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Letter-bomb rips through npp
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THE EQUIVALENT of a letter bomb has ripped through the executive body of Ghana’s main opposition party, the New
Patriotic Party (NPP) shaking the party’s epicentre and threatening to bring down most of the party’s main players.
For the first time in the on-going troubles within the party, fresh multiple allegations of financial malfeasance
and misconduct have put the future of Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, NPP’s most visible and by far the most popular leader
in real danger.
The danger is traced to a powerful submission made by Mr. Colin Essamuah, a loyal member of the party, calling
for Kufuor’s interdiction and suspension. In the words of Essamuah, the protagonist, it is dangerous in having
our 1996 Presidential candidate parade as a leading member of this party.”
Also on the chopping block pending the decision of the party’s disciplinary committee is Mr. Joseph Agyenim-Boateng,
General-Secretary of the NPP who is accused of giving out the party’s stamp to three members of the party, described
as Kufuor’s campaign team, to authenticate the purchase of the 55 Yamaha motor- bicycles for the 1996 electioneering
campaign. Both Kufuor and Agyenim-Boateng though deny any wrong-doing.
In separate follow-up interviews, both Kufuor and Boateng described Essamuah’s allegations as a vicious propaganda
to damage them. They both said they welcomed any probe into what they described as unfounded, and baseless allegations.
Essamuah’s charges flow from the Concordia Ventures affairs in which the NPP is defending an action initiated by
Kudjawu and Co., counsel for Concordia Ventures Limited to recover over 42billion in debts arising out of the motorbikes
provided for the December 1996 elections.
An Accra High Court will determine among other issues whether the NPP as a party is liable, or whether Kufuor and
his campaign team must be accountable as the NPP contends.
The party maintains that since Kufuor’s hand-picked campaign team of Alhaji Inusah, Tommy Amematekpor okayed the
Concordia Ventures sales agreement, Kufuor has to be held liable for the debts.
Essamuah and those who think like him in the party are asking whether the party stamp which was alleged to have
been used and of which the party General Secretary is said to be the legal custodian was not used to authenticate
questionable deals behind the back of the party’s National Chairman, Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey.
The 19-paragraph letter is loaded with more allegations, some of them Essamuah describes as “rumors in town”.
Among them was that Kufuor allegedly withheld various sums of money paid by party loyalists overseas into his personal
accounts instead of party chest.
Though there is no clear cut direct evidence of complicity on the part of Kufuor and Agyenim- Boateng, Essamuah’s
letter which has so far reached no more than a handful of people within the party calls for the heads of Kufuor
and Agyenim-Boateng.
In part, he said of Agyenim-Boateng: “As a first step, Agyenim-Boateng must be interdicted at once and an
inquiry set up into the overall administration of the party’s affairs in the interim.”
Continuing, he wrote: “The signatories to the agreement were and continue to be his (Kufuor) people and it
is fair to assume that they acted under his instructions. The Professor Sai Disciplinary Committee must be
convoked at once to go into the matter of our finances in 1996 thoroughly and recommend appropriate sanctions.”
The party chairman to whom the letter was directed was asked to act as “failure to act may well result in the collapse
of the party on your watch as chairman.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Ala Adjetey has already constituted a committee of national executive members chaired by Mr. R.R.
Amponsah to probe the allegations.
The call for the head of Kufuor and Agyenim- Boateng is not an idle one. The NPP’s 1992 Constitution
is clear on what should be done to party officials who misbehave. According to Article 3, chapter 2 (ii): “A member
of the party shall cease to be a member by being expelled from the party on the grounds of misconduct; misconduct
includes any act by a member which is dishonest, fraudulent or disloyal to the party or is likely to produce discord
in the party or bring it into disrepute”.
Other intriguing import of the letter were unfolding. On the face of it, the letter appears to be an innocuous,
even well-meaning letter from a concerned party activist, but the long hand of an agent provocateur and a vicious
machiavellian is being seen by other informed commentators.
Colin (Panyin) Essamuah is the twin brother of Mr. Ernest (Kakra) Essamuah who is angling for the job of Joseph
Agyenim-Boateng. He has made his intentions public. Significantly, Kakra who is a lawyer in the respected
law chambers of da Rocha, immediate past chairman of the NPP, is not a co-author of this particular letter. |
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"Allegations against me are politically motivated", Kufour
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Mr. J. A. Kufour, presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 1996 general elections, has described
allegations of financial impropriety levelled against him as “a vicious fabrication” designed to dent his image
and reputation and ultimately undermine his political career.
“I wish to take this opportunity to assure all Ghanaians that the letter containing the said allegations was based
on rumors and viciousness and that there is no iota of truth in it,” he contended.
Mr. Kufour was commenting on the allegations at a news conference at the Kotoka International Airport on his arrival
from a 10-day private visit to the United Kingdom on Sunday, May 31.
Mr. Colin Essamuah, a leading member of the NPP in a letter to the Chairman of the party, Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey
headlined: “The Concordia Ventures Case: Ramifications and the Necessity for interdicting the General Secretary
and suspending the 1996 Presidential candidate of the party”, made allegations of financial impropriety against
the 1996 flag-bearer and other leading members of the party.
In a further explanation of the issue, Mr. Kufour who denied ever being issued a copy of the letter containing
the said allegations, stated that he was only shown a copy of that letter at the headquarters of the party on the
eve of a National Executive Council meeting.
He said that in a chat with the chairman of the party regarding the issue, he (Mr. Kufour) demanded that his accuser
be called by the chairman to substantiate the allegations to which the chairman obliged. He said he was surprised
that anyone who claimed that anyone who claimed to be working for the interests of the NPP would make such serious
allegations against him knowing well the implications it would have on the NPP.
Concerning the purchase of motorbikes for the 1996 campaign responsibility which the NPP is currently trying to
deny in court, Mr. Kufour pointed out that a campaign for power in national general elections by a party such as
the NPP necessarily called for the acquisition by the party of the requisite logistics.
He contended that the bikes were acquired in the name of the party and have since their acquisition been used in
constituencies across the country in campaigns for both the presidential and parliamentary elections in 1996 and
wondered why anyone would now want to shift the burden of the debt on him as candidate for the party.
“I regard this as a ploy to distract me the important mission of leading the NPP to victory in the next elections.
I have been in politics for 30 years and I wold not be distracted by such vicious allegations” he asserted. |
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Ghana disappointed about Nigerian allegation
to destabilise Abacha
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Ghana expressed shock and disappointment at a Nigerian allegation that it was involved in a plot to destabilise
the government of General Sani Abacha. A Foreign Ministry statement said the allegation is without any substance
or merit and Ghana denies it unequivocally.
It was learnt that Alhaji Wadana, Special Adviser to General Sani Abacha at a press conference in Abuja, Nigeria,
told the news conference that Nigerian security had uncovered a plan where some Americans had met with Nigerian
dissidents in Ghana to plan to destabilise the Abacha government. The plot said to have been hatched in an "Achimota
Hotel in Northern Ghana" also implicated South Africa.
The Foreign Ministry said Ghana views the allegation with particular regret and surprise given the excellent relations
that our two countries have had over a long period and the frequent consultations which have been taking place
between high officials of the two countries.
