GRi Newsreel 11 - 08 -
2003
Chisano arrives in Ghana
CPP elects regional executives
Govt working hard to improve economy - Apraku
Baidoo to contest for NPP primaries
DCE says people appreciate HIPC
Minister calls for judicious use of HIV/AIDS funds
Poverty Fund beneficiaries owe ¢600m - Presiding Member
ICU delegates conference runs into confusion
Network advises on health insurance schemes
Put house in order to attract investment - Aliu
Accra (Greater Accra) 11 August 2003 - The Mozambican President Joachim Chisano arrived in Accra on yesterday to travel with President J.A. Kufuor to Liberia today.
The trip to Liberia is to facilitate the departure of the Liberia leader Charles Taylor, who steps down from office today to ensure a peaceful resolution of the conflict in that country.
At the airport, President Chisano inspected a guard of honour mounted by a detachment from the Airforce, consisting of 105 men and three officers under the command of Squadron Leader Joshua Lakine.
In a brief interview with newsmen, President Chisano said Africans have decided that the continent should be that of peace to ensure economic development. He said ECOWAS, which is part of the economic region in Africa could be destabilised by the current conflict in Liberia and that there was the need for peace to prevail in that country to facilitate development.
The President said, " the Liberia people themselves are crying for peace
after a protracted conflict". He was met on arrival by the Vice President
Alhaji Aliu Mahama and Nana Akufo Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
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CPP elects regional executives
Tamale (Northern Region) 11 August 2003 - Dr. Abubakar Alhassan, National Chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP) has urged the government to always debate issues that are of national interest with the opposition parties before implementing them.
He noted that some of the conditionalities attached to the Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative are inimical to the economic and social progress of the country and said if the government had taken time to discuss with the opposition parties, they would have advised her against it.
Dr. Alhassan said this at the Northern Regional Congress of the CPP in Tamale on Saturday to elect regional executives for the party.
He said: "we are not against the NPP government, all that we are saying is they must always debate issues that are of national character with us before rushing to implement them since the impact of such conditions are borne by all, irrespective of political affiliations."
"Our ultimate goal, be it NPP government or CPP, is to improve the economic and social lives of our people and therefore, we would not sit down unconcerned for the NPP to rush this country into economic chaos," he pointed out.
The National Chairman criticised the government's policy of making the private sector as an engine of growth and said the government should not allow development needs and objectives to be determined by the forces of demand and supply, since that is likely to create a class society for the country.
Dr Alhassan suggested that the government should rather empower and direct the private sector in the domestic economy to produce the basic needs of the people to promote equal development of the country.
On agriculture, he said, government's withdrawal of subsidies was a disincentive to agricultural production and advised the government to restore subsidies to farmers to enable them to come out from the shackles of poverty.
He explained, "Our farmers cannot produce sufficiently to compete with subsidized products from the western countries. We cannot continue to open markets for them, while we close our own markets".
Dr Alhassan urged the government to discourage the habit of borrowing monies every year to balance the national budget, saying "this is making the country "a slave to our donor countries."
He however, advised the government to borrow monies to carry out projects that would have positive impact on the lives of our people and stop borrowing to balance budget.
On full cost recovery on education, Dr Alhassan said it was unacceptable because some sections of the people would be denied education and therefore, would remain poor throughout their lives if the policy was to be implemented.
Ibrahim Mahama, a leading member of the CPP urged supporters of the party to work hard in the 23 constituencies of the region to win seats for the CPP.
He assured them of the support of the Regional and National Executives of the party to make it possible for them to win the elections in the area.
Mahama noted that the way the NPP was running the economy; Ghanaians should not give them a second chance to rule the country and therefore, called on all Nkrumahists to come together to enable the CPP to win the elections.
Dr Gamel Nasser Adam, also leading member of the CPP called on Ghanaians not to allow the government to privatise water because it would endanger the lives of the people, especially the rural poor.
He called on Ghanaians to stand firm against the government's decision to sell the Ghana Commercial Bank, since it was the largest bank in the country, which has branches in the rural areas and was rendering social services to the people.
Dr. Adam said the CPP would adopt its National Self-Reliance Policy Strategy to explore national resources of the land to develop the country if given the mandate to rule, come 2004.
Talking about the recent pronouncement of a coup plot by the government, he said it was a big lie on the part of the government, pointing out that "times of coups are over and that the biggest coup is now the thumbprint".
He said the NPP was frustrated because they do not have solutions to the country's economic problems and were therefore, propagating a coup attempt to divert the attention of Ghanaians from the economic mess that they had caused.
The government has also failed to resolve the Dagbon crisis because it was protecting some members in government, accused of being involved in the crisis.
