The Ghanaian Times: INTERPOL hunts for Hajia Baby Ocansey

The Ghanaian Times reports in a front-page story that Hajia Amina B. Abubakar Sadiq, popularly called Hajia Baby Ocansey, 55, is wanted by the International Police (INTERPOL) concerning the $1.5 million dollar scandal that has rocked the Bank of Ghana (BOG).

The paper reports that the police have also asked anyone who knows the whereabouts of the culprit or comes across her to inform the nearest police station or the Commissioner of Police. According to the story, Hajia Ocansey, a native of Ada, in the Greater Accra Region, went into hiding in March after top BOG officials detected the deal. She is said to have a history of criminal activities and convictions.

It says in the 1980's, she was listed as one of the most wanted persons in the books of the security agencies.

The paper says the current scandal involved the honouring of a fake bank draft in November last year when Hajia Ocansey allegedly presented the draft to BOG. Two senior BOG officials, SDKN Gavor and Justice Ofosu Larbi, are on trial in relation to the deal. More../

Two teachers to take paternity test

In another front-page story, the Times says the Akim-Oda Family Tribunal, chaired by Mr. S.D. Alhassan, has directed that paternity tests be conducted on two babies to determine whether two teachers, Samuel Djan of Oforikrom Local Authority JSS and Takyi Bempong of Akim Achiase Salvation Army JSS, fathered them.

The Times alleges that the two in respective incidents impregnated the two JSS girls, who were their students.

Times says when the parents of the girls detected the pregnancy and questioned them, they mentioned the teachers as being responsible but they denied responsibility resulting in the case being sent to the tribunal.

The Times report carries that the test can only be conducted on the babies six months after delivery. GRi../

The Daily Graphic: Census results ready July

The Daily Graphic says in a banner story that provisional results of the 2000 Population and Housing Census will be released by the end of next month, according to information it received from the Census Secretariat.

Dr. Kwku Twum-Baah, acting Government Statistician is said to have told a workshop for 400 Post Enumeration Survey personnel that final results will be ready by the end of the year.

Dr Twum-Baah is reported as saying that the training workshop is expected to equip the field personnel with basic knowledge of all aspects of the exercise namely; census concepts, techniques and procedures for obtaining information in the field, as well as means of checking the consistency of responses to questions asked.

According to the Graphic, the government statistician stressed that PES results are not meant to replace or adjust data already collected during the census, explaining that it is intended to analyse the margin of error in the exercise and should therefore not delay the processing of main data census.

GJA deplores practice

The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has deplored the practice where certain members of the public organise press conferences but refuse to answer questions from journalists, reports the Daily Graphic in a front-page coverage.

GJA President, Mrs. Gifty Affenyi Dadzie, indicated in a statement that the attitude is against the ethics and practice of the journalism world-wide.

The GJA's statement contained that it has, for sometime now, noted with deep concern an emerging trend, where groups and individuals try to suggest that journalists are welcome only when their assistance is needed for information dissemination or to help fight a cause or gain.

The statement, according to the paper, deplored this dysfunctional trend and reminded the public that the media serve different publics at the same time, pointing out that there are always more than one side to any given issue to which the public possess the right to be fully informed. "In this respect, the GFA condemns in no uncertain terms those who of late, organise press conferences only to state their side of an issue and rudely refuse to address questions from journalists", the Graphic quoted her as saying. GRi../

The Evening News: Tension mounts within Upper West NDC

In a front-page coverage, 'The Evening News' reports that the scramble for NDC parliamentary seats in the Upper West Region has become so tensed that if not handled with utmost care and tact, it could lead to the breakdown of the party.

According to the Evening News, the controversy is over the retention of 'sitting Members of Parliament', most of whom have done two terms, and fresh blood aspirants, who feel the two terms is enough and that given the chance they could do better.

The Evening News reports that political analysts are of the view that an amicable settlement of the impasse could give a breakthrough towards a sweeping victory while a mess up will be to the advantage of the opposition who are yet to make an impact in the area.

