Rawlings calls for help to stamp out corruption
Ghana Staff College designated Centre of Excellence
Queen receives plaque from Parliament
Queen's visit will earn us respect - pupils
Prince Philip tours PZ factory.
Queen Elizabeth impressed with performance of pupils
Ghanaians commend Queen's programme
Queenmother gives deadline payment of basic rates
Government urged to initiate policy to reduce crime
Rawlings calls for help to stamp out corruption
Accra (Greater Accra), 9th November 99
President Jerry John Rawlings on Monday spoke out against corruption, its negative effect on development and appealed to the international community to help African countries to stamp it out.
"The international community and the Commonwealth in particular must find ways to assist us unravel the webs of corruption which stretch from our natural resources through local individuals to international agents and banks."
The President said this at a banquet he held for Queen Elizabeth II of Britain and her husband, Prince Philip at the State House in Accra. The royal couple started a three-day visit to Ghana last Sunday, their first in about 40 years.
Also at the banquet were Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the First Lady, and several dignitaries, including Ministers, Chiefs, Members of Parliament, leaders of political parties and diplomats.
President Rawlings said the presence of the Queen, as Head of the Commonwealth, provided him with an opportunity to expose some of the crimes that stall efforts at consolidating democracy and good governance.
"By helping us to wipe out this scourge and bring to book those involved, the Commonwealth will contribute to building a worthy legacy of transparency and stability among its members."
President Rawlings said Ghana has won praise for its economic achievements but these successes are undermined by factors beyond and outside its control. These are plummeting prices of its major exports, which are cocoa and gold, and a steep rise in world oil prices.
"We cannot under-estimate the challenges of maintaining a healthy democracy when our nation's precious resources are being siphoned off by unscrupulous individuals and big businesses, both here at home and abroad."
Zeroing in on the crisis in Ghana's gold industry, President Rawlings said the "other untold part of the story, indeed, points to a long history of manipulation of the resources from our gold industry, under various guises.
"Regrettably, this takes place with the active knowledge and involvement of some of our own so-called respectable, hard-working citizens."
President Rawlings thanked those outside who have tried on the quiet to help stop the destabilising, criminal business practices that have been going on for many years in the gold industry.
He said in the closely guarded world of corporate business, the evidence of how some citizens go about manipulating the opportunities that have been selflessly created for them is concealed.
"Unfair business compromise economic stability and good governance which are both actively promoted by the Commonwealth."
President Rawlings told the Queen that since her last visit 38 years ago, many member-countries of the Commonwealth, including Ghana, had gone through a period of turmoil.
He said as much as coups must be avoided and condemned, they have sometimes prevented much greater threats to the social order that could have resulted in anarchy and national disintegration.
The President spoke about Ghana's thriving democracy and said good governance cannot stand alone. It must be supported by sound economic growth and transparent administration.
"Without sound economic growth and transparent administration, political instability will be inevitable despite the mechanisms of multi-party democracy."
In a short response, Queen Elizabeth, who leaves on today, Tuesday, for Durban, South Africa, to open the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting later in the week, said she was pleased to be back in Ghana.
She said Ghana has made significant economic and political advances and had contributed immensely to the maintenance of peace and stability in the world.
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Ghana Staff College designated Centre of Excellence
Accra (Greater Accra) 9 Nov. ’99
The United Nations Security Council has designated the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFSC), as a Centre of excellence in peacekeeping operations.
Lt. Col. E.K.T Donkor, Minister of Defence, announced this at the commissioning of an 800 million cedis (680,000 Pounds Sterling) International Peacekeeping Library for GAFSC by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Present at the short ceremony was Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, Mr. Robin Cook, British Minister of Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Service Commanders, Mr. Victor Gbeho, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr. J.E.K Aggrey-Orleans, Ghana's High Commissioner in the United Kingdom.
Col. Donkor described the designation as a demonstration of confidence by the UN and the British government's in the college.
The library was built with funds from the British government to replace the old one built 23 years ago.
The college consists of a senior and junior divisions, a research and a development unit.
It aims at training personnel to hold senior command and staff appointments and has trained officers from Senegal, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Malawi.
Col. Donkor expressed Ghana's appreciation of Britain's continued support aimed at building sub-regional peace, "something, which other people in the region are taking for granted".
He said the library, when completed would have a state of the art technology as well as Internet facilities to facilitate distance learning.
The library would further enhance the international peace support operations of the Staff College.
Prince Philip unveiled a plaque to mark the commissioning.
The library has sections on international relations, military science, economics, law, social science, guerrilla warfare, religion, philosophy and history of the first and second world wars.
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Queen receives plaque from Parliament
Accra (Greater Accra) 9 Nov. ’99
The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Justice Daniel Francis Annan, on Monday presented two magnificent plaques to the visiting royal couple after the Queen had addressed the House.
