Kufuor's Sierra Leone visit
concretised
Washington DC (USA) - 18 October 2002 - President Bush has announced his intention to nominate Mary Carlin Yates to be new U.S. Ambassador to Ghana. This was contained in a statement from the office of the President's Press Secretary.
The statement said, "The President intends to nominate Mary Carlin Yates of Oregon, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Ghana. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, she has been Ambassador to the Republic of Burundi since November 1999. From 1995 to 1999, she served as Press Attaché and Senior Cultural Affairs Officer in Paris. Prior to her assignment in Paris, she served as the Political Affairs Officer and then Public Affairs Officer in Kinshasa.
Her previous experience also includes service as Assistant Information Officer and Spokesperson for the 1988 Military Bases Review in Manila and as Branch Public Affairs Officer in Kwangju, Korea. Yates received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Oregon State University and her Masters degree from New York University."
Until this nomination, a Charge d'Affaires, Ambassador Elizabeth Raspolic has been in charge of the US Embassy in Ghana.
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Freetown (Sierra Leone) 18 October 2002 -
President John Kufuor's visit to Sierra Leone early this year was given a
meaning when the first Ghana-Sierra Leone Week Opened in Freetown on Thursday
with an exhibition of made in Ghana goods.
The exhibition of Ghanaian manufactured goods
was to attract and promote trade between the town countries. On exhibition at
the mini-fair are aluminium, cocoa and pharmaceutical products, textile and
garments.
The week would foster good business
relationship between Ghanaian and Sierra Leonean entrepreneurs. The week would
also feature cultural displays, lectures and trade investment forums.
The Vice President of Sierra Leone, Solomon Berewa,
opening the fair said it symbolises efforts by the two countries of bilateral
cooperation within the sub-region. He said the fair was the beginning of what
should be future directions of the two countries when it was expected there
should be more interactions among the people.
Berewa commended President Kufuor and his
Sierra Leonean counterpart, Alhaji Ahmed Tijan Kabah for making the move. In
his welcoming address, Dr Kadi Sesay, Sierra Leonean Minister of Trade said
that the economic community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the NEPAD would
not achieve much without the full participation of the private sector in the
activities of the two institutions.
He said, "it would be difficult to achieve
ECOWAS or NEPAD's objectives and achieve the required 7 per cent annual growth
for 13 consecutive years, which is required to reduce poverty by half in our
countries by the end of 2015".
Dr Sesay said he hoped "this first Sierra
Leone-Ghana Week will serve as an important step towards reassuring investment
communities everywhere that following the end of the war, Sierra Leone is a
good and attractive place to do business.'
He said he was optimistic that the fair
"would succeed in exposing, especially Sierra Leone industries, artisans
and service providers to the dynamics of export oriented production and the
marketing quality of value added products.
Dr Sesay commended Kabral Blay-Amihere, Ghana’s
High Commissioner and his Sierra Leonean counterpart in Ghana, Alie Bangura for
working together to ensure the mounting of the exhibition.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
18 October 2002 - United Nations (UN) agencies in the West Africa sub-region on
Thursday said the armed conflict in Cote d'Ivoire has affected several
thousands of other ECOWAS nationals and called for swift and concerted efforts
to prevent further degeneration of the crisis.
They said the
spillover was threatening a humanitarian crisis, which, if neglected, would
take a much longer time to address. "Indeed the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire
calls for swift and innovative approaches to crisis prevention, management and
response as the implication of a further deterioration of the situation could
spell disaster for the country itself and the sub-region," said Ms Besida
Tonwe of the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Ms Tonwe was
addressing the opening of an emergency inter-UN agencies meeting on the crisis
in Cote d'Ivoire in Accra, to develop a common action plan to ameliorate the
humanitarian crisis emanating from the armed conflict.
The United Nations
Children's Fund (UNICEF), UN Development Programme and the World Food Programme
made presentations at the meeting, organised by the OCHA. At least 2,000
Ghanaians, 700,000 from Niger, two million Malians, 250,000 Burkinabes, 200,000
Beninois and 70,000 Togolese have been displaced by the fighting, which broke
out on 19 September between government troops and mutinous soldiers.
The immediate concern
for these people, according to OCHA, was adequate food and shelter in addition
to finding means of transporting them out of the conflict zone. Ms Tonwe said
the turn of events since 19 September has startled most Ivorians and shocked
the sub-region, prompting the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to appoint a special
representative to help ease the tension.
Ms Tonwe said the
Accra meeting would take a common position on the repatriation of West African
nationals, immigrants and refugees and the protection of civilians in
government and rebel controlled areas.
The meeting is
expected establish linkages between humanitarian and political initiatives and
agree on the prioritization of beneficiaries. Alfred Salia Fawundu, UN Resident
Representative in Ghana noted all countries are vulnerable to conflict, saying,
"it is important for the sub-region to face things squarely".
