President Rawlings announces changes in ministerial positions
Muslims men must accord women equal status - MP
Minority Leader urges government to cut down expenditure
Fomena NPP election declared null and void
NPP's Vision can save country - Kufour
Eastern Region NDC urged to settle intra-party disputes
Parliament holds public forum on Wednesday
NDC sends goodwill message to Ghanaians
President Rawlings announces changes in ministerial positions
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 Jan. 2000
President Jerry John Rawlings has announced changes in ministerial positions in which two ministries get substantive heads, two deputy ministers take over from their bosses and six regional ministers go back to their former positions.
Dr John Abu, MP, moves to the Ministry of Mines and Energy leaving the Ministry of Trade and Industry to his deputy Mr Dan Abodakpi, MP, who becomes the minister, while Commander P. M. G. Griffiths (rtd) moves from the Ministry of Communications to that ministry as a Deputy Minister.
Owuraku Amofa moves from the Ministry of Tourism to become a Deputy Minister of Communications, leaving his position to Nana Paddy Acheampong, MP and former Deputy Minister of Health, who becomes Deputy Minister of Tourism.
A statement signed by Mr J. L. M. Amissah, Secretary to the President said Professor Kwame Danso Boafo, Ambassador to Cuba and the Caribbean, becomes the Minister of Health with Mr Charles Martey-Akrasu Kpapitey, a senior officer with the Agricultural Development Bank, as a Deputy Minister of Health.
Mrs Cecilia Johnson, Deputy Minister, is now the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, taking over from her boss, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, who becomes a Minister of State, responsible for Planning and Regional Economic Co-operation and Integration.
Mr D. O. Agyekum, becomes Minister of State at the Presidency, responsible for Chieftaincy Affairs and Protocol to make room for the return of Joshua Alabi as the Greater Accra Regional Minister while Alhaji Seidu Iddi, Volta Regional Minister, goes back to replace him in the Northern Region.
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Agbenaza (rtd) returns to Volta Region as Minister and is replaced by Mr Jacob Arthur, MP for Mfantsiman West, as Central Regional Minister.
Mr David Osei-Owusu, Upper West Regional Minister returns to Brong Ahafo, Mr Donald Adabre to Upper East and Alhaji Amidu Sulemana goes back to Upper West Region to complete a reversal.
Political analysts here see the changes as the ruling NDC's strategy to gear up for the 2000 elections.
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Muslims men must accord women equal status - MP
Saltpond (Central Region) 11 Jan 2000
The MP for Mfantseman West, Mr Jacob Arthur, has urged Moslem men to accord their female counterparts equal status in all activities.
He said the time had come for Islam to change its attitude to its female members so that their God-given talents could be tapped for the benefit of society.
Mr Arthur was speaking at a party organised by the Muslim community in Saltpond on Monday to mark Eid-Ul-Fitr.
He said gone were the days when women were confined to the kitchen, adding that they must be seen at public functions where they can socialise with their male counterparts.
Mr Arthur commended the association for initiating development projects for the Saltpond Zongo community.
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Minority Leader urges government to cut down expenditure
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo ) 11 JAN. 2000
The Minority Leader, Mr. J.H. Mensah, has asked the government to cut down on its expenditure, realign its priorities and expand the production base of the economy before it could increase the tax rates.
He stated that recent efforts by the government to get parliament to increase the Value Added Tax rate from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent "is unjustified because it has not judiciously utilised the increased revenue the new tax has generated". Mr. Mensah was speaking in an interview with newsmen at Sunyani on Sunday.
He said the government's request for increase in the VAT rate, which it said was the answer to the slide in the prices of the country's export commodities, was an indication of its failure to truly restructure the economy.
"If after almost two decades of economic reforms and restructuring, the government is still unable to bear the shocks of a tumble in commodity prices, then, it has failed and Ghanaians must not be allowed to suffer for its incompetence".
