GRi Press Review 22 – 05 – 2003
OT Africa Line fine tunes its three strings
‘Wanzam’ business collapses due to HIV/AIDS scare
Five towns prefer guinea worm to treated water
‘2004 polls crucial to NPP’ - Commey
Universities must have blame for lack of lectures
President swears in new justices
Interest rate must come down
EPA dispatches experts to Tarkwa over spillage
Guinness, Graphic to collaborate
OT Africa Line fine tunes its three strings
London
OTAL’s ro-ro
service is resuming its nine-day frequency utilising six vessels on a 45-day
round-trip schedule. This has been made possible by the return to the service
of Rokia Delmas and Rosa Delmas. Both ships have recently been employed in support
of the military action in
The company’s Express Container Service has switched to a fixed day fortnightly schedule utilising three modern 900 TEU vessels. Previously four ships were employed to offer sailings every eleven days. Unchanged though is the Weekly Container Service (HEB) which continues to employ five ships, each of around 1600TEU.
OTAL’s Marketing Manager Ms Rachel Bennett announced the changes and said it is hard to remember a time when there has been a greater need for flexibility:
“The West African trades have never been easy. There always seems to be political or economic instability in one or more of the countries we serve. However, 2003 has already seen civil unrest to some degree in five of these nations. Not all impact significantly on cargo volumes but inevitably, some do”, he said.
MsBennett explained that “as an
example, the political problems in
There are bright spots though, says Ms Bennett:
“
OTAL’s Deputy Managing Director
Bart Foley comments that the strong Euro is making itself felt too: “Since the
beginning of this year, the trade has been quite flat. We suspect that despite
the SARS virus, West African importers are turning increasingly to
Despite this flattening out of the market, Foley is delighted to see that recent freight rate increases are holding reasonably well:
Foley said that the carriers are all holding firm, which is
just as well since we are all experiencing higher costs. The cost of chartering
containerships is very high at the moment, primarily due to strong demand on
other global trades. West African ports still leave a lot to be desired in
terms of efficiency and vessel delays are commonplace. And then there is the
strong Euro again: European suppliers are finding their goods less competitive
forcing African agents to seek better value elsewhere. - Dunelm
Public Relations Limited
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‘Wanzam’ business collapses due to HIV/AIDS scare
Wa (Upper
West)
“We are now jobless. The practice that used to be lucrative and a source of livelihood has lost its value because of the AIDS pandemic”. “People are scared because they are not sure of the safety of their children since we use only one or two instrument,” the wanzams complained.
The workshop brought together hairdresses, barbers and wanzams and was aimed at inculcating in them the need for sterilizing their implements and instruments to avert the spread of AIDS through their activities.
The project co-ordinating director of the CBO, Mrs Cristine Choka Seidu, said although most people were aware of the dangers of the HIV/AIDS menace and other related diseases, poverty and lack of parental care had contributed significantly to the slow pace of behavioural change by target groups.
Mrs Seidu urged the participants to take the workshop seriously and put into practice what they had learnt to help curb the spread of AIDS.
Humphrey Naabo, Wa District co-ordinating
director, pledged the assembly’s continuous support for anti-AIDS and other
health-related programmes. Williams Niyuni, Wa District Focal person on AIDS, urged NGOs and CBOs to use funds released to them for anti-AIDS campaign
judiciously in order to achieve the desire impact on society to avert the
spread of the AIDS menace. – Ghanaian Times
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Five towns prefer guinea worm to treated
water
Atebubu (Brong Ahafo) 22 May 2003 - Five communities in the Atebubu district of the Brong-Ahafo Region, unhappy that they have to pay a token fee for treated water provided for them to check the spread of guinea worm in their areas, have alleged refused to use it.
The ¢10bn project undertaken under the Atebubu Small Towns Water Project with funds from the European Union (EU) became urgent to execute following the high incidence of guinea worm in those communities among others.
