Journalists stage walkout at Ministry of Works and Housing
Greater Accra Council of Labour gives notice to strike
World Bank Representative inspects roads in Accra
AIDS Commission needs 300 million dollars for five-year programme
Ashanti DPP executive distances self from Ward-Brews action
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 November 2001 - About 15 journalists from various media houses invited to cover the handing over of office to the new Minister of Works and Housing, walked out of the conference room of the ministry after waiting for one-and-a-half hours for the function to start.
Some staff of the ministry pleaded with the journalists to have patience as the outgoing minister, Mr Kwamena Bartels, the incoming Minister, Mr Yaw Barimah and directors of departments under the ministry were holding a meeting in the minister's office, but the journalists did not budge.
The function was scheduled to begin at 10:00 hours but at 11:30 hours the ministers were still meeting with the directors.
What triggered the walkout was when the journalists and other invitees demanded an explanation for the delay and the minister's secretary said: "It is easy to come and tell you to wait for them. They are preparing to meet you soon, so let me just say that to everybody."
Journalists at the program included representatives of the GNA, Ghanaian Times, Daily Graphic, Radio Ghana, Peace FM, Spectator and Crusading Guide.
They pointed out that the late start of the function was a negative indicator in the era of positive change, saying that there was positive change in the media and journalists would not countenance such shortcomings anymore.
Meanwhile, in a brief chat with the journalists earlier, Mr Bartels stated that the new Ministry of Private Sector Development under him would seek to correct the notion that investment was the preserve of foreigners.
When the ministry is fully operational, it would encourage the practical involvement of local entrepreneurs and potential investors in the national development process, he said. "There are funds available to support such local initiatives."
Mr Bartels said when he assumed office he would organise a series of workshops to collect data on the specific functions of the ministry to ascertain the parameters within which it must operate.
He, however, noted that the ministry was an inter-sectoral one, saying, that for it to be effective, it must work in close collaboration with all the other ministries, government departments and industry.
Mr Bartels said he had prepared complete handing over notes including information on all asset, liabilities and activities of the Ministry of Works and Housing to assist his successor catch up with events in the ministry faster.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 November 2001 - The Greater Accra Council of Labour on Sunday said it has endorsed the decision of the Tema District Council of Labour to give notice of an intended industrial action to push home the demand for the restoration of the End-of-Service-Benefits (ESB) to workers.
A statement issued in Accra said a resolution adopted by the Council at the end of its two-day conference in Accra noted that the action would take place as and when they thought appropriate to strike.
The Council has, therefore, has directed all affiliate bodies and districts branches and locals in the regions to hoist red flags at their workplaces with effect from Monday November 12.
The resolution said members of the Council have deliberated exhaustively on the frozen ESB and its attendant hardship to the entire labour force.
It said members were aware that both productive labour and employers cherished their future security after active service. The resolution also noted that while the freeze deprived the majority of Ghanaians of the ESB, some politicians continued to enjoy it, thus raising issues of equity and moral justification.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 November 2001 - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Sunday joined the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Veterans Association of Ghana (VAG) in a 60-minute solemn 56th Remembrance Day Service at the Independence Square in Accra.
The service attended by all the Service Commanders with eight officers and 185 men drawn from the Army, Air Force, Navy and the Police on parade, was for the gallant heroes who lost their lives during the First World War in 1914-18 and the Second World War in 1939-45.
A minute's silence was observed after the sounding of the knell, the farewell call, the last post and the siren while all the flags at the square, which flew at half-mast, were raised.
Twelve wreaths were laid with President Kufuor laying the first on behalf of the government and people of Ghana, Mr Ibrahim Kamil Omar, Ambassador of the State of Palestine and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana laid the second on behalf of the Corps.
The High Commissioners of Britain, Canada, India, South Africa, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and the Charge D'Affairs of Malaysia in Ghana laid wreaths on behalf of their governments and people.
Lieutenant-General Albert Kwesi Ocran, Chairman of VAG and Nii Adote Obuor II, Sempe Mantse laid wreaths on behalf of VAG and chiefs in the country, respectively.
In Kumasi, four wreaths were laid at the Cenotaph in commemoration of soldiers who lost their lives in the two world wars and other similar encounters in the country.
The first was laid by Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive, who deputised for the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo on behalf of the government and people of Ghana.
Brigadier George Ayiku, General Officer Commanding the Northern Command of the Ghana Army laid the second on behalf of the Security Services. Baffour Appiah Dankwa 111, Anantahene of Kumasi laid the third wreath on behalf of all traditional rulers and ex-Warrant Office (W.O) Francis Appiah-Dankwah, Chairman of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Veterans Association of Ghana (VAG) laid the fourth one on behalf of war veterans.
The 30-minutes solemn service which was attended by contingents from the Army, Prisons Service, Police, Fire, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), the Immigration Service and a cross-section of the public was officiated by Lieutenant Shamsuddin Yusif Mensah, Garrison Imam and Major Ebenezer Nii Addy Laryea, Garrison Chaplain.
Also in Sunyani, contingents from the various security services and a large number of people attended Remembrance Day service.
The contingents of the Military, Police, Prisons, Customs Excise and Preventive Service and the Ghana National Fire Service formed a parade under the command of Captain Edward Awaribey of the Third Battalion of Infantry in Sunyani.
