The Ashaiman MP, Mr Alfred Agbesi, has intervened in the feud between Ashaiman NDC youth and contractors of the public places of convenience and has consequently applied to the Circuit Court ‘A’ in Tema for an out-of-court settlement.
The agreement was reached between the legal counsels of both parties and the case was accordingly adjourned to March 3, 2009 when they would announce the outcome of the mediation to the court.
Following the illegal takeover of toilets in Ashaiman by some NDC youth, the original contractors who had entered into agreement with the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly and were authorised to operate the toilets on a percentage contract decided to seek redress at the courts.
After one of the sittings of the court on February 10, 2009, the NDC supporters went to the Ashaiman assembly, brutalised some staff and asked them to vacate the offices.
This action was swiftly condemned by the Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, who appealed for peace.
He also appealed to the aggrieved groups and the general public who felt strongly against the continuous stay in office of some officials to exercise restraint.
Mr Agbesi dismissed the mode of action of the said group, noting that the staff were public servants who were performing their official duties.
Speaking to the media after intervening in the case at the court, Mr Agbesi said he initially approached the plaintiffs in the suit who were the original operators of the toilets in Ashaiman .
He said “though difficult, after a lengthy discussion and forceful persuasion” and the support of a former MP of Ashaiman, Mr Frank Aheto, they were able to convince the plaintiffs to agree on the out-of-court settlement.
Mr Agbesi said he and Mr Aheto, acting as mediators, would file the outcome of the settlement in court before March 3, 2009.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
GA DANGME HAPPY WITH NII ASHIETEY'S NOMINATION (PAGE 15)
The Ga Dangme group in Tema and Ashaiman have expressed their gratitude to the President for nominating Nii Armah Ashietey as the Greater Accra Regional Minister.
Speaking on behalf of the group numbering about 50, the organiser of the group, Mr Christian Offei Matei, said Nii Armah Ashietey was a good material who ensured that beautiful physical structures were put in place to make Tema befit its status.
Mr Matei noted that Nii Ashietey deserved the position and was optimistic that if giving the nod, he would perform creditably to build the region.
The group urged the Regional Minister designate, who was vetted last Wednesday, to tackle sanitation vigorously to ensure that the region was kept clean to produce healthy people and environment.
They appealed to Nii Armah Ashietey to revive the Texpo Fair on the Spintex Road, which helped to exhibit locally produced valued added products and fresh food items and encouraged weekend market for busy people who could not go to the markets daily.
The group emphasised that the government must not take for granted the activities of those involved in pair trawling but rather enforce the laws on it to bring sanity to the system.
He explained that those involved in pair trawling still had their licences and therefore continued to operate the business.
Mr Matei called on the government to revoke the licences and make it an offence liable to conviction if found operating pair trawling.
He stated that fishermen were suffering from the operations of pair trawling because they were denied their daily earnings from their vocation.
The group had earlier been to Parliament House in Accra to give moral support to Nii Armah Ashietey during the vetting.
They were convinced that from his performance at the vetting he was capable of handling the affairs of the region.
Speaking on behalf of the group numbering about 50, the organiser of the group, Mr Christian Offei Matei, said Nii Armah Ashietey was a good material who ensured that beautiful physical structures were put in place to make Tema befit its status.
Mr Matei noted that Nii Ashietey deserved the position and was optimistic that if giving the nod, he would perform creditably to build the region.
The group urged the Regional Minister designate, who was vetted last Wednesday, to tackle sanitation vigorously to ensure that the region was kept clean to produce healthy people and environment.
They appealed to Nii Armah Ashietey to revive the Texpo Fair on the Spintex Road, which helped to exhibit locally produced valued added products and fresh food items and encouraged weekend market for busy people who could not go to the markets daily.
The group emphasised that the government must not take for granted the activities of those involved in pair trawling but rather enforce the laws on it to bring sanity to the system.
He explained that those involved in pair trawling still had their licences and therefore continued to operate the business.
Mr Matei called on the government to revoke the licences and make it an offence liable to conviction if found operating pair trawling.
He stated that fishermen were suffering from the operations of pair trawling because they were denied their daily earnings from their vocation.
The group had earlier been to Parliament House in Accra to give moral support to Nii Armah Ashietey during the vetting.
They were convinced that from his performance at the vetting he was capable of handling the affairs of the region.
Monday, February 16, 2009
MANUFACTURING SECTOR FACING CHALLENGES (SPREAD)
The Vice-President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) responsible for small and medium-scale enterprises, Mrs Leticia Osafo Addo, has observed that the country is losing its huge potential in industrial development because of challenges in the production and manufacturing sector.
She explained that 80 per cent of jobs in the private sector were made up of the labour force in the manufacturing sector.
The AGI vice-president noted that presently, services, trade and commerce were doing very well but expressed regret that the same could not be said of the local production sector, a situation she described as worrisome.
Mrs Addo, who was opening a made-in-Ghana shop in Tema, said every nation’s development depended on its manufacturing capacities.
She commended the Director of the shop, Mrs Comfort Aniagyei, for taking the initiative to promote made-in-Ghana goods, instead of imported ones, many of which were usually of inferior quality.
She stated that it was a bold decision for the operators to dedicate their time and resources to market made-in-Ghana goods.
She said several attempts and initiatives by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, in partnership with the AGI, to promote goods made in Ghana had been discouraging.
Mrs Addo was, therefore, full of praise for the operators of the shop and appealed to other entrepreneurs to consider promoting local goods to the advantage of the economy of the country.
She appealed to the government to have a second look at the tariffs and taxes on imported goods, as compared to locally produced goods, stating that the 7.5 per cent withholding tax on SMEs could gradually erode the working capital of entrepreneurs.
The Director of Ghana Made Ltd. Mrs Comfort Aniagyei, said the shop had been set up to bridge the gap between producers and consumers.
She noted that the shop would provide good quality made-in-Ghana consumable products to make it easy for consumers to come by local items.
She said Ghana Made Ltd is a one-stop centre for all goods made in Ghana.
She explained that 80 per cent of jobs in the private sector were made up of the labour force in the manufacturing sector.
The AGI vice-president noted that presently, services, trade and commerce were doing very well but expressed regret that the same could not be said of the local production sector, a situation she described as worrisome.
Mrs Addo, who was opening a made-in-Ghana shop in Tema, said every nation’s development depended on its manufacturing capacities.
She commended the Director of the shop, Mrs Comfort Aniagyei, for taking the initiative to promote made-in-Ghana goods, instead of imported ones, many of which were usually of inferior quality.
She stated that it was a bold decision for the operators to dedicate their time and resources to market made-in-Ghana goods.
She said several attempts and initiatives by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, in partnership with the AGI, to promote goods made in Ghana had been discouraging.
Mrs Addo was, therefore, full of praise for the operators of the shop and appealed to other entrepreneurs to consider promoting local goods to the advantage of the economy of the country.
She appealed to the government to have a second look at the tariffs and taxes on imported goods, as compared to locally produced goods, stating that the 7.5 per cent withholding tax on SMEs could gradually erode the working capital of entrepreneurs.
The Director of Ghana Made Ltd. Mrs Comfort Aniagyei, said the shop had been set up to bridge the gap between producers and consumers.
She noted that the shop would provide good quality made-in-Ghana consumable products to make it easy for consumers to come by local items.
