Two suspects arrested over highway gold robbery
Social Security must reflect socio-cultural realities - Mills
Sanction men who impregnate school girls
Civil Servants urge govt. to resolve problems on Price Waterhouse
Ahmadiyya mission holds annual conference
MOFA taking measures to control armyworm invasion
Two suspects arrested over highway gold robbery
Accra (Greater Accra) 7th July '99
Security personnel say they have made "a major breakthrough" in the last February's highway gold robbery by arresting two suspects.
They said in Accra on Tuesday that the suspects, whose names they declined to mention "for security reasons", were rounded up near Ashaiman after a shootout in a joint operation by the military and officials from the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
Two security personnel were injured but they are responding to treatment at the 37 Military hospital in Accra.
Armed men ambushed a bullion van near Apam Junction, about 50 kilometres west of Accra on February 16, and made away with gold valued at one million dollars.
The van was conveying the precious metal from Obotan mines in the Amansie West district in Ashanti to Kotoka International Airport in Accra when the robbery occurred.
The gold belonging to Amansie Resources Limited was being escorted by West Coast Allied Services, a private security company.
Several people were arrested earlier by police during investigations.
GRi../
Social Security must reflect socio-cultural realities - Mills
Accra (Greater Accra) 7th July '99
Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills said on Tuesday that social security schemes in Africa need to be re-engineered to be in tune with the socio-cultural realities of the continent.
Opening a three-day conference of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) in Accra, Prof. Mills said the time has come for Africa to rid its social security schemes of dogmas that might have served a passing age.
The conference, under a broad theme of "Social Security in Africa: New Realities," is being attended by the over 200 officials from Africa and personnel from ISSA as well as other related world bodies.
He said as the continent moves towards the new millennium with hope, progress and security for its people, social protection must be based on comprehensive and sustainable social security programmes.
"Instead of studying our socio-cultural milieu with a view to developing schemes that harmonise with our social structures, we in Africa tend to follow conventional practice which may not always provide the best solution."
There is no one single solution to social security problems that can be applied to all nations in view of the diversity of cultures and lives of economic development, he said.
The impact of social security programmes on the African continent, Prof Mills said, has not been felt markedly among the people.
Only a small fraction, mostly urbanised workers in most African countries, has been registered under social security schemes.
"The majority of our people in the so-called informal sector and in the rural areas - the farmers, fishermen, market women, petty traders and other vulnerable groups who need social protection most urgently - do not have social security protection," Prof. Mills said.
In Ghana, for instance, social security coverage is up to only 10 per cent of the working population as against 100 per cent in the industrialised world.
This, Prof. Mills said, calls for urgent attention of social security practitioners in Africa to go back to re-examine the policies that drive social security schemes in Africa.
Prof. Mills said developments, such as the accelerated pace of urbanisation in Africa, economic reforms which resulted in the restructuring of most organisations making people redundant and global shift towards privatisation have exposed many people in Africa to various risks.
"Traditional family structures cannot cope adequately with the demands of our time. At the same time, we need to keep alive our positive traditional values.
"The time has come for all major stakeholders of social security in Africa to come together in our respective countries and review the existing social policies which underpin our social security systems."
The policies for Africa in the 21st century, Prof. Mills said, should clearly spell out the responsibilities and roles of all stakeholders.
"I, therefore, challenge this conference to come out with an Accra Declaration on social security for the 21st Century which will address the fundamental needs we have identified."
Most existing social security schemes in Africa took off after independence to benefit government employees and others in the formal sector.
The schemes operated on the selected needs of a minority of workers without taking into account the wider social protection needs of the entire population.
The conference, the 13th of ISSA specifically for the Africa region, will be an attempt to make the scheme more appealing to the wider segment of the population not covered.
GRi../
Sanction men who impregnate school girls
Agotime-Kpetoe (Volta Region) 7th July '99
District assemblies and chiefs have been urged to institute stiffer sanctions for males who impregnate school girls.
