Huge deals at Bolgatanga Treasury uncovered
Ghanaians urged to tolerate divergent political views
Assemblies urged to encourage election of the disabled
B/A Chiefs urged to declare anniversary reconciliation period
Faustina inaugurates NDC branch
Sergeant Major to enforce military discipline
Two arrested for alleged involvement in examination racketeering
Huge deals at Bolgatanga Treasury uncovered
Bolgatanga (Upper East), 20th October 99
About 445 million cedis has been siphoned from the Upper East Regional office of the Controller and Accountant-General's Department (CAG), an audit investigation team, has established.
Mr. George Gyapong, the Regional Director, who is suspected to have masterminded the deal, has been picked up for questioning in Accra.
Investigations conducted by the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga have revealed that huge sums of money were siphoned by the Regional Director from various departments since assuming duty in the region about one year ago.
A CAG source said departments suspected to be involved in the deal included the Bolgatanga Hospital, the District health Management Teams (DHMT) and the Department of Feeder Roads.
The Regional Treasury source stated that Mr. Gyapong made heads of departments to understand that there was a way to inflate the financial encumbrance (FE) from the Controller and Accountant General's Department.
He was alleged to have set up his own business companies some of which were "Man Must Grow" and "Sumwell Enterprises".
The director was then said to have used a typewriter with a typeface similar to the one being used for preparing the FE's to inflate figures.
However, the deals came to light when the Bawku East Deputy Director of Finance, identified only as Mr. Amidu, realised that the figure on their FE had been tampered with.
When he questioned the district director about it he was told that the inflation was from headquarters.
Suspecting a deal, he informed headquarters several times but there were no reactions from the head office until Mr. Amidu threatened to speak to the press.
This was when head office sent a special audit team to determine how much has been siphoned from the CAG in the region, the source said.
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Ghanaians urged to tolerate divergent political views
Dormaa-Ahenkro (Brong Ahafo), 20th October 99
Mr. Mike Amponsah, Dormaa District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, has called on Ghanaians to tolerate the views of each other to ensure peace and development.
He told a forum of political and religious organisations in Dormaa Ahenkro that the lack of political tolerance brings about conflicts, and chaos, which undermines peace and development.
Mr. Amponsah appealed to the people to demonstrate their commitment to tolerance and love at all times as the country prepares for elections next year adding that the NCCE has drawn up a comprehensive educational programme on economic, social and political issues to sensitise the people.
Miss Anna Nyamekye, a tutor of the Dormaa Secondary School, expressed concern about the increasing religious conflicts among Muslims.
She urged them to live in peace and to contribute their quota towards the country's development.
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Assemblies urged to encourage election of the disabled
Bolgatanga (Upper East), 20th October 99
Mr. David D. Yaro, Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Director, has called on district assembly members to encourage the election of disabled persons into the assemblies.
Mr. Yaro who was opening a leadership-training seminar for blind women in Bolgatanga on Tuesday on the theme said their election into the assemblies would give them the opportunity to speak for their colleagues as well as contribute to the development of their communities.
The seminar, which attracted about 40 blind women from the region, is aimed at equipping the participants with leadership skills that would enable them to perform effectively in their communities.
Mr. Yaro assured the assemblies of continued assistance from the Regional Co-ordinating Council in the discharge of their obligations towards the disabled.
Ms Grace Preko, President of the Women's wing of the Ghana Association of the Blind (GAB), appealed to district assemblies to assist them with credit to enable them to train their members in various vocations.
"We make this appeal in the light of the fact that skills training seminars and awareness raising campaigns will continue to be organised as part of the general and world-wide effort to focus attention on issues affecting women with disabilities," she said.
She said their membership of 200 women is increasing, and that helping to enhance their self reliance and self confidence would not only relieve society of a burden but would also promote national development.
Mr. Richard Atia, Regional President of GAB, appealed to women's organisations to include the blind in their activities and urged the district offices of GAB to assist women with part of their quarterly subventions.
The women's wing of GAB aims at uniting blind and visually impaired women to provide them an opportunity to share and exchange ideas and experiences.
It also seeks to promote the welfare of its members through counselling services.
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B/A Chiefs urged to declare anniversary reconciliation period
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo), 20th October 99
The Brong Ahafo Regional House of chiefs has been urged to declare the region's 40th anniversary celebration as a period of reconciliation and use the occasion to resolve all chieftaincy disputes that have bedevilled it over the years.
