GRi NEWSREEL 15-01-99

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 15 Jan.

A Toyota Land Cruiser belonging to the Offinso district assembly which was impounded on the orders of a Kumasi High Court has been released to the assembly after it paid 29 million cedis to the court last month.

A source at the High Court told the Ghana News Agency today that after the money was paid and the necessary documents prepared, the keys to the vehicle were retrieved from the auctioneer and released to the assembly.

It said the assembly took the vehicle away on Wednesday, January six, from the court premises where it was parked.

A Kumasi High Court, presided over by Mr A. K. Abada, ordered public auctioning of the vehicle following the failure of the assembly to pay for repair works on a Mercedes Benz car belonging to Mr George Afra Aryeetey, Deputy Judicial Secretary, estimated at 29 million cedis.

Mr Aryeetey sued the assembly over the repair of his car, which was involved in an accident with the assembly's vehicle, while returning from Offinso.

The assembly failed to carry out the court's order to repair the damaged car.

The about eight million cedis it offered as part payment was rejected by the court.

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 15 Jan.

Twelve selected districts in Ashanti, Central and Northern regions are to benefit from a two-year pilot Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) project designed to collect, process, analyse and document data on basic education in the country.

The project forms part of the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) programme, Mr Thomas Coleman of the EMIS project disclosed this after a day's workshop on data collection for decision makers and stakeholders in education in Kumasi Wednesday.

Mr Coleman said the project is being undertaken by the Institute for International Development of Harvard University in the United States with support from the World Bank.

He said in Ashanti, the project will cover the regional education office, the Kumasi metropolis, Adansi East and Asante Akim North districts.

In the Central region, Mr Coleman named the regional education office, as well as Assin, Awutu-Effutu-Senya and Mfantsiman districts as the beneficiaries, while the regional education office, Tamale Municipality, West Mamprusi and the West Gonja Districts have been selected in the Northern Region.

He said the project goes with the provision of equipment and the training of officers to handle them, adding that it is also going to train personnel in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Mr Coleman said results from the selected districts will be out by August, this year, and will be expanded to cover the whole country by 2001.

Mr Thomas D. Leblanc, EMIS Project Manager, who took the participants through the workshop, said the project will train a cadre of policy analysts who will be capable of preparing and submitting policy briefs on schools.

Tamale (Northern Region) 15 Jan.

The Canadian High Commission in Accra, has commended journalists in the Northern Region for highlighting not only the socio-economic problems of the people but also efforts to improve their lot.

Mr Mario Ariepy, second secretary at the high commission, said this when he represented the High Commissioner at a get-together for media practitioners in Tamale.

He said the media achieved a lot despite the problems of bad roads and lack of transport adding that funding for development projects in the region have been enhanced by their extensive coverage .

The Canada Fund for Peace Initiative, committed 685 million cedis towards the reconciliation and rehabilitation efforts after the ethnic conflict in 1994.

The Canadian government also funded projects like the construction of schools and clinics and supported agriculture, including livestock. It provided bore-holes through the Canadian International Development Agency in some communities..

Konongo (Ashanti Region) 15 Jan.

The Asante Akyem North District Assembly is to increase its incentive package for teachers in the district.

The amount set aside for the package has been doubled from five million to 10 million cedis this year, Mr Kwaku Kyei, District Chief Executive, said at the district's best teacher awards day at Konongo. Nine teachers were honoured in the Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary Schools divisions.

Miss Janet Boatemaa Anim Kinful of Domeabra Methodist Primary, was adjudged the best teacher at the Primary level. He was followed by Mr James Oduro-Akrasi of Odumase Roman Catholic Primary with Mr Stephen Kofi Buah of Behwe/Dawereso Primary,. placing third.

At the JSS level, Mr Emmanuel Kwame Affoh of Domeabra Presbyterian JSS, was first, Mr Samuel Owusu-Kwakye of Nyaboe JSS, second and Mr John Owusu-Sekyere of Konongo Roman Catholic , third.

Mr Christian Owusu-Appiah of Agogo State was declared the best teacher at the SSS level, followed by Mr Emmanuel Asante-Kwarteng of Konongo-Odumase Secondary School with the third place going to Mr Jacob Arthur Dugbatey of Agogo Collins Commercial School.

The First in each of the categories received a table-top fan and 100,000 cedis. Those who were second had a fan and 75,000 cedis while those who placed third were given a fan and 50,000 cedis.

There were prizes for best science teachers and best circuit teachers.

