DAILY GRAPHIC – TUESDAY, 18TH NOVEMBER, 2003

1. ENOUGH OF PAPER WORK….TIME TO ADOPT PRACTICAL METHODS TO DEVELOP AGRIC - OSAFO-MAAFO - PG. 1 & 3

Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, has said the country’s agricultural development has seen enough paper work so the time has come for practical solutions to the problems of the sector.

“I can say with no apology that the factors hindering growth in agriculture, especially in the rural areas in Ghana, have been over diagnosed or over-researched and documented by multilateral and bilateral organizations and NGOs,” he complained.

He was speaking at a workshop on the role of agriculture and rural development in economic growth in Accra yesterday.

According to him, what was lacking was the vision to implement practical measures to improve agriculture as well as the development of rural communities.

The two-day workshop is being attended by participants from the World Bank, the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance and Local Government and Rural Development and other development partners.

2. ‘EASE TRADE BARRIERS’ – PG. 3

Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice-President, yesterday opened an ECOWAS trade and Finance Ministers meeting in Accra.

The ministers and experts on trade and negotiations are discussing the proposed ECOWAS Partnership Agreement between West Africa and the European Union.

It is aimed at harmonizing the sub-region’s position on the road map and to consolidate the regional integration process.

The Vice-President reiterated the call on developed countries to ease trade barriers and other discriminatory measures that impede growth in developing countries.

According to him, the provision of subsidies to farmers in developed countries, with its adverse impact on the economies of the developing world, could not be justified under the current global trading environment and described it as unacceptable.

3. KUFUOR CALLS FOR DOCTOR-GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP – PG. 20

President Kufuor has called for partnership between the West African College of Physicians (WACP) and government in the sub-region to find strategies to deal with non-communicable diseases which are killing people because of their eating habits.

He said diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, heart attacks and mental disorders are gradually exacting a heavy toll on the people in the West African sub-region.

He was addressing the opening session of the 27th Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the college in Accra yesterday.

The theme of the four-day meeting is, “Recent Epidemics of Non-communicable Health Problems in the West African Sub-region”.

4. GOVERNMENT TO MODERNISE TAKORADI PORT – PG. 21

Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi Minister for Ports, Harbours and Railways, has stated that the government is in the process of implementing a programme to expand, modernize and transform the Takoradi Port in the Western Region.

According to him, the expansion project would cost $250 million and is scheduled to be completed in 2010.

He disclosed this at the launching of the 75th anniversary celebration of the Takoradi Port in Takoradi yesterday.

He said tenders for the project to select the most suitable contractor would be opened this month.

Facilities to be provided under the project would include new berths for bulk cargoes such as manganese, bauxite and clinker, two new container berths, extension of the breakwater and new turning basins.

THE CHRONICLE – TUESDAY, 18TH NOVEMBER, 2003

1. KOFI WAYO TO FORM PARTY…TO BE CALLED GHANA WORKERS PARTY - PGS. 1 & 3

The paper reports that, a new political party, the Ghana Workers Party (GWP), is to be formed before the end of the year to contest the 2004 parliamentary and presidential elections.

The paper says Mr. Charles Kofi Wayo, the renegade NPP former parliamentary candidate will lead the party.

Speaking exclusively to the paper over the weekend, Mr. Wayo disclosed that when the party is formally established, it would seek an alliance with Dr. Edward Mahama’s PNC to present a credible challenge to the Kufuor led NPP government.

2. GOONS ABDUCT NPP CHAIRMAN… BRUTALISE AND LEAVE HIM FOR DEAD – PG. 3

The paper reports that, top NPP functionary escaped death by the skin of his teeth late Thursday night when he was abducted from his Coco Beach residence at Nungua around 9.30 pm by goons in a saloon car and a pick-up, blindfolded and drove him away.

Narrating his story to the paper, Mr. Robert Bortei Bissinan, Krowor (Nungua) constituency chairman stated that, on the night in question, he was together with his wife and a couple of friends when two vehicles stormed into his house with occupants, (some in police and military uniforms and the others in plain clothes) shouting his name and eventually bundling him into a white Nissan double-cabin pick-up.

According to him, he has no reason to suspect any foul play from the camp of the NDC.

THE ACCRA DAILY MAIL – TUESDAY, 18TH NOVEMBER, 2003

INDEPENDENT CHURCHES SERVE NOTICE… OF TOTAL WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION - PGS. 1 & 3

The paper reports that the Council of Independent Churches have served notice that they are going to go all-out to fight the cankerworm which has been identified as the source of many problems in the country as it strives to change its socio-economic status.

