GRi Newsreel 12-03-99

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 12 March 

The Reverend Kwaku Asamoah-Okyere, General Superintendent of the Kumasi District, on Thursday led 30 Ministers of the Church Manhyia Palace to console Nana Afua Serwaa Kobi Ampem, Asantehemaa, and her family.

 They expressed heartfelt condolence on behalf of the Methodist Church on the death of Otumfuo Opoku Ware the second. 

In a tribute paid on behalf of the Right Reverend Dr Asante Antwi, President of the Methodist Conference, Reverend Asamoah-Okyere, described Otumfuo's death as a heavy blow to the Church.

 He said the late Otumfuo was an honest statesman, a powerful King, a peace maker and a lover of mankind.

 Rev Asamoah-Okyere said the Methodist Church, especially the Kumasi District, has lost a "courageous, devoted Christian king, and a lover of Methodist hymns, especially hymn number 896 'Now praise ye great and famous men". 

He said the district choir, which took inspiration from him, will remember his good deeds. 

Rev Asamoah-Okyere later signed a book of condolence on behalf of the Methodist Church at the Manhyia Palace museum.

Tamale (Northern Region), 12 March 

The Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Mr San Nasamu Asabigi, has called on district assemblies to enact bye-laws prohibiting  children from participating in activities reserved for adults.

  Activities, such as dances, concert parties and video shows should be monitored and children prevented from patronising them.

  He said the assemblies should also use part of their share of the Common Fund to train children in "special vocational skills" as a way of engaging them in worthwhile activities.

  Mr Asabigi was opening a day's seminar on street children, organised by the Tamale Street Children Project for district chief executives, co-ordinating directors and chairpersons of district assemblies social services sub-committees.

  The project, funded by Actionaid, a British non-governmental organisation, aims at equipping street children with basic employable skills or encouraging them to complete their education.

  The participants, who are from the Northern Upper East and Upper West regions, are discussing the causes and problems of street children in a bid to evolve strategies to minimise the rise in their number.

  Mr Asabigi said the problem of street children must be considered a national issue that needs the attention of all, if Ghana is to meet her aspirations in Vision 2020.

  He said Vision 2020 emphasises on human resource development as a prime mover of economic and infrastructural development of the country, adding that that target cannot be achieved if children are not properly brought up as future leaders.

Mr Salifu Mogli, deputy director of Actionaid-Ghana, appealed to parents to live up to their responsibilities so that the children can fend for themselves when they grow into adulthood.

Nkawie (Ashanti Region) 12 March 

Mr Peter Yaw Mensah, Atwima District Chief Executive, has called on queenmothers to ensure transparency in the choice of occupants of vacant stools.

 This is the only way you can help to scale down the high incidence of disputes and violence associated with the installation of chiefs and thereby salvage the waning image of the chieftaincy institution.

 Mr Mensah told a meeting of the Atwima Queenmothers Association at Nkawie that apart from ensuring that anyone nominated and enstooled as chief has a legitimate claim to the stool, it is also important not to gloss over the issue of "acceptability and popularity" with the people.

 He said that chieftaincy is essentially about service and development and therefore stressed the need for them to ensure that those who become chiefs are assertive and capable of bringing the people together for progress and development.

 He urged queenmothers to be at the forefront of the struggle towards empowering Ghanaian women to take leadership and challenging roles in the society.

 Nana Afua Pokuaa Ababio, Amoamanhemaa and president of the association, said it is their aim to explore ways of assisting women to become more responsive to the development of their communities. 

Nana Aninwaa Aboraa Sika the second of Barekese, Atwima district organiser of the 31st December Women's Movement, urged illiterates to take advantage of adult literacy classes to acquire education and vocational skills.

Kumasi (Greater Accra) 12 March 

The proposed Allied Health Personnel Programme of the University of Development Studies (UDS) at Tamale has received 435,000 Canadian dollar support.

The money is to support a four-year programme by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA),involving the training of medical assistants, radio-therapists, public health, nurses, nutritionists and health  technicians.

 Professor R.B. Bening, Vice-Chancellor of the UDS, made this known when he received the first yearly grant of two million cedis from the Poku transport Endowment Fund for the university in Kumasi on Thursday. 

The Poku Transport Endowment Fund established last year is aimed at providing support for the training of outstanding medical students of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, as well as the school's projects.

 Professor. Bening explained that the UDS is negotiating with the Ministry of Health (MOH) for the use of the Rural Health Training School at Kintampo for the Canadian training programme.

 Professor Bening hoped the planned upgrading of the Tamale Government Hospital into a teaching hospital would tremendously enhance the academic programmes of the university's school of medicine and health sciences. 

Mr Francis K. Poku, managing director of Poku Transport and chairman of the Board of Trustees, said this year's grant is for the purchasing of books and other essential items for the medical school's library. 

He made an additional cash donation of one million cedis and provided assorted medical books to the university.

A five-day consultative meeting between representatives of the Trinity Grants Programme, a United States-based aid agency, and representatives of six provinces of the Anglican Church in Africa, ended in Accra on Wednesday.

