GRi Newsreel 07 – 09 - 2002
Alumni to ensure that
University of Ghana does not deteriorate
Asantehene’s Senior Linguist passes away
Workshop on bridging inequities in legal system held
Medical personnel to get vehicles
Death of Basoah should inspire us-Kufuor
Hypertension recognised as leading cause of maternal deaths - Dr. Obed
Pensioners to register before end of September
Minister tours health facilities in Volta Region
Mills urges NDC members to remain united
CPP clarifies position on Executive Meeting
Attebubu Chief Executive denies being cause of disturbances
NDC calls on NPP to deliver its electoral
promises
Roads in cocoa growing areas to be tarred
Japan gives 6 million dollars for rural electrification
Alumni to ensure that University of Ghana
does not deteriorate
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2002- Professor Ivan
Addae-Mensah, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon, on Friday
described the university as a "great and famous university" which
should not be allowed to deteriorate. He said the Alumni had a major role to
play in ensuring that the university maintained high standards and should
progress as well.
Prof. Addae-Mensah, who was speaking at the commissioning of
the first phase of the Jubilee Hall of the University in Accra, said although
the building was a magnificent edifice, "we should not be lulled into
complacency."
He said it was only the first of four phases and noted that
fund raising for the three remaining phases would have to be even more
vigorous. Prof. Addae-Mensah noted that only few individuals had sacrificed
their time, energy and even private funds towards the realisation of the
project.
He said there was the need for the Alumni to rededicate
themselves to the ideals and objectives of the Alumni Association in order to
build a university "of which we shall all continue to be proud." The
hall, which is to accommodate 300 students with the completion of its first
phase, would house about 1,500 upon its full completion of three more phases.
The first phase was funded through the deduction of one
percent of the monthly salaries of consenting alumni, donations from
organisations and individuals, fund-raising activities and support from the
University.
Organisations, which contributed to the construction,
included the Ghana Cocoa Board, Agricultural Development Bank, Manet, Kristo
Asafo Mission, Stephen Asare Enterprises Limited, Volta River Authority and the
Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
On 2 February 1996, Professor George Benneh, then Vice
Chancellor, set up the Planning Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebrations,
which had as part of its terms of reference, the construction of a
commemorative students hall of residence called Jubilee Hall. Prof. Benneh
launched The Jubilee Hall Fund in 1996 in Accra after a series of meetings with
the Alumni.
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Asantehene’s Senior Linguist passes away
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2002- Baffour Osei Akoto, Senior Linguist of
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, slept with the ancestors in Kumasi on Tuesday
03 September.
Baffour Akoto, 98, of the Ankobea Division of the Kumasi
Traditional Council, became a linguist in 1934 and for his dedication to
Asanteman a special stool, the Butuakwa Stool was created for him. He was given
the title "Senior Linguist" for being the longest serving linguist
until his death, although the current Asantehene's Akyeamehene (Chief Linguist)
is Nana Adunya Safie.
Sources at the Manhyia Palace, Kumasi in a telephone interview told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, that the one-week celebrations would be observed on Monday, 9 September at Ashanti New Town.
Baffour Akoto would be remembered for his role during
Ghana's struggle for independence with the formation of the National Liberation
Movement (NLM). He was elected the first Chairman of the Movement when it was
launched in Kumasi on 19 September 1954.
Baffour Akoto was of the liberal democratic persuasion and
devoted his life fighting what he perceived as totalitarian communistic practices
of the First Republic. He advocated a federal system of government for the
country as a way curbing the excesses of the Convention Peoples' Party
government.
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Workshop on bridging inequities in legal system held
Akosombo (Eastern Region) 07 September 2002- A workshop to find strategies to
help bridge inequities in Ghana's plural legal system especially in family and
land law organised by the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General's Department
and the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) was held at Akosombo on Friday.
The workshop, which was a follow-up to the legal pluralism
policy forum held in Elmina in April this year, was on the theme "Priority
Issues Relating to Legal Pluralism in Ghana". Lawyers, traditional rulers,
religious leaders, academics and experts in legal pluralism deliberated and
advised on the co-existence of statutory and customary law.
Ms. Ursula Owusu, Governance Co-ordinator and Convenor of
the Steering Committee of the GTZ Legal Pluralism and Gender Project, said
Ghana's plural legal system made policy and lawmaking a challenge since it was
not easy to determine whether to maintain pluralism or enact uniform laws.
"There is therefore the need for strategies to be
adopted to address the issue. Research has to be undertaken and stakeholders
consulted in the area concerned so as to achieve equity as well as social
cohesion," she stated.
