Customs, immigration rules being streamlined, Salia
Ban on drumming: Christians seek middle road as government calls for calm
Seventeen Heads of State confirm participation in summit
$26m international hospital for Accra
Bishop calls for eradication of bribery
Paramount chief of Nadowli "goes to the village"
Ahanta west declared guineaworm free
Psychiatrist calls for community participation in mental health delivery
New driving licence to be introduced in June
Media commended for promoting tourism
$ 150,000 safe drug office commissioned
Invest in education - Minister tells the rich in Ashanti
Aquinas school celebrates 47th anniversary
Customs, immigration rules being streamlined, Salia
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ‘99 –
Mr Edward Salia, Minister of Roads and Transport, said on Thursday that the government is undertaking reforms in the institutions that provide ancillary services at the country's entry points to make the process of entry less cumbersome for tourists.
He was addressing delegates at one of a series of seminars forming part of the on-going joint World Tourism Organisation (WTO), Africa Travel Association (ATA) meeting and Convocation of African Ministers of Tourism in Accra.
The theme for the seminar was "Access Africa: Tearing the Barriers to Travel."
Mr Salia said high air fares, cumbersome customs and immigration procedures, characterised by several check-points and resultant delay in clearing tourists and their luggage are major obstacles to attracting tourists to West Africa.
"Consequently, under the gateway programme, the Ghana government is undertaking some reforms in the two institutions that provide these ancillary services with the view to streamlining the entry procedure to promote tourism."
Under the reforms, security services as well as those of immigration and health at the entry points, are to be consolidated to ensure rapid clearance of entrants and reduce the bother of numerous stops on the way of tourists.
Mr Salia said the number of examinations undertaken at the ports of entry for cargo are to be reduced to one, adding that cargo examination would be reduced from 100 per cent to 10 per cent for statutory free goods and 20 per cent for all dutiable goods.
He said overland customs and other checkpoints for travellers from Togo would be reduced to one and those from Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso to two.
The Minister assured business tourists that special transit visas would be issued to them on arrival to save them the trouble of waiting for over a month after their business transactions before obtaining return visas.
Mr Salia said to ensure the efficient implementation of the new reforms "a number of immigration officers and consuls would be trained to pursue the gateway objectives such as to making them more tourist friendly and welcoming."
The Minister observed that most of the on-going government road projects are designed to terminate at tourist attraction locations to ensure that tourists have easy access to the tourism resources and attractions in the country.
He mentioned routes such as Accra-Yamoransa road, which gives safe and improved access to the historic slave forts and castles in the Central Region, the Kumasi-Tamale-Paga road which offers easy access to tourist attractions and destinations such as the Paga Crocodile Ponds, Tongo Caves and Mole Game Reserve.
Mr Salia noted that although railway transport has high patronage among tourists in developed countries, the presence of as much as nine railway gauges in Africa has denied the continent the benefits that the facility can provide.
On water transport, he said poor infrastructure and lack of funds to sustain a viable water transport sector were factors impeding the sector.
He, therefore, called on delegates to stress the need for collaboration and co-operation in the water transport and railway sectors "to enable us to consolidate our strengths and establish a viable water and rail system transport sectors to promote tourism on the continent."
Wing Commander Andy Mensah (rtd), Director-General of Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), said rehabilitation of all the country's airports are scheduled for completion by 2001 or earlier.
This, he said, is to ensure that hospitality facilities are provided at the airports for tourists, adding that the GCAA aims at turning Kotoka International Airport into a hub in the sub-region in the next three years.
Mr Emmanuel L. Quartey, Chief Executive of Ghana Airways Limited, noted that in 1998, the airline transported 272,000 passengers in and out of the country thus recording a significant increase in freight.
That, coupled with a reduced operational cost, moved the pre-tax profit of the company up.
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Ban on drumming: Christians seek middle road as government calls for calm
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ‘99 –
Christians have been asked to restrict the use of drums to their churches and avoid unnecessary noise making during the period of the ban on drumming by the Ga Traditional Council in the interest of peace and reconciliation.
The Ga traditional Council was also asked to respond to this gesture by respecting the way of worship of Christians.
