GRi Newsreel 12 - 11 - 2002
Investors
Advisory Council calls for reforms
Gateway
dream calls for focusing - Prez Kufuor
Government
to expand rural market
Abodakpi's
counsel files appeal
I was
not the brain behind "political payments" - Witness
Ghana's
Ambassador to Russia attacked!
NDC
group condemns Obed’s vilification
Rural Development Fund Launch
Western and Upper West to receive special attention
Regional
Minister orders enquiry
Ashimolowo
urges blacks to transform
E. P Church, Ghana, marks 50th anniversary
Investors
Advisory Council calls for reforms
Accra (Greater Accra) 12 November 2002 - The
Ghana Investors' Advisory Council (GIAC) on Monday called for urgent structural
reforms in five key areas to make the country an attractive investment
destination. The areas are Agribusiness, Land, Banking, Customs Procedure
Reforms and Labour.
A release issued at
the end of the one-day Second meeting of the Council in Accra said: "the
rational for this call is not only to reduce the cost of doing business in
Ghana but also to make the country an attractive investment destination and a
more competitive environment for existing investors both local and
foreign."
The meeting was
attended by 26 business leaders including six international participants,
Ministers of State, representatives from government, private sector, donor
agencies and the diplomatic corp.
The release said the
participants commended the government for the work done so far on the 'Action
Points' particularly on security and legal reforms, identified during the
inaugural and first meeting of the Council on 3 May this year.
The Council was a
small, high level and informal advisory group, which is chaired by President
Kufuor and comprised top-level corporate executives, who would assist to
increase understanding between government and companies driving investments.
The Council included a
26-member group of top-level executives of foreign and Ghanaian businesses such
as CMS Energy Company, ECOBANK, Heineken, Ashanti Goldfields Company as well as
individuals from the private sector.
President Kufuor
informed the members during the opening session that since its last meeting,
the government had made some strides in tackling some of the areas that were
identified as hindrances to Ghana being an attractive investment destination.
He said there had been
improvement in the security situation in the country and morale in the police
service had improved with the provision of vehicles and equipment. There was
also a programme to increase their numbers.
President Kufuor said
the legal reforms process was underway and with the resolution of the Fast
Track Courts issue, commercial disputes could be settled quickly. He said the
Companies Code had been reviewed and the updated version was due to be
published shortly.
"The new Labour
Bill is currently before Parliament, the draft Mining Law is before Cabinet,
the much-debated Bank of Ghana Bill has been passed into law."
President Kufuor
noted, however, that there were still some important issues to be resolved and
cited that not much progress had been made on the proposals for the
establishment of an offshore banking enclave. He said land reform was engaging
serious attention of government but there had not yet been a breakthrough
adding that: "I await your recommendations on these and other outstanding matters."
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Gateway
dream calls for focusing - Prez Kufuor
Accra (Greater Accra) 12
November 2002 - President John Kufuor on Monday stressed the need for the
country to be focused and moved at a faster pace to realise the dream of being
the gateway to the West African Sub-Region.
He said: "We
should talk of a common purpose of moving our country forward". President
Kufuor was speaking to newsmen about his impressions on the one-day second
Ghana Investors' Advisory Council meeting in Accra.
The Council, a small,
high level and informal advisory group chaired by President Kufuor was inaugurated
on May 3, this year, and had its first meeting on the same day. It comprised
top-level corporate executives, who would assist to increase understanding
between government and companies driving investments.
President Kufuor said
the array of prominent businessmen and high-ranking personnel of corporate
bodies, who attended the meeting showed the confidence the business community
both in the country and outside had in the government.
"The advice and
opinion provided to the government at the meeting could not be made available
anywhere in the world and Ghana is lucky to have such a calibre of people who
had trust in the government", He added.
President Kufuor said
it was up to the government and the civil servants to move at the pace of the
advisors to put the country on an even keel of development. He said: "if
we move at a slow pace it would be our own burden, but I hope government would
move faster and carry the civil servants along."
