Minister clears air over common fund
MP challenges President's statement and demands apology
Police restore order at Akyem Chia
Takoradi (Western Region) 12 July
2000
The Shama-Ahanta East Disciplinary
Committee of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has recommended the immediate
dismissal of Mr Matthew Kingsford Cudjoe, 36, a class six teacher of Supomu
Dunkwa Methodist Primary School, near Sekondi, for impregnating two junior
secondary school girls.
In addition, the committee
recommended that he should be made to comply with the arrangement he had
already made with the parents of the girls for their maintenance.
The recommendations followed the
outcome of the committee's findings after going into a charge of defilement
levelled against Mr Cudjoe by the Metropolitan GES Secretariat.
A spokesman of the committee told
the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that Cudjoe 36, single, used to
invite the girls in turns to cook and wash his clothes.
He alleged that Cudjoe took
advantage of the girls and had sex with them.
The spokesman said between January
and February, the parents of the girls found their daughters pregnant and when
they asked them individually, they mentioned Cudjoe as being responsible for
their pregnancy.
He said Cudjoe admitted
responsibility when the parents of the girls confronted him.
The spokesman said the defilement
of the girls by the teacher got to the notice of the Metropolitan Director of
Education, Mr J. C. Quansah, who after some investigation summoned Cudjoe to
appear before the disciplinary committee.
Cudjoe last Monday, July 3,
readily admitted responsibility but explained that it was "the work of
Satan".
Mr Cudjoe disclosed to the
committee that one of the parents of the girls is demanding 1.5 million cedis,
while the other is claiming two million cedis as compensation.
In addition, he said he is to
provide daily stipend for the girls as well as be responsible for their medical
bills.
Mr Cudjoe said in order that the
girls do not suffer unduly, he has agreed to the demands by the parents and has
already made a part payment of 300,000 cedis in respect of one of the girls and
is also making effort to pay that of the other.
He, therefore, appealed to the
committee to deal leniently with him. However, the committee said it has no
other alternative than to recommend the dismissal since he has brought the
teaching profession into disrepute.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 12 July
2000
Mr Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, Member
of Parliament for Old Tafo/Suame, has said with the current socio-economic
hardships in the country, Ghanaians should stand by the truth and vote
massively for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to form the next government.
He pointed out that the time has
come for Ghanaians to call a halt to the mess by voting out the NDC "who
are in government not for the welfare of the citizenry but for
themselves".
Mr Mensah-Bonsu was addressing a
"meet-the-people" forum at Old Tafo in Kumasi on Monday.
He said economic hardship
characterised by soaring prices of goods and services daily, should make it
crystal clear to the people that the NDC has come to its wit end.
"However, it is rather
paradoxical that the very people, who have been critically impoverished by the
commission and omission of this same government are the very ones, who after
being given 5,000 cedis and 10,000 cedis turn round to hail their so-called
benefactors".
Mr Mensah-Bonsu observed that
Ghanaians have tolerated the government for the past 20 years in the hope that
after the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in 1983,
things were going to improve.
"But today more than 17 years
after, we have been sapped of the little energy, which was left in us and most
of us are at the departure lounge of our lives not knowing how we will feed
ourselves and our families tomorrow".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 July 2000
An Executive member of the Ga North
Constituency of National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr George Aryee on Sunday
called on supporters of the party to bury whatever differences they might have
and work hard to win this year's elections.
Mr Aryee was giving his closing
remarks, when he chaired a function at which 48 executives for seven wards of
Madina West NDC were sworn in.
He said there is bound to be
differences in a family but these must be resolved amicably so that
collectively the party could move forward.
The Chairman of the Ga North
Constituency, Mr F. S. D. Facture reminded all NDC followers in Accra to check
their names on the Voters' Register, which opened on Monday throughout the
country.
He urged the party members to vote
massively during the impending elections.
Mr Facture introduced the party's
new parliamentary candidate for the Constituency, Mr Daud Anum Yemoh.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 July 2000
President Jerry John Rawlings on Tuesday expressed his profound appreciation to Ghanaians for enthusiastically hosting Colonel Muamar Al-Gaddafi, Leader of the Libyan Arab People's Jamahariya who recently visited the country.
