Do not patronise bush meat during closed season - Nuhu

Oda police want telephone lines restored

Use English Language to teach nurseries

Let's demystify Y2K problem - Cdr Griffiths

Ghana's Common Country Assessment launched

Rawlings appoints new envoy for Sierra Leone

Ajumako Traditional Council congratulates Boa Amponsem

Upper East holds tourist awards night

Do not purchase poorly treated wooden poles : GSB

Ghana -Danish completes 22 projects in Tolon/Kumbungu district

Anwomaso-Oduom road being rehabilitated

Assembly injects 350 million cedis into tourism development

Parliamentary Committee Inspects Sankara Interchange, Visits GCAA

REGSEC appeals for mounting of road checkpoints

Japanese medical officers donate to GSSF

Police Intercept Dried Cocoa Beans

Erosion affects landscape in Monkey Sanctuary

Incineration of hospital waste not the best - Expert

Danida provides 3 million dollars to support GDCP

Queen mothers ask for recognition

Junior Nurses say not ready to resume work

 Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

The public has been warned against patronising bush meat between October one and December one, since it is a crime to hunt for animals during the period.

'' Buying a wild animal or bush meat during the closed season, means one is encouraging trappers and hunters to destroy wildlife", Mrs Vivian Nuhu, Education Officer of Wildlife Department said in an interview in Accra on Monday.

Mrs Nuhu, said it is an offence punishable by law to buy bush meat or wildlife during the season.

The Closed Season, which starts from August one to December one every year, seeks to restrict hunting since most animals become pregnant during the period.

She noted that licensed trappers, who work with exporters, co-operate with the Department "and do not hunt any animals except the grass cutter (akrantie)" during the season.

The grass cutter has a shorter breeding period than most animals and if not controlled, can become pest.

Persons who sell these animals along the roads are monitored by officers, she said. "We sometimes pay surprise visits to some particular chop bars in Accra".

Mrs Nuhu said programmes on regulations on wildlife would be broadcast in the course of the season to sensitise people on the need to preserve them.

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Akim Oda (Eastern Region) 27 July '99

The Police in the Akim Oda division have called for restoration of their disconnected telephone lines to promote effective police work.

Chief Inspector J.K. Abban of the Eastern Region police public relations unit made the call at a public forum at Akim Oda on Saturday.

He said the disconnection of the telephone lines, early this year, is hampering efficient performance of their work and hoped the authorities would take up the issue for an early solution.

The forum discussed the public order act regarding the holding of special events such as outdooring of traditional rulers, celebration of festivals and demonstrations among others, for which the organisers must inform the police not less than five days before the event.

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Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo) 27 July '99

Madam Juliana Tutuwaa, Nkoranza District Education Nursery Organiser, has urged pre-school teachers to use the English Language as a medium of communication in their institutions.

This will enable their pupils to pick up the language in their early childhood stages and encourage them to acquire reading and writing skills.

Madam Tutuwaa was addressing 60 teachers at an annual drama and poetry recital for nine pre-schools at Nkoranza at the weekend.

She expressed regret about students poor knowledge in English and stressed the need for parents to visit the nurseries to follow the progress of their wards and also to encourage the teachers to work hard.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

Commander Peter M. G. Griffiths, a Deputy Minister of Communications, on Monday said demystifying the Y2K problem is a vital component of the strategy to free the nation from that information technology (IT) menace.

"The public is gradually being misinformed about the Y2K and I would not be surprised that some now see it as one of the signs of end times. We need to avert further panic."

Cdr Griffiths was speaking at a one-day forum organised by the Y2K project office of the Ministry for critical state enterprises like the Ministry of Health, Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and some selected organisations.

The more than 50 participants discussed the Y2K problem and how best they could address it individually and collectively.

It has the theme, "Co-operating to resolve the Y2K problem for sustained economic growth".

Y2K is a computer-programming flaw, that could cause computer systems and other electronic devices programmed to record date information in two digits instead of four to malfunction or completely shut down at the turn of year 2000.

Cdr Griffiths, who heads the Y2K office, said a national contingency plan has been drawn up to link up all segments of society to check the threat of Y2K He said most of the organisations were co-operating very well with the office but rebuked the Ministry of Health for non-co-operation.

"The private sector has been very much co-operative. In fact we see them as a great inspiration in our war against the problem."

Mr. Frank Ocran, Chairman of State Enterprise Commission, who presided, expressed the hope that the search for a solution to the problem would lead to the discovery of the IT strength in the country.

