Economic problems not due to mismanagement - Ato Dadzie
Government gives nod for Ekumfi Abor drainage project
DCE accuses Managers of smuggling petroleum products.
Police search for hit-and-run driver.
Farmers attend workshop on alternative farming technique.
NPP primaries at Ashaiman ends in confusion
Akropong NPP retains Koi-Larbi as parliamentary candidate
People of African descent asked to unite
Apam (Central Region) 31 August
2000
The Chairman of the Apam branch of
the Ghana Private Roads Transport Union (GPRTU), Mr. John Cofie, has cautioned
drivers and passengers to desist from discussing political issues while
travelling because it could distract the drivers and result in accidents.
"Drivers, as well as
passengers, have the right to belong to political parties of their choice but
they should not turn moving vehicles into political platforms," said at
the quarterly meeting of the union at Apam.
He exhorted drivers and their
mates to treat passengers with respect because without them their business
would not flourish and warned that as from September 1, drivers who do not wear
the prescribed uniform of the GPRTU would not be loaded at the stations.
Mr. Cofie advised drivers to be
extra careful in order to avoid accidents, saying: "for Ghana to be rated
among the most accident-prone countries in the world casts a slur on our
profession, and it behoves us to reverse the trend".
He asked station-masters not to
load vehicles whose drivers are found to be drunk and commended Mr. Peter
Amoako, the branch Secretary, for keeping proper records of the branch.
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Cape Coast (Central Region) 31
August 2000
The Chief of Staff at the Office
of the President, Nana Ato Dadzie, said at the weekend that the problems facing
the economy are due to poor world market prices for the nation's primary
products and not because of mismanagement by the government as is being claimed
by its opponents.
Nana Dadzie said the problem is a
global one, adding that in some cocoa producing countries, the salaries of
workers have not been paid for months.
At a dinner organised by the Cape
Coast constituency branch of the NDC at Cape Coast, he said as a result of
efficient management, "we in Ghana receive our pay every month and are
even asking for more. Rather, the government should be commended for braving
the storm".
He said international financial
institutions and donor agencies are making efforts to help the government to
put the economy back on track because they have realised that whatever assistance
they give would be efficiently managed and advised the electorate not to heed
politicians who say they have magic wands to change the nation's fortune within
a short time.
The Central Regional Chairman of
the party, Mr. Kofi Mintah, advised supporters to embark on house-to-house
campaigning to educate the people on the present economic situation and
policies of the government.
Mr. Ebo Barton Oduro, NDC
parliamentary candidate for Cape Coast, deplored what he called "politics
of mudslinging and insults" and said a lot of prominent people shun
politics because they do not want their names to be soiled.
"The nation will lose the contributions
of some of its prominent citizens in national development if we continue to
regard our political opponents as enemies who must be destroyed at all
costs."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 31 August
2000
The Sultan of oil-rich Brunei,
Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, left Accra on Wednesday night after a two-day visit to
Ghana.
It is generally hoped that the
visit by Sultan Bolkiah, who is ranked as the second richest man in the world
after Microsoft President, Bill Gates of the United States, would leave in its
trail long-term returns for the Ghanaian economy.
However, it is unclear what
immediate impact the visit will make on the economy, which is going through difficulties
government officials blame on external pressures.
Sultan Bolkiah, who arrived on
Tuesday with his two wives and 23 Officials, including two ministers, cut short
the visit, originally programmed to end on Thursday, by a day and was seen off
by President Jerry Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu.
Also at the airport to see off the
Brunei Monarch were Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills and a host of
Ministers of State, including Mr. James Victor Gbeho, Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Mr. Kofi Totobi Quakyi, National Security, and Mr. Isaac Adjei-Mensah,
Works and Housing.
Sources close to the organisers of
the visit said the Sultan had to leave a day earlier in order to honour an
equally important engagement at the British Buckingham Palace on Thursday
before returning home.
