Ghana
is best investment destination today - Chalker
Aliu
urges businesses to prioritise social responsibility
Mining
sector assured of friendly environment
Bids
opened for Tema, Sekondi-Takoradi roads
Volta
River Authority signs 30 million dollars loan agreement
Institute
of Journalism Degree programme may suffer if...
Equip
Police to handle Domestic Violence
Government
will support Navy-Kufuor
Farmers'
Day to be held in Takoradi
New
policy on Early Childhood Development
Committee
on Grading System submits report
Kwesi
Botchwey steps up campaign in Central Region
Annan
calls for better care for AIDS patients
Mills:
NDC stands at crossroad
British
Foreign Secretary meets Owusu-Agyemang
African
NGOs meet on extractive industries
Ghana
is best investment destination today - Chalker
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- Baroness Lynda Chalker, Adviser to the
Commonwealth Business
Council (CBC), on Friday described Ghana as the best investment destination
following renewed government commitment to good governance and development of
the private sector.
Ghana is also the most
stable, peaceful, secure and most reliable place to do business in Africa
today, Baroness Chalker told the Ghana News Agency Business Desk in an
interview in Accra.
"These factors
make Ghana the best investment destination one can imagine at this moment. It
is the best candidate," she said.
Baroness Chalker was
commenting on Ghana's potential as a competitor in attracting foreign direct
investment and her ability to sustain foreign inflows at the on-going
Commonwealth-Ghana Investment Conference in Accra.
The conference is
organized by the government of Ghana in association with the CBC and Ghana
Investment Promotion Centre.
Baroness Chalker
expressed optimism that the government would sustain its strict fiscal and
monetary policies aimed at transforming the economy.
She said investment
comes to countries that brand and market themselves internationally, making
their potentials known and accepted to prospective investors.
She said Ghana has
showed in the last couple of days that she has what it takes to attract the
needed investment to make the economy and lives of millions of Ghanaians
worthwhile.
The conference,
attended by over 400 participants from the UK, Europe, Africa and Ghana, is the
fourth to be held this year by CBC, after Mozambique, Tanzania and Nigeria.
Asked if Ghana's
current infrastructure could withstand the pressure of increased investor
participation in the economy, Baroness Chalker said "infrastructure would
come but it takes time".
"Infrastructure
takes time to come up. This is after investors have come in and set up the
infrastructure to facilitate their operations and move the economy around.
"Investors will
come but they take time and with the Ghana's environment, she is very well
positioned to do so," she added.
Baroness Chalker
suggested Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach to developing the national
economy, adding that government must partner with foreign and local investors.
On the outcome of the
conference, she said it would send the right signals to investors on Ghana's
avid potential to be part of the global network of sound economies and the hub
of business activity in the sub-region.
In a separate
interview, Mr Kevin Lynch, First Secretary (Commercial) of the British High
Commission said with Ghana's economy on the upturn and support from the
European Union and United Kingdom, the economy will definitely move in a new
direction of prosperity.
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Aliu
urges businesses to prioritise social responsibility
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- Vice President Aliu Mahama, closing the three-day
Commonwealth-Ghana Investment Conference on Friday, tasked companies to
collaborate with the government and civil society to improve the standard of
living in the communities they operate in as their as their businesses thrived.
He said the government
recognises that the success of business is linked to the health, stability and
prosperity of the society and communities in which they operate.
"We are pursuing
various policies to enhance corporate social responsibility and improve
business community relations. As part of our priorities for achieving
sustainable development, we are establishing a sound and stable economic
environment as well as strengthening and implementing effective environmental
and natural resources management programmes."
Vice President Mahama
assured the delegates of the creation of a congenial investment climate void of
unnecessary bureaucracy and invited them to explore opportunities in
agro-industry, financial services, infrastructure, energy, transport and other
areas, which he said, had great potentials to be tapped.
Three hundred and
fifty delegates from 25 countries attended the conference described as
"very successful" by Dr Mohan Kaul, Director-General of the
Commonwealth Business Council, which co-organised it with the Government and
the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre.
The delegates included
potential foreign investors, Ministers of State and business leaders.
Vice President Mahama
reaffirmed Ghana's zeal to position itself as the best investment destination
in the Sub-region of 250 million people and expressed the hope that the
conference had put Ghana on a higher pedestal.
