Give Mills time to deliver

Accra, Ghana- The NDC Action Women has urged Ghanaian women to give President J. A. Mills time to deliver his promise of giving appointment to 40 per cent of women in his government.A statement signed by Doris Addo for the Action Women said "We the women in NDC have so much trust in the President and believe he will not disappoint us since he is the first President to appoint a woman Speaker of Parliament, a woman Attorney General with several other female appointments".It said they also respected the president's decisions and were not perturbed by any distractions.

Review Oil and Gas policy

Takoradi,Ghana - Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei, Minister for Energy, has called for a review of policies on oil and gas to ensure effective management, guarantee sustainability and protect the environment. He said "We have to re-organise the institutions to make them more effective and relevant to the sector. Efforts should be made to fashion out an effective framework for the development and management of the oil and gas sector".Dr Oteng-Adjei made the call when delivering the keynote address at the opening session of a three-day Oil and Gas Business Conference and Exhibition organised by the management of West Africa Business Association (WABA), Ghana.The conference under the theme "Oil and Gas; Ghana Asem Pa" is to create awareness on the need for policies and strategies to make the oil find a blessing to the country.It also sought to promote the oil discovery for businesses to reposition themselves and strategise to ensure communities and operators holistically benefit from the oil.Dr Oteng-Adjei said Government would periodically review and revise the Petroleum Exploration and Production Law and the Petroleum Income Tax Law to maintain an attractive investment environment for oil companies."We also need to create a friendly environment to encourage investments in the oil and gas industry value chain through fiscal incentives and even handed regulations," he added. Dr Oteng-Adjei noted that to maintain the country's oil and gas asset, Ghana would work with external partners to ensure smooth development of the sector.He said there was also the need for a national oil and gas security and regulatory framework adding, the national security and the army would be supported to provide security for the industry. Dr Oteng-Adjei called on local authorities to develop their expertise and capacity to ensure increased local involvement. "We pledge the commitment of Government to ensure transparent development of oil and gas resources as an integral part of developing the country's economy," he said.Mr Joseph Winful, Chairman of WABA (Ghana) called on all stakeholders in the sector to forge closer partnership to promote development of the sector.Dr Peter Ankrah of Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) said the council was willing to co-operate with local and foreign investors to build a robust economy.
Source

We will implement single spine

Accra, Ghana - Vice President John Mahama on Thursday assured labour unions, some of whom are showing increasing agitation over the delay in implementing the single spine pay policy that government remains firmly committed to putting the policy into action. Addressing workers unions and employers at a consultative workshop on the policy in Accra, Vice President Mahama re-echoed the willingness of government to fully implement the policy aimed at removing distortions in public sector wages, to reflect constitutional requirements of equity and equal pay for work of equal worth.

He said government would work assiduously towards "streaming public sector wages with the view to boosting productivity and towards paying decent wages to the working people" with the ultimate goal of making the public sector more "productive, effective and efficient". "This is a statement of fact and my presence here is to allay your fears and remove any cloud of doubt from the minds of public sector employees and their leadership about government's commitment towards ensuring the implementation of the single spine pay policy," he added. The two-day meeting is expected to smoothen grey areas which are believed to have stalled the implementation of the policy, billed by the largest bloc of workers union, the Ghana Trades Union Congress as critical in giving public sector workers a decent wage. Such a move, would pave way for the designing of a 'road map' to guide the implementation of the policy. Vice President Mahama charged the participants to help address major areas of contention and arrive at a consensus on the determination of the base pay and the standardization of allowances and other conditions of service.

Bank of Ghana to introduce new cheque clearing system

Accra, Ghana - The Bank of Ghana is to introduce a new cheque clearing system, "cheque code-line clearing" into banking services with effect from July this year. The electronic-based system which is to make cheque clearing faster was an innovation of the Ghana inter-bank payments solutions system (GHIPSS), a subsidiary of the Bank of Ghana. Mr Richard Mettle Addo, Head of Research and Marketing Department of the ARB Apex Bank, announced these at the 28th annual general meeting of the Gomoa Rural Bank at Apam. He said the cheque code-line clearing and the e-zwich money transfer were part of reforms being made by the Central Bank to make Ghana a cashless economy, which means people would not need to do transactions with fiscal cash. Mr. Addo appealed to Rural and Community Banks (RCBs) to alter their operations to keep in tune with the changing technological and electronic requirements. He commended management and Board of directors of the Gomoa Rural Bank for increasing its capital adequacy ration to 55.79 per cent placing second position among 126 Rural/Community Banks (RCBs) in the country. Mr. Kodwo Konadu Asiamah, Executive Director, Association of Rural Banks, urged directors of RCBs to initiate programmes to encounter the global
economic crunch.

Ghana has no fiscal policy on Oil, says RWI

Accra, Ghana- New York based Revenue Watch Institute (RWI) has bemoaned the fact that with barely a year to commence commercial oil production off its West Coast, Ghana is yet to put in place a clear policy direction as to how expected oil revenues would be distributed and utilized.

Emmanuel Kuyole, Africa Regional Coordinator for RWI said the country has neither overhauled the agencies charged with overseeing the industry nor published policies on how the discoveries would be used to benefit the country.

Mr Kuyole’s comments highlights pressure in Ghana and outside for government action to help the country escape the so-called “paradox of plenty”, that has left many other resource-rich countries in the grip of graft and mass poverty.

According to him, even though the Ghana has stated clearly its intention to avoid the fate of Nigeria and other troubled resource regions by setting out modalities, before the commencement of commercial oil production for royalties, dividends, corporate taxes and other levies, not much has been achieved in that direction.

Speaking at a training workshop for members of the Institute of Financial and Economic Journalist (IFEJ) , Mr Kuyole explained that current projections by the German Technical Coorporation indicates that Ghana could reap as much as US$ 25 billion over the projected 25 year life span of the Jubilee oil field, for which reason prudent strategies are required ahead of time to ensure such revenues are well utilised.

He expressed concern about the fact that $27 million of annual receipts from the country’s minerals resources had not impacted much on the livelihood of the citizenry since independence, calling for definitive actions to forestall a similar situation with the entry of oil set to generate $1billion in annual revenue.

According to him, even though the past government worked out a draft oil policy, it is far from being a complete document as the current government wants to revise most portions of the text

Upper East, Ghana - Mr Mark Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister, has appealed to doctors in the region to continue to run full work schedule and not join some of their colleagues who are embarking on work to rule.

He said many communities in the region were poor and had no means to seek private medical care that was not even available.

Mr. Woyongo said this when he visited the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital to assess the conditions prevailing there. "Yours is to save life, and nobody will like to see people die if the situation can be helped, you will surely receive your due when the situation improves, we ask you to bear with us", he urged. He expressed concern about the lack of adequate doctors, particularly specialists, in the region and pledged to liaise with the Ministry of Health to explore the possibility of posting specialists there once every month to help out with special cases. He said there was good accommodation available at Bolgatanga for any doctor posted to the Region.

Currently, the Regional Hospital in Bolgatanga has only two specialist doctors, without any at the District hospitals. Mr Philip Amati, manager of the hospital's laboratory, told the Minister that there was not enough equipment to undertake medical tests. He said HIV related testing equipment, which the hospital received eight months ago, remained uninstalled because the technicians assigned for the job had not yet found time to do so. Mr Amati said the Hospital needed a blood refrigerator for storing blood for later use.

Re-introduce Service Centres in the distribution of Premix

Sekondi, Ghana– Fishermen groups in the Western Region have called on the government to re-introduce Service Centre in the distribution of premix fuel to ensure fair distribution and effective monitoring.
The Groups: Ghana National Association of Fishermen and Farmers (GNAF), Ghana Co-operative Fishermen (GCF) and Ghana Canoe fishermen Council (GCFC) said, this would end the politicization of premix distribution which had greatly affected the fishing industry.
In a meeting with Ms Betty Bosomtwi-Sam, Deputy Western Regional Minister to find lasting solution to the issues surrounding premix distribution, the group agreed that policies regulating premix distribution should be reactivated.
The policy, according to Mr Kwaw Koomsoon, Regional Secretary, GNAF stipulated that only identifiable and viable fisher groups had the mandate to sell premix fuel and not any individual.
He noted that the Service Centre which was a central point for fisher groups to have easy access to premix fuel had been abrogated over the past eight years while individuals had taken over the sale and distribution of premix fuel.
Ms Bosomtwi-Sam in response to the plea said government would ensure that the appropriate thing was done to bring sanity into the fishing industry.
She therefore charged the group to form a committee with representatives from the oil companies, the fisher associations, the Regional Coordinating Council and the Department of Fisheries to have oversight responsibility.
Ms Bosomtwi-Sam on the other hand abhorred the practice of using light and DDT for fishing and advised the fishermen to stop the practice.
On the Oil Fields, She noted that ocean current around such areas were high and could cost human life and therefore cautioned them not to travel to such areas.

Join credit unions to improve living conditions

Mr James Okyere, Techiman Municipal Cooperative Officer has stressed the need for people to join cooperative credit unions to help better their living conditions. He explained that "credit unions offer members investment opportunities" and formed the corner stone to the development of small business enterprises.

Mr Okyere said this at a forum at Werriwa in the Techiman municipality to sensitize the people about the concept of cooperative credit union.

