Review of PRINT MEDIA - 1st August, 2003

DAILY GRAPHIC – FRIDAY, 03

1. ECOWAS TROOPS FOR LIBERIA – PGS. 1 & 3

According to the paper, Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS have approved the deployment of the Vanguard Interposition Force in Liberia by August 4, to provide the appropriate conditions for the handover of power by President Charles Taylor and his subsequent departure.

President Taylor is expected to hand over power to his successor and depart for Nigeria within three days of the deployment of the ECOWAS troops.

This was the outcome of a day’s extraordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS held in Accra yesterday.

According to the paper, a delegation of Foreign Ministers of Ghana, Nigeria and Togo and the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS is expected to travel to Liberia today to inform President Taylor about the outcome of the summit and to make arrangements for his handover of power and departure from Liberia.

A total of 3,250 troops are expected to be deployed in Liberia.

Nigeria has decided to commit 1500 troops to constitute the initial contingent of the Vanguard Force.

The Summit was attended by Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Gnasingbe Eyadema of Togo, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas and the Chief Mediator in the Liberian crisis, General Abdusalami Abubarkar.

Also present were the Vice President of the Gambia, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, Defence Minister for Niger and the Minister for Integration and NEPAD of Niger.

2. “DON’T MISUSE INJUNCTION” – PG. 1

The Chief Justice, Mr. Justice George Kingsley Acquah, has expressed concern about the manner in which some judges are now using interim injunctions without proper exercise of judicial discretion.

He said injunctions are causing more harm than good to the business community, individuals and the cause of justice.

He was speaking at the close of an induction course for newly appointed High Court justices in Accra yesterday.

On elevations to the Court of Appeal and the High Courts, he pointed out that under his administration, it will not be determined on the basis of Seniority but on hard work, competence, proven integrity and honesty.

3. MOTION FOR BAIL DISMISSED – PG. 17

The Appeal Court yesterday dismissed a motion filed by two former government officials who were convicted for causing financial loss to the state.

The two, Kwame Peprah and George Sipah Yankey, filed an appeal against their conviction.

The three-member panel presided over by Mr. Justice Julius Ansah, unanimously dismissed the application of the two convicts.

The convicts were not present in court but were represented by their counsel.

4. INCREASE IN RICE PRODUCTION - BACK PAGE

The paper reports that, rice production in the country increased to 800,000 metric tonnes in 2002, from 210,000 metric tonnes in 1999, showing an increase of about 380 per cent.

Major (rtd) Courage Quashigah, Minister for Food and Agriculture, who disclosed this in an interview said importation of rice in the last four years has also shown a downward trend.

The positive development follows the Ministry’s drive to cut down rice importation by 50 per cent and also encourage farmers in rice production to produce more to ensure food security.

According to him, rice import, which was 159,000 metric tonnes in 1999 decreased to 150,000 metric tonnes in 2000, 148,000 metric tonnes in 2001 and 145,000 metric tonnes in 2002.

THE GHANAIAN TIMES - FRIDAY, 1ST AUGUST, 2003

1. LIBERIAN CRISIS IS OUR BURDEN – PRESIDENT – PGS. 1 & 3

President Kufuor has enjoined the leadership of the West African sub-region to remain focused and be committed in its effort to resolve conflicts in the region. He said the crisis in Liberia should be resolved by the region’s leaders to show the world that Africa was capable of solving its problems.

He was addressing the opening of an extraordinary meeting of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS in Accra.

According to him, the sub-region was saddled with a heavy burden in respect of the Liberia problem.

“Indeed, he said, the immense challenge posed to the region by that crisis could result in frustration if the problem was not resolved.

2. MINISTRY REFUTES CHARGES BY TIMBERMEN – PG. 3

Ms Theresa Tagoe, Deputy Minister for Lands and Forestry has refuted allegations that 30,000 people had lost their jobs due to the cancellation of 42 Timber Utilisation Contracts (TUCs) in the country.

According to her, government had waived import duties to the tune of 45 per cent on the importation of raw logs for processing by local timber firms.

That measure, she said, was to allow the timber Companies to import from Central and West African Countries in particular where there were abundant raw timber but limited processing capacities.

“It is, therefore, unfortunate that the alleged 30,000 job lost are being attributed to the 42 cancelled TUCs.

She added that the apparent shortage of raw timber for processing in the Sawmills might be due to reasons other than lack of concessions.

