Development proposals to accompany application for land acquisition

Body of Lesotho Speaker to be flown home Wednesday

Ghana calls for support from donors

Curriculum of Basic Schools to Be Streamlined

Ghana and Netherlands in new development co-operation

'Our Agitation is non-partisan' - Group

Government move to improve agro-processing

Burkinabe Impostor Wanted by Police

PFC workers resume work

Africa seeks Reparation from Europe and America

The Church is in crisis - Agbozo

IGP consoles bereaved family, calls for order in Bolgatanga

Public urged to resolve issues through Media Commission

Nurses Association reacts to transfer bid

Eight-member committee to oversee selection of students for bursary

Address gender issue-GJA President

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Aug. '99

Dr Christina Amoako-Nuamah, Minister of Lands and Forestry, on Tuesday said government agencies would now be required to submit development proposals in addition to their applications for the compulsory acquisition of land.

She said the proposals must provide "a justification for every inch of the affected land, as well as the various uses to which the land will be put."

The Minister, who was speaking at a two-day workshop on ''Land Acquisition for Infrastructural Works'' said the Ministry will soon insist that funds be lodged with the Lands Commission towards the payment of compensation before any Executive Instrument is passed.

This, she said, would ensure that any Executive Instrument that does not meet these and other requirements is not promulgated, "no matter the urgency of the request."

The workshop, which is being organised by the Ghana Highway Authority, had participants from the Volta River Authority, the Ghana Water Company Limited, the Electricity Company of Ghana, Lands Commission, officials from the ministries of Lands and Forestry and Roads and Transport and some chiefs.

Dr Amoako-Nuamah noted that the rise in the demand for land for public projects has made the application for compulsory acquisition of land more frequent.

This has brought to the fore some pertinent problems such as the compulsory acquisition of large tracts of land that are not utilised for the intended purposes.

She explained that the absence of feasibility studies with regard to the exact area of land required for projects, compensation levels and procedures have contributed to the passage of Executive Instruments that differ from the socio-economic realities.

Dr Amoako-Nuamah identified the non-payment of compensation to landowners as another problem hindering the compulsory acquisition of land.

"The result is that billions of cedis of outstanding compensation is yet to be paid," she stated, adding, "this is embarrassing for both government agencies and owners of expropriated lands."

The Minister described the problems relating to the acquisition of land as "unacceptable and confusing", tends to frighten investors, and thwarts government's efforts at creating the enabling environment for attracting foreign investment.

Mr Edward Salia, Minister of Roads and Transport, spoke on encroachment on government lands and said sometimes staff of the various agencies are involved in the re-allocation of government land to individuals and organisations.

He, therefore, called for sanctions to deter officials from involving themselves in such deals.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Aug. '99

The remains of Dr John Teboho Kolane, Speaker of Lesotho National Assembly, who died in Accra at the weekend will be flown home on Wednesday.

Pathologists at the Police Hospital in Accra on Tuesday carried out an autopsy on the body.

A deputy Clerk from the Lesotho Parliament, who accompanied the deceased to attend the just ended Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Africa Region Conference, in Ghana, witnessed the autopsy.

Mr Rex Owusu-Ansah, Acting Clerk of Ghana's Parliament, said a delegation to be headed by the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Kenneth Dzirasah would accompany the remains to Maseru.

The pathologists' report, which was expected to be ready by the close of Tuesday would be carried along.

Speaker Kolane, 73, was found dead in his room at the Golden Tulip hotel in Accra on Sunday morning.

Mr Owusu-Ansah, who would be a member of the delegation to Lesotho, said Parliament is paying for the cost of conveying the body and other incidental expenses.

The Acting Clerk said there would be a high-powered government delegation to be led by Mr Justice D. F. Annan, Speaker, to the funeral scheduled for next week.

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Accra ( Greater Accra) 18 Aug. '99

Mr Kwame Peprah, Minister of Finance, on Tuesday called on Ghana's development partners to increase their support to the country in the face of rising unfavourable world trade practices.