The Evening News says in view of this development, a meeting of top ranking functionaries of the party is being held behind closed doors to iron out pertinent issues and map out strategies towards ensuring a massive victory in the December elections. GRi../

The Crusading Guide: Probe report silent on role of Mills and co!

The Crusading Guide says in its banner story that the call for investigations into the murky transfer of Ghanaian footballers abroad and a consequential appointment of men of integrity by President Rawlings to do the job left the public with two opinions as to its efficient execution.

The paper says many were those who cherished the hope that it was going to be a genuinely even-handed attempt at exposing wrong doing in the transfer system.

The Crusading Guide says, in some circles however, the optimism was exercised with extreme caution due especially to the perceived involvement of certain "high and mighty" people in the football business, including the Vice President, Prof. J. E. Atta Mills.

The story identifies Prof. Mills as the Vice Chairman of the Hearts Board that transferred late soccer maestro, Shamo Quaye, in 1995 to Sweden's UMEA FC in what turned out to be a great scandal.

According to the paper, tongues are wagging that Justice Nassr Sule Gbadegbe somehow forgot to cast his investigation dragnet wide enough to reach the shores of the Ato Ahwoi, Ernest Thompson and Prof. Mills who transferred Shamo to Sweden for about 1.5 billion cedis amidst great financial controversy. GRi../

The Graphic Showbiz: Miss Ghana back on board

"Miss Ghana Mariam Sugru Bugri has eaten back her words", the Graphic Showbiz carries as an opening to its story in which it says that less than a week after the reigning Miss Ghana had virtually sworn not to go near a small aircraft for a long time, she limped her way up the gangway of an Air Force Forker 27, the same make that crashed with her and 51 others on board, killing seven of the passengers.

Showbiz quotes Miss Bugri to have stated earlier in an interview that "it will take me sometime to go with a small one..." but says in less than a week after the interview, she limped her way up the gangway of yet this one.

"Brave Mariam had been invited to the Air Force Base in Accra from where JOY FM was broadcasting a special edition of its Super Morning Show hosted by Komla Dumor some three hundred metres from the crash site", states the Showbiz.

The paper says on board the airlink, Marian recounted her frightening experience of the crash sitting in the exact seat location that she had in the other plane.

"If her visit was to purge her emotions, it worked because she came off smiling", says the paper. Showbiz quotes Captain Mamphey, Air Force Director of Operations to have stated that Mariam's decision to go on board was good one, explaining that it was the first therapy given to Air Force pilots after a crash.

Miss Ghana is reported to have recounted that the whole incident happened in a twinkle of an eye. "I was expecting the first soft bump of the plane's wheels as they touched the tarmac. The bump came alright but nothing more. All of a sudden I felt I was being thrown forward by a strong force. There was a variety of tearing and metal on metal sounds. Then as suddenly as it had come, everything came to a stop", she said. GRi../

The Independent: Rawlings stands accused again.

The Independent reports that the first Prime Minister of the Gambia, Sir Dauda Jawara who was overthrown in 1994 by current Gambia leader, Yahaya Janmeh is accusing Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi of masterminding his overthrow.

According to the paper, Sir Jawara also accused President Rawlings of playing a sinister role following the coup in Gambia in an interview with "Africa Now", a premier African magazine. According to the ex-Prime Minister, Ghana was used as transit quarters for flying dissidents from Gambia for training in Libya.

The paper quoted Sir Jawara as saying; " Our friend in Ghana- Rawlings-he too played a sinister role following the coup in the Gambia. Immediately after the coup when Gaddafi hijacked the coup, Rawlings was one of the instruments of Gaddafi in actually entrenching the boys into position. They soon visited Rawlings in Ghana. His Minister of Local Government at that time Kojo Tsikata trained them..."

