Air traffic service providers meet on Y2K
Veep Commissions 577 million-cedi office complex
Alhaji Ibrahim Mahama joins CP Presidential race
ECA Executive Secretary arrives for meeting
Rawlings receives message from Algerian President Chairman calls for end to mail fraud
Chairman calls for end to mail fraud
Avoid partisanship, Minister advises assemblies
Sandema holds workshop on exemption for vulnerable groups
Let us support our local industries - Abu
Pupils and teachers vacate school block due to persistent electrical shock
Mitsubishi workers lock out management
Education director worries about low standards
Wildlife Society upgrades data on birds
85 arrested for attacking police station at Mankranso
Improve revenue mobilisation in road sector – Minister
Air traffic service providers meet on Y2K
Accra, 9th June 99 --
A two-day Air Traffic Service Y2K Contingency Planning Meeting to harmonise plans of member states of the Accra and adjacent Flight Information Regions (FIR) opened in Accra on Tuesday.
The meeting organised by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is being attended by delegates from Togo, Benin, Niger, Nigeria and Cote d' Ivoire.
It is a follow up to previous meetings organised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, regional office in Dakar last May, which sought to sensitise and assess progress made by member states in providing solutions to the year 2000 computer problem
Opening the conference, the Director General of GCAA, Wing Commander Andy Mensah, said the object of the meeting is to ensure business continuity and safety of flights during and after the critical Y2K transition period of December 31,1999 to January one, 2000.
He said the Y2K problem poses a critical challenge to the industry in general and Africa in particular, because of the lack of information on plans to combat the problem.
The Director General said most airlines, after close assessment of the problem, have reviewed their decision not to operate during the transition period.
"These airlines seem to have gained confidence in actions instituted by other partners to solve the Y2K problems", he said.
Wing Commander Mensah urged the participants to be frank and open in their deliberations in order to find mutual approach to redress any inefficiency and impediment.
"Our colonial fragmentation as Francophone and Anglophone should not be allowed to impeach our endeavours to find mutual solutions to our common problems".
"This will ensure safety both on the ground and in air for the travelling public", he said.
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Veep Commissions 577 million-cedi office complex
Kpando (Volta Region) 9th June 99 -
Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday commissioned a 577 million-cedi office complex for the Kpando District Assembly and other decentralised government departments and expressed the hope that it would engender higher productivity.
The two-floor, four bay complex was constructed through collaboration between the Assembly and the Ministry of Health.
It was started in 1995 and completed in January this year. It was financed with the Assembly's share of the Common Fund over three years.
While commending the assembly for the initiative, Prof. Mills urged the occupants and the users of the facility to let the congenial office environment motivate them to improve upon their performance.
They should also ensure a maintenance schedule to prevent it from falling into the disrepair that often plague public facilities.
He said government would continue to support the district in its development programmes, citing some projects currently in progress to improve the socio-economic lives of the people.
The projects include the Asikuma-Kpeve trunk road, provision of pipe-borne water to Peki and the construction of the first phase of a 50-kilometre Kpando-Worawora-Dambai road.
He said the district would soon receive a 500-line telephone exchange to be installed by Ghana Telecom at Kpando and said he hoped that this would solve the age-old telecommunication problems of the community.
He said under the Urban Five Project, roads, drains, markets, lorry parks, street lights and sanitation facilities in the district would be upgraded.
Kpando is also one of 40 pilot districts to benefit from the village infrastructure project to receive support for integrated development for the management of water, agriculture, rural transport infrastructure and the provision of markets to minimise post harvest losses.
Ms Ekua Dansua, Kpando District Chief Executive recalled some development projects that were completed in the district and lauded government efforts to see the region develop.
She said in spite of these development efforts, the district is still beset with numerous problems including high youth unemployment rate caused by the absence of industries.
She said the district has large stretches of arable land and water bodies for cultivation of crops such as maize and yams.
There are also large deposits of Kaoline, which could be used for paint and pharmaceuticals.
Ms Dansua said a major problem prevalent in the region is chieftaincy disputes. Some of which are related to the elevation of chiefs to paramount status.
