Reporters of Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) have been advised to be circumspect in their reportage to avoid creating tension in the run-up to the December 7 general election.
Mr Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, General Manager, Newspapers, of the GCGL, who gave the advice, said it was important for reporters to exhibit the highest form of professionalism and ethical values in their reportage as a way of maintaining the image of the company.
The General Manger was speaking at a seminar organised for reporters in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions to sensitise them to the essence of good reportage and the need to be more professional, especially in the coverage of the December general election, and also respect ethical values to make them more productive to the company and the reading public.
"You must behave professionally and ethically at all times. This is because we have come a long way from where some people did not want to read the Daily Graphic to a situation where we are now recognised as the most credible newspaper in the country. This is a credit to us, and that is what we must maintain.
"We should, however, not dwell in our past glory, but strive to make history as the most credible and widely circulated newspaper in the country, and I hope none of you would give us cause to regret by forcing us to retract any story just because it did not give the true picture of what really happened," he stressed.
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh pointed out that it was important for reporters to balance their stories, avoid misrepresentation of information and be fair in their reportage to avoid creating tension among the various political parties and their supporters.
"Always exercise discretion that would redeem the integrity and image of the company and avoid any form of reportage that would create tension. This is because there seems to be too much tension in the country and we should not do anything that would add to it. You should be circumspect about your reportage to avoid creating any enmity among the candidates and their supporters," he stressed.
Mr Boadu-Ayeboafoh also warned that any reporter who would bring the name of the company into disrepute would be sanctioned.
For his part, the Political Editor of Daily Graphic, Mr Kobby Asmah, advised the reporters to eschew all forms of biases in their work and be committed to their profession.
He urged them to avoid adding their personal sentiments to their stories, stressing that reporters should not be judgemental when they cover events.
"You should present the story as you see it and leave the public to judge," he advised.
Friday, October 31, 2008
SUSPECTED CAR THIEF ARRESTED (PAGE 40)
THE Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested a 26-year-old man believed to be a member of luxury cars stealing syndicate in the Kumasi metropolis.
The police has so far retrieved nine luxury cars, including a ‘C’ Class Mercedes Benz saloon, a Rover saloon and a 4 X4 Jeep from the suspect, Kwabena Takyi, alias Boama, alias Master Pee, after he was arrested.
According to the police, the suspect, a native of Nkwatia Kwahu in the Eastern Region, confessed of his involvement in the snatching of luxury cars and had mentioned some of his accomplices.
The ‘C’ Class Mercedes Benz car, with registration number AS 1725 Z, had bloodstains at the passenger seat after the police had retrieved it, indicating that the owner might have sustained some injuries before his attackers succeeded in snatching the vehicle from him.
The suspect and his accomplices also changed the original colours of the Benz car from blue-black to light brown and were also in the process of changing the colour of the Jeep from black to a different colour when he was arrested.
Other vehicles that were retrieved by the police included three KIA saloon cars with registration numbers GW 9595 W, GT4600 Q and AS 2304 Z, as well as an Opel Astra saloon car with registration number GR 270 U.
Also retrieved by the police from the suspect, who claims to reside at Bohyen, a Kumasi suburb, was a 4X4 Honda with registration number GR 4706 Z.
According to the police, the suspect always replaced the original number plates of the stolen vehicles with those of motorbikes before changing their colours to prevent detection.
Briefing the media about the arrest, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Kwaku Ayesu Opare-Addo, said reports of car snatching, especially luxury ones, in the Kumasi metropolis had been on the ascendancy in recent times.
He said when the criminal activities of the suspect and his accomplices came to the notice of the police, they mounted a search for their arrest, and with the support of the public, they were able to apprehend Takyi at his hideout to assist in investigations.
Mr Opare Addo gave the assurance that the police would continue to hunt for the other members of the syndicate for them to face the full rigours of the law.
In another development, the police command has arrested 14 suspected robbers most of whom are teenagers.
They included five females, who have specialised in robbing passengers of their mobile phones, monies and other valuables at gunpoint and knifepoint.
The suspects, who operated between Santasi, Ahodwo, Adeammra, Suame Magazine and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Campus, were arrested after one of their victims gave the registration number of the taxi used for their operation to the police.
About seven of the suspected robbers reside at Ohwim, near Barekese in the Atwima Nwabiagya District.
They were identified as Kwabena Osei, John Asante, Afua Cheche, Yaw Owusu alias Joe, Gladys Tweneboah alias Adwoa T, Patrick Yeboah and Kwame Anokye.
The others were Kwabena Nkatia alias Mishell, Eric Dwamena alias Gaby, Yaw Adjei alias Wotoasa, Yaw Nkansa alias Paa Yaw, Naomi Asante, Patrick Nimo and Akosua Foriwaa who claimed to be a radio presenter.
The police has so far retrieved nine luxury cars, including a ‘C’ Class Mercedes Benz saloon, a Rover saloon and a 4 X4 Jeep from the suspect, Kwabena Takyi, alias Boama, alias Master Pee, after he was arrested.
According to the police, the suspect, a native of Nkwatia Kwahu in the Eastern Region, confessed of his involvement in the snatching of luxury cars and had mentioned some of his accomplices.
The ‘C’ Class Mercedes Benz car, with registration number AS 1725 Z, had bloodstains at the passenger seat after the police had retrieved it, indicating that the owner might have sustained some injuries before his attackers succeeded in snatching the vehicle from him.
The suspect and his accomplices also changed the original colours of the Benz car from blue-black to light brown and were also in the process of changing the colour of the Jeep from black to a different colour when he was arrested.
Other vehicles that were retrieved by the police included three KIA saloon cars with registration numbers GW 9595 W, GT4600 Q and AS 2304 Z, as well as an Opel Astra saloon car with registration number GR 270 U.
Also retrieved by the police from the suspect, who claims to reside at Bohyen, a Kumasi suburb, was a 4X4 Honda with registration number GR 4706 Z.
According to the police, the suspect always replaced the original number plates of the stolen vehicles with those of motorbikes before changing their colours to prevent detection.
Briefing the media about the arrest, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Kwaku Ayesu Opare-Addo, said reports of car snatching, especially luxury ones, in the Kumasi metropolis had been on the ascendancy in recent times.
He said when the criminal activities of the suspect and his accomplices came to the notice of the police, they mounted a search for their arrest, and with the support of the public, they were able to apprehend Takyi at his hideout to assist in investigations.
Mr Opare Addo gave the assurance that the police would continue to hunt for the other members of the syndicate for them to face the full rigours of the law.
In another development, the police command has arrested 14 suspected robbers most of whom are teenagers.
They included five females, who have specialised in robbing passengers of their mobile phones, monies and other valuables at gunpoint and knifepoint.
The suspects, who operated between Santasi, Ahodwo, Adeammra, Suame Magazine and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Campus, were arrested after one of their victims gave the registration number of the taxi used for their operation to the police.
About seven of the suspected robbers reside at Ohwim, near Barekese in the Atwima Nwabiagya District.
They were identified as Kwabena Osei, John Asante, Afua Cheche, Yaw Owusu alias Joe, Gladys Tweneboah alias Adwoa T, Patrick Yeboah and Kwame Anokye.
The others were Kwabena Nkatia alias Mishell, Eric Dwamena alias Gaby, Yaw Adjei alias Wotoasa, Yaw Nkansa alias Paa Yaw, Naomi Asante, Patrick Nimo and Akosua Foriwaa who claimed to be a radio presenter.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
NDC PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE JAILED ...For engaging in double registration (PAGE 3)
THE National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Kwabre West in the Ashanti Region, Mr Pius Opoku Boateng, has been jailed 12 months in hard labour for engaging in double registration.
Mr Boateng pleaded guilty with explanation to the charge of undertaking double registration when he appeared before the circuit court at Offinso yesterday.
He told the court that he lost his voter’s identity card and, therefore, decided to register again at his new residence in the Kwabre West Constituency where he was also contesting the parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NDC.
According to the court, Mr Boateng registered first at the Nkuakua-buoho Polling Station in Kwabre West and again at the Patasi Chief’s Palace Polling Station in Afigya Sekyere West.
He, however, maintained the same name and pictures but used different ages to register. While he gave his age as 55 at the Nkuakua-buoho Polling Station, he registered at the Patasi Chief’s Palace Polling Station with 54.
The police arrested the convict on Monday after the District Electoral Commission had detected the anomaly and lodged a complaint with the police.
During police investigations, it came out that the convict’s name had appeared twice in the voters register in two different constituencies.
The District Electoral Officer, Mr Emmanuel Addai, who briefed the Daily Graphic on the conviction, said he had received complaints a few days ago that Boateng had registered at two different polling stations.
He said he decided to investigate, and in the course of the investigations found out that the convict had registered in two different constituencies.
He said he also detected that the convict had gone to check his name during the last voters register exhibition exercise and had also taken pains to make all the necessary corrections to enable him to participate in the December elections.
Mr Addai said based on the outcome of his investigations, he reported the incident to the police, who effected Boateng’s arrest.
Mr Boateng pleaded guilty with explanation to the charge of undertaking double registration when he appeared before the circuit court at Offinso yesterday.
He told the court that he lost his voter’s identity card and, therefore, decided to register again at his new residence in the Kwabre West Constituency where he was also contesting the parliamentary seat on the ticket of the NDC.
According to the court, Mr Boateng registered first at the Nkuakua-buoho Polling Station in Kwabre West and again at the Patasi Chief’s Palace Polling Station in Afigya Sekyere West.
He, however, maintained the same name and pictures but used different ages to register. While he gave his age as 55 at the Nkuakua-buoho Polling Station, he registered at the Patasi Chief’s Palace Polling Station with 54.
The police arrested the convict on Monday after the District Electoral Commission had detected the anomaly and lodged a complaint with the police.
During police investigations, it came out that the convict’s name had appeared twice in the voters register in two different constituencies.
The District Electoral Officer, Mr Emmanuel Addai, who briefed the Daily Graphic on the conviction, said he had received complaints a few days ago that Boateng had registered at two different polling stations.
He said he decided to investigate, and in the course of the investigations found out that the convict had registered in two different constituencies.
He said he also detected that the convict had gone to check his name during the last voters register exhibition exercise and had also taken pains to make all the necessary corrections to enable him to participate in the December elections.
Mr Addai said based on the outcome of his investigations, he reported the incident to the police, who effected Boateng’s arrest.
ATTENDANTS HELP ARREST SUSPECTED CRIMINAL (PAGE 29)
The vigilance of fuel pump attendants at the Asafo Goil Station, led to the arrest of a suspected criminal early on Sunday, October 26, 2008, but his accomplice, who was later identified as Tupac, managed to escape.
The suspect who speaks Twi fluently gave his name as Kwame Yeboah, but later confessed that his real name was Sawana.
Moments after his arrest he was handed over to the police to assist in their investigations but his accomplice who had blood stains on his body and shirt, however, sped off on an unlicensed motorbike he had brought to the fuel station to buy fuel.
This was moments after the attendants had asked him why he had blood stains on parts of his body and shirt.
The suspect, Sawana, who started perspiring profusely as soon as the police arrived at the scene, took them to a shanty area at the Asafo railway line where fish is smoked in large quantities to trace his accomplice.
When the police arrived at the area, which is the property of the Ghana Railway Authority, they found dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, a pair of scissors and hard liquor.
Earlier, in an interview, the suspect, who denied being a criminal, said Tupac had the bloodstains after he was involved in a robbery early on Sunday, but could not disclose where the robbery took place.
He explained that the blood stains were the result of an injury Tupac sustained on the knee and ankle in the course of the robbery, but denied that he (Sawana) was involved.
The suspect, who claimed to be a butcher at the Kumasi Central Market, said he visited the accomplice in the morning of Sunday at a time he (Tupac) was on his way to buy fuel, so he accompanied him, only to be apprehended by the fuel attendants.
Sawana also explained that Tupac, together with one Nkawkaw, also on the run, had stolen the motorbike and used it for their criminal activities and gave the assurance that he would assist the police to arrest them to enable him gain his freedom.
When asked why they were squatters on the premises of the railway company, Sawana said he resided at Atonsu but Tupac and Nkawkaw who had made the area their permanent abode and attack their victims there.
A businessman who witnessed the scene, expressed concern that the Ghana Railway Authority had allowed criminals to use their property as their launching pad to attack innocent residents.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said as a responsible company, Ghana Railway Authority had the responsibility to prevent squatters from using its premises and, therefore, called on the management to initiate policies that would clear the area of criminals.
He also called on the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to liaise with the police to weed out criminals from certain spots in the metropolis.
The businessman said areas such as the Asafo Neoplan Station, Railway Line, Subin Valley, Bantama Race Course and Abinkyi should be regularly patrolled to prevent criminals from converging there and using them as their bases to attack residents in the metropolis.
The suspect who speaks Twi fluently gave his name as Kwame Yeboah, but later confessed that his real name was Sawana.
Moments after his arrest he was handed over to the police to assist in their investigations but his accomplice who had blood stains on his body and shirt, however, sped off on an unlicensed motorbike he had brought to the fuel station to buy fuel.
This was moments after the attendants had asked him why he had blood stains on parts of his body and shirt.
The suspect, Sawana, who started perspiring profusely as soon as the police arrived at the scene, took them to a shanty area at the Asafo railway line where fish is smoked in large quantities to trace his accomplice.
When the police arrived at the area, which is the property of the Ghana Railway Authority, they found dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, a pair of scissors and hard liquor.
Earlier, in an interview, the suspect, who denied being a criminal, said Tupac had the bloodstains after he was involved in a robbery early on Sunday, but could not disclose where the robbery took place.
He explained that the blood stains were the result of an injury Tupac sustained on the knee and ankle in the course of the robbery, but denied that he (Sawana) was involved.
The suspect, who claimed to be a butcher at the Kumasi Central Market, said he visited the accomplice in the morning of Sunday at a time he (Tupac) was on his way to buy fuel, so he accompanied him, only to be apprehended by the fuel attendants.
Sawana also explained that Tupac, together with one Nkawkaw, also on the run, had stolen the motorbike and used it for their criminal activities and gave the assurance that he would assist the police to arrest them to enable him gain his freedom.
When asked why they were squatters on the premises of the railway company, Sawana said he resided at Atonsu but Tupac and Nkawkaw who had made the area their permanent abode and attack their victims there.
A businessman who witnessed the scene, expressed concern that the Ghana Railway Authority had allowed criminals to use their property as their launching pad to attack innocent residents.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, he said as a responsible company, Ghana Railway Authority had the responsibility to prevent squatters from using its premises and, therefore, called on the management to initiate policies that would clear the area of criminals.
He also called on the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to liaise with the police to weed out criminals from certain spots in the metropolis.
The businessman said areas such as the Asafo Neoplan Station, Railway Line, Subin Valley, Bantama Race Course and Abinkyi should be regularly patrolled to prevent criminals from converging there and using them as their bases to attack residents in the metropolis.
KEK INSURANCE BROKERS SUPPORTED EDUCATION FUND (PAGE 29)
The Management of KEK Insurance Brokers in Kumasi has made a passionate appeal to corporate bodies, institutions and individuals operating in the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs to actively support the development of educational infrastructure to complement the government’s desire of making formal education accessible to the youth.
According to the management, the need to support the government to provide educational infrastructure across the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs would enhance effective teaching and learning and thereby raise standards.
The Northern Sector Area Manager of KEK Insurance Brokers, Mr Charles Bennin, made the appeal when he presented a cheque for GH¢1,000 to the Otumfuo Education Fund.
The fund which was established by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, when he ascended the Golden Stool, was to support brilliant, needy students in their academic pursuits.
Presenting the cheque, Mr Bennin commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu for his sense of initiative, which led to the setting up of the fund.
He explained that Otumfuo's initiative had opened many avenues for students who otherwise might not have dreamt of getting the opportunity to attend second cycle and tertiary institutions.
He said the donation, which was the second by KEK Insurance Brokers, would be a regular affair because it formed part of the company's corporate and social responsibility.
Mr Bennin said the company’s regular contribution would enable as many students as possible to benefit from Otumfuo Osei Tutu's gesture and, therefore, stressed the need for other companies to contribute generously to the fund to make it more sustainable.
