Armed men kill GCB Deputy Managing Director
Tema, June 29, GNA - A gang of four armed men last night stormed the house of the Deputy Managing Director in-charge of Operations of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), Mr Rocco Frimpong at Sakumono Estates and shot him dead at close range.
A relative, Madam Rebecca Fumador, who is the deceased's brother's wife on Friday told the Ghana News Agency at the scene of the incident that the armed men disguised themselves in black dresses and dark sun glasses.
She said at about 2030 hours on Thursday, she heard a knock at the main gate and went to open it and saw a young man who said he was looking for Mr Frimpong who was then ironing his dress in the room. Madam Fumador said before she could ask further questions, the man pushed her aside, followed by three others and went straight to where Mr Frimpong was ironing, pulled him to the main gate and shot him. Just at that time, two of the armed robbers collected her husband, Mr James Dabo's two mobile phones and hit his forehead, resulting in blood gushing out.
Madam Fumador said the armed men did not enter any of the rooms to pick anything but after shooting him at the gate, they rushed into a dark-blue saloon car parked far away from the house and sped away. There were blood stains at the main entrance to the house when the GNA visited there.
Madam Fumador said the body has been deposited at the Tema General Hospital mortuary for autopsy. Meanwhile the Tema Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) John Kudalor confirmed the story and told the GNA that the Regional Police Command has offered 20 million cedis to anyone whose information would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of the crime.
Source:
GNA
MPs worry over increasing highway robbery
Accra, June 29, GNA - Members of Parliament on Friday touched on the increasing armed robber cases, especially those committed on the highways, and said more was needed to be done to tackle the issue.
They said the security forces, especially the police service, should be well resourced to enable it to discharge they duties creditably.
Members were contributing to a statement on the rising incidence of highway robbery cases made on the floor of the House by Mr. Simon Atingban Akunye, (NDC-Pusiga).
Mr. Edward Doe Adjaho, deputy Minority Leader noted that similar statements had been made by members and said Parliament should consider summoning the Interior, Defense and Security Ministers to brief the House on the situation and steps being taken to curb the menace. Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, (NPP-Amenfi East) said it should be possible for the networking of all police stations to facilitate easy contacts and communication for quick deployment of personnel to deal with highway robbery and other such incidence.
Earlier, Mr Akunye told the House that the spate of armed robbery along the major roads in the northern sector, in areas such as Kintampo, Techiman, Tamale and Bolgatanga was becoming a source of worry for travellers and market women and called for a quick solution. In another development, the Minority NDC once again urged the House to invite the Finance Minister and Governor of the Bank of Ghana to brief Parliament on the cost involved in the re-denomination exercise saying Ghanaians were entitled to know.
Later when the House commenced Public Business, the Bui Power Authority Bill was taken through the Third Reading and passed into law. The passage of the Bill would see the establishment of an authority and the construction of a dam and hydropower station at Bui on the Black Volta River.
The execution of the project would increase the current installed capacity of the country's power generation system by 400 megawatts. The Chinese government has expressed interest in the funding of the implementation of the Bui hydropower project at an estimate of 600 million dollars.
The project would take five years to implement and it is programmed for completion in February 2012.
Source:
GNA
Colonial days are over - Rawlings
Jerry Rawlings, the former president of Ghana, condemned the statement said to be written by a British Foreign Office official, which said that President Robert Mugabe would suffer a similar fate to Charles Taylor of Liberia, who is currently standing trial in the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Rawlings said it was “disrespectful” for Britain to make such a statement about Mugabe.
“No British official, be he a politician or Royalty has the right to say those words about a Pan-Africanist like Robert Mugabe” Rawlings said in an exclusive interview with The Lens.
Whilst acknowledging that the Zimbabwean president might have made some mistakes in governance, Rawlings said Britain should recognise that the days of colonialism are over and as such must relate with former colonies in Africa in the light of what they are – sovereign and independent states.
“Do they think we are back to those primitive eras when the colonialists could arrest and exile leaders of Africa any time they felt like it?” he questioned.
During the past six years, Robert Mugabe has been severely criticised by Britain and the USA over alleged human rights abuses and over Zimbabwe’s land reform policy, which has ensured the return of land to the black majority seized during the colonial era by whites.
Zimbabwean Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa who is currently in Accra for the AU Summit said the western media, particularly BBC and VOA are exaggerating issues in Zimbabwe for the selfish interests of their owners. He said what Mugabe did with the land reform programme was to redress an injustice that was done several years ago and wondered why Britain “which claims to be in the vanguard of justice should be opposed to a course of justice.”
Source:
Black Britain
Gaddafi Coming with 109 Cars & 500 people
Residents of the Brong Ahafo regional capital, Sunyani and villages along the border of Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana were yesterday gripped with ‘Gaddafi-mania’ as reports filtered in that the Libyan strongman and his scores of bodyguards were entering the territory. However, he seemed to have played hide-and-seek with the expectant crowd which had gathered to welcome him to the town, amidst conflicting reports about his arrival in Accra for the African Union (AU) Summit on Sunday.
Daily Guide scouts gathered that the Libyan Leader, who preferred to be called Brother Gaddafi, was riding in a convoy of 109 cars with an entourage of 500 people including female security guards. Commercial and school activities in the region almost came to a halt as Daily Guide spotted security personnel drawn from the Sunyani Municipal Police directing traffic and momentarily barring cars from plying the busy Accra-Kumasi route in anticipation of the arrival of Gaddafi and his entourage.
It was rumoured that he would hold a rally at the Nkrumah Park and as well interact with the media in the Brong Ahafo Region before heading to Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital, where he was expected to characteristically spend the night in a tent amidst tight security.Gaddafi was expected to meet the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II at the Manhyia Palace, after which he would inspect works on the City Hotel, being financed by Ghana-Libya Holding Company Limited. Work on the hotel was said to be at an advanced stage.
Several workers deserted their offices at the Regional administration, while businessmen, policemen, pressmen and a large number of school children abandoned all activities for the day and waited anxiously to hear the sirens, but to no avail. From 2.00pm to 5.30pm the route and time of arrival of President Muammar Gaddafi kept on changing, as the welcoming party, which included fan clubs, streamed from one end of the town to the other, awaiting their idol.
Alas! Information got to the media that the Libyan strongman, as some described him, was then entering Ivory Coast and was expected to reach the borders of Ghana by 4:30pm. This news soon spread like wildfire and some people especially the old and school children, left for their various homes, disappointed.However, some die-hard Gaddafi fans, adorned in T-shirts with his picture and Arabic inscriptions, were not deterred by the disappointing news.
They hanged on until about 5:30pm when information reached them that there was an official announcement on radio entreating all school children who had lined-up the streets of Dormaa and its adjoining towns and villages, to disperse and go home since Brother Gaddafi’s arrival time at the border would be 8.00pm and he would be in Sunyani around 10.00pm.
At that point, the anxious crowd, hungry and disappointed at not witnessing the spectacular arrival of Gaddafi, agreed after discussions and consultations amongst themselves that the Libyan strongman might have heard about the large crowd of admirers waiting to cheer him and decided to have a change of plan. Earlier, the Libyan Leader was in Abidjan where he was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd.Gaddafi, who was en route to Accra for the Africa Union Summit, seemed to have made history as the African Head of State with the largest entourage, and as well making part of the journey by road.
