General News of Friday, 23 November 2001

Source: GNA

US assistance for third world to be diverted to terrorist war - PV

Development assistance from US and other developed countries is expected to be diverted to finance the war against terrorism, Paul Victor Obeng, Former Presidential Adviser noted on Thursday in Tema.

Mr Obeng who was giving a lecture on: "11th September attack on the United States; Antecedents and Implications for Ghana and other Third World Countries", pointed out that this would affect both bi-lateral and multi-lateral aid which originate from the same pool.

The lecture was organised by the Tema Chapter of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Alumni Association as part of its Golden Jubilee celebration, was a prelude to a Fund Raising Dinner Dance on November 24.

He said investment capital would not flow since in times of insecurity and doubt, investors did not become active.

Mr Obeng explained that when security scare griped people in the developed world, it could curb consumption and slum production that could lead to recession, saying employment opportunities would be lost and the first to lose jobs would be African blacks.

It is estimated that Ghana receives about 400 million dollars in the form of remittances and this could be adversely affected. Mr Obeng noted that countries not committing to send forces or join the US alliance might be black listed and denied aid.

He said the attackers, who flew the planes entered US under students' visas and since this fact became known, control over the issue of students' visas could be tightened up, therefore, visitors with students visas might be purged and investigated.

General immigration controls might also be heightened in an attempt to weed out undesirables and in the process many illegal immigrants who were close to perfecting their stay might become victims.

Mr Kwame Sara-Mensah, National President of the association, who chaired the function, called on members to contribute to achieve the targets it had set within the next few years.