Export school launched

Assemblies told to support expansion of varsity facilities

Rawlings informed about Berekumhene's death

Second Internet workshop opens

Rawlings swears in Commissioner of Lands

Accra (Greater Accra), 17 February 2000

The Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) Wednesday launched the "Year 2000 Export School Programme" with a call on donor communities to support developmental programmes of the Council in order to meet challenges on the international market.

The programme, the first of its kind in the country, aims at diversifying human resources in terms of export trade management and training for individuals and organisations.

It is also to assist stakeholders to obtain necessary awareness for dealing with the challenges brought on by the advent of organisations such as World Trade Organisation (WTO), globalisation and international competitiveness.

Mr. Peter Wiafe Pepera, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, who launched the programme said for exporters to remain competitive, it is crucial to address the problems of finance, improve technology, access to market and human resources development.

"Building up a competitive edge of exporting enterprises and improving operational efficiencies can pay rich dividends in the long round, both at the national and at the enterprise level."

Mr Pepera said there is the need for a conscious effort to be made in order to impart relevant knowledge and skills to the export sector to improve their productivity.

He said his outfit, in collaboration with GEPC, is implementing a programme called the Joint Integrated Technical Assistance Programme (JITAP) to explain the WTO's operations to the business community.

The Deputy Minister said the Vision 2020 programme, the government's blueprint for socio-economic development, recognises the importance of exports in the nation's developmental effort.

It therefore places a heavy responsibility on the school for the achievement of the goals and objectives of the document.

"By the terminal year of this programme, earnings from the export sector are expected to increase from the current level of two billion dollars to 16.3 billion dollars."

Mr. Pepera said the prospect ahead requires a lot of hard work, determination and support from individuals and organisations.

Mr. Kwabena Boateng, Director of GEPC, said the proportion of women's participation in the export school would be increased this year from the current 25 per cent based on 1998/ 99-attendance statistics.

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Assemblies told to support expansion of varsity facilities

Juaso (Ashanti), 17 February 2000

Miss Mariam Gyasi of the Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) has asked district assemblies to contribute towards the expansion of facilities in the universities.

She noted that it would not be out of place for an assembly to take the initiative to build a hostel on a university campus to provide accommodation for qualified students from its area.

Miss Gyasi was contributing to discussions on girl-child education in the Asante-Akim South District at a review workshop at Juaso on Tuesday.

Assembly members, educationists, chiefs, representatives of organised bodies and students attended the workshop, which was jointly organised by the District Assembly and the Integrated Social Development Centre, a non-governmental organisation.

It was aimed at fashioning out an action plan to encourage girl-child education and identify ways of removing factors that lead to their dropping out from school.

Miss Gyasi pointed out that while striving to promote and improve education at the basic and second cycle levels, it is equally important to ensure that tertiary institutions are well resourced to absorb the increasing number of students who make the mark.

She also called on religious leaders to mount a well-focused and effective education campaign to check the high incidence of teenage pregnancy in the society.

Sheikh Ishahak Nuamah, a tutor of Islamic Secondary School, Kumasi, reminded Muslims that under Islam, education is a compulsion.

Under no circumstance should any parent, deny their children education and condemned the practice of withdrawing the girl-child from school to give her out in marriage.

Sheikh Nuamah advised parents to spend more time with their children and provide both the boy and girl-child equal access to education.

The participants, in a communique, asked parents to exercise effective control over the girl-child after school hours.

Household chores should also be equally shared between boys and girls at home to enable both to have equal time for studies.

They also condemned the situation whereby parents engage school children in child labour and called on the assembly to sanction such parents.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 17 February 2000

A delegation from the Brong Ahafo Region House of Chiefs on Wednesday informed President Jerry John Rawlings of the death of Nana Yiadom Boakye Owusu the Second, Paramount Chief of Berekum Traditional Area. He passed away in October last year.

Led by Nana Kwadwo Nyarku, President of the House, the delegation informed President Rawlings that Nana Owusu, 89, would be laid in state from March nine

to 11 and a memorial service would be held for him the following day.

Nana Nyarku, Paramount Chief of Prang Traditional Area, invited the President to attend the funeral.

President Rawlings, who had a number of interactions with Nana Owusu during his numerous visits to the Brong Ahafo Region, said the late chief was a great man and appealed to the people of Brong Ahafo not to let his memory die.

He said they could perpetuate his memory if they elected an appropriate person to succeed him to carry on the good works of the late chief.

"I know this is not going to be easy because of the high standards you (the traditional area) have attained."

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Accra (Greater Accra), 17 February 2000

The Ministry of Education is planning a schoolnet programme to network all science resource centres and senior secondary schools to enhance academic and social interactions of school children.

It is also to allow them to develop the information technology skills required in the global knowledge-based economy.

Mr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, the Minister, said this on Wednesday at the opening of the second internet workshop organised by the Ghana National Commission on Connectivity (GNCIV) to train employees in organisations in research and academia, second cycle schools as well as the private and public sectors.

Mr. Spio-Garbrah said an efficient national telematics service would be an important asset for the promotion of distance education.

When this is in place, "those who, for one reason or another, cannot attend normal schools, would not be denied education,"

He said the information highway holds many more promises of dramatic changes and it is necessary that as a country "we start thinking of the type of information highway we need and want, otherwise we will have something imposed on us."

Mr Bruno Lefevre, UNESCO Resident Representative in Ghana, said the main objective of the project is to promote the development of telematics in the public sector.

The project is also aimed at helping to empower user institutions in the public sector to employ telematics services and to be able to develop appropriate applications and local access infrastructure.

Mr. Lefevre said it is expected that an extension of the network will include users of the Ministry of Agriculture and its related institutions.

He pledged UNESCO's support in ensuring that everybody, including the ordinary man on the street, has access to timely and accurate information.

The GNCIC was set up in 1996 to implement the InfoDev Ghana Project whose objective is to encourage and promote the acquisition and use of telematics in public interest in Ghana's economy towards national development.

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Accra (Greater Accra), 17 February 2000

President Jerry John Rawlings on Wednesday swore into office Mrs Grace Adubea Orleans as Chairman of the Lands Commission and told her not to allow public officials to intimidate her.

Mrs Orleans, a former Solicitor-General, took the oath of allegiance, the oath of secrecy and the official oath before the President who congratulated and handed her parchment of office.

President Rawlings said in discharging her duties, some officials in high places might use the Castle or the Office of the President to get certain things done for them.

"Do not be intimidated. Call us on phone to check on people who will attempt to use our name to influence you. Ensure that the right thing is done."

He also appealed to Mrs Orleans to check on officials who might have used their positions to acquire more than one government plot.

Mr Nathan Quao, an Adviser to the President, told Mrs Orleans that her long working experience at the Attorney-General's Department and the various boards she served on contributed to her appointment.

"Land matters are very complex. Try as much as possible to avoid confrontation."

Nana Ato Dadzie, Acting Chief of Staff, said one of the problems the Lands Commission should tackle is the issue of vast tracts of lands acquired by the government several years ago which have not been utilised and compensation not paid to the land owners.

He suggested that Regional Land Commissions should be empowered to deal with some of the problems associated with land.

Mr Richard Dornu-Nartey, Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry, spoke about a new lands policy document that has been prepared and said the appointment of a new Lands Commissioner has come at an appropriate time.

"A strong person is needed at the lands commission to implement what the policy document seeks to achieve."

Mrs Orleans said her assignment is not an easy one "but with the co-operation of all agencies we shall do our best."

She said there are several laws governing land acquisition but they are being flouted.

"If these laws are enforced there will be discipline in land acquisition."

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