GRi Newsreel 18 – 06 – 2002

Gwinnett County (USA) - 18 June 2002 - A Gwinnett County woman who impressed bankers with her plans to feed malnourished people in Ghana is headed to prison for enriching herself in a fraud scheme.

Juliet Cotton, 38, of Duluth was convicted Monday by a federal jury in Atlanta of 35 counts of bank fraud, money laundering and making false statements. Cotton had obtained more than $18 million in loans for her rice project in Ghana, but embezzled $9.5 million for herself, prosecutors said.

Cotton spent the money on a $1.1 million home at the gated St. Ives Country Club, luxury cars, an extravagant wedding and other amenities, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Langway. Cotton's case created a stir in the West African nation and led to corruption indictments of government ministers.

Cotton, a Mississippi native whose relatives were rice farmers, sold lenders on her plans for a 20,000-acre plantation that would help Ghana feed its people and save millions spent annually on rice imports.

Instead, Langway said, only a few hundred acres were seeded. "There was never one grain of rice that was produced over there that was sold," the prosecutor said. "This is a case about greed, avarice and arrogance." Cotton, who testified, denied any fraudulent activity.

In 1996, Cotton became president of Quality Grain Co. Ghana Ltd., which obtained millions of dollars in loans from SouthTrust Bank to finance the rice field operation. But witnesses testified that Cotton created fraudulent invoices to SouthTrust and diverted millions of dollars to herself.

On 08 August 1997 for example, Cotton walked into a SouthTrust branch and withdrew $200,000 in cash. Cotton then drove to Phipps Plaza. where she spent $65,000 at Tiffany's on jewelry, including $46,000 on a diamond wedding ring, Langway said.

A day later, Cotton gave $10,000 in cash to the leader of a 50-piece band that played at her wedding. Two days later, she handed over $30,000 in cash to a travel agent to pay for a Caribbean honeymoon and plane tickets for wedding guests. Cotton also used $500,000 in loan proceeds to buy a Rolls-Royce, a Bentley, a Jaguar and two Mercedes, Langway said. On another occasion, he said, Cotton withdrew $200,000 in cash from a SouthTrust branch in Forest Park, loaded it into a duffel bag, took it to the airport and hopped on an international flight.

After the verdict, Langway served court papers on Cotton, demanding she forfeit the $7.5 million in illicit proceeds. But Cotton has no money, said her lawyer, Public Defender Kevin Brehm. U.S. District Judge Charles Pannell Jr. said he would consider Langway's request at Cotton's sentencing 29 August. Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Asantehene Arrives in the Netherelands

Amsterdam (Holland) 18 June 2002 - Otumfour Osei Tutu II, Asantehene arrived this morning at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in The Netherlands for a week long official visit.

He was met on arrival by Her Excellency Ghana’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Dr. Mrs. Grace Amponsah-Ababio, officials of the Embassy, Mr. Van der Geer, Director of Sub-Sahara Africa of the Dutch Ministry of foreign affairs, Mr. Arend Huitzing, Project Director of the Ghana Netherlands 300 years activities & Mr. Kojo Yankah, (former Ashanti Regional Minister) Otumfour was accompanied by his wife Lady Julia, Nana Hiahene, Dr. Donkor Forjuor and other dignitaries from the Manhyia palace.

Otumfour’s visit forms part of the activities marking the 300-years diplomatic relations between Ghana and The Netherlands. The Dutch part of the tercentenary activities will officially be closed during this visit. He was later welcomed traditionally by a representative of the Ghanaian community in Amsterdam at his hotel.

During his visit, Otumfour will meet Her Majesty, Queen Beatrice of The Netherlands; engage in business & development activities with both governmental & non-governmental institutions. He will also visit the Royal Tropical Museum where an impressive Manhyia Palace has been built amidst performances by the National Dance Company of Ghana.

