Rawlings consoles Mubarak on plane crash
MP calls for greater efforts to raise educational standards
Newly engaged teachers to be paid salaries
Government is determined to reduce poverty - Ahwoi
Sunyani is a big investment area, DCE
Minister commends Christ Reformed Church
Reject NDC in 2000 polls for mismanagement
Workers lay down tools at factory to be visited by Prince Philip
Clinic commissioned at Sefwi Kwamebikrom
Rawlings consoles Mubarak on plane crash
Accra (Greater Accra), 2nd November 99
resident Jerry John Rawlings, on Tuesday sent a message of condolence to President Hosni Mubarak on the tragic crash of Egypt Air Boeing 767 off the coast of Massachusetts, US.
The message, issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, quoted the President as saying that he had learnt with deep sorrow news of the tragic crash that has claimed more than 200 lives.
"Ghana shares in the irreparable loss which the brotherly people of Egypt have suffered.
"It is, therefore, with a heavy heart that I convey on behalf of the people and Government of Ghana, and in my own name, our deepest condolences and sympathies to your Excellency and the people and Government of Egypt, especially the bereaved families," the message added.
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MP calls for greater efforts to raise educational standards
Accra (Greater Accra), 2nd November 99
Mr. Kwame Dwamena-Aboagye, Member of Parliament for Asuogyaman has advised his people to pursue education as that is the only way they can benefit from the many job opportunities that abound in the area.
He mentioned the Volta River Authority (VRA) and the Kpong Hydro Power project as some of the job openings that could only be filled by skilled personnel including citizens of the area.
The MP was addressing members of the Accra-Tema branch of Anyansu-Akwamu Youth Association at a fund raising meeting in aid of development projects including electrification in the area, at the weekend.
Mr. Dwamena-Aboagye regretted that the standard of education in the area "is very poor" and called on the chiefs, people and the youth to support the Asuogyaman district assembly in efforts to rectify the situation.
On his part, the MP said he is working to revive a scholarship scheme to offer assistance to needy but brilliant students in the primary and Junior Secondary Schools in the constituency to complete their education. The scheme would later be extended to cover students of Training Colleges and the Universities.
As a further boost to education in the area, Mr. Dwamena-Aboagye said each of the five Senior Secondary Schools in the area has received 500,000 cedis each from his share of the MPs Common Fund for the purchase of books, tables and chairs.
The MP assured the Association that efforts are being made to ensure that the chiefs and people in the area are adequately compensated for the building of the Akosombo Dam, and are also given lands to farm on.
About 60 per cent of Asuogyaman land was taken by the government for the VRA project, he said.
The Assemblyman for the area, Mr. Kwaku Asante Sakyi called on especially the youth of the area to redouble efforts to raise the standard of education in the area.
He urged parents to give serious attention to the education of their children to be able to face the challenges of the next millennium.
Mr. Sakyi called on all citizens of the area, resident in the Accra-Tema metropolis to join the Association so that they could all contribute in building the communities in the area into appreciable standards.
The chief of the town, Nana Kwame Tenadu appealed to the government to expedite action so the people of Anyansu could also benefit under the Volta Lake resettlement exercise.
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Newly engaged teachers to be paid salaries
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo), 2nd November 99
Heads of educational institutions in Brong Ahafo have been directed to submit the list of newly engaged teachers to the appropriate quarters for the immediate payment of their salaries.
Mr. B.A. Agalga, Regional Director of Education said the Ministry of Education has released money for the purpose to alleviate the hardships the teachers are facing.
"Considering the present hardships, teachers who have not received any salaries since they were recruited about two months ago cannot offer any meaningful service on empty stomachs," he said.
Mr. Agalga said this at the opening of a workshop on the disbursement and monitoring of Educational Sector Support Programme (ESSP) funds, under the medium term expenditure framework, for accountants and managers of educational units in the region.
The 40 participants will update their knowledge in the preparation of work plans for the disbursement of ESSP funds, preparation of financial and activity linked returns and proper accounting for the ESSP funds.
Mr Agalga said the workshop is designed to ensure the efficient management of resources in schools to enable the Ghana Education Service to attain set-targets vital for the success of the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education programme.
He said that regional managers, accountants, and heads of schools would soon be made to sign performance agreements for efficiency, transparency and accountability.
The Regional Director said that with the release of funds, managers of schools should be able to visit their schools regularly to enhance supervision.
