PRESIDENT KUFUOR TOURS CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

President J. A. Kufuor yesterday undertook an unannounced two-hour ride through some principal streets of the Central Business District of Accra, to interact with some of the residents and inspect some projects in the metropolis.

Riding in an open-top pajero vehicle, the President acknowledged cheers from a large enthusiastic crowd, including NPP faithful, traders and well wishers who lined the streets to catch a glimpse of him.

The Presidential convoy, moving at a snail?s pace, set off at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle on the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, through Tudu, Kinbu, Makola Market, Wato and ended up at the Opera Square, where the President inspected work on the construction of a ?700 million bus terminal for the Metro Mass Transport Company. The project is expected to be completed by December, this year.

The Presidential ride and the spontaneous reaction of the people brought some commercial activities in the business area to a temporary halt.

Some of the traders and well wishers followed the convoy from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle to Opera Square, singing songs and cheering the President and his entourage, which included Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City, Sheikh I. C. Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister and Nii Adjiri Blankson, Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).

GOVERNMENT ORDERS ENFORCEMENT OF LAW AND ORDER IN TAMALE AND YENDI

The government has directed the security agencies to deal drastically with any persons who will breach the peace in the Tamale and Yendi areas.

It said the security agencies must, however, carry out the government directives according to law and without fear or favour.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Interior yesterday said, the government would hate to re-impose the recently lifted state of emergency in the area but warned that ?if the need arises, it will not hesitate to do so?.

It said the government had noted with concern the recent disturbances in the Yendi District and the Tamale Municipality and expressed appreciation for the timely intervention of the security agencies to restore normalcy.

?The government, therefore wishes to advise all persons in the area not to do anything that will disturb the peace in any sense?, it stated.

It stressed the cardinal importance of peace, comportment and restraint from all parties, groups and individuals in the specified area, adding that ?the co-operation of everybody is hereby solicited in the quest for peace and tranquillity in the Dagbon Traditional Area?.

AMANOKROM OBSERVES ODWIRA

The chiefs and people of Amanokrom, have organised a durbar to climax their annual Odwira festival at Amanokrom, Akuapem on Saturday.

The festival was also used to mark the fifth anniversary of the queen of the town, Nana Manko Aba II.

The celebration was under the theme, ?Women an effective and reliable partner in total development?.

In a speech read on her behalf by the Minister of Interior, Mr. Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, the First Lady, Mrs. Theresa Kufuor, urged the people to resolve not to allow the country?s development efforts to be undermined by the effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

Mrs. Kufuor expressed the hope that while the people, particularly the youth stay away from activities that would condemn them to the destructive effects of the disease, ?we would endeavour to have compassion for our brothers and sisters who have contracted the disease?.

Mr. Owusu-Agyeman was welcomed to the durbar by Oyeeman Wereko Ampem, Chief of Amonokrom and Gyasehene of Akuapem.

CHIEFS URGED TO CREATE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT FOR INVESTORS

The Mamponghene, Daasebre Osei Bonsu II, has urged traditional leaders to create the environment that is permissive enough to attract private investors to their areas of jurisdiction.

Daasebre Osei Bonsu, who gave the advice at the opening of a four-day workshop on basic health training for traditional leaders of Asanteman in Kumasi, noted that the government?s call for full private sector involvement in the nation?s development efforts would not come on its own, unless they as leaders, took bold steps to make it work.

The workshop, which is part of a World Bank project for Asanteman, an initiative of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, is aimed at promoting partnership between the World Bank, the government of Ghana and traditional authorities in deprived and remote communities.

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr. S. K. Boafo, appealed to the chiefs to intensify the beating of gong gong in their communities on issues of national importance.

He also urged them to promote the proper interpretation of the history and culture of Asanteman at all times, saying ?people who beat gong gong with out the authority of chiefs must be stopped?.

REV. NYABA INAUGURATES BOREHOLE PROJECT

The Northern Regional Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, Rev. Solomon Gormma Nyaba, has inaugurated a ?55 million borehole project for the people of Lungbunga, in the Tolon Lungburga District.

Pastor Ben Owusu-Sekyere, Chairman and Missions Director of Kings Village Project (KVP), an NGO which funded the project, urged the people of the village to take good care of the facility to enable it to last.

He expressed his gratitude to the World Spring Church and Christian Centre, Nottingham, in the United Kingdom, which supported them to make the project a reality.

The borehole will serve seven communities including Kuli, Naba, Gundu and Kaa.

DEVELOP PROGRAMMES THAT WILL ELIMINATE POVERTY

The Deputy Minister of Mines, Dr. Majeed Haroun, has challenged Islamic intellectuals and the youth to research and develop programmes that will help eliminate poverty and other social problems from the muslim communities.

Speaking at the launch of two-books on social problems in muslim communities, Dr. Haroun mentioned ignorance as the cause of poverty in those communities.

He said, ?the permanent residence of poverty is in heavily clustered muslim areas? and added that ?our Holy Prophet never advocated poverty either by example or divine inspiration, if anything, he encouraged us to work. He said, after prayer we must go out and seek!?.

The Deputy Minister said, muslims must thank Allah for the likes of Sheikh Ishaak Nuamah, a leader at the Spiritant Institute of Philosophy, who wrote the books, ?Marriage, a life long vow? and ?Education, a functional and intellectual approach?.

Brother Andani Allasan, Deputy Managing Director of Barclays Bank Ltd., who chaired the function, said the book would be of great help to muslims and none muslims alike since it was written in the english language and tackled issues that were faced everyday in the communities.

CROWN AGENTS CHIEF EXECUTIVE ON DUTY TOUR

Mr. Jake Garvey, the Chief Executive Officer of the Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations Ltd. UK, an international development company, has arrived in the country for a two-day official visit.

While in Ghana, Mr. Garvey will pay courtesy calls on President Kufuor, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, as well as the British High Commissioner and the Japanese and Danish Ambassadors.

The discussions with these personalities are expected to be on the role and contribution of Crown Agents towards the effective delivery of development aid and technical assistance programmes in the country.

Crown Agents remains a key partner of Ghana in its economic development services to government ministries, departments and agencies.