Judgement awaits us – President reminds Ministers of State
All set for Home Coming Summit
'Price increases will overburden people'
Student leaders must choose dialogue
3 students suspended over 'wee'
Kufuor's pitch
It's God's will
PNC women weep as Mallam Isa goes to jail
Treat Rawlings' talk as academic exercise
Was Mallam Isa a victim?
Where was Tony Aidoo on June 4?
BOG caused IMF penalty
¢3 billion profit in Cocobod deal
Final rest for Afrifa and Co.
CELLTEL heading for the dogs – Plot to show Kludjeson way out
Common currency for Ghana & four others in 2003
Judgement awaits us – President reminds Ministers of State
The Daily Graphic reports that President J.A. Kufuor has warned Ministers of State to be conscious that a day of accountability awaits them as they strive to serve the nation.
The paper quotes him as saying that the sight of former offer holders appearing before the law courts should serve as a constant reminder that "in all we do, there will be a day of accountability".
President Kufuor gave the warning when he opened a three-day workshop for ministers at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) at Greenhill near Accra last Friday.
He said the NPP came to power on the crest of the people's revulsion over the arrogance of public office holders and the misuse of public funds.
He said, "As members of government, we have a sacred duty to ensure that public funds are treated with the utmost diligence and care".
The President declared: "The decisions that we take today ought to stand the scrutiny of future generations".
He said the biggest problem we face, as a nation, is poverty, because too many people live in unacceptable conditions.
The President explained that the policies the government has followed, since coming into power, have, therefore, been aimed at stabilizing the economy.
President Kufuor said in pursuit of this objective, the government has had to take some very hard decisions with long-term objectives in mind.
"We have resisted the temptation to opt for short term measures that might bring us temporary political advantage, but I believe in the long run, these policies will bear fruits," he stated.
President Kufuor said the government has so far set the foundation for a sensible management of the economy and "as we move into the second phase of delivery when we start spending money on implementing our programmes, there will be many temptations and challenges".
He reminded the ministers that they are servants of the people and must, therefore, serve them with humility.
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All set for Home Coming Summit
The novelty summit of Ghanaians living abroad opens at the Accra International Conference Centre on Monday.
Dubbed "Home Coming Summit", it is being organized by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) under the auspices of the Government of Ghana.
As the name suggests, the essence of the summit under the theme "Harnessing the Global Ghanaian Resource Development for Accelerated Development" is to bring together Ghanaians living abroad to brainstorm on the development process and get their commitment to support the economic renewal efforts.
There will be an exhibition on investment and business opportunities in Ghana and a plenary session on the national economic situation.
Remittances from Ghanaians living abroad have provided a lifeline to the Ghanaian economy for several decades now. It has been used to shore up the cedi and provide goods and services for the Ghanaian consumer.
It is believed that Ghanaians living abroad contribute about $400 million towards the local economy, ranking fifth after earnings from cocoa, gold, tourism and non-traditional exports.
The summit is expected to recommend the sale of bonds to Ghanaians living abroad and the setting up of a fund into which they will contribute to finance projects in critical areas as health, education and poverty reduction.
About 1,600 Ghanaians living in America, Europe, Asia and parts of Africa are expected at the summit with President Mr J.A. Kufuor doing the opening.
Ministers of State, including Food and Agriculture, Finance, Government Business, Economic Planning and Regional Integration, Trade and Industry, Manpower Development and Employment and the Minority Leader in Parliament, will take turns to address the summit and engage delegates in fruitful discussions.
Seventy-two exhibitors, including real estate developers, financial institutions, service providers, metropolitan and municipal assemblies as well as Region Coordinating Councils, will showcase their products and services at the summit.
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'Price increases will overburden people'
The Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP) has said the sharp increase in the prices of good and services at short intervals will further overburden the people and defeat government's efforts to reduce poverty levels in the country.
"The GCPP is very anxious about the drastic effects of the intermittent increase in the prices of goods and services, especially the recent 50 percent increases in academic fees for basic and secondary levels and its effect on the pay packets of workers and the populace at large and wonders whether the government's desire to rid the country of poverty could be realized," it said.
The leader of the GCPP, Comrade Dan Lartey, who was addressing a national executive meeting of the party in Accra to state the party's position on the increase in academic fees, described as contradictory the escalation in the prices of goods and services and the commitment of the Kufuor’s administration to reducing poverty to enable the people live meaningful and dignified lives.
