Police bust credit card, airline ticket syndicates
Civil Servants say their concerns are being addressed
Government recognises role of private participation in development - Minister
Minister urges Churches to help fight corruption
Siblings killed by falling wall
Community takes over operations salt industry
Mills receives Investment Executive
Police bust credit card, airline ticket syndicates
Accra (Greater Accra), 12th November 99
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has smashed an international syndicate involved in fraudulent credit card and airline ticket deals.
The 11-member syndicate includes three Nigerians - Richard Adibisi Bruce, Alex Imafedon and Raymond Adesesan Adeyokunnu - who are said to be the brains behind the deals.
The rest are eight Ghanaians, including Ms Dela Deegbe, a receptionist at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra.
Briefing newsmen, Chief Superintendent Vincent Kwaku Dzakpata in charge of Operations at the CID Headquarters, said an Assistant Manager of Accra New Town Post Office, Mr. Edward Adjintee, who used his office to facilitate the activities of the syndicate has also been arrested.
The other suspects are David Eduafo, waiter, and Charles Sam, front desk office clerk at Nogahil Hotel, Benjamin Glover, computer systems analyst, Patrick Adams Hienno, graphics designer, Alex Dotse and Malik Alhassan of no fixed address.
Victims of the syndicate are foreigners who lodged at the La Beach, Nogahil and Golden Tulip Hotels in Accra and Sheraton Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria.
Chief Superintendent Dzakpata said members of the syndicate have their agents who are employees of these hotels and who are provided with information about the credit cards of customers at the hotels.
He said Ms Deegbe served as a source where the syndicate obtained particulars of the credit cards from Golden Tulip hotel.
Eduafo and Sam also provided information to the syndicate while Glover and Hienno used the computer to facilitate the commission of the crime.
"Armed with the credit card particulars, the Nigerians sent fax messages to companies in the United States and Europe where they purchased air tickets and sold them at reduced prices," Chief Superintendent Dzakpata said.
He added that they placed orders for Ericson Motorola and Nokia telephones, gold and diamond rings, ladies handbags, bed spreads, bracelets and necklaces, swimming costumes, shoes and waist belts which they sold in Ghana and Nigeria.
Chief Superintendent Dzakpata said the Nigerians acquired letter boxes through which the gold and diamond rings and other durable articles are received.
He said between October four and November eight, this year, Adjintee conspired with the Nigerians and managed to clear 10 parcels of articles containing gold and diamond rings, bracelets and necklaces for the syndicate.
Chief Superintendent Dzakpata said during the clearing of the last two parcels, personnel from the CID took cover at the Newtown Post Office and arrested Adjintee.
He said some of the items have been retrieved and the suspects, who are in custody, will soon be arraigned before a tribunal.
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Civil Servants say their concerns are being addressed
Accra (Greater Accra), 12th November 99
The Civil Servants Association (CSA) on Thursday said its demands for restoration of reimbursable allowances is being addressed.
In a statement in Accra signed by its President, Alhaji Yakubu Ziblim, the CSA said its concerns for ensuring equity in the public sector remuneration is also being addressed.
It said however, that the fundamental issue of "grand fathering civil servants, keeping civil servants who are under-qualified for their positions at their current salary levels, remains unresolved."
It said at a meeting held at the castle on November nine, chaired by Alhaji Mohamed Mumuni, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, it was agreed in principle that the salaries of those affected should be adjusted outside the GUSS.
"The rationale behind this, is to provide for a stable industrial environment to enable the stakeholders clean the GUSS in readiness for negotiations for 2000.
"The NEC is standing by for the necessary directive to address this outstanding issue if not, it would be compelled to convene another NEC meeting to determine the next line of action."
The statement followed a meeting of the National Executive Council yesterday on the expiry of the CSA's directive to all its members to wear red bands for two weeks.
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Government recognises role of private participation in development - Minister
Accra (Greater Accra), 12th November 99
Mr. Kwamina Ahwoi, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, on Thursday said the transformation of Ghana from a low to a middle income country within one generation cannot be realised without the private sector's participation in wealth creation.
Opening a seminar on " promoting public/private partnerships in local development in Ghana", Mr. Ahwoi cited inadequate understanding of the issue among public sector personnel as well as the absence of strong private sector organisations at the district level as factors militating against speedy realisation of the partnership.
Mr. Ahwoi said the needs of the private sector have to be supported to improve the quality of life of citizens while at the same time sector organisations at the district level could effectively advocate private sector interests.
Mr. Ahwoi said increased provision of basic services and economic infrastructure and appreciable growth in the export of non-traditional exports are some of the examples of the results achieved in the partnership.
"The government acknowledges that primary development goals, such as the elimination of hard-core poverty and the provision of economic infrastructure for employment generation, cannot be achieved without the active participation of the private sector".
He urged the participants to identify more factors that affect public-private partnership and address existing constraints and steps that would speed up the process of change.
