Move to check computer crime
Freeze on auction of govt vehicles
Busia's assets released
Alarm blow over scattered register
We will pay living wages - Prof. Hagan
SFO digs into Sam Jonah's skin
Eagle party smokes peace pipe
NDC rejects Maame Dokono
Kufuor is running a one-man show
Move to check computer crime
The Daily Graphic in its lead story reports that Cabinet has submitted to Parliament a bill to check computer fraud, the destruction of computer data and other computer related crimes in the country.
The bill, "The Computer Crime Bill", will also cover the insertion of false information, the authorised possession or disclosure of computer data and other related offences.
The Minister of Communications, Mr John Mahama, who announced this at a post Cabinet briefing at the Castle, Osu, yesterday said the bill is to provide a general framework to govern the use of computers in the country as well as prepare the country to enter the new system of Information Technology.
He mentioned that the police, personnel of the Serious Fraud Office and attorneys of the Attorney-General's Department have been attending seminars and workshops to update their knowledge on the new area of computer crime.
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Freeze on auction of govt vehicles
The Daily Graphic reports in another front-page story that the government has ordered an immediate freeze on the auction of all government vehicles and equipment. In addition, the Committee on Acquisition of Government Vehicles has been disbanded.
A statement issued in Accra yesterday and signed by the Minister of Communications, Mr John Mahama, explained that the action follows persistent reports of malpractices and misuse of names of officers of state by some members of the committee.
The statement said the disbandment of the committee is without prejudice to any further measures that may be taken against anyone against whom acts of malfeasance may be established.
It called on members of the public who have any information on known malpractices to inform the chairman of Review Committee on Auction Vehicles.
It will be recalled that following the directives of the President, a four member committee was appointed in 1999 to inquire into the allegations of impropriety in the auction of equipment and vehicles belonging to the Ghana Highway Authority in the Ashanti Region.
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Busia's assets released
The Ghanaian Times reports in its banner headline story that the government has decided to deconfiscate all the remaining assets of the late Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, Prime Minister of the Second Republic.
The assets are a house at Odorkor, in Accra and four other properties at Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region.
The release of Dr Busia's assets was, according to the Minister of Communication, Mr John Mahama, among a number of decisions that were taken between March and June this year at a cabinet meeting.
Mr Mahama, referring to Dr Busia’s case specifically, said the former Prime Minister's assets are been released upon Cabinet approval and on humanitarian grounds as part of the process of reconciliation.
Dr Busia's assets were seized after his government was overthrown in 1972 by the erstwhile National Redemption Council (NRC) regime led by Kutu Acheampong.
With the release of the latest assets, all of his properties confiscated to the state have been deconfiscated.
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Alarm blow over scattered register
The Ghanaian Chronicle says in its lead story that tongues have been set wagging over how a carton of schnapps embossed with the pictures of President Rawlings, Vice- President Atta- Mills and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) symbol plus a pile of voters' register came to be deposited in a bush behind the Tema General Hospital Mortuary.
The pile of register, the report says, belong to 43 polling stations in the Fanteakwa Constituency of the Eastern Region and the Jirapa Lambussie Constituencies of the Upper West Region.
The report says, however, that the Director of Elections at the National Electoral Commission Mr Albert Kofi Arhin has assured the Chronicle that "We have not lost any register".
According to the report, the rare spectacle was shown to pressmen by a New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament, Mr Ishmael Ashitey last Tuesday. He said two members of the constituency found the items last Saturday night.
The report says with barely six months to general elections, there is an apprehension that the incumbent is bent on doing anything to win elections, including vote rigging. It suggests that the discovery is a ploy to give a specific political party an upper hand in those constituencies.
The items, the report says, have been turned over to the NPP Headquarters, and the party is yet to decide on what action to take next.
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We will pay living wages - Prof. Hagan
The Evening News says under its banner headline story that Professor George Hagan, presidential candidate of the Convention People's Party (CPP) has committed his party to the payment of a living wage to all categories of Ghanaian workers.
