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Friday, September 17, 2010

EMERGING TRENDS of vandalism




Member of Parliament for Manhyia, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh


EMERGING TRENDS of vandalism by foot-soldiers of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and apparent acts of lawlessness by big shots of government have alarmed the Member of Parliament for Manhyia, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, compelling him to ask whether there was a leader in charge of this country.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with DAILY GUIDE on a wide range of governance issues, including constitutional breaches, acquisition of lands by private individuals and the relentless harassment of the Chief Justice, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh said the country has virtually been “thrown to the dogs”, as it appeared there was nobody in charge to crack the whip in the midst of wide-spread lawlessness.

“I sometimes wonder who is in charge of this country because everybody is allowed to do whatever they like,” he stated.

NDC foot-soldiers have been on rampage ever since President Mills assumed office, destroying and seizing public property and chasing away District Chief Executives (DCEs) with reckless abandon, without any official reprimand or prosecution.

Dr. Prempeh said he was not entirely surprised at the current happenings in the country because “all the things going round revolve around President Mills”.

“If people see the leader flouting the constitution with ease, why wouldn’t subordinates flout the laws of the country?” the Manhyia MP asked rhetorically.

President Mills, he contended, sowed seeds of lawlessness when he decided to set aside emoluments and gratuities (ex-gratia) which had been legally approved by the legislature and the executive for public office holders under Article 71 of the 1992 constitution.

Such public office holders included members of the Judiciary, MPs and ministers of state.

Dr. Prempeh was also at a loss as to why the President and indeed many top officials of his administration or past NDC government officials who have acquired government lands would allow the National Security Coordinator, Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, to usurp the powers of the Lands Commission and spew propaganda that persons connected to the Kufuor administration had illegally acquired government lands.

“President Mills should tell Ghanaians how he acquired his plot of land opposite Tema Development Corporation (TDC) and let’s ask who bought the government lands at Cantonments, Independence Avenue and East Legon,” Dr. Prempeh dared.

The Ghanaian Observer newspaper recently revealed the list of individuals connected to the NDC or the ruling party who had acquired government lands like private persons or people in the previous NPP administration.

The paper indicated that National Security Advisor Brigadier Joseph Nunoo Mensah owns one of such lands at the Airport West Area of Accra and that it was granted to him by the Lands Commission in 1978.

Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings’ 31st December Women’s Movement (DWM) also owns lands under the South Legon Development Scheme of the Lands Commission, the newspaper claimed.

The land was granted to the DWM in 1998 when Mr. Rawlings was President of the Republic and Nana Konadu, First Lady.

Council of State member and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Peter Tinganaba Nanfuri, purchased a state land at the North Legon Residential area in 1985 when the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) was in power.

Again, Council of State Chairman Prof. Kofi Awonoor acquired one of such lands at North Legon Residential area in 1987, it is claimed.

Also among a long list of people connected to the ruling NDC who have acquired state lands was the late Edward Kojo Salia, one time Minister of Communications who has land at North Legon Residential Area in 1998.

Col. Gbevlo-Lartey, Dr. Prempeh submitted, has been permitted to dabble in areas outside his original jurisdiction of ensuring internal security and the peace of this country.

According to Dr. Prempeh, who is also a former student leader, all these things are happening because President Mills has been breaching the constitution, as some of his actions have already been declared by courts as unconstitutional.

It would be recalled that President Mills decided to slash the emoluments and gratuity (ex-gratia) of the MPs and Ministers of state, among others, who served in the Fourth Parliament between 2005 and January 6, 2009, following street agitations by politically contrived groups like the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) led by ‘agitator-general’ Kwesi Pratt.

He set up the Ishmael Yamson Committee to review what the country’s legislature had already approved, an action which had been described as sheer populism and breach of constitution by some political analysts including the former NDC MP for Jomoro and now Ghana’s Ambassador to South Africa, Lee Ocran and John Ndebugre, former MP for Zebilla.

By Awudu Mahama
...Read More

Kufuor roots for Social Market Economy




Former President John Agyekum Kufuor


Accra, Sept 17, GNA - Former President John Agyekum Kufuor arrived back home Wednesday night after a five-day visit to Berlin, Germany, during which he advocated for the adoption of the principles of social market economy by African governments to ensure their sustained development


Former President Kufuor said while governments should promote private enterprise as the engine of growth, it was important for the state to act as a regulator to ensure that the interests of the ordinary citizen were catered for and not sacrificed in the pursuit of profit.


