GTV BREAKFAST SHOW NEWSPAPER REVIEW

MODERATOR : GIFTY ANTI

PANELISTS : BEN EPHSON

KAFUI ASEM

“REDUCE NUMBER OF STAFF IN PRESIDENT’S OFFICE”

INTRODUCTION

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs has recommended the reduction in the number of staff at the office of the President. According to the Committee, the staff position at he Castle rose from 718 in December 2001 to 750 in December 2002. – The Daily Graphic

Kafui - It is the responsibility of the media to educate the public on the role of Presidential staffers in the administration of governance in the country. The 750 workers at the President’s office is not important but the contribution they make to good management and national development is what is important. Some of the Presidential staffers are hard working and efficient and we should not reduce their number. I think Parliament and the Council of State should be briefed on their job performance. We should stop criticising them and rather encourage them to perform better. I have heard that some National Service personnel have been seconded to the President’s office which has increased the population in that office.

Ben - We have heard about some workers who are working at Peduase Lodge. There are rumours that they are the President’s friends and relations and family members of NPP ministers and MPs who have been temporarily engaged to collect allowances. All these expenditures are a burden on the national kitty. It is now time to reduce government expenditure and generate more revenue for government. Parliament should debate the issues involved and if possible send some of the staff at the office of the President back home. Their services are no more needed and they are a burden on society. We should also try to maintain and paint the Peduase Lodge and ensure environmental cleanliness there.

SSS INTAKE PROBLEMS TACKLED-SYSTEM TO BE COMPUTERISED

INTRODUCTION

The Ministry of Education is working towards computerising admissions into Senior Secondary Schools in the country. The Reverend Ama Afo Blay, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) said this at the Annual Speech and Prize Giving Ceremony of Achimota School in Accra. – Ghanaian Times

Ben - Many parents pay bribes to some head masters and school authorities to gain admission for their children in the best SSS institutions like Achimota, Adisadel and Legon Presbyterian Secondary School. These are good schools with sound reputation. The parents cannot report these headmasters to the police or expose them in the media. Parents and school authorities have excellent relationship because parents are seeking the welfare of their children. Students from poor homes cannot pay the school fees in these schools. The old boys and girls associations in most schools also promote bribery and corruption during admission of students. Some political leaders use their political influence and money to influence headmasters to accept their children in their schools. Some teachers have told me that they make allocation for our chiefs and their elders in the Districts to enable their children get admission into Senior Secondary Schools. It will be a failure and waste of energy if the Ministry of Education works towards computerisation of admission into SSS in the country because of the high level of corruption in society.

Kafui - For a long time, there has been favouritism in admission into SSS and nobody has been able to control the system. The Rev. Ama Afo Blay, Director-General of GES may not achieve the computerisation of admission into SSS because of our traditional way of approaching issues. We have much work to do in achieving our objectives.

METRO TV GOOD MORNING GHANA

MODERATOR : RANDY ABBEY

PANELISTS : LYS HAYFRON ASARE

KWESI PRATT

EGBERT FAIBILLE

LEAD FIGHT AGAINST AIDS - PRESIDENT URGES CHURCHES

INTRODUCTION

President Kufuor has challenged the church to spearhead the campaign against HIV/AIDS. According to him, the disease was assuming alarming proportions and there was the need for church to help the government in the fight against the disease. – Daily Graphic

Lys - It is very important for churches in the country to assist in the fight against HIV/AIDS. All societies and religious groups must create the awareness for the future eradication of the disease from our communities. It is a global fight which we should have started long time ago. We need to do this in order to prevent more youth from dying from their current sexual lifestyle.

Pratt - Some churches are against the use of condoms because they claim there are holes in the condoms at the pharmacy shops but this has been scientifically disproved. Every body should join in the fight against the dangerous disease.

REDUCE NUMBER OF STAFF IN PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

Pratt - There are too many people working at the Castle and Peduase Lodge who should be sent home. We have 463 people working in the President’s office. They include friends and relatives of the President, Ministers and MPs. I am ready to mention names of the President’s and ministers’ family members at the Castle.

Faibille - I think the Chief of Staff should explain to Parliament why there are 463 people working in the President’s office because it is a sensitive place which should be protected by the security agencies. Documents and government confidential reports may fall into wrong hands.