Dubbed the “Slow sand filtration system, the project which took off in March last year and is reputed to be the first in the country is to supply 100,000 gallons of treated water a day to 20,000 inhabitants of the district.
Each community was initially expected to pay ¢450,000 a month towards the maintenance of the project. But the communities, Issifukrom, Bunkesie, Pokuakura, Duabone Number One and Two, do not understand why they should be charged for using water.
They contend that the River Pru, which is being tapped for treatment is on their land and so the use of the water should be free. Not even the reduction of the levy by the managing company Armco Limited to ¢150,000 would convince them to use the water preferring rather to draw untreated water freely from the river.
These came to light when the Regional Minister, Nana Kwadwo Seinti, visited the area as part of a four-day familiarization tour of the Atebubu and Sene districts.
Disturbed about the situation, Nana Seinti appealed to the managing firm (Armco Ltd) and the District
Chief Executive Cassius Osei-Poku to undertake a
massive education programme in those communities to convince them of the need
to use the treated water. . – Ghanaian Times
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Government to clear arrears
Accra (Greater Accra) 22 May 2003 – The government will release ¢76.3bn to senior secondary schools in the country to settle all arrears and current liabilities of absorbed fees before the beginning of next month.
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports has, thus, forwarded a request to the Ministry of Finance to release the amount as soon as possible to prevent the closure of senior secondary schools as threatened by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS).
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports has, thus, forwarded a request to the Ministry of Finance to release the amount as soon as possible to prevent the closure of senior secondary schools as threatened by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS).
The Education Minister, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, who disclosed this in an interview, said the Ghana Education Service (GES) sent a letter to the Ministry on 19 May, and the ministry, on its part, requested the Finance Ministry to release the money “and that is being vigorously worked on”.
Baah-Wiredu, who was reacting to threats by CHASS to close down schools, said the ministry shares its concerns and gave the assurance that schedule officers will be placed at the Education and Finance Ministries to facilitate such payments to avoid future delays.
He explained that it is not the intention of the ministry to delay the release of the funds and added that such monies are released as and when they are available. Baah-Wiredu said the ministry also intends to inform the schools about any development as regards the release of such funds so that they will be able to plan against any eventualities to avoid embarrassment.
The minister stressed that the government has no intention to do anything that would halt academic work in any of the educational institutions and that every effort will be made to avert such situations. At an emergency meeting in Kumasi on Tuesday, the CHASS threatened to close down all senior secondary schools on 1 June, if the government fails to pay in full all arrears and current liabilities of absorbed fees by the end of this month.
The conference contended that the schools are engulfed in mounting debts as a result of the failure of the government to pay the fees so their creditors have refused to provide them with goods and services. Currently, only 69.4 per cent of the first term's absorbed fees for 2002/2003 have been paid, while those of the second and third terms are yet to be defrayed.
In a related development, Baah-Wiredu has called for the extension of electricity to all schools in the country, to ensure the successful implementation of the government’s programme on Information Communication and Technology (ICT) for schools and the distant learning programme reports Rebecca Kwei.
He said this at a ceremony where Prof Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi the former Minister of Education, Youth and Sports handed over to him the chairmanship of the Ghana National Commission for UNESCO.
The commission, which has 35 members, representing various institutions, serves as a link between the Government of Ghana, other organisations and UNESCO and implements programmes set up by the UNESCO. The ceremony was to honour the Vice Chairman of the Commission, Chris A. Atiemo, who has been reassigned to the Office of the President, as well as Bruno Lefevre, who has ended his duty tour as Director of the UNESCO Cluster Office. Nana Appiah-Num takes over from Atiemo.
Baah-Wiredu said there is the need
for the commission to work hard to see to the issue of electrification and also
mobilise resources to purchase computers for schools, which are already
connected to the national grid. He thanked the outgoing chairman for the
sterling services he rendered and gave the assurance that the commission will
work hard to improve on its achievements so far. – Graphic
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‘2004 polls crucial to NPP’ - Commey
He has therefore, called on members of the party to rally behind their executive to help build a strong and united front to stand the test of time. The NPP national organiser said wrangling are a normal occurrence in any organised group, but it is up to party members to recognise that they are all fighting for a common cause to strengthen the party to win the 2004 elections.
