Government interdicts BOST boss, orders
investigation into contracts
Regional Minister
meets police personnel in Bolga
IT forum for African youth in November
Government to decide on Songhor salt affair
- Minister
Ivorian Minister cautions African countries
Foreign Affairs Ministry advises travellers
to Libya
Ghana and World Bank sign grant agreement
Kufuor supports affirmative action for
Muslim-girls' education
Engineers to improve on Ghana's
Telecommunications system
Are government rental units for sale? - VRCC
"Ghana to under-study Singapore" -
Kufuor
Government to reverse over-reliance of
foreign experts - Minister
Government interdicts BOST boss, orders
investigation into contracts
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
The government on Thursday said it has ordered the immediate interdiction of Dr Kwabena Donkor, Acting General Manager of the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) Company.
A statement issued in Accra by Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, Minister of Energy, said he is to surrender all official property and vehicle in his possession to the company.
It said the action is part of investigations "to establish the full scope and magnitude of the malfeasance, which occurred at BOST."
The statement said the Ministry has, meanwhile, constituted a three-member team to investigate all contracts entered into by BOST since its inception in 1998.
Mr Samuel Ntsiaba, a lawyer, who works with the Ghana Supply Commission is the chairman, Mrs Naomi Agram, Chartered Accountant (SSNIT), and Mr Sefa Darkwa, a Quantity Surveyor of the Electricity Company of Ghana are the members.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor has released the names of 19 ministers who would form his Cabinet.
A statement issued in Accra on Thursday named them as:
1. Mr Joseph Henry Mensah - Government Business in Parliament and Chairman,
National Development Planning Commission
2. Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor - Defence
3. Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko - Roads and Highways
4. Mr Kwaku Afriyie - Lands, Forestry and Mines
5. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo - Attorney General and Justice
6. Dr Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi - Education
7. Dr Richard Winfred Anane - Health
8. Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku - Trade and Industry
9. Mrs Gladys Asmah - Women's Affairs
10. Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu - Local Government
11. Prof. Dominic Kwaku Fobih - Science, Technology and Environment
12. Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah - Energy
13. Jacob Okanta Obetsebi-Lamptey - Presidential Affairs and Chief of Staff
14. Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo - Finance
15. Mrs Cecilia Bannerman - Manpower Development and Employment
16. Mr Felix K. Owusu-Adjapong - Transport and Communications
17. Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman - Foreign Affairs
18. Major (rtd) Courage Quashigah - Agriculture
19. Alhaji Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu - Interior
Earlier this week, the National Democratic Congress filed a write at the Supreme Court to compel the Kufour government to name members of his cabinet in accordance with the constitution. The case is yet to be heard.
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Regional Minister
meets police personnel in Bolga
Bolgatanga (Upper East) 30 March
2001
Mr. Mahami Salifu, Upper East
Regional Minister, on Thursday called for an aggressive public education
campaign to sensitise communities in the area on the duties of the police.
He said the growing incidence of
mob attacks on police personnel on duty in the area is an indication of lack of
proper understanding of the role of the police, on the part of the local
people.
"A successful education
campaign will enhance police-public relations and enable police personnel to go
about their duties in an atmosphere of safety," he said.
Mr. Salifu was speaking at a
meeting with personnel of the police service in Bolgatanga, in the aftermath of
the murder of Police Inspector George Musah by a mob at Yameriga near Tongo in the Bolgatanga District on
Monday.
He called for closer collaboration
between the Regional Police Command and the Regional Co-ordinating Council and
gave the assurance that he will not interfere with police investigations into
any criminal case.
Accompanied by Chief
Superintendent of Police Raynolds Kwakye, Acting Regional Police Commander, and
a team of security personnel, the Regional Minister later visited the spot
where Inspector Musah was murdered at Yameriga, where he went with another
policeman to arrest an alleged thief.