Ms. Owusu said the Family Law Group had proposed a unified
law on marriage and a review of the intestate succession law while the Land Law
Group wanted the review of laws on administration of stool and public lands,
which had to be considered.
Mrs Sheila Minka-Premo, Co-ordinator of the Project,
disclosed that the workshop would equip community legal literacy volunteers
with skills to facilitate their work in settling disputes. She also called for
the promotion of gender equity in the country.
Dr. Brigitte Heuel-Rolf, GTZ Country Director said gender
equality was the key in reducing poverty through increased access to education,
health services and income opportunities She called for the reform of the legal
system to make it easier for the poor to assert their rights.
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Medical personnel to get vehicles
Ho (Volta Region) 07 September 2002- Dr. Kweku Afriyie
Minister of Health on Friday said the Ministry was liasing with the Ministry of
Finance for a fund from which doctors and other medical personnel could buy
cars and other items on hire purchase.
Dr. Afriyie, who was addressing staff of the Volta Regional
Hospital on the last day of his four-day duty tour of health facilities in the
region, said it is envisaged that beneficiaries with enhanced salaries could
pay for the cars in about seven years.
He said the current arrangement where repayment of credit
advanced to health personnel was for 25 years, was unsustainable. The Minister
said he had already had discussions with some car dealers and that there was
the likelihood of rebates depending on the numbers purchased.
He disclosed that a housing scheme was also being planned to
enable health workers put up their own houses. Before starting his rounds, Dr.
Afriyie, accompanied by Mr. Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, Volta Regional Minister addressed
Heads of health institutions in the district and the region.
He told them not to allow the narrow interpretation of rules
and regulations bog them down into a state of inertia, but to show initiative
in managing their areas of responsibility. Dr Margaret Kwami, Ho District
Director of Health Services appealed to the Minister to facilitate the building
of a District Health Management Team (DHMT) block for the district.
Dr Afriyie inspected 10 bungalows for doctors of the
Regional Hospital, started two years ago, but currently at a standstill, and
the abandoned structures for an Allied Health School Complex, at the outskirts
of Ho.
At the site of the complex, Dr Frank Nyonator, Director of
Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PPME) of the Ghana Health Service
said there was the need to re activate the project to enable training
institutions in the region increase intake.
The health service training institutions in the region are
the State Registered Nurse, Community Health School and the School of Hygiene,
all at Ho and Midwifery School at Hohoe. According to Dr Nyonator there was a
shortfall of about 2,500 Community Health Nurses in the country.
Speaking to workers at the Volta Regional Hospital, the
Minister commended the staff for keeping the facility neat and advised that
painting of all hospitals and health facilities should be programmed.
Dr. Geoffrey Nyamuame, Medical Director of the Hospital said
lack of accommodation was preventing the hospital from attracting and retaining
doctors and allied personnel. He said as a result of the "precarious
situation" those at post were over worked "and as for me I am
virtually running myself down".
Dr Afriyie also visited the Miracle Life Hospital, a private
hospital, and was taken round its facilities including a multi-million state of
the art gym by Dr Archibald Letsa, Medical Director. At all the durbars,
concerns raised were about poor remuneration, lack of transport, inadequate
training and inequitable distribution of scholarships for courses abroad.
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Death of Basoah should inspire us-Kufuor
Besoro (Ashanti Region) 07 September 2002- President John Agyekum Kufuor said
on Saturday that the death of Mr Reo Addai Basoah, Member of Parliament (MP)
for Kumawu, should be an inspiration to his family and people because he
accomplished his mission in life.
He described the late MP as a selfless unassuming man who
placed the service of his nation above minority considerations. President
Kufuor was speaking at the burial service of the late Basoah at Besoro, near
Kumawu in the Sekyere East district of Ashanti.
Paying glowing tribute to the MP, the President said the
late Basoah played a very crucial role in the government and that he cherished
establishing a good name than acquiring material wealth. President Kufuor said
he came into contact with the late Basoah in the second republic when he
(President) was an MP and a Deputy Minister.
The President said he (late Basoah) also become an MP after
he (Basoa) and others including the Senior Minister were persuaded to return
home by the late Dr Kofi Abrefa Busia to contribute to national development.
President Kufuor said he and the late Basoah were in
opposition for 30 years until 2000 when the NPP won power to form the NPP
government, in which the late Basoah played a very crucial role.
