Commission ready for hearing but.. - Dr Attafuah
North’s development part of national programme - H.E. Osei
‘Ghana register’ launched in London
British agribusiness experts to visit Ghana
Vice President of IFC on four-day visit
Botchwey lobbies Volta Region delegates
Decentralisation will ensure growth - Nduom
English shouldn’t be only medium of instruction
Minority's concern referred to Privileges
Committee
Ghana to host Investment conference
Ghana to support reconstruction of Sierra
Leone
Defence Counsel to confront witness with
statement
Association observes Industrialisation Day
Committee to announce interest rate on
Friday
US General calls on Chief of Defence Staff
Treat African migrants well - Minister
Structure of economy must change - Woode
Commission ready for hearing but.. - Dr Attafuah
He said
what was delaying the commencement of the exercise was the rehabilitation works
at the Old Parliament House, where the Commission would sit. According to him,
42 of the cases have been fully investigated. Dr Attafuah was speaking at the
Commission’s weekly briefing of the press at the
The NRC
Executive Secretary stated that the commission, when it starts sitting, would
hear the cases of torture, assets confiscation or any other human rights abuses
without prioritising except where necessary. “The hearings must and will
reflect the number and types of complaints that have been filed, with
prioritisation only to be considered when necessary,” he said
Dr Attufuah
also said the 42 cases which the Commission had investigated have been referred
to its Legal Department for their recommendation. He announced that the
Commission will move from its present office at the
The
Director of Public Relation of the NRC, Annie Anipa, said the Zonal Offices of
the Commission throughout the country has begun an outreach programme at the
District levels to educate the people and to intensify the work of the
Commission.
“Prior to
this, the Takoradi office of the Commission had moved to the Abora Dunkwa
District; the Bolgatanga office to Sandema in the Bongo District; Tamale office
are at Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, while the Kumasi and Ho offices are
now respectively, at the Effiduase and Kete-Krachi districts,” she said
The NRC,
she said, has received 2480 cases as at Wednesday and, out of the figure,
Bolgatanga office filed 59 cases, Ho 125 and Takoradi 393. The rest are
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North’s development part of national programme - H.E. Osei
London (UK)
21 November 2002 - Ghana’s envoy to the UK, H.E. Isaac Osei, has given the
assurance that the development of the Upper East, Upper West and Northern
regions cannot be divorced from the Government’s national development effort.
He said the
Government’s vision, aimed at fostering a total and balanced national
development, would not be realised if the northern regions remained
undeveloped.
Subjects
discussed at the forum centred, among other things, on critical issues
underpinning the development of the regions.
Present at the forum were Kwabena Baah-Duodu, Deputy High Commissioner,
Peter Yankey, Minister (Welfare & Consular Affairs), Alhaji Issah Danjumah
and Francis Dakura, Chairman and Executive Secretary respectively of the Union,
and representatives of the Ghanaian community associations.
High
Commissioner Osei cited insecurity as the greatest challenge militating against
the development of the regions and emphasised that interventions and
initiatives aimed at creating a lasting peace in the area would not yield the
desired dividends if the various factions did not make a conscious effort to
reconcile among themselves.
He said the
conflict situation in Dagbon had compelled Government to divert part of the
nation’s meagre resources which would otherwise have gone into development
projects into conflict resolution efforts and appealed to indigenes of Dagbon,
particularly those living outside the area to stop heightening tensions by
their pronouncements and instead contribute to restore peace so that increased
economic activities would guarantee wealth for the people.
The High
Commissioner announced that Government would be putting in place irrigation and
other schemes under which small-scale farmers would be assisted to grow rice in
line with on-going efforts to reduce the nation’s dependence on imported rice.
On his
part, Alhaji Issah Danjumah expressed the hope that the recurring spate of
conflicts in the North would be curbed with enhanced security presence,
improved literacy levels and the provision of employment opportunities for the
youth.
He lamented
on the high incidence of poverty in the North, which was once considered the
“bread basket” of the country and called on the Government to extend the
President’s special initiatives to the area to help alleviate the plight of the
communities in the regions.
On the
perennial problem of guinea worm infestation, he appealed to the government to evolve
a mechanism to attract to the area skilled personnel to improve health delivery
services, quality education and the administration of justice.
