Nomination of new Bantamahene runs into trouble
Anglican Synod approves ordination of women
Vetting of military recruits begins 20 September
Continued US assistance in disaster training assured
Accra (Greater Accra) 16 September
2002-A total of 58 out of the 96 pharmacists who were inducted in April this
year have left the country to seek greener pastures abroad. Mr F. Awuku-Kwatia,
the Registrar of the Pharmacy Council made the startling revelation when he
addressed the annual general meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana
(PSG) at Sunyani on Thursday.
It has been established that 250
out of the 800 pharmacists have left the country. The theme for the three-day
celebration, which coincided with the launching of the malaria awareness
enhancement project by Mr John Bell, President of the Commonwealth
Pharmaceutical Association, is "Strengthening the pharmaceutical care team
for efficient healthcare delivery".
Mr Awuku-Kwatia noted with concern
that the large exodus of health professionals especially pharmacists has had a
negative impact on health care delivery services in the country. According to
him the relaxation of laws in some countries has made it possible for health
professionals to refuse to return home after their postgraduate studies.
Mr Awuku-Kwatia noted with regret
that about 80 per cent of the 1,108 community pharmacies in Ghana are sited
within the metropolitan areas of Accra-Tema, Kumasi, Takoradi and Cape Coast
and said "we have to move from the present situation where pharmacies are
seen to be trading and give it the necessary professional touch".
In an address read by Mr Moses
Dani Baah, Deputy Minister on his behalf of the sector Minister, Dr Kwaku
Afriyie, expressed the government's gratitude to members of the society for
their immense contribution to the national economy and the health of Ghanaians.
He said with the determination of
the government to phase out the current Cash and Carry system and replace it
with an alternative system of health care financing , there is the need for
pharmacists to render quality services to ensure its success.
Dr Afriyie stressed that the PSG
is very crucial to the successful implementation of the proposed National
Health Insurance Scheme and said his ministry would continue to ensure that
their invaluable contributions and expertise are not left out in any policy
development and implementation.
He said the control of malaria
continues to be a challenge to the Health Ministry and the government.
According to Dr Afriyie, studies have shown that malaria constitutes more than
44 per cent of all out patients cases and nearly 22 per cent of all deaths in
children less than five years.
He said anti-malaria drugs are
becoming more expensive while the eradication of the disease is very difficult.
The Health Minister, therefore, praised the efforts of the PSG in educating the
public on malaria prevention and the most appropriate and laudable steps to
take in order to seek effective treatment for the disease.
The Senior Minister, Mr J.H.
Mensah said the government is doing everything possible to improve upon the
conditions of service in the health sector in order to encourage pharmacist,
doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and all other health professionals to
stay at home and work. He said the National Health Insurance Scheme, which is
in the process of being implemented, is aimed at offering prompt, affordable
and quality health care delivery to all Ghanaians.
Mr Mensah advised the pharmacists
to use locally available resources to produce affordable drugs for use in the
hospitals in order to conserve foreign exchange. Mr Yaw Adjei-Duffour, deputy
Regional Minister expressed misgivings about the distribution of pharmacists in
the region, saying that "only four out of the 16 hospitals in the region
have qualified pharmacists."
The President of the Brong Ahafo
Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Kwadwo Nyarko III noted with concern that
pharmacist make very little or no impact in the rural areas of the region.
He said this unfortunate situation
leaves the fate of the rural dwellers in the hands of chemical sellers who have
no knowledge as dispensers of drugs.
Nana Nyarko advised traditional
rulers to support and encourage pharmacists to establish pharmacies in the
rural areas by providing incentives such as accommodation.
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Kumasi
(Ashanti Region) 16 September 2002- The nomination of a new Bantamahene has run
into trouble as descendants of Amankwatia Panin, for whose dynasty the stool
was created by the late Asantehene, Nana Osei Tutu, challenge the eligibility
of the candidate chosen by the kingmakers.
