GRi Press Review
Ghana 16 - 07 - 2001
No probe
into Sahara
Fast-track
courts to be opened in the regions
UCC to
review grading system
Atta Mills
to quit politics
Interpol
trails Huudu Yahaya's Mercedes
AFGO's
monopoly will be broken - GCAA Boss
¢650m
missing at Irrigation Dev. Authority
Energy
Crunch (1)
SFO cites
Police, CEPS, Judiciary etc. for corruption
Catholic
Church denounces use of condoms
Petrol
price to go up in September
Konadu's
empire 'Yaamutu'
2000 Legon
students have aids
…And Jack
Bebli wept
Consumer
Prices up in June
Agyenim
Boateng Honoured
Minority
Group worried over Escalating Food Prices
No probe
into Sahara
President J.A.
Kufuor, has said that the government has no intention to set up a probe into
the Sahara Contract to lift crude oil to Ghana because the deal was genuinely
contracted without any malfeasance, reports The Ghanaian Times.
He insisted
that Sahara was chosen because of its viability and also, for being a reputable
company whose performance with Ghana had so far been perfect.
President
Kufuor said these in an interaction with the media in Kumasi at the weekend in
reaction to a call by the Minority in Parliament for the government to
institute a probe into the Sahara contract.
He said
that the government could no longer depend on the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) whose
total debt stood at ¢2.3 trillion as at December 2000.
President
Kufuor said that his visits to Nigeria saved the fuel situation as the nation's
stock was almost exhausted and debunked the notion that the Sahara contract
with Nigeria was a 'deal'.
He said a
government machinery had been put in place to produce efficacy and efficient
results adding that there was no way it would associate itself with fraudulent
deals within six months of good governance.
On the call
by the public to revisit the murder of the three judges and a retired army
officers, President Kufuor disclosed that the State Investigation Team was
working around the clock to ensure that justice and the rule of law prevailed.
He
expressed the hope that the establishment of the Reconciliation Commission
would complete the process of uniting the people for nation building.
More…/
Fast-track
courts to be opened in the regions
The
government intends establishing fast-track courts in all the regions of the
country to speed up trials without sacrificing the quality of justice delivery.
Nana
Akufo-Addo, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, said this in a speech
read for him at the closing of the first crime officers course at the weekend.
Nana
Akufo-Addo acknowledged the difficulties that police personnel encounter in the
discharge of their duties and assured of his Ministry's preparedness to work
together with all stakeholders to solve some of the knotty issues in the
criminal justice system.
He said
that the government was committed to the policy of zero tolerance for
corruption and asked the police to work hard to shed its image as a corrupt
institution.
"It is
not right for the police to undertake arbitrary arrests and unlawful
detentions, confuse civil issues with criminal cases, and delay trials by not
readily presenting witnesses and exhibits to the court," he said.
He advised
the police to address those issues passionately to enhance the needed image and
reputation of the Service.
GRi…/
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UCC to
review grading system
The new
grading system of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), which has been the source
of controversy, is to be reviewed, according to a story in the Daily Graphic.
The
Governing Council of the UCC made the recommendation to the Academic Board of
the University after a meeting the council had with the university authorities
and representatives of the student leadership at Cape Coast last Friday, Dr
Charles Mensa, chairman of the Council, disclosed in an interview in Accra on
Sunday.
He said the
council members agreed on the need to review the grading system to set minds at
ease on the campus and create the peaceful environment for teaching, learning
and research.
The grading
system created tension at the university, resulting in a subsequent
demonstration by students, which disrupted March 31, 2001 congregation.
Dr Mensa
explained that the Council and the Academic Board agreed generally on the need
for a review of certain policies that have pitted the students against the
university authorities.
Consequently,
the council has called on the academic board to also review the punishment
meted out to nine students of the university.
Dr Mensa
said the council was of the view that the students deserve some form of
punishment because of the embarrassment and public ridicule into which they
brought the university.
He said the
council, in calling for the review, has decided to tamper justice with mercy,
in order to restore calm and order on the campus and strengthen the esprit de
corps between the university administration and students.
On the
review of sanctions imposed on the students, he said the council reached a
definite decision on the review, but will make it public after it has been
ratified by the Academic Board.
