GRi Newsreel 12-02-99

Koforidua (Greater Accra), 12 Feb.  

Koforidua will host delegates to the Joint 33rd World Tourism Organisation (WTO) Commission for Africa meeting and the 24th Africa Travel Association (ATA) annual congress on May four, this year.

The six-day annual congress is expected to attract 1,500 delegates including tour operators and travel writers from North America as well as national and private tourism practitioners in Africa.

The Eastern regional minister, Miss Patience Adow, announced this at the maiden "Meet the Press" series organised by the Eastern regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) at Koforidua yesterday.

She appealed for public co-operation with the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) and the New Juaben Municipal Assembly to ensure the success of the programme.

Miss Adow said, as part of a regional tourism development programme, the Akuapem South and Yilo Krobo districts have been selected for a pilot project which is a collaborative effort between the Ghana Tourism Board and the US Peace Corps to develop structures for community-based nature tourism.

On health, she said the region has instituted a 24-hour emergency service at the Koforidua Regional Hospital while the other district hospitals, except Kibi, Donkorkrom and Akwatia St Dominic Hospitals, have set up "Quality Assurance Teams" to provide specialised services.

The region currently has 19 hospitals, 10 clinics, 42 health posts/centres and 79 maternal/child health units with 90 doctors, 15 pharmacists and 1,643 nurses.

Miss Adow said 67 cases of buruli ulcer were reported in the region last year with the Akuapem South district topping with 49 cases, while 120 cases of guinea worm cases were reported out of which 81 were from the Afram Plains.

Miss Adow said the government had drawn up a programme to improve roads, agriculture, and environmental protection in the and urged the media to help educate the public on their civic responsibilities and accelerate the rate of development in the region.

The Eastern Regional chairman of the GJA, Mr Edmund Quaynor, in his welcoming address, explained that the programme was to promote an encounter between the media and public functionaries, the private sector and individuals who have contributions to make towards the development of the region.

During an open forum, the Regional Director of the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation, Mr Emmanuel Fosu, told a questioner that work on the 10-million dollar Koforidua water rehabilitation project was being expected in the region soon to start work.

On efforts to bridge the disparity between urban and rural schools, the acting regional director of education, Mrs Susan Kennedy, said a pilot package of interventions under a "whole school development process" was being implemented in 30 selected schools countrywide three of which are in the region.

Under it, the schools are to be provided with infrastructure, textbooks, furniture as well as incentives to teachers.

Katamanso (Greater Accra), 12 Feb

The Archaeology Department of the University of Ghana has made some archaeological discoveries in the Pinkwae forest, near Katamanso, where the Ashantis and the Ga-Adangbes supported by the British fought the historic battle of 1826.

The discoveries included ancient pots abandoned by the Ashanti army, a metal box containing a pair of scissors, a sword and several beads, which suggests that the site was once the house of a rich person or an ancestral chief.

Also found at another site were a bowl with the date 1800 inscribed on it, human teeth, fishing hook, a coil of copper wire, old gin bottles and a lot of coins of the early 19th century.

Dr Kodzo Gavua, a lecturer at the Department said the discovery suggests that the place was once used for a kind of worship or African traditional=religion.

Dr Gavua, who led 30 final year Archaeology students of the department for a 10-day practical archaeological work said trenches used by the Ga-Adangbes for guerrilla wars against the Ashantis are still present.

Nii Otu Akwettey the Ninth, chief of Katamanso is also in possession of some old pipes, slave chains and metal pellets used in the war.

The "Nkotoso" tree under which the Ga-Adangbes gathered and drank fetish concoctions, swore their oath and prayed to their gods to help defeat the=Ashantis is still standing.

Dr Gavua said the items found will be sent to the University for further research after which they would be returned to Katamanso and displayed in a museum, which the chief has agreed to set up.

The Department has also started mapping out the battle field as part of its plans to provide detailed information to boost tourism.

Dr Gavua said results of the research work will be vital to the=slave route project being sponsored by the UNDP since the Katamanso war in which the Ashantis supported by the Ga Adangbes were defeated, was the last war fought along the coast before the end of slavery.

The war saw the British using rockets for the first time in the country.

Dr Gavua said his department has plans to study the area and other historical sites further but it is faced with the problem of funds and appealed for support for archaeological research adding "with proper funding archaeology can also bring food to the table".

The Departmant=92s work was sponsored by Nestle Ghana Limited, Fan Ice Limited, Legon Archaeology Students Association and Nii Otu Akwettey, Katamanso Mantse. Miss Beatrice Naa Afieye Ashong, Member of Parliament for Kpone Katamanso in a speech, read on her behalf, urged the people to initiate plans to make Katmanso a tourists centre, reminding them that the government will embrace such a project.

