NRP thanks Ghanaians for successful congress
Citronella factory in flames at Breman Asikuma
Rights group adopts victim of human rights
abuse
AMA demolishes wall at Akweteman.
Child labour impedes children's development - Labour Officer
Nandom Naa urges police, chiefs co-operation to
fight crime
Atiwa NPP picks Brempong-Yeboah as new parliamentary candidate
Tema (Greater Accra) 22 August 2000
The Police have cautioned the business community against a fake bank called ECOWAS International Finance Corporation (EFIC), which claims it has 900 million US dollars from the World Bank to pay foreign contractors.
A police source told the GNA that the EIFC has of late been circulating fax messages that it has received various petitions from foreign contractors complaining about delays in the payment of monies for work done and breach of contract due to corruption in official circles.
The fax, which is purported to have originated in Intrafish, Holland, said the EIFC's Regional Office is located at the Manet Estates, Tema Community 18 off the Spintex Road.
The letters, signed by one Dr. Matthew Jacobs as the Executive Chairman of the EIFC, said based on these petitions, the World Bank promised a debt relief programme for under-developed countries if they settled their long overdue payments for foreign contractors.
According to the letter, at an Extra-ordinary session of Heads of State of ECOWAS held at its headquarters in Lome, Togo, on July 3, 2000, it was resolved that all foreign contractors should henceforth be paid through the EIFC.
The Police said the EIFC, which has targeted certain companies, has already sent them the fax message that they were on the list of first 10 successful companies whose names have been forwarded to it for assistance.
It claims the names of the companies were forwarded through the ECOWAS by the Executive Council of the Republic of Nigeria.
The fax said the list comes up with a batch back-up payment of 900 million US dollars for immediate disbursement to these 10 contractors.
It, therefore, requested them to submit their addresses, contract code, telephone numbers and their bank details for onward processing on receipt of the fax.
The police said all these letters coined in beautiful financial language are false and also suspect that the name Dr. Matthew Jacobs is fake. They, therefore, cautioned the public against doing any business with the EIFC.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 22 August 2000
The National Council of the National Reform Party (NRP) on Monday expressed its appreciation to all those who contributed to the success of its recent congress in Accra.
A statement signed in Accra by Mr Kyeretwie Opoku, General Secretary, said the party was especially grateful to the media, the Electoral Commission, party contractors and volunteers and colleagues in other parties for "gracing the event and offering such impressive support."
"We thank the authorities of the University of Ghana ... the entire Legon community ...delegates and observers for their hospitality and interest in our programmes.
"We thank all delegates and observers for the vigorous participation in the debates that have clarified the party's medium-term political and organisational programme, policy platform and campaign strategy for the 2000 elections."
The NRP renewed its pledge to work tirelessly to create a platform in which the enthusiasm shown towards the congress would be translated into systematic participation in fashioning a common and constructive future.
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Breman Asikuma (Central Region) 22 August 2000
The timely arrival of personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) saved QUNAK Enterprise Limited, a citronella oil extraction factory at Breman Asikuma, from being totally destroyed by fire.
It took fire personnel about two hours to put off the fire, which burnt down the wooden pillars that support the structure housing the oven and the cooking pot of the factory.
Briefing the Ghana News Agency at the site, the machine operator, Mr Kwabena Pobi said the fire might have been caused by a spark from the oven that ignited waste citronella grass heaped around the structure.
He said he fired the oven operated by firewood and left to fetch more firewood only to return to meet the GNFS battling the fire, which had almost engulfed the entire structure.
Mr Appiah Sam, a farmer who called in the fire personnel, said that about 11.30 a.m., he sent his produce to the site and found out that the factory was in flames, and therefore called in the GNFS.
The fire personnel advised the manager of the factory to desist from piling up waste products around the structure to avoid future disasters. This is the third time in two years that the factory has caught fire.
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Breman Asikuma (Central Region) 22 August 2000
The African Human Rights Heritage (AHRH) has decided to adopt a 68-year-old woman of Breman Asikuma, who was rendered incapacitated through maltreatment by a sub-chief of the town.