Daily Guide’s reliable source at the Elubo border said the Libyan Leader planned passing through the Noe-Elubo border in the Western region, so the security officials were notified accordingly by the head of security at the place. A few hours later, word reached them again that Gaddafi was entering Ghana through Bonokrom, a border town in the Brong Ahafo region, so the necessary arrangements were made by the Ghanaian Ambassador to La Cote d'Ivoire.
A senior security official at the Elubo border confirmed the arrangements, but added that just in the afternoon of yesterday, the Ghana side of the border was finally notified that Gaddafi and his entourage might go to Accra by air. The source speculated that the 109 vehicles would be left in the care of the La Cote d'Ivoire security agencies in Abidjan and picked by the Libyans on their way back. Gaddafi was said to have arrived in Guinea last Saturday in a convoy made up of several hundreds of vehicles en route to Accra, passing through Sierra Leone to Cote d’Ivoire for the AU Summit.
Source:
Daily Guide
Court jails man 30 years for human trafficking
Tarkwa (W/R) June 29, - A Tarkwa Circuit court, presided over by Mr. John Ajet Nassam has jailed a 21 year old farmer, Tekpey Abebrese, 30 years in hard labour for human trafficking.
The audience in the courtroom were stunned when Abebrese, resident of Brepro Nkwanta near Bawdie in the Wassa Amenfi East District of the Western Region admitted to attempting to sell one Joseph Narh, a carpenter of the same village for ritual purpose.
Presenting the facts of the case, Police Inspector Patrick Adzadza said the complainant in the case was contacted by the accused to assist him secure a kiosk at Bawdie to which he (the complainant) agreed. But, Inspector Adzadza said, on June 19, 2007, the complainant received a call from Tekpey who informed him (the complainant) that he lied when he said he wanted him to assist him secure a kiosk, rather he wanted him (the complainant) to assist him sell one Narh in the Sewfi area where a human head could be exchanged for a KIA vehicle. The complainant feigned interest but reported the deal to the Police and on June 25, 2007 when Tekpey arrived at Bawdie with Narh, Police at the Bawdie Barrier were alerted and Tekpey was arrested and sent to the Police Station at Prestea.
Source:
GNA
Dubai Construction firm denies Ghanaian workers’ charges
A construction company has denied allegations levelled by a group of Ghanaian workers that the former had not kept its contractual obligations.
Yasser Arafat, the labour co-ordinator of the company told Gulf Times that the workers’ allegations stem from their lack of understanding of the recruitment process.
“It is true that they were promised salaries in dollars at recruitment, but they lack the understanding of the exchange equivalent in Qatari Riyal, which we have tried to explain to them on several occasions. And, in fact, their salaries vary depending on their specialisations and qualifications,” he explained.
“We have different categories of salary. For professionals like ceramic tiles fixer, the basic salary and food allowance is QR1,500 and QR300, totalling QR1,800, while artisans like carpenters, bricklayers and steel fixers receive QR1,200 including QR200 food allowance,” he said showing copies of the contracts signed in Doha.
Admitting that the company makes frequent deductions from the workers’ salaries, Arafat said it is the only way the company could recoup its expenses on the workers’ visas and QR200 food allowance advance given to each of them on arrival.
Responding to the allegation of cramped accommodation, he said that the company was trying to rehabilitate the workers and that some of them, complaining of too much dust, have refused to move to the newly completed company accommodation at Mesaieed, which is close to their work site.
He said the company had designated some hospitals where the employees could go for treatment and whatever amount they spend would be reimbursed, adding: “Some of them just go to any hospital, whereas, we have informed them to always go to either Hamad hospital or Al-Shefa clinic.”
One of the senior Ghanaian workers at the company, speaking on behalf of the local agent, explained that the fees paid to the agent in Ghana varied and it was based on categories of applicants.
“What people applying as engineers paid was different from artisans and labourers. While the engineers paid $2,000, Artisans and labourers paid $1,800 and $1,500 respectively,” he said.
“The fees, as we were made to believe then, covers our air ticket to Qatar, medical test in Ghana and administrative charges by the agent, contrary to what our colleagues are claiming,” he added.
He stressed further that the people making the allegations were probably not present at the Ghana interview, where details of the fees were discussed, but got their information through the middlemen, who must have misled them into believing false information.
The spokesman, who is in charge of the contract documents, said the Ghanaians have not being asking for copies as against their claim, adding that other nationals employed by the company have been granted on demand.
Responding to the allegation of ‘cat and mouse game’ by the company and the agent, he said it was the workers who failed to turn up on the appointed date set for them to meet, adding that the agent, who is an employee of an oil company, always has a busy schedule, thereby making it difficult for them to meet.
Source:
Gulf Times
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African citizen passport launched
Accra, June 28, GNA - The African Citizen passport was on Thursday launched in Accra by some Civil Society groups shortly after the official opening of the Ninth Assembly of the African Union Heads of States Summit.
The Passport, green in colour, requiring only the bearer's name and picture, is said to be valid until member states of the African Union issued an African Passport as required to fulfill the vision of a people driven African Union and a United Africa.
According to the proponents of the African Citizen's Passport, launched at a press conference in Accra, a continental government without citizenship was meaningless.
The passport is to allow the bearer free passage, ability to trade, work or reside in all parts of Africa with the full rights, entitlement and responsibilities of a citizen.
Mr Lamine Ndiaye of Oxfam International, one of the proponents said the first step for the United States of Africa was to give its people the right to travel across the continent freely. "The only time that a national passport should be demanded is when one desires to travel outside the continent," he said. Mr Ndiaye said in his opinion the debates were useless now and that what was needed was to make the people of Africa have a feeling of oneness, have one passport and be able to move about freely without the issue of Visa acquisition.
"If we continue to leave the integration to our governments, nothing would be achieved, but if we start the movement through the people a lot would be achieved within a short time," he said.
Madam Una Kumba Thompson of the Women of Liberia Peace Network asked how the African government could be talking of a United States of Africa when the French Embassy issued visa to Kenyans travelling to Senegal and the United Kingdom Embassy issued visa to Senegalese going to Kenya.
Citing the case of Ethiopia, she said Ethiopians normally gave two years visa to Americans visiting their country and only three months to Togolese on the same mission.
"What we are calling for is the abolishing of visas across the continent, to allow Africans, especially women who have to move from one country to the other for trade or because of marital issues, move freely across the continent.
"Women have always been at the receiving end when it came to the issue of passports and visas, with some even losing their citizenships because they had married men from other African countries.
"The inhumane treatment that women go through because of the lack of passport would be a thing of the past if a common passport is used across the continent," Madam Thompson, also a member of the Solidarity for African Women's Rights (SOAWR), a civil society group, said. She said the proposal of the Union Government was a long held vision to consolidate African unity, by bringing people with shared values and rights together.
"Unfortunately, the status of women continues to deteriorate under war and conflict, deeply rooted economic inequality, repressive undemocratic regimes, domestic violence and trauma, harmful cultural practices and poverty," she said.
Madam Thompson said at the heart of the union's debate must be a commitment to unite Africa's people across gender by upholding the respect for women's rights and equality of opportunities for both men and women.
"The debate on the Union government is timely, but it will only be relevant in as far as it will recognize that the majority of the African people are women and girls, and that to win their confidence African leaders need to seriously take up their concerns head on," she said. Cheikh Tidiane, the Senegalese Foreign Minister, who was present during the launch of the African Citizen's passport said it did not make sense to give non-Africans easy access to the continent whilst African had a hectic time obtaining visas to other African states. He supported the call for erasing the visa application across African states.