A statement issued by the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, the Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Pentecostal Council after a meeting in Accra on Wednesday, noted that the prohibition on drumming is not new, and is not peculiar to the Ga Traditional area alone.
It is enforced in other parts of the country for social, cultural and religious motives.
"This and other cultural and religious practices have been with us for many years and have until recently not been the cause of conflict for anyone. There has always been an understanding between us and our traditional leaders and we have always lived together in peace and tranquillity."
It questioned why the prohibition on drumming and noise making has been made mandatory and asked:
"Is it probably urged by the fact that there is indeed an increase in undue noise-making and drumming which go on in certain places till well in the night, if not starting too early in the morning. Or could they also be due to the insults and abuses which some newly-founded Churches hurl on traditional authorities?"
The statement said they denounce "these unfortunate behaviours" which they deem to be unchristian.
"We love our culture and respect our traditional leaders, but we strongly believe that the statement from the Ga Traditional Council infringes on our basic human and constitutional rights.
"We are being asked to involve ourselves in traditional religious practices which we do not believe in. We are being forced to avoid something that our religion expects us to do, namely, to sing, drum and praise God.
"Our traditional leaders should not force us to do something against our conscience. Such an action is against our human rights. It will not be in the interest of our traditional leaders and will cause disaffection and lead to violence which will not augur well for our country."
The statement said because of the Christian call to be peace-loving, they have tried to deal with the problem and have sought and obtained an audience with the National House of Chiefs and a joint committee is discussing the issue.
"...we hope that the Ga Traditional Council would respond to our gesture by respecting our way of worship," it said.
The statement was signed by The Most Reverend Peter K.A. Turkson, President, Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, the Rev. Monsignor Jonathan T.A. Ankrah, Secretary General, National Catholic Secretariat and the Rt. Rev. J.O. Akrofi, Chairman, Christian Council of Ghana.
Other signatories are the Rev. Dr Simon B. Asore, President, Ghana Pentecostal Council and the Rev. Dr Robert Aboagye-Mensah, General Secretary, Christian Council of Ghana.
The Ga traditional council last week placed a month-long ban on drumming in Accra as a prelude to the celebration of their annual Homowo festival.
The call has led to tension between the council and some charismatic churches who see it as infringing on their right to worship.
In another development a team of government officials met Ga traditional authorities on the issue.
The team comprised of Mr Kofi Totobi Quakyi, Minister of State Security, Nii Okaija Adamafio, Minister of the Interior, Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum, Greater Accra Regional Minister and Mr Samuel Addokwei Addo, Accra Metropolitan Assembly Chief Executive.
A release from the Ministry of Communications said the meeting deliberated "on issues pertaining to the month-long customary ban on drumming and dancing in the Ga State".
The traditional authorities noted that "for years, the Christian community and other residents have observed the customary ban".
However, "the existing mutual understanding and harmonious relationship is being threatened by certain church groups, who have made it a point to castigate and show disrespect for the culture and traditions of the Ga people".
"The delegation of Ga chiefs and elders demanded an end to the disrespectful attitude of some church leaders towards them in the interest of peace and harmony."
They took exception of pronouncements made on some local FM station saying, "such statements are deliberate provocation by some people with ulterior motives".
The government team "pointed out that the Ministry of Communications had already issued a statement denouncing the irresponsible utterances made against the Ga State and its traditions by unidentified callers on local FM station programmes".
They advised the traditional authorities "against adopting hard-line attitudes on account of the unfortunate statements" and sought clarification on the boundaries and limits of the ban.
The team stressed the "need for a spirit of dialogue to prevail among all the parties concerned" and appealed to "Ga traditional leaders and elders to advise their youth to desist from acts of confrontation and violence".
Efforts are being made to bring all sides together to discuss the issues in greater details since it involves "the rather delicate issue of balancing observance and respect for tradition and culture with the rights of the freedom of worship as enshrined in the Constitution".
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Seventeen Heads of State confirm participation in summit
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ‘99 –
Seventeen heads of state have confirmed their participation in the Fifth African-African American Summit scheduled to take off in Accra on May 17.
