THE New Patriotic Party (NPP) has instituted an inquiry into an allegation that some of its presidential aspirants were resorting to vote-buying in an attempt to win the party's candidature for the presidency at the April 20 congress. The outcome of this inquiry, the party said, would determine the kind of action that the party would take. Mr J.A. Agyenim-Boateng, General Secretary of the NPP, disclosed this in Accra in reaction to allegations of vote-buying by a presidential aspirant of the party as reported in Wednesday (27/03/96) issue of the Daily Graphic.
In the said report, Professor Albert Adu-Boahen, alleged at a meeting with the party's delegates at Tema that certain presidential aspirants of the party, were trying to influence delegates to the party's April 20 special congress to pick the party's flag bearer, with money and furniture, to vote for them. Mr Agyenim-Boateng pointed out that as a party committed to the ideals of democracy, honesty and clean government reflecting the wishes of the people, the NPP would never allow indecent acts such as vote-buying to play any part in the process of selecting the party's leaders and other office holders.
'We wish to assure our numerous supporters and sympathisers that the party is wide awake to the responsibilities of providing the country with a conscientious, honest and upright leader through open, fair and democratic means to lead the nation to development in peace and freedom", the General Secretary added. He warned that whoever is eventually found by the probe to have "conducted his campaign in a manner alien to our tradition and dishonourable to the high office he seeks to occupy, would be swiftly dealt with".
Mr Agyenim-Boateng called on party officials and supporters to continue to mobilise support for the party and also prepare for the April 20 congress to select the NPP presidential candidate to lead it to the presidential and parliamentary elections slated for the latter party of this year.
IN another development, Dr Nyaho Tamakloe, a leading member of the party has called on Prof. Adu-Boahen to come out boldly to either substantiate the allegation or step out of the race honourably. He said because of the nature of the allegation, if Prof. Adu-Boahen is unable to point out who exactly committed that offence, members of the party would expect him to apologise and step down to avoid disgrace.
Dr Tamakloe said "these are very serious allegations and for a party like the NPP, we want him to substantiate the statement because we do not want candidates with dubious character to go to the Castle". He urged members of the party not to be perturbed by bribery allegation but rather remain resolute and united since the party will win the elections.
MR Kankam da Costa, a leading member of the Convention People's Party (CPP) has formally entered the race for the party's presidential nomination to contest this year's presidential election. His entry into the CPP presidential race brings to four the official number of contestants seeking the party's nomination for this year's polls.
Mr da Costa who was also a minister of state in the Third Republican Government made this known at a cocktail party at the Theatre Gardens in Accra . The CPP presidential aspirant pointed out that what the party and the nation need now is "a fresh, credible, unblemished leader to lead the party to victory and reconstruct and bring prosperity to the nation". He said that he had decided to offer himself for the leadership of his party and nation because he possessed the vision, pragmatism and dedication needed to reconcile the people and bring them peace and development. Mr da Costa said that a CPP under his leadership would usher in "a brand new era of emancipation from decadence and all the social, political and economic ills that have plagued our dear country".
Asked whether he was not too young at 49 to seek the highest office of the land, Mr da Costa rebuffed that contention, he said that, whilst on the face of it, he appeared to be young, "I am relatively advanced, very experienced and for that matter considerably older in politics where the variety of political positions I have held in government have exposed me to the fundamentals of politics in our system than many of those vying with me for this honour to serve our nation at the highest level".
THE Civil Servants Association (CSA) has given the government up to the end of April to pay workers Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) it promised them, till a new salary structure is put in place. The association said in January this year, the government promised to pay COLA to cushion workers against the hardships brought about by the budget. These formed part of a resolution adopted at the end of a national representative meeting of the association in Accra.
The association reiterated its stance not to negotiate a new salary with the government until a new salary structure is put in place and stated that its demand for the COLA should therefore not be misconstrued as negotiations for the opening of a new salary. The CSA further asked for a flat rate for the COLA instead of a percentage increase across board.
"Whatever the government offers, we have no hand in it. It is offering it as a father seeking the welfare of his children but it must be reasonable enough", they emphasised.
The association also called for the immediate removal of the Head of the Civil Service, Dr Robert Dodoo for what they termed, "gross mishandling and interference in issues affecting the service and the association". Furthermore, it called for the appointment of a career-civil servant who knows and appreciates the rules and regulations governing the service, as the Head of the Civil Service.
The Executive Secretary of the CSA, Mr Smart Chigabatia, stressed the need for the Price Waterhouse Firm to consult all relevant organisations on the new salary structure it is handling, adding "we expect them to finish in September as proposed so that we can start negotiating for new salary increase".
THE Noyami Mantse (Nkosuohene) of Ada, Nene Amportey Ocansey has appeared before an Accra circuit tribunal for defrauding a forex bureau operator to the tune of ¢428.4 million. Nene Amportey is said to have collected the amount from Alhaji Omar Adams, owner of Chase Forex Bureau in Accra under the pretext that he has an account in America from which he could transfer its equivalent of $363,000 into Omar's account. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretences, and was granted bail in the sum of ¢200 million, with a surety to be justified.
ASP P.A Sarpong told the tribunal that in February and April last year, Nene Amportey approached Alhaji Omar to transfer $20,000 and $350,000 respectively into his bank account in the USA and this was effected. ASP Sarpong said in both cases, Nene Amportey paid back the cedi equivalent. Then in September, he (Nene Amportey), again asked Alhaji Omar for ¢428.4 million with the promise that he would transfer the equivalent of $363,000 to his (Alhaji Omar's) account. According to the prosecutor, Alhaji Omar could not mobilise the amount and therefore sought the assistance of three other forex bureau operators.
ASP Sarpong said on receipt of the money, Nene Amportey failed to transfer the dollar equivalent to Omar. He said Alhaji Omar on many occasions demanded the money but Nene Amportey refused to pay back and instead showed him false fax messages indicating that he had transferred some amount and cheques into his (Alhaji Omar's) account. ASP Sarpong said a report was made to the police and Nene Amportey was arrested.
During interrogation, he admitted the offence and made a part-payment of $63,000. The tribunal, chaired by Mr C.K. Nyewolema, adjourned the case to April 11.
NANA Kofi Coomson, Editor-in-Chief of the Ghanaian Chronicle, has disagreed with his counsel, Mr Peter Zwenes, over what should constitute a contravention of the code of conduct of public officers, a charge Coomson has levelled against the former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Ibrahim Adam. Nana Coomson, speaking at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) probe, insisted that Mr Adam has broken the code of conduct by his extravagant lifestyle, which he said includes maintaining half-a-dozen wives and concubines.
Mr Zwenes however disagreed with the opinion when he was asked by the Commissioner, Mr Emile Short to say whether merely maintaining several wives and concubines constitutes a contravention of the code of conduct by Mr Adam. To this, Mr Zwenes answered: "That much I don't think so".
The issue arose when Mr short objected to Nana Coomson raising issues regarding the private life of the minister and which the commissioner said, were not relevant to the issue before the commission. Nana Coomson however maintained that while he has no problem with the minister having half-a-dozen wives and concubines and lavishing them with expensive gifts, the issue becomes relevant if viewed against the background that the minister could be maintaining them from illegal source since "his salary could not be commensurate with his lifestyle".
Mr Salifu Bawa Dy-Yakah, counsel for Mr Adam, objected to Nana Coomson's assertion which he said, was more likely to be sensational than of any relevant value. He said in this age and time when many women are working hard to support their homes, it is rather difficult to accept the speculative claim from Nana Coomson that it is Mr Adam who is supporting the wives. The women, he argued could be responsible for the upkeep of Mr Adam. Nana Coomson drew the commission's attention to how corruption, collusion and fraudulent practices at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has cost the country billions of cedis and contributed to the rupturing of the economy. He said several foreign fishing companies known to the minister have forged papers, claiming to be Ghanaian-owned fishing companies in order to avoid taxes and enjoy concessions meant for wholly-owned Ghanaian fishing companies.
Nana Coomson said 13 companies listed by the minister as registered in Ghana are either not Ghanaian companies or, the vessels they use are not Ghanaian vessels and ought to attract duties. He mentioned some of the companies involved as JOHDESCO, Onyame na Onyim and Enyidado Industries, Roger Smith and Konadu Fisheries among others. The Editor-in-Chief said the real owners of these vessels live in Holland Greece and Germany and use some Ghanaians as frontmen.
He said four months ago, he saw a letter from the ministry dated November 28, 1995 and copied to Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), in which the ministry admitted to the irregularities and tasked CEPS to levy duty on the 13 selected companies which had been breaking the law and evading taxes. Nana Coomson said this decision was however reversed barely 24 hours later through another letter with the explanation that the companies had fully complied with the registration and licensing procedures that qualified them for tax exemption. He, however, questioned the source and authenticity of the letter since there was no way the companies involved could have regularised their papers in one day, taking into consideration the fact that these companies needed to contact the Registrar of Ghanaian ships, who is based in Takoradi and the ministries of Agriculture and Transport and communications.
Nana Coomson alleged that the minister has illegally acquired building properties at East Legon and Haatso in Accra and put the value of the Haatso building alone at ¢350 million. He therefore urged the commission to conduct intensive investigations into the minister's actions and activities.
Sitting continues.
A NINE-MEMBER reconciliation committee has been set up to find an amicable solution to the violent clash that erupted between in Dagomba and Kotokoli Muslims at the Akyem Oda Zongo in February this year. This follows the intervention of the Muslim Caucus in Parliament, the MP for Akyem Oda Nana Kwasi Boaten-Abora and the Regional Security Council.
Speaking to newsmen, Nana Boaten-Abora said the committee was set up because the factions during their interaction with the Muslim caucus in Parliament, agreed to an unconditional co-existence. Nana Boaten-Abora said the committee has also been tasked to see to the safe return of those who fled the area during the clash. He said the committee under the chairmanship of Mr I.K. Addai-Marfo, former chief executive of the area, will also assess the extent of damage to property and how to resettle those whose houses were burnt in the wake of the clash. He therefore appealed to both government and non-governmental organisations to assist in the resettlement of the displaced. Nana Boaten-Abora explained that the crux of the matter was not one of religious differences but bordered on which of the two factions had the right to appoint an Imam.
It would be recalled that six persons died in a bloody clash between Dagomba and Kotokoli Muslims at the Akyem Oda Zongo on February 6, this year. Five others were admitted at the Oda Government Hospital with gunshot and cutlass wounds while four houses were burnt down and four others damaged. Property worth millions of cedis were said to have been looted and about 500 people were reported to have fled the area during the clash.