The meeting assessed the impact of financial assistance of the Trinity Grant Programme to Anglican Churches in Africa within the past 14 years, and the relevance of the programme on the continent for the next ten years.

The meeting, the first to be organised by the donors to enable the beneficiaries to help to evaluate the programme, was attended by representatives from Ghana, Congo, Burundi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.

Addressing the delegates the Most Reverend Robert G.A. Okine, Anglican Archbishop of the Province of West Africa, proposed that the scope of funding of the programme be broadened to meet genuine needs.

He urged the programme to help the Anglican Church in Africa to establish an investment fund that would guarantee a regular source of income for their needs.

The Archbishop expressed his gratitude to the American aid agency for its assistance to the beneficiary churches.

Ms Judith Gillespie, Programme Associate of the agency gave the assurance that the concerns of the participants would be conveyed to the Board of Directors of the Programme for the necessary action.

Bawjiase (Central Region) 12 March

Mr Kwame Argo Larbie, an educationist, has appealed to the minister of the Interio to set up a special unit within the police service to handle cases involving insurance claims.

He said the present way of dealing with the situation leaves much to be desired because people putting in claims from insurance companies "go through hell before paltry compensations are paid to them."

" Sometimes the insurance companies behave as if they are giving favours to accident victims when in fact that is not the case."

Mr Larbie who is proprietor of Argo Larbie International Schools at Bawjiase in the Central Region, was speaking at a public forum on "the woes of accident victims in the 21st century".on Thursday.

He hoped the establishment of such a unit within the police service would reduce the incidence of lawyers cheating people making claims on insurance companies.

He further suggested that government should come out with a fixed percentage of the claims which lawyers must be entitled to instead of they (lawyers) dictating their terms.

Mr Larbie alleged that in some cases lawyers collect the claims and pay very little to the victims.

Accra (Greater Accra) 12 March

The deputy Minister of Tourism, Owuraku Amofa on Thursday said Africans must let their children know the crimes of slavery and colonialism in order to keep the continent's quest for justice burning.

He said there is no room for complacency, especially, in the present state of the world where greed, which fuelled the heinous crimes, abound and the perpetrators keep inventing new ways to subdue Africa.

Owuraku Amofa was launching the Africa Family Re-Union Jam Benefit Concert '99 (AFREJABEC '99) in Accra.

AFREJABEC '99, which to be hosted in Accra in May 21 to 25, is under the theme, "Music for development". It will be organised by Prodigy International, a Ghanaian non-profit making cultural and Pan-African organisation.

He said it is through such efforts that Africa can succeed in making the West pay reparations, repatriate stolen artifacts and "restore to the African his lost dignity".

He contended that if Jews have been compensated for the six million lives they lost in the second world war, it stands to reason that Africa's claim for reparation for the loss of tens of millions of lives and resources is genuine.

The deputy minister called on Africans on the continent and in the diaspora to unite in the struggle to reclaim their lost heritage and dignity.

Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi, the brain behind the concert, said it is in connection with the celebrations commemorating the 36th Anniversary of the formation of the Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU).

He said AFREJABEC is a cultural and economic event designed to showcase Africa and Africans in the Diaspora with the view to attracting positive attention between Africans and the International community.

Over 31 cultural divine performers of African rhythms have confirmed their willingness to perform in the concert, They include Alpha Blondy of Cote d'Ivoire, and Babacar Diallo of Senegal, Pozo Hayes, Felix Bell, Alhaji Sidiku Buari all from Ghana, Morgan Heritage Family of Jamaica and Jimi Hope of Togo.

Accra (Greater Accra) 12 March

The Anglican Diocese of Accra is to hold a fund raising dinner to raise 50 million cedis towards the construction of an Anglican Retreat Centre at Ashalley Botwe in the Ga district.

In a press statement, the Anglican Bishop of Accra Right Reverend Justice Offei Akrofi said the event will be sponsored jointly by the Anglican Diocese in Accra and other well meaning organisations and individuals.

He said it will be used to reward merit and show appreciation to deserving parishes and individual members of the Diocese.

The Ashalley Botwe Retreat Centre which will have a conference centre,

residential and catering facilities will be made available to all Christian groups.

The project is estimated at three billion cedis and is being undertaken in phases.

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 12 March

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has sent a message of condolence to the Kumasi Traditional Council and the Asanteman on the death of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware the second.

A release signed by Mr Fred Essilfie, the Public Relations Officer, said the KMA has learnt with shock and dismay, the death of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware the second.

It said the assembly shares in the bereavement of the Kumasi Traditional Council and Asanteman and expressed its heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the bereaved Royal Family.

"It is the expectation of the KMA thatAsanteman will continue to enjoy the peace and tranquillity that characterised

the reign of Otumfuo Opoku Ware and that the next King will continue with the sound policies and good work embarked upon by the departed Asantehene", the statement said.

Tema (Greater Accra) 12 March

Nii Adjei Kraku the second, Tema Mantse on Thursday night, called on all Muslims to let the noble objective of peace associated with annual pilgrimages to Mecca unite them as one people.

Nii Adjei Kraku, a Muslim, was speaking in a pre-departure interview with Journalists at Tema prior to undertaking the month-long Hajj pilgrimage.