"Social Market Economy guarantees that the economic freedom of private enterprise and the liberal rights of the individual is balanced to foster a win-win situation for all stakeholders in the market place. The state only acts as a regulator to ensure that unbridled profits do not whittle away the benefits that must be enjoyed by the individual," a statement signed by the former President's Spokesman, Mr Frank Agyekum, said.


Former President Kufuor was speaking on: "An African Perspective on the Social Market Economy" as part of a series of lectures by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF), a German non-governmental political organization, to examine different economic policy approaches in the wake of the recent global financial crisis.

Former President Kufuor said the social market economic system had helped Germany to rise from the ruins of the Second World War to become one of the strongest economies in the world and recommended it to African governments.



He appealed to Germany and other European countries to increase their investments in Africa, adding that the continent was ready to take its rightful place in world affairs and must be treated on equal terms.



"It is unacceptable for the international community to ask African governments to cut subsidies to their farmers as a condition for aid while they turn around and subsidize their farmers. This makes farmers in the developed countries to produce at much lower prices to the disadvantage of the already impoverished African farmer," former President Kufuor said.



His visit was at the invitation of KAF and he was accompanied by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (N PP), and Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, the National Chairman of the NPP, who were also invited by the Foundation.



During the visit the team held talks with some German leaders including Mr. Horst Koehler, former President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Eckart von Klaeden, Minister of State in the Federal Chancellery and Ambassador Matthias Muelmenstaedt, Commissioner for African Politics in the Foreign Affairs Ministry.



Other high ranking officials the team met included Dr Bernd Pfaffenbach, Secretary of State, Gunter Nooke, Commissioner at the Office of Chancellor Angela Merkel in charge of G-8 Affairs on Africa, Hartwig Fischer, Member of Parliament and Spokesperson for African Affairs in the German Parliament and Dr Gerhard Wahlers, Deputy Secretary General of KAF.



The team also met executives of the NPP in Germany and toured places of interest including parts of former East Germany.

GNA

FABAG calls for government-private collaboration

Accra, Sept. 16, GNA - Mr Nabil Moukarzel, President of Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG), on Thursday, called for a closer collaboration between government and his outfit, in rice and beverage issues, to ensure food security in the country.



"Most of us engaged in imports and exports of food into the country know the challenges and how to overcome them, and I believe that if government collaborates with us, the country will stand the chance of becoming the food basket of the West African sub-region."



These were contained in a press statement, signed by the President and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra.



The FABAG president said apart from having a high stake in the food security of the country, the private sector was also offering job opportunities to many Ghanaians and therefore deserved recognition in the country's food security issues.



He appealed to the Minister and Officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to constantly liaise with the association, to find lasting solutions to some agricultural challenges confronting farmers, importers and the government.



Mr Moukarzel mentioned support to farmers, harvesting, packaging and marketing as some of the areas government could partner the association, to achieve significant improvement in cereals and fruit production in the country.



"I believe that if there is sufficient collaboration, smuggling of rice and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, currently going on in some parts of the sub- region, will end as surveillance and vigilance will put pressure on the perpetrators."



The FABAG president also mentioned the awarding of tax concessions for manufacturing and food industries in the country as another area that could spur the private sector on to provide better services and ensure food security.



He said the Association apart from supporting farming companies and individuals, was also marketing and providing ready markets to the country's raw materials, adding that, "this is the more reason why we think that the collaboration between us and government can yield ample dividends in the coming months."



"Government officials, especially those with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, normally relate with farmers, but we as dealers in food products, get even more closer to the farmers sometimes and therefore a collaboration between us can change so many things.

GNA

Korea International Cooperation Agency to be established in Ghana

Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA, is to be established in Ghana to facilitate Korea investors wanting to do business in the country. While working to attract investors to the country, the agency will also coordinate Government of Ghana activities with the Korea government.

This came to light when a delegation from Samsung Group, a multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea called on the Vice President John Dramani Mahama at the castle, Osu.

The delegation is in the country to conduct feasibility studies at Cape three point in the Western Region where they have expressed interest to construct a specialize port.
The delegation also expressed interest in some other areas that they want to invest especially in the road construction sector.

The Vice President of Samsung Group, Han Hyung Ha, said the group's main desire is to help the government of Ghana to improve on the countries infrastructural to make Ghana compete with the advanced nations.

Mr Ha said Korea is ready to partner with the government of Ghana to deliver on the better Ghana agenda. He said Ghana is an economically viable country with lot of potential and prospects which the Korea want to assist Ghana to realize.
Vice President, Dramani Mahama, commended the Korean Government for the prompt action taken to establish KOICA in Ghana.

