GRi Press Review Ghana 03 - 10 - 2000
NDC Woman defies party
Adopt quota system - to admit students from
rural, deprived schools
'Medical allowance inadequate'
Atta Mills' Veep stoned at Yendi
Shit bomb
It's referendum on Rawlings
NDC MP in big trouble
The Evening News
NDC Woman defies party
The Evening News carries a banner story that
says Mrs. Esther Agbodo-Nyamalor, a member of the NDC who is contesting the
Anlo parliamentary seat as an independent candidate, has said that not even the
threats from the party headquarters will compel her to withdraw her nomination.
She said her decision to contest the seat does not
make her a rebel in the ruling party, but rather gives her the opportunity to
pursue her political career.
She told the Evening News in an interview at
the weekend that no official notice has been served her by the party and that
there was no way she was going to respond to a media announcement asking to
withdraw her candidature because it is inappropriate.
"I wrote to the General Secretary of the
NDC for a leave of absence for six months, but I did not receive any response
so why communicate to me through the media and not through my address?"
she questioned.
Mrs. Agbodo-Nyamalor, according to the Evening
News, maintained that if the leadership of the NDC had allowed squadron leader
(rtd) Clend Sowu, to 'bully' them, she would not allow anybody to dictate to
her, adding that, "no matter what, I will not rescind my
decision."
GRi…/
The Ghanaian Times
Adopt quota system - to admit students from
rural, deprived schools
A quota system for admitting students from
rural and deprived schools in tertiary institutions has been advocated by
Agyewodin Professor Adu Gyamfi Ampem, Omanhene of Acherensua, 'The Ghanaian
Times' reported.
The Omanhene, who is also chairman of the
University Council of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
(KNUST), made the call at the Silver Jubilee celebration of Our Lady of
Apostles (OLA) Secondary School at Kenyase in the Eastern Region at the
weekend.
He said if applicants from such schools were
able to make the cut-off grade or even get close to the threshold, it would
only be fair for them to be favourably considered given the constraints under
which they studied.
Citing an issue to buttress his submission,
Nana Gyamfi Ampem said two students from Acherensua Secondary School with
aggregate 18 which was lower than the cut-off point of the University Ghana,
Legon, managed an entry five years ago and scored first class degrees at the
end of their courses.
He argued that, "if they had not been admitted,
for not making the grade, those brains would have been wasted."
Times quotes Mr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of
Education as saying that although there were problems in the educational
sector, the picture was not as bleak as is being portrayed by some people.
GRi…/
Daily Graphic
'Medical allowance inadequate'
The Daily Graphic, in a front-page capture says
the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has described the yearly
medical allowance of 25,000 cedis paid to teachers as highly inadequate and
worthless in the face of the current high cost of health care.
Answering questions at a news conference in
Accra on Monday, Mr. Kwame Amo-Dako, President of the Association, said in spite
of the generally poor conditions of service for teachers, vital allowances,
including supervisory allowance, have been withdrawn, thus lowering the morale
of teachers.
The teachers, he said, have not benefited much
from the implementation of the new salaries and wages policy known as the Price
Waterhouse Report, which has left them disappointed because it has denied them
of most of their benefits.
Mr. Amo-Dako repeated GNAT's call for the
proper management of the Pension Fund, which has been entrusted to the Social
Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
GRi…/
The Guide
Atta Mills' Veep stoned at Yendi
The Guide reports that the Vice Presidential
candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Martin Amidu, was on
the evening of September 26 accosted by a stone throwing crowd at Yendi in the
Northern Region.
Amidu who is also the Deputy Minister of
Justice, had the scare of his life in the traditional headquarters of the Dagbon,
the traditional residence of the Ya-Na.
The paper says it's sources indicate that the
NDC running mate and other party faithfuls, moving in a procession amidst
drumming and dancing after the party's flag raising ceremony, came under a rain
of stones and other dangerous missiles in which six members sustained
injuries.
