GHANAIAN TIMES

"Foreigners alerted of...Crooks in gold business", is the headline of the lead story in the Times. The story saysthe government yesterday expressed concern about the rising incidence of fraudulent practices in the buying and selling of gold between some Ghanaians and foreigners. In an official statement issued in Accra, the government said it has come to its attention that as a result of the country's favourable business climate and international reputation as a major gold exporter, numerous foreign companies and individuals seek to get rich quick through gold transactions in Ghana. "Invariably, the get-rich-quick schemes initiated by foreign adventurers, find willing partnners in Ghana. "These schemes, unfortunately, often end with the defrauding of the foreign gold buyers by their local partners on the other way round", the Times quoted the government as saying. GRI

In another front page story the Times reports that for the second time in four weeks, policemen on duty at the Asankare-Kantanso check-point on the Kumasi-Accra road, last Saturday rejected a two million-cedi bribe offered by two suspected Indian hemp dealers to drop a case involving them. The policemen, according to the report, feigned interest and accepted an advance payment of one million cedis but arrested the suspects and placed them in custody. Police sources named the suspects as Sumaila Issifu and Adamu Mohammed, both of Duampompo. a village near Konongo. According to the source, the policemen intercepted an Accra-bound pick-up AS 3699 A, at the check-point at about 8 30 p.m. and found Adamu with a handbag containing a large quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp on board. During interrogation, Adamu mentioned Sumaila as the owner of the stuff, claiming that he was to deliver irt to Sumaila's friend at Nkawkaw. Adamu, the sources said, led the police to arrest Sumaila at his hamlet near Boama-Dumase. A thorough search of the area by the police led to the discovery of a five-acre Indian hemp farm. Sumaila is said to have admitted ownership of both the farm and the intercepted handbag containing the stuff and promised the policemen two million cedis bribe, through a relative to drop the case. GRI

"Laws on confiscated aassets to be repealed:", is the headline of a third front page story in the Times. The story says the Executive yesterday introduced a bill which seeks to repeal a number of enactments dealing with confiscation, forfeiture and freezing and vesting of various assets of individuals and corporate bodies to the state. The Times says the Statute Law Revision Bill, if passed, will defreeze bank accounts frozen by or under any of the 55 enactments mentioned in the bill. The enacxtments were made during the National Liberation Council (NLC), National Redemption Council (NRC), the Supreme Military Council (SMC), Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) regimes. "It is the considered view of the government that the continued existence of such laws on our statute books does not reflect the current liberal economic and constitutional environment in which we now operate, and their repeal is therefore justified," the Times quoted the memorandum to the bill. The memorandum said the repeal "cannot revive any right or liability incurred, however, with the property already vested in the State, the repeal of these laws enables the State to divest itself of the property as it considers appropriate, be it on humanitarian grounds or on any other grounds". Among the enactments are the Loyalty Industries Limited Decree, SMC 25; Transfer of shares and other propriety interests (Tata Brewery Limited) Decree, AFRC 9, Transfer of shares and merger (Auto Parts and Japan Motors) Decree AFRCD 57. GRI