NPP elects candidate for Gomoa East
by-election
Students urged to abstain from sex till marriage
New Presbyters inducted into office
Defense Minister urge Dagombas to Preserve Dagbon State
UCC confers honorary degrees on two personalities
Vice-President calls for review of tertiary education
Aliu calls for debate on funding tertiary education
Compromise deal struck in Cote D'Ivoire negotiations
National Reform Party holds Congress
Christians asked to defend the truth
Review
Junior Secondary School system
NPP elects candidate for Gomoa East
by-election
Gomoa Ekwam-Krom (Central Region) 10 March 2003- Mr
Richmond Sam Quarm a 40-year-old
accountant at the Controller and Accountant General Department was on Sunday
elected as the party's Parliamentary candidate to contest the Gomoa East
by-election.
He polled 41 votes to beat three other contestants,
Alex Evans Amoah, Miss Baaba Otoo and Isaac Ehuma Armah who had 33, 6 and 10
votes respectively. The election was supervised by Frank Nunoo Gomoa District
Electoral Officer.
Addressing members after the election, Lord Commey
National Organiser of the party cautioned supporters to refrain from
complacency and work hard to enable the party to win the seat back.
The election of a candidate for the by-election
came as a result of the death of Emmanuel Acheampong, who was involved in a
motor accident about a month ago. Commey stated that the election of the
candidate marks the beginning of campaign to canvass votes from the electorate
in the by-election on 8 April and called on the other contestants to team up
with Kwam to win the seat.
Samuel Obodai, MP for Agona West urged supporters
to work hand in hand with the candidate to ensure victory. Quarm pledged to
work with the electorate to enable the NPP to retain the seat.
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Stop fighting over positions- NPP
Vice-Chairman warns
Oyoko (Ashanti Region) 10 March 2003- Mr Opoku
Mensah, first vice-chairman of the Bosomtwe constituency of the New Patriotic
Party (NPP), has warned party members in the constituency to stop fighting over
positions.
They should rather think of what they could do to
help improve upon the organisational structures of the party for it to win the
2004 general elections. Mensah was speaking at a forum at Oyoko to assess the
strength and weakness of the party in the area and plan strategies to be
employed in the 2004 elections.
He warned those who had been going round parading
as constituency executives and collecting money from party members with the
view to giving them party cards to stop the practice.
Mensah told the members who needed party cards to
go to the constituency office at Kuntanase. He expressed appreciation to
members for electing them into office and called for support from all
supporters.
He called on Ghanaians to have confidence in the
government as it had put in place stringent measures and strategies to improve
the economy. Addai Poku Aikins, the assemblyman for Apinkrah, called for
free-flow of information from the constituency office to the zones to enable the
people know what the party and government were doing and advised party
executives to pay regular visits to the zones. Aikins advised the zones to
establish the party's youth wings to enable them to win more members for the
party.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 10 March 2003- Ivorian
Premier Seydou Elimane Diarra at the weekend extended apologies and condolences
to victims of the almost six-month political crisis in Cote D'Ivoire and called
on the people to put the past behind and help in the reconstruction efforts.
"I sincerely wish to render an apology to all
those, who have suffered physically or psychologically as a result of the
unfortunate upturns in our country since September, last year," Premier
Diarra said in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra.
He said Cote D'Ivoire, as a nation had always been
able to face challenges and expressed the hope that the people would come out
of the crisis as one people with a common purpose.
Premier Diarra lauded the latest consensus reached
at the Accra roundtable on the formation of a transitional power-sharing
government, saying it gave much hope than before.
He disclosed that based on the recommendations
signed by all the political forces in Accra, he had started receiving
nominations from the respective parties for the various ministerial positions
as allocated to them under the deal.
"We are almost through with the nominations.
So far so good," he said, adding that the final list of the nominations
would be submitted to President Laurent Gbagbo. Premier Diarra said he looked
forward to an unhindered process leading to the naming of the transitional
government. "For now, I can't see any problem," he said, but he quickly
added, "In these things, you cannot rule out a few hitches here and there.
The important thing is how you brave through and come out in the interest of
all."