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Government
to expand rural market
Kwasi Doi(Eastern
Region) 12 November 2002 - The government is addressing the major problem of
expanding and improving access to rural market for traders to ensure unimpeded
development in the rural areas.
As a first step
towards the promotion of sustainable development, the government in
collaboration with the private sector has established a Ghana Trade Centre, to
facilitate trade.
Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu,
the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development on Monday said these at
a colourful durbar of chiefs and people to launch the Rural Development Week at
Kwasi Doi near Nsawam.
He said government was
encouraging the setting up of trade fairs and exhibitions centres in towns and
villages through out the country. He said: "A Cottage and Village
Industries Authority, a viable venture (as operating in India) is also being
proposed for adaptation."
Baah-Wiredu said the
week was instituted to sensitise Ghanaians on the focus and direction of
government's rural development programme. He said it would also emphasise the
role of rural communities in their development and to also mobilise private
sector support for development.
Baah-Wiredu said
government's efforts could ensure poverty alleviation, provision of housing,
employment creation, and enhancing the living conditions of the rural people in
generally. This year's week celebration, which would be marked between 11 – 16
November, was under the theme: "Rural Development - Key to National
Development."
Baah-Wiredu explained
that through the initiatives were aimed at expanding rural markets, it could
support local and indigenous industries such as soap making, smock and kente weaving.
He said: "Government was aware that neither meaningful development nor
improvement could take place without expanding rural markets."
Baah-Wiredu reiterated
government commitment in addressing all inadequacies and limitations in the
provision of rural infrastructure to curb the rural-urban drift. He said a
multi-sectoral approach involving all interested parties was been sought to
ensure investment in the rural areas.
Baah-Wiredu said:
"We have been encouraging Susu operation because we believe that an
improved Susu system is to support and encourage rural saving and
investment," he said. It is also to guarantee a sustainable investment
flow that the government has set up the Rural Development Trust Fund, to
mobilise funds for sustainable development.
The Minister said
telecommunication was essential to development and expressed the hope that
rural areas would be provided with telephones soon. Dr Francis Osafo-Mensah,
Eastern Regional Minister said the setting aside of a week to highlight on
rural development was a manifestation of government's decision to make rural
development the cornerstone of governance.
He said the
government's development programme was based on high values and fair principle
of equitable distribution of resources. To mark the day, a non-flush Dry
Sanitation System, known as Enviro-Loo Toilets and a Telephone booth for Kwasi
Doi were commissioned.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Abodakpi's
counsel files appeal
Accra (Greater Accra)
12 November 2002 - Defence counsel for Daniel Kwasi Abodakpi, former Minister
for Trade and Industry, on Monday told the Fast Track Court that he has filed a
motion for an order for stay of its proceedings pending an interlocutory appeal
at the Appeal Court against the Court's ruling that his client should be tried
summarily.
Kobla Senanu, counsel
for Abodakpi, therefore, prayed the court to stay proceedings until the final
determination of the appeal. On 4 November, Senanu and Barima Manu,
representing Abodakpi and Victor Selormey, former Deputy Minister of Finance
respectively, asked the court to try their clients by indictment, since they
might not have fair trial when tried summarily.
Justice Stephen T.
Farkye, an Appeal Court Judge, who is sitting as an additional High Court
Judge, dismissed the application and ruled that the court was not empowered to
try the offenders by indictment.
Abodakpi and Selormey
are being tried on seven counts of conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by
false pretences and wilfully causing a total loss of ¢2.73bn to the State. They have denied all the charges and are
currently on self-recognisance bail in the sum of three billion cedis each.
At Monday's sitting,
Senanu, referring to the motion with a supporting affidavit, told the Court
that the offences under which his client has been charged are complicated. Counsel stated that since the trial would
involve calling several witnesses, it would take a long time to complete.
He further stated,
"since an appeal does not operate as stay of proceedings, I pray for
proceedings to be stayed forthwith in order not to render my victory on appeal nugatory
and to prevent quashing of proceedings already embarked upon, only for the
court to repeat the process leading to unnecessary waste of human and material
resources."