GRi…/
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Atta Mills
to quit politics
The
Dispatch says the leadership crisis facing the National Democratic Congress
(NDC), is likely to deepen with the news that former Vice-President and the
party's 2000 Presidential candidate, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, intends to
take a long break from politics.
Close
associates of Prof. Mills hinted the paper that he intends to take a Sabbatical
to a university outside Ghana, to teach and write some books. They declined to
state whether the Prof. was quitting politics for good but one of them, a
leading NDC member, said "there was the need for the NDC to take the reorganization
process very serious in order to strengthen the existing structures".
He added
that, "one of the first prerequisites for a stronger NDC is the urgent
need to reconcile the various factions within the party. I must admit that
being in power might have plastered the divisions within our ranks. I belong to
the school of thought within the Party which believes that our 2000 defeat was
a blessing in disguise to enable us realize the hard task ahead of the party
after the Rawlings era."
Investigations
by the Dispatch revealed that although many NDC members would deny their
existence, there are perceptions of the existence of the Fante Confederacy; the
Northern Caucus; the Volta Group and the Rawlings Support Group.
Prof Mills
could however not be reached by the close of work on Friday to confirm or give
further details on the issue.
GRi…/
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Interpol
trails Huudu Yahaya's Mercedes
The Customs
Excise and Prevention Service (CEPS) has requested INTERPOL to track down a
Mercedes Benz in the possession of Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, General Secretary of
the National Democratic Congress (NDC), following his refusal to surrender the
car, which was unlawfully allocated to him during the election car rush,
reports The Ghanaian Chronicle.
The Public
Relations Officer (PRO), Ms Annie Anipa, confirmed the story and told the paper
on Friday that the matter was referred to INTERPOL because of the refusal of
Alhaji Huudu Yahaya to return the said car demanded by the service.
The CEPS
officials added that the NDC General Secretary also refused to respond to
letters sent to him. Neither did he honour invitations from the service.
"We
asked him to bring the car but he refused. We invited him on two occasions but
he never turned up, only his lawyer turned up on one occasion. We needed a step
further so we referred the matter to INTERPOL."
But, in an
interview with Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, on Sunday, he said that he had done nothing
wrong and that the car was officially allocated to him by CEPS. Alhaji Huudu
Yahaya admitted that CEPS wrote to him to return the car for a replacement and
he has not returned the car because CEPS has not been able to replace the
vehicle.
"CEPS
promised to arrange a suitable settlement but they were not forthcoming. It is
not fair, why are they treating me like a common criminal?
Meanwhile,
the owner of the Benz, Mr Fred Oware has been running around the house of
Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, pleading with him to release his car to him. "I went to his house and even begged
him to release my car to me but he did not mind me. This is my property and he
is using it, this is unfair," he said.
More…/
AFGO's monopoly
will be broken - GCAA Boss
The
six-year monopoly enjoyed by the African Ground Handling Operations (AFGO) in
the cargo handling business at the Kotoka International Airport will be broken,
official sources said.
"The
issue of the monopoly is currently being discussed at the highest level and the
decision will soon be made public."
Captain Joe
Afriyie Boakye, Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA),
the managers and regulators of the national airspace, made this statement in a
recent radio interview.
Boakye, who
was deputy to Wing Commander Andy Mensah, under the latter's eight-years-old
administration, said the decision to break the monopoly is in line with the
liberalization policy of the present administration.
It is also
to give private entrepreneurs the opportunity to compete in the nascent
industry, seen as a potential national breadbasket.
More…/
¢650m
missing at Irrigation Dev. Authority
The Serious
Fraud Office (SFO) and the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) are combing
through the files of Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) to discover
the whereabouts of ¢650 million belonging to the authority.
The amount,
Chronicle gathered was the total of an undisbursed budget for 1998 and 1999,
which was supposed to cater for some projects in the 2000 budget, but could not
be traced.
The paper
gathered that at the end of 1999 about ¢559,850,000.00 plus $20,200.00 (¢90.9
million using ¢4,500 as the exchange rate at that time) was left in the coffers
of the authority.
In spite of
this amount, GIDA claimed it was operating on a deficit budget and had no
resources to tackle most of the projects that the said allocation was estimated
for.
