GRi Newsreel Ghana
23 - 05 - 2001
Cuba
to help Ghana develop tourism sector
Kufuor
appoints new board for TDC
Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
Ghana on
Wednesday expressed regret that as Africa celebrates the 38th anniversary of
the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), many conflicts still rage in several
parts, bringing in their wake unnecessary deaths and sufferings to millions of
people.
In a
statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Accra to mark Africa Liberation
Day, which falls on Friday, My 25, Ghana, called for "an immediate end to
all conflicts on the continent."
She also pledged
"strong and unflinching support to various diplomatic efforts being made
both at the bilateral and multilateral levels, to end these conflicts."
"This
will enable the continent to devote her entire energies and resources to
effecting the much needed improvements to the quality of life of her
peoples."
The
statement said the anniversary offers an opportunity for African countries to
take stock of the performance of the organisation and rededicate themselves to
its noble ideals and objectives.
It said this
year's celebration is auspicious as it signifies the end of the existence of
the OAU and marks the beginning of the "African Union".
African
Heads of State and Government unanimously endorsed the Union during the 36th
Summit held in Lome, Togo, in July 2000, by signing the Constitutive Act of the
African Union.
"The
Act is envisaged to strategically prepare and re-position the continent to
confront the challenges presented by a globalised world."
The
statement said the Constitutive Act of the African Union comes into force on
Saturday, May 26 following the receipt of the 36th instrument of ratification
by the OAU Secretariat in Addis Ababa.
The
statement said Parliament on May 9 ratified by resolution, the Consultative Act
in accordance with the Constitution "thereby reaffirming our support to
the Continental Union that Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah advocated throughout his
political life."
Ghana
commended the OAU Secretariat and the outgoing Secretary-General, Dr Salim
Ahmed Salim for effectively co-ordinating the fight for the emancipation of
Africa from colonial rule for the past four decades.
"It is
hoped that with the completion of the total liberation of the African continent
from the humiliating shackles of colonial rule, the incoming Secretariat of the
African Union will demonstrate the same zeal, dedication and commitment to the
attainment of the continental economic co-operation and integration envisioned
in the Consultative Act of the African Union."
Activities
planned for the Day include a flag-raising ceremony at the forecourt of the
State House and laying of wreath at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum by the African
Diplomatic Corps.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
President
John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday pledged to make judicious use of every
assistance offered by donor agencies for the benefit of the people.
"We
are a self-disciplined and an efficient government that would not give in to
wastage or corruption, but ensure that every assistance offered is used for the
benefit of our people."
President
Kufuor made the pledge when a six-man delegation from the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) currently in the country to hold discussions with
government officials called on him in Accra.
He said in
line with the government's policy of transparency, a monitoring and evaluation
committee has been set up to hold ministries and government institutions in
check on the use of government finances.
In
addition, the government would inform the people of problems it is facing and
the solutions being implemented to forestall any public upheavals.
President
Kufuor asked the IMF to continue with its advocacy role to assist developing
countries such as Ghana.
"The
tolerance level in the country is an indication that Ghanaians have suffered
for a long time and are not prepared to continue to suffer with the hope that
the government would deliver and their sacrifices would not be in vain."
Mr Yaw
Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance said the IMF is assisting the government to
improve on its revenue generation. Areas of wastage have been identified and
measures taken to improve upon them.
He said one
major challenge is to improve on the revenue generation from the Customs,
Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Value
Added Tax (VAT) and the National Lotteries, which do not provide the needed
revenue for development.
Mr
Osafo-Maafo said expenditure control is now a major priority area for the
government.
Also of
concern are the methods for procurement and reduction in expenses of para-statals.
He
announced that three trillion cedis debt owed by the Tema Oil Refinery is
affecting domestic banking and measures were being put in place to forestall
similar problems in the utilities such as Volta River Authority (VRA) and the
Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
Mr Joseph
H. Mensah, Minister of Government Business, said a delegation from the
International Finance Company (IFC) of the World Bank is expected in the
country next month to review the divestiture programme.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
President
John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday said it is time for African countries to fight
corruption from all fronts to have the needed support and assistance from
developed countries.
