Church leader
advises government, opposition.
Christians must be
with Christ in the New Year.
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 January
2003- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday appealed to Ghanaians to
continue to give the government the support and the encouragement needed to see
it through the task in the second half of its mandate. "My faith in
"We have the determination,
the courage and the goodwill to make this country a fitting place for us all
and for future generations. Our future is bright. Let us all hold together and
push forward," he added.
In a New Year message to the
nation delivered in a radio and TV broadcast, the president declared:
"This year will surely be a good one for our nation and
The President, who was sworn
into office in January 2001, begins the second half of his four-year term this
month.
President Kufuor said the
difficult and unavoidable decisions taken by the government for the country's
socio-economic development were not only to correct previous mistakes.
They were meant to initiate
policies and put in place the requisite institutional framework without which
the country would be doomed to the "stop-go superficial measures"
that had characterized much of the country's administration since independence.
He said there were still a few
of such difficult decisions left to be taken in the coming year adding
"This year, especially in the first quarter, the nation would have to leap
over a big hurdle, perhaps the last remaining big hurdle, to put the economy
firmly on the path of real growth and thereby effectively combat the sapping
poverty that bedevils the people."
President Kufuor said some of
the difficult decisions to be taken would include the messy petroleum
situation, the challenges of inadequate revenue mobilisation and the
shortcomings of the public sector.
He said such shortcomings in the
public sector had rendered it incapable of absorbing and utilizing resources as
efficiently and quickly as required and these had been the bane of all the
otherwise serious attempts at streamlining the economy by governments since
independence.
President Kufuor said government
had critically analysed these problems and was convinced that with the
co-operation and active goodwill of the people, the nation could overcome these
problems and successfully go through this difficult but necessary period.
"To us, the most important
consideration in any policy initiative has always been its effect on the
people. In other words, the ability of the people to take such measures in
their stride and the resultant improvement in their well-being are always
paramount," he noted.
President Kufuor gave the
assurance that the government had no ideological or egotistical hang-ups and
nothing would be done to increase the suffering of the people simply to satisfy
such considerations.
"Government is convinced
that these measures will yield the expected dividends and help accelerate the
economic take off," he said.
President Kufuor said the
vigorous efforts at developing the infrastructure would continue at a quickened
pace, the health insurance scheme would be extended to cover the entire
country, the roads, schools and communications would be improved upon while the
modernization of agriculture would receive a boost to help the rural areas get
a fresh lease of life.
He said all these would enhance
the employment prospects of the youth, adding, "a new beginning always
brings fresh hope and this is a good time for all Ghanaians to resolve anew to
make this country the vibrant and prosperous place it should be".
On the situation outside
He said within the West African
sub-region, the situation was still unstable and going through extremely trying
times in many parts. He added that his government was doing all it could to
help stabilize the sub-region and restore peace.
President Kufuor commended the
people of
He said
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 January
2003- Oseadeyo Addo Dankwa III, Omanhene of the Akwapim Traditional Area, on
Wednesday blamed the numerous chieftaincy disputes in the country on impostors,
who invaded the institution.
He said, "Problems of the institution
are caused by the invasion of people who are not carved for the job."
Oseadeyo Addo Dankwa was
speaking at a symposium on Chieftaincy and National Unity at the 54th New Year
School, organised by the Institute of Adult Education, on the theme: "Stability
and National Unity," underway at the University of Ghana, Legon.
The Omanhene advised chiefs
against partisan politics, saying it tended to introduce party rivalry into the
chieftaincy institution and it could undermine the unifying role of the
traditional authority.
Oseadeyo Addo Dankwa said a good
chief should be dedicated to the welfare of his or her subjects, be practical
and fair without being domineering. He noted that chieftaincy had stood the
test of times and for the institution to continue to serve the interest of the
people, chiefs should foster peace and unity in their communities.
Professor Godwin Nukunya, of the
Department of Sociology,
He urged traditional rulers to
encourage inter-ethnic marriages to promote national unity. Prof. Nukunya urged
chiefs to continue to uphold the dignity society accorded them by demonstrating
exemplary leadership qualities.
He said the jurisdiction of the
chieftaincy institution was limited in scope while some people regarded the
duties of chiefs as anachronistic in the face of globalisation.
Prof. Nukunya said the
enstolment and enskinment of educated people as chiefs had helped to streamline
the institution.
The Reverend Dr Emmanuel Asante,
President of Trinity Theological Seminary, said the numerous chieftaincy
disputes were becoming a threat to national cohesion. He called on the National
House of Chiefs to assist chiefs to enable them to give the Chieftaincy
institution a better image.
