Two air crash victims identified
Three to die for murder
Konadu addresses UN special session
4 mortuary attendants held over missing corpse
Mills is also angry
Historic meeting in Accra… Asantehene calls on Ga Manste
J.J. view 20 years ago… Loyalty to government is nonsense
Nana Konadu lies again
Do yourself an honour – NDC youth tell Kufuor
Two air crash victims identified
The Daily Graphic says in a front-page story that two of the six victims, who died in the plane crash at the Kotoka International Airport last Monday, have been identified.
Sources close to the families of the deceased, who spoke to the 'Graphic' named the victims as Ms. Doris Lanz, a 76-year-old Swiss national with the Institute of Linguistics of the University of Ghana and Ms. Judith Thompson, a Ghanaian and Executive Director of Pronet, a non-governmental organisation.
A female soldier of the Ghana Air Force and an American, whose names were not immediately known, were also confirmed dead by sources close to the 'Graphic'.
It has also been established that about four of the passengers, including a Warrant Officer of the Ghana Armed Forces and Miss Ghana '99, Miss Mariam Sugri Bugri, escaped unhurt. She is said to have left the 37 Military hospital on her own to the Trust hospital for first aid.
The Warrant Officer who was presumed dead because he could not be located at the hospital, although his name was on the manifest, was later found at his residence taking supper.
Sources close to the hospital are said to have told newsmen that those injured are responding to treatment although some of them are in critical conditions.
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Three to die for murder
The Daily Graphic reports in its centre page that a Kumasi High Court presided over by Justice S.E. Kanyoke has sentenced three persons to death by hanging for conspiring to murder and murdering a 21-year old businessman, in December last year.
The three are Issaka Dramani, 45, a businessman, Mahama Shaibu, 56, a tailor and Ibrahim Kassi, 80, a pensioner. They all pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to murder and murdering the deceased, Sadik Ibrahim, after prayers in the Central Mosque in Kumasi last year.
According to the report, the convicts murdered the deceased because he is a son and a supporter of Alhaji Adam, whom a Supreme Court has pronounced the recognised head of the Moshie Community in Kumasi for which they (convicts) were not pleased.
The report, which was also given a front page prominence by the 'Ghanaian Times', said the seven-member jury unanimously passed a sentence of guilt on the three accused persons after carefully listening to the evidence of both the prosecution and defence councils.
The convicts were given one month to appeal against their sentence.
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Konadu addresses UN special session
The Ghanaian Times in its front page carries a report on Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawling's address at the special session of the United Nations general assembly yesterday in which she called for the support of everyone towards achieving total emancipation for women.
She is said to have told the session being attended by thousands of women that "the ones whose lives should be made better by the decision we take at this gathering are the poor women in the villages and slums of Africa who walk vast distances to find wood for cooking, who toil for hours in the fields under the hot sun, they are the ones whose empowerment should be the focus of our endeavours".
She said empowering women is an essential precondition for liberating society from many of its self-inflicted miseries.
Enumerating Ghana's efforts at women emancipation, Nana Konadu said "whatever progress we have achieved in Ghana on women issues must be seen in the context of the broader far-reaching political economic changes that have taken place".
She is said to have pointed out that "laws have been passed to criminalise harmful socio-cultural practices, such as female genital mutilation and ritual servitude including trokosi while penalties for rape and defilement have become stiffer.
Nana Konadu is said to have added that "gender equality, peace and development should define our individual as well as collective roles in the 21st Century".
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4 mortuary attendants held over missing corpse
The Ghanaian Times reports in another front page story that four mortuary attendants are helping the police in their investigations into how the corpse of Obaapanyin Grace Duncan, 87, vanished from the Cape Coast University Hospital mortuary.
According to the report, the deceased died on April 14th of this year, and the body was deposited at the Effia Nkwanta Hospital at Sekondi. But when the family and relations went to collect her for burial last Thursday, a male corpse was instead presented to them, which they rejected.
Some family members were said to have suspected foul play and therefore reported the matter to the police.
The report says investigations revealed that the corpse was transferred to the Cape Coast University Hospital mortuary without any transfer or death certificate and when the police went to the mortuary at Cape Coast, the corpse was not there. They were told that some unidentified people had collected it.
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Mills is also angry
The Ghanaian Chronicle says in its banner headline that the Vice President of the nation and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. Atta Mills, has cautioned the Opposition to desist from attacking individual personalities and come out with their manifestation. They are also to tell the people what they can do for the nation.
Without mentioning names, Prof Mill is quoted to have said "somebody attacked me that I am politically immature, but I have been vice president for three and half years and acted as president.
Prof. Mills, who was addressing members of the Ashaiman constituency of the NDC last Monday said if the Opposition wants to attract votes, they should speak the truth and talk about valuable things which are crucial to human development. They should stop peddling lies about the economy, he said, adding, "no body has the magic wand to transform the economy as they are claiming".
Prof. Mills is said to have entreated members of the constituency to close their ranks to avoid infiltrators who, are bent on thwarting the noble development oriented ideals of the NDC.