Accra (Greater Accra) 15 Jan.

Mobitel Ghana Limited, Ghana's first cellular phone network had over 22,000 new subscribers in 1998.

Mr. Phil Danglinson, General Manager of the company, said this at the 1998 Mobitel Grand Prize awards night in Accra yesterday.

He said the company has started the installation of a country-wide network with the commissioning of a new satellite in Kumasi and a smaller project in Tamale.

The Grand Prize of a brand new Peugeot 406 worth 58 million cedis was won by Mr. Ransford Kusi, a Kumasi spare parts dealer.

He advised Ghanaians to patronise Mobitel and described the network as " very good".

Mr Kusi said he was surprised when information reached him that he had won the Grand Prize.

Kumasi (Ashanti), 15 Jan.

The demolition of the old slaughter house at Mayanka in Kumasi scheduled for Saturday, January 16, has been postponed to January 30 This was the outcome of an emergency meeting held in Kumasi yesterday between the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council (ARC), the Kumasi Metropolitan Authority (KMA) and the two butchers' groups, the Ghana Co-operative Butchers, and the Progressive Butchers Associations.

Mr Kojo Yankah, Ashanti regional minister, said the meeting agreed to a request by the butchers and explained that the demolition exercise has been reviewed due to the celebration of the Eid-Ud-Fitr festival of Moslems who form the majority of the butchers.

He asked the two butchers' groups to appoint a representative each to work together with representatives from the Kumasi Abattoir Company and the KMA to register butchers who will be allocated spaces to operate meat shops at the Central Market.

Alhaji Tanko, a spokesman for the butchers, had earlier pleaded with the RCC and the KMA for more time to operate at Mayanka. He assured the RCC that all the butchers will abide by the new date for the demolition exercise.

Mr Yankah gave orders for the demolition of the slaughter house when he toured the site and saw the unhygienic conditions under which meat is sold to the public.

Behenase (Ashanti), 15 Jan.

The Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District Assembly has earmarked 320 million cedis from its share of the common fund for this year for the sinking of 20 boreholes in a number of communities in the district.

Mr I. K. Nyame, Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District Chief Executive, said it is the determination of the assembly to ensure that all communities in the district are adequately provided with hygienic sources of drinking water by 2000.

Mr Nyame made the announcement yesterday at Behenase when he commissioned a 16 million-cedi borehole constructed by the assembly with funding from its share of the common fund.

The community contributed 500,000 cedis towards the project.

The DCE stated that once the project is completed, the borehole becomes the property of the community which must be responsible for its maintenance.

In this regard, Mr Nyame urged the community to select people for training at the Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) Unit at Kuntanase, near Kumasi, in the repair and maintenance of the borehole, while taking steps to open a bank account in support of its maintenance.

Mr Paul Addai, Behenase Unit Committee Secretary, commended the assembly for its "sensitivity to the plight of the community", adding that the inhabitants will now be saved the trouble of having to fetch their drinking water from ponds and other unhygienic sources.

Mr Addai reminded the inhabitants that the provision of such amenities by the assembly depends on revenue and asked them to reciprocate the gesture by honouring their tax obligations promptly.

Cape Coast (Central Region), 15 Jan.

The hopes of many parents seeking admission for their wards to top-class schools in Cape Coast were dashed because their wards did not secure the required 10 ones being demanded by their first choice schools.

Only about 8,000 of the 14,234 candidates who have qualified for entry into SSS in the region are expected to gain admission due to the lack of vacancies.

The parents were at the Mfantsipim School, venue for the two-day selection of candidates by the heads of the various second cycle schools in the Central region, which started yesterday.

Only 243 out of the 815 candidates who chose the Wesley Girls High School as their first choice secured places and only 200 out of 1,159 candidates secured places at the Holy Child School.

At Mfantsipim, 440 out of 1,460 candidates secured places, with A.M.E. Aggrey Memorial Zion Secondary School admitting 400 out of 1,481 candidates.

In most cases, candidates who obtained nine ones were referred to their second choice schools.

In an address preceding the selection exercise, the Central region Director of Education, Mr Peter King Badu-Prah, suggested that, to ensure that as many qualified candidates as possible gain admission, the top-most aggregate required for admission should be pegged at nine ones and not 10 ones since the maximum number of subjects are nine with French, the tenth subject, being optional.

He further appealed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) through the Ghana Education Service (GES) to evolve a system whereby separate lists would be provided for private and public schools.

