GRi Newsreel 25 – 06 - 2002

Accra (Greater Accra) 25 June 2002- The Minority in Parliament on Monday accused the government of arbitrary interference in the functions of independent national institutions leading to a sharp decline in the flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

"It will appear that a pattern of executive interference in independent and autonomous institutions is being established," said a statement in Accra signed by Mr Doe Adjaho, the Minority Chief Whip, and blamed president John Agyekum Kufuor for taking a central stage.

The statement cited recent pronouncement by President Kufuor that he intervened to reduce penalties imposed on Western Telecommunications Limited (WESTEL), a US company, for failure to achieve targets set in their operating licence.

It said the President's intervention was an unnecessary inference in the affairs of the National Communication Authority (NCA), which was the regulatory agency for the telecommunication sector. "The NCA has commenced the process of imposing the full penalty of about 71 million US Dollars and has held a hearing on the matter at which WESTEL presented its case.

"While the process is ongoing it will appear that the President has unilaterally negotiated a 50 million - dollar reduction of the penalty against the public interest." Mr Adjaho said at the recent National Economic Dialogue the President expressed the need for the reinstatement of the fast track court, which side stepped the authority of the Judiciary in deciding over such matters.

The Minority also recalled that after the Supreme Court's verdict against the fast track court last February the government spokesperson expressed surprise about the decision since resources had been made available for the establishment of more of such courts.

"The fact that neither the President nor the Chief Justice found anything wrong with such a discussion on a matter pending before the courts is a sad commentary on their low regard for the constitutional principles of the independence of the Judiciary," the statement said.

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Government spokesman on allegation of NDC Minority

Accra (Greater Accra) 25 June 2002 -Government on Monday said that the document circulated to the media by the Minority National Democratic Congress (NDC) group in Parliament allegedly indicting Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, for causing financial loss to the state to the tune of 150 million cedis was obnoxious and deceptive.

"This is the outcome of an obnoxious scheme meant to throw dust into the eyes of the Ghanaian public", says Mr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako a government spokesman.

Speaking an interview with the GNA to throw more light on the issue Mr Amponsah-Bediako said contrary to the NDC's statement that Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey was paid 150 million cedis, which was not accounted for, the amount was rather paid into the account of the Chief of Staff but not to Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey as a person.

He indicated that the report dated 8 May 2002, and signed by one Mabel Irene Krow for the Acting Auditor General was made known to the Auditor-General on 21 June 2002, but Mr Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader and the NDC had already been served earlier with copies. Mr Amponsah-Bediako said that it was the earlier report that was being used by the NDC for "the mischievous political antics".

He deplored the circumstances under which the report was prepared without any reference to the receipts and acknowledgement relating to how the money was spent adding, "the NDC is clearly in league with some agents within the Audit Service to come up with interim reports that could not clarify all relevant issue".

Mr Amponsah-Bediako said that auditing processes involved the raising of queries to ascertain whether money taken had been spent for the intended purpose. He explained that it was only after answers to the queries had been compiled that a final report was presented to the appropriate quarters, adding, "in this case, however, what was supposed to be an interim report had been circulated to the public as final report to create wrong impression".

He said attempts by the NDC caucus in Parliament to deceive the public would fail and the truth would soon be established. In a related issue the New Patriotic Youth League (NPYL) called for a probe into circumstances surrounding the Audit Special Project Account of the Ministry of Works and Housing.

A statement signed by Mr Eric Mensah, National Co-ordinator of the League, said the probe to be instituted should "investigate the motive of the audit team, its composition, release of the report and distribution."

The statement said "after thorough investigations into the matter the NPYL was certain about its conclusion that the so-called audit was more informed by politics than professional obligation and was a conspiracy between NDC Trojan horses in the Audit Service and their masters, to cause maximum embarrassment to the NPP government.

"We find it most amazing for instance, that a report signed for the Acting Auditor-General and dated 8th May 2002 could become known to the Acting Auditor-General himself on Friday 21 June 2002, six whole weeks after its issue and three days after the Minority NDC issued a press release based on the report".

The statement cautioned the government "against complacency in its dealing with fifth columnists and advise that while it pursues the policy of all-inclusiveness and transparency, it should exercise zero tolerance for public officials, who are out to either sabotage and embarrass government, as our investigation shows that the said report seeks to do". The statement urged the NDC to shut up when issues of corruption and morality, "real or perceived are being discussed".

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President Kufuor receives report on transformation of the OAU

Accra (Greater Accra) 25 June 2002 - General Dr Yakubu Gowon (rtd), former Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the Panel of Eminent Persons on the Transformation of the Organisation of the African Unity (OAU) into the African Union (AU), on Monday presented five copies of the panel's report to President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu.