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Historic meeting in Accra… Asantehene calls on Ga Manste
The Evening News says in its lead story that the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, made history yesterday when he called on the Ga Manste, Nii Amugi II, at his Alajo residence in Accra and was received warmly.
The memorable visit to wish Nii Amugui "speedy recovery" from a protracted illness was paid with traditional fervours, the story said. The visit is said to have revived fond memories of the fraternal relationship between the Manhyia Place in Kumasi and Ga Mashie which was cemented during the reign of the late Otumfuo Nana Sir Agyeman Prempeh II and Nii Tackie Otoo, of Ga.
Welcoming the Asantehene's entourage, Nii Adote Obuor II, Sempe Manste and Acting president of the Ga Traditional Council praised the Asantehene for his interest in the health and personal well being of the Ga Manste.
Nii Obuor said the Ga Traditional Council had followed closely the interest the Asantehene has demonstrated since his installation in bringing progress and development to citizens of the country generally and would support him in that endeavour.
Referring to the recent misunderstanding on traditional norms that nearly threatened the good relations that had existed between the two ethnic groupings, Nii Obuor called on the Asanteman to let bygones be bygones.
In reply, Nana Boakye Yam, expressed gratitude and delight for the reception. He praised the Ga Mantse for his peaceful disposition that had influenced the close ties between Gas and Asantes.
It is recalled that the Mahyia Palace had to call off a planned launching of the Otumfuo Education Fund scheduled for the Trade Fair Centre a fortnight ago following protests by the Ga-Dangme youth who maintained that the necessary customary procedures had not been followed.
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J.J. view 20 years ago… Loyalty to government is nonsense
The Dispatch in its front page recalls certain statements made by President Rawlings at a press conference in Accra on the first anniversary of the June 4 uprising in 1980.
The paper says the then Flt. Lt. Rawlings asked Parliament to investigate a campaign of reprisals directed at some members of the Armed Forces for the part they played in the June 4 Uprising.
He was reported to have asked Parliament not to listen only to Ministers and security agencies but also listen to what those soldiers had to say.
The then just-retired Flt. Lt. is said to have maintained that he had personally been a prime target of such machinations, and that "only last Tuesday, a false Ghana News Agency report alleged that I had re-affirmed my loyalty to the government."
According to the paper, he stressed then, "this is absolute nonsense" and explained that loyalty did not go to any government but to the State and the Constitution.
Flt. Lt. Rawlings is said to have further explained that such reprisals were the very cause of instability in the Army even if those who organise them claimed to be working for the security of the State.
Rawlings is said to have mentioned that those who failed to recognise the positive aspect of the uprising and characterised it as an act of indiscipline were advocating a policy, which could only "collide with the wind of change and create an unstable situation in the Armed Forces."
He is said to have also mentioned that the gains of the June 4 revolution had aroused the hostility of the enemies of the people at home and abroad. He had added that the enemies were busy inventing lies to discredit the revolution, slander its personalities or distort stories to suit their own purpose.
The paper says, to the former chairman of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), an impact of the June 4 Revolution was that even the most powerful persons could be punished for their crimes against the people.
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Nana Konadu lies again
The 'Weekly Insight' says in a front-page story that Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, First Lady and President of the 31st December Women’s Movement is behaving like an old dog incapable of learning new tricks.
The paper claims that over the 20 years or so, she and her husband have used all manner of subterfuge, lies and intimidation to hang on to power at the discomfort of Ghanaians.
The 'Insight' story has it that two weeks ago, Nana had the courage to say that the value of the cedi has been falling due to uncontrollable international factors.
The paper submits however, that Nana has perhaps forgotten that one of the planks of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) which her husband has been implementing is the free fall of the cedi.
“The fall of the cedi is perhaps as deliberate as which headgear our Ladyship wears on a visit to Abuja”, the Insight said.
The First Lady’s claim, according to the paper, is in sharp contrast to a statement made by the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, this year, that the National Economic Management team, headed by Vice President John Atta Mills had decided to make the cedi fall in order to boost exports.
“Our question is who is speaking the truth,” the Insight, adding that “giving the fact that Nana Konadu has lied on too many occasions, we are inclined to believe that she is at her pastime again”.
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Do yourself an honour – NDC youth tell Kufuor
The Central Region youth wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on Mr. J.A. Kufuor, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer to do himself some honour by retracting the letter he wrote to the Daily Graphic and published in the May 27th edition because it was in bad taste, the Ghana Palaver said.
According to the paper a statement signed by Mr. Kwaku Amoako Agyensam, Regional Youth Organiser said, the tone and the manner in which Mr. Kufuor reacted to the derogatory remarks he made against Fantis left no one in doubt that he is capable of making such remarks.
The Palaver says, the youth wing noted that it is unfortunate for the NPP presidential candidate to resort to the use of abusive language against his opponents including the presidency in his veil attempt to refute the story.
The statement is also reported to have contained an exhortation to political party leaders to exhibit a high sense of tolerance in the run-up to the December 8 elections.
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