A WOMAN who sold her ailing father's house thinking that he will die, is now faced with how to refund the money to the man who bought it for ¢18 million. Mrs Sarah Klu Brown, a trader, claimed she deposited the money at Resource 5000 Finance Company (R5), a non-banking financial institution, but all efforts to retrieve it to settle the debts when her father unexpectedly returned to occupy the house, have been futile.
Mrs Brown is now charged before the Tema Circuit Tribunal with issuing a false cheque for ¢4 million to the buyer, Mr Edward Emmanuel Bruce, a traffic officer of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority. She pleaded not guilty and was granted a ¢15 million bail. She has refunded only ¢2 million of the amount.
Chief Inspector of Police Edith Nutakor told the tribunal that in April last year, Mrs Brown sold "co-operative" house number 38, at Tema Community C/8, belonging to her father, Mr Samuel Kwadwo Klu, a 69-year-old pensioner to Mr Bruce, for which she collected ¢18 million. When Mr Bruce moved into the house, Mr Klu who had recovered from his ailment, returned and ejected him (Bruce).
Following persistent demands for his money, Mrs Brown issued a cheque for ¢14 million to Mr Bruce to be cashed at the Tema branch of the Standard Chartered Bank on October 31, last year. However, the cheque bounced. Mrs Brown told the tribunal that R5 gave her a post-dated cheque for ¢19 million to be paid into her account. She consequently issued a personal cheque to Mr Bruce, but unfortunately the R5 cheque did not go through.
THE Ghana Telecomms Company Limited has taken delivery of equipment for the installation of 500 pay phones in various parts of the country. A technician from France has also arrived in the country to give a two-week training to 18 officers of the company on how to install, monitor and maintain the phones.
Mr Dickson Oduro-Nyaning, Director of Traffic Operations of the company told newsmen that the installation begins next week and will be completed within two months. He said the Greater Accra Region will receive 120 phones, Central, 20, Eastern, 40, Western, 45, Volta, 30, Ashanti, 80, Brong Ahafo, 25, Northern, 20, while Upper East and Upper West receive 10 each.
Mr Oduro-Nyaning could however not tell immediately the cost of the phones. He said phone cards of 25, 50 and 100 units will be made available in some selected places such as hotels and communication centres for customers to have easy access to the facility.
The pay phones are expected to encourage communication on phones instead of people having to personally move from one place to another, especially while transacting businesses.
THE Government has placed a temporary suspension on all beef and beef product imports from the European Union following the world-wide alarm over the "Mad Cow Disease". This is to protect the health an safety as well as sustain the confidence of the Ghanaian consumer.
The government is however taking measures to ensure that alternative provisions are made to take care of the shortfall in beef supply. An official statement issued by the Ministry of Information said the decision was taken after a special inter-ministerial meeting in Accra yesterday (Thursday) which reviewed all aspects of recent developments over the disease. The statement therefore said the importation of live cattle as well as fish, piggery and poultry products will be encouraged.
At the same time, production and consumption of goats, sheep and other protein-yielding foods such as lentils, beans and other legumes which equally promote good health will be vigorously promoted. Furthermore, the government is in touch with South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana to explore the possibility of direct shipment of beef from those countries to Ghana.
As a further measure to allay the fears of consumers, the government has directed that the Veterinary Services Department, the Food Research Institute, Ghana Standards Board and CEPS should intensify action in the area of technical analysis of all beef products to ensure their wholesomeness. The statement also assured importers whose products may be on the high seas that all those who got their permits for their imports before March 20 will not be affected by the ban. It also requested CEPS to ensure that importers comply strictly with this directive.
MR J.K. Kufour, a presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has commended the six religious bodies for their efforts in trying to patch up the row between President J.J. Rawlings and Vice-President Kow Arkaah.
Addressing newsmen in Accra, he said by their gesture, the religious bodies have demonstrated love and concern for the country. He however, impressed upon them not to relent on their efforts to bring understanding and harmony between the two, but also ensure that there is peace, stability and unity among all political groupings in the country.
Mr Kufour said "since religion plays a dominant role in the development of a nation, there is the need to form a council of religions to advise government on religious matters", he pointed out. He said if elected president, he would create a special ministry on religious affairs and called for re-introduction of religious education in schools to inculcate in children high moral principles.
TWO officials of the Ghana Postal Company, two Nigerians and another Ghanaian have been arrested by the Narcotic Controls Board for involving in drug trafficking through the post. The two officials are Godwin Amartey and Henry Akoto both Principal Administrative Officers of the General Post Office (GPO) at Accra Central and Accra North respectively. The Nigerians are Sylvester and Alexander Osunor and George Adu Bonsu, alias Benjilo of Accra.
They were arrested in connection with the claiming of a parcel containing four sachets of white substance suspected to be cocaine. A source close to the board said that the four sachets were nicely concealed inside the pages of two children's books and addressed to one Mohammed Iddrisus of Accra Central through EMS from Bangkok Thailand.
The source said when the parcel arrived Amartey called for it saying he knew the addressee. He then sent it to Akoto to be delivered to Bonsu. The source said Bonsu received the parcel on behalf of Mohammed who according to him was lodging at Assurance Hotel at Tesano. Officials of the postal services accompanied Bonsu to the hotel but were told the addressee had gone to town to look for Bonsu at his shop. The source said Bonsu then led them to Benjilo Fabrics Shop where he introduced Sylvester Osunor as the addressee.
At this point, a combined team of Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) and Narcotics Board officials who were monitoring the movement of the parcel arrested all the suspects.
THE trial of Nana Kwasi Agyemang alias Gemann and three others for their alleged involvement in the murder of a 35-year-old taxi driver began at an Accra High Court on Monday (01/04/96). The court, presided over by Mr Justice R.K. Apallo, is being assisted by a seven-member jury made up of three women. The state is being represented by three attorneys led by the Chief State Attorney, Mr Osafo Sampong, whilst Messrs Frank Davies and Ellis Owusu-Fordjour as well as Ms Akushika Dadzie are representing the accused.
Gemann, a musician allegedly shot the driver on January 9, last year following an argument over ¢1,000. The accused was said to have been angered by a ¢4,000 fare charged by the taxi driver when one Naada Khadi, 'chartered' the taxi from Odorkor to his house at Dome, both suburbs of Accra. He allegedly shot the driver at close range through the nose when the deceased refused to accept ¢3,000 instead of the ¢4,000. Naada, Abeiku Nyame alias Jagger Pee and Diana Ayerley Ofori are facing charges of abetment of crime. All the accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to a Senior State Attorney, Mr Anthony Gyambiby, Gemann, Jagger Pee and one Charles, who is said to be on the run, manhandled the taxi driver until Gemann finally shot him in cold blood. He gave an indication that the prosecution will call 16 witnesses to assist it in its case. The prosecution's first witness, Ms Doreen Gaisie, a teacher, who is also a neighbour of Gemann, said she heard an order, 'go away', then Jagger Pee who had then held the shirt of the deceased, left him off the hook and Gemann's pistol went off killing the driver instantly.
ILLEGAL gold miners at Obuasi launched a fierce attack on security men of the Ashanti Goldfields Company when they were prevented from encroaching on the Sansu Surface Mining area. The illegal miners numbering about 1,000 attacked a combined team of policemen and AGC security men with cudgels are other implements in a counter attack. The security men had earlier driven them away.
The illegal miners later attacked a training school, and the geotechnical laboratory of the AGC and destroyed property worth over ¢320 million. They also smashed the windscreen and doors and deflated the tyres of two vehicles parked at the school.
According to Mrs Augusta Cameron, Public Relations Officer of AGC after blasting, the AGC allows a period to elapse for the dust to settle before its miners go into the miner but the illegal miners usually take advantage of this period and this time that they were prevented, they went on rampage.
Meanwhile, a planned mining programme of the AGC to the testing of the tailing dams for immediate expansion has been seriously affected by the destruction of the sensitive geotechnical equipment at the Sansu laboratory by the illegal miners. In the interim, the AGC will rely on University of Science and Technology until it replaces the equipment.
Mr Keith Koppert, Group Manager of the Surface Mining said the instruments are used in the testing of soil and rocks for their strength and other properties and said unless replacement is made soon, the tailing dams will have to be closed down. Four policemen and a worker of AGC were injured during the attack and one of the policemen, Corporal J.O. Mensah is on admission at the AGC Hospital.
In another development, the Adansi West District Chief Executive, Mr Kwame de Graft Adjei has left for Kumasi to consult the Ashanti Regional Minister on the appropriate action to be taken to contain the situation.
THE President, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings has asked African journalists to make the truth their agenda. He said people react to situations based on the information they receive and when such information tend to be false, the implication to society could be disastrous.
President Rawlings made the call when he received representatives of the West African Journalists Association (WAJA) after their three-day meeting in Accra. He said words which journalist use and deals with have an invocative value and consequently any word let out to the public must be the truth else when the people lose their confidence in the value of the work it could lead to the denigration of the society.
He said in a society where there is a high decree of illiteracy and people are highly gullible, the journalist has the responsibility to ensure that information is not tainted with one's own prejudices and political position. President Rawlings said it is only when the journalist makes the truth his agenda that he can contribute to ensuring justice in the society. The absence of justice, he said, can lead to situations such as the one that exists in Rwanda and Burundi because peace is meaningless in the absence of justice. The President therefore stressed the need for journalists to ensure that their work leads to the institution of values that would ensure justice.
The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Mr Kabral Blay Amihere assured the government that though there may be some misunderstanding here and there, there is a new generation of journalists who want to use the pen to serve the society.
SOUTH Africa Airlines has begun operations in Ghana to ease business activities between the two countries. The flight, A 320, will fly to Ghana every Monday from South Africa via Zaire, and return the following day through the same route. Mr Grant Mcalpine, Fleet Captain of the flight, announced this when he briefed newsmen at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra on Monday, shortly after the arrival of the flight for the first time in the country.
He said the operation of the airline has become necessary due to the growing number of south Africans now in Ghana and those back home who would want to make business trips to Ghana. Until now, South Africans wishing to come to Ghana, flew to Zaire or Namibia before linking to Ghana. Mr Mcalpine expressed satisfaction that all the frustrations sometimes encountered, have ended.
Mr Mcalpine noted that the flight will be beneficial to the three countries, especially, the business community. He commended the hospitality of Ghanaians and remarked that with the operation of the flight, the businessmen will patronise it to make the airline's operations in Ghana a viable venture.
The nine-member crew was welcomed by Mr Thomas C. Sherife, General Manager of the Golden Tulip Hotel.
GHANA's Black Meteors were on Thursday humiliated 8-2 by their Brazilian counterparts in an international friendly match played at Sao Jose, Brazil. The match which was used as a warm up for the two teams who are representing their various countries at the Atlanta Olympic Games was a one-sided game.
