Sabotage…Thieves disrupt water supply in Tamale
GES boss blasts accountants…"They’re cause of our problems"
Castle throws more blows…Investors are worried
We are behind Sam Jonah – AGC staff
Politics Galore at Obuasi AGC as DCE moves against senior staff press confab
NDC/NPP fight over assemblies
Sam Jonah Speaks
Sabotage…Thieves disrupt water supply in Tamale
The Daily Graphic reports on its front page that three months after President Jerry John Rawlings commissioned the 25 billion cedi Tamale water rehabilitation project, thieves have started stealing the ‘PVC’ pipes and valves, thus disrupting the smooth supply of water to residents in the municipality.
In a lead story, the Graphic says the stolen valves, estimated at over 100 million cedis have, however, been retrieved by the Tamale Police while the cost of the over 88 pipes is yet to be established by the Ghana Water Company Limited.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operation Gong gong" in the Northern Region, Mr David Walenkaki, who is reported to have announced this at a news conference in Tamale on Tuesday, said the police have so far arrested five persons involved in the theft They are Adam Abdulai, 35, Ayana Iddi, 35, and Alhassan Amadu, 26, all Tamale residents. The suspects have since appeared before the Tamale Circuit Court on a charge of stealing and have all been remanded in prison custody.
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GES boss blasts accountants…"They’re cause of our problems"
In a banner headline story, the Ghanaian Times reports Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) as describing the performance of most accountants of the service "as a disgrace".
"Their knowledge in accounting is limited and, therefore, they cannot write their books of account properly, and balance their accounts monthly and yearly as they are expected to do", he is quoted as saying.
According to Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi, these, coupled with other fraudulent practices like manipulation of cash books, presentation and processing of fictitious invoices for payment, among other malpractices, had resulted in moneys voted for the GES going down the drain and adversely affecting education. Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi is reported to have made these remarks when he opened a three-day annual conference/seminar for 850 educational accountants of the GES in Ghana.
The GES boss said to improve the trend, the Service would intensify efforts at in-service training of all personnel, including the teaching and non-teaching staff. Regional and district directorates of the GES have been instructed to make provision for the training, the paper adds.
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Castle throws more blows…Investors are worried
The Guide says the feud between the Castle, seat of government and the Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) Limited is seen to be escalating as the government has still not come out to categorically deny the alleged description of the Chief Executive of the company, Mr Sam Jonah, as a "common criminal" by President Jerry Rawlings.
The paper says the most worrying aspect of the feud is the effect that it is likely to have on prices of AGC on the international stock exchange. The Guide quotes a "Joy FM" news report as saying that investor confidence in Ashanti Goldfields, both on the local and international markets could wane if steps are not taken immediately to address the problems these reports, statements and counter-statements have generated.
According to the paper, a business analyst speaking on the radio news said that the negative statements could affect AGC’s standing in the international markets in the face of current falls in the price of gold. He is reported as saying that currently, the AGC’s shares in Accra, London and New York stock exchanges are unaffected but the situation could dramatically change if media reports continue in this vein. Investors could suddenly off-load their stocks and this could lead to prices of AGC’s stocks on the word market plummeting, he is quoted as saying.
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We are behind Sam Jonah – AGC staff
The Independent reports that the Senior Staff Association of the Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) Limited, has expressed its support for the Chief Executive of the company, Mr Sam Jonah, who has in recent times been at the centre of a Presidential attack.
The paper says in a letter to the Adansi West District Chief Executive, dated August 24, 1999, and signed by the secretary, Mr Y. Nuama Kutin, the association described Mr Sam Jonah as "an icon of the generation of business leaders who are shaping their companies in new positive and innovative ways".
According to the Independent, the letter also said Mr Sam Jonah’s "visionary and legendary leadership" had been a great source f inspiration to members of the association, adding that these traits have been used to lead and direct AGC in an able manner.
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Politics Galore at Obuasi AGC as DCE moves against senior staff press confab
According to the story the political currents that characterised the industrial action embarked upon by workers of Obuasi Goldfields Limited (AGC) last month, made manifest when the motive behind a planned press conference by the Senior Staff Association was distorted and used the sabotage the event by the Adansi-West District Security Committee.
According to the paper, the planned press conference which was to touch on recent developments at the mines was called off by the district security council under the pretext that it would lead to clashes between the junior and senior staff members.
The Crusading Guide said the excuse given for the cancellation of the press conference was not tangible because the senior staff association and the union of junior staff are two independent bodies who conduct their affairs separately.
The real reason for the security's council's actions was because of the fear that anti-government sentiments may expressed at the meeting at which the senior were expected to give the beleaguered Sam Jonah, Chief Executive of AGC currently embroiled in a stand-off with President Jerry John Rawlings, the vote of confidence.
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NDC/NPP fight over assemblies
The paper cites the recent expulsion of Ishmael Ashitey, the New Patriotic Party member of parliament for Tema West, as member of the Tema Municipal Assembly and the impasse between Nana Akwasi Agyeman, Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and NPP members of the Assembly, as examples of the show of strength between the NDC and the NPP.
The paper says the TMA's expulsion of Ashittey is to silence a vocal member who is not playing ball to the ruling NDC's game plan and compares it the situation in the KMA where members are opposed to the use of the Assembly's resources to further NDC objectives.
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Sam Jonah Speaks
In an exclusive interview with Sam Jonah, Chief Executive Officer of the Ashanti Goldfields, the paper touches on a wide range of issues including Jonah's relationship with government and his political ambitions.
On government, Jonah says that he has very good relations with government officials some of whom he has known since his elementary school days and adds that AGC is privileged to have Mr Kwame Peprah, Minister of Finance as chairman of its board and Mr Ohene Kena Minister of Mines and Energy as a member.
He said AGC always tries to be on good terms with all governments, any where they operate and praised President Rawlings for providing the enabling atmosphere for the growth of the mining sector.
On politics, Jonah says he has no political ambition and finds politics in Africa 'too divisive, too vicious and sometimes sadly, too petty.'
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