Non-performing teachers to be fired
13th International Social Security conference underway in Accra
Government will not compromise on obligation - Bawumia
Ghana's anti-drugs programme praised
Korle Bu children's ward cries for help
Draft policy on provision of orthopaedic services produced
Dompoase secondary school collapsing
Re-open negotiations on Price Waterhouse immediately - Chigabatia
Raleigh International group calls on E.T. Mensah
Non-performing teachers to be fired
Obuasi (Ashanti), 7th July 99 --
Non-performing teachers in Methodist educational schools in the Ashanti Region have been warned to buck up or face dismissal.
The Rev. Isaac Kofi Twum, Regional Manager of Methodist Educational Unit, gave the warning at a meeting with teachers of Methodist Schools in the Adansi west district at Obuasi as part of his familiarization tour of the district.
"I want to assure non-performing teachers in Methodist schools that they must be prepared to back out because this Unit will not tolerate them", he stressed.
Rev Twum expressed concern about the poor performance of some Methodist schools in baseline tests and asked the teachers to work hard to help "move the Methodist Educational Unit forward".
The regional manager announced measures including unannounced visits to schools by a team from his outfit adding that the post of local managers of schools would be reintroduced to enhance supervision of the schools.
Rev Twum reminded teachers that the Ghana Education Service (GES) rationalisation exercise was still on course and that those who had spent 10 years or more in one school would be transferred.
Mr R. A. Boateng, Adansi West District Director of Education, noted that the regional manager's visit was in line with his administration's policy of bringing the offices of regional educational units closer to the management of teaching and learning in schools.
"My office sees the effective collaboration with regional educational units as a vehicle for the promotion of education in both the local authority and mission schools", he said.
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13th Social Security Conference underway in Accra
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th July 99 -
The 13th International Social Security Association (ISSA) Africa Regional Conference opened in Accra on Tuesday against the background of world-wide debate on the future direction of social security.
The current debate centres on privatisation, defined benefits in relation to defined contributions, transparency in the investment of funds and enhancing the administrative efficiency of social security schemes.
The Accra Conference, which is being attended by over 200 representatives from Africa, ISSA, International Labour Organisation (ILO), the World Bank Europe and the USA, is focussing on the challenges facing Africa in expanding its social security coverage.
Social security schemes in Africa cover below 30 per cent of the working population as compared to 100 per cent in the developed world.
It is under the theme: "Social Security in Africa: New Realities".
Welcoming the participants, Mr Charles Asare, Director-General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) described the operation of the scheme in Ghana as "fairly smooth and successful".
He, however, said it is faced with the challenge of extending coverage to the informal sector and balancing the need for commercial investments with the social and developmental needs of the society.
Mr Asare said SSNIT currently covers just 10 per cent of the working population, adding that a steady expansion into the informal sector is necessary.
He said SSNIT is working on a three-pronged approach to improve its programmes to make them attractive to the informal sector.
"These are the old-age and invalidity pension and the survivors' benefits. For the future, we are looking into health insurance programmes".
Mr Asare hoped that the conference would enable the various institutions represented to improve upon their operations.
In the investment arena, he said significant progress had been made, with SSNIT actively involved in all sectors of the economy.
SSNIT is currently involved in real estate, merchant banking, investment banking and trading.
Mr Asare said although there had been some disappointments with the investments,"looking at it positively, these are experiences which we can share with the rest of our regional participants.
"We are grateful for this co-operation and urge that we all endeavour to keep our lines opened".
He thanked ISSA for its support to the Ghana Scheme over the years, especially during the transformation of the social security system in Ghana from the Provident Fund model to a Pension Scheme.
Mr Johan Verstraeten, President of ISSA, called for further development of ISSA institutions and a closer bond "to meet the on-going needs of our member institutions."
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Accra (Greater Accra), 7th July 99 -
Togo has apologised to Ghana for the unauthorised landing of one of its helicopters in the country last month, saying it has instituted measures to prevent a recurrence.
The written apology followed a verbal one made by President Gnassingbe Eyadema to Ghana's Foreign Minister, Mr Victor Gbeho, last week.
A statement issued in Accra on Tuesday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, based on the incident, Mr Gbeho held talks with President Eyadema on July One.