He said if even the government had invested just 100 billion cedis of divestiture proceeds annually in the productive base of the economy such as agriculture and industry, the tax base could have been expanded to counter external shocks.
Mr. Mensah noted that the government perennial use of the budget as a tax-collecting tool instead of as an instrument for stimulating economic growth is a short-sighted approach to economic management.
He said Ghanaians are over-burdened with taxes and any increase in the tax rates would only increase their impoverishment.
The minority leader urged the Minister of Finance to use this year's budget to give more support to the production base of the economy, cut down on frivolous government spending and devote more resources to the social sector.
On the performance of parliament over the past year, Mr. Mensah said though the house did fairly well, it did not do much in the area of legislation particularly political reforms.
Parliament, in the pursuance of its duty to ensure the growth of democratic culture in the country, should have passed legislation's to curb the abuse of political incumbency and ensure free access to the media among others.
The minority leader expressed the hope that parliament would build on its capacity to investigate public issues that border on the well being of the country and assert its independence in the years ahead.
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Fomena NPP election declared null and void
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 11 Jan. 2000
The recent election of new officers for the Fomena Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has been declared null and void.
A statement signed by the Acting Ashanti Regional Secretary of the Party.
Mr. Yaw Agyei Britwum said the result of the election is invalid since it was held in "flagrant disregard" of the NPP constitution.
It said it is only the Regional Secretariat that has the constitutional right to conduct elections at the constituency level.
For the Fomena constituency to have elected new officers without the knowledge and approval of the Secretariat amounted to "a violation of the party's constitution".
The statement made it clear that the old executives are still recognised as the "legitimate officers and would remain as such and be in control of affairs of the party until proper elections are held".
It warned that the Secretariat would not condone acts that would subvert the NPP constitution.
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NPP's Vision can save country - Kufour
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 11 JAN. 2000
Mr John Agyekum Kufour, National Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer has said that the NPP has a vision to get Ghana back on its feet.
He said the NPP's vision is clear on what it intends to do.
Mr Kufour was inaugurating the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the NPP embracing the NPP chapters of the University of Science and Technology (UST), Kumasi and Mampong campuses of the University College of Education, Winneba (UCEW), Institute of Management Studies (IMS) and the Kumasi Polytechnic
(K-Poly) at the UST campus on Saturday.
The NPP flag bearer said 20 years after killing businesses of indigenous Ghanaians which should have served as the economic bedrock of the country, the Government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was now realising that "the creators of the country's wealth should be protected".
Mr Kufour reiterated that the country's problem is not due to poverty but to bad leadership, pointing out that "if there is a Government which is prepared to sell everything to Malaysia, a country with whom we were "class mates" at the time of independence without any sense of shame, "then there is something seriously wrong with the Government".
There is commitment without inducement in the NPP and that Ghana has the potential to join the 'little economic tigers' and this, the NPP has the capacity to do.
The NPP flag bearer said the inauguration of TESCON was timely and described it as God sent, explaining "the party needs dedicated followers like students to man the polling stations during elections.
"This time round, the polling stations are going to be patrolled in such a way that there will be no room for cheating since elections are won from the polling stations".
Mr Kufour spoke about hunger and poverty facing the people but cautioned Ghanaians not to allow themselves to be bought with peanuts to vote wrongly because of poverty.
He therefore charged the students to rally the youth everywhere and move into the rural areas and educate them to vote wisely for the NPP.
Dr Kwame Addo-Kufour, MP for Manhyia and Minority spokesman on Health, said because the country is located in a politically volatile sub-region, all Ghanaians bear a heavy responsibility to conduct the election campaign in such a manner that Ghana is not exposed to any danger.
So far as the NPP, a party nurtured in the best traditions of liberal democracy is concerned, our campaigns will be thorough, well planned and vigorous and clean.
Dr Addo-Kufour therefore advised the NDC and its allies to prepare themselves mentally and emotionally for a shock since "the NPP is poised for victory".
