Church of God to
establish University
Berekum (Brong Ahafo) 22 April 2003-
Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Darteh
(rtd), Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development
on Easter Sunday, urged the media to recognize its role as the fourth realm of
the state and ensure that what is published is in the interest of national
development.
He expressed reservations about
publication of untruths and half-truths by a section of the media by
castigating certain personalities and some members of government. "The
repeal of the libel law is no freedom for the media to publish just anything to
sell your paper or to serve the interest of any individual or group of people",
the Deputy Minister cautioned and advised journalists to be circumspect about
what they publish.
Captain Effah-Darteh,
who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Berekum, was
speaking at a get-together for the NPP party executives and functionaries in
the constituency and a cross-section of the media in the region.
He noted: "Without the
press no democracy can survive" and emphasised that the country now needed
a vibrant and vigilant press to spearhead the implementation of government
policies and programmes.
The Deputy Minister said:
"the government abolished the libel law to give the media an unfettered
privilege so that they could play their role effectively, but unfortunately,
some journalists are misusing this freedom".
Let us publish the truth and defend
this freedom to the hilt because the NPP government is not ready to repeat the
mistakes of the past and is determined to serve the country loyally, Captain Effah-Darteh said.
Captain Effah-Darteh, noted that some
District Chief Executives (DCEs) are reported to have erased the names of their
districts embossed on official vehicles without any reason. He said the police
had been instructed to seize such vehicles and send them to the Ministry if by
Friday, April 25, the names are not re-embossed, adding "those DCEs who
have erased the names should replace them at their own cost".
The Deputy Minister called for
the engagement of "knowledgeable persons" for newspaper review
programmes to be more educative and productive. He said the NPP was determined
not to fail the country and would work hard to ensure that it is returned to
power for national progress and prosperity.
Nana Obiri
Boahen, a Sunyani-based lawyer, noted the
uncooperative and poor relations among certain party executives, MPs and DCEs
in the region. He said this development does not augur well for the party's
development, and advised that all hands must be on deck for the development of
the country.
Charles Koomson,
Vice-Chairman of the Brong Ahafo branch of the Ghana Journalists Association
(GJA), pledged the support and fruitful contributions of journalists towards
the implementation of government policies and programmes for the socio-economic
development of the country.
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Apromase (Ashanti Region) 22 April 2003-
Ghanaian farmers have been advised to use improved varieties of seeds in cropping
their farmlands rather than clinging to the application of only traditional and
local seeds.
K. A. Abu Seidu,
Director of the Eatwell Practical Rabbitory
International (EPRI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) engaged in training
schemes to encourage farmers to take more to rabbit rearing and vegetable
cultivation, said Ghana's goal of achieving food self-sufficiency could be
attained only through the use of improved varieties of seeds and not the
persistent use of traditional and local seeds.
Seidu gave the advice when the Gospel
Express, a USA-based NGO through the Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture
(KITA) presented a quantity of improved varieties of seed maize, vegetables and
soya beans to the EPRI at a brief ceremony at Apromase, near
The items were made up of 20
mini bags of maize, assorted improved seeds of vegetables and five mini bags of
soya beans. Seidu said
apart from increasing yields, the use of improved variety of seeds by farmers
also helped them to make substantial profit margins from their investments
thereby improving their living standards.
Seidu commended the Gospel Express
especially its leader, Elvin Ranks through whose initiative the seeds were made
available to the EPRI for its own projects and distribution to farmers.
He said he was optimistic that
the seeds would go to benefit about 5,000 farmers in the Ejisu-Juaben
District and Kumasi Metropolitan Area. Dr Noah Owusu-Takyi,
Director of KITA, who made the presentation on behalf of the Gospel Express,
called on the EPRI to ensure equitable distribution of the seeds to the farmers
and also ensure that the seeds were judiciously used by the beneficiaries.
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He said it is time Christians,
especially women stood up and fight against immoral characters and behaviour
that have brought a new kind of indiscipline and sexually transmitted diseases
in society.
Prophet Twum-Barimah
was speaking at the closing session of a three-day convention, organised by the
Council for over 1,000 members from
The theme for the convention
was, "Loose them and bring them to me". Prophet Twum-Barimah
called for peace and unity among all Ghanaians so that together, "we all
help the government to build the country for the benefit of all".
