Kufuor's North American visits… Boosting
Ghana's investment climate
Where is The Revolution?..And the leader
too?
Jinijini (Brong Ahafo) 17 December 2001 - Captain Nkrabea Effah-Darteh (RTD), Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development on Friday said that the government's decision to continue with NDC initiated projects was to save the nation from financial waste.
Speaking at the dedication of an 85 million cedis block for the Pentecost Junior Secondary School (JSS) at Jinijini, near Berekum in Brong-Ahafo, the Deputy Minister expressed regret at the practice where past governments abandoned projects started by their predecessors.
He cited the stoppage of work on the construction of 15 five-storey blocks started during the Acheampong regime in 1973 for police personnel in the Berekum
District.
The Deputy Minister stressed that the NPP government would not practice "such negative politics", which he said rather set back the clock of national progress.
Capt. Effah-Darteh, who is also Member of Parliament for Berekum asked the people of Jinijini to assist in the government's crusade to halt financial malpractices.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 December 2001 - Positive Change is taking effect in the economy. Though there is not much loose change to play about with this Christmas, all indications are that the patient is showing signs of recovery, and the patience of Ghanaians is paying off.
As we went to press last weekend the Bank of Ghana (BoG) Treasury Bill (TB) rate moved from 42.2 per cent in July to 29.54 per cent in November as a result of stable macroeconomic conditions. Mr. Daniel Ohene Owusu, Deputy Chief Manager, Banking Supervision Department of BoG made this revelation last week.
The downside however, is that banks that invested heavily in TBs would suffer shortfalls in their projected revenue and profits. Mr. Owusu, who was speaking at the 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of shareholders of Atwima Mponua Rural Bank at Toase in the Atwima District, called on rural banks to explore other avenues of investment that would yield higher returns.
Treasury Bills over the years of high interest rates were looked upon by Ghanaians as a way of making money with minimum to zero risks. Mr. Owusu advised the management of rural banks to strictly enforce the dictates of Poverty Alleviation Credit Schemes (PACS) and other government Credit Schemes that are aimed at promoting the development of identified sectors of the economy by way of alleviating poverty in the rural communities.
He asked rural banks to raise their paid-up capital to at least 100 million cedis, which should be attained preferably through fresh issue of shares. Banks with substantial amount on Income Surplus Account (ISA) could transfer reasonable portions to paid-up capital by way of capitalisation issue.
He said the inadequacy of paid-up capital of most rural banks had made it difficult for such banks to meet their statutory minimum capital adequacy ratio of six per cent.
The revised prescribed minimum paid-up capital for new rural banks was 500 million cedis, he said, adding that the BoG would continue to supervise rural banks regularly and provide the needed support to nurture them into becoming vibrant financial institutions.
Mr. Benjamin Bekoe Yirenkyi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Atwima Mponua Rural Bank, said the bank recorded an after tax profit of 86.4 million cedis last year as against 43 million cedis in 1999.
He said the bank's total deposits rose from 2.8 billion cedis in 1999 to 4.2 billion cedis in 2000 while the number of customers increased from 11,376 in 1999 to 15,880 last year.
Mr. Yirenkyi said the share capital of the bank rose from 28.8 million cedis in 1999 to 27.3 million cedis in December 2000 stressing that it was below BoG's requirement, which stood at 63.7 million cedis.
He said the bank purchases of Akuafo Cheques dropped from 2.9 billion cedis in 1999 to 2.5 billion cedis last year and attributed it to lack of funds and activities of private licensed buyers.
Since the NPP government took the reins of government early
this year, all the indices are pointing to recovery even as individuals
complain of lack of funds for discretionary spending. The excess liquidity,
which fanned inflation during the NDC days, is being tamed. Year 2002 is
expected to be less frugal than 2001 when inflation would have been brought
under considerable control. – Accra Mail,
Editorial.
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Kufuor's North American visits… Boosting
Ghana's investment climate
By Peter Gbeho
Accra (Greater Accra) December 17, 2001 - In the present era of globalisation it has become increasingly crucial that countries forge closer relations with other nations. Foreign policy has therefore assumed a more crucial role in determining a country's political, economic and social wellbeing.
