GRi Newsreel Ghana 02 - 02 - 2001
Seven people drown
in Volta Lake
Lack of Effective institutions affront to
integration- Asante
Police arrest 25 associates of armed robbers
President Kufuor swears first batch of
ministers
PRINPAG states position on newspaper
industry under new government
Fire renders 500 people homeless at
Sasebonso
VRA resumes Akosombo retrofit project
Workers of Mim Timbers on the warpath
Coverage by state-owned media unfavourable
to minority parties
US provides military support to Ghana
Don't treat wetlands as wastelands – conservationist
President commended for creating Women's
Affairs Ministry
Seven people
drown in Volta Lake
Salaga (Northern Region) 02
February 2001
Seven persons drowned in the Volta
Lake on Sunday when a fishing boat in which they were travelling from Accra
Town, a fishing community in the East Gonja District to neighbouring Yeji
market, hit a tree stump.
According to the Police, the
deceased, four men and three women, were among 48 among passengers travelling
in the over-loaded boat when the accident occurred at Davagulo community.
The Police source told the GNA at
Salaga on Thursday that the dead persons are yet to be identified.
The owner of the boat, whose name
was not disclosed, is helping the police in the investigations.
Meanwhile, people along the lake
have been cautioned not to travel in over-crowded boats to minimise the risk of
such accidents.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Lack of Effective institutions affront to
integration- Asante
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2001
Professor S.K.B. Asante on Thursday said lack of effective institutional machinery for Ghana's integration to ECOWAS or the African Economic Community is an affront to the development of the country.
Speaking at a Public Lecture on the topic, "Regional and Continental integration for participation in the Global economy," he said the results of regional integration efforts would remain poor if attempts are not made to re-focus national plans and programmes to ensure effective integration.
Proof Asante said a regional co-operation will enable Ghana to reap the benefits of economic of scale, enhance its ability to trade on a global basis as well as permit the development of common infrastructure with her neighbours.
He said although the NDC government had shown tremendous political commitment to
the process, the absence of an "effective national apparatus" to monitor and co-ordinate the country's involvement indicated how poorly regionalism was managed at the national level.
"On the whole, the NDC government was, to a large extent, loud in its commitment to Africa's integration process but quite low in putting the commitment into practical expression," Prof Asante said.
He, however, praised the government's adoption of the fast track approach with Nigeria for the creation of a second Monetary Zone, leading to the establishment of the West African Monetary Institute in Ghana.
Prof Asante urged the new NPP government to translate its commitment to integration by strengthening the Ministry of Planning and Integration to ensure that adequate capacity exists to guide and direct the integration process.
A mere establishment of a ministry, he said, is in itself not sufficient enough to ensure integration if adequate structures, resources and powers are not provided it.
He called for the formation of a think-tank consultative body within the Ministry to provide permanent consultation not only on specific programmes of the fast track initiative but on other regional and international economic co-operation.
Prof Asante tasked the new government to implement the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, which is one of the objectives of the Ghana/Nigeria fast-track approach.
He enumerated elimination of trade barriers, free movement of Ghanaian goods without any quantitative restrictions, regional trade expansion and enlarged market as some of the advantages Ghana will derive from participating in the scheme.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Police arrest 25 associates of armed
robbers
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2001
The police on Thursday arrested 25 people believed to be associates of armed robbers and recipients and marketers of stolen items.
Their arrest followed information from members of the public on activities of criminals in the metropolis, according to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Department.
They were arrested in a dawn operation at Korle Gonno, Chorkor, Dansoman Beach and Darkuman by a combined team of Police from the CID Headquarters and Panthers Unit.
The statement said the police retrieved a quantity of electrical gadgets, electronic equipment, textiles and clothes, suspected to have been stolen from boutiques.
Two cars, a BMW and Opel Kadett, believed to have been acquired by armed robbers were also impounded.
"It is strongly believed that the armed robbers have left their known abodes in the Accra Metropolis and have gone to other areas to seek refuge," the statement said.
