HIPC treatment not panacea
- IMF, World Bank
Elizabeth Ohene explains
Sports Minister’s dismissal
Stop
illegal lands development- Fobih
Citizenship concepts will
break barriers of nationalism - Justice Acquah
Private Enterprise
Foundation holds discussion on the budget
Housing Minister appeals
for more US assistance
Weapons permits issued by
previous government invalid – Minister
Top US military officer
visits Ghana
Explore advantages of
organic farming - Quashigah
Minister calls for
circumspection
Transit
Cargo through Tema Port rises
Government to regulate the
number of fishing vessels
HIPC treatment not panacea
- IMF, World Bank
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 March 2001
The World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday said the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative is not the end to Ghana's economic woes.
Ghana would still need aid from external partners, "even at the completion stage of the initiative," Mr Peter Harrold, Country Director of the World Bank said in Accra.
Mr Harrold was addressing a meeting of financial and economic journalists to expand on the impact of the initiative on the country. At the meeting was Dr Girma Bergashaw, Resident Representative of the IMF.
"HIPC is meant to bring relief to the country. But we do not think it would do the trick. It is not a complete solution to Ghana's problems," Mr Harrold said. "We definitely anticipate some external assistance after the HIPC treatment."
Mr Harrold, however, said the country could be out of HIPC in four years and indicated that Ghana stands to benefit significantly from the treatment, which has the potential of 15 months between decision point and completion point.
Decision point is the period when a country's track record is deemed "right" to qualify for interim debt relief and completion point when a country is found to have reached a debt sustainability point.
A document from the World Bank said Ghana is in a position to reach decision point quickly since it already has an interim poverty reduction strategy and has three years track record with the IMF.
Mr Harrold said the Bank does not put up any prescriptions for HIPC but added: "it is important that a country needs to have an overall poverty reduction programme."
"The Bank and the IMF together with the government will soon convene a meeting to adopt a definite poverty programme into which the debt relief will be put. That indeed is the first step to agree on," he said.
Dr Bergashaw said the funds available to Ghana could be spread to develop areas such as employment, trade and industry, education and health.
He, however, noted that such relief is not a write off. "It is a status that must be earned after government has showed a programme of what it intends to do with the money."
Dr Bergashaw said debt payment is reduced to enable the country have funds, which originally would have gone to donors, for poverty reduction activities.
The two men agreed that the initiative would result in non-availability of fresh money as loans, but the country will benefit from grants.
"I cannot say if loans will be given to equal the monies that would be given as grants from donor partners," Mr Harrold added. "International capital markets will no doubt be problematic. Yet, it must be noted that the basic criterion of accessing funds would be a company's track record over the years."
The two institutions could not give the full impact of the HIPC treatment but noted that the depreciation of the cedi resulting in the increase in external debt stock (in cedi terms) was a major setback to qualifying Ghana for HIPC.
"For instance the current 558 per cent debt to revenue ratio needs to be reduced by half, while debt to export ratio now at 250 instead of 150, would be halved under HIPC".
Dr Bergashaw said the issue of divestiture is not directly related to the HIPC treatment, though the poverty reduction programme to be drawn up might include the proper functioning of state enterprises.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Elizabeth Ohene explains Sports
Minister’s dismissal
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 March 2001
The Minister of State responsible for media relations, Ms Elizabeth Ohene, says Mallam Yusif Isa, the ex-Minister of Youth and Sports, was sacked by the President when he left him with no other choice after he refused to resign honourably over the $46,000 scandal. The money was meant for paying winning bonus to the Black Stars in their World Cup qualifying match against Sudan in Khartoum.
Following claims by Mallam Isa on Radio Universe in Accra on Thursday that he has not resigned, the GNA contacted Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State responsible for press who said in a telephone in a telephone interview that " the earlier press statement saying the Minister had resigned was a polite way of saying he's been sacked".
She said the Minister had earlier discussed the issue with President John Agyekum Kufuor and Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama and he was given various options to choose from, including resignation.
The government spokesperson added that the statement on the Sports Minister's resignation was discussed with him before it was released to the press.
Mallam Isa's suitcase containing amount ago got missing in transit and was later discovered without the money.
The Former Minister incurred the wrath of the President and the leadership of the NPP party because he failed to report the loss to them when he returned from Sudan on February 28.
Ms Ohene said the President Kufuor read about the incident for the first time from "The Despatch", an Accra weekly newspaper.
She said the government was so much embarrassed that Mallam Isa was summoned to meet with the President and the Vice President and the matter was deliberated extensively.