The 13-member Panel was set up by the Secretary General of the OAU, Mr Amara Essy after the Lusaka OAU meeting last year, to advise on the planning and the establishment of the various bodies and their operations for the effective running of the new Union.

General Gowon said the reports were for President Kufuor to study and to be well informed so that he could give his support to the overall intentions of the Union, which comes into effect at the next OAU meeting scheduled for Durban, South Africa on 9 July.

President Kufuor said it was ideal for Africa to have such eminent people well versed in the socio-economic development of the continent to work on the report that would bring the new Union into fruition.

He said the entire world was anxious to see what developments the new Union could bring to the continent and the involvement of the eminent persons should convince all and sundry that the report submitted to the meeting would be the blue print for the effective and efficient operations of the new Union.

Other members of the Panel, which held their inaugural meeting from 3 May to 5 May at Addis Ababa are, Mr Babacar Ndiaye, Dr Mary Chinery-Hesse, Mr Abdoulie Janneh, Dr Esmat Abdel Meguid, Mr Benachenhou Abdellatif and Mr Henri Lopez.

The rest are, Mr Casimir Oye Mba, Dr Francis Deng, Professor Ali Mazrui, Madam Gertrude I. Mongella, Mr Ato Kifle Wodajo and Professor Adebayo Adedeji, Special High Level Adviser to the Panel and the OAU Secretary General, Mr Essy.

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Otumfuo tours Holland

Amsterdam (Holland) 25 June 2002 - Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has been hosted by a number of institutions and companies here in the Netherlands as part of his weeklong official visit.

At the City Hall of the City of Amsterdam, Mayor Job Cohen received Otumfuo and his delegation and together with his 12-member reception team that included aldermen, South-East District Council Members and University professors exchanged views on how best to co-operate in health, education and economic sectors.

"We have a lot to do to concretise these discussions, there is a lot we can do for our two nations" concluded Dr. Donkor Fordwuor, leader of the Economic team to Otumfuo.

At the Amsterdam Port Authority, Mr. Mark van der Horst, President of the Authority led a tour of the port area and hosted a luncheon at which a toast was proposed to the health of Asantehene.

Accompanied by his entourage, Otumfuo was later taken on a tour of the Heinekens Museum Brewery at which Board Member, Mr Lubsen Howe, Middle East and Africa director and Mr Van Mannesen, Managing director for West Africa held private discussions with him and discussed among other things Heinekens investment in Ghana.

On Friday 21 June, Otumfuo was received at the Jan Schoemaker Cocoa factory where "Abinkyi" cocoa from Ghana is processed. The Municipality of Almere that is a twin sister-city of Kumasi Municipal Authority had also hosted him.

Here, school children from Almere and a Ghanaian dance and drum group, the Adehyeman thrilled him and his delegation with immaculate Ghanaian drumming and dancing. After being welcomed by her Majesty the Queen's Commissioner of the Province of Flevoland and the Deputy Mayor of Almere. Asantehene's delegation was taken through an art exhibition mounted by Ghanaian artist Nana-Dankwa on the theme "Asante Adinkra in Calligraphy". Otumfuo congratulated Nana Dankwa for his "wonderful creativity".

Later, Dr Donkor Fordwuor and Dr Lovelace Prempeh held discussions on bilateral co-operation and business opportunities wit the Chamber of Commerce of the Province of Flevoland and the business association of Almere. Otumfuo was also the guest of honour at the Royal Tropical Museum Institute where the Ghana National Dance Company performed and where there were children's performances at a small replica of Manhyia Palace which has been constructed.

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Beckley seeks bail at Regional Tribunal

Accra (Greater Accra) 25 June 2002- The Adjabeng Community Tribunal on Monday adjourned to 8 July the case in which occultist Ram Beckley was charged for kidnapping, to await the outcome of a motion for bail he filed at the Regional Tribunal.

The Regional Tribunal is expected to hear the motion filed by defence on Tuesday, 25 June. On 15 April, this year, Beckley also a medical practitioner, was arraigned at the tribunal for assaulting and kidnapping a class three pupil.

He has pleaded not guilty. Mr Akwasi Bosompim, defence counsel, on 3 June pleaded with the tribunal chaired by Mrs Elizabeth Ankomah to grant his client bail. Mr Bosompim reminded the tribunal that his client had been remanded for more than a month while the Prosecution had been giving different reasons just to keep him in custody.