There will also be an official US delegation of 50 individuals and a number of cabinet ministers.
Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Chief Executive of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), said this when he briefed journalists in Accra on Thursday.
He said other dignitaries expected include chief executives of business and corporate entities across the world.
The programme for the Summit would include workshops in business, trade, investment, agriculture, democracy and governance, education and health "Alongside these will be a Trade and Investment Exposition and Bazaar, which will enable its participants to exchange ideas and establish business contacts, and put on show the capacity of African indigenous entrepreneurship.
"There are also going to be industry-focus meetings that are designed as match-making sessions to enhance the focus in several areas such as business, engineering, construction tourism, telecommunications, utilities, automobiles, aerospace, railroads and ports."
The one-week Summit is from May 17 to 21 under the theme: Business, Trade and Investment, "Africa Can Compete" is the summit slogan.
The summit is expected to assemble the largest number of visitors at a time to the country.
Statistics from the secretariat indicate that about 4,000 local and international participants would attend the summit. This includes a core of 600 that will travel with reverend Leon Sullivan, the Convenor.
A state dinner to be hosted by President Jerry Rawlings, gala awards, a fashion revue are the other events on the menu on the summit.
Mr Kwesi Dzidzienyo, a member of the planning committee, said the summit has immense benefits to Ghana as the founder, Reverend Leon Sullivan, has programmed.
"Some of the benefits in the long term, some of which have begun are a "Teachers for Africa" and bankers' programme in which teachers and bankers from the US will come to share their experiences with their Ghanaian counterparts for a year.
The other benefits include a debt relief programme, Fellows Programme, Opportunities Industrialisation Institutions and a Training College programme.
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$26m international hospital for Accra
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ‘99 –
Vice-President John Atta Mills on Thursday cut the sod for the construction of a 140-bed ultra-modern hospital complex in Accra and said he expects that the project will provide a benchmark in health care, as well as reduce pressure on existing facilities.
The 26 million-dollar Accra International hospital project situated near the animal husbandry department, off the Accra-Tema motorway, is expected to be completed within 18 months. Construction work will begin in June this year.
The project is being undertaken by a team of consultants and promoters led by Dr. Alex Peter Danso, a Ghanaian urologist based in Harare, Zimbabwe, with both local and foreign financing.
The facility, which will be of world class standard, will house a 24-hour emergency centre with helicopter services, seven theatres, laboratories and wards, among others.
Vice-President Mills lauded the initiative, which, he said, was the first of its kind that will complement government efforts at providing quality health care for the people.
He commended the promoters and other stakeholders for their foresight and investment that would help mitigate the brain drain of health professionals from the country and significantly reduce the need for expensive overseas medical care.
Dr. Danso said the hospital would provide tele-medicine services to seek consultation from experts abroad.
An international management team will run it under a special regulatory body that will ensure high professional standards by all workers. It is expected to create some 270 jobs when completed.
He said the target market for the hospital would not be limited to Ghana alone.
Dr. Danso, who has 15 years experience in health insurance, said services at the hospital would be categorised to make room for affordability. Besides, he hopes the proposed national health insurance scheme would cushion the cost effects on the ordinary worker.
Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor, Minister of Health, expressed his ministry's support for the project.
Mr Kwesi Abeasi, Director-General, Private Enterprise Foundation, asked the banks to provide long-term lending for the project.
He called for such joint private sector initiatives to complement government commitment in the provision of social amenities.
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Bishop calls for eradication of bribery
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ‘99 –
The Right Reverend Thomas K. Mensah, Catholic Bishop of Obuasi Diocese, on Wednesday urged Christians and the general public to help eradicate bribery and corruption which is now destroying the society.
Bishop Mensah was delivering a sermon at an ecumenical service on the word of God at Mamprobi Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, to round off a day's meeting of Heads of Churches of the Christian Council of Ghana and Catholic Bishops' Conference under the theme, "Bribery and corruption".
Bishop Mensah reminded the congregation from all member churches in Accra that the canker of bribery and corruption was dangerously eating deep into the fabric of the Ghanaian society to the detriment of the economy.
