Mills calls for collective effort to move nation
forward
Create atmosphere for attaining objectives -
Minister.
ECG to connect VR communities to national grid
Accra (Greater Accra) 10 August 2000
Dr. Rod Pullen, the newly appointed British High Commissioner,
arrived in Accra on Wednesday to take over from Mr. Ian Mackley, who is leaving
after a four-year duty tour.
Dr. Pullen, who was educated at Maidstone Grammar School and
Mansfield College and holds a doctorate in Philosophy from Sussex University,
Oxford, is married with five children.
He has served in Kenya and Nigeria, where he was Deputy High
Commissioner.
Mr. Mackley, during his time, cemented the cordial relationship
between the two sister countries and helped Ghana to sign various educational
pacts.
"He leaves an indelible mark on the soil of Ghana in that his
tenure of office saw visits by many high ranking British personalities to
Ghana", the highlight of which was last year's visit by Her Majesty, Queen
Elizabeth, and her husband, The Duke of Edinburgh.
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Atronie
(Brong Ahafo) 10 August 2000
Mr.
Joseph Henry Mensah, Minority Leader in Parliament, has said that the new
14-seater presidential jet "drains Ghana about 100 million cedis a
day."
The
aircraft, he said was acquired on a lease purchase agreement but with insurance
cover, fuel cost, charges of the stand-by crew and landing fees added, it costs
more than 15,000 dollars everyday.
Speaking
at a rally in Sunyani on Tuesday, Mr. Mensah, who is also the Member of
Parliament for Sunyani East, said as the exchange rate of the dollar is moving
up constantly against the cedi, so is the cost of the plane to the Ghanaian tax
payer also increasing constantly.
"Now
we have moved from when it was 50 million a day to around 100 million cedis
daily and if it deteriorates further during the next five years as it is bound
to do, then tax-payers will have to find an ever-increasing amount of cedis to
service that contract."
The
MP said during a recent trip to Japan, the President and his entourage
travelled by British Airways, which is a commercial airline.
"So
what was the need to buy the presidential jet since the opposition advised that
it was a misapplication of the nation's limited resources, because the
commercial flights were always available to serve that purpose."
Mr.
Mensah said that the reconstruction of the Sunyani-Atronie-Kenyasi truck road
that serves as a direct link between the Brongs and the Ahafos in the region
had been included in the 2000 national development budget, but with only four
months left for the general elections the government has not yet tackled it.
He
said as a former finance minister of the country, he is aware that the nation
has resources but the mismanagement and improper policies of the government has
caused the current economic woes.
He,
therefore, appealed to the people to vote for the NPP in the impending
elections so that the project would be executed to enhance their socio-economic
development.
Mr.
Kwadwo Yeboah-Fordjour, Brong Ahafo Regional chairman of the party said bad
governance has caused the breakdown of the economic and social fabric of the
society, resulting in the collapse of buildings in the rural areas.
He
said rural dwellers have been flocking the urban centres for economic survival
because of lack of jobs in their towns and villages.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 10 August 2000
The delegates' conference of the Brong Ahafo Regional branch of
the Egle Party at Sunyani nearly ended in chaos on Wednesday when one of the
two contestants for the chairmanship position vehemently protested after
narrowly losing the election.
Alhaji Kramo Adam and his supporters, who alleged that unqualified
delegates had been allowed to vote, interrupted the voting to draw the
attention of Mr. Kingsley Bentum of the Electoral Commission (EC) to the need
for fresh elections soon after he had lost by a single vote.
The winner, Mr. Elias Lartey, 65, who is the incumbent Chairman of
the party, polled 19 as against 18 by Alhaji Adam to retain his post.
Alhaji Adam stated in a protest letter filed immediately after the
election that the names of some approved delegates were substituted with
certain people who were not known in
the constituencies they represented.
He cited the Dormaa East Constituency where one Abu Kramo was
allowed to vote instead of Maama Tailor, the approved delegate and called for
the annulment of the election to pave the way for the conduct of a fresh poll.
Mr. Adu Boahen was elected Vice-Chairman, with Mr. Nkum Nyarko as
Secretary and Madam Victoria Mensah as Treasurer.
The conference, which was attended by 40 delegates from all but
one (Techiman North) of the 21 constituencies of the region, also witnessed the
election of Mr. Denis Larbi and Mr. Thomas Owusu-Ansah as the Regional and
Youth Organiser respectively.
Mr. Lartey called for unity among members to enable them to
project the image of the party in the region.