Madam Mawufemor Ansah, Ho district Girls Education Officer, asked district assemblies to enact bye-laws to prevent school children from staying out deep into the night to attend wake-keepings and video shows.
She was speaking on Monday at the launching of the Ho district Girl's Education Week at Agotime-Kpetoe in the Ho district on the theme ''Supporting girls education for national development.''
Madam Ansah said the week was instituted to create awareness and sensitise stakeholders on their role in supporting girl's education and motivating girls to identify and develop their potentials.
Captain George Nfodjo, Ho district chief executive, advised girls to identify their own capabilities and be determined to take advantage of their empowerment and the encouragement being given them to achieve greater heights.
He asked them to abstain from drugs, sex, early marriage and motherhood until they are matured enough to take responsibility for their actions.
GRi../
Civil Servants urge govt. to resolve problems on Price Waterhouse
Accra (Greater Accra) 7th July '99
The Civil Servants' Association of Ghana (CSAG) on Tuesday urged the government to take immediate steps to resolve problems that have arisen as a result of the implementation of the Price Waterhouse report.
"We are obliged to call on the government to take immediate steps to remedy the situation by instituting appropriate measures to correct the anomalies in the next few days to avert any possible upheavals which might disturb the peace in the civil service."
A statement issued in Accra by Mr J.L.A. Quarshie, Regional Secretary, noted that there have been anomalies in the payment of June salaries and wages for civil servants. This, it said, was as a result of the misinterpretation or otherwise by the Office of the Controller and Accountant-General in the initial implementation of the government's new salary schedule.
"The inconceivable nature of these anomalies, in some instances, show considerable loss in salaries and in certain extreme cases complete loss of salary."
The statement said the situation does not conform to the memorandum of understanding reached between members of the Forum and the Central Management Board, which is responsible for the implementation of the policy.
Members of the Forum are CSAG, Ghana National Association of Teachers and Judicial Service Staff Association.
"It is our intention, therefore, under the circumstances to draw attention to the harm which this insensitive situation is likely to cause to the relatively peaceful industrial atmosphere the Civil Service is currently enjoying."
It noted that there is "at present a high level of misconception and mistrust in the ranks of Civil Servants about the genuineness of this new salary structure which is intended to provide a uniform platform for salary administration in the Public Services."
GRi../
Ahmadiyya mission holds annual conference
Bolgatanga (Upper West) 7th July '99
Any religion that teaches anything contrary to love, unity and peace is not worthy of its name, Maulvi Wahab Adam, the Ameer and Missionary in charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, has said.
Many prosperous nations have perished through religious intolerance and fanaticism, he said and urged religious bodies to use dialogue rather than violent confrontation to resolve differences.
Maulvi Adam was opening the second annual conference of the Upper East Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Bolgatanga on the theme, "Religious tolerance and unity: a means of fostering peace and development".
"What Ghanaians should realise is that we are all in one boat, and if anyone of us makes a hole in the boat we shall all sink," the Ameer cautioned.
Maulvi Adam said in the present era of enlightenment, when truth has become distinct from falsehood, there should be no compulsion in religion.
The adherents of a true religion will not need to resort to violence as a means of propagation.
While Ghana could not be said to be entirely free from religious intolerance, a considerable measure of co-operation exists particularly among the leadership of religious bodies which has often made it possible for these bodies to speak with a common voice on national matters.
He urged leaders of religious bodies to ensure that this spirit of understanding and co-operation is spread among their followers in the interest of peace and national development.
Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper East Regional Minister, who dwelt on the theme of the conference, said it was disheartening to realise that the youth on whom the nation's future depends are increasingly getting involved in criminal activities.
This brings into question the moral upbringing of children in contemporary Ghanaian society, he said and therefore called on parents and religious bodies to initiate discussions aimed at halting this trend.
Alhaji Sulemana praised the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission for its achievements in the promotion of education throughout the country and urged the mission to help stem the rising levels of illiteracy in the region.