He said with the declining prices of the nations' major export commodities, gold and cocoa, and the rise of crude oil prices on the world market, "it is important that support comes in to enable Ghana stand the shocks that will arise".

Mr Peprah made the call in Accra on Tuesday when he signed two agreements totalling 180 billion cedis (66 million Euros) with the European Commission.

Mr Charles Brook, Ambassador and Head of the Delegation in Ghana signed for the Commission.

Mr Peprah described the European Union's assistance as "timely and critical coming at a time when things do not seem to be in Ghana's favour."

Beneficiaries under the agreement are the Transport Infrastructure Programme (TRIP Three) - 153 billion Cedis (56 million Euros) and electrification for 110 rural communities in the Western Region - 27 billion Cedis (10 million Euros).

This brings to 242 billion cedis (88 million Euros), the amount of assistance provided by EU member states through the European Development Fund since 1998.

Mr Peprah said when the Western Region project is completed, more than 11,200 domestic and business connections would have been made.

Crude oil price has been rising in recent times and is currently pegged at 20.04 dollars a barrel on the World Market, while that of gold and cocoa, Ghana's first and second major export earners have constantly dropped since the beginning of the year.

The price of gold on Tuesday is 259.55 dollars an ounce.

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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 18 Aug '99

The Ministry of Education is making efforts to streamline the content of the curriculum of basic education.

This is to allow private schools to structure their curriculum to conform to that prescribed by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

This is in recognition of the immense contribution of private schools towards achieving the goals of the educational reform programme.

Mr Benjamin Boahin Appiah, an Assistant Director at the office of the Kumasi Metropolitan Education office, said this at the 10th anniversary and Fifth Speech andPrize-giving day of Maria Montessori School in Kumasi at the weekend.

Mr Appiah, however, expressed the GES and the government's concerns about the fixing of fees in private schools which frustrate the government's efforts to provide education for every Ghanaian child of school going-age.

He, therefore, asked proprietors of private schools to be very circumspect in fixing fees and also conform to the guidelines of the GES.

Mrs Grace Boateng, proprietress of the school, said from a humble beginning of five children in 1989, the school now has a population of 1,200.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Aug. '99

Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday received an aide memoir from the Dutch government, announcing a new development in Ghanaian-Netherlands bilateral co-operation.

This means that the Netherlands government would not only maintain bilateral development with Ghana but also intensify support towards Ghana's development in future, Mr Alexander Heldring, Netherlands Ambassador in Ghana said at the Castle, Osu.

Presenting the memorandum of proposed agreement to the Vice-President, Mr Heldring said the co-operation would initially be centred on government's priority areas of health and environment.

He said the possible expansion of the assistance programme would be thoroughly discussed between the two countries next year, during which the ownership of the recipient country would be the guiding principle.

He said there has been an emerging international consensus that the effectiveness of aid should be linked closely to the policy environment in recipient countries.

Ambassador Heldring said Ghana has so far satisfied the criteria, which included good governance, socio-economic progress and the potential for the reduction in the level of poverty.

The Netherlands government based its assessment on findings by a delegation of the Foreign Relations Committee from the Dutch Parliament after it had proposed Ghana among the list of 19 selected countries for structural development assistance in the coming years.

Mr Heldring said the Parliament subsequently approved the list last June, reducing the list to 17 countries, "but Ghana remained among the 17 without any problem."

Dutch grants to Ghana last year amounted to about 18 million dollars in the health and environment sectors.

Ambassador Heldring said there is goodwill to increase this to 20 million dollars this year and possibly 36 million dollars in the year 2000.

Prof Mills expressed appreciation for the recognition given to Ghana by the Dutch government and pledged that any assistance that comes would be well accounted for.

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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 18 Aug '99

The Concerned Citizens Group of the Kumasi metropolis on Tuesday said their agitation for the removal from office of the Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Nana Akwasi Agyeman, is non-partisan.