While in the country, Sultan
Bolkiah held talks with President Rawlings and attended a colourful national
durbar of the chiefs and people. He also laid a wreath at the tomb of Osagyefo
Kwame Nkrumah, went on a drive through town and visited the Military Academy
and Training Schools and the Staff College, both at Teshie in Accra.
Some Ministers the GNA spoke to
shortly after his departure were optimistic that the visit represented a vital
engine to drive the country into the investor market.
"Once you are able to receive
an August visitor like the Sultan of Brunei, the whole world will focus
attention on you. It creates an image for you to be able to forge economic
links with those who matter," said Mr. Mike Gizo, Minister of Tourism.
Mr. Dan Abodakpi, who rated the
two-day visit as "successful", said it concretised some bilateral
issues that would be pursued by a joint Commission between the two countries.
He said high on the agenda of the
discussions are petroleum and gas exploration projects and the possibility of
Brunei participating in Ghana's Free Zone enclave.
There are also potentials for
Ghana to obtain crude oil from the South Asian country on soft terms, he said
adding that the maiden meeting of the joint Commission will be held before the
end of the year.
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Agona Swedru (Central Region) 31
August 2000
Mr. Henry Taliskis, Agona West
Constituency Secretary of the NPP, has warned that people who deface or destroy
the party's banners will be handed over the police when caught.
Speaking to the GNA over the destruction
of the party's flags and defacing of its posters, particularly in the Swedru
township Mr. Taliskis said executives of the party want a the safe conduct of
the December elections and urged opposing parties to engage in provocative acts
that could lead to confusion.
"The NPP will always respect
the code of conduct signed by political parties," he said, adding that it
would conduct its electioneering campaign devoid of rancour, insults and acts
of intimidation against its opponents.
Mr. Taliskis urged the supporters
and members of the party to rally behind the party's flagbearer, Mr. J.A.
Kufuor, and its parliamentary candidate, Mr. Samuel Obodai, to win the
election.
Nana Kofi Eku, Constituency
Treasurer, noted that mistakes that occurred in the last election had been
identified and rectified, adding that the NDC would lose its parliamentary
seat.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 31 August 2000
President Jerry John Rawlings said on Wednesday that the international economic integration trumpeted by developed countries has benefited only a minority of the world's people.
The process, known as globalisation, was presented by its advocates as a global market which would lead to faster growth, higher living standards and general happiness. But sadly, globalisation has benefited mainly the developed countries, President Rawlings said at a banquet for Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, at the State House to draw the curtain on his two-day official visit.
Vice-President John Atta Mills, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the First Lady, and several dignitaries attended the banquet.
He said the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organisation, had developed a liberal market agenda, which they are pursuing in the hope that it would promote global well-being.
"But the experience of the South East Asian countries, which were hit by financial crisis about two years ago, has shown globalisation's ability to undermine the progress of developing economies and create instability."
President Rawlings said in the aftermath of the Asian crisis, the world has seen changes in the distribution of global wealth in favour of rich countries and job losses have put the security of workers at risk.
In the business world, he said, great mergers and acquisitions are taking place to strengthen the monopoly of trans-national corporations and to threaten fragile industries in developing countries with collapse if they fail to compete.
"The poverty gap is not narrowing but rather growing," the President said, adding that despite their reservations, developing countries have been obliged by circumstances to accept globalisation not as a choice but as a reality.
Therefore, it is important that countries within particular regions of the developing world come together and harmonise their policies for eventual integration of their economies into blocks.
"We should come together to correct the imbalances in the international economic order by initiating reforms in the rules that govern world trade and financial services. Our collective survival lies in our joint efforts."
The President said, as integration is pursued at the regional level, developing countries need also to build smart partnerships at the bilateral level through South-South co-operation, adding that his visit to Brunei in March opened the way for effective co-operation between the two countries.
Haji Bolkiah said the exchange of visits between the two heads of state has raised to a higher pedestal, relations between the two countries.
