Print News Preview For Nov. 5

THE DAILY GRAPHIC – WEDNESDAY, 5TH NOVEMBER, 2003

1. FINANCE MINISTER REVIEWS 2003 BUDGET AND SAYS WE’VE MADE GAINS. THROUGH APPROPRIATE MONITORING POLICIES – PGS. 1 &

Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, has said the introduction of appropriate monitoring policies has enabled the government to make substantial progress in revenue performance and strengthened public expenditure management.

According to him, the outturn for tax revenues of ?6849.2bn, between January and September, this year, was higher than the targeted ?6320.3bn.

He explained that expenditures were kept within the budget ceilings and this had contributed to a net repayment of government domestic debt of ?429bn, as against a target borrowing of ?905.3bn for the period under review.

He stated this in Parliament yesterday when he reviewed the economic policy of the government for the 2003 fiscal year and provided the outlook for the rest of the year.

The Minister asked for supplementary budget of ?909.2bn for the rest of the 2003 financial year.

This represents 4.3 per cent of the original appropriation approved by Parliament on March 28, 2003.

2 ECONOMY STILL FRAGILE – ASAGA – PG. 3’]’

The Minority Spokesman on Finance, Mr. Moses Asaga, has described the economy of Ghana as fragile and says it holds no hope for the people.

According to him, the country’s per capital income of $374 per annum is lower than the average in the sub-Saharan African region.

He noted that the country’s per capital income in 1999 was $417 per annum, which is higher than the current level of $374.

He said, by these indicators, the country could not achieve the middle-income status by 2010 as projected.

He stated this in reaction to the mid-year review of the 2003 budget by Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo.

3. LACK OF INFORMATION FLOW HAMPERS DEVELOPMENT” – PG.

Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah, Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has observed that, inadequate information flow on government’s policies and programmes has been identified as one of the major setbacks of the government. He therefore urged the government to put the necessary mechanisms in place to make the public adequately informed on all national issues. This, he explained, could create awareness among the citizenry to make it possible for them to form independent opinions on specific issues, instead of relying on rumours.

He made this observation during an interaction with the Deputy Minister of Information, Mr. Stephen Asamoah-Boateng during his recent visit to Kumasi.

4. “PROCUREMENT DEALS DAMAGING ECONOMY” – PG. 17

According to the paper, forensic audit reports on 12 public institutions in 2001 have revealed that most of the fraudulent activities uncovered were perpetrated through procurement. Professor Kwaku Appiah-Adu, Head of Policy Co-ordination, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Office of the President disclosed this in an interview in Accra.

He said almost half of the nation’s budget was disbursed through procurement related activities, adding that as much as 90 per cent of all in-flows of development partners were spent through procurement connected activities. He said out of a proposed national expenditure of ?21,347.6bn as provided in the budget statement this year, ?9,362.7bn being 43.8 per cent was to be spent on procurement.

According to him, the government having realized the negative impacts of deficiencies in procurement processes and their serious effect on the economy, had instituted several measures including the Procurement Bill to address the problem.

THE GHANAIAN TIMES – WEDNESDAY, 5TH NOVEMBER, 2003

1. CHINESE SHOW INTEREST IN INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR – PGS. 1 & 3

The paper reports that, a seven member business delegation from the CNT Group (Holdings) Limited, a Chinese company, yesterday called on President Kufuor, at the Castle, Osu, to discuss possible ways of investing in infrastructure development in the country.

The delegation expressed interest in investing in the energy, telecommunications and transport sectors.

2. PRESIDENT TELLS AUDITOR-GENERAL TO SAFEGUARD PUBLIC FUNDS – PG. 3

According to the paper, President Kufuor yesterday charged the Audit Service to play an active role to safeguard the use of public funds. By so doing, he explained the service would be playing its expected role towards the success of the government’s campaign of zero tolerance for corruption in the public service.

The charge was contained in an address read on his behalf at the opening of a three-day annual review conference of Auditors-General from 22 African countries.

He, therefore, encouraged it to execute its duties without fear or favour. He said the government was taking steps to ensure that the Ghana Audit Service was more independent to carry out its constitutionally mandated role.

