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 < BACK                            GO to > 02.03.2007

Rawlings to skip Ghana@50


Former President Jerry John Rawlings has declined an invitation by President Kufuor to join him and other dignitaries at the Independence Square to celebrate the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Ghana's Independence

on March 6.
"Ghana is faced with pervasive corruption at all levels, missed opportunities for genuine progress, nepotism, tribalism and known cases of political torture and killings," read a statement release by Rawlings’ special aide, Victor Smith

"There is also decay of our local industry, the breakdown of our educational system, and an empty façade of “good governance” which earns the applause of those who seek to control us," the statement continued

"I deeply regret that I cannot therefore join Kufuor’s government for this anniversary. My conscience and my principles will not permit me"

We present the full press release below

Message From Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, Former President Of The Republic Of Ghana, To The People Of Ghana And All Well Wishers Of Ghana On The Occasion Of The 50th Anniversary Of Ghana’s Independence
FELLOW GHANAIANS both at home and abroad, Dignitaries and most especially Heads of State and all those friends of Ghana who have come to Ghana in a spirit of goodwill to share in the nation’s 50th Anniversary .
As a citizen of Ghana and a Head of State for almost two decades of our 50 years of Independence, I deem it my responsibility to share my thoughts with you with frankness and sincerity, on the occasion of our Anniversary.

First of all, I join all of you in thanking our Creator for bringing our dear country to the mature age of 50. I honour and respect the memory of the late Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the patriot and freedom fighter, who not only led this country to independence from colonial rule but also laid the foundation for Pan- African freedom on our continent and in the diaspora. I wish also to honour all those valiant men and women who made sacrifices in various ways, as well as those who lost their lives during the struggle for our independence from colonial rule.

And I honour every decent, hardworking Ghanaian citizen - our farmers, teachers, nurses, doctors, security personnel, market women, all workers, the numerous unemployed, who have struggled to hold fast to their principles through the hardships, frustrations and intolerably stressful circumstances under which they have had to exist and manage their lives today.

I welcome the very many foreign dignitaries who have taken time off their onerous responsibilities at home to be here for this anniversary, especially those who have played significant roles in the struggle for justice in Africa.

But I am compelled to ask: “What is being celebrated?”

I am not alone in asking this question. Many people have already asked these questions. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah achieved independence for us 50 years ago by winning freedom and justice from white colonial rule. Many traumatic events have occurred after that culminating in the spontaneous uprising in June 4, 1979, which attempted to wrestle freedom and justice this time from Black Neo-colonial rule.

The early days of the PNDC government were times of great sacrifice but by the time we, as NDC, a political party, handed over power to the present Government, we had restored Ghana’s pride and had regained the respect of the international community. When therefore we handed over power to the present government, we wanted a genuine cooperative handover, a milestone in Ghana’s political history. Instead, we were criminalised and we continue to suffer indignity and persecution.

In what sort of country do we celebrate this 6th March?

Ghana is faced with pervasive corruption at all levels, missed opportunities for genuine progress, nepotism, tribalism and known cases of political torture and killings.

There is also decay of our local industry, the breakdown of our educational system, and an empty façade of “good governance” which earns the applause of those who seek to control us.

I deeply regret that I cannot therefore join Kufuor’s government for this anniversary. My conscience and my principles will not permit me. I cannot share the same platform with the same people who have taken every opportunity to denigrate us for the last seven years and see no good in what we did for this country. And I cannot be part of a cover up for the defilement and violations of the principles of self respect, pride and hope that underlie 6th March 1957.

I repeat my criticism of certain international powers, as well as sections of the international and local media, who have tried many times to gloss over or cover up the difficulties we face in the country today, all in a bid to whitewash the present government. They will, in the long term, be doing the people of Ghana a great disservice. To them, I say that I cannot relinquish my present unshakeable belief that Ghana is merely being made a “show-case” whiles so many people are being denied the basics of life and their freedoms but cannot find the courage to speak up because they have been terrorised into a state of subjugation. A planned peaceful vigil and procession by followers and admirers of Kwame Nkrumah to commemorate the anniversary has even been disallowed and threatened by this government.