CHINESE CAUGHT IN FAKE IMPORT DEAL

INTRODUCTION

Minutes of the Government’s Textile Anti-Smuggling Task Force meeting on October 3,2003, obtained by the paper say there is a principal suspect behind the smuggling of many fake textile products into the country. Details available to its outfit show that activities of some importers of textiles have resulted in the loss of several billions of cedis in revenue to the state. – The Independent

Pratt - We have a tariff regime of cheap imports into the country. This is encouraging some Asian and Chinese businessmen to import some cheap cloths into the market to destroy our textile industry. The Presidential initiative on the garment industry is in danger of collapsing soon.

Fabille - The Independent newspaper is investigating a case involving some Chinese businessmen flooding the market with cheap garments, which will have a negative effect on our textile industry.

Lys - The CEPS officials at the Tema port should be vigilant to impose taxes on these Asian garments. It is very important to protect our local textile industry.

TV 3 MORNING TV

MODERATOR : GABRIEL BOSOMPEM
PANELISTS : ALHAJI A.B.A. FUSEINI
ATO CONDUAH
GLORIA OFORI BOADU

REDUCE NUMBER OF STAFF IN PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

Fuseini - The country is facing economic problems and HIPC so the President should stop employing more Presidential staffers. Even in the USA, President Bush has only 19 ministers. I think Parliament is right in appealing to the President to reduce the number of special assistants and other people who are only wasting national resources.

Ato - We should stop all the National Service activities at the President’s office. Many Civil Servants are not performing on the job because of inadequate job description and specification..

Gloria - Some people are on secondment to the President’s office and this has increased the staff strength. Sufficient staff strength is required at the presidency to help President Kufuor achieve his aims and objectives.

LEAD FIGHT AGAINST AIDS – PRESIDENT URGES CHURCHES

Gloria - About 42 million people globally are suffering from HIV/AIDS and steps should be taken to address the problem. Poverty is a major factor. Rich men and businessmen take advantage of poor girls and women, have sexual relations with them and infect them with the disease. Polygamy in the African traditional system is helping to spread the AIDS diseases in our Muslim communities and rural areas. Most farmers have got many wives and businessmen tend to keep girls friends. The disease spreads through these practices. I think the society should also address the sugar daddy syndrome where the old men take advantage of our beautiful virgins. Some of these men believe that having sex with a virgin is an achievement and a cure for AIDS. These wicked men break their virginity and additionally infect them with HIV/AIDS. I think we should change our sexual lifestyle and remain faithful to our various partners at home and stop fooling around in the offices and in town. I think we should not blame women because the men don’t want to use condoms and they prevent the women from using the female condoms. Women with AIDS should not breast feed their babies but use baby foods to keep them healthy.

Ato - It is not only churches who should fight against HIV/AIDS. I think the central government should start the crusade against AIDS. We should engage in attitudinal change. We should employ AIDS patients to lead the fight. I would like to condemn the churches for refusing the use of condoms which is the only protection.

Fuseini - The opinion leaders in society should lead us in the fight against AIDS. The AIDS Commission should provide more resources because it is a war we have to fight in this country. The Barber’s shops should sterilise their tools before cutting or shaving hair. Some village clinics and Health Centres have poor facilities. The equipment used at Korle Bu for AIDS test is not accurate and we should ensure accuracy in the testing process. We should also educate our beauty saloons to create some awareness of AIDS by organising training programmes for them.

VEEP WARNS AGAINST VANDALISING PROPERTY

INTRODUCTION

The Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has reiterated the government’s determination to protect its investments throughout the country. He warned that cases of wanton destruction of school and other state property would be treated with dispatch and appropriately within the confines of the law. - Ghanaian Times

Ato - Students should be held responsible for engaging in demonstrations and destroying school properties. They should be billed for the damage. In Europe, students are billed for damage and destruction in state universities. Most schools and universities were established through income from the toil of cocoa farmers and taxes so they should be protected.

Gloria - Students should be responsible enough to take good care of state properties. They must protect and take good care of government assets. It is wrong and criminal to destroy government properties in Senior Secondary Schools and universities.

Fuseini - The Police Service should start sending students to jail if they destroy school properties. All headmasters and school authorities should ensure discipline in all schools in the country.

SSS INTAKE PROBLEMS TACKLED-SYSTEM TO BE COMPUTERISED

Gloria - We are beginning to have a class system in the choice of best Senior Secondary Schools in the country. We don’t have confidence in the SSS Certificate and so people have started going for the Ordinary and Advanced Level Certificates. Many parents have started sending their children to private schools to get good grades.

Fuseini - The computerisation process is very important to select the best students to enter Senior Secondary School.