GRi Newsreel 17 – 03 - 2003
Minister must not serve as board chairman
Achuliwor laid to rest
Filth at the borders gives bad image of Ghana
Extend of sittings of NRC to Regions-Bishop
Ministry introduces farmers to work-plan
Apostles' Continuation Church gets new leader
Early detection of cancer can save life-Doctor
Quality education is the solution to poverty
NGO calls for inclusion of rabbit production
Media practitioners learn more about Forestry
Tim Africa AIDS organises Education programme
NDC Women told to close ranks
NRC Zonal Office receives 902 complaints
Minister must not serve as board chairman
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 March 2003 - Participants at a one-day
workshop on national communication regulations have called for the removal of
the Minister of Communication, Felix Owusu Agyepong as the chairman of the
board of the National Communication Authority.
They contended that his removal will make the authority neutral, independent and more transparent in its activities. The one-day workshop which was organised by the Legal Resource Centre, a non-governmental organisation, attracted participants from the communication industry, legal experts, policy makers, consumers and media practitioners.
It was aimed at gathering views and concerns of stakeholders in the industry about the National Communications Regulatory Bill which is before Parliament. They argued that the position of the minister on the board does not only breed conflict of interest, but it is also an affront to free enterprise because it does not engender competition in the communication industry.
They noted that it is unacceptable for a government which holds 70 per cent shares in Ghana Telecommunications (GT) Company Limited to at the same time set standards and regulate activities of all the players in the industry.
According to them, the appointment of the independent members of the authority should be done in the same way as for the National Media Commission where in members are chosen by interested groups.
This, the participants noted, will reflect the interest of all stakeholders, lay the foundation for a level playing field as well as ensure that the telecommunications industry generates enough revenue for the socio-economic development of the country.
Prof. Kwame Karikari, a lecturer at the School of Communications Studies of the University of Ghana, stated that having an effective regulation alone will not solve the problem but there should be committed and independent personnel as well as adequate equipment to monitor players in the industry and added that œ a law is worse if it cannot be enforced.
He welcomed the pluralism and the proliferation of the airwaves which he said is good for good governance, the music industry as well as the sharing of ideas. Prof Karikari, however, called for a National Broadcasting Act to categorise radio stations into profit making, non-profit making and those that are committed to social services so that others can be encouraged to be in the rural areas.
The President of the Internet Service Providers Association, Nana Yaa Prempeh, expressed shock and dismay at the way government is going about the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) issue.
She called on the authority to put in place regulations to govern the system so that Ghanaians will derive maximum benefits from it, adding that the technology is not very costly. Kwesi Pratt, Editor-in-Chief of the Insight, presenting a paper on the regulations of the authority, called for a restraint on the powers of the President under wars and emergency situations so that they will not be used arbitrarily to control or nationalise other private communications entities as stated in the draft bill.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Return to top
Achuliwor laid to rest
Navrongo (Upper East)
17 March 2003- Burial took place on Saturday at a family
cemetery at Navrongo
in the Upper East Region of the late John Setuni Achuliwor, Member of
Parliament (MP) for Navrongo Central and Deputy Minister of Communications and
Technology.
It was attended by
dignitaries from all walks of life, including the Head of State President John
Kufuor who flew in from Niamey, Niger, where he attended a two-day conference
of Sahelo-Saharan States.
The burial service
was held at the Centre of Sports (COS) Park, and conducted jointly by the Most
Reverend Lucas Abadamloora, Catholic Bishop of the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese,
and the Very Reverend Simon Asofo, Vicar-General of the Diocese.
In a tribute,
President Kufuor likened the late Achuliwor to other great politicians from the
area such as Abavana and Colonel (rtd) George Minyilla and described him as
"very intelligent, forceful and daring.
Whenever he took his
stand on any issue not even a tractor could move him," said the President.
President Kufuor observed that the late MP was an asset not only to the people
of Navrongo but the nation as a whole, and that with his death the nation has
lost a great patriot.
He urged the youth of
Navrongo to emulate the selfless life of the late Achuliwor, from whom they had
undoubtedly derived a lot of inspiration. Achuliwor's wife, Mrs Bridget Ify
Achuliwor, his children, family members, friends as well as the Minister of
Communications and Technology, and the Speaker and Members of Parliament, among
others, also took turns to pay tributes at the ceremony.
President Kufuor
later laid a wreath on behalf of the Government and People of Ghana. Others who
laid wreaths included the Speaker and Members of Parliament, the Minister of
Communications and Technology, the Kassena-Nankana District Assembly, in-laws
of the late MP, the Navrongo Central Constituency Executive of the New
Patriotic Party (NPP), Navrongo Secondary School Old Students, and the Ashanti
Community in Navrongo.