He said it was only through unity that Egle could fulfill its
avowed aim of substantially contributing to the electoral success of the
Progressive Alliance.
In a communiqué, the regional branch endorsed the call for Dr.
Obed Asamoah, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, to be given the
vice-presidential slot in the December election.
This is in view of Dr. Asamoah's contribution to the growth of the
alliance and the development of the country through his selfless devotion to
duty over the years.
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Dunkwa-on-Offin
(Central Region) 10 August 2000
Vice-President
John Evans Atta Mills on Wednesday urged Ghanaians not to lose hope in the face
of the current difficulties facing the economy but remain united as one people
and support the government's efforts at addressing the problems.
Ghana
is not the only country that has suffered these economic reverses, which are
the result of external pressures, he told a durbar of the chiefs and people of
Dunkwa-on-Offin in Upper Denkyira District as part of his tour of the Central
Region.
With
him are Mr. Jacob Arthur, Central Regional Minister, Mr. Ekwow Spio-Gabrah,
Minister of Education, Nana Ato Dadzie, Chief of Staff at the Presidency, Mrs.
Faustina Nelson, Co-Chairman {NDC}, and other leading members of the NDC.
Prof.
Mills said the government is concerned about the hardships facing the nation
and was doing its best to improve the situation.
"What
is required at this crucial period is understanding, tolerance and peace among
Ghanaians, especially in an election year."
Nana
Ayimadu Okofo IV, Nifahene of Denkyira, asked Prof. Mills not to forget about
the area when he becomes the next President and assured him of their support to
win the elections.
He
appealed to Prof. Mills to look into the current status of the two mining
companies - Dunkwa Goldfields and Continental Goldfields - which are in
distress with the view to revamping them.
Nana
Okofo urged the government to create more employment opportunities for the
youth to stop the countless number of youth migrating to the urban areas for
non-existing jobs.
At
Asikuma, the Vice-President commissioned a 2.8 billion-cedi electrification
project for seven communities in Denkyira and asked the people to use the
facility to improve their socio-economic life.
The
beneficiary communities are Asikuma, Ayanfuri, Gyaman Kwameprakrom, Mkondaso,
Nkontonso and Kyekyewere.
The
Vice-President also commissioned a 1.3 billion-cedi administrative block for
the Twifo Hemang Lower-Denkyira District Assembly at Twifo Praso. The project
was funded from the district assemblies' common fund.
Prof
Mills and his entourage also addressed a durbar of chiefs at Jukwa, where
enthusiastic supporters who had waited for several hours for his arrival mobbed
him.
Nana
Ayensua Asare III, Queenmother, dismissed the misconception that her people
were opposed to the government, and expressed the people's readiness to vote
massively for the NDC and Prof. Mills in the forthcoming general election.
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Create
atmosphere for attaining objectives - Minister.
Sekondi
(Western Region) 10 August 2000
Mrs.
Esther Lily Nkansah, Western Regional Minister, on Wednesday, called on
District Chief executives to create an environment to ensure the attainment of
development targets.
She
made the call after witnessing the signing of performance contracts by the
Regional Co-ordinating Director, District Chief Executives and District
Co-ordinating Directors in Sekondi for the year.
Mrs.
Nkansah called on individuals and organisations to co-operate with agencies
responsible for development to ensure that performance contracts become
veritable instruments for translating development into reality.
She
said "this is one of the surest ways by which we can hasten the process of
turning the circumstances of our people around for the better, so that
together, we can lead them into a brighter future".
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Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 10 August 2000
The
selection of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), parliamentary candidates
for the 2000 polls in Ashanti were done with utmost transparency, based
strictly on the candidate's acceptability to the electorate, Mr. Philip Edward
Kwabena Antwi, Regional Chairman, has declared.
Those
who lost should therefore accept the results in good faith and stop
"crying wolf when there is no wolf".
Speaking
to the GNA on Wednesday, in Kumasi, in the wake of rumours that the approved
candidates offered bribes to the regional executive, Mr Antwi dismissed the
rumour as "spurious, unfounded, uncharitable, mischievous, wicked and the
handiwork of his detractors".
He
said that the regional executive followed to the letter, directives and
guidelines given out by the national headquarters in respect of the selection
of the party's parliamentary candidates.
All
those who submitted themselves for nomination to contest the polls were
interviewed by a panel, which included representatives from the national,
regional and constituency executives, cadres and the women's wing.
The
final decision did not rest with the regional executive but with the
progressive Alliance consultative committee.
