Tamale regent calls on investors to focus attention on the north
Tamale, July 21, GNA - Alhaji Abdulai Ziblim, regent of Tamale, on Saturday called on the business community to use the prevailing peaceful atmosphere and the vast landmass in the Northern Region to focus their investment attention there. He said traditional authorities in the Northern Region were ready to release land for development and investment purposes. Alhaji Ziblim made the call in Tamale when the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of MTN (formerly Areeba), paid a courtesy call on him at his palace.
The purpose of the visit was to introduce to the regent, CMO of MTN (Areeba) and to brief the regent about MTN and its plans for the entire Northern Region and the country as a whole. "Traditional rulers want to proof sceptics wrong by giving warm reception to all visitors for business and tourism industry," he said and added that Tamale and the entire Northern Region was safe for investment.
He commended MTN for its investments in the Northern Region and gave the assurance chiefs and other key players in development would collaborate with all development partners to improve conditions in the Northern Region.
Alhaji Ziblim also commended the government for embarking on affordable housing project in the region to accommodate workers. Mr. George Andah, the Chief Marketing Officer of MTN, said MTN, sponsors of CAN 2008 would collaborate with the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and traditional authorities to ensure that Tamale hosted the event successfully.
Source:
GNA
Tamale is to support festivals and cultures in the north
Tamale, July 21, GNA - Mr. George Andah, Chief Marketing Officer of MTN (formerly Areeba), said on Saturday that the company would support traditional authorities in the north to celebrate their festivals and also help them to preserve their culture.
He said this would become fully accomplished when MTN Foundation was launched in the country before the end of the year to focus on education, health, economic empowerment and arts and culture especially in the northern sector.
Mr. Andah said this in Tamale when he paid a courtesy call on the regent of Tamale, Alhaji Abdulai Ziblim, and added that Areeba supported vocational education in the Northern Region and would build on it for further improvement. Mr. Andah said MTN, sponsors of CAN 2008, would collaborate with the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and traditional authorities to ensure that Tamale hosted the event successfully. Areas of collaboration would include decoration of roads from the Tamale Airport to the games venue, some major roads and roundabouts to ensure that visitors and investors appreciated the beauty of Tamale and the country.
Alhaji Ziblim commended MTN for the projects and pledged his full support to their activities in the region. He said Tamale was now a haven of investment and that MTN's presence in the region would encourage other investors to focus attention on the Northern Region. Mr. Andah earlier presented a cheque for 41.1 million cedis to the Northern Regional Coordinating Council as MTN's contribution to the Tamale Disaster Fund.
Source:
GNA
Rawlings' sweep Pan African Film awards
Accra, July 21, GNA - A documentary focusing on Former President, Jerry John Rawlings was adjudged the best out of seven presented at the Eighth Pan African Students Film and Television festival dubbed: "ANIWA 2007".
The 26 minute-documentary was described by a five-member jury headed by Mr. Billy Mutta a veteran Documentary Film Producer and Head of Nairobi Film Training Institute as "historical resonance." Other documentaries present by film training institutions at ANIWA 2007 were; Ghana - "Tomorrow's Future," "Change Your Style," "Costume of a Nation," and "Grandma and the Carpenter." Nigeria presented: "Mummy Lagos," and "Faceless."
A fiction film on Dr. Ezanetor Rawlings, first daughter of the former President was also adjudged the best out of 15 other musical fiction films.
Announcing the winners at the end of two-week ANIWA 2007 festival, Mr Mutta said 32 productions entered the competition. They were: Fiction, 15; Documentary, 7; Debut, two; Musical, three; Television Drama, three; and Animation, two.
Mr Mutta ascribed a "member of three conspirators," who conceived the idea of establishing an African Festival, reprimanded film makers for failing woefully in the area of directing, editing, sound management and all other disciplines 14 years after the inception of the festival. He expressed concern about the decline in craftsmanship in film production, especially in story development and script, sound, lighting, directing, editing, innovative use of music, use of archival footages and innovation in set designs.
He said ANIWA 2007 Jury noted with dissatisfaction lack of engagement of students and lecturers in film discussions and general low turn-out of participants, "even participation of students and lecturers from the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) main organisers of the festival was not very encouraging."
The Jury, according to Mr Mutta recommended that in order to improve upon ANIWA festivals, participation institutions must demonstrate greater commitment and have specific official to liaise with the secretariat in Accra, Ghana on a constant bases.
The Jury also expressed concern about the poor publicity accorded the festival in the media and challenged the organisers to involve the media in future events.
In spite of the lapses of ANIWA 2007, Ghanaian filmmakers however beat their Nigerian and other counterparts who participated in the festival. Ghana picked a total of eight prizes; Nigeria, six; South Africa, four; and Zimbabwe, one.
Mr. Nat Nunoo Amartefio, former Chief Executive of Accra Metropolitan Authority who was the guest speaker remind cinema and television professionals to shift emphasis to the production of materials that would enable them to overcome superstition, ethnicity, civil strife, fear, violence and other negative cultural practices that undermined the Continent's search for development.