Dr Irene Odotei of the
Chieftaincy Governance and Development project of the
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Government and Rural
Development, on Wednesday said low attendance at parliamentary session by
Members of Parliament (MPs) should not be misconstrued to mean the lack of
interest in the business of the House.
He explained that the absence of
an MP from parliamentary work might be due to other assignments allowed by the
standing orders of the House.
Mr Kwadow Baah-Wired was
speaking to the GNA at the 54th New Year School, underway at the
He said: "If an MP visits
his constituency or is within the premises of Parliament attending a committee
meeting, he or she is considered to be performing legislative functions."
Mr Baah-Wiredu said public
understanding about parliamentary duties was often reduced to parliamentary
sessions alone.
He explained that an MP could
attend district assembly meetings or travel outside the country as a delegate
of a select committee on official assignment.
Mr Baah-Wiredu called for a
review of the standing orders of Parliament to address the issue of boycott.
He said: '' some of the boycotts
have to do with personal matters of MPs, who might be in disrepute with a
situation.''
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The message said, "We in
It said, "on the historic
occasion of your election to the high office of President of the Republic of
Kenya, it gives me great pleasure to convey to you, on behalf of the Government
and people of Ghana and in my own name, warmest greetings and congratulations.
"
President Kufuor asked Mr Kibaki
to accept his best wishes for his personal well being and that of his family
and "for a peaceful and prosperous future for the people of the
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Dr. Nii Josiah Aryeh, General
Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Gabriel Pwamang, General
Secretary of the People's National Convention (PNC) and Mr.Kwadjo Afari, Press
Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) agreed that national cohesion would
only be possible if the various political parties were equipped to discharge
their functions effectively.
They however, disagreed on the
modalities of funding the parties at the symposium, which the Institute of
Adult Education (IAE) of the
The school is on the theme:
"Peace stability and national development" Dr. Aryeh said, the
numerous conflicts in
A well-structured political state
would avoid the dominance of one political party, check unnecessary antagonism
and steer the debate on national issues in a democratic culture that called for
tolerant, objectivity and balance.
Dr. Aryeh said the Dagbon crisis
should be a good opportunity for political parties to forge a unity of purpose
to avoid a national conflict. "National needs should override our
parochial interest so that
He said he would have discussion
with Professor John Evans Atta Mills the flag bearer of the NDC to make the
Dagbon crisis a serious national issue to get to the bottom of the problem.
Mr. Pwamang said though
differences might exist among political parties their activities ought to focus
on national cohesion. He said ruling parties should not see opposition
political parties as dissidents just because they shared divergent views.
Mr.Pwamang said government must
respect the fact that opposition parties were stakeholders in the governance of
the country, especially when there were policy issues that would have long-term
effect on the people.
He said political patronage,
corruption and blind party loyalty that seemed to characterise the activities
of political parties made those in opposition to limit their contribution to
winning political power.
Mr. Kwadjo Afari on his part
said politics in
"We do not have political
parties in the true sense of the word in
The Rev. Dr.Mensa Otabil
Chancellor of the
"Instability is eating into
the fabric of the country, the intolerance situation in the country can be used
to fuel conflicts, the signs are written on the wall and we cannot joke with
the situation any longer," he said.
During an open forum
participants identified the Dagbon crisis as a "time bomb" and called
on the political parties to be proactive to nib it in the bud.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 January
2003- The National Executive Committee of the National Democratic Congress
(NDC) on Tuesday congratulated Kenya's National Rainbow Coalition on its
electoral victory saying it showed that the democratic march across the
continent was unstoppable.
A statement signed by Dr Nii
Josiah-Aryeh, General Secretary, said the NDC blazed this democratic trail in
2000 and ensured a smooth transfer of power to a new government in similar
circumstances.
"As democratic culture
matures across
Mr Mwai Kibaki of the Rainbow
Coalition won a landslide victory at the poll, ending a 40-year domination of
the country by the KANU party. The NDC said it was optimistic that
"True political freedom and
economic prosperity devoid of wide social divisions should be the principal
goals of African democracy," the NDC added.
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Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, immediate
past president of the Youth in Action, a network of youth groups in Kumasi,
said this is because such a practice only helps members of the public to get to
know the victim more and expose such victims to further ridicule, including the
victim's innocent family members.
He made the appeal when he
addressed an end-of-year forum of the 'Nyame Na Aye Kuo', a social youth group
in
"It is completely wrong to
assume that HIV/AIDS patients will win the sympathy of the public and enjoy
their support when they come on the screen to educate people on AIDS mentioning
their names and family lineage", he stressed.