She called governments' attention to the Gbesi Bridge built in 1906 by the Germans, which has now been closed to traffic after two fatal accidents.
Ms Dansua spoke about gossiping and back-biting, which she said is most prevalent in the area and asked the people to re-examine themselves.
Mr Steve Akorli, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport pledged government's commitment to ensure that roads in the district are repaired.
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Alhaji Ibrahim Mahama joins CP Presidential race
Tamale (Northern Region), 9th June 99 -
Alhaji Ibrahim Mahama, a 62 year old lawyer and a leading member of the Convention Party (CP) has declared his intention to join the Presidential race of the party.
"I am going to be in the presidential race of the CP for the 2000 elections because I have over 30 years of experience in politics and I am the kind of person the country needs", he told the GNA at Tamale.
Alhaji Mahama who was speaking in an interview on Monday disagreed with a suggestion that he is too old for politics, arguing that no country can make it if people with experience are insulated from politics because of old age.
"The two must play the game together. Be you old or young. Once you have something to offer and you are eligible to vote or be voted for, nothing stops you from contesting elections", he stressed.
Meanwhile Alhaji Mahama has told party supporters at a rally at Bimbilla that if CP is voted into office it would accomplish so much that it would not be necessary to campaign before being re-elected.
He asked the people to dismiss the notion that without the National Democratic Congress (NDC) the rural electrification programme would be stopped.
He said it was the defunct Convention Peoples Party (CPP) that built the Akosombo Dam, and CP as an Nkrumahist party has a greater responsibility of fulfilling the CPP's dream of extending light to every village than any other government.
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ECA Executive Secretary arrives for meeting
Accra (Greater Accra), 9th June '99 -
The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission of Africa (ECA), Dr K. Amoako, arrived in Accra on Tuesday to participate in a three-day African regional council meeting of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP) which opens in Accra tomorrow.
The conference is under the theme, "African universities, the private sector and civil society: forging partnerships for development".
Participants would include the academia, scientists, policy makers, business executives, economists and educationists.
The conference is expected to examine the role of African universities in the development of the informal sector, and also discuss topics as, 'forging relations between African universities and business', 'higher education and good governance' and 'the industrial and technology sector'.
Dr Amoako told journalists at the airport that the theme for the meeting was most appropriate and relevant as some African universities are in crises and there is the need to find ways to address them before the next millennium.
He recalled a meeting of African economic ministers meeting in Addis Ababa agreed to help reduce poverty by half by the turn of the century and noted that many African countries are putting up structures for the take-off of their economic development.
On the issue of financing and attracting investment to Africa, Dr Amoako said a lot more has to be done by African governments to raise domestic and foreign capital.
Professor George Benneh, Chairman of IAUP met Dr Amoako on arrival.
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Rawlings receives message from Algerian President
Accra (Greater Accra) 9th June '99
President Jerry John Rawlings on Tuesday appealed to member states of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to attend the continental body's next summit which opens in Algeria next month.
He said Algeria's political crisis should not deter members from showing up at the summit.
"Meetings have been held in the past under more serious conditions. So there is no excuse for us to absent ourselves".
President Rawlings said this when an envoy from President Abdelaziz Bouteflika delivered a special message to him at the Castle, Osu, inviting him to the summit.
He said African countries' presence at the summit would afford them a better understanding of the crisis in Algeria.
Algeria plunged into crisis when the government cancelled elections, which Moslem fundamentalists were on the verge of winning. An armed campaign launched by them has since seen hundreds killed.
President Rawlings said in the past, Algeria contributed immensely to the African liberation struggle, using its own resources.
"Our presence at the summit will demonstrate our appreciation''.
He said as a new millennium approaches, African countries need to collaborate in terms of development, if not "we will be paying a higher price as we move into the next millennium''.
President Rawlings told the envoy, Mr Blaid Abdelsalam that "there is no need for your President to send a delegation inviting us to the summit. We will be there. It is an obligation".
Mr Abdelsalam said Algeria attaches importance to Ghana's presence at the summit, taking into account Ghana's dynamic role in African affairs.