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‘
London (
Present at
the event were
Launching
the book, Osei appealed to Ghanaians to cultivate the habit of writing books on
all aspects of life in
He said it
was important for Ghanaians at this stage of our national development to be
seen to be telling our story from our own perspective instead of being
recipients of information from foreigners.
Osei
described the Ghana Register “as a most welcome publication, especially coming
at a time that the Government is setting the machinery in motion for the growth
of the economy and consolidating the gains of democratic governance”.
He said
“the significant aspect of the Ghana Register is the compilation of a new generation
of businesses, which are taking advantage of the favourable investment climate
in
“By
presenting the section on business, he said, “the publisher has given
recognition to the vital role of the private sector in national development in
line with the President’s vision of “a Golden Age of Business.”
The first
five copies of the book especially autographed by the author were auctioned at
the event, sponsored by Excel Marketing and Training Consultancy Ltd.
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British agribusiness experts to visit Ghana
It said in statement that the main objectives of the visit
would be to investigate the business and investment opportunities for
The team would also be looking to identify how companies and
organisations in the
The High Commission said the team consists of four experts,
all of whom have extensive experience of working in
"They are keen to meet local producers, importers, exporters and rural programme managers to discuss and identify how they can assist the rural/agribusiness sectors."
The High Commission said while having their own individual
sector expertise the team members would also be able to assist Ghanaian
companies and individuals identify
The team leader is Malcolm Cutler who specialises in rural/private sector development, investment promotion and non-traditional exports.
He has worked extensively in
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Vice President of IFC on four-day visit
Wiocke, who is also the Managing Director of the World Bank
Group for Private Sector Development would consult with the government and
inspect IFC investments in the country. He would also call on President John
Kufuor, meet the economic management team and some ministers and hold
discussions with officials of financial institutions. Wiocke would visit the
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Botchwey lobbies Volta Region
delegates
Ho (Volta Region)
Before the arrival of Dr Botchwey to the Woezor Hotel, which was the venue for the meeting, small groups of people could be seen being talked to by some Pro-Botchwey opinion leaders of the party in the region.
It was, however, not an all Botchwey affair, as some Pro-Mills voices could be heard expressing their displeasure with having to bring all regional and constituency executives to Ho instead of Dr Botchwey meeting them in their constituencies where he could see at first hand their problems as Professor Mills is doing.
The Meeting, which was like a mini-durbar, however, suffered a patch of embarrassment when some party functionaries gate-crashed, the official reception even though they had been served packed lunch, drinks and paid their travel and transport allowances.
A visibly disturbed Mike Gizo, the campaign Manager of the Botchwey team had to render an apology to reporters covering the meeting for the unfortunate incident, which prevented them from the official reception.
A female activist of the party in the region in her characteristic uncompromising attitude warned perceived outsiders that no misbehaviour would be tolerated in the region.
Modestus Ahiable, Volta Regional Chairman of the party, compared the position of the regional Executives in relation to the two contestants, as a mother of twins who would lie on her back for her twins "to suck and suck profusely."
He said the meeting of the Executives at Ho, which was also attended by some of the region's Parliamentarians, was meant to serve as a common converging point to brief them on the modalities and preparations for the impending delegates' congress.
Ahiable said two out of the five delegates to attend the congress from each constituency were to be women. He advised those who would be attending the congress to exercise care on the road and ensure their safety to and from the congress.
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Decentralisation will ensure growth - Nduom
He said this was necessary to ensure sustainable poverty reduction in the country, adding that situations in which certain areas of the country were provided with facilities at the expense of others would no longer be allowed to continue.
Dr. Nduom was addressing bankers at the sixth annual banking
conference in
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (
The Minister said government is committed to developing the country's basic infrastructure, especially roads, schools, health facilities and electricity, among others, to promote growth.
Other areas of government's commitment are good governance, development of agro-business and the private sector to reduce poverty and promote sustainable economic growth.
Dr Nduom said one way that the banks could support government efforts was to provide low interest credit to the private sector to enable it to thrive, adding that the prevailing high interest rates were impeding rapid development.
They should adopt innovative approaches to prop up small and medium scale enterprises through credit to enable them to contribute to the country's economic prosperity.
