NPP did not anticipate magnitude of mess left by NDC - Quashigah
Owusu-Ankomah is Minister of Youth and Sports
AMA declares Friday, Saturday cleanup days
Japan to increase grants to Ghana
Accra (Greater Accra) 05 July 2001
Political activist and journalist Kwesi Pratt Jr. has written to President John Agyekum Kufuor asking him to enforce the principles on which he won last year's elections.
In a four-page letter to the President written on June 3 a copy of which he released to the GNA on Wednesday, Mr Pratt, Editor of the Weekly Insight, said he is concerned about the President's lack of action on "serious threats" that may ultimately cause him to lose favour in the public's eyes.
These, he said, include threats of the government corruption, media terrorism, ethnic tensions and the lack of public input on the HIPC initiative.
"You must constantly act to ensure that those you have put in responsible positions work for the realisation of the pledges you freely made to the people of Ghana during last year's electioneering campaign," said Mr Pratt.
He said if President Kufuor failed to do so he would lose the people's goodwill towards him.
Although Mr Pratt admits that he has not found any evidence of the President's personal involvement in any corrupt activities, he said the President, nevertheless, should take firmer action on questionable practices by his officials.
Mr Pratt said that since the government assumed power, its supporters have been threatening other political parties and people perceived as opponents during radio talk shows and claimed to have been twice threatened with death.
"This media terrorism has led to a situation in which very decent members of the Ghanaian society are refusing to take part in radio discussion programmes for fear of verbal molestation."
According to Mr Pratt, ethnic tensions have not eased since President Kufuor's assumption of office and, as a result, the President should consider debarring members of the government from participating in activities of groups that are seeking hegemony.
"The most recent indication of ethnic rivalry and tension is the protest against the election of a non GaDangme as Greater Accra regional representative on the Council of State.
"Evidence available to me indicates that the political elite is taking advantage of these ethnic cleavages to carve out spheres of influence."
Mr Pratt said contrary to his pre-election promises to build an all-inclusive government, the President has not done anything that suggests he is still committed to that goal.
"Admittedly, a few individuals from the Nkrumaist political family have been given appointments in your government, but it is clear that the move is a cosmetic manoeuvre calculated to score political points."
Mr Pratt also said the government has been silent over the failure of Mobitel, Ghana's first mobile phone service provider, to meet its contractual obligations, which include paying taxes to the National Communications Authority.
The outspoken editor expressed disappointment over the government's adoption of the HIPC initiative without giving the public ample time to debate and decide on the proposal.
Mr Pratt also urged the President to increase workers' salaries to reflect the higher prices of goods and services. He should also expand access to social amenities, such as housing, education, health and agricultural production.
He also made a lengthy comment on the controversial Sahara agreement, saying the contract was unhelpful and unnecessary, describing it as a wasteful agreement that does not save the government 7.4 million dollars, as claimed by Minister of Energy Albert Kan-Dapaah.
For Mr Pratt, the most baffling question is why the government did not give 2.3 million dollars to settle Ghana National Petroleum Corporation's debt instead of brokering a 3.2 million dollars contract with Sahara.
"As Executive President, Your Excellency is ultimately responsible for all the acts of omission and commission of the government and it is important for you to open your eyes and ears widely," said Mr Pratt.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 05 July 2001
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) knew that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had messed up the economy of the country but it never anticipated that it could reach the magnitude that it discovered on the assumption of power, Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Food and Agriculture, has said.
Major Quashigah was opening a six-month sandwich course on general agriculture at the Kwadaso Agricultural College in Kumasi for staff of the Cocoa Services Division (CSD) now on transfer to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).
We did not foresee the magnitude of the economic mess until we assumed power. We therefore need absolute patience from all Ghanaians, irrespective of the party they belong to, to enable us plan and implement realistic strategies to bring back the economy, especially the agricultural sector back on track.