28 June 07
Source:
GNA
Big demos to hit AU Summit
While Ghana prepares to host 52 Heads of State of Africa from July 1-3, 2007 for the Ninth Ordinary Summit of the African Union, a number of pressure groups and individuals are also preparing to organize massive demonstrations that could possibly mar an otherwise grand and historic event in the life of the continent.
The Independent says the planned demonstrations will be organised over three main issues; the Darfur crises, the political turmoil and economic crisis in Zimbabwe and the killing of some 44 Ghanaians in the Gambia.
A number of human rights activists and non-governmental organizations are going to lead the demonstrators, who have started converging in Accra from different parts of Africa.
The Independent says its sources close to the organisers of the mass demonstrations say they are awaiting more numbers and they are going to beat the streets till the AU Summit hears what they have to say.
They said they would go to the farthest ends to bring the human rights violation across the continent to the leaders who will be here.
The sources said, the situation in the Darfur is appalling and the intransigence of Khartoum is worsening it. The least said about President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe the better, the paper quotes one source, and added that President Mugabe has turned himself into a block that is not doing anything to relieve the people of their plight.
Turning the radars on Gambia another source pointed out that there must put the killing of some 50 Ghanaians in the Gambia on the table for the African leaders to look at.
The paper said, having picked up those signals, the security agencies in the country are on high alert to avert possible disruption to the African Union (AU) Summit.
On Wednesday, machine gun-wielding policemen could be seen on the streets within two mile radius of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) where the summit is expected to take place.
The armed security personnel subject people entering the conference centre to thorough search and interrogations. A number of plain clothes security personnel have also been deplored at the conference centre and areas close to the AICC.
Areas besieged by the security personnel include Osu, Ridge, and the Ring Road Central.
The paper said a number of organisations planning to organise the demonstrations have received funding from Europe and the United States of America. Others have also received funding from opposition parties in some African countries.
A leading Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative has indicated its readiness to protest against Gambia President Yahaya Jammeh’s attending of the Summit for the killing of 44 Ghanaian immigrants by Gambian security forces.
Source:
The Independent
Cocoa output down 16.2%
Ghana's cocoa production may not exceed 620,000 tonnes in the crop year ending September 2007 because of dry weather, Issac Osei, chief executive of Ghana Cocoa Board, told Reuters on Thursday.
"It's not more than 620,000 tonnes. That's the maximum," Osei said on the sidelines of an international cocoa conference on the island resort of Bali.
"Last year's was 740,000 tonnes. So we are losing about 120,000 tonnes. It has to do with the weather conditions, the lack of rains. The prognosis is not good for the year," he said.
Dry weather from late 2006 until the first few months of 2007 has hit cocoa crop in West Africa, where Ghana is the world's second-largest producer after Ivory Coast. West African crop years run mostly from October to September.
Fears of tight global supply as well as robust demand for beans have pushed up the futures markets in New York and London to multi-year highs.
London cocoa futures traded very close to Tuesday's four-year high of 1,104 pounds, reaching a session peak of 1,102 pounds on Wednesday. LIFFE's September contract ended down 2 pounds at 1,097 pounds.
When asked if Ghana expected a rebound in output in the next 2007/2008 crop year, Osei said: "I would not make any comments now."
Executive director of the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO), Jan Vingerhoets, told Reuters on Wednesday he expected global cocoa output to recover to 3.8 million tonnes in 2007/08 from 3.45 million tonnes in the current year on expectations of better weather conditions in producing countries.
Source:
Reuters
Students educate the deaf on new currency
Sunyani, June 28, GNA- The Brong Ahafo Students Union on Wednesday organized a one-day sensitisation programme on the re-denomination of the cedi for the pupils of the School for the Deaf at Bechem. Mr. Anane Adjei, president of the union, told the staff and students the programme formed part of activities lined up by the union towards its national congress in July this year at Wenchi. He noted with regret that hearing-impaired persons were not involved much in national issues and the union was determined to help such persons to play their roles effectively. The main objective of the union, Mr. Anane Adjei added, is to ensure that every child in the region enjoys quality education and becomes abreast with current issues.
The student leader urged the students to accept the change in the nation's currency "since it has come to relieve Ghanaians of the burden and danger in carrying huge sums of money around to transact business". Mr. Anane Adjei asked the students to handle the new notes and coins carefully as the government had spent a lot of money in printing them.
Mr. Thompson Asare, head master of the school, thanked the union for the idea of educating the pupils and explaining the re-denomination exercise to their understanding. He appealed to the public not to capitalize on the state of the physically challenged people and dupe them, but rather help educate them on the special features of the new currency. The headmaster gave the assurance that the teachers would continue educating the students about the exercise.
28 June 07
Source:
GNA
UK,Ghana To Introduce UN Resolution To Authorize Darfur Force
UNITED NATIONS -- Two members of the U.N. Security Council - Britain and Ghana - are expected to introduce a resolution this week to authorize a joint U.N.-African Union force to help end the four-year conflict in Darfur, Britain's U.N. ambassador said Wednesday.
Emyr Jones Parry said he hopes the resolution will be adopted by the Security Council a week after it's introduced, although other council members weren't certain about such speedy approval.
The proposed 23,000-strong U.N.-AU hybrid force is the final phase of a three-stage U.N. plan to bolster a beleaguered 7,000-strong AU force that has been unable to stop fighting between ethnic African rebels and pro-government janjaweed militia.
The violence has killed more than 200,000 people and displaced 2.5 million since 2003.
Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir agreed to the package in November but stalled acceptance of the first two phases and backtracked on allowing U.N. troops in Darfur until April. Earlier this month, the Sudanese government agreed to the hybrid force after receiving certain assurances.
Jones Parry told the Security Council on Tuesday that during meetings with council members earlier this month in Khartoum, al-Bashir and other top officials expressed "total unconditional acceptance" of the hybrid force. "We will hold him to what he told us," Jones Parry told The Associated Press.
Hedi Annabi, the assistant secretary-general for peacekeeping, briefed the Security Council Wednesday on preparations for the hybrid operation now that there is an agreement between the AU, U.N. and Sudan. He said a meeting for potential troop contributors will be held Friday.
Pressed later about published reports that al-Bashir has said Sudan wouldn't accept any Western troops in the hybrid force, Annabi told reporters: "We should all decide to have some hearing problems, because reacting to this or that statement may not be helpful."
"What we need to focus on now is implementation and deeds rather than words," he said.
The U.N. and AU have pledged to make every effort to find African troops for the force, but the agreement says if they can't do that, they will have to use personnel from other countries.
Annabi told reporters that council members want a precise timeline for deployment of the hybrid force, but he couldn't give them one "because a lot of factors are not in our hands." He said he hoped the force could be deployed within six months after the resolution is adopted.
"We do not control the speed at which troop contributors will make offers for the hybrid, or will be ready to deploy with the necessary equipment," he said.
The first phase of the U.N. plan was a "light support package" for the AU force that is being delivered. In April, Sudan agreed to the second phase, a "heavy support package," which will pave the way for the hybrid operation.
Annabi said the U.N. peacekeeping department has offers for everything it needs for the "heavy support package," which includes 3,000 U.N. troops, police and civilian personnel along with aircraft and other equipment. It is now trying to expedite their deployment.