They have, therefore, called on the Council of State, Christian Council of Ghana, Catholic Bishops Conference, the Ghana Bar Association and all peace loving institutions to add their voice to their clarion call for the removal of the MCE.

Mr George Kwasi Boadu, a member of the Group, made the call at a press conference held in Kumasi.

He asked the government to undertake an opinion poll within the metropolis to determine if the people are in favuor of the MCE's continued stay in office.

"We the residents of Kumasi know that there are many capable National Democratic Congress (NDC) functionaries in Kumasi who can help rebuild the metropolis.

The group expressed concern about the seemingly unconcerned attitude of the few people who are being used by the MCE to paint a picture of acceptance and appreciation of his retention in office.

"Any resident in Kumasi who claims not to have seen the mess in the metropolis created by the incompetence and maladministration of the MCE will be playing the 'ostrich or the role of a gaping sycophant'," Mr Boadu said.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Aug. '99

Mr Clement Bugase, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, on Tuesday announced that government, with the support of the African Development Bank (ADB) is working towards a programme to improve agro-processing and food preservation in the country.

Mr Bugase said it was important to ensure that surpluses during harvest are processed and stored for the lean season to stabilise prices and ensure food availability all year-round.

At a ceremony at which the ADB launched a raffle, "Akuafo Abasobo" to mobilise surplus money outside the banking sector to develop the agriculture, Mr Bugase said consultants have been invited to bid for the designing of the programme.

"The consultants will have to study our agricultural system and identify suitable foods and methods of processing".

The " Akuafo Abasobo Draw" is to motivate the public, especially farmers and fishermen, to save with the Bank.

A three-bedroom house and a two-bedroom house have been slated as first and second prizes for two national draws to be held in January and June next year.

The third prize is an outboard motor and three bundles of fishing nets.

Dr Kuranchie said, since the ADB invests 70 per cent of its portfolio in the agricultural sector it tailored the raffle to suit the needs of farmers.

Every 200,000 cedis deposit made after the launch qualifies an individual for a raffle ticket. It is open to farmers only.

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Cape Coast (Central Region) 18 Aug. '99

Tema police are said to be looking for Burkinabe journalist, Songo Ben Chareck Omar who was recently convicted by a Cape Coast Circuit Court on August nine for impersonation, to assist them in investigations into a criminal case against him.

The police have therefore, written to the prison authorities to hand over Omar to them after he has paid the fine imposed on him by the court.

Prison sources said in Cape Coast on Tuesday that Omar has not as yet paid the fine.

The 26-year-old Omar was fined 500,000 cedis by the Cape Coast Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Tom Bentsil, when he pleaded guilty to charges of impersonation, forgery, possessing forged documents and uttering forged documents.

He will serve a jail term of 24 months in hard labour in default.

In addition, the court ordered that the PANAFEST Secretariat should recover from Omar a total of one million and forty cedis 15 pesewas being transport and hotel expenses incurred on him.

Omar posed as an official representative of the Secretary-general of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to the just-ended Fourth Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival (PANAFEST '99) and was treated as a guest of the Secretariat for two days.

He was first hosted at Oyster Bay Hotel at Elmina but later moved to Fairhill Guest House at Cape Coast at his own request.

The arrival of Mr Charles Mironko from Rwanda, who was holding an OAU diplomatic passport, as the Secretary -general's representative, aroused the suspicion of officials of the PANAFEST Secretariat.

The two men were handed over to the police for investigation.

During interrogation, Omar confessed that the documents he presented were forged.

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Tema (Greater Accra) 18 Aug '99

The striking workers of Pioneer Food Cannery (PFC) have resumed work while negotiations for the payment of their accumulated shift allowance continue.

The 1,327 workers resumed work at 1300 hours after Mr Wilson Agana, chairman of Tema District Council of Labour (TDCL), told them that management of the company had agreed to pay some money.