The Queen received a combination of bronze, gold and silver Adinkra artwork embossed at the base known as the "Treasures of Ashanti".
The Duke was also presented with a bronze artwork of a Ghanaian market woman on a velvet background.
The royal couple flanked by President Jerry John Rawlings and the Speaker then took turns to sign the Visitor's Book.
Among those present were The First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings and Mr
James Victor Gbeho, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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Queen's visit will earn us respect - pupils
Accra (Greater Accra) 9 Nov. ’99
Enthusiastic children who were privileged to host Queen Elizabeth II in their La Wireless Cluster of Schools, said on Monday the visit would raise the image of their school and remain in their memories forever.
In an interview with the GNA, Miss Veronica Quarcoo, a student of Wireless Four Junior Secondary School said: "I am very excited about the Queen's visit because our colleagues from the other schools would respect us.
"They often tease us that our school is inferior because of the shift system and we interact in vernacular.
"But, since we learnt about the visit, we have been speaking English with our friends and our language has improved".
Miss Quarcoo, however, said the school needed more text books and a library complex and expressed the hope that teachers who are not hardworking would improve their output since they are now in the limelight.
She said her family and friends would be told this "nice experience and I would tell my children in future because my parents told us about the Queen's first visit".
Master Isaac Mawudor, Wireless Six JSS said: "They call us 'Leebi and Hwane' because of the shift system and they laugh at us. Now they will respect us".
For Miss Joyce Acquah, who gave a brief welcoming address before the Queen inspected some books, the visit was not enough.
"I would have liked to ask her to take me to Britain because I can see she is a very nice lady."
Miss Acquah was, however, proud of the role she played.
The pupils entertained the Queen with various cultural and academic activities, which they had rehearsed for about eight weeks.
During this period, they had their school blocks repainted in two shades of brown just like the uniforms.
The school gardens were also groomed while white-washed stones were arranged in
strategic places to brighten the schools' compound, but the red gravelled and dusty ground leaves much to be desired.
To help them to carry these events in memory forever, the 31st December Women's Movement donated plastic jugs with the portraits of the Queen and President Rawlings, and these, some vowed to keep perpetually.
The teachers, who had worked day and night to prepare them for the event, hugged each other and congratulated Mrs Rose Ankrah, the Metropolitan Director of Education.
" It has been worth the efforts and I was impressed with the Queen. She looks
much younger than her age and she walks briskly", Mrs Galdys Awuma, an Assistant Director of Education said.
The La Wireless cluster of nine primary and seven JSS schools with a pupil population of 3,400 and 91 teachers and seven headteachers, was built in the early 1950s.
A consultant to the Ministry of Education said the school’s selection for the Queen's visit was due to its high population, its typical characteristics as an urban public school and its proximity to the Labadi Beach Hotel where the queen is lodging.
The schools have also benefited from the Department for International Development-Ministry of Education Book Distribution Scheme.
In line with its education policy, Britain has provided a 50 million-pound grant for the purchase of English and local language readers for the 14,000 public primary schools in the country. Atlases have been bought for the 7,000 JSS.
The distribution of the supplementary reader, written by African writers and foreign authors and recommended by both teachers and pupils, started in June this year and is expected to be completed in December.
Every pupil in public school is expected to have access to at least two of the books at any period to either read in school or borrow for a few days.
There is also an exchange programme between some schools to ensure maximum use of the books and narrow the pupil to book ratio, which was an average of three to one before the distribution scheme.
Part of the money is being used for in-service training of teachers to promote effective teaching and learning, monitoring and supervision and also, the proper handling of the books.
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Prince Philip tours PZ factory.
Tema (Greater Accra ) 9 Nov. ’99
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on Monday spent about 30 minutes touring the pharmaceutical and soap manufacturing lines of Paterson Zochonis (PZ) at the industrial area in Tema.
Accompanied by Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the first lady, the Duke's entourage was welcomed to the factory by Dr. John Abu, Minister of Trade and Industry, Nii Armah Ashietey, Tema Municipal Chief Executive and the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Paul Michael Boyce.
Mr. Boyce first conducted Prince Philip round the pharmaceutical line, which turns out hair relaxing creams, tablets, powder and syrups.
At the soap production line, the Duke inspected how Imperial Leather, Tempo Laundry, Duck Bar, Premier Toilet and Canoe Laundry soap are manufactured.
PZ produces 13,000 tons of soap, 600 million tablets and 200,000 litres of liquid syrup a year.
It also manufactures five tons of hair relaxing cream a week, Mr. P.W. Davies, Works Manager, told Prince Philip.
The Tema township virtually came to a standstill on Monday as hundreds of people struggled to catch a glimpse of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh where he walked on the Meridian line at the Presbyterian Church on the Greenwich Meridian.