The Minister was reacting to the allegation at a press briefing in Accra yesterday.

3. MINORITY OPTS OUT OF DISCUSSION ON HEALTH INSURANCE BILL – PG. 3

The Minority in Parliament has decided to boycott further proceedings on the discussion of the National Health Insurance Bill which commenced last Tuesday.

A statement signed by Mr. Alban Bagbin, Minority Leader said: “This decision is to ensure that the interest of the people of Ghana are defended and protected.”

THE GHANAIAN CHRONICLE – FRIDAY, 1ST AUGUST, 2003

1. CHINESE ATTACKS….2 GHANAIANS INJURED – PGS. 1 & 3

According to the paper, investigations into the alleged human rights abuses at a Chinese construction firm, Alhui Foreign Economic Construction Corporation (AFECC), have produced evidence of how two Ghanaian employees were physically attacked by their Chinese supervisors.

George Addo, one of the victims, sustained an eye injury when Mr. Yong, a foreman, poked his finger into his eye for refusing to obey instructions from him.

Richard Nartey, the other victim, was said to have also sustained an injury on his right arm after being hit with a steel rod by Mr. Zhao, another foreman.

It would be recalled that, last year a Dutch national defecated in a bucket from which his workers drank water. A Malaysian director of the former Telecom Malaysia spat in his driver’s face while an Indian poured hot water into the ear of an employee at Tema Steel Company.

THE ACCRA DAILY MAIL – FRIDAY, 1ST AUGUST, 2003

1. NATIONAL HEALTH SCHEME: LET’S TAKE THE FIRST STEP! – PG. 7

The paper in an editorial titled National Health Scheme: Let’s take the first step! has stated that, earlier in the week, Dr. Owusu Afriyie, the Health Minister, met the media to outline government’s strategies for implementing its national health insurance policy.

This policy lies at the heart of the government’s reform of the health sector and is core to doing away with the so-called Cash and Carry system.

According to the paper, government must be bold enough to start implementing the scheme nationwide, since it’s already had experience with some pilot schemes in certain selected districts and there is also the experience of the few private insurance companies to fall on.

We cannot start with a perfect and foolproof system; it is only practice that can lead to effectiveness and efficiency.

The paper is exasperated by the NDC boycott of the debate on the health insurance bill which started in parliament on Wednesday.

Frankly, according to the paper, this attitude will not help.

Even in the UK and other developed countries where such scheme has existed for years, they keep adding and deducting all the time.

NETWORK HERALD – FRIDAY, 1ST - 3RD - AUGUST, 2003

1. GLADYS ASMAH ON RAWLINGS - NOBODY IN NPP IS CAPABLE OF KILLING – PGS. 1 & 3

Mrs. Gladys Asmah, Minister for Women and Children Affairs has declared that, there could never be any NPP involvement in the serial murder of women of Ghana as is being intimated by former President Rawlings.

She, therefore, entreated Ghanaians to treat the “effusion” of Rawlings as baseless lies calculated at diverting publics’ attention from what she claimed are incriminating revelations at the NRC.

“He must be ignore because nobody in the NPP is capable of killing, the former president needs a quick medical attention.”

THE WEEKEND HERITAGE – FRIDAY, 1ST AUGUST , 2003

1. MOTHER OF ALL FINANCIAL SCANDALS EXPOSED. BoG SWINDLES GCB ?101 BN – PGS. 1 & 3

The paper reports that Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) has been Swindled of 101 billion cedis by the Bank of Ghana (BoG).

The amount is 20 per cent discount that BoG charged GCB for swapping long term bonds into treasury bills and later converted into cash. Ironically, it was the Central Bank, working in concert with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Energy, which advised the GCB to enter into the transaction as a last resort to again bail out Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).

In 2001, a substantial portion of TOR’s debt to GCB was converted into five-year bonds by BoG, acting under the direct instructions of Ministry of Finance. This was referred to as TOR bonds.

The BoG considered and accepted the TOR bonds as part of the secondary reserves of GCB. In this way, the GCB managed to satisfy the reserve requirements of the Central Bank.

However, the ever-increasing loans to TOR and their inability to repay in spite of full recovery of petroleum prices, led in May this year to further conversion of more TOR loans with the GCB into more bonds.

“Weekend Heritage” investigations have revealed that by May this year, GCB’s working capital had dwindled to a level that made it difficult for them to support more Letters of Credit (LC) for TOR’s importation of crude oil.