Hamidu
calls for national unity government
Ghana
needs a new leader – Kufuor
Kejetia
traders reject call to retain Nana Agyeman
Three
MPs win constituency primaries
Professor
Mills Commissions Library Complex
Sweden
to assist WTO with seven million crowns
Hamidu calls for national unity government
Accra
(Greater Accra) 17 August 2000
Lt.-Gen.(RTD)
Joshua Hamidu, a former Chief of Defence Staff on Wednesday advocated the
formation of a government of national unity because he said "the current
national predicament cannot be solved by one party alone".
Addressing
a news conference in Accra Gen. Hamidu who served as Liaison Officer for
Government Machinery in the AFRC regime called on all political party leaders
to unite for this purpose.
He said
such a government, cutting across the political and ethnic divide, is also the
surest way to prevent the return of President Jerry John Rawlings to interfere
in any future government, as he did to President Hilla Limann's government on
December 31st 1981.
Gen. Hamidu
said the possibility of President Rawlings interfering in any future government
after the December elections is evident in a pledge he allegedly made to the
Vice-President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills.
He quoted
President Rawlings as telling Prof. Mills, the flag-bearer of the National
Democratic Congress (NDC), that "he (Rawlings) will be very much around
and in charge long after the forthcoming December elections".
Gen. Hamidu
also referred to another statement by the President in an interview granted to
a BBC correspondent in Nigeria about his intentions on retirement, in which he
said he would "police all of us (Ghanaians) and the gains of his
regime" among other activities of his.
He recalled
that during the hand-over from the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) to
the People's National Party (PNP) government, President Rawlings said he was
putting the new President and his Government on probation.
Gen. Hamidu
said President Rawlings carried out this threat on December 31, 1981 when he
ousted President Limann's Government, ushering in the Provisional National
Defence Council (PNDC).
Gen.
Hamidu, who supervised the transition from the AFRC to PNP rule declared:
"Prof. Mills; you are not safe. Please be your own man. You are equal to
the task without having to make one who has failed Ghana your mentor ...Join
the rest of the prospective leaders to give Ghana a government of national
unity."
To the 64th
Battalion of the Ghana Armed Forces, he said: "you are first and foremost
Ghanaians. Don't allow yourselves to be misused to perpetuate the rule of one
man and his family".
He said the
battalion, which was the former commandos unit under the PNDC, should be
absorbed into the regular army.
He advised
the Police, who he said have been abused by lack of respect and resources, not
to allow themselves to be used to support the rigging of the election.
Gen. Hamidu
also advised the electorate to value their votes, which he described as "a
liberation card". They should let the PNDC/NDC "misrule guide your
vote."
He warned
"charlatans", who pray for continuity that the day of reckoning will
eventually come for all opportunists.
He advised
the youth to get involved in every process towards the elections in order to
inherit a country that is "truly reconciled" and called for
reconciliation and forgiveness, but added that whoever wishes to be forgiven
must show remorse, repentance and actually request forgiveness from those he
has hurt.
He said
Ghanaians should not deceive themselves that the civil wars happening in other
countries could not happen in Ghana saying "where peaceful change proves
impossible, violent change becomes inevitable."
GRi.../
Accra
(Greater Accra) 17 Aug. 2000
Mr John Agyekum
Kufuor, Presidential Candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said on
Wednesday that it is now more obvious to him than ever that Ghana needs a new
leader to enable her break from the shackles of pervasive poverty.
He said
there is the need for a structural transformation that would lead to a
self-reliant, entrepreneurial and technology-driven economy.
Presenting
a copy of the party's manifesto to the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and
Industry in Accra, he said Ghana should be an exporter of value- added goods
and an independent country that would not rely on donor handouts.
The
manifesto titled "Agenda For Positive Change" is the NPP's blueprint
on how it intends to marshal the country's resources not only to become
self-reliant but also a leading agricultural economy in Africa by 2010.
"It is
now obvious that the nation needs new policies, new measures, a new direction,
in effect, a new leadership if she is to break from the shackles of pervasive
poverty," he told the leaders of the business community.
The NPP
flag-bearer said strengthening the capability of indigenous enterprise is the
key to the growth of the new economy that will emerge with the coming into
force of an NPP government.