Reacting to
the concerns of the public, Mr Oduro Gyateng, Chief Executive of GIDA, told
Chronicle that before the issue was brought to the attention of his executive
he was not aware of any undisbursed or surplus in the 1999 budget, which was
supposed to be utililized in 2000 for the execution of the projects.
He explained
that the first time he heard about such undisbursed funds was when the Aveyime
farmers fired a petition to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture over the issue
and a copy of the letter sent to him.
Even though
Mr Gyateng claimed he was not aware of any undisbursed amount, he accused an
officer of GIDA of being the brain behind the leakage of information about the
missing money to Aveyime farmers.
He
confirmed that his outfit was being investigated by SFO, BNI and the police
over the alleged missing amount and other related issues, such as ghost names
on their payroll.
GRi…/
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Energy
Crunch (1)
The Accra
Mail writes that the private sector may be the engine of growth but it is
energy-gas, oil, coal and electricity-which is the king of growth!
At the
beginning of the year, President Kufuor had to commandeer his immense charm to
convince Ghanaians to pay more for petrol/diesel/kerosene and to cough up more
for the utilities, the most pressing of which was electricity.
It looks
like the President would have to come back with even more charm, because
pertrol/diesel/kerosene will have to go up again in ex-pump prices. This is
because to soften the earlier increases the government had to
"subsidise" a part by suspending some of the taxes due it.
Now that
the government is shifting into high gear in its policy implementation
strategies, it needs all monies due it. The revenue collection agencies, CEPS,
IRS, VAT and sundries are first in line but much is also expected from other
sectors like the oil sector.
It is not
certain when Ghanaians would be asked to pay more; sources close to the Energy
Ministry say it would be soon, but not before workers have enjoyed the salary
increases promised them.
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SFO cites
Police, CEPS Judiciary etc. for corruption
Despite the
zero tolerance for corruption being initiated by the NPP government, Free Press
investigations have revealed that massive corruption still exist in some state
organisations, notably the Judiciary, the Ghana Police Service, Customs, Excise
and Preventive Service (CEPS), Health and Education sectors.
The
maintenance of the Oath of Secrecy by the government, which is preaching
"transparency" as a hallmark of its administration to eliminate corruption
and bribery, is in stark conflict with the anti-corruption drive.
To this
end, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is initiating a bill for parliamentary
approval for the enactment of a Freedom of Information Law.
These were
the observations of Mr Brian A. Sapati, Executive Director of the Serious Fraud
Office (SFO) during a lecture at the GNAT Hall, Accra over the weekend when he
addressed a forum by the Institute of Accountancy on the topic "The Fight
Against Corruption, The Way Forward".
More…/
Catholic
Church denounces use of condoms
Most Rev.
Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops'
Conference, has said that Catholics must not use condoms as advocated by some
Christian churches and the media.
Speaking at
the 41st annual plenary session of the Bishops' Conference at Wa in
the Upper West Region, Archbishop Turkson said the Catholic Church did not
subscribe to the use of condoms.
The theme
for the eight-day conference was "The Pastoral Mission of the Ghana
Catholic Bishops' Conference: Assessment of the mission vision and structures
of the National Catholic Secretariat".
Archbishop
Turkson, the Metropolitan Bishop of Cape Coast, said wholesale promotion and
reliance condoms contradicts the plan of God.
GRi…/
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Petrol
price to go up in September
The
"Ghanaian Voice" writes that it can reveal today that the price of
fuel will go up in September and the projection is that a gallon will be going
for between ¢13,000 to ¢14,000.
The Voice, which
claims the IMF and the World Bank don't want Ghanaians to enjoy the benefit of
HIPC in their pockets, says the speed with which the ORDER PAPER for the 23rd
sitting of the second meeting of Parliament of Thursday June 14 was to be
tabled had vanished and has given credence to the fact that the government
itself is not happy with the anticipated increases.
"But
we are reliably informed that it will be put before parliament before,
parliament rises," states the Voice.
Item six of
the ORDER PAPER on that day read, "PRESENTATION AND FIRST READING OF
BILLS" - Customs, Excise (Petroleum Taxes and Petroleum Related Levies)
Amendment (No2) Bill - Minister of Finance.
The paper's
parliamentary sources say, the Bill has not been laid and wondered why it was put
in the ORDER PAPER on June 14, 2001 if it was not ready.
Exchanges
with some members of Parliament brought revealed that they did not know
anything about the Bill.
