Fake business deals…six fraudsters arrested
MP fired upon by opponents
NPP and NDC in a vice
NPP leaders refuse ¢20m deposit
Tripartite Committee meeting today
Capital Telecom / EGLE chief busted
NDC, NPP need ¢1billion each on election day
Police make arrests
Fake business deals…six fraudsters arrested
The Daily Graphic in its banner story says a syndicate that allegedly thrives on fake gold deals, fraudulent business transactions and the duping of unsuspecting people under the pretext of landing them lucrative contracts or enriching them overnight has been busted by personnel of the security agencies.
Six out of seven alleged perpetrators of the fraud, two Nigerians and four Ghanaians, are reported by the paper to have been arrested and are currently helping the police in their investigations.
The seventh, one Alhaji Mohammed Nuru, who is believed to be the architect, is on the run. The Graphic says a security source disclosed to it that the arrests were effected on July 18, 2000 largely as a result of the current heightened security alert within the capital with co-operation from the public.
The story contained that the suspects, who are alleged to be part of the Gold and Advanced Fee Fraud syndicate, popularly called 419, all live at the New Achimota residence of Alhaji Nuru with the four Ghanaians functioning mainly as domestic workers.
GRi.../
MP fired upon by opponents
The Ghanaian Times in its lead story writes that an unidentified person among some demonstrators fired a gun at the vehicle on which the MP for Sawla-Kalba constituency in the Northern Region, Mr. Joseph T. Bayel, was travelling last Thursday.
The back windscreen of the vehicle was reportedly shattered when the bullet hit one person at the backseat, missing the MP.
Times says the demonstration, was against the re-nomination of the MP to contest the 2000 elections on the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) ticket.
Mr. Bayel is reported to have told newsmen on Saturday that somebody among the demonstrators fired a gun at him, while he was in the party van.
According to the paper, he was quickly pushed out of the vehicle for safety but the constituency organiser of the party, Mr. David Daari Sodity, who was also in the vehicle was slashed on the head and had been admitted at the Bole Hospital.
GRi.../
NPP and NDC in a vice
The Public Agenda says with only five months left for the 2000 elections, the two biggest political parties in the country, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are ironically both faced with serious setbacks as they deal with accusations of ethnicism, favouritism and lack of internal democracy.
The paper writes that one of the most obvious and needling problems for the two parties is how and who to select as vice-presidential candidate.
The Agenda has it that two factions, supporting or opposing running mate hopefuls, Dr Obed Asamoah and Iddrisu Mahama have emerged within the ruling NDC, with the latter’s supporters arguing that the slot must go to a northerner.
The paper says, like its main rival, the NPP is also having to chew over not only who is going to pair with Kufuor, but that person’s ethnic identity as well.
According to the Agenda, some party supporters have said openly that Akan pair up for J.A. Kufuor would be equivalent to the party scoring an own goal however, the flagbearer, reportedly had come under intense pressure lately to pick Nana Akufo-Addo.
GRi.../
NPP leaders refuse ¢20m deposit
The Ghana Palaver writes in a front-page coverage that prominent members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) national executive have categorically refused to deposit ¢20 million, being demanded by Mr. J.A. Kufuor, flagbearer of the party and Mr. Samuel Odoi Sykes, Chairman, because of donor fatigue.
According to the paper, the members said they are tired of doling out money for party activities, which invariably is not yielding results.
The Palaver says however, that its scouts say the action stems from the dubious manner in which the funds are utilised.
The donors are reported to have cited the inability of J.A. Kufuor and his 1996 campaign team to render accounts on how funds made available to him was used to maximum returns.
More.../
Tripartite Committee meeting today
The Palaver reports on its back-page that the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare on Friday announced that an emergency meeting of the National Tripartite Committee would take place on Monday, July 24, 2000.
The meeting according to the paper is to discuss a demonstration called by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to be staged on Tuesday to draw attention to the harsh economic conditions in the country.
The story contained that the TUC has asked all unions affiliated to it to go on a three-hour demonstration to get the government to review its decision not to convene the Tripartite Committee meeting to decide on a new minimum wage.
GRi../
Capital Telecom / EGLE chief busted
Mr. Daniel Ofori Atta, popularly known as ‘Danny’, a big time socialiate, controversial business tycoon, a founding member of the Egle Party, and a key shareholder/director of Capital Telecom, has been busted over alleged fraud. Reports the Ghanaian Chronicle.
The paper which says it’s reports visited him in cells on Tuesday, said the business tycoon railed anger on the paper during the visit, threatening. “I will take you on if you dare publish anything... I am not a public office holder”.
Danny, who according to the paper played a high profile role in the Egle Party with Michael Sousoudis and Mr. Owraku Amofa, the Deputy Minister of Communications, is entering his first full week in detention in the musty interiors of Police cells.
Chronicle says it is investigating allegations that he and three others had been arrested for allegedly trying to dupe Ghana Commercial Bank of about ¢2.7 billion.
The paper says it has also learnt that Danny is also being probed by the Serious Fraud Office over matters connected with National Communications Authority and his rural telephony project.
GRi.../
NDC, NPP need ¢1billion each on election day
The Dispatch writes that based on the fact that the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party are the likely parties to fill all the 200 parliamentary seats with candidates, they will each require about ¢1 billion on December 8, 2000 election day alone for monitoring.
The paper says there are about 20,000 polling stations and if a party decides to put two polling agents in each of the stations, with each receiving ¢20,000 for transportation and food, expenditure for each will be in the range of ¢800 million.
Dispatch says, apart from this, there are election day expenses including hiring and fuelling of vehicles: allowances for other activities and miscellaneous expenses nationwide.
GRi.../
Police make arrests… as disputes over nomination deepens
The Ghanaian Voice asks women to rest their head because “the days of the stalking serial killers are over.”
The paper, in what is captured as banner story, says the Police, under the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Peter Nanfuri, has made a significant breakthrough in its search for the serial killers.
The Voice writes that security sources indicate that the police, in conjunction with the Task Force set up to investigate the mystery surrounding the killings have made many arrests and the victims are presently being interrogated 24 hours a day.
GRi.../