"As there is no financial institution in Werriwa and its environs it is prudent for the people to embrace the concept", he said, adding that people continue to spend their monies, without thinking of improving their living standards. Mr Okyere appealed to the people to cultivate the habit of savings, because such savings could be invested to enhance their livelihood.

Pork sellers complain about low patronage

Takoradi, Ghana - Pork traders within the Sekondi-Takoradi and its environs have complained about low patronage of pork products due to the outbreak of the swine flu in some countries. Madam Esi Nana, a pig feet trader at the Takoradi Central Market, told the Ghana News Agency on Friday that she used to sell half a jerry can of pork feet a day but she now sells five pieces in a day. She said "Tell the press to stop talking too much about the disease because it is really affecting our business."

She called on importers to stop importing pork products to reduce chances of bringing the disease into the country. Mr George Pentsil, Zonal Officer of the Food and Drugs Board in-charge of the Western and Central regions, said the Ministry of Health had alerted all health facilities to be on the look out for symptoms of the disease.

He said there was no cause for alarm adding, "If you care to eat pork products, cook it very well. Sales will improve with time."

Champion the cause of women in agriculture

Accra, Ghana- The Volta Regional Minister Mr Joseph Amenowode has urged the Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition (GTLC) to champion the cause of women in agriculture, because of their crucial role in bringing about national food security and stemming poverty.

Speaking at a sensitization forum organized by the Volta Regional chapter of the Coalition, on the government's proposed Youth in Agriculture Project, Mr Amenowode said the Volta Region met all the criteria required for implementing the project and should certainly benefit from it.

The forum was a platform for the relevant government agencies to interact with representatives of peasant farmers groups, from the 18 districts in the Region, on the proposed Youth in Agriculture Project. Mr Amenowode said the government's Youth in Agriculture Project sought to train a number of youths in Agri-business, while others would be supported with inputs to cultivate large hectares of maize, rice and sorghum in 70 districts in the country.

Government would also identify suitable land and negotiate with chiefs and landowners to release them for the project, while modern inputs and irrigation facilities would be provided for the youth to undertake dry season farming. He commended the Coalition for its advocacy role on behalf of peasant farmers, especially its plans to build the capacity of women in agriculture and the problems that confront them.

Imbibe Managerial skills for development-Moderator

Accra, Ghana- The slow pace of development within the society and the church in particular could largely be attributed to the lack of appropriate management skills, Right Rev Dr Yaw Frimpong-Manso, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana said on Tuesday.
"The situation calls for the need to review theological courses and blend it with management to make the training of our ministers complete".
Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso made the call at the opening of this years May School of Church Management organised by the PCG to expose ministers of the church to modern dynamics of management to enable them meet the challenges of the century.
He noted that qualitative growth of any church depended on strategic planning and management of resources as well as leadership, adding, "It is therefore not surprising that the church continues to face management oriented problems such as poor project planning.
Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso added that, "the church must re-orient its thinking and avail itself for such management training and practices to be able to catch up with modern trends".
He lauded the initiators of the May school and called for classification of participants as well as decentralization of the cent res of the programme to enable PCG ministers across the country to benefit.
Mr Seth Terkper, Deputy Minister of Finance said it was a laudable initiative which sought to bring ministers abreast with the principles and practice of management in the various forms.
"Indeed the course is very relevant especially in this era of national austerity as well as the global financial and economic crisis", he added.

Imbibe Managerial skills for development-Moderator

Accra, Ghana- The slow pace of development within the society and the church in particular could largely be attributed to the lack of appropriate management skills, Right Rev Dr Yaw Frimpong-Manso, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana said on Tuesday.
"The situation calls for the need to review theological courses and blend it with management to make the training of our ministers complete".
Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso made the call at the opening of this years May School of Church Management organised by the PCG to expose ministers of the church to modern dynamics of management to enable them meet the challenges of the century.
He noted that qualitative growth of any church depended on strategic planning and management of resources as well as leadership, adding, "It is therefore not surprising that the church continues to face management oriented problems such as poor project planning.
Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso added that, "the church must re-orient its thinking and avail itself for such management training and practices to be able to catch up with modern trends".
He lauded the initiators of the May school and called for classification of participants as well as decentralization of the cent res of the programme to enable PCG ministers across the country to benefit.
Mr Seth Terkper, Deputy Minister of Finance said it was a laudable initiative which sought to bring ministers abreast with the principles and practice of management in the various forms.
"Indeed the course is very relevant especially in this era of national austerity as well as the global financial and economic crisis", he added.

Otumfuo shows appreciation

Accra, Ghana-The Planning Committee of the 10th Anniversary Celebrations of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, on Thursday express gratitude to the President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, for not only joining Otumfuo and Asanteman to commemorate the event, but for providing various forms of support to make the occasion a memorable one.
  In a statement signed by George Bosiako Osei-Antwi, The Media Relations Manager, the Committee similarly thanked former President Jerry John Rawlings, the Chief Justice, Members of the Council of State, current and past Ministers of State, current and past Members of Parliament, and other state dignitaries and security services for their attendance and support.
  The Committee also expressed appreciation to Ex- President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leon, Ex-President Festus Mogae of Botwana, the former Spanish Prime Minister Jos Maria Aznar and Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria.
  It also thanked all who contributed in every way to make the 10th Anniversary Celebrations a big success especially the Companies, Institutions and individuals who made donations in Cash and in kind, and spent time and effort to participate in all the various activities.
  “While the Committee acknowledges that there was massive enthusiasm for the activities, we observe with regret that some Organizational over-enthusiasm did not allow a large number of people, particularly at the popular stand at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, to enter the gates to watch the events”.
  “Arrangement of seats for some invited dignitaries was also abused. The Committee regrets the inconveniences caused in any way to any individuals or Institutions who were affected and prays that this will not be repeated in future.”

Total Ghana supports malaria campaign

  Accra, Ghana- Total Petroleum Ghana Limited on Thursday organised a float and children's party across the country to create awareness on the need to prevent malaria. 
  Mr Jonas Ayi, Executive Director, Human Resource and Communication noted that Total was organising series of educational campaign through out the country on the dangers of malaria. 
  He noted that the company was spending over GHC 20,000 on the campaign aside other external support adding, "this is in view of the fact that one child dies every 30 seconds of the disease". 
  Mr Ayi noted "Total Worldwide is focusing its 2009 fight against malaria on children who were the most vulnerable group". 
  He added that in line with its campaign, a special educative game had been developed to enhance awareness on malaria prevention. 
  Mr Ayi said Total Ghana would also undertake public education campaign in some selected schools and deprived areas. 
  "Total is committed to human centered activities and we will continue to undertake such social responsibilities as a contribution to the growth and development of the society", he added 

National Child Health Promotion week is here again

Accrai, Ghana - This year’s National Child Health Promotion Week would be launched at Takoradi on Thursday, April 30.
Mr Winfred Wunu, Western Regional Nutrition Officer of Ghana Health Service (GHS) who announced this on Wednesday said it would be under the theme “Follow Your Child’s Growth-Use Your Child Health Records”.
Addressing a press conference at Takoradi, Mr Wunu said the week celebrated in the second week of May every year, was instituted by GHS in 2004 to improve service delivery and coverage of children under five years.
Mr Wunu who represented the Western Regional Director of Health Services said during the week-long celebration existing child health services would be advocated in the Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts.
He explained that the launch would be followed with service delivery in all health facilities from May 4-8 and key services to be offered would include immunisation, Vitamin “A” Supplementation, distribution of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN), growth promotion and birth registration.
Mr Wunu said Vitamin “A” Supplementation was intended to ensure strong and healthy children from six months to five years, and children were expected to be immunised at least five times before they attain a year, while ITNs should be re-treated every six months.
He advised parents and children to sleep under ITNs and regularly weigh their children from birth to five years.
Mr Wunu announced that management of GHS had introduced new child health records cards with information on the new treatment for malaria, other interventions and World Health Organisation (WHO) new growth chart for children.
The growth chart was designed after WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study undertaken in selected countries including Ghana.

