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The Ghanaian Chronicle
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Oh, Rawlings!'He is depressed over 'criminals' surrounding him', says the Ghanaian Chronicle In a front page banner.
The Chronicle says 17 years after he launched his revolution to rid the country of corruption, President Jerry Rawlings is depressed that his vision of a corruption-free Ghana still remains a dream. The paper says the President could not hide his frustration at the level of criminality among the security personnel and what he described as 'their civilian collaborators', when he addressed soldiers at the El-Wak Stadium in Accra to celebrate the 17th anniversary of the 31st December, 1981 revolution.
The Chronicle says in an extempore speech after his prepared text that touched on efforts to derail his revolution and dampen the revolutionary spirit, the allegation that he was paid 5 million dollars by Nigeria and the situation in Sierra Leone, President Rawlings berated both security personnel and their officers for being corrupting influences that are undermining the integrity of the security services.
'There are some soldiers who have put their services at the disposal of criminal civilian businessmen who build houses for them', he is reported as telling the parade of soldier's.
In another front page story headlined: 'The President's health causes scare', the Chronicle says reports quoting Castle sources indicate that President Jerry Rawlings had been receiving treatment for malignant and recurring malaria, and this has sent shock waves of justifiable concern among some medical practitioners. The reports, the paper says, came almost six months after the 52-year-old President nearly collapsed during a speech to commission a mine in the Ashanti Region, last year. According to the Chronicle, concerns in medical circles were raised at the malignment turn of the malaria and suggested that a proper diagnosis should be conducted on =93our President for us to know his health status=94. The President=92s health, the paper says attracted attention during the celebrations marking the 17th anniversary of the 31at December revolution when he appeared tired while delivering is address to troops at the El-Wak Stadium in Accra.
Free Press
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In its lead story, the Free Press says while the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is accusing the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) of fraudulent deals in the award of contracts, the two Iinstitutions couner-accuse the SFO of witch-hunting. The paper says the SFO which is conducting investigations into alleged malpractices within the GES, is holding hostage the accounts books and other relevant documents of the Ministry of Education until the completion of the probe into alleged malpractices in the supply of books and award of contracts. Mr A. Tetteh Mensah, Assistant Director (Investigations) of the SFO, is reported as saying that officials at the Ministry of Education, for fear of exposure, are attempting to block investigations into their financial affairs. He held that the Ministry and the GES are behaving like 'a mafia group trying to protect and cover up their own misdeeds'.
A second story on the front page of the Free Press captioned: 'Women MPs cry against spate of female killings', says the female Members of Parliament from both sides of the House, have condemned the recent spate of killings in Ghana. While some of them contended that women were being murdered for ritual purposes, people outside Parliament believe the murderers use the blood drawn from the victims to neutralise the scent of cocaine and heroin to avoid arrest during shipment of the narcotics. Mrs Comfort Owusu, NDC Member of Parliament for Mfantsiman East is reported as saying: 'The national capital is really gripped in much fear and apprehension following the spate of killings in the past two weeks=94., adding that all the murders followed the same pattern. Mrs Owusu, who is also Majority Deputy Chief Whip, therefore made an appeal to the Minister of the Interior to make every effort to bring the culprits to book.
The Dispatch
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In an exclusive lead story headlined: 'Reform T-shirts to be launched', the Dispatch reports that the Reform Movement within the ruling NDC, has moved a step towards consolidation. The Movement has designed and printed T-shirts which will be launched together with its Charter within the next few weeks. The paper says the white T-shirts have the front inscription, 'Reform Movement' and a slogan: 'Ghana First' (both in blue), with blue and yellow double lines. The back inscription says: 'I love Reform, do you?' 'Ghana first', with three double blue and yellow lines. According to the Dispatch, finishing touches are being put to the Charter of the Movement. It is expected to address the wider themes of the group's vision for Ghana: 'The challenge to our generation as we enter the 21st century, is self-reliant orientation to development based on democratic, economic, social and political relations and expanding opportunities for all our people'.
Daily Graphic
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'Imported vehicles to attract VAT', says a front page headline of the Daily Graphic. The accompanying story says all vehicles imported into Ghana, except ambulances and agricultural tractors, now attract 10 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT). Vehicle up to 1900cc, attract five cent import duty and 10 per cent VAT, those in the 1900cc to 2500cc, attract 10 per cent import duty and 10 per cent VAT while vehicles above 2500cc, attract 10 per cent import duty, 10 per cent VAT and 17.5 per cent special tax. The Graphic says the decision has been taken as part of measures to plug the loopholes in Ghana=92s tax administration and to increase the government=92s revenue base for economic development.
In another front page story, headlined: 'Ex-Juaso chief arrested in Accra', the Graphic reports that Nana Owusu Akyaw Prempeh II, who had been declared wanted by the Kumasi Police for breach of the peace leading to the loss of life and property, has been arrested in Accra. He is alleged to have defied the orders of the Ashanti Regional Security Council and the Police Administration to cancel a planned procession and party at Juaso in the Ashanti Region, since the intended activities threatened public peace and order.
The Graphic says Nana Prempeh who was arrested at a hide-out, is being held at the Police Headquarters. He is reported to have gone into hiding soon after the incident in which his supporters clashed with the police leading to the death of one person and the injury of 11 policemen. The paper says Nana Prempeh, together with his accomplices, will be arraigned before court soon.
Ghanaian Times
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The Times also reports the arrest of the ex-Jusohene, Nana Owusu Akyaw Prempeh II, in a front page story. The paper says Nana rempeh has been arrested at a hideout in Accra in connection with the rowdyism at Juaso in the AsanteAkim South District of Ashanti, last Sunday. He is said to have breached the Public Order Act, which resulted in the loss of life and the destruction of property. Quoting police sources in Kumasi, the Times says Nana Prempeh was arrested in a special exercise mounted by the police in Accra. According to the paper, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kojo Yankah, had warned that when Nana Prempeh was arrested, he would be held personally responsible for the breach of the peace, loss of life and destruction of property, as he had been sufficiently warned in advance against the holding of a procession and a party. Juaso is said to face a security problem because of a protracted chieftaincy dispute.
A five year prison sentence imposed on a 20-year-old woman for child abduction, is carried by the Times in another front page story. The paper reports that Esi Awotwi, a 20-year-old trader in the Western Region, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment in hard labour by a Sekondi Circuit Tribunal for abducting an eight-year-old boy from Ghana to Ivory Coast. She pleaded not guilty. The Times quotes the prosecution as telling the tribunal chaired by Mr Mensah-Anyimah that on November 24, 1998, the boy Emmanuel Benyah, a class one pupil of the Shama Roman Catholic Primary School, was playing behind his house after school when Esi Awotwi approached him. The woman convinced the boy to carry her plantain for her with the promise that she would give him some of the plantain for his mother. Benyah obliged but instead of the short distance, the woman took him to Elubo, a border town in the Western Region, where she claimed was the point to collect the plantain from. The prosecution, the Times says told the court that no plantain was found there and because it was nightfall the two of them spent the night at Elubo. The next day, Esi Awotwi took Benyah through Jewi Wharf on the Ghana/Ivory Coast border, to Charkum. A town the Ivory Coast, where she bought food from Madam Awuah Amoah, a Ghanaian She later sneaked into town leaving the boy behind for three days. Madam Amoah became suspicious and therefore, thoroughly interrogated the boy. He told her of the ordeal he had gone through and furnished Madam Amoah with the address of his parents. Madam Amoah reported the matter to the Ghanaian chief in the town and Esi Awotwi was arrested when she resurfaced on November 28, 1998, for the boy.