Herbalists take steps to win public confidence
Gomoa (Central Region) 09 April 2003-NDC is reported to have rejected the results Provisional results in the Gomoa East bye-election monitored by the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Tuesday evening indicate a landslide victory for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The NPP's candidate, Richmond Sam Quarm polled 11,380 out of the 16,911 valid votes cast representing 67.3 per cent. Richard Annan of the NDC had 5356 votes representing 31.7 per cent while the Democratic Peoples Party's (DPP) candidate, Evans Kofi Otoo, obtained 175 or one per cent.
Meanwhile the NDC is reported to have rejected the results citing electoral fraud and foul play. As result, Josiah Aryeh, the party's General Secretary is said to have refused to sign the declaration form.
The Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), which observed the by-election, however, has described it as free, fair and without any intimidation. The Gomoa East seat became vacant on 9 February 2003 following the death of Emmanuel Acheampong, in a motor accident.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
09 April 2003- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday made changes in
portfolios of Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers of State while five
others retained their positions.
A statement issued in
Accra and signed by Kwadwo O. Mpiani, Chief of Staff said those who retained
their positions are Miss Gloria Afua Akuffo, Deputy Minister of Justice and
Attorney General and Mr Kobina Tahir Hammond, Deputy Minister of Energy.
The rest are John
Benham, Deputy Minister of Manpower, Development and Employment, Captain
Nkrabea Effah-Dartey, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development
and Moses Dani Baa, Deputy Minister for Health.
The statement said
Ben Salifu is now a Minister of State in the Office of the Senior Minister,
while Mr Ishmael Ashitey, MP for Tema East and former Minister of State
in-charge of Fisheries, is now Minister of State at the Ministry of Trade,
Industry and Presidential Initiatives.
Akwasi Osei-Adjei, MP
for Ejisu-Juaben and former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, is now the
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joe Donkor, MP for Tano North and former
Deputy Minister for Manpower Development and Employment now moves to the
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports as Deputy Minister. Joe Aggrey, former
Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports is also Deputy Minister of Education, Youth
and Sports.
Boniface Abubakar
Saddique, MP for Salaga and former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry,
becomes the Deputy Minister for Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City,
while Dr Mathew Kwaku Antwi, MP for Atwima Kwanwoma and former Deputy Minister
of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), becomes Deputy Minister of Science and
Environment.
Agyemang Manu former
Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport becomes the new Deputy Minister of
Finance and Economic Planning, Madam Theresa Amerley Tagoe, MP for Ablekuma
South and former Deputy Minister of Works and Housing becomes the new Deputy
Minister of Lands and Forestry, while Thomas Broni, the former Deputy Minister
of Lands and Forestry becomes the new Deputy Minister of the Interior.
Dr Adombire Gyeshika
Agambila, former Deputy Minister of Finance now becomes Deputy Minister of
Ports, Harbours and Railways, Dr Abdul Majeed Haroun, former Deputy Minister of
Food and Agriculture (MOFA) now becomes the new Deputy Minister of Mines, Issah
Ketekwu, former Deputy Northern Regional Minister now becomes the Deputy
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.
Joseph Akudibillah,
MP for Garu-Tempane has been nominated as the new eputy Minister of Defence.
Clement L. N. Eledi, former Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry becomes a new
Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) while Mrs Anna Nyamekye, MP for
Jaman and former Deputy Minister of Science and Environment becomes a new
Deputy Minister of MOFA.
Kwadwo Affram Asiedu
former Deputy Minister for the Interior and Miss Alima Mahama former Deputy
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development both become Deputy Ministers
of Trade, Industry and Presidential Initiatives, while Alhaji Moctar M. Bamba,
MP for Wenchi East and former Deputy Minister of Information and Presidential
Affairs, now becomes Deputy Minister at the Office of the President.
The statement said
President Kufuor had made new appointments to some portfolios. These are Andrew
Abambile Awuni, Special Assistant at the Office of the Vice President as Deputy
Minister of Information, Dr A.A. Osei as Deputy Minister of Finance and
Economic Planning, Ambrose Dery, a legal practitioner as Deputy Minister of
Justice and Attorney General, and Dr Charles Bempong Yeboah as Deputy Minister
of Works and Housing.