The President reiterated that the NPP was laying a solid
foundation for the nation and that no one could derail its avowed goal and
called for support for the government. Paying tribute to the late Mr Basoah, Mr
Haruna Esseku, National Chairman of the NPP, said the party had lost a
dedicated member.
He said the late MP had qualities, which stood him out and
portrayed him as an outstanding personality. Paapa Owusu Ankomah, Minister of
Parliamentary Affairs, recounted some of the contributions of the late Basoiah
on the floor of Parliament and said he would be remembered for that.
He described him as someone who was so humble and selfless
that sometimes he had to be prevailed upon to take his parliamentary
privileges. Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, recounted that
he and the late Basoah were in exile and said he would forever remember the
late Basoah, for ushering him into politics.
The NPP donated 40 million cedis and assorted drinks to the
bereaved family with the President making a personal donation of 10 million
cedis. Earlier, President Kufuor made a stop over at Kumawu where he called on
Barima Asumadu Sekyi, Kumawuhene.
Barima Sekyi appealed to the President to ensure that roads
in area were repaired particularly the one leading to the Afram Plains to facilitate
economic activities. President Kufuor assured the Kumawuhene that the NPP
government being rural oriented would focus on rural development. He also spoke
to a cross-section of the people, who had milled around the chief's palace.
The President introduced Mr Yaw Baah, the NPP Parliamentary
candidate for the Kumawu bye-election and asked the people to vote massively
for Mr Baah to enable him to continue with the good work of the late Basoah.
Ministers of state and other party functionaries who
attended the funeral included Senior Minister, Mr J.H. Mensah, Mr Hackman Owusu
Agyemang, Foreign Minister, Paapa Owusu Ankomah, Minister of Parliamentary
Affairs.
The others were Mr Haruna Esseku, National Chairman of the
NPP, Dr Richard Anane, Minister of Roads and Transport, Mr Kwadwo Baah Wiredu,
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and Mr Albert Kan Dapaah,
Minister of Energy.
The rest were Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Women and
Children Affairs, Mr Edward Osei Kwaku, Minister of Youth and Sports and some
Regional Ministers including Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, for Ashanti and some
Deputy Ministers.
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Hypertension recognised as leading cause of
maternal deaths - Dr. Obed
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2002- Pregnancy induced hypertension and
eclampsia have been recognised as the leading cause of maternal deaths
world-wide, Dr. Samuel A. Obed, Senior Lecturer of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
of the University of Ghana Medical School said on Friday.
He said about 10 per cent of pregnant women develop
eclampsia, which was described as having high blood pressure and protein in the
urine during pregnancy. Dr. Obed was speaking on Pregnancy induced
hypertension, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia at a day's symposium on Obstetrics
and Gynaecological Emergencies organised by the Ghana Medical Association (GMA)
in Accra.
About 300 personnel from the medical field were in
attendance to learn about new trends in healthcare delivery and how to ensure
that risks involved in pregnancy and delivery are brought to the minimum. Dr.
Obed said though there was no known cause for eclampsia, poor antenatal care,
prolonged labour and giving birth at ages below 18 years and above 35 years
were all stimuli to the disease.
"It may also cause stroke, blindness, liver rapture,
infections and heart failure if not treated early," he added. He said
pregnant women must seek early and regular antenatal care and ensure that they
check their blood pressure and test for protein in the urine any time they
attend the clinic.
Dr. Obed said health workers, especially midwives must
ensure that they have the necessary tools at least to check the patient' s
blood pressure whenever she visited the clinic, adding that the Medical Council
would ensure that the clinics have the requisite tools.
He said this was the simplest way to protect pregnant women
and advised them to seek early care, especially when they had headache, nausea
and blurred vision. Dr. Enyonam Y. Kwawukume, Head of Department of Obstetrics
and Gynaecology said the nation must set its priorities right by ensuring that
government hospitals were well equipped to cater for the health needs of the
country.
He said facilities at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital are
woefully inadequate and being the main referral point, government and
philanthropists must help to upgrade facilities to enhance services.
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Pensioners to register before end of
September
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2002- The Audit Service
has called on Pensioners who have not yet registered in line with the
nationwide exercise
to rid the pensioners payroll of ghost names, to do so before 30 September.
A statement signed by Mr Edward Dua Agyeman, Acting
Auditor-General, urged pensioners in Accra who have not registered, to contact
the Audit Service's office at the Controller and Accountant-General's Pension
Payment Section at Kimbu, opposite the Novotel Hotel.
It said those in the regions should also contact Audit
Service Regional and District Offices nationwide for their registration. The
statement cautioned the general public against impersonation and warned that
offenders would be prosecuted.
