GRi Press Review Ghana 18 - 09 - 2001

The Crusading Guide says there is credible evidence that moves are underway to undermine and discredit the Acting Auditor-General (A-G), Edward Dua Agyeman to prevent him from being confirmed by the President.

The paper says it’s investigations, following newspaper publications and other reports on Mr Dua Agyeman, have unearthed evidence to support the existence of a conspiracy to undermine the Acting A-G.

A rejoinder from the union executives and top ranking officers of the A-G’s Department recently, categorically denied a publication appearing on the front page of ‘The Evening News’ of Thursday July 5, 2001.

This publication captioned “Workers oppose Auditor-General’s appointment”, had sought to indicate that the union executives and the top ranking officials of the Auditor-General’s Department, after a meeting had resolved and threatened to file a writ to seek the removal of Dua Agyeman as the Auditor-General, should his appointment be confirmed by the Council of State.

But a rejoinder by certain heads of the department said, “We wish to state categorically that there has never been any meeting of top management staff with the Union Executives at which such a decision was taken”.

Another rejoinder solely from the Audit Service Divisional union executives denied the Evening News story, stating that none of the executives of the union had met Kwarteboi Owoo and Patrick Bonna, the two who had filed the said story.

The Crusading Guide says it has however, identified some of the forces behind the negative publication against Mr Dua Agyeman, including certain bank officials who are said to be under investigations by the A-G Department.

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Student cadets for emergency response unit

About 800 students have successfully undergone a six-day basic life saving skill training at the St John’s Ambulance Brigade.

The students, drawn from second-cycle institutions in the Greater Accra Region, trained in batches, will serve as a volunteer force for the Emergency Response Unit at the 37 Military Hospital.

In an address read on his behalf, the Minister for Defence, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, said the formation of the unit was necessitated by recent events associated with the Accra Stadium disaster in, which 126 people lost their lives.

He said the unfortunate incident, coupled with the Air Link crash, reveals the unpreparedness of the nation to manage such disasters.

GRi…/

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The Accra Mail

Superintendent Awuni is free

Superintendent Angwubutoge Awuni, the Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Police Service, who was tried on a charge of misconduct has been acquitted and discharged, according to The Accra Mail.

The paper recalls that in June this year Superintendent Awuni was dragged before a three-man trial panel on a charge of “causing to be published false and defamatory statements against the judiciary”, contrary to section 17 (k) of the Police Service Act 350/70.

The Central Disciplinary Board, in accordance with a directive by the Inspector General of Police, ordered a service enquiry into the conduct of Superintendent Awuni and a three-member panel was constituted to try him.

The Mail says however that its ongoing investigations have revealed that even though the trial lasted two days, the panel failed to submit its findings until July 4, 2001.

This was because the proceedings, a copy of which the paper says is in it’s possession, indicates that two journalists, M.N. Nkansah, of the Dispatch and Kofi Adom Kaakyire of The Ghanaian Chronicle who appeared as witnesses before the committee absolved Awuni of any blame.

The two however, admitted having had an informal conversation with Awuni during which he cited examples of corruption in the Police Service, the judiciary, the media and other sectors of the society. He had reminded them that what they were discussing were off record.

The panel therefore recommended that Awuni be acquitted and discharged of the offence. The panel also described Awuni as an officer of good character.

GRi…/

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Hearts News

Kuffuor to leave soon …Jacob and Ishmael to stay

The Board Secretary of Accra Hearts of Oak, Ernest Thompson, has thrown more light on the future of three key players with the club as to whether they will stay or leave before the current football season ends, the club’s mouthpiece Hearts News reports.

The three players involved are the skipper Jacob Nettey, prolific goal scorer Ishmael Addo and footballer of the year, Emmanuel Osei Kuffuor.

Jacob and Osei Kuffuor had recently had brief stints with foreign clubs in Israel and Dubai, enroute to eventual signing-on but negotiations hit a hitch and the players had since returned.

Ernest Thompson however said Jacob Nettey and Ishmael will stay with the club till the end of the 2001 Star Premier League but Osei Kuffuor may be leaving very soon to begin a professional career.

The board Secretary said Jacob had returned to Accra because his Israeli club was not prepared to pay what Heats was demanding.

On Osei Kuffuor, Thompson said Hearts was only awaiting some documents on him, adding that the Club was unhappy with some of the terms in the contract, the reason for which Kuffuor was still in town for those few issues to be rectified by his foreign club.

Touching on Ishmael Addo, the Board Secretary intimated that as far as he was concerned the dare-devil of a scorer, has not received any concrete deal yet, so he will also be staying for the current season.

