Immigration Service to decide on British homosexual
Five Adisadel students face fresh charges
Man stabs wife for divorce threat
Panic affects Ghanair’s US flights
Move to protect Ghanaian industries
Robbers attacks traders at Ghana-Burkina border
Kufuor can be challenged
NDC will come out clean - Former Minister
Another cop killed by reckless driver
Ghana Airways pilots threaten strike action
Gen. Afrifa for Mampong
Cash and carry can never be abolished – Huudu Yahaya
NDC breaking up into 4 factions
We suffered under Rawlings- Christian church
Fraud pops up in Tsatsu probe
NDC told a lie to Ho chiefs - Minister
Ada Council banishes pastor
Obasanjo's man loses post over Sahara
Immigration Service to decide on British homosexual
The Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) is still not certain about the possible deportation of John Dale, the Briton, said to be a paedophile, according to the Ghanaian Times.
Dale was arrested following a tip-off that he was among alleged paedophiles on the list of the Manchester security in the United Kingdom. A lady who returned to Ghana from Manchester saw Dale in the house of her relative at Bawjiase, in the Central Region and recognized him as one of the suspected paedophiles wanted in Manchester.
The lady got alarmed and reported the matter to the Women and Juvenile Unit of the Police Service (WAJU) who arrested him. John Dale was said to be a friend of a teenage son of the landlord of the house where the Englishman was spotted.
Upon interrogation by the police, Dale admitted being a homosexual but claimed that he was working hard to get himself out of that activity.
When contacted on Tuesday the Director of Ghana Immigration Service, Nana Owusu-Nsiah, said that the service was still gathering evidence on the activities of the suspect, adding that if enough evidence was found against Dale, the law would take its course.
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Five Adisadel students face fresh charges
The Times reports that fresh charges have been preferred against the five students of Adisadel College, Cape Coast, involved in the theft of thunder-shots ammunition from the Regional Police workshop.
Two of them, Stephen Atsu Kudoto, 18, and John Aboagye-Gyimah, 20, have been charged with unlawful entry and stealing 82 packets of thunder-shots from the workshop on June 25.
The remaining three, Kwaw Afebi Yanney, 18, Donald Chubby Abili, 19, and Selikem Ahiadro, 19, have been charged with abetting the crime. All five were earlier charged with stealing.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges when they made their fourth appearance at a Cape Coast Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Tom Bentil. The accused who are on a total bail of ¢25 million, will appear again on October 9.
Chief Inspector Augustine Amonoo, prosecuting, told the court that on June 25, Kudoto and Aboagye-Gyimah jumped a six-foot wall outside the Regional Police Workshop and took away 82 thunder-shots in white boxes, packed them into a black travelling bag and went to the school to call their three colleagues.
The incident occurred during a downpour at about 12.30 am near Kudoto’s house which is just 10 metres away from the Regional Police Workshop.
According to Chief Inspector Amonoo, Afebi Yanney raised a total of ¢3 million from two Form Two students and promised to refund it later on their return. The five students, he said, hired a taxi to Accra but changed their direction to Sunyani to sell the shots.
Two of them were arrested at the Providence Lodge upon a tip-off, while the other two students were grabbed in Cape Coast. The fifth person, Aboagye-Gyimah, who escaped was later handed over to the police by his mother.
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Man stabs wife for divorce threat
Kwaku Bonsu, 49, self-employed, caused panic in the Kasoa township last Tuesday when he stabbed his wife for allegedly threatening to divorce him.
Thinking that the wife, Mary Boakye, was dead Bonsu ran home and drank a poisonous substance believed to be ‘DDT’ to end his life.
It turned out, however that the wife only got injured and did not die. She is on admission at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital while the body of Bonsu has been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.
Briefing the ‘Times’, a family source said that the couple had lived together for the past 10 years, without a child. Bonsu had earlier sacked his former wife and three children from his house.
The Times quotes its source as saying that there had been frequent quarrels between the couple over the maintenance of Mary’s three children by her previous marriage, which their church pastor had been settling.
Some time last year Mary left their rented home after one such quarrels to live in her own home which was near completion. Bonsu, through enquiries discovered where Mary was staying and went to plead with her to return to her matrimonial home but she declined and opted for a divorce.