He said the government will ensure that the strong bonds of relations that exist between the two countries are consolidated. He said Samsung Group will be given all the needed assistance to ensure that their investment in Ghana is worthwhile not only to them but to the people of Ghana as it will employ most of the unemployed youth.

Meanwhile the Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alban Bagbin, will on Monday sign the final agreement with STX Engineering and Construction Ghana Limited to pave the way for the construction of 200,000 housing unit under the Ghana National Housing Project.

Vice President John Dramani Mahama will be the special guest of honor at the signing ceremony.

The Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Jee Sang, has congratulated the Government of Ghana for the bold step taken to approve the deal.

He said Korea is delighted to be contributing to the housing needs of Ghanaians and assured of a speedy and quality discharge of the project.

...Read More

Mrs Rawlings Hits Back...My 'Better Ghana Agenda' Comment Misconstrued




Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings


A First Vice-Chairperson of the National Democratic Congress and Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings says her comments about the NDC’s Better Ghana Agenda concept being an original idea of the then PNDC regime, were misconstrued.

The Chronicle Edition of Thursday September 9 published a story captioned ‘Konadu plays Mills' secret 'tape'.

The paper said Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, had disclosed, that the 'Better Ghana' agenda concept being used by the Atta Mills government was developed by her husband, and therefore, remains his legacy. The purported comment attracted a barrage of criticisms from some members of the Mills administration who challenged her assertion.

Lee Ocran, Ghana’s Ambassador to South Africa who was the Chairman of the NDC’s 2008 Manifesto Committee was one of those who refuted the claims.

According to him, the Better Ghana Agenda concept was developed under his chairmanship and had nothing to do with the regime of Ex- President Rawlings. Nana Konadu, who sought to clear the air, says her comments had no ill motives and were misread. She however maintains that the concept was originally written in 1983 by the PNDC regime.

The Former First Lady was addressing a Handing over ceremony by executives of the NDC’s Tertiary wing, TEIN of the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS) on Wednesday September 15.

“This document called towards a Better Ghana was written in 1983 as a policy statement by Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings. Unfortunately I was talking about this in Takoradi and it’s been taken completely out of context. I was saying that in those days, there were no parties so there were no manifestoes. So everything that was done by the PNDC was put out as a policy statement by the Chairman of the PNDC and then after that, they reconcile groups or executives or committees that will actually look at the structural and economic programmes and work towards it. So it is not new and I was only saying that, we as a party are continuing what was started in 1983” she explained.

The Former First Lady said she was shocked that the NDC’s communication machinery has since not sought clarification from her to enable them speak to the issue effectively.

“Sometimes it’s important to ask questions. Up till now, not one person has called to ask me what exactly I said. Not even our propaganda people, so that I can explain for them to go on the radio and speak on it. ‘Towards a Better Ghana Agenda’ was written on the 31st of December 1983” she emphasized.

Source: Citifm

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Citi FM MD says Craig Murray needs to be examined




Samuel Attah-Mensah


A former General Manager in charge of programmes at Multi Media Group, Owners of Joy FM in Accra, Samuel Attah- Mensah has discounted claims by former Deputy British High Commissioner, Craig Murray that the NDC government, under ex President Jerry John Rawlings attempted to close down Joy FM on the eve of the 2000 General elections.

Now the Managing Director of Citi FM, Samuel Attah-Mensah, popularly known as Sammens, told Eyewitness News on Citi FM that Craig Murray, who has in recent times sought to gain attention by making allegations on key national issues “seriously needs to be examined at all fronts.”

In a book published about the 2000 election, the former Deputy British High Commissioner to Ghana narrated a story of how the then NDC party attempted to close down Joy FM, after realizing that there was no way it could win the elections legitimately.

“The NDC had woken up too late to the fact that they could not win a legitimate election. They had then made clumsy and unpopular steps to try and prevent a legitimate election. The failed attempt to thwart the voter ID scheme was one example. They also tried to move against FM radio when it was far too late.

“On the evening before the poll, I was taking Roger Gale and Nigel Jones to visit Joy FM, possibly Ghana’s most influential radio station, run by my good friend, Sam Attah Mensah. We were sitting in the back office of the station when armed men of Rawlings’ security from the castle came in the front door and announced that they had come to close down the radio station on the President’s instructions.

