GRi Newsreel 24-02-99

Cape Coast, (Central Region) 24 Feb.

The Fifth Annual Students Drama Festival, dubbed "STUDRAFEST 99", for second cycle institutions in the Central region, was launched yesterday at the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in Cape Coast.

The one-day festival scheduled for Saturday, May 29, this year, is under the theme "Theatre for Development - The Role of the Youth" is being organised by the Regional Directorate of the CNC.

The festival, which will be held on competitive basis, is among other things, geared towards unearthing the creative writing skills of individual students or schools and strengthening the literacy capabilities of the participants as potential playwrights, poets or journalists.

In an address, the Regional Director of the CNC, Mr Emmanuel Quao, stressed the need to raise the level of cultural awareness among the youth and to encourage them to find more profitable use for their creative talents.

This, he said, would help prevent them from falling for the "uneventful trappings" of foreign cultural influences.

Mr Quao said the CNC would use the festival as a forum for the discussion of issues that are pertinent to the nation's forward march into the next millennium.

"We hope to see and hear such creative works that will connect the present with past events and the present with future necessity," he said adding there is also the need to pay tribute to renowned playwrights like the Late Mrs Efua Sutherland.

The Regional Director of Education, Mr P.K. Badu-Prah, commended the CNC for its efforts to improve the knowledge of students in the region as well as enhance their chances of competing in similar festivals at the national level.

Eleven second cycle schools have so far expressed their desire to participate in the festival.

Accra, (Greater Accra) 24 Feb.

The World Watch Institute (WTI) has called for a concerted effort by governments to develop an environmentally sustainable global economy that can meet the demands of the next millennium.

"Our analysis shows that we are entering a new century with an economy that cannot take us where we want to go. Satisfying the projected needs of eight billion or more people with the economy we now have is simply not possible," the non-profit making institute in the US, says.

In its special millennium edition of the State of the World report, the WTI, therefore, recommends a new design principle that shifts from the depletion of natural resources to an economy that is based on renewable energy and that continually reuses and recycles materials.

"A sustainable economy will be a solar-powered, bicycle/rail based one that uses energy, water, land and materials much more efficiently and wisely than we use today".

The report says though the transformation may seem far-fetched, it can be achieved when the world sets itself to the task.

"Just as the 19th century was marked by the abolition of slavery and the 20th century's perspective by a new international principle of human rights (adopted by the United Nations in 1948), the 21st century will require a new ethic of sustainability that includes the need to live within our ecological means. We will need a new set of human responsibilities to the natural world and to future generations to go with our new found human rights".

The report highlights the extensive damage to the environment and depletion of natural resources, including fisheries, biodiversity, and woodlands and says the consequences have been the spate in weather-related disasters.

"The early costs of climate change may already be evident: weather-related economic damages of 89 billion dollars in 1998 exceeded losses for the decade of the 1980s.

"In Central America, Hurricane Mitch killed 11,000 people, and Honduras suffered losses equivalent to one-third of its annual GDP".

It advocates taxes on activities that degrade the environment to encourage the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies.

"If coal burning is taxed, solar energy becomes more economically competitive. If auto emissions are taxed, cleaner forms of transportation become more affordable".

The report also urges governments to implement the conventions on Climate Change and Bio-diversity.

"So far, national governments have largely failed to effectively implement the last decades land mark environmental treaties on Climate Change and Bio-diversity. One of the challenges of the 21st century will be to fulfil their ambitious promises to stabilise the climate and slow the destruction of species".

It points out that it is important for wealthy countries to address the problems of more than one billion people living in poverty as part of the efforts to promote efficient use of natural resources.

Nkrankwanta, (Brong Ahafo), 24 Feb.

A 54million cedis workshop being constructed for the Nkrankwanta Secondary Technical School in the Dormaa district is progressing steadily.

Mr I. Oduro, district manager of the Public Works Department who is the consultant of the project has led the Dormaa district Chief Executive, Mr Kwadwo Boateng to inspect the project which is being funded by the assembly.

Mr Oduro said the project which is at the roofing level is expected to be completed by the end of June this year.

Mr Boateng commended the contractor for the good wok so far done and advised him to work harder to complete the project on schedule.

Tema, (Greater Accra) 24 Feb.

Mr Emmanuel W. Ofoe, Tema Municipal Co-ordinating Director, today called on heads of government departments and accounting officers to ensure that government accounting systems conform to the new Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).

He said under the MTEF, items previously numbered one to nine have now been merged into only four items - personnel, administration (overhead cost), services and investments.

Mr Ofoe was speaking at the opening session of a two-day workshop on the MTEF organised for heads of departments and accounting officers drawn from the Tema Municipality and the Dangme East, Dangme West and Ga districts.