media urged to promote social stories

Accra, Ghana– The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has tasked the Ghanaian media to devote daily space and airtime for civic education to ensure that citizens were alive to their rights and responsibilities.
“The steady democratic development in the country demands an equally active citizen’s participation and act of responsiveness from both the government and the governed from an informed position.
“It is the wish of the NCCE that as citizens of Ghana, from whom all governments derive their power, we will strive to deepen our civic knowledge, sharpen our civic skills and position ourselves appropriately to participate effectively in governance in order to achieve transparency in governance and strengthen the culture of government accountability,” Mr Baron Amoafo, NCCE Deputy Chairman in Charge of Programmes stated at a press conference in Accra.
Mr Amoafo therefore tasked the media to slot civic education on their daily programme on air and in the newspapers, saying, “This will go a long way to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.”
The press conference organized by the NCCE was to officially launch the ninth Constitution Week celebration, which is on the general theme: “Beyond Elections, Citizens’ Participation and Government Accountability”.
The week starts from April 28 to May 4 throughout the country.
The celebration, instituted by the NCCE, is to enable Ghanaians to participate in discussions, debates, theatre performances and other activities on the constitution to make it "a living document embodied on the mind and heart for the attainment of democracy and good governance".
It is also as a result of an urgent demand for knowledge and information on the constitution to accelerate the growth and sustenance of democracy and constitutionalism in the country.
Mr Amoafo said since 1992, Ghanaians have had the opportunity to exercise their sovereign will and power through elections, in choosing or selecting the president as enshrined in the constitution.
He said the elections have shown that the power to select our leaders such as the president and members of parliament rather resides with the people and that the electorates had the power to vote for a new set of government or retain the government.
Mr Amoafo said the theme would enable the public to consider whether after the elections, the people of this country had any further role to play in ensuring accountability of government.
Mr Kwaku Baa Owusu, NCCE Director of Public Education described Election 2008 as a poll which for the second time in the nation’s political history changed the political administration of the country, and reinforced the national resolve to build a society that was premised on the principles of democracy.
He explained that while democracy remained the preferred system of governance, it was important that as a nation, “we do not limit its essence to practice to elections only”.
“The elections are over, but our democracy is not over. Beyond elections, there are even greater challenges of governance. It is only with effective participation of the citizenry in national affairs at all levels that good governance, whose attributes include transparency and accountability in public and private life, can be ensured.
“The 1992 constitution, in its preamble, demands transparency and accountability. As a nation, therefore, the people have an obligation to permanently engage their leaders on the basis of a principled, democratic arrangement to build a society that respects the virtues of transparency and accountability,” he stated.
Mr Baa Owusu said “it is important that, as citizens, we initiate and implement constructive actions towards ensuring that our leaders do address our needs.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that the right national priorities are set and that our national resources are properly managed in the best interest and welfare of the citizens.
“As citizens, we need to encourage ourselves to be concerned with issues and developments around us. We must ensure that things done in our name and our national resources are properly managed in the best interest and welfare of the citizens”.

I will discharge my duties with a human touch-Justice Bamford-Addo

Accra, Ghana – The Speaker of Ghana's Parliament, Justice Joyce Bamford-Addo, has said although she wielded a lot of power under the Standing Orders of Parliament, she would endeavour to discharge her duty and make rulings with a human touch.
She said both sides of the House voted for her by consensus and she had since received a lot of support and cooperation from the majority and minority in Parliament.
She was speaking to a delegation of queen mothers from North and South Ketu Districts in the Volta Region who paid a courtesy call on her at Parliament House.
Justice Bamford-Addo said she felt proud for occupying the position as Speaker on behalf of women and would work hard to succeed during her term as Speaker of the Fifth Parliament.
She urged the queen mothers to continue with their work in the communities and stressed their importance in society.

Training on Radiation opens

Accra, Ghana– A five-day training Programme for physicists and engineers in the health sector was opened on Monday with a call on participants to adopt both preventive and maintenance habits to avoid rampant breakdown of hospital equipment.
The workshop, organized by the International Atomic Energy Commission and facilitated by the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission engaged participants from African countries including Ghana, Tanzania, Congo, Niger, South Africa, Uganda and Tunisia to enhance their capacity as well as training them on the maintenance of Siemens ECAM Gamma Cameras, (a radioactive equipment used in diagnosing cancers and liver problems among other aliments.)
Dr Mary Boadu, Acting Director, Radiological and Medical Sciences Research Institute at the Commission said the proper maintenance of such cameras was essential to ensure continuous service delivery to patients.
She urged the participants to use the opportunity to exchange ideas and share information that would improve their work in their respective countries.
Dr Boadu said the training, which was a follow-up on a similar one held in South Africa in 2008 would also teach participants to separate operator faults, quality problems and breakdown, check system and software settings and identify system related serial numbers to enhance radioactive operation in their respective countries.
Dr Verna Vanderpuye, Acting Director, National Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital noted that the expensive nature of
the equipment demanded that personnel were trained to carefully operate them.
Mr. Paul Obeng, Course Coordinator said already
the International agency had donated about 10 Gamma
ECAM cameras to African countries adding, “Ghana’s
camera broke down in 2008 and was only repaired in February this year”.
He said the training was imperative to ensure
that respective user countries provided a first line maintenance and diagnostics in case of break down before and outside expertise could be sought.

Rail transport to be developed to address road crashes

Accra, Ghana– Mr Mike Hammah, Minister for Transport, on
Wednesday said rail transport would be developed to address the recent
spate of road accidents.
He said education, enforcement and engineering alone could not fully address the problem of road accidents stressing the need for rail transport
to help cut down on the carnage.
The Minister made the statement when Dr Marius Haas, German Ambassador
to Ghana, and Mr Yannick Aplogan, General Manager of Lufthansa in Ghana,
paid a courtesy call on him in Accra.
Mr Hammah said it was difficult to sustain the country’s road infrastructure and therefore appealed to the German government to cooperate
with Ghana at the bilateral level so that government could access grants
for development.
The Minister said the recent oil find in the country would be a challenge to the transport sector, especially the ports, since the infrastructure was poorly developed for transporting the oil.
He added that, in view of the oil and gas find, the Ministry would
organize a workshop in July, engaging all stakeholders in the transport
industry to discuss the challenges of the oil find on the transport sector.
Dr Haas said the two countries needed to cooperate to identify strategic areas and projects that could be developed.
He urged government to engage the private sector in the development agenda of the government to enable them to access funds to develop various sectors.

The raining season is here again

Accra, Ghana– Easter Monday’s heavy down-pour, which was experienced in most parts of the country is likely to usher in the first and major rainy season, Mr Amos Narh of the Meto the trological Services Department has warned.
Mr Narh, who is in charge of the Department at the Kotoka International Airport, said although atmospheric conditions had not been favourable for some time, the conditions finally changed to precipitate the Monday’s rains.
He said the northern part of the country, however, would experience the rainy season much later than the southern part.
The down-pour measured from 0.2 millimetres within Wa in the northern part of the country to as much as 75.1 millimetres in Ketekrachi in the Volta Region.
Mr Narh advised farmers within the southern part of the country, especially those in Greater Accra, Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo regions to hold on with their planting of crops until one or two more rainfalls.
He said farmers in the northern part on the other hand could begin planting somewhere in the middle of May, 2009.
Mr Narh said if any one attempted to plant crops earlier than the period advised they risked a situation where the lack of rain fall for a period might result in their crops not being able to survive.

UNESCO says developing countries had a chunk of illiterate population

Accra, Ghana – The UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) said
there were about 774 million illiterate adults in the world with 64 per cent
of the figure being women.
The report also indicated that majority of the illiterate adults were found in developing countries adding, “Illiteracy seems to be a less priority, compared to issues of access and teaching”.
Mr Akwasi Addae-Boahene, Country Director, World University Services
of Ghana, in a statement to launch the Global Action Week on Education
organized by the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition added that
literacy was one of the most neglected of the six goals of the “Education for All”.
The global theme for the celebration is: “Youth and Adult literacy and Lifelong Learning” but Ghana had adopted “Literacy for All, a Challenge to National Development” to drum home the need for Policy makers to pay attention to the sector.
He said in Ghana nearly 42 per cent of the population was illiterate. Additionally about 50 per cent of women in Ghana were illiterate compared to
33 per cent of men.
However, there are regional disparities across the rural and urban divide: the proportion of the population that is illiterate in Greater Accra is 21 per cent, while Ashanti is 40 per cent. Brong Ahafo, 54 per cent meanwhile the three northern regions has over 76 per cent.
Mr. Addae-Boahene noted that the literacy rates at the basic level continued to decrease thus affecting the ability of pupils to perform.
The Global Action Week 2009 which will be observed in Ghana from April
20-25 would be used to pressurize government to place literacy policies at
the centre of education systems and development and create awareness on the
need for families to whip up interest in reading and writing.

NSRC to train volunteers to manage crash victims

Accra, Ghana- The National Road Safety Commission (NSRC) is in the process of training volunteers in accidents prone areas on Post Crash management to mitigate the deaths toll and disability.
Mrs May Obiri-Yeboah, Director, Planning and Programmes of NSRC added, "For it has been found that improper and unprofessional handling of crash victims could further worsen their plights".
Speaking at a sensitization forum organized by the Ghana Mental Health Association (GMHA) in collaboration with GPRTU and the NSRC, Mrs Obiri-Yeboah said government was also considering building Trauma Centres on major highways as a more efficient approach to dealing with emergencies on the road.
The theme: "Mental Health and Road Crashes" was chosen to create awareness on psycho-social effect of crashes as well as it economic and cost implications on the individual, families and the nation as a whole.
Mrs Obiri-Yeboah said 1600 people died annually of road crashes and over 1000 injured. The cost of crashes to the country is estimated at 165 million dollars.
"Indeed it will be difficult to divorce mental health from road crashes as the resultant trauma, stress and distress suffered by the crash victims may have serious implication for mental stability", she added.
She noted that road safety was a shared responsibility, "and we are counting on your support to achieve the vision of making our roads transportation the safest in Africa".
Dr Akwasi Osei, Chief Psychiatrist, Accra Psychiatric Hospital called on the DVLA to include Epilepsy Test in addition to eye before licensing any driver.
He reiterated that 90 per cent of crashed were born out of human errors and advised drivers in particular to stay away from drugs and alcohol.
Dr Osei noted that Ghana was ranked second in terms of crashes adding, "Though Ghana is always first, it doesn't have to be first in crashes".
Rev Godson Akpalu, President of GMHA said actions of the driver on the road was important in ensuring safety adding, "With all the improvement made on our road safety assurance scheme, we expect drastic reduction in the number of accidents".
He added that the mental condition of drivers was therefore imperative.
Rev Akpalu urged drivers to be discipline especially on the road.