The meeting resolved that Mallam Isa should relinquish his post and the Minister responsible for media relations was authorised to write a resignation letter for him.
The Minister said the letter was read to Mallam Isa and he accepted the contents before it was sent to media houses for publication
"The refutation of the resignation notice by the Sports Minister is, therefore, a surprise and indeed a shock to me", Ms Ohene said.
Mallam Isa told the Radio Universe that he went to Ms Ohene's office to tell her that the Vice President had asked her to hold on to the letter till Thursday but she went ahead to fax the statement to the media houses.
Mallam Isa, Acting Chairman of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) assumed duty as Sports Minister on February 12.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Stop
illegal lands development- Fobih
Accra (Greater Accra)
16 March 2001
Professor Dominic K.
Fobih, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology on Thursday urged the
staff of the Town and Country Planning Department to stop conniving with
landowners and developers to develop areas without permit.
He said the absence of
the requisite planning schemes for most urban centres has resulted in
development, taking place without lay-out plans for access roads, schools,
markets, recreational centres and proper plans for water, telephones and
electricity supplies to the detriment of the entire economy.
Prof. Fobih was
speaking during a familiarisation visit to the department.
He had earlier visited
the Development and Application of Intermediate Technology (DAPIT) unit.
He said some the
development problems have resulted due to the unofficial role that some staff
of the department play in the issue of building permits as well as the
preparation of layout for landowners.
"The aim of most
land owners is to make money from their lands without thinking about the future
inconvenience to the public," he said, adding that he would deal
drastically with any staff who is involved when such information reaches him.
The Minister said, as
technical advisers to the government, they should be able to convince
government on the right way that things should be done, instead of abetting
wrong doings.
Prof. Fobih urged the
staff of the department to ensure that their planning goes to protect the
country's natural resources such as water bodies and hills.
Prof. Fobih urged the
department to improve upon its procedures to ensure that the public gets
satisfaction from the services that it offers.
He urged the department
to start thinking about mechanising some of its activities, adding: "You
are aware of the advantage associated with this."
Mr. Stephen Nimoh
Domfeh, acting director of the department said, in areas where there are
approved planning scheme, "people close their eyes to such schemes and
build haphazardly."
He said it had also
come to the notice of the department that some prospective developers
intentionally inscribe "Stop Work" on their projects when they know
they do not have permits as a way of deceiving inspectors that their colleagues
had already been around.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Citizenship concepts will
break barriers of nationalism - Justice Acquah
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 March 2001
Mr Justice George Acquah, Supreme Court Judge, has observed that through co-operation and integration regional planning frameworks and trading blocks, African nations can ensure the efficient and judicious utilisation of their natural resources.
Delivering a paper at a lecture to commemorate Commonwealth Day, which fell on Monday, Justice Acquah said as individual entities even well managed countries on the continent "will remain at risk since they would have to contend with the 'bad neighbourhood effects'".
The lecture was organised jointly by the Ghana School of Law and the West African Chapter of the Commonwealth Legal Education Association (CLEA) with sponsorship from VANEF-STC, EPP Books Services and the African Society of International and Comparative Law.
The other sponsors were the New Times Corporation, Graphic Communications Group Limited and OGR Travel and Tours Limited.
Mr Justice Acquah, whose topic was "Citizenship in the Changing World", traced the origin of citizenship from the ancient times and said it referred to membership of a city, originally and implied duties and obligations as well as rights.
He stated that some ancient Greek philosophers did much to promote the expansion of citizenship from the few to the many, by their philosophy that all men are brothers.
Consequently, he said, a citizen is now generally defined as a person who under the laws of a particular state, is a member of that state or political community, owing allegiance and being entitled to the enjoyment of full civil rights.
He pointed out that citizenship is man's basic right, for, it is nothing less than the right to have rights, adding, "remove this priceless possession and there remains a stateless person, disgraced and degraded in the eyes of his countrymen."
Mr Justice Acquah, who is also the Chairman of the Council for Law Reporting, made it clear that in any truly democratic state, virtually all rights including fundamental human rights are now enjoyed by citizens and non-citizens alike.
He said even in respect of the right to vote, some nations extend it to some categories of aliens resident in their territories, citing Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland as typical examples of nations, which grant foreign citizens voting rights in local and regional elections.
Again, he said, Commonwealth and Irish citizens resident in the United Kingdom enjoy voting rights in local and national elections without being British citizens.
