Boarding
fees goes up
Gavor
sues BOG for contempt
Asante
Congress takes on chiefs
We
can't be manipulated - Afari Gyan
NPP's
criteria for Veep slot
Akufo-Addo
challenges IGP
Air
Ghana's '8 billion-cedi tax evasion' saga
Kwabena
Agyapong petitions parliament
Daily
Graphic
Boarding
fees goes up
The
Daily Graphic says the Ghana Education Service (GES) has increased boarding
fees for second cycle institutions from 2,000 cedis to 3,000 cedis per student
per day with retrospective effect from the second term of the 2000 academic
year.
The
increase follows the acceptance of proposals forwarded to the Service and the
Ministry of Education by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools
(CHASS) for an upward adjustment in view of rising cost of living.
A
statement signed by Mr. John Budu-Smith, Deputy Director-General of GES, in
Accra on Monday, advised heads of institutions to negotiate with parents
regarding payment of arrears since not all could manage with prompt settlement.
The
GES statement said other charges approved by its Council should remain
un-changed until further notice.
More…/
Gavor
sues BOG for contempt
Graphic
reports in another front-page story that Sebastian D.K.N. Gavor, the Director
of Budget and Accounts of the Bank of Ghana (BOG), who is currently on trial in
a 7 billion cedis fraud scandal has cited the bank, its Governor, and the
Director of Human Resources, for contempt.
The
action is against their flouting orders of the court to restore Gavor to his
position pending the determination of the matter.
The
story says Gavor, in an affidavit supporting the application, stated that while
hearing on the matter was still proceeding, the respondents caused his
dismissal, alleging that he had broken the bank's rules of employment.
Gavor,
through his counsel, Mrs Margaret Insaidoo, notified the tribunal who ordered
his re-instatement but which is yet to be complied with. He cited as example
that a 250,000 cedi cheque he issued after the court order was dishonoured
while his official car was yet to be returned to him.
It
described the respondents' behaviour as deliberate disobedience exhibited
towards the tribunal to undermine its integrity and said it ought to attract
punitive sanctions.
GRi…/
The
Ghanaian Times
Asante
Congress takes on chiefs
The
Ghanaian Times in a front-page coverage says the Asanteman Congress has called
on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to introduce a regulation that would
make chiefs, family heads and other community leaders accountable to the people
for land and other assets placed in their care.
The
Congress reportedly stated that this would ensure that revenue from sale of
stool lands and royalties were used for the people's benefit while making
assets held in their trust, a useful resource for investment promotion
purposes.
The
Congress condemned the uncoordinated planning in the Kumasi Metropolis and
demanded a clear cut policy on town planning in emerging areas to ensure the
availability of access roads and other utilities.
The
Congress drew attention to the need for a more serious approach to waste management
and disposal in Kumasi and suggested that the private sector should be invited
to participate in it to lessen the burden of Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.
More…/
We
can't be manipulated - Afari Gyan
The
Ghanaian Times in another story on its first page says the Chairman of the
Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, has stated that the commission
is independent enough to be trusted to conduct free and fair elections.
He
said the country's current electoral system was so impregnable that, even if a
chairman of a political party were at the helm of affairs as EC boss, there was
no way he could manipulate it in favour of his party.
The
EC chairman said the electoral body was one of the most decentralised in the
world, making election results known at the polling stations, constituencies
and in the regions before the commission's chairman even gets to know them.
"I
am the last person to see the results, so the question of manipulation at my
office is out", Dr Afari Gyan said.
GRi…/
The
Evening News
NPP's
criteria for Veep slot
The
Evening News quotes Mr. Hackman Owusu Agyeman, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP
for New Juaben as saying that the issue of ethnicism must be out of the process
in selecting a running mate for Mr. J.A. Kufuor, the presidential candidate of
the party.
Mr.
Owusu Agyemang, in an interview with the paper, is reported as saying that the
potential NPP vice presidential candidate should be someone capable of standing
in the shoes of the president, since the position is the heart-beat of the
president.
The
MP stated that charisma, competence and resourcefulness would be the viable
elements for the selection of the party's running mate.
"The
person must be one who gets on well with the presidential candidate and must be
seen to bring something to the ticket by being a crowd puller and
resourceful." The Evening News quoted.
Mr.
Owusu Agyeman stated that the occupant to the number two slot needs to be a
team player, adding that, "he should be someone who will unite this nation
and bring coherence by putting Ghana first."
GRi…/
The
Statesman
Akufo-Addo
challenges IGP
The
NPP Member of Parliament for Abuakwa, Nana Akufo Addo, is reported by the
Statesman to have asked the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Peter Nanfuri, to
concentrate more on his task of crime prevention and leave matters of election
and political parties to the relevant authorities.
Nana
Addo, said during the inauguration of the Nasara Club of the party at Akyem
Tafo, that with the Constitution now in force, "the days of such orders
and threats from the IGP and his likes are over".
He
questioned the rationale of Mr Nanfuri's threats to political parties to remove
their flags from ceremonial points, stressing that it is the responsibility of
the Electoral Commission to give such orders and not the IGP who faces a more
daunting challenge tracing serial-like killers in the country.
The
police, according to the Statesman, in an exercise bordering on brigandage,
embarked upon the criminal act of tearing down posters, flags, banners and
signboards of political parties without any legal backing.
The
IGP in ordering the removal of such paraphernalia, said their current display
offends "rules and regulations", warning that the Police "in
conjunction with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Authorities will
undertake joint exercises in the next twenty four hours to have them removed
all over the country."
Attempts,
according to the Statesman to get the IGP to quote the relevant law however
failed, as he was said to be out of town.
GRi…/
The
Crusading Guide
Air
Ghana's '8 billion-cedi tax evasion' saga
The
Crusading Guide in a story on its front-page says the Commissioner of the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Mr. David Adom, on Tuesday blocked the paper's
investigations into what the service has done so far on the alleged eight billion-cedi
tax evasion by Air Ghana Limited.
The
cargo handling company headed by one Marwan Traboulsi, who is believed to be a
good friend of President Jerry Rawlings.
The
Guide says Mr. Adom turned uncooperative when the paper got in touch for information
on the matter, claiming IRS was guided by tradition, regulations, laws and code
of ethics.
The
paper submits that it was pursuing the issue because of its worry over the
lackadaisical approach of IRS towards the Air Ghana tax evasion.
It
recalls that in its 2nd February - 8th February issue
this year it carried a banner story on the issue, stating that Air Ghana had
denied the Ghana government eight billion cedis through wholesale repatriation
of profits accruing from business activities between 1992 and 1997.
GRi…/
The
Independent
Kwabena
Agyapong petitions parliament
The
Independent in its banner story writes that Mr. Kwabena Agyepong, son of the
late Justice K.A. Agyepong who was murdered alongside two other judges and a
retired soldier, has, in his search for truth and justice petitioned Parliament
to "set up a special inquiry into circumstances that led to their
deaths."
Agyepong
is reported to have sent the petition through Hon. Grace Coleman, MP for
Effiduase-Asokore who said she had forwarded the request.
Agyepong's
two-page petition, according to the story, indicated the existence of enough
evidence to show that there was miscarriage of justice in the investigation and
conduct of the case.
He
is quoted as having stated in the petition that he does not believe that those
implicated and found guilty for the deaths acted alone and that the real
murderers are walking free.
Agyepong's
petition suggests that President Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu should have
answered certain vital questions before resting the case.
GRi…/