THE Director of Human Resource at the Ministry of Health, Dr Ebenezer Appiah-Denkyira, has said the ministry will employ about 5,400 health professionals this year to augment the existing number of staff. He, however, cautioned health professionals not to refuse postings to the rural areas because there was a high concentration of staff in the urban areas, to the detriment of the rural areas.
Dr Appiah-Denkyira made the remarks during the first graduation and second matriculation of the Adom School for Medical Laboratory Technicians at Tema.
He gave the assurance that the Ministry of Health would not discriminate against products of private schools as far as recruitment was concerned.
Dr Appiah-Denkyira called on the grandaunds to consider forming an association of private health institutions to enable the ministry deal with their concerns.
He congratulated the 11 graduates for excelling in their final examinations and urged them to aim higher to achieve greater laurels and also encouraged the new entrants to learn hard.
Dr Appiah-Denkyira said the establishment of the school in October 2005 fulfilled one of the dreams of the Ministry of Health in partnering the private sector to develop the human resource requirements of the health sector.
He said since the ministry was not the only employment agency, the private entrepreneurs must be encouraged to open up more health facilities such as diagnostic and research institutions so that their products could have a wider employment opportunities.
The Principal of the Adom School for Medical Laboratory Technicians, Dr S. Q. Maddy, said the school was granted accreditation by the Ministry of Health in 2006, after it had admitted its first batch of students in 2005. This batch comprised seven males and four females.
He announced that after two years intensive training, all the 11 pioneering students which the Allied Health Sciences presented to be examined were successful; three obtained distinctions, six had credits and two, ordinary passes.
Dr Maddy said two of the students excelled in the major disciplines such as haematology, clinical chemistry and microbiology, while one emerged as the overall best student.
He said the graduates had also undergone six months internship training at various hospitals to gain practical experience.
Touching on the matriculation, Dr Maddy said the school had offered admission to 165 students, made up of 112 males and 53 females, representing the third and fourth batches of the student intake for the October 2007 and 2008 admissions respectively.
He gave the promise that the school would play a facilitating role in the area of job placement to ensure that graduates from the school were adequately placed.
The Overall Best Student Award for 2005-2007 went to Ms Rebecca Mawuse Sosu, who received most of the awards, including the Clinical Chemistry Award.
Monday, December 1, 2008
PROMOTE ROAD SAFETY IN COUNTRY (PAGE 71)
THE Minister of Transportation, Dr Richard W. Anane, has called on the vehicle inspection authorities to put in maximum effort to promote road safety in the country.
This, he noted, could reduce the present fatality rate of 21.3 persons per 10,000 vehicles to a single digit by 2015.
Dr Anane said this in a speech read on his behalf at the inauguration of a new GH¢260,615 office for the Driver, Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), in Tema. The new facility has administration block, testing and examination offices, on-site banking hall and service unit to enable it to improve on revenue collection and speed up financial transaction of customers to eliminate undue delays and financial impropriety.
He said the DVLA Act 569 (1999) was enacted to promote good driving standards in the country and ensure the use of roadworthy vehicles.
Dr Anane noted that the provision of good office environment would also reduce the problem of “goro boys” whose activities undermined the efforts by the DVLA to serve its clients as best as possible.
He called on the DVLA officials to adhere to laid down procedures of the service, which would ultimately translate into good driving practices.
He said the effectiveness of the DVLA’s operations would have a direct impact on the efficiency of the road transport sector and reduce the incidence of traffic accidents.
He said a number of road accident fatalities and injuries occurred in the last three quarters of 2008 and took the opportunity to appeal to both drivers and pedestrians to strictly adhere to the road traffic regulations to avoid accidents especially in the wake of the forthcoming national elections.
Dr Anane said the Tema office ranked second in the registration of new vehicles and must serve as an incentive to the staff to provide quality service to clients.
The acting Chief Executive of the DVLA, Mrs Mabel Sagoe, said the total cost of the structure was funded by the authority from its own internally generated funds.
She said the Tema office restored 14,896 vehicles between January and October 2008 and by the end of October it was able to generate a total revenue of GH¢981,792.
Mrs Sagoe said the authority had made it a policy to improve its facilities to international standards and as a result it had completed and inaugurated two new offices at Wa in the Upper West Region and Bekwai in the Ashanti Region, and provided additional office facilities at the Kumasi office.
She said the decision to license and regulate private garages to test vehicles was to make the testing centre accessible to the motoring public and also improve the quality of vehicle testing.
Mrs Sagoe said the major challenges the authority faced was that of the ‘goro boys’ who operate on the premises of the authority.
She said although the authority had reviewed its procedures to reduce waiting time, clients still sought the assistance of the ‘goro boys’.
She appealed to all patrons of the DVLA to stop using these intermediaries and deal directly with the DVLA staff.
This, he noted, could reduce the present fatality rate of 21.3 persons per 10,000 vehicles to a single digit by 2015.
Dr Anane said this in a speech read on his behalf at the inauguration of a new GH¢260,615 office for the Driver, Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), in Tema. The new facility has administration block, testing and examination offices, on-site banking hall and service unit to enable it to improve on revenue collection and speed up financial transaction of customers to eliminate undue delays and financial impropriety.
He said the DVLA Act 569 (1999) was enacted to promote good driving standards in the country and ensure the use of roadworthy vehicles.
Dr Anane noted that the provision of good office environment would also reduce the problem of “goro boys” whose activities undermined the efforts by the DVLA to serve its clients as best as possible.
He called on the DVLA officials to adhere to laid down procedures of the service, which would ultimately translate into good driving practices.
He said the effectiveness of the DVLA’s operations would have a direct impact on the efficiency of the road transport sector and reduce the incidence of traffic accidents.
He said a number of road accident fatalities and injuries occurred in the last three quarters of 2008 and took the opportunity to appeal to both drivers and pedestrians to strictly adhere to the road traffic regulations to avoid accidents especially in the wake of the forthcoming national elections.
Dr Anane said the Tema office ranked second in the registration of new vehicles and must serve as an incentive to the staff to provide quality service to clients.
The acting Chief Executive of the DVLA, Mrs Mabel Sagoe, said the total cost of the structure was funded by the authority from its own internally generated funds.
She said the Tema office restored 14,896 vehicles between January and October 2008 and by the end of October it was able to generate a total revenue of GH¢981,792.
Mrs Sagoe said the authority had made it a policy to improve its facilities to international standards and as a result it had completed and inaugurated two new offices at Wa in the Upper West Region and Bekwai in the Ashanti Region, and provided additional office facilities at the Kumasi office.
She said the decision to license and regulate private garages to test vehicles was to make the testing centre accessible to the motoring public and also improve the quality of vehicle testing.
Mrs Sagoe said the major challenges the authority faced was that of the ‘goro boys’ who operate on the premises of the authority.
She said although the authority had reviewed its procedures to reduce waiting time, clients still sought the assistance of the ‘goro boys’.
She appealed to all patrons of the DVLA to stop using these intermediaries and deal directly with the DVLA staff.
PICKPOCKETS AND BAG SNATCHERS ON THE LOOSE (PAGE 70)
THE nefarious activities of pickpockets and bag snatchers have started gaining grounds at business centres and market areas in the Accra and Tema metropolises.
Complaints from some victims indicate that no matter how careful one is, the miscreants are able to outwit their victims.
Ghanaians at this time of the year start preparations for Christmas but due to the forthcoming general election, business areas and political rally grounds have become fertile spots for the pickpockets and bag snatchers.
Recounting her experience to the Daily Graphic at Tema on Saturday, the Metropolitan Manager of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ms Felicia Yeboah, who was a victim to the pickpockets and bag snatchers, said she went to Accra on Saturday morning to visit a brother who had been admitted to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
She said on her way back she decided to join a Tema-bound bus at the Tema Station in Accra without suspecting any movements around her.
Ms Yeboah could not explain how and when her ladies’ handbag was snatched from her even before she could get to the bus terminal.
Ms Yeboah, who was surprised at the incident, said she had her voter’s identity card, press card, cellphone, some amount of money and other personal documents and items in the bag.
She said a good Samaritan offered to pay her transport back to Tema because she had nothing on her.
Ms Yeboah appealed to the transport unions operating at various stations to ask their members to wear identity badges or uniforms to ensure security at the lorry stations.
She explained that many young men paraded the stations under the guise of being “bookmen” and drivers’ mates without wearing any identification tags, thus making it difficult for passengers to know the sort of people around them.
Ms Yeboah also called for security patrols to be intensified at the stations during this electioneering and Christmas period to save the travelling public from the hands of the " anti-social gangs".
Complaints from some victims indicate that no matter how careful one is, the miscreants are able to outwit their victims.
Ghanaians at this time of the year start preparations for Christmas but due to the forthcoming general election, business areas and political rally grounds have become fertile spots for the pickpockets and bag snatchers.
Recounting her experience to the Daily Graphic at Tema on Saturday, the Metropolitan Manager of the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Ms Felicia Yeboah, who was a victim to the pickpockets and bag snatchers, said she went to Accra on Saturday morning to visit a brother who had been admitted to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
She said on her way back she decided to join a Tema-bound bus at the Tema Station in Accra without suspecting any movements around her.
Ms Yeboah could not explain how and when her ladies’ handbag was snatched from her even before she could get to the bus terminal.
Ms Yeboah, who was surprised at the incident, said she had her voter’s identity card, press card, cellphone, some amount of money and other personal documents and items in the bag.
She said a good Samaritan offered to pay her transport back to Tema because she had nothing on her.
Ms Yeboah appealed to the transport unions operating at various stations to ask their members to wear identity badges or uniforms to ensure security at the lorry stations.
She explained that many young men paraded the stations under the guise of being “bookmen” and drivers’ mates without wearing any identification tags, thus making it difficult for passengers to know the sort of people around them.
Ms Yeboah also called for security patrols to be intensified at the stations during this electioneering and Christmas period to save the travelling public from the hands of the " anti-social gangs".
Sunday, November 23, 2008
GHACEM PROVIDES TRANSPORTERS WITH TRUCK PARK (PAGE 29)
THE Ghana Cement Factory (GHACEM) in Tema has inaugurated a 3.2-acre space transporter truck park at a cost of GH¢100,000.
The park is to provide adequate parking space for trucks which load cement from the company.
The transformed fenced park which can accommodate 60 trucks conveniently has two administrative offices , resting places and washrooms.
Inaugurating the project , the Commercial Director of GHACEM , Mr Erik Westerberg, said the objective of providing the park reflected the company’s commitment to its major stakeholders and also to fulfil its promise to deliver value added programmes to its operations.
He said the park had been named after the former Works Manager of GHACEM, Mr David Jamieson.
Mr Westerberg said the Jamieson park was restricted to only authorised users to be determined by the Chief Security Co-ordinator of GHACEM.
The Strategic and Corporate Affairs Director of GHACEM, Dr George Dawson – Ahmoah, commended the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority ( GPHA ) for leasing the land to GHACEM for over a renewable period of 50 years.
He explained that though the trucks were operating from the area, GHACEM could not build it into a well planned and orderly park because the land did not belong to it.
Dr Dawson –Ahmoah expressed appreciation for the support of GHAPOHA and the security services for coming to their aid to recommend that GHACEM took over the operation of the park.
He expressed the hope that drivers and their operatives would take the rules governing the running of the park seriously to bring sanity into the distribution and conveyance of cement to their customers.
The Second in Command of the Tema Regional Police Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ransford Ninson, said the police would not relent in their efforts to maintain peace in the area.
He said hitherto the place was used by thieves , gamblers , drug peddlers,among others.
ACP Ninson warned that the police would intensify its monitoring operations in and around the area and, therefore, gave the assurance that the police were prepared to ensure peace in the area.
He said anyone found flouting any security rules would be arrested and prosecuted.
The Chairman of the GHACEM Branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, Mr Jonas Addo, expressed the appreciation of the Union to GHACEM but appealed to it to tar the park and provide a service bay and canteen to enable the drivers to feel comfortable.
Mr Addo appealed to the police to consistently patrol the area to ensure the safety of the drivers and their vehicles.
The park is to provide adequate parking space for trucks which load cement from the company.
The transformed fenced park which can accommodate 60 trucks conveniently has two administrative offices , resting places and washrooms.
Inaugurating the project , the Commercial Director of GHACEM , Mr Erik Westerberg, said the objective of providing the park reflected the company’s commitment to its major stakeholders and also to fulfil its promise to deliver value added programmes to its operations.
He said the park had been named after the former Works Manager of GHACEM, Mr David Jamieson.
Mr Westerberg said the Jamieson park was restricted to only authorised users to be determined by the Chief Security Co-ordinator of GHACEM.
The Strategic and Corporate Affairs Director of GHACEM, Dr George Dawson – Ahmoah, commended the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority ( GPHA ) for leasing the land to GHACEM for over a renewable period of 50 years.
He explained that though the trucks were operating from the area, GHACEM could not build it into a well planned and orderly park because the land did not belong to it.
Dr Dawson –Ahmoah expressed appreciation for the support of GHAPOHA and the security services for coming to their aid to recommend that GHACEM took over the operation of the park.
He expressed the hope that drivers and their operatives would take the rules governing the running of the park seriously to bring sanity into the distribution and conveyance of cement to their customers.
The Second in Command of the Tema Regional Police Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police Ransford Ninson, said the police would not relent in their efforts to maintain peace in the area.
He said hitherto the place was used by thieves , gamblers , drug peddlers,among others.
ACP Ninson warned that the police would intensify its monitoring operations in and around the area and, therefore, gave the assurance that the police were prepared to ensure peace in the area.
He said anyone found flouting any security rules would be arrested and prosecuted.
The Chairman of the GHACEM Branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, Mr Jonas Addo, expressed the appreciation of the Union to GHACEM but appealed to it to tar the park and provide a service bay and canteen to enable the drivers to feel comfortable.
Mr Addo appealed to the police to consistently patrol the area to ensure the safety of the drivers and their vehicles.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
CPP TO ESTABLISH ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT FUND FOR WOMEN (PAGE 16)
Mrs Yvonne Nduom, wife of the flag bearer of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, has said a CPP government will establish Women’s Enterprise Development Fund to offer women the opportunity to access loans at low interest rates.
She said under a CPP administration, there would be a number of programmes, which have already been outlined, to help women to improve their lot and urged them to vote CPP for a prosperous Ghana.
She toured markets in Tema Communities Two, Five and Nine and also Ashaiman to canvass for votes. She was welcomed by cheerful market women, who were shouting the slogan "yeresesem" (meaning ‘we are changing the status quo’).
Mrs Nduom said a CPP government would set up a development fund to support women to small-scale businesses.
She said the women would be given loans with flexible terms payable over a stipulated period to enable them to feel comfortable with their trading activities and contribute adequately to house-keeping.
She was hailed by the women amidst singing and dancing. She said the CPP would not make empty promises as was being done by others and added: “We shall deliver as we have promised you”.
Mrs Nduom urged floating voters to decide wisely by voting for the CPP.
At the Tema Community Two market she was happy to be told that the market was built in the 1950s. She said the CPP government would use the same plan to extend the market because it represented the ideal type that women needed.
She added that Dr Kwame Nkrumah had the idea to provide only the best for his people and that was why he had the market designed to have shops and sheds.
Mrs Nduom noted that the present designs of markets exposed the women to the sun, which is not the best.
She said further that the CPP would seek the interest of women if voted into power.
When she was told by a section of the women that their husbands were unemployed because they were seamen, Mrs Nduom assured them of the CPP’s intention to revive the seafaring profession to ensure that their husbands were back to work.
Mrs Nduom appealed to all women to ensure that their children went to school to give the economy a booster in the future.
She shook hands with the traders as she went round the markets advising them individually to vote for the CPP.
At the Community Five market, Mrs Nduom realised that the traders had deserted the market because of lack of adequate structures.
She later went to Community Nine and Ashaiman markets and urged them to vote massively for the CPP for development.
She was accompanied by the CPP parliamentary candidate for Tema West, Mr Isaac Kofi Asempa, and some of the party faithful.
She said under a CPP administration, there would be a number of programmes, which have already been outlined, to help women to improve their lot and urged them to vote CPP for a prosperous Ghana.
She toured markets in Tema Communities Two, Five and Nine and also Ashaiman to canvass for votes. She was welcomed by cheerful market women, who were shouting the slogan "yeresesem" (meaning ‘we are changing the status quo’).
Mrs Nduom said a CPP government would set up a development fund to support women to small-scale businesses.
She said the women would be given loans with flexible terms payable over a stipulated period to enable them to feel comfortable with their trading activities and contribute adequately to house-keeping.
She was hailed by the women amidst singing and dancing. She said the CPP would not make empty promises as was being done by others and added: “We shall deliver as we have promised you”.
Mrs Nduom urged floating voters to decide wisely by voting for the CPP.
At the Tema Community Two market she was happy to be told that the market was built in the 1950s. She said the CPP government would use the same plan to extend the market because it represented the ideal type that women needed.
She added that Dr Kwame Nkrumah had the idea to provide only the best for his people and that was why he had the market designed to have shops and sheds.
Mrs Nduom noted that the present designs of markets exposed the women to the sun, which is not the best.
She said further that the CPP would seek the interest of women if voted into power.
When she was told by a section of the women that their husbands were unemployed because they were seamen, Mrs Nduom assured them of the CPP’s intention to revive the seafaring profession to ensure that their husbands were back to work.
