Kan-Dapaah is a lair – Tsatsu
Audit all NGOs - Voluntary Organisation
Changes delay Health Insurance Scheme
NPP is deceiving cocoa farmers - former NDC
minister
GIHOC Cannery’s purchase through govt funds
…But buyers say not true
Govt to resettle 15 communities
Energy Ministry says Tsatsu still has questions
to answer
Big rot at Agric Bank
'Terror' Gado back in Police grips
M-Plaza to host SWAG awards
Attuquayefio nominated for Pan African Heritage
Broadcasting Awards
Jacob Nettey back in town
Loe Debrah is back
Amankwah is back
New captain for Okwawu
Kan-Dapaah is a lair - Tsatsu
Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, the former Chief Executive
of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has described the Honourable
Minister of Energy, Mr. Albert Kan-Dapaah as a lair who willfully withheld
factual information from the public on the state of GNPC by describing his
(Tsikata’s) conduct of business as “Gambling”, the Free Press reports.
The paper reporting on the press conference in
Accra on Thursday says Mr Tsikata accused the Minister of placing the cart
before the horse because he did not see the wisdom in the Minister coming out
with accusative recommendations when he had ordered a forensic audit into the
activities of the GNPC, which report would be submitted to the Attorney
General’s office for advice.
In his attempt to correct certain perceptions
that he recklessly mismanaged the GNPC, the former Chief Executive of the GNPC
said instead of accusing him of mismanaging the GNPC, credit must be accorded
him for making significant profits of which the Minister failed to inform the
public. He described the minister’s attitude as being in “bad faith”.
Debunking claims by the Kan Dapaah that he
decided to sell the country’s oil on the international market instead of making
the allocation to Ghanaians, Mr. Tsikata said “I did no such thing.”
He said the impression being created that
exploration was the core function of the GNPC and that the Corporation had
neglected that in pursuit of other activities was also not justified.
GRi…/
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Audit all NGOs - Voluntary Organisation
The Ghanaian Times carries that the Voluntary
Workcamps Association of Ghana (VOLU) has called on the government to audit the
accounts of all Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) operating in the country.
The action, they said, will ensure that huge
sums of moneys received by NGOs from donors are used for their intended
purposes.
Mr Kobina Asiedu Aboagye, Legal Officer of
VOLU, made the call on Thursday at a conference of the United Nations
Department of Public Information and the Coalition of NGOs in Accra under the
theme, “NGOs today, diversity of the volunteer experienced” to address issues
on voluntary support to NGOs and communities.
Mr Aboagye disclosed that the accounts of VOLU
were audited annually by officers from the Auditor General’s Department, and
said that he did not see why “any NGO operating in the country with clearly
defined aspirations should run away from it.
All NGO accounts must be scrutinised and open
for proper inspection by anybody at anytime. “I believe that if such a system is
put in place, most of them would be found at the Fast Track Courts,” he noted.
More…/
Changes delay Health Insurance Scheme
Modifications to the National Health Insurance
Scheme have delayed the implementation of the programme, according to the
Health Minister, Dr Richard Anane.
The Minister disclosed this to the Times after
he had commissioned a $5.1 million new Physiotherapy Unit at the Korle-Bu
Teaching Hospital in Accra.
GRi…/
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NPP is deceiving cocoa farmers - former NDC
minister
The Ghanaian Chronicle says the NDC Member of
Parliament (MP) for Wenchi West, Honourable Asiedu Nketia, last Monday came
under severe criticism from a cross section of people in the Ashanti regional
capital, Kumasi, and some of its suburbs over his alleged incitement of cocoa
farmers against the government of the New Patriotic Party.
Hon Paul Manu, a leading executive member of
the NPP accused Hon Asiedu Nketia as a treacherous person who is not only
misinforming the people but also uses lies to further his political interests.
According to Hon Manu, it is the greatest
height of hypocrisy for Asiedu Nketia to criticize the NPP government of
insensitivity to the plight of cocoa farmers when, at the time he was deputy
Minister of Agriculture, all that his government did was to pay huge bonuses to
cocoa farmers during election period only to burn their crops later because
there was no money to pay them their bonuses.
