Print Media Preview For October 21

THE DAILY GRAPHIC – TUESDAY, 21ST OCTOBER, 2003

1. LET’S FIGHT DICTATORSHIP. PRESIDENT TELLS AFRICAN MPs – PGS. 1 & 3

According to the paper, President Kufuor has called on African Parliaments to be at the forefront in the fight against misrule and dictatorship.

He said they should serve as their people’s watchdogs over their rulers to ensure accountable and transparent management of the affairs of state.

He was addressing the opening session of the 26th Conference of the African Parliamentary Union (APU) in Accra.

The President said, furthermore, parliaments should supervise the finances of the state, in terms of their collection and allocation to ensure efficient use of resources and management of the state for the benefit of the people.

2. “COME INVEST IN GHANA” – PGS. 1 & 3

Otumfuo Osei Tutu ll, Asantehene, has advised foreign investors to ignore the negative perception about Africa and do business with the continent.

According to him, it was unfortunate that the international media should choose to paint Africa negatively when there was an array of good things, about Africans.

He said the brighter, resilient and defiant enterprising spirit of Africans should be a source of inspiration for investors to see Africa as an emerging economic destination.

3. HUGE RISE IN GROSS INTERNATIONAL RESERVES – PG. 3

The paper reports that, the country’s gross international reserves rose from $888 million in July, this year, to $1 billion by the end of last month, as a result of prudent economic measures. The increase, the highest to be recorded in the country for decades, reduced inflation considerably and created a favourable economic climate to make available financial resources for lending to the private sector.

Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice-President, disclosed this in a speech read on his behalf by Interior Minister Hackman Owusu-Agyeman at a durbar organised by the chiefs and people of Aburi to mark their annual Odwira Festival at Aburi.

4. GOVT DELEGATION OFF TO THE VATICAN – PG. 17

A Five-Member government delegation, led by Mr. J.H. Mensah, the Senior Minister, last night left Accra for Rome to attend the consecration ceremony of Ghana’s cardinal-designate, His Eminence Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson.

Other members of the delegation were, the Foreign Minister, Nana Akufo Addo, Professor George Hagan, Chairman, National Commission on Culture, Mrs. Elizabeth Villars, President, Association of Ghana Industries and Ms Mary Mensah.

The consecration ceremony is scheduled to take place from October 21-22, 2003.

THE GHANAIAN TIMES – TUESDAY, 21ST OCTOBER, 2003

1. GHANA MEETS 3 CRITERIA FOR SINGLE CURRENCY – PGS. 1 & 3

The paper reports that, Ghana has met three of the four primary convergence criteria of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) for a single currency by July 2005.

As at the third quarter of this year, Ghana had achieved the ceiling of 10 per cent on Central bank financing of budget deficit, import cover ratio of three months and a fiscal deficit/GDP ratio of four per cent.

The only criterion yet to be met is the single digit inflation rate. It is hoped that it will be met by the end of next year.

Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, disclosed this yesterday at the Second Finance Ministers’ Forum of the Zone.

The meeting, attended by Ministers and officials from Ghana and all the member states of the Zone, monitored the progress in the convergence process, especially fiscal convergence towards the common currency project by 2005.

2. BAGBIN TAKES PRESIDENT, TWO OTHERS TO CHRAJ – PG. 3

According to the paper, CHRAJ yesterday began hearing complaints made against the President and two Ministers of State by the Minority Leader, Mr. Alban Bagbin that they used public funds to renovate the President’s private residence.

The Ministers are Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City and Mr. Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Private Sector Development and former Minister of Works and Housing.

All were represented by a Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Miss Gloria Akuffo. The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Mr. Emile Short, in his preliminary ruling, asked Mr. Bagbin to present an amended complaint and the specific relief’s he was claiming within seven days from yesterday.

3. BLOOD SUCKING INSECTS INVADE AOWIN AREA – PG. 1

According to the paper, swarms of small black insects that bite and suck human blood are said to have descended on many communities in the Aowin-Suaman District, causing a lot of anxiety among the people.

The bites of the insects causes severe irritation and discomfort, making a person to lose concentration in what he or she is engaged in.

Opanin Kofi Kyeremeh, a farmer, disclosed this to the GNA at Dadieso.

According to him, the situation was affecting social and economic activities such as farmining, teaching and leaning in the affected communities, especially in remote parts of the district.

THE EVENING NEWS – MONDAY, 20TH OCTOBER, 2003

HIPC FUND FOR SCHOOLS …TO ABSORB INCREASES IN FEES – PG. 1

Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, has announced that part of the HIPC resources will be used to subsidize increases in SSS fees to provide hope for the disadvantaged.

“We are subsidizing because we know that some of the parents can simply not afford it”, he said.

He made this known in an interview with the paper in Accra.

According to him, government had not increased school fees, as was being speculated in some quarters, but government “rather decided to absorb the increase in fees, from last year to this year.

He said government does not fix school fees, rather it is the umbrella body, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) which does, based on the conditions prevailing in the schools.

THE STATESMAN - TUESDAY, 21ST OCTOBER, 2003

SCHOCKING REVELATION…DON’T RUSH INTO ANGLO MERGER – ANGLO GOLD’S OWN DEPUTY CHAIRMAN WARNS GHANA – PG. 1 & BK. PG.

