President Kufuor in Malaysia on State visit
Mr President, look at our Chieftaincy problem
There is enough money for poverty reduction
Strategy- Nduom
President Kufuor in Malaysia on State
visit.
From Patrick A. Firempong,
Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) 30 July 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday arrived in Kualur Lumpur, Malaysia on a three-day state visit. Accompanied by his wife, Theresah, President Kufuor was met on arrival by Mr Dato Seri Law Hieng Ding, Minister of Science, Technology and Environment and had a brief discussion at the VIP lounge.
A government official told the GNA that the visit in addition to strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, President Kufuor was leading a high-powered delegation from the private sector to study the exploits of Malaysia that had made it an economic giant in the Far East.
This was butressed by the delegation which includes, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Foriegn Affairs, Mr Felix Owusu Agyepong, Minister of Comunications and Technology and Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Private Sector Development.
The rest are Nana Otuo Serebour II, Juabenhene, Member of the Council of State and an Industrialist, Mr Ishmeal Yamson, Chairman of UNILEVER, Dr Charles Mensah, Resident Director of VALCO and Mrs Elizabeth Villars, President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI).
During the visit, President Kufuor would visit the Malaysian Parliament, hold discussions with the Prime Minister of Malaysia, and his Majesty the Yang di-Pertian Agong of Malaysia. After the state visit, President Kufuor would participate in the Sixth Langkawi International Dialogue which begins on August 1to 3 in Malaysia.
The dialogue is aimed at promoting Smart Partnership Practice among governments, business financiers, the workforce, media and other interest groups for accelerating economic growth and maintenance of economic stability.
Ghana joined the Smart Partnership Community in 1997 when it participated in the South Africa International Dialogue hosted by Botswana. President Kufuor speaking to newsmen on arrival said, the visit was to learn much about how fast Malaysia which had independence with Ghana in the same year had developed so much and continued to develop.
He said the country was blessed with a visionary leadership which had moved the country forward, adding "We hope to go away with an insight into the way they had directed the vision of their leaders, the technique and wisdom of Malaysians."
On the Dialogue meeting, President Kufuor said since Ghana joined the partnership, it had not felt the impact based on fairness, equality and fair-play in the mainstream of globalisation.
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Mrs Kufuor to represent West African First
Ladies
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002- Mrs Theresa Kufuor, Ghana's First Lady was last week elected Vice Chairperson of the West African Chapter of the Organisation of African First Ladies Against AIDs (OAFLAA) at a conference held in Geneva, Switzerland. She has, therefore, become a member of a five-member committee of first ladies at the forefront in the fight against HIV/AIDS on the continent.
A release issued in Accra said the five member steering committee was expected to convene its first meeting within next month to devise communication and awareness strategies to combat the disease as well as consider and take action on the terms of reference and other issues relating to their office.
Other members of the committee included the First Ladies of Gabon, Malawi, Rwanda and Mauritania. The release said a message that captured the spirit of the just ended conference in Geneva, Mrs Kufuor said, "the continent would survive, if everybody could work together and if Africa could truly unite against the common enemy".
The Geneva conference under the auspices of International AIDS Trust and UNAIDS, followed previous meetings held in Yaounde, Bamako, Kigali and the United Nations Special Session on Children in May this year, which called on the African First Ladies to join their forces in combating the ever increasing spread of AIDS on the continent.
Eighteen First ladies, two women Vice-Presidents, eight Ministers of State responsible for Women's Affairs and Social Welfare and several other representatives of First Ladies of Africa and their governments attended the meeting. The Five-member interim executive committee with office accommodation in the African Union premises in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is expected to work for one year.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 30 July 2002- A Kumasi High Court has quashed by an order of certiorari, the destoolment of Nana Antwi Boasiako, Adaesinahene by Nana Kwame Owusu-Agyemang, Antoahene.
The court said the purported destoolment of Adaesinahene by Nana Owusu-Agyemang and his privies without recourse to the procedures mandated by the Chieftaincy Act was done without jurisdiction as being contrary to the provisions of Act 370 and Legislative Instrument (LI) 798.