Mr. Martin Loh, Director of NAFTI explained that the event organised bi-annually was intended to bring together teachers, students and professionals to acquire new knowledge and share experience and skills.
Mr. Loh said ANIWA had gained international recognition as a major student film and TV event in Africa and must be sustained.
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GNA
First wastewater treatment system in Africa commissioned in Tema
Tema, July 21, GNA - The first Living Machine Wastewater treatment system in Africa that will enable effluent discharged into wetlands by households to be treated and reused has been inaugurated in Tema. The facility, costing 120,000 dollars, is located at Tema Community Six, close to the Sakumono Lagoon.
Senior Advisor of Worrell Water Technologies, Dr Mark Scaefer, said water treated by the Living Machine system was ideal for irrigation, landscaping and certain industrial processes and that effluent from the Living Machine could be treated further with other purification technologies to make it safe for drinking.
Dr Scaefer said his outfit donated the machine to Tema to demonstrate the value of the technology in Africa as water reuse had become important throughout the world due to the decline of freshwater and that the system has been in existence in the US for the past 10 years. Inaugurating the system the Tema Municipal Chief Executive, Mr David Quaye Annang, said the Tema Municipal Assembly participated in the construction of the system and that the assembly would maintain it.
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GNA
Akosombo Dam: The story is the same
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A tour of the Akosombo Dam on Tuesday by a team of journalists, including Public Agenda’s reporter has revealed that it is only a matter of time for the Dam to be shut down; though officials are optimistic of a turnaround soon. Currently the water level drops at an alarming rate of 0.04 daily, and this means that one of the two turbines being used to generate electricity for domestic and industrial use will have to be shut down by the end of this month or sooner.
The Director of Hydro Generation at VRA, Ing. Kirki Koffi virtually confirmed Public Agenda’s article “Goodbye Aksombo Dam” when he told the journalists that if the loss of water at that level continues, the authorities will have no option than to shut one of the two turbines and review the current load shedding exercise.
With an installed capacity of 1,020 megawatts, the Dam currently produces only 270 megawatts with two turbines. It will generate a mere 135 megawatts with one turbine.
Ing. Koffi said currently the water situation is at a level that can best be described as very critical, even though they are hoping that the rains will start falling any time next month. He said the rains that fell over the weekend in the Northern part of the country was good news and hoped there will be more rains to allow the various tributaries connected to the dam to bring in more water.
He said currently the water level is hovering around 235.04 and this is the lowest level since 1984 when the water level dropped to 235.76 as a result of a nation wide drought. This time though the rains are falling the inflows are virtually low.
Ing. Koffi said as much as the condition prevailing currently is not best for the effective running of the dam the authorities were optimistic the machines are not being overstretched beyond their design limits.
According to him, the Volta River Authority is in touch with government to ensure that alternative sources to support the dam are brought on board by the end of the year.
Ing. Koffi said currently the VRA is building a new plant at Tema and was hopeful it would start full operation by the end of the year while hopeful that the power plant that has been acquired by the mining companies will be operational by the end of next month.
Ing. Koffi revealed to the Public Agenda that the government spends about $2 million every month on crude oil to serve the thermal plant and hoped the importation of the energy serving bulbs will help cut down the amount of energy consumption in the country.
During the visit Public Agenda met with a Nigerian delegation that had come to learn from their Ghanaian counterparts on how they are dealing with the current energy crises.
The delegation revealed to this reporter that the current energy crisis facing the country is more of a continental problem because many of the dams in Nigeria have been experiencing the lowest inflows of water in the past forty years.
Source:
Public Agenda
Attorney-General to protect the rights of British juveniles
Accra, July 20, GNA - The office of the Attorney-General Department on Friday expressed displeasure about the publication of pictures purported to be those of two British juvenile suspects being held for narcotic offences in Accra.
A statement signed by Mr Frank Siaw Otu, Public Relations Officer of the Department, said it was an offence under section three of the Juvenile Justice Act 653 to release any form of information for publication that might lead to the identification of juveniles.
It said the Department would not hesitate to take appropriate steps to protect the rights of the juveniles and warned media houses to exercise restraints in their reportage and cooperate with the Department in the interest of justice.
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GNA
Thieves break into Minister's home
The Police in Bolgatanga have commenced investigations to identify and arrest persons alleged to have broken into the apartment of the outgoing Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Boniface Gambila.
The bedroom of Mr Gambila was broken into by unidentified persons last Friday, whilst the minister was away on official duties.
The thieves were alleged to have ransacked the entire bedroom but the police are unable to determine which items were taken away because the apartment was unoccupied at the time of the incident.
The police say they are waiting for the minister to return and give them information as to which items were stolen.
This is the second time the minister's apartment has been ransacked. According to sources, a few months ago, the minister's own nephew and one other gentleman broke into the minister's apartment while he was out of town.
The latest break-in occurred about 12 midnight on Friday July 13, 2007. A source told the Daily Graphic that the night watchman at the apartment detected that the regional minister's bedroom had been broken into through one of the back windows.
The thieves were believed to have scaled over the wall of the residency to commit the crime.
The source said the watchman, one Afrohe Amoah, on seeing that, quickly informed the policemen stationed at the main gate of the residency and also the protocol officer of the Regional Coordinating Council.
