Road contractors paid ¢102 billion
I'll help NPP retain power
Armed robbers attack Karikari
Rawlings is a spent force
Two foreign firms milk Ghana ¢30 billion
Komenda Assembly owes contractors ¢3 billion
Prempeh College student demands ¢2m ransom
Woman bites woman's breast
Repairs on Presidential jet to cost $2m
Media in crisis
Changes in NPP are very negative!
Eleven billion cedis incentives for teachers
Mob attacks police, frees suspect
Joy FM blows ¢150m
Man impregnates daughter and pus her to death
Road contractors paid ¢102 billion
The Daily Graphic carries that the government
has paid about ¢102 billion out of a total debt of ¢300 billion owed contractors
for road maintenance works in the country.
Additionally,
the government has disbursed an amount of $11 million owed contractors for
general road construction works, the sector minister, Kwadwo Adjei-Darko,
disclosed at a mini-durbar held in his honour at Swedru as part of his
three-day tour of the Central Region.
He
spoke about the intention of the government to review contributions into the
road fund and said the present contributions from fuel levy, international
transit fees, vehicle registration fees and road tolls are inadequate for the
maintenance and construction of roads in the country.
"The
¢230 fuel levy per litre on fuel and ¢500 to ¢3000 toll collected from both
commercial and private vehicles contribute only 60 per cent to road maintenance
cost in the country", he said.
He
stressed the need for a review of the existing tax contributions to the road
fund if the development of roads is to be accelerated.
More…/
I'll help NPP retain power
Haruna Esseku, a leading aspirant for the position
of National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at its congress slated
for Saturday in Accra, has assured the rank and file of the party that under
his leadership, the NPP would emerge more united, cohesive and ready to retain
political power in the 2004 general elections.
He
noted that having won political power, the NPP is faced with the difficult task
of justifying the confidence reposed in it by the people and also working to
retain power, and therefore need experienced and dedicated team builders like
him, to lead it to accomplish the set objectives.
Esseku,
who was also the Deputy Campaign Manager of President Kufuor in the December
2000 elections, gave the assurance in an interview in Accra on Wednesday.
More…/
Armed robbers attack Karikari
A gang of four robbers attacked the residence
of Professor Kwame Karikari, of the School of Communications Studies, at Legon
near Accra making away with large sum of money in various currencies and
personal belongings worth millions of cedis. According
to a Radio Ghana report, at about 1.30 am while Professor Karikari and his
family were asleep, the robbers stormed the house and ransacked the rooms.
The
report quoted Professor Karikari as saying that the robbers made away with cash
amounts of ¢1 million, CFA 500,000, $125, £20 and jewellery worth ¢25 million
belonging to his wife.
The
robbers also took away a cellular phone, video camera and other valuables.
Asked whether he sees the attack as an attempt on his life, Professor Karikari
said to the best of his knowledge, he has not wronged anyone to warrant such an
attack.
He
said at a stage, the robbers threatened to kill them if they made noise. One of
the robbers, according to him, suggested that they should burn down the house
before leaving the premises.
GRi…/
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Kufuor’s ‘pets’ to ride home …Tactics at play
The Chronicle writes that the race for the seven
national executive posts on offer at the seventh Annual National Delegates
Conference of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is on the homestretch, but the
contest for the posts is dimming.
The paper says it can reveal that the
list for the seven national executive posts of Chairman, three Vice-Chairmen,
Treasurer will be known before the conference delegates begin casting their
votes Saturday afternoon.
General Secretary Dan Botwe has already booked
his flight for the next three years, standing as the only unopposed candidate.
The
Chronicle says sources within the NPP have confirmed to it that shuffling for
the various posts has intensified in the past few days, with the pro-Kufuor
camp within the party gaining the upper hand.
According
to the sources, seven officers are being seriously campaigned for as the
“chosen ones” to lead the party for the next three years.
The
names revealed include the first Vice Chairman of the Central Regional NPP,
Haruna Esseku, who has been penciled down to replace the Canada-bound diplomat
and incumbent Chairman, Samuel Odoi-Sykes.
The
three vice-chairs on the list include Messrs Stephen Ayensu Ntim, Edmund Annan,
and the 58-year old Agnes Adzo Okudzeto.
The
Treasurer goes to the 68-year old Harvard-trained Michael Dugan, the chairman
of the Election Committee for the 1998 elections and for the Logistics
Committee of the December elections.
The
post of National Organiser originally expected to go to the Deputy Greater
Accra Regional Chairman, Lord Commey, is likely to be parceled out to Alhaji
Sulemana Bartholomew Mousieyiri, sources hinted.
