GRi Newsreel Ghana
03 - 03 - 2001
Kuuire denies 22-year-old man spent 11 years in custody
Vice-Prez, US Ambassador in close door meeting on Liberia
Bawumia urges Ghanaians to accept change in good faith
Regional Minister pays courtesy call on Nayiri
Chinese firm donates firecrackers towards independence anniversary
Bury political differences- NPP Women's Wing tells market
women
Complete projects after donor funding
Danish support team visits Upper West Region
Fanteakwa approves 2.9 billion cedis budget for 2001
Government to develop Aflao to befit gateway status -
Regional Minister
Judicial Service asked to check indiscipline
Kuuire denies 22-year-old man spent 11 years in custody
Accra
(Greater Accra) 03 March 2001
Mr Richard
Kuuire, Director-General of Prisons on Friday denied that a 22-year-old man has
spent 11 years in condemned cells at the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons.
He told the
Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Accra that there is no one at the
condemned cells that fits that description.
He said
reports on inmates at the condemned cells who have been interviewed show that
there is no such prisoner.
Press
reports after a tour of the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons this week by the Commissioner
for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Mr Francis Emile Short,
said a man had spent that much time in there.
Mr Short
expressed concern and said that the commission would conduct further
investigations.
Mr Kuuire
said journalists spoke to some prisoners who for want of sympathy might have
concocted the story.
He said
sometimes, some inmates try to create a stir at the sight of the media, adding
"if you take a prisoner for his word, you are finished."
Mr Kuuire
stated that the journalists should have checked with the prison authorities to
ascertain the truth of the allegation. "It is important that journalists
crosscheck their facts," he stressed.
In another
development, he described the order by an Accra High Court that he presents
suspects in the Highway Robbery trial involving Jack Bebli and six others, to
court as unfortunate.
The court,
presided over by Mr Justice Richard Apaloo, ordered the prison authorities to
ensure that the suspects appear at its sittings and would hold the
Director-General personally responsible
for any omission.
Mr Kuuire
said it is not the responsibility the prison authorities to present suspects
before court.
"The
Prisons only take care of convicts and remand suspects but do not prosecute at
the courts."
He said
every suspect has a "case investigator" who ensures that they are
sent to court.
Mr. Kuuire
said even if they are responsible it would be difficult to function because the
service lacks basic logistics and the only bus for Nsawam Prisons that conveys
prisoners to and from hospital has broken down.
The
Director-General urged the public to participate in the rehabilitation of
convicts to prevent them from continuing to harass them.
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Vice-Prez, US Ambassador in close door meeting on Liberia
Accra
(Greater Accra) 03 March 2001
Vice-President
Aliu Mahama on Friday held a closed-door discussion with the US Ambassador, Ms
Kathryn Dee Robinson on the ECOWAS stand on proposed UN sanctions against
Liberia.
The UN
Security Council is proposing travelling sanctions against Liberia for
supporting the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels of Sierra Leone.
Ms Robinson
was at the State House to express her government's disapproval of a proposal by
an extraordinary meeting of ECOWAS mediation and Security Council last month,
which suggested a two-month freeze after which the sanctions would be
considered.
Liberia is
accused of fanning the conflict in Sierra Leone through the sale of diamonds
smuggled into the country by the RUF rebels.
Briefing
the press after the meeting, Mr Kwame Amoa-Awua, Supervising Director of the
Political and Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the
US claims that it has an incontrovertible evidence that Liberian President
Charles Taylor is training and arming the guerrillas.
Liberia is
also said to be giving refuge to RUF leaders like Sam Bukari, alias 'Mosquito'.
Ms Robinson
asked the ECOWAS to pass a resolution to make the sanctions applicable after
the two months moratorium.
Alhaji
Mahama told the Ambassador that Ghana will consider the US objections, but
explained that it was a collective decision by ECOWAS and hence the need for
consultation.
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Bawumia urges Ghanaians to accept change in good faith
Walewale
(Northern Region) 03 March 2001
Alhaji
Mumuni Bawumia, former Chairman of the Council of State, on Thursday urged
Ghanaians to accept the change of government in good faith and support the NPP
administration to ensure good governance.
He said the
choice of Mr John Agyekum Kufuor as President, was ordained by God.