The statement said government is taking immediate steps to investigate the serious allegation but had hoped that
Nigeria would have raised the matter through the normal high level consultations between the two countries. It
said within the framework of these consultations, the government of Ghana would have expected that any concerns
that Nigeria may have on issues which are likely to disturb our brotherly relations, would have been brought to
the attention of Ghana, through the existing channels. It said in the meantime, it is the hope of the government
that officials of the two countries would desist from making public statements that might mar not only the excellent
relations between our two countries but also the larger interest of peace and stability in the sub-region |
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President Rawlings reaction to Nigerian Allegation
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President Rawlings said "the accusation might be due to misinformation, mischief or the Nigerian authorities
are aware of something we are not aware of'.
' President Rawlings was responding to concerns expressed by Right Rev Beeko, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church
of Ghana concerning the issues taking into account good relations between Ghana and Nigeria.
The President said it is embarrassing to go on air considering the relationship between the two countries, adding
that it should have been brought to Ghana's attention. President Rawlings said Ghana is not involved in any such
activity and said the Ghana government is in touch with the Nigerian authorities to give further information to
nib the plot in the bud if it actually exists.
President Rawlings, who has consistently opposed economic sanctions against Nigeria at various international forums,
said Ghana would never destabilise Nigeria and for that matter any neighbouring country.
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MP Want Action On Malaria Epidemic
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The Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, has called on the minister of Healthand the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) to deal, as a matter of urgency, with the high incidence of malaria in the area caused by surface
mining.
Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu who made the call attributed the high malaria incidence to water-filled large pots excavated
during surface mining which have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Apart from having become a source of disease, the MP said the 300 feet deep pits also pose danger to the people,
adding that last year a number of people fell into the pits and died.
He was speaking to the Chronicle after a visit to his constituency last week. Baah-Wiredu mentioned towns particularly
affected as Konongo Odumase, Atunsu, Nyaboe and Patriensa.
He called for the free treatment of yaws for patients who can't afford to pay. Even though the ministry charges
¢500 for treatment of affected children, about 20 of them at Atuns and Otikrom could not be treated because
their parents could not afford the ¢500.
The MP urged the District Assembly to make budgetary allocation to pay for the treatment of poor yaws patients.
The MP said a river of Bima which was damned during the construction of the Konongo-Agogo road has become a source
of bilharzia in the area. He appealed to the Ghana Highway Authority to open the dam for the river to flow to save
the people from the debilitating water-borne disease. |
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Rawlings says he will step down in 2000
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The international newsagency Reuters reported that Rawlings said on Thursday June 4th he planned to step down in
two years' time as required constitutionally.
Rawlings is barred by the constitution from seeking re-election after serving out his second four-year term, but
speculation has been rife about his extending his hold on power. For example the Ghanaian Newsrunner reported in
issue 21 about the persistant rumour that his wife Nana Konadu also has got presidential ambitions. In a BBC interview
earlier this year his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, did not rule out her running for president if her husband
would ask her to do so.
``We have got two more years to go -- not we...me! You have more than two years to go, I can assure you,'' Rawlings
told security forces at a rally in the capital Accra. ``And I will play my part to support you when my time comes,
when I will have to step down,'' he added.
The rally was to commemorate Rawlings' first coup in 1979. Rawlings, 50, was first elected in 1992 after retiring
from the air force with the rank of flight-lieutenant that he has held since first seizing power.
Just before going to press the ongoing speculations were put to rest by a formal statement of Rawlings at another
NDC rally on Sunday June 7th. At this rally Rawlings declared his support for Vice President J.E.A. Mills for the
presidency of 2000. Rawlings described Mills as intelligent, hard-working and a man of integrity.
Mills has not yet announced his running mate for the 2000 elections but speculations already suggest that his running
mate will be Flight-Lieutenant Jerry John Kwasi Rawlings.
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J.H. JOINS THE RACE
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Insider-source at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have hinted that Hon. Joseph Henry Mensah, the Minority Leader,
is all set to be the biggest threat to incumbent Mr. Joseph Agyekum Kufuor in the August primaries.
Although Mr. Mensah has not made his intentions clear on the NPP presidential race, party insiders say with amazing
growth of popularity, J.H. only needed a reminder from his supporters on the need to lead the party in the next
millennium.
Many politicians hold the conviction that Mr. Mensah may declare his intentions in the last hour, like he did in
1996.
The Minority Leader was the last candidate to join the party’s presidential primaries in the last elections. He
came third behind Professor Adu-Boahen and eventual winner Mr. J.A. Kufuor.
Many were astounded by Mr. Mensah’s performance because he returned so late from exile, and was not very much known
by the rank and file of the party.
His powerful speech preceding the primaries, which demanded immediate take-over of power from the NDC, convinced
those who voted for him of his political potency. With close aides of J.H. providing enough hints about his presidential
ambitions, the August race is set to be narrowed between the two men with family ties.
J.H. is an in-law of J.A. Observers believe J.H.’s declaration will have serious repercussions on a Kufuor campaign
which has had serious setback within the last months.
Mr. Kufuor won the last primaries on the strength of his Northern popularity. With a campaign team headed by Alhaji
Inussah, J.A. swept almost every Northern vote to beat favorite Professor Albert Adu-Boahen.
A similar story would be hard to tell this year. The fact is Mr. Kufuor is not likely to enjoy absolute support
in the North. His hold on the North is likely to be broken by Mr. Malik Alhassan, a popular Northern loyalist of
the NPP who has also joined the party’s presidential race.
The Ashanti Region which hitherto supported Prof. Adu-Boahen appears to support their fellow Ashanti indegene J.A.
Kufuor.
However, with a perculiar trait which almost always looks out for people with the potential to champion their cause
rather than ethnicity, many believe the articulate J.H., who has been a constant torn in the flesh of NDC, has
a chance as equal as J.A. in Ashanti.
“If J.H. fails in Ashanti,” one J.H. supporter boasted, “he will make up in the Brong-Ahafo Region.”
The two men, it appears, do not enjoy enormous support in the Eastern Region.
As expected, the Eastern Region will be split amongst Nana Akuffo Addo, Hackman Owusu Agyemang and Prof. Adu-Boahen
whose third round appearance, political analysts say, cannot be overruled.
The Central and Western Regions are likely to be split amongst all contestants.
Yet with a dual background - a Brong and a Fanti - J.H. might have a slight advantage over the others.
The tribal factor will definitely be exploited by all contestants.
Kufuor supporters have argued that, the Volta Region remains his (Kufuor) World Bank, notwithstanding Mr. Mensah’s
proficiency in the Ewe language.
Votes at the Greater Accra Region are also likely to be split, although Kufuor’s close association with constituency
functionaries make him the favourite.
Insiders say, with J.H. declaration being only a matter of time, the race has turn another turn with J.H. and J.A.
as forerunners with Nana Akuffo-Addo and Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, as best outsiders.
The likes of Koi Agyare-Larbie, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku and Alhaji Malik Mumuni are considered to be just testing
their pulse for the 2005 elections. |
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THE BIRTH OF CONVENTION
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The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Nkrumahist parties in unity has proposed a name for
their united Nkrumahist party. The name is Convention Party (CP) with its symbolic white cockerel on red
background.
