Ashaiman Residents Mad At MP

RESIDENTS OF Ashaiman, especially those living at Asensu and Obakatse have expressed dissatisfaction with the Member of Parliament (MP), Alfred Kwame Agbesi, accusing him of not meeting them to discuss the development of the area.

Some residents noted that the MP usually claims to be having marathon meetings with top government officials.

The MP, according to them, used these excuses to avoid them (electorate) even before the area was hit by torrential rains on June 20, 2010 which claimed some lives.

The residents claimed that the First Lady Mrs. Naadu Mills former first lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings and Kennedy Ohene Agyapong have visited the area and made donations, explaining that the MP had not commiserated with flood victims.

The residents further alleged that soon after the rains when some dignitaries toured the affected areas to ascertain the extent of damage and to sympathize with the affected persons, the MP was nowhere to be found, with others alleging that he was in South Africa watching the World Cup matches when the incident occurred.

When DAILY GUIDE contacted Lawyer Agbesi on phone he said it was unfortunate how some of the residents could peddle such falsehoods, explaining that he had visited the area to sympathize with the flood victims.

He admitted that he was not in the country on the said day, adding, “But I can tell you I was not in South Africa as some people are saying. I was in Brussels, Belgium on an official assignment and so that is never true.

The MP said he received information that his constituency had been strucked by torrential rains which caused damage to several homes and killed some residents.

He told DAILY GUIDE that he instructed his outfit to quickly assist the affected residents.

The MP indicated that when he arrived in the country, he personally toured the affected areas at Lebanon, Ashaiman Newtown, Agric, Asensu and Obakatse Electoral Areas to sympathize with them and also made donations to the affected persons in Ashaiman Middle East, where he lives.

“And so for me, it can never be true that I did not sympathize with the people who voted for me to represent them. I will not turn my back against them because I owe them my services,” he noted.

He called for peace and unity in the Constituency, stressing that “in that way, we can grow our Constituency.”

The MP wished the Muslims in his Constituency and across the country a happy Ramadan.

From Inusa Musah, Ashaiman

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Overcrowding ripping Sunyani Prisons apart

Seven hundred and eighty-three inmates made up of 611 convicts and 172 on remand occupy a space originally provided for 400 jailed people at the Sunyani Prisons. As a result of the congestion and unhygienic conditions, inmates suffer from diseases including Tuberculosis, Malaria and Skin diseases
Assistant Chief Officer Moses Kwabena Asiedu, acting Brong-Ahafo Regional Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ghana Prisons Service disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Friday.
The PRO appealed to the Prison Council to liaise with the government to expand and improve infrastructure at the prisons. Asst. Chief Officer Asiedu granted the interview in Sunyani after the Service held a send-off party in honour of Deputy Director of Prisons (DDP) Kwame Ackom Gyeedu, Regional Prisons Commander, who is on transfer to the Kumasi Central Prisons.
The acting regional PRO expressed concern about inadequate staffing and equipment which made it difficult to offer skill training in shoe making, basket weaving, electrical and tailoring to inmates. "The re-integration of convicts into society is a shared responsibility and the general public must support the Prisons to mould convicts to become responsible citizens after serving their sentences", he added.
DDP Gyeedu served in Brong-Ahafo for 10 months and his administration saw the provision of security lights in and out of the prisons walls and the conversion of pan latrines at the Bola and Zongo quarters.
Other landmark achievements were the construction of internal inmates visit centre, provision of prepaid telephone for inmates as well as accommodation for about 53 officers of the service.

GNA

National Security Stops Workers Demo

THE NATIONAL Security has held a crisis meeting with the leadership of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOGSAG) to save the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) from any potential embarrassment, following days of nationwide demonstrations by the agitated workers.

It was not immediately clear why the National Security should come into the fray but DAILY GUIDE has been reliably informed that President John Mills instructed the National Security Coordinator to hold the emergency meeting with CLOGSAG on Wednesday August 25, 2010, after returning from his vacation in the United States, as he feared continuous agitation of the workers’ group could create security concerns for his already-challenged administration.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE yesterday, the acting president of CLOGSAG, Edwards Tennyson Foli, indicated the meeting was fruitful as government has now agreed to listen to their concerns, particularly the right to negotiate on the conditions of service for civil servants for the year 2010.

