Refusal to
appear before NRC to attract fine
ECOWAS Summit
issues comunique
President Kufuor
elected ECOWAS chairman
Establish body
to save Christianity - Asiamah
Do not use the
reconciliation exercise to settle scores
“AIDS, famine on
ascendancy” - Reports
Telenor is
Government
of
In
consultation with the Government of Ghana TMP shall provide qualified persons
to hold the positions of Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer and Chief
Technical Officer.
Government
of
Other
services to be provided by TMP shall include but not limited to the following:
-
Implementation of the business plan including the rollout plan
-
Advisory services to the Board of GT
-
Qualified expert staff, who will support the GT staff
for a shorter or longer period. The expert staff will cover all relevant areas
in which GT is in need of training and know how transfer.
The
Board of Directors of Ghana Telecom will upon the recommendation of the GT
management procure such services. The seconded staff from TMP will stay in
The
payment for the services will be invoiced by TMP to Ghana Telecom. For services
such as funding assistance, advisory services to the Board of Directors,
systems and know how transfer Ghana Telecom will pay a fee of 4 per cent of the
profit before interest and tax. This means that 96 per cent of the profits are
available for reinvestments in Ghana Telecom or to the disposal of the
shareholders. The minimum fee should, however, be $150.000 per month.
For
services of expert personnel TMP will invoice in accordance with the
procurement of such service by the Board of Directors of Ghana Telecom.
Pursuant the MSA Ghana Telecom will provide accommodation and transport of a
standard similar to what is common for other expatriate staff working in
The
business plan sets out targets on which the rollout plans will be based.
These
targets include:
-
400.000 new fixed lines by the end of 2005
-
Adequate and stable cellular coverage in all regional and district capitals
-
Internet connection to all
-
High-speed data transmission capacity servicing both public and private
customers demanding such services
Ghana
Telecom is determined to meet these targets. As a commercial enterprise GT is
demand driven. If demand requires an even higher number of lines or cellular
coverage it is the business of GT to meet such demand. If on the other hand it
should turn out that the market had been overestimated, plans would have to be
adjusted accordingly.
To
meet the objectives of the business plan a capital expenditure of close to $500
million is required. The investments will be funded by vendor financing,
financing from financial institutions, new equity and by the operating cash
flow generated by Ghana Telecom.
If
under the TMP management the targets in the business plan related to profit,
number of lines and number of subscribers is exceeded by 10 per cent or more, a
success fee of 4 per cent of the net income attributable to the actual
performance better than targets set and shall be determined at the Board of GT.
The
default payment shall be 4 per cent of the net income, which could have been
earned, if the performance had been equal to the targets set and shall be
determined by the Board of GT.
The
Board of Directors of Ghana Telecom has appointed Oystein
Bjorge of TMP as the new Chief Executive Officer as
of
-
Introduction of a new organisational structure as described in the business
plan and to be finally approved by the Board
-
Appointment of managers (with the exception of those to be appointed by the
Government of Ghana) to fill positions in the new structure. Appointments will
be based on the following criteria: Qualifications, integrity, attitude to work
and working capacity
-
Project planning and design including improvements and extensions
-
Introduction of TMP personnel to work alongside the GT management and staff
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“You
don’t have peace even in your own house all because of a public sector that is
not performing but living on the state for its survival”. He suggested that
this accounts for the slow pace of the country’s economy because “what is
supposed to be used to invest in other areas of the economy is rather used to pay
salaries of government’s workers who are non-performing”.
The
Deputy Minister described the current situation as a perverse social welfare
system that only exists because governments would not want people to riot
against them. “My office and that of other ministers is like a clinic,
everyday. People all over you, people waiting on you to call somebody in the
public sector to do his job or that like processing passports and birth
certificates.”
He
attributed this situation to “the country’s poor educational system that
teaches how to read and write instead of impacting skills that can enable
people go into self-employment to reduce the large employment burden on the
nation.”
As
a first step, Dr Agambila suggested that government,
should consider cutting down the size of ministries and their large population
of employees if it wants to encourage the growth and sustenance of the economy.
He said that it is only after government has taken this bold decision that it
would be able to ensure efficiency in the public sector because it would then
ensure an effective monitoring system that will in turn engender the generation
of enough resources to enhance productivity.
