Rawlings'
threat 20 years ago…Execute anyone rewarded by gov't.
Mills
gets the nod as flagbearer of the NDC.
It's
Mills…He's to pick own mate.
NPP
is alarmist - Asamoah
AGC
in robust lead.
NDC
loses one seat
Tema
oil refinery runs at loss
I
will seek your 24hr guidance
Rawlings'
threat 20 years ago…Execute anyone rewarded by gov't.
The
Dispatch recalls in a front page story that it is almost 20 years today, (May
5, 1980), that the then Chairman of the erstwhile Armed Forces Revolutionary
Council (AFRC), Flt-Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, walked into the editorial offices
of the Daily Graphic to demand the execution of any member of the council who
is found to have been rewarded with various sums of money by the government.
According
to the report, in a mood described as "fiery", the Graphic in a front
page story, said Rawlings wanted to debunk reports in a section of the press
that he had been given a bonus of 100,000 cedis, a house and a car while some
of his colleagues received 50,000 cedis each.
The
report says J.J. told the editorial conference which was then in session, to
convey his invitation to the workers, masses and the soldiers to put him and
his colleagues before the firing squad if the story proves to be true.
The
report quotes him as saying the AFRC executed people and if its members were
found doing the same thing, they should be executed.
He is
said to have called on the People's National Party (PNP) of the late Dr Hilla
Limann to come out with a statement on the issue or "consider it to be
party to it or condoning it."
On
the same day, the report says, the PNP government issued an official statement
which stated that they could not confirm or deny allegations made by an Accra
weekly newspaper, 'The Palaver', that members of the erstwhile AFRC were each
paid a total 50,000 cedis as bonus shortly before the AFRC handed over power to
the Limann administration.
The
report quotes the PNP statement to have said that the outgoing AFRC had not
given any account of monies collected during the AFRC period. It was when
President Limann complained publicly, that the government was informed that a
sum of 23 million cedis had been transferred by the AFRC to the Special
Tribunal, then to the National Consolidated Fund, the report said.
GRi…/
Mills
gets the nod as flagbearer of the NDC.
The
Daily Graphic says Vice President John Evans Atta-Mills has been elected by
popular acclamation as the presidential candidate of the Progressive Alliance,
which groups the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the Egle Party and the
Democratic People's Party (DPP), for the December 8 presidential poll.
According
to the paper, the transition of power from president Jerry John Rawlings,
leader and founder of the NDC, to Prof. Atta-Mills, was as smooth as it was
historic, fulfilling the sacred pledge President Rawlings made during his
famous Swedru Declaration that he would back the affable Prof. Mills for the
party's Presidential slot if he sought that high party position.
The
paper says when Mrs Barbara Fynn-Williams, Chairperson of the Elections
Committee of the NDC took over proceedings to herald the conduct of the
elections to chose the party's flagbearer, a heavy atmosphere of expectation
descended on the Dela Cathedral of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana,
where two thousand five hundred party delegates have gathered.
There
was spontaneous loud cheers of "Professor, you are great" when she
announced that Professor Mills in accordance with the rules and regulations set
out in the party's constitution regarding the election of the flagbearer, was
the sole candidate for the position, the paper added.
After
this, the paper says, Mrs Veronica Addy, a member of the Electoral Commission
and the official who was tasked to supervise the election at the congress put
Prof. Mills' candidature to the floor and accordingly declared him the duly
elected candidate of the NDC for the December 8, 2000 elections amidst
uncontrollable jubilation.
GRi…/
It's
Mills…He's to pick own mate.
The
Ghanaian Times in a front-page story, reports on President Jerry John Rawlings'
declaration that Prof. John Atta-Mills, presidential candidate of the National
Democratic Congress (NDC), has the prerogative of choosing his vice
presidential candidate for the December 2000 elections.
The
report says the President made the declaration in view of the debate that the
vice presidential candidature of the NDC has generated among party faithfuls,
the media and politicians in general.
According
to the report, even though the issue of vice presidential candidate was not on
the agenda, President Rawlings appealed to all to respect the decision of the
National Consultative Council so as not to muddy the waters.
