Sunyani Hospital cries for doctors
Kufuor urges African leaders to solve problems affecting continent
Major events in January 2002-01-31
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2002 - Security agencies on Friday said they seized four cars from the residence of the former Vice President Professor John Evans Atta Mills for continuing to use security operational registration numbers limited to their operatives.
The cars, a Toyota Land Cruiser, two Toyota Corollas and one Ford Condor, have since been released to Professor Mills' family, the GNA reports a source at the Bureau of National Investigations as saying in Accra.
The source said: "When we discovered that they were using operational numbers we were compelled to find out why and for what purpose."
It said upon investigations, Mrs Naadu Mills, wife of Prof. Mills, said that the cars were part of the end of service benefits of the former Vice President.
The source said it was not the fault of the Mills' family that they did not effect a change of ownership after the transition period. "Somebody should have informed them, somebody did not do his work."
The source noted that the Mills family had since been directed to effect a change of ownership and reregister the cars.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2002 - The former Chief of Staff, Nana Ato Dadzie on Friday told the Fast Track Court in Accra that by dint of hard work he contributed to save seven million cedis for the state in the Quality Grain Project.
He said he was asked by former Vice President John Evans Atta Mills to be the Controlling Officer in-charge of the resettlement and payment of compensation to free the site for the Aveyime Rice Project to take off.
The former Chief of Staff, who was opening his defence at the court, chaired by Mr Justice Kwame Afreh, an Appeal Court Judge sitting as a High Court Judge, explained that the seven million cedis was saved because he was meticulous about the payment of the compensation.
Dadzie, together with five others are facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime and causing financial loss of over 20 million dollars to the state.
All the accused persons have denied the charges and the court has granted them self-recognisance bail.
They are Ibrahim Adam, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Samuel Dapaah; former Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture; Kwame Peprah, former Finance Minister; George Yankey, former Director of the Legal Sector, Private and Institutions Division of the Ministry of Finance.
Dadzie, who was led in evidence by his defence counsel, Nana Adjei Ampofo, told the court that the government approved the project and also guaranteed it in 1996, adding that, the project subsequently received parliamentary approval.
Dadzie said sometime in 1997 reports were made to Cabinet about the delay in the project, which was caused by the refusal of the settlers on the land to vacate because they were demanding compensation and resettlement.
It was for this reason, he said, that the former Vice President Mills was mandated to see to the resolution of the problem.
Dadzie said the then Vice President caused an ad hoc committee to be formed and tasked to find out how many people were to be compensated and to be resettled.
He insisted that all the payments were to be made in cheques and thumb printed as a security measures, saying the cheques were paid into the Mepe Rural Bank.
"With regard to the resettlement, my office only paid contractors and suppliers, who built the houses for the beneficiaries."
He said after the exercise his office was audited by the Auditor-General's Department and no adverse finding were made. Proceeding continues on Thursday, February 7.
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 02 February 2002 - The Sunyani Regional Hospital lacks the adequate number of paediatrician, resulting in additional work for other doctors who have had to handle infant-related cases.
Mr Kwame Owusu-Boampong, Hospital Administrator told the GNA in an interview, in Sunyani on Thursday that the nurses under the supervision of three gynaecologists man the antenatal unit of the hospital.
Mr Owusu-Boampong said there were no doctors on housemanship at the hospital but two national service personnel were working at the pharmacy department.
The hoszital needed a laboratory technologist as well as a general doctor to help in the various departments.
Mr Owusu-Boampong said the hospital lacked accommodation for staff and complained of inadequate security, in view of recent theft cases there.
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Captain Okai is not Egle Party leader -
Alhaji Jamatutu
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2002 - Alhaji Abdul Rahman Jamatutu, Acting Chairman of the Egle Party has denied that Captain Felix Nii Okai (Retired) is the leader of the party as was being alleged.
A statement signed by the chairman said, the party wished to state that Captain Nii Okai (RTD) who is parading around as the leader of the Egle Party was not the leader of the party.
It said, the retired captain resigned from the party in 1996 to join the NDC and contested in the parliamentary primaries at the Odododiodoo constituency where he resides.
"It is therefore surprising to hear Captain Okai claiming to be the leader of the Egle Party." The Egle Party is an alliance party with the National Democratic Congress.
The statement, however, said Captain Okai was free to reapply to come back if he so wished.
The National Executive of the Egle Party, it said also noted with concern the recent publication in the Saturday January 26 issue of the Ghanaian Chronicle captioned "Egle Party's advise to their founder and father Rawlings must consult chiefs."
It said party members who engaged in the issuance of negative press statements must desist from such acts and not hide behind the press to launch their unwarranted attacks on Founder and Leader Ex-President Rawlings.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 02 February 2002 - The Ejisu-Juaben constituency branch of the Action Forum, an affiliate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has cautioned that the national reconciliation exercise should not target NDC members.
The forum said any such move might polarise the nation and also appealed to the international community to condemn what it described as the persecution of NDC members by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), adding, it would not guarantee peace and development in the country.
This was contained in a press release signed by Nana Oppong Sekyere, Ejisu-Juaben constituency spokesman for the Forum. It said the Highly Indebted and Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative was one of the surest ways of dissipating the country's resources.