"Whether you belong to party 'A' or party 'Z', we must all rally behind
the new administration to achieve the good governance that we all yearn
for." Alhaji Bawumia, who is now Kpei-Naba, Chief of Kperiga, near
Walewale in the West Mamprusi district, was speaking during a courtesy call on
him by Mr Ben Bukari Salifu, Northern Regional Minister.
Kpei-Naba
said his political career has come to an end, and advised the Regional Minister
to be objective, truthful and decisive in his administration.
"If
you are able to maintain these qualities, there is no doubt that you will
succeed in your work," he said.
Kpei-Naba
called on Ghanaians to focus their attention on helping to build a prosperous
nation instead of resorting to unproductive activities, which can only draw
back the clock of the country's progress.
The Chief
mentioned lack of potable water and inadequate school infrastructure as the
main problems facing the village.
Mr Salifu
thanked Kpei-Naba for declaring support for the Kufuor administration.
He assured
the chief that he would operate an open and transparent administration and said
he would draw inspiration from his success in public service.
The
Regional Minister expressed the hope that Kpei-Naba would offer good
counselling to help him succeed in the onerous task of administering such a
vast area as the Northern Region with its numerous problems.
Mr. Salifu
announced that the European Union (EU) has provided a 92 billion-cedi grant for
water projects in three districts of the region including West Mamprusi, adding
that Kperiga village would benefit under the project.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 03 March 2001
The
government of Benin on Friday announced it will close its borders from
Saturday, March 3rd to Monday, March 5th due to its presidential elections. The
country goes to the polls on March 4.
A statement
signed by Mr Eugene Akrofi, Assistant Director of the Information Services
Department said the Beninois authorities have informed all diplomatic missions
and representatives of international organisations in Cotonou.
The
statement said members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of
international organisations are exempted.
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Regional Minister pays courtesy call on Nayiri
Nalerigu
(Northern Region) 03 March 2001
Mr Ben
Bukari Salifu, Northern Regional Minister, on Thursday re-assured chiefs in the
region that the NPP government would not interfere in chieftaincy affairs but
would accord the institution its desired respect.
He said,
however, that, as much as the government would not meddle in chieftaincy
matters, it would not tolerate any chieftaincy dispute likely to disturb the
prevailing peace in the country.
Mr Salifu
was speaking during a courtesy call on the Nayiri, Na Gamni Mahamadu Abdulai 1,
Paramount Chief of the Mamprugu Traditional Area and President of the Northern
Region House of Chiefs, at Nalerigu.
The
Regional Minister appealed to the Nayiri and other chiefs in the region to
support him in his administration, and urged them to be transparent in their
dealings with the people.
He asked
the chiefs to endeavour to resolve all chieftaincy disputes through dialogue.
Mr Salifu
assured the chiefs that District Co-ordinating Directors, who are now acting as
District Chief Executives, would collaborate with them to ensure the
development of their areas.
The
regional minister said his main focus would be to unite the people,
irrespective of their ethnic or political affiliation, adding that it is under
an atmosphere of unity that any meaningful development can be achieved.
He
impressed upon the chiefs and people on the importance of education, explaining
to them that education holds the key to development and prosperity.
Mr Salifu
assured them that the Walewale-Nalerigu, Tamale-Yendi, Yendi-Bimbilla and
Damongo Junction-Larabanga roads would soon be rehabilitated.
Hajia Alima
Mahama, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development-designate,
and Alhaji Abdul-Rahaman Salifu, Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, urged
the youth to unite and engage in productive activities to enhance the
development of the region.
Na Sambi
Abdul, on behalf of the chiefs and people of the region, expressed gratitude to
President John Agyekum Kufuor and the NPP government for doing them the honour
of appointing Mr Salifu, who hailed from area, to "this high office".
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Chinese firm donates firecrackers towards independence anniversary
Accra
(Greater Accra) 03 March 2001
The China
State construction Engineering Corporation on Friday donated 100 cartons of
firecrackers worth 8,800 US dollars to support Ghana's 44th independent
anniversary celebrations.
Mr. Wang
Ying Biao, Assistant Manager, said the Chinese community in Ghana felt obliged
to share in the celebration mainly due to the hospitality received from
Ghanaians.