Mrs Nduom appealed to all women to ensure that their children went to school to give the economy a booster in the future.
She shook hands with the traders as she went round the markets advising them individually to vote for the CPP.
At the Community Five market, Mrs Nduom realised that the traders had deserted the market because of lack of adequate structures.
She later went to Community Nine and Ashaiman markets and urged them to vote massively for the CPP for development.
She was accompanied by the CPP parliamentary candidate for Tema West, Mr Isaac Kofi Asempa, and some of the party faithful.
CHURCHES PRAY FOR PEACEFUL ELECTIONS (PAGE 28)
Churches and Religious organisations in the Tema Metropolitan area have held prayers to seek God’s intervention for peaceful elections in the forthcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections on December 7, 2008.
They also prayed that Ghanaians elect the right people to move the nation towards prosperity and not self seekers, who will want to feed on national resources.
The General Overseer of the Full Gospel Church International, Reverend Samuel Mensah, prayed that the lord gives Ghanaians a God-fearing president and parliamentarians, to govern the nation and meet the basic needs of the people.
He said elections were about Ghanaians, their families and their future and, therefore, any mistake made today would go a long way to negatively affect the lives of the people.
Rev. Mensah, who focused his sermon on the need for peaceful elections said Ghanaians must vote for persons of integrity and not parties considering the fact that the December Elections was not about any party.
He urged the congregation to examine the qualities of the candidates before casting their votes on election day.
Rev. Mensah said chosen candidates must be people who had the capabilities to handle the internal security of the country, fight indiscipline, raise the sinking image of Ghana and the purchasing power of the people.
He said the oil find should not be a curse to the nation as happened in other oil producing countries and that Ghanaians will need to be adequately trained to take up positions and ensure serenity in the labour front.
Rev. Mensah said that was the only way to bring sanity into the system in order that no one was aggrieved to rise up against the government.
He said that was the main reason why the people would need to elect a leader, who will be sensitive to their plight and also be a listening government.
They also prayed that Ghanaians elect the right people to move the nation towards prosperity and not self seekers, who will want to feed on national resources.
The General Overseer of the Full Gospel Church International, Reverend Samuel Mensah, prayed that the lord gives Ghanaians a God-fearing president and parliamentarians, to govern the nation and meet the basic needs of the people.
He said elections were about Ghanaians, their families and their future and, therefore, any mistake made today would go a long way to negatively affect the lives of the people.
Rev. Mensah, who focused his sermon on the need for peaceful elections said Ghanaians must vote for persons of integrity and not parties considering the fact that the December Elections was not about any party.
He urged the congregation to examine the qualities of the candidates before casting their votes on election day.
Rev. Mensah said chosen candidates must be people who had the capabilities to handle the internal security of the country, fight indiscipline, raise the sinking image of Ghana and the purchasing power of the people.
He said the oil find should not be a curse to the nation as happened in other oil producing countries and that Ghanaians will need to be adequately trained to take up positions and ensure serenity in the labour front.
Rev. Mensah said that was the only way to bring sanity into the system in order that no one was aggrieved to rise up against the government.
He said that was the main reason why the people would need to elect a leader, who will be sensitive to their plight and also be a listening government.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
PEACEFUL ELECTIONS ESSENTIAL FOR DEVELOPMENT — KUFOUR (PAGE 17)
THE President John Agyekum Kufour has emphasised the need for peace and stability before, during and after the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.
He said peaceful elections were essential for national development and growth and therefore urged Ghanaians to vote for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for what it has been able to to do for the country.
The President was addressing a massive rally at Ashaiman where he introduced the Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as the right person to take over from him.
He expressed joy on seeing the large crowd and said the party was sure of winning the seat in Ashaiman which had hitherto been a no-go area for the party.
President Kufour appealed to the people to ignore the promises being made by some parties and vote the NPP for genuine development in a peaceful environment.
He said the government had started to develop the municipality by granting it a new status and would in no time bring other structures to turn Ashaiman into a city.
President Kufour praised Ghanaians for their dedication and hard work during his term of office and called on them to extend the same goodwill to Nana Akufo-Addo.
He said Nana Akufo-Addo had been one of the big brains behind the scenes in decision making in the party, stating that “ one person does not take decisions in the party”.
President Kufour called on supporters of the party to vote for both the presidential and parliamentary candidates to be in tune with their leaders.
Nana Akufo-Addo called on the electorate to vote wisely and not put their destiny into the hands of people who were not productive.
He commended the administration of President Kufuor for the good and productive work done and promised to continue with the trend.
Nana Akufo-Addo said he would double the size of the police to create a greater security in the country in addition to improving sanitation in the country as a whole.
On rigging of the elections, Nana Akufo-Addo said he was surprised that some people should have that notion because it was rather the NPP party which moved for the introduction of the transparent ballot boxes.
The NPP flag bearer was of the view that there would be free and fair elections and called for peace and stability.
The rally was attended by stalwarts of the party including the Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Nana Ohene Ntow and Sheik I. C. Quaye.
He said peaceful elections were essential for national development and growth and therefore urged Ghanaians to vote for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for what it has been able to to do for the country.
The President was addressing a massive rally at Ashaiman where he introduced the Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, as the right person to take over from him.
He expressed joy on seeing the large crowd and said the party was sure of winning the seat in Ashaiman which had hitherto been a no-go area for the party.
President Kufour appealed to the people to ignore the promises being made by some parties and vote the NPP for genuine development in a peaceful environment.
He said the government had started to develop the municipality by granting it a new status and would in no time bring other structures to turn Ashaiman into a city.
President Kufour praised Ghanaians for their dedication and hard work during his term of office and called on them to extend the same goodwill to Nana Akufo-Addo.
He said Nana Akufo-Addo had been one of the big brains behind the scenes in decision making in the party, stating that “ one person does not take decisions in the party”.
President Kufour called on supporters of the party to vote for both the presidential and parliamentary candidates to be in tune with their leaders.
Nana Akufo-Addo called on the electorate to vote wisely and not put their destiny into the hands of people who were not productive.
He commended the administration of President Kufuor for the good and productive work done and promised to continue with the trend.
Nana Akufo-Addo said he would double the size of the police to create a greater security in the country in addition to improving sanitation in the country as a whole.
On rigging of the elections, Nana Akufo-Addo said he was surprised that some people should have that notion because it was rather the NPP party which moved for the introduction of the transparent ballot boxes.
The NPP flag bearer was of the view that there would be free and fair elections and called for peace and stability.
The rally was attended by stalwarts of the party including the Vice-President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Nana Ohene Ntow and Sheik I. C. Quaye.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
ELEVEN ON BAIL FOR ASSAULT (PAGE 31)
A Tema circuit court has granted bail to 11 members of the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) task force with one surety to appear again on December 11, 2008 for allegedly assaulting two journalists.
The bail terms of GH¢220,000 was granted by the Tema Circuit Court ‘A’.
The 11 were remanded in police custody when they first appeared before the court, presided over by Mrs Justice Lorinda Owusu, on November 13, 2008 on charges of assault and causing damage.
The accused persons are Ex WO 1 Joseph Owusu, Stephen Eshun, Alfred Nana Ampadu, Francis Adjei, Charles Dougan, Isaac Duncan, Razak Mamudu, Abraham Adamani, Samuel Osei, Andrew Ackon and Roy Mereku.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them and were represented by their counsel, Mrs Brendalyn Aikings, while the legal counsel of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Mrs Cecilia Davis, represented the journalists, Mark Anthony Vinorkor and Samuel Tei Adano.
According to the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Adolf Otchere, on October 22, 2008, the accused persons were spotted by the journalists demolishing some unauthorised wooden structures in the vicinity of the Narh Bita Hospital.
He said they decided to take pictures in view of public complaints about the increases in unauthorised structures in the metropolis.
Chief Inspector Otchere said the 11 men did not take kindly to that and confronted Adano, the photographer.
In the ensuing confrontation, they forcibly seized a new Nikon D40 digital camera which he had bought barely a week before the incident from him .
He said when Vinorkor, the reporter, went to Adano’s aid, the men assaulted them, leading to the loss of a pair of medicated spectacles, camera lens cover, an extra battery and GH¢20.
Chief Inspector Otchere said the two journalists were issued with medical forms for a medical check up as a result of the assault.
Meanwhile, the Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Kraku II, has informed counsel for the GCGL, Mrs Davis, of his intention to intervene and settle the case out of court.
He said in his capacity as the stool father of Tema , he had put in an application to be considered by the court.
The Managing Director of TDC, Ms Mansa Banson, rendered a verbal apology to the complainants, which is to be followed later with a written apology.
She consented to the intention of the Tema Mantse and promised that TDC would replace the lost items and adequately compensate the complainants.
Mrs Davis said she would convey the intentions to the management and the affected journalists, while they waited for the letter.
The bail terms of GH¢220,000 was granted by the Tema Circuit Court ‘A’.
The 11 were remanded in police custody when they first appeared before the court, presided over by Mrs Justice Lorinda Owusu, on November 13, 2008 on charges of assault and causing damage.
The accused persons are Ex WO 1 Joseph Owusu, Stephen Eshun, Alfred Nana Ampadu, Francis Adjei, Charles Dougan, Isaac Duncan, Razak Mamudu, Abraham Adamani, Samuel Osei, Andrew Ackon and Roy Mereku.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them and were represented by their counsel, Mrs Brendalyn Aikings, while the legal counsel of the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL), Mrs Cecilia Davis, represented the journalists, Mark Anthony Vinorkor and Samuel Tei Adano.
According to the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Adolf Otchere, on October 22, 2008, the accused persons were spotted by the journalists demolishing some unauthorised wooden structures in the vicinity of the Narh Bita Hospital.
He said they decided to take pictures in view of public complaints about the increases in unauthorised structures in the metropolis.
Chief Inspector Otchere said the 11 men did not take kindly to that and confronted Adano, the photographer.
In the ensuing confrontation, they forcibly seized a new Nikon D40 digital camera which he had bought barely a week before the incident from him .
He said when Vinorkor, the reporter, went to Adano’s aid, the men assaulted them, leading to the loss of a pair of medicated spectacles, camera lens cover, an extra battery and GH¢20.
Chief Inspector Otchere said the two journalists were issued with medical forms for a medical check up as a result of the assault.
Meanwhile, the Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Kraku II, has informed counsel for the GCGL, Mrs Davis, of his intention to intervene and settle the case out of court.
He said in his capacity as the stool father of Tema , he had put in an application to be considered by the court.
The Managing Director of TDC, Ms Mansa Banson, rendered a verbal apology to the complainants, which is to be followed later with a written apology.
She consented to the intention of the Tema Mantse and promised that TDC would replace the lost items and adequately compensate the complainants.
Mrs Davis said she would convey the intentions to the management and the affected journalists, while they waited for the letter.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
2 HEADTEACHERS BEING PROBED OVER ILLEGAL FEES (BACK PAGE)
THE Tema Metropolitan Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES ) is investigating two head teachers of some basic schools in the metropolis who allegedly collected illegal fees from pupils.
They would appear before the GES disciplinary committee, and if found guilty of the offence, would be sanctioned .
Confirming this to the Daily Graphic in Tema, the Metropolitan Director of Education, Mrs Victoria Opoku, said the GES was seriously monitoring the tuition-free education system and, therefore, would not spare any head teacher found sabotaging its effort .
She stated that official mails had been dispatched to all basic schools, indicating clearly that any head teacher found guilty of illegal collection of fees in any form would be sanctioned.
Mrs Opoku emphatically denied giving any Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in the metropolis permission to organise extra classes for a fee, as was being circulated, and said the service would not relent on its effort in bringing sanity into the system.
She called on all head teachers in the metropolis to help the service achieve its goal of ensuring tuition-free education at the basic level in all public schools .
Mrs Opoku noted that the policy must not be politicised, because education was the lifeline of every economy and, therefore, neglecting the youth and denying them of education would affect the nation in the near future .
When the Chairman of School Management Committees and Parent-Teacher Associations in the metropolis, Mr Owusu Asare, was contacted, he confirmed that GES had banned extra classes at the basic education level.
He was, however, of the view that parents could agree to give incentives to teachers to enable them to organise extra classes for their children .
He agreed that some teachers abused it, because they never held the classes, but collected the monies, leading to the downward trend of examination results.
Mr Owusu Asare appealed to the GES to investigate where monies collected from users of school premises went.
He suggested that GES held a forum for the PTAs to explain the policy and also to enable them to understand the differences between legal and unauthorised fees.
They would appear before the GES disciplinary committee, and if found guilty of the offence, would be sanctioned .
Confirming this to the Daily Graphic in Tema, the Metropolitan Director of Education, Mrs Victoria Opoku, said the GES was seriously monitoring the tuition-free education system and, therefore, would not spare any head teacher found sabotaging its effort .
She stated that official mails had been dispatched to all basic schools, indicating clearly that any head teacher found guilty of illegal collection of fees in any form would be sanctioned.
Mrs Opoku emphatically denied giving any Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in the metropolis permission to organise extra classes for a fee, as was being circulated, and said the service would not relent on its effort in bringing sanity into the system.
She called on all head teachers in the metropolis to help the service achieve its goal of ensuring tuition-free education at the basic level in all public schools .
Mrs Opoku noted that the policy must not be politicised, because education was the lifeline of every economy and, therefore, neglecting the youth and denying them of education would affect the nation in the near future .
When the Chairman of School Management Committees and Parent-Teacher Associations in the metropolis, Mr Owusu Asare, was contacted, he confirmed that GES had banned extra classes at the basic education level.
He was, however, of the view that parents could agree to give incentives to teachers to enable them to organise extra classes for their children .
He agreed that some teachers abused it, because they never held the classes, but collected the monies, leading to the downward trend of examination results.
Mr Owusu Asare appealed to the GES to investigate where monies collected from users of school premises went.
He suggested that GES held a forum for the PTAs to explain the policy and also to enable them to understand the differences between legal and unauthorised fees.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
CUSTOMS BROKERS COMMEND CEPS FOR USER MANUAL (PAGE 19)
The Customs Brokers Association of Ghana (CUBAG) has commended the management of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) for producing the automated user manual that has made classification and valuation of goods at the country's ports more transparent and fast.
The President of the association, Mr Daniel Kofi Asomaning, said the system would also facilitate clearance of goods and reduce cost of doing business at the ports, making the country's corridors the preferred destination for trade partners within West Africa.
Mr Asomaning said this at the closing session of a training course for stakeholders on the use of the new system.
He commended Bankswitch Ghana Ltd for partnering CEPS and the other regulatory agencies to introduce the manual that enables the members to check the status of their documents that had been submitted to CEPS without travelling long distances.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in collaboration with the Revenue Agencies Governing Board and CEPS has trained over 516 stakeholders to keep abreast of the new system to enhance revenue generation at the country's ports.
The modern Information Technology tools incorporated in the system include electronic verifying HS Codes, FOB, Freight and Insurance values.
The Manager at the office of the Ghana Customs Management System (GCMC), Ms Rebecca Schlechter, said the new system had been integrated into the existing GCnet/GCMS.
Ms Schlechter was optimistic that the system would serve the public better and speed up the processes of classification and valuation of goods.
The President of the association, Mr Daniel Kofi Asomaning, said the system would also facilitate clearance of goods and reduce cost of doing business at the ports, making the country's corridors the preferred destination for trade partners within West Africa.
Mr Asomaning said this at the closing session of a training course for stakeholders on the use of the new system.
He commended Bankswitch Ghana Ltd for partnering CEPS and the other regulatory agencies to introduce the manual that enables the members to check the status of their documents that had been submitted to CEPS without travelling long distances.
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in collaboration with the Revenue Agencies Governing Board and CEPS has trained over 516 stakeholders to keep abreast of the new system to enhance revenue generation at the country's ports.
The modern Information Technology tools incorporated in the system include electronic verifying HS Codes, FOB, Freight and Insurance values.
The Manager at the office of the Ghana Customs Management System (GCMC), Ms Rebecca Schlechter, said the new system had been integrated into the existing GCnet/GCMS.
Ms Schlechter was optimistic that the system would serve the public better and speed up the processes of classification and valuation of goods.
Monday, September 8, 2008
PRICE OF FISH GOES DOWN IN TEMA (PAGE 47)
The cost of fish reduced considerably last Friday at the Tema Fishing harbour canoe beach following a bumper catch by fishermen.
A crate of herrings that previously sold at GH¢22 now costs GH¢16 while salmon now costs GH¢18 as against GH¢26.
Fishermen in Tema landed more fish last Friday than last Monday after a long period of lean catch in the sector.
It was another busy day at the beach when the fishermen landed tuna, herrings, salmon and other species of fish.
As early as 7a.m. when the Daily Graphic went to the canoe beach the boats had started arriving with the fishermen showing joyous faces, an indication that they were successful.
They claimed that from all indications the season would be good and they were expecting it to last up till November.
According to them, the move to curtail the activities of the big trawlers had shown that they were part of the problem. One of the fishermen, Mr George Forson, claimed that the fishermen earlier returned with an average of three crates of fish daily but now they were able to get 50 crates or more.
He said the foreign vessels cleared the breeding grounds with their system of fishing and therefore the local fishermen were only lucky to have some catch.
Mr Forson appealed to the Navy to intensify its action against the culprits to save the industry, noting that they should have been catching bigger fishes by now, but they only got medium-size ones.