The Forum said recent happenings on the political front suggested some members of the government were in to persecute ex-President Jerry John Rawlings, a development which it said would not augur well for the peace of the country. The release called for an end to further arrests or conviction of any former minister or NDC activist.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2002 - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday asked the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) to work out a planning scheme that would achieve results.
They should not undertake any sterile academic exercise, but be in regular consultations with the relevant ministries and institutions to come out with plans and suggestions that would be fruitful to the nation, President Kufuor said when he inaugurated the 27-member NDPC at the Castle, Osu.
He said any action without planning was erratic; therefore, the Commission should be practical in their deliberations to ensure that planning became the main tool for governance.
President Kufuor said to enable the Commission's monitoring activities to influence financial policies of government, it should be in constant consultations with the Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BOG) and the Minister of Finance (MOF).
He said it was a service institution, which they had been called upon to serve, and with the private sector as a critical factor, in the government's development plan it should be nurtured to grow to play its proper role because the sector had been neglected in the past.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2002 - The Children of the late Rear Admiral Joy Kobla Amedume, one of the eight senior army officers executed during the 1979 upraising on Friday called for justice for his death.
The Children Dzifa, Koby and Dela, who were ten, five and four years old in that order, when their father was killed on June 26, 1979, said the perpetrators of the inhuman treatment must answer for their crime.
The Children made the call at the burial and memorial service for their father in Accra.
The casket, containing the mortal remains of the Admiral Amedume draped in national colours, was carried to the Osu Military Cemetery by pallbearers from the Navy. The last post sounded after prayers by the Reverend O. K. Klu of the Accra New Town Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ghana.
The Children in a tribute said: "We have been deprived of the memories of a father, whom we adored, have grown up without a father for whom our lives would have been like an extraordinary book.
They said their father had not been around to comfort and encourage them when things did not go right. He had not been there to share in their achievement at school and at games. Neither was he around when they were admitted to the university nor on their graduation day. Indeed he did not have "the pride of seeing us married".
Mrs Felicia Amedume, the Widow, said: "The death of Joy was all the more painful to us his family and friends as we struggled to come to terms with why a man of his stature, whose life was about decency, honesty and integrity should be mowed down in the prime of his life by a group of twisted and bitter individuals full of hatred."
She said the family was stripped of everything they extremely worked hard to achieve. "But I say this to them they may have destroyed my outer man but my inner man remains resolute," Mrs Amedume stated.
She thanked President John Agyekum Kufuor for heeding to their demand and handing over the remains of their loved ones for burial, saying: "I have waited 22 years for this moment to honour my most loved and cherished husband, Joy. God has spoken and the moment has arrived."
Brigadier Israel K. Amoah, former Army Commander, described the Admiral Amedume as giant of a man, huge robust and tall with special qualities, respectful, kind, gentle, approachable, diligent, hardworking and above all one who loved others.
Rev. Klu in a sermon called on leaders to seek divine intervention during their governorship. Other dignitaries present included, General Emmanuel Erskine, former
UNIFIL Commander and Service Commanders.
There were other tributes from the family, the 1960-year group of Achimota School and loved ones. The Widow, children, family and former commissioned officers laid wreaths at the grave, which was beside that of Air Vice Marshal George Yaw Boakye, former Air Force Commander, who was among the eight executed officers.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2002 - The Brong Ahafo National Democratic Congress (NDC) members on Friday accused members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for doing various acts that threatened the peace of the region and which did not augur well for the development of a tolerant democratic co-existence of all political parties.
A statement issued in Accra and signed by Alhaji Kwadwo Maama Adam, the Regional Chairman, in January, said the Regional Co-ordinating Committee issued a communiqué over the continued harassment, molestation, intimidation and violent attacks on NDC functionaries and their properties by some known members and supporters of the NPP in the region.
It said Mr Kwaadwo Afari, the NPP Press Secretary, said there were no such incidents in a radio news item and in the January 24, 2002 edition of the Daily Graphic without first conducting any investigations.
The statement said the party had no interest to exacerbate tension in the region as alleged by members of the ruling party. "It is rather NPP or its followers that are doing things that threaten the peace of the region," it added.
It cited instances where known NPP members at Sunyani, Dormaa Ahenkro and Kintampo attacked NDC supporters at public places.
The statement mentioned an assault on Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, a member of parliament (MP) for Wenchi West, by NPP supporters led by their Regional Chairman, Mr Kwodwo Yeboah Fordjour.
It said: "It is the constitutional duty of the government to protect all citizens of the country and that any breach of the peace by elements of the ruling party should be seen as an indictment on the performance of the NPP government".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2002 - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday urged African leaders to initiate legitimate plans to solve the many problems confronting the Continent.
"Africa had suffered enough, all those in position should do anything legitimate to get Africa out of the problems, " President Kufuor said when he received a special message from President Ange Felix Patasse of Central African Republic (CAR), delivered by Mr Eric Sorongope, Minister of State and Special Envoy at the Castle, Osu.
He pledged to assist to find solution to the problems in the CAR. Mr Sorongope said the problems in his country could only be solved with the assistance of African leaders.
