Government asked to probe sale of GIHOC Boat Yard
Looming energy crisis as water level in Akosombo dam
falls
Preparations for Pet Show at advanced stage
Ghanaian unions in German donate to stadium victims
Sekondi (Western Region) 07 September 2001 - The Western Region branch of the Ghana Inshore Fisheries Association on Friday called on the government to institute a probe into the sale of GIHOC boat yard at Sekondi.
Making the call on behalf of the Association in an interview at Sekondi, Mr. Charles Hayfron-Acquah, the Association's secretary said after buying GIHOC the equipment was taken away and the structures have been left to deteriorate.
"Presently, the structures are in a bad state and the buyer is not making any effort to rehabilitate them".
Mr. Hayfron-Acquah said the association wants the government to take over the boat yard and rehabilitate it to enable fishermen to repair their vessels to boast the fishing industry.
He also said many fishermen were operating at a loss because of lack of storage facilities, high prices of fuel and inputs and appealed to the government to initiate measures to reverse the trend.
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Looming energy crisis as
water level in Akosombo dam falls
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2001 - Ghana is likely to be thrown
into darkness again, if the water level in the Akosombo dam does not increase
in the next few weeks or months. The current level is below the minimum
required level of 248 feet.
The
country, experienced a serious power problem three years ago as a result of the
low level of water in the dam. Another energy crisis according to economic
analysts will be disastrous for an economy that is just trying to pick up
again. Records at the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), the single largest
consumer of electricity from the Akosombo dam, show that the current water
level is about 246 instead of the 248 feet.
VALCO’s
Manager responsible for Training and Development, Ebo Quarm describes the
current water level in the Akosombo Dam as threatening. “The level of the lake
is very precarious. Even though it is raining, the water level is lower than
what we were experiencing at the same time last year and this is very serious,”
he noted. – Joy FM
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Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2001 - The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation lost its case to Societe Generale (SG), a French commodities bank, because of lack of legal representation, the corporation's former Chief Executive, Mr Tsatsu Tsikata said on Thursday.
Speaking at a press conference to respond to allegations levelled against him by the Energy Minister, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaa, Mr Tsikata said the instruction to the corporation's solicitors to stop and hand over the case to the Attorney General presented SG the opportunity to make amendments to their case and apply for judgment against GNPC.
He said important applications made to the court by the GNPC's solicitors were not pursued when the government decided to throw in the towel.
He said GNPC lawyers had contested the claims of SG since 1999 based on the fact that it was SG that gave "negligent advice" to the corporation to hedge its anticipated production of oil and gas from the Tano Fields.
Mr Tsikata said when statements of defence were filed at the London High Court it gave directives that the parties should exchange documents. The GNPC complied with the directive but SG blacked out sections of what they presented to GNPC because they claimed they did not have to disclose those passages.
Mr Tsikata said an application was consequently made to the court to order SG to disclose them. It was at that stage that the government decided to drop the case, even though, there was high probability that GNPC could win.
He came to this conclusion because, "before SG brought their claim in the London High Court, they had earlier in 1998 filed a suit in the United States - in the District Court in Houston - seeking an order to have the GNPC drill ship, D511, moved to the US and detained by them upon conclusion of its contract in Mexico.
"This suit was brought against the US company that had chartered the drill ship as well as GNPC. The case of SG was thrown out and when they appealed to the Court of Appeal in New Orleans, they were again unsuccessful.
"It emerged in those proceedings that SG had sought legal advice about taking action in Mexico, where the drill ship was operating, or in Panama, where the drill ship was registered, and they realised that they could not succeed in either jurisdiction if they filed a suit," Mr Tsikata said.
The former Chief Executive said it was regrettable that the Minister could rely on rejected allegations in the SG case to paint a picture to the public that was far from the truth.
He emphasised that SG dealt with the corporation as a commercial body throughout the transactions and there was no need for governmental interference. This, he said, explained why SG claims were pursued against the corporation and not the government.
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Hohoe (Volta Region) 07 September 2001 - Nana Ahuma Kpanyini, National Chief Farmer on Thursday said a total of six billion cedis would be spent on the three-month nation-wide mass cocoa spraying exercise.
Speaking at a meeting with cocoa farmers at Hohoe, he said: "The high production of cocoa during the Conventional People's Party and the Progress Party regimes shows how important the mass spraying exercise is to farmers".
The National Chief farmer appealed to farmers to co-operate with personnel who would carry out the exercise and also requested them to weed under the cocoa trees before the commencement of the spraying exercise so that maximum results could be achievement.
Nana Kpanyini urged farmers to reciprocate government's efforts at revamping the cocoa industry by working hard to increase output.