The workshop, meant to equip them with new accounting procedures in accordance with the MTEF, forms part of the Public Financial Management Reform Programme (PUFMARP).

Mr Ofoe said the primary objective of MTEF is to ensure that policies of ministries, departments and agencies of government conform to national priorities.

He said the MTEF seeks to establish the linkages between recurrent and development budget and eliminate the relative lack of transparency in the management of the budget.

Mr Ofoe noted that before the inception of the MTEF, budgeting was just a little better than intelligent guess work with ill-supported justifications.

He reminded them that the success of the MTEF requires dedication and co-ordination of the work of accounting officers, development planning officers and budget officers. This is because it is the sum total of the inputs of these units which go to produce the final budget estimate of every organisation.

Mr Joshua K.K. Somuah, Tema Municipal Finance Officer who is also a resource person for the seminar, said the MTEF system would allow the review of priorities in the preparation of development budgets.

It will also address the weaknesses in the previous system of budgeting and also address the unilateral freeze imposed on expenditures during the financial year.

Mr Somuah said previously budgets were prepared annually but under the MTEF, every institution will have a three-year "rolling" budget, which encourages planning ahead, transparency and the solution of problems with team spirit.

The MTEF implementation training workshop will discuss topics including strategic planning, new budget classification, new budgeting and accounting codes, preparation of cash flows and budget implementation rules.

Accra, (Greater Accra) 24 Feb.

Five new envoys on Wednesday presented their letters of credence to Vice-President John Atta Mills at the State House in Accra.

They are Mr Susan Ismodirdjo from Indonesia, Major Maba Jahou Jobe from the Gambia, Mr Matthew Ernest Keith Neuhaus, Australia, Mr Lars Ekstrom, Sweden and Mr Francisco Kose Cruz Gonzalez from Mexico.

Professor Mills congratulated the new envoys and urged them to serve as a catalyst to reinvigorate existing relations between their respective countries and Ghana, particularly in the area of trade and commerce.

He said it was his hope that they would work tirelessly with the government to enhance bilateral economic ties to the mutual benefit of their peoples.

Prof. Mills said he hoped that by the end of their respective duty tours the number of investments from their countries in Ghana would have increased.

Dormaa-Ahenkro (Brong Ahafo), 24 Feb.

The Dormaa district office of the forestry department collected about 1.4 billion cedis as revenue from its operations last year.

The revenue which came from royalties, concession rents and the conveyance fees, had already been disbursed to government chest, traditional councils and district assemblies, Mr Richard Gyimah, the district forestry officer told newsmen at Dormaa-Ahenkro yesterday.

He said the department, in collaboration with Mim timber company, Oti Yeboah complex limited and a number of communities constructed green belts around the Pamu-Berekum forest reserve to check bushfires.

Mr Gyimah also said the department has a stock of about 70,000 seedlings of different economic trees for supply to communities, institutions and individuals who wish to undertake afforestation programmes adding that the department is doing everything possible to check illegal exploitation of timber and other forest resources in the area. He said the department will provide technical advice to individuals, non-governmental organisations and institutions interested in afforestation programmes while the Dormaa district assembly and the Ghana National Fire Service has embarked on anti-bushfire campaigns throughout the district to educate the people on the need to protect the environment.

Awutu-Mankessim (Central Region), 23 Feb.

Leading members of three political parties in the Awutu traditional area and their followers have defected to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at a ceremony at Awutu-Mankessim.

They are Warrant Officer Class One S.K. Romeo-Tetteh (Rtd), parliamentary candidate of the National Convention Party in the last elections, Mr Jacob Love Affedu Convention Party's constituency chairman for Awutu/Senya, and Mr S.K. Ampofo, ward organise(New Patriotic Party for Awutu-Bawjiase electoral area.

Speaking at the function presided over by Nai Kwao Otuo, a member of the NDC, the three leaders congratulated the NDC government for carrying out promises it made to the electorate.

W/O Romeo-Tetteh and Mr Affedu said they appreciated the creditable performance of the NDC and the district chief executive, Lieutenant Daniel William Osardu.

They, therefore, pledged to team up with the NDC to help develop the nation and play a key role in next year's general election to ensure a landslide victory for the NDC.

Mr Adam Hakeem, an opinion leader and a leading member of the NDC, advised the defected members to remain loyal to the leadership of the party.

Mr Muhammadu Kotoko, Bawjiase area ward chairman of the NDC, charged members to start the campaign to win more votes for the party in the 2000 election.

Accra, (Greater Accra) 24 Feb.

The President, Flt-Lt Jerry John Rawlings, left Accra yesterday for Washington DC for a four-day official visit to the US. The President was accompanied by a 14-member delegation, including the First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings and Madam Fati Jawula, a member of the Council of State.