"I am, therefore, surprised that the Minority in Parliament, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who formed the previous government and facilitated the break down of these storage facilities and the near collapse of the GFDC, should quickly turn round to blame the present government for not ensuring food security and stable prices for foodstuffs in the system", Major Quashigah said.
He said even though the situation was not the making of the NPP government, they were poised to reverse the trend for the better and have already evolved workable mechanisms for revamping the storage facilities and establishing easy means of marketing farm produce.
The course, which is being jointly organised by the Human Resource Development and Management Division (HRDMD) and the Extension Services Division of MOFA and sponsored by the COCOBOD, is expected to train 238 staff of the CSD in skills and techniques in general agriculture to enable them to fit into the mainstream MOFA.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 05 July 2001
Mr Kwabena Agyepong, Deputy Government Spokesman was last night attacked by a group of armed men suspected to be robbers in his house at East Legon in Accra.
Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister for Media Relations told the GHANA NEWS AGENCY on phone that Mr Agyepong was injured and has been admitted to the 37 Military Hospital.
She said " his injuries are not life threatening and he is comfortable."
Meanwhile Ms Ohene says the attack on her deputy would not lead to the adoption of panic security measures that would alienate members of the executive from the public.
"We have a responsibility as members of government to stay alive to discharge our duties but we are going to be sensible about it and not get panicked or paranoid about the attack. The best security is the goodwill of the people," she said in an interaction with the Press at the State House.
The Minister was very reluctant to assign any motives for the attack since the Police are investigating but described Mr Adjepong as being in good spirits and will not be on admission at the 37 Military Hospital for long.
Mr Adjepong was rushed to the Hospital by a relative with a gushed head and lacerations on his hands after being attacked by about eight armed men, two in masks, at his East Legon Residence.
His attackers who were armed with pistols, machetes and other offensive weapons took away a video deck and an undisclosed sum of money after vandalising windows and doors and stripped beds and drawers.
Ms Ohene said an x-ray on Mr Adjepong's head, which has been stitched, revealed that he is out of danger.
"His Wife and Children are very safe although they are traumatised by the incident."
Alhaji Malik Yakubu Alhassan, the Interior Minister, who expressed concern about the attack promised to provide security to Mr Adjepong, saying his position on the murder of the three Judges and a retired Army officer during the PNDC era in 1982 exposed him to immense security risk.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 05 July 2001
President, J. A. Kufuor has appointed Papa Owusu-Ankomah, the Deputy Majority Leader, as the new Minister of Youth and Sports.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah, MP for Sekondi is 43 years old, a graduate of the University of Ghana, a lawyer and was called to the Bar in 1981.
Known widely for his calm and composed demeanour, Mr Owusu-Ankomah says he aims to help the youth of Ghana realise their potential and thanked the President for the honour done him.
In another development the President has nominated Professor Kassim Kasanga as Deputy Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines.
A statement in Accra on Thursday said Prof. Kasanga lectures at the Department of Land Economy at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and comes from the Upper West Region.
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President Kufuor condemns insanitary
conditions in the environment
Accra (Greater Accra) 05 July 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday said the insanitary conditions in the country, has exposed Ghanaians as a society of unpardonable indiscipline, lawlessness and ignorance.
"It is time that we start re-arranging our affairs and improve on our cultural attitude to show that we have it within our capacity to do the seemingly little things that underpin social advancement and civilisation."
Speaking at the presentation of gold awards to 169 out of the 200 winners of this year's Head of State Award Scheme in Accra, President Kufuor identified some of the little things as stopping to litter, ensuring that local government bye-laws work effectively and efficiently, gutters are kept clean and offenders punished.
The scheme introduced in Ghana in 1968 is a youth development oriented programme initiated by the Duke of Edinburgh about 46 years ago in which students and other youths from traditional youth organisations participate.
President Kufuor said these seemingly little things would minimise the effects of the deluge that devastated Accra leading to loss of lives and property.
