GRi Press review 22-01-99

GRi's Paul Osei-Tutu in Accra, reviews the Ghanaian press. The stories have not been verified and therefore we cannot vouch for their accuracy.

The Chronicle

Another Cabinet Reshuffle on Line. Spio-Garbrah=92s head on the block, Selormey, Asaga to leave Finance Ministry=94 is the screaming headline of the Ghanaian Chronicle. According to the story, Education Minister Ekwow Spio =96 Garbrah is on his way out of the Government. The two deputy Ministers at the Ministry of Finance Victor Selormey and Moses Asaga are also expected to be replaced the paper said.

 The Chronicle says its Intelligence sniffed the impending ministerial changes from the heart of President Jerry John Rawlings=92 bunker, after weeks of round-the-clock investigations. It also says the changes will affect more of the president=92s men and women. 

The paper said Spio-Garbrah; former ambassador to the United States lost favour following persistent complaints from officials of the government and the general public.  

 In a second front-page story headlined: =93Low Cargo Export Afflict Takoradi Harbour=94, the paper says one of the major constraints preventing the Takoradi Harbour from realising its full potentials is the inability of some vessels that docks at the harbour to get cargo back.

 The story quotes the Port Operations Director as saying the only motivation for vessel captains to visit Ghana ports is the knowledge that they would get cargo on return and if the cargo was not forthcoming it could affect vessel traffic. 

 As a means of curbing the situation, the port authorities say they are holding discussions with foreign companies who are eager to use the port as an entry point for 170,000 tonnes of bagged cement, and the Ghana Manganese and Ghana Railway Corporation, for the latter to give maganese meant for export to the vessels that will bring the cement to serve as a motivation.  

 The Free Press reports on an impending strike by the Association of Tanker Owners, which threatens to block the link between fuel suppliers and retailers by withdrawing their services from February 1, 1999. 

Under a front-page headline, =93Another energy crisis looms. Fuel Shortage ahead=85as tanker owners threatened to withdraw services=94, the paper says the threat was contained in a letter from the Association to the Minister of Mines and Energy, dated January 14 and signed by the National Chairman, Ben Atsu Agomanyi. 

The paper says should the threat be carried out, there would be an acute shortage of fuel which will result in price increase to worsen the situation of price hikes which is likely to be created by the introduction of VAT. 

 =93Boakye Djan is coming home, with Capt. Baah Acheamfour and Major Mensah Poku to bury his father=94 is a second story on the front page of the Free Press. The story has it that the leader of the June 4 armed forces evolution, Major Boakye Djan, will be making a =93triumphant entry=94 into his home land around February 20, 1999 after 18 years sojourn in London as a (P)NDC refugee.

 The paper reports that accompanying the spokesman for the erstwhile Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) are two of his colleague members of the council, Major Poku and Capt. Acheamfuor. Major Djan=92s father. Nana Kofi Djan the first, chief of Abuokrom, a village in the Jaman District of the Brong Ahafo Region died early this month.

 The retired major is billed to arrive home in time for his father=92s burial and funeral next month, the paper said. 

The paper says the retired officers like most of the architects of the June 4 coup, which brought Rawlings to power, have also been plotted in the red books of the (P)NDC regime. 

Previous projected arrivals of AFRC exiles had put the BNI and national security agencies on red alert, says the Free Press. 

 Daily Graphic and Ghanaian Times

The two national dailies =96 the Daily Graphic and the Ghanaian Times devote their front-pages to the release of a Government White Paper on the police service and a police, army swoop carried out in Accra.

 The Graphic=92s headline reads =93Big deal for the police, as govt. acts on Archer Report=94 while the Times=92 has =93white paper on police service release=94 as it second story.

  The Times reports that the government has issued a white paper on the operations of the Ghana Police Service and law enforcement in the country.

  The paper refers to an official statement which said a seven-member Commission chaired by former Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Philip Archer, found the Police Service to be woefully undermanned, ill trained and equipped.

  It also observed that morale and motivation among personnel were low and recommended measures to improve the situation.

 The measures include the review of policy guidelines and qualifications for enlistment, as well as the extension of training period of recruits into the Ghana Police Service from six months to nine months.

