GRi Newsreel Ghana
18 - 08 - 2000
Stay clear of Peace FM - Solicitors
Don't impose candidate on us - NDC members
Ghana
initiates process to develop strategic energy plan
Inusah
accuses NPP of peddling lies
Armed
forces debunk Hamidu's criticisms
Gamey: Government will not bow to
illegitimate demands
Public
asked to register firearms
Ensuring
free and fair elections is collective responsibility
Panther
Unit arrests two hardened criminals
Manhyia warns against unauthorised production and sale of portraits
AMA to name streets and properties
Government
asked to fix uniform price for fuel
Five
ambassadors present credentials
Stay clear of Peace FM - Solicitors
Accra
(Greater Accra) 18 August 2000
The
National Media Commission (NMC) has been asked to " stay their hands"
until the fate of application or appeal before the High Court on the change of
the name of Peace FM, a private radio station in Accra has been decided.
This
was contained in a release issued on Thursday by Kweku Baah and Co, Solicitors
for "Despite Company Limited", owners of Peace FM 104.3 in reaction
to a letter by the NMC demanding that the name of the station be changed within
a week.
The
release said the matters mentioned in the letter that the NMC seeks to enforce
are the subject for a " stay of execution" pending before the courts.
It
said if the NMC had conducted a search at the Registry, it would have found out
that the process for the appeal had been filed by May 15th 2000 and would have
realised the step it took on the matter was likely to be in contempt of court.
The
release also said the National Communications Authority and all relevant
authorities that the NMC would want to cause to enforce the directive should
also stay their hands until the matter has been dealt with by the courts.
The
release said the co-operation of the NMC is crucial in order to avoid embarrassment
to anyone.
GRi/
Don't impose candidate on us - NDC members
Accra
(Greater Accra) 18 August 2000
Twenty-six
members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Yilo Krobo
constituency have called on the executive of the party not to impose a
parliamentary candidate on them.
This
was contained in a petition addressed to the Vice President and the President
of the 31st December Women's Movement in reaction to the nomination of Mr.
Daniel Terkpertey, the incumbent MP as the NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the
constituency.
Signatories
of the petition were also from the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), EGLE and the
31st December Women's Movement.
They
said that notwithstanding the decisions of the National Executive Committee of
the party, they would not accept the "imposition" of the incumbent on
the electorate.
They
said the Regional and National Headquarters of the Party have on several
occasions been informed about the embezzlement of party funds and other corrupt
activities of the incumbent.
The
petition said in accordance with laid down regulations of the party,
delegations were sent to press home the "ill doings of the MP" and
that investigations proved the allegations.
The
signatories further stated that the MP turned his back on the electorate and
refused to visit the constituents.
The
few visits he made, they said, were to undermine the District Chief Executive
(DCE) and to make policy statements on the Assembly without consulting the DCE.
The
petition said the incumbent made promises that have not been fulfilled, thereby
giving staunch party members a "recipe to defect to the opposition in
great numbers".
According
to them, since the election of Daniel Terkpertey as their MP, he has only
succeeded in dividing the party front through the formation of cliques.
They
said the latest outburst came from the Deputy Regional Minister, when he
accused the DCE for not doing enough to counter opposition activities in the
constituency.
The
signatories said some concerned party members instituted a court action against
the MP at the Koforidua High Court for embezzlement but that it was withdrawn
and resolved by the Regional Minister, some Ministers of State and top Party
officials.
They
accused the MP of defrauding the Party of various sums of money and logistics
meant to motivate Branch Chairmen and for organisational work in 1996.
"It
is on record that the Honourable MP defrauded the District of about seven
million Cedis through a shoddy work he did in connivance with a quack
contractor. They went for a Ghana Highway Authority grader to work on the
Adjikpo road for which they only provided diesel and hydraulic oil".
"At
the end he submitted a laboratory technician's receipt to claim the contract
sum, which the DCE refused to honour. The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister in
the clear view of some of these petitioners at a meeting ordered the DCE to
honour the payment," they stated.