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Chairman calls for end to mail fraud
Accra (Greater Accra) 9th June '99
Col Amadu Abdulai, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ghana Postal Services (GPS), on Tuesday called for an immediate solution to the problem of increasing mail fraud in West Africa.
Col Abdulai was addressing participants at a two-day meeting organised by the GPS in collaboration with the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to find a solution to the menace that has assumed an alarming rate in the sub-region.
The meeting is being attended by 30 participants from Ghana, Nigeria, Burkina-Faso, Niger, Chad, Lesotho, and Tanzania.
Col Abdulai said the problem of mail fraud, which originated from Nigeria, has assumed very serious dimensions world-wide due to the sophistication of the fraud and it is engulfing the entire sub-region.
Latest information, he said, shows that the fraudsters have resorted to transferring their letters onto computer diskettes which are carried to Brazil, from where they are decoded, transcribed and transmitted in letter form.
The tricksters usually obtain information about the victims from catalogues of foreign companies.
Col Abdulai said the mail fraud known as the "419" letters are transmitted world-wide with the intention of deceiving recipients into believing that some contract work has been executed for the Nigerian government and a foreign account is needed to aid the transfer of the amounts involved.
The fraudsters then promise the unsuspecting recipients help once they make their account numbers available to them and a deal of huge percentages to be taken when they complete the mission.
Col Abdulai said the writers of these letters often purported to be high-ranking officers with social distinction, give themselves grandiose titles.
He said the UPU has been very impressed by Ghana's success in managing this menace, adding that in October last year, Ghana and the US signed a memorandum of understanding under which these fraudulent letters would be intercepted and destroyed by the US Administration.
He expressed the hope that a concrete solution to the problem would be achieved at the end of the meeting.
Mr E.L Darko, secretary of the board, said such fraudulent activities are depriving postal institutions of huge incomes due to the fake stamps used.
He said local and external measures are being taken to curb the problem.
Mr Darko said mail office and customer desk staff have been educated on the features and characteristics of these envelopes and stamps among other measures and officials of the GPS will attend frequent international seminars to upgrade their knowledge.
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Avoid partisanship, Minister advises assemblies
Bawku, (Upper East), 9th June 99 -
Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper East Regional Minister, has reminded district assemblies to avoid partisan tendencies in the discharge of their functions.
"Even though assembly members may have their individual political affiliations, they should always bear in mind that they are in the assembly to represent the interests of the people".
Addressing the third ordinary meeting of the first session of the Bawku East district assembly Alhaji Suleman said : "if we allow our assembly to be divided along party or ethnic lines, we may end up never reaching a consensus on vital issues to the detriment of the people we represent".
He said certain provisions in the 1992 constitution prohibit discrimination and prejudice on grounds of ethnic origin, gender, religion or circumstances of birth.
Alhaji Sulemana regretted that some communities and traditional areas lag behind in development because of land, ethnic and chieftaincy disputes, and urged that such negative tendencies be curbed before they destroy the nation's social fabric.
Mr Dominic Akudago, Bawku East district chief executive, said the assembly had, as at April this year, bagged 395.9 million cedis in revenue out of an anticipated 515.2 million cedis from traditional sources for the year.
The assembly has completed area council offices, and disbursed loans totalling 116 million cedis to 45 local groups under its poverty alleviation programme.
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Sandema holds workshop on exemption for vulnerable groups
Sandema (Upper East), 9th June 99 -
The Builsa district management team, in conjunction with the district assembly, has organised a one-day workshop at Sandema on the implementation of the policy on exemption of vulnerable groups from payment of hospital fees.
Briefing members on the guidelines, the district director of health services, Dr Jonathan Adda, said the policy forms part of the medium term objectives of the ministry of health.
These objectives, he said, seek among other things, to increase health facilities for all Ghanaians and the provision of quality health care.
The district director said the policy also aims at improving efficiency at all levels of the health sector, as well as fostering collaboration and partnership between the health sector and communities.
According to the guidelines pregnant women are to receive ante-natal services for the first four visits, while people above 70 years, children under five years, and victims of snake and dog bites will also receive free medical treatment.
The district director appealed to assembly members and community leaders to help identify genuine paupers who qualify to benefit from the scheme, and also create the awareness about the exemption.