She said Ghana Made Ltd is a one-stop centre for all goods made in Ghana.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
ADMINISTRATOR SUES UNIVERSITY FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT (PAGE 27)
From Rose Hayford Darko, Tema
An Administrative Officer at the SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College in Tema has sued the Wisconsin International University College (WIUC) in Accra at the Accra Fast Track High Court, claiming general damages for breach of contract.
Mr Kwaku Osei Owusu Adomako, the plaintiff, is seeking a refund of US$6,000 paid to the defendant as fees, refund of all transportation and textbook expenses incurred during the duration of the course and interest at the commercial banking rate from the date of payment of the school fees until the date of final payment for failing to graduate him six years after allegedly completing an MBA course at the university.
Agyemang & Associates, legal practitioners and consultants, acting on behalf of the plaintiff, indicated in the statement of claim that Mr Adomako, who is a Ghanaian resident in Tema, applied to the WIUC in 2001 to undertake the MBA programme at the institution.
The statement said Mr Adomako was accepted by the institution to undertake six MBA level subjects as a pre-entry course to enable him to satisfy defendant’s full entry requirements.
According to the statement, the plaintiff did better as required and attained grade ‘A’ passes in all the six subjects.
It said the institution, acting as defendant, gave the assurance that persons undertaking the MBA course would graduate under the auspices of the University of Ghana.
The plaintiff averred further that he was made to pay fees totalling about US$6,000, excluding expenses on textbooks, stationery and transportation that he had to meet in his pursuit of the said MBA degree.
The statement claimed that the university had, since his completion of the programme in 2003, ignored every correspondent and effort by him to have him graduated.
That, it said, was causing a lot of inconvenience and embarrassment to Mr Adomako and denied him several opportunities to improve on his welfare.
An Administrative Officer at the SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College in Tema has sued the Wisconsin International University College (WIUC) in Accra at the Accra Fast Track High Court, claiming general damages for breach of contract.
Mr Kwaku Osei Owusu Adomako, the plaintiff, is seeking a refund of US$6,000 paid to the defendant as fees, refund of all transportation and textbook expenses incurred during the duration of the course and interest at the commercial banking rate from the date of payment of the school fees until the date of final payment for failing to graduate him six years after allegedly completing an MBA course at the university.
Agyemang & Associates, legal practitioners and consultants, acting on behalf of the plaintiff, indicated in the statement of claim that Mr Adomako, who is a Ghanaian resident in Tema, applied to the WIUC in 2001 to undertake the MBA programme at the institution.
The statement said Mr Adomako was accepted by the institution to undertake six MBA level subjects as a pre-entry course to enable him to satisfy defendant’s full entry requirements.
According to the statement, the plaintiff did better as required and attained grade ‘A’ passes in all the six subjects.
It said the institution, acting as defendant, gave the assurance that persons undertaking the MBA course would graduate under the auspices of the University of Ghana.
The plaintiff averred further that he was made to pay fees totalling about US$6,000, excluding expenses on textbooks, stationery and transportation that he had to meet in his pursuit of the said MBA degree.
The statement claimed that the university had, since his completion of the programme in 2003, ignored every correspondent and effort by him to have him graduated.
That, it said, was causing a lot of inconvenience and embarrassment to Mr Adomako and denied him several opportunities to improve on his welfare.
Friday, February 13, 2009
TEMA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL, ZOOMLION CLEAN BEACH (PAGE 24)
The Tema Traditional Council in collaboration with about 100 fishermen who operate at the Sakumono beach and ZoomLion has organised a clean-up exercise at the Sakumono beach to make the area healthy and attractive for relaxation.
The Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Kraku, inaugurated the Friends of the Sea, Beaches and Inland Water Bodies Club during the clean-up exercise at the Sakumono beach to ensure regular clean-up at the beach.
Nii Kraku, who is the founder of the club, said the Sakumono beach was exposed because of the sea erosion, which led to resettling the indigenous people from the old site to the new Sakumono village.
He said the club had membership who resided along the beaches from Aflao to Axim and were committed to clean the beach.
Nii Kraku was not happy with the misuse of beaches by some coastal residents and expressed the need to provide fishermen with the needed facilities to encourage them to keep the beaches clean.
He said the club had entered into an agreement with a local non-governmental organisation to provide places of convenience to serve the coastal residents to ensure total cleanliness along beaches in the country.
He therefore appealed to the fishermen to desist from using the beaches for defecation and other anti-social practices like dumping of refuse.
The Chief Fisherman at Sakumono, Nii Kwashie Otubuah, expressed the appreciation of the people to the Tema Mantse for taking the initiative to assist them clean the beaches and also commended ZoomLion Company Limited for regularly clearing refuse along the coast.
Nii Otubuah indicated that the fishermen had difficulty mending their nets at the beach because of the unclean surroundings.
The fishermen and fish mongers at the Sakumono beach together with some members of the Friends of the Sea and Beaches and Inland Water Bodies assembled at the beach as early as 7am to clean the beach.
Some members of the club from the Central Region were present to support the exercise .
The Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Kraku, inaugurated the Friends of the Sea, Beaches and Inland Water Bodies Club during the clean-up exercise at the Sakumono beach to ensure regular clean-up at the beach.
Nii Kraku, who is the founder of the club, said the Sakumono beach was exposed because of the sea erosion, which led to resettling the indigenous people from the old site to the new Sakumono village.
He said the club had membership who resided along the beaches from Aflao to Axim and were committed to clean the beach.
Nii Kraku was not happy with the misuse of beaches by some coastal residents and expressed the need to provide fishermen with the needed facilities to encourage them to keep the beaches clean.
He said the club had entered into an agreement with a local non-governmental organisation to provide places of convenience to serve the coastal residents to ensure total cleanliness along beaches in the country.
He therefore appealed to the fishermen to desist from using the beaches for defecation and other anti-social practices like dumping of refuse.
The Chief Fisherman at Sakumono, Nii Kwashie Otubuah, expressed the appreciation of the people to the Tema Mantse for taking the initiative to assist them clean the beaches and also commended ZoomLion Company Limited for regularly clearing refuse along the coast.
Nii Otubuah indicated that the fishermen had difficulty mending their nets at the beach because of the unclean surroundings.
The fishermen and fish mongers at the Sakumono beach together with some members of the Friends of the Sea and Beaches and Inland Water Bodies assembled at the beach as early as 7am to clean the beach.
Some members of the club from the Central Region were present to support the exercise .
MP CONDEMNS ACTION OF PARTY SUPPORTERS (PAGE 15)
THE Member of Parliament for Ashaiman Constituency, Mr Alfred Agbesi, has condemned the action of some supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who vandalised the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly and brutalised some members of staff last Tuesday.
He has, therefore, apologised on behalf of the NDC to those affected, especially the Municipal Co-ordinating Director and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), giving them the assurance of safety and appealed to them not to feel threatened to return to work.
Mr Agbesi explained that the action was not by the NDC as a party, but some aggrieved persons and some party members, among others.
He also appealed to all aggrieved groups and the general public who felt strongly against the continuous stay in office of some officials to exercise restraint in dealing with them.
Mr Agbesi was briefing the media on Wednesday evening at Ashaiman on the incidents, which took place at the Ashaiman Assembly, noting that he was away in Parliament when he had the information.