Earlier at the
Navro-Pio's palace to pay a courtesy call, President Kufuor explained that he
was in town to mourn with the chiefs and people of the area on the occasion of
the death of their illustrious son.
The Regent of
Navrongo, Arthur Balinia, thanked President Kufuor for the support he and his
government had extended to the bereaved family and the people of Navrongo since
the death of the late MP.
On President Kufuor's
entourage were ministers of state and deputies, MPs, Regional Ministers, DCEs,
and party functionaries. Also present were C.K. Tedam and Francis Afoko, both
members of the Council of State, and Colonel Minyilla, (rtd), Ghana's
ambassador to Burkina Faso.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Filth at the borders gives bad image of Ghana
Aflao (Volta Region)
17 March 2003- Mrs Sophia Dotse Boakye, President of Customs Excise and
Preventive Service (CEPS) Officers Wives Association (CEPSOWA) in Aflao on
Saturday said the poor state of sanitation at the border gave a bad impression
to visitors who enter the country through the Aflao border.
She said the
situation was a health threat to all categories of workers at the border, which
is the Eastern Gateway of Ghana. Mrs Boakye was speaking to the Ghana News
Agency (GNA) after leading 30 members of the (CEPSOWA) to undertake a
three-hour clean-up at the border and its environs.
The members were from
Akanu, Kpoglo, Havi and the Aflao, all under the Aflao Collection Point. Areas
cleaned included the Departure and Arrival Halls, the Tower Area, the long
stretch of the arrival and departure gates, the border complex arena and
offices of the Ministry of Trade.
Mrs Boakye said the
exercise would be undertaken in all the other frontiers within the Sector on
rotational basis and would be extended to public places such as the hospitals.
She urged CEPS Officers to encourage their wives to join the Association and
hoped wives of CEPS Officers in other parts of the country would emulate the
Aflao sector.
Kow Amissah-Koomson,
Assistant Commissioner of CEPS responsible for the Sector commended CEPSOWA for
supporting their husbands and urged them to sustain the exercise. He regretted
that travellers through the frontier made promotion of sanitation difficult by
throwing garbage anywhere.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Return to top
Extend of sittings of NRC to Regions-Bishop
Kumasi (Ashanti
Region) 17 March 2003-A Minister of Religion, has called for extension of
sittings of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) in all the ten
Regional capitals.
Bishop J.N.K.
Boateng, Leader of the Gospel Revival Church of Christ, said even though the
NRC is good, the tendency for it to make the impact on Ghanaians would largely
depend on how fast its sittings would be at the regional centres.
Bishop Boateng was
addressing the opening session of a four-day Crusade held by the Gospel Revival
Church of Christ at Sofoline, Kumasi on Sunday. The Crusade with the theme
"Prepared to meet Jesus" was attended by over 1,500 members of the
church drawn from its branches in Ashanti.
"However if such
sittings are extended to the Regional Capitals many people will be willing to
come up with their cases since such sittings will be closer to their areas of
abode.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Ministry introduces farmers to work-plan
Atimpoku (Eastern
Region) 17 March 2003- The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has held a
one-day workshop to introduce its 2003 work-plan to farmers, assembly members
and stakeholders at Atimpoku in the Asuogyaman District in the Eastern Region.
The workshop,
attended by about 100 participants, discussed post-harvest losses, inputs
supply and other issues that would attract the youth to go into agriculture.
The Eastern Regional Director of the MOFA, Kweku Amoo Baffoe, told the
participants that the workshop formed a comprehensive educational programme
drawn up for farmers to introduce to them to new agriculture technology.
He said such training
programmes would also enable the farmers to learn techniques that would help
them increase their yields. Baffoe reminded them that constant interaction with
agricultural extension officials would enable them to solve problems that
hinder production.
The District Director
of MOFA, Paapa Kow Bartels, expressed the hope that they would impart the
knowledge acquired to their colleagues to enhance agriculture in the country.
The farmers called
for the institution of workshops to promote regular exchange of ideas while the
prices of chemicals and inputs should be made affordable to enhance
productivity.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Apostles' Continuation Church gets new leader
Duayaw-Nkwanta (Brong
Ahafo) 17 March 2003--Apostle Clement Brakatu, 51 was on Sunday inducted into
office as the new Chairman of Apostle's Continuation Church.