I. Kofi Poku-Adusei,
MP for Bekwai was named as Deputy Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, Mrs
Angela Ofori Atta as Deputy Minister of Manpower Development and Employment,
Emmanuel Adjei Boye as Deputy Minister of Roads, Highways and Transport, David
Gyewu as Deputy Minister of Communications and Mrs Mercy Bampo Addo, Deputy
Minister, Office of the President.
Some Deputy Ministers
whose names were left out in the list were Mrs Grace Coleman, MP for
Effiduasi-Asokore and Deputy Minister of Finance, Alex Seidu Sofo, MP for
Damongo/Daboya and Deputy Minister for Roads and Transport.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
09 April 2003- Professor Henrietta Mensa- Bonsu, Associate Professor of Law and
Member the National Reconciliation Commission on Tuesday decried the tendency
of ruling political regimes to destroy historical materials and
memorabilia of past and opposing political regimes.
She was reacting to
an evidence in which Fancis Kofi Agbemasu, from Agbozume, Ho East District
organiser of the defunct Young Pioneer Movement told the Commission that his
library on the movement and other materials on the Movement were burned after
the 24 February 1966 coup, which ousted Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Commissioner
Mensa-Bonsu decried the action and said the Young Pioneer Movement was a major
part of the history of Ghana and expressed grave worry over the burning of
those materials. She then asked Agbemasu if he remembered the slogan of the
Young Pioneer, to which Agbemasu replied: "no because it had been a long
time."
However, when she
shouted "Are You Prepared?", Agbemasu with alacrity responded
:"I'm prepared in the course of Ghana and Africa." Agbemasu said as
Ho District organiser, it was his duty to go round schools in his area to
recruit children from five years onward into the Movement to "teach them
to behave diligently and be useful citizens of Ghana."
He said following the
coup, there was a radio announcement disbanding the Movement and sacking all
its officer holders. The former Young Pioneer District Organiser said he was
then on trek, and because he was frightened, he did not go back to his home
station for three weeks.
On his return, he
realised that his cover cloth, two sewing machines, library and utensils were
burned.. He was also informed that Police had seized his motorbike. Agbemasu
said he then went to his hometown, but the Police followed, arrested and
detained him for two weeks at the Denu Police Station without any charge.
Agbemasu, who said he
is now over 70 years old said after the coup he was placed in a difficult
financial position, and could not educate his children to any appreciable
level. He prayed the Commission for resettlement.
Kaiser Amegadzi, a
farmer from Kpetoe, and a former mechanic of the Workers Brigade cofirmed
Agbemasu's story. The evidence of Francis Ahiakonu, 71, former police detective
and secretary of the Akan Constituency of the defunct Progress Party, was
hilarious and pregnant with mannerisms.
Some commissioners
and the public could not help laughing as he told the Commission of his arrest
by the police when he went to buy a newspaper after the Progress Party (PP) was
overthrown on 13 January 1972. He said as he stood at the news-stand, policeman
surrounded him and pointed him out as secretary of the PP.
Ahiakonu said he was
arrested together with his constituency chairman, Nana Akuamoah Sekyere, the Adotenhene
of the Kadjebi Traditional Area, then 69, and present at the Commission. They
were then sent to the Hohoe Police cells, which he said, was nasty with human
excreta and infested with bed bugs. They spent 10 days there and then
transferred to the Kpando Prisons. They
were fed with boiled hard cassava and slept on the bare floor for 21 days and
later transferred to the Nsawam Prisons.
He said he spent six
months in incarceration and his chairman spent one year without any charges
preferred against them. Both Ahiakonu and Nana Sekyere prayed the Commission
for resettlement.
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Appointments
Committee holds public hearing
Accra (Greater Accra)
09 April 2003- The Appointments Committee of Parliament would on Wednesday and
Thursday hold public hearing to consider eight nominees of the President for
various ministerial and deputy ministerial appointments.
A Press release form
the Office of Parliament said the nominees include Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idriss,
Member of Parliament for Gukpegu/Sabonjida Constituency in the Tamale
Municipality and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs nominated for the Minister
Works and Housing portfolio.
Nana Akomea, Member
of Parliament for Okaikoi South Constituency in the Accra Metropolis and Deputy
minister for Tourism nominated for the position of Minister of Information.
Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Member of Parliament for Akan Constituency in the Kadjebi
District of the Volta Region and Deputy Minister of Education nominated as
Minister of State at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in charge of
Youth and Sports.
