GRi Newsreel Ghana 01 - 10 - 2001
President approves insurance scheme for auditors abroad
Let's have good mix of local and foreign consultants - Expert
Government determined to restructure economy - J. H. Mensah
Timber firm threatens to lay off workers
"The days of strikes are over", Kpoh
Government would make life better for disabled persons - Aliu
District Assembly owes 1.2 billion cedis
Accra (Greater Accra) 01 October 2001 - President John Agyekum Kufuor has approved a comprehensive insurance plan for staff of the Audit Service who audit missions and other state institutions abroad.
This follows a proposal presented by the Audit Service Board following last month's terrorist attacks on the United States.
Staff of the Ghana Audit Service have been auditing the United Nations and its agencies over the past 26 years and there are about 30 staff currently working on missions abroad.
Mr Edward Dua Agyeman, acting Auditor-General told the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Monday that the plan by the Gemini Life Insurance Company would enable relatives of staff who might be caught up in disasters to benefit from their losses.
The package covers 24-hour death and accident indemnity benefits including permanent and temporary disability and medical and dread disease or terminal illness benefit.
He said the success of audit personnel in checking malfeasance in public administration depends largely on their commitment.
He said the government's approval of the plan was in line with its policy of zero tolerance for corruption, adding, "An efficient audit body is a sure way to stem corruption."
"Government is strengthening state institutions like the audit service to function effectively to ensure efficient use of state resources and accountability."
Mr Dua said under a three-year plan, offices of the service would be increased from the present 65 to cover all the 110 districts. "This would include the upgrading of district branch offices and making them autonomous and headed by personnel of the rank of assistant director.
He said the service is working to ensure compliance of audit recommendations by companies, corporations, ministries, departments and agencies and to improve public access to audit reports.
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Ghana Journalists Association wants member
suspended
Accra (Greater Accra) 01 October 2001 - The Ethics Committee of the Ghana Journalists
Association (GJA) has recommended to the National Executive of the GJA to suspend Mr William Fayorsey, a former employee of the "Ghanaian Times" indefinitely from the association.
A statement by the committee in Accra on Monday said: "In the interest of maintaining high ethical standards in the profession of journalism, the Committee has recommended to the GJA National Executive that Mr Fayorsey be suspended indefinitely from the association."
The committee said it met with Mr Fayorsey on May 26, and studied the report issued by the management of the New Times Corporation on completion of their investigations into the allegation of blackmail levelled against him.
"Fayorsey accepted his culpability regarding the allegations and the committee took note of his intention to petition the management of New Times Corporation to review the punishment of dismissal," the statement added.
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Mpraeso (Eastern Region) 01 October 2001 - The Omanhene of the Kwahu Traditional Area, Daasebere Akuamoah Boateng II has called for the amendment of the Local Government Act to give chiefs, "a reasonable percentage" of the 30 per cent government appointees to the district assemblies.
This, he explained, would enable them to have a fair representation in the decision-making process on issues affecting the interest of the people at the grassroots.
Dasebre Akuamoah Boateng said this in a speech read on his behalf at the Third Eastern Regional District Chief Executives (DCEs) monthly meeting at Mpraeso.
He said if chiefs, who were the landowners were given fair representation, they would ensure a more effective use of the assemblies' resources to enhance the living standards of the people.
He urged the DCEs to focus on finding solutions to the numerous socio-economic problems such as lack of education and health facilities, electricity, water and telecommunication which, he noted, contributed to the high rate of poverty among the people.
Daasebere Akuamoah Boateng said chiefs were aware that the government alone could not provide all the needs of the people and pledged that they would play their roles effectively to complement government efforts at addressing these problems.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 01 October 2001 - A management expert on Friday suggested a good mix of local and foreign consultants in technical cooperation agreements.
Dr Steve Adei, Director of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), said in a paper on "Planning for Technical Co-operation" at a day's workshop organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that there is the need to strengthen local management of technical cooperation to bring it within the national fiscal discipline framework.
He stressed the need for training in technical cooperation and to situate such cooperation within the national planning framework.
More than 50 participants from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), technical co-operation institutions, civil society and the media among others, attended the workshop, which was a follow-up to a UNDP survey to assess the performance of technical assistance to recipient nations to enhance and strengthen its performance.
Dr Adei said technical cooperation should be integrated into national manpower needs and counterpart costs provided. There is also the need to plan and monitor so as to assess their impact.
He said the technical assistance situation would not improve unless host countries integrate technical co-operation into their national planning framework, as a major macro-economic variable.
"Ideally, the country must have a manpower plan with identified gaps to be filled by technical assistance. That in turn demands that at least the country has an indicative plan that gives direction to its development."