“I appeared from the office and said: “Good evening. I am Craig Murray, Deputy British High Commissioner, and these gentlemen are Mr. Roger Gale MP and Mr. Nigel Williams MP, members of the British Parliament who are here on behalf of the Inter Parliamentary Union”.

“Roger Gale then added: “Obviously there has been some mistake. I thought I heard you say that you were closing down the station, but we are here to visit our fellow democracy, Ghana, and democracies don’t close down radio stations”.

“Nigel Williams then chipped in: “It must be a misunderstanding. Perhaps you can go back and ask for more instructions?”

“The goons, thwarted by this unexpected manifestation of the British Parliament, left in some confusion. Joy FM never was closed down. We returned to our tea, and Sam opened something a bit stronger to celebrate.” He narrated.

Reacting to the publication, Mr. Samuel Attah-Mensah who happened to be at the center of the said debacle, denied that the men who visited the station the evening were armed men from the National security.

He recounts that Craig Murray visited Joy FM, at about 10:30pm on 6th December, 2000 after hearing of a media blown controversy about the seizure of then Joy FM reporter Paul Adom Otchere’s recorder at the court.

Paul had had his recorder seized after secretly recording proceedings at the court where the controversial issue of the voter ID card was being heard.

“Eventually we made some noise on air, they released him and they also released the recording. I think that Craig, having heard this was excited and drew some interest, so he came around to Joy to find out what had happened and we said that we were now trying to find out what had happened.”

“On that night; the eve of the programme, we had just completed a programme, then ‘Decision 2000’ or something and the then President Rawlings had done the National address on TV and so the discussants had really dealt with the issues and the issue of the ID card was also a core element of the discussion. There were heated arguments after the programme and people left and I remember Haruna Iddrisu came after listening to the programme, I remember Kwame Akuffo and all these guys also came around; lots of people.

He added that after all the guys had left, Craig Murray arrived at the premises of Joy FM in the company of two gentlemen, Nigel and Roger.

“I remember asking him what his mission was at the time, he said they were doing their last minute rounds and they just thought they would see what Joy FM was up to. I gave him a seat at my office and we had a chat.”

Sammens narrated further that while the discussions were ongoing three gentlemen who claimed to have been sent from the National Security walked into the studio and asked to see the manager.

“They were not armed so I am not sure about the armed men and they didn’t come as soldiers. So armed men, soldiers: No! They came and asked to see the manager so I came out and they said ‘You people do you think what you are doing is good?”

He said the people claimed to have been sent from National Security but he had his doubt because one of them was familiar.

In the process a heated exchange ensued between him and the men, drawing the attention of several other people.

“…so one of them said that ‘do you know we can close the station down?’ So it was at the point that he said that that Craig walked in. So that is what he heard.”

He added that when the people claimed that they were from the National security, Paul Adom Otchere picked a phone and pretended to be calling the then National Security Advisor, Kofi Totobi Quakyi.

“So Paul just picked up the phone and said ‘Uncle Totobi, there are these guys here who say that you have sent them. Quickly the people vanished, they ran away. So between ourselves at Joy FM at the time, we knew that the people were not from the National Security…So they just left and that ended the story.”

This account sharply contradicts that of Craig Murray who directly accused the NDC government and then President Rawlings of being behind the temporal disturbance at Joy FM that evening. Mr. Samuel Attah-Mensah chided Craig Murray for “struggling to bestow upon himself a certain over bloated feeling of importance in the role that he supposedly played in our elections.”

Sammens believes Craig Murray needs a thorough examination from all fronts because his behavior in recent times leaves much to be desired.

“He is not Ghanaian; I don’t know why the guy keeps coming to our issues. We should throw him away and think about developing our country.” He said.

It is recalled that Craig Murray in February, 2010, also accused the erstwhile NPP government of corruption in a deal between the government of Ghana and Zhakem to install at Kpone, some power turbines VRA bought from manufacturer Alsthom for 70 Million dollars.

He told Citi FM that some three years after the money was paid, Ghanaian taxpayers have nothing to show for the 150 million dollars sunk into the project. He accused Zakhem of stealing the Ghanaian taxpayer’s money and covering up their failure to deliver on the terms of the contract with a long concrete wall at the project site.

The allegations were subsequently denied by both NPP functionaries and Authorities of Zakhem.
...Read More

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Zain slashes call rates

• Zain reduces call rates from 12 Gp to 8Gp a minute to all networks

• No registration and no conditions
Accra, 13 September – Zain Communications Ltd, Ghana’s most affordable mobile operator has drastically reduced their call rates to all networks by a staggering 33%. Both post and pre paid customers will wake up this morning and start making huge savings on calls on the Zain network without having to register for the service. In addition to this, all customers will get their first eight Zain to Zain SMS’ for free.

