GNA
The government has offered to pay salary levels based on c6.1 million a year for university professors with effect from July 1, 1995 instead of from January 1 next year.
This was the outcome of discussions that took place at the Castle, Osu, on Friday, October 13 1995 under the chairmanship of President Rawlings in the company of Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, Chairman of the Council of State. Also present at the meeting were representatives of the universities and the private sector.
In an interview with the GNA in Accra Wednesday, Mr. Kojo Yankah, Deputy Minister of Information, said " this offer is a big shift in the position of government and that it is expected to satisfy the lecturers and lead to the re-opening of the universities soon." Mr. Yankah said the President gave assurances that this arrangement would be considered an interim one made with the best of intentions to return academic life to normalcy within the shortest possible time. He expressed the hope that negotiations on the matter will continue in other areas. 'These areas include the final public services level that will be equated to the professor's rank, as well as any other regime of allowances that should take effect from January, 1996.
The deputy minister said government further agreed to make any additional compensation adjustment for 1995 which the further negotiations may entail. Mr. Yankah said he is "cautiously optimistic that UTAG will accept this offer." My optimism is based on the fact that for the first time, the President himself and the interested parties sat and deliberated thoroughly. It may be recalled that since April of this year, all the Universities in the country have been closed down due to a strike action by the lecturers. The lecturers have been negotiating with the government for better salaries and insist on getting an increase before they return to the lecture halls.
About 45 women with fertility problems from various parts of the country, have rushed to the pro-vita specialist hospital at Tema since the publication of the delivery of the first ever test-tube baby in Ghana on October 6.
Dr. Joseph Mainoo, Gynaecologist and Obstetrician, who performed the Invitro Fertilisation (IVF) operation told said in an interview at Tema that there is currently a rush by women with conception problems to undertake IVF treatments. "You see the response is encouraging, granting that for Tuesday alone out of about 50 cases that I handled, 30 needed the IVF treatment", he added. He said some of the infertility cases so far reported have resulted from fibroids or tubal blockage.
Dr. Mainoo, however, gave the assurance that the hospital has adequate facilities to treat those conditions. He expressed satisfaction that men are now co-operating with their wives in the quest for childless couples to have babies. "Some men now take the initiative and call at the hospital to make known their problems, book appointments and report with their wives later for advice", Dr. Mainoo hinted. This chain of attitude, he said is due to the realisation of the fact that childlessness emanates from either of the couple.
Dr. Mainoo led a team of doctors to perform a one hour, 10 minutes ceasarean operation last week Thursday to deliver the first test-tube baby, thus placing Ghana on the map of African countries that have already chalked that success namely Egypt, Tunisia and South Africa. Meanwhile, the 40 year-old mother and her baby-girl are doing well. Dr. Mainoo said that they will be hospitalised for five more days, after which they will be discharged to report later for check-ups. The baby which weighed 2.65 kilograms at birth currently weighs 2.62 kilograms but Dr. Mainoo said that is the normal trend.
By Albert Salia
Drivers in the Accra metropolis have been advised to be on the look out for thieves parading the streets, especially at spots where there are traffic lights.
This follows the theft of a bag containing keys, spectacles valued at 100 pounds sterling and an amount of C5,000.00 from a car at the Yellowcab Traffic Cab on Graphic road in Accra. Narrating the incident, the victim who pleaded anonymous, said he was stopped by the traffic light and when he moved forward after the green light had shown, he heard a noise from the left back tyre. He then parked the car only to find a wrapped "charlie wote" (rubber slippers) with nails pierced into the tyre. According to him, after replacing the punctured tyre, he entered the car only to find that the bag containing the items had been stolen. He said when he sent the punctured tyre to a vulcaniser at the GOIL Filling Station, near the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle, not far from the scene, he was told it was the second incident reported to them. He therefore, feels obliged to warn others to be on the look out for such acts.
From Kwame Asare Boadu, Sunyani
The Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has begun an exercise to sell its flats to interested institutions and workers.