The Accra roundtable reaffirmed its commitment to
the implementation of the Marcoussis Agreement, which was unanimously
considered as providing the general framework of measures leading to a lasting
solution of the Ivorian crisis.
It makes provision of a transitional government to
prepare the grounds for elections in 2005. The government, to be headed by Diarra,
would include two Cabinet portfolios for each of the political parties.
As a compromise to do away with differences over
which party should take the sensitive portfolios of Defence and Interior, the
Accra roundtable proposed the creation of a 15-member National Security Council
to assist in the discharge of their functions.
On the proposal of the Council, the Prime Minister
would submit nominations for appointment to the posts of Minister of Defence
and Minister of Security to President Gbabgo "on the basis of
consensus" without delay.
It was also agreed that the MPCI force should be
allocated the Ministry of Territorial Administration and the Ministry of
Communication after it had backed down its demand for the Interior and Defence
ministries.
Prime Minister Diarra described the updated
proposals as workable and expressed the hope that he would be able to work
within the recommendations to achieve the set goals.
He expressed gratitude to President Gbagbo for his
commitment and determination to the peace process and facilitating his (Diarra)
responsibilities. He also thanked all local and international bilateral and
multilateral bodies that had contributed greatly to the peace process.
Premier Diarra paid a glowing tribute to Ghana's
President John Agyekum Kufuor for being an exceptional Leader and Inspirer in
the entire process. "With him and all the others, we hope to write a new
page of history for Cote D'Ivoire," he concluded.
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Aburi (Eastern Region) 10 March 2003-The Minister of State in Charge of
Basic, Secondary and Girl-Child Education, Ms Christine Churcher has advised
the youth to desist from engaging in pre-marital sex.
She explained that, total abstinence from sex was the most effective
way of avoiding contracting the HIV. Ms Churcher gave the advice in a speech
read on her behalf at a symposium organised by the Green Earth Organisation
(GEO), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) at Aburi for more than 2,000 students
from 20 second-cycle schools in the Eastern Region at the weekend.
She advised those, who had started sexual activity to stop and commit
themselves to abstaining from sex. Ms Churcher urged the participants to read
more about the HIV/AIDS to get all the necessary facts and to consider any
other person HIV positive in order to take the necessary precautions to
continue to stay HIV negative.
Rex Baah Ntiri, Eastern Regional Counsellor of Ghana Education Service
(GES), said the message on the use of condoms, as a protection against the
contraction of the HIV virus was not directed at students.
He explained that, the use of condoms was meant for marriage couples as
a method for family planning and protection against Sexually Transmitted
Infections (STI). Ntiri said sex was
not meant for students hence any education that encouraged students to use
condoms as a protection against the HIV virus was misplaced since the right
thing for students was to abstain from sex and be faithful to themselves.
He advised female students to emphatically say no when anybody made any
sexual approach to them and to walk away from the scene to protect themselves
from falling into any sexual trap.
S. N. Quaye, Deputy Eastern Regional Director of Education, reminded
the students that they were the future leaders of the country hence it was the
responsibility of society to protect them from the HIV.
Joshua Awuku-Appau, Director of Information and Education of the GEO,
said the symposium was to sensitise the youth to be aware of the dangers around
them. He said as a conservation organisation, GEO felt the need to protect
humanity as a first step in the conservation of other resources.
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Abolish traditional practices promoting sexual promiscuity
Tema (Greater Acca) 10 March 2003-Dr Charles Vardon Odonkor, a private
medical practitioner and an AIDS activist, has called for the abolition of
cultural practices that promoted sexual promiscuity.
Addressing the Tema Local Council of Churches at Tema Zone One as part
of its Bible teaching service, he noted that such practices contributed to the
spread of sexually transmitted diseases including the dreadful Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Dr Odonkor criticised some traditional practices such as the
"Kplabi" among some tribes in the Greater Accra Region whereby a
young girl must prove her womanhood by producing a baby out of wedlock as well
as some widowhood practices that were incorporated into funeral rites that
encouraged a widow to be given out in marriage to a relative of a deceased.
The practice of giving a young girl away in marriage to a man with
several wives must also cease since both the girl's and the man's HIV status
might not be known.