Speaking on a Kapital Radio programme in Kumasi
last Tuesday, Hon Paul Manu said the present government has introduced an
innovative scheme for the farmers by using a percentage of their bonuses to
spray their farms and offer other allied services.
This, he asserted, is a departure from the past
when farmers were paid their bonuses only for them to spend all their money on
inputs to spray their farms.
Hon Asiedu Nketia, according to Chronicle had
allegedly stated on Sky Radio in Sunyani that the Kufuor administration is
deceiving cocoa farmers by telling them that the government was going to offer
free massive spraying exercises for their cocoa.
He also told his listeners that the Kufuor administration
is scoring cheap political propaganda since the nation’s economy is in a mess
and therefore cannot support such a scheme.
GRi…/
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GIHOC Cannery’s purchase through govt funds
…But buyers say not true
Investigations by the Ministry of Finance have
revealed that Caridem Development Company (CARIDEM) Limited, the company which
procure GIHOC Nsawam Cannery Ltd, used mainly government funds to purchase the
cannery which was on the divestiture list.
A former Deputy Minister of Finance, Victor
Selormey, is said to have issued a fiat for the granting of the loan from the
Trade and Investment Reform Programme (TIRP) and the Trade and Investment
Programme (TIP) funds.
Prior to this, however, CARIDEM had paid a
total of ¢540 million towards the purchase of the company, whose price was
pegged at ¢2.8 billion by the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC).
The investigations have also revealed that
CARIDEM paid the amount in instalments. A source at the ministry, which the
Graphic, says disclosed this, said to qualify for the facility, a company is
expected to submit a proposal, alongside the application, for consideration, but
CARIDEM never submitted any proposal yet was granted the loan because of the
deputy minister's fiat.
As of August 31, 2001, CARIDEM had not made any
payment on the principal of $500,000 (¢750 million) and interest on the loan
advanced to it on November 28, 1997.
The loan attracted only 15 per cent interest. It said at present, the
principal and interests owed by CARIDEM stand at ¢1.32 billion.
Meanwhile, CARIDEM, when reached by the
Graphic, described as false, claims that it took a government loan to buy a
state asset. Ms Sherry Ayittey, spokesperson for the company, explained that it
paid for the GIHOC Nsawam Canery Limited from its resources. She said the DIC
put the cannery on open tender for divestiture and the company won the
competitive bid.
She discounted claims that the previous
government extended preferential terms to the company for it to acquire the
cannery, adding that, CARIDEM negotiated payment terms with the DIC.
Ms Ayittey explained that contrary to claims
that the company secured a Trade and Investment Programme (TIP) fund to
purchase the cannery, the facility was extended to the company because it
qualified under the regulations for the credit.
She said the facility and its counterpart,
Trade and Investment Reform Programme (TIRP), are meant for companies in the
export business and CARIDEM had benefited from it to import raw materials to
produce palm nut soup and pineapple juice for export.
On the allegations that the company is still indebted
to the DIC, she said the company has settled its indebtedness to the DIC and
the cannery is wholly owned by CARIDEM.
More…/
Govt to resettle 15 communities
The Government is to resettle about 15
communities around the catchment area of the Densu River serving as the main
source of water supply to Accra and its environs.
The move has become necessary to prevent the
river from further pollution and also to save the communities, which are very
close to the river from getting flooded during the rainy seasons, the Deputy
Minister of Works and Housing, Ms Theresa Amele Tagoe, announced this when she
paid a familiarisation visit to some selected communities near the river on
Wednesday in a follow-up to a meeting between the ministry and the chiefs of the
various communities a couple of weeks ago.
Ms Tagoe, who is also the MP for South
Ablekuma, said as a first step, the government, the Ghana Water Company Limited
(GWCL) and some organisations, corporate bodies and NGOs, will undertake a
tree-planting exercise along River Densu to protect it from further pollution.