He said his personal investigations revealed that the action was as a result of a letter purported to have been written by the Co-ordinating Director to the police, calling for the arrest of two executive members of the party. Mr Agbesi explained that a group of 300 people who were unhappy with the conduct of the MCE, the co-ordinating director and the municipal engineer in the handling of public toilets in the Ashaiman Municipality and other development projects, decided to attack them and demand that they vacated the offices.
He said members of the group recounted many other grievances that included perceived inefficiency on the part of the engineer, massive corruption and arrogance on the part of some officials, which they claimed were committed by sympathisers of the New Patriotic Party.
Mr Agbesi, however, dismissed the action of the said group, noting that the staff were public servants who were performing their legitimate official duties and, therefore, must not be held for any misconduct of politicians.
He disclosed that the President had indicated that he would handle issues cautiously and must, therefore, be given time to do so.
He called on the aggrieved people to ensure peace and tranquillity in the municipality.
The MP said there was a lot of toilet politics going on and dismissed the 'takeovers' of the facilities as being personal property.
He could not tell the whereabouts of monies being collected for the use of the toilets in Ashaiman because of the so-called takeover.
Mr Agbesi said it must not be encouraged as the impression was being created that all the takeovers were being done by NDC members, but said the police was investigating to be sure of the people involved in those actions.
He gave a background to the case, which indicated that the original operators of the toilets had sued two executive members of the NDC for taking over the toilets and, therefore, impeding them from rendering account to the municipal assembly.
Mr Agbesi confirmed that it was when they were returning from the courts that they drove to the assembly to ask for the removal of the MCE and others.
He said the supporters were aggrieved because in 2001 some of them were deprived of the operations of the toilets and, therefore, had the intention to retaliate.
Mr Agbesi alleged that as a result of the 2001 takeover when Ashaiman was under Tema, GH¢65,000 was written off as bad debt, because it could not be accounted for.
He said this situation, if not halted, would resurrect, because the monies would go into individual pockets from the precedence set by the NPP in 2001.
He, therefore, cautioned the NDC supporters to take it easy and not rush to create chaos in the country.
Mr Agbesi reiterated his call on the officials to return to their posts with the assurance that there would not be any harassment on them.
He has, therefore, apologised on behalf of the NDC to those affected, especially the Municipal Co-ordinating Director and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), giving them the assurance of safety and appealed to them not to feel threatened to return to work.
Mr Agbesi explained that the action was not by the NDC as a party, but some aggrieved persons and some party members, among others.
He also appealed to all aggrieved groups and the general public who felt strongly against the continuous stay in office of some officials to exercise restraint in dealing with them.
Mr Agbesi was briefing the media on Wednesday evening at Ashaiman on the incidents, which took place at the Ashaiman Assembly, noting that he was away in Parliament when he had the information.
He said his personal investigations revealed that the action was as a result of a letter purported to have been written by the Co-ordinating Director to the police, calling for the arrest of two executive members of the party. Mr Agbesi explained that a group of 300 people who were unhappy with the conduct of the MCE, the co-ordinating director and the municipal engineer in the handling of public toilets in the Ashaiman Municipality and other development projects, decided to attack them and demand that they vacated the offices.
He said members of the group recounted many other grievances that included perceived inefficiency on the part of the engineer, massive corruption and arrogance on the part of some officials, which they claimed were committed by sympathisers of the New Patriotic Party.
Mr Agbesi, however, dismissed the action of the said group, noting that the staff were public servants who were performing their legitimate official duties and, therefore, must not be held for any misconduct of politicians.
He disclosed that the President had indicated that he would handle issues cautiously and must, therefore, be given time to do so.
He called on the aggrieved people to ensure peace and tranquillity in the municipality.
The MP said there was a lot of toilet politics going on and dismissed the 'takeovers' of the facilities as being personal property.
He could not tell the whereabouts of monies being collected for the use of the toilets in Ashaiman because of the so-called takeover.
Mr Agbesi said it must not be encouraged as the impression was being created that all the takeovers were being done by NDC members, but said the police was investigating to be sure of the people involved in those actions.
He gave a background to the case, which indicated that the original operators of the toilets had sued two executive members of the NDC for taking over the toilets and, therefore, impeding them from rendering account to the municipal assembly.
Mr Agbesi confirmed that it was when they were returning from the courts that they drove to the assembly to ask for the removal of the MCE and others.
He said the supporters were aggrieved because in 2001 some of them were deprived of the operations of the toilets and, therefore, had the intention to retaliate.
Mr Agbesi alleged that as a result of the 2001 takeover when Ashaiman was under Tema, GH¢65,000 was written off as bad debt, because it could not be accounted for.
He said this situation, if not halted, would resurrect, because the monies would go into individual pockets from the precedence set by the NPP in 2001.
He, therefore, cautioned the NDC supporters to take it easy and not rush to create chaos in the country.
Mr Agbesi reiterated his call on the officials to return to their posts with the assurance that there would not be any harassment on them.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
I CANNOT SEE GEMANN NOW...But I'm happy he's back (GRAPHIC SHOWBIZ, PAGE 3)
By Rose Hayford Darko
WHEN her son left in 1995 to face a death penalty sentence, she could see him. Fourteen years later when he was pardoned and returned home, she could not see him because of her failing sight.
Yet 76-year-old Mrs Augusta Asiedu Agyeman says she is excited that Nana Akwasi Agyeman, aka Gemann is back.
The ageing Mrs Agyeman, who can hardly hear expressed her excitement when Showbiz paid her a visit at her Nungua residence. “Though I am blind and can hardly hear, I am happy beyond description to have my son by my side especially now that he is a changed person who holds on to the Bible as his everything.”
She explained that after 31 years service as a teacher, she retired in 1991 with her sight intact but lost it after her son was sent to prison while her husband also died during the same period.
Mrs Agyemang was of the view that her sight could have been affected by the incessant weeping when her son was imprisoned.
Though Gemann was present at the time of Showbiz’s visit, he declined to make any comment.
Apparently, Mrs Agyeman did not know about the presidential pardon and the subsequent release of her son. She recounted that she was in the bathroom when her younger sister shouted Gemann’s name and ran to her to announce his arrival but she did not take it seriously.
Mrs Agyemang said “ I shouted back to ask her to stop playing a prank on me but she kept on saying that my son was free and then it dawned on me that he was really free. Since I cannot see, I had to feel him like the Biblical Esau to be sure that Gemann was really before me in person”, she said.
Gemann is the second of four children born to Mr and Mrs Agyeman.
Mrs Agyeman said “I am grateful to God that my son has come out a changed person who sees the goodness of God and reads the Bible always”, she said.
She expressed her regret at the unfortunate incident which led to the death of the taxi driver and cursed that day.
She also expressed gratitude to the family of the deceased for their co-operation even after the incident and advised the youth to be cautious in exhibiting their youthful exuberance and take a cue from certain past events.
When Gemann eventually spoke, he confirmed his change of heart and advised the youth to rely on the Bible for their salvation.
“I have plans of meeting the family of the deceased to discuss a number of issues,” said Gemann.
Gemann is putting up with his mother to enable him have some peace and also be closer to the old lady. He was not certain about his marital life because his wife had told him during his predicament that she might re-marry.
WHEN her son left in 1995 to face a death penalty sentence, she could see him. Fourteen years later when he was pardoned and returned home, she could not see him because of her failing sight.
Yet 76-year-old Mrs Augusta Asiedu Agyeman says she is excited that Nana Akwasi Agyeman, aka Gemann is back.