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English shouldn’t be only medium of instruction
Tamale (Northern Region) 21 November 2002 - Participants at a day's advocacy seminar on Ghana Language Policy have urged the government to rescind its decision on the use of English language as the only medium of instruction at the basic education level.
The participants explained that the use of mother tongue at the basic education level would help maintain the socio-cultural identity of the country.
The seminar, planned by Collaboration Committee on Ghanaian Language Policy Advocacy, was sponsored by School For Life, a Danish non-governmental organisation.
It was attended by Ghanaian Language tutors from the Tamale
Polytechnic,
Abdulai Salifu, a Tutor at Tamale Polytechnic, noted that no matter how well children communicate in the English language, if they were unable to interact with their peer group in their mother tongue, the values of society would be threatened.
Salifu was speaking on: "Psychological, Social And Scientific Benefits Of The Use Of Mother-Tongue In Ghana". He said "The literate who can express himself or herself well in the mother tongue without continually code-switching to English or another language is better appreciated."
He explained that when children are given instruction in their mother tongue, "they are given knowledge first of all and subject matter knowledge, which makes second language input more comprehensible."
Salifu said it was assumed that English would unite and liberate the country but asked: "How efficient can a nation be liberated if 90 per cent of the population are illiterates?" He noted that the beginning of a child education in the mother tongue enhances his or her literacy and fulfils both psychological and social goals of the child.
"Never learn to read a second language if you can't read your own language first," he said. Salifu said "on a psychological plane, one is more apt to learn faster if one is motivated to do so because acquisition happens when one understands messages."
He called on the universities to research more into the Ghanaian languages and train more teachers to come out and help develop them.
In a 15-point communiqué, the Collaboration Committee called on Cabinet to have a second look at its decision on the new language policy of using English language as a medium of instruction at the basic education level.
The communiqué, signed by 13 members of the committee, urged the government to mandate the University College of Education, Winneba, to increase its intake of Ghanaian language students.
Other universities should also introduce the study of Ghanaian languages to increase the number of Ghanaian language scholars.
The communiqué tasked the universities and other institutions to research more into Ghanaian languages and encourage the writing and publication of quality and relevant Ghanaian language textbooks.
It urged politicians to address the electorate at rallies and durbars in Ghanaian languages, where appropriate.
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Minority's concern referred to Privileges
Committee
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 November 2002 -Speaker of Parliament, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey on Thursday said it was appropriate that the complaints of the Minority made to the house about a breach of privilege should be referred to the Committee of Privileges to deliberate on the matter and submit a report to the House.
He said the complaint and matters raised by the Minority of the abuse of the Rights, Privileges, Immunities and Contempt of Parliament and its Members are very serious and concern all members of the Honourable House as well as the Speaker.
The Speaker said this in a memorandum he read in Parliament in reaction to a submission made by the Minority on the subject, which he said was dated 08 November 2002 and received in his Office on 19 November 2002.
Mr Adjetey said he had taken a careful look at the relevant provisions of the Constitution; the Standing Orders of the House and the various references made in the submission but were faced with what his powers and duties in the case could be.
He said since the Speaker, under the Constitution was not a Member of Parliament; the decision as to whether there has been a breach of privilege was a matter for the House itself to take a decision after examining a report from its Committee of Privileges.
"I do not think that it would be right for the Speaker, on the basis only of a petition presented to him in his office to make a formal declaration as to whether in a particular case, there has been a breach of privilege', he added.
The Speaker said he has, therefore, accordingly asked that the matter should be formally raised before the House so that, exercising his powers under Standing Order Number 31, "the Speaker may direct the matter to be referred to the Committee of Privileges," on the basis of the report of which the House as a Whole can decide the matter.
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Ghana to host Investment conference
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 November 2002- Ghana is to play host to a three-day international investment conference to highlight investment opportunities in both the public and private sectors of the country and to promote interaction between potential joint venture partners.
The conference, which will run between 27 and 29 November, also seeks to create the necessary environment for dialogue between government representatives at the highest level and the private sector as well as local and international business leaders and potential investors.
It is being organised by the Government in collaboration with the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC) and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) on the theme: "Positioning Ghana as the Business and Commercial Hub of West Africa - Developing the Private Public Partnership."