Counsel said under the criminal code, charges levelled against his client were not mandatory for which bail must be refused. "I am convinced that my client is innocent and the whole charge is a complete frame up," he said.

But the tribunal on 10 June rejected counsel's application and ruled that regarding the complexity of the case and the unusual nature of the exhibits, a month would not be enough to complete investigations.

Mrs Ankomah said forwarding of documents and dockets to the Attorney General's office for advice would take more than a month. She said the tribunal appreciated defence counsel's concern about his client's fundamental human rights and pointed out that protecting the fundamental human rights of the accused included ensuring his security.

Beckley was first arraigned on 15 April and has since been on remand. The facts as presented by the Prosecution are that on 12 April, Beckley, who was driving along the Gbawe-Mallam Road in Accra, saw a young girl selling vegetables.

The accused was said to have lured the girl to join him in his car to his house under the pretext of buying some of the vegetables. In Beckley's house, he tied the girl to a tree overnight without water and food, until her stepfather was informed and he raised the alarm.

Beckley was arrested on Saturday 13 April after Police received a complaint from a parent that her daughter was abducted by the accused on Friday evening. An angry mob set ablaze his residence and property running into millions of cedis at New Gbawe in Accra.

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Ghana to host an international conference on re-construction

Accra (Greater Accra) 25 June 2002- Ghana is to host an International Conference on Re-construction of Africa under the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) initiatives in Accra from 26 June to 29 June.

The conference under the theme: "The State of Africa: re-invention, re-thinking, re-construction and reconstitution," would focus on a new wave of governance with emphasis on re-invention and re-thinking of the continent's democratic and developmental processes.

Ms Afi Yakubu, Associate Director of Foundation for Security Development in Africa (FOSDA), told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra that a number of instruments were being established to create incentives for adherence to the principles of NEPAD, which included the upholding of democratic values and human rights.

She said "the mechanisms need to be established with the perspective of the past through the lessons of today to be focused on the continent's tomorrow." She noted that for almost four decades, African countries had gone through turbulent periods of constitutional and democratic discordance, which according to Ms Yakubu had manifested in various degrees of dictatorships, human rights violations and civil wars.

However, the past 10 years had ushered in a new wave of governance where there was a continuous call for re-packaging of Africa's developmental and democratic process.

Ms Yakubu explained that the world's technological development, new economic trend globally, especially in the advanced countries and the urge for good governance and multi-party democracy left Africa with no alternative than to adopt policies that would re-mould its focus.

She said the objective of the conference was to encourage the coming together of Africans and friends of Africa to deliberate on issues that were pertinent to the development of the continent. The FOSDA Associate Director said Ghana had been chosen to host the conference because of "signals good for democratic processes," which had served as beam of hope to Africa and the international community.

The conference would be attended by African Academics both on the continent and in the Diaspora, parliamentarians, government officials and members of civil society grouping.

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Ghana to build three prisons - Minister

Accra (Greater Accra) 25 June 2002- Three new prison centres would be built in three regions of Ghana to help de-congest the prisons as part of the government's prisons reform initiative, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence and responsible for the Interior said on Monday.

"We also want to promote investment into the prison sector and encourage the establishment of satellite prisons to cater for shorter sentences." Dr Addo Kufuor said this when Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed Jarma, Nigerian Controller-General of Prisons paid a courtesy call on him at his office in Accra.

He said the beneficiary regions were most likely to be the Northern, Brong-Ahafo and the Central Regions. Dr Addo-Kufuor said the government was pre-occupied with the decongestion of the prisons, the provision of workshops to adequately train the inmates and improving their access to health care.

He said since Ghana and Nigeria shared similar problems regarding prisons, there was the need for co-operation to overcome the problems. The Acting Interior Minister noted that even though Ghana's prison reforms were on a modest scale, government would continue to do more in that direction.

Alhaji Jarma said the Nigerian strategy was to open up the situation of the prisons to public scrutiny and that made the government and the public to see the need to improve the situation.

He said as a result the Nigerian government released 2.4 billion Naira out of which six new prisons and three full-fledged prisons' hospitals were established, adding that ambulances had been procured for the prisons and bedding and mattresses had been introduced.

Alhaji Jarma called for co-operation especially in the training of prison staff on the human rights of prison inmates. "We are already in league with some NGOs on education of wardens on how to deal with prisoners."

Alhaji Jarma said that at the moment Nigeria had 151 prisons and 79 satellite ones with about 45,000 inmates. Mr Richard Kuire, Director-General of Ghana Prisons, called for the harmonisation in the handling of prisoners between the two countries so that prisoners did not go back to crime when released.