The workers stopped work for five hours to press management to pay the allowance, which has accumulated for 18 months.

They locked all gates to the factory and disconnected the company's main telephone line, which was later restored.

Mr Agana told journalists that the company had refused to pay the five billion cedis accumulated allowance.

The workers have however decided to accept one billion cedis out of the amount.

Management had declined to talk to the press until a decision has been reached.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Aug '99

Africa is demanding 777 trillion US dollars from Western Europe and the Americas in reparation for the slave trade and colonialism.

The African World Reparations and Repatriation Truth Commission (AWRRTC) said it would set up an international team of lawyers from Africa and the Diaspora to pursue all legal means to collect the money.

The Accra declaration on reparations and repatriation adopted by the AWRRTC on Tuesday said the money would be demanded from "all those nations of Western Europe and the Americas and institutions, who participated and benefited from the slave trade and colonialism."

The commission said it would demand justice through monetary compensation and that it would request for an interest to be paid on the money with assistance of the United Nations and the Organisation of African Unity.

The document was adopted at the end of the First International Conference of the Commission at the W. E. B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture.

Signed by Dr Hamet Maulana and Mrs Debra Kofie, Co-Chairpersons of the Commission it said, "the socio-economic deterioration of the global African society today, is directly linked to the burdensome African debt crisis, which has strangled development in Africa".

The declaration said, "world wide monitoring and networking systems should be instituted to ensure that reparation and repatriation will be achieved by the year 2004".

It said, "there is no African debt " and demanded that the current "international debt owed by Africa be unconditionally cancelled".

The declaration said all those in the Diaspora, who want to return and settle in Africa should be allowed to do so and that those who enslaved and colonised Africa should provide seaworthy vessels and aircraft for the repatriation.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Aug. '99

Mr Immanuel Enoch A Agbozo, Leader of the Ghana Evangelical Society, on Tuesday said the Church was in crisis as people mix ''Pentecostalism with occult, cults and bad mythology''.

Mr Agbozo, who was addressing Ministers and leaders of Evangelical, Pentecostal and Charismatic churches in Accra, attributed this to the emergence of the dominant nature of the "New Church ", which compels orthodox churches to adopt evangelical, charismatic and Pentecostal methods of worship.

"The crisis in the Church scene is not only weakening the spiritual stand of the New Church, or even the faithful, but is actually giving the enemy within the Church material to challenge and obstruct the work of the Holy Spirit in turning Ghana fully over to Christ.

"If we consult the occult and practice their system in disguise, satan and his aides and agents know it and if the church growth is built on this then of course we give fuel and force to resistance and opposition as a matter of course."

Mr Agbozo said the New Church is rising and expanding fast nation-wide, causing a stir by infiltrating and changing the character of the mainline traditional church.

The New Church is however, facing opposition and resistance, and it's now turning over to worldliness, money and pleasure cults.

It also adopts humanistic and worldly practices to the negligence of the truth of the Scriptures and the Power of the Holy Spirit.

This group of churches, is without doubt, causing great harm in the Church and confusion in the land and must be examined.

He called on Christians to turn to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, adding that in doing so ''we should not follow and adopt things blindly and without regard to the will, desires and works of the true God for ourselves and the country''.

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Bolgatanga ( Upper East) 18 Aug. '99

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Peter Nanfuri, has appealed for calm in Bolgatanga following last Thursday's shooting incident that led to the death of a 35-year-old newspaper vendor, Richard Ayeribire.

He said while the incident was regrettable and unexpected, there was the need for maturity, tolerance and calmness on the part of the residents and the police, for an impartial investigation to be conducted into the case.

Mr Nanfuri said this at Bolgatanga when he and Mr Simon Abingya, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga Central, met a cross-section of opinion leaders of the Bukere section of the town where the shooting occurred.

