Accra (Greater Accra) 11 February 2002 - The Appeal Court ruled that Mr Ramson Divine Attitsogbe is a director of CFC Construction Company Limited. The Court composed of Justice A. A. Benin (presiding), S. T. Farkye and Justice Rose Owusu, ruled that: "By unanimous decision of the Court, the appeal by the defendant/appellant (Mr Attitsogbe) is allowed in part to the extent that his removal as a director is set aside.
"All other grounds of appeal are dismissed. Accordingly, the trial court's judgement and orders are affirmed in all other respects." The court awarded two million cedis costs to Mr Attitsogbe. In a long-running court battle, CFC Construction Company Limited issued a writ of summon against Mr Attitsogbe claiming that he had been removed as a director of the company in accordance with the Companies Code 1962 (Act 179).
It also claimed another declaration that Mr Attitsogbe was not a shareholder of the company, should account for all property in his possession and sought a perpetual injunction restraining him, his personal representatives or any person whatsoever from holding himself out as director of the company.
The High Court dismissed the counter-claim of Mr Attitsogbe claiming 39.14 million cedis from the company for salaries, allowances and compensation since 1986 and he appealed against the judgement.
The Appeal Court upholding his views on that score ruled: "The important issue is the question of whether the defendant/appellant (Mr Attitsogbe) was removed as a Director at any duly constituted extraordinary general meeting."
The Appeal Court said Mrs Rita Read, the second plaintiff, in her evidence in-chief did not testify to any meeting at which Mr Attitsogbe was removed as Director. "The categorical denial by (Mrs Read) that there was any meeting on 13 September 1991 by the Directors of (CFC Company) to remove (Mr Attitsogbe) as Director clearly shows that there could not have been any proper meeting at which (Mr Attitsogbe) was removed as Director.
"In this regard, the learned trial judge erred in holding that the Defendant/Appellant (Mr Attitsogbe) was removed as a Director of (CFC Company). "Since (Mr Attitsogbe) was not removed as a Director of (CFC Company), it was wrong for the trial judge to grant an order of perpetual injunction restraining (Mr Attitsogbe), his personal representatives or any person whatsoever claiming through him from holding or acting as a Director of the (Company).
"Accordingly the perpetual injunction order is set aside." The Appeal Court said the judgement of the High Court that Mr Attitsogbe was not a shareholder of CFC Company should account for all properties in his possession and his counterclaims should not be disturbed.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Kumasi (Greater Accra) 11 February 2002 - A three-hour walk in aid of breast cancer that the Keep Fit, Lawn Tennis and Squash clubs of the Four Garrison Officers Mess and their spouses organised in conjunction with the Surgery Department of the Komfo
Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) at the weekend bagged 3.1 million cedis.
Other organisations that took part in the walk that some financial institutions including the Bank of Ghana (BOG), Metropolitan Insurance, Darko Farms and Luv FM sponsored, were cadets from Yaa Asantewaah Secondary School, Prempeh College, Opoku Ware School and the Armed Forces Junior Secondary School.
The hospital now has a breast cancer clinic that would serve as a multi-disciplinary clinic. Commenting on the walk, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Chief Executive Officer of KATH called on women to come to the clinic with their husbands to be taught how to test breasts for breast cancer. Dr Nsiah-Asare announced that a Breast Cancer Fund had been instituted to support breast cancer activities at the hospital and called for public support.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 February 2002 - President John Agyekum Kufuor arrived home on Sunday from Dakar, Senegal, where he attended a meeting on the ways of financing the New Economic Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and the sub-regional monetary integration.
President Abdulai Wade of Senegal, Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain, Vice President of South Africa and a representative each from ECOWAS, African Development Bank (ADB) and UEMOA, attended the meeting. The meet, which was described as very brief and successful, was part of a consultative meeting and an input of the forthcoming G8 summit.
Briefing journalists on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport, Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who was also on the trip, said decisions taken were expected to help developing countries fast track the NEPAD initiative.
The Foreign Minister said the meeting was also briefed by Michel Camdessus, a special representative of the French President, Jacque Chirac, on the meeting between President Chirac and 12 African leaders held in Paris a few days ago.