He said meaningful changes could only be achieved if personnel were adequately trained to perform and stressed the need for an exchange programme for prison officers of Ghana and Nigeria.

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Christians should focus on evangelisation - Bishop

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 25 June 2002- The Right-Reverend Daniel Yinkah-Sarfo, Anglican Bishop of Kumasi, has urged Christians to focus on evangelism to convert more souls for Christ.

He said the church could grow and develop through evangelism and the leading of practical Christian life. Rev Yinkah-Sarfo said this during the dedication of a 30 million-cedi renovated chapel for Saint Christopher Garrison Anglican church in Kumasi on Sunday.

He said every church of God must have vision, mission and hope, adding; "the vision must be that of Christ translated into a missionary statement". The Bishop stressed that troubles in this world could never be compared to the treasures Christians were going to enjoy in heaven and, therefore, charged them to exhibit practical Christianity.

Brigadier George Ayiku, General Officer Commanding the Northern Command, said there was the need to remind Christians of what the church of God was all about and, therefore, called for unity, brotherly love and team work among the church members to be able to spread the gospel.

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Government is considering introducing sanitation courts

Kojokrom (Western Region) 25 June 2002-Government is seriously considering a suggestion for the establishment of sanitation courts throughout the country. Papa Owusu Ankomah, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and MP for Sekondi, made this known when addressing a rally the Kojokrom branch of the NPP at Kojokrom organised over the weekend.

He said the establishment of sanitation courts had become necessary in view of the attitude of some Ghanaians, who throw rubbish about indiscriminately. Mr Ankomah said filth is swallowing every part of the country and unless stringent measures are taken to check the practice the country would be hit by a serious epidemic.

He said sanitary overseers would undertake house-to-house inspection and those found not to be keeping their environment clean would be prosecuted. Papa Ankomah therefore, urged chiefs, assemblymen and organisations to mobilise their people to undertake clean-up exercises.

He said under the NPP government, most Ghanaians are enjoying "real freedom, more than under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government." He said many people are now expressing their views on issues freely without any fear of arrest and intimidation.

Papa Ankomah said the government has also been laying sound foundations for the country's economy and this has resulted in the reduction of inflation, interest rate, stabilisation of the cedi and even a reduction of school fees.

He assured Ghanaians that Ghana would soon see more positive results from the government's efforts. Papa Ankomah disclosed that the rehabilitation of the Inchaban-Sekondi road and other roads in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis would soon be put to tender for construction work to start by the end of the year.

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Doctor says TB is a major killer disease in Ghana

Takoradi (Western Region) 25 June 2002-Tuberculosis is claiming more lives in the country than other diseases including AIDS and kills about 20,000 people each year. Dr Mohammed Bin Ibrahim, Western Region Director of Health Services, who said this when launching the regional tuberculosis campaign in Takoradi on Monday, said about 40,000 cases were reported in the year 2000 in the country.

He said out of 1,700 tuberculosis cases in the region in 2000, 545 were recorded at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital. He said in that same year, the region recorded 41 deaths of which 27 occurred at the hospital, adding that the dead were from the productive age group of between 20 to 55 years.

Dr Ibrahim said tuberculosis infection is spreading in other parts of the world especially in sub-Sahara Africa where 80 percent of eight point four million cases worldwide were recorded. He said TB is closely related to poverty and understanding this connection is a powerful first step towards breaking the vicious cycle.

''Lack of basic health services, poor nutrition and inadequate living conditions all contribute to the spread of TB.'' Dr Ibrahim said a concerted effort of the health sector and agencies concerned with poverty reduction is needed to eradicate the disease.

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Parents appeal to GES to defer BECE exams in Yendi district

Yendi (Northern Region) 25 June 2002- Some parents in the Yendi district have appealed to the Ministry of Education to defer next month's re-writing of the annulled Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the district to allow students affected by the chieftaincy violence time to resettle.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Yendi, the parents believed that the Andani-Abudu chieftaincy rivalry that bubbled up last March had scared most students out of the area.

According to them, it was through the efforts of the Yendi District Assembly, the District Security Committee and the Ghana Education Service that final year students were able to write the BECE. The parents were reacting to reports by education authorities that many students were not attending the special revision classes.

Mr Alfred Abudu Sey, Assistant Director of Education in-charge of Finance and Administration, said some 257 students out of 798 JSS candidates expected to be re-writing the examination in the district had not reported for the classes.