Dr Adei said as a minimum pre-requisite, the country must adopt a programme approach to technical co-operation that entails a sector policy and programme. There should also be dialogue with donor partners.
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister for Economic Planning and Regional Co-operation, said a review of technical assistance should enhance the ability of the country to achieve its development objectives. "We cannot separate assistance given from the successes and failures of the recipient."
He said very little capacity has been developed and sustained or retained in the public sector thus giving rise to lack of permanent trained human resources to carry out the development programmes of the government.
Dr Nduom stressed that any technical assistance to Ghana henceforth should be closely aligned with the Poverty Reduction Strategy agenda and called on Ghana's development partners to co-ordinate and ensure that poverty reduction programmes do not compete for structures that support the same communities.
Mr. Jimmy Aggrey-Orleans, former High Commissioner in London said technical co-operation should not suppress the development of recipient countries into dependence.
Recipient countries, he said, should take ownership of the programme so that they can respond to their priority needs.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 01 October 2001 - Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Minister of Government Business and the Majority Leader in Parliament, says no amount of unnecessary criticisms would deter the government from its avowed aim to rebuild the country's economy.
He said government officials have not embarked on any pleasure trips, as some people would want to portray adding that each had been made in the supreme interest of the state and aimed at ensuring the effective planning of the country's development.
Mr Mensah, Member of Parliament for Sunyani East, was addressing a rally organised by the constituency branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Brong Ahafo Regional capital at the weekend.
The rally was to enable the NPP leadership to express its gratitude to the electorate for ensuring the party's victory in the 2000 elections.
Mr Mensah said in line with the government's determination to re-shape the country's destiny, the twin policy of probity and accountability would be applied to all Ghanaians irrespective of status or position.
He predicted that voters in the Northern sector of the country would vote for the NPP in the 2004 elections because of the government's policy to continue with the Busia regime's rural development efforts.
"The people in Upper West, Upper East and Northern regions, voted massively for other parties in the past and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) party in the 1992 and 1996 elections and yet, that area remains the poorest in the country.
"We are determined to change this situation and let them truly enjoy the fruits of their labour as fellow Ghanaians."
Mr Mensah explained that the reconciliation policy was aimed at pacifying those Ghanaians who were wronged in the past by various regimes. "Fellow Ghanaians were humiliated under very horrifying circumstances and we are determined to ensure that these past experiences are pushed into oblivion through the reconciliation process."
The Minister enjoined gangs in the mass cocoa spraying exercise to do their work well and urged the youth of the country not to lose hope but to work assiduously for the country's success.
"The government is working to give hope to the people and to ensure that continued peace prevails."
Paapa Owusu Ankomah, Minister of Youth and Sports, called on the youth to remain steadfast and support the government, as there were indications that the future was going to be bright for Ghana.
He said President John Agyekum Kufuor and the NPP have good plans for the youth, "because the priority now is the stabilisation of the economy to inspire confidence in investors to invest in the country".
The Minister announced an inter-ministerial committee that would see to employment generation in the country. "Very soon the skilled unemployed will be made to register to determine the profile of unemployment and under-employment in the country."
Mr Kwadwo Yeboah Fordjour, Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman of the party, explained that the adoption of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative is in the best interest of Ghana.
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Timber firm threatens to lay off workers
Sekyere (Eastern Region) 01 October 2001 - The Management of Owusat Company Limited, a timber firm at Sekyere, in the East Akyim District, has threaten to lay off 200 workers for lack of market for its products.
Mr Owusu Asante, Managing Director of the company said in an interview at Sekyere, that timber firms, which were asked to mill lumber to feed the local market were finding it difficult to compete with the influx of the illegal chain sawn lumber on the market.
He said the situation has weakened the financial base of most of these firms making it difficult for them to meet their overhead expenditure. He appealed to the government to step up measures to clamp down on the activities of the chain saw operators to save the nation's scarce forest from being depleted.
Mr Asante said because chain-sawn lumber did not carry any tax element, they were sold cheaper than the milled ones.
He said a large number of lumber milled for the local market since last year, were lying in the premises of the company.
Meanwhile the company as part of effort to increase its operational capacity was spending more than 300 million cedis to grow 400 hectares of teak at Kyebi. The company has so far nursed 3,000 teak seedlings ready for transplanting.
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Tema (Greater Accra) 01 October 2001 - Mr Napoleon Kpoh, General Secretary of the
Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) on Thursday said the days when the strength of trade unions were measured by the number of strikes embarked on were over.
"Trade unionism today is not banging on tables but matching management brain for brain, scientific research for scientific research and ability to analyse views positively", he said.