Bonsu, according to the source, after failing with several pleas, became angry, charged on her in the early hours of Tuesday at the Kasoa market, where she was selling her wares, and stabbed her at the back.
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Panic affects Ghanair’s US flights
Exactly a week after the September 11, 2001 plane hijacking that devastated Washington and New York, the aviation industry is slowly, but painfully coming back into full flight.
The Accra Mail says the good news is that the national carrier, Ghana Airways, has beaten the strict Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirement for resumption of its four-weekly flights to the United States, but the resumption of the US-bound flights has not come without problems as it has learnt that Tuesday’s schedule flight that was to depart in the morning, could not take off because only 50 passengers out of 272 fully booked flight checked in, probably due to panic.
The flight as a result, needed to be re-fixed for the evening in the hope that travellers would put the tragedy behind them and resume normal business.
The Mail says whatever the case may be, it seems that the full patronage of air travel may take longer than expected and indicated that the one-week halt in business is believed to have caused the loss of several thousands of dollars to the airline.
The flight did not take off till Wednesday morning.
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Move to protect Ghanaian industries
A Bill aimed at stopping the dumping of goods on the Ghanaian market and promoting the growth of Ghanaian industries, will soon be presented to Parliament, according to a Daily Graphic story.
The Anti-Dumping Bill, an initiative of the Ministry of Trade and Industry with support from the World Trade Organisation (WTO), seeks to address the trade imbalance between Ghana and her neighbours, the sector Minister, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, said at a breakfast meeting of the British-Ghana Chamber of Commerce in Accra on Tuesday.
He said the lack of proper mechanisms to protect Ghanaian companies from goods that are cheaper but inferior to those produced in Ghana has led to the virtual collapse of such industries in the country, stressing that if the nation aims at promoting private sector growth, then there is the need to protect it from undue competition.
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Robbers attacks traders at Ghana-Burkina border
Five suspected armed robbers believed to be Burkinabe nationals have attacked Ghanaian traders at the "No Man's Land" on the Ghana-Burkina Faso Border, near Leo and forcibly seized large quantities of foreign and local currencies from them.
The robbers also shot and wounded the Ghanaian driver, Abdurahman Adam, who conveyed the traders from Leo in Burkina Faso to Wa, in the Upper West Region.
Briefing newsmen at Wa on Tuesday, Mr E.B. Asong, Upper West Regional Police Commander, said at about 7.30 p.m. on September 15, this year, Mr Adam was conveying 13 Ghanaian traders from Leo in Burkina Faso to Wa, through Tumu in his DAF cargo truck when on reaching the “No Man’s Land” between Burkina Faso and Ghana, a flash light was directed at the driver to cue him to stop.
According to Mr Asong, when the driver stopped, five armed men wielding locally manufactured pistols emerged from both sides of the road and ordered all occupants out of the vehicle. One of the armed robbers then fired at the truck and the pellets penetrated the windscreen, hitting the upper part of the left arm of the driver in the process.
The robbers then ordered all the passengers to lie down on the muddy ground or be shot and when they, out of fear obliged, the robbers searched them and took away their monies totaling 562,000 CFA Frances and ¢9,563,600.
The regional commander said when the police personnel at Tumu heard of the incident and rushed to the scene, the robbers had fled.
Meanwhile, a combined team of police and military personnel is patrolling towns in the region, and along the borders.
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Kufuor can be challenged
The Evening News quotes the new national chairman of the NPP, Harona Esseku, as saying that the leadership of the party has no intention to amend its constitution to enable President Kufuor stand unopposed as flagbearer for the 2004 general elections.
It notes that, in accordance with the party’s policy, individual members will be given the opportunity to offer themselves for the position of the flagbearer.
Harona Esseku, was speaking to the paper on the premise that the party was preparing for constitutional amendment to pave way for President Kufuor to go unopposed in the next presidential elections.
"We will not in any way amend our constitution to pave a smooth way for President Kufuor to be declared unopposed as the party's Presidential candidate in the 2004 elections," he emphasized.
He said after the party's Vetting Committee has reviewed the candidates and approved of those who really qualify to contest the post, elections would be held to elect the flagbearer.