"We must as a society therefore demonstrate that we are learning from the adversities that affect us and we must begin to show the evidence from now."
He called on the youth to learn and keep to good habits that could influence the behaviour of future generations by making it fashionable that the country's cities are kept litter free.
Madam Charlotte Brew-Greaves, Vice-Chairperson of the board of trustees of the scheme said from their activities two other institutions have been established - the Junior Achievement-Ghana in 1993 and the Ghana Youth Business Trust in 1996.
She said participants of the scheme render services to their communities without any rewards and keep their bodies in good health through physical fitness exercise.
Speaking on behalf of the award recipients, Miss Leticia Dorothy Ametefe, a former student of Saint Roses Secondary School, Akwatia urged all students to participate in the scheme to develop their inherent talents and potentials for the benefit of their communities and society.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 05 July 2001
The National Media Commission (NMC) has ordered the editor of the Ghanaian Chronicle to apologise to Mrs. Victoria Addy, a former Chairperson of the Ghana Airways' Board and her family who were specifically mentioned in a story published by the paper.
The paper is also to republish a rejoinder and give it as much prominence as its original story and retract the story.
A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday by the NMC said the paper in its Wednesday May 2 to Thursday May 3, 2001 edition under the headline "Fat cat boards sap Ghanair," described Mrs. Addy as a "fat cat," and accused her of being part of the Airline's problems as a result of alleged massive abuse of the corporation's assets and services by board members.
The statement said the publication also alleged that she passed her privileges as board chairperson to her twin sister to freely use the facilities of the corporation's airline among other things.
The Mrs Addy, who is also a former member of the Council of State complained to the NMC that a section of the electronic media had unfortunately picked the allegations against her, her twin sister and other members of her family and that they had become object of public ridicule and scorn.
The statement said the commission has found out as a fact that the story exaggerated the privileges and failed to verify and crosscheck facts as far as they related to Mrs. Addy.
It further said the paper failed to give adequate prominence to an earlier rejoinder by Mrs. Addy.
The statement said Mrs. Addy had denied that she ever passed her privileges as board chairperson to her twin sister or any relative to freely use facilities of the corporation's airline.
She also denied that any of her children or family member had caused any losses to the airline and explained that as chairperson of the board, she was entitled to two air tickets a year. "However it was only once in her two years' term that she used the facility."
The statement said the editor of the paper, Mr Eben Kese Antwi has admitted that the story had exaggerated the privileges enjoyed by the former board chairperson and maintained that the story was not published to bring Mrs. Addy's name into disrepute.
He said he felt the media had a public duty to examine some of the possible factors of the corporation's unsatisfactory state of affairs.
However, he said the paper was prepared to retract the story and apologise to Mrs. Addy.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 05 July 2001
A leading functionary of the Convention People's Party (CPP) said on Wednesday that election 2004 would be a psychological moment for all political parties to determine the democratic direction of the country.
"The nation has witnessed the accountability, probity and integrity regime of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the positive change and zero tolerance for corruption of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). It will now need to declare a position whether to go back for probity, continue with positive change or adopt new system," Dr Adolf Lutterodt, Greater Accra regional chairman of CPP stated.
Speaking at a regional executive committee meeting in Accra he said the real political freedom and social reconstruction of the country could be better realised under the administration of the CPP.
He therefore urged Ghanaians to give the CPP their mandate for good governance, which the nation needs for accelerated development.
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Ho (Volta Region) 05 July 2001
Agencies in the cultural and tourism industries have been called upon to co-ordinate their efforts and activities to achieve excellence.
"The Centre for National Culture (CNC), Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB) and the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) should evolve programmes to complement and integrate each other's activities to showcase our rich cultural and historical collections."
Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, Volta Regional Minister made the call at the graduation and exhibition of three trainees in Kente weaving and pottery on Wednesday after two years training course at Ho.
The programme was initiated by the Volta Regional GMMB and funded by the Senegalese branch of the West African Museums Programme (WAMP).
