GRi Newsreel 05 - 08 -
2003
Govt will enhance Ghana's peaceful atmosphere - Kufuor
Involve Planning Officers in devt - President tells chiefs
Government would not violate human rights - Kufuor
Liberian Peace Talks to resume in Accra
NPP members asked to exhibit high sense of discipline
Make quality protein maize available to farmers - Minister
Health Human Resource in Crisis
National Service Scheme is still relevant
Education is government's priority - Minister
Govt will enhance Ghana's peaceful atmosphere - Kufuor
Tema Manhean (Greater Accra) 5 August 2003 - The government is pursuing its principle of freedom of expression to enable the populace to go about their duties in atmosphere of peace and harmony, President John Kufuor, stated on Monday.
The Government, he said, respects the human rights and dignity of mankind, therefore, since it's two and half years in office, has not arrested or detained anybody in spite of misgivings.
President Kufuor was addressing separate durbars of chiefs and people of Tema Manhean, Kpone and Katamanso in the Tema municipality to mark the beginning of his three-day tour in the Greater Accra Region. He believes that with the wind of freedom blowing over the country, Ghanaians would have the free mind to use their initiatives to embark of projects that would be beneficial to themselves and the entire nation, but warned against underrating the liberation of the airwaves, which allows the expression of views and comments of the government's administration.
The President indicated that the government is fulfilling its promises in the
NPP manifesto by improving upon the infrastructural facilities whose impact is
being felt in most parts of the country, adding, "we would continue to
ensure that Ghanaians enjoy peace and security to be able to express
ourselves."
The prevailing peace and tranquillity existing in the country, he said, is a
shinning example in the sub-region and therefore, entreated Ghanaians to
continue with the harmonious atmosphere to ensure uninterrupted governance.
At Tema Manhean where Nii Adjei Kraku II, Tema Mantse sat in state, President Kufuor announced that in view of the fast growing population, its gateway to the country as well as being the industrial nerve of the nation, Tema is being considered for the upgrading to the status of a city.
In the next two years, 100 factories would be springing up to produce garment and gave the assurance that the roads linking Tema with Tema Manhean and Ashaiman are seriously addressed for rehabilitation and construction. Nii Tetteh Otu, paramount chief of Kpone sat in state at Kpone where President Kufour advised them to manage their lands judiciously since the town within the next 10 years would join the capital city of Accra.
Replying to a comment by the chief, the President deplored the practice of keeping an area neat when a personality was visiting a town and rather ensures the continuous maintenance and cleanliness of a community. President Kufuor disagreed with the usual complain that lack of funds cause the delay of keeping the environment in shape, and called on the authorities to always find money for sanitation.
"You do not wait until the President is coming before maintenance takes place", he remarked. In a speech read for him, Nii Kraku said his visit had coincided with the celebration of the Homowo festival, which is about to take off and see it as a recipe for a peaceful and joyous celebration.
We also deem this visit a golden opportunity for us to express our gratefulness to the NPP government for making us feel the breeze of positive change which is transforming our society for the better, we are grateful to you for appointing two sons of Tema to the positions of a Minister of State and Municipal Executive.
He was grateful for the rehabilitation of the Manhean JSS which had developed physical defects due to lack of maintenance for the past 42 years, the completion of the post office started by Ishmael Ashietey, using part of his MP's common fund, and the replacement of the bridge linking Awudum to the canoe beach for easy accessibility for the fishermen.
Nii Kraku praised the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority for (GPHA) undertaking the construction of stores and stalls estimated at ¢800m at the canoe beach. He called for the upgrading of his stool from divisional to a paramouncy status as well as traditional areas like Teshie, Nungua, Osu, and La as it was before the demotion by the Military government in 1966.
On his part, Nii Otu appealed to the President to respond to the petition that was sent to him about the release of unutilized lands falling within the acquisition area to help serve the increasing population of the area. He called for the release of compensation to the stool by the Ministry of Lands and said the time has come for Kpone to enjoy the benefit of development rather than refuse dumps and degrading of our lands by gravel winners.
Nii Otu Akwetey, the ninth Katamanso Mantse said even though much has been achieved in the past four years for livestock and crop farmers, there is the need for irrigation so that the people can farm through out the year. He appealed for the rehabilitation of all the roads in the Katamanso villages as well as those linking Ashaiman town and appealed for agricultural equipment for the farmers.
Samuel Evans Ashong Narh, Tema Municipal Chief Executive enumerated the projects so far undertaken in the municipality covering education and health and said soon, all the street lights would be installed.