Odeneho Appiah observed that
their education could yield better dividends if such AIDS victims appear on the
screen blind-folded and without disclosing their identity, family background
and roots.
He expressed grave concern about
the tendency of most non-government organisations conducting their campaign
messages on AIDS focusing mainly on the use of condoms to the absolute neglect
of the other methods like abstinence and faithfulness.
Odeneho Appiah admitted that
even though condoms were another method of avoiding AIDS, abstinence and
faithfulness by spouses were the surest guarantee to protecting people from
falling victim to the AIDS menace and should therefore be given greater
prominence.
Miss Lucy Baidoo, secretary of
the society, called on social groups to shift from using their groups as for
only merry-making to using them as platforms for educating their members and
friends about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and other national issues.
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The commendation was contained
in a New Year message to the Asantehene issued in
The VCC admitted that the
harmonious relations and peace in Asanteman has actually made it possible for
various ethnic groups and people of all walks of life to conduct their
businesses in the Ashanti Region in peace.
The Council also lauded the role
of the Asantehene and his concern for bringing formal education to the
doorsteps of the needy through the establishment of the Otumfuo Education Fund.
What makes the Fund more
significant and praiseworthy, according to the VCC, is the fact that it was not
limited to only Asantes or residents of Asanteman alone, but extended to cover
all school children, irrespective of their ethnic background.
The VCC prayed for God's
guidance for the Asantehene to enable him to do more to sustain the peace and
progress of Asanteman and the nation as a whole in the coming years. The VCC
also extended their felicitations to Mr Sampson. K.
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Church
leader advises government, opposition.
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 January
2003- The Reverend Amaziah Aflah, General Oversear of the The Divine Healer's
Church has urged the Government and the opposition parties to team up and
transform the nation from pre-industrial to an industrial one.
In a New Year message Rev. Aflah
said this could be achieved if the government in power and the opposition
parties would team up to critically look at the problems facing the nation and
find pragmatic solution to them.
"The government cannot do
away with the opposition and the opposition cannot do away with the government
in power so we need to team up as nation, with one people and one destiny if
only we want to be somewhere,” he noted.
"We should also have a
forthright vision in order to build a prosperous and peaceful nation for
ourselves and the future generation,” he declared.
The General Overseer said the
country had gone through a lot of self-inflicted problems and sufferings simply
because the country had never had "leaders who are consistent but
hypocrites, who preach one thing and practise another."
He said the philosophy and
practice of "some men are more equal than others are deeply entrenched in
the thinking and perception of the society that people at the corridors or
positions of power lose their sense of fellow feeling".
The General overseer therefore, called on the
Government and the opposition to critically look at the problems facing the
nation and find pragmatic solutions to them instead of waiting to power.
The General Overseer said he has
confidence that with the help of God, Ghanaians, who are Godly people, could
achieve all their aspirations once they have the will to do so.
He also advised chiefs and
opinion leaders "not only to sing praises to politicians and the
government but draw their attentions to mistakes when they commit them".
He also urged Pastors and church
leaders to preach the actual word of the Lord and refrain from meddling in
politics and should not cease in prayers for the nation, and its leaders.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 January
2002-Mr. Emile Short, the Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights and
Administrative Justice, on New Year's Day warned against elitists approach to
the national indiscipline campaign, which limits the focus to people in the
lower structure of society.
He said indiscipline among the
middle and upper segment of society, which include lateness to official
assignment and a misuse of national property should be well captured in the
campaign.
Mr. Short was contributing to a
panel discussion on, "building a culture of discipline in the Ghanaian
body politics," at the 54th New Year School underway in
It is on the theme, "peace,
stability and national development." Mr. Shorts expressed concern about
corruption among law enforcement agencies, students' unrests, chieftaincy and
other factional conflicts, construction of buildings on waterways and break
down of the extended family systems, which he said, had contributed to the
spate of indiscipline in the society.
He said indiscipline on the
roads had led to numerous deaths and quoted a warning by the National Road
Safety Commission, that if the trend continued, millions of Ghanaians were
likely to be killed in the next 10 years.
Mr. Short said
He advocated the rule of law as
a cornerstone for greater discipline. "Government and the political
leadership should respect lawfulness and the rule of law by setting the right
examples in leadership", he said.
Mr. Charles Ankomah, General
Secretary of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union, also expressed concern
about fatal accidents on the road and advocated a national driver-education
policy that would develop syllabi to train drivers instead of the over reliance
on the country's Highway Code.
He said such a policy would also
standardise the establishment and operations of private schools.
