Universities to reduce intake or close down ?

Women told to maintain clean environment

KNUST students reject additional fees

President Rawlings reinstates two officials

Five hospitals to share resources

NPP cautions NDC against prosecution of MP

Call for strategies for youth resistance to Western culture

Akatsi district woos investors

Wetlands project support communities

Call for formation of association of African academics

Rawlings holds talks with Upper West Region Chiefs

Airport officials go to the aid of burgled passenger

Baptist Youth Delegates Conference opens

Junior nurses say leadership must "put off the fire"

NPP to take action against Minister

Youth urged to take interest in art

Chief appeals for release of UST land

Hohoe to benefit from civil service programme

TUC urged to withdraw from Tripartite Committee

Cape Coast nurses join strike action

Experts review CIDA project on girl-child education

Gomoa Obuasi Clinic Needs Electricity - Midwife

Pay attention to traditional education - lecturer

Education Service formulates policy to check rising indiscipline

Accra (Greater Accra) 6^th August 99

The Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (CVCP) says the Universities will have to "admit only the number of students that available financial resources can cater for,"unless additional funding is found.

"This would mean admitting no fresh students and laying off about 30 per cent of continuing students."

A statement signed by the Chairman of CVCP, Professor A. K. Tuah, said the other alternative is to "close down until such time that adequate financial resources are obtained from sponsors of students, the government or parents".

The CVCP said, "much as the Universities do not wish to impose hardships on students, they cannot run any credible academic programmes in the 1999/2000 academic year without additional funding".

It said the universities subsist on government grants to finance their programmes and have had to operate with great difficulty, as the money provided do not match their financial requirements.

The universities require between 3.2 million cedis and 9.5 million cedis to train a student in humanities, sciences and medicine.

It said government "grants and income from other sources over the past five years have amounted to less than 60 per cent of (their) requirements".

The Universities, the statement said, "have had to live with recurring shortfall in funding of about 40 per cent on average a year".

In order to meet the gap in funding, the Committee said, the Universities "have had to resort to bank-borrowing at very high interest rates.

"The shortfalls have serious implications for the delivery of quality academic programmes which should normally include lectures, tutorials, laboratory and studio and workshop practical training, field work and supervision of students' independent study towards dissertation."

This has resulted, "in a serious attack" on the integrity of degrees awarded by the Universities by some employers and international organisations, "with some of them threatening to withdraw recognition or accreditation".

The Committee, therefore, has suggested an increase in the charge for academic facility user fee to raise adequate resources.

"These charges range from 290,000 to 320,000 cedis per student per year for humanities and 430,000 cedis to 460,000 cedis per student per year for Science and Applied Science excluding Medicine."

The Universities have restricted the cost recovery "to materials and services cost of faculty work and maintained the charges for residential facilities user fee at last year's level to make it possible for parents/sponsors to make some contribution towards provision of quality

education".

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Cape Coast (Central Region), 6^th August 99

A member of the Council of State, Dr (Mrs) Mary Grant on Thursday exhorted women to cut down the attendance at hospitals by observing personal and environmental hygiene.

She said mothers must take advantage of the expanded programme of immunisation to have their children immunised against the six childhood killer diseases.

Dr Grant gave the advice in a keynote address at a women's day observed at the Fourth Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST '99) underway in Cape Coast.

The theme for the day was "The Queenmother: Her Role in Shaping the Youth to Meet the Challenges of the Next Millennium", it was attended by various women's groups, including members of the Police Wives Association, the 31st December Women's Movement and the Hairdressers Association.

The Council of State member called on queen mothers to join in the crusade to educate and counsel the youth to turn away from vices, including the use of hard drugs, which detract them from leading useful lives.

The youth must also desist from promiscuity to avoid contracting the deadly AIDS disease, which still has no cure she said and underscored the need for queen mothers to become role models worthy of emulation.

Dr Grant said traditional practices like widowhood rites are abominable and must be stopped just as female genital mutilation.

"As the nation enters the new millennium, queen mothers must play a role in ensuring that teenage-pregnancy becomes a thing of the past."

Nana Amba Eyiaba, Queenmother of Efutu Traditional Area in the Cape Coast District, said queen mothers must arrange seminars and hold dialogue with parents on the proper upbringing of their children and the need to give equal opportunities to boys and girls.

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Kumasi (Ashanti), 6^th August 99

All students of the University of Science and Technology (UST), Kumasi, will not return to school next academic year if the university authorities should charge students anything more than they paid as fees and charges last academic year.