The government, he said would continue to provide budgetary allocation within the constraints of the national economy to support such agencies that promote the country's cultural identity and uniqueness.
Mr Owusu-Yeboa, however, urged the GMMB to collaborate with the Regional Co-ordinating Council to preserve, package and market the region's tourism potentials, especially, the forts and castles, waterfalls, parks and artefacts.
He announced that plans were far advanced to convert Dr. Ephraim Amu's house with his musical relics at Peki into a museum.
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Aflao (Volta Region) 05 July 2001
The consumption of marijuana and other narcotic drugs is gradually gaining public acceptance and high patronage at Aflao, the eastern gateway to Ghana.
A diversified form of marijuana consumption other than through smoking is catching on with the ever-increasing customers including pupils from basic schools.
A worried bar attendant, who disclosed this on Tuesday to the Ghana News Agency said drinking bars in the community, lace alcoholic beverages especially akpeteshie with marijuana and christened it "Under".
Customers including ladies and pupils of basic schools walk into the bars to demand "under" and they are served, he said.
A student of a basic school at Aflao, whom a teacher attempted punishing rather ordered the teacher to stay off or face the power of "under", another teacher hinted to the GNA.
The Aflao Police have denied knowledge of the practice but said investigations would be conducted and anybody found engaging in the practice would be prosecuted.
The Police however said the increasing crime wave in the area could be attributed to the use of hard drugs such as cocaine and marijuana by the youth.
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Twifo Praso (Central Region) 05 July 2001
The Twifu Traditional Council on Wednesday appealed to the Central Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and the Police Command to help avert a "bloody" clash in the area, by ensuring that the necessary action was taken against a group of persons, who vandalised the Omanhene's palace on January 2.
Nana Okofo Buabeng III, Acting President of the Council, made the appeal during a meeting of the Council at Twifo Praso.
Nana Buabeng condemned what he described as the unprofessional and uncooperative attitude of the Police in prosecuting the 17 suspects, who were arrested for the incident.
The Acting President said the palace was vandalised during the 'illegal' installation of Nana Appiah Nuamah II, as the Omanhene during which the tomb of the late Nana Ampontenfi was desecrated and the black stool and other regalia were carried away.
According to him, he had earlier been attacked and brutally assaulted and his car containing some gold dust and bars and other gold ornaments was stolen in September last year.
The Council, has meanwhile resolved not to recognise Nana Nuamah's status and has also suspended the Vice -President of the Council, Nana Agyei Twum II, for attending his installation, which he described as illegal since it was approved by only two of the nine king makers.
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Akyawkrom (Ashanti Region) 05 July 2001
Mr Francis Emile Short, Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on Wednesday emphasised the need for the enactment of legislation to protect public employees who expose misconduct of public officials.
Public employees are uniquely placed to be aware of official corruption in the public sector but are vulnerable to retaliation and for that matter without adequate and effective safeguards to protect them they would be reluctant to report corruption, Mr Short told a day's regional workshop organised by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) on: "Ghana - Uniting against corruption".
District chief executives, traditional rulers, representatives of security services, religious leaders, civil and public servants, journalists and the civil society in Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo attended it.
The Commissioner observed, "public employees are valuable source of information and can play a very important role in the fight against corruption".
He said those employees, who were willing in the public interest to "blow whistle or to report or to draw attention to violations of the law, particularly corrupt activities in their workplaces should be seen as heroes and patriots not as villains".
Mr Short said the legislation would, therefore, apart from reassuring the employees that the state recognises the value of whistle blowers in the fight against corruption, deter official corruption as the "offenders will know that their actions will not go undetected.
"When we appreciate the enormous cost of corruption, that corruption deepens poverty, makes social services more expensive for the poor, results in bad quality roads and buildings, deprive the government of the much needed revenue to carry out public projects and provide better quality social services, it should not take too much convincing that we all have a duty to report corruption and expose the corrupt".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 05 July 2001
Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Roads and Highways on Wednesday appealed to drivers of heavy-duty vehicles to avoid the use of the rehabilitated Spintex road until the collapsed part is reconstructed.