The court presided by Justice Francis Kusi-Appiah said the Antoahene's conduct was offensive to section 15 of Act 370 and LI 798 and its proceedings whether oral or written and whether they culminated in any decision or not, were in like manner void.
"I hold that the purported destoolment of the applicant was itself also void and the same is brought up for the purpose of being quashed by an order of certiorari", the Judge said and awarded one million cedis cost against the Antoahene.
The court observed that the Antoahene should have laid a charge against the applicant before an appropriate traditional council, which in turn, would have appointed a judicial committee to go into the matter.
"This, he failed to do and instead assumed the said jurisdiction," the Judge noted. The applicant in his statement of claim sought a relief to a writ of certiorari to remove the oral proceedings and order of Antoahene made at his palace at Antoa, culminating in proclamation of his destoolment.
In an affidavit supporting his claim, Nana Antwi Boasiako said he was enstooled as Adaesinahene in 1988 and swore the oath of allegiance to his traditional overlord, the Antoahene.
He said according to tradition, he permitted Mr Anthony Kwaku Poku to swear the oath of affirmation and allegiance to him as chief of Krobo a few years ago with the intention of leading him to swear to Antoahene as soon as one was installed since the stool was then vacant.
He explained that according to tradition, the Krobo stool, belonging to a Krobo town, was a twin with Adaesina and, therefore, swears oath of allegiance and affirmation to the Adaesina stool before being taken to Antoa and to the Golden Stool in Kumasi.
Nana Antwi Boasiako said six months later after he had sworn in Mr Poku as chief of Krobo, Nana Owusu-Agyemang was enstooled, the latter invited him but he could not convince him of the case. He said on 13 February 2001, he was summoned by Antoahene to his palace and ordered his attendants to assault him and told them to remove his sandals to signify his destoolment.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002- An Accra Fast Track Court (FTC) trying four persons for their alleged involvement in bribery and corruption in connection with the divestiture of the Ghana Rubber Estate Limited (GREL) on Monday adjourned proceedings to Wednesday, 16 October.
This became necessary after Mr Osafo Sampong, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) informed the court that the Second Prosecution Witness (PW2) in the case could not be reached to enable him to come and continue with his cross-examination by counsel.
When the DPP told the court that he wanted to substitute PW2 with a third prosecution witness, the suggestion was strongly opposed by counsel for the accused persons. The four accused persons are Hanny Sherry Ayittey, Director of Finance and Projects of the 31st December Women's Movement, Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former Chief Executive of the Divestiture Implementation Committee, Ralph Casely-Hayford, a businessman and Satirieh Dorcas Ocran, a housewife.
The four allegedly assisted Societe Industrielle Plantation Hevea (SIPH), a French company, to win the bid for GREL's divestiture. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charge, and each of them is on a self-recognisance bail.
The second prosecution witness, who was to continue with his cross-examination by Mr Johnny Quarshie-Idun, counsel for Ayittey, was the former Managing Director of GREL, Mr Etienne Marie Arthur-Popeler.
Mr Quarshie-Idun strongly objected to the statement made by the DPP and stated that since his colleagues had also not cross-examined Mr Arthur-Popeler, substituting him with another, would naturally put the prosecution at an advantage in order to offset the line of cross-examination.
Counsel for the other accused persons, associated themselves with the objection raised by their colleague and prayed the court not to entertain the DPP's suggestion, since by so doing, the court might be faced with a situation where two prosecution witnesses may be under cross examination simultaneously. Mr J. E. Senoo is counsel for Agbodo, while Mr Heward Mills and Mr Osei Agyemang Bempah are defending Casely-Hayford and Ocran, respectively.
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Ho (Volta Region) 30 July 2002- Former President Jerry John Rawlings on Monday called on kingmakers of the Asogli Traditional Area to go by the advice of President John Agyekum Kufuor to select an "equally noble successor" to the late Togbe Afede Asor 11, Agbogbemefia of the area.
He reminded them of the predicament that befell their counterparts in Anlo over the selection of a successor to the late Togbi Adeladza, the Awumefia of Anlo. The Former President gave the advice when he called at the palace at Ho to express his sympathy to the chiefs and people of the area.
