World Bank most critical development partner of Ghana - Kufuor
Technician builds Mobile Home with scraps
Seventh Day Adventist West Africa Ministerial conference ends
World Bank most critical
development partner of Ghana - Kufuor
Accra (Greater Accra) 20 July 2202- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday said the World Bank was the most critical development partner that government would not under-value its assistance to the country.
He said, the government, with its pledge to be open and accountable to Ghanaians, would deal only with development partners, who would appreciate the urgency of the socio-economic development required.
Ghanaian has suffered over a long period and are now impatient to have improvement in their standard of living, President Kufuor told Mr Peter Harold, the out-going World Bank Resident Representative in Ghana who paid a farewell call on him at the Castle, Osu.
Mr Harold, who is leaving Ghana after five years tour of duty, also introduced his successor Mr. Mats Karlsson to President Kufuor. President Kufuor commended Mr. Harold for his tremendous assistance to the country, which were not only through the technical know-how but also his much concern to the plight of Ghanaians.
"You are a good friend of Ghana, who stood by the country during difficult periods and now leaving at a time when the economy had began to show signs of improvement is a credit to you for working with us".
To Mr Karlsson, President Kufuor said, with the improvement in the macro-economy, it was the critical moment that Ghana required the much- needed assistance from development partners to sustain growth. Mr Harold said the past 18 months had been a difficult period for the government and Ghanaians to sacrifice to attain the economic stability prevailing now.
He said with the macro-economic situation now in a dramatic strong position, the way forward was to assist the government to translate its development programmes into reality. "The most important thing is to get the economy under control, an ideal opportunity to help transform the lives of the people and move the country forward," he added. Mr Harold gave the assurance that the World Bank would continue with the good relationship and provide the needed assistance to Ghana.
Mr Karlsson said he would work to promote the needed change in the country because Ghana is being looked upon as a model country for the sub-region and Africa. He said with good leadership qualities, development partners could offer more resources for development. The new Country Director pledged to work openly and honestly to build the trust between the Bank and the government for the benefit of the people.
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I did not fabricate story
– Kweku Baako
Accra (Greater Accra) 20 July 2002 - Mr Kweku Baako Jr. Editor of the Crusading Guide, on Friday disagreed with defence counsel that he had fabricated evidence to mar the relationship between Mr Emmanuel Victor Smith and his boss, former President Jerry John Rawlings.
The Counsel, Dr Benjamin Kumbour, who continuing his cross-examination of Mr Baako had suggested to him that his fabrication of the evidence was part of a strategy to strip Ex-President Rawlings naked in public.
Mr Baako replied that, he could not have stripped Ex-President Rawlings naked and explained that he was going to critically examine his track record as a citizen of the country and as a former Head of State. He said his statement of stripping off the Ex-President was in reaction to a comment made by the Ex-President in connection with his late father at a New Year reception held for journalists.
Mr Baako had earlier told the tribunal that the alleged letter containing the threats and warning to kill him was presented to him by one of his typesetters. He said it was normal for the typesetter to hand over all letters to him.
Mr Baako admitted that the purported letter leaked, after he had received an anonymous call from an insider of the former President's Office on 19 March, this year. He said it was after the incident that he heard on the radio that the Police and the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) were investigating the matter.
Mrs Margaret Ivy Amoakohene, Lecturer of the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Legon and a social commentator, was the next witness to give evidence.
Led in evidence by Mr Anthony Gyambiby, Principal State Attorney, Mrs Amoakohene said on 19 March, this year she received a telephone call from Mr
Baako and that she asked him about the latest information in town. Mr Baako, according to her, replied that the latest news in town was about them so the two should meet at a place to discuss the issue.
During the meeting, Mr Baako gave her an open letter, addressed to both of them, warning the two to desist from attacking the Ex-President verbally. When she enquired, who the author was, Mr Baako mentioned Mr Smith's name. Mrs Amoakohene said she did not take the matter lightly and, therefore, made a report at the Police Headquarters in Accra and handed over a copy of the threatening letter to them for investigations, because her life was in danger.