Prof. Hagan who was speaking during a courtesy call on the leadership of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), in Accra, said "people should not be compelled to prostitute themselves before they eat. Ghanaian workers deserve to be treated with dignity".
He said the payment of living wages should be seen as part of the effort to eliminate corruption and to increase the productivity of labour.
Prof. Hagan mentioned that "a CPP government would enter into meaningful dialogue with organised labour to determine what the minimum wage should be and we shall consult the workers' movement on all aspects of economic policy."
He advocated "a serious review" of the tax regime to shift the burden of taxation from the shoulders of poor workers and to ensure that more people are brought in to the tax net.
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SFO digs into Sam Jonah's skin
The Weekly Insight says in its lead story that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is still pursuing Sam Jonah, Chief Executive of the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation (AGC).
The paper says the SFO first began an investigation into Sam Jonah's connection to Sterling Financial Services and the role of the company in the divestiture of the Ghana Oil Company (GOIL).
The investigations ordered by President Jerry John Rawlings have apparently not been completed and a report is not expected before the end of August, the story says.
According to the paper, well-informed sources say the President has referred the Anyidaho report on the AGC to the SFO for further investigations.
As a follow up, the paper says, the SFO has asked for the management agreement between Lomin and the AGC and a copy of an agreement which covers Sam Jonah's relations with Lomin.
The SFO is also reported to be investigating allegations of over invoicing and under invoicing against the AGC to find out whether prices were inflated.
The paper says although SFO officials remain tight-lipped over the current state of investigations, it is presumed that the investigations are being hurried to enable the President take action before he leaves office.
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Eagle party smokes peace pipe
The Mid-Week Free Press reports in one of its three front-page stories that the Egle Party is to hold its national delegates congress in August 2000 to elect its substantive national executive to run the party.
This, the report says, was disclosed by Ms Cecilia Akwettey, chairperson of the executive council of the party, who also stated that with the current peace prevailing within the party, the proposed national executive would work towards the total victory of the progressive alliance in the December elections.
She is said to have appealed to all party members to put the past behind them and team up to support the executives to lift the party up in their communities for a successful election year.
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NDC rejects Maame Dokono
The Guide devotes the whole of its front-page to a story in which it reports that Grace Omaboe, popularly known as Maame Dokono in Showbiz circles, is fighting very hard to bring her political ambition of occupying a seat in Parliament on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on track.
According to the story, Omaabo having been allegedly rejected by her own Ga South NDC people for being a stranger and an "opportunist" after she had allegedly declared her intention to contest the Ga South constituency seat, has now turned her attention to her home constituency, Birim North for some solace and hope, but her problems are far from over.
The Paper says its intelligence antennae sourced from the constituency says that Maama Dokono who has the strong backing of the First Lady, Nana Kunadu Agyemang Rawlings, is facing even more daunting problems because she is regarded as a stranger in her own land and that the constituents are saying "we don't know her".
The paper says its investigations also revealed that on May 27, Mame Dokono sent an application letter authorised by the First Lady, to Mr Adu Boahene, the constituency secretary to file her nomination for constituency parliamentary candidacy.
This, the paper says did not go down well with constituency executives thus resulting in cadres in the constituency sending a resolution to the NDC headquarters demanding that Maama Dokono steps down.
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Kufuor is running a one-man show
The Ghana Palaver says in its front-page that the New Patriotic (NPP) presidential candidate, Mr. J.A. Kufuor is set on a collision course with the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NPP who have accused him of running a one-man show.
The paper quotes sources close to the NEC as saying that Kufuor has since the commencement of his campaign not sat down with the NEC to plan campaign strategy neither does he consult them.
The paper says Kufuor's trouble with the NEC is not only limited to lack of consultation but also his intransigence to release funds to run the party. Party insiders are alleged to have told the 'Palaver' that Kufuor is still holding onto the foreign cash donated to the party and this is said to be causing a lot of worries to the financial committee, which is the party's lawful organ to handle cash.
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