He said Ghana's economic achievements had been acclaimed internationally and remarked that the country is an island of peace in a continent raked by conflicts.
Haji Bolkiah said Ghana and Brunei could expand co-operation in oil and gas, manufacturing, tourism and education.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 31 August 2000
The Airport Police in Accra on Wednesday arrested three Ghanaians and a Togolese suspected to have broken into a residence at Ashongman Estates in Accra last Sunday and made away with personal effects including television sets, sound systems, video decks, loud speakers and compact disk recorders.
They are Kwashie Mensah, 25, driver from Togo, Moro Ibrahim, 22, loader from Walewale, Kwami Anthony, 29, mason, and Mallam Ibrahim, 25, butcher from Navrongo.
According to Superintendent Tim Billa, Police Commander, on August 13, Mrs. Linda Koranteng, who lives at Ashongman Estates, returned from church only to find out that her house had been ransacked and the items stolen.
Upon enquires, a neighbour told her that he saw a Toyota Carina taxi cab with registration number GR 8232 Q loaded with electrical gadgets in the vicinity.
Mrs. Koranteng reported the matter to the police who mounted surveillance and arrested the driver.
During interrogation the driver denied knowledge and said he runs the taxi with another driver on alternate basis of day and night.
He led the police to the night driver, Kwashie Mensah, who confessed that they have been using the taxi for robbery operations.
Mr. Billa said Kwashie then led them to his house at Akwateiman Zongo in Accra where the other accomplices were arrested and some of the stolen items recovered.
He advised residents to form neighbourhood watch committees to assist the police to track down criminals and warned people who go to church on Sundays not to leave their houses without guards since criminals are likely to strike during such periods.
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Ekumfi Abor (Central Region) 31 August 2000
The government has awarded on contract the construction of a drainage and related structures at Ekumfi Abor estimated at 380.6 million cedis. Work on the project is expected to be completed within 10 months, Mr. George Kuntu Blankson, Mfantsiman District Chief Executive, announced at a durbar of the chiefs and people of Abor to round off their annual Akwanbo festival.
Mr. Blankson, who stood in for the Central Regional Minister, Mr. Jacob S. Arthur, praised the people for their self-help spirit and urged them to sustain it to speed up the development of the town.
He later introduced the Deputy Majority Chief Whip and MP for the area, Mrs. Comfort Owusu, as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for this year's parliamentary election and appealed to the people to vote massively for her.
Mrs. Owusu advised the chiefs and people to bury their political differences and pool their resources together to accelerate the pace of development in the area. She asked them to renew their mandate for the NDC government to enable it to continue with its work.
Nana Andoh V, Mankrado of Abor, congratulated Plan International, a non-governmental organisation, for constructing a school block for the town, and advised parents to reciprocate the gesture by sending their children, especially the girl-child, to school.
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DCE accuses filling stations
of smuggling petroleum products.
Denu (Volta Region) 31 August 2000
Mr. Henry Ametefe, Ketu District Chief Executive (DCE), on Tuesday accused Managers of filling stations and their attendants for the high incidence of smuggling of petroleum products to neighbouring Togo.
Inaugurating the Ketu District branch of the Ghana Traditional Caterers Association (GTCA), he alleged that the Managers sell the products especially kerosene to their front men in jerry cans who later smuggle the commodity through unapproved routes to Togo.
He said the managers have ignored several warnings against the sale of petrol to drivers from neighbouring countries without the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Brown Card the managers had been warned against the practice because of its adverse effect on the country's economy.
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Agbenaza (rtd), Volta Regional Minister said the establishment of economic ventures would boost their operations in the district and advised members to repay loans they obtain from the banks to enable others to benefit from the facility.
Lt-Col Agbenaza was not happy that more than 300 million cedis given out in loans to some identifiable groups in the district are still unpaid.
