Ghana's foreign
relations chalked success
ECOWAS soldiers to
fly to Cote d'Ivoire by 10 January.
Chief calls for end
to chieftaincy dispute
Policeman murdered
for alleged adultery
Prioritise on nation’s development -
Edumadze
The meeting, which was on the
topic: "Religious tolerance and social cohesion,'' attracted religious
scholars, representatives of Christian and Muslim religions as well the Ga Traditional Council, who spoke on love, unity, and
peaceful co-existence.
The
Dr Rabiatu
Ammah, Head of the Department of Study of Religions,
at the
She said the Quran
spoke against sermons that hurt sensibilities of non-Muslims or coerced people
to convert to Islam and called on religious leaders to avoid fanaticism since
it could result in conflicts.
Dr Ammah
appealed to public officials to guard against negative pronouncements about
some religious practices as that might compromise the secular nature of the
Ghanaian society.
The head of department expressed
dissatisfaction about what she described as the discrimination against Muslim
students in the practice of their faith in public schools. Dr Ammah appealed to school authorities to give sufficient
time to Muslim students to enable them to fulfil their religious obligations as
was being done to those belonging to other faiths.
Nii Adote
Obuor II, member of the Ga
Traditional Council, called for a national body to foster inter-religious
understanding. He said it was unsafe for any religion to thrive on intolerance
since the foundation theory of all religions was love.
The Reverend Augustine Annor-Yeboah of the Christ Apostolic Church International
said violence was a bye-product of the lower nature of man and a manipulation
by the devil to undermine social cohesion.
He asked Ghanaians to settle
their differences amicably and cautioned that violence could erode the
country's development. Rev Annor-Yeboah urged the
media to play a leading role in the campaign against religious intolerance.
Prof Elom
Dovlo of the
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The 113 Liberians made up of 37
men, 45 women and 31 children, were escorted in two buses by the police to the
airport from the Tema Harbour where they have been stranded for some few days.
The Liberians refugees have been
stranded as a result of the refusal of the Habour
authorities to allow the ship to sail because the ship is meant for cargo and
not for passengers.
Dr Kwame Addo
Kufour Acting Minister of Interior told newsmen in a
brief interview that the government was compelled to repatriate the refugees
because their presents at the airport posed a security and health risk at the
harbour. He said the Liberian are leaving on their own
volition and not being chased out.
He said his Ministry has asked
the IGP to investigate how the boat came to the harbour, who
brought it, and how a large number of refugees would enter the harbour at same time.
One of the refugees Francis Life
Jnr. who claimed to be the spokesman said they are mostly Liberian refugees
living in
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Sekondi (Western Region)
He said under the project the
1,000 old telephone lines would be scrapped and replaced with 2,000 new lines.
Conducting Mr Felix Owusu Agyepong, Minister of
Communication and Technology, round the Sekondi
telephone exchange Enningful said the project,
estimated to cost 200,000 dollars, is being financed by Alcatel, a French
Communication Company.
Enningful said plans were afoot to
increase the Takoradi telephone lines from 13,000 lines to 18,000 lines and the
project might start by the end of the year. Agyepong
urged Ghana Telecom to speed up extending telephone facilities to the rural
areas and appealed to telephone users to pay their bills promptly.
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Anwomaso (Ashanti Region) 03 January
2003- Nana Kwaku Siaw, National
Best Aquaculture Award Winner for 2002, has made an urgent appeal to the
government to institute more pragmatic measures designed at either revitalising
the Ghana Food Distribution Corporation (GFDC) or replacing it with a central
marketing system for purchase of farm produce from farm gates.
He observed that the absence of
any central marketing scheme to buy farmers products had paved the way for
middlemen to exploit hard working farmers, thereby making them to operate at a
loss.
Nana Siaw,
who is also the best farmer award winner for the Kumasi Metropolitan Area in
1998, made the appeal in a New Year message issued at Anwomaso
on Wednesday.
He was emphatic that if
He, however, commended the
government for the numerous interventions and loan facilities in particular
that it had put in place to facilitate the work of Ghanaian farmers and to make
the sector attractive to the youth.