Meanwhile, the number of contestants
vying for the available posts continues to reduce by the day and is expected to
whittle down from the original 34 to about 18 on voting day. The number of
contestants currently stands at 22.
Chronicle
says by any reckoning, Saturday’s congress would be a far departure from the
three-day August 1998 National Delegates Conference at the Amegashie Auditorium
of the School of Administration, Legon Accra. This conference is a one-day
event expected to close at 9 p.m. Saturday with most of the activities
associated with the previous conferences put off.
More…/
Rawlings is a spent force
Former President Jerry John Rawlings has been
described as a spent political force and a very minimal threat to national
security.
In
an interview with the Chronicle last Thursday in Accra, an eminent member of
the Institute of Economic Affairs, Professor George Ayittey, said the military,
the source of Rawlings’ power, got progressively divided in its loyalty to him (Rawlings).
This
trend also showed up among members of the 64 Regiment who felt Jerry Rawlings
had betrayed the ideals of their revolution. Commandos, towards the end of the
reign of Rawlings, started sneaking out because the principles they fought for
were now being undermined with impunity by appointees right under their noses.
The
professor also noted that the gradual retrenchment of members of the ACDR and their
being sidelined from core party and grassroots decision making lowered their
morale, thereby reducing the force of their loyalty to Jerry Rawlings.
Another
factor, which Professor Ayittey saw as a barrier to a bouncing back of Rawlings,
is the fact that he no longer enjoys the unqualified loyalty of the Ghana Armed
Forces.
GRi…/
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Two foreign firms milk Ghana ¢30 billion
Three years after the Serious Fraud Office
(SFO) began investigations into the dubious business practices of two Chinese
companies which allegedly falsified accounts and evaded taxes to the tune of
about ¢30 billion, findings are still not ready.
The
Evening News says the SFO told it on Monday that it was not clear when
investigations into the scandal would end.
An
official explained that the investigations department is still unraveling
certain difficult information needed to determine the exact amount involved.
But
the paper says it gathered that Afrik Shangdon fisheries and Zhongha Fisheries,
the two companies involved, who are based in the port city of Tema, had by the
middle of 1998 exported fish from Ghana's waters to the value of over $13
million without repatriating a cent to the country or paying the taxes
involved.
Despite
the colossal profits that the two companies hauled, during the period their
accounts were massaged to show losses, thereby evading taxes, which could
otherwise accrue, to the State.
More…/
Komenda Assembly owes contractors ¢3 billion
The Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem District
Asembly's indebtedness to contractors and suppliers alone is estimated at ¢3
billion. This figure is equivalent to the assembly's total share of the Common
Fund allocation for about two years.
Nana
Ato Arthur, the District Chief Executive (DCE), who revealed this at the second
ordinary meeting of the assembly at Elmina on Tuesday, said the assembly has
inherited economic and financial crisis of serious dimensions as compared to
other, municipal and district assemblies in the region.
He
said the actual order of magnitude still eludes the assembly, but he indicated
that the assembly had come out with modalities to service the debt and ensure
that the contractors did not resort to legal action against the assembly for
defaulting.
GRi…/
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Prempeh College student demands ¢2m ransom
The Police Buffalo Unit in Kumasi has arrested
a 16-year-old student of Prempeh College, for allegedly threatening a
Kumasi-based car dealer with death if he fails to deposit ¢2 million cash at a
designated spot, reports The Daily Guide.
Master
Peril Jones Arthur, the student, was arrested last Monday at Kwadaso Estate, a
suburb of Kumasi with his peer accomplice, Akwasi Antwi, 17, an apprentice.
Their
other accomplices, Nana Poku and Daniel Yeboah, all Secondary School students
are at large and the Police are making frantic efforts to arrest them.
Briefing
the Guide on Wednesday, Joseph Kwame Fosu, the Ashanti Regional Police Crime
Officer said the students on August 19, 2001, used a telephone, number
051-24006 to call a Kumasi based car dealer, Asante Achempong and asked him to
deposit ¢2 million cash under a tree located near the premises of Cambridge
International School.
The
boys reportedly, threatened the businessman with death and also warned would
burn his fleet of cars on sale, should he fail to comply with their orders that
was to expire the next day, August 20, 2001.
The
crime officer said shaken and frightened, the Asante Acheampong hinted
personnel of the police Buffalo Unit who kept vigil at his residence at South
Suntreso.
The
next day, the Police traced the telephone number to the house of the students
at Kwadaso Estates and arrested Benjamin Kwasi Arthur.
He
denied knowledge but his brother Peril Jones Arthur was suspected and picked
together with his accomplice, Akwasi Antwi, an apprentice. When the two were
arrested, they admitted the plot but told the Police that the action was just
for fun.