Mr John Kissi, President of the KNUST Students Representative Council (SRC), stated that this position has been taken by the students, considering the financial problems they went through during the last academic year due to the poor disposition of parents, caused by the introduction of fresh fees.

Mr Kissi announced this at a press conference held by the SRC in Kumasi on Thursday to state the position of KNUST students on the attempt by the government and the university authorities to introduce fresh and higher fees from next academic year.

The SRC President said the entire KNUST student body is committed to the decision. It has declared its support to the "Mmobrowa Struggle", which was declared by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) in the fight to ensure that education in the country becomes accessible to both the rich and the poor.

Mr Kissi disclosed that to add impetus to their stance, the students would hold a rally at the Central Post Office Square at Adum, Kumasi, on Monday, August nine.

Mr Martin Akotey, National Secretary of NUGS, said it is wrong and untrue for the Minister of Education to say that after paying fees at the secondary level, students, on reaching the tertiary level, do not want to pay anything again.

He noted that Ghana's education system is gradually being destroyed, mainly through the government's refusal to release the needed funds to run especially the universities.

Mr Akotey said according to data from the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE), while in 1991 an amount of 2,360 dollars was spent on each university student annually, this figure has been reduced to as low as 918 dollars a year as at 1998.

The students later presented a resolution on the issue to the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the KNUST, Professor Ambrose K. Tuah.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th August 99

President Jerry John Rawlings on Thursday directed the immediate reinstatement of Mr Amos Buertey as Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister and Warrant Officer Justice Kwame Caesar (rtd) as District Chief Executive for Dangbe East.

A press statement signed by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi said this follows the submission of the report by the committee set up by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at the instance of President Rawlings.

It said the two have signed a joint declaration to put behind them all perceived differences, and to endeavour to work together to promote and further strengthen and brighten the chances of the NDC in the 2000 elections.

They have also pledged "to work to reconcile any and all opposing groups and factions in the district and to talk to their various supporters with a view to bringing them together in the supreme interest of the party".

The two men were suspended from office following mounting tension in the district characterised by demonstrations and counter-demonstrations by their respective supporters within the NDC.

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Accra, (Greater Accra) 6^th August 99

The National Security Council said on Thursday that it has approved measures to enhance the capacity of 37 Military and Police Hospitals to handle emergencies in times of national crises.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr J. K. Bebaako-Mensah, Secretary to the Cabinet in Accra.

It said facilities at Ridge Hospital, Mamprobi and La Polyclinics are to be developed for use during national emergencies.

The management of the three health institutions is to be integrated into those of the 37 military and Police hospitals.

"While the new arrangements will require the review of existing management structures and the putting in place of new operational arrangements, the exercise will not affect staff at the Ridge Hospital and La Polyclinic.

"The modalities will ensure that the two hospitals continue to offer uninterrupted service to patients."

The statement said also under consideration for inclusion in the national emergency plan are a few other selected polyclinics in the regions adding that the final decision would be made known in due course.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th August 99

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Thursday called on the Majority in Parliament to reconsider its decision to prosecute Papa Owusu-Ankomah, the Minority Spokesman on Communications, for criticising the absence of impartiality in the Speaker of Parliament.

A statement from the NPP headquarters signed by Mr Dan Botwe, General Secretary, said the party regards the issue as politically motivated and calculated to intimidate the Minority in Parliament.

The statement said: "The NPP regards this as an unfortunate move by the Majority, a move without precedent in our parliamentary history."

The statement said "the revival of authoritarian attitudes, which see frank, robust criticism of public officials as subversive of public order, will lead ultimately to eroding freedom of expression, and thereby inevitably to

undermining the collective, national desire for the consolidation of democracy and rule of law in our Republic.

"The nation does not want to go down again the road of authoritarian government. The NPP, it should be recalled, built its tradition on love of liberty and resistance to tyranny."

The NPP said "it appears that the NDC in desperation over its dwindling fortunes, is using its numbers to create an image for Honourable Owusu-Ankomah that is undeserved."

The NPP, therefore, called upon the Majority to reconsider its stance and "return to the path it has sought since 1997 to build with the Minority an effective, credible Parliament which will lead the nation's search for good, democratic governance."

The NPP said in the run-up to the crucial elections of 2000, there is an obligation on the major players on the nation's political stage to desist from measures that heighten tension and unnecessarily polarise the state.

