GRi Newsreel Ghana
21 - 08 - 2001
Delay
in release of Common Fund emanates from central bank – Minister
Retired
educationist made Regent
Accra
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
The Tema
Oil Refinery (TOR) on Monday confirmed fuel shortage within the Accra-Tema
Metropolis due to lower than expected delivery to the market last week by one
of its suppliers.
Dr
Yaw Akoto, Managing Director of TOR, told journalists that the situation was
under control and would be over by the end of Monday but as at Tuesday morning
there were long queues at filling stations in many parts of the metropolis
whiles others did not have any petrol at all.
He
explained that a multi-port discharge to Tema and Takoradi last week was not
met saying, "11 million litres instead of an average of 13 million litres
was delivered to these two places".
Dr
Akoto was reacting to the mounting queues at a number of fuel service stations
in Accra and Tema.
He
said about two and half million litres of supplies would be made available to
oil marketing companies on Monday for onward delivery to the petrol stations.
Dr
Akoto assured the public that the refinery has four and a half weeks supply at
the port to be discharged this week.
He
noted that sometimes, finished products were imported to augment TOR's
capacity, "but this could create problems especially on the high seas, due
to bad weather and delivery problems at the ports."
He
denied that the shortage had arisen due to an impending fuel price hike, adding
that, "nothing like this has been discussed. There is no need for price
hikes as ex-factory prices have not changed."
Some
oil marketing companies, said they suspected an imminent fuel price hike
"since this is usually the case when there is going to be an increase.
The
Minister of Energy, Albert Kan-Dapaah last month out-doored new petroleum
pricing formula to enable the public to calculate with ease any increase or
reduction in ex-pump prices.
The formula provides for automatic
adjustment in the ex-refinery price of petroleum products based on changes in
the Free on Board (fob) prices of the products, government taxes and levies as
well as changes in the exchange rate and distribution margins.
Kan-Dapaah
had denied rumours that the launch of the formula was to lead to increases in
the price of petroleum products.
"Today the traded prices of
crude oil are falling and the exchange rate has stabilised. In these
circumstances, there is no threat of fuel price increases and the speculation
must cease."
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
President
John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday began a short leave, after seven months in
office.
Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of
Media Relations told newsmen at the State House in Accra that "President
Kufuor is taking a few days working leave from Monday, August 20."
She did not disclose the duration of
the vacation, but said President Kufuor was still in touch with his office and
would attend to urgent business.
Ms Ohene expressed the hope that
this new development would not leave room for speculation, because it was
necessary for Ministers of State and other public officials to take time off
their heavy schedules to rest.
Dr Paa Kwasi Nduom, Minister for
Regional Integration and Economic Planning was the first official of the NPP’s
seven month old government to take his holidays last week, sparking rumours
that he had fallen victim of the governments “proceed on leave” syndrome.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
President
John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday said now was the time for the realisation of
unity among African leaders as envisaged by the Founding Fathers of the
Organisation of the African Unity (OAU).
He said the concept of African Union
(AU) adopted at the Lusaka Summit last month, should materialise and pledged
Ghana's support to the Secretary-General-elect, Essy Amara as he went about his
duty of crafting the AU, which was a historic challenge.
President Kufuor was speaking when
Amara called on him at his residence, after attending the opening ceremony of
the four-day Regional Seminar of the African Centre for Strategic Studies in
Accra.
Amara said the task of transforming
the OAU into the AU was Herculean because although they have the same
objectives they were viewed differently.
He stressed the need for Africans to
unite but said the problem was how to concretise the unity after African states
had been divided by colonisation.
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Tema
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
Ghana Ports
and Harbours Authority (GPHA)'s problem with the pilfering of cargo, especially
Opel box brains, has gone down drastically during the past month due to tighter
security controls.
"For
the past four weeks or so, we have not had any complaints about anyone brain
boxes (a device that controls the electrical system) getting missing,"
said GPHA's Director of Ports, Nestor P. Galley, in an interview.
Although
the security regulations existed, Galley said, the workers did not adhere to
them, a situation that made stealing mostly of small items easy.
"When
vehicles are discharged from vessels workers writing the commission reports
have to check the vessels and when the cars are sent to the car park to await
their owners, those there also conduct their checks."
Opel
cars were now separated from other cars to ensure that they were checked properly
and to make it easier to notice any malfeasance.
Galley revealed that the Ports
Authority also plans to increase the number of security staff, train its
current and incoming staff on theft prevention and ensure that thieves were
arrested.