A mini food fair of local dishes was organised as part of activities marking the inaugural ceremony. The GTCA, founded in 1997, is the grouping of caterers who deal mainly in local dishes popularly known as chop-bar keepers.
It has a membership of 6,000 nation-wide and has contributed more than 600 million cedis to the state in taxes.
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Police search for hit-and-run driver.
Ashaiman (Greater Accra) 31 August 2000
The police have mounted an intensive search for a hit-and-run driver who knocked and killed a man on his way from church last Wednesday August 25.
Superintendent Harry Fiawoh, Ashaiman District Police Commander told the GNA that the victim has been identified as 35 year old Peter Darius Asase from Tokuruno near Kete-Krachie, in the Volta Region.
Supt. Fiawoh said Mr. Asase who had closed from "Upper Room Chapel International" near the Ashaiman timber market at 9 p.m. was knocked down by the vehicle when he was crossing the road to the Middle East, but the driver refused to stop.
He said a "Good Samaritan" picked him in a taxi to the Tema General Hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival. The body has been deposited at the hospital's mortuary for autopsy.
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Farmers attend workshop on alternative
farming technique
Akoefe (Volta Region) 31 August 2000
Mr. David Yaw Owusu, director of the Ghana Rural Reconstruction Movement in the Eastern Region on Wednesday called for an integrated agricultural approach to address the social, cultural, environmental and economic implications of farming methods in the country.
He said this is necessary to enable the farmers to know the effects of their activities on the land, soil and the environment.
Mr. Owusu made the call at a three-day workshop on agriculture and land use, organised by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana for 32 farmers drawn from eight communities in the Tanyigbe and Akoefe areas of the Ho District.
The workshop aimed at educating the farmers on the extent to which soil and land degradation could affect land use practices and to introduce them to environmentally friendly alternatives to the current land use practices.
Mr. Owusu also called on agricultural teachers and other extension officers to look at issues like family planning, the environment and other factors that directly or indirectly affect the quality of the soil.
Mr. Delali Nutsukpor, a soil scientist and training officer of the land and water management of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), said the activities of peasant farmers who form about 85 per cent of the total farming population has led to serious degradation of the land resulting in low production and poverty.
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Ashaiman (Greater Accra) 31 August 2000
Mr. Samuel Kwame Amable, a businessman, has been elected as the NPP's parliamentary candidate for Ashaiman but his closest opponent, Mr. Alex Sampson Doglo says the poll was rigged.
Mr. Doglo, a teacher who claimed that he won the first primaries held on July 17, complained that most of the delegates for the second voting were hand picked.
He also accused the party executives of not being able to account for the vote of one of the 110 delegates.
Mr. Amable polled 57 votes, Mr. Doglo had 51,while the third candidate Mr. Samuel Amega, had one and one vote was rejected.
The second delegates' conference was held on the orders of the National Executive Council after it was detected that even though 120 delegates attended the first conference last month, the total votes counted was 127.
Last month's voting was won by Mr. Doglo, who had 64 votes, Mr. Amable 51, Mr. Amega 11, and Mr. Emmanuel Teye, one vote.
Mr. Doglo said two delegates who were his supporters were wrongly disqualified from voting this time, stressing, "I will not accept the results, because I have been cheated and I will take legal action to seek redress".
Mr. Amable on the other hand said the election, supervised by the Election Commission was free and fair.
"We have moved a step forward and I ask my supporters to work towards how we can win the parliamentary seat for the NPP", Mr. Amable said.
Some top party executives present refused to comment on the issue.
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Bole (Northern Region) 31 August 2000
The Bole-Bamboi constituency branch of the Convnetion People's Party (CPP) has elected Mr. Frank Langa Dari, 42, a teacher as its parliamentary candidate for this year's general election.
Mr. Dari, who was elected unopposed at a constituency delegates conference at Bole, promised to work hard to ensure victory for the party.
He said a government of the CPP would initiate a human resource development programme, which would give the youth employable skills.