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Cape Coast, 6^th August 99

Professor Union Edebiri, Chief Executive of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation of Nigeria, has called for strategies that would enable African youth to resist Western cultural influences being fostered on them by the new media technologies.

"Recent advances in communication technology have turned the world into a global village, in which instantaneous transmission of information and images about events from different places is the routine".

Prof Edebiri was speaking on "Cultural Empowerment of the African Youth and the Survival of African Identity in the Next Millennium" at a colloquium, which forms part of activities marking the on-going Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST '99) at Cape Coast.

He said as a result of the imbalance in technological and economic development, information is flowing mainly from the developed countries to the developing regions of the world.

He said through satellite broadcasts and the Internet, Africans are exposed more to programmes from and about America and Europe than programmes from and about Africa.

These, he said, control a disproportionately high percentage of programmes broadcast by most national networks in Africa, and those who watch them are frequently and invariably subjected to western cultural domination.

Prof Edebiri said this trend has some observable negative effects on young Africans, who have imbibed undesirable western cultural ideas.

"If not changed, this trend, in the foreseeable future, will be a real and great threat to the development of African culture".

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Akatsi (Volta Region), 6^th August 99 –

The Akatsi District Assembly has drawn up a soil and land use map, which sets out the physical and chemical property of soil in the area to guide investors in the agriculture sector.

Mrs Victoria Nazar-Gidiglo, Akatsi District Chief Executive, said this at a validation workshop on soil and land use map of Akatsi district at Akatsi on Wednesday.

It was organised by the assembly and assembly members, for chiefs and opinion leaders in the area.

Madam Gidiglo said the district should create a strong local economy necessary to transform it into a respectable district commensurate with its vast potentials.

She said this could be done if "the people are empowered to become entrepreneurs and modern farmers, who can make meaningful contributions to the sustainable and total transformation of the district".

Madam Gidiglo said the assembly has developed a project in each of the five town and area councils in the district.

An agency has been established to identify business opportunities, provide extension services in small-scale technology and basic management training, and management of credit facilities for small-scale informal sector enterprises.

Mrs Gidiglo said the district assembly has 13 land banks to be released to investors and asked the chiefs and landowners to release more of such lands.

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Akatsi (Volta Region), 6^th August 99

The Coastal Wetlands Management Project (CWMP) has provided 110 million cedis from its Community Support Fund (CSF) for the take-off of micro-enterprises in 12 out of the 15 communities so far identified.

The financial support is aimed at addressing the problem of poverty, which the project has identified as prevalent in its area of operation.

This was contained in a statement released to the press at Akatsi on Wednesday by Mr Roland Abrahams, Warden of the Keta Lagoon Complex Ramsar Site

(KLCRS), at a ceremony to present 30 wheelbarrows, 40 rakes and 40 to the Akatsi District Assembly.

The equipment is to help solve sanitation problems in the district, which, the statement said, is one of the major problems the project has identified.

Ketu, Keta and South Tongu districts, all within the KLCRS, are also to receive the same package.

Other Ramsar sites to benefit from the sanitation package are Muni Pomadze, Densu Delta, Sakumo and Songor.

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Cape Coast (Central Region), 6^th August 99 –

Participants at a Pan-African colloquium, which forms part of PANAFEST '99 have called for the formation of an association of African Academics.

Such a body would be expected to meet at regular intervals, using the PANAFEST as one of its forums, to discuss and find solutions to problems relating to Africa's development.

A seven-point resolution issued at the end of the four-day colloquium under the theme: "Setting the agenda for the youth in the third millennium", also called on African countries to ease border restrictions to encourage trade and socio-cultural fraternisation among Africans.

This year's Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival is being held under the theme: "The Re-emergence of African Civilisation: Uniting the African Family".

The resolution called for the involvement of the youth, chiefs and opinion leaders in the festival, as a way of spreading its objectives to a wider audience.

It also called for a compilation and assessment of previous resolutions before the beginning of every colloquium to avoid duplication and to "take the goals of the festival further afield".

The major thrust of the festival is to establish the truth about Africa's past and chart courses for the continent's development.

While calling for the establishment of an international planning committee, which would meet at regular intervals to plan PANAFEST programmes well ahead of time, it suggested that the sanitisation of the slave dungeons located in the castles should stop.

That, according to the participants, prevented people from knowing the truth about the holocaust, which is what PANAFEST is all about.

The resolution called for more solemn and emotional events to be added to the PANAFEST programme to bring home to participants the significance of the festival.