By early next year GPHA would
implement three 8-hour daily shifts, instead of the current 12-hour shifts,
because it has been demonstrated that when workers were tired fatigue affects
their performance.
Galley explained: "We've realised that as
part of the gateway programme, our vision is to become the maritime company of
the sub-region, so we have to be more efficient and get the turnaround time for
vessels shorter."
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
Joseph Yawo
Avonor, a 27- year-old student of Accra Polytechnic, was on Thursday shot dead
by a Policeman at Dansoman in Accra following some verbal exchanges between a
passenger and the officer over the driver's behaviour.
A source at the Dansoman Divisional Police
Command told the media that the policeman, Corporal Twumasi Appiah of Odokor
Police station has been detained.
The
source said the officer boarded a taxicab to Dansoman and during the ride, he
cautioned the driver not to open the door of his car while it was in motion.
After
the caution one passenger at the backseat, Kwame Atitsogbe, 37, alias Sly, a
resident at Dansoman, challenged the officer that such an incident had never
occurred as at the time of his caution.
The
officer then retorted that he was not referring to Sly and that he should shut
up and ordered that Sly should get down from the cab.
When he alighted together with the officer
at Akokofoto Junction, Avonor, who saw them exchanging words, approached the
two.
The
officer was reported to have fired the gun that hit Avonor, who fell and died
while being sent to the hospital.
The Dansoman Police have confirmed the
story and said the suspect would soon be arraigned before court.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
Media
practitioners on Monday lauded the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for its
efforts to repair its dented image with the media.
They
said journalists, especially those in the private media, were harassed and some
were imprisoned for taking stands against the then government.
Notable
among them were known critics of the party like Kwaku Baako, Editor of the
Crusading Guide and Kwesi Pratt Jnr, Editor of the Weekly Insight.
At
a seminar organised by the NDC Youth forum in Accra on the theme: "The
media and the minority, partners in the development of democracy.", Baako,
who presented a paper, described the encounter as the demonstration of the
beauty of democracy.
"Those perceived as reckless critics of
the NDC are here today, hopefully, not in a lion's den, to give meaning to
democracy, which must be developed and sustained in this country.
"We
are here to sharpen the rough edges of the process of learning of democratic
practices", he said.
Baako
said it was too early to start blaming the press of bias because the direction
of the media has not changed, citing issues like the Mallam Isa case, which the
private media raised against the current government.
Pratt
on his part said although he was arrested 12 times by the PNDC and twice by the
NDC and became critical of that government's policies, "I will, here,
admit that we shall be critical of the current government".
"We
criticised the NDC for adopting the World Bank's structural adjustment
programme and the NPP's policies are the same as that of the NDC."
He
said no journalist could remain neutral, adding that every media had its target
audience with an underlying philosophy.
Pratt
said he being a believer in Dr Nkrumah's philosophy would continue to champion
that cause, adding that if the NDC would change its policy, "I can assure
you that I will devote the 12 pages of my paper to it".
Kofi
Abotsi, News Editor of Radio Gold, in an anecdote said the media was only a
mirror of the larger society. He said although it only sold the idea to the
society "and does not do the killing" its role was more painful than
those who did the killing.
He said the press would continue to be
critically objective to sustain freedom of speech.
Jojo
Bruce Quansah, Editor of the Ghanaian Palaver, said his publications were based
on facts, which he could substantiate and it was unfortunate that some of his
colleagues were giving him names.
He
said it must be admitted that there were always two sides to every issue and in
democratic practices one had the right to choose a line without compromising
the truth and objectivity.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
Secretary-General
elect of the newly fashioned Africa Union, Amara Essy on Monday identified
poverty as a major cause of conflicts in Africa and called on economic partners
to help the continent develop mechanisms for sustainable development.
He said while the international community has
done a great deal in showing concern for the many armed and civil strife in
Africa, they must be willing to pay the price for peace.
"Peace
cannot go with poverty," Essy told the plenary of the first ever
sub-regional seminar on conflict management, peace and security in Accra.
He declared: "We must think of security
globally. There is need to protect African societies from social and economic
strife."
The
seminar is being jointly organised by the Washington-based Africa Centre for
Strategic Studies (ACSS) and the government to assess opportunities for
long-term conflict prevention in West Africa.
Attending
are senior government officials and other policy makers including military
chiefs from the sub-region, Europe and the United States.