Idris Egala a member of the CPP and now contesting the National Chairmanship position of the CPP said he would build bridges to unite all the Nkrumahists to win the 2004 elections if elected.
He said the re-organisation of the structures of the party was also his concern and called on all dedicated Nkrumahists to work hard to forge the unity of all Nkrumahists.
Later in the day, Issah Mohammed was elected unopposed as the Regional Chairman of the party with E.A. Mahama as the Regional Secretary and Abdulai Mohammed Rashad as Regional Youth Organiser.
The Regional Education Secretary post went to Alhassan Nuhu while Alhaji
Tijan Lasisi was elected the Regional Treasurer and Madam Maaariam Dakpemah,
Regional Women Organiser.
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Govt working hard to improve economy - Apraku
Cape Coast (Central Region) 11 August 2003 - The Minister of Regional Co-operation and NEPAD, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku has re-echoed that the NPP government inherited a bad state of economy that needed time to repair. He said the government, in this regard has put in place good economic measures and policies and was working tirelessly to build a sound economy for the nation.
Apraku expressed the sentiments at a day's forum organised by the Tertiary Education Students Confederacy (TESCON) of NPP, Cape Coast Polytechnic branch, under the theme: "The road to economic recovery, the journey so far".
The Minister stressed the need for the youth to be inspired with the government's efforts at resuscitating the economy, and also urged them to fight against destabilisation of the country's democracy.
He called for hard work to improve productivity and stressed that with "determination and togetherness, we would be able build a better nation."
In a speech read for him, the Central Regional Minister, Mr Isaac Edumadze, said his administration would provide TESCON with the needed assistance and supports to enable them to help the party win all the 17 seats in the Region.
He said that the government has not forgotten the good work the students did to bring the party into power and urged them to be patient and continue to work harder for the party.
The regional co-ordinator for NADMO, Mr William Agyei Banin said the
government was making all efforts at making education more accessible and
affordable to all school-going children.
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Baidoo to contest for NPP primaries
Amosima (Central Region) 11 August 2003 - Maxwell Knoxwell Baidoo, presiding member of Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District Assembly has declared his intention to contest the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Baidoo has filed his papers and paid the required fee of five million cedis. In an interview with GNA on Saturday, Baidoo was optimistic to win the primaries to enable him contest for the parliamentary seat.
Baidoo said when elected to parliament he would use the platform to unite the three traditional areas, Abura, Asebu and Kwamankese to promote the development of the area.
He appealed to delegates to the forthcoming primaries to vote massively for
him during the election day to be announced later.
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DCE says people appreciate HIPC
Anloga (Volta Region) 11 August 2003 - Emmanuel Vorkeh, Keta District Chief Executive (DCE) has said that despite the negative propaganda about Ghana "going HIPC" people were beginning to appreciate its benefits.
The DCE said this when he commissioned a three-unit classroom block with a store and office and a five-seater water closet toilet for the Anloga Zion College Basic Schools at Anloga last Thursday. The projects, which cost a total of 190 million cedis were funded with the district's allocation of the HIPC funds.
Vorkeh said the frightening spectre created in the minds of people by the propaganda about the debt relief initiative had changed as government's intensions show in concrete terms by the numerous projects being financed under the fund throughout the country.
He said in the Keta District for example, a number of communities had benefited from projects in the health, sanitation, education sectors under the HIPC funds. Vorkeh said the Zion Basic Schools Project was the fourth school project completed in the district with the HIPC funds, promising that all communities would get their share.
Emmanuel Y. Klogo, Headmaster of school expressed the school's appreciation
to the Assembly for the project, which replaced a dilapidated one that was a
death trap. He said teaching and learning would improve with the construction of
the new infrastructure.
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Minister calls for judicious use of HIV/AIDS funds
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 11 August 2003 - Nana Kwadwo Seinti, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister at the weekend called for the judicious use of funds provided for the care and attention of victims HIV/AIDS and halt its spread.
He urged non-governmental (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) that had benefited from the GARFUND not to misuse or misapply the funds, expressing regret that some of these organizations had not been able to account for monies given to them.
"This is very disturbing because HIV/AIDS is spreading like wildfire and every cedi intended for its eradication must be used judiciously".
Nana Seinti said this in an address read for him at the launch of a platform for NGOs and CBOs on HIV/AIDS by the Brong Ahafo Network of NGOs (BANGO) in Sunyani under the theme, "Enhancing the capacities of Brong Ahafo NGOs/CBOs for effective campaign in the fight against HIV/AIDS".
The platform would provide the organizations the opportunity to meet regularly to examine activities, share experiences, exchange information and build upon their capacities.
He appealed to the beneficiary organizations "to think about the suffering and agony that people living with AIDS are going through and ensure that they get the care and attention they need at such trying moments of their lives".