" I think we are on the verge of knowing what IT contributes to the development of our society."

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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

The Government of Ghana and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday launched a co-ordinating programme of action to harmonise support from Ghana's development partners and strengthen the country's long term development framework.

The programme, known as the "Common Country Assessment", will review and analyse Ghana's development situation and identify key issues and causes of development problems.

It will also analyse the needs and priorities, which would define the purpose and strategy of United Nations System development assistance to Ghana.

Participants include UN agencies, the World Bank, government agencies, civil society and the private sector, donor community and non-governmental organisations.

Mr Moses Asaga, a Deputy Minister of Finance, who chaired the function, traced the programme to a 1997 UN reform initiative by Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, and endorsed by the General Assembly for country level development operations.

The UN initiative - UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) - lays the foundation for co-operation among the UN system, government and other development partners.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

President Jerry John Rawlings on Monday expressed misgivings about the recent accord signed between the government of Sierra Leone and rebels, saying that the agreement "was a bitter pill for some of us to swallow".

The accord, signed in Lome last month, clearly rewards rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) who have inflicted so many atrocities on their people in eight years of brutal civil war, President Rawlings said when he presented letters of credence to Lieutenant-Colonel Ebenezer Anku-Tsede (Rtd) as High Commissioner-designate to Sierra Leone.

Under the accord, the rebels were given four cabinet and four deputy ministerial posts.

Their leader, Corporal Foday Sankoh, has the rank of Vice-President and chairs a commission, which controls Sierra Leone's mineral resources.

During the war, the rebels were reputed to have carried out brutalities that included amputations, burning, summary executions, and drawing condemnation from the international community.

President Rawlings stated: "if the accord is going to improve the situation in Sierra Leone, let us see it".

President Rawlings told the High Commissioner-designate: "it is on account of your qualities that government decided on you to undertake such a commission in a complex country".

Mr Nathan Quao, an Adviser to the President, and Mr Joseph Laryea, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, both spoke about the difficulties Sierra Leone would face in a post-civil war era and appealed to Lt-Col. Anku-Tsede to assist in establishing a permanent peace.

"It is not going to be easy to achieve reconciliation in the light of atrocities committed during the civil war," Mr Quao said.

Mr Laryea asked him to stay within the rules, saying "some heads of missions have fallen with their staff because they want to devise their own rules".

Lt-Col. Anku-Tsede thanked the government for the appointment and said he would give of his best.

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Ajumako (Central Region) 27 July '99

The Ajumako Traditional Council has sent a message of congratulations to Odeefuo Boa Amponsem III, Denkyirahene, on his election as President of the National House of Chiefs.

In the message at a meeting of the Traditional Council presided over by Nana Kwamena Hamah Ababio II, on Saturday, it wished Odeefuo Boa Amponsem all the best in his new assignment.

It appealed to him to use his rich experience to reduce chieftaincy disputes in the country.

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Bolgatanga (Upper East) 27 July '99

Nineteen individuals and organisations in the Upper East, received honours at the 1998 regional tourism awards night held in Bolgatanga on Saturday.

The event was organised by the Ghana Tourist board (GTB) and sponsored by Ghana Breweries Limited (GBL).

The Bolgatanga Black Star Hotel won the "Hotel of the year" award, while the All People's Canteen, owned by Madam Rachia Musah, received the "canteen of the year" award.

Sand Gardens Hotel was adjudged the environmentally friendly hotel, whilst the cleanest town award went to Navrongo.

Teng-Zuk community near Tongo and Bawku Traditional Council, jointly won the community initiative in tourism award for instituting the Samanpiid festival.

Mr E.E. Komla, deputy executive director in charge of operations of the Ghana Tourist Board, said that by virtue of its uniquely styled traditional

villages and well-developed crafts the region stands to gain from tourism. He said its slave route and other historic places, could become a major tourist destination when they are promoted.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

The Ghana Standards Board (GSB) on Monday cautioned the general public, particularly planning officers of District Assemblies and Communities, to exercise caution when purchasing wood poles for their electrification projects.

In a statement issued in Accra, the Board said it has received complaints about the sale of poorly treated poles to unsuspecting groups engaged in rural electrification programmes.

"The presence of poor quality poles used for power supply has been a source of great concern to the Board as well as its sector Ministry, Trade and Industry."

It said the concern stems from the fact that poor quality poles, pose danger to the public in that they tend to fail prematurely leading to electrocutions, fire outbreaks and destruction of life and property.