Asked to comment on the above allegations, a highly placed government official who pleaded anonymity dismissed the allegations of Sir Jawara as unfounded and even "nonsensical". "It is true President Rawlings paid a visit to Gambia and even hosted Lieutenant Janmeh. It is also true that Ghana offered some assistance to The Gambia including helping them to set up a Citizens Vetting Committee headed by Bright Akwetey, but such bilateral assistance does not amount to Ghana having helped to legitimise the coup in Gambia", he said. GRi.../

The Accra Mail: Violence, who is to blame

The Accra Mail says President Rawlings' speech at the El-Wak sports Stadium during the celebration of the 21st anniversary of the June 4, 1979 have been seized upon by those who are not enamoured of him as yet another example of the man's hankering for things undemocratic and violent.

The paper states that his supporters however applaud him urging him on to say what ever comes to his mind for " that's his style".

The paper continues that a senior newspaper editor once said that Rawlings sells their newspapers for them, explaining further that any time they are dry for news, Rawlings lets drop some words or the other which then gets everybody rushing to condemn him and his corner-men and women to defend him.

Citing the recent violence at the Asylum Down, a suburb of Accra, the paper says it is interpreted as a manifestation of the democratisation of violence - a Rawlings doctrine. More../

Distressed banks lose BOG support The Accra Mail in another story says the Bank of Ghana (BOG) has warned that distressed banks would be allowed to collapse.

According to the paper, Mr. Asiedu- Mantey, Head of the Banking Supervision Department of BOG, in a statement read for him at the seventh annual general meeting of the Upper Manya Krobo Rural Bank limited at Asesewa in the Eastern Region, said the BOG would no more protect insolvent banks from collapsing. It said such banks will be liquidated and their licenses withdrawn. He said the BOG is sending a "note of caution to all banks that the practice, where banks are protected from collapsing is a thing of the past", and any rural or community bank, which developed serious solvency and liquidation problem would not be allowed to continue operation. GRi.../

The Guide: Mafia bosses rule CEPS

The commissioner of CEPS, Nii Okine Adjei has indicated that some very big and powerful men, intent on sabotaging the economy of Ghana, and dragging his name into the mud, control the service, reports the Guide.

The Commissioner said since he assumed office, he has tried to plug all the loopholes that used to favour these fraudsters and due to this, they have a smear campaign against him and hold the service to ransom.

According to the paper the Commissioner on "Joy FM Radio Programme", described these big men who he did not name as crooks and fraudsters with sophisticated systems of operation aimed at looting the economy.

This was in reaction to media reports that CEPS had evaded tax in the importation of computers for the service, and the fact that he in particular benefits financially from the deal. GRi.../

The Ghanaian Democrat: Veranda shakes Nkawkaw

The Ghanaian Chronicle in a front-page story says the inauguration of the Nkawkaw branch of the Young Traders Association (YTA) under the auspices of the Veranda Boys and Girls (VBGC) at the commercial capital of the Kwahus last Saturday was a never to be forgotten affair.

According to the paper, this was probably one event the opposition, especially the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who control the three Kwahu seats did not bother about, but if the NPP sent their agents to spy the function, the reports would send shivers down their spine.

The paper continues that it was a good spectacle for the NDC as they prepare to make in-roads in the Kwahu area and capture the seats held by the NPP. If Nkawkaw is anything to go by, then the Veranda Train will surely deliver a lot of hitherto opposition supporters to the NDC by December, the paper said. More../

Obed on the economy

The Ghanaian Democrat discloses that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Obed Asamoah has described Mr J A kufuor, the NPP flagbearer's claim that when voted into power he would eradicate poverty within a year in the country as a voodoo economic theory. He therefore urged all decent people of Ghana to dismiss with contempt Kufuor's desperate statement.

According to the paper, he made this statement when he addressed members of the Young Traders Association at the inauguration of the Nkawkaw branch of the association at Nkawkaw. He stated that the current economic difficulties require no magic wand adding that Ghanaians must change their habits and attitudes for foreign taste.

Dr Asamoah was not happy that the youth are all deserting the farm lands and moving into cities to sell foreign goods adding that in the process " they scramble for the few dollars brought into the country by the country's hard working cocoa farmers.