President
Kufuor made the call when ECOWAS Ministers of Justice attending the two-day
Conference on "Collaboration against corruption towards effective
strategies and mechanisms" paid a courtesy call on him in Accra.
The
ministers met to brainstorm on how to enforce ECOWAS protocols to check
cross-border corruption and promote a coalition approach for national
integrity.
He said the
conference is very vital for the sub-region because corruption is a canker that
eats away whatever is good for society and Africa is perceived globally as the
home of the worst form of corruption.
"It is
a perception we must fight against, it might not have basis but if it has at
all it is not as being perceived.
"In
politics perception tends to have a weight much higher than reality.
Unfortunately, because of our stage of development, we should deserve greater
assistance than anyone, but because of this perception, the assistance is not
coming as it should."
President
Kufuor said wherever African governments seek co-operation and support, they
are told "assistance given to them filtered away into people's
pockets" and this has become a major problem for governments in Africa.
"It is
a huge challenge I do not underrate, but once accepted as a challenge to fight
then we are on our way to succeed. What we must not do is to sweep the reality
of corruption under the carpet."
Nana
Akufo-Addo, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, said the government's
decision on zero tolerance for corruption has made a significant impact on
deliberations at the conference.
He gave the
assurance that declarations made after the conference would be beneficial to
the sub-region.
Thirteen
countries attended the conference from the sub-region. The Gambia and Senegal
are not attending.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
West
African Justice Ministers at the end of an anti-corruption conference in Accra
on Tuesday, called for an international diplomatic and legal action to pursue
and retrieve illegal wealth stashed in financial institutions abroad.
Contending
that corruption has moved beyond criminal issues and is affecting development,
the ministers recommended the promulgation of comprehensive protocols to cover
extradition of illegal wealth and money laundering across borders.
"Corruption
is not only a criminal issue but also impacts on the dynamics of national and
international development that deserve collective solution," the ministers
contended in an ambitious declaration at the end of their deliberations.
The two-day
conference was organised jointly by ECOWAS and the Ghana government as a forum
for "collaboration against corruption towards effective strategies and
mechanism" among member states.
The
ministers observed that the existing sub-regional protocols are not adequate to
effectively check corruption and proposed the harmonisation of judicial
processes, irrespective of the different legal systems in individual member
states, to deal with the canker.
"We
should endeavour to harmonise and consolidate our laws into a sub-regional
protocol against corruption, which will, include extradition, information
management and judicial process," the ministers intimated.
They urged
the adoption of "an all-embracing" approach to corruption control
which shall encompass diagnostics and research, investigations and prosecution,
civil education, mobilisation of public opinion, as well as institutional and
legal reforms.
"We
call on governments in the region to demonstrate the political will and
resolute leadership in the implementation of viable national and international
strategies on corruption within the bonds of rule of law and tenets of
democracy."
The
Ministers recommended to heads of state and governments in the region to direct
the Executive Secretariat of the regional body to work out a comprehensive
sub-regional protocol on corruption.
They called
for collaboration between private, public and state actors especially, a free
and responsible media within a liberal and legal environment.
Participants
unanimously agreed that the Accra Declaration should form the basis of the
ECOWAS' input into next week's global conference on "fighting corruption
and safeguarding integrity" to be held in the Hague.
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Accra (Greater
Accra) 23 May 2001
Twenty-four
institutions on Tuesday donated a total of 240.6 million cedis, 5,000 pounds
and a computer to the Accra Sports Stadium Disaster Fund.
Guinness
Ghana Limited, donated 5,000 pounds, Sambus Company Limited donated a computer
and accessories worth 13 million cedis to assist managers of the fund keep
track of all donations. It will help maintain records of all beneficiaries and
also prepare a consolidated account of the fund.
Mr Jake
Obetsebi-Lamptey, Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs, who
commended the organisations and institutions for their public spiritedness,
received all the donations.
The Ghana
International Bank (GIB), formerly London Branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank,
donated 20 million cedis, Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 12.6
million cedis, Letap Pharmaceuticals, 10 million cedis and Knights of Saint
John's International and Ladies Auxiliary, three million cedis.