Health Minister lauds Britain's assistance to Ghana

Accra,Ghana – Dr. George Yankey, Minister for Health on Monday lauded the British government’s contribution to the fight against maternal and child mortality.
“Your contribution is helping in reducing infant mortality by one third and we are hoping that every community with 500 inhabitants will have a clinic to serve their health needs”.
Dr Yankey said this when Mr Nicholas Westcott, the British High Commissioner to Ghana in the company of Mike Hammond, Country Director DFID paid a courtesy call to deepen the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
He noted that the ministry was committed to meeting the MDGs on health, “and this will help to reduce the current difficulties the ministry was facing”.
Dr Yankey said about 45 per cent of the disease burden was malaria related which he noted was affecting the country’s per capita income and GDP.
Mr Westcott noted his country’s significant contribution in the areas of health, trade and development adding, “Although good progress had been made, we will continue to help Ghana achieve the MDGs”.
He said though the Credit Crunch was a global issue, resources would be harnessed to support Ghana in the area of malaria, which he said, “We providing over 1.38 million pounds this year for malaria control and prevention”.

The youth urged to live decent lives

Accra, Ghana- Pastor Mensa Otabil, General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church on Sunday charged the youth not to make compromises as they journey into adulthood but rather pursue God in holiness and apologetic of heart.
  He said it was unfortunate that Christians, especially the youth were dishonouring themselves
in all kinds of profanity and immorality and blamed it on modernity and current trends. 
He asked the youth not to follow the abominations of the west because their standards are not that of God.
  Speaking at a Palm Sunday service at ChristTemple in Accra, he said; “God does not lower his standards because of modernity and current trends because he is the same as he was at the time of Creation.”

 He noted that though Palm Sunday is known as the triumphant entry into Jerusalem it was a cruel and painful ordeal for Jesus Christ, through which God in his mercy found the remedy for sin.

  He said the difference between David and Saul was that the former was quick to humbly accept responsibility for his sins and repent whiles the latter always made excuses for wrong doing adding, “God called David a man after his own heart not because he was too righteous but because he was humble enough to accept his mistakes and plead for the Father’s forgiveness.”
  Pastor Otabil said not only did we sin as individuals but most often society’s sins became “our sin too because we look on unconcerned, tolerate it and then become part of it.” 
  He said many Christians go to other places for all kinds of power and protection under the cover of darkness adding, “all these are abominations and are detested by God”.  

Road crashes munch 1.6 per cent of GDP

  Accra, Ghana- Road crashes contribute 1.6 per cent loss of the country’s Gross Domestic Products, Mr Justice Amegashie, Director of the Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), said on Friday. 
  He said insurance companies therefore had a major role to play in researching into causes of road crashes and share the findings for stakeholders to adopt more pragmatic measures in dealing with the situation. 
  Mr Amegashie said this at the launch of Vanguard Assurance Company Limited road safety campaign aimed at reducing accidents especially during the Easter festivities.
  He said ensuring road safety was not the duty of one entity, “and that is why corporate Ghana must be concerned in that direction”.
  Mr Gideon Amenyedor, Acting Chief Executive, Vanguard Assurance, said the campaign would focus on two thematic areas: “If you drink, Don’t Drive and if you drive don’t drink; and “If you are tired, don’t drive and if you drive and get tired on the way, break and take a rest.”
  Mr Amenyedor therefore urged the public to contribute to the campaign by sending SMS to their friends on the need to maintain and ensure safety on the road particularly at Easter.
  Mr Daniel Awuah-Darko, Vice Chairman of Vanguard, reminded Ghanaians that road safety was a collective responsibility, saying “Let us therefore keep each other safe on the road”.

GIJ to become research hub

Accra, Ghana- Mr Kweku Rockson, acting Rector of the Ghana Institute of Journalism, has said the school is positioning itself to become a research and post-graduate centre for learning and training of communicators.
The move is to provide the relevant skills, knowledge, as well as give students the best training as far as the growth of communication and journalism is concerned.
"The emphasis on research would form the basis of our future curriculum development," Mr Rockson said at the launch of GIJ’s Golden Jubilee celebration under the theme: "50 Years of GIJ-Defining Africa's Communication Agenda.”
He said continuous refinement of the school's programmes was to equip graduates to fit into the job market and make relevant contribution to the industry and society as a whole.
"We envisage a type of professional journalist who has the ability to objectively analyse issues and provide the public with relevant information.”
Mr Rockson said GIJ would continue to modify its curricula in accordance with modern and international trends, adding “we are currently in the process of creating a Sandwich Centre and a Centre for Media and Public Policy, which will serve as a platform to engage the media and policy makers on national issues."
He said the upgrading of the Institute to University status had further deepened its position as a prestigious communication institute not only in Africa but across the globe.
"The GIJ has the capacity and desire to expand and admit more students who want to further their education in the area of communication and journalism studies.
“We are, however, constrained in terms of space which is affecting our ability to admit more students for our various programmes."
Mr Rockson lauded the vision of the founding fathers, whilst acknowledging the contributions of stakeholders to the development of the school.
Dr Joe Annan, Deputy Minister of Education, tasked media personnel to specialize in order to make them more knowledgeable in those particular areas, saying "all over the world, specialization is the order of the day".
He added that journalists must use the power vested in them to foster unity and development through good, accurate, accountable and quality reports.
Mr Abrahim Awal, Managing Director, Graphic Communications, who chaired the function, noted that Ghana's quest for true democracy could be achieved only when journalists played their expected role in society.

Buruli Ulcer strategy to focus on early detection

Accra, Ghana - Based on the best available evidence, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) new strategy for Buruli Ulcer (BU) control will focus on early case detection and early initiation of antibiotic treatment
for patients.
This was announced on Monday by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr
Luis Sambo, in an address to the High-Level Leadership Meeting on BU which
took place in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
Explaining the rationale behind the focus of WHO’s BU control strategy
on early detection and early commencement of treatment, Dr Sambo stated that “early treatment with antibiotics is vital to avoid the progression of the disease to its destructive and disabling stages.”
He also informed the participants: “WHO’s strategy for BU control calls
for universal access by all populations to appropriate health care … and given that the incidence of the disease is highest among deprived populations, treatment should be free of charge or at a cost affordable by the poor.”
The Regional Director listed some of the numerous advantages of the new strategy as including: the alleviation of suffering and disabling complications, reduction in the cost for specialized surgery; better integration of Buruli Ulcer control activities into the primary health care system, and the lowering of the direct and indirect cost of treatment.
Dr Sambo described the development of drug treatment of BU as a notable achievement which had revolutionized the management and treatment of the disease and reduced by half the need for expensive surgical treatment.
“However, many challenges still lie ahead”, he said, adding, that they included the need to develop a simple diagnostic test to help health workers in rural clinics to diagnose the disease; better surveillance and case notification to allow for the commencement of early treatment; shortage of qualified health workers, and inadequate funds for research into the epidemiology of BU, its mode of transmission, and improved diagnosis and treatment.
He paid tribute to the Heads of State attending the meeting, saying that their presence in Cotonou was evidence of the importance they attached to BU control. “Let us work together to get to the root of this disfiguring disease
of which mankind is still a victim in the 21st century,” he said.
Dr Sambo pledged that WHO would continue to work with countries and development partners to ensure the attainment by Member States of internationally agreed health objectives.
A neglected but treatable tropical disease, Buruli ulcer, is caused by infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans, a relative of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis and leprosy.
The disease is characterized by skin lesions which persist without healing.
Named after an area of Uganda where it was once highly prevalent, it is present in over 30 countries worldwide.

Right activist stress right to information

Accra, Ghana– The right to information is key for effective and functional democracy especially in developing countries, Ms Florence Nakazibwe of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, said on Thursday.
“Indeed information is central to the development of Ghana’s young democracy,” she said, adding that this was why the authorities must furnish the public with information to ensure transparency and accountability.
Ms Nakazibwe said this at the Second National Organizing Committee (NOC) meeting of the National Commission on Civic Education charged with the responsibility of planning this year’s Constitution Week celebration.
She noted that the demand to operationalise the right to information was therefore imperative to empower the people to exercise their monitoring role on the activities of government.
“It is important to note that protecting this right will promote civic participation in the democratic process, build confidence in government activities and strengthen its credibility and effectiveness among the citizenry,” she added.
Ms Nakazibwe said the quest for information flow could only be attained through strong legislation “and the process of law making must be participatory and informed by realities of communities concerned”.
This year’s Constitution Week celebration under the theme: “Beyond Elections: Citizen Participation and Government Accountability” would be marked by series of lectures and round-table discussions on selected topics.
The topics include: Realizing Constitutional Values through the Protection of the Right to Information; “Building a New Participatory Culture for Ensuring Government’s Accountability” and “The Role of Chiefs in Ghana’s Democracy”.

Prioritize your activities-Akua Dansua

Accra, Ghana – Ms Akua Sena Dansua, Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, has called on heads of departments under the Ministry to prioritize their activities to ensure efficiency in service delivery.
She said the ministry would soon undergo re-engineering aimed at bringing all sectors - Department of Children, Department of Women and Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) - among other collaborators to address some teething difficulties that were hampering quality and efficient work.
Ms Dansua said this when she paid a working visit to the departments to assess the working situation as well as find common grounds of making things easier for workers.
She noted: “My success or failure depends on you. Therefore let’s work together in unity to move the ministry forward.”
Ms Dansua noted that capacity building to develop local skills would be enhanced and would also intensify the relationship between district assemblies.
She said the Scheme Level to ratify salary levels among workers was also on course to motivate staff.
“The ministry has initiated a lot of programmes including education of MMDCEs and parliamentarians to have better understanding of women and children’s issues.”
Ms Dansua noted that a budget had been approved for the construction of new MOWAC offices while the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park had been given to a private investor to give it a facelift.
She urged the staff to be serious with their work, saying’ “I urge you to meet deadlines and report back on seminars and workshops you attend.”