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The Chronicle

Federation of Exporters deny Obaahema Ofei Nkansah

The Federation of Association of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), an umbrella organization of exporters in Ghana, has emphatically denied the membership of Nana Ofei Nkansah, the lady at the center of the Chronicle publication captioned “Minister in blackmail tango - special courtesies to a lady friend and a fishing boat guarantee”.

The Federation further made it clear that, Nana Nkansah’s company, Celtic Rock is not a member of the association and therefore, could not be a top executive of the federation.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Federation, Augustine Adongo, the Federation consists especially of those who deal in non-traditional exports therefore has no records of the membership of Nana Ofei Nkansah, or her company, Celtic Rock.

The submission by Mr Adongo, the paper says, contradicts a recent rejoinder issued by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and published in the paper in reaction to the said publication describing her as president of the Organisation for Export Development of Sea Foods.

According to the Ministry, Nana Ofei Nkansah is on record to have been dealing with the Ministry of Trade and Industry for over ten years as the Managing Director of Fresh and Green Foods (Gh) Ltd., and President of the Organisation for Export Development for Sea Foods.

A week ago, the Chronicle captured in its front page a publication, which sought to portray that Dr Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industry and Member of Parliament (MP) for Offinso North had issued threats to a Dutch business entity, Damens Shipyard in the award of an agency or consultancy business to Nana Nkansah.

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Nkrumaist unity talks a noble idea - NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says the party is not scared in any way about the current Nkrumaist unity talks but rather the NDC’s expectation is that the talks should prove successful so that it will go a long way to deepen the democratic culture prevailing in the country.

In an interview with the Chronicle last Thursday, the party’s General Secretary, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya remarked that whiles the unity talks was a laudable idea, the NDC has its own programmes it is putting in place to enable it perform better at the next polls.

“Who knows whether they and NDC will go into an alliance in the near future to win the elections,” the General Secretary quipped.

Alhaji Yahaya was however, quick to add that Nkrumaism as a political philosophy is no longer a tenable and workable political option because of trends in global economy and politics.

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The Statesman

Govt funded 31^st December ¢2.2bn

The Statesman says contrary to denials by the leadership of the 31^st December Women’s Movement (DWM) that it received government support for its activities, it can reveal that the NDC government provided the movement with generous government funding totaling more than $306,447.13 (¢2.2 billion).

According to the story, between October 1999 and December last year, the amount was released to the movement as counterpart funding for women’s community development project initiated by the Movement.

The Money was released in two batches of $173,446.48 and $133,000.65 in support of an African Development Bank’s loan facility of $1,980,000 (14.2 billion), being guaranteed by the Government of Ghana. The first batch of the loan was released on July 9, 1992.

The Statesman was however unable to confirm whether all the $932,000 (¢6.7 billion) in local funds needed for the project was provided by the government.

The project reportedly, was the brainchild of the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD) but was hijacked by the DWM as part of its efforts to render the umbrella women’s organization ineffective and subordinate to the movement.

GRi…/

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The Independent

‘NDC scared away investors’

The Independent says the image of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was last Saturday given another dent when both the Central Regional Minister, Hon Isaac Edumadze and the Agona District Chief Executive, Mr John Agyabeng stated that the attitude, character and the way of life of some NDC top officials scared investors away from Ghana during the eight-year period the party ruled.

Eight months into the government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), so many investors have expressed confidence in it and the willingness to invest in the country, they said at the annual Akwambo festival of the Chiefs and people of Agona Kwanyako in the Central Region during which Nana Kofi Tony I, an Australian national was installed as the Nkosuohene of the town.

Throwing more light on the assertion, Agyabeng explained that President John Kufuor is a peaceful leader whose way of life can be seen as an embodiment of peace.

GRi…/

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Daily Graphic

Probe Police harassment - lotto writers appeal to IGP

The Greater Accra Regional branch of the National Association of Lotto Writers (NALW) has appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), to order immediate investigations into acts of harassment and extortion of monies by some police personnel from members of the association, reports the Daily Graphic.

The association described the spate of harassment and arrest by the police as not only unprecedented but ridiculous.

Addressing a news conference in Accra on Monday, the Regional Chairman of the association, Andrew Kwame Boa-Amponsem, alleged that for sometime now, the association has been receiving reports from some of its members accusing the police of arresting them only to extort huge sums of money after which they are released.

Boa-Amponsem cited an instance where some police personnel who allegedly hired a Benz bus with registration number GR 2259 K, succeeded in effecting the arrest of seven of its members and extorted about 1.3 million cedis from them only to abandon them a few kilometres away from Kasoa.