At Wuog, near Yameriga where Naafu
Kolugu, the suspect who had allegedly stolen a sheep had gone to hide, Mr.
Salifu urged the residents to assist the police in their efforts to apprehend
all those involved in the attack on the two policemen.
He also visited the widow of the
late Inspector Musah to express his condolence to the bereaved family.
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IT forum for
African youth in November
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March
2001
The Secretary-General of the
African Telecommunication Union (ATU), Mr. Jan Mutai, on Thursday announced
that as part of this year's Telecom Africa Summit slated for November in South
Africa this year, there will be special Information Technology (IT) forum for
100 selected youth from Africa.
He made the announcement at the
closing of the 3rd Africa Telecommunications Summit, which attracted 305 IT
experts, regulators, ministers, policy makers, operators and infrastructure
providers from 55 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia and America.
The three-day conference,
organised by Spectrum International, Ghana and Kemilink Limited, a UK-based
Nigerian IT company, also attracted such dignitaries as the Mr. Yoshio Utsumi,
Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and 12
ministers of communications of African countries.
It was to create a forum for
candid dialogue between policy makers, ministers, operators and regulators in
the African IT sector, with the view to reaching a consensus in channelling the
way forward for the IT development in Africa.
Participants discussed the need
for universal access to IT, IT financing, relatively high IT tariffs, women,
youth and children and IT, as well as broad band inter-connections between
countries.
It was also a forum for
stakeholders to present their concerns and misgivings about the effect of
government policy on the operators and the industry as whole.
Mr. Mutai noted that though the
youth comprise over 50 per cent of the African population, IT development in
Africa has not taken adequate cognisance of the needs of the youth, saying that
there was a need for the youth to make an input into IT content targeted at
them.
He charged the ministers of
communications of African countries to collaborate with their colleague
ministers of education to select two young men and two young women between the
ages of 18 and 23 each in their respective countries for the forum.
"The four would participate
in an IT essay competition from which the best two, a male and a female, shall
be selected to participate in the IT youth forum during the Telecom Africa
conference," he said.
Mr. Mutai said the youth forum is
focused on generating dialogue between IT players and mainly university and
polytechnic students of all disciplines who usually complete school and are not
able to gain employment due to lack of IT knowledge.
"It is to receive feedback
from the youth on their perspectives on IT," he said. "This is
expected to lead to a significant reduction in youth unemployment in
Africa," he said.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Felix
Owusu-Agyapong, Minister of Transport and Communications reiterated the call by
President J. A. Kufuor on African ministers of communication to carry the
message of African unity to their various countries.
He said one way this can be done
is for African governments to be committed to the development of IT on the
continent to facilitate the spread of the message of unity effectively to every
corner of the continent.
Mr. Owusu-Agyapong expressed the
hope that participants will make good, their declared commitment to universal
access to IT by improving rural telephony and ensuring affordability of IT
services in their various countries.
"Until our rural dwellers in
Africa, who are in the majority are able to have access to, and afford Telecom
facilities to improve upon their living conditions, our ministerial summit will
remain a mere talk show," he said.
Mr. Larry Attipoe, Co-ordinator of
the summit said a follow up mechanism is put in place through the Spectrum
International website to ensure that participants continue to share information
and remain committed to summit recommendations.
He said the history of the annual
summit indicates that, it gave birth to the era of collaboration between
competitors in the Telecom sector in various Africa countries, "an example
of which was the Ghana Telecom-Westel saga and the Nigerian mobile phone
industry saga."
Participant praised the summit
assistants for the "professional" manner in which they discharged
their duties and appealed to the organisers to let the summit "return to
Accra next year and ensure that the same assistants are maintained."
Kwaku Sintim-Misa, arguably
Ghana's most controversial and best comedian, stole the show at the close of
the summit when he thrilled the participants to one of his hilarious thought
provoking stand-up comedy shows entitled "We can make".
