HIPC, No firm decision yet
First Lady salutes Ghanaian women
Police seize guns
Armed robbers in 4-hour operation at Kpone
I own only one house
‘NDC ate the chicke, but denied the children’
Gadhafi disowns Rawlings
Origin of Jet still unknown
Appiah Ampofo’s woes deepen
Budget of Reality Tomorrow
We are not poor
HIPC, No firm decision yet
Figures to enable the government to make informed decision on whether the country should embrace the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative or not are not yet ready.
Consequently, the government is unable to announce its decision on the issue before the national budget is read tomorrow as President John Agyekum Kufuor promised.
Media Relations Minister, Ms Elizabeth Ohene, told the Graphic in an interview in Accra on Wednesday that request for various figures from which “additions and subtractions” would be made before informed decision is taken are not yet in.
The public would be informed as soon as the figures are in and the decision is taken, she indicated.
It will be recalled that President Kufuor said at a meeting with Ms Clare Short, the British Secretary for international Development, in Accra a forthnight ago that the decision would be taken before the national budget is read.
President Kufuor also indicated that the interest of the country would determine the decision to be taken.
The President, who at that time had returned from his meeting in Mali, referred to positive signals from multilateral and bilateral discussion and said every option must be weighed before the decision is taken.
More…/
First Lady salutes Ghanaian women
On the occasion of the celebration of International Women’s Day, the First Lady, Mrs Theresa Kufuor has saluted all Ghanaian Women, reports the Graphic.
In a message, she said Ghanaian women have a sacred duty, as they are mainly responsible for moulding the Ghanaian child and therefore the future of the country.
“Nurturing and caring for our children as a process includes ensuring their moral, spiritual and academic growth’, Mrs Kufuor said, adding that Ghanaian women have always worked hard in support of the men without being recognised.
She reminded the “mothers and daughters” of Ghana that the challenges of the modern world mean that their responsibilities are not limited to the home alone. “We are in management and the professions and excel at every level”, she added.
The mother of the nation further stated that Ghanaian women have traditionally also played a major role in the economic growth of the country and currently are able to contribute even more.
“As we celebrate this day, she said, my message to you is one of encouragement, hope and faith. I hope with God on our side, we all will work harder and strive for excellence in all we do”.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Police seize guns
The Police on Wednesday raided the residence of a 75-year-old man at Teshie-Nugua Estates in Accra, and impounded a number of weapons and ammunition.
The man, Citrian Pupulampu, had in the house, an AK-47 assault rifle, a calibre 380 pistol, a shot gun and a revolver.
According to the Ghanaian Times story, the AK-47 was loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition, while the calibre 380 pistol had 14 rounds nine-milimetre ammunition.
Pupulampu produced a certificate issued by the office of the former President in 1995, authorizing him to use the weapons.
He could not be immediately taken to the police station because of his frail condition. He uses clutches and a wheel-chair.
But Deputy Commissioner of Police, in charge of Operations, Mr Yaw Adu Gyimah, told the ‘Times’ in Accra on Wednesday that his condition would not affect police investigations.
According to the police, the house of Pupulampu, who claims to have worked as a Psychologist in the US Air Force Research centre in San Antonio, was searched upon a tip-off.
The suspect told the police that the Office of the ex-President gave him the revolver and showed a permit issued on March 31, 1995 to that effect.
He claimed that the weapon was given to him for his duties” but he did not give details. The suspect also said that the permit issued by the Office of the ex-President covered all the other weapons.
More…/
Armed robbers in 4-hour operation at Kpone
About 20 robbers, armed with shotguns, matchets, knives and cudgels at the weekend stormed a house in Kpone and stole cash and items worth over 42 million cedis.
A police source disclosed that the robbers surrounded the house, within the premises of EDDIEVYN Farms, at around 11:30pm on February 27, when the occupants were asleep.
They announced that they were armed robbers and ordered the occupants to unlock their doors and come out else they would shoot.
The robbers then broke the doors, entered, ordered the occupants to lie prostrate and ransacked the rooms. They stole electrical appliance and clothing worth 30 million cedis. They also took away cash of 12 million cedis.
