President Kufuor freezes
award of contracts
Canada cancels debt owed by
Ghana
We'll adopt
a step-by-step approach to economy - Kufuor
Infuse
efficiency into Forestry Commission, Kufuor urged
Developers ordered to
formalise their land titles
Kufuor
urged to develop science and technology
South
African Vice-President returns home
Democracy will be sustained
- Agyeman-Duah
Government asked to implement
NDC- initiated projects
Pensioners
express concern about delay in payment of pension benefits
Police
arrest five persons for harassing nurses
President Kufuor freezes
award of contracts
Accra (Greater Accra) 09 January 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor, on Monday, put a freeze on the award of new contracts by Ministries, Department and Agencies with immediate effect.
A statement signed by Mr James Bebaako-Mensah, Secretary to the former Cabinet, said there is also a freeze on all contracts that have been negotiated but not signed.
Meanwhile, the President has appointed Mr Kwadwo Baa-Wiredu, MP for Asanti Akim North for consideration as Minister of Local Government and Rural Development whiles Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has been appointed Chief of Staff, Office of the President.
The appointment of Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey, former national campaign manager of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), takes immediate effect, another statement signed by Mr Bebaako-Mensah said.
The President is expected to make more appointments by the close of Tuesday.
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Canada cancels debt owed
by Ghana
Accra (Greater Accra) 09 January 2001
Canada on Monday announced an immediate cancellation of 18.2 million Canadian dollars debt owed it by Ghana.
It also urged other creditor countries that are serious about improving the lives of the world's poor to follow its lead in applying a debt moratorium.
Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa David Kilgour announced the gesture when he led a Canadian team to call on President John Agyekum Kufuor at his temporary office at the State House.
The debt will be cancelled completely at the time of implementation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy as part of a moratorium initiated by the Canadian government on debt repayments owed by 17 Highly Indebted Poor Countries, including Ghana.
The 17 HIPC countries owe Canada about 1.1 billion dollars.
In the early 1980s, Canada wrote off 1.3 billion Canadian dollars in Official Development Assistance (ODA) debt owed by 46 developing countries, including Ghana.
Mr Kilgour delivered a congratulatory message from Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien who pledged to work actively with the new government to "capitalise on the momentum achieved in bilateral relations and promote collaborative activities in multilateral fora".
The message added: "This is a historic period for Ghana and the country stands as a model to uphold in the rest of the continent."
Mr Kilgour also presented Mr Kufuor with a congratulatory letter from the Governor General of Canada, Adrienne Clarkson which said "the large number of Canadians of Ghanaian origin have enriched our country and heightened our understanding of yours".
A British delegation led by Baroness Amos and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) representative in Ghana, Girma Begashaw were, also at the State House to congratulate President Kufuor.
At separate meetings, they expressed satisfaction with the levels of democracy in Ghana and pledged renewed relationship with the new government.
Dr Edward Mahama, leader of the People's National Convention, was also there to meet with the new President.
According to close aides, President Kufuor will later in the day meet with the National Security Council to be followed by another meeting with senior civil servants at the Castle.
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We'll
adopt a step-by-step approach to economy - Kufuor
Accra (Greater Accra)
09 January 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor
on Monday said his government would adopt a gradual approach to solving the
challenges facing the economy and called for the co-operation of western
donors.
"I am counting on
the multilateral institutions to be understanding as to how we pick our steps
into the next stream," he said.
"I don't want to
be stampeded," Mr Kufuor said, when World Bank country representative
Peter Harold called on him at his temporary office at the State House.
With him were leading
members of his team, including Vice-President Aliu Mahama, Mr Hackman
Owusu-Agyeman, Mr Yaw Osafo-Marfo and Dr Kofi Apraku.
Mr Harold was there to
extend good wishes from World Bank Managing Director James Wolfhenson to Mr
Kufuor and also renew the Bank's relationship with the new government.
Mr Kufuor restated his
government's commitment to ensuring good management of the economy in order to
bring a change in the life of the people.
However, this would
have to be done step-by-step, he said, adding that government will not start
off at a break-neck speed.
This, he said, calls
for trust and confidence building from international institutions.
"I want you to
trust us; we do not want to deceive ourselves... we should be
commonsensical," the president said.
He said the people have
come a long way after 17 years of the economic recovery programme.
"At the end, there
is no positive change in the life of the individual Ghanaian," President
Kufuor said.
He said expectations
are high with the coming into office of his government, adding that his
government will be working with a vision that is achievable and to give the
people what they expect.
Congratulating Mr
Kufuor, Mr Harold said he regarded his election as victory for democracy not
only for Ghana but also for Africa.