Nana Siaw
noted that even though loan schemes existed for the benefit of farmers, because
of ignorance and illiteracy, most of them have not been able to make use of
such facilities.
He therefore, suggested to the
Ministry of Food and Agriculture to carry out sustained education programmes to
enlighten the farming communities more about the existence of such schemes and
how farmers could access such facilities.
Nana Siaw
also advised farmers to eschew the tendency of conducting their farming
ventures on individual basis and begin to adopt the practice of forming groups
and co-operatives in pursuance of their ventures.
He stated that apart from
helping them have easy access to medium and long-term loan facilities, forming
co-operatives would also enhance their capacity to increase their output.
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Koforidua (Eastern Region)
According to him, the government
succeeded in balancing the NPP's "beliefs as a
liberal democratic party seeking for good governance,
the rule of law and human rights with the needs of
Owusu-Agyeman was assessing the
foreign relations over the past two years in an interview with the Ghana News
Agency (GNA) in Koforidua on Wednesday. "Right now, President J.A. Kufuor
is highly regarded and respected internationally, a situation which has brought
about policy spin-off in terms of attracting both official development
assistance and foreign direct investments into the country."
He said the domestic policy direction
of the NPP administration had "certainly brought positive impact on
foreign policy", saying the party's vision had been masterfully crafted
and executed to yield the recognition of Ghana's views by both the mighty and
small countries on all issues.
"Ghana's opinion and views
are being sought on international issues and our policy of good neighbourliness
has also paid off handsomely to the extent that now we don't have to spend our
scarce resources watching over our borders, thereby putting the resources into
areas which will impact positively on the lives of the people," Mr
Owusu-Agyeman stated.
The Minister strongly defended
President Kufuor's abroad travels, saying they had
helped to put
According to him, there were
many important international conferences whose organisers wanted to choose
On the Ivorian conflict, Owusu
Agyeman said
He said
On the refugee situation along
the country's borders with
He defended the opening of the
borders to refugees, saying it was a humanitarian gesture to allow for both
refugees and those in transit, adding however, that the borders were being
monitored and controlled to make it easier to identify those arriving in the
country to stay or in transit.
On the lessons to be drawn from
the Ivorian situation, the Minister said there was the need for policy
initiatives by African governments to accommodate the interests of all sections
of the people to promote national cohesion in development in all sectors.
Speaking on his Ministry's
effort to ensure the welfare of Ghanaians abroad, Owusu Agyeman said all
embassies and consulates have been repositioned to seek the welfare of
Ghanaians in the countries of their accreditation in all aspects, since the
country derived a third of its foreign earnings from them.
Owusu Agyeman called on the
Electoral Commission (EC) to put in place the necessary structures that would
enable Ghanaians in the Diaspora to exercise their franchise in 2004 as done by
other countries for their nationals in the country.
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ECOWAS
soldiers to fly to
Tema (Greater Accra) 03 January
2003- About 80 Senior military officers from ECOWAS countries, 13 of them
Ghanaians, will be flown by a French plane to Cote d'Ivoire on Friday, January
3 to prepare for the arrival of ECOWAS troops on 10 January.
There are already in
In addition
Berrit said assistance was being
offered to enable ECOWAS find a political solution to the crisis in that country.
He said the French troops have been in constant touch with the rebels but not
to negotiate with them, adding ''it is ECOWAS contact group, which has the
mandate to do such negotiations.''
''Ours is to facilitate the
monitoring of the cease-fire on behalf of ECOWAS. Where ECOWAS makes a request
for
Captain Christian Canova, commander of the N/V Foudre,
told journalists that the vessel brought in 500 troops and equipment to
He said after discharging the
troops and equipment, on
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Kenyasi (Brong Ahafo) 03 January 2003-
Mrs Cecilia Gyan-Amoah, Member of Paliament
for Asutifi South, has called on institutions for
awareness creation and local government sub-structures to step up the campaign
against the spread of buruli ulcer in the district.
