Moves
to increase cocoa production
GCPP's
spot points to victory at polls
Chief
takes girl, 14, as third wife
No
headway in unravelling murders
'Mills
has betrayed us'…party chairman storms out of office
Amidu
impresses
Storm
over Jerry's visit
Electronic
eavesdropping in Ghana
Moves
to increase cocoa production
The
Daily Graphic in a front-page story writes that the government has launched a
cocoa maintenance programme to increase cocoa production from the present
400,000 metric tonnes to 475,000 by the year 2001.
The
paper says the programme, dubbed "Hi-Tech Maintenance Scheme", is
being carried out under the auspices of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana
at Tafo with Cashpro Company, a private cocoa buying body, as the implementing
agency.
About
100,000 acres of cocoa farm would be maintained under the programme, which is
being jointly financed by the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) and the SSB
Bank Ltd at a cost of about 20 billion cedis.
The
money will be given out as soft loans to cocoa farmers to maintain their farms.
Mr.
J.H. Owusu Acheampong, Minister of food and Agriculture, is reported to have
stated at the launch of the scheme that the programme is being replicated on
the same lines as the 1964 mass maintenance programme, which resulted in
Ghana's all time record yield of about 500,000 tonnes.
More…/
GCPP's
spot points to victory at polls
The
Graphic reports on its political page that the flagbearer of the Great
Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), Mr. Dan Lartey, has stated that the
featuring of the party in the first spot on the ballot papers points to a
massive victory in the December 7 Presidential election.
"For
the GCPP, which is the main offshoot of the erstwhile Convention People's Party
(CPP), to pick the first slot for placement on the ballot papers testifies that
its performance in the next Presidential polls will come as a shock and
surprise to the broad masses of the people", the paper quotes him as
saying.
He
further said that since coming events cast their shadows before them, securing
the first position on the ballot is an indication that the GCPP will sweep the
mass of votes in the forthcoming elections to form the next government."
GRi…/
Chief
takes girl, 14, as third wife
The
banner story of 'The Ghanaian Times' says residents of Mempeasem Nsuakyir, a
suburb of Assin Foso in the Central Region, have appealed to the Commissioner
for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, (CHRAJ) to save a girl-child in
the town from being forced into a pre-matured marriage.
The
Times says the girl, known only as Fatima, 14, has been customarily engaged to
Nana Salifu, Chief of the town, but the residents think that he used his
position and Islamic religious connections to coerce her parents to accede to
his desires.
She
is to be his third wife.
Investigations
by the paper revealed that the girl's mother, madam Asana, a palm kernel oil
seller, is so bitter about the fact that the elderly chief impregnated her
daughter before coming forward.
It
said reports indicates that the girl's parents were asking her to carry food to
the chief, a night watchman at the St. Francis Xavier Hospital, when he is on
duty. But he took advantage by drugging her and having sex with her in one of
the rooms.
Her
parents, unaware of her plight reprimand her anytime that she showed unwillingness
to carry the food.
Fatima
was recently found to be pregnant and she mentioned Salifu as the one
responsible and the parents, angered by his action, threatened a court action
but mediation by the local Imam compelled the chief to perform the customary rights
and take her as his third wife.
More…/
No
headway in unravelling murders
The
police have complained that there has not been enough public co-operation on
the release of information concerning recent serial killings of women in Accra,
reports the Times in another front-page story.
The
paper reports a police source as stating that the few instances that
information were given, the people demanded money before releasing them but
they only turned out to be lies.
The
Police said most of the information reaching them did not have any direct
bearing on the killings.
It
however emphasised that due to the secrecy surrounding the murders, the police
needed public support and co-operation to unravel the mystery and arrest the
culprits, adding that the police patrols in parts of the city, seemed to have
halted the killings and called for public co-operation in the patrols.
GRi…/
'Mills
has betrayed us'…party chairman storms out of office
The
Independent writes that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will in the
coming days not only have the unpleasant duty of shoring up the candidacy of
its hitherto unknown running mate, Martin Amidu, but also move to stem the
tidal waves that the choice has generated.