GRi…/
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Energy Ministry says Tsatsu still has questions
to answer
The Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr K.T. Hammond,
reacting to Mr Tsatsu Tsikata's Thursday news conference said the former GNPC
chief executive digressed from the substantive issues raised by the Minister of
Energy, Kan Dapaah at his press conference held last month, reports The Evening
News.
He debunked the assertion by Mr Tsikata that
the Energy Minister sought to personalize the issue by referring to him, saying
that since Mr Tsikata's appointment as the chief executive of the GNPC in 1986
he was acting as both the board chairman and the chief executive and therefore
took decisions without the consent of a substantive board."
He said Mr Tsikata only dwelt on the core
operations of the GNPC and the Tanoso project and did not answer any of the
issues raised by the Energy Minister.
"We will answer him at a press conference
to be held very soon and correct the impressions Mr Tsikata had created about
the Tanoso project," he said.
For instance, Mr Hammond said, Mr Tsikata
failed to comment on the ¢7 billion loan that he took without the approval of
the GNPC board which triggered off to ¢13.6 billion.
The Deputy Minister said, the former GNPC chief
executive purchased 7 rigs and refurbished them. Out of these, only one D511 was
in good condition that was disposed off by the government to pay the debt he
had incurred as a result of his high risk and complicated dealings. The rigs,
he said, were bought at 62 million dollars.
Mr Hammond expressed surprise that Mr Tsikata
chose to dwell on issues involving Societe Generale after which he digressed to
the Tano Oil basin. These, he said, were issues the government had not
seriously raised any disputes about adding, sooner or later other facts on them
would be made public.
He debunked an assertion by Mr Tsikata that the
Ministry did not contest the Societe Generale case in court saying "there
is an Attorney-General in this country who took the position that the case was
not worth contesting and decided not to proceed with it.
He explained that the government had paid
fantabulous amount of money to solicitors in the handling of the case on its
behalf in London and that as at the time he got there to reach a negotiated
settlement, about 300,000 pound sterling had been paid.
Mr Hammond said he personally paid 50,000
pounds sterling out of 77,000 pounds demanded by the solicitors at the time. He
further stated that it was untrue for Mr Tsikata to say that Societe Generale
was aware all along that it was dealing with GNPC as a commercial entity and
not with the Ghana government.
"I find that is very incredible GNPC is a
wholly owned government entity so to say that they were dealing with a
commercial entity is incredible indeed."
I did not check stocks level before placing
orders
The interdicted managing director of the Ghana
Water Company Limited (GWCL), Mr Charles Adjei, on Wednesday admitted that he
did not seek the opinion of the end-users (regional stores and offices) before
placing various orders for materials.
He also admitted that he did not know the stock
levels in the regions and yet depended on a request by the Accra Tema
Metropolitan Area (ATMA) office to place orders for cast iron fittings and
other items for the Company.
Testifying before the Justice Adade Committee,
probing GWCL, he said he presented only the name of Western Castings, a
supplier of cast iron fittings, to the Board of Directors because it was the
only company in the country manufacturing those fittings.
Pressed for clarifications as to the meaning of
the word "only" by the chairman, Mr Adjei said, it meant that they
were the "only manufactures of the product quality-wise" although the
Central Workshop of GWCL can also manufacture the same product in addition to
numerous other companies.
According to documents tendered in evidence at
the committee's sitting, read aloud by Mr Adjei, the GWCL converted the
contract sum from cedis to the dollar equivalent on payment. When asked to
explain this, Mr Adjei said it was "because that was the dollar equivalent."
He said all contracts awarded in cedis were converted to their dollar
equivalent "so this is not the first time."
Asked if he could have cancelled the contract
after the acceptance letter had been issued, Mr Adjei replied; "My lord, I
can't say yes or no.” When pressed by
the chairman to give an emphatic answer or no he responded, “My lord, it
depends on the situation"
Counsel for Mr Adjei, Mr Lutterodt intervened
on his behalf and explained that the conversion of the cedi to dollar
equivalent did not make any difference, adding, after all they all represent
the same figure.