When the "heavy support package" deploys, 2,200 U.N. military personnel and several hundred international police will join the 7,000 AU troops on the ground in Darfur, Annabi said.
That means for the hybrid force, about 15,000 additional people will be needed - 10,000 troops and 5,000 support units and other personnel, he said.
Source:
Associated Press
African Union Govt would be pointless if...
Accra, June 28, GNA - Hugh Masekela, acclaimed South African Musician last night told the audience at the African Civil Society Solidarity concert on Darfur that the attainment of African Union government would be pointless if African leaders did not take steps to stem the genocide and other human right violations in Darfur and elsewhere.
He noted that Africans needed to see themselves as one state and therefore consider the boundaries dividing them as imaginary, saying that with that in mind the ongoing African Union (AU) Summit in Accra should focus on measures to stop recalcitrant African leaders like Omar Basher and the evil Janjaweed from perpetrating genocide in Darfur.
In addition, other African leaders should be stopped from continuing with human rights violations in their respective countries. Hugh Masekela was the main guest artiste at the concert, which formed part of programmes initiated by two African Civil Society groups and coordinated by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in connection with the on-going AU summit.
Masekela was invited as a goodwill ambassador for Darfur to lead the way for African artistes to launch an onslaught against the genocide in Darfur in particular. Other guest artistes included Ghana's Amanzeba Nat Brew, Gonje and the Sappers Band. Professor Kofi Anyidoho of the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana also performed a poem and a song for Darfur.
Masekela, who spotted an all black outfit to signify he was in a state of mourning for the many perished lives in Darfur declared that instead of being a goodwill ambassador, he would be an angry ambassador because his soul bled for the innocent victims of the Darfur genocide. "My soul goes out to the people of Darfur and for the many victims of human rights violations in Zimbabwe, Angola, Somalia, Rwanda and other places in Africa," he said.
He said the gathering of all 52 heads of states and government of Africa in Accra was a great opportunity for consensus to be reached on how to save the innocent children and women of Darfur, who had become victims of a conflict they did not know anything about.
"We must not wait for Hollywood to come out with yet another movie called 'Hotel Darfur' just like they did Hotel Rwanda to make money out of the tragedy of our African brothers," he said.
Masekela said he was sad that when a French Journalist who interviewed him back stage asked other artistes if they knew where Darfur was located, none of the artistes said yes. "That to me was indicative of our indifference towards the genocide in Darfur," he said.
He pledged to champion the cause of the innocent people in Darfur by organizing several of African artistes around the world to hold solidarity concerts to bring the world's attention to the need to help save innocent lives.
But beyond the serious and heartfelt talk Masekela was in full flight when he swung from talking to singing. He reminded the audience of his hay days with Hedjorle Sounds of Ghana and Fela Kuti of Nigeria, performing songs like Mama Africa and African Woman, both of which he played the trumpet.
Masekela would not leave the stage without performing the single song that made his name big "Bring Back Nelson Mandela" and the audience could not tell the difference between the Masekela in his sixties and the Masekela in his youthful days.
His dancing moves were just a delight to watch.
Nat Brew would not leave all the conscious lyrics for Masekela to do; his song "We want Kwame Nkrumah" charged the house as he sung lines like "George is still in the Bush and Tony's vision is blur (Blair) so we want Kwame Nkrumah."
"I bet if Kwame Nkrumah was alive today the genocide in Darfur would not have happened because Africa would have been one state by now," Mr Brew proclaimed amidst loud cheers from the ecstatic audience. He reminded African leaders that they could not continue to look up to the West for help to unite and develop Africa, saying that 60 per cent of the world's resources are in Africa and the west would not sit by for Africa to unite and develop, much more help, because it was not in their interest.
"It is a shame that till date our leaders carry their calabash and go round the world begging for money from so called development partners," he said.
There were several solidarity messages from civil society groups from Ghana, Darfur and other parts of Africa.
Mr. Salih Mahmoud Osman, MP and Human Rights Activist from Darfur said he was sad that African politicians and civil society organizations were largely silent about the genocide in Darfur and some religious groups as well.
Mr. Kwesi Adu Amankwah, Secretary-General of the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) of Ghana condemned the mass human right violation going on in Darfur and demanded that AU states should act in concert with the United Nations to stop the Sudanese President and the Janjaweed from continuing in their evil against innocent lives. Dr. Mrs. Rosemary Mensah-Kutin, Convenor of the Network for Women's Rights of Ghana (Netwrite) demanded that the Summit should evolve concrete measures to rescue innocent women and children from the Darfur crisis.
Mr. Dismas Nkunda, Chairman of the Darfur Consortium, a network of African Civil Society organization dedicated to stopping the crisis in Darfur noted that the Darfur crisis had changed from genocide to "gendercide", where women were targeted for human right violations such as rape and murder more than any other group of people.
He told a sad story of a baby who was found during the Rwandan genocide, sucking the breast of the four days old corpse of its deceased mother. According to him the baby was found alive covered with flies. "We can only prevent a similar situation from occurring if we act now as one people to stop the Darfur crisis," he said. A collection of all the solidarity messages was presented to a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and NEPAD, convenors of the AU Summit in Accra for the necessary action to be taken in the light of all the demands made.
Source:
GNA
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Billion cedis spent on water every month - Hackman
Accra, June 27, GNA - Government spends over one billion cedis every month on the treatment of water from the Weija dam to ensure the consumption of safe water, Minster of Water Resource works and Housing, Hackman Owusu-Agyeman said on Wednesday.
He said as a finite resource, government was committed in doing everything possible to ensure that Ghanaians had potable drinking water by the year 2015 irrespective of the problems that may be encountered. Speaking at the inauguration of new members of the Water Resources Commission, the sector Minister said there was the need for Ghanaians to change their attitudes towards the preservation of the water bodies.
The 13-member Commission would be mandated to help government regulate and manage water resources, which has become an essential part of government policies.
The Commission would ensure that the country's water resource endowment, which is threatened by natural phenomena such as variability of climate and rainfall, was adequately sustained.
Mr. Owusu-Agyeman noted that whiles government was spending lots of money in purchasing equipment and other chemicals in ensuring safe drinking water in the country, Ghanaians ought to change their attitudes to ensure preservation in which way some of the resources would be channelled into addressing other essential issues in the country.
"If we decide to live irresponsibly as a nation by disposing off plastic and other waste anyhow, we may be in trouble and therefore it is time for us to preserve our water bodies for use in the future".
He noted that the national water policy which had an overview of Ghana's water sector comprising the state of the water resources and management institutions, development priorities, international obligations, among others had been approved by cabinet.
Mr. Oduro Kwadjo Gyarteng, Chairman of the Commission expressed his gratitude and pledged members preparedness to carry out their duty with seriousness and hard work.
He called for support for the commission to ensure the effective preservation of all water resources.
Source:
GNA
NPP Govt Looting Ghana -Ex NPP MP
“What is happening at the moment is nothing short of an organized looting of the public treasury.”
Former NPP MP for Akropong, made the above statement in an interview on Radio Gold on Tuesday.
He reiterated that he had documents that he intends to soon put in the public domain that will prove the scale of the malfeasance taking place in various contracts being awarded by the NPP government. He particularly stressed that there was massive financial scandal in the contract for the construction of the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange.