Mr. Dari said the party would also abolish the cash and carry system, which he said is affecting health delivery especially in rural areas.
"When voted as an MP, I will ensure fair play in the distribution of the national cake" he said adding that, workers would be supported to reactivate the country's ailing economy".
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Mampong-Akuapem (Eastern Region) 31 August 2000
The Akropong constituency branch of the NPP on Wednesday retained the incumbent Member of Parliament, Mr. Agyare Koi-Larbi, as the party's parliamentary candidate for the 2000 election.
At special delegates' congress at Akuapem Mampong, Mr. Koi-Larbi polled 55 out of the 102 votes to beat his opponent, Dr Albert Gyan Boohene, who had 47 votes.
The General Secretary of the party, Mr. Dan Botwe who witnessed the congress, advised the party activists in the constituency to put the elections behind them and unite to ensure that the party retains the seat in the December general election.
He said they should not allow petty squabbles to divide their ranks adding that, the party could not afford to lose the seat.
Mr. Koi-Larbi thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in him and said he expects nothing but their total support and co-operation to ensure a resounding victory.
He decried the use of state resources by the District Chief Executives for political activities and said such attitude puts the opposition at a disadvantage.
Mr. Koi-Larbi called on the electorate, especially, the youth to work hard to enable the party to retain the seat.
The regional secretary of the party, Mr. Seth Ashyia, advised the supporters to unite for victory in the election.
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Kpembe (Northern Region) 31 August 2000
The Chief of Kpembe, Kpembewura Alhaji Ibrahim Haruna Kibassibi, has called on Africans to unite to give meaning to the concept of African unity.
He made the call at Kpembe, near Salaga in the East Gonja district when 50 Kotokolis from the Kamate Clan in Togo called on him.
Kpembewura Kibassibi said people all over the world are tracing their origins and Africans in the Diaspora should come home to assist in the development of their indigenous communities.
The Kotokolis, led by Alhaji Shaibu Afordah were at Kpembe to trace their ancestral home, after 150 years of migration.
Alhaji Afordah traced their roots from the Singbun section of Kpembe, adding that "we are happy to have set foot there and we would make positive efforts to come back home".
Kpembewura Kibassibi assured the Kotokolis of land and other forms of assistance if they return to Kpembe.
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Koforidua (Ashanti Region) 31 August 2000
An emergency meeting of the New Juaben Municipal Assembly on Monday to discuss the fate of Mr. Emmanuel Adu-Boateng, Municipal Chief Executive, ended abruptly as members engaged in a free for all fight amidst hurling of chairs and verbal assault at each other.
The meeting was called at the instance of the Presiding Member (PM), Mrs. Felicia Otchere Darko, to inform members about a letter received from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.
The letter asked that Mr. Adu-Boateng should hand over the administration of the assembly to the Eastern Regional Minister, Miss Patience Adow, as his tenure of office ended on August 10, 2000.
Tension began to flare up when the Presiding Member decided to convince members to discuss the issue to find out ways and means of re-nominating the MCE.
A member, who quoted a clause of the standing orders of the district assemblies, which gives the President the prerogative to re-nominate an incumbent MCE or nominate a new one, questioned the authority of members on the matter.
Another member, who supported the provision in the standing orders, moved a motion for the meeting to be called off since the members could not deliberate on the issue.
Members, who opposed the ending of the meeting began heckling and shouting, "sit down," "sit down," while those who supported it shouted with "shut up," "shut up," creating commotion in the assembly hall.
Some of the members began throwing chairs, as the Presiding Member looked on helplessly with her shouts for order going unheeded.
The meeting was later called off after sanity prevailed.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 31 August 2000
Mr. Donald Adabre, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, on Tuesday reiterated the call on District Assemblies not to over-rely on the common fund, since the scheme is aimed at complementing sources of funding development programmes.