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Government is determined to reduce poverty - Ahwoi
Koforidua (Eastern Region), 2nd November 99
Mr. Kwamina Ahwoi, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development has urged regions yet to organise trade fairs to do so as such fairs have the potential of accelerating public and private sector growth.
In a speech read for him at the closing of the 10-day Eastern Region Trade and Tourism Fair dubbed 'Dwapa 99' Mr. Ahwoi said the enactment of such policies as the poverty alleviation fund is testimony to the government's commitment to the reduction of poverty.
The fair was under the theme "Poverty Alleviation through trade and tourism development - the key to the next millennium."
The Minister explained that the fund was set up to generate income and productivity, and asked beneficiaries to pay back so that the assemblies could reach out to more people.
It is in recognition of this that the government is pursuing a decentralisation policy, which seeks to ensure popular participation and to create an enabling environment for the regions and districts to contribute to national development.
Mr. Ahwoi urged assemblies to emulate the New Juabeng Municipal and the Akuapem North District Assemblies, which teamed up with three private companies to organise the fair.
Mr. Anthony Gyampoh, Akuapem North District Chief Executive, and chairman of Dwapa Investment Limited, said that the fair would be organised annually, and appealed to the other district assemblies to assist to make it a success.
The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Emmanuel Adu-Boateng, said that the assembly is considering the construction of a permanent trade fair centre with adequate security.
The fair attracted more than 70 exhibitors from the banking, industry and services sectors.
Dwapa, 2000 will be held from November 24, to December 10.
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Sunyani is a big investment area, DCE
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo), 2nd November 99
Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Sunyani District Chief Executive, has invited both local and foreign investors to take advantage of the numerous attractions in the district and establish businesses.
He noted that the district is "one big investment gold mine" that is waiting to be exploited for "handsome economic returns".
Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo was speaking at a durbar to mark "Sunyani district day" at the on-going Brong Ahafo 40th anniversary trade and exhibition fair in Sunyani at the weekend.
He mentioned large clay deposits, forests, fertile lands and tourist sites as some of the attractions.
"With its well developed infrastructure, including the availability of electricity, water and roads, these attractions can be exploited for the establishment of a bricks and tiles factory.
"Real estate development, sawmills, hotels and agro-industries are some of the other businesses that can also be established in the district," he said.
Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo stated that it has always been the corporate mission of the assembly to fully harness the resources of the district for the benefit of its people.
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Minister commends Christ Reformed Church
Kumasi (Ashanti), 2nd November 99
Mr. Kojo Yankah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has commended the Founder and members of the Christ Reformed Church, popularly called "Kristo Asafo" for continuously producing food to feed the needy in the society since its establishment.
He said he hoped the Almighty God would continue to provide the needed strength and the self-help spirit to produce more food every year to feed the needy and the poor in the society.
Mr. Yankah was speaking at the 19th Food fair organised by the Church for over 50 needy organisations, societies and orphanages in the northern parts of the country at the Jackson's Park in Kumasi.
The food items worth 39 million cedis included 880 maxi bags of maize, foodstuff, livestock, vegetables and palm fruits.
Beneficiary organisations include the Kumasi Female Prisons, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Mothers Home and Babies Home at Navrongo and the Wa Prison.
He advised individuals and organisations to emulate the Church and grow more food to feed the people to help reduce food shortages experienced in the country.
He called on the youth to embrace the government's Youth in Agriculture Programme and when "we produce or manufacture our own goods, there is the need to patronise them".
The Right Reverend Apostle Kwadwo Safo, Founder and Head of the Church, said the church was committed to the welfare of the needy and the deprived in the society.
He said the annual food fair is to demonstrate to all Ghanaians the need to work hard in all sectors of the economy especially in Agriculture to eliminate hunger, poverty, ignorance and disease.
Rt. Rev. Apostle Safo said the Church has established various technological and vocational institutes to offer training programmes for the youth to have the needed skills to be gainfully employed.
Professor Fred Akuffo, Dean, School of Engineering of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, said he was overwhelmed by the programmes and activities of the Church in helping the youth to uplift their spiritual development and inculcating in them the spirit of helping the needy.
He said it was time Ghanaians worked for the nation to become self-reliant and also try to be each other's keeper.
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Reject NDC in 2000 polls for mismanagement
Jachie (Ashanti), 2nd November 99
The Bosomtwe Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Atta Kwasi Jr., has asked Ghanaians to reject the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2000 elections for inefficiency and mismanagement.