Mr. Paul Adu-Gyamfi, Deputy Volta Regional Officer of the Cocoa Services Division of the Ghana Cocoa Board announced that a total of 24,629 hectares of cocoa farms would be sprayed in the region.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2001 – Eating leftover foods in your own home may not be something new but when that leftover is coming from the food vendor, then you want to think twice.
The Ghana Standards Board on Thursday warned that leftover food served by vendors could pose health risks to customers because these foods were not usually preserved well.
"These left over foods, especially those sold the next day and those mixed with new food, when not properly handled may pose a public health hazard as a result of the growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms," Mr Alex Ntiforo, Deputy Executive Director, GSB said.
He said a survey conducted by the Board revealed that some food vendors sold leftover food or mixed them with newly prepared ones.
Presenting a paper titled "Street food situation in Ghana" at a round table conference in Accra, Mr Ntiforo said if there were proper ways of preserving food, these problems would be minimised.
The conference on "Street Foods in Ghana: Types, Environment, Patronage, Laws and Regulation" was organised by Reseau Ghannee of SADAOC Foundation with support from the Netherlands government.
SADAOC is a French acronym for "Network of Sustainable Food Security in Central West Africa". The network covers five countries - Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and Togo.
He said although the authorities have for years been discouraging the use of firewood in the campaign against desertification, the practice of using LPG gas has remained unpopular with street vendors.
He attributed this to the cost of gas and "probably the lack of proper marketing strategy/research on the part of the oil companies."
Mr Ntiforo said if the usage of LPG was popular among the food vendors, food would always be warm adding that when it was not sold out it would also not be kept in the present prevailing conditions.
He called on the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to provide refrigeration facilities where possible for food vendors for a fee.
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Cape Coast (Central Region) 07 September 2001 - All appointees to Zonal Councils and Unit Committees in the Cape Coast municipality made by the NDC government, are to be reviewed.
There are a total of 475 such appointees, five each, on the seven zonal councils and 88 unit committees within the municipality.
Mr Muniru Arafat Nuhu, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) announced on Thursday when he met with members of four of the seven councils in Cape Coast, explaining that like the change in such appointments at the assembly level, it is important to effect similar changes at the lower structures, to "bring in people who would be able to deliver," towards the success of the decentralisation programme.
The MCE, enumerated the roles such structures could play in accelerating socio-economic development, and emphasised that their revitalisation would help remove bottlenecks inhibiting the assembly's revenue mobilisation.
He stressed the determination of his administration to ensure improved quality life for all people irrespective of their political affiliations, adding that he wants to be remembered as having mobilised the people to transform Cape Coast into a primary city.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2001 - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Thursday accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of carrying out a policy to destroy it as a political party saying this undermined the country's democracy.
Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Chairman of the NDC's Media Committee, said a statement by Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Leader of Government Business that the party was on its way to breaking up echoed this policy, which was repeated by the NPP's supporters in the media.
A statement issued in Accra said: "It is in this vein, that we wish to invite the good people of this country and the international community to see the diabolical and treacherous moves being perpetrated by Mr Mensah and the NPP government in their attempt at undermining our infant democracy."
Mr Mensah was quoted as saying that by the time the government finished with the numerous court cases against some of the NDC members, the party would be no more.
The statement said since the NPP assumed power, it had systematically tried to criminalize virtually all the actions of the NDC and portrayed them in the worst possible light.
"They have used various methods, including intimidation, harassment and the heaping of outright lies on the NDC. Unfortunately for the NPP, unfolding events and the gradual emergence of the truth have exposed their fabrications to the good people of this country."
The statement said Mr Mensah's statements should not be taken lightly as the government "appears desperate after it has taken some unpopular decisions resulting in untold hardships...."
"Conscious of the fact that the NDC is the only viable political force capable of winning the 2004 elections, the NPP's revised strategy, going by Mr Mensah's words, is to use the judiciary to do its dirty job.
"These statements further go to confirm Mr Mensah and the NPP government's well orchestrated master plan to cause the demise of the NDC by their intention to manipulate the judiciary in order to secure conviction of NDC appointees put on trial before the courts."
The NDC said the manner in which the Attorney General's office was handing certain trials bore adequate testimony this.
"But the NDC is convinced that if justice and fair play are allowed to prevail, it will be difficult for the NPP to secure the conviction of any former NDC appointee," the statement said.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2001 - About 10 companies including a foreign one have so far registered to take part in the National Pet Show 2001 to be held at the El Wak Sports Stadium from October 4 to 6.
Preparations for the show have reached an advanced stage and pet owners and dealers, both local and foreign, have applied to take part in the show.
In an interview in Accra, Dr K.B. Darkwa, veterinary surgeon and Executive Director of the La Veterinary Hospital, said letters of invitation have been dispatched to participants both in and outside the country.
