President makes major changes in ministerial portfolios
Students owe SSNIT more than 180 billion cedis
Publishing obscene picture is unethical- Ethics Committee
Nana Nyarko re-elected as President
President Kufuor urges DIC to discourage underhand dealings
Government says it appreciates dynamism of Chiefs
MP tells ECG to back up or back out.
NPP Youth Wing reacts to 20,000-dollar car loan for MPs
House of chiefs to document customary
practices
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 October 2001 - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday night made the first major changes in Ministerial portfolios.
Mr J.H. Mensah, Leader of Government Business is now Senior Minister and Chairman of Government Economic Team, whiles Mr C.O. Nyanor is reassigned as a Minister at the office of the Economic Team, a statement signed by Ambassador D.K. Osei said last night.
Prof Kasim Kasanga from the Upper West Region and Deputy Lands and Forestry Minister has been nominated to be the substantive minister.
Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom in addition to his present ministerial responsibility has been nominated as the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission.
The Presidential Affairs Minister, Mr Jake Obestebi Lamptey now Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, whiles Ms Elizabeth Ohene, the Media Relations Minister moves to the Office of the President as a minister.
Mr Kwamena Bartels, Works and Housing Minister now moves to replace Mr Nyanor as Private Sector Development Minister. Mr Yaw Barimah Deputy Interior Minister has been nominated as Works and Housing Minister.
Papa Owusu-Ankoma, Youth and Sports Minister now becomes Majority Leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, whiles Deputy Presidential Affairs Minister, Edward Osei Kwaku has been nominated as Youth and Sports Minister. Mr Felix Owusu Adjapong is Communications and Technology Minister.
Mr Kwadwo Adjei Darko now becomes the Mines Minister. Mr Kwadwo Mpianim has been nominated for the consideration of the Council of State as the Chief of Staff. Prince Imoro Andani, Tamale Municipal Chief Executive has been designated to be the Minister for the Northern region, whiles Mr Ben Salifu moves from the Tamale Residency to the National Development Planning Commission as a minister.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 October 2001 - Cabinet on Thursday discussed the furore that has been raised in the media over the proposed loan scheme for the purchase of cars by
Members of Parliament (MPS).
A release signed by Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister for Presidential Affairs said the government wishes to re-emphasize that the matter has not yet reached the Cabinet.
It said following the President's meeting with the Speaker of Parliament Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, on Monday, the government was awaiting his prioritised proposals, starting from those MPS in urgent need of the government’s support for personal funding of cars.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 October 2001 - Out of 192 billion cedis disbursed under the SSNIT Students' Loan Scheme since its inception in 1988, only 8.12 billion cedis has been recovered, Nii Okai Okantey, Acting General Finance Manager of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust said on Thursday.
This means that beneficiaries owe the scheme more than 183 billion cedis. "This situation does not promote sound business practice and the survival of the loan scheme," Nii Okantey said in a paper on the role of SSNIT in funding tertiary education.
"It simply jeopardises the future of generations to come and overburdens the guarantor when he is due for pension," he told a seminar at the on-going first national Education Fair at the Ghana International Trade Fair in Accra.
Nii Okantey said 403,421 students have benefited from the scheme since its inception but the poor repayment trend of beneficiaries cannot sustain the scheme to grant more loans to the rising number of students.
The Government also owes the scheme 167 billion in interest subsidy payment adding, "SSNIT loses income which affects the viability the fund."
Nii Okantey said 70,000 students would qualify for the loan in the coming academic year and this would require 84 billion cedis if 80 per cent of them take the loan.
However, the Trust can make available only 30 billion cedis, which is on one month's contribution, he said adding that the scheme cannot go beyond one month's contribution for disbursement to students as loan and welcomed the assistance from the Ghana Education Trust Fund to partially fund it.
Miss Vicky Wereko, Corporate Affairs Manager of UNILEVER Ghana Limited, said UNILEVER Ghana Foundation for Education and Development, which was established about two years ago, with a target fund of five billion cedis, is aimed at building knowledge, skills and capacity, unearthing talents and stretching the limits of human potential towards the nation's development.
She announced that 2.5 billion cedis would be injected into the fund for a period of 10 years, which would be reviewed after the period.
Mrs Elizabeth Asante of the Scholarship Secretariat, said there are various scholarship schemes, including Excellent Performance for secondary school students, the President's Award, Hardship Bursaries and the Northern Awards for disadvantaged second cycle school students who hail from the three northern regions and parts of the Brong Ahafo and Volta Regions. Others are the tertiary and overseas award for students who travel abroad for studies.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 October 2001 - The Ghana Journalists Association Ethics Committee on Thursday reminded journalists and publishers of newspapers and magazines that it is unlawful and unethical to publish obscenity or publicize pornography in any form.
