GRi Newsreel Ghana 07 - 08 - 2001
Outgoing Ambassadors optimistic about Ghana's future
Inflation to go down to 20% by December
Fuel-hoarding stations to be blacklisted -Regional Minister
No hunting of “bushmeat” for four months
Aflao Chiefs lauds decision to open Ghana -Togo border 24 hours
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 August 2001
Two ambassadors on Monday said there is hope for Ghana to get out of her economic difficulties and emerge as the model for other African nations.
German Ambassador Christian Nakonz and American Ambassador Kathryn Dee Robinson were speaking to the GNA at a farewell luncheon held in their honour by the Foreign Minister, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, attended by other ministers of state and other members of the diplomatic corps.
This is the first time in 15 years that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has hosted outgoing heads of missions accredited to Ghana.
Mr Nakonz served four and a half years while Ms Robinson spent three years. Both are retiring after their leave.
They said they were privileged to have witnessed and contributed to the historic elections and peaceful transition, saying the nation stands out as a model for modern Africa in the eyes of the outside world.
"Ghana is very important on the African continent and on ours," Mr Nakonz said, adding that the European Union will continue to support programmes aimed at building West Africa.
He commended Ghana for her leading role in efforts at regional integration and for putting forward a capable candidate to contest the post of ECOWAS Secretary General, which becomes available in December.
Mr Nakonz, who has served in four other African countries, also commended Ghana for her political maturity and said he was certain that she has the potential to become even better.
Ms Robinson told the GNA that she expects Ghanaians to work hard to surmount the huge economic problems they currently face.
"I believe that there is potential out there for the people and the government to overcome this terrible situation they are in," said Ms Robinson, who expressed the hope that "this time around, the people will act more than they talk."
During her tenure, bilateral assistance from the U.S. to Ghana increased from 50 million to 80 million dollars since 1999, making her country the largest donor.
In a farewell toast, Mr Owusu-Agyemang thanked the ambassadors for their contributions and appealed to them to continue lobbying for Ghana among their network of ambassadors worldwide.
"When we declared that we were HIPC, they understood the figures and initiated help to solve the intractable problem," said Mr Owusu-Agyemang, declaring, "Be our advocates, we need the assistance."
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Accra (Greater Accra) 07 August 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor said on Monday that the high level of inflation, which has been the bane of the economy was likely to reduce from 34 to 20 per cent by the end of the year due to the fiscal discipline adopted by his administration.
He rebuffed media criticisms that the downward trend of inflation and the strengthening of the cedi were ad-hoc measures, explaining that it was the determination of the government to revamp the economy and to lower interest rates as a support to the private sector.
President Kufuor was speaking at the Castle, Osu when he held a meeting with a delegation of Chiefs and Queen mothers from the Ga Traditional Council.
"There is no magic wand for these things to happen. It only demands discipline," he told the traditional authorities, who were led by Nii Adote Obour II, Acting Ga Mantse.
He urged the public sector to adopt measures to ensure efficiency and cut down on corruption to help in the fight against inflation.
President Kufuor, who spoke for over one hour explaining his government’s policies and development objectives, appealed to the electorate not to expect a dramatic change in their lifestyles within the few months of his administration since it inherited an empty treasury.
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Bolgatanga (Upper East) 07 August 2001
Mr Mahami Salifu, Upper East Regional Minister at the weekend commissioned a 1.2 billion-cedi multi purpose fuel service station of the Total Oil Company at Bolgatanga and warned that any filling station found hoarding or selling fuel more than the official price would be blacklisted.
He expressed the hope that with the opening of an additional station the frequent shortages of petroleum products in the region especially Bolgatanga would be a thing of the past. The new station brings to five the number of fuel stations in the regional capital.
Mr Salifu said prolonged fuel shortages could cripple economic activities and assured the management that everything would be done to ensure that the private sector in the region grows positively.
He advised the management to keep a good business image by ensuring that there is constant fuel supply at the station.
The Minister appealed to the motoring public not to engage in panic and speculative buying because it could create shortage.
The manager, Mr Baba Shaibu, said the station has the capacity to sell 10,000 gallons of petrol and 8,000 gallons of diesel daily operating a 24-hour service.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 07 August 2001
The Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission on Monday announced that this year's close season of hunting commenced from August 1st to December 1st.
A statement signed by Mr E. L. Lamptey, Executive Director of the Forestry Commission in Accra said the four-month moratorium on hunting is one of the strategies that the Wildlife Division has adopted towards the achievement of the objective of sustainable exploitation and utilization of wildlife resources.
It said the ban on hunting is to give wild animals a chance to get pregnant, give birth and raise their young.
"Non-observance of the close season will therefore undermine the very existence of wild animal populations and deprive Ghanaians of a valuable resource for poverty alleviation".
It appealed to the general public, especially the District Assemblies and the Police to help enforce the close season of hunting to guarantee the sustainability of this important resource for the benefit of present and future generations.
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Aflao (Volta Region) 07 August 2001
The Aflao Traditional Council has lauded the decision of the governments of Ghana and Togo to open their border at Aflao for 24 hours.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Togbe Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of the area, said the efforts of President John Agyekum Kufuor and his Togolese counterpart to create a liberal environment for increased cross-border activities and economic improvement of the peoples of the two countries was gratifying.
He said the move was a practical manifestation of the spirit of ECOWAS and the African Union that seek to unite the people of the continent.
"The artificial boundaries created by colonialism that divided people of the same blood should not remain a setback to the development of our peoples."
Togbe Fiti expressed the hope that the permanent re-opening of the border would bring Aflao back to its former status as a flourishing marketing centre.
He reiterated the need to strengthen security in the area in order to cope with the expected increase in the volume of work.
He said the Traditional Council would spearhead the formation of community watchdog committees to complement the fight against crime.
Togbe Fiti noted that fatal accidents often occur on the Tema-Aflao road because travellers and drivers rush to beat the 22:00 hours closure time, while those who arrive late have to contend with the harsh weather in the open till the following morning.
He called for quick action on the reconstruction of the Tema-Aflao road to cope with the volume of traffic, especially, in the night.
At a political forum, the Paramount Chief urged the two governments to co-operate with each other to consolidate democratic governance in their countries to enhance an environment devoid of intimidation.
He called for the erection of a monument by the two governments in honour of those, who lost their lives in border skirmishes between the two countries.
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