This according to the paper was disclosed by the General Secretary of the Council, Rev. Seth Kwadwo Boateng, in Accra where they are currently undertaking a two-day workshop with the theme, “Bribery And Corruption In Ghana can We Eradicate them?

He said: “We shall use the pulpit to fight bribery and corruption in the country and we shall be vociferous in this campaign because they are responsible for some of our problems. You can see from the speech of our President that there are references to portions of the Holy Bible”.

GHANA PALAVER – TUESDAY, 18TH NOVEMBER, 2003

GHANA PALAVER INTELLIGENCE …. IS IT TRUE THAT … - PG. 1 & 5

The paper’s intelligence asked whether it is true that President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria stormed out of the ECOWAS Special Summit on Cote d’Ivoire in Accra last week because Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghana’s Foreign Minister rudely and against all diplomatic protocol answered back to the President instead of leaving it to President Kufuor.

President Olusengun had chided the Ghanaian delegation for being economical with the truth on allegations of human rights violations in Ghana.

DAILY GUIDE – TUESDAY, 18TH NOVEMBER, 2003

1. DEBATE ON SALARIES BEGINS - PGS. 1 & 4

The paper reports that, Mr. Yaw Barimah, Minister for Manpower Development and Employment, is to kick-start the national debate on salaries in the public sector at a workshop in Accra on November 19.

A statement issued by the Public Services Commission (PSC) said institutions invited to the workshop include the office of the Chief of Staff, the Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning and Manpower Development and Employment among others.

The workshop would come off at the Ereta Hotel, in Accra.

2. NO MORE JUNE 4 BOOM – RAWLINGS KICKED OUT OF AFRC – PG. 1 & BK. PG.

According to the paper, seven out of the surviving 13 members of the erstwhile AFRC, have mandated Major Kojo Boakye Djan (rtd) to handle all affairs relating to the former junta, beginning from today.

By this act, the paper has learnt that the signatories to a petition filed at the NRC, have relieved former President Rawlings (rtd), chairman of the erstwhile AFRC of all responsibilities pertaining to the handling of the affairs of the council forthwith.

This development was upon the arrival of Major Boakye Djan and Ansah Atiemo from Britain and the US, respectively for their scheduled appearance at the NRC today.

3. SSNIT AND DIC TOP FRAUD LIST - PGS. 1 & 4

The 2002 Annual SFO Report presented to Parliament by the Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, has identified SSNIT and DIC as the two most fraudulent institutions.

These institutions according to the paper, have won high notoriety for contributing immensely to the acquisition and disposal of state enterprises.

The report noted that SSNIT, in its quest to provide funds to pay persons to whom state enterprises were divested have been greeted with defaults in most cases, leaving it to hold majority shares in divested enterprises that are not performing.

“SSNIT either provided direct funding or guaranteed repayment of loans contracted from a bank for the purchase of the divested state enterprise. The only security for recovery of loans granted or guaranteed by SSNIT were provisions in agreements for share options in the divested companies in the event of default” the Report explains.

Though the DIC, which closely trails SSNIT, has been cited more than thrice in connection with fraudulent appropriation of DIC funds by its officers, including a private company plus the improper divestiture of the Ghana Film Industry Corporation to the tune of ?139,169.80, US $705,031, US $6 million and ?3,113,657,000, respectively, SSNIT has cost the state over ?42.2 billion, US $61 million, ?400,000 in several instances aside from other deals, the amount of which has not yet been declared. In all, SSNIT was involved in 18 major transactions.

THE EVENING NEWS – MONDAY, 17TH NOVEMBER, 2003

J. H. MENSAH IN DILEMMA? - PG. 1

Constituents of Senior Minister, J. H. Mensah, are unsure whether he will continue to represent them in Parliament in view of his advance age.

Mr. Mensah, MP for Sunyani East according to the paper, is himself not making matters clearer by keeping his cards to his chest and remaining tight-lipped.

He refused to confirm or deny whether he would present himself as a candidate for the parliamentary elections.

This was after he was asked whether or not he would stand for election again, and in response he asked his party members to allow their parliamentarians to have peace of mind to do the work entrusted to them.

He said “The party has given me the license to help in the governance of the country and that mandate will expire on January 6, 2005 and until that time, I have nothing to tell anybody, as to whether I will stand or not”.

