GRi Press Review 27 - 08
- 2003
House passes Health Insurance Act
Students appeal to lecturers to end strike
Spio-Garbrah arrives in London
Students appeal to UTAG
NDC planned "demo" in doubt?
Chris Asher murdered our relative - Family
"We are against GJA choice of Journalist of the year"
"No entry for the Vaswanis" - Interior Minister
Exposed: How an NGO profited from child neglect
House passes Health Insurance Act
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 August 2003 - Parliament has passed the much-awaited National Health Insurance Act, which seeks, among other things, to provide a comprehensive health service for all Ghanaians.
The Act also seeks to set up a mechanism that will enable Ghanaians to obtain, at least, basic healthcare services without having to pay any money at the point of delivery.
An accompanying memorandum signed by the Minister of Health, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, said the Act would provide a policy and regulatory framework in the country for health insurance that would enable "us, as a nation, to achieve the goal of equitable access to healthcare for all residents in relation to need rather than socio-economic or socio-cultural status".
A provision in the Act stipulates that a regulatory body should be established to license health insurance schemes. According to the memorandum, a regulatory council with the objective of securing the implementation of the policy would be established.
"Among its functions are registering, licensing and supervising health insurance schemes and granting accreditation to healthcare providers and monitoring their performance. It would also ensure that the needy are adequately catered for.
The membership of the council would include representatives of stakeholders in the health delivery sector and organised labour. The Act imposed a national health insurance levy "since a national health insurance scheme is not possible unless it can be effectively financed and the money must come from the owners of the schemes". It provides a system by which a district mutual health insurance scheme is to be established in every geographical area of a District assembly.
Residents of those areas are required to seek membership of the scheme in the relevant district in order to obtain the basic health care benefits. The community-based district mutual health insurance scheme concept does not prevent the establishment of private mutual health insurance schemes nor private commercial health insurance schemes.
Under the Act, workers who contribute to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) are not to make further contribution towards the National Health Insurance Scheme. Pensioners are to enjoy minimum benefits under the scheme, while Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Force have been excluded.
Dr Afriyie told the Ghana News Agency, after the passage of the Act, that all
the necessary instruments and programmes are ready and only awaiting
Presidential accent.
"We have identified all the relevant persons and groups to start the scheme
with the help of everybody we would start when we are ready."
He said, "I feel like a heavy load has been taken off my shoulder. I'm really tired and I need a little rest."
On the absence of the NDC Minority from the House during the passage of the Act, the minister said both Majority and Minority should have passed the Act to underline its importance to the nation and it is unfortunate the NDC decided to stay away.
"We have made a good beginning. I hope they will now come on board," he added. - Graphic
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Students appeal to lecturers to end strike
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 August 2003 - Fresh students of the University of Ghana, Legon have made a passionate appeal to the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to call off its strike action.
Making the appeal in an interview on the Legon campus yesterday, the students pointed out that they had already gone through difficult times before gaining admission and, therefore, the late start of lectures would compound their problems, since it would derail the academic calendar.
According to the students, since this was their first time on the university campus, they had high expectations and looked forward to the start of brisk academic work which is scheduled to start on Monday.
A fresh student, Ms Felicia Amalema, said because all first year students were non-residential, she had to travel from Dansoman where she reside to Legon only to hang around and go back without doing anything. She said the continuance of the strike action would probably mean that she should go back to Takoradi where she came from to avoid spending money on feeding and transport.
Mr Mike Abankwa said he was frustrated at the turn of events, "because I
have finished with the registration
and orientation but I have to just hang around doing practically nothing while
time ticks away".
Mr Robert Acquah pleaded with the government to see to the needs of the lecturers since they developed the knowledge base of the country. He said education was very paramount in the nation's development and, it was high time mechanisms were put in place to forestall such strike actions which were becoming an annual ritual.
Ms Citadel Fiagbeh said she reported on campus on August 13, finished with her orientation and registration and was looking forward to meeting her lecturer and appealed to UTAG to rescind its decision and resume work.
When contacted, lecturers declined to comment and instead directed that this reporter should talk to their executive members. However, efforts to talk to the UTAG executives proved futile because they were not on campus.
In a related development, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) branch of the UTAG had made it clear that its members would continue their strike action until the government commits itself to their proposal with regard to their salary adjustment, remuneration packages and conditions of service, reports George Ernest Asare.
Speaking to the Graphic, just after a general meeting yesterday, the branch president of the association, Dr S. O. Olympio, noted that notwithstanding the re-opening of the university and the presence of freshmen on campus, the lecturers would never commit themselves to any teaching until something positive was done about their demands.
He said so far, there had not been any form of negotiations with the government and members were waiting patiently for the government to respond to their demands. According to Dr Olympio, the members would call off their strike action and resume lecturers if something meaningful should come out of the negotiations.