Restating
the World Bank recommendation of trimming the Civil Service, the minister who
conceded that government has lost popularity as a result of the last increases
in the tariffs of petroleum products said that move would ensure that
government pays its workers a living wage so they could be able to give off
their best for the collectively well being of the country.
He
also called for a partnership between the private sector and the public to work
hand in hand so that together they could enhance productivity and also be able
to reduce the rate of inflation to single digit.
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Refusal to
appear before NRC to attract fine
Mohammed Affum of the Public Affairs Secretariat
of the NRC, said though not a court, the Commission had the powers of a High
Court and “refusal to appear tantamount to contempt of a High Court”.
He was answering questions at a forum at Korle Gonno
in Accra on Sunday, organised by the Office of the National Chief Imam, Ghana
Civil Society Coalition and the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) on the
theme: “Towards Achieving Lasting National Reconciliation”.
The Forum was the first of five for Moslem communities in
Affum said persons invited before the Commission
are given 10 days and a reminder after which they would be subpoenaed on
refusal to honour the invitation. He said holders of vital documents could also
be subpoenaed adding that, the Commission had the power to enter premises for
documents needed for its work.
Affum said it was necessary to “re-open the
wounds of the past human rights violations, because the wounds were not
properly healed”. To a suggestion from Nii Okai Aryee of the Akweteman branch of
the Ghana Muslim Mission, that the entire Ghanaian society should feel ashamed
for perpetrating human rights violations, Affum said
the State had accepted responsibility for the abuses.
He said the Commission was interested in the role of organs like student
bodies, chiefs, religious organisations, the Judiciary and the security
agencies in the abuses. Affum said there were human
rights violations following coup d'etats and explained
that the Commission was to look into the “context within which the violations
occurred” and address them, adding that, the NRC had no power to punish
perpetrators. It would rather recommend appropriate reparations for victims, Affum said.
Sheikh Arimiyao Shaibu,
Deputy Director of Islamic Education Unit, referred to personalities of
reconciliation in the Koran, such as Allah's reconciliatory act to Adam after
he felled, Yussif and his brothers who sold him into
exile after an unsuccessful attempt to kill him, and Prophet Mohammed
forgiveness to his torturers on his return from his flight from
He entreated Muslims to contribute to the success of the reconciliation exercise
by identifying victims and encouraging them to file their petitions. They
should also come out to tell the truth when invited.
Alhaji Alhassan Abdulai,
Project Co-ordinator, Ghana Civil Society on Reconciliation, who chaired the
forum, said the aim of the exercise was to engage the nation in deep
reflection.
He said so far the proceedings at the Commissions sittings had gone down
well with the people. Alhaji Abdulai said the
exercise was on-going and called on identifiable organisations like religious
bodies, youth clubs, labour movements and political groupings to continue the
process.
“If we allow the country to be polarised into ethnic, political,
religious, opposing groups, the end result will be the endless conflicts that
will cost the nation as is happening in DR Congo,
“I trust Ghanaians and know that by our upbringing and faith in God we shall
say, never again shall we allow
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Accra (Greater Accra) 03 February 2003- The National Reconciliation
Commission (NRC), would initiate a public debate on the establishment of a
Reparation Fund for victims of human rights abuses towards the end of its work.
Mohammed Affum of the Public Affairs Secretariat
of the Commission, said the National Reconciliation Act, Act 611, stipulates
the establishment of the Fund, adding that, the debate would among other things
determine whether contributions should be voluntary or sourced from taxes.
He was speaking at the first of a series of forum at Korle-Gonno on the progress of the Commission's work for Muslims
from five communities in
The Office of the National Chief Imam in collaboration with the Civil Society
Coalition on Reconciliation and the Centre for Democratic Development organised
the forum on the theme: Towards Achieving Lasting National Reconciliation.
Affum said the Fund would be similar to the
Stadium Disaster Fund and explained that in other countries where national
reconciliatory exercises had been held, bodies, different from the Commission
were established to handle the Reparation Fund.
He said the Commission, was examining human rights abuses in unconstitutional
regimes between 1957 and 1993 and would make recommendations to the President
for redress.
