GRi Press Review
Ghana 17 - 08 - 2001
Government to outlaw private lottery operation
Teacher Association kicks against government
decision
'CPP must wrest power in 2004'
Nearly 4,400 bags of cement missing at Irrigation
authority
Another NPP contestant to step down?
Prosecution confirms Palaver story
Confusion at Ghana Water Co. probe
Television is corrupting our youth
Dan Markin faces arrest
NPP to screen candidates
Otumfuo donates 100m cedis - as seed money for
police fund
E.T. Mensah blames media for his woes.
Ghana gets first female Paratroopers
Zero tolerance…-NPP MP threatens policeman
Value Added Tax on clubs is illegal -
Ibrahim
Hearts play RTU, Hasmal on 19 & 26th
August
Government to outlaw private lottery operation
The government is taking steps to repeal the
Lotto Amendment Law of 1986 to outlaw the activities of private lotto operators
in the country, reports the Daily Guide.
The
move is to enable the Department of National Lotteries (DNL) to re-capture the
lottery market that was taken over by the private lotto operators, Grace
Coleman, Deputy Minister of Finance, announced in Accra on Wednesday.
She
said the activities of private lotto operators in the country have prevented
the DNL from generating the expected revenue for the country.
The
Deputy Minister was speaking at a reception for revenue collecting agencies
hosted by the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS).
She
said that before private lotto operation was legalised, the DNL was
contributing about 24 per cent to the national budget but this has drastically
reduced to about 0.7 per cent.
The
Deputy Minister described the situation as awful and said all resources are
being marshaled to get the law repealed to remove the bottlenecks inhibiting
revenue mobilisation by the DNL.
She
said out of about 60 private lotteries in the country, only 36 pay taxes while
24 do not pay anything.
More…/
Teacher Association kicks against government
decision
The Ghana National Association of Teachers
(GNAT) has kicked against the decision of the government to pass on some
responsibility for the management of mission schools to religious
organisations.
The
GNAT contends that the implementation of the decision will only compound,
instead of solving the myriad of problems affecting education in the country.
It
has, therefore, called on the government to reconsider its decision and explore
all means available to it to provide adequate resources for the effective and
efficient funding of education.
Paul
Osei-Mensah, GNAT General Secretary, who said this in an interview, emphasised
that it would be suicidal for the government, which has the constitutional
responsibility of providing quality education to the people, to renege on such
crucial responsibilities.
Recounting
the rationale behind the establishment of mission schools, the General
Secretary said the major occupation of the missions was to evangelise and that
education was only used as a medium to convert people.
Based
on this, the mission's role of providing education: was by accident, Mr
Osei-Mensah said, adding that the 1967 Commission of the Structure and
Remuneration of Public Service in Ghana, which was tasked to formulate
recommendations as to whether or not missions should continue to run schools,
was emphatic that it was not feasible.
More…/
'CPP must wrest power in 2004'
Comrade Ato Kwamina Baffoe, Western Regional
Secretary of the Council of Elders of the Convention People's Party (CPP), has
said the 2004 presidential and parliamentary elections present the party the
greatest opportunity to wrest political power from the New Patriotic Party
(NPP).
Since
the attention of the NPP government at the moment is towards providing
solutions to the nation's manifold problems, the CPP executive in the
constituencies should take advantage and mobilise the broad masses of the
people to vote massively for the party in the next elections, The Daily Graphic
reports Baffoe as saying in an interview.
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Nearly 4,400 bags of cement missing at
Irrigation authority
The Ghanaian Chronicle reports that almost
4,400 bags of GHACEM Portland cement handed over to the Ghana Irrigation
Authority (GIDA) after the execution of the Kpong Irrigation Project (KIP) by
the construction firm, Impregilo-Recchi J.V., have vanished.
A
search by the paper confirmed early this week that the 220 tonnes of cement,
among a list of materials handed over by the Italian construction firm, cannot
be traced at the stores of the KIP
The
paper says its sources said after the execution of its contract with GIDA and
the Government of Ghana for the construction of the irrigation project at
Asutsuare, in the Dangbe West District of the Greater Accra Region,
Impregilo-Recchi handed over a large quantity of unutilized materials to GIDA
on April 27, 1998.
Three
years on, the cement cannot be traced among the materials received and stored
at the Pilot Area ‘A’ warehouses at Lukose, near Asutsuare.
The
cement was listed as the first item on the delivery note signed by a member of
the GIDA management and a representative of the Impregilo-Recchi respectively
indicating an actual handing over by the contractors.