Philip Sowah, the Country Manager for Zain Ghana commented ‘The needs of our customer is key to us at Zain and we work to develop exciting and affordable products and services. These new rates focus on no frills affordability, we have no conditions attached to our new rates, if you use the network you will enjoy our low tariffs.’

Furthermore, the new call rate does not affect any of the ongoing promotions Zain is currently offering, which means that customers can make further savings. The Zain 3 cool deals gives customers free night calls, preferential rates to friends and family and the payback deal where customers get bonus credit for calls received. The Akwaaba promotion allows customers who have been inactive on the network for three months to reactivate their lines with free credit of GHC 5. New Zain customers will also enjoy bonus credit for joining the network. Customers can register their Zain SIM cards in a Zain shop or at one of the 14,000 registration outlets in the country.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Mills Boy Blows ¢1.6bn On X'Mas Hampers




Stan with his new baby delivered in Atlanta, USA in February 2010


Extensive investigations conducted by the Daily Guide newspaper have led to startling revelations suggesting that some officials at the Ministry of Information are dipping their hands into state coffers under the pretext of rewarding journalists.

Documents available to the Daily Guide reveals how a presidential aide and member of government’s communication team, Stanislav Zoexe Dogbe is said to have collected GH169,000, the equivalent of 1.6billion in a “Ghana Must Go bag under the pretext of an intensive public education campaign for the 2010 budget statement read by Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor in November 2009.

Mr. Dogbe, who describes himself as a special aide to the President Mills, however told Daily Guide that the money was approved by Zita Okaikoi, former Minister of Information as well as the Chief Director of the Ministry, Victor Horla Kwashie Senaya. According to him, part of the cash was used to buy Christmas hampers to selected journalists and to influence articles published in the media.

The amount of GH¢169,000 was signed and approved by L.F. Dzakpa and first released to the Chief Director of the Ministry with a payment voucher dated December 15, 2009 over a month after the budget had been read. The particulars of payment read “being release funds to enable the Minister to meet expenses on the public education campaign on the 2010 Financial Budget statement.”

Interestingly, Stan who enjoys all the privileges’ of a deputy minister, by virtue of his position as a presidential aide, said the money was expended on activities like organizing an event for the Institute for Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ), radio and television interviews, paid for feature articles in selected newspapers and a program for editors of some media houses which were held before and during 2009 Christmas which he said included hampers given to editors and reporters as Christmas gifts.

Ministry of Information sources have meanwhile, explained to Daily Guide that government education campaigns were usually carried out by the Information Services Department (ISD) but Director Nee Agiri Barnor was kept in the dark about the money cashed for the so-called education campaign. The money was released following a memo dated December 8, 2009 from the Director of Finance and Administration of the Ministry to the Principal Accountant with the consent of the Minister, asking for the release of an amount of GH¢169,000 to undertake what it described as “media management and coordination “in connection with the public education campaign on the 2010 budget. The request for the money was placed almost a month after the budget had been read.

This has raised questions of impropriety since the money did not go to the right channel-ISD –for the public education. Mr. Dogbe duly acknowledged receipt of the amount from the Principal Accountant of the Information Ministry with a receipt dated December 21, 2009 (3 days to Christmas), indicating it was to enable me to carry out public education on the 2010 annual budget”, which interestingly was read on November 18, 2009 by the Finance Minister.

Though the stated reason for the release of the amount was for public education on the 2010 budget, it is not too clear what exactly the money was used for, as there is virtually nothing to show for it while Stan stammered though some explanations when contacted. Daily Guide has learnt auditors are finding it difficult to close the account of the Information Ministry because queries raised have still not been answered. Workers of the Information Services Department (ISD) have been alarmed at this and other developments at the Ministry, since Stan seems to have taken over most of their roles and responsibilities.

They are equally not happy with the way he seemingly throws his weight about as though he wields more powers than the Director of the ISD, Nii Agiri Barnor who has virtually been sidelined in the running of the Ministry. Stan is in full control of the dissemination of government information and occasionally issues statements on behalf of the two deputy ministers, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and James Agyenim-Boateng.