"It is
time our businessmen and businesswomen are empowered to compete effectively on
the domestic, regional and global markets."
He pledged
his party's commitment to raise the per capita income from the current 370
dollars to 1,000 dollars by 2010.
Mr Kufuor
expressed regret that the economy still wholly depends on raw material
production - 81 per cent of the nation's foreign receipts are from cocoa, gold
and timber - as was the case through the last century.
Average
income, which was at 400 dollars at independence has fallen to 370 dollars.
Mr Kufuor
said the party's manifesto, among other things, would aim at enhancing the
capacity and ability of the agricultural sector to meet the food needs of the
18.4 million Ghanaians and for export.
Mr Yaw
Osafo-Marfo, MP for Akyem Oda, said an NPP government would encourage people to
be rich. "We will not stop them because it will lead to an improvement of
the per capita income of Ghanaians."
He said
industry, together with political institutions and politicians, must find
solutions to the problems facing the country which, he said, the National
Democratic Congress (NDC) has failed to do.
He said an
NPP government would put policies in place to ensure growth at eight per cent,
adding that the current growth rate of 3.5 per cent rate makes a mockery of the
middle income status Ghana is aspiring for.
Mr
Osafo-Marfo said the Ministry of Finance should concentrate on the fiscal side
of managing the economy while the Central Bank is left to work on the monetary
aspect.
He stressed
the need for a strong co-relation between finance, agriculture and industry in
order to move Ghana forward to become a strong nation capable of meeting her
requirements rather than borrowing her way through every transaction.
Mr
Osafo-Marfo said the NPP manifesto on agriculture would create a venture fund
of 25 billion cedis every year for four years. This would be done in
collaboration with banks, industry and private sector companies.
He welcomed
the fast-track approach adopted by Ghana and Nigeria to have a common currency
for Anglophone West Africa. "The NPP knows that the cedi on its own cannot
survive the pressures that are facing it."
He
expressed regret that the government continues to spend about 25 per cent on
servicing treasury bills, which have crowded out the private sector completely,
considering the high interest rate this has created.
"Treasury
bills currently attract an interest of 45.2 per cent while in Japan it is zero
per cent.
"We
cannot have zero per cent here, because we do not want to create unemployment,
but we need to bring it down considerably."
Major
Courage Quarshigah (RTD), National Organiser of the NPP, said the party is
passionate about the agricultural sector and would adopt stringent and prudent
policies to make it successful.
He said
there is no excuse for food shortage and high bills on food imports because the
various elements for an effective agricultural sector exist in abundance.
The
manifesto has already been translated into the major Ghanaian languages.
GRi.../
Tuobodom
(Brong Ahafo) 17 August 2000
The Flag
bearer of the United Ghana Movement (UGM), Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby said on
Tuesday that a UGM government would provide rural duty allowances and automatic
promotions every five years to doctors, nurses, teachers and police personnel
posted to the rural areas.
He said the
policy would serve as incentive for qualified public servants to serve in these
areas where they are needed most.
Dr Wereko-Brobby
made this promise at a rally at Tuobodom, in the Techiman District, as part of
a tour of the Brong Ahafo Region.
He said the
UGM would also give priority to farmers' problems including the payment of
guarantee prices for their produce.
He said the
existing packages meant for poverty alleviation could have been better used to
procure transport to assist farmers to cart their produce to the marketing
centres.
He
expressed regret that most schools and hospitals in the rural areas lack
adequate qualified staff, describing them as "more than white
elephants."
Dr
Wereko-Brobby said a government under his leadership would put a freeze on the
payment of fees at the Junior Secondary School (JSS) level, and award
scholarships to JSS students who would exhibit academic excellence in the Basic
Education Certificate Examination.
He said the
educational reform programme has been a failure, judging from the performance
of pupils, most of who cannot make it beyond the JSS level.
To counter
this he said a UGM government would provide free vocational education for JSS
dropouts to acquire skills for self- employment.
He said the
health sector would also undergo a transformation with the introduction of a
health insurance scheme as part of a national health policy.
Mr. Fifi
Otoo-Essilfie, public relations officer of the party asked members to avoid
acts that would divide their ranks and forge ahead in unity.