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Minister tours health facilities in Volta
Region
Aflao (Volta Region) September 2002- Togolese nationals constitute about 80 percent
of patients who seek medical attention at health facilities in and
around Aflao, a south- eastern border town in the Ketu District of the Volta Region.
Dr Stephen Buadu, a medical practitioner at the New Hope
Clinic, a private clinic at Aflao told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during a
visit to the hospital by Dr Kweku Afriyie, Minister of Health on Thursday, as
part of his tour of health facilities in the Volta region.
Dr Buadu said the influx of the Togolese to patronise the
facilities was due to the quality of services and equipment available in the
area. "We have exceptionally good facilities such as laboratories, x-ray
as well as scanning machines here, that help to address their health needs. At
the end of the day, they return satisfied," he said.
It is also due to the favourable CFA francs to Cedi exchange
rate, which comparably made hospital bills cheaper in Ghana. Dr Afriyie urged
workers at the hospital to maintain the high standards under the proposed
Health Insurance Scheme so as to win the confidence of the communities.
He said apart from improving conditions of service of
workers, human resource development also remained high on government's agenda
to enable personnel cope with challenges of effective health delivery system. The
Minister visited health facilities at Aflao, Keta, Sogakope and Adidome.
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Mills urges NDC members to remain united
Cape Coast (Central Region) 07 September 2002- Former Vice-President and 2000
Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evans Atta
Mills, on Friday extended an olive branch to members and supporters who have
left the party to rejoin and commonly forge ahead with its plans in unity.
Prof. Mills, who was addressing a durbar organised in his
honour by the Cape Coast constituency branch of the party, at Cape Coast, told
the teeming crowd of members and supporters that the party's doors remained
open for them.
The durbar was to formally welcome him back from Canada.
Earlier, members and supporters of the party, spotting T-shirts and waving
buntings in the party's colours, had lined the streets from the Holy Child
school junction, amidst drumming and dancing and chanting of slogans, to escort
their former flagbearer to the durbar grounds at Brofoyedur, a suburb of Cape
Coast.
Prof. Mills said it was important for all members of the
party to remain united and work hard to enable it regain power in the next
elections, adding that the party was committed to the welfare of the people and
was determined to win back power to continue with its developmental programmes.
"The NDC has the experience in good governance and will
be able to move the country forward." It is therefore, imperative that
members of the party should close their ranks, he said, stressing that unity in
the party was important to ensure the achievements of its objectives. He
suggested that the party should start its campaign for re-election, instead of
waiting until the election year.
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CPP clarifies position on Executive Meeting
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2002- The Convention People's Party (CPP),
on Friday assured its ranks and file and its partners that the National
Executive
Council (NEC) meeting held last month resolved all matters pertaining to the unity
of the Nkrumaist political parties.
"The role of splinter groups as well as the
Parliamentary Action Group was also discussed," an official statement
issued in Accra and signed by the party's General Secretary, Nii Noi Dowuona,
said.
The statement was to clarify the party's position on
concerns expressed by the Ashanti Region Branch of the CPP on emergence and
activities of splinter groups within the party as well as alleged conflicting
statements in the media by some members of the party on proceedings of the NEC.
It said: "the NEC unambiguously declared that groups,
which are not defined by the CPP constitution, cannot be formed or operate as
wings of the party" The statement urged members to organise the party by
channelling their resources and efforts through constitutionally defined
structures of the party.
The NEC, the statement said, endorsed the unity pact with
the National Reform Party and directed the Central Committee and the Inter
Party Co-ordination Committee (IPCC) to complete the unfinished business to
pave way for the fusion of the Nkrumaist parties.
It said the Central Committee would reconvene in Accra next
week to discuss matters arising out of the NEC meeting to enable the IPCC draw
a comprehensive re-organisational programme and also complete other outstanding
work. The statement urged all party loyalists to desist from making statements
in the media that could shift the focus of the task ahead.
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Attebubu Chief Executive denies being cause of disturbances
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo Region) 07 September 2002- Mr Casium
Osei-Poku, Atebubu District Chief Executive (DCE), has denied media reports
that he was the cause of disturbances by some members of the new Patriotic
Party in Atebubu last weekend.
He explained in a telephone interview with Ghana News Agency
(GNA) that he was out of town attending a funeral when the incident occurred. Last
weekend some NPP members in the Atebubu South constituency attacked the
executives and some party members in their houses for allegedly refusing to
re-instate Nana Owusu Syma, who has been suspended, as party chairman.