It said the robbers who carry large sums of money, may be prepared to offer fantastic amounts as rent.
The Police reminded parents, relations and associates of criminals that it is an offence to accept, buy or market stolen items.
"It is also an offence under the criminal code to harbour people known to be involved in criminal activities and are being pursued by the police."
The statement thanked members of the public for providing information on criminal activities.
"The public should continue to be vigilant on the activities of criminals. Landlords, hoteliers and operators of guest houses are also requested to be on the lookout for people with suspicious character.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
President Kufuor swears first batch of
ministers
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday swore into office the first batch of 11 ministers and tasked them to be productive, transparent and take responsibility for their actions.
"There should be no passing of the buck," he told the ministers shortly after he had presented them with letters of appointment at the State House.
The ministers are Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Minister and Leader of Government Business; Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Defence; Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Finance; Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Foreign Affairs; and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
Others are Alhaji. Malik Yakubu Al-Hassan, Interior; Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Trade and Industry; Major Courage Quashigah (Rtd), Agriculture; Mr Kwadwo Baa-Wiredu, Local Government and Rural Development; Mrs Gladys Asmah, Women's Affairs; and Professor Dominic Kwaku Fobih, Environment, Science and Technology.
They swore the oaths of allegiance, secrecy and minister of state, pledging to "truly" serve the nation in accordance with the constitution and later printed their signature in the book of oaths.
President Kufuor said he expected the new ministers to work with their respective civil servants to move the country forward.
He said government ministries are interdependent and charged the new ministers to work as a team.
On behalf of the new ministers, Mr Mensah, who was described as the most senior among them, said the event was the most historic, coming out of the decisions made by Ghanaians in the elections held last December.
He said they were taking office having in mind the work ahead. "We've promised a lot and will serve as the hands, ears and arms of the President to deliver on those promises."
Mr Mensah pledged that he and his colleagues would give advice fairly, in truth and in all honesty.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
PRINPAG states position on newspaper
industry under new government
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2001
The National Executive of the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) on Friday said it would allow a 180 day honeymoon for the Kufuor Administration instead of the two years that its members have been pushing for.
This, it said, is to allow President Kufuor have a feel of the office, sort out his accommodation arrangements and that of the vice president and his ministers.
Nana Kofi Coomson, President of PRINPAG and publisher of the Chronicle group of newspapers, stating the position of the executive at a poorly attended press conference in Accra, said PRINPAG will not support any baseless witch-hunting, but would insist on respect for the rights of members of the previous administration as dictated by the constitution.
He said PRINPAG sees the economy in tatters, adding that things could get worse before they get better and this would require time.
He assured Ghanaians that PRINPAG would continue to hold public officers accountable "and should the present government change unexpectedly and share in the stripes of the NDC, they will find us at their doorsteps directing and mobilising Ghanaians against them."
Nana Coomson called for the support of corporate businesses for PRINPAG in the form of advertisements and subscription or donations to the association.
PRINPAG is also asking for VAT exemption for its members.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Fire renders 500 people homeless at
Sasebonso
Mampong (Ashanti Region) 02 February 2001
Sasebonso, a farming community in the Sekyere West District of Ashanti, was last Saturday razed to the ground by fire, rendering more than 500 people homeless. Property, including personal items, harvested food crops and domestic animals and cash of over 200 million cedis.
The displaced victims are now living under a big tree and in the local authority primary school, the only building that was not burnt.
Mr. David Bakari, Sekyere West District Co-ordinating Director, told the Ghana News Agency that the people returned to the village from their farms in the evening to find that the village had been burnt to ashes.
The source of the fire was not immediately known.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
VRA resumes Akosombo retrofit project
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2001
The Volta River Authority (VRA) has resumed the Akosombo Generating Station Retrofit Project following the successful rehabilitation of the first unit, which is in operation.