According to the management, the need to support the government to provide educational infrastructure across the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs would enhance effective teaching and learning and thereby raise standards.
The Northern Sector Area Manager of KEK Insurance Brokers, Mr Charles Bennin, made the appeal when he presented a cheque for GH¢1,000 to the Otumfuo Education Fund.
The fund which was established by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, when he ascended the Golden Stool, was to support brilliant, needy students in their academic pursuits.
Presenting the cheque, Mr Bennin commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu for his sense of initiative, which led to the setting up of the fund.
He explained that Otumfuo's initiative had opened many avenues for students who otherwise might not have dreamt of getting the opportunity to attend second cycle and tertiary institutions.
He said the donation, which was the second by KEK Insurance Brokers, would be a regular affair because it formed part of the company's corporate and social responsibility.
Mr Bennin said the company’s regular contribution would enable as many students as possible to benefit from Otumfuo Osei Tutu's gesture and, therefore, stressed the need for other companies to contribute generously to the fund to make it more sustainable.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
JONES MAKES HISTORY WITH LIBERTY (GRAPHIC SPORTS, BACK PAGE)
Last Sunday Coach Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio, made history at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi when he added his name to the list of coaches who have won gold since the Top 4 tournament was introduced a few years ago.
The master tactician who has carved a niche for himself, as far as the winning of medals locally and internationally is concerned, was on top of his job when he invaded Kumasi for the second time in the 2008 Glo Top 4 tournament with his dancing boys.
Before the Sunday, October 26, 2008 grand finale Glo Top 4 tournament encounter, both Liberty and Kotoko had clashed on two occasions since the tournament got underway.
While Liberty trounced Kotoko 2-1 at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium when the two teams met the first time, Kotoko failed to glitter at their home base at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium during the second leg by allowing Liberty to hold them to a pulsating 1-1 draw.
Incidentally, Liberty were always the first to score as it happened in Accra and Kumasi on the two occasions that they met.
The grand finale was, therefore, an opportune time for Kotoko to make amends by forcing a bitter pill down the throat of Liberty by not only letting them score first, but also win the game outright.
This was to pacify their fans who were becoming a bit disturbed about the dominance of Liberty over Kotoko so far as this year’s Glo Top 4 tournament was concerned, but that was not to be as Liberty glittered more and carried the giant trophy away to Dansoman after succeeding in inflicting a fatal wound on the Porcupine warriors.
Prior to the game both Liberty and Kotoko were set to make history. While Kotoko were seeking to make history by retaining the cup they won last year, Liberty were more determined to win it for the first time to make a name for themselves.
Baba Yara Stadium, therefore, became the battle ground for the two clubs and notwithstanding the late start of the game, the fans were there as usual to offer the needed support, and at the end of the game it was Liberty's determination and the strategy of their coach that won them the trophy.
In goalkeeping, Daniel Adjei was totally unbeatable as he succeeded in saving the best shots that Kotoko delivered and was my man of the match.
On one occasion, Daniel Adjei had to come out of his post to deny Eric Bekoe a glorious opportunity and then dashed into the post to prevent another attacker from lobbing the ball into the net .
The bravado caused him to clash with an attacker, forcing him to receive a brief medical treatment. But that did not stop him from making other daring saves.
It was, therefore, his sheer bravado, good anticipation and effective reflexes that eventually won Liberty the day because his goalkeeping prowess denied Kotoko the needed equaliser and possibly the winner.
The defeat of Kotoko could also be attributed to the inability of their attackers and midfielders to convert set pieces and other goal-scoring opportunities that came their way.
In the first half Kotoko had as many as four set pieces besides the numerous corner kicks that came their way.
The corner kicks awarded Kotoko, together with the numerous set pieces which were at the edge of the box of their opponents, showed the attacking prowess of Kotoko during the game.
The master tactician who has carved a niche for himself, as far as the winning of medals locally and internationally is concerned, was on top of his job when he invaded Kumasi for the second time in the 2008 Glo Top 4 tournament with his dancing boys.
Before the Sunday, October 26, 2008 grand finale Glo Top 4 tournament encounter, both Liberty and Kotoko had clashed on two occasions since the tournament got underway.
While Liberty trounced Kotoko 2-1 at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium when the two teams met the first time, Kotoko failed to glitter at their home base at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium during the second leg by allowing Liberty to hold them to a pulsating 1-1 draw.
Incidentally, Liberty were always the first to score as it happened in Accra and Kumasi on the two occasions that they met.
The grand finale was, therefore, an opportune time for Kotoko to make amends by forcing a bitter pill down the throat of Liberty by not only letting them score first, but also win the game outright.
This was to pacify their fans who were becoming a bit disturbed about the dominance of Liberty over Kotoko so far as this year’s Glo Top 4 tournament was concerned, but that was not to be as Liberty glittered more and carried the giant trophy away to Dansoman after succeeding in inflicting a fatal wound on the Porcupine warriors.
Prior to the game both Liberty and Kotoko were set to make history. While Kotoko were seeking to make history by retaining the cup they won last year, Liberty were more determined to win it for the first time to make a name for themselves.
Baba Yara Stadium, therefore, became the battle ground for the two clubs and notwithstanding the late start of the game, the fans were there as usual to offer the needed support, and at the end of the game it was Liberty's determination and the strategy of their coach that won them the trophy.
In goalkeeping, Daniel Adjei was totally unbeatable as he succeeded in saving the best shots that Kotoko delivered and was my man of the match.
On one occasion, Daniel Adjei had to come out of his post to deny Eric Bekoe a glorious opportunity and then dashed into the post to prevent another attacker from lobbing the ball into the net .
The bravado caused him to clash with an attacker, forcing him to receive a brief medical treatment. But that did not stop him from making other daring saves.
It was, therefore, his sheer bravado, good anticipation and effective reflexes that eventually won Liberty the day because his goalkeeping prowess denied Kotoko the needed equaliser and possibly the winner.
The defeat of Kotoko could also be attributed to the inability of their attackers and midfielders to convert set pieces and other goal-scoring opportunities that came their way.
In the first half Kotoko had as many as four set pieces besides the numerous corner kicks that came their way.
The corner kicks awarded Kotoko, together with the numerous set pieces which were at the edge of the box of their opponents, showed the attacking prowess of Kotoko during the game.
KNUST SACKS 44 STUDENTS ...For forging admission documents (SPREAD)
AUTHORITIES of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have sacked 44 second-year students offering various programmes in the school for forging their documents to facilitate their admission in the University last year.
The dismissal of the 44 students from the KNUST brings the total number of students who have been dismissed from the school since 2003 for forging their documents to 175.
Last year, 40 students were dismissed from the university for similar offence, and in 2006, 34 students who entered the University using forged documents were also dismissed after the University authorities detected the anomalies in their documents.
The University authorities again dismissed 29 students in 2005 for entering the school with forged documents, and in 2004, a total of 19 students were affected by the exercise while nine students were sacked in 2003.
A statement signed by the Registrar of the University, Mr Koby Yebo-Okrah and made available to the Daily Graphic gave the names of the affected students as Bright Kofi Agyekum, a second year Social Science student who was a former student of Kumasi Anglican Senior High School.
Also dismissed are Ramsia Adams, a former student of Presby Secondary/Commercial at Nungua, who is a second year student offering Social Sciences, Debora Agbozo, formerly of Rev. John Teye Memorial Institute who is also a second year student offering Social Sciences as well as Rita Ofori Nyarko, formerly with Kumasi Girls Senior High School who is a second year student at the University offering Social Sciences.
Others include Mensah Yaw Kwayie, a former student of Kumasi High School, now in his second year at KNUST, offering Social Sciences, Janevera Fosuhene formerly with Sunyani Senior High School, also a second year student offering Social Sciences and Stanley Cubagee, a second year student offering Physics and a former student of St Mary's School in Accra; Collins Delaklu, a private candidate now a second year Human Biology student as well as Matilda Boatemaa Serebour a second year Nursing student formerly with Sunyani Senior High School and Richard Boakye- Yiadom, a second year Publishing student who was a former student of Adonteng Senior High School at Aburi.
The other dismissed students include Frederick Danso, a former student of Antoa Senior High School now offering Computer Science, Daniel Nii Arddey Otoo, formerly with Enyan Denkyira Senior High School offering Architecture in his second year, Benjamin Kofi Norvidzro, a Petroleum Engineering second year student and a former student of Keta Senior High School, Samuel Owusu, a private candidate second year Social Sciences student, Evelyn Adu Poku, also a Private candidate but offering Publishing in her second year and Bernice Okyere, a private candidate Publishing student in his second year at the University.
Also affected by the exercise to rid the University of students who presented forged documents are Ishmael Asare, a second year Chemistry student, formerly with Koforidua Technical, Stephen Enyonam Agbo, International Rural Art and Industry second year student and a former student, Stephen Agyekum, a second year Communications Design student, formerly with Kumasi Anglican Senior High School, Frank Owusu Agyemang, a second year Publishing student formerly with Kumasi High Senior High School, Atta Boateng Abayie, a second year Communication Design student formerly with Madina Senior High School, Jonas Bapuodeme, a second year English student who was a private candidate, Solomon Adjie, a second year Geography and Rural Development student, who was a former student with the Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi and Arafat Salifu, a second year Economics student who was a private candidate.
The others are, Vivian Asare, an Economics second year student who was a former student at Seventh Day Adventist Senior High School in Kumasi, Jerry Ameko, a private candidate second year Physics student, Richard Okyere, a private candidate second year Economics student, Stephen Anokye Boateng, a second year Publishing student, formerly of Kumasi High School, Derick Opare, a second year Natural Resources Management student, formerly with Odorgonno Senior High, Benjamin Adu Acheampong, a second year Publishing student who was a Private candidate, Adutwum Kwame Poku, a second year Publishing student, formerly of Kumasi Academy, Richmond Karikari Boateng, a second year Industrial Art student and a Private candidate, Evans Kwabena Danso, a second year natural Resources Management and a Private candidate and Oheneba Kusi Boahen, a second year Industrial Art student, also a Private candidate.
The rest are Albert Kusi, a second year Publishing student, formerly with Kumasi High School, Justice Acheampong, a second year Social Sciences student formerly with Kumasi Anglican Senior High School, Ernest Osei- Mensah a second year Social Sciences student, formerly with Apam Senior High School, Emmanuel Sarfo Boakye, a second year Business Administration student and a former student of Acherensua Senior High School, Ferdinand Kpakpo Allotey, a second year Computer Engineering student and formerly with Presec Legon, Isaac Darko Osei, a second year Communication Design and formerly with Kumasi High School, Samuel Okai a second year Computer Engineering student and a Private candidate, Rosemary Boateng, a second year Statistics and Actuarial Science student and a Private candidate and Donald Akugbire a second year Mathematics student and formerly of Konongo Senior School.
Mr Yebo-Okrah expressed concern about the annual dismissal of students from the school and urged parents to help the university to prevent future occurrence by prevailing on their wards to refrain from using doctored documents to seek admission.
" The University shall continue to be guided by the principles of providing quality education through rightful access. Thus, anyone seeking admission through false pretences shall be flushed out and dismissed accordingly", he stressed.
The dismissal of the 44 students from the KNUST brings the total number of students who have been dismissed from the school since 2003 for forging their documents to 175.
Last year, 40 students were dismissed from the university for similar offence, and in 2006, 34 students who entered the University using forged documents were also dismissed after the University authorities detected the anomalies in their documents.
The University authorities again dismissed 29 students in 2005 for entering the school with forged documents, and in 2004, a total of 19 students were affected by the exercise while nine students were sacked in 2003.
A statement signed by the Registrar of the University, Mr Koby Yebo-Okrah and made available to the Daily Graphic gave the names of the affected students as Bright Kofi Agyekum, a second year Social Science student who was a former student of Kumasi Anglican Senior High School.
Also dismissed are Ramsia Adams, a former student of Presby Secondary/Commercial at Nungua, who is a second year student offering Social Sciences, Debora Agbozo, formerly of Rev. John Teye Memorial Institute who is also a second year student offering Social Sciences as well as Rita Ofori Nyarko, formerly with Kumasi Girls Senior High School who is a second year student at the University offering Social Sciences.
Others include Mensah Yaw Kwayie, a former student of Kumasi High School, now in his second year at KNUST, offering Social Sciences, Janevera Fosuhene formerly with Sunyani Senior High School, also a second year student offering Social Sciences and Stanley Cubagee, a second year student offering Physics and a former student of St Mary's School in Accra; Collins Delaklu, a private candidate now a second year Human Biology student as well as Matilda Boatemaa Serebour a second year Nursing student formerly with Sunyani Senior High School and Richard Boakye- Yiadom, a second year Publishing student who was a former student of Adonteng Senior High School at Aburi.
The other dismissed students include Frederick Danso, a former student of Antoa Senior High School now offering Computer Science, Daniel Nii Arddey Otoo, formerly with Enyan Denkyira Senior High School offering Architecture in his second year, Benjamin Kofi Norvidzro, a Petroleum Engineering second year student and a former student of Keta Senior High School, Samuel Owusu, a private candidate second year Social Sciences student, Evelyn Adu Poku, also a Private candidate but offering Publishing in her second year and Bernice Okyere, a private candidate Publishing student in his second year at the University.
Also affected by the exercise to rid the University of students who presented forged documents are Ishmael Asare, a second year Chemistry student, formerly with Koforidua Technical, Stephen Enyonam Agbo, International Rural Art and Industry second year student and a former student, Stephen Agyekum, a second year Communications Design student, formerly with Kumasi Anglican Senior High School, Frank Owusu Agyemang, a second year Publishing student formerly with Kumasi High Senior High School, Atta Boateng Abayie, a second year Communication Design student formerly with Madina Senior High School, Jonas Bapuodeme, a second year English student who was a private candidate, Solomon Adjie, a second year Geography and Rural Development student, who was a former student with the Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi and Arafat Salifu, a second year Economics student who was a private candidate.
The others are, Vivian Asare, an Economics second year student who was a former student at Seventh Day Adventist Senior High School in Kumasi, Jerry Ameko, a private candidate second year Physics student, Richard Okyere, a private candidate second year Economics student, Stephen Anokye Boateng, a second year Publishing student, formerly of Kumasi High School, Derick Opare, a second year Natural Resources Management student, formerly with Odorgonno Senior High, Benjamin Adu Acheampong, a second year Publishing student who was a Private candidate, Adutwum Kwame Poku, a second year Publishing student, formerly of Kumasi Academy, Richmond Karikari Boateng, a second year Industrial Art student and a Private candidate, Evans Kwabena Danso, a second year natural Resources Management and a Private candidate and Oheneba Kusi Boahen, a second year Industrial Art student, also a Private candidate.
The rest are Albert Kusi, a second year Publishing student, formerly with Kumasi High School, Justice Acheampong, a second year Social Sciences student formerly with Kumasi Anglican Senior High School, Ernest Osei- Mensah a second year Social Sciences student, formerly with Apam Senior High School, Emmanuel Sarfo Boakye, a second year Business Administration student and a former student of Acherensua Senior High School, Ferdinand Kpakpo Allotey, a second year Computer Engineering student and formerly with Presec Legon, Isaac Darko Osei, a second year Communication Design and formerly with Kumasi High School, Samuel Okai a second year Computer Engineering student and a Private candidate, Rosemary Boateng, a second year Statistics and Actuarial Science student and a Private candidate and Donald Akugbire a second year Mathematics student and formerly of Konongo Senior School.
Mr Yebo-Okrah expressed concern about the annual dismissal of students from the school and urged parents to help the university to prevent future occurrence by prevailing on their wards to refrain from using doctored documents to seek admission.
" The University shall continue to be guided by the principles of providing quality education through rightful access. Thus, anyone seeking admission through false pretences shall be flushed out and dismissed accordingly", he stressed.
DON'T ATTEMPT TO INTERFERE WITH ELECTORAL PROCESS — POLICE (PAGE 17)
The Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kwaku Ayensu Opare-Addo has said that supporters and sympathisers of parties in the Ashanti Region who make any attempt to interfere with the electoral process on December 7, 2008, by either intimidating the electorate to create confusion or attempting to snatch ballot boxes will not only incur the wrath of the security agencies but will also be treated like common criminals and be dealt with accordingly.
