DAILY GRAPHIC

The Graphic on its front page carries a story on the visit of a Ghanaian government delegation to the Federal Republic of Germany. The story says the Ghanaian delegation currently visiting the Federal Republic of Germany on Tuesday night, briefed an array of African and European diplomats, academics and journalists on the situation in West Africa and impressed on them to discard the stereo-typed Afro-pessimism. The Graphic says the Ghanaian delegation had earlier attended a trade and investment forum in Hamburg where they explained Ghana's economic environment to the German business community. The paper says German businessmen who intend to invest in Ghana are however more interested in the 250 million strong West African market than the limited 18 million Ghanaian market. GRI

"Parliament to quiz KMA Chief Executive", is the headline of another front page story in the Graphic which says the Majority Leader of Parliament, Mr. J.H. Owusu-Acheampong, is to invite the Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Nana Akwasi Agyeman, to appear before Parliament to answer some questions about statements attributed to him. The Graphic says the Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Justice Daniel Francis Annan, gave the directive after Mr. S.K. Boafo, Minority Chief Whip who is also the NPP Member for Subin, drew attention of the House to a publication headed: "Opposition can't head KMA" in the 'Ghanaian Chronicle" newspaper. Nana Agyeman was quoted as saying that he will never invite opposition MPs because of their walk-outs. "For what should I invite them? They all belong to the Opposition and they will use their walk-out attitude to disrupt my meetings"..., the Graphic quoted the Chronicle as saying. GRI

In an inside page story, the Graphic reports the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Mr. Sam Okudzeto as suggesting that parliamentary lobbying as one of the efficient and effective tool for the development and sustenance of democracy. According to the paper, Mr. Okudzeto said this may be done by approaches to MPs, through memoranda and petitions addressed to the Speaker or to the various parliamentary committees. The Graphic says the GBA president made the suggestion when he opened a three-day workshop on parliamentary lobbying for 40 participants made up of representatives of political parties, the Electoral Commission (EC), Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), and the National Commission on Civic Education in Accra yesterday. The workshop, being organised by the Ghana Legal Literacy and Resource Foundation (GLLARF) with financial support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation, is aimed at equipping the participants with effective skills in communication, advocacy and lobbying. GRI