By Kweku Tsen
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has stated that recent developments within parties of the Nkrumahist and Busia_Danquah traditions indicate that the opposition camp is in a state of desperation and without any political direction.
The Party pointed out that the forging of alliances and mergers has come about as a result of the obsession of the opposition parties to capture political power at all cost. Mr. Vincent Assiseh, Press Secretary of the NDC was speaking in Accra yesterday. He said the NDC do not see much future in so called projected electoral alliance between the Busia-Danquah and Nkrumahist traditions since true Nkrumahist would vehemently oppose such an alliance. Mr. Assiseh said conscious of what the enemies of Dr. Nkrumah who have suddenly turned his friends and admirers did to erase his memory from this country, no true Nkrumahist would co-exist politically in the same camp with his sworn enemies. He said the people of the country would be able to see through the designs and machinations of these power seekers who want to unduly exploit the images of the country's illustrious sons for their own selfish ends.
By Kweku Tsen
The National Media Commission (NMC) has emphasised the need for media practitioners to avoid, as much as practicable, the publication of defamatory publications that infringe on people's rights. The commission also stressed the need for journalists must check their facts and eschew the usage of indecent language that dents people's integrity.
These were contained in a paper on guidelines for political reporting launched by Professor Kofi Kumado, Chairman of the commission in Accra. The guidelines, however, noted that, respecting people's rights does not stop media practitioners from fair criticism of people who are at the centre of public attention.
On the coverage of political activities by media houses, the document called on journalists to aim at collecting and disseminating truthful and unbiased information on political parties and their activities to the public. This implies, according to the document, that practitioners must seek to provide the public with information that would enable the electorate to make intelligent choices during elections. It also called on media organisations to ensure that coverage is comprehensive and fair to all parties and that the information gathered is presented without biases. The guideline suggested that to ensure proper coverage of political parties activity, practitioners must be conversant with the political history of the country.
This, the document explained, would help them to understand the alignment of political activities in the country and also help educate the electorate to assess candidates who offer themselves to be elected to positions of trust. The document said apart from normal coverage of party activities, there should be at least one party political broadcast for each registered party during the last month of the campaign. It call on parties to give all media houses adequate notice of impending activities to allow for proper and adequate logistical arrangements.
GNA
A TOTAL OF $270 MILLION is to be invested in the Community Water and Sanitation Programme (CWSP) to step up water supply to rural areas in the country by the year 2009. Of the amount, donor organisations are expected to contribute $227.5 million, the Government of Ghana, $27 million and beneficiary communities $13.5 million.
Mr. E.K. Fosu, Minister of Works and Housing, announced this in an opening address read on his behalf of his deputy, Mr. E.D. Nanor, at a three-day seminar on "Effective donor participation in the CWSP" which began on Wednesday. Fifty-nine participants, made up of representatives of seven donor organisations and staff of the ministries of Finance, Health and Works and Housing are attending.
It is, among others, aimed at appraising the needs of the CWSP under the planned phases of implementation and to indicate the levels of support required to carry the programme through successfully. The CWSP was launched in March last year to help rural communities within population ranges of between 150 and 5,000 as well as institutions, to plan and manage their own water supply and sanitation facilities. Mr. Fosu commented on the fact that as at now, donor contributions amounted to $160 million, for which resources have to be mobilised in order to achieve the objective of the co-ordinated programme of economic and social development polices, known as "Vision 2020". The minister was also unhappy about the lack of co-ordination in the activities of institutions involved in the CWSP and called for the establishment of an inter-agency group made up of key government sectors, donors, NGO's and the private sector to facilitate the required consensus and co-ordination.
Mr. Fosu also reminded the district assemblies of their roles in ensuring the success of the programme and exhorted them to attach importance to the formation of district water and sanitation teams. He reiterated the government's commitment towards the programme and expressed the hope that the donors are prepared to see the implementation of the programme through, and that the deliberations at the seminar will yield fruitful results. Mr. Fosu also called for the establishment of Public Works Department in all districts to facilitate the objectives of the programme and "Vision 2020", and gave the assurance that his ministry would help provide the requisite personnel.