Anthony Gyambiby,
Principal State Attorney, who spoke for the prosecution, led by Osafo Sampong,
Director of Public Prosecution, argued that defence counsel have not been able
to give reasons for the stay of proceedings. He said stay of proceedings was
placed within the discretion of the court and it was only under special
circumstances that they could be granted.
Gyambiby said defence
counsel have not also been able to show how the court would be biased since the
accused were duly served, summoned and were given the chance to choose their
counsel. The principal state attorney further stated that during the trial, the
accused would be given the chance to subpoena prosecution witnesses whenever
the need arose.
After hearing
arguments from both sides, the court said the granting of counsel's application
for stay of proceeding was the court's discretion, and therefore, overruled the
application, and ordered the trial to go on.
At this juncture,
Senanu said he would repeat the notice for stay of proceedings at the Court of
Appeal, and therefore, prayed the court to give him seven days to enable the
case to be heard at the Court of Appeal. Consequently, Justice Farkye adjourned
case to Monday 18 November.
The case for the
prosecution is that between May and December 2000, the accused persons
allegedly transferred 4,000 dollars into the local bank account of Dr Fred
Owusu-Boadu, a consultant, through ECOBANK (Ghana) Limited.
He said, the money,
whose transfers were authorized by Selormey, were to be used as fees for
feasibility studies towards the establishment of the project.
Gyambiby told the
court that the project contract was supposed to be witnessed by the Legal
Officers at the Ministry of Trade and Industry or the Attorney-General's
Department, but this was not done. Gyambiby told the court that the transfers
had no official correspondence whatsoever between Dr Owusu-Boadu and either the
Ministry of Finance or the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The Principal State
Attorney said what was purported to be a contract was signed by both Abodakpi
and the consultant but there was no witness. Additionally, he said, the
contract document was not initialed page by page as required.
Gyambiby said the
contract lacked the detailed information required in a feasibility study, such
as market analysis, financial projections and analysis to determine the
financial viability and risk analysis of the project.
The Principal State
Attorney told the court that there was the highly irregular use of letterheads
from a Texas University, with bills amounting to 300,000 US dollars when the
University was not a party to the contract.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
I was
not the brain behind "political payments" - Witness
Accra (Greater Accra) 12
November 2002 - Dr Albert Owusu-Barnafo, the star witness in the Ghana Rubber
Estates Limited (GREL) divestiture case, on Monday debunked notion by defence
counsel that he was the brain behind "political payments" made by
Societe Industrielle Plantation Hevea (SIPH).
Answering questions
under cross-examination, Dr Owusu-Barnafo disagreed with a suggestion by
defence counsel that in his evidence, Etienne Marie Arthur Popeler, second
prosecution witness, created the impression that he, Dr Owusu-Barnafo was the
main architect behind monies withdrawn from SIPH's accounts for the payments.
He further denied any
knowledge about the list of payments, which SIPH, the French-based majority
shareholders of GREL, made to the four accused persons on trial at an Accra
Fast Track Court (FTC), as well as other individuals to influence GREL's
privatisation. "I have constantly stated in this court that I am not the
author of the document. Any information I have on the payments made, in which I
was involved, I have told the court."
The four, who are
being tried on various charges of corruption are Hanny Sherry Ayittey,
treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement (DWM), Emmanuel
Amuzu Agbodo, former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation
Committee, Ralph Casely-Hayford, a businessman and Sati Dorcas Ocran, a
housewife.
They have all pleaded
not guilty to the various charges and the trial judge, Mr. Justice J C
Amonoo-Monney, an Appeal Court Judge, hearing the case as an additional High
Court Judge, has granted each of them a self-recognisance bail.
Dr Owusu-Barnafo told
the court that since the record of payments, which SIPH made to him to be paid
out was his personal document, it was only the court that could order him to
produce it. He disagreed with a suggestion by Johnny Quarshie-Idun, counsel for
Ayittey, that monies that SIPH paid in the course of GREL's privatisation, were
not meant for a worthy course.
