Assist CEPS to stop smuggling of cooking oil - Nketiah
Live above parochial interests, Rawlings tells assemblymen
Akuapem water system to be rehabilitated
Emmanuel Presby celebrates 25th anniversary
Government will not reduce producer cocoa price - Atta-Mills
Assist CEPS to stop smuggling of cooking oil - Nketiah
Kwae (Eastern Region) 20 Dec. '99
Communities living along the country's borders have been urged to assist the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) to stop the smuggling of cooking oil into the country.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, who was addressing this year's "Farmers and Staff Day" durbar of the Ghana Oil Palm
Development Company (GOPDC) Limited at Kwae in the Birim North district, said local companies are facing stiff competition from smuggled cooking oil.
He said, "the ministry being aware of the unfair stiff competition faced by cooking oil made in Ghana on our local markets from smuggled brands from the neighbouring countries, was determined to deal drastically with the problem".
"The Custom, Excise and Preventive Service, district assemblies and traditional authorities along the country's frontiers should institute measures to stop this economic sabotage".
Mr Nketiah spoke about the collapse of prices of agricultural commodities such as cocoa and palm oil, on the world market, which had greatly affected the economy of the country.
Thirty-five farmers including 11 women and six workers were honoured for their outstanding performance.
The overall best farmer award went to Madam Joyce Nyakyeraa, 50 of Adwafo. She was presented with a power tiller valued at 12 million cedis, two pairs of Wellington boots and four pieces of cutlasses.
Mr Edward Addo of the Corporate Affairs Department won the best worker award. He received a certificate and a sound system.
The Managing Director of the Company, Mr Jean Michel Rousscau said, 153,000 seedlings were raised this year and distributed to 539 farmers for planting on 1,070 hectares at a total cost of one billion cedis.
He said the total planted area under the farmers' scheme is 12,888 hectares in addition to GOPDC's 16,452 hectares.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mr Pierra Vandebeeck said, the Company, which started the oil palm out-growers scheme in 1979 with five farmers, now has 400 smallholder farmers with over 1,400 hectares, and 6,000 out-growers,
with over 11,000 hectares oil palm plantation.
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Live above parochial interests, Rawlings tells assemblymen
Sandema, (Upper East) 20 Dec. '99
President Jerry John Rawlings has called on district assemblies to live above parochial interests and act together for the good of their people.
He observed that selfishness and petty internal squabbles have crept into the fabric of the assemblies, and cautioned that if this is not checked, it would impede the nation's forward march in development.
The President's speech was read for him by Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper East Regional Minister, at the annual "Feok" festival of the chiefs and people of the Builsa traditional area in Sandema at the weekend.
President Rawlings said it is a major concern of the government, since the days of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), to close the gap between the rural and urban areas, through the provision of essential amenities.
He said about three-quarters of the country's population live in the rural areas, where the bulk of the nation's wealth is also produced.
It was against this background that the district assembly concept was evolved to provide a platform for the acceleration of development in the rural areas, the President said.
He commended the district assemblies and their lower structures for proving versatile to the tasks and challenges that have confronted them over the years.
"The provision of school infrastructure, clinics, markets and roads by the various district assemblies within their catchment areas is an eloquent testimony of their role in nation-building."
On education, the President gave the assurance that the central government and the district assemblies would continue to provide the necessary infrastructure and operational logistics.
He called on all stakeholders, especially chiefs and parents, to co-operate to ensure the success of the free compulsory universal basic education programme.
President Rawlings urged parents and guardians in the Builsa district, which has the lowest school enrolment rate in the region, to show more concern for their children's education.
The President expressed his sympathy to the chiefs and people of the area, who were hit by cholera and floods during the rainy season, and paid tribute to organisations and individuals who gave assistance to the people.
Sandema-Nab Ayieta Azantilow, paramount chief of the Builsa traditional area, in a welcoming address, commended the government for the sustained effort in providing the people with basic social infrastructure, and for its rapid response to the needs of disaster victims in the area.
Nab Azantilow, however, appealed to the government to assist the people to find a permanent solution to the devastating effects of floods, through the provision of building materials and technical support in the designing of durable houses.
The Feok festival, which features the Builsa war dance prominently, is both a thanksgiving and commemorative traditional festival, dating back to the early 19th century, when the people were said to have defeated the notorious slave raiders, Babatuy and Samosi.