Touching on the Euro-citizen and Community citizen concepts put in place by the European Economic Community and the ECOWAS, the Supreme Court Judge noted that with their creation, member-states would have their people united in addition to the union of their economies and currencies.
The direct impact of these concepts, he pointed out, is to break the barriers of nationalism, which have been so strong in both European and African nations and in this way, create a feeling of being European or African beyond nationalistic beliefs.
Coming home, the Supreme Court Judge said in Ghana under the current citizenship law, an applicant for citizenship by registration or naturalisation becomes such a citizen from the date he takes the oath of allegiance.
This, according to him, is the date he is so registered as a citizen or in the case of naturalisation, the date stated on the certificate.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Attorney - General and Minister of Justice, who was the special Guest of Honour, noted that Ghana's membership of the Commonwealth has been "the pillar of her foreign policy".
Nana Akufo-Addo said the fundamental changes sweeping across the globe coupled with the development of new institutions should impress upon governments and world leaders not only to recognise the supremacy of the concept of the Rule of Law but to also respect the rights of their nationals.
Mr S. Y. Bimpong-Buta, Director of Legal Education and President of the West African Chapter of CLEA, stressed the need for members to develop and strengthen legal education to ensure fairness in the administration of justice.
Mr Justice Kwame Afreh, an Appeal Court Judge, who presided, urged the government to take the necessary steps to ensure that Ghanaians, who in recent times, were deprived of their rights of citizenship, are restored to the "status quo."
Mr Justice VCRAC Crabbe and Mr Justice Charles Hayfron-Benjamin, former justices of the superior court, Nana Dr S. K.B. Asante, an eminent legal practitioner and Mr Joseph Ebow Quashie, President of the Ghana Bar Association were present.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Private Enterprise
Foundation holds discussion on the budget
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 March 2001
Participants at a forum to discuss the impact of the 2001 budget on private sector performance have pitched the success or otherwise of the sector's ability to accelerate growth on how well government policies on the sector are implemented.
They argued that although policies are necessary to guide the sector's performance that alone, without effective administrative machinery, would not ensure that the private sector gets the necessary boost to stimulate economic growth and development.
The forum, organised by the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) was to find out to which extent the budget would impact on the development of the private sector.
It was also to express concerns on the budget and make representation to government for the necessary actions.
Participants also agreed that stringent measures are needed to bring the level of inflation down, reduce interest rates and halt the depreciation of the cedi, which, they said have largely contributed to the sector's inability to access funds critical for its expansion from the financial institutions.
They viewed government's promise to cut down on its expenditure and ensure a fiscal and financial discipline as a bold decision that would go a long way to ensure that the sector gets the critically needed funds to stimulate growth in the economy.
Dr Augustine Fritz Gockel, a lecturer at the Department of Economics, University of Ghana, who led the discussion said government targets of four per cent growth in GDP, though conservative is a more realistic figure and a departure from the past when high targets are set but are never attained.
He said the reliance on the agriculture sector to generate employment is not sustainable and questioned why the budget was silent on irrigation activities that are important in ensuring growth in the sector.
Dr Gockel feared that the 25 per cent inflation target in the budget is not likely to be attained since accumulated inflationary pressures from last year may impact negatively on the economy, adding that stringent measures are needed to avert any adverse situation.
On HIPC, Dr Gockel said time was not given to civil society and other bodies to make an input to ensure that the necessary consensus is built before the final decision, saying it was necessary for the government to weigh the political and economic cost of going HIPC.
Dr Gockel bemoaned the budget's silence on health care financing, especially on policy initiatives on health insurance, which he said needed massive education of the people before implementation.
Mr S. K. B. Asante, a retired Diplomat said there is the need to think seriously of how the economy of the country would be transformed from dependence on the agriculture sector and few export commodities to an industrial giant exporting a variety of products.
The Director-General of the PEF, Mr Kwasi Abeasi said his organisation plays an advocacy role for the private sector to influence government policies that affect the sector.
This, he said, would create the right environment for accelerated growth of the economy, adding that the budget was critical to the development of the private sector.
UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Saliah Fawundu called for greater collaboration between the judiciary and private sector on issues affecting business.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Housing Minister appeals
for more US assistance
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 March 2001
Mr. Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Works and Housing, on Thursday appealed to the United States for two helicopters to check activities of farmers who crop on river banks or settle in those areas.
Speaking during a courtesy call on him by US Ambassador, Ms Kathryn Dee Robinson in Accra, the minister said the activities of these people lead to the drying up of rivers.