President Rawlings said the enthusiastic welcome was a true "reflection of the Ghana-Libya and African solidarity and also an expression of the interest of the masses".
It is also a "support for the efforts at unity and co-operation amongst all Africans".
A statement issued in Accra and signed by Mr John Mahama, Minister of Communications, said the President was most appreciative of the roles played by the entire citizenry, particularly the Chiefs and people from Paga through to Kumasi to Accra and the departure point at Aflao.
"The President is also grateful to the Asantehene and Asanteman Council, the security services, drivers and the media, among others, for their significant and wonderful roles in making the visit a success."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 July 2000
Problems arising between district assemblies and some MPs over their share of the District Assemblies' Common Fund mainly stem from non-compliance with guidelines, Mrs Cecila Johnson, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, stated on Tuesday.
Answering a question at the "Meet the Press" programme in Accra, she said it is the norm that development programmes of MPs are woven into those of the assemblies to ensure that they reflect the common goals of communities.
There are also laid down regulations on the procurement of materials for development projects.
"But some MPs want cash to acquire the materials themselves and this is against the administrative regulations of assemblies," she said.
Describing the issue as "teething problems posed by just a few MPs", Mrs Johnson said some of them approach district assemblies with programmes quite irrelevant to the needs of the people.
"I want to assure everyone that there is no discrimination at all in the disbursement of the Fund.
"Members of Parliament are to interact with their constituents on their basic development needs and provide resources for projects prioritised by the people."
Mrs Johnson said actual total transfers made from 1994 to 1999 amount to 572 billion cedis while 211.5 billion is earmarked for this year.
Utilisation of these funds covers infrastructure for education, health and local government, including sanitation.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 12 July
2000
Nana Kwame Asante-Frimpong, MP for
Kwabre, has demanded an apology from the Media Liaison Officer at the Office of
the President, Mr Humphrey Quaye, to the people of Kumasi for what he called a
deliberate misinformation carefully crafted to project them in a bad image.
He dismissed the statement signed
by Mr Quaye for the President on July 9 that said a policeman was recently
lynched by a gang in Kumasi while attempting to rescue a middle-aged woman who
was being attacked by a group as "simply mischievous and unfair".
The MP was re-acting to the
statement from the Office of the President at a press conference in Kumasi on
Tuesday.
Nana Asante-Frimpong noted that
the statement, coming as it were some days after the police in Kumasi had
informed the public that the body of the late Corporal Theophilus Abankwah
revealed no sign of violence on it upon physical inspection, showed the media
liaison office was either out of date with information or he was being
mischievous.
The MP wondered why the liaison
officer should seek to mislead the public into believing that the late
policeman was lynched in the face of incontrovertible facts that indicate this
was not the case.
A source at the Ashanti Regional
Police Public Relations Directorate on Thursday, July 7, told the Ghana News
Agency (GNA) that they did not suspect any foul play in the late policeman's
death.
The source said the deceased on
July 1 complained of severe pains in the heart and therefore left Oterkperlu,
where he had gone to collect his salary, for Koforidua on his way back to his
new station, Sefwi-Debiso.
It said on the day of his
departure from Oterkperlu, the pains were so much that the vehicle had to pick
him from his doorsteps and informed his friend, Constable Kennedy Boateng of
Oterkperlu Police Station that he would seek medical assistance in Koforidua or
Sefwi-Debiso.
When he arrived in Kumasi en route
to his station, he collapsed and died at the lorry park, near the abandoned
racecourse.
A report was made to the Suame
Police Station and some policemen were detailed to take the body to the Komfo
Anokye Teaching Hospital mortuary.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 July 2000
Mr Dan Abodakpi, Minister of Trade and Industry, on Tuesday said with time the fruits of the economic reform programme, monetary and fiscal measures would pay off with bigger international investment and trade.