He took over from
Apostle General Emmanuel Kwadwo Owusu, 71, Founder of the church, who
relinquished the position due to old age. Speaking at the induction service at
Duayaw Nkwanta in the Brong Ahafo Region, at which five pastors were also
ordained, Yaw Adjei-Duffuor, Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, called on
the leadership of religious bodies to spearhead the crusade against
indiscipline
He said indiscipline
had so permeated the fabric of the Ghanaian society to a level that it had
become cancerous and "we will need divine intervention through our
pulpits, mosques and other religious platforms to save our dear nation".
Adjei-Duffuor
commended the church for the "epoch-making" and exemplary event,
saying: "It is very rare for a living leader to relinquish his position in
our society, as succession disputes have become a problem in almost every facet
of our lives as Ghanaians.
"Such disputes
smack of indiscipline as witnessed in churches, our homes, traditional set ups,
groups, associations and at our workplaces," he said. The Deputy Minister
noted that disputes that had characterized succession to stools and skins were
all rooted in indiscipline "because people who do not have any right to
the position want it, by hook or by crook because of either their wealth,
influence or some power".
Adjei-Duffuor
expressed regret that such indiscipline had characterized past governance,
which led to misrule and its concomitant adverse effects on the country's
development and the life of the people.
He noted that in
spite of the proliferation of churches in the country, criminal activities and
misdeeds, which all stemmed from indiscipline, were rife and urged the new
leader of the church, Apostle Brakatu to see his new position as a challenge to
seek the welfare of the congregation and the growth of the church.
Adjei-Duffuor urged
church leaders to educate their members on government policies and programmes
so that they could understand and contribute to their implementation for
national progress.
Apostle General
Owusu, who inducted Apostle Brakatu into office, advised him to seek the
welfare of members of the church since he had been made a leader to become a
servant of the people.
Apostle Brakatu, who
was until his appointment the head pastor of the church in Toronto, Canada,
gave the assurance that he would work to maintain the spiritual authority and
doctrines of the church to facilitate its expansion.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Early detection of cancer can save
life-Doctor
Tema (Greater Accra)
17 March 2003- Women have been asked to seek quick medical attention to breast
cancer instead of resorting to spiritual treatment that could only worsen their
plight, if they detect symptoms of the disease.
Dr Eric
Ntiamoah-Mensah, head of the medical unit of the Christian Professional
Fellowship and a Women's Health Advocate, who made the call, also requested
women to undertake regular breast examination to enable them to know their
health status.
He was speaking at a
breast cancer awareness day, organised by the Women's wing of the Victory Bible
Church (VBC) in conjunction with Abibimman Foundation, a non-governmental
organisation both based in Tema, under the theme "the breast, a life
sustaining organ," in Tema on Saturday.
Dr Ntiamoah-Mensah
said though the disease could result in death, its early detection might save
lives because many patients who sought early attention were still alive. He
advised women against hanging bags on their shoulders and the wearing of tight
brassieres, especially those with metal embedded in them since they could harm
them and result in cancer.
Dr Ntiamoah-Mensah
said though the cause of breast cancer was not known, research indicated that
two out of every 10 women were likely to develop it. He said women who had late
deliveries, and menopause were at risk of contracting the disease but allayed
the fears that one is likely to develop it so long as a relative has suffered
from it.
Dr Ntiamoah-Mensah
expressed dissatisfaction that people normally associated obesity with prestige
or financial status and appealed to the public check their eating habits and to
undertake physical exercises to keep them in shape.
Mrs Joyce
Wereko-Brobbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, called
on Christians to always look up to God for direction and for the control over
their lives.
She called on
Christians to refrain from thinking about frivolous issues that could result in
grief and sorrow. Mrs Wereko-Brobbey advised Ghanaians to be honest and to be
content with their personal achievements.
Mrs Ellen
Adjei-Danso, President of the women's fellowship, noted that women were abused
during their infancy and adulthood and their reproductive rights continued to
be violated with impunity. She, therefore, appealed to the church to assist in
addressing problems affecting the development of women
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Quality education is the solution to poverty
Takoradi (Greater
Accra) 17 March 2003- Alhaji Rashid Bawa, Deputy Minister of Education on
Saturday said quality education is the only antidote to poverty reduction and
the hope of students for a better life.
It would also enable
them to pursue careers that would improve the quality of life and become useful
citizens, he added. Alhaji Bawa was speaking at the 45th Speech and Prize
Giving Day of the Takoradi Secondary School (TADISCO).
The theme for the
occasion was "The school concept and quality education in the 21st
century-the way forward". He charged teachers to look for strategies to
develop new programmes aimed at producing men and women, armed with relevant
skills that can strengthen the country's technologies in the 21st century.