He, therefore, charged Christians to spearhead the national crusade towards its eradication.
Citing instances of bribery and corruption, Bishop Mensah said it was sad to observe that many public projects were poorly executed because funds voted for them have been misused or diverted into private pockets.
"This is evidenced in our newly constructed roads full of pot-holes and public buildings which develop cracks soon after hand-over."
Bishop Mensah said public funds were not being utilised judiciously in the best interest of the nation due to bribery and corruption and charged "rise up and let us save the nation from this unfortunate disease".
The church leaders who attended the service included the Right Reverend J. O. Akrofi of the Anglican Church of Accra, Rt. Rev. J. Y. Ledo, Moderator of E.P. Church, Ghana, and Rt. Rev. Akwasi Sarpong, Catholic Bishop of Kumasi.
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Paramount chief of Nadowli "goes to the village"
Wa (Upper West), 7th May ‘99 –
Naa Alhaji Abdulai Dassah Dapilaa, Paramount Chief of Nadowli Taditional Area in the Upper West Region, "went to the village" on Thursday at the age of 105, having reigned for 52 years.
Briefing newsmen at Wa, Mr Samuel Suglo, Nadowli District Chief Executive, said Naa Dapilaa, who was the Vice-President of the Regional House of Chiefs would be buried on Friday according to Muslim rites.
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Ahanta west declared guineaworm free
Agona-Nkwanta (Western Region) 7th May ’99 –
Guineaworm infections in the Ahanta West has been eradicated and the incidence of elephantiasis is gradually being reduced.
Mrs. Esther Lily Nkansah, Western Regional Minister made this known to the Ahanta West District Assembly at Agona Nkwanta on Wednesday.
She said the achievement is due to the provision of 23 boreholes and 11 hand-dug wells to reduce the spread of guineaworm and other water borne diseases.
Mrs. Nkansah said the second phase of the Butre, Princess Town and Akatakyie coastal protection works would start soon.
She called on assembly members, district chief executives, prominent citizens and opinion leaders to step up public education on the need to patronise the boreholes to reduce the incidence of guineaworm and elephantiasis.
The Regional Minister asked the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to ensure that its limited resources are effectively utilised to improve the general environment of farmers.
She said the district would benefit from a 1.5 billion- cedi Village Infrastructure Project (VIP) to support communities to identify, plan and implement projects to improve their lives.
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Psychiatrist calls for community participation in mental health delivery
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ‘99 –
Dr. J.B. Asare, Specialist in charge of Accra Psychiatric Hospital, on Thursday called for community participation in mental health delivery.
He also called for the abolition of large psychiatric hospitals, saying these large hospitals should give way to smaller units which should have some ingredients of therapeutic community programmes where patients could feel the comfort of a home environment until they recover and join their families.
Dr. Asare was speaking on psychiatric practice and the challenges in the next millennium in an interview in Accra.
He said mental health promotion and prevention of mental illness can be undertaken in a primary care setting and urged the adoption of community-based care in the West African sub-region.
"We should not encourage the promotion of large scale psychiatric hospitals again," he said.
Dr. Asare noted that institutional-based care should not and cannot be completely abolished in the sub-region because "no matter what we do, there would be some patients whose conditions would require management in institutions where they feel safe and have some level of security."
Dr. Asare, who is also the Chief Psychiatrist of the Ministry of Health, said a Community Mental Health project is soon to be piloted in the country and would involve identifying and sensitising opinion leaders to address mental health issues in their communities.
The project would cover training volunteers to identify cases, handle referrals, after care and mental health promotion activities and mobilise communities to identify and provide some level of rehabilitation for psychiatric patients in their localities.
Other objectives of the project would be to support the districts with the aim of integrating mental health into primary health care and creating a network of supporting systems of care providers in the districts.
This would include assisting psychiatric nurses in the districts to create awareness of the problem of substance abuse and mental illness.
"Our cultural beliefs have not favoured the mentally ill and institutional-based care has its share in creating and reinforcing detachment of patients from their relatives," Dr. Asare noted.
Meanwhile, he said, with the projected population increase and increase in life expectancy, mental disorders are expected to rise and this situation would be compounded by other stress-related problems brought on by socio-economic conditions.