The ageing Mrs Agyeman, who can hardly hear expressed her excitement when Showbiz paid her a visit at her Nungua residence. “Though I am blind and can hardly hear, I am happy beyond description to have my son by my side especially now that he is a changed person who holds on to the Bible as his everything.”
She explained that after 31 years service as a teacher, she retired in 1991 with her sight intact but lost it after her son was sent to prison while her husband also died during the same period.
Mrs Agyemang was of the view that her sight could have been affected by the incessant weeping when her son was imprisoned.
Though Gemann was present at the time of Showbiz’s visit, he declined to make any comment.
Apparently, Mrs Agyeman did not know about the presidential pardon and the subsequent release of her son. She recounted that she was in the bathroom when her younger sister shouted Gemann’s name and ran to her to announce his arrival but she did not take it seriously.
Mrs Agyemang said “ I shouted back to ask her to stop playing a prank on me but she kept on saying that my son was free and then it dawned on me that he was really free. Since I cannot see, I had to feel him like the Biblical Esau to be sure that Gemann was really before me in person”, she said.
Gemann is the second of four children born to Mr and Mrs Agyeman.
Mrs Agyeman said “I am grateful to God that my son has come out a changed person who sees the goodness of God and reads the Bible always”, she said.
She expressed her regret at the unfortunate incident which led to the death of the taxi driver and cursed that day.
She also expressed gratitude to the family of the deceased for their co-operation even after the incident and advised the youth to be cautious in exhibiting their youthful exuberance and take a cue from certain past events.
When Gemann eventually spoke, he confirmed his change of heart and advised the youth to rely on the Bible for their salvation.
“I have plans of meeting the family of the deceased to discuss a number of issues,” said Gemann.
Gemann is putting up with his mother to enable him have some peace and also be closer to the old lady. He was not certain about his marital life because his wife had told him during his predicament that she might re-marry.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
REPAY LOANS ON TIME TO KEEP US IN BUSINESS (PAGE 18)
A Board Member of the First National Loans Company (FNLC), Mr Nicholas Akunor, has advised borrowers to ensure that they repay their loans on time to keep financial institutions in business.
At an awards ceremony during which some loyal customers of the company were honoured, Mr Akunor said the key role played by the country’s financial sector in its economic growth called for sustained efforts to inculcate the habit of savings among the people.
He said the FNLC, which had branches in Accra, Techiman, Elmina, Tarkwa, Obuasi and eight other towns in the country, hoped to open more branches in Wa, Bolgatanga, Cape Coast and Koforidua.
Mr Akunor advised financial institutions to meet the expected impact of the global recession and explained that most Ghanaians who were working outside the country might be affected with the recession and therefore might return home.
He said such people would need to be assisted by local financial institutions to enable them to set up businesses and contribute their quota to the development of the local sector.
The Tema Branch Manager of the FNLC, Mr Sammy Quarshie, recounted the challenges facing the institution and said they included the negative attitude of defaulting customers, stressing that those who were able to repay their short and long-term loans affected the company’s operations positively.
He commended the award winners for their loyalty and urged them to continue to repay their loans to enable the company to meet the needs of others who needed the loans to build their businesses.
A representative of the award winners, Madam Faustina Mensah, expressed appreciation to the company and pledged that they would continue to be loyal customers of the company and commended the company for its relaxed and realistic relationship with customers.
At an awards ceremony during which some loyal customers of the company were honoured, Mr Akunor said the key role played by the country’s financial sector in its economic growth called for sustained efforts to inculcate the habit of savings among the people.
He said the FNLC, which had branches in Accra, Techiman, Elmina, Tarkwa, Obuasi and eight other towns in the country, hoped to open more branches in Wa, Bolgatanga, Cape Coast and Koforidua.
Mr Akunor advised financial institutions to meet the expected impact of the global recession and explained that most Ghanaians who were working outside the country might be affected with the recession and therefore might return home.
He said such people would need to be assisted by local financial institutions to enable them to set up businesses and contribute their quota to the development of the local sector.
The Tema Branch Manager of the FNLC, Mr Sammy Quarshie, recounted the challenges facing the institution and said they included the negative attitude of defaulting customers, stressing that those who were able to repay their short and long-term loans affected the company’s operations positively.
He commended the award winners for their loyalty and urged them to continue to repay their loans to enable the company to meet the needs of others who needed the loans to build their businesses.
A representative of the award winners, Madam Faustina Mensah, expressed appreciation to the company and pledged that they would continue to be loyal customers of the company and commended the company for its relaxed and realistic relationship with customers.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
CEMENT DEALERS WORRIED OVER PRICE HIKE (MIRROR, PAGE 27)
From Rose Hayford Darko, Tema
Dealers and users of cement in Tema and Ashaiman have expressed dismay at the increase in price of the commodity without any prior information.
They have as a result threatened to stop doing business with Ghacem and look for other sources of supply where the same product will cost cheaper.
They were of the view that the increase in price had come at a time when Ghacem claimed to have achieved a record increase in production as at the end of December 2008.
Market survey showed that cement was being sold in Tema for between 10 and 12 Ghana cedis.
Some insiders said the increase had been the highest throughout the 41-year history of Ghacem.
They said the increase was not commensurate with the percentage depreciation of the cedi to the dollar.
The survey revealed that the world financial crisis had resulted in a decrease in freight and clinker prices, which rather called for a decrease in the price of cement.
The dealers and users wondered why the price of the commodity from West African Cement (WACEM) had remained unchanged.
They claimed that as partners in the business, Ghacem could have sought their concern and discussed with them before imposing the new price on them.
The Commercial Director of GHACEM, Mr Erik Wartemberg, confirmed the increase in prices of Ghacem cement to the mirror.
He said the price had been raised from GH¢ 8.05 to GH¢8.74 ex factory price, representing 70Gp difference but explained that it was basically because of the current exchange rate, where the cedi had depreciated against the dollar.
He said Ghacem imported about 70 per cent of its inputs, which compelled the company to increase the price by about 7 per cent.
Mr Wartemberg said the company was reacting to the global financial crisis, whose effect the country had started experiencing.
He said in spite of the increase in production in December 2008 and January 2009 the company made loses.
Mr Wartemberg denied that the company had enough stock that should last for over six months, noting that there were other additives that contributed to the production process.
The Corporate Strategic Planning Director of Ghacem, Dr George Dawson, noted that distributors had expressed dissatisfaction with the increase.
He appealed to them to accept the new price because “the increase was inevitable”.
Attempts to talk to the distributors’ association failed because according to them they had plans to come out appropriately because anytime there was increases, distributors were blamed for the shortages and increase in prices.
Meanwhile various projects that have cement as input could be affected if distributors decide to withdraw their services.
Dealers and users of cement in Tema and Ashaiman have expressed dismay at the increase in price of the commodity without any prior information.
They have as a result threatened to stop doing business with Ghacem and look for other sources of supply where the same product will cost cheaper.
They were of the view that the increase in price had come at a time when Ghacem claimed to have achieved a record increase in production as at the end of December 2008.
Market survey showed that cement was being sold in Tema for between 10 and 12 Ghana cedis.
Some insiders said the increase had been the highest throughout the 41-year history of Ghacem.
They said the increase was not commensurate with the percentage depreciation of the cedi to the dollar.
The survey revealed that the world financial crisis had resulted in a decrease in freight and clinker prices, which rather called for a decrease in the price of cement.