This, he said, would pave way for a free, fair, transparent and credible elections
"The security forces have prepared adequately for anyone who harbours evil intention to create confusion in the elections, and we would not hesitate to descend heavily and deal ruthlessly with them, no matter their party affiliations" he warned, adding “we will not allow any person or group of people to cause trouble.’’
DCOP Opare-Addo gave the warning when he granted an interview to a section of the media at the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters in Kumasi last Thursday.
The interview was meant to assure the electorate in the region of adequate security presence and protection during the December general elections to enable them to have the needed confidence to turn up in their numbers to cast their votes.
Mr Opare –Addo noted that reports reaching his outfit indicated that some sympathisers of some political parties were training some young men to create confusion during the elections by either intimidating the electorate or snatching the ballot boxes during the counting of the ballot papers.
" Anyone who attempts to do that would be risking his life because we have strategised and put some security measures in place which would not be disclosed to you for security reasons".
" If there is someone out there who would like to attack the system, we are ready to fight all those who want to destroy the system. We cannot allow the security services to be condemned, before, during and after the elections, so if it is going to be a tooth for tooth affair, we would do that, if it is going to be an eye for eye affair, certainly we would do that, and if it is going to be a do or die affair, we would meet all those who would like to come in contention with the security services in this regard" he stressed.
Mr Opare-Addo said the rumour was rife that some youth were being trained to create confusion, but refused to be drawn on the specific party or group of people who were actively involved. However, he was quick to add that " we do not want to tag any specific party with this rumour, but it is up to us as security agents of the state to devise means that would create conducive atmosphere for free, fair and transparent elections to be held ".
Mr Opare –Addo advised the electorate to have confidence in the security agencies in the run up to the December general elections, stressing that the Regional Electorate Security Task Force (RESTF) was already in place and was " ready to meet the security demands of the electorate so they should not be afraid.
This, he said, would pave way for a free, fair, transparent and credible elections
"The security forces have prepared adequately for anyone who harbours evil intention to create confusion in the elections, and we would not hesitate to descend heavily and deal ruthlessly with them, no matter their party affiliations" he warned, adding “we will not allow any person or group of people to cause trouble.’’
DCOP Opare-Addo gave the warning when he granted an interview to a section of the media at the Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters in Kumasi last Thursday.
The interview was meant to assure the electorate in the region of adequate security presence and protection during the December general elections to enable them to have the needed confidence to turn up in their numbers to cast their votes.
Mr Opare –Addo noted that reports reaching his outfit indicated that some sympathisers of some political parties were training some young men to create confusion during the elections by either intimidating the electorate or snatching the ballot boxes during the counting of the ballot papers.
" Anyone who attempts to do that would be risking his life because we have strategised and put some security measures in place which would not be disclosed to you for security reasons".
" If there is someone out there who would like to attack the system, we are ready to fight all those who want to destroy the system. We cannot allow the security services to be condemned, before, during and after the elections, so if it is going to be a tooth for tooth affair, we would do that, if it is going to be an eye for eye affair, certainly we would do that, and if it is going to be a do or die affair, we would meet all those who would like to come in contention with the security services in this regard" he stressed.
Mr Opare-Addo said the rumour was rife that some youth were being trained to create confusion, but refused to be drawn on the specific party or group of people who were actively involved. However, he was quick to add that " we do not want to tag any specific party with this rumour, but it is up to us as security agents of the state to devise means that would create conducive atmosphere for free, fair and transparent elections to be held ".
Mr Opare –Addo advised the electorate to have confidence in the security agencies in the run up to the December general elections, stressing that the Regional Electorate Security Task Force (RESTF) was already in place and was " ready to meet the security demands of the electorate so they should not be afraid.
Monday, October 27, 2008
DRIVE CAREFULLY AS CHRISTMAS APPROACHES (NSEMPA, PAGE 10)
By George Ernest Asare,
Mampong.
THE MAMPONG Divisional Mottor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) Police Commander, ASP B.K. Gyasi, has urged motorists plying the Mampong trunk road to be circumspect as Christmas approaches to reduce the spate of accidents at Mampong and its environs.
He pointed out that in recent times, road traffic accidents have become one of the causes of death at the area, explaining that, road traffic accidents do not only occur every day, but also claimed the lives of people who were contributing significantly to sustainable national development.
Addressing a section of drivers at a seminar organised to educate drivers on road safety, Mr Gyasi said drivers had a great responsibility of ensuring the safety of their passengers by strictly adhering to road traffic regulations.
Looking at the causes of accidents at the Mampong environs, Mr Gyasi noted that, "The unruly behaviour of drivers, their mental disposition and world view of the road user, induces him to be involved in an accident.” He stressed that, excessive speeding, wrong overtaking, and low level of education of some motorists, which makes it difficult for them to appreciate road signs, were some of the contributory factors.
He said poorly constructed roads were also contributory factors to the spate of accidents in the area.
On wrong overtaking, he mentioned that many drivers failed to calculate the speed of vehicles they intended to overtake and only realised too late that they had not only taken a wrong decision, but had also put the lives of the passengers on board their vehicles at great risk.
He pointed out that some drivers also under estimated the danger they put their passengers through when they continued to drive even when they were very tired.
Mr Gyasi advised drivers to appreciate the value of resting when tired by having sufficient rest every day.
"You should adhere to road traffic regulations by not only avoiding wrong overtaking and overtaking at curves, but you should also not drive continuously for more than four hours without resting adequately," he advised.
He also explained that if motorists were to observe the basic rules and regulations on the road, "head-on collisions borne out of wrong overtaking and their attendant fatalities would be a thing of the past,"
Mr Gyasi called on the National Road Safety Commission to intensify its educational campaigns by sensitising drivers to the road traffic regulations of 1974- LI 952 and 953.
He assured all that, the MTTU would continue to be on the roads not only to check recalcitrant drivers, but would also arrest and prosecute those who put the lives of other road users at great risk.
Mampong.
THE MAMPONG Divisional Mottor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) Police Commander, ASP B.K. Gyasi, has urged motorists plying the Mampong trunk road to be circumspect as Christmas approaches to reduce the spate of accidents at Mampong and its environs.
He pointed out that in recent times, road traffic accidents have become one of the causes of death at the area, explaining that, road traffic accidents do not only occur every day, but also claimed the lives of people who were contributing significantly to sustainable national development.
Addressing a section of drivers at a seminar organised to educate drivers on road safety, Mr Gyasi said drivers had a great responsibility of ensuring the safety of their passengers by strictly adhering to road traffic regulations.
Looking at the causes of accidents at the Mampong environs, Mr Gyasi noted that, "The unruly behaviour of drivers, their mental disposition and world view of the road user, induces him to be involved in an accident.” He stressed that, excessive speeding, wrong overtaking, and low level of education of some motorists, which makes it difficult for them to appreciate road signs, were some of the contributory factors.
He said poorly constructed roads were also contributory factors to the spate of accidents in the area.
On wrong overtaking, he mentioned that many drivers failed to calculate the speed of vehicles they intended to overtake and only realised too late that they had not only taken a wrong decision, but had also put the lives of the passengers on board their vehicles at great risk.
He pointed out that some drivers also under estimated the danger they put their passengers through when they continued to drive even when they were very tired.
Mr Gyasi advised drivers to appreciate the value of resting when tired by having sufficient rest every day.
"You should adhere to road traffic regulations by not only avoiding wrong overtaking and overtaking at curves, but you should also not drive continuously for more than four hours without resting adequately," he advised.
He also explained that if motorists were to observe the basic rules and regulations on the road, "head-on collisions borne out of wrong overtaking and their attendant fatalities would be a thing of the past,"
Mr Gyasi called on the National Road Safety Commission to intensify its educational campaigns by sensitising drivers to the road traffic regulations of 1974- LI 952 and 953.
He assured all that, the MTTU would continue to be on the roads not only to check recalcitrant drivers, but would also arrest and prosecute those who put the lives of other road users at great risk.
LIBERTY LIFT TOP 4 TROPHY (BACK PAGE)
Story: George Ernest Asare
Liberty Professionals defied all odds to defeat Kumasi Asante Kotoko 1-0 in the grand finale of the Glo Top 4 tournament at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi yesterday.
The feat by Liberty crowned an outstanding performance by the Dansoman-based team that maintained the tournament’s tradition as the new champions.
Substitute Latif Salifu caused the damage in the 67th minute to justify his inclusion by slipping the ball past Eric Nii Baah in post for Kotoko.
Before then they had succeeded in puncturing some holes in the Kotoko defence, forcing Eric Nii Baah to make some saves.
Undaunted, Liberty continued their onslaught, causing the Kotoko defenders to chase their shadows.
Liberty's goal came after Kotoko had failed to take advantage of the numerous chances which came their way, especially in the first half.
Liberty's glory could also be attributed to the outstanding display of goalkeeper Daniel Adjei who stood between Kotoko and victory, especially in the first half when he made brilliant saves to deny Eric Bekoe, Stephen Oduro and Francis Akwafo's goal-bound shots.
The goalkeeper was also at his elastic best midway in the second half and the latter part of the game when Kotoko poured into the territory of their opponents, hoping to equalise to pacify their numerous fans who rooted for them throughout the 90 minutes.
Kotoko also failed to take advantage of the exit of Liberty Professionals' Maxwell Mensah from the game on the 70th minute after he had handled the ball at the edge of the box to prevent Eric Bekoe from whisking past him to equalise.
In all, fans who filled the Baba Yara Sports Stadium last Sunday were the winners on account of the outstanding performance of both teams.
Determined to score an early goal, the two teams launched into attack as soon as the game started.
Liberty appeared more slippery at the beginning of the game but Kotoko took over, bombarding the territory of their opponents with shots but could not convert the chances that came their way.
Eric Bekoe came close to snatching the lead on the 10th minute with a brilliant volley, but Liberty's goalkeeper scored full marks by tipping the goal bound shot to corner which was wasted.
On the 14th minute, Stephen Oduro’s volley hit the top of the post to deny Kotoko a goal. Again on the 29th minute, Francis Akwafo came close but good defending by the Liberty boys denied him the opportunity of adding his name on the score sheet.
The same trend continued until the hour mark when Liberty took over from Kotoko, forcing them to retreat on most occasions, and it was one of their moves that saw substitute Latif Salifu whisking the ball past Eric Nii Baah to win the Glo Top 4 trophy for Liberty for the first time.
Liberty Professionals defied all odds to defeat Kumasi Asante Kotoko 1-0 in the grand finale of the Glo Top 4 tournament at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi yesterday.
The feat by Liberty crowned an outstanding performance by the Dansoman-based team that maintained the tournament’s tradition as the new champions.
Substitute Latif Salifu caused the damage in the 67th minute to justify his inclusion by slipping the ball past Eric Nii Baah in post for Kotoko.
Before then they had succeeded in puncturing some holes in the Kotoko defence, forcing Eric Nii Baah to make some saves.
Undaunted, Liberty continued their onslaught, causing the Kotoko defenders to chase their shadows.
Liberty's goal came after Kotoko had failed to take advantage of the numerous chances which came their way, especially in the first half.
Liberty's glory could also be attributed to the outstanding display of goalkeeper Daniel Adjei who stood between Kotoko and victory, especially in the first half when he made brilliant saves to deny Eric Bekoe, Stephen Oduro and Francis Akwafo's goal-bound shots.
The goalkeeper was also at his elastic best midway in the second half and the latter part of the game when Kotoko poured into the territory of their opponents, hoping to equalise to pacify their numerous fans who rooted for them throughout the 90 minutes.
Kotoko also failed to take advantage of the exit of Liberty Professionals' Maxwell Mensah from the game on the 70th minute after he had handled the ball at the edge of the box to prevent Eric Bekoe from whisking past him to equalise.
In all, fans who filled the Baba Yara Sports Stadium last Sunday were the winners on account of the outstanding performance of both teams.
Determined to score an early goal, the two teams launched into attack as soon as the game started.
Liberty appeared more slippery at the beginning of the game but Kotoko took over, bombarding the territory of their opponents with shots but could not convert the chances that came their way.
Eric Bekoe came close to snatching the lead on the 10th minute with a brilliant volley, but Liberty's goalkeeper scored full marks by tipping the goal bound shot to corner which was wasted.
On the 14th minute, Stephen Oduro’s volley hit the top of the post to deny Kotoko a goal. Again on the 29th minute, Francis Akwafo came close but good defending by the Liberty boys denied him the opportunity of adding his name on the score sheet.
The same trend continued until the hour mark when Liberty took over from Kotoko, forcing them to retreat on most occasions, and it was one of their moves that saw substitute Latif Salifu whisking the ball past Eric Nii Baah to win the Glo Top 4 trophy for Liberty for the first time.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
EMBRACE CALL FOR CHANGE — MILLS (PAGE 17)
THE Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evans Atta Mills, has appealed to the electorate in the Ashanti Region to fully embrace the call for change of leadership being preached by the NDC.
He said the only way to effect the change was to vote massively for the NDC in both presidential and parliamentary elections.
Prof Mills, who was addressing NDC supporters in the Asokwa Constituency last Wednesday as part of his tour of the Ashanti Region, explained that Ashantis by nature were not only fearless, but also very objective and therefore believed that they would accept his message.
He gave the assurance that he would not only be a leader for the entire nation when given the opportunity in the December general election, but would also harness both the human and material resources across the country to accelerate socio-economic development.
Prof Mills expressed concern about the inadequate infrastructure in the region such as good roads and potable water and attributed them to the unfair distribution of the nation’s resources by the NPP government.
He pointed out that it was his cherished dream to initiate programmes and policies that would not only accelerate socio-economic development but also empower the youth to acquire employable skills to reduce the massive employment the NPP government had created since assuming the reins of governance eight years ago.
On the School Feeding Programme introduced by the NPP government, Prof Mills noted that the programme was not all-embracing, because the policy was limited to some few school children in the country and assured the people that his government would expand it to enable every schoolchild at the basic level to benefit from it.
He said he would also establish as many vocational and technical school as possible as a way of offering employable skills to students who may not be able to make it to the tertiary level.
He also promised that his government would intensify agricultural studies at the basic and second cycle schools to enable students who had interest in the sector to develop their potential to the fullest.
“ The graduates from this sector would be provided with seed capital to enable them to establish their own farms and produce food and cash crops to feed the nation and export the surplus,” he assured further.
Prof Mills also advised the electorate to avoid any form of action that could bring violence before, during and after the December general elections.
He said any government that thrived on violence would incurr the wrath of God and could not therefore, initiate any policy that would enhance development.
He said it was important for all parties to be truthful in their actions as a way of creating a peaceful environment in the run-up to the December elections.
Earlier, Ms Ama Benyiwa Doe, National Women’s Organiser of the NDC, extolled the leadership qualities of Prof Mills and advised the electorate to vote massively for him.
She noted that the change of government in the 2000 elections was good because it offered Ghanaians the opportunity to differentiate between a caring government and a government that took the electorate for granted.
He said the only way to effect the change was to vote massively for the NDC in both presidential and parliamentary elections.
Prof Mills, who was addressing NDC supporters in the Asokwa Constituency last Wednesday as part of his tour of the Ashanti Region, explained that Ashantis by nature were not only fearless, but also very objective and therefore believed that they would accept his message.
He gave the assurance that he would not only be a leader for the entire nation when given the opportunity in the December general election, but would also harness both the human and material resources across the country to accelerate socio-economic development.
Prof Mills expressed concern about the inadequate infrastructure in the region such as good roads and potable water and attributed them to the unfair distribution of the nation’s resources by the NPP government.
He pointed out that it was his cherished dream to initiate programmes and policies that would not only accelerate socio-economic development but also empower the youth to acquire employable skills to reduce the massive employment the NPP government had created since assuming the reins of governance eight years ago.
On the School Feeding Programme introduced by the NPP government, Prof Mills noted that the programme was not all-embracing, because the policy was limited to some few school children in the country and assured the people that his government would expand it to enable every schoolchild at the basic level to benefit from it.
He said he would also establish as many vocational and technical school as possible as a way of offering employable skills to students who may not be able to make it to the tertiary level.
He also promised that his government would intensify agricultural studies at the basic and second cycle schools to enable students who had interest in the sector to develop their potential to the fullest.