He said information filtering in indicated that the Minister of Finance was studying their proposals," so we are waiting for their response". - Graphic
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Spio-Garbrah arrives in London
London (United Kingdom) 27 August 2003 - The former Minister of Communications Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah has arrived in London to begin his appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO).
Dr. Garbrah decked out in a three-piece suit, was spotted at Leicester Square a suburb of London heading for a meeting in an office close to the headquaters of British Council. He was accompanied by a man believed to be Dr. David Souter, the man he is scheduled to take over from.
He will succeed the incumbent Dr. David Souter, a British citizen, who leaves the organisation on 6 September 2003 after seven years in office.
Dr. Spio-Garbrah is a former Minister of Communication and Acting Chairman of the National Communication Authority of the Republic of Ghana and one-time Ambassador of Ghana to the United States and Mexico. He also served as Minister of Education, Minister responsible for Mines and Energy, and member of UNESCO's Executive Board in Paris.
Prior to his appointments in the Ghanaian government, Dr. Spio-Garbrah was Head of Communication of the Abidjan-based African Development Bank and an External Relations Officer of the International Finance Corporation in Washington, D.C. He worked earlier for Southwestern Bell Corporation and Hill and Knowlton, Inc., both of the U.S.A.
It is expected that Dr Spio-Garbrah will assume responsibilities of the new office on 8 September 2003 after all formalities have been consummated. - Ghanaweb
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 August 2003 - Fresh students of the University of Ghana, Legon have made a passionate appeal to the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to call off its strike action.
Making the appeal in an interview on the Legon campus yesterday, the students pointed out that they had already gone through difficult times before gaining admission and, therefore, the late start of lectures would compound their problems, since it would derail the academic calendar.
According to the students, since this was their first time on the university campus, they had high expectations and looked forward to the start of brisk academic work, which is scheduled to start on Monday.
A fresh student, Ms Felicia Amalema, said because all first year students were non-residential, she had to travel from Dansoman where she reside to Legon only to hang around and go back without doing anything. She said the continuance of the strike action would probably mean that she should go back to Takoradi where she came from to avoid spending money on feeding and transport.
Mike Abankwa said he was frustrated at the turn of events, "because I have finished with the registration and orientation but I have to just hang around doing practically nothing while time ticks away".
Robert Acquah pleaded with the government to see to the needs of the lecturers since they developed the knowledge base of the country. He said education was very paramount in the nation's development and, it was high time mechanisms were put in place to forestall such strike actions, which were becoming an annual ritual.
Ms Citadel Fiagbeh said she reported on campus on 13 August, finished with her orientation and registration and was looking forward to meeting her lecturer and appealed to UTAG to rescind its decision and resume work.
When contacted, lecturers declined to comment and instead directed that this reporter should talk to their executive members. However, efforts to talk to the UTAG executives proved futile because they were not on campus.
In a related development, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) branch of the UTAG had made it clear that its members would continue their strike action until the government commits itself to their proposal with regard to their salary adjustment, remuneration packages and conditions of service, reports George Ernest Asare.
Speaking to the Graphic, just after a general meeting yesterday, the branch president of the association, Dr S. O. Olympio, noted that notwithstanding the re-opening of the university and the presence of freshmen on campus, the lecturers would never commit themselves to any teaching until something positive was done about their demands.
He said so far, there had not been any form of negotiations with the government and members were waiting patiently for the government to respond to their demands. According to Dr Olympio, the members would call off their strike action and resume lecturers if something meaningful should come out of the negotiations.
He said information filtering in indicated that the Minister of Finance was studying their proposals," so we are waiting for their response". - Graphic
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 August 2003 - The much publicized march for survival
dubbed "kafo didi" planned by the National Democratic Congress (NDC)
and slated for the Garden City, Kumasi, on 2 September, may not come off after
all, following police indications not to grant the permit because President John
Kufuor will be visiting the city the same day.
The General-Secretary of the NDC, Dr Josiah Aryeh, who disclosed this to the "Evening News" newspaper said in the few past days the state security apparatus, the police and the government have tried to frustrate and prevent the "demonstration."
He explained that the principal reason for this was that the President might be in Kumasi the same time when the march was being held. He explained that the police told the party that the demonstration might endanger the President's security.
Dr Ayeh said the NDC maintained that the explanation by the police was untenable because President Kufuor and the Vice-President were in Accra, when the NDC held the march in Accra, which went within a few hundred metres away from the Osu Castle with the Osu Castle without threatening them.
He said since the march would be along well-defined routes, in outlined areas, there was no basis for the security reasons for the police were giving. The General-Secretary noted that the police and the government had a fundamental responsibility to facilitate the exercise of constitutional freedom.