"The recipients
were known and verified, while SIPH the donor, had good intentions for disbursing
those monies." Witness disagreed with counsel's suggestion that there was
nothing on record to show that an amount of $250,000 was given to Ayittey. The
case has been adjourned to Thursday, 14 November for counsel to continue with
cross-examination.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Ghana's
Ambassador to Russia attacked!
Accra (Greater Accra)
12 November 2002 - Ghana's Ambassador to Russia, Major eneral
(Rtd) Francis Yahaya
Mahama and his chauffeur, Mr Danladi Imoro, has been physically attacked and
molested by a group of gangsters in Moscow, a release said on Monday.
The release issued in
Accra by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said a confirmed report received by
the Ministry indicated that the Ambassador and his chauffer were attacked on
Thursday 3 November 2002.
According to the
release, the incident occurred when the victims were on a walk at Moscow's
Victory Park and the two, who were rushed to the hospital for treatment, have
since been discharged and were convalescing.
It said the incident
had duly been reported to the Russian authorities in Moscow, while the Russian Ambassador
in Ghana had been summoned to the Foreign Office in Accra and the government
protested.
The government has
also expressed deep concern and request for thorough investigation by the
Russian authorities with a view to bringing the culprits to book and prevent
any future occurrences.
The Foreign Minster,
Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman had previously met and personally conveyed
government's indignation to the Russian Ambassador. The Russian Ambassador has
however, regretted the act and condemned the attack and initiated
investigations into the incident.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
NDC
group condemns Obed’s vilification
Accra (Greater Accra)
12 November 2002 - A group calling itself Concerned NDC Activists from the
Ayawaso East Constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Monday
said it is disgusted at a campaign of vilification against the party chairman,
Dr. Obed Asamoah.
Led by Ibrahim Jibril,
spokesman, the group said Dr Asamoah had not received any funds for the party
since he was elected Chairman. Jibril said media allegations against Dr Asamoah
making available vans belonging to the Veranda Boys and Girls Club to the campaign
of Dr Kwesi Botchwey in the flagbearership race of the party were lies and
totally unfounded.
He said Dr Asamoah
accounted for all party resources that were in his custody when he was the
Finance Committee Chairman of the NDC and challenged anyone to prove that he
had specific funds or logistics in his possession.
Jibril said Dr
Botchwey was prepared for a long haul and was conducting his campaign entirely
from his own resources. He denied that Dr Asamoah had toured the Ayawaso East
and West and Krowor constituencies to canvas support for Dr Botchwey.
Jibril called for an
end to the "campaign of vilification" and urged NDC members to use
the party's constitution to address complaints instead of media attacks.
The group also
condemned the formation of pseudo groupings within the party and called on
members to throw their weight behind the party hierarchy to move it forward to
victory. Other executive members the group who were at the press conference
were Sadia Sulleyman, President, Omar Sandar, Organiser and Shery Sulley,
member.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Rural Development Fund Launch
Kwasi Doi (Eastern
Region) 12 November 2002 - The government has launched a Rural Development
Trust Fund to provide a supplementary source of funding for sustainable
development of the rural areas.
President John Agyekum
Kufuor launched the Fund at a durbar of chiefs and people at Kwesi Doi near
Nsawam in the Akwapim South District. Monies accruing from the Fund, which is a
private sector-led initiative, would complement the District Assemblies Common
Fund to accelerate the development.
Well-meaning
Individuals, Corporate bodies and Non-Governmental Organisations that had the
welfare of the rural communities at heart were expected to contribute to the
fund, which would be operated along business lines.
The Fund, which would
be managed by a Board of Trustees, would be administered by a secretariat
headed by a Fund Administrator. It would
release funds for projects such as schools, hospitals, clinics, roads, potable
water, electrification projects, cottage industries and agro-processing.
The ministry of local
government and rural development would monitor the disbursement of the fund
while the district assemblies would implement all funded projects being carried
out by the Fund.
Edward Boohene,
Chairman of the Fund said about 2bn cedis had already been realised in pledges
for the fund since its inception about a year ago adding that it was a high
hope of ensuring equitable development in the rural communities.
Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu
said the Fund would enable government adequately meet the development needs of
about 60 per cent of the country's population, most of whom lacked good roads,
electricity and good water.
A ten-member board of
trustees under the chairmanship of Edward Boohene was introduced to the people.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Return to top
Western and Upper West to receive special attention
Wa (Upper West Region)
12 November 2002- Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister of Economic Planning and Regional
Co-operation, announced at Wa on Monday that the Upper West and Western regions
were to be given special attention under the Ghana Poverty Reduction Project
with regard to the Social Investment Fund.
Briefing a meeting of
the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council on the objectives of the project,
Dr. Nduom said available information and analysisshow that the Upper West is
the poorest in the country.
The Western Region, in
spite of its output to the country's economy, is the least developed in terms
of infrastructure.
Dr. Nduom identified
infrastructure, agriculture and private sector development as priority areas
under medium term objectives of the programme.
The Minister explained
that under infrastructure development, it was the aim of the government to open
up every part of the country for investment.
Dr. Nduom said roads,
bridges, telephone, electricity and water would be significantly improved
throughout the country within the next four years.
He called on utility
providers to play their part to save investors from having to make additional
cost in providing for these services themselves.
Dr. Nduom said in view
of the serious level of poverty in the Upper West, the remaining three
districts of Lawra, Jirapa and Wa would now be added among beneficiary
districts under the SIF.
The Nadowli and
Sissala districts in the region are among the 45 districts throughout the
country benefiting under the SIF.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Ho (Volta Region) 12
November 2002 - The Volta Regional Minister, Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa on Monday told a
delegation of Nawuri Chiefs that the primary concern of the Regional Security
Council (REGSEC) was to restore normal life to Kitare and allow the law to deal
with the Konkombas, who allegedly killed four Nawuris and a Basare on 26
October this year.
Owusu-Yeboa said this
when a 12-member delegation led by Nana Bristian Atorsa of Kpandai in the
Northern Region sought audience with the REGSEC to discuss ways of ensuring a
safe return of Nawuris, who fled during the disturbances to Kitare.
Owusu-Yeboa assured
the delegation that REGSEC would facilitate the return and protection of
Nawuris, Konkombas and others to the town after a thorough assessment of the
security situation. He said the REGSEC was convinced that only a few Konkombas
committed the dastardly act of killing the four Nawuris.
"We are not
pampering anybody and there should be no generalisations and sweeping
statements", he warned.
He confirmed that the
identities of those who carried out the killings have been established and that
the assistance of both the Konkombas and Nawuris were needed to apprehend and
prosecute them.
Owusu-Yeboa said
revenge was not the way to solve the problem since a delegation of Konkombas
earlier at a meeting with the REGSEC expressed its embarrassment with what
happened.
Nana Atorsa told the
REGSEC that there was goodwill currently between the Nawuris and Konkombas,
adding that some Konkombas had even agreed to join them to meet the REGSEC but
they pulled out at the last minute because they were made to believe that they
would be arrested.
Nana Atorsa said since
the incident a committee comprising Nawuris, Konkombas and Chokosis had been
visiting Kitare to assess the situation on the ground but the impression
gathered was that it was still not safe for the Nawuris who fled the area to
return.
Nana Oklas Nkpanibake
II, Chief of Disane also in the Northern Region, said the Nawuris were not
asking that the Konkombas should be flushed out of the area but that
"those of us who are weak are protected so that the process of peace
building can start."
Nana Nkpanibake
expressed reservations about news reports on the incident, suggesting that
there was a clash between the Konkombas and the Nawuris that day over a hoe.
He said the Nawuris of
Kitare "B" Zongo were the victims of unprovoked attack from the
Konkombas over a misunderstanding regarding what was suspected to be an illicit
love affair between Kwesi Abalo, a Nawuri youth and a Grace Agbodo, who was the
widow of a Konkomba man.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Regional
Minister orders enquiry
Accra (Greater Accra)
12 November 2002 - The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh Ibrahim Quaye
has ordered an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the procurement of 5,000
dustbins by the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
A statement in Accra
on Monday said the minister has asked three senior members of the Greater Accra
Monitoring, Evaluation and Co-ordinating Team to investigate and submit its
findings by Friday 15 November.