According
to the Chronicle, the Chief Executive of GIDA, Oduro Gyateing, who said he is
being accused in vain, over the diversion of the bags of cement, denied setting
eyes on any cement and maintained that no cement was handed over by the
contractors to his outfit.
But
contrary to the GIDA boss’s assertion, the handing-over note, duly signed by
both GIDA and Ipregilo-Recchi representatives had the 220 tonnes of Portland
cement, valued at over ˘18 million in 1998, on the list of 23 itemised
materials.
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Another NPP contestant to step down?
The Accra Mail says with barely a week to go for
the NPP mammoth congress that will choose officers to manage the party, the
waters have not yet settled with lobbying and other maneuvers associated with
such exercises in a democratic dispensation.
The
Mail says it has gathered that one of the formidable contestants, Alhaju Ahmad
Osman, who is vying for the position of National Vice-Chairman, is under
intense pressure to step down for another candidate.
Efforts
to get the candidate to confirm the move yielded a blank, as Alhaji Osman was
not available at his Tesano residence when the paper visited.
Alhaji
Osman is said to be historically linked to the Busia-Danquah tradition. His
grandfather, Alhaji Osman Yakubu, was a member of the Legislative Assembly in
the Gold Coast in 1951 and was elected as the first Member of Parliament for
the Tamale constituency in 1954.
Some
worried party supporters are of the view that much as the party is doing all
that it can to ensure an ethnic balance in the occupation of the various
offices, this must be done with utmost care.
Alhaji
Osman is a member of the Council of Elders of Okaikoi North Constituncy.
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Prosecution confirms Palaver story
The Ghana Palaver says the request last Monday
by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Osafo-Sampong, that an Accra Fast
Track Court adjourn long enough, the Quality Grains Trial to enable the
Prosecution bring down, two rice growers, as witnesses, confirms its story.
The
court is trying two ex-NDC Ministers and four civil servants for allegedly
causing financial loss to the state.
The
paper had carried in its August 10 – 13, 2001 edition that the government had
plans to pay a whopping $27,200 for two USA rice growers to come and give
evidence at the trial.
The
two rice growers, Jay and Everett Anderson, the paper says, belong to the
partnership of Prairie International of Texas, USA, the rival company, which
competed with Quality Grain Incorporated for the Aveyime Rice Project.
The
$27,200 charged by the two prospective prosecution witnesses is made of $11,000
for two business class air tickets and staff charges and per diem of $16,200.
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Confusion at Ghana Water Co. probe
Proceedings at the Thursday morning session of
the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) probe committee came to an abrupt halt
following a clash between the chairman, Justice N.Y.B. Adade, and a defence
counsel, Frank Davies.
Tempers
flared as the two men exchanged words. Eventually, the chairman adjourned the
sitting. Not satisfied, the counsel showed his anger by kicking chairs.
According
The Ghanaian Times, it all started when about 10 minutes into proceedings,
Justice Adade questioned why Davies was interfering with proceedings by
whispering and talking.
Davies,
counsel for A.B. Adjei, Chief Materials Manager of GWCL, had passed a document
to Neils Lutterodt, counsel for Charles Adjei, former Managing Director of
GWCL, for his study.
When
Davies denied that he was talking but only handing over a document, Justice
Adade threw his left hand in the air, "you were talking, you were talking.
If this continues we would have to separate the two men to stop the
consultations".
Davies
retorted that since some of the case being probed involved both men, he had to
consult his "learned friend" occasionally.
Issues
seemed to have been settled then and proceedings continued.
Charles
Adjei, answering questions on a contract involving 30,000 meters purchased by
the company, read out minutes of a board meeting, indicating that whatever
actions he took in the matter was with the approval of the board.
At a
point, he referred to "management" in the letter and when asked who
constituted management", Adjei said, "it was myself and A.B. Adjei in
that instance."
After
the letter was read, Davies attempted to seek clarification from the former
Managing Director, but Justice Adade rejected the request.
"Keep
quiet and allow him to finish with us, then you can question him. You do not
have to question him at the least chance," the chairman said.
Davies
shot back at him asking why he could not question witness, especially when he
felt that there was the need to clear his client's name when a wrong impression
was being created.
That
again resulted in a hot exchange between the two, causing Justice Adade to
adjourn proceedings abruptly to 'cool down tempers'.
More…/
Television is corrupting our youth
Uncontrolled television viewing among the youth
is responsible for the unfortunate moral decadence in schools, Rose Ankrah,
Accra Metropolitan Director of Education, has said.
In
a speech read on her behalf at a graduation ceremony of Hansen Road SDA
Preparatory/JSS, Ms Ankrah, said that research had confirmed that violent
programmes on television caused children to be aggressive, anxious, suspicious
and perpetually frightened.