“All is not well in the way contracts are being awarded. The way prices are being inflated is causing the nation to bleed dangerously,” he stated. He explained that the current secrecy surrounding the printing of the new currency is showing the same pattern of behavior.
“Why don’t we know which companies are printing the currency and what the contract entails? What is the quantum of currency being printed and above all what the cost of the exercise is,” he queried.
He expressed surprise that in this day and age a government claiming openness, zero tolerance and touting itself as a model of good governance could be conducting national affairs in this manner.
Hon Koi Larbi, who is a founding member of the NPP, expressed sorrow that the party he helped found in 1992, has now completely gone off course.
“The party we formed in 1992 had great aspirations to send Ghana forward. That party is totally different from the party we have today,” he said.
This current NPP, he explained, is largely made up of people who seem to only care about themselves and have little or no interest in the national interest.
“I do not think they have the ambition to develop this country. They simply do not have the aspiration of moving Ghana forward.”
He hinted that sooner or later, members of the current government will have to face up to the wrong things being done.
He also condemned the tendency of various political parties to encourage blind party loyalties.
“The tendency to follow party right or wrong must stop. We must be bold to tell our leaders when things are wrong.”
On June 4, Hon Koi Larbi said that history has its own way of providing outlets to bring about justice for the ordinary people.
“The experience of the French people taught Europe that lesson through their bloody revolution. Russia failed to learn that lesson and they paid the price later.
“June 4 was our experience, regrettable though aspects of it was,” he said.
Source:
Lens
52 Heads of States expected in Ghana
Fifty-two African Heads of State are expected in the country to participate in the Ninth Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) scheduled for July 1-3, 2007.
The three day meeting is to determine the future political direction of the AU.
Sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Co-operation and NEPAD told the Daily Graphic that all was set for what had been described as the grand debate on a union government for Africa.
The blocks of flats specifically constructed for the African leaders and their delegations are ready and all efforts are being made by the ministry, spearheaded by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Ghana's Foreign Minister, to prevent any last-minute hitches.
At the ministry on Tuesday, top officials held meetings with a delegation from Darfur, Western Sudan, which had come to hold consultations prior to the Executive Council meeting scheduled to be held on June 28, 2007.
At the State House, a large number of people who had arrived to participate in and report on the conference, made up of journalists, politicians, lobbyists and civil society organisations, were being screened and issued with accreditation.
Foreign Ministry officials were tight-lipped on the number of delegates who had registered so far.
Security at the Accra International Conference Centre, the venue of the conference which is also hosting the 14th Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee, has been beefed up, with gun-wielding policemen and soldiers subjecting people who sought to enter the precincts to vigorous security checks.
Source:
Daily Graphic
Top Lybian Officials Storm Sunyani Ahead of Ghaddafi
An advanced party of top Lybian officials stormed Sunyani, the Brong Ahafo regional capital on Tuesaday ahead of the arrival of the Lybian Leader, Brother Muammar Al Ghaddafi, who is on his way to attend the 9th African Union Summit in Accra.The Accra summit is expected to discuss a United Africa States, (USA).
Brother Ghaddafi arrives in Sunyani on Wednesday and would be welcome at the Kwame Nkrumah Jubilee Park by 12 noon. Most people in Sunyani were wondering how the over hundred vehicles conveying Ghaddafi and his team, would be accomadated.But security sources say "things are under control".
At about 5:15pm, the Lybian officials, led by dispact riders, breezed into the regional capital, drawing several people to the road side to wave at them.The Lybian officials quickly went into a meeting with the regional minster, Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah at his office.
Space FM gathered that the meeting centered on security arrangements made for the arrival of the Lybian leader and his large delegation, who started the journey to the Accra summit by road some days back.
Muammar Gaddafi has described the African Union as a failure and vowed to press ahead with plans for a single African government.
Speaking in Guinea's capital, Conakry, Mr Gaddafi said there was no future for individual African nation states. He urged leaders attending next month's African Union summit in Ghana to decide to create a United States of Africa. Mr Gaddafi has long been a leading proponent of the idea, but some observers say it is not realistic. "At the Accra summit we are going to get straight to the point. Let those who are hesitating, get out of our way," he told tens of thousands of people at a rally in Conakry. "For 40 years all the summits have failed," he said. "Our micro-states have no future."
Source:
Space FM, Sunyani
Ghana's Olympic team to take on Iran
Ghana's U-23 team - the male Olympic team - have a tall order to climb as they step into the shoes of the Black Stars for Thursday’s international friendly against Iran.
Aside using the game as a build up for the up-coming 9th All Africa Games slated for Algiers, the Black Meteors would need to win in other to swell Ghana’s points on the FIFA World ranking table as the game is labelled an international ‘A’ fixture. Ghana presently lies 19th on the ranking table.
The game which comes up at the Azadi stadium in Tehran would be 29 years since Ghana last played the Iranians at the same venue in a game that the Black Stars lost 3-0. And the Black Meteors would need to turn around the tide for Ghana.
The Black Meteors stepped in for the senior side since Ghana had cancelled all engagements until August for the Black Stars who are not involved in any major qualifying campaign.
Ghana’s 18-man playing squad selected by Black Meteors coach, Cecil Jones Attuquayefio includes Greek-based Bernard Kumordzi of Panionios.
Iran's Team Melli line up for the game against Ghana as part of their preparations for next months Asian Cup Tournament to be jointly hosted in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Source:
persianfootball.
State of the World Population Report launched
Accra, June 27, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning on Wednesday launched this year's World Population Report and said the increase in urbanisation was inevitable but had positive sides that should be recognised.
Launching the report jointly with Ms Hane Fama Ba, Director of the Africa Division of the UNFPA, headquarters in New York, Mr Baah Wiredu said "no country in the industrial age has ever achieved significant economic growth without urbanisation". The report under the theme: "Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth", looked at the problems faced by cities and the struggle to meet the current needs to prepare for future urban growth. The Minister outlined problems associated with urbanisation such as housing, poverty, and slums and admitted that the implementation of the country's on going Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II) had an implication on the spatial mobility of economically active individuals and the growth of urban areas.
"The influx of rural poor to the urban centres therefore is an indication to the poor to take advantage of the opportunities in the urban areas. In 2001 for instance, the number of people living in slums in Ghanaian cities was estimated at 4.9 million and was said to grow at the rate of 1.8 per cent per annum".
The Minister noted that to address problems associated with urbanisation, government had set priority strategies to upgrade slums areas through the strengthening of physical planning of urban settlements and enforcement of planning regulations.
He mentioned other strategies as promoting adequate supply of safe and affordable shelter, developing and promoting local building materials, facilitating adequate finance for all income groups and upgrading basic services in the urban areas.
Mr Baah Wiredu explained that there were advantages in urban areas over and above those in the rural areas in Ghana in terms of economic opportunities though urban poverty was real.
He said the latest Living Standards Survey for 2007 had shown that whereas poverty levels had generally increased, it had worsened in the Greater Accra Region.
He mentioned HIV/AIDS, housing and shelter, drainage, water and sanitation, as well as transport as some of the areas posing challenges not only to Ghana but the continent as a whole. He commended UNFPA for the leading role it had played in the dynamics of population and pledged to tackle the obstacles of urbanisation and share the benefits through prudent policies, good governance and strategic investments.
Ms Fama Ba noted that poor people would make up a large part of the future urban growth and called for realistic planning for explicit consideration of the needs, rights and participation of slum dwellers and the urban poor.