This time the spotlight was on the
poor quality service in the Telecom sector, negative attitude of Africans to
African organisations and the attitude of rural dwellers to information
technology.
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Government to decide on Songhor salt affair
- Minister
Sage (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
Sheikh I. C. Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister on Thursday gave the assurance that the government would provide a comprehensive policy to satisfy all interested parties in the Ada Songhor Salt project.
He said: "Government has studied views and interest of all major and minor stakeholders in the dispute and would respect the right of every one with a clear position to fulfil the wishes and aspirations of all and for the future survival of the industry."
Sheikh Quaye said this during a familiarisation tour of the Dangme East District Assembly, the Songhor Salt project site and the Traditional Council.
Wing Commander Lomotey Kithcer, Head of the Salt Management Project, who took the Minister round the site explained that the lagoon has the capacity of producing 1.2 million tonnes of salt per annum but is currently producing a 100,000 tonnes.
He said the project has 20 crystallised pans of five hectors each and a vast under developed area for the locals to harvest from during the dry season.
Wing Commander Kithcer said any hasty decision could destroy the whole project, which would be a loss to both the people and the state.
The security personnel appealed to the Minister to equip them with transport and other amenities that would enhanced their work.
The workers also expressed dissatisfaction about the ban on sales while production goes on and urged the government to make its plans known as soon to save the project.
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Ivorian Minister cautions African countries
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
The Ivorian Minister of Communications and New Information Technology said on Thursday that African countries must avoid the Highly Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) because it is not easy to get out of it.
"Even though countries which, opt for HIPC have access to loans at reduced interest rates, it is a form of vicious cycle that brands a country with a negative tag with strings of conditions.
"I will not advise any African country to opt for the initiative," Mr Lia Bi Douayoua said at a press conference to throw light on the political and economic situation in his country.
He said, however, that economic conditions in each country differ from the other and any country that opts for HIPC is free to do so.
Mr Douayoua is in Ghana to take part in the third African Telecommunications conference.
The press conference was also to throw light on how to bridge the gap in the flow of information between Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, who are close neighbours.
Cote d'Ivoire opted for HIPC when the Brettonwood Institutions initiated it for the first time but all forms of aid ceased when it was plunged into civil unrest.
As a result, the country has had to use locally generated income to service debts and to pay salaries.
Currently, Cote d'Ivoire's total debt is 168 billion dollars. Mr Douayoua, however, declined to give a comparison between the country's economic performance under the HIPC and now.
Mr Douayoua recounted the series of events that rocked the country since 1998 including military takeovers and attempted coup d'etat.
"Some of the events propelled the military to the fore and plunged the country into difficulties marked with mutinies and many coup d'etat," he said, adding that Cote d'Ivoire as a result incurred the displeasure of the international community.
"We are now going through a period of transition from elections, through the adoption of a constitution and the establishment of the rule of law in the face of an attempted military take-over.
He said the series of events indicates the present government's determination to reinstate democracy in that country, adding, "the role played by Cote d'Ivoire's Electoral Commission emphasises growth in democracy in the country.
"We are left with the establishment of the Judiciary to ensure that all arms of government are in place to ensure effective running of the country."
Mr Douayoua said the international community cut financial assistance to Cote d'Ivoire as a result of the unrest and this has widened the gap between the rich and the poor.
The country has however, renewed relations with the international community including the European Union and the Bretton Woods Institutions.
"We are looking at the conditionalities to reach an agreement by August this year to enable us continue with ongoing projects and to get the economy functioning," he said.
Cote d'Ivoire's ruling government was overthrown in 1998 by the military led by General Robert Guie, who promised to restore the country to democratic rule but contested the presidency.
Civilians took to the streets and forced Gen. Guie and his men out of the presidential palace and President Laurant Gbagbo, whom the Electoral Commission had named as having received the second highest votes became the president.