So fellow Ghanaians, let us soberly reflect on our present circumstances; let us make this 50th Anniversary of our Independence a pledge to each other to consolidate social justice, integrity, honesty as the basis for the years ahead. Because when all the celebration is over, we still have to ask ourselves where we are going to get our next job, our next meal and money for rent and our children’s school fees and hospital fees.

I wish you a reflective 50th Anniversary.
Jerry John Rawlings
Former President of the Republic of Ghana
March 3, 2007

 I had 3 secret meetings with Rawlings – Kufuor


Daily Guide -- After six long years of silence on the real undercurrents in his ever-worsening stormy relationship with the former President, Jerry John Rawlings, President John Agyekum Kufuor has decided to tell the world why, where and how it all started.

Speaking with Kwame Sefa Kayi, host of the Kokrokoo Morning Show on Peace FM, yesterday March 2nd , 2007 from his West Airport private residence, President Kufuor disclosed that he had had three secret meetings with the ex-president at various locations in the country, and that all the meetings were at the instance of Rawlings.

He said it was when he took a firm stance and refused to be ‘kicked about’ by not attending such meetings that his predecessor took offence.

The President’s revelation may put to rest the years of speculation in the media as to what actually caused the bad blood between Rawlings. President Kufuor who had been bad-mouthed by the main opposition political party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a number of times, said soon after the 2001 handing-over ceremony, Rawlings invited him to meet him at the house of one elder statesman in Tema, to which he obliged, even though it was not the best decision.

“The elder statesman, in whose house we met in Tema is alive today,” he told Kwame Sefa Kayi. The second meeting, according to President Kufuor, took place in the house of another elder at the Airport Residential Area in Accra and once again he accepted to answer Rawlings’ call even though some New Patriotic Party (NPP) leaders were against the business of Jerry Rawlings calling the shot. And as a clue, the president hinted that the owner of house that hosted them in Accra had died not too long ago. “For the third time,” he went further, “the former president asked me to meet him in the house of a traditional ruler in Kumasi, and once again, the meeting took place,” he said. Even though he would not be drawn into the details of discussions at the three secret meetings, the President said he decided not to honour further any such meetings because they did not only disregard protocol but show affront to the presidency as well.

His refusal to honour subsequent meetings, he explained, incurred the displeasure of Rawlings. Asked whether it was necessary to send an emissary to invite the man who had been cold towards him for the Golden Jubilee anniversary, he said he had every respect for the position of a former president because he too would be one soon and would like to be respected when his time was up.

“I can’t close my eyes and pretend there is no former president in this country because whether we like it or not, he too once served this country,” he explained, noting that in spite of the differences in ideology between his party and the Convention People’s Party (CPP), no one could run away from the fact that Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was a great leader. President Kufuor pointed out that this was a Jubilee Year, and expressed his willingness for reconciliation in the national interest.

On the celebrations, he said it was unfortunate that those criticizing it were talking as if government had stopped functioning in the various sectors, and disagreed that the $20million being spent was too much. “We like to compare ourselves with Malaysia because we attained independence with them almost the same time.

I believe they might be spending billions of dollars in July this year for a similar celebration. Our neighbours in Cote d’Ivoire have a whole Presidential Village. Nkrumah put up Job 600, which could cost some $50million today,” he said. According to him, the celebration was necessary, not because poverty had been completely eradicated in the country, but largely because for 50 years, Ghana had remained one entity while many others had gone to war and were on the brink of disintegration. He admitted that being president was not that easy, but observed that his government had accomplished a lot in the past six years.

President Kufuor catalogued the National Health Insurance Scheme, the West African Gas Pipeline, the Capitation Grant and the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), boasting that no government had done quality roads in the country within such a short span of time. He, meanwhile, expressed confidence that those criticizing the celebrations were by far in the minority to those who supported it.

Source:
Daily Guide

World Bank looking forward to see Ghana become best performing economy

Accra, March 3, GNA -

The World Bank is looking forward to see Ghana reach the levels of best performing economies in the world, Mr Paul Wolfowitz, World Bank President, said on Saturday. Mr Wofowitz stressed that Ghana's economy in the last 10 years had become one of the strongest performing African economies and that had come about through human capital development with emphasis on sound economic policy.

Briefing newsman on a tour to some selected locations within Accra and Tema Municipality to inspect World Bank supported projects; he said the country's economic progress was very much possible since it had got the energy, human capital and creative talent to come out of the woods. Some of the places Mr Wolfowitz visited included the Barry Callebaute Factory and the Tema Fruit Terminal; Busy Internet and the Madina market.

