Girl, 13, Rescued from lagoon .. Docs struggle to save her life
Cabby beaten to death for wrongful parking
Bloody Struggle… MP, DCE sling it out
NPP to stage defection on the Volta Region
New Okyenhene Out Next Week
GSE to get on board
Girl, 13, Rescued from lagoon .. Docs struggle to save her life
The banner headline of the Times says: 'Girl, 13, Rescued from lagoon .. Docs struggle to save her life.' The story reports that 13-year old epileptic who was apparently drowned in the Korle lagoon for 48 hours before she was rescued has miraculously survived her ordeal and is responding to treatment.
The girl was found by a group of boys playing football nearby was found with her hands and feet tied and maggots feeding on her eyes, nostrils, ears and private parts.
Doctors' examination revealed that she had been rapped and cuts were found on several parts of her body.
The girl who is an epileptic was said to have been missing from home where she lives with her mother and grandmother from August 22 until August 26 when television cameras showed her picture.
Doctors say she has blanked out and could only remember some men taking off her panties.
Cabby beaten to death for wrongful parking
Another headline in the Times says: 'Cabby beaten to death for wrongful parking'
According to the story, when 27-year old Kwesi Kuma stopped in abruptly in the middle of the road to pick a passenger, it proved to be his last act on earth.
The driver of the Pajero Land Cruiser behind him, apparently offended for being made to apply sharply on his brakes to avoid collusion, got out of his car, and reined hefty blows on Kuma who fell on the street and died instantly.
Kuama's assailant identified as Emmanuel Nii Duoduo, grandson of Mrs Agbotui, mother of President Jerry John Rawlings, sped off only to return later in a Peugeot caravan to take the body to the Tema General hospital.
Emmanuel is in police custody while Kuma who left behind a wife, and children aged five and two, is yet to be buried.
GRi
Bloody Struggle… MP, DCE sling it out
The Guide: 'Bloody Struggle… MP, DCE sling it out'. The Guide's front page lead story says that the struggle about who is lying and who is telling the truth in the stand-off between the Tema East MP , Ismael Ashitey and the Tema Metropolitan Assembly TMA) is turning bloody.
The report says the ragging controversy took a dramatic turn last Friday in the harbour city of Tema as the two sides tried to win over the press at two separate meetings. While the suspended MP, Ishmael Ashitey was holding a press conference to insist on his crusade for probity and accountability in the TMA, the Assembly was also holding a meeting to justify its suspension of the MP from its sittings.
The Guide reports quotes Mr Ashitey as saying that 'the TMA voted ø 299m for the constructing the gates and walls for the Tema Export Promotion Exhibition (TEXPO) and not ø1.2m as stated by Naa Afiyie Ashong, MP for Kpone Katamanso in Parliament.
He said as member of the TEXPO committee he was part of all decisions taken on the project and challenged the TMA to prove otherwise.
He said 'My problem with the TEXPO project is that unknown members have awarded the other phased to invisible companies."
According to the Guide the claims by the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) that the project was awarded in phases is a fraudulent circumvention of the laid down procedure by the TMA, which should be investigated.
On the matter of the poverty alleviation Fund Mr Ashittey said the MCE had intimated that for about 30 months, he the (MCE) could not have any managing bank for the Fund and the whole amount was therefore resting at the Bank of Ghana.
"If this is so, then the MCE should explain how come by April 1998 the PAC account was virtually depleted," Mr Ashittey asked.
According to the paper, Mr Ashittey' s concern and action have been influenced by press reports by the Minister of local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, alleging that billions of cedis being misappropriated by public officers under his ministry constitute an insignificant amount to qualify them for criminal prosecution at the courts.
Meanwhile Mr Adzei Anang a spokesman for the municipal co ordination committee of the NDC told another press conference that Mr Ashittey's ultimatum to the TMA to lift the suspension place on him is hypocritical since the decision was reached at by the entire Assembly.
According to Mr Anang the decision was reached at by 51 votes to five in favour of Mr Ashitey's suspension.
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NPP to stage defection on the Volta Region
The paper has at its front page a story titled 'NPP to stage defection on the Volta Region'. According to the paper, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has planned to stage manager a number of defections of what they claim are NDC supporters in the Volta region.
The paper stated that the Volta Region gimmick is expected to herald the 'defection of thousands of NDC supporters in the Volta Region of the party they have supported in the last two elections" and the subsequent victory of the party in the 2000 elections, started with the alleged defections in the Ketu district.