In calling for a stop to the sanitisation of the dungeons, Professor Sunkari Yaw Boafo of the Pontiac Central High School, in the United States, said, "the filthy, nasty, horrible and murderous truth about the holocaust must be made bare".

Professor Boafo said it is painful to learn that while the history of African-Americans has been adulterated, with whole parts taken off the records, things are being done to worsen their plight.

During suggestion time, Professor Kester Echenin of the University of Benin City, Nigeria, said while observing the emotional aspect of the seminar, attention must also be paid to influencing Africa's political leadership, which is in the position to implement resolutions passed.

Professor Atta Biritwum, of the University of Cape Coast, said, even though, the colloquium cannot influence political decisions, it would continue to make suggestions on development options available to governments.

Topics discussed at the colloquium included, politics and society, youth problems and prospects, the economy, the arts, and gender issues.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th August 99 -

President Jerry John Rawlings on Thursday held talks with some chiefs and opinion leaders from the Upper West Region on the general development of the region, especially roads and agriculture.

The delegation, led by Kaleo-Na Banamini Sandu II, President of the Upper West Region House of Chiefs, spoke to the President about the delay in the construction of the Wa-Bamboi road.

They said the road, constructed during the colonial period, has deteriorated so much so that travelling on it has become cumbersome.

"When the President mentioned in his Session Address in January this year that this vital road would be reconstructed we the people of the region heaved a sigh of relief and were about to send a delegation to thank him," but to their disappointment work on the road has not started.

The Kumasi-Bole, Sawla-Tamale and Wa-Tamale roads are also almost impassable, thus making it difficult for travellers from the region to travel to the south of the country.

Naa Sandu said the region has seen fast development and can boast of facilities such as electricity, telecommunications, clinics, feeder roads and schools.

"We will be ungrateful if we do not acknowledge the massive development that has taken place in the region taking into account that it was created a little over 10 years ago.

"Our major problem is the major trunk roads, which connect the region to other regions and dams for agriculture. These are the major problems we the people of your baby region are facing."

President Rawlings told the delegation that government's plan to develop the region was on course and work on the Wa-Bamboi road would begin before the end of the year.

He said it would be a wrong strategy to create a new region and allow it to be cut off from the rest of the country.

"We are going to construct this road. Do not think our eyes are closed as far as the development of certain parts of the country is concerned," the President said.

Alhaji Mahama Iddrisu, Presidential Adviser on Governmental Affairs, Mr Edward Salia, Minister of Roads and Transport, Mr John Mahama, Minister of Communications, Mr Victor Selormey, Deputy Minister of Finance and Mr Asiedu Nketia, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, took turns to explain programmes the ministries have for the Upper West Region.

Alhaji Iddrisu said the government has almost completed some of the priority projects for the region and would soon start tackling the trunk roads.

Mr Salia said work on the Wa-Bole road would be completed by the end of the year. Government is looking for contractors to pre-finance the Bole-Bamboi road and some major firms have put in bids.

He said the African Development Bank is financing studies on the reconstruction of the road from Wa to Navrongo.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th August 99

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on Thursday presented financial assistance to the Reverend Bukenya, a Ugandan, who was robbed while in transit through the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to Dusseldorf, Germany.

He received 500,000 cedis and 300 dollars in addition to a ticket to enable him to continue his journey.

The presentation was made at a press conference organised by GCCA to throw more light on the incident that happened on July five.

Rev. Bukenya, who had arrived on board a Ghana Airways flight from Harare en route to Germany in three days, boarded a rented car at the airport to his hotel, but the driver robbed him of his luggage.

The vehicle with registration number GT 710 initially believed to have been registered with GCAA was after investigations found not to be operating from the airport.

Wing Commander Andy Mensah, Director-General of GCAA, apologised to the victim, and said he was disappointed that the media reported the incident first before investigations could be carried out.

He said when "this isolated incident" occurred some radio stations made it seem as a normal incident at the airport.

Wing Commander Mensah said the efficient way KIA handles passengers attests to GCAA track record of safety and security.

"What we need to note is that KIA, and most international airports, are public places, and in that regard people and vehicles have unrestricted assess to the area."

He said the problem of unauthorised taxicabs and cars operating at international airports, is not limited to KIA or developing airports.

Wing Commander Mensah said GCAA has its own registered Taxicabsand Car Rental Services. However passengers and travellers use unregistered vehicles.