According to the source, after looking round the apartment, the search team could not see anybody so a report was later lodged with the police.
When contacted, the Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Victor Seth Agbetornyo, confirmed the incident. He said the police observed that the alleged thieves removed four louvre blades to create a space through which they either entered or exited the room.
"We noticed that they have overturned things in the room but we cannot tell what was taken. We believe they were looking for money and jewels," Superintendent Agbetornyo said.
"We saw his clothes spread in the sofa. His TV, decks and computers were left intact. So we believe the intruders were purposely looking for money", the regional crime officer said.
He said currently all persons working at the place, including the watchman, had been subjected to intensive interrogation, while the police were using forensic analysis to unravel the break-in.
Supt. Agbetornyo disclosed that security at the residency had been beefed up, pending the return of the Regional Minister.
When contacted, the Chief Director at the RCC, Mr Samuel N’lary, confirmed the theft incident and said the police were investigating the issue.
Source:
Daily Graphic
Don't sell government's shares in ABD - Socialists Forum
Accra, July 19, GNA - The Socialist Forum of Ghana (SFG), a pressure group, has said that the sale of government's 48 per cent shares in Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to a South African Bank, Stanbic, would be detrimental to the economy as well as the agricultural sector.
According to the group, the take-over by Stanbic would mean that it would take control over the inflow of money accrued from Western Union Money Transfer, which was estimated at between 350 and 400 million US dollars annually.
In a press release issued on Thursday in Accra, the group said the process of offloading the shares was laden with "fraud and subterfuge". The group said the sale or offloading of Bank of Ghana's shares to Stanbic without open market operations and the option of having local private shareholders, as was done in the case of Ghana Commercial Bank, deprived the country of its rights to maximise profits and its sovereignty.
The group said ADB, under the control of Stanbic, would lose all its profit to foreign investors.
According to the group, agriculture was of a strategic security importance to the economy and its financing and development could not be placed in the hands of foreigners whose sole aim was to maximise profit. The group said since the inception of Stanbic in Ghana, its main focus had been on business and not agriculture.
According to the Socialists Forum, ADB had performed creditably and met its obligations under the provisions of the agricultural development credit and Corpoate Bank Act of 1965 and also initiated viable projects in the Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and the Eastern Regions. "There is no guarantee that if Stanbic should take-over, these projects would continue giving its focus on industry and commerce", the statement read.
Source:
GNA
Egypt commends Ghana's pioneering role in Africa
Accra, July 19, GNA - Mr. Seif Allah Mostafa Nosseir, Egyptian Ambassador to Ghana, on Thursday commended Ghana's pioneering and historical teamwork with Egypt in the late fifties, culminating in the independence of other African countries.
Addressing a ceremony to mark the country's 55th Anniversary of the Revolution of the Arab Republic of Egypt the Ambassador commended the leading role played by Ghana and Egypt and their contributions to the struggle for the total emancipation of Africa.
This year, he noted would be considered a historical year in the relationship between the two countries following President John Agyekum Kufuor's state visit to Egypt in May, saying the visit had opened more bilateral opportunities for the benefit of the two countries.
Ambassador Mostafa said Egypt's political and economic achievements have benefited the Egyptians to move forward to next stage of their democratic development, adding that under President Mubarak's reign Egypt was adopting a vision and a strategy for the future to put forward a comprehensive political, economic and social agenda that would receive consensus and support of Egyptians.
He said Egypt would strengthen mutual and bilateral cooperation through varied programmes of technical assistance and political cooperation with Ghana to boost the economies of the two countries.
The Minister of Manpower, Youth and Employment, Mr. Abubakar Saddiqque, responding to a toast on behalf of President Kufuor, expressed appreciation to president Mubarak of Egypt and the people for their warm hospitality and courtesies extended to him as well as the Ghanaian delegation during his visit to Egypt.
He said, "Our bilateral relations have been growing steadily over the past five years where the government of Egypt has offered various forms of assistance towards Ghana's development effort particularly under the framework of the agreement on cooperation in the field of tourism."
Mr Saddique expressed the hope that the very close bonds of friendship and cooperation that exist between the two countries would not only endure but also further deepen in the coming years for their mutual benefits.
Source:
GNA
Police On Contract Killings
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Accra, July 19, GNA - The Police administration on Thursday said it was too early to conclude that the recent spate of murders in the country were cases of 'contract killing' because motives of the killings had not yet been established.
"Investigation has also not been able to establish or suggest the motives for any of these killings. The result of the investigations would help us classify them appropriately", Deputy Inspector General in-charge of operations, Dr. Kofi Kesse Marfo said.
Speaking at the press conference on the current spate of murders in the country in Accra, he said the motive for the killings might be varied citing chieftaincy disputes, economic, land, and political reasons as some of the many motives for 'contract killings'.
Dr. Marfo announced a 20 million cedis (GH 200 Cedis) reward for information that will lead to the arrest of the killers.
