Church service to mark Palm Sunday
Accra (Greater Accra)
14 April 2003-Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Outgoing Minister of Information and Presidential
Affairs, on Saturday said that government fully supports the proposal to
upgrade the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) to a tertiary level under the
Ministry of Education.
To this effect, he
said, a new Legislative Instrument had been developed to rename the Institute
as "College of Journalism" to give it a new image and a new
orientation. Obetsebi-Lamptey was speaking at the 42nd graduation ceremony of
the Institute under the theme "Towards an Improved Economy: The Role of the
Communications Professional" in Accra.
One hundred and
sixty-five students graduated in the 2002 academic year in both Diploma in
Journalism and Public Relations and Advertising. Miss Abigail Gyimah and Mr
Divine Daflagbe were adjudged the overall best Diploma students in journalism
and Public relations respectively. They both took home 500,000 cedis each, a
set of books and certificates.
Miss Gyimah stole the
show when she was awarded additional three prizes for being the best student in
Social studies, Journalism as a subject and the most promising female student
journalists.
The Minister
announced that agreement had been reached with the Parliamentary Select
Committee on Information to move to amend the law establishing the GETFUND to
enable GIJ to benefit from it.
He reiterated
government's commitment to lay a concrete foundation for professionals though
academic training and qualification to enable them to perform their duties
accurately to support the economy.
"Education and
training constitute the first step in the life of the would-be professional.
Beyond these, however, there is the need for actual utilisation of skills
acquired over the years," he added.
Obetsebi-Lamptey
advised the graduands not to be satisfied with mere acquisition of knowledge in
school, but to continue to use and develop their knowledge to achieve positive
results.
He said the real
challenge facing the communication profession begins after school and "it
is when you are able to continually and persistently develop your skills as a
practitioner that you can be said to be a real communication professional.
"The challenge
of professionalism is a challenge to the individual. In order to become a good
professional the individual must have passion. It is passion that serves as a
driving force in any professional."
David Newton,
Director of the GIJ, said despite the numerous problems the Institute was able
to accomplish its targets and expand its scope to include Science and
Technology reporting to encourage specialisation.
He said since the inception
of the institute some 44 years ago, it had been fulfilling its mission of
producing Journalists and Public Relations practitioners under very trying
conditions.
He mentioned the lack
of infrastructure and equipment as a major drawback clipping the Institute's
efforts to train communication professionals, because the institute had never
received adequate funding to enable it undertake any meaningful expansion and
improvement of training facilities.
Newton said the role
of communicators in promoting good governance and national development was
crucial, noting that the media was expected to initiate and encourage popular
participation in decision-making, knowledge sharing and empowerment to
facilitate efforts for development and growth by individuals, groups and
communities.
"National and
international issues are affected, influenced and shaped by media
practitioners. Any nation or organisation which ignores this power does so at
its own peril," he added.
The Director stressed
the need to adequately resource communication training institutions to enable
them to give off their best, adding that communication has an enormous power
and responsibility, which require that journalists should be well trained in
all aspects of the profession.
Godwin Narh, SRC
President, appealed to the government to improve the condition of service of
the lecturers at the institute to entice others to accept appointment there. He
said the lecturers' salaries were nothing to write home about and because of
that the few of them were leaving and new ones were not accepting appointment
to the institute.
He appealed to both
old students and the Ghana Journalists Association to rescue the institute from
total collapse. Kweku Osei Bimpong, President of Institute of Public Relations,
urged NGOs and other professional bodies to join hands with the authorities to
bring the institute back to its former glory.
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Cape Coast (Central
Region) 14 April 2003- The Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural
Development, Captain Nkrabea Effah Darteh on Saturday hinted that there had
been considerable increase in traditional revenue since the New Patriotic Party
government (NPP) came into power.
He said this was due
to the fact that district chief executives introduced transparent and pragmatic
measures in revenue collection. Capt. Effah-Darteh was speaking on the theme:
"The resurgence of moral decadence in the Ghanaian society," as part
of activities marking the second annual national congress of Prempeh College
and Yaa Asantewaa Old Students in tertiary institutions also known as Amanfoo-
Adehyee Union, at Cape Coast.
He said, compared to
the previous government, the district assemblies have initiated more
development projects in their areas due to the increase in revenue generation.
Capt. Effah-Darteh said though some Shama-Ahanta-West, and Affram Plains
districts for instance were previously generating low revenues there had been
considerable increase in revenue.
He said if Ghanaians
exercised financial discipline, the government would had been in the position
to control the economy and the country would had achieved so much within a
short time saying, "the country has no cause to be poor."