Briefing newsmen later, Mr Sorongope said the crisis in the CAR began in May 28, last year when former President Andre Coulabare tried to overthrow the regime of President Patasse in a coup d'etat. The plot was foiled and he fled the country.
As a result of the uprising, the Chief of Staff was sacked but he resisted and challenged the legitimacy of the reign of President Patasse but he also fled the country with some soldiers to settle in Chad.
Mr Sorongope said the problem in CAR was how to solve the problem for peace to prevail although there had been initial negotiations by some African leaders in neighbouring countries in that direction.
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Archbishop cautions Catholic women.
Tamale (Northern Region) 02 February 2002 - Catholic women have been cautioned to be wary in their choice of partners for marriage and to avoid being blinded by wealth, flattery and good looks.
The Most Rev. George Kpiebaya, Archbishop of Tamale answering questions at an open forum in honour of the Apostolic Nuncio, Most Rev. Gregory Kocherry who was on a-week's tour of the Tamale Archdiocese, on Thursday.
He advise them to choose men of good character and high moral calibre ready to take them to the altar to avoid being victims of irregular marriages, adding, "you must look before you leap".
On what the church was doing to enable women in irregular marriages to be baptised, confirmed and to receive the Holy Communion, Archbishop Kpiebaya said, "priests can do nothing if husbands do not want to bless their marriages".
This is because the church did not want to exclude anyone from partaking in the sacraments as there were conditions attached to them. This condition could not be waived for anybody.
He urged women not to allow themselves to be persuaded into non-sacramental marriages because of wealth, flattery or good looks, saying, "no man who truly loves a woman would fail to carry out this very important rite of Holy Matrimony."
Archbishop Kpiebaya said the proliferation of non-sacramental marriages within the Church was a big blow to its efforts at establishing good Christian families, saying that, "good Christian families start with a man and woman living in a sacramental marriage."
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Ho (Volta Region) 02 February 2002 - Mr Livingstone Djokoto, Director, Human Resource Management at the Volta Regional Co-odinating Council (VRCC) has reminded personnel of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) never to loose sight of their strategic importance in the country's drive to establish itself as an important tourism and investment destination.
Mr Djokoto, who was speaking at an end of year get together for personnel of the service at Ho on Thursday reminded them that as the first point of contact for foreigners entering the country their conduct could mar or enhance their expectations of the country.
These required that they put up their best in the discharge of their duties, he said adding "by your positions you shape foreigners' impressions about the country."
Mr Djokoto observed that the manner in which personnel of the service attended to foreigners would indicate to them the country's work culture.
As the first to welcome the foreigners into the country and the last to bid them goodbye, personnel of the service were in a unique position to make the first positive impressions on foreigners and also correct any unfortunate impressions they might have had about Ghana.
Mr Gilbert Jackson Koufie, Assistant Director of Immigration in charge of the Volta Region said the service had recorded significant improvements in general performance.
He commended personnel at Aflao and Sogakope for their vigilance in preventing several illegal aliens from entering the country.
Mr Koufie was also happy at the level of co-operation between the service and other security agencies in the discharge of their duties.
He reminded personnel that they had much greater duty now that an investment centre had been opened at Ho and gave the assurance that investors who would do business in the region would have the co-operation of the service.
Mr Koufie called on personnel to be conversant with the government's policy of the golden age of business and help in achieving this objective.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February 2002 - The following are major events that occurred in January 2002.
Jan. 2: Opening figures on the stock market are as follows:
All-Shares Index - 955.95 points
Change in Year - 0 per cent
Market Capitalisation - 3,904.03 billion cedis
Jan. 3: President Kufuor begins Volta Region tour
Jan. 4: Exchange rates of the cedi against major currencies:
Currency Buying Selling
Dollar 7,150.45 7,361.45
Pound 10,307.37 10,618.89
Euro 6,428.05 6,614.90
Yen 54.48 56.09
CFA 9.80 10.08
Exercise to expunge ghosts names from public sector pay rolls begins
Muslims pray to begin activities marking first anniversary of Kufuor's administration
Jan. 7: Kufuor administration organises Peoples' Assembly in Accra.
Jan 10: Volta River Authority assures public there is no looming power crisis despite low level of water in Akosombo Dam
Jan. 15: Formal opening of Second Session of Parliament
Jan. 16: Cabinet approves set of proposals to abolish private participation in lottery.
Ministers of State attend seminar on poverty reduction.
Jan. 18: President Kufuor visits Sierra Leone as guest of honour at a ceremony to mark disarmament in that country 2002 edition of Annual Public Parliamentary Forum held.
Jan. 18: Ex-president Rawlings watches proceedings at Fast Track Court trying the Quality Grain case
Jan. 19: National workshop on private sector opens
Jan. 22: Court orders Joy FM and Peace FM to produce tape recording of interview granted by ex-president Jerry Rawlings
GNUPS demonstrate through Ministries to press home demands on education
authorities to look at grading system
Jan. 23: Peruvian economists Dr Hernando De Soto visits Ghana
Jan. 31: President Kufuor presents state of the nation's address to Parliament
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