He drew the chiefs' attention to the divisive nature of party politics and urged them to maintain their unity, irrespective of their individual political inclinations. Former President Rawlings urged the chiefs to willingly advise any political figure who might seek such advice from them.
Former President Rawlings reminded the chiefs of the sacred nature of the chieftaincy institution, which represents the truth, and soul of the people. He said the late Togbe Asor has left a legacy of truth and nobility and protected by the chiefs.
Former President Rawlings presented two crates each of beer and minerals and two bottles of schnapps to the chiefs. Togbe Adzie Lakle Howusu X11, Awafiaga of Asogli and Chairman of the funeral committee, thanked the Ex-President and his delegation for their show of sympathy.
A crowd of people thronged the premises of the Palace on hearing of the arrival of the Former President. Their deafening cheers and shouts of appellations punctuated his brief address. Ex-President Rawlings was accompanied by some members of the Volta Region Parliamentary caucus and party officials.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002- A group of citizens of the Twifo Traditional Area, in the Central Region, have appealed to President John Agyekum Kufuor to set up a committee to investigate the area's protracted chieftaincy wrangling to spare the nation another chieftaincy related bloodshed.
"We have not known peace since the demise of the our Omanhene in 1995. There are enough warning signals of a serious armed conflict which may be unprecedented in Southern Ghana."
Mr Joseph Festus Aidoo, spokesman and former youth leader of the area, told the GNA on Monday. He said; "our problem is not who becomes the next recognised chief but how the ordinary man could be spared the looming danger to life and property".
He said almost every family in the area was being drawn into the wrangling and "unfortunately, people are politicising it. When the former Chief was alive, he stood above party politics and now we are being drawn into this dangerous territory."
Mr Aidoo showed the GNA a letter written and signed by twenty chiefs of the area to the President indicating their desire to install a new chief by 31 August. He warned that if government did not intervene to calm nerves and investigate circumstances surrounding the whole chieftaincy issue, "unpalatable tales would dominate our folklore."
He said the Police in the area might not be capable to contain any serious security problem. Mr Aidoo appealed to Ghanaians to pray for the people of the area adding that " we are gradually getting to the edge."
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Student girl, 24, defrauds three persons of
11 million cedis
Teme (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002- Emelia Kwapong Afari, a 24 year-old student of Genius Computer school at Tema Manhean who posed as a daughter of Dr Kwadwo Afari Gyan, the Electoral Commissioner and defrauded three persons of a total of eleven million cedis, 100 dollars and wax prints on Monday appeared before the Tema Circuit Tribunal.
Emelia, a native of Adukrom Akwapim, told two of her victims that she needed the money to clear goods, imported into the country by her parents at Tema harbour. She told a third victim that she needed the money to clear off evil spirits that were tormenting her.
She pleaded not guilty to defrauding Mr Michael Ablorh Tetteh, businessman of 5.4 million cedis, and 100 US dollars, Mr Vincent Narh, electrician, two million cedis while madam Rose Tei, trader, parted with 3.6 million cedis and four and half pieces of wax prints. Emelia who came to court with a bandage on her right arm, claiming she was in pains, was refused bail and remanded in custody to re-appear on August nine.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Edith Nutakor told the tribunal chaired by Mr Ringo Cass Azumah that in May 2001, Emelia got to know Mr Tetteh through the wife when she (Emelia) was attending a clinic where she (Mr Tetteh's wife) worked as a nurse.
Emelia then approached the couple in their house at Tema Community two that her parents had travelled outside the country and since she was lonely she needed a companion so pleaded to stay with them.
Chief Inspector Nutakor said the couple agreed to her request because of the numerous telephones calls they received from her accomplices who posed as her parents. Whilst staying with the couple, she told them that her parents had shipped some goods to her and succeeded in collecting 5.4 milion cedis and 100 dollars from Mr Tetteh to clear the goods from the Tema harbour.
She collected two million cedis from Mr Narh, a co-tenant, with the same story. Emelia again was able to convince Madam Rose Tei, a friend, to give her 3.6 million cedis, four and half pieces of wax prints and other items to enable her be cleansed of evil spirit that was tormenting her.