"They cannot abdicate that responsibility and hide behind the fig leaf of the President's visit," he stressed. - Evening News
Chris Asher murdered our relative - Family
A family from Oda in the Eastern Region is challenging the evidence given by Chris Asher, a lawyer, when he appeared before the National Reconciliation Commission last week. Asher, who has been in exile for almost two decades, told the Reconciliation Commission last week that he was politically persecuted by the then PNDC regime and had to break jail to avoid further persecution.
But the Ofori family, which has accused Asher of murdering their relative, has challenged his story and is calling on the government to re-open the Chris Asher murder case and possibly prosecute him.
An angry nephew of the late Ofori Atta, Akwasi Agyei told Joy FM that the family has been eagerly awaiting the day it will lay hands on Chris Asher until their prayers were answered last week, when they saw him testifying before the Reconciliation Commission.
Akwasi Agyei together with his mother, who is a sister of the deceased, Ofori Atta alleged to have been murdered by Chris Asher, decided to come down to Accra to state their case.
Akwasi Agyei told Joy FM that Chris Asher developed hatred for his late uncle after he had been accused of being a fraudster in the early 1980s. This continued until 1982 when he succeeded in eliminating Ofori Atta. According to Akwasi Agyei, Kwame Asher (as he called him) was involved in fraudulent insurance deals of which he and his uncle were witnesses. And since then, there has been a bad blood between them.
Akwasi Agyeman alleged that when Asher visited Oda recently "he bullshitted" their house and retorted that nobody can arrest him because he has close ties with members of the present government, including the Foreign Affairs Minister, Nana Akuffo Addo. - Joy FM
"We are against GJA choice of Journalist of the year"
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 August 2003 - The New Times Corporation (NTC) chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has protested against the choice of Komla Dumor, a former presenter of Joy FM, for the 2001/2002 Journalist of the Year Award.
A statement issued and signed by Dave Agbenu, general-secretary of the Chapter, said members of the Chapter considered a "slap in the face of Journalism" by those who chose and gave Dumor the award.
He said the Chapter had nothing against the personality or his ability to be best in his chosen field. "But we definitely find it difficult to understand why Dumor who had consistently denied on his radio talk show that he was a Journalist should be given the prestigious award.
The Chapter wants to put on record that the story for which Komla Dumor was chosen for the award was first carried on the front page of "The Evenning News" of 13 March 2001 with the headline: "SSNIT waste ¢30bn on hotel", written by Francis Assuah, who is now the editor of "The Spectator".
The statement said the same paper on Wednesday and Thursday, 3 and 4 April 2001, a page for continuation of the story, this time with the headline: "The rot at SSNIT: which way? Written by Kofi Boakye.
"The fact that these stories were broken by "The Evening News" and later continuation by "The Ghanaian Times" before Dumor picked them up, show the error in giving him the award."
"These revelations in addition to Komla Dumor's own denial that he is a journalist give us cause to worry," it said. The statement said: "We regard the award as an insult to all hardworking professional journalist who had worked very hard in 2001/2002. - Evening News
"No entry for the Vaswanis" - Interior Minister
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 August 2003 - The Vaswani brothers who were at the center of the N40bn fraud for which they were deported by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, have been prohibited from entering Ghana.
The prohibition order issued on August 21 by Interior Minister Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, effectively put paid to attempts by the three brothers, Sunil, Maresh and Haresh, to seek sanctuary in Ghana where they also have a wide-range of business interests. The Chronicle on Tuesday carried a front page lead story alerting Ghana and Benin about the activities of the three Indian brothers who were reported to have evaded tax in Nigeria to the tune of N40bn (¢2trillion) between1999 and 2003.
Owusu-Agyemang issued the Prohibition of Entry Order (PEO) against the Vaswani brothers following security reports about their activities and their attempt to come to Ghana.
The order stated: "Whereas in the opinion of the Minister of the Interior the entry into Ghana of the underlisted persons, Mahesh Vaswani, Sunil Vaswani and Haresh Vaswani would not be conducive to the public good, now therefore in exercise of the powers conferred on the Minister of the Interior by section 8 (1) of the immigration act 2000 (Act 573) this order is made this 21st day of August 2003. Maresh Vaswani, Haresh Vaswani and Sunil Vaswani are hereby prohibited from entering Ghana until further notice.
The Interior Minister confirmed The Chronicle story about the Vaswanis on Peace FM radio during a newspaper review programme yesterday and said the prohibition order followed investigations by the national security apparatus on their questionable business practices in Nigeria and an advice by Nigeria not to entertain them in Ghana.
