The Graphic describes the just-ended PANAFEST '97, as a success story in main story on its front page. Under the heading: "PANAFEST '97...A success story, the Graphic says this year's Pan African Historical and Theatre Festival (PANAFEST) which ended last Sunday, emerged more successful than previous editions of the event. The Graphic says the festival recorded over 1,200 listed international participants from 23 countries in addition to thousands of unlisted participants. Additionally, participants at the festival fully paid for the cost of their accommodation, meals as well as other expenses at the event, thus taking a huge financial burden off the shoulders of the organisers. GRI

The senior staff of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have called off their industrial action embarked upon last week, says the Graphic in another front page story. The paper says according to a press statement, a meeting of IRS management, Senior Staff Association (SSA) Executive and their regional representatives on Monday agreed to call off the sit-down strike action for their members to return to work today (Tuesday September 9). The Graphic recalls that the senior staff embarked on the industrial action to back their demands for the reintroduction of allowances to them. GRI

"Seminar on VAT opens", is the headline of a centre spread story which says the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Gilbert Iddi has called on critics of the Value Added Tax (VAT) to offer constructive suggestions for its successful implementation rather than merely trying to 'shoot it down at all cost". "Some people think to get political power, they must always condemn the VAT notwithstanding any positive contribution it can make to the growth of the economy", the Graphic quoted him as saying. According to the Graphic, Mr Iddi made the call at the opening of a two-day seminar on VAT for officers of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) and the Non-Formal Education Division of the Ministry of Education at Tamale yesterday.

GHANAIAN TIMES Many people have turned Christians not because they have faith in God but because they want to be given a fitting burial after death, the Times quoted the Reverend Peter Kodjo, Ga Presbytery chairman-elect, as saying in the main front page story of the paper. According to the Times, Rev. Kodjo said every Christian should have faith in Jesus because he brings hope to the hopeless heart, good news of truth and good news of peace. He said if all Christians will honestly give themselves to God and do what is right, some of the problems facing the nation will be solved. The Times says Rev. Kodjo was preaching the sermon at Odumase- Krobo in the Eastern Region on Sunday during the national conference and the 41st anniversary celebration of the Ghana Presbyterian Singing Bands Union. GRI

In another front page story, the times reports that President Jerry John Rawlings yesterday granted audience to Ms Diane Marleau, Canada's Minister for International Cooperation, and expressed appreciation for that country's economic support for Ghana. The story headlined "President receives Canadian Minister", the Times says President Rawlings recalled that in the early '80s when Ghana was in the doldrums, "Canada stood by us because it had a clear understanding of what was happening". Canada, he said, was one of the countries which supported the Economic Recovery and the Structural Adjustment Programmes, thus helping to lay a foundation for the current democratic process. GRI

In a back page story headlined: "VRA pays compensation to 286 Brong Ahafo farmers", the Times says after more than five agonizing and frustrating years of waiting for compensationfor the destruction of their farms for an electrification project, 286 out of 324 farmers in the Brong Ahafo Region have received payments from the Volta River Authority (VRA). The Times says three of the beneficiaries died before the payment of the compensation which was made between August 26 and September 2, this year. According to the paper, Mr Meister Afriyie, VRA Corporate Estate Officer, disclosed this to the Times at Sunyani yesterday. GRI