Mr. Mensah was speaking at a meeting in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.

FREE PRESS – TUESDAY, 18TH NOVEMBER, 2003

NDC FORMS PRAYER NETWORKS TO PRAY FOR VICTORY IN THE 2004ELECTIONS - PG. 1 & BK. PG.

The paper reports that, the NDC apart from sponsoring certain pastors to Bible School so that they would come back and campaign for them, the NDC has formed prayer networks in all the wards, branches and constituencies in the country.

According to the paper, their job is to pray incessantly for the victory of the NDC.

The paper says sources within the party indicated that the prayer networks would be inaugurated at a grand official ceremony on December 7, 2003. According to the paper, party sources have revealed that the network would also link up with pastors and Imams in their respective places of worship to pray for victory for the NDC.

THE GHANAIAN TIMES – TUESDAY, 18TH NOVEMBER, 2003

1. GHANA MOVES TO IMPROVE ITS EXPORT… 30% COCOA TO BE PROCESSED - PG. 1

The paper reports that, government has decided that 30 per cent of cocoa produced should be processed in the country before exportation.

Apart from the promotion of agro-processing, the move is to ensure high level consumption of cocoa products in the country.

Mr. S.K. Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister disclosed this at a day’s seminar held in Kumasi on Agro-processing.

It was organized by the Trade and Investment section of the British High Commission. The seminar, which attracted over 200 participants, was among other things, to sensitize the business community on the importance of processing before exportation as well as opportunities in the UK for agro-processing products.

2. STUDENT FALLS FROM SCHOOL DORM TO DEATH PG. 1

According to the paper, Master Simon Abanga, 24, a second year student of the Bolgatanga Technical Institute (BOTECH), died last week when he fell from the second floor of their dormitory.

Abanga who hailed from Tempane in the Bawku East District, has since been buried.

According to Mr. Martin Aloara, Principal of the Institute, some Muslim students who woke up at dawn last Wednesday to prepare for the Ramadan fast found Abanga lying postrate in a gutter below the dormitory.

He was rushed to the Bolgatanga Central Hospital but he died later.

According to the headmaster, that was the third incident of a student falling from the veranda of the second floor of the dormitory. It does not have any security fence.

In the first two cases, the students, a boy and a girl, survived.

3. $12.5 MILLION CHINESE LOAN FOR ACCRA-KUMASI ROAD PG. 3

The paper reports that, the Chinese government has approved 12.5 million dollars as the first tranche of a 30 million dollars interest free loan for the construction of portion of the Accra-Kumasi road.

Already, the engineering design of a stretch of that road from Achimota towards Nsawam, spanning 17.6 kilometres, has been sent to Ghana’s Mission in Beijing for approval.

Mr. Keyuan Zhang, the Chinese Ambassador, announced this in Accra yesterday when he paid a courtesy call on President Kufuor, at the Castle, Osu.

According to Mr. Zhang, the second tranche of the loan would be made available immediately the first part of the project ended.

THE INDEPENDENT – TUESDAY, 18TH NOVEMBER, 2003

LET’S STOP THE ETHNIC BIGOTRY! - PGS. 1 & 2

The paper in a front-page comment indicates that, Information Minister, Nana Akomea, last week issued a statement in which government appealed to Ghanaians to ensure that the unity of the nation is not compromised for parochial interests.

This follows a wave of articles and paid for advertisements in some newspapers by elements claiming links to the Asantes.

Gas and the Akyems that sought to maintain the “greatness” and “superiority” of those ethnic groups over others.

The “Independent”, like many others, is concerned about the sudden craze of putting ethnicity first before the national interest and unity and should be stopped.

It wishes to draw the attention of all Ghanaians to the fact that our founding fathers envisioned and shed their blood for a nation that de-emphasized tribes or ethnicity, therefore what some of the leaders of some of the ethnic groups are spreading is a recipe for anarchy and the disintegration of the nation Ghana fuelled by unbridled ethnic bigotry that is blinding even some educated persons to the dangers of unbridled pan-ethnics.

The paper appeals to the media, particularly newspapers to black out any such articles and offensive ethnically biased paid for adverts.

It also calls on the GJA and the managements and boards of all media houses to pay critical attention to this insidious canker that is developing at an alarming rate and develop appropriate responses.

Our traditional authorities no doubt have a role to play in stopping the senseless ethnic bigotry that is creeping into our body politic, the paper added.