The visit also enabled the IGP and Mr Abingya, to sympathise with the bereaved family and take part in the burial rites of the late Ayeribire.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Albert Friko, officer in charge of the Bolgatanga Police Clinic, was alleged to have shot Ayeribire last Thursday afternoon during a conflict over the siting of a kiosk in front of the police officer's bungalow.

Mr Nanfuri said the police is mindful of its primary responsibility of maintaining law, order and preserving life.

He, however, noted that the unexpected can sometimes happen, especially in situations where police personnel fall victim to error.

He expressed his appreciation to individuals and institutions who played crucial roles to ensure the maintenance of peace and appealed to people who have evidence to give in connection with the incident to assist the police in their investigations.

Mr Abingya said the incident was of great shock to him, hence his condemnation of the act in a press release issued in Accra.

He advised the police to continue to perform their duty of keeping the peace with circumspection and not to do anything that would strain their relations with the public.

A representative of the bereaved family and the Bukere community, Mr Agangre Waafo, thanked the IGP and the MP for their concern.

He, however, called on the police authorities to ensure that the deceased is not denied justice.

Present at the meeting were the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Hajia Fati Seidu, Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of special operations, Mr David Walankaki, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Bolgatanga, Dr Albert Tenga, and the DCE for Kassena-Nankana, Ms Clothilda Amenga-Etego.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Aug. ’99

The National Media Commission on Tuesday reiterated its appeal to those who feel aggrieved by media reports to use the structures of the Commission to resolve issues in the collective interest of promoting media freedom and responsibility.

"It is necessary for us to recognise where the media have genuinely erred; otherwise any hasty acts to seek justice from the courts could stifle media freedom,'' it said.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by Mr Acquah-Hayford, Chairman of the Commission, congratulating the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

The statement said while the Commission would not condone or connive with irresponsible use of the media, "it is better for all of us to demonstrate support and sympathy rather than hostility towards the media".

It said informed public discussions are also welcomed as to what needs to be done in accordance with the liberal spirit of the Constitution, to chart the path for the media.

The Commission appealed to journalists to be prepared to own up and apologise where necessary.

"We would want to appeal to journalists that where it is established that they erred, they must be prepared to own up and apologise where necessary. They must not be deterred but must also show circumspection."

The Commission expressed its appreciation for efforts made by the Executives to sensitise and conscientise Ghanaian journalists to abide by and respect the Code of Ethics of the Association.

"We are hopeful that respect for the code will provide meaningfully for the enlightenment of our democratic pursuit.

"It is our hope that journalists will respect the obligations imposed on them by the law, especially constitutional provisions that enjoin them to be fair to all: that way, they would be serving the larger national interest."

The Commission pledged to support and participate actively in all programmes lined up for the celebrations.

It appealed to all journalists and the public to be actively involved in the work of the GJA and the Media since freedom of the press is not for journalists alone but the whole society.

"On behalf of the Commission and on my own behalf, I wish the GJA and its National Executives fruitful celebrations as we enter the new millennium, convinced that the association has a key role to play in the enlightenment and development of our people.''

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Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Aug. ’99

The Ghana Registered Nurses Association (GRNA) on Tuesday expressed concern about the transfer of some Ministry of Health institutions to the Military and Police Administrations.

In a statement issued in Accra, the nurses said "as we resolve to deepen our devotion to service in all its earnestness, we vehemently protest against the Ministry of Health's attitude to seeking temporary solutions to our problems."

The statement, signed by Ms Alice D Asare, General Secretary of the Association Mr Wilberforce Adade Acting Public Relations Officer, was in reaction to a directive by the National Security Council asking the Ministry of Defence to take over the running of three Ministry of Health institutions.

The affected health institutions are Ridge Hospital, La and Mamprobi Polyclinics, all in Accra.

About two weeks ago the National Security Country in a statement requested the Ministry of Defence to take over the health institutions and place them under the Military and Police Hospital administrations.

Subsequently, two teams from the Ministry of Health and the Military Hospital toured Ridge hospital last week to study the situation on the ground.

Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor Minister of Health said the action was to ensure that the public is protected during emergencies when health workers are on strike.

He said in the interest of all parties involved, workers of the affected institutions, who do not want to work under the administration of the Military, could opt out or ask for transfer to other health institutions.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Aug. ’99

An eight-member committee is to be set up to select students, who qualify to benefit under the Tertiary Education Bursary Fund (TEBF) announced by the government on Monday.

This was announced by the Minister of Education, Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah after a closed-door meeting between the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (CVCP) and officials of the Ministry in Accra on Tuesday.

The committee will be made up of a representative each from the country's five universities, two from the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and an officer on the National Council on Tertiary Education.

Explaining the methods of application, Mr Spio-Garbrah said application forms that have already been designed would be deposited with finance offices of all universities to be given to interested students, who believe that they cannot pay the fees.

"The completed forms will be sent to the committee to evaluate and to compile a list of applications that have been approved."

The list would be sent to the Ministry of Education, which would forward it to the Bank of Ghana where an account has been opened for disbursement of the fund.

The Bank would then pay the money into the accounts of the university concerned.

Mr Spio-Garbrah said those students, who have already paid the fees but believe they cannot pay are eligible to fill the form for consideration.

The Minister said such students would have their monies refunded after obtaining the bursary depending on how much has been granted them.

Students, under the leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), have described the new fees being charged by the universities as "unbearable" and have vowed to fight for their withdrawal.

However, the Deputy Minister of Education in charge of tertiary education, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, on Monday described the fees as "reasonable" and announced a three-billion-cedi package to help needy students to pursue their academic programmes.

Dr Chambas said government had accepted the fact that levels of fees being charged are justified, realistic and reasonable.

"Indeed it is not possible to reduce the levels of fees set without jeopardising the credibility of the programmes to be run or without sacrificing the admission or continuation of students."

He said parents and guardians, who have the means and are willing to pay should be allowed to do so in order that genuinely needy ones may benefit from the proposed fund.

University authorities say they have no option but to increase fees since government subvention is now only 60 per cent of their requirements.

The CVCP said last week that: "If the shortfall is not met, then the universities will have no choice but to admit only the number of students that available financial resources can cater for.

"This would mean admitting no fresh students and laying off about 30 per cent of the continuing students or close down until such time that adequate financial resources from sponsors of students, the government and parents," are made available.

Meanwhile, Over 2,500 out of 3,000 freshmen admitted to the University of Ghana, Legon, for the 1999/2000 academic year have already paid their registration and other fees.

Prof. Ivan Addae-Mensah, Vice-Chancellor of the university said the university is ready to start the academic year, which commences on Thursday, August 19.

Dr Chambas said the remaining students, who have not yet paid their fees would be screened and those who cannot afford to pay would be given a bursary under the Tertiary Education Bursary Fund (TEBF) announced by the government on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Minister has invited the leadership of NUGS for a meeting on Wednesday at 1500 hours to belie rumours that the Ministry is not prepared to dialogue with them.

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Accra (Greater Accra

Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), on Tuesday stressed the need to address gender issues to enable the country develop all its potentials and resources.

This could be done by "developing conceptual and practical methodologies for ncorporating gender perspectives into all aspects of economic policy-making".

Mrs Affenyi-Dadzie was launching a book on "Women's Group and Associations as Partners In Small Enterprises Development in Ghana" in Accra.

The 179 paged book was written by Ms Esther Oduraa Ofei-Aboagye, Deputy Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies with support from the Women's Enterprises Department of the National Board of Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) and funded by the Frederich Ebert Foundation (FES).

Mrs Ofei-Boagye who said her study revealed that women are working very hard, called on funding agencies to support them.

Mr Peter Schellschmidt, FES Resident Director said women contribute two-thirds of hours worked through out the world but get only 10 per cent of income.

He said this under scores the need for more gender sensitivity in all spheres of society.

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