GRi Newsreel Ghana 06 - 07 - 2001
Kwabena Agyepong was threatened with death
Council of State members urged to be
non-partisan.
Government to enforce safety measures of lake transport - Minister
Tourism to be introduced as a subject in schools - Deputy Minister
People of Ga to be given back stool lands
TUC committed to positive change
Assemblies asked to settle debts before starting new projects
Urban Roads to open bid on damaged roads
Government encouraging fish farming - Minister
Democracy thrives on strong civil society - Kufuor
Farmers cry foul over land sales at Akuffo-Krodua
Chieftaincy contractors frustrating efforts at settling disputes
Twifu Praso (Central Region) 06 July 2001
The Twifu-Hemang Lower-Denkyira District Assembly has said it has discovered that some people in the district, who applied for loans under the Poverty Alleviation Fund were not given their monies, although there were records indicating that they were.
An 11-member loan recovery team set up by the assembly, which uncovered the deal, also found out that some people impersonated the actual applicants.
The Presiding Member of the assembly, the Reverend Ben Donkor, who made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said more than 300 defaulters mostly made up of National Democratic Congress (NDC) functionaries, owe a total of 484,350,000 cedis.
He said that a team, which was set up last month to retrieve the monies, had as at June 21, only recovered 41 million cedis and expressed concern about the fact that some of the defaulters could not even be traced.
Rev. Donkor said the assembly has, therefore, decided to have the defaulters prosecuted if they failed to settle their debts by Wednesday July 11.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 July 2001
The armed robbers, who attacked Mr KwebenaAgyepong, Deputy Government Spokesman at his residence threatened to kill him.
"I was in an adjoining room when I heard them telling Kwebena that we have instructions to kill you and, therefore, we will finish you without any compromise," Mr Kwesi Nimako, brother of Agyepong told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Friday.
Speaking at the bedside of Mr Agyepong, who is on admission at the 37 Military Hospital, Mr Nimako said not long after they had retired to bed a little after midnight, he heard the dogs barking so he alerted his brother, who was in another room that there were people in the house.
He said five of the robbers entered the house through the kitchen, leaving the rest in the compound, opened the fridge, took some drinks and started shooting and opening doors.
"At this point, one of the robbers (speaking in Ga) shouted 'he is here, he is here' and they entered Kwabena's room, pulled him down and hit his head with a hammer, threatening to kill him because they have instruction to do so".
Mr Nimako said Kwabena refused to kneel on the floor so he got up and when one of the robbers saw how he was bleeding pleaded with his colleagues to spare Kwabena's life but one of them insisted that since he had instructions, he would still kill him.
It was at this juncture that Kwabena's wife intervened to plead with the robbers for negotiations for anything they wanted and to spare her husband's life.
After the negotiations, her handbag containing 2,000 dollars and 500,000 cedis was grabbed and the robbers left but the one who kept on threatening to kill Kwabena, returned to finish him off.
But after more pleadings from the wife, he accepted her jewellery box and left to join the others in the compound, who had in addition to their booty also taken a video deck and an electric iron.
Before fleeing, they seized all telephones in the house and rendered a vehicle unmovable.
Mr Nimako, who is a systems analyst resident in the Philadelphia, United States, was home on vacation and has since returned to his base.
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Dzodze (Volta Region) 06 July 2001
Fear has gripped the Police at Dzodze in the Ketu District as they are continuously embattled by the youth who prevent them from effecting arrests and going on patrols in the town.
The Police, apparently under siege, now make selective arrests mainly in the outlying towns and villages to avoid a bloody clash with the youth.
An organised youth numbering about 40, armed with dangerous weapons including locally manufactured guns in April, attacked three Policemen, who went to arrest a suspect in a narcotic case at Afeyime, a suburb of Dzodze and allowed him to escape.
One Constable was slashed in the palm as he stopped a stroke of a cutlass, which was aimed at his shoulder.
The assailant, Dodzi Azakpo, 21, a school dropout and unemployed was overpowered and is facing trial at the Aflao Circuit Court.
In May another group armed with guns attacked a Police patrol team at about 11:30 hours forcing it to retreat to the station.
Stealing, assault and robbery are on the increase within the community because the Police are now forced under the circumstances to work within the confines of their station.
Meanwhile, the Police are alleged to have written to the Inspector General of Police for extra men and logistics to deal with the criminals in the community.
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Council of State members urged to be
non-partisan.
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 July 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday asked members of the Council of State not to be partisan in their deliberations but be objective as the nation lays the foundation for democracy.
He said the constitutional responsibility imposed on them required objectivity and non-partisanship.
President Kufuor was speaking when he administered the oath of membership and secrecy and presented instrument of appointment to two members of the Council at the State House in Accra.
They were Nana Otuo Siribour II, Juabenhene and Mrs Emma Mitchell, a former Minister of State and Government Advocate on Gender Issues.