The home side so dominated the game right from kick-off and the Under-23 side from Ghana was saved by goal tender Richard Kingston who made some brave and heroic saves. In incessant raid and bombardment of the Meteors goal area was so rapid that by the 30th minute, Brazilians had earned countless freekicks and cornerkicks. It was one of those freekicks which resulted in the first goal on the 15th mark. Power laden shot from Lopez was punched away by Kingston but the ball went to Ze Maria and another drive flicked pass the goal tender for the opener.
On the 18th minute mark a defence splitting move by world cup star left Juninho standing all alone. This Middlesborough midfielder delivered a point blank shot which Kingston punched to safety. Three minutes after this action the Great Olympics goalkeeper who played against the Brazilian side drew a wide applause from the excited crowd as he punched a terrific shot from Rivaldo and saved the rebound from Sario.
Just as the Meteors were warming themselves into the game disaster struck them. Kingston clashed with Sario in the '18' and was carried to hospital while a penalty was awarded the Brazilians and was converted coolly for the second goal. This marching off of Osei Kuffuour plus other unjustifiable decisions by the Brazilian referee Oscar Roberto Degedoe contributed to demoralise the Meteors and the fighting spirit completely taken out of them.
Even though the Meteors could not match the speed and brilliance of the Brazilians these factors killed any hope of not being cheated. After 50 minutes, the Meteors had their best chance in the early session. Emmanuel Duah sent a deep cross to Tony Yeboah who captained the team in the FIFA experiment of using three over-aged players and with only goalkeeper Dida to beat, he wasted the good pass.
Just as the visitors appeared to be holding the rampaging Brazilians the second goal via penalty was scored. The start of the second half saw a rejuvenated Meteors and two minutes inside the half Yeboah reduced the tally. But any renew feeling that the Meteors had was dispelled as he marched off Kuffour and awarded a penalty to the Brazilians from which Amoral raised the tally to 3-1.
That decision and goal completely upset the Meteors and this lost control on the match. This enabled the Brazilians to score two quick goals through Alexander Lopez and Sario, before Duah pulled another one for the Meteors. Four minutes from the end the Brazilians struck thrice through Luisao, Rivaldo and Sario to seal the doom of the Meteors.
Line up: Kingston/Mohammed Chabala, Osei Kuffour, Jacob Nettey, Stephen Baidoo, Justice Ampah, Mallam Yahaya/Nii Aryee Welbeck, Felix Aboagye, Odartey Lamptey, Osumanu Amadu/Dan Addo, Tony Yeboah and Emmanuel Duah.
FORMER international soccer, star Windsor Kofi Abbrey, has been honoured by the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly for uplifting the image of the twin city in soccer. Kofi inspired and led Sekondi Eleven Wise to gain promotion from the first division to the premier league.
Abbrey currently the captain of the club was among 11 individuals and institutions who received awards during the first ever Star Mayor held at Westline Hotel at Takoradi. Kofi has so far featured for Sekondi Hasaacas, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Accra Hearts of Oak and the national team Black Stars.
He has already won this year's Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG's) dedication and valour award.
The Metropolitan District Chief Executive Lt. Col. Kaku Korsah presented cash and magnificent trophy to Kofi for his contribution to sports in the region.
GHANA's champion club Obuasi Goldfields face Cod Meknes of Morocco in the one-eighth final of the Africa cup of Champion Clubs Competition. They will play the first leg in Casablanca on May 5 with the second leg at Obuasi on May 14.
They qualified to this stage of the competition when they kicked out ASFA Yennenga of Burkina Faso on a 5-2 aggregate beating them 4-1 in Ouagadougou. COD Meknes also sailed to this stage on account of their away goals advantage over Semassi Sokode of Togo. They settled for a 2-2 draw at Togo.
NANA Sam Brew-Butler, Chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has disclosed that the senior national team, the Black Stars would now undertake most of their training programmes in Europe.
Nana Butler explained that in view of the current circumstances when the bulk of the team lives in Europe, it is not only cheaper but also technically wiser to organise the team in Europe. "With the turn of events, it will be better, easier and cheaper to gather the boys in Europe for training matches than flying them to Ghana", the GFA boss stressed, and added "we have to behave according to the times and it must be the other way round now".
He said, Black Stars head coach Sam Arday, who is already on attachment with some clubs in Europe, would get in touch with some high technical experts in soccer, for purposes of employing one of them to facilitate the programme. According to Nana Butler, the expert to be based in Europe would be somebody of a very high technical pedigree in soccer, higher than Sam Arday, to whom the Ghanaian would be ready to listen.
"His role will be to monitor our boys, act as a contact man, a sort of consultant who can arrange matches for the Black Stars in Europe and be a technical father for coach Arday", the GFA boss explained. The GFA chairman said in view of this new development, Coach Arday would be based in Ghana while the technical adviser would be based in Europe. This, according to the GFA boss, would replace the idea of contracting a foreign coach. "We have to consider the value analysis of bringing down a foreign coach to sit here in Ghana and be collecting between $12,000 to $15,000 a month, while the bulk of the team he is expected to coach is in Europe".
Nana Brew-Butler said the technical adviser could either be a Ghanaian or a foreigner but this would be known or appointed when Coach Arday returns home to present his report.
DEFENDING Champions, Obuasi Goldfields, regained the top of the league table as they beat Ghapoha 2-0 at their favourite Len Clay Stadium in the 21st week fixtures on Sunday. It took the miners 29 minutes to race into the lead. Right winger Lawrence Adjei who picked the ball raced deep into the opponents' area to beat international goalie Edward Ansah in goal for Ghapoha.
In the 88th minute, scorer of important goals, Kofi Deblah made it two with a terrific shot which zoomed pass the armpit of Ansah.
Okwawu who have lost their leadership position to Goldfields, were held to a stipulating 1-1 draw by the homesters Afienya United at the Tema Stadium and their dream and aspiration has fizzled away with just four matches to the end.
At the Accra Stadium, Olympics made the relegation of Ho Voradep very certain with 2-0 win. Olympics, who dominated the exchanges went ahead through Under-17 striker Godwin Attram when he completed a counter attack initiated by midfielder Ofosu Peasare. Charles Antwi sealed the doom nine minutes later with a classic goal.
King Faisal beat Bofoakwa 2-0 at the Kumasi Stadium. Akwasi Ackah of King Faisal converted a spot kick to give them their lead three minutes into the second half. Skelley Abu increased the tally 15 minutes later.
A lone goal scored by Ibrahim Mugu of RTU enabled them to collect the maximum points from Ebusua Dwarfs in an exciting match played at the Kaladan park.
Hell broke loose at the Gyandu Park when controversial referee F.A. Okoampah awarded Kotoko a doubtful goal in the 74th minute. A cornerkick taken by Kotoko's defender Yaw Owusu, resulted in a goal mouth melee and Prince Adu Poku shot towards goal was scooped from entering but Okoampah who was near the spot invaded the field threatening to kill him. When sanity prevailed and the two teams came to the field the referee refused to restart the game because of the missiles being hurled at him.
The most upset was the total dominance of Dawu over Hearts this season. They beat Hearts 2-1 at Koforidua at the weekend to send into a state of carnival. In the first round they beat them 1-0 at the Accra Stadium.
Hearts took the lead with four minutes to the end of the first half through cannonball Anthony Tieku. But Hearts joy was shortlived as Dawu's Kingsley Osei beat James Nanor in post for Hearts. When all was pointing to a draw game fast running Kwame Amadu dummied two and racing defenders to lay on a pass to Osei to increase his goal build-up in the coup de grace.
THREE women in the Sekyidumase in the Ashanti Region have been placed in police custody for allegedly brutalising a six-month-old baby boy to death. The suspects, Akua Amankwaah, 26, Yaa Asantewaa, 24, and Adwoa Sefah, 25, all friends, were said to have kicked and stamped on the abdomen of the fallen baby several times during a fight with its mother Rosina Nana Yaa, 25.
Police source said Rosina and Akua quarrelled following the latter's accusation that Rosina's mother Madam Afia Yaa had stolen her ¢20,000. Rosina handed her baby, Akwasi Bediako to a friend when the quarrel developed into a fight with Yaa Asantewaa and Adwoa Sefah joining Amankwaah.
Akyiaa attempted to intervene and in the process the baby fell. Akua Amankwaah and her friends stamped on the baby until he became unconscious and died at the Sekyidumase Clinic.
THERE was quite a stir at an Accra High Court two weeks ago when an accused who was standing trial for contempt, took to his heels after the judge had sentenced him to three months imprisonment.
"Get him! Get him!", the call went out, as almost everyone present -- lawyers, policemen and other individuals made for the escaping Mr Ransom Divine Attitsogbe, Chief Executive of CFC Construction Company Ltd. The commotion created in the court room attracted a lot of people to the court building some of whom helped to arrest Mr Attitsogbe at the ground floor of the two-storey building. He was carried shoulder high, back to the court room for all the court processes to be completed and he was immediately whisked away to the Nsawam prisons to start his new life there.
The facts of the case, according to the judgement are that the plaintiffs, Mrs Rita Read and CFC Construction Company (WA) Limited obtained a judgement against the defendant in respect of reliefs, that the defendant has been removed as a director of the CFC Company in accordance with the Companies Code, 1963 (Act 179), not a shareholder of the company and to account for all properties of the company in his possession. However, the defendant applied for stay of execution which was granted in September 11, 1995. But the defendant, the report said held himself out to the general public as a director and a shareholder of the company.
The court therefore maintained that the action of Mr Attitsogbe was contemptuous and gave the respondent the chance to purge his contempt through an apology to be published in the Daily Graphic within 14 days from the date of the court's ruling. This, the statement said, Mr Attitsogbe did not comply with, compelling Mr Justice B.T. Aryeetey, the presiding judge, to convict him.
WITHIN a period of one month, a 28-year-old electrical apprentice, John Awudu, has been arraigned twice before court on rape charges. He was fined in February for raping a 10-year-old girl. This time he is alleged to have raped a 14-year-old girl. When he appeared again before the Kaneshie Community Tribunal, the judge immediately identified him as the same man who was convicted for defiling a 10-year-old girl.
Giving the facts of the case, Inspector Osei Bonsu, prosecuting, said at about 10.30 p.m. on March 24, 1996, the complainant who was fast asleep behind her father's drinking bar felt somebody was caressing her and her underpants being gently removed. As the accused inserted his fingers into her vagina, the complainant felt some pain within her an woke up to find the accused lying beside her.
