Eight pregnant girls withdrawn from school – two boys responsible
GBC withdraws White Chapel advertisement
Food products, beverages from Belgium banned
Tourism operators urged to help in maintaining clean environment
Council protests against high electricity bills
GNAT threatens to pull out of SSNIT
German Ambassador calls on Mahama
Government to amend Shippers' Act
Armed Forces Council holds maiden meeting
Public expresses concern about frequent road blocks
Committee to probe AGC's strike action inaugurated
Eight pregnant girls withdrawn from school – two boys responsible
Begoro (Eastern Region), 16th June 99 –
Eight pregnant pupils of the Begoro Presbyterian "A" and "B" Junior Secondary School (JSS) have been asked to withdraw from the school.
One of the teenagers is in JSS one, three in JSS two and four in JSS three.
Two boys in their third year at Begoro Presbyterian "B" JSS accused of being responsible for the pregnancy of all the eight girls, have also been dismissed from the school.
Mr D. M. Ankomah, District Director of Education, commenting on the incident, told the GNA that those in their final year who had been registered by their schools for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) "will be allowed to take their examinations in August this year".
He said the girls would be allowed to continue with their education after delivery.
Mr Ankomah blamed parents for not providing the necessary guidance and monitoring of activities of their daughters.
He explained that since the pupils were not in the boarding house, it would be difficult for their teachers to monitor their activities after school.
Mr Collins Owusu-Appiah, Fanteakwa district chief executive, said the district assembly would strictly enforce its by-laws which bar school children from wake-keeping, drinking clubs and entertainment centres in the Begoro township.
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GBC withdraws White Chapel advertisement
Accra (Greater Accra), 16th June 99 –
The National Media Commission (NMC) says it has noted with satisfaction the decision of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to withdraw a White Chapel advertisement found to be in bad taste.
A statement from the Commission on Tuesday signed by Nana Essilfie-Conduah, Executive Secretary, said the withdrawal was at the instance of the Commission following public disquiet that reached it about the said advertisement.
The statement said the GBC board "unanimously agreed that the advertisement was in bad taste and directed that it be withdrawn from Ghana Television screen immediately".
However, the board expressed fears about other stations carrying the advertisement and requested the Commission to have a broader advertising policy to pre-empt recurrence.
The statement said the Commission has been seriously concerned about advertisements that are culturally unacceptable and offend public and group sensitivities.
It assured the general public that it will not relent in its efforts to ensure that unedifying commercials and films are neither screened, broadcast, nor printed in the media throughout the country.
NMC called on all operators and media practitioners to exercise self-censorship in such matters.
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Food products, beverages from Belgium banned
Accra (Greater Accra), 16th June 99 -
The Ministry of Trade and Industry on Wednesday announced that it is extending the ban on Belgian chicken, eggs, pork and poultry derivatives to cover all food products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
The ban takes immediate effect, according to a statement signed by J.S. Dalrymple-Hayfron, Chief Director of the Ministry.
It said the decision to ban these additional items follows more reported cases of contamination of food and beverages in Belgium. The latest is the contamination of Coca-Cola drinks throughout Belgium.
"All Belgian food products, including meat and beverages are therefore to be withdrawn from the Ghanaian market."
Early this month, the ministry ordered the withdrawal of chicken, eggs, poultry derivatives, including mayonnaise, pasta, pastries and cake, pork and pork products originating from Belgium.
This followed a statement from the Belgian Health Ministry that these products may be unsafe for human consumption as a result of the high level of cancer-causing dioxin used in the poultry industry in that country.
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Tourism operators urged to help in maintaining clean environment
Accra (Greater Accra), 16th June 99 –
Mrs. Doreen Owusu-Fianko, Executive Director, Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), on Tuesday called on individual tourism operators to help maintain a clean environment, especially on the beaches, saying this is important to the growth of the industry.
"This can be done by adopting a street, lane, avenue, township, locality, district or even a region and contributing in diverse and ingenious ways to improving our environmental sanitation," she said.
Mrs. Owusu-Fianko was speaking at the launch of a tourism awareness and promotional book entitled "Ghana: Practical Travellers Guide to the Gold Coast of West Africa" written by Jojo Cobbinah.
The 380-page book which covers a wide variety of information on the lives and lifestyles of Ghanaians is to serve as a guide to tourists.
It also presents the discerning business or leisure traveller and curious adventure tourists with an insight into the country to avoid unpleasant experiences and enjoy the best of our environment, history, culture and receptive services.
Mrs. Owusu-Fianko said "such little drops of efforts" by tourism operators would create awareness among the people and other corporate bodies to emulate.