During the talks, the Togolese leader confirmed the news report and attributed the incident to a mechanical fault on one of the helicopters and a sudden change in weather conditions in the area.
The statement said: "in keeping with the good neighbourly relations existing between Ghana and Togo, the government of Ghana has accepted the explanation of the Togo government and has, therefore, put the matter to rest".
It would be recalled that on June 29, it was reported that a Togolese helicopter landed in the Hohoe District of the Volta Region and took off immediately it sensed that its presence had created excitement among the local people.
Following the anxiety created by the incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs investigated and confirmed that a Togolese helicopter had landed in the Wli-Afegame area of the Hohoe District while a second one appeared over the area.
The statement said when a crowd began to gather, the pilot, sensing danger, took off immediately followed by the second helicopter.
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Government will not compromise on obligation - Bawumia
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th July 99 -
Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, Chairman of the Council of State, on Tuesday said the government will not compromise on the obligation of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to generate 30 per cent of its operational cost by 2002.
He was speaking at a joint flag hoisting and tree planting ceremony to launch the 40th anniversary celebration of the council in Accra.
The CSIR was established under NLCD 293 of 1968 as a research and development institute with the broad mandate to organise and co-ordinate research and development activities in the key areas of agriculture, technology, medicine, health and industry.
Its mandate was renewed by an act of parliament, Act 521 of 1996, which now enjoins the council to commercialise its research and development activities by evolving demand-driven findings and applying marketing strategies.
Under the new mandate, 40 per cent of the CSIR's board is made of private sector representatives.
Alhaji Bawumia said it is the government's expectation that, with its commercial activities, the CSIR would by the year 2002 be able to generate 30 per cent of its budgetary needs.
"Let me use this opportunity to reiterate that government expects the council to fulfil this obligation. There will be no compromise," he stressed.
This was against the background of complaints by Dr Henry Dei, Chairman of the CSIR, of "inadequate financial support for its operations, low salaries of workers and non-payment for lands on which the offices and institutes of the council are situated."
Alhaji Bawumia advised the directors of the CSIR "to enlarge its client base and become more accessible not only to large-scale entrepreneurs but also to medium, small-scale and rural entrepreneurs".
He urged the CSIR to take cognisance of the goals of Ghana's Vision 2020 document and ensure that the result of its findings are focused on solving national problems.
"Commercialisation should, however, not be undertaken at the expense of some research that the council has to conduct to help solve some of our social problems in view of substantial financial support to the council by the government."
Alhaji Bawumia urged the CSIR to collaborate with the Ministries of Education and Environment, Science and Technology, the polytechnics, universities and the appropriate private sector to develop a national capacity building plan.
The plan should ensure the development and application of modern information technology to facilitate the commercialisation effort of the council.
"We would expect the council to develop expertise in the frontier areas of biotechnology, information technology and material science to assist our private sector to use these technologies for the development of the country."
He assured them of the government's continuous support to enhance the quality of life of the people.
Mr Cletus Avoka, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, observed that though the CSIR has contributed immensely to the advancement of appropriate technology for various sectors of the economy, the council is not accorded due recognition.
He said the beneficiaries of CSIR findings include the Volta River Authority, Tema Oil Refinery, SSNIT, Ghana Civil Aviation, Ghana Airforce and about 75 per cent of Ghanaian farmers, among others.
Mr Avoka deplored the situation whereby industries import foreign experts in the field of science and technology to do jobs that the CSIR has the technology and personnel to do, saying: "this cannot be acceptable".
He, therefore, appealed to industries to make use of the available expertise at the CSIR, which "addresses our local situation better, without harming our environment".
Professor Francis K. A. Allotey, Chairman of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, who presided, called on the government to provide adequate support for the CSIR, saying: "there is no gain in having science and technology without enough capital and political will to reap its benefits".
He urged the government to ban the use of the recently developed terminator technology whereby seeds of some farm produce become sterile and cannot be re-grown.
Prof. Allotey alleged that the corporate inventors of the technology concede that it offers no agronomic benefit to farmers of food crops, adding
that the purpose of the technology is to force farmers to buy seeds from that company every growing season.
"The governments of India and other African countries have banned the technology and I urge the Ghanaian government to do likewise."