The President inspected a rehabilitated JSS project at Tema Manhean and a
six-classroom block, office, store and sanitary facilities constructed with
funds from the HIPC initiative at Zenu. Among those accompanying the President
on the tour were Dr Richard Anane, Minister of Roads, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey
Minister Tourism and Modernisation of the City, Ishmael Ashitey Minster of State
for Trade, Industries and Presidential Special Initiative, Kwabena Agyepong
Government Spokesman and Ms Gloria Akuffo Deputy Attorney General and Minister
of Justice.
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Involve Planning Officers in devt - President tells chiefs
Katamanso (Greater Accra) 5 August 2003 - President John Kufuor on Monday called on chiefs especially those on the periphery of urban centers to involve the Town and Country Planning Department in the physical planning of their areas. He said they should not allow unplanned development, adding that, they should ensure strict adherence to laid down zoning of communities to add value to the land, protect historic and tourist sites and other public areas.
President Kufuor made the call when he addressed separate durbars of the chiefs and people of Katamanso and Ashiaman in the Tema Municipality on the first leg of his three-day tour of the Greater Accra Region. At Ashiaman, the security personnel had a hectic time controlling the crowd along the main road to the Government School grounds to catch a glimpse of President Kufuor in an open car.
He said the government was not only concerned with the physical development of the country, adding that, it would also work hard to put "the dignity of the Ghanaian at the centre-piece of development". President Kufuor said funds accruing from the HIPC Initiative had been used in the provision of basic amenities and to improve the performances of Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
He assured the youth of the government's determination to build a better future for them and asked them to shun vices that could affect their adult life.
President Kufuor referring to the historic importance of Katamanso said Ghana in the past had to unite diverse people who did not know each other and fought among themselves. "We have now seen that we are one people prepared to build a harmonious united country where the people would make a virtue out of diversity. We must not use the past to divide us but build a prosperous happy country for the future," he said.
Nii Otu Akwetey VIII, Chief of Katamanso, appealed to the government for the provision of irrigation facilities, agricultural inputs, potable water, electricity and the rehabilitation of roads to reduce the urban drift of the youth in the area. Samuel Evans Ashong-Narh, Tema Municipal Chief Executive, said the Assembly had acquired land at Katamanso for large-scale soyabean production to create employment and generate income for especially for the youth.
He said a clinic with quarters for nurses had been constructed at Appollonia
in addition to a six-classroom block with an office, a urinal and toilet
facilities for the people of Zenu from the HIPC Fund.
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Government would not violate human rights - Kufuor
Tema (Greater Accra) 5 August 2003 - President John Kufuor on Monday gave the assurance that the government would not violate the human rights of Ghanaians, saying, it would rather preserve the dignity of the individual. "If you give the people everything they need and deny them their dignity and rights you have not done anything," he said.
President Kufuor speaking at Tema Community Two on the first leg of this three-day tour of the Greater Accra Region, called on the people to continue to work hard and support the government in its efforts to improve the living standard of Ghanaians.
He said the visit, which formed part of a national tour was to share the reality and achievements of the government since it assumed power in 2001 with the people. "There had been concrete achievements made by the government since it assumed power in 2001 and Ghanaians would enjoy more development and improvement in their living standards. We are not boasting. We have done well within the short period that the government had been in power".
"We pride ourselves that within the two-and-a-half years that the government had been in power, Ghana is enjoying the freedom it lost during the 45 years of our post independence especially the past 20 years before the 2000 general elections when freedom lost its meaning in the country," he said.
President Kufuor said Ghanaians are now re-capturing the true meaning of the country's motto of "Freedom and Justice," adding that, the Judiciary was being empowered to work without fear or favour.
"We will not rest on our oars now that Ghana has become the beacon of peace around the globe". He said the government would not be distracted from the vision ahead for the people since nobody was above the law. Anyone who makes any allegations should prove it, he added.
President Kufuor said Tema was special in the scheme of affairs of the country being the gateway to Ghana and the West African Sub-Region. He said it was the objective of the government's to re-capture the image of Tema as an industrial city envisaged by the first President, the late Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
"I assure you government will continue to work on projects in Tema to regain the glory it was envisaged to have," he added. Shiekh Ibrahim C. Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister, said Ghana supports "righteousness and piety and not rancour and bitterness" adding that, the government's focus would not be diverted.
Samuel Evans Ashong-Narh, Tema Municipal Chief Executive, said development
projects being executed in the Municipality would be continued to improve living
conditions in the area.