Essy,
who bemoaned the unending string of conflicts in Africa, said a lot of regional
peace initiatives have failed because they were only idealistic.
"Establishing
an institution for conflict prevention is one thing and involving civil society
in its implementation is another," he declared.
Essy
lauded the initiative for the Accra Seminar, saying it fell in line with the
aspirations of the Africa Union in seeking total security and peace in the next
10 years.
Dr
Kwame Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence, said in addition to poverty Africa,
needed to do away with negative colonial legacies and unite as an integrated
family for meaningful development.
He
cited unfair international trade practices, non-availability of adequate
foreign direct investment, among other things, as thorny issues that the
continent was grappling with in the face of globalisation and called for a
Marshall Plan for Africa.
"There
are those, who believe that this mission will have the best chance of success
if it also includes effective poverty reduction and the channelling of
meaningful investment to those parts of Africa that are free of conflict and
where democratic governance has been established."
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Ho (Volta
Region) 21 August 2001
Mrs Agnes
Okudzeto, 58, a candidate for the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) First National
Vice-Chairmanship, said her primary objective would be to work towards bringing
the Volta Region into the fold of the party when elected.
Mrs Okudzeto, an Institutional
Manager, who was addressing a press conference at Ho on Monday, said she was
optimistic of being elected to the position and thereby help "clear doubts
in the minds of my people that the NPP is an Akan party".
She said she had already started
laying the necessary foundation in the Region towards the fulfilment of her
agenda for the NPP.
Mrs Okudzeto said her objective
would be to encourage more women to take up political positions in the party at
all levels as part of a nation-wide objective of giving prominence to the
problems of women at the highest level of decision-making.
She said the NPP's agenda of
promoting the cause of women and children in the country stemmed from a genuine
commitment to encourage all citizens to develop and harness their talents
towards national development.
Mrs Okudzeto pledged to work for
unity, peace and love within the rank and file of the party as a pre-requisite
for strengthening the government machinery towards fulfilling its agenda of
national development and improved living conditions for the average citizen.
Mr Ken Wuud Nuworsu, Acting Volta
Regional Chairman of the Party, said Mrs Okudzeto's candidature was strategic
and her election would prove to be crucial to the fortunes of the party in the
region.
He described Mrs Okudzeto as a
pioneer gender and child advocate and a true liberal democrat of the United
Party (UP) tradition in the region.
He said 43 delegates from the Volta
Region would attend the party's national delegates' congress next Saturday.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
Samuel J.
Nii Adjei Tawiah, aspiring National Treasurer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP),
on Monday said the use of unacceptable means of raising funds has led to the
inability of some political parties to comply with the Political Parties Law.
The parties used to raise funds during campaign
periods and it was difficult to keep proper accounts of such monies, Nii Tawiah
said in an interview after he had launched his campaign for the post.
He said without accountants to track
funds coming to the party, it was almost impossible to "know what is
coming and going in the heat of electioneering".
Nii Tawiah said until the issue of
funding was made transparent political parties would continue to find it
difficult to submit their accounts to the Electoral Commission.
In July the GNA revealed that with
the exception of the Convention People's Party (CPP) the other parties that
contested the 2000 general election failed to submit their audited accounts as
required by Electoral Law.
The Law specifies; "a political
party shall, within six months from December 31st of each year, file with the
Commission a return indicating the state of its accounts; the source of its
funds and membership dues paid or risk cancellation of its registration".
Nii Tawiah said the NPP has, over
the years, had problems with generating funds for its electioneering campaign
"due to lack of dynamism and new ideas to oil the treasury to keep the
party's machinery in motion".
The candidate, who is also the
United Kingdom Organiser of the party, said his vision was to network all NPP
constituencies in the country with the National Treasury to facilitate the
allocation of resources.
He said honesty in allocation of
resources to all constituencies would be his hallmark and ensure that donations
and funds to the branches were lodged with the right persons.
The Aspiring National Treasure
stated that he would depart from the current system where campaign teams usurp
that role, which was also a contributory factor for the parties' inability to
keep proper accounts.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
A
seven-member Parliamentary Delegation led by the Speaker Peter Ala Adjetey
returned home from Yugoslavia on Monday after a five-day reciprocal visit.
Briefing newsmen on arrival, Adjetey
who described the visit as successful recalled the long-standing relationship
between the two countries as founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM).
The Speaker said the two countries
have strong basis for co-operation in agriculture, trade and industry and the
exchange of technocrats.