Mr. Sey who toured some of the schools to find out how the students were coping with the classes observed that apart from the absenteeism, enthusiasm among students in class was low. He appealed to parents to persuade their wards to return to classes in order to prepare themselves for the examinations slated for July.

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Yendi District Assembly takes over rehabilitated facilities

Yendi (Northern Region) 25 June 2002- The Yendi District Assembly has undertaken projects at a cost of 399.3 million cedis this year. The projects are a transit quarters at the cost of 100 million cedis, a block of three classrooms costing 27.3 million cedis and a bungalow rehabilitated at a cost of 59 million cedis.

The rest are a clubhouse rehabilitated at a cost of 70 million cedis, an 18 million-cedi rehabilitated district co-ordinating director's guest house and a three 20-seater KVIP toilet at the cost of 60 million cedis.

Speaking at separate handing-over ceremonies of the facilities by the contractors to the district assembly, Mr Mohammed Habibu Tijani, Yendi District Chief Executive, commended the contractors for the good work done and urged them to keep it up.

He appealed to the people to honour their tax obligations to the assembly to enable it carry out more development projects. The DCE called on parents to ensure that their children who are to rewrite the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) attend revision classes.

Mr. Sulemana Baba, Manager of SULBABS Construction and spokesman for the contractors, said they were given three months to complete the rehabilitation works but because of the Yendi chieftaincy crisis, the projects could not be completed on scheduled. He said as citizens of the area their primary objective is not to make money but to ensure that all projects they undertake are properly constructed.

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Volta Parliamentary Caucus expresses concern about Aveyime Rice Project

Aveyime (Volta Region) 25 June 2002- The Volta Parliamentary Caucus on Monday expressed concern about the abandonment of equipment at the Quality Grain Project at Aveyime.

They noted that the continued neglect of the equipment in its present deplorable state was not only a drain on the national economy but also defeated the purpose of agricultural development in the country.

The members said this after they had visited the project site and interacted with the chiefs, elders and people of the communities of Mamfe, Battor and Mepe at a durbar at Aveyime as part of a working visit to the area.

The members found that a number of combine harvesters, sprayers, tractors, caterpillars, water pumping machines, chemicals and other machinery had been left in the open, while most of the silos were in disrepair.

Milling of rice was actively going on when the team got there but there was no member of the Interim Management Committee project, except a few security personnel, who led the team accompanied by the chiefs and people.

Mr. Modestus Ahiable, Chairman of the Caucus, said since the project had been found to be viable and was at present milling paddy rice from Afife, Asutuare and Dawhenya irrigation schemes, there was no need for the project to be moved away from the area.

He said, in case there was any plan for a divestiture of the project, the government should consider the wishes of the people first since they had expressed concern of the likelihood of losing employment if the project was re-located.

"Any re-location of the project from the Aveyime area would be a serious blow to the people and a disservice to the local farmers, whose life depend on the success of the project". Mr. Joe Gidisu, MP- North Tongu, said the focus of the visit was to afford the Caucus an on-the spot assessment of the project and to seek the people's welfare in deriving maximum benefit from their toils.

He said the Caucus and the people were not against any divestiture but all that they sought to do was to ensure that whichever authority took over the project ensured the maintenance of the equipment.

Mr. Gidisu said the people were ready to resist any attempt at moving the equipment from the area, adding that they should be the beneficiaries of the project. Mr. Doe Adjahoe, MP-Avenor, said since the project had been found to be viable and a first class one, any attempt at stalling it would rather push the people deep into poverty.

Togbe Kumi from the Battor Community in his reaction said this was the first time the chiefs and people had had the opportunity of visiting the project site and called for their involvement in any negotiations for the divestiture of the project.

He said their contention was that any attempt at divesting the project should not result in moving the project away from the area and recounted that a tannery project meant for them was abandoned after the overthrow of the First Republic.

Togbe Agyeman also from the Battor community, on behalf of the divisional chiefs thanked members of the Caucus for awakening them and creating their awareness of the importance of the project. He said they were prepared to mobilise resources to buy shares in any company that would win the bid to take over the company in case of a divestiture.

Togbe Sakpaleka III of Mafe-Dove said the project had become a welcome source of employment for the youth, especially those of them, who were fishing in Northern Ghana but had to flee back home during the Northern Conflict, adding that any attempt to stall the project would greatly harm them since they would not have any livelihood.

Some of the people said since the construction of the Akosombo Dam, they had been denied of their main livelihood - the collection of shells - and saw the setting up of the Quality Grain Project as God sent, since it would generate employment and reduce the migration of the youth to the cities in search of greener pastures.