Alhaji Bawa stressed
that the government has begun the construction, expansion and rehabilitation of
first and second cycle institutions throughout the country adding, "last
year projects valued at 6.3bn cedis were initiated in eight Senior Secondary
Schools (SSS) in each of the 10 regions, to ensure quality education
delivery".
He called on
stakeholders in the educational sector to play their role expected of them to
make quality education affordable and accessible to all. "Teachers have a
special role to play in the provision of quality education, and this can be
achieved if they become agents of change" he stressed.
The Deputy Minister
urged students to make full use of all opportunities and facilities available
and avoid acts of indiscipline and vandalism that could end their educational
opportunities.
Alhaji Bawa reminded
them that drug abuse; early sex and armed robbery are major challenges facing
several youth and urged them to avoid such practices. In an address read for
him, Joseph B. Aidoo, Western Regional Minister said education has suffered a
major drawback to the development of the region, with low educational
standards.
Aidoo called on the
district and metropolitan assemblies in the region, to intensify proper
monitoring and supervision to ensure that educational projects are efficiently
and effectively managed.
He, however,
cautioned that all efforts aimed at revamping educational systems in the region
could come to nought if students do not take their studies seriously. Kofi
Adade-Antwi, Headmaster of TADISCO said the school, which started in 1964 with
a student population of 304, now has 1,280 with 845 females.
He noted that the
academic performance of the school over the years, is improving adding that
last academic year, 62 students had good passes in eight subjects. Adade-Antwi
stressed that the school excelled in sports, debates and quiz competitions
organised both in and outside the region.
He said with the
formation of Youth Savings Club of the Credit Union of Africa (CUA) by 629
students, the club now has a capital of 33mn cedis used to purchase books pay
for fees Adade-Antwi, however, regretted that encroachment of school land
coupled with the lack of a hostel facility, makes teaching and learning very
difficult and called on the ministry of education, the Shama Ahanta East
Metropolitan Assembly (SAEMA) and the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND), to
come to the aid of the school.
He noted that lack of
the hostel facility to admit students with poor grades. Adade-Antwi regretted
that a female student of the school was bitten by a snake last term, when she
attempted to use the pit latrine in the school and called on the directors of
the GETFUND, to provide modern flush toilets for the school.
Adade-Antwi said the
school library, which was initially meant for 500 students, is currently unable
to seat half of the student population while most of the books are old and
needed replacement.
He saidn non-boarding
system cannot enhance the delivery of quality education adding that most
community secondary schools have low enrolments due to the lack of facilities
and teachers to handle such schools.
A minute's silence
was observed for the late John Setuni Achuliwor, Member of Parliament for
Navrongo Central and Deputy Minister of Communications and Technology.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
NGO calls for inclusion of rabbit production
Nobewam (Ashanti
Region) 17 March 2003- A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Eatwell Practical
Rabbitory International (EPRI), concerned with awareness creation and training
of rabbit rearing has appealed for inclusion of rabbit production in the
President Initiatives.
K.A. Abu Seidu,
Co-ordinator of the EPRI said Ghana stands to benefit a lot should promotion
and production of rabbits be added to the President Initiatives on cassava and
starch, as well as textiles and garments.
Seidu made the appeal
at a day training workshop of rabbit production, organised by the EPRI for
potential rabbit farmers at Nobewam in the Ejisu-Juabeng District on Saturday.
He said apart from its
nutritional value, rabbit meat also has good market locally and abroad. The
participants are made up of retired civil and public servants who have decided
to take up rabbit farming, farmers and some youth.
He observed that even
though rabbits were easier to produce and also serve as cheap source of
protein, they have been neglected in favour of cattle. "Apart from its
tendency to produce numerous times annually, meat of the rabbit is also cheaper
and more affordable than mutton, beef, fish or poultry", Seidu stated.
Seidu said to help
entice farmers and Ghanaian youth into mass production of rabbit, the EPRI had
already started a project on a pilot basis from where interested farmers could
be trained on simple mechanisms of rabbit rearing.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Media practitioners learn more about
Forestry
Fiapre (Brong Ahafo)
17 March 2003- Joseph Boakye, Assistant Brong-Ahafo Regional Manager of Forest
Services Division (FSD) of Forestry Commission (FC) has acknowledged the key
role of the media in the awareness creation programmes on the need to protect
the forests from destruction.
He was addressing the
close of a two-day workshop for 20 selected media personnel on fire, forestry
and weather reporting. Topics discussed included: "Policies and Legislations
on Wildfire"; "Forestry and Wildlife"; "State of Forest
Resources in Ghana" and "Plantation Timber Harvesting"
Boakye commended the
participants for their seriousness at the workshop and expressed the hope that
they would let what they had learnt reflect in their reportage. He said the
Commission would arrange similar workshops that would cover more aspects on the
theory and practice of forestry and allied disciplines.