According to the chairman, even if nobody contests the position of the flagbearer, there would still be a congress to endorse the unopposed candidate and discuss other matters affecting the party.
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NDC will come out clean - Former Minister
The National Democratic Congress has said it will be vindicated and exonerated from the numerous allegations and charges levelled against some of its members at the courts because its men who were in positions of trust stood by the truth and principles of transparency, probity and accountability.
"We have nothing to hide and that is why each and every member of the NDC has made himself or herself available to account for his or her stewardship. That is why when we are even outside and hear of any allegations levelled against us, we return without any prompting to answer." The Evening News quotes the former Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Bede Ziedeng, as stating at an NDC Youth Forum at Wa.
Ziedeng described as day dreaming, the pronouncement by J.H. Mensah, Minister of Government Business and Majority Leader that by the time the NPP finish trying all cases of NDC functionaries, the party would be no more.
He said the NDC is growing from strength to strength and would recapture the seat of government in 2004 because the NPP's administration has proven to be incapable of running the country.
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Another cop killed by reckless driver
The Free Press says within a span of one month, three policemen have been killed as a result of reckless driving and misconduct on the country’s roads.
According to the paper the latest of such accidents occurred on the Nsawam-Adeiso road last Monday in which Police Sergeant Daniel Asiedu was killed on the spot, when a team of police personnel from the Koforidua Regional Headquarters came on a routine road check on the Nsawam-Adeiso road.
Sergeant Asiedu had signalled a Hyundai flat body lorry loaded with firewood, coming from the Adeiso to stop.
Eyewitness account said in attempting to find a convenient place to park, the driver of the vehicle, Nelson Kwarfo, noticed that another vehicle parked by the roadside had taken off suddenly thereby forcing him (Kwarfo) to veer to the direction of Sergeant Asiedu.
Sergeant Asiedu, sensing danger, had ran into a nearby farm to avoid the vehicle but the driver apparently lost control in steering and followed in that direction where it tumbled in a heap of sand, falling on Sergeant Asiedu and killing him instantly.
The Paper recalls that about a month ago a police constable was run over by a driver in Accra resulting in his death and in August, a Presidential outrider was allegedly crashed to death by another driver.
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Ghana Airways pilots threaten strike action
Investigations by the Free Press have revealed that potential trouble is brewing within the national airline, Ghana Airways over what the employees term as unfriendly working policies being introduced by the new management.
The paper states that rather disturbing, is the threats by pilots of the airline to go on an indefinite strike very soon if management does not quickly resolved the problem.
Insiders revealed that the new management is portraying a good working environment to the public, which was very contrary to the reality on the ground. The cargo handling section has also registered their protest to the new management on the introduction of unfavourable working policies.
According to the paper, this comes in the wake of a thirty per cent reduction in the workers allowances and salaries, which seems not to have gone down well with the workers.
The workers accused management of covering up potential and sensitive problems within the airline which if not solved will ruin the national airline.
The airlines Public Relations Manager, Sam Bannerman Bruce, said yesterday that the issue was being resolved.
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Gen. Afrifa for Mampong
At long last the mortal remains of Okatakyie Gen. Akwasi Amankwah Afrifa, a former head of state of the Republic of Ghana, would be interred at Mampong, Ashanti, his birthplace, according to the Daily Guide.
The late Afrifa is one of the military generals whose skeletal remains were recently exhumed at Adoagyiri, near the Nsawam Medium Security Prisons by a team of health experts drawn from the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
No date has yet been fixed for the intended final resting place for the Okatakyie, but the Daily Guide says picture posters of the event have already been printed by some of his children living overseas.
In an emotional and passionate event on August 9, 2001, an exhumation and burial committee formed at the request of the current government and led by Air-Vice Marshall Otoo, a former Air-Force Commander supervised the exhumation exercise.
General Afrifa who ruled Ghana briefly as a head of state between 1968 and 1969 when he handed over power to a constitutionally elected government led by Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia, to herald the Second Republic, was executed by firing squad at the Teshie Military Shooting Range along with two other former military heads of state, General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, and Gen. Fred W.K. Akuffo in 1979 by the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) chaired by Flight Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings.