Stan was however not forthcoming with information about how he spent the GH169,000 released to him in cash when contacted as he initially pretended not to know anything about the money. In a quivering voice, he said “I don’t even remember”, but quickly changed his statement to “I know that there was education on the budget activities but I don’t remember what…because…fine, I never handled funds related to that project, so I’m surprised that I would have signed for it.”

He told the Daily Guide that he would check with the Chief Director and get back as quickly as possible the same day. When reached later, he asked for a meeting which he said would be attended by the Minister of Information, John Tia Akologu and the Chief Director, the next day, Friday, so he could explain how he expended the taxpayers money since he had managed to secure the needed information on the issue. When he was called again on his cell phone, he said he could not hear well and after several ‘hello…hellos”, he suddenly dropped the call.

He later sent a text message saying there had been a change in plan and that he was travelling on an impromptu national assignment with Vice President John Mahama to Cape Coast to launch the National Youth Policy programme, with the promise to give details of the information about how the taxpayer’s money had been spent.

Later when Daily Guide managed to catch up with the presidential aide and a member of the government’s communication team, on the evening of Friday, August 13, 2010, he admitted to signing for and collecting the said money but said he did so on behalf of Zita Okaikoi who was the sector minister. He however claimed “there was absolutely nothing wrong with it”, and emphasized that “I don’t regret signing on behalf of the Minister”, suggesting the money was spent with the minister’s blessing.

When Minister Okaikoi was contacted, she advised Daily Guide to sort it out with the Chief Director of the Information Ministry
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NDC Hoodlums Vandalise farm


DISTURBING REPORTS reaching DAILY GUIDE from Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region indicate that over 50 National Democratic Congress (NDC) youth last Thursday stormed a farmland belonging to a private company in a Kia truck and destroyed farm inputs.

They also caused harm to the company workers.

The NDC youth, who have been engaged under the Greening Ghana Project, an afforestation project under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), with backings from the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, want to seize the land from the company though the chiefs have warned them not to step foot on the land.

Peter Amo, a management member of Royale Feed Company Limited, an agro-based company whose farmland was attacked by the NDC boys, told DAILY GUIDE that around 9.30am on Thursday, some NDC youth who have been employed under the Greening Ghana Project stormed the 216 acres of farmland at a time about 45 workers were working.

He said the thugs, who had been asked by the Omanhene of Nkoranza Traditional Area, Okatakyie Agyeman Kodum IV, not to step foot on the farm again, were armed with machetes and clubs, which they used to assault the workers.

Two of the workers, a driver of a tractor, Akwasi Asuah, 50, and his assistant, Adu Kofi, 20, told DAILY GUIDE that they were assaulted because they could not run away and leave behind the tractor they were working with.

They sustained various degrees of injuries as a result of the sticks and other offensive weapons they were beaten with. The tractor and other farm inputs they were working with were also damaged.

During the attack, those who managed to escape called in the police, but the gang fled before the police arrived.

A day after the said ambush, the gang returned to the farm again, this time chanting war songs whiles daring management of the company to vacate the farm land or risk their lives. They claimed the parcel of land had been offered to them by the DCE to undertake an afforestation project.

No arrest has been made, but a source at the Nkoraza Police Station hinted that the police are hunting for the leader of the group, who was only identified as Appiagyei.

Meanwhile, the Presiding Member of the Nkoranza District Assembly, Isaac Asirifi Kudom, has condemned the act of the gang, describing the group’s action as illegal.

According to the Presiding Member, the estimated cost of the repair works to be carried out on the damaged tractor is about GH¢18,000, whiles extra funds have to be acquired to pay for the allowances of the gang.

The Nkoranza Traditional Council signed a 5-year tenancy agreement with the Royale Feed Company to rent a 216-acre of land meant for agricultural purposes at Dandwa, near Nkoranza.

However, a group of people, believed to be instigated by the DCE, are using all foul means to take the parcel of land from the company.

From Fred Tettey Alarti-Amoako, Nkoranza
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National Security Coordinator vows to retrieve state lands

The National Security Coordinator, Col. Anthony Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (rtd), says he is battle-ready to ensure that state properties are properly safeguarded in the supreme interest of the people of Ghana.

The Ghanaian Chronicle newspaper quotes Gbevlo-Lartey as saying that all state lands which have found their way into private hands without legal basis and authorisation would be retrieved and put into proper use for the benefit of the whole nation.

According to The Chronicle, the National Security Coordinator said this when he received the final report of the technical committee set up to probe into the re-development of government residential properties in Accra during the previous administration.

"I have received the final report, and we shall work on the recommendations to ensure that the state gets value for its property," he said.