The managing Director of the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation, Mr. Emmanuel Dovlo, said it is estimated that only 48 per cent of the rural population have access to adequate potable water supply.
He enumerated several efforts made by his organisation over the years to increase rural access to potable water and said a Community Water and Sanitation Division (CWSD), has therefore been established within his organisation to facilitate the smooth implementation of the CWSP. He, however, emphasised that its success will largely depend on the willingness and ability of the beneficiary communities to manage the facilities. The seminar is deliberating on several issues, including "overall shortfall in terms of coverage a national programme with donors' requirement for physically recognisable regional inputs and training and capacity-building needs in the CWSD, district assemblies, private and NGO sectors".
By Severious Kale Dery
The Headmaster of the Dzorwulu special school, Mr. Stephen Y. Appiah, has appealed to the government to allocate more funds to the school to enable it give practical training to the inmates. He said the school needs more funds to train the inmates in poultry farming, gardening, craft work and animal rearing, to enable them to be self-reliant when they leave the school. He also called for more support from non-governmental organisations to enable the school meet its obligations to the unfortunate children. Mr. Appiah made the appeal in interview with the Graphic in Accra yesterday.
He said the school has already initiated those projects "and all we need now is the financial support to make the projects on-going and to expand them." Mr. Appiah said since the establishment of the school in 1970, no additional buildings have been constructed in spite of the growing number of applicants and appealed for the expansion of the school to enable it increase the intake. He said people should not look at the inmates as social outcasts but as part of the society with special potentials, and cited an instance where one of the inmates, Sylvia Lawson, won a gold medal in 100 metres race at the Special Olympic Games in the US.
Mr. Appiah appealed to parents of the inmates to provide the children with their basic educational needs and commended them for volunteering to contribute ¢10,000 each for the forth-coming silver jubilee celebration of the school.
By Dzifa Safo
Rehabilitation works on the three surgical theatres at the children's block of the Korle-Bu teaching hospital have been completed and would be opened for general use on Monday. The theatres were closed down when a rainstorm hit Korle-Bu on June 8, and ripped off the roofs of the theatre section of the block.
Air Commodore K.K. PumPuni (rtd) Chief Administrator of the hospital in an interview with the Graphic in Accra, said the re-opening of the three theatres would ease the work load on the theatre at the Accident Centre, which had increased following the closure of the Surgical Block. He said the rehabilitation of the theatre section of the Children's Block entailed re-roofing, painting and retiling of the floors, among other. On the closure of the Police Hospital Theatre, Air Commodore Pumpuni, assured the public of the hospital's ability to cope with all surgical cases, which would be referred from the Police Hospital.
The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) is working towards the establishment of a viable bond market to provide alternative sources of finance to corporate institutes, reports LLOYD EVANS Bond Markets, simply put, are investment instruments in which corporate institutions and organisation can use to raise additional capital for their operations.
To set the tone for the establishment of the market, the Long Term Debt Project (LTDP) Department of the GES held a day's seminar to look at the various bonds that can be developed for the Ghanaian Market. The seminar which was attended by representatives of the stock broking firms, discount houses, financial analysts and journalists, looked at how to structure a bond deal and the credit rating process. Participants were also taken through real transactions and practical experience in both developed and emerging markets.
Possible debts instruments include, indexed bonds, hybrid securities, dollar denominated or indexed debt and credit-enhanced debt instrument. Indexed bonds have been used for a long time in countries with chronic inflation such as Brazil and Israel. The hybrid securities combine both the benefits of both debt an equity. These include convertible bonds, convertible preferred shares and units. The dollar denominated bonds are ideal for institutions like COCOBOD and Ashanti Goldfields Company Ltd which borrow off-shore in hard currency. Local investors with foreign accounts may find the debt instruments of these issuers attractive compared to the low dollar interest rates currently paid by the commercial banks on foreign accounts. The credit-enhanced debitor instruments are also ideal for those potential insurers who are not strong enough to enter the public debt market on the basis on their own credit worthiness.