GRi…/
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Konadu's
empire 'Yaamutu'
The
Independent says the once invincible, all-powerful empire that Nana Konadu
Agyeman Rawlings, the wife of ex-President Rawlings built has collapsed.
"The
all familiar red-beret, the symbol of female challenge to their male
counterparts has disappeared and all is quiet on the front of her empire-the 31st
December Women's Movement Front."
The paper
says aside the grandeur and glamour that Ghanaian First ladies enjoyed, Nana
Konadu Agyeman-Rwlings goes into history as perhaps the singular Ghanaian First
Lady whose reign went beyond the ordinary ceremonial roles that the Fathia
Nkrumahs and the Faustina Acheampongs played when their husbands were in power.
She added
another dimension to the husband's Holy War revolution of December 31st
declaring war on all forms of problems that militate against the improvement of
the Ghanaian woman through the 31st Movement.
But those
who know the genesis of the organization were not the least swayed by the
niceties that Konadu leadership of the organization would bring to Ghanaian
woman.
To them the
former First Lady hijacked the organization when she realized that she could
gain some glory with it.
It does
seem that her women's group answer to the husband's Holy War became the 31st
December Women's Movement.
The
organization thus had the singular aim of replicating the fight against all
forms of vices that militate against the Ghanaian womanhood just like the Holy
War that was launched to deal with rot in the society.
Shockingly
the structures that Nana Konadu and other members of the movement built to
fortify the interest of the Ghanaian woman have all collapsed just after six
months absence from power of her husband's party.
Nana Konadu
herself has taken a low-key position after the December drubbing of his
husband's party.
The
organization, which became the unofficial Women's Wing of her husband's party
is on the unusually quiet key with all market women who were virtually coerced
into joining it saying they now breath an air of freedom.
One market
woman disclosed that one stood the risk of loosing her stall if one failed to
agree to join the organization.
Perhaps
with the exception of the Nima 31st Day Nursery and Kindergarten,
all other crèches established by Nana Konadu, either on the verge of collapsing
or are collapsed, according to the Independent investigations.
A caretaker
of one of the schools told the paper that unlike the NDC era where the former
First Lady herself took personal interest in the activities of the schools
established by the movement, the former First Lady, had not shown any interest
since the NDC lost the December elections.
GRi…/
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2000 Legon
students have AIDS
Out of the
Twelve thousand (12,000) graduate and undergraduate students studying at the
country's premier tertiary institution, the University of Ghana, Legon, 17 per
cent (17%) of these students are said to have been infected with the deadly
HIV/AIDS disease, writes The Daily Guide.
AIDS the
acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, the health scourge, has no
cure, according to medical experts.
This means
that about 2,040 students of the University of Ghana's 12,000 student
population are HIV positive.
This
revelation was made in Parliament House last Friday by the Minister for Health
Dr. R.W. Anane, in answer to a question posed by Hon. Kwakye Addo, MP for Afram
Plains South.
A further
submission by the Minister, revealed that a similar survey conducted in Girls'
Catholic Schools in Accra and Cape Coast recently show that out of the varying
student populations in both Accra and Cape Coast 12 per cent of these girls have
also contracted the deadly HIV/AIDS virus.
Dr Anane on
the university issue said a random survey was conducted on the students three
(3) months ago, and the shocking results show that 2,040 out of the total
student population of about 12,000 are at the risk of death since the disease
has not yet found a cure.
The
Minister indicated that a 1999 survey revealed that 4.6 per cent of the total
population of Ghana, have been infected and it is presumed that the figure
would have increased this year, 2001.
Due to
these shocking findings the Minster said a desk has been set up at the
Presidency so that the issue of its control, gets a higher profile and is
positioned on a higher agenda for presidential and cabinet scrutiny.
More…/
…And Jack
Bebli wept
He was all
starry-eyed, with tears streaming from his eyes as Justice R.K. Apaloo an Accra
High Court Judge last Friday slapped a 15-year jail term on Alhaji-Sheikh Jack
Bebli, former head of the dreaded Panthers Unit, (Commandos) of the Ghana
Police Service.
The
sentence was in respect of the role played by the 70-year old man, Jack Bebli,
one-time strongman of former President Rawlings in the ¢2.4 billion high-way
gold robbery at Abutia Junction near Apam in the Central Region, some two years
ago.