The Duke, who arrived from PZ at about 3:30 p.m., spent about 30 minutes at the Presbyterian Church on the Greenwich Meridian during which he unveiled two plaques to commemorate his visit.
The first plaque was the official opening of the Information Communication Technology Training Centre (ICTC), a computer school established with the assistance of the London Borough of Greenwich as part of the twinning partnership between Tema and the Greenwich.
The Duke next unveiled the Greenwich Meridian Tower where two towers had been erected to demarcate exactly the Longitude zero degrees which divides the world into east and west and crosses the Presbyterian Church.
Prince Philip was presented with a bouquet by Miss Fanny Aikins an eight- year -old class two pupil of the Tema Community One Presbyterian School.
He was then introduced by Nii Armah Ashietey, Tema Municipal Chief Executive to Nii Adjei Kraku II, Tema Mantse and Nii Tetteh Otu II, Kpone Mantse, the two Paramount Chiefs in the Tema Municipality.
This scene was described by Mr Godwin Avenorgbo, the Master of Ceremonies as "a meeting of royals on the Greenwich."
Then came the turn of Commodore Steve Obimpeh, Chairman of the Ghana Millennium Commission and Councillor John Fahey, Mayor of the Borough of the Greenwich.
Prince Philip, who wore a grey suit over a white shirt and a blue tie, was accompanied by Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, the First Lady.
The Duke waved to the crowd who responded with miniature paper flags of Ghana and the Union Jack.
The Presbyterian Church which had undergone a facelift to welcome the Duke, flew flags of the Duke of Edinburgh, the Union Jack, the Ghana Flag, the TMA and that of the Church, as part of the decorations.
The Church was decorated with the Dracaena, Anthenium, White Dumbcane flowers and two Vitchial Palms were placed near the brown glittering marble stone where the first plaque was unveiled.
At the entrance of the Church was a big banner with the inscription "Akwaaba to HRH the Duke of Edinburgh" and balloons in the red, gold, green colours of Ghana.
Most people interviewed at the end of the visit were impressed. Some said they had been made to believe that security arrangements would not allow them to see the Duke.
Taxi drivers, however, complained about traffic jams as most of the roads in the main city centre near the Church were closed to traffic, compelling some of them to stay in traffic for more than 90 minutes.
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Queen Elizabeth impressed with performance of pupils
Accra (Greater Accra) 9 Nov. ’99
Queen Elizabeth II at the end of a 30-minute visit to the La Wireless Cluster of Schools gave the school choir full marks for good rendition.
She told the Accra Metropolitan Director of Education, Mrs Rose Ankrah, "I really enjoyed myself and the school choir sang beautifully".
At exactly 1500 hours, artistes from the School of Performing Arts, Legon, beat the fontomfrom to herald the arrival of the Queen at the cluster of schools.
This resulted in spontaneous excitement among some 500 anxious pupils who had lined up for about an hour at the forecourt of the 14 schools to welcome her.
Six-year old Miss Dorothy Sowah, dressed in a bright blue and yellow designed kente cloth, presented the Queen with a bouquet of flowers, which the Queen received with a broad smile that lasted throughout her interaction.
Master Richard Ansah, a Junior Secondary School pupil then welcomed the Queen with drum messages with 10 year-old Miss Abigail Achelang, reciting the appellation, which said: "Welcome, Welcome Your Majesty. Hail Queen of England. Happy are Children of Ghana to see you once again in our midst. Welcome, Welcome once again Your Majesty. Children of La Schools are privileged to see you. Akwaaba, Akwaaba, Akwaaba, Thank You".
The 73-year-old Queen's visit to the schools to interact with the children, was also to see how 50 million pounds book grant, provided by the British Department for International Development (DFID) to purchase English supplementary reading books to 14,000 primary schools in Ghana, was being utilized.
The 3,400 pupils in the school became one of the first beneficiaries when their schools received their share in June.
Under the Book Distribution Scheme, each public school pupil in Ghana is expected to have access to at least two supplementary readers in school or borrow them for a few days.
The Queen, accompanied by Mr Robin Cook, British Foreign Secretary and other officials, shook hands with dignitaries present and waved at the ecstatic children keen to show her the various activities they had relentlessly rehearsed for about eight weeks.
Amidst drumming and dancing of exciting social dances from three regions:
Kpanlogo from the Greater Accra, Adowa from Ashanti and Bima from Upper East,
the Queen, unveiled a plaque to commemorate her visit.
There was also a splendid May Pole performance and a Scottish Country dance as side attractions.
Mr Emmanuel Oko Baah, Circuit Supervisor of the Schools, then accompanied her to view exhibits of baskets, beads and paintings, doormats, crochet and metal works with some artists at work.
The Queen, who seemed impressed with the work, interacted briefly with the artists and commended them for their good work.