Capt. Effah Darteh
said indiscipline cuts across all facets of life adding that the businessman
who evaded tax, the parent who shirked his responsibility, the politician who
made libellous and false statements about others and the editor who published
false information, contributed to indiscipline.
He warned developers
to stop putting up structures without following laid down rules. The deputy
minister, advised the students to be time conscious, honest and God fearing so
that they excel in their endeavours.
The coordinator of
the national union of Amanfoo-Adehyee, Kingsley Gyimah Mensah expressed regret
that indecent lifestyles and misconduct had become common in schools,
especially tertiary institution.
He appealed to
students to desist from immorality since they were expected to make positive
impact on the society. The Reverend Father Dawson Amoah, assistant registrar of
the University of Cape Coast advised students to be God fearing.
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Kumasi (Ashanti
Region) 14 April 2003- The Government has been urged to incorporate the opinion
of the Ghana Science Association (GSA) in its development programmes.
Professor Aboagye
Menyeh, National President of GSA, said this was the only way that science
could be used to make a positive impact on national development.
Professor Menyeh was
speaking on "The vision of the GSA in propelling Ghana's economy
forward," at a symposium organised by the Ghana Students Chemical Society
(GSCS), as part of its three-day Annual National Conference in Kumasi at the
weekend.
Professor Menyeh who
is also the Dean of the Faculty of Science of the Kwame Nkrumah University of
Science and Technology (KNUST), attributed the environmental, industrial and
social problems of the country to indifference to scientific opinion.
"For instance,
during the construction of the Barekese Dam and after its construction, the GSA
drew attention to the potential hazard posed to the Dam and the water supply
system, by water hyacinth, but this was ignored by policy-makers," he
stated.
The result "is
the overwhelming growth of aquatic weeds in rivers and dams, including the
Barekese Dam in the country," he said. Professor Menyeh said GSA would
between 2002 and 2004 commit itself to integrating science in the national development
objective. He said the Association would form partnership with industries in
the country and within the ECOWAS region to improve productivity
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Cape Coast (Central
Region) 14 April 2003- The chairman of Ghana Aids Commission, Professor Sakyi
Amoa, on Friday urged traditional rulers to champion the campaign against the
spread of HIV/AIDS.
He said as leaders
who led their people in times of crisis, they should take a bold decision and
come out with measures that would help stem the spread of the disease, which
has reached a crisis level in the country.
Prof Amoa said this
in a speech read for him at the opening of a two-day HIV/AIDS workshop under on
the theme, "Stepping up the HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns from a gender
perspective-the role of traditional rulers and the youth," in Cape Coast.
The workshop, which
was organised by the UN system gender programme and the Ghana Aids Commission
was being attended by 100 participants made up of traditional rulers, peer
group educators and the youth drawn from the Central and Western regions.
Prof Amoa expressed
concern about the rate at which the HIV/AIDS was spreading in the country and
called on the public, particularly opinion leaders to advocate the elimination
of social and cultural practices that accounted for the spread of the disease.
He mentioned early
marriages, unprotected sex and polygamous marriages as the major factors that
contributed to the spread of the disease. Prof Amoa asked the participants to
come out with suggestions aimed at preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS
particularly among women and children.
Mrs Gladys Asmah,
Minister of Women and Children's Affairs in a speech read for her, also
expressed concern about the high rate of HIV/AIDS cases despite education being
organised on the disease.
She said the ministry
had put in place an advocacy programme to take care of women found in difficult
situations especially those in commercial, porters, domestic workers and women
with various forms of disabilities.
Mrs. Asmah
appreciated the role of traditional rulers in the campaign against the HIV/AIDS
and urged them to help eliminate some harmful traditional practices that
hindered the fight against the spread of the disease.
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Kumasi (Ashanti
Region) 14 April 2003- There are about 300,000 medicinal plants in the world,
which could easily be exploited for development of herbal medicine, to enhance
health care delivery.
Professor Kwabena Oppong-Boachie,
Director of the Center for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRMM), who
made this known said 12,000 of such medicinal plants were in Ghana.
He was presenting a
paper on "Contemporary Application of Herbal Medicine for National Development
the role of Students", at the Annual National Conference of the Ghana
Students Chemical Society (GSCS), in Kumasi.
Prof Oppong-Boachie
expressed regret that though Ghana had the potential for developing herbal
medicine, it was still frowned upon as inferior and downplayed in favour of
conventional medicine.
He said if the
western countries and the USA were insistent on application of conventional or
orthodox medicine, "it is just because they have very few medicinal plants
in their countries."