He asked women to be serious
with the upbringing of their children so that they would become responsible
citizens. The Reverend Edward Agyeman-Duah,
"Jesus Christ came to
redeem all Christians from the shackles of the devil and so it is time we
upheld and redeem those who have been enslaved for Christ", he said. Rev
Agyeman-Duah asked church leaders not to concentrate too
much on money and other worldly issues and stressed the need for them to help
uplift spiritual needs of the weak and the vulnerable in society.
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When the Ghana News Agency
visited some beaches around midday there were large crowds of people drinking
the time away, some taking a swim in the sea and others engaging in various fun
games to the blaring of popular songs and Hip life music.
At the
At the
The scene was not much different
at the La Pleasure Beach. Not even the amount of twenty thousand cedis being
charged at the gate could deter the jam-packed crowd from getting onto the
beach. The queues were long while anxious holidaymakers patiently wait for
their turn. There was heavy security detail on hand to prevent any chaotic scenes.
An official said various safety
measures had been put in place to protect the lives of swimmers and to prevent
deaths due to poor security and non-compliance of safety requirements. He
explained that the heavy presence of the Police at the beach was to maintain
order, protect property and keep intruders at bay. Other holiday makers were
also enjoying themselves at the less developed sites at the eastern and western
ends of the La beach.
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Beposo (Ashanti Region)
At Beposo
near Asante-Mampong, the citizens under the auspices
of Nana Boamah Kwabi IV, Beposohene, organised a grand home coming summit. The
well-attended summit was held under the theme: "Unity for
development".
Sampson Kwaku
Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, in an address,
disclosed that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) was poised to develop the Beposo area to reflect their sacrifices made for the past
three decades.
He said it was for that reason
that the government had set aside 150 million cedis for the construction of a biogas
operated system place of convenience in the community to help improve the
sanitary condition at Beposo.
Boafo stressed that the era during
which communities were discriminated against in the sharing of the national
cake was over and urged Ghanaians to rally solidly behind the government.
Nana Boamah
Kwabi made an appeal to the government to improve,
among other things, the water, lighting and the deplorable road network
situation in the area. Dr K.K. Sarpong, Head of
Administration and Financial Services Division of the International Cocoa
Organisation,
He stressed the need for
students in the nation's educational institutions to be exposed to computer
education to enable them to meet the challenges of the global information
technology. An appeal for funds yielded over 200 million cedis.
In another development, Nsuta also near Asante-mampong at
a similar function bagged 14 million cedis towards development projects. At Ejura, the Seventh-Day Adventist
(SDA) Church choir unions in the Mampong zone rounded
off its four-day anniversary.
Madam Elizabeth Owusu, the
District Chief Executive, called on the choristers to live above reproach so
that they could impact positively on the society through their singing
operations. She implored the congregation to pray for the sustenance of peace
in the nation to enable the NPP government pursue vigorously its domestic and
foreign policies. Sampson Atakorah, NDC Member of
Parliament (MP) for Ejura-Sekyedumase, urged
Christians to join the crusade against the spread of the HIV/AIDS menace.
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Church of
God to establish University
Agona Swedru (Central Region)
The first phase of the project,
which is to begin in October this year, will cost five billion cedis. Rev. Alex
Mensah, Chairman of the Church who announced this at an Eastern convention at
Agona Swedru, said foreign partners of the church has raised one million
dollars towards the project.
He said about 23 acres of land
has been acquired at Gomoa Pomadze
for the establishment of the university. Rev. Mensah said the university shall run
programmes including science, arts, business, theology and humanity.
The chairman said the church has
built three clinics at Ejisu in Ashanti Region,
Tamale in the Northern Region and
He urged Ghanaians irrespective
of their religious background to pray hard to ensure the success of the
National Reconciliation Commission (NRC), which was established to put the
nation together for a better future.
Rev. Mensah announced that the
national reconciliation exercise was put in place to let some people who
suffered some time past to forget them. Rev. Enoch Osei, Chairman of the
planning committee of the convention said one of the cardinal principles of the
Easter for Christians was to submit themselves to Jesus Christ who died on the
cross.
He urged Christians to lead life
worthy of emulation for non- Christians to follow, adding that they should
abstain from sexual immorality and stick to their partners to avoid the spread
of HIV/AIDS.