The police he said, was doing everything possible to stem the tide of 'these regrettable incidents' he said, adding that the police were following some interesting leads to their logical conclusion. Citing the murders of Mr Boateng, former Deputy Managing Director of the Ghana Telecom, Mr. Rokko Frimpong, Deputy Managing Director of the Ghana Commercial Bank, Mr Samuel Ennin, Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, Nana Brentuo III, Chief of Nyankumasi- Adansi among others, he noted that some suspects in some of the murders had been put before court and were on remand.
He said for security reasons the police could not make public inroads that had been made until investigations were completed.
He mentioned the revamping of community policing activities, intensified patrols, more cordon and searches of known and reported criminal bases, intelligence collection of criminal activities and gangs and increased snap checks as some of the measures being put in place by the police.
Dr. Marfo urged people in communities to come out with their peculiar problems that were potential threats to the peace and tranquillity in those areas.
The Deputy IGP asked the public to report real threats of death and harm to the police without hesitation but was quick to caution that people should not take advantage of the opportunity to make hoax and frivolous calls.
"Person who advertently abuse the facility by sending the police on a wild goose chase would be held for deceit of public officer," he said.
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GNA
FAO, WHO urge vigilance about food safety
Accra, July 19, GNA - The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are urging all countries to strengthen their food safety systems and to be far more vigilant with food producers and traders.
The two organisations said recent food safety incidents, like the discovery of industrial chemical melamine in animal and fish feed, or the unauthorized use of certain veterinary drugs in intense aquaculture, could affect health and often lead to rejections of food products in international trade.
A statement issued in Accra on Thursday by the UN Information Centre in Accra said such food safety incidents were often caused by lack of knowledge of food safety requirements and of their implications, or by the illegal or fraudulent use of ingredients including unauthorised food additives or veterinary drugs. "During the last 12 months, an average of up to 200 food safety incidents per month, have been investigated by WHO and FAO to determine their public health impact.
"Information about food safety incidents of international significance was shared with countries through the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN)."
Dr Jorgen Schlundt, Director of WHO's Department of Food Safety, Zoonoses and Food borne Diseases, said: "Food safety is an issue for every country and ultimately every food consumer. All countries can benefit from taking stronger measures to fill safety gaps in the sometimes considerable journey food takes from the farm to the table." "Countries are only able to keep their shares in globalized food markets and the trust of consumers if they apply internationally agreed food quality and safety standards," said Ezzeddine Boutrif, Director of FAO's Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division. "Consumers have a right to be informed about potential hazards in food and to be protected against them."
The statement cautioned that weak food safety systems could lead to a higher incidence of food safety problems and diseases caused by microorganisms such as Salmonella, E. Coli, Campylobacter, and Listeria, by residues of agricultural chemicals (pesticides, veterinary drugs, etc) and by the use of unauthorized food additives. It said diarrhoeal diseases alone, due mainly to unsafe food and water, killed 1.8 million children every year.
"Food production systems in developing countries are facing a series of challenges: population growth and urbanization, changing dietary patterns, intensification and industrialization of food and agricultural production.
"Climate conditions, poor sanitation and weak public infrastructure compound these difficulties. Food safety legislation in many developing countries is often incomplete or obsolete or not in line with international requirements. Responsibility for food safety and control tends to be dispersed across many institutions." The statement said laboratories lacked essential equipment and supplies.
It said many developed countries are in similar situations with fragmented food safety systems that often did not include or cover primary production where many food safety issues originate. For example, it said, the spread in recent years of new Salmonella strains in poultry originated in developed countries and was spread globally through trade.
"In order to ensure safe food production for their own consumers and to meet international sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for food exports, national food safety authorities should be more vigilant. Producers and traders should be held accountable for safe food production throughout the food chain."
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GNA
All charges dropped in rape case
Attempted rape and assault charges against a Harrisburg cabbie were dismissed Tuesday during a preliminary hearing in Franklin County Central Court. The man had been accused of trying to rape his fare after bringing the woman to Chambersburg in April. Court officials did not say why the charges against Prince Kwaku Boateng, 37, a legal alien from Ghana, were dismissed.
According to court documents, the woman had hired Boateng to bring her to Chambersburg on April 28 after she had flown to Harrisburg from New York.
The woman and Boateng engaged in small talk on the drive from Harrisburg to Chambersburg, according to court documents. When they arrived at the motel room where she planned to stay that night, Boateng told her he was tired and asked if he could sleep in her room for a while before returning to Harrisburg.
The woman was due in Franklin County court that week for a formal arraignment on drug delivery charges and told him he could stay if he would pay half the room rate.
According to court documents, both went to sleep but about 6:15 a.m., Boateng allegedly rolled over onto the woman and then pulled her pants and underwear down as she resisted.
She later told police he tried to choke her. She said that after she broke free and ran for the door of the room he pulled her shirt off, also.
After she escaped and called for help, Boateng left the room, got in his cab and drove away.
Witnesses who saw him leave the motel wrote down his
Source:
Public Opinion
$42 million spent monthly on emergency power plants
Accra, July 18, GNA - The Volta River Authority (VRA) spends about 42 million dollars monthly on fuel to power emergency power plants generating electricity during the power crisis the country is experiencing.
Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister for Finance and Economic Planning disclosed this on Wednesday at a ceremony to inaugurate the Value Added Tax (VAT) sub-office at Madina in Accra. In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Baah-Wiredu said government was aware of the impact of the current load management exercise on industry, adding that additional funds had been released to the Ministry of Energy to provide emergency power plants to augment the Akosombo and the Aboadze thermal plant.
He said the supplementary budget to be presented to Parliament for approval would seek to further allocate more funds to the energy sector to ensure that the current load management exercise did not recur in future.
He added that there was urgent need for revenue services to improve tax collecting capacity to support "this urgent and very important need".
Mr. Baah-Wiredu said government recognised the role of tax payers as partners in generating revenue for development and that there was the need to provide offices that could provide excellent client services to the public to improve service delivery.
He said the Tax Arbitration Board under the Revenue Agencies Governing Board provided avenues to businesses which were dissatisfied with the rulings of various revenue institutions to appeal for their cases to be resolved.
The Minister expressed the hope that the new VAT sub-office in the area would provide opportunities for businesses to readily obtain information and also produce fast and effective delivery in the collection of taxes.
Mr Anthony Ewereko Minlah, VAT Commissioner, said the Service was implementing internal measures to improve service delivery and deal with corruption which required the support of the business community in a multi-stakeholder approach.
Mr. Minlah said the VAT Service would introduce the VAT Flat Rate Scheme, which would operate at a marginal flat rate of three per cent. He said the establishment of the Madina sub-office reflected the determination of the VAT Service to extend its services to the doorstep of businesses and reduce compliance cost. Mr. Victor Obeng Ampah, Madina Branch Manager of VAT, said the office collected 12 billion cedis within the four months of its operation and it had targeted 30 billion a month as the tax net had presently covered 50 per cent of traders in Madina and its environs. 18 July 07
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GNA
Sexual, reproductive health education for Kassena Nankana basic schools
Navrongo (UE), July 18, GNA- The Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and the Kassena Nankana District in the Upper East Region have intensified their education campaign on sexual and reproductive health in some selected basic schools in the district.
The pilot project would be replicated in all basic schools and second cycle instititutions in the District. Dr. Abraham Hodgson, the Director of the NHRC, said these at an inter-circuit quiz competition for some selected Junior Secondary Schools in the District to assess students' knowledge of sexual and reproductive health.
He said the Centre had presented research findings to policy makers and other stakeholders towards the promotion of health and cited that it had recently carried out a study on malaria. Dr. Hodgson appealed to participants of the contest to impact the knowledge they had acquired to their colleagues in school and their communities.
Mr. Emmanuel Cheese, the District Chief Executive, in a speech read for him, commended the organisers of the education campaign for initiating the project, which he said would help the school children acquire knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health. He asked parents to discuss sex and reproductive health issues with their children at home to prevent them from seeking such knowledge from friends and other people who might take advantage of their ignorance and abuse them sexually.
Mr. Cheese advised school children to abstain from early sex and concentrate on their education to enable them to acquire knowledge and skills required for development.
Mr. Edward Puruse, the District Director of Education, called on individuals and organisations to support quiz competitions for schools to complement efforts being made by teachers in educating school children on issues affecting their sexual and reproductive health. The District Manager of Catholic Schools, Mr. Daniel Abambilla congratulated the school children for their excellent performance in the competition and urged them to study hard to achieve higher academic laurels.
Source:
GNA
Farmers in Upper East Region not happy about onset of rains
Bolgatanga, July 18, GNA - Despite the onset of heavy downpour in Upper East Region for the past few days, farmers are not happy for the delay of the rains.
Many farmers interviewed by Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, expressed dismay about the drought for the past one and half months that had adversely affected their crops.
"The rains which have started now would not be beneficial to use because our crops had already been destroyed," they complained. They said the drought had destroyed early millet and other crops planted and the only hope was the late millet and guinea corn planted. Groundnuts, usually cultivated in June, early July and end of September, were not done due to the long drought period. Some groundnut farmers are now preparing their land for planting, others have decided not to cultivate the crop because the period for planting had elapsed and would therefore not risk.
"I would not risk to throw my seeds away knowing that I would not harvest anything," a farmer remarked.
During a tour of some farms by the GNA most of the groundnut farmers were busily planting while others were preparing their land to plant.
Most farmers and opinion leaders told GNA that the region faced severe hunger and appealed to Government and stakeholders to intervene to tackle the issue.
Source:
GNA
Juapong Textiles faces collapse yet again
Workers of Volta Star Textile formerly Juapong Textiles Limited are disenchanted and are planning to stage a demonstration to drum home the fact that the company is on the verge of collapsing again.
According to The Enquirer, the workers described the place as a “Concentration Camp” and have cursed the day Vlisco, the last company that handled the place before the takeover by the government.
The newspaper said its undercover investigations reveal that the government is still struggling to pay the workers and has swallowed its word of paying each worker ¢50,000 daily. They are currently being paid ¢30,000, it said.
The paper said even with that amount, the workers are paid every two weeks, and in most instances as it exists currently, the government has defaulted in paying them.