Commey gave the advice to constituency executives and polling station chairmen when he visited the Asuogyaman, Yilo, Lower Manya Krobo and the New Juaben constituencies on Tuesday as part of his one-week tour of the Eastern Region.
The tour is to brief constituency executives and polling station chairmen in all the 26 constituencies of the region on strategies for the 2004 elections and also collate information on their problems.
The national organiser said although the party has no formidable challenger in next year's polls, that should not give room for disunity but should spur them on to have a common understanding and purpose for the task ahead.
He said unlike other parties, the NPP has no founder so all its members are stakeholders.
Commey therefore called on them to desist from complaining that they have not benefited materially from any party. He also called on members not to undermine their district chief executives (DCEs), adding that such habits will pave the way for the disintegration of the party.
The General Secretary of the party, Dan Botwe, who was also in the entourage, said due to the special interest that the party has in the area, it will do whatever it takes to win the four parliamentary seats in the area which are currently in the hands of the NDC and warned that anybody who will try to cross their path will be dealt with.
He called on the people in the area to erase the notion that the NPP cannot win seats in the Krobo area, adding that "we are winning at all cost" and that it only demands a bit of extra work from members of the party and how they relate to the indigenous people.
Botwe stated that the NPP government will not discriminate against anybody and assurance that the people in the three constituencies that the Kufuor administration will ensure that the people have their fair shares of the national cake since the Krobo's have played major roles in the formation of the Danquah Busia tradition.
In an address at all the constituencies, the Regional
Chairman, Nana Adi Ankamah
who hosted the team, said there is too much indiscipline in the party and
called on members who have the habit of writing anonymous letters to media
houses to desist from the practice for the sake of the party’s unity and
cohesion. – Graphic
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Universities must have blame for lack of lectures
Accra (Greater Accra) 22 May 2003 - A retired university lecturer and former minister in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, Dr George Akosa, has said that it would be unfair to blame the government entirely for the problem of lack of lecturers in the country's universities.
He observed that the universities themselves are part of the problem and unless they admit this and change for the better, the lecture halls stand the danger of becoming empty in the not too distant future.
Dr Akosa, who was a lecturer in Civil Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), observed that the universities could attract young lecturers into their faculties if the authorities open up and are fair to all in their systems of promotion.
He said the system of promotion pertaining at the KNUST, for instance, is nothing to write home about and the earlier it is addressed the better it will be for the education sector.
Dr Akosa stated this in an
interview in connection with a publication in the Daily Graphic of May 17, this
year, which quoted the Vice-Chancellor of the
He said he duly applied for the position but for reasons unknown, he was denied it. He said somebody within the administration on the corridors of the KNUST told him that he should forget about the promotion because it was not likely he would get it.
"If you continue to give people raw deal, you don't
expect the young ones to come in", he emphasised. He stressed that
education holds the key to the development of the nation and it should be
supported to enable it to play its role effectively. – Graphic
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President swears in new justices
He, therefore, advised justices of the superior courts to conduct themselves with decorum, a sense of humility and guard against tendencies that will bring their high office into disrepute. He said the whole nation is looking up to the judiciary to dispense justice without fear or favour and without affection or ill-will.
Prof A. K. Paaku Kludze was sworn in as a Supreme Court judge and the rest were inducted into office as justices of the High Court.
They are Isaac Duose, Okofo Darteh, Festus Dzakpasu, Kwabena Berko Aning, Kwaku Adu Gyamfi, Kwesi Kwansah Yanney, Ntow Agyekum, Evans Brinsley, Komla Agbloyor, and Charles Louis Quist. Others are Kwadwo Addu-Ampomah, Kwadwo Ansah Pobih, Isaac Baafour Adjei, Benjamin Okai Tetteh, Michael Mensah-Brown, and Kwame Ansu-Gyeabour.
