WACEM trade okay
Legon rapist arrested
Security Council to meet today
EPA lacks personnel to prosecute offenders
I am with Kufuor
Reform fixes congress for August
MP to sue District Council
Mensah Otabil speaks
WACEM trade okay
The Daily Graphic reports in the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Peter Wiafe Pepera, as stating that the importation of Diamond Cement into the country does not breach the ECOWAS agreement and protocol on free trade and liberalisaiton.
The story says Mr. Pepera, reacting to the recent 'cement war' between Ghana Cement Works (GHACEM), producers of Portland Cement and WACEM, who produces the Diamond brand said Ghana stands to benefit from the introduction of the new product.
Mr. Pepera is reported to have told the paper that the Council of Ministers of ECOWAS approved an application from WACEM to operate under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) to export cement to Ghana without paying duties.
He said within a few months of its introduction, Diamond Cement has forced the dollar price of cement from four to three dollars adding that "had it not been the dollar cedi relations, the price of cement would have gone down further."
Graphic says Mr. Pepera, described the event as a boost to the housing industry saying it would help developers to construct houses at affordable prices.
He further explained that Ghana does not lose because the ETLS makes it possible for member countries, including Ghana and Togo to levy 0.5 per cent duty on non-ECOWAS imports and this money is paid into the fund for member countries.
Mr. Pepera, according to the story said under the ETLS-WACEM deal, Ghana claims the whole duty which it loses by the duty free imports from Togo's 0.5 per cent and added that "we don't lose, we actually gain from it."
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Legon rapist arrested
In a story that appeared on page three of the Daily Graphic, the paper says the suspect in the reported rape case involving a foreign student of the University of Ghana on May 24, 2000 in the University's Botanical Gardens has been apprehended by the security agencies.
The story has it that a statement by the University of Ghana on Monday indicated that the arrest was made at Bolgatanga / Navrongo area of the Northern Region by the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI), following intensive investigations.
Graphic says the statement also indicated that investigations have revealed that the suspect is the same person who allegedly raped a student at the Akuafo Hall last year and also attempted stabbing a female student of the Volta Hall in 1998.
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Security Council to meet today
The lead story of the Ghanaian Times says the National Security Council will meet to review the recent serial killings of women in Accra.
The story quotes Mr. Totobi Quakyi, Minister responsible for National Security to have disclosed on Monday that the Minister of the Interior would also brief Parliament on the matter.
Mr. Quakyi is reported to have urged public institutions, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO's) and all interested parties to work in partnership with the security agencies to solve the problems adding that the situation was "of grave concern to (the) government as it is to every responsible Ghanaian."
"To that end, (the) government accepts its primary responsibility to ensure the security of every Ghanaian and all persons living in Ghana," Times quotes Mr. Quakyi as stating.
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EPA lacks personnel to prosecute offenders
The Times writes that despite the powers granted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to prosecute environmental offenders, it has not been able to handle a single case because of lack of Personnel to investigate, research and prosecute.
The front-page coverage said that the EPA as at now has only one lawyer for the whole country at its Legal Department.
Mr. Larsey Mensah, the only lawyer, is reported to have told the Times in an interview on Monday that the agency was now liasing with the Attorney-General's Department to provide it with prosecutors to be permanently attached to the EPA and the police to provide the agency with detectives.
He is said to have called for better conditions of service and salaries in order to attract the requisite manpower to help in the country's bid to ensure a clean environment for the sake of the future.
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I am with Kufuor
The Guide writes in its banner story that contrary to speculations that the relationship between Nana Akufo Addo and Mr. J.A. Kufuor is sour, the former last weekend raised the hopes and expectations of rural electorates when he declared his support for the New Partriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer.
"It was an NPP rally to send hopes to the people, but the biggest relief to the electorate was Nana Addo's open declaration of support for Kufuor that he would do everything in his power to ensure that he is elected as the President of Ghana in the December elections," states the Guide.
Nana Akufo, second-placed in the NPP presidential race at the party's Congress that elected Kufuor, is reported as saying that the only solution to the endless crises the country is facing is voting John Agyekum Kufuor and his men into power come December 8.
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Reform fixes congress for August
The General Secretary of the National Reform Party (NRP), Mr. Kyeretwie Opoku has indicated in an interview that the party's first ever congress to pick its presidential candidate for the 2000 elections is firmly fixed for August 1-6, 2000, the Guide said.
The date and venue for the congress, the University of Ghana, Legon were reached by a National Council meeting held at Bolgatanga, according to Guide's story.
Mr. Kyeretwie, the paper says, indicated that as a result, nomination for the presidential slot is now open to interested registered party members.
He also disclosed that the meeting was presented with some proposals towards the amendment of the party's constitution while the organisational structure and its effectiveness were addressed.
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MP to sue District Council
The Statesman writes in its lead story that the MP for Akyem Oda, Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, says he has uncovered a serious fraud at the Birim South District Assembly, and that he will go to court to stop its perpetuation.
The MP, who the paper says was speaking at an Akyem Oda rally of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), said he will take the DCE for Birim South, John Effa Boadi, and the Presiding Member, Kwdwo Atta Krah to court, over their misapplication of the district's Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF).
Mr. Osafo Maafo is reported to have stated that the officials have withdrawn 100million cedis from the National Investment Bank, the Assembly's bank at Koforidua and invested it in Treasury Bills at the Cedi House, Accra branch of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB)
The story continues that the two men have concluded arrangements with the ADB for a loan of 200million cedis, using the Treasury Bills as collateral, and have requested that the loan be channelled through the Akyem Achiase Rural Bank.
He is reported as having stated that the PAF is basically a development fund, and must not be used to transact any business.
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Mensah Otabil speaks
The Statesman in another front-page story reports Rev. Dr. Mensah Otabil, General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church, as saying that any attempt at genuine reconciliation without recognising the wrong done, repentance and restoration by the transgressor, will be a futile exercise.
Rev. Otabil, according to the paper said the quest for genuine reconciliation is only possible when all the parties concerned are treated equally.
He stated that a situation where a group of people see injustice against someone outside their group as no injustice should not be accepted and the logic that "it's alright with our man to be aggressive towards others, but unacceptable when he is on the receiving end," is a clear case of double standards which will lead the nation nowhere.
He further stated that the nation cannot make any real progress at national development so long as Ghanaians continue to bend their view to suit the position of their group.
"We must develop the ethic, which says right is right, no matter who does it and wrong is wrong no matter who does it," Rev. Otabil was quoted to have stated.
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