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Liberian Peace Talks to resume in Accra
Accra (Greater Accra) 5 August 2003 - ECOWAS Mediators at the Liberian Peace Talks would resume closed-door negotiations in Accra on Tuesday with the hope of clinching a comprehensive peace deal for the war-ravaged West African country.
High on the agenda would be the composition of an interim government, an issue that had dragged on since 17 July due to major differences among the stakeholders. A source at the ECOWAS Secretariat told the Ghana News Agency on Monday that the facilitator at the Talks, former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar is out of town.
"We are expecting him by Tuesday for the resumption of business that was overshadowed by two weeks of intensive fighting, especially over the control of the capital, Monrovia by the three belligerent groups," he said.
Lack of clarity about President Charles Taylor's commitment to international pressure to go into exile when he steps aside might complicate issues, the source noted. "Patience is running out and the world expects to hear a positive news from ECOWAS by the close of the week...let us wait and see."
President Taylor, who met ECOWAS Foreign Ministers on Saturday in Liberia, fell short of making a categorical statement over demands by the Sub-Regional body for him to step down within three days of the arrival of the Nigerian Peacekeeping Force and go into exile in Nigeria.
The Executive-Secretary of ECOWAS, Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas and Foreign Ministers from Ghana, Nigeria and Togo flew to Monrovia on Friday and had to wait for 24 hours before meeting President Taylor at the Executive Mansion.
ECOWAS sources said in Accra that the President's insistence that he would go into exile only if the indictment slapped on him by the UN War Crimes Tribunal in Sierra Leone was lifted might complicate matters at the Peace Talks. "There have been too many compromises chalked by ECOWAS leading to the signing of a fragile Ceasefire Agreement between the three belligerent groups - The Liberian government, and the two rebel groups - Liberians United for Reconciliation and Development (LURD) and Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) on 17 June.
"The airlifting of a Nigerian Battalion from Sierra Leone to Monrovia is an indication that the Ceasefire Agreement will hold this week. "What is still evasive is the Comprehensive Peace Plan that should have been signed 30 days after the three warring parties decided to cease fire for the naming of an interim administration for Liberia minus President Taylor."
ECOWAS had committed itself to the provision of 3,200 Intervention Force,
with troops from Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, Benin and Togo. Stakeholders at the Peace
Talks including the three warring factions, 18 political parties and civil
society groups have remained inconclusive over the hierarchy of an interim
government for their country founded by free American Slaves in 1847 which now
has a population of three and half million people.
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NPP members asked to exhibit high sense of discipline
Ofoase (Eastern Region) 5 August 2003 - The General Secretary of the New
Patriotic Party (NPP), Dan Botwe has asked party members to exhibit a high sense
of discipline to push the party's agenda forward. He said the threat of violence
and disagreements among members is a result of indiscipline that is looming over
the party. He called for a better approach to issues.
Botwe said this at rally at Ofoase, near Akim Oda in the Birim North District on Sunday to mark the NPP's two-and-half years in office. The rally, which was preceded by a thanksgiving service at Ofoase Church of Pentecost was well attended by Ministers of State, Party functionaries and a large number of the party supporters.
Botwe expressed the NPP's commitment to the rule of law and that the party would ensure the freedom and happiness of every Ghanaian irrespective of the political affiliations.
He said the NPP would not allow the NDC to distract its development programmes and responsibilities towards the people, adding, "the noise of the NDC cannot cripple NPP's policies."
The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader, Felix Owusu Agyepong explained the rationale behind the National Health Insurance Scheme and urged the members to embrace it when it takes off.
He said the NDC intended to downplay the implementation of the scheme and wondered why such a sensitive national policy could be politicised; "yet they claim they are fighting in the interest of the average Ghanaian".
Agyepong told the functionaries that the NPP government would implement the insurance scheme to improve health care delivery in the country. The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo disclosed that the Oda-Nkawkwa road had been awarded on contract and urged the people to rally behind the NPP to retain power in the next elections.
They should also ignore "derogatory remarks" being made by the NDC
and support the government to put the economy on track. The MP for the area, Dr
Boakye Akoto, said he had accessed a ¢100m fund through the Assembly from the
Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs to be disbursed to the women in the
district as loans.
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Make quality protein maize available to farmers - Minister
Fumesua (Ashanti Region) 5 August 2003 - Major Courage Quashigah, Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), has called on the West and Central Africa Maize Network (WECAMAN) to make Quality Protein Maize (QPM) available to farmers.