On Saturday 22nd of June Otumfour will meet Ghanaians during a Grand Durbar in Amsterdam. Ghanaians all over Europe are expected to arrive during this week to participate in this historic visit. Sankofa Television, a Ghanaian television based in Amsterdam has officially been requested to cover activities during the visit. - Sankofa TV Amsterdam

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Ghanaians have lost confidence in gov't -NDC

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June 2002 - NDC deputy General Secretary, Baba Jamal has dismissed the performance of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after barely two years in office as total failure. According to him, majority of the country’s population has lost confidence in the Kufuor administration for series of blunders the government has committed so far.

“Having won the election so overwhelmingly, I thought our party would be buried for ever, however, the NPP’s performance has given us a lifeline,” Jamal was quoted in the Public Agenda as having said. Among what he considers as blunders is “deliberately collapsing the transitional team set to handle the handing over.”

Jamal said the NPP betrayed the trust over the cars NDC officials were given and especially over the end-of-service-benefits (ESBs) and succeeded in creating a bad-blood between the two parties.

According to him, since the NPP were in opposition for a long time, they needed to learn a few tricks from their more experienced NDC ministers. “At the moment, the NPP is suffering from inexperience, he asserted.

The government continues to commit blunders with the indiscriminate arrest and harassment of NDC members and functionaries, Jamal said. He accused the ruling party of deliberately refusing to invite NDC officials to public functions. According to him, NDC has sent proposals asking the two parties to meet and deliberate on national issues, unfortunately NPP had not responded. “There should be at least a monthly meeting between us,” Jamal suggested.

He claimed that if there were abuses during the NDC era, the young members of the party should not be faulted. The NDC deputy secretary revealed that he cut his political teeth while in student movement and led series of demonstration against NDC government bad education policies term “mmobrowa.”

He admitted however that the NDC made a lot of mistakes including human right abuses, while in office which the NPP while in opposition capitalized on and campaigned against them. To him, the government of the NPP has not lived up to expectation. He said the NDC has learnt its lessons and would do things differently if voted back into power.

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Ghana loses out at ECOWAS Parliament

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June 2002 - Chronicle reports say Ghana has lost out heavily in the distribution of key positions in the sub-regional grouping, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), including the ECOWAS Parliament.

At the second session of the sub-regional Parliament, which ended on Saturday, “Chronicle learnt that virtually all positions had been given out to national of other countries because of the clumsiness of the Ghanaian authorities and the failure of the Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament to act timeously, despite promptings from the ECOWAS Parliament.”

The position of Clerk of Parliament, described here as Secretary General, should have gone to Ghana, according to the reports, but it eventually went to neighbouring Nigeria, after an extended debacle over nomination.

The Speaker of the House, Honourable member of the Malian Parliament and several years Speaker of that country’s Parliament, was reticent about speaking to the issue last Friday when interviewed about the subject.

He had written to his opposite number of Ghana’s Parliament asking about nomination for that position and received a list of names, including that of Ghana’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Pobee Orleans, Dr. Niyi Alabi of Choice FM and Mr. Rex Owusu-Ansah, former Clerk of Ghana’s Parliament, the Chronicle reports say.

“I was the one who successfully tabled the motion to zone the office of Secretary General to Ghana,” noted Hon. Heirat, a very articulate and outspoken member of the ECOWAS Parliament and runner-up in the Gambian presidential elections.

“The fact of Ghana’s entitlement to that position is not in doubt here as the leader of the Ghanaian ECOWAS MPs here, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Kofi Asante, leader of the House Committee on Energy, confirmed that in joint interviews with the Chronicle.”

While Hon. Asante was blunt about the apportionment of blame, Hon. Osei Bonsu opted to be more diplomatic. “Chronicle independently gathered that the Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, wrote first to confirm the government’s support for Mr. Rex Owusu-Ansah and later wrote to withdraw the support for him after he had retired from position as Clerk of Ghana’s Parliament.”

“Hon. Osei Bonsu tried to explain that the reason was that Rex had hit the age of sixty, but he was quickly shut down by Hon. Asante who argued that, it was not a question of age because, there were officers who were over sixty from the countries working at the Secretariat. It was gathered that the Speaker of the ECOWAS

Assembly preferred Rex whom he had met over the years at numerous international conferences, and was impressed with his experience which is still badly needed here since that kind of experience is in short supply here.”