Delegates from the United Kingdom, the broader Commonwealth, the European Union, United States of America and the International Business Community, among others, will discuss issues bordering on the private public partnership in areas of energy, transport and infrastructure.
Other topics lined up include Ghana's competitiveness in the Region, financial services and capital market opportunities, information and communication technology as well as small and medium enterprises and agro-industry development for international business.
Mrs Ruth Nyarkotey, Chairperson of the National Planning Committee for the Conference told a press conference in Accra on Wednesday that besides the main agenda there would be matchmaking meetings between potential investors and their Ghanaian partners to ensure that the delegates receive the maximum value for their money.
She said the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) would also aggressively market business plans and feasibility studies it has received from Ghanaian companies interested in joint ventures.
Mrs Nyarkotey, who is also the Deputy Chief Executive of GIPC, said emphasis would also be placed on how to develop intra-trade among the countries in the sub-region, adding that most Francophone countries had expressed interest in the conference.
She thanked several international and local organisations, which continued to offer sponsorship packages for the successful organisation of the conference.
The Commonwealth Business Council was established to act as a bridge for co-operation between business and government to promote policies that enhance trade and investment within the commonwealth serving 1.6 billion people in 54 countries.
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Ghana to support reconstruction of Sierra
Leone
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 November 2002- Vice President Aliu Mahama re-affirming Ghana's resolve to work for lasting peace and stability in the Sub-region, on Wednesday said the government, which is firmly supporting peace initiatives in troubled Cote d'Ivoire, was poised to assist the reconstruction of Sierra Leone.
Vice President Mahama said this when he received his Sierra Leonean counterpart, Mr. Solomon Ekuma Berewa at the Castle Osu.
The Information Minister, Professor Septmus Kakai, Sierra Leone's High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Ali Bangura and other officials accompanied Mr Berewa, who arrived in Accra on Wednesday from Paris, where he attended a four-day business and consultative conference on the rebuilding of Sierra Leone.
Vice President Mahama said: "Ghana has the expertise, particularly in the areas of trade, construction and mining, to help in the reconstruction of your country. Our people are willing to share their experiences with you."
Ten years of civil war in Sierra Leone have destroyed major infrastructure of that country. Mr Berewa welcomed the gesture and thanked Ghana for her contribution towards the restoration of peace in his country.
He said the reconstruction programme had started, adding that the government was keen to see it through. The Vice President lauded the recent Ghana-Sierra Leone Trade and
Business Exhibition held in his country, saying the event demonstrated the potentials of the participants.
He said, efforts were underway to consolidate the gains of the event and to expand trade and investment opportunities.
Foreign Minister, Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyemang announced that Ghana was acquiring land for building her mission in Sierra Leone and expressed the hope that relations between the two counties would deepen for their mutual benefit.
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Defence Counsel to confront witness with
statement
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 November 2002- Proceedings at an Accra Fast Track Court (FTC) hearing the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) divestiture case ended abruptly on Wednesday when the defence asked for adjournment to enable him to confront prosecution witness with his statement to the police.
Mr Justice J C Amonoo-Monney, the trial judge, obliged, and consequently adjourned sitting to Tuesday, 26 November.
It all happened when the witness disagreed with a suggestion by defence counsel that his statement to the police contradicted the evidence he had given in court.
Mr D .O Lamptey, counsel for Hanny Sherry Ayittey, treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement (DWM), one of the four accused persons in the trial, had suggested to Dr. Albert Owusu-Barnafo, the third prosecution witness, during cross-examination, that he allegedly paid an amount of 250,000 dollars to his client in the presence of others.
Counsel further suggested to witness that the money was not paid to his client at the GIHOC Distilleries office of his client as alleged, but rather at the GIHOC Pharmaceuticals. Counsel, therefore, suggested to witness that the evidence he had given in court was false.
In a quick response Dr. Owusu-Barnafo told the court that his evidence in court was correct, and that he alone paid the money to Ayittey. Witness stated, therefore, that he neither recalled paying the money at the GIHOC Pharmaceuticals, nor doing the payment in the presence of others.
It was counsel's humble submission, therefore, that the court exercised its discretion on the matter by making an order that witness's statement to the police was made available to the court.
Replying, Mr Osafo Sampong, Director of Public Prosecutions said counsel had missed the point, and that his application should have been made rather in a trial by indictment.
