GRi Newsreel Ghana 03 - 11 - 2000
National
daily minimum wage goes up to 4,200 cedis
NDC warns of chaos if
political parties declare results
Amidu tours Cape Coast and
environ
National Revenue
Secretariat to be liquidated
Ghana Civil Aviation
Authority medical board reconstituted
Motorway
Safety Committee to be revived
God
saved us in accident - Nana Konadu
National
daily minimum wage goes up to 4,200 cedis
Accra (Greater Accra)
03 November 2000
The national daily
minimum wage has been increased by 44.8 per cent from 2,900 cedis to 4,200
cedis.
A statement signed by
representatives of the government, Ghana Employers' Association and Trades
Union Congress said the new wage was agreed at a national tripartite committee
meeting on Thursday.
"In deciding on
the minimum wage for the year 2000, the National Tripartite Committee committed
itself to the determination of a new national daily wage for the year 2001
early in the New Year," it said.
The statement said any
institution or enterprise whose daily minimum wage falls below the new minimum
wage should adjust accordingly.
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NDC warns of chaos if
political parties declare results
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 November 2000
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) warned on Thursday that there will be chaos if all political parties usurped the Electoral Commission's authority and declared their own results.
A statement issued in Accra said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had said openly that it would compile and declare its own results. It asked the EC "to issue a firm warning to the NPP and other parties that may be contemplating similar action."
The NDC accused the NPP of planning to take to the streets to prevent the EC from announcing the authentic results.
"We wish to serve notice that any illegal declaration of election results and subsequent mayhem organised by the NPP to disturb the peace and tranquillity of this nation will be resolutely resisted by the peace-loving people of Ghana," it said.
The NDC also accused the NPP of misinformation and "direct fabrications" saying it is part of the NPP's negative propaganda tactics.
It said the pronouncements of the NPP leaders and the heckling of NDC supporters in the Ashanti Region, which is the stronghold of the NPP, make the situation worrying.
All the above, coupled with reports that the NPP is currently busy recruiting ex-servicemen, is a pointer to the dangerous intentions of the party," it said.
The NDC appealed to religious leaders and NGOs to speak out on these developments which pose a threat to the peace and stability of the country.
"The NDC is committed to a peaceful electoral process and will work with all who are interested to assist the EC to ensure a free, fair and transparent electioneering process."
The party also asked the electoral commission to solve the problem of acquisition of photo ID cards in the rural areas. This is because many people have still not changed their thumb-printed cards to photo ID cards.
"We call upon the Electoral Commission to come out clearly and unambiguously as to its position on the fate of those who, through no fault of theirs and as a result of travel difficulties, could not go to the district capital for their photo IDs."
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Amidu tours Cape Coast and
environ
Cape Coast (Central Region) 03 November 2000
Mr Martin Amidu NDC vice-presidential candidate, on Wednesday assured Ghanaians that the party's flag bearer, Professor John Atta Mills is capable of leading the nation into socio-economic salvation.
He said Prof. Mills is proven, tested and a capable statesman who could continue to pursue policies that would create jobs for the youth, ensure free education for children, and make health accessible to all.
Mr. Amidu was speaking at a rally at the famous 'London Bridge', at Cape Coast.
He told the party's supporters not to be swayed by the machinations of the opposition and said their claim that the NDC government has failed the people is false.
Mr Amidu said it has proved by its human-centred development that it is concerned about the welfare of people and therefore appealed to the electorate to retain the party in power.
Mr Amidu formally introduced the party's parliamentary candidate, Mr Ebo Barton Odro to the people and appealed to them to vote for the party to enable it to continue with its development plan.
Mr Odro said he would work hard to ensure that the wishes and aspirations of the people are fulfilled if voted to parliament. Other speakers at the rally included the constituency chairman, Mr Graham Wilberforce.
Mr Amidu paid a courtesy call on Oguaahene, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II. Nana Atta appealed to all political parties to assist in ensuring that the forthcoming elections are peaceful, saying it is the foundation of a national development.
Mr Amidu's campaign tour would take him to the Upper and Lower Denkyira, Assin, Agona and Awutu-Efutu -Senya districts.
