Privatisation not a "Monster" - Hammah
Storekeeper embezzles 110 million cedis
Research centre produces black fly repellent
Catholic Bishop urges Ghanaians to exercise voter responsibly
Churches asked to embark on social action plan
Use festivals to initiate development programmes - Adabre
Dan Ayim Antwi acts as TUC Boss
Privatisation not a "Monster" - Hammah
Takoradi (Western Region) 30 Nov. '99
The Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, Mr Mike Hammah has asked workers not to see the Government's privatisation programme as a "Monster".
Mr Hammah explained that privatisation is rather meant to revitalise depressed organisations to enable them to improve upon their performance and make them profitable.
He was speaking at a send-off party organised at Takoradi by the management of the Ghana Railways Corporation (GRC) for the out-going Managing Director Mr Moses K. Arthur and his two deputies, Mr S. K. Agboletey and Mr Raymond Afekey, on Sunday.
The privatisation of the GRC is on course, he said, adding that it would be completed by the end of next year.
He assured workers of GRC that the privatisation of the Corporation would not be used to victimise any member of staff.
The Deputy Minster emphasised the important role the railway plays in the resuscitation of the Country's economy and urged the workers to work harder than before to help turn round the Corporation.
Mr Arthur appealed to the Government to continue to assist the GRC, adding that such assistance should always be made available in good time and in adequate amounts.
In view of the declining hauling capacity of the GRC, there is the need to speed up action on recently conceived projects, as well as exploring other avenues for partnership with the private sector, like container transport pending a carefully worked out arrangement.
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Storekeeper embezzles 110 million cedis
Tarkwa (Western Region) 30 Nov. '99
Elizabeth Ntrakwa, a store-keeper of Cocoa Inputs Company Limited (CIC), a subsidiary of the Cocoa Marketing Board (CMB) at Bogoso, in the Western Region, has allegedly embezzled 110 million cedis belonging to her employers.
Elizabeth is on Police enquiry bail and would be arraigned before a court soon.
Mr Daniel Dankwa Amoah, Tarkwa Divisional Commander of Police, said Elizabeth was employed two years ago by CIC, which sells farming inputs.
He said Elizabeth got a hint that her account books were going to be audited so she hatched a plan, which involved the watchman, Adamu Gruma.
Grumah was to pretend to be sick and absent himself from duty on the day the plan was to be carried out.
Accordingly, he was given a hand-spraying machine with a promise of one million cedis if the plan succeeded.
Gruma failed to attend to duty on August 26, the very night the store was broken into.
Elizabeth consequently made a report to the Police the following day but no arrest was made.
Mr Amoah said he later got wind of the deal and ordered the arrest of Elizabeth on 5 November and in the course of Police investigations, she admitted selling some items amounting to 51 million cedis to some customers, whom she could not identify.
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Research centre produces black fly repellent
Tamale (Northern Region) 30 Nov. '99
The Tamale Parasitic Diseases Research Centre (PDRC) of the Ministry of Health has produced a repellent from plant extracts against the black fly, a causal agency of river blindness.
The herbal cream, which has been tested successfully on a number of people at Adayilli, an onchocerciasis endemic community in the Savelugu-Nanton District, is the result of collaboration between Mr Gilbert Dery of the Centre and some herbalists.
Mr. Dery, who declined to disclose the herbal components of the cream, told the GNA in Tamale on Monday that it contains active ingredients that also kill the black fly.
Two farmers at Adayilli, Mr. Mahama Imoro, 25, and Mr Abdul Samed, 35, who confirmed Mr. Dery's claim, said the cream offers the best relief since the Onchocerciasis Control Programme stopped the aerial spraying of the fly four years ago.
Samples of the cream have been supplied to a number of district assemblies in the region.
As part of efforts to rid the Northern Region of the black fly, the PRDC, in collaboration with the National Onchocerciasis Secretariat, has carried out education campaigns on how to deal with the black fly.
The East Gonja, West Gonja, East Mamprusi, West Mamprusi, Bole and Saboba-Chereponi Districts were animated to assume responsibility for community-directed treatment with Ivermectin and the provision of information on the presence of the black fly.
Mr. Dery said the Zabzugu-Tatale, Yendi and Savelugu-Nanton Districts, which have been invaded by the fly, would be included in the programme.
He said the OCP has succeeded in eliminating "the onchocerca volvulus", the parasitic worm in the black fly that causes blindness.
This has freed vast areas of the fly and allowed the people to resume farming and other economic activities.
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Catholic Bishop urges Ghanaians to exercise voter responsibly
Yendi (Northern Region) 30 Nov. '99
The Catholic Bishop of Yendi, The Right Reverend Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai, on Monday called on Ghanaians to exercise their franchise in a responsible manner in next year's general elections.
He was speaking on "Preparations towards free, fair and peaceful elections in the year 2000" at a seminar organised by the Yendi Catholic Diocese to sensitise the public on the need to ensure a successful conduct of the elections.
Representatives of political parties, the security agencies, religious bodies and opinion leaders drawn from the Yendi, Zabzugu/Tatale, aboba/Chereponi and Nanumba districts attended it.
