GRi Newsreel 08 – 07 – 2002

Second phase of Odaw Drainage Project to start

Minister visits salt industries at Prampram

Draft rules on electricity to protect he consumer

License teachers after probation - Anamuah-Mensah 

Health stakeholders brain storm on health insurance

Party chairman denies exhibiting NPP colours at durbar

Show political will towards adoption of a national language  

Constituency branch of CPP holds congress

District Assemblies urged to ensure good governance

Liberian President Compensates Ghanaian Family

Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK elected Chairman

Thirty Ghanaians receive Community Service awards

 

 

Second phase of Odaw Drainage Project to start

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 08 July 2002- The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Friday cut the sod to mark the beginning of the Phase Two of the Odaw Drainage Project, aimed at mitigating flooding and its related problems, after commissioning the first phase at a ceremony at Avenor.

 

The second phase, being funded with an 11 million Euro credit from Agence Francaise de Development of France comprises the reconstruction of the Avenor and Alajo bridges to enhance the capacity of the 1.25 kilometre Odaw channel between the bridges. The project, which is being executed by Messrs Sonitra is expected to be completed by December next year.

 

Vice President Mahama, who defied a heavy downpour to cut the sod, underscored the importance of protecting lives and securing the nation's investments in roads, telecommunications Electricity, housing, industry and others against flooding.

 

In furtherance of this, he said, the government would continue developing viable projects initiated by the previous government, including all the secondary and tertiary drains in settlements such as Dzorwulu, Tesano, Alajo, Kanda, Asylum Down North Kaneshie, Awudome and Accra Central.

 

Vice President Mahama advised residents along the drains to desist from dumping waste into the drains to enable it to carry storm water into the sea.  "It is important for me to emphasise that the reconstruction of primary and secondary drains within the city, may not lead to flood reduction if such investments are jeopardised by our own attitudes, behaviour and acts of indiscipline," he said.

 

"I am informed that 348 structures have been erected so close to the Odaw channel that they would have to be partially or wholly demolished to pave the way for the works to be executed," he said. Vice President Mahama blamed city planners and authorities for their failure to monitor and enforce bylaws and tasked them to co-ordinate their activities to prevent the recurrence of these problems.

 

He announced that the government had almost completed negotiations to secure funding for the third phase of the Odaw drainage works, which would involve the reconstruction of the Odaw channel from Alajo to the motorway at Apenkwa. It is expected to start this year.  

 

Vice President Mahama, however, noted that nearly 30 million dollars was still needed to cover 15 out of 25 secondary drains that had been identified for improvement in the city to be able to effectively minimise flooding.

 

"The designs of these secondary drains have been prepared and the government is currently exploring funding sources totalling nearly 30 million dollars for their reconstruction. Until these outstanding works are carried out, several areas of Accra would continue to face flooding," he cautioned.

 

Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, described the downpour as an act of God that practically demonstrated the importance of the drains adding that, the turn up of officials at the ceremony indicated their commitment to find a lasting solution to the flooding.

 

He commended Messrs China International Water and Electric Company for the efficient and speedy manner with which they executed the first phase of the

Odaw Drainage project and urged Sonitra to emulate them. The project involved the reconstruction of the 3.25 rectangular concrete channel from the Abossey Okai Bridge to the Avenor Bridge. The World Bank funded it at a cost of 12 million dollars.

GRi…/

 

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Minister visits salt industries at Prampram

 

Prampram (Greater Accra) 08 July 2002- Industrialists and exporters have been urged to take advantage of the government's policies to promote and expand their businesses, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industry said on Friday.

 

He asked them to apply for the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF) to increase their capital to expand their businesses to make the nation's export drive a success. "Government will support any domestic activity to add value, process and export," Dr Apraku said in discussions with managers of Savannah Salt Company Limited and El-din Salt Mill Limited at Prampram on Friday.

 

The Company, which uses the solar evaporation method to produce salt, recently accessed 150,000 dollars from the EDIF for its operations. Production would start in September with an output 2,200 tonnes increasing to 30,000 tonnes in 2004 for the ECOWAS sub-region, which would bring in revenue of 132,000 dollars in 2002 and 1.7 million dollars in 2004.

 

EDIF was established to support the export sector to ensure increased revenue, Dr Apraku said, adding that, "the banks have been slow in approving loans to the fund". "As much as the banks have to be meticulous in their approach, they should assist to make the process a success," he said.