He said agreement has already been concluded with the Military Police to provide trained dogs and horses to participate in the event. Dr Darkwa said the growing number of pet breeders and dealers in the country calls for a monitoring system to ensure uniformity within the industry.
The show is to bring together all major players in the pet industry to ensure that animals bred and sold out are up to the required standards.
Activities to be held during the show include a dog and cat assessment competition, a three-day dog display by the military, and a bird song and chat competition by canary birds and parrots respectively.
There would also be a jumping and musical chairs display by horses among others. The three-day event, which is also aimed at reducing cruelty to animals among Ghanaians, aims at portraying the potentials of the industry and bring to the fore its capability of creating job opportunities for the youth.
All segments of the pet industry would also be brought together to help show case their products and services. The show is being organized by Infocus Public Relations, under the auspices of the Ghana Veterinary Medical Association.
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Somanya Youths stage protest against Dutch
national.
Ogome (Eastern Region) 07 September 2001 - Business activity in the Somanya township came to a halt for sometime on Wednesday when over 70 angry youths including chiefs thronged the principal streets of the town to protest against an alleged assault and disgrace of a divisional chief of the town by a Dutch national engaged on an agro-forestry project in the area.
The youth spotting red bands were protesting against the treatment Nene Akpatsu Azza IV, Krontihene of Yilo Krobo and Divisional Chief of Nyawuer suffered in the hands of Mr John Vonberg, co-owner of Bonsu-Vonberg Farms Limited at Ogome.
The youth said they had declared Mr Vonberg and his associate, one Mr Bonsu, "unwanted" and had taken over equipment on the farm until the case at the Accra Airport Police was disposed off.
They are also demanding pacification rites to restore the dignity of the Nyawuer stool. Mr Vonberg is said to have torn the ornamental necklace adorning Nene Azza, slapped and spat on his face when the chief went to his office in Accra to demand pledges he had made to the community including the provision of a toilet, before land was released to him for the project.
In another development, Members of the Council of Ewe Association of North
America (CEANA) on Friday donated 14 billion cedis worth of hospital equipment for distribution to needy health institutions in the Volta region.
The first consignment of the equipment included 47 adult orthopaedic beds, 28 over the bed tables, cauterising machines, operating tables and x-ray film loaders.
Dr. Frank Nyonator, Volta regional Director of Health Services said the Association procured the items from St. Michael's hospital in Canada, which had closed down because of a merger.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 07 September 2001 - The only ambulance at the Sunyani Central Hospital was on Wednesday night vandalised by thieves who took away a digital tape recorder, power amplifier and public address systems, siren and alarm regulator, communications and medical fittings and accessories, all valued between 15 and 20 million cedis.
It is the latest in a string of thefts at the hospital and other health institutions in the Brong Ahafo Region. The three watchmen on duty who have been suspended indefinitely have been invited by the police to assist in their investigations.
Last week, a new motorbike belonging to the District Directorate of Health Service, which shares compound with the hospital, vanished whilst bulbs and other fittings have been stolen from the new Regional Hospital.
This is beside the recent theft of the only television set at the OPD and the countless break-ins into vehicles belonging to doctors on night duties at the hospital.
It is on record that six motorbikes belonging to the Ministry of Health, valued at about 300 million cedis were stolen in the region last year alone.
Dr Daniel Asare, Medical Director of the hospital said in Sunyani on Thursday that the burglary has dire consequences on service delivery because the ambulance is now virtually un-operational.
"This is the only specialised vehicle that we have to convey the critically sick to Komfo Anokye and Korle Bu hospitals for emergency treatment, but should there be an emergency, now we will be in limbo because all the things that make it an ambulance have been taken away."
In another development, thieves invaded Agona Natifa ADA Primary and JSS, and set the school ablaze, destroying furniture and stationery worth 40 million cedis.
Mr John Agyabeng, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Agona visited the scene to assess the damage caused.
Mr Theodore Egar, the Headteacher said thieves have made several attempts to break into the school's workshop. Last month thieves broke into his bungalow and bolted with his household items.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2001 - Ghanaian unions in two German cities - Mannhiem and Ludwigshafen, on Thursday presented drugs worth 4,000 Deutsche Marks to the May 9 stadium disaster victims at the 37 Military Hospital.
Mr Ebenezer Gyasi-Oworae, first Vice President, said they were touched by the accident, which occurred during a stampede after a league match at the Accra Sports Stadium between Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko, which claimed 126 lives.
"We have decided to present the items to the medical institutions in and around Accra who used their medicine to treat and still care for the survivors of the stampede."
Gyasi-Oworae said the union would offer further assistance to medical institutions if the need arose.
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