Ghanaian media urged to report more on environment

Accra, Ghana - Out of 7000 news reports sampled by the National Media Commission in 2008, Natural Resource and Environment (NRE) represented only one per cent.
Political related issues recorded 26 per cent; Sports, 24, Drugs, 10 per cent, peace and security, nine per cent; Arts and Entertainment, five per cent; Media and Law recorded three per cent each; Women and Children and Development, two per cent each while Tourism recorded one per cent.
Mr. George Sarpong, Executive Secretary of the Commission, said this when he spoke on the Topic “Media Reporting and the Natural Resource and Environment: What makes the news?” at a day’s capacity building workshop for environmental journalists in Accra.
The workshop was organized by Kasa, an advocacy group on the theme, “Natural Resource and Environment: Media as an Effective Advocacy Partner in Shaping Public Opinion and Influencing Policy” to equip journalists in developing the interest in reporting on those thematic areas.
Kasa is a two-year pilot civil society support mechanism in natural resource management established in 2008 to organize learning lessons to design a longer term capacity building in natural resource and environmental management.
Mr Sarpong explained the higher scores for politics, sports and drugs could mean there were lots of activities relating to those fields but added that the one per cent recorded for NRE issues was not encouraging.
“We knew last year was an election year, lots of drug traffickers were arrested within the period and the hosting of the CAN 2008 could have been the contributing factors,” he said, adding, NRE issues were equal national ones which cut across all regions and urged reporters to give equal coverage to the sector.
The Executive Secretary also decried the over concentration of Frequency Modulation (FM) Stations in the Greater Accra Region and hinted that the NMC would correct the anomalies to ensure fair distribution of air waves across the country.
Mr Sarpong said the over concentration came about because of lack of communication between the Commission and the National Communication Authority (NCA) “but the NMC is now included on the board of the NCA and we hope to use the opportunities to correct those wrongs”.
Dr Steve Manteaw, Media and Campaign Director, ISODEC, said: “the extraction of natural resource in our part of the continent rather brought us total misery and poverty”.
He said: “resources from the natural resources should be used to improve facilities in the mining areas to alleviate abject poverty among the people”.
He, therefore, urged the government to endeavour to maximize benefits from natural resource extraction and minimize the toll on the environment.
Sarah Naa Dedei Agbey, a member of the group, said the goal was to reduce poverty through improved natural resource and environmental governance, build capacity in advocacy, research and communication strategies, among other things. She announced that they would be monitoring news reports on NRE to award media houses that give more prominence to the issues.

Mills' sanitation club

Accra, Ghana -The Atta Mills Foundation, a pro-democracy Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), in Kumasi, has advocated the formation of sanitation clubs in educational institutions.
The NGO said sanitation issues had become very important in the nation’s development process in recent times and that the formation of such clubs was crucial in sensitizing students, especially the youth to appreciate cleanliness in all their activities.
Togbui Mawufeame Fugah, Life Patron of the Foundation, was not happy that the nation spent a chunk of her resources in curbing filth-related diseases such as malaria, typhoid and cholera, which he said, could have been avoided if the citizenry were sanitation-conscious.
He was briefing the GNA in Kumasi, at the weekend, on the second phase of a massive clean-up exercise to be embarked by the Foundation, next month, to help keep the Kumasi Metropolis clean. The first exercise was held in January this year.
Togbui Fugah said the exercise would cover some principal streets and communities including, the Kumasi Children’s Home and that during the event, choked gutters and garbage would be cleared.
He appealed to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), identifiable groups and residents to join in the exercise by providing equipment to facilitate the work.
Togbui Fugah noted that the exercise also formed part of activities towards the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the enstoolment of Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as Asantehene.

Salia goes home

Accra, Ghana- Thousands of mourners from all walks of life on Thursday gathered at the forecourt of the Parliament House to pay their last respect to: a Friend, colleague, father, husband and a comrade- Mr. Edward Salia, 57 and NDC MP for Jirapa Constituency.
  Mr. John Evans Atta Mills, President of the Republic of Ghana, Members of the Council of State, the Judiciary, Parliamentarians and members of the Diplomatic Corp were all spotted in their black attire to mourn the late MP.
  The atmosphere was that of a forlorn amidst dirges, tribute and eulogies from the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church choir and the Ghana Police Band.
  On significant feature was the wearing of smock among sympathizers.
  Ms Emmanuella Salia, last of the four daughters of the late MP who read a tribute on behalf of the children recollected fond memories of a good father, “One thing we knew was, never take your home-work to Daddy to sign, you will re-do it a hundred times”.
  She promised to keep the strong bond they built as a family, “It will not be broken even in your death”.
  Dr Kwabena Adjei, Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, who poetically recited the party’s tribute, said the late MP was an inspiration to all members of the NDC as he was instrumental in its return to power.
  “Edward was a friend to all and worked hard to keep the party machinery running even in opposition”, he said. 
  Mrs. Salia in a tribute to the late husband said “You have achieved so much in your life. Each day, I am reminded by friends and family what a great person you were”.
  She added: “I know I will see you again someday and I know by the time I get there you would have achieved greater things there too, see you later”.
  Wreaths were laid by the President on behalf of people of Ghana, the children and wife, Parliament and the NDC.
  Most Rev Paul Bemile, Bishop of Wa Diocese who conducted the burial service sprinkled water amidst burning of incense as a last prayer for the departed.
  Pall bearers clad from the Ghana Army swing their hands in readiness to aid the departed home.  

Security urged to take swift action

 Accra, Ghana– The Right Rev. Dr. Yaw Frimpong-Manso, Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG),  has appealed to the security agencies to be swift and professional in apprehending trouble makers in the northern part of the country to avoid political coloration.
  “Much as we commend government for the prompt action taken to address the situation, we wish to advise all the political parties to desist from any form of action that will aggravate the situation,” he said.
  Rt. Rev. Dr Frimpong-Manso, speaking at the annual general meeting of the Council, therefore urged all warring factions to allow the National Peace Council to do its work to ensure lasting solution.
  “The peace and unity of the people for development is paramount on government’s agenda,” he said.
  He noted that, conflicts in that part of the country were major factors hindering its underdevelopment, saying donors were sometimes unwilling to give their support to projects in that area due to the conflicts.
  Rt. Rev. Dr. Frimpong-Manso said the Council would continue to be the voice for the voiceless in advocating peace and social justice where the highest premium would be placed on unity and respect for the dignity of God’s creation.
  The Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, General Secretary, CCG, said the Council would continue to work effectively on its main focus of socio-economic development, gender and human rights.
  He called for a review of the CCG Constitution to enable it to meet the challenges of the time.
  Rev. Dr. Deegbe mentioned some successes chalked by the CCG as intensification of education on child trafficking; support for HIV/AIDS patients; training and voter education; election monitoring and networking with other civil society players towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Today is Social Workers Day

  Accra, Ghana- Government was on Tuesday urged to focus attention on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of society as it grappled with the effects of the global financial crisis.
  “We need, as a nation, to act in unity to make sure that resources are made available to the less privileged, vulnerable and disadvantaged, a statement by the Ghana Association of Social Workers in Accra said.
  The statement signed by Mr DanielObeng Asamoah, President, said this required that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) responsible for the welfare of the less privileged and vulnerable adequately resourced to enable them fulfil their mandates effectively.
  The statement forms part of activities marking the third World Social Work Day which fall on March 17. It is under the theme "Social Work and Social Development: the Agenda". 
  The Day is aimed at bringing to the fore the invaluable contribution of the Social Work profession to Social development and the need to recognize and involve social workers in our developmental efforts.
  “Our nation is confronted with a myriad of social problems and as Social Workers our role is to create an enabling environment that makes sure that the average citizen can thrive despite the problems”, the statement added. 
  It noted that with the global financial crisis unfolding, Ghana would not be spared of its adverse socio-economic effects adding, “We all need to find new ways to cope with this”.
  It is our fervent prayer that more of such pro-poor programs will be put added to the existing ones to give meaning to NDC manifesto promise of “investing in people”. 
  Investing in people this way calls for an improvement in the salaries and conditions of service of all Social Workers, especially those in government employment. 
  “Indeed investing in Social Work is the surest way of achieving real Social development”, the statement said.  

Develop the tourism sector to attract foreign exchane

  Accra, Ghana – Mrs. Juliana Azumah-Mensah, on Tuesday said the growth of the hospitality industry was imperative in increasing the country’s foreign exchange and thereby enhancing development.
  At a meeting with the Project Manager of Ambassador Hotel, Mr Clovis Abi Nade, Mrs Azumah expressed happiness for the hotel’s “come-back”.
  “Ambassador Hotel reminds me fond memories in the 60th and 70th where highlife music was the order of the day”.
  She urged the project implementation team to employ more local people during and after its completion to offer jobs to them.
  Mr Nade, assured the ministry of timely project completion to serve the needs of expatriates and tourists at large.
  The Ambassador hotel, a five star deluxe establishment when completed would have 260 rooms, gym, shops, playgrounds, pool side among other facilities.

