GRi Newsreel 26-10-99

Let's discuss issues dispassionately - Mills

Accra (Greater Accra), 26^th October 99

Vice-President John Evans Atta Mills on Tuesday said the government's doors are always open for consultations devoid of partisan interest on matters affecting the economy and urged well-meaning citizens to collaborate with it in order to move the nation forward.

He said at a time when the country is experiencing cash-flow problems, precipitated by fluctuations in the world market, it is essential that Ghanaians strive to be well-informed on the issues involved and their social implications.

"We do not claim to be a repository of wisdom. We know that when you are in leadership, you'll need to collaborate with others in order to carve a straight path to development," Vice-President Mills told a gathering of senior public and civil servants, Chief Executive Officers, private businessmen, diplomats as well as politicians in Accra.

He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of "Emerging Leaders for Development" (ELD), a non-partisan group of professionals and business people from the middle income sector, who have come together to harness the technical and human resource potentials for national development, and to nurture the kind of leadership necessary for good governance.

The group with the motto: "leadership is sacrifice, not a privilege", would act as a think-tank and conduct studies and evaluation of development policies, and assist in promoting peace and stability in the country's democratic process.

While lauding the objectives of the group which the organisers said was largely to promote national development, the Vice-President expressed the hope that its members would not become mere armchair critics but would offer practical suggestions and strategies, and more importantly, rally others into positive action towards the set goals.

He urged the group to keep the government informed of its perceptions and findings, thereby serving as a channel through which the Executive can communicate with stakeholders in the nation's progress.

The occasion, presided over by Daasebre Dr Oti Boateng, Government Statistician and Omanhene of New Juaben, also marked the installation of a 25-member Executive Committee of ELD with Mr. David Adom, a Chartered Accountant and presently the Commissioner of Internal Revenue Service, as President.

Mr. Felix Kwame Semavor, Managing director of Kingdom Transport Services, Dr Henrietta Asare, Medical Practitioner and Mr. Joe Boateng, a Business Executive who is also the Chairman of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) Board are First, Second and Third Vice-Presidents respectively.

The others include Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Agyeman, a lawyer, as Secretary and Mr. Amos Oppon Amankwah, a Mechanical Engineer of Tractor and Equipment, as Assistant Secretary.

They all swore the oath of office administered by Mr. Justice G.E.K. Aikins, a retired Supreme Court Judge.

Mr. Adom said his group is neither a pressure group nor a secret society.

He said that with the emerging realisation of the private sector as the engine of growth, it is imperative and prudent for a neutral body to be established to harness the human resource potentials of the private sector to forge national development.

"A nicely structured constitution cannot itself bring our developmental needs; it'll take the commitment of ourselves," Mr. Adom said.

He said the group would be organising forums on national issues and present findings for public participation through workshops, clinics and symposiums.

Experts would also be employed to study, monitor and evaluate national policies on labour, including youth employment, health delivery, education, transportation and professionalism in an effort to advise on policy implementation for national development.

A symposium on the state of the national economy was to follow the inaugural ceremony. It would feature Mr. Moses Asaga, a Deputy Finance Minister and Mr Ishmael Yamson, Chairman, UNILEVER as the main presenters.

GRi

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Nkawie Anglican Church upgrades to Archdeaconry

Nkawie (Ashanti), 26^th October 99

The Nkawie Saint Justin's Anglican Church was on Sunday upgraded and inaugurated to an Archdeaconry at a special ceremony performed by the Right Reverend Daniel Yinkah Sarfo, Anglican Bishop of Kumasi Diocese at Nkawie in Ashanti.

Venerable George Bodu Boateng, first Archdeacon of the Nkawie Archdeaconry was also formally installed into office by the Bishop.

Bishop Sarfo created the Nkawie Archdeaconry, which is the fifth in the Kumasi Diocese, at a special synod held in Kumasi on June 30, this year.

The Archdeaconry is authorised to supervise and evangelise in three Parishes including the Tanoso St. Luke's, St.Cyprian's of Tano-Odumasi, St. Justin's of Nkawie and nine other out-stations.