Ghana’s Speaker of Parliament, Peter Ala Adjetey worsened matters by not, sending any more names, even after he was written to by the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament that letters from the Executive cannot be recognised.

The final letter gave a deadline to Mr. Ala Adjetey asking him to send a name or names of his preferred candidate or risk losing that slot completely. His latter was widely circulated and the assembly (ECOWAS) was informed on the floor.

It had absolutely nothing to do with the position of Hon. Ibn Chambas as ECOWAS Executive Secretary being threatened. Mali, which was given the first refusal, did not take it up because they were gunning for an international West African Health post based in Abuja.

“Finally, the speaker had no option but to pluck a smart young lady lawyer with no record as parliamentary clerk and catapulted her to the position. The job comes with free accommodation, all the perks that go for an international job and a minimum of $6,000.00 a year. After more than 18 years’ experience, Rex was taking home to his Filipino wife less than $400.00 a month, less than 10 per cent.”

Mr. Adjetey himself who was anxious for some sort of role in the ECOWAS position was disqualified, simply because he, unlike others from other countries, is not an elected Member of Parliament. The assembly holds quarterly business meetings and actually sits twice a year.

Other countries have absorbed the two slots of deputy clerk (parliamentary deputies), Gambia and Nigeria. Nigeria also holds the position of Treasurer of the ECOWAS Parliament on grounds that they contribute the most. The meddlesome and costly politicization and interference provoked some heat in the last sitting of the ECOWAS Parliament.

According to the report, Hon. Asante, an NDC MP who is also a member of the ECOWAS Parliament “sank his teeth condemning the very practice that informed the formation of the ECOWAS Parliament – insulating parliamentarians from Executive influence and control.

Hear him, “Mr. Speaker, a letter has been written by the Executive arm of the government of Ghana to the ECOWAS parliament withdrawing the nominations made by the Parliament of Ghana for the ECOWAS parliament. This was done without reference to the Ghanaian Parliament that made the nominations.

Mr. Speaker, are we going to be subservient to the ever-changing government of the sub-region? The ECOWAS parliament can never fulfill its obligation, if it is treated as an arm of the executive. It is to guarantee the independence of this parliament that the protocol provided that members of government shall not be members of the ECOWAS parliament.

I therefore, call on this House to condemn the unnecessary executive interference in the administration of this Parliament.”

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Techiman mourns sacred fishes

Techiman (Brong Ahafo) 18 June 2002- The Techiman Traditional Council has declared a state of mourning following the killing of more than 300 sacred fishes in the Tweredaa stream that flows into the Tano river. An unidentified person on Thursday allegedly killed the species, which were preserved since the founding of the Bono-Techiman state.

Osabarima Dotobibi Takyia-Ameyaw 11, Omanhene of the Traditional Area, who announced this at a press conference in Techiman at the weekend, said some of the fishes have been sent to the laboratory for examination to ascertain the cause of death.

He advised the people not to use water from river Tano and Atwereda stream until the death of the fishes was established. The Omanhene said the preservation of the fishes was aimed at protecting useful plant, fish and animal species in the area to ensure the perennial flow of streams and rivers.

Nana Takyia-Ameyaw, said, " Common sense and scientific analysis have shown that the protection of the eco-system promote good bio-diversity and fishes in the river Tano and other water bodies in the area are no exception." Osabarima Takyia-Ameyaw expressed regret that residents from other ethnic groups ignored the cultural beliefs of the Techiman state.

He warned the people against poaching the sacred fishes and said offenders would be dealt with according to the customary laws and those regulating wildlife. The traditional council has with immediate effect banned the washing of containers, vehicles and bathing in the two water bodies, the Omanhene said. Osabarima Dotobibi added that a task force had been set up to monitor and demolish all unauthorised structures along the Atweradaa stream and Tano river.

He appealed to the government to expand the bridges over the Tano river on the Techiman-Sunyani, Techiman-Kintampo and Techiman-Wenchi roads for the smooth flow of the river. Nana Baffour Asare Twi-Brempong, Adontihene of the Traditional Area and chairman of Techiman tourism centre said a committee had been set up to check farming at the Tano river basin.