She explained that GTB lacks tourism brochures and promotional materials and said the book will fill the void in its promotional activities.
Mrs. Owusu-Fianko expressed the hope that the book would contribute to boosting tourism in the country.
The occasion was also used as a platform to give a brief on the forthcoming Second International Tourism Trade Fair dubbed "Inter-Tourism 99", which is on the theme "Vision 2020: Ghana Tourism Gateway to Africa."
Mr Frank Appiah, Managing Director, Talent Marketing, said the fair which will be held from September 24 to October three will feature 5,000 participants.
He explained that the fair aims at exposing the tourist product of Ghana in particular and Africa in general to both local and foreign travel trade operators, investors and tourism input suppliers.
It will also provide an ideal forum for interaction between the travel trade, corporate market and travel input suppliers and boost domestic and regional tourism by exposing some attraction areas to visitors.
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Council protests against high electricity bills
Adankwame (Ashanti Region) 16 June '99
The Adankwame Area Council has protested against what it described as " the widespread abnormal high electricity tariffs being issued by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG)", saying this is causing apprehension among the people.
At its meeting held at Adankwame in the Atwima District, the members said electricity bills sent to most customers "are totally unrelated to their actual power consumption".
Mr Emmanuel Kwabena Poku, Chairman of the Council, said monthly bills for households at Asuofua, a resettlement community, has for some time, now been ranging between 200,000 cedis and 800,000 cedis.
He said since consumers do not use electrical gadgets and appliances, beside bulbs, "we are inclined to believe that either the meters installed by the ECG are faulty and not correctly read or there is something basically wrong with the Company's billing system".
Mr Poku cited an instance where an old farmer who does not even own a radio set and uses only three bulbs in his house was billed for 500,000 cedis.
He was unhappy that several representations made to the Company to rectify the situation have failed to produce any results.
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GNAT threatens to pull out of SSNIT
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 16 June '99
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has threatened that it would consider opting out of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to set up its own pension scheme if benefits under the SSNIT scheme do not improve.
Mr Kusi Atansah, Head of Organisation and Administration, GNAT headquarters, gave the warning at Sunyani on Tuesday during a meeting with teachers to discuss the impact of the Price Waterhouse recommendations and other matters affecting the profession.
Mr Atansah pointed out that unlike benefits under the scrapped teachers' pension ordinance of 1955, teachers are extremely dissatisfied with the quantum of retirement benefits they are getting from the SSNIT Pension scheme.
He said as a result, GNAT has contracted a consultant to study the SSNIT Scheme to see how best it could be improved to yield benefits that are closer to or better than what was obtained under the ordinance.
The consultant, Mr Atansah said, is also expected to look into the possibility of teachers setting up their own pension scheme, so that should SSNIT fail to improve its retirement benefits, a more beneficial alternative scheme would be established for teachers.
He noted that if, on the other hand, the studies show that GNAT alone cannot establish a pension fund for its members, it would actively support and encourage other companies to set up an alternative scheme to bring competition into the sector.
"It is our belief that SSNIT's monopoly over the State Pension Scheme is blunting its ability to look for better ways of improving benefits to levels that are close to those of Cap 30", he said.
Mr Atansah contended that with a membership of about 140,000, a pension scheme by teachers and for teachers could be highly feasible.
He revealed that the teachers' fund established last year with 1,000 cedis contribution a member every month is set to yield about 1.8 billion cedis annually.
Mr Atansah said if members would agree to increase their contribution to five thousand cedis every month, the fund could generate seven billion cedis every year.
This, he said, could ultimately form the foundation for teachers' pension scheme.
He gave the assurance that the leadership would not do anything without consulting the various branches and said the appointment of full time secretaries for all the district branches of the association is an indication of efforts being made to improve communication.
Mr Atansah advised the leadership of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) to rejoin the GNAT so that the interest of teaches in the country could be fought with a united voice.
Mr John Nyoagbe, of the Research Department of the Association, took the teachers through the various ranges they have been placed in the new salary scheme.
He said though GNAT is not fully satisfied with some of the classifications, it has decided to use dialogue to get the situation rectified.
The Regional Chairman of GNAT, Nana Kwabena Ameyaw, said the association is not only interested in collecting dues from members but also feeding them with information on efforts being made to improve their lot.
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German Ambassador calls on Mahama
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 June '99
The German Ambassador, Mr Christian Nakonz, on Monday paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Communications, Mr John Mahama.
A statement issued in Accra on Tuesday said Mr Nakonz praised the government for the "positive and transparent" manner in which the state is being run.
