Tidal waves threaten Dangme East District

Bui dam project gets underway

Review government land policies - Board

Presbyterian women call for action on rape cases

Nsuhia bags 4.6 million cedis in aid of electrification project

Social Welfare launches programme to halt homelessness of youth

Ada-Foah (Greater Accra) 18 Oct. '99

Disaster is looming in the Dangme East District following threats of strong tidal waves, which have already destroyed some sea defence walls and washed away a village.

The Volta River Authority (VRA) in a letter to the District Assembly warned of strong waves of between 1.64 and 1.93 metres between October 25 and 26 with the highest expected between November 23 and 25.

This warning has already left the people in a state of fear.

Last year, tidal waves washed away Kewunor, an island village at the Estuary of the Volta River.

At the moment two kilometres of land between Kewunor and Azizanya is already under water due to tidal waves.

An Estuary Beach Camp belonging to the District Assembly and being used as a tourists centre has also been destroyed, according to VRA sources.

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has also warned communities living along downstream and tributaries of the Volta River that they could experience floods either sooner or later.

A letter signed by Mr Katey Dorgbey, Greater Accra Regional Director of NADMO, said the floodwaters of the Black and White Volta and the Oti Rivers are now moving southwards.

Mr Justice Kwame Caesar, District Chief Executive, told the GNA that the district is under serious threat and stressed the need to give the Ada Sea defence works the same priority as that of Keta.

He said the entire area from Azizanya to the Manet Paradise Beach Hotel and chalets stretching to the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) yard at Ada-Foah are all threatened by the waves.

Mr Caesar said on September 13, strong tidal waves hit Azizanya and the people were to be resettled on one of the islands close to Aflive.

However, the recent high tides have indicated that the settlers would not be safe.

Mr Caesar said the District Assembly and NADMO have agreed to move the people of Azizanya. This will involve about 500 households.

Mr Caesar said if Ada is affected, the next target would be Anyanui in the Volta Region and, therefore, called on the Hydro division of the Ministry of Works and Housing, which is currently investigating how to solve the problem, to speed up its work.

Meanwhile, the District office of NADMO is putting in place disaster management plans to ensure that adequate preparations are put in place to mitigate the effects of the flooding.

A Disaster Volunteers and Rescuers Club has been inaugurated as part of the National Disaster Week celebrations.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 18^th October 99

The Volta River Authority (VRA) and a consortium of contractors on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of the Bui Hydro Electric Project.

Mr. Gilbert O. Dokyi, Chief Executive, signed for VRA while Mr. David Meehan, Project Director, signed for Brown and Root of the UK, leaders of the consortium.

Other members of the consortium are Alstom Hydro Limited of the UK, Grupo Dragados SA of Spain and Hyundai of South Korea.

Under the MOU for the proposed 400-megawatt dam, 450 million dollars will be spent for various studies, according to projections made in 1995.

It will cover a 20-month period during which a detailed review of Environmental Impact Assessment and proposed mitigating measures against the effects of damming the Black Volta at Bui will be undertaken.

There will also be technical drawings and designs of the dam and power plant, topographic and geo-technical studies, legal issues, development of a business plan and financing agreements.

Within the same period, private sector as well as bilateral and multilateral financing, will be sought for the implementation of the project, which will start in May, 2001.

Mr. Dokyi said the project would be developed and financed on a "Build-Own-Operate or Build-Own-Operate-and-Transfer" basis while a company to be made up of VRA, members of the consortium and others will be set up to develop and implement it.

He said during the period "extensive public consultation would be held with the stakeholders, including district assemblies, NGOs, affected population and the Department of Game and Wildlife to find acceptable solutions to problems that may arise from the implementation of the project.

While creating jobs in the northern parts of the country, the project will also provide resources to improve the protection and development of the Bui National Park.

He said "it will also have multipurpose use such as eco-tourism, fisheries and irrigation schemes for agriculture in the southern reaches of the Black Volta.

Mr. Victor Selormey, Deputy Minister of Finance, said the Bui project is part of Government's intention to increase power supply through a variety of resources, including thermal generation.

Mr. Meehan said the success of the project would depend on the trust between the executing parties, namely VRA and the consortium, and support from financing institutions.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 18^th October 99

The Ministry of Lands and Forestry has been tasked to review all government acquired lands in respect of land utilisation, compensation payment and enabling laws.

This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a two-day seminar organised by the Land Valuation Board (LVB) in Accra.

It recommended that the proposition be given serious consideration to enable the government to decide which land to keep, which land to return to their rightful owners and how best to reduce the burden of compensation claims.

The communiqué also called for the amendment of obsolete laws relating to land delivery in order to reflect the provisions in the present constitution, the land policy document and current economic trends.

It said most of the services rendered to districts, metropolitan assemblies and other state-owned organisations by the Board are free of charge and "this is clearly unsustainable".