This decision was taken at a consultative forum in Accra attended by members of the Supreme Council
of Elders, National Working Committee, Central Committees of the parties in unity as well as representatives
of the Regional Working Committees.
A press statement signed by the Chairman of the Publicity Committee, Mr. Mike Eghan, said the
forum also charged the Central and Standing Committees to consider the proposal and submit their
comments before May 31, 1998.
Last year the parties’ application to register with the Electoral Commission under the name Convention
People’s Party (CPP) was turned down on the grounds that it violated the Political Parties Law
under which the names of proscribed political parties’ can’t be adopted.
The statement said the forum asked the Supreme Council of Elders to intervene and resolve the impasse in
the People’s National Convention (PNC), adding it also recognized Mr. Felix Amoah and other leaders
of the PNC who have resigned their positions as members of the Working Committee.
Speaking at the forum, the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Elders, Mr. Kojo Botsio, reiterated his
call to members of the parties to commit themselves to the efforts at unity.
Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the PNC, Nii Okoe Afotey, has also resigned
from the party over what he calls “the machinations of some leading members of the party against
the efforts to re-unite all Nkrumahist political parties.”
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PNC Crisis Deepens
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The crisis rocking the People’s National Convention (PNC) since the death of its chairman/leader, Dr. Hilla Limann,
has taken a new dimension with the resignation and pull-out of the acting National Chairman and leader and some
leading members of the party.
Announcing the resignation and the pull-out at a press conference in Accra, the acting chairman/leader of the PNC,
Mr. Felix Amoah said their action has become imperative, because of what he described as extremely negative and
dangerous forces for the politic and development of Ghana.
His words: “I, as Acting National Chairman and leader, together with many leading members of the PNC including
my Deputy, Mr. Chris Zingah, the General Secretary, Dr. Nii Noi Dowuona and his Deputy, Mr. Kwaku Yiborku Mr. Ben
Ableta, member of the standing committee and Mr. Yao Yegbey, chairman of the Research and Monitoring Committee,
consider it as a matter of principle to resign forth with our position and from the PNC and make our humble but
instituted contribution to the development of the United Nkrumahist party.”
The acting chairman/ leader therefore called on true Nkrumahists to join the fold of the new party. “We asked PNC
elements already elected into the working committee at the national, regional and constituency levels to be steadfast
and continue to perform. We call on the PNC grassroots to rally to the cause of Nkrumahist unity when the party
is launched”, he said.
The pull out and resignation of the leaders of the PNC according to the statement read to Pressmen by the acting
chairman was as a result of some forces under the aegis of Dr. Edward Mahama, the PNC presidential candidate in
the 1996 elections which have sought to undermine the authority of the leadership, thus creating unnecessary crisis
in the party to pave the way for implementing their hidden agenda.
Mr. Amoah also alleged that, there has been a spate of unauthorized press statements orchestrated by some leading
members of the party most of which have been directed at him with a dubious intent of questioning his credibility
as a rallying point and unity within the party. “Leading party members have chosen to use statements in the press.
This diabolic scheme is the greatest height of ingratitude especially to me, who as one of the five founding architects
publicly launched the PNC on 29th May, 1992 and remains the only cabinet Minister in the Third Republic to have
stood by Dr. Limann through thick and thin in the National leadership of the party”, he argued.
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Minister To Be Dragged To CHRAJ Over Assault
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THE MEMBER of Parliament (MP) for Subin, Mr. S.K. Boafo, has hinted that he would drag the Ashanti Regional Minister,
Mr. Ohene Agyekum to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice(CHRAJ) over the Minister’s conduct
in the unprovoked beating of a 25-year-old resident of the Constituency.
He told the Ghanaian Chronicle that he would initiate the action after he had received the police report on the
assault.
On Saturday, April 25, Agyekum apparently not happy that 25-year-old Yaw Brefo should call a friend’s name ‘Osonoba’
in his presence, allegedly ordered his bodyguards (machomen) to beat him unconscious.
Agyekum is said to have taken action on Brefo with the tact support of Nana Akwasi Agyeman, the Metropolitan Chief
Executive for Kumasi who took part in the brutality.
Realizing that the victim had fallen into coma, Agyekum allegedly ordered Nana Akwasi Agyeman and his group to
leave the victim to his fate.
He was subsequently picked up by some good Samaritans and rushed to one Dr. Larbi’s hospital of Pankrono, a suburb
of Kumasi where he was given first aid and later transferred to Kufuor’s clinic owned by Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor,
MP for Manhyia constituency in Kumasi.
Sources close to S. K. Boafo, also Minority Chief Whip in whose constituency the incident took place told Chronicle
that on April 25, Agyekum organized a clean up exercise around the central market where they desalted choked gutters,
among others.
The source further said, Yaw Brefo, who is a store-keeper called a friend whose name is Osonoba to join him for
their breakfast.
Chronicle further learnt that Minister Agyekum who was around the area pounced on the poor boy and after a short
interrogation on why he called that name “Osonoba” handed him over to his machomen to be given a VIP treatment.
Brefo was shaved clean and later given several strokes of the cane on his back.
Not satisfied with the punishment meted out to him, Brefo was again thrown into one of the gutters where he was
smeared with the filthy mud and water. The assault on the innocent trader has affected one of his eyes, Chronicle
has learnt.
Brefo told the Chronicle in a follow up interview that but for the intervention of S. K. Boafo, the police would
not have recorded the complaint let alone cause investigations when the victim lodged a complaint. |
The Great SABAT Fraud
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BARELY THREE months after exposing the multi-billion cedi scam in the Keta Sea Defence project, Mr. Kwamena Bartels,
New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North and Shadow Minister for Works and Housing has
blown the whistle on another serious fraud in the contract for the divestiture of the Automotive and Technical
Services (ATS), a State-Owned Enterprise.
Bartels’ shocking disclosures of the fraud which has already forced the Ministry of Trade and Industry to abrogate
the contract, detail how tribal and political considerations influenced the sale of the 5 billion cedi ATS to Sabat
Motors without a pesewa (cent) being paid to the government.
Addressing a news conference in Accra to draw public attention to the impasse between the management of Sabat Motors
and the workers that led to the shutting down of the company for the last two months, Bartels said “...the way
and manner ATS was divested gives grounds for all the rumors of tribalism and pressure for undue favor by top politicians
and army generals who all come from the same tribe as the majority directors of Sabat Motors and the top men of
the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC).”
The directors are Messrs. Nelson Sena, Patrick Ahadzi, Dr. Paul Tabiri (who pulled out) and Henry Evans Kwawu Tornye.
Giving a background to the sale, Bartels said the R.T. Briscoe segment of ATS was valued at over five billion cedis
in 1995, but the DIC agreed to a selling price of 3.7 billion cedis because the workers also owned shares in the
company and the take-over of ATS was worker-led.
Under the terms of the sale and purchase agreement, the MP said, Sabat Motors was to pay 10 per cent commitment
fee followed by payment of the balance of the 90 per cent four months later. The Directors of Sabat Motors were
unable to pay the commitment fee and two cheques which they issued for 300 million cedis bounced.