Mr Douayoua said another problem facing Cote d'Ivoire is in the area of security, saying some soldiers, who came out during the military take-over have since not returned to the barracks leading to continuous mutiny and jeopardising the security of the country.
He also blamed the proliferation of arms in Cote d'Ivoire on the wars in neighbouring Guinea and Liberia.
"We appreciate Ghana's attitude towards my country - while following events closely, it did not seek to interfere. I will encourage you to go on and to give assistance where necessary," Mr Douayoua said.
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Foreign Affairs Ministry advises travellers
to Libya
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday cautioned illegal travellers to Libya to rescind their decision as "it is dangerous and suicidal to undertake such journeys through unproved routes" without proper documents.
A statement by the Ministry in Accra said it has noticed that, in spite of the mass expulsion of illegal immigrants from Libya last year, there is still a steady and alarming build-up of illegal Ghanaian immigrants in Libya including some of those who were expelled last year.
"Information available to the Ministry indicates that at the moment about 270 Ghanaians, who have travelled illegally to Libya have been arrested and are being detained in camps in Sheba. It is believed that a lot more Ghanaians are currently either undertaking hazardous journeys to Libya through unproved and uncharted desert terrain or are preparing to do so".
The statement said although Ghana's mission in Tripoli has in the past offered and continues to offer assistance to Ghanaians in Libya, it must be known that the Mission's human and material resource are limited and already over-stretched.
The general public is, therefore, warned that any Ghanaians, who get involved in such a venture, do so at their own risk while those planning such adventurous and hazardous trips are advised to cancel their plans.
Meanwhile, genuine Ghanaian travellers to Libya have been urged to ensure that they obtain proper travelling documents before they embark on their journeys.
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Ghana and World Bank sign grant agreement
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
The Ghana government on Thursday signed a grant agreement of 216,300 dollars with the World Bank (WB) for the Partnership with Traditional Authorities Project (PTAP) in Accra.
The grant, approved for the preparation and feasibility studies of the project by the government of Japan would be used for the development of training and advocacy modules for traditional authorities and the identification of modalities for community involvement in the provision of infrastructure for education.
It would also be used for a strategic review of traditional authorities system that would include its structure, mission and functions that would lead to recommendations for institutional strengthening and capacity building.
The main objectives of the PTAP are to help control the spread of HIV/AIDS and other endemic diseases and expand the provision of quality and equitable basic education in selected communities in the country.
It also seeks to help preserve and pass on Ashanti history and culture and build the capacity of traditional authorities to participate in development activities.
Mr Peter Harrold, WB Country Director for Ghana, who signed for the WB said the PTAP is a 'ground breaking' initiative that seeks to recognise and support the contributions of traditional authorities in development through a partnership with government and the WB.
He said the project marks a new way of conducting development business.
Mr Samson Kweku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister signed for the government of Ghana.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
A four-man delegation from the UK office of the Department for International Development (DFID) led by Ms Denise Hill would pay a ten-day working visit to Ghana between the 3rd and 12th April.
The visit would among other things, allow the team to evaluate the Civil Service Performance Improvement Programme (CSPIP), which was launched in Ghana in 1995.
The programme funded by DFID is part of the broader National Institutional Renewal Programme (NIRP). It has been designed to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of services to Ghanaians.
A statement issued from the Office of the Head of Civil Service in Accra, on Thursday, said the review of the first phase, which ends in August, would enable a basic assessment of the progress made as against targets, efficiency, effectiveness and impact.
This would ensure a performance-oriented, customer-sensitive civil service capable of delivering quality service to its clients, stakeholders and the general public.
The team, according to the statement, would visit beneficiaries of the performance improvement facility in selected district assemblies and regional co-ordinating councils in the Eastern, Central and Volta regions. They would also inspect civil society institutions of the Christian Health Association of Ghana, day care centres and other infrastructure projects, which enhance poverty reduction and sensitise gender issues among vulnerable groups.
