Print Media Monitoring for 10th September

THE DAILY GRAPHIC – WEDNESDAY, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2003

1. DON’T INVEST HIPC MONEY …FINANCE MIN WARNS ASSEMBLIES – PGS. 1 & 3

The paper reports that, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has warned all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies not to invest HIPC money in treasury bills.

According to him, the money was strictly meant for development projects geared towards poverty reduction and that guideline had to be adhered to accordingly.

He gave the warning at the weekly “meet the press” series in Accra yesterday when he announced the government’s intention to release an amount of ?183.6 billion from the HIPC funds to the various assemblies.

He said the practice where some of the recipients invested the money in treasury bills and short-term bonds, among other things, at the expense of the beneficiaries should cease to enable the people for which the money was disbursed to derive the full benefits.

He mentioned the breakdown of the allocations to the Metropolitan Assemblies as follows: Accra, ?5.40 billion, Kumasi ?3.85 billion and Sekondi/Takoradi, ?3 billion.

For the Municipalities, each of them would be allocated ?2.30 billion while the District Assemblies would be given ?1.54 billion each.

He sai, 50 per cent of the allocations were to be released immediately upon application and indicated that the use of these allocations should be limited to education, health, water and sanitation.

2. “GOVT DOESN’T HAVE FINAL SAY IN BID FOR ASHANTI G’FIELDS’ – PGS. 1 & 3

Mr. Kwabena Agyapong, Press Secretary to the President, has stated that the government does not have the final say as far as the bidding for Ashanti Goldfields is concerned.

The ultimate decision, he stated, rests with the shareholders and the board of directors of the company.

According to him, the government’s share of 17 per cent is not strong enough to hold sway over who wins the bid in the long run.

In an interview with the paper, he dismissed as false rumours that members of the government were divided on the question of which concern should merge with Ashanti.

He pointed out that the government did not control AGC as commentaries by some sections of the public would want Ghanaians to believe.

He explained that the government’s involvement in the bidding and merger was limited to ensuring that an investor-friendly atmosphere was created for the bidders, pointing out that consultations with the government were only procedural while the substantive issues would be determined by the board of Ashanti, where the government had only representatives.

3. ASAMOAH BOATENG TO CONTEST MFANTSEMAN WEST NPP SLOT – PG. 12

According to the paper, Mr. Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Deputy Minister of Information, has filed his nomination to contest the primaries of the NPP, in the Mfantseman West Constituency of the Central Region.

Mr. Asamoah Boateng, a Management Consultant by profession, would vie for the position with two others, Mr. Isaac Rockson and Mr. William Samuel Ocran.

In an interview, Mr. Asamoah Boateng said, he believed that being a Member of Parliament would enable him to relate better with people at the grassroots and help improve their lives.

4. 2002 SSSCE RESULTS SHOWED MASS FAILURE IN ENGLISH – PG. 20

The paper reports that, more than half of the 71,166 candidates who sat for the 2002 SSSCE in the country failed in the English language.

Mr. Edward Kodzo Adika, acting president of the Ghana Association of Teachers of English (GATE) disclosed this at the opening of its annual delegates conference in Accra.

He attributed the cause of the problem to lack of trained English teachers, adding that English cannot be taught by just anyone because some aspects of the subject are technical.

He described the situation as alarming

5. PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY SUPPORTS NHIS – PG. 20

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSGH), the umbrella body of professional pharmaceutical practitioners in the country, has thrown its weight behind the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), describing it as a move in the right direction.

According to the society, the successful implementation of the scheme would bring about a comprehensive, timely and readily accessible quality health care in the country.

Mr. Frank Boateng, President of PSGH was speaking in an interview after the society’s annual conference.

According to him, the NHIS required the concerted effort of all key players in the health sector and the public to make it work.

He, therefore, called on district assemblies to evolve strategies to rope in the large informal sector in order to make a greater proportion of Ghanaians benefit from the scheme.

FREE PRESS – WEDNESDAY, 10TH-16TH SEPTEMBER, 200

1. YA-NA’S GHOST CRIES FOR BURIAL …BUT DAGBON CONGRESS SAYS NO. PG. 1 & BK. PG.

According to the paper, the Dagbon Consultative Congress has dared government to go ahead with the burial of Ya Na if it wants more trouble.

According to the congress, the burial of Ya Na must be preceded by a purification ceremony, which should be done after the mystery surrounding the death of Ya Na is made clear to Ghanaians.

Sheik Sulemana Mahama Sibidow, co-ordinator of the Congress disclosed this in an interview with the paper after people from Dagomba came to narrate dreams they had about Ya Na to the paper.