In a communiqué read
by Dr Mohan, the delegates from the government side stressed the need for
private sector participation in the development of power, water and the transport
sectors.
Those from the
business sector, who called for reliable services, for which they were willing
to pay economic rates, accepted the proposals.
"Business people
are very concerned by the lack of long-term funds for investment and by the
crowding out of their needs by government borrowing requirements and the
pricing of short-term treasury bills," the communiqué said.
The delegates further
called for promotion of investment opportunities outside the Greater Accra
Region, adding that opportunities in agriculture, mining and infrastructure had
to be explored in other areas.
The conference, which
precedes the annual meeting of Commonwealth Heads of States of Government, is
the fourth and last this year, having been held in Mozambique, Nigeria and Malta.
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Mining
sector assured of friendly environment
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- The Central Bank on Friday assured companies in the mining
sector that it would pursue a sustained prudent monetary regime to ensure a
friendly environment for their operations.
He said as has been
demonstrated over the last couple of months, "we are committed to
maintaining a favourable inflationary situation within which mining companies,
especially, and all others could operate and have fair benefits.
Dr Paul Acquah, the
Governor of the Central Bank, told the last quarterly meeting of the Ghana
Chamber of Mines that the bank is focused on diffusing inflationary
expectations. He said a stable price mechanism is also being pursued.
Dr Acquah was reacting
to the usual trend of government overspending towards election year and its
attendant spiral effects on the economy.
He did not state
exactly what the Central Bank would be doing during that period but said,
"We will maintain a sound economic regime from now into the medium term
period."
Touching on the
contributions of the sector to the foreign exchange earnings of the country,
the Governor said the sector had continued to make significant impact on
earnings, contributing about 42 per cent of export earnings. The sector last
year provided 600 million dollars in foreign exchange to the country.
Dr Acquah said there
was therefore, the urgent need to pay attention to the needs of the mining
sector at a time government was seeking to diversify the economy.
"This is good to
ensure increased earnings and to maintain a positive balance of payment for the
country."
To achieve this goal,
the Governor said, the current mining regime needed to be revised to make it
competitive, adding that all the past incentives contained in the code have
been diluted, rendering the country uncompetitive and unattractive to major
movers in the mining industry worldwide.
"We need to
improve our mining code to come to the level of countries that had copied from
us," he stressed.
Dr Paul Acquah also
asked the mining companies to look at increasing the level of foreign exchange
repatriated to the country after meeting their operational obligations to
deepen the process of financial intermediation.
He also asked them to
re-enforce their programmes of environmental protection for sustainable
development.
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Bids
opened for Tema, Sekondi-Takoradi roads
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- Bids for the rehabilitation of the Tema and
Sekondi-Tarkoradi
urban roads were opened on Friday at the Castle under auspices of Mr Kwadwo
Mpianim, Chief of Staff.
Three companies,
Razel, COLAS and Sonitra are bidding for the job, which is to be funded by the
French Aid Agency, Agence Francaise de Developpement. Their bids are
21,145,820.35 Euro, 19,148,091.85 Euro and 17,035,030.89 Euro respectively with
net tax inclusive.
All the bidders have
50,000 Euros each as bid security with various financial institutions and a
contract period of 18 months.
Mr Mpianim said that
opening of the bids was the beginning of the process. They would be forwarded
to consultants who would eventually select a winner.
He said low bids are
not necessarily a requisite for choosing a contractor and advised the public
not to jump to conclusions.
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Volta
River Authority signs 30 million dollars loan agreement
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- The Volta River Authority (VRA) on Friday signed a 30
million-dollar medium-term loan agreement in Accra with a Consortium of banks.
Part of the loan will
be used to defray about 80 per cent of its current indebtedness of 45 million
dollars to Cote d'Ivoire Electricity Company (CIE). The Banks are Standard
Bank, London, Stanbic Bank, Ghana and Ecobank Ghana Limited.
Dr Charles
Wereko-Brobbey, Chief Executive of VRA, who signed for the Authority, expressed
gratitude to the banks for the loan, and said it would enhance their effort to
ensure continuous supply of electricity.
He lauded the CIE for
its major role in meeting Ghana's domestic energy demand with competitive cost
when crude oil prices had risen beyond forecast levels and VRA had problems
with its own generating facility to meet the local demand.
