The Daily Graphic/The Ghanaian Times
'Use visit to seek investment for Ghana'
Otumfuo to project Ghana
BOG withdraws receipt books to forex bureaux
UTAG won't budge
Hot fight in NPP over seats
GSE raises 23.5b cedis for seven companies
Ghana Shippers Council begins reconciliation moves in Freight Forwarding industry
Woman Vice will spell disaster
Mills is nice but...NRP
Row over 10yr old stowaway
Political parties and National integration
Another big scandal exposed
'Use visit to seek investment for Ghana'
Otumfuo to project Ghana
Both the Daily Graphic and the Ghanaian Times carry front-page stories on the visit by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to the Castle, Osu at the weekend.
The Graphic story says President Jerry John Rawlings has urged the Asantehene who is visiting the United Kingdom at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II, to use his visit to seek investments for Ghana.
President Rawlings, the Graphic says, hoped the Asantehene would use the platform to tell investors about the enabling environment in the country.
President Rawlings is said to have acknowledged the good works being done by Otumfuo and encouraged to him to continue.
The Graphic continues that President Rawlings assured the Asantehene that the Ghana High Commission in London has been duly informed to offer the necessary protocol relating to his visit.
On his part, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II reportedly pledged to spread Ghana's message during his visit, adding that his invitation would be to the benefit of the country as a whole.
The Times like the Graphic carries the call by President Rawlings on Otumfuo to use his overseas trip to promote the country for investment attraction.
"I wish that your trip will be productive and a constructive journey that will promote the country to attract investors", President Rawlings was quoted by the Times.
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BOG withdraws receipt books to forex bureaux
The Bank of Ghana (BOG) has begun withdrawing all sales receipt books issued to forex bureaux following the new measures on foreign exchange transactions intended to halt the decline of the cedi, the Graphic said in another front-page story.
The paper says a statement issued by BOG in Accra at the weekend called for the return of all old sales receipt books to the head of the Non-bank Financial Institutions, Department at Cedi House by Monday, May 15, for new ones while regional operators must contact the bank's offices there for new ones.
According to the story, there has been public outcry against the decline in the value of the cedi which had been pressurised by scarcity of the dollar and compelling business executives to buy the US currency between 5,500 and 6,000 cedis, resulting in high prices of goods.
The report also carry that as part of wide-range measures being undertaken to get the currency stabilised the Central Bank reminded forex bureau operators that they are authorised to engage in 'spot cash' only.
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UTAG won't budge
The Ghanaian Times reports in another front-page story that the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) says it will go ahead with its planned strike today irrespective of a scheduled meeting between it, the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and
Principals (CVCP) and the chairmen of the University Councils.
The paper, which quoted a Radio Ghana news bulletin as its source, says UTAG President, Prof. Stephen Osei told the radio station on telephone that the meeting, requested by CVCP and the National Council on Tertiary Education (NCTE), to allow for continuation of negotiations, had nothing new to offer.
Prof. Osei is reported as saying that this has been the normal procedure of negotiations in the past, stressing that the meeting would not change the stance of UTAG on the strike.
"The only way UTAG would rescind its decision was for the government to come out with acceptable measures to address the issue", Prof. Osei reportedly told radio Ghana.
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Hot fight in NPP over seats
The Public Agenda says fierce competition has ensued in the Ashanti branch of the NPP and some parts of the Eastern Region for the parliamentary seats of MPs especially those of them not closely associated with the party's presidential candidate, J.A. Kufuor.
According to the report, some notable supporters of Kufuor who used to be based in North America and the United Kingdom are reported to be chasing for the seats in the two areas.
The story says functionaries of most major parties have been trying to manage the dogging issue of interested parliamentary candidates contesting seats of sitting MPs and recalls what the NPP General Secretary, Dan Botwe said regarding the party retaining sitting MPs because it makes a lot of strategic sense.
The Agenda story however says Mr. Kufuor's close aides are insisting that once the presidential candidate was not returned unopposed for the 2000 presidential elections, MPs interested in going for a second term should also be ready to contest in primaries.
The NPP, the story says, has since asked interested candidates to file for the parliamentary primaries with May 20 as the closing date for submission of forms.
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GSE raises 23.5b cedis for seven companies
The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) had, as of 4th May 2000 raised a total of 23.50 billion capital for seven quoted companies through its operation, specifically rights issues, says the High Street Journal (HSJ) in a front-page story.