He said such harassments are not only unlawful and unwarranted but also a serious breach of their human rights.

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More groups will not weaken NPP

The National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Harona Esseku, has stated that the formation of various groups in the party is a strategy to strengthen the party’s organisational base to make it formidable and not to weaken its structure.

These groups would be well organised to ensure that they strengthen the party to retain power in the 2004 elections, Esseku said in a speech read on his behalf at the inauguration of the Young Executive Forum (YEF) at Mankessim in the Central Region at the weekend.

Present at the function were leading members of the party and Members of Parliament. Esseku noted that these groups have played significant roles from 1992 to date and their roles would not overlap to bring divisions into the party.

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Health Ministry probes death of pregnant woman

The Upper East Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Health (MOH) has instituted full-scale investigations into the death of a 28-year old pregnant woman at the War Memorial Hospital, Navrongo in the Eastern Region.

The death of Monica Munya has been attributed to alleged negligence of Dr George Mumuni, a medical officer at the hospital.

The deceased was said to have reported at the hospital at about 8.30 am on Monday, September 3, 2001 with abdominal pains, and after the normal procedures by the nurses, she was asked to wait for the doctor in charge.

According to a family source, when the doctor came in the afternoon to examine the woman, he detected that she was in labour but left her to her fate.

The family member alleged that it was not until after 5 am the next morning that the deceased was sent to the theatre to be prepared for a caesarean operation but died a few minutes after she was given the anaesthesia.

Dr Erasmus Agongo, Upper East Regional Director of Health Services said his information was that it was an anaesthetic death, but stressed the need for investigations to determine exactly what happened.

The institution of the investigation followed a formal complaint made to the Regional Director by the family of the deceased about the alleged professional misconduct of Dr Mumuni.

GRi…/

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The Ghanaian Times

Indian Director in court

Lakhiani Jag-Dish, 58 year-old Indian Managing Director of Blow Plast Industry Limited, a plastic manufacturing firm in Accra, on Monday appeared before an Accra Community Tribunal charged with assaulting his worker, John Antwi.

According to The Ghanaian Times, he pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted self-cognisance bail to appear again on October 8.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector E.Y. Frimpong told the tribunal, presided over by Mrs Elizabeth Adusei, that at about 5.30 pm on August 20, the accused visited the factory at South Industrial Area in Accra, to see the progress of work.

At the factory, Lakhiani saw Antwi adding two rolls of high density plastic to a consignment meant for Kumasi but which was not part of the original consignment.

Lakhiani, without finding out the truth in Antwi’s explanation for the reason why he packed the items there, became furious and slapped him (Antwi) on the cheek and kicked him in the groin.

Later, Antwi made a report to the police and a medical report was issued to him to receive medical attention.

Lakhiani’s case has been a subject of media attention since it came up last month. New Times Corporation, publishers of the Ghanaian Times last week dismissed one of its reporters who broke the story, for demanding five million cedis from the accused in exchange of killing the story.

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Police Headquarters to probe charge of nepotism

The Police Administration will investigate allegations of nepotism said to be affecting police training in the country, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration, Kwasi Nkansah, disclosed to the ‘Times’ on Monday when contacted on the issue.

He expressed surprise about the allegation, saying that the police administration was not aware of it. “We have not received any report of nepotism from any quarters. I am, therefore, surprised to hear of it,” he said.

The Times issue of September 15, had reported that at a Police/Military durbar at the Police Headquarters in Accra last Friday, Inspector Bankas Suleiman, a Senior Drill Instructor of Police Training School, alleged that interference in the selection and training of recruits at training schools by Senior Police Officers was a major cause of indiscipline in the Police Service.

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Don’t settle rape cases, WAJU tells churches

The Police Women and Juveniles Unit (WAJU) has cautioned churches against the practice of settling criminal cases such as rape and child abuse, instead of referring them to the police.

Addressing male catechists and Presbyters of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at a seminar at Abokobi, Mrs Gifty Anin-Botwe, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of WAJU, stated that settling criminal cases at churches was against the law and insisted that such cases should always be sent to the police for proper action.

She said that such attitudes often encouraged the culprits to indulge in further criminal acts, and urged the churches to rather encourage their congregation to guard against violence and to treat men and women alike with utmost respect.

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Nkawie police probe into baby’s death

The Ghanaian Times says The Nkawie police in Ashanti are trying to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of a day-old baby boy whose body was found in a barrel full of water at Mpasatia, near Nkawie last Tuesday. The Police said they suspect foul-play.