Prof Oppong-Boachie
stressed that the availability of numerous medicinal plants, coupled with the
high patronage of herbal medicine were enough grounds for the government to
fully commit itself to the development and utilisation of herbal medicine in
the country.
"It is an
undeniable fact that herbal medicine is perceived as more potent than orthodox
medicine in the Ghana, and more accessible and patronised than conventional or
orthodox medicine", Professor Oppong-Boachie stated.
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Kumasi (Ashanti
Region) 14 April 2003- The Right Reverend Ferdinand H. Gbewonyo, Moderator of
the Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P) Church of Ghana, has re-affirmed the
Church's commitment towards reconciliation with the E.P. Church, Ghana.
He said as a
Christian institution, the ultimate aim of EP Church of Ghana was to live in
peace and harmony with all. Rt. Rev. Gbewonyo was preaching at the consecration
of eight elders of the church at Amakom in Kumasi, on Sunday.
They were Jessie
Danku, Kofi Nyidaku, Samuel Fianoo, Beloved Dzomeku, Mrs Christine Bobobee, Mrs
Vincentia Dahume, Mrs Peace Kudolo and Mrs Dzifa Kwawukume.
They would among
other functions assist in the day-to-day administration of the Church. He asked
them to live up to expectation and to approach their duties with dedication and
humility, adding that, they should also be tolerant of criticisms.
The Moderator called
on Christians to accept appointment to positions of trust, saying, the nation
could only progress if its leaders were God-fearing. The Reverend Dodzi Attimu,
Pastor in charge, appealed to Ghanaians to forgive and forget about the past
for the nation to achieve the goal of reconciling the people to move ahead in
unity.
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Jaway Wharf (Western
Region) 14 April 2003- Three Ghanaians and 10 other persons believed to be
Malian and Burkinabe nationals got drowned in the Abbey Lagoon near Big Assini
in Cote d'Ivoire last week when the boat on which they were travelling caught
fire.
Addulai Arizie,
vice-chairman of Jaway Wharf Boatowners Association, who made this known in an
interview with the GNA on Thursday, said the Ivorian security agents, rescued
eighteen others.
He said about 35 foreign
nationals contracted one Egya Ewiah and two other persons, in-charge of the
boat to evacuate them to Cote d'Ivoire. He said the boat left Jaway Wharf near
Half Assini at about 1800 hours last Wednesday and after it was checked by the
Ivorian security patrol detachment the boat was allowed to continue the
journey.
Arizie said the boat
later caught fire as a result of a technical fault in the outboard motor, which
was propelling the boat and the passengers jumped into the river. He said
thirteen persons got drowned while 18 others in life jackets were rescued by
the Ivorian security personnel.
Arizie said some
officials of the Customs Excise and Preventive Services (CEPS), and the
Immigration Service and some volunteers in Jaway Wharf, organised themselves
into a search party and retrieve the bodies of 12 persons the following day and
another body was also found on last Saturday.
The bodies of the
victims have since been buried at Big Assini in Cote d'Ivoire. Meanwhile, boat
owners have been advised to provide fire extinguishers and other facilities and
life jackets to passengers to prevent accidents.
Madam Helen Kpente,
Officer in-charge of Immigration Service at Jaway Wharf, who gave the advice in
an interview with the GNA last Wednesday, appealed to boat owners to provide
the necessary protective equipment for passengers.
Madam Kpente urged
boat owners at Jaway Wharf to co-operate with immigration officers to prevent
the boats from using unapproved routes that often resulted in accidents. She
also asked boat owners to insure boat operators and passengers against
accidents.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
14 April 2003- The La Palm Royal Beach Hotel has since last December netted 60
million cedis through fund-raising and charity in aid of the distressed
Children's Block of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) in Accra.
Herbert Acquaye,
General Manager of the Hotel, who made this known at a fund-raising cocktail in
aid of the hospital in Accra on Saturday night, said he would within the next
week or two present the amount to the hospital authorities.
The event, which was
attended by members of the diplomatic and business communities and specially
invited guests, formed part of a special initiative launched last December by
the five-star hotel to raise 200 million cedis towards the rehabilitation of
the Children's Block of the KBTH.
During last year's
Lighting of the Christmas Tree and Charity programme, which was under the theme
"Improving the Life of a Sick Child," Acquaye stated: "As a
hospitality and service-oriented organisation, La Palm fully embraces this
responsibility to play a leading role in the improvement of the health life of
the Ghanaian child.
"We believe in
acting with consistency by the nature of our work, which is seizing every
opportunity to touch a life. By this gesture, we hope to be making a meaningful
contribution to national development, especially in the health sector."