To forestall such an occurrence, GCAA and the Car Rental Operators at KIA have agreed that members must be in KIA uniform with their nametag sewn on it.

The driver should also wear his ID Card with his photograph.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 6^th August 99

The seventh annual National Youth Delegates Conference of the Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC), opened in Accra on Thursday with a call on the youth to make themselves available for leadership training.

The five-day conference is under the theme "The dawn of a new Millennium- challenges for the next generation" is being attended by about 200 delegates from across the country.

Topics to be discussed include the high cost of tertiary education, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and leadership training.

The Reverend Samuel B. Asore, Member of Council of State, said leadership comes through training and submission to the word of God.

He said as Christian youth and the next generation, "you are expected to lead good moral lives that would make you earn a leadership positions in future.

"Young people who have been called by the Lord do not belittle themselves because they are young, but live up to the challenges of the world by standing firm in the Lord."

Rev. Asore said successful leadership comes through dreams and vision and advised the youth to focus on that since it could be achieved by avoiding material and worldly things.

Mr Fred Sai, Youth Vice President, called on the Convention to ensure that the youth are invited to serve on the various committees of the church to enable them to learn and prepare themselves to take over from their seniors.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th August 99 –

Junior nurses on Thursday blamed the leadership of the Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GNRA) for the recent strike action and asked them to take steps to end it.

"It is only the GNRA that can put off the fire that they have set ablaze," they said, and asked their leaders to step down because of lack of communication between them and the members.

Mr Logosu Amegashie, spokesman for the nurses, told a press conference in Accra to give their side of the story, that the GNRA, which is responsible for the welfare of the nurses, "initiated the argument of workload in the teaching hospitals as opposed to workload in the regional hospitals."

"One cannot tell whether they have forgotten that nurses do not have the option to choose the hospital where they desire to work. One is also at a loss whether there are different calibre of nurses working in the teaching hospitals from those in the regional hospitals."

Mr Amegashie claimed that for the past seven months since the issue of allowances was raised their leaders had done nothing and had rather taken sides with the doctors.

He said, even though, they were facing a lot of problems, the inefficiency of the nursing administration, was compounding their woes.

For example, he said, although the country needs 30,000 nurses to be able to efficiently take care of the population of 18 million, 1997 statistics indicated that only 10,000 are available.

Mr Amegashie said despite the difficulties, they are not ‘taken care of, when they are sick even though a structure has been put in place to facilitate the treatment of health workers.

They, therefore, called for the re-introduction of the card system, which provided special medical care for spouses and dependants of health workers.

The nurses also called for the refund of the nurse's professional allowance of 144,000 for each nurse for January to June which the Price Waterhouse Salary Policy had withdrawn.

They explained that the allowance is given to them every month to make up for risk allowance which is not provided.

According to the nurses, they are, therefore, deliberating on working from 0800 hours to 1730 hours from Mondays to Fridays and stop working on weekends and night duty.

"We are being treated as civil servants, therefore, we will be compelled to work as our colleagues in the civil service," Mr Amegashie said.

The nurses appealed to the Sector Minister, Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor to restructure the "Bank Nursing system" and involve nurses in determining how much to be paid depending on the conditions prevailing in the various departments.

The system allows nurses on duty at Korle Bu to work for a period after normal working hours for which a special rate is paid.

The nurses in the regions, who attended the press conference reiterated their stand that they would not resume work until they received the allowances allocated to them by the Ministry.

Meanwhile, the peaceful demonstration planned by Greater Accra Regional nurses to the Castle on Friday to present their petition to President Rawlings has been called off because the police has refused to give them a permit.

Mr Augustine Odoom, a representative of the nurses, said the demonstration would, therefore, be held within the premises of Ridge Hospital but they would still send their petition to the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th August 99

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Thursday said it has authorised its legal committee to take legal action to obtain redress for an alleged vicious slur cast on the opposition parties' reputation by Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development.

A party statement signed by Mr Dan Botwe, General Secretary, said they have waited impatiently for a denial by the Minister of recent media reports that quoted him as linking opposition parties to the spate of armed robberies in the country.

The statement said, "the Minister has confirmed the NPP's worst fears about him with his very pregnant silence".

It said the party is aware that "as the crucial elections of 2000 approaches, the greater will be the resort of the NDC to its full range of dirty tricks to protect its discredited hold on power".

"The NPP will not sit idly by," the statement warned.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th August 99

Professor Patrick Addy, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, on Thursday observed that art plays a positive role in shaping the lifestyle of people and called for public patronage of works of artists.