Mr. Ankoma appealed to the
district assemblies to ban the sale of alcoholic beverages at lorry parks to
check drunk driving and enforce discipline among drivers. The Right Rev.
Emmanuel Churcher, Headmaster of Wesley Grammer School, who approached the
discussion in a form of a sermon, quoted sections of the Bible, to show that
God does not compromise indiscipline.
He said Jesus epitomized
discipline and love for one another and even appointed disciples to preach
moral values to society. Rev. Churcher spoke against the level of indiscipline,
which he said, was being condoned by parents and teachers and called for
greater discipline as a means of social change.
Mr. Edward Omane-Boamah,
President of the National Union of Ghana Students, said students must avoid
unnecessary confrontation with the authorities. He also appealed to the
government to increase its budgetary allocations in the educational sector and
adjust upward the salaries of workers.
Dr. Nii Alabi of Choice FM in
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The Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital
recorded the highest number of births of 15 babies, including the first male
baby to be born on New Year's Day at 0010 hours out of which 12 were males and
3 females as at
The Police and the Ridge
hospitals recorded 3 babies, 2 males and a girl and one female baby
respectively as at
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Church of Cape Coast, the Right
Reverend Isaac Quansah on Wednesday called on Christians to sacrifice their
lives for the building of the nation.
Delivering a sermon at a special
church service to mark the 168th Anniversary celebration of the
Founders Day of the Church at Cape Coast, he said without this the development
of the nation would be moving at slow pace.
Bishop Quansah particularly told
members of the Church that since "Joseph Dunwell sacrificed his life by
dying six months after establishing the Church in the country, they must also
do the same by going to the hinterland to spread the words of God".
He asked Christians to put into
practice the ethics of Christianity by doing what was expected of them.
The Very Reverend John Kweku
Buabeng-Odoom, superintendent Minister of the
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Christians
must be with Christ in the New Year.
Tema (Greater Accra)
Preaching at a mid-night service
to usher in the New Year, Rev. Pobee said Christians should show their genuine
colour that they will be with Christ, as "we enter the 2003 new
year". Jesus says he hates "in between or undecided" people,
because they are neither here nor there, and "I am standing at the door of
your hearts and knocking, if you hear and open, I will come in and dine with
you".
Rev. Pobee said it is, therefore,
important that, "we open our hearts to Jesus as we enter the new year,
invite him, so that he will help us to lead a disciplined life," adding if
all of us live the way Jesus wants us to live, there will be peace and the
whole country will change for the better".
At St. Mary the Virgin Anglican
Church, at Tema Manhean, Rev. Father Bernard Tetteh Antwi, in his
He called on them to have a
renewal of thought and repent from our sins, to enable us walk through the path
of God. In this way, Father Antwi said, Christians would have enhanced talent,
opportunities and attitude to help others in need.
It would help you to provide
service to others as we enter the New Year, so that the country would
experience growth in development.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 02 January
2002- The Ada Concerned Youth, an umbrella group of the youth in the
traditional area, on Tuesday urged the government to facilitate the immediate
development of salt pans at the Songor Lagoon for local co-operatives operating
in the area to advance its policy on private-public participation in economic
activities.
At a rally to express their
position on the withdrawal of LI 1716, the youth said such developments would
also demonstrate that government had no intention of taking over the mining of
salt operations in the Lagoon, which is a source of livelihood of the people.
The LI 1716, which deals with
the Ada Songor Salt Development Committee Regulations, was withdrawn to ensure
further consultation in the interest of
Mr. Jacob Nyabu, Secretary to
the Association, who read the position of the youth on the matter, called on
government to institute a referendum to confirm whether people are in support
of it finding solutions on the salt issue.
He told the rally that the
continued hassle over salt mining operations in the Lagoon was affecting
economic activities in the area, especially relating to the employment of the
youth. "We cannot make any decent living let alone educate our
children."
He said since government's
intention for the LI was for the good of the people of Ada, it should go ahead
with it to ensure that few conceited people did not take over the exploitation
of the Lagoon.
Mr Nyabu said in view of the
economic importance of the Lagoon to the area and the country as whole, it was
the view of the Youth that government should deal only with the Ada Traditional
Council as the highest body of Adas in all matters relating to the Songor
issue.
According to him the Ada Songor
Lagoon Basin Owners Committee (ASLBOC) had not got enough grounds to represent
Adas on issues of the Lagoon. The Youth also urged government to pay all
accrued royalties due to the District Assembly for development projects.
Similar arrangements should also
be made to pay compensation to the victims of atrocities meted out to innocent
citizens by the past government over the Songor Lagoon.
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