The dealers and users wondered why the price of the commodity from West African Cement (WACEM) had remained unchanged.
They claimed that as partners in the business, Ghacem could have sought their concern and discussed with them before imposing the new price on them.
The Commercial Director of GHACEM, Mr Erik Wartemberg, confirmed the increase in prices of Ghacem cement to the mirror.
He said the price had been raised from GH¢ 8.05 to GH¢8.74 ex factory price, representing 70Gp difference but explained that it was basically because of the current exchange rate, where the cedi had depreciated against the dollar.
He said Ghacem imported about 70 per cent of its inputs, which compelled the company to increase the price by about 7 per cent.
Mr Wartemberg said the company was reacting to the global financial crisis, whose effect the country had started experiencing.
He said in spite of the increase in production in December 2008 and January 2009 the company made loses.
Mr Wartemberg denied that the company had enough stock that should last for over six months, noting that there were other additives that contributed to the production process.
The Corporate Strategic Planning Director of Ghacem, Dr George Dawson, noted that distributors had expressed dissatisfaction with the increase.
He appealed to them to accept the new price because “the increase was inevitable”.
Attempts to talk to the distributors’ association failed because according to them they had plans to come out appropriately because anytime there was increases, distributors were blamed for the shortages and increase in prices.
Meanwhile various projects that have cement as input could be affected if distributors decide to withdraw their services.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
HEPATITIS B AWARENESS FOR TRUCK DRIVERS IN TEMA (PAGE 30)
A family physician at the Port Medical Centre in Tema, Dr Nii Anum Aryeh, has advocated a universal screening for hepatitis B (HB) because of its increasing spread and high prevalence in the country.
According to him, between seven and 12 per cent of blood screened at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital were found to be infected with hepatitis B.
Dr Aryeh said 20 per cent of the cases were found to have been mostly from the use of unsterilised sharp instruments.
He indicated that hepatitis B had a prevalence rate of six per cent as against three per cent of HIV, making it comparatively more dangerous than HIV.
Dr Aryeh made the disclosures at a campaign against hepatitis B for truck drivers at the 10th anniversary celebration of Jon Moore International Haulage Company at Tema.
The theme for the anniversary was “Help Prevent Hepatitis B — Tell A friend, Be Careful Anyone Can Be a Victim”.
He said truck haulage drivers who conveyed goods across the country’s borders stood a greater risk of being infected with the HB because of the possibility of having multiple sexual partners.
Dr Aryeh advised the drivers to avoid the services of untrained ‘wanzams’, street barbers and unqualified pedicure and manicure operators.
He noted that shared toothbrushes, blades and scissors and contact with tears, urine, semen, saliva and all other infected body fluids could be sources of infection.
Dr Aryeh also advised against homosexuality, heterosexuality and intravenous drug use.
He said every Ghanaian should get vaccinated to be protected against the virus, noting that excessive drinking and consumption of mouldy foods must be avoided.
Dr Aryeh said Glaxo SmithKline & Roche Firm had drawn up a programme for selected medical centres in Ghana including the Port Medical Centre in Tema and Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to undertake education in Ghana to eradicate hepatitis B syndrome from the world.
The Head of the Transport Unit of the Jon Moore International Haulage Company, Mr Ekow Botwe, said the survival of the company depended on the workforce which mostly comprised drivers who conveyed the goods and, therefore, the need for their safety and good health to be ensured.
He explained that drivers stood the risk of being infected with diseases that could be prevented, considering their contacts with different people along the routes that they plied.
Mr Botwe said the company decided to use its 10th anniversary celebrations to educate the workers and create awareness about the hepatitis B virus.
He said as part of its corporate responsibility, the company had started the construction of a dormitory block at Ve Koloenu in the Hohoe District of the Volta Region to house an orphanage for 60 children.
Mr Botwe urged the drivers to lead healthy lifestyles to avoid being infected with the hepatitis B virus.
The drivers mounted a float through the Tema metropolis to create awareness on the hepatitis B virus.
According to him, between seven and 12 per cent of blood screened at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital were found to be infected with hepatitis B.
Dr Aryeh said 20 per cent of the cases were found to have been mostly from the use of unsterilised sharp instruments.
He indicated that hepatitis B had a prevalence rate of six per cent as against three per cent of HIV, making it comparatively more dangerous than HIV.
Dr Aryeh made the disclosures at a campaign against hepatitis B for truck drivers at the 10th anniversary celebration of Jon Moore International Haulage Company at Tema.
The theme for the anniversary was “Help Prevent Hepatitis B — Tell A friend, Be Careful Anyone Can Be a Victim”.
He said truck haulage drivers who conveyed goods across the country’s borders stood a greater risk of being infected with the HB because of the possibility of having multiple sexual partners.
Dr Aryeh advised the drivers to avoid the services of untrained ‘wanzams’, street barbers and unqualified pedicure and manicure operators.
He noted that shared toothbrushes, blades and scissors and contact with tears, urine, semen, saliva and all other infected body fluids could be sources of infection.
Dr Aryeh also advised against homosexuality, heterosexuality and intravenous drug use.
He said every Ghanaian should get vaccinated to be protected against the virus, noting that excessive drinking and consumption of mouldy foods must be avoided.
Dr Aryeh said Glaxo SmithKline & Roche Firm had drawn up a programme for selected medical centres in Ghana including the Port Medical Centre in Tema and Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to undertake education in Ghana to eradicate hepatitis B syndrome from the world.
The Head of the Transport Unit of the Jon Moore International Haulage Company, Mr Ekow Botwe, said the survival of the company depended on the workforce which mostly comprised drivers who conveyed the goods and, therefore, the need for their safety and good health to be ensured.
He explained that drivers stood the risk of being infected with diseases that could be prevented, considering their contacts with different people along the routes that they plied.
Mr Botwe said the company decided to use its 10th anniversary celebrations to educate the workers and create awareness about the hepatitis B virus.
He said as part of its corporate responsibility, the company had started the construction of a dormitory block at Ve Koloenu in the Hohoe District of the Volta Region to house an orphanage for 60 children.
Mr Botwe urged the drivers to lead healthy lifestyles to avoid being infected with the hepatitis B virus.
The drivers mounted a float through the Tema metropolis to create awareness on the hepatitis B virus.
Monday, February 2, 2009
PATROL TEAM GUNS DOWN TWO ROBBERS (BACK PAGE, JAN 29)
TWO suspected armed robbers died when they were shot at by a joint police/military patrol team in Tema early dawn yesterday.
The suspects were said to have taken to their heels, abandoning the Kawasaki motor bike with registration number GS 9608 Z, with which they allegedly robbed four Russian seafarers of their belongings on the Tema beach road.
Two machetes, three mobile phones, a digital camera and a passport were found on the deceased.
Briefing the Daily Graphic at the scene, the Tema Regional Police Commander, DCOP John Kudalor, said the incident occurred at about 1 a.m. after the patrol team had received a distress call that a good Samaritan who had gone to the aid of an accident victim at Batsonaa was being attacked by robbers.
He said on their way to Batsonaa, the patrol team had another call, which indicated that there was another robbery taking place, and that those involved had already escaped on a motorbike.
DCOP Kudalor said this was confirmed by a taxi driver who drove past the patrol team, and as the team headed towards the described scene, it spotted a motorbike speeding towards Tema.