"The modest achievements of the CSPIP Phase I would be strengthened in the second phase which takes off in September. During this phase, the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) will develop performance improvement programmes (PIPs) in business plans.
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Kufuor supports affirmative action for
Muslim-girls' education
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor said on Thursday that the government might consider a proposal for an affirmative action for Muslim girls' education to bolster efforts by the communities towards educational development.
President Kufuor, who noted that Muslims constitute only three per cent of total student population at the University of Ghana, said the policy would not only bridge the education gap between Muslims and other groups but it would also contribute immensely to the improvement of the national human capacity.
He was responding to an appeal by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu and other Muslim leaders at a meeting at the State House.
President Kufuor assured them that his proposed reconciliation agenda would be implemented with circumspection to enable it achieve total integration.
"Government has always been very careful so as not to revisit what went wrong and unleash forces of revenge and vendetta."
Mr Kufuor, who described the visit by the Muslim leaders as "important", expressed appreciation for their support for the government and also commended their contributions towards national reconstruction.
"We've come this far not because we are more eloquent or learned, but because God had directed that we should be the people to lead our nation this time."
He restated his commitment to fighting corruption saying it distorts progress.
President Kufuor also welcomed the suggestion from the Muslims that education policies should be fused with morality. "Knowledge without morality is the tool of the devil," he added.
The meeting attended by the Ameer of Ahmadiyya Mission, Maulvi Wahab Adam and all 10 Regional Chief Imams and related office holders, discussed pertinent issues including national integration and reconciliation, education, morality as well as the need to fight corruption.
The delegation exhorted the President to remain steadfast in pursuing his objectives relating to these issues as outlined in his inauguration speech and his sessional address to Parliament.
Sheikh Sharubutu called for good governance that should take account of the responsive needs of the poor and the less fortunate.
He described corruption as evil, sinful and destructive to the spirit of morality and godliness that must be abhorred by society.
The Chief Imam cautioned that the nation's desire to achieve lasting peace for sustainable development would remain elusive unless practical steps are taken towards integration through reconciliation.
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Engineers to improve on Ghana's
Telecommunications system
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
The Ghana Institution of Engineers (GHIE) on Thursday pledged to improve on the country's telecommunications industry in order to provide a more reliable and cheaper service.
"Our ultimate goal in trying to develop this form of infrastructure will be to facilitate both social and business development in order to achieve the higher standards of living that we all desire so much," Mrs. Carlien Bou-Chedid, Structural Engineer and a Specialist in Earthquake Engineering said.
She was speaking at the 32nd annual conference of the GhIE, which has the theme "Developing Ghana's telecommunication infrastructure for the 21st Century."
Presenting a paper on the "The Users Perspective of Telecommunication and Expectations for the Future" she said all Ghanaians must be provided with good telecommunications services, the Internet inclusive, in order not to be cut off from the rest of the world.
Mrs. Bou-Chedid noted that, even though, users in Ghana would admit that there is an improvement in the availability of telephone lines, there are serious drawbacks that include the congestion on telephone lines and the difficulty of interconnecting among different networks.
"As we develop and move into the global market place, the Internet must be considered a necessity and be made accessible to all," she said. She recommended the reduction of taxes on computers and their accessories to make it affordable to the public.
She said engineers would bring their expertise together to enhance an effective telecommunications system and recommended that training in keyboard skills must begin from the basic schools to enable the children to derive maximum benefit from computer use.
Mr. Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Minister of Transport and Communications, said much more needs to be done to reverse the current situation of inadequate supply, poor quality and high tariffs of telecom services.
He said the ministry is taking steps to identify as quickly as possible suitable strategies that would facilitate the establishment of a nation-wide telecom infrastructure to provide low priced quality services.
The Minister called on the engineers to make recommendations that would help find solutions to the telecommunication problems.
Mr Jabez Duncan-Williams, President of GhIE, said the third millennium would be dominated by the science of computer and information technology and urged the engineers to familiarise themselves with new technologies in their areas of specialisation.