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National Revenue
Secretariat to be liquidated
Akosombo (Eastern Region) 03 November 2000
The National Revenue Secretariat (NRS) is to be liquidated by the end of March next year, following the establishment of a new National Revenue Management Board (NRMB) to perform the functions of the NRS.
Dr Appiah Koranteng, National Co-ordinator of the National Institutional Renewal Programme (NIRP), told the GNA at Akosombo on Thursday that the close down of the NRS is to avoid waste of national resources and duplication of functions.
He said the NRS was established by law to manage revenue generated by all state institutions which contribute to the consolidated fund, including the Internal Revenue Service, Customs Excise and Preventive Service, Department of National Lotteries, Registrar-General's Department and Land Title Registry.
"With the passage of the law to create the new National Revenue Management Board (NRMB), the NRS will be closed down to avoid duplication of functions and waste of resources."
Dr Koranteng said, although the by-law establishing the new board was passed last year, the board has not yet been constituted. As a result NRS, which used to be manned by personnel from the various revenue collection agencies, is still in place with only two workers.
"Since the passage of the law last year, the staff of the NRS have withdrawn to their mother organisations, leaving only two people in unspecified capacities to run the NRS," he said.
He said as a result of government's failure to constitute the board in time the secretariat was subvented last year, which should not have happened.
Dr Koranteng called on the government to expedite action to constitute the board "because we are closing down NRS by the end of the first quarter of next year and that would leave a vacuum in revenue management.
"It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance with the authority of cabinet to constitute the board," he said.
He said when the NRS is closed down, its assets, which include computers, vehicles and the office building, will be transferred to the new board and the staff would be assessed and properly placed where they can be of benefit to the system.
Meanwhile, participants at the four-day government reinvention workshop at Akosombo, have developed an action plan for the liquidation of the NRS. The process is to start before the end of this year.
In a related development the management structures of the National Commission on Women and Development (NCWD) and the Ghana National Commission on Children (GNCC) are to be reviewed.
Under the proposed review, the position of Chairperson for the respective commissions, is to be replaced by Executive Director with deputies and supporting staff at the national, regional and district levels.
Dr George Attakorah of the Office of the President, in a report, said the new step is to make the two commissions more proactive in their advocacy and public relations activities. It is also to integrate functions of local government agencies that border on gender and children issues, into the activities of the two commissions.
Participants at the workshop also unanimously approved a partial commercialisation of the Land Title Registry to allow portions of its functions to be handled by private investors.
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Ghana Civil Aviation
Authority medical board reconstituted
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 November 2000
A nine-member reconstituted Medical Board of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) was on Wednesday inaugurated at a short ceremony in Accra.
The Board will, among other things, advise the GCAA on all crew medical problems such as grounding and other restrictions arising out of routine medical examinations.
They are also to co-ordinate various research projects and advise the authorities on the need to conduct research into certain diseases and conditions relevant to aviation.
The Board will also be responsible for all national and international matters relating to aviation medicine.
Inaugurating it, Mr Ebo Quagraine, Board Member, recounted the history of its inception and noted that Ghana has provided experts to advise the African Civil Aviation Commission on medical matters affecting civil aviation.
He assured the medical board of GCAA's support and co-operation to enable them to achieve greater heights in all their endeavours.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 03 November 2000
The National Media Commission (NMC) announced the election of Mr. Nutifafa Kuenyehia as its new chairman, in a statement issued in Accra on Thursday.
Mr Kuenyehia, the Ghana Bar Association representative on the NMC, won 13 of the 17 votes. Mr. Dan Ansah, representing the Private Newspaper and Publishers Association, won four votes. One member of the commission was absent.
The new chairman attended Mawuli School in Ho and the University of Ghana. For the last 30 years he has been in private legal practice.
Mr Kuenyehia belongs to international professional organisations such as the London Court of International Arbitration, Chartered Institute of Arbitration, London, Swiss Arbitration Association and International Bar Association.
He served as the national president of the Ghana Bar Association.
Currently, Mr Kuenyehia is the chairman of the African Forum of the International Bar Association.
He said he considers his election as manifestation of the trust and confidence reposed in him by the members.
He stressed the need for the commitment and participation of members to enable the commission to make an impact on national affairs.
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Motorway
Safety Committee to be revived
Tema (Greater Accra) 03
November 2000
The Accra-Tema Motorway
Safety Committee, which has been defunct for a year, is to be revived following
the accident involving the first family last Sunday.