DCOP Kudalor said the bike was at a break-neck speed to the extent that the patrol team vehicle had to veer off to avoid a head-on collision.
He said just then, the motorbike hit an obstacle and somersaulted. The riders, however, got up and took to their heels, and attempted to pass through the rail underpass, which is not accessible to vehicles.
DCOP Kudalor said the patrol team, therefore, gave them a chase until their refusal to stop compelled the team to shoot at them.
He said on interviewing the Russian victims, they claimed that their vessel had docked at the Tema Harbour. They went out, after which they went to the beach to swim, where they were attacked by the two men.
The Russians were identified as Mr Valenskiy Valerie, 51; Mr Galkin Vladimir, 45; Ms Cybopoba Suverova, 46, and Ms Zhakova Strelana, 41, who work as sailors on the Russian vessel M.V. Gnadalajara, which is currently docked at the Tema Harbour.
DCOP Kudalor said the victims had matchete wounds on them and had, therefore, been given police medical forms to attend hospital.
The bodies of the deceased, who are yet to be identified, have been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary in Accra.
In another incident, DCOP Kudalor said at about 7.45p.m. on Monday, a gang of robbers attacked a man and his wife on the Motorway and attempted to snatch their car from them.
He said the man, Mr Winfred Kutsakor, managed to swerve his Opel Vectra car in an attempt to escape the robbers, but he hit one of the attackers who died instantly.
DCOP Kudalor said before the patrol team got to the scene, the other robbers had already escaped.
He said the body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary.
DCOP Kudalor, therefore, appealed to the public to be alert and report any suspicious movements and characters to the police for action.
The suspects were said to have taken to their heels, abandoning the Kawasaki motor bike with registration number GS 9608 Z, with which they allegedly robbed four Russian seafarers of their belongings on the Tema beach road.
Two machetes, three mobile phones, a digital camera and a passport were found on the deceased.
Briefing the Daily Graphic at the scene, the Tema Regional Police Commander, DCOP John Kudalor, said the incident occurred at about 1 a.m. after the patrol team had received a distress call that a good Samaritan who had gone to the aid of an accident victim at Batsonaa was being attacked by robbers.
He said on their way to Batsonaa, the patrol team had another call, which indicated that there was another robbery taking place, and that those involved had already escaped on a motorbike.
DCOP Kudalor said this was confirmed by a taxi driver who drove past the patrol team, and as the team headed towards the described scene, it spotted a motorbike speeding towards Tema.
DCOP Kudalor said the bike was at a break-neck speed to the extent that the patrol team vehicle had to veer off to avoid a head-on collision.
He said just then, the motorbike hit an obstacle and somersaulted. The riders, however, got up and took to their heels, and attempted to pass through the rail underpass, which is not accessible to vehicles.
DCOP Kudalor said the patrol team, therefore, gave them a chase until their refusal to stop compelled the team to shoot at them.
He said on interviewing the Russian victims, they claimed that their vessel had docked at the Tema Harbour. They went out, after which they went to the beach to swim, where they were attacked by the two men.
The Russians were identified as Mr Valenskiy Valerie, 51; Mr Galkin Vladimir, 45; Ms Cybopoba Suverova, 46, and Ms Zhakova Strelana, 41, who work as sailors on the Russian vessel M.V. Gnadalajara, which is currently docked at the Tema Harbour.
DCOP Kudalor said the victims had matchete wounds on them and had, therefore, been given police medical forms to attend hospital.
The bodies of the deceased, who are yet to be identified, have been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary in Accra.
In another incident, DCOP Kudalor said at about 7.45p.m. on Monday, a gang of robbers attacked a man and his wife on the Motorway and attempted to snatch their car from them.
He said the man, Mr Winfred Kutsakor, managed to swerve his Opel Vectra car in an attempt to escape the robbers, but he hit one of the attackers who died instantly.
DCOP Kudalor said before the patrol team got to the scene, the other robbers had already escaped.
He said the body of the deceased has since been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary.
DCOP Kudalor, therefore, appealed to the public to be alert and report any suspicious movements and characters to the police for action.
TEMA CEPS EXCEEDS TARGET (PAGE 29, JAN 27)
THE Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) in Tema has collected GH¢1.17 billion in 2008, exceeding its revenue target of GH¢1.05 billion.
The Sector Commander of the Tema Collection of the CEPS, Alhaji Mohammed M. Nasirudeen, said the collection point, described as the nation’s ‘bread basket’, was charged to collect about 80 per cent of the entire national revenue allocated.
This means that the service exceeded its target by seven per cent, Alhaji Nasirudeen announced at an awards ceremony held for its staff in Tema at the weekend.
He called on the personnel of the service to work with dedication and re-double their efforts, with the view to exceeding the target expected for the year 2009.
He also commended the staff of GCNet for making it possible for CEPS to exceed its target, and acknowledged the cordial relationship existing between CEPS and other stakeholders at the port.
He, however, said there were some hurdles to be cleared, citing voluntary compliance and explained that much as CEPS strived to make clearing procedures smoother and simpler, the activities of some importers and agents continued to hamper their efforts.
He, therefore, appealed to those who adopt all manner of tricks to avoid payment of taxes to desist from that, since that could result in loss of revenue to the state.
In an address, the Commissioner of CEPS, Mr Emmanuel Doku, congratulated the staff on their achievement, saying that despite the global economic crises which culminated in the tax relief, resulting in the downward review of tariffs on petroleum products and some food items, they excelled in their operations through vigilance and hard work.
Mr Doku said the service had made great strides in capacity building to improve on professionalism and qualitative changes which took place in the year 2008.
He gave the assurance that management would continue to roll out programmes to ensure that its corporate targets and objectives were realised for increased productivity.
“Your gain is a gain for the service and your loss is our loss,” he said, adding that attainment of the global revenue target of the service was heavily dependent on the performance of Tema.
Awards were given to hard-working personnel. A chief collector at the terminal, Mrs Rebecca Asah, received an award on behalf of the container terminal personnel at the Tema Harbour.
Other awards went to the Overall Best Junior Officer, Mr Emmanuel Amo, and the Overall Senior Officer Chief Collector, Yakubu Seidu of the Eastern Gate at the Tema Harbour.
They were given awards including certificates and carvings, while retirees were also presented with parting parcels.
The Sector Commander of the Tema Collection of the CEPS, Alhaji Mohammed M. Nasirudeen, said the collection point, described as the nation’s ‘bread basket’, was charged to collect about 80 per cent of the entire national revenue allocated.
This means that the service exceeded its target by seven per cent, Alhaji Nasirudeen announced at an awards ceremony held for its staff in Tema at the weekend.
He called on the personnel of the service to work with dedication and re-double their efforts, with the view to exceeding the target expected for the year 2009.
He also commended the staff of GCNet for making it possible for CEPS to exceed its target, and acknowledged the cordial relationship existing between CEPS and other stakeholders at the port.
He, however, said there were some hurdles to be cleared, citing voluntary compliance and explained that much as CEPS strived to make clearing procedures smoother and simpler, the activities of some importers and agents continued to hamper their efforts.
He, therefore, appealed to those who adopt all manner of tricks to avoid payment of taxes to desist from that, since that could result in loss of revenue to the state.
In an address, the Commissioner of CEPS, Mr Emmanuel Doku, congratulated the staff on their achievement, saying that despite the global economic crises which culminated in the tax relief, resulting in the downward review of tariffs on petroleum products and some food items, they excelled in their operations through vigilance and hard work.
