Konadu's stunning revelation… Why our Kids study abroad
House to decide on motion today
5 robbers nabbed… After allegedly robbing passengers of 476million cedis
NPP welcomes action on Busia's assets
GSE reviews laws to enhance investor confidence
Plot to smear Mills uncovered … Investigations underway
Donors asked us to boycott elections - Odoi Sykes
Syndicate smashed
Ashanti chiefs kick against armoured cars for elections
Konadu's stunning revelation… Why our Kids study abroad
The Ghanaian Chronicle reports in its lead story that the First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings has stated that the first family took their two daughters, Ezanetor and Amina, to school abroad because their Ghanaian teachers spent most of the lecture time insulting their fathers.
According to the paper, Nana Konadu who was speaking on an Accra radio station, Vibe FM, last Wednesday, said concerned friends abroad, appalled by the experiences the children were being subjected to, voluntarily shopped for schools for them at their own cost.
"It is true that two of them are out of the country, but it is for this very reason that friends abroad said, 'look we have found schools for them, we will take care of them'," she said. "We have had to do this because here in Ghana you have people teaching them who will spend thirty minutes insulting their father before they teach. How can any child study? It's not possible!" She stated.
It will be recalled that the government came under an avalanche of criticism when news of their children schooling abroad broke some few years ago, especially at a time the educational system had gone belly up as a result of the reforms introduced by their father in 1985.
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House to decide on motion today
The Daily Graphic reports in one of its front page stories that Parliament will today determine whether the debate on a motion calling for regional balance in the recruitment of persons into the Ghana Armed Forces should continue or the matter be referred to a committee of the House.
This was after both sides of the House had agreed on the sensitive nature of the issues raised in the motion with regards to national security.
The majority side had demanded the withdrawal of the motion before the issues raised are referred to a committee for study and recommendation while the minority is insisting that the issues should first be referred to a committee before it withdraws the motion.
The motion was moved last week by Mr Agyare Koi-Larbi, National Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Akropong, and is requesting the Minister of Defence to annually place before Parliament, a statement which outlines programmes by the ministry to ensure regional balance in the recruitment of personnel into the Ghana Armed Forces.
It also requested that the minister submit to Parliament the total number of persons to be enlisted in a particular year equitably selected from the district assemblies, which should verify the origin of the applicant.
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5 robbers nabbed… After allegedly robbing passengers of 476million cedis
The banner headline story of the Daily Graphic says five gunmen who stormed an Accra- Kumasi bound vehicle and stole 476 million cedis and later kidnapped a taxi driver for a 260,000 cedis have been arrested by the Kumasi Police.
The gangsters, made up of three Ghanaians and two Nigerians, were identified by two victims of the vehicles they robbed.
According to a police source, one of the occupants of a Ford bus travelling from Accra to Kumasi, on reaching Anyinam, asked the driver to stop so he could attend to nature's call. When the driver stopped the passenger pulled a pistol and ordered all passengers to lie down or be shot.
At that point, other people brandishing A.K. 47 rifles emerged from a taxi car, which was trailing the Ford bus, surrounded the bus and fired shots into the air. The robbers then searched the passengers and looted their bags containing their monies and personal effects and bolted.
Not satisfied with the booty, the armed robbers later kidnapped a taxi driver and demanded the payment of a 260,000 cedis ransom for the release of the taxi driver, Kwabena Poku.
The colleagues of the kidnapped taxi driver managed to convince the leader of the robbers, Wahab Tunde a Nigerian, to accompany them to their taxi rank to collect the money during which they handed him to the police who took him to the police Headquarters in Kumasi.
It was at the police station that the occupants of the Ford bus, who were there earlier to report the incident, identified Tunde as part of the gang that robbed them. Tunde later led the police to arrest his accomplices.
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NPP welcomes action on Busia's assets
A front page story of the Ghanaian Times says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has welcomed the government's decision to release the assets of the Prime Minister of the Second Republic, the late Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia to his widow and family.
A statement signed by Mr Dan Botwe, NPP General Secretary, said that "the decision represents the correction of a manifest of gross injustice that had endured for 28 years."
The NPP, however, said it disagreed with the accompanying announcement that the restoration was done on "alleged humanitarian grounds and the tired old charge of illegal acquisition of property by the late Prime Minister."
The statement urged the government to reconsider its position on the rehabilitation of the property. "The properties, since their confiscation, have been in exclusive use of the state or quasi-state agencies and have undergone substantial damage and deterioration," the statement said.
The NPP hoped that the return of these assets formed part of a comprehensive program to return all such wrongful and politically motivated confiscations that had be-devilled the country.
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GSE reviews laws to enhance investor confidence
The Ghanaian Times report's in its business page that the Ghana Stock exchange (GSE) has reviewed its laws to enhance investor confidence and promote a vibrant stock market.
Under the review, the report says, guidelines have been provided for external cross boarder listings. Thus foreign-based companies who wish to be listed on the GSE can do so easily.