President Kufuor, since assuming office, has paid visits to several countries in Africa, Europe and America. This portrays the nation's growing stature in the international community as a nation where true democracy and stability prevail in a country with a healthy investment climate.
On the 25th of June, President Kufuor arrived in the US to attend the 26th special session of the United Nations General Assembly on HIV/AIDS. Following the three-day session, President Kufuor received an invitation by the US President George W. Bush to visit the White House. Similar invitations were extended to President's Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal and Alpha Omar Konare of Mali.
The invitations were extended in recognition of the three African presidents' commitment to democracy at home and peace keeping in the sub-region.
The President was accompanied on the trip by the Foreign Minister, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, the then Minister of Government Business, Mr. J.H. Mensah and the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku.
Delivering a keynote address at the Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly on HIV/AIDS the President called on the Special Session to resolve to assist developing countries to implement internationally agreed strategies to eradicate poverty, underdevelopment and illiteracy.
He also announced the decision of the government to allocate 15% of the country's annual budget to the fight against HIV/AIDS. President Kufuor promised to provide his personal leadership for the Ghana National Programme for the fight against HIV/AIDS and to work with all involved in the global fight until success is achieved.
Following discussions with the World Bank and IMF, the Breton Woods Institutions approved for Ghana the Poverty Reduction and Growth facility. The IMF Board also approved a $36.9m loan to Ghana under the growth facility.
As a follow up to President Kufuor's visit Republican J.C. Watts Jnr. led a thirty-one member delegation comprising six congressmen and 25 business leaders to Ghana from 27th - 29th August 2001 during which they held talks with President Kufuor and explored business opportunities and possible partnership between Ghanaian and US businessmen.
On the 2nd of November 2001 President Kufuor left Accra for a historic four day visit to Canada, the first ever by a sitting President of Ghana, at the invitation of the Governor General Madam Adrienne Clarkson and Prime Minister, Mr. Jeane Chretien.
President Kufuor was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, Ms. Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State at the Presidency, Dr. Ageseke Agambila, a Deputy Finance Minister and Mrs. Theresa Kufuor.
President Kufuor met government leaders such as Madam Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General, Prime Minister Jean Chretien, as well as Ministers of State and officials of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
During talks with President Kufuor in Ottawa Prime Minister Jean Chretien stated that Canada intends to continue to invest in its aid programme and would make money available for foreign aid in its federal budget for December.
The Prime Minister also reiterated that relations with developing nations and especially Africa would remain at the top of his list of priorities for the G8 meeting of wealthy nations next year in Kananaskis Alberta.
Speaking at a state banquet held in honour by the Governor-General of Canada, Madam Adrienne Clarkson at the Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Canada the President pledged to Canada and all friends of Ghana that his government will defend the country's hard won democracy to the hilt He noted that in the short time that the government has been in office it has demonstrated its commitment to accountability and the principles of good governance.
He expressed his appreciation for the help the country continues to receive from friendly countries like Canada to assist in building and strengthening the country's institutions.
President Kufuor also attended a ceremony at the Canadian Peacekeeping Monument, which serves to highlight the Ghana-Canada collaboration and participation in peacekeeping throughout the world.
Speaking to the Ghanaian community in Toronto, President Kufuor told them that the Legislative Instrument to give effect to Dual Citizenship had been laid before Parliament. The Bill has already been passed by Parliament. Both America and Canada have long been crucial development partners for Ghana and in recent times particularly with the strengthening of democracy in Ghana this relationship continues to grow from strength to strength.
Notwithstanding the September 11 terrorist attack in the United States of America, African countries are hopeful that developed countries will not push developing countries particularly Africa to the background of their agenda.
This sentiment was expressed by President Kufuor during his state visit to Canada when he observed that while all right thinking people around the globe should be disturbed about terrorist activists, the leadership of the advanced parts of the world should appreciate that there is more to life than just fighting terrorism and life must go on.