He noted that they had not in the past week encountered the bigger vessels at sea and suspected that the foreigners could possibly be withdrawing from their activities and therefore had gone far away to sea.
The Tema canoe beach has over 500 canoes operating but in the last four years fishermen had not experienced any bumper catch. Bigger foreign vessels were blamed for the woes of the local fishermen but recently there have been intensified complaints about the activities of the bigger vessels, which has affected the operations of local canoe fishermen.
A crate of herrings that previously sold at GH¢22 now costs GH¢16 while salmon now costs GH¢18 as against GH¢26.
Fishermen in Tema landed more fish last Friday than last Monday after a long period of lean catch in the sector.
It was another busy day at the beach when the fishermen landed tuna, herrings, salmon and other species of fish.
As early as 7a.m. when the Daily Graphic went to the canoe beach the boats had started arriving with the fishermen showing joyous faces, an indication that they were successful.
They claimed that from all indications the season would be good and they were expecting it to last up till November.
According to them, the move to curtail the activities of the big trawlers had shown that they were part of the problem. One of the fishermen, Mr George Forson, claimed that the fishermen earlier returned with an average of three crates of fish daily but now they were able to get 50 crates or more.
He said the foreign vessels cleared the breeding grounds with their system of fishing and therefore the local fishermen were only lucky to have some catch.
Mr Forson appealed to the Navy to intensify its action against the culprits to save the industry, noting that they should have been catching bigger fishes by now, but they only got medium-size ones.
He noted that they had not in the past week encountered the bigger vessels at sea and suspected that the foreigners could possibly be withdrawing from their activities and therefore had gone far away to sea.
The Tema canoe beach has over 500 canoes operating but in the last four years fishermen had not experienced any bumper catch. Bigger foreign vessels were blamed for the woes of the local fishermen but recently there have been intensified complaints about the activities of the bigger vessels, which has affected the operations of local canoe fishermen.
CHECK UNAUTHORISED STRUCTURES ...Tema Traditional Council urges TDC (PAGE 47)
The Tema Traditional Council has appealed to the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) to educate developers in the area to acquire legal documents to avoid unauthorised development practices for Tema to retain its image of well-planned city.
The council has also called on the management of TDC to sanction its task force, which has allegedly connived with desperate and innocent developers to flout building regulations.
It claimed that the TDC Task Force, which has the statutory obligation to check unauthorised siting of structures and illegal allocation of land, was not functioning as expected and was directly or indirectly involved in the creation of the mess and therefore lacked the courage to confront it.
Members of the council said they were not happy because they were mostly blamed for land allocations, alleging that land guards were making it dangerous for landowners in some areas to enter their own land.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Tema on issues bordering on unauthorised allocation of land and estate development in the Tema Traditional area, the Spokesman of the Council Nii Anum Keteke, the Chief of Klangon, said Tema had its stool lands spreading through Klangon to Adjei Kojo among others with those areas becoming new settlements.
He said they were all part of the government’s acquisition areas but in 1994 the TDC released Klangon lands to the Stool while portions of the Adjei Kojo land were released in 1998.
Nii Keteke said it was pathetic to find green belts being developed into structures without approval while places earmarked for roads and wildlife were all being developed.
He stated that the Stool wanted to see a disciplined land allocation and therefore were not happy that unauthorised development was springing up in those new settlements.
Nii Keteke criticised the TDC Task Force for being involved in some alleged corrupt practices and conniving with some developers to enter the Tema Stool land without authority.
He explained that as a result of some of these corrupt practices, Ashaiman had also become a slum and therefore the stool would want to defend the new settlement to ensure that is was well planned.
Nii Keteke said the chiefs and people of the affected areas had plans to protest to the sector minister if the TDC management did not take action against the Task Force personnel.
The chiefs commended the newly created Ashaiman Municipal Assembly for its proposed plans to pull down unauthorised structures to make way for roads and culverts. They said the lawlessness in development must be controlled now else new settlements would also become slums in the very near future.
Nii Keteke said their concentration was on Klangon and Adjei-Kojo because they were the new ones coming up and they would need to be protected.
He also appealed to the security agencies to check the activities of land guards and their agents who had taken entrenched positions and created problems all over the new developing sites.
He said because monies had changed hands to allow people to build on unauthorised lands, it was difficult for town planners to do the right things and called for immediate action to stop new developments to avoid a situation where developed houses would have to be pulled down in future.
Officials of the Tema Development Corporation who were contacted for comments declined to talk to the Daily Graphic.
Meanwhile the Tema Municipal Assembly has expressed concern about the springing up of unauthorised structures in the metropolis.
The Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Asante, said the Assembly would soon start a demolishing exercise to clear all unauthorised structures from the metropolis.
The council has also called on the management of TDC to sanction its task force, which has allegedly connived with desperate and innocent developers to flout building regulations.
It claimed that the TDC Task Force, which has the statutory obligation to check unauthorised siting of structures and illegal allocation of land, was not functioning as expected and was directly or indirectly involved in the creation of the mess and therefore lacked the courage to confront it.
Members of the council said they were not happy because they were mostly blamed for land allocations, alleging that land guards were making it dangerous for landowners in some areas to enter their own land.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Tema on issues bordering on unauthorised allocation of land and estate development in the Tema Traditional area, the Spokesman of the Council Nii Anum Keteke, the Chief of Klangon, said Tema had its stool lands spreading through Klangon to Adjei Kojo among others with those areas becoming new settlements.
He said they were all part of the government’s acquisition areas but in 1994 the TDC released Klangon lands to the Stool while portions of the Adjei Kojo land were released in 1998.
Nii Keteke said it was pathetic to find green belts being developed into structures without approval while places earmarked for roads and wildlife were all being developed.
He stated that the Stool wanted to see a disciplined land allocation and therefore were not happy that unauthorised development was springing up in those new settlements.
Nii Keteke criticised the TDC Task Force for being involved in some alleged corrupt practices and conniving with some developers to enter the Tema Stool land without authority.
He explained that as a result of some of these corrupt practices, Ashaiman had also become a slum and therefore the stool would want to defend the new settlement to ensure that is was well planned.
Nii Keteke said the chiefs and people of the affected areas had plans to protest to the sector minister if the TDC management did not take action against the Task Force personnel.
The chiefs commended the newly created Ashaiman Municipal Assembly for its proposed plans to pull down unauthorised structures to make way for roads and culverts. They said the lawlessness in development must be controlled now else new settlements would also become slums in the very near future.
Nii Keteke said their concentration was on Klangon and Adjei-Kojo because they were the new ones coming up and they would need to be protected.
He also appealed to the security agencies to check the activities of land guards and their agents who had taken entrenched positions and created problems all over the new developing sites.
He said because monies had changed hands to allow people to build on unauthorised lands, it was difficult for town planners to do the right things and called for immediate action to stop new developments to avoid a situation where developed houses would have to be pulled down in future.
Officials of the Tema Development Corporation who were contacted for comments declined to talk to the Daily Graphic.
Meanwhile the Tema Municipal Assembly has expressed concern about the springing up of unauthorised structures in the metropolis.
The Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Asante, said the Assembly would soon start a demolishing exercise to clear all unauthorised structures from the metropolis.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
FISHERMEN RECORD ENCOURAGING CATCH (MIRROR, PAGE 35)
From Rose Hayford Darko, Tema
Fisherman in Tema made some big catch, which they claimed was a good omen that things were going to change for the better after a long period of lean season in the industry.
They landed average-sized herrings and salmon among the species.
They are also hopeful that they will have a good fishing season.
Speaking to The Mirror, a Chief Fisherman, Nii Armah Kwei, said every fisherman was able to make a catch of not less than 100 crates each.
He claimed that the sea was getting cooler for the fishes, and that will enable the fishermen to make a good catch.
Nii Kwei declined to comment on the pair trawling issue, but said the leadership of the fishermen was meeting with officials of the Ministry of Fisheries over certain pertinent issues concerning the sector.
Nii Kwei noted that they hoped that the catch, which they were making, would not be short-lived.
Some interviews conducted by The Mirror revealed that over the past four years, the season had delayed, but now there was some improvement in the sector.
It was revealed that it never lasted long, but prayed that the current season will drag on for sometime.
The respondents felt the big vessels that were hindering the work of the local fishermen had been withdrawn and refuted the allegation that they also used light at sea.
An interview with an elder at the fishing harbour, Nii Attah Anum Gbegbemi, also revealed that there were over 500 canoes at the beach.
He said in the past four years, they had not had any good catch, blaming that on the pair trawling and use of light by some fishermen.
Nii Gbegbemi claimed that the introduction of scientific fishing methods would need time to catch up with the indigenous fishermen, because they had expertise in local fishing.
Fisherman in Tema made some big catch, which they claimed was a good omen that things were going to change for the better after a long period of lean season in the industry.
They landed average-sized herrings and salmon among the species.
They are also hopeful that they will have a good fishing season.
Speaking to The Mirror, a Chief Fisherman, Nii Armah Kwei, said every fisherman was able to make a catch of not less than 100 crates each.
He claimed that the sea was getting cooler for the fishes, and that will enable the fishermen to make a good catch.
Nii Kwei declined to comment on the pair trawling issue, but said the leadership of the fishermen was meeting with officials of the Ministry of Fisheries over certain pertinent issues concerning the sector.
Nii Kwei noted that they hoped that the catch, which they were making, would not be short-lived.
Some interviews conducted by The Mirror revealed that over the past four years, the season had delayed, but now there was some improvement in the sector.
It was revealed that it never lasted long, but prayed that the current season will drag on for sometime.
The respondents felt the big vessels that were hindering the work of the local fishermen had been withdrawn and refuted the allegation that they also used light at sea.
An interview with an elder at the fishing harbour, Nii Attah Anum Gbegbemi, also revealed that there were over 500 canoes at the beach.
He said in the past four years, they had not had any good catch, blaming that on the pair trawling and use of light by some fishermen.
Nii Gbegbemi claimed that the introduction of scientific fishing methods would need time to catch up with the indigenous fishermen, because they had expertise in local fishing.
EFFORTS TO ENHANCE REVENUE COLLECTION AT PORTS (PAGE 24)
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in collaboration with the Revenue Agencies Governing Board and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service has trained 516 stakeholders in revenue collection and introduced them to a new major project to enhance revenue collection at the country’s ports.
The project will also enhance the ability of Ghana Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) to securely assume its core functions of Classification and Valuation of goods, currently being performed by the Destination Inspection Companies.
It is providing CEPS with modern Information Technology tools that will allow the Service to perform its functions of valuation and classification in a systematic, efficient and transparent manner.
The tools include electronic verifying HS Codes, f.o.b., freight and insurance values. Addressing the closing session of the first batch of the trainees in Tema, the Manager at the office of the Ghana Customs Management Systems (GCMS), Madam Rebecca Schlechter, said the new innovative Information Technology solution, the Ghana Customs and Secure Document Management Systems (GCSDMS), had been integrated into the existing GCNet/GCMS. She said all umbrella organisations of clearing agencies and shipping companies acting as carriers made inputs.
Madam Schlechter disclosed that an additional 102 companies involved in customs practices had registered to have their staff trained between September 1 and 9.
Madam Schlechter noted that the user manuals would be fully automated to reduce the period of documentation, adding that previously it took more than two weeks to process but with the new system it would be instant, using the automated user manuals. She said the training would be continuous to ensure that new technologies would be constantly imparted to the stakeholders.
Madam Schlechter was optimistic that the system would serve the public better and speed up the processes of classification and valuation of goods.
She said further that CEPS was also being provided with a building that could house about 70 officers in central Classification and Valuation unit in Accra.
Madam Schlechter noted that a series of User Manuals that provide easy-to-use guides for carriers/shipping agents, consolidators and declarants had been prepared and distributed to the associations representing key stakeholders.
She said the stakeholders were to review the manuals and provide the feedback, which would be incorporated into a final version of the manuals for distribution to the associations.
Madam Schlechter added that the project had service centres at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) and Ghana Union of Traders (GUTA).
The project will also enhance the ability of Ghana Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) to securely assume its core functions of Classification and Valuation of goods, currently being performed by the Destination Inspection Companies.
It is providing CEPS with modern Information Technology tools that will allow the Service to perform its functions of valuation and classification in a systematic, efficient and transparent manner.
The tools include electronic verifying HS Codes, f.o.b., freight and insurance values. Addressing the closing session of the first batch of the trainees in Tema, the Manager at the office of the Ghana Customs Management Systems (GCMS), Madam Rebecca Schlechter, said the new innovative Information Technology solution, the Ghana Customs and Secure Document Management Systems (GCSDMS), had been integrated into the existing GCNet/GCMS. She said all umbrella organisations of clearing agencies and shipping companies acting as carriers made inputs.
Madam Schlechter disclosed that an additional 102 companies involved in customs practices had registered to have their staff trained between September 1 and 9.
Madam Schlechter noted that the user manuals would be fully automated to reduce the period of documentation, adding that previously it took more than two weeks to process but with the new system it would be instant, using the automated user manuals. She said the training would be continuous to ensure that new technologies would be constantly imparted to the stakeholders.
Madam Schlechter was optimistic that the system would serve the public better and speed up the processes of classification and valuation of goods.
She said further that CEPS was also being provided with a building that could house about 70 officers in central Classification and Valuation unit in Accra.
Madam Schlechter noted that a series of User Manuals that provide easy-to-use guides for carriers/shipping agents, consolidators and declarants had been prepared and distributed to the associations representing key stakeholders.
She said the stakeholders were to review the manuals and provide the feedback, which would be incorporated into a final version of the manuals for distribution to the associations.
Madam Schlechter added that the project had service centres at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) and Ghana Union of Traders (GUTA).
DISTRICT POLICE HEADQUARTERS FOR KPONE (PAGE 18)
The The Paramount Chief of the Kpone Traditional Council, Nii Tetteh Otu 11 has cut the sod for work to start on the first phase of a Kpone District Police Headquarters project.
The Kpone Traditional Council is co-sponsoring the project, which is situated on a one-acre land donated by the council .
It is expected to comprise the District Commander’s Office, Criminal Investigations Department, Motor Traffic and Transport Unit, general office and is estimated at GH¢100,000.
The second phase of the project will be a bungalow for the District Commander, police personnel and the Dovvsu department. The Paramount Chief of the Kpone Traditional Council, Nii Tetteh Otu 11 said Kpone Central with its environs was expanding very fast because of its proximity to the Tema township.
He said as a result all manner of people were attracted to the place, which called for a strong police presence in the area.
Nii Otu appealed to all companies and industries on the stool land to help in whatever way they could to enable the project to be completed early.
The Director-General of Technical Services at the Police Headquarters, Commissioner of Police (COP) Kofi Duku Arthur, who deputised for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, expressed the appreciation of the Police Administration to the Kpone Traditional Council for providing the assistance after the elevation of the Kpone Police Station to a District Command a few months ago.
He said their swift response to the request for land attested to the readiness of the people to help the police combat crime.
COP Arthur said providing adequate office and residential accommodation were the main challenges confronting the police administration nationwide.
He said this had greatly affected recruitment prompting several appeals to civil society, corporate and professional bodies for assistance.
COP Arthur, however, expressed disappointment at the response to the appeals, saying “unfortunately not so encouraging”.
He, therefore, appealed to stakeholders including the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to assist the service to provide comfortable places of abode for the police personnel.
COP Arthur said the population of the Kpone Traditional Area had seen an increase due to the influx of business activities and, therefore, needed more police personnel to effectively control the increasing criminal activities.
He called on other stakeholders to emulate the laudable initiative of the Kpone Traditional Council to expand the existing police barracks to enable the Police Administration to post more men to the area.
COP Arthur on behalf of the IGP conveyed the gratitude of the Police Administration to the chiefs and people of the Kpone Traditional Area for their decision to construct a suitable district headquarters building for the Ghana Police Service.
The Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr David Quaye Annang, said the new district had jurisdiction over most of the locations where the strategic facilities including the Bulk Oil Storage Tanks , Free Zone Enclave and the Power Plants as well as many business concerns, were located.
He made a passionate appeal to all citizens not to dispense instant justice to suspected criminals but to hand them over to the police for thorough investigations and the necessary action.
The Kpone Traditional Council is co-sponsoring the project, which is situated on a one-acre land donated by the council .
It is expected to comprise the District Commander’s Office, Criminal Investigations Department, Motor Traffic and Transport Unit, general office and is estimated at GH¢100,000.
The second phase of the project will be a bungalow for the District Commander, police personnel and the Dovvsu department. The Paramount Chief of the Kpone Traditional Council, Nii Tetteh Otu 11 said Kpone Central with its environs was expanding very fast because of its proximity to the Tema township.
He said as a result all manner of people were attracted to the place, which called for a strong police presence in the area.
Nii Otu appealed to all companies and industries on the stool land to help in whatever way they could to enable the project to be completed early.
The Director-General of Technical Services at the Police Headquarters, Commissioner of Police (COP) Kofi Duku Arthur, who deputised for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, expressed the appreciation of the Police Administration to the Kpone Traditional Council for providing the assistance after the elevation of the Kpone Police Station to a District Command a few months ago.
He said their swift response to the request for land attested to the readiness of the people to help the police combat crime.
COP Arthur said providing adequate office and residential accommodation were the main challenges confronting the police administration nationwide.
He said this had greatly affected recruitment prompting several appeals to civil society, corporate and professional bodies for assistance.