Apart from that, for over eight months that the workers were engaged by the company, none of them have been given an appointment letter.
The Enquirer said it has gathered that persistent request by the workers to have appointment letters and Social Security contributions paid have fallen on deaf ears.
It alleged that on July 6, when the workers were waiting for two clerks from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and PSI to pay them outstanding amount of ¢540,000 each, they were rather given ¢80,000 each.
The workers said when they were initially engaged by the government, one Mr Nartey of the ministry gave the assurance that the ¢30,000 given to them a day was an allowance but would be improved when the company takes off fully.
Source:
The Enquirer
NGO to build Girls' University at Nkwanta
Nkwanta, July 17, GNA- The Ghana Education Project (GEP), an Nkwanta-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) is to build an exclusive state-of-the-art girls' school from the basic to the university level at Nkwanta in the Volta region. Ms Gill Norris, Chief Executive of GEP who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview said the project would be executed in phases with funding from donor agencies, NGOs and individual contributions.
The Chief Executive said the project the first of its kind in the country, was aimed at bridging the disparity between girl-boy enrolments.
She said GEP was currently undertaking the construction of a multi-purpose sports, art and cultural training centre worth over GH(120,000 in the Nkwanta district.
Ms Norris, a Briton, said the centre would include two football playing fields, basketball, volleyball and netball courts, weaving centre, tie-dye, pottery, sewing, and carpentry departments. She said the project, which was about 75 percent complete would admit school children free of charge but the community members would pay tokens to use the facilities.
The Briton commended the Nkwanta District Assembly for the role it played in the acquisition of the land and appealed that the demarcated project area should be fenced.
Ms Norris said between 1997 to date GEP had constructed a wildlife conservation centre, school library, hospital reception and a teachers' resource centre at Nkwanta.
She said GEP had donated several computers for the training of students, as well as 2000 calculators and chemicals to schools in the area.
It has also held science competitions among students and capacity building workshops for teachers, school refurbishment and the inculcation of communal spirit among students.
Mr Joseph Booker Denteh, Nkwanta District Chief Executive pledged the Assembly's support and commended GEP for their fruitful collaboration, which he described as a public-private partnership in development.
Source:
GNA
Boabeng-Fiema monkey sanctuary - home for 700 monkeys
Boabeng(BA), July 16, GNA - About 500 Mona and 200 black and white monkeys inhabit the Boabeng-Fiema monkey sanctuary in Nkoranza District of Brong-Ahafo, a research conducted by Canadian students has revealed. The Canadian students visited the twin communities last year to conduct a research into the origin of the sanctuary. Mr Anthony Dasah, Wildlife Division Officer and Supervisor of the sanctuary announced this when Mr James Kwabena Appiah-Awuah, Nkoranza District Chief Executive toured the sanctuary. He said eight communities formed the canopy of the sanctuary, namely Boabeng, Fiema, Akrudwa number one, Akrudwa number two, Busunya, Konkrompe, Senya and Yefri.
Mr Appiah-Awuah said the assembly would support the development and growth of the sanctuary to attract more tourists to the area. He warned that encroachers and poachers in the sanctuary would be arrested and prosecuted.
Mr Appiah-Awuah said Nkoranza-Boabeng-Fiema road would be rehabilitated to facilitate movement of tourists and residents. Nana Amoa Awua Ampong, Fetish priest of Daworo shrine at Boabeng disclosed that the animals were the offspring of two shrines, Daworo of Boabeng and Akudwo of Fiema. He said a cemetery had been created inside the sanctuary for the burial of the sacred animals an age-old tradition.
Source:
GNA
9.5 trillion cedis on tertiary education in 2006/2007 ( OLD CEDIS )
Konongo-Ashanti, July 15, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, has observed that Government spent 9.5 trillion cedis on tertiary education in 2006/2007 academic year. He said the amount represented 45 per cent of the total budget on education for the year under review and 22 per cent of the national budget.
Mr Baah-Wiredu who announced this in an address read on his behalf at the inauguration of Asante-Akim North Students Union at Konongo, urged students to appreciate Government's efforts to promote quality education at the tertiary level.
It was under the theme, "Education - Role of the Tertiary Student towards the Community," and attended by chiefs, assembly members and stakeholders in education.
The union made up of more than 70 tertiary students was formed to improve on the low standards of education in the district and motivate students in pre-tertiary institutions to aspire for high laurels in education.
Mr Baah-Wiredu noted that Government's quest to improve facilities in tertiary institutions was manifested in the massive infrastructure development being undertaken in public universities. He asked members of the union to strive to achieve higher academic laurels to inspire the youth in the district and give meaning to the union's vision.
Professor Frimpong Mensah, Dean of Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), expressed concern about the decline in academic performance in the district.
Prof. Mensah, who is also the Adontenhene of Domeabra near Agogo-Ashanti, said the authorities of KNUST in 2001, introduced a policy where six places were reserved for students from less endowed schools in the district in its annual enrolment. However, he said no student from the district had since 2004 benefited from the policy due to their inability to make the required minimum grades.
Prof. Mensah asked executives of the union to create an effective forum to sensitise students on the need to work extra hard to have access to tertiary education.