According to the report, presented by the three-member committee to the National Security Coordinator, the due processes under which state properties were sold to individuals and government officials were not followed and described it as illegal.

A three-member committee, which consisted of Mr. Richard Dornu Nartey, Dr. Lennox Kwame Agbosu and Mr. John Opoku, tasked the government to terminate the processing of the documents to the individuals and former government officials who bought the properties.

Some of the beneficiaries of the acquisition of the government properties, according to the Committee, included, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, an ex-Finance Minister; Yaw Osafo Maafo, ex-Finance Minister; Kwame Osei-Prempeh, a former deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney General; Shirley Ayorkor Botchway; a former deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey; former Minister of Tourism and Diaspora Relations, and now the national Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP); Mr. Dan B. Agyeman, office of the former President J.A. Kufuor; Joseph Henry Mensah, former Senior Minister; S.K. Boafo, former Minister of Culture and Chieftaincy Affairs and Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey, former Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission.

Others are Mr. Stanley Nii Agyiri-Blankson, former Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly; I.C. Quaye, former Greater Accra Regional Minister and current Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central; Prof. Frimpong Boateng, former Chief Executive Officer of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital; Mr. Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, former Inspector General of Police (IGP); Ms. Elizabeth Ohene, ex- Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education; Mr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, a former Ashanti Regional Minister; Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the defunct Ghana@50 Secretariat.

Others are Prof. Agyeman Badu Akosah; Dr. Joe Blankson; Mr. Sam Garbrah; Mr. Stephen Ayensu Ntim; a former First Vice National Chairman of the NPP, and many more others.

According to the committee, Cabinet should review the lease agreement of each of the sixty-seven allottees, to incorporate cabinet decision that frowns on the transfer of interest in grants made by the government to third parties.

The committee further recommended the immediate termination of the demolition of government bungalows, and the development of all the affected allocations, under what they called phase 2 of the Redevelopment Scheme, protocol, and in-filling allocations.

In addition, the committee called for the immediate withdrawal and termination of the processing of all leases, transfers, conveyances and instruments executed by the Lands Commission in favour of persons allocated the lands listed, based on the following reasons:

"The selection of the applicants/prospective developers for plots was not based on fair and transparent bidding, the values for the listed properties were on the low side, and did not reflect current land values in the areas earmarked for redevelopment, and the constitutional obligation on the President to use compulsory acquired lands in the public interest or for public purposes for which the lands were acquired.

"The obligation lies on the President to take steps to eradicate corrupt practices and abuse of power. All the allocations by the Minister of Works and Water Resources, with support of the Lands Commission, were without cabinet approval, and contrary to the guidelines laid down by cabinet.”

The Committee further prevailed upon the government, "To investigate, as a matter of absolute national necessity, the authorisation for the withdrawal of GH¢450.000 unilaterally from the Redevelopment Project Fund by the then Minister of Works and Housing, as part of government’s counterpart funding for the CWSA, pending the establishment of the presidential commission to go into the identification and existence of that project."

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Monday, September 13, 2010

Ghana: Nguema visit, creation of 10,000 jobs highlighted by Ghana media

Accra, Ghana -
The Ghanaian media this week highlighted the four-day visit of Equatorial Guinea president Teodoro Nguema Mbasogo, which ended on Friday, and government's creation of 10,000 new jobs.

At the end of President Nguema's visit, the two countries signed seven bilateral agreements aimed at boosting trade and investment between them.

The agreements were for cooperation in hydrocarbons and energy; education; maritime transport; fishing; labour and social security; promotion of women and gender equity and tourism development.

'Mills, Nguema discuss oil gas business,' was the headline of one of the stories in the state-owned Daily Graphic.

It said issues on Ghana's emerging oil and gas industry dominated bilateral talks between President John Evans Atta Mills and President Nguema.

The story of the Ghanaian Times on the creation of 10,000 jobs for the youth had the headline, 'NYEP Road module begins - 10,00 youth to be employed.'

It said the newest module under the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), the Intensive Road Maintenance Works, was launched in Accra with an initial target of providing jobs for 10,000 unemployed youths across the country.

The newspaper said the innovative initiative was aimed at helping to address the challenge of job creation and poor maintenance, as thousands of young people would be equipped to undertake regular maintenance works to ensure that the nation's roads were in good condition.

It added that the launch paved way for the beginning of large scale recruitment and training under the programme, which the NYEP was undertaking in collaboration with the Ministries of Roads and Highways, Local Government and Rural Development and a number of private sector organisations.