CLOGSAG had embarked on a four-day nationwide demonstration to press home their demands to negotiate with the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission and government for better conditions of service, having contended that the 2010 Single Spine Salary Policy (SSSP) was unfair and incapable of alleviating the suffering of its members.

All the demands apparently fell on deaf ears and this resulted in the nationwide demonstration by members to register their displeasure about their inability to negotiate with government and its agency, Fair Wages and Salaries Commission, for a better salary structure.

CLOGSAG yesterday called off the demonstrations following the marathon meeting with the National Security, pending further negotiations with all stakeholders in the matter.

According to Tennyson Foli, their call for fresh negotiations has been necessitated by the fact that 98 percent of civil servants have been placed very low on the grading structure of the new policy.

At the meeting with the National Security, he indicated, they agreed that the technical committee which was addressing their concerns on the implementation of the SSSP, should go back to the negotiating table and deal with the matter.

Mr. Foli said there will be a national executive meeting of CLOGSAG today to brief regional executives about the latest development on their concerns.

“I am sure certain concrete decisions will be taken at the meeting on our next line of action,” he hinted DAILY GUIDE.

It would be recalled that GLOGSAG members, during various demonstrations, had carried placards with inscriptions, ‘His Excellency come to the aid of GLOGSAG’, ‘Members of GLOGSAG are professionals so they deserve Professional Allowance’, ‘CLOGSAG has the capacity to negotiate’, and ‘We deserve fair treatment from Fair Wages Commission’.

The workers indicated they did not want Minister of Employment and Social Welfare Enoch Teye Mensah or his Deputy, Antwi Boasiako-Sekyere, to be involved in any future negotiations following days of media war between the workers’ group and the two ministers of state.

E.T. Mensah incurred the wrath of the workers after he reportedly described CLOGSAG members as a pack of “retired” old-fashioned and blockheaded officers.

Calling for the removal of the minister, a highly-infuriated CLOGSAG leadership indicated that “for one to be appointed a minister, one must have moral thinking. E. T. Mensah does not have a moral thinking”.

Also describing the CLOGSAG demonstrations as illegal, Antwi Boasiako-Sekyere threatened that government was going to freeze the workers’ salaries if they did not go back to work.

However, the workers group described comments by Antwi Boasiako-Sekyere as unfortunate and baseless.

Tennyson Foli told DAILY GUIDE that if the minister and his boss had listened to CLOGSAG and addressed their concerns, the demonstrations would not have been necessary.

USAID supports Ghana Health Service

Sekondi, Aug 25, GNA - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has drawn up a four-year programme during which it would assist the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in three regions.
About 40 million dollars is expected to be spent on the programme in the Western, Central and Greater Accra regions that are being used for the four-year pilot project, Dr Divine K. Atupra, Maternal and Child Health Specialist of the Focus Region Health Project (FRHP), told the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday in Takoradi.
Dr Atupra was leading his colleagues of the FRHP, an affiliate organization with the USAID, to present the first batch of medical materials made up of medical models, family planning, child birth protocols and training materials to the Western Regional Health Directorate in Sekondi.
The items included birth stimulators, norplant arms, replacement skins, Zoe FPs, educators and books.
Mad Susan Wright, Deputy Chief/Senior Advisor of USAID, Ghana, explained that the project would focus on Family Planning, Childbirth and Safe Motherhood.
Mad Wright said the Central and Greater Accra regions' Health Directorates had received their share of the items.
Dr Mrs Linda Vanoto, the Western Regional Director of Health Services, lauded the USAID for the donation and said they would enhance training of health personnel.
She said the items would be distributed to all health institutions in the district to enable the personnel and nurses make reference to them when in doubt to ensure quality services.

GNA

NDC ex- Vice-Chair disappointed in Sekou Nkrumah

Saeed Sinare, NDC Vice-Chair



An ex-Vice-Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Alhaji Saeed Sinare says he is disappointed in the dismissed National Co-ordinator of the National Youth Council.