The rest are Richard Asamoah, Frank Kwadwo Amoah, Ms Margaret Insaidoo, Kofi Akwaah and James Benuyenah Benson.
The justices swore the judicial oath and the oath of allegiance. President Kufuor said Prof Kludze has earned his position as Supreme Court judge with difficulties. He said although the professor was subjected to ridicule after he was nominated, he was able to go through fire and brimstone, which is an indication of the quality stuff that he is made of.
He urged him to bring his high academic standing to bear on his work and urged him, to be impartial and objective in the adjudication of cases brought before him, taking into consideration the supreme interest and integrity of the country. President Kufuor told the justices of the High Court to dispense justice without fear or favour and guard against any tendencies likely to bring their high office into disrepute.
He said those who discharge their responsibilities creditably and conduct themselves with decorum will be recognised and promoted. Prof Kludze, on behalf of his colleagues, expressed deep appreciation to the President for the honour bestowed on them and pledged that they will discharge their responsibilities to the expectation of the state.
He said justices of the court are arbiters who are expected to ensure a balance between the rights of the individual and the state. This, he said, justices of the courts have to do without fear, affection and goodwill even if the heavens will collapse on them.
In a related development, the President also swore in Professor Samuel Nunoo Woode, a former member of the Public Services Commission, as the new chairman of the commission. Prof Woode swore the official oath and the oath of secrecy, after which the President presented him with the instrument of his appointment.
He advised Prof Woode, also a
former acting Director of School of Administration of the
The Professor thanked the President for the appointment and
pledged to work to meet the expectations of the government. – Graphic
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Interest rate must come down
Koforidua (Eastern Region) 22 May 2003 – The Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Dr Oti Boateng has advocated concerted efforts to help reduce the rate of inflation in the economy in order to reduce interest rates appreciably.
According to him, the prevailing 31 per cent charged as interest rates on loans in the country are a disservice to the Ghanaian businessman, compared to some developed countries where rates are between 4 and 6 per cent. He said there is urgent need to reduce inflation, which has a direct bearing on interest rates in order to reverse the situation.
“If the governments Golden Age of Business will succeed for businesses to thrive, there must be a general improvement in the economy which will only come when inflation is reduced,” he said.
Daasebre Oti Boateng who was also a former Government Statistician, made these comments in an interview at Koforidua when he chaired a ceremony to commemorate the regional celebration of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB).
The ceremony, which was marked with an exhibition dating back to 1976 when the Koforidua branch of the bank was formally opened by the then Head of State, General Kutu Acheampong, was attended by a host of personalities including the Regional Minister, Dr Francis Osafo-Maafo, heads of public and private business institutions and customers in the area.
Daasebre Dr Oti Boateng maintained that until the general price levels of goods and services are reduced to an appreciable level, the cost of doing business will continue to be high, thus preventing many people from entering into business.
He said when cost of production is too high as a result of rising interest rates, people will be discouraged from producing more because their marginal cost will be higher than the marginal revenue.
According to him efforts must be made to bring about a general improvement in the economy through increased productivity to bring down prices of goods and services. “Once productivity is increased, we will have less money chasing more goods, resulting in a cut inflation, he explained.
He congratulated the bank on rising through the challenges to come thus far.
Earlier in an address the Regional Minister, Dr Osafo-Mensah, who disclosed that GCB is the most accessible bank in the country in terms of distribution network pointed out that it has been in existence for the past 50 years. He, however, asked them, to take interest in the President’s Special Initiative on starch project to be undertaken in the region and support it with funds to enable it to succeed.