President Kufuor noted that many African countries still need money for basic infrastructure like roads and ports but most of them now wish to move beyond mere handouts to boosting trade and investment.
President Kufuor's visits to the USA and Canada not only strengthened the existing bonds of friendship between Ghana and the two countries but also afforded the President and his team the opportunity to meet the business community in these countries to explore avenues for strengthening trade and investment ties.
The visit also afforded the President and his team the opportunity to interact with the Ghanaian community in the two countries to explain his government's policies and programmes, efforts it is making to resuscitate the economy and also his government's preparedness to assist Ghanaians living abroad who may wish to invest in Ghana or return home permanently and contribute to the task of nation building.
His visits have helped to boost Ghana's image in the international community and also to assure it of Ghana's commitment to transforming the economy, improving the quality of life of its people and achieving real positive change.
This no doubt accounted for pledges of support in both countries for Ghana's economic and social programmes. In the wake of these visits, the stabilization of the cedi against major foreign currencies, the drop in the rate of inflation and sound macro-economic policies being pursued by the government, both government and the business community have a unique opportunity to forge closer links with the business community not only in USA and Canada but also in other countries visited by the President.
The President has launched a Golden Age of Business, which
we should take advantage. The visits to the USA and Canada were highly
successful and have gone a long way to promote greater understanding of each
country's policies and programmes and potential areas for co-operation and
assistance. - Accra Mail (Opinion)
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Where is The Revolution?..And the leader
too?
By Harruna Attah
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 December 2001 - After the coup of 1972, the state-owned GBC radio affected for a while, the station identification of "Voice of the Revolution".
It fizzled out after a while. The whole idea of a revolution went into abeyance until 1979 when the other ranks and junior officers mutiny dredged it out again - June to September - and Ghanaians were gripped by the febrile and rather bloody comings and goings of the revolutionaries in the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).
Mercifully, Ghana was spared the frightening strictures of the revolutionaries when they handed over the reins of political power to the democratically elected government of the 2nd Republic under the Presidency of the late Dr. Hilla Limann.
Evidently, an element or two of the AFRC had not had enough and on the last day of December 1981, surreptitiously, like the most despicable of armed robbers struck again, while the rest of us were fast asleep and robbed the people of Ghana of their democratically elected government.
That act of armed robbery was to last in one form or the other until January 7, 2001. There was no disguising the revolutionary language of those early days, that is 1981 to about 1983/84. It was at first a "Holy War" but later they settled for the less liturgical sounding "Revolution".
They invented the "Leader of the Revolution" and rammed it down our throats in a combined campaign by all the state-owned media. The revolution was in full swing and the Leader of the Revolution himself tried to affect a "look".
This involved a partial Che Guevara, partial Castro sartorial blend. It was at once military, at the same time anti military. In a certain sense along the lines of Yasser Arafat's trade mark military uniform without the military trappings of rank on shoulders, etc.
It's difficult to tell when they abandoned the title of Leader of the Revolution. It must have been around 1985 then, by which time the realities of the world had schooled them in IMF and World Bank ways. Who wants to be seen in the portals of those two pillars of capitalism dragging along revolution as excess baggage?! Before long GTV, GBC Radio, Ghanaian Times and Daily Graphic had deodorised themselves with new scents.
There was no longer a Leader of the Revolution. Revolution "ya mutu". Exactly twenty years after the Leader of the Revolution had created himself - December 2001- there is talk about what to do with him. The search for another title for him is under intense discussion by the stump of the revolution, which recreated itself into a political party called NDC.
Do you remember the "I don't like multiparty politics" outbursts? Well, after the demise of the "Leader of the Revolution" as a title, they are not sure what to call him now - Founder and Leader of the Party or just Founder of the Party?
I am told they do not want him to lead them, so sadly, as he observes the 20th anniversary of the "revolution", he will be twiddling his fingers, more like Napoleon on the Island of Elba, wondering whatever happened to his titles. How fleeting these things can be... - Accra Mail
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