He said Dr Sekou Nkrumah’s consistent public tantrums against President J.E.A. Mills were hurting and urged the son of the first president of Ghana to desist from persistently undermining the president.

Dr Sekou Nkrumah had been speaking to Joy FM’s Super Morning Show host Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah on issues ranging from the president’s ineptitude, uncharismatic nature, to the government’s poor performance.

Reiterating his calls for the governing party to look for a more experienced, charismatic, and inspirational leader to lead it into the 2012 elections, he said members of the NDC must remember that the ‘fine gentleman’ accolade ascribed to the president does not put food on people’s tables.

But Alhaji Sinare who appeared pierced by the comments called into the programme and said “I am a little disappointed in my brother Sekou with some of these comments he has made this morning.”

The NDC Vice-Chairman proceeded to advise Dr Nkrumah not “to wash his dirty linen outside. I have had a very good understanding, we’ve had about three or four meetings and it’s very unfortunate that [after that understanding Sekou is saying these things publicly]. I’m really very, very hurt. If it is any issue that he has, he should pass it through the right channel.”

Alhaji Sinare said if Dr Sekou Nkrumah has any candidate he wishes to campaign for in the 2011 congress to select the party’s flag-bearer, “he should wait for the right time to come and work hard for that candidate to emerge.”

“I’ve told Sekou [to] learn from me. I have been a very patient person in this great party of ours,” he counseled.

Dr Nkrumah was however undaunted. “What is wrong with saying that if the NDC has a better leadership, we should put that leadership forward to replace Prof. Mills?, he asked rhetorically. “…I’ve never insulted Prof. Mills. I still respect him as a person but I don’t think he is a good leader,” he stated.

And if Alhaji Sinare thinks Dr Sekou Nkrumah is going to tone down, he should listen, “I will continue to speak my mind, am not manipulated by anybody…I want a better leadership for this country, somebody who can inspire all of us to feel part of the vision, that big dream [of the country].”


Play the attached audio and listen to excerpts of the interview with Alhaji Sinare and Dr Sekou Nkrumah.


Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana



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Inter Milan Trail Kwadwo Asamoah

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS Inter Milan have shown strong interest in Ghana’s World Cup star Kwadwo Asamoah, information reaching DAILY GUIDE SPORTS indicates.

The Udinese of Italy left-footed player is said to be on the radar of Inter Milan because they see him as a huge asset to their aspirations for a title defence this season.

Sources close to the player said Inter Milan officials have made their plans of securing the services of Asamoah known to his managers; but so far no deal has been sealed. Asamoah, who is blessed with quick feet, was instrumental in the Black Stars team that reached the last eight of the 2010 South Africa FIFA World Cup.

Prior to the Mundial, Asamoah attracted media attention across Europe when he produced champagne performances for Udinese last season.
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NDC’s 18 Months Is Better Than NPP’s First 4years

Mr. Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister for Information


Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party in 2012 is reported to have said that President Mills will last for only a term because of how ‘bad’ he is performing in his administration.

Interacting with the media in Takoradi during his campaign trip, he added that the Atta Mills government has no better policies for Ghanaians and so “they will show them the way out in 2012”.

Reacting to this in an interview with PeaceFM News, Mr. Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister for Information stated that “it is clear Nana has started with his campaign and it is normal for him to make such statements.” However, he does not agree with his assertions because it is just 18 months of the work and even that, the President has done a lot compared to the first 4 years of the NPP’s rule.

He enumerated on the distribution of free School Uniforms and Exercise books, reduction in inflation, stabilization of the currency, as some of the achievements of the Mills’ government.

“You cannot say therefore that the president has done nothing. The President wants to ensure that everybody gets a share of the National Cake,” Okudjeto Ablakwa said.

Reacting to what the Deputy Minister said, Mr. Boakye Agyarko, spokesperson for Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, stated that “the distribution of free school uniforms and exercise books that the Minister is talking about has not been extended to all schools.”

“I travel a lot to remote areas in the country but I have not come across any of the things he is saying in the schools, meaning that they have not gotten anywhere with that project,” he said.

He added that “what Nana said is a reflection of what he has seen and what Ghanaians are saying; so has the right to say it.”

