Team probe kerosene shortage

Three Fulanis escorted out of the country

Judicial Secretary refutes newspaper report

Ahwoi defends appointment of DCE

Two returned unopposed for GJA vote

Metro Youth Co-ordinator cautioned

Accra (Greater Accra) 8 Dec.’99

The Police on Tuesday ordered a Ghana Oil Company (GOIL) distributor at Achimota to close the diesel-dispensing pump at his filling station.

The order follows a preliminary investigations by a team from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, which indicated that there had been a degree of adulteration of the diesel with kerosene.

The filling station located opposite the Achimota branch of the Barclays Bank is owned by one Alhaji Issah Mohammed.

The team, which has representatives from Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Bulk Oil Storage and Transport Company and the Ghana Police Service, is investigating the circumstances leading to the shortage of kerosene in the country.

The team visited oil marketing companies and filling stations in Osu, Achimota and other parts of Accra to ascertain the adulteration of diesel and oil with kerosene by operators of petroleum products marketing outlets.

Laboratory technicians from TOR led by the Chief Chemist, Mr Amoh Michael, and experts from the Ministry took samples of products at Ghana Oil Company (GOIL), Total, Shell, Mobil and Elf filling stations in the areas visited for scientific analysis to establish the level of dilution of diesel with kerosene.

Briefing newsmen before the exercise, Mr Simon Abingya, Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, said kerosene supply from TOR has been constant and regular from the beginning of the year.

TOR releases three million litres of kerosene to all parts of the country each day, however it has been realised that the kerosene does not get to the consumers, especially those in the rural areas, he said.

Certain selfish oil dealers were adulterating diesel with kerosene to maximise their profit margins at the expense of the state, he charged.

The Deputy Minister warned that those found to have adulterated their products would not be spared, describing them as "nation wreckers".

During the exercise it came to light that some of the retailers do not have licence to operate.

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Wa (Upper West) 8 Dec. ’99

Three Fulani herdsmen and their families have been escorted across the Ghana, Burkina Faso border with their 366 herds of cattle under an exercise code-named, "Operation Cowleg II" aimed at ridding the country of alien herdsmen.

The three families headed by Hassan Mahama. Mahamadu Jalu and Abubakari Seidu were living at Kinkale, Joluyiri and Tafali in the Wa District without permit, while their cattle were causing wanton destruction to farm produce, water bodies and property.

The Fulani families, who had stayed in the district between three and 17 years, were also made to pay a total of 2,928,000 cedis in cattle rate due the Wa District Assembly before their repatriation.

A detachment of the Tamale Airborne Force, based at Wa and the Police escorted them.

Addressing them before their departure, Mr Bede Ziedeng, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, announced that it was the beginning of an exercise to flush out alien herdsmen from the country.

The Fulani herdsmen have been responsible for the numerous cattle rustling cases in the region, he charged. Those who have resident permits would be allowed to stay".

The Deputy Regional Minister warned chiefs and elders in the communities, who collude with the Fulani to rustle animals, "we shall let the law take its full course when we get such people".

Lt. Joseph Punamani, Leader of the escorting team appealed for vehicles and other logistics, to convey the families of the herdsmen since the women and children could not make the journey through the bush.

He promised to carry out the operation successfully and called on the people and Fulanis to co-operate with them to avoid the use of force.

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The Judicial Service on Tuesday refuted a newspaper report that the Chief Justice is dying in a London hospital and described it as "distasteful".

A statement issued by the Office of the Judicial Secretary and signed by Mr J. P. K Appiatse said the front-page report is an " attempt to send wrong signals to members of the public, the judiciary and the immediate family of the Chief Justice."

The Ghanaian Chronicle, in its Monday, 6 December edition, reported that the Chief Justice, Mr Isaac K. Abban, is suffering from a kidney failure and is dying in a London hospital.

The statement said "while the chief justice at his age may have natural health problems, the reference to the fact that he had a "kidney failure and is in a battle for life in London is false."

It said at the time of the publication, the Chief Justice had returned home safely for nearly two weeks after a routine medical check-up in the United Kingdom and has resumed duty.

