Scholarship Scheme for nursing graduates
He dismissed allegations that the Kufuor Administration is behind the moves to get the financial assistance, explaining that he initiated the moves long before Kufuor came into office.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu indicated that he even discussed them with former President Jerry Rawlings when he was in office. The Asantehene stated this when the Saudi Prince, Alwaleed Bin Talal Abdulaziz Alsaud, the world's fifth richest man, honoured a pledge of $100,000 to support the Otumfuo Education Fund.
Prince Alsaud made the pledge
during a recent investment tour he undertook to the country and which took him
to the
The donation was sent through the Saudi Embassy in
The Asantehene said he had personally held discussions with the World Bank President on the financial assistance, and so it is not true that it is the NPP government that is engineering the discussions.
He stressed that what he intends doing with the World Bank assistance is in the interest of the country as a whole and not for any political party, adding that nobody should impute any wrongdoings into the whole affair.
The Asantehene said
He said that during Prince Alsaud's visit to Manhyia, they held discussions on what Manhyia is doing to help the development of the nation and his host lauded the efforts.
The Asantehene said the Prince
assured him that he would definitely come back to assist. He commended the
Prince for his support. The Ashanti Regional Minister, S. K. Boafo, presented the cheque for the donation at the
I. K. Gyasi, Executive Secretary of the fund, who received the cheque expressed, appreciation to the Prince and gave assurance that the donation will be used for its intended purpose
During the Prince's visit to
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The trust, which will be strictly managed by private
Ghanaian individuals in North and
The Deputy Minister of Information, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, announced this at a press briefing on the
performance of the economy in
The paper early this year published that an account is to be established at the Bank of Ghana into which contributions will be paid. Asamoah-Boateng explained that the trust will impress on Ghanaians abroad to contribute at least $10 a month into the fund.
The deputy minister, who was due to travel to Virginia, USA, last night, said the purpose of his trip is to address about 3,000 Ghanaians in that city, during which he will brief them thoroughly on the aims and objectives of the trust.
He said the government will borrow from the trust specifically to develop the rural areas and pay back under terms to be agreed upon by it and the board of trustees.
He said the secretariat of the National Economic Dialogue is collaborating with the country’s diplomatic missions to compile a list of Ghanaians living abroad to enable the project to take off.
“We shall also rely on the Ghana Skills Bank for certain basic information,” he said. Asamoah-Boateng, however, conceded that in matters such as the establishment of the trust, “much will depend on trust and honesty on the part of all parties and since we are running a transparent government, the response has been impressive”.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, had earlier said all but one of the 25-member countries of the World Bank’s executive board voted unanimously to give Ghana a budget support of $125m in recognition of the government’s prudent fiscal policies and commitment to good governance.
The loan will be disbursed next Monday According to him, the
He said support from the World Bank and its affiliate institutions is in recognition of the modest but impressive performance of the government in handling the economy and the ability of the Economic Management Team to put a credible proposal on the table. These, he said, convinced the bank and the IDA to increase their support from the original $70m to $125m.
He explained that as a result of the expected increase in inflation because of the upward adjustment of the petroleum bill, the nation asked for $100m.
However, the President of the World Bank, impressed by Ghana’s role in restoring peace and political stability in neighbouring Cote d’ Ivoire and her commitment to the promotion of good neighbourliness in the sub-region, approved an additional $20m for the economy.
He said the good news about the new budget support is that $37m out of the total amount will be treated as grant while the rest will be paid under very concessionary and liberal terms.
He said apart from the World Bank, all members of the G8
have been impressed by the country’s performance so far, as well as its role in
ensuring peace in
The minister made it clear that “for now, we can’t run the economy without foreign assistance because of certain constraints”. He said the budget has, for the past seven years, remained 40 per cent foreign funded. He said the agricultural sector, for instance, has been receiving 80 per cent donor support.
He said the government has entered into a multi-donor support agreement with 12 development partners and that 50 per cent of the loan will be released upfront by the end of July and the remaining 50 per cent later.
The minister said he is confident that within the next couple of weeks, “the country’s development partners will come on board because of the good signals we are receiving”. He assured Ghanaians that “the government is on track in the implementation of its fiscal policies”. “In terms of budget, this is a major breakthrough for the government,” the minister stressed.
On allegations by opponents of the government that it has diverted HIPC funds for other purposes, Osafo-Maafo said, “This is absolutely false because the funds are being monitored critically and, therefore, there is no way the money can be siphoned.” The Minister of Information, Nana Akomeah, also debunked allegations by a section of the media that HIPC conditionalities have brought untold hardships on the people. “This is a total misconception which must be ignored,” he said. – Graphic
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Dagbon (Northern Region)
Reports say that the people of Dagbon are weary and feel frustrated over the continued imposition of a state of emergency in the area, a condition they found unacceptable, and which some political analysts have warned that if not properly handled, could result in another boom escalation.