Commenting on the matter, Mr Justice Amonoo-Monney pointed out that the court could only make orders if and only when they were enforceable, adding that those orders must not only be supported legally, but that they should not be capricious.
He, therefore, urged defence counsel to stick to the rules.
At this juncture, Mr Johnny Quarshie-Idun, leading counsel for Ayittey asked for an adjournment, to enable the defence to produce a copy of witness's statement and confront him on it at the court's next sitting.
Ayittey, Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee, Ralph Casely-Hayford, businessman and Sati Dorcas Ocran, housewife, are standing trial for their alleged involvement in bribery and corruption practices in connection with the privatisation of GREL.
They have all pleaded not guilty to their various charges, and each of them is on a self-recognisance bail.
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Association observes Industrialisation Day
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 November 2002- Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industry, on Wednesday said because most African countries adopted inward looking industrialisation policies based on the strategy of import substitution relying on effective protection; administrative controls and large scale public sector investment, they were marginalized in the global economy.
He said while African countries economies stagnated due to over dependence on primary products and import substitution, the ASEAN countries managed to transform and diversified their economic structures, built an exported-led industrial economy and further succeeded in attaining economic stability by getting rid of dependence on primary commodities.
Dr Apraku was speaking at this year's African Industrialisation Day celebration organised by the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) under the theme: "Industrialisation of Africa and the New Information and Communication Technology".
He said despite the fact that Africa was endowed with abundant natural resources, it exported them raw and in a semi-processed form and thus derived less benefits.
"The continent can boast of approximately 95 per cent of the world's chromium, 75 per cent of platinum, 69 per cent of cobalt, 54 per cent of gold and 39 per cent of diamonds.
"She also has large quantities of copper, Iron ore, bauxite, manganese, hydro potentials, a wide range of forestry, fish and agricultural resources," he added.
Dr Apraku stressed the need for Africa countries to look back and see where they made mistakes and take a cue from those countries that have made great strides in industrial development and hence economic growth.
He said the government's Golden Age of Business had industrialisation as its central focus and the various President's Special Initiative in Textile and Garments, Cassava processing and Oil Palm Industry development attested to that.
On the new Information and Communication Technology (ICT), he said, in Africa, poor ICT infrastructure, coupled with weak policy and regulatory framework and limited human resources, has resulted in inadequate access to affordable information, gadgets such as telephones, broadcasting, computers and the Internet.
"Africa has only about 0.4 percent of the world's telephone lines with an overall tele-density still only about one per 200 inhabitants, computer penetration is less than three per 1000 and just one in 1500 has access to the Internet compared to a world average of about one in 40," he said.
Mr Prosper A. Akpa, UNDO Resident Director, said the organisation was implementing about 16 integrated programmes with a budget of 111 million dollars in the Sub-Sahara region.
He said the organisation believed that to start from industrial sector, "we have to work on improving economic-wide productivity gains in order to enhance living conditions in developing countries.''
In a draft joint statement by Mr Amara Essy, Interim Chairman, Commission of the African Union, Mr K.Y. Amoako, Executive Secretary Economic Commission for Africa and Mr Carlos Magarinos, Director-General of UNIDO, Mr Salia Fawundu, UNDP Resident Representative, said with the NEPAD initiative, development needs and objectives were identified and defined by African countries, thus reflecting their vision of development goals.
He said the initiative incorporating the complex matrix of key social, economic and political priorities, has become a collective pledge by the leaders of Africa.
"At the same time the NEPAD initiative has another advantage in that it is not trying to compete with existing development plans and programmes.
Rather it strives to consolidate those ongoing activities by establishing links between them while introducing new elements dictated by the NEOPAD targets".
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Committee to announce interest rate on
Friday
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 November 2002- The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of Ghana would meet on Friday to announce its decision on interest rates.
A statement signed in Accra on Wednesday by Mr James Odei, the Secretary of the Bank of Ghana, said this would be the first meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee since it was inaugurated in September.
It said subsequent meetings of the Committee would be held once every two months in the third week of the second month.
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US General calls on Chief of Defence Staff
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 November 2002- Major-General Craig Rasmussen, Director of Logistics and Security at the United States European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, on
Thursday held a closed-door meeting with Lieutenant General Seth Obeng, Chief of Defence Staff, in Accra.