Dr Odonkor, therefore, appealed to churches, mosques and traditional
elders to use their expertise to ensure that all traditional practices that
involved unprotected sex were discarded.
He said there was the likelihood that these leaders were aware of the
dangers involved in these practices "but they all seem to look away whilst
their flock infect themselves with HIV."
The AIDS activist noted that the alarming rate at which the disease was
claiming lives, particularly those in the productive group called for
everyone's concern to work hard to reverse the trend of 200 people getting
infected daily in Ghana.
He said HIV prevalence in Ghana was currently 3.6 per cent but observed
that some areas including Agomenya and Ada in the Greater Accra had rates as
high as 6.3 per cent "due to some cultural and social practices".
He reiterated that, even though HIV could be contracted in various ways
including through the placenta and breast milk to the newborn baby, blood
transfusion, sharing of needles/syringes and un-sterilised razor, the major
mode of transmission was through sex.
To avoid contracting it, Dr Odonkor advised against sexual promiscuity
and maintaining one sexual partner while those who could not control their
sexual excitement should use the condom.
He described the disease as being very dangerous because one could be
infected but might not show any sign of ill health up to 10 years.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 10 March 2003-Workers of the Ghana Railway
Company Limited (GRCL), on Friday embarked on a sit down strike to ensure the
ejection of squatters from their premises.
As early as 8:30am, about 400 workers in the Accra and Nsawam branches
beseeched and closed down all gates to the yard and offices of the company
including that of the Area Manager.
They have also placed embargo on the movement of trains until the
problem is solved. Not even pleas from Divine Ablordi, Area Manager of the
company to them to exercise restraint till Monday for the Management to confer
with the government, Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the security
agencies for a permanent resolution, could deter them.
Clad in red bands, the workers threatened not to resume work until the
problem is solved once and for all. Ms Comfort Awunya, Secretary of the Local
Union, told GNA in an interview that their action was not politically motivated
but was a means to get the squatters ejected to attract investors.
"Investors want to come and revamp the rail transport system but
the presence of the squatters drives them away," she explained. She said
for some time now efforts by the Management to eject them had proved
impossible. "If the workers decide not to work, Management as well as
government would take the issue seriously to ensure sanity in the company's yard."
Ms Awunya said it was a collective duty and effort for them to resist
any force by any group of people, who undermined their integrity and forcibly
invaded their property.
"We cannot afford to compromise the safety of our train operation
and bear any consequences in time of accidents," she said, and added that
they would continue to press the Management, AMA and the security agencies for
the ejection of the squatters.
When GNA visited the yard, market women were going about their usual
business, some unaware of what was happening in the main offices of the
company. The train, which was scheduled to depart Accra at 10:30am, had not
left by 11:30 when GNA left the scene.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 10 March 2003-Sixteen Police Officers from six
African countries ended a three week Regional United Nations Civilian Police
Training Course in Accra last week.
The countries are Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria and Sierra
Leone Speaking at the closing ceremony, Dr. Rod Pullen, British High
Commissioner said Accra was chosen because of Ghana's experience and expertise
in UN peace operations in Africa and elsewhere, and the strong support Ghana
provides to the UN.
He said the aim of the course was to help encourage and develop more
consistent standards of training for police officers prior to their deployment
on peacekeeping operations. "I hope that all sixteen officers would be
able to return to their own countries and pass on to as many as possible of their
colleagues, skills and knowledge that they have developed over the past three
weeks," he said.
He said the more police officers that benefit from the programme, the
greater the impact it will have on conflict prevention and resolution. Kwadwo
Affram Asiedu, Deputy Minister for the Interior said the success of police work
depends not only on appreciation of their roles but also on how they relate to
the civilian population whose cooperation and support are critical.
He said for effective and efficient performance, it is important that
the police have resources. "The government with the support of its various
development partners is putting in place a number of programmes, which would
help in developing this capacity," he said.
Asiedu said in May this year, there would be a training programme on
Internal Crisis Management, which would bring together the police, military and
a number of civilian institutions in addressing this issue (Internal Crisis
Management). He said steps are being taken towards improving the facilities of
the National Police Training School as well as other police training facilities
in the country.