The prosecutor said, she then attempted to shout for help but the accused so determined to commit the offence forcibly had canal knowledge of her. When she succeeded, her shouts drew the attention of some neighbours who came to her rescue and arrested the accused.
He is to re-appear on April 12.
WHEN he walked into court on Tuesday, 29-year-old pastor, Peter Hams Folley Abotsi, of Fruitful Vineyard Ministry, Tabora in Accra, was very confident of winning his case, but he walked out, in handcuffs, shouting and disrupting court proceedings. The man of god had been arraigned before the Kaneshie Community Tribunal, in Accra, charged with threatening to kill his 62-year-old father, Mr Thomas Kwame Abotsi.
When the presiding judge, Mr G.H.K. Debrah pronounced his one-week remand in prisons custody, Pastor Folley immediately started shouting, "I'm not going, I'm not going, my father has sweet lips".
Unveiling the facts of the case, Police Inspector H. Sarpomaah, told the court that the complainant, Kwame Abotsi, a building contractor, resides in the same house with his son, Pastor Folley, at North Kaneshie in Accra. She said the pastor was not on speaking terms with the father, and had become a nuisance to the household whenever he got angry. According to the prosecution, on March 24, this year, at about 6.30 a.m. a twin brother of the pastor and their sister were with their father in his room discussing an issue when he accused who was not invited, grabbed a knife, entered the room and ordered his brother and sister to get out.
Inspector Sarpomaah said, without any provocation, Pastor Folley started brandishing the knife towards his father, saying "If you do not kill me today, I will kill you". At this stage, continued the Inspector, the accused was persuaded to get out of the room by some of the relatives who were then in the house. She said a report was made to the polices and the pastor was immediately arrested. He was, however, granted police bail the following day with a word of caution never to disturb the peace of the house and to appear before the court on March 26. According to Inspector Sarpomaah, Pastor Folley, however, abused the condition of the bail and again, issued similar threats to the father when they went home.
The accused who pleaded not guilty, insisted that he had never insulted nor threatened the father. His behaviour in the dock made the court to frown at him, despite his earlier composure and decency. 'I will send you into custody till the April 9, to see if there will be any change in you". But Mr Debrah's pronouncement rather attracted shouts and protests from the pastor who decided to leave the court room saying "they better kill me. I am not going". It took about six policemen to handcuff pastor Folley who left the tribunal struggling with the police.
A FORTY-YEAR-OLD, Yaw Amponsah-Dargarti, who allegedly beat his 12-year-old son to death for stealing his ¢24,000 has been placed in police custody at Nkoranza. He was arrested by the Unit Committee members of the Timiabu in the Nkoranza District where he is a settler farmer.
According to the District superintendent of Police, Mr ELK. Num Ampofo, the accused who suspected Baaku Dargati, the son, of having stolen the money, was said to have beaten him with the inner tube of a bicycle tyre. Mr Ampofo said when people rushed to the scene to intervene, the boy had fainted and died later as attempts were being made to revive him.He said the police are continuing with their investigations pending the result of an autopsy from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi.
The deceased had since been buried.
THE Jasikan Circuit Court has given a two-week ultimatum to two youngmen from Bodada-Buem to exhume the body of their late father buried in their house and rebury it in the public cemetery. This is because the house in which the corpse was buried is too close to a river, which is the main source of drinking water for the community. The act also contravenes section 4 of the Jasikan District Assembly's Sanitation Bye-Law, 1990, which prohibits burial of corpses in houses.
The two who pleaded guilty and were convicted on their own pleas are Peter Nyanpong, 18 and John Nyanpong, 20, both farmers. Their sentences have, however, been deferred until when they are expected to have carried out the court's order and report back to it.
Prosecuting, the Jasikan District Environmental Officer, Mr P.A.K. Anatsui told the court presided over by Mr B.Y. Prika that sometime in December, last year, the 75-year-old father of the two youngmen, Benjamin Nyanpong, died at their hometown, Bodada, in the Jasikan District and the family decided to bury the corpse in the deceased's own house which is only 25 yards from River Okpong, the main source of drinking water for the community. Mr Anatsui said when health officers at Bodada heard of this, they drew the family's attention to the health hazards that the act could pose and as a result gave the chiefs and elders two weeks to exhume the corpse from the house and rebury it in the public cemetery.
Mr Anatsui said the elders moved in to comply with the order but the two youngmen prevented the elders from doing so. Subsequently, he said, a report was made to the district health authorities at Jasikan who caused their arrest and were put before the court.
POLICEMEN on weekend duty at James Town Police Station were just catching their breath after an unsuccessful attempt at arresting some armed robbers they had been trailing, when the dying man was brought in. As soon as the policemen set their eyes on the blood-soaked man, they all shouted in unison: "He is one of them". The man, Mohammed Awa, had been one of the armed robbers who had outwitted the policemen some two hours earlier. The young men who brought Awal to the police station had met him in great pain, with a gun shot wound in the shoulder at Korle Gonno. Thinking that Awal had been a victim of an attack, they carried him to the police station to lodge a complaint.
To their surprise, the young men learnt from the police that in fact Awal was a member of an alleged armed robber gang and that the wound on his shoulder was caused by a shot from a police rifle. Briefing newsmen in Accra a source close to the Greater Accra Regional Police Public Relations outfit said, on Saturday, March 16, one Ransford Attah of Darkuman went to the Konkomba market to visit his wife who had delivered a baby recently. On reaching the market, and within the vicinity of his wife's house, Mr Attah was attacked at knife point by three armed robbers who succeeded in collecting ¢300,000 from him. The money was meant for the outdooring of their new born baby.
The source said Mr Attah proceeded to the police station where he lodged a complaint. The station officer detailed some men to the scene of the attack. According to the source, when the policemen got to the scene of the incident, they were able to trail the suspects to a bar where they were about to share their booty. According to the source, when the suspects saw the policemen, they advanced towards them with their implements, which made the police fire a warning shot into the air.
The suspects were, however, not deterred by the shot. This, the source said, made the police fire a second shot which hit Awal on the right shoulder. Sensing danger, all the three took to their heels into nearby bushes which boarded the Korle Lagoon. Awal who could not bear the pain from the gun shot, was found about two hours later by some sympathisers who decided to send him first to the police station before taking him to the hospital. The source said it was at the police station that he was identified by both the police and the victim, Attah. Awal was handcuffed and sent to the Police Hospital. He has since been treated and taken back to police cells while investigation continues.
NOT sure of how to pay back his debt, he thought the best way out was to put fear in his creditor. As a result, Alhaji Yusif Mohammed, 38, a trader, threatened his creditor with death and for this, he has been put in custody for allegedly threatening a 55-year-old businessman, Alhaji Issifu Mahama that "I will organise people to kill you". He pleaded guilty when he was arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court, charged with threat of death under section 75 of the Criminal Code.
Giving the facts of the case at the court presided over by Col. V.C. Doegah (rtd), Inspector Alex Tawiah Yartey, prosecuting said sometime in December last year, the accused, Mohammed, approached the complainant for financial assistance to start a business. The complainant willingly gave the accused an amount of ¢450,000 and 3,000 gallons of kerosene all totalling ¢6.3 million. He said, the accused promised to refund the money in January but when payment was due the accused refunded ¢1.1 million and asked for an extension of the payment period which the complainant refused.
So on February 19, this year, at about 8 p.m. the accused went to the house of one Abubakari Iddrusu who is a witness in the case and allegedly told him that he will organise some people to rob and kill the complainant because he has seized his BMW car which he used as a collateral, the prosecutor said. Abubakari then reported the matter to the complainant who also made a report to the police and the accused was arrested on March 7.
According to the prosecutor, because of the robber threat, the accused was handed over to the Anti Armed Robbery Squad which investigated the case and charged him with the offence. He is to re-appear in court on March 25.
THE Koforidua Police are investigating a case in which the proprietor of the Normal Technical Institute, Freeman Aikins, is alleged to have raped a ten-year-old primary school pupil at Koforidua. The suspect has not yet been arrested and the police have mounted a search for him.
According to the mother of the victim, (their names withheld)Aikins lives at the same vicinity where she has her dressmaking shop at Sorodae, a suburb of Koforidua. She said somewhere in October last year, she travelled outside Koforidua to see a relative leaving her daughter in the house. The girl therefore decided to go to a relative at the local central market and it was on the way that the suspect met her and lured her to his house and forcibly had sex with her.
The mother said when she returned she met the child in a dull mood and when she later detected that she was bleeding she thought the girl had had her menstrual period. It was when she realised that the bleeding had rather kept too long that she grew suspicious and pressed further to know what has really happened to her child. "She told me she had been raped by Aikins and narrated to me how the incident happened", she stressed.
She said she took her to the hospital where she was treated and discharged and then lodged a complaint with the police.
HIS was a mistaken identity. Mr Abdulai Haruna Rashidi was taken for one of the three directors of Pyram Savings and Loans Company because customers saw him frequenting that office while the business was striving. But he was also a customer like any of his attackers having deposited ¢280 million with Pyram. Now, the 38-year-old contractor, Abdulai Rashidi has the task to prove to other customers that he had no hand in their woes. According to a police source, sometime in January this year, some customers besieged Rashidi's residence at Zongo Lane, Accra, but fortunately for him he was not in the house and they left, after posting written warnings on his walls.
The source said, on another occasion when he returned from town he met a mob who mistook him to be one of the directors of Pyram, Tanko Abdrahamani Shadow, arrested and sent him to the Police Headquarters where the case was investigated. He was later discharged because he was found not to be associated with the Pyram directors as claimed by those who made the report but had rather deposited an amount of ¢280 million there. When newsmen contacted the Director of the Public Relations directorate, DSP Angwubutoge Awuni, he confirmed his outfit handled the matter but Rashidi was discharged for lack of evidence.
THE crisis that erupted in the matrimonial home of Mr Billy Awitor, a 48-year-old teacher who defiled a 12-year-old class five pupil and in the process impregnated her has deepened. An arbitration council, chaired by Mr Steve Selormey, has ruled that Mr Awitor should marry the little girl. The council has therefore directed the "groom to be" to buy a ring and swear an affidavit in the local court that he will not flout the order of the panel.
In addition, Mr Awitor is to remit her teenage spouse with an amount of ¢35,000 at the end of every month. He is also to buy five half pieces of cloth, five panties, and five underskirts. He was also fined two bottles of Schnapps, two bottles of akpeteshie and to give the girl ¢3,000 each time she went for ante-natal care. A source who disclosed this to newsmen at the weekend said at the last sitting of the panel on Saturday, March 9, the panel firmly decided that since Mr Awitor capitalised on the innocence of the little girl he should bear the brunt of his misdeed. The source explained that the decision of the panel is mild considering the moral magnitude of the crime.
