DANIDA provides 205bnC for transport sector
Peprah was forced out...As AGC board chairman
SSNIT to review loans…Sources f funs to be expanded
After Kwame Pianim…More resignations to hit NPP
Election 2000…Third force to replace NPP
DANIDA provides 205bnC for transport sector
The Daily Graphic reports that the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) is to support Ghana’s transport sector with 205 billion cedis over the next three years.
The story says that the support programme will cover repair works and reconstruction of some trunk roads, feeder roads and support for capacity and institutional strengthening. Ms Charlotte Kanstrup, Counsellor of Development at the Royal Danish Embassy in Accra, who is reported as disclosing this said the assistance, is being provided under Ghana’s Transport Sector Programme Support (TSPS).
She said the Takoradi-Agona Junction road in the Western Region, will be redesigned and constructed, adding that a draft report on the project has already been submitted. The Graphic quotes her, as saying that the Ghana Highway Authority, which identifies the roads to be worked on, will identify another road for construction under the TSPS.
She said a 1,000-kilometre stretch of feeder roads would either be improved or re-gravelled, adding that the feeder roads rehabilitation programme, which would be concentrated in the three Northern Regions, is aimed at enhancing the productive capacity of the people, especially farmers to improve their standards of living.
GR../
Peprah was forced out...As AGC board chairman
In a front-page banner headline story, the Crusading Guide says that sources close to the Castle, the seat of government, have challenged the reasons given by Mr Kwame Peprah, Minister of Finance, for his resignation as chairman of the board of directors of the Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) Limited.
According to the sources, Mr Peprah was virtually placed under siege at the Castle, locked up in a room and forced to sign is letter of resignation from the AGC board. The paper says that its sources have intimated that while the Finance Minister may have considered the statement read at a news conference by two other Cabinet Ministers, Mr John Mahama, Minister of Communications and Dr John Abu, Minister of Trade and Industry, as an indictment of his role as chairman of AGC board and a public display of betrayal by the government, he, nevertheless, had no intention of resigning from the board at this critical phase of AGC’s battle for survival. "What happened at the joint press conference was an indication of Cabinet’s betrayal of a senior colleague.
It was an indictment of Peprah’s supervisory role in AGC board, and a sign that the Cabinet was prepared to sacrifice him in the government’s infantile battle to destroy the reputation of AGC chief executive, Dr Sam Jonah. IN effect, Peprah had been publicly disowned by two of his Cabinet colleagues, obviously acting under instruction from the ‘Old Man’ and ‘Madam’. He had to go", the Crusading Guide says, quoting a source close to the Castle.
GRi../
SSNIT to review loans…Sources f funs to be expanded
The Ghanaian Times reports in its top story that for the 2000-2001 academic year, the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) is introducing a restructured and more sustainable students’ loan scheme to cater for the increasing demand of students.
The objective, the paper says, is to expand the sources of funds into the scheme. The Times reports Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Deputy Minister of Education as disclosing this in an interview when reacting to problems facing tertiary institutions in Ghana. Dr Chambas is quoted as saying that the SSNIT had retained a consultancy firm, Strategic African Securities, to review the existing scheme to explore the possibilities of raising adequate funds through the capital market to meet the increasing demand of students.
The consultancy would also establish an independent body to administer the scheme through disbursement and, in particular, loan collection to make it revolving. The consultants are expected to complete their work by the end of April for the new loan scheme to be implemented for the 2000-2001 academic year.
GRi../
After Kwame Pianim…More resignations to hit NPP
The Ghana Palaver writes in its lead story that its scouts on the NPP beat have hinted f further resignations rocking the NPP if the party fails to address some key issues raised by a powerful lobby within its ranks.
The Palaver says that the strong lobby has asked the national executive and Mr J.A. Kufuor, the presidential candidate, to look for enough funds or be assisted by sympathisers, who in return, could be allowed to have a say in the choice of the running-mate of the part.
According to the paper, the group, which is believed to be a reconstituted "G-15" type, threatened to embarrass the party if its members are not consulted on the choice of the running mate. The Palaver says that the threat has been interpreted as resignations en masse.
It says as part of its demands, the strong lobbying group has made it clear to Mr S.A. Odoi-Sykes-led executive and Mr Kufuor that the issue of regional balance in choosing the number two man to go with Kufuor, should be dropped. The group, according to the paper, is of the view that any qualified person in the party with a wider appeal, should be considered.
GRi./
Election 2000…Third force to replace NPP
In a front-page banner the Guide says that a Third Force political arty is emerging on Ghana’s political scene to serve as the alternative party to the ruling NDC. The paper says the immediate task of the Third Force Party is to mobilise the disenchanted youth n the opposition, who have lost hope in the ability of the biggest opposition, the NPP, to wrestle power from the NDC.
The Guide says that consequently, the National Reform Party (NRP), a breakaway group of the NDC and the United Ghana Movement (UGM) also seen as a breakaway of the NPP, last Thursday, announced what they described as "co-operation towards Ghana’s development in the 21st century", in Accra.
The paper quotes Dr Charles Wereko-Brobby, leader of UM as saying that the two parties are moving away from the politics of the 1950’s and addressing the needs of today’s younger generation, who are at the receiving end of the misrule. The Guide says that Dr Wereko-Brobby gave the assurance that a faction of the Convention Party (CP), who constitutes the youth of the party, is joining the UGM-NRP forward march.
GRi../