She suggested to the Greater Accra Regional Co-ordinating Council and the Tema Municipal Assembly to institute an annual festival at Katamanso, where all the chiefs and people in the region will converge to celebrate the victory of the Katamanso war.

Miss Ashong said such a festival should be used to appraise the developmental needs of the people in the region, plan new projects and discuss how to finance them.

Akaatiso (Western Region) 12 Feb 

The branch chairman of the Sefwi Akaatiso Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), Mr S. Y. Afful, has appealed to the government to go ahead with the construction of the Kunkunso-Akaatiso feeder road.

He expressed concern about the deplorable state of the road saying if the contractor delays work on it before the onset of the rains, the area will be cut off from the district capital.

Mr Afful disclosed this to newsmen at the first general meeting of the Union for the year at Akaatiso in the Western region to take stock of its=activities. He advised the members to pay their monthly dues and booking fees on time to enable them to generate funds for the completion of their office complex.

Mr Ransford Adu-Gyamfi, the union's first trustee cautioned drivers against overloading, speeding and overtaking which, he said, are the major causes of accident.

He warned that any driver caught overloading his vehicle will be fined 50,000 cedis and advised them to be discipline during their operations as well as ensure regular checks on their vehicles.

Accra (Greater Accra), 12 Feb 

The Ghana Standards Board (GSB) yesterday expressed disgust at the continued presence of UB Hair Relaxer on the market saying it is unsuitable for the hair.

A statement released in Accra by the board yesterday that the product is being sold on the market despite radio announcements three months ago withdrawing it. The statement said the product causes extensive loss of hair on application saying "complaints have been received from Takoradi, Koforidua and Accra" on how the relaxer has damaged the hair of people who had used them.

=93The GSB and the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) have started investigations into the causes of the problem and wish to alert consumers of the product about the situation.=94The GSB invited agents, importers and distributors of UB Hair Relaxer to a meeting next Friday to discuss the issue in order to adopt appropriate programmes to ensure good quality.

Meanwhile, investigations by the GNA have revealed that expired products have re-emerged on the market. They include roll-ons, perfumes, hand, body and shaving creams.

The investigations conducted over a one month period found quantities of the products in shops in the central business district of Accra and around the Kwame Nkrumah Circle. Most of the shops selling the products claimed they were not aware that they had expired.

The GSB, following a survey by GNA last year, mounted a massive exercise to rid market of expired products.

The exercise brought out large quantities of expired products ranging from consumables to pharmaceuticals throughout the country. Traders in Greater Accra, Central, Eastern and Western Regions were the worst culprits.

A source at the GSB said the exercise is continuing and will be intensified in the months ahead.

Accra (Greater Accra), 12 Feb

Ace-musician Kojo Antwi, yesterday suggested the setting up a board that will embrace different groups to manage the affairs of the music industry.

"This will enhance the growth of the music industry which is being crippled by personal interests," he said in his submission to the committee probing irregularities in the Musician Union of Ghana (MUSIGA).

He said the union has problems "because of lack of definite rules andregulations to guide the industry'' and without the board, the union will continue to wallow in problems.

Mr Antwi explained that through the board, there will be different groups like pioneers, active musicians, up-and-coming musicians, amateurs, promoters and managers to show the different stages in the music industry.

''It is the duty of the union to differentiate between a comedian and a musician. Being a musician means more than just holding the instruments, which could be described as a state of mind''.

Mr Antwi called for intensive education of musicians, managers, producers and promoters since most of them do not take time to explore the inner talents of musicians.

He said some promoters are businessmen, who do not have any background in music and called on the executives of the union to advise members not to deal with any promoter, who lowers their image, especially when they are to travel outside the country.

Mr Joel Ackah, also an accomplished musician said most bandsmen run away when they travel outside Ghana because their managers do not take good care of them adding that it is important for musicians and bandsmen to have identity cards.

Mr Ackah appealed to the government to ensure that awards presented to musicians are valuable to encourage others and called for the postponement of the National Congress of MUSIGA scheduled for today, Friday, 12 February because members had not been given enough notice.

Barima Adanse-Akyem Omane, chairman of the committee, expressed concern about the desire of some musicians to form groups within the union. ''This fragmentation will not solve the problems facing the union. Rather, MUSIGA needs a united front to fight its problems.''

Accra (Greater Accra), 12 Feb

President Jerry Rawlings has appointed Nii Adjei Okine as the new Commissioner of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service.