He urged the government to bear in mind that 70 per cent of the people are poor and therefore, in increasing the commodity prices, the plight of the poorer sections of the population should be adequately looked at in order not to push them further into the poverty abyss.
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Student leaders must choose dialogue
3 students suspended over 'wee'
The Ghanaian Times says Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Education, has called for a new generation of more responsible students leadership capable of using dialogue to address students problems in the country's tertiary institutions.
He said that the leadership should open room for debate instead of resorting to violent demonstrations, which did not augur well for the nation's educational process.
Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi made these remarks at the Sixth Congregation of the University College of Education, Winneba (UCEW), at the weekend.
In all, 2,701 graduands from the three branches of the institution (Winneba, Kumasi and Mampong) received degrees, diplomas and certificates.
Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi said that the government would soon take a decision to amend the PNDC Law 322, which established the college to grant it a full University status.
He explained that the government was impressed with the modest gains that the institution had made towards effective integration of teaching facilities and services and the quality staff and products.
Additionally, it was satisfied with the college's effort to upgrade teachers its Bachelor's degree programmes in education using distant education, and the foresight of the college in designing distance education modules for Diploma students.
The Minster said that the government was committed to improving working conditions for teachers and would do everything possible to improve physical and academic infrastructure at all levels of education.
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3 students suspended over 'wee'
Three final-year students of St. Augustine's College at Cape Coast have been suspended indefinitely for smoking Indian hemp.
The headmaster, Mr Jerry Ben Koomson, announced this at a general meeting of the school's Parent-Teachers Association.
The names of the affected students were not disclosed, and Mr Koomson said that the Board of Governors would take a final decision on them.
He said that the students "haywire" after smoking the hemp, and one of them had to receive psychiatric attention at the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital.
The Headmaster appealed to the PTA to collectively help find a solution to the problems of drugs and indiscipline in the school, saying that parents and guardians should acquaint themselves with the school's code of conduct.
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Kufuor's pitch
President Kufuor will on Monday throw the dice in the main Conference Hall of the International Conference Centre in Accra when he addresses the Homecoming Summit, according to The Accra Mail.
The element of a lottery stems from the fact that the President will either have the following of his compatriots living abroad, in his grand policy of the "Golden Age of Busiens in Ghana", or lose them.
“There is no center ground, because the summit is targeted at Ghanaians living abroad - Ghanaians who from a distance have watched as their country has been degraded by years of bad governance. They will be listening intensely to the President to determine whether Ghanaian is on the road to a true renaissance.”
It says seven months into President Kufuor’s administration and it is already clear that he has to play the role of the surgeon whose only way out to save a patient is by cauterization.
The economy he inherited was rotten at the core due to entrenched structural defects of two decades of eccentric and erratic governance. The economy simply cannot handle any more government expenditure, while at the same time it will demand from citizens more sacrifice. The kind of sacrifice that may run into two or three years before any signs of respite start showing, testing the stamina of people, especially those salaried workers whose only improvement in life style comes from government-announced salary increases and could be a source of social tension unless well-managed.
The Mail says Monday’s summit will be touching on investment opportunities and investment security in Ghana and so, the pitch from the president would be to attract Ghanaian investors back home to help accelerate the improvement in the value of the cedi and further bring inflation down.
Most of these "homecomers" justifiably see their country as unsafe for investment with coup d'etats and civil wars often cited as the main disincentives.
Many of them would have heard of the coup or "boom" threats from the multi coup maker, Jerry Rawlings, against the seven month old government of President Kufuor, and the support he is getting form the NDC, his political party.
Unless the President can assure them that Rawlings or for that matter another coup maker would not try to destabilize the country, the summit will end up as a forum for glorified tourists.
“And that would be tragic,” states the Mail.
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It's God's will
It took a few minutes to sink in, for him to come to the stark reality that he would spend the next four to seven years, behind prison bars and locked away from the outside world, writes The Daily Guide.
No wonder therefore that Mallam Ali Yusif Issah, 42-years-of-age, immediately after the Judge's verdict let out a groan. He held his head, momentarily shocked and dazed at the judgement.
As if in a trance, he let go his characteristic trademark demure smile. He however remained, calm and splendid in his three-piece flowing Boubou or Agbada dress complemented by his usual vivaciousness and exuding smugness.
