Paul Osei-Tutu in Accra, reviews the Ghanaian press. The stories have not been verified and therefore we cannot vouch for their accuracy.
The banner story of the Ghanaian Times tells of a 35.2m cedis loan acquisition by three former workers of University of Ghana Employees' Co-operative Credit Union in 1998 without any intention of paying back.
Headlined: =9135m loan Repayment in 600 yrs', the story mentions Mr. M.D. Sulley, board chairman, Mr. Kwasi Yamoah Baafi, board treasurer and Mr. J.K. Danquah, board secretary, at the time, as having borrowed the amount from the union's chest with a repayment spreadsheet totalling 600 years. Mr. Sulley was to pay his 12.9m cedis loan in 445 years.
The story says a shocking report by an interim management committee revealed that loan grants amounted to over 158m cedis by September last year with thirty-one irregular borrowers listed.
The paper reports that with the disclosure of the inexplicable methods of misappropriation tagged along with administrative lapses most members of the union felt they were not valued by the members of the past management board.
The union members at a specially arranged meeting expressed their misgivings at the conduct of the three former members who have been relieved of their post with eight others.
Also carried on the front page is a raid at the Nkawkaw Holy Family hospital. The thieves who broke into the hospital's cashier's office made away with both foreign and local currencies totalling 10m cedis.
Government to maintain transparency' goes the headline story of the Palaver on the 1999 budget focus.
The paper quotes Finance Minister, Mr. Kwame Peprah as saying Government will maintain the drive towards transparency, good governance and political stability.
This will be done through the established institutions of parliamentary democracy to facilitate foreign and domestic participation in the economy.
According to the story, economic management will be strengthened with a special focus on monetary policy formulation and implementation.
It also says good public financial management and continued promotion of investor friendly environment will be pursued.
Mr. Peprah, the story said gave a total budget allocation of 2,887b cedis to Administration sector over the medium term spreading out as 1,038 b cedis for 1999, 949b cedis for 2000 and 900b cedis for 2001.
Also carried on the front page is a story that Ghanaians have accepted the 1999 budget. A survey that the paper says it carried, suggested mass acceptance of this year's budget as one of the best.
On the front page of the paper is 'Pay 4000 Minimum Wage' According to the story, the Reform Movement has called on the government to peg the minimum wage at 4000 for the Ghanaian worker.
According to the paper in a ten point Action Programme for the Reform Movement, the 4,000 minimum wage is to bring about wealth redistribution to the poor.
The paper added that, the Reform Movement is of the view that the governments retrenchment programme has created more joblessness and more social problems.
The paper stated that, the Reform Movement also noted that 16 years of the government structural adjustment programme has proved that so-called free-market economics can only deliver more inequality in society.
The paper concluded that, the NDC's constant saying of 'our people are our greatest resource base' has proven that oppressive conditions of the NDC government can kill people's capacity to be resourceful.
The paper has as its lead story '350 Billion for Police Service'. The story states that an amount of 105.6 billion cedis has been set-aside for the maintenance of public safety and improved service delivery in the country.
According to the story, the amount is 55% of the total projected expenditure of the Ministry of Interior and 75% jump of the allocation for the service in 1998.
The paper states that the new presentation seeks to correct weaknesses in budgetary preparation and execution. This new presentation will see the recruiting of six thousand cops, more patrol and riot control vehicles are to be acquired.
The paper added that 5.4 billion cedis will be earmarked for such purchases in 1999, it would also cover communication gadgets, and accessories to enable the service ensure adequate protection of lives and property.
The paper concluded that, this years package for the Police Service seems to bear out the promise the President, Flt. Lt. J. J. Rawlings made that all agencies concerned with law enforcement are to be 'better resourced and empowered' in his sessional address to parliament.
The paper has as its banner headline 'more cash for cocoa farmers'.
According to the paper, the government has shown a lot of commitment to the efforts of cocoa farmers by raising the percentage given them from the world market price.
The paper disclosed that in 1997 the cocoa farmers earned 54 per cent from the world market price while in 1998, the government increased the earning capacity of the farmers to 56 per cent. This year the government will give out 58 per cent to the farmers though government policy indicates that the figure is likely to be higher than 58 per cent, the paper added.
According to the story, the Minister of Finance Mr. Kwame Peprah stressed these points in the budget statement for 1999, which he presented to Parliament last Friday.
The Daily Graphic reports in its major headline that the Customs Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) has in a nation-wide exercise impounded 301 vehicles whose owners failed to pay the necessary custom duties.
According to Mr. Sultan Malm, Deputy Commissioner incharge of Preventive and Mr. E.A. Amoa, Chief Collector in Charge of Enforcement, there are about 2000 of such vehicles with duties amounting to hundreds of millions of cedis.
Mr. Amoa said the vehicles are believed to have been brought into the country from Togo as temporacry importation under the ECOWAS protocol or through unapproved routes by a syndicate involving some importers and dealers of vehicles as well as some unscrupulous individuals.
Vehicles found to have flouted the law are first detained while the owners are given 30 days to respond failure of which can lead to seizure and subsequently, to forfeiture and public auction.
So far about 40 of the seized vehicles owners have paid about 220 million in penalties and duties and retrieved their vehicles whiles those who were unable to meet the requirements have had their vehicles auctioned.
1999 Budget condemned' is the banner headline of the crusading Guide. According to the paper, the NPP Minority Spokesman on Finance, Dr. Kofi Apraku commenting on the 1999 Budget in an exclusive interview described it as a lame duck.
According to him, the only way made-in-Ghana goods can become competitive is when they are well manufactured to international standards and call on the government to give out affordable credit facilitation to industrialists.
Mr. Pianim, a leading industrialist called on the government to look at the export sector carefully since they are pursuing an export led development strategy.