She attributed the increase in
the disease in Dadiesoaba and Acherensua
to the ignorance of the people and their strong adherence to obsolete customs.
The MP who made the call at the first ordinary meeting of the Asutifi District Assembly at Kenyasi,
appealed to the District Assembly and local government sub-structures to
re-double efforts in the campaign to sensitise the people on the need to
observe basic environmental hygiene.
Mrs Gyan-Amoah
deplored the sudden surge in cocoa stealing in the district and said the
perpetrators had moved from stealing the beans to the plucking of pods on farms
in the night.
''The government's recent
increase in cocoa prices is not meant to encourage theft.'' Michael Nsiah-Agyapong, Asutifi District
Chief Executive, announced that the district collected 151.8 million cedis out
of its 2002 target of 173.2 million cedis, representing 87.6 per cent.
He urged the assembly members,
area councils and heads of departments to institute measures to identify more
areas to enable the assembly to strengthen its collection of revenue.
The DCE announced that the
district was expected to receive ¢3.1bn as its share of the District Assemblies
Common Fund for the year 2002 as against the 2001 figure of ¢1.76bn.
He reminded the assembly that
the size of common fund allocations would depend on how much it would mobilise
from its traditional sources. Nsiah-Agyapong appealed
to the assembly members to take advantage of the HIPC relief and Social
Investment Funds to initiate development projects in their communities.
He lauded the Asutifi District Directorate of Education and two
non-governmental organizations, ACTIONAID,
Nsiah-Agyapong called for more efforts to
improve the district's academic performance "since the overall performance
of 81.6 per cent in last year's Basic Education Certificate Examination cannot
be regarded as the ultimate".
The DCE advised the people to
guard against bushfires by mounting voluntary surveillance and to report fire
starters to the law enforcement agencies for prosecution.
He reminded the people of the
spread of the HIV/AIDS scourge and said the assembly had presented an action
plan on the virus and information on 19 community-based and two
non-governmental organizations to the Ghana Aids Commission for consideration
to make them undertake a vigorous campaign against the spread of the virus.
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A statement signed by Dan Botwe, NPP General Secretary, said by going through
peaceful democratic transfer of political power without any form of mishap,
"our brothers and sisters in
NPP wished the newly elected
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Dutch-Komenda
(Central Region)
He made the appeal during the
annual general meeting of Dutch Komenda Youth
Association at Dutch Komenda on Boxing Day. Nana Mununkum noted that tourism could be a major cash earner
for the nation by attracting investors who could also assist in the country's
socio-economic development.
He urged government officials to
treat tourists and potential investors nicely and project the well-acclaimed
Ghanaian hospitality. Nana Mununkum said an
African-American journalist and the Director of Communications for the
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation in the
According to Nana Mununkum, Sandra had traced her ancestral roots to Nsona Atta Eku family of Dutch Komenda and has for the past five years been visiting the
town annually and discussing the area's development with the community leaders.
He said Miss Sandra had even
acquired a plot to build a house so that she could induce other
African-Americans in the family to come and invest in
He said
He said on the morning of
Saturday, September 14, the day of the enstoolment,
while Sandra and her mother and sister were getting ready at Coconut Grove
Hotel, at Elmina, the police allegedly ordered them
not to go to Dutch Komenda for the ceremony else they
would be arrested.
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Chief calls
for end to chieftaincy dispute
Mankessim (Central Region)
Nana Edu,
who was addressing a durbar aimed at reconciling the two factions was unhappy
that the elders of the town "had done nothing" to settle the dispute
since it begun about eight years ago.
This he said retarded progress
and urged them to ensure that this year, there was peace in the area. He was
making his first public appearance as Omanhene, in
four years, following a decision by the judicial committee of the National
House of Chiefs, in November last year, to overturn a ruling by the judicial
committee of the Central Region House of Chiefs, he and the Queenmother, Nana Ama Amissah III, who were enstooled in 1994, had not been properly nominated.