WESTEL
Telecommunications Company gave five million cedis, the Ghana National
Association of Teachers, five million cedis, Ghana Ports and Harbours
Authority, 20 million cedis, Indian Women's Association of Ghana, 20 million
cedis and the Nigerian Community in Ghana, 50 million cedis.
The
Electricity Company of Ghana donated 10 million cedis, PANEL Kerr Foster, three
million cedis and the Honorary Consular Corps, 10 million cedis.
The rest
were the National Theatre, 2.5 million cedis, Ghana Institution of Surveyors,
three million cedis, Lotto Gold, two million cedis, Ghana Supply Company, five
million cedis, Living Word Assemblies International, one million cedis and the
Islamic Council for Development and Humanitarian Services, five million cedis.
Mr Emmanuel
Asiedu Mante, a director of GIB, said the bank was prepared to open an account
in London into which Ghanaians in the Diaspora would make their donations.
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Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 23 May 2001
Constituency
women organisers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Ashanti have expressed
dissatisfaction about what they described as marginalisation by their male
counterparts, in the management of the party.
They claim
that the men do not involve them in decision-making at the constituency level,
thereby keeping them in the dark.
The women
have, therefore, resolved to contest for the positions including that of
chairman and secretary at the party's congresses.
This
followed a meeting they held with the Regional Women's Organiser, Miss Georgina
Osei-Tutu in Kumasi, on Tuesday.
It was
designed to discuss ways of making the women become more active at all levels
of the party's structure.
Miss
Osei-Tutu told them not to allow the party's victory in the last general
elections, "go into their heads" but they should work hard for the
2004 polls.
She advised
them to adopt effective communication techniques, avoid arrogance, use tact and
diplomacy to win over those on the other side of the political divide.
Miss
Osei-Tutu also advised them to get themselves adequately informed about
government policies to better articulate and explain them to the people.
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Tamale
(Northern Region) 23 May 2001
Traditional
food sellers were on Tuesday urged to improve upon their services to attract
foreign tourists. Mr Ebenezer A. Hammond, Northern Regional Manager of the
Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), who made the call said: "Let us find our way to
the heart and soul of tourists with our reputation in the kitchen by emulating
the cuisine of Indians, Chinese and Italians," he said.
Mr Hammond
was speaking at a workshop organised for traditional caterers and students in
Tamale.
The one-day
workshop, organised by the GTB, in conjunction with Trafix Catering Services,
was sponsored by Unilever Ghana Limited.
The
workshop, under the theme: "Nutritional awareness - the way forward for
the traditional caterers", was aimed at improving the skills in the
preparation of Ghanaian meals.
Mr Hammond
said: "Ghana does not appear to impress tourists with her local dishes, so
caterers should boost the quality of the indigenous food."
He also
asked them to improve their personal and environmental hygiene.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
Madam Hawa
Yakubu, Minister of Tourism on Tuesday said a major aim of the government is to
make tourism one of the biggest foreign exchange earning sectors of the
economy.
The
Ministry, she said, will therefore vigorously pursue the government's efforts
at ensuring that tourism becomes "a very dynamic and vibrant" sector.
Madam
Yakubu said this at a reception to bid farewell to thirteen students and four
professors from the University of North Florida, in the US who were in Ghana on
a study tour.
She thanked
them for the visit and said it would help promote cordial relations between the
two countries.
Mr. Henry
B. Thomas, professor in Political Science and spokesperson of the delegation
told the Ghana News Agency that the tour was designed for the students to have
an experience of the political history and culture of the West Africa
sub-region.
He said
Ghana was chosen because of its current stride in democracy through peaceful,
free and fair elections that culminated in a smooth political transition.
Mr. Thomas
said their focus was on politics, literature and the cultural practices of
Ghanaians, adding that their two weeks' stay was "very interesting and
wonderful."
The
delegation toured many parts of the country, including Volta, Eastern, Ashanti,
Nothern, Brong Ahafo and Western regions.
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Koforidua
(Eastern Region) 23 May 2001
The Eastern
Regional branch of the Convention Peoples' Party (CPP) has described as
baseless, assertion by some people in the region that the decision by Professor
George Hagan to head the National Commission on Culture (NCC) would compromise
his role as the party's flag bearer.