He said with the array of expertise and experience at their disposal, members were expected to offer the best of advice that would ensure self-discipline in the leadership, adding: "Offer advice that would make the President become a true father of all Ghanaians."
President Kufuor said their advice should not be for the President alone but the entire nation and gave the assurance that he would accord the Council, the necessary respect and not take advantage of his office to disregard its decisions.
"I do not expect partiality in your deliberations but objectivity even if the advice might not be pleasant to me."
President Kufuor reiterated his call to the Council to make some of their deliberations public for the nation to benefit from the opinions they offer.
Nana Otuo Siribour said the Council accepts the enormous responsibility imposed on it and pledged to work diligently and conscientiously to offer advice for efficient and effective administration of the nation to put Ghana on a high pedestal in the community of nations.
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Dzemeni (Volta Region) 06 July 2001
Mr John Achuliwor, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications on Thursday said the government is considering the provision of the necessary legal and administrative measures for the enforcement of safety transportation across the Volta Lake.
In this regard various regulations on safety of transportation on the lake would be reviewed in order to make them effective.
In addition a more effective administrative machinery would be put in place with a possible Lake Traffic Control Unit suitably located along the lake to patrol, monitor and strictly enforce safety regulations.
Mr Achuliwor was speaking at the launch of the Dzemeni branch of the Volta Lake Boat Owners and Operators/Fishermen Union at Dzemeni.
The ministry also presented 200 life-saving jackets to the union at a subsidised rate.
He said the government would tackle with all seriousness safety measures on the lake and urged the people to embark on self-policing to support these efforts.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 06 July 2001
The Ministries of Tourism and Education are working on a curriculum to introduce tourism as a subject in schools.
Nana Akomeah, Deputy Minister of Tourism, who made this known in Kumasi, said the ministry would soon come out with a document on domestic tourism.
Speaking at the launching of an essay competition on domestic tourism for final year junior secondary school (JSS) students throughout the country, Nana Akomea said the domestic tourism document, which was now in a draft form, would be presented to Cabinet and Parliament.
The Deputy Minister said there was the need to improve upon tourism awareness to attract the needed tourists but pointed out that there was also the need to "package our food and drinks properly".
"We need to be aware of ourselves first and foremost as a people before tourists will take us seriously. There is no need for us to launch a market drive for tourists only for them to come down and get disillusioned."
Nana Akomea said, "if we get the country in an orderly fashion, then we would have taken the first step in promoting domestic tourism".
Nana Kwame Asante-Frimpong, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Tourism and Trade, said tourism without culture was meaningless and, therefore, suggested that the Commission on Culture be made part of the Ministry of Tourism with two Deputy Ministers, one in charge of tourism and the other culture.
The essay competition is being sponsored by British Airways in collaboration with Gemini Life Insurance Company (GLICO), Golden Tulip Hotel and Coconut Groove Beach Resort.
The competition, the brainchild of the Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), is designed to create public awareness on domestic tourism and aimed specifically at helping school children to expand their educational experiences beyond the classroom.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 July 2001
Sheikh Ibrahim Codjoe Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, on Thursday promised to give back all stool lands belonging to the Ga Traditional Council, which were taken without compensation.
He said though some of the lands have been used by the government those that are yet to be used would be given back to their owners.
Sheikh Quaye, who was speaking when he and the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Solomon Nii Ofei Darko paid a courtesy call on members of the council in Accra said where there is the need for compensation it would be done.
Sheikh Quaye said the land issue has been a source of worry to the people of Ga for many years and expressed the hope that there would be peace if the land reverts to them.
The regional minister also said a committee has been set up on conflict resolution and management by the President to resolve land and chieftaincy disputes.
He called for peace, love and unity among the chiefs and people and urged them to forgive all those who have wronged them over the years.
Mr Darko said corruption at AMA has given the assembly a bad image. "My vision is to change that bad image, increase revenue collection and also block all leakages to enable the assembly to generate more money for the projects ahead of us."
Nii Adote Obour II, acting President of the council, appealed for assistance in rehabilitating the Ga Mantse's palace.
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Sunyani (Eastern Region) 06 July 2001
Mr Kofi Asamoah, Deputy Secretary General of the Trades Union congress (TUC) in-charge of operations has stressed the need to transform the TUC to enable it to play a leading role in the process of positive change and transparent administration being pursued by the government.
Addressing a meeting of the Brong-Ahafo Regional Council of Labour at Sunyani on Wednesday, Mr Asamoah urged activists of the 17 affiliate unions to join the crusade to educate the rank and file of their membership to accept the new challenges in nation building.