"You and your
people can be enormously proud of your achievement," he said, and pledged
the support of the Bank in realising the new government's goals.
Mr Harold said the Bank
is interested in good governance and support for private sector development,
which were among issues raised by Mr Kufuor and his team during the
electioneering campaign.
"We also look
forward to working with you in ensuring the rule of law and also to get
business going."
In discussions, Mr
Harold expressed his readiness to provide a status report on the economy to the
new government.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 09 January 2001
There is going to be an eclipse of the moon Tuesday, January 9, 2001. A statement by the Meteorological Service in Accra on Monday said the eclipse, which will occur between 1744 hours GMT to 2300 hours GMT will be visible to most parts of Africa including Ghana.
The statement said an eclipse occurred in the United States before Christmas but it was not visible in Africa.
It said this is a normal phenomenon, which happens yearly and asked people not to panic.
The statement further said an eclipse of the sun is expected to occur on June 21, 2001 between 1100 hours GMT and 1400 hours GMT. It will cover the South Atlantic Ocean and will be visible on the southern portion of Ghana.
Eclipse of the moon, occurs when the moon passes through the shadow cast by the earth. If the earth comes between the sun and the moon, it casts a shadow on the moon. It is also referred to as lunar eclipse.
Similarly eclipse of the sun known as solar eclipse occurs when the earth passes through the shadow cast by the moon.
In this case, if the moon comes between the sun and the earth, it casts a shadow on the earth, the statement said.
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Infuse
efficiency into Forestry Commission, Kufuor urged
Kumasi (Ashanti Region)
09 January 2001
Okormansa Nana Kobina
Aggrey, Managing Director of Kataban Timber Company Limited on Monday urged
President J. A. Kufuor to take a critical look at the Forestry Commission with
a view to infusing efficiency into it.
He said the Commission,
as presently constituted lacked competence, technical expertise and knowledge
to encourage intensive afforestation, especially in denuded forests.
In a congratulatory
message to President Kufuor, on his ascension to the highest office of the
land, Nana Aggrey, who is also Mfantsemanhene (Head of the Fante community) in
Ashanti, conveyed the community's best wishes of "long life and God's
blessing," to make his tenure of office successful.
Nana Aggrey, a former
president of the Ghana Timber Association (GTA) said as a result of the present
state of the Commission, "the country's forests continue to dwindle,"
citing the Tain forest reserve at Brekum, in the Brong Ahafo region,
"which no longer exists."
In another development the Ghana Co-operatives Council (GCC) and its affiliates on Monday congratulated President John Kufuor and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on their resounding parliamentary and presidential electoral victories.
A statement by the Council said the victories constitute an eloquent and un-mistaken verdict of Ghanaians on the need for change.
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Developers ordered to
formalise their land titles
Twifo Praso (Central Region) 09 January 2001
The Atti Morkwa traditonal council on Monday ordered all developers to formalise titles to their land before putting up any buildings or structures on them.
A statement issued by the council and signed by its president, Osadeeyo Kwesi Kennin the third, said reports he had received indicated that a number of persons were putting up houses in the Praso community without the relevant titles to the land they were developing.
The statement reminded such developers that it is an offence to do so and asked all persons who have acquired plots of land in the area to contact the council to help them formalise their titles to such lands.
The statement warned that legal action would be taken against persons who fail to comply with the order.
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Kufuor
urged to develop science and technology
Accra (Greater Accra)
09 January 2001
The Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on Monday urged President John
Agyekum Kufuor to make Science and Technology the cornerstone of plans to
ensure economic prosperity for the nation.
A congratulatory
statement signed by the council's Director-General, Professor Walter S.
Alhassan, called on the President to take a personal initiative to ensure that
the goal is achieved.
He said Ghana's future
lies in the application of science and technology to development efforts.
It expressed regret that
science and technology was not one of the major issues during the political
campaign, saying it might perhaps be "due to the low level of science
culture in the Ghanaian society".
The statement assured
the government of the CSIR's continuous support "to realise the dream of a
science-led private sector growth and general socio-economic development for
Ghana".
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South
African Vice-President returns home
Accra (Greater Accra)
09 January 2001
South Africa's
Vice-President Jacob Zuma said on Monday that African economic blocs hold the
key to the continent's economic growth and integration.
He said this could be
done through more economic activities between member countries and regional
groupings by opening up their economies to the outside world and attracting
businesses from inside the continent.
Mr Zuma said this in an
interview with the GNA before leaving for home after attending Sunday's
inauguration of President John Agyekum Kufuor.
He said a good
political system is a prerequisite for serious economic development and growth
and that the wind of democracy blowing across the continent augurs well for the
people.