The interdicted MD also admitted that he
authorised the payment of ¢250 million although his authorising limit was ¢150
million.
It was also revealed that although the revised contract
sum stood at a little over ¢4 billion, the GWCL had paid over ¢6 billion at a
time when they had not yet been supplied all the materials they had placed
orders for. Sitting continues.
GRi…/
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Big rot at Agric Bank
The Weekend Statesman says accusations of
financial malfeasance and reckless misuse of public funds are being directed at
the doorsteps of the former management of the Agricultural Development Bank
(ADB) headed by Dr Perceval Kuranchie.
“This follows the bank's declaration of a
whopping ¢44,42 billion as bad and doubtful debts as contained in its financial
statement for 2000,” writes the paper which also carries that the declaration
of the huge losses has set tongues wagging in banking and financial circles and
raising suspicion of fraudulent deals.
In 1999, the bank recorded ¢15.4 billion bad
debt as against ¢44.42 billion for last year.
According to the paper, the 188 per cent increase in the bank's
provision for bad and doubtful debts may be connected with a series of loans
advanced to functionaries of the NDC.
The Statesman says there is strong suspicion
that the advances approved for NDC functionaries had been hidden under this
heading to write off these facilities because it is unthinkable for a bank to
sit and watch its advances to deteriorate by that margin experience within
year.
Dr Kuranchie's ADB reportedly last year paid
some monies to some companies owned by NDC functionaries under questionable
circumstances, among them Cashpro, a private cocoa produce buying company owned
by the Ahwoi brothers.
GRi…/
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'Terror' Gado back in Police grips
The Daily Guide says its investigations in
Kumasi into the criminal records of Usman Gado Sulemana, 41, have established that
he may soon appear before a High Court in Kumasi on a fresh charge of attempted
murder.
Gado, an alleged notorious criminal, is at the
centre of controversy between the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Bar
Association and the Regional Security Council (REGSEC).
Gado, who was last week granted a controversial
bail by a Regional Tribunal in Kumasi on a charge of robbery has been
re-arrested by the Police as a result of some alleged criminal cases including
that of the attempted murder.
The Guide says its sources close to the A-G's
office said Gado on January 27, 2001, allegedly shot and wounded Sergeant
Amankwah Konadu, a Police Officer stationed at Mampong, hence his fresh charge
of attempted murder. The Police Sergeant is said to be now disabled.
GRi…/
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M-Plaza to host SWAG awards
The Weekend Agenda writes that 26th
Awards ceremony of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana will take place at
M-Plaza Hotel at Roman Ridge in Accra, on Saturday, September 22, 2001.
According to an official statement from the
SWAG secretariat in Accra, 17 outstanding sportsmen and women will be honoured
at the event, which officially marks the end of the reign of Joe Aggrey as
President of SWAG.
Aggrey, now Deputy Minister of Youth and
Sports, will be honoured at another ceremony in Accra in December, to usher in
the new executive of the SWAG after elections on November 2.
Youth and Sports Minister, Hon Papa Owusu
Ankomah, who is also Member of Parliament for Sekondi, is the Guest of Honour.
The statement apologised to award winners for
waiting all this while before being awarded, explaining that the current
uncertain economic climate in the country, seriously undermined the
association’s effort at honouring its obligation to sportsmen and women
earlier.
The SWAG named the 17 award winners as Emmanuel
Osei Kufuor of Hearts of Oak, the nation’s most attractive footballer at the
moment, who will walk away with the prestigious Footballer of the Year Award.
Ishmael Addo also of Accra Hearts of Oak will
be crowned goal-king with his club boss Harry Zakkour taking home the Chairman
of the Year Award.
In a year in which Hearts captured the African
Clubs Championship and went on to win the African Super Cup, the oldest
existing club in the country also captured almost all the football honours on
offer.