When the realization finally dawned on Mallam Issah that he was going to jail, he shook his head and uttered his now very famous words, INSHA ALLAH, (God willing, it is God's will), and went out willingly, without being handcuffed, led by a couple of Striking Force policemen in riot gear. Even here, he was still laughing.
His countenance however changed when the riot-gear policemen jumped into the black Toyota Tundra vehicle after they had slumped him unto the front-seat.
“The picture that the television cameras captured, afterwards was not a smiling Mallam - it was the picture of a man close to tears, writes the Guide.
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PNC women weep as Mallam Isa goes to jail
Treat Rawlings' talk as academic exercise
The judgement came as a bombshell, reports The Ghanaian Chronicle, and its impact crushing. Scores of sympathizers, particularly women, broke into spontaneous wailing, refusing to be comforted.
But the coup de grace had been delivered - four years in jail for Malam Ali Yusuf Issa, former Youth the Sports Minster.
As police personnel numbering about six massed around the convict in the courtroom minutes later and escorted him to the police pickup truck parked yards away form the entrance to the court emotions run thin. Malam's trademark laughter was gone.
And as the siren-blaring police truck sped away from Justice Julius Ansah's Fast Track Court located in the Supreme Court building in Accra, reality sank in for the former Minister.
For the first time on his several jaunts to the court, Malam did not wave to the crowd-who had followed the case for the three months it lasted.
Malam Issa was found guilty on two counts of stealing and causing financial loss to the state and was sentenced to four years imprisonment each on both counts. But the sentence will run concurrently.
He was also fined ¢10 million or serve 2 months imprisonment in default and further ordered to refund the lost $46,000 within one month or serve an additional two-year prison term.
It was undoubtedly a moment of pain and anguish for members of the regular entourage that accompany the former Youth and Sports Minister on his daily trips to the court. They watched agonizingly as their breadwinner, brother and friend was driven to the police headquarters en-route to Nsawam.
Hajia Suleimana Damata, PNC parliamentary candidate for Ayawaso Est who was dressed in an all-white apparel could not hold back her tears.
She wept bitterly accusing the government of showing bad faith to a party "that ensured their electoral victory in the December 28 run-off".
As the women wept, the men put up brave faces refusing to betray their emotions. None of them would however speak to the media.
Media commentators who spoke to the press described the sentence imposed on Malam Isa as a signal from the judiciary to politicians and public office holders to be more responsible in the discharge of their duties.
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Treat Rawlings' talk as academic exercise
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) former Minister of Education, Ekow Spio Garbrah, has described Ex-President Rawlings controversial interview as one that should be subjected to academic analysis.
He said even though the full tape of the interview is not being made available, the excerpts taken out has been blown, only to the extend that there were references to the circumstance under which coups take place or coups might take place.
To think that the former President just gets up in the morning and talks about coup is unfortunate", he added.
Mr Spio Garbrah gave this overview of ex-President Rawlings interview on Joy FM last Friday on the Frontpage programme and said, Mr Rawlings was just analyzing the causes of coups and this is why he immediately said "Rawlings is not asking for coup, Rawlings is not interested in coups.. but if you want to know when coups take place then these are among the factors which lead to coups."
According to him, Mr Rawlings interview was based upon a request by Mr Charles Haviland, of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in a letter dated on 13 June, 2001. The letter had specifically asked him to be part of a series of interviews that BBC was conducting with a number of African current leaders and former, and individuals who may have been involved in coups or who understand how the military has intervened in politics in Africa.
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Was Mallam Isa a victim?
Ex-sports minister, Mallam Ali Yusuf Isa last Friday was whisked away by police from the Fast Track Court in Accra to begin a four-year jail term in prison but shortly after defence counsel Ambrose Dery told the Public Agenda that he would appeal the conviction.
"I have been instructed by my client to appeal the court's decision and I will seek his interest within the law" he said.
Dery was quick to add that he "respected" the decision but disagreed with the judges' conclusion.
Dery is not the only one disagreeing with the Judge's decision. The reaction of the court audience who talked to the paper after the trial was largely sympathetic.
A fair number felt the jail term was too harsh in view of the fact that he had offered to pay.
"It is difficult to accept that the ex-minister is going to jail for four years, especially when he is ready to pay the missing money. I expected him to be fined and asked to pay the money ", one of the audiences said.