3. POLICE PROMOTIONS NOT AUTOMATIC – IGP – PGS. 1 & 3

According to the paper, Promotions within the Police Service depends on existing vacancies.

They are therefore not automatic upon the acquisition of further academic Official statement issued laurels or the sitting of professional examinations. by the Police Administration said, “it is required of the individual police officer who wants to study to seek permission from the Police Administration and applicants are assessed on whether the courses they intend to pursue are relevant to the needs of the service”, it stated.

The statement pointed out that “it is on record that the present administration has demonstrated greater commitment to the general welfare of service personnel, especially on matters bordering on promotion, study leave and in-service training”.

It stressed that promotions and granting of study leave in the service were not ethnically based.

THE EVENING NEWS – WEDNESDAY, 5TH NOVEMBER, 2003

KUFUOR TO BE RELOCATED – PG. 1

The paper reports that, the construction work currently going on at the Tetteh Quarshie roundabout in Accra had necessitated the relocation of President Kufuor and his family from their present abode. This is because of the inconvenience the project is causing to the first family. Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Minister of Works and Housing, disclosed this to the paper in Accra.

According to him, the Ministry is holding discussions on a new location for the family. But for security reason, the Minister declined to give the venue.

THE ACCRA DAILY MAIL – WEDNESDAY, 5TH NOVEMBER, 2003

ANOTHER EXAM LEAKAGE … INVESTIGATIONS UNDERWAY – PGS. 1 & 3

The paper reports that, following a massive examination leakage that hit WAEC two years ago during the BECE, another one has visited the sub-regional examination body. The leakage according to the paper, occurred in the just ended SSSCE for private candidates.

Some of the leaked papers are social studies, chemistry, biology, elective mathematics and geography during the examination held from October 9th through to November 1, 2003.

According to WAEC Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Agnes Teye Cudjoe, the leakage has shocked the administration despite stringent measures put in place to forstall any malpractice after the 2001 BECE incident.

FREE PRESS – WEDNESDAY, 5TH NOVEMBER, 2003

CAUGHT REDHANDED … POLICEMEN SIPHON FUEL FROM OFFICIAL CAR – PG. 1 & BK. PG

According to the paper, its reporters last Friday spotted two policemen driving in a 56-seater police bus with registration number GP1086 siphoning fuel allocated to them for their official patrol duties at the Avenor junction directly opposite Deng Company also not far from Alajo junction.

The two junior policemen siphoned 36 gallons of fuel and sold a litre for 15,000 cedis instead of the 18,000 cedis as it is sold on the open market. This act of making money at the expense of the service earned the two over three hundred thousand cedis which is believed they will share with their faceless bosses.

THE GHANAIAN CHRONICLE – WEDNESDAY, 5TH NOVEMBER, 2003

LANDGUARDS TURN BORTEYMAN INTO GHOST TOWN – PG. 1 & BK PG.

According to the paper, Borteyman, a village near Ashaley Botwe, one of Accra’s fast growing suburban areas is being deserted as a result of the activities of land guards who have been terrorizing the residents and land developers. The land guards numbering about 25 and armed with lethal weapons recently mounted an attack on the people developing their plots.

Most of the developers, masons and labourers have been compelled to abandon their projects while some of the residents have fled to nearby settlements for fear of attack by the guards.

A source at the National Security Council confirmed the story and said the matter was being investigated but added that the complainants were not forthcoming with information that would help in the investigation.

2. SENIOR MINISTER LETS CAT OUT … SAYS GOV’T SHARES ALREADY OFFLOADED … AS PUBLIC DEBATE PROPOSED GCB SALE – PG. 4 & 5

Mr. J. H. Mensah, Senior Minister has disclosed that at the time that the public were debating on the proposed sale of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), the government had already offloaded its shares to the SSNIT and to some individuals trading on the Ghana Stock Exchange.

According to him, the reason for selling off the shares is to enable the bank to meet its demand by providing financial needs to the investment sector. He said in this era of golden age of business the banks require high financial outlay to be able to render support to investors. He was commissioning the Brong Ahafo Regional Branch of the National Investment Bank (NIB) at Sunyani.