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AIDS is depleting human resource - Expert

Kwesiminstim (Western Region) 25 June 2002- Madam Sophia Horner-Sam Deputy Western Regional Minister, said at the weekend that AIDS has become a major obstacle to national development, depleting human resource. These human resources that are in great demand in the country, are wasted due the increasing cases of infection, she added.

Madam Horner-Sam said this at an HIV/AIDS awareness educational programme organised jointly by the Danish Embassy, the Ghana Highway Authority, Ministry of Health and other partners for communities living along the British American Tobacco (BAT) and Agona Nkwanta main roads, which are presently under construction.

She noted that in spite of the frightening statistics of HIV/AIDS infection, majority of the people have not changed their sexual behaviour. She proposed the institution of AIDS prevention clubs that would lead discussions on the disease among peer groups.

Mr. Edwin Kunbatazie, a regional health education officer, said the total cost of treating an AIDS patient for one year is about 4.2 million cedis. He said the country is likely to experience a high school drop-out rate and a reduction of qualified teachers if the disease is not fought.

Mr. Kunbatazie advised long distance drivers and persons who spend several days in other parts of the country on business activities to remain faithful or use condoms, to reduce the spread of the disease. He also recommended the delay of sexual activity among adolescents and the early treatment of other sexually transmitted diseases.

Mr. Kuntabazie advised Ghanaians, to voluntarily undergo counselling and testing for HIV/AIDS. Mrs. Ulla tawiah, a representative of the Royal Danish Embassy, said HIV/AIDS has grown into a "monster" and was threatening both the developed and developing countries.

He advised all donor agencies, not only to undertake their projects, but they should include HIV/AIDS education as well as the awareness of other sexually transmitted diseases, to make the communities benefit from such projects.

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TMA executive committee refutes alleged contracts awards

Tema (Greater Accra) 25 June 2002- Fourteen out of the 28 members of the Executive Committee of the Tema Municipal Assembly (TMA) on Monday denied that the assembly had ever instituted a three-man committee to investigate an alleged award of contracts by Mr Samuel Evans Ashong Narh, Tema Municipal Chief Executive.

At a press conference held to refute the allegations, Mr Albert Boakye Okyere, Chairman of the Security and Justice Sub-Committee, said the assembly had not received any report from the Finance and Administrative Sub-Committee of the assembly mandating it to investigate any award of contract.

Flanked by others described as "Concerned Executive Committee Members", Mr Okyere, who is also the chairman of the Concerned Executive Members, said ordinarily, the Finance and Administration Sub-Committee should give approval to any recommendations of reports but this was not done.

He said the three-man committee was set up by the members themselves without the knowledge of the Executive Committee and ignored the Local Government Act 462 section 25, sub-section two, which demanded that recommendations of reports be submitted to the Executive Committee and then to the general assembly.

However, after their investigations, they rather divulged the report to the press "because the publishers had a hidden agenda". Mr Okyere said that the alleged contract was rectified by the tender board, laid it before the Executive Committee, which endorsed it at a meeting held on the 14 May and 15 May 2002.

Mr Samuel Evans Ashong Narh, Tema Municipal Chief Executive, Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed Hussieni, Co-ordinating Director and Mr Samuel Aryee, Financial Officer have been accused of awarding contracts for the fumigation of the final refuse dump at Kpone and computerised system for billing of property rates to the tune of 1.2 billion cedis without passing through the tender board and other laid down procedures.

Following continuous media reports, the Minority in Parliament called for the interdiction of the three officials as well as Mr Leslly Benjamin, Sanitation Officer. The Minority members also said that another committee set up by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) to investigate the same issue was contradictory since a committee had already worked on the issue.

Mr Kwadwo Baah Wiredu, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, explained that the three-man committee failed to give hearing to the principal characters of the matter thus making it incomplete.

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Regulate drugs adverts on radio and TV - MP

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 25 June 2002- Mr James Adusei Sarkodie, Member of Parliament (MP) for Atwima-Nwabiagya, has called on the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) to take decisive action to regulate and control advertisements on drugs.

This, he said, was to bring some sanity and protect the society against negative, harmful and corrupting effects of most of those advertisements. Mr Sarkodie, who made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi, decried what he said was the unbridled use of radio and television for drugs promotion and suggested that some certification should be done before such promotion.

''The situation where public attention is drawn to drugs whose composition is neither given nor efficacy proven is quite dangerous.'' He said in most cases what the advertisements sought to tell the public was that ''all what one needs is to take a particular drug without recourse to consulting a medical doctor''.

