GRi Newsreel 08-10-99

Bekwai gets new Omanhene after eight years row

Bekwai (Ashanti Region) 6 Oct '99

Kingmakers of Asante-Bekwai on Tuesday by a three to one majority decision, elected Nana Kofi Tonto, 49, as the new Omanhene of Bekwai, ending an eight-year bitter dispute over the stool.

This was after the Abusuapanin of the Oyoko Royal Family, Nana Kwasi Aboraa, had exhausted his "power of nomination" under the chieftaincy act.

The Abusuapanin on three occasions failed to get the backing of the kingmakers for candidates he nominated to occupy the "Ayeboafo Stool".

His first nominee, Mr Osei Tutu Agyeman, a consulting architect, was rejected on August 31, while the two others, Mr Asamoah Akomea and Mr Kwasi Effah, both businessmen were rejected at the traditional council meeting on Tuesday.

This narrowed down the contest to a straight fight between Nana Tonto and Mr Kofi Gyau of the Ghana Telecom Company.

Determined not to flout the order by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, that Bekwai should have a paramount chief by Tuesday, and with the onerous duty of electing the chief having shifted from the Abusuapanin to the kingmakers, Nana Amo Gyemi, acting President of the Council, asked the kingmakers to retire for consultations and select someone for installation.

After over three hours deliberations behind closed doors, Nana Asiedu Okofo II, Krontihene, Nana Kwabena Asante II, Akyeamehene, Nana Kwabena Gu II, Twafohene and Nana Kwabena Ntiamoah, Gyaasehene, returned to announce to the council and the large gathering, their choice of Nana Tonto, sending his supporters into wild jubilation.

As supporters of the paramount chief-elect carried him shoulder high from a nearby house to the palace for him to be formally introduced to the Council and the general public, drama began to unfold.

Those backing Mr Gyau also decided to carry him on their shoulders and tried to force their way into the palace.

The police responded by throwing tear gas to disperse the supporters of Mr Gyau.

They attempted to engage the police in a duel by resorting to stone-throwing and in the process, an Inspector of Police at the Bekwai Station, Mr R.K. Anim was hit by a stone on the knee-cap.

Their resistance, however, broke down in no time and sanity was restored for the rest of the process to be carried through by the kingmakers and the Council.

There were no arrests neither were there any reported injuries.

Nana Tonto, married with four children, holds a Diploma in Management and is currently the Unit Manager of Old Age Psychiatry, a Lancashire Health Authority in the United Kingdom.

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Slow pace of work at Kejetia, is there a political undertone?

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 6 Oct '99

Mr Edward Salia, Minister of Roads and Transport, on Wednesday denied that there was any political undertone in the slow pace of work on the Kejetia Development and Traffic Management Project in Kumasi.

There is no political undertone in the slow pace of work on the project, he told a news conference in Kumasi on Wednesday.

The government is committed to fully execute the project and complete it on schedule by the end of the year, he said.

Mr Salia said there is no discrimination against Kumasi for any reason and that this year, the government voted 5.3 billion cedis towards the rehabilitation of roads in the Kumasi metropolis.

He said an additional 1.8 billion cedis had been voted for routine maintenance on existing roads in Kumasi this year.

The Minister said Kumasi is the Garden City of West Africa and it is the government's wish to continue to maintain this status.

Mr Salia said pedestrian movement around the Kejetia and the Kumasi central market is heavy and to preserve the cultural beauty of the area, studies were undertaken to make an optimal solution to the problem.

"The choice taken by government is the one considered optimal with regard to resources available and the solution to the problem", he added.

Mr Ludwig A. Hesse, acting Director of the Department of Urban Roads, who gave an overview of the project, said two kilometres of roads are to be rehabilitated and asphalted under the project.

He said about 84 per cent of the work had been completed by the end of August and he was optimistic that it would be completed by the end of the year.

Mr Hesse said the total cost of the project is 15 billion cedis out of which 12 billion cedis has been paid to the contractors, Limex Bau.

The Kejetia terminal project being undertaken by Messrs G.K. Appiah would also cost 4.2 billion cedis out of which 1.5 billion cedis has been paid.

The project is funded by OPEC fund, IDA and the Ghana government.

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NDC will provide amenities despite opposition criticisms

Tikobo No. 1 (Western Region) 6 Oct. '99

Threats, insults and criticisms by opposition parties will not deter the National Democratic Congress government from providing the necessary social amenities for all Ghanaians.

This assurance was given at two separate forums by Mr Jacob Baba, Deputy National General Secretary, at Tikobo No.1 and Bokwa as part of an outreach programme to branches of the party throughout the country.

He said the government was following a programme and no amount of attacks would let it go off its agenda.

Mr Baba said the construction of schools, roads and extension of electricity were part of the programme.