According to him, the present system of putting candidates of private and public schools together favour candidates from the private schools when it comes to selection for admission.

Mr Badu-Prah said, unlike last year, candidates would have to obtain at least an aggregate of 30 for six subjects to gain admission into the sss this year.

The municipal chief executive, Madam Naomi Bonney, also urged the heads to ensure that they put in their maximum efforts to enable the students they take in to gain admission to institutions of higher learning.

Kumasi (Ashanti), 15 Jan.

The police are hunting for one Kwaku

Manu who is suspected to have had an affair with his own daughter, at Yennyawoso in Kumasi.

Manu, unemployed, was alleged to have had the affair with his 17-year-old daughter, an apprentice seamstress, on several occasions last year, resulting in two pregnancies which were aborted at a clinic at Bohyen-Ampabame, near Kumasi.

Police Inspector Augustine Arthur of the Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Directorate, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, said the last time the suspect had an affair with his daughter was a week before a report was made at the Asawasi police on Saturday, January two.

He said the mother of the victim is dead, and she is staying with her father and step-mother at Yennyawoso. During one of the sexual affairs when her step-mother was away attending a funeral, they were seen by her younger brother who was watching television at that time.

Inspector Arthur said when his mother returned, the boy narrated what had happened to her. She then confronted her husband who could neither deny nor agree to the allegation.

He said, as a result, the victim was sacked from the house and she went to stay with an aunt at Dichemso, also in Kumasi, whom she informed about the incident and a report made to the police.

The suspect has since been on the run.

Salaga (Northern Region), 15 Jan

A 20 million-cedi community library built through the self-help initiative of the Salaga Youth Association (SAYA) was yesterday commissioned at a ceremony at Salaga in the East Gonja District.

The well-equipped library which can accommodate about 50 people was financed through a 4.5-million cedi contribution by members of the association who also provided free labour, a donation by the United States Embassy in Ghana through its special self-help programme and three million cedis from the District Assembly.

Mr John Sullivan, co-ordinator of the special self-help programme at the embassy who commissioned the project, said the programme which began in Togo in 1964 has since 1990 made grants of more than 800,000 dollars for projects in Ghana.

"Often the self-help programme provides materials to finish construction of a school or clinic or provides equipment needed for an income generating project that a community has began on its own initiative", he explained.

Mr Sullivan said the Salaga Community Library project idea was mooted by Madam Berns, Madam Doris Hubble and Madam Tracy Delyea former peace corps volunteers at Salaga and praised members of SAYA for helping to implement it.

Alhaji Seidu Karimu, district chief executive said the new community library adds to the existing one built by the District Assembly and appealed to the Ghana Library Board to post a librarian to the district and provide more books and equipment for the two libraries.

Mr S.P. Dakurah, district director of education in a speech read on his behalf, said the Ghana Education Service has asked district assemblies to provide community libraries so that students, especially, can broaden their knowledge through reading.

Accra (Greater Accra), 15 Jan.

The African Renaissance Mission (Afrikania) today said it is reforming the religion to meet the challenges of the new millennium.

It said a five-year target it set itself in 1995 has led to the re-awakening and mobilisation of "the confused, disillusioned and frightened Africans to boldly repossess what belongs to them". In an interview in Accra, Osofo Kofi Ameve, Leader of Afrikania, said having brought the various traditional beliefs under one umbrella, the next step is to redefine their philosophies and redirect them to meet the anxieties of the present generation. "This gradual and continuous process will be done in consultation with traditional authorities and priests through committees to be established at palaces and shrines."

He said it is after the reformation process that attempts will be made to propagate the religion to other parts of the world to project the African personality. Osofo Ameve said other religious beliefs in the world appear to be acceptable because they have been reformed to meet changes "which for a long time now has been denied the African religion. "Religion projects the dignity and personality of a people. So spreading Afrikania abroad will restore to the African the dignity he has been deprived of for a long time. "This is one thing African intellectuals have failed to see and do. International help will not help in this reform process".

Osofo Ameve said MPs could help by getting in touch with traditional authorities in their constituencies instead of approaching the issue "from outside". He said the open declaration by some MPs that they are Christians is an affront to followers of other religious sects who voted for them.

Accra (Greater Accra), 15 Jan.

The Reform Movement (RM) within the National Democratic Congress ( NDC) is ''not rigidly intended to become a political party'', Mr Mije Barnor, press spokesman of the movement said today.