The sub-region, he
noted, has a history of conflicts and that the UN should work in tandem with
governments to address fundamental issues and watch out for what triggers of
such crisis.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
18 October 2002- Three ambassadors-designates from Egypt, Switzerland and the
Netherlands, on Thursday presented their Open Letters of Credence to Hackman
Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Foreign Affairs in Accra.
They are Ekram
Mohamed, of Egypt, George Zubler of Switzerland and Aca Van Der Wiel of the
Netherlands. Owusu-Agyemang told Mohamed that although there is a lot of
cooperation between Egypt and Ghana, there is more room for improvement.
He noted that there
is a long standing relationship between the two countries and said Egypt's past
support for the integration of Africa is most relevant in the scheme of things
in the world now.
Mohamed said he would
work towards enhancing co-operation between the two countries in the fields of
energy, transport, communication and any other areas that could promote
national growth.
Zubler commended the
government for making good governance its priority and said the Swiss
government is working on a credit facility plan for banks in Ghana to support
small and medium-size enterprises.
He said he would
build upon the existing relationship between the two countries during his
tenure of office. Owusu-Agyemang said the credit facility is welcome adding
that the government is now moving from project to budget support.
He said such a scheme
would speed growth within the private sector, which creates employment and
generates wealth. The Foreign Minister referred to a vote by the Swiss to join
the UN last September and appealed to the Ambassador-designate to help in the
rehabilitation of the country's prisons.
Owusu-Agyemang
reminded the Dutch Ambassador-designate of the long-standing cordial
relationship between the two countries and said he hoped there would be
enhanced co-operation between the two countries.
The Dutch
Ambassador-designate said his country's relationship with Ghana, especially in
commerce, is exceptional in Africa and pledged to promote commercial
activities.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
18 October 2002 - Three Town Councils on the Island of Menarco in Spain have
pledged to support the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo Constituency in its development if it
was elevated to the status of a District.
The Island of Menarco
has been responsible for the establishment of the Binde Clinic in the West
Mamprusi District of the Northern Region that is due to be turned into a
hospital soon through the provision of 80 beds and the construction of a
theatre and a mortuary.
Namburr Berrick,
Member of Parliament said this in Accra after he and the chiefs and elders from
the area received a 12-member Spanish delegation led by the Lord Mayor of
Menarca, Havier Tohero Isla.
He said the Spanish
team has already pledged to support towards infrastructure development and to
give financial assistance to health personnel in the area for the next three
years.
The delegation, made
up of other Mayors, Advisors, Diocesan Mission delegate Pharmacists,
Coordinator of Funds for Co-operation and Overseas development and media
personnel later called on the Majority Leader, Papa Owusu-Ankomah.
Papa Owusu-Ankomah
thanked the delegation for their support and encouraged them to continue to
support the area because of its lack of adequate socio-economic requirements
and pledged government's promise of creating more districts in the country.
Berrick appealed to
the team for further support to improve education facilities in the area to
improve the living conditions of the people and to create job opportunities for
the rural people, especially the women and youth groups.
The MP appealed to
the government to consider completing the Police Barracks at Bunkpurugu,
establish new ones at Binde and Yunyoo and to consider extending electricity
supply to the sub-district capital - Bunkpurugu and to complete the road
network from Nakpanduri to Bunkpurugu.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
18 October 2002 - Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs, on
Thursday said the eradication of poverty should be the core objective of any
sustainable development to improve the living conditions of the people
"Any measure of
development in the form of economic growth, which does not palpably reduce
poverty to improve the living conditions of the majority is a sham," he
said. Alhaji Idris said this when he launched the 57th United Nations Day
celebration for which Ghana has chosen as a theme "The UN As Ghana's
Partner For Sustainable Development Through Poverty Reduction."
It sums up the
overall goal of the government's development policy, which is to reduce poverty
and improve the welfare of Ghanaians. Alhaji Idris said the General Assembly on
22 December 1992, declared 17 October International Day for the Eradication of
Poverty adding that its observance aimed at promoting awareness of the need to
eradicate poverty and destitution particularly in developing countries.
"While the
government seeks to provide attractive conditions to the private sector for
investment in the economy, it is also courting international support and
partnership with the UN as a two-pronged onslaught against poverty."
He said Ghana's
preoccupation with the reduction and eventual eradication of poverty was well
founded as a majority of her population were poor. The Deputy Minister said it
was in the context of these compelling circumstances that Ghana opted for the Highly
Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative to afford her debt relief.
Benefits from the
HIPC initiative have been invested in social services and other poverty
reduction programmes. Alhaji Idris said the recent launching of the Foundation
for Building Capital for the Poor was intended to replace abject poverty with
prosperity by helping the poor themselves create wealth from their own
circumstances.
He said it seeks to
add value to the capital of the poor by giving it legal status, by recognising
it and accepting its utilisation as collateral and equity share investment
endeavours.