Last night, Acquaye
revisited the need for assistance for the ailing Children's Block of the KBTH
and pleaded with the patrons of the event to donate generously to the fund.
"To date, we
have raised 60 million cedis for Korle-Bu, and tonight's programme is a
continuation of our efforts to raise more money for the distressed
hospital," he said.
Acquaye told the GNA
that La Palm Royal Beach Hotel had lined up important events this year in a bid
to achieve the target set last year in support of the rehabilitation and
provision of upgraded services for the Children's Block of the KBTH.
Fritz Baffoe, Master
of Ceremony for the night, reiterated the need for patrons of the night to
support La Palm Royal Beach Hotel's drive to assist the Children's Block of the
KBTH.
Guests of the night
were thrilled to several tunes of music by the Tubinger Orchestra of Germany
and South African songstress Sonti Mndebele. Gudni A. Emilsson, leader of the
19-member orchestra, told the GNA later that they were on a tour of West
Africa.
Emilsson, who
described the group's four-day stay in Ghana as wonderful, said they would
leave the following day for Lome, Republic of Togo, and from there to Yaounde,
Cameroon, and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ms Mndebele, in a
chat with the press, said she intended to launch her new album of 10 songs
entitled 'Always Sonti' in Accra in late April or early May, this year. The
South African songstress, who said she had featured alongside ace musicians
Kojo Antwi, Lionel Richie, and Miriam Makeba, said she loved Ghanaians because
they are very warm people. "I have made Ghana my second home. In fact, I
love Ghana more than South Africa," she stated.
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Koforidua (Eastern
Region) 14 April 2003- The Catholic Bishop of Koforidua, the Most Rev. Charles
Palmer-Buckle, has called on Christians worldwide to pray for an end to the war
in Iraq to enable the people enjoy the celebration of Easter in peace.
He described the war
as a "senseless" attack on Iraqis by the US and Britain, saying
"just for the sake of one man (ousted President Saddam Hussein) many
defenceless children, women and fathers were suffering in hospitals without
drugs and could not participate in the Palm Sunday worship."
Bishop Palmer-Buckle
was preaching at the St George's Cathedral on Palm Sunday before he led the
congregation in a procession through some streets in Koforidua as they sang and
waved palm fronds to mark the day.
He expressed regret
that many of the "killers" were Christians and wondered if there was
no peaceful solution to the crisis without bringing suffering on innocent
people. Bishop Palmer-Buckle who is also a member of the National
Reconciliation Commission (NRC), urged Ghanaians to use the Easter period to
pray for reconciliation among themselves as "Christ suffered and died to
reconcile mankind with God."
He expressed delight
at the on-going sittings of the Commission at which he said some people who had
been nursing pain and anguish in silence for decades had had the opportunity
not only to pour out their sufferings but were able to forgive their
perpetrators who also had the chance to plead for forgiveness.
Bishop Palmer-Buckle
asked Christians to use the occasion to pray for forgiveness and healing among
themselves and reconcile with God and for peace and love to prevail. The
District Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Rev. Otu Acheampong, urged
Christians to use the occasion to pray to God for salvation and to rededicate
their lives to the saviour Jesus Christ.
"As Christians,
let us humble ourselves and be obedient, so that the glory of God would be
manifested in our lives," he added. Rev. Otu Acheampong also expressed
concern about the pain of people who appeared before the NRC to testify, go
through and prayed to God to forgive the perpetrators.
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Cape Coast (Central
Region) 14 April 2003- Most churches at Elmina and the Cape Coast municipality
were filled to capacity to commemorate Palm Sunday, which marked the triumph
entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem some 2000 years ago.
Most of the church
goers wore white clothes, waved palm branches and made processions through some
of the principal streets whiles others organised crusades. In a sermon at the
St Joseph Catholic Church in Cape Coast, Reverend Father Matthew Manu urged
Christians to emulate the sacrificial life Jesus lived and endeavour to
sacrifice their time, resource and energy to build the church and the nation.
He asked them never
to forget the power of god in times of crisis and use the Holy Week to assist
the needy and poor in the society. At the AME Zion Church at Elmina, Rev. Derek
Ben warned the arrogant and boastful to change their habit for the better for
Jesus was humble and caring and urged them to use the Easter period to win more
souls for the church.
Reverend Robert Felix
Bassaw, Minister in-charge of the Bethel Methodist Church at Elmina said
because Jesus humbled himself, God lifted him. At the International Central
Gospel Church, Pastor Ruben Obeng urged Christians to change their lifestyles
to reflect that of true apostles of Christ and forge ahead in unity and peace.
Prayers were said for the, President, Ministers of State and the development of
the country.
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