GNA
The Precious Minerals Marketing Corporation (PMMC) has warned its local buying agents not to use licences granted them to dupe foreigners. A statement issued by the PMMC said "it has come to the notice of the management that certain persons who have been issued with Local Buying Agents" (LBA) licences to purchase gold and diamond for sale to PMMC are using such licences to dupe unsuspecting foreigners. "Some of these people have used the LBA licences to deceive foreign companies and individuals that they can supply them with gold and diamonds".
Invariably, after entering into contracts with the foreigners for the supply of the minerals, they are not able to honour their obligations. The statement said further that the licences issued by the PMMC to its local buying agents do not five the LBA's any authority whatsoever to export gold and diamonds. It reminded the general public that regulations exist governing the purchase and export of gold and diamonds from Ghana and such information can be obtained from the PMMC.
Despite stiff upper lip, incredible bravado and an image of an invincible Amason, Ghana's most respected and famous Parliamentarian, Mrs Hawa Yakubu-Ogede, is harbouring one painful secret. She is a silent victim of massive wife battering.
Not only that, she has been on the receiving end of a politically inspired conspiracy to besmirch her image. Her determination to represent her people in Parliament and the pressure of that awesome responsibility has finally added to the intense heat in her troubled personal life and has culminated in the one development in her if she dreads most - DIVORCE. Tron-Lady of Parliament - doesn't have a steel heart after all.
In a last few months, Weekend Chronicl paparazzi have spotted her in the company of a low-keyed lawyer from the North, 39-year-old Albin of the Law Trust Chambers, and enquiries from friends of Hawa confirmed what they described as a "tough and painful process" for the representative of Bawku Central. Hawa's husband is from the Cross River State of Nigeria, a slightly built man whom she met when she was in exile in Great Britain. Her first husband is a Professor of an American University and used to be a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, and when Hawa had to flee the country for England, the years of separation - about seven years, put a strain on the relationship and ended in divorce.
The Weekend Chronicle has learnt authoritatively that Hawa's husband, a pilot of distinction who was the official pilot of Alhaji Shehu Shagari when he was President of Nigeria laid a tough ultimatum on Hawa. She wanted the Iron Lady to make her choices: "Your Politics or Me." This was after he had stood behind Hawa in her quest for the Parliamentary seat. Informed sources say Mr. Ogede knew deep down that Hawa was not going to win and he decided to humour her only to find out that she was far more popular that he had imagined. When she won, he could not deal with it. But Hawa frequently caught the last plane to Lagos virtually every week to be by her husband and return on Monday to get ready for the week's business. Faces with the choice, Hawa reported argued that it would be very difficult to disappoint the 20,000 plus people in her constituency who had voted for her and suggested that she would give up active politics in 1996. Surprisingly, her mother-in-law stood by Hawa and encouraged her to go ahead with her parliamentary work.
Mr. Ogede described by Nigerian contacts who know him as a very nice man who cannot say no to anybody, had a problem that may have been brought about by Hawa's absence from his side. He developed a romantic relationship with an air hostess with the Nigerian national carrier, and had a child with her. This, according to informed sources close to Hawa Household, added to the difficulties. This happened to be the second time, and Mr. Ogede who is the same age as Hawa - 48, already had eight other children, five of them before he met Hawa who also has two children from a previous marriage. In a telephone interview with Mrs Hawa Yakubu confirmed that she was going through divorce and that it was the most difficult decision for her because of her previous experience.
"I worked so hard to make this marriage work...." she said, "it's really painful and sad that it has come to this". She also confirmed that she had heard other rumours and managed to laugh. She agreed to talk about the rumours about her romantic links with the President and another Minister of State.
From Fred Oppong-Botwe, Tema
The Oman Clinic Medical Doctor, Emmanuel Anyetei Anum, unsuspectingly walked into the waiting arms of the law at the Kotoka International Airport last Saturday following an ambush by the airport police in connection with an ambush by the airport police in connection with an absconding warrant.