She said she also sought the assistance of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) since her life was in danger. During the sitting, Mr Gyambiby drew the attention of the court to a publication in 'The Daily Guide' about an alleged missing of the Victor Smith docket He said the publication had caused an embarrassment to them and prayed the tribunal to caution journalists on how to report court proceedings.
The Principal State Attorney explained that, at the last adjourned date the docket was in the Court Registrar's Office, but at the time of going to court that day, the registrar was not around. Subsequently, the tribunal chaired by Mr Imoru Ziblim asked journalists to be circumspect in their reportage. Smith has pleaded not guilty to issuing a threat of death and is on a 50 million cedis bail.
Earlier, the tribunal was told that on March 18, the accused and Mr Abrampah Mensah, Interim President of the Action Forum, which is affiliated to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), wrote a correspondence to be handed over to Mr Baako Junior and Mrs Amoakohene that they would not sit down unconcerned over their criticisms of the former President.
The Prosecution said the accused also warned that if the two did not stop their criticisms after receiving the letters, members of the Action Forum would be given pick-up vehicles to track and crash them. The accused also said should these steps to silence the two fail, they would devise other means to kill them.
Mr Mensah, who is a witness in the case, was alarmed and revealed the plot to a friend and handed over the letter to him. This friend in turn gave it to Mr Baako Junior, who informed Mrs Amoakohene. Accused admitted being the author of the threatening letter on his arrest, the Police said. The case was adjourned to 10 August.
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Tamale (Northern Region) 20 July 2002- The European Union (EU) committed 8.7 billion cedis last year to undertake 126 projects in the Northern Region under the first phase of its micro projects programme. In the Tamale municipality, 12 of such projects were successfully completed under the first phase. Mr Issa Ketekewu, Deputy Northern Regional Minister, said this at the commissioning of EU micro-project at Lamashegu, a surburb of Tamale on Wednesday.
The Deputy Minister announced that Tamale would soon be declared officially as a Metropolis. He said to attain the status of a Metropolis the current municipal assembly should embark on innovative revenue generation ventures to sustain its request for the status of a metropolis.
Mr. Ketekewu deplored the low performance of the East Mamprusi District in the implementation of projects by the EU, adding that this sends wrong signals to donor-funded agencies. He said under the government's Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy, special emphasis was being placed on the Northern, Upper East and West Regions to reduce poverty in the three regions.
Dr Osafo Marfo the EU officer in-charge of micro-projects said about 118 billion cedis has been spent by the EU to undertake projects throughout the country. About 630 of such projects are mostly devoted to improving educational infrastructure.
He appealed to chiefs and elders in the communities to take care of the structures built for them and also ensure that their children, especially the girl-child is sent to school.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 20 July 2002- Twenty-seven out of 100 DAF buses for the government's mass transportation programme would be delivered in September, Mr Helmut Clever, Managing Director, Neoplan Ghana Limited has announced. The remaining buses with the capacity for 61 passengers each would be completed by the end of March 2003.
Mr Clever was speaking when Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport, visited the plant in Kumasi to find out progress of work. He told the Deputy Minister that the first consignment of materials for the buses had arrived at the harbour with the other on the high seas.
Mr Clever said building the coaches on DAF chassis in the country had dual advantage of transferring technology and creating jobs. He commended the government for awarding the contract to the company and for not interfering since the start of work. The Managing Director said the company, which employed between 190 and 200 people could increase the number substantially in the future.
Mr E.P. Lockemann, Director and International Liaison Officer of the company, said building the buses in Ghana would allow for their adoption to suit local conditions to avoid frequent breakdowns and were about 65 percent more robust than those produced in Germany. According to him the decision to bring down the chassis for the coaches to be built in Kumasi was to keep the company going.
Mr Agyeman-Manu said the programme for the mass transportation system was on course and expressed the hope that Neoplan would deliver the buses on schedule. The Deputy Minister inspected the plant, some of the completed buses and others ones at different stages of construction.
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Ashaiman (Greater Accra) 20 July 2002- The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has started re-organising its women's wing to make it more vibrant to support the party's cause. Ms Frances Asiam, National Women's Organiser, who disclosed this at a forum organised by the party for the Ashaiman constituency on Thursday, said the new women's wing would have branches and wards to assist in the mobilisation of women into the party.