Speaking in
an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Koforidua on Tuesday, in reaction to
the assertion, the Deputy Regional Secretary of CPP, Mr Alex Apau, said the
appointment of Professor Hagan would rather enable him to bring to bear his
rich experiences as a Professor of African Studies on the Commission.
He said
President John Agyekum Kufuor's appointment is not only in fulfilment of the
all inclusive government Ghanaians are calling for but also the confidence the
President has in the CPP flag bearer.
Mr Apau
cited the appointment of Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom by the President, as the Minister
of Economic Planning and Regional Integration, and said the "CPP's vision
is to ensure the total development of the country and it, therefore, behoves
all irrespective of political affiliations to support the government in its bid
to turn the economy around".
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
A 16-member
Parliamentary delegation of the National People's Congress (NPC) of the Peoples
Republic of China is in the country for a four-day visit.
The
delegation led by Mr Zu Jialu, Vice President of the NPC Standing Committee, is
on a four-nation African tour, which will also take them to Togo, Uganda and
Madagascar.
The First
Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Freddie Blay, the Deputy Majority Speaker,
Paapa Owusu Ankomah, the Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin and the Chinese
Ambassador in Ghana Mr Lu Yongsho met them on arrival.
Mr Zu said
the visit to Ghana was long overdue and although it is a short one, they would
take advantage and hold fruitful discussions with their Ghanaian counterparts
and government officials.
Mr Blay
said the relation between the two countries dates back to 1960 and hoped the
visit would be beneficial to both of them.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
Mr Richard
Kuuire, Director-General of the Prisons Service, has assured the public that it
has drawn up plans to reform prisoners through intensifying trade training and
treatment programmes to move the Service away from "warehousing"
prisoners.
Prisoners
to benefit from these programmes are sex offenders, drug addicts and those with
anger problems.
Mr Kuuire
said this when he paid a five-day working visit to some Prison establishments
including oil palm and coffee plantations, and a maize farm in the Brong Ahafo
and Upper West regions, a statement said in Accra on Tuesday.
The visit
was to solicit assistance in revamping the industries in the Prisons and to
improve upon the general prison conditions.
During the
visit, the Director-General urged local non-governmental organisations to
assist in providing facilities for vocational training for inmates as part of
their reformation and rehabilitation programmes.
In an
interaction with the prison officers, Mr Kuuire asked them to be "patient
with the government to settle down and find lasting solution to the decay in
the Service which is due to the long periods of neglect".
He also
assured them of the government's effort in exploring all available avenues to
resolve the accommodation and transportation problems facing the various
prisons.
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Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 23 May 2001
The
National Executive of the Young Elephants Movement, the youth wing of the New
Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed support for the arrest of Mr E.T. Mensah,
Member of Parliament (MP) for Ningo/Prampram, for his alleged involvement in
the May 11 riot by demonstrating Nima youths.
The
movement said no government worth its salt would sit down unconcerned for the
peace and stability of the country to be undermined by self-seekers.
A statement
issued in Kumasi and signed by Nana Kusi Abeyie, General Secretary of the
movement, said it had been silent over the issue because it was waiting to hear
from the BNI, the reasons for Mr Mensah's arrest.
It said
having heard the explanation given by Alhaji Malik Yakubu Alhassan, Minister of
the Interior, "we are satisfied that his arrest was proper".
The
statement said it is unfortunate that a few people allowed themselves to be
used by selfish politicians, to embark upon a riot at the time when the whole
world had joined Ghana, to mourn the 126 soccer fans that died in the Accra
Sports Stadium disaster on May 9.
The
movement would not sit down unconcerned for a few disgruntled people to thwart
the efforts of the government, in its bid to bring hope to Ghanaians especially
the youth.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
Vice-President
Aliu Mahama on Tuesday launched the annual Ghana Human Development Report
(GHDR), which aims at reviewing the discourse on science and technology for
accelerated national development.
The
115-page report to be made available to the public next week is published by
the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of the
University of Ghana, Legon, with the support of the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP).
Some of the
highlights of the report are the trends and challenges recorded in the country
last year in the area of human development, agriculture, plant medicine,
intellectual property rights, science and technology education, information and
communication technology.