Prof. Addy, opening a month-long group exhibition by two young painters at the Novotel in Accra, said art is not only a source of recreation but an educational tool.

"A piece of work on the environment can influence people to appreciate the beauty of a country, thereby discouraging them from engaging in practices that will harm the environment".

He said it is in this respect, that visual art and cultural studies have been given prominence at the basic school level so as to inculcate into the youth the spirit of discipline and creativity.

On display were works by William Adzraku, a Ghanaian and Foluso Akomolede, a Nigerian, both presenting pieces in oil, water colour, pencil and ink on themes which cut across religious and contemporary social issues.

Akomolede, who trained at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, has won several awards including the All Nigerian Secondary schools painting contest in 1979 and the National Youth Service award in 1987.

Thirty-three-year-old Adzraku trained at the Ho Polytechnic, specialising in painting and decorating. The Minister advised the youth to take the study of art seriously and mount exhibitions, adding that "art has become a means of livelihood for both the artist and salesmen who market them".

The two artists, who have been exhibiting together in various hotels, expressed satisfaction at the turn-up, saying "most of them have shown interest in our paintings and drawings".

"Most people have expressed interest in the drawings because of what they depict," Mr. Adzraku said.

"We hope to participate in international exhibitions to help promote African culture."

At another exhibition, which opened in Accra in connection with Emancipation Day celebrations, Benjamin Teiko Hammond, a 36-year-old Ghanaian visual artist, displayed 12 works showing the slave trade in graphic cartoon forms.

Mr Hammond said the idea behind his works is to demonstrate graphically "what the ancestors saw before they inherited the western world".

Some of the works, which depicted slaves at work and in the dungeons at Elmina and Cape Coast Castles awaiting ships, range from 120 000 to 200 000 cedis a piece.

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Kumasi (Ashanti), 6^th August 99

The chiefs and people of Anwomaso near Kumasi have renewed their appeal made two years ago to the government to release 118 out of the 1,118 acres of land acquired for the University of Science and Technology (UST) for farming and development.

Nana Osei Boa II, chief of Anwomaso, who made the appeal, explained that the unutilised 118 acre-land in front of the town was obstructing its growth and development.

Nana Osei Boa said on Thursday that the land was released to the UST free of charge when the town was "small and developing at a snail's pace.

But the town has now seen rapid progress with almost every parcel of land developed. We have been completely sandwiched between the two tracts of land for the UST".

He said "we do not regret whatsoever the sacrifices made for the growth and expansion of UST but the prevailing circumstances require us to plead for the

release of that portion of land hindering the growth and expansion of Anwomaso".

The Anwomasohene hoped the UST authorities would understand and agree with the community for a peaceful co-existence and an orderly development of the area.

The government in 1959 acquired the land for the UST for a lease of 60 years, which expires in 2010.

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Hohoe (Volta Region), 6^th August 99

Fifteen rubbish emptiers, a public address system and two urinals worth 30 million cedis have been made available to the Hohoe district assembly under the Civil Service Performance Improvement Programme (CSIP) to help improve sanitation in the Hohoe central market.

Dr Robert Dodoo, head of civil service, commended the Hohoe district assembly for being the first to implement the six strategies in its performance improvement programme (PIP) towards enhancing service delivery.

He said the PIP is an acknowledgement by government of its obligations to the taxpayer towards using public funds for their benefit.

Mr Obed Kissiedu, Hohoe district chief executive, in a welcoming address, said some civil servants in the district are still not responding positively to the reforms aimed at achieving the desired improvement.

He said "such officials maintain that the civil servant will always be at post whether the politician goes or not and therefore called for a change of this attitude.

Mr Kissiedu appealed to Dr Dodoo to approve a request for a cesspit emptier, a fence wall and a 24 unit water closet at the central market.

In an open forum, the heads of department complained about inadequacies in the Pricewaterhouse income policy, saying it has made them poorer.

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Tema (Greater Accra), 6^th August 99

The Tema District Council of Labour (TDCL) has called on the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to withdraw from the Tripartite Committee since the congress does not seem to have any influence when it comes to negotiating the national minimum wage.

The TDCL said it was better for the TUC to back out of the fixing of the minimum wage and strengthen its bargaining power at the organisational levels to achieve better incomes for workers.

They said it was ridiculous that the minimum daily wage was pegged last June at 2,900 cedis far below what government itself and most organisations were already paying thus weakening the TUC's bargaining power.