This situation, he noted, would increase burdens on economic and social life and structures.
By the year 2000, the number of people aged 60 and over in the world would have increased and this would lead to conditions such as dementia and other psychological problems associated with ageing.
Dr. Asare said there is the need for developing practical policies to address problems such as loneliness, isolation, depressive illness, and nutritional deficits, pain and memory impairment, which are common with the aged.
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Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ’99 -
Mr Joseph H. Owusu-Acheampong, Minister of Agriculture, on Thursday called on African countries to develop appropriate water use and conservation strategies because scarcity of the commodity is posing a big threat to the continent's growing population.
African governments should, therefore, "be bold to take the necessary technical, political, economic and environmental measures and formulate appropriate coordinated national policies that would lead to sustainable use of water resources".
Mr Owusu-Acheampong who was addressing the opening session of a two-day expert consultation on West African sector vision on water for food" said such policies would be for increased food production which would help in the alleviation of poverty and malnutrition on the continent.
The consultation is to prepare a regional vision on water for food production, rural development and food security that would reflect the peculiar needs of the region for incorporation into the global water document.
Experts are drawn from countries including, Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Chad, Mauritania, Cameroon, Niger and Senegal.
It was convened by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and International Programme for Technology and Research Irrigation Drainage (IPTRID) at the request of World Water Commission.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong said frequent droughts in Africa place more people at risk from its effects. Additionally, water resources in Africa are relatively less developed than those in other regions.
He said both rain fed and irrigated agriculture would need to be intensified, but irrigated agriculture has a higher potential for intensification.
It is estimated that in Ghana about 18,000 hectares are presently irrigated. This includes about 12,700 hectares of public schemes out of which 5,600 hectares are operational.
Irrigated lands, therefore, constitute less than 15 per cent of the potential 120,000 hectares or 0.3 per cent of the 5.2 million hectares currently under cultivation in the country.
He said Ghana has defined essential measures of the strategy for the development of sustainable irrigated agriculture.
These include reduction of operating cost and completion of existing schemes, focusing on small-scale irrigation and micro-irrigation.
Others are support to farmers with small irrigation equipment and on-the-job training for them, and priority to the development of inundated lands and inland valleys.
Mr Owusu-Acheampong commended FAO and other organisations for supporting the government in food security.
Dr. Bamidele F. Dada, FAO Regional Representative for Africa, said against the background of necessity for water, its scarcity and associated problems, Africa needs a vision for its water sector that would ensure consistent development through judicious and sustainable use of water.
He said efficient water control and soil moisture management is critical for reliable food production. Yet in Africa, only 12 million hectares, or about six per cent of total cultivated land, is irrigated.
This area could be increased considerably and irrigation could bring about increases in yield of over 400 per cent, he said.
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New driving licence to be introduced in June
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ‘99 –
The Vehicle Examination and Licensing Division (VELD) said on Thursday that all driving licences would be invalid from June one, 1999.
A statement issued in Accra by Mr J.Y.A. Amegashie, Acting Chief Executive, said modalities for the replacement of the licences are being finalised.
VELD has expressed concern about reckless driving, saying that many drivers are not qualified to obtain driving licences.
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Media commended for promoting tourism
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ‘99 –
Mrs. Doreen Owusu-Fianko, Acting Executive Secretary of the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), on Thursday lauded the Ghanaian media for their immense contribution to the promotion of tourism in the country.
She was speaking in one of a series of seminars forming part of the on-going joint World Tourism Organisation (WTO), Africa Travel Association (ATA), Africa meeting and convocation of African ministers of tourism in Accra.
Speaking on the theme sustaining environmental and cultural tourism in Ghana, she attributed the success chalked by GTB in efforts to sustain the development of tourism to the several "promotional media publications, which have often been very appealing to tourists."
Mrs. Owusu-Fianko noted that through media publication and other factors that present Ghana as a safe, peaceful, healthy and friendly place, the country chalked appreciable increase in tourist arrivals and its resultant financial receipts over the years.