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Accra (Greater Accra), 7th July 99 -
Mr Moses Asaga, Deputy Minister of Finance, on Tuesday said the law on private participation in lotteries would soon be reviewed to ensure proper accounting and supervision in the industry.
He said the PNDC Law (223), which vested power in District Assemblies to issue licences to district weekly lotto operators, had been greatly abused, "thus putting the whole lotto industry in an absolute mess".
Mr Asaga, who was speaking at a meeting with lotto operators, said there seems to be "complete lawlessness, no effective monitoring system, no contribution made to social sectors and, above all, loss of revenue to the state".
He noted that although the number of lotto operators in the country had for the past four years increased by tenfold, revenue had remained stagnant.
"The private lotto sector controls about 60 per cent of lottery revenue, but due to the illegal activities of some operators, the government is losing about 50 per cent revenue each year".
Mr Asaga said since government derives the bulk of it's revenue from the lottery industry for developmental projects, "it deems this problem an urgent one that needs prompt action to halt future losses".
He, therefore, said the proposed new law would have features that would review all forms of District Weekly lottery and lottery in general as to their relevance.
It will also call for the establishment of a Central Lottery Controlling Body responsible for the issue of licenses.
Mr Asaga said the amended law would require lotto operators to re-apply to the Central Lottery Controlling Board for registration.
"The applicant will be required to produce evidence of a minimum stated capital, a quarterly publication of the company's accounts and evidence of payment of taxes, VAT and others for the past five years, among others".
The Deputy Minister said there would be centralisation of the printing of lottery coupons and other raffle tickets and a restricted number of both National and District Weekly lotteries and media broadcast of lotto numbers.
Mr Asaga appealed to all lotto operators to co-operate with the government and abide by the law to help save the huge losses of revenue and expose those who evade tax payment.
Mr David Adom, Commissioner of Revenue, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), said lottery is an important industry which, when "well protected, will serve a great purpose for national development".
He, however, noted with regret the numerous financial and administrative mismanagement in the lotto industry and other malpractices and expressed the hope that the new law would solve all these problems.
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Accra (Greater Accra), 7th July 99 -
The UN Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) has lauded Ghana's anti-drug programme as worthy of emulation in the sub-region.
Announcing this in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Kofi B. Quantson, Executive Secretary of the Narcotics Control Board (NCB), said the UNDCP, which supports the Board with logistics and funds, singled out Ghana's anti-drug laws and law enforcement structure as an example for other West African countries.
Mr Quantson was addressing newsmen at the turn of the NCB in the "Meet the press" series by state agencies.
He said the NCB's track record has improved upon the country's previously dented image in the early '90s when Ghana was regarded as a major transit point for narcotic drugs.
"The UNDCP is assisting in providing vehicles and other technical equipment.
Besides, under the European Union Project for West Africa, anti-drug squads would be established in six regions to bring such squads to all the 10 regions".
Mr Quantson said the European Union, under its African Anti-Drug Programme, plans to give a facelift to the Department of Social Welfare's Rehabilitation Centre to treat drug-related patients discharged from the Psychiatric Hospital, which is the only facility currently handling such cases in the country.
He said more people are drawn into the drugs business because of the huge profits they derive from it adding that a fallout of the drugs business is money laundering which can destroy any economy as well as portray the country in a negative light abroad.
"Problems being faced by the NCB include lack of resources, the notion that it is not as pervasive as is being portrayed and that it is the responsibility of only law enforcement agencies."
Mr Quantson said the best way to win the war against drugs is for everyone to approach it with equal responsibility.
"The fight must be waged through the communities, churches and other groupings".
He said, apart from the NCB's sustained education and prevention programme, a National Survey Project is being undertaken by ECOWAS to establish the extent of abuse and trafficking trends to serve as basis for future action.
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Korle Bu children's ward cries for help
Accra (Greater Accra) 7th July '99
Dr William Appeadu-Mensah, Resident Medical Officer at the Paediatric Surgical Ward of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, on Tuesday made an urgent appeal for facilities to efficiently run the place.
He said the ward, the only one south of the country where children on referrals for surgery can be taken care of, needs incubators, infusion pumps and other important facilities for intensive and post-operative care.
At a press briefing in Accra, Dr Appeadu-Mensah said the suction machines are not working and there are no blood pressure apparatus.