They claim
that Mr Kwadwo Asare, popularly known as Ben, who had been selected for the
stool had no legitimate title to it and was therefore not qualified. The family
has consequently appealed to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, to declare his
nomination a nullity.
Oheneba Yaw
Oppong, Essuowin Puduonananom Abusuapanin, who acted as Spokesman, alleged at a
press briefing in Kumasi that Mr Asare's late uncle, Awuah Abodwese, was
banished from the stool following his rebellion against the Golden Stool.
Besides, he
claimed, the nominee's grandfather whose name he could not immediately give,
hailed from Kwahu in the Eastern Region and for that matter was outside the
rightful lineage to become Bantamahene. Oheneba Oppong described the whole
process of Mr Asare's nomination as totally lacking in transparency and
dubious.
According
to him, a behind closed doors meeting held at the Bantama palace on Tuesday, 10
September by the Gyaasehene, Ankobeahene and Akyeamehene to choose a successor
to the stool was inconclusive as Mr Asare, who they presented to the Gyaase
clan was rejected by 13 votes to three.
"It
must be noted that even from among the three chiefs, the Ankobeahene dissented
on the basis of his eligibility," Mr Oppong added. He said it therefore
came as a complete surprise when the kingmakers, two days later, in spite of
the overwhelming opposition, came out to declare the selection of Mr Asare as
Bantamahene-elect.
"It is
regrettable that since the restoration of the Asante Confederacy on 31 January
1935, the Bantama stool was the only one that had not been restored to its
rightful owners, hence “We will accept nothing short of fairness and justice
and will press ahead to claim back what is legitimately ours."
The family
put up Dr Baffour Awuah, an educationist, as its candidate for the stool that
became vacant following the death of the late Baffour Awuah V, the Bantamahene,
in January this year.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 16 September 2002- Handicraft Villages are to be established in
five regions to provide opportunities for artisans to produce for export, Dr.
Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industries said on Saturday, in
Accra.
He was
speaking at a durbar of Chiefs in the Greater Accra Region to mark the first
anniversary of the African Arts Culture Development Company Limited popularly
known as the African Market. Dr Apraku, who was honoured for his contribution
in promoting Made in Ghana goods, said the regions were Volta, Upper East,
Ashanti, Eastern, and Northern.
He said
Ghana, had the resources and talents to produce goods and services to help raise
the standard of living of the people and commended artisans at the African
Market for their efforts, which was "a model for others to emulate".
The
Minister expressed the readiness of the Ministry of Trade to assist qualified
small-scale industries to benefit from the National Board for Small Scale
Industries Loan Scheme to expand.
Dr Apraku
was presented with a kente cloth and a sculpture. The citation commended him
for his efforts in promoting local industries, which had created jobs
especially in the handicraft, textile, and garment sectors.
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Tamale
(Northern Region) 16 September 2002- Tension is mounting at Zabzugu in the
Zabzugu/Tatale District over the return of the Zabzugu chief, Yelzoli-Lana
Mohamadu, who fled the town in the wake of the Dagbon chieftaincy crisis last
March.
The about
100 year-old chief was brought back to Zabzugu by his children, who want him to
die in Zabzugu as a Zabzugu chief. A security source told the GNA in Tamale on
Friday that, some residents opposed to the chief were threatening to attack and
kill him if he did not leave the town.
The source
said though there was tension in the area, security has not been beefed up and
anything could happen any moment. The source said the brewing tension had the
Andani-Abudu Gates undertones and that if care were not taken the fragile peace
prevailing in Dagbon would be undermined. The District Chief Executive of
Zabzugu Tatale told the Ghana News Agency that the situation was critical and
that there was the need to beef up security personnel in the area.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 16 September 2002- UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan has
called for vigilance in protecting the ozone layer, ahead of this year's
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, which falls on 16
September.