"This is the time we need to show our love and compassion for them. It is therefore, heart warming to note that Government is working feverishly to facilitate the local production of some key anti-retroviral drugs, to bring some relief to our suffering brothers and sisters," the Regional Minister added.
Nana Seinti expressed the hope that the platform would give members of the organizations the opportunity to know their areas of operation and to make use of available human, material and financial resources for effective service delivery.
In a welcoming address, Kobina Afena-Sam, Regional Co-ordinator of BANGO said the platform was created to ensure that funds released to NGOs and CBOs in the region were put to good use for the intended purpose.
This platform, is thus to provide the organisations the chance to meet regularly to compare notes, a meeting point to share information, experiences, to discuss challenges and to collaborate to achieve a successful campaign in the region, he said.
The Co-ordinator said the platform would also afford them the opportunity of knowing the CBOs and NGOs undertaking the HIV/AIDS campaign in the region and to keep track of their activities.
Afena-Sam appealed to the Regional Co-ordinating Council, District
Assemblies, Regional Health Service and particularly, focal persons to work
closely with the platform through BANGO to ensure that all organisations join
the platform for a successful campaign against the pandemic.
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Poverty Fund beneficiaries owe ¢600m - Presiding Member
Ajumako (Central Region) 11 August 2003 - Kobina Ampiah-Biney, Presiding Member of the Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam District Assembly has called on beneficiaries of the Poverty Alleviation Fund to repay loans totalling ¢600m.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Ajuamko branch of the Ghana Society of the Physical Disabled the weekend, he said, "the Assembly is going through hell to retrieve the money". He said over 500 million cedis disbursed during the previous administration went to ghost names, who could not be traced, adding that, since it was a revolving fund the government has suspended it.
The Presiding Member said about 278 groups and individuals benefited while only 267 million cedis had been retrieved after the Assembly had taken some of the defaulters to court.
He said the government had introduced the Social Investment Fund (SIF) to facilitate the poverty reduction strategy and promised to do everything possible to assist members of the Society to benefit.
Albert Aidoo, District Finance Officer, said the Assembly had stepped up
revenue collection. He said a workshop would be organised soon for revenue
collectors to update their knowledge.
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ICU delegates conference runs into confusion
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 11 August 2003 - The seventh delegates' quadrennial conference of the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) has run into confusion with the break way by 13 institutions under the union to form a new national union.
These include the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), Ghana Cement Company (Ghacem), the BBC, FPC Limited and the La Community Bank.
The rest are Bank of Ghana (BOG), Merchant Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), State Insurance Company (SIC), Oyko Europat and the Ghana National Procurement Agency (GNPA).
Smart Abbey of the Merchant Bank announced the decision by the institutions to split away from the ICU just after the Credentials Committee had presented its report to the conference on the number of accredited delegates who could vote in the election of new officers.
The announcement was greeted with boos from those who opposed the idea, whilst those in agreement carried him on their shoulders as they filed out of the conference hall to the bemusement of the foreign observers present.
A resolution signed by the leaders of the breakaway institutions accused the ICU leadership of lack of transparency, mismanagement and dictatorship.
It said, "the leadership has amply demonstrated complete disregard for the delegates by manipulating the electoral process just to perpetuate themselves in office".
It expressed indignation at what it said was the electoral fraud to disenfranchise some of the delegates and disqualify some contestants.
Their action is widely believed to be the result of attempts by the ICU leadership to disqualify Francis Davor, the ICU Administrative Secretary from contesting the position of the General Secretary.
Davor, by a clause in the ICU's constitution did not qualify to contest for
the position since he did not satisfy the requirement of having worked for the
union for six years.
The Ghana News Agency (GNA) learnt that efforts by some of the delegates to get
the clause expunged to allow him contest Napoleon Kpoh, the incumbent General
Secretary, for the position were met with fierce resistance by the leadership of
the Union.
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Network advises on health insurance schemes
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) August 2003 - Brong-Ahafo Network of Mutual Health Organisations has suggested that the proposed National Health Insurance Bill should enforce existing district health insurance schemes for strengthened effectiveness and accountability.
This was contained in a memorandum from the board of directors and managers of Mutual Health Organizations (MHOs) as their views on the National Health Insurance Bill to the joint Parliamentary Committee on Health and Finance.
The memorandum noted that the district schemes were already on the ground, "where ultimate power and ownership of the schemes are localized and vested in members, who are ensuring effectiveness and accountability in conformity with the country's decentralized administrative concept".
The proposed health insurance bill should place emphasis on stakeholders' active participation, with the government providing initial financial and technical guidance for growth over a period of time, it added.
