GRi Newsreel 16 - 11 - 99

Government commended on good showing

Accra (Greater Accra), 16^th November 99

The African Peace Network (APNET), an NGO on Monday, congratulated President Jerry John Rawlings and the government for their "able and matured handling" of the crisis over the military and police take over of some health institutions in Accra.

In a statement in Accra, APNET also commended the way the recent visit of the British Monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip to the country was organised.

It said the success of the two events have proved that "there is true democracy in the country" and has enhanced Ghana's image abroad.

The statement, signed by Mr. Alex Adu-Appiah, Executive Director said Ghanaians, showing their resolve "to travel on the path of democracy," have hailed the amicable solution of the impasse over the health institutions.

It said both local and foreign media coverage of the Queen's second visit to Ghana last week, were full of praise for the memorable warm reception accorded the British Royal couple.

APNET congratulated Ghanaians for coming out as one people with a common destiny, which has ensured the peace and stability the country enjoys.

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Opposition challenged to come out with suggestions

Jirapa (Upper West), 16^th November 99

Mr. Francis Korbieh, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has appealed to opposition parties to come out with alternative suggestions on how best the country's economy should be managed and not to resort to demonstrations as a solution.

"In whatever form they may be, demonstrations will not only disturb the peace but will also scare away foreign investors and this will do nobody any good".

Mr. Korbieh made the appeal at an executive meeting of the Jirapa constituency branch of the NDC at Jirapa last Saturday to discuss matters concerning the party and to map out strategies for the 2000 elections.

The minister appealed to them to rescind their decision to embark on a nation-wide demonstration pointing out that demonstrations are not the most appropriate means of addressing the problem.

He explained the economic crisis confronting the country to the meeting and asked them not to be deceived by politicians because it is not the NDC government that has brought poverty to them.

"It is never the intention of the government to introduce any harsh economic policies but the problem has come about as a result of low prices of gold and cocoa on the world market."

He said in spite of these constraints due attention would be given to their developmental needs and asked them to rally behind the party.

The deputy minister dispelled rumours that he and Mr. Edward Salia, Roads and Transport minister, have joined the National Reform Party saying they should be wary of politicians who are going round peddling lies about people in government in order to divide the NDC.

Mr. David Osei-Wusu, Upper West regional minister said NDC will never shirk its responsibilities of providing the people with their needs because its strength revolves round the people.

He therefore urged them to remain steadfast to the NDC, saying "no party can defeat us, we can defeat ourselves and do not let this to happen".

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Church of Christ organises Day of Comfort in Bolgatanga

Bolgatanga (Upper East), 16^th November 99

About 20 cases involving lack of maintenance for children are reported to the Department of Social Welfare in the Upper East Region every month, Mr. John Azundemo, Director said on Sunday.

Speaking on at a forum to mark this year's 'Day of Comfort in Bolgatanga, Mr. Azundemo said it is mark of high irresponsibility for people to deliver children and refuse to care for them.

"Ironically, it those who neglect their children who in their old age make demands of their children to take of them," he said and commended the Wa and Bolgatanga branches of the Church of Christ for organising the Day to show affection for inmates of the Village Hope, an institution of needy children.

Mr. Azundemo warned that any person found guilty by the Family Tribunal over child maintenance would be made to face the full rigours of the law.

He said the government has done a lot including the enactment of laws and the provision of structures to protect the most vulnerable and the disabled in society and called on communities to play a complementary role.

Mr. Amos Asuma-Karikari, Administrative Manager for the Village, said the Church has two other villages at Ayawaso on the Accra-Nsawam road and Gomoa-Fetteh in the Central region.

He said the villages are taking care of about 62 children while it has initiated 11 programmes including medical assistance, ensuring the rights of children, public education and parental assistance for needy persons.

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Don't meddle in chieftaincy matters, Unit Committees told

Mamponteng (Ashanti), 16^th November 99

Unit Committees have been advised to give recognition to chiefs and desist from meddling in chieftaincy and land disputes.

Mr. Ernest Opoku Fofie, Kwabre District Chief Executive, said chiefs are the custodians of "our cultural values and land, and no group should attempt to either usurp or interfere in their roles".

Mr. Fofie who was addressing unit committee members, chiefs and the Assemblymen at a forum in Mamponten said the present Local Government structure calls for a harmonious relationship between unit committees, assembly members and chiefs.

The DCE commended the chief of Sakora-Wonoo, Nana Sarkodie Ababio for taking the initiative to form a Plot Allocation Committee for the community and urged other chiefs in the district to emulate his example.

Mr Fofie called on chiefs to respond positively to the Kwabre District Assembly's request to all communities to prepare community layout plans for documentation.

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Gov't committed to privatisation of energy sector - Minister

Tema (Greater Accra), 16^th November 99

Mr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister responsible for Mines and Energy, has said the government is determined to liberalise the energy sector to open it up for private investment.