HSJ carries that statistics released by GSE over the period indicated that the following companies clocked the stated amounts:
Patterson Zochonis Ghana Ltd. (9.13b cedis), Guinness Ghana Limited (4.93b cedis) and Mechanical Lloyd Limited (1.99b cedis) Others who received substantial capital include Home Finance Company (5.7b cedis), Accra Brewery Limited (9.94b cedis) and Metalloplastica Ghana Limited (2.16b cedis).
HSJ's also has it that statistics on the government’s divestitures through the Exchange indicate that for the Initial Public Offerings, the government divested 25 per cent of AGC shares, 40 per cent Pioneer Aluminium Factory (PAF) shares, 30 per cent each of SSB and GCB shares.
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Ghana Shippers Council begins reconciliation moves in Freight Forwarding industry
In another front-page story, the High Street Journal says the Ghana Shippers Council (GSC) has started making moves to bring sanity into the freight forwarding business.
The paper says it learnt last week that the council convened an emergency meeting to reconcile two breakaway groups, CUBAC and FFAG, to its parent association, the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders GIFF).
HJS says its insiders at the meeting gathered that GIFF, as a reconciliatory option, wanted the three bodies to be reconstituted into an entirely new one with various department of freight forwarding business.
The paper says, on its part, CUBAC wanted the associations to remain under the council. "The three bodies are all doing the same job; we strongly feel they should remain under one strong body to make Ghana's ambition to become a gateway nation come to a reality", CUBAC was quoted to have said.
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Woman Vice will spell disaster
According to the paper, Alhaji Sibidow made this known in his reaction to an article that appeared in the Ghanaian Voice entitled “ NDC Vice Its Mamle or Cecilia. Alhaji Sibidow affirmed that he hopes this is a fast political ploy by enemies of the NDC to disturb the electoral fortunes of the party.
The paper adds that, Sibidow confirmed Mamle’s commitment to the party, but said her selection will not attract the votes, which the party wants in the forth-coming elections.
Alhaji Sibidow continued, “Cecilia Johnson is good but what else can she bring to the party apart from the fact that she comes from Brong Ahafo Region. It is too early in the day for her and I hope the right thing will be done to get the correct pair for Mills”.the paper said quoting Sibidow as adding that “ This is no time for experiment. The fight ahead will be crunching and demanding.”
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Mills is nice but...NRP
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Row over 10yr old stowaway
The Ghanaian Chronicle carries a story of a ten-year old pupil of St Martin de Porres International School in Dansoman, who slipped past Ghanaian Immigration and Custom Preventive officers at Kotoka International airport, dummied Ghana Airways thicket checking staff and boarded a New York bound flight.
According to the paper, the boy slipped past rows of Immigration Officers at John F Kennedy Airport, past their airport security, eluded the dreaded-eyed custom police and into New York City still in his school uniform with only 6,000 cedis in his pocket.
The paper states that the incredible incident has set off a small battle between the two Governments, US and Ghana while the Foreign Minister Mr Gbeho and the office of the National Security have been drawn into the matter.
According to the paper the Ghanaian authorities have requested the immediate deportation of the boy whiles the US authorities have blocked the Ghana Government’s desire for a snap return to Accra.
However the paper states that the parents of the boy are being sought to find out how he pulled off a such surprising move. The paper however says it’s investigations showed that the immigration services and the Ghana Police suspects that the move could have been pulled off with the cooperation of Ghana Airways staff and the father of the boy.
The paper’s investigation had it that the boy may be a troubled boy, since his father is a single parent and food is almost a luxury in their home and that he often goes hungry.
The paper says the case has turned out to be similar to the highly publicised Cuban Elian Gonzalez affair, and has attracted the attention of the American judiciary.
The paper states that a hearing into the case has already taken place and the judge has expressed uncertainty and fear about risks to the boy’s life if he is forcibly returned to Ghana.
However information tricking in according to the paper says the boy had been through another court session and had been sent to a home in Atlanta, Georgia from New York.
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Ghanaian political parties that nurture the hope that the government will bow down to pressure and fund its opponents will be wondering in the land of fantasy, the Accra Mail reports Mr Kwaku Baah a vice- Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as saying.
He was said to be reacting to criticisms against the ruling party by the opposition parties during discussion time at a forum organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in Accra on the theme “ Building Bridges of Trust among the Political Parties.