He said the course has established relationships with colleagues from
other countries in the sub-region. "I do believe that the relationships
would be maintained for the good of the police service in the various
countries."
He thanked the British Government, through its Department for
International Development, for funding the training course and expressed the
hope that it is the beginning of better cooperation between the Ministry of
Interior and the DfID.
The course, a collaborative effort between the Ghanaian and British
governments, was held at the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre in Ghana.
It is the sixth such training course, but the first in Africa.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 10 March 2003-Nineteen new elected Presbyters-
seven women and twelve men of the Salvation Presbyterian Church, New Achimota
in Accra were on Sunday inducted into office for a four-year term.
Reverend Patrick Ayesu, Chaplain of the Presbyterian Secondary School
(PRESEC) Legon, Accra, who performed the induction ceremony called on elders of
Churches to see themselves as servants of God rather than lord it over members
of the congregation.
He said most leadership problems churches face stemmed from the fact
that the leaders had not been humble enough to see themselves as servants of
Christ. Preaching the sermon on the topic" Elder As A Leader" Rev.
Ayesu said elders must portray leadership by example in order to impact
positively on church members to emulate.
He said the moral standard of leaders must be very high in order to win
them the needed respect and support to carry out their duties. Rev. Ayesu said
Christianity transcends all tribal barriers adding "we serve the people of
God and not one particular tribe.''
He advised them to be ambassadors of the Christ to propagate the word
of God and to ensure that their actions brought unity to the church. Rev.
Samuel Odjelua, Minister in-charge of the Church noted that the role of
Presbyters is very challenging and called for constant prayers for God's wisdom
and guidance.
"However, you must take consolation in the fact that God will
sustain you and see you through all difficulties and most importantly reward
you for your efforts." Rev. Adjelua called for co-operation and unity
among the Presbyters, the clergy and the congregation to enhance the well being
of the church.
Mrs Grace Ampomah Benefo, Senior Presbyter said the task of being a
Presbyter is an arduous one and advised the newly elected ones to be free and
fair to every member that needed their help adding discrimination would only
lead to enmity.
Robert Agbobli Snr., a member of the new Presbyters asked for God's
guidance, strength and courage to enable them to perform their duty without
fear or favour so that together they could build a solid Church.
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Dagomba (Defence Minister Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, has urged Dagombas,
especially the Abudu and Andani Gates to note that irrespective of what has
happened in the past and as well as the current crisis, there was the need for
them to preserve the Dagbon State for posterity.
The Minister said the Dagbon crisis was taking a toll not only on the
national economy of which about 7 billion cedis has so far been spent on
maintaining the security in the area but it has led to the disruption of
political, social, economic and religious activities.
He said teachers, doctors and contractors have deserted the area and
recently the government has to provide security to some Cuban doctors to
convince them to go back to work.
Dr Addo-Kufuor who is also the acting Interior Minister said this
during the annual week celebration of the Students Representative Council (SRC)
of the University of Development Studies (UDS) in Nyankpala, Tamale.
The Minister appealed to the representatives of the two Gates to be
tolerant to each other to enable the judicial process the government has
initiated to bring the guilty ones to justice.
He said at the same time they should allow consultation with other
stakeholders who have the welfare of the Dagbon State at heart to continue to
help in finding lasting solution to the crisis.
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Cape Coast (Greater Accra) 10 March 2003- The
University of Cape Coast (UCC) on Friday conferred honorary degrees on two
personalities, who have contributed towards the growth and development of the
university at a ceremony which formed part of activities marking its 40th
anniversary celebrations of the institution.
They were: Immediate Past Vice-Chancellor of the
University, the Reverend Professor Samuel Kwasi Adjepong and Mr Kwasi Fosu
Gyabaa, an alumnus. Dr Charles Mensa, Chairman of the UCC Council, conferred
the Doctor of Science, (Honoris Causa) on Rev. Prof. Adjepong and conferred the
degree of Doctor of Letters (Honoris Causa) on Mr Gyabaa.
He said this brought to 24 the number of
personalities the university had conferred the honorary degrees on at both
local and international levels since it attained full status in 1972
A citation accompanying the awards; described
Professor Adjepong as a hard working person and said it was during his
leadership that the image of the university was placed on a high pedestal on
the international scene.