She said African governments that are responsive to their citizens and eager to achieve a sustainable growth path were increasingly looking to their cities and local authorities to play a greater role in the national development agenda".
Dr Makane Kane, Country Director of UNFPA, Ghana, said the report was timely to address the global, regional and national dimensions of urban growth and proposals for the way forward at each level. He expressed the hope the report would lead to policy development and policy change where needed.
Dr George Owusu, a Research Fellow of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at the University of Ghana who commented on the report called for urban Development Strategy or Urban development Policy to address problems associated with urbanisation. Ms Grace Gyimah Boateng, President of Curious Minds, a non-governmental organisation, who spoke on the Youth Perspective called for partnership, dialogue and investment in the youth to address the enormous problems facing the youth affected by urbanisation. The report said half of the world's population comprising 3.3 million, will in 2008 be living in urban areas. It said the number is expected to swell to almost five billion by 2030. The urban population will double between 2000 and 2030 with many of the dwellers becoming poor, it added.
Source:
GNA
International child labour activist to visit
Accra, June 27, GNA - Mr. Kailash Satyarthi, Founder of the Global March against Child Labour, will arrive in Ghana on Friday to learn about the progress being made to eradicate forced labour and child labour on cocoa farms.
As part of his visit, Mr Satyarthi would hold meetings with government officials and other international organizations operating in Ghana including the International Labour Organization (ILO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and local non-governmental organizations that advocate the elimination of child labour in Ghana
A statement signed by Mr Andrews Addoquaye Tagoe, Head of Programmes, Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development of the Ghana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), said Mr. Satyarthi's visit would also be a platform to strengthen the Global March Movement, particularly the partnership between trade unions, NGOs and other civil society groups in the fight against child labour and decent work for adults.
Mr. Satyarthi, who is also the President of the Global Campaign for Education, will also appoint a Ghanaian as the Anglophone Africa Coordinator for the Global March against Child Labour while in Ghana. Also on his agenda is a meeting to introduce and share the "Quadrangular Paradigm" which establishes a necessity in their linkage on the issues of child labour, illiteracy, poverty and violence against children while strengthening the movement against child labour for free and good quality education for all children.
Mr. Satyarthi, born in 1954 in Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, India, gave up a lucrative career as an electrical engineer to dedicate his life for the cause of child bonded labourers.
He founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) (Save the Childhood Movement) in 1980, which is currently used to symbolize the struggle against child labour and child servitude.
Mr Satyarthi spearheaded the rescue of over 75,000 bonded child labourers from brick kilns, carpet looms and stone quarries and developed a successful model for their education and rehabilitation through the three rehabilitation centres that he and his organization had established.
His achievements as an international child labour activist are numerous. Among them was the lead role he played in bringing together over 20,000 NGOs around the world to participate in the 80,000-kilometre long Global March against Child Labour. Spanning 103 countries, including Ghana, over 7.2 million people globally participated in it and this led to the ILO Convention 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour in 1999. 27 June 07 ATTENTION RECIPIENTS: ITEM 46 ENDS OUR THIRD TRANSMISSION
Source:
GNA
Wood Group injects 50 megawatts of electricity into grid
Accra, June 27, GNA - An additional 50 megawatts of power generation expected from an Independent Power Producer (IPP), the Wood Group in partnership with Transdanubia from the United Kingdom has began at Tema as part of the emergency measures to resolve the energy crisis.
The first phase of 25 megawatts of the generating plant being installed is near completion for power to be evacuated and injected into the national grid by the Electricity Company of Ghana. The two companies would install an extra 10 megawatts of generating plant to serve as a back up, all of which would be under their management.
A visit to the installation site on Wednesday at Tema led by Mr Kofi Adda, Minister of Energy indicated that the ECG would start distributing the power in about two weeks.
Briefing the press earlier after taking delivery of some of the generating sets at the Kotoka International Airport, Mr Adda said the move was in fulfillment of the promise made to Parliament recently that 50 megawatts of power would soon come in from an IPP.
He said some of the sets arrived by sea whilst others were air lifted in order to meet the deadline set for the emergency programme, adding, "Government is demonstrating its commitment and would deliver as promised."
Work on the 80 megawatts of power by the mining companies and the 126 megawatts by the Volta River Authority at Tema were going on smoothly to meet targeted dates.
The Minister said the groundwork for the installation of another 20 megawatts of power in Kumasi was also progressing.
Source:
GNA
Fifty years of Deaf Education
Accra, June 27, GNA - Mrs. Susan Kennedy Director of Special Education Division of the Ghana Education Service (GES) said on Wednesday communication was a major set back in the education of the deaf because majority of them were unable to go beyond the basic level of education. "It is often difficult getting interpreters for deaf students who make the grade and gain admission to tertiary institutions because interpreters are not available".
Mrs. Kennedy said, to curb the situation, equal emphasis had been placed on academic, technical and vocational programmes to equip the physically challenged with employable skills to make them independent and for economic growth.
Mrs. Kennedy was speaking at a press briefing in Accra, to announce the celebration of the 50 years anniversary of Deaf Education in Ghana. The Ministry of Education, Science and Sports, (MESP) in collaboration with the Ghana National Association of the Deaf are organising the programme to recognize and honour individuals and Organisations that have distinguished themselves in the education of the deaf for the past 50 years.
The celebration dubbed: "Fifty Years of Deaf Education in Ghana, achievements, challenges and the way forward" is also to create awareness about the capabilities and potentials of the deaf, as well as raise funds to construct a National Assessment Centre to replace the current one.
Mrs. Kennedy noted that eight Special Schools of the physically impaired in the country had been selected to undertake post-Junior Secondary School (JSS), while ICT programmes had also been introduced in all the physically challenged schools to enable them to have access to information and become computer literate.
She said the Education Division of the GES would establish sign language centres for interested teachers and individuals to pursue Diploma and Degree programmes as there was the need for sign language interpreters in hospitals, court rooms, police stations and other public places.
Mrs. Kenney said it was important that a National Council on persons with Disability be establish to enable those persons to participate in the national development process as demanded by the Disability Act. "All children and youth with sensory, physical and intellectual impairments have the right to be educated and participate in activities as far as possible, alongside their peers in the mainstream. This right extends to making educational environments accessible to all students with disabilities".
The Special Education Division is one of the 10 Divisions of the GES, under the MESP, which is responsible for the provision of services and facilities for the children and youth with disabilities at the pre-tertiary level.
Source:
GNA
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More children benefiting from school feeding programme
Winneba, June 26, GNA - Some 4,245 pupils from eight primary schools in the Awutu-Effutu-Senya District (AESD) have been selected under the School Feeding Programme and are given one hot meal a day. The schools are at Mayenda, Kofiansa, Chochoe, Bontrase and Kasoa. The rest are Okwabena Seven Days Adventist, Emmanuel Presbyterian and the Saint Martha Presbyterian School.
The Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Chief Executive, Mr. Solomon Abam-Quaye, who was speaking at the first ordinary session of the assembly at Winneba, said a total of 934.4 million cedis have been spent on the programme.
He said the assembly would do its best to include some urban schools in the programme since apart from Kasoa all the beneficiary schools are from the rural areas.
Next year some schools in Winneba, Senya Beraku and Bawjiase would be included.
On the Youth Employment Programme, the DCE said a total of 373 youth have been employed as teaching assistants, health extension workers and waste management.