The prosecutor said later, Mr Tetteh became suspicious of Emelia's conduct and upon investigations found out that her claims were fraudulent. Realising the suspicion of her hosts, Emelia went into hiding until she was arrested on 25 February this year when Mr. Tetteh spotted her.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002-A total of 1,831 criminal acts were perpetuated against women and children during the first half of this year, Women and Juvenile Unit of the Police Service said on Monday.
Out of the figure, 679 were spousal assault, 262, defilement and 376 sexual assaults. Superintendent Esther Appiah, Commanding Officer of the unit made this known at the opening of a two-day workshop for training officers, who handle victims of domestic violence in Accra.
About 20 participants drawn from the Southern sector of the Police Administration are taking part in the programme. Superintendent Appiah said that domestic violence was on the increase and against this backdrop the workshop would help streamline the activities of officers handling such cases in their districts, divisions and regions.
She said: " The training will enable us deliver better services to our communities, especially to complainants and victims, who come to us at our various Police stations with their complaints."
The WAJU boss said more sensitisation programmes aimed at building capacity and ability of officers handling domestic violence cases throughout the country would be organised before the end of the year.
Mr Ernest Owusu-Poku, outgoing Inspector General of Police, whose speech was read on his behalf, said domestic violence was becoming a cancer in the society and called for more efforts to eradicate it.
"The Ghana Police Service and WAJU have declared their preparedness to lead the fight against it and we are ready to pull other institutions along through fruitful interactions such as this workshop in order to provide the basis for a more informed policy."
Mr Owusu-Poku called on the officers to develop an effective work ethics especially in handling cases of domestic violence, adding:" The reputation of the Police depends greatly on how efficiently and considerately the officer carries out his or her interviews in the course of investigations into any reported offence.
He called on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other related bodies to work jointly to help eliminate all forms of domestic violence from the society. Mr Owusu-Poku, urged the trainers not only to update their skills but impart their knowledge to their colleagues to improve their services as well.
He commended the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for the sponsorship and National Population Council for co-ordinating the workshop. Ms Mercy Osei Konadu, Programme Officer of UNFPA, expressed concern about the increasing rate of domestic violence and said all must work hard to check it.
Mrs Joana Forson of the Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre, who chaired the function, said gender violence was becoming part of everyday life and, therefore, the trend must be halted. She mentioned human trafficking as one such violation that must be dealt with.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002- An Accra High Court trying Charles Ebo Quansah, an alleged serial killer, will give its judgement on Wednesday August 7. This was announced by Mrs Agnes Dordzie, the Presiding Judge, on Monday after the Prosecution, led by Mr Anthony Gyambiby, Principal State Attorney and Defence Counsel, Mr Joseph Amui addressed the court to close their cases.
Quansah, 34, is charged with the murdering Akua Serwah in 1996, while in Kumasi, where he allegedly strangled her after a drinking spree at a bar near the Kumasi Sports Stadium. In his address, Mr Amui urged on the jury that his client was being used as a scapegoat and that if the jury were not careful it would arrive at a wrong verdict, after certifying that the Prosecution's evidence was doubtful.
He denied the charge of murder preferred against Quansah, saying; "apart from the confession statement, there was no other evidence that you have heard, to enable you to convict the accused person."
"I am inviting you (jury) to accept what the accused person said in the box, for if it were not so, he would not have told you," adding, " on that day you would be expected to return with a verdict of not guilty." He submitted that Serwah was not Quanah's girlfriend. He did not know her and, therefore, had no cause to kill her.
Mr Amui said: "There is a doubt in connection with the death of Serwah," and that she might have died as a result of overdose of chloroquine, which was injected into her stomach, as indicated by the Ghana Standard Board's specialist. He noted that Prosecution had not established the guilt of the accused person.
Mr Amui expressed regret that "though we were all sorry about the way women were killed in the country, but the jury must not substitute that action with the innocent accused person".
Quoting extensively, Section 46 of the Criminal Code 1960 Act 29, as an authority to buttress his submission, he stated that the Prosecution ought to have based its argument on what evidence it heard in the court, but not what was heard in town.
