Night cleaning of Accra begins

The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, in collaboration with the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) on Monday began an exercise for daily night cleaning of the Central Business District of Accra.A workforce of 1,000 people, drawn from the NYEP, are to undertake the cleaning, ensure that drains in the District become litter-free, and arrest people who throw refuse into the drains.

The clean-up exercise, which started Monday evening at the Accra Rawlings Park, formed part of an exercise to rid the city of litter. The exercise, meant to enhance the sanitation situation in the city, is part of making the city spick and span for Ghana's Golden Jubilee Celebrations.

Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, who was present at the beginning of the exercise, said the exercise would not be a nine-day wonder as in previous exercises.It would be sustained after the celebration, and there would be constant supervision to ensure that refuse did not go back into the drains.

The exercise went into gear under lights provided by big trucks of Zoomlion, a private waste collection company in Accra. Young men and women, holding brooms and other shovels went into action. They swept the streets, opened slabs and de-silted gutters and emptied filled mini litterbins into large trucks.Mr Asamoah Boateng told journalists that the exercise was being done in the night so that it would not interfere with free flow of traffic and commercial activities during the day.

He said the Ministry was organizing an extensive public education along the clean-up exercise, adding that a change in legislation was being pursued to update penalty for sanitation offences.Mr Asamoah Boateng said 40 people had been trained in legal procedures for sanitation offences since the re-introduction of the arrest and punishment to household sanitary offences, popularly christened "Asaman sama" which took off in Techiman last December.

The Minister said recruitment of sanitary officers was underway in all the 10 regions, and was expected to be completed by February. He said waste segregation and recycling programmes would be pursued.
Source:GNA

German President Horst Kohler arrives in Accra for a four-day official visit to the country on Thursday, January 11. To be accompanied by the wife Eva, he would hold bilateral talks with President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu; pay a courtesy call on Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, at his Manhyia Palace and visit the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to discuss issues on the brain drain with the students.

President Kohler would also participate in the second conference of the "Partnership with Africa" from the January 12 to January 14 at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Teshie Accra, on the theme: "Two Generations-One Future." The conference is a sequel to the first Africa Conference the German President convened in Bonn in November 2005, where he launched the Africa Partnership Initiative. President Kufuor and President Kohler are programmed to interact with about 50 young leaders from Germany and Africa at the Conference.

Some other African leaders including President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria; Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; President Festus Mogae of Bostwana; Mr Alpha Oumar Konare, President of the African Union and Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas, President of the ECOWAS Commission, would also be attending. Mr Andrews Awuni, President Kufuor’s Press Secretary, told a Castle press briefing on Tuesday that issues to be deliberated on would involve the environment and management of the natural world; armed conflict and everyday violence; educational opportunities and employment prospects and democratic participation.

Bilateral relations between Ghana and Germany have always been good. In June 2002 President Kufuor paid a four-day official visit to Germany. The then German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, also made a reciprocal visit to Ghana. Mr Awuni used the occasion to convey President Kufuor's gratefulness to the Chief Imam, the entire Muslim community and Christian Congregations in Ghana, for their prayers for the country and the Jubilee anniversary.

He appealed to all, who called on the name of God to pray earnestly and fervently that the Jubilee year would also mark the country's time of rest from her labour.GNA

Upper West NDC MPs condemns youth employment programme

All the seven Upper West NDC members of parliament on Tuesday accused the government of using the Youth in Employment Programme to create jobs for only members of the NPP and other party sympathizers. "It is nothing short of an NPP youth recruitment drive.

If one does not bear an NPP card and is not ready to register as a member of the party, one is automatically disqualified from obtaining employment under the programme". Mr. Edward Salia, Member of Parliament for Jirapa, announced these at Wa during an NDC News conference organized to climax their five-day tour of all the 10 constituencies of the Upper Western Region.




The Members who were at the conference included; Alban Bagbin, Minority leader, Mathias Puozah, Nadowli East, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, Wa West, Rashid Pelpuo, Wa Central, Benjamin Kumbour, Lawra/Nandom, Edward Salia, Jirapa and Mrs. Alice Boon, Jirapa. Mr. Salia, who is also the chairman of the Upper West Parliamentary caucus said come 2008, Ghanaians were going to return their votes to the NDC after having gone through myriads of hardships under the NPP regime.




He said their studies on the ground proved that Ghanaians were bent on returning NDC to power because of the leadership qualities they saw in Professor John Atta-Mills and urged all party loyalists to keep campaigning so as to win more members for the 2008 general elections.




"Upper Westerners have only one request: that we salvage them from neglect, discrimination and suffering" He added The caucus chairman also accused the NPP government of not doing enough for a smooth pilgrimage for Muslims in the country and called on the President and the Vice President to apologize to all pilgrims and Ghanaians in general, adding that, it was only the NDC leadership that visited the stranded pilgrims at the Kotoka International Airport.





On the Millenium Challenge Account, the MPs said it was a testimony to the fact that the NPP government had neglected the North by not including the Upper East and West Regions in the programme. The NDC members also criticized the government for not speeding up the rural electrification programme in the Region.



'The NDC is worried about the neglect of the rural electrification programme." The News conference was also attended by regional and constituency executive members, and other loyal members of the party.GNA

State-Owned Media get new Boards

The National Media Commission (NMC) has reconstituted the Board of Directors for State-Owned Media organisations in consultation with President John Agyekum Kufuor. A release signed by Joseph E. T. Dottey, for the Executive Secretary of NMC, said the Ghana News Agency (GNA) Board is chaired by Mr Rex Owusu-Ansah; with Dr A.B.K. Anane; Mr Abdulai Musah; Mrs Gina Blay; Mrs Agartha Gaisie Nketia; Dr Kofi Oti Adinkra and the General Manager, Nana Appau Duah as members.

The New Times Corporation Board is chaired by Professor Kwesi Yankah; with Togbe Avudzega Soga; Mrs. Harriet Armah; Mr Anthony Edow Dadzie; Mr J. Derby Amissah-Arthur; Mr Eddie Adiin Yansah; Mrs Genevieve H. Haruna; Squadron Leader De-Graft Elllionah and the Managing Director, Nanabanyin Pratt as members.

The Board for Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) has Reverend Dr Asante-Antwi as chairman; with Mr A. K. Bonney; Dr Audrey Gadzekpo; Mr Robert Ahomka Lindsay; Mrs Stella Amegashie; Mr Ben Batabe Assorow; Ms Georgette Francois; Mr F.K.D Frimpong and the Director-General as members.

The Board for Graphic Communications Groups Limited has Nana Kwasi Offei Agyeman as chairman; with Mr Kafui Asem; Mr Mike Adjei; Mrs Esther Nakai Mensah; Mrs Rose Fosu; Mr Michael M. Asigri; Mr Akwasi Agyeman; Mr E.M. Boye and the Managing Director as members.

The statement said the GNA Board would be inaugurated on January 16, 2007; New Times Corporation on January 17; Ghana Broadcasting Corporation January 18 and that of Graphic Communications Group on January 19, 2007. The inaugurations would take place at the respective offices of the Media Houses.GNA