Alhaji
Mahama who responded to some of the critical reports by the invited guests
about lack of interest by the state to support the science and technology
sector gave the assurance that government is restructuring the economy to give
the sector the much desired attention.
The
Government's support for science and technology is around 0.3 per cent of Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) despite a declaration by the ECOWAS in 1980 making it
mandatory for member states to devote at least one per cent of their GDP to the
sector.
Alhaji
Mahama said the report is consistent with the medium and long-term national
development objectives of the government.
Development
of science and technology is also of paramount importance to efforts to
eradicate poverty and revolutionalise the means of production and other methods
of doing business.
The
vice-president said Ghana has no problem developing a formidable base for the
promotion of science and technology since it can boast of accomplished
Scientists abroad.
Mr Alfred
Salia Fawundu, UNDP Resident Representative said since the first National Human
Development Report (NHDR) was published in Bangladesh in 1992, some 135
countries have shown interest leading to the publication of over 350 of such
reports.
"Whereas
a good number of the reports have achieved impressive results in terms of the
quality of their analysis and the relevance of their recommendations, a
significant number have fallen short of desirable standards."
Mr Fawundu
said Ghana's Human Development Index (HDI) between 1980 and last year rose from
a value of 0.473 to 0.556 leading to the country moving on the HDI ladder from
the 133rd position to the 129th position.
Professor
Akilakpa Sawyerr, Editor of the GHDP report, said research indicates that the
low human development index of Ghana has given rise to decline in real wages,
productivity and an increase in child labour.
He said
sustainable food production is also threatened by inadequate natural resource
management practices whilst small-scale farmers have little access to the
benefits of science due to the relatively high costs involved and ignorance.
Prof.
Sawyerr expressed dissatisfaction with the number of girls pursuing science and
the general lack of facilities to promote teaching and learning of the subject.
Professor
Christopher Ameyaw-Ekumfi, Minister of Education, who chaired the function,
expressed government's commitment to focus on the provision of science
equipment to promote interest in the subject, especially at the basic level.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
The Cuban
government will from this year work with Ghana to identify tourist attractions,
develop its eco-tourism and offer training for people in the sector.
Mr. Jose
Perez Novoa, the Cuban Ambassador in Ghana, made this known on Tuesday, when he
called on Madam Hawa Yakubu, Minister of Tourism, to strengthen ties between
the two countries.
He said
Cuba is at present putting in measures that will facilitate efficient and quick
acquisition of Cuban visas by Ghanaians who wish to study more about its
cultural heritage.
Mr Novoa
noted that an important aspect of the success of tourism in Cuba is the fact
that about 75 per cent of their tourism needs are locally produced and there is
a sense of national and domestic tourism.
The
Ambassador said the annual growth rate of the sector in Cuba currently is 14
per cent. Last year, he said, 1.9 million tourists visited the country and this
is expected to rise to about 2.5 million this year.
Madam Yakubu
said Ghana's eco-tourism which is mainly in the rural areas, has not been
properly marketed and more training needs to be done to ensure its success in
the near future.
She said
new areas of tourist attractions would be explored and appealed to the Ambassador
for Cuba's assistance in identifying potential tourist areas.
Madam
Yakubu said last year, a total of 388,000 tourists visited the country and
hoped this figure would increase to about one million in the near future.
She said
the training of in the sector is the central focus of her Ministry and hoped
sponsorship to train in Cuba would be worked out by the ambassador as promised.
Ghana's
annual tourism growth rate is currently eight per cent.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
President
John Agyekum Kufuor has appointed a new Board of Directors for the Tema
Development Corporation following the expiry of the old one.
A statement
signed by Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Works and Housing, said the
seven-member board has Nana Prah Agyensiam VI, a lawyer and Chief of Assin
Kushia, as chairman.
Other
members are Mrs Grace Gyan-Winful, a valuer, Mr K. Oppong-Bio, a businessman,
Mr Kwasi Osei-Ofori, a businessman, the Managing Director of TDC and a
representative each of the Tema and Kpone traditional councils.
Their
appointments take effect from June 1, 2001.
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