Ashanti among the lowest performing regions in English
Commissioner Short's neutrality questioned
Netherlands signs agreement with Ministry of Education.
Assemblies to get more money for development
Mills signs book of condolence for former Veep
Make prison inmates productive - Prof. Twumasi
Seven students expelled from boarding house for "bullying"
Forestry commission to be given more autonomy - Minister
Government committed to new salary policy, Gamey
Faith prevents church members from receiving treatment for disease
Four parties vie for Lambussie seat
Ashanti among the lowest performing regions in English
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 12 May 99
A recent study conducted by the Ministry of Education into the performance of public basic school pupils in the use of the English language revealed that Ashanti Region ranks among the lowest-performing regions.
Nana Akwasi Agyeman, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive who disclosed this, said the study showed that Ashanti Region has a low average performance in English language examinations.
Nana Agyeman said the Criteria Reference Test (CRT) in Mathematics and English Language for primary six pupils also showed that Ashanti Region's performance was nothing to write home about.
"We are yet to see the region's performance in the last baseline test in literacy and numeracy for primary schools."
Nana Agyeman told a forum on education organised jointly by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) and the Metropolitan Education Directorate for stakeholders drawn from Subin and Asokwa Sub-Metropolitan areas in Kumasi on Tuesday, that the assembly may do their part to provide the needed inputs.
However, if parents, teachers and pupils failed to play their part, the children's performance would continue to decline.
Nana Agyeman, who personally donated two million cedis to support the development of education in the two areas, said the assembly has started constructing new schools and rehabilitating old ones and warned estate developers to stop encroaching on school lands.
Mr Joe D. Issachar, Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Director, said illiteracy and ignorance are drawbacks to national advancement. The region can boast of natural, human and material resources, and these can only be fully exploited through effective planning and education, he indicated.
Under the theme: "Improving Quality Education in the Metropolis - The Role of Stakeholders", the forum, a brainchild of the Regional Minister, Mr Kojo Yankah, was initiated by the Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council.
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Commissioner Short's neutrality questioned
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 May 99
Mr Justice Emile Shorts recent comments regarding the ban on drumming, might rather worsen the situation, a concerned citizen has said.
Mr Walterman Oko Lamptey, a staff of National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) said the declaration by the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), in his official capacity that customary ban on drumming within the Ga State is unconstitutional, amounts to "a gross abuse of office."
"The CHRAJ exists to promote the rights of all Ghanaians. Mr Short must, therefore, be balanced in his views and speak for cultural equality," Mr Lamptey said in a statement in Accra on Tuesday.
Commissioner Short in a press briefing last Friday said the ban imposed by the Ga Traditional Council on drumming is unconstitutional and violates the rights to freedom of worship and expression as guaranteed by the Constitution.
Mr Lamptey said as a lawyer, Mr Short should know that no country or society is governed by constitution alone.
"Every country has got its customs and traditions and these form the basis of the legal and constitutional framework", he said, adding that customary laws, which are part of Ghana's legal statutes were derived from traditions and culture.
Mr Lamptey said he wonders if the job of Commissioner Short includes the interpretation of the Constitution, a responsibility, he said, falls on the Supreme Court.
He further questioned the non-partisanship of the CHRAJ and questioned why it did not say anything when burials, drumming and dancing were all banned recently in Ashanti Region and elsewhere?
"Mr Short is guilty of discriminating and showing contempt on the tradition and culture of the Ga ethnic group", he said and asked if he was doing so because he is a member of one of those churches fighting the Ga Traditional Council over the ban.
Mr Lamptey made reference to a radio programme during which, he said, a contributor made "unsavoury remarks" about the Gas and said as the champion of human rights, why has Mr Short refused to condemn this violation of the principle of ethnic and cultural equality?
Meanwhile Mr Daniel Yaw Abaidoo, Director of Administration of Scriptures Union, Ghana, and legal consultant for a workshop on "Nuisance of Noise", organised by the Environmental Protection Agency said existing legislation provides a legal basis for legitimate action by metropolitan and district assemblies against excessive noise makers.
Mr Abaidoo said the EPA, by Act 490, 1994, is empowered "to issue notice in the form of directives, procedures or warnings to such noise makers as it may determine for the purpose of controlling the volume, intensity and quality of noise in the environment".
Touching on, "The Legal Basis for Noise level Measurement, Compliance and Enforcement", he referred to the Legislative Instrument (L I. 1615), which established the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, and relevant bye-laws, saying they give the AMA the mandate to deal with noise nuisance.
The by laws, among other things, prohibit the playing of music when conducting a religious service so loudly as to cause nuisance to the public and residents in the area.
It is also provided under these bye- laws, that music played or an address made, through a public address system in any church shall be such that it should be heard only within the confines of the church.
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Netherlands signs agreement with Ministry of Education.
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 May 99
A 22.5 million US dollar agreement for the establishment and the implementation of 20 Technical and Vocational resource centres (VOTEC) in the country, was on Tuesday signed by the governments of Ghana and the Netherlands.
Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Education (MOE) signed for Ghana and Mr Leon Van Nijnattan, Managing Director, TNW Export BV, of Netherlands, a technical and vocational expert, signed for his government.
Each of the 10 regions would be provided two centres, one at the regional capital and the other in a district capital to serve as workshop for practical training.
The government and people of Netherlands would provide 94.5 per cent of the cost in form of equipment while the government provides the remaining 5.5 per cent in form of structures.
The areas of specialisation would include mechanical, electrical, electronic and automotive engineering, construction and woodwork.
Mr Spio-Garbrah said the centres would help the industrial development of the country and called on the staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES), to assist in the management of the centres.
The programme would benefit both the public and private technical vocational institutions and foster the training of personal in that field.
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Assemblies to get more money for development
Sunyani (Western Region) 12 May 99
The public accounts committee of parliament is to propose for an upwards review of the current five per cent of the overall national revenue which is set aside as common fund for disbursement to district assemblies for projects.
Mr J.H. Mensah, the chairman of the committee and minority leader, announced this at the second ordinary meeting of the Sunyani district assembly at Sunyani on Tuesday.
There has been a tremendous improvement in the application of the common fund by the district assemblies in recent years and the upward review of the funds would ensure increases in the number of development projects nation-wide.
Mr Mensah also announced that measures have been adopted to streamline the operations of the district assemblies and said apart from the normal auditing of their accounts, unannounced auditing of some selected assemblies would be undertaken.
He praised the government for reconstructing and rehabilitating a number of roads in the country and mentioned in particular the Wa-Bole road.
Mr Mensah, however, called for immediate reconstruction of the Sunyani-Atronie-Kenyasi road to facilitate the integration of the Brong and the Ahafo sections of the region.
The district chief executive, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo said the assembly collected 2.033 billion cedis as revenue last year as against estimated revenue of 2.3 billion cedis.
For the same period, the assembly spent 1.9 billion cedis thus registering a surplus of 74 million cedis.
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Mills signs book of condolence for former Veep
Accra (Greater Accra), 12th May 99
Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday signed a book of condolence in respect of Dr J. W. S. de Graft Johnson, Vice-President of the Third Republic, at the State House in Accra.
Vice-President Mills wrote in the book "May the Great Lord Grant Him Eternal Peace".
Dr. de Graft Johnson, affectionately called "Joe Diggy", died on April 22 in London at the age of 65 years.
He was Vice-president in the Third Republic under President Hilla Liman who died last year.
The Third Republic was over thrown in December 1982 by the military under then Flight-Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, now President of the Forth Republic.
Dr. de Graft Johnson fled to London where he stayed in exile returning home only briefly, last year. He went back to his London base where he died.
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Make prison inmates productive - Prof. Twumasi
Accra (Greater Accra), 12th May 99
Professor Patrick Twumasi, Chairman of the Prisons Service Council, has called for viable and humane ways of harnessing skills from prisoners to make them productive.
He said, "a productive prison life can be achieved if inmates are made to put their skills to use and those without vocations are assisted to acquire one, using available local resources and conditions".
A statement issued from the Ghana Prison Service on Tuesday said Prof. Twumasi was addressing a joint durbar of Superior and subordinate officers of Ankaful Camp Prison and Ankaful Contagious Disease Prison.
He was on a familiarisation visit, with five other members of the Council to prisons in the Central Region, on Monday.
The delegation inspected an annex block being built at Ankaful, for prisoners in the Anomabu castle, a historic site to be administered by the Ghana Museum and Monuments Board.
At Cape Coast, they inspected a medium security prison, being built by government under a three-year programme to house 600 inmates.
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Seven students expelled from boarding house for "bullying"
Kpando (Volta Region), 12th May 1999 -
Seven third year students of Kpando Technical Institute (KPANTECH) have been expelled from the boarding house for persistent molestation of junior students.
This is to help curb down on bullying which has led to complains from many parents and also ensure that human rights and human dignity are enhanced are respected in the school, Mr F.K. Dogble, Principal, said at the Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) meeting at Kpando at the weekend.
He said "senior students sometimes chain junior ones at night and molest them despite persistent warnings from the school authorities to them to desist from such inhuman treatments".
He said as a further measure of instilling discipline and ensuring academic excellence, 21 students who went to town without permission are to sign a bond to be of good behaviour in the presence of their parents.
The PTA presented five million cedis worth of furniture to the school.
Mr Sylvester Kyekye, Chairman of the PTA, said the association bought materials for the furniture and the school used its carpentry department in making them.
The cost of the furniture, including chairs, tables and a cabinet, would have been 12 million cedis on the open market.
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Forestry commission to be given more autonomy - Minister
Accra (Greater Accra), 12th May 99
The Forestry Commission is to be re-established as a corporate entity with greater autonomy to implement national policies and regulations that govern the sector, Dr. Christina Amoako-Nuama, Minister of Lands and Forestry, said today.
