Review Of Print Media, 11th August 2003

DAILY GRAPHIC – MONDAY, 11TH AUGUST, 2003

1. CHISSANO IN ACCRA – PG. 17

According to the paper, Mozambique President, Joachim Chissano, who is also Chairman of the African Union, arrived in Accra yesterday for an official visit.

He was met on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport by President Kufuor and Vice-President Aliu Mahama.

President Chissano and President Kufuor are scheduled to travel to Liberia for the official handing over of power by President Charles Taylor.

2. PREACH PEACE….PRESIDENT URGES GHANAIAN WORKERS.

President Kufuor has asked Ghanaian workers to preach peace, which has become a scarce commodity in West Africa.

According to him, the employer and labour must work together to ensure that the country enjoys absolute peace, which is the only way to guarantee prosperity.

He was speaking at the seventh quadrennial delegates congress of the ICU of the TUC in Kumasi.

He stressed that the economic transformation that the nation envisages can only be achieved when there is genuine partnership between the government, labour and employers.

3. DESERVING CITIZENS MUST BE HONOURED – PRESIDENT – PG. 17

The paper reports that, a special congregation has been organised by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi to honour five individuals who have distinguished themselves by contributing to the growth of the university and the nation as a whole.

They are Nana Otuo Siriboe, Juabenhene, (DSc); Mr. Louis Casely-Hayford, a former Chief Executive of the VRA and former Chairman of KNUST Council (DSc); Professor J. Williams Powell, Founder of the Technology Consultancy Centre (TCC), KNUST (DSc); Dr. Emmanuel Kwame Obeng, a distinguished alumnus resident in the USA, (DSc); and Mrs. Matilda Esi Fiadzigbey, the first woman President of the Ghana Institute of Surveyors (GIS), (LLD).

President Kufuor commended KNUST for its initiative to honour distinguished individuals as “appropriate” and congratulated the university and its authorities for it.

He said that deserving citizens must be acknowledged and honoured to inspire others to emulate them.

According to him, acknowledging the contributions of deserving citizenry “is our heritage”.

THE GHANAIAN TIMES – MONDAY, 11TH AUGUST, 2003

1. NO MERCY FOR CORRUPT DCE’S – PRESIDENT – PG. 1

President Kufuor has warned that he will not protect or shield any District Chief Executive (DCEs) who will use their positions to amass wealth.

He said that as DCEs, they had no right to award contracts without recourse to the Assembly.

He was speaking at the Emergency National Conference of District Chief Executives at Nkawkaw.

According to him, DCEs were the representatives of the president and as such they should be conscious that they were accountable in their various districts.

2. ADAS MUST FORGE UNITED FRONT FOR OWN PROGRESS – VICE-PRESIDENT ADVISES – PG. 3

Vice-President Aliu Mahama has called on the chiefs and people of Ada to settle their differences and present a common front to derive maximum benefit from mining salt in the area.

He expressed regret that disputes and litigation had undermined the development of the Songhor lagoon to create jobs and wealth, adding that investors could not be attracted unless there was peace, unity and stability in the area.

He was addressing a durbar to climax the annual “Asafotufiam” festival of the people of Ada, in the Dangbe East District.

According to him, the Ministry of Works and Housing was reviewing the Ada Coastal Protection and Volta River Estuary Project report prepared by a Dutch-Marine Company, under which five kilometers of beachfront would be protected and developed for salt production, fishing and tourism estimated at 80 million dollar.

THE GHANAIAN CHRONICLE – MONDAY, 11TH AUGUST, 2003

1. COUP PLOTS – WHY GOV’T KEPT QUIET – PGS. 1 & 3

According to the paper, national security operatives have managed to foil several potential coup plots that would have destablised the state, since the NPP came to power two and a half years ago.

Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Deputy Minister for Information, who made this revelation at Sekondi, said the government decided not to put this information into the public domain because it did not want to create panic or tension.

Besides coup plots usually border on national security but not all issues that involve the security of the state that must be made public, he said.

Speaking at a constituency youth congress of the NPP in Sekondi at the weekend, the Deputy Minister said the recent press reports of a coup plot did not come from the government.

He said the wives of the officers who were picked by national security for interrogation must have leaked the information to the media.

According to him, since the government did not announce the previous ones, this one too would not have been made known to Ghanaians to create unnecessary tension and panic.

2. CONFUSION AT ICU CONGRESS – FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, OTHERS BREAK AWAY – PGS. 1 & 3

The paper reports that, the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) quadrennial congress at Kumasi has turned sour with demonstrations by members against alleged hijacking of the union by its General Secretary, Napoleon Kpoh.

Reports indicate that delegates from the financial institutions and some companies simply walked out of the conference.

Earlier on Friday, the ICU General secretary reportedly wanted the number of delegates from the GCB to be reduced even though both senior and junior staff unions have two different bargaining certificates.

This, the paper says raised eyebrows because the General secretary is perfectly aware that his long silence on the union’s position on the intended sale of GCB has earned him the displeasure of the financial institution.

The report has it that under the old constitution of the ICU, one can only qualify to contest after serving on the national executives council for six years.

However, the new constitution that was adopted at the Kumasi congress has it that any member of the ICU who has served on the national executive council is qualified, for the number of years served at that position counts to qualify such a person.

The General Secretary wanted his rival contestant, Francis Davor, to be disqualified so that he could stand unopposed, because Mr. Davor has been with the national executive council for five years.