Mr Williams Thomas,
Managing Director of Stanbic Bank, Ghana, and Mr Albert Essien, Deputy Managing
Director of ECOBANK, signed on behalf their companies while Standard Bank
London are expected to sign in London later.
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Institute
of Journalism Degree programme may suffer if...
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- The Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) may not be able to
admit the next batch of degree students next academic year due to the lack of
funds to complete additional classrooms at its new site at Legon.
Mr. David Newton,
Director, who made this known at the second matriculation ceremony of the
Institute said, "If we are unable to provide extra classrooms next year,
we shall find it difficult to admit the next batch of degree students for
2003-2004 academic year."
This year the
Institute admitted only 35 out of 500 applicants for the degree courses and 106
diploma students out of 1,200 applicants due to the lack of space and training
facilities.
The institute, which
started its degree programme two years ago now requires 2.2 billon cedis to
complete a twelve classroom block complex as part of the first phase of efforts
to relocate the institute at a new site, he noted.
He said currently work
on the project site had virtually come to a halt due to the lack of funds
adding that persistent appeals for support from the Ghana Education Trust Fund
(GETFUND) did not materialized because the Institute was said to be not a
non-beneficiary.
Mr. Newton described
the situation as sad saying, "After 43 years of its existence, the GIJ had
never received adequate funding to enable it improve upon its infrastructure
and facilities."
He said the
seriousness of the problem stemmed from the fact that the degree programme in
addition to the diploma programme were being run with the same infrastructure
and facilities thus affecting the quality of teaching and learning.
The Director said so
far the institute had trained about 4000 Journalists and Public Relations
practitioners, 500 of whom had come from other African countries. The Institute
trained eighty per cent of all practicing journalists in Ghana.
Mr. Robert Kafui
Johnson, General Manager of the Ghana News Agency, who chaired the ceremony,
said there was the need to re-look at the GETFUND regulations to increase
beneficiaries, adding that the National Film and Television Institute had also
made similar appeal.
"Whatever it
takes, government must have the courage to amend the laws and regulations
governing the fund, GIJ and other tertiary institutions deserve much attention
taking into considerations the quality of their products and years of
existence.
Mr. Johnson said it
would be sad to see some of the 500 African foreigners who had their training
at the Institute years ago come back to find the same old structures being use.
Touching on
responsible journalism, he said what was more important was the need to
epitomize a sense of nationalism in our reportage making sure that whatever
came out to the public did not compromise the nation's interest.
Mr. Johnson recalled
Cable News Network (CNN) coverage of the September 11, attack on the United
States of America saying, "all that CNN did was to protect the national
interest of America, the reportage was such that what could aggravate the
situation or defeat efforts to fight terrorism was not brought out."
He told the new
students that once admitted into the institute they owed themselves the
responsibility to develop the interest in the profession by nurturing and
working hard to become good Journalists.
Mr. T. Tabi, Director
of Academic Affairs, University of Ghana, Legon, administered the oath for the
degree students while the Registrar of the GIJ administered for the diploma
students.
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Equip
Police to handle Domestic Violence
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- The African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) on Saturday
appealed to the government to equip the Police Administration and the Courts
with logistics and technical skills to combat domestic violence.
"The issue of
domestic violence has assumed an alarming proportion in the country with 1,052
wives battered, 119 rape cases and 425 cases of defilement between January and
October this year.
"This calls for
attitudinal change in law enforcement modalities," Ms Edna Kuma, AWLA
Executive Director told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on Friday.
Ms Kuma also called
for an attitudinal change of Police personnel in handling domestic violence
cases as well as understanding the various physical, economical and
psychological dimensions involved in dealing with victims.
The AWLA Executive
Director explained that such attitudinal change would serve as "consoling
grounds" and the beginning of the healing process of the tremor that
victims endure and offer a respire for reporting domestic violence.
She said statistics
indicates that less than 15 percent of victims report their ordeal to the
formal agencies because of fear and societal stigmatisation.
Ms Kuma also said
although legal mechanisms exist to protect women, children and the venerable
against domestic violence, "it is one of the most under-represented crimes
in the country."
She urged law
enforcers, legislators and civil society groups as well as traditional rulers
to join recourses together to expose perpetrators of domestic violence against
women, children and the venerable.