An official statement signed by Mr J. L. M. Amissah, Secretary to the President, said he replaces Dr Charles Asembri, who becomes Director-General, Securities Regulatory Commission.

Offinso (Ashanti), 12 Feb  

Mr Brinton Clark, a US PeaceCorps volunteer and his family, have donated 2,700 dollarstowards the establishment of an income-generating project for theOffin Children's Centre at Offinso in the Ashanti Region.

The centre is an orphanage established in 1996 to cater fororphans and needy children in the district. It began with 10inmates and now has 21, made up of 11 boys and 10 girls,the oldest being 15 years and the youngest eight months.

Mrs Mary Osei Tutu, project director of the centre, was speaking when Madam Angelina Duah, aKumasi-based trader, presented 15 pairs of shoes worth about300,000 cedis to the girls at the centre.

Mrs Osei Tutu said other organisations, which have assisted theCentre included the Church of God in Christ (Mennonites) in Ghana, which has provided 9.5 million cedis towards the construction ofa house for the inmates.

She said SEW of Donnauworth, Germany, has also assistedwith 2,000 deutsche marks for the construction of a five-bedroomhouse. In addition, it gives the centre 100 dollars worthof food items every month.

The project director called for more assistance fromphilanthropists and organisations for the upkeep of the inmates,most of whom are attending school.

Accra (Greater Accra), 12 Feb  

Mr Justice Kwame Afreh, an Appeal Court Judge, today called for a debate of issues and ideas in the private media, saying its "present style of personalising issues" is slackening its growth.

" If we do not attack issues and ideas, we tend to demonise people, creating a situation where the singer is attacked rather than his song."

Mr Justice Afreh was addressing the fourth Publishers Club lectures of the Private Newspaper Publishers Association of Ghana (PRINPAG) in Accra.

The encounter, which was attended by 30 jurists, media practitioners, publishers and parliamentarians, was under the theme, "The Contribution of the Private Press to Human Rights Promotion in Ghana".

He criticised the private media for "over concentrating on politics" when discussing human rights, saying there are many other rights, including economic and social rights, which deserve equal attention.

Mr Justice Afreh said the idea that the threat to the rights of politicians and journalists is considered as the only things worth discussing should be reconsidered adding that other rights have been neglected for far too long "How many times have we turned our attention to the poor, the plight of the underprivileged? How many times have we really bothered to see how the street boy or girl lives?".

He said the only way journalists could help ordinary citizens to defend their rights is to let them know and appreciate their rights and duties under the Constitution. Dr Niyi Alabi, a media consultant, said a free press is fundamental to the sustenance of democracy in every community and described the private press as the enterprise, which has survived the hardest of times,because "no army can stop an idea whose time has come ".

"I wonder what would have happened if there was no dominant vibrant private press during the first term of the fourth republic when the opposition deserted the electorate by not going to parliament."

Dr. Alabi said no politician in authority would praise a free private press, because they are a source of worry to them, adding that "no one likes the man who brings bad news".

"Corruption in political circles has been exposed by the private press. It has created the forum for the ordinary Ghanaian to discuss matters that affect his life. " He said the private press may err in its bid to tell the truth but that does not negate the role it has played and continues to play in the nurturing of the nation's democracy.

Mr Eben Quarcoo, a veteran journalist, said the legal, physical and psychological attacks visited on the private press can never be justified.

"The detractor of the private press would like to give the dog a bad name in order to kill it. In the attack of the private press, nothing is too shameful, indecent or barbaric."

Dalun (Northern Rregionb) 12 Feb  

Amasachina, a self-help association in the Northern Region, today launched the second phase of its reproductive health care project, under which an estimated 236,000 people in 12 districts of the region are expected to benefit.

The project's goal is to continue to provide accurate up-to-date information and education on reproductive health, family planning, nutrition, personal hygiene and child health to improve family health.

This phase of the project, which is under the theme: "Mobilising Communities for Advanced Reproductive Health", is being sponsored by the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA) and Programmes for Appropriate Technologies in Health (PATH) in the United States.

In the first phase, 105 community-based distributors (CBD) undertook 2,537 health education activities in the beneficiary communities of the 12 project districts.

Amasachina board chairman, Alhaji W. W. Zakari, called on parents to be conscious of their capabilities in taking good care of the families they raise.

He said it is irresponsible for parents to produce large numbers of children, who they leave to the care of society because they are unable to cater for them.

Alhaji Zakari called on the community-based distributors to persuade the people to understand the purpose and advantages of the programme instead of imposing ideas on them.