He said that all the evidence given by witnesses in the case collaborated and gave instances where a Prosecution Witness, Mr Salifu Busanga, a watchman did not say anything against the accused person. Another Prosecution Witness, Mr Kwame Amoah, who said the deceased was his sister, did not know Quansah and also nothing in his evidence incriminated the accused person.
Counsel stated further that Adwoa Abora, who was the sister of the deceased, said she was told of the death of her sister and that she did not know the accused person, while Philip Kobina, Serwah's boyfriend said on that night, the deceased went to his bar with her female friend.
The Fifth Prosecution Witness, Mr Kwadwo Fordjour, according to Mr Amui, said that he was in charge of the case since 1996, but he did not know that the accused person killed Serwah, until he was told.
Mr Amui referred to Quansah's statement and said he gave up, because he was well beaten that he had to say "yes" to anything that his interrogators asked him. He said when his client was arrested, he denied the charge preferred against him, "until he was given police treatment," (beaten well by the Police)
He reminded the jury that a mention was made of personnel from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and that the jury should have had the opportunity of listening to them, about how they conducted their investigations, saying that the Prosecution failed to call them to give evidence.
Counsel said the Police had a long list of dead people, but because the accused person was afraid of further brutality, he confessed at that point, but when he came to the court he spoke the truth that he did not kill them.
Mr Amui said that in Quansah's statement he alleged that if he ate a cat, he gained extra powers that made him to kill his victims. Mr Amui asked: "Is this probable or possible?" When Mr Gyambiby took his turn to address the court, he said: "Whoever commits murder, shall be liable to suffer death."
He stated that he was satisfied that at the close of the case, the Prosecution had been able to establish that Akua Serwah is dead and that she died as a result of harm. Mr Gymbiby said the harm that caused the death of Serwah was unlawful. He said the Prosecution had led evidence to show that the accused person killed Serwah and that it was Serwah who died.
Mr Gyambiby stated that the evidence of Serwah's death was not in dispute, because all the Prosecution Witnesses identified her as the deceased. He said the accused made a confession statement that he strangled Serwah to death by twisting her neck, because the deceased stole her money but she denied.
The Prosecution asked the jury to rely on that statement to convict the accused person, since there was no evidence to rely on. "Once the confession is direct and positive and satisfactorily proved, then it is sufficient to grant conviction of the accused person," he said.
The DPP said a mini trial was held and all adducible evidence proved that the accused person made voluntary statement, which the trial Judge was satisfied with. Mr Gyambiby, therefore, invited the jury to return a unanimous decision of guilty. He urged on the jury that though there was no mark of violence, when someone is strangled, one may not see violence mark since that could be internal, as a result some of the bones in the neck may be broken.
He said Defence Counsel blamed the Prosecution for not sending the medical doctor to give evidence, but Prosecution had earlier explained why it could not send him to testify in the case. Mr Gyambiby noted that during the trial the accused person did not put up any defence, but told lies to the court.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002- Mohammed Ziblim, a leader of the "Issakaba", a gang at Nima who allegedly led a group of men to invade the house of an estate developer and vandalised his development site and property at Adjinganor, near East Legon has been remanded in Police custody by the Madina Community Tribunal on Monday.
Ziblim alias "Black Coffee," who had eluded the Police for a long time was arrested last Friday when he knocked down a pedestrian with a motorbike at Alajo in Accra. He and six accomplices have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and causing unlawful damage before the tribunal chaired Mrs Ivy Heward-Mills.
Adjei Narh, Adjei Osaban, Moses Adjei alias Manager, Osaban Odonkor, Adjei Boye and Lennox Addo have been granted five million cedis bail with a surety each to reappear on 5 August.
They are to report to the Police at Legon every Monday morning. In his plea for bail, Mr Faustel Cofie prayed the tribunal to grant his client bail since keeping the accused persons in custody would not in any way help Police in their investigations. He said there were genuine documents covering the said disputed land and at the right time they would tell the tribunal their side of the story.
Earlier, Prosecuting Chief Inspector Elizabeth Arthur said on 20 July at about 1210 hours Madam Laina Opoku-Darko came to the Legon Police Station to report that a group of about 40 men armed with cutlasses, AK 47 rifles, shotguns and sticks invaded her husband, Mr Charles Darko's house.