 

The Minister praised National Investment Bank (NIB) for approving the largest loan to the fund. Entrepreneurs and industrialists from the three northern regions especially, should apply since the fund was administered equitably with a fair regional balance, he said. 

 

Mr Wilkings Abbey, Managing Director and other officials took Dr Apraku round the facilities of El-din Salt Limited. Mr Abbey commended the Minister for the visit saying, "This is the first time a high ranking government official has visited our site" and appealed to the government for support.

 

Mr Daniel Gyimah, Managing Director of National Investment Bank (NIB) and Mr Kwabena Nkrumah, Director of Credits and Projects of the EDIF accompanied

Dr Apraku.

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Draft rules on electricity to protect he consumer

 

Akosombo (Eastern Region) 08 July 2002- A draft Electricity Rules Legislative Instrument 1702, 2002 that was recently laid before Parliament seeks to protect the consumer and imposes responsibilities on the utility suppliers to improve their services.

 

Mr Amos Larweh Buertey, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Subsidiary Legislation told the closing session of a three-day workshop at Akosombo for members of the Committee, The Energy Commission and representatives of the Volta River Authority and Electricity Company of Ghana.

 

The workshop was to deliberate on a draft legislative instrument, which prescribes technical and operational rules for electricity consumption, and to address concerns of persons about the rules.

 

It also discussed conditions of the Electricity Corporation of Ghana  (Electricity and Power) Regulations 1988 (L.I 1366), which sought to insulate the ECG from liability from certain acts. This was done because L.I. 1702, 2002 repeals L.I 1366 that was revoked.

 

Mr Buertey said Members decided to meet with the stakeholders to come to a common understanding on some of the rules on the draft legislation, look at the technicalities and operational rules to come up with a well informed document to be presented to Parliament.

 

Mr Adu Mantey, Ranking Member of the Committee said the workshop was to come out with suitable instruments and suggestions that would not only guide the Energy Act, but also service providers and consumers.

 

Mr Kofi Asante, Executive Secretary of the Energy Commission, said the commission had a mandate to provide supervisory assistance to all operators of utilities through the Energy Act. He said the Commission was concerned with serving and protecting the public interest and called on the stakeholders to come out with suitable suggestions that would guide and bring about a compromise between suppliers and consumers of electricity.

 

Mrs Angelina M. Domakyaareh, Board Secretary and Legal Advisor of the Volta River Authority, in her comments suggested that Rule 2 (1) (a) should include "or any similar recognized body " after "Ghana Electrical Contractors Association". She called for changes in Rules 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 that concern nominal voltage, limits of frequency, power factor, penalty units, performance target levels and interpretations.

 

Mr Jude O. Adu -Amankwah, Director of Legal Service of ECG called for changes in Rule 1, 2, 6, 8, 30, 39,40 and 41, which are on supply and metering, service connection, prepayment metre, supply voltage and supply frequency. Members agreed that the blanket indemnity in regulations 10 of L.I 1366 could not be allowed at this time when the general view was that the utility companies must be seen to improve their services.

 

Regulation 10 states that the corporation shall not be liable for any injury to any person or damage to any property arising from the cessation of supply of electricity, which is due to unavoidable accident, wear and tear, the reasonable requirements of the system or to any defects in any installation not provided by the Corporation.

 

The Committee agreed with the stakeholders after they had made their submissions to change and make certain corrections and wordings in the draft legislation to make it acceptable to both the suppliers and consumers. They agreed that the L.I should read Electricity Distribution and Supply (Technical and Operational) Rules, 2002 L.I 1702 instead of Electricity (Technical and Operational) Rules, 2002.

 

The workshop agreed that the supplier should ensure that connections were made to balance the load on three phases of the distribution network while the customer had a duty to ensure that the current in each phase of his three-phase system was balanced.

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License teachers after probation - Anamuah-Mensah

 

Ho (Volta Region) 08 July 2002- Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, Principal of the University College of Education Winneba (UCEW), on Saturday advocated the licensing of teachers, after a year's post training probationary service, to strengthen their professional status and also boost qualitative teacher performance. He said the pre-requisites for licensing should be based on observations during teaching, staff meetings and co-curricular activities.