Meanwhile, Mr Emile
Francis Short, Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ)
has also noted that the cumulative effect of domestic violence has detrimental
effects on productivity and the national economy.
Explaining with
figures from the 2000 Population and Housing Census which indicates that women
constitute 51 percent of the population, Mr Short noted that any act of
omission or commission that affects their well being is inimical to the
economic development of the nation.
Mr Short said domestic
violence has become more prevalent than people ever suspected, stressing that,
"Ghanaian home is gradually becoming an environment for nurturing violence
as it is not only viewed on television but has become every spectacle and
encounter in many families and called for radical reforms to combat it.
The CHRAJ Commissioner
who was delivering the key-note address at the official launching of a 16-Day
campaign and advocacy programme dubbed "Break the Silence, Report the
Violence" in Accra by AWLA, noted that marital and domestic murders
account for majority of the murder cases in the country.
On domestic violence,
Mr Short said research indicates that the victims suffer depression, mental
illness and personality disorders.
Mr Short said such
"victims are likely to experience volatile mood swings and are likely to
act violently towards their own children".
The Royal Danish
Ambassador Ole Blicher Olsen who performed the official launching said the
promotion of women's status and rights is a key element in the fight against
domestic violence and women empowerment.
He urged African
governments to specifically make budgetary provision for activities directed at
eliminating violence against women and also inculcate gender sensitive training
for all officials responsible for the prevention, investigation, criminal
proceedings and punishment of violence against women.
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Government
will support Navy-Kufuor
Sekondi (Western
Region) 30 November 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday, pledged the
government's support to the Ghana Navy to enhance their efficiency and
effectiveness.
He said the support
had become necessary because of the challenges facing the Navy in view of the
increase in exploration for oil, hydrocarbons, the West African Pipeline
project and the installation and operation of the Efaso Barge for electricity,
which had berthed at the Takoradi harbour.
President Kufuor made
the pledge when he commissioned GNS Bonsu, the third and last of three ships
donated to Ghana by the government of the United States of America (USA), at
the Naval Base in Sekondi.
Last year President
Kufuor commissioned two ships, which were donated by the USA government. These
were GNS Anzone and David Hansen.
President Kufuor said
the two ships commissioned last year, marked the reversal of the decline in the
operations of the Navy to protect the country's territorial waters because more
patrols were conducted to make the territorial waters safe.
"I hope with the
addition of the third ship to the fleet of ships owned by the Navy, would
strengthen your resolve to stamp out smuggling on the high sea", He added.
Mr Richard Kaminski,
Political Adviser of the US Embassy in Accra said the donation of the ships
were to assist the Navy to operate more efficiently and effectively.
He said many countries
requested for the ships but Ghana was chosen because of the impressive
performance of the Navy and Ghana's effective and efficient role in
international peacekeeping operations.
Rear Admiral J.K.
Gbenah, Chief of the Naval Staff, appealed to government to consider completing
work on the Naval Dockyard and the Slipway projects.
He said these would
enable the Navy to improve on the maintenance of the ships and equipment as
well as enhancing their operational availability and readiness.
Rear Admiral Gbenah
said the two ships donated to the Navy last year assisted tremendously for the
navy to stay for longer hours at sea and the oil explorations, the pipeline
project and the Efaso Barge had imposed greater responsibilities on the
resources of the Navy because they would now require increased patrols and
greater vigilance.
The ship, formerly
known as US Coast Guard Cutter Sweetbrier and nicknamed "The rose of the
fleet" was built by Marine Iron and Ship Building Company of Duluth,
Minnesota.
She was launched on 30
December 1943 and commissioned on 26 July 1944. After being in operation for
sometime, it was decommissioned in Cordova on 27 August last year and was
transferred to the Ghana Navy in Baltimore, USA on 26 October.
The ship sailed from
Baltimore on her maiden voyage to Ghana on 08 November last year and arrived at
Sekondi on 13 December last year.
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Farmers'
Day to be held in Takoradi
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- This year's National Farmers' Day Celebration, which is the
18th in the series, is to be held on 06 December in Takoradi in the Western
Region although the event has been hosted twice by the region.
The selection of the
region was done by the sector Ministry and the National Planning Committee
based largely on the fact that the National Festival of Arts and Culture
(NAFAC), which is to take place at the same period has been slated for the
region.