Mr Francis Asenso-Boakye, President of TESCON, said "our major objectives are to co-ordinate with other students groups to campaign for the NPP to win power.
TESCON will also relate and communicate effectively with the National and Constituency executive of the NPP to promote the growth and stability of the party.
Mr Effah Ameyaw, President of the UST branch of TESCON in a welcoming address, noted that the contribution of TESCON in this year's elections "is very crucial".
He said the motto of TESCON "Commitment without inducement" should therefore goad our members to campaign vigorously for the NPP.
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Eastern Region NDC urged to settle intra-party disputes
Koforidua (Eastern Region) 11 Jan 2000
Mr Fred Ohene-Kena, former Minister of Mines and Energy has called on the leadership of National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Eastern Region, to settle all petty quarrels before it launches its campaign for this year's elections.
He said quarrels and differences are normal developments in every human institution and added that what is important is the existence of an effective institutional framework for resolving such problems and differences.
Mr Ohene-Kena was speaking at a ceremony at Koforidua during which awards were given to 360 individuals and organisations that had contributed towards the organisational works of the NDC in the Region, on Saturday.
Sixty of the award winners received various prizes including fans, sewing machines, wax prints, sound systems and bicycles while the remaining 300 were given certificates of recognition.
Ms Patience Adow, Eastern Regional Minister, called on the party functionaries in the region to stop threatening and blackmailing government appointees.
She said the situation was making the party to waste a lot of time and resources in resolving conflicts instead of using them for political campaign.
Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, said the introduction of the Youth in Agriculture Programme is one of the many efforts that the government is making to create employment and help raise the standard of living of the youth in the farming communities.
He, therefore, called on the youth and functionaries of the party to embrace the project to help make it succeed.
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Parliament holds public forum on Wednesday
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 Jan. 2000
Parliament would hold its seventh annual public forum on Wednesday, January 12, a statement by the Acting Clerk of Parliament in Accra said on Sunday.
On the theme: "Parliament and Good Governance: Year 2000 and Beyond," it would be preceded with a photo exhibition on Parliaments of previous republics and the current one and some supporting organisations.
The Speaker, Mr. Justice D.F. Annan instituted the forum in 1994, to generate public interest in the work of Parliament.
It provides an opportunity for the public to understand and appreciate important issues on the Legislature and good governance of the country.
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NDC sends goodwill message to Ghanaians
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 Jan 2000
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has congratulated Ghanaians for their commitment towards democracy in the country.
A statement issued in Accra on Friday to mark the seventh anniversary of Ghana's Fourth Republic, said "the Party appreciates the commitment of all persons who have contributed to the democratic achievements of the country.
"We salute all members of the security services of Ghana on their dedication, loyalty and commitment in protecting the territorial integrity of Ghana".
The statement appreciated the role of the political parties and their representative in parliament and the media whose constant pressure "makes the democratic establishment as good as it can be".
It also expressed NDC's gratitude to workers for keeping the wheel of industry moving and to women, whose priceless sacrifice contributes immensely to the progress of the country.
"To all of you, we say more grease to your elbow and may the coming years make Ghana the beacon of light to all Africa".
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Koforidua (Eastern Region) 11 Jan. 2000
Telephone subscribers in the Eastern Region owe the Ghana Telecom Company a total of 1.5 billion cedis.
Out of the amount, the Ghana Police Service owes 370 million cedis.
Mr Paul Evans-Amuzu, Eastern Regional head of the company, announced this at an end-of-year get-together for the staff at Koforidua on Friday.
Mr Evans-Amuzu, who declined to give the 1999 revenue figures of the company in the region, said the company made a significant improvement over its revenue for 1998.
He said the company is undertaking expansion in the region, adding that a new customer's access network is about 90 per cent complete to replace the old system in the New Juaben Municipality.
Plans are far advanced to build telephone exchanges at Asamankese and Krobo Odumase, he added.
Mr Evans-Amuzu commended the workers for their dedication and hard work and urged them to work as a team in order to succeed.
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