She said while the media promoted the image of the country to attract tourists, "they also pointed out the short-comings and made fruitful suggestions, which led to improvements at such tourists attraction sites as the Kakum National Park and others."
Mr Owusu-Fianko expressed gratitude to the media for the extensive press coverage given to the on-going joint tourism conference before and since it began.
She expressed the hope that the media would sustain its commitment to the development and marketing of the country's tourism in the coming years to enable the Ministry of Tourism to achieve the objectives of the 15-year tourism development plan.
Dr. Dimitrios Buhalis, one of WTO's Information Technology Directors, stressed the indispensability of the media in the promotion of tourism saying "one of the most efficient but less expensive ways of promoting tourism is through the press."
She, therefore, urged delegates to make extensive use of the media in their respective countries, especially where funds to establish a viable modern communication facility for the purpose are not available.
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$ 150,000 safe drug office commissioned
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ’99 -
The Ghana National Drugs Programme (GNDP) office which is to ensure that people have access to effective, safe and affordable good quality drugs was on Thursday commissioned in Accra with a pledge that the government will improve the supply of drugs.
Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor, Minister of Health, who commissioned the 150,000-dollar renovated building, said the ministry had over the years been striving to improve the pharmaceutical sector.
However, success had been limited because activities were planned in an ad-hoc fashion resulting in a number of scattered and uncoordinated activities.
He said problems that were identified were irrational use of drugs, absence of a functional system to ensure good quality and safety of drugs, inadequate financial mechanisms, procurement, storage and distributions of drugs.
"The GNDP was, therefore, established as the pharmaceutical component of the Medium Term Health Strategy of the Ministry of Health to address drug use in the public and the private sector in a coordinated manner''.
Mr Nuamah Donkor said the programme will promote the rational use of drugs, ensure that only safe and effective drugs are sold on the market, improve the system of financing, procurement, supply and management at all levels to support decentralisation.
The programme, which commenced in 1997, had a total of nine million dollars assistance from the Dutch government to be disbursed over a five-year period.
The minister advised the staff to work as team to transform the pharmaceutical sector to meet the needs of the people.
Mr Alexander Heldring, Netherlands Ambassador, noted that changes are under way for the budget management committees at all levels to include GNDP-related activities in their annual plans.
He urged the ministry to fit this idea into their current policies and arrangements, saying "this will let the benefits in terms of efficiency gains and ownership be substantial."
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Invest in education - Minister tells the rich in Ashanti
Mampong (Ashanti), 7th May ’99 –
Mr Ekow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Education, has called on the people of Ashanti, particularly the wealthy, to invest in education rather than in material wealth.
He said investment in education pays in the end, and as such, the people must make conscious efforts to invest in that sector.
Mr Spio-Garbrah made the call when he addressed staff of the district education offices at Mamponten in the Kwabre district, Agona in the Afigya-Sekyere district and Asante-Mampong in the Sekyere West district on the last day of his three-day visit to Ashanti on Wednesday.
The Education Minister said so important is education that the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, himself has made it one of his priorities, while other chiefs in the region as well as the churches were ready to assist.
He was convinced the cultural drive, wealth and entrepreneurial spirit of the people of Ashanti, when combined with education, can turn the whole economy, not only of the region, but the country round.
The Minister said the involvement of chiefs, opinion leaders, communities and parent-teacher associations (PTAs) will help raise the standard and quality of education in the region.
At Mamponten, Mr A. Y. Boafor, District Director of Education, told the Minister, that in a baseline test conducted this year, 24 per cent of pupils passed in English while 19.8 per cent passed in Mathematics.
He said in last year's Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), only seven pupils obtained aggregate six out of about 1,000 candidates that sat the examination.
He expressed concern about the lack of a science resource centre in the district for senior secondary schools and said, even though, a lot of preparations were made to open the centre at Aduman Secondary school, the Ghana Education Service (GES) did not approve of it and asked for the Minister’s approval of the project.
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Aquinas school celebrates 47th anniversary
Accra (Greater Accra), 7th May ‘99 –
Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) on Thursday said the Ministry of Education (MOE) and GES are now directing attention to achieving quality education.