According to Bartels, in spite of the failure of the directors of Sabat Motors to pay the commitment fee, they
managed to get the Lands Commission to release the title deeds of 15 R.T. Briscoe (which the government took over
and renamed it ATS) property released to them without authorisation from the DIC. With these documents, they secured
a loan of 1.48 billion cedis from the Ghana Commercial Bank to pay the DIC.
The MP disclosed that the directors also persuaded a consultancy company to buy the residence of the Managing Director
of ATS for $250,000 but they were paid $180,000 and 100 million cedis.
“With that amount, the directors of Sabat Motors paid the DIC 370 billion cedis. So till this time, when the DIC
gave them control of ATS, the directors of Sabat Motors had not put in one pesewa of their own money,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Trade and Industry has recommended to the DIC to abrogate the contract. |
BIG BATTLE OVER TSIKATA'S HOUSE
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A plush house at Cantonments in Accra has become a subject of controversy following its occupancy by Captain Kojo
Tsikata, former head of National Security with responsibility for foreign affairs.
The house, which has been renovated twice since 1982 at a cost of several millions of cedis, originally belonged
to the flashy Ghanaian business tycoon, Mr. Benny Eshun.
It was confiscated to the state in 1979 and Mr. Eshun got intimidated that he fled the country into exile.
When Captain Tsikata became Special Adviser to the PNDC on security matters, he grabbed the house as his official
residence and this brought up many moral questions about its acquisition.
The major question which arises out of the fact that Captain Tsikata took up residence in a seized house is: should
government officials be allowed to use seized assets for their own comfort?
If officials were allowed to grab seized assets for their own use, what is the guarantee that they will not just
grab properties they covert without any justification?
Captain Tsikata has lived in the house since the early 1980s and his house-help is still reported to be in residence.
Two years ago, many of Captain Tsikata’s personal belongings, including carpets and furniture, were moved out of
the house and allegedly shipped to Cape Town, South Africa, where his wife Zonki lives.
Captain Tsikata, who allegedly spends most of his time now in South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo,
lives at Abelenkpe when he visits Accra from time to time.
Insiders say that Mr. Benny Eshun made a demand for the return of the house about two years ago which was granted
by the government.
Mr. Eshun was housed in a government bungalow next to Nana Konadu’s Ridge residence pending the removal of Captain
Tsikata from his Cantonments house. Now, Captain Tsikata is gone but the rightful owner of his residence has still
not been able to move in.
Sources close to Mr. Eshun say he suspects that the house is to be turned into the official residence of the Minister
of Security Affairs. |
STUDENTS STAGE FIVE-HOUR PROTEST
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Hundreds of Ghanaian students of the various tertiary institutions took to the streets of Accra to protest against
the payment of rent and the decision to link admissions to residential accommodation.
The demonstrating students also called for the immediate resignation of the Education Minister, Dr. Christina Amoako-Numa.
The students, who initially planned to travel on buses and converge at Parliament House, had to abandon the idea
and began the protest march from the university when the police barricaded the main entrance to the university.
The five-hour incident-free march was organized by the National Union of Ghana Students NUGS).
Amidst brass band music and singing of “jama” songs, the students who wore red arm and head-bands, carried placards,
some of which read “Daddy J.J. is it cost-sharing or cost-shifting?”, “We are not workers to pay rent”.
Some drivers offered lifts to many students who could not make the journey on foot.
On reaching Parliament House, where they presented a resolution, the students initially refused to heed the request
of the police that only their leadership should enter the House and present the resolution to the Speaker, Mr.
Daniel Francis Annan.
When the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Rex Owusu-Ansah, came out to receive the resolution, they screamed at him “we
want the Speaker, we want the Speaker”.
When the tempers died down, the student leadership, led by Mr. Adam Mohammed Amin, President of NUGS, went into
Parliament to submit their petition to the Speaker.
In the resolution, the students reiterated their call for the immediate resignation of the Education Minister,
Dr. Christina Amoka-Nuama for failing to manage the educational system effectively.
The alleged that Dr. Amoako-Nuama has never attended any meeting with the NUGS and described certain comments allegedly
made by her as irresponsible.
The resolution also deplored the persistent cut in tertiary education expenditure which it said affects not only
the provision of facilities but also admission of students and the working conditions of teaching and not-teaching
staff.
It called on government to suspend the decision to make students pay rent and that of linking admissions to residential
accommodation until a national consensus is reached on those issues. The students entreated the parliamentarians
to protect the interest of Ghanaians whom they represent by objectively debating the whole process of educational
reforms.
Mr. Justice Annan, who addressed the student leaders, commended the students for their show of maturity by holding
the demonstration peacefully.
He gave an assurance that the House will discuss the issues raised in the resolution and find amicable solutions
to them.
The students then continued their march to the Ministry of Education where a copy of the resolution was received
by Dr. Ibn Chambas and Mr. Kwabena Kyere, both Deputy Ministers of Education.
LEGON REACTS TO ALLEGATION
The University of Ghana has said it is not true that students are to be asked to pay two million cedis per semester
s fees.
In a statement issued in Accra and signed by the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor J. K. A. Amuzu, the university
said notice was rather given that subject to confirmation by the academic council, payment for residential facilities
would be 240,000 cedis per head of student per room of not more than four occupants from the 1998/99 academic year.
It said this was at a joint meeting of the executive committee and the residence board on Wednesday May 27. It
said the meeting noted students’ concern about being called upon to pay the 240,00 cedis a year at shourt notice
and indicated that the issue will be borne in mind in the implementation of the new policy.
The statement noted that at 240,000 cedis per an academic session of 32 weeks, expected payment is of the order
of 7,500 cedis a week or about one thousand cedis a day.
“this is an amount with which students must be familiar, as vacation residence fee is of that order already” the
statement said.
It said whilst the university’s costing, discounting for staff costs, shows 363,000 cedis to be absolute minimum
required from each student for the halls to run, the university is prepared to take the 240,000 which was arrived
at through discussions with the Ministry of Education in the hope that the difference can be obtained from other
sources.
The statement said, in the course of the meeting, the Inspector General of police (IGP) Mr. Peter Nafuri, who was
on campus to discuss issues of security with the vice-chancellor, was invited to share his concerns with the meeting.
The IGP informed the meeting that without formal notification, as required by law, the police was aware that students
were proposing to hold a rally on Friday May 29.
According to the statement, the IGP pointed out that while the students had the constitutional right to hold a
rally anywhere in the country, the proposed venue for the rally, the Novotel area in Accra, did not lend itself
to effective policing.
The statement said the IGP said he had heard that the university had banned demonstrations on campus, but if permission
could be given exceptionally for the rally to be held on campus, an incident-free event could be hoped for.
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NIGERIAN DEFRAUDS GHANAIAN COUPLE OF 52.8M CEDIS
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The Police Striking Force have mounted a search for a Nigerian who allegedly defrauded a couple of 52.8 million
cedis and US$8,000 under the pretext of exorcising evil spirits in their family.
The suspect, Alhaji Sidi, cunningly convinced the couple that some bad spirits were following them and if they
were not exorcised as early as practicable,, they will be involved in a road accident that will paralyze the wife
for life.
Afraid of what had been revealed to them, the couple (name withheld by police) resident at Osu in Accra parted
with various sums of monies at different times for Alhaji Sidi to avert the impending calamity but with time, he
bolted.