Ya Na, according to sources have been revealing himself to his close relatives in dreams concerning his long stay at the mortuary.

He was quoted to have told his own sister in a dream “I am feeling cold.”

Reacting to a publication that the government is preparing to bury the Ya Na in October this year, he said the burial of Ya Na is the duty of the Dagbon Traditional Council and his relatives but not government’s.

He said the responsibilities of Ya Na’s death would be put on the heads of the government if it goes ahead to bury the Ya Na.

THE GHANAIAN TIMES – WEDNESDAY, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2003

1. LEGON AT A STAND STILL – PGS. 1 & 3

According to the paper, the crisis at the University of Ghana, Legon, remained unchanged yesterday as the University Teacher’s Association of Ghana’s (UTAG) Strike action entered its ninth day. The students were confused and did not know whether to leave for home Or remain on campus as there was no indication the strike would be called off.

When the paper visited the campus yesterday to ascertain the situation there, it found out that as a result of the strike most of the students just roamed around chatting. Others left for the city every morning to do whatever they wished.

According to the paper, the SRC of the university, yesterday said the students would advise themselves today should the lecturers’ strike continue.

Mr. Francis Acquaye, SRC Vice-President said, the SRC yesterday delegated some of the students “to seek police permission to carry out whatever action we would decide on doing.”

2. “GIVE POLYTECHS FAIR DEAL” – PG. 1

Dr. Kwasi Nsiah-Gyabaah, Principal of the Sunyani Polytechnic, has said that the polytechnics are being marginalized in the allocation of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund).

According to him, the polytechnics were being given raw treatment as far as the GETFund was concerned.

He was speaking at the 26th Annual National Congress of the Ghana National Union Of Polytechnic Students (GNUPS) at Sunyani.

He urged the government to, as a matter of urgency, address the problems confronting the polytechnics and find amicable solutions to them.

He said that would bring about lasting peace on the campuses as well as improve the conditions of service to enable both the universities and polytechnics to be at par.

3. PRESIDENT CONDEMNS ABUSE OF GHANAIANS IN LEBANON – PG. 3

President Kufuor has complained about alleged maltreatment of Ghanaians in Lebanon and made it clear that it was not fair if the reports were true.

He stressed the need for immigrants to be treated fairly and justly in the spirit of international co-operation.

He made the remarks when the outgoing Lebanese Ambassador, Mr. Charbel Aoun, bid farewell to him at the Castle, Osu, after four years of diplomatic service in Ghana.

“In everything that we do, humanity should be placed above all,” he said.

The out-going ambassador assured that he would take it upon himself to ensure that the alleged maltreatment of Ghanaians in Lebanon was stopped

THE HERITAGE – WEDNESDAY, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2003.

1. LANDLADY CHALLENGES RAWLINGS – PG. 1 & BK. PG.

A confessed believer in traditional African gods has challenged ex-President Rawlings to accept a visit to a shrine in Cote d’Ivoire, if indeed he is being truthful about the murder of the 34 women.

Landlady Nana Boatemaa of Asante Mampong threw the challenge at a press conference in Kumasi.

Nana Boatemaa, who is a sister of one of the victims, wants Rawlings to follow her to Abidjan-Bobo to swear before a very powerful, Kill-me-quick god there.

She recalled that on Tuesday, September 2, 2003 during the NDC (Kafo Didi) rally at Jackson Park, the NDC founder, Rawlings swore on the Bible, the Quran and on a river god in Kumasi, Antoa Nyamaa, denying speculations that he has been politicising the gruesome killing of the women.

According to her, Rawlings accused the NPP administration of using Quansah as a scape goat, though he is innocent.

2. SPEAKER’S $15,000 T & T IS REASONABLE – OSAFO MAAFO – PG. 1 & BK. PG.

Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Mr. Yaw Osafo Maafo, has justified the 15,000 dollars given to Peter Ala Adjetey, Speaker of Parliament, to travel abroad as “reasonable”.

According to him, the request, Mr. Ala Adjetey made was relevant hence the money was released to him, pointing out that although the Speaker was on holidays, he would attend hospital for treatment based on his previous sickness.

“Certain privileges are attached to some positions in government. People should be careful about the kind of utterances they make about public officials in government”, he said.

The Minister was addressing the press in Accra yesterday.

THE STATESMAN – WEDNESDAY, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2003

1. SOCCER EXLUSIVE RALF ZUMDICK HEADS BLACK STARS. HERBERT TO HEAD – GFA?

According to the paper, Ralf Zumdick, the 43 year-old-German, is to be confirmed today as the new coach for the national team, the Black Stars.

