NPP & NDC will lead the country into chaos - CPP

A leading member of the Convention Peoples Party, (CPP), Dr. Kwaku Osafo, has stated that the country's current peaceful atmosphere would be threatened if Ghanaians make the mistake to vote for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) or the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2008 general elections.He observed that there is so much enmity between these two political parties that should any of them win power in the next general election, there would be no peace and development in the country.

With this therefore, he has advised all the eligible voters in the country to vote massively far the CPP as an alternative party to solve the problems between the NDC and NPP.Dr. Osafo made the observation when he interacted with some members of the Eastern Region press recently at Koforidua.Explaining, he said the NPP has been blaming the NDC for the country's woes and that the party to rule the nation was their party (CPP) and therefore they would not allow the NDC to come back to power.

He noted that the NDC has been describing the NPP government as the most corrupt government ever to rule this country and they have even asked the government to expand Nsawam prisons for their detention should the NDC come to power.This has created a big struggle for power between the two political parties, giving way for serious hostility which when not taken care of, would tear the country apart, he stated.The politician who doubles as economic development consultant therefore urged the public to consider the good works of the Osagyefo, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and vote massively for the CPP.

He observed that no country could develop without making industrialization its priority and called on the government to consider a programme of industrial revolution.The Eastern Regional Chairman of the CPP, Nana Owusu Sekyere, said the party when elected into power would revive the cultural revolution by rebuilding self confidence in the people.
Source:Chronicle

President Kufuor receives special message from Algeria

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday granted audience to a Special Envoy of his Algerian counterpart, President Abdulaziz Bouteflika, to deliver a message, at the Castle, Osu.

The content of the message was not disclosed but was believed to have centred on bilateral relations between Ghana and Algeria. The Envoy, Mr Ramtane Lamamra, who is the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, conveyed the Algerian leader's appreciation to President Kufuor for his participation and contributions during the recent NEPAD brainstorming summit held in Algiers.

He noted that as Chairman of the African Union (AU), his support and that of his other colleague Heads of State was vital for the successful integration of NEPAD into the AU structure. He said President Bouteflika was looking forward to continuing working with him on that. Responding, President Kufuor said the summit was a good one and that NEPAD should find its rightful position within the AU. He said it was his hope that the Algerian President would attend the July AU summit in Accra and bring his immeasurable influence to bear on the direction of the Union.

President Kufuor stated that the Accra summit would focus on working towards realising the Union of African States. Present was the Foreign Minister, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.GNA

Youth urged to make use of their educational knowledge

The Minister of Education, Science and Sports (MESS), Paapa Owusu Ankoma on Tuesday urged the country's youth to use the knowledge being acquired at the various educational institutions to transform the nation and enhance development. He said the purpose of education was not only to acquire knowledge but also to make effective use of the knowledge for the benefit of society.

Paapa Ankoma was inaugurating a one billion cedi Library and Information Communication and Technology Centre (ICT) for the Kwahu Ridge Secondary/Technical School (KRISCEC) at Obo-Kwahu. He reminded the youth that they were in the transformation generation and advised them to take advantage of the facilities available to them in the school system to acquire the requisite knowledge for a brighter future.

The minister urged parents to ensure that the huge investment being made in their children's education yielded positive results for them to contribute towards the development of the country. He said the educational reform program, which would commence in September this year would enable students to acquire technical, science and agriculture related skills. The apprenticeship training programme, he said would also enable them to acquire the required skills to become self-employed.

Paapa Ankoma promised to present 10 computers and accessories to the school and advised the students to concentrate on their studies to become responsible citizens. Dr Francis Osafo-Mensah, MP for Mpraeso said the project, which started three years ago was jointly founded by the European Union (EU), the MPs Common Fund, the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) and the Kwahu South District Assembly. He disclosed that a friend based in Holland also donated 14 computers and their accessories to the library.

Mrs Anita Jackson, Headmistress, said the school with a student population of 850 had only two bungalows for both the headmistress and the senior housemistress, thus affecting effective supervision and discipline. She said girls' population had increased tremendously and appealed for additional dormitory and administration block and the rehabilitation of the Twendurase campus. Mr Abraham Sowah, the District Director of Education said a nation's human resource was its wealth since the human resource personnel would implement all government policies and programmes for the development of the nation.

Nana Yeboah Afare Buagyan II, Obohene, appealed to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to rehabilitate infrastructure in the school, which he said was constructed 47 years ago. Mr Alidu Mohammed and Mr Fredrick Ayirebi two old students of the school and Mrs Mary Animwaa, the District Director of Education for Fanteakwa who hails from the town later donated a quantity of assorted books worth millions of cedis to the school library.GNA

Nkoranza citizens sensitised on HIV/AIDS

A total of 143 out of 255 patients screened at the St. Theresa's Hospital at Nkoranza last year tested HIV/AIDS positive. Mr. Hayford Kyere, Nkoranza District HIV/AIDS Monitoring and Evaluation Focal Person, disclosed this when he addressed about 200 hairdressers at a workshop at Nkoranza to create awareness among the people to guard against getting infected.

Fifteen out of the infected died before the end of the year, he said and emphasised that the pandemic was real adding that, people should therefore not deceive themselves that "HIV/AIDS is associated with evil and satanic issues". Mr. Kyere said persons between 45 and 49 years old had a prevalent rate of about five per cent, while it was about 3.6 for between 25 and 29 years old. The rate for those between 15 and 24 years old was 1.9 per cent and between 15-19 years old, bout 0.8 per cent. Mr. Kyere advised the people to be faithful to their sexual