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GRi Newsreel 19 - 11 - 99

Consider priorities of the people-Minister

Wa (Upper West Region), 19^th November ’99.

Mr. David Osei-Wusu, Upper West Regional Minister, on Thursday appealed to donor agencies to consider the priorities of the people in their choice of projects for funding.

He said, sometimes projects which donors might wish to finance may not be dear to the hearts of the people and the government.

Mr. Osei-Wusu cited the construction of the Wa-Bamboi road as a priority of the people of the Upper West region but which was not attracting donor funding "because donor countries have branded it not economically viable."

Mr. Osei-Wusu said this when a team of 16 journalists from Denmark paid a courtesy call on him at his office on Thursday. The journalists are in the region to evaluate Danish Development Assistance (DANIDA) health sector support programme and it's impact on the lives of the people.

Mr. Osei-Wusu urged journalists from the developed countries to understand the peculiarities and difficulties of Africa in its development efforts instead of "seeing it as a disaster factory".

Mr. Jesper Jespersen, the leader of the journalists, said their three-week tour of Ghana is sponsored by DANIDA to enable them to gain an insight into their development programmes in the country.

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Put the development of the child above personal agenda - DCE

Mamponteng (Ashanti Region), 19^th November ‘99.

Mr. Ernest Opoku-Fofie, Kwabre District Chief Executive (DCE) has advised Ghanaians to put the development of the child above their personal agenda. He said it is sad that many parents are shirking their responsibility and are not playing the desired complementary roles to ensure that their children do not only survive but more importantly, grow to fulfil their full potentials.

Mr. Opoku-Fofie was speaking at the opening session of a day's workshop on Children's Act 560 organised by the Defence for Children International, Ghana Section, in collaboration with the Ghana NGO Coalition on the rights of the Child at Mamponteng in the Kwabre District.

The workshop which was attended by assembly members, departmental heads, the police, representatives from the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), department of Social welfare and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) was under the theme "Raising awareness on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child at grassroots levels".

Mr. Opoku-Fofie said most parents, even find it more dignifying to spend huge sums of money on social activities than providing the little few things for the child's education.

In a related development, Mr. George Appiagyei, Executive Secretary of the Defence for Children International, Ghana Section, stressed the need for all Ghanaians to be fully aware of the laws on children's rights in order to serve as community watch for child rights violations and abuses.

He called on all Child rights activists to join the crusade against child abuse in the various communities adding that the nation cannot look on unconcerned while rape, abandonment of children, torture and other inhuman treatments are meted out to innocent children.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Osei Kwaku Ampofo-Duku, Kwabre District Police Commander emphasised that the Police are doing everything possible to protect the rights of children and called on parents to co-operate with them.

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Offinso Assembly reviews bye-laws

Offinso (Ashanti Region), 19^th November ‘99.

Mr. K. M. Offei, Offinso District Co-ordinating Director, has said that the District Assembly has revised its existing by-laws to meet the realities of the next millennium.

He was speaking at a day's workshop on sanitation organised by the Offinso secretariat of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) at Offinso.

Mr. Offei warned unit committee members not to make and implement their own by-laws without approval from the District Assembly. The workshop which was on the theme "Environmental Cleanliness, the way to good health", was attended by assembly members, unit committee members, teachers and opinion leaders from Offinso.

Mr. Offei stressed the huge responsibility reposed in the unit committees in ensuring that the people comply with the District Assembly's by-laws for effective development.

Dr Joseph Oduroh, Offinso District Director of Health Services, speaking on "Environmental health technology" said 14,930 malaria and 2,774 diarrhoea cases were recorded in the district between January to October this year. He said these diseases account for 60 per cent of the total communicable diseases in the district.

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Regional Minister cautions against violence

Bolgatanga (Upper East), 19^th November 99

Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper East Regional Minister, has asked District Chief Executives (DCE's) to ensure that local festivals usually celebrated at the end of the harvest season do not undermine peace.

He said "though festivals are occasions for thanksgiving and merrymaking, there is enough evidence that such traditional festivals are also fertile grounds for fomenting trouble.

