West Gonja district counts loss in recent floods
International evangelist arrives with message of hope
Workshop on labour standards and globalisation opens
Rawlings holds talks with EXIM Bank Boss
Upper West flood killed 10 and displaced 14,000
Suspend Vanef' s entry into transport yard-Union
Chiefs offer land for Nkrumah-Nehru Training Centre
West Gonja district counts loss in recent floods
Damongo (Northern Region) 19 Oct '99
A total of 248 villages in the West Gonja district were inundated by the recent floods in northern Ghana which also displaced 7,000 people, a report to the District Assembly has revealed.
Mr Steve de-Graft Safo, the District Chief Executive, who gave the report to the second ordinary meeting of the District Assembly at Damongo said 2,588 acres of cassava, 4,392 acres of maize, 2,840 acres of yam, 1,520 acres of millet, 232 acres of rice and 2374 acres of groundnuts were completely submerged.
He said to alleviate the plight of victims of the flood, the District Assembly has earmarked 35 million cedis from its share of the common fund for disaster management.
He said the district has taken delivery of the first consignment of relief aid from the government for distribution to the victims.
Mr de Graft-Safo expressed concern about the low level of revenue generation in the district and appealed to assembly members, area/town councils and unit committees to assist in changing the situation.
`He said the District Assembly spent 18 million cedis on development of the water system at Daboya while 53.1 million cedis has been set aside to support communities in the district with water and sanitation facilities.
The Deputy Minister of Works and Housing and Member of Parliament for Yapei-Kusawgu constituency, Alhaji Ama Seidu sympathised with the flood victims and assured them of government's plans to address the situation.
He announced that 315 small scale irrigation schemes for dry season farming will be undertaken throughout the country with five of them to be located in the West Gonja district. Three would be sited in the Yapei-Kusawugu constituency and two in the Damongo-Dabaya constituency.
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International evangelist arrives with message of hope
Accra (Greater Accra), 19th October 99
Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, an international evangelist, on Monday said only Africans whose hearts have been touched by God can turn the continent's political and economic situation around.
"In the face of protracted conflicts, corruption and poverty, I believe it is only a miracle that can stabilise Africa and set her back on track."
Dr. Tetteh, an economist turned preacher, told newsmen on arrival at Kotoka International Airport from London that he is in the country to conduct a five-day crusade under the auspices of the Accra district of the Methodist Church.
He commended the government for its bold initiative and policies, which have put the economy of Ghana back on track to the admiration of the international community.
Dr. Tetteh of the World Miracle Outreach Church urged Ghanaians to compliment the government's effort, saying: "I believe in miracles and I believe that strategic planning and hard work can work wonders for a nation".
He said it is regrettable that despite the enormous natural and abundant talents that Africa is endowed with, she is still struggling with the basics of economic development.
The time has come for Africans to unite and fashion out a strategic plan for a sustained economic development or she would be found wanting with the effect of the policy of globalisation, he stated.
Dr. Tetteh hoped that after the crusade, the hearts of Ghanaians would be touched by God to effect positive changes in their spiritual and social lives.
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Workshop on labour standards and globalisation opens
Accra (Greater Accra), 19th October 99
Alhaji Mohammad Mumuni, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, on Monday called on African countries to liberalise their trade regimes through the promotion of regional infrastructure networking to enable the continent maximise its participation in the globalisation process.
He said through the promotion of the regional infrastructure network of roads and communications, the primary commodity sector, which is the foundation of many African economies, would be strengthened to develop sound financial systems and institutional policies to attract investments.
Alhaji Mumuni made the call when he opened a three-day meeting on Labour Standards and Globalisation for the West and Central African regions in Accra.
The meeting, the third in a series on the theme "International Labour Standards under Globalisation", attracted 35 participants from 20 West and Central African countries.
It was organised by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions African Regional Organisation (ICFTU-AFRO) to review progress made towards the incorporation of the Workers' Right Clause in all international agreements.
It will also discuss some of the negative elements that threaten trade union rights and social development as far as globalisation is concerned.
The meeting will come out with strategies to be adopted at the third biennial ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Seattle, USA, from November 30 to December three.
Alhaji Mumuni said the irreversible and invasive phenomenon of globalisation has compelled most African countries to adapt to its demands and undertake economic reforms and privatisation to reduce their debts as prescribed by the Bretton Woods Institutions.
He said policies of economic liberalisation has altered the relationship between the state, labour and business, thereby making the international capital markets not to align themselves with national labour markets.
"This has given rise to considerable concerns, greater risks of marginalisation of African countries and benefits for capital markets," he said, adding that the International Labour Organisation must take up new responsibilities and challenges if it has to make its presence felt.
Alhaji Mumuni said there have been calls from various quarters including Pope John Paul II for a more human face to the globalised economy.
"It is now time for African countries to consider adopting policies that can take full advantage of the opportunities of globalisation as well as promote effective human resource utilisation, macro-economic stability and industrial expansion".
He expressed the hope that the meeting would come out with a more positive framework "to promote opportunities for all hard working people of the world especially African workers to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity".
Mr. Christian Appiah Agyei, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), said globalisation, generally recognised as inevitable, poses considerable threat to Trade Union Rights and social development, in spite of its positive elements for international trade.
He said, in view of this, the ILO has adopted the 1998 Declaration of Fundamental Rights of Workers and its follow up mechanism as a promotional instrument.
Mr. Agyei said there is the need to restore equitable balance between capital and labour as a measure of maintaining social justice in the world as well as in the international trading system.
"We can best do this by sharpening our own skills and analysing the problems, sharing our experiences and collectively strategising to confront the difficulties we may identify."
Mr. Andrew Kailembo, General Secretary of the ICTFU-AFRO, said the success of the campaign to incorporate the worker's right clause in all international trade agreements depends on the effectiveness with which affiliates do their work in their respective countries.
He said trade unions must not only get their governments to accept the right to work clause but must ensure that development aspects like environment, investment, intellectual property and gender are included in all agreements.
He urged the ILO to improve collaboration with the WTO to establish a mechanism to reinforce its work and prevent countries profiting in trade terms from persistent abuse of core labour standards.
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