COP Arthur, however, expressed disappointment at the response to the appeals, saying “unfortunately not so encouraging”.
He, therefore, appealed to stakeholders including the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to assist the service to provide comfortable places of abode for the police personnel.
COP Arthur said the population of the Kpone Traditional Area had seen an increase due to the influx of business activities and, therefore, needed more police personnel to effectively control the increasing criminal activities.
He called on other stakeholders to emulate the laudable initiative of the Kpone Traditional Council to expand the existing police barracks to enable the Police Administration to post more men to the area.
COP Arthur on behalf of the IGP conveyed the gratitude of the Police Administration to the chiefs and people of the Kpone Traditional Area for their decision to construct a suitable district headquarters building for the Ghana Police Service.
The Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr David Quaye Annang, said the new district had jurisdiction over most of the locations where the strategic facilities including the Bulk Oil Storage Tanks , Free Zone Enclave and the Power Plants as well as many business concerns, were located.
He made a passionate appeal to all citizens not to dispense instant justice to suspected criminals but to hand them over to the police for thorough investigations and the necessary action.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
BORDER REVENUE COLLECTION TO BE AUTOMATED (PAGE 28)
A Chief Inspector of taxes at the headquarters of the Internal Revenue Service, Mr Boakye Yiadom, has said that the present system of revenue collection on the borders , ports and entry points in the country is to be automated to remove all forms of malpractices associated with it.
Under the new system, issuance of Income Tax receipts will no more be operational at the port and the banks will issue their receipts on line in place of the present IRS140B system.
Mr Yiadom was addressing representatives of importers, freight forwarders and shipping companies at a forum in Tema on Monday to introduce to them a new system of operation and the integration of one-per cent withholding tax payment at the ports, borders and entry points and channelling it into the GCNet collection system.
He noted that abuses identified in the old system due to high level of manipulation included clearance of goods with fake tax clearance certificates, forged documents and fake tax receipts.
Mr Yiadom explained that the service introduced an administrative directive in 2001 allowing first time importers to pay one per cent on value of goods as tax to correct the situation but it could not eliminate the fraudulent activities at the revenue collecting points.
He said the Service had, as a result, decided to get hooked to the GCNet and the Ghana Customs Monitoring System (GCMS) at all entry points, where the GCNet/GCMS systems operated, in order to run on a system without any human limitations.
Mr Yiadom said the IRS expected to increase further its revenue collection and also enhance its operations by removing human delays and winding processing of clearance documents.
He said under the new system, IRS and CEPS would be partners in removing fraud and facilitate trade, noting that there were many cases of fraud and forgery of tax documents pending at the courts.
Mr Yiadom said the seriousness of the situation had necessitated the introduction of the new system by the service to curb those fraudulent incidents.
Mr Yiadom advised importers to pay up their tax obligations to enable them to be in good standing with the IRS to qualify to be fed into the GCNet system and be updated periodically.
He announced that those who qualified would be exempted from payment of one per cent on the value of goods imported.
Mr Yiadom explained that the criteria used to determine a taxpayer in good standing with the service included being registered with the Service, and regular filing of personal or company tax returns.
He was of the view that for any port to attract vessels and imports in significant quantities, the turnaround time of that port must be low and the Internal Revenue Service was therefore making all efforts to remove all delays at the entry points.
Mr Patrick Danso of the Management of Information Technology Unit of the Internal Revenue Service cautioned importers, freight forwarders and shipping companies to always demand their tax assessments for the year and not wait for them to be sent to them.
This, he felt, would quicken the pace of processes to enable them to know their status.
Many of the freight forwarders and the importers complained about high tax assessment.
The Councillor of the Ghana Institute of Freight forwarders, Mr Carlors Ahenkorah, called on the IRS to categorise the clearing and shipping agents and asses them on their merit.
Mr Ahenkorah urged the IRS to include the GIFF in their future plans to enable them to give inputs that would help in making well informed decisions, because they were the people who worked there directly at the points and knew the problems.
Under the new system, issuance of Income Tax receipts will no more be operational at the port and the banks will issue their receipts on line in place of the present IRS140B system.
Mr Yiadom was addressing representatives of importers, freight forwarders and shipping companies at a forum in Tema on Monday to introduce to them a new system of operation and the integration of one-per cent withholding tax payment at the ports, borders and entry points and channelling it into the GCNet collection system.
He noted that abuses identified in the old system due to high level of manipulation included clearance of goods with fake tax clearance certificates, forged documents and fake tax receipts.
Mr Yiadom explained that the service introduced an administrative directive in 2001 allowing first time importers to pay one per cent on value of goods as tax to correct the situation but it could not eliminate the fraudulent activities at the revenue collecting points.
He said the Service had, as a result, decided to get hooked to the GCNet and the Ghana Customs Monitoring System (GCMS) at all entry points, where the GCNet/GCMS systems operated, in order to run on a system without any human limitations.
Mr Yiadom said the IRS expected to increase further its revenue collection and also enhance its operations by removing human delays and winding processing of clearance documents.
He said under the new system, IRS and CEPS would be partners in removing fraud and facilitate trade, noting that there were many cases of fraud and forgery of tax documents pending at the courts.
Mr Yiadom said the seriousness of the situation had necessitated the introduction of the new system by the service to curb those fraudulent incidents.
Mr Yiadom advised importers to pay up their tax obligations to enable them to be in good standing with the IRS to qualify to be fed into the GCNet system and be updated periodically.
He announced that those who qualified would be exempted from payment of one per cent on the value of goods imported.
Mr Yiadom explained that the criteria used to determine a taxpayer in good standing with the service included being registered with the Service, and regular filing of personal or company tax returns.
He was of the view that for any port to attract vessels and imports in significant quantities, the turnaround time of that port must be low and the Internal Revenue Service was therefore making all efforts to remove all delays at the entry points.
Mr Patrick Danso of the Management of Information Technology Unit of the Internal Revenue Service cautioned importers, freight forwarders and shipping companies to always demand their tax assessments for the year and not wait for them to be sent to them.
This, he felt, would quicken the pace of processes to enable them to know their status.
Many of the freight forwarders and the importers complained about high tax assessment.
The Councillor of the Ghana Institute of Freight forwarders, Mr Carlors Ahenkorah, called on the IRS to categorise the clearing and shipping agents and asses them on their merit.
Mr Ahenkorah urged the IRS to include the GIFF in their future plans to enable them to give inputs that would help in making well informed decisions, because they were the people who worked there directly at the points and knew the problems.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
GOOD CATCH FOR TEMA FISHERMEN (SPREAD)
Fishermen in Tema yesterday made some modest gains at sea and described the situation as encouraging signs that things were changing for the better after a long period of poor harvest.
They landed average size herrings and salmon, among other species and wished that it continued to enable them to have a good season.
Fish mongers were busy bargaining for the fish while the fishermen dragged away their net for drying, when the Daily Graphic visited the canoe beach at the Tema Fishing Harbour.
The Chief Fisherman, Nii Armah Kwei, told the news team that each canoe had at least 100 crates of fish.
He, however, declined to comment on whether their gains had anything to do with a reduction in the practice of pair trawling by bigger vessels. He, however, said the leadership of the fishermen were meeting with officials of the Ministry of Fisheries over certain pertinent issues concerning the sector. He noted that the fishermen had already had series of meetings with the ministry and expressed the hope that the response would yield positive results for the sector.
Interviews conducted by the Daily Graphic revealed that over the past four years, the fishing season had been lean and then with occasional good harvest that lasted for only a short while.
Those interviewed felt the big vessels were withdrawing from their activities, which hindered the work of the local fishermen, and refuted the allegation that they used light at sea.
The fishmongers rushed for the fish and were optimistic that the cost of fish would come down, if the season continued as it did yesterday. In an earlier chat with an elder at the fishing harbour, Attah Anum Gbegbemi, he said there were more than 500 canoes at the beach.
He said they had for the past four years not had any constant catch at the canoe beach and blamed it on pair trawling and use of light in fishing.
Nii Gbegbemi claimed that the introduction of scientific fishing methods would need time to catch up with the indigenous fishermen because they had the expertise in local fishing.
For the first time in a long while, plastic crates were found filled with fish for sale to the fishmongers.
They landed average size herrings and salmon, among other species and wished that it continued to enable them to have a good season.
Fish mongers were busy bargaining for the fish while the fishermen dragged away their net for drying, when the Daily Graphic visited the canoe beach at the Tema Fishing Harbour.
The Chief Fisherman, Nii Armah Kwei, told the news team that each canoe had at least 100 crates of fish.
He, however, declined to comment on whether their gains had anything to do with a reduction in the practice of pair trawling by bigger vessels. He, however, said the leadership of the fishermen were meeting with officials of the Ministry of Fisheries over certain pertinent issues concerning the sector. He noted that the fishermen had already had series of meetings with the ministry and expressed the hope that the response would yield positive results for the sector.
Interviews conducted by the Daily Graphic revealed that over the past four years, the fishing season had been lean and then with occasional good harvest that lasted for only a short while.
Those interviewed felt the big vessels were withdrawing from their activities, which hindered the work of the local fishermen, and refuted the allegation that they used light at sea.
The fishmongers rushed for the fish and were optimistic that the cost of fish would come down, if the season continued as it did yesterday. In an earlier chat with an elder at the fishing harbour, Attah Anum Gbegbemi, he said there were more than 500 canoes at the beach.
He said they had for the past four years not had any constant catch at the canoe beach and blamed it on pair trawling and use of light in fishing.
Nii Gbegbemi claimed that the introduction of scientific fishing methods would need time to catch up with the indigenous fishermen because they had the expertise in local fishing.
For the first time in a long while, plastic crates were found filled with fish for sale to the fishmongers.
Monday, September 1, 2008
FIRE AT TEMA FISHING HARBOUR (PAGE 3)
FIRE destroyed 36 stalls and their wares at the Tema Fishing Harbour European Market last Saturday.
Property destroyed included fishing nets and accessories, personal belongings and alcoholic beverages with cost running into several thousands of Ghana cedis.
Also destroyed completely were the offices of Edwill Daily Savings (Susu) Enterprise, a susu savings company that serves the fishing community in Tema.
Some people were said to have suffered electric shocks during the accident while one victim was said to have collapsed but was later revived.
When the Daily Graphic visited the scene, people were desperately searching through the debris to recover what was left of their items.
The European Market situated across the street near Pioneer Food Cannery is a shed that the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority provided many years back for the sale of fish to consumers which now houses fuel depots, lorry parks, chop bars, drinking bars and garages.
According to the Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service in Tema, Mr Prince Billy Anaglate, at about 1.00 a.m. on Saturday, a distress call announcing the fire outbreak was made to the fire station.
He said when the team of firemen arrived at the scene, the fire was very intense and, therefore, the Electricity Company of Ghana was contacted to turn off power serving the area.
Mr Anaglate said the National Fire Service was assisted by the Ports and Harbours Authority Fire Service and said it took the firemen two hours to bring the fire under control.
Mr Anaglate said the real cause of the fire was under investigation but said a lit mosquito coil was suspected to have contributed to the fire.
Property destroyed included fishing nets and accessories, personal belongings and alcoholic beverages with cost running into several thousands of Ghana cedis.
Also destroyed completely were the offices of Edwill Daily Savings (Susu) Enterprise, a susu savings company that serves the fishing community in Tema.
Some people were said to have suffered electric shocks during the accident while one victim was said to have collapsed but was later revived.
When the Daily Graphic visited the scene, people were desperately searching through the debris to recover what was left of their items.
The European Market situated across the street near Pioneer Food Cannery is a shed that the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority provided many years back for the sale of fish to consumers which now houses fuel depots, lorry parks, chop bars, drinking bars and garages.
According to the Regional Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service in Tema, Mr Prince Billy Anaglate, at about 1.00 a.m. on Saturday, a distress call announcing the fire outbreak was made to the fire station.
He said when the team of firemen arrived at the scene, the fire was very intense and, therefore, the Electricity Company of Ghana was contacted to turn off power serving the area.
Mr Anaglate said the National Fire Service was assisted by the Ports and Harbours Authority Fire Service and said it took the firemen two hours to bring the fire under control.
Mr Anaglate said the real cause of the fire was under investigation but said a lit mosquito coil was suspected to have contributed to the fire.
Monday, August 25, 2008
TEMA METRO ASSEMBLY SUPPORTS NEEDY STUDENTS (PAGE 17)
THE Tema Metropolitan Assembly has awarded scholarships to 40 brilliant, needy students to cover the period of study in second-cycle institutions of their choice in the country.
This is the fourth batch of students to be awarded scholarships since its introduction in 2005. By 2007, the assembly had spent a total of GH¢ 98,629.98 on the scholarship programme.
The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr David Quaye Annang, explained that the primary objective of the TMA annual scholarship award scheme was to give the brilliant, needy students the opportunity to develop their potential to the fullest.
He noted that the government recognised that every child was important and therefore should not be deprived of their education because of poverty.
Mr Annang urged the recipients to be disciplined and study hard or stand the risk of losing the support because there were other qualified pupils on the waiting list.
He said some parents had taken advantage of the government’s decision to absorb school fees of basic and senior high schools to shirk their responsibilities towards their children in school.
Mr Annang said some children went to school in tattered school uniforms and without pens while others were kept at home to trade or farm.
Mr Annang said the introduction of the School Feeding Programme had seen significant improvement in school enrolment.
Since its inception till the end of May 2008, the government had spent about GH¢1.2 million in the Tema metropolis.
The Metropolitan Director of Education, Mrs Victoria Opoku, commended the assembly for the efforts it was putting in to make education attractive to people in the metropolis.
Mrs Opoku noted that to qualify for the award, the child needed to be brilliant and needy and cautioned that the scholarship would be withdrawn in the event of poor performance.
She reminded them of how some children could not continue their education because of poverty and therefore urged them to ensure that they guarded against things that would affect their studies.
Mrs Opoku asked the assembly to increase the number of beneficiaries of the scheme to cover as many children as possible.
She pointed out that the nation needed development and said that could only be achieved through education.
This is the fourth batch of students to be awarded scholarships since its introduction in 2005. By 2007, the assembly had spent a total of GH¢ 98,629.98 on the scholarship programme.
The Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr David Quaye Annang, explained that the primary objective of the TMA annual scholarship award scheme was to give the brilliant, needy students the opportunity to develop their potential to the fullest.
He noted that the government recognised that every child was important and therefore should not be deprived of their education because of poverty.
Mr Annang urged the recipients to be disciplined and study hard or stand the risk of losing the support because there were other qualified pupils on the waiting list.
He said some parents had taken advantage of the government’s decision to absorb school fees of basic and senior high schools to shirk their responsibilities towards their children in school.
Mr Annang said some children went to school in tattered school uniforms and without pens while others were kept at home to trade or farm.
Mr Annang said the introduction of the School Feeding Programme had seen significant improvement in school enrolment.
Since its inception till the end of May 2008, the government had spent about GH¢1.2 million in the Tema metropolis.
The Metropolitan Director of Education, Mrs Victoria Opoku, commended the assembly for the efforts it was putting in to make education attractive to people in the metropolis.
Mrs Opoku noted that to qualify for the award, the child needed to be brilliant and needy and cautioned that the scholarship would be withdrawn in the event of poor performance.
She reminded them of how some children could not continue their education because of poverty and therefore urged them to ensure that they guarded against things that would affect their studies.
Mrs Opoku asked the assembly to increase the number of beneficiaries of the scheme to cover as many children as possible.
She pointed out that the nation needed development and said that could only be achieved through education.
Friday, August 22, 2008
NDUOM COMMENDS GOVT FOR REVAMPING VALCO (PAGE 14)
The flag bearer of the Convention People’s Party, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, has commended the government of Ghana for the efforts put in to retain and revamp the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO ) as an economic entity for the country.
He said “though I am in opposition , I support the government’s efforts, which confirms that Ghanaians could manage their own affairs”.
Dr Nduom made the remarks when he visited the plant to ascertain the status of the machinery and difficulties being encountered by the management of VALCO, to enable the party to position itself to assist if voted into power in the December 2008 general election. He said the CPP was very confident in winning power and therefore would not wait but take steps to prepare for the task ahead.
The flag bearer said VALCO was Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s vision and was built under the CPP government and therefore he had interest in it to ensure it did not go to waste.
Dr Nduom, who was shown round the plant by the Managing Director of VALCO, Mr Emmanuel Lartey, inspected various sections and observed some work being done in the plant.
He commended the management for modernising the equipment and infrastructure to ensure a smooth take-off.
Dr Nduom observed that VALCO was capable of producing 99.9 per cent pure aluminium for export because the country had the requisite raw materials to feed the plant.
He gave the assurance that if voted into power the CPP would give all the needed assistance to VALCO to ensure vibrancy in its operations to enable it to beef up the economic growth of the country.
Dr Nduom urged the management of VALCO to take advantage of the oil find to make it a gain and not a curse as was being speculated by some people.
He stated that the company must create meaningful jobs for the youth in and around Tema to reduce unemployment in the system.
Dr Nduom appealed to workers and the management of the company to put in their best to make VALCO one of the leading aluminium companies in the world.
The Managing Director said VALCO was ready to start operations and gave the assurance that it would be capable of competing with other world aluminium companies.
He explained that the company had computerised most of its systems and were under strict supervision.
Mr Lartey said some of the company’s youthful staff had been introduced to the systems and were currently undergoing training in how to handle and operate the computerised systems.