According to Inspector Andy Vortia of the Regional Public Relations Unit, on January 20, this year, Alhaji Sidi
spotted the woman in traffic at Alajo and signaled her to stop.
When she stopped, he informed her that some evil spirits were to destroy her entire family. Alhaji Sidi allegedly
predicted a road accident that will leave her paralyzed for life and directed her to contact him together with
her husband at his house at Lashibi, near Tema. Convinced of the Alhaji’s revelation the woman, on reaching home,
narrated what had happened to her husband and together, they went to the Alhaji’s house at Lashibi for assitance.
Inspector Vortia said the couple paid the Alhaji several visits and parted with six million cedis, nine million
cedis and 10 million cedis between January and April this year, invariably to be used to buy various items to offset
what was to happen.
At one instance, Alhaji Sidi asked the woman to see him alone in his house since the spirits wanted to communicate
with her directly. The woman however went with her husband to the Alhaji’s house and this incurred his displeasure.
When his temper died down, he rattled some incantations, burnt incense and acted as if he was destroying some spirits.
He then demanded three cows and a ram, a white cloth, some quantity of gold and collected 7.8 million cedis to
be used to purchase the items which they readily paid.
Inspector Vortia said Alhaji Sidi asked the couple to bring him 20 million cedis as a deposit which will be refunded
later and US$8,000 which will be used to purchase a special perfume from Mecca that will ward off the spirits.
After sometime when the special perfume was not forthcoming, the couple approached Alhaji Sidi who directed them
to a colleague at Caprice Hotel near Alajo in Accra who gave them the perfume wrapped in a special cloth and warned
them not to open it until Alhaji Sidi directed them to do so.
The couple, at that stage realized that Alhaji Side was out to dupe them and they unwrapped the cloth, only to
find an empty bottle. They rushed to the Alhaji’s residence and his wife told them that her husband had traveled
to Niger for the perfume. |
STRIVING TO END COLD WAR WITH TOGO
|
By S. Sarpong.
Moving along the borders of these two West African countries, Ghana and Togo, it is difficult to believe they are
two distinct countries.
Just one street separates Lome, the capital of Togo and Aflao, Ghana's most easternmost town. They are brothers
with some natural links. The local language Ewe is spoken by both Ghanaians and Togolese in this border region.
And Ghana even supplies power to Togo.
Yet hidden behind this relationship, there is a cold war that had plagued the two countries for years.
Conflict between them had long been rooted in the colonial experiment of cutting across ethnic groups to carve
countries.
The cleavage must have started from the end of the first world war when Germany was defeated. Togo, which was then
under German rule was divided between the French and English. The French took the eastern part called French Togoland
and the British took the part that is currently the present day Volta region of Ghana.
In 1956, voters in British Togoland voted to join the then Gold Coast which became Ghana in 1957. When French Togoland
became independent in 1960, a movement sprung up dedicated to the unification of the former British Togoland with
the people of the Republic of Togo.
Some Togolese supported it but this did not go down well with the Ghanaians.
Relations between Ghana and Togo hit a record low when Togolese President, Gnassingbe Eyadema overthrew the civilian
government of President Sylvanus Olympio who died in the course of the coup of 1963.
As it is, when they are not squabbling about migration across the common border, they might be brawling about fleeing
dissidents. Their borders have been rigged with cross-border smuggling and currency trafficking , age-long plagues
to economies of both countries but more especially to Ghana.
Ever since Ghana's current President, Jerry John Rawlings stepped onto the political scene in 1979, he has also
found Togo's President Eyadema, an unyielding neighbour and their differences have continued to escalate with each
passing day.
In 1985, relations between the two slumped, following bombings at a time the Ghanaian army was engaged in manoeuvres
just across the border with Togo.
In 1986, it again developed into a bombshell following an uprising in Togo in which the Togolese authorities blamed
Ghana, Burkina Faso and Mali.
Togo claimed the coup attempt was masterminded from Ghana by Togolese dissidents with Burkina Faso giving the plotters
further training before they finally went to Togo for the onslaught. These countries however denied any involvement.
Ghana on the other hand has often accused Togo of supporting and aiding dissidents bent on overthrowing Rawlings.
After painstaking efforts by the two leaders, things now seem to be easing for them.
Rawlings visited Togo last year in his position as the then Chairman of the Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS).
Ever since, the seeds of discord and malevolence have given way to reciprocal trust and mutual understanding. Both
leaders have pledged to settle all their disputes through peaceful means whether it is the issue of refugees or
issues on border security.
So when Eyadema visited Ghana from May 12 -13 primarily to renew his commitment to the quest for peace and seek
more avenues for economic co-operation , it became apparent that their desire to forge ahead is now being concretised.
"The two countries should forget the past and ensure peace and stability for their countries and peoples,"
Eyadema stated, stressing that, "lack of frequent interaction between us on matters of mutual interest in
the past did not help to establish cordial relations."
There has been low level of economic and trade partnership between them and the two leaders attributed this to
the mistrust that has long been part of their relationship.
Both leaders have now pledged their preparedness to forget the acrimonies that characterised their relations in
the past and promised to foster friendship based on mutual trust - a relationship that posterity would remember
them for.
The Togolese Ambassador to Ghana, Assiongbor Folivi enthused about the fraternal reunion, remarked, "we are
witnessing the triumph of dialogue and moderation which alone can lead people to settle their problems on long
lasting basis."
But as if to take his `new found friend' through democratic principles, Rawlings stated at a dinner he hosted in
Eyadema's honour that "electoral systems which guarantee equal opportunities for all to participate in government
are crucial for public confidence and stable democracies on the African continent."
Eyadema is often accused of putting impediments in the way of outstanding personalities who could have beaten him
to the race for the presidency in 1993. He is said to have subtly prevented them from contesting by coming out
with some highly contentious electoral laws.
Indeed, no one would doubt the commitments of the two leaders in their quest to forge ahead, but judging from the
various acts that they had played against each other during their acrimonious times, it would be very difficult
for them to wipe off these memories just at a go. |
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"I AM PREGNANT'...." You're not", says boyfriend
|
Kobena Nenyi, a fisherman at Winneba had been insisting for 18 months that his girlfriend was not pregnant. But
Elizabeth Donkor, alias Akua Kakraba, a fishmonger, stood her ground: “I am pregnant.”
Not even a medical doctor’s diagnosis that Akua Kakraba was carrying a fibroid in her belly would convince her
and she kept on insulting Nenyi in public whenever there was an opportunity.
On May 2, this year, during the Aboakyir Festival, Akua Kakraba stormed her estranged boyfriend’s house and, in
the presence of Nenyi’s family and other onlookers, assaulted him, claiming that he was responsible for her pregnancy.
Nenyi, who could not stand the embarrassment, reported the assault to the Winneba police who arrested Akua.
Akua was said to have harassed Nenyi over the last one-and-a-half years with the claim that she was pregnant by
him and refused an abortion, insisting on delivering whatever is in her stomach.
Akua appeared before the Winneba Community Tribunal on May 6, charged with assault and she was bonded to be of
good behavior for 12 months r in default serve six months imprisonment with hard labor. Additional, the court advised
that if she still insists she is pregnant, she can pursue a civil suit rather than assault.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Samuel Asiedu said Akua and Nenyi became friends in early 1996. Two months later,
Akua told Nenyi she was pregnant.