Rt. Rev. Boi-Nai said the need to build up a culture of responsibility depends on one's inner commitment to place community interest before partisan advantage.
"If the aim of a political party is to stop all projects initiated by the ruling party, then the country is heading for trouble.
"Again, if at every election candidates and canvassers feel intimidated and not free to vote or if local thugs can dictate whom to vote for, then there is defeat of democracy and we have no one to blame but ourselves".
He said the examples of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Julius Nyerere tell the value that can be brought to bear on public life.
Rt. Rev. Boi-Nai said these men were not idealists but realists who showed that there was not only the politics of hegemony of the ruling party but also politics of service to one's fellow beings.
"We have to go further than empty moral speeches and condemnation of social evils to develop a sense of responsibility that is all-embracing."
He appealed to political parties to conduct their campaigns in a peaceful and decent manner to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.
The Yendi District Chief Executive, Mr Mohammed Alhassan, said, in an address read for him that the true purpose of political campaigning is to enable the people to choose the candidates and strategies best able to fulfil their common aspirations.
The guiding principles during such campaigns should, therefore be tolerance, transparency and respect for others opinions.
Mr Mohammed Ghani Abukari, District Electoral Officer, said the introduction of photo identity cards for all qualified voters would eliminate the problem of impersonation and greatly enhance next year's elections.
He said the Electoral Commission would continue to involve registered political parties in its programmes through inter-party consultative and registration review committees.
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Churches asked to embark on social action plan
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 30 Nov. '99
The Reverend Kwadwo Owusu-Sarpong, Asawasi District Pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, on Sunday said it is the social responsibility of the Church to engage in social action to support poor members.
He said if the poor are supported to improve their conditions, then they could in turn contribute to the Church financially with ease.
"As a Church the spiritual and human development is more important, therefore, let us go beyond physical development of chapels, manse and purchase of vehicles, development goes beyond that".
Rev. Owusu-Sarpong was delivering the sermon at the Eighth District Missionary Anniversary (Asempatrew) celebrations of the Church at Kaase in the Kumasi Metropolis.
The theme for the celebration was "Jesus Christ - the Beginning and the End".
The District Pastor said all congregations are expected to draw action plans, which will bring sustainable relief to the poor and the needy in the Church.
"I consider it worthwhile if a congregation would dedicate an annual harvest or a special appeal towards the poor in the Church".
He asked the church members to enter the new millennium with new vision, strength and determination.
"I expect that we shall be re-awakened to the task of evangelisation through, which many more souls would be led to the saving Grace of Jesus Christ and the faith of those who are already in the Lord would be firmly established".
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Use festivals to initiate development programmes - Adabre
Yeji (Brong Ahafo) 30 Nov. '99
The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr. Donald Adabre, has urged communities to use their annual festivals to initiate development programmes for accelerated development.
He was addressing a grand durbar of the chiefs and people of Yeji in the Atebubu District on Saturday to round off their annual Kajuji yam festival.
Mr. Adabre commended the chiefs for their role in maintaining peace and security in the district through the formation of a District Council of Chiefs.
He said the National Democratic Congress would continue to keep faith with the people by providing them with the needed infrastructure to open-up the area.
He deplored the high rate of environmental degradation caused by charcoal burning and bush burning, and asked the people to help check the trend.
The Omanhene of Yeji, Nana Yaw Kabreso, commended the government for connecting the area to the national grid and for providing infrastructure to enhance the living standard of the people.
He appealed to the government to complete the Yeji community fisheries complex to offer employment for the youth.
Nana Kabreso also expressed his people's appreciation to the government for making the Jato Zongo-Yeji road motorable and for reshaping the Prang-Yeji road.
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Dan Ayim Antwi acts as TUC Boss
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 Nov. '99
Mr Dan Ayim Antwi, General Secretary of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), has been nominated to act as Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC).
A release issued in Accra on Monday by Kwamena Amponsah, Public Relations officer of TUC, said Mr Antwi is to act in the absence of the Secretary-General Christian Appiah Agyei and his Deputy, Kwesi Adu-Amankwah, who are currently out of the country on official assignments.
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Farmers tour Tema companies.
Tema (Greater Accra) 30 Nov. '99
This year's 63 award winning farmers on Monday toured the Cocoa Processing Company (CPC) and Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to acquaint themselves with their operations.
They went on an hour cruise at the port.
Mr Kwaku Duah Boateng, Acting Director General of GPHA and Mr I. K. Vander Puije, General Manager in charge of Cocoa Section of CPC at separate functions congratulated the farmers for their immense contribution to the economy.
At the CPC, Mr Vander Puije said due to innovation of its products the company has gained international recognition and has won both local and international awards.
Mr Duah Boateng briefed the farmers and said most of their products pass through the port for export, saying that the GPHA would continue to support award winning farmers as a morale booster.
At a lunch hosted by the GPHA, the farmers appealed to the government to arrange ready market for their produce since middlemen take advantage to buy at reduced prices to their disadvantage.
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