Mr Victor Owusu, Interim President of the union, said it was established to address the poor performance of schools and the low enrolment of students from the district in various universities. He appealed to the assembly to provide the union with an office and include it in the disbursement of the assembly's common fund. Mr Owusu announced that the union would soon launch an appeal for fund towards the establishment of an endowment fund to assist needy but brilliant students and urged well-meaning citizens of the district to contribute generously.
Source:
GNA
Bolgatanga local branch of GPRTU elects officers
Bolgatanga, July 15, GNA - The Bolgatanga local branch of Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) at the weekend elected a five-member executive committee to steer affairs for the next four years.
They were Mr Roland Ayamga Atule, Chairman, Mr Sunday Azeika, Vice Chairman, Mr Akake Nsobila, Secretary, Mr Albert Asa, First Trustee and Mr Apana Adongo, Second Trustee.
Mr Godfred Abulbire, Upper East Regional Chairman of GPRTU swearing in the executives, urged them to work hard to accelerate the development of the union and justify the confidence reposed in them. "It is incumbent on you as leaders of the union to contribute positively to its development to justify your election," he added. Mr Atule expressed appreciation to the members for the confidence reposed in them and pledged to work to improve the status of the union. He appealed to the members for their co-operation to enable them discharge their duties efficiently and effectively.
Source:
GNA
Poor sanitation is a threat to NHIS - Demedeme
Koforidua, July 15, GNA - Naa Lansen Demedeme, National Director of Environmental Health and Sanitation Services of Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment (MLGRDE) has stressed the need to improve on environmental sanitation in the country to sustain the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
He noted that Ghana was almost at the crisis point in the management of environmental sanitation because out of every 10 diseases reported at health institutions eight were environmentally related and this should be reversed.
Naa Demedeme made the call at the opening session of a day's workshop for 130 Sanitation Guards from nine districts in the Eastern Region at Koforidua.
He said poor sanitation could thwart efforts of Government to fight poverty because most of the people would fall and increase the medical bills for treatment.
Some of the major reasons for the poor environmental sanitation problems in the country, he observed were ignorance and inefficient enforcement of laws and regulations on sanitation due to inadequate environmental officers in the country.
Naa Demedeme said it was for these reasons that MLGRDE introduced the Sanitation Guards concept under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to support Environmental Health Staff to carry out their mandate and ensure a clean and decent environment to promote good health and socio-economic well being of the citizenry. He explained that the Environmental Guards concept was not part of the Waste and Sanitation Module of the NYEP but a programme being introduced to help improve sanitation in towns, cities and communities to bring about change in hygienic behaviours, attitudes and practices among the people.
Naa Demedeme said the project was initiated and tried at Techiman Municipality in Brong Ahafo Region with the first 40 guards and it was successful hence the decision to extend it to the other 138 Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts in the country. He explained that, the project was still at its pilot stage because the personnel required to carry out the job was not sufficient but optimistic that when it succeeded society would request for more personnel to be trained.
Mr Richard Amofa, Eastern Regional Co-ordinator of NYEP, said the programme formed part of Government's determination to provide employment to the youth. He advised the participants to be disciplined, take their course serious and respect Sanitation Officer in their communities.
Source:
GNA
Three contestants file for NDC at Nkoranza South Constituency
Nkoranza (B/A), July 15, GNA - Three candidates from Nkoranza South Constituency have filed nominations to contest the Parliamentary seat in the 2008 general elections on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress(NDC).
They are Mr James Opoku Worge 60, an educationist from Brahoho, Mr Kwaku Poku Boah 69, a legal practitioner from Sessiman, a suburb of Nkoranza and Mr Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyemang 33, currently studying Business in London.
Mr Peter Owusu Baffoe, Nkoranza South Constituency Chairman of the party who received their forms during an executive meeting at Nkoranza urged the candidates to carry out their campaign peacefully devoid of insults, provocative statements and character assassination against their opponents.
Mr Baffoe reminded them that since they belonged to the same party, they have a common goal and objective therefore, whoever emerged victorious would contest for NDC against the New Patriotic Party (NPP) next year.
He stressed the need for the constituency executives of the party to stay away from the electioneering campaigns of the candidates in order not to create any divisions and differences among the party members in the communities.
Mr Baffoe announced that a date would be fixed for the conduct of primaries when nominations closed by July. Mr Yaw Boateng, Assistant Youth Organiser of the party advised the youth not to engage in hectic and provocative discussions with their opponents in the communities in order not to create misunderstanding among the people and affect peace in the area. Mr Boateng urged them to be law abiding and respect people in authority as any negative practice and attitude among them would affect the NDC.
The three candidates agreed to comport themselves and remain united during their campaigns to solicit for votes. 15 July 07Source:
GNA
2.1 million Ghana Cedis ( New Cedis ) released for Nyakrom/Otsenkorang road
Agona Swedru, July 15, GNA - The Government has voted 2.1 million Ghana Cedis (21 billion cedis) for the tarring of the 16-kilometre Agona Nyakrom/Otsenkorang/Bosompa road to facilitate evacuation of cocoa and food crops in the area.