This, he said, has led to an increase in the flow of information in government sectors.
He said there is a lot of German investor interest in Ghana and called for continuous improvement in telecommuncation infrastructure.
Mr Mahama commended the German government for its keen interest in the human resource development in Ghana.
He asked the ambassador to explore the possibility of extending technical assistance to Ghana in the field of film preservation and restoration, explaining that the government intends to establish a permanent national film archive.
Dr Floridan Riendel, second secretary of the German Embassy, presented a set of books and magazines on Germany to the minister.
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Government to amend Shippers' Act
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 June '99
The government is taking steps to amend the Merchant Shipping Act of 1963 to ensure that outdated provisions, which have limited the scope and application of the law, are changed.
This will make the law more responsive to modern demands of the shipping industry.
The bill, which is yet to be placed before parliament, consolidates provisions of existing legislation, which are still applicable, with many new provisions that take into account developments in international shipping laws.
Mr Mike Hammah, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, said at the celebration of the first African Shippers' Day in Accra.
The day organised by the Union of African Shippers Councils and Ghana Shippers Council is under the theme: "Facing the Challenges of Shipping in the Next Millennium". It is being attended by about 150 participants from the West and Central Port area.
The day is meant to draw attention to the Council of African Shippers and create a forum for them to address common problems in order to make them ready for the next century.
Mr Hammah said as a long term measure, there is the need to encourage shippers' councils to create viable local freight markets, where local shipping companies could compete for a share of the freight that come through their ports.
He said there is an urgent need for government to take a close look at import and export laws and regulations to bring them in line with current developments in international trade practices.
The private sector must also lend a hand to the industry if it is to grow and meet the challenges posed by advanced shippers.
The deputy minister asked the meeting to identify problems of the industry and come out with clear-cut strategies that will help them overcome their shortcomings.
Mrs. Victoria Addy, a member of the Council of State who was the special guest of honour, described the day as an important occasion, which will let the various councils break out of their biases against the continent and brace themselves to face the wind of globalisation and liberalisation blowing across the world.
She told the shippers councils present to undergo "some transformation in structure, management and operations in order to meet the requirements of the new economic environment and growing private participation.
"With their (private sector's) experience and expertise, our shippers' councils are in a position to provide infrastructure and services to the large number of small- and medium-sized import and export companies and individuals".
Mrs. Addy said the government is working out a new shipping policy aimed at encouraging foreign and local businessmen to invest in the country's maritime and transport sector, especially in owning and operating commercial shipping lines.
"Incentives may include tax-free reserves, tax credit and re-imbursement of some taxes to enable local lines build reserves for expansion".
Mrs. Addy said the policies are being considered, because the government recognises the important role indigenous shipping lines can play in national development.
She congratulated the Ghana Shippers Council for taking advantage of new developments in the industry to compete for cargo generated by foreign trade.
Mrs. Addy said government policy on port infrastructure development is geared towards raising Ghana to a "brighter position" within the international shipping community.
Mrs. Addy said the era when users and suppliers of shipping services belonged to different camps is past.
"They need to forge closer relationships and work together ... knowing each other's needs and requirements and addressing the common issues that confront them."
Mr Kofi Mbiah, acting Chief Executive of Ghana Shippers Council, said the shipping industry has undergone phenomenal changes. Global sea-borne trade, which reached a record high of 4.94 billion tons in 1997, rose again to five billion tons in 1998.
Mr Mbiah said these developments call for the acquisition of new technologies, formation of strategic alliances and managerial re-engineering to enable African shippers cope with future challenges.
He called for drastic reforms, restructuring and the introduction of new products.
Mr Mbiah urged the Union of African Shippers Councils to re-examine its focus and increase assistance to shippers to reduce cost in the entire transport chain.
Nana Yeboah Kodie Asare the second, President of the Private Enterprise Foundation, said cumbersome customs procedures and cost of operations impede the development of the shipping industry and make end products expensive.
Mr Adebayo Savimu, Chief Executive of Nigeria Shippers Council and chairman of the Union of African Shippers Council, suggested that shippers should be involved in policy and decision-making on matters relating to shipping.
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Armed Forces Council holds maiden meeting
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 June '99
The Armed Forces Council (AFC) on Tuesday held its maiden meeting at Burma Camp in Accra to discuss general administrative matters and pertinent issues relating to the Forces.
Vice-President John Atta Mills presided over the closed door meeting. It was preceded by a minute's silence in memory of Brigadier Hubert Duah Twum-Barimah (rtd), a member of the previous AFC and former Chief of Defence Staff, who died on May 13, this year.