The
regional co-ordinator, Mr. Kessim Atta-Fuseini appealed to the youth to vote
massively for the UGM to save the nation from its present predicament.
The UGM
leader opened a new office for the constituency and inaugurated a nine-member
executive with Mr. James Sarkodie as chairman, Mr. Charles Owusu, secretary and
Mr. Afrifa, organiser.
GRi.../
Wa
(Upper West) 17 August 2000
A
gallon of petrol now sells at 10,000 cedis instead of 6,400 cedis in Wa,
following an acute shortage of the product in the Upper West Region.
None
of the fuel stations in the town has consignment, thus compelling drivers and
motorcyclists to buy the product at secret locations from unauthorised dealers.
Alhaji
Baba Imoru, Executive Member of the regional branch of the Ghana Private Road
Transport Union (GPRTU) told the Ghana News Agency at Wa, on Wednesday, that
the situation was triggered off by rumours of an impending increase in the
prices of petroleum products.
He
said the illegal dealers were obtaining their supplies from outside, since
drivers from neighbouring regions have not complained of any shortage in those
places.
Mr
Nuhu Mahama, Regional Industrial Relations Officer of GPRTU, said about 550
registered commercial vehicles operating in the region have been rendered
immobile, thereby, stifling economic activities.
Mr
Hamid Abdul-Kalim, Manager of Elf Fuel Station at Wa, said the shortage is
traceable to Buipe, where barges discharge fuel for distribution to the
Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions.
"The
only petrol we had, run out last Friday, while the little kerosene and diesel
in stock are also depleting fast and the situation could worsen if no tanker
arrives by the end of this week', he said.
Mr
Pascal Boroh, Manager of Goil Filling Station, said he placed orders two weeks
ago but has not received any supply.
The
Shell Filling Station at Wa has not sold any fuel for the past two months
because its in debt, Alhaji Abdul-Mumuni Mahama, the manager said.
GRi.../
Accra
(Greater Accra) 17 August 2000
Participants
at a day's seminar on telecommunications and internet-working on Wednesday
stressed the need to establish a nation-wide broadband communication network to
transport multi-media services to all parts of the country for socio-economic
development.
They said
the telecommunications and Information Technology (IT) Policy should provide
the framework and strategies for establishing the appropriate communication
infrastructure for the information society.
The seminar
was under the theme: "Telecommunications and Internetworking - The
Strategic Options Available for Data Communications."
It aimed at
providing an opportunity for the participants to know the developmental goals
of the various data, internet and IT service providers to make internet data
services available to as many users as possible at affordable rates.
It was
organised by The Ghana Institute of Information Technology and the National
Communications Authority.
Mr John
Mahama, Minister of Communications, said the information revolution is changing
the world at a fast speed with new technologies and market dynamics being
developed constantly.
He said
through information technology, the world is moving into an increasingly
connected age and Ghana, as well as Africa, cannot be left out in the pursuit
of the telecommunications revolution.
Mr Mahama
said organisations in Ghana are at varying levels of advancement in their use
of telecommunication technologies, and advanced services would become more
accessible to a broader range of organisations over the next few years.
"They
will usher in new imperatives and opportunities for all enterprises to expand
the reach and responsiveness of their systems."
The
minister said telecommunication businesses should be given appropriate forums
to openly explain their future plans and strategies to serve as platforms for
organisations to plan and design strategies for the future.
Mr J. K.
Gyimah, Acting Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA)
said the authority welcomes the establishment of the ECOWAS Intercom II Project
to provide inter-state broadband links and VRA's Optical Fibre Cable Network.
These, he
said, would enhance an effective telecommunications infrastructure.
Mr Gyimah
expressed the hope that the seminar would provide strategies for a level play
ground for all telecommunications service providers, particularly for
educational institutions, to support educational, economic and social
development.
GRi…/
Takoradi
(Western Region) 17 Aug. 2000
Mr Ebo
Quashie, The President of Ghana Bar Association (GBA), has suggested the establishment
of a task force within the Police or the Electoral Commission (EC) to deal
promptly with election violations and violence.