"As a result of your exemplary leadership, the
university has forged partnership with a number of local and international
institutions and agencies, which had brought academic programmes and physical
projects to UCC", the citation said.
Mr Gyabaa was also described as somebody, who had
shown tremendous commitment and support to the growth and development of the
UCC, his alma mater in so many diverse ways.
Gyabaa was said to have demonstrated his unalloyed
commitment to the advancement of the university through his active involvement
in finding concrete solutions to problems that arose as a result of the
introduction of the new grading system.
The Vice Chancellor Reverend Professor Emmanuel
Obeng congratulated them on their achievement and said the UCC would continue
to honour hard-working personalities so as to make it an institution to live
and work with.
Professor Adjepong on his own behalf and that of
Gyabaa thanked the university for the honour done them and said, it would serve
as a beacon of inspiration to all. Among those present were the Chancellor of
the university, Dr. Sam Jonah, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, Omanhene of Oguaa
Traditional Area and the Minister of Mines, Kwadwo Adjei-Darko.
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Cape Coast (Central Region) 10 March 2003-The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu
Mahama at the weekend said that it has become imperative for the nation to
overhaul the tertiary education system to make it responsive to the country's
development needs and aspirations.
In line with this, the government, he said, would soon initiate action
to redefine the mandates of the universities to enable them to run
practical-oriented and market-driven programmes, without violating the
principles that promote liberal education.
The Vice President was addressing the 33rd Congregation, which climaxed
the 40th anniversary celebration of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) during
which degrees; diplomas and certificates were awarded to about 2000 students
who successfully completed various courses at the University.
In all 37 students, out of which eight were females, got First Class
Division, while 558 made up of 130 females and 432 males had Second Class
Upper. The Vice President called for the constant review of the curricula,
research, as well as teaching programmes to make them more competitive
internationally and said the UCC had achieved a lot in this area.
"I must indicate that government is appreciative of the Bachelor
of Education Computer Science programme that has been introduced. This is
because the programme is professionally preparing students with the methodology
of teaching computer studies at the second cycle institutions."
Alhaji Mahama said computer programme would boost the government's
policy of making ICT available to many people, particularly students, and
pledged that the government would provide the needed resources to make the
programme successful.
He acknowledged the strides the UCC was making in the areas of
improving the skills and training of students who do not get admission into the
universities through sandwich programmes and continuing education
programmes.
The Vice President said the government alone could not continue to fund
education in the country especially at the tertiary level, and said it was time
that the issue of funding education was debated dispassionately in order to
find a lasting solution to the problem.
Alhaji Mahama said the government through the GETFund had provided the
UCC with a number of equipment including water tankers, cesspit emptier, and a
refuse truck and had fully settled the cost incurred by the institution during
the water crises in Cape Coast.
He reiterated that the government had voted four million dollars for
the improvement of the water system in Cape Coast and that plans were also far
advanced for the construction of an Education Faculty Complex and the a block
for the School of Agriculture.
Alhaji Mahama said the government was seriously considering measures to
streamline the structure and administration of the Student's Loan Scheme, with
the view to making it more responsive to the needs of students as well as
making recovery of the loan less cumbersome.
The Chancellor of the University, Dr Sam Jonah, said the University had
created new courses and programmes to meet the urgent demands of the national
economy. He said Ghana's economic growth was tied to both better access to
information, therefore, implore all stakeholders to individually and
collectively assist UCC to expand its ICT infrastructure.
The Vice-Chancellor, Reverend Professor Emmanuel Ado Obeng, said funds
to the universities were 'woefully inadequate' and stressed the need for an
increase 'if we are to ensure quality and expand to meet growing needs'. He
said fresh graduates were refusing to take teaching appointments at the
University because of better conditions of service in teaching outside the
country.
He, therefore, advised the government to establish a more competitive
salary structure for the universities to attract and retain potential young
lecturers and seasoned professors.
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Cape Coast (Central Region) 10 March 2003- Vice
President Aliu Mahama on Saturday called for a debate that would elicit
permanent solutions to the issue of funding tertiary institutions.
He acknowledged the difficulties the government
faces in providing adequate resources to educational institutions at all
levels, and said the government alone could not continue to fund the whole of
our education.