His appointment is, however, for three months, but, he would, nevertheless be pole-positioned for the job as substantive coach next year, based, of course, on his performance before then.

Zumdick was the coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko during the chairmanship of Mr. Herbert Mensah.

The paper is also reliably informed that Mr. Herbert Mensah who is now the Chief Executive of King Faisal Sporting Club is tipped to take over from Mr. Ben Koufie as the next GFA boss.

GFA sources say that he has the radical flair necessary to revamp the football authority.

THE GHANAIAN CHRONICLE – WEDNESDAY, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2003

“RED CARDING” GHANA MINSITER ADMITS NEGLIGENCE … ON PART OF PARLIAMENT … CONFIRMS CHRONICLE STORY – PG. 1 & BK. PG.

Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Mr. Yaw Osafo Maafo has confirmed “Chronicle’s” story about the blacklisting of Ghana from selling rough diamonds outside its border but said the ban was temporary.

Addressing journalists in Accra on the current status of the Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative the country opted for in 2001, he admitted that Ghana was blacklisted because of Parliament’s inability to ratify the Kimberley Process Certification scheme (KPCS), the new accredited diamond certification, before going on recess.

“We were just about to go to the second reading when we went to recess but when parliament resumes we will tackle the matter” Maafo said.

THE ACCRA DAILY MAIL – WEDNESDAY, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2003

EX-PRESIDENTS MUST BEHAVE … OR LOSE CONSTITUTIONAL PRIVILEGES – PG. 1

According to the paper, a citizen has suggested that the constitution be amended to have clauses inserted on how to treat “misbehaving ex-Presidents”.

Speaking under the protection of anonymity, the citizen told the paper that “if the constitution is so loud on how to give former Presidents good life after leaving office, the same constitution must have structures against ex-Presidents who do not respect themselves or the high office they once occupied”.

Citing Rawlings as an example, he said, Rawlings creates more tension when he should have been the focus of peace, reconciliation and quiet diplomacy.

THE INSIGHT – WEDNESDAY, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2003

1. VRA AGAIN – PRESIDENT ORDERS ANOTHER PROBE INTO ALLEGATIONS – PGS. 1 & 3

The paper says President Kufuor has ordered a third enquiry into allegations of mismanagement and corruption at the Volta River Authority (VRA).

Sources close to the Presidency told the paper that this time, the enquiry is being carried out by the security agencies with a view to harmonizing the contents of the reports prepared by the Auditor-General and another by the Ministerial Committee which probed the Authority.

The paper states further that the report of the Auditor-General has been made public, but the Ministry of Energy has refused to publish the report of the ministerial Committee.

2. SECURITY PROBE ANOTHER COUP – PG. 1

The paper reports that, the security services are once again examining claims that a coup could be in the offing.

Although security sources admit that they do not yet have any evidence which suggests that any group is plotting to overthrow the Kufuor administration, they are taking newspaper reports of an impending coup seriously.

According to the paper, Mr. Osbert Lartey, Editor of The Vanguard, has been invited by the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) to substantiate claims that former President Rawlings is planning a coup.

DAILY GUIDE – WEDNESDAY, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2003

“KAFO DIDI SPECIAL …. JJ’S KIDS FLY PRIVATE PLANE –PG. 1 & BK. PG.

Three of ex-President Rawlings’ four children arrived in the country, on a private chartered plane late last week.

The kids arrived with their mother, after attending the wedding of a daughter of General Ibrahim Babaginda, in the northern Nigeria State of Kaduna.

The cost of the chartered flight is however, not known.

The children, who are studying in prestigious schools in the UK, have since returned with their mother, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, to the UK. They were in Ghana for a brief summer vacation.

NETWORK HERALD – WEDNESDAY, 10TH SEPTEMBER, 2003

RAWLINGS’ POPULARITY – PGS. 1 & 3

Former President Rawlings has said with pride and conviction that his much heralded popularity has not dimmed since he left office as Ghana’s president.

The former President believes he still enjoys the President of the Republic, adding, the attempts by the Kufuor administration to bring him to trial for corruption was an attempt to tarnish his image.

He was speaking in an interview with the Daily Trust, a Nigerian newspaper in Mina when he attended former President Babangida’s wedding ceremony.

The ex-President whose regime was severally criticized by its successor government for poor economic performance resulting in the country’s current HIPC status scored the Kufuor administration’s economic performance as too low saying that Ghanaians are suffering.