They
then mentioned Nana Poku and Daniel Yeboah, all students, now at large as their
accomplices.
More…/
Woman bites woman's breast
A woman who nearly bit off the breast of a
fellow woman has been found guilty by an Accra Circuit Tribunal and convicted
on her own plea.
The
damage caused to the other woman's breast was so severe that the right breast
was nearly torn off her chest.
Presiding
judge, Imoro Ziblim suspended sentencing until one month later.
Meanwhile
the accused, Esther Ekua Tibuwaah, of Accra has been ordered by the court to
pay ¢1 million to the complainant, Sarah Wiredu to cover part of her medical
bills.
The
Tribunal heard that both the accused and the complainant are traders at Dome
Railway Crossing Market in Accra.
On
July 19, 2001, at about 9.30 a.m. there was a misunderstanding between the
complainant and the accused over an alleged missing money belonging to
Tibuwaah. This later resulted into a fight between the two, and in the tussle,
the accused bit very hard at Wiredu's right breast that nearly tore it off her
chest.
A
report was made to the police, and the accused was arrested, and charged with
the offence.
Tibuwaah
was granted bail in the sum of ¢5 million with one surety. The case has been
adjourned to September 13, 2001, for sentencing.
GRi…/
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Repairs on Presidential jet to cost $2m
According
to the paper, its investigations have revealed that the F28 presidential jet
has been sent out for repairs at an estimated cost of $1 million. However, the
cost shot up when the company undertaking the job did a thorough costing of the
repairs.
The
jet, according to the paper, was flown out for repairs to add value before sale
and attract a reasonable price.
“The
move has backfired and the Ghanaian tax-payer is to fork out hard foreign
exchange to pay for the repairs”, says the paper.
The
NDC mouthpiece says, aviation experts contacted, have expressed surprise at the
cost of the repairs, maintaining that the aircrafts is very old and not likely
to attract any meaningful price.
GRi…/
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Media in crisis
The Accra Mail says it has found out at the
National Media Commission that fifty-eight cases have been lodged by various
aggrieved parties before it against some media men and organizations. Out of the number, twenty-eight cases have been
resolved through mediation.
The
shocker however is that, out of the twenty eight resolved cases, only two went
in favour of the media, the rest going against it. “It is a shameful record”,
says the paper.
It
says currently before the commission is probably the most embarrassing
complaint to be lodged against one of its members - the Private Newspaper
Publishers Association of Ghana’s (PRINPAG) representative on the commission,
whose newspaper attacked the affable and very friendly Vice President Aliu in
such an unprovoked manner that, calls have been made for PRINPAG to withdraw
him from the commission.
The
Mail says whether it is commercial pressure, or ideological point scoring, or
just mere flexing of media muscle power, the media in Ghana is leaving
footmarks in the sands of time that could eventually deny it any credibility.
At
the National Media Commission, the mood is one of alarm and despondency and
senior members of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in private squirm at
some of the blatantly unethical practices that are now becoming the norm.
GRi…/
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Changes in NPP are very negative!
The editor of the Weekly Insight newspaper, Kwesi
Pratt, has stated that the changes which have occurred in the NPP since it
assumed the reins of government, are very negative and inimical to the interest
of Ghanaians while the changes within the NDC, especially the latter’s stance
on certain issues, particularly the HIPC and Sahara saga, are positive.
In
a story appearing in the Crusading Guide, Pratt reportedly affirmed at a
one-day media seminar organized by the NDC Youth Forum, that he was happy to
see the NDC standing side by side with him, fighting what he termed the most
inhuman treatment meted out to the people of Ghana by the ruling government.
“The
changes that have taken place in the NPP are very negative changes inimical to
the interest of our people and the changes that have taken place in the NDC are
very positive, genuine changes which if pursued genuinely can lead to the
salvation of our people from the claws of poverty”, Kwesi Pratt said amidst
thunderous applause.
He
added that it was remarkable to note that the people he used to fight along
with are now on the other side while the people he used to fight against, are
on his side.
Kwesi
Pratt submitted that he was in the same trenches with the NPP fighting the NDC
on Structuring Adjustment Policy (SAP) and other issues but was quick to point
out that today it was the NDC that was fighting against SAP just as he was doing.
The
Insight editor also charged that the NPP government had not done anything
different from the NDC government, adding that “the cassava that they are
making so much noise about is to produce industrial starch; we cannot use it
for fufu, we cannot use it for Kokonte”.
GRi…/
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Eleven billion cedis incentives for teachers
The Ghana Education Service (GES) on Wednesday
launched an ¢11 billion incentive package for teachers in some deprived areas
of the country, reports The Ghanaian Times.