However, for one-one-a-half years, there was no sign of the pregnancy growing so Nenyi decided to seek medical
assistance.
He therefore took Akua to the Klimovic Hospital at Winneba for examination but when the doctor was about to attend
to her, she vanished and later made a report to an uncle, a prominent contractor at Winneba.
According to the prosecutor, the uncle decided that she should be taken to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra
for further examination.
Akua was therefore taken to the hospital and after medical examination it was detected that the accused was not
pregnant but rather she was suffering from fibroid.
They came back to the uncle with the report. This time Nenyi, who had had enough of Akua’s harassment, decided
to call it quits.
So the uncle, after deliberations, concluded that Nenyi pacifies Elizabeth with one hundred.
Nenyi paid the money but still Akua insisted that she was pregnant and for that reason anywhere she met or set
eyes on him, rained insults on him.
Chief Inspector Asiedu told the packed tribunal of a similar complaint the police received against the accused
in 1995.
He said in this instance the complaint, Kofi Donkor, who came to the police station weeping bitterly, narrated
how the accused had pestered his life anytime she set eyes on him. However, the issue was amicably resolved at
the police station.
Akua, who was present at the court, in her defence, pleaded guilty with explanation, stressing that she is still
pregnant and very much determined “to bring forth whatever is in her womb for Nenyi.”
She explained that she has been a victim of abuse by men who sometimes had sex with her at the beach.
“This time I was eager not to let Nenyi have his way in view of the fact that he has been frustrating me since
I became pregnant,” she lamented.
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WOMAN DIES UNABLE TO PAY HOSPITAL BILLS
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Cash-strapped Margaret Addo, 40, allegedly shy to tell others about her inability to raise money to dress her wounds
at the hospital kept it a secret to herself and died 10 days later.
She was said to have died one week after she was wounded in the eye during a fight with a neighbor.
Her body has been deposited at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital mortuary awaiting autopsy while the neighbor who
allegedly wounded her, Isaac Shaibu, is on the run.
A source at the Weija police station alleged that on April 10, this year, Margaret was in the house when Shaibu
went there very angry and demanded to know why she was always insulting him.
This resulted in a quarrel during which Shaibu was said to have mercilessly beaten Margaret who sustained varied
injuries on the eye and parts of the body.
Margaret, still unable to comprehend what was happening, went and lodged a complaint with the Weija police where
she was given a medical form to attend the hospital but she was unable to do so.
A week later, the source said Margaret was found dead in her room covered with a cloth.
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WOMAN MURDERS NEPHEW IN COLD BLOOD
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A 35-year-old woman of Abesim n the Brong Ahafo Region has murdered her nini-year-old nephew in cold blood while
he was asleep and attempted to commit suicide afterwards.
Janet Arhin allegedly killed the boy, Attah Kwabena, with a sharp cutlass at about 2 am while Janet, together with
her 72-year-old mother, Yaa Anane and the deceased were sleeping in the room.
She also inflicted cutlass wounds on her mother and brother, Arhin Ishadrak, when the two attempted to disarm her.
She was however overpowered by some residents in the area and sent to the Sunyani District police Station where
she has been placed in police custody pending further investigation.
According to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) P. Yalley, Janet in her caution statement to the police,
said she was awakened in her sleep by a big mouse in the room so she reached out for a cutlass and killed it.
She said soon after she killed the mouse, it turned out to be her sister’s son she was living with.
ASP Yalley said Janet cut the boy several times with the sharp cutlass and even as he wailed for help, she did
not stop until he died. He said Janet’s mother who was in the room, raised an alarm for help and some tenants rushed
to the room to find the boy in a pool of blood.
They managed to disarm her and sent her to the police station. ASP Yalley said Janet will be arraigned before court.
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SHY TO BE SEEN EATING DEAD GOAT
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A young who is standing trial for allegedly stealing a goat from Jumapo has denied the charge and claimed that
he picked the carcass at a refuse dump at Asokore.
He said he took the animal to the bush to prepare it at dawn because “I was ashamed of being ridiculed for eating
a dead goat”.
Kwaku Ahinkan told the court that he found the dead goat at a refuse dump at dawn when he had gone there to ease
himself because there are no toilet facilities in his house.
Ahinkan is in the dock with Kwaku Aboagye for stealing a goat from Jumapo for a feast on October 29, last year
when they were arrested by the Asokore watching committee.
Aboagye has been on bail since last November, but Ahinkan, who was granted bail in the sum of five hundred thousand,
has found it very difficult to get a surety to stand for him. His father is said to have claimed that Ahinkan has
been a nuisance to the family for which he has even struck off his name from his will.
The Asokore watchdog committee said because of complaints from residents about increasing thievery in the area,
they mounted patrols. During one such patrols at dawn, they smelt the burning scent of an animal skin in the bush.
Chief Inspector Evelyn Addo, prosecuting, said two members of the committee went close to the bush where the scent
was coming from and they saw Ahinkan and Aboagye working on the animal at about 4 am and called for support to
arrest them.
She told the tribunal, chaired by Mr. Senyo Dzemefe, that when some members of the committee got to the scene Aboagye
had bolted with the meat while Ahinkan was found covering the blood and dropping of the animal with palm branches.
The prosecution said Ahinkan pulled out a knife and attempted stabbing one Akyaw, a member of the committee but
he was overpowered and arrested. Unfortunately for Ahinkan, the intestines of an animal fell from his pocket when
he was taking out the knife.
Ahinkan later told the police that it was Aboagye was later arrested.
A new date for the hearing is to be announced later.
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FRUSTRATION DRIVES WOMAN, 40, TO COMMIT SUICIDE
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A 40-year-old woman, Madam Rosemond Ofosuhene, was burnt to death when she was trapped in a house she deliberately
set on fire at the Awudome Estates in Accra on May 12, this year.
The house belongs to Mr. George Herbert, a boyfriend of the deceased.
Narrating the story, a source at the Kaneshie Police Station said that Rosemond and Mr. Herbert were in a relationship
for a long time now but any time she asked him to see her parents to perform the marriage rites, he refused with
the explanation that he was already married and could not take on a second wife.
Mr. Herbert’s wife is said to be currently out of the country.
The source said early this year, Rosemond raised the marriage issue again and Mr. Herbert warned her not to talk
about the issue again or they forget entirely about the relationship.
It said on May 11, this year, aroundHerbert’s house at Awudome Estates and threatened she was going to burn down
his BMW car.
Mr. Herbert managed to drive Rosemond away and made a formal complaint to the Kaneshie Police.
According to the source, when Mr. Herbert, accompanied by the police returned from the police station, they saw
smoke coming out of his house. When they drew closer to the rooms, they heard somebody screaming for help.
The thickness of the smoke made it difficult for the police to enter the room so they called in the Fire Service.
When personnel of the Fire Service arrived and put out the fire, they saw the body of Rosemond which was completely
burnt. Property worth millions of cedis was also destroyed.
The body has since been deposited at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.
