No government can satisfy needs of electorate - Ohene Kena

Two drivers in Police custody over barber's death

GNAT makes suggestions on Vice-President (succession) bill

Koforidua (Eastern Region) 18 Dec '99

A leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has stressed that no government could ever satisfy the needs of the electorate in one or two terms in office.

Mr Fred Ohene-Kena, a former Minister of Energy and Mines, said the best that any government could do was to prioritise the needs of the electorate and match them in relation with available resources in order to solve the most pressing needs gradually.

He was addressing the last quarterly meeting of the executive committee of the Eastern Regional branch of the NDC at Koforidua on Thursday.

Mr Ohene-Kena called on party functionaries to explain NDC's policies to the electorate to ensure that "the party re-captures all the parliamentary seats lost in the region during the 1996 elections".

Mr Alex Akuffo, a Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, pledged the government's commitment to complete all on-going projects next year.

He said the government had already started payment for work done by contractors, noting that even if the government is not able to pay every contractor immediately it would do so later.

Mr Mike Acheampong, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, called on party functionaries in constituencies where the party lost the parliamentary seats in the 1996 elections to select marketable candidates for the 2000 elections.

Miss Patience Adow, Eastern Regional Minister, called for early nomination of parliamentary candidates for the constituencies lost in the 1996 elections to enable them to start campaigning.

Mr J.W. Agyekum, the Eastern Regional Secretary, urged the functionaries to be guided by honesty and the interest of the party in the selection of parliamentary candidates for the 2000 elections.

He called on the constituency executive to resolve all inter-party conflicts before the end of the year.

Mr Agyekum stressed the need for discipline within the party and warned that functionaries who would bring the name of the party into disrupt would be dealt with drastically.

He asked the constituency executives to come out with programmes that would keep the wards and branch members busy in the 2000 electioneering campaign.

In a welcoming address, Mr Kofi Saforo, the Eastern Regional chairman, called for unity and teamwork among the members in their efforts to win the next parliamentary and presidential elections.

GRi../

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Mampong (Ashanti Region) 18 Dec '99

Two taxi drivers, Francis Kwaku, 19 and Kwadwo Tetteh, 27, are in Police custody over the death of a 75-year-old barber, Mr Kwabena Nketia.

Kwaku and Tetteh in a statement, admitted to causing harm to human life and conspiracy to hide information.

The Police told the GNA that the deceased, Mr Nketia was returning to Mampong on foot after attending a funeral at Krobo when a taxi being driven by Kwaku, from Ejura to Mampong knocked him.

The Police said Kwaku, who had one passenger in his car, stopped to pick the eceased but could not as another taxi driven by Tetteh ran over the deceased.

They then left the deceased at the roadside and conspired to conceal the incident from the Police with the consent of the passenger.

The Police upon a tip-off visited the scene and found the body, which was naked.

Upon further information, the Police picked Kwaku from his hideout and he mentioned Tetteh as his accomplice.

The deceased has since been buried.

GRi../

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Accra (Greater Accra) 18 Dec. '99

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) on Friday expressed concern about the vice-president (succession bill) saying at least two-thirds approval should be obtained in a vote.

"Our concern here is to get at least two-thirds approval for President's nominee and not a simple majority to the high office of the Vice President."

Mr Joseph Ankomah, regional chairman of Western region branch of GNAT, made

these statements at a press conference in Accra to throw more light on the bill

currently before parliament on appointment and removal of the Vice-President.

He said GNAT recommends clause 2(2) which states that "if the Vice-President conducts himself in a manner likely to or in such a manner as to bring him into direct conflict with the President, he shall be deemed to have resigned his office," should be expunged from the bill.

"Generally, we concede that it is most desirable that the Vice-President who is jointly elected by the citizenry is loyal to the President and belongs to the same political party and will pursue the same manifesto with him.

"Alliances and coalition in multi-party democracy aside, it is inconceivable that the president and his vice-president would pursue different agenda whilst they operate the same presidency."

GNAT said it concedes that conflicts may arise but this should be objectively ascertained and not simply on the shims of the President who may invoke the principle of conflict or misconduct as grounds to get rid of his vice-president.

On the appointment of District Chief Executives (DCEs), Mr Ankomah said GNAT is of the view that the existing law should stand.

"Amending the clause to require a simple majority would not necessarily ensure stability in district administration."

Mr Ankomah noted that a presiding member with two-thirds majority approval is more likely to command respect of a significant number of assembly members and exercise control over them than one with a simple majority.

He said the existing law on the election of the presiding members of district assemblies should stand since, in their view, it would facilitate effective deliberations and decision-making in the assemblies.

On the issue of mandatory retirement age of public servants, Mr Ankomah said the proposal if "a fairly good idea" if Parliament would prescribe a mandatory retirement age below 60 years and not below 50 years for officers in any public service.

"We however state that the decision whether or not to go on mandatory retirement at the age of 50 years should be left with the individual organisations so that parliament does not give a caveat in the matter."

GRi../

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