Madam Akua Akyere was alleged to have been unlawfully brutalised by Nana Miako Mante V, a 45-year-old sub-chief of Breman Asikuma in the Asikuma-Odoben Brakwa District of the Central Region, for undisclosed reasons.
Mr Baffour Anning, Chairman of the AHRH, made this known at a rally on "Victimisation Campaign" organised by the group in the town at the weekend.
He criticised the prevailing situation where people in official positions and those who can afford to bribe their way out of trouble think that they are above the law, and warned that the AHRH was going to check such lawlessness.
Mr Anning said the AHRH is not linked to any government or political party, adding that it is non-partisan, independent and stands up for community-based principles.
He, therefore, called for the formation of Human Rights Committees at workplaces and local community levels throughout the country to defend their rights.
Mr Anning said the AHRH was ready to give the people the necessary support through self-help, education on anti-victimisation mechanisms so that the people would be able to prevent and protect the under-privileged poor in society.
During the rally some members of the group bore placards some of which Read: "Support community policing and arbitration", "law reform action", "from words to deed", "non-violence, social change", and "no law no government".
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AMA demolishes wall at Akweteman.
Accra (Greater Accra) 22 August 2000
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly Demolition Task Force on Monday started demolishing walls erected on the road that links Abeka Motorway to Azuma Junction at Ngoobu-Achimota.
The exercise is to open the road for free flow of vehicular traffic and to ease congestion on the main Achimota-Nsawam road.
The Task force using crow bars, hammer, pay loader, bulldozer and tipper trucks pulled down the fence wall of a private house and that of the Ebenezer Church of the Living God Headquarters.
Also demolished were five wooden classrooms, two KVIP toilets and two bathhouses of the Living God Nursery and preparatory school that belongs to the Ebenezer Church of the living God.
The walls were pulled down despite the bold display on it of a building permit number 345/97 supposedly issued by the AMA.
Before the pull down vehicular traffic was one way and volunteers had to stand at each end of the road to direct traffic.
Residents expressed joy when they saw the bulldozers with words like:
"How can one woman hold the whole community to ransom" "today be today, we have now seen who is who" "AMA well done and continue with this good job"
Mr. Elliot Adom AMA Public Relations Officer, briefing newsmen said this is the first phase of an attempt to open up the community.
He said road network rehabilitation in the area being carried out from the main Nsawam road through Akweteman to decongest vehicular traffic had to be suspended because of the wall.
Mr. Adom said all attempts to get the owners to remove the walls had proved futile but now that they have been pulled down, AMA would resume work on the road.
He advised people who have encroached on access roads to remove their structures before they are demolished.
Mr. Adom said the AMA is slow in carrying out demolition exercise because of constraints of logistics like bulldozer, pay loaders, tipper trucks and manpower, adding "We will one day come and demolish whatever you have encroached upon so do the right thing at the right time"
The whole exercise will cost the AMA about 10 million cedis and it is expected that owners of the structures will be surcharged
Mr. Thomas Agyare, Assistant Chief Building Inspector who supervised the exercise said building permit number displayed on the wall of the church was only given for the church building and not the school and the wall.
He warned that people who have encroached upon lands earmarked for social amenities like schools, clinics and markets would have their structures demolished and surcharged for the cost.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 22 August 2000
Mr Nat Richard Kusi, Berekum District Labour Officer, has identified child labour as one of the major impediments to the orderly development of many children in the Brong Ahafo Region.
He attributed this to growing irresponsible parenthood and called on churches and other relevant institutions to intensify their public education to reverse the trend.
Mr Kusi was speaking at a seminar organised by the regional branch of the Ghana Committee on Human and People's Rights for members of the Wesley Methodist Church at Sunyani on Sunday.
It was under the theme "The Rights of the Child".
Speaking on "The effects of child labour on the child's future development", Mr Kusi called for the rigid enforcement of laws that compel parents to be more responsible.
He also called for sustained efforts to remove children from the streets and check them from engaging in menial jobs, which adversely affect their physical, mental and spiritual development.