Guidelines have also been provided for listed companies to buy their own shares to ensure transparency and avoid legal actions.
Thirdly, gaps have been filled in the existing laws pertaining the delisting of companies. Under this new legal regime, companies can voluntarily delist as in the recent case UTC-Estates whilst companies who flout the exchange laws can be delisted by the GSE's council.
The rest of the measures adopted by the GSE to address the challenges facing the market includes the intensification of its business development activities and to work closely with the Security Regulatory Commission and the government to promote more divestitures through the exchange.
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Plot to smear Mills uncovered … Investigations underway
The Evening News in a banner headline story says a plot that appears to have been hatched to smear the reputation of the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. Mills and scandalise him, is currently under investigation by the security agencies.
Implicated in the plot are Mr E.K. Adu, a director of the GHACEM, one Sergeant Adu, and Corporals Adams and Tei, all of the Panthers' Unit of the Ghana Police Service.
The paper says whilst the immediate target of the plot was George Dawson-Amoah, GHACEM's marketing manager and a cousin of Prof. Mills, its investigations suggests that the grand plan was to frame up and trap Mr Dawson-Amoah and make it reflect on the image and reputation of the NDC presidential candidate.
According to the story, one E.K. Adu, a director of GHACEM, a former chairman of Kotoko and an ardent supporter of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), enlisted the services of Sgt. Adu and Corporals Adams and Tei, to trap Mr Dawson-Amoah with an offer of bribe in exchange for a cement distributorship status with GHACEM.
The persistence of Cpl. Adams, who is said to have styled himself as a businessman with a company called Abdulai Ahmed Ltd., however raised suspicion in the marketing manager. Consequently, on the appointed day when Adulai Ahmed was to fill in and submit his forms, Mr Dawson Amoah sought the assistance of some security personnel who arrested Abdulai Ahmed when he placed an envelope in front of Mr Dawson-Amoah and insisted that he accept the bribe despite protest from Mr Dawson-Amoah.
The story says when Abdulai Ahmed was searched, a list of serial numbers that corresponded with those of the 2000 cedis notes he offered to the marketing manager as bribe was found on him.
Abdulai Ahmed was sent to the offices of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) where he was identified as Cpl. Ahmed Adams of the Police Panthers' Unit.
Cpl. Adams is said to have mentioned Sgt. Adu, Cpl. Tei and Mr E.K. Adu as his accomplices. Sgt. Adu is alleged to have confirmed that he sent Cpl. Adams. Investigations are still underway.
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Donors asked us to boycott elections - Odoi Sykes
The Ghana Palaver says in its lead story that even though it is an open secrete that the New Patriotic Party (NPP), contrary to the electoral laws of Ghana, solicits support and takes orders from foreign donor agencies, the party has on several occasions denied that fact but has now been exposed.
According to the paper, the National chairman of the NPP, Mr Odoi Sykes in an answer to a question at a press conference in Accra confessed that some foreign donor agencies, which he declined to name, ordered them to boycott the 1992 parliamentary elections because of what they termed insecurity in the country. The paper suggests that this revelation is a matter of great concern to all Ghanaians.
It concludes by saying that it is quite understandable that the opposition newspapers who were largely represented at the press conference failed to report on this confession of the NPP made through the National Chairman of the party.
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Syndicate smashed
The dispatch reports in a centre page story that security agencies have busted a syndicate which uses forged documents to clear goods at the Tema port. The report says among them are a prominent chief whose name is being withheld for security reasons and one Kofi Agyare, their leader.
According to the story the syndicate engaged the services of an employee of Liner Agencies (a shipping agency) and offered him some money to assist them to avoid payment of nearly $12,000 freight charges.
The story quotes a security source as saying about three weeks ago the group managed to clear two 40-footer containers with 12 cars shipped from Korea using forged delivery orders.
It said the group was again in the process of clearing another 40-footer container when they were arrested upon a tip off by another employee on Liner Agencies who had also been approached by the syndicate to offer assistance in their unlawful act.
The report says nine people have been arrested in connection to the fraud and will soon be arraigned before court.
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Ashanti chiefs kick against armoured cars for elections
The banner headline story of the Free Press says political parties have been warned not to use machomen and armoured cars to intimidate voters or settle personal scores during the December presidential and parliamentary elections.
This warning, it says, was given by the chiefs of Offinso at a forum organised by the Offinso Traditional Council last Tuesday to interact with chiefs and representatives of political parties in the area to prepare the ground for a free and peaceful elections.
The chiefs advised the leaders and supporters of political parties in the area to, exercise restraint, stop using abusive language, and show tolerance during their campaign to ensure that the country's fledging democracy is not derailed.
A statement issued later and signed by the Omanhene of the area, Nana Wiafe Akenten III said the traditional council strongly objected to the use of insults, victimisation and intimidation of opponents to score political points, adding that political parties should discuss issues and policies.
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