The
group stated that as a result of these facts, most of the electorate has lost
confidence in the MP and that his nomination as parliamentary candidate for the
December elections would spell doom for the Party in the constituency.
They
said after the publication of the incumbent's nomination in the
"Graphic", the New Patriotic Party and its parliamentary candidate
have said they would beat the NDC in the constituency because the incumbent
would not be able to size-up to their popularity.
The
signatories also said that the Sherry Aryitey Committee, which visited Somanya
on a fact-finding mission on July 6 2000 heard speakers, who pointed out the
inefficiency of the incumbent, saying they felt "fooled to hear of his
nomination four days after the visit".
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Ghana initiates process to develop strategic energy plan
Accra
(Greater Accra) 18 August 2000
Ghana, with
the support of Denmark on Thursday launched a two-year process to develop a
long-term Strategic National Energy Plan (SNEP) to establish a reliable and
cost-saving energy system to propel economic growth.
With
financial assistance and technical support from the Danish government, local
and international expertise would be harnessed to draw up a comprehensive
framework and an action plan that would ensure the efficient utilisation of the
various national energy resources for the next 20 years.
Dr. John
Abu, Minister of Mines and Energy, outlined the government's policy objectives
of power production, stressing that for Ghana to achieve a middle income status
by 2020, its needs to diversify its source from hydro power to other resources
such as thermal, wind, solar and bio mass.
This was
contained in a speech read for him by the Director of Renewable Energy
Resources, Mr. Isaac Mintah, at the launch of the process, attended by stakeholders
in the energy sector.
The
Minister said that: Ghana's energy plan is, "To meet all new energy
demands with efficiency and to effectively increase the share of renewable
resources in the country's energy mix."
It is also
"to remove bottlenecks in the existing infrastructure so as to provide the
services needed to support productivity, poverty reduction programmes and to
sustain the socio-economic development of the country".
However, by
the end of 2005, Dr. Abu said Ghana hopes to increase its electricity
generation capacity from 1512 megawatts to 2020 megawatts, while national
access to electricity would be raised from 45 per cent to 60 per cent.
Total
distribution losses of electricity is expected to reduce from 26 per cent to 17
per cent, while total outage hours drop from 120 hours to 50 hours per annum.
The
Minister said end-use losses of electricity is also expected to decline from 30
per cent to 20 per cent with an increased productive use of electricity.
Dr. Abu
recounted efforts being made to explore gas and oil production, solar, wind and
thermal energy production and
appealed to
the private sector to invest in these areas.
"We
call on private entrepreneurs, especially in the timber industry, to consider
seriously, the adoption of new technologies for transforming the huge biomass
and co-generation potential available in the timber industry into useful
energy".
He said a
policy that would encourage firewood users to switch from the traditional
three-stone stove to a more efficient and less hazardous one would soon be
announced.
Ms.
Christine Wennerberg, a Danish Energy Consultant, whose company, RAMBOLL, is to
assist in the formulation of SNEP, said the objective is to make a policy
framework and action plan that is clear and understandable to people from all
backgrounds.
She said
they should also be robust and adaptable to changes such as discovery of new
resources and should be acceptable to politicians of different orientations,
policy makers and decision-makers, business people, rural and urban folks so
that they stand the test of time.
Ms.
Wennerberg said the formulation process would, therefore, involve the various
stakeholders at different levels.
In a
welcoming address, Ms. Lis Jespersen, Counsellor at the Danish Embassy, said
her government would from next year increase its grant to Ghana from 35 million
dollars annually to 45 million dollars for the next three-years.
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Inusah accuses NPP of peddling lies
Kade
(Eastern Region) 18 August 2000
The Former
National Campaign Manager of the New Patriotic Party, Alhaji Isaaku Inusah, who
defected to the NDC last month, said on Wednesday that the New Patriotic Party
(NPP) has all along been peddling lies and half-truths just to win power.
The NPP has
only been throwing dust into the eyes of unsuspecting Ghanaians while
pretending to mean good, Alhaji Inusah said and asked that the party should
never be taken seriously.