"This temporary road, I am told by the contractors who repaired it without a charge, carries a maximum load of 10 tons, so heavy trucks should try and use other roads to help increase its life span".
He also urged the public to bear with the government while negotiation goes on for reconstruction works, which would start soon.
Mr Adjei-Darko made the appeal when he opened the road constructed by PW Ghana Limited, an Irish firm in-charge of the Kotoka International Airport expansion project and a local firm, USSUYA Ghana Limited.
Part of Spintex road caved in during the heavy rains last Wednesday. The rains caused a lot of damage and rendered many people homeless.
The Minister commended the two firms for their "timely intervention" which has lessen the burden of the government and appealed to other corporate bodies and organisations to emulate.
He said Gbewaa Construction Company has promised to donate 90 drums of bitumen emulsion for the rehabilitation of damaged roads in the country.
Mr Tony Oneill, Project Manager of PW Ghana limited said his firm decided to reconstruct the road in collaboration with the other partner after realising the consequences the damage would have on users.
He said the bridge was constructed within three days at a cost of 290 million cedis, adding, this would only last for just a few months".
The other company, USSUYA Ghana Limited did the tarring at a cost of 120 million cedis.
Mr John Sam, Commercial Director of USSUYA said the firm is prepared to assist "should there be another damage, even-though we do not pray for things like these".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 05 July 2001
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I.C. Quaye has directed that next Friday and Saturday should be used to clean up the capital.
This is in view of the filth left in the trail of last week's downpour.
A statement issued in Accra on Wednesday by the Minister said Friday, July 6 has been set aside for schools in the metropolis to clean their surroundings.
On Saturday, July 7, all identifiable groups, market women and traders and workers would also clean the city.
The Minister appealed to tipper truck drivers' associations to put some of their vehicles at the disposal of these groups.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 05 July 2001
A proposal has been made to chiefs to help make the Asantehene's drive at wooing investors to the country a practical reality by releasing only lands, which are free of any disputes and litigations to potential investors.
Mr Opoku-Agyemang Prempeh, Vice-Chairman of the Ashanti Region branch of the
Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors (ABCEC) said that to give further boost to the initiative of the Asantehene, it was also imperative for chiefs to be poised to release lands to genuine investors only and on very flexible terms.
Mr Prempeh, who is also the Managing Director of Lakayana Company Limited, a private construction firm in Kumasi, made the proposal in an interview with the GNA in Kumasi on Wednesday.
He said that peace, stability and security were the main tools for attracting investors to a particular area and commended the Asantehene for his foresight and initiative at creating an environment that would attract investors to Asanteman and also for the establishment of the Otumfuo Education Fund.
However, all these might come to naught without the genuine co-operation of the chiefs, Mr Prempeh said and appealed to traditional rulers not to merely establish education funds at their area but step up campaign programmes to convince their people to contribute wholeheartedly to them.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 05 July 2001
Alhaji Malik Al-hassan Yakubu, Minister of the Interior on Wednesday said the government is sincere in its drive to boost business.
"We want to establish genuine business and want Japanese businesses to take advantage of this," he said when Mr Noro Motoyoshi, Deputy Ambassador of Japan, called on him in Accra.
He said even though he is aware of Japan's reservation on the HIPC initiative, the government is determined to take the country out of it as quickly as possible through prudent economic management.
He admitted that nobody would like to be labelled poor. "That is the truth on the ground. The government's zero tolerance for corruption is part of the foundation being laid to come out of the HIPC status", he said, and asked Japan to help Ghana come out of that predicament.
On security, Alhaji Yakubu said the government wants to build an efficient security system to curb crime by strengthening institutions to maintain law and order.
Mr Motoyoshi said Japan would increase its grants, scholarships and technical assistance to Ghana.
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