This, Mr Sarkodie said, could only lead to problems of self-medication and drug abuse. He said he was not happy with the use of kids in advertisements and asked the media and other social groups to help bring decency in the way and manner goods and services were advertised in Ghana.

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Auditor's report - 'Zero Tolerance On Course'

Accra (Greater Accra Region) 25 June 2002 - Yesterday, an Accra FM station reported rather gleefully that "President Kufuor's pledge of zero tolerance for corruption has been thrown in doubt" in reference to the leaked Auditor General's Report on operations of the Ministry of Works and Housing in connection with the Osu Castle renovations.

But, Mr. Ferdinand O. Ayim, Special Assistant to the Minister of Information says "it rather shows zero tolerance at work".

In an exclusive interview with The Accra Daily Mail (ADM) yesterday, he said Minority Leader, Alban Bagbin "might have rushed to judgement prematurely and made too much noise because as at Sunday, the Minister of Works and Housing, The Hon. Yaw Barimah, to whom the report, dated 08 May 2002 was addressed, said he had not seen it". Also, he said, the Acting Auditor-General, Edward Dua in whose name it was issued said he saw a copy only last Friday, 20 June 2002.

The latest round of controversy was precipitated by a statement "on illegal appropriation of ¢150,000,000 from Castle renovation project by Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey", released on 19 June 2002. The statement signed by Bagbin said the Minority's "investigation revealed that the Minister of Information who was at the time Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, by memo, collected one hundred and fifty million cedis (¢150,000,000) on two separate vouchers from monies earmarked for the renovation of the Castle".

Bagbin's statement said, "one year after the said money was paid, Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has been unable to account for it, in spite of the efforts of the Ag. Chief Director of the Ministry of Works and Housing to call on him to account for the outstanding amount".

Appearing on one of Accra's many radio stations yesterday, Bagbin insisted that Jake had not accounted for the money and should therefore be interdicted and prosecuted. Subsequent events have shown however, that the statement itself was not the outcome of any investigations after all, but the said report of 08 May 2002, which itself, stands indicted based on investigations conducted by ADM.

An Office of the President memo from the cashier to the Chief of Staff dated 23 August 2002 says, "Disbursement of ¢100,000,000 received from the Ministry of Works and Housing towards refurbishment of the President's Castle residence project".

The memo explains how by two cheques (numbers withheld), the office paid ¢100million to a company (name withheld) to execute work on the project. Two receipts numbered 1494 and 1496 were accordingly issued by the company and received by the Chief of Staff's office.

Proof of disbursement of the other ¢50 million is also available to ADM. The leaked report is raising questions regarding its own integrity and motives of those who prematurely leaked it because the audit team that audited the Castle renovation projects did not contact the Chief of Staff's office at the Castle to which the money from the Ministry was sent. Referring to the report itself, an official at the Audit Service questioned why the man in whose name the report was issued, that is the Acting Auditor General, was kept in the dark when the report was "released". Therefore the question which begs for answers is who released it and how?

"The language of the report itself was too political," said the official. "The normal practice is for an audit to be conducted and report made in professional and not the prejudicial language used. Thereafter, it is forwarded to the appropriate authorities that may decide to forward it to the Attorney General's Department for advice should there be the need. It is only that Department, which after studying the report, then prescribes the appropriate charges when there is clear evidence of criminal activity".

Reports reaching ADM say a highly embarrassed Ag. Auditor General was meeting the members of the audit team yesterday to try to unravel the source of the "pre-mature release". The Minister of Works and Housing at the time of going to press was getting ready to meet the appropriate officials in his outfit to also try to separate the point-scoring words of partisan politics from the real facts of the report.

On the issues that have now become subject of much public discussion, Mr. Ferdinand Ayim said Ghanaians now have a government which is so accountable that just one year after taking office, it has caused for the government's accounts to be inspected and reported upon. He said during the entire period of the PNDC, the government's books were not audited and when in the late nineties a belated Auditor's report on the NDC government was published, it was treated with contempt by the NDC government. "It raised more questions than are being asked now, but they never did anything about the questions raised. This government would look at every report prepared and presented by constitutionally sanctioned bodies and take the appropriate action. The Auditor General's Report falls in such a category."

He said, "zero tolerance for corruption means government allowing such bodies to do their work without let or hindrance, which has been the case. As to the queries or suggestions that arise out of such reports, constitutional mechanisms exist for addressing them." What about the Minority Leader's concerns? To that Mr. Ayim replied, "He is doing what is expected of a politician in opposition, if rather crudely."