 

Prof. Anamuah-Mensah was speaking at the launch of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Jasikan Training College (JASICO), organised by the Old Students - Old Maroonians' Association (OMA) at Ho.

 

The Principal who is also Chairman of the Education Review Commission suggested that teachers be made to develop portfolios for assessment for promotion and the selection for awards. The portfolios he said, should depict the level of expertise of teachers and include innovative strategies used in teaching, activities with students, tests devised to help pupils to progress, photographs, charts, teaching aids and video clips of activities.

 

Prof. Anamuah-Mensah whose address was virtually a mini dissertation on the theme of the occasion "JASICCO - 50 years of quality teacher education" said teacher education should move away from "a single event" that takes place in training colleges, to a comprehensive model that embraces initial pre-service teacher education, in-service training to improve qualifications, recurrent in-service teachers orientation at cluster, zonal and district levels to improve skills and continuing professional self-learning.

 

"A professional teacher should remain a self-motivated and self directed learner throughout his or her life", he remarked. Professor Anamua-Mensah said the strengthening of the professional status of teachers would reduce the popular perception that anyone could be a teacher. He said mobilising non-teachers for the classrooms anytime there was teacher shortage did not help the professional status of teachers.

 

According to him "it is a stumbling block in attracting the best people into the profession" suggesting that rather than use untrained teachers, attractive packages should be provided to attract more qualified people and that some untrained teachers should be taken through intensive programmes for certificates as auxiliary professionals.

 

He called for partnership between training institutions and schools to avoid the "disconnection between the needs of schools and the preparation of teachers.

 

The launching ceremony, which was chaired by Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, Volta Regional Minister an old boy was characterised by rapturous conviviality by old students including Mr James Dogbe, Hohoe District Chief Executive (DCE), Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Nutakor of the Ghana Army, Mr Reuben Aggor, Director of

Distance Learning at the Ghana Education Service, Mr Senyo Dzamefe, a Judge and Miss Vida Donkoh, former Jasikan DCE.

 

The grand Gold Jubilee Anniversary of the college founded in 1952 by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, which is in November this year would be preceded by an OMA Congress in August.

 

Mr Gabriel Wotordzor, Principal, said the college which produced various categories of teachers over its 50 years span now had a numerical students population of 4,968 out of which 1,097 were females. He said from 1994 to date the school scored between 90 and 98 per cent at the external examinations. According to the anniversary would afford the college the opportunity to organise to rehabilitate its buildings and road network.

 

Mr John Nyoagbe, assistant General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers and National President of OMA said the association was not only for those who made it to higher institutions after JASICO. He said "everybody that passes through the school belongs to it by birth, what binds us is the fact that we received training at JASICO and came out of it as teachers.

 

Mr Samuel Gyang, Volta Regional Director of Education advised old student of the college to remain in constant touch with the school even after the jubilee. Mr Alfred Appiah, a children's rights activist and an old boy launched an appeal for 500 million cedis to build an assembly and administrative block complex to serve as a jubilee monument.

GRi…/

 

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Health stakeholders brain storm on health insurance

 

Ankaful (Central Region) 08 July 2002- The Central Regional Minister, Mr.Isaac Edumadze on Friday expressed regret that the common diseases, which could be prevented, are killing citizens in the country due to poverty. He said the situation is even more critical and serious in the Central Region, which is one of the poorest regions in the country.

 

Mr Edumadze, who was addressing stakeholders in the health sector, at the closing of mutual health insurance workshop described the situation as "unfortunate and unacceptable" and called on the participants to work harder after the workshop, to bring about positive result in health care delivery.

 

The five-day workshop brought together 50 participants drawn from the health sector, district assemblies, Traditional Councils, civil servants and other organised bodies, to adopt strategies on how to organise social groups to contribute towards the health insurance fund.

 

Mr. Edumadze pointed out that with the implementation of Community-based help Planning and Services (CBHPS), strategies, which aimed at bringing health delivery to the doorstep of the people, health workers should take advantage and mobilise the people for the mutual health insurance scheme.

 

"Let us all put our hands on deck and move into the communities, sensitise them and encourage them to form mutual health organisation (MHO) in order to promote quality health delivery services to the people," he said.

 

Mr. Edumadze gave the assurance that the government is developing guidelines to provide technical and managerial support to all MHOS that would be formed. He also reassured health workers that the government was sensitive to their plight and was doing everything possible to provide incentives to motivate them.