Edward Martey Akita,
Member of Parliament for Ledzokuku Constituency in the Accra Metropolis and
Deputy Minister of Defence, for Minister of State of Fisheries at the Ministry
of Food and Agriculture.
Alan Kyeremateng,
Ghana's Ambassador to the United States of America nominated as Minister of
Trade, Industry and Special Presidential Initiatives. Dr Samuel Nii Ashong,
Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA) to be considered as
Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
Ignatius Kofi
Poku-Adusei, Member of Parliament for Bekwai Constituency to be considered as
Deputy Minister of Women and Children's Affairs. Joseph Kojo Akudibillah,
Member of Parliament for Garu-Tempane Constituency in the Bawku Municipality
has been nominated as Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
The sittings are to be held at the Speaker's Conference Room, Parliament House
at 1000 hours each day and are open to the press and general public.
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Mampong (Ashanti
Region) 09 April 2003- Professor Stephen Adei, Rector and Director-General of
Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), has said that
the country's vision to build a strong nation could be attained if it continued
to focus on middle level education at the expense of quality education at the
higher level.
He noted that the
country had for the past decade, lost focus on its higher education agenda and
blamed this on what he termed 'faulty analysis of the contribution of higher
education to nation building by some international financial organisations'.
Professor Adei was
delivering a lecture at the 10th Anniversary celebration of the University of
Education, Winneba, Mampong Campus, at Asante-Mampong. He spoke on the topic
"Higher education and nation building".
Professor Adei
regretted that the country's higher education and training objectives had not
been related to its manpower development needs. What is needed to be done,
"is for the government to upgrade higher education institutions, husband
the nation's manpower and give it the relevant skills so that it can combine
effectively with other resources to achieve national socio-economic
objectives".
He called for the
institution of scholarship awards for those pursuing courses in the sciences
and the teaching profession. The Director-General of GIMPA also drew attention
to the need for the Senior Secondary School (SSS) admission system to be
streamlined to make it reflect on geography and equity.
Professor Adei said
there should be a deliberate policy of disbursing the Ghana Education Trust
Fund (GETFund) to favour the disadvantaged in order to create equal
opportunities for the rich and the poor. He observed that peace and unity were
important for nation building and asked African political leaders to work
towards the sustenance of peace and unity among their people.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
09 April 2003- Emmanuel Benjamin Ephson, Editor of the Daily Dispatch, on
Tuesday told the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) that he filed a
report on signs of torture he saw on suspects during a treason trial in 1986
because they were bizarre.
Ephson, who was a
correspondent for West Africa Magazine at that time, said he had been in the
practice of journalism for 30 years and seen many hazards. However, the signs
of torture on Mawuli Goka and three other suspects in 1986 had since continued
to haunt him, he said, adding that he could not stand the sight of meat for
some time.
According to him
there were a lot of international reactions sent to the then government of the
Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) on the report and he was
interrogated by the security agencies on the story.
Ephson was giving
evidence in a case in which Christian Goka, brother of Mawuli, mentioned him as
a reporter who saw and interviewed Mawuli, Kyeremeh Gyan, Atta Panin and Aforo
before the end of the treason trial and execution.
Kweku Baako Jnr,
Editor of the Crusading Guide, had at an earlier hearing given similar
evidence. Ephson said he filed the report for West Africa amidst protests from
Mawuli before the end of their trial and execution for alleged subversion.
Mawuli had expressed
fear for his (Ephson's) life and asked him to drop the story, he said. However,
he went ahead and filed a report on the scars and wounds of Mawuli, Kyeremeh
Gyan, Atta Panin and Aforo, which was published in West Africa Magazine.
Ephson said one day
during the trial when the suspects were allowed to meet friends, Mawuli, who
was also an old school mate, and the others took him to a private place to show
him marks of their tortures. Ephson said Kyeremeh had a palm-size scar at his
back.
He said Kyeremeh told
him that a hot metal was used to cut the flesh at his back and given to Mawuli
to chew. According to Epshon, Mawuli told him they were given gari mixed with
sand to eat. Mawuli's male organ was slit open and there were signs of torture
on Atta Panin's penis and testicles.
Ephson said what he
saw of Atta Panin's hands were virtually bones, and he told him that his hands
were used for target practice. He criticised the use of torture of political
victims and said if it became necessary for people to lose their lives, they
must never die through torture.