Cinderella told in the African way

  Accra, Ghana– The National Theatre, Ghana and the National Touring Theatre of Sweden is to produce a film to highlight some of the challenges women and children go through particularly in Africa as well as finding solutions to them.
  The project dubbed: “The African Cinderella” tells a story of how step children especially suffer in second marriages. The story brings on board rich Ghanaian cultural heritage in areas of Proverbs, idioms, costume and palatial as well as rural settings to make individuals relate with it.
  Efo Kojo Mawugbe, Artistic Director, National Theatre said the project was an artistic product meant for export and therefore would bring best experiences and characters to carry out the various themes: Self Esteem and woman empowerment and child abuse among others. 
  “This project aims also at teaching and bring back lost values to the society”, he added.
  Efo Mawugbe noted that cast in the project were expected to speak three or more Ghanaian languages fluently.
  “A memorandum of understanding between the two countries has been signed and we hope to start the ball rolling by March 2, 2010 with a tour across the ten regions of the country aside some tour in Sweden, UK and some Anglophone countries, ”.
  Efo Mawugbe said there would be ten performances in every region, with community participation as a tool for discussion and debate, “we are collaborating with Plan International, MOWAC and the ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture among other to ensure it success.
  Mr Markwei Amartefio, consular of Sweden noted that the project was a door-opener to more partnership in the area of business and culture: “Cultural exchanges are very important in political and economic relationship”.
  He said it was another area of investment to the country which would attract investors, “I travel to Sweden once very year to patronize their theatre performances and I am looking for a day people from that country will also come just for cinema performances”.
  Ms Fransesca Quartey, Director of the Project noted it was using culture as a tool to finding answers to problems that women and children in particular faced.

Ghana asked to check sex-tourism

 Accra, Ghana- International players in the tourists industry, have advocated the establishment of stringent measures to check sex- tourism and other negative spots, likely to be associated with the fledging tourist business in Ghana.
  Mr Pimo Mazurczak, Regional Admissions Director, of the Swiss-based Glion Institute of Higher Education, expressed these views during a day’s seminar for stakeholders in the tourists industry in Ghana.
  The resource person who was in the country to whip up the interest of students to take up academic courses in the hospitality industry, was unanimous about the need for the right legislation to nip in the bud any aspect of tourism that is inimical to national interest.

I'll resign if....Mumuni

I’ll resign if… – Mumuni

Accra, Ghana – Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, on Tuesday said he would only resign if it was proven that he had committed any act of criminality and or corruption.
He made the statement at a press conference to set the records straight on the meaning of a court judgement against him in a case he filed in the courts seeking damages for defamation against the publishers, editor and a reporter of Daily Guide Newspaper and the auditors who compiled a forensic audit report that sought to incriminate him.
“…Should it be shown or proven that I have stolen a single pesewa of taxpayer’s money or taken a personal benefit whether directly or indirectly or been corrupt or abused my office or been guilty of wrongdoing, I am prepared not only to resign…but also offer myself for prosecution and any penalties prescribed by law,” he said.
A pressure group by name Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG), presented a petition to the Appointments Committee of Parliament seeking to stall the appointment of Alhaji Mumuni as Minister.
During his vetting the Minority in Parliament walked out when their effort to seek a suspension of the vetting to await the determination of the court case.
A couple of days ago, the Accra Fast Track High Court dismissed the claims of Alhaji Mumuni and ruled in favour of the defendants and awarded cost against the plaintiff.
Alhaji Mumuni noted that the dismissal of his claim for damages against the defendant did not mean that he had been found guilty of criminal charges, saying that he took the matter to court and not the other way round.
“I have never been charged with any criminal conduct before a court of law nor has any charge been brought against me before the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), so I am a free man,” he said.
Touching on the court judgement itself, he said he had pointed out to the court that, there were important omissions from the record or proceedings based on which the judgement was given, but the court ignored his call for corrections to be made.
He said he had subsequently instructed his lawyers to challenge the court ruling through the legal process.
Alhaji Mumuni said he was not surprised that his political opponents would seek to drag his name in the mud based on a report by Baffuor-Awuah and Associates given that it was the same organizations which conducted forensic audits involving NDC officials like Mr. Dan Abodakpi, Kwame Peprah, Dr. Ato Quarshie and Ibrahim Adam, some of whom ended up in jail.
“I feel like am in a slave ship of the NPP and I am surprised that the NPP will use the audit outfit against their political opponents in such a disgraceful manner,” he said.
He said beside the fact that the said forensic audit was not properly authorized as per the 1992 Constitution, it was also not properly laid before Parliament for eight years.
“If the NPP claims that I have squandered 19 million Ghana cedis, then why have they waited for eight years before they are bringing the matter up,” he said.
Alhaji Mumuni said he was also surprised that the spokesperson for AFAG, who also doubled as counsel for Daily Guide Newspaper in the defamation case, could go to every extent to snub the ethics of his profession and the duty to uphold the integrity of the court and commit such contempt of court by discussing a court case at a press conference.
He assured the public that he was innocent and would go to every extent to prove that.

Sanitation fighting against the MDGs'

Accra, Ghana- Elias Sory, Director General of the Ghana Health Service said sanitation had become a crisis thwarting the progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially in Africa and Asia.
“The root of this unrelenting catastrophe lies in the plain, grim fact that four out of every 10 people in the world do not have access to even a simple pit latrine and nearly two in 10 have no source of drinking water”.
In a speech read on his behalf at the launch of the 28th Health Week Celebration of the University of Ghana Nursing School in Accra, he said the world continued to be off track in meeting the MDG target by half the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015 and noted that if the trend continued, there would be 2.4 billion people without basic sanitation by the same year.
It was on the theme: “ensuring a Healthy environment, a Way of Promoting National Development- the role of the individual”.
In Ghana, he said a staggering 60 percent of residents in the capital did not have toilets and one wondered how the situation in the districts would be and the precarious health-related effects it brought.
A concerted effort was therefore needed to combat the global poor sanitation phenomena with workable strategies and measures that would address the critical issues related to all aspects of sanitation, he said.
He also called for a purpose driven action such as advocacy for policy change to help mitigate its health related challenges.
The Chief Nursing Officer, Mr. George Kumi Kyeremeh said though efforts had been made by previous government to solve the country’s sanitation problems it still remained a major challenge.
He said there were still chocked gutters, few public toilets with long queues making people defeacate anyhow and polluting the water bodies.
Mr Kyeremeh said it consequences were the high incidence of malaria and the outbreak of cholera in some part of the country.
He also reiterated the need for continuous awareness creation, advocacy to sustain education from junior level as well as the involvement of all stakeholders to sensitize society.

Enact laws to regulate Midwifery

Accra, GHana- Mr Jude Edochie, UNFPA Deputy Representative on Tuesday called on countries with high maternal mortality rate to enact relevant regulations to create the enabling environment for the practice of midwifery.
"The world needs midwives now more than ever to save the lives of mothers and babies", he said at the opening of a two-week conference organised by the UNFPA and the International Confederation of Midwives.
The theme: "Investing in Midwives" was chosen to educate government of member nations on the need to develop that sector of the public health system as a way of promoting reproductive health.
Mr Edochie called on member countries to develop strong and credible professional associations and educational institutions for the training of midwives to raise the standards of practice.
Dr Elias Sory, Director General, Ghana Health Service noted that maternal mortality continued to be a major health problem globally, "We see a mother suffering complications of labour without access to qualified support".
He said an estimated 530,000 of complications of pregnancy and childbirth with over 90 per cent deaths occur in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa each year and suggested midwifery be given the needed attention especially at the community level where most complications occurred to help in achieving the universal access to reproductive health by 2015.
"This is because the presence of a midwife in over 99 per cent pregnancy and birth related cases could lead to a decrease in mortality by 73 per cent. Furthermore, midwives are professionally positioned to address the first two delays in the management of obstetric emergencies".
Dr Sory said the service had outlined a multi-strategic approach for improvements, which included pre-service training of more midwives and their deployment to the community level to provide the needed services.
Mrs Abigail Kyei, Advisor of the International Confederation of Midwifery said the formation of the council’s confederation sought to improve and increase the provision of midwifery services in low-income priority countries by developing the foundations of a sustainable midwifery workforce.
She said the body would also help strengthen and support midwives' professional autonomy to ensure that midwifery education was regulated, designed by midwives as well as supporting midwifery research to enhance evidence-based midwifery practices.
Mrs Kyei said the goals set would enable Ghana to achieve the objective set out by the Millennium Development Goals of reducing Maternal Mortality and Morbidity, Child Mortality, Promoting Gender Equality and Combating HIV, malaria and other diseases.