Mr Kpoh was speaking at the swearing-in of a seven-member new local union executive of the ICU, of the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) at Tema, for a four-year term.
The executives were Nana Kwasi Nyante, Chairman, Mr Chris Amudzi, Vice-Chairman, Mr Daniel Bruce-Ghartey, Secretary and Mr Ilyas Malik Adam, Assistant Secretary.
The rest were Mr David Bluawofogbe, First Trustee, Miss Martha Hansen-Sackey, Second Trustee and Mr Joseph Tandoh Yelbert, Chief Shop steward.
Mr Kpoh said union leaders must learn to listen to issues carefully, analyse them critically and advance arguments that would convince management to accept them, adding that it was only a bad management that would not accept cogent arguments.
Mr Kpoh urged union executives not to promise workers "cocoa sacks of money" since they would have to take into account the financial positions and the future roles of their companies.
"The only promise you can make is to be a good leader", he said, and reminded them that workers have put their source of livelihood into their hands and warned against sacrificing the workers interest for personal gains.
Mr Ron Helton, Managing Director of VALCO, told the union executives that the company has been spending money over the years to improve its communications and listening skills to enhance industrial harmony at the plant.
He said the new executives were coming into office at a time that the aluminium industry was facing hard times and Kaiser Aluminium was struggling to cope with falling prices of aluminium, which has dropped to 1.2 dollars a kilogram.
Mr Helton said VALCO would meet these challenges by operating at minimum cost.
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Bunkprugu (Northern Region) 01 October 2001 - A 35-year-old man, Mr Duut Damset, was killed at Bunkprugu in the West Mamprusi District when he was trapped by a falling wall of his room during a rainstorm on Tuesday.
Briefing the GNA, Mr. John Yenukwah, Assemblyman for Bunkprugu Zongo electoral area, said two primary schools and a day-care centre had their roofs ripped off, while three classrooms were completely destroyed.
Fifty private houses were also badly damaged, rendering about 200 people homeless. The displaced are now living with relatives and friends.
Mr Yenukwa appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and NGOs to come to the aid of the victims.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 01 October 2001 - Osei Kwabena Tutu alias Wayo, 40, alleged to be a notorious criminal involved in several armed robberies and fraud in Accra and Kumasi, has been arrested by the security agencies in Kumasi.
Tutu, who hails from Kwamang, near Nsuta in the Sekyere West District of Ashanti, is said to have been declared wanted by various Police stations for fraud including fake currency trafficking and the duping of businessmen of several millions of cedis.
The Kumasi Police said Tutu operates at Old Tafo, Dichemso, Ayeduase and Kotei, all in Kumasi and some suburbs in Accra with two accomplices who were named as Alhaji Baba and Alhaji Abu.
The Police said the culprit was arrested when he attempted to sell a Renault saloon car, which he stole from a second hand car dealer in Accra after convincing the dealer and deposited five million cedis out of the price of 39 million cedis.
Tutu then told the car dealer that he wanted to try the car but took it to Kumasi and registered it in his name. The Police said its Buffalo Unit impounded the car and that after his arrest several people identified him as having been involved in robberies.
The Police have, therefore, appealed to the public to report to the Ashanti Regional Police Crime Officer to assist in investigations. He would be arraigned on Monday, October 1.
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Worawora (Volta Region) 01 October 2001 - Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on
Saturday pledged to promote the development of Worawora in the Jasikan District as an integral part of Ashanti.
He called on Akan communities in the Volta Region to unite and protect their heritage and pursue a common objective.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu was addressing a durbar of chiefs and people of Worawora Traditional area to climax their "Akwantutenten" (long journey) festival.
The theme for this year's festival "connecting our roots for straight and development" is in commemoration of the migration of the people from Kuntanase in Ashanti to Worawora, 300 years ago.
Asantehene, who was given a golden key by the chiefs of Worawora to symbolise his authority over the area, said his presence at the festival was a demonstration of his obligation as the king of the area.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu announced a scholarship scheme for 10 students from each of the Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary Schools in the area.
He stressed the need for quality education for all adding, "this is the time to show prowess in education and development".
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa said the government would not discriminate in the provision of its developmental programmes but rather, ensure that there was equitable distribution of the country's wealth.
Mr Owusu-Yeboa urged the people, irrespective of political affiliations to support the government at all times.
He cautioned against the use of force in settling land disputes saying "we are one people and need to settle our differences peacefully."
The Regional Minister said the government would construct the Kpando-Worawora-Dambai road, the Hohoe-Jasikan-Nkwanta-Oti-Damanko roads and rehabilitate feeder roads in the region.