The members are Fats
Nartey, Regional Coordinating Director, Kenneth Johnfia, Regional Economic
Planning Officer and E.A. Pappoe, Regional Budget Officer. The Regional
Minister's action followed a publication of the alleged irregularities by the
Free Press newspaper.
GRi…/
Send our comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Ashimolowo
urges blacks to transform
Accra (Greater Accra) 12
November 2002 - Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo, leader of the London-based Kingsway
International Christian Centre (KICC) has said that the black race must break
free from whatever is holding it to transform its abundant wealth for the
benefit of their society.
Pastor Ashimolowo, who
arrived in Accra on Monday from Nigeria for a four-day crusade, being organised
by his church, said it was time for Africans to stop blaming their governments
for their misfortunes.
He said if Africans
continued to look for assistance from abroad, "they would only succeed in
destroying the continent and mortgaging their children to the World Bank".
"Foreign aid will make us perpetually dependent on the developed world and
make our youth and present generation unwilling to learn and work," Pastor
Ashimolowo said, adding, "investments must come to our continent by our
own choice."
Pastor Ashimolowo who
began a television programme from London two years ago for Ghana said it was
necessary to bring the message live to the people from time to time. He said he
was in Ghana to hold the annual conference, dubbed: "The Winning Ways
2002," which he began two years ago. He held a conference for about 50,000
people under the same theme: in Nigeria.
Pastor Ashimolowo said
the conference would be organised in subsequent years in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Uganda,
Sierra Leone and the Caribbean where his television programmes were being
shown. He said this vision was part of efforts to get the transformation
message to the black race to take advantage of what God was ready to do on
their continent.
Pastor Ashimolowo said
events in recent times in Europe and the USA where black people were leading
the largest churches indicated that the time had come for the people to take
advantage of the message to transform their lives to take up leadership roles
in the world.
Pastor Ashimolowo, a
converted Muslim, expressed the hope that Ghanaians, especially, the young
generation would attend the conference and take advantage of what he had to
offer them for a better future.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
E. P
Church, Ghana, marks 50th anniversary
Ho (Volta Region) 12
November 2002 - The Volta Regional Minister, Kwesi Owusu-Yeboa has urged the
new crop of Christians to emulate the voluntarism of the founding fathers who
started most of the present big Churches and schools in private homes.
He was speaking at a
thanksgiving service to climax the 50th Anniversary of the Ho-Bankoe Elorm
Parish of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, under the theme
"Vigilance".
''However beautiful or
big the legacy bequeathed to you is you must strive hard to build on those
foundations.'' "Even if we were dwarfs we could mount ourselves on the
shoulders of the Christian founders and have a clearer vision to do better so
that in some years to come we could also be acknowledged," he said.
Owusu-Yeboa said
Christians were not doing what people expected of them and that admonitions
were not only for the leadership of the Churches but the laity as well. He
urged Christians to return to the "endearing Christian values of their
calling to help restore discipline in society.''
The Right Reverend
Livingstone Buama, Moderator of the Church, in a sermon dwelt on the parable of
the 10 virgins and called for vigilance and perseverance in all spheres of life
in readiness for the second coming of Jesus.
He commended the
Bankoe Congregation for the prevailing goodwill among members, which had
enabled them to achieve tremendous physical development of the Church. Rt. Rev.
Buama said if such goodwill would prevail in other congregations the Church
would gain greater respectability.
Major-General Henry
Anyidoho (rtd), former Commander of the Northern Command of the Ghana Armed
Forces, asked members of the Church to eschew divisiveness among their ranks.
"Let us extend a
hand and heart of friendliness to our neighbours," he said. About 63.9
million cedis was realised during appeal for funds in aid of development
activities of the church. Representatives from the Catholic Church, the EP
Church of Ghana, choirs from Togo and inmates of the Ho Prisons attended the
anniversary service.
GRi…/
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com