Affum said the public hearings offered
victims who suffered pain, physical torture, trauma and loss of dignity the
opportunity to tell the world what they went through. He said many of the
victims were harbouring "distasteful thoughts" and were looking for
opportunities to revenge.
Their testimonies at the public hearings are helping them to “offload the
pain in their hearts and to re-establish their lost dignity”. Affum said authority for the public hearings of the
Commission was based on Act 611, adding that, private hearing would be held for
victims whose cases were “very traumatising” and demanded it.
The Commission would also hold private hearing when cases had bearing
with national security. Affum said the Commission was
examining if the training of personnel in certain institutions predisposed them
to violent acts and recommend structural changes where necessary.
Sheikh Seebaway Zakaria
of the Counselling Department of the NRC, said over 1,000 statements had been
taken from victims who had been "destabilised" mentally and
emotionally and were suffering from stigmatisation, pain and psychological
disorders with some suffering from stroke and other diseases.
Sheikh Zakaria, who is also a lecturer at the
Islamic University, said human rights violations had negative economic and
social repercussions. He said the reconciliation process would help to
"patch-up lives and bring healing to even the perpetrator," saying, “the
hearing would bring relief to the victim to forgive”.
Sheikh Zakaria said the process of
reconciliation was not new in Islam, and Koranic
references stressed the need for forgiveness, which brought divine blessings. He
charged Muslims to educate both victims and perpetrators to follow the path of
forgiveness and reconciliation.
Franklin Oduro of the Centre for Democratic
Development said the exercise was national rather than a partisan activity and
asked Ghanaians to get involved in the process to make it a success.
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ECOWAS
Dakar (Senegal) 03 February 2003- The Council of the Heads of State and
Authority of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) ended
Friday night with the despatch of a top-level Contact Group to Cote d'Ivoire to consult various factions in
the crisis in that country in an attempt to douse the suspicious and
contradictions that have stunted peace.
The Contact Group, made up of the Heads of State of Nigeria, Ghana, Togo,
Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger and Senegal would attempt to convince the government
and the three rebel groups to abide by the terms of the accord reached at Linas Marcoussis, in France from
January 15 to 24 2003.
In a communiqué at the end of the
They invited all the parties concerned to work together to ensure the scrupulous
application of the accord and affirmed that ECOWAS will play the role assigned
it within the framework of the agreement.
“We, the Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS strongly appeal to President
Laurent Gbagbo of
The Heads of State and Government urged all Ivorians
to embark on a true national reconciliation so as to keep their country united,
strong and prosperous. "They are requested, in this regard, to show a
spirit of forgiveness, tolerance and solidarity," the communiqué said. The
Heads of State and Government expressed profound gratitude to the President of France,
Jacques Chirac and his Government for the assistance extended to the region
within the context of the resolution of the Ivorian crisis.
The Heads of State and Government acknowledged the assistance of the international
community and paid glowing homage to His Excellency Maitre Abdoulie
Wade, H.E Gnassingbe Eyadema,
coordinator of the ECOWAS Contact Group and H.E. President Amadou
Toumani Toure for all the
contributions they have made and continue to make with dedication and
competence to ensure the return of peace to Cote d'Ivoire.
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President Kufuor
elected ECOWAS chairman
Accra (Greater Accra) 03 February 2003- President John Kufuor was on
Friday elected the new chairman of the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS) at the 26th Heads of State summit held in Dakar, Senegal. President
Kufuor succeeds President Abdoulaye Wade of
Kwabena Agyepong, Presidential spokesman, told
the GNA that President Kufuor was elected unanimously by the heads of state for
a one-year term. The ECOWAS Heads of State attended a two-day summit to
discuss, among others issues, the sub-region, especially the Ivorian crisis and
the situation in the Mano River Region comprising
They also discussed the implementation of the moratorium and the
proliferation of small arms. There was a technical meeting on the various
aspects of integration as well as the creation of a monetary union by
English-speaking West African countries. The President has since returned home.
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Establish
body to save Christianity - Asiamah
Abuakwa (Ashanti Region) 03 February 2003- The Reverend Samuel Asiamah, founder
of International Jesus Life Ministry at Abuakwa-Abease
in Atwima District, on Sunday advocated the
establishment of an apex controlling body of pastors, evangelists and ministers
to save Christianity from public ridicule.