When pressed to find out the implication of the panel's decision on Awitor's marital life, the source indicated that they were dealing with Awitor as an individual and does not see the wisdom to relate the issue with his earlier marriage. He married under holy matrimony about two years ago. A source also told newsmen that Awitor who has hitherto avoided the main streets and takes circuitous routes to and from school has now reverted to the main streets after The Mirror in its March 9 issue reported his illicit love affair with the little girl.
The Mirror report had it that Awitor started his escapades with the girl about four months ago when the victim's mother travelled for a three-week training course at Ho and left the girl in the care of Mr and Mrs Awitor. The report said when the pregnancy was detected, the girl mentioned Awitor and added that each time he had an affair with her, she received ¢200. She alleged that Awitor made love to her on four occasions.
When Awitor was questioned about the girl's claim he admitted responsibility and pleaded with the head of the family arbitration to deal with him leniently.
THE Rotary Club of Kumasi has started buying cockroaches in the Metropolis. Each cockroach, dead or alive is bought at ¢10. According to Mr Seth A. Quaynor, a leading member of the club, about five thousand cockroaches have been bought since the exercise started early February this year from three purchasing centres located at the Vision 2,000 offices at Adum, Noks Hotel, Asokwa, and the Emanata Clinic at Kwadaso.
Mr Quaynor said the rationale behind the purchases is to inculcate in the people the habit of cleanliness and personal hygiene and that the cockroaches bought are destroyed. This is because it is only when homes and toilets are cleaned that people can get the cockroaches to sell.
Mr Quaynor and Mr Charles Agboka, a service director of the club told newsmen that the exercise will in future be extended to cover the purchase of mice, spiders and their faeces, cobwebs and empty cans from selected communities. Free medical services will also be provided in the selected communities and the beneficiaries will be made to present the above mentioned "commodities" in payment for the medical services.
Mr Agboka said the exercise has not been quite encouraging in Kumasi and the club is planning to extend it to schools to include children. He said some people even bargain for the fee of ¢10 to be increased thinking they are exporting the insects. The two officials noted that the Rotary Club of Kumasi has further planned to launch free medical service in some selected rural communities to be called "Operation in Good Hope".
This programme, they said, is in response to the many free medical programmes some overseas volunteers have initiated for the citizens. It also evolved from reports received from some medical officers who are members of the club that very bad medical cases resulting in the deaths of some people in rural areas can be prevented if the rural dwellers are made to improve upon the sanitation in the various areas.
SYMPATHISERS at the funeral of a 93-year-old man at Anloga in the Volta Region could not control their tears when fro nowhere, one of his children walked to the bed on which the old man had been laid in state and gave him two slaps. Tony Kwabla Seglah, 45, unemployed, then shouted, "Don't come back and born me like this again. You did not put me in good condition like my brothers that is why I am slapping you". He added. He was immediately grabbed by family members and whisked away to the police to be put in protective custody.
Unperturbed, Kwabla told the police that if he had been given the chance, he would have whipped his father, Mr Votushie Kwablah Seglah, for being irresponsible during his lifetime.
Giving details, Tony Kwabla said his father brought him to the world and abandoned him even though he had the resources to make him what he described as a "human being". He said his father had 25 children, including him, some of whom he claimed were given good education and some are soldiers, policemen and other professionals. According to him, he (Tony) struggled to acquire the Middle School Leaving Certificate, but his father refused to assist him further his education.
Asked why he did dnot beat the old man while he was alive, Tony said that was a personal decision and he has no regrets. Mr Votushie Kwabla Seglah died on February 25 and was buried on March 16, 1996.
A JSS One student who sought the assistance of a herbalist to enable him to win back his former girlfriend is going through a nightmare at the Keta Government Hospital. His male organ cannot erect and doctors are working hard to help restore its potency.
Dan Sedafor, 19, of Norlivime JSS near Dzelukope in the Volta Region was admitted to the hospital following a ritual performed at his own request by a traditional herbalist, Adjoyi Hukporti, 28, alias Togbui Hukporti. Sedafor had consulted the herbalist to help him win the heart of his girlfriend who had jilted him because of an allegation that he had stolen a duck in the village. According to sources in the town which was confirmed by the Keta Police, when Sedafor consulted the herbalist at about 9 a.m. on March 8, he made slits around the waist of Sedafor with a blade and put some substance believed to be black powder in them.
He then recited some incantations on a ¢50 coin and placed it on Sedafor's forehead and asked him to recite some words after him. Hukporti, the source alleged, then smeared some shea butter on Sedafor's penis and pulled it, until he discharged semen. Three days later, Sedafor, the source said, began to feel pains around the lower abdomen and in his penis.
Sensing danger, Sedafor narrated his plight to a friend who informed Sedafor's grandmother. Sedafor's grandmother and uncle then rushed him to the Keta Government Hospital where he was admitted. A report was later made to the Keta Police who arrested Hukporti and placed him in custody on a charge of causing harm. He appeared before the Keta Circuit Court last Monday March 18, and was remanded to enable the police to complete their investigations.
A 20-YEAR-OLD houseboy who could not stand the thought of losing his 18-year-old girlfriend after years of courtship, murdered her in cold blood at the weekend and later committed suicide. Kwame Mohammed was alleged to have lured Naomi Yaa Boatemaa, an apprentice seamstress, to a secret place where he murdered and dumped her body in a thicket near the Ridge Experimental School at Sunyani.
Kwame later committed suicide by drinking poison when Boatemaa's father threatened to cause his arrest after days of fruitless search for his daughter. A family source said all attempts to break the relationship by Boatemaa's family during the days of courtship failed so it was a great relief to them when Boatemaa recently turned "born again" and decided to break up with Kwame.
When Boatemaa told Kwame she had decided to call it quits so that she could serve her God, Kwame did not take kindly to it and did all he could, to convince Boatemaa to rescind her decision, but to no avail.
The source said around 7 p.m., after a heavy downpour, Boatemaa sought permission from her parents to go and have her hair done at a nearby salon and never returned. It said on the followig day, Boatemaa's father who is also a policeman stationed at Sunyani, approached Kwame, to find out if his daughter was secretly putting up with Kwame but he told him that he had broken up with Boatemaa a month since and therefore did not know of her whereabouts. Boatemaa's father, the source said, became furious and threatened to cause the arrest of Kwame if he did not produce Boatemaa by Saturday.
The next morning however, while Boatemaa's family was still trying to find a clue to the disappearance of their daughter, news reached them that Kwame had committed suicide by drinking poison. According to the source, the family then suspected a foul deal and started combing the area in search of the girl. In the course of their search, a group told them that they had seen the body of a young girl in a decomposed state lying in a thicket.
The family rushed to the scene and to their surprise, the bloated body of Boatemaa was found lying in the thicket near the Ridge Experimental School with her head almost cut off. A report wasthen made to the police and the body was sent to the Sunyani Regional Hospital Mortuary where Kwame's body had also been deposited. The two bodies have since been buried.
FOUR suspects, including the Headmistress of the Osino Presbyterian Primary School in the Eastern Region and her two sons have been arrested by the Koforidua Police for their alleged involvement in the use of "ghost names" to withdraw salaries of dead and retired staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES). The 55-year-old headmistress, Mrs Charlotte Dankwa, alias "Ghana Woman" and her two sons, Ampem Darko Dankwa, 27, teacher, Osino Presby JSS and Addo Dankwa, 33, of the Koforidua District Education Unit have been granted police bail while investigations continue.
The fourth suspect, Sarpong Aboagye Isaac, 36, an accounts clerk in charge of recruitment at the Begoro District Education Office, described by the police as the "brain behind the whole deal" is also on bail. The police have not been able to establish the amount involved yet but it is believed to run into millions of cedis.
Briefing newsmen on the case, the Regional Crime Officer, Mr Patrick K. Ampowuah, said the police had a tip-off about the deal and, therefore, began investigations. He said they discovered during investigations that the suspects were using the names of GES staff who were dead or retired to withdraw their salaries. According to him, instead of deleting the names of such people from the payroll, they transferred the names to different banks and new stations to show that those teachers had been transferred and then forged their signatures to withdraw their monies.
He said it was detected that the deal had been going on since 1992 and stressed that investigations will continue.
THE Health Minister designate, Dr Eunice Brookaman-Amissah, has endorsed the proposal to exempt students and accident victims from the cash and carry system. She noted that even though it is sometimes difficult to establish who is the needy, it should be possible for the exemption to cover the typically handicapped and the aged.
Dr Brookman-Amissah, who has done 10 years in private practice was answering questions from the Parliamentary Appointment Committee. She was among the four people screened by the committee on Wed 20, March 1996. She told the committee under the chairmanship of Mr Ken Dzirasah, who is also the first Deputy Speaker that the cash and carry system is good under the country's economic situation but the directives are not being applied properly.
The minister-designate was full of praise for the out-going minister, Commodore Steve Obimpeh and cited a medium term strategic plan for the ministry he has prepared with his able technocrats. She assured the committee that the recommendations will be carefully studied for action to be taken. On health insurance, she submitted that the proposal should be pursued vigorously while attention is given to how best traditional medicine is critically examined to ensure that the harmful aspect is done away with. She indicated that she will study the system and do her best to ensure that waste is reduced or eliminated.
When her deputy designate Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor took his turn, he also shared the views of Dr Brookman-Amissah on traditional medicine, elimination of waste, and other policies which will help enhance the health delivery system. But the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Peter Okporah asked a barrage of questions which was partly answered. He reminded the nominee that he was with the CDR but shifted to NCP and wanted to know from his predecessor Mr Donkor what will happen if the NCP rejected his nomination.
The nominee said he had no ill-feeling about the changes which went on in his party's hierarchy in Parliament and indicated he drove the questioner to his residence at Sakumono after the reshuffle. Besides, he stated, nothing stops President Rawlings from appointing him a minister if he (Donkor) has the capabilities. It shows the President's determination to harness all available resources towards the development of the country.
In answer to another question, Mr Donkor said his achievement in his constituency was demonstrated by how the people there called on him to stand for the constituency and they voted for him overwhelmingly. He conceded that the examination results of Koforidua Secondary Technical School where he attended school were withheld by the West African Examinations Council in 1980 but after investigations the results were released.
Mr Austin Akufo Gamey, Deputy Minister designate for Employment and Social Welfare submitted that he and his substantive minister will work relentlessly with the other social partners -- labour and employers to ensure industrial harmony in the country. Mrs Constance Nyamekey Quacoe, Deputy Minister designate for Food and Agriculture in charge of the Western Region dismissed a suggestion from Mr John Achuliwor (Ind Navrongo Central) that the deputies in the sector are too many and yet some think the sector is not living up to expectation. She contended they bridge the gap which might have existed between the sector minister and other staff such as directors and officers on the ground.