A statement issued by the committee said the reminder has been prompted by the publication of obscene pictures in the media recently with reference to the nude picture on the front-page of the "Weekend News," Vol. No. 1, 15.
The statement urged journalists and publishers to ensure good taste and decorum in all their presentations.
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Otuasakan Rural Bank burgled, two policemen
dead.
Asante Mampong (Ashanti Region) 12 October 2001 - Two policemen were shot dead at the Asante Mampong branch of the Otuasakan Rural Bank on Thursday by armed men who attacked the bank in broad daylight.
They were Constable J.A. Awere who was on duty at the bank and Corporal William K. Kussi, who went to assist his colleague.
Two of the suspects who were not immediately identified, were lynched and set ablaze by an angry mob. Two others were arrested and are in police custody pending further investigations.
A spokesman for the Mampong police told newsmen that about eight masked armed men, wearing military uniforms, attacked the bank at about 12.45 p.m and made away with over 50 million cedis.
They carried out their operation amidst indiscriminate shooting intended to scare the public. The robbers, in their bid to escape the wrath of the advancing people sped off in a pick-up, leaving behind other colleagues, two of whom were over-powered, lynched and burnt.
The Mampong police, with assistance from the public are combing the town for the remaining armed robbers.
Unconfirmed reports said a number of armed robbers had arrived at Mampong to bury a colleague and thereafter might have decided to make a public show of their burglary prowess.
Meanwhile the police have recovered 27.6 million cedis found on the two lynched armed robbers. The Sekyere West District Chief Executive, Mr. Thomas E. Atakorah commended the youth of Mampong and Nsuta for their bravery, which resulted in the arrest of some of the armed robbers.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 12 October 2001 - Nana Kwadwo Nyarko III, Paramount Chief of Prang Traditional Area on Thursday, retained his position as the President of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs.
He beat Nana Bosea Gyinantwi IV, Omanhene of Drobo Traditional Area, by 25 votes to 11 to serve a second and final three-year term.
Three other chiefs, in addition to the two Paramount Chiefs were also elected to represent the House at the National House of Chiefs.
The three chiefs are Dotobibi Takyia Ameyaw, Techimanhene, Nana Kwaku Aterkyi, Kukuomhene and Nana Yaw Kagbrese, Yejihene. Nana Appiah Korang, Awuah-Odumasehene was elected unopposed as the Vice President. Officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) supervised the elections.
A heated debate preceded the elections when some members of the house objected to the inclusion of Agyewodin Adu Gyamfi Ampem on the list of chiefs who wanted to contest for a representation to the National House of Chiefs.
The chiefs contended that since Agyewodin Ampem has been charged provisionally with murder for shooting to death, a member of a group of persons who were allegedly agitating for his overthrow, it would not be proper for him to contest.
After a lengthy debate, the chief and former Chairman of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Council withdrew.
Nana Nyarko pledged to find a more effective and speedy way to solve numerous chieftaincy disputes in the area. He resolved to strengthen the mediation committee of the house to enable it to assist in the speedy resolution of disputes to forestall any violence.
Earlier, the Regional Minister, Mr Ernest Akobour Debrah, advised the chiefs to extend the democratic culture of the house to their traditional areas.
"Let me urge Nananom to continue to nurture and extend this noble culture of democracy you have adopted in selecting your leaders to your traditional areas to ensure peace in the region.”
Mr Justice G.E. Twum Supervising High Court Judge in Sunyani sworn-in the new chiefs.
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President Kufuor urges DIC to discourage
underhand dealings
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 October 2001 - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday asked members of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) not to indulge underhand dealings in their operations.
Swearing-in Ms Gloria Afua Akuffo, Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice as a member of the DIC at the Castle, Osu, President Kufuor further urged them to ensure the best interest of the nation in divesting state assets.
The government expects Ms Akuffo to use her legal capabilities to support the committee to divest state assets for profit.
"You should be an eye of the state in the committee to ensure it performs creditably. Since you would not indulge in underhand dealings do not allow others do it but work for the state to benefit," he added.
President Kufuor said the assets DIC is divesting belong to Ghanaians. Therefore, their sale should be beneficial to the people.
He said the duty of the government was to govern and facilitate business to flourish but not to involve itself in business. That should be left to the business community.
Ms Akuffo said she appreciates the committee's onerous responsibility and that DIC's decisions would be in the supreme interest of the state.
She pledged to discharge her responsibilities without fear or favour and would not pursue individual interests.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 October 2001 - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday expressed the government's appreciation to the new generation of chiefs for their dynamism.
He said the chiefs understand the international economic situation and the need to contribute their quota in exporting the rich cultural heritage and investment potentials in their traditional areas to the outside world.
