Mechanics Must Expose Car Thieves - DCE Urges

Nkawie (Ash), July 7, Mr. Peter Yaw Mensah, Atwima District Chief Executive, has called on mechanics to be alert and help the security agencies to clamp down on activities of car thieves. He said they should not hesitate to give up suspicious persons who approach them for assistance in the sale of stolen vehicle parts like windscreens, wheel caps and other accessories. Mr. Mensah made the call when he addressed a meeting of the interim Ashanti Regional Executive committee of the Ghana National Association of Garages (GNAG) with members of the Atwima District branch of the association at Nkawie. He also drew attention to the need for the mechanics to be honest and sincere to those who send their vehicles to them for repairs. The District Chief Executive advised members to organise themselves into co-operatives to enable them to benefit from the assembly's share of the common fund set aside to support income- generating activities. Mr. A. Z. Mohammed, interim regional chairman of the association, said they were liaising with the National Board for Small-Scale Industries to organise training programmes for mechanics. The aim, he explained, is to help expose them to the techniques of efficient management practices. Mr. Kwasi Abayie, a founding member of the GNAG, praised the government for the introduction of the World Bank-supported training programmes for both apprentices and master mechanics.

Accra, July 6, The Rt. Rev. Japhet Y. Ledo, Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P) Church, Ghana, yesterday commissioned four new pastors into the Church at a ceremony at the E.P Church, Bubiashie, in Accra. The pastors who graduated from the Trinity College, Legon, are the Rev. (Mrs) Eunice Sena Akua Kpikpi, the Rev. Wisdom Serlome Alorvi, the Rev. Wilberforce Oyiti and the Rev. Gilbert Yao Nachim. In a sermon, Rev. Ledo charged them to serve their congregations with humility and respect. "Like Jesus who was willing to wash the feet of his disciples, you should preach Christ through your actions and not rpt not only by words of mouth. "When you think about your own dignity and pride, just picture Jesus stooping to wash the feet of his disciples. Be fresh in your minds to help your humble yourselves before all men" , Rev Ledo added. He said what today's Churches need most is honest and dedicated leaders, who in spite of all intimidations, will be prepared to stand firm. The Moderator, therefore, urged the pastors to introduce new ideas which would build the Church, while ensuring that their ''ideas do not promote their selfish interest''.

Sunyani (B/A), July 7 The Brong Ahafo Region branch of the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF) has reshuffled its executive committee with Madam Yaa Badu, Berekum District chief farmer, becoming the acting president. This follows an emergency executive meeting of the association at Sunyani yesterday when Mr. John Kofi Dekyi, the substantive regional president of the association, announced his intention to step down on his own volition. The members accepted Mr. Dekyi's decision and later unanimously endorsed the nomination of Madam Badu for the post of acting president pending the association's next regional election. Mr. Dekyi who has been the president of the regional association since its formation about seven years ago, still remains the association's representative on the Regional Lands Commission. Mrs. Lucy Serwaa Bonsu of Tano District, now becomes the acting regional treasurer. Mrs. Bonsu's new position followed the meeting's decision to replace the substantive treasurer for his alleged persistent absence from meetings. Earlier, Mr. Emmanuel Abraham Mensah, secretary of the association, told the committee that government has bank credit facility for farmers and fishermen and the Agricultural Development Bank is operating the scheme. He asked all district chairmen of the association to inform their members accordingly. Mr. Mensah said the government has allocated two tractors to members in the region at a total cost of about 1.2 million US dollars. The association can either pay for them outright or take them on credit at an interest rate of 25 per cent. Mr. Dekyi later briefed members on some decisions of the Regional Lands Committee and advised them to take leases on all their houses or plots of land to enable them to use such properties as collateral for loans. In her acceptance speech, Madam Badu thanked members for the honour done her and promised to bring more life into the association. She asked for the co-operation of the other executive officers to enable her perform well.

Nwineso Number One(Ash)July 7 The Nwineso Number One local Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) Committee, has sunk two bore-holes at a total cost of 1.5 million cedis for the inhabitants. The inhabitants contributed a flat rate of 1,500 cedis each in support of the project. Mr. George Nkrumah, Assemblyman for the area disclosed this to Newsmen yesterday when he briefed them on the project. He noted that the two bore-holes could not rpt. not meet the demands of the area and called on the inhabitants to work hard to sink additional ones. The Assemblyman asked the District Assembly to assist the people in their effort to get clean water Mr. Nkrumah was optimistic that it would not be long when water-borne diseases which afflicted them would be a thing of the past.

Kumasi, July 6 Panelists at a symposium on "Changing (Ghana's) marriage patterns" have called on chiefs to set a limit on customary marriage fees to motivate the present generation of males to marry. The panelists at the symposium organized by the Center for National Culture in Kumasi were Evangelist Isaac K. Amp, a marriage counselor, Nana Owusu Banahene, a linguist of the Asantehene and the Rev. (Mrs) Charlotte Ampah of the Methodist Church of Ghana. Evangelist Ampah observed that marriage fees as high as 500,000 cedis charged by some parents "is a disincentive to marriage. Marriage ceremonies in recent times have become a competition as people indulge in expensive refreshment and entertainment. Evangelist Ampah said the new trend has been influenced by factors like urbanisation, Christianity and formal education.

