The Dispatch

***********

In a front-page lead story, the Dispatch reports the Presidential Staffer on Chieftaincy Affairs, Nana Akuoko Sarpong as describing the Mayor of Kumasi, Nana Akwasi Agyeman as ?a gentleman who Has served so well, has been able to uplift the level of sanitation in Kumasi and who has worked tirelessly day in and day out?. The paper says Nana Akuoko Sarpong was commenting on the selection process in which Nana Kwaku Dua emerged as the new Asantehene and speculations that an official government Delegation had allegedly pressurised the Asantehemaa, Nana Afua Kobi Serwaa Ampem II to nominate Nana Akwasi Agyeman, one of the seven candidates for the Golden Stool. The Presidential Staffer was responding to questions from the host of the JOY FM talk show, ?Front Page?, Kwaku Sakyi- Addo, last Friday. According to the Dispatch Nana Akuoko Sarpong admitted that the Kumasi Mayor is ?a friend of the government, he is a member of government and if for any reason, members of the government were pushing informally about his occupation of the throne, he was as qualified as any other contestant?.

The paper says Nana Akuoko Sarpong responding directly to Sakyi-Addo?s question as to whether the government tried to pressurise the Asantehemaa in favour of Akwasi Agyeman, said: ?Not at all. People are reading too much into the visit to the Queenmother. The problem is?that, just after the death of Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, a high-powered government delegation was in Kumasi to console with the people of Ashanti. And the visit was just a post-funeral consolation. It was not meant to be arm-twisting anybody at all. I can hang on that?.

Weekly Insight

*************

?J.J.?s man is missing?, says the lead headline of the Weekly Insight. The Accompanying story says members of the family of Eddie Mends, a member of the erstwhile National Investigation Committee (NIC) have no doubt that the authorities who hated his guts, have dispatched him to an unmarked grave. ?He was too honest for their liking and his crusade against corruption in the early days of the revolution, was a source of worry for some in the leadership. I am not surprised that they eventually framed him up and killed him?, the Weekly Insight quotes a close relative of Eddie Mends as saying. According to the paper Eddie was last seen or heard of 10 years ago, when he was accused of plotting with Major Courage Quarshigah (rtd) and others to overthrow the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) then chaired by Flt-Lt Jerry Rawlings. The paper says Quarshigah, Squadron- Leader Eddie Akakpo and a couple of others were arrested, detained and later released after the government issued a statement to the effect that Quarshigah's parents had been asked to advise him to abandon the path of subversion. Eddie Mends? parents, the Weekly Insight says, insist that he was also picked up from home and was initially detained at the headquarters of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) but security sources say that he escaped arrest and has not been traced since. The paper quotes Ted Gbodo, a close friend of Eddie?s as saying: ?I am fed up with all these cock and bull stories. Eddie was arrested and there is no doubt that he was kept in the cells at the BNI headquarters. Somebody has to explain what happened to him?.

Free Press ******** The Free Press says Ghanaians have become so apprehensive about the calamity which is befalling the once powerful and revered traditional political institution of chieftaincy. In a front page story headlined: ?Reign of death?16 chiefs die in one year?, the paper says, unprecedented in the history of this nation, ?our chiefs are dying at a rate that gives great cause for concern?. According to the Free Press, within a short period of one year, from March 1998 to date, the Chieftaincy Secretariat has recorded the deaths of 15 chiefs and a queenmother. The paper says so continuous is the pace of death that Ghanaians have to mourn the Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, Dormaahene, Nana Agyeman Badu and the Okyehene, Osagyefo Kuntunkununku II in a roll. It says this sad state of affairs paints a gloomy future for the chieftaincy institution whose fortunes started waning at the turn of this century.