GRi../
MOFA taking measures to control armyworm invasion
Tamale (Northern Region) 7TH July '99
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has supplied 50 cartons or about 500 litres of insecticides in an initial response to combat the invasion of army worms in the Northern region.
The insecticides, which can treat about 1000 hectares of farms, are being distributed to the affected districts of Yendi, East Mamprusi, West Mamprusi, Nanumba, Tolon-Kumbungu, Gushegu-Karaga and Zabzugu-Tatale where the worms have been detected.
Mr J.K. Wumnayi, Regional Director of Agriculture made this known at a press conference jointly held by MOFA and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to throw light on measures being taken to control the worms.
He said the region is expecting a consignment of 6,600 litres of insecticides and spraying kits comprising 150 hand sprayers, 150 hand gloves, 1000 face masks, 15 sets of first aid kits and 2,500 litres of fuel which can bring the situation under control in less than a week.
Mr Wumnaya said a four-member fact finding task force dispatched to the affected districts found that apart from Gushegu-Karaga district where damage is extensive, the spread of the worms is under control in the other districts.
He called on agro industries in the region to assist MOFA with logistics like hand sprayers and hand gloves to help.
The worms are said to have destroyed about 2000 hectares of farms and in some cases farmers will have to replant their crops.
GRi../
Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 7th July '99
Farmers would be guaranteed good prices for their farm produce if the United Ghana Movement (UGM) takes over the mantle of government after 2000 general elections, Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, presidential candidate of the UGM has said.
Addressed members and supporters of the party at Techiman at the weekend, he said a government of the UGM would provide enough storage facilities and other incentives to ensure that farmers do not become handicapped financially.
He spoke against the practice where hospitals, clinics, and schools are built in the rural areas without qualified staff to man these facilities and described them as white elephants.
"The sick go to hospitals not to look at buildings but to get treatment from qualified staff and if such personnel are not available then there is no need for such buildings".
Dr Wereko-Brobbey said school buildings without enough teachers are meaningless and said, a UGM government would address these problems because they adversely affect the people's well being.
He stressed the need to pay doctors and teachers satisfactorily to enable them stay at post instead of abandoning their jobs to look for greener pastures in other countries.
According to Dr Wereko-Brobbey, while University education cannot be absolutely free, those who qualify to enter the University should be given adequate loans and students who agree to work in the rural areas after their course should forgo the refund.
He said because those in authority have sent their children to University outside the country, they care less about what happens in the local Universities.
"If a person has been in power for 20 years and has not been able to improve your standard of living and you still rely on him for help, does it not sound ridiculous?", Dr Wereko-Brobbey asked.
He said at the appropriate time, the UGM would present a manifesto that spells out what would be done with every sector of the society.
GRi../
Wa (Upper West) 7th July '99
Mr Ole Blicher-Olsen, Royal Danish Ambassador to Ghana, has inspected projects being assisted by his country in the Upper West Region.
Mr Blicher-Olsen, on a two-day tour of the region, interacted with the local authorities.
The ambassador visited health institutions particularly those financed by the Danish International Development Agency(DANIDA) and the Health Sector Support Programme (HFFP).
He also toured all the District Assemblies in the region to gain first hand information on their operations.
During a courtesy call on the Regional Minister Mr David Osei Wusu at Wa on Monday, Mr Blicher-Olsen praised Ghana's new democratic dispensation and pledged his country's support to ensure the effective functioning of all democratic structures in the country.
He said Denmark was currently assisting Ghana in the health ,energy and transport sectors of the economy while encouraging Danish businesses to enter into joint partnership with Ghana's private sector "This is because private initiative propels a nation to develop".
Mr Osei-Wusu briefed the Ambassador on the decentralisation programme, saying the NDC government, being "people -oriented will ensure that those at the grassroots enjoy all the basic amenities necessary for a good life".
He thanked Denmark for her numerous interventions in the region and expressed the hope that this generous gesture would be extended to provide hostel facilities for girls in second cycle institutions in the region.
GRi../