On May 29, 2003 the Federal Government of Nigeria deported the Vaswani brothers who are said to have built a business empire that is believed to be thriving on scam and scandal.
Owusu-Agyemang recalled that in the1970s the parents of the Vaswanis were also deported from Ghana on similar grounds. The Interior minister said the government would not allow any questionable businessmen to wreck the economy of the nation.
"We are not sleeping, we are watching and doing everything possible to make this nation a better place for all," the minister said. The Chronicle learnt that after their deportation from Nigeria the Vaswanis, through their cohorts were leaving nothing to chance to stage a come back to the country. They ensured that stories about their invincibility and possible return to Nigeria made the rounds.
For instance some weeks ago, their business associates spread the news that the brothers had moved to Ghana, where they also have some investments. The story has it that through Ghana it was going to be possible for them to go back to Nigeria or if possible run their businesses from Accra.
In spite of the overwhelming evidence about the deportation of the Vaswanis from Nigeria, Oscar Ugo, the media representative of the Honda Place Ghana Ltd one of the Vaswanis' companies in Ghana on Monday told The Chronicle that the three brothers had not been deported from Nigeria.
He also contested that the allegation of tax evasion leveled against them had not been proven. Ugo said even though the Vaswanis in Nigeria were related to those in Ghana, they have no shares in The Honda Place Ghana Ltd.
He said the Vaswanis in Ghana have not committed any offence or done anything contrary to the laws of the land. The deportation of the brothers from Nigeria is seen by many as the fulfillment of the anti-corruption campaign by President Obasanjo's administration.
Among the tall list of charges that prompted the deportation of the Vaswanis was that the Central Bank of Nigeria gave the Vaswani Stallion Nigeria Limited hundreds of millions of dollars to import fertilizers for farmers under the poverty alleviation programme but they sold the money on the black market. It is reported that only $15m was recovered from them.
A statement recently signed by the chairman, Wale Omole of National Problems and Solution (NPS), a non-governmental organization commended the federal government for deporting the Vaswanis.
"The deportation is commendable if it was effected in the interest of the nation and not on personal interest of some individuals who saw them as rivals," Wale Omole association's said.
"Many Nigerians could not believe the news about the deportation of the brothers because of their closeness to the powers that be, but since nobody is bigger than Nigeria, the authorities took the decision that was best for the state before deporting them from the country," The Chronicle source in Nigeria pointed out.
In Nigeria, the Vaswani family owns the Honda Place, Hyundai Place, Volkswagen Centre, Audi Place, Skoda World, and Stallion Foods. It also has majority shares in the Reliance Bank, two packaging companies in Ota and Ogun State. - Chronicle
Exposed: How an NGO profited from child neglect
Accra (Greater Accra) 27 August 2003 - When Ken Amoah established a child-welfare organization eight years ago, he sought to rescue child laborers from a life toiling in the streets. The foster home, which is located in the New Achimota section of Accra, was set up to provide needy children with a place to live, an education - and a respite from work.
Amoah has delivered on some of his goals, yet his prime donors - an arm of the Danish government called Danish International Development Assistance - are wondering whether he - and not neglected children - is the main beneficiary of his Accra-based organization, Children In Need Ghana.
The Danish agency, which goes by the acronym DANIDA, alleged in an interview with The Chronicle on 15 August, this year, that Amoah used monies meant for the benefit of the children to buy a vehicle for himself and to build a private home for himself.
Susan Yemidi, the DANIDA officer in charge of the funding for the child programme, says that Amoah has not been able to account for $50,000 that DANIDA gave him for his organization. DANIDA no longer gives money to Amoah's child organization.
Amoah spoke with The Chronicle on two occasions regarding his child welfare programme, but he didn't answer any questions about DANIDA's allegations. In an interview, Amoah, who describes himself as a trained school worker, spoke passionately about his work with child laborers and the challenges he faces in providing for them.
During visits to the New Achimota foster home, Chronicle met with six of the 19 children staying there. Under the care of only a cook and one other staff member, the children ate only a meal of porridge in the morning, and rice in the evening.
The boys named football as their favorite sport, but said their football had broken two weeks before and had not been replaced. Books donated to the children sit locked in an upstairs room, with staff members claiming some of the boys had stolen books and sold them. The children said nothing had been planned for them during their school vacation.
In an interview with The Chronicle, Amoah says he realizes the home has shortcomings. He blames a lack of money for these shortcomings and says that child-welfare programmes, such as his own, "deserve stable funding."
When contacted by The Chronicle, the Serious Fraud Office, an agency of the Government of Ghana, confirmed that it had investigated Amoah at the request of the Danish NGO. A. Tetteh Mensah, Assistant Director of Investigations, declined to release a report on his agency's investigation but said the investigation was completed. - Chronicle