Source: Rebecca Quaye/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Institute of Journalism


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"E.T Mensah does not have a moral thinking."

"For one to be appointed a minister, one must have a moral thinking. E.T Mensah does not have a moral thinking.

"These words were the assessment of leaders of the Civil and Local Government Staff Association of Ghana (CLOG SAG) on the Minister for Employment and Social Welfare, Enock Teye Mensah, yesterday, after they embarked on a 3-day demonstration in Accra to press home their demand for enhanced wages.

According to the workers, they do not want E.T Mensah or his deputy, Antwi-Boasiako Sekyere to be involved in their on-going negotiations and urged President Mills to replace Mr. Mensah immediately.

They said they would rather negotiate with the Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor.

The group alleged that before the 2008 elections, the deputy minister in particular had met them on countless occasions and promised to deal with their grievances when his party came to power. Unfortunately, since the new administration took over, he had reneged on his promises and was now 100 busy to meet them, they stated.

They stressed that they were not playing politics with their' demands as being alleged by the ministers. "Our pockets are empty. We are neither NPP nor NDC but workers who want our grievances addressed," they screamed wildly yesterday to the media.

Responding to the action of the aggrieved workers and their claims, Antwi-Boasiako Sekyere said the strike was illegal and government was going to take action to stop it and also put a freeze on their salaries if they did not go back to work.

"If they do not stop, we will have to take some actions against workers who are on strike and indeed it will be against the leadership. If they exhaust all processes and resort to strike, we will let the law take its course... we will sue them for embarking on illegal strike. If you are a workers' leader and you ignore the laid-down processes and threaten and carry out strike, should we allow you to continue with impunity? The answer is no.

"We will be taking down the register of those who will be coming to work from tomorrow and do not any other reason than to assume that they are on strike we will deal with them appropriately because their actions are inimical to the contract of employment of the state... if you do not go to work, do you have the justifications to collect your salary? So we will deal with them." he told Citi FM yesterday.

It will be recalled that the leadership of CLOG SAG last week accused Mr. Mensah of plotting to 'shit-bomb' their members because he suspected they were being sponsored by the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

So angry were the leaders of CLOG SAG that they have accordingly called on their members to embark on daily nationwide demonstrations From Tuesday August 24 to Friday August 27.

"We have been told by the very persons he is plotting with and we are not surprised because that is his stock-in­ trade. We are ready for him and as we said in the press statement, we have bought disinfectants like Detol and 'akeshaa' to clean up the place. He cannot scare us with his shit bomb tactics," the leadership of CLOG SAG told DAILY GUIDE just after they had addressed a press conference in Accra.

The leaders appeared very agitated as some of them ignored the presence of journalists and rained insults on the gray-haired minister. The insults were simply unprintable and the actual meanings would be best appreciated in the Ga language which was mostly used.

They had red bands around their heads and wrists as some of them shouted and threw angry fists skyward.

"For now, what we would do is to advise the Minister to undertake courses in labour related issues starting from the Ghana Labour College and may further it at the University of Cape Coast if he so wishes, For him to update his skills in modern trends in labour relations. This would enable him to build his capacity to administer his office on labour matters and to appropriately advise the President on good governance," Edward Tennyson Foli, acting president of the association noted.

CLOGSAG members told the media that they were angry because E.T Mensah had described them as a pack of "retired old-fashioned and blockheaded officers" belonging to an association that "was formed with funding from the New Patriotic Party."


Source: Daily Guide/Ghana

Nana Addo Can’t Woo Me Into NPP - Sekou Nkrumah

The former National Co-ordinator of the National Youth Council, Dr. Sekou Nkrumah, has asked the general public, especially members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) not to misconstrue the portrait which was carried on the front page of the Daily Guide newspaper today.

According to him, political barriers should not bar people from engaging in a chit-chat or in sharing ideas.

Conveying some sense of humour, Dr. Sekou Nkrumah stated that Nana Addo could not woo him into the NPP; hence “it was the other way round”.

The Daily Guide newspaper on Wednesday featured the son of Ghana's first president in a hearty chat with Nana Addo, the NPP's presidential candidate for elections 2012, on its front page.