Leonard Victor
Amengor, Brong-Ahafo Radio News Editor of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC),
on behalf of the participants described the workshop as a refreshing and that
it would help the participants to become well informed about forestry and
allied disciplines.
He urged
organisations to organise such workshops on regular basis to help sharpen the
skills of media personnel for effective and efficient reportage. The
participants during the workshop visited Sunyani Airport Meteorological Station
to acquaint themselves with the station's operations and plantations of teak
and other exotic species.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Tim Africa AIDS organises Education programme
Tepa (Ashanti Region)
17 March 2003-Tim Africa AIDS, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) Peer
Education group would soon undertake house to house education campaigns to
sensitise their colleagues on the dangers of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
According to Isaac
Kwabena Kakpeibe, Executive Director of the Organisation, the sensitisation
programme would target particularly Junior Secondary School pupils to encourage
them to take their studies seriously instead of indulging in early sex.
Speaking at a
sensitisation workshop on HIV/AIDS at Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North District, he
asked Ghanaians to come to grips with the reality of the pandemic. Kakpeibe
urged couples to remain faithful to each other and refrain from casual sex to
avoid contracting the disease.
He said his
organisation had undertaken a number of activities to sensitise the public on
the disease and named some of the activities as workshops, for community
members and JSS students, trained peer educators and video shows.
Some of the topics
dealt with included an overview of HIV/AIDS, mechanism of transmission, mode of
transmission, prevention, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sex
education.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
NDC Women told to close ranks
Ashaiman (Greater
Accra) 17 March 2003- Madam Frances Assiam, National Women's Organiser of the
National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on the members of the Women's
Wing of the party to close their ranks and embark on a vigorous campaign to win
more people into their fold.
Addressing Women
Activists of the Ashaiman branch of the NDC at Ashaiman, on Sunday, she said
any attempt to campaign in the midst of disunity would never succeed and,
therefore, urged them to bury their differences and champion the cause of
returning the party to power.
Madam Assiam said the
party was determined to regain the Ashaiman seat that was lost to the New
Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2000 elections. She said the NPP had within the last
two years shown that they had no sympathy for the ordinary Ghanaian by asking
them to tighten their belts while Ministers of state and party functionaries
loosened theirs.
The National Women's
Organiser said the government's insensitivity to the plight of Ghanaians,
coupled with its poor governance, which had no focus and direction, had
worsened the current economic condition thus placing Ghanaians in difficulties.
Notwithstanding the
difficulties, Madam Assiam said the government was feverishly planning to
increase petrol price from ¢ 20,000 to ¢23,000 per gallon. She urged the
Activists never to get discouraged by NDC's defeat during bye-elections but to
intensify their house-to-house campaigns using the current economic hardships
as their main rhetoric.
Alfred Agbesi, an
Executive Member of the Ashaiman branch of the NDC, called on the Tema
Municipal Assembly (TMA) to focus its attention on developments projects and
the unsanitary conditions in the Municipality.
Flight Lt M. Tackie,
a leading member of the NDC, entreated party activists to explain NPP's poor
governance to their colleagues against the good work of the NDC to enable them
to make informed choices. Madam Happy Amegashie, women Organiser of the branch,
promised to step up the campaign drive to enable the party to recapture the
Ashaiman seat.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
NRC Zonal Office receives 902 complaints
Obuasi (Ashanti
Region) 17 March 2003- The Ashanti and Eastern Zonal Office of the National
Reconciliation Commission (NRC) has received a total of 902 complaints of human
rights abuses.
Sampson Amofa-Kra,
the Zonal Manager of the Commission, who made this known, called on people who
still have complaints to file on time to enable thorough investigations to be
made.
He was speaking during
a two-day outreach programme organised by the Commission in the Adansi West
District at Obuasi to receive statements from victims of human rights abuse who
could not travel to Kumasi to lodge their complaints.
In all, 21 people
whose rights were trampled upon by past governments, officials and public
institutions gave statements to the Commission. Six of them did so on the first
day while the remaining 15 presented their cases on the second day.
Amofa-Kra appealed to
the media to intensify its public education on the work of the Commission to
encourage all those who were at the receiving end of human rights violations to
come forward and be part of the national 'healing process'.
He expressed
appreciation to the Adansi West District Assembly and Shaft FM, a local radio
station, for what he said was their tremendous support for the Commission's
outreach programme.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com