But beyond sympathy and natural justice are also real doubts about what really happened. It did come out during the trial that Mallam was threatening to step on some toes at the Sports Ministry. While the Mallam's strenuous questioning of actions in his Ministry may have been only to throw dust in our eyes, it is also probable that his probing did not endear him to some of his subordinates.
“It is these circumstances surrounding the case that hold the doubts in place: Did he or did he not”? “Did someone else”, questions the Agenda.
“Whatever it is, it appears that Mallam could not convince the court that there is any reasonable doubt in his favour and by the rules of the game that means guilty”, writes the paper.
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Where was Tony Aidoo on June 4?
The vague and rapacious utterances of Dr Tony Aidoo, the then Deputy Minster of Defence coupled with his vitriolic public comportment were some of the reasons for the defeat of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the December 7,2000 elections.
These, the Free Press says, were the revelations of Inspector Alhaji Mohammed Alidu (rtd), Regional Organising Assistant of the former Upper East Police CDR in a caution letter to the former Head of State, Jerry John Rawling, and copied to the press.
Referring to "abusive" and inflammatory vituperations of the former President during the 22nd anniversary of June 4 at the Accra Arts Centre and his recent interview with the BBC, Inspector Alhaji Alidu charged that it was the offensive oration of Dr Tony Aidoo that influenced the abusive speech and interview of the ex-President.
In that wise, he advised Ex-President Rawlings to take cue form Ex-President Soglo of the Republic of Benin and Mr Bill Clinton of the United States and to learn to live a quiet and sober life in order to gain respect as a former President and a United Nations eminent person.
Inspector Alidu stated that Dr. Tony had publicly admitted that he was not in the country during the period of June 4, 1979. "By implication, he does not know anything about June 4 revolution".
"If that is the case, then Dr. Tony Aidoo has no moral justification, to address Ghanaians as he did during the 22nd anniversary celebration of June 4 recently.
"His speech at that function was so provocative that Ex-President Rawlings was moved to make certain statements, which did not go down well with a section of Ghanaians", he stressed.
He questioned also the public behaviour of Dr. Tony Aidoo in a recent GTV breakfast show when he made "serious derogatory remarks against the Minster for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Hackan Owusu Agyeman and his repetition of same in a phone-in programme on an Accra FM station.
"What Tony Aidoo", Inspector Alidu advised "needs to be told in plain language is that in making unguided statements against innocent citizens, he is doing a great harm to his person and the NDC at large.
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BOG caused IMF penalty
The Ghanaian Voice says contrary to the much publicized IMF/World Bank penalty supposedly caused by the government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), its investigation has revealed that it was the Bank of Ghana that was responsible for the penalty slapped on Ghana by the Bretton Woods institutions.
Sources at the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana disclosed that before the IMF gave the government any Programme, it had to be satisfied that the government did not owe any of the creditor countries money in arrears. The Ministry normally asked the Central Bank to pay up.
In the case of the $34 million facility, a meeting was held at the Ministry of Finance with the Bank of Ghana and at that particular meeting the BOG told Finance that there were no arrears.
On the strength of the assurance from BOG, the government was given a new Programme.
It was after this that some of the Paris-Club countries informed the IMF that some payments were long overdue.
The letter to the IMF, which stated that Ghana owed no arrears was signed by an official of BOG known as France.
The Bretton Woods institutions call this mis-reporting, which attracted a penalty of $5 million. In addition to the arrears, it worked up to $39 million.
It came out that the BOG failed to tell the NPP government that it was responsible for the mis-reporting to the IMF.
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¢3 billion profit in Cocobod deal
The Dispatch says its ongoing investigations have uncovered how prices of certain items to be supplied to COCOBOD have been grossly inflated by over 45%, to the extent that the profit margin of the suppliers is in the region of about US$490,000 (¢3.4 billion). The total sales value of the supplies is about $1.27 million (¢8.89 billion). The names have been withheld as investigations by security agencies continue.
8,600 10 litre watering cans which cost about $3 per cent is reportedly being offered to COCOBOD at over $5 per can.
They are due in about five containers and COCOBOD insiders have expressed serious concerns. The total profit is about $177,200 (¢120.4 million), of a total sales value of $43,000 (¢301 million).
Packed in about 16 containers are about 20,500 12 litre knapsack sprayers, which cost about $18.75, will be offered to COCOBOD at $29.50, making the total sales value of $604,750 (¢4.2 billion). The profit margin is about $220,375 (¢1.54 billion).
