence. On HIPC, Asaga said the government took a hasty decision without adequately appraising its pros and cons and suspected that Britain might have pushed Ghana into accepting HIPC with a £65 million carrot promise.
Dr Ashong discounted claims that HIPC is to take a 20-year period, adding that assertion is erroneous. The relief package may vary from creditor to creditor. Some may take four, five, eight years, depending on the negotiation terms. He said when the NPP government took over in January 2001, “it found the situation in a mess”, there was no proper collaboration among the Ministry of Finance, Bank of Ghana and the Accountant-General’s Department. Reconciliation of figures became tedious.
It took time for the true picture to emerge. This scenario coupled with the financial audits conducted in some ministries, departments and agencies (MDA’s) accounted for the delay in making disbursements, especially to contractors and district assemblies.
He urged the government to pursue policies that would promote growth and widen the tax net but explained that agriculture is non-taxable. He said 80 per cent of the HIPC resources are meant or poverty reduction while the 20 per cent will be used for other purposes (including payment of domestic debt).
During discussions, there was disagreement as to whether cocoa farmers are adequately rewarded by way of world cocoa prices. A contributor wondered why non-cocoa farmers are not well catered for in the price incentive package, adding that if the President’s Special Initiative (PSI) is to have real meaning to promote textiles, cotton farmers as well as others should also receive maximum attention.
The function was chaired by Goozie Tanoh of the National Reform Party (NRP), with Charles Abugre of ISODEC being one of the main coordinators. – The High Street Journal.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 March 2002 - Embattled Ghana Institute of Freight forwarders (GIFF) has taken to the legal and political turf to secure the reopening of the issue of Ship-owners Agents Association of Ghana’s (SOAAG) illegal charges.
In a spirited effort to weather the storm of alleged illegal charges, GIFF has petitioned the Ghana Shippers Council (GSC), which it asked to intervene. GIFF’s position on SOAAG charges is that, they would want to know the accepted charges in clearing goods from the port.
However, GIFF raised ten charges against SOAGG. Top on the charges is the container administrative fee. This was $40 and $80 for 20’ and 40 containers respectively, but GIFF contended that SOAA did not merit this charge. GIFF maintained that when shippers pay for freight, port handling terminal charges were usually inclusive. They insisted that there was nothing like container administrative fee in other ports around the world.
Other illegal charges include evaluation fee, container maintenance fee, first release charge, indemnity release, clearing cost, reefer monitoring fee, amendment fee and bill of lading fee.
In view of these allegations, the chief executive of GSC slated a meeting with SOAAG before the end of 2001. SOAAG, explaining their stand in a letter to GSC signed by its president Alhaji Asoma Banda expressed dismay over the complaint considering the fact that charges were last reviewed about two years ago and SOAAG was actually contemplating an upward review.
Asoma Banda blamed continuous cost escalation that is incurred by ship agents to offer the level of service required to facilitate import and export to bring the level of service at par to the rest for the world.
He emphasised that Container Administrative Fees (CAF) have been in existence before the formation of SOAAG. He further pointed out that evacuation fee was imposed when GPHA ordered the removal of all containers to outside the port, purchase equipment and hire labour to run these terminals.
“Container maintenance fee takes care of the use that containers are subjected to and covers the cost of clearing and also the attendant wear and tear,” he explained. GIFF in a letter of acknowledgement to SOAAG’s explanation expressed their non-conviction for the charges. GIFF has therefore asked GSC to call a meeting between SOAAG and the forwarders. – The High Street Journal.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 04 April 2002 - The “Ghanaian Voice” Investigation team has established that a police constable who decided to serve his country has his life now in his own hands and desperately looking for help.
According to our sources, the Police constable who belongs to the Special Police Command (a unit within the police that effects arrest of fellow police officers who misbehave) was very instrumental in unearthing the myth surrounding the death of the two police officers at Ablekuma in Accra last year. He was actually the brain behind the arrest of Ibrahim Nartey, who was alleged to have been the killer of the two police officers.
The Ghanaian Voice sources alleged that after the constable had assisted in the arrest of Mr Ibrahim, some police personnel were not happy and therefore worked their way to get the constable transferred to the Northern Region followed by the release of Ibrahim Nartey from police cells.
The “Ghanaian Voice” managed to contact the said constable on phone. He initially declined to comment for fear that the caller could be one of his enemies who is trailing him. When he was assured of absolute safety he told the “Voice” that his transfer was done without his consent as done in the Police Service. He said he did contact the then Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr Peter Nanfuri on the matter but the then IGP advised him to accept the transfer in his own interest.
In the far away North, the constable said an unknown man approached him in a canteen where he had gone to have his lunch and told him to vacate the place because his life was on the line since there were people around who were bent on eliminating him.
He said, he reported the incident again to Mr Nanfuri but very little was done about it. When the “Voice” contacted its police source some police personnel who pleaded anonymity told the “Voice” that the Ablekuma incident had been a worry to the police service itself. They were thus surprised why some of its members (police) could condone with criminals against some members of the police service.
According to our police sources, the constable together with one ADC Asare Boafo (the “Voice” later learnt that Mr Asare had since resigned from the Police Service to work with a Bank) undertook some assignment for the Ablekuma chief who in return offered them the two plots of land, but in the presence of his superior officer, he the constable refused the offer while the retired ADC Asare Boafo was alleged to have accepted the offer. This was considered an indiscipline behaviour on the part of the constable. Indeed the officer considered that the constable had misconducted himself.
The Ghanaian Voice sources further alleged that Ibrahim was arrested, and the constable was transferred by one ASP John Yamba, currently in charge of Operations at Tema who was also alleged to have connived with the retired ADC to backdate a letter in the file of the constable that claimed that the constable was dismissed in 1999.
When the “Voice” sniffed through the Ablekuma Constituency, it was alleged that Cobra, Yaw and Alidu were the brains behind the assassination attempts on the life of the constable. Meanwhile, the “Voice” later learnt that Yaw was shot dead in an armed robbery case while Alidu who has changed his name to Fillo are still pursuing the agenda to eliminate the last group that worked to unearth the mystery surrounding the Ablekuma Police deaths.
According to an army Warrant Officer at the 37 Military Hospital the Armed Forces would have sent such a constable on Peace Keeping mission outside the country if he has been with the Force and had reported such an incident to the hierarchy. He said it is unfortunate that a lower rank officer who has volunteered to serve his country should be allowed to go through such psychological trauma.
Meanwhile the “Voice” has learnt that the constable is still at post except that he has to hide to avoid his enemies. Attempts to get official response from the police service proved disappointingly futile. It has been the usual ‘dodging and hedging’ technique. – The Ghanaian Voice.
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