A Government spokesman Mr Kofi Amponsah-Bediako yesterday said the NDC allegation was obnoxious and deceptive. "This is the outcome of an obnoxious scheme meant to throw dust into the eyes of the Ghanaian public." In an interview with the GNA Mr Amponsah-Bediako said the amount was paid into the account of the Chief of Staff but not to Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey as a person.

He deplored the circumstances under which the report was prepared without any reference to the receipts. "The NDC is clearly in league with some agents within the Audit Service to come up with interim reports that could not clarify all relevant issues."

Mr Amponsah-Bediako said it is only after answers to queries have been compiled that a final report is presented to the appropriate quarters.

He said attempts by the NDC to deceive the public would fail. - Accra Mail

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The Saga of Blay-Miezah's Estates...Frazier forges signature

Accra (Greater Accra) 24 June 2002 - A letter alleged to have been signed by John Ackah Blay-Miezah reinstating Greg Frazier; the man at the centre of Blay-Miezah's Oman Ghana Trust Holdings Ltd. has been proven to be fake.

A forensic laboratory test conducted by the police has revealed that the so-called letter of re-instatement was forged. Frazier was fired as the International Co-ordinator for the Oman Ghana in a termination letter signed by Ackah Blay-Miezah on January 7 1991.

In the said termination of appointment, "The Statesman" reports that Blay-Miezah stated inter alia that: "The undersigned deems it prudent and expedient to terminate your appointment as International Co-ordinator. This appointment must only befit any person who has respect for the lawful authority of the sole Beneficiary and Trustee".

However, in another letter dated 4th June 1992, and allegedly signed by Blay-Miezah to Frazier and J. Anumel, reinstating Frazier as adjutant, (a position which contradicted, with the revoked position), it noted that, "Due to conditions known to the two of us and Joseph Anumel, your authority as adjutant to the chairman was revoked. Having weighed the circumstances so far, it has behoved me to reinstate you as my adjutant".

This reinstatement letter was allegedly written 26 days before the death of Blay-Miezah on June 30th 1992. The interesting aspect of this letter is that, a forensic laboratory test conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service dated 4th June 2002, reference CID/LAB. 7/V.17/116, Lab. No. D4/2002 and signed by Alhaji Bukari Yakubu, Documents Examiner, E.I. 18/81 and Joana Sarpong-Mensah, Assistant Commissioner,

Forensic Science Laboratory, has concluded that the signature by Blay on the said letter was forged.

The purpose of the examination was to authenticate the signature allegedly representing Dr. John Ackah Blay-Miezah on the referred letter. The report noted that a thorough forensic analysis revealed that similar identifying features do not exist between the signatures of Blay-Miezah on six other documents on the one hand and the reinstated letter on the other.

It, therefore, concluded that, "in view of differences established between the signature on the document of 4/6/1992 and subject signatures on the rest of the document, it is concluded that the signature allegedly representing Dr. Blay-Miezah is a simulated forgery and, therefore, not authored by the subject".

When Frazier was challenged to prove the authenticity of the said letter at his press conference, he could only say that Blay-Miezah might have been sick when signing that letter hence the difference. He also stated that he suspects there are some people in this who want to undermine his efforts.

The Statesman's investigations have revealed Joyce Blay-Miezah, who was mentioned by Frazier as the sole beneficiary of the said fund, might be misleading. In one document rendered by Dr. Ako Adjei and one lawyer Beaseley as the will it noted that, "the key tested member to this will Nyanike Adjoe will say 17:46-041".

This was signed Blay-Miezah on 9/6/92 with four witnesses including the very Joyce Blay-Miezah who has been referred to as the sole beneficiary. "How can a beneficiary be a witness to the same estate" asked an insider.

"According to documentary information available to The Statesman, when Blay-Miezah died, one Stanley Baron of USA made a false claim when he listed some documents allegedly claiming that Blay-Miezah gave them to him before his death.

Baron wanted to use the documents to dupe some German investors and that nearly landed him in prison. "I must say Frazier is a trickster. He has no responsibility concerning the Oman Ghana Fund. He is behaving like Baron and only God knows his intent", noted the insider.

In another development, Joseph Kwesi Whajah, an elder brother and a successor of Blay-Miezah noted in his statement to the Ghana Police on 23rd August 1994 that, Frazier's claim as the International Co-ordinator should be looked at carefully because as far as he was concerned, Frazier was rather a driver and not an international co-ordinator to Blay-Miezah.

Whajah stated that: "All the complains and accusations he (Frazier) has been writing or making are designed or calculated to mislead the relatives, children and the general people concerned. I met him in Zurich as a driver to my brother," he disclosed. - NCS

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