THE Supreme Court has restored the property of an old woman whose three-bedroom house was illegally and wrongfully appropriated by her husband when the two broke up in 1987. The woman, Madam Elizabeth Sykes, 63, and Mr Honestte Abbey contracted a customary marriage in 1960 and in the course of their marriage, she gave £70 to her husband to buy her a plot of land. Mr Abbey, instead, sold his own plot of land at North Kaneshie to her but did not transfer the land into her name
. This became a source of constant argument and quarrel between the two. Madam Sykes later built a three-bedroom house on the plot entirely from her own resources which she completed in 1977. When the marriage broke up in 1987, Mr Abbey wrongfully and illegally appropriated the house to himself because he claimed it had been built on a land registered in his name. When repeated demands to have her house returned to her yielded no positive response, Madam Sykes was compelled to institute action against his ex-husband at an Accra High Court.
The court then presided over by Ms Justice Georgina Lutterodt gave judgement in Madam Sykes' favour and ordered Mr Abbey to convey the house to her within 14 days. Mr Abbey appealed to the Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Lamptey, which set aside the verdict of the High Court and said Mr abbey should keep the house. The woman, however, appealed to the Supreme Court against the judgement of the Court of Appeal.
In a unanimous decision, a five-member panel presided over by Mr Justice G.E.K. Aikins restored the judgement of the High Court and ordered the house to be conveyed to Madam Elizabeth Sykes within 21 days. It also awarded cost of ¢700,000 against Mr Abbey. Madam Sykes was represented by Mr S.A. Odoi-Sykes whilst Mr Eric Narh acted as counsel for Mr Abbey.
THE Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the Sakumono Complex School has called for the interdiction of the headmistress of the school, Mrs Dorothy Asante, for fraudulent practices. The headmistress is alleged to have issued the original, duplicate and triplicate of a single receipt to different people who paid their ward fees.
Apart from enabling her to pocket some of the money, this practice also makes it difficult for auditors to carry on with their work. The call was contained ins a resolution passed at a meeting of the PTA. Some of the parents told newsmen that about ¢26 million being various levies and contributions from the parents for promoting the welfare of the school cannot be accounted for by the headmistress. According to the parents, there is an audit investigation going on in the school and the presence of the headmistress and his assistant Mr Anthony Nyamful who is alleged to be an accomplice and a signatory to the fraudulent receipts issued by the school, would impede their work.
It was also learnt that although the school is only up to JSS One, the headmistress has gone beyond the admission quota and has converted the school's JSS workshop into a classroom, beside filling the three rooms meant for JSS Two intake.
The situation is such that there would not be any classroom for JSS one pupils to move into next academic year when they are promoted to JSS two. The headmistress is said to have therefore decided not to admit JSS one pupils next academic year, a situation that is likely to create problems for children in the primary school.
The resolution has been presented to the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service through the Greater Accra Regional Director. It added that the headmistress has also been collecting some levies without issuing receipts and added that by her acts of omission and commission, she has proved that she cannot run the school.
The school which was built by the SSNIT is run as a community school by the parents and the Ghana Education Service (GES). The resolution said teachers of the school who oppose the headmistress's way of doing things have threatened to seek mass transfer if her activities are not checked. A Ghana Education Service source told newsmen that the resolution has been received and the appropriate action would be taken. The source said some of the allegations border on criminal conduct and would therefore be properly investigated. A number of parents who were issued with the irregular receipts have also threatened to report the matter to the police.
A GERMAN businessman was arraigned before an Accra circuit tribunal on Thursday March 21, this year, for allegedly duping Rana Motors in Accra, to the tune of over ¢106 million. Andreas Ahrens allegedly presented a forged payment order for the amount, purported to have been issued by Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) which he used in collecting 103 pieces of tyres from the company. Andreas, who pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretences, was granted bail in the sum of ¢15 million with one surety to be justified.
In the dock with Andreas were two other persons, Kwabena Nketia and Samuel Asiedu Obrempong, charged with conspiracy to defraud and dishonestly receiving respectively. They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were also granted bail in the sum of ¢15 million each with a surety each to be justified.
Prosecuting, ASP P.A. Sarpong, to the tribunal chaired by Mr C.K. Nyewolema that in November last year, Andreas and Nketia together with two others now at large went to get proforma invoice for 200 pieces of tyres from Rana Motors. ASP Sarpong said later, Andreas and two others at large went with forged payment order for an amount of ¢106,825,000 to Rana Motors and collected 103 pieces of the tyres. He said they immediately proceeded to Kumasi and sold them to Asiedu Obrempong.
According to the prosecutor, management of Rana Motors who later became suspicious of the payment order went to find out from the management of the AGC at Obuasi whether they really issued it. ASP Sarpong said management of AGC denied any knowledge of the payment order and upon examination, it was detected to have been forged. He said a report was made to the police and Andreas and Nketia were arrested. The two others escaped. ASP Sarpong said Andreas led the police to arrest Asiedu Obrempong to whom he allegedly sold the tyres.
THE Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs are divided over whether or not the Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II has any legal right to elevate chiefs in the Tano Subin area to paramountcy. An emergency meeting of the house held to discuss the statement issued by the house's standing committee degenerated into a heated argument which nearly disrupted the meeting.
The standing committee had said in a statement, 11 out of its 16 members claimed the Asantehene has no legal rights to elevate the four chiefs in the Techiman Traditional Aea. The four areas are Tuobodom, Tanoboase, Tanoso and Buoyem. The statement said that the committee would come out with a comprehensive facts in due course.
During last week Wednesday meeting of the of the House, 31 out of the 49 members, with the exception of Acherensuahene who was not present, they all supported surprise that the entire House was said to have supported the statement. Some members of the House described the press statement as too hollow. A faction which included the Goasohene and Yamfohene stated that the Asantehene had legal right to elevate the chiefs. Those who desented were Dwenehene and Drobohene.
AN ACCRA Circuit tribunal has sentenced a 42-year-old man, Daniel Tetteh Wayoe to three months imprisonment for posing as a lawyer. Wayoe pleaded guilty to the charge of practising law without a certificate.
According to the prosecution, Wayoe whose background was not known to the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) just showed up suddenly and started practising law in 1994. His behaviour and language in court however raised doubts as to whether he was a trained lawyer. Investigations carried out by the GBA revealed that Wayoe did not have his name on the roll of lawyers.
Wayoe was then asked by the GBA to furnish the Greater Accra branch of the GBA with his date of call to the Bar as well as the university and law school he attended. He could, however not produce any certificate or tell the association the university he graduated from as a law student. The Greater Accra Regional Branch of the GBA realised that Wayoe was not trained as a lawyer but had been practising as such at various courts. The association warned him to stop the practice but he did not heed the warning following which a report was made to the police and he was declared a wanted man.
In January, this year, he was spotted around Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra by someone who knew of the case and he was arrested. Letterheads bearing T Cudjoe and Co were found on him when he was arrested.
THE appointment of Mr Samuel Valis Akyianu as the Central Regional Minister was confirmed in Parliament on Friday by a secret ballot after a lively debate. The result was 123-3. However, the appointment of six other nominees were confirmed by consensus.
In his report, Mr Ken Dzirasah, Chairman of the Appointment Committee said the committee recommended that the House approves the appointment of the six by consensus. He noted that on the issue of M
However, the Deputy Minority Leader Mr Peter Okorah and Mr John Achuliwor both members of the committee argued that some members of the committee including themselves wanted a thorough investigation into the allegation levelled against Mr Akyianu. They contended that if they did not do that they will be doing a disservice to the nation. In their intervention, Mr Samuel Brenya and Mr Fuzzie Torbay submitted that Mr Akyianu cannot be disqualified by unproven allegations. It was Mr Brenya who told the House that when the \Appointment Committee met, 13 of them voted for the confirmation whilst five abstained.
He noted that the performance of Mr Akyianu at the committee was impressive and if anybody had anything against him he could go to court. When Mr E.W. Nortey took his turn, he submitted that those who abstained should have pressed the issue at the committee level but if they did not do so then they were shirking their responsibilities. The Chief Whip, Mr Albert Bosomtwe-Sam endorsed the views expressed by Mr Nortey and wondered how some opposition members could hide behind the act of abstention.
On his part, the Minority Leader Dr Owusu-Agyekum did not share the views expressed by his deputy but said Mr Akyianu should be confirmed because the background of the man who is said to have made allegations against Mr Akyianu is nothing to write home about because that man is alleged to have used ghost names to collect monies on behalf of the Fire Service. Dr Owusu Agyekum's intervention was agreed with loud cheers of "hear hear" to the utter embarrassment of his deputy. He requested the Speaker to put the question to vote and when the vote was taken Mr Akyianu was confirmed by that margin.
The six nominees who were confirmed by consensus are Dr Eunice Brookman-Amissah, Minister of Health, Mr Cletus Avoka, Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Nuamah-Donkor, Deputy Health Minister and Mr Austin Akufo Gameh, Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare. The rest are Mr Moses Bilijo, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Ms Constance Nyamekey Quarcoe, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture for Western Region.
The Attorney-General has said that Mr. Andrew Kwame Pianim, one of the NPP presidential aspirants, is disqualified from contesting the Presidential elections because he was and ex-convict and the offence carried a death penalty. The AG's answer filed at the Supreme Court on March 11 was in pursuant to an order by the supreme Court on March 5 for the AG to join in the suit filed by Mrs Rosemary Ekwam against Kwame Pianim's candidature was president of the republic of Ghana.
The AG said on August 2, 1983, Pianim was convicted by the Public Tribunal in Accra for planning to overthrow the PNDC contrary to section 4 (1) (g) of the Public Tribunal law 1982 (PNDC L 24) a treasonable offence carrying death penalty. It said the defendant was sentenced to 19 years. On March 21 1992 Pianim was released from Prison having been granted amnesty on march 20 by the NDC. Pianim denied all the charges against him.
A SOLDIER of the Ghana Army based at Burma Camp, has shot and killed his nephew during the sister's funeral at North Suntreso, Kumasi, with an AK 47 assault rifle. The reason for killing Kennedy Asiama, during his mother's funeral, is not yet known. The soldier, Corporal Isaac Kofi Agyeman of the 64 Infantry Regiment, has been placed in police custody, while the body of Asiama, aged 20, has been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Mortuary for utopsy.
According to the Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Unit, Corporal Agyeman arrived in Kumasi for the funeral of his late sister, Madam Akua Afriyie. The unit said, in the course of the funeral, Kennedy allegedly feigned illness and therefore started receiving attention from other members of the family and sympathisers.