“ The graduates from this sector would be provided with seed capital to enable them to establish their own farms and produce food and cash crops to feed the nation and export the surplus,” he assured further.
Prof Mills also advised the electorate to avoid any form of action that could bring violence before, during and after the December general elections.
He said any government that thrived on violence would incurr the wrath of God and could not therefore, initiate any policy that would enhance development.
He said it was important for all parties to be truthful in their actions as a way of creating a peaceful environment in the run-up to the December elections.
Earlier, Ms Ama Benyiwa Doe, National Women’s Organiser of the NDC, extolled the leadership qualities of Prof Mills and advised the electorate to vote massively for him.
She noted that the change of government in the 2000 elections was good because it offered Ghanaians the opportunity to differentiate between a caring government and a government that took the electorate for granted.
POOR USAGE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN SCHOOLS...Qualified teachers not teaching (PAGE 11)
THE Director–General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr Samuel Bannerman–Mensah, has challenged teachers to devise mechanisms that will effectively address the poor standard of the English Language in schools.
He said the problem had arisen because qualified teachers were not teaching the subject, resulting in most of the candidates being unable to express themselves clearly and logically.
Mr Bannerman-Mensah also attributed the poor standard of English at all levels in the country partly to the large numbers of students in a class at a particular point in time, making it very difficult for teachers to set and mark assignments as frequently as possible, to help students identify their mistakes and correct them.
The Director–General expressed these sentiments at a workshop attended by directors of education in the Ashanti Region, school heads and English Language teachers.
Participants brainstormed with a view to coming out with a blueprint that would address the problem to enable students to understand the rudiments of using both written and spoken English correctly.
The workshop was the second in a series to be organised by the GES nation-wide to build the capacity of teachers of English to make them more proficient to enhance teaching and learning of the subject.
Mr Bannerman-Mensah observed that reports from the Chief Examiner of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over the past couple of years indicated a low standard of performance in English Language, both written and spoken.
He said the report also spoke volumes of "mechanical inaccuracies and that about 80 per cent of the candidates scored zero for the mechanical accuracy, which expressed their weakness in grammar, particularly tenses and their sequence, as well as concord and agreement".
The Director-General noted that since one of the highlights of the Education Reform was to improve literacy, numeracy and problem-solving among children in basic schools, they sincerely believed that the attainment of a certain level of proficiency in language, especially English, would improve performance.
A former Chief Examiner, Professor Naa Afarley Sackeyfio, said it was time to address the falling standard of the English Language.
"The problem has gotten to a stage where students at the basic schools can neither use idioms to express themselves nor differentiate between transitive and intransitive verbs,” she lamented.
She said the situation was not different at the second cycle and tertiary levels and was even trickling down to their workplaces after graduating from school.
Prof. Sackeyfio pointed out that students were not developing the culture of reading because they were not being encouraged by their teachers to read the right materials.
She noted that teachers had also restricted themselves to the use of only textbooks to teach students instead of encouraging them to use other materials that could supplement the textbooks.
A former Headmaster of the TI Ahmadiyya Senior High School, Mr I. K. Gyasi, advised teachers to always use dictionary and encourage their students to learn to use them.
This, he said, would enable them to build their vocabulary and improve their grammar.
He said the problem had arisen because qualified teachers were not teaching the subject, resulting in most of the candidates being unable to express themselves clearly and logically.
Mr Bannerman-Mensah also attributed the poor standard of English at all levels in the country partly to the large numbers of students in a class at a particular point in time, making it very difficult for teachers to set and mark assignments as frequently as possible, to help students identify their mistakes and correct them.
The Director–General expressed these sentiments at a workshop attended by directors of education in the Ashanti Region, school heads and English Language teachers.
Participants brainstormed with a view to coming out with a blueprint that would address the problem to enable students to understand the rudiments of using both written and spoken English correctly.
The workshop was the second in a series to be organised by the GES nation-wide to build the capacity of teachers of English to make them more proficient to enhance teaching and learning of the subject.
Mr Bannerman-Mensah observed that reports from the Chief Examiner of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) over the past couple of years indicated a low standard of performance in English Language, both written and spoken.
He said the report also spoke volumes of "mechanical inaccuracies and that about 80 per cent of the candidates scored zero for the mechanical accuracy, which expressed their weakness in grammar, particularly tenses and their sequence, as well as concord and agreement".
The Director-General noted that since one of the highlights of the Education Reform was to improve literacy, numeracy and problem-solving among children in basic schools, they sincerely believed that the attainment of a certain level of proficiency in language, especially English, would improve performance.
A former Chief Examiner, Professor Naa Afarley Sackeyfio, said it was time to address the falling standard of the English Language.
"The problem has gotten to a stage where students at the basic schools can neither use idioms to express themselves nor differentiate between transitive and intransitive verbs,” she lamented.
She said the situation was not different at the second cycle and tertiary levels and was even trickling down to their workplaces after graduating from school.
Prof. Sackeyfio pointed out that students were not developing the culture of reading because they were not being encouraged by their teachers to read the right materials.
She noted that teachers had also restricted themselves to the use of only textbooks to teach students instead of encouraging them to use other materials that could supplement the textbooks.
A former Headmaster of the TI Ahmadiyya Senior High School, Mr I. K. Gyasi, advised teachers to always use dictionary and encourage their students to learn to use them.
This, he said, would enable them to build their vocabulary and improve their grammar.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
ZONGO POLICE ARREST SUSPECTED FRAUDSTER (PAGE 29)
THE Manhyia Divisional Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old man who succeeded in collecting various sums of money from some ladies in Kumasi after posing as an accounts clerk at the Kejetia branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB).
The suspect, Osei Bonsu, alias Ankrah, was arrested at the weekend after two of his victims had lodged a complaint with the Zongo Police.
Officials of the Kejetia branch of the GCB have denied that the suspect has ever worked there.
After his arrest, Osei Bonsu confessed to the police that he was not a member of staff of the bank but was rather a businessman who dealt in a variety of goods.
According to the police, Osei Bonsu had so far allegedly defrauded two ladies of GH¢1,900, after convincing them that as an accountant with the GCB, he had a lot of contacts and could, therefore, link them to many business partners to enable them to expand their businesses.
The police appealed to anyone who had fallen victim to the tricks of Osei Bonsu to come forward with information to enable them to prepare a docket that would facilitate the prosecution of the suspect.
One of the victims, Ms Abena Agyeiwaa, 28, a business woman and fashion designer, coughed out GH¢550 when the suspect succeeded in convincing her that he had two containers full of rice ready to be offloaded into a store at the Roman Hill in Kumasi and, therefore, he needed the money to pay the GH¢3,000 rent being demanded by the owner of the store.
The police said after collecting the money, Osei Bonsu vanished into thin air and also put off his cell phone, making it impossible for the victim to establish further contact with him.
The suspect used the same trick to defraud another victim, Ms Florence Ayom, a hairdresser at Oforikrom of GH¢1,350, with the assurance of seeking employment avenues for her sibling at one of the courts in Kumasi. But after collecting the money, he failed to do so.
When the victims were prompted that they had been defrauded, they traced the suspect to the Kejetia branch of the GCB, with the hope of accosting him, but none of the people who worked there responded to the name or identity they provided.
Convinced that they had been defrauded, they lodged a complaint with the police and investigations led to Osei Bonsu’s arrest.
A police source told the Daily Graphic that investigations into the case had already started and that when they were completed the suspect would be arraigned.
The suspect, Osei Bonsu, alias Ankrah, was arrested at the weekend after two of his victims had lodged a complaint with the Zongo Police.
Officials of the Kejetia branch of the GCB have denied that the suspect has ever worked there.
After his arrest, Osei Bonsu confessed to the police that he was not a member of staff of the bank but was rather a businessman who dealt in a variety of goods.
According to the police, Osei Bonsu had so far allegedly defrauded two ladies of GH¢1,900, after convincing them that as an accountant with the GCB, he had a lot of contacts and could, therefore, link them to many business partners to enable them to expand their businesses.
The police appealed to anyone who had fallen victim to the tricks of Osei Bonsu to come forward with information to enable them to prepare a docket that would facilitate the prosecution of the suspect.
One of the victims, Ms Abena Agyeiwaa, 28, a business woman and fashion designer, coughed out GH¢550 when the suspect succeeded in convincing her that he had two containers full of rice ready to be offloaded into a store at the Roman Hill in Kumasi and, therefore, he needed the money to pay the GH¢3,000 rent being demanded by the owner of the store.
The police said after collecting the money, Osei Bonsu vanished into thin air and also put off his cell phone, making it impossible for the victim to establish further contact with him.
The suspect used the same trick to defraud another victim, Ms Florence Ayom, a hairdresser at Oforikrom of GH¢1,350, with the assurance of seeking employment avenues for her sibling at one of the courts in Kumasi. But after collecting the money, he failed to do so.
When the victims were prompted that they had been defrauded, they traced the suspect to the Kejetia branch of the GCB, with the hope of accosting him, but none of the people who worked there responded to the name or identity they provided.
Convinced that they had been defrauded, they lodged a complaint with the police and investigations led to Osei Bonsu’s arrest.
A police source told the Daily Graphic that investigations into the case had already started and that when they were completed the suspect would be arraigned.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
FEMALE TEACHERS MAKE WOMEN PROUD (PAGE 17)
The enviable feat accomplished by Ms Charlotte Azurago, the then 28-year old teacher at Lwanga in Zebilla in the Upper East Region, who was adjudged the first female overall National Best Teacher at the 2004 World Teachers’ Day in Wa, seems to have opened a new chapter in the lives of some female teachers.
Madam Doris Naana Marfo, an English Language teacher and Assistant Headmistress of the Sunyani Senior High School (SHS) in the Brong Ahafo Region and Faustina Gyeketey, a teacher of the Obokrom-Kumasi District Assembly (D/A) Junior High School (JHS) in the Gomoa West District in the Central Region, won the enviable prize in 2005 and 2007 respectively.
This achievement was repeated this year with two female teachers being adjudged the first and second runners-up to the 2008 best teacher award at the 14th edition of the National Best Teacher Award Ceremony held in Sunyani, the Brongh Ahafo Regional capital recently.
They are Mrs Magdalene Mensah, a teacher of French at the Opoku Ware Senior High School (SHC) in Kumasi and Mrs Alice Dzifa Gligui-Denueme, Head of Department of Home Economics at the Awudome SHC at Tsito, who emerged the first and second runners-up of the 2008 best teacher award respectively.
Sharing their joy and excitement with the Daily Graphic in separate interviews in Kumasi and Accra, Mrs Mensah said she felt elated for the honour bestowed on her by the state in recognition of her hard work for consistently teaching for over two decades in the country, while Mrs Gligui-Denueme attributed her success to discipline and hard work.
Mrs Mensah described the award as timely, stressing that it would further motivate her to work harder than before, in order to serve as a role model for the youth, especially the girl child.
She said “I am very happy for my chosen career. This is because over the years I have been able to help develop the knowledge of students who knew next to nothing about the French language when they entered school, but left school very much enlightened, contributing in diverse ways to sustainable socio-economic development”.
Mrs Mensah said she won the award when she participated in prestigious teacher award scheme for the first time, adding that she was encouraged by her headmaster, fellow teachers, past and present students who had benefited from her quality scheme of work, as well as members from her immediate community.
The award winner, who holds a Masters Degree in French, said her encouragement stemmed from the fact that she did not only spend adequate time in preparing her notes after conducting in-depth research, but also took much time in her presentation, assigning and accessing students to give them the confidence they needed to pass their examination very well.
On how she went through the series of interviews at the district, regional and national levels, Mrs Mensah said as a teacher, she had gone through promotion interviews before " so I knew what was expected of me, but at the national level of the teachers award, I knew that I was going to face a tougher panel, so I got myself prepared very well and it paid off".
" I made sure that my notes were standard, dummy teaching was masterful, answered all their questions with confidence and left an impression on them, so I was sure that I would win something but not to this magnitude. " She explained further.
She said that after meeting the panel at the national level, a special field team followed up to Opoku ware School, where they checked on her style of teachings, supervision, mode of assignments and some extra curricula activities as well as her contribution to the immediate community. She said she later got a message from the regional co-ordinator informing her that she had been nominated for a national award, but she did not know the category of award and that put her in a state of suspense until the 11th hour.
She said the reception accorded her moments after she returned from Sunyani with her prizes was overwhelming and expressed her gratitude to God for the spiritual guidance and also to the headmaster of Opoku Ware SHS and the staff for their support.
Mrs Mensah, who is a mother of two, advised the youth, especially the girl-child, to be serious with their academic work to be able to achieve their heart desires, adding that "The sky is our limit, and we should also not be discouraged in our activities but persevere to make it.
Fo her part, the second runner-up, started receiving honours at the OLA Senior Secondary School where she was the schools prefect. The school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and management honoured her for being the well-behaved and a serious student.
From there she won the 1996 District Best Teacher Award for Gushiegu-Karaga when she was teaching at the Gushiegu-Karaga Local Authority Junior Secondary School and then the Northern Regional Best Teacher in 2001.
The award winner said she then proceeded to the University of Education, Wineba to study Home Economics and was posted to Tamale Islamic SSS after she graduated in 2005. She was transferred to Taviese-Deme Roman Catholic JSS in 2007, where she taught Science and then was posted to Awudome Tsito SSS early this year where she teaches Home Economics and also serves as head of that department.
She said she had remained committed to her work and performed her duties with dedication and pointed out that she had projected her school with the honour, and expressed optimism that it would greatly impact positively on her personal life, as well as that of her students and the community in which she lived.
Mrs Gligui-Denueme, who is married to Dr Saviour Denueme, a Vertinary Surgeon, with three children, advised the girl child to study hard and serve as role models in their respective areas.
She advised students to disabuse their minds of the notion that Home Economics is for those who do not do well, adding that all subjects are equally important in the national development programme.
She appealed to the government to provide schools with the needed materials and create the conducive atmosphere for effective teaching and learning. She also said there was the need to improve the conditions of service of teachers and motivate them to give their best.
To her, discipline, determination and hard work form the basis of everything, adding that she is from a disciplined home and that accounts for her academic exploits.
Madam Doris Naana Marfo, an English Language teacher and Assistant Headmistress of the Sunyani Senior High School (SHS) in the Brong Ahafo Region and Faustina Gyeketey, a teacher of the Obokrom-Kumasi District Assembly (D/A) Junior High School (JHS) in the Gomoa West District in the Central Region, won the enviable prize in 2005 and 2007 respectively.
This achievement was repeated this year with two female teachers being adjudged the first and second runners-up to the 2008 best teacher award at the 14th edition of the National Best Teacher Award Ceremony held in Sunyani, the Brongh Ahafo Regional capital recently.
They are Mrs Magdalene Mensah, a teacher of French at the Opoku Ware Senior High School (SHC) in Kumasi and Mrs Alice Dzifa Gligui-Denueme, Head of Department of Home Economics at the Awudome SHC at Tsito, who emerged the first and second runners-up of the 2008 best teacher award respectively.
Sharing their joy and excitement with the Daily Graphic in separate interviews in Kumasi and Accra, Mrs Mensah said she felt elated for the honour bestowed on her by the state in recognition of her hard work for consistently teaching for over two decades in the country, while Mrs Gligui-Denueme attributed her success to discipline and hard work.
Mrs Mensah described the award as timely, stressing that it would further motivate her to work harder than before, in order to serve as a role model for the youth, especially the girl child.
She said “I am very happy for my chosen career. This is because over the years I have been able to help develop the knowledge of students who knew next to nothing about the French language when they entered school, but left school very much enlightened, contributing in diverse ways to sustainable socio-economic development”.
Mrs Mensah said she won the award when she participated in prestigious teacher award scheme for the first time, adding that she was encouraged by her headmaster, fellow teachers, past and present students who had benefited from her quality scheme of work, as well as members from her immediate community.
The award winner, who holds a Masters Degree in French, said her encouragement stemmed from the fact that she did not only spend adequate time in preparing her notes after conducting in-depth research, but also took much time in her presentation, assigning and accessing students to give them the confidence they needed to pass their examination very well.
On how she went through the series of interviews at the district, regional and national levels, Mrs Mensah said as a teacher, she had gone through promotion interviews before " so I knew what was expected of me, but at the national level of the teachers award, I knew that I was going to face a tougher panel, so I got myself prepared very well and it paid off".