He said the meeting agreed that this consultation should continue so as to ensue that programmes and projects of NEPAD are implemented. They also touched on the need for ECOWAS to move in unison at all fronts, especially the adoption of a common currency for the sub-region.
Mr Owusu-Agyeman said President Kufuor suggested that there was the need for a second monetary zone for Anglophone countries and that ECOWAS should begin discussions on having a single currency. The meeting also proposed that the governors of the various central banks within the sub-region should meet to work out the modalities for a single currency.
Members of the delegation include the Executive Secretary-General of ECOWAS, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, Dr Kwesi Nduom Minister of Economic Planning and Regional Co-operation and Nana Kodua Asare of the Private Enterprise Foundation.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 February 2002 - The United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says after New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s first year in office, it has become clear that it has no cures for the plight of Ghanaians and developing countries.
It said the election promises of the NPP have only turned out to be "the cries of a desperate group of people for power without any substance" and criticised what it described as the frequent visits of President Kufour outside since he assumed power.
A statement signed by Kwesi Dzirasa, secretary, said the NDC government stabilised the cedi for a period, only to have it thwarted by external factors outside their control, notably the "vast increase" in the price of crude oil and the reduced price for cocoa and gold.
The statement noted that the macro economic position had improved greatly since then with the constant drop in oil prices, stable cocoa price and an increase in gold price, which had benefited the present administration.
"Depressed expenditure on capital projects and development," had also helped the macro economic position, but with an adverse effect on contractors and their employees.
The NPP government's economic policy had had a "crippling effect" on Ghanaians, it said adding that, "our remittances to Ghana have increased substantially to alleviate the hardship caused by the triple blows of the rise in prices of water, electricity and fuel."
Since the NPP was aware of Ghana's debts, it should not blame the state of the economy for not meeting the party's election promises such as reducing levies and taxes, it stated.
"It does not bode well when an environment is created, which causes nurseries and day care centres to close down based on a perceived political affiliation," it said, adding that, more of such centres are required due to an ever increasing young population.
It said the President and other government officials would understand the depth in the rise in armed robberies if they stayed home more often and spent less time harassing and intimidating NDC sympathisers and functionaries.
The branch expressed concern about incidents such as the assault of two NDC supporters during the Tamale Peoples' Assembly and the treatment meted out of the wife of Professor John Atta Mills, former Vice President by BNI officials. It described the explanation for the action at the former Vice President's house as "porous" and pleaded with President Kufour to address the Situation.
The branch advised that "political agendas" should be put aside in the issue of reconciliation. "In the spirit of reconciliation one must always start with oneself in order to demonstrate a transparency and a real desire to unite regardless of whether there has been any blames, faults or issue attributable to you."
It called on the government to include the period of 1969 to 1972 and said "to do anything otherwise is to declare from the onset that you wish to reconcile on your terms and not that of the nation."
The statement commended the stability in the country, which had demonstrated to the rest of the world that democracy was alive in Ghana, and described it as an accomplishment by the NDC.
The statement said contrary to statements "concocting serious motives to the NDC," Ex-President Rawlings handed over power to the NPP government in an unprecedented manner. Unlike the NPP, the NDC promised and delivered, saying, the NDC would form a formidable government in 2004 after the next general elections, it added.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 February 2002 - One of the generating units at the Takoradi Thermal Power Station would be shut down from Saturday for scheduled maintenance, the Volta River Authority (VRA) has announced.
A statement in Accra said the maintenance of the 110MW capacity unit (SC2), would take about 10 days. "The mandatory combustion inspection of the combustion turbine is in conformity with the manufacturer's design specification for maintenance of the generating unit in terms of a number of hours run, apart from the normal daily, weekly and monthly routine checks".
The statement said any further delay could cause serious damage to the unit with huge cost implications, adding that, the exercise would enhance the availability and reliability of the unit.
It gave the assurance full supply of electricity would be maintained while the maintenance work was gong on. "However, in the unlikely event that any other equipment should break down during the period, VRA would have no other choice than to shed load for that period for which the general public will be given ample notice," the statement added.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 11 February 2002 - The Brong-Ahafo Regional Security Council, has with effect from Saturday, February 9 lifted the three-day dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on the Nsoatre township, as a result of disturbances arising out of a protracted chieftaincy dispute.