The
president is said to have mentioned that he would be available to play any role
assigned to him in the party's constitution.
GRi…/
NPP
is alarmist - Asamoah
The
Ghanaian Democrat reports the Western Regional Chairman of the National
Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Felix Archibald Asamoah as describing the New
Patriotic Party (NPP) as full of alarmists blowing the current economic
problems of the country out of proportion.
Mr
Asamoah said the current problems facing the economy are a result of the unfair
world economic order, which has marginalised developing countries including
Ghana.
He
therefore called on the NPP-led opposition not to capitalise on it and blame
the government for it.
This,
according to the report, was contained in Mr Asamoah's Easter message to party
faithfuls when he addressed them at Sekondi in the Western Region.
GRi…/
AGC
in robust lead.
The
Accra Mail reports that despite the challenges it faced in 1999, the Ashanti
Goldfields Company (AGC) Limited has recorded a healthy operational
performance.
This,
the paper says, was disclosed last Wednesday at the presentation of the
company's 1999 end of year results.
In
1999, the report says, AGC survived scary financial crises but stormed back
with gold production of 437,222 ounces, up by 4 percent from the comparable
period last year. Cash operating costs of $183 per ounce were 12 percent lower
than the fourth quarter of 1998, it said.
The
report quotes the Chief Executive of the AGC, Mr Sam Jonah, as stating in a
document released to journalist during the presentation that "we take
pride in having consistently delivered on our operational targets during the
last two years and look to the future with determination".
The
report also quotes Mr James Anaman, Managing Director for public affairs of
AGC, who co-ordinated the presentation to have mentioned that "the Obuasi
mine contributed over 740,000 ounces to group production".
GRi…/
NDC
loses one seat
The
Ghanaian Voice on its front page discloses that it is likely that Honourable
Farouk Brimah might throw in the towel and call it quit as a parliamentarian.
According to the paper his position is likely to be taken by Charles Kofi Wayo,
the American based Ghanaian millionaire.
The
paper states that the launch of the Charles Kofi Wayo fan club recently was to
enhance Wayo’s chances in the December 2000 elections.
According
to the paper, the crowd at the launching was in a festive mood to welcome back
home Mr. Wayo who has made it big in America and has come to help his constituency
to develop.
More../
Tema oil refinery runs at
loss
The
paper in its centre spread discloses that the free falling cedi has been cited
as the major cause for the inability of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to make
profit.
According
to the paper, foreign exchange losses has consistently afflicted the company
over the years mainly because reimbursements to it for products sold is done on
a quarterly basis by the government and therefore is unable to peg the exchange
rate correctly.
The
paper says Mr. W S Parker chief executive of TOR disclosed that if the exchange
rate improved there was no reason why TOR would not record profits.
According
to the paper, Mr. Parker made this known to a group of journalists on a visit
to the refinery as part of the Ministry of Mines and Energy’s “meet the
Press” encounter last Wednesday.
GRi.../
I
will seek your 24hr guidance
The
public Agenda on its front page highlights some interesting events at the just
ended congress of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Ho. The paper
recounts that barely five minutes after Professor John Atta Mills had been
unanimously slotted in as presidential candidate, he made clear that he
foresees a strong role for outgoing President Rawlings in a Mills
administration.
“ Mr.
President we will make you to stay in this country, I will call on you morning,
evening and night”, he said.
According
to the paper in his acceptance speech after his nomination, Prof. Mills
recalled his political history, and depicted President Rawlings as the man who
torched his path into Ghanaian Politics. “Five years ago, I had no desire to go
into politics but Rawlings brought me into it. I am grateful to him for that”,
the paper quotes him as saying.
The
paper says his gratefulness may not be to only President Rawlings but also to
Mrs. Rawlings, who prompted him to make a striking pledge to give women more
jobs in his government when elected President.
The
paper stated that though the President and NDC co-chairman Issifu Ali stated at
the congress that the issue of selecting a running mate is Mill’s prerogative,
it is clear that the presidential candidate would consult party executives.
According
to the paper, Issifu Ali said: “ We have absolute confidence in his Excellency
Prof. Mills our vice president and presidential candidate. We would partner him
in his prerogative”
GRi.../