He stated that VALCO did not compromise on safety and therefore ensured that regulations were adhered to strictly.
Mr Lartey did not state when the plant would start but said the plant had been positioned ready to start work.
Some workers were, however, found busily going through the process of producing aluminium ingots when the flag bearer toured the plant.
He said bauxite would be mined locally to feed the plant and this would make VALCO an integrated aluminium production company.
Mr Lartey expressed the gratitude of the management to the CPP and its flag bearer for the interest they had shown in the operations of the company.
Dr Nduom was accompanied by the party’s Campaign Strategist, Mr David Ampofo, and the Tema East CPP parliamentary candidate, Mr Richter Nii Armaah.
He said “though I am in opposition , I support the government’s efforts, which confirms that Ghanaians could manage their own affairs”.
Dr Nduom made the remarks when he visited the plant to ascertain the status of the machinery and difficulties being encountered by the management of VALCO, to enable the party to position itself to assist if voted into power in the December 2008 general election. He said the CPP was very confident in winning power and therefore would not wait but take steps to prepare for the task ahead.
The flag bearer said VALCO was Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s vision and was built under the CPP government and therefore he had interest in it to ensure it did not go to waste.
Dr Nduom, who was shown round the plant by the Managing Director of VALCO, Mr Emmanuel Lartey, inspected various sections and observed some work being done in the plant.
He commended the management for modernising the equipment and infrastructure to ensure a smooth take-off.
Dr Nduom observed that VALCO was capable of producing 99.9 per cent pure aluminium for export because the country had the requisite raw materials to feed the plant.
He gave the assurance that if voted into power the CPP would give all the needed assistance to VALCO to ensure vibrancy in its operations to enable it to beef up the economic growth of the country.
Dr Nduom urged the management of VALCO to take advantage of the oil find to make it a gain and not a curse as was being speculated by some people.
He stated that the company must create meaningful jobs for the youth in and around Tema to reduce unemployment in the system.
Dr Nduom appealed to workers and the management of the company to put in their best to make VALCO one of the leading aluminium companies in the world.
The Managing Director said VALCO was ready to start operations and gave the assurance that it would be capable of competing with other world aluminium companies.
He explained that the company had computerised most of its systems and were under strict supervision.
Mr Lartey said some of the company’s youthful staff had been introduced to the systems and were currently undergoing training in how to handle and operate the computerised systems.
He stated that VALCO did not compromise on safety and therefore ensured that regulations were adhered to strictly.
Mr Lartey did not state when the plant would start but said the plant had been positioned ready to start work.
Some workers were, however, found busily going through the process of producing aluminium ingots when the flag bearer toured the plant.
He said bauxite would be mined locally to feed the plant and this would make VALCO an integrated aluminium production company.
Mr Lartey expressed the gratitude of the management to the CPP and its flag bearer for the interest they had shown in the operations of the company.
Dr Nduom was accompanied by the party’s Campaign Strategist, Mr David Ampofo, and the Tema East CPP parliamentary candidate, Mr Richter Nii Armaah.
WOMEN MUST HELP JUST SOCIETY (PAGE 13)
THE Tema Metropolitan Director of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Ebenezer Tetteh–Wayo, has urged women to advise the youth to desist from any act that would cause violence before, during and after the elections.
This, he said, was the surest way to ensure good governance and build a just society.
He was addressing about 1000 women drawn from the 44 parishes in the Accra Archdioces of the Catholic Church Christian Mothers Association at the close of their annual four-day conference at Tema, to asses the challenges and responsibilities of women in society.
The conference had as its theme ‘Sustaining Christian Mothers’ Association, the individual Mother’s Role ’.
Mr Ebenezer Tetteh–Wayo, who took the women through challenges of women’s participation in governance in election 2008 called on them to ensure a true, free, fair and transparent election as their role in the democratic dispensation of the nation.
He observed that although women had demonstrated considerable leadership qualities in several public and private services, they were still under-represented in leadership positions in the country.
He said in effect political decision making and leadership positions continued to remain the domain of men.
Mr Tetteh noted that it had further relegated women to the background in almost every endeavour.
He noted that the 1998 affirmative action policy provided for a 40-per cent quota of women’s representation on all government and public boards, commissions, councils, including the Cabinet and the Council of State but this had been a failure, creating a vacuum which seems to have no long term strategic framework for women.
Mr Tetteh-Wayo challenged them to prove wrong those who thought that the country lacked eminent women who could sit up to the time.
He said history had shown that women’s participation in politics started dwindling from the First Republic in 1960.
Mr Tetteh-Wayo expressed regret that with four months away for Ghanaians to go to the polls to elect a President and 230 parliamentarians, women had shown low participation in decision making again.
He said the alarming situation was that six out of 25 women in the current Parliament were not contesting in the forthcoming elections while their slots had been filled by males.
Mr Tetteh–Wayo called on women and civil society organisation and gender activists to come out with a collective programme on women to ensure that issues of gender quality and women empowerment did not remain only in books and on shelves but should become realities that would transform their lives in society.
He challenged women to act to become effective in the political arena, calling on political parties to implement a quota system as a means of having more women in politics.
Mr Tetteh-Wayo also appealed for the appointment of more women to positions in successive governments to reflect the government’s commitment to bridging the gender gap through a 50/50 policy.
On the forthcoming elections and successive ones , Mr Tetteh- Wayo said the need for peace was fundamental, critical and crucial to the continued growth and expansion of the democratic process.
He explained that the call on women to advise children to desist from any act that would cause violence would help shape the direction of the nation’s politics.
The President of the association, Mrs Augustina Arthur, appealed to members to exhibit good leadership and be responsible role models to the youth. There were goodwill messages from other associations within the Catholic Church.
This, he said, was the surest way to ensure good governance and build a just society.
He was addressing about 1000 women drawn from the 44 parishes in the Accra Archdioces of the Catholic Church Christian Mothers Association at the close of their annual four-day conference at Tema, to asses the challenges and responsibilities of women in society.
The conference had as its theme ‘Sustaining Christian Mothers’ Association, the individual Mother’s Role ’.
Mr Ebenezer Tetteh–Wayo, who took the women through challenges of women’s participation in governance in election 2008 called on them to ensure a true, free, fair and transparent election as their role in the democratic dispensation of the nation.
He observed that although women had demonstrated considerable leadership qualities in several public and private services, they were still under-represented in leadership positions in the country.
He said in effect political decision making and leadership positions continued to remain the domain of men.
Mr Tetteh noted that it had further relegated women to the background in almost every endeavour.
He noted that the 1998 affirmative action policy provided for a 40-per cent quota of women’s representation on all government and public boards, commissions, councils, including the Cabinet and the Council of State but this had been a failure, creating a vacuum which seems to have no long term strategic framework for women.
Mr Tetteh-Wayo challenged them to prove wrong those who thought that the country lacked eminent women who could sit up to the time.
He said history had shown that women’s participation in politics started dwindling from the First Republic in 1960.
Mr Tetteh-Wayo expressed regret that with four months away for Ghanaians to go to the polls to elect a President and 230 parliamentarians, women had shown low participation in decision making again.
He said the alarming situation was that six out of 25 women in the current Parliament were not contesting in the forthcoming elections while their slots had been filled by males.
Mr Tetteh–Wayo called on women and civil society organisation and gender activists to come out with a collective programme on women to ensure that issues of gender quality and women empowerment did not remain only in books and on shelves but should become realities that would transform their lives in society.
He challenged women to act to become effective in the political arena, calling on political parties to implement a quota system as a means of having more women in politics.
Mr Tetteh-Wayo also appealed for the appointment of more women to positions in successive governments to reflect the government’s commitment to bridging the gender gap through a 50/50 policy.
On the forthcoming elections and successive ones , Mr Tetteh- Wayo said the need for peace was fundamental, critical and crucial to the continued growth and expansion of the democratic process.
He explained that the call on women to advise children to desist from any act that would cause violence would help shape the direction of the nation’s politics.
The President of the association, Mrs Augustina Arthur, appealed to members to exhibit good leadership and be responsible role models to the youth. There were goodwill messages from other associations within the Catholic Church.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
3 SUSPECTED ROBBERS NABBED (PAGE 34)
The vigilance and support of a good Samaritan has led to the arrest of three suspected armed robbers who allegedly raided the Sunlight Engineering Company, dealers in roofing sheets at the Tema Light Industrial area, and made away with an unspecified amount of money at gunpoint.
A fourth suspect managed to escape arrest.
The three, Romeo Kpodo, 27, Sylvanus Sefa Agble, 29, and Ibrahim Abubakar, 22, drove an unregistered Peugeot 405 saloon car and had exhibits of 24 wrapped substances suspected to be cocaine, a laptop, a Samsung camera and one G3 rifle on the car.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the arrest, the Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Olivia Turkson, said on August 14, 2008 at about 3p.m., four armed men went to the Sunlight Engineering Company under the pretext of purchasing some items.
She said on entering the customer services section, the four men ordered workers and some clients there at gunpoint to lie down or be shot.
Inspector Turkson said the robbers searched and collected unspecified amount of money and four mobile phones from the workers and clients.
She said the suspected robbers then entered the manager’s office and demanded that he opened his safe but he claimed there was no safe but a drawer so they opened it and collected GH¢2,000.
Inspector Turkson said whilst the robbers were conducting their operation, one of the workers managed to sneak out, scaled the wall and went to the Motorway roundabout to alert some police personnel who were on official duties there about the robbery.
Inspector Turkson said a good Samaritan assisted to drive the policemen who had no official vehicle to the scene, and on sensing danger the robbers sped off.
However, the good Samaritan gave them a hot chase till the car driven by the robbers got stuck in a muddy road near the Mac Baron Distilleries.
She said the robbers started firing at the police and the good Samaritan, who fortunately had a licensed rifle, with which he returned fire.
Inspector Turkson said the shoot-out went on for sometime until two of the robbers, Kpodo and Agble, were overpowered, arrested and sent to the police station.
She said about one and a half hours later some people who took it upon themselves to search for the remaining two suspected robbers got Abubakar, who was severely beaten before being sent to the police station .
Inspector Turkson said a search on the black unregistered Peugeot saloon car they were driving revealed the 24 wrapped pieces of cocaine, a G3 rifle, a laptop and a Samsung camera.
Inspector Turkson said the mobile phones and the unspecified amount of money could not be retrieved.
She said the three had been processed and would be put before court.
A fourth suspect managed to escape arrest.
The three, Romeo Kpodo, 27, Sylvanus Sefa Agble, 29, and Ibrahim Abubakar, 22, drove an unregistered Peugeot 405 saloon car and had exhibits of 24 wrapped substances suspected to be cocaine, a laptop, a Samsung camera and one G3 rifle on the car.
Briefing the Daily Graphic on the arrest, the Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Olivia Turkson, said on August 14, 2008 at about 3p.m., four armed men went to the Sunlight Engineering Company under the pretext of purchasing some items.
She said on entering the customer services section, the four men ordered workers and some clients there at gunpoint to lie down or be shot.
Inspector Turkson said the robbers searched and collected unspecified amount of money and four mobile phones from the workers and clients.
She said the suspected robbers then entered the manager’s office and demanded that he opened his safe but he claimed there was no safe but a drawer so they opened it and collected GH¢2,000.
Inspector Turkson said whilst the robbers were conducting their operation, one of the workers managed to sneak out, scaled the wall and went to the Motorway roundabout to alert some police personnel who were on official duties there about the robbery.
Inspector Turkson said a good Samaritan assisted to drive the policemen who had no official vehicle to the scene, and on sensing danger the robbers sped off.
However, the good Samaritan gave them a hot chase till the car driven by the robbers got stuck in a muddy road near the Mac Baron Distilleries.
She said the robbers started firing at the police and the good Samaritan, who fortunately had a licensed rifle, with which he returned fire.
Inspector Turkson said the shoot-out went on for sometime until two of the robbers, Kpodo and Agble, were overpowered, arrested and sent to the police station.
She said about one and a half hours later some people who took it upon themselves to search for the remaining two suspected robbers got Abubakar, who was severely beaten before being sent to the police station .
Inspector Turkson said a search on the black unregistered Peugeot saloon car they were driving revealed the 24 wrapped pieces of cocaine, a G3 rifle, a laptop and a Samsung camera.
Inspector Turkson said the mobile phones and the unspecified amount of money could not be retrieved.
She said the three had been processed and would be put before court.
'PROBE AFFAIRS AT MOZANO HEADQUARTERS (PAGE 34)
Members of the Musama Disco Christo Church have appealed to the government to set up an investigative machinery to probe events that have led to some unfathomable harassment of church members at Mozano in the Central Region by some public officials.
They also called for investigations into the affairs of the church’s headquarters at Mozano.
At a press conference in Tema, the concerned members declared that all legal issues had been cleared and in March 2006 the Agona Swedru High Court ruled to affirm a decision of the Executive Committee of the church to dismiss Miritaiah Jonah Jehu–Appiah as the Akaboha III of the church.
The court also declared Miritaiah’s mother, Mathabinaih Jehu–Appiah as not having any administrative or executive powers to become the leader of the church.
Addressing the press conference, a member of the church, Mr Frank Acquah, on behalf of the entire membership of the church, explained that the church, founded in 1922, had practised a monarchial system of government with its leader referred to as Akaboha.
He told the press conference, which had representatives from all the regions, that in November 2002 a report carried by a newspaper implied that the Akaboha III had allegedly engaged in a scandalous act that tarnished the image of the church.
Mr Acquah stated that as a result the executive committee of the church set up a committee to investigate the allegations and in the interim suspended the Akaboha III from office.
He said the church set up a three-man interim management committee (IMC ) made up of the most senior officers who worked with the Akaboha III over the years.
Mr Acquah said they were the Senior Superintendent Minister, the Superintendent Prophet and the Abusuapanyin of the church.
He said some had misrepresented the actions of the church and claimed ‘the church was bequeathed to the Akaboha III by his father as his personal property”, adding that “he was above scrutiny, reproach or the law”.
Mr Acquah said the executive of the church held a contrary view and did not accept that the church was the property of any individual under which circumstances he noted the church decided not to condone reprehensive behaviour or to support a leader who refused to submit himself to legitimate investigations.
He indicated that this decision by the church led to Akaboha III’s “alleged manipulative factionalising” within the church and its resultant confusion.
Mr Acquah said the Musama Disco Christo Church remained one entity and would not permit any opposing factions to exist in it.
He cautioned all persons who out of misinformation used their positions to obstruct directives to rather help to bring meaningful changes in the church. Mr Acquah alleged that some public officials had turned against the church and were unable to tolerate the church and its current leadership.
He claimed that influence of followers of the dismissed leader seemed to wield over some public officers especially the police and therefore appealed to them to adhere to fundamental principles of justice and reason with them.
Mr Acquah called for peace to prevail and urged the police to desist from deploying several armed policemen to the Musama community, which had about 500 residents.
Documents that accompanied the petition to the Inspector General of Police and judgements in the case at the Agona Swedru High Court, which set the records straight, were circulated at the press conference.
They also called for investigations into the affairs of the church’s headquarters at Mozano.
At a press conference in Tema, the concerned members declared that all legal issues had been cleared and in March 2006 the Agona Swedru High Court ruled to affirm a decision of the Executive Committee of the church to dismiss Miritaiah Jonah Jehu–Appiah as the Akaboha III of the church.
The court also declared Miritaiah’s mother, Mathabinaih Jehu–Appiah as not having any administrative or executive powers to become the leader of the church.
Addressing the press conference, a member of the church, Mr Frank Acquah, on behalf of the entire membership of the church, explained that the church, founded in 1922, had practised a monarchial system of government with its leader referred to as Akaboha.
He told the press conference, which had representatives from all the regions, that in November 2002 a report carried by a newspaper implied that the Akaboha III had allegedly engaged in a scandalous act that tarnished the image of the church.
Mr Acquah stated that as a result the executive committee of the church set up a committee to investigate the allegations and in the interim suspended the Akaboha III from office.
He said the church set up a three-man interim management committee (IMC ) made up of the most senior officers who worked with the Akaboha III over the years.
Mr Acquah said they were the Senior Superintendent Minister, the Superintendent Prophet and the Abusuapanyin of the church.
He said some had misrepresented the actions of the church and claimed ‘the church was bequeathed to the Akaboha III by his father as his personal property”, adding that “he was above scrutiny, reproach or the law”.
Mr Acquah said the executive of the church held a contrary view and did not accept that the church was the property of any individual under which circumstances he noted the church decided not to condone reprehensive behaviour or to support a leader who refused to submit himself to legitimate investigations.
He indicated that this decision by the church led to Akaboha III’s “alleged manipulative factionalising” within the church and its resultant confusion.
Mr Acquah said the Musama Disco Christo Church remained one entity and would not permit any opposing factions to exist in it.
He cautioned all persons who out of misinformation used their positions to obstruct directives to rather help to bring meaningful changes in the church. Mr Acquah alleged that some public officials had turned against the church and were unable to tolerate the church and its current leadership.
He claimed that influence of followers of the dismissed leader seemed to wield over some public officers especially the police and therefore appealed to them to adhere to fundamental principles of justice and reason with them.
Mr Acquah called for peace to prevail and urged the police to desist from deploying several armed policemen to the Musama community, which had about 500 residents.
Documents that accompanied the petition to the Inspector General of Police and judgements in the case at the Agona Swedru High Court, which set the records straight, were circulated at the press conference.