Mr Doku said the service had made great strides in capacity building to improve on professionalism and qualitative changes which took place in the year 2008.
He gave the assurance that management would continue to roll out programmes to ensure that its corporate targets and objectives were realised for increased productivity.
“Your gain is a gain for the service and your loss is our loss,” he said, adding that attainment of the global revenue target of the service was heavily dependent on the performance of Tema.
Awards were given to hard-working personnel. A chief collector at the terminal, Mrs Rebecca Asah, received an award on behalf of the container terminal personnel at the Tema Harbour.
Other awards went to the Overall Best Junior Officer, Mr Emmanuel Amo, and the Overall Senior Officer Chief Collector, Yakubu Seidu of the Eastern Gate at the Tema Harbour.
They were given awards including certificates and carvings, while retirees were also presented with parting parcels.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
ENSURE PROPER SECURITY OF DAY-CARE CENTRES (PAGE 11, JAN 26)
SOME parents in the Tema Metropolis and Ashaiman Municipality have urged operators of day care centres to ensure the security and safety of their children.
The parents said some children had gone missing from their day care centres because they had either strayed onto the streets or been lured by strangers and announcements had only been made about the children as missing without the mention of the names of the centres.
Some of these centres are so close to the roads and without proper fencing, while others simply do not have adequate security.
The concerned parents have, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to bring some sanity into the operations of the centres by enforcing strict rules to ensure the safety and security of the children.
They have also suggested that the authorities conduct regular inspections of the premises of these centres to ensure that trained proprietors, teachers and attendants were employed to take care of the children.
Some of the parents who did not want their identities disclosed, told the Daily Graphic that many of the centres charged high fees with the claim of giving exceptional care to the children but they lacked the necessary facilities.
Day care centres are supposed to give support to parents to enable them to attend to their official and other duties.
The idea is to offer the basic education to children as young as three months to about four years, depending on the facilities available at the centre.
The parents also expect to see playgrounds with educative playing materials to enable the children to learn while they play but according to them many centres do not have them.
They are also not happy with the limited space available to the increasing number of children since only small cubicles could be found in most day care centres.
A retired educationist and proprietress of the Sweet Mother Daycare Centre at Community 8, Tema confirmed that many day care centres in the metropolis did not have adequate security, adding that this type of work demanded the institution of security measures and that required financial resources.
Madam Kumah was concerned about the fact that drug addicts and some mentally challenged persons occasionally invaded the grounds of many of the centres except those who operated in homes and others who had proper security.
She said some sand winners had dug trenches on the compounds of some of these centres or very close to them, a situation that has created a lot of worry for parents and operators.
Madam Kumah regretted that even though several reports had been made to the security agencies, these had not yielded any positive results making it very uncomfortable for the operators.
Contrary to what most parents believe, Madam Kumah said it was not necessary to have playing materials for the children because they were very young.
Madam Kumah has started fencing her centre and said she would employ a security man.
Making further rounds within Tema, Ashaiman and Kpone to ascertain the conditions under which some of the centres operated, the Daily Graphic observed that some day care centres had inadequate security and no playgrounds, while others which had play areas had no playing materials.
At one of the centres in Tema, the Daily Graphic team walked in without any one asking questions because the gate was not locked, while the children were playing without any supervision.
At Kpone, the team observed that some proprietors were changing their structures from wooden to concrete, while others had children of different ages placed in the same cubicles that were also used as living rooms.
At Ashaiman, parents complained about the high fees and poor facilities.
The parents said some children had gone missing from their day care centres because they had either strayed onto the streets or been lured by strangers and announcements had only been made about the children as missing without the mention of the names of the centres.
Some of these centres are so close to the roads and without proper fencing, while others simply do not have adequate security.
The concerned parents have, therefore, appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to bring some sanity into the operations of the centres by enforcing strict rules to ensure the safety and security of the children.
They have also suggested that the authorities conduct regular inspections of the premises of these centres to ensure that trained proprietors, teachers and attendants were employed to take care of the children.
Some of the parents who did not want their identities disclosed, told the Daily Graphic that many of the centres charged high fees with the claim of giving exceptional care to the children but they lacked the necessary facilities.
Day care centres are supposed to give support to parents to enable them to attend to their official and other duties.
The idea is to offer the basic education to children as young as three months to about four years, depending on the facilities available at the centre.
The parents also expect to see playgrounds with educative playing materials to enable the children to learn while they play but according to them many centres do not have them.
They are also not happy with the limited space available to the increasing number of children since only small cubicles could be found in most day care centres.
A retired educationist and proprietress of the Sweet Mother Daycare Centre at Community 8, Tema confirmed that many day care centres in the metropolis did not have adequate security, adding that this type of work demanded the institution of security measures and that required financial resources.
Madam Kumah was concerned about the fact that drug addicts and some mentally challenged persons occasionally invaded the grounds of many of the centres except those who operated in homes and others who had proper security.
She said some sand winners had dug trenches on the compounds of some of these centres or very close to them, a situation that has created a lot of worry for parents and operators.
Madam Kumah regretted that even though several reports had been made to the security agencies, these had not yielded any positive results making it very uncomfortable for the operators.
Contrary to what most parents believe, Madam Kumah said it was not necessary to have playing materials for the children because they were very young.
Madam Kumah has started fencing her centre and said she would employ a security man.
Making further rounds within Tema, Ashaiman and Kpone to ascertain the conditions under which some of the centres operated, the Daily Graphic observed that some day care centres had inadequate security and no playgrounds, while others which had play areas had no playing materials.
At one of the centres in Tema, the Daily Graphic team walked in without any one asking questions because the gate was not locked, while the children were playing without any supervision.
At Kpone, the team observed that some proprietors were changing their structures from wooden to concrete, while others had children of different ages placed in the same cubicles that were also used as living rooms.
At Ashaiman, parents complained about the high fees and poor facilities.
UNILEVER ASSISTS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF (PAGE 111, JAN 23)
Unilever Ghana Limited has presented students of the Adjei Kojo State School for the Deaf with food items, detergents and cleaning agents to help with the upkeep of the pupils.
The items, worth GH¢500, were made up of Frytol cooking oil, Royco, rice, Key soap and Vim.
Receiving the items, the Headteacher, Mr Michael Cudjoe, said the school needed support from individuals and organisations to be able to care for this less fortunate students.
He explained that the government had been its major source of funding but there were sometimes delays in releasing funds, a situation which put both the teachers and the students in a difficult situation.
Mr Cudjoe thanked Unilever Ghana for being helpful to the school and its students, and appealed to it to continue with the gesture which had been on a yearly basis.
The Corporate Relations Manager of Unilever, Ms Bernice Natue, who presented the items on behalf of Unilever, promised that the company would continue to support the students.
She said discipline and punctuality constituted the hallmark of Unilever which had, for the past three years, set up a fund into which fines from latecomers at the workplace were deposited and used for charity.
Ms Natue said it was the wish of the management of Unilever to instil discipline through example in employees and through that impart it to the students who were expected to apply that in their everyday lives.
She said Unilever had been helping the school for the past three years and would continue to do so.
The items, worth GH¢500, were made up of Frytol cooking oil, Royco, rice, Key soap and Vim.