Mr Abbam-Quaye expressed the hope that that those employed would take advantage of their training and work hard to be absorbed into the national mean stream, with teaching assistants making it to teacher training colleges.
Source:
GNA
'Apio' & Faeces To Solve Energy Crisis
The Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng has made a startling revelation about what akpeteshie, the locally-brewed gin, could be used for to produce fuel in large quantities for use by motor vehicles.
According to the medical professor, rather than consume large quantities of akpeteshie and go on to misbehave, Ghanaians should focus on what it could be used for to the benefit of the nation by way of augmenting fue1 supplies.
Explaining how this can be possible Professor Boateng said bio-alcohol could be produced from sugar cane, cassava, sweet potatoes and cocoa sweating that can be distilled and then blended with some amount of petrol for use in vehicles as fuel.
He said that type of fuel is termed E-85 that is 85% akpeteshie and 15% petrol and it is the type of fuel used in the United States of America and Brazil.
The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital CEO was speaking to The Independent newspaper on the on-going energy crisis and the recently announced oil find at Cape Three Points in the Western Region.
Professor Frimpong Boateng said looking at the trend of affairs as far as the Akosombo hydroelectric dam is concerned, he could say without being a prophet of doom that the situation might not improve within the shortest possible time so the best thing for any country to do is to work from a worst case scenario.
This he said calls for the deployment of all energy resources the country could tap to ensure that at least certain strategic agencies such as hospitals, military installations, airports, harbours as well as industries would have power to undertake their operations.
He said every misfortune should not discourage us so much so that we throw our hands up in despair but they should rather make us sit up and come out of such crisis stronger than before.
Prof Boateng regretted that there are people in Ghana who could construct bio-gas systems and there is absolutely no reason why we should dispose of our faecal matters, because that can serve as a fixed raw material to feed the bio-gas systems.
The Central University College (CUC), he disclosed, has shown the way by constructing such bio-gas systems at its new premises on the Tema-Sogakope highway and added that bio-gas can be managed in such a way that it can generate power to feed industries.
“There are Ghanaian industries which can manufacture the bio-gas systems,” he said and added. "The gas generated from that can as well be used for cooking."
He also said, if Ghana could develop capacity to manufacture wind turbines there would not be the need for the Akosombo Hydroelectric plant anymore, because there are high places and shores in this country where such turbines could be located to produce power as is done elsewhere.
The Korle-Bu CEO also advocated for mini-dams to be constructed on small rivers to can provide power to cater for the electricity needs of particular localities to reduce pressure on the Akosombo plant and said it is important that such capacity is developed in the country because that is the reality on the ground as has been portrayed by the current energy crisis.
He said he also supports those who are advocating for both solar and nuclear energy for Ghana since some developing nations are using it so why not Ghana to save it from similar crisis in future.
The energy crisis, he said should challenge us as Ghanaians to come up with solutions that will make us stronger than before. He said, "That is how nations become strong and developed … there should be an uncompromising determination to come out of the situation.”
To Professor Frimpong Boateng, if these suggestions are vigorously pursued they will help in reducing the effect and the impact of the energy crisis.
He said given the nod by the NPP to lead it to the 2008 general elections and subsequently becoming the President of the Republic, these are some of the measures he would put in place to ensure energy sufficiency for the country.
Source:
The Independent
Big 60th Birthday bash for JJ
It was not a boom night, but a night to celebrate and adulate Flt Lt. Jerry John Rawlings -- the only man who for close to two decades ruled supreme over Ghana and its people. His former colleagues in government and the military, friends and well-wishers as well as his ardent followers in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), came in their numbers to wine and dine with Jerry@60.
Most of them paid tribute to Papa Jerry and spoke about how they know him. Obviously excited, the audience kept clapping and showing their admiration in different ways for the man who is not just a former president but a cherished son, friend, brother, uncle, grandfather and boss.
It was not an all NDC thing, although there weren’t many elements from the other side of the political divide, except former military General, Nunoo Mensah (a known NPP sympathiser who has in the past criticised Rawlings severely). General Nunoo Mensah surprised many, by saying some pretty nice things about the former President. The venue was the State Banquet Hall and the large number of 4WD’s and other expensive cars in the parking area made it clear that this was not just a birthday gig for an ‘ordinary’ man but an extraordinary celebration of the life of a man who is feared and respected in equal measure by many in Ghana and abroad. The diplomatic community was very well represented, and so were friends of the Rawlings family and officials of various other institutions including the media. There was a lot to drink, from the soft drinks to real hard liquor. Food was in abundance and the former President was very well-dressed and he seemed very happy and pleased with himself, especially with his wife around him.
When he took to the floor to dance with his “beautiful” (Papa Jerry doesn’t spare that adjective at all) Nana, it was a rather curious site. A hiplife tune was playing but they seemed to be in a world of their own as they exhibited their ballroom dance steps. Nana Konadu still has some great moves and she effortlessly guided her hubby through some fine dance steps.
Before that, the hundreds who have gathered formed a long queue and insisted that they be allowed to shake hands with the former President. The likes of former GNPC boss, Tsatsu Tsikata, former Local Government Minister, Kwamena Ahwoi, his brother Ato Ahwoi, Metro TV CEO, Talal Fattal, KSM, several MPs and diplomats all waited patiently in line to exchange pleasantries with Mr. and Mrs Rawlings.
When it was time for people to say some ‘few nice words’ about the former president, a common theme run through most of the remarks: that Flt Lt Rawlings had strong attributes of “probity and accountability” (a very popular phrase in the P/NDC era) and that he worked to provide equal opportunities for all.
When he took the mic after a night of music, dancing, wining & dining and cutting of his birthday cake, JJ said “thank you” to his daughters (he calls them ladies now) and son for the birthday party surprise. He didn’t know about the party until the Asantehene called him a few hours to the event to apologise for his inability to attend.
Recounting how in their early lives he failed to show his children much-needed fatherly love, Papa Jerry said he did so because he didn’t want them to become too dependent on him. He feared that he might die (in those heady days when things were so volatile that no one could predict what could happen next) and cause a dislocation in their lives if they became too close to him.
All four kids were immaculately dressed with Dr. Ezanetor Rawlings (whose flying antics in a military plane shocked and awed many) showing glimpses of the control she has on things as she moved around to make sure that things were running smoothly. She wore a kente fabric, while Amina, wearing a well-cut fashionable evening dress, gave guests some really lovely smiles.
Kimathi (he so much looks like a younger Jerry) looking really cute and wearing a black & gold combination suit and shirt shared jokes with guests and had a lot of photo ops. After Papa Jerry, Kimathi was the most photographed person in the Banquet Hall. Yaa Asantewaa was not around that much, but whenever she showed up (in her wine dress) jaws dropped.
A documentary made by the Rawlings kids about their father was screened as part of the celebrations. The documentary, using some rare still pictures of Papa Jerry and few videos was really well produced, tracing a young Jerry Rawlings’ school days, his romantic escapades with Nana Konadu, his days in the military and his political life. An interesting point in the documentary was when the then bushy and bearded Kwamena Ahwoi collapsed after a 100m race and Jerry Rawlings took the number 5 position in a game among PNDC secretaries and members. It was a 60th birthday bash for Papa Jerry but it was also a family reunion of sorts, as many former officials of the NDC administration and the former President’s friends and well-wishers came together to celebrate his life. It was a night to remember and many are already looking forward to the 70th birthday bash.