The Prosecutions said workers of Mr Darko, who is an estate developer, were attacked and the armed men vandalised a wall, one water tank and deflated the four tyres of a Nissan Pick up, damaged 30 bags of cement and then set ablaze a wooden structure. The Prosecution said seven out of the 40 people were subsequently arrested. Thirty-three other accomplices are on the run.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002- Peter Delali Abusah, a student of Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) was on Monday put before a circuit tribunal in Accra for allegedly defrauding 27 students of the Central University College, Dansoman, Accra of 17 million cedis under the pretext of securing them with European visas. Abusah, who pleaded not guilty to defrauding, was granted bail in the sum of 20 million cedis with a surety to be justified, to re-appear on 20 August.
Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Benedicta Akolgo told the tribunal chaired by Mr Imoru Ziblim that in May the accused went to the campus of the university at Dansoman in Accra and introduced himself to the students as a travelling agent, who could assist them to travel abroad.
The Prosecutor said the complainant, Mr Vincent Adzika, who is also a student of the university, expressed interest and acted as the leader of the group. Mr Adzika later collected Ghanaian passports and various sums of money, totalling 17 million cedis from the 27 students, including himself and handed them over to Abusah for the processing of the documents.
Chief Inspector Akolgo said after collecting the money and the passports, the accused failed to produce the documents and went into hiding. She said a report was made to the Police and the accused was arrested. During interrogation, Abusah admitted having received the passports and money from the complainant.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002-The Madina Community Tribunal on Monday sentenced Kwabena Agyapong, a store keeper to two years imprisonment with hard labour for presenting a briefcase filled with two dozens of sachet water as 50,000 dollars to a businessman for the purchase of 50 gold bars.
Agyapong, who pretended to be a pilot was supposed to hand over the 50,000 dollars to Mr. Kwabena Twum, a businessman for a fee of 2,000 dollars. Luck however, run out of Agyapong, when he decided to open the briefcase containing the money to verify the content. He pleaded guilty for attempted fraud.
Prosecuting Chief Inspector Margaret Awuni told the tribunal, chaired by Mrs. Ivy Heward- Mills that, the complainant, Mr. Kwabena Twum and the convict, both reside at Darkuman in Accra.
On 9 July, this year, Mr. Twum received a telephone call from an unknown person, who introduced himself as Nana Kofi, speaking from London. According to Mr. Twum, during their conversation, Nana Kofi, informed him that there was a white man who wanted to buy 50 bars of gold at the cost of 50,000 dollars and as such he would like him (Mr Twum) to assist him.
On 19 July, this year, the said Nana Kofi rang again and said that the white man would be sending the 50,000 dollars through a pilot at a spot near the Kotoka International Airport taxi rank.
At 9:30 AM, the same day, while Mr. Twum was waiting at the spot, Agyapong arrived and introduced himself as the pilot, who had been directed to send a parcel to him but would collect 2,000 dollars as his share. Agyapong went to a nearby spot and brought a brief case sealed with cellotape and wrapped it in a black polythene bag.
Agyapong, after handing over the parcel, warned Mr. Twum not to open it but he
(Mr Twum) insisted on opening it.
Prosecution said Agyapong sensing danger, took to his heels. Mr Antwi raised an alarm and the accused was arrested. When the bag was opened, two dozens of pure water had been concealed in the briefcase.
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Dalun (Northern Region) 30 July 2002- The Ghanaian Danish Communities Association (GDCA), a Danish sponsored NGO had spent 280 million cedis on education and health projects in the Tolon-Kumbungu and Savelugu/Nanton districts of the Northern Region last year.
The projects included the provision of classroom blocks, furniture, clinics and potable water for nine communities in the two districts. Dr. Abubakr Al-Hassan, Chairman of the GDCA announced this at the annual general meeting of the association at Dalun on Sunday.
He said 500 million cedis was also disbursed to women groups, local committee members and farmers in the Savelugu/Nanton and Tolon-Kumbungu districts during the period.
For this year, he said, 364 million cedis has been approved for disbursement to women groups in the two districts. Dr Al-Hassan commended the district assemblies for their commitment to cost sharing by making the five per cent contributions to all projects provided at the communities.