The other members of the delegation are the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Victor Gbeho, Mr Victor Selormey, Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr John Abu, Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Deputy Minister of Education, Ms Cecilia Johnson, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kofi Attoh, MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Mr Kojo Armah, MP.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visit reciprocates the historic tour undertaken by President Clinton in March last year to Ghana and other African countries, and it is within the context of the increasingly warm relations between Ghana and the US.It said President Rawlings and his delegation will discuss with their American counterparts bilateral and multi-lateral issues of mutual interest, including trade, agriculture, education, energy, security in the West African sub-region, the United Nations, problems associated with the globalisation of the world economy and the millennium bug.

The statement said a trade agreement is expected to be signed between the two countries which is designed to set the guidelines for enhanced mutually beneficial trade relations between the two countries.

President Rawlings will address the council on foreign relations in Washington DC.

According to the statement, the delegation will also seek to draw attention of the American authorities, especially the US Senate, to the important contribution that the African Growth and Opportunities Act could make in redefining the relationship between the US and Africa with emphasis on trade and rapid economic growth in Africa.

It said the US is an important trading partner for Ghana and a great source of technical assistance, aid and investment funds.

The delegation was seen off at the airport by the Vice-

President, Prof John Atta Mills, Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, Chairman of the Council of State, Ministers of state, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Peter Nanfuri, Chief of Defence Staff, Lt-Gen. Ben Akafia, and Miss Sharon Lavorel-Rutherford, a deputy of the US embassy.

Bolgatanga, (Upper East) 24 Feb.

Fifty towns and villages in the Upper East Region are to be provided with electricity under a 10 million dollar concessional grant from the Spanish Government.

The project has been awarded on contract to Elecnor Engineering Company, a Spanish firm, and is expected to be completed within 18 months.

Mr Simon Abingya, Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy, announced this in Bolgatanga when he paid a courtesy call on the Bolga-Naba Martin Abilba at the weekend.

At the meeting, the Minister also formally presented to the paramount chief, three engineers from Elecnor who have arrived in the region to begin a pre-construction survey.

Mr Abingya, also Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, explained that the 50 beneficiary communities were selected from the Bolgatanga, Talensi, Bongo, Kassena-Nankana, and Paga-Chiana constituencies upon recommendations of a study conducted in the region in 1994.

He said 18 towns and villages in the Bolgatanga area would benefit from the package. They include Zuarungu, Kalbeong, Gambibgo, Sumbrungu, Zaarepn Yikene, Zorbisi, Yorogo, and Tindomolgo.

Mr Abingya indicated that in 1990, the government embarked on a policy to extend electricity to all parts of the country by the year 2020.

The programme began with the connection of the 110 district capitals to the national power grid. The first phase was successfully accomplished in October 1998 when Nadowli District in the Upper West Region, the final one on the list, got connected.

"Now that all the district capitals have been served, our government's next target is the inner towns and villages, and we are determined to cover these within the stipulated period," stated the Minister.

In response, Naba Abilba remarked that the government's concern for the welfare of rural dwellers has been amply demonstrated through the rural electrification project.

He thanked the government for "bringing light into the lives of people in the village communities," and pledged the co-operation of people in his traditional area towards the success of the on-going electrification project in the region.

Mr Abingya and his team also paid similar courtesy calls on the paramount chiefs of the Tongo, Zuarungu, and Bongo traditional areas to solicit their support for smooth execution of the contract.

At Tongo in the Talensi constituency, the Tongo-Rana Kwadantii expressed his people's gratitude to the government for including 10 communities in the area on the list of beneficiaries of the power project.

The chief was optimistic that with power supply, the Talensi area would witness an accelerated pace of development.

He appealed to the Bolgatanga District Assembly and the MP of the area to commission without further delay, the Tongo market whose construction was completed last year.

At Bongo, the chief of the traditional area, Boo-Naba Akumolga Ndow, said he was grateful to the government for the decision to extend electricity to 12 towns and villages in his area.

He appealed for the rehabilitation of the Bongo-Bolgatanga trunk road to make the area more accessible.

Mampong (Ashanti Region), 23 Feb.

Service providers of the Centre for Development of People (CEDEP) Women's Forum, an NGO,have called on traditional rulers to gear customary practices towards promoting gender balance.

This, they, said the traditional rulers could do by getting involved in the education campaign on gender in their traditional areas.

These were contained in a resolution adopted at the end of a five-day gender sensitisation workshop organised by the CEDEP Women's Forum for 28 service providers in the Sekyere West district at Asante-Mampong at the weekend.

The workshop on the theme "Gender sensitisation towards development, treated topics like human rights and sensitisation, the United Nations (UN) Convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women, the situation of women in Ghana, technological empowerment and the UN convention on the rights of children.