There is
not a single truth in whatever the NPP says or does, the new convert told a
packed durbar of chiefs and people at Asuom in the Kwaebirim district.
The durbar
was organised to welcome Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills, who had arrived
in the district to commission some projects as part of his tour of the Eastern
Region.
With him
were Ms. Patience Addow, Eastern Regional Minister and her deputy, Samuel
Ofosu-Ampofo, former Mines and Energy Minister, Mr. Fred Ohene Kena, D.S.
Boateng, Presidential Aide, Mr. Adjei Marfo, former Secretary of Cocoa Affairs
and leading members of the party.
Alhaji
Inusah said he joined he NDC after a careful thought and the realisation that
the party truly stands for democracy, peace and development.
Policies
are not and should not be about lies, but it should aim at development based on
the truth, Alhaji Inusah stressed.
Alhaji
Inusah, whose speech was greeted with intermittent applause from the gathering,
urged those who have not yet joined the NDC to do so now because it is the only
party representing an embodiment of truth, peace and stability.
There is no
discrimination in the NDC, everybody exercises his or her rights equally, he
said, and alleged that his former party lacked true democracy.
"I
have now seen the light and it is my wish to show my brothers and sisters where
it's coming from," Alhaji Inusah declared to a prolonged applause from the
people.
Prof. Mills
reaffirmed that the NDC would always open its arms to those, who have seen the
light and reminded party activists not to regard such people as enemies but as
one people with a common destiny.
He repeated
his earlier call for peace before and during the elections in December, adding
that the successful conduct or otherwise of the polls would determine the
country's next direction.
Vice
President Mills, who is the NDC flagbearer for the December polls, urged the
electorate to vote massively for him and the party's parliamentary candidate
for the area, 44-year old Ms. Faustine Koranteng-Addo, Public Relations Manager
of the Ghana Supply Commission.
The Vice
President's entourage interacted with the chiefs and people at Asuom, Akim
Ofoase and New Abirem.
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Armed forces debunk Hamidu's criticisms
Accra
(Greater Accra) 18 August 2000
The Ghana
Armed Forces said on Thursday that the former Chief of Defence Staff, General
Joshua Hamidu's criticisms of the 64 Infantry Regiment were contrary to the
situation on the ground.
A statement
signed by Lt. Col. J.H. Blood-Dzraku, Director of the Public Relations, said
the regiment began as a security organisation under the Ministry of the
Interior in the PNDC era but has since 1992 been integrated into the Ghana
Armed Forces. This brings it under the command and control structure of the
regular army.
"Troops
in the unit participate in all local and external operations and courses as
required of all personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces and subsequently come under
the code of service discipline as all soldiers in the Ghana Armed Forces."
Gen. Hamidu
at a press conference on Wednesday, among other things, called for the
integration of the regiment into the regular army.
The Armed
Forces said records at the Defence Financial Controller confirm that no unit is
given preferential treatment, either in pay or allowances.
"Accommodation
in the Ghana Armed Forces is military type and is fairly distributed by a board
on first-come-first-served basis."
The
statement said being the last unit to be formed, the unit does not have its own
barracks. Some of the personnel are
therefore
temporarily accommodated in rented quarters.
It said
Gen. Hamidu's criticisms of the regiment raise serious security concern and
"could be a faade for a hidden agenda, particularly when it can be
recalled that the General's name was associated with a number of attempted
coups when he was in exile during the PNDC regime."
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Gamey: Government will not bow to illegitimate demands
Accra
(Greater Accra) 18 August 2000
The Deputy
Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr. Austin Gamey, said on Thursday
that the government would not be forced to meet demands of groups or
individuals because it is an election year.
He said
while the government would not hesitate to listen to people with genuine
concerns, those who adopt illegitimate means would not be tolerated.
Mr. Gamey
who was briefing student leaders of Accra Polytechnic on the Memorandum of
Understanding recently signed by the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana
and the Ministry of Education, urged groups with genuine concerns to channel
them for redress.
The
lecturers embarked on a strike three weeks ago to press home demands for
conditions of service like their counterparts in the universities.