This, the police said, infuriated Corporal Agyeman who claimed that it was the habit of Kennedy to feign sickness when he did not want to help in some chores. According to the police, Corporal Agyeman in his anger, went for a locally-manufactured pistol and attempted to shoot Kennedy but it failed. He then picked an AK 47 assault rifle and shot Kennedy, killing him instantly. He was later arrested and placed in police custody.
The AK 47 rifle, the locally-manufactured pistol and five rounds of ammunition found on Corporal Agyeman, are in the custody of the police while investigations continue.
CHILL run down the spines of staff of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS) at the Kotoka International Airport recently when an 11-year-old boy appeared from nowhere into their computer "Longroom". Being a security zone, no one could enter the "Longroom" from outside unless the door is opened from within but there was this boy who had not been admitted but was very much inside the room.
The boy himself would also not tell how he managed to enter the room except to frighten them more by saying that he had been sent to see one of the computer analysts in the room. It was later at the Airport Police Station that the boy, who claimed to hail from Nzema in the Western Region told his terrifying story to newsmen.
According to him, he was a wizard who was sent all the way from Nzema to Accra to test the man's spiritual standing and see if he could be "finished" for a meal. "But on getting to Accra and coming into contact with the man, I've realised that we cannot kill him because God is with him", he said. The little boy who looked rather shabbily dressed said he got his witchcraft from a girl classmate of his about four years ago and has since then been responsible for the deaths of over 250 people.
"Sometime ago, I bought food and refused to give a girl classmate when she asked for some after which she threatened that I would see. That evening, she came in spirit to fly me out with her and when I refused she touched my ribs and feathers sprang out and so not wanting anyone to see me I went and was thus initiated into the fold", he revealed.
The boy said he is the vice-president of the 61-member group with the girl who passed on the witchcraft to him as the boss and that they meet on a big tree in a forest reserve around his area every night to eat human flesh. "We are particularly interested in those with 'motorways'", (bald-headed men), he said. According to him, he came to Accra by flying the night of Wednesday after turning into a bird and covered the over 250 kilometre distance in 30 minutes. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Daniel K. Opare later told newsmen that the boy in an answer to how he managed to enter the computer room said he used supernatural powers.
Asked by this reporter to explain further what means he used, the boy sighed and said "I'm hungry, can I get some blood to drink?" He then asked for a razor blade, saying one of the policemen has promised to cut himself and give him some blood to drink. But the little boy had other wishes. "I don't want to go back to Nzema again. I'm fed up with witchcraft and so I want to stay in Accra and continue my schooling.
At the time of going to press, the little boy was still in the custody of the Airport Police who were still trying to locate his relatives.
OFFENDERS who are arrested by police for smoking "wee" (Indian hemp) often give various spurious excuses for their action but perhaps none has been so brazen as Lawrence Ohene Yaw Donkor, a 42-year-old watchman of Assin Fosu. Appearing at the Cape Coast Regional Public Tribunal, Donkor made a desperate move to win the sympathy of tribunal members by attempting to show them his swollen scrotum which, he said, bore a hernia that had been bothering him to the extent that he could only get relief when he smoked "wee".
Donkor, therefore, pleaded with the tribunal, chaired by Mr Justice Kwabena Berko Aning, to allow him to show his bulging scrotum to members. As he attempted to unzip his trousers to show "iili fiili" his pumpkin-size scrotum, the chairman, Mr Aning, stopped him from doing so saying, "we are here to deal with the law and not with individual sentiments".
The tribunal then slapped a 10-year jail sentence on Donkor saying that the law will not deal leniently with those who deal in hard drugs including marijuana. The tribunal further ordered that ¢51,500 found on Donkor at the time of his arrest be confiscated to the state and the marijuana destroyed by a two-man panel made up of representatives of the tribunal and the police.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Grace Osarfo, had earlier told the court that the accused was spotted by members of the Assin Fosu Police Task Force who were returning from patrol duties, holding a black polythene bag and when it was searched, they found leaves suspected to be Indian hemp and an amount of ¢51,500 wrapped together. Inspector Osarfo told the tribunal that when Donkor was interrogated, he claimed ownership of the contents but declined to disclose its source. He was therefore, sent to the Assin Fosu District Tribunal where he was remanded in prison custody while the leaves were sent to the Police Forensic Laboratory in Accra for examination. The prosecutor said tests at the laboratory proved that the contents were Indian hemp.
Donkor was therefore charged with dealing in hard drugs and brought before the Regional Tribunal.
TWO-YEAR-OLD Kwame Klutsey paid dearly for his life when his father, apparently fed up with his continuous disobedience, allegedly beat him mercilessly and flung him out of the window to his death. His father, Kofi Klutsey, fearing the consequences of his action, hurriedly wrapped his son with his own cover cloth, dug a hole of about two feet deep behind his residence and with the help of his landlord, Ayeple Ziga alias Gayomi, 41, buried him.
Klutsey, a farm labourer and a drug addict, was said to have carried out the act out of anger when his son refused to obey his instructions. The accused, who has divorced his wife for sometime now, lives with his only son, Kwame, and his landlord at Amanfrom near Kasoa. Klutsey has been placed in police custody at the Odorkor Police Station pending further investigations, while the body of the deceased has been exhumed and deposited at the Police Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.
The District Commander of the Odorkor Police, Superintendent B.Y. Atitsogbui, told newsmen that on March 8, this year, at about 7 a.m. Klutsey who got infuriated because his son had disobeyed him, pounced on him and assaulted him. Still not satisfied, the District Commander said, Klutsey threw his son out of the window rendering him unconscious, and by the time he came out of the room to continue his acts, found the child dead.
Afraid of the law, he reported himself to the chief of the town, Togbe Kpleifiamoi who advised him to report himself to the police. But Klutsey refuse, took the law into his own hands and with the help of his landlord dug a hole and buried him. Later, the chief had an information of the impending burial and made a report to the police who followed up and arrested Klutsey while he was in the act of covering the grave. The police then asked him to exhume the body which was taken to the mortuary.
In his caution statement, Klutsey denied the alleged murder but claimed his child fell from a height. Investigations conducted so far however revealed that, nothing proved the boy could have fallen from a height.
Meanwhile, the police are still investigating the case.
UNABLE to stand the powers of God, about thirty people mostly children allegedly confessed their witchcraft and wizardry at the popular prayer camp of the Bethel International Ministry at Sunyani last week. While some of them claimed they wanted to do away with the evil powers in them others said they came there to test the powers of the head of the ministry, Evangelist Paul Owusu-Tabiri. The occasion was the monthly "breaking" which witnessed over 5,000 people in a five-day prayer meeting.
The self-confessed wizards and witches fell and rolled on the ground screaming as Evangelist Owusu-Tabiri prayed and rebuked the devil. Confessing witchcraft is one of the aspects of the breaking meeting which many wanted to see. When the evangelist asked those who think they possessed witchcraft to come forward, many people came out. Of the number, majority were children with some of them below ten years. The evangelist asked them whether they liked to maintain their witchcraft or not and the majority response was that they did not like the spirit.
Evangelist Owusu-Tabiri then said he was going to pray for them to relieve them of the evil and destructive powers in them. Immediately the prayers started, the witches and wizards fell on the ground with some behaving like the way snakes crawl. The powerful evangelist said those crawling have the snake as their powers and they were among the powerful and destructive witches.
When the prayers ceased, the witches took hold of the microphone to confess the evil they had done to mankind and society. Some of them said they have killed people and destroyed the businesses of their relatives. One little girl of about eight years claimed she has turned her father's hand into a carpenter's hammer and as a result, his father has been experiencing severe pains in the hand. Another young girl also alleged that the witchcraft was given to her by her grand mother two years ago and since then she had killed six people.
A middle-aged woman said even though she possessed witchcraft she would not say what form she changes into while operating. But when the evangelist rebuked the spirit in her she fell, shouting that she changes into a snake and that she had killed many people.
TO most Ghanaians, bushfires are a constant reminder of the nightmares of the 1983 drought which swept the length and breadth of the country. But to the people of Anyaboni Dawa village near Asesewa in the Manya Krobo District of the Eastern Region, the ravaging bushfire of last year was a good omen.
The bushfire assisted the Asesewa Police to unravel the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of one Atomie Dotse who did not return from an errand in June, last year.
According to the Asesewa Police, the assembly member of the area Mr Joe Sam found the skeleton of Dotse without his jaw bone in a dried up stream at Anyaboni Dawa village, near Asesewa when he went to the grassland to plough after the bushfires.
The Asesewa District Police Commander, Mr Ransford Ninson, told newsmen that one Kpogli Gavor allegedly sent Dotse on June 26, last year to buy local gin (akpeteshie) for him from Akorkorma village but Dotse failed to return.
He said Gavor informed the police and a search party was organised but Dotse could not be traced and the police decided to treat the case as that of a missing person. According to the police commander, on February 19, this year, the assembly member of the area, Mr Sam, reported to the police that two days earlier he went to the grassland area of Anyaboni Dawa village to plough and that on his rounds he came across a human skeleton, a melted rubber container, a big pair of sandals and suspected the skeleton to be that of Dotse. He said the police went to the scene in the company of the assembly member and relatives of the deceased and found the skeleton in a partially burnt state without the jaw bone lying in a dried up stream. r Ninson said the police conveyed the remains to the Korle-Bu Hospital for a post mortem while Gavor whose house is just about 500 metres from the spot was arrested.
He said one Kabia Klu from whom Dotse went and bought the drink has also been arrested. They have made a first appearance at a community tribunal at Somanya chaired by Mr Appiah Sarpong on a charge of murder. They were remanded in police custody.
THE Voters Register will be exhibited from April 28 to May 4, this year. Mr J.K. Larvie, Public Relations Manager of theElectoral Commission (EC) disclosed this to newsmen on March 14 thhis year.
He said the register will be displayed in all the 20,000 registration centres throughout the country. Mr Larvie said printing of the provisional register is currently going on and is expected to be completed by the end of the month. He, however, expressed concern about the poor response from those who are yet to take their photographs for the photo ID cards.
Mr Larvie said in spite of the persistent appeals by the EC for people to report at designated places for their photographs to be taken, the response has not been encouraging. He said the EC still has about 120,000 cards which are yet to be laminated because of the unavailability of photographs of the owners of the cards. Mr Larvie said in view of the poor response from the public, the mopping up exercise started by the EC to serve those without photographs might go beyond the exhibition period.
Asked if this might not affect the exhibition exercise, Mr Larvie said those without their photo ID cards could use their registration slips to check their names. He was however of the view that identification would be easier if the identity cards are issued.