She, however, expressed surprise at the large number of pupils - 3,400 - when she was told by the Circuit Supervisor and wondered whether there were enough teachers.
Mr Baah told her that the shift system took care of all the pupils and the teachers were adequate.
Before her departure, 13-year old Miss Mary Esi Gyan, presented her with a gift on behalf of the school.
The Queen, with her husband, Prince Philip, arrived in Accra on Sunday for a three-day official visit.
She has held discussions with President Jerry John Rawlings at the Castle and addressed Parliament and was the guest of honour at a durbar of chiefs and a cross-section of the Ghanaian society.
The Queen, with a 45-member entourage including the Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, leaves for the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting in Durban, South Africa, with a 15-hour stop-over in Mozambique.
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Ghanaians commend Queen's programme
Accra (Greater Accra), 9th November 99
Mr. Joseph Henry Mensah, Minority Leader in Parliament, on Monday expressed optimism that the visit of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, will greatly boost Ghana's march towards socio-economic development "if the right approaches are sustained."
Commenting on the visit and the activities lined up for her, Mr. Mensah said apart from enhancing relations between the two countries, the visit would also give Ghana a renewed international recognition.
"This is a classic programme of the Head of a democratic nation," said the Minority Leader, adding that "the significance of the visit should not be lost on Ghanaians".
The visit, he said, would benefit Ghana, especially in terms of investment and enhance the country's credibility before the donor community.
He recalled part of the Queen's speech, which emphasized the importance of peaceful succession through the ballot box.
"We must all agree with her prayer that somebody, one day, will not find an excuse to disrupt the current process towards a peaceful election in the year 2000."
Mr. Mensah said that the Queen found it expedient to address Parliament should encourage MPs to fight for to hold onto their position as the first estate of the realm.
He, however, expressed his disapproval of the way in which the durbar of Chiefs was organized, saying it might cheapen the country's revered tradition and culture.
It should have been held in a typical traditional environment like Kumasi, where the National House of Chiefs, is located.
"Or we take the Queen to Jamestown to meet the indigenous British-Accra people."
For Mr Kofi Attor, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, said the Queen's visit and address to Parliament, would uplift Ghana as a developing nation.
It also signifies goodwill from the United Kingdom, which would set the stage for better relations, especially for trade and investment.
Mr. Attor commended the planning committee for organizing the durbar, which he said, reflected the country's cultural diversity.
"We have shown to the world that when it comes to tradition and culture, we are one people."
Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, Minority Spokesman on Foreign Affairs, said the Queen's speech was a clear message for Ghanaians to uphold democracy and urged the authorities to come to terms with it.
"We have come of age; there is need for tolerance of divergent views. Building a vibrant democracy needs tolerance".
Nana Owusu-Ansah Sikatuo, who was part of the Asantehene's delegation, said the visit and the activities have been "simply great", adding that the durbar really exposed the royal side of Ghana.
"We have told them that through culture, we can forge peace, unity and progress."
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Queenmother gives deadline payment of basic rates
Assin Kyinaso (Central Region), 9th November 99
Nana Akosua Benewaa III, Queenmother of Assin Kyinaso in the Central Region, has given her people up to the end of the month to pay their basic rates of 2,200 cedis to the Assin District Assembly to enable it to provide them with social amenities.
She told a meeting at Assin Kyinaso at the weekend that if by the deadline they had not paid the rate, she would have them prosecuted in court.
She said it was sad to note that only a few people in the town had paid their basic rates, adding that gone were the days when the government provided the communities with all their needs.
Nana Benewaa warned that she would cause the arrest of any parent or guardian whose child or ward drops out of school and advised the people to encourage girl-child education.
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Government urged to initiate policy to reduce crime
Kumasi (Ashanti), 9th November 99
The Ashanti Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Prisons Service, Assistant Superintendent of Prison (ASP) Danfoku Adu-Mensah, has stressed the need for the government to put in place a social policy designed to reduce crime.
He said an increase in crime does not only scare potential foreign investors, create perpetual insecurity among the populace but also retards meaningful development within the society.
Mr. Adu-Mensah was speaking on "Increased crime wave in the country, causes, effects and way-out" at a meting of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Muslim Students' Association in Kumasi.
He noted that some of the cultural norms and values that served as social controls on crime had been thrown away as a result of modernity.
These must, therefore, be brought back since a society that abandons its cultural heritage can never stand on its own.
Mr. Adu-Mensah said socialisation of a child should not rest on the nuclear family alone but on all elderly and responsible people in the society.
Mr. George Ankoma-Yeboah, Kumasi Metropolitan Youth Co-ordinator of the KMYC, commended the executives for mobilising members for community development projects.
He asked them not to hesitate in reporting criminals to law the enforcement agencies.
They must embark on career counselling programmes to enable them to realise their potentials and talents early.
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