The chief of Nasana and President of the Tain Divisional Council, Nana Gbetu Ampam II, who made the call on Wednesday said the region is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year because of the sacrifices and foresight of past chiefs who spearheaded its creation in 1959.
He said the present generation of chiefs could get their names into the history books by attempting to resolve once and for all the numerous chieftaincy disputes that have impeded the development of the region.
"I believe that such attempts would be regarded by posterity as one of the most important contributions to the region's development."
Nana Ampem said the house is capable of resolving these disputes and cited an instance when the house took less than a month to settle a dispute between him and the Paramount Chief of Seikwa, Nana Kwaku Gyimah Ankanda.
He praised the President of the House, Nana Kwadwo Nyarko III, for the prominent role he played in resolving the said dispute which had been pending for three years and urged him to intervene in other disputes to bring about peace in the region.
"It will not be proper for people to continue to live in insecurity due to chieftaincy disputes," he added.
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Faustina inaugurates NDC branch
Iron City(Central Region), 20th October 99
Mrs. Faustina Nelson, national chairperson of the Veranda Boys and Girls Club, has said the National Democratic Congress is poised to win all 17 parliamentary seats in the Central Region in the 2000 general elections.
Inaugurating a branch of the NDC at Iron City, near Kasoa, in the Central Region on Tuesday, Mrs Nelson said the three seats won by the opposition in the 1996 elections were loaned by the NDC and that the party would take back those seats in the 2000 elections.
She therefore charged members and well-wishers of the NDC in the Central Region to let teamwork be their hallmark right from now to the time of victory.
Mr. Quaynor Mettle, NDC Propaganda Secretary, said the party would from next year focus on the development of Ghana's human resources to enable it to achieve targets set in the Vision 2020 programme.
Miss Sarah Yeboah, Deputy National Organiser, hailed the intestate succession law as one of the good things initiated by the NDC government for women and called on them to renew their commitment to the party.
Nana Kofi Aboaku, Iron City president of the Central Mechanics and Spare-parts Dealers Association, pledged to make the area an environmentally friendly zone and appealed to the government for assistance towards procuring a new transformer to replace the old one that got damaged recently.
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Sergeant Major to enforce military discipline
Ho (Volta Region), 20th October 99
The Forces Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class One (WO1), James Cole, has directed Sergeant Majors in the Ghana Armed Forces to enforce strict discipline within the ranks of the forces.
This is because the Ghana Armed Forces were built on a tradition of discipline, which must not be compromised under any circumstances, WO1 Cole, told officers, men and civilian employees of the Medium Mortar Regiment (MMR) at Ho on Tuesday.
He deplored the recent unprofessional behaviour displayed during a military exercise in one of the regions and said it was at variance with the Ghana Armed Forces' tradition of discipline.
The Forces Sergeant Major called for quick despatch of information to personnel at all levels to enable them to act promptly on instructions based on the information being conveyed.
He assured the soldiers that the Military High Command and the government have taken concrete steps to improve the logistics position of the forces and their living conditions.
WO1 Cole announced that the United Nations has requested Ghana for 700 soldiers to be put on standby for peacekeeping operations in Sierra Leone.
WO1 Anthony Avemee of the Civic Education cell of the Forces Sergeant Major's office took the soldiers through the history of military involvement in Ghana's political history.
He said it is important for them to understand the challenges ahead and resolve to measure up to them.
During a courtesy call on the Volta Regional Minister, Alhaji Seidu Iddi, WO1 Cole said the regular interactions instituted with soldiers through his outfit have helped to bring soldiers much closer to the Military Command in resolving some of their problems and enhancing morale.
Alhaji Iddi commended the growing cordial relations between soldiers and their civilian counterparts in resolving many serious social problems in the country.
He called for further improvement in interactions between soldiers and their officers through the office of the Forces Sergeant Major.
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Two arrested for alleged involvement in examination racketeering
Aburi (Eastern Region), 20th October 99
Two persons have been arrested by the Aburi Police for their alleged involvement in examination questions racketeering at Aburi.
The suspects, Raymond Danso and Yaw Darko, who claim to be students of the University of Ghana, Legon, were arrested when they attempted to sell some questions intended for the Senior Secondary School Certificate examinations next month.
A police spokesman, said the suspected question papers intercepted by the police included English Language papers 2 and 3, Physics 1, General Mathematics 2 and 6 and others.
The suspects have been granted police enquiry bail, the spokesman said.
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