" I made sure that my notes were standard, dummy teaching was masterful, answered all their questions with confidence and left an impression on them, so I was sure that I would win something but not to this magnitude. " She explained further.
She said that after meeting the panel at the national level, a special field team followed up to Opoku ware School, where they checked on her style of teachings, supervision, mode of assignments and some extra curricula activities as well as her contribution to the immediate community. She said she later got a message from the regional co-ordinator informing her that she had been nominated for a national award, but she did not know the category of award and that put her in a state of suspense until the 11th hour.
She said the reception accorded her moments after she returned from Sunyani with her prizes was overwhelming and expressed her gratitude to God for the spiritual guidance and also to the headmaster of Opoku Ware SHS and the staff for their support.
Mrs Mensah, who is a mother of two, advised the youth, especially the girl-child, to be serious with their academic work to be able to achieve their heart desires, adding that "The sky is our limit, and we should also not be discouraged in our activities but persevere to make it.
Fo her part, the second runner-up, started receiving honours at the OLA Senior Secondary School where she was the schools prefect. The school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and management honoured her for being the well-behaved and a serious student.
From there she won the 1996 District Best Teacher Award for Gushiegu-Karaga when she was teaching at the Gushiegu-Karaga Local Authority Junior Secondary School and then the Northern Regional Best Teacher in 2001.
The award winner said she then proceeded to the University of Education, Wineba to study Home Economics and was posted to Tamale Islamic SSS after she graduated in 2005. She was transferred to Taviese-Deme Roman Catholic JSS in 2007, where she taught Science and then was posted to Awudome Tsito SSS early this year where she teaches Home Economics and also serves as head of that department.
She said she had remained committed to her work and performed her duties with dedication and pointed out that she had projected her school with the honour, and expressed optimism that it would greatly impact positively on her personal life, as well as that of her students and the community in which she lived.
Mrs Gligui-Denueme, who is married to Dr Saviour Denueme, a Vertinary Surgeon, with three children, advised the girl child to study hard and serve as role models in their respective areas.
She advised students to disabuse their minds of the notion that Home Economics is for those who do not do well, adding that all subjects are equally important in the national development programme.
She appealed to the government to provide schools with the needed materials and create the conducive atmosphere for effective teaching and learning. She also said there was the need to improve the conditions of service of teachers and motivate them to give their best.
To her, discipline, determination and hard work form the basis of everything, adding that she is from a disciplined home and that accounts for her academic exploits.
PROF BUSIA'S LEGACY ON PUNCTUALITY (PAGE 7)
I WAS highly delighted when late in the evening on Sunday, July 13, 2008, I saw a clip of the late Prof. Kofi Abrefa Busia on Metro TV, granting an interview to a section of the media. The Metro TV programme was part of the 30th anniversary of Professor Busia’s demise.
The late Professor Busia, who was the Prime Minister during the second Republic died on August 20, 1978, six years after he was bundled out of office by the late General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.
I was delighted to see the late prime minister on television granting interview on many issues.This was because I was very young when his government was overthrown, and therefore did not have the privilege to listen to that genius of a man.
Metro TV did a good job by coming out with some of the interviews Dr Busia granted to a section of the media, where he espoused his beliefs on the measures that should be taken to end the apartheid regime in South Africa.
Unfortunately for me, I bumped into the programme after it had been screened for sometime, but what I saw was sufficient to whet my appetite on issues that border on sustainable national development.
From the little I saw , Dr Busia condemned all forms of violence and strongly advocated the use of dialogue as a weapon to bring down the apartheid regime.
He was emphatic that no meaningful achievement could be made if the African National Congress (ANC), which was the mouthpiece of the blacks who owned the country, continued to use violence to press home their demand to oust the white minority government from power.
Prof Busia might have granted the interview between 1970 and 1971. This was because his Progress Party government, which came to power in 1969, was brought down in February 1972.
At the time, Prof. Busia was clamouring for dialogue in South Africa, some of his other colleagues in sister African countries were however loud on the use of violence as the only weapon to push the apartheid regime out of power.
Even though his clamour for dialogue was ignored, it was the same tool that the ANC used many years after Professor Busia had died, which eventually won them the sympathy of the international community to attain the freedom they were clamouring for.
Mr Nelson Mandela — regarded as the living saint — and one of the most outstanding leaders in Africa, could be credited for the role he played that finally won them the freedom they had longed for.
It was that freedom that facilitated the election of Mr Mandela as the first Black President in South Africa after he was freed from jail, and the quality of leadership he provided is yet to be rivalled in the continent by the present generation of political leaders.
During the interview that the late Dr Busia granted over 36 years ago, he also spoke on a number of issues, including efficient and effective management of time.
Commenting on the quality use of time in the country , he noted that it was very important for workers to be always punctual at their work places and be seen to be working very hard within the eight-hour period of working hours each day.
He was very emphatic that the judicious use of time, where workers would be conscious of the quality period they spent in their workplaces , was the only way that workers could make meaningful contribution to sustainable socio-economic development.
Looking back at that time, it could be noted that Professor Busia would be happy where ever he is for the political freedom won by the ANC through dialogue as their main weapon instead of the use of violence.
His colleagues who misunderstood him at that time have now come to terms with the fact that in times of conflict, violence and counter violence only escalate conflict instead of resolving the problems.
However, wherever the good professor would be ,he would be gnashing his teeth and turning in his grave for the disrespect Ghanaians have for time and the shabby manner they have treated this most precious commodity over the years.
To date, the so called 'African punctuality ' where no conscious efforts is made to be punctual at all national and other programmes seems to have gotten out of hand.
Since I started journalism 10 years ago, no single programme in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs have started on schedule.
Public officials have perfected the art of always apologising for attending programmes very late because deep down in their hearts and mind , they are aware that Ghanaians would readily accept their apology for arriving at the functions very late.
By arriving late at public gatherings, public officials always seem to forget that they consciously punish those who arrive at the functions on schedule and rather reward those who arrive very late.
By this, public officials also seem to have sanctioned latenes against the philosophy of the cherished Professor.
It is not surprising therefore that in her quest to achieve accelerated socio-economic development, Ghana has marked time for over 50 years while Malaysia, Indonesia, and South Korea, among other countries which won political freedoms almost the same time as Ghana, are streets ahead in terms of development.
Anytime I hear our leaders comparing Ghana to the countries mentioned above and giviing the assurance to initiate policies and programmes that would enable Ghana speed up her development to match the standard of those countries, I laugh.
I have cause to do that because marshalling all the resources on earth to initiate development programmes in Ghana without recourse to efficient time management would be tantamount to sowing seeds in a whirlwind .
It is very true that almost all the flag bearers of the various political parties have something good to offer the nation as could be seen from the campaigns they have carried out so far.
However, the missing link is their failure to confront the problem of time management head–on, as the late Professor Busia did, and boldly tell Ghanaians about their shortcomings that had undermined sustainable socio-economic development over the years.
It is a fact that this generation has not only failed in its bid to carry Ghana where it ought to be , but also woefully failed to leave a legacy that would be appreciative of the future generation so far as efficient and effective time management is concerned .
Our chiefs have a big role to play in contributing to turn things around when it comes to time management.
They can perfectly do it by throwing over board the so- called concept of African punctuality which had totally become part and parcel of some traditional rulers when it came to organising important traditional programmes or attending national ones.
Academicians, the business community, students, farmers, sports personalities, journalists, religious leaders and their congregations as well as teachers also have a part to play to make conscious efforts to be punctual at their work places and also work hard to enhance accelerated development.
However, the biggest role rests on our politicians who have the mandate to initiate programmes and policies that would force Ghanaians to change their negative attitudes of paying little or no respect to time.
In their campaigns, they should let the electorate become aware of how the concept of "African punctuality" undermined sustainable national development, forcing us to mark time every day in our life instead of moving forward as a nation.
The politicians should also come out with a blueprint that would spell out the efficient management of time from the grassroots to the highest point of authority and see to implement such policies.
From the basic schools where teachers should be in school on time to ensure that their pupils worked according to programme schedules, to the second cycle and tertiary institutions, where students would be totally in love with time management, all their activities would trickle down to public and private work places where they would be working later after graduating.
The efficient use of time would be translated into mass production where adequate resources would be generated to accelerate sustainable national development.
If Ghana is to advance as rapidly as Malaysia, Indonesia and South Korea, then all resources, including time, should be marshalled more appropriately, and nothing should be left to chance.
The late Professor Busia, who was the Prime Minister during the second Republic died on August 20, 1978, six years after he was bundled out of office by the late General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong.
I was delighted to see the late prime minister on television granting interview on many issues.This was because I was very young when his government was overthrown, and therefore did not have the privilege to listen to that genius of a man.
Metro TV did a good job by coming out with some of the interviews Dr Busia granted to a section of the media, where he espoused his beliefs on the measures that should be taken to end the apartheid regime in South Africa.
Unfortunately for me, I bumped into the programme after it had been screened for sometime, but what I saw was sufficient to whet my appetite on issues that border on sustainable national development.
From the little I saw , Dr Busia condemned all forms of violence and strongly advocated the use of dialogue as a weapon to bring down the apartheid regime.
He was emphatic that no meaningful achievement could be made if the African National Congress (ANC), which was the mouthpiece of the blacks who owned the country, continued to use violence to press home their demand to oust the white minority government from power.
Prof Busia might have granted the interview between 1970 and 1971. This was because his Progress Party government, which came to power in 1969, was brought down in February 1972.
At the time, Prof. Busia was clamouring for dialogue in South Africa, some of his other colleagues in sister African countries were however loud on the use of violence as the only weapon to push the apartheid regime out of power.
Even though his clamour for dialogue was ignored, it was the same tool that the ANC used many years after Professor Busia had died, which eventually won them the sympathy of the international community to attain the freedom they were clamouring for.
Mr Nelson Mandela — regarded as the living saint — and one of the most outstanding leaders in Africa, could be credited for the role he played that finally won them the freedom they had longed for.
It was that freedom that facilitated the election of Mr Mandela as the first Black President in South Africa after he was freed from jail, and the quality of leadership he provided is yet to be rivalled in the continent by the present generation of political leaders.
During the interview that the late Dr Busia granted over 36 years ago, he also spoke on a number of issues, including efficient and effective management of time.
Commenting on the quality use of time in the country , he noted that it was very important for workers to be always punctual at their work places and be seen to be working very hard within the eight-hour period of working hours each day.
He was very emphatic that the judicious use of time, where workers would be conscious of the quality period they spent in their workplaces , was the only way that workers could make meaningful contribution to sustainable socio-economic development.
Looking back at that time, it could be noted that Professor Busia would be happy where ever he is for the political freedom won by the ANC through dialogue as their main weapon instead of the use of violence.
His colleagues who misunderstood him at that time have now come to terms with the fact that in times of conflict, violence and counter violence only escalate conflict instead of resolving the problems.
However, wherever the good professor would be ,he would be gnashing his teeth and turning in his grave for the disrespect Ghanaians have for time and the shabby manner they have treated this most precious commodity over the years.
To date, the so called 'African punctuality ' where no conscious efforts is made to be punctual at all national and other programmes seems to have gotten out of hand.
Since I started journalism 10 years ago, no single programme in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs have started on schedule.
Public officials have perfected the art of always apologising for attending programmes very late because deep down in their hearts and mind , they are aware that Ghanaians would readily accept their apology for arriving at the functions very late.
By arriving late at public gatherings, public officials always seem to forget that they consciously punish those who arrive at the functions on schedule and rather reward those who arrive very late.
By this, public officials also seem to have sanctioned latenes against the philosophy of the cherished Professor.
It is not surprising therefore that in her quest to achieve accelerated socio-economic development, Ghana has marked time for over 50 years while Malaysia, Indonesia, and South Korea, among other countries which won political freedoms almost the same time as Ghana, are streets ahead in terms of development.
Anytime I hear our leaders comparing Ghana to the countries mentioned above and giviing the assurance to initiate policies and programmes that would enable Ghana speed up her development to match the standard of those countries, I laugh.
I have cause to do that because marshalling all the resources on earth to initiate development programmes in Ghana without recourse to efficient time management would be tantamount to sowing seeds in a whirlwind .
It is very true that almost all the flag bearers of the various political parties have something good to offer the nation as could be seen from the campaigns they have carried out so far.
However, the missing link is their failure to confront the problem of time management head–on, as the late Professor Busia did, and boldly tell Ghanaians about their shortcomings that had undermined sustainable socio-economic development over the years.
It is a fact that this generation has not only failed in its bid to carry Ghana where it ought to be , but also woefully failed to leave a legacy that would be appreciative of the future generation so far as efficient and effective time management is concerned .
Our chiefs have a big role to play in contributing to turn things around when it comes to time management.
They can perfectly do it by throwing over board the so- called concept of African punctuality which had totally become part and parcel of some traditional rulers when it came to organising important traditional programmes or attending national ones.
Academicians, the business community, students, farmers, sports personalities, journalists, religious leaders and their congregations as well as teachers also have a part to play to make conscious efforts to be punctual at their work places and also work hard to enhance accelerated development.
However, the biggest role rests on our politicians who have the mandate to initiate programmes and policies that would force Ghanaians to change their negative attitudes of paying little or no respect to time.
In their campaigns, they should let the electorate become aware of how the concept of "African punctuality" undermined sustainable national development, forcing us to mark time every day in our life instead of moving forward as a nation.
The politicians should also come out with a blueprint that would spell out the efficient management of time from the grassroots to the highest point of authority and see to implement such policies.
From the basic schools where teachers should be in school on time to ensure that their pupils worked according to programme schedules, to the second cycle and tertiary institutions, where students would be totally in love with time management, all their activities would trickle down to public and private work places where they would be working later after graduating.
The efficient use of time would be translated into mass production where adequate resources would be generated to accelerate sustainable national development.
If Ghana is to advance as rapidly as Malaysia, Indonesia and South Korea, then all resources, including time, should be marshalled more appropriately, and nothing should be left to chance.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
KUMASI RECORDS 108 MATERNAL DEATHS IN 2007 (PAGE 24)
The 2007 Ghana Heath Service annual report made available to the Daily Graphic indicates that a total number of 108 maternal deaths, representing 3.6 per cent of total deaths, were recorded in the Kumasi metropolis last year.
In 2006, a total of 108 maternal deaths, which represented 3.8 per cent of total deaths, were recorded in the metropolis.
According to the report, 99 of the maternal deaths recorded in Kumasi in 2007 occurred at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), but the report was emphatic that out of that number, 42 were referred from other districts, such as Bosomtwe, Ejisu, Amansie East, Sekyere East, Yeji, Asankragwaa and Atwima Kwanwoma.
In 2004, a total of 120 maternal deaths were recorded in the various health centres in the metropolis, and in 2005, 119 maternal deaths were recorded within the Kumasi metropolis and its environs.
According to the report, nine out of the deaths in 2007 were between 15 and 19 years, while 23 were between the 20 and 24-year age brackets.
It said 20 of the deaths recorded in 2007 were also between 25 and 29 years, while 29 were between 30 and 34 years, with those who were 35 years and above pegged at 27.
The report gave the direct causes of the 109 maternal deaths as septic abortion, uterine rapture, severe anaemia, ectopic puerperal sepsis, severe malaria, shock and bleeding among others.
It also mentioned renal failure, severe malaria, heart failure, chronic renal failure, HIV hepatic failure, Sickle Cell crises and Meningitis as some of the indirect causes of the maternal deaths in 2007 within the Kumasi metropolis and its environs.
In 2006, a total of 108 maternal deaths, which represented 3.8 per cent of total deaths, were recorded in the metropolis.
According to the report, 99 of the maternal deaths recorded in Kumasi in 2007 occurred at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), but the report was emphatic that out of that number, 42 were referred from other districts, such as Bosomtwe, Ejisu, Amansie East, Sekyere East, Yeji, Asankragwaa and Atwima Kwanwoma.
In 2004, a total of 120 maternal deaths were recorded in the various health centres in the metropolis, and in 2005, 119 maternal deaths were recorded within the Kumasi metropolis and its environs.
According to the report, nine out of the deaths in 2007 were between 15 and 19 years, while 23 were between the 20 and 24-year age brackets.