 The Graphic says the government has directed that a Marine Police Unit be established to enforce law and order on Ghana=92s sea, ports and on the Volta Lake.

 It has also directed that where necessary, new divisions be created within the Police Service to enhance effective policing.

  The other story reported by the two papers on the police swoop said 74 suspected criminals were arrested by a combined team of Police and Army personnel in a special dawn operation at their hideouts in the Accra Metropolis.

  The paper said the operations were carried out at Avenor, Nima 441, Angola, Haatso, Dansoman, Flamingo, Gbegbeyiese, Mampoase and Mamprobi areas.

 The operation lead to the seizure of 46 maxi bags and four large suitcases of substances suspected to be Indian Hemp. Other items found were a locally manufactured pistol, 163 pieces of shot gun cartridges, tape recorders, television sets, a number of mobile phone, some electrical appliances, and human bones among other.

  =93Kwabena Agyepong challenges Rawlings=94 is a second story on the front-page of the Weekend Statesman. The story has it that Mr. Kwabena Agyapong, son of one of the three judges and a retired army officer who was abducted and brutally murdered on June 30, 1982 has described President Rawlings as a lair who although he knew about the murder before the event feigned ignorance in a nation-wide broadcast on July 4,1982.

 The paper said Mr. Agyepong was referring to a comment made by President Rawlings on January 7 at the Independent Square where he said among other things that the abductions and murder of the three judges and the retired army major was swiftly and thoroughly investigated and culprits though close to them were thoroughly punished.

 Mr. Agyepong at a press conference said Rawlings in his bid to cover his tracks, protecte Capt. Tsikata and also ensure that Amartey Kwei did not spill the beans before his execution, went through the sadistic ritual of extracting a last minute confession which he Rawlings personally recorded on audio tape. 

He added that to ensure his cooperation, Amartey Kwei was kept ignorant of his final fate =96 believing erroneously that Rawlings will set him free but it was too late.

 =93Create Land Bank to Facilitate Investment - Agbenaza=94 is a story on the front-page of the Ghana Palaver. The story says the Central Regional Minister, Lt-Col. Agbenaza has called on district assemblies to create =93land banks=94 to enhance investment in the region.

 Land banks will enable district assemblies to acquire land and deal directly with investors to eliminate litigation over them, the paper reports the Minister as saying

 =93Beheaded! Sad end of 10-year-old Dunkwa boy=94 is the screaming headline of the Weekend Chronicle. The story says the ancient gold mining town of Dunkwa-on-Offin in the Central Region was thrown into confusion on the eve of New Year when a 10-year-old boy who had been reported missing was discovered in a pool headless.

 With a photograph of the headless Kweku Sunkwa on the front-page, the paper reports that his head has since not been found.

 This, the paper said has put residents of Dunkwa in such a state of fear that they are always found indoors.

  The weekend edition of the Graphic Sports says =93Police save Ouattara from wrath of hearts fans in Kumasi=94 The story have it that securitymen in Kumasi last Wednesday rescued Coach Abubakar Ouattara, the man at the centre of the Yaw Sakyi transfer drama, from being lynched by irate supporters of Accra Hearts of Oak. 

 It said the Police from the Regional Police Headquarters in Kumasi came to the timely rescue of the Coach when the two parties involved in the scandal were invited by the Police to a discussion.

  The discussions held at the instance of the Regional Police Commander turned out to be full of fireworks with emotions reaching dizzy heights. According to the story the tension was such that Harry Zakkour and Ouattara were close to exchanging blows. This led to the postponement of interrogation to February 3.

 =93Azumah made boxing Ambassador=94 is a second story on the front-page of the Graphic Sports. The story has it that the World Boxing Council (WBC) last Wednesday added one more badge to Boxing Professor Azumah Nelson=92s amazing collections, naming him =93World Champion Ambassador of Boxing for Africa=94 

The story quotes a world-wide message circulated from Mexico by WBC President, Jose Sulaiman, in which the world sanctioning body said it would supplement efforts towards the building of a fitting boxing gymnasium in Accra to immortalise the memory of Azumah Nelson. 

The announcement came a month after the council had decorated Azumah in South Africa with a proclamation as the Greatest African boxer of all time.