"Those of us, who belong to the RM are still members of the NDC ", Mr Banor, who speaking in an interview with GRi in Accra said, adding that the movement is meant to create a platform for those ''who share the stated but relegated ideals of the NDC to discuss the possibility of making those ideals real''.

He said in the next few months, "we will create the platform and if the masses, who will turn up for the discussion, demand the formation of a party thereafter, then we would only have to please the masses".

He said the RM is currently represented in the rank and file of the nation and that people have been coming frequently from the regions to register their solidarity and willingness to organise in their areas.

"We even have support from some NDC functionaries outside the country and the year 2000 would show the in-roads we have made in the ranks of the party."

Mr Barnor called on the NDC National Executive to issue a resolution on the recently held national congress to enable members of the party know the party's direction for Vision 2000 and beyond.

He noted that almost one month after the party's national congress at Sekondi, delegates have not been able to report back to the masses. "This is so because the national executive have not issued any congress resolution yet", adding that this state of affairs gives credence to the issues raised by the RM prior to the congress.

"Those of us who belong to the RM are still members of the NDC and deserve to know the direction of the party like all other members." Mr Barnor said the party's executive pledged before the congress to address the issues of non-functioning of the over 500 branches of the party across the nation and those of poor party structures and organisation, and unclear national policies among other things.

"Vague reports from the congress, however, showed that only issues relating to the selection of presidential and parliamentary candidates, President Rawlings as the founder and life chairman, and other minor ones were addressed.

"It is in this light that those of us concerned about the stated ideals of the party, have taken our current line of action to bring those ideals and aspirations of the masses, to the fore."

Mr Barnor denied claims by Mr Kofi Attor that negotiations are on-going between the NDC and RM, saying that there has been nothing like that for the past six months. He, however, stated that since the NDC has not denied the authenticity of the issues raised by the RM, "if we find them to be addressing those issues, we would call off the movement and get back to our businesses and keep faith with the party".

Accra (Greater Accra), 15 Jan.

Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Education, today asked parents who have wards in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) to take active interest in their development in order to make their selection into Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) less cumbersome.

The Minister said in Accra that there seems to be mistrust between parents and school authorities concerning selection of candidates into the SSS system.

There is a laid down procedure for entry into SSS. 'If parents get involved with school authorities during the filling of forms for entry into SSS, they will find that getting the right kind of school for their children will not be a problem''.

He noted that many parents unfortunately fail to do this and therefore end up choosing schools for their wards which they are unable to gain admission to.

Under the procedure, children, through their parents, fill the SSS entry forms, select three schools of their choice that match with three programmes run by the school of their choice and match the codes provided.

Mr Spio-Garbrah said the mission of the Ministry and the GES is to get each child a place in one of the 464 government assisted schools or the 117 private secondary schools approved by the GES for the SSS programmes.

He added that there are also a number of technical and vocational institutions from which they could benefit.

''There is some expansion going on in certain schools with new ones coming up in the regions'', but added that there is a limit to what government can do.

Mr Spio-Garbrah appealed for co-operation from parents during such exercises, saying "we appreciate their anxiety, but they need to cooperate with school authorities to enable them find convenient placements for their wards''.

The Minister asked parents to report heads of SSS who take money from them with promises to secure places for their children.

Accra (Greater Accra), 15 Jan

The World Health Organization (WHO) said today it welcomes the British Government's pledge to work with others towards a global ban on tobacco advertising.

A release issued in Accra today, quoted Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the Organisation, as saying that he welcomes the British government's Tobacco White Paper which shows tremendous support for "our initiative against tobacco".

Entitled "Smoking Kills", the white paper which is a major policy document issued in London in December last year, recommends the introduction of global tobacco marketing standards.

It also pledges support for the WHO's long term mission to decrease tobacco consumption and calls for a world-wide action for a total ban on tobacco advertising.

The paper which criticises the European Union's present common policy on tobacco growing which results in export to countries outside the EU, further urges "an increase in the funding of the community Tobacco Fund".

The fund supports research into the effects of smoking and alternative ways for tobacco farmers to make a living. WHO estimates that there are currently 3.5 million deaths a year from tobacco, a figure which is expected to rise to 10 million by 2030.

It said 70 per cent of the deaths will occur in developing countries, where the tobacco industry is increasingly targeting children and adolescents.

WHO's Tobacco-Free Initiative launched by Dr Brundtland in July 1998 aims to promote effective policies and interventions to reduce tobacco consumption and the burden of disease.

The organisation is also promoting the development of an effective International Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (IFC).

Accra, 15 Jan.