He also asked for financial assistance to preserve Ada beaches, which are frequently hit by high tidal waves, some as high as 20 feet.
He said the waves are destroying the eco-system of the area, one of the most diverse and beautiful in Ghana.
Mr Bartels said the project bidding process in the ministry would be made very transparent so that the winner and losers would both feel satisfied.
Ms Robinson expressed concern about the frequent water shortages in some parts of Accra and Tema and said she hoped the situation would be improved.
"The embassy will keep an open mind in monitoring water bodies and area hydrological services in the country ".
She said funds for projects should be made transparent to reflect the zero tolerance corruption agenda of the Kufuor administration.
She touched on the US-sponsored Habitat Housing Project in the rural areas and suggested the project be left to stand on its own.
The minister, however, was of the view that the project would still need government assistance, adding that, the 2001 budget has a provision to give it a push.
Mr Bartels explained that the project was torn between his ministry and Local Government making things a little difficult for them in the past.
He gave the assurance that things will be streamlined to make the project successful.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Weapons permits issued by
previous government invalid – Minister
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 March 2001
The Ministry of the Interior on Thursday reminded the public that private permits covering weapons issued to civilians, military/ police personnel and other security agencies by the previous Government are illegal.
"In recent times, the police have come across civilians in possession of weapons covered by permits typed or written on all sorts of paper," a statement signed by the Minister, Alhaj Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu in Accra said.
"The signatures of the persons issuing such permits are indecipherable, the offices which issued such permits do not also appear to have had any recognised official designations."
The ministry, therefore, asked all persons holding weapons not covered by valid Police permits to either surrender them to the police or the military within a seven- day grace period, beginning March 19.
It reminded the public that all forms and nature of dealing in arms and ammunition, including the possession, transfer, import and export, are subject to various enactments.
The ministry mentioned the Arms and Ammunition Act, 1962, Act 118; the Arms and Ammunition Regulations 1962 LI 200; the Arms and Ammunition Decree, 1972, NRCD 9, and the Arms and Ammunition Amendment Act, 1996 Act 519 and said the import of such laws and regulations is clear.
"No person in the country shall purchase, import, possess, own and transfer any arms and ammunition without the permission of the minister of the interior or the Inspector General of Police".
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Top US military officer
visits Ghana
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 March 2001
General Joseph Ralston, United States Commander-in-Chief of the European Command arrived in Accra on Thursday on a day's visit to Ghana.
He was met at the Airforce Base by the Airforce Commander, Air Vice- Marshall John Bruce and inspected a guard of honour mounted by 48 men and two officers of the Ghana Airforce.
General Ralston, who is also the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, held a closed door meeting with the Minister of Defence, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor after a brief discussion with the Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Ben Akafia.
The Generals' visit expresses the US recognition of the significance of Ghana's recent peaceful transition of government, and of Ghana's commitment to democracy.
It is also to demonstrate US appreciation for the country's important role in regional peacekeeping operations.
An Earlier statement issued by the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy said General Ralston's visit builds on a strong bilateral foundation and indicates the US desire to further enhance US-Ghana military co-operation, based on Ghana's continued adherence to constitutional democracy.
The General is scheduled to meet with President John Agyekum Kufuor.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Explore advantages of
organic farming - Quashigah
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 March 2001
Inadequate replacement of nutrients in soils is partly responsible for the slow growth and poor performance of the agriculture sector, Major Courage Quashigah, Food and Agriculture Minister said on Thursday.
In a speech read for him at the inauguration of a 16-member technical committee on organic farming in Accra, Major Quarshigah stressed the need to reduce the use of inorganic fertilisers to promote sustainable agricultural development.
"Ghana has no choice but to encourage organic farming because of our concern for the environment," the minister said.
Organic farming relies on animal and green manure and biological soil control for soil management.
The Committee, which has Mrs. Pearl Du Amankwah as Chairperson, is expected to develop standards for organic production and processing.
The Minister said although inorganic farming systems have contributed to mass food production, "the safety values were not tightened enough to avoid environmentally health hazards that go with the so-called technology agricultural systems."
Major Quarshigah said of the 40,000 metric tones of fertilisers imported annually, very little is used on food crops while the bulk is applied on cotton, rubber and selected fruits.
Mr Kwasi Nkansa, Executive Director of the Ghana Standards Board, said with the current population increase there is pressure on the nation to increase agricultural productivity.
" Faced with such a situation there is the temptation to resort to the use of chemicals for rapid results, a practice which is not only a danger to the environment but also a threat to our future survival."