Mr Asamoah is leading a three-man delegation of the leadership of the TUC on a nation-wide tour to educate members on efforts to ensure improved working conditions for workers.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 July 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor has in consultation with the Council of State confirmed Mr Ernest Owusu-Poku as the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
This follows the acceptance of a request from the IGP, Mr Peter Nanfuri to go on voluntary retirement.
A statement issued in Accra on Thursday by the Minister of the Interior, Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu, expressed the government's appreciation to Mr Nanfuri for the services he has rendered to the state and wished him "a happy, rewarding and relaxing retirement."
Mr Nanfuri went on leave shortly after the new government was sworn in. He had served the Police Service for almost 33 years.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 July 2001
The US Government on Thursday made a 25,000-dollar commitment to Ghana as immediate humanitarian relief to victims of last week's floods in Accra.
Mrs Kathryn Dee Robinson, US Ambassador, who announced the offer during a State House meeting with President John Agyekum Kufuor, said the offer is in response to an appeal made by the President during his recent visit to the states.
She said President George Bush's administration has also pledged its commitment to measures to find lasting solution to the perennial problem.
President Kufuor commended the US for the donation as well as the long-term investment to solve the problem.
He expressed the urgent need for the Town and Country Planning Department to streamline the development pattern of the city and the strengthening of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to enact and enforce byelaws to check the sitting of buildings on waterways.
President Kufuor sought the assistance of the US for the long-term plans by the government to provide bridges and improved road network in the Accra Metropolis, and step up the dredging of some choked lagoons and waterways.
Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance, appealed to the Ambassador to support efforts by the government to get a World Bank development pledge of 110 million dollars in bulk.
He said the US is the only member of the G8 who is not in agreement with Ghana's request to get about 92 million dollars out of the amount to boost the country's cash flow.
Mr Osafo-Maafo asked the US to raise its commitment of 5.7 million dollars under the African Growth and Opportunity Act to 15 million dollars to strengthen private sector initiatives under the act.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 July 2001
The National Media Commission (NMC) is to organise nationwide seminars on guidelines on broadcasting standards for electronic media operators.
Sponsored by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the seminars are aimed at promoting higher standards.
Guidelines, developed with expertise from both private and public sector broadcasters will form the basis of discussions at the seminars to help the participants in the discharge of their responsibilities.
A statement signed by the Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, Executive Secretary of NMC said the seminars begin in Accra on Monday, July 9 for radio and television stations in the Greater Accra Region.
The second will be held at Ho for those in the Eastern and Volta regions on Thursday, July 12 with operators in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions having their turn at Bolgatanga on Monday, July 16.
This will be followed by the Central and Western regions in Takoradi on Thursday, July 19.
The series will end in Kumasi on Monday, July 23 for operators in the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti regions, the statement said.
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Ayomso (Brong Ahafo) 06 July 2001
The Government has directed district assemblies to use the rest of the year to pay up debts owed to contractors before embarking on new projects.
Mr George Boakye, Asunafo District Chief Executive, who announced this at Ayomso on Wednesday, said this might delay the start of new projects and appealed to the people to exercise patience for the assemblies to mobilise enough resources for development.
Mr Boakye who was on a familiarisation tour expressed concern about poor academic performance of pupils in the district and called on parents, teachers and school management committees to collaborate to reverse the trend.
He said a district education endowment fund would soon be established to supplement the efforts of the district assembly in helping needy children in their education.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 06 July 2001
Major Courage Quashigah (rtd), Minister of Food and Agriculture, on Thursday noted that the current food insecurity in the country could be attributed mainly to the break down of storage facilities.
He said though production levels of foodstuffs and other agricultural products were quite encouraging, there were no storage facilities, efficient marketing strategies and outlets such as the defunct Ghana Food Distribution Corporation (GFDC) resulting in post harvest loses.
Major Quashigah was opening a six-month course on general agriculture, at the Kwadaso Agricultural College in Kumasi for the staff of the Cocoa Services Division (CSD).
The staffs of CSD are being absorbed into the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) following its abolition.
The course is being organised by the Human Resource Development and Management Division (HRDMD) and the Extension Services Division of the MOFA and sponsored by the COCOBOD.
About 238 workers of the Division are expected to benefit from training in skills and techniques in general agriculture, to enable them to properly fit into the mainstream MOFA.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 July 2001
The Department of Urban Roads (DUR) said on Thursday it would invite tenders through selective bidding by next week for work to start on roads that were damaged by last week's heavy rains.
Mr Alex Twumasi-Boakye, Acting Director of DUR, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said feasibility studies on the impact of the June 28 downpour, have been completed.
The rains, the heaviest in six years, washed away dozens of bridges and damaged several roads in the city.
Mr Twumasi-Boakye said the Spintex road bridge would be reconstructed with a large box culvert at the original site.
The government, he said, has given approval for a percentage of the 15 billion cedis set aside this year from the Roads Fund to be used for the emergency works and rehabilitation of the affected roads and construction of broken down bridges.
