Minister in big trouble…Over loan to Goosie Tanoh
Why Boa Amponsem was unopposed…Chiefs say it was against custom
Asante chiefs hit back at J.J.
Don’t politicise sanitation issues – Ahwoi
Ruling party urged to desist from reckless use of public funds
Another robbery gang busted
Man jailed 20 years for fatal rape
Minister in big trouble…Over loan to Goosie Tanoh
The Guide in a front-page headline story, says President Jerry Rawlings is angry with his Deputy Finance Minister, Mr Victor Selormey, for disobeying a Cabinet order.
The pa`per says Mr Selormey has attracted the wrath of his boss for signing and making it possible for Mr Goosie Tanoh’s "T & CGCassava Company to have access to another loan of about 2 billion cedis in spite of the President’s directive to cadres to ensure that no further funds trickle into Goosie’s company, and by extension, to the National Reform Party (NRP) of which Goosie is a leading member.
Quoting the Ministry of Finance and Castle sources, the Guide says Goosie’s company had applied for a loan to support his business. The application came before the Cabinet sub-committee on finance which rejected the request. However, Mr Selormey went ahead to approve the loan for Goosie.
According to the paper, President Rawlings, who had told an audience of members of the Association for the Defence of the Revolution (ACDR) in Tamale that he would ensure that not a cedi goes to Goosie’s company, was furious when word got to him that his Deputy Minister had endorsed the application.
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Why Boa Amponsem was unopposed…Chiefs say it was against custom
The Stateman reports that the consensual outcome of the election of Odeefuo Boas Amponsem III, as President of the National House of Chiefs last Thursday, was more of a protest by the assembled chiefs against the election than their overwhelming endorsement.
According to the paper, Odeefuo Boa Amponsem sailed through the election without contest due to a boycott by more of the chiefs who criticised it as a ‘culturally reprehensible act’, considering the fact that the burial of their President, was barely three away.
The Statesman says the election of the Denkyirahene in succession to the late Okyehene, Osagyefuo Kuntunkununku II, who passed away on March 17, this year, as President of the National House of Chiefs, was described as ‘historic’ for its consensual nature as a result of his unopposed election.
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Asante chiefs hit back at J.J.
In a front page story, the Independent says just when it appeared that the perceived rumpus between Asanteman and President Jerry Rawlings was about to die of natural causes, another shot has been fired into the works.
The paper says the "Mpomponsuo" of Asante think-tank in seven countries, have written an open letter to the President to "formally protest in no uncertain terms" his attempt to "disrespect the institution of Asantehene". Signatories of the letter, the paper says, come from the Asante communities in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan and South Korea.
The Asante communities in those countries said when a delegation of Asante chiefs led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutut II went to the Castle, it was on a peaceful and formal visit, but "without provocation", the President showed disrespect to the group.
The Independent says the letter also accused President Rawlings of disgracing Africa on the world stage when he appeared on CNN with what was described as "unguarded outburst".
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Don’t politicise sanitation issues – Ahwoi
The Ghana Palaver reports Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development as appealing to Ghanaians not to politicise the issue of sanitation since it could threaten the very existence and well-being of the people, and for that matter, everyone living or seeking to do business in Ghana.
Mr Ahwoi is said to have stated that simple as the issue seems, it is crucial to the development of Ghana in every conceivable sense.
The Minister is reported as making the appeal at the launching of the National Environmental Sanitation Policy and the Expanded Sanitary Inspection and Compliance Enforcement Programme, last Friday at Madina, near Accra.
According to the Palaver, Mr Ahwoi stressed that the government accorded priority to environmental matters because of their relevance to national development. The paper says the policy, which is the culmination of almost two years of hard work, aims at addressing the issue of environmental degradation which impacts negatively on health, society and the economy.
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Ruling party urged to desist from reckless use of public funds
The Crusading Guide reports on its front page that Mr Dan Botwe, General Secretary of the NPP has urged the ruling NDC government to desist from what has been described as "the reckless and illegal use of state funds", in its electioneering campaign towards the 2000 elections.
Mr Botwe is said to have made the call when he dilated on the general political situation in Ghana and President Jerry Rawlings’ reign.
He is reported to have expressed concern about the manner in which the ruling party uses state funds to run, influence and support their political ambitions. "Up till now they appear to be strong because the NDC functionaries are relying on government’s resources", he is quoted as saying.
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Another robbery gang busted
In a screaming headline story, the Daily Graphic says the military have busted a major armed robbery gang that operates in the Ashanti Region.
The paper says in an all-night operation which was launched following information volunteered by the public, the military stormed the Moshie Zongo, Suame and Asawase areas of Kumasi and succeeded in arresting six people suspected to be the brains behind the major armed robberies committed in the metropolis.
They are believed to be involved in the armed robberies in Kwadaso, where a watchman was killed, as well as therobberies at Kofiase and Antoakrom Rural Banks.
The Graphic names the suspects as Alhaji Yahaya, 42, a watch seller from Navrongo in the Upper East Region, Mamud Ibrahim, 28, a fowl seller and Tiiga Frafra, a watchman and porter, believed to be in charge of the gang’s armoury.
The rest are, Salifu Issah, a driver, Kwabena Isaac, 18, a driver’s mate and owner of two cars, and Kofi Adutwum, alias Razak, 18, a driver from Sekyedumase in Ashanti. The Graphic reports that the military seized a quantity of arms, ammunition, dangerous implements and alcoholic drinks from the robbers.
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Man jailed 20 years for fatal rape
The Ghanaian Times report that a 10-year-old Primary Four schoolgirl who was defiled by a` 25-year-old farmer, never recovered from the resultant strain and trauma. She died about two months after her harrowing experience.
The paper says the prosecutor of the Dormaa Circuit Court in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Beresford Safo-Acquah, Assistant State Attorney, strongly advocated the maximum 25 years for the culprit, Kwadwo Mfum, when judgement was to be delivered by the court at the weekend.
The paper says the judge, Mr V.G.K. Anyimey, out of mercy, reduced the maximum sentence and jailed Mfum for 20 years in hard labour. The sentence, the paper says, takes retrospective effect from March 2, last year, the day the accused first appeared in court.
The Times says a medical report stated that the girl died as a result of being "vaginally and anally abused". The paper says the court convicted Mfum on his own plea of guilty of defilement.
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