Dr. Anum had completed the normal exit formalities for New York by Ghana Airways and his luggage was already on board but he was arrested at the last security checkpoint as he was walking to board the plane. The warrant, signed by Justice K.K. Acquaye, a Tema high court judge, ordered Dr. Anum to provide security of 10 million cedis with two sureties one to be justified in a counter-claim by Mr. Peter K. Detcher cho has accused him of seducing his wife and Mr. Koo Nartey of ¢6million against the medical doctor for assault, psychological and traumatic pains under extreme provocation including legal and incidental expenses.
Last Monday at the high court Dr. Anum, accompanied by his counsel Mr. E.V.A. Adjetey, an Accra Barrister and sympathisers appeared before justice Acquaye and provided the 10 million cedi sureties, one to be justified. In an ex-parte motion under which the absconding warrant was issued, Mr Djabanor prayed for an order that the plaintiff be made to provide security for appearance to answer any judgement that might be given against him. He said the plaintiff had last Tuesday at the Tema Circuit Tribundal openly said he was leaving the country and did not know when he would return. "We have a counter-claim against him and we are afraid that he may abandon his claim and pre-empt the result of out counter-claim.
Dr. Anum in a suit against Mr. Detcher is claiming ¢800,000 for assault and injuries he sustained when Detcher and others manhandled him when he was allegedly caught in bed with Mr. Detcher. In his statement of claimed filed at the high court on July 6 this, Dr. Anum stated that the inhuman and degrading treatment meted out to him deserve very serious condemnation and that such could be achieved by award of very punitive damages against the first and second (Nartey) defendants and their collaborators, jointly and severally. On May 21, this year, Detcher allegedly caught Dr. Anum in his bedroom with his wife Madam Peace Ami Kutu Adu, locked up in an amorous affair at his residence at Community 5.
Nana Konadu's savage attack on Esther Ocloo:
"you do not deserve to be seated on that dais.....shut up and stay away from all ngo programmes that feature me. Do you think you are successful?"
The Women's Conference In Beijing may be over, but information filtering into CHRONICLE indicate that contrary to the spirit of sisterhood at Beijing all was not well between the members of the Ghanaian contingent, especially between the First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings and the World acknowledged industrialist, Dr. Mrs Esther Ocloo.
Sources close to the conference revealed that a cold war which started when Mrs Ocloo, 76, won the coveted hunger award before President Rawlings exploded when Mrs Rawling sent a spiteful letter to her "oppnent" during the first week of Beijing. The letter's shocking vulgarities and humiliating accent was too much even for the American First Lady Hillary who was seated next to Mrs Ocloo on the dais. Mrs Rawlings' not stung like a rapier thrust.:"Do you think you are successful? To what extent can we measure what you call success?"
In the next paragraph, the First Lady spat on the very foundation upon which Mrs. Ocloo started her multi-million business more that 40 years ago when Nana Konadu, 45, was not born. "You claim you darted your business because you understood the problems of the underprivileged since you were one your self. If you were underprivileged, how could you have attended a prestigious school like Achimota Secondary School" she queried. Then Nana Konadu went in for the kill and tore mercilessly at Dr. Ocloo. In her judgement, she did not deserve to be seated where she sat. She warned her to shut up and stay away from programmes which featured the First Lady of Ghana.
US conference delegates who told the Chronicle editor Nana Kofi Coomson in a chance casual telephone conversation over the weekend expressed surprise that there was no public acrimony between the two women. Mrs. Ocloo had been billed to speak on almost all the major themes throughout the conference. Thus, she had taken up her position beside Mrs. Hillary Clinton, the First Lady of America. Nana Konadu, who could not stand the sight of a "common" Ghanaian on the dias, with her The First Lady of Ghana seated on the front row with all the other ladies, conferred with her lady-in-waiting, Mrs Sati Punjabi-Ocran and they begun to scribble something. Minutes later, the "bombshell letter was handed over to Mrs Ocloo in Mrs Ocran's handwriting and signature.