Delivering the keynote address, the Builsa district chief executive, Mr Daniel Syme, commended the district health management team for its initiative in organising the workshop.
Mr Syme said members of the assembly need to be constantly briefed on government policies and programmes so as to be able to educate the people on such policies.
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Let us support our local industries - Abu
Accra (Greater Accra), 9th June 99 –
Dr John Abu, Minister of Trade and Industry, on Tuesday called for a change in attitude towards locally produced goods if Ghana is to benefit from the new world trade order.
"It is only through this that we can translate our activities into increases in economic growth and productivity at the national level and ensure that we get our fair share of the gains from international trade."
Dr Abu said this at the opening of a four-day seminar for 30 regional officers, directors and personnel from the country's entry points.
The seminar is aimed at strengthening the participants' management skills and capacity in promoting Ghana's Gateway concept which is aimed at making Ghana the gateway to the West Africa as far as trade and investment are concerned
Dr Abu said the issue of globalisation of the world's economy, the new framework for conducting international trade as specified by the World Trade Organisation, as well as Ghana's Vision 2020 create great challenges for a shift in attitude.
"We must move from a situation where we are satisfied with static trade and industry policies and strategies to a position where we are continually examining our policies, strategies and our ways of doing things..."
Dr Abu said at least, a change in attitude will correct the trade imbalance of Ghana which relies heavily on imported goods.
"The emphasis is now on export-oriented economy which demands a strong industrial base.
"We therefore have to support our local industries. And this can be done through a change in attitude towards locally produced goods," Dr Abu said.
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Pupils and teachers vacate school block due to persistent electrical shock
Dadieso (Ashanti Region) 9th June '99
Persistent electrical shocks from the Volta River Authority's (VRA) transmission lines has forced pupils and teachers of the Dadieso Local Authority Primary schools in the Asante-Akim South district to vacate a six-classroomed block.
Pylons erected two years ago by the VRA for high tension electricity cables are only a few metres from the roof of the block. As result anyone who enters the classrooms with metals, particularly after rainfall, gets electrical shock.
The school now holds classes under trees.
Mr James Boadi Danquah, the District Chief Executive and Mr Ofori Awuah, the District Director of Education, have visited the school and held discussions with the chiefs and people on alternative arrangements.
Mr Boadi said the VRA has released a cheque for 69.5 million cedis through the assembly towards the construction of a new classroom block.
The District Chief Executive told the community to help put up temporary structures for classes to be continued until the new classroom block is ready.
Mr Boadi warned teachers not to use the present situation to dodge classes.
Mr Richard Osei Gyasi, the headteacher, gave an assurance that they would do their utmost best to enhance teaching and learning under the present circumstances.
Nana Akomea Mensah, chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association, said they would provide communal labour for the construction of the new block.
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Mitsubishi workers lock out management
Accra (Greater Accra) 9th June '99
Striking workers of African Automobile Company Limited, accredited dealers in Mitsubishi vehicles, on Tuesday prevented members of management from entering the premises of the company.
They blocked the main entrance to the company amid singing of patriotic songs, blowing of whistles and tooting of horns.
The Managing Director of the company who has his residence within the premises of the company was locked out.
Administration, accounts and other staff who did not join the strike were also prevented from entering.
As at the time the Ghana News Agency visited the premises there were no policemen.
Sources close to the workers said the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare on Monday met the management while a team from the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union of the Trades Union (TUC) also met the workers.
The sources said the TUC team was not granted audience by the management of the company with the excuse that management had already met the Deputy Minister of Employment and Social welfare, Mr Austin Gamey, and that there was no need to meet the TUC officials.
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Education director worries about low standards
Kade (Eastern Region) 9th June '99
Mr Charles L. Twumasi-Ankrah, Kwaebibirem district director of education, has expressed concern about falling standards of education in the district.
In a letter addressed to stakeholders in education in the district, he spoke of numerous problems affecting education which need to be solved immediately.
He said academic performance is below expectation while drop-out from school and teenage pregnancy is on the increase. He however did not elaborate.