He commended the executives of the Jomoro constituency for their good leadership, saying they are the best organised in the Western Region.

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IGP opens six weeks training course for Deputy Superintendents

Accra (Greater Accra) 6 Oct. '99

Mr Peter Nanfuri, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), on Wednesday urged his men to use the little resources at their disposal judiciously to ensure effective service to the public.

The IGP, opening a six-week management course for 46 Deputy Superintendents and 13 Medical Practitioners and para-medical staff of the Police Hospital in Accra, said: "The public is vigilantly watching the conduct of the police against abuses of their freedom and perceive lapses in the performance of their duty due to the growth in crime and lawlessness in the country."

He said there is nothing wrong about the public expressing anxiety concerning the spate of crime, which has generated a lot of debate on the effectiveness of the police.

The course is to enhance the administrative and managerial skills of the officers in preparation for higher command and responsibilities in the next millennium.

The IGP said it is in this vein that the last 12 months have seen various forms of training programmes for each grade in the officer-corps.

The Police Service in consultation with the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), a debating exercise course has been introduced to boost their oral delivery skills.

To the medical practitioners, Mr. Nanfuri advised them not to see themselves as a separate entity but involve themselves in the general duties of modern policing.

Mr Nanfuri said their three months' training has been designed to equip them with modern intricacies of professional policing and responsibilities expected of anyone who wears the police uniform.

"You should consider yourselves as playing a dual role of being doctors or paramedical staff as well as professional police officers."

He said the spate of crime in the country has made it necessary to mount these programmes to enable the police personnel to undergo sufficient training in the fundamentals of policing to contribute their quota to the crime detection efforts of the Criminal Investigations Department.

"The situation calls for collective efforts of all the security agencies including the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service, Military and Immigration Service to ensure the safety of our people."

Mr Kofi Boakye, Commander of the Striking Force and Deputy Course leader, hoped that the course would enhance their management skills to effectively combat the current trends of crime.

He thanked the IGP for his immense interest in the training of police personnel.

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Regional Minister orders speedy distribution of food aid

Sandema (Upper East) 6 Oct '99

The Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, has asked district assemblies and officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to speed up the distribution of relief items for flood victims in the region.

He expressed dissatisfaction with the situation whereby public officials entrusted with the distribution of emergency items use flimsy excuses and do not act quickly to alleviate the plight of victims.

Alhaji Sulemana expressed these sentiments at a meeting on Tuesday with the Builsa District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Daniel Syme, and officials of NADMO in Sandema during a tour of the district to assess the situation following recent floods in the district.

The Regional Minister directed the district authorities to introduce measures to ensure that relief items get to the people as soon as possible.

At Fumbisi, where he was joined by the national executives of the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF), Alhaji Sulemana urged the people to desist from building along water bodies and river basins.

Alhaji Sulemana said the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) will assess the general food situation after the harvesting of crops, in order to advise the government on the food requirements of the people.

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Four workers of GES denied salaries since 1996

Winkogo (Upper East) 6 Oct '99

Two drivers and two watchmen employed by the Ghana Education Service since 1996 to man the science resource centre at the Bolgatanga Secondary School have since not been paid any salaries.

Mr Atinga Asaah, Mr David Agana Baba, Mr Anyine Ayoungo and Akanko Azimah, have appealed to the Ghana Education Service to pay them their accumulated salaries without any further delay.

The workers told newsmen that Mr Francis Avonsige, the headmaster of the School, has been advancing them 30,000 cedis each a month for which they expressed their gratitude.

Mr Avonsigne confirmed the plight of the workers and warned that if the Ghana Education Service does not pay the workers, the centre would be forced to close down.

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Outgoing Chinese Envoy bids farewell to Mills

Accra (Greater Accra) 6 Oct. '99

Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills on Wednesday received Mr Li Zupei, outgoing Chinese Ambassador, at the Castle, Osu, and thanked him for promoting Sino-Ghana relations in the past two years.

Mr Li who assumed duty in mid-1997, has been recalled home to serve as Deputy Foreign Minister.

Congratulating him on his elevation, Vice-President Mills said while it is saddening to lose Mr Li, "a true friend and a great Ambassador," he was happy that his hard work has been recognised by his home government.

"You have made your mark during your short stay with us," Prof. Mills said, recalling the visits of Chinese Foreign Minister, followed by that of their Vice-President, all of which were highly successful due to the Ambassador's untiring efforts.

Ambassador Li also worked out fruitful exchanges between Ghanaians and the Chinese people, which have yielded positive results, he said.

Prof. Mills urged him to do more to enhance meaningful partnership between Ghana and China back at home.

Mr Li expressed appreciation for the support the government and Ghanaians gave him during his tenure.

He said he would do his best to enhance relations between the two countries, especially in the area of trade and investment.

Sino-Ghana trade ranks tenth in Beijing's link with Africa.

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