Mr. Gamey
described the strike action as a blackmail and illegal.
He said
there is no reason why the association should renege on the agreement they had
signed adding that he is disappointed at the attitude of the lecturers.
Mr. Gamey
said it was wrong for the association's leaders to send the agreement for
approval and review by the members, adding that whatever the dictates of their
constitution, it should not be above the national constitution.
He said
although the lecturers' conditions of service agreement expires in April 2001,
government, considering the welfare of students and the difficulties of the
lecturers, willingly allowed them to begin negotiations.
Recently,
the lecturers were granted a 20 per cent increment and research allowance. They
were also to submit a detailed proposal to the National Council on Tertiary
Education to start negotiations.
Mr. Gamey
said while the council is waiting for the proposal the lecturers went on
strike.
He called
on the striking lecturers to submit their proposals and return to work while
their demands are considered.
The
students' leaders asked the government to expedite action on improving the
conditions of service of the lecturers.
Mr.
Archibald Danquah, President of the Students Representative Council appealed to
the lecturers to consider the students' plight and help salvage the academic
calendar.
Students of
Accra Polytechnic on Wednesday demanded the closure of the school because of an
indefinite strike action by the lecturers.
They
blocked the street in front of the school and prevented vehicles from entering
the main business area through that road.
The school
has since been closed down and all students asked to go home as at six o'clock
on Wednesday.
When the
GNA visited the campus early this morning groups of students were seen
discussing the closure.
GRi/
Public asked to register firearms
Accra
(Greater Accra) 18 August 2000
All persons
in possession of firearms, whether imported or locally manufactured, are to
re-register them with immediate effect.
A statement
signed by Mr. Kofi Totobi Quakyi, Minister in charge of National Security, in
Accra on Thursday said measures have also been put in place to ensure that all
weapons in the hands of unauthorised persons are identified and retrieved.
The
statement was issued on a report submitted by the Arms and Ammunition Inventory
Committee set up in August last year to carry out a thorough inspection of all
private armouries and magazines in the country.
The
committee, under the chairmanship of Lt. Col. E. Brakutu of the Ghana Army
Headquarters, was also to take inventory of stock held in armouries and
advises, on measures to ensure compliance with procedures and regulations
governing importation and sale of arms for private use.
It was also
charged to look into the levels of arms/ammunition in the system and whether
these quantities are reasonable in terms of real private requirements.
The
committee was set up by the National Security Council as part of measures to
curb the illegal acquisition and possession of weapons, some of which were used
for criminal activities, including armed robbery.
The
statement said the Inspector-General of Police is to institute immediate
measures to ensure compliance with existing legislation relating to the sale
and acquisition of firearms.
The Police
should ensure that all arms dealers strictly keep record of the serial numbers
of guns in the various armouries and also the full particulars of persons to
whom specific guns are sold.
"All
such records are to be made available to the office of the National Security
Co-ordinator and the Ministry of the Interior every month."
It warned
that arms dealers who contravene the regulations would have themselves to
blame.
The
statement said the Police and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service are to
conduct periodic inspections of all armouries and magazines as stipulated by
law. An independent team will also conduct surprise inspections to ensure full
compliance with the regulations.
The
statement said the ban on the sale of shotguns and cartridges currently in
stock is to be lifted from September 1 and sales are to be conducted under
strict supervision.
The freeze
on the importation of shotguns and cartridges is, however, to remain in force
until further notice.
The
statement said the Ministry of the Interior is to take immediate action to ban
those arms dealers who are found to be actively involved in the illegal trade
from conducting further arms business in the country.
"The
ministry is also to propose as a matter of urgency appropriate legislation to
control the local manufacture of firearms."
Its aid in
the meantime, the Regional Security Committees are to monitor closely the
activities of local manufacturers of firearms.
The
ministry is also to initiate action for upward revision of the licence fees for
shotguns.
The
statement said importers of explosives are to note that they are also subject
to the same controls as cartridges and guns and their storage methods at the
magazines would be periodically inspected.