Mr Twumasi-Boakye attributed the damage caused to roads and bridges to shoddy work by contractors and the use of inferior and sub-standard materials.
"We have to perform efficient work with proper designs and good quality materials."
A source told the GNA that rehabilitation of roads in Accra, Tema and the Ga Districts would cost about 10 billion cedis.
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Tarkwa (Western Region) 06 July 2001
Eight people died in two separate accidents involving three vehicles on the Bogoso-Nsuaem road in the Wassa West District last weekend.
Four passengers died on the spot, four later at the Tarkwa Government Hospital while 10 others are on admission at the hospital.
Police Superintendent William Bossman Baiden, Tarkwa Divisional Commander told the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday that the first accident involved an articulated truck heading towards Tarkwa from Bogoso and a taxi from the opposite direction.
The two vehicles collided at Samhuu village near Tarkwa, in which the taxi driver, Robert Mensah and one passenger died.
The second accident involved a mini bus from Takoradi to Tarkwa, which had a front tyre burst and somersaulted into a ditch at Kedadwen, killing six passengers.
The driver and five passengers are on admission at the hospital.
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Kadjebi (Volta Region) 06 July 2001
The Government is putting in place measures to encourage fishermen to step up fish production in order to meet the country's requirement, Ismael Ashitey, Minister of State in-charge of Fisheries, announced at a meeting with the Kadjebi District Fish Farmers Association at Kadjebi as part of a three-day working visit to the northern sector of the Volta Region.
He said the ministry would soon start to grant loans and provide inputs to fish farmers to boost the fishing industry.
"Your increase in fish production will save us from repeating the 150 million dollars spent on the importation of fish last year."
Mr Ashitey, therefore, called on fish farmers to re-organise and put up their maximum efforts to increase production.
The Minister promised to send technical officers from Accra to help members of the association to upgrade their farming techniques and also develop their hatcheries to expand their farms.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 06 July 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday stressed the need for a strong civil society for democracy to thrive in the country.
Such a society would ensure that the government is accountable to the people and that institutions of governance are properly developed, President Kufuor told an eight-man delegation from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) of United Kingdom (UK), which paid a courtesy call on him at the State House in Accra.
He explained that when institutions of governance were well developed then the roots of democracy would have been put in place for an effective and efficient national development.
Mr Michael Brophy, Chief Executive of CAF said the Foundation established in 1974 has a unique objective to mobilise resources from multi-lateral institutions such as the World Bank and the European Union (EU), non-profit charity organisations and indigenous low-income earners.
He said since its establishment about 1.23 billion pounds sterling has been mobilised and 250 million pounds sterling is transferred annually to beneficiary organisations.
Mr Brophy said in 1991, 40 people and organisations in the Soviet Union, India, Australia, Eastern Europe and Ghana benefited.
The Chief Executive said the Foundation also works closely with governments to encourage the effective development of civil society and appealed to the government for its support to a declaration being sought by the Foundation at the Commonwealth Secretariat to enshrine its activities in programmes of member countries.
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Akuffo-Krodua (Central Region) 06 July 2001
More than 300 settler farmers and their families say they have been deprived of their livelihood as a result of alleged sale of the land on which they have settled for over 60 years by the chief of the village.
This came to light when the farmers met Mr Albert Kwame Afful, assemblyman for the Akuffo-Krodua and Adawukwa electoral area, on Tuesday.
According to the farmers, the recently enstooled chief, whose name was not disclosed to newsmen, did not even notify them over the sale.
They said all that they saw was the formal taking over of the land by an Accra-based businessman who allegedly destroyed their farms with heavy machines and caused damage to their produce worth about 10 million cedis.
The farmers maintained that besides the damage caused to their property, the action of the new chief had seriously affected the education of their children.
They, therefore, called on the Minister of Food and Agriculture to intervene for justice to prevail.
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Wa (Upper West) 06 July 2001
Naa Banamini Sandu, President of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs, on Thursday said efforts by chiefs to arbitrate in the numerous chieftaincy disputes in the region were being frustrated by chieftaincy contractors.
He said eight out of 17 Paramount Skins composing the House were vacant. Naa Sandu, who was addressing the 24th sessional meeting of the House at Wa, said they have adopted an interim measure of inviting divisional chiefs from all the traditional areas with paramount status to their meetings to enable them to form a quorum to take decisions.
The main issue discussed at the day's meeting was a report by the research and standing committee of the House on the elevation of some divisional chiefs to the status of paramount chiefs.
Noting that the Upper West was the only region that was not linked to any regional capital by a tarred road, he called on the government to make the Bole-Bamboi road project a top priority.
Naa Sandu renewed their appeal to government to take steps to provide small-scale dams and dugouts to boost dry season agriculture as a way of checking the movement of the youth from the region to southern Ghana during the dry season.
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