Prez Rawlings Had No Hand in Demolition -Police Adm
Ewes don't Trust Akans- NPP
80 million Cedis for Clinic Paid to Chest
Be Considerate… Govt Statistician Appeals to Enumerators
We have nowhere to go – Mrs. Rawlings
Warri warriors target crucial gas project
Kufour on Rawlings after 2000
Former Kufour bodyguard arrested
Kufuor steals show at Dwabrem / Ashanti Youth heckles Atta Mills
NPP Condemns Fuel Increases
CP executives Discuss the Way Forward
Oil Exploration Technology -Ghana Seeks Brunei's Know How
AIDS Number of infected Children on the Increase
Prez Rawlings Had No Hand in Demolition -Police Adm
The Ghana Palaver Newspaper says in a front-page story that President Rawlings had nothing to do with the demolition of Mrs. Maria O' Sullivan's buildings.
The truth, the paper writes, is that the demolition was carried out on the orders of an Accra Circuit Court.
The paper continues that neither President Rawlings nor any member of the first family instigated that action directly or indirectly.
At a press conference in Accra on Wednesday DSP Angwubotoge Awuni, Director of the Police Public Directorate is reported to have debunked malicious stories in some newspapers that the Djentuhs had incurred the President's wrath and were being subjected to some sort of vendetta.
Mr. Awuni is quoted as saying; "it is not our (the Police's) position to defend the first family, but this impression created by the media is not supported by facts available".
DSP Awuni is reported to have pointed out that demolition followed an action brought up by Nuunmo Adjei Kwanko of Accra who was represented by Hon. Agyare Koi Larbi, NPP Member of Parliament for Annum.
The order is said to have been granted by a court, which asked the plaintiff to "seek assistance and co-operation of the police before any structure is removed".
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Ewes don't Trust Akans- NPP
The Palaver reports in it's top story that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has observed that ninety percent of Ewes, whether in the Volta Region or outside would vote for their kith and kin out of their distrust of their security under an Akan leader.
The paper states that in it's Political Strategy document, meant to guide the party in the campaign for the next elections the NPP has cited the Ewe tribe as a problem area.
According to the paper, the document advised that the Party takes up work on the Volta Region seriously since the Ewes form the second largest tribe after the Ashantis in the country.
The paper charges that the NPP's perception of the Ewes hasn't changed as can be seen by this recent document.
It says being Akan oriented, the NPP did not see anything wrong with the pattern of voting in the Akan people who were painted as knowing what they are about and generally always split their votes.
The Palaver says, sensing defeat in the upcoming elections, the NPP has adopted a strategy of painting a gloomy picture of the country's socio-economic situation.
Its document says "the future of the youth is threatened because of the break down of the educational system and the stagnation in the growth of the producer sector of the economy.
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80 million Cedis for Clinic Paid to Chest
The Times writes that eighty million cedis provided by the government for the continuation of the Tanoso Clinic in the Tano District last year, has been returned to chest because it could not be used by the contractor.
The paper says this is the second time that funds allocated to the Tanoso Clinic had been returned to government chest, with the first being in 1998 when 60 million released for the clinic project was not utilised by the contractor.
The District Chief Executive, Mr. Opoku Attuahene who made the disclosure at the first session of the assembly on Tuesday suggested that the Brong Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council terminate the contract with the Sunyani based contractor.
The report says Mr. Attuahene announced that the assembly is expected to raise 645.3 million this year from its traditional source of revenue to fund a number of projects.
He is reported to have promised that seven communities namely -Adrbaa, Old Brosankro, Dormaa Nkwankyire, Susuanho, Subonpan, Tanokrom and Buokrukruwa would be hooked to the national grid this year.
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Be Considerate… Govt Statistician Appeals to Enumerators
In another lead story the Times reports that the Acting Government Statistician Dr. Kweku Twum Baah, yesterday appealed to census enumerators throughout the country to accept the 85,000 cedis weekly wage being offered them for their part in the Population and Housing Census.
Dr. Twum said the government could not afford the 50 thousand a day fee being demanded by some enumerators in the Greater Accra Region.
The story continue that Dr. Twum who refuted a story in the Daily Graphic that enumerators were obliged to work once they had signed the appointment letters, said his department had been granted only 26 billion to work with, adding that out of the amount more than 13 billion had been used for the training of field personnel including enumerators and supervisors.
Commenting on the preparations that had been made so far by the National Census Secretariat, Dr. Twum- Baah said training of field personnel had been completed in all the districts, except those in the Greater Accra Region.