Mr. Solomon Abam Quartey, First Vice President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said local administrations have not prepared local development programmes, built information and economic indicators, resources and investment opportunities in their localities.
He said even if they have, these are not being adequately marketed to catch the attention and attract the interest and participation of the private sector.
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Minister urges Churches to help fight corruption
Wa (Upper West), 12th November 99
Mr. David Osei-Wusu, Upper West Regional Minister has urged Churches to collaborate with the government to fight bribery, corruption and other social vices that impede development.
He said, religious heads need to exhibit and preach integrity, transparency and accountability to rid the society of socio-economic unrest.
The Regional Minister was addressing a four-day seminar on "promoting a sustainable democratic society in Ghana and the Catholic church's social teaching - preparation for 2000 and election monitoring", in Wa.
The seminar, which was organised by the Justice and Peace Commission of the Wa Catholic diocese, attracted 52 participants comprising Parish Priests, Catechists and lay persons from the 21 parishes of the diocese.
Konrad Adenaeur Foundation of Germany is sponsoring the seminar, which will discuss topics including the criteria for a free and fair elections, and participating in democracy through elections monitoring to ensure free and fair elections.
Mr. Osei-Wusu called on the participants to advise their people against violence and character assassination and commended the Catholic Church for complementing the efforts of the government in educating the people on the political and electoral process.
In a speech read for him, the Right Reverend Paul Bemile, Bishop of Wa, asked Christians not to only preach the gospel, but also to let the people know their socio-economic and political rights as citizens.
The Catholic Church will continue to train priests and leaders who can help to conscientise the people about their fundamental human rights he said and announced that the Wa diocese would organise a follow-up seminar on electioneering proceedings to help ensure a successful elections in 2000.
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Siblings killed by falling wall
Kwesimintsim (Western Region), 12th November 99
Two children, a brother and sister died on the spot while two others were rushed to the Kwesimintsim Polyclinic with injuries, when they were trapped by a falling wall at their house at Lagostown in Sekondi.
According to a Kwesimintsim Police Spokesman, the children were washing their cloths near the wall when it collapsed on them.
Police gave the names of the dead as Emmanuel Anderson, nine and Cecilia Anderson, six years old.
They have since been buried after autopsy at the Takoradi Hospital.
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Community takes over operations salt industry
Sege (Greater Accra), 12th November 99
About 500 people mainly from the Tekperbiawe Clan of Ada on Thursday seized the Vacuum Salt Industries from the Salt Development Project Task Force set up by the government to run it.
Nene Korle III, Head of the clan led the demonstrators to the factory premises amidst the singing of war songs and carrying placards.
Nene Korle said "we are taking over the Songor Lagoon from east to west and north to south and it shall be the property of the Tekperbiawes and Ada in general," adding that they have the mandate of the Ada Paramount Chief.
Some of the placards read "the grace period is over", "Ghana Government why is it so?" "Task force quit immediately", "we are the owners of Songor Lagoon", "Fight for your property", and "no development at Ada".
Security men at the factory said on Wednesday night, the people organised about 80 people to watch the factory and gathered at Agbedrafor, before marching to the factory at 11 o'clock on Thursday.
The people were from about 40 villages including Goi, Lolonya, Akplabanya, Anyamam, Kablevu, Kportsikope and Adzomanikope.
On November four, this year, the people in a similar move closed down the Star Chemical Industries, another Salt factory at Songor lagoon.
Nene Korle who addressed the crowd said the people cannot continue to be slaves on their own land and were going to look for investors to produce salt, the proceeds of which they will use for their own benefit.
He said it was an insult that for the past seven years, only five million cedis have been paid to them as salt development fees, which is wrongly being described as royalties.
Nene Korle said the people of Ada would not attend a meeting scheduled at the Ministry of Mines and Energy on Friday because the invitation was not written.
Capt. (rtd) Frederick Agbakpe, Chief Security Officer of the Factory said the company's security men would remain there until they hear from the government.
In 1983, a similar bid to take over Vacuum Salt Industries from the owner Mr. Apenteng Mensah, resulted in the death of a woman whose statue has been erected at Bornikope in her memory.
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Mills receives Investment Executive
Accra (Greater Accra), 12th November 99
Vice-President John Atta Mills on Friday received Mr. Motomichi Ikawa, Executive Vice-President of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) at the Castle, Osu, and urged him to support the country's investment drive.
MIGA is a member of the World Bank Group that has funded investment projects in most developing countries, including Ghana.
Vice-President Mills spoke about the investment potentials in the country and said the government has put in place structures to facilitate a congenial environment for investors.
The government has seen itself as a partner for private sector development, he said, and urged foreign investors to take advantage of the opportunities available.
Mr. Ikawa pledged his Agency's continued support for Ghana's investment drive and mentioned the mining and tourism sectors as areas that his Agency has assisted in the past.
In addition, it has also provided funds to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the training of staff in diplomacy.
Mr. Ikawa who is on a two-day visit to Ghana said a team of experts from MIGA will be in the country between February and March next year for further consultations and studies.
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