At a
one-day seminar on the theme: "Towards Peaceful, Free and Fair
Elections" for Journalists in the Western Region, in Takoradi on
Wednesday, Mr Quashie stressed the need for the setting up of an anti-violence
programme to educate party cadres to forestall fury.
Speaking on
"The Press and the Law," he advised the police to be neutral during
electioneering campaigns and urged party leaders to refrain from using
inflammatory slogans and language.
Mr Quashie
said the EC, Commission of Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ),
political parties and identifiable civil society groups should make conscious
effort to enforce the provisions of the law relating to Article 55 of the
Constitution on offering equal access to state media.
He proposed
that about 30 days before the elections the state owned media should endeavour
to provide daily spots of about three minutes to each political party to
discuss aspects of their manifesto.
Mr Seidu
Adamu, Western Regional Deputy Minister, said elections would be meaningless
without adequate political education or information.
The
electorate, he said, need to be educated so that they could make informed
choices if the country's evolving democratic process is to be enhanced and
sustained.
For the
will of the people to be established, there must be free and fair elections.
He said the
necessary ingredients for free and fair elections include free, flow of
information emanating from genuinely independent press, transparent credible
electoral process, rule of law and a predictable independent judiciary.
Mr Adamu
said peaceful, free and fair election is a shared responsibility of the EC,
political parties, the Judiciary, police, civil society and the press, adding
that the government recognises the socio-economic implications of the elections
and would do everything possible for it to succeed.
He urged
the EC to clean the voters' register of ghost names, double registration and
names of any unqualified person, who might have registered.
The seminar
was organised by the Ghana Centre of PEN, a non-governmental organisation and
sponsored by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).
GRi.../
Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 17 Aug 2000
Members of
the Kejetia Traders Association, a wing of the National Democratic Congress
(NDC), have disassociated themselves from a statement attributed to the Ashanti
NDC Youth Organiser that Nana Akwasi Agyeman, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief
Executive, should be retained when his tenure of office expires.
A statement
signed by Nana Samuel Boateng, Executive Chairman of the Association in Kumasi
on Wednesday, said they do not find Nana Agyeman fit to be at post because he
is not interested in the development of the metropolis.
The
statement said Nana Agyeman's attitude has scared away people who are committed
to the NDC.
GRi.../
Kenyasi
No.2 (Ashanti Region) 17 Aug 2000
Mr Paul
Okoh, New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Asutifi North in the
Brong-Ahafo region, has called on supporters of the party not to sell their
votes.
He also
advised them to refrain from insults and provocative utterances during the
campaign for the forthcoming general election but rather explain the good
policies of the party to win over more people.
Speaking at
the opening of a new party office at Kenyase Number Two, Mr Okoh said he would
work hard to take the seat from the NDC and appealed to all party members to
co-operate with him to ensure victory at the polls.
Nana Adu
Asabere, Asante-Akim North constituency chairman commissioned the office on
behalf of Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, the flag bearer of the party.
GRi.../
Accra
(Greater Accra) 17 August 2000
The Police
Administration on Wednesday warned the public about the emergence of certain
fraud syndicates in the country saying the rate at which unsuspecting people
are falling victim is alarming.
It said in
a statement signed by Mr. W.K. Aboah, Commissioner of Police, CID that these
well- syndicated groups are usually made up of nationals from neighbouring West
African countries.
These are
almost always in league with Ghanaian criminals as well as European nationals
masquerading as investors or businessmen.
"The
Police Service wishes to appeal to genuine businessmen, both Ghanaian and
foreign, to be wary of the machinations of these criminals and avoid their
tricks."
The most
common of their activities is the advance fee fraud, popularly called
"419", which has been imported from a neighbouring country.
The
statement noted that many foreigners have fallen victim to their tricks and
lost thousands of dollars.
The frauds
write letters claiming that one of their parents or a close relative had been
minister or a prominent officer in the Sani Abacha government of Nigeria or
Mobutu Sese Sekou Government of former Zaire.
In some
instances, they also claim that these imaginary prominent officers had either
been involved in the war in Sierra Leone or Liberia and had bequeathed several
millions of dollars to them which they had been able to convey and deposited in
a security company in Ghana.
They then
ask for assistance to transfer the money into the victim's account for
attractive reward. A letter is then faxed or posted to the victim whose contact
address is mostly picked on the internet or through fraudulent means.