According
to a statement released to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Sunday, the UN
boss noted the battle to repair "this life sustaining system is far from
over." He said the scientific assessment carried out this year concluded
that although some ozone-depleting agents in the atmosphere were declining
slowly from the peak that occurred in 1992 and 1994, others were still on the
increase.
"Scientists
predict that the ozone layer will remain particularly vulnerable during the
next decade or so, even if all countries comply with the measures put in place
by the Montreal Protocol and the phase out ozone-depleting substances," he
said.
Mr Annan
said failure to comply with the protocol would delay and could even prevent the
ozone layer's future recovery. He urged all countries to continue to meet their
commitments under the Protocol, adding that industrial countries in particular
should continue to provide the financial and other assistance that would help
developing countries in the fight.
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Koforidua
(Eastern Region) 16 September 2002- The Koforidua-Ho Diocese of the Anglican
Church has approved the ordination of women. This was among a number of
decisions taken at the weeklong Synod contained in a statement signed by the
Bishop of the Diocese, the Most Rev. Robert G. A. Okine, on Saturday, at
Koforidua.
The
decision must, however, be approved by other Dioceses in the Anglican Province
of West Africa before it could be put into effect. The Synod also called for
the review of the constitution of the Church to enable it to deal effectively
with immoral conduct of members.
It called
on members of the Church to consider HIV/AIDS as a health and moral problem and
urged parishes to organise programmes to educate people and to compose songs,
jingles and drama to help combat the spread of the pandemic.
The Synod
called on the government, Churches, civil society, and parents to pool
resources to curb anti-social acts, which are threatening the moral development
of the youth. The Church would use the pulpit and other activities to tackle the
issue, it said.
The Synod
commended the government for creating an enabling condition for the
socio-economic development of the country and urged it to sustain the stability
of the cedi and to create employment for the youth.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 16 September 2002- The Ghana Armed Forces on Saturday directed
all military recruits selected at the various regional recruitment centres
during the recent recruitment exercise to report at designated centres on
Friday, 20 September at 8am for the commencement of the vetting process.
A statement
signed by Major Dzotefe-Mensah for the Director of Public Relations said
recruits from the Greater Accra, Volta and Eastern Regions should report at the
El-Wak Stadium, Burma Camp.
Those from
the Central and Western Regions are to report at the Western Regional
Administration, Sekondi, whilst those from Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions are
to report at the Ashanti Regional Administration, Kumasi. Recruits from the
Upper East, Upper West, and Northern Regions are to report at the Northern
Regional Administration, Tamale, the statement added.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 16 September 2002- The United States Ambassador, Mrs Elizabeth
Raspoli on Saturday assured Ghana of the US government's continued assistance
to Ghana in training courses for the management of trauma and disasters.
She said
Americans were very touched by the 9 May Stadium Disaster last year, which
claimed 126 lives and had looked for possible ways to help Ghana deal with such
catastrophic events in future.
The
Ambassador said this at the closing ceremony of a six-day leadership course in
Regional Disaster Response and Trauma Management, organised for 40 senior
doctors and nurses at the 37 Military Hospital, to enable them to respond
efficiently to disaster situations.
The
participants, drawn from the 37 Military Hospital, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital,
Ridge, Police, and Tema General hospitals were taken through theoretical and practical
training in disaster preparedness, its response and recovery.
The
programme, code-named "Leadership Course in Regional Disaster Response and
Trauma System Management," formed part of the "West African Training
Cruise (WATC) 2002 Programme" aimed at providing humanitarian assistance
in the Sub-Region in the area of disaster management.
Mrs Raspoli
said the ultimate goal of the "train-the-trainer programme" was to
improve Ghana's ability to manage threats and crises and help leaders to
prepare and plan specialised surgical and disaster training. She noted that the
eight US medical instructors had agreed to return next year, for another
training course.
Air Vice
Marshall Edward Mante, Chief of Air Staff, challenged the participants to
utilise the knowledge and skills acquired by improving upon their services at
their stations as well as impart it to their subordinates.