 

Dr Enias Sory, Regional Director of Health Services asked health workers to live up to the current challenges of their profession by ensuring that they provide quality health services at an affordable cost. According to him, the cash and carry system had brought in its wake a negative impression about health workers and charged them to correct this by putting extra effort to show that they are friendly, "people-oriented" and are ready to save life.

 

Dr. Sory also urged the participants not to rest on their oars but work harder to give feedback on their activities to their regional administrator, and thanked DANIDA for sponsoring the workshop. The Omanhene of the Abeadze Traditional Area, Daasebre Kwebu Ewusi VII, who chaired the function, also reiterated the call on all and sundry to get actively involved in the health insurance scheme.

GRi…/

 

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Party chairman denies exhibiting NPP colours at durbar

 

Somanya (Eastern Region) 08 July 2002 - The Yilo Krobo Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Nicholas Addai has stated that neither the party nor the organising committee for the Republic Day celebration at Somanya sanctioned the display of NPP symbols at the durbar grounds.

 

He, however, described the display of NPP colours as ''the work of some overzealous party adherents.'' Mr Addai served on the committee that organised the Republic Day Durbar of chiefs in the Eastern Region in honour of President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso.

 

The GNA reported him as saying that the NPP should not be blamed for what occurred and appealed to Ghanaians to draw a distinction between officially sanctioned acts and those committed by some people connected to the party. He said because political parties were legally recognised and respected entities, organisers of events could not prevent them from displaying party colours at functions.

GRi../

 

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Show political will towards adoption of a national language

 

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 08 July 2002 - A politician has urged the government to show the political will to adopt a national language that could be taught in schools. Mr Owusu Ankomah, an independent presidential aspirant in the 2000 general election, said this was necessary to help promote Ghana's cultural identity, national cohesion and to give to the people a sense of pride.

 

The call comes in the wake of the continuing public debate over the government's recently announced language policy directive on the use of English language as the medium of instruction in schools.

 

In an open letter to the Minister of Education and copied to the press in Kumasi, he stated that "an educational system of any country that consciously tunes the mind-set of the citizens to pride themselves in the ability to speak and write a foreign language with impeccable finesse and perfection to the disadvantage of their own could not be said to be right.

 

"This unfortunately appears to be the path we have chosen to travel as a nation. The time to act and do the proper thing is now." Mr Ankomah condemned the practice in some schools where pupils and students were punished for merely speaking in the local languages and said this was an unacceptable assault and denigration of the national image.

 

"Of course, one cannot be hypocritical or pretend to be unaware that literacy in one or more international languages today has become a reasonable necessity in view of globalisation but that should not provide the pretext to downgrade the maintenance and protection of our identity as a people."

 

Mr Ankomah blamed the slow pace of the country's progress not on the failings of its economic policies but that of its educational system. He said the time had come for the country to develop the taste for using traditional values for problem solving, saying, "let us devise home grown solutions to problems and challenges facing us".

GRi../

 

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Constituency branch of CPP holds congress

 

Koforidua (Eastern Region) 08 July 2002-Dr. Vladimil Antwi-Danso, a leading member of the Convention People's Party (CPP) has urged the party to wake up and place it at its proper place on the political scene of the country.

 

He said, "the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has no political roots, no orientation and could best be described as an amorphous organisation and since the NPP government is not finding its feet well, there was the need for the reorganisation of the CPP."

 

Dr. Antwi-Danso was speaking at the Congress of Koforidua Constituency branch of the CPP at Koforidua on Saturday. He said if the leadership of the CPP was able to wake up to their responsibilities, the party could take over from the make shift political arrangements and the mediocre position that the NDC is placed on the political scene of the country.

 

Mr. Nii Noi Dowuona, General Secretary of the CPP said the national leadership of the part want to build a new CPP that would be owned by the constituencies, who would be able to influence the nation's policies. He said the National Executive Council of the party would be holding a meeting in August to discuss the unity talks of the Nkrumaist groups, set the agenda for the National congress of the party in December this year and how to mobilise resources for the 2004 elections.

 

Mr. Dowuona said one of the important issues to be discussed at the meting would be how to make the Nkrumaist Agenda more relevant to the youth with the view of addressing the problems that confront them.