He said although the
Commission was hearing cases in camera, which gave some measure of security for
witnesses in matters involving national security, there would be more witnesses
who might come up with information on human rights violations if they were made
to write their stories in the form of letters to the Commission. The Commission
appealed to Ephson to furnish it with memoranda on issues that would attract
its attention in its work.
Charles Nii Oku, an
ex-serviceman, who was mentioned as the person who came to arrest Pastor Ekwam
of the Nyamesompa Healing Church in 1982 on an allegation of an illegal
detention of a patient, also gave evidence.
Nii Oku was alleged
to have stormed the camp after the husband of the detained patient had reported
to the Greater Accra Regional Administration that Pastor Ekwam had refused to
release his wife who had been at the camp for two years.
Nii Oku said when he
arrested the pastor, the woman and two people who were said to be soldiers;
they were released on instructions of Warrant Officer Class One Joseph Kwabena
Adjei-Boadi (rtd), then a member of the defunct Provisional National Defence
Council (PNDC) who was at that time a member of the Church.
He said while working
at the Regional Administration, a man came with a report that his wife had gone
for healing at the Nyamesompa Healing Church and had been detained there for
two years. He said the man reported that any time he went to bring his wife
home, Prophet Ekwam resisted.
Nii Oku said he armed
himself and drove to the camp at Buduburam and succeeded in arresting Prophet
Ekwam, the man's wife and people who looked like soldiers. He said he sent them
to the Regional Administration, left them in the office of Quaynor-Mettle and
left for another operation at Dansoman.
Nii Oku said that
four days later he had a message that W. O. Adjei-Boadi had asked him to report
in his office at the Castle. At the Castle, he said, W. O. Adjei-Boadi told him
that Prophet Ekwam was his "man of God" and he had released him.
Nii Oku said he never
got himself involved in the affairs of the Church again until 1985 when he
heard that W. O. Adjei-Boadi himself had arrested and detained the said prophet
at the Castle. He said he himself was discharged prematurely from the Ghana
Armed Forces after a period of incarceration, adding that many of the people
arrested bought their way out.
In another
development, Warrant Officer Tornyeviadzi, who was at an earlier sitting
accused by a witness of firing a gun into a vehicle thus injuring him
apologised to the victim. Accompanied by his lawyer, Mbea Appiah, W.O.
Tornyeviadzi apologised to Daniel Mensah Doamekpor who said the solider fired
the shot into the vehicle at Taviefe Junction in the Volta Region in 1987.
The bullet grazed his
head and landed him on coma for two weeks at the Ho Government Hospital. W. O.
Tornyeviadzi said he did not mean to hurt Mr Doamekpor. He said the incident
occurred during an anti-smuggling exercise and he was very sorry for the mishap
and the injuries he sustained in that incident.
Doamekpor expressed
gratefulness to Commission for giving him a hearing. Commissioner General
Emmanuel Alexander Erskine, told Doamekpor to be grateful to God for his life
and expressed thanks for the apology of W. O. Tornyeviadzi.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo)
09 April 2003- The body of the late Queenmother of Tuobodom in Techiman
District, Nana Yaa Nkwanta, said to have been kept at the Sunyani Regional
Hospital for five years and several unidentified bodies, are to be given mass
burial as from 15 May this year.
The queenmother's
corpse has so far attracted a total of 30 million cedis in mortuary fees, an
official at the Sunyani Hospital said on Tuesday. Alex Amanu, the Hospital
Administrator, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that management of the hospital
had taken the decision to decongest the mortuary.
He said some of the
bodies were accident victims, two died at the ward while military brought one
body. The Administrator said relatives of the late Queenmother came to claim
the body but when they were told the accrued bill, they left and did not come
back and that was why her body had been included for the mass burial.
Lawrence Kumah
Kporvie, Environmental Health Officer at the hospital said the unidentified
bodies had been at the mortuary since 1998 and appealed to the general public
and families of the deceased to come and identify their corpses for burial.
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Kumasi (Ashanti
Region) 09 April 2003- Reverend Joseph K. Gyimah, leader of the True Light of
Christ Church, has appealed to the government to release mission schools that
were taken over by the government back to their owners.