According to the reports, the people in Dagbon are particularly concerned about the fact that the politics of the area is now based on the politics of exclusion rather than inclusion, which analysts again believe should not be taken as a mere observation.
The minority spokesman on legal and constitutional affairs Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, in an
interview with the Chronicle in
Alhaji Mumuni, who is also the Member of Parliament for Kumbungu in the Northern Region, said he is confident that the NPP government has in no doubt demonstrated a particular weakness in the handling of security in the area and that weakness, he added, has really cost the country very dearly.
"Don't forget that this same King who has been killed, was on the thrown for 28 years, where previous governments were able to maintain a stable condition such that, the matter never really exploded. The fact that it has exploded, in the manner that it is, with the tragic consequences, tells volumes of the handling of security," Alhaji Mumuni said.
He added that one does not know whether the act is just a sheer incompetence or some kind of self-interest or a mixture of the two, but clearly it is not an ordinary situation.
Asked whether he shared the same view with others who believe the President's visit to the area could bring an absolute peace and change to the area, the MP and a former Employment and Social Welfare minister, said the President's vist could have certainly brought a change, but added that as the situation remains now, it will be absolutely irrelevant if he should go there, since the situation is already out of hand.
According to him, it is not surprising to him but rather a fact to hear people expressing fear over the safety of the President if he should visit the area. This, he said, seems to him that the security has a particular weakness, when it comes to maintaining law and order in Yendi.
Ex-President Rawlings in one of his boom utterances said that he lacks confidence in the security of the nation and the statement by the Kumbungu MP placed emphasised on that.
The shadow legal and constitutional minister expressed
dissatisfaction about the fact that up till now, no single arrest has been made
by the security agencies with regard to issues pertaining to the murder of the Ya Na and the vandalisation of
the
According to him, a situation such as this is highly indefensible and above all raises serious suspicions. He demanded an explanation as to why over 215 people should be arrested following the recent Tamale clashes but not a single arrest had been made in connection with the Yendi conflicts, which rather saw mass destruction and homicide.
The NDC Member of Parliament, upon careful analysis of the situation, said the late king is still lying unburied and the palace not restored. " I doubt it, because at the rate in which things are going, it does not look like Yendi is going to have another king anytime soon."
A sporadic vicious exchange ensued last year between two royal families in Dagbon resulting in the killing of the paramount chief of the traditional area.
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He was nominated with 232 votes to beat Rev Annor Yeboah, the former acting Chairman, who polled 23 votes in a contest on Wednesday evening to elect new officers for the church.
Rev Annor Yeboah who stood for the post of General Secretary, again lost massively. He got only 7 votes while Rev Percy Konortey got the post with 238 votes. For the position of Field Director, Rev S. D. K. Larbie polled 241 to beat his rival, Rev I. K. Mensah-Abrampah, who polled only nine votes.
Other news directors are Rev S. K. Amoani, Christian Education Director, Rev Evans Duku, Evangelism Director, Rev S. G. Oduro, Missionary Director and Rev A. J. Yanful, Prophetic Director.
By his losses to Rev Nimo and Rev Konortey, Rev Annor Yeboah is now an ordinary pastor of the church. The constitution of the Church says any nominee for any national leadership position should have two-thirds of votes cast to qualify him or her for that position.
The election was held behind closed doors at the
headquarters of the church and only pastors were qualified to vote. – Ghanaian
Times
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Scholarship Scheme for nursing graduates
Tamale (Northern Region)
This was made known at the presentation of a scholarship award to one of the beneficiaries for this year, Ms Vida Yakon, by the Vice-Chancellor of the UDS, Prof John Kabruise, in Tamale. Ms Delali Gale won last year’s scholarship award.
The OUC also used the occasion to donate two computers and
accessories to the Nursing Department of the
Prof Kabruise said under the
linkage, the UDS has received a lot of support from its counterparts in
The Vice-Chancellor further said that in order to help improve the instructional skills of the teaching staff of the university, some of them were sent to the OUC for the training-of-trainers programme. Some of the local trainees who successfully went through the instructional skills course in Tamale were presented with their certificates.
Prof Kabruise explained that the UDS is required to blend academic work with that of the community to provide constructive interaction between the two for the total development of the nation.
A special advisor to the president of the OUC, Jemmy Tucker, who presented the computers, described the partnership between the two universities as beneficial and said the OUC, is so far impressed with the programmes of the UDS.