The out-stations include Nkawie Panin, Nkorang, Adiembra, Nyinahin, Hwidiem, Abofrem, Ahyiresu, Donkoto and Abuakwa.

In a sermon, Rev. Canon D. S. A. Allotey, Principal of St.Nicholas Theological College asked Christians to continue to put their trust in God for guidance and spiritual development.

"The pastoral aspect of life is going up and down because people are pleased in ceremonies and other social aspects than in evangelisation", he said.

Dr Mrs Wireko Brobbey, Executive Directors of Bibiani Logging and Lumbering Company (BLLC) who presided commended the Anglican Church for upgrading theNkawie Church.

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Ghana needs small industries training institute

Ho (Volta Region), 26^th October 99

Mr. V. Chaturvedi, an Indian expert in Small Industries Development, has recommended to the government to establish a Small Industry Training Institute in the country to train entrepreneurs towards the rapid development of the Small Scale Industrial sector in Ghana.

Mr. Chaturvedi who is the head of UNIDO'S Technology Bureau for Industrial Partnerships said entrepreneurs are made through well formulated training contrary to the generally held notion that entrepreneurship is a natural inclination.

He was speaking to a cross-section of artisans and mall-Scale-Industrialists at Ho on Monday as part of a three-man Indian Technical Team's Tour of Ghana to asses the state of the Small Scale Industrial Sector as a basis for future India-Ghana for successful operation.

Mr Chaturvedi said entrepreneurs need training to be able to identify products, manage activities, understand the intricacies of marketing and many other vital requirements needed for successful operations.

Mr Chaturvedi said India is prepared to share her experience and expertise with Ghana in establishing and running such an institute.

He predicted that if all the necessary requirements are met Ghana could within ten years attain the level, which India has attained in her Small-Scale Industrial Sector, which now contributes 50 percent of India's exports.

Mr. Chaturvedi said the team's tour of the Northern Western and Volta regions has shown that the country has a vast array of resources and human potentials for development into a virile Small-Scale Industrial Sector whose products can compete favourably in the international market.

GRi

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Oguaa people want Zongo community cemetery relocated

Oguaa (Ashanti Region) 26 Oct. '99

The Chief and people of Oguaa in the Sekyere East District of Ashanti, have expressed concern about the siting of a cemetery by the Zongo Muslim community of neighbouring Seniagya.

The cemetery is close to the Oguaa stream, which is their source of drinking water.

Besides bad odour, which emits at night, Muslims do not bury their dead in coffins, which they say poses danger to their health.

They have therefore appealed to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kojo Yankah to ask the district assembly to re-locate the cemetery.

Making the appeal at a durbar held in his honour, Nana Yaw Afrim II, Chief of Oguaa said the Zongo community has remained adamant despite several appeals to them to re-location the cemetery.

Nana Afrim said the town has drawn up a 10-year development programme under which the people will tackle a project every year and complete it.

He expressed his gratitude to the Government for extending electricity to the town and expressed the hoped that the project would be completed as soon as possible.

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Three Goil staff died in accident

Fetteh-Kakraba (Central Region) 26 Oct. '99

Three workers of Goil Ghana Limited died on the spot when the pick-up on which they were travelling from Accra collided with a mummy truck at the outskirts of Fetteh Kakraba, near Awutu-Braku at the weekend.

Police gave their names as Richard Oku 39, driver, Samuel Assor, 40, and K Amponsah 36.

The Police are investigating the accident.

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Committee to ensure road safety.

Accra (Greater Accra), 26^th October 99

The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) on Tuesday announced that it has set up a committee to help reduce the spate of accidents in the country.

Members of the committee include Mr. Mustapha Garba, Commanding Officer of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Mr. B.L.T. Sakibu, Chief Executive of the GHA, Mr. H.D. Clerk, a Director, Ministry of the Interior and Mr. Charles Ankomah, Deputy General Secretary of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU).

A press release issued in Accra, said to assist the committee to do its work effectively, it is inviting memorandums and suggestions which should be submitted to either Mr. Ankomah of the GPRTU or Mr. Sakibu at the GHA.

GRi

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