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ACCUSED IMPLICATES WITNESS
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Wisdom Mensah who is accused of defrauding several people by false pretence, implicated two witnesses in a case
at a Koforidua circuit tribunal.
Wisdom claimed at the court that one of the witnesses used part of the proceeds of the deal to engage in gold business
while the other was his accomplice who also benefited from the booty.
And before Wisdom could descend from the dock, the tribunal, chaired by Mr. Senyo Dzamefe, ordered that the two
witnesses, Kwasi Bimpong and Bismark Asare, be arrested immediately because he suspected the accused and the witnesses
to be in a syndicate.
However, following pleas from the prosecution that the two are principal witnesses in the case, they were freed.
Prosecuting, Chief Superintendent Rose Bio, said Wisdom, who claimed to be an accounts clerkwith the cargo section
of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, in March last year, visited Koforidua and introduced himself as an agent contracted
by one Hackman and Debrah to recruit hands for the airline.
She said based on this representation, Wisdom contacted Bismark to find intrested personnel for him and asked the
prospective employees to pay between eighty thousand cedis and one hundred thousand cedis each to facilitate the
processing of their application letters.
Bismark, the prosecutor said, contacted 84 persons who expressed interest in the deal and contributed over eight
million cedis which he handed over to the accused.
Chief Superintendent Bio said when Wisdom collected the money, he left for Accra with the promise to secure them
the jobs by September, but Bismark got to know later the representation made by the accused was false and he started
a search for him.
According to the prosecutor on October 22, last year, Wisdom went to Koforidua to look for more people swindle
but he was arrested and detained at the Mobile Force charge office where he was said to have attempted to escape
but was re-arrested.
The accused, the prosecution claimed, admitted the offence but said he had handed over the money to one Hackman,
supposedly the general manager of KLM.
Chief Superintendent Bio said when officials of KLM were contacted, they admitted having a worker there by name
Hackman, but he denied having sent Wisdom to recruit people for the airline.
The court was also told that Wisdom contracted Bimpong to collect monies from Bismark and prospective applicants
in Accra and Bimpong allegedly succeeded in collecting twenty-four million cedis on behalf of Wisdom.
Wisdom, however, denied ever collecting eight million and 24 million cedis from Bismark and Bimpong respectively.
He said the two gave him some money which was less that the figures they were quoting. He also claimed that each
applicant paid 50 million cedis.
Bimpong gave two letters to the court which he claimed were written to him by Wisdom for two of the applicants
purported to have been signed by the general mangers of KLM and American Airlines.
The letter from KLM was purported to have been signed by one D. Hackman, General Manager, and addressed to one
Kwaku Nortey which said “in the light of your successful completion of six months probation, we can confirm your
status as a full-time employee at the cargo section on a gross salary of 120,000 cedis per month payable from September
15, 1997.”
The other letter from American Airlines was also purported to have been signed by its General Manager and addressed
to one Isaac Mills also on a salary of 150,000 cedis per month from the same time.
The case has been adjourned until further notice.
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DUTCH humiliates NIGERIA: 5-1
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It will be almost impossible to find Nigerians or for that matter Ghanaians who didn't watch the training match
between the Dutch and Nigerian national teams on Friday 6th of June. Thousands of supporters from both countries
were present in the Arena stadium which is located at the border of Amsterdam South East, a township with a large
number of inhabitants from West Africa. Even more spectators were glued in front of their televisionsets sharing
an enormous tension and .... deception.
What had promised to be a showcase of the potential of the Nigerian team to win the World Cup turned out to be
a big deception. Although the Nigerians were rated higher than the Dutch, it were the Dutch who exposed the Nigerian
eagles as a bunch of lame ducks.
During the first 28 minutes the Nigerian team managed to brush of the various Dutch attacks with sometimes forcefull
defensive actions. Then however Hasselbaink scored at close range after a pass from Overmars. After this the Nigerian
defence was shattered and allowed Overmars and Patrick Kluivert - both players appeared to be in perfect shape
- to score two goals each. Kanu made one countergoal from a penalty after a foul by Dirk Bogard.
The disappointing results were not totally unexpected because the Nigerians lost in a similar manner against the
Grasshoppers (4-0) and Yugoslavia (3-0). Despite the presence of starplayers such as Kanu, Finidi and Babangida
it appears coach Milutinovic has serious problems of transforming technically competent individuals into a winning
machine. |
HUMAN RIGHTS SCORED twice (Editorial)
|
t's a classic dilemma. Should we allow politics to interfere with sports or should we keep sports "clean"
from political interventions?
Many of us feel something like a sports boycot against Nigeria only hurts innocent sportsmen who just want to excel
in their sport and don't want to get involved with "politics". The military regime won't be affected.
But do such "innocent" sportsmen really exist?
Let us look for example at Kanu, one of Nigeria's best players. It is quite possible that Kanu is only interested
in his professional career. It is also possible that he is a fanatic supporter of Abacha just like it is possible
that he opposes Abacha. Whatever his opinion is, the world will never know for sure because there is no freedom
of speach in Nigeria.
Kanu has got the right to be in favor or against Abacha or to be simply indifferent and he also got the right to
express his opinion freely. However if Kanu speaks against Abacha, he (and his family) will be harassed, detained,
tortured or even killed. No matter how rich, successfull and respected Kanu might be, in essence he has to be silent.
Many Dutch people are ignorant about the political situation in Nigeria . Because of this Amnesty International
produced a tv-commercial in which an African keeper gets executed in front of his goal. This tv-commercial was
not broadcasted on NL 1,2,3 because of its alledged violent nature but the controversy about it created a lot of
publicity. Goal 1 for the human rights.
During the match between Nigeria and Holland many activists protested visibly for the media in the Arena against
the abuse of human rights in Nigeria. Goal 2 for the human rights.
As long as the general public is unware or indifferent about the situation in Nigeria there is little hope that
the Western governments take effective actions against Gen. Abacha. An oil boycot won't be imposed in the current
climate of ignorance and indifference.
Friday's friendly match created some of the much needed publicity for the human rights situation. The real winner
from this match was the daughter of the winner of the 94 elections Abiola who has since been detained.
She was in the Arena to seek publicity for her detained father and got it: her photo on the left made it to the
frontpage of the Volkskrant. This was an encouraging aspect of a disastrous match. |
WBA TO DECIDE JUNE 8 ABOUT IKE QUATEY'S TITLE DISPUTE:
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The World Boxing Association (WBA) has fixed June 8 for hearing of the Ike Quartey-Andrei Pestryaev mandatory title
bout dispute.
The hearing will take place in New York with the WBA boss, Gilberto Mendora, presiding.
This was contained in a letter dispatched to the Ringcraft Promotions and Management Syndicate by the WBA boss
last Saturday.
The hearing will involve the Ringcraft and their boxer, Ike Quartey, on one against the Acaries Brothers, managers
of the challenger, Andrei Pestryaev, on the other.
In connection with the hearing, officials of Ringcraft and Ike Quartey will left for New York on Friday June 5.
The new development dispels rumors circulating in boxing circles that Ike was over the weekend stripped of the
WBA welterweight crown for failing to defend it last May 15 against the Russian.
The Ike-Pestryaev bout has generated a lot of controversy following bungling and fumbling antics by the French
promoters, the Acaries Brothers.