It said 20 of the deaths recorded in 2007 were also between 25 and 29 years, while 29 were between 30 and 34 years, with those who were 35 years and above pegged at 27.
The report gave the direct causes of the 109 maternal deaths as septic abortion, uterine rapture, severe anaemia, ectopic puerperal sepsis, severe malaria, shock and bleeding among others.
It also mentioned renal failure, severe malaria, heart failure, chronic renal failure, HIV hepatic failure, Sickle Cell crises and Meningitis as some of the indirect causes of the maternal deaths in 2007 within the Kumasi metropolis and its environs.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
POLICE WARNED AGAINST EXTORTION (PAGE 20)
DRASTIC action would be taken against any police officer found to be extorting money from motorists on the major trunk roads in the Kumasi metropolis, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Kwaku Ayesu Opare-Addo, has warned.
He said information reaching his outfit spoke volumes about some recalcitrant police patrol teams who took undue advantage to intimidate and extort money from motorists, flouting the directive from the command with impunity.
DCOP Opare-Addo was reacting to complaints by transport owners, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, to the effect that some police officers mandated to patrol the highways to clamp down on armed robbers and other deviants in society were rather extorting money from drivers.
He explained that the duties of the patrol teams were ‘limited to searching vehicles for offensive weapons and other contraband goods’.
Mr Opare Addo noted that his doors were widely open, and that drivers were at liberty to report any act of extortion to him for prompt action to be taken.
“I will be happy to hear directly from such victims and will thus react appropriately. Tell them to take the registration numbers of vehicles used by the said police personnel, the time the incident took place and the route involved to enable us trace the affected police officers concerned and take appropriate actions against them," he stressed.
“Any motorists who will be stopped and harassed by an individual or a group of police personnel, contrary to this directive, should report directly to the regional commander for prompt action," Mr Opare-Addo emphasised.
Based on the negative reports, Mr Opare Addo withdrew the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) personnel from the roads last month to control the incidence of extortion, but retained the armed highway patrol team who operated in groups to search vehicles for offensive weapons and contraband goods".
According to the directives, the MTTU officers were to return to the roads fortnightly and operate for two days and retire for another fortnight".
The action, Mr Opare Addo said, was aimed at measuring responsible road and motoring attitudes and also ensure that motorists did not take undue advantage of the directives and indiscriminately flout road traffic regulations by not renewing their documents".
He noted that the patrol teams were instructed not to stop any vehicle to check documents such as insurance and road worthiness certificates, drivers’ licences, triangles, defective tyres, among others.
The regional commander said he was taking the complaints from the transport owners very seriously, because they were spreading far and wide, and for that reason, he would not relent in bringing to book the police officers involved in such illicit activity.
He said information reaching his outfit spoke volumes about some recalcitrant police patrol teams who took undue advantage to intimidate and extort money from motorists, flouting the directive from the command with impunity.
DCOP Opare-Addo was reacting to complaints by transport owners, in an interview with the Daily Graphic, to the effect that some police officers mandated to patrol the highways to clamp down on armed robbers and other deviants in society were rather extorting money from drivers.
He explained that the duties of the patrol teams were ‘limited to searching vehicles for offensive weapons and other contraband goods’.
Mr Opare Addo noted that his doors were widely open, and that drivers were at liberty to report any act of extortion to him for prompt action to be taken.
“I will be happy to hear directly from such victims and will thus react appropriately. Tell them to take the registration numbers of vehicles used by the said police personnel, the time the incident took place and the route involved to enable us trace the affected police officers concerned and take appropriate actions against them," he stressed.
“Any motorists who will be stopped and harassed by an individual or a group of police personnel, contrary to this directive, should report directly to the regional commander for prompt action," Mr Opare-Addo emphasised.
Based on the negative reports, Mr Opare Addo withdrew the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) personnel from the roads last month to control the incidence of extortion, but retained the armed highway patrol team who operated in groups to search vehicles for offensive weapons and contraband goods".
According to the directives, the MTTU officers were to return to the roads fortnightly and operate for two days and retire for another fortnight".
The action, Mr Opare Addo said, was aimed at measuring responsible road and motoring attitudes and also ensure that motorists did not take undue advantage of the directives and indiscriminately flout road traffic regulations by not renewing their documents".
He noted that the patrol teams were instructed not to stop any vehicle to check documents such as insurance and road worthiness certificates, drivers’ licences, triangles, defective tyres, among others.
The regional commander said he was taking the complaints from the transport owners very seriously, because they were spreading far and wide, and for that reason, he would not relent in bringing to book the police officers involved in such illicit activity.
Monday, October 13, 2008
LLL BUILDS HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN IN KUMASI (PAGE 25)
THE Logs and Lumber Limited (LLL), a Kumasi based timber processing company, has inaugurated a hospital to provide efficient and effective health care services to children in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs.
The facility, dubbed 'Asokwa Children's Hospital' which has already started operation, will afford parents at Asokwa in particular and Kumasi and its environs in general the opportunity to access affordable and reliable health care srvices for their children.
The hospital, which has expatriate medical officers, local nurses and , among other medical staff, will initially provide health care to out-patients.
It will in three months time offer 24-hour services to children suffering from all forms of health problems. Apart from offering emergency services the facility will also admit children who should be detained when necessary.
The Administrator of the hospital, Mrs Anita Bell, told the Daily Graphic moments after the hospital started operations that the gesture of the LLL to provide quality health care services to children was part of its corporate responsibility.
She said the hospital was the singular gesture of Mr and Mrs Bitar, the sole proprietor of LLL, who established a foundation some years back to generate adequate resources to establish the facility .
He said the dream of the couple was realised after they completed the refurbishment of an abandoned office block at the parent wood processing factory, and decided to Christen it 'Asokwa Children's Hospital', in line with their desire to recognise where the factory was located in the Kumasi metropolis.
Explaining why the hospital will solely cater for children, Mrs Bell said an expatriate medical researcher from Italy, Dr Enrico Frontini, conducted a research on the most vulnerable age group as far as mortality rate in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs was concerned and came out with a report that children were the most vulnerable.
She said based on the report, the company decided to put up the hospital to take preventive measures that would drastically reduce the mortality rate among children.
She said now that the hospital had started operating, the second phase, comprising an office where parents would be counselled on the right nutrition, sanitation and other preventive measures to promote the health of their children would be put at the disposal of all parents in and around the metropolis.
She gave the assurance that not only reliable and quality health care services would be provided for children, but the hospital would also educate parents effectively on what contributions to make to promote accelerated socio economic development in their catchment area.
The facility, dubbed 'Asokwa Children's Hospital' which has already started operation, will afford parents at Asokwa in particular and Kumasi and its environs in general the opportunity to access affordable and reliable health care srvices for their children.
The hospital, which has expatriate medical officers, local nurses and , among other medical staff, will initially provide health care to out-patients.
It will in three months time offer 24-hour services to children suffering from all forms of health problems. Apart from offering emergency services the facility will also admit children who should be detained when necessary.
The Administrator of the hospital, Mrs Anita Bell, told the Daily Graphic moments after the hospital started operations that the gesture of the LLL to provide quality health care services to children was part of its corporate responsibility.
She said the hospital was the singular gesture of Mr and Mrs Bitar, the sole proprietor of LLL, who established a foundation some years back to generate adequate resources to establish the facility .
He said the dream of the couple was realised after they completed the refurbishment of an abandoned office block at the parent wood processing factory, and decided to Christen it 'Asokwa Children's Hospital', in line with their desire to recognise where the factory was located in the Kumasi metropolis.
Explaining why the hospital will solely cater for children, Mrs Bell said an expatriate medical researcher from Italy, Dr Enrico Frontini, conducted a research on the most vulnerable age group as far as mortality rate in the Kumasi metropolis and its environs was concerned and came out with a report that children were the most vulnerable.
She said based on the report, the company decided to put up the hospital to take preventive measures that would drastically reduce the mortality rate among children.
She said now that the hospital had started operating, the second phase, comprising an office where parents would be counselled on the right nutrition, sanitation and other preventive measures to promote the health of their children would be put at the disposal of all parents in and around the metropolis.
She gave the assurance that not only reliable and quality health care services would be provided for children, but the hospital would also educate parents effectively on what contributions to make to promote accelerated socio economic development in their catchment area.
Friday, October 10, 2008
SIF DISBURSES GH¢4,231,910 MICRO FINANCE LOANS (PAGE 35)
AS part of the efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing poverty in the country to the barest minimum, the Social Investment Fund (SIF) in collaboration with its development partners, has disbursed a total of GH¢4,231,910 as micro finance loans to their target beneficiaries throughout the country.
The facility was distributed through 32 micro financial institutions.
The Executive Director of the SIF, Mrs Ama Serwaa Dapaah, made this known at an annual review meeting at Fumesua last Tuesday.
The seminar was to afford the SIF the opportunity to identify all bottlenecks undermining the effective implementation of the programme.
According to Mrs Dapaa, out of the 118 infrastructural projects approved for construction in the country, 69 of them, representing 60.39 per cent, had been completed.
The completed projects include classroom blocks, teachers and nurses’ bungalows, rural clinics and boreholes.
The Poverty Reduction Project (PRP) is a five-year project put forward in line with the government's comprehensive poverty reduction programme designed to improve the livelihood of both the urban and rural impoverished communities through three key interventions.
Among the interventions is a micro finance capitalisation, which supports productive and income generation activities through a revolving credit programme made available to indigenous micro-finance institutions for on-lending to the productive poor.
It also comprises a sub-project financing, which tackles the improvement of access to basic social, economic and infrastructural services.
Mrs Serwaa Dapaah stated that her outfit was confronted with some challenges that included the irregular payment of contractors' invoices submitted for work done.
She explained that the irregular payment of the contractors had seriously affected sub-project implementation.
She said complaints from clients about the short repayment period of loans regarding micro financing was also a challenge that needed to be properly addressed.
The executive director called on the stakeholders to explore other avenues that would effectively expand the SIF resource mobilisation base in the medium to long term in order to make the organisation self-sustaining.
The facility was distributed through 32 micro financial institutions.
The Executive Director of the SIF, Mrs Ama Serwaa Dapaah, made this known at an annual review meeting at Fumesua last Tuesday.
The seminar was to afford the SIF the opportunity to identify all bottlenecks undermining the effective implementation of the programme.
According to Mrs Dapaa, out of the 118 infrastructural projects approved for construction in the country, 69 of them, representing 60.39 per cent, had been completed.
The completed projects include classroom blocks, teachers and nurses’ bungalows, rural clinics and boreholes.
The Poverty Reduction Project (PRP) is a five-year project put forward in line with the government's comprehensive poverty reduction programme designed to improve the livelihood of both the urban and rural impoverished communities through three key interventions.
Among the interventions is a micro finance capitalisation, which supports productive and income generation activities through a revolving credit programme made available to indigenous micro-finance institutions for on-lending to the productive poor.
It also comprises a sub-project financing, which tackles the improvement of access to basic social, economic and infrastructural services.
Mrs Serwaa Dapaah stated that her outfit was confronted with some challenges that included the irregular payment of contractors' invoices submitted for work done.
She explained that the irregular payment of the contractors had seriously affected sub-project implementation.
She said complaints from clients about the short repayment period of loans regarding micro financing was also a challenge that needed to be properly addressed.
The executive director called on the stakeholders to explore other avenues that would effectively expand the SIF resource mobilisation base in the medium to long term in order to make the organisation self-sustaining.
KATH Endowment Fund match...FAISAL HOST HEARTS (PAGE 47)
Alhaji Grunsah's King Faisal which invaded the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra last Sunday and ditched Accra Hearts of Oak 1-0, have vowed to whitewash Hearts in Kumasi in the return encounter on Sunday.
This, according to King Faisal, is to send a strong warning to all premier clubs in the country that the Kumasi-based club could be one of the clubs to watch in the upcoming season and also remind the Phobians that their opponents in Sunday's match remain their bogey club .
The charity match, being honoured by King Faisal and Accra Hearts of Oak, is to help raise money for KATH’s endowment fund to accelerate the refurbishment of the main admission blocks of the hospital.
According to KATH officials, as much as GH¢100,000 is needed to enable them to refurbish the blocks, popularly referred to as GEE blocks.
Since the endowment fund was launched a few months ago, public response has not been encouraging and to enhance the fund raising, " Kome to my Aid International", an NGO, decided to sponsor sporting programmes to enable the sporting public to positively respond to the programme..
After sponsoring the first encounter in Accra, Kome to my AID International is poised to make the return more memorable as a way of leaving a legacy.
According to the sponsors, soccer fans are to pay a flat rate of GH¢3.00 for the popular stand and centre line, while the VIP ticket will attract a rate of GH¢10.00.
The Public Relations Officer of the KATH, Mr Kwame Frimpong, told the Daily Graphic that a curtain raiser will be played between the official football team of the KATH and Angel FM, a Kumasi-based FM station led by Mr Bright Kankam Boadu, a renowned sports presenter.
He said the KATH team would be led by Dr Ankobea of the Obstetric and Gynaecology Directorate, saying the KATH team was poised to humiliate the FM station to prove that they were not only efficient in health care delivery, but could also entertain the sporting public with their skills in soccer.
On the match itself, Accra Hearts of Oak have vowed to turn the table against their opponents in Kumasi as a way of pacifying their fans.
The painful 0-1 defeat suffered by Hearts remains a headache, and in Kumasi,where Hearts enjoy a lot of support, a second defeat will not be welcome news.
With both teams determined to carry the day, a good match is anticipated, and soccer fans who will fill the Baba Yara Sports Stadium will ultimately be the beneficiaries.
This, according to King Faisal, is to send a strong warning to all premier clubs in the country that the Kumasi-based club could be one of the clubs to watch in the upcoming season and also remind the Phobians that their opponents in Sunday's match remain their bogey club .
The charity match, being honoured by King Faisal and Accra Hearts of Oak, is to help raise money for KATH’s endowment fund to accelerate the refurbishment of the main admission blocks of the hospital.
According to KATH officials, as much as GH¢100,000 is needed to enable them to refurbish the blocks, popularly referred to as GEE blocks.
Since the endowment fund was launched a few months ago, public response has not been encouraging and to enhance the fund raising, " Kome to my Aid International", an NGO, decided to sponsor sporting programmes to enable the sporting public to positively respond to the programme..
After sponsoring the first encounter in Accra, Kome to my AID International is poised to make the return more memorable as a way of leaving a legacy.
According to the sponsors, soccer fans are to pay a flat rate of GH¢3.00 for the popular stand and centre line, while the VIP ticket will attract a rate of GH¢10.00.
The Public Relations Officer of the KATH, Mr Kwame Frimpong, told the Daily Graphic that a curtain raiser will be played between the official football team of the KATH and Angel FM, a Kumasi-based FM station led by Mr Bright Kankam Boadu, a renowned sports presenter.
He said the KATH team would be led by Dr Ankobea of the Obstetric and Gynaecology Directorate, saying the KATH team was poised to humiliate the FM station to prove that they were not only efficient in health care delivery, but could also entertain the sporting public with their skills in soccer.
On the match itself, Accra Hearts of Oak have vowed to turn the table against their opponents in Kumasi as a way of pacifying their fans.
The painful 0-1 defeat suffered by Hearts remains a headache, and in Kumasi,where Hearts enjoy a lot of support, a second defeat will not be welcome news.
With both teams determined to carry the day, a good match is anticipated, and soccer fans who will fill the Baba Yara Sports Stadium will ultimately be the beneficiaries.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
BAAH-WIREDU'S ONE-WEEK FESTIVAL (GRAPHIC SHOWBIZ, PAGE 14)
By George Ernest Asare
The traditional one-week observances for Hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, the late Finance Minister, at his native town of Agogo last Wednesday, turned out to be more of a festival to celebrate the life of a gallant patriot, rather than a regular one-week observance.
The different makes of vehicles that flooded the Agogo township on that day, the massive crowd of different personalities, including paramount chiefs, religious leaders, academicians, politicians, students, farmers, comedians, musicians and the unemployed, among others, testified to the reality that, Ghana was indeed mourning one of her gallant sons.