She,
therefore, advised parents to inculcate the habit of reading, sports and other
useful hobbies in their children to reduce the time they spent on television
viewing.
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Dan Markin faces arrest
The Evening News says prosecutors from the
Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) have decided to enforce a
bench warrant issued in 1998 by a Tema Circuit Court for the arrest of Dan
Markin, Chairman of the Democratic People's Party (DPP).
He
has been charged with two counts of failing to pay social security
contributions, contrary to Sections 22 (1) (2) and 26 (1)(c)(i) of PNDC Law 247
of 1991.
Markin
is facing trial for non-payment of social security contributions for the
employees of Comosco Enterprises Limited, a Tema-based company of which he is
the Managing Director.
He
has also been accused of not paying into SSNIT account, a three per cent
penalty levied on the principal against him.
He
made his first appearance in court two weeks after he had been served on
November 12, 1997, but since then he had failed to appear before it.
A
source close to the Tema Circuit Court (Civil Division) told "The Evening
News" that between February 1996 to August 1997, Markin refused to pay a
total of ˘9,086,568 being social security contributions due his workers.
Currently,
his total indebtedness to SSNIT stands at ˘26,002,179 which he has still not
paid.
When
he made his first appearance, his counsel, Kweku Baah, First Vice Chairman of
the NDC, was said to have protested against the suit and the action by SSNIT
against his client.
He,
however, pleaded with the court to allow SSNIT to review the figure to enable
his client to pay the right amount.
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NPP to screen candidates
The Weekend Statesman reports that the NPP has
set up a vetting committee to screen all the 34 candidates who have applied to
contest for various executive positions in the party at its National Delegates
Conference scheduled for the University of Ghana, Legon on August 25.
The
committee will look into the background of the candidates and determine the
legibility of each contestant for the executive positions.
A
source close to the National Headquarters of the party told The Statesman that
the exercise that would start on Friday, would enable the party have fair
assessment of the candidates with the view to weed out people with questionable
characters.
Factors,
to be considered by the committee, include individuals' personal records and
contributions to the growth of the party since its formation and financial positions
in the party.
The
position being contested for are National Chairman, three Vice Chairmanship
positions, National Organiser, National Treasure and the General Secretary.
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Otumfuo donates 100m cedis - as seed money for
police fund
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has called
for the establishment of a police fund in Kumasi to assist the police to get
vehicles and equipment in combating crime and lawlessness in Ashanti, says the
Free Press.
To
put the idea in motion, he personally donated 100 million cedis towards the
establishment of the fund.
Otumfuo
Osei Tutu made the call and donation, during a courtesy call on him by the
Inspector General of Police, Ernest Owusu Poku at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi
last week.
The
Asantehene noted the efforts being made by the IGP to redeem the image of
police, which he said had sunk so low due partly to some bad nuts in the service
and partly due to lack of logistics.
He
said his idea of setting up the Police Fund in Kumasi was to ensure that the
manifold problems facing the Police is redressed.
He
also promised to liase with timber companies, business enterprises as well as market
traders to contribute generously to the Fund to enable the police to safeguard
them from the menace of crime wave, which had sprouted uncontrollably in the
region.
More…/
E.T. Mensah blames media for his woes.
The former Minister of Youth and Sports and
Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Enoch Teye Mensah has described
various media reports on his personal life as an attempt to tarnish his image.
Mensah
was particularly concerned about media reports that he was instrumental in
inciting members of the ACDRs to stage a counter demonstration against the Kume
Preko demonstration on May 9, 1995, organised by the Alliance for Change (AFC)
in protest against the maiden introduction of the Value Added Tax. The
demonstration claimed four lives.
Speaking
in a radio interview last Wednesday he denied the allegations, saying that on
the said day, he was nowhere near Accra Central during the demonstration.
Six
years after this event, some editors of private newspapers who were members of
the AFC have called for investigation into the organisation of the counter
demonstration.
On
the character of his mischievous son, Jerry Mensah, expelled from Mfantsipim
and Mawuli schools for breaking school rules which attracted a lot of media
attention, Mensah said although his son’s behaviour was in no way acceptable it
shouldn’t have been given such publicity, “but that is politics, every aspect
of your life will be published when in fact issues about my children have
remained out of public domain”.
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Ghana gets first female Paratroopers
The Ghana Armed Forces (GMA) High Command has bent
backwards to allow for more female intake into its regular career courses
(RCCs) at the Military Academy and Training Schools (MATS) at Teshie, near
Accra, reports The Daily Guide.