Alhaji Sulemana was addressing a meeting of the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) in Bolgatanga on Thursday.

"By this, I am not in any way saying that the festivals should not be celebrated", he pointed out, adding that "as the government representatives in the districts, it behoves the DCE's to see to it that festival celebrations do not turn into violence and destabilise public order.

The Regional Minister said celebrations of funerals and festivals during the dry season has also come to be associated with the outbreak and spread of epidemic diseases such as Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis (CSM).

He urged DCE's, therefore to get district health management teams to embark on educational campaigns during such festive occasions.

Alhaji Sulemana decried the rising spate of cases of embezzlement of government funds orchestrated by some public office holders in the region adding "I am obliged by the unfolding realities to admonish all spending officers to be up and doing so that these financial malpractices can be nibbed in the bud."

The Regional Minister said it has come to the notice of the RCC that some heads of departments have gone to the extent of registering businesses to become sole stationery suppliers to their own department.

He warned departmental heads "who are culprits of this emerging practice to desist from it before they are found out".

He urged people in the communities to form neighbourhood watch committees to assist the law enforcement agencies to fight crime.

Alhaji Sulemana added that the RCC would organise a regional forum to evolve strategies that would enhance the operations of such committees in the region.

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Rawlings receives Houston business delegation

Accra (Greater Accra), 19^th November 99

President Jerry John Rawlings on Friday met with a Houston business delegation that is on Friday concluding a five-day visit to explore business opportunities.

The 20-member delegation led by the Mayor of Houston, Mr Lee Brown, is in Ghana as part of an African tour that has also taken it to Cote d'Ivoire.

The group will visit Nigeria and South Africa.

President Rawlings told the group that the government would continue to ensure an atmosphere of peace and stability to attract foreign investment.

He appealed to members of the group to ignore "ugly noises you hear or read on the Internet" from certain quarters that tend to create the impression that Ghana is not stable.

President Rawlings said he is, however, unhappy about foreign businessmen who indulge in illegalities, thus soiling the reputation of foreign entrepreneurs.

"Do not hesitate to report to us the activities of the bad ones."

President Rawlings expressed satisfaction at the US's decision to clear the debt it owes the United Nations, saying: "we are glad the US has finally decided to pay up".

The US suspended payment of its dues to the world body a few years ago, saying it wanted the UN to embark on reforms to make it more efficient.

It refused to back former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali for a second term and backed incumbent Mr Kofi Annan for the job.

But since the election of Mr Kofi Annan, the US has failed to pay its arrears, claiming the reforms are not moving fast enough.

Mr. Brown said some members of his group have identified some sectors they would want to invest in, citing the hotel sector as an example.

"We also want direct flight between Africa and Houston."

Mr Victor Gbeho, Foreign Affairs Minister, and Mr Moses Asaga, Deputy Finance Minister, were among those present.

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NDC lauds Rawlings' call for sobriety

Accra (Greater Accra), 19^th November 99

The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday lauded President Jerry John Rawlings on his recent statement calling for sobriety, objectivity and commitment in discussions concerning issues that impact on the country's policy and the social welfare of the people.

"While multi-party politics necessarily involves conflicting views and opinions, it is important that even in seeking to win popularity, the fundamentals of the issues which affect the economic and social well-being of our people are still dispassionately and objectively debated and handled."

This was contained in a statement issued by Mr. Vincent Asiseh, National Press Officer of the NDC in Accra.

"As people who continuously promise the electorate that they will do their best for them, the minority should begin to live up to those promises by putting the interests of the people above their own personal desires to win political power."

The statement said rather than embarking on demonstrations, the NDC suggests that the minority groups take their chances at the polls next year as prescribed by the constitution.

"If the minority truly wishes to improve the lot of the populace, it should suggest alternatives rather than simply rapidly throwing accusations at Ghana's current economic managers."

"The interest of the people whose votes we seek and whose promises we must keep, are far more important than the narrow interest of any politician or group of politicians, and only objectivity in addressing issues can ensure this."

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