Philip Akanzinge, Brong Ahafo Regional Co-ordinator of Health Insurance Schemes presented highlights of the memorandum at a day's public forum in Sunyani, organized by the Parliamentary Committee to solicit public support for the passage of the Bill into law.
The memorandum proposed that the Bill should encourage all districts and communities to organize themselves into MHOs and groups that would be able to do so must be given government support.
The Bill should ensure that MHOs have sufficient self-regulations that are enforced by members and should aim at promoting their efficient and effective working.
The memorandum stressed the need for the bill to make MHOs very independent from governmental control whilst discouraging the formation of private ones because of their likelihood of being abused by crooks and swindlers.
"A good health insurance bill should aim at addressing the entire country's disease burden and improving the whole health sector in terms of quality and efficiency for the control of cost-escalation phenomena, which is common with health insurance implementation worldwide.
"The issue of equity and government support for the poor and vulnerable should also be considered but must be guided by the current burden of payment of exemption funds and effectiveness as well as the ability of government to continue to pay for sustainability".
In another memorandum, Civic Union of Techiman, comprising 60 Associations, called for a special levy on alcoholic beverages and cigarettes to support the NHI seed fund.
The Union added that a percentage of the MP's share of the common fund could
also be channelled into the NHI fund to reverse government's intended decision
to deduct two-and-a-half percent of workers SSNIT contributions as the NHI's
seed fund.
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Put house in order to attract investment - Aliu
Ada (Greater Accra) 11 August 2003 - Vice President Aliu Mahama has called on
the chiefs and people of Ada to settle their differences and present a common
front with government to derive maximum benefit from salt mining in the area.
He expressed regret that disputes and litigation had undermined the development of the Songhor lagoon to create jobs and wealth, adding that, investors could not be attracted unless there was peace, unity and stability in the area.
The Vice President was addressing a durbar to climax the annual "Asafotufiam" festival of the people of Ada, in the Dangbe East District.
Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panyin, the Okyehene and a Member of the Council of State and people from all walks of life attended.
The festival is celebrated in the first week of August to commemorate the success of the people during the wars before settling in their present area.
Vice President Mahama welcomed the initiative to foster peace announced by Nene Abram Akuaku III, Paramount Chief of Ada and urged the chiefs and people to use the festival to facilitate the process.
He said, "I hope this festival will afford you the opportunity to discuss and initiate the process so that within the shortest time, say three months, you will have come with agreement to corporate with government to conduct a proper land use programme of the Ada salt potential areas for the establishment of a 'huge gold mine' in the area".
Vice President Mahama challenged traditional councils to resolve conflicts within their jurisdiction.
He announced that the Ministry of Works and Housing was reviewing the Ada Coastal Protection and Volta River Estuary Project report prepared by a Dutch-Marine Company, under which five kilometers of beachfront would be protected and developed for salt production, fishing and tourism estimated at 80 million dollar.
An Italian company was also making assessment to present an alternative proposal, he said and assured the people of the government's commitment to improve their standard of living.
Alhaji Aliu Mahama said roads in the area were being rehabilitated while water supply and other projects had been executed. The Vice President advised the people to revive their spirit of voluntarism to initiate self-help projects.
Nene Akuaku appealed for the inclusion of the area in the President's Special Initiative on Cassava and appealed to the government to provide a tomato processing plant to prevent post harvest loses.
Osagyefo Amoatia, in a goodwill message underscored the importance of upholding the country's cultural identity and urged the Chiefs not only to act as custodians of culture but also to lead in implementing development projects.
"The time has come for chiefs to roll their sleeves and remove their sandals and lead the people to undertake development projects to compliment government effort," he said.
He advised Ghanaians to be guided by the values in Dr Ephraim Amo's patriotic song "Yen Ara Ya Asase Ne," saying, the lessons in the song would make the people responsible citizens to propel the nation to prosperity. "If we live by the tenets of the song we will love our nation and leave it in better shape for future generation.
If we love our nation we will not steal from it and we will eschew intellectual arrogance, greed, backbiting and other negative attitudes that will take us nowhere," he said.
Amos Beutey, MP for Ada, called for the repeal of PNDC law 287 to revert the ownership of the Songhor basin to its owners, saying, the people wanted potential investors to negotiate with them directly before obtaining mining license from the government.
Speakers included Sheikh I C Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister and Kofi Plahar, District Chief Executive.
They stressed the importance of peace, stability and unity to ensure development. The durbar was also marked with the firing muskets while Divisional Chiefs also danced in their palanquins and re-affirmed their allegiance to Nene Akuaku.
Many visitors were thrilled by a march past of women association smartly
dressed in their ceremonial clothing's with various identification symbols
accompanied with drums and trumpets.
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