No female contestant for NPP race
Suspected robber's arm amputated
Committee to probe Town and Country Planning officials
Bawku West Assembly descends on poverty fund defaulters
Mainoo retains NPP Western Region Chairmanship
Traders urged to desist from using children in business
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2001
At the close of the New Patriotic Party’s nominations for the post of General Secretary, National Chairman, Two National Vice Chairmen, National Organiser and National Treasurer in Accra on Friday, no woman had join the race to contestant the elections scheduled for August 25 at the University of Ghana Legon.
Thirty-two candidates, according to a list provided by the NPP, will be contesting for the various positions.
The elections are being conducted to fill the various positions most of which have become vacant because the holders have taken up ministerial and other public office appointments.
The position of General-Secretary will be a straight fight between the incumbent, Dan Botwe and Rams Agyeman Prempeh from the Northern Region.
Until last Thursday, Botwe was considered the obvious choice with no challenging him.
Botwe would be contesting as the only old face among the former executives who won the 2000 general election that brought the party into power.
Six people are contesting for the post of National Chairman, a position, which had been held by Samuel Odoi Sykes, now an ambassador designate.
They are, Harruna Esseku from the Central Region, Musah Mohammed, Samuel Addae Dua, Robert Quainoo-Arthur, Peter Perkincan and Dr Emmanuel Oboamah Laryea.
Twelve people are contesting for the two Vice Chairmanship posts are Yaw Albert Osebre, Stephen Ayensu Ntim, Dr Kwasi Agyapong, Herman Seshie, Samuel Kwame Amable and Dr Kwadwo Appiah-Kubi.
The rest are Ken Senaya, Nana Afum Boateng, Yaw Amankwa, Joseph Kwabena Manu, Edmund Annan and Alhaji Ahmad Osman.
Eight people are also contesting for the post of National Organiser. They are Francis Kojo Smith, George Okyere Asiedu, Alhaji Sulemana Yirimea, Constantine Bartholomew Musieyiri, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Lord Enoch Oblitey Commey, Chris Johnson Aboagye and Joseph Kofi Darko.
The four contestants for the post of National Treasurer are; Kwesi Arthur, Michael Dugan, Osei Wusu-Sampah and Samuel James Nii Adjei Tawiah.
GRi../
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Ho (Volta Region) 14 August 2001
William Manhood, 27, believed to be an armed robber, who was shot in the right arm and stomach in a gun battle with the Police at Ho last Monday has had the arm amputated.
Superintendent of Police Mr Nicholas Blouse, in-charge of the Ho District Command said the amputation took place on Tuesday August 8, at the Ho Regional Hospital.
Michael Casey, alias 'Dido' an alleged accomplice had been remanded by a Circuit Court at Ho to re-appear on August 20.
Supt. Blewusi said Victor Mensah, also known as "Tordia" from Ho and a fourth suspect are still on the run.
On August 6, the four robbers hired a taxi with registration number GT 2776 R, being driven by Kwame Issaka from Tema to Afienya.
On reaching the outskirts of Afienya, the suspects seized the Vehicle from Issaka at knifepoint and bolted to Ziavi near Ho where they hid the car in a bush with an intention to selling it.
Meanwhile, Police are continuing their search for the two other suspects who are on the run.
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Agona Swedru (Central Region) 14 August 2001
The Agona District Assembly has set up a seven- member committee, chaired by its presiding member to probe the malfeasance at the District Office of the Town and Country and Planning (TCP).
The committee comprises some members of all the six sub-committees of the
Assembly.
This was made known, when Mr Thomas Asante, the District Officer of TCP appeared before it to answer questions on allegations of extortion by developers on the land acquired by the Assembly at Agona Kwansakrom industry.
The committee, which has three weeks to complete its work, would investigate unauthorised buildings and other structures, alleged extortion and recommend how the TCP could function efficiently.
Members were not happy with allegations that some of TCP officials make changes on layouts to enable developers to put up unauthorised structures.
At the executive committee meeting, members with a majority vote of 15 to four recommended that Mr Asante should be transferred.
Mr Asante, accepted the assembly' decision to set up the committee but explained that some land developers, do not contact his office nor the planning committee of the assembly, for approval of their building plans before they put up structures.
Mr Asante expressed regret that the Assembly has been unfair to him adding that his department generated a lot of revenue to fund its development programmes.