Mr Kwamena
Bartels, Minister of Works and Housing, who received the donation, thanked the
Chinese government and the company for taking part in the anniversary.
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Bury political differences- NPP Women's Wing tells
market women
Accra
(Greater Accra) 03 March 2001
Madam
Yaa Afrifa, National Organiser of the NPP Women's Wing on Thursday called on
traders to bury their political differences and ensure peace at the markets.
Addressing
a meeting of market traders associations in Accra she expressed concern about
reports of division among traders at some of the markets, and asked the women
to unite and work together because the government would need peace in all areas
to develop the nation.
The
meeting brought together 36 traders associations drawn from the Greater Accra
Region to discuss problems facing market traders.
Ms
Mercy Needjan, Secretary of the Regional Market Women's Association said the
association is not inclined to any political party, adding, "we are
prepared to work with any government that comes to power".
"Change
in power does not automatically mean that there should be change in executive
membership of the market women's association," she said.
Mr
Samuel Martey, Assembly member for the Kwashieman Electoral Area, assured the
women that their complaints of illegal tolls collected from them would be
investigated.
He
said collection of market tolls is the sole responsibility of the Accra
Metropolitan Assembly and therefore any person or group found to have collected
unauthorised tolls would be brought to justice.
Madam
Mariama Kalley, Regional Women's Organiser of the party promised to always send
the grievances of women to the authorities for redress.
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Complete projects after donor funding
Accra
(Greater Accra) 03 March 2001
District
Assemblies were on Friday asked to ensure that projects are sustained even when
donor funds are exhausted.
Professor
Dominic Kweku Fobih, Minister of Environment Science and Technology said
government is concerned that projects are left idle after donor funding, adding
that they should be completed and sustained.
"The
attitude of most district assemblies which allow successful projects to come to
a halt immediately the donor funds end is quite questionable and not in the
interest of the government", he said.
The
Minister was addressing the inaugural meeting of the working group on
technology-led rural micro enterprise development in Accra.
The group
is expected to develop a national project in which science and technology would
be used to speed up development in rural communities based on a concept paper
prepared by the Ministry.
The paper
will be translated into a strategic document that will help move the rural
population into the 21st century.
Prof. Fobih
said the district assemblies and other stakeholders must be involved in the
planning and implementation of projects to ensure continuity when donor funds
have finished.
Prof. Fobih
said the success of the technology-led intervention in most districts, would
depend on the ability of science and technology institutions to re-organise
their operations in such a way that they can support small businesses.
He called
on the district assemblies to ensure the creation of a healthy balance between
the environment and development in the execution of each project.
" Put
in place mechanism that would assist enterprises to adopt simple and safe
environmental management systems to minimise waste," he said.
The
Minister praised the Rural Enterprises Project (REP) started in 1995 saying, it
has been able to create 1900 new businesses and upgraded some 4000 existing
ones in the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti regions.
He said the
ministry expects to see REP playing a leading role in the science and
technology-led rural micro-enterprise development.
"The
government's economic programme focuses on empowering the youth and women
especially as a step in reducing the current drift from the rural to urban
centres with the attendant social and economic problems," Prof. Fobih
said.
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Danish support team visits Upper West Region
Wa (Upper
West) 03 March 2001
Staff of
Area Councils in the Upper West Region have since May last year not been paid
their allowances even though most of them have remained at post and are
working.
Mr James
Dasah, Upper West Regional Economic Planning Officer, said this on Friday when
he briefed a nine-member team from the Danish Support for District Assemblies
(DSDA) Phase Two now on a visit to the region.
He said
that, under the decentralisation programme, staff of the area councils, ranging
between two to four, are expected to help their assemblies in revenue
mobilisation for which they are paid a monthly allowance of 50 per cent of
monies generated by them until such time that the government takes over the
payment of their salaries.
However,
the revenues generated by most of the area councils were so negligible that the
assemblies could not pay them anything.
Under the
five-year DSDA Phase Two estimated at seven million US Dollars, district
assemblies in the Upper West and Volta Regions are being assisted to develop in
various spheres.
The team,
which is in the region as part of its annual review of Projects, will explore
how best to improve on the performance of the district assemblies.
The
delegation is led by Madam Liz Jespesson, First Secretary of the Danish Embassy
in Accra.
Among the
team is Dr. Joe Annan, Consultant to the DSDA.