It would be recalled that the bout was scheduled by the Acaries Brothers for last May 15, a date which was inconvenient
to Ike’s camp who wanted it in June.
Even though Acaries stuck to their guns to have the bout on May 15, it was only two days to the bout that they
dispatched plane tickets to Ike and his managers.
The Acaries also failed to meet certain conditions demanded by Ringcraft for accepting the bout which the Acaries
won the purse did to promote in French. |
All Blacks beat Kotoko 2-0
|
The entire Swedru township was thrown into wild celebrations when local side, All Blacks, brought Kumasi Asante
Kotoko down to earth wit a commanding 2-0 victory in their grudge league match at the Swedru Sports Stadium last
Sunday.
This victory served a dual purpose: a refreshing revenge for their first round 1-0 loss in Kumasi as well as a
feather in the cap of ex-Kotoko Chief Executive, George Aduse-Poku (Georgido) who is now in the camp of All Blacks
as a director.
The stadium witnessed perhaps one of the heaviest attendance in many years when numerous Kotoko supporters began
pouring in early in the day.
The home side opened up fiercely and made the first attempt at scoring after two minutes of play when Baba Adamu’s
shot missed target. But six minutes later, their efforts were rewarded when center forward Alhaji Shaibu capitalized
on a rebound after Kotoko’s goalkeeper Michael Abu failed to make a first-time save of a free-kick taken by Yaw
Berko.
After some fierce exchanges, All Blacks defender Kenneth Ababio sneaked from nowhere and blasted home the second
goal which caught Abu wrong footed just on the half-hour mark.
After this, the two sides began playing it hard after which Kokoto played their cards by bringing on Constant Mantey
for Abu and Osei Bonsu replacing Kalilu Dramani.
After lifting their game to salvage at least a point, Kotoko were just six minutes away from an embarrassing defeat
when fortune smiled on them after an All Blacks defender handled the ball in the penalty box for a spot kick.
Surprisingly, Emmanuel Ampiah’s kick hit the crossbar to seal their doom. |
GOLDFIELD’S WOES DEEPEN
|
Obuasi Goldfields’ returned to their ‘field’ of nightmares’, the Accra Sports Stadium, to taste another embarrassing
defeat at the hands of their newly-established bogey side, Accra Great Olympics, who grounded them 3-1.
The defeat could jeopardize the position of coach Ibrahim Sunday. Some of the club’s directors have already started
hinting that the job of the coach could be on the line as their patience seems to be running our after a series
of poor results since he took over.
Barely a minute after a close save in the 20theminute, the game was lifted by an individual brilliance when Charles
Taylor turned full-circle and bent the ball into the far right corner of he post for the match opener.
Goldfields began the second half more fiercely with the introduction of Joe Okyere and Kamara Dini who put pressure
on Olympics’ defence which was marshaled by skipper Odartey Lawson.
Like a carbon copy of the first half, the home side struck again when Emmanuel Aidoo ran for a loose ball and coolly
tapped in the second goal past on-rushing goalkeeper Osei Kwadwo, whose poor timing exposed the post.
Five minutes later, Goldfields’ resilience paid off when Ivorian international Brahima Kone slammed in their only
goal after Princeton Owusu-Ansah headed Boakye’s corner.
But Olympics put the game beyond the visitors’ when Amui Quaye drilled in the final nail in the coffin for the
miners in the 80th minute. A two man move between Taylor and Raja saw the latter meandering his way through a number
of tired-looking Goldfields legs for Taylor to further expose the flat-looking Goldfields. |
OKWAWU TRIUMPH
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| A well-organized Okwawu United continued with their recovery at home when they beat Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs 2-0
in their ABC league match played at Nkawkaw. Dwarfs' capatain, Osei Kuffour, who was earlier in the 21sit minute
shown yellow card for rough play, was sent off in the 27th minute for dissent by Tamale-based class one referee,
Ibrahim Iddrisu. Other Dwarfs players who attracted the yellow card for rough play were right-full back Victor
Antwi, inside right Rashid Iddi and central defender Philip Oguaa. After playing goalless in the first half, Okwawu
were rewarded in the 52nd minute when inside right and goal-getter Opoku Sampene scored from a goal-mouth melee.
After this goal, Okwawu took control and carried the game to their opponents and deservedly scored their second
goal through substitute Kennedy Amponsah. |
Hearts lift June four cup under floodlights.
|
Accra Hearts Oak beat arch rivals Kumasi Asante Kototo 7-6 on penalties to lift the June four anniversary trophy
in a special soccer match played at the Accra Sports Stadium on Thursday June 5. Scores at the end of regulation
90 minutes was 1-1.
The match, the first to be played under the newly-installed 3.5 billion cedi floodlights, formed part of the activities
marking the 19th anniversary celebrations of the June four uprising. President Jerry John Rawlings, who had earlier
watched the commissioning of the floodlights by Mr E. T. Mensah, Minister of Youth and Sports, presented the anniversary
trophy to skipper Nii Noi Dowuona of Hearts amidst cheers from the over capacity crowd.
Supported by vice-president Professor John Atta Mills, President Rawlings decorated the 22 players of both teams
with medals. In addition to the trophy, Hearts received a 20-inch television set and a deck while Kotoko also had
a 20-inch television set, all donated by Philips Electronics, contractors of their floodlights
Kotoko kicked off on a fast note after the pre-match inspection led y President Rawlings but it was Hearts who
took control in the first five minute and wasted three corner kicks. Kotoko nearly set the stadium ablaze in the
sixth minute when player-maker Prince Adu-Poku cleverly beat central efender Jacob Nettey and laid on a good pass
to striker Essuman Dadzie who blasted it off the body of on-rushing goalie Eben Dida.
Four minutes later Hearts' inside left Yaw Sakyi had a golden opportunity to put his side ahead but his final shot
after a move with striker Osumanu Amanu went straight to goalkeeper Mike Abu. Nettey was shown the first yellow
card by TogoleseFIFA referee Ekoue-Toulan Kouevi in the 21st minute.
He was immediately replaced by veteran defender Emmanuel Armah. Sakyi shot Hearts into the lead in the 43rd minute
through a spot-kick after he had been brought down by Kotoko's hard-tackler Victor Aidoo. Kotoko brought on ex-Hearts
attacker Godwin Ablorde and Mohammed Polo for right winger Abdulai Mustapha and left full back Samuel Bakai respectively
to start the second half. Sakyi nearly increased the tally for Hearts in the 55th minute after swapping passes
with Amadu but his final touch from close range was saved by goalie Abu.
Hearts brought on Robert Saba and Joe Ansah for left winger Emmanuel Adjorgu and Kofi Owusu respectively in the
75th minute. But it was Kotoko who equalised two minutes later from Essuman Dadzie's header. During the penalty
shoot outs, Rober Saba, Emmanuel Armah, Joe Ansah, Eben Dida, Charles Allotey, Amankwah Mireku and Sani Wahab scored
for Hearts, while Emmanuel Ampiah, Victor Aidoo, Polo, Godwin Ablorde Adu-Poku and Osei Bonsu netted for Kotoko.
Sakyi (Hearts), Dadzie and Emmanuel Badu of Kotoko wasted their kicks. |
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