According to the paper, Mr Dan Botwe, General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presented his parties position on how peace and trust could prevail in the run up to the elections and accused the government of channelling state resources through the District Chief Executives (DCE’s), and the NCCE officials of campaigning in the guise of embarking on civic education.
Mr Botwe said if this blatant cheating went unheeded, the NPP would resist and stop DCE’s from their diabolic scheme.
Similar points were raised by the National Reform Party (NRP), who also accused the government of politics of exclusion and the transfer of state resources to keep the patronage machine going through the District Assemblies, where the constitution grants a loophole for the President to appoint DCE’s.
The paper adds that Mr Baah who could not stand the tirade from the two opposing groups, charged the organisers for deliberately inviting the NDC to be used as a punching bag. “ We shall reconsider our position on future invitation like this. You people have had access to free television coverage to lambaste the government” he said.
Mr Baah, according to the paper, argued that trust can not be created when politicians mount platforms to subject their opponents to name calling, citing words like sycophants, stomach politicians and corrupt people, which he said have no basis.
The paper also says that Mr Larry Bimi, chairman of NCCE expressed regrets at the turn of events and stated that the forum was supposed to eschew distrust, bitterness and suspicion that goes with the conduct of political affairs.
He said the NCCE should not be misconstrued as watchdog of the government but rather to educate those serving such roles. Notwithstanding this, Mr. Bimi warned NCCE officials who openly dabble in partisan politics or are identified with a political party to desist from it or face dismissal when it comes to the notice of the authorities.
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Political parties and National integration
On page four of the Accra Mail, is the observation made by Professor Joseph R.A Ayee, Head of the Department of Political Science University of Ghana that the government can promote national unity, harmony and integration if it is able to shed partisan attitude and involve other parties in the governance of the country.
According to the paper, the Professor said the perception of political parties as dispensers of patronage has resulted in accusations of “job for the boys” with the party in power being accused of rewarding party faithful to the neglect of competent people in different political parties.
Prof. Ayee is said to have made this known when he delivered a paper on the Role of the Political Parties in National Integration at a roundtable discussion organised by the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) in Accra.
The paper adds that, drawing a line between state resources and party resources was another area of concern shown in his paper.
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Another big scandal exposed
The Dispatch reveals that it has stumbled on a huge scandal, very likely to stall the start of the Koforidua Water Supply Project.
At the centre of the storm is the Ministry of Works and Housing, under the care of Mr I .K Adjei-Mensah and Mr Kwame Peprah’s Finance Ministry.
According to the paper, the way and manner the Koforidua water project contract was awarded to SADE, a French company should offend President Rawlings’ concept of probity and accountability.
The paper states that a credible source at the Ministry of Works and Housing, in an exclusive chat with the Dispatch, revealed that a letter dated November 9, 1999 written by the Managing Director of Ghana Water Company, Mr Charles Adjei on the
Koforidua and Baifikrom Water supply projects stated: “ Further to our letter of July 30, 1999, on the above-mentioned subject, we wish to report that we have now received both Technical and Financial proposals in respect of Baifikom and Koforidua from only Messrs Bateman of South Africa.
“Messrs URQUELL and others who have expressed interest in the projects have so far not responded, even though the deadline for the receipt of submission (October 30, 1999) has expired.
We are therefore closing the tender to enable us to open the submissions for analysis”.
According to the paper, out of the blue, the Minister of Finance sent a letter, dated December 20, 1999, to the Ministry of Works and Housing giving approval to the financial package from SADE Co. Ltd, Paris on the above project.
The paper says in an action that should gladden the heart of President Rawlings, the Ghana Water Company Limited in a letter dated January 7, 2000 to the Minister of Finance, stated “We refer your earlier letter no. MWH/WR/03/30 dated December 30, 1999 on the above issue and to inform you that we were going ahead to evaluate Messrs Bateman’s proposal on the above project alone since we had not received any other proposals by then. We therefore think it would be unfair to review the SADE proposal, which was transmitted to us as per your letter under reference. Your further directive is awaited.”
The paper states that the Minister of Works and Housing later wisely chickened out in a February 10, 2000 letter to the Water Company stating that his Ministry is of the same opinion as stated in their letter.
According to the paper, a source at the Ministry of Finance when contacted said, “ we are only civil servants. We have to obey orders and in this case, from very powerful people”
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