Mrs. Ocloo was expecting an input of some sort on the subject she was going to speak on. When she opened the letter, she could not believe it. One lady seated next to her, took the note away and offered her words of consolation. Mrs. Hillary Clinton also saw what happened. What some of the sources say amazed them about the incident was that when Mrs. Ocloo spoke, she acknowledged the hard work and contributions of all the First Ladies presents towards the development of women throughout the world.
Some members of the Ghanaian delegation who were contacted said Mrs Rawlings was particularly peeved that Mrs Ocloo did not single her out by name for praise as done by husband-grabbing Minister/MP like Mrs Benyiwas Doe and MP Ms. Tabitha Quaye from Takoradi. When Chronicle pinned the Industrialist down at her Madina factory for her confirmation, she reluctantly acknowledged the incident but asked that " the press should allow sleeping dogs lie". Mrs. Esther Ocloo received a much deserved honorary doctorate from a local university, University of Science and Technology in 1973.
In Beijing, she was such a hit as all the groups, dragged her from one party or session to the other. In an earlier development in Ghana, Chronicle has learnt that the President himself ordered that Mrs. Ocloo be seated away from him and his wife during an event that featured participants at a Hunger Award ceremony.
The Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Mr. Emile Short, will on Thursday begin the big task of probing the multiple allegations of massive ministerial corruption and illegal acquisition of properties.
Mr. Emile Short has been regularly taunted and hounded by NDC men and party men for "disturbing" them since he launched his probe and managed to get the public approval of the president. The NDC party's paper has been at the forefront of threats to malign him and cook up stories to defame him and it remains to be seen how Mr. Short will handle his task in the face of such threats. CHRAJ sources say that Mr. Short has sent out his own special forms for the ministers to complete, and Parliamentary sources hint that they are also sending out their own questionnaire containing 319 questions to all ministers. Top public officers on the line-up include Mr. P.V. Obeng, Special Adviser on Governmental Affairs. Chronicle has learnt of more allegations of P.V.'s corrupt acquisitions. Mr. Ibrahim Adam is also putting in an appearance; so also is Dr. Adjei Marfo.
All the government ministers last week donated the equivalent of their entire year's salary at a fund-raising dinner of the Eastern Region branch of the NDC.
By Ransford Tetteh, Koforidua
Nana Afua Tabiri, the 26-year old priestess of the Obuotabiri Shrine In Koforidua who has stayed away from marriage for the last decade on the instructions of spirit dwarfs is now ready to marry. Last Sunday, amidst drumming and dancing a sheep was sacrificed to the gods to signify that she now has the permission to marry.
Nana Kwame Sasu, director and spokesman of the shrine who disclosed this to the Mirror, assured the public that no impediments would be placed in the way of interested people, provided they meet the conditions set down by the shrine. He said anybody interested in marrying Okomfo Tabiri will have to present a bottle of schnapps which will be presented to the Obuotabiri Shrine for its approval. After that the New Juaben Traditional Council will also be consulted as well as the family of Nana Tabiri before any marriage deal could be sealed.
Ten years ago, Nana Tabiri, then in middle for two, was reportedly taken away by dwarfs and kept in an unknown for 36 days. When she returned , she came with a golden stool and established a shrine which she claims to be the embodiment of the New Juaben State. As part of activities marking the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Tabiri shrine, the International Organisation of Traditional and Medical Practitioners and Researchers based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, presented certificates of membership and affiliation to Nana Tabiri and also honoured her with a doctorate degree. The one week celebrations which ended last Thursday attracted participants from all over the country including renowned priest and priestesses such as Okomfo Akonedi, Nana Kwabena Abebrese, alias Alhaji Abbas from Kumasi, Nana Afua Twumasiwa of Agona Nsabaa and Okomfo Akua Oforiwa from Akropong.
Touching on the powers of the shrine, Nana Kwame Sasu said they are still intact and that it is not true that Nana Tabiri is considering abandoning the shrine to take to Christianity. He described the shrine's relationship with the traditional council as cordial between the shrine and the traditional council. On the whereabouts of the golden stool, Nana Sasu said it had gone to where it came from. He explained that if the present Omanhene shows interest, Nana Tabiri would plead with the gods to bring it back.