"The headline and story carried by the Ghanaian Chronicle was wrong in every material detail.

"And the attempt to attribute an imaginary crisis of succession within the highest court of the land and by going further to mention the names of some judges of the Supreme Court is not only unfortunate but in bad taste. "

It therefore called on the Ghanaian Chronicle to make the necessary restitution to correct the erroneous impression.

Meanwhile Mr Aban has granted an interview to Radio Ghana during which he said: "I am hale and hearty"

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Cabinet has approved proposals for amendments to the Local Government Act of 1993 Act 462.

They are to remove obstacles to the implementation and accelerate the pace of decentralisation.

Mr. Kwamena Ahwoi, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, said this when he addressed the District Assembly at Sunyani on Tuesday.

He rejected suggestions that District Chief Executives should be elected directly by the people.

Such a move would be unconstitutional and undermine national security, cohesion and development.

"Ghanaians in a free and fair referendum adopted the constitution, which contains the present procedure for appointing DCEs.

Those who wish for a change should make it part of their manifesto in the next election, the Minister said.

The DCE being the representative of the Executive, it is prudent that they are appointed by the Government to ensure that state policies are implemented for accelerated national development.

Other calls for the repeal of the Government's right to appoint 30 per cent of assembly members and the conduct of district assembly elections on partisan basis lack merit.

"These provisions have helped to implement the country's affirmative policies and improved women, traditional and skilled professional representation in assemblies and need not be changed".

Mr Ahwoi called on Ghanaians not to play politics with the current economic crises arising out of the impact of the severe adverse external economic conditions.

"Let no one underestimate the effect of the 'triple jeopardy' of the steep decline in the world price of cocoa, a confused gold market and the near tripling of the world prices of crude oil'.

The Government has taken measures including an increase in the Value Added Tax from 10 per cent to 12 per cent to compensate for the shortfall in revenue.

Initiatives have been taken to accelerate development especially in rural communities.

Under the Urban V Project, 23 towns would receive support in capacity building, revenue mobilisation and infrastructure, Mr Ahwoi said.

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Accra (Greater Accra) 8 Dec. ’99

Mr Yaw Owusu Addo, an Editor at the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and Ms Yaa Oforiwah Acquah, an Editor at the Ghana News Agency were on Tuesday returned unopposed when nominations closed for by-elections to fill the vacant positions of vice-president and treasurer respectively.

A statement issued in Accra by the Electoral Officer of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Mawusi Afele said Mr Addo replaces Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, who has resigned. He is now the Executive Secretary of the National Media Commission.

Ms Acquah takes over from Mrs Eunice Osei-Bonsu who has also resigned.

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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 8 Dec ’99

Messrs George Sarpong Legal Services, a Kumasi legal firm, have advised Mr George Ankomah Yeboah, Kumasi Metropolitan Youth Co-ordinator of the National Youth Council (NYC) not to interfere with the activities of Youth-in-Action, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Kumasi.

A letter addressed to Mr Yeboah reminded him that the Constitution under the present political dispensation has no room for any umbrella youth organisation "that seeks to indoctrinate the youth to the extent of having the power to proscribe the activities of any youth organisation which does not conform".

The letter was in response to one written to the Ashanti Regional Police Commander by Mr Yeboah, in which he accused the Youth-in-Action of doing partisan politics and should, therefore, be stopped from carrying out any form of activity including holding meetings.

Mr Yeboah asked the Regional Police Commander to urge landlords, organisations or group of persons, who entertain the Youth-in-Action to stop having any dealings with it because "it is not recognised by the National Youth Council, Department of Social Welfare and the National Commission on Women and Development.

The legal firm said it has taken the matter seriously since the posture of Mr Yeboah has the potential of undermining the development of civil society, which is very crucial to the effort at building a governmental machinery that is accountable.

"It is probably too late to seek to stop or proscribe the activities of civil society organisations in the metropolis, particularly those organised and led by Odeneho Kwaku Appiah.

"You may serve the nation better and earn your income if you raise pertinent issues for the consideration of the civil society organisation rather than seeking clandestinely and cowardly to undermine and intimidate them".

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