The
package, which is to benefit 19,000 out of more than 24,000 teachers identified
to be teaching in deprived areas, include 14,400 bicycles and 5,000 each of
cooking utensils and radio cassette players.
The
items are part of the donations made to the GES by the World Bank following a
survey report by the service on the needs of teachers living in deprived
communities.
Launching
it, the Minister of Education, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, said the
items underscored the government’s commitment to rewarding and motivating
teachers to give of their best.
The
government, he said, recognise the enormous sacrifices of teachers and the
deprivation they go through and would do all it could to ensure better
conditions of service for them, especially those in deprived areas.
More…/
Mob attacks police, frees suspect
A mob of about 20 young men from Sabon Zongo, a
suburb of Kumasi, last week attacked two policemen and freed their colleague
being escorted to the Manhyia Police Station in Kumasi for his alleged
involvement in an unlawful entry and stealing case.
The
police personnel, who sustained minor injuries, were named as Detective
Sergeant A.K. Mensah and Corporal Regina Owusu, both attached to the station.
Police
sources said on Wednesday that the station at noon last week Wednesday,
received a report of unlawful entry and stealing involving the suspect, named
only as Yekini at Sabon Zongo.
The
two cops, who were detailed to effect his arrest, succeeded in arresting him
but while escorting him to the station, about 20 young men attacked them (cops)
and rescued him (the suspect).
Having
gained his freedom, the suspect collected a razor blade from one of the young
men and inflicted cuts on the hands of the cops.
They
were treated and discharged at the Manhyia Polyclinic.
GRi…/
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Joy FM blows ¢150m
The Graphic Showbiz says while most listeners
to radio have, over the last three months, been angered or alarmed or at least
tickled by Joy FM's crusade to expose alleged malfeasance in the affairs of the
giant Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), the independent
radio station has been losing millions of cedis pursuing the cause.
According
to the Graphic Showbiz, the amount spent or lost by Joy FM today stands in the
region of ¢150 million and comprises legal fees, research expenses, loss of
withheld advertising revenue and redirected man-hours.
Joy
FM's Super Morning Show host, Komla Dumor, who sparked off the investigation
and who has been the champion of the crusade, let it slipped out last Monday on
his radio programme.
Speaking
to Graphic Showbiz after the programme, Komla said that legal fees alone have
cost them about ¢46 million.
The
company has also lost about ¢15 million in man-hours as a result of staff who
have to be at the CHRAJ hearings and it is also estimated that the radio
station has lost about ¢82 million in adverts withheld by organisations that
are either directly or indirectly related to SSNIT.
He
said that Joy is likely to lose about ¢35 million within the next few months
that the case is continuing.
Asked
about the response of his management to the cost, Komla said they are naturally
concerned but are in support of the action.
"The
Chief Executive and some senior members of the company are always present at the
hearings which is an indication of their support for a legitimate cause,"
he said.
Komla
refuted allegations by certain people who have said that he had political
reasons for pressing the case saying, "It is a constitutional
responsibility of every media organisation to be socially responsible and that
is where we take our motivation. We are concerned with the over 850,000
Ghanaians whose retirement benefits are with SSNIT".
GRi…/
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Man impregnates daughter and pus her to death
The P&P says although incest is frowned
upon by the entire society and a taboo that could bring serious repercussions
for the culprits, for Samuel Tenkorang, 42, a native of Dzekiti near Akosombo
and a worker of Akosombo textiles, his 15 year old daughter was so attractive
that he could not resist the temptation of using her to satisfy his lustful
desires.
Tenkorang
is alleged to have had sexual relationship with the daughter until she became
pregnant, after which he sent her to Juapong for an abortion to be performed,
leading to her untimely death.
The P & P says it gathered that,
Tenkorang took custody of the daughter after divorcing the mother some few
years ago. Subsequently, the victim, Esther Agyakoa, a student of the New
Senchi JSS, stayed with the father and the stepmother during which he allegedly
had sex with her frequently until she became pregnant.
When
speculations became rife after the pregnancy as to who was responsible, the
victim mysteriously suffered a protracted illness and died later at the
Akosombo VRA Hospital.
It
was alleged that before her death, the victim confessed having been put in the
family way by her father, who also gave out ¢200,000 to a paternal aunt, to
send her to Juapong where a quack doctor aborted the pregnancy, which
eventually caused her death.
A
report was immediately made to the police who arrested and arraigned Tenkorang
before court.
He
has since been granted bail, while the docket has been forwarded to the
Attorney-general's Department for advice.
A
post mortem examination revealed that the victim died of tetanus as a result of
the abortion that was performed on her.
GRi…/
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