GTV BREAKFAST SHOW NEWSPAPER REVIEW

 MODERATOR	:JOJO GRAVES WOODE
 PANELISTS	:KWEKU BAAKO
 MOHAMMED AWAL 

PRESS FREEDOM, NPP STYLE --- RADIO GOLD PRESENTERS HAULED TO CASTLE FOR DARING TO QUESTION KWABENA AGYEPONG RUDELY

For daring to call Presidential Press Secretary Kwabena Agyepong on the air without alerting him to the nature of the questions to be asked or the other participants in the discussions, three Radio Gold presenters found themselves in “hot waters” at the hands of President Kufuor’s media monitors last Thursday. The three, Ms. Obuobea, Mr. Roland Acquah Stevens and Mr. Agyenim-Boateng. were summoned to the Castle immediately after they had finished what is arguably Ghana’s finest newspaper review programme, “Gold Paper Review” – The Ghana Palaver

Awal - I don’t think anything nasty or bad happened to the three Radio Gold presenters because we have press freedom in this country. The President’s Press Secretary should not do anything which will annoy journalists in this country. We have come a long way in creating democratic structures and Kwabena Agyepong should be careful not to tarnish the good image of the government.

Baako - If the Presidential Press Secretary has any problem with the Radio Gold presenters, he should channel his grievances through the National Media Commission for critical analysis and judgement. He should not take the law into his hands and try to bully any journalist in this country. We have come a long way in establishing press freedom in Ghana and he will fail if he tries to create problems for the media in the country. We shall resist him because freedom of the media must prevail in this country. During the NDC era, most journalists were terrorised and intimidated. We stood firmly to defend press freedom in this country. Kwabena Agyepong will fail if the tries to subdue and intimidate journalists. These three Radio Gold presenters may just have been called to the Castle for interrogation to establish the truth.

NDC CREATES PANIC AT AIRPORT AS RAWLINGS ARRIVES HOME

Over two hundred and fifty supporters of the NDC were on Sunday evening bussed for a fee of ?5,000 each to welcome the party’s founder, Mr. Rawlings, and his wife Nana Konadu, at the Kotoka International Airport. However, what was supposed to be a warm welcome ceremony turned out to be a confrontation between security personnel at the entrance of the KIA lounge and the predominantly Nina-Maamobi hired fans of the NDC. – The Daily Guide

Awal - I think ex-President Rawlings should move away from domestic politics and allow Prof. Atta Mills to campaign towards election 2004. Prof. Mills is the leader of the NDC and the supporters should focus on him to transform NDC into a formidable force to face NPP in their strongholds in the regions. NDC supporters from Nima-Maamobi were hired to go to the airport to welcome the former president and cheer him up. They didn’t mean to cause any trouble or havoc. It is now time for these Nima boys to stop following Mr. Rawlings. They must marginalize him in the party and give their total attention to Prof. Mills who is their flagbear.

Baako - The popularity of Prof. Atta Mills will be determined in the 2004 elections and I would not like to make any predictions now. Some NDC members still like ex-President Rawlings and they were there to cheer him up at the Kotoka International Airport. There was some confusion and misunderstanding between the Nima boys, the security personnel at the airport and some media men. During the struggle to film Mr. Rawlings at the airport, some video cameras were destroyed and seized and the coverage ended up in total confusion. Nobody is preventing these Nima boys from welcoming their past leader but they needed to comport themselves. We should not allow this to happen again.

METRO TV GOOD MORNING GHANA

 MODERATOR	:	RANDY ABBEY
 PANELISTS	:	ALFRED OGBAMEY
 ASARE OTCHERE DARKO
 EDGAR WIREDU
 

TOP GCB OFFICIALS SACKED OVER ?17 BILLION

Eight members of staff of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) have been dismissed for various acts involving over ?18.5 billion and another senior official and his appointment terminated. Of the eight who were dismissed, the most senior was Mr. Kwabena Dapaah-Siakwan, a former Deputy Managing Director. His dismissal, which was for gross misconduct for the overpayment of ?17.6 billion to Express Funds International, took effect from August 27, 2003. – The Daily Dispatch

Wiredu - These eight Ghana Commercial Bank workers are corrupt officials who should be disciplined for mismanagement of the financial administration of the bank. The Board of Directors of the GCB has the responsibility and authority to fire any stubborn staff who want to create any financial mismanagement. Any bank worker who is incapable of performing efficiently should be fired without mercy.

Darko The Ghana Commercial Bank has many problems to solve in order to upgrade standards at the bank. Their annual audit reports should be submitted on time to establish any corruption or mismanagement in their financial accounting system. GCB also urgently needs professionals and specialists, foreign and local, to assist in their computerization programme. The bank should aim at making profit and we should not allow a few workers to steal and mismanage the bank. The authorities must deal with the culprits accordingly.

Alfred - Embezzling or stealing ?18.5 billion is a criminal offence and they should be dealt with according to the laws of the land. The GCB should have an independent board to deal with matters of mismanagement and corruption. There should be no mercy for corrupt officials who want to tarnish the good name of the board of directors of GCB. These workers want easy money so they have designed a strategy to cause financial loss to the state. A committee should be set up to investigate matters and a report should be submitted to the Ministry of Finance for necessary action to be taken against these eight corrupt bank officials.

ASHANTI DECIDES ON WEDNESDAY?

Shareholders of Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited would by Wednesday, this week, declare where to place the fate of the very rich Obuasi and some five or so other mines that come together as Ashanti. That would effectively bring to an end all the moves of the two bidders, Anglo Gold of South Africa and Randgold of United Kingdom. – The Network Herald

Darko - Ashanti Goldfields Company will take an important decision tomorrow to accept or reject the two bidders. Randgold of United Kingdom proposes to sign a 1.4 billion dollar agreement with Ashanti in order to invest in the expansion work in the mines. They are planning to modernise and increase production of gold by 33% during a five-year period.

Alfred - AGC is facing rough times and they need Randgold or Anglogold to help overcome the economic recession and the fall in gold production at Ashanti. Dr. Sam Jonah is doing an excellent job as a CEO, but the interest of Ghanaians is very important. Ghana has a strategic interest. Government has a golden share and I think the government needs to approve this agreement. AGC needs more foreign capital to expand.

Wiredu - AngloGold of South Africa has proposed investing about $1.1 billion into Ashanti. I am not interested in the amount invested but what benefits we shall derive from it. The investors must create better employment opportunities for the youth. They must address the major environmental problems facing the people of Obuasi in order for them to improve their livelihood. We should not just sit down and allow AngloGold and Randgold to exploit our gold and send it abroad to go and enrich themselves in UK and South Africa.