MR. James Motlatsi, 53, deputy Chairman of AngloGold has cautioned that, the government of Ghana should be in no rush to agree to Ashanti merging with his $8 billion Company or any other, for that matter.

According to the paper, he made this frank revelation in post-conference conversation he had with some journalists, including Egbert Faibille Jnr. of the Independent and Asare Otchere-Darko of the Statesman.

He said, “speaking not as deputy Chairman of AngloGold, for you Ghanaians, Ashanti is your greatest asset.

I don’t think you should be in a rush to sell into this merger. You really have a rich asset in Obuasi. I think the government should take its time, and think seriously about the future of Ashanti.”

GHANA PALAVER – TUESDAY, 21ST OCTOBER, 2003

1. SCANDAL! SCANDAL! SCANDAL! TWO SUSPECTED NPP CRIMINALS STILL IN PARLIAMENT – PGS. 1 & 5

The paper reports tha,t Ghana’s Parliament is facing an imminent scandal, and unless the leadership of the House put their feet down, there will be “shame and scandal in the family”.

According to the paper, “Chronicle” newspaper broke the story of the NPP MP for Lower West Akim, (Honourable) Mr. Peter Kwaku Amoabeng, who is dishonourably involved in a multiple visa fraud.

The number 2 scandal involves (Honourable) Mrs. Grace Coleman, NPP MP for Asokore-Effiduase, whom according to the paper has her daughter and son-in-law both convicted by a US Government and has served extradiction notice on Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs seeking her extradiction to stand trial in the USA.

2. GLADYS ASMAH IS A BIG LIAR – CAR OWNER – PGS. 1 & 8

The paper reports that, Mrs. Gladys Asmah, Minister for Women and Children’s Affairs, has been exposed as a liar of all times.

The paper says a fortnight ago, Mrs. Asmah was at a press conference in Accra, telling the world that a case involving one of her drivers, in which he recklessly smashed into a commercial vehicle of an ordinary citizen of Kibi had been settled.

According to the paper, the Minister, noted for her human kindness to all Ghanaians, especially the less privileged, referred to the case as a causal one, which deserve no public attention, but according to the paper’s investigations, when the victim of the accident was contacted, he said “No case has been settled anywhere and that a bench warrant issued for the arrest of the Minister’s driver is still hanging in the air”.

THE INDEPENDENT – TUESDAY, 21ST OCTOBER, 2003

1. AS OBASANJO MOVES TO SAVE NIGERIA AIRWAYS, KUFUOR FAILS GHANAIR PG. 1& BK. PG.

According to the paper whiles the government of President Kufuor, is literally at its wits end about what to do with cash-strapped Ghana Airways, the Nigerian leader, Gen (r’td) Matthew Obasanjo, is already in motion with definite steps to save Nigeria Airways from collapse.

According to the paper, as a first step in the drive by the Obasanjo government to save Nigeria Airways, that airline is to be liquidated.

Whilst Ghana Airways has a debt of US $160m hanging around its neck, Nigeria Airways has a staggering US $528m net deficit.

2. NGO CALLS FOR WATER MINISTRY – PG. 1 & BK. PG.

The paper reports that, the President of Friends of Rivers and Water Bodies (FRWB), an environmental Non-Governmental Organisation, Nana Kwabena Dwomoh Sarpong has called on the Government to as a matter of urgency create a separate Ministry to spearhead the management and development of water bodies in the country.

Addressing a press conference in Accra last week to highlight the outcome of the 3rd water Forum in Kyoto, Japan, and the 13th World Water Week symposium held in Stockholm, Sweden, recently Nana Dwomoh Sarpong said it is very unfortunate that water is treated with careless abandon whilst issues affecting its abundance and quality are grossly neglected by section of the people and the authorities responsible for its sanctity.

THE ACCRA DAILY MAIL – TUESDAY, 21ST OCTOBER, 2003

CHURCHES MUST DO POLITICS – ARCHBISHOP SARPONG – PGS. 1 & 3

The Archbishop of Kumasi, Most rev. Sarpong have stated that “In as much as politics concerns lives, the Church must be involved in it”.

According to the paper the Roman Catholic Church was not a friend of the PNDC when this military junta ran the affairs of this country in the 1980s because of the gross human right abuses then in vogue in the country.

Those turbulent days according to the paper were replayed recently when during the presentation of a paper on his behalf, the Archbishop noted that the Church must not stay aloof when oppression is visited on the people.

THE GHANAIAN CHRONICLE – TUESDAY, 21ST OCTOBER, 2003

GHANA EXPO FLOPS …. SHAME AND DEBTS GALORE – PGS. 1 & 3

According to the paper, the heavily promoted Ghana Expo which just ended on Sunday, may best be remembered for what it was – a major rip off and a non-event.

The event targeted the Ghanaian public resident in Ghana because it was cheap and free to hit, but in the UK and Europe, supposed to be the real target, the organisers showed a remarkable acumen to drum up cash for their personal sweat and zero effort for the convenience, and infrastructural support of the exhibitors.

According to the paper, there has been even more serious allegation of visa racketeering as one of the major sidelines of the whole business.