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Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo) 22 April 2003-
Pastor Anthony Kofi Manu of the Church of Divine Heart at Nkoranza
in Brong-Ahafo has advised religious leaders to avoid dragging the church into
partisan politics as that could create confusion among members.
Preaching the sermon on Easter
Sunday at Nkoranza, Pastor Manu deplored the practice
by some religious sects to underrate and speak against other religious
organisations.
He said such attitude was
against Christianity, adding that the death of Jesus Christ for the sake of
mankind, "brought unity, peace and understanding among people'.” His
followers should, therefore, take a great lesson from that, learn to love and
have a feeling for one another", he said.
Pastor Manu said Christians
should learn to forgive and forget the wrongs done against them and urged
members of the church to be role models in their communities and lead lives
worthy of emulation. Members of the church prayed for President John Agyekum
Kuffour, Members of Parliament, Ministers of State and political and
traditional rulers.
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Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo)
He was speaking at the end of a
five-day Easter Convention of the church on Sunday at Nkoranza
in the Brong Ahafo. The theme was: "That I may know him". More than
1,000 members attended the function at which 25 members were ordained as
elders, deacons and deaconesses.
Apostle Mensah urged the new
leaders to respect the views, suggestions and advice from members in order to
gain the support and confidence of the congregation. He advised leaders in
public life to shun social activities that would put them into temptations and
rather lead lives worthy of emulation to sustain the trust and confidence
reposed in them.
Elder Obeng
Boateng of the Church reminded members that Jesus
Christ stood for peace, love and understanding and advised them to follow his
teachings. He urged them to avoid hatred, gossiping, backbiting and other
negative tendencies which retard progress.
Pastor Silvanus
Kofi Alladeh of the Nkoranza
branch of the Church, expressed appreciation for
members' attendance at the programme and prayed that they would take the
teachings and education at the convention serious and turn over a new leaf.
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A release from the National
Headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in
The release said Hazrat Tahir Ahmad's leadership
was distinguished by a dynamism that became the hallmark of his 21-year-tenure
of office. He travelled extensively to visit members of the Community
throughout the world, including
"It was under his
instruction that Pakistani Ahmadi Muslim
Agriculturists accomplished in
The release said under Hazrat Ahmad's direction, the Holy Koran was translated
into more than 50 principal languages of the world, with himself, a noted,
scholar, poet and a homeopathic physician, personally translating the Koran
into the Urdu language.
Hazrat Ahmad's activities proliferated
with the rapid spread of the Community in 174 countries of the world. Four
children survived Hazrat Ahmad, his wife, Syeda Asifa Begum, having died in
1991.
Meanwhile, the Ameer and Missionary in Charge of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim in
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Kwamang (Ashanti Region) 22 April 2003-
Barima Abayie Ntori Nimpah II, Paramount Chief of Kwamang
Traditional Area, has appealed to his people to exercise maximum restraint in
the face of the extreme provocations by the Kumawuhene
over the protracted land dispute between the two towns.
He reiterated that Kwamang was not a landless state and the people would use
all legitimate and peaceful means to guard and protect their lands from
external encroachers. Barima Ntori
Nimpah made the appeal at an Easter fund raising
rally at Kwamang on Sunday.
The occasion was marked in a
pensive mood as the chiefs, the Queen Mother and the elders of the Traditional
area, were clad in mourning clothes with red bands around their necks, to
signify their displeasure over the continued delay in bringing out the truth in
the land dispute involving the hitherto, brotherly states in the Sekyere West District.
Barima Nimpah
also used the occasion to brief his people on the progress and efforts being
made by the Asantehene to settle the dispute and advised the people to remain
calm since the truth would soon come out.
He urged them to unite to ensure
speedy development of the town. Thomas Camed, the
Town Council Chairman, said the town had paid its counterpart funds in respect
of the provision of market and water projects in and urged the people to
exercise restraint while the project progresses.
He said other projects initiated
in the town such as the hospital and classroom blocks were also progressing and
urged the citizens to pay their development levies promptly to ensure the early
completion of the projects.
There has been an outstanding
dispute over the ownership of a stretch of land between the two traditional
areas that nearly boiled over recently but for the timely intervention of the
security agencies.
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