The Regional House of chief's
ruling came about when it upheld a petition filed by the kingmakers and the Ebusuapanyin of the Pakesedo Nsona family of Mankessim, asking it to declare their
nomination and enstoolment null and void, on the grounds
that it was not done according to the tradition of the area.
On 26 November following an
appeal filed by Nana Edu against the ruling, the
judicial committee of the National House, ruled by a 4-1 majority, to overturn
the decision.
It was all pomp and pageantry,
when the processions of Nana Edu and Nana Amissah, reached the durbar grounds, amidst fontomfrom drumming and brass band music. The people
cheered and hailed the two to register their happiness as Nana Edu declared that there were important issues at stake and
that litigation should not be at the expense of the development of the area.
He was particularly, unhappy
that all the programmes he drew up when he was enstooled,
such as establishment of an education endowment fund, development projects, and
awards for best teachers and farmers in the area, had not been executed due to
the litigation.
"It is high time we eschew
any action that will further deteriorate our conditions and permanently put us
in the dark", he said, and urged his people to join hands to develop the
area for the sake of posterity.
On her part Nana Ama Amissah, declared that
"litigation was over in the area", and cautioned that no one should
be deceived into litigation, since it will not be in their interest.
She underscored the importance
of education and appealed to mothers to educate their wards especially their
daughters and also urged all citizens of the area. The occasion was rounded off
with an inter-denominational thanksgiving service on Wednesday.
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Policeman
murdered for alleged adultery
Tamale (Northern Region)
The Regional Crime Officer
Police Superintendent Aikins K. Darkey told newsmen
on
He therefore went back home but
later round
He suspected that their
daughter's sickness had deteriorated and this made him to force his way into
the room only to see a man on his wife on the floor having sexual intercourse
with her
Karim then picked a club and used it
on the man. He later identified him as a policeman and rushed to the Nasia Police Station to make a report. Upon the report, the
police accompanied Karim to the house and saw the
victim, John Anabila unconscious with multiple
injuries.
He was rushed to the
Meanwhile, the police invited
the suspect's wife, Madam Lamisi Tinadayor
to Tamale and she has confirmed that Sgt Anabila was
having intercourse with her at the time her husband entered the room.
Madam Tinadayor
had since been examined at the Tamale Teaching Hospital and the results proved
that there were no sperms in her private part. Karim
is in police custody while Tinadayor is helping the
police in their investigations.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 03 January 2003 - Richard Ebusua Ye Dom Quarshie, an aspirant to the position of NPP Youth Organiser, on Friday urged the youth to guard against acts of provocation, intolerance or indiscipline that have the potential to undermine democracy and the peace at the party's Congress at Sekondi on Saturday.
A statement issued in
Quarshie said though only a few
candidates would emerge as victors, each member of the party had something to
offer to make the party's agenda to create wealth and eliminate poverty
successful, while
He said: "We should not be carried away in our zeal to see our supporters elected, but use the platform to build positive relationships and networks that would impact on the larger youth population to develop themselves and participate actively in nation-building.
"Knowing the NPP youth, I believe most of you share
this viewpoint and we would distinguish ourselves as a disciplined youth."
Quarshie expressed the hope that the people of the
Western Region, would offer them the best hospitality,
adding, "we should reciprocate the gesture with our best conduct." He
wished the youth of
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Apam (Central Region) 03 January 2003 - The Social Investment Fund (SIF) a component of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) has approved 19 projects for Gomoa District of the Central Region at a total cost of ¢2.8bn.
The projects include schools, health facilities and income generating activities. Mensah Abrompah, Sub-Project Officer in-charge of the district announced this at a stakeholders forum at Apam. The forum was to sensitise chiefs, unit committee executives, assembly members and leaders of the beneficiary communities and societies on the modalities of executing the projects.
Abrompah said SIF would bear 75 per cent of the total cost, the district assembly 15 per cent and the community or the society or group 10 per cent. He said the community's contribution could be in a form of land, stones, sand and labour.
Yaw Adu-Asamoah, the District Co-ordinating Director cautioned that the assembly would not offer any assistance to communities, which would fail to provide the counterpart funding adding, "we shall not add the responsibility of any beneficiary community to that of the assembly."
