Ultimatum to mining firms
Two killed in anti-robbery operation
SSNIT put on the defensive
Fireworks by J.J. on 31st December…Opposition the target but…
Ultimatum to mining firms
The Daily Graphic in its top story reports that all mining companies operating in Ghana have been given up to the end of March, 2000 to submit costed reclamation plans to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Graphic says that the directive is in accordance with the EPA's Legislative Instrument (L.I. 1652 of June 24, 1999, which requires that "mining companies post reclamation bands based on approval work plans for reclamation" with the Agency.
The paper says that Dr Peter Acquah, Executive Director of the EPA, who made announced this in Accra, stated that the Agency is not satisfied with the pace of reclamation being undertaken by the mining companies. He, therefore, pointed out that the mining companies will be encouraged to take concurrent reclamation programmes as much as possible.
Dr Acquah is reported as saying that as a result of the L.I. mining companies cannot just "walk away" and abandon mining sites, since they are required to obtain closure permits from the EPA before finally abandoning the sites. He said the EPA has since December 1998, set up a district office at Tarkwa to step up the monitoring of mining activities concentrated in the area.
The Executive Director said the office has a monitoring van well-equipped to undertake water, air and dust sampling tests of the environment on regular basis.
GRi../
Two killed in anti-robbery operation
In a front-page story, the Ghanaian Times reports that security personnel on patrol duty on Thursday night shot and killed two people on board a taxi at Tema. The Times says that the deceased, both males of middle-age, have been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary in Accra for post mortem.
The paper says when its reporter inspected the taxi parked at the Tema Regional Police Headquarters, it was bullet-ridden. It says that not less than 10 bullet holes were counted. The back tyres, the story says, were also flat as a result of the firing.
According to eye-witnesses at Site Two, where the driver abandoned the taxi, the security personnel continued to fire into the vehicle even after the driver had escaped into then darkness. The Times says that the Tema Regional Police Command, commenting on the incident on Friday, described the it as an "unfortunate lost of human lives".
The deceased are said to be on the taxi from Community One to Community Nine at Tema, when the security men fired at the vehicle after the driver allegedly ignored a signal to stop. Mr Joe Danquah, out-going Tema Regional Police Commander, is said to have expressed regret at the loss of lives, but stated that the driver of the taxi should be held responsible for the tragedy.
According to the story, the Regional Command Information Control Room had a call at about midnight that armed robbers had attacked a place near the Mankoadze Roundabout area at Tema. A night patrol was then despatched to the area but the robbers were nowhere to be found.
The patrol team, made up of police and military personnel "snap checks on all vehicles at the roundabout. Mr Danquah said moments later a red taxi pulled up and the security personnel signalled him to stop but the driver sped off.
He said the security men gave it a chase amidst firing of warning shots. However, when the driver continued to speed the security personnel fired at the tyres "and some bullets might have hit the two passengers", he said.
GRi../
Public Agenda
SSNIT put on the defensive
The Public Agenda reports in its front-page lead story that the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has been slammed for lack of transparency and accountability to its contributors, making 'indiscriminate investment in projects' and for being under the thumb of the government to the detriment of contributors.
The paper says Mr B. J. da Rocha, a lawyer and a leading member of the NPP, leading a discussion at the Institute of Economic Affairs in Accra, observed that the general principles of trust require SSNIT to account to contributors even though PNDC Law 347 (the law governing SSNIT's activities)does not make it explicitly clear that the Fund should so account.
The Public Agenda says that Mr da Rocha's attack on SSNIT came at a time when a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation has established that former top officials of the Trust were involved in deals that lost the organisation large sums of money.
He is reported as saying that the activities of SSNIT are shrouded in secrecy as if they are national secrets, adding that the true owners of the money do not really know what is being done with their money. "There is a regrettable lack of transparency in the operations and investment of the Trust", he said.
GRi../
The Guide
Fireworks by J.J. on 31st December…Opposition the target but…
In a banner headline story, the Guide says that Friday is yet another 31st December, and will mark the 18th anniversary of the coup d'etat led by Flt-Lt Jerry Rawlings, that overthrew the constitutionally elected government of the late President Hilla Limann and the People's National Party (PNP).
However, the paper says that President Rawlings an d his NDC government are at the moment under severe siege, the economy is in tatters, while complaints of mismanagement and corruption abound . According to the Guide, speculations are rife as to what J.J. is going to say at the celebration of this year's 31st December anniversary.
The paper sa7ys that sources close to the Castle talk of a recent high level meeting at the Accra Airforce Mess between the President and a cross-section of the armed forces personnel, who as Ghanaians, are also feeling the economic pinch. The story says that pundits are certain
GRi../