He noted that QPM varieties had high levels of essential amino acids and could contribute significantly to the eradication of malnutrition in maize consuming African communities.
Major Quashigah's call was contained in a speech read on his behalf at the opening of a two-week workshop on QPM development and seed delivery at Fumesua in the Ejisu-Juaben District, on Monday. The workshop is being organised by the Sasakawa Global 2000, Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, WECAMAN and the West African Seed Network.
A total of 35 scientists and researchers from Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea and Mali are attending the workshop sponsored by Sasakawa Global 2000.
The Minister said with the launching of the livestock project the Ministry would collaborate with organisations to encourage the use of QPM in the formulation of animal feed in communities. He urged staff of MOFA and the Ministry of Health to collaborate in promoting the production and use of QPM varieties in the efforts to alleviate hunger and promote nutrition.
Dr Robert Asiedu, Representative of the Director-General of IITA, appealed to West African governments to contribute additional funds to sustain the collaborative maize research in the sub-region. He said the technical challenges of WECAMAN included the sustenance of new technologies and training and increased emphasis on the development of effective community-based seed production and marketing.
Prof Emmanuel Owusu-Bennoah, acting Director-General of the CSIR, said under the research component of the Agriculture Services Sub-Sector Improvement Programme (AgSSIP), a ¢600m a World Bank facility had been earmarked to support high iron QPM development to promote nutrition.
Dr Marco Quinones, Sasakawa 2000 African Region Director, said the organisation was supporting QPM development and its popularisation in Sub-Saharan Africa to reduce hunger and poverty and to promote nutrition.
"We are very much concerned in addressing the issue of nutrition for the
children who are the future of this continent. Without healthy children of
today, Africa has no future".
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Health Human Resource in Crisis
Accra (Greater Accra) 5 August 2003 - Prof Agyeman Badu Akosa,
Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) on Monday suggested that
"a deed of covenance" be designed and placed at the high court as a
form of agreement that would compel medical students who would seek for
government support to work for a set period before leaving the country.
This, he said, would solve the brain drain that has seriously affected the health sector, the nation's bedrock to development. "Failure to honour the deed shall be in contempt and guarantors shall be made to face the full rigours of the law and those willing to pay for their tuition will be encouraged to do so and they shall have no obligation to work for government".
Prof. Akosa gave the suggestion when he addressed a two-day national forum on human resource capacity building for health care in Ghana - The way forward.
Participants would, for the two days find answers to questions like, "are we producing health professionals for export market, can we afford to lose our health professionals and are we matching human resource needs against health needs and training needs.
He said the acute shortage of human resource in the health sector was so severe that it was derailing all the positive gains made in the health care delivery system, hence, the need for urgent attention to save the situation. "The nation now cannot boast of even 1,000 doctors despite the training of 120 doctors every year and this had brought the doctor to patient ratio to 1: 12,500".
Prof. Akosa noted that several district hospitals have no Ghanaian doctors and a lot of them have only one. He said there were many senior secondary school graduates with good grades but have been denied the opportunity of studying medicine because of constraints, infrastructure, laboratory equipment and staff, "but yet the service is in a very serious human resources crisis".
He suggested that medical schools admitting aggregate six and seven and under 18 for nursing should extend admission to students with aggregates 10-16, adding, "I strongly believe that such students can also do medicine if not then, we would be wasting talents".
Dr Kweku Afriyie, Minister of Health noted that the human resource cost may account for 65 to 80 per cent of the recurrent cost in the health delivery and the proportion in Ghana for the recurrent budget used for personnel emolument was 71 per cent.
He said the future of health care delivery was being threatened if the trend of attrition was not stemmed. He urged participants to brainstorm on the issue and come out with innovative ways of challenging the status quo. Prof Fred Sai, President's Special Advisor on Population, Reproductive Health and HIV/AIDS issues, urged participants to go beyond the geographical, demographically circumstances and the disease patterns and think about the economic and financial circumstances and the potential of the health delivery.
He said, "though we see a rise in the diseases of ageing, lifestyles and accidents as the causes of death, the proportion of deaths due to infectious and communicable diseases remains uncontrollably high".
Prof. Sai urged the regions and districts to sponsor trainees who would agree
to serve in their localities for a certain number of years, adding, "this
would go a long way to solve part of the problem". Mrs Emma Mitchel, a
member of the Council of State, who presided, urged the health sector to
consider the involvement of the private sector in the training of some health
professionals and allied personnel to solve some of the problems facing the
sector now.
