Nurses want direct audience with minister
Ghana to host conference of Global Awareness Society
The members explained that the
Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) had "openly demonstrated her displeasure at
the promotion of any Qualified Registered Nurse (QRN) to the rank of a
Principal Nursing Officer (PNO) and would therefore block any efforts by the
QRNU to discuss their problems with the Minister."
The appeal was contained in an
open letter signed by the leadership of the group and presented to the GNA at
Koforidua on Wednesday. The Union said it was forced to write to the Minister
through the media because of directives that any nurse who wants to see him
should pass the request through the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO).
The statement said for sometime
now, the highest rank that a QRN can rise to in the nursing profession is
Senior Nursing Officer (SNO) but upon a petition the former Minister of Health,
Mr Samuel Nuamah-Donkor, agreed that QRNs can now be promoted to the Principal
Nursing Officer (PNO) rank.
The statement said based on this
agreement, a group of senior QRNs who were due for promotion were invited for
interviews in February, this year.
"After the interviews,
members of the State Registered Nurses (SRN) group, the Ghana Registered Nurses
Association (GRNA) and the Chief Nursing Officer wrote to the Minister
protesting against the agreement to promote QRNs to the rank of PNOs.
GRi../
Shekhinah
Missionary clinic reopens after a week's closure
Tamale (Northern Region) 19 May
2000
The Customs, Excise and Preventive
Service (CEPS) has granted customs duty exemptions to Shekhinah Clinic, a
private medical centre near Tamale that treats the destitute free of charge to
clear all its medical supplies from the ports.
The Northern Regional Minister,
Alhaji Seidu Iddi said this when he visited the clinic at Gurugu to resolve an
impasse between the management, and the national revenue secretariat over the
payment of duty to clear two oxygen concentrators donated to the medical
facility by its foreign partners in Britain.
The clinic authorities suspended
its free medical services and asked all patients to leave "since it is a
non-profit making venture and cannot generate revenue to pay taxes."
This has generated public concern
in Tamale where the missionary work of the clinic, which includes the provision
of free meals to lunatics and the needy is held in high esteem.
Mr Seth Dovlo, CEPS regional
sector commander and officials from the Ministry of Health who accompanied
Alhaji Iddi assured the management of the clinic of their support.
The regional minister said the
commissioner of CEPS has invited the medical officer in-charge of the clinic
for further consultation to end the impasse and asked the clinic's management
to formerly apply to the revenue secretariat for tax exemptions.
Mr Kwasi Agyeman Takyi, a 55
year-old destitute from Akan Kejebi in the Volta Region, appealed to the
government to ensure the re-opening of the clinic to cater for people like him
who have been neglected by society.
Dr David Abdulai, founder of the
clinic thanked the regional minister for the concern he has shown and promised
that normal services shall resume soon.
GRi../
Accra (Greater Accra) 19 May 2000
A traditional ruler has appealed
to the government to expedite action on demands by the University Teachers
Association of Ghana (UTAG) for improved conditions of service to avoid further
interruptions in academic work.
Nana Nketiah Afful,
Abontsindomhene of Abeadze Traditional Area in the Central Region, told the GNA
in Accra that since the government had conceded that university teachers
deserved a better deal, it should not hesitate to negotiate with them.
Nana Afful, however, appealed to
UTAG to consider the present state of the economy and be reasonable in their
demands.
On political campaigns in the
run-up to the December polls, Nana Afful appealed to the leaders of political
parties to address issues and refrain from personal attacks.
"We the electorate are only
interested in knowing how the parties will be able to solve the numerous
problems facing the nation and not in some one's private affairs."
In another development, the Women's Commission of the Students Representative Council of the University of Ghana on Wednesday added its voice to the calls on government and striking lecturers to come to a compromise for lessons to resume.
In a statement signed by Ma Abigail Amponsah, Chairperson and Ms Patience Frimpong, Secretary, the women said when the academic calendar of the universities is disrupted female students in particular suffer most.
"The Women's Commission wishes to emphasise that the continuous disruption in the academic calendar is a great disincentive to women in education."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 19 May 2000
The National Reform Party (NRP)
said on Wednesday that it is not engaged in unity talks with the National
Democratic Congress (NDC).
A statement signed in Accra by Mr
Kyeretwie Opoku, Interim General Secretary, said: "We have never held any
such talks at any level. The NDC has never approached us. We have never
approached the NDC."
He said statements made by
President Jerry Rawlings and Vice President John Atta Mills at the NDC congress
have been misinterpreted as calls for National Reform Party members to
"rejoin" the NDC.
However, it said, the NRP is not
an NDC splinter group. "It is true that five out of nine members of our
National Working Committee were once front-line NDC members. However, the impetus to build a party based
on a new politics came from a very broad cross section of society.
"Accordingly, at all levels,
Reform currently mobilises progressives from all the different political
traditions, as well as people who have never before associated with any
political party."
NRP said the last time those of
them who were once NDC members met with NDC leadership was 18 months ago in
October 1998. "We do not want the NDC to approach us. There is no basis
today for unity talks between Reform and the NDC. The situation in the NDC has
deteriorated beyond salvation."
The statement said the Ho congress
was convened in the midst of the worst economic crisis in a generation. It also
"signalled the consolidation of (President) Jerry Rawlings' personal
dominance over the NDC and his intention to control that party and the state
machinery even after he formally leaves office.
NRP said far from a spirit of
reconciliation, President Rawlings' appeal reflects only his desire to hang on
to power at all costs and his rising panic about the NDC's chances in December.
GRi../
Kumasi (Greater Accra) 19 May 2000
The Joint Anglican Diocesan Council of Ghana has commended the government for its decision to hand over schools to religious bodies that established them.
In a communiqué in Kumasi at the end of its delegates' meeting, the Council said that it has accepted the challenge and that the Anglican Church would continue to teach moral education and instil discipline in its institutions.
It recognised the harsh socio-economic conditions in the country and expressed its appreciation for the efforts of the government to stabilise the cedi.
The Council called on the government to intensify its pragmatic and dynamic approach to solve the problem. On HIV/AIDS, the Council stressed that abstinence from premarital sex; faithfulness of couples and continuous education should be the watchwords.
"The youth should be encouraged to avoid sexual promiscuity and accept the reality of AIDS as a killer disease".
The meeting, which discussed the welfare of the church and state, commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, for his initiative in setting up the Otumfuo Education Endowment Fund for needy but brilliant students and called on other traditional authorities to follow the example.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 19 May 2000
About 500 people from the US, Korea, Europe and Ghana are expected to attend the 10th annual conference of the Global Awareness Society International (GASI) from May 24 to 28, next year, in Accra.
The Conference is aimed at forging mutual understanding between the different nations of the world, Professor George Agbango of the Department of Political Science, Bloomsburg University, US, announced on Tuesday.
Prof. Agbango, who is also the African head of GASI, said the world is becoming smaller and smaller, while its problems are becoming more and more complicated.
He noted that these problems were affecting the global society, hence the call for a joint effort in finding solutions to them.
GASI is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that has no political, religious or ethnic affiliation. About 80 per cent of its membership is made up of university professors while the remaining 20 per cent are other professionals.
The main objective of GASI is to promote awareness of the diversity of cultures within the global community and to recognise that all human beings are included in the process of globalisation.
It also aims at enhancing understanding of political, economic, social, demographic, technological and environmental issues and developing a mutual support network of scholars, professionals and organisations.
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