He added that the needed field supplies, questionnaires among other important items had been delivered to the districts for distribution.
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We have nowhere to go – Mrs. Rawlings
The banner story of The Ghanaian Chronicle says the First lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings has hinted that the “Rawlingses” are going nowhere on leaving office after the 2000 elections but will remain in the country to contribute their quota.
“Some of us have nowhere to go but some of them (opposition) have places to go”, The Chronicle quoted Mrs. Rawlings to have told chiefs and elders of Ho during her recent tour of Volta Region.
Nana Konadu is reported to have said that President Jerry Rawlings promises to take charge of the party to help it grow when he leaves the castle.
She is said to have picked on the opposition saying they can never match the intellectual capabilities of the NDC government because it has comparatively better brains.
“In our party, we have qualified and learned men with the correct integrity and the right commitment and when they (opposition) are saying that we do not have intellectuals and they are in intellectual, we just keep quiet and laugh because one on one they cannot match us”, the first lady was quoted as saying.
Nana Konadu reportedly said that Ghanaians should count themselves lucky to have had a transparent government that has the interest of the country and the people at heart and said no government has done as much as the NDC administration has done in 20 years.
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Warri warriors target crucial gas project
The Chronicle carries another front-page story that says the highly publicised 620-mile West Africa Gas Pipeline project may not come on after all with the rejection of the project by environmentalists and civil society associations in Nigeria.
According to the story the rejection by over 250 communities in the Niger Delta, Environmental Right Action (ERA), Friends of the Earth (FOE) and Oil Watch is because the project is shrouded in secrecy and lacking Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA).
The paper said the opposing parties argued that the processes leading to the realisation of the project have not been participatory, as none of the communities affected has been consulted.
It said an informational sharing meeting by environmental organisations on the pipeline project in Nigeria rejected it after Chevron, the managing sponsor of the project chickened out of an invitation to the meeting at the eleventh hour.
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Kufour on Rawlings after 2000
The Dispatch says Mr. John Agyekum Kufour has dropped hints of the possibility of his party, the New Patriotic Party appointing President Jerry Rawlings as a member of the Council of State after 2000, with the NPP sure of winning elections.
The paper says it was told during an interview granted it by the NPP flag bearer that the outgoing President’s 19 year stay in office is a lot of experience, though not all positive, which, with goodwill, might be used to help improve the nation in many ways.
Mr. Kufour is reported to have said that since he is the only surviving ex-Head of State, his government will be quite open-minded towards him and ready to use him in a way that might be benefiting for Ghana, given that he would be co-operative.
The story furthered says Mr. Kufour denied that an NPP government would embark on witch-hunting when it assumes power.
“My government will not be out for with-hunting, there will be no witch-hunting at all. We are going to be a government of law and order and we are going to be very forward looking”, the NPP flagbearer told the Dispatch.
Mr. Kufour is reported to have also told the Dispatch that he is optimistic that his running mate for this year’s elections will not come from the Akan ethnic group.
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Former Kufour bodyguard arrested
A back-page story of the Dispatch says Lovelace Adablah, a 28-year old former bodyguard of Mr. J.A. Kufour, Presidential candidate of the NPP has been arrested for his involvement in a coup plot.
According to the paper, nicknamed ‘Third World’, presently the Ho Central Constituency organiser of the Party, was arrested at Ho on 14th March and sent to Castle annex in Accra for questioning.
The Dispatch says its intelligence network showed that the arrest relates to the treason trial of one Evans Ayivor that is currently being heard in Accra.
Ayivor is reported to have mentioned the ex-bodyguard as an accomplice and the Bureau of National Investigation after trailing him for some time arrested him.
The story says some army officers, including Captain Dargbey were also invited and after 13 days of interrogation released for lack of evidence.
The story mentions further that James Dogbe and Kenwuud Nuworsu, Volta Regional Vice Chairman and Secretary respectively of the NPP have also been invited for questioning.
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Kufuor steals show at Dwabrem / Ashanti Youth heckles Atta Mills
Both papers carry stories on the reaction of the people of Ashanti to Vice President John Evans Atta Mills, most probable Presidential candidate for the NDC and Mr. John Agyekum Kufour, flagbearer of the NPP at the final funeral rites of the late Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II.
In its front-page story headlined ‘Kufour steals show at Dwabrem’, the Statesman said hundreds of thousands of mourners momentarily forgot their sorrow to meet Mr. Kufour with a rousing welcome on his arrival at the funeral grounds.
According to the story, it took security personnel hours before they were able to create a safe corridor for the NPP Presidential candidate and his entourage.