Monday, August 18, 2008
MAKE EDUCATION A PRIORITY — PARENTS URGED (PAGE 17)
THE Great Counsellor Preparatory and Junior High School at Adjei Kojo, near Ashaiman, has held its maiden graduation and speech and prize-giving day with a call on parents to make education their priority.
The school, which was established in 2000 with 24 pupils, now has about 400 pupils and is ensuring that education is made affordable to parents, considering its location.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Alpha Awuni Asibi, said the school had achieved some successes within the short period of its existence through hard work, self-motivation, discipline and devotion on the part of teachers and directors of the institution.
He said in 2007 pioneers of the school recorded 99 per cent distinction and one per cent excellence during the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Mr Asibi noted that the school’s achievement was not limited to academics and that the school had won many other enviable laurels including 100 and 200-metre races at the recent inter-school festival in the region that was organised by the Ghana National Association of Private Schools.
He commended parents for the prompt payment of school fees, which had encouraged the directors to provide well-equipped school facilities and appealed to them to assist the institution to prepare a good environment to make the frontage accessible.
Mr Asibi explained that the external area of the school was waterlogged and had continued to breed mosquitoes, which created an unhealthy environment for the school.
He regretted that the situation had become a source of concern to the school authorities and efforts were being made to provide a drainage.
A parent, Mr Saddique Boateng, who chaired the function, appealed to parents to ensure that children acquired the habit of reading to improve their language and broaden their knowledge.
He commended the management of Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) for producing Junior Graphic, which had greatly helped the schoolchildren in their studies.
Mr Boateng urged the GCGL to continue to render that service to children and urged parents to encourage their children to read the Junior Graphic.
He said misunderstandings at home had negative effects on children and therefore called on parents to ensure peace at home.
The Proprietor/Director of the school, Mr Patrick Sakpiti, decorated pupils who were moving from the preparatory to the primary and from the primary to the junior high school levels.
The programme was interspersed with interesting southern and northern cultural drumming and dancing by the pupils.
The school, which was established in 2000 with 24 pupils, now has about 400 pupils and is ensuring that education is made affordable to parents, considering its location.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Alpha Awuni Asibi, said the school had achieved some successes within the short period of its existence through hard work, self-motivation, discipline and devotion on the part of teachers and directors of the institution.
He said in 2007 pioneers of the school recorded 99 per cent distinction and one per cent excellence during the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Mr Asibi noted that the school’s achievement was not limited to academics and that the school had won many other enviable laurels including 100 and 200-metre races at the recent inter-school festival in the region that was organised by the Ghana National Association of Private Schools.
He commended parents for the prompt payment of school fees, which had encouraged the directors to provide well-equipped school facilities and appealed to them to assist the institution to prepare a good environment to make the frontage accessible.
Mr Asibi explained that the external area of the school was waterlogged and had continued to breed mosquitoes, which created an unhealthy environment for the school.
He regretted that the situation had become a source of concern to the school authorities and efforts were being made to provide a drainage.
A parent, Mr Saddique Boateng, who chaired the function, appealed to parents to ensure that children acquired the habit of reading to improve their language and broaden their knowledge.
He commended the management of Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) for producing Junior Graphic, which had greatly helped the schoolchildren in their studies.
Mr Boateng urged the GCGL to continue to render that service to children and urged parents to encourage their children to read the Junior Graphic.
He said misunderstandings at home had negative effects on children and therefore called on parents to ensure peace at home.
The Proprietor/Director of the school, Mr Patrick Sakpiti, decorated pupils who were moving from the preparatory to the primary and from the primary to the junior high school levels.
The programme was interspersed with interesting southern and northern cultural drumming and dancing by the pupils.
Monday, August 11, 2008
TEMA CHIEFS, PEOPLE MARK 'HOMOWO' (PAGE 20)
THE Chiefs, Elders and people of Tema celebrated their annual Homowo festival on Saturday.
The festival, which was described as tension-free for the first time in many years, was highly patronised by the natives, other residents and others from other parts of the country.
It was celebrated amidst the sprinkling of the traditional food, Kpoikpoi, in the Manhean township, singing, dancing and firing of musketry.
Tema Manhean was all red as the people were clad in red to signify the war against hunger and the seriousness with which they fought against it.
Chiefs, elders and people from the Tema divisional stool areas, made up of Kubekro , Sasabi, Adjei Kojo, Adegon, Ashaiman, Zenu and Sakumono, paid homage to the Tema Mantse Nii Adjei Kraku II, and provided drinks and cash to support the festival.
There were stool elders from Winneba and Gbugblan Ablewonkor, who also paid homage to the Tema Stool and extended traditional greetings from their traditional councils to the chiefs and people of Tema.
Nii Adjei Kraku expressed his appreciation for the support given by the people of Tema and beyond, noting that peace was the most important ingredient in the development of the people.
He called on the people of Tema to unite and eliminate all unhealthy situations to forge ahead for development in peace.
He appealed to citizens to take advantage of the free education and send their children to school.
He was of the view that education formed the basis of civilisation, understanding and vision for development.
The chief noted that after almost 50 years of their re-settlement in the Manhean township to pave the way for the construction of the harbour and a modern township in 1959, there had been some improvement in the lives of the people but said a lot needed to be done.
He explained that the people had access to landing beaches and were not disturbed at sea before they were re-settled, noting that unfortunately, all these rights had been taken away from them.
Nii Adjei Kraku said bigger foreign vessels had been introduced in the fishing industry and they had succeeded in bullying and over-shadowing the small boats at sea, noting that the boats were the only means the indigenous people had and so life had become difficult for them to cope with.
He said also that since the beaches were developed into the harbour, the fisherfolks could hardly have places to even mend their nets.
He appealed to the government to consider the plight of the people of Tema Manhean and extend some support in the form of loans to enable them to purchase bigger boats for their business.
He said the Traditional Council had plans to start some development projects in Manhean, including a market, to satisfy the needs of the citizens.
On Elections Nii Adjei Kraku congratulated the people of Tema Manhean on not fomenting any troubles during the registration period and urged them to continue to be law-abiding.
He appealed to politicians to see themselves as Ghanaians more than their interests and therefore polish their language to preach peace rather than fire.
He observed that some utterances could disorganise the country and thwart government efforts at building a just society and therefore called on them to change their attitudes for the best.
Nii Adjei Kraku appealed for support for the Tema General Hospital, which, he said, needed to be given a modern outlook.
Presently, the mortuary at the hospital, he said, could not function well and that the space provided for out-patients could not contain the ever-increasing number of patients.
He said the Ministry of Health must include the Tema General Hospital on its list of health centres which needed help because of its strategic position and support to the nation as a whole .
As part of the line-up of activities marking the celebration, Nii Adjei Kraku on Sunday visited all the 22 clan houses in Tema Manhean to greet the elders and present gifts to them to wish them long life , peace and untiy.
Football matches were scheduled for the youth of 21 clan houses and the winner will lift a trophy donated by the Tema East Convention People People (CPP) parliamentary candidate, Mr Richter Armaah.
The festival, which was described as tension-free for the first time in many years, was highly patronised by the natives, other residents and others from other parts of the country.
It was celebrated amidst the sprinkling of the traditional food, Kpoikpoi, in the Manhean township, singing, dancing and firing of musketry.
Tema Manhean was all red as the people were clad in red to signify the war against hunger and the seriousness with which they fought against it.
Chiefs, elders and people from the Tema divisional stool areas, made up of Kubekro , Sasabi, Adjei Kojo, Adegon, Ashaiman, Zenu and Sakumono, paid homage to the Tema Mantse Nii Adjei Kraku II, and provided drinks and cash to support the festival.
There were stool elders from Winneba and Gbugblan Ablewonkor, who also paid homage to the Tema Stool and extended traditional greetings from their traditional councils to the chiefs and people of Tema.
Nii Adjei Kraku expressed his appreciation for the support given by the people of Tema and beyond, noting that peace was the most important ingredient in the development of the people.
He called on the people of Tema to unite and eliminate all unhealthy situations to forge ahead for development in peace.
He appealed to citizens to take advantage of the free education and send their children to school.
He was of the view that education formed the basis of civilisation, understanding and vision for development.
The chief noted that after almost 50 years of their re-settlement in the Manhean township to pave the way for the construction of the harbour and a modern township in 1959, there had been some improvement in the lives of the people but said a lot needed to be done.
He explained that the people had access to landing beaches and were not disturbed at sea before they were re-settled, noting that unfortunately, all these rights had been taken away from them.
Nii Adjei Kraku said bigger foreign vessels had been introduced in the fishing industry and they had succeeded in bullying and over-shadowing the small boats at sea, noting that the boats were the only means the indigenous people had and so life had become difficult for them to cope with.
He said also that since the beaches were developed into the harbour, the fisherfolks could hardly have places to even mend their nets.
He appealed to the government to consider the plight of the people of Tema Manhean and extend some support in the form of loans to enable them to purchase bigger boats for their business.
He said the Traditional Council had plans to start some development projects in Manhean, including a market, to satisfy the needs of the citizens.
On Elections Nii Adjei Kraku congratulated the people of Tema Manhean on not fomenting any troubles during the registration period and urged them to continue to be law-abiding.
He appealed to politicians to see themselves as Ghanaians more than their interests and therefore polish their language to preach peace rather than fire.
He observed that some utterances could disorganise the country and thwart government efforts at building a just society and therefore called on them to change their attitudes for the best.
Nii Adjei Kraku appealed for support for the Tema General Hospital, which, he said, needed to be given a modern outlook.
Presently, the mortuary at the hospital, he said, could not function well and that the space provided for out-patients could not contain the ever-increasing number of patients.
He said the Ministry of Health must include the Tema General Hospital on its list of health centres which needed help because of its strategic position and support to the nation as a whole .
As part of the line-up of activities marking the celebration, Nii Adjei Kraku on Sunday visited all the 22 clan houses in Tema Manhean to greet the elders and present gifts to them to wish them long life , peace and untiy.
Football matches were scheduled for the youth of 21 clan houses and the winner will lift a trophy donated by the Tema East Convention People People (CPP) parliamentary candidate, Mr Richter Armaah.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
ASHAIMAN MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY UNVEILS LOGO (PAGE 18)
The Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (ASHMA) has held a stakeholders forum at Ashaiman at which it unveiled a logo with the inscription ‘Unity, Patriotism and Development’ as the first step towards changing the image of the municipality.
The forum, which had as its theme 'Ashaiman Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow for Development in Unity', brought together a cross section of residents, made up of chiefs, queens, heads of departments, market women, youth groups, service commanders and corporate bodies.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Albert Boakye Okyere, in a welcome address, appealed to the Ashaiman community to help give the municipality a good name.
He explained that Ashaiman had been associated with negative things in the past, which gave it a negative image and stressed that it was high time this was reversed.
Mr Okyere said Ashaiman was rated the fifth most populous community in the country during the year 2000 population census, making it unique.
He commended the government for considering it necessary to raise the status to a municipality.
Mr Okyere said as a 'baby assembly', it needed a strong revenue base to meet its aspirations and therefore appealed to all stakeholders to make it possible for the assembly to collect as much revenue as possible to finance its development programmes.
He added that there were plans to make Ashaiman ‘a 24-hour city’ to utilise all available human and natural resources for the benefit of the people.
Mr Okyere continued that the plans included additional lorry parks, schools, upgrading health facilities from a centre into a hospital, a modern market, in addition to the existing one, a transport terminal and also beautification of the town’s central business district.
He observed that failure to enforce the assembly’s by-laws and regulations had set back the clock of development at Ashaiman, adding that proper planning and compliance with regulations and by-laws would enable the assembly to achieve its objectives.
Mr Okyere says the health of the people is very important, and that without good health there would be no healthy human resource to execute development programmes.
He reported that the assembly had tackled the issue of sanitation with all seriousness and cleared all heaps of refuse.
According to him, the assembly had entered into an agreement with an Italian firm to construct a refuse recycling plant. When this is done, it would help the municipality to avoid the social and economic repercussions.
Mr Okyere commended the security agencies for coming on top of the security challenges which came up recently.
He, however, expressed concern that the Ashaiman station of the Ghana National Fire Service lacked the requisite equipment such as a fire tender, and gave the assurance that the assembly had placed an order for one.
The Municipal Finance Officer, Mr Stephen Ofori Siaw, and Mr Edward Mba of the Adenta Municipal Solid Waste Management Department, delivered papers on the financial and waste management situations of ASHMA.
Mr Mba said the assembly would phase out the use of pan latrines. He said landlords must therefore provide tenants with good toilet facilities.
The Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Mr Alfred Agbesi, for his part, emphasised the need to accelerate development in the Ashaiman municipality and, therefore, called on the people to put behind them their political affiliations and work in concert for the growth of the municipality.
Mr Agbesi suggested that the assembly reconsiders the idea to privatise public toilets to generate some income to finance development programmes.
He said the municipality had 24 toilets in the year 2000, but the number had increased to 30 currently.
The Queen of Ashaiman, Naa Amui, assisted by a representative of the Ashaiman Stool, Isaac Nii Komey, as well as the Chief Executive, Mr Okyere, unveiled the logo.
The forum, which had as its theme 'Ashaiman Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow for Development in Unity', brought together a cross section of residents, made up of chiefs, queens, heads of departments, market women, youth groups, service commanders and corporate bodies.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Albert Boakye Okyere, in a welcome address, appealed to the Ashaiman community to help give the municipality a good name.
He explained that Ashaiman had been associated with negative things in the past, which gave it a negative image and stressed that it was high time this was reversed.
Mr Okyere said Ashaiman was rated the fifth most populous community in the country during the year 2000 population census, making it unique.
He commended the government for considering it necessary to raise the status to a municipality.
Mr Okyere said as a 'baby assembly', it needed a strong revenue base to meet its aspirations and therefore appealed to all stakeholders to make it possible for the assembly to collect as much revenue as possible to finance its development programmes.
He added that there were plans to make Ashaiman ‘a 24-hour city’ to utilise all available human and natural resources for the benefit of the people.
Mr Okyere continued that the plans included additional lorry parks, schools, upgrading health facilities from a centre into a hospital, a modern market, in addition to the existing one, a transport terminal and also beautification of the town’s central business district.
He observed that failure to enforce the assembly’s by-laws and regulations had set back the clock of development at Ashaiman, adding that proper planning and compliance with regulations and by-laws would enable the assembly to achieve its objectives.
Mr Okyere says the health of the people is very important, and that without good health there would be no healthy human resource to execute development programmes.
He reported that the assembly had tackled the issue of sanitation with all seriousness and cleared all heaps of refuse.
According to him, the assembly had entered into an agreement with an Italian firm to construct a refuse recycling plant. When this is done, it would help the municipality to avoid the social and economic repercussions.
Mr Okyere commended the security agencies for coming on top of the security challenges which came up recently.
He, however, expressed concern that the Ashaiman station of the Ghana National Fire Service lacked the requisite equipment such as a fire tender, and gave the assurance that the assembly had placed an order for one.
The Municipal Finance Officer, Mr Stephen Ofori Siaw, and Mr Edward Mba of the Adenta Municipal Solid Waste Management Department, delivered papers on the financial and waste management situations of ASHMA.
Mr Mba said the assembly would phase out the use of pan latrines. He said landlords must therefore provide tenants with good toilet facilities.
The Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Mr Alfred Agbesi, for his part, emphasised the need to accelerate development in the Ashaiman municipality and, therefore, called on the people to put behind them their political affiliations and work in concert for the growth of the municipality.
Mr Agbesi suggested that the assembly reconsiders the idea to privatise public toilets to generate some income to finance development programmes.
He said the municipality had 24 toilets in the year 2000, but the number had increased to 30 currently.
The Queen of Ashaiman, Naa Amui, assisted by a representative of the Ashaiman Stool, Isaac Nii Komey, as well as the Chief Executive, Mr Okyere, unveiled the logo.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
PHOTOGRAPHERS TRAIN IN DIGITAL PHOTO PRODUCTION (PAGE 47)
A German based Technical Company in collaboration with a Ghanaian Photographic company is investing in the training of local technicians to replace analogue units with digital mini laboratory in the field of photography.
As a result, a number of technicians drawn from Accra and Kumasi have been offered the training in that direction.
Briefing the Daily Graphic during a training session for the technicians, the Manager of Marado Company, importers of TURA photo papers in Ghana and the local agent of the Ow Consult, Germany, Mr Robert Adomako said in line with new technology, the use of digital mini laboratories which are used for the purpose of printing of pictures are on the rise.
He explained that the delicate aspect of the new technology which also quickens the pace in photo printing calls for expertise and therefore the OW Consult has taken it upon itself to train personnel while it supplied the product.
Mr Adomako said the private holders of OW Consults equipment have for the past 30 years been busy in the field of photography and therefore was of the view that the decision to train personnel in the field will be of immense benefit to the photography profession.
He said the technicians will be professionally trained in servicing digital machines by running through three separate instruction courses.
The Chief Executive of the OW Consult, organisers of the training course, Mr Klaus Leppkes said his first contact with Ghana was in 2000.
He disclosed that representatives of the company will regularise their visit every 3 months to expand the base of the use of digital mini labs.
Mr Leppkes said the OW Consult was investing in sophisticated technical service for all digital Noritsu mini laboratories delivered by t he company and accompanied with spare parts for completely reconditioned second hand equipment or new machines.
He was optimistic that the introduction of the new technology would improve photography in the country.