The communiqué noted that in spite of the many difficulties encountered by the board, it collected 840 million cedis as revenue in 1997; 5.46 billion cedis in 1998; and more than two billion cedis as at June 1999 for the Internal Revenue Service alone.

This figure excludes revenue accruing to districts, municipal and metropolitan assemblies from revaluation exercises carried out by the board since 1986.

It said the potential for the LVB to be on its own is great and, therefore, recommended a retention of a reasonable commission on revenue accruing to IRS in respect of stamp duty assessment.

The communiqué called for the establishment of positive linkages among the Department of Land Economy of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana Institute of Surveyors (GIS), Lands Commission, District and Metropolitan Assemblies and all land delivery agencies.

Delivering a paper on "Land Valuation Board, the Way Forward", Professor Kasim Kasanga, Chairman of LVB, recommended a comprehensive Act along the lines of the IRS's that would state the legal framework to regulate all functions and activities of the board, while the board of directors oversee board policy.

He advocated the establishment of a quasi-privatised independent Property Service Agency, along the lines of the Rating Valuation Agency of the UK, to bring about professionalism and ensure a new focus on land management.

Prof. Kasanga said the main objective would be to become self-financing through incomes generated from professional fees and reimbursable expenses for services rendered.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 18^th October 99

Presbyterian women have advocated quick investigations to be conducted into the numerous murders of women in the country.

"While we commend the Ghana Police for arresting some of the alleged culprits of the serial murders, we also suggest that the Police should be sensitised and encouraged to track down the miscreants and the culprits effectively dealt with."

This was contained in a seven-point communiqué issued at the end of the 37^th annual delegates' conference of the Presbyterian women held at Agona Nsaba in the Central region and issued in Accra on Friday.

The conference was on the theme "What Must We Do To What God requires."

The communiqué mentioned the alarming rate at which girls and women are being raped, and said: "irresponsible and wicked men, who in some cases are in responsible positions, indulge in rape and apart from physical injuries sustained in genitals, the girls become psychologically impaired.

"We are appalled at the snail pace of court proceedings of some of these heinous crimes...and call for stiffer punishment for rapists and murderers in view of the harm that is caused to the victims.

"The increasing rate of crime wave depicts that the punishments meted out to these culprits are not grave enough to deter others and we suggest that these cases should be treated as first class felony."

The communiqué recognised the efforts of the Minister of the Interior but said "there is still an increase in armed robbery, murder, rape, defilement and homosexuality.

"As mothers, we are deeply concerned about the progress and welfare of the nation and worried about the ebbing of discipline and morals in the country," the communiqué added.

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Nsuhia (Brong Ahafo) 18th Oct. '99

The people of Nsuhia in the Dormaa District have raised 4.6 million cedis at a harvest in aid of their electrification project estimated at more than 20 million cedis.

It is financed through development levies of 10,000 cedis a man and 5,000 cedis a woman.

Mr Kwadwo Boateng, Dormaa District Chief Executive, commended the initiative and self-help spirit of the people which he said is vital in the development of every community.

He pledged the support of the assembly to communities that initiate their own development projects.

Mr Boateng cautioned the people against chieftaincy disputes, saying the problem has adversely affected the development of the area.

The DCE called on them to pay their basic rate and other taxes to the assembly to enable it to get the needed revenue to support the development of the district.

Mr Boateng urged the communities to ensure proper hygiene and higher environmental standards at all times to prevent epidemics.

Mr Hayford Yeboah, Unit Committee Secretary, said the community has acquired 30 out of the 150 low-tension poles required for the project.

He commended the Member of Parliament for the area, Mr Thomas Kwame Yeboah, for supporting them with 60 bags of cement.

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Anto ( Western Region) 18th Oct. '99

The Social Welfare Department has launched a programme to educate parents to provide the needs of their children and stop the growing homelessness among young people, especially in the urban areas.

Mrs Esther Lily Nkansah, Western Regional Minister, said this in an address read for her at the 54th World Food Day celebrations held at Anto, near Sekondi.

It was on the theme "Mobilising the youth to fight hunger".

She said the contribution of all stakeholders would be needed to reverse the trend of homelessness among the youth.

The regional minister urged non-governmental organisations to be selective in their programmes to help the ever-growing number of street-children to acquire trade.

Mrs Nkansah expressed concern about the high dropout rate among schoolgirls in the region, saying available statistics indicate that 13.7 per cent of girls dropped out of school in 1998 due to teenage pregnancy.

In 1997, there was a dropout rate of 19.6 per cent and 15 per cent from January to June, this year.

Mrs Nkansah said this trend should not be allowed to continue and, therefore, urged parents to educate their children on the dangers of teenage pregnancy and its effect on the economy.

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