He said that as no development can take place in any country without engineers, the institution would provide them with all the motivation needed to enable them to keep the wheels of development running.
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Are government rental units for sale? -
VRCC
Ho (Volta Region) 30 March 2001
Mr William Kemevor, Volta Regional Co-ordinating the Director, has asked the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to declare its position on whether low cost rental units at Ho should be sold or not.
Speaking to the GNA, in an interview at Ho, on Wednesday Mr Kemevor said this would enable the Council to decide on how to tackle the issue of some retired public and civil servants, who are still occupying some of the rental units in expectation of buying them.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) government ordered that rental units be sold out but some Regional Co-ordinating Councils refused to comply with the directive.
He disclosed that some retired personnel and some serving officers on transfer from Ho, had expressed the desire to purchase the houses, when the previous government directed that public sector low cost rental quarters be sold to their occupants throughout the country.
Mr Kemevor said some public and civil servants on transfer from Ho have taken the Council to court in its attempt to eject them.
Mr. John Nuwordu, a retired Police Officer, who has been occupying one of the low cost houses at the Mawuli Estate, in Ho, since 1976, told the GNA that the occupants of the houses had petitioned the previous government to allow them to purchase houses.
The retired Police Officer said he is still occupying the place in anticipation of buying it, following the directives from the previous government that low cost houses should be sold to occupants, who are willing to buy them.
According to him the houses were valued sometime ago, thereby giving a signal that they would be sold, adding that their maintenance have been borne by the occupants, because the government had not been able to do so over the years.
Mr Nuwordu said the VRCC did not carry out the directive, to sell the units because in its view that would aggravate the already acute accommodation problem facing public and civil servants posted to the region.
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"Ghana to under-study Singapore"
- Kufuor
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday declared the intention of his administration to tap the development expertise of Singapore, which, he said, has made that country a role model for less privileged countries.
He praised Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of the country, for his good leadership qualities, which made judicious use of the scarce resources available to facilitate rapid socio-economic development.
President Kufuor said this during a meeting with Mr Foo Kok Swee, the Singapore High commissioner at the State House.
"Ghana is prepared to study the wisdom of leadership displayed phenomenally by Singapore when it gained independence in 1959."
President Kufuor called for the deepening of bilateral relations, which have created the opportunity for Ghanaians to benefit from scholarships to undertake courses like the management of taxation and customs in Singapore.
He also accepted an invitation to visit the country.
Mr Swee commended the peaceful political transition in Ghana, which brought the government to power.
He said it offers an opportunity for his country to co-exist with Ghana as members of the Commonwealth and continue with bilateral relations, especially in the area of training, technical co-operation and others of strategic interest.
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Government to reverse over-reliance of
foreign experts - Minister
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 March 2001
Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, Minister of Transport and Communications, on Thursday said the government would henceforth use the services of local engineers and consultancy firms rather than over-rely on the expensive services of foreign experts.
"Domestication of consultancy services will, therefore, be the policy of my ministry to promote greater participation of our people in the private sector," he said.
The Minister was speaking in an interview with the press after he had opened the 32nd Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Institution of Engineers (GhIE), which is under the theme "Developing Ghana's Telecommunications Infrastructure for the 21st Century".
He said when engineers and consultants in Ghana are given the chance to undertake projects locally, it is cost-effective and makes way for a quicker transfer of technology.
"This will also encourage them to make their projects feasible and make them socially responsible for the services they render."
Mr Owusu-Adjapong said in the next 10 years, the government would ensure that a railway line is constructed from Accra to the North to enhance the quick transfer of goods and services.
He said plans are also far advanced to reintroduce the bus transportation system with bigger buses on the roads to make travelling less expensive.
The minister tasked the engineers to team up with other consultants and come up with workable recommendations to help the ministry achieve its aim.
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