He called on public-spirited individuals, non-governmental organisations and charitable organisations to adopt the ward to ease the burden of the staff.
The press briefing was to throw light on conditions of the Siamese twins who were operated upon on May 19 and are due to be discharged this week.
Dr Appeadu-Mensah stated: "when the twins were brought in, there was only one incubator at the ward and another had to be borrowed from elsewhere to keep them in.
"This has made it impossible for other children to benefit from the use of the incubator since the Siamese had to be kept for a very long time."
Dr Winfred Hodasi, a Consultant Surgeon, who headed the team of doctors who successfully separated the twins, estimated the cost involved in the operation at about 20 million cedis but added that the treatment was free.
The twins, Linda and Lydia, were delivered in February, this year at the Atua Government Hospital in the Eastern region and were referred to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital where they were separated eight weeks after their birth.
They shared a common liver, one diaphragm which divides the chest from the abdomen known in medical terms as omphalopagus. They had separate stomachs, kidneys and intestines.
Dr Hodasi said, due to the social problems they might encounter at home, the twins had to be kept at the hospital and are now being sent home at the age of three months "in very good health".
"There is no known cause for Siamese twins, he said, adding: "such operations have not been successful in this country though a few attempts have been made involving two such cases".
Dr Hodasi said the country can now handle such cases.
"We have the expertise; what we need is the support and facilities to work with."
He said the twins would be monitored for a year though there are no foreseeable complications ahead as they can lead normal lives.
The father of the twins, Mr Ebenezer Awui of Akosombo Textiles thanked the hospital staff for saving the lives of children.
Dr Henry Holdbrook-Smith, Chief Executive of the hospital, said the Ministry of Health is in the process of working out a fund to support such cases.
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Draft policy on provision of orthopaedic services produced
Kunsu (Ashanti) 7th July '99
The Aid for Children in Africa with Disabilities (AFICIA), a voluntary organisation, in collaboration with the Ministries of Health and Education as well as Organisations of the Disabled, have produced a draft policy on statutory provision of orthopaedic services for physically disabled people in Ghana.
Mr I. K. Boateng, the AFICIA Co-ordinator in Ghana, said it is expected that when the policy is approved and implemented by the Ministry of Health, a remarkable improvement would be attained in the provision and delivery of services for the disabled in Ghana.
Mr Boateng announced this after the staff of the Ahafo-Ano South district of the National Mobilisation Programme (NMP) and mobisquads had undertaken a communal labour on the construction of a project known as AFICIA Village Centre for Independent Living, being funded by AFICIA at Kunsu.
The centre is to provide facilities for orthopaedic assessment, disability management, medical diagnosis, treatment and acute care unit, orthopaedic appliance production, transit school, and library.
The co-ordinator stressed that the plight of the disabled should be the concern of all and not non-governmental organisations and government alone.
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Dompoase secondary school collapsing
Dompoase (Ashanti) 7th July '99
The Board of Governors and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Dompoase secondary school have held a special meeting at Dompoase in the Adansi West district to find ways of saving the school from total collapse.
The school, which used to be one of the best schools in the country, had over the years deteriorated leading to general breakdown of discipline, poor students enrolment as well as poor academic performance.
At the meeting, the parents called for a dynamic headmaster, who would demonstrate commitment towards his work.
They also admitted that the executives of the Board of Governors and the PTA needed a shake-up to withstand the task of rebuilding the school.
A seven-member PTA executives under the chairmanship of Mr J. K. Nyame, a retired educator, was elected and charged to make the association vibrant.
The Adansi West District Director of Education, Mr R. A. Boateng, said he was sad that in spite of the facilities in the school, it had been left to collapse.
Mr Boateng said, "the masters are not duty conscious, students are not serious with their studies and the PTA too had not been meeting regularly to know the problems facing their wards".
The District Director, who has been given additional responsibility as the Headmaster stressed the need for discipline to be enforced in the school.
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Re-open negotiations on Price Waterhouse immediately - Chigabatia
Accra (Greater Accra) 7th July '99
Mr Smart Chigabatia, Executive Secretary of the Civil Servants' Association of Ghana (CSAG), on Tuesday called for the immediate re-opening of negotiations on the Price Waterhouse Report to rectify anomalies detected in the implementation.