Vice President Mahama was addressing the 33rd
Congregation of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), which also climaxed the
40th anniversary celebration of (UCC). About 2000 students received degrees,
diplomas and certificates.
In all, 37 students, out of which eight were
females, got First Class Division, while 558 made up of 130 females and 432
males had Second Class Upper. Those who distinguished themselves received
various awards and prizes.
Vice President Mahama, however, gave the assurance
that until alternative avenues were found to fund educational institutions, the
government would continue to meet its financial responsibilities to tertiary
institutions.
He urged industries to invest in tertiary
institutions, as they were direct beneficiaries of their products. "It
makes sound business sense for industry to invest in the university system,
for, the truth is that industry needs the university as much as the university
needs the industry," he said.
"A well-endowed university system in Ghana
will in the end provide the high calibre manpower that industry needs for its
growth and expansion." To encourage industries to invest in universities,
Vice President Mahama said the government was considering incentives to make it
more attractive for the business world to support education.
The Rev. Professor Emmanuel Adow Obeng, Vice
Chancellor of UCC, who spoke in detail about the inadequate resources to
tertiary institutions, proposed the introduction of a student financial
responsibility scheme that would be graduated over the next 10 years to make
the institutions eventually become fiscally independent.
He said: "The problem is that for obvious
political reasons, successive governments have avoided the truth and logic of
charging fees. "This denies the public university system its most reasonable
means of self sustenance."
Prof. Obeng said the universities were, however,
aware of the socio-economic situation of Ghanaians that would make it
insensitive and unwise to make abrupt changes in policy to allow universities
to charge full fees.
"What we wish to say, however, is if
government is being forced by poor national circumstances to ask as to swim or
sink, then we in turn are asking for the freedom to build our own boat,"
he said.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 10 March 2003- All 10
political forces in the Ivory Coast, as well as regional and international
facilitators working to end the almost six-month conflict in that country have
hailed the landmark outcome of the Accra roundtable, saying, it was a giant
step towards the restoration of peace and order in that country.
Representatives of both the government and
opposition, including the rebels, now referred to as the New Forces, said they
expected the transitional power-sharing government to be named by Friday 14
March.
They also expressed appreciation for the role
played by sister countries and international facilitators, especially Ghana,
for their immense sacrifices to ensure that peace returned to the cote
D'Ivoire.
After day-and-night negotiations brokered by the
ECOWAS Secretariat headed by President John Agyekum Kufuor, Chairman of ECOWAS
the warring factions signed a final deal to push forward the formation of a
transitional unity government as provided under the French-sponsored Marcoussis
Accord they signed last January.
The new deal provides for the urgent creation of a
15-member National Security Council that would assist in discharging the
functions of the Defence and Security Ministries.
Membership of this Council would comprise President
Gbagbo, Prime Minister Seydou Diarra, a representative each of the political
forces, as well as signatories to the Marcoussis Accord and a representative
each of the Armed Forces, National Gendarmerie and National Police.
The Accra roundtable also requests the new Prime
Minister to submit nominations for the most-sought-for post of Minister of
Defence and Minister of Security to the President "on the basis of
consensus".
The two ministries, regarded as the most sensitive,
were reportedly allocated to the rebels in January as part of trade-offs under
the Marcoussis Accord, but President Laurent Gbagbo had been reluctant to give
it out, thus, resulting in a stalemate in the negotiations.
The MPCI is to be allocated the Ministry of
Territorial Administration and the Ministry of Communications after it had
dropped the demand for the key portfolios of Defence and the Interior.
The communiqué reaffirmed that the President should
delegate powers to Premier Diarra before 14 March to enable him to exercise his
legitimate powers to implement the proposals under the accord including the
formation of a government of national reconciliation.
Those selected by the political forces to serve in
the government as their representatives should be respected. In an interview
with the GNA, the MPCI Leader, Guillaume Soro, described the new deal as 'The
Mother Of All'.
"I can assure you that it is all over now. We
are happy. Our people will have a government pretty soon. They can no longer
wait," he said and urged all parties to remain committed to the latest
agreement.