A statement issued by
the Ministry in Accra on Friday said celebrating both important national events
in one region would enhance patronage and attract maximum publicity to glorify
the region.
It said the fact that
the region had produced the current National Best Farmer was a booster for the
event. The statement said the theme for this year's celebration:
"Modernizing Agriculture to Enhance Rural Development," fits into
government's focus on the empowerment of rural areas.
The event, which
rewards deserving farmers with awards ranging from houses, pick-up trucks and
farming inputs was started in 1985, is observed in all 10 regions and in the
110 district capitals throughout the country.
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New
policy on Early Childhood Development
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- A new policy on Early Childhood development has been
developed by an inter-ministerial body and is awaiting final approval by
Government.
The policy is expected
to spell out clearly the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders in
pre-school education, including the Ministry of Education since as at now, the
Ministry cannot arbitrarily integrate pre-school education into the mainstream
of Basic Education in the country.
Prof. Christopher
Ameyaw Akumfi, Minister of Education said this when answering a question asked
by Mr Stephen Adoma-Yeboah, NPP- Dormaa East as to what plans the ministry has
to rehabilitate and ensure effective utilisation of Day Care Centres dotted all
over the country and their subsequent incorporation into the FCUBE programme.
The Minister said the
ministry of Manpower Development and Employment takes care of Crèches and Day
Care Centres, while the Ministry of Education takes care of Nurseries and
Kindergartens, however, there was a major overlap in their functions as far as
the administration of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) was
concerned.
Prof. Akumfi said
currently, private owners are free to register with either of the two
Ministries, however, the Ministry has continued to supervise, train personnel
and prepare curriculum and has more ECCD centres under her supervision than the
Ministry of Manpower Development and Employment.
Ms Hawa Yakubu, NPP-
Bawku Central said she was worried that private owners have the option of
registration with the two ministries and the Minister gave the assurance that
there were guidelines to check them.
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Committee
on Grading System submits report
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- A Committee on the
Grading system set up by the Ministry of Education has submitted its report to
which both the Conference of Polytechnic Principals and the National Board for
Professional and Technician Examinations Board have discussed.
This follows the
agitations from the Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students about the
grading system and related matters.
Prof. Christopher
Ameyaw Akumfi, Minister of Education said the Ministry therefore, set up three
Committees to look into the students grievances concerning Grading, Job
Placement and Staff Development, Infrastructure Development and Academic
Autonomy.
The Minister said this
when Mr Ofosu Asamoah, NPP- Kade asked the Minister what led to the clash
between the students of the country's Polytechnics and the Police at the Castle
Junction, Osu and what steps the ministry was taking to forestall such future
occurrences.
The Committee on Staff
Development, Infrastructure Development and academic Autonomy has submitted an
interim report while the report of the Committee on Job Placement and Academic
progression is expected shortly.
Prof. Akumfi recalled
that on 26 February 2002, students of the polytechnics embarked on a
demonstration to the Osu castle to begin a planned three days of fasting in
protest against the introduction of a new grading system by the NABTEX.
The Minister said
unfortunately the demonstration turned violent and the police had no option
than to perform their duty of protecting life and property, hence the clash
with the students.
He said the
recommendations of the Committees would be studied and implemented, while in
the area of technical and vocational education, a number of important steps
have been taken by government.
The Minister said
there was significant improvement with support from the GETFund in physical and
academic infrastructure on the polytechnic campuses and conditions of service
for polytechnic staff have also been considerably improved over the past year.
Prof. Akumfi said the
Ministry, National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) and the polytechnics
have begun a process of public education on the role of the polytechnics in
national development.
Additionally students
have been advised to use laid down procedures in getting their grievances
addressed, while authorities of tertiary institutions have also created
structures that allow students to be involved n the decision-making processes,
especially on issues that affect them.
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Kwesi
Botchwey steps up campaign in Central Region
Agona Asafo (Central
Region) 30 November 2002- Dr Kwesi Botchwey, Former Finance
Minister and aspiring
NDC flagbearer has assured the numerous supporters of the party that democracy
and openness would be his priority.
He said that tolerance
and mutual respect as well as justice, equity and fair play prevail in the NDC
party to ensure victory if the mantle is given to him in the forthcoming
National Delegates Congress.