Fifty-seven years
ago, 51 states met in San Francisco, United States, and agreed to the Charter
establishing the UN Organisation, whose prime objective is to save succeeding
generations from the scourge of war.
Activities lined up
for the celebration of the day by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include
special prayers by Christians and Moslems, radio quiz and discussions and a
flag raising ceremony at the forecourt of the State House on 24 October.
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Kpando (Volta Region)
18 October 2002 - Dan Botwe, General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party, has
warned members of the party against sowing seeds of confusion within the party.
He was speaking at
the launch of the party's new identity card at the North Dayi Constituency at
Kpando on Wednesday. Botwe stated that the party is a disciplined group and
would not allow people to disturb the party with petty squabbles and bickering.
"We can not
preach against indiscipline and practice it within our party", he said.
He, therefore, urged constituency and regional executives of the party to
ensure that disciplinary committees were formed. ''Anyone found wanting would
be disciplined.''
Botwe said it was the
determination of the party to win the 2004 elections, adding, that the party
was making all efforts to win seats in the Volta Region. He, therefore, charged
members of the party in the region to analyse the last election results in
their respective constituencies and build on it.
"We have no room
for executives who do not perform, all should join hands and forge ahead to win
more people for the party.'' He advised constituency and polling station
executives to register members in their respective constituencies to be abreast
with their number.
He called on the
people of the Volta Region to shun the lies being peddled by the opposition
against the party and rally behind the government to enable it carry out its
developmental programmes.
Emmanuel Kenwood
Nuworsu, Regional Chairman of the party, asked those who continue to compare
the 20 years rule of PNDC/NDC with the 20 months rule of the NPP to assess and
contrast the developmental programmes of the NPP to that of the former
government. Mr Daniel Dickson Dzandu, 81, of the North Dayi constituency of the
party was the first to be issued with the new party identity card.
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Dormaa Ahenkro (Brong
Ahafo) 18 October 2002 - Some 41,372 children were immunized in the Dormaa
District in Brong Ahafo against polio under the first phase of the National
Immunisation Programme.
Benjamin Acheampong,
Coordinator of the District National Immunisation Programme, said the exercise
was a success and attributed it to the hard work of personnel recruited for the
exercise.
He appealed to them
to continue with the same zeal during the second phase of the programme
scheduled for 8 to 10 November. Acheampong expressed gratitude and appreciation
to the Dormaa District Assembly and other decentralised departments and
organisations that provided vehicles for the exercise.
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Accra (Greater Accra)
18 October 2002 - Youth and Sports Minister Edward Osei Kwaku on Wednesday
launched in Accra the ninth Raleigh International (RI) expedition and asked
young people to take up challenges that would boost their confidence and help
them discover their true potentials.
In all, young people
between the ages of 17 and 25, called "venturers," and staff of RI,
numbering 140, are taking part in the three-month expedition, which runs
between September and December this year.
Coming from Ghana,
the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Norway, the
"venturers" would jointly work with a number of organisations in nine
community, environmental and adventure projects in Ghana.
These include the
construction projects of KVIP latrines and urinals in the Upper West and
Northern Regions, and school construction and refurbishing projects as well as
HIV/AIDS awareness programmes and nutrition workshops in the Afram Plains in
the Eastern Region, and parts of the Greater Accra Region.
The
"ventureres" would also work on traffic management in the Mole
National Park to reduce harm to wildlife and analyse the density of the
elephant population through studying their dung and build a camp site for
tourists.
The group would also
build hatcheries in the coastal areas of Benyin in the Western Region for
turtles and work with the Ghana Wildlife Department to build a timber guest
house facility at the Bui National Park.
The venturers would
engage in trekking, climbing and canoeing selected hills, parks and lakes in
the Eastern, Volta and Northern Regions. Launching the expedition, which is also
the third and final for the year, Osei Kwaku said taking up challenges
increased their education, and the confidence they built prepared them with
particular abilities that were likely stronger candidates for employment
opportunities.
He said since Raleigh
International began working in Ghana three years ago Government had been able
to support it closely and would continue to do so. He said as youth development
organisation from UK, Raleigh gave people from around world a unique and
tremendous experience through the many projects it ran during each expedition
as hundreds of people came together to work on various social, health and
environmental issues that were designed to assist Ghana's development.
Osei Kwaku praised
Raleigh International on its achievements and urged business organisations to
throw their weight behind it. The Youth and Sports Minister said for the past
three years, more than 900 young people had taken part in the expeditions in
Ghana and said everyone benefited because they worked as part of a cohesive
team.
Ms Frances Bawden,
Ghana Country Director of RI said current and long-term objectives continued to
focus on giving young people around the world the chance to maximise their
potential through expedition life. Barclays Bank of Ghana presented a cheque of
20 million cedis to the Ghanaians taking part in the expedition.
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