On consultations, Nana Sasu said more and more people are showing interest in the shrine. Over two hundred students from the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, have visited the shrine to learn our African way of worship and healing. Perhaps the most significant and exciting of all his disclosures was Nana Sasu's claim that eight ministers of religion have sought the assistance of the shrine to increase their flock and to strengthen their spiritual powers. Nana Sasu also said the shrine has cured over 2,000 women of barrenness; about 500 men were made sexually potent, over 1,500 sought counselling about their businesses while about 2,000 prospective travellers consulted the shrine to help them procure travelling documents. In addition about 250 students from America and others of African descent in the Diaspora have had contacts with the shrine.
Looking ahead, Nana Sasu expressed hope for more fruitful co-operation between the shrine and the traditional council and wished for more support from well-wishers.
From Collins Amponsah, Axim
A Bortianor, Accra fisherman currently fishing at Apewodika, Lower Axim in the Western Region, Ardey Ansah has stabbed his wife to death. However, the coward that he is, he could not carry through his attempt to die from the same knife and is now on admission at the Axim government hospital under police guard.
A police source said at Axim on Tuesday, November 20 that the body of the wife, Esi Esaaba, 40, a seamstress has since been buried after autopsy at Axim hospital. According to the source, on October 3, 1995, this year, Ansah was given a quantity of fish by his colleagues worth ¢10,000 to be sold and the proceeds used to purchase spare parts for his (Ansah's) faulty out-board motor but he squandered the money.
The source said on October 16, 1995, Ansah asked his wife to loan him ¢10,000 for the spare parts but the wife refused, resulting in a quarrel. According to the source, Ansah decided to see a neighbour, Madam Amma Onyame Nai Onim, for financial assistance but Ansah returned home empty handed. This, the source said, the provoked Ansah engaged the wife in a second scuffle during which Ansah stabbed his wife in the abdomen at about 1:30 am on October 16 in their wooden kiosk residence. The police said that following an unusual noise from the kiosk, the neighbours with the assistance of one Kofi Wonkyi forced the door open and found Esaaba in a pool of blood. It said, the neighbours also saw Ansah screaming in the kiosk and rushed him to the hospital where he is receiving treatment.
By Ken A. Ampong
A married couple had the shock of their lives early on Thursday, October 19, this year when they heard that the body of one of their daughters had been discovered at a notorious prostitution park at Nima.
A close family friend said that 20-year-old recent S.S.S leaver, Susan Fosu, had on the previous night told her parents that she was going out to visit a friend, and despite her parents entreaties and warnings to desist, left their Labadi home. At about 10:00 am the next day, however, her parents heard she was dead at Nima when they thought she had gone to Okaishie, Accra Central. The family friend revealed that for some time now Susan, a deceitful copper-coloured girl, had been leaving home every night on very flimsy excuses, either to return very late or not all, and despite her parents exhortations, she always did as she pleased. According to the friend of the family, a man closely related to Susan's parents was in the Nima area on October 19 when he heard that a beautiful young woman's body was lying nearby on a park notorious for nightly whoring activities there and had attracted quite a crowd.
He went to have a look out of curiosity only to discover to his dismay that it was Susan, semi naked with her blouse torn and her skirt halfway up her beautiful thighs, with scratches all over her body and semen spotting on her thighs. Obviously she had been massively raped. The friend arranged to convey the body to the Korle-Bu mortuary, then went to inform Susan's parents about the tragedy. The parents then went to Korle-Bu to verify things for themselves.
It is believed that on all the evenings when she had been going out, Susan Sosu had been out to sell her beautiful body, an act which her family and close relatives never suspected, because she often wrote letters of application and was very earnestly searching for a job, even though she came from a moderately well-to-do home and was well cared for.
By Eleanor Pratt
More than 400,000 of the films imported by the Electoral Commission for the registration exercise cannot be accounted for. In all, a total of 1.4 million films were supplied to cameramen within Accra and Tema areas.