Mr John Agyabeng, the District Chief Executive (DCE) said an outstanding debt of 692,588,350 cedis but after suspension of some projects and payment of contractors from the Assembly's common fund, the debt has reduced to 428 million cedis.
He said 120 million cedis out of the third quarter of 2000 allocation of fund would be used to sponsor students who are citizens of the area and are in the teacher training colleges and rehabilitation of schools.
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Zebilla (Upper East) 14 August 2001
The Bawku West District Assembly in the Upper East Region has called on people, especially assembly members indebted to the poverty alleviation fund, to settle their indebtedness to avoid embarrassment and prosecution.
Addressing the assembly at its first ordinary meeting at Zebilla, the District Chief Executive, Moses Apiah said out of over 127 million cedis disbursed under the fund only 62 million cedis has been recovered.
He asked the beneficiaries to repay the loan to enable other applicants to be considered.
Apiah said the fund was meant to help groups and individuals engaged in income generating activities to improve their living standard, however some beneficiaries used the money on frivolous ventures and now found it difficult to pay back.
Some members of the assembly suggested that a deadline be issued to the defaulters to speed up the recovery process.
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Asankrangwa (Western Region) 14August 2001
Mr Mac Mainoo, a business executive was on Sunday re-elected unopposed as the Western Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at its regional congress held at Asankrangwa.
In an election conducted by officials from the National Electoral Commission and supervised by Mr Dan Botwe, General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Dickson Atta, a Pharmacist was elected first Vice Chairman.
He polled 46 votes to beat Mr Joe Ghartey, a lawyer who polled 34 votes, after the incumbent, Mr George Offoegbu had withdrawn from the contest at the eleventh hour.
The post of Second Vice Chairman went to Mr Philip Nuako, who polled 33 votes to beat Nana Kwesi Acquah who had 16 votes.
Mr Francis Quansah, an educationist and incumbent Regional Secretary was re-elected for a second term.
He polled 45 votes as against 27 votes polled by Mr B. K. Eshun. Mr. Johnson Baffoe was elected unopposed as Assistant Regional Secretary.
Mr Kojo Acquah was re-elected regional organiser. He polled 53 votes as against 29 votes by Mr Sampson Obeng.
The post of women organiser went to Miss Abena Kwallah, who was re-elected with 51 votes as against 35 votes obtained by Edina Nyame.
Mr Aminu Abubakar, was elected youth organiser with 38 votes as against 29 votes polled by Mr Richard Eshun.
Mrs Betty Hughes was re-elected regional treasurer with 78 votes as against five votes polled by Mr Adjei Donkor.
Mr Botwe said there would be no room for complacency, indiscipline and unnecessary disputes within the party and warned that the party would deal ruthlessly with any member whose activities tended to create confusion and disunity in the party.
"We are serving the party not because of post but rather to ensure that the liberal democracy idea of the party was instilled into the minds of Ghanaians."
Mr Botwe urged the members to ensure that the peaceful atmosphere was sustained within the party at all times and said special identification cards (ID) would be issued out to its polling agents and constituency executives.
He advised the members to learn to forgive and forget and to start vigorous campaign now to ensure victory for the party in the 2004 general election.
"I am demanding loyalty to the party since the party is supreme," Mr Botwe said.
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Sekondi (Western Region) 14 August 2001
Miss Sophia Horner-Sam, Deputy Western Regional Minister, on Monday cautioned market women and traders to desist from using their children in their daily businesses.
"These acts are contributory factors to the increasing incidence of defilement, truancy and street children in the country", Miss Horner-Sam told traders and market women of the Sekondi market during a familiarisation visit.
The Deputy Minister expressed regret that traders have neglected the market, which was the oldest in the Shama-Ahanta East Metropolitan Area, because many of them have deserted their stalls and were operating from different points.
Miss Horner-Sam noted that the Sekondi market, which was recently renovated, needed further rehabilitation to make movement in it easier, as well as to safeguard life and property.
She cautioned the traders to stop off-loading their goods on fire hydrants points explaining that the Ghana National Fire Service fetches water from there in case of fire outbreak.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 14 August 2001
A team of Engineers from the US Army on Monday arrived in the country to carryout on the spot assessment of the perennial flooding in the country.
The visit of the team, led by Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma State, followed a request President John Agyekum Kufuor made during his recent tour of the US.
Mr Hackman Owusu Agyeman, Minister of Foreign Affair, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Minister of Presidential Affairs, Mr Kwamina Bartels Minister of Works and Housing and Ms Kathryn Dee Robinson, US Ambassador.
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