He said the delegation called on the
Prime Minister of Yugoslavia, the Vice President of Serbian Republic and the
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Yugoslavia.
They also held separate discussions
with the Presidents of both the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament and
visited industrial establishments including the office of Energo Project, which
constructed the Accra International Conference Centre. The company is
undertaking other projects in the country.
Members of the delegation included
Alban Bagbin, Minority leader, Abraham Ofoe Aidoo, Majority Chief Whip, Doe
Adjaho, Minority Chief Whip, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, Deputy Majority Chief Whip
and Rex Owusu-Ansah, Clerk of Parliament.
Dusan
Vujacic, Charge-D'Affairs of the Yugoslav Embassy, met the delegation on
arrival.
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Tamale
(Northern Region) 21 August 2001
The
government is seeking a 15 million-dollar Spanish facility to provide solar
energy for the generation of electricity for clinics, schools, irrigation and
water pumping systems in rural communities.
Clement
Abavana, National Co-ordinator of the Renewable Energy Services Project
(RESPRO) of the Ministry of Energy who announced this at Tamale on Monday, said
this was part of the government's initiative to develop and promote renewable
solar power as an alternative to the traditional energy sources.
He was opening a five-day training
workshop for 25 electrical contractors and electricians drawn from the Tamale
Municipality and East Mamprusi District on the installation, service and
maintenance of solar lighting systems.
The
UN Global Environment Facility through the UNDP, sponsored the workshop, which
was organised by RESPRO.
Abavana
said the project, which started in 1999 on a pilot basis in the East Mamprusi
District has a three year phase ending in February next year. It will then spin
off into a public sector company providing rural energy services using
fee-for-service and other strategies of delivery.
Resource
persons from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST),
Kumasi facilitated the workshop.
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Dormaa-Ahenkro
(Brong Ahafo) 21 August 2001
The police
are holding a 40-year-old farmer at Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa District who
allegedly butchered his girl friend, Joyce Abena Dede, 35, to death on Sunday.
The
Dormaa District Police Commander, Charles Oduro Botchey, said the suspect,
Kwaku Emmanuel, attacked the woman with a cutlass inflicting severe injuries on
her.
He
later reported to the police himself.
The
police reported the suspect as saying that he took that action because Joyce
had made him spiritually impotent.
Botchey
said Emmanuel was in critical condition after he attempted to commit suicide by
slashing his throat and abdomen, which left him bleeding profusely.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
Tension is
mounting in Sabon Zongo, in Accra following the installation of two Muslim
chiefs from the same family in May.
Alhaji
Sulley Shaibu Baako, 61, a former tutor of Accra Technical Training Centre
(ATTC) and a livestock farmer, was installed on May 18 while his 70 year-old
uncle, Zerakin Alhaji Yahaya Hamisu Baako was installed the next day. Both of
them are from the Baako family.
The
two chiefs, in separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency, claimed they
have the support of their people and admitted
that tension was developing between the two factions.
Alhaji
Sulley said: "The degree of the tension is immeasurable. The Dansoman
Police have come for me twice already within the last few days telling me that
they were informed that there would be possible rioting during my
outdooring."
He
said the second time the Police invited him he was attending a seminar on
HIV/AIDS at the Local Government School at Lartebiokorshie.
"My
opponents want to use the Police against me", Alhaji Sulley said, adding
"A few days ago, my praise singer and gong-gong beater were chased away by
the supporters of my opponent and had it not been my timely intervention there
would have been a free fight-for-all".
He
said his son, Motari Yahaya had the windscreen of his car smashed at the Zongo
by some people suspected to be members of the other faction and that the case
was pending before the James Town Community Tribunal.
The
two chiefs agreed the Baako family was the legitimate leaders of the Sabon
Zongo since the people of James Town gave the land to their grandfather, Mallam
Baako about 90 years ago.
Alhaji
Sulley's installation was recognised by Ga Mantse in a letter dated June 13
while the James Town Mantse also recognised Alhaji Yahaya in a letter dated
June 26.
Alhaji
Sulley said he presented himself to Ga Mantse because the Ga Mantse was the
overall chief of Accra and that his two predecessors also presented themselves
to the Ga Mantse.
He
said although the Sabon Zongo land belonged to James Town it had no power to
select or impose any chief on the Zongo Community.
The
two chiefs agreed that about three weeks ago the Sabon Zongo Chief in Kumasi
was in Accra to settle the case between them and directed that Alhaji Yahaya
should step down for his nephew.