Mr. Francis Ampofo Bekoe of the Legal Department of the Trust who made this known in an interview at Sunyani said letters on modalities for the sales are being distributed. He said the first option goes to beneficiary institutions and that after a deadline, if they declare their intention not to buy, the option shifts to the tenant. He said after the expiry date, the trust may sell to interested outsiders. He stated that the cost of a Sunyani Flat is C12.3 million. Mr. Ampofo-Bekoe said, selling the flats will enable SSNIT put up more flats for workers to buy. He said it would also forestall the situation where some occupants refuse to pay their rent with the excuse that SSNIT belongs to all workers. Meanwhile, seven institutions at Sunyani who owed the SSNIT a total of C492,100 in rent, were arraigned before a community tribunal last Tuesday.
They are Bonsa Tyre Company Limited, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, the Trades Union Congress, the National Mobilisation Programme, Goil Ghana Limited, Attoney General's Department and the National Commission on Civic Education. All but Goil Ghana Limited had rushed to pay their arrears just before the case was called. Some had defaulted in payment for three years while others owed four months arrears. Mr. Ampofo-Bekoe, who prosecuted the case prayed to the court that the total interest of C331,757 be paid by the defaulters. The tribunal chairman, Mr, Emmanuel Ato Assan, said the investment in the buildings were made by the government and no individual or institution should think they belong to them.
-GNA-
A Kumasi High Court yesterday restrained two contestants, Chief Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulrahman and Alhaji Amadu Abubakar from acting as head of the Moshie Community in Kumasi.
The court presided over by Mr. Justice Eric Piesare, appointed the Mamprusihene of Kumasi to act as the interim head of the Moshie community in Kumasi pending the final determination of a suit before the court. Mr. Justice Piesare said "the Morshie community should understand that this is the most sensible order that can bring peace and stability within the Moshie community in Kumasi pending the final determination of the suit". It however, did not order costs of any of the parties. Chief Alhaji Abdulrahman filed a suit against Alhaji Abubakar last month, declaring that he (the plaintiff) is the substantive head of the Moshie community in Kumasi. He also sought a perpetual injunction to restrain the defendant from interfering with the performance of his duties as the head of the community and sought general damages.
By Thomas Fosu Jnr.
A charitable international group, Caledonian society presented a cheque for c3 million to the reconstructive plastic surgery and burns unit of the Korle-Bu teaching hospital in support of the new building project of the unit.
The society, made up of mainly Scottish nationals, donated the amount realised from its sponsored "fun run" held on September 25, which formed part of activities marking the society's 75th anniversary. The Chieftain of the society, Mr. Mike Wood, who presented the cheque pledged the society's commitment to raise money for charity. He said the society would review its strategy for generating funds to be able to meet its objectives in 1996.
Prof Jack Mustarde, Director of the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Unit, who received the cheque, explained that the building fund was created to support efforts of the government and that so far C350 million has been realised towards the project scheduled to begin in about two months' time. He said the government has made substantial provision for the project while Ghana Rotary has indicated its willingness to collaborate with Scot-International for the purchase of theatre equipment. The Head of the Unit, Mr. Fabian Mork, appealed to other charitable groups and non-governmental organisations to financially support the project.
From Abdul Aziz, Navrongo
The multi-million cedi dam for agricultural development in the upper east region, has been declared a high endemic area for both urinary and intestinal Bilharziasis (schistosomiasis).
About 2,490 hectares of land is irrigated with water from the dam which serves seven villages in the Kassena Nankana District. According to a research conducted by the Ministry of Health and the Danish Government, urine and faecal samples obtained from 779 school children in eight schools near the dam revealed that 699 had both the urinal and intestinal diseases. Dr. J.A. Amankwa, Senior Medical Officer in charge of the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital who led the research team, said some school close to the dam, have hundred per cent of their pupils suffering from both diseases. He said the present findings will provide the prevalence and intensity of urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis among school children in the area to enable immediate action to be taken to control the diseases. He said the study among others, reveals how lack of human health considerations in large-scale agricultural developments, create human health hazards. Dr. Amankwa suggested the sinking of boreholes for the dam area and for schools in the area as an alternate source of water supply. He said more places of convenience should be provided to prevent the communities from defecating at the area of the dam.
The Senior Medical Officer said control of the disease in a highly endemic environment like the Tono Irrigation area, constitutes a major challenge. He said the study however, provides the necessary guidelines to reduce transmission through the destruction of snails in the dam area. The snails carry the bilharziasis parasite.