It comprises the
Police, Ghana Highway Authority (GHA), Ghana Private Road Transport Union,
Progressive Transport Owners Association, the Road Fund Secretariat, Ghana
Haulage Association and the Information Services Department.
Mr Selwyn Bart-Mettle,
Tema Regional Police Commander, told the GNA that the committee, which was
formed in January last year, has not met the whole of this year and could not
implement some of its decisions due to logistics problems.
He said the committee,
at its last meeting in 1999, decided that motorcycles and communication
equipment should be provided by the GHA for a special task force set up to
patrol the high-speed Motorway to check traffic offences but this has not been
done.
The committee has
scheduled an emergency meeting to be held in Tema on Wednesday to discuss the
accident and other possibilities of acquiring logistics for effective patrol to
enhance safety on the Motorway.
Four presidential
guards were killed in a fatal accident when all the three vehicles in the
President's convoy crashed after they were crossed by an Urvan minibus that
sped off in the midst of confusion following the crash.
President Jerry John
Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu, escaped Unhurt.
The police have mounted
a search for the driver of the minibus who bolted with the vehicle.
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God
saved us in accident - Nana Konadu
Accra (Greater Accra)
03 November 2000
The First Lady, Nana
Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, has made her first public statement about last Sundays
accident involving her and President Jerry John Rawlings saying "it was
like seeing death".
"I thought it was
the end," she told the GNA in response to a question on how she felt
during the accident when a 14-member royal delegation from Tema, Kpone and
Katamanso Traditional Councils visited her on Thursday to congratulate them on
their miraculous escape from death.
Four Presidential
guards were, however, killed in the accident.
Nana Konadu told the
delegation, led by Nii Adjei Kraku II, Tema Mantse, at her residence in Accra:
"God saved us. I can't explain why
we are alive and four are dead. We need
to pray for those who have lost their lives".
Asked by the chiefs
about her health, Nana Konadu said: "By the grace of God, I'm fine, except
a few body pains. I should even be
wearing a collar".
The First Lady whose
left wrist was plastered also corrected press reports about the accident,
saying: "We were not coming from Akosombo; we were rather on our way to
Akosombo".
She said it was the
accident, which turned some of the cars into the opposite direction after the
white Urvan bus crossed them. The Benz car in which the presidential guards
were sitting skidded off the road into the Tema-Accra lane of the Motorway.
Nana Konadu also denied
reports that the first family had their children in their car, a red Jaguar
XJS.
"Our children were
not with us but myself and my husband.
Five presidential guards and the two of us were in the convoy before we
were crossed".
The First Lady said it
might take some time before she would overcome the psychological trauma of the
accident, adding: "when the President was leaving for Brong Ahafo this
morning, I asked him if he was going to leave me at home alone".
Nana Konadu said a
wake-keeping was supposed to have been held on Thursday for the four soldiers
who died and to be buried on Friday. But this has been postponed to Monday,
November 6 and Tuesday November 7.
The wake-keeping would
be held at the Recce Square, Gondar Barracks.
The Chiefs, who had
earlier visited the scene of the accident, cracked jokes with the First Lady
and urged her to give everything to God.
They said the news
about the accident was a heavy blow to all of them, especially because it
happened in Tema territory.
The delegation,
including, Nii Otu Akwettey IX, Katamanso Mantse, Nii Dun IV, Asafoatse of
Kpone and Mr Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, Vice- Chairman of the
Kpone-Katamanso Constituency of the NDC, also visited the three surviving
victims of the accident at the Anoff Ward of the 37 Military Hospital.
They are Warrant
Officer Class One Joseph Darko, the only surviving member of the five
presidential guards on the trip, Mr Moses Dzanado and Mr Mensah Klogo, both
civilians, who were in the red Toyota "Tacoma" Pick-up vehicle.
The presidential guards
who were killed in the accident were Corporal Kwame Boateng, Corporal Kwabena
Aboagye, Lance Corporal Martin Kumashie and Lance Corporal Kweku Ewun-Tomah.
A cash of 300,000 cedis
presented to them was received on their behalf by Brigadier Daniel Twum,
Commanding Officer in charge of the Hospital.
Brigadier Twum said the
three were operated upon last Monday and have since been recovering.
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