DAILY GRAPHIC

The Graphic reports on its front page about renewed clashes at Banda in the Brong Ahafo Region which have resulted in the death of two more people. Under the heading: "Renewed clashes at Banda: Two more dead", the Graphic says a strong platoon of police reinforcement has been despatched to Banda to help maintain peace following the killing of two persons in renewed clashes between supporters of the chiefs of Brohani and nearby Menji, last Friday. The Graphic says the death of the two bring to three the number of persons so far killed in the violence which has its roots in a land dispute between the two chiefs which was resolved in favour of chief of Menji. The paper says a farmer, Ocrah Seidu, died in the earlier violence about a month ago. The latest incident, it says, happened just a day after the Regional Minister, Mr David Osei-Wusu was assured by the warring factions during a peace mission to the area that they were going to 'smoke the peace pipe'. GRI

"Minority group boycotts economic forum", is another headline adorning the front page of the Graphic. The accompanying story says the minority group in Parliament has said it will not participate in the forthcoming national economic forum slated for September 2 to 4. The group expressed dissatisfaction about what it described as "marginalisation and an attempt to sidestep" the opposition parties and stakeholders in building a national consensus in an effort to resolve problems inhibiting economic growth of the country. The Graphic says the decision was announced by Mrs Gladys Asmah, Deputy Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Takoradi at a news conference in Accra yesterday. The national economic forum is a follow-up to previous meetings held in March and June this year, at Akosombo and North Carolina, U.S,, which were organised by the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF) in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development. GRI