"This apart, poorly treated wood poles often lack the capacity to last long and, therefore, serve as a threat to the efforts being made to connect various parts of the country to the national grid.

"The present situation calls for a focus on standards and quality in the purchase of treated wood poles."

The Board asked the public to contact it for advice at its headquarters or regional offices in Kumasi, Ho, Tamale, Takoradi and Koforidua before purchasing wood poles for electrification.

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Dalun (Northern Region) 27 July '99

The Ghanaian-Danish Community Project (GDCP), a Danish-sponsored non-governmental organisation (NGO) operating in parts of the Northern region, undertook 22 projects in the Tolon/Kumbungu district at a total cost of 199 million cedis.

These include 17 school blocks, two living quarters for teachers, two dams and a vocational school in various communities.

Dr Abubakar Al-Hassan, chairman of the GDCP, made this known at the annual general meeting of the GDCA at Dalun in the Tolon/Kumbungu district on Sunday.

Dr Al-Hassan said the school structures would be useless if they are not put to good use and, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure that teachers posted to schools in the rural areas take up their appointments.

He noted that two years after the completion of living quarters for teachers at Voggu, no teacher has moved in because of lack of electricity.

"This is unacceptable and we call on the GES and the assembly to look into it," Dr Al-Hassan said.

The Tolon/Kumbungu District Chief Executive, Mr Sulley Alhassan, said the district education oversight committee would soon launch a war against absenteeism and indiscipline among teachers.

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 Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 27 July '99

The sod was cut on Sunday for work to begin on the rehabilitation of the 1.2-kilometre Anwomaso-Oduom feeder road in the Kumasi Metropolis.

The chief and people of Anwomaso are financing the self-initiated project, estimated at 180 million cedis. Each member of the local landlords association is contributing 500,000 cedis.

Nana Osei Boa II, Anwomasohene, appealed to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) authorities to fulfil its agreement with the community, which provided land for the establishment of the University to assist in the road project.

He explained that before the land in Anwomaso was released to the KNUST free of charge, it was agreed that the KNUST would assist the community in its developmental effort but this has not been fulfilled.

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Kuntanase (Ashanti Region) 27 July '99

The Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District Assembly has voted 350 million cedis to develop and expand a conference centre and restaurant at the Lake Bosomtwe Basin to enhance tourism.

Mr I. K. Nyame, the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District Chief Executive, announced this at a meeting of the assembly held at Kuntanase.

The DCE said the Centre would be provided with underground and overhead water tanks, two boreholes and a pipe borne water system.

Existing garages would be converted into guestrooms and the entire conference hall/restaurant site fenced.

Mr Nyame said it was prudent to vote funds into viable ventures to enable the assembly to generate revenue to quicken the pace of development in the district.

Lake Bosomtwe has been identified as a virtual "Goldmine", which when properly promoted and developed could bring additional revenue to the assembly.

The DCE urged assembly members to co-operate with town/area council and chiefs to identify other tourism potentials.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

Work on the Captain Thomas Sankara Interchange in Accra is expected to be completed by the end of the year, the Parliamentary Committee on Roads and Transport was told on Monday.

The Committee was on an inspection visit to see at first hand the progress of work on the project.

Mr G.J. Brocke, Acting Director of the Department of Urban Roads, said the project, which is financed through 86 million French-franc buyers credit from

a consortium of French banks and a counterpart funding of eight billion cedis by the government, started in September, last year.

Mr Brocke said price fluctuation would bring the total cost of the project to about 100 million French francs and 10 billion cedis as counterpart funding.

The interchange, which can last a minimum of 50 years, is part of the road network project for Accra to facilitate vehicular movement and provide for non-motorised traffic to cater for cyclists and pedestrians.

Similar interchanges are planned for the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Tetteh-Quarshie Roundabout, Akuafo Roundabout at the 37 Military Hospital and the Dimples area on the Motorway extension at Dworwulu.

Mr Brocke told members of the Committee that during the construction of the interchange, a number of trees were felled to facilitate work, and the Department of Urban Roads intends to replant about 400 trees along the stretch.

He said a system of drains would also be constructed along the interchange to help check flooding of the road.

Mr Jean-Bernard Arnold, Resident Manager of Razel, the main contractors, said the project would be seismic-resistant, with the construction of a system of reinforced concrete panels along the interchange.

Mr Dominic Azumah, Chairman of the Committee, commended the company for what he described as "excellent work".