She said the inauguration of the women's wing would soon come off at the branch, ward, Constituency, regional and national levels. Ms Asiam stated: "The women's wing of the party has been dormant and too docile for my liking" and urged executives who would be elected to ensure that they got all women involved adding "What we need now is absolute unity to build a formidable party to move the nation forward.”
She criticised the disbursement of the poverty alleviation fund by the present Chief Executives who, she claimed, give the loans to only members of the ruling party, and advised the women to continue to fight for that loan to do their businesses. "This is public money and those who qualify should not be discriminated against on political grounds," she noted.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 20 July 2002- The National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus in Parliament on Friday criticised the government for spending more than five months filling vacancies in the courts for litigation instead of facilitating rural development.
A statement signed by Mr Aseidu-Nketiah, MP for Wenchi West, said the government had not appointed a Common Fund Administrator to disburse the money to promote rural development but was blaming Parliament for the delay in releasing the fund.
It was in reaction to a news item on Radio Ghana attributed to the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, that
Parliament's inability to approve the 2002 formula for distribution had delayed the release of the fund. It said the pronouncement was a calculated attempt by the government to shift blame for its shortcomings to innocent people in state institutions.
"We wish to state that whilst it is true that Parliament refused to approve of the formula for the distribution of the fund upon a submission of Hon. Asiedu Nketiah and Hon. Doe Adjaho, NDC MPs for Wenchi-West and Avenor respectively, Parliament cannot be blamed for the inability of the government to release monies for the fund," he pointed out.
The NDC MPs said disbursement of the Common Fund had been approved under the budget and the Ministry of Finance did not need further authorisation from Parliament before releases were made from the consolidated fund to the central common Fund account.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 20 July 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Saturday called for concerted efforts from religious bodies, parents and school authorities to find lasting solutions to the problems of drug abuse, alcoholism, rape and teenage pregnancies, which are gradually but persistently spreading in schools.
"If we fail to find lasting solutions to them, many of our boarding institutions will no longer be able to provide safe and suitable environment for learning," the noted. These were contained in a speech read for him by Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Education, at the Golden Jubilee Anniversary and Speech and Prize-giving Day of Opoku Ware School in Kumasi.
President Kufuor said no effort should be spared and no price should be too high to pay in finding solutions to the endemic problems because "our children, the future leaders of this country, are at risk".
The President also warned that all the investment being made by society, individuals, communities and parents would not yield the expected results if Ghanaians failed to wake up to the menace posed by the deadly HIV/AIDS pandemic. He said in the education sector, in particular, government recognised that a determined effort was needed to protect the most important resources that the nation has - the youth.
"Additionally, our teachers and pupils need to be provided with adequate information to lead responsible lives that will not expose them to HIV/AIDS," he pointed out. President Kufuor said all efforts of government, collaborated by the churches, donor agencies, Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) and other stakeholders would come to nothing if students do not appreciate these efforts and work hard to justify the heavy investments being made in the education sector.
He, therefore, urged all schooling youth to work hard and apply themselves seriously to their studies so that they would acquire the necessary knowledge and skills that would enable them to live a meaningful and productive life.
President Kufuor told the students that it was only through hard work, sweat of their brows and the "burning of the mid-night oil" that they could hope to succeed in life. Adding "You need to be reminded that good academic work has a direct relationship with discipline and that only a disciplined mind can study. You should therefore attend classes punctually and regularly, keep to school rules and work harder."
He said there could never be an improved academic work in an undisciplined school, pointing out that poor academic work was invariably therefore a result of indiscipline and that it was the duty of school authorities to ensure good discipline in the school.
President Kufuor announced that the government's policy of upgrading one senior secondary school in each district would commence in earnest in August this year. "We plan to ensure that these schools become centres of educational excellence with facilities comparable to the best anywhere in the world," he disclosed.