In attendance was Brigadier C.A. Okae, Chief of Staff at General Headquarters.
The Constitution provides for the setting up of an Armed Forces Council whose membership includes the ministers of defence, foreign affairs and the interior, Chief of Defence Staff, service chiefs, forces sergeant-major and two other persons appointed by the president.
The council shall advise the President on matters of policy relating to defence and strategy, including the role of the forces, military budgeting and finance, administration and the promotion of high-ranking officers.
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Public expresses concern about frequent road blocks
Ashaiman (Greater Accra) 16 June '99
The people of Ashaiman have expressed concern at the frequency at which roads are unilaterally blocked to inconvenience the public.
Apart from the main roads and the night market streets, almost all the link roads are blocked at weekends and sometimes even on week days for out-doorings without any public notice.
Mr Anthony Yeboah, a taxi driver on Tuesday called at the GNA to complain that the link road between the Methodist School and the Kaketo Junction was blocked by a benevolent society for a meeting.
He reported that sometimes, workers who are late for work have to engage in verbal wars with organisers of social gatherings who use benches to display "no way" inscriptions to prevent the public from using the roads.
Mr Isaac Kwame Antwi, Tema Municipal Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), commenting on the complaints, advised the public to refrain from such practices since they infringe on the rights of others.
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New Longoro (Brong Ahafo) 16th June '99
Burial took place at New Longoro in the Kintampo district of Nana Kwaku Dimpo II Omanhene of the Mo Traditional Area at the weekend. He was 90.
The late Nana Dimpo, who was enstooled in 1950 ruled for 49 years and was one of the chiefs through whose efforts the Brong Ahafo region was created.
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Donald Adabre led the government delegation including, district chief executives, and Members of Parliament to the funeral. Chiefs from other traditional areas also attended.
Mr Adabre donated 500,000 hundred thousand cedis and six cartons of assorted drinks on behalf of the government to the bereaved family.
He expressed the sympathy of the government over the death of the illustrious chief and called on the people to honour him by peacefully enstooling his successor.
Mr Adabre stressed the need for the people in the area to avoid chieftaincy disputes and forge ahead in unity for development.
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Committee to probe AGC's strike action inaugurated
Obuasi (Ashanti Region), 16th June 99
A three-man committee charged to investigate the circumstances leading to the recent 17-day strike action by workers of the Obuasi mines of the Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) was inaugurated at Obuasi on Tuesday.
The committee, which has Brigadier Henry Anyidoho, Second Infantry Brigade Commander as chairman, is expected to establish the truth or otherwise of the allegation that non-AGC workers were involved in the strike action.
It is also expected that the committee, which has one month to complete its work, would come out with recommendations that would help maintain long-lasting industrial peace at the Obuasi mines.
Inaugurating the committee, Mr Austin Gamey, Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare said the government is always responsive to workers' strike actions.
He explained that the setting up of the committee is a demonstration of government's preparedness to assure investors of a congenial atmosphere within which they could operate.
"To enable us to be seen managing affairs properly and assuring investors that government will not countenance such acts, it is prudent and appropriate to set up the fact-finding committee", the Deputy Minister stressed.
Mr Gamey, who recounted industrial actions at the Obuasi mines in 1969, 1979, and 1989, said the committee would help forestall yet "another problem, perhaps this time before 2009" since the nation, as well as the company, lost millions of dollars.
Brigadier Anyidoho said the committee appreciates the importance of industrial peace in the attainment of corporate objectives and would, therefore, discharge its duties with the principles of truth, fairness and firmness.
"We hope to bring our personal insight in worker-management relations to bear on the assignment entrusted to us, and we trust that in so doing, we shall contribute to fostering healthy relations at Obuasi mines of AGC, which we all know is a golden hen in Ghana's economy", he said.
The chairman gave the assurance that the committee would concern itself with the terms of reference and all related issues with the view that findings, recommendations and opinions that would be expressed would help to improve the relations between management and the rank and file at the Obuasi mines.
Other members of the committee, are Mr S. B. Mettle, Assistant Commissioner of Police and Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, and Opanin Obeng Fosu, a retired Chief Labour Officer and a private industrial relations consultant in Accra.
On May 14, workers of the Obuasi mines embarked on a strike action for several days to back their demand for pay rise. The demonstrators also demanded the resignation of Mr. Sam Jonah. Chief Executive Officer of AGC, but there has been speculation that not all those who to the streets were workers of AGC.
It is believed that some outside forces who have an axe to grind with Mr. Jonah highjacked the unrest to pursue their agenda. The probe is to investigate the truth in the allegations.
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