Mr Ohene Essel, Regional Legal Officer of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), who spoke on "The rights of the child under the 1992 constitution of Ghana", said good education, health, and security for the child are not privileges but rights.
Mr Simon Gaga, also of the CHRAJ Office, said "forcing the girl-child into marriage is criminal and punishable by law".
Children are the most precious assets of the country and as such they must be given the necessary opportunity and encouragement to develop their God given talents, he added.
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Bolgatanga (Upper East Region) 22 August 2000
The Upper East Regional Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the "Young Elephant", at the weekend held its delegates' congress to elect new executive members to steer its affairs for the next two years.
Mr Roland Minyila was elected Chairman with Mr Richard Asaah as the First Vice-Chairman and Mr Abubakar Enyagre as the Second Vice-Chairman.
The post of Secretary went to Mr Wuripe Adams while Mr Paul Atinga was elected Assistant Secretary. The other officers are Mr Osman Mahamoud, Treasurer, and Mr Mohammed Tahiru Nambei, Organiser.
Swearing the new executive into office, Alhaji Imoro Salifu, Regional Chairman of the NPP who also chaired the function, said the party counts very much on the efforts of the youth and urged them not to relent in their efforts to win more supporters for the party.
He urged candidates who lost in the election not to be bitter but co-operate with the executive members to come up with positive ideas that would benefit the party.
In an acceptance speech, Mr Minyila noted that, the free-flow of communication was vital, especially at a time when general elections were just around the corner.
He, therefore, urged his colleagues to continue to pass on information to help get appropriate solutions to their problems.
He said the youth wing needs the maximum co-operation and support of members of the party to win this year's general elections.
Mr Minyila urged other members of the party to co-operate by supporting the executive members to organise effectively to win this year's general election.
He advised the youth to be tolerant of their opponents' views and refrain from insults in their campaigns.
He expressed his gratitude to all the 48 delegates and assured them that the executive would strive to achieve success for the party.
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Nandom (Upper West Region) 22 August 2000
A member of the Council of State, Naa Dr. Puoure Puobe Chiir, at the weekend urged the police to work in concert with chiefs to fight crime.
He noted that effective co-operation between the police and traditional authorities would to a large extent help curb criminal activities in the society.
Naa Chiir, who is the Paramount Chief of the Nandom Traditional Area, made the call when the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Upper West Region, Mr Francis Kwaku Agyemang, paid a courtesy call on him at Nandom to formally introduce himself as the new regional commander.
Naa Chiir, who is also the Vice-President of the National House of Chiefs and Chairman of the Forestry Commission, called on the police to be extra vigilant from now until the general election and fight any acts of lawlessness, which could undermine the electioneering process.
Naa Chiir appealed to the police administration to provide the Nandom station with a vehicle to help the police patrol surrounding Communities.
Mr Agyemang assured Naa Chiir that the police would, within their limited resources, work to ensure an incident-free general election in December.
He said the police would co-operate fully with the traditional authorities in fighting crime since "crime prevention is a shared responsibility, which should not be left to the security agencies alone.
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Anyinam(Eastern Region) 22 August 2000
The Atiwa Constituency of the NPP on Sunday elected a 46-year-old agriculturist, Dr. Charles Yaw Brempong-Yeboah, as its new parliamentary candidate for the December general election.
At the party's special congress held at Anyinam, the delegates cast 84 votes in favour of Dr. Brempong-Yeboah as against 33 for the incumbent MP, Mr. Yaw Banning Darko. In all 117 valid votes were cast.
The delegates broke into wild jubilation when the East Akim District Electoral Officer, Mr Augustine Serlome, announced the results.
According to the delegates, the outcome of the election reflected their desire to change the incumbent MP, who, in their view, had lost touch with the people.
In a brief acceptance speech, Dr. Brempong-Yeboah pledged to work hard to ensure total victory for the party in the constituency.
He said his main aim as an MP, would be to assist the constituents, who were mainly farmers, to adopt modern farming techniques to improve their yields.
The Eastern Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr Seth Ahyia, commended the delegates for the matured manner in which they conducted themselves during the election.
He called on members of the constituency to put the past behind them and work hard to win the constituency for the party.
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