The participants expressed satisfaction with the course but called on the organisers of the programme to intensify their efforts to introduce as many photographers as possible to the training to make them literate in the profession.
They also appealed to the suppliers to make more of the equipment available on the local market to enable them have access to it to quicken the pace of printing.
As a result, a number of technicians drawn from Accra and Kumasi have been offered the training in that direction.
Briefing the Daily Graphic during a training session for the technicians, the Manager of Marado Company, importers of TURA photo papers in Ghana and the local agent of the Ow Consult, Germany, Mr Robert Adomako said in line with new technology, the use of digital mini laboratories which are used for the purpose of printing of pictures are on the rise.
He explained that the delicate aspect of the new technology which also quickens the pace in photo printing calls for expertise and therefore the OW Consult has taken it upon itself to train personnel while it supplied the product.
Mr Adomako said the private holders of OW Consults equipment have for the past 30 years been busy in the field of photography and therefore was of the view that the decision to train personnel in the field will be of immense benefit to the photography profession.
He said the technicians will be professionally trained in servicing digital machines by running through three separate instruction courses.
The Chief Executive of the OW Consult, organisers of the training course, Mr Klaus Leppkes said his first contact with Ghana was in 2000.
He disclosed that representatives of the company will regularise their visit every 3 months to expand the base of the use of digital mini labs.
Mr Leppkes said the OW Consult was investing in sophisticated technical service for all digital Noritsu mini laboratories delivered by t he company and accompanied with spare parts for completely reconditioned second hand equipment or new machines.
He was optimistic that the introduction of the new technology would improve photography in the country.
The participants expressed satisfaction with the course but called on the organisers of the programme to intensify their efforts to introduce as many photographers as possible to the training to make them literate in the profession.
They also appealed to the suppliers to make more of the equipment available on the local market to enable them have access to it to quicken the pace of printing.
Monday, August 4, 2008
MAJORITY LEADER LOSES NPP PRIMARY (PAGE 3)
The Majority Leader and Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema West, Mr Abraham Osei Aidoo, has lost the New Patriotic Party (NPP) constituency primary election to Madam Irene Naa Torshie Addo.
The victorious 38-year-old lawyer and diplomat polled 55 votes against 37 by Mr Abraham Osei Aidoo last Saturday in the election held in Tema.
Though there had been a divided front during the campaigning, voting went on peacefully and smoothly, albeit under a heavy police guard.
After the votes were declared, Mr Aidoo conceded defeat and wished Madam Torshie well in her endeavours.
Supporters of the two candidates were not allowed into the hall and, therefore, chose to sing and dance around to show their support for their respective candidates.
The Chairman of the Tema West Constituency of the NPP, Mr Paul Sampana Azure, who addressed the delegates before the voting, appealed for peace and unity among the two groups, adding that they should accept whoever won in good faith, stressing that the party was more important than individuals.
Mr Azure was of the view that with peace the party was sure to retain power in the general election in December.
Some of the constituency executive members had accused the national executive of the party of delaying the primaries to favour Mr Aidoo, thus creating unnecessary tension.
For her part, Madam Torshie thanked the delegates for their massive support and appealed to all members of the party to unite and work towards win getting the party to both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
The victorious 38-year-old lawyer and diplomat polled 55 votes against 37 by Mr Abraham Osei Aidoo last Saturday in the election held in Tema.
Though there had been a divided front during the campaigning, voting went on peacefully and smoothly, albeit under a heavy police guard.
After the votes were declared, Mr Aidoo conceded defeat and wished Madam Torshie well in her endeavours.
Supporters of the two candidates were not allowed into the hall and, therefore, chose to sing and dance around to show their support for their respective candidates.
The Chairman of the Tema West Constituency of the NPP, Mr Paul Sampana Azure, who addressed the delegates before the voting, appealed for peace and unity among the two groups, adding that they should accept whoever won in good faith, stressing that the party was more important than individuals.
Mr Azure was of the view that with peace the party was sure to retain power in the general election in December.
Some of the constituency executive members had accused the national executive of the party of delaying the primaries to favour Mr Aidoo, thus creating unnecessary tension.
For her part, Madam Torshie thanked the delegates for their massive support and appealed to all members of the party to unite and work towards win getting the party to both the presidential and parliamentary elections.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
PHOTOGRAPHERS ACQUIRE NEW SKILLS (PAGE 18)
A NUMBER of technicians drawn from Accra and Kumasi have been trained in how to replace analogue units with digital mini-laboratories in the field of photography.
A Germany-based technical company , with assistance from a Ghanaian photographic company, is investing in the venture.
The Manager of Marado Company, importers of TURA photo papers in the country and the local agent of the Ow Consult of Germany , Mr Robet Adomako, told the Daily Graphic during one of the training sessions that the use of the mini laboratories was a new technology in printing pictures, which is on the increase worldwide.
He said Ow Consult had taken it upon itself to train the technicians and also supply the products because the new technology speeded up the printing process, but it was delicate, and called for expertise.
Mr Adomako said the training of the technicians would be of immense benefit to the photography professionals, especially those who had been in the field for more then 30 years.
The technicians are taken through three separate instruction courses in the servicing of digital machines.
The Chief Executive of OW Consult, organisers of the training programme, Mr Klaus Leppkes, said he had his first contact with the country in 2000. He said representatives of the company would regularise their visits every three months to expand the scope of the use of the digital mini laboratories. Mr Leppkes said the company was investing in sophisticated technical services for all digital Noritsu mini laboratories which the company supplied along with spare parts for completely reconditioned second-hand equipment or new machines.
He expressed optimism that the introduction of the new technology would improve the practice of photography while the analogue unit would become outmoded.
The participants expressed satisfaction with the course but called on the organisers to intensify their efforts to involve as many photographers as possible.
They also appealed to the suppliers to make the equipment available to facilitate the printing of photographs.
A Germany-based technical company , with assistance from a Ghanaian photographic company, is investing in the venture.
The Manager of Marado Company, importers of TURA photo papers in the country and the local agent of the Ow Consult of Germany , Mr Robet Adomako, told the Daily Graphic during one of the training sessions that the use of the mini laboratories was a new technology in printing pictures, which is on the increase worldwide.
He said Ow Consult had taken it upon itself to train the technicians and also supply the products because the new technology speeded up the printing process, but it was delicate, and called for expertise.
Mr Adomako said the training of the technicians would be of immense benefit to the photography professionals, especially those who had been in the field for more then 30 years.
The technicians are taken through three separate instruction courses in the servicing of digital machines.
The Chief Executive of OW Consult, organisers of the training programme, Mr Klaus Leppkes, said he had his first contact with the country in 2000. He said representatives of the company would regularise their visits every three months to expand the scope of the use of the digital mini laboratories. Mr Leppkes said the company was investing in sophisticated technical services for all digital Noritsu mini laboratories which the company supplied along with spare parts for completely reconditioned second-hand equipment or new machines.
He expressed optimism that the introduction of the new technology would improve the practice of photography while the analogue unit would become outmoded.
The participants expressed satisfaction with the course but called on the organisers to intensify their efforts to involve as many photographers as possible.
They also appealed to the suppliers to make the equipment available to facilitate the printing of photographs.
TWO SUSPECTED CAR SNATCHERS GRABBED (BACK PAGE)
The Tema Police have arrested two men suspected to be those who stabbed a driver at Larteh in the Eastern Region last month and robbed him of his taxi.
The suspects, said to be residents of Adukrom in the Eastern Region, are Kwesi Adu, 23, and Yaw Anim, 25. They were arrested when they attempted to offer the taxi for sale to a military officer in mufti at Ashaiman.
The Tema Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Olivia Turkson, told the Daily Graphic that on July 23, 2008, at about 5 a.m. the suspects attacked the driver at Larteh, inflicted several knife wounds on him and snatched his Suzuki Esteem taxi, with registration number GS 3513 Y.
Inspector Turkson said the suspects were arrested at about 4.30 p.m that day, when the military officer at Ashaiman hinted the Tema Regional Crime Office about the suspicious attempt by the suspects to sell the car.
She said the military officer was advised to feign interest in the deal. The suspects were said to have priced the car at GH¢3000.
Inspector Turkson said when the suspects were arrested they denied having stolen the vehicle; rather, Kwesi Adu claimed that he bought the car from a trader called Yaw Adam, who shuttles between Koforidua and Lome at a cost of GH¢2,200.
She said later, the suspects changed their story and claimed that a friend whose name they did not give assisted them to register the car with another accident vehicle’s documents.
Inspector Turkson said during interrogations at about 7.30 p.m. on the same day of their arrest, policemen from Larteh arrived at the Tema Regional CID office and reported that the suspects had earlier attacked a driver and inflicted multiple knife wounds on him before robbing him of his car.
They reported that the victim of the robbery who was initially admitted to a hospital in Larteh had been referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment due to the seriousness of his wounds.
In another incident, the police on patrol duties have arrested two suspects who were driving an unregistered green Fiat Tipo saloon car at Tema Community 1, Site 2, for concealing a quantity of wrapped substances suspected to be cocaine.
They are Alexander Igwe, 37, and Albert Ayanba, 23. A third suspect, however, escaped.
They have since been put before the Tema Circuit Court ‘A’ and charged for possessing narcotic drugs. They will reappear on August 28, 2008.
Another suspect, Charles Lawson, 35, was also arrested on July 27, 2008 at about 12.15 p.m. with a quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
The suspect claimed it was for his personal use but he could not give the name of the one who sold it to him.
He, however, disclosed that he bought it from a man who lived at Site 2 of Tema Community 1. He has also been processed for court.
The suspects, said to be residents of Adukrom in the Eastern Region, are Kwesi Adu, 23, and Yaw Anim, 25. They were arrested when they attempted to offer the taxi for sale to a military officer in mufti at Ashaiman.
The Tema Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Olivia Turkson, told the Daily Graphic that on July 23, 2008, at about 5 a.m. the suspects attacked the driver at Larteh, inflicted several knife wounds on him and snatched his Suzuki Esteem taxi, with registration number GS 3513 Y.
Inspector Turkson said the suspects were arrested at about 4.30 p.m that day, when the military officer at Ashaiman hinted the Tema Regional Crime Office about the suspicious attempt by the suspects to sell the car.
She said the military officer was advised to feign interest in the deal. The suspects were said to have priced the car at GH¢3000.
Inspector Turkson said when the suspects were arrested they denied having stolen the vehicle; rather, Kwesi Adu claimed that he bought the car from a trader called Yaw Adam, who shuttles between Koforidua and Lome at a cost of GH¢2,200.
She said later, the suspects changed their story and claimed that a friend whose name they did not give assisted them to register the car with another accident vehicle’s documents.
Inspector Turkson said during interrogations at about 7.30 p.m. on the same day of their arrest, policemen from Larteh arrived at the Tema Regional CID office and reported that the suspects had earlier attacked a driver and inflicted multiple knife wounds on him before robbing him of his car.
They reported that the victim of the robbery who was initially admitted to a hospital in Larteh had been referred to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for further treatment due to the seriousness of his wounds.
In another incident, the police on patrol duties have arrested two suspects who were driving an unregistered green Fiat Tipo saloon car at Tema Community 1, Site 2, for concealing a quantity of wrapped substances suspected to be cocaine.
They are Alexander Igwe, 37, and Albert Ayanba, 23. A third suspect, however, escaped.
They have since been put before the Tema Circuit Court ‘A’ and charged for possessing narcotic drugs. They will reappear on August 28, 2008.
Another suspect, Charles Lawson, 35, was also arrested on July 27, 2008 at about 12.15 p.m. with a quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
The suspect claimed it was for his personal use but he could not give the name of the one who sold it to him.
He, however, disclosed that he bought it from a man who lived at Site 2 of Tema Community 1. He has also been processed for court.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
COMMITTEE BEGINS HEARING ON ASHAIMAN SHOOTING (PAGE 54)
THE five-member committee of enquiry set up by the Ministry of the Interior to investigate the shooting incident at Ashaiman on June 3, 2008 held its inaugural sitting yesterday at Ashaiman.
The committee, chaired by Mr Justice C.J. Honyenuga, Justice of the Court of Appeal, has as its members Professor Ken Attafuah, a lawyer; Commissioner of Police Kwasi Nkansa (retd); Mrs Adelaide Annor-Kumi, lawyer and a Directoor at the MInistry of the Interior and Prof. Kofi Agyekum, a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon.
The committee is to investigate the circumstances that led to the incident which culminated in the death of two people and injury to several others and submit its findings in two weeks.
Mr Justice Honyenuga said the committee was a fact-finding one that would expect witnesses before it to give evidence on conscience.
He said the investigative panel on the committee did not represent any interest group and gave the assurance that they would be unbiased and remain honest in the discharge of the task.
Mr Justice Honyenuga disclosed that the committee would allow legal representation, adding that all stakeholders including the transport unions, bereaved families, the police, injured victims, opinion leaders and chiefs would be welcomed.
He said the committee would also accept written documents and memoranda which should be submitted to the secretariats set up at the Ministry of the Interior and the Ashaiman District Assembly.
The Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Mr Alfred Agbesi, indicated his intention to be counsel for the bereaved family of the 11-year-old boy, Moses Kasim, who died during the incident.
A member of the committee, Prof. Attafuah, explained that Mr Agbesi was one of the eminent people who the committee intended seeking opinions from and therefore requested that he could submit written document to it for reference purposes.
The first witness to appear before the committee was the Secretary of the Ghana Highway branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, Mr Francis Kwaku Gomi, who gave evidence about what happened on June 2 and 3 when a misunderstanding erupted between the commercial drivers in Ashaiman and the police.
Led in evidence by Prof. Attafua, Mr Gorni said on June 2, after he had closed from work in the evening and was on his way home, he had a call from a colleague, Mr Djangma, who is the second trustee of the GPRTU, that some drivers had been arrested by the Ashaiman police MTTU but he only instructed that they must apply for bail.
Mr Gomi said he did not receive any feedback and therefore concluded that the arrested drivers had been bailed.
When asked by Prof. Attafuah what role he played at the GPRTU, he said his duties included ensuring that all disputes affecting highway members were resolved.
Mr Gomi said on June 3, he was informed on phone to keep away because the drivers were on a ‘peaceful demonstration’ as a result of the arrests the pervious day.
He said he, however, used some routes behind the Ashaiman Divisional Police building, which took him to the GPRTU offices in the Fire Service building.
He was not sure of the number of drivers arrested but said on consultation later the drivers were released at about 1 p.m..
When asked what he saw at the scene of the shooting, Mr Gomi said there were some strange things.
When asked what he meant by strange things, he said “bullets shells, empty water sachets, stones and sticks were scattered around”.
Mr Gorni said the relationship between the police and the drivers had been very cordial before and after the incident but appealed for the provision of adequate lorry parks and parking lots to eliminate illegal imposition of charges on drivers by the police.
The committee, chaired by Mr Justice C.J. Honyenuga, Justice of the Court of Appeal, has as its members Professor Ken Attafuah, a lawyer; Commissioner of Police Kwasi Nkansa (retd); Mrs Adelaide Annor-Kumi, lawyer and a Directoor at the MInistry of the Interior and Prof. Kofi Agyekum, a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon.
The committee is to investigate the circumstances that led to the incident which culminated in the death of two people and injury to several others and submit its findings in two weeks.
Mr Justice Honyenuga said the committee was a fact-finding one that would expect witnesses before it to give evidence on conscience.
He said the investigative panel on the committee did not represent any interest group and gave the assurance that they would be unbiased and remain honest in the discharge of the task.
Mr Justice Honyenuga disclosed that the committee would allow legal representation, adding that all stakeholders including the transport unions, bereaved families, the police, injured victims, opinion leaders and chiefs would be welcomed.
He said the committee would also accept written documents and memoranda which should be submitted to the secretariats set up at the Ministry of the Interior and the Ashaiman District Assembly.
The Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Mr Alfred Agbesi, indicated his intention to be counsel for the bereaved family of the 11-year-old boy, Moses Kasim, who died during the incident.
A member of the committee, Prof. Attafuah, explained that Mr Agbesi was one of the eminent people who the committee intended seeking opinions from and therefore requested that he could submit written document to it for reference purposes.
The first witness to appear before the committee was the Secretary of the Ghana Highway branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union, Mr Francis Kwaku Gomi, who gave evidence about what happened on June 2 and 3 when a misunderstanding erupted between the commercial drivers in Ashaiman and the police.
Led in evidence by Prof. Attafua, Mr Gorni said on June 2, after he had closed from work in the evening and was on his way home, he had a call from a colleague, Mr Djangma, who is the second trustee of the GPRTU, that some drivers had been arrested by the Ashaiman police MTTU but he only instructed that they must apply for bail.
Mr Gomi said he did not receive any feedback and therefore concluded that the arrested drivers had been bailed.
When asked by Prof. Attafuah what role he played at the GPRTU, he said his duties included ensuring that all disputes affecting highway members were resolved.
Mr Gomi said on June 3, he was informed on phone to keep away because the drivers were on a ‘peaceful demonstration’ as a result of the arrests the pervious day.
He said he, however, used some routes behind the Ashaiman Divisional Police building, which took him to the GPRTU offices in the Fire Service building.
He was not sure of the number of drivers arrested but said on consultation later the drivers were released at about 1 p.m..
When asked what he saw at the scene of the shooting, Mr Gomi said there were some strange things.