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Koforidua (Eastern Region) 27 July '99

The Eastern Regional Security Committee (REGSEC) has appealed to the Ministry of the Interior and the Ghana Police Service to consider mounting check-points on the country's roads in view of the upsurge in armed robbery.

According to the REGSEC, the removal of police barriers, especially those along the major routes leading to regional capitals, has enhanced the activities of armed robbers who are able to escape with their booty.

The REGSEC made the appeal at Koforidua on Monday during a visit to the Goil filling station, that was attacked by armed robbers who made away with eight million cedis on Friday evening.

The committee, led by the Eastern Regional Minister, Miss Patience Adow, its chairperson, inspected the shop where the money was snatched and ammunition shells found at the service station.

Miss Adow said the REGSEC will meet managers and owners of fuel stations in the region to determine security measures to provide the stations.

The Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, advised shop owners in the region to consider providing security safes in their shops.

The Regional Police Commander, Mr J. K. Mensah, said the police would continue to patrol the municipality to check robbery and other criminal activities.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

Three Japanese medical officers have presented 2,000 dollars and two digital cameras to the Ghana Spine and Sciliosis Foundation (GSSF) of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

The cameras will be used for consultation and teleconference during spinal surgery.

Mr Hideo Shitoto, President of Orthopaedic Implant and Institutional Distributors, Mr Yasuji Mochizuki, Leader of S-Pulse Company Limited and Ritsu Shiba, of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Jike University, School of Medicine, in Tokyo were the donors.

Dr Oheneba Boakye Adjei, Associate of GSSF and an orthopaedic surgeon, said the foundation is now being incorporated in Ghana.

It has so far treated eight patients with spinal-related problems in the last two years.

Dr Boakye Adjei explained that the establishment of GSSF would help reduce the number of people, who seek treatment for the condition abroad and the cost of treatment in Ghana.

At the moment, the foundation is based in Korle-Bu he said and announced plans to train more specialists so as to extend the activities of the foundation to other relevant health institutions in the country.

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Hohoe (Volta Region) 27 July '99

Hohoe Police last Friday intercepted 46 bags of dried cocoa beans concealed in fertiliser sacks being conveyed from Ashaiman to Dzindzi, a border town in the Kadjebi district.

Mr Douglas Akrofi Asiedu, Hohoe Police Divisional Commander, told the Ghana News Agency on Monday that, upon a tip-off, Yussif Abukari, driver of the KIA cargo truck with registration number GT 3029 Q, was arrested after a search on the vehicle discovered the cocoa hidden in fertiliser bags.

Mr Asiedu said Abukari mentioned one Mr Awaal at Ashaiman as the person who hired the truck to transport the cocoa to Dzindzi.

The driver has been granted police enquiry bail to enable him produce the owner of the cocoa.

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Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo) 27 July '99

The chief of Boabeng near Nkoranza, Nana Okofo Tabiri Adjei has called for assistance to stop soil erosion in the Boabeng - Fiema Monkey Sanctuary.

Nana Adjei, in an interview appealed to the government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and benevolent organisations to provide them with both financial and technical support to enable the people check the soil erosion, which is affecting the landscape of the area.

As a result of the erosion most buildings in the area are in a poor state.

He said it has also affected the half kilometre feeder road from Boabeng to Fiema, thereby making it very difficult for vehicles to use.

Visitors to the Monkey Sanctuary at times have to leave their vehicles at a point and walk about half of a kilometre to the local Guesthouse.

Nana Adjei, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Tourist Board and the Department of Feeder Roads to make the roads leading to the two communities motorable to attract more visitors to the Sanctuary.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

Professor Dr Luc Hens, Head of the Human Ecology Department of the Vrije University, Brussels, on Monday condemned the incineration of hospital wastes.

He said the argument advanced by leaders that hospital wastes are pathogenic does not wholly hold.

Not all hospital wastes are pathogenic. Most hospitals produce paper and computer waste, which must be separated and disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner, Professor Hens said at the opening of a five-day seminar on environmental management for corporate institutions in Accra.

Participants are from the Ghana Breweries Limited, Ghana Cement Company, Guinness Ghana Limited, Twifo Oil Palm Plantation and Cocoa Processing Company.

It is organised by the International Centre for Enterprise and Sustainable (ICED) Development in collaboration with the Human Ecology Department of the Vrije University.

It aims at providing a broader understanding of environmental economics and management, sustainable development as well as help adopt appropriate strategies to ensure higher environmental standards in West Africa.