As early as 8a.m. sympathisers, friends and dignitaries from neighbouring communities had massed up by the roadside, looking for the most available means of transport to go to Agogo to be part of the grand one-week funeral observation of their idol politician and Member of Parliament who since 1996 had faithfully represented them in Parliament.
From Konongo, the Asante Akim North District capital, through Nyaboo, to Kyekyebiase, Patriensa, Juansa and Hwidiem, -the main communities along the Konongo-Agogo highway - a sea of red and black colours massed up along the highway, waving pathetically to motorists, pleading to be conveyed to Konongo to be part of the ceremony .
It was therefore not surprising to find the Agogo highway, right from its outskirts through the Training College, hospital and main township, market and the forecourt of the Agogo palace, completely blocked by the sea of mourners with many of them weeping uncontrollably and questioning the early departure of Kwadwo Baah- Wiredu.
Describing the deceased variously as a man of the people, a politician par excellence, selfless, affable, sociable and hardworking many of the mourners paid personal tributes. The many brass bands, kete and adowa drums had their own tributes as performers succeeded in mixing traditional mourning with music, drawing many people into their fold to further congest the limited space available to accommodate those yet to arrive at the funeral grounds.
By 10:25a.m., almost all the principal streets in the Agogo township were completely choked with vehicular and human traffic. Those who had no space at the funeral grounds, found solace at the drinking spots where they consumed bottles of alcoholic beverages while others who like soldiers, could not march on empty stomachs, queued up at chop bars to fill their bellies to enable them have the requisite energy to face the task ahead.
Drinking water became an essential commodity and with the intensity of the sun’s rays, coupled with the sweat that flowed freely from the bodies of the mourners, they yearned for water, which was in short supply.
By 2pm, many politicians, including the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sakyi Hughes, the Defence Minister, Mr Albert Kan Dapaah, the second Deputy Speaker, Mr Freddy Blay, The Minister for Fisheries, Mrs Gladys Asmah, The NPP National Chairman, Mr Peter Mac Manu, the running mate of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as well as The Minister of State at the Office of the President, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NDC, Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum and his Vice, Alhaji Saani among other dignitaries in their mournful mood had paid their condolences to the bereaved family.
Nana Akuoko Sarpong, the Paramount Chief of Agogo traditional area, together with his sub chiefs and other chiefs from the surrounding communities gave colour to the celebration as they strolled magnificently to the funeral grounds, amid drumming and dancing .
The Chief Executive of the National Sports Council, Prince Oduro Mensah, the bank roller of King Faisal football club, Alhaji Karim Grunsah, the head coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko football club, Mr Bashir Hayford and his Team Manager, Mr Opoku Afriyie, former Kotoko and Black Stars player, Rev Osei Kofi and his team mate, Wilberforce Kwadwo Mfum, together with Abrantee Amakye Dede, the Highlife King who is also a native of Agogo also made their presence felt at the celebration .
Famous kete groups such as Amamereso Kete group from the Centre for National Culture in Kumasi, the Nyame Akwan Kete group from Koforidua, Maame Ode Nnwonkro Adowa group, Bantama and Breman Kete groups, as well as the Nana Akwasi Agyemang Kete group from Dechemso in Kumasi, were among the traditional drummers and dancers who stormed Agogo to add spice to the celebration.
In her mournful mood, the mother of the late Finance Minister told Showbiz that she initially doubted the death of her son “ but the reality has now dawned on me that my son is gone for ever and I will never set eyes on him again”.
When Showbiz caught up with the driver of the late Finance Minister, Akwasi Addae, he was lost for words. Looking very pensive, Addae said he had been associated with the late Finance Minister for a long time before becoming his personal driver in 1996.
“What baffled me most about his death was that he called me from South Africa late on Monday, September 22 2008 and assured me that he had been discharged from the hospital after a minor surgery and that he was doing very well. He gave me a number to call him the day after, and when I called early on Wednesday, September 24, 2008, it was his wife who answered and broke the sad news that my boss was dead”.
When President John Agyekum Kufuor, together with the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Mr Kwadwo Mpianin, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr E.A Owusu –Ansah and other dignitaries were ushered into the family house at 4:15p.m., the wailings intensified. Nodding his head intermittently as a form of sympathy for the aged mother after he had formerly greeted her, the President could only say “ hye den” ( Be strong).
Before leaving however, the President held a close door meeting with the aged mother for a few minutes and later joined the massive crowd who had been eagerly waiting for his arrival at the funeral grounds.
However, moments after the President arrived at the funeral grounds, the heavens opened, and torrential rains poured out to informally disperse the mourners. Showers of blessing many mourners present called it; blessing to a beloved departed.
The traditional one-week observances for Hon. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, the late Finance Minister, at his native town of Agogo last Wednesday, turned out to be more of a festival to celebrate the life of a gallant patriot, rather than a regular one-week observance.
The different makes of vehicles that flooded the Agogo township on that day, the massive crowd of different personalities, including paramount chiefs, religious leaders, academicians, politicians, students, farmers, comedians, musicians and the unemployed, among others, testified to the reality that, Ghana was indeed mourning one of her gallant sons.
As early as 8a.m. sympathisers, friends and dignitaries from neighbouring communities had massed up by the roadside, looking for the most available means of transport to go to Agogo to be part of the grand one-week funeral observation of their idol politician and Member of Parliament who since 1996 had faithfully represented them in Parliament.
From Konongo, the Asante Akim North District capital, through Nyaboo, to Kyekyebiase, Patriensa, Juansa and Hwidiem, -the main communities along the Konongo-Agogo highway - a sea of red and black colours massed up along the highway, waving pathetically to motorists, pleading to be conveyed to Konongo to be part of the ceremony .
It was therefore not surprising to find the Agogo highway, right from its outskirts through the Training College, hospital and main township, market and the forecourt of the Agogo palace, completely blocked by the sea of mourners with many of them weeping uncontrollably and questioning the early departure of Kwadwo Baah- Wiredu.
Describing the deceased variously as a man of the people, a politician par excellence, selfless, affable, sociable and hardworking many of the mourners paid personal tributes. The many brass bands, kete and adowa drums had their own tributes as performers succeeded in mixing traditional mourning with music, drawing many people into their fold to further congest the limited space available to accommodate those yet to arrive at the funeral grounds.
By 10:25a.m., almost all the principal streets in the Agogo township were completely choked with vehicular and human traffic. Those who had no space at the funeral grounds, found solace at the drinking spots where they consumed bottles of alcoholic beverages while others who like soldiers, could not march on empty stomachs, queued up at chop bars to fill their bellies to enable them have the requisite energy to face the task ahead.
Drinking water became an essential commodity and with the intensity of the sun’s rays, coupled with the sweat that flowed freely from the bodies of the mourners, they yearned for water, which was in short supply.
By 2pm, many politicians, including the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Begyina Sakyi Hughes, the Defence Minister, Mr Albert Kan Dapaah, the second Deputy Speaker, Mr Freddy Blay, The Minister for Fisheries, Mrs Gladys Asmah, The NPP National Chairman, Mr Peter Mac Manu, the running mate of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as well as The Minister of State at the Office of the President, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NDC, Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum and his Vice, Alhaji Saani among other dignitaries in their mournful mood had paid their condolences to the bereaved family.
Nana Akuoko Sarpong, the Paramount Chief of Agogo traditional area, together with his sub chiefs and other chiefs from the surrounding communities gave colour to the celebration as they strolled magnificently to the funeral grounds, amid drumming and dancing .
The Chief Executive of the National Sports Council, Prince Oduro Mensah, the bank roller of King Faisal football club, Alhaji Karim Grunsah, the head coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko football club, Mr Bashir Hayford and his Team Manager, Mr Opoku Afriyie, former Kotoko and Black Stars player, Rev Osei Kofi and his team mate, Wilberforce Kwadwo Mfum, together with Abrantee Amakye Dede, the Highlife King who is also a native of Agogo also made their presence felt at the celebration .
Famous kete groups such as Amamereso Kete group from the Centre for National Culture in Kumasi, the Nyame Akwan Kete group from Koforidua, Maame Ode Nnwonkro Adowa group, Bantama and Breman Kete groups, as well as the Nana Akwasi Agyemang Kete group from Dechemso in Kumasi, were among the traditional drummers and dancers who stormed Agogo to add spice to the celebration.
In her mournful mood, the mother of the late Finance Minister told Showbiz that she initially doubted the death of her son “ but the reality has now dawned on me that my son is gone for ever and I will never set eyes on him again”.
When Showbiz caught up with the driver of the late Finance Minister, Akwasi Addae, he was lost for words. Looking very pensive, Addae said he had been associated with the late Finance Minister for a long time before becoming his personal driver in 1996.
“What baffled me most about his death was that he called me from South Africa late on Monday, September 22 2008 and assured me that he had been discharged from the hospital after a minor surgery and that he was doing very well. He gave me a number to call him the day after, and when I called early on Wednesday, September 24, 2008, it was his wife who answered and broke the sad news that my boss was dead”.
When President John Agyekum Kufuor, together with the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Mr Kwadwo Mpianin, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr E.A Owusu –Ansah and other dignitaries were ushered into the family house at 4:15p.m., the wailings intensified. Nodding his head intermittently as a form of sympathy for the aged mother after he had formerly greeted her, the President could only say “ hye den” ( Be strong).
Before leaving however, the President held a close door meeting with the aged mother for a few minutes and later joined the massive crowd who had been eagerly waiting for his arrival at the funeral grounds.
However, moments after the President arrived at the funeral grounds, the heavens opened, and torrential rains poured out to informally disperse the mourners. Showers of blessing many mourners present called it; blessing to a beloved departed.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
EC WOULD NOT BOW TO ANY PRESSURE — KANGA (PAGE 16)
THE Deputy Chairman in charge of Operations at the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr David Kanga, has said the commission will not bow to pressure from any political group, institution or individual to either misconduct itself or do anything that will ruin or undermine the December general election.
"No one can push us to do anything that will undermine the December general election. We will not only do the right thing to make the elections transparent, credible and acceptable to all parties involved but will also attach professionalism to all our activities to win the confidence of the electorate and the international community," he assured Ghanaians.
Mr Kanga made the remarks in Kumasi on Monday during a seminar to build the capacity of 150 police officers and men and other security agents from the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions to enable them to undertake effective and efficient policing in the run-up to the December elections.
He noted that the EC had a reputation to defend as a credible and independent body that had gained recognition locally and internationally for carrying out four credible and successful elections, as well as a number of by-elections, and would, therefore, not do anything to ruin its hard-won reputation.
Speaking on the topic, “Electoral laws and offences that guide the elections”, Mr Kanga pointed out that it was the duty of the police to arrest and prosecute anyone who committed electoral offences.
He expressed concern over the number of minors who were allowed to register during the last registration exercise, saying it could create confusion and chaos on election day.
Explaining, he said while some people could vehemently put impediments in the way of minors who attempted to vote, others would vigorously support them "and this is what could create confusion during election day".
He pointed out that while the ordinary person had no right to prevent a minor from voting under the law, the police were legally bound to do so.
Mr Kanga urged Ghanaians to vote according to their conscience to enhance the democratic dispensation in the country.
In his remarks, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kwaku Ayesu Opare-Addo, urged the police to always conduct themselves professionally before, during and after the election to sustain the peace being enjoyed in the country.
He said it was time the police accepted the challenges facing them and performed to the satisfaction of the electorate and the parties involved to win their confidence.
"No one can push us to do anything that will undermine the December general election. We will not only do the right thing to make the elections transparent, credible and acceptable to all parties involved but will also attach professionalism to all our activities to win the confidence of the electorate and the international community," he assured Ghanaians.
Mr Kanga made the remarks in Kumasi on Monday during a seminar to build the capacity of 150 police officers and men and other security agents from the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions to enable them to undertake effective and efficient policing in the run-up to the December elections.
He noted that the EC had a reputation to defend as a credible and independent body that had gained recognition locally and internationally for carrying out four credible and successful elections, as well as a number of by-elections, and would, therefore, not do anything to ruin its hard-won reputation.
Speaking on the topic, “Electoral laws and offences that guide the elections”, Mr Kanga pointed out that it was the duty of the police to arrest and prosecute anyone who committed electoral offences.
He expressed concern over the number of minors who were allowed to register during the last registration exercise, saying it could create confusion and chaos on election day.
Explaining, he said while some people could vehemently put impediments in the way of minors who attempted to vote, others would vigorously support them "and this is what could create confusion during election day".
He pointed out that while the ordinary person had no right to prevent a minor from voting under the law, the police were legally bound to do so.
Mr Kanga urged Ghanaians to vote according to their conscience to enhance the democratic dispensation in the country.
In his remarks, the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kwaku Ayesu Opare-Addo, urged the police to always conduct themselves professionally before, during and after the election to sustain the peace being enjoyed in the country.
He said it was time the police accepted the challenges facing them and performed to the satisfaction of the electorate and the parties involved to win their confidence.
Monday, October 6, 2008
KOTOKO APPEAL FOR MASSIVE SUPPORT (PAGE 31)
Both the Head Coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko football Club and the playing body have made a passionate appeal to Kotoko fans not only to troop to the Baba Yara Sports Stadium today in their numbers, but also offer them their unflinching support as a way of encouraging the players to win massively against Etoile du Sahel in their penultimate group match of the CAF Confederation Cup at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi.
Making the appeal at a Press Conference, moments after their morning training session at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium yesterday, Mr Bashir Hayford noted that encouraging the players in the course of the game was very key to victory “ because matches of such magnitude could be very tough at times, and it is the encouragement of the fans that gingers the boys into action and turns an otherwise gloomy day into a bright one”.
Coach Hayford noted that both the technical team and the players had done their home work very well and were therefore ready for their opponents,” but much also depends on the attitude of the fans”.
He said while fans from other countries continue to cheer their teams, “ even when they commit mistakes on the field of play as a way of encouragement, the opposite is the case in Kumasi, and this mostly affects the psyche of the players, making them nervous, thereby committing more mistakes”.
He accepted the fact that their opponents were very good but gave the assurance that the technical team had worked out a strategy to contain some of their key players to prevent them from causing any havoc in Kumasi.
“ In the first leg, I spotted two players, one of whom scored the two goals, while the other distributed the balls, but none of them will have the chance in Kumasi because there is a strategy to contain both of them,” he assured.
For his part, Eric Bekoe said the time had come for Kotoko fans to prove that they really loved the club by refraining from any action that could affect the spirit of the players.
“ We are eager to prove equal to the task, but the fans will let us down, if they resort to insults at the least mistake we commit on the field,” he noted, adding, “ we love the fans and are prepared to win, ,but we need their support to encourage us”.
Emmanuel Osei Kuffour also urged the fans to have confidence in the players and assured them that they were adequately focused to get past their opponents to be in a better position to win the ultimate.
The game is very crucial to both teams because the Tunisians who won 2-0 in the first leg have already stepped up their training to be able to hold Kotoko in their own backyard as a way of improving their points build-up.
Making the appeal at a Press Conference, moments after their morning training session at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium yesterday, Mr Bashir Hayford noted that encouraging the players in the course of the game was very key to victory “ because matches of such magnitude could be very tough at times, and it is the encouragement of the fans that gingers the boys into action and turns an otherwise gloomy day into a bright one”.
Coach Hayford noted that both the technical team and the players had done their home work very well and were therefore ready for their opponents,” but much also depends on the attitude of the fans”.
He said while fans from other countries continue to cheer their teams, “ even when they commit mistakes on the field of play as a way of encouragement, the opposite is the case in Kumasi, and this mostly affects the psyche of the players, making them nervous, thereby committing more mistakes”.
He accepted the fact that their opponents were very good but gave the assurance that the technical team had worked out a strategy to contain some of their key players to prevent them from causing any havoc in Kumasi.
“ In the first leg, I spotted two players, one of whom scored the two goals, while the other distributed the balls, but none of them will have the chance in Kumasi because there is a strategy to contain both of them,” he assured.
For his part, Eric Bekoe said the time had come for Kotoko fans to prove that they really loved the club by refraining from any action that could affect the spirit of the players.
“ We are eager to prove equal to the task, but the fans will let us down, if they resort to insults at the least mistake we commit on the field,” he noted, adding, “ we love the fans and are prepared to win, ,but we need their support to encourage us”.