Alhaji
Yahaya said that was untenable since his nephew was usurping his position.
Alhaji
Ismail Saakah, Superintendent of Police and Divisional Commander of Accra West,
denied that the Police was being used to harass any of the contestants when
contacted him.
"We
only invite people when we think their acts might breach the peace of an
area."
Alhaji
Saakah said the Police prevent conflict and that if the installation of a chief
would bring lead to the breaching of the law and order it was its duty to
pre-empt it.
''This
does not mean we are taking sides'', he said.
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Aflao
(Volta Region) 21 August 2001
A Togolese
Porter engaged to carry relics from some shrines in the Volta Region to Togo
became transfixed, dumb and eventually collapsed as she tried to cross the
border at Aflao.
An eyewitness, Madam Agbodugbe
Afezuke, also a porter, said her colleague, whose name was not readily
available, had to be doused with water before she regained consciousness.
The seven wooden carvings with black
markings found in her luggage, believed to have been stolen, were sent to the
Palace of Togbe Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area.
Traditional Priests and Priestesses
in the area have been rushing to the Paramount Chief's Palace to identify the
relics.
Madam Rabi Braimah, 49, of Agbozume
Zongo, who was named by the porter as having engaged her services, mentioned
Emmanuel Kupualor and Divine Agbezudor, all from Agbozume, as those who gave
her the relics to sell in Lome for a commission.
Togbe Fiti told journalists that
Kupualor claimed ownership of the relics and said one Gariba Salifu convinced
him that the relics could fetch 100 dollars each in Lome.
Kupualor said Salifu introduced him to Madam Braimah with whom he
struck a deal for the sale of the relics.
Togbe Fiti said the traditional
authorities would decide on their next line of action after determining the
sources of the relics.
About a month ago Togbe Fiti had
disclosed that more than 10 shrines and stool houses in the traditional area
have had their religious relics looted in a period of three months.
He said the lucrative trade in
traditional relics in Togo was encouraging the phenomenon and blamed middlemen,
who in collaboration of with attendants at the shrines loot them.
The situation compelled the
traditional authorities to take some measures including the formation of under
cover agents, the prohibition of foreigners from entering shrines and
maintaining secrecy over appellations of shrines in the area.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
Sugarcane
vendors have been ordered to vacate all principal streets in the Accra
Metropolis or face arrest and prosecution.
They
were also advised to concentrate on their activities only in designated markets
places to help solve the sanitation problems confronting the Accra Metropolitan
Assembly (AMA), Emmanuel Akrofi Bruce, Acting Director of Metropolitan Public
Health Department of the AMA, on Monday said this in an interview.
He
said the activities of the vendors have resulted in littered streets and choked
gutters in the city.
He
said the vendors were also supposed to come for medical tests because of the
unhygienic handling of sugarcane before bagging, "but none of them had
surfaced for the tests since the screening exercise started."
Bruce
said more stringent measures would be taken on food and water safety, as well
as enforcement of the sanitation bye-laws of the AMA.
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Amasaman
(Greater Accra) 21 August 2001
Kwadwo
Baah-Wiredu, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, on Monday
attributed the delay in the release of the District Assemblies' Common Fund to
the Bank of Ghana.
Baah-Wiredu, told Chairmen of nine Urban, Town
and Area Councils and Heads of Decentralised Government Departments of the Ga
District Assembly at Amasaman, that the Ministry of Finance issues instructions
to the Controller and Accountant-General, who in turn informs the Bank to
release the quarterly allocation to the Administrator of the Fund.
The
NPP Government was in discussions with the Bank to get the fund released on
time, he said.
The
Minister told them not to rely on the fund but devise ways to collect revenue
within their area and to keep a percentage for their activities.
The
district assemblies and the sub-district structures should be proactive in
their dealings and stop looking to the centre for directions, he said,
describing the practice as retrogressive.
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Nyankpala
(Northern Region) 21 August 2001
Joseph
Alhassan Kaleem 67, a retired Principal Superintendent of Education was on
Friday enskinned as regent of Nyankpala, near Tamale.
The
Regent succeeds his late father, Naa Kaleem, who died in July last year at the
age of about 100 years.
He
will occupy the skin until Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II chooses a substantive chief.
A
colourful durbar of chiefs and people marked the occasion amid drumming and
dancing and firing of musketry.
A
government delegation led by Issah Ketekewu, Deputy Northern Regional Minister
attended the ceremony.
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