"Improvement
in the quality of service and sharing the knowledge with your colleagues is one
way you can pay glowing tribute to your instructors and our benefactors, the US
government, he said.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 16 September 2002- The Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the World
Health Organisation (WHO), on Saturday honoured individuals who have
successfully quit smoking after the launch of a competition to encourage
smokers to stop the habit.
In all
about 9.9 million cedis was disbursed to 14 persons who have given up the habit
at a short ceremony in Accra with Mr Saviour Hadjah, winning the first prize of
5 million cedis. Mr Nash Odame and Turkson Aggrey emerged second and third
winners and received 3 million and 1 million cedis respectively. Eleven others
received a 100,000 cedis each, 'Quit and Win' 'T' Shirts and Westel phone cards
and notepads.
The
programme dubbed "Quit and Win 2002" Ghana and jointly sponsored by
Westel Ghana, WHO, Coca-Cola and GHS is part of a world-wide campaign aimed at
helping smokers to give up the habit and also to educate non-smokers and the
public to stay away from smoking.
Dr Andrew
Arde-Acquah, Accra Metro Director of Health Services, who presented prizes to
some of the winners, said about 1,020 people registered with the hope of
quitting but only 14 quitted after testing. He said the campaign facilitates
coalition building and social network among agencies and groups that promote
health and that it would also impact positively on the lives of the quitters.
He urged
smokers to give up their best to stop the habit to prolong their lives since
smoking damages the lungs. About 400 people including children in the pubic
domain walked through some principal streets of Accra to Mamprobi where the
deserving individuals were presented with their prizes.
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Elmina
(Central Region) 16 September 2002- The Ministry of Trade and Industry is
initiating moves towards the setting up of a "Presidential
Commission" to determine how best to re-capitalise distressed industries
in the country.
The sector
minister, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, announced this when he closed a two-day
mid-year review meeting of the ministry's Advisory Board and heads of its
implementing agencies like the National Board for Small Scale Industries
(NBSSI), the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC), the Ghana Standards Board,
the Ghana Trade Fair Company and the Ghana Free Zones Board, at Elmina.
"A
survey has already been conducted on the state of these industries, which have
become digressed, due to factors like heavy indebtedness, poor quality staff
and managerial skills and obsolete machinery," he said. The meeting, a
follow-up of a retreat the Advisory Board held at Akosombo early this year,
deliberated on how far the programme had been implemented.
The
Minister expressed concern that about 100 million dollars sourced from the
African Development Bank to assist local industries had not been utilised,
because many of the industries did not qualify.
He was also
concerned that about 74 billion cedis, which was to be disbursed to support
industries under the Export Development Investment Fund (EDIF), was also
sitting at the banks because the banks were reluctant to risk doing business
with newly established companies due to risk of non-payment.
Dr Apraku
noted that as a result this situation Banks had set rigid terms such as the
huge collateral for the disbursement of the funds and warned that if by the end
of next month such terms were not relaxed, his ministry would seek a review of
the conditions set for the banks for the disbursement of the EDIF funds.
He
announced that one million dollars from the HIPC fund had also been set aside
to aid up-and-coming entrepreneurs and that 20 youths would be selected for
initial assistance. Dr Apraku said a loans guarantee scheme had also been
approved by Cabinet and would soon be put before Parliament to facilitate
small-scale businesses to access financial support.
The
Minister stressed the need for local businesses to be given assistance to
flourish, to improve the nation's economy and urged the banks to be mindful of
the social obligations and relax their conditions. In an overview of the
performance of the various implementation agencies, the Minister was happy that
most targets set at the beginning of the year had been accomplished.
He said for
instance, the GEPC realised 220 million dollars of the 500 million dollars
targeted from exports this year, while the NBSSI had also been able to set up
24 of the 25 additional business advisory centers targeted.
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