Guide reports of serious clashes between the
NDC and NPP members and says the attack on Mr. Amidu was against the backdrop
of similar incidents, which came as a result of taunting, teasing and the
casting of insinuations.
The sitting MP, Alhaji Malik Alhassan of the
NPP, and Issah Bukari of the NDC, have reportedly been invited by the police
for cautioning.
GRi…/
The Independent
Shit bomb
The Independent writes in its banner story that
the battle against the private press took a primitive turn in the wee
hours of Monday when some unidentified persons smeared the entrance to the
offices of the Crusading Guide with human excreta.
The attack reportedly, comes two weeks after
the paper was subjected to another form of intimidation - the arrest of senior
reporter Sedi Bansah, by the military on the orders of Dr Tony Aidoo, Deputy
Minister of Defence.
The Editor of the Crusading Guide, Mr. Kweku
Baako Jnr, reportedly told the Independent that he discovered the incident at
about 6.00 am when he stepped out of his house, which is in the same premises
as his office.
"What greeted him was a pungent scent.
Lying before him were human faeces smeared all over the entrance to his office.
Some of the faeces were still in the black Polythene bags that the attackers
had left at the entrance to the office," the paper said.
A security guard at an adjoining office
indicated seeing a saloon car sped off from the area at about 4.00 am and
expressed the belief it might have carried out the act.
A composed Baako however, told the Independent
that he pitied those behind the act, adding that, they do not know who they are
dealing with since nothing could stop him and his staff from pursing a crusade
for human rights in Ghana.
GRi…/
The Statesman
It's referendum on Rawlings
The MP for Abuakwa, Nana Akufo-Addo is reported
by the Statesman to have described the December elections as a referendum on
President Rawlings' legacy, which the NDC's Presidential candidate has promised
to continue.
He said the elections would give Ghanaians the
opportunity to decide whether to chart a new course by electing new leaders, or
go with the NDC policy of continuity.
Nana Akufo-Addo, who was speaking at a forum
organised by students of the University of Ghana, Legon, said that the
elections are crucial because they would determine the future of the country.
He noted that what the Rawlings government has
achieved in the last 20 years is plunging the nation into an economic mess,
with its attendant hardships on the people.
"What Rawlings can boast of as his legacy
is poverty, disease, a class society, a high level of illiteracy and high
unemployment among others. This ignominious legacy needs to be repudiated, so
that the nation can be set back on the track of progress," he said.
Nana Akufo-Addo noted that the problem facing
the country is not a basket case and Ghana can still come out from it, adding
that having achieved independence without a gunshot, the nation's task of
revival, after years of mismanagement, can also be achieved without
bloodshed.
GRi…/
The Crusading Guide
NDC MP in big trouble
The Crusading Guide reports that two artisans -
Worlanyo Okai and Harrison Dzededzii, from Tema Community 18, near Accra, are
demanding their voters ID Card from Mr. David Lamptey, National Democratic
Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle Constituency.
The artisans told the paper that they are,
among about 300 people, that registered and had their pictures taken in Mr.
Lamptey's residence, where he had opened a centre during the registration
exercise.
They were however told that their ID cards
would be ready in a few days time but this has translated weeks and months
without the promise being fulfilled.
The MP when confronted by the people informed
them that their names had been sent to Tema and that their ID cards would be
ready three days to the elections day.
Hon. Lamptey, according to Crusading Guide's,
is alleged to have given 100,000 cedis to some people to harass those who
complained, while he organised a 'border' dance party for others who did not
complain.
"Lamptey was also said to have given the
over 300 people 2,000 cedis each on the day of registration," the paper
submitted.
Crusading Guide recalls claims by two young men
at an NPP press confab soon after the registration exercise of Lamptey
registering them at his residence but failing to hand them their ID cards and
says despite a publication of this, the Electoral Commission and the Police
have failed to investigate him.
GRi…/