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Evangelist remanded for fraud

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June 2002 - Esther Boham, a 50-year-old evangelist, who defrauded a trader of 12 million cedis under the pretext of selling two plots of land to her at Kasoa in the Central Region, was on Monday remanded by a circuit tribunal in Accra. Boham pleaded not guilty to defrauding Ms Sarah Ashong, the trader, by false pretences and will be re-arraigned on 24 June.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Emmanuel Boison, told the tribunal chaired by Mr Imoru Ziblim that the accused preached at the Agbogbloshie market, where Ms Ashong also sold her wares. For about two years, Boham had been paying occasional visits to the market and during one of such calls she discussed her intention to sell two plots of land located at Kasoa with Ms Ashong, the tribunal was told.

Ms Ashong expressed interest in the land and accompanied Boham to Kasoa to inspect it. The prosecution said after a bargain Boham agreed to sell the two plots for 12 million cedis, which Ms Ashong readily paid. After Boham had collected the money, she took the complainant to the site and measured one plot instead of the two they had agreed on and later gave her an additional plot at a different location.

According to the prosecution, Boham refused to produce documents on the plots, with an excuse that she was no longer interested in selling them and promised to refund the money. When efforts to retrieve the money failed, a report was made to the police and Boham was arrested. She admitted the offence during interrogation and promised to refund the money but failed to do so, the prosecution added.

GRi.../

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Education Service worried as more teachers take study leave

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June 2002 - Mr John Budu Smith, Acting Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) on Monday said the GES could no longer cope with financial support for teachers on study leave, as the situation was alarming and expensive. "While training colleges turn out between 7,000 and 10,000 teachers each year, the study leave scheme as it operates presently, caters for over 10,000 beneficiaries yearly."

Mr Budu Smith said this when he opened a two-day workshop at Ajumako in the Central Region for Regional Directors of Education; on the determination of the "quota system" for the granting of study leave with pay to teachers to pursue further studies.

He said in recent years, the number of personnel who left for courses had become so alarming that the service could no longer cope with the situation, adding that nowhere in the world were so many people released each year from just one organisation to go on courses. The directors will also look at the personnel requirements for the various regions and subject areas.

Mr Budu Smith said this was an initiative of the GES to reduce wastage and expenditure on personnel emolument, so that savings could be made to increase the non-salary allocation needed to help improve teaching and learning.

Salaries alone, he said took 90 per cent of the education budget, while 10 per cent went into teaching and learning aids, infrastructure and the training of teachers, adding that this had made the development partners and stakeholders to become anxious about the level of expenditure.

Mr Budu Smith announced that the system would take off in the 2002/2003 academic year, saying "The service is literally standing still, as the input of trained teachers into the system is far below the number that leave each year on study leave."

The quota system, he said would help control the unprecedented number of personnel that leave the classrooms for further studies and "ensure that we have enough teachers to take care of the children."

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Sub-regional intervention to solve desertification - Vice-President

Savelugu (Northern Region) 18 June 2002 - Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama has said that the government is to explore joint intervention programmes with her neighbours in the sub-region to solve the problem of drought and desertification.

Alhaji Mahama explained that the initiative, which comes under the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD), is important for the countries of the sub-region to collaborate to fight desertification since the problem transcends national boundaries.

The Vice-President announced this in a speech read for him by the Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Mr Issah Ketekewu to mark the celebration of this years "World Day To Combat Desertification And Drought", at Savelugu in the Savelugu/Nanton District on Monday.

The celebration was on the theme: "Save Our Land From Wild Fires". Vice-President Mahama said the theme for the occasion was very appropriate considering the serious impact of wildfires on the rate of deforestation.

Alhaji Mahama called for the reformation of land management in the country to save large tracts of land from wild fires and land degradation. He said community participation in environmental management, a strategy highlighted by the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS), should be given consideration by the communities.

He asked the district assemblies to take keen interest in the government's programme of re-afforestation and engage in sustainable re-afforestation and woodlots cultivation. The Vice President urged the media to pursue a vigorous and sustained environmental campaign, especially on issues such as land management, sanitation and the impact of unplanned development on flooding.

Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Environment and Science said a National Desertification Fund has been establish by his ministry to help channel the mobilisation of resources for the implementation of the National Action Programmes (NAP) to combat desertification.

He said the ministry, in collaboration with the EPA undertook exhaustive consultation process in the regions, districts and at the national level with a draft NAP plan, which would be implemented after its adoption by Parliament. The minister appealed to traditional rulers and district assemblies to collaborate to enact bye-laws to guide against illegal mining, bush burning, sand winning and indiscriminate tree cutting for fuel wood.

Mr Jonathan Allotey, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said bushfires in Ghana cause an annual loss of two per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, adding that on the average, the country losses one billion cedi each year through such fire. These statistics, he said, clearly show that there is an urgent need to control bushfires in the country.

He said it is estimated that 35 per cent of the total land area of the country is prone to desertification, with the Upper East and Eastern part of the Northern Region facing the most hazard. Six out of the 10 regions have also serious problems of land degradation. The minister urged traditional rulers district assemblies and other identifiable groups to all play major roles in the fight, prevention and control of bushfires.

Mr A.A. Abubakari Atori, District Chief Executive of Savelugu/Nanton said his office has assigned an officer solely responsible for environmental issues as part of its efforts to combat environmental degradation. He appealed to the EPA to assist the assembly to provide some essential office equipment for the office.

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Kufuor commends chiefs for their efforts in national development

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday commended chiefs for their role in seeking investments and improvement in the socio-economic development of their areas.

He said their efforts were commendable because national development was not the sole responsibility of government but chiefs, opinion leaders and the entire citizenry in their various endeavours.

President Kufuor made the commendation when Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, Okyenhene officially informed government about his visit to the United States. The Okyehene left Accra Tuesday for a two-week visit to Washington D.C., New York and New Jersey for assistance to improve on eco-tourism, environment and HIV/AIDS in the country.

Osagyefo Ofori Panin said this was his first official visit outside the country since his enthronement about two years ago. He said the visit was to seek for investments and other assistance on issues including eco-tourism, environment and HIV/AIDS.

In another development, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene who leaves Accra on Monday night for Holland at the invitation of the Royal Netherlands government was expected to pay a courtesy call on President Kufuor in his residence before departure.

Last month, Osagyefo Oseadeayo Agyemang Badu II, Dormaahene who paid a similar visit to some European countries recently donated items worth about 110 million cedis to four institutions in the area from 423 million cedis being amount realised from fund-raising activities organised by Dormaa citizens in Europe for development.

The institutions were the Dormaa Traditional Council, Dormaa Secondary School, Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital and the Dormaa F.M. Station. The items included 100 pieces of water closets, with accessories, 100 bags of cement, 20 hand-washing basins, 14 urinal bowls, three lawn mowers and two tape recorders.

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Flood control projects to begin

Accra (Greater Accra) 2002-The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) and Sonitra, a construction firm, on Monday signed an agreement for the construction of a 10-million Euro flood control projects in the Accra Metropolis.

The projects, which come under the second phase of the Odaw drainage works, include the reconstruction of the Avenor bridge, reconstruction of 1.25 kilometres of the Odaw river channel from Avenor to Alajo and the reconstruction of the Alajo Bridge.

Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu Minister, MLGRD, and Mr Jean Claude Kalfa, Managing Director,Sonitra Ghana, signed. A 1.2-kilometre road would be rehabilitated at Avenor, while a bailey bridge at Alajo junction would be planted to facilitate traffic diversion during construction.

The French government is funding the project, which is to be completed within 18 months. Mr Baah-Wiredu appealed to engineers both local and foreign to help government arrive at a permanent solution of controlling flooding and harnessing such flows for useful activities.

He suggested the construction of well-engineered canals that could control water levels and facilitate intra-city transportation in Accra. The minister said it was an irony that floods destroy lives and property in certain parts of the country while others parts have no water.

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

China to finance portion of Accra-Kumasi road

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June 2002- China on Monday pledged 28 million dollars within the next three years 2002-2004 to finance portions of the Accra-Kumasi trunk road rehabilitation project. The visiting Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Yang Wenchang made the pledge when he paid a courtesy call on President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu.

