GHANAIAN TIMES

The Times in its lead story reports that information available to the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare indicates that some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are "economic frauds" who only seek ffunding to enrich themselves. The paper says the sector Minister, Alhaji Mumuni, announced this at Tamale yesterday when he met members of the NGOs operating in the municipality. He said some of the NGOs also use the privilege of tax exemption to import goods which eventually find their way into the markets. "Apart from these, other NGOs have been identified as projecting a secret political agenda", the paper quoted Alhaji Mumuni as saying. The Times says the Minister therefore called for support of all genuine NGOs to help the government to weed out the fraudulent ones in the country. GRI

"Too much buying and selling ruining the economy - Fran Abu", is the headline of another front page story in the Times. The story says the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr John Frank Abu, on Monday noted with concern that the government's trade liberalisation policy has assumed a disturbing trend which needs to be reversed. "It is clear that Ghana is still a nation of traders rather than producers", explaing that people "are more pre-occupied with promoting the export of other countries than our own", the Times reported him as saying. The Minister was speaking at the launching of two new models of Nissan pick-up vehicles in Accra by Japan Motors Trading Company Limited. GRI

In a banner back page story, the Times saus thje Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Kumasi, under a joint project with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has developed a solar- powered battery charging system to serve the energy needs of rural communities which are far from the national electricity grid. The Times says the system is already operating in three selected communities, namely, Dromankese in Brong Ahafo, Badu-Ahyiam in Ashanti and Addo- Nkwanta in the Eastern Region. Professor F.W.K. Akuffo, Vice-Dean of the School of Engineering, disclosed this when he conducted the Minister of Mines and Energy, Mr Fred Ohene- Kena to inspect the solar laboratory of the universitym in Kumasi. GRI