He said the
objective of the DSDA is to stimulate the development of the local economy by
the district assemblies.
During a
courtesy call on him at his office, Mr. Mogtari Sahanun, the Regional Minister,
commended the Danish government for the many interventions in the region in the
area of health in particular, which have contributed significantly to the
development of the country's youngest region.
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Fanteakwa approves 2.9 billion cedis budget for 2001
Begoro
(Eastern Region) 03 March 2001
The
Fanteakwa District Assembly on Friday, approved budget estimates of 2,9 billion
cedis for 2001.
The Common
Fund component is 2,698,612,830 cedis while the remaining 224,620,000 cedis
will be generated from local revenue sources.
The
District Budget Officer, Mr Sampson Asante, told the Assembly members that a total
of 881,527,035 cedis has been earmarked for education, health, social
infrastructure and poverty alleviation.
He appealed
to the assembly members to assist revenue collectors to raise more revenue
through the traditional sources.
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Govt develop Aflao to befit gateway status - Regional
Minister
Aflao
(Volta Region) 03 March 2001
Mr
Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, Volta Regional Minister said on Thursday that the Government
of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would transform Aflao from a mere transit
point into a well developed town to befit its status as the country's eastern
gateway.
Mr
Owusu-Yeboa gave this assurance when he paid a courtesy call on Togbi Fiti
Amenya V, Paramount Chief of Aflao traditional area as part of his official
visit to Aflao.
"We
will co-operate with investors to establish industries in deprived areas
including Aflao", Mr Owusu-Yeboa stated.
He
said the government cherishes the Diamond cement factory project at Aflao and
will give the necessary assistance to ensure its early completion.
Describing
chiefs as the repositories of the nation's customs and traditions, the Regional
Minister pledged the government's co-operation with them to ensure a congenial
atmosphere for the country's economic and political development.
Mr
Owusu-Yeboa reminded chiefs that the government looks up to them to promote
national unity and cohesion by mobilising their people to accelerate
national
development programmes.
Togbi Fiti assured the Minister of his
co-operation.
He
decried the failure of previous governments to develop Aflao into a showpiece
as an important international gateway to the country.
He
called on the government to take over the Aflao Secondary Technical School.
In a
related development, Mr Ratner Babu, General Manager of the 600,000-tonne
capacity Diamond Cement Factory, announced during the Regional Minister's visit
that the company is expected to start production in September this year.
Mr Babu
said even though construction work appears to be behind schedule, management is
working hard to ensure its completion on schedule.
He said the
company would provide about 400 jobs to the youth when completed.
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Judicial Service asked to check indiscipline
Ho
(Volta Region) 03 March 2001
Mr
Joseph Essiful-Ansah, Acting General Secretary of the Judicial Services
Association of Ghana (JUSAG) on Thursday called for strict enforcement of
discipline within the service to arrest its declining image.
He
said acts of indiscipline in the service have exposed it to unprecedented public
ridicule and criticisms in recent times.
Mr
Essiful-Ansah was speaking at the inauguration of the Volta Region Branch of
the Judicial Service Ladies Association of Ghana (JUSLAG) at Ho under
the
theme: "Women in Development, the role of JUSLAG".
He
said a performance review meeting is to be held to evolve strategies to salvage
the image of the service and enhance its efficiency to meet the public
expectations and aspirations.
He
advised the ladies to work hard to earn their promotions because "the days
when people were unjustifiably promoted are over".
Mrs
Victoria Bonuedi, a retired Assistant Director of Education and a panel member
of the Community Tribunal, advised the women not to turn the association into a
"gossip club" but use it to improve on their professional performance
and contribute to national development.
She
asked the women not to use their positions in the service to "extort money
from clients or hide dockets which eventually delays the course of
justice".
Mrs
Bonuedi advised them against seeking favours from their male counterparts, as
this could lead to sexual harassment, stressing that they should rather strive
to earn their promotions through hard work and efficiency.
Miss
Patience Klu, President of the regional branch said JUSLAG seeks to educate
women on their rights to be self-reliant and law abiding.
Mr
Justice Attah Asare-Korang, Supervising High Court Judge who presided asked the
women to use the association as a pressure group to ensure that the judicial
service is strengthened to perform its duties effectively.
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