It is only through convincing messages that the desired results of bringing about improvement in family life can be attained, he said.

Dr Elsie Taylor, a management consultant, in an evaluation of the project said it has shown that the use of visual materials in health talks has been useful and helped to reduce cases of malaria, cholera and diarrhoeal diseases.

It has also enhanced the education of pregnant mothers.

Princesstown (Western Region), 12 Feb

A two-dayround table workshop on the creation of a buffer zone aroundthe Cape Three Points forest reserve opened at Princesstownin the Ahanta West district on Wednesday.

The workshop, jointly sponsored by Ricerca Cooperazions, an international non-governmental organisation, the EuropeanCommission and the Department of Community Development, isbeing attended by 60 participants including local farmers, chiefs assembly members, timber and fuel wood exploiters.

It is aimed at determining the need and acceptability of theconcept among the stakeholders, decide on the type and extentof the buffer area, as well as the species to use and their management tobenefit the local communities, while safeguarding the integrityof the ecosystem.

The workshop would also discuss the social and economicdimensions of the creation of a buffer zone.

Opening the workshop, Mr. Yaw Kwakye, Takoradi districtforestry officer, said the 50-year old Cape Three Points forestreserve is unique among all forest reserves in the Country.

He said apart from being the only forest reserve very close to thesea, it has many tree species that cannot be found in otherreserves.

Mr. Kwakye said the Forestry Services has intensified patrolsat the Cape Three Points forest reserve to save it from being depletedthrough human activities.

The creation of the buffer zone would go a long wayto protect trees, animals and water bodies for the benefitof mankind.

Dr. Gianna Da Re, Project Director and the Country Representativeof Ricerca Cooperazions, said the Cape Three Points forest reserveguarantees a reasonable protection to the biological resources of the area and provides major ecological and biodiversity values.

She said the forest reserve is at present under pressure from humanactivities, including farming, charcoal burning, timber harvesting and other activities which threaten to degrade it.

Should this continue, the forest may no longer be able to provide such services as nutrients cycling, climate regulation, watershed protection, creation of soil and habitat for wildlife,if adequate measures are not instituted to safeguard its existence.It is for these reasons that the option of creatinga buffer zone around the Cape Three Points forest reserve must becarefully considered to mitigate the adverse effect of humanactivities on the biological resources in the area.

Liati Wote (Volta Region), 12 Feb

Ms Mary Mishelle, an American Peace Corps technical Adviser on tourism helping to develop the Tagbo water Falls, Mount Afadjato, Ghana's highest mountain and River Tizor, all in the Hohoe District, into tourist spots, was over the weekend made a citizen of the town and given the local name Ms Ama Tagbo at a durbar of the chiefs and people.

Ms Tagbo described the spots to be developed as outstanding and commended the people for their co-operation since assuming duty there.Mr Nelson Yawo Agbesi, a lawyer, advised parents to encourage their wards to aspire to university education.

Mr Agbesi, a former Volta Regional Minister and Agriculture Minister in the Limann regime, called for education for the girls and asked parents to give their children sex education.

Mr Kwami Avega-Kamabla, the Assembly Member for the area, urged the people to sustain the natural scenery of the spots.

He reminded them of their civic responsibilities of paying theirbasic rates and other taxes to enable the District Assembly to mobilisefunds to invest in viable projects including the completion of the Tourist Village started through communal labour.

Bawku (Upper East), 12 Feb

The Bawku East District Assembly has for the past four consecutive years exceeded its projected local revenue targets,Mr Dominic Akudago, Bawku East District Chief Executive, said yesterday.

He said the assembly estimated a revenue of 398.8 million cedis for 1998, but the actual revenue collected for the year was 473.8 million cedis, 18 per cent more than projected.

Mr Akudago made this known at a public forum organised by the District Assembly at Bawku to explain its programmes to the people.

He attributed the assembly's success in local revenue collection to a number of measures such as improved monitoring of revenue officers, surprise checks at revenue points and the vigilance of the district's revenue taskforce.

About 60 per cent of the assembly's share of the common fund and local revenue are spent on education, he said and, therefore, urged the people to send their children to school.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, urged the chiefs and people of the region to be concerned with the development of education in their localities.

He said the time has come for local communities to share the responsibility of providing school infrastructure due to government's dwindling resources.

The Minister, therefore, urged wealthy individuals in the area to assist in kind or cash in the development of education in the local communities.

He commended the Bawku East District Assembly for establishing the forum which he said should be broadened to enable the heads of decentralised departments and agencies to explain their activities to the people.