After taking what they wanted, the robbers, many of whom spoke in Nigerian accents, then subjected the household of 25 people to torture.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
I own only one house
Seven days after hitting the headline with the controversial 100 million cedis End-of-Service Benefit (ESB) Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, chief executive of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) has finally reacted.
In a six-page rejoinder to the Editor of “The Evening News”, the GIPC chief executive who has been asked to proceed on leave, went to great length to explain himself on the ESB and other issues raised by the publication.
Mr Ahwoi admitted owning one house at North Legon in Accra but denied ownership of a beach house at Ningo near Ada.
According to him the only beach house he has been using from time-to-time at Prampram belongs to a Taiwanese friend of his.
On the 100 million cedis ESB, Mr Ahwoi said he has not retired and neither has he been retired from the service of the Centre to warrant his claiming of any service benefit.
“There has never been any demand by me at GIPC for the payment of end of service benefit and there has never been any cheque prepared for such payment,” he said.
Mr Ahwoi denied that at the time he was asked to proceed on leave on February 20, 2001, a signatory to the Centre’s cheque has been dropped.
He said by the Board’s decision, he would have received 80 million cedis as his ESB for serving six year’s as a chief executive.
On allegation that he owns a fleet of cars and drew fuel from the Centre, he said “the only car I own is a Pontiac Transport SE (1994 model), purchased in May 2000 and licensed GR 7 S on 15/1/01.”
The chief executive said a Nissan Skyline (1987 model) No. AS 4092E, which he purchased in 1992 has been transferred to his wife and is own by her and registered in her name since 12/6/98.
On the allegation that he was contemplating going on an overseas conference to represent the centre so that he could earn part of the 40,000 US dollar grant even though he has been asked to proceed on leave, Mr Ahwoi said “there is no such 40,000 dollar grant to the GIPC that I am aware of. This can be verified at the GIPC”.
More../
‘NDC ate the chicken, but denied the children’
The President of the Full Gospel Evangelistic Ministry, Reverend Samuel Noi Mensah has criticised the NDC government for not keeping faith with the people, especially, on the issue of the End-of-service benefit (ESB).
According to him, if as a matter of principle and fairness, the ESB was frozen and therefore, workers could not enjoy it, “what was the moral justification for our political leaders to secretly enjoy the very thing, which was not good for their people”.
“This is discriminatory and must be discouraged because what is good for the goose is good for the gander,” he said.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Gadhafi disowns Rawlings
An unimpeachable source close to the Guide indicate that Libya’s Muammar Gadhafi resisted pressure from ex-President Jerry John Rawlings to be invited as an eminent person to the just ended meeting of African Heads of State in Sirte, Libya.
Apart from the heads of state, other eminent African citizens like Nelson Mandela, Kenneth Kaunda and others were invited to the occasion.
Guide says it’s close source in Libya indicate that ex President Rawlings who wanted to be part of the programme had asked Gadhafi to invite him as an eminent person to the meeting.
Gadhafi, according to our sources, politely asked Rawlings to make that request through President John Agyekum Kufuor for endorsement.
For whatever reason, Rawlings did not approach President Kufuor, and therefore could not join his ex colleagues and some eminent African personalities at the Sirte Conference.
In another development, President Kufuor became the cynosure of the meeting as Gadhafi kept on introducing him to his guest as “the man who defeated Rawlings and his party in Ghana”.
There still seems to be an impression in the minds of some in Africa that Rawlings willingly and voluntarily gave up power to a new government in Ghana while the truth remains that the good people of Ghana outthumbed him and his NDC government out of power.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Origin of Jet still unknown
The Minister for Presidential Affairs and chief of Staff, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, has disclosed that Ghana’s Peace Keeping Account in New York, USA was used as guarantee for the lease purchase of the Gulf Stream 3 aircraft by the previous government, reports the Inependent..
He also revealed that this was done with an amount of $14 million which was paid into a deposit account.
The Presidential Affairs Minister further intimated that a financial institution in the United Kingdom (UK) by name H.S.B.C. Bank Financed the lease with the amount at the initial stage.
Mr Obetsebi Lamptey, who explained that the peace keeping account was an account opened to receive contributions from the United Nations (UN) towards the upkeep of Ghanaian Soldiers who take part in UN operations, said his government has incurred a total cost of $4 million as at now on the controversial aircraft.