Dr. Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, chairman of the Electoral Commission, disclosed this in an interview in Accra yesterday. The commission, he said, had given an ultimatum to the District Electoral Officers to account for the films they supplied during the exercise. He said if the commission detected any lapses in the handling of the films, appropriate disciplinary action would be taken against those involved. Dr. Afari-Gyan explained that the commission estimated that about 1.3 million films with the hope that there would be left overs. "But from the available figures, you can see the sheer number of films that cannot be accounted for", he said.
Asked if the shortage could be attributed to theft or spoilage during the exercise, the Electoral Commissioner said, "I don't know. The number is quite amazing".
By Eleanor Pratt
The Electoral Commission has divided the Accra and Tema areas into zones for the issuing of photo identity cards, Dr. K. Afari-Gyan, chairman of the Electoral Commission, has said.
The exercise will start from 9 am to 6 p.m. from Tuesday, November 28, and will last for two weeks. He was speaking in Accra yesterday, concerning the numerous complaints from the pubic about the absence of cameramen to take pictures at the various registration centres in Accra and Tema. Dr. Afari-Gyan explained that the Commission had printed about 2,000 copies of the list of areas in the various Sub-districts where people who had not got their photo identity cards could go for them. Copies of the list would be made available of the list would be made available at each Sub-district centre in Accra and Tema, he said, he urged those who did not have photo ID cards to go the centres.
A total of 5,000 families in 23 towns and villages are to benefit from the first part of Government's resettlement programme for victims of the northern conflict. Provision has been made for a sum of 1.3 billion cedis to cover the seven affected districts.
More than 2,000 people died in the conflict while over 300 towns and villages were destroyed leaving about 250,000 people homeless.
Briefing the press in Tamale, after visiting the conflict area, the acting Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. E. K. Fosu said , the money will be used to buy building materials such as cement, roofing sheets timber and thatch for those affected. Mr. Fosu said all the victims cannot be resettled at once because of the huge damage and lack of sufficient funds to undertake the project.
He said committees would be set up at the national, regional, district and community levels to ensure that the materials get to the beneficiaries and are used for the intended purpose.
The First Atlantic Merchant Bank is the newest to begin operations in the country after it was officially opened on Friday, November 17. It will introduce new and relevant financial products to its customers at a low cost.
Mr. Jude Arthur, Managing Director of the Bank, said the bank is aware that the private sector is the main force behind the country's development objectives.Being aware also, of the strong competition in the banking industry, Mr. Jude Arthur said, the new bank will respond to the needs of its customers and the community at large. The major aim of the bank, he said is to back efforts at improved growth in merchant banking and fund management.
The shareholders of the bank include: the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and Global Emerging Markets, a well established fund management and investment banking firm specialising in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe, Asia and Africa. Other shareholders are Kentor Consulting, Allied investments and Amalgamated Investments, the last two, both local companies with varied business interests. The Hong Kong Shanghai Group, considered one of the largest financial houses in the world,is the major foreign investor through its subsidiary, the Equator Financial Services.
Realising the short-comings of loans and overdraft facilities in the traditional banks, First Atlantic hopes to bring first -class banking services under one umbrella with unequalled capacity to create a dynamic bank fully capable of satisfying the needs of demanding customers.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has provided 72 million dollars, so far, to benefit six projects in Ghana.
Beneficiary projects are : the Volta Region Agricultural Development Project (VORADEP) ; Small-holder Rehabilitation and Development Programme; and the Small-holder Credit Input Supply and Marketing Project in the Brong Ahafo Region as well as the Upper East Regional Land Conservation and Small-holder Rehabilitation Project. The rest are, the Upper West Agricultural Development covering 5 districts and the Rural Enterprises project, both of which are beneficiaries of the latest IFAD loan of $17.6 million. Together the six projects are benefiting from a further 640,000 dollars from IFAD.
These were made known by the IFAD President, Mr. Fawzi Al-Sultan on a three-day working visit to Ghana. He said , the objective of the projects are to help reduce rural poverty, improve food security, improve support services and give specific support to rural women, amongst others.