The Statesman story said the Vice President, Prof. Mills arrived later heading a government delegation and exhibiting high level of camaraderie, shook hands with Mr. Kufour, embracing him in the process.
Mr. Kuffour, the story said reciprocated the gesture when he led the NPP delegation to the dais and embraced Prof. Mills to receive loud cheers from the mourners.
The Free Press story on the other hand says while Mr. Kufour’s arrival rocked the grounds Vice President Mills, who turned up later, was greeted with open hostility when the youth poured out their frustration with the NDC government through the chanting of defeatist songs.
According to the Free Press whose story was also carried on the front-page, all attempts by security personnel to control the boisterous crowd proved futile, leaving the Vice-President, who waved dispiritedly, to sit down quietly and watch the youth do their own thing.
The story said it was only after the departure of the government’s delegation that the situation returned to normal.
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NPP Condemns Fuel Increases
The Evening News reports that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has lashed out at the government for the recent fuel shortage and the subsequent price increase in petroleum produces in the country.
According to the paper, the NPP says, before the shortage, the government had come out with a statement to assure the nation that there was enough fuel in the system.
Mr. Hackman Owusu Agyemang, the NPP Member of Parliament for New Juabeng and Minority spokesman for Foreign Affairs is reported as echoing his party's sentiments when he addressed the closing session of a three-day training workshop for 40 electoral agents at Suhum.
Mr. Owusu Agyemang is quoted as saying that the government had not instituted any strategic plan to salvage the declining economy. "Else" he said, "enough fuel would have been stored to avert any shortage".
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CP executives Discuss the Way Forward
In another front page story the Evening News writes that leading members and some regional executives of the Convention Party (CP) met in Accra last night to plan a way forward after about a month of legal tassel and wrangling among party executives.
The paper says the meeting, which lasted for about two hours at the party’s former headquarters, was also aimed at brainstorming on rules and modalities for the party's national delegates congress.
According to the report Mr. Felix Amoah acting National Chairman of the Party said there is absolute peace and unity in the party and the party is preparing feverishly for its national delegates congress. The report says he did not provide a specific date and venue for the congress.
Mr. Amoah said in every party differences occur but we all belong to one party whose interest we are seeking.
The story continues by further quoting the acting chairman who said the party is now involving everybody in the build up to the national delegates' congress and that there is no way it would expel anybody.
He said the meeting was one of the series to plan for the congress, review the modalities and rules of the previous congress and report to the Nationals Working Committee.
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Oil Exploration Technology -Ghana Seeks Brunei's Know How
In its top story the Daily Graphic says talks are underway in the oil-rich country of Brunei in South East Asia, on possibility of oil exploration technology transfer to Ghana.
The paper reports that the talks form part of Ghana's energetic effort to strike oil.
The paper reports the Minister of Mines and Energy, Mr. John Abu as indicating during the meeting in Banadar Seri Begawan with Brunei's Minister that the prospects for Ghana striking oil are now brighter than before and its crucial that Ghana prepares to face the challenges ahead.
Consequently, petroleum experts would go and study and learn from the technology and experiences of their counterparts, states the paper.
It is also expected that in addition to the technology transfer, Brunei will also help in the West Africa Gas Pipeline project, it said.
According to the report Ghana has struck 200,000 barrels of crude oil in its exploration efforts. The Graphic says indications are that discussion on the possibility of Ghana importing crude oil from Brunei would come up.
Meanwhile, President Jerry John Rawlings on the second day of his visit has visited the rigs of Shell Brunei Company, one of the world's biggest oil fields.
The government of Brunei has 50 percent shares in Shell Brunei.
President Rawlings is said to have been particularly impressed by the effective safety measures employed by Shell Brunei and the fact that 80per cent of the work force are from Brunei.
The paper says Mr. Hassein Nordin, Area Operations Manager of Shell Brunei who conducted the President and his entourage round, told Mr. Rawlings that the fields produced 180,000 barrels of oil on the average day, last year as well as six and a half tonnes of LNG.
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AIDS Number of infected Children on the Increase
In another front page story the Graphic reports that an increasing number of children are now reporting to the Child Health Department of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital with HIV/AIDS.
The paper reports the head of the department, Professor Janet Neequaye as putting the number of cases to about 50 every month.
It says Professor Neequaye also disclosed that a few are treated and discharged while others die. She said the symptoms in the children manifest usually as a severe bacterial infection suspected to be tuberculosis.
Professor Neequaye also said although all the children examined have not acquired full blown AIDS, most of them will eventually do so and die by the age of five.
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