In some cases, dramatic improvements have been chalked already, he stated. Speaking in an interview with the "International Herald Tribune", Mr Abodakpi said even though some of these necessary reforms have been instituted to improve our domestic export possibilities as well as attract others to use Ghana as the Gateway to Africa, the government would have to persevere in implementing them until enough structural changes take place.
"There are improvements at the ports, airports, customs and other vital sectors, and we are far ahead of many African countries.
"But it will take another three to five years before these efforts tangibly pay off in international investments and trade."
Mr Abodakpi said current problems are temporary and, "with resolve, we can get back on track without any problems".
On the African Trade and Opportunity Bill passed by the US, the Trade and Industry Minister said it is an opportunity for Africa to expand trade with the U.S.
However, he added: "we hope it also serves as an incentive for international investors to locate in Ghana and export goods to the US Market".
Mr Abodakpi said the government is focussing on the integration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which, he noted, is key to the future of both importers and exporters.
"It gives the region the critical market mass that investors require."
Meanwhile, Mr Ian Mackley, British High Commissioner to Ghana, has told the "Herald Tribune" that Ghana still suffers from the "African image", saying "this creates a major difficulty in attracting potential investors".
He, however, said "that could change in December when, for the first time in its history, a president is expected to retire voluntarily and be replaced by the winning candidate".
Mr Mackley said the in-coming government, "whichever party wins, will be challenged with meeting high economic expectations - and there could be a post-election hangover due to frustrations".
He said though Ghana has missed a number of opportunities during the past 40 years, "its prospects are good today due to reform programmes, infrastructure projects and sensible long-term policies instituted by the government".
"It is now a place where wealth can be created and poverty eradicated... an example for other African nations that have achieved internal political stability or introduced reforms."
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 12 July 2000
Two people have been admitted at
the Berekum Holy Family Hospital with gunshot wounds following a clash between
Drobo and Japekrom, in the Brong Ahafo Region, over a piece of land, last
Saturday.
The two, whose names were not
available to the Police at Sunyani, are said to be in critical condition, while
a girl, whose name is also not known is reported missing.
A Police spokesman at the Regional
Police Headquarters told the Ghana News Agency that there has been a
long-standing boundary dispute between the Drobo and Japekrom Traditional
areas.
He said the current clash erupted
when the people of Japekrom defied a recent order by a Sunyani High Court to
seek the adjudication of the Regional Stool Lands Demarcation Committee on the
matter.
They instead went to clear some
portions of the land in dispute for a cashew project and in the process
destroyed some crops and part of a new palace of the Drobo Omanhene under
construction.
This, he said, infuriated the
Drobos, who mobilised and also went to destroy some farms belonging to the
people of Japekrom and attempted to storm the town.
The police said seven persons have
so far been arrested in connection with the clash.
Meanwhile, policemen have been
sent to the twin-towns to maintain order.
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Akyem-Oda (Eastern Region) 12 July
2000
The police has been able to
restore order at Akyem Chia after four days of rioting, during which the
private house of the chief, Barima Nkansah Birikorang III, was vandalised and
some of his property was either looted or set ablaze.
The Akyem-Oda Police have arrested
22 people, including three women, in connection with the incident
A source close to the Akyem-Oda
Divisional Police told the GNA that on Thursday, July 6, Barima Birikorang went
to the Ankomah faction to collect the stool's regalia following an order by the
Akyem-Abuakwa Traditional Council.
However, they resisted fiercely
and about 30 policemen, who were in the town to see to the smooth handing over
of the regalia, had to flee.
The source said on Friday, Barima
Birikorang went to Koforidua to lodge a complaint with the police but in his
absence the youth from the Ankomah faction attacked his people slaughtering
animals indiscriminately.
The source said the youth later
mounted barriers to prevent people from moving out or entering the town.
A police reinforcement from the
Accra Armoured Squadron, accompanied by two water cannons and with the
assistance from the Koforidua and Akyem-Oda Police, entered the town to restore
peace and order on Sunday.
The Akyem Oda Divisional Police
Commander, Mr Samuel T. Tetteh confirmed the incident, when contacted, but said
investigations are still going on.
Barima Birikorang was installed in
May, last year, after the Chia stool had been vacant for 12 years.
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