Briefing the ‘Times’ at Kumasi in Ashanti Region on Monday, police sources said that Afua Asantewa, a young woman, delivered the baby at home at about 10.30 am last Tuesday.

A few minutes after delivery, she (baby’s mother) and her mother fell asleep, with the baby lying beside its mother. Asantewa woke up at about 11.30 am only to discover that her baby had disappeared and she raised the alarm after combing the room in vain for the missing baby.

A search party organized immediately by the crowd, found the baby dead in a barrel full of water in the house.

GRi…/

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The Evening News

Ahwoi’s 55 million-cedi send off party that never was

The 110 District Assemblies were forced to pay a total of 55 million cedis towards a send-off and welcome get-together for two former Ministers of Local Government and Rural Development, Kwamena Ahwoi and Ms Cecilia Johnson, during the previous administration, according to The Evening News.

Although the amount was unbudgeted for, the then outgoing Minister, Kwamena Ahwoi issued the directive at Sunyani to all District Chief Executives (DCEs) to that effect.

The paper says its investigations revealed that each District Assembly paid ¢500,000 from their share of the District Assembly Common Fund for that purpose.

The Accountants of the various District Assemblies complied with the directive, passed on to them by their respective DCEs and released the monies accordingly last year.

The paper says further investigations revealed that the send-off and welcome get-together did not materialised.

A source at the Auditor-General’s Department hinted The Evening News that this was detected during the recent auditing of accounts of the 110 District Assemblies in the country.

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‘Muslims have not been marginalised’

The Federation of Muslim Councils of Ghana (FMC) has cautioned Muslims to learn from the experience of other countries and desist from peddling claims, which have the potential of destabilising the peace of the country.

According to The Evening News, the FMC was reacting to documents and pronouncement of some politicians and academics, that Ghanaian Muslims were being marginalised by the government.

A release signed by Alhaji Abdulahi Shome Williams, national coordinator of the Federation, said those claiming that Muslims were being marginalised were few frustrated politicians seeking to cash in on the largely illiteracy of people.

It noted that, Muslims have had their fair share of national resources, constitutional provisions and political positions and offices, given limitations of Constitutional Democratic and the Law of Averages applicable for national unity, peace, stability and fair development.

GRi…/

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The Daily Guide

Chambas hopeful

Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bimbilla, is very hopeful to be elected as the Executive Secretary of the ECOWAS, says The Daily Guide.

Speaking to the paper in Accra, Dr Chambas said barring any last minute hitch from unforeseen quarters, the government expects a full endorsement of the position by the ECOWAS members.

This positive expectation comes in the trail of Guinea's open and official backing to the Chambas bid.

According to the Guinean Ambassador to Ghana, El Haji Mamadou Falilou Bah, the formation of the Ghana-Guinea-Mali Union in the early 1960s served as the nucleus of ECOWAS, adding that Ghana's choice for the ECOWAS post is definitely Guinea's choice.

If elected by member states, Dr. Chambas will succeed the current Executive Secretary of ECOWA, Lausana Kouyate who completes his second term before the close of the year.

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Tribunal judge swindled

A Kumasi-based swindler, Kwadwo Osei, who poses as a Captain in the Ghana Armed Forces ran out of luck as his attempt to swindle a judge of eight million cedis has landed him in the full grips of the law.

Osei, is now standing trial at a Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Justice Vincent Carl Senu.

The court heard that the complainant in the case, the chairman of the Ashanti New Town Public Tribunal, got to know Osei, who resides at Old Suame, a suburb of Kumasi, last year.

According to the prosecutor, Osei told the judge (name withheld) that he could use his influence to purchase one of confiscated Benz saloon cars at the Castle for him.

Osei then collected six hundred thousand cedis from the judge under the pretext of processing some papers for the purchase of the car, which he said was going for 12 million cedis.

He later went to the judge to demand 7.4 million cedis, which he said was to pay for part of the cost of the car at the castle, saying that he collect an additional six million cedis after delivery of the car.

The prosecutor told the court that after some time the accused person came back to the judge to demand the balance without bringing the car.

According to the prosecution, this made the judge suspicious and he reported the matter to the police who subsequently chased the accused person to his hideout and arrested him. Investigations conducted on Osei proved that he has been regularly defrauded people.

The prosecution said Osei in a similar instance defrauded two women of eight million cedis and promised to help them to travel to USA, about three months ago.

Osei was said to have posed as an officer in the Ghana Armed Forces and told the victims that he would send them to the US on Peace-keeping Mission as his wife and daughter.

According to the prosecutor, when Osei was granted bail to appear again before court in that case, he failed to show up. The court therefore remanded him in police custody to re-appear at a later date.

GRi…/

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