According
to the paper, credible sources within the NDC have hinted that one of the
Junior partners in the Progressive Alliance, the EGLE party, is furious about
the choice of Amidu, ahead of its endorsed candidate, Dr. Obed Asamoah.
The
EGLE, in the partnership with NDC and the Democratic People's Party (DPP), had
reportedly adopted Dr. Asamoah as its candidate for the No. 2 slot right under
the noses of President Rawlings and Vice President John Atta Mills at the
party's recently held National Delegates Congress.
Sources
within EGLE say its nomination of Dr Asamoah was only ceremonial and a way of
formally introducing him to the hierarchy of its partners since a mutual accord
had been struck that made its decision to support Prof. Mills to be
unconditionally reciprocated by an endorsement of its choice.
According
to the paper, Owuraku Amofa, who could not stand the shock of the so-called
Mills betrayal, when the flagbearer's shortlist came out at a meeting without
the expected names, made an unusual gesture, which was not short of describing
the Vice President as a traitor.
GRi…/
Amidu
impresses
The
Ghanaian Democrat opens its banner story saying the adage, "first
impression counts" was vividly brought home once again on Tuesday when Mr.
Martin Alimisi Amidu, the surprise running mate of Prof. John Atta Mills was
introduced to hundreds of party supporters at the party's headquarters.
The
paper, writing on Amidu states, "making a rare public appearance on a
political platform, he left no one in doubt by that display of eloquence,
brilliance, intelligence, and deep knowledge of party politics, that he is the
right man for a job that has been a bone of contention among some super
heavyweights within the party."
"His
answer to the questions that were thrown at him by inquisitive journalists and
which were answered with such precision and candour, instantly won him a lot of
admirers and fans among the party faithfuls and reporters", it added.
The
Democrat further says that Mr. Amidu, having hid his emotions, proved that he
was equal to the onerous task that has been heaped upon him with a masterly
delivery of his acceptance speech.
GRi…/
Storm
over Jerry's visit
The
Crusading Guide carries a banner story that says members of the newly-formed
Scottish Parliament on Tuesday expressed anger over an invitation to Ghanaian
President Jerry Rawlings to visit the Legislature next week.
According
to the paper, "They said they should have been consulted before the
invitation was extended to the West African leader because of doubts about his
democratic credentials and his record on human rights."
It
quotes John McAllion, Labour member of the Legislature as saying that if what
is said about President Rawlings is true, then he is not the kind of person
they would want to see feted by the Scottish Parliament.
President
Rawlings would be in Britain on a private tour but the Scottish Parliament is
said to have invited him for an official visit during which he will be met by
the Legislature's Presiding Officer, Sir David Steel and will address a meeting
of members of the Parliament (MSPs).
McAllion
is reported as saying that the reception at the Scottish Parliament turns
President Rawlings' arrival into a public visit, which raises another kind of
question.
While
he perceives the Scottish Parliament should show circumspection and caution in
inviting only those with sound democratic credentials and impeccable human
rights records, he adds that he thinks there should have been some consultation
with the political parties. (of Ghana?)
A
spokesman at the Ghanaian High Commission is reported to have refused to
comment on the row, saying it was an internal matter for the Scottish
Parliament.
GRi…/
Electronic
eavesdropping in Ghana
The
Accra Mail reports that Ghana is fast becoming a country where people cannot
take their private conversations on telephone for granted anymore.
The
paper says a top secret revealed to it indicates that perceived enemies of the
state are constantly being bugged with the most sophisticated equipment in the
business.
"Conversations,
e-mails and faxes are routinely being intercepted," according to the
paper.
It
referred to an unnamed source, who described himself as one of the most
“surveilled Ghanaians”, also revealed that mobile phone users are particularly
vulnerable to electronic surveillance.
A
another source is reported to have indicated that it is not only the enemies of
the state who have Big Brother snooping in but chiefs, independent businessmen,
editors of the private press and other 'Pillars of Society' also have their
conversations listened in.
A
particular powerful chief, according to the Accra Mail's source, had to signal
his displeasure not too long ago.
It
continues that with methods similar to those of the disbanded and discredited
STASI of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) the costs to the country
are said to be astronomical.
The
paper says it is still investigating into the story owing to its constitutional
implications.
GRi…/