He said this would
invariably curb indiscipline especially among students. Rev Gyimah was speaking
at a forum for teachers of the International Primary and Junior Secondary
Schools (JSS) of the Church, held at Abrepo in Kumasi on Monday to enhance
discipline in the school.
He acknowledged that
if the mission schools were handed back to their original owners, the religious
organisation would be well placed to inculcate in pupils and student moral
values. He noted that this would help make children assets and not liabilities
on completion of school.
Rev Gyimah expressed
concern about the practice whereby some parents move to schools to either
insult or assault teachers just because such teachers had disciplined their
children for misconduct. "Such behaviour is unacceptable and should
attract stiffer sanctions because it has the tendency of obstructing efforts at
instilling discipline in school pupils", he added. Rev Gyimah advised parents
to make use of laid down procedures in addressing problems of their wards with
school authorities instead of resorting to assault, intimidation and violent
acts.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
09 April 2003- A total of 194 chieftaincy disputes have been recorded in the 10
Regional Houses of Chiefs throughout the country as at October 2001 while 42
were recorded at the national level.
"This means that
something seriously has gone wrong with the system of selecting and installing
chiefs, and the management of the affairs of some stools and skins, Justice
George Lamptey a retired Justice of the Supreme Court said on Tuesday.
Justice Lamptey was
addressing the first meeting of the Presidential Commission on Chieftaincy
under his chairmanship. "We are aware of the consequences of this
situation. We have all been witnesses to violent conflicts that have
characterised the affairs of the institution and the instability it has
unfortunately generated."
Justice Lamptey said
the chieftaincy institution since independence had been fully recognised as an
important one and the government had found it an obligation to ensure that
whatever had gone wrong was eventually corrected to ensure that the institution
took its status of glory.
He noted that the
institution had an acknowledgement of being what he described as " active
processor of state power, and possessor of the spirit of our ancestors and of
the State." Justice Lamptey said: "It is an institution that has remarkable
resilience and, therefore, remains the basic vehicle for the mobilisation of
the people for development. It is a vital link between the people and the
Central government."
On the issue of
Chiefs taking part in partisan politics, The Retired Jurist said that as part
of the local government decentralisation programme it would be fair for chiefs
to be involved since that one did not involve party politics. "Besides
chiefs being leaders of their communities can initiate development project and mobilise
the people to get involved."
Professor George
Hagan, Chairman of the National Commission on Culture, who is a member of the
Commission, said although the Constitution stipulated non-interference in
chieftaincy affairs by the Executive, government had a role to play in
resolving conflicts, which might affect national security and development.
Members of the
Commission include Nana Ampadu Daadwan of Mpraeso; Kwabena Damuah, Businessman;
Naa Edmund Dramani Mahami; Naa Wa-Argbandana; Mamaga Kofi Bra, Queenmother of
Peki Traditional Area and Dr Irene Odotei, Former Director of Institute of
African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon.
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Breman Asikuma
(Central Region) 09 April 2003- Three candidates from Benin JSS in the
Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District are writing their Basic Education Certificate
Examination at the Breman Asikuma Catholic Hospital following injuries they
received when the vehicle conveying them and 18 others to the Breman-Asikuma
centre was involved in an accident on Monday.
They are Mark Ofori,
Emmanuel Boadu and Theophilus Adjei. The Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District Police
Commander, ASP Alhassan Fussieni, told the Ghana News Agency that the rest of
the candidates were treated and discharged and are taking their examination.
He said a few
kilometres to Breman-Asikuma the driver lost control and the vehicle skidded
off the road and landed in a gutter The District Chief Executive, Sampson
Anfako, and the District Director of Education Ms. Ama Lassey have visited the
victims at the hospital.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
09 April 2003- An Economist has said that "given the critical role that
the media plays and the onerous responsibility it has for the welfare of the
State, it was important that standards be set by the industry as to who
qualifies as a Journalist."
He said at least for
editorial positions in media establishments, only certified media practitioners
should be permitted to hold such positions, adding "obviously such are the
only people who can successfully mediate the many tensions that must be
grappled with in deciding what must and must not be reported."
Kwame Pianim, an
Economic Consultant, was delivering the Sam Arthur Memorial Lecture on:
"The Role Of The Media In Promoting A Vibrant Economy," at the Ghana
Institute of Journalism (GIJ) on Tuesday.