Dr Botchwey made these
assertions on Thursday when he addressed members of the NDC drawn from Agona
East, West and Gomoa East and West constituencies at Agona Asafo as part of his
tour in the Central Region.
He said he will help
to build and respect party structure and functionaries from branches through to
the national level.
The former Finance
Minister stated that his future government will create structures that would
ensure that all levels of the party are regularly informed and actively
involved in decisions of the government.
He further noted that
he would unite the party through social democratic principles and values and
link them with the network of the International Social Democratic Movement
(ISDM).
Dr Botchwey stressed
the need to build the party into a forum for continuing education and
discussion of policy and not just an electioneering machine, adding that study
clubs will be vigorously encouraged in all constituencies.
He said the youth,
particularly women, will be empowered and mainstreamed into the party's
structures through systematic programmes of training, education and re-sourcing
in administration of his government.
Dr Botchwey assured
the delegates that he will bring new and creative ways of financing the party,
structures and activities.
The former Finance
Minister who was optimistic of winning the NDC flagbearership declared his
determination to ensure transparency in the allocation, distribution and
effective use of party resources and logistics to make the party formidable.
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Annan
calls for better care for AIDS patients
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- The UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan on Friday noted that
the worldwide HIV epidemic has created "a terrible burden" for
millions of individuals, families and communities in the world.
He said relieving this
burden requires improved health care, better access to treatments, more
vigorous prevention efforts, more effective outreach and support for those most
vulnerable, particularly orphans.
In a statement to mark
World AIDS Day, which falls on Sunday, Mr Annan said another terrible burden of
the disease, which everybody has the capacity to relieve, is stigma.
"The impact of
stigma can be as detrimental as the virus itself. The solitude and lack of
support it imposes are deeply wounding to those who suffer it. It should also
hurt every one of us, for it is an affront to our humanity."
Mr Annan said some
people with AIDS were being denied basic rights such as food or shelter, and
dismissed from their jobs they are perfectly fit to perform.
"They may be
shunned by their community, or most tragic of all, by their own family." Mr
Annan said the fear of stigma leads to silence, and when it comes to fighting
AIDS, silence is death.
However, he noted that
"the walls of stigma are weakening" and there is progress on every
continent. "Leaders are speaking out at the highest level. The rights of
people living with HIV/AIDS are being defended...Standards are being set in the
workplace."
He said the most
powerful weapons against stigma and silence are the voices of the people
speaking up about AIDS.
"By adopting the
slogan "Live and Let Live", this year's Word AIDS Campaign challenges
us to ensure that all people with or without HIV can realize their human rights
and live in dignity."
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Mills:
NDC stands at crossroad
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- Professor John Evans Atta Mills, former Vice
President, on Friday
filed his nominations papers to contest for the National Democratic Congress
(NDC) flag bearership and declared that the party stands at the crossroad.
"Behind us are
many years of struggle, achievement and uncompleted projects under our previous
administration. Before us is the promise of a better tomorrow, after 2004 when
the NDC shall come back to power.
"In between, is a
congress at which delegates must make a choice to assure this party of that
victory which we all yearn for," Prof. Mills stated at the party's
Headquarters during the ceremony.
The NDC at its fifth
National Delegates' Congress last April amended its constitutional provision on
the selection of parliamentary and presidential candidates.
The nominations which
were open on 23 September closes on 05 December. So far only Prof. Mills and former Finance Minister Dr Kwesi
Botchwey have collected nomination forms to contest the primaries on 21
December.
Prof. Mills urged
delegates to vote for a candidate who would command the support of the rank and
file.
He said he was
optimistic of winning the primaries, stressing, "I am convinced that when
delegates listen to their constituents, examine my record in the public service
and in government, review my loyalty and dedication, assess my popularity
throughout the country, even amongst floating voters and acknowledge my
potential for winning the 2004 elections, they will vote massively for
me."
He urged the rank and
file of the party to close their ranks and not to allow petty disagreements to
divide them.
Receiving the papers,
Dr Nii Josiah Aryeh, General Secretary, said National Executive Committee would
examine each of the prospective candidates based on the party's eligibility
criteria.
Dr Aryeh explained
that the party's constitution on selection of presidential candidates states
that if at the close of nomination only one person files nomination as the
party's presidential candidate he shall be subject to a vote.