 

Mr. Johnny Hanson, a leading member of the party called for the building of an independent economy for the country based on economic areas and products that the country has genuine economic advantage. He said the dependency syndrome of the national economy was too prevalent as to always leave the country in the same situation.

 

He said if all subsequent governments after Dr. Kwame Nkrumah had improved upon the institutions that he established, Ghana would have been an independent economic entity and would have advanced by now. In a welcoming address, Nana Owusu Sekyere, Eastern Regional Chairman of the party criticise the over dependence on foreign donors to package the economy of the country and called for national control of the economy.

GRi…/

 

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District Assemblies urged to ensure good governance

 

Koforidua (Eastern Region) 08 July 2002 - The Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Francis Osafo Mensah on Friday cautioned district assemblies to pay particular attention to efficiency in performance, probity and transparency in the administration and accountability in the management of resources.

 

He said it was when these challenges were met that they would be contributing their quota towards the attainment of the good governance that the

New Patriotic Party (NPP) was aspiring to put in place for the country.

 

Dr Osafo Mensah said this at the Regional Consultative Platform on Good Governance and Decentralisation organised by the National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) at Koforidua.

 

The platform attended by District Chief Executives, Presiding members and Assembly members drawn from the Eastern, Volta and Greater-Accra regions aimed at sensitising them to promote the development of local government.

 

The Minister said, while further implementation of the decentralisation policy depended to a large extent on central government policies and programme interventions, there was the need for district assemblies to address their internal weaknesses, such as poor internally generated funds to enable them strengthen the decentralised administration.

 

He expressed the hope that the participants would share ideas and experiences and expose some of the problems they face in their respective districts to adopt common strategies to tackle them.

 

Dr Osafo Mensah mentioned unsettled boundaries, the un-preparedness of district assemblies to accept and perform the decentralised functions due to the lack of capacity, the reluctance of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to transfer powers and functions to district assemblies, the lack of clarity of roles and inadequacy of financial resources as some major constraints to the full implementation of the decentralisation programme.

 

The National President of NALAG, Mr Akwasi Asare Ankomah said the platform was the fourth being organised by the association to enable it to make inputs into shaping the course of the decentralisation process. He reiterated his call on the Electoral Commission to suspend the forth-coming unit committee elections slated for July due to the inability of some of the units to get people to stand as candidates.

 

According to him, out of a total of 2,241 unit committees in the Eastern Region, nominations had been filed in only 923 units leaving 1,318 units without any nominations. This, he explained would affect the sub-structures, adding that since "democracy is indeed a costly exercise everything possible should be done to achieve it."

 

Mr Ankomah suggested that either the unit committee elections be postponed or elections organised in the areas without candidates soon after the July elections. The New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng urged the participants to come out with strategies that would ensure the sustainability of the local government system and good governance.

 

Professor Atsu Ayee, Dean of the Faulty of Social Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, who chaired the function explained that the regional platforms were to sensitise the participants on the forth-coming district level elections and good governance.

 

He stressed that there could not be development without effective community participation; adding that unless communities were involved and mobilised, no meaningful development could take place at the local level. Prof. Ayee, who was a resource person, hoped that the platform would advance the cause of decentralisation.

 

Topics treated included "Non-partisanship of district assemblies in a partisan environment"; "The role of the sub-district structures in promoting popular participation" and "key ingredients of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy."

GRi…/

 

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Liberian President Compensates Ghanaian Family

 

Accra (Greater Accra) 08 July 2002 - President Charles Taylor has paid $15,000 to settle a dispute with a woman from Ghana whose 6-year-old son was shot and killed by one of Taylor (quote)s bodyguards. The woman, Lydia Boateng, and her child were riding in a taxi that got in the way of Taylor (quote)s motorcade on June 19. A member of Taylor (quote)s Anti-Terrorist Unit opened fire on the vehicle, killing the child and wounding his mother in the side and arm.

The bodyguard was arrested, but it was not clear whether charges were ever brought against him.

Lydia was rushed to Monrovia (quote)s St. Joseph Catholic Hospital, but her family said they could not afford the cost of her treatment. Her husband, Isaac, demanded through the Ghanaian Embassy that the president cover her expenses. When the government did not respond, the embassy tried to persuade the woman to return to her country for treatment.