The lecture formed
part of activities marking the 42nd Graduation Day celebration of GIJ that
would take place on Saturday, 12 April under the theme: "Towards An
Improved Economy; The Role Of The Communications Professional." It was
organised in honour of the institute's first Ghanaian Director, Mr Arthur.
Pianim cautioned that
for society to support the media, it was important that professionalism be the
hallmark of the media practitioners, saying their judgement on issues should be
balanced and that in a rapidly changing world, continuous lifelong education
must be pursued to keep them current in their selected field of expertise.
He said caution
should be exercised in economic reporting to ensure that the information was
valid and that the implications were fully appreciated. "In November last
year, failure to appreciate the message of the Minister of Finance's Budget
Review, caused a run for foreign exchange that resulted in an accelerated
depreciation of the cedi," he said.
Pianim said the
Governor of the Central Bank's subsequent statement indicating that there was
no foreign exchange shortage failed to get the required media airing. The
Economist, therefore, suggested that there was the need for media practitioners
to specialise in business, finance and law reporting.
He noted that to
ensure that the fledgling democracy of country matured, it was important that
the various tensions with potential for conflict be they religious, ethnic or
social should be reported with prudence and with a sense of maturity and
objectivity.
Pianim noted further
that inflammatory headlines with little substance caused more harm than good,
and "scarce resources have to be diverted to repair some of the resultant
damage". He observed, "the media has an array of weapons at its
disposal to make all of us sit up and do what is right," saying, "the
media could also instruct through humour,"
The people in the
media often die a little every day in order to ensure that there was justice
for those without a voice, hence it was fitting that society encouraged them by
celebrating their achievements.
Sharing his
experience, Pianim pointed out that he once complained to his cousin, Mr Kwaku
Anokye, a Veteran Journalist, "about being misreported with
quotations". According to him, his Cousin replied that some Journalists
wake up in the morning with their stories cooked and that what they needed were
a few more facts and someone on whom to hang the story. David Newton, Director
of GIJ, chaired the function, which was attended mostly by the students.
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Tema (Greater Accra)
09 April 2003- The L'air Liquide Ghana Limited (LLGL) has advised the Ghana
Standards Board (GSB) and the Factory Inspectorate Division of the Ministry of
Industries to intensify the inspection of establishments and mechanical shops
to ensure that precautionary measures are applied to prevent accident.
The advice follows
frequent accidents resulting from gas explosion in some mechanical shops,
causing deaths, injuries and destroying properties. George Sefah-Boateng,
Sales/Marketing Director of the LLGL was speaking at a day's seminar organised
by the LLGL for 30 welders drawn from various establishments at Tema on
Tuesday.
The seminar, under
the theme "Safety, no compromise", was aimed at educating the
participants on the proper use of gas cylinders and other explosives. The
seminar forms part of annual activities planned by the LLGL to educate the
public on the handling of explosives.
Topics treated
included "proper handling of gas cylinders and maintenance and
"safety hazards in gas welding/cutting processes." Sefah-Boateng said
safety should be everyone's concern and called for constant checking on gas
cylinders and accessories to prevent accidents since most of the gas disasters
are man made and preventable.
Alfred Nyarko-Dokyi,
National Marketing Manager of the company urged the public to avail themselves
to the correct handling of gas and apply it in homes as it is useful but
dangerous if not used properly.
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Ho (Volta Region) 09
April 2003-Emmanuel Dei, Chairman of the Volta Regional Ghana National
Association of Traditional Healers (GNATH), on Tuesday said it was unethical
and criminal for practitioners to trade their merchandise without license.
He said practitioners
who flouted the bye-laws of the Association would "face the full rigours
of the law." Dei, who was addressing members of the Ho District GNATH and
Ghana National Psychic and Healers Association, said such an action would
instil sanity into their operations and win back public confidence.
Dei said the
association was not formed to rival orthodox and medical sciences but to
complement their efforts in the Primary Healthcare delivery in the country. He
called on practitioners to exercise moderation in charging their clienteles to
ensure that the welfare of any patient must take precedence over the financial
remuneration.
Dei appealed to the
government for financial assistance to manufacture essential drugs from herbs
to acceptable capsules and syrups to earn foreign exchange. Steve Okrah, Ho
District Budget Officer, advised the practitioners to add value to their
products for easy market and to operate in a hygienic atmosphere. He urged them
to comply and honour their tax obligations to boost the internally generated
revenue of the District Assembly for development to thrive.