The GDCA Chairman announced that 120 million cedis has been given to the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) to purchase a transmitter to boost Radio Savanna reception at the eastern corridors of the region.
He said GDCA intends to contribute more than 200 million cedis to support GBC on the project. The Royal Danish Embassy and other development partners in Denmark would provide the money.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002- The Minority in Parliament on Monday accused the government of spinning of a smear campaign against vociferous members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mr John Tia, Deputy Minority Whip In Parliament, in a statement said it was: "increasingly becoming clear that some highly placed government officials are orchestrating a smear campaign of some sort against Minority NDC Members of Parliament".
He said "at the beginning of July this year, sections of the private media reported a scheme targeted at a so-called Bad Boys Company (BBC) among NDC members of Parliament".
Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah, MP Wenchi West, was the first victim of the "Operation-Gag-the-Critic" when he was trumped up with charges of impropriety in the award of contracts in his Techiman North Constituency.
He claimed that unfolding events exonerated Mr Asiedu-Nketia. He said attempts were also made to smear the Minority Leader, Mr Alban Bagbin by raking his past at the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GHAPOHA), where once served as a Board Member.
Mr Tia said when no wrongdoing was found, an investigator was despatched to Nadowli North Constituency of the Upper West Region "to shop for some incriminating evidence that could be used against the Minority Leader."
He said that attempt did not yield much yet the "pro-government Accra Daily Mail" splashed a story with a huge banner headline: 'Bagbin's Ethics' in the 29July edition of the paper. Mr Tia said; "the Minority is aware that there are similar smear schemes in the offing for other vocal Minority MPs such as Abraham Kofi Asante, Moses Asaga, John Mahama and Doe Adjajo."
Mr Tia said the Minority would continue to carry out its role as faithful watchdogs of the people to carry out its constitutional duties and would not be deterred by any conspiracy to smear the reputation of its members.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002- Twenty-five of the 100 high occupancy buses ordered by the government to improve the public transport system are to be ready by September, Vice President Aliu Mahama said on Monday.
The government, he said, had nearly completed the process for ordering 150 more of the buses, which would be allocated to a restructured OSA Company and private road transport operators.
Opening a West African Sub-Regional workshop on: "Transportation Infrastructure And Service Development", Vice President Mahama reiterated the government's commitment to revamp the transport sector to support socio-economic activities and reduce poverty.
He said it was in line with this objective that it sought the assistance of the United States' Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to organise the workshop for transport experts, operators, policy makers, engineers and civil society representatives from the Sub-Region.
The participants would be assisted by experts from the United States to develop strategies and the requisite policy framework that would ensure effective operations of public transportation by easing congestion, improving environmental air quality and promoting the safety of commuters.
Vice President Mahama noted that the services provided by private sector at present were irregular, unreliable and generally of poor quality, saying; "the use of very low capacity vehicles create urban congestion, pollution and frequent breakdowns resulting in loss of man-hours and low productivity".
To address these problems, the Vice President said, the FTA was mobilising American investors to form partnerships with Ghanaian entrepreneurs to manage transit systems on mainly a Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.
"The BOT concept fall in line with the government's Golden Age of Business, which supports government commitment to partnership with the private sector to deliver modern and effective public services," he said.
"The Public-Private Partnership would enable the private sector to benefit from commercial dynamism, efficiency, experiences, skills and capital by the private sector. Vice President Mahama said the rail sector would also be overhauled to augment road transport, adding that the Accra-Tema Rail Line was to be rehabilitated to shuttle commuters, who live along the Eastern Corridor.
He said the government of the United Kingdom recently assisted the Ministry of Roads and Transport to run a training programme on improving vehicle operations, while the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) was revising the syllabi for training drivers and driver-instructors.
The Vice President underscored the need to invest in public transport, saying a reduction of 10 per cent in transport cost was associated with 25 per cent increase in trade and commerce. In Accra, 77 per cent of motorised person trips are undertaken through shared taxis and low capacity mini buses, which constituted the main motorised travel system in Ghana.
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Yendi (Northern Region) 30 July 2002- The Yendi District Assembly has so far recovered 120 million cedis out of the 387 million cedis from beneficiaries of the Poverty Alleviation Fund.