He said Ghana is noted all over the world for her peaceful atmosphere and tolerance of religious groupings, adding, "42 years of independence as a nation is enough for all religious groupings to sort out their differences".

Nii Adjei Kraku hoped that the pilgrims will return to Ghana with new and positive ideas to help in the national development efforts.

He commended the National Hajj Committee for making it possible for more Ghanaian Muslims to take part in this year's Jah and hoped all Ghanaian pilgrims will abide by Saudi Arabia laws during their stay.

Accra (Greater Accra) 12 March

The Ministry of Education will soon come out with a new policy and guidelines on establishment of new schools.

This will ensure that they conform to the criteria of the country's educational system, Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Education, said on Thursday.

Mr Spio-Garbrah was speaking at a meeting with members of the Conference of Managers of Educational Units (COMEU) to discuss a memorandum they submitted to the Minister covering the educational reforms, decentralisation and FCUBE, among other subjects.

COMEU is an association of general managers and regional managers and directors of Armed Forces and Police Educational units.

Mr Spio-Garbrah said the government is aware of the enormous contributions religious bodies have made in education but warned the government " will not approve of the establishment of new schools, especially training colleges, if government has to bear the cost".

Mr Spio-Garbrah said the bulk of the ministry's budget is geared towards the success of the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) adding that expansion of schools would put extra financial burden on the government and disrupt the ministry's educational programme.

Mr Spio-Garbrah said he has received a copy of the GES Council's recommendations on the role of the education units and most of the problems raised at the meeting have been addressed.

"It is not the intention of government or the ministry to marginalise COMUE," he said and assured members that copies of the recommendations would be forwarded to them.

The Minister appealed to international and national non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private organisations, communities, parents and individuals to supplement government's effort of providing cost-effective education.

Mr Kwabena Kyere, Deputy Minister of Education, who chaired the meeting, observed that there was no representation from the Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches and called for their inclusion in COMUE.

Mr Ishaque Kojo Essel, General Manager of the Ahmadiyya Educational Unit, who led COMUE, said the educational units have been marginalised since the commencement of the education reform programme in 1987.

He said their case has been worsened by the implementation of the decentralisation policy.

"GES was bent on making the unit managers redundant by giving almost all their roles to the District Directors of the GES without our knowledge".

Mr Essel said this has led to open confrontation among some regional managers of the units and GES District Directors and appealed to the minister to spell out their roles properly.

Accra (Greater Accra) 12 March

Vice President John Atta Mills on Friday tasked churches to use their influence to educate the people on their civic responsibilities and the virtues of unity.

"We need to inculcate into our people love, peace and tolerance and as one people with a common destiny who should move forward together," he told a five-member delegation of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) that called on him at the Castle, Osu.

The delegation, led by the Reverend Simon Assore, a Member of the Council of State, discussed with the Vice-President partnership between government and the church towards good governance.

It was also to officially introduce the new Executives of the Council.

They are Bishop Justice Akrofi, President, the Rev Fred Degbe, Vice-President, the Rev Robert Kwesi Aboagye-Mensah, General Secretary and the Rev Nana Anto, Member.

Prof. Mills said government and the council should see themselves as "two sides of a coin" that need each other.

"While we may focus on the socio-economic path under politics, you should provide the spiritual support and upliftment for the nation."

He said government has always acknowledged the essence of co-operation and support from the church adding "whatever we do as government can only be accomplished by the will of God."

He said government remains receptive to advice and guidance from the church but this must be done with sincere considerations.

"We are human beings and can make mistakes, but sometimes it is sad that the condemnations come before the corrections, instead of the other way round" and asked religious leaders not to hesitate to call on him to discuss national matters.

Bishop Akrofi said he was moved by the steadfastness and Christian principles of the Vice-President in his duties and pledged the church's readiness at all times to assist him.

He expressed the belief that the choice of Prof. Mills as Vice-President and the President's personal recognition for him as his successor, was from God. The church will, therefore, continue to pray for him, Rev Akrofi said.

Rev. Degbe said he shared the concern of Vice-President Mills to build a better Ghana and urged him to remain steadfast to these principles.

Rev. Aboagye-Mensah said as with every public office, there is a lot of expectations from the people that government should take in good faith.

He said the position of the Christian Council is non-partisan and there are times it would need to undertake a critical analysis of certain government policies before showing its support.

Apromase (Ashanti Region) 12 March

A storm which swept through three communities in the Ejisu/Juaben district of Ashanti on Wednesday,ripped off the roofs of 48 houses including school buildings.

The incident, which affected Apromase, Domeabra and Asawase, left about 100 people homeless and destroyed property estimated at about 200 million cedis.

Mr Yaw Sekyere, the assemblyman for the area, said on Friday that about 30 buildings including the local primary and kindergarten schools had their roofs ripped off at Apromase.

Electricity poles for the town's streetlights were also damaged, he added.

Mr Sekyere said 12 buildings at Domeabra including the primary and the JSS workshops had their roofs thrown off while six buildings at Asawase suffered a similar fate.

He appealed to the district assembly, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and non-governmental organisations to help rehabilitate the affected buildings.