Source:
JIVE
New currency is not for NPP campaigns
Gwollu (UW), June 26, GNA - Miss Alice Habibata Ibrahim Jinsun, the Sissala West District Director of National Commission on Civic Education, on Monday denied allegations that the new currency was meant to support the NPP government to promote the party's political ambitions in the 2008 general elections.
She appealed to people spreading such rumours to collaborate with the educators to ensure that people, particularly in the rural areas, got used to the new currency.
Miss Jinsun, who was taking the people through the new currency at Kuntulo and Jeffisi, said it was not fair for people to capitalize on a national policy to win political points as the truth would one day haunt such perpetrators.
The educational programme also took the team to Gwollu, Sorbelle, Jawia, Fielmua, Bullu, among other major villages in the Sissala West District.
She said "we are all Ghanaians and whatever decisions are taken by the government binds us and so I find it unfair for people to be going round to peddle unfounded lies on policies that are for us all". The NCCE Director also advised the people to resist any attempts from people who would come to them with the intention of exchanging the money for them.
Source:
GNA
Awutu Beraku in clean up exercise
Awutu Beraku, C/R, June 26, GNA- Mr Solomon Quarshie Abbam Quaye, District Chief Executive for Awutu-Effutu-Senya on Sunday exhibited good leadership by example when he joined members of the Awutu Emasa Youth Association to undertake a five-hour clean up exercise at Awutu Beraku. They desilted gutters, weeded, swept public places including the market, durbar grounds, the traditional council halls, and the police station and also removing most of the garbage in the town. The presence of the District chief executive drew a large crowd, including the chiefs, Assembly members and most residents to take part in the clean up exercise.
Addressing the members after the exercise, Mr Quaye praised the association for organizing the exercise to tidy the town. He therefore urged other youth associations in the district to organize regular clean up exercises to support the efforts of the district assembly to get rid of the filth. He said the assembly spends huge sums of money for the management of sanitation in the district especially Kasoa, saying the budget allocation made this year for sanitation has been over spent. The DCE stated that the assembly could not afford to spend all its resources on sanitation and called on all and sundry to help reverse the situation.
He said owners of buildings and structures affected by the construction of the Kasoa-Cape Coast road who have been compensated should vacate them because they would soon be demolished. Mr Quaye warned land developers who put up structures without approval from the assembly to stop and that drastic action would be taken against offenders. The DCE said now that the demolishing exercise has been completed at Kasoa and Winneba, the district capital, the next target would be at Awutu Bawjiase.
He therefore appealed to the chiefs, opinion leaders, Assembly members and others to cooperate with the assembly to ensure the completion of the demolishing exercise. Mr Stanley Quaye, President of the association appealed to the assembly to support them with roofing sheets and boards to help roof the five pit latrines that had been sank by the association. He said the absence of the toilet facility in the town had necessitated some people to defecate indiscriminately in nearby bushes, which poses environmental and health hazards. He appealed to the assembly to impress upon the Electricity Company of Ghana and Ghana Water Company to extend power and water respectively to the new settlements within the town. 26 June 07
Source:
GNA
Assembly to reward clean council areas
Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), June 26, GNA - The Dormaa District Assembly is to reward the cleanest and greenest urban, town and area council in the district with development projects during this year's national farmers day.
Therefore, the assembly has tasked the councils to evolve pragmatic sanitation and greening agenda that would make them eligible for the honour.
Squadron Leader Ben Anane-Asamoah (RTD), the District Chief Executive, said this when he launched a greening and sanitation programme for the district as part of activities marking Ghana's golden jubilee.
"Under the programme, every urban, town and area council will draw its own criteria within the framework of the assembly's programme to encourage basic hygiene and tree planting in all communities", the DCE said.
Squadron Leader Anane-Asamoah said the assembly had approved a budget for the Dormaa Traditional Council to initiate and supervise the planting of trees along the banks of water bodies.
"It is the vision of the assembly to see visible signs of healthy sanitation and improved greenery within the next two years", he said, adding the assembly had picked the last Friday of every quarter for communal labour in all communities.
He said the programme required every household, office or institution to regularly clean surrounding gutters to promote cleanliness.
Mr. Odamey Antiri, chairman of the assembly's sub-committee on greening Ghana, attributed the district's rapid environmental degradation to over-grazing, illegal chainsaw operations, over-logging and bad farming practices.
Mr Chou-En-Lai Paul Ankomah, chairman of the district anti-bushfire task force, said organized hunting of game had impacted negatively on the environment in the district.
He said the hunters often clear large portions of land, destroying trees and called for a ban on the practice.
Source:
GNA
Ghana on course for cocoa production target
Bunso (E/R), June 25, GNA - Dr. Yaw Ampomah, Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, has said that the country was on course to meet its production target of one million tonnes by the year 2010.
He said good agronomy practices and enhanced research put the country in a good position to attain the production target. "Barring any unforeseen circumstances and taking into account the level of activities, the country could realise between 800,000 and 900,000 tonnes next year," Dr Ampomah said at training programme for purchasing clerks of Cocoa Merchants Ghana Limited. Ghana achieved a record cocoa production of 740,458 tonnes in the 2005/06 season.
The training programme on the theme: "Enhancing Performance for better and Efficient Delivery," was to equip the purchasing clerks with skills to enable them offer efficient services at the various centres. Dr. Ampomah asked the clerks to maintain the integrity of the beans at all times to ensure that the premium quality was not compromised. He expressed satisfaction with the training and said it was necessary to educate purchasing clerks so that they in turn could help pass on some of the results of extension work done at CRIG to the farmers.
Nana Amo Adade Boamah, Managing Director of Cocoa Merchants Limited, said the company purchased 20,000 tonnes of cocoa during the main crop season, which started October 2006 and ended in May this year. The figure was an improvement over the 2005/2006 season in which the company purchased 15,000 tonnes of cocoa.
Nana Boamah attributed the good performance to the hardwork of the purchasing clerks and urged them to continue with the good work. However, he was unhappy with the dishonest behaviour on part of some purchasing clerks, poor record keeping at local level, misreporting, cheating of farmers by weight and the use of unapproved weighing scales and the purchasing of poor quality cocoa.
Nana Boamah said the company was prepared to work with staff, who would accept the change and with support from management perform better. The company, which employs about 2,000 people made up of purchasing clerks, accountants and managers, operates in 36 districts spread over the cocoa growing areas.
It also has relationship with 2,000 cooperative societies. Mr. Lawrence Ayisi Botwe, Operations Officer of Cocoa Merchants, said the company could only win the competition with the right mix of manpower resources.
The three-day seminar would take participants through quality checks, proper handling and care of company property, management and proper utilization of funds, worst forms of child labour in the cocoa industry and redenomination of the cedi.
Source:
GNA
Cable thieves take advantage of load shedding
Nkwanta (V/R), June 26, GNA - The current load shedding exercise has created good cover for cable thieves in Nkwanta who have resorted to stealing electricity cables in the township.
The Nkwanta District Veterinary Office, Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation (GILLBT), a sawmill and some individuals have so far fallen victim to the activities of the thieves. A source at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) at Nkwanta said the stolen 16mm cables might be destined for Kpassa, where an electrification project was underway.
The source said the thieves might also be selling the wires to goldsmiths who used the copper component for jewellery.
Source:
GNA
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