Ghanaian director of ECOWAS Bank
losses Job
Baah-Wiredu says central govt can't pay assembly members’ benefits
Ghanaian
director of ECOWAS Bank losses Job
Accra (Greater Accra) 24 December
2001 - The election of Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas as the Executive
Secretary of ECOWAS means that Dr George Yankey, the Ghanaian Director of the
ECOWAS Development Bank, will lose his job. At their recent meeting in the
Senegalese capital, Dakar, the ECOWAS Heads of States voted out Dr Yankey and
asked that his position be taken over by a citizen of Benin.
Dr
Yankey had, in previous months, resisted government calls on him to step down
from the position to pave way for Dr Chambas’ quest for the Executive Secretary
position. Now, with the election of Dr Chambas, a section of the public has
complained that Dr Yankey has been sacrificed.
Dr
Chambas, however, thinks otherwise. According to him, it was obvious that Dr.
Yankey was going to find difficulty maintaining his position, because he did
not have the support of his country.
Dr
Chambas explained working with ECOWAS is always based on the support one’s
country since the whole system is operated like a multilateral organization. He
revealed that the Dr Yankey, like many others at the ECOWAS Secretariat had
very little legal protection to guarantee the safety of their jobs and
suggested that legal procedures be instituted in the appointment of people to
ECOWAS positions. –JoyFM
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Tease, Afram Plains (Eastern Region) 24 December 2001 - The Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, has rejected calls for the central government to take over the payment of End-of-Service-Benefits (ESB) of assembly members.
He said the present system was not only a constitutional provision, but also that any review would defeat the purpose of the decentralisation policy.
Reacting to such a call by the Presiding Member of the Akuapem South District Assembly, Nana Akua Okyerewa in an interview with the GNA at Tease, in the Afram Plains during a tour of the area, Mr Baah Wiredu emphasised that the payment of the benefits from the coffers of the assemblies would spur them on to be more resourceful and innovative in the identification, mobilisation and protection of locally generated revenue.
He rejected the notion that the Akuapem South District was among those "less endowed to bear such huge financial burden," saying the district had abundant rocks for quarrying, among other commercial ventures it could undertake alone or in partnership with investors.
Mr Baah Wiredu who was visiting the 85th district assembly since his assumption of office, debunked the labelling of any district as "deprived or not well-endowed," saying, what was required of the assemblies was to take a "thorough assessment of the economic potentials, bold enterprising decisions and plugging the wastes and leakages in their revenue sources."
He warned that until the wastes and leakages were plugged, a few individuals would continue to siphon the incomes from the revenue sources into their pockets to the detriment of the assemblies as evidenced by revelations of various special Task Forces.
Mr Baah Wiredu announced measures to provide the assemblies with seed money and introduce them to well-managed commercial ventures and said the government was holding discussions with three financial institutions, the Ecobank, Merchant Bank and Data Bank, to set up the Municipal Bond for joint-partnerships in investments.
The controversy over the delay in the payment of ESB to assembly members increase with the coming of the end of their four-year tenure in May, next year.
GRi.../
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Accra (Greater Accra) 24 December 2001- A number of activities have been drawn up to commemorate the first anniversary of the government of the New Patriotic Party
(NPP).
The programme begins with Muslims thanks-giving prayers at all mosques in the country on Friday January 4, 2002. A national musical concert would follow at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle on Saturday January 5, with fireworks as side attraction.
Christians throughout Ghana would also hold special prayers for the nation on Sunday January 6, in all churches and a Gospel Rock show at the National Theatre in the afternoon.
A "Peoples Assembly" at the Accra International Conference Centre on January 7 would round off the programme. There would also be a photo exposition on the year of "Positive Change" at the Accra International Conference Centre.
All Regional Capitals would hold their "Peoples Assemblies" from January 8 to 15 The NPP government assumed the reigns of office on January 7, this year, after emerging victorious in the December 2000 general elections.
GRi.../
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Bolgatanga (Upper East) 24 December 2001 - The Upper East Regional Security Committee (REGSEC) has reduced the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on Bawku and surrounding areas to three hours.
The curfew now starts from 2am to 5pm. A statement from the REGSEC said the reduction of the hours followed a "return to normalcy in Bawku".
With the presence of combined military and police patrol teams, commercial activities have picked up. Civil servants that fled in the heat of the conflict have returned. The Eid ul Fitr was celebrated without any incident.
The Regional House of Chief at an emergency meeting in Bolgatanga on Friday expressed their solidarity and support for Bawku Naba Abugrago Azoka II, who is the President of the House.
About 60 people were killed and 48 other were injured when the Kusasis and Mamprusi clashed at beginning of December.
GRi.../
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Banjul (Gambia) 24 December 200 1- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday, made a three-hour stop over at the Gambian capital Banjul on his way home from the 25th Summit of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of ECOWAS held in Dakar, Senegal to witness the swearing-in of Alhaji Dr. Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh for his second five- year term of office.
Other dignitaries who witnessed the ceremony, which was performed by the Chief Justice of Gambia, Mr. Justice Felix Michael Lartey, were President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, the out-going Chairman of ECOWAS and President of Mali, Alhpa Oumar Konare.
The rest were President Tijan Kabba of Sierra Leone, President Koumba Yalla of Guinea Bissau and representatives of the governments of Algeria, Libya, Guinea, Liberia and Iran.
President Kufuor and his entourage were met on arrival at the Banjul International Airport by President Jammeh, the two national anthems were played and President Kufuor inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Gambian army.
President Jammeh, 36, who arrived at the Banjul Independence Stadium in an immaculate white flowing "Agbada," accompanied by his wife, Zineb, received the instruments and symbols of authority, according to the Jola tradition which he adorned before he took the oath of office after which they were removed.
He came to power on July 22, 1994 after overthrowing President Dauda Jawara in a coup d'etat and became the Head of State and Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council.
President Jammeh who retired from the army on September 8, 1996, with the rank of a Colonel, was elected the first President of the Second Republic of the Gambia on September 27, 1996 and was sworn-in on October 18, 1996.
On October 19, this year, he was re-elected for a second term in general elections.
GRi.../
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