He said that under the decentralisation programme, it is the responsibility of the assemblies to develop areas under their jurisdiction and they should prove capable of performing this duty.
Addressing the third sitting of the second session of the Sunyani District Assembly in Sunyani, the Regional Minister expressed concern about the poor revenue performance of the assembly from its traditional sources.
He disclosed that as at June this year, the assembly had collected 312 million cedis, representing only 37 per cent of the projected 843 million cedis.
He reminded the assembly to be guided by the laid down regulation that old projects should be completed before new ones are initiated.
On the poverty reduction scheme, Mr. Adabre expressed concern about the poor rate, at which loans are being recovered and dismissed the impression of some beneficiaries that the funds are "merely grants" and therefore not refundable.
Mr. Adabre called on assembly and unit committee members and other opinion leaders to co-ordinate their efforts to ensure a peaceful electioneering campaign.
The District Chief Executive, Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, announced that the Assembly has been allocated 1.6 billion cedis as its share of the common fund for the year.
Part of the money would be used on the completion of projects already initiated, the phase one of the Bosoma market, toilet, the provision of school blocks and water projects for some communities. Major streets would also be rehabilitated at a cost of 77 million cedis.
The Assembly unanimously endorsed the nomination of Mr. Kwame Agyenim-Boateng, the Presiding Member, for a second term.
Mr. Agyenim-Boateng thanked members for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to work harder than before to ensure the development of the area.
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Tamale (Northern Region) 31 August 2000
Mr. Sumaila Alhassan, Deputy Northern Regional Secretary of the NDC, on Tuesday lauded the dissenting views about the selection of the party's parliamentary candidates for the next general election saying it is a reflection of the internal democracy within the party.
"The angry disagreements among party supporters especially about the re-nomination of some members of parliament as candidates for the forthcoming elections is a mark of democracy and not an act of lawlessness."
Mr. Alhassan, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale, said that the NDC has given democracy a new lease
adding that what is happening within its rank and file is part of its tradition.
"People should not lose sight of the fact that this year's general election is going to ensure a peaceful transfer of power from a constitutionally elected president to another".
"This comes with a lot of challenges and so the political enemies of the NDC should not vilify steps being taking by the national executive of the party to deal with internal dissent".
Mr. Alhassan said the accusation that some NDC MP's have not initiated development projects at their constituencies is not tangible since some have track records of assisting in the enactment of laws, which have promoted constitutional rule.
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Dzodze (Volta Region) 31 August 2000
Mr. Modestus Ahiable, MP for Ketu North has predicted that the National Democratic Congress (NDC), will retain all the parliamentary seats in the Volta Region in the December elections.
He said the party's fortunes would not be affected by claims by the opposition parties that the NDC government has neglected the region.
Mr. Ahiable, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Dzodze said the incursions into the region by the opposition parties especially the New Patriotic Party (NPP), do not pose a threat to the NDC.
He admitted that there is some resentment among the people but the NDC does not stand threatened, and said "we may lose one or two votes but not a whole constituency".
Mr. Ahiable, a former Volta Regional Minister, said the region has had its fair share of national development during the tenure of office of President Rawlings.
He noted that during this period all district capitals in the region and outlying towns have been connected to the national electricity grid while some communities now have potable water.
Mr. Ahiable said apart from the Greater-Accra region, Volta Region has received the highest attention in respect of improvement in health, while telecommunications and education have been expanded.
He said work on the Kpando- Worawora- Kete-Krachi road is in progress while the Ho-Hohoe- Kete-Krachi-Yendi road is being given a facelift.
Mr. Ahiable said work on the Tema-Aflao road, which will be undertaken in two phases is expected to start soon.
He announced that DANIDA is currently mobilising donor support for the construction of the West African trunk road from Akatsi through Dzodze to Noepe in the republic of Togo.
Mr. Ahiable said the government would create the conducive atmosphere for private enterprises to expand to provide employment for the youth.
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