Twenty three to be vetted Deputy Ministers

Accra, Ghana - President John Evans Atta Mills has nominated 23 people in accordance with Article 79 (i) of the 1992 Constitution for consideration by Parliament as Deputy Ministers.
A statement signed by Mr James Bebaako-Mensah, Secretary to the President on Monday named them as: Mr Seth Tekpeh, Deputy Minister for Finance, Mr Fiifi Kwetey, Deputy Minister for Finance, Dr Kwesi Akyem Apea-Kubi, Deputy Minister for the Interior, Mr John Gyetuah, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Rojo Mettle-Nunoo, Deputy Minister for Roads and Highways, Mrs Elizabeth Amoah-Tetteh, Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Joseph Annan, Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Nartey Siaw-Sappore, Deputy Minister for Communications and Dr Kwabena Donkor, Deputy Minister for Energy.
Others are: Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Deputy Minister for Energy, Mr Henry Ford Kamel, Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Kwabena Owusu Acheampong, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Ms Dzifa Peace Aku Attivor, Deputy Minister for Transport, Ms Hawawu Boya Gariba, Deputy Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Mr Nii Nortey Dua, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports and Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development.
The rest are: Mr Eric Opoku, Deputy Regional Minister for Brong Ahafo, Mr Baba Jamal, Deputy Regional Minister for Eastern, Mr Kale Ceasar, Deputy Regional Minister for Upper West, Mrs Lucy Awuni Mbun, Deputy Regional Minister for Upper East, Mr Moses Mabengba, Deputy Regional Minister for Northern, Colonel Cyril Neku (Rtd), Deputy Regional Minister for Volta and Ms Betty Bosomtwi-Sam, Deputy Regional Minister for Western. 
The statement said President Mills has also nominated for consideration by Parliament, Mr Kwajo Tawiah Likpalimor, Mr Abdudl-Rashid Pelpuo and Alhaji Seidu Amadu as Ministers of State.

NCCE lauds development of Ghana's democracy

  Accra, Ghana – Mr. Larry Bimi, Chairman of the National Commission for Civic Education on Thursday noted the commission’s commitment to ensuring that Ghana became the cradle of constitutional democracy in Africa.
  “This is the more reason we have to take the study and practice of the constitution seriously. I am therefore happy that government has adopted the constitution as one of its flagship programmes.”  
  Mr. Bimi said this at the first National Organizing Committee (NOC) meeting entrusted with the responsibility of the 2009 Constitution Week Celebration.
  The week slated for April 28 to May 4, would be celebrated on the theme: “Beyond Elections: Citizens’ Participation and Governments’ Accountability” with series of lectures on selected topics aside nationwide activities.
  Mr. Bimi noted that deepening constitutional affairs and democracy in particular called for effective and responsible citizen participation.
  Proposed topics for discussion include: Literacy and Level of Participation in Governance, National Identity and Changing Cultural values, The Citizens and His Member of Parliament and Citizen Participation Through parliament.

Engage the Services of professional surveyors

  Accra, Ghana – Mr Jonathan Allotey Abbosey, President of the Ghana Institution of Surveyor (GhIS), on Friday advised the public to engage the services of qualified surveyors to ensure proper land acquisition and ownership.
  “The image of the profession is very important and that is why I call on the public to cross-check from the GhIS before engaging anybody as a surveyor,” he said. 
  Mr Abossey told the Ghana News Agency at the GhIS 40th annual general meeting their advice had become necessary to flush out quacks who were denting the image of the profession.
  He said this was the reason the Surveyor Council Bill needed to be passed to ensure effective regulation and modalities for practitioners to fight the land disputes and acquisition problems that individuals had to go through sometimes.
  Mr Aboosey noted that members of the Institution had been provided with identity cards and jackets and urged the public to demand the identity of people so as to engage qualified surveyors.

Ghana to fight road crashes

  Accra, Ghana – Mr Mike Hammah, Minister of Transport, on Monday said the Ministry had put in place stringent measures to enforce the Road Traffic Act, to curb the spate of accidents on the roads.
  “As a first step to addressing this socially unacceptable trend, the Ministry with effect from April 6, 2009, charges all commercial vehicles to introduce log books in their vehicles to monitor the number of hours drivers use over a distance,” he said.
  Mr Hammah, at a stakeholders’ meeting to find solutions to the accidents, charged commercial vehicles to have National Road Safety Committee (NRSC) approved reflective tapes and warning triangles to improve visibility. 
  “The police are required to enforce these directives while the NRSC monitors its enforcement,” Mr Hammah said.
  He said the National Road Safety Strategy II would be reviewed to reflect emerging trends. Institutional capacity, funding and legal framework within which the strategy is implemented would also be reassessed.
  Mr Hammah said the introduction of speed cameras, installation of speed limiters in commercial vehicles and instant towing of disabled vehicles were some of the long-term measures to be taken to ensure road safety.
  On the recent crashes on some major roads, Mr Hammah noted that preliminary investigation revealed that fatigue, carelessness, poor visibility and high speed were the major causes.
  “As the Minister of Transport, I cannot sit down for these needless road accidents to go on.”
  The stakeholders called for resources for the Police Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), training of drivers and effective collaboration between industry players to mitigate road crashes.
  ACP Victor Tandoh (Rtd), former MTTU commander, advocated the training of “proper traffic police”, who would be dedicated and disciplined, to manage the traffic situation.
  “We do not need people who want to make hay while the sun shines or a policeman who is a friend of a driver; we need men who can instil discipline into drivers and ensure sanity on our roads,” he added.

Involve local consultants in state projects-Surveyors

Involve local consultants in state projects - Surveyors

Accra, Ghana – Mr Jonathan Allotey Abbosey, President of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS), on Monday urged government to engage the services of local consultants to handle major state projects.
“Although we recognize that international best practices must be brought to bear in our developmental agenda, it is unquestionable that we have competent consultants in this country and they have the added advantage of local knowledge and expertise,” he said.
Mr Abbossey, speaking at a press conference to launch the 40th anniversary celebrations of GhIS, suggested that local and foreign consultants must be partnered for major projects to ensure efficient implementation.
The theme: “The Surveyor and the Millennium Development Goals” was chosen to highlight the contribution of GhIS to national development.
Mr Abbossey noted that surveyors were key players in the development agenda saying, “Surveyors have to be involved, if the implementation of the various ventures within the economy is to be successful.”
He said GhIS was working hard to enact laws that would control and regulate the practice of surveying. Currently two legislations - the Survey Council Bill and Estate Agency Bill - being championed by the GhIS have been drafted but are yet to be passed.
To weed out quack surveyors, the Institution has adopted a professional jacket for use by members in its three divisions - the Estate and Valuation, Quantity and Land surveying.
“We urge employers both in the public and private sectors to engage qualified professional surveyors to handle various aspects of projects which are survey related,” he said.
On the oil find, Mr Abbossey said it was imperative for proper demarcation to be done to ensure efficient utilization of land.
“In this regard wanton land sales without regard to land use plans must be discouraged,” Mr Abbossey added.

Ghana urged to put in place Transitional mechanisms

Accra, Ghana – Sheikh IC Quaye, Former Greater Accra Regional Minister said there was the need for the country to put in place transitional mechanisms to ensure that change in government did not result in rancour and acrimony.
“We are witnesses to the beautiful transition that has taken place in America recently. And we also aware of other bitter experiences in other parts of Africa. It is about time Ghana travel on that road of true democracies where transitions take place without any problems,” he added.
Sheikh Quaye said this when he officially handed over the administration of the region to Nii Armah Ashitey, the new Greater Accra Minister.
He noted that developing Ghana’s young democracy called for the placement of institutions to promote it.
Sheikh Quaye noted the maintenance of peace within the region as his remarkable achievement adding, “I would urge you to continue in same spirit so that we can preserve the peaceful atmosphere”.
Nii Armah Ashitey noted that change was always necessary to ensure dynamism as well as promoting new ideas for development.
He said Accra was important in the scheme of the country as it was the “eye of the nation” and called on all sectors within it to work hard to raise the status of the capital.
Nii Ashitey said the business of decongesting the capital, riding it of filth and privatization of certain sectors to attract investors and promote good governance would be high on the agenda.
He said the Regional Co-coordinating Council played a key role in the decentralization process.

Intake of pure cocoa, source of healthy living

Accra, Ghana – Professor Fredrick Addai, Head of the Anatomy Department, University of Ghana Medical School on Saturday said regular intake of pure cocoa or chocolate was a must for healthy living.
“Daily intake of cocoa is necessary to realise its optimum benefits for growth and development of the body as well as disease prevention,” he added.
Professor Addai said this at the end of a three-day lecture on cocoa and its benefits organized by Centuries International Organisation, an NGO which is promoting cocoa consuption in Ghana.
He said drinking pure cocoa powder drink at least three times daily could reduced the rate of diabetes and hypertension, “I advice that persons with these kind of diseases would stick to pure cocoa”.
Professor Addai however, noted that it was not really good for people with very low blood pressure or gastroesophageal reflux disease but could reduce the risks of getting stroke and aneurysm.
On chocolate, he urged the youth to eat the dark bar chocolate regularly in addition to drinking pure cocoa adding, “benefits require lifetime commitment to cocoa consumption”.
He said research had shown that pure natural cocoa has incomparable promotive, preventive, and curative health benefits, “most valuable nutrients are stored in the cocoa bean.”
Mr Ekow Otoo, Commercial Manager, Cocoa Research Institute, Tafo said it was working and researching into various aspect of the pod to churn out more products.
“We now have the cocoa fertilizer, soaps, wine, pomade, salts and others from the pod which is even a by-product”, he added.
Mr Stephen Dzilah, President of the Ghana Chefs Association called for improved technologies in cocoa production that would promote cocoa and chocolate in the country, adding “as chefs, we assure the public of nutritional menu from the product”.

