DAILY GRAPHIC

The Graphic report on its front page that the Aboadze Thermal Plant in the Western Region will become operational next month and be hooked to the national grid. In a lead story headlined: "Aboadze Thermal Plant ready...It starts operation in October", the Graphic says the operation would begin with one of out of the three turbines of the plant. The two others are expected to start operation sometime in November and next year. The Graphic says the first turbine which would produce 100 megawatts of power would be connected to the grid at Tema. According to the paper, Mr Joseph Sowah Okpoti, Deputy Chief Executive of the Volta River Authority (VRA) who announced this said 100 more megawatts of power from a second turbine would be ready for distribution to Accra four weeks from the start of operation of the first one. GRI

In another front page story headlined "Doctors to undergo training in surgery", the Graphic reports that the Minister Health, Dr Eunice Brookman-Amissah has announced plans to train doctors at the regional and district hospitals in practical surgical skills to enable them to handle all cases that require surgery. According to the paper, the Minister indicated that the doctors would be given short training programmes in surgery to help address the inadequate number of trained surgeons due to their long training period. GRI

The Graphic carries a story in its centre spread which says the Minister of Communications, Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah has suggested that the framework of the proposed National Communication Policy (NCP) must positively help change national attitudes and bring about a new national idientity. Mr Spio-Garbrah said the policy must therefore be couched in a way that would eliminate the emotionalism and politicisation of major national challenges. The Minister, was speaking on "national communication policy for the 21st centrury" at the sixth annual congress of the Society of Volta River Autority Engineers (SOVRAE) at the Kpong Power Generating Station at Akuse at the weekend. The Minister said a good NCP would help bring about constructive competitiveness, meritocracy and a national culture devoid of envy, bitterness and narrow thinking. GRI

GHANAIAN TIMES "President speaks of his future...After the year 2000", is the lead headline in the Times. The accompanying story says in what may be seen as a significant revelation, President Jerry John Rawlings dropped hints at the State House in Accra last Friday about the future he is contemplating beyond the year 2000. The Times says in a conversation with some guests when he took a break outside the Banquet Hall of the State House during the inauguration of the American Chamber of Commerce (Ghana), President Rawlings revealed that he was considering a number of offers including executive positions in some international charitable organisations. According to the Times, President Rawlings who will be 53 in the year 2000, did not elaborate or mention the organisations involved but said that he still had his sight on flying. GRI

The Times in another front page story reports that an 18-year- old student of Lawra Secondary School, Michael Sien-Ibu, has been remanded in custody by the Community Tribunal at Tuobodom in the Brong Ahafo Region for allegedly resisting arrest, beating two policemen and possessing leaves suspected to be Indian hemp. He pleaded not guilty. The Times says according to the prosecution last Wednesday, the suspect was seen at Tuobodom in the afternoon smoking something believed to be Indian hemp and at the same time holding a lighted incense in the left hand. He was advised by a policeman to go the bush with the suspected Indian hemp or put it off, but the suspect became offended and grabbed the shirt of the policeman. In the ensuing struggle, the policeman blew his whistle for help and when his collegue went to his aid, the suspect gave him a blow, and disarmed the two policemen who were on peace-keeping operations in the area. But for the intervention of passers-by and police reinfiorcement, a different story would have been told, the Times reported the prosecution as saying.

The Times in a back page story says district chief executives in the Eastern Region have expressed concern about illegal felling of timber and bad farming practices which are depleting forests in the region. Their concern was expressed at a meeting with the Regional Minister, Miss Patience Adow, at Koforidua on Friday. The Times says the DCEs asked district assemblies to focus public education on the causes of deforestation and the activities of chainsaw operators. The paper says a communique issued at the end of the meeting requested the Minister of Lands and Forestry to provide the Regional Coordinating Council with an up-to-date information to enable them to map out appropriate methods to protect forest resources. GRI