President Kufuor paid glowing tribute to the early Catholic missionaries in the country for establishing educational institutions all over the country, including Opoku Ware School, noting that, "One very unique mark of the Catholic education is the training of the child to be disciplined and academically upright. It is, therefore, no wonder that the church's educational institutions have turned up a lot of students who have found themselves in all spheres of life."
Professor Kwame Sarpong, Chairman of the Board of Governors, recounted the difficulties the pioneers of the school went through and said the past students
(Akatakyie) of the school had become what they were through the sterling qualities of their training and development of Opoku Ware.
He, therefore, charged the Old Boys on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee to make a commitment to give back to Opoku Ware School, Asanteman and Ghana what they took from them.
Mr James Berko, Headmaster, said from a humble beginning of 70 students, three masters and one building, the school now has 1,434 students with 68 masters, a satisfactory infrastructure and teaching and learning materials.
He said since the inception of the senior secondary school system, the school has always recorded above 95 per cent passes at the Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSSCE), and disclosed that Opoku Ware became the second school in the country to annex the science and mathematics quiz trophy twice, winning it in 1999 and this year.
Mr Berko, however, appealed to the government to provide the school with an overhead water tank and complete the assembly hall complex started about 30 years ago and renovate the master's bungalows.
The Most Reverend Peter Kwasi Sarpong, Catholic Archbishop of Kumasi, who chaired the function, traced the history of the school and said the original name given the school was Yaa Asantewaa School.
He said, however, that when King Prempeh II heard of it, he called the Catholic missionaries and asked them why they had named a boys' school after a woman and that if they did not have a name he would give them one. He then asked them to name it after Opoku Ware.
Archbishop Sarpong told the students that one could not call oneself educated if he ignored religious discipline, adding that once religious discipline had been grasped, it could lead one into academia, sports and politics.
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Twifo Praso (Central Region) 20 July 2002- Equipment and several bags of palm fruits worth about 200 million cedis were destroyed when a privately owned oil palm processing mill at Twifu -Praso was razed to the ground during a fire-outbreak during the early hours of Thursday.
Mr Thomas Adjei Boafo, Twifo-Heman-Lower-Denkyira District Co-ordinator of NADMO, who made this known to newsmen, said several barrels of palm oil, were also spilled.
According to him, the cause of the fire, was still not known and that the police were investigating. He appealed to the government, relief agencies and NGO's to come to the aid of Mr Afram Damptey, the proprietor of the mill.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 20 July 2002- The Electoral Commission (EC) has cancelled the nomination of Mr David Oduro as candidate for the Tarkwa-Maakro Electoral Area in Kumasi in the forthcoming district assembly elections for infringing the electoral law. The candidate was said to have thumb-printed a column against his name on the notice of polls given to him by the EC to be posted in the area.
In a statement signed by Mr K. Sarfo-Kantanka, Deputy Chairman in charge of Operations, and issued in Kumasi on Saturday, the EC said Mr Oduro's action was in contravention of Section 38 of the Representation of the People Law of 1992, (PNDC Law 284).
It said the commission took a serious view of the conduct of Mr Oduro and accordingly cancelled his nomination as candidate for the Tarkwa-Maakro
Electoral Area.
The statement, however, said the EC's decision was without any prejudice to any action that might be taken by the police after their investigations. This brings to two the number of candidates whose nominations have been cancelled by the EC in a week.
The first was Mr Edward Gyimah, candidate for the Kwabenakwa Electoral Area in the Adansi West District, whose nomination was cancelled for alleged display of a New Patriotic Party certificate of honour to the electorate during a platform mounting exercise carried by the EC to introduce the candidates to the electorate.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 20 July 2002- Nana Kofi Nyanzu-Hayford, a 30 year-old Technicianfrom Enchi in the Western Region, on Thursday appealed to the Ministry of Private Sector Development, organisations and individuals for assistance to enable him to complete a Mobile Home he had built from scraps.
Speaking to the GNA during a demonstration ride, in Accra Mr Nyanzu-Hayford said that he started building the "home on wheels" about five years ago and appealed for sponsorship to enable him to improve upon his talent.
The Technician said he purchased an old pick-up frame and chassis from the Kumasi Magazine and used facilities at a friend's workshop at Tema, to fix the parts of the vehicle, some of which he fabricated.