The TDCL took the decision at a general meeting held at Tema on Thursday to discuss the national minimum wage and its request to the government to withdraw all taxes on overtime, bonuses and other incentive payments.

The meeting, which was characterised by complaints about low incomes and high cost of living, also noted that the TUC's representation on the Tripartite Committee as a consultative body was rather a disincentive to workers since it seems to approve minimum wages which do not favour workers.

Some workers also complained that they were having problems negotiating with their employers who are even questioning why the minimum wage should go up by 45 per cent while inflation stood at nine per cent.

The council also expressed grave concern that Parliament did not give any serious attention to their request for a waiver on taxes on overtime and other incentives as bonuses before going on recess and decided to write to Parliament for an answer within two weeks.

Mr Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, deputy secretary-general of the TUC, said if the TUC wants to save its image, it must be part of the national minimum wage negotiations since it serves as an important reference point for other negotiations.

"You can go with all your anger and figures but when you sit at the negotiation table you need to be reasonable", he said.

"As a trade union, we must speak for the larger majority of workers since the TUC plays the role of an advocate for the entire working people", he added.

Mr Adu-Amankwah agreed that even though the minimum wage does not bring any credit to the TUC, it serves as a reference point for pensions.

He said as part of the review of the country's labour laws, the TUC is proposing that the Tripartite Committee assumes a major role in broader labour issues rather than the fixing of wages and salaries.

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Cape Coast (Central Region), 6^th Aug 99

Junior nurses and health workers of the Cape Coast Municipal Hospital on Wednesday withdrew their services until the government "reviews duty allowances and ensures the payment of equal duty allowances to all category of health workers".

The nurses and health workers both called on their members to totally reject "the amount of between 35,000 and 357,000 cedis being offered them as compared to "960,000 cedis in other health institutions".

The withdrawal of their services, followed a joint resolution adopted by junior nurses and the Health Services Workers Union (HWSU) at a meeting on Tuesday.

The resolution, signed by two representatives each from the two groups, said it had "reflected soberly on acceptable explanations as to the basis of working out the modalities".

It therefore called for the rectification of all anomalies since health workers "have sacrificed for far too long accepting other unpopular packages".

GRi

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Yendi (Northern Region), 6^th August 99 –

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has organised a workshop for various stakeholders to evaluate its girl-child education project in the Yendi district at Yendi.

The one-day workshop brought together head teachers, district assembly members and representatives of school management committees and the World University Service of Canada, the implementing agency of the project, to discuss the project's objectives and develop new strategies.

It examined avenues for increasing access of the girl-child to school and for more CIDA assistance.

The Yendi District Chief Executive, Mr Mohammed Al-Hassan, said it is the primary responsibility of parents to give equal opportunities to their children to have education.

Mr Al-Hassan noted that the quality and coverage of education in the district do not match the assembly's huge investment in the development of the sector, because of low retention of children, particularly the girl-child, in school.

He said to encourage girl-child education the assembly provides free school uniforms to needy girls in primary schools and has instituted a scholarship scheme for girls who obtain between aggregate six and 18 in the Basic Education Certificate Examination for admission into the senior secondary schools.

The assembly is also supporting women's groups engaged in various economic ventures to increase their earnings to be able to cater for the education of their children, particularly daughters.

The district director of education, Mr Samuel Nii-Tieku Quaye, called on people in the area to stop outmoded customs, which hinder girl-child education.

He advised parents to buy textbooks for their children to enable them to cultivate the habit of revising their class lessons at home.

Mr Quaye charged the participants to use the knowledge they have acquired to increase awareness in their communities of the importance of girl-child education.

GRi../

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Gomoa Obuasi (Central Region), 6^th August 99

Miss Grace Adoko, staff midwife in charge of the Gomoa Obuasi Community Clinic, has appealed to government to extend electricity to the centre.

Miss Adoko made the appeal when the assemblyman for the town, Mr Daniel Botchway, and newsmen visited her outfit.

Lack of electricity, she said, is seriously hampering work at the clinic, adding: "we cannot store vaccines, deliver babies or give infusion at night with lanterns which pose health hazards.

Miss Adoko said on the average about 450 people call at the clinic and about 20 babies are delivered every month.

Mr Botchway commended the midwife and her two assistants for working hard under such trying conditions and appealed to the community to give them the necessary support.

Mr Bothway again appealed to the Ghana Highway Authority to rehabilitate a culvert near the Obuasi Community Clinic on the Afransi-Apam road which is being washed away by erosion.