A statement from the council signed by its chairman, Mr. Ernest Akubuor Debrah, Regional Minister, said its action had been taken to enable the citizens of the town to go about their normal duties without fear. It, however, gave the assurance that a strong police presence would be maintained to ensure that nobody breached the peace.
The security council imposed the curfew last Thursday following a shooting incident in the Omanhene's palace on Wednesday, which left one person dead. Meanwhile three persons alleged to be involved in the shooting incident appeared before a Sunyani community tribunal last Thursday.
Joseph Boateng, 33, NCCE officer, Patrick Anane, 52 and Ahmed Haruna, 36, both farmers were charged with the murder of Kwadwo Agyei, 22, a palace guard.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 11 February 2002 - George Borsah, 42, rendered invalid following an accident at his workplace, has appealed for the government's intervention to get 'Prashanti', an Indian owned sawmill operating at Akyawkrom near Ejisu to pay him appropriate compensation and be properly resettled.
He claimed that he had been given "a raw deal" by his employers and accused them of insensitivity and callousness. The Ghana News Agency in Kumasi reports Borsah, whom it describes as lean and pale looking, as saying that whilst working at the mill on December 4, 2000, a log lifted by crane hit him in the mid-section sending him crushing to the ground.
"For four days, I was in a state of unconsciousness and battled for life at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital". He said he underwent surgical operation and was kept on admission for more than two weeks, alleging that part of his medical bills was left unpaid by the company and that his poor peasant mother-in-law at Akyawkrom, Madam Afua Kyem, had to raise 250,000 cedis loan to settle the outstanding bill.
He said the team of surgeons who worked around the clock to save his life warned that he should never engage in any physically challenging activity in view of his fragile health situation.
Accordingly, when discharged from the hospital, his job schedule at the mill was changed and was made to run errands for his bosses. Borsah said he was shocked when for no assigned reasons he was told in early October last year by the security men at the gate to the mill that they had firm instructions not to allow him to enter the company's premises.
"The company followed this up by stopping the payment of my monthly salary", he said, adding: "if Prashanti on the basis of my poor physical health wants to dump me, justice and fairness demand that I am adequately compensated for the life injury I now have to live with for the rest of my life".
Borsah said he had virtually become a destitute and left with no means to fend for himself, wife and their four children. Mr. Adotey Brown, manager of Prashanti, when contacted, confirmed that Borsah indeed suffered the said accident at the workplace and had not been paid the workman's compensation.
He was however, quick to deny that Borsah had been sacked by the company. Asked about the last time they paid his salary, Mr Brown replied that was in September last year, adding that, "in any case Borsah is not a Ghanaian, he is a Togolese".
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 February 2002 - The death was reported at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra on Friday of Mrs (Dr) Esther Afua Ocloo, a pioneer female industrialist in Ghana and winner of the Hunger Project Award in 1990.
A family spokesperson said in Accra on Friday that Mrs Ocloo, 82, died after a short illness. She said funeral arrangements would be announced in due course. According the spokesperson, Dr Ocloo left behind four children, three males and a female.
Dr Ocloo was born at Peki-Dzake in the Volta Region in April 1919. An active participant at forums on industry in Ghana and elsewhere, started the first food-processing factory in Ghana under the name Nkulenu Industries Limited in 1942 with six shillings.
She was the first woman to be appointed Executive Chairman of the National Food and Nutrition Board of Ghana (1964-66), a member of the Synod Committee of the E.P. Church, Ghana (1974-88), Adviser to the Council on Women and Development on Small-Scale and Cottage Industries (1976-1986).
Mrs Ocloo was also a consultant to UNIDO (1976), a member of the Task Force for Economic Commission for Africa (1976) and Director of the Ecumenical Development Co-operative Societies (1977-82). The Association of Ghana Industries was her brainchild.
In 1993 she was awarded the Gottlieb Duttweiber Prize for her commitment to training African women as well as the promotion of women's independence in Africa.
The 50,000 Swiss franc award instituted in 1958 is conferred on persons, who have made commendable contributions to general welfare through academic works or other remarkable services to society.
GRi../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com