Speaking on the Gold NewsPaper Review on Radio Gold, Sekou Nkrumah stated that he was still with the NDC and would whole-heartedly support any candidate the party presents in 2012.

Briefing Alhassan Suhini, host of the programme, Dr. Sekou Nkrumah said that though the performance of the NDC government was not “impressive”, he could not envisage a “change in leadership” within the party to make things right.

Touching on the upcoming 2012 General Elections, Mr. Sekou Nkrumah, who described Nana Akufo Addo as a healthy and a charismatic person who was fully prepared for the elections, however, added that he could not stick his neck out and predict a winner between the NDC and the NPP.

He advised concerned NDC activists to halt their verbal attacks on him when he “suggested that President Atta Mills would go for one term”, pointing out that Ghana had passed the era of political intimidation and as such people were free to express their opinions.

“…expressing your opinion freely is healthy for the country and shows we are brothers and sisters,” he said.

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Listen To Interview Here

Rawlings Cautions United States On Democracy

Former President Rawlings has called on the United States to be cautious in judging the success of democratic regimes on the continent.

He said on numerous occasions the United States and other countries of the West have supported elected regimes that disregard the true meaning of freedom and justice.

Speaking last Friday during a courtesy call on him by a United States Congressional delegation led by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, the former President, who is also the founder of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) said many elected governments have failed their electorate because they were wittingly or unwittingly propped by Western countries who see no wrong with these governments because they were assumed to have been elected by popular vote.

The former President thus called on the United States not to ignore freedom and justice as a measuring rod in determining the success of African democracies. He said in the United States elections are won on economic policy rather than the application of freedom and justice because institutions that protect such freedoms have passed the test of time and work efficiently.

Accompanied by Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and Special Aide, Kofi Adams, former President Rawlings noted that in Ghana and some parts of Africa governments gain the confidence of the electorate by guaranteeing freedom and justice and ensuring that the wrongs of the past are corrected expeditiously.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee commended Ghana for the strides it had made in its democratic development and praised former President Rawlings for the role he played in establishing the current political dispensation.

She encouraged the government and people of Ghana to protect the country¹s democratic ideals and work to develop it further.

On Ghana¹s oil find Congresswoman Jackson Lee counselled stakeholders to ensure that the newly found natural resource is prudently applied to the socio economic development of Ghana so the ordinary people can enjoy the benefits.

Colleague Congressmen Bob Inglis and Henry Brown as well as Donald Teitelbaum, United States Ambassador to Ghana, accompanied Congresswoman Lee. Others on the delegation were Congressional staff Genell Brown and Dave Grimaldi as well as Vernelle Trim, Political Counsellor at the American Embassy in Accra.

Congresswoman Jackson Lee represents the 18th District of Texas and has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1995. She serves on the House Committees on Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security and the Judiciary.

Visit Former President Rawlings¹ blog site - http://jjrawlings.wordpress.com/

4 die in Tema beach explosion

Four people are reported dead following an explosion at the Tema New Town Beach, Wednesday.

The explosion occurred after a mob allegedly siphoned fuel from a vessel that had docked at the beach.

Police are still looking for the remains of the dead bodies as well as several other injured persons.

The crime officer at the Tema Newtown, Ousman Alhassan confirmed the incident to Adom FM's Maame Esi Thompson but said the bodies of the victims could not be traced.

The injured persons could also not be traced for further investigations.

Maame Esi Thompson told Joy News residents are not cooperating with the police fearing they could be arrested.

It is still not clear what triggered the explosion.

Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Rajevac names squad for Swazi qualifier

Milovan Rajevac has announced a 22-man squad for the opening 2012 African Nations Cup qualifying match against Swaziland next month.

Two uncapped players are included in the squad with the Black Stars coach welcoming a host of his World Cup stars back into the squad.

Jordan Ayew, the 18-year-old junior brother of Ghana international Andre has earned a debut call up. Asante Kotoko's Isaac Amoako is on the list as the goalkeeper gets his maiden invitation into the Black Stars.

Ghana plays the Swazis on September 5 in the opening Group I game in Lombamba as the Black Stars, losing finalist in the last tournament aim for a place in the finals of the competition to be co-hosted by Gabon/ Equatorial Guinea. The group also includes Congo and Sudan.