The General Secretary would not allow the adopted new constitution to be implemented, so all hell broke loose, compelling the TUC top members at the congress, National Chairman, Mr. Bonney and Deputy General Secretary, Kofi Asamoah to intervene and hold consultations, but it was fruitless.

THE INDEPENDENT – MONDAY, 11TH AUGUST, 2003

1. THE GABON LINK TO COUP PLOT. WHO LEFT A GABONESE HOTEL AFTER A CALL FROM GHANA? – PG. 1 & BK. PG.

The paper reports that, in the aftermath of what has now been confirmed as the arrest of some five persons in connection with suspicion of involvement in a coup plot, it has again emerged that some persons have been to Gabon to solicit arms in furtherance of what is suspected to be a coup plot.

Details of the Gabon visit by some three persons, in furtherance of what is suspected to be a bid to procure arms which the paper is holding, have zeroed in some personalities whose names the paper is again holding on to for now.

Investigations have revealed that some time in the course of this year, some three persons, arrived in the Gabonese capital Libreville and checked in at a hotel.

In the course of their stay, arrangements were made with certain personalities in that country for the procurement of arms.

A highly placed person in Gabon who got wind of the development is said to have contacted a friend in Ghana who happens to be a top official of Government.

The Government official after receiving the brief, asked for details of the persons and the hotel in which they were lodging and their respective room numbers.

A call was then placed to a particular room by the Government official only to be received by a familiar Ghanaian voice and what transpired, according to information, was a lecture to that person in the Ga language, on the need to refrain from any acts that will result in a threat to the sovereignty of the state.

The three persons, immediately after the telephone call and the lecture to their leader scurried out of the hotel to an unknown destination.

BUSINESS & FINANCIAL TIMES – MONDAY, 11TH – 16TH AUGUST, 2003

1. NEW WATER REFORM PROPOSALS FACE OPPOSITION – PGS. 1 & 2

The paper reports that, the National Coalition Against the Privatisation of Water has rejected a World Bank proposal on the privatization of Ghana’s urban water sector.

At a meeting with the Coalition, the head of the World Bank delegation, Alex Mc Phail said Ghana would benefit from an interest free loan facility of $150m.

According to the paper, though the coalition welcomes the loan, it rejects the string the World Bank has attached to the loan, saying it is fraught with deceit and blackmail.

2. AKPO JOINS BoG BOARD – PG. 3

According to the paper, the Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Initiatives Limited, SIL, a portfolio and private equity Investment firm, Mr. James Akpo, has been appointed a member of the Governing Board of the Bank of Ghana, (BoG).

Akpo, whose appointment took effect from July 1, replaces Professor J.N. Wood, who has also been appointed, Chairman of the Public Services Commission (PSC).

The new board, with a preceding Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the School of Administration, Legon.

DAILY GUIDE – MONDAY, 11TH AUGUST, 2003

1. GUN RUNNER GRABLED – PG. 1

The paper reports that, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has, with immediate effect, suspended the license of a Boeing 707 aircraft with registration number 9 GLAD, belonging to Race Cargo Airlines, a Ghanaian company, for attempting to deliver a consignment of arms to the government of Liberia in Monrovia.

An official statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that the Air operator’s certificate whose proprietor is Mr. Chris Anderson, a Ghanaian, has also been suspended.

The statement observed that when the GCAA received the information on thursday, it immediately set up a committee to investigate the circumstances of the delivery which represents a possible violation of Civil Aviation Regulation Number 44, that forbids the carriage of weapons or ammunitions of war by a civil aircraft without the consent of the Authority.

The statement related “every effort is being made by the Authority to get to the bottom of the matter including co-operating with Interpol for the examination of the proprietor, Mr. Anderson.

GYE NYAME CONCORD - MONDAY, 11TH AUGUST, 2003

1. DANGER IN DAGBON. REPORT INDICATE STOCKPILING OF ARM. NDC THREATENS TO BOYCOTT ELECTION 2004 OVER DAGBON IF….PGS. 1 & BK. PG.

A silent tension is simmering in Dagbon in the Northern region with reported stockpiling of arms by one of the two factions gunning for the headship of the ancient Kingdom.

The paper gathered that security indicated that one of the two factions were by June this year stockpiling arms in anticipation of an attack from the other live ammunition as well as SMG rifle were recently also recovered from one of the leadership of the gates, following which sources say national security recommended a cordon and search exercise to head off any crisis in the once peaceful but now troubled kingdom.

Meanwhile, “statesman last week quoted the Special Aide to Ex-President Rawlings as having warned that the situation in Yendi was fluid and could see the beginning of a “Civil war” in the country.

PUBLIC AGENDA – MONDAY, 11TH AUGUST, 2003

1. WORLD BANK DROPS GCB CONDITIONALITY – SALE OF COMMERCIAL BANK LIKELY TO BE ON HOLD – PGS. 1 & 2

Information reaching the paper has it that the World Bank has dropped its conditionality of tying the sale of the remaining 46.8 per cent share in the bank to the Breton wood institution’s support of Ghana’s economic policies.

Although, no similar gesture has come from the IMF the paper can predict that the state will retain its shares when the announcement is made on Friday, August 15.

Feelers Agenda put through to the North Ridge offices of the World Bank in Accra, picked up snipers of World Bank’s new policy of not attaching conditionalities to its support for fiscal policies of the Government of Ghana.

The paper says no official reason has been given for the sudden change of heart at the World Bank’s North Ridge office of the country Director, adding whatever influenced the new directive could not have been unconnected to public outcry against the proposed sale of the State’s remaining shares in GCB.