The paper says when it cross-checked the alleged defections in Ketu; they proved to be farce and the outcome of stage-managed operations by NPP gurus in Accra and the Volta Region.
The paper added that the next stage of the publicity gimmick is scheduled for next Saturday at Hohoe, and will be led by the party's top ranking members such as J.A Kufuor, the presidential candidate, Jake Obetsebe Lamptey, the Greater Accra chairman and Courage Quashigah the National Organiser.
The paper stated that what makes the defections even more suspicious is that the man managing them is Mr Fedelis Yebbi, one of two former body guards of Dr Obed Asamoah, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, who were accused of stealing 100 million cedis from him.
GRi
New Okyenhene Out Next Week
The front page of the Statesman carries a bold banner headline announcing the imminent nomination of a New Okyenhene next week.
The paper says barring any unforeseen interventions, the nomination of the 34th King of the Akyems, the Okyenhene, will take place next week. This is said to follow a request by the Okyeman Council to the Asona Abusuapanyin of Kyebi to produce a candidate next Monday.
Under normal circumstances, the Statesman continues, it is the Okyenhemaa who does the nomination. But no Okyenhemaa has been installed since the death of the Queen mother some three years ago. This important function therefore falls on the Abusuapanyin, Opanyin Kwabena Akwowuah.
It says the biggest headache of Opanyin Kwabena Akwowuah is what a royal family source has described as the "nomination without a nominee". Going through the list of contesting royals, the Abusuapanyin with the support of the majority of the members of the royal family had long before the 'doteyie' made no secret of his support for the candidature of Odehyee Atta Akyea, a 36 year old legal practitioner.
The current problem is that while neither the Abuasuapanin nor the family has changed their mind the nominee is nowhere to be found. Odehyee Akyea is said to have left the shores of Ghana on the eve of the Doteyie. While his opponents supporters taunt that he has chickened out, Odehyee Akyea's supporters blame his opponents of banishing him spiritually.
Odyehee Akyea's absence notwithstanding the paper reports he remains the most popular choice, with deep rooted support among the populace of Kyebi, the royal capital, the Ankobea Apesemaka ne Kyidom, and some divisional chiefs.
In the absence of Odehyee Akyea, the half brother of the late Okyenhene, Odehyee Nana Kwame Amoatia Ofori Atta, appears to be gradually building up support for his bid. Unlike his nephew, Odehyee Akyea who is regarded as a local boy, Odehyee Nana Kwame has stayed abroad most of his life and is a contestant not easily identified with the people.
The report says names like those of Odehyee Nana Kwadwo Dua and Odehyee Nana Kofi Fredua have also come up for mention. However, those that have made known their intentions and gone through the necessary rituals so far are Adehyee Akyea, Nana Kwame, Nana Boateng and Nana Okore Agyemang.
As the countdown thins out to zero, Okyeman and indeed, Ghana are all ears for the name that will finally fall from the lips of Abusuapanyin Kwabena Akowuah, the Statesman adds.
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GSE to get on board
The paper flashes a banner headline "GSE to get on board." According to the story, the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) which is responsible for shedding off state involvement in some organisations has indicated that the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) is to be involved in 'larger divestitures.'
The paper says analysts see the move as a good step to undo the criticism that the divestiture exercise lacks transparency.
The Graphic quotes Mr Yeboah Amoa, Managing Director of the GSE, as saying in an interview that the larger divestitures may include such organisations as the State Insurance Corporation, Ghana Airways and the Merchant bank.
Over the past seven years, assets of 112 state-owned enterprises have been sold largely to by competitive tender, while shares in 31 have been sold, 21 set up as joint ventures and 42 liquidated.
Fake Viagra on the market
On the top left corner of the Graphic is the headline: 'Fake viagra on the market.'
The story says that barely three months after the launch of viagra in the country, there are indications that another form of the drug, which has not been registered by the Food and Drugs Board has infiltrated the market.
The unregistered viagra comes in the form of 100 loose tablets packaged in a can with the dosage as high as 100 milligrams, which experts say could be fatal when taken without proper medical advise.
The packaging of the fake viagra contrasts sharply with the genuine one, which comes in a blister pack of four.
The fake drug was discovered by a team of experts from Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, manufacturers of viagra, who in the country to supervise its use as well as any negative impact it may have on the health of users.
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