The profit margin of $17,500 (¢500.5 million) is on the supply of 6,500 15 litre knapsack sprayers in six containers. The price is about $30 per can and COCOBOD will be expected to cough up $41 for one. The total cost is $266,500 (¢1.86 billion).
Liquid copper packed in 2.5 litre cans, cost about $13.50 each but COCOBOD will pay $23.40 for each of the 6,744 cans. The profit margin is $66,765 million, from a total sales value of $157,809 (¢1.1 billion). They are likely to be in 11 containers.
There are other supplies according to the paper, which its investigations were unable to uncover.
One thing is however clear according to the Dispatch - there is the need for in-depth investigations on how the contract for these supplies was arrived at.
Senior sources at COCOBOD on condition of anonymity said these supplies were only part of certain anomalies.
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Final rest for Afrifa and Co.
The Independent says Ghana's sordid past will on Monday be revisited when security agencies supervise the exhumation of the mortal remains of three former heads of state and five other senior military officers who were executed by the Rawlings-led Armed Forces Revolutionary Council in June 1979.
Family sources and an insider in the government told The Independent that all is slated for the exhumation, which unless the unexpected happens will take place on the said day.
The eight bodies to be exhumed are those of General Akwasi Afrifa, Kutu Acheampong, Fred Akuffo and Rear Admiral Joy Amedume. The rest are Colonel Roger Felli, Brigadier Utuka, Major General Robert Kotei and Air Vice Marshall Yaw Boakye.
The execution of the eight is a sour point in the nation's history as the eight were not tried by the due process of the law.
It is not known up to date the crimes for which they were executed.
Their relatives all these years never knew where their loved ones were buried.
But following a petition from their widows the Kufuor government in line with its policy of national reconciliation decided that in tune with Ghanaian custom, the eight should be given the dignity that all the deceased in Ghana are accorded.
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CELLTEL heading for the dogs – Plot to show Kludjeson way out
The American-Jew Managing Director of CELLTEL Ghana Lomited, a communications technology company, Mr Robet Palittz is after all an Israeli Intelligence operative – Mossad working for a faceless group which is out to deny Mr Prince Kofi Kludjeson, a local industrialist his property.
According to the Ghanaian Democrat, its investigations have unearthed a diabolical plot by the Managing Director to relocate the company without the knowledge of the 20 per cent shareholder, Mr Kludjeson, and the board of directors.
It is believed that the American-Jew is in secret negotiations with business opponents of Kludjeson to take away the company.
As a first step, Mr Palittz got rid of all senior personnel at CELLTEL apparently for the mere fact that they were employed by Kludjeson and therefore owe him allegiance.
In their place, he promoted the ‘floor boys’ who knew little about management and administrative practices.
In order to block out Kludjeson and hijack the company for his sponsors, the MD in the interim, started paying the favourite employees in dollars and having got hold of them, turned the CELLTEL headquarters into a kind of GESTAPO where the staff are in perpetual fear.
A colleague staff should not be seen conversing with another. When caught by his agents one is face with outright dismissal.
According to some dismissed workers, Mr Kludjeson was the sole owner of CELLTEL but had to relinquish absolute control because of the erstwhile NDC government’s policy of Ghanaian businessmen entering into joint partnership with their foreign counterparts.
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Common currency for Ghana & four others in 2003
The NPP News writes that a common currency for Ghana and four other West African countries will be put into circulation during the second half of 2003.
The other countries are Gambia, Guinea, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Work on the establishment of the second West African Monetary Zone is already in progress after the setting up of the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) with its headquarters.
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Economic Planning and Regional Cooperation reportedly, made this known in a speech delivered on his behalf by Hon Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade at a one-day workshop organised by the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs in collaboration with WAMI in Accra last week.
It was under the theme, “The Role of Parliament in Regional Cooperation and Integration: West African Common Currency”.
Dr Nduom said the main mandate of WAMI was to prepare the ground for the setting up in two years time the common central bank to be known as the West African Central Bank (WACB).
“This WACB will introduce the common currency that will start circulation in the five member countries namely: The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria and Sierra Leone during the first half of the year 2003,” he declared.
Under the ECOWAS Fast-Track approach Ghana and Nigeria took the initiative in December 1999 to establish a second monetary zone that will work to merge the two regional currencies by the year 2004 to form a single currency for ECOWAS, among others, in addition to the CFA-Zone of the UEMOA countries.
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