He also criticised the "over usage of plastic products" in developing countries, saying packaging is growing at the expense of the environment and called for a critical analysis of the situation.

Its better "we do with less and rather recycle" the plastic waste.

Professor Emmanuel Boon, Chairman of ICED, said industries should ensure that their products do not pollute the environment.

He called on policy makers to integrate environmental management and sustainability in development policies.

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Dalun (Northern Region) 27 July '99

The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) has made available three million dollars for the provision of basic infrastructure and capacity building in the Tolon/Kumbungu and Savelugu Nanton districts in the next six years under the Phase Five of the project.

Phase four, which lasted four years, involved the provision of a number of schools and other basic infrastructure for communities in the Tolon/Kumbungu district and loans to income-generating groups, as well as the training of 4,753 people in various vocational skills.

The donation was announced by Dr Abubakar Al-Hassan, chairman of the Ghanaian-Danish Community Project (GDCP), which received the money, at its annual general meeting at Dalun in the Tolon/Kumbungu district to review its activities.

Dr Al-Hassan said the royal Danish embassy in Ghana is sponsoring the GDCP to undertake a study of the reception of Radio Savanna, Tamale FM station, in the eastern part of the region with the hope to assist it with boosters to cover the whole area.

Radio Savanna broadcasts are heard within only 90 kilometres radius of Tamale, representing only a third of the region.

Radio Savanna broadcasts in English and two dominant local languages, Dagbani and Gonja. There are more than 16 other languages in the region.

Dr Al-Hassan said the GDCP has been allocated a frequency and will soon broadcast its own programmes from Dalun to its target audience. It will also link up with Savanna to broadcast programmes from Dalun, using RTS transmitters.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

Queen mothers on Monday called for the support of their chiefs to help them play an effective role in eradicating harmful cultural practices that impede development.

The queen mothers attending a roundtable discussion on "The role of queen mothers in eradicating harmful traditional and cultural practices that impede development", said most of them were not being given the needed recognition and empowerment by chiefs.

This lack of respect, they said, has made them powerless in dealing with rising social problems such as defilement, rape, female genital mutilation and harmful widowhood rites.

The one-day discussion, organised by the National Council on Women and Development, (NCWD) was aimed at informing and educating the queen mothers to help them to play an effective role in their various traditional areas.

Over 20 queen mothers, drawn from the Eastern, Ashanti and Greater Accra regions attended the meeting.

They noted that some of the paramount queen mothers join the chiefs to prevent the sub-queen mothers from playing any meaningful role in the communities.

Nana Saah I, Gyasewahemaa of Akwapim South Traditional area and a member of the Electoral Commission, stressed that queen mothers cannot be left out of the development process and urged chiefs to give them the chance to address the social problems affecting the communities.

She said they were concerned about the recent murders of women and the high incidence of defilement of girls.

Mrs Molly Anim-Addo, Chairperson of NCWD, said the queen mothers must also be empowered financially with monies that come to the traditional areas for them to contribute effectively.

Nana Oye Lithur of the Ghana Law Trust Company urged the queen mothers to contact the Women and Juvenile Unit of the Ghana Police Service to help them establish the unit at every Police station.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 July '99

Junior nurses at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital on Monday refused to collect their extra duty allowances, saying the package is poor.

The nurses, who were supposed to collect their money at their departmental levels at 1400 hours on Monday, decided not to collect the money after meeting with their executives.

Mr Logosu Amegashie, spokesman for the nurses, said the health minister, Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor, told them at the their last meeting on July 16 that they were going to be paid 50 per cent across board for the seven months.

Mr Amegashie said what they are to receive now is far below what was promised. Therefore, they are not going back to work until it is revised.

"Each nurse is to receive a minimum of 400,000 cedis and a maximum of 900,000 cedis for the seven months.

"If this amount is computerised, it means each nurse is to receive 57,000 cedis a month."We will resume work as soon as it is revised."

The nurses, who numbered over 1,000 and were emotionally charged, said they had been cheated for far too long and the time had come for them to act.

At some of the hospital departments however, senior nurses and laboratory technicians collected their allowances.

Some nurses told the GNA that they are dissatisfied with the behaviour of their senior nurses because they expected them to support their action.

"This shows the kind of leaders we are working with," one of the nurses said.

When contacted, Mr Nuamah Donkor said they did not agree on any 50 per cent across board payment and explained that the nurses are definitely not going to receive the same money as the doctors.

He said doctors work more hours than nurses do and will, therefore, receive more than the nurses.

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