Ghana squad:

Goalkeepers: Richard Kingson (Unattached), Daniel Agyei (Liberty Professionals, Ghana) Isaac Amoako (Asante Kotoko, Ghana)

Defenders: John Paintsil (Fulham, England) Samuel Inkoom (Basel, Switzerland) Hans Adu-Sarpei (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), David Addy (Academica Coimbra, Portugal) John Boye (Rennes, France), Lee Addy (Bechem Chelsea, Ghana) Jonathan Mensah (Granada, Spain) Isaac Vorsah (Hoffenheim, Germany)

Midfielders: Anthony Annan (Rosenborg, Norway), Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu (Udinese, Italy), Kwadwo Asamoah (Udinese, Italy) Andre Ayew (Marseille, France) Kevin-Prince Boateng (AC Milan, Italy) Jordan Ayew (Marseille, France) Bernard Kumordzi (Panionios FC, Greece)

Attackers: Asamoah Gyan (Rennes, France), Matthew Amoah (NAC Breda, Holland) Prince Tagoe (Hoffenheim, Germany) Yaw Antwi (FK Vojvodina, Serbia)

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Govt explores rescue plan for Ghana Post

The Government is exploring avenues to rescue the Ghana Post (GP) from the current financial and administrative challenges confronting its operations, the Deputy Minister of Communications, Dr Gideon Quarcoo, has assured.

As part of the rescue plan, the Ministry of Finance has been advised to bail out the ailing postal service provider by releasing funds to pay the salaries and retirement benefits of the workers.

In an interview in Accra, yesterday, after opening the second regional workshop on the new approach to postal services and administration for five English-speaking West African countries, Dr Quarcoo told the Daily Graphic that the government would not hesitate to look for a strategic investor to partner the GP if it became necessary.

He said the focus of the government was to ensure that the GP became a vibrant and profitable organisation to provide the vital postal services to enhance communication in the country.

According to Dr Quarcoo, the GP had the potential of becoming a viable entity if given the needed support and so the government would make sure that the organisation got the necessary push to harness its vast potential.

Currently, the payment of the salaries of 2,600 workers of GP is in limbo following a judgement by the Accra High Court to freeze the accounts of the company to settle its indebtedness.

Following the judgement, which was given on Monday, July 26, 2010, in favour of Sky Consult against the Ghana Post to pay GH¢2,400,OOO, the workers had appealed to the President to intervene by obtaining the stay of execution of the judgement, otherwise they would suffer hardship, including how to provide food for their families.

Dr Quarcoo gave the assurance that the government would continue to support the Ghana Post to survive and save the workers from any moments of hardship.

He called on the management of Ghana Post to exhibit some sense of duty, initiative and resourcefulness in the management of the company.

In his speech to open the workshop being attended by participants from Ghana, Nigeria, The Gambia and Liberia, the Deputy Minister said the major commitment of the government in the postal sector was to ensure that all citizens of the country enjoyed access to the best possible universal postal service at the lowest possible price.

He, therefore, urged the company to work towards the creation of an environment that was responsive to the promotion of increased competition in the industry for improve upon the quality of service, as well as to protect the clientele in the industry.

He said it was obvious that today's environment demanded innovative ideas from businesses that wanted to survive, saying that the challenge was, therefore, for the company to take advantage of the wealth-creating capacities of those new systems to re-invent the postal business to become a winning enterprise.

He also called on the Ghana Post to deliberate on the establishment of a national address infrastructure, which would entail the numbering of streets and homes to facilitate easy mail delivery.

For his part, the Managing Director of the Ghana Post, Mr Abdulai Abdul-Rafiu, said the service was vigorously pursuing policies that would enable it to take advantage of information technology, including the computerisation of its operations and network across the country, to make it more efficient.

He said major post offices in the country were to be connected to facilitate the tracking and tracing of all items, adding that due to the lack of Internet connectivity between the Accra North Post Office and the Central Post Office, registered letters and parcels currently could not be traced.

He said that management would, with a new vision for the service through modem technologies and management, do all it could to do away with all bottlenecks that had in the past hindered the smooth operations of the company.