Hearts would take home the Club of the Year as
well as the Top Scoring Club trophies. The Club’s technical brain, Jones
Attuquayefio, would mount the rostrum at M-Plaza as the Coach of the Year.
For the fourth time in succession, FIFA Referee
Alex Quartey would be decorated as the Referee of the Year. The Female
Footballer of the Year will be conferred on Elizabeth Baidoo, a key member of
the national women’s team, the Black Queens and playmaker of GHATEL Ladies of
Accra.
International sprinter Aziz Zakari will be
decorated as Athlete of the Year with World Junior Athletic medallist Vida Anim
taking the Female Athlete of the year award.
The honour as Tennis Player of the Year will be
conferred on Gunther Darkey, whiles Ben Tarley will take the honours as Hockey
Player of the Year, Ofosu Armah, Prospect of the Year, Samuel Ellis, Juvenile
Player of the Year and veteran Tennis Star Frank Ofori being honoured with the
Dedication and Valour Award for nearly two decades on the international tennis
tour.
GRi…/
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Attuquayefio nominated for Pan African Heritage
Broadcasting Awards
Cecil Jones Attiquayefio, Hearts of Oak’s
technical director and African coach of the year 2001 is set for another
prestigious title, reports the Hearts News.
The Hearts technical brain has been nominated
in the category of sports for the Pan African Heritage Broadcasting and
Achievement awards (PABHA).
Attuquayefio is one of three Ghanaian nominees
short listed for sports and will be competing with one other nominee for the
sports manager award.
He will be competing against other personality
from other regions in Africa for this honour in this premier edition of the
PABHA Awards. The selection of nominees in the sub-region was concluded in the
Nigerian capital of Lagos on the 25th of August.
More…/
Jacob Nettey back in town
Hearts of Oak captain Jacob Nettey returned to
Accra last Wednesday from Israel expected to start training with the team for the
crucial match between his side and Kumasi Asante Kotoko at Oseikrom.
Captain Nettey who announced his arrival to his
colleagues when they were in the air on their way to Accra from Tamale where
they honoured a league match against RTU, told the Hearts News that there is
the need for all Phobians to perform their assigned roles well to ensure a
fifth consecutive league title.
He also revealed that arrangements to his
proposed move to an Israeli club had not yet been completed although he did not
give details.
GRi…/
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Loe Debrah is back
The
Asante Kotoko Express says former Asante Kotoko and Black Stars playmaker, Joe
Debrah, is in town and news has it that he intends to don his scoring boots and
return to the pitch with the reds or any other interested club.
Debrah who has been domiciled in Germany for
about four years says he played active football whiles there and feels primed
to return to Star Premier League locally.
In an exclusive interview with the paper,
Debrah complimented the present crop of Kotoko players for their level of
soccer artistry but counseled that a few experienced ones should be added to
augment the fleet.
While declining to mention if he was keen on
playing for Kotoko, the former Kotoko striker who sent chills down opponents
with his lightening strikes said he would consider offers from interested clubs
and make up his mind.
Joe was bitter about circumstances that led to
his departure from Kotoko in 1996 after a memorable 2-1 victory over Accra
Hearts of Oak and said he left for Obuasi Goldfields at the time out of
frustration.
GRi…/
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Amankwah is back
The Graphic Sports writes that Frank Amankwah,
one-time Ghana’s and Africa’s best defender says he is ready to play in the local
Star Premier League after a year’s stint in Greece for first division side Ir
Klis.
Amankwah, whose contract with the Greek side
expired six months ago, told the bi-weekly that, “I am back home and have my
eyes on the Star Premier League though I am not sure which side I would want to
play for but I hope to make a decision by the end of the season.”
More…/
New captain for Okwawu
The management of Okwawu United F/C has
announced changes in the hierarchy of the playing body with immediate effect.
George Tutu is the new Captain of the club, replacing Seth Osei Wire who stands
accused of indiscipline.
Nii Darko Larbi has been named Deputy Captain
in place of Sumaila Iddrisu, also charged with gross misbehaviour.
GRi…/
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