A VRA statement issued in Accra on Thursday said the exercise, which started last month and will take nine months to complete, involves the shutting down of one of the six generating units and the replacement of old turbines with more efficient ones.
"The objective of the retrofit project is to improve the efficiency and maintain the reliability and availability of all six generating units to guarantee reliable supply of electricity for the next 30 years." The Akosombo plant has been operating for more than 30 years now.
The retrofit project covering all six generating units, expected to end in 2005, would increase the capacity of the Akosombo generating station from 912 megawatts (MW) to 1020MW.
VRA, the statement said, expects to produce about 6,400 GWh of energy this year from the Akosombo and Kpong plants as against the forecast requirement of 8,500GWh.
"The shortfall in energy supply of over 2000GWh shall be met by thermal generation from VRA's 550MW capacity Takoradi Thermal Power Station." It said the total estimated project cost is 115 million dollars.
The foreign component of 112 million dollars would be borne by the European Investment Bank and the International Development Association of the World Bank, while VRA takes up the 21 billion-cedi local cost.
The main contractors, according to the statement, are General Electric of Canada, VA TECH Voest of Austria, ABB Sae of Italy and Acres International of Canada, who are the consultants.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Workers of Mim Timbers on the warpath
Mim (Brong Ahafo) 02 February 2001
The management of Mim Timber Company (MTC) in the Brong Ahafo Region had to flee their offices to avoid the wrath of junior workers during a demonstration on Wednesday.
The workers, numbering over 1,400, said their action was to register their disgust over alleged attempts by the management to reverse the recent divestiture of the company to Scanstyle Mim Limited.
They threatened to make life a hell for their management staff if they did not abort their attempts to reverse the divestiture and pay them their salaries, entitlements and other benefits.
A police taskforce dispatched from Sunyani to assist their counterparts at Mim to maintain law and order was driven away by the angry workers who threatened to beat them up if they intervened.
Mr. Joe Evans Sarkodie, Chairman of the Junior Workers Union, said the state-owned company had been on the divestiture list for sometime now after it went into distress due to lack of raw materials and other logistic problems.
"We were all, therefore, happy when we were told recently that the company had been finally divested to Scanstyle since we believed that it would mark the turn of its fortunes."
Mr. Sarkodie noted that the workers were therefore displeased when they were reliably informed that their management was trying to reverse the divestiture in addition to refusing to pay them their entitlements.
He claimed that it is the firm belief of the workers that their management was trying to reverse the divestiture so that they could continue to run it and enjoy the benefits that are associated with their high positions.
"Whilst junior workers are always prevailed upon to forego certain benefits due to the distressing position of the company, the management staff continue to enjoy the full benefits that come with their positions."
Mr. Sarkodie said it is the opinion of the workers that management is only trying to protect their privileged positions by opposing the divestiture, a situation the junior workers would never allow to happen.
He said the take-over of the company by Scanstyle would give it a newlease of life and the junior workers are determined to ensure that it materialises.
The workers later left the premises of the company without any violent incident and paraded the principal streets of Mim, holding aloft their placards amid the singing of war songs.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2001
Dr Edmund N. Delle, Member of the Central Committee of the Convention People's Party (CPP), on Thursday expressed his support for the restoration of the End-of-Year-Service Benefit (ESB) proscribed by the NDC government, saying it should take effect from the day it was cancelled.
Its outright abolition, he said, implied a contravention of trade union rights and violation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 98 on the right to organise and bargain which Ghana has ratified.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Dr Delle however said the tripartite committee comprising the government, employers and Trades Union Congress (TUC) should work out acceptable guidelines for the implementation and payment of such benefits.
The ESB or gratuity for Public Servants was a provision in each negotiated collective bargaining agreement during the period 1958-1990, which allowed payment of lump sums of money as terminal benefits to public and private employees on retirement, resignation, or termination of appointment.
Among reasons the former government assigned for its cancellation was the huge amount involved as a result of periodic increases in salaries.