President Kufuor told Togbe Fiti V, Paramount Chief of Aflao, who led some chiefs and elders in the area to pay a courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu.
The call was also to inform President Kufuor of Togbui Fiti's trip to the United States to deliver a lecture on some aspects of Ghanaian Culture at the Hampshire College this month.
President Kufuor said the lecture would be a landmark since a lot of research had gone into it, adding; "as Ghana's ambassador you would acquit yourself with distinction."
He gave the assurance that the Accra-Aflao road would be rehabilitated to make the Aflao a gateway to Ghana from the eastern border.
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MP tells ECG to back up or back out.
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 12 October 2001 - Nana Kwame Asante-Frimpong, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kwabre, on Wednesday called on the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to improve upon its services or back out of business.
Speaking to the press in Kumasi, he noted that the company's operations were undesirable and said its bid for increases in tariffs on electricity should be backed by satisfactory services.
Nana Asante-Frimpong cited that in September, a vehicle crashed into an electric pole near the Mamponteng police station thereby disconnecting power to some parts of the town while the cables remain lying on the ground.
He said customers were yet to notice the improvement the ECG promised the public before the increase in tariff.
Nana Asante-Frimpong cautioned that if inefficiency on the part of ECG persisted, it would discourage investors from coming to the country.
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Sunyani (Western Region) 12 October 2001 - Mr. Yaw Adjei Duffour, Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister said on Thursday that the struggle to overcome poverty would have to start with the reconciliation of the people.
Opening a public forum on the National Reconciliation Commission Bill at Sunyani, Mr Duffour said the bill seeks to fulfil the government's promise to ensure national unity and integration by removing bitterness and rancour generated during the revolutionary era.
It would require the collective effort of the people to achieve the objectives of the commission, he said, adding that there are certain pertinent questions that need to be answered through dispassionate discussions.
These include the issue of funding and the form the commission should take, all of which are important for a genuine reconciliation.
Alhaji Kwadwo Maama Adam, former Brong Ahafo Deputy Regional Minister, said Ghanaians have been able to co-exist without any marked conflicts to warrant any reconciliation commission like the truth and reconciliation commission in South Africa and other severely polarised societies.
Money to be used for such a commission could be used on development projects in poor rural communities, he said. Alhaji Adam said in view of the precarious economic problems of the country, it would not be prudent to waste scarce recourses on such a project which may revive bitterness and generate conflicts if not well handled.
"If the commission must be established at all cost, then the draft bill must be drastically modified, because in its present form, it is not in the national interest and would not promote national unity and reconciliation".
Nana Obiri Boahen, a private legal practitioner, said the work of the commission would be more meaningful and beneficial if parliament would take a second look at parts of the transitional provisions of the 1992 constitution, which protect certain personalities from prosecution for human rights abuses.
He said to prevent human rights abuses in the future, there is the need to establish the commission and ensure that it covers its terms of reference.
Mr. Kwame Adjei Arhin, Regional Operations Officer of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) said the bill is limited in scope, creating the impression that human rights abuses occurred only under military regimes and suggested that it must start its work from the first republic.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 12 October 2001 - Greater Accra Youth Wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) said on Friday that the decision by Parliament to grant its members a loan of 20,000 dollars each to buy cars is an "affront to the integrity of the electorate".
The youth wing said in a statement in Accra that the act ''is a revelation of the insensitivity on the part of our Members of Parliament and their self seeking nature''.
''Their demand, in our view, is highly outrageous, devoid of any critical examination and consideration of the state of our economy.'' The statement said the timing of decision, coming at a time when people are overburdened with tax, is wrong and in bad faith.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 12 October 2001 - The Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs has initiated a codification exercise to gather data on customary enstoolment and destoolment procedures and practices.
The data would guide the house in the adjudication of chieftaincy cases and stem the tide of disputes that have engulfed the region. More than 67 chieftaincy disputes have raged on in the region since 1999 but the judicial and mediation committees of the house have disposed of only 18 of them.
This is partly due to lack of a house counsel and clear-cut and documented chieftaincy customary practices to aid adjudication, Nana Kwadwo Nyarko III, out-going president of the house said at the third ordinary meeting of the house at Sunyani on Thursday.
Nana Nyarko said a workshop to sensitise stakeholders on the exercise has been held with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF).
Nana Nyarko said staff of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) would soon visit all the traditional areas to meet chiefs, queenmothers and stool elders with questionnaires to gather information for the codification exercise.
"In this regard, I urge Nananom to co-operate with the NCCE staff for the codification of customary laws in the various traditional areas, to be a success".
The Regional Minister, Mr Ernest Debrah, commended the house for embarking on the codification exercise, saying it would greatly help to check the rise in chieftaincy disputes in the region.
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