He was speaking at a meeting between representatives of the CSAG, Ghana Registered Nurses Association, (GRNA) Ghana National Association of Teachers, Ghana Judicial Service and the Allied Health Workers Association on one side, and the Controller and Accountant-General Department (CAGD) and the Central Management Board (CMB) on the other.
The meeting was prompted by problems resulting from the recent implementation of the Price Waterhouse Report in which some workers of the concerned organisation either had their June salaries reduced drastically or were not paid anything. Some even had their June pay slips indicating that they owed the government.
Some workers at the meeting threatened industrial action if the problem is not addressed immediately.
Mr Chigabatia observed that most of the anomalies arose out of the wrong deduction of allowances such as car maintenance and extra duty from basic salaries.
He said throughout the negotiations prior to the implementation of the report, such allowances were not to be deducted from basic salaries "since they are only paid as they come".
"I, therefore, do not understand why all these allowances have been accumulated from January to May and deducted from June salaries to make people worse off to the extent (that) some even owes the government.
"I think the government has taken our co-operation for granted only to play its role in the agreement shabbily at this stage.
"We ... call for immediate re-opening of negotiations on the report to address these technical problems and their resultant socio-economic hardship to its victim workers."
Mr Chigabatia told the Accountant-General that if negotiations are not resumed early enough "we will come back to you in a more determined manner".
Mr Amos Yankey, Chairman of the CMB and Mr Ralph Tuffour, Controller and Accountant-General, both admitted that the anomalies were technical and mathematical.
Mr Tuffour explained that the heavy reduction from salaries was due to the application of "percentage-based deduction method," adding "our computers also wrongly picked some figures, which should not be included in the calculation".
He said 64,000 out of the 320,000 workers currently under the Price Waterhouse Report fell victim to heavy salary reduction.
Out of this, 5,000 were due to wrongly picked figures.
Mr Tuffour assured the victims of the anomalies that it has been corrected and it would not occur again in July.
"We have also withdrawn the percentage-based deduction system to allow for stability in the implementation process."
He, however, pointed out that the essence of Price Waterhouse scheme is to reduce some salaries and raise others with the ultimate aim of bridging the gap in the incomes of all subvented organisations.
Mr Yankey charged the CAGD to either give salary advance or work assiduously to pay July salaries in the middle of the month to ensure that the victims of the anomalies are motivated to work.
In a series of interventions, participants rejected Mr Yankey's suggestion and asked the CAGD to immediately pay the affected workers salaries based on their May salaries and continue to do so until the anomalies are rectified.
Some workers alleged that Mr Austin Gamey, Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, has assured them that the Ministry of Finance has issued a circular directing that car maintenance and extra duty allowances should be restored to workers.
They referred to promises made by government that the new salary regime would make life easier and said "because of those promises our employers have refused to adjust our salaries upwards as usual".
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Raleigh International group calls on E.T. Mensah
Accra (Greater Accra) 7th July '99
Raleigh International, a British-based charity which aims at developing young people through worthwhile and community and environmental projects, called on the Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr E.T. Mensah, on Tuesday.
Andrew Wahid led the 125-member group called "Venturers", which is on a 10-week expedition to the country to embark on adventure and undertake community and environmental projects.
According to Mr Wahid, Raleigh International, in conjunction with the Ministry, National Youth Council (NYC), Wildlife Department and non-governmental organisations such as Action-Aid and World Vision, would put up school buildings at Zebilla and Nadowli and also learn about the flora and fauna of the country.
"With the support from the NYC, we hope that about 30 young Ghanaians would participate in the expedition since it would provide the opportunity for the "Venturers" to learn about and understand the Ghanaian culture."
Mr Wahid thanked the Ministry, NGOs, Ghana Air Force, the Army, NYC and other organisations that have helped the group since they arrived last Friday.
Professor Patrick Addy, a Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, said the aims of Raleigh International are in line with the policy of the Ministry to empower the youth.
"We would, therefore, make sure that the expedition gets all the support needed from the government".
Mr Mensah assured the group of the support of his Ministry and district assemblies wherever it undertakes a project or visit.
Raleigh International, which was formed in 1984, embarks on 10 expeditions yearly and has so far visited 50 countries.
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