Inaugurating the Timber Rights Evaluation Committee (TREC) she pointed out that it was not the original intention of her ministry to re-organise the Commission but the 1992 Constitution now makes it imperative to re-establish the commission.
Dr. Amoako-Nuama said a legislation to re-establish the Commission has been placed before Parliament. When it is approved, it will have the constitutional responsibility to regulate and manage the utilisation of the country's forest and wildlife resources.
The seven-member TREC, has Mr E O Nsenkyire, Chief Conservator of Forests as chairman. It will evaluate applications for timber rights and make recommendations to the Forestry Commission for award of such rights to the most suitable applicants,
Dr. Amoako-Nuama blamed the depletion of the country's timber resources on lack of adequate technical capability of the Lands Commission in granting timber leases and concessions in the past.
She charged the committee to operate within a reasonable period and ensure that all evaluation reports, together with recommendations, are submitted to the Commission within 42 days of receipt of applications.
The minister reminded members to approach their duties with a sense of commitment and objectivity and exercise fairness in all their dealings with prospective applicants.
Alhaji Collins Dauda, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Lands and Forestry, reminded members that they will be living up to expectation if they become transparent and keep to the stipulated period of 42 days in processing applications.
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Government committed to new salary policy, Gamey
Asamankese (Eastern Region), 12th May 99 --
The Government is firmly committed to implementing a new policy on workers wages and salaries based on the Price Waterhouse report in June this year.
Mr Austin Gamey, deputy minister for Employment and Social Welfare, who announced this, at a forum at Asamankese on Monday said the Price Waterhouse report, will ensure a long-term wages and salaries policy, which would motivate workers.
The Deputy Minister said the policy would remove salary disparities between public and private sector workers on one hand and those within the civil and public service sectors on the other.
He said under Price Waterhouse report, promotions would be based on the performance of workers to be assessed by both management and workers' representatives.
" The Price Waterhouse report may not be perfect but it is being introduced in the hope that in the course of its implementation, changes can be made when necessary," the minister said.
Mr Gamey said Ghana is a signatory to the International Labour Organisation Convention, which enjoins member countries to allow freedom of association and collective bargaining.
Mr Smart Chigabatia, Executive Secretary of the Civil Servants Association advised workers against staging demonstrations to back their demands for improved conditions of service.
He said they should instead use dialogue, which is more effective, adding, " they should not always ask for increases in salaries without increased output because that hurts the national economy".
Mr Chigabatia called for effective worker-management co-operation to enhance increased productivity.
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Faith prevents church members from receiving treatment for disease
Ekoso (Eastern Region), 12th May 99 -
People afflicted by an outbreak of yaws at Ekoso, near Asamankese, have refused medical treatment because they claim their religion forbids them to do so.
Yaws is an infectious skin and bone disease caused by bacteria, and if untreated can be fatal.
Nothing can convince members of the First Century Faith Church that the disease can only be cured through medication.
It is their belief that there is no disease that faith cannot cure, and the octogenarian founder of the church, Pastor Kwesi Asiedu, claims he has not received any medication since he opened a branch of the church at Ekoso more than 61 years ago.
The pastor quotes the Bible to support his claim, and no amount of persuasion on the need for the victims to be treated would make him change his mind.
He claims that the about 15 victims are sick either because of witchcraft of their mothers or they might have sinned before God for which they could be healed only through prayers.
The district health management team and the District Chief Executive, Mr. Emmanuel Asante, have failed to convince the pastor to let the afflicted church members to undergo treatment.
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Four parties vie for Lambussie seat
Wa (Upper West), 12th May 99
Four political parties are contesting the Lambussie constituency by-election scheduled for Wednesday, May 26.
They are the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP), Peoples National Convention (PNC) and the Great Consolidated Peoples Party (GCPP).
Briefing newsmen at Wa today, Mr Adams M. Iddrisu, acting Upper West Regional Director of the Electoral Commission said the chairman of the commission Dr. K. Afari-Gyan supervised the nomination exercise.
He gave the names of the candidates as Madam Alice Teni Boon, a 37-year-old teacher who is contesting on the ticket of the NDC, Mr Thomas Franklin Bie Ketting, a 47-year-old marketing manager who is standing on the ticket of the PNC.
The rest are Anthony Baloroo, a 47-year-old farm manager, contesting for the NPP and Mr Nuhu Wieni Baloroo, a 37-year-old businessman contesting on the ticket of the GCPP.
According to Mr Iddrisu, one Alhassan Saeed who collected nomination papers to contest as an independent, never returned his papers as at the close of nomination yesterday.
Mr Iddrissu said Dr. Afari-Gyan advised the candidates to be tolerant in their campaign and avoid provocative tendencies.
The seat became vacant following the death of the incumbent NDC MP Mr Luke Koo who was buried at the weekend.
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