Mr Samuel Kweku Obodai, Chairman of Parliamentary Select Committee on Road Transport, Harbour and Railways announced this when addressing members of the Agona West Constituency branch of New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Agona Swedru at the weekend.
Mr Obodai who is also the Member of Parliament for Agona West said the road had been awarded on contract and work would soon begin on the project expected to complete by the end of the year.
He said rehabilitation of the road would bring to an end post harvest losses of the foodstuffs and vegetables that could not reach marketing centres due to the deplorable nature of the road. Mr Obodai said rehabilitation of town roads at Agona Swedru, Agona Nyakrom Zongo, Upper Bobikuma, Agona Abodom and Agona Asafo at the cost of about 4.5 million Ghana cedis (45 billion cedis) had already begun. He assured the party members that streets lights in the constituency would be rehabilitated from his share of the Common fund. Mr Obodai expressed concern about the delay in the construction of a library complex at Agona Swedru because of the inability of the chiefs to release land for the project, adding "This would force me to send the project to any of the communities in the constituency."
He urged residents of Agona Swedru to take advantage of the Social Investment Fund (SIF) to improve their living standards. Mr Ofori Amanfo, Assemblyman for Yaabem Electoral Area of Agona Swedru appealed to the Police to extend day and night patrols to the area to curb activities of criminals.
He called on the Agona District Assembly and the MP to help rehabilitate some of the deplorable roads in the community to ensure easy movement of passengers, goods and services.
Source:
GNA
Police search for armed landguards for assault on developers
Accra, July 15, GNA - The police in Accra have mounted a search for a number of landguards alleged to have brutalised some land developers and their construction workers at Agyiringanor, near East Legon in Accra.
A source at the Police Headquarters in Accra told the Ghana News Agency on Saturday that the police had received a series of complaints about the activities of the landguards, who were said to be usually armed and dressed in military fatigue.
The activities of the group is a source of worry to many developer in the area as they often landed on construction workers on site, brutalise them and seize their tools, money mobile phones and other valuables they could lay hands on. They then drive the workers away with warnings never to appear there again, police said.
The source said the reports mentioned one Mohammed also called 'Sobibor" and Korley as the kin-pins of the group, who had recruited others only identified as Kpani, Boye, Akuffo, Okoe, Zion and Francis Botchway, to carry out their activities.
According to the reports the leaders of the group often patrolled the building sites around the TRASACO Estates in a black cross-country vehicle with registration number GX 808 X. The source also indicated that information available to the police said most of the landguards were based at a beach spot called Salenco at Atukpai, James Town in Accra.
Source:
GNA
Three members of Yewe Cult before court
Aflao, July 15, GNA - An Aflao Circuit Court has remanded three members of the Yewe cult, at Adrume and Dekpor, near Dzodze in the Volta Region who in a trial by ordeal detained a nursing mother in the shrine overnight, denied her access to her baby, stripped her naked and indecently assaulted her in public in police custody. The court presided over by Group-Captain Justice Martin Obeng-Ntim (rtd) also ordered the arrest of six others including Dali Kushitor 80, Chief Priest of the cult at Dekpor and his five assistants for prosecution.
The pleas of Midao Avorkpo, Cult Priest of Adrume, his wife, Bosu Agbeko 48, and her brother Hedey Avorkpo 54, were not taken and would re-appear on Friday, July 20..
They were charged with conspiracy, assault, indecent assault and causing unlawful harm.
Police Inspector Josephine Azukah, prosecuting told the court, that Midao and Hedey are brothers-in-law to the victim Rejoice Atisey, 33, a petty trader resident at Adrume with her husband and the accused persons.
She said sometime this year, Atisey was engaged in a quarrel with Bosu, wife of Midao at Adrume during which Atisey allegedly used filthy language against Bosu, considered a taboo for members of the cult. Police Inspector Azukah said as a result of the alleged insults, Bosu vacated her house into the bush and was to return only after cleansing rites and the cult pacified by Atisey.
She said Bosu belonged to the Dekpor cult, presided over by Kushitor, who consequently summoned Atisey before some chiefs for the matter to be resolved and have her pacified the gods for Bosu to return home but she (Atisey) failed to attend.
Police Inspector Azuka said in a show of his authority, Kushitor sent his assistants during midnight on April 11, this year to forcibly bring Atisey from Adrume to his shrine at Dekpor.
She said the assistants including women who found Atisey in bed subjected her to beatings, stripped her naked and dragged her in her nude to Depkor, denying her access to her eight months old baby until the police stormed the shrine and rescued her at about 0800 hours the following morning after a report by her husband. The prosecution said while in the captivity of the shrine, the group occasionally tortured Atisey.
She said Francis Avorkpo, Atisey's husband was beaten when he objected to the treatment being meted out to his wife in an attempt to rescue her, later the matter was reported to the police and the accused persons arrested and after investigations charged with the offence. Police Inspector Azuka said Atisey and her husband identified the accused persons, including those yet to be arrested as among the large group of people involved in the act. Madam Atisey who narrated her ordeal in tears to the court said Kushitor pulled out her hair and in addition butting her head several times.
Source:
GNA