Mr Wenchang, who is also in-charge of the Western Asian and African Affairs and Human Resources, is on a three-day working visit to Ghana. He said Ghana's debt of 100.8 million Yuan, an equivalent of 53.5 million dollars owed to China since 1961 has also been cancelled.

He said China's assistance to Ghana in the past had been in the fields of agriculture, public health and other social services and the visit marked a new impetus in the cordial relationship between the two countries.

Mr Wenchang said to improve on the balance of trade between them, Chinese businessmen would be encouraged to invest in the processing of most raw materials produced by Ghana for export and also contribute to the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

He commended President Kufuor for his role as Ghana's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs in 1971, when China wanted to secure a seat in the United Nations (UN). Mr Wenchang extended an invitation from Chinese President Jiang Zemin to President Kufuor to visit China.

President Kufuor said, the visit of Mr Wenchang marked a new beginning in the relationship between Ghana and China, which he said, had been long standing, mutually respectful and beneficial. He said the assistance by China to finance portions of the Accra-Kumasi road was a good gesture because the accidents on that road affect the country economically.

The President said China's support for NEPAD was laudable because China had huge markets with potentials for Africa, which was trying to evolve its small markets on the globe under the NEPAD initiative. He accepted the invitation to visit China.

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Minister on trade imbalance between Ghana and China

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June 2002- Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idriss, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister on Monday drew attention to the huge trade imbalance between Ghana and China and called for efforts from both countries to bridge the gap.

Speaking during bilateral talks with the visiting Chinese Vice Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Yang Wenchang, Alhaji Idriss said the trade imbalance, which was now tilted in favour of China, needed to be improved to make trade between the two countries mutually rewarding. Ghana last year imported goods worth about 140 million dollars from China while its exports amounted to 40 million dollars.

The two ministers discussed the political and economic situation in Ghana as well as events at both sub-regional and global levels. The Deputy Foreign Minister said the healthy support and co-operation that Ghana enjoyed from China over the years in agriculture, economic and social sectors were enough demonstration of the strong bond of friendship between the countries, adding that whatever decisions were taken in such forums were made to ensure the best interest of the people.

Alhaji Idriss touched on Ghana's efforts to maintain peace with its neighbours and asked for support, especially in peace keeping in the sub-region to enable the country to play her role effectively, maintaining that peace was a bed rock of development.

The Deputy Minister also spoke on sub-regional efforts among countries to adopt a common currency and expressed the hope that with China's assistance, Ghana would be able to meet the convergence criteria set out for the realisation of the single monetary zone.

Mr Wenchang said China cherished its traditional relationship with Ghana and would respect its sovereignty and keep away from interference in its domestic affairs. In this connection, he said, China's support would therefore, not be directed at any political party or government but to ensure only the interest of the people.

"Assistance to Ghana will not change with a new government in place," he said. Mr Wenchang called for a regular contact and consultation between the two countries to allow them to maintain their focus on international issues in the face of enormous dangers globalisation posed to developing countries.

He underscored China's commitment to write-off debts of about one billion dollars, which the 32 Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) owed it. Mr. Wenchang, who is on an official visit to Ghana had already sign an agreement to write-off a 53.5 million dollar debt.

GRi…/

Send your comments top viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Aliu calls for integrated action to manage water in Africa

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June 2002- Vice President Aliu Mahama on Monday called for the formation of strategic national partnerships in Africa to efficiently manage water resources to ensure its sustainable use for agricultural and domestic purposes.

Vice President Mahama, who was opening a two-day stakeholders' meeting of the Global Water Partnership (GWP) in Accra, therefore, urged governments, consumer groups, cultural institutions, domestic and private sector operators, civil society organisations, research institutions and others to work together towards this goal.

He noted that governments in Africa, including Ghana, lacked the requisite financial, managerial and technical capabilities to deal with the problems of water management on the continent that were caused by climatic change, pollution, inappropriate institutional arrangements and lack of finance.