He said the Bank provided the needed resources to speed up the country's development drive, particularly the building of roads, power plants and other infrastructure "The country knows what to do and the challenge now is how to continue to create the right environment for businesses to thrive and attract massive investment opportunities", he said.

Mr Wolfowitz said Ghana could blaze the trail for West African countries that had been embroiled in decades of so much trouble to follow.

He expressed satisfaction at the progress Barry Callebaute factory was making in processing cocoa to semi-finished products for export. Mr Wofowitz was also enthused at the fast pace at which work was going on at the Tema Fruit Terminal (Shed 9) being refurbished to serve as a storage facility for horticulture products to maintain their quality before export.

According to the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Ernest Debrah the facility, which was expected to be completed in April 2007 would cover a ground area of 4,400 metre square and would be equipped with 10 docking bays and eight independently temperature controlled chambers. He noted that the refurbishment work, which was jointly being undertaken by the horticulture export industry initiative of the agricultural investment programme of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture at the cost of 3.9 million dollars would provide a big boost to the horticulture industry.

"Three of the chambers would be fitted with pre-coolers and the remaining five have standard refrigeration capability, all eight chambers would be linked to centrally-controlled micro processing unit", he said.

Mr Debrah stated that the shed was initially designed for non perishable goods before shipment to the international market but because of poor ventilation the product quality was compromised.

He noted that Ghana's horticulture industry had shown strong performance over the past decades with annual export rising from 46,000 tonnes at 20 million dollars to 153,000 tonnes valued at over 75 million dollars.

"Despite the impressive growth, the full potential has not been realised since average Ghanaian produce does not enjoy the same level of price as its competitors and the lack of cold chain infrastructure has been identified to one of the problems", he said.

At the Busy Internet, Mr Wolfowitz inspected the Bank's incubator project that aimed at harnessing the potential of small scale internet providers to grow into huge businesses.

Ms Estelle Akofio-Sowah, Managing Director, Busy Internet, said the internet service providers, particularly the small-scale ones needed support since it was an area that could foster rapid socio-economic development.

"Internet is a great tool that can bring about development but the focus is rather on telecommunication" she said. Mr Wolfowitz also toured that Madina market to have a-first-hand information on the state of urban poverty and other sanitation problems associated with the community.

Mr Mat Karlson, World Bank Country Director; observed that urban poverty and sanitation were increasingly becomingly emerging issues that needed to be nipped in the bud.

He, therefore, called on municipal authorities to join hands with other stakeholders to solve the problem before it got out of control.

Source:
GNA

Govt urged to resuscitate timber industry


Takoradi, Mar 3, GNA - Mr. Alex Bonney, Chairman of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), on Friday called on the government to resuscitate the country's timber industry.

He made the call at a meeting with Western and Central Regional Council members of the Timber and Wood Workers Union at Takoradi. Mr. Bonney said the government should come out with incentives including tax holidays for the industry to protect jobs. He said many timber companies were complaining about taxes and levies imposed the government, which increased the cost of production and prices.

Mr. Bonney said the companies were also complaining about lack of raw materials and concessions and appealed to the government to take a second look at the level of taxes and levies on timber companies.

Mr. Bonney also urged the government to put measures in place to protect and sustain the country's timber resources. Mr. Joshua Ansah, General Secretary of the Union, said the Union was educating its members on the problems facing the industry, but warned that "Employers should not take advantage of the problems to lay off workers at will".

He said employers and workers in the industry should respect their collective bargaining agreements and the country's labour laws. The General Secretary advised workers in the industry to change their attitude to work and to avoid laziness and absenteeism. He urged timber companies to go into mass forestation programmes and said the union had a 240 hectare forestation project at Kokoago near Wenchi in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Mr. Joe Aikins, Principal Industrial relations Officer of the Union, said although the timber industry was facing a lot of operational difficulties, some companies pay their workers at the end of every month.

He said some companies were taking undue advantage of the situation to "Prolong the payment of the monthly pay". Mr. Aikins advised workers against unnecessary strike actions and urged them to be very cautious, exercise restraint and to follow the laid down procedures.

Source:
GNA