The Graphic's story on the subject had the headline, '10,000 jobs for the youth under new module of NYEP.'

The Ghanaian Times also highlighted a story that said the era when children studied under trees, with some lying prostrate on their stomachs to write, would soon be a thing of the past.

Under the headline, 'Schools under tree funded', the newspaper said the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) had allocated money from its budget for 2010/2011 to deal with the phenomenon, with disbursement starting early next academic year.

Stephen Badoe, Public Relations Manager of GETfund, said the problem had for a long time engaged the attention of the board and management of the Fund, which was determined to deal with the situation once and for all.

The newspapers also found space for Friday's celebration of Eid-El-Fitr that marked the end of the fasting of Muslims during the month of Ramadan.

'Prez solicits Muslims' support in national development efforts,' was the headline in the Ghanaian Times.

'Watch your words, Prez tells religious leaders,' was the headline of the Daily Graphic on the celebrations.

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Ghana not too conducive for business - WEF




Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor


Ghana appears to be losing out on its competitiveness as a conducive environment for people wanting to do business according to the latest Investment Climate Survey by the World Economic Forum.

The Executive Opinion and Global Competitiveness report ranks Ghana 114 out of 139 countries, scoring just about half of the maximum 7 points.

The survey covered some developments in 2009 based on publicly available data. The results also included responses from some 13,500 people.

This comprised chief Executives of both small and big businesses. The latest rankings mean that Ghana has gone down by 4 places from its 110th position in 2008.

The Gobal Competitiveness Report rankings was based on some 12 indicators. These include institutions operating in the country, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, health, primary and higher education and training.

The rest are; goods market efficiency, labour market efficiency, financial market development, technological readiness, market size, business sophistication, and innovation. The country also appears not be doing so well among its peers as Ghana placed 18 out of 39 countries in Africa, coming after countries like; Rwanda, Benin, Senegal and Cameroon. This is Ghana’s worst showing after it first participated in the survey in 2008. In the overall rankings the United States was overtaken by Switzerland as the most competitive country.

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Panic Grips Assembly Staff




Kofi Opoku-Manu


WORK AT the Sekyere East District Assembly in the Ashanti region virtually came to a halt on Thursday, when workers at the assembly abandoned their respective work schedules.

For fear of a possible attack by people who are calling for the dismissal of District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, the workers, according to reports, decided to abandon their jobs for safety reasons.

People who traveled from various places to transact business with the assembly were shocked, as they were no workers at the assembly to attend to them.

In spite of the heavy presence of policemen at the assembly on the said day, the workers did not leave anything to chance as they purportedly refused to attend to work.

Information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicates that the DCE, Kwadwo Addae, for fear of being attacked by his detractors, has since Thursday been seeking refuge in Kumasi.

Sources closed to DAILY GUIDE noted that the terrified workers may return to their normal duties on Monday, if only there was assurance from the police that they would continuously keep surveillance at the place.

Foot-soldiers of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), mainly those from the Zongo communities in the area, for some time now have been agitating for the exit of the DCE for the area.

They argued that the DCE, since assuming the office, has refused to recognize them as an integral part of the party and that he demonstrates more love and passion for members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) more than the NDC.

The agitations deteriorated on Thursday, when the infuriated NDC foot-soldiers laid ambush with all manner of offensive weapons, with the view to attacking the Ashanti regional minister.

Kofi Opoku-Manu, in the company of some leading members of the ruling party, decided to travel to the area on the said day to resolve the protracted dispute between the DCE and the angry NDC foot-soldiers.

Mr Opoku Manu, who had earlier on directed NDC foot-soldiers to beat up NPP members in the Ashanti region, rather suffered the wrath of his ‘boys’ who chased him out of the district.

Unhappy about the visit of the regional minister, the agitated NDC youth laid ambush at the scheduled venue for the meeting, thereby disrupting the intended meeting.

Reports indicated that the police had to fire several gunshots into the air to scare the resolute NDC youth activists who wanted to express their unhappiness about the continuous stay of the DCE in office.

Weeks before the near mayhem, some group of NDC functionaries including branch executives at Effiduase Zongo announced their defection from the ruling party to the NPP in a press conference.

The over 500 NDC activists indicated that they decided to join hands with the NPP due to President Mills’ disinclination to remove the DCE from office.

Days after their press conference, another group of NDC functionaries in the area also held a press conference and threatened to quit the party should President Mills continue to keep the DCE in office.

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