He further divulged that though the origin of the presidential jet was still unknown, he was very optimistic that a solution would be found within 45 days.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Appiah Ampofo’s woes deepen
Following a series of publications by The Crusading Guide in recent times in respect of alleged malfeasance by the former National Insurance Commissioner, Mr. S. Appiah-Ampofo, the paper has called on the Commission on Human Rights and administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to probe him.
In the January 25-31, 2001 issue of this paper, it was intimated that Mr Appiah-Ampofo had succeeded in replacing the former insurance brokers of Ghana Airways, Bowring (currently known as March Ltd.) with another insurance company by name AON.
The story, headlined “Alarm Blows!…. Ghana’s Insurance Commissioner Receive US$96,500 Kick Back in Ghanaair Insurance Deal”, had indicated that based on a deal between the new company and the ex-Insurance Commissioner, an amount of US$96,500 was paid to him as commission between 1995 and 1998.
A document attached to a letter written to the then Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Airways, Mr. E.L. Quarter Jnr (now resigned) dated January 4, 2001 and signed by one Mr Garrick R. Hitchen on behalf of March, had maintained that one Edward Grant Whytock, a broker working as a consultant to the aviation division of Nicholson Leslie Ltd. – now part of the AON Group Ltd. – met the former Insurance Commissioner in London in 1985.
It alleged that "further to discussion, it was agreed that in the event that the Commissioner was able to assist in the introduction of new business to Nicholson Leslie, he would be remunerated by the company with a share of the resulting commission".
Mr. Appiah-Ampofo however, refuted these and other allegations in an interview with this reporter - which was published in the edition of the paper quoted above.
Obviously incensed by the denial, another source vehemently challenged the ex-Insurance Commissioner (then the substantive Insurance boss) saying, "Mr. Commisioner should address the US$96,500 bribery scandal and stop beating around the bush".
The source revealed that Appiah-Ampofo organised a meeting on May 2, 1995 at his Marble House Conference room among the NIC, Ghanair, SIC and Ghana-Re to discuss alleged complaints by Ghanair on their insurance placements.
According to an insurance executive who attended the meeting, “it was evidently clear that the Insurance Commissioner had taken an extremely entrenched position in the issue of replacing Ghanair’s insurance brokers”.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Budget of Reality Tomorrow
The Budget, that single statement of Government’s intent for the next twelve months, may be out tomorrow if last minute fine tuning is completed, and The Chronicle says it learnt that the Minister of Finance, Hon. Osafo Maafo, may have nothing in his brand new portmanteau to offer, except plenty of bitter capsules that Ghanaians may have to swallow with no sweeteners.
A lot of hair-tearing has gone on and minds have been taxed including that of former NPP man turned Atta-Mills adviser, Mr. Kwame Pianim, but only the cold reality of the level of impoverishment and the NDC’s legacy appears to be the grim reality that stares Osafo Maafo in the face. He will certainly be wearing a mournful expression tomorrow morning as he takes the hot seat and announces to expectant Ghanaians that only projects that are in the pipeline would continue.
On Wednesday, the former Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Victor Selormey, publicly warned that the NPP government should halt scrutinising reports of wrongdoing in the acquisition of properties like the Presidential jet and just concentrate on resolving the problems that confront the country.
It was an ironic twist especially when one conducts investigations into Victor’s 600 million cedis deals with SSNIT in a real estate deal in Accra that yielded huge losses in the books of SSNIT but beautiful properties for Selormey, who happens to be one of the longest serving Board members of SSNIT.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
We are not poor
When President Kufuor lit the perpetual flame at the 44th Independence Day celebration last Tuesday at the Independence Square to symbolise the unquenching flame of hope for Ghana, he was also rekindling another flame: the flame of regeneration.
And to give practical meaning to the perpetual flame, minutes later he declared to his compatriots and the world that Ghana will make it on her own steam. In clear confident tones he declared, “Our country is not poor. It is a well endowed nation that has been badly managed and only needs responsible and committed leadership to get it to the position it deserves to be.”
This is the closest yet the president has come to stating his position on whether the country will willingly join the club of Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) or not.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com