This is evident from the large scale of unemployment, suffering, hardship and poverty among the people, Mr. Kwesi Jr. told a rally at Jachie, in the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District.
He said the NDC is now short of ideas for turning the economy round as tariffs keep hiking with education and health becoming unaffordable to the under privileged.
The only way to salvage the "hopeless" situation is to vote massively for the NPP, which, he said, has capable people to put the economy on a sound footing.
Mrs. Georgina Osei-Tutu, Subin Constituency Organiser of the Party, called on the electorate to resist overtures of NDC and to make sure that they vote according to their conscience.
She said that if the country is to enjoy prosperity and guarantee the future security of the youth, then all should join hands to vote NDC out.
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Speaker calls on Asantehene
Kumasi (Ashanti), 2nd November 99
Mr. Justice D. F. Annan, Speaker of Parliament, on Monday, praised Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene for successfully settling a number of chieftaincy and land disputes in a short time of his ascending the Golden Stool.
He said during a courtesy call on the Asantehene at the Manhyia palace that land and chieftaincy disputes are major factors impeding the development of the country and commended the Otumfuo for his firm stance on them.
The Speaker observed that Otumfuo Osei Tutu's achievements in his relatively short period of reign has been tremendous and remarkable.
The Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Owusu Ansah, and the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. Kojo Yankah, accompanied the Speaker and his wife.
The Asantehene thanked him for the visit and said he has been following the proceedings in Parliament with keen interest, which has convinced him that the country was making strides in entrenching multi-party democracy.
He said he was determined to reduce chieftaincy and land disputes to ensure peace and progress adding that a number of cases pending before the law courts had been withdrawn and are now being amicably settled.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu said Chieftaincy should be centred on development adding that the Asanteman Council is making every effort to promote education.
The Speaker presented a carton of schnapps and a copy of Parliamentary Proceedings to the Asantehene.
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Workers lay down tools at factory to be visited by Prince Philip
Tema (Greater Accra), 2nd November 99
Workers of Paterson Zochonis Industries Ghana Limited (PZ) at Tema, on Monday laid down their tools in protest of poor worker-management relations.
Even though, negotiations are in progress to review salaries, which started last July, the leaders of the workers claimed this was not the reason for their action.
They accused Mr. Harold Bediako-Asante, the Administrative Manager of being "bossy" and insensitive to their plight.
The workers wearing red bands were drumming, chanting and dancing within the premises of the factory bringing production to a halt and carried placards which asked for the removal of Mr. Bediako-Asante.
Speaking to newsmen, Mr. William Napoleon Coleman, local union chairman accused Mr. Bediako-Asante of poor human relations and ignoring genuine demands of the workers.
He said the workers have been denied protective gear while a nurse at the factory's clinic does not co-operate with them when they report sick.
According to Mr. Coleman casual workers are normally referred to the Tema General Hospital, where they pay their own bills while permanent workers are treated at the company's accredited clinic.
When contacted Mr. Bediako-Asante denied the allegations and said, safety gadgets are supplied on requisition by departmental heads.
He said management would adopt all measures to bring calm to factory for production to resume.
Meanwhile, two representatives from the Ghana Employers Association have visited the factory in effort to find a solution to the problem.
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Clinic commissioned at Sefwi Kwamebikrom
Kwamebikrom (Western Region), 2nd November 99
The Right Reverend Dr Sam Prempeh, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and Nana Nkua Okodom, Omanhene of Sefwi-Wiawso Traditional Area have commissioned a 230 million-cedi clinic at Sefwi Kwamebikrom, near Debiso, in the Western Region.
The Murrayfield Parish of the Church in Scotland financed it.
In an address on behalf of the Western Regional Minister, Mrs. Esther Nkansah, the District Chief Executive for Juabeso-Bia, Mr. Kingsley Asoah-Apima said the government was committed to making health facilities accessible to all.
She said the good health of the people is very important for the socio-economic advancement of the country adding that the government has plans to provide a district hospital for Juabeso.
Mrs. Nkansah announced that 181 million cedis from last year's budget for the district was voted towards health related projects.
Reverend Clarence Musgrave of the Murrayfield Parish commended the Presbyterian Church and the people of Kwamebikrom for putting funds donated to them to good use.
He appealed to the government to extend electricity to the town and donated 200 Pounds towards a livestock project to generate income to support the clinic.
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