Mr Zuma described the
swearing-in ceremony as unique and a pacesetter and urged other African
countries to emulate what Ghanaian did.
"The peaceful
manner in which the handing over ceremony was done and the atmosphere that
prevailed throughout the ceremony showed that the people are yearning for a
real democracy and this should be supported and enhanced.
"It has removed
the image that Africa cannot manage her own affairs and take care of
herself."
Mr Zuma described the
coup attempt in Cote d'Ivoire as unfortunate, saying it does not augur well for
democracy.
He expressed the hope
that the Economic Community of West African States would be able to handle the
situation.
Dissident forces on
Monday seized the radio and television stations in the Ivorian city of Abidjan
and broadcast a coup but loyalist forces say they had retaken them.
Vice-President Aliu
Mahama saw Mr Zuma off.
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Democracy will be
sustained - Agyeman-Duah
Accra (Greater Accra) 09 January 2001
Dr Baafour Agyeman-Duah, Associate Executive Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development, on Monday said democracy would be sustained in Ghana because politicians have learnt enough from past governments to avoid making mistakes, which could lead to instability.
Dr Agyeman-Duah, who is also a political analyst, said in an interview with the GNA, that though the military have often derailed smooth transition from one democratically- elected government to another through coups d'état, they now appreciate the need not to intervene in governance.
This is because the military have become more professional and fully appreciate the need to abstain from politics.
Dr Agyeman-Duah also said Ghanaians now generally believe that the country has outgrown the period of military interventions. "There is now more awareness among civil society in Ghana," he said.
According to Dr Agyeman-Duah, the habit of sweeping off the achievements of past governments by newly installed ones has in the past not helped with political development.
"This new government is not going to sweep away the NDC," he said, adding that there are many achievements of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), which the new government could continue with.
Dr Agyeman-Duah, however, said the new government could decide to discontinue with policies of the NDC that it finds inappropriate.
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Government asked to
implement NDC- initiated projects
Winneba (Central Region) 09 January 2001
Former Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, Mr Mike Allen Hammah, on Monday stressed the need for the NPP government to ensure the successful implementation of water, electricity and other development projects initiated by the NDC administration for the people of the area.
He said although the NDC government provided a lot of development projects to improve the living conditions of people, there is more to be done.
Mr Hammah, MP for the Efutu-Awutu-Senya, speaking to the GNA at Winneba, mentioned the Winneba water project currently under construction and expressed the hope that the NPP government will ensure that it is completed on schedule.
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Pensioners
express concern about delay in payment of pension benefits
Kumasi (Ashanti Region)
09 January 2001
Pensioners of the
Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) have expressed concern
about the delay in obtaining their benefits from the banks.
Addressing an annual
get-together of SSNIT pensioners, Mr Thomas Kwasi Obeng, Chairman of the Kumasi
district branch of the SSNIT Pensioners Association, said this concern has been
expressed several times in the past but nothing has been done to address it.
He called on the SSNIT
management to take up the matter with the banks to relieve pensioners of this
problem.
Mr Obeng said annual
increment benefits should be calculated on graduation basis to bridge the gap
between the low-income group and those at the top.
"Minimum pension
benefits for the low income workers should be increased to 100,000 cedis since
the 15,000 cedis per month given to some pensioners is woefully
inadequate", he added.
He called on SSNIT to
consider the provision of free medical care for pensioners to enable them to
take good care of their health after active service.
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Police
arrest five persons for harassing nurses
Tema (Greater Accra) 09
January 2001
Police have arrested
five persons suspected to be gangsters who stormed the Tema General Hospital
(TGH) last Friday and harassed the nurses on duty for allegedly delaying to
give treatment to a member of the gang believed to have been stabbed.
They are John Newman
Attabo, 28, a greaser, Kwasi Mensah, 28, trader, James Ade Harrison Spio
Gabrah, 22, student, Ezra Yankey, 20, student and Leoid Baah Nii Doku, 21
Clearing Agent.
A police source said
they were arrested at the Port Clinic, Community One (Site 17), where they had
sent Harrison for treatment.
It said the five men
went to Bride's Spot, a drinking bar at Community Eight, Tema, where a fight
broke out between them and another group.
In the process, Harrison
was stabbed with an implement believed to be a broken bottle.
The source said
Harrison bled profusely so his friends rushed him to the hospital but the
nurses told them that the only doctor on duty was in the theatre.
The Police said the men
who were apparently drunk, accused the nurses of delaying to attend to a
wounded person and beat up Mr Ernest Awinim, a staff nurse and harassed others
on duty.
The source said when
the five persons heard that their conduct at the hospital was being reported on
the local "Adom FM " station, they took the wounded person out of the
hospital.
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