Mr Twumasi-Ankrah said some students are turning to drugs, others are being introduced to pornographic and wild films while some others have abandoned school for mining or trading.
"These problems are stabs in the back of the country's education policy and they need to be tackled and solved by all those who have a stake in education," he said.
He said the "wisdom, expertise and exemplary social standing of the stakeholders make them strong partners in the effort to help raise educational standards."
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Wildlife Society upgrades data on birds
Accra (Greater Accra) 9th June '99
The Ghana Wildlife Society (GWS) has discovered areas in the sub-region known as Important Birds Areas (IBA) to upgrade data on bird species, Mr Erasmus Henaku Owusu, Project Manager, said on Tuesday.
The IBA idea seeks to identify and protect a network of sites critical to the long-term viability of naturally occurring bird population.
Mr Owusu told Mr Robert Stanton, Director of the US National Park Service, who was a visit GWS that as part of activities to safeguard bird species in the IBA, the GWS has negotiated with institutions and key players in conservation around the selected sites for development of partnerships.
The visit was to enable him explore possible areas of wildlife activities in Ghana and see how best his outfit could assist the GWS.
A national advisory committee has been charged with the responsibility of coming out with strategies to influence decision-makers on the need to conserve bird sites.
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85 arrested for attacking police station at Mankranso
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 9th June ’99
The police have arrested 85 people from Adugyama in the Ahafo-Ano South district of Ashanti suspected to have taken part in a mob attack on the Mankranso police station last Saturday.
They were rounded up in a dawn raid on the town by a police detachment from Kumasi led by Assistant Superintendent of Police H.A. Yakubu.
The attack on the station was said to have been sparked off by the arrest of five persons at the Adugyama Zongo who were wanted for assault and causing damage.
Mr Yaw Adu-Gyimah, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, explained to the press in Kumasi on Tuesday that the five, Salifu, Lawal, Iddrisu, Salifu Armaa and Yakubu, were escorted to the Mankranso Police Station by Mr Abdul Aziz, unit committee chairman.
Shortly afterwards, a nissan urvan mini-bus packed with mostly the youth from Adugyama pulled up at the station and besieged the charge office.
The Regional Commander said they demanded the release of the five, managed to free two of them and attempted to disarm the policeman on duty, Sergeant D.K. Adetor.
In the ensuing struggle, the rifle went off hitting one of the assailants on the leg and another on the thigh, Mr Adu-Gyimah said, adding that the two, whose names he could not readily give, are now on admission at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).
He said the suspects would be screened and those found to have taken part in the attack would be prosecuted.
The Regional Police Commander condemned the increasing attacks on police stations and police personnel, and warned that they would deal ruthlessly with people who engage in such lawless acts.
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Improve revenue mobilisation in road sector – Minister
Accra (Greater Accra) 9th June ’99
Mr Mike Hammah, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, on Tuesday stressed the need to improve revenue mobilisation in the road sector to finance road maintenance.
Speaking at a workshop organised by the World Bank and the Ministry in Accra on Roads Management Initiative (RMI) and Rural Travel and Transport Programme (RTTP), Mr Hammah said budget allocation covers only 30 per cent of requirements on the ground.
He said that it is for this reason that the Road Fund Concept has been put in place to raise money through the imposition of road tariffs, vehicle licensing fees, and fuel levy.
He said specific agencies have been made responsible for various categories of roads. These are the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) for trunk roads, Department of Feeder Roads and Department of Urban Roads.
He stressed the need to create a more business-like road agency that would involve road users in the management of roads and the introduction of sound practices to ensure that users get value for their money.
Mr Hammah said, apart from addressing staff issues, attention should be paid to giving the various road agencies a clear mandate, effective management and autonomy to enable them act commercially.
The Deputy Minister commended GHA for streamlining its staffing position, disciplinary procedures and introducing a road management system.
Mr J. L Lamptey, Director for Monitoring and Evaluation of the GHA said the fuel levy should be increased gradually to 10 cents per litre by the year 2002 to gather funds for road maintenance.
Mr Lamptey said strategic plans for road maintenance include clearing the backlog of maintenance work, giving the highest priority to routine and periodic maintenance and improving cost recovery.
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