MODERATOR : JOJO GRAVES-WOODE
PANELISTS : BEN EPHSON
KAFUI ASEM

COCOA PRICE UNDER REVIEW

INTRODUCTION

The Producer Price Review Committee of the COCOBOD is to meet to deliberate on a new producer price for cocoa. The review will help to attain the 69 percent target of the projected Free on Board (FOB) price the government intended to pay cocoa farmers. Mr. Kwme Sarpong, Chief Executive of COCOBOD, gave the assurance when he addressed the 10th anniversary and annual general meeting of “Kuapa Kokoo” a private licensed cocoa buying company in Kumasi. – The Daily Graphic

Ben - It is good the Producer Price Review Committee is slowly undertaking a price review programme to help farmers get a reasonable price for cocoa in this country. We should improve upon the price level in order to attract more farmers into cocoa production.

Kafui - I think we should go back to the Akuffo Cheque system introduced during the PNDC regime to ensure prompt payment of cocoa farmers. I was part of the management team that designed the Akuffo Cheque system but the system collapsed when purchasing clerks and officials started paying our rural cocoa farmers with fake currency notes. This time we should monitor the payment thoroughly.

KWESI BOTCHWEY – MILLS RUNNING MATE

INTRODUCTION

There are very credible indications that the running mate to the 2004 Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Prof. Evans Atta Mills, will be the man he defeated at the primaries, Dr. Kwesi Botchwey. A series of in-depth interviews over the past week have confirmed the speculations as other pieces of analysis far outweigh the likely drawback that both of them are from the same Akan ethnic group- Fantes. – The Daily Dispatch

Kafui - Last years congress divided the two politicians. It would be advisable for them to unite and mobilise the NDC to become a strong and solid party for 2004 elections. Dr. Kwesi Botchwey may be a good running mate for the NDC presidential candidate.

Ben - The two candidates are Fantis who could be a strong force to assist the NDC to win power. Most people prefer candidates from the three Northern Regions as presidential running mates. I think we should encourage Dr. Kwesi Botchwey because he is a good politician with much experience.

WEREKO-BROBBY’S MILLION DOLLAR OIL “WANKER”

INTRODUCTION

Over the last few months, the Ghanaian public has been taken for a huge super-ride by the local media steered directly by the fallen head of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby. As attention was riveted to internal matters at VRA it afforded Dr. Wereko-Brobby the opportunity to concentrate on ‘weightier matters’ – the lucrative secretive matter of crude oil procurement that has already seen $1.73 million paid out by Jabesh Amissah Authur with a wink and nod from a cunning and a clever Tarzan. – The Chronicle

Ben - The Chief of Staff raised certain issues which show that Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby’s administration has created some financial loss to the state. The VRA legislative instrument and conditions of service should be reviewed in future. Government should go ahead and expose the corruption of the CEO and his deputy.

Kafui - Some politicians from the NPP have taken sides in the VRA saga in order to achieve their political goals. The Minister of Energy should get to the bottom of the matter and expose the corruption and embezzlement in VRA. The statements of the Committee of Enquiry should be published so that the media can publish the inside story of the VRA. We should stop the speculations in VRA.

METRO TV GOOD MORNING GHANA

MODERATOR : RANDY ABBEY
PANELISTS : KWESI PRATT
NANA OFORI ATTA

LYS HAYFRON ASARE

HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO GET ACCREDITATION

INTRODUCTION

The government is to institute a programme to give accreditation to health care facilities as part of its plans to regulate the NHIS. Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, Health Minister, disclosed this in a speech read on his behalf at the opening ceremony of the 10th national delegates conference of the Ghana National Chemical Sellers Association in Sunyani – The Daily Graphic

Nana - We should not close down all chemical shops in the country in order to ensure good health care facilities for the rural folk. We should encourage and help them to acquire pharmaceutical licenses to operate legally in the system.

Pratt - We should try to establish good standard for all pharmaceutical shops in the country. We should certify them to enable them join the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable us to dispense good drugs to the public.

Lys - The Monitoring and Evaluation Unit of Ghana Pharmaceutical Council goes round to ensure that good drugs are dispensed to the people in the rural areas. We should arrest fake drugs peddlers in the system.

THE DYING METRO MASS BUS SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION

The follow-up on the performance of the Metro Mass Transport system after the news that about 50% of the buses have broken down seem to suggest that nothing has changed. – The Net Work Herald

Lys - These Metro buses are old and abandoned buses manufactured in Italy and dumped on us. We should start rejecting these buses and import new and modern ones. The buses were left in floodwaters which resulted in their total collapse.

Nana - We should send some of the Metro Buses to Suame Magazine in Kumasi to rehabilitate them to perform efficiently. These buses are old and outmoded. They are out of use in Italy and were dumped on Ghana. We have made a bad choice by importing all these buses into the country. I am worried about the poor management of Metro bus system.

Pratt - We should appreciate that these buses are gifts from Italy so we should not make any noise if they are collapsing on our roads. These old buses are dangerous for our environment. These buses are polluting our cities. We should import more spare parts. The buses were left in floodwaters and they got destroyed. The mass metro transport system has been a failure because of negligence by the management to find a good parking spot for them. We should establish an integrated iron and steel industry to supply materials to the transport industry. The Minister of Transport should not send people to Italy to negotiate for new spare parts. Many people don’t reach home early because these metro buses are inefficient. The Minister is not telling the real truth about the collapse of the metro bus services in the country.