Mr Mohammad Habibu Tijani, Yendi District Chief Executive, made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Yendi on Monday. He asked defaulters of the fund to pay back their loans on time to enable others to benefit.
They should also honour their tax obligations to enable the assembly to generate more money for development projects. He said the assembly had been spending millions of cedis to sponsor students in tertiary institutions and, therefore, asked the people to pay their taxes promptly to enable the assembly to support more students.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 July 2002- The Federal Transport Administration (FTA) of the United States of America is assisting Ghana to open an institute to train public officials in management, operations and maintenance of public transportation systems.
Madam Elizabeth Raspolic, Charge' de Affaires at the U. S. Embassy, said the training institute would be similar to the US National Transit Institute at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Ms Raspolic announced this at the opening of a three-day West Africa Sub-Regional workshop for transport experts, policy maker and engineers.
Participants from transport organisations, including the US Department of Transportation, the Raleigh-Durham Transit Authority and the National Transit
Institute are also attending the workshop jointly organised by the Ministry of Roads and Transport and the FTA.
The workshop aims to assist in building knowledge concerning the effective operation of public transportation to ease congestion, improve environmental air quality and safety of the public transportation system.
Opened by Vice President Aliu Mahama, it would provide information regarding the planning, designing, implementation and training in order to improve the living standards in Ghana and other West African countries.
Madam Raspolic said the FTA was also working in collaboration with institutions of higher education such as Boston University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US to develop courses that would meet the needs of transportation officials in developing countries.
She said the FTA was providing information and support for courses in other countries, such as the course on sustainable transportation to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa next month.
She recalled a visit from the Federal Highway Administration to Accra last year to explore the opening of a technology transfer centre in West Africa and expressed the hope that agreements to that effect would be finalised this year. Madam Raspolic expressed the readiness of the United States government to assist in facilitating trade and technology transfer to Ghana and other West African countries.
Roads and Transport Minister Dr Richard Anane underscored the importance of road transportation in the movement of goods and people in the sub region, but noted that the system was chaotic, characterised by congestion in the city centres and poor quality service from private sector operators.
There is also high incidence of road accidents and poor environmental standards. Dr Anane said these negative characteristics of transportation in the Sub-Region were the result of difficulty in accessing funding by transport operators, the use of low capacity vehicles for mass transportation and lack of maintenance culture which lead to frequent breakdowns and delays.
He said government was prioritising transport infrastructure and services to make it more effective and reliable and reduce the social and economic dislocations within the urban transport system.
He said these would require strategies that would facilitate the evolution of pragmatic policies and urged the participants to thoroughly consider these in their deliberations to achieve the objectives in the transport sector.
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Takoradi (Western Region) 30 July 2002- Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister for Economic Planning and Regional Co-operation, on Monday said there was enough money for the efficient implementation of all programmes envisaged under the poverty reduction strategy.
He, however, mentioned that the major set back of the ministry was how to get the government to work fast for the utilisation of funds earmarked for specific projects. Dr Nduom, who is also the Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, was speaking at a regional consultation seminar on the National vision for the Western Region at Takoradi.
It was organised by the Commission in collaboration with the Regional Co-ordinating Council under the theme, "From poverty reduction to wealth creation-building a consensus on national vision and programme of action."
Representatives of labour unions, religious bodies, political parties, non-governmental organisations, the business community, women's groups and chiefs and District Chief Executives, who attended the seminar, which was part of a nationwide consultation exercise shared ideas on fashioning a new vision for the country.
Dr. Nduom said similar forums would be organised in some foreign countries to enable Ghanaians living there to contribute to the realisation of the objectives of the programme. He said, the delay in the implementation of some policies and programmes could not be attributed to the lack of funds and cited inadequate technical expertise and the lack of enthusiasm of the people as the major problems.
"We must therefore, get the government to work and work fast and ensure that monies are utilised and utilised properly." The Minister said Ghanaians should consider the programme to reduce poverty as a call for action to change their present economic situation.
Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, said the aim of the seminar was to give the people the opportunity to contribute to national development through a consensus on national vision and programme of action.
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