When asked what he meant by strange things, he said “bullets shells, empty water sachets, stones and sticks were scattered around”.
Mr Gorni said the relationship between the police and the drivers had been very cordial before and after the incident but appealed for the provision of adequate lorry parks and parking lots to eliminate illegal imposition of charges on drivers by the police.
Monday, July 28, 2008
TEMA PARENTS ASSOCIATION MARKS 45TH ANNIVERSSARY (PAGE 11)
THE Tema Parents Association School (TEPAS) has donated assorted items worth GH¢4,000 to the Asutsuare Junction Basic School at Lorlovo in the Dangme West District.
The donation formed part of activities marking the school’s 45th anniversary celebration on the theme: “Holistic education”.
It included jumbo size mats, school uniforms for both boys and girls, tables for learning, shoes, assorted clothing, textbooks on various subjects, food items and beverages.
A playground of various playing materials was also mounted to afford the nursery and lower primary pupils the opportunity to play during break and games period.
The Headmistress of TEPAS, Mrs Leona Nsakie–Kassim, said the school had decided to adopt the Asutsuary Junction Basic School to support it occasionally.
Mrs Nsakie–Kassim spent time with the children at Lorlovo in the company of some students of TEPAS and recalled an earlier visit to the school when some of the pupils sat on the floor during classes and others did not have school uniforms.
She said the school decided to celebrate the anniversary with the underprivileged children who were facing some challenges through no fault of theirs.
Mrs Nsakie–Kassim asked the children to have vision in order to make the best out of the situation in which they found themselves.
The Headmaster of the Asutsuary Junction Basic School, Mr Lovelace Odonkor, expressed appreciation about the gesture of the staff and students of TEPAS and said it would help to alleviate some of the burden on the pupils’ parents.
He said the people of the area were peasants and shepherds who could not afford such needs as pocket money for their children.
Mr Odonkor said the school, which is currently not on the government’s school feeding programme, had a population of 576 pupils as against 455 last year.
He appealed to the authorities to consider including the school on the feeding programme to help solve some of the problems facing it.
Mr Odonkor noted that the poverty level in the area was high.
He regretted the issue of forced marriages that involved young girls from 12 years, a situation which he said contributed to the dropout of school by girls in the area and appealed to civil society to help curb the situation.
Mr Odonkor urged the Parent-Teacher Association of the school to join hands with the teachers to bring development to ensure growth and success of the pupils.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Mr David Tetteh Asorme, appealed to the Energy Ministry to consider the condition of the people and extend power to the area because it was strategically located on the highway to the Volta Region and was just about 18 km to the Kpong Hydro project.
He said he had provided 35 nine-metre electricity poles for almost a year now but the extension project had not been done.
An Assistant Director of Education at the Dangme West District Office, Ms Mercy Lamptey, commended TEPAS for supporting the poor and needy.
Ms Lamptey urged them to work harder, referring to their last Basic Education Certificate Examination results in which a candidate from the school had aggregate eight and won the President’s award for the district.
The donation formed part of activities marking the school’s 45th anniversary celebration on the theme: “Holistic education”.
It included jumbo size mats, school uniforms for both boys and girls, tables for learning, shoes, assorted clothing, textbooks on various subjects, food items and beverages.
A playground of various playing materials was also mounted to afford the nursery and lower primary pupils the opportunity to play during break and games period.
The Headmistress of TEPAS, Mrs Leona Nsakie–Kassim, said the school had decided to adopt the Asutsuary Junction Basic School to support it occasionally.
Mrs Nsakie–Kassim spent time with the children at Lorlovo in the company of some students of TEPAS and recalled an earlier visit to the school when some of the pupils sat on the floor during classes and others did not have school uniforms.
She said the school decided to celebrate the anniversary with the underprivileged children who were facing some challenges through no fault of theirs.
Mrs Nsakie–Kassim asked the children to have vision in order to make the best out of the situation in which they found themselves.
The Headmaster of the Asutsuary Junction Basic School, Mr Lovelace Odonkor, expressed appreciation about the gesture of the staff and students of TEPAS and said it would help to alleviate some of the burden on the pupils’ parents.
He said the people of the area were peasants and shepherds who could not afford such needs as pocket money for their children.
Mr Odonkor said the school, which is currently not on the government’s school feeding programme, had a population of 576 pupils as against 455 last year.
He appealed to the authorities to consider including the school on the feeding programme to help solve some of the problems facing it.
Mr Odonkor noted that the poverty level in the area was high.
He regretted the issue of forced marriages that involved young girls from 12 years, a situation which he said contributed to the dropout of school by girls in the area and appealed to civil society to help curb the situation.
Mr Odonkor urged the Parent-Teacher Association of the school to join hands with the teachers to bring development to ensure growth and success of the pupils.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Mr David Tetteh Asorme, appealed to the Energy Ministry to consider the condition of the people and extend power to the area because it was strategically located on the highway to the Volta Region and was just about 18 km to the Kpong Hydro project.
He said he had provided 35 nine-metre electricity poles for almost a year now but the extension project had not been done.
An Assistant Director of Education at the Dangme West District Office, Ms Mercy Lamptey, commended TEPAS for supporting the poor and needy.
Ms Lamptey urged them to work harder, referring to their last Basic Education Certificate Examination results in which a candidate from the school had aggregate eight and won the President’s award for the district.
Friday, July 25, 2008
GOVT LOSES $9m A YEAR OVER COOKING OIL IMPORTS (PAGE 14)
THE government of Ghana loses about $9 million every year on 40,000 metric tonnes of vegetable oils brought into the country by foods and vegetable importers, according to a Unilever Ghana Limited research.
The research also found out that in March 2008 alone, the state lost $226,440 on imported vegetable oil.
This was made known by the Marketing Director of Unilever, Mr Prince Obeng, when he briefed Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism who were at the Tema factory of the company to ascertain problems related to the use of crude palm oil for the manufacture of refined vegetable oil in the country as a follow-up to their recent tour of some palm plantations.
Mr Obeng explained that some importers of refined vegetable oil adopted basic tricks of misrepresentation of figures and documents, false declaration at the port and re-routing of the imported goods.
He observed that the importers took advantage of the government and consumers because of the poor consumer protection systems in the country.
Mr Obeng said through underhand deals, the importers were able to reduce the prices of their goods to undercut products of local producers.
Showing members of the committee samples of the imported oils, Mr Obeng pointed out that most of them were saturated and, therefore, had health-related problems.
He said palm oil was the largest and strategic raw material for Unilever with 70 per cent of its turnover produced from it.
Mr Obeng, therefore, appealed to the committee to set in motion an investigative system to ensure that the inadequacies were checked to stop the practice of re-routing, false declaration and smuggling.
The Consumer Development Director of Unilever, Mr Kwaku Boateng, called on the government to consider setting up a palm oil Control Board to regulate quality, standard pricing and market behaviours of the product.
He said this could remove instances of glut of oil on plantations and be able to project and store oil in lean seasons.
Mr Boateng stated that Unilever had doubled its capacity in all departments, doubling production capacity and therefore gave the assurance that it could meet the entire demand of oil in the country.
The Chairman of the Select Committee, Mr J.B. Dankwa Adu, who led the team, said the committee was very concerned about the oil palm industry.
He said there were vast lands that could be cultivated to boost the oil palm sector for local industries to prevent importation of crude palm oil.
Mr Dankwa Adu urged Unilever to invest in the palm plantations to promote and sustain the sector to end the era of importation of refined vegetable oils.
He stated that when the committee visited the plantations, it was discovered that there was a glut on the farms and therefore called on the industries to make efforts to store the crude palm oil at the factory for use in the lean season.
The Select Committee members had earlier been briefed by the Chief Executive Officer of Unilever, Mr Charles Coffie, on the situation at the factory in Tema.
He commended them for visiting the factory even though they were on recess and promised to relate further with the committee to help solve problems in the sector.
The research also found out that in March 2008 alone, the state lost $226,440 on imported vegetable oil.
This was made known by the Marketing Director of Unilever, Mr Prince Obeng, when he briefed Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism who were at the Tema factory of the company to ascertain problems related to the use of crude palm oil for the manufacture of refined vegetable oil in the country as a follow-up to their recent tour of some palm plantations.
Mr Obeng explained that some importers of refined vegetable oil adopted basic tricks of misrepresentation of figures and documents, false declaration at the port and re-routing of the imported goods.
He observed that the importers took advantage of the government and consumers because of the poor consumer protection systems in the country.
Mr Obeng said through underhand deals, the importers were able to reduce the prices of their goods to undercut products of local producers.
Showing members of the committee samples of the imported oils, Mr Obeng pointed out that most of them were saturated and, therefore, had health-related problems.
He said palm oil was the largest and strategic raw material for Unilever with 70 per cent of its turnover produced from it.
Mr Obeng, therefore, appealed to the committee to set in motion an investigative system to ensure that the inadequacies were checked to stop the practice of re-routing, false declaration and smuggling.
The Consumer Development Director of Unilever, Mr Kwaku Boateng, called on the government to consider setting up a palm oil Control Board to regulate quality, standard pricing and market behaviours of the product.
He said this could remove instances of glut of oil on plantations and be able to project and store oil in lean seasons.
Mr Boateng stated that Unilever had doubled its capacity in all departments, doubling production capacity and therefore gave the assurance that it could meet the entire demand of oil in the country.
The Chairman of the Select Committee, Mr J.B. Dankwa Adu, who led the team, said the committee was very concerned about the oil palm industry.
He said there were vast lands that could be cultivated to boost the oil palm sector for local industries to prevent importation of crude palm oil.
Mr Dankwa Adu urged Unilever to invest in the palm plantations to promote and sustain the sector to end the era of importation of refined vegetable oils.
He stated that when the committee visited the plantations, it was discovered that there was a glut on the farms and therefore called on the industries to make efforts to store the crude palm oil at the factory for use in the lean season.
The Select Committee members had earlier been briefed by the Chief Executive Officer of Unilever, Mr Charles Coffie, on the situation at the factory in Tema.
He commended them for visiting the factory even though they were on recess and promised to relate further with the committee to help solve problems in the sector.
POLICE TO IMPOUND UNREGISTERED VEHICLES (PAGE 31)
Henceforth, all unregistered and unlicensed vehicles that ply the roads between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. will be impounded and the drivers prosecuted, ASP Kwesi Ofori, Director of Police Public Affairs, has announced.
He explained that most arrests made in connection with robbery and kidnapping involved unregistered and unlicensed vehicles.
ASP Ofori, who was addressing a press conference in Tema, said during that period, other vehicles would also be checked for suspicious and illegal movements.
He appealed to the media to help fight crime through education and also unearth some of the societal evils that went on the blind side of the police.
ASP Ofori said the media had a very important role to play to ensure that Ghanaians enjoyed peace and freedom to go about their daily responsibilities as law-abiding citizens.
The Tema Region has become a fertile area for robbers, kidnappers and car snatchers but he said the police in Tema have worked tirelessly to trap them down to bring the situation under control, ASP Ofori declared.
He stated that the police had a duty to perform and therefore they would not hesitate to deliver their services within the confines of the law.
He, therefore, appealed to the media and the public to assist the police to close in on the robbers and get rid of them.
Meanwhile, in their determination to check the use of unregistered vehicles to commit crimes, the Ashanti Regional Police Command has also announced that it will vigorously enforce the ban on the use of unregistered vehicles after 6 p.m., reports Enoch Darfah Frimpong from Kumasi.
DCOP K. A. Opare-Addo, who has just assumed duty as the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, told a press conference that unregistered vehicles such as those using “DV” and “DP” number plates posed a lot of security concerns to the police.
”DV” and “DP” number plates are normally issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to garage owners and car dealers.
The “DP” is issued to only assist in transporting a vehicle from the port to the house or a garage and that of the “DV” is used for transporting vehicles to the offices of DVLA for registration and test driving.
It is unlawful to use vehicles with ”DV” and “DP” number plates after 6 p.m. but it is common to see such vehicles plying the streets of Kumasi especially at night.
The commander said some owners of garages might be driving such vehicles to their homes after work but added that his outfit had initiated a series of interactions with operators of various garages in the metropolis to explore common areas of co-operation in the usage of “DV” and “DP” numbers after 6 p.m.
He said his outfit was considering providing owners of garages with ID cards that they would display to save their cars from being impounded at night when they come into contact with the police.
Flanked by the Deputy Regional Police Commander, ACP Kwasi Mensah Duku, who has also just been posted to the region, and the Regional Operations Commander, Chief Superintendent George Mensah, Mr Opare-Addo said his outfit was determined to check robberies in the region to enable the people to have the peace to operate.
He said the crime rate in the region had decreased, explaining that between January and July 2007, a total of 448 robberies were recorded as against 138 recorded in 2008 and urged the public to be security conscious.
He explained that most arrests made in connection with robbery and kidnapping involved unregistered and unlicensed vehicles.
ASP Ofori, who was addressing a press conference in Tema, said during that period, other vehicles would also be checked for suspicious and illegal movements.
He appealed to the media to help fight crime through education and also unearth some of the societal evils that went on the blind side of the police.
ASP Ofori said the media had a very important role to play to ensure that Ghanaians enjoyed peace and freedom to go about their daily responsibilities as law-abiding citizens.
The Tema Region has become a fertile area for robbers, kidnappers and car snatchers but he said the police in Tema have worked tirelessly to trap them down to bring the situation under control, ASP Ofori declared.
He stated that the police had a duty to perform and therefore they would not hesitate to deliver their services within the confines of the law.
He, therefore, appealed to the media and the public to assist the police to close in on the robbers and get rid of them.
Meanwhile, in their determination to check the use of unregistered vehicles to commit crimes, the Ashanti Regional Police Command has also announced that it will vigorously enforce the ban on the use of unregistered vehicles after 6 p.m., reports Enoch Darfah Frimpong from Kumasi.
DCOP K. A. Opare-Addo, who has just assumed duty as the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, told a press conference that unregistered vehicles such as those using “DV” and “DP” number plates posed a lot of security concerns to the police.
”DV” and “DP” number plates are normally issued by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to garage owners and car dealers.
The “DP” is issued to only assist in transporting a vehicle from the port to the house or a garage and that of the “DV” is used for transporting vehicles to the offices of DVLA for registration and test driving.
It is unlawful to use vehicles with ”DV” and “DP” number plates after 6 p.m. but it is common to see such vehicles plying the streets of Kumasi especially at night.
The commander said some owners of garages might be driving such vehicles to their homes after work but added that his outfit had initiated a series of interactions with operators of various garages in the metropolis to explore common areas of co-operation in the usage of “DV” and “DP” numbers after 6 p.m.
He said his outfit was considering providing owners of garages with ID cards that they would display to save their cars from being impounded at night when they come into contact with the police.
Flanked by the Deputy Regional Police Commander, ACP Kwasi Mensah Duku, who has also just been posted to the region, and the Regional Operations Commander, Chief Superintendent George Mensah, Mr Opare-Addo said his outfit was determined to check robberies in the region to enable the people to have the peace to operate.
He said the crime rate in the region had decreased, explaining that between January and July 2007, a total of 448 robberies were recorded as against 138 recorded in 2008 and urged the public to be security conscious.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
GIVE HOTELS MAXIMUM SECURITY (PAGE 29)
THE security agencies have been urged to extend assistance to hotels to combat crime and protect the numerous guests who patronise the facilities, some residents of Tema have advocated.
They were of the view that some “crooked business tycoons” would want to use the hotels as their haven to operate in various illegal activities, noting that the management of the hotels would be able to locate such people.
The Daily Graphic was finding out the role of hotels in the fight against crime and the impact of police swoops on criminals in their hideouts.
It was gathered that hotels, especially obscurely located ones, were possible areas where leads to solve crimes could be got because many suspects were known to seek refuge in such hotels.
The police in Tema have, in recent times, swooped on the hideouts and dens of drug peddlers and made many arrests of suspect who were found with quantities of dried leaves and white substances suspected to be hard drugs. The police also, occasionally, found locally manufactured pistols.
Those interviewed claimed that the Tema Police must also trace the hideouts of robbers who raped, killed and looted personal property because their actions might be the result of indulgence in hard drugs.
Others commented on the springing up of drinking spots which could not be classified as hotels, bars or restaurants but were allegedly operated with only registered members and patronised by a certain class of people, adding that at those places alcoholic beverages were sold at double the real cost to prevent non members from going there.
They were of the view that some “crooked business tycoons” would want to use the hotels as their haven to operate in various illegal activities, noting that the management of the hotels would be able to locate such people.
The Daily Graphic was finding out the role of hotels in the fight against crime and the impact of police swoops on criminals in their hideouts.
It was gathered that hotels, especially obscurely located ones, were possible areas where leads to solve crimes could be got because many suspects were known to seek refuge in such hotels.
The police in Tema have, in recent times, swooped on the hideouts and dens of drug peddlers and made many arrests of suspect who were found with quantities of dried leaves and white substances suspected to be hard drugs. The police also, occasionally, found locally manufactured pistols.
Those interviewed claimed that the Tema Police must also trace the hideouts of robbers who raped, killed and looted personal property because their actions might be the result of indulgence in hard drugs.
Others commented on the springing up of drinking spots which could not be classified as hotels, bars or restaurants but were allegedly operated with only registered members and patronised by a certain class of people, adding that at those places alcoholic beverages were sold at double the real cost to prevent non members from going there.
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