Officers and men from the Air Force Base mounted a guard in honour of Major-General Rasmussen before the two men had discussions.
The call forms part of a two-day visit by the US General during which he is expected to open the new Office of Defence Corporation at the United states Embassy in Accra.
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Treat African migrants well - Minister
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 November 2002- Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday appealed to the government and people of Libya to treat Ghanaians and other African migrants in that country more humanely.
"Since the world is becoming a global village, more Ghanaians and Africans will always migrate to your country for what they may term greener pastures. You should therefore treat them as your brothers," he told the Libyan Ambassador-designate, Mr Mohammed Al Gamudi who presented his letters of credence to him.
"We will, however, do our best to discourage people from migrating to your country as the best could be achieved in one's own land with hard work."
Mr Owusu-Agyemang expressed regret that a lot of Ghanaians who have fallen out with the law were serving prison sentences in Libyan jails and indicated that plans were being put in place to bring home the 90 Ghanaians who have been given amnesty from Libyan jails.
He urged the Libyan authorities to treat those in jail humanely to make the struggle for a united Africa more meaningful.
The Minister thanked Libya for its assistance to Ghana and expressed the hope that the relationship between the two countries would be further strengthened.
He praised the Libyan Leader, Maummar Gaddafi for his leading role in seeing to a more united Africa, adding, Ghana would not relent in her efforts as well.
The Minister assured the Libyan Ambassador that Ghana would be fully represented at the Council of Ministers-African Union meeting to be held in Tripoli, Libya. Mr Al Gamudi stated that he was looking forward for more cordial ties between the two countries.
On his part, the Malaysian Ambassador-designate, Mr Mohammed Alias, said the recent visit by President John Agyekum Kufuor to Malaysia had deepened the friendship between Ghana and Malaysia and expressed the hope that the trade and economic cooperation that existed between the two would be further strengthened.
Mr Owusu-Agyemang said the President's visit to that country had made a great impart on Ghana and given rise to the president's oil palm initiative.
He said the rough patches that exist between the two countries in connection with Ghana Telecom were only "commercial patches" and expressed the hope that an amicable settlement would soon be found. Also at the Ministry was the new Charge d'Affaires of Bulgaria, Mr Diko Kolev Dikov.
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Structure of economy must change - Woode
Accra (Greater Accra) 21 November 2002- No government can transform the economy unless there is a dramatic change of the structure of the economy from agriculture to engineering technology.
"The economy must be technology driven with mass participation as its backbone," Mr Robert Woode, an agriculturist said on Wednesday. He was speaking at a forum by the Convention People's Party (CPP) organised to educate the youth on the visions of Dr Kwame Nkrumah in Accra.
He said: "Anyone who wants to tackle the present economic situation with orthodox methods would fail." Mr Woode said that mass production had worked in many industries in countries like South Korea and Malaysia and that there must be the political will to move this vision across.
Mr Woode said there was the need for self- reliance rather than on external forces. He criticised the slogan that, "government has no business doing business", saying, "You cannot just sit back and say that the private sector is the engine of growth; they will just fail."
Mr Woode suggested that since agriculture is the largest contributor to the country's gross domestic product there was the need to have a comprehensive database for planning. "There is the need to assess these plans and develop new objectives and conditions."
He said Dr Nkrumah set up integrated industries that were relying on each other to produce goods, adding that any business venture established must be able to tap its major raw material from within to make it viable.
Alhaji Abubakar Alhassan, National Chairman of the CPP, said that the party's support for the New Patriotic Party to win the 2000 general elections was not an alliance but an assistance to get rid of a "neighbour" who was an obstacle to the CPP.
"The approach to governance of the CPP and NPP are diametrically opposed. The assistance to the NPP was in order for us to put our house in order."
He assured supporters of the party those preparations for 2004 elections were underway and that they should not see their leaders as a bunch of noise-makers. Alhaji Alhassan emphasised that the CPP leadership would not be detracted in its bid to win power.
Mr Kwame Sanaa-Poku Jantuah, the only surviving member of the first all-black cabinet of the Gold Coast, who chaired the function, called for party unity to move the dream of Nkrumah forward.
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