The Koforidua Area Manager of the
Bank, Mrs Christiana Faakye, who read the managing
director’s anniversary address, recounted the various contributions the bank
has rendered in the region as part of its social responsibility and further gave
assurance of future support in the various communities in the region. – Graphic
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EPA dispatches experts to Tarkwa over spillage
Tarkwa (Western Region) 22 May 2003 - Environmental and mining experts from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Mines Department have been dispatched to Tarkwa in the Western Region to assess the impact of the cyanide spillage that occurred on the premises of Gold Fields Ghana Limited on Sunday.
The nine-member team includes mining engineers, chemical and environmental analysts and scientists.
The Director of Technical Support Services of the EPA,
Albert Boateng, and the Principal Inspector of Mines,
Kwame Kissi, disclosed this
in separate interviews in
The Graphic yesterday carried a front page story about a spillage of cyanide into rivers and the natural environment in the Wassa West District of the Western Region as a result of mining activities by Gold Fields Ghana Limited.
The spillage, which was detected by the affected communities on Sunday, has caused fear and panic amongst the people, who suspect that the rivers, streams and wells, which serve as sources of drinking water, fish, crabs and other natural resources might have been contaminated.
According to Boateng, the Western Regional Director and the Wassa West District Officer of the agency will join the team, which includes three officers from the national headquarters.
He said the team will take samples of the soil, water and other relevant materials for analysis to enable the agency to arrive at a conclusion on the impact of the spillage. Boateng said the agency will make a pronouncement after the investigations and assessment of the situation by the experts.
Kissi, on his part, said a verbal report on the cyanide spillage was received from the Tarkwa office of the Mines Department.
He said the regional officers to investigate and to monitor the situation joined the local team. The Principal Inspector of Mines said the department is expecting the results as soon as possible. The Public Affairs and Community Relations Manager of Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Dr Tony Aubynn, told the Graphic that the spillage was accidental and minor.
He said so far, there has not been any evidence of damage to living organisms and water bodies in the affected areas.
Dr Aubynn said the company took
immediate steps to ensure the full containment of the spillage and to avoid any
harm to the environment. Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, the
Executive Director of the Wassa Association of
Communities Affected by Mining, the NGO which reported the spillage to the EPA,
said the spillage has affected the
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Guinness, Graphic to collaborate
The decision followed discussions between a delegation from GGL led by its Managing Director, Devlin Hainsworth and the GCGL counterparts led by Berifi Apenteng, Managing Director.
The two groups were of the opinion that sports promotion and development are very crucial for national growth and noted that such an investment is geared towards the realisation of corporate objectives as well as other social responsibility programmes of the two entities.
The two companies further agreed to promote mutual business interest between their companies.
Hainsworth, who was accompanied by the Marketing Manager of GGL, Francis Vorgbe, and Mrs Pamela Djamson-Tettey, the External Affairs Director, said GGL is ready to intensify its commercial relationship with the company.
He noted that Guinness’ past successful collaboration with GCGL in the area of business is enough incentive for strengthening the ties, which already exist between the two institutions.
“The visit to Graphic has been necessitated by the fact that there are more areas that the two entities can explore to better the existing strong relationship,” he noted.
Hainsworth stated after a tour of the various installations that he was highly impressed with the facilities available and commended Graphic for its technical quality, which he said should form the basis of intensifying the commercial relationship between two companies.
He specifically mentioned the space-age machinery at the Graphic Packaging Limited, a subsidiary of the GCGL where labels and other packaging materials are produced. He also indicated that Guinness was ready to take advantage of the quality work at Graphic to improve its products.
Apenteng said that the company operates on a sound commercial culture with very little interference from the government.
He said that apart from championing the cause of the newspaper industry, the company has also ventured into serious commercial printing over the years and has earned clients of multinational nature.
Apenteng also re-iterated the need for GGL and Graphic to go beyond the present levels in the quantum of business into other unexplored areas. He urged GGL to take advantage of the facilities and the expertise at Graphic and stressed the need for GGL to explore areas where GCGL can supply materials that GGL currently imports.
The team was conducted round various departments of Graphic
by Albert Sam, Public Affairs Manager of the company. – Graphic
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