"The
Ghana Arms and Ammunition Dealers Association is to review its constitution and
also conduct elections to its executive positions in order to make it more
representative."
GRi/
Ensuring free and fair elections is collective responsibility
Takoradi
(Central Region) 18 August 2000
It is the
collective responsibility of all Ghanaians to ensure that this year's elections
are free and fair, Mr. Samuel Yorke Aidoo, Western Regional Director of
Electoral Commission (EC), said on Wednesday.
Speaking at
a day's seminar on "Peaceful, free and fair elections" organised by
the Ghana Centre of Pen for Journalists in the Western Region, in Takoradi.
He said the
"EC may not be able to play its role effectively if presiding officers,
polling assistants, candidates, agents, security officers, local election
observers and voters decide to either overlook irregularities or abuse their
positions for whatever reason".
Mr. Aidoo
stressed that no matter how good the electoral system is, if people, who
report, monitor or observe it lack the needed appreciation for its essence or
do not understand its operation, could create credibility problem.
He said,
"It is important for all those who report, monitor or observe elections to
really understand how the system operates"
Mr. Richard
Quayson, Regional Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative
Justice (CHRAJ), spoke on "The citizen, The Constitution and Human
Rights".
He said the
maturity and loyalty Ghanaians show to the nation and democracy as opposed to
blind sectional or party loyalty would determine whether there would be free
and fair elections acceptable to all.
He said the
Constitution underscores the importance of democracy and its cardinal
institution of free and fair elections as the only means of conferring
legitimate power on Government.
Mr. Quayson
said it also underscores the right of citizens to freely choose those who
should govern them and that this means that no one should be imposed on the
people apart from the one freely chosen by the people.
He said
some people are only interested in winning or maintaining power and they just
do not care how they do it or the damage they cause in realising their
inordinate ambition and love for power.
Worst
still, Mr. Quayson noted that institutions under the Constitution to guarantee
free and fair elections have either been emasculated or politicised into
ineffectiveness.
Mr. Quayson
said the Ghanaian writer or press has played an enviable role in promoting
democracy and public awareness but there is a lot of room for improvement.
He said it
would be better if the press continue publishing articles and reports after the
elections to enlighten the Ghanaians on what goes on in the political arena.
This he
said would help them to critically examine competing ideas, programmes, and
performance of government and make informed decisions on who can best represent
them.
Mr. Quayson
urged the writer to devote time and space to inform and educate the public on
the diverse programmes and ideas of all political parties to assist the citizen
to vote wisely.
Mr. Samuel
Bonyah, Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education
(NCCE), said the Principal obstacle to peaceful, free and fair elections is
lack of proper education.
Speaking
on, "The role of NCCE", he said lack of proper civic and political
education and non-availability of appropriate information and ethnic, gender
and religious consideration tend to divide Ghanaians.
GRi/
Panther Unit arrests two hardened criminals
Accra
(Greater Accra) 18 August 2000
The
Panthers Unit of the Ghana Police Service have arrested two men they describe
as hardened criminals for stealing 10 million cedis from the car boot of one Alhaji Attiku Musa.
According
to a source at the unit, the suspects, George Kley, alias Boame, from Ho and
Sammy Kortey from Accra operate around banks in Accra and Tema. They have more
than eight stealing cases reported against them.
The source
said last Monday, Alhaji Attiku after cashing money from Opeibia House branch
of the Standard Chartered Bank drove to pick his children from school at
Tesano.
He realised
on his return that the boot of his car had been forcibly opened and the cash
stolen.
The source
said an eyewitness who saw the two men tampering with the boot of the car
described them and gave out the number of the car they were driving.
Alhaji
Attiku reported the theft to an Accra FM station and the Panthers Unit. The
police source said the two men were traced to Kokompe, near Darkuman with their
BMW car, which has registration number GT 2754 Q.
According
to the source nine million cedis was retrieved from them. "They are always
nicely dressed, often in suit, drive in expensive cars and look well
respected."
The police
said Kley was sentenced to five years imprisonment last year but appealed
against the sentence and was subsequently granted bail.