Emmanuel Osei Kuffour also urged the fans to have confidence in the players and assured them that they were adequately focused to get past their opponents to be in a better position to win the ultimate.
The game is very crucial to both teams because the Tunisians who won 2-0 in the first leg have already stepped up their training to be able to hold Kotoko in their own backyard as a way of improving their points build-up.
Friday, October 3, 2008
HEARTS FACE FAISAL AT OHENE DJAN SUNDAY (GRAPHIC SPORTS, PAGE 8)
Accra Hearts of Oak will lock horns with Alhaji Grunsah’s King Faisal at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra on Sunday, October 5, 2008 to support a fund raising programme by the Authorities of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. (KATH)
The management of the two clubs have already sanctioned the match which is being sponsored by ‘Kome To My Aid International, a Non- Governmental organisation.
The charity match has been neccessitated by the slow pace of public response to the fund raising programme launched by the hospital authorities some months ago.
KATH needs over GH¢100,000.00 to rehabilitate the various wards and administrative blocks at the main hospital, referred to as Gee.
The Accra match will be followed by a return encounter at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on October 12, 2008
Briefing the media about the charity match between Hearts and King Faisal, the President of KOME To My Aid International, Mr Jude Fosu Gyamfi, pointed out that the fund raising was dear to him and his organisation due to the important role the KATH had played over the years to actively provide quality health care to Ghanaians.
He said the purpose of the charity match would be defeated if the numerous supporters of the two clubs, as well as the numerous soccer fans in Kumasi and Accra, fail to fill both the Ohene Djan and Baba Yara Sports stadiums to watch the matches.
“ We have our ticket agents all over Accra, knocking at every door and asking every well- meaning Ghanaian to buy a ticket to go to the stadium and watch this match. I would appeal to all Ghanaians to accommodate them when they come knocking at your doors”, Mr Gyamfi pleaded.
He assured that monies that would be raised would not only be readily accounted for, but would also be published in the dailies for public scrutiny
Mr Gyamfi said apart from the charity match, KOME To My Aid International would also organise massive music rock shows at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on October 31, 2008, as part of a sports entertainment programme to solicit support from the public for the rehabilitation of the four main wards at the KATH.
“ WE will also collaborate with the Ghana Post Company to issue postage stamps in aid of the KATH and would also collaborate with all the Mobile Companies in the country to develop SMS short codes for the project to give the general public the opportunity to contribute their widow’s mite through text messages”.
The management of the two clubs have already sanctioned the match which is being sponsored by ‘Kome To My Aid International, a Non- Governmental organisation.
The charity match has been neccessitated by the slow pace of public response to the fund raising programme launched by the hospital authorities some months ago.
KATH needs over GH¢100,000.00 to rehabilitate the various wards and administrative blocks at the main hospital, referred to as Gee.
The Accra match will be followed by a return encounter at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi on October 12, 2008
Briefing the media about the charity match between Hearts and King Faisal, the President of KOME To My Aid International, Mr Jude Fosu Gyamfi, pointed out that the fund raising was dear to him and his organisation due to the important role the KATH had played over the years to actively provide quality health care to Ghanaians.
He said the purpose of the charity match would be defeated if the numerous supporters of the two clubs, as well as the numerous soccer fans in Kumasi and Accra, fail to fill both the Ohene Djan and Baba Yara Sports stadiums to watch the matches.
“ We have our ticket agents all over Accra, knocking at every door and asking every well- meaning Ghanaian to buy a ticket to go to the stadium and watch this match. I would appeal to all Ghanaians to accommodate them when they come knocking at your doors”, Mr Gyamfi pleaded.
He assured that monies that would be raised would not only be readily accounted for, but would also be published in the dailies for public scrutiny
Mr Gyamfi said apart from the charity match, KOME To My Aid International would also organise massive music rock shows at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on October 31, 2008, as part of a sports entertainment programme to solicit support from the public for the rehabilitation of the four main wards at the KATH.
“ WE will also collaborate with the Ghana Post Company to issue postage stamps in aid of the KATH and would also collaborate with all the Mobile Companies in the country to develop SMS short codes for the project to give the general public the opportunity to contribute their widow’s mite through text messages”.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
POLITICIANS ASKED TO EMULATE THE LATE BAAH-WIREDU (PAGE 59)
The queen of Ejisu Traditional Area, Nana Yaa Asantewaa, has asked politicians in the country to emulate the humility of Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, the late Finance Minister.
Describing the death of Mr Baah-Wiredu as untimely, Nana Yaa Asantewaa pointed out that the deceased Finance Minister was a gift from God, who had a mission to remind Ghanaians that "in spite of our political differences, we can still forge ahead as one people".
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview as part of her condolences to the bereaved family, friends and sympathisers at her palace at Ejisu at the weekend, Nana Yaa Asantewaa pointed out that politicians ought to take a cue from the lifestyle of Mr Baah-Wiredu and develop attitudes that would win them the heart of majority of Ghanaians through their utterances and actions.
She noted that the best tribute politicians could pay to the deceased Finance Minister was to concentrate on how they could use their political campaigns in the run-up to the December general election to convince Ghanaians that they were the best candidates to harness the natural and human resources in the country for the benefit of the ordinary Ghanaian but not to resort to anything that would undermine the unity of the state.
"His death raised much concerns among all the leadership of the political divide, religious bodies, chiefs, opinion leaders, academicians, professional bodies, business community and the ordinary Ghanaian, and was, therefore, an indication that he was truly a man of the entire populace. He served everybody with distinction and his choice of words on political platforms, in Parliament House and other public places soothed pains and brought smiles to the faces of people who listened to him," she noted.
"Every word politicians use on political platforms, public places and functions is key to the development of the nation because it can either sustain the gains we have chalked up as a nation over the years or could inflame passions, thereby setting fire to erode the gains," she noted.
She said as the nation gathered momentum to elect leaders at the December general election, politicians should not allow their interest of gaining political power becloud the gains so far chalked up as a democratic state.
She said it was important for them to concentrate on the issues that would win them the support of the electorate instead of using inflammatory languages and other remarks that had the tendency of setting the clock of progress backwards.
She noted that Mr Baah-Wiredu was one man who had the temperament to deal with every issue and came out successful without resorting to insults as a way of scoring any political points "and this is what we want our politicians to emulate".
For his part, the Paramount Chief of the Maaban Traditional Area, Nana Darko Montwe II, said having served the nation with distinction, Mr Baah-Wiredu succeeded in accomplishing his mission as a refined politician before he died.
He said the onus laid on his colleague politicians to learn something from the spontaneous mourning all Ghanaians had given to the deceased Finance Minister since the news of his death broke and appreciate the need to live for the nation.
This, he said, would enable them to bestow a legacy that would be cherished by the present and future generations.
Describing the death of Mr Baah-Wiredu as untimely, Nana Yaa Asantewaa pointed out that the deceased Finance Minister was a gift from God, who had a mission to remind Ghanaians that "in spite of our political differences, we can still forge ahead as one people".
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview as part of her condolences to the bereaved family, friends and sympathisers at her palace at Ejisu at the weekend, Nana Yaa Asantewaa pointed out that politicians ought to take a cue from the lifestyle of Mr Baah-Wiredu and develop attitudes that would win them the heart of majority of Ghanaians through their utterances and actions.
She noted that the best tribute politicians could pay to the deceased Finance Minister was to concentrate on how they could use their political campaigns in the run-up to the December general election to convince Ghanaians that they were the best candidates to harness the natural and human resources in the country for the benefit of the ordinary Ghanaian but not to resort to anything that would undermine the unity of the state.
"His death raised much concerns among all the leadership of the political divide, religious bodies, chiefs, opinion leaders, academicians, professional bodies, business community and the ordinary Ghanaian, and was, therefore, an indication that he was truly a man of the entire populace. He served everybody with distinction and his choice of words on political platforms, in Parliament House and other public places soothed pains and brought smiles to the faces of people who listened to him," she noted.
"Every word politicians use on political platforms, public places and functions is key to the development of the nation because it can either sustain the gains we have chalked up as a nation over the years or could inflame passions, thereby setting fire to erode the gains," she noted.
She said as the nation gathered momentum to elect leaders at the December general election, politicians should not allow their interest of gaining political power becloud the gains so far chalked up as a democratic state.
She said it was important for them to concentrate on the issues that would win them the support of the electorate instead of using inflammatory languages and other remarks that had the tendency of setting the clock of progress backwards.
She noted that Mr Baah-Wiredu was one man who had the temperament to deal with every issue and came out successful without resorting to insults as a way of scoring any political points "and this is what we want our politicians to emulate".
For his part, the Paramount Chief of the Maaban Traditional Area, Nana Darko Montwe II, said having served the nation with distinction, Mr Baah-Wiredu succeeded in accomplishing his mission as a refined politician before he died.
He said the onus laid on his colleague politicians to learn something from the spontaneous mourning all Ghanaians had given to the deceased Finance Minister since the news of his death broke and appreciate the need to live for the nation.
This, he said, would enable them to bestow a legacy that would be cherished by the present and future generations.
EJISU PICKS NEW OCCUPANT OF PARAMOUNT STOOL (PAGE 65)
The kingmakers of Ejisu Traditional Area have accepted the nomination of a London-based businessman, Mr Kwadwo Frimpong, as the new paramount chief of Ejisu Traditional Area.
Mr Frimpong was among seven other candidates who came up for consideration for the vacant stool following the death of Nana Aboagye Agyei II on April 14, 2008.
The late chief, who ruled for 15 years and died at the age of 80, has already been buried. But his funeral rites are yet to be performed.
In traditional context, a new chief has to be installed before the funeral rites can be properly observed.
The acceptance of the candidature of Mr Frimpong followed the presentation of the candidate to the kingmakers by the queen of the traditional area, Nana Yaa Asantewaa II, who had earlier accepted the new candidate.
Nana Asantewaa told the Daily Graphic in an interview at her palace at Ejisu last Sunday that Mr Frimpong had formally been introduced to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as custom demanded.
He said his introduction to Otumfuo Osei Tutu had paved the way for him to be confined for orientation before the final installation.
Mr Frimpong was among seven other candidates who came up for consideration for the vacant stool following the death of Nana Aboagye Agyei II on April 14, 2008.
The late chief, who ruled for 15 years and died at the age of 80, has already been buried. But his funeral rites are yet to be performed.
In traditional context, a new chief has to be installed before the funeral rites can be properly observed.
The acceptance of the candidature of Mr Frimpong followed the presentation of the candidate to the kingmakers by the queen of the traditional area, Nana Yaa Asantewaa II, who had earlier accepted the new candidate.
Nana Asantewaa told the Daily Graphic in an interview at her palace at Ejisu last Sunday that Mr Frimpong had formally been introduced to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, as custom demanded.
He said his introduction to Otumfuo Osei Tutu had paved the way for him to be confined for orientation before the final installation.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
BAAH-WIREDU'S DEATH SHOULD MARK TURNING POINT (PAGE 17)
The Queen of Ejisu Traditional Area, Nana Yaa Asantewaa, has appealed to politicians in the country to let the untimely death of the Finance Minister, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, mark the turning point in the use of inflammatory language that incite the citizenry at public platforms.
Such utterances do not only undermine our bond and values that have kept us together for many generations, but also erode the unity and core values of Ghanaians who have a common purpose and are determined to carry our destiny in our own hands.
She shared this piece of advice when she described the death of Mr Baah-Wiredu as untimely. Nana Yaa Asantewaa pointed out that the late finance minister was a gift from God, who had a mission to bring life to the political arena of the country as a way of reminding Ghanaians that "in spite of our political differences, we can still forge ahead as one people".
Nana Yaa Asantewaa noted that the best respects politicians could pay the deceased finance minister was to concentrate on how they could use their political campaigns in the run-up to the December general election to convince Ghanaians that they were the best candidates to harness the natural and human resources of the country for the benefit of the ordinary Ghanaian but not to resort to anything that would undermine the unity of the state.
"His death raised grave concerns among all the leadership of the political divide, religious bodies, chiefs, opinion leaders, academicians, professional bodies, the business community and the ordinary Ghanaian, and was therefore an indication that he was truly a man of all the people. He served everybody with distinction and his choice of words on political platforms, in Parliament House and other public places soothed pains and brought smiles to the faces of people who listened to him", she added.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic as part of her condolences to the bereaved family, friends and sympathisers at her Palace at Ejisu at the weekend, Nana Yaa Asantewaa pointed out that politicians ought to take a cue from the lifestyle of Mr Baah-Wiredu and develop attitudes that would win for them the heart of majority of Ghanaians through their utterances, actions and even inaction.
"Every word politicians use on political platforms, in public places and at functions are key to the development of the nation because it can either sustain the gains we have chalked up as a nation over the years or inflame passions, thereby setting fire to erode the gains", she warned.
She said as election of leaders at the December general election was gathering momentum, politicians should not allow their interest of gaining political power to erode the gains so far made for Ghana as a democratic state.
She said it was important for them to concentrate on the issues that would win them the support of the electorate instead of using inflammatory language and other remarks that could turn back the clock of progress.
She noted that Mr Baah-Wiredu was one man who had the temperament to deal with various issues and came out successful without resorting to insults to score political points and this was what our politicians should emulate.
For his part, the Paramount Chief of Maaban Traditional Area, Nana Darko Montwe II, said having served the nation with distinction, Mr Baah-Wiredu succeeded in accomplishing his mission as a refined politician before his death.
He said the onus lay on his colleague politicians to learn something from the spontaneous mourning of Ghanaians since the news of his death broke out. This, he said, would enable them to bestow a legacy that would be cherished by the present and future generations.
"The essence of being a politician is not to set the nation apart, but to create an aura of affection through your works to enhance accelerated socio-economic development", he added.
Such utterances do not only undermine our bond and values that have kept us together for many generations, but also erode the unity and core values of Ghanaians who have a common purpose and are determined to carry our destiny in our own hands.
She shared this piece of advice when she described the death of Mr Baah-Wiredu as untimely. Nana Yaa Asantewaa pointed out that the late finance minister was a gift from God, who had a mission to bring life to the political arena of the country as a way of reminding Ghanaians that "in spite of our political differences, we can still forge ahead as one people".
Nana Yaa Asantewaa noted that the best respects politicians could pay the deceased finance minister was to concentrate on how they could use their political campaigns in the run-up to the December general election to convince Ghanaians that they were the best candidates to harness the natural and human resources of the country for the benefit of the ordinary Ghanaian but not to resort to anything that would undermine the unity of the state.
"His death raised grave concerns among all the leadership of the political divide, religious bodies, chiefs, opinion leaders, academicians, professional bodies, the business community and the ordinary Ghanaian, and was therefore an indication that he was truly a man of all the people. He served everybody with distinction and his choice of words on political platforms, in Parliament House and other public places soothed pains and brought smiles to the faces of people who listened to him", she added.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic as part of her condolences to the bereaved family, friends and sympathisers at her Palace at Ejisu at the weekend, Nana Yaa Asantewaa pointed out that politicians ought to take a cue from the lifestyle of Mr Baah-Wiredu and develop attitudes that would win for them the heart of majority of Ghanaians through their utterances, actions and even inaction.
"Every word politicians use on political platforms, in public places and at functions are key to the development of the nation because it can either sustain the gains we have chalked up as a nation over the years or inflame passions, thereby setting fire to erode the gains", she warned.
She said as election of leaders at the December general election was gathering momentum, politicians should not allow their interest of gaining political power to erode the gains so far made for Ghana as a democratic state.
She said it was important for them to concentrate on the issues that would win them the support of the electorate instead of using inflammatory language and other remarks that could turn back the clock of progress.
She noted that Mr Baah-Wiredu was one man who had the temperament to deal with various issues and came out successful without resorting to insults to score political points and this was what our politicians should emulate.
For his part, the Paramount Chief of Maaban Traditional Area, Nana Darko Montwe II, said having served the nation with distinction, Mr Baah-Wiredu succeeded in accomplishing his mission as a refined politician before his death.
He said the onus lay on his colleague politicians to learn something from the spontaneous mourning of Ghanaians since the news of his death broke out. This, he said, would enable them to bestow a legacy that would be cherished by the present and future generations.
"The essence of being a politician is not to set the nation apart, but to create an aura of affection through your works to enhance accelerated socio-economic development", he added.
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