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ECOWAS
would endeavour to solve conflict in Liberia
Accra (Greater Accra)
09 April 2003- ECOWAS Chairman, President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday said
sub-regional grouping would endeavour to resolve the conflict in Liberia.
"The area around Liberia had been engulfed in conflicts and ECOWAS would
try to resolve the conflicts in the area," President Kufuor said when he
received a special message from Liberian President Charles Taylor at the Castle,
Osu.
He expressed
appreciation to the Liberian government for its support and co-operation to
ECOWAS to bring peace to the area. President Kufuor said Ghana and Liberia had
been friends for a very long time adding: "Anything that concerns Liberia
also concerns Ghana."
Lewis Browne,
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Liberia, who delivered the message,
said it was to express the support and co-operation of the Liberian President
to the new ECOWAS Chairman on his assumption of office.
Browne said President
Taylor was prepared to assist President Kufuor in his efforts to maintain peace
in the Sub-Region. "Liberia is prepared to do anything to assist ECOWAS in
its quest to maintain peace in areas around Liberia and the Sub-Region,"
he said.
GRi.../
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Accra (Greater Accra)
09 April 2003- The government on Tuesday described the recent press statement
by Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings as a "mixture of fiction, fantasy and
ill will against democracy" and asked Ghanaians to ignore it.
This was contained in an official release in
Accra, titled: "A Leopard Does Not Change Its Spots - JJ Rawlings",
signed by Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Outgoing Minster of Information and
Presidential Affairs.
According to the
release, instead of Rawlings "using the opportunity to preach peace and
unity in the country, the former President chose to stir up ethnic sentiments,
destroy the electoral process in an unfortunate attempt to undermine the
democratic exercise and whip up unnecessary disaffection against the
government". "It is the hope of the government that the former
President's statement would be treated for the little that it is worth",
the release added.
GRi.../
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Accra (Greater Accra)
09 April 2003- Vice President Aliu Mahama on Wednesday launched the Government
of Ghana Portal that would enable the government to provide across the board
information to the public and elicit their instant feedback and suggestions
toward the attainment of good governance.
The web-based
interactive services that provides information on government policies,
programmes, activities, structures, the judicial system and daily updated news,
can be visited on www.ghana.gov.gh.
Vice President Mahama
lauded the establishment of the "e-governance", developed with the
assistance of the private sector, and tasked government officials to make it
successful by constantly updating it.
He said the free flow
of information enabled by the Portal, would make the government to function
more efficiently and transparently, as it would remove the bottlenecks and
reduce the bureaucracy associated with accessing public information.
"It should be
possible for any Ghanaian living anywhere in the world, for example, to obtain
a passport, a visa or obtain a driver's licence by the click of a button
without a change in the physical location."
Vice President Mahama
underscored the effective role of Information Technology (IT) in the promotion
of efficient governance; economic activities and human development, saying the
government would accordingly make significant investments in IT.
He said: "The
information superhighway has arrived alongside globalisation and we have to
embrace it or be left behind, for if we do not 'Dot com, we shall be Dot
Dead'." The Vice President mentioned the construction of the Information
Technology Centre in Accra with the support of the Indian Government, saying 10
similar multi-media ICT centres would be established in all the regions to make
every Ghanaian child computer literate to become competitive on the global
market.
He said though the
government's vision for the Golden Age of Business would be facilitated by easy
access to information by investors; the mobilisation of local and external
private capital; transformation of agriculture; enhancement of productivity;
expansion of the industrial and export base and the prudent management of
public finances were pillars that had to be in place to lead the country into
prosperity.
The Vice President,
however, declared: "These pillars are all major ingredients of the
positive change, which the NPP administration promised Ghanaians. A practice of
good governance would provide the kind of environment in which we have the
proper mix of concrete for these pillars."
To ensure that good
governance prevailed, he said, the rule of law; consultation and participation
of all in the decision-making and implementation process; transparency;
openness and honesty would be upheld at all levels of society.
Jake
Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and modrnisation of the Capital City,
commended the sponsors from the private sector, the International Institute of
Communications Development of Holland and Soft Internet Solutions for their
assistance, saying it was a good example of public and private sector
collaboration.
GRi.../
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