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Cash and carry can never be abolished – Huudu Yahaya
He said it would be very difficult for any government to completely abolish the Cash and Carry system and replace it with the proposed National Health Insurance Scheme, because it will be difficult to fund the hospitals.
The Health Insurance concept would create shortage of essential drugs at the hospitals, he noted at a farewell reception organised in honour of the former Vice-President, Professor Evans Atta-Mills, to mark his departure to British Columbia, Canada, to take up an appointment to help promote greater understanding of African Development and Governance Issues.
The General Secretary described the NPP government’s promise of establishing a National Health Insurance Scheme as a “political promise” which would never work.
He said all over the world, including communist countries, people are made to pay before a patient is treated with the exception of emergency cases where patients are treated and later, allowed to make payments.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Richard Anane has however outdoored a framework, to introduce the draft of a National Insurance Scheme to provide adequate health needs for all Ghanaians.
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NDC breaking up into 4 factions
The Dispatch writes that the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), is coming to terms with the fact that the party is informally divided into four factions, as it completes it reorganisation exercise.
The paper reports a source close to the re-organisation Committee as hinting that there were supporters fiercely loyal to what has become informally known as the Fante Confederacy; other groups are loyal to ex-President Jerry Rawlings and the June 4th Movement; the Volta Region group and the Northern caucus of Members of Parliament.
According to the paper, the departure of former Vice-President and the party’s 2002 flagbearer, Prof. John Atta Mills, touted by some party insiders as a unifying force, is likely to worsen matters. The Prof. is, at first instance, going to be away for a year, with the possibility of other offers afterwards in North America on cards.
One thorny issue the four loosely defined groups cannot agree on is the future role of former President Rawlings. Whereas some wanted him to continue to play a frontline role in the party, the others felt there was the need for him to take a backseat. Even on this, there has been disagreement on whether Mr Rawlings, like other leading party members, should speak on behalf of the party on issues.
The Dispatch says this has become thorny because some highly placed members have been quite uncomfortable about some recent utterances of the ex-President.
Another thorny issue the various splinter groups have not come to term with is funding for the re-organisation of the party. Analysts believe that one or two groups maybe better endowed and could dictate how the re-organisation should run.
Top party insiders believe that the NDC faces three main tasks - to avoid the splitting up of the party: getting the re-organisation programme off the ground and how to finance the party.
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We suffered under Rawlings- Christian church
The Christian Church has revealed that the 19 years that former President, Jerry John Rawlings was Head of State, was “a time of stress and discomfort” for Church and that under the new dispensation, the Church is enjoying some relief.
The Dispatch quotes from a 67-page booklet the Methodist Church of Ghana released at the launching of the first-ever religious tourism programme at Cape Coast on September 8, which said “It is interesting to note that the political situation in Ghana became such a trying one for the Church as the first African government of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah made several attempts to coerce the Christian Churches to conform to irreligious regulations. In 1966, there was military coup d’etat, led by Colonel Kotoka, and Lt. General J. A. Ankrah. In consequence, a Military government was formed to administer the affairs of the nation.
“There was a Military take over led by Lt. General I.K. Akyeampong, and this was replaced on June 4, 1979 by a revolution led by Flight Lieutenant Jerry J. Rawlings. In a national election, Dr. Hilla Limann was elected President of Ghana. But soon another Military Revolution led by Ft. Lt. Jerry J. Rawlings came back on December 1981 to administer the affairs of the nation. This period became a time of stress and discomfort for all Ghanaians, and more especially, for members of the Christian Church, until 1992 when an election was held and Ghana returned to civilian rule again which brought Flight Lieutenant J.J. Rawlings back as the President of Ghana. He was returned to office in 1996 by another election. It should be noted that through out the period of his reign, the church suffered a lot of difficulties. He was however removed by another general election in the year 2000. Today under the new dispensation, the Church is enjoying some relief.”
The programme was under the theme ‘Cherishing The Gains of The Past: the role of Religious Tourism in Ghana Methodism.’
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Fraud pops up in Tsatsu probe
The Ghanaian Chronicle says an amount of $3 million is missing and not accounted for as a result of a discrepancy between an amount of $8.12 million Societe General gave to Tsatsu Tsikata, ex-GNPC Chief Executive and what he actually reported to his Board headed by Dr. J.L.S. Abbey, Director of CEPA.
