Journalists asked to help dispel unfounded rumours
Re-organisation of fire squads begins
Dormaa-Ahenkro (Brong Ahafo) 7 Feb. 2000
Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, NPP flag bearer, has stated that the resignation of Mr Kwame Pianim from the party would not affect the strength of the NPP.
He said the principles upon which the party was founded decades ago will continue to sustain it saying "it will remained intact."
Mr Kufuor who is currently on a 12-day tour of Brong Ahafo to ascertain the strength of the party in the region , was speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Dormaa-Ahenkro on Sunday.
The NPP Flag Bearer, however, described Mr Pianim's resignation as '' a surprise and unfortunate''.
He said the party would focus its attention on the rural areas to educate the people to understand its manifestos.
Mr Kufuor stressed that voting is the political right of every individual and therefore urged the people to exercise their franchise in the forthcoming general elections.
He expressed the hope that this time, the people would give the NPP the mandate to rule to ensure good governance and to alleviate the present hardship ''in the midst of plenty''.
He was accompanied by Mr Kwadwo Yeboah-Fordjour, regional chairman of the party.
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Journalists asked to help dispel unfounded rumours
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 7 Feb. 2000
Mr Sam Okechukwu, Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, has called on Journalists to help dispel unfounded rumours and allegations.
He also called on Media Practitioners in both Ghana and Nigeria to always exercise restraint and demonstrate maturity in the discharge of their duties.
Mr Okechukwu was addressing a section of Journalists, members of the Nigerian Youth Association and the All Nigerians Community in Kumasi.
He indicated that some of the stories being given prominence could damage the warm relationship the two countries have laboured to cultivate over the years.
"This must be stopped in the interest of peace and harmony.
Neither Ghana nor Nigeria will benefit from this in the long run", the High Commissioner said.
He explained that, it is important that citizens of Ghana and Nigeria work to ensure peaceful co-existence between both countries in order to foster political stability, economic prosperity and overall progress of the two sister countries.
Mr Okechukwu challenged Nigerians living in Ghana to participate actively in sustaining their country's nascent democracy saying, "Nigeria of today, more than ever before requires dedicated services of all citizens particularly the youth in whose hands the future lies".
Mr Okechukwu urged the Nigerians to be more patriotic and helpful to each other and also maintain and improve upon the confidence and respect they have been able to establish so far.
He recalled that in December last year, the High Commission started the issuance of consular cards to all Nigerians living in Ghana and asked those, who are yet to complete the forms for the cards to do so because it is very important to possess them.
He stressed that the High Commission is also conducting a census of Nigerians in detention or prison in Ghana with a view to determining the appropriate consular assistance to be extended to them while serving their sentences and after.
Mr Okechukwu observed that some Nigerians experience delays before being repatriated after serving their prison sentence and said he was determined to do all that is possible to see that this trend stops.
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Re-organisation of fire squads begins
Assin Foso (Central Region) 7 Feb. 2000
The Ghana National Fire Service has started re-organising fire volunteer squads in the Assin District to make them active again.
The World Vision International (WVI) is supporting the programme with funds for the training and procurement of basic equipment like wellington boots and cutlasses.
A 57-member fire volunteer squad from the Achino zone of the district, comprising Achino, Armah Camp, Breman, Agrave, Ahuntem, Tatare Nkwanta, and Nyame Yedur is the first to benefit from the re-training exercise.
The squad underwent a two-week training exercise in causes of fire outbreaks, rural fire fighting techniques, physical education, construction of fire belts and management of fire disasters.
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