He
suggested that such a group should be mandated to compile a list of churches in
the country including the names of their founders and head pastors indicating
their locations and to issue them with registration numbers.
Rev.
Asiamah, was briefing the Ghana News Agency at Abuakwa-Abease on the recent numerous adverse media reports
on the activities of some pastors and evangelists.
He
said the activities of quack pastors, evangelists and ministers were creating a
bad image for Christianity, exposing the religion to ridicule adding that “It
is high time such so-called men of God were checked.”
Rev.
Asiamah appealed to the authorities of the Pentecostal and
He
commended the orthodox churches, under the Christian Council of
Rev
Asiamah said, “A person can only be accepted as a minister of God if he had
passed through an accredited Bible college and is ordained by a recognised
church,” and advised his colleagues to expose the quack ones among them. He
said indiscipline could be eliminated if clergypersons lived above reproach and
set examples worthy of emulation.
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Do not use
the reconciliation exercise to settle scores
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 03 February 2003-Persons appearing before the
National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) to testify have been advised against
using the Commission as a platform for settling personal scores.
The Reverend Togbe S.K. Fugah,
President of the Voltarian Co-ordinating Council
(VCC), further counselled such persons to also cease perceiving the NRC as a
forum from where they could insist on being offered compensation packages for
the atrocities they suffered in the past.
Togbe Fugah gave
the advice in a briefing with the Ghana News Agency in
He observed that compensation was not the key to relieving them of the pain
and suffering visited on them and for that matter, it should not be their prime
objective for appearing before the Commission.
Togbe Fugah
stressed that instead of demands for compensation packages, the victims should
rather strive at forgiving and forgetting the pain inflicted on them while,
"leaving the issue of compensation to God".
He called on religious leaders and traditional authorities to also be at
the forefront of the crusade at reconciling Ghanaians by revitalising and setting
up sub-structures to engage in arbitration in their areas of jurisdiction.
Togbe Fugah noted
that
He said Ghanaians owe it a social duty to further strengthen the peace by
deepening the attributes of tolerance for each other, respecting the values of
the various ethnic groupings and also approaching issues from a nationalistic
point of view rather than from the political and ethnic angle.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 03 February 2003- The Ghana Education Service
(GES) is working towards standardising some aspects of the curriculum of senior
secondary schools (SSS) to pave the way for Ghana to join other West African
countries to take the same West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.
The Rev Ama Afo Blay, the Director-General of GES, who announced this on
Friday, did not say how soon this would be done. She was speaking at the
opening of the
Rev Blay said in view of
She expressed regret that churches had allowed their partnership with the
government in education to slip by and their excuse that the government had
taken schools from them was not true and urged them to work towards restoring
this role.
The Rev Dr Yaw Frimpong-Manso, Chairman of the
Asante Presbytery, said private participation in
education was very vital. “The government alone cannot shoulder adequately the
development of education and for that matter, basic and tertiary education.”
Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso said private participation
in education delivery and the provision of facilities therefore, was very vital
for the development of the manpower needs of the country.
The Asante Presbytery, he said, had seen the
need to support government efforts in education delivery and that was why the
whole Presbytery was being levied to build one senior secondary school for Asanteman and
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“AIDS, famine on
ascendancy” - Reports
Bolgatanga (Upper East)
An article published in the German monthly magazine “Development and Co-operation”
(30. Volume No. 1 of January 2003) quotes the UNAIDS report as saying that a
total of 14m people in Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and
Swaziland face the threat of starvation mainly as a result of the devastating
effects of the pandemic.
Agricultural production drops by as much as 60 per cent in these countries,
says the report, citing that in
“Out of a total adult population of 26 million (in these countries), 5m
are HIV positive, with another 600,000 children carrying the virus in
households where AIDS claims lives.”
The report maintains that the prevailing situation makes village communities
considerably more susceptible to crises such as drought and floods or to
inadequacies in government policies.
It declares that around 42m people worldwide lived with AIDS in year
2002, with 3.1m AIDS-related deaths. The UNAIDS report, perhaps, paints a more
lenient picture, compared to a study published in September 2002 by the United
States National Intelligence Council (NIC).
Under the title, “The Next HIV/AIDS Wave:
It states that among them,
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