Dr Delle said the restoration is necessary because of disparity in the payments of gratuity for civil servants and what Social Security and National Insurance Trust Fund (SNNIT) contributors receive.
Furthermore, he said, the cancellation of the service benefit whittles away gains of organised labour in the area of collective bargaining agreement thereby jeopardising the security of the worker after retirement.
The persistent rising inflation is seriously eroding the meagre SNNIT pension and that may reduce the worker to the level of pauper.
Dr Delle said the restoration would go a long way to control migration of talented workers to other countries to seek greener pastures, minimise or prevent malpractice like embezzlement and fraud and above all, ensure dedication to work which will lead to increased productivity.
"A good terminal benefit builds morale and good morale is very essential for increasing productivity in any enterprise".
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Coverage by state-owned media unfavourable
to minority parties
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2001
A study conducted by the School of Communications Studies of the University of Ghana on the coverage of political parties by the state-owned media in the run-up to the 2000 elections, has revealed that the state-owned media coverage was unfavourable for the minority political parities.
The report, undertaken for the National Media Commission (NMC) with a Royal Danish Embassy assistance, has therefore called on the management boards of state-owned media organisations to put in place mechanisms to improve coverage of political parties, by ensuring fairness and equal access to all.
The study, conducted between August and November 2000, sought to assess state-owned media coverage of political parties from 1996 to November 2000. It covered the Ghana News Agency, Daily Graphic, Ghanaian Times, The Mirror, The Weekly Spectator, Radio Ghana, GAR, GBC Radio One and Two, GBC regional FM stations and Ghana Television.
It also conducted interviews with media personnel involved in editorial decision-making, and official functionaries of the various political parties.
The 52-page report said the bulk of state-owned media coverage of political parties within the period went to the then ruling NDC, followed by the NPP.
"The newspaper coverage for the NDC took up 44.5 per cent of the total, the NPP trailed with 22.7 per cent, whilst the other minority parties received insignificant attention," it said. "Radio recorded 55.5 per cent coverage for the NDC, 21.5 for the NPP and the other parties, again, very insignificant."
The report said GTV gave 37.3 per cent coverage of political parties to the NDC, 15.2 per cent to the NPP, 13.6 per cent to the defunct People's Convention Party (PCP) and 10.2 per cent to Edward Mahama's PNC. "The GNA's coverage of the NDC represented 47.9 of the total political news output, with NPP receiving 24.5 per cent as the other parties trail in single digits," the report said.
On the contrary, the report said, "whereas there were occasional attempts at a critical reportage of the internal dynamics of the NPP and other opposition parties, there was no such attempt at looking at the internal workings of the NDC in the same press that made the former effort".
It particularly deplored Daily Graphic dedication of space to columns that were pro-NDC, citing R. W. B. Hesse's Agenda Unlimited as an example.
"As a national entity, if the Daily Graphic or any such paper wishes, it may decide to give columns a week to all political parties, or make no such gestures at all," the report said.
The report said the general imbalance in terms of volume of coverage per party ought to be redressed by conscious and arithmetical effort by the management of the media houses, with the view to ensuring open fairness to all parties.
It observed that apart from the disparity in the coverage of the political parties, there was a similar disparity in the rural-urban political activity coverage, adding that most of the new reports were from the urban areas.
The report also noted that most of the reportage were shallow news stories, which generally lacked follow-ups to issues raised that required further investigation, thus depriving the audience of the complete news.
It therefore urged state-owned media houses to revamp their political news coverage to include more in-depth news stories, features, documentaries, exclusive interviews and detailed reports on political party ideologies and positions on issues of public concern as determined by voting patterns in parliament.
"The GNA must also be supported to increase its coverage of political activities in the rural areas, and the state-owned media is advised to patronise this output by the GNA," the report said.
The report praised the GNA and Ghanaian Times for maintaining excellent archives and called on the other state-owned media to revamp their archives, saying that media archive is useful for policy makers, legislators, the police, researchers and investors among others.