Mr Ernest Debrah, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, laid a wreath on behalf of the government whilst Lieutenant Colonel Kwame Opoku Adusei, Third Garrison Commander, laid one on behalf of the Ghana Armed Forces.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 November 2001-Ms. Maryvonne Plessis-Fraissard, World Bank (WB) Transport Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, on Sunday inspected some of the major roads under the government's four-year road sector development programme.
Dr. Richard Anane, Minister of Roads and Transport and officials of the sector took her through some major roads in Accra that the World Bank had sponsored as part of the programme.
Roads inspected included, the 28th February - High Street, Lutterodt Street, Okaishie - Kojo Thompson road, Sukura - Russia roads, Nkrumah Circle- Nsawam road and the Spintex road leading to Teshie link to the La Palm Beach Hotel. Ms. Plessis-Fraissard, stressed the need for the government to involve the private sector in road development.
She reminded the Ministry of its 60 per cent maintenance role in the whole road development process and said it should try to carry it out, since the country was fast growing with attendant congestion problems.
Ms. Plessis-Fraissard said her visit to Ghana was crucial because it was the time the WB was considering the country for a new credit facility.
Dr. Anane said his vision was to have a good transport system in the country, adding, "the time that people get to their work places is very important, if we want to see our total productivity always increasing."
Dr. Anane gave a negative impression about roads in the country, saying "most of the roads are unsafe and the earlier something is done, the better it would be for the nation".
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 12 November 2001 - The Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) needs about 300 million dollars to carry out its five-year programme on the pandemic, Mr Kwasi Akomeah Kyeremateng, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health has revealed.
Speaking at the close of a three-day training of trainers workshop on human rights and HIV/AIDS in Kumasi at the weekend, he said at the moment a loan of five million dollars as well as the Department for International Development (DFID) grant of 20 million pounds would be used as the seed capital for the programme.
The workshop was organised by the African Commission of Health and Human Rights Promoters (CASDH) and sponsored by the United Nations Population Programme and the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
Representatives of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Police, Fire Service, Prison Service, Medical Personnel, non-governmental organisation (NGOs), the Media and Civil Society attended.
Mr Kyeremateng noted that the world's response to the HIV/AIDS had come rather late considering the fact that there had been several epidemics whose response were a little different.
"If the aspect of the rights of people living with AIDS had been seriously tackled form the onset, especially in this part of the world, the stigmatisation which compelled victims to go underground to spread the virus wouldn't have assumed the proportion that we see today."
He said, however, that all was not lost and that there was hope, adding, and "training such as these give us hope" and, therefore, called for more support for the programme.
Ms Miriam Maluwa, UNAIDS Law and Human Rights Advisor, commended the government for putting strategies in place to fight the pandemic and also expressed the Programmes pleasure with the workshop.
She gave the assurance that UNAIDS was committed to collaborate with Ghana's Human Rights Organisations in the fight against HIV/AIDS as well as the rights of those with the disease.
Dr Edmund Delle, National President of CAPSDH, said it was formed in 1982 in 13 African countries but only that of Ghana remained with 15 branches nation wide.
He noted that through the work of the Commission, some of the victims of Human Rights abuses were now Heads of States and Ministers on the continent.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region0 12 November 2001 - The Ashanti Regional branch of the Democratic People's Party (DPP) has distanced itself from the statement by Mr. T.N. Ward-Brew that the party had pulled out of the Progressive Alliance.
A statement issued in Kumasi and signed by Mr. Offi Kyadie, regional secretary of the party said Mr. Ward-Brew was expelled from the party in 1997 and is therefore, not known as the DPP's national chairman, since he has not been re-admitted into the party.
It said, the press conference at which he announced the decision to abrogate the alliance with the NDC and castigated the leadership of the NDC was a usurpation of the powers of the party's congress.
The power to decide and make the pronouncement he has made rests only with the party's national congress, which has not yet been held.
The statement pointed out that legally, the decision to form an alliance or any other partnership for the purpose of "doing things in common" is the sole prerogative of the congress and no individual, anywhere could decide for the entire party to abrogate it, in such simplistic manner.
"It cannot be gainsaid that the DPP has drawn the attention of its senior partner, the NDC, to some misgivings. This, however, does not give credence to any undemocratic or illegal pronouncement, the manner in which Mr Ward-Brew chose to do it."
The statement explained that Mr. Ward-Brew was expelled from the DPP in January 1997, after he had flouted the Progressive Alliance's compromise to allow only the NDC candidates to contest the parliamentary seats, but he went ahead and stood as a candidate for the Ga North constituency in 1996.
It said since his expulsion, he has not been re-admitted into the DPP hierarchy or rank and file and is not known as the national chairman of the DPP and that the party stands solidly behind the cream of executive led by Mr. Dan Markin.
"We will therefore like to advise Mr. Ward-Brew that if he wants to rejoin the DPP after his exit, he should do so in a proper and constitutional manner. He should not come through the window instead of the door. For anyone who does so has a known and derogatory classification."
The Ashanti executive of the DPP therefore, called on all committed members of the party and the Progressive Alliance to regard Mr. Ward-Brew's announcement as a hoax and that no regional executive of the DPP knew about it and that it was only his brain-child and unconstitutional.
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