Facilities put in place to enhance private participation include the establishment of transparent regimes for tariff setting, licensing of operators and securing additional power generation capacity.

Others are allowing free access operation of the national grid system and implementation of a financial recovery plan to enhance credit rating of the utilities.

Mr. Spio-Garbrah was speaking at the signing of a joint development agreement between the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Union Fenosa of Spain for the provision of an 80 megawatt thermal plant at Tema.

It is in line with this objective that the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) was established as an autonomous body to set tariffs without governmental interference.

The PURC, he said, is developing guidelines to ensure that tariffs are set in a manner consistent with cost recovery and other criteria spelt out in the PURC Act.

Mr. Spio-Garbrah, who is also the Minister of Education, said plans are far advanced for the privatisation of ECG and the Volta River Authority (VRA) under the Power Sector Development Policy, which can be accessed, on the Internet.

The Minister said the ministry is co-ordinating the preparation of a Transitional System Expansion Plan for 1999-2001, pending the preparation of a long-term energy generation plan.

Capacity requirements under the transitional plan are to be procured mainly through competitive bidding.

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11 break police cells

Tema (Greater Accra), 16^th November 99

The Tema police are hunting for 11 criminals who escaped at dawn on Sunday from the Tema Fishing Harbour Police cells.

The suspects reached the ceiling by climbing a dustbin in the cells.

They then broke through the ceiling and crawled for 20 about metres before creating an opening through the asbestos roofs and jumped down with the help of a nylon rope.

Mr. Joe Danquah, Tema Regional Police Commander, confirmed the jailbreak and expressed surprise that the policeman on duty did not hear any noise until the escape was detected on Sunday morning.

The police declined to give the names of the suspects, saying it could hinder their arrest.

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Workshop on energy efficiency opens

Kumasi (Ashanti), 16^th November 99

The Ministry of Mines and Energy plans to set up four motor centres to supply energy-efficient motors and counselling services to Ghanaian industries.

The project will reduce the electrical energy used by industries because electric motors consume about 65 to 75 per cent of power supplied to industries.

Sites for the centres are yet to be determined, Chief M. B. Adam, Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), said on Monday in an address read for him at the opening of a five-day workshop on energy-efficiency in Kumasi.

The workshop is organised by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Chief Adam said the workshop, the last and the third in a series of workshops being organised for the energy sector, are to complement the efforts of the government to encourage efficient energy use.

He said some of the energy management pilot schemes initiated by the Ministry and available to consumers are the Power Improvement and Load Management Schemes for industries.

The Managing Director said the current demand for electricity stands at 1,000 megawatts adding that demand has been growing at the rate of 10 per cent per annum, while the "Vision 2020 programme is expected to push it higher in the immediate future".

He said the current total installed capacity is 1,272 megawatts and an additional 330 MW will be generated at the Takoradi Thermal Plant by next year.

"The Retrofit Project at Akosombo Hydro generating plant will augment output by another 48 MW when completed".

Professor John S. K. Ayim, the Vice-Chancellor, said the power crisis of last year and the new tariffs being levied has brought the KNUST "to its knees" and made the authorities to realise how inefficient the university is in the use of electricity.

He asked the personnel at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering to apply their knowledge to build efficiency into electricity usage in the university.

The Vice-Chancellor commended the Department for organizing the workshops, which he said "have been most impressive and beneficial, in terms of the relevance of materials covered in the day-to-day responsibilities of participants and the national interest".

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Initiate effective measures to eradicate corruption - Lecturer

Mpraeso (Eastern Region) 16^th November 99

A Lecturer of the Faculty of Agriculture University of Ghana, Legon, has called for effective measures to eradicate corruption and the misuse of power from the society.

The culture of political tolerance must be integrated appropriately with customary and cultural values to enhance the country's peace and stability, he said at the 36th speech and prize giving day of Mpraeso Secondary School at Mpraeso in the Kwahu South District.

Prof. Ahenkorah called for the proper management of the nation's economy to ensure the maximum welfare, freedom and development of the people adding that corruption and indiscipline are slowing down productivity which is having adverse effects on the economy.

He advised students to know the objectives of education and to resist negative tendencies such as drug abuse, truancy, early sex and other anti-social vices, which normally affect their studies.

Professor Ahenkorah called on school authorities to ensure effective career counselling for students to enable them to pursue subjects they have the best aptitude for to enable them pursue their education to the highest levels.

Mr. Augustus Nettey, Headmaster, commended the Parent-Teacher and Old Students Associations for supporting the construction of a block for the Visual Arts Department of the school.

The Chief of Mpraeso, Nana Ampadu Daaduam II, who was the Guest of Honour, called on all to help raise the standard of education in the country to enable the youth to acquire the requisite knowledge for the country's future manpower needs.

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