The police
appealed to members of the public who have gone through a similar experience to
come to the Police headquarters to identify the criminals.
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Manhyia warns against unauthorised production and sale
of portraits
Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 18 August 2000
The
Manhyia Palace on Thursday warned individuals who have produced portraits and
pictures of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and are selling them to the
public to stop forthwith.
A
press release signed by Mr. Kofi Owusu Boateng, Personal Secretary to the
Asantehene, in Kumasi said it is unacceptable for people to use the
Asantehene's portrait or picture for commercial purposes.
It
named some of the portraits and pictures on sale as one with the inscription
"Otumfuo ye da wo ase", pictures of Otumfuo and the chairman of
Asante Kotoko FC with the club's crest and inscription "Fabulous the best:
Wo kum apem a, apem beba" and ordinary pictures of Otumfuo.
The
release said whilst Manhyia appreciates the support the citizenry have
demonstrated for the Asantehene, it would not allow his portrait and picture to
be used by people seeking to enrich themselves.
Consequently,
it said, all those engaged in unauthorised production and sale of portraits and
pictures of Otumfuo Osei Tutu should stop immediately and take steps to
withdraw all the pictures and portraits from the market.
The
release advised all to take cognisance of the directive and be guided
accordingly since it said the Manhyia Palace would not take kindly to any
person or group of persons who would contravene the directive.
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AMA to name streets and properties
Accra
(Greater Accra) 18 August 2000
Mr.
Samuel Addokwei Addo, Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, said on Thursday that
the assembly has drafted a byelaw on street naming and property numbering for
approval.
The
law, which is expected to be mandatory by 2001, will provide for the naming of
all streets and providing numbering plates for all properties.
Mr.
Addokwei Addo, who announced this during the election of the presiding member
of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), explained that numbering plates would
be issued and affixed solely by the AMA and the cost borne by the property
owner.
He
said it would be an offence for any property owner to affix his or her own
numbering plates, without the written consent and authority of AMA.
Mr.
Emmanuel C. Kotey, Presiding Member, retained his position with an overwhelming
majority of 78 out of the 81 votes cast. He will serve another two-year term.
Initially,
members of the Assembly decided not to go through the normal election process
because he was unopposed but Mr. Isaac Adjovu, Metropolitan Co-ordinating
Director who chaired the function, insisted that the election be conducted to
ensure that the right thing was done.
Mr.
Kotey thanked them for the confidence reposed in him and asked for their
co-operation to move the assembly forward.
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Government asked to fix uniform price for fuel
Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 18 August 2000
Mr. Yaw
Gyima Abebreseh, member of the Ashanti region branch of Shell Dealers
Association, has suggested to the government to fix a uniform price for petrol,
diesel and kerosene as a way of stopping the adulteration of fuel.
He said
fixing a uniform price would make it unprofitable for petroleum products
dealers to engage in that illegal act.
Mr.
Abebreseh, who called at the office of the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, to make
the suggestion, said adulteration of fuel has at times been the cause of
domestic fire outbreaks.
Mr.
Abebreseh urged the government to act promptly to preserve the quality of
petroleum products and check the constant breakdown of vehicles.
He said
this would assist in the transport sector and improve commercial activity and
the economy in general.
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Five ambassadors present credentials
Accra
(Greater Accra) 18 August 2000
Ambassadors
from Czech Republic, Mali, the United Arab Emirates and Poland on Thursday
presented their letters of credence to President Jerry John Rawlings at the
State House and pledged to expand co-operation with Ghana.
They are
Mr. Jindrich Junek of the Czech Republic, Mr. Mohamed Mahmoud Ben Labat of
Mali, Mr. Paulo Americo Wolowski of Brazil, Mr. Mohamed Ahmed El Mahmoud of the
United Arab Emirates and Mr. Jan Padlewski of Poland.
The
ambassadors, accompanied by some of their embassy staff, said they would strive
to strengthen the already cordial relations between Ghana and their respective
countries and step up economic activities.
Mr. Victor
Gbeho, Minister of Foreign Affairs and other officials of the ministry were
among those present.
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