The candidate must,
however, obtain 50 percent plus one of the votes cast. Where two persons file
nominations, the person who obtains the greater number of votes shall be
declared elected as the party's presidential candidate.
It states that where
at any ballot between two candidates, the votes are equal, another shall be
held.
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British
Foreign Secretary meets Owusu-Agyemang
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- The British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, on
Thursday met Foreign
Minister, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang with their discussions focusing on several
issues including peace in the sub-region.
A statement issued by
the British High Commission in Accra on Friday quoted Mr Straw as saying,
"we discussed Ghana's role in continuing to stabilise peace in the
region."
He said, he expressed
his appreciation to Mr. Owusu-Agyemang on Ghana's increasing role in Africa,
notably with ECOWAS and UN peacekeeping operations in Sierra Leone.
"I reiterated UK
support, and said that we had pledged two million pounds to support the
Ghanaian contingent for the ECOWAS monitoring force in Cote d'Ivoire.
Mr Straw said he also
welcomed Ghana's decision to join the NEPAD Implementation Committee, and to
volunteer for the African Peer Review Mechanism.
"I hope Ghana
will build on this involvement, and play a greater role in African issues on
NEPAD, Zimbabwe and Cote d'Ivoire. "
Mr Straw said in the
light of the events in Mombasa, Kenya, where a bomb explosion killed some 15
people, they agreed on the importance of how everybody has a responsibility to
combat global terrorism.
"I welcomed the
progress Ghana is making to combat global terrorism but urged swift processing
of compliance with the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee's requirements for member
states to implement anti-terrorism measures."
Mr. Owusu-Agyemang is
making his first official visit to the UK since his appointment in January
2001.
As part of the
programme, he also had meetings with Sir. David Manning, Foreign Policy Advisor
to the Prime Minister, officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the
opposition Spokesman on Foreign Affairs and the Commonwealth Parliamentary
Association.
GRi…/
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African
NGOs meet on extractive industries
Accra (Greater Accra)
30 November 2002- Twenty-five African NGOs working on the extractive sector,
mainly, mining, oil and gas would participate in a two-day international
meeting on the Extractive Sector Review (EIR) from 4-5 December.
A statement issued in
Accra said the meeting is to create a platform for African civil society to
generate and share knowledge on the EIR and World Bank Group policies for
Africa and to enhance African NGO's ability to coordinate efforts in order to
present a stronger and informed position into the process.
The meeting is
convened to create a platform for African NGOs participating to prepare a
strategy for engagement in the Extractive Industries Review regional
consultation workshop for Africa scheduled to take place from 13-17 January,
2003 in Maputo, Mozambique, Case studies of World Bank Group assisted projects
in Africa and other Strategic issues.
Among other issues,
the Accra meeting will discuss the policies of the World Bank group for the
extractive sector in Africa and their impacts on the livelihood of local
communities, national economic development as well as environmental protection
of mineral-endowed African countries.
The two-day meeting,
which is being organised by Third World Network Africa would bring together
civil society organisations and academics working on or interested in
Extractive sector issues in the African continent.
The statement said the
Accra meeting is part of African NGOs preparatory process towards the Maputo
regional workshop.
It would come out with
an African NGO position and clear demands for the EIR team and the World Bank
Group as well as a strategy for monitoring the outcome of the Mozambique
meeting and future engagement with the Bank.
The statement said the
meeting will also strengthen interaction and solidarity between members of the
African Initiative on Mining, Environment and Society (AIMES) in particular and
other African NGOs as well as their northern partners in preparation towards
Mozambique and beyond.
The Extractive
Industries Review (EIR) was launched by the World Bank Group as a platform to
discuss its future role in the extractive industries of mining, oil and gas.
The aim of the review
is to produce a set of recommendations to guide the involvement of the World
Bank Group in the mining, oil and gas sectors.
At the core of the
consultation process are four regional workshops in Asia and Pacific, Africa,
Latin America and Caribbean, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The Africa
regional consultation takes place from 13-17 January 2003 in Maputo,
Mozambique.
During the
consultation process a variety of stakeholder groups are invited to express
their views and concerns about the World Bank Group role in the extractive
industries and the changes required of the Bank in order for it to better serve
the objectives of poverty reduction and sustainable development.
GRi…/
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