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) today received a computer and its accessories, a scanner and a fax machine -- all valued at 20 million cedis from the Ghana National Commission on UNESCO in Accra.

Mr. Kusi Acheampong, Secretary to the Commission, said the presentation is to help mobilise the media to access the free flow of information on the Internet and to develop a good communication network.

Mr. Acheampong said UNESCO has been helping in the development of communication in the country under its Inter-governmental Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC).

He mentioned media houses such as the Ghana News Agency, the Ghanaian Chronicle and the GJA as beneficiaries.

He said the IPDC programme also assisted with the establishment of the Ada Community Radio Station last year and will aid Winneba with 50,000 dollars to establish one this year.

Mrs. Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, President of the GJA, thanked UNESCO for its continuous support to the GJA and said the equipment will help the association in the publication of its quarterly newsletter and an effective monitoring of media activities.

Kokobriko (Ashanti), 15 Jan.

Mr I. K. Nyame, the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District Chief Executive, has expressed disappointment about the poor enrolment in schools in the district in spite of the huge funds spent by the Assembly in improving and developing facilities in the educational sector.

He observed with dissatisfaction that even though the Assembly spends a greater percentage of its resources in the rehabilitation of schools and development of additional infrastructure for schools in the rural communities, parents have failed to respond positively to the numerous appeals to send their children to school.

Mr Nyame, who was addressing a forum of Chiefs, members of unit committees and the people at Kokobriko last Thursday, said by their refusal to enrol their children in schools, parents were seeking to undermine the government's policy of education for all by the year 2005.

The DCE cautioned such recalcitrant parents that they run the risk of being sanctioned since the Fourth Republican Constitution has provisions which provide for and also guarantee the right of every child to education and it behoves parents to respect them.

Mr Nyame stressed that in view of the importance of children's education to development of the community, the District Assembly is considering the enactment of more drastic bye-laws to deal with parents, who deny their hildren the right to education.

The DCE also directed the unit committees to complement efforts of the assembly and area councils at getting all children of school going age into schools by adopting measures at their local levels to solve the problem.

Nana Poku Bosompim the Second, Ntaharahene of Kumasi, urge parents to give priority to their children's education and general welfare by sacrificing and diverting resources expended on less productive pursuits.

Accra (Greater Accra) 15 Jan.

Vice-President Professor John Evans Atta Mills today swore in Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor and Dr Moses Adibo as Minister of Health and deputy Minister of Health, tasking them to evolve an enhanced Medicare system.

They both took the oaths of office, allegiance and secrecy.

Prof. Mills reminded them about the "sensitivity of the health sector to the development of the country" and urged them to live to the expectations of the people.

He said the elevation of Mr Nuamah Donkor to the substantive post from deputy minister is an acknowledgement of his capability and expressed the hope that he would not disappoint the authorities.

Prof. Mills expressed similar sentiments about Dr Adibo, former Director of Medical Services, and urged the two to work together in harmony to improve the health sector.

Mr Nuamah Donkor thanked the presidency for their appointment and pledged their collective efforts to achieve good results.

He said he acknowledged the enormity of the task ahead, adding that he would practice an open-door policy to tap the experience of professionals as well as technical men to improve the health care system.

Accra (Greater Accra) 15 Jan.

Vice President Professor John Atta Mills today granted audience to three envoys accredited to Ghana and urged them to take advantage of the "conducive environment" to bring investment into the country.

Prof. Mills also appealed to the home governments of the envoys to contribute towards peace and stability in the West African sub-region, saying without stability, ''there can be no development, no matter how much a country is assisted''.

The ambassadors, include Kathryn Dee Robinson from the United States, Ms Milena Lukovic, representing Yugoslavia, and Abdel Moneim Talaat from Egypt.

They had separate discussions with the vice-president, focusing on specific sectors of the economy in which their home countries have expressed interest.

They recapped the origin of relations between their countries and Ghana as well as measures being taken to improve them.

One such mechanism which the envoys identified as a dynamic concept towards this goal is the area of Joint Co-operation Commissions where all sides acknowledged progress and called for (its) sustenance.

The ambassadors also lauded Ghana's achievement in democratic governance and pledged their home government's commitment to build on it.

They particularly acknowledged Ghana's commitment to peace and stability in the West African sub-region, especially with regard to the restoration of constitutional rule in Liberia after seven years of war and currently the government's support for negotiated political settlement in troubled Sierra Leone.

Present was Mr Annan Cato, Supervising Chief Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.