The Director General of Universal Postal Union (UPU), Mr Edouard Dayan, said the new approach had the objective of using the postal network's vast infrastructure to promote the social economic development of the participating countries.

A representative from the Pan-African Postal Union (PAPU), Mrs Olive Kanege, called on the participating countries to ensure that the needed steps were taken to improve on the postal industries in their various countries.

A member of the board of the Ghana Post, Mr Kofi Nyantakyi, who chaired the programme, said consumers had become more assertive and, therefore, the time had come for the postal industry to brace itself to provide quality service.

Ghana to gain $1bn from first phase of gas production

About one billion dollars will be derived from the first phase of the development of the country's gas resources into a viable petro-chemical industry, Vice-President John Mahama has said.

He said the project, which would be done in partnership with the private sector, would create employment opportunities and help the country to be seIf-sufficient in electricity generation.

Vice-President Mahama said in view of the policy to develop the country's gas resources, government had entrenched into all petroleum exploration agreements a no-flaring policy to prohibit any flaring of gas, which he said, was also positive for the world environment.

The Vice-President said this when opening the second Graphic Business Roundtable Forum, themed, "Ghana's emerging oil economy: Prospects and challenges" in Accra yesterday.

In December this year, Ghana will join the league of petroleum producing nations, following the announcement in 2007 of the discovery of oil reserves in commercial quantities. Since then more discoveries have been and conservative appraisal of the wells and available statistics based on credible scientific findings indicate that the country holds potentially, about 1.6 billion s of crude oil.

Vice-President Mahama pointed out that the employment that would be generated from the development that of the gas resources would require the right mix of such as electricians, plumbers, catering and helicopter services.

He said the local content and local participation bill that the government had drafted would ensure that companies that operate in the county's oil and gas industry employ up to 90 per cent of their staff from within Ghana by 2020.

"Where the level of skill does not allow this to happen, the companies will be required to submit a detailed work plan on how they intend to make this local human resource available in Ghana," the Vice-President said, adding, the move was to ensure that the benefits of oil and gas wealth generation remained within the country.

Touching on the issue of transparency and accountability, he said the government would address those concerns through two interventions. First, was the drafting of the Oil Revenue Management Bill to determine what constituted petroleum revenue.

He said the draft proposes the establishment of the Ghana Petroleum Reserves Accounts, made up of the Ghana Petroleum Account and the Ghana Petroleum Fund.

The petroleum account is being proposed as a single destination collection account for all petroleum revenue due to and, collected on behalf of the government, to make it easier to monitor the inflows and outflows of petroleum revenue.

The petroleum fund, on the other hand, is intended as a savings fund for the purposes of smoothening government spending and in the long run, to preserve part of the value of the oil capital while living on the interest.

"It is expected that all petroleum receipts shall be treated as separate accounts to be held at and accounted for, by the Bank of Ghana," Vice-President Mahama stressed.

The government, he said, had also committed to extending the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) to the oil and gas sector to further ensure transparency and good governance in the use of oil and gas revenues.

Mr. Mahama noted that the EITI, currently being applied in the mining industry, encouraged the publication of revenues received by stakeholders, such as the government, the communities and mining companies.

He said Ghana would not thread in the footsteps of the 'Dutch disease' syndrome by reducing spending in other sectors such as agriculture just because of the inflow of petro-dollars into the economy, saying, the country was learning from the good practices of Trinidad and Tobago, and Norway.

Vice-President Mahama said the government prioritises the importance of safety and environmental protection. "The lessons of the Gulf of Mexico Oil spill is a signal to us that we must put in a mechanism to closely monitor safety and environmental issues."

He said strategic plans, training, equipment and logistics for the Police Service, Air Force, and Navy were being put in place to prepare the security agencies for the challenge of protecting the country's fledgling oil industry.

Vice- President Mahama said the theme of the forum was appropriate, timely and topical in view of Ghana's oil and gas discovery.

Ibrahim Awal, Managing Director of Graphic Communications Group Limited, said the company deemed it fit to set the oil and gas agenda for national discourse and added that the outcome of discussions would be presented to the government to help shape oil and gas policy in the country.