The
regional chairman dared anyone with facts about any underhand dealings
concerning the selection of any of the candidates to go public.
Mr.
Antwi described it as "nauseating and totally lacking in truth", the
rumour that District Chief Executives have been making substantial financial
contributions to the party's secretariat saying: "None of them has ever
contributed a pesewa."
Mr.
Antwi said it is not true that the regional executive have been lining their
pockets with monies that should otherwise have gone to the constituencies and
branches.
He
said the administration of the party in Ashanti has been very transparent,
adding, "we are fed up with the vicious, malicious, destructive and wicked
machinations against us".
GRi…/
Select
Ogede as running mate to NPP flagbearer.
Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 10 August 2000
A
group of supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), in Ashanti have called on
the leadership to consider Mrs. Hawa Yakubu Ogede as running mate to Mr. John
Agyekum Kufuor, the party's flagbearer, for the 2000 polls.
A
statement issued in Kumasi by the group Mrs. Ogede has all the qualities of an
effective and capable running mate.
The
statement noted that apart from her strong character, courage, resourcefulness
and distinguished political career, she has an added advantage of polling more
women votes for the party.
Besides,
she has international recognition and her partnership with Mr. John Agyekum
Kufuor would provide the country with the right governance and leadership
direction.
They
appealed to all others staking out their bid for selection as running mate to
shelve their ambitions and stand solidly behind Mrs. Ogede.
The
statement noted that the NPP has a real battle on its hands to wrest political
power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). The party should
therefore ensure that candidates it puts up for the elections are those who can
win votes.
GRi…/
Akosombo
(Eastern Region) 10 August 2000
The
Volta River Authority (VRA) is undertaking a 112 million-dollar project to
overhaul its generating units to ensure efficiency and constant supply of
electric power.
The
project, which involves changing the turbines in the six units and all other
technical works, is being done in phases and scheduled to be completed in the
year 2004.
Mr.
Ralph Sutton, Resident Manager of Acres, the engineering consortium working on
the project, made this known at a news briefing at Akosombo on Wednesday.
When
completed it would increase the generating capacity of the units from 912 to
1,020 megawatts.
The
World Bank and the European Investment Bank are partly financing the project
with a dollar component of 60 million dollars. The VRA is providing 52 million
dollars and 20 billion cedis.
Mr.
Sutton said the performance test carried on unit three, one of those, which has
undergone overhauling shows that power generation has improved from 127 megawatts
to 170 megawatts.
Mr.
Freddie Sowah, Project Director of VRA, said when work on all the units are
completed VRA would maximise the energy flow using the same volume of water.
He
said although the VRA cannot guarantee that the improved system would curb
power outages and cuts forever, it believes that the failures from the
Authority would be greatly minimised to ensure a smooth flow.
"There
would be an enhanced performance of the units but machines are machines. We
cannot rule out failures but we hope they may not occur."
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Wa
(Upper West Region) 10 August 2000
The
Ghana Red Cross Society is spending 25 million cedis on the provision of
potable water, sanitary facilities and leadership skills for some communities
in the Upper West region.
Out
of the amount, 15 million cedis would be spent on 13 Mozambican toilet slabs,
seven hand-dug-wells and tree planting exercise.
Mr.
Gaeten Nugzal, Regional Director of the Society, told the GNA in an interview
at Wa on Wednesday, that the project is part of the Society's activities
towards improving sanitation in the region.
He
said 10 million cedis would be given to women's groups as loans to embark on
income generating activities.
Mr.
Nugzal said that the society would also intensify its educational programme on
HIV/AIDS, which has become a pandemic.
The
Regional Director said training programmes would be organised for women leaders
to sharpen their skills to enable them to educate their colleagues on health
matters.
GRi…/
Ho
(Volta Region) 10 August 2000
The
Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) would connect 66 communities in the Volta
Region to the national grid under its action plan for this year, Mr. William
Hutton-Mensah, Volta Regional Director of the Company said on Tuesday.
He told
the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council (VRCC) that 26 communities in the
Kpando district, Hohoe - two; Ho - nine; South Tongu - six; Ketu - 13 and Keta
- 10 would benefit the Self-help Electrification Project (SHEP).
About
90 percent of the constructional works have been completed and service
connections would begin in the third quarter of the year.
Mr.
Hutton-Mensah said 59 towns and villages have also been approved for connection
to the national grid under the programme.
Under
the National Electrification Urban Programme (NEUP), 63 out of 79 transformers
have been installed throughout the region. 28 more communities in the Ho
District would be connected.
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