Mr Nyanzu-Hayford said that he built the coach also from scraps and other materials readily available on the market, including galvanised aluminium roofing sheets and wood.
After constructing the coach, which contains a sleeping cabin with room for a double bed, a living room and a lounge, he fixed the suspensions and installed an overhauled used engine. There are space for a kitchenette and a bath yet to be constructed. Mr Nyanzu-Hayford said he completed Middle School even though not academically inclined but could imitate toys and other machines by just watching them at an early age.
He described his talent as "a gift from God. I only need somebody to sponsor me for training to polish it to contribute to the development of Ghana". The Mobile Home could be converted into a clinic, cinema van and shop on wheels with the installation of specialised equipment and for tourism and camping among other activities.
Mr Nyanzu-Hayford said he offered his Mobile Home for campaigning during the 2000 elections to expose him and his talent for assistance, which he had not got.
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Oyibi (Greater Accra) 20 July 2002- Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, Chief of Staff, Office of the President, on Saturday noted that the political and economic climate across
Africa was increasingly recognising freedom of religion and allowing for the growth of Christianity. But the real challenge, he said, was how to manifest the power of God through full surrender to the Holy Spirit.
Mr Mpiani said these when closing the five-day International Ministerial Bible Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA), held at the Valley View University of the SDA at Oyibi, near Accra.
The Conference, the first of its kind in the sub-region for the SDA, brought together 500 pastors from Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Gabon,
Ghana and Burkina Faso.
It was aimed at unifying the church in the sub-region and to sensitise the pastors to be of use to their various communities, particularly in areas such as the education on HIV/AIDS, community development, immorality among the youth and dealing with other social issues. The conference was under the theme "Becoming a Minister of Power and Productivity."
Mr Mpiani said Christianity around Africa was progressing as a result of flourishing young democracies, quoting from Franklin D. Roosevelt, a past American President who said: "Where freedom of religion has been attacked, the attack has come from sources opposed to democracy."
"Where the spirit of democracy has been overthrown, the spirit of free worship has disappeared. And where religion and democracy have vanished, good faith and reason in international affairs have given way to strident ambition and brute force," he stated.
He said the conference theme suggested that the SDA recognised that the political climate over the continent was conducive for church growth, power and productivity in the clergy's life, adding "There is no gainsaying the appropriateness of your theme: For, what use is a Minister who is neither powerful nor productive."
The theme, he said, had addressed the challenge of quality Christian life and that of increasing numbers of adherents. The Chief of Staff however noted that one very disturbing phenomenon was the news of citizens who professed to be men and women of God, indulging in all sorts of immoral behaviour that needed mentioning among the flock of God.
According to him the true measure of a man or woman of God is not what he does or says on his holy day but what he does all week long, adding that if a man or woman claims to be of God but his deeds diametrically oppose what he or she professes, the church has a problem and that problem is even bigger if that person is a Minister of the word of God.
He said the challenge was for the Minister of God to be an illustration of the word of God for both believers and non-believers. Mr Mpiani commended the SDA for the work it had done to complement government efforts at providing health, education and various forms of assistance to communities across the country.
The SDA has several educational institutions starting from basic and secondary schools to tertiary institutions and a number of medical centres among others.
Pastor Andrews Awoo, Ministerial Secretary of the SDA in Africa said the conference was to bring the ministers together to improve their intellectual and spiritual capabilities for them to improve the standard of living of those in their communities through education and other social activities. He expressed the belief that the strength of a pastor dictated the strength of the community in which he or she lived.
Pastor Awoo said the SDA plans to improve the social lives of Ghanaians through the opening of more schools and medical centres. The SDA presented a cheque of 10 million cedis to the Ghana Heart Foundation of the Cardio-thoracic Centre of the Korle-Bu teaching hospital at the ceremony.
Pastor Peter Mensah, President of the SDA churches in Ghana said the donation was to support the work at the centre. Doctor Lawrence Sereboe, a Cardio-thoracic surgeon of the centre expressed his gratitude to the SDA for the donation, saying, "It would make somebody with a bad heart live longer."
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