Mr. Joe Taabazuing, representative of ECOTRADE Network, a network of NGO's and Agro-business entrepreneurs, said a major problem facing agricultural development is the poor marketing opportunities for farmer's produce.
The organic market is growing and the nation cannot afford to be indifferent to this new trend and the opportunities it presents.
He, therefore, called for the establishment of a National Inspection and Certification body that would provide internationally recognised certification to Ghanaian organic produce that can attract premium prices, since people are willing to pay more for healthy foods.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Minister calls for circumspection
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 March 2001
The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu on Thursday appealed for circumspection in the handling of the violent clashes between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in the Afram Plains.
A farmer and two herdsmen have been killed in the conflict, he said in a statement to the press.
Mr Baah-Wiredu, who is the MP for Asante Akim North said he was in touch with the National Security Council and that the matter would be handled with despatch.
The Minister said the wholesale arrest of residents of Agogo must stop, those in custody should be granted Police bail and the innocent ones released for peace to prevail in the area.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Transit
Cargo through Tema Port rises
Tema (Greater Accra) 16
March 2001
Transit cargo through
the Port of Tema to neighbouring West African countries rose to 142,00 metric
tonnes last year compared to 67,000 tones in 1999.
Niger, a land-locked
country recorded the highest transit cargo of 76,303 metric tonnes compared to
42,582 metric tonnes in 1999 while Burkina Faso increased its 1999 figure from
22,118 to 42,140 metric tonnes in 2000.
Statistics released to
the Ghana News Agency by Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) showed that
Togo's transit cargo through Tema quadrupled from 2000 metric tonnes in 1999 to
7,996 tonnes last year.
Nigeria, Cote D'Ivoire,
Benin and Mali shipped some transit cargo through Tema Port for the first time
last year. Nigeria recorded 6,485 metric tonnes, Cote D'Ivore 8,024 tonnes and
Benin 972 tonnes while Mali had the lowest figure of 256 tonnes.
Mr Paul Asare-Ansah,
Acting Public Affairs Manager of the GPHA, said the main items imported by
these countries included general and containerised cargo, rice, sugar and
metals.
On why the transit
cargo has shot up, Mr Asare-Ansah explained that a recent survey conducted,
indicated that shipping communities of these landlocked countries have positive
perceptions about the ports of Ghana.
He said the most
positive impressions about Ghanaian Ports, according to the survey, are
efficiency, less expensive, good security, reliable trucks and efficient
customer relations.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com
Government
to regulate the number of fishing vessels
Tema (Greater Accra) 16
March 2001
The government is to
institute measures to control the number of fishing vessels operating in the
country to ensure sustainable and responsible fishing.
For a start all owners
of fishing vessels have been given 45 days with effect from last Monday March
12 to make their vessel available for inspection and re-registration.
Mr Ishmael Ashietey,
Minister responsible for Fisheries, who announced this at a meeting with
operators in the fisheries sector at the Tema Fishing Harbour on Thursday, said
the 93 vessels currently operating in the country's waters is far more than the
number required by the law.
He said permits for
importation of vessels and replacement are going to be managed while an
effective monitoring, control and surveillance or patrol system would be
installed to ensure that all vessels operating at sea are monitored.
Mr Ashietey said the
measures, which forms part of the policies and agenda with which the Ministry
would be managing the fishing sector, would also ensure that fish catches are
managed to reduce environmental damage to the country's fishing resources.
The government is
bringing in two patrol vessels for the Ghana Navy, with the first one expected
in July for the monitoring exercise. Mr
Ashietey announced that repatriation of all revenue earned is going to be
monitored and companies, which have over the years failed to repatriate fully
their earnings would be brought to book.
He expressed regret
that the tuna industry, which is the driving force behind the fishing industry,
is beset with many problems, dominated by foreigners.
Ghanaian workers in the
industry are not well remunerated and they have no social security.
The Ghana Tuna
Association called on the government to stop the practice of registering
foreign vessels to fish in Ghanaian waters, saying that it with their
sophisticated equipment, they would deplete Ghanaian waters of fishery
resources.
They also called for
the training of Ghanaian officers and sailors in tuna catching at the Regional
Maritime Academy to end the situation where foreigners dominate in that sector.
They complained about
the high price of diesel for fishing since it is pegged to the dollar and
suggested the replacement of VAT with a five per cent import duty on imported
fish to bring the price of fish down.
GRi…/
Send your comments to news@ghanareview.com