"Ignorant
and unsuspecting persons who show interest in the business and respond
positively fall victim. They are persuaded to transfer money in small bits for
some kind of procedural arrangements to facilitate the transfer of the
money."
They,
however, end up transferring thousands of dollars to these fraudulent accounts
through the banks on the directives of the criminals to make it look as if the
business were genuine.
The police
said other victims have been made to travel to Ghana to collect boxes of
dollars only to end up being defrauded by either being tricked into buying
brass (trash) for gold or paying large sums of money to buy some kind of
chemicals to clean blackened dollar notes.
"Whilst
the advance fee fraud "419" is directed at foreigners living abroad,
the other fraudulent groups target rich people, mostly businessmen and women.
GRi.../
Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 17 Aug 2000
Three New
Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament (MPs) have won their respective constituency
primaries to stand again as candidates in the December 8 general elections.
They are,
Mr Adu Gyamfi Poku for Bosomtwe who polled 91 votes as against 60 votes by his
challenger, Mr Richard Adu Ansere, a Tourist Consultant, while at Asante-Mampong,
Mr Solomon Kwabena Sarfo won by a hair's breadth.
He beat Mr
D.D. Djaben by 50 votes to 49 and at Juaso in the Asante-Akim South
constituency, Mr Alex Kwaku Korankye won massively beating his challenger,
Mr Effah
Darkwa by 102 votes to 13.
A release from
the Ashanti Regional secretariat of the NPP signed by Mr Sam
K. Cudjoe,
the regional secretary, said Mr Kwame Adjei, Regional First Vice-Chairman
commended the delegates for the peaceful manner the elections were conducted.
GRi.../
Akim Oda
(Eastern Region) 17 August 2000
The Vice
President Professor John Evans Atta Mills on Wednesday commissioned a 222
million-cedi library complex at Akim Oda as part of his four-day tour of the
Eastern Region.
The Brim
South District Assembly financed the project, "D.C. Kwame Kwakye
Library" named after a one-time District Commissioner in the First
Republic.
Speaking at
a mini-durbar preceding the commissioning ceremony, Professor Mills reiterated
the National Democratic Congress' (NDC) policy to ensure a fair distribution of
the national cake to all communities.
He,
however, stressed the need for a peaceful atmosphere to promote the desired
development.
At
mini-durbar at Akim Swedru, Vice President Mills asked Ghanaians to return NDC
to power since it will not waste time in fighting for leadership position at
the expense of seeking the nation's development.
While
admitting that the country was facing economic hardships, he said the NDC has
the track record of surmounting such difficulties.
"Those
who say we do not know how to govern have not got our experience as such
Ghanaians should renew their mandate for us to continue instead of asking us to
give way for others to come and try", he said.
GRi.../
Accra
(Greater Accra) 17 August 2000
The Swedish
government has pledged to provide seven million crowns (about 1.3 million Swiss
francs) for the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) technical assistance to
benefit least-developed countries.
A
memorandum of understanding for the money, has been signed in Sweden by Mr.
Leif Pagrotsky, Swedish Minister for Trade and Mr. Mike Moore, Director-General
of WTO.
A WTO
statement issued in Accra on Wednesday said the aim of the development
assistance allocation by the Swedish Government is to increase the
participation of developing countries and to create greater opportunities for
them to influence the work of the organisation.
It quoted
Mr. Pagrotsky as saying: "In the Swedish view, we are convinced that, the
very poorest of the countries within the WTO system are in need of extra
support. (This is) partly in order to protect their own interests in ongoing
negotiations and trade disputes and partly in order to be able to carry out the
necessary adjustments prescribed by WTO agreements."
Mr. Moore
expressed gratitude to Sweden for its contribution, but also expressed concern
about the current budget of 741,000 Swiss francs for technical assistance.
This, he
said, is insufficient to meet all the requests from least developed and
developing countries and economies in transition.
The
Director-General appealed to all WTO member governments to raise the regular
budget for technical assistance.
Sweden, one
of the initiators of the WTO Trust Fund set up in 1999, is among a group of
countries, which has proposed to increase the regular budget for technical
assistance by 10 million Swiss francs.
GRi.../