"The choice of partnership and its leverage has become the imperative option for providing all water resources development, production and distribution of goods and services," he said. GWP, formed in 1996, is a network of professionals, institutions, civil society organisations and other groups, whose goal is to promote integrated water resources management in countries and regions.

Vice President Mahama cautioned that Africa's efforts at achieving significant socio-economic development would be hampered unless water resources, which are crucial in the development process, were efficiently harnessed and protected.

"Increasing access to water and sanitation to the entire population and a reduction in the incidence of water-related diseases, particularly for deprived communities is a concern that has to be pursued vigorously to ensure that each citizen's contribution to the overall socio-economic development of the country are not hampered by undue water and sanitation problems," he said.

Vice President Mahama advocated a new 'water culture' saying that it was the business of everybody to work towards easy access to safe water, while ensuring conservation practices and other stewardship to prevent misuse, overexploitation and pollution.

Experts say, there is a world water crisis, defined by insufficient access to safe drinking water for over one billion people and inadequate sanitation for half of the world's population. In Ghana, about 30 per cent of people in urban areas lacked access to safe drinking water, while 70 per cent of people in rural areas did not have potable water.

Consequently, the over 200 participants from all over the world at the Seventh GWP meeting, the first to be held outside its headquarters, Stockholm,

Sweden, would seek solutions to bring relief to the affected people.

Six African Ministers from Ghana, Lesotho, Zambia, Uganda, Benin and South Africa, who attended the meeting, participated in a "Dialogue on Effective Water Governance" as part of the meeting. "Water and Poverty", "Shared River Basins", "Capacity Building in Integrated Water Resources Management" and New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) are some of the issues to be discussed.

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

Dr Addo-Kufuor in Germany

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June 2002- Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister for Defence and Acting Interior Minister on Monday appealed to Germany to persuade the G8 to provide a Marshal plan that would help Africa overcome her difficulties.

The minister who is currently leading a Ghanaian delegation to Germany explained that under the plan, the continent and the people would be given the resources and technological know-how in quantities adequate to pull Africa out of her current difficult state.

A statement by the Ministry of Defence in Accra said the Minister was speaking at a symposium organised by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation on the topic," Policy and Democracy Development in West Africa" in Germany.

The statement said in a discussion with the German Minister for Defence, and Economic Co-operation and Development, the Minister said democracy in Ghana and Africa faced challenges including security, poverty corruption, governance and lack of confidence in the judicial system. "For Africa to overcome these and take its proper place in the global community, it needs the support, infusion of foreign direct investment and fair trade practices."

The statement said Dr. Kofi Apraku Minister of Trade and Industry, who gave an overview of the economic situation in Ghana drew the linkage between democracy, good governance and economic growth and expressed optimism about the future of the country as indicators pointed to a steady revival of the economy.

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top

US charge D'Affairs arrives in Ghana

Accra (Greater Accra) 18 June 2002- Mr Charles Twining, a US Ambassador begins a six-week tour of duty in Ghana from Monday as Charge D'Affairs ad Interim at the US Embassy.

A statement from the Public Affairs Section of the United States Embassy, said Ambassador Twining, who recently served in Washington as assistant secretary of state for Asia and the Pacific, entered the Foreign Service in 1964. Mr Twining had been the permanent Charge D'affairs in Cotonou, Benin, Consul General in Doula, Cameroon, and Deputy Chief of Mission in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The statement said his overseas tours of duty-included service in Madagascar, Vietnam, Cote D'Ivoire and Thailand while his several tours of duty have included service as country officer for Cote D'Ivoire, then-Upper Volta, and Niger as well as for Australia and New Zealand.

Following his assignment as director of the office of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia in 1988, Mr Twining re-opened the US mission in Cambodia in 1991 as chief of Mission and was subsequently appointed ambassador there in 1994.

He served as ambassador to Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea from 1996 to 1998 before becoming the foreign advisor to the Commander-in- Chief of the US Pacific Command in Honolulu and was posted to the US mission to the United Nations as the senior advisor.

Ambassador Twining earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia and his Master's degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, with specialisation in African studies. He also did specialised Southeast Asian studies at the Cornell University and is married with two kids.

GRi…/

Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com

Return to top