Jack who is
generally known for his likeness for walking-sticks, was as usual, leaning on
his mystical stick when Judge Apaloo began reading his verdict at exactly 10.25
am to close at 1.30pm, as the old man counted his fate, leaning precariously on
his thirty-something-year-old personal aide or guide.
Justice
Apaloo who looked fairly relaxed, sounded what might have occasioned Jack
Bebli's forlorn looks when he (Judge) told him (Jack Bebli) plainly in the face
that "man you have to be punished for your crimes".
Justice Apaloo's
statement was so terse but that was enough to tell Alhaji Sheikh Jack Bebli
that the long arm of the law, had finally caught up with him.
Five other
persons who executed the highway gold armed robbery (belonging to the Amansie
West Miniing Company) with Bebli on February 16, 1999 were also jailed for 15
years each.
Mr James
Doli who was said to be an accomplice because he dishonestly received the gold
for safekeeping was given five years jail term.
GRi…/
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Consumer
Prices up in June
The High
Street Journal (HSJ) reports that Consumer Price Index (CPI) numbers recorded
in June 2001 showed increases of various degrees, except the Accra City Index,
which recorded a decrease.
Figures
just released by the Statistical Service indicate that the National Index for
June 2001 was 216.50, which compared with 213.13 for May 2001, showed a monthly
increase of 1.6 per cent. Commodities that contributed to the increase in the
index include rice, bread, plantain, tomatoes and yam. The food and beverages
sub-group showed an increase of 1.8 per cent.
Sub-groups
that showed increases were housing and utilities (2.1 per cent), clothing and
footwear 2.2 per cent, recreation (3.8 per cent), household goods (2.0 per
cent) and medical care and health expanses (2.4 per cent).
The Urban
Index in June 2001 was 210.08 compared with 207.62 in May 2001, recording in
May 2001 an increase of 1.2 per cent.
The index
for food and beverages sub-group recorded an increase of 1.0 per cent. Subgroups,
which recorded increases include, housing and utilities (3.1 per cent), alcohol
and tobacco (3.5 per cent) household goods (3.5 per cent), and medical care
(3.9 per cent).
The rural
Index in June 2001 was 222.14 and when compared with 218.04 in May 2001,
recorded an increase of 1.9 per cent. The food and beverages subgroup recorded
an increase of 2.3 per cent. Subgroups, which recorded increases include
clothing and footwear (3.2 per cent), medical care (1.9 per cent), recreation
(4.2 per cent), household goods (1.2 per cent) and housing and utilities (1.1
per cent).
GRi…/
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Agyenim
Boateng honoured
Asante
Mampong was at the weekend the scene of deep mourning as thousands of people
converged for the funeral of the former General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Joseph
Agyenim Boateng, reports the party's mouthpiece, The NPP News.
The
President, Mr J.A. Kufuor led a high-powered government and party delegation to
the funeral. They included the National Chairman, Mr S.A. Odoi-Sykes, General
Secreatry, Mr Dan Botwe, other National Executive members and Regional
Officers.
The funeral
itself was a who is who of the governing NPP as it featured the entire line-up
of Ministers of State and their deputies, Regional Ministers, District Chief
Executives and top party functionaries.
The late Mr
Agyenim Boateng, who died on May 12 at the age of 67 was given full party
honours deserving of a stalwart of his calibre.
GRi…/
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Minority
Group worried over escalating food prices
The
Ghanaian Democrat writes that the Minority Group in Parliament has said it
cannot ignore the effect of escalating food prices on the individual and the
family who might experience the incidence of hunger, malnutrition and disease.
To this
end, it has urged the government to take immediate steps to alleviate the
situation.
Contributing
to a debate in Parliament on the prevailing food situation in the country last
week, Dr Kwabena Adjei, MP for Biakoye, noted that the minority group in
Parliament is worried because if prices remain unchecked in the absence of a
living wage, the government may find itself in total desperation that may
prompt it to adopt unpalatable measures.
"What
Ghanaians need now is food at affordable prices. This is a challenge for the
ruling government", he said, adding that nobody should ignored the effect
of escalating prices of food on the individual and the family who might
experience the incidence of hunger, malnutrition and disease.
GRi…/
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