WEREKO BROBBY’S MILLION-DOLLAR OIL ‘WANKER’

Pratt - Something has gone wrong in VRA so he Dr. Wereko Brobby was forced to resign. The rental of the Strategic Reserve Plant, the General Electricity Company rented a second-hand plant to assist VRA and $11 million dollars have been spent on the plant which resulted in about $20 million dollars loss to the state. Some oil was imported into the country and the quality of the oil was not accurate. It was a bad quality oil which resulted in the damage of the Strategic Reserve Plant. The media was divided on the issue. Some journalists were in support of Tarzan when he increased his salary by 300% in VRA and imported luxury cars and vehicles for the VRA management staff which resulted in causing financial loss to the state. The government is protecting the image of Dr. Charles Wereko Brobby but the people want to know the corruption and embezzlement which was taking place during the Tarzan administration in VRA.

Nana - The former CEO should not be humiliated by the media because the information made available shows that he has not corrupted himself. We should not threaten VRA staff with dismissal and transfers. The Strategic Reserve Plant should be discussed effectively to stop apportioning blame on Dr. Brobby.

Lys - If Dr. Charles Wereko Brobby has caused any financial loss to the state, then he should be held responsible for any damage caused to the VRA. He should be made to resign and pay back any loss to the VRA.

Pratt - Kwame Peprah and three other people are in jail for causing financial loss to the state. Dr. Charles Wereko Brobby should be arrested and jailed for causing financial loss as a result of the Strategic Reserve Plant and in the importation of bad oil for the plant.

TV 3 MORNING TV

MODERATOR : GABRIEL BOSOMPEM

PANELISTS : ALHAJI A.B. FUSEINI

NANA OYE LITHUR

OSEI KWADWO ADDO

KNUST WORLDS 5TH BEST – IT’S THE FIRST IN AFRICA

INTRODUCTION

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has been labelled as the best technical university in Africa. It has been rated the fifth best in the world after Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States of America, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden and the University of Takyo Japan. – The Ghanaian Times

Fuseini - KNUST should take the credit for becoming the 5th best in the world. The honour goes to all Ghanaians. We should improve upon science and technology in all our educational institutions. We are facing the problem of funding research. We are financially handicapped and we need money to expand our educational institutions. We should be adequately resourced to provide quality scientific education for all students in KNUST.

Oye - We should look at Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s vision for the University of Science and Technology. We should monitor and evaluate the performance of senior secondary schools in the country.

Fuseini - Vision is very important in every sphere of life. All our universities should have a clear vision in order to expand their facilities for science and technology in future.

BANK OF GHANA STREAMLINES AKUAFO CHEQUE SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION

The Bank of Ghana is currently studying all the problems associated with the Akuafo Cheque system, to enable the Bank re-launch it in a bid to inculcate banking culture into the farmers. The Ghanaian Times

Fuseini - In the past, the Akuafo Cheque system was effective but our cocoa purchasing officers have started paying cocoa farmers with fake currency notes. We have since lost confidence in the CMB officials. Farmers should be paid promptly and with genuine cedi notes. Criminals should be prevented from invading the Akuafo cheque system.

Osei - We should have a long discussion with our rural farmers to examine the major problems facing the cocoa industry and how best we can help them increase cocoa production in Ghana.

Oye - The Bank of Ghana should come out with clear and transparent guidelines to inform and educate our farmers on the new Akuafo Cheque system and eliminate doubts on the minds of the people, with proper education.

HEALTH CARE FACILITIES TO GET ACCREDITATION

Oye - We should regulate and upgrade our health care facilities in the country. The people should be made aware of the grading system to enable them obtain good health care. We should bridge the gap between expansion of health facilities in rural and urban communities.

Fuseini - The health care facilities should be included in the National Health Insurance Scheme. We don’t have adequate health care facilities in the rural areas.

HEART PATIENTS TOLD TO SEEK EARLY CARE

INTRODUCTION

Cardiac Patients have been advised to report to the Cardio Thoracic Unit of Korle-Bu or any of the country’s major hospitals for early diagnosis and treatment instead of going to herbal centres and prayer camps for spiritual intervention. - The Ghanaian Times

Fuseini - All Ghanaians should have their BP checked. Many people collapse and die because they don’t know the level their BP. Poverty is a major problem so only the rich people enjoy good food. Many women suffer from HBP caused by frustration from bad husbands who worry them in their homes.

Oye - Health care facilities should be made available for the rural people to check on their BP levels. Some Cardio Vascular diseases can be treated at specialised hospitals in the cities. People should be well informed on heart diseases, cardio vascular diseases and so on. Most people hate to check on their BP because of fear and anxiety.

Osei - In the 1950s we did not have many BP diseases in Ghana. These days our food intake has changed because we always eat rice and stew with much fatty meat. Women like roasted meat, especially “khebab” at hotels and restaurants, which is making them eat fatty food. Our lifestyles have changed because we consume more fats and take in more alcoholic drinks which can generate or increase our high blood pressure. Most people are now eating fresh chicken. We must control the consumption of fatty foods.

Oye - Most people send sick people to Spiritual Health Centres to be cured of BP and other heart diseases and this is very dangerous for their health. They must go to the hospital first before going to the prayer camps.