Receiving the items, the Headteacher, Mr Michael Cudjoe, said the school needed support from individuals and organisations to be able to care for this less fortunate students.
He explained that the government had been its major source of funding but there were sometimes delays in releasing funds, a situation which put both the teachers and the students in a difficult situation.
Mr Cudjoe thanked Unilever Ghana for being helpful to the school and its students, and appealed to it to continue with the gesture which had been on a yearly basis.
The Corporate Relations Manager of Unilever, Ms Bernice Natue, who presented the items on behalf of Unilever, promised that the company would continue to support the students.
She said discipline and punctuality constituted the hallmark of Unilever which had, for the past three years, set up a fund into which fines from latecomers at the workplace were deposited and used for charity.
Ms Natue said it was the wish of the management of Unilever to instil discipline through example in employees and through that impart it to the students who were expected to apply that in their everyday lives.
She said Unilever had been helping the school for the past three years and would continue to do so.
CADRES OF TEMA, ASHAIMAN CONGRATULATE MILLS, MAHAMA (PAGE 15, JAN 21)
PROGRESSIVE cadres of Tema and Ashaiman have congratulated President J.E.A. Mills and his Vice, John Dramani Mahama, on their historic victory in the 2008 elections.
In a statement copied to the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), it also congratulated the Ghanaian electorate and the entire civil society on conducting themselves in a peaceful manner before, during and after the elections.
They pledged their continued support and loyalty to the NDC and the government in their efforts inchampioning democracy on the African continent.
The cadres promised to provide leadership at the grassroots level through education and consolidation of their membership.
According to the statement, the cadres would not hesitate to offer objective and constructive criticisms where necessary.
They expressed the hope that the President would follow and implement the promises spelt out in the NDC manifesto to enhance the social and economic status of the people.
They further congratulated Flt Lt J.J. Rawlings, Captain (retd) Kojo Tsikata (retd) and all others on their untiring efforts and commitment to redeem the party’s image and reclaiming power for it to lead the country again.
The message also thanked the media for their vigilance and contributions to sustain Ghana’s democracy.
In a statement copied to the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), it also congratulated the Ghanaian electorate and the entire civil society on conducting themselves in a peaceful manner before, during and after the elections.
They pledged their continued support and loyalty to the NDC and the government in their efforts inchampioning democracy on the African continent.
The cadres promised to provide leadership at the grassroots level through education and consolidation of their membership.
According to the statement, the cadres would not hesitate to offer objective and constructive criticisms where necessary.
They expressed the hope that the President would follow and implement the promises spelt out in the NDC manifesto to enhance the social and economic status of the people.
They further congratulated Flt Lt J.J. Rawlings, Captain (retd) Kojo Tsikata (retd) and all others on their untiring efforts and commitment to redeem the party’s image and reclaiming power for it to lead the country again.
The message also thanked the media for their vigilance and contributions to sustain Ghana’s democracy.
ANDANIS IN ASHAIMAN CONGRATULATE MILLS
ANDANIS in the Ashaiman Municipality have extended a congratulatory message to President John Evans Atta Mills on his election to the presidency and pledged their support to him.
In a letter to the President and copied to the media, the spokesman, Baba Abdulai Gomda, commended President Atta Mills for promising Ghanaians that he would be a father to all, to promote unity and understanding in the country.
They, however, appealed to him not to relent on the promises he made to the Andanis, which attracted massive votes for the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The Andanis referred specifically to the promise made by the NDC to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of the Yaa Naa.
The letter called for an independent investigation into the matter to once and for all put to rest the case about the murderers of the Yaa Naa.
It indicated that as part of his campaign message, the President promised the Andanis a full-scale enquiry to ensure peace in Dagbon by bringing the factions together.
According to the message, the Andanis have trust in the President and, therefore, took his word for it, urging him to go by his promise.
The message promised him of their support in all times to help bring development to the nation.
It indicated that the Dagbon area had human resource and experts who could contribute to building the nation .
It also stated that there were people who would devote themselves to helping any committee that the President would set up to help unravel the truth in the killing of the Yaa Naa.
The message wished the President wisdom to enable him deliver to the satisfaction of the people of Ghana by encouraging them to vote again for NDC in the next four years.
Baba Gomda took the opportunity to condemn the activities of the youth in Ashaiman who took over 19 places of convenience, and urged them to allow time for the law to take its course.
In a letter to the President and copied to the media, the spokesman, Baba Abdulai Gomda, commended President Atta Mills for promising Ghanaians that he would be a father to all, to promote unity and understanding in the country.
They, however, appealed to him not to relent on the promises he made to the Andanis, which attracted massive votes for the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The Andanis referred specifically to the promise made by the NDC to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of the Yaa Naa.
The letter called for an independent investigation into the matter to once and for all put to rest the case about the murderers of the Yaa Naa.
It indicated that as part of his campaign message, the President promised the Andanis a full-scale enquiry to ensure peace in Dagbon by bringing the factions together.
According to the message, the Andanis have trust in the President and, therefore, took his word for it, urging him to go by his promise.
The message promised him of their support in all times to help bring development to the nation.
It indicated that the Dagbon area had human resource and experts who could contribute to building the nation .
It also stated that there were people who would devote themselves to helping any committee that the President would set up to help unravel the truth in the killing of the Yaa Naa.
The message wished the President wisdom to enable him deliver to the satisfaction of the people of Ghana by encouraging them to vote again for NDC in the next four years.
Baba Gomda took the opportunity to condemn the activities of the youth in Ashaiman who took over 19 places of convenience, and urged them to allow time for the law to take its course.
EIGHT PERISH IN MOTORWAY ACCIDENT (PAGE 31, JAN 19)
Eight people, including a four-month-old baby, died on the spot when a 207 Mercedes Benz bus skidded off the Accra-Tema Motorway, somersaulted and crashed into a ditch on Friday evening.
The driver and his mate, together with other passengers on the bus, sustained various degrees of injury and are responding to treatment at the Tema General Hospital.
According to Mr Philip Ansah, an eyewitness who said he was crossing the road when the accident occurred, about 5 p.m. on Friday, during the usual rush hour, the bus, which was moving from the Accra end of the Motorway and loaded with gallons of Akpeteshie, baskets of palm fruit and bunches of plantain, went out of control after bursting a tyre near the Trassaco Valley Estates.
The eyewitness said the back right tyre of the vehicle got detached from the axle and the bus hit a street light before somersaulting into a ditch.
The accident had resulted in heavy vehicular traffic on that part of the road when the Daily Graphic got to the scene.
Residents of the area assisted police personnel from Tema and Accra to control the movement of vehicles and direct traffic.
The driver and his mate, together with other passengers on the bus, sustained various degrees of injury and are responding to treatment at the Tema General Hospital.
According to Mr Philip Ansah, an eyewitness who said he was crossing the road when the accident occurred, about 5 p.m. on Friday, during the usual rush hour, the bus, which was moving from the Accra end of the Motorway and loaded with gallons of Akpeteshie, baskets of palm fruit and bunches of plantain, went out of control after bursting a tyre near the Trassaco Valley Estates.
The eyewitness said the back right tyre of the vehicle got detached from the axle and the bus hit a street light before somersaulting into a ditch.
The accident had resulted in heavy vehicular traffic on that part of the road when the Daily Graphic got to the scene.
Residents of the area assisted police personnel from Tema and Accra to control the movement of vehicles and direct traffic.
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