She refused until Saturday, when Police Director Paul Mulbah presented the $15,000 to Ghanaian Ambassador Kwame Amoah-Awuah in the presence of relatives of the victims. "The president has asked me to present this amount to you. We are sorry that this unfortunate thing has happened," Mulbah told the ambassador. Lydia now plans to return home with her husband and her child (quote)s body within the next few days, embassy officials said. – JoyOnline

 

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Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK elected Chairman

 

London (United Kingdom) 08 July 2002 - Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK, H.E. Mr Isaac Osei, has been elected chairperson of the newly created Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Secretariat.  The election was made at the first meeting of the Board in London on Thursday, 28 June 2002.

 

H.E. Mr Michael L’Estrange, Australian High Commissioner and Nigeria’s High Commissioner, H.E. Dr. Christopher Kolade were elected first and second vice-Chairman respectively. The Board, among other things, provides strategic direction on major policy issues, plans and work programmes, and consider and approve current audited accounts of the Secretariat.

 

By virtue of its new position, Ghana has thus become an ex-officio member of the newly created 17-member executive committee of the Board which is headed by

New Zealand.  Eight of the Committee members are the eight largest contributors to all the Secretariat’s funds. These are UK, Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia. - Ghana High Commission

 

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Thirty Ghanaians receive Community Service awards

 

London (United Kingdom) 08 July 2002 - Thirty (30) Ghanaians drawn from all walks of life have received awards in appreciation of their selfless contributions towards the development of their communities in the UK. The event which was organised by the Ghana Union, London, under the auspices of the Ghana High Commission, coincided with the 42nd anniversary of Ghana’s Republican status.

 

Among those who received special awards included Rev. Ben Tetteh, Founding Chairman of the Ghana Union, London, Mr Kofi Amoah, Chairman of Abuakwa Susubiribi association; Mr Thomas Addaquaye - Chairman of Oguaa Akoto Kuw, Dr Ashie Okpoti, who heads the La Kpe community association and Nana Twitwi Akwa, former Chairman of Asanteman, UK.

 

Those present at the well-attended event, the first to be held in London included, H.E. Mr Isaac Osei, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK, who was the guest speaker; Mr Kwabena Baah-Duodu, Deputy High Commissioner; Mr Peter Yankey, Minister/Welfare and Consular; Mr Fritz Andoh, Minister Counsellor/Information, Mr Ima Plahar, Chairman of Ghana Union, London, Mr Roger Allotey, Manager, Ghana Airways, Europe; and a number of Ghanaian chiefs living in the London metropolis.

 

In his keynote address, H.E. Mr Isaac Osei reminded Ghanaians of the significance of Ghana’s republican status and urged all Ghanaians to defend the good name of the country by acts which are consistent with the laws of their adopted country.  He said that the nation was paying dearly for some monumental mistakes committed by past governments.  To redress the situation, he said there was the need for Ghanaians to realise that the development of the country rested on their shoulders, and called on them to translate their professed love for the country into practical deeds.

 

H.E. Mr Osei, said there was the need for Ghana to take and implement difficult measures in order not to worsen the nation’s problems and mortgage the future of our offspring. H.E. Mr Osei called for patience and understanding of all Ghanaians in the nation’s drive for the reconstruction of the country.  He noted that “with the political stability prevailing in the country, coupled with the effective political leadership President Kufuor is providing, the future of the country is bright”.

 

He praised Ghanaians in the UK for their determination and altruism, and noted with pride the immense contributions they were making towards the improvement of the lives of their compatriots back home. He hoped that the award winners would not rest on their oars but would be encouraged by this recognition to propel them to greater heights in the future.

 

Mr Roger Allotey recounted events leading to the present predicament of the Ghana Airways and added that despite the gloomy picture, the airline, as an entity, was still viable. He urged Ghanaians not to feel discouraged but to continue to patronise the airline.  He added that by remaining steadfast with the airline, they would be contributing towards its viability and growth as Africa’s most reliable and friendly airline.

 

The Chairman of Ghana Union, Mr Plahar stated that the recognition of Ghanaians who sacrificed their time for the service of their communities and render selfless assignments without reward was crucial to the creation of a vibrant and strong community.

 

Mr Plahar was optimistic that the ceremony would bring all the community groups together under the umbrella of the union and subsequently create a corps of volunteers who would assist in helping the Ghana Union deliver better services to the community. - Ghana High Commission

 

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