It called on the NMC to educate both the state-owned and private media on the Supreme Court ruling on the NPP versus GBC, in which the court ordered fair coverage for all political parties.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
US provides military support to Ghana
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2001
The Ghana Navy will receive two naval vessels from the United States as part of a joint effort between the Ghana Armed Forces and the U.S military to further boost relations between them.
The vessels, which are expected to arrive in two months, will be used to safeguard Ghana's fishing zone against poaching, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Defence Minister-designate told reporters on Thursday after he joined President John Agyekum Kufuor to receive U.S. Army Director of Operations, Major General Roderick Isler.
Gen. Isler, who is on a two-day visit, was at the State House to discuss "military-to-military relations" with the government.
He is the first military flag officer to visit Ghana since the changes in administration in Ghana and the U.S.
Dr Addo-Kufuor did not elaborate on the specific terms under which the vessels were being acquired but said it was part of the co-operation between the two countries.
He said the meeting also discussed a proposal for America to assist Ghanaian peacekeeping troops to be sent to troubled Sierra Leone, as well as continued manpower training for Ghanaian soldiers.
He spoke about relations between the two countries over the years, particularly their military institutions, saying they have been very fruitful, citing joint exercises and visits by senior U.S military officers.
At the discussions were Foreign Minister-designate, Hackman Owusu-Agyeman and American Ambassador Kathryn Dee Robinson.
A USIS release on the visit of Gen Isler said the Embassy is planning additional visits in the coming years and looks forward to building even stronger U.S-Ghana military relations.
It said America is pleased with the smooth transition of power in Ghana and wants to support the new administration "as it demonstrates that democracy can and does work in Africa."
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Don't treat wetlands as wastelands –
conservationist
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2001
A Wildlife conservationist on Thursday called on Ghanaians to stop treating wetlands as wastelands.
Mr Charles C. Amankwa, co-ordinator of wetland projects of the Wildlife division of the Forestry Commission, expressed concern about the way Ghanaians have allowed urbanisation to become a threat to most of the wetlands in the regional capitals.
Speaking to the GNA in an interview in Accra on World Wetlands Day, which falls on Friday, he said there is the need for Ghanaians to focus their attention on the importance of "this international resource, which many have taken for granted."
Mr. Amankwa said wetlands are the transitional habitats between dry lands and open waters and the misuse of these lands, results in floods in some places during the rainy season.
He mentioned Accra as the number one urban area that experiences floods because the wetlands have been misused and can no longer act as sponges or areas for absorbing floods.
"These areas also sustain our local fishing industry by maintaining the breeding grounds for both marine and inland water fishes," he added.
Mr Amankwa, therefore, called on all coastal communities to join hands to reverse the trend of misusing wetlands as rubbish dumps and/or areas with no significant use.
Thirteen wetland sites have been identified as important sites for water birds along the Ghana coast.
Some of the major coastal wetlands include Keta, Songor, Sakumo, Korle and Mani lagoons.
Others are Densu Delta, Panbros, Elmina, Saltpond and Esiama beach.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
President commended for creating Women's
Affairs Ministry
Kade (Eastern Region) 02 February 2001
A former member of the Council of State on Thursday commended President J.A. Kufuor for creating the new Ministry of Women's Affairs.
Speaking in an interview with the GNA at Kade, Mrs Mercy Owusu-Nimo, who is a member of the National Commission on Women and Development (NCWD), said the creation of the ministry, with cabinet ranking, is a big step forward in the fight for women's empowerment and emancipation.
She called on women and all men of goodwill to support the government's initiative and give a new direction to the effort to empower women to play their rightful role in the affairs of the nation.
Mrs Owusu-Nimo also lauded the new emphasis the government is placing on girl-child education by appointing an additional minister of state to be responsible for that sector.
She said the fight for women's emancipation would come to naught if women do not have sound education, adding that the impetus being given to girl education will give equal opportunities to girls to develop their potentials.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com