Gabriel Nfodjoh, the District Planning Officer cautioned the communities and the groups to desist from contracting loans for the counterpart funding. He said, everything must be provided by the people themselves, to make them feel the ownership of the projects.
Madam Dinah Hasll-Baidooo, the District Director of Health Services urged the communities to make every effort to resolve conflicts between their neighbours, which usually characterise siting of projects.
Other speakers at the forum included Mr Stanley Otabil Donkoh, Desk Officer (SIF) and Frank Essel Cobbah the Presiding Member. The participants expressed concern about the cumbersome procedure for accessing assistance from the SIF and called for review of the procedure.
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Ho (Volta Region)
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Ho in a telephone interview regarding progress made on the university, he explained that the launching which was to have taken place in November last year, had to be delayed because of unforeseen circumstances. He explained that President John Kufuor has officially been informed to perform the launching ceremony and because of his heavy official engagements, it was not possible for the launching before 2002.
Rev Anku said the University's
campuses would be located at the Church's Seminary at Peki,
its Training school at Alavanyo and a "segment
at
He explained that under the circumstances the use of campuses offered the most feasible way of getting the university off the ground. Rev Anku could however, not say how much would be involved in developing the infrastructure on the site acquired for the university.
He said there are promising signals that assistance would be
forthcoming from the Church's partners in
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Koforidua (Eastern Region) 03 January 2003 - The Anglican
Archbishop of the
He made the announcement at an end of year reception and
interaction with media personnel in the
He said the intended NGO would also provide care for street children and help them acquire vocational skills and also provide residential facilities for retired priests where they can rest and reflect on the system. Archbishop Okine said Reverend Francis Benjamin Quashie, 57, Director of the Diocesan Ministerial Centre was elected last September as the Bishop coadjutor, in preparation for his retirement.
He said Very Reverend Quashie would be consecrated in February, this year and would be enthroned as the Bishop of the Diocese immediately he retires. Archbishop Okine said in March this year, a special synod of the church would be organised to take the final decision on the creation of the Ho Diocese of the Anglican Church.
Archbishop Okine was ordained as priest in 1965, elected Bishop of the then newly created Koforidua-Ho Diocese of the Anglican Church in 1981, elected as the seventh Archbishop and Primate of the Province of West Africa in 1993 and chairman of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa in 1999. He also served on a number of boards of educational and other social institutions in the country.
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Prioritise on nation’s development -
Edumadze
Ekwamase (Central Region)
Edumadze advised that, "we should only think of partisan politics when we were about to elect our leaders and after that we should close our ranks and work together for the development of the nation".
He gave the advice at a fund-raising harvest to support a junior secondary school project at Ekwamase in Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District. The harvest formed part of activities marking the annual Akwanbo Festival of the people.
The Regional Minister said development of the communities would suffer if the people allowed partisan politics to divide their front. He announced that 500 million cedis has been made available for disbursement to members of Rahama Cooperative Farmers Association to help them improve on their farming activities, but cautioned that the loan, which would be disbursed through the National Investment Bank should not be seen as a handshake for supporting the government.
Hon Edumadze said some of the government's policies such as the Health Insurance Scheme and the mass cocoa farm spraying exercise have started yielding good results. For instance, he said cocoa production last year had improved tremendously.
He said 50 women in Ekwamase electoral area would be given some capital and gari-processing machine to enable them to produce gari for export. The Regional Minister, who donated 100 bags of cement from his share of the common fund to support the project exhorted parents to invest in their children's education, adding that the best legacy a parent could bequeath to his children was education.
Miss Eva Afful, assemblywomen for the area appealed to the government to connect the town to the national electricity grid. Nana Araba Mpagu II, chief of the town advised the citizens to take stock of the past activities and rectify their mistakes.
Nana Nketia Afful, Abontindomhene of Abeadze Traditional Area appealed to the government to pay compensation to people whose buildings were destroyed during the construction of a feeder road through the town.
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