The resolution further charged traditional rulers to encourage the education of the girl-child and called for the scrapping of taboos which militate against growth and development.

It suggested the setting up of training workshops jointly by Christians and Muslims to train the youth, particularly girls so as to put them into gainful employment.

It noted that the practice of giving away girls in marriage at early ages does not promote the development of the girl-child and therefore called for its abolition.

The resolution advocated the introduction of technical and vocational education in Teacher Training Colleges so that teachers can teach these subjects right from the primary schools.

Accra, (Greater Accra) 23 Feb.

Mr Dennis Vormawor, Deputy Secretary-General (Administration) of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (TUC), said in Accra on Monday that the labour movement is drawing up a new constitution under which women's regional representation on the executive board would be doubled from five to 10.

This, he said, is to encourage effective participation of women in the labour movement.

He was opening a three-day workshop for 10 women trade union negotiators drawn from 10 out of the 17 National Unions of the TUC on "Improved Negotiating Skills for Women Workers".

It is part of a project sponsored by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) for Ghana, Uganda, Malawi, South Africa, Seychelles and Zambia to equip women with negotiating skills so that they can articulate their labour rights and demands.

Mr Vormawor said participants have the opportunity to shape their perception on collective bargaining, which is an essential function of trade unions, and to develop those skills for the tasks ahead.

He commended Miss Adelaide Borden on her election as branch union secretary of the 10,000-strong Obuasi branch of Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) of the Ghana Mine Workers Union and urged other women to emulate her courage and determination to contest such elections.

In a welcoming address, Mrs Veronica Ayikwei Kofie, Head of the TUC's Women's Desk and Co-ordinator of the workshop, said the journey to women's empowerment is a long and arduous one.

She noted that some individuals and organisations are rising up to the challenge and said unless educated women put their shoulders to the wheel, "the majority of Ghanaian women would continue to grope in the dark long after we enter the third millennium."

Fiema, (Brong Ahafo), 23 Feb.

Communities in Brong Ahafo endowed with tourists attractions have been asked to jealously protect and maintain such attractions to open up these areas for development.

The Regional Minister, Mr Donald Adabre said tourism is fast becoming a major foreign exchange earner for the country and the people's efforts in protecting these attractions will in no small way be contributing to the growth of the economy.

The minister said this when he met officials of the Game and Wildlife and representatives of Fiema and Buabeng communities when he paid a familiarisation visit to the Nkoranza district.

The famous monkey sanctuary in the region in which hundreds of black and white colombus and mona monkeys are found is located at Fiema Buabeng.

Mr Adabre commended the two communities for being tourism conscious by protecting flora and fauna and urged communities endowed with similar natural attractions to follow their example.

He also commended the Nkoranza District assembly for helping to provide some facilities for the comfort of visitors to the sanctuary and asked the people and the district assembly not to relent in their efforts to make the place more attractive.

Mr Adabre called for the promotion of internal tourism between regions and districts and said apart from revenue to be generated it would offer pleasure to the people.

The people asked for assistance to provide a clinic which would also cater for the health needs of visitors.

Accra (Greater Accra), 24 Feb.

Mr Edward Salia, Minister of Roads and Transport, said today the delay in road construction and rehabilitation works is due to government's inability to secure adequate donor funding.

Mr Salia, who was in Parliament to answer questions from members, said without adequate funding, the Ministry will not be able to keep pace with work on the country's roads.

Responding to a question on the Jasikan-Kadjebi-Yendi road by Mr John Kwadwo Gyapong, Member of Parliament for Akan, the Minister said the 180-kilometre road has been programmed for reconstruction in phases.

He said the 76-kilometre first phase was awarded to Kassardjian as far back as 1993, and admitted that work on it had been rather slow.

This admittance by the Minister received criticisms from some Minority members who wondered why in spite of the slow pace of work on some road projects, the ministry was not looking at the possibility of disposing of old contracts first, but was still awarding new contracts.

Mr Salia said road contracts which delay cost the government so much, and that as soon as funds are available, all on-going projects will be completed before new ones are tackled in order to achieve the best results.

On the second phase of the Jasikan-Kadjebi - Yendi road project, the Minister said, "it is being evaluated, and that there is the possibility to re-award it to a more competent contractor".

Asked when the bridge over river Amoma near Atronie in the Brong-Ahafo Region damaged by a Mim Timber Company truck more than a decade ago will be repaired, Mr Salia assured the MP, Mr Emmanuel Baah-Danquah that the bridge will go for tender by the close of the year.

"It will be rehabilitated before the end of the year 2000".

He said the ministry will continue to put sign posts at crucial points on the country's roads, and warned the public to desist from tampering with them.