Mr Botchway said the place has developed a deep gully that poses a serious threat to not only people who attend the clinic but also to motorists who ply the road.

GRi../

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Cape Coast (Central Region), 6^th August 99 -

A lecturer at the Department of English at the University of Cape Coast on Wednesday called on the education authorities to pay more attention to traditional education, saying it is holistic and aims at the total education of the human being.

Nana (Dr) Yaa Opoku Agyeman said unlike western education "which takes learners away from themselves", traditional education is inter-disciplinary and enables one to know about the self, family, community, and history, among others, and makes them realise their implications to their lives.

Nana Opoku-Agyeman was speaking on: "Traditional Education of Women in Ghana" at a colloquium as part of activities in connection with the on-going Pan-African historical theatre festival at Cape Coast.

She said it is unfair to describe women with no formal education as illiterates, because the yardstick used for judging them, which is western education, is alien to African culture.

The lecturer maintained that although some African women may not be able to read and write, they can read symbols, colours, patterns and visual arts and body language, among others.

Nana Opoku-Agyeman noted that most young girls do not advance higher in education, because they are made to help or serve their parents, thus giving the boys an edge over them in formal education.

She, however, contended that the girl, by virtue of her training in the house, becomes more mature than the boy, who might have the best of formal education.

"Traditional education has operated as the major safety-net for women, and this alternative deserves government's attention and funding. Besides, it has a rich source from which teachers in training and classroom learners can draw".

She said parents who want their daughters to serve them in the house must ensure that it does not interfere with their schooling.

Dr Martin Owusu, Director of School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, wondered why after so many media and national calls, women are still few in the centre of national affairs.

He attributed this to male chauvinism, negative attitudes to women in power and the nature of politics, which involves mud-slinging and character assassination.

To remedy the situation, Dr Owusu urged society to understand women who want to enter politics and assist women without exploiting them, while women themselves should find time for all their obligations.

Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Nigerian Minister of Education and Culture, said in copying western cultures, Africans must reject the negative aspects, which have ruined western societies, to ensure a development that is conducive and relevant to their needs.

He advised women not to be so obsessed with the quest for equality, saying they risk forfeiting the courtesies granted them by men and society.

GRi../

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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo), 6^th August 99

The Ghana Education Service (GES), in a determined bid to arrest the rising levels of indiscipline in schools, has formulated a new drug, alcohol and smoking policy to regulate the conduct of teachers, students and educational workers in the country.

Under the policy, which would soon be published, teachers and workers found guilty of habitually absenting themselves or smoking and drinking with or in the presence of students would be made to suffer sanctions, including outright dismissals and loss of pay.

Additionally, the service is reviewing all regulations regarding caning, suspension, dismissals and surcharging of students who embark on violent demonstrations to forestall indiscipline in schools.

These were contained in a speech read on behalf of the Minister of Education, Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, at the first-ever national conference of heads and proprietors of the Ghana National Association of Vocational and Technical Institutions, which opened at Sunyani on Wednesday.

The conference, on the theme "Private vocational and technical institutes - Solution to Youth Unemployment in the 21st Century?" is being attended by about 100 participants.

The minister, whose speech was read by Mr John Budu-Smith, Deputy Director-General (Academic) of the GES, urged private educational institutions to abide by the new disciplinary policies of the service to help completely stamp out indiscipline in schools.

Mr Spio-Garbrah announced that in recognition of the role played by vocational and technical education in equipping the youth with employable skills, the government is taking steps to establish two vocational and technical resource centres in every region.

He said the centres, which would be stocked with the most up-to-date equipment, would enhance the delivery of employable skills to the youth and afford less endowed institutions, including private ones, access to modern works.

Mr Spio-Garbrah commended members of the association for their role in the promotion of skills acquisition, technical and vocational field, which have helped to reduce unemployment, and urged them not to sacrifice quality instruction for profit.

"It is necessary to underscore the need for your member institutions to aim at giving quality training, which measures up to the required standards set by professional bodies, such as the National Vocational training institute," he stressed.

The minister further advised them to incorporate entrepreneurial studies into their curriculum to prepare their products for self-employment and assured them that their names would be added to the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) cards to enable them directly source Junior Secondary School (JSS) graduates during admissions.

The president of the association, Mr Moses Quarshie, said member institutions admit about 75 per cent and 65 per cent of junior and senior secondary school graduates respectively every year and train them to be useful to the society.

GRi…/

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