GRi Business News 11-02-99

Accra (Greater Accra) 11 Feb.

The first five days of the second ECOWAS Trade Fair scheduled for Accra from February 26 to March seven will

be devoted strictly to business between 1000 hours and 1400 hours, Colonel Seth Kwawu (rtd), Chief Executive of

the Ghana Trade Fair Company (GTFC), said today.

He told a meeting attended by exhibitors in Accra that this would be strictly enforced because the

European Union, sponsors of the fair would ''sponsor other ECOWAS fairs if the duration for business

transactions was enforced''.

Colonel Kwawu said the gate fee for the business session would be 6,000 cedis.

Visitors to the fair grounds on those days are advised to go there after 1400 hours for a fee of 3,000 cedis an

adult and 2,000 cedis a child.

He said GTFC would ensure that all rules and regulations governing International Trade Fairs are adhered

to because "West Africa will be here and Ghana's behaviour will be at stake".

He said the trade fair centre which was formerly divided into two zones and assigned to two cleaning

companies has now been divided into six zones for six companies.

This will keep the place neat, he said, and urged exhibitors and visitors not to litter the fair grounds.

The Fair is expected to attract about 1,500 local and foreign exhibitors from African and European

countries and the U.S. Colonel Kwawu appealed to exhibitors to complete their stands on or before February 23

and obey all fair laws during the period.

 Minister appeals to Cape Vars lecturers to return to work

Cape Coast (Central Region) 11 Feb.

Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Education, has appealed to striking lecturers of the University of Cape Coast to

come out with realistic proposals and demands that would help solve the current impasse.

" The interest of the nation should over-ride personal interest", he told a meeting of the UCC branch of the

University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) in Cape Coast yesterday.

Mr Spio-Garbrah pointed out that there has been some form of laxity in the administration of the country's

universities, but was quick to add that the lecturers should not inflame passions and imply too rigid decisions on

the issue.

He said positive strategies should be adopted to enforce law and order on the campus, adding that energy

management and discipline are issues of national concern.

There has been some unrest on the UCC campus following a quit order to 13 students at the Valco Hall by

the Hall Counsellor, Dr. K.S. Asamoah, for using fridges.

The rest of the students, in solidarity with their affected colleagues were alleged to have demonstrated and

attacked the hall counsellor's residence demanding his removal from the hall.

Commenting on the issue, the University's registrar, Mr Kweku Konadu, expressed disappointment that

members of UTAG ignored laid down structures and procedures of the university that would have helped to resolve

the issue, and rather resorted to the strike action.

He said despite the fact that the lecturers' demands to have the affected students punished had been

accepted by the executive committee of the university, they still embarked on the strike action.

Mr Konadu said residential issues should not affect academic work.

Earlier, the students, wearing red dresses, head and arm bands, and wielding tree branches, stormed the

academic chamber where the Minister and the UTAG were holding the meeting. They were addressed by the Pro-

Vice Chancellor, Professor K.S. Boafo who appealed to them to remain calm after which they then dispersed.