The paper says it’s credible sources said that foul play is strongly suspected in the debacle over the singular transaction between Tsikata and the French Bank.
According to the paper, suggestions are that the former CEO more than anybody at GNPC including, Fabian (Head of Marketing) and Abankwa (Legal Head) involved in the transactions, should know the whereabouts of the money.
Dr Abbey on Tuesday confirmed reports that his Board had never given any approval to the ex-GNPC Chief or any clearance to enter into any derivatives contract with Societe General that has now cost the taxpayers over $20 million (originally $40 million, but settled at under $20m).
'The whole thing was an illegal transaction, it was illegal," Dr Abbey was quoted by the paper as saying.
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NDC told a lie to Ho chiefs - Minister
The Minister of Roads and Transport, Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, has described as false, the NDC’s post-election claims that the party honoured two payment certificates with respect to the rehabilitation of the Ho township roads project, writes the Chronicle.
The claim was made by the NDC at a meeting with the chiefs of Ho recently. According to the minister, the contractor never presented any payment certificate to the NDC administration since work started on January 3, this year, which was two days before the NDC officially left office.
Hon. Adjei-Darko, who was reacting to claims by Steve Akorlie, former Minister for Roads and Highways, at a meeting with Ho chiefs that the NDC honoured two certificates in respect of the contract while the Kufuor administration is refusing to honour a third that the contractor has submitted, said the contract itself was a political gimmick that was not budgeted for.
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Ada Council banishes pastor
The Ada Traditional Council (ATC) has declared Rev. J.K.A. Agbemor, the head pastor of Big Ada Church of Pentecost as persona non grata and has, therefore, ordered him to leave the Traditional Council at the close of Tuesday.
A five-paragraph resolution outlining the decision of the Council dated September 4, 2001 and signed by the President of the ATC, Nene Abram Kaba Akuaku III, and 14, of his sub-chiefs who constituted ATC, which was read at an emergency meeting, accused Rev. Agbemor of misbehaving towards the Council.
In the resolution, which was copied to the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Regional Police Commander and the National Headquarters of the Church of Pentecost, the ATC expressed great concern about the attitude of the pastor towards the Council when he unceremoniously walked out of a meeting between him and the Council on July 20, this year.
The meeting had been called to discuss the one-week ban on drumming and excessive noisemaking at Big Ada as part of the Ada Asafotufiami festival celebrations, according to the Chronicle.
Reacting to the charges however, Rev Agbemor said he walked out of the meeting because he was threatened by the chiefs and some other subjects, while the meeting was in progress.
The man of God also denied the accusation by ATC that he flouted the ban on drumming by the Council last year, saying although he was aware of an existing problem between the council and the church he had been transferred to the area after the incident.
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Obasanjo's man loses post over Sahara
The Weekly Insight carries that one of President Olusegu Obassanjo's closest confidants has been given the boot for his alleged role in securing the Sahara Oil deal from the Government of Ghana.
The paper quotes the July 4, 2001 issue of "Africa Energy Intelligence" (AEI) published in Paris, France, saying that Patrick Dele Cole, a member of the Nigerian President’s "Kitchen Cabinet" was forced to resign along with three other Ministers.
The AEI claims that Cole was suspected to have used his influence to help the Sahara Energy Resources oil company-headed by his son, Tonye Cole to win a contract to lift 30,000 barrels of crude oil to Ghana.
Tonye Cole allegedly stepped forward on June 25, 2001 to defend his father against corruption charges levelled against him by the Nigerian press.
Senior Cole and Obasanjo met when they both worked on behalf of Nigeria's military government in the 1970's. Cole later served as Nigeria's Ambassador to Brazil but then threw in his lot with politicians who decided to cancel the presidential election victory of Moshood Kashimawao Olawale Abida in 1983.
The Insight says in Ghana, President J.A. Kufuor has put a lid on the Sahara deal insisting that there would be no investigations into it while the opposition NDC had called for a full-scale probe into the Sahara affair.
Ghana reportedly, pays the Sahara Energy Resources Company more than ¢14 billion a year for lifting crude oil from Nigeria.
“Energy experts insist that there are many qualified Ghanaians who could have done the job for next to nothing,” states the Insight.
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