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Akuapem water system to be rehabilitated
Accra (Greater Accra) 20 Dec. '99
The government has secured a 10 million- dollar Spanish loan to rehabilitate the Akuapem water system, Mr. Alex Boadu Akuffo, Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, said at a fund-raising dinner dance organised by the Akuapem Akwantufo Nkabom Kou (AANK) made up of Akuapems resident in Accra.
It was to raise funds for the Nana Addo Dankwa Education Fund for school dropouts and young farmers in the Akuapem area.
Mr. Akuffo said proposal for the disbursement of the loan is to be placed before Cabinet this week adding that after parliamentary approval work would start early next year.
"This project would bring a lasting solution to the water problem from Aprede to Brekusu in the Akuapem districts," he said.
Efforts are being made to secure funding to complete the rehabilitation of roads from Accra to the Akuapem area.
He said the water and road projects when completed would attract people to put residential accommodation in the area to help decongest Accra.
The Deputy Minister asked the district assemblies in the area to enforce building codes strictly.
Mr. Akuffo expressed concern about chieftaincy disputes in the area and appealed to the chiefs to resolve their differences amicably "if we want to attract investors and developers into the area".
He praised the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches for choosing Akropong and Larteh for their universities.
Mr. Enoch Atiemo Budu, Chairman of AANK, called on Akuapems living outside to "return home and support the development in the area".
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Return to top Emmanuel Presby celebrates 25th anniversary
Accra (Greater Accra) 20 Dec. '99
The Speaker of Parliament, Justice Daniel F. Annan, has called on churches and society to collaborate with the government to train the youth to become responsible leaders in future.
He expressed concern about the upsurge of child neglect cases with its attendant problem of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases especially AIDS.
Justice Annan was speaking on Sunday at a church service to climax activities marking the 25th anniversary of the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church at Dansoman in Accra.
Justice Daniel F. Annan urged Reverend Ministers should use the pulpit against unethical behaviour in society without fear adding that, "the cross we bear as Christians is hatred. We suffer when we continuously speak the truth."
Churches should be "workshops for dissemination of information on spiritual, social and national issues" and not a place for social gathering, merry making and the collection of dues.
He said parliament was ready to deliberate on memoranda, petitions and other information that would result in proper legislation.
"If the church assumes her rightful role in the body politic of the nation, Christians would be open to a good sense of direction and knowledge of the stark realities of life".
Justice Annan asked Christians to critically examine themselves and to correct their mistakes and said, "invite the Lord to continue to direct our path as we move into the next millennium".
The Rt. Rev Dr Sam Prempeh, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, said the church is going to launch a five Billion-Cedi Developmental Fund to help reduce the number of times collections are taken during church service.
He asked Christians to go all out to "witness the good things the Lord has done" for them to win more souls for Christ.
Other activities, which marked the celebration, were a musical concert, drama, photo exhibition and games.
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Return to top Government will not reduce producer cocoa price - Atta-Mills
Akim Achiase (Eastern Region) 20 Dec. '99
The Vice President, Professor John Evans Atta-Mills, has assured cocoa farmers that the government would not reduce the producer price of cocoa inspite of the slump on the world market.
This is to ensure that the standard of living of farmers is not unduly eroded.
These were contained in an address read on his behalf by a member of council of state, Nana Krotwiamansa Agyei-Ampofo, at a durbar of the chiefs and people of Akim-Achiase on Saturday to climax their Ahontan festival.
It coincided with the 50th anniversary of the enstoolment of the Akim-Achiasehene, Osabarima Darku Frimpong II.
The Vice President said a list of communities along high tension electricity lines including Akim-Achiase junction has been compiled for consideration to connect them to the national grid.
He appealed to the chiefs to educate their people on the importance of the population census to be conducted in March, next year.
The exercise is not meant to tax people but rather to facilitate effective economic planning.
Nana Agyei-Ampofo appealed to the National House of Chiefs to address the practice whereby people announce their desire to contest stools when they become vacant by offering drinks and money to Kingmakers.
He said this has now become "a dignified form of bribery and corruption," which is the main course of litigation over the enstoolment of chiefs.
The Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Alex Akuffo said efforts are being made to solve the periodic water shortage in the area.
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