Odumase-Krobo, July 6 The government has introduced measures in the F-CUBE programme to promote girls enrolment, retention at all levels of education, the Vice- President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, has said. He was addressing the 70th anniversary celebrations and speech and prize-giving day of the Krobo Girls' School at Odumase- Krobo yesterday. He said the measures include the establishment of Girls' Education Unit within the Ministry of Education, locating schools closer to communities, and local recruitment of female teachers who are to be supported by the District Assemblies to train in colleges nearest their district and to serve the sponsoring districts for five years. Others are lowering the cost of girl education to parents in poor communities, making the curriculum relevant to girls' aspirations, increasing community participation in school management and promoting advocacy and social mobilization among Ghanaians on the importance of girls' education. Prof. Mills hoped that assemblymembers, teachers, parents and all stakeholders in education will actively support the government's efforts to minimise all discriminatory perceptions and practices that militate against the advancement of girls and women in society. He was happy that the Krobo Girls School was among the selected Science Resource Centres with equipped laboratory and entreated all girls offering science subjects to take their lessons seriously so that they could compete favourably with their male counterparts. The Vice-President asked the youth to regard schooling period as the preparatory stage for the important role they would be expected to play in nation building.

Tema, July 6 The Tema branch of the Ghana Chemical Society, made up of chemists and chemical engineers, has instituted a programme under which it will provide expert advice to industries in the municipality. Mr. Francis Tuyee, a chemical engineer and chairman of the branch, disclosed this when the society paid its maiden visit to UNILEVER Ghana Limited to study and advise on chemicals used by the company in its production process. He explained that the society intends to assist such industries to find ways of discharging effluent and to help the Tema Municipal Assembly control or eliminate chemical pollution. He said the society also intends to enlighten people who are ignorant about the storage and usage of chemicals and emphasized that the Tema Port is its next target since a lot of chemicals are handled there.

Accra, July 6 Soul Vegetarian Restaurant, the first in the metropolis, was opened in Accra on Saturday. The restaurant, which is to serve "divine food" in the form of sandwiches, drinkables, soup and cookies to the health-conscious public, belongs to the African Edenic Hebrew Israelites community in the country. Last year, the community organized the first vegan and vegetarian food fair in Ghana to promote vegetarianism as a way of life, and has followed it up with the opening of the restaurant. Sar Yeriel Ben Yehuda, Foreign Minister of the African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, who cut the tape to open the restaurant, said vegetarian diet is the best and holiest on the face of the earth and one that gives life. He said the diet that God gave to Man was not rpt not to make him die but to ensure that he lived healthier and longer. Sar Yehuda, who is the National Spokesman of the community in Jerusalem, urged Ghanaians to eat vegetarian food to enable them to live long.

Accra, July 6 DR Charles Wereko-Brobby, leader of the United Ghana Movement (UGM), has stressed the need for an over-hauling of the socio-economic and political thinking of the Ghanaian politician. This is to enable the politician to serve the people and not rpt not to lord it over them. Speaking at a function organized by the Foundation For Future Leaders International in Accra on Saturday, DR Wereko-Brobby said the colonial system of governance which created privileges for the British is being maintained in the country by the current breed of politicians. DR Wereko-Brobby, who spoke on "Leadership into the 21st Century - Political Perspective'', said it is important for the political leadership to help the people re-invent themselves to achieve greater heights. He said after 40 years of independence, the nation still solicits aid, grants and gifts, adding that this does not rpt not augur well for her economic development. Parliamentarians and government appointees are still maintaining and enjoying special privileges of free petrol, housing and cars as the colonialists did, he said, adding that this is not rpt not in the interest of the poverty-stricken Ghanaian and the economic development of the nation.

Odumase-Krobo, July 6 The government has introduced measures in the F-CUBE programme to promote girls enrolment, retention at all levels of education, the Vice- President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, has said. He was addressing the 70th anniversary celebrations and speech and prize-giving day of the Krobo Girls' School at Odumase- Krobo yesterday. He said the measures include the establishment of Girls' Education Unit within the Ministry of Education, locating schools closer to communities, and local recruitment of female teachers who are to be supported by the District Assemblies to train in colleges nearest their district and to serve the sponsoring districts for five years. Others are lowering the cost of girl education to parents in poor communities, making the curriculum relevant to girls' aspirations, increasing community participation in school management and promoting advocacy and social mobilization among Ghanaians on the importance of girls' education. Prof. Mills hoped that assemblymembers, teachers, parents and all stakeholders in education will actively support the government's efforts to minimise all discriminatory perceptions and practices that militate against the advancement of girls and women in society. He was happy that the Krobo Girls School was among the selected Science Resource Centres with equipped laboratory and entreated all girls offering science subjects to take their lessons seriously so that they could compete favourably with their male counterparts. The Vice-President asked the youth to regard schooling period as the preparatory stage for the important role they would be expected to play in nation building.