It
is not known however whether the decision was taken out of the High Command's
own belief in affirmative action.
However, it has paid off resulting in two cadet officers of the MATS
successfully passing out as first female paratroopers of the Ghana Armed
Forces. They are Lieutenant Assan and 2nd Lieutenant Quaye.
According
to a report filed by Major S.Y. Asare and Capt. W. Agyapong in the 2001 first
quarter issue of AFNEWS (Armed Forces News), until 1988 the MATS did not have
female regular cadets.
The
female cadets were also barred from partaking in dare-devil stunts like
paratrooping but this training has since the year 2000, been made available to
the females and is tenable at the air-borne Force in Tamale in the Northern
Region.
The
report explained that paratrooping was outside the preview of women because female
intake in the RCC was discontinued before parachute training was introduced
into the GMA.
There
were heated debates before S/Cdts Assan and Quaye could embark on their
parachute training, not only at the GMA high command, but in all other units as
to whether the two officers should be allowed the training, with some
speculating that it could render them barren, the AFNEWS report said.
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Zero tolerance…-NPP MP threatens policeman
The Dispatch says President John Kufuor’s zero
tolerance for corruption, high handedness and disrespect for laws are likely to
be tested again.
This
time, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North,
Hon. Ken Ohene Agyapong, in the presence of Ghanaian and foreign nationals,
openly threatened a Police Sergeant in uniform.
He
yelled: “You foolish officer, I will slap you. Nonsense. Do you know who I am?”
The incident happened at 9.30 pm on Saturday, August 4 at the Kotoka
International Airport.
The
MP, in the company of a lady, had been asked at the entrance to the departure
hall, as with everybody, to show proof that they were travelers but he got
angry and rained insults on a police constable and later pushed him aside.
The
leader of the team, one Sgt. Bawah of the Police Mobile Force then approached
the MP for his travel documents upon which the MP took further offence.
At the
top of his voice, and attracting a sizeable crowd, the Hon., pushing and
heckling the Sergeant, shouted: “Who do think you are? How dare you ask me for
my passport? Do you know who I am? If you play the fool, I will slap you.
Nonsense. Do you think we are in the Rawlings era?”
He
later identified himself as a very important person when he pulled a service
passport (green colour), and somebody identified him as an MP.
A
follow up by the Dispatch identified him as Hon Ohene Agyapong, MP for Assin
North.
The
Dispatch says a number of highly placed members of the Kuffuor’s
administration, when contacted for their comments, expressed shock and dismay
with one of them saying, “I will be very surprised if the President does not
reprimand him publicly.
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Value Added Tax on clubs is illegal -
Ibrahim
The
Chairman of the Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Alhaji
Yusif A. Ibrahim is quoted by the Asante Kotoko Express as saying that football
clubs in the premier division were illegally registered by the National Sports
Council (NSC) to pay VAT.
This
is the reason why clubs have continued to mutter against the policy, he said,
arguing that it is making worse their already precarious financial positions.
In
a statement which mildly condemns the move by the NSC for arrogating to itself
the power to register clubs to pay VAT, Ibrahim said the NSC could have given
the directive for the clubs to follow and the current murmuring and latent
friction between the NSC and the clubs would have been avoided.
“If
the NSC had directed the clubs to register, they would have willingly
registered and there would be no problem.”
He
explained that clubs are not fighting against payment of VAT but their request
is that they should be offered uniform exemptions in certain areas in order not
to worsen their financial predicament.
As
at the last GFA Congress, only three clubs, namely: Asante Kotoko, Dawu
Youngsters and Tano Bofoakwa had submitted their income and expenditure details
to the council with the others yet to do so but complaining about the crippling
and cumulative effects VAT has on them.
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Hearts play RTU, Hasmal on 19 & 26th
August
The Professional League Board (PLB) in consultation
with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has released the programme for the
rest of the outstanding matches to be cleared by Accra Hearts of Oak, Asante
Kotoko and Obuasi Goldfields.
The
Hearts News, reports the PLB chairman, Sylvester Mensah, as saying that Hearts,
the Africa super champions, will play Real Tamale United (RTU) on Sunday 19th
August, 2001 at the Accra Sport stadium.
Then
on Sunday 26th August, Hearts will play their last outstanding match
against
Hasaacas at the Accra Sports Stadium.
On
the same day Kotoko will lock horns with Adansiman United at the Kumasi Sport
stadium with Obuasi Goldfields taking on King Faisal at the Obuasi Len Clay
sports stadium.
Mensah
said the second round resumes would on the September 5 and end on Sunday
December 9.
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