WORK on the first Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinder plant in the country, will begin at the Airport Light Industrial Area in Accra in July this year. The plant which is estimated at $8 million with a local component of ¢1 billion is expected to be completed in 18 months. Initially, it will produce 135,000 pieces of all sizes of gas cylinders a year.
Mr Isaac K. Mintah, acting Executive Director,Technical Wing of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, told newsmen that the country's LPG demand is about 70,000 cylinders a year and gave the assurance that the capacity of the plant will be able to meet local demand. He explained that the 135,000-a-year capacity is for one shift and could be increased to two or more as demand grows to satisfy the market.
Mr Mintah said the plant also has the capability to manufacture other pressure vessels like fire extinguishers and gas cookers and would eventually add those to the production line. He expressed the hope that with the local production of the cylinders, its prices on the market will reduce drastically to meet the pockets of more people so that the quest for alternate energy sources is satisfied. The Republic of Korea last year granted an $8 million concessional loan to Ghana to help set up an LPG cylinder manufacturing plant.
A SUPREME Court Judge, Mr Justice N.Y.B. Adade, has filed an application for a review of the court's decision which sought to remove him from office as a justice of the Supreme court. The court, in a three-two ruling on February 20, this year, upheld the submissions of one Lysander Nartey of Abeka in Accra, who challenged the continuous presence of Justice Adade at the Supreme court.
Mr Nartey's case was that Justice Adade's presence was unjustified and unconstitutional because he was to retire on February 20, 1993 having regard to section 8 (2) of the transitional provisions. Justice Adade, however, maintained that he has continued to serve in his present capacity by virtue of section 4 (1) of the transitional provisions, which provide that a justice of the Supreme Court holding office immediately before the coming of the constitution shall continue to hold office as appointed to that office.
He said the constitution by Article 145 (2) abolished all differential retiring ages and put all justices into the same category pegging the retiring age at 70, which he has not as yet attained. Justices E.K. Wiredu and E.D.K. Adjabeng dismissed Nartey's action whilst Justices F.Y. Kpegah, George Acquah and Sophia Akuffo upheld his submissions.
In his application for a review of the judgement, Justice Adade stated that he is aggrieved by the said decision and requested that it should be reviewed in order to avoid a miscarriage of justice. He maintained that the Supreme Court has no jurisdiction to make the decision it made. According to Justice Adade, he was lawfully in office after January 7, 1993, the day in which the constitution came into force and could only be removed by recourse to the provisions of removal under Article 146 of the constitution.
Justice Adade stated further that the plaintiff's action together with all the statements he filed did not disclose any cause of action against him (Adade). He indicated that he would file further grounds for his application upon the receipt of a certified true copy of the judgement.
MANAGEMENT of the Black Star Line (BSL), has denied reports that the shipping line is bankrupt. It said the Black Star Line is still viable and called on customers of the state shipping line not to believe the erroneous publication in a foreign magazine that the BSL is bankrupt and has failed to operate as a viable state enterprise.
This was in reaction to a publication in the January 30 issue of a shipping magazine Lloyd List which quoted Alhaji Asuma Banda, chairman of the People's Convention Party (PCP) and a shipping magnate as saying that the BSL is bankrupt. Speaking in an interview, Captain Victor Attuquayefio, Managing Director of the corporation, drew attention to the adverse effect such statement could have on the country, especially at a time when government is seeking investors for the BSL.
He explained that the government does not intend selling the BSL and, therefore, wants to enter into a joint venture with interested investors, some of whom have already shown interest in the shipping line. Captain Attuquayefio said the BSL has chartered out its two old ships, because they are too big for sea trade, particularly along the West Coast and in place of those ships, it is chartering two new smaller ones for its operations. He cautioned politicians to refrain from destroying the national line in favour of foreign interests.
THE Chairman of the National Media Commission, Prof. Kofi Kumado, has stated that the media have a responsibility to contribute to the creation of a peaceful environment for this year's elections. To achieve this, the media must be fair to all political parties, candidates and the Electoral Commission and also refrain from disseminating abusive languages and messages of politicians, he added.
Prof. Kumado said this in Accra at a two-day roundtable discussion on "Covering Elections '96", being organised jointly by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and the United States Information Service (USIS) for journalists from both the state-owned and private media. He said elections are important pillars to every democracy because they enable the people to assess those they have entrusted with political power. He therefore urged the media to provide unbiased coverage for all political activities and also ensure that there is no discrimination in the granting of access to politicians and political parties.
In his remarks, the Director of USIS, Mr Nick Robertson, cautioned the media against superficial analysis which he said, leads to superficial politics that does not help anybody. He also stressed the need for journalists to pay critical attention to numbers and what they mean since elections are about numbers .
Mr Robertson suggested the conducting of polls by the media to provide the electorate with certain basic information that could help them in their voting. In her welcoming address, Mrs Gifty Affenyi-Dadzie, Vice-President of the GJA, noted that the future of the country's democratic process largely depends on how best this year's elections are conducted.
THE Electoral Commission has fixed December 3 or 10 for the country's presidential and parliamentary elections. The actual date would be confirmed at the end of a meeting currently going on between the parties and the Commision, Mr J.K. Larvie, Public Relations Officer of the Commission said in Accra.
On the issue of photo ID cards, Mr Larvie said the first and second phases of the programme which ended on October 15 and December 12 respectively were very successful. He said the third and the last has been in progress since January 4 and it was concentrating on the Greater Accra Region where there are few problems.
He said the exercise would continue until the Commission was fully satisfied that all registered voters had been issued with their cards.
A DEMONSTRATION dubbed "Kyereme Preko", organised by the Alliance for Change(AFC), against the policies of the NDC Government at Tema at the weekend, saw a sparse crowd patronising it contrary to the expectation of the organisers. In fact, the number of security personnel deployed to ensure a peaceful demonstration grossly outnumbered the demonstrators, who numbered about 250.
The "Kyereme Preko" (arrest me now) march organised in the industrial city of Tema and its Ashaiman suburb, was also expected to witness a massive turn out of people to protest against what the AFC termed, "the harassment and terrorism of journalists" by the NDC Government. The demonstration which lasted about two hours started from the forecourt of the El-Paso Nite Club and ended with an address by core AFC members loyal to the faction led by Nana Akuffo at the Akodzo-Twedaase JSS Park. They included its spokesman, Nana Akuffo-Addo, Messrs Kwesi Pratt (Jnr), Akoto Ampaw, Kweku Baako (Jnr) and newly-admitted members John Achuliwor and Madam Hawa Yakubu, both independent Members of Parliament.
In his address, Nana Akuffo-Addo said the AFC did not emerge on the political scene as an interested kingmaker ready to project the presidential ambitions of particular individuals. He said that on the contrary, the alliance emerged to mobilise the people to fight for their rights and bring about a peaceful change in government through a united and purposeful opposition. He called on all the leaders of the various opposition parties to unite to contest this year's elections and pledged the movement's support for whoever is chosen to lead the opposition.
Mr Kwesi Pratt (Jnr) said Ghanaians are ready to take their destiny into their own hands and to "remove President Rawlings from office and bury him once and for all".
Mr Achuliwor, on his part, said the NDC does not enjoy genuine widespread support and that those who support the party do so "because they want to protect their jobs; because they are hungry and because of fear and ignorance". Other speakers including Madam Hawa Yakubu and Mr Akoto Ampaw also called on the opposition to unite to unseat the NDC Government and change the country for the better.
An AFC activist newsmen contacted at the rally grounds to ascertain what accounted for the low patronage of the "Kyeme Preko" march, attributed it to "a last minute change of venue" for the address of the leading AFC members. But observers have been quick to draw a link between the poor turn out and the crisis into which the AFC has sunk following the accusations and counter accusations activists have unleashed on one another in recent times.
THE Volta River Authority (VRA) has demolished 22 unauthorised structures along its high tension transmission lines, from Accra to Buduburam in the first phase of a nationwide demolition exercise. The exercise was carried out from Buduburam through Kasoa, both in the Central Region, Mandela near the Police Barrier on the Accra-Winneba trunk road and ended at the Ebony area at Pig Farm, Accra, under heavy police escort.
It was undertaken after persistent notices to the owners to vacate the structures have failed owing to the threat such structures pose to the facility. Most of the structures which were in the "right of way" of the transmission lines and which were demolished included residential houses, foundations, brick factories, walls and kiosks.
Owners of structures around transmission lines of the VRA are required by law to leave a distance of 15 metres between their structures and the lines. Residents of Buduburam including Liberian refugees were the worst affected as their homes were pulled down. The affected refugees were assured that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the National Mobilisation Programme would resettle them.
As the bulldozer approached, some residents hastily started conveying their belongings to the houses of neighbours whilst others pleaded and were given a few hours respite to remove theirs.
The demolition exercise, attracted a large crowd at the Ebony Hotel area where walls were pulled down. Some of the affected residents talked to said they had been served with notices by the VRA to vacate their premises long ago. They, however, pleaded for about a week more to enable them to find an alternative accommodation.
Some of them also said their houses were built before the VRA erected the poles but they have not been compensated and, therefore, see no reason why they should be ejected from the area. Messrs Joe Sutherland, Construction Manager and Meister Afriyie, Corporate Estate Manager, both of the VRA, however denied this and explained that residents whose documents have been processed have been duly compensated and asked those who have peculiar problems to call at the VRA offices. The two officials said the exercise will take about four weeks to complete and assured that there will be no favouritism. Other areas to be affected include Kotobabi, Oblogo, Kwashieman and East Legon.
The VRA has earmarked more than 300 structures built close to or under its transmission lines, for demolition.
PIANIM IS DISQUALIFIED, Says Attorney General
SOLDIER KILLS HIS NEPHEW AT A FUNERAL
SELF CONFESSING 11-YEAR OLD WIZARD STUNS CUSTOMS OFFICERS
"WEE" AS DRUG FOR HERNIA
TROUBLESOME SON KILLED BY HIS FATHER
MASS CONFESSION OF WIZARDS
BUSH FIRES UNRAVELL MYSTERIOUS DEATH
VOTERS' REGISTER TO REOPEN THIS MONTH
WORK ON LPG PLANT BEGINS IN JULY
JUSTICE ADADE APPEALS AGAINST HIS RETIREMENT
BSL IS NOT BANKRUPT, Says Management
PROF. KUMADO URGES MEDIA TO BE FAIR TO ALL
NATIONAL ELECTIONS SLATED FOR DECEMBER 3
"KYEREME PREKO" DEMONSTRATION FAILS TO IMPRESS
VRA DEMOLISHES UNATHORISED STRUCTURES
Last Updated: 08-04-96 19:49:29