He said the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) has initiated programmes to address the decline in the standard of education. "As a people, we must appreciate development in the context of moving with the times and to discard stereotyped notions of fear, suspicion and isolation", the Regional Minister said.
He appealed to chiefs to join the crusade against the HIV/AIDS. Daasebre Asare-Baah III, Omanhene of Worawora Traditional Area appealed to Asantehene to help exploit gold deposits in the area.
The Omanhene thanked the Asantehene for honouring their invitation and for lending his support to the initiatives of the people to re-establish their links with Ashanti and promotion of quality education.
He called on the government to create additional district for the area for effective and equitable development.
Nana Ogyeabour Akompi Finam II, Kadjebihene and a Member of the Council of State, was honoured and given a certificate for his contributions to the development of chieftaincy institution.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 01 October 2001 - Government would implement the National Disability Policy to improve access to educational and other social services for persons with disability, Vice President Aliu Mahama said on Saturday.
He said community-based rehabilitation teams, had been established in 36 districts, to ensure that the social, educational, health, employment and recreational needs of those with disability were adequately catered for.
Alhaji Mahama was speaking at a Gala Dinner to launch this year's appeal for the Ghana National Trust Fund (GNTF), set up 43 years ago to mobilise resources to assist the physically handicapped.
He said the rehabilitation teams operating on pilot basis in the Central, Northern, Upper East and West regions would soon be extended throughout the country.
An Advisory Council on Disability was also being established to promote the rights of disabled persons, he added. "One thing which is of particular interest to the government, is the opportunity offered to employers to enjoy tax rebates, to enable them to employ more persons with disabilities," he said.
Alhaji Mahama appealed to the private sector and public-spirited individuals, to complement government's efforts by donating to the fund and adopt programmes, that would seek to improve the standard of living of the needy.
"Anyone who helps any human being from suffering or other challenging circumstances like what confront our less fortunate members of society, is surely doing God's work. Anyone who improves the lot of humanity glorifies God.
It is a worthy, holy work", he said
The Vice President urged the GNTF, which currently supports 18 charities, to consider the needs of street children, HIV/AIDS victims and the youth addicted to narcotic drugs.
Oyeemam Wereko Ampem II, Gyaasehene of Akuapem Traditional Area, who chaired the function, proposed the establishment of a fund to supplement the GNTF.
He explained that the fund would promote sports and preserve culture and national heritage.
He said revenue for the fund could either, be obtained from surpluses, on centralisation of lottery and lotto, or a percentage of proceeds from divested companies.
Nana Wereko Ampem said if the government centralised lottery, the country would earn enough revenue as it pertains in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia.
He said: "Our lotto system is so diluted that the nation does not get enough from it.
"Government needs to radically review the system. This may require the cancellation of licenses granted to certain agencies," he added.
He said the GNTF alone could no longer support the needs of people with disability whose population have risen from seven per cent at the time of its establishment to 10 per cent this year.
Mr Michael Ezan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, said last year, the Fund assisted three disabled students to pursue higher education at the University College of Winneba and two other institutions.
"Since we set up the Special Education Fund for higher education, we have received numerous requests, so we need resources to cover many students," he added.
The GNTF, he said, would soon rehabilitate the School for the Deaf at Hohoe in addition to a number of programmes that it was funding.
Donations and pledges yielded 273 million cedis out of the fund's target of 400 million cedis.
Golden Souvenir Raffle Lotto pledged the highest donation of 100 million cedis, with Standard Chartered Bank and Metro TV giving 50 million cedis cash each.
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Winneba (Central Region) 01 October 2001 - The Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Assembly owes individuals and organisations 1.2 billion cedis, an appraisal report of the Assembly said at the weekend.
The report, adopted at a meeting in Winneba, said the Assembly has decided to review executed contracts before payments were made.
It said the Assembly would use 20 per cent of its Common Fund to service payments.
The Assembly owes 28 million cedis in sponsorship fees to various teacher training colleges.
The Assembly members praised the District Co-ordinating Director, Mr G. B. L. Siilo, for his dedicated and committed service during the eight months that he acted as the District Chief Executive (DCE).
They advised Mr Siilo not to be complacent but continue to offer dedicated service and assist the new DCE, Captain Stephen Kwabena Armah (RTD).
Dr Kweku Ghartey, the Presiding Member, charged members to show more commitment to the objectives of the Assembly to collect enough revenue. He warned against revenue racketeers at the Winneba main lorry station, where greater part of revenue collected, was not accounted for.
Meanwhile, the assembly has asked town, urban and area councils in the district to supervise revenue collection for maximum returns.
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