Eschew ethnic sentiments-PCG Moderator

Accra, Ghana-Right Reverend Dr Yaw Frimpong-Manso, Moderator of the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church of Ghana, on Sunday urged Ghanaians to avoid ethnic sentiments that tend to create disunity in society.
“The ethnic sentiments that continue to generate flames at various parts of the country must give way to reconciliation and respect for one another”
Right Rev. Dr. Frimpong-Manso was delivering a sermon on the theme: ”The cleansing hand of Jesus, ”during the dedication of a new church building at New Achimota, constructed by the Salvation Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana .
He said the ethnic group to which one belonged is a divine act and despising any ethnic group was an indictment on God’s plan.
“The church is important because God does not save people in isolation so an important part of what needs to be restored is our relationship with other people and we can do this best as we unite fully with the Lord in a covenant relationship,” he said.
Right Rev. Dr. Frimpong-Manso urged Christians to seek God’s guidance in achieving their goals in life instead of bemoaning their weaknesses and past failures.
He said Christians can only overcome social and spiritual evils when they put on the whole amour of God.
“The forces of evil that assail us today such as armed robbery, alcoholism, occultism and ethnocentrism are too real to be ignored and we are powerless over the demons that afflict us with these evils so we need Jesus who has a superior power to help us,” he said.
Right Rev. Dr. Frimpong-Manso advised Christians to humble themselves and obey God in order to accept mercy and blessings.
“No Christian should even think that he or she is totally independent and does not need help from others and no one should feel excused from the task of helping others and the body of Christ, which is the church, functions well when members work for the common good,” he said.

Decentralize ICT policies to ensure efficiency

Decentralize ICT policies to ensure efficiency- Ofosu-Adarkwa

Accra, Feb 16, GNA – Mr Kwaku Ofosu-Adarkwa, Chief Director, Ministry of Communications, on Monday, reiterated the need for the decentralization of the government’s ICT policy to ensure effective implementation especially at the local level.
“It has been asserted that many e-government projects initiated under the governance transformation processes have failed to achieve the desired outcome, notwithstanding the huge investment,” he said.
Mr Ofosu-Adarkwa said this at a five-day Digital Literacy workshop organized by the Ministry, in collaboration with Microsoft, for participants from the Ministries, Department and Agencies.
The Digital Literacy programme is to help participants to access basic computer concepts and skills to enable them to use the technology to develop new social and economic opportunities to promote government’s businesses.
He said the training had become necessary to bridge the ICT supply gap within the Public and the Civil services and position them for the implementation of a comprehensive electronic government programme to improve service delivery.
“The Ministry shall collaborate with the Office of the Head of Civil Service to operationalise the scheme for IT classes in the public service, which has been developed with the support of UNDP”, he said.
Mr Ofosu-Adarkwa called on participants to become change agents in the governance transformation process, “and this is why I wish to request that all of you actively participate in the course modules outlined under the digital literacy curriculum”.
Mr Okay Ice, Regional Development Manager, Microsoft, Ghana, said the training for system administrators would be carried out in March.
He said Microsoft was poised to help developing countries in the use of ICT to achieve efficiency in the government machinery.

Pay attention to the hotel industry

Accra, Ghana-Professor Stephen Adei, former Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) on Thursday noted that although the hotel industry contributed 10 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, little attention had been paid to its development.
“State-owned hotels like the Ambassador, Atlantic and Continental have all collapsed and Ghana is now relying on private hotels which do not meet international standards,” he said.
Prof. Adei who was speaking at the National Council meeting of the Ghana Hotels Association therefore lauded private hoteliers for their contribution in generating both local and foreign income to support the development of the country.
“I urge you to work in unity and put your resources together, establish a co-operative bank that would enable you to have access to credit facilities to grow the industry.”
Prof. Adei called for excellent management practice and training of staff to raise the face of the industry in the country and tasked government to simplify taxes on hotels.
“It is time for the government to look on the SME in the hotel industry as national assets and come out with a comprehensive incentive package,” he said.
Nana Kofi Adjei Twinin I, National President of the Association, said it was looking at human resource development and capacity building to ensure quality and efficient service delivery.
He said the industry would continue to work to meet the current service standards required by the Ghana tourist board.
“Currently the association has submitted a proposal document for strengthening and harmonizing the operations of the hotels association,” Nana Twinin said.
Mr Martin Mireku, Executive Director, Ghana Tourist Board, said the promotion of tourism could not be effective without a committed and vigorous private and public partnership, adding “there is the need for us to cooperate to achieve the excellence the industry is striving for”.
He said recent inspections carried out by the Board revealed poor kitchen hygiene, housekeeping and supervision, inadequate provision of mandatory furnishing and unskilled staff coupled with lack of professionalism.
Mr Mireku therefore urged hoteliers to keep to standards adding that the tourism industry was dynamic.

Over-liberalised trade affecting rice - GRIB

Accra, Ghana – The country’s over liberalized trade system has badly affected the rice industry and this has to be reversed, Mr Fidelis Avogo, Executive Secretary of the Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body (GRIB), said on Thursday.
“Although GRIB is not advocating a blanket trade blackout, it is restating that rice being a strategic crop needs some enabling conditions to strive and grow from its infant state,” he said.
Mr Avogo, speaking at GRIB’s Fourth General Assembly Meeting, said the industry was also faced with unstable market prices, adding that “more often due to the over liberalized economy, traders buy inputs from wherever and price them differently”.
He said consumption of rice had increased sharply, doubling to 14.5 kilos per capita since the 1990s.
In 2006, total rice consumption amounted to between 450,000 and 750,000 tonnes.
Mr Avogo said a survey in 2006 estimated an urban annual consumption of 38 kilos per capita while rural consumption stood at nine kilos per capita. The study also revealed that two regions, Greater Accra and Ashanti, were the largest consumers.
“Despite the existing potential for increasing national rice production as a result of abundant suitable ecologies, Ghana imports over two-thirds of its rice requirements which translate into 500 million dollars,” he said.
Mr Avogo urged government to establish a Rice Development Fund to help farmers in land development, which was capital intensive.
He lauded rice sector operators for their contribution towards food security and called on them to take advantage of technology to improve productivity.
“Rice among other cereals is attracting premium prices. This is a rare opportunity to the farmers that you must exploit to the full.”
GRIB is an umbrella organization of rice stakeholders and is aimed at identifying constraints, promoting market, price negotiations and profit sharing among stakeholders. It also proposes and lobbies for rice policies with relevant agencies and government.
Alhaji Naa Von Salifu, Zonal Coordinator, Northern Centre, mentioned policy sustainability, lack of good seeds, unreliable weather, high interest rates as some factors hampering the growth of the industry.
Mr Ralph Mends-Oduro, out-going President of GRIB, called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to show interest in the activities of the group and urged members to work in unity to advance their cause.

UG goes on-line with application forms

Accra, Ghana - Applicants seeking admission into the University of Ghana (UG), Legon, are expected to register on-line henceforth.Prof. Elorm Dovlo, Vice Dean, Faculty of Arts, UG, who announced this on Tuesday, said all programmes with the exception of the Diploma to Degree, Executive MBA, Post-degree Law and foreign applicants were, however, expected to purchase forms from the Registry. Speaking at a forum to educate the public and prospective applicants on programmes and subjects choices, admission requirements and processes, Prof. Dovlo said the forum was to straighten public perception of UG's admissions.He noted that, the university had seven subject areas with definite requirements with three campuses and 10 centres across the country to run its programmes on modular, full-time and distance basis.Prof. Dovlo urged prospective applicants to be circumspect in their choice of programmes and subjects to make the work of the admission board easy. "Each major programme has a different mode of calculating results with regard to subjects," he said.Prof. Dovlo advised applicants to pay attention to details and fill in the right information. "Now that we are going on-line, do not fill in wrong grades to persuade authorities, you will definitely be punished." He said, though the university operated within a cut-off point, affirmative action had, however, been taken to increase female enrolment while concessions are given to less endowed schools.

Institutionalize ATI

Accra, Ghana-A two-day workshop on Access To Information (ATI) on Monday opened in Accra with a call on the West African Sub-region to institutionalize legislations enacted on ATI to make it more effective and efficient.
The workshop, which brought together 20 participants: Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Gambia and Liberia was organised by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in collaboration with ActionAid International on the theme: 'Promoting the Peoples' Access to Information: The West African Experience'.
Nana Oye Lithur, said the workshop would identify ways of strengthen information flow to engender a culture of openness in West Africa and enhance capabilities to utilize existing information.
She said it also sought to share the findings of a legislative Audit conducted in Ghana to provide an opportunity for participants to examine the nature and effectiveness of the mechanisms for information access in Ghana.
Nana Lithur said though the right to information encouraged participatory democracy, Africa had not made any impressive strides in that regard, "With a record of only five states; Angola, South Africa, Uganda, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe having freedom on Information laws, progressive efforts must be made to enact more of these laws on the continent".
Mr Venkatesh Nayak, CHRI noted that none of the countries represented had overriding access to information legislation; nevertheless many laws passed by parliaments in these countries contain information disclosure provisions.
He said the findings of the legislative audit from Ghana would encourage members to recognize the usefulness of these provisions and test their efficacy as well as conducting similar research in their respective countries.
Mr Hussaini Abdu, ActionAid International, Nigeria who gave his country's experience and the role of ActionAid said though some countries like Zimbabwe and Uganda had enacted such laws, it was not operational. "Some countries have passed these laws just to satisfy the conditions of accessing loans and grants facility from international donors", he added