He said District Education Oversight Committees have been set up throughout the country as part of measures to ensure that schools are properly supervised and monitored.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi who was speaking at the 47th speech and prize-giving day of the St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in Accra said the development of the country's human resources is of prime concern to government and has engaged its attention over the past two decades.
The Director-General said government's concern on education is manifested in the huge sums of money, which have been invested since the commencement of the implementation of education reforms in 1987.
He noted that the old educational system satisfied the needs of the time that it was in operation.
"As our country continues to develop and grow, especially, in population and technology, it has become necessary to take another look at the whole educational system's suitability to meet the exigencies of our time."
The Reverend Father Samuel Batsa, headmaster, said the results of the 1998 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) was a remarkable achievement.
He said the school presented 257 candidates out of which 164 passed in all seven subjects, 43 candidates passed in six subjects, 19 passed in five subjects, 18 in four subject with only two candidates failing in all the seven subjects.
Father Batsa noted that the total failure would not have been recorded if weak students are repeated and said, "nowadays, government policy does not appear to favour repetition".
Master William Sagoe, Senior Prefect, commended the headmaster and the teaching staff for providing the students with good tuition and a sound environment to study adding that a readers club would be formed to promote the formation of the reading habit.
He said a computer club would also be inaugurated and appealed to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other organisations to donate computers to support the school in its drive to make the students computer literate.
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Ada Foah (Greater Accra), 7th May ’99
The clash between the Dangme East District Chief Executive(DCE) and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ada took a new turn today as about 4,000 supporters of the MP besieged the offices of the DCE demanding his removal from office.
The demonstrators, who came in a long convoy of mummy trucks and canoes from the rural areas, were joined by Ada National Democratic Congress (NDC) constituency executives who occupied the offices of the Dangme East District Assembly for about two hours.
The demonstration was in retaliation of a similar one held on Wednesday by about 40 supporters of Mr Justice Kwame Caesar, the DCE, against NDC constituency executives and Mr Amos Buertey, the MP, for planning to remove the DCE from office.
The MP's faction, infuriated by Wednesday's action, mobilised in their numbers and carried placards accusing the DCE and Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development of corruption.
Some of the placards read: "the DCE must be probed" and "Kwamena Ahwoi is corrupt", in reference to an allegation that the minister gave the nod to the DCE to renovate a four-bedroom guesthouse at a cost of 365 million cedis.
A detachment of the police was sent to the assembly to forestall any nasty incidents. Two supporters of the DCE, Mr Francis Dugbartey and Mr Ernest Otu, however, sustained head injuries and were treated and discharged at the Ada health centre.
The differences between the DCE and the deputy minister is believed to have started when the DCE allegedly declared his intention to contest as MP in the 2000 elections.
Mr Buertey, who is also the deputy Greater Accra regional minister, the source stated, also intends to stand for the same position for the third time.
On Wednesday, Mr Buertey denied that he and the executives were behind a meeting held at Kunyenya on Thursday, April 29, where the decision to forcibly remove the DCE from office was taken.
The demonstrators later presented to Mr S.S. Odokow, Presiding Member of the assembly, a resolution in which they accused the DCE of spending over 800 million cedis on a guest house and a court building when the villages have no drinking water.
They also accused him of ignoring their application for loans from the Poverty Alleviation fund and of what they termed "unreasonably high cost of projects in the district".
These include 44 million cedis spent on two dug-outs at Sege within two-and-a-half days, 66.7 million cedis on the Lenobrinya Gardens and 118 million cedis on the Afidenyigba dam.
The resolution said certain community-initiated projects like the Toflokpo Junior Secondary School had been left unattended to.
It also alleged that some donations meant for specific developments, like one by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) for the development of towns and villages around the Songor lagoon, could not be accounted for. The resolution called for the removal of representative of the salt development task force with immediate effect.
It also called on the government to hasten the process of development of social amenities in the district and speed up the process of implementation of the master plan on the Songor Lagoon before the year 2000.
In another development, two NDC officials from the Greater Accra Regional Secretariat were at Ada on Thursday to find out the causes of the disturbances in the town over the past two days.
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