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National Service Scheme is still relevant
Accra (Greater Accra) 5 August 2003 - Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of
Education, Youth and Sports on Monday said the National Service Scheme (NSS) was
still relevant and useful to the nation. He said available figures indicated
that in 2002 and 2003 the nation saved ¢60bn and approximately ¢90bn
respectively in terms of cash remuneration or allowances to service personnel as
which they would have been paid on the job market.
Baah-Wiredu was speaking at the launch of the National Service week and the 30th anniversary celebration of the scheme in Accra.
The celebration is under the theme: "thirty years of National Service in the Nation. Achievements and Prospects". Baah-Wiredu said records confirmed that there was a growing need for service personnel in both the public and private sectors, and more particularly in the rural communities where employed staffs in the civil and teaching services were reluctant to go.
He said the demand for service personnel increases at the rate of 40 percent annually, showing that the "programme was still relevant to Ghana's economy".
"The National Service Scheme has achieved a lot and it should remain so to propel the nation forward." Baah-Wiredu said the scheme has also played a major role in the nation's socio-economic development, particularly in education, health agriculture and in the small-scale industries.
However, he said, one of the critical issues affecting the scheme, though improved over the years, was that of the payment of allowances of service personnel, which has created some difficulties to both the government and the personnel.
The Minister said the situation would improve if service personnel take up their postings promptly so that accurate nominal rolls would reach the Ministries of Education and Finance and the Controller and Accountant General early. He said that service personnel should sign their payment vouchers promptly for their allowances instead of attempting to accumulate them.
Baah-Wiredu said that financial sector bureaucracy ought to be minimized to enhance quick processing of service personnel payment vouchers so that the banks could also facilitate the fast clearance of Cheques.
He said the scheme would be adequately resourced for effective monitoring and
follow-ups to enhance the operation of the scheme. Baah-Wiredu advised service
personnel who fraudulent attempt to forge signatures for double allowance to put
a stop to the unacceptable behaviour or be ready face the full rigours of the
law when caught.
Boniface Gambilla, Director of the NSS appealed to government to provide the
scheme with the necessary logistics and assistance to enable it carry out its
mandate effectively.
The National Service Scheme started in 1973 when the SMC passed Decree 208
establishing it. Subsequently, Act 426 passed in 1980 made it mandatory for all
able-bodied men and women of at least 18 years to render service to the nation.
The NSS has since been involved in the provision of essential services and
supporting infrastructure development.
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Education is government's priority - Minister
Accra (Greater Accra) 5 August 2003 - The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I. C. Quaye has stated that education is one of the basic priorities of the NPP government, hence the government would put in place all logistics needed to enhance the country's education.
This was contained in a speech delivered on his behalf at the launching ceremony of a motivation scholarship awards ceremony and educational fund at the Alajo Cluster of Schools in Accra. The ceremony, under the theme: "Motivating teachers and helping the children to learn, grow and to succeed" was aimed at securing fund to provide decent accommodation for the teachers and classrooms for the school.
Representing the Regional Minister, Mohammed Quaye said that educating a child is an effort to advance the economy of the country and also creating a good foundation for children. "This would enable us to acquire good future leaders", he said.
He assured the people of Alajo of the NPP government support, saying "the government will motivate teachers and encourage them to put in their best to effective train the children to become good leaders in future. He however expressed dismay at the low representation of male teachers at the Alajo Cluster of Schools.
The Assembly for Alajo, Joseph Quaye said education is a crucial variable in national development, and teachers who are given the national responsibility of educating our children should do so in earnest. "When they achieve results the must be rewarded," he emphasized.
According to him the shift system in schools in the area is giving the opportunity to truancy among the pupil; he said it is in this light the educational fund has been set and money from the fund will be directed build more classrooms. "For the next foreseeable future, we shall establish a second cycle school, secondary technical and computer laboratory for the community," he promised.
Joseph Quaye said that the government will not relent in its efforts to always see to the welfare of teachers by providing decent accommodation for them.
Later on prizes and awards in the form of money, refrigerators, books, and
other educational materials. The headmistresses of Alajo 1, 2, and 3, Mrs
Beatrice Birikorang, Madam Efua Agovi and Mrs Alice Wullar were respective
awarded a cash prize of ¢100,000, a refrigerator and a pack of filtered water.
A one-year scholarship was awarded to 90 pupils and 55 teachers were
presented with cash prize of ¢100,000. Mohammed Quaye made a seed donation of
¢500,000 to the educational fund.
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