Those assaulted included Mr Shariff Muhammed, Secretary, Mr
Multara Mohammed and Mr Richard Osei Poku, both party members. Mr Peter Owusu
Duodu, Youth Organiser, Mr Asare Bediako, Organiser and two others were taken
to Atebubu Hospital unconscious. No arrests have been made. The DCE said the
case was reported to the police and the law must take its course. Meanwhile,
there is calm in Atebubu as a military detachment is patrolling the town.
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NDC calls on NPP to deliver its electoral promises
Koforidua (Eastern Region) 07 September 2002- The Eastern Regional branch of
the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on the ruling New Patriotic
Party (NPP) to deliver on its electoral promises and stop blaming the NDC for
their inability to perform.
This was contained in a statement issued by the NDC at
Koforidua on Thursday, in reaction to a speech by President Kufour at the tenth
anniversary rally of the party in Accra at the weekend.
The statement expressed regret about the President's remark
at the rally that, the 20 years rule of the PNDC/NDC government was marked with
accidents and inexperience, saying the President should focus his attention on
nation building and act as the father of the nation rather than for a section
of the country.
The press statement, which was signed by the Regional
Organiser of the Party, Mr Bismark Tawiah Boateng, said the NPP's continuous
reference to the past NDC government as the cause of its failures shows the
ruling party's had no agenda for the country.
The statement called on NPP functionaries to always tell the
truth and be sincere whenever they mount the platform to talk to the people
since the people were wild awake and would judge them by their performance.
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Roads in cocoa growing areas to be tarred
Enchi (Western Region) 07 September 2002- More than 600 kilometres of roads in
cocoa growing areas will be tarred between October and next year to facilitate
the evacuation of cocoa, timber and food crops to the marketing centres.
Three hundred kilometres out of the 600 kilometres are to be
undertaken in the western region under the government's elaborate programme to
improve roads in cocoa growing areas.
Mr Joseph B. Aidoo, Western Regional Minister said this at
an anti-cocoa smuggling forum under the theme "Cocoa Smuggling Kills the
Economy" and organised by Federation Commodities Limited (FEDCO), a cocoa
buying company at Enchi on Thursday.
He said money for the construction and tarring of the roads
had already been procured and work would soon start. In addition, he said, a
Farmers Housing Scheme (FHS) would also be launched to enable farmers to own
houses under a credit scheme. According to him farmers in the Western Region
would benefit from the scheme.
Mr Aidoo expressed concern about the alarming rate at which
cocoa was being smuggled to Cote d'Ivoire. He said an Ivorian newspaper
published recently that 60,000 tonnes of Ghana's cocoa were smuggled to Cote
d'Ivoire between January and June this year.
The Regional Minister said premix petrol that was used to
mix chemicals for cocoa spraying was also being smuggled to Cote d'Ivoire while
some of the chemicals meant for cocoa spraying exercise, had also found their
way to the Kejetia market in Kumasi.
He said measures had been put in place to check smuggling of
cocoa and therefore warned those engaged in such anti-social activities to
refrain from the practice, adding, nobody would be sparred when caught.
Mr Aidoo reminded the farmers that government needed revenue
to undertake development projects like schools, clinics, roads and sanitation
and that smuggling of cocoa was depriving the government the needed revenue.
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Japan gives 6 million dollars for rural electrification
Accra (Greater Accra) 07 September 2002- Ghana and Japan on Friday exchanged
notes for a six million-dollar grant to augment the rural electrification
programme. Nyinahini and twenty-one other communities in the Ashanti Region
would benefit from the Japanese grant.
Mr Hackman Owusu Agyeman, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who
signed for Ghana, said it was government's passion to develop the rural areas
in order to minimise the rural-urban drift. "Power is a sine quo non for
development. If life in the rural areas is improved, people would stay
there," he noted.
He said Japan has already provided a lot of resources
towards Ghana's rural electrification and the economy in general. According to
him Japan donates more than any country towards our development efforts.
The Foreign Minister said Ghana in her small way has
supported Japan at international fora and through other meaningful yet silent
measures. He said Ghana has attracted substantial financial resources from
developed countries like Japan "in spite of earlier perception that our
HIPC status might deprive us of donor funds and even loans"
Ms Kazuko Asai, Ambassador of Japan, said the oriental
country shared Ghana's zeal to develop her rural economy. She said Japan
remained committed to the economic and political aspirations of the country. Mr
Kwadwo Adjei Darko, Acting Minister of Energy, was present.
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