The First Secretary at the Canadian High Commission,
Jonathan Arnold, gave the assurance that the Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA) will continue to support the linkages between the two
universities to grow to enable more students and staff to benefit from their
partnership. – Graphic
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The face-lift programme will be the first phase after which capital will be sourced for further expansion to reduce the pressure on the Tema and Sekondi fishing harbours and also boost the fishing industry as a whole, since modern fishing trawlers will be attracted.
Feasibility studies have already commenced into the physical conditions of these bays with a view to identifying their potentials. The Minister of Ports, Railways and Harbours, Prof Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, in an interview, said that among the three bays, the one at Elmina will receive special attention due to the lack of a modern fishing harbour in the Central Region, which is the hub of the fishing industry.
He pointed out that developing these bays into modern fishing harbours will also create jobs for the people who live around these areas, especially the fishermen.
He explained that the plan is also part of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS), which, he said, will make it possible for fishermen to derive maximum benefits from their efforts.
He mentioned that a research study, done with the support of the Dutch Government, has been concluded and is awaiting final response from the government. The minister said the government is committed to attracting investors to ensure that the country derives maximum benefits from the fishing sector.
Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi gave the assurance that some initial investments will be made on the bays before considering the proposals of interested parties.
He said whatever decision would be taken the proposed fishing harbours will be done in consultation with the local people. He promised that nothing would be done by the government to endanger the interest of local fishermen, when dealing with any investor.
He also said that particular note has been taken of the
disused boats sitting at the
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Accra (Greater Accra) 27 June 2003 - The Board of Directors of the Volta River Authority (VRA) has said the selective release of the findings of the VRA Review Committee by the Minister of Energy, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, and the orchestrated attacks on the board in the media to create the impression that the board is all the problem in the authority is most regrettable.
In a statement issued and signed by their chairman, Dr Jones Ofori-Atta, the members said as of 25 June 2003 the board had not seen a copy of the report upon which the minister made his recommendations to the President, ''nor were our comments solicited on any finding in the report to enable the minister form a fair view and considered recommendations to the President''.
The statement noted that reviewing the committee report in
the Crusading Guide of 24-
• that the board did not exercise enough control over policy-making and the activities of the CEO to ensure good results;
• that the board had not taken adequate steps to resolve the conflict at VRA that had existed during its tenure; ''Indeed the board itself was seen as being engaged in conflict with the CEO;
• that the board had placed itself in a position that made it impossible for the body to control the activities of the CEO for the benefit of the authority.
But these are easily rebutted, the board members said, adding that the committee itself found inherent conflict in the Act establishing the VRA (Volta River Development Act 1961) which gave too much power to the Chief Executive and, therefore, recommended immediate amendment of the Act.
In view of this, the board wondered how anybody could lay blame of ineffectiveness at the door of the board or also charge it with the offence of engagement in conflict with the CEO, when inevitably such conflict was in relation to the respective roles of the Chief Executive and the board under the Act.
The statement said the second charge that the board had not taken adequate steps to resolve the conflict at VRA that had existed during its tenure is both untrue and ridiculous.
It said the minister quotes the committee as follows: ''The committee concluded that the management style (not specific decisions to bring about change to VRA) is the main factor that has caused the industrial conflict between the workers and management''. What was the board expected to do to enforce a benign change in the lifestyle of a 50-year-old CEO?
The statement said the board does not recognise the third accusation and we reject it entirely. The onus is on the committee to establish this unambiguously and beyond reasonable doubt.
According to the statement, the impression given in the
media that the board has approved huge allowances for themselves is unfounded.
– Crusading
Guide
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Anlo (Volta Region)
The sitting MP for the area is Victor Gbeho, former Minister of Foreign Affairs. However, another Anlo citizen, Squadron Leader Sowu, a former Minister for Works and Housing and until 2000, the sitting MP for Anlo is reported to be engaged in s fierce battle with Victor Gbeho over the seat.
Following the impasse, the party has decided to shelve nominations to the Anlo seat because of the raging feud between the two, which observers think if not carefully would divide the support base of the party.
The Anlo seat, amongst 19 others in the Volta Region is regarded as a safe seat in what is touted as the ''World Bank of the NDC''. During the 2000 elections, Gbeho contested the elections as an Independent candidate and beat Sowu who secured the nomination to contest the seat on the ticket of the NDC.
Victor Gbeho is considered as one of the closest advisers of the Founder of the party, Flt Lt Rawlings and is always seen at his side. Clend Sowu on the other hand, is considered to be a party faithful and vociferous advocate of Volta Region interests but speaks his mind very freely and is forthright although not a favourite of the founder.
The rivalry therefore between the two particularly at this time that the Founder is not in power will be fierce and uncompromising and promises to be a duel to the finish. - Daily Guide
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