Daily Graphic

***********

?10 drown in Accra?, says a banner headline of the Daily Graphic. The paper reports that the last Easter beach festivities recorded a number of fatalities with as many as 10 people drowning at various beaches within the Accra metropolis. The beaches, it says, include Dansoman, La Pleasure, Korle Gonno and Osu. The Graphic quotes police sources as saying that five of the bodies have so far been washed ashore while the other five are still missing. The Dansoman Police recorded four deaths, one female and three males, our of which three bodies have been washed ashore. The remaining one is still missing. The paper says the three bodies have been deposited at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital mortuary for autopsy. The names of those who drowned at the Dansoman beach have been given as Gabriel Issah, 14, Kojo, 16, Ebenezer Mavin Nortey, 12 and Joris Avorgbedor, 19. The Graphic says at the Korle Gonno beach, Kojo Ayariga, 20, drowned and the body which was washed ashore yesterday afternoon, has also been deposited at the Korle-Bu mortuary. The paper reports that the La Police has also received a complaint from some life guards working at the La Pleasure beach that two persons drowned and one of the bodies has been washed ashore. The body which is yet to be identified, has been deposited at the 37 Military Hospital mortuary. The Osu Police also recorded three deaths through drowning but the bodies are still missing. Meanwhile police personnel are combing the beaches and an appeal has been made to the public to report any body found ashore.

In another front page story headlined: ?Inflation rate drops to 15%?, the Graphic reports that the rate of inflation in the country is now 15 per cent, adding that inflation at the end of last year was 15.7 per cent. It says the current figure, according to the Bank of Ghana, gives a lot of hope for the rest of the year. The Graphic quotes Dr Kofi Wampah, Head of the Research Department of the bank as saying that based on the results of the first three months of the year, the prospects for the rest of the year look promising and that ?all the financial targets appear to be attainable?. Dr Wampah was speaking at the opening of a three-day seminar on banking and finance for financial and economic journalists in Accra yesterday. Dr Wampah is reported as saying that depending on the continuous tightening of monetary policy as well as achievements of budgetary targets, the 9.5 per cent target set for inflation this year

Ghanaian Times

*************

?Nurses call off strike?After marathon meeting?, says the lead headline story of the Ghanaian Times. The paper says after a marathon meeting in Accra yesterday between the executives of the Ghana Registered Nurses? Association (GRNA)and Nurse Anaesthetists on one hand, and the Ministers of Health and Employment and Social Welfare on the other, the nurses agreed to call off their strike with immediate effect and resume duty. The Times says the meeting which began at 10 a.m. at the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, ran into a deadlock in the afternoon and had to be reconvened in the evening until a compromise was reached at 9 p.m. A communiqu? jointly signed by the two Ministers Mr Samuel Nuamah Donkor and Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni on one hand and Mrs Emma Banga, President of the GRNA and Mr Felix Fonder, Vice-President for the Nurse Anaesthetists agreed on five points of interest to both sides.

These are: * All health workers/professionals who do overtime would be paid allowances for extra duty hours (overtime) actually done. * The overtime payment will be based on the submission of duty rosters authorised by heads of departments and institutions and attendance books. * All health workers on strike should resume work immediately. * Within a month from the submission of completed data, the government side will effect payment of all overtime claims. * The effective date of implementation will be January 1, 1999. GRi../

In a second front page story, the Times reports that the Local Organising Committee (LOC) which was responsible for the organisation of the Africa Youth Soccer Championship in Accra last February, spent a total of 3.5 billion cedis on the tournament. In a story headlined: ?LOC spent 3.5bn cedis on tournament ? Accountant?, the Times quotes Mr James Tiigah, accountant of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as giving evidence to the committee investigating the award of contracts for the Accra and Kumasi sports stadia rehabilitation works at its sitting in Accra yesterday.

Mr Tiigah said the expenditure covered accommodation, transportation, feeding and allowances for the officials and teams which took part in the tournament. According to him accommodation and feeding alone amounted to over 1.3 billion cedis. On transportation for the teams and officials during the tournament, he is reported as telling the probe that the LOC liaised with Speedway Travel and Tours, a tour company, which put together a fleet of 32 saloon cars, eight cross-country vehicles, three mini-buses, two vans and eight other buses. The accountant said before the tournament, it was estimated that 55 would be needed for officials and the teams but it was realised that more vehicles would be needed. He said the company charged cedis for the use of the vehicles based on the dollar rate at that time.