His right-hand man, Sidiki Konate, shared the same
view and praised Ghana, particularly, President Kufuor for his personal
relentlessness in the peace efforts. President Kufuor had spent long hours
between Thursday evening and Friday morning talking to the main rival parties,
including long distance phone calls to his Ivorian counterpart, Laurent Gbagbo
in Abidjan.
Speaking with emotions, the Chief Delegate of
former President Henry Konan Bedie's PDCI, Alphonse Djedje-Mady described the
outcome of the Accra declaration as 'historic'. "This document that we
have signed here today is of historic importance which should remain in our
memories. It is a new charter that we'd want to implement."
In the opinion of ex-Premier Affi N'guessan, Head
of Gbagbo's FPI Delegation, the Accra deal was the "most acceptable and
workable." "There is nothing like it so far. I believe I can
sincerely accept it on behalf of my party," he told the GNA.
Former ex-Premier Alassane Dramane Ouattara, Leader
of the RDR, said the deal marked a giant leap towards the restoration of peace
and order in Cote D'Ivoire. "It means we'll have a government in place by
Friday and all other things will follow," he said and urged the government
and other key players to have faith in it.
Professor Albert Tevoedjre, UN Envoy on Cote
d'Ivoire and Chairman of the Monitoring Committee on the Marcoussis Agreement,
said the breakthrough was 'wonderful and extraordinary'. "It is an act of
hope for the rebuilding of Cote d'Ivoire," he said.
Those who signed the communiqué were: former
Premier N'guessan, representing the ruling FPI; Mr Innocent Kobena Anaky, for
the MFA; Gaspard Deli of the MJP, Soro, Leader of the MPCI and Roger Banchi,
representing the MPIGO rebels.
Other signatories, were Mr Djedje Mady,
representing PDCI-RDA; Francis Wodie of the PIT; Mr Ouattara, for the RDR;
Theodore Mel-Eg of the UDCY and Mr Paul Akoto Yao of the UDPCI.
In attendance were heads of French and ECOWAS
troops stationed in the Cote D'Ivoire. The roundtable called on the government
to act in concert with the troops to take immediate measures to provide for the
security and protection of the participants in the Marcoussis roundtable,
members of government and socio-political actors.
It recalled the need for all forces on the ground
to ensure immediate cessation of killings, as well as all forms of extortion in
the zones where they operated. "In order to promote the spirit of
reconciliation, the roundtable makes a solemn appeal to all socio-political
actors and the media to commit themselves firmly to supporting the process of
implementing the Marcoussis Agreement."
It further reiterated the need to maintain the
territorial integrity of Cote d'Ivoire and respect for its institutions and
restore the authority of the state. It also reaffirmed the authority of
President Gbagbo as the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed
forces, guarantor of the Constitution and the institutions of Cote d'Ivoire.
Closing the meeting, Foreign Minister Hackman Owusu
Agyemang, who is also Chairman of the ECOWAS Ministerial Mediation and Security
Council, exhorted the parties to have faith in the agreement. They should also
do away with mistrust for one another.
"The days when brothers turned against brother
should go behind us from today." Owusu-Agyemang urged the leaders to
impress upon their combatants to lay down their arms and to rather work to
consolidate the Accra Compromise.
He paid special tribute to the MCPI for responding
to ECOWAS' call for ceasefire and urged its leaders to help address the
country's structural differences. "You should pursue the course of true
justice," he said.
GRi.../
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Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 10 March 2003- Peter Kpordugbe,
National Chairman of the National Reform Party, on Saturday observed that Ghana
now appears to be an inland of peace and stability in the sub- region, but
poverty and leadership had rendered the situation to become frail.
He said low levels of organisation and mobilisation
of the country's human resource is the main reason for poverty in the midst of
plenty resources. Kpodugbe was speaking at the opening of a day's extraordinary
national congress of the party in Sunyani under the theme; "Building an
activist party."
The congress is expected to study draft documents
of the party's national working committee with other progressive parties on the
possibility of taking measures on a firm decision.
About 100 delegates, including members of the
party's national council, national working committee, and two representatives
from each region as well as individual members from some constituencies are
attending the congress.
Delegates from the Northern, Upper East and West
regions had not arrived at the time of filing this report. Kpordugbe noted that
poor leadership at community and institutional levels, confused national
directions and overwhelming pressure for national leadership to share focus
with deteriorating regional and international situations affected the country's
stability and its purposeful march towards creating a real peaceful, stable and
prosperous nation.
"Our communities are not viable entities,
socially, politically and economically, more has to be done to make all
recognised settlement viable," he said, adding that the current vacuum in
community leadership did not offer the hope for a stable future.
The national chairman posed the question:
"what is the combination of traditional authority and unit committee
leadership, which will take our communities out of their depression."
He called on the congress to ponder over some key
issues such as responsibilities, accountability, organisation, mobilisation and
solidarity. Kpordugbe expressed satisfaction that two years of near inactivity
of the party at both regional and constituency levels had not destroyed the
enthusiasm of the "faithful reformers who made the journey to congress in
Sunyani ''.
He stated that if the congress decided to reject a
merger with any progressive party and solely contest the 2004 general election,
then the responsibility of revamping the party's branches and its countrywide
activism would rest squarely on its loyal members.
Goosie Tandor, the flagbearer of the party in the
2000 presidential post said, to build a strong and vibrant political party
required a maximum commitment and dedication of its members, not only in terms
of sacrificing their time but contribution of financial resources. The National
Democratic Congress and Convention Peoples Party delivered solidarity messages.
GRi.../
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 10 March 2003- The Very
Reverend Oswald Samuel Kwadwo Boakye, Synod Secretary of the Kumasi Diocese of
the Methodist Church, has called on all Ghanaians to have the courage to stand
up for the truth at all times.
He stressed that it is only through faith, prayers
and courage to point out wrong doings in and outside the church and in the
society as a whole, that Ghana can be a nation with a common destiny.
Preaching at the 27th anniversary celebration of
the Christ's Little Band Society of the New Tafo circuit of the Dunwell
Methodist Church in Kumasi on Sunday, the Very Rev Boakye called on the church
to pray for those in authority.
He said as Christians, they need faith in God and
also lead righteous lives to have the power to build the church. Joshua Peprah,
a class-leader, asked members to follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ in order
to face the challenges and difficulties in life.
He stressed the need for Christians not to love
worldly materials and pray hard so that God would help them to succeed. Owusu
Boadi Achiaw, the immediate past president of the Christ's Little Band, called
on the executives to work hard to help members to uplift their spiritual and
physical development.
He asked them not to rest on their oars but to do
more than they did to chalk more successes for the society and the church.
Prayers were said for peace and love among all Ghanaians and the progress and
development of the church.
GRi.../
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Konongo (Ashanti Region) 10 March 2003-Professor
Edward Ofori-Sarpong, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon,
has proposed a review of the Junior Secondary School system to be replaced with
a more proactive Basic Level Education that would be responsive to the
development of the Ghanaian child.
He said the present system did not provide the
requisite skills needed by students in their development as there were no
adequate structures and equipment to meet the requisite demands of the system.
This situation, he noted, had greatly contributed to the high drop-out rate differentials in enrolment in general and gender representation which threatened the goals targeted for the year 2005, under the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) programme.
Prof. Ofori-Sarpong was delivering the first of
three lectures as part of activities marking the Golden Jubilee celebration of
Konongo-Odumase Secondary School (KOSS) at Konongo on Friday.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor, who is an old student of
KOSS, was speaking on the topic, "Moving Ghana forward through quality
education". Prof. Ofori-Sarpong admitted that there had been significant
increase in the total number of primary schools over the last decade
nationwide, but this had not translated itself into a corresponding rise in
gross enrolment ratio, which, he said, stood at 78.6 percent.
He said at the moment, the school drop-out rate at
the basic level, especially in the rural areas stood at 29.5 percent for girls
to 20.2 percent per boys. Prof. Ofori-Sarpong also indicated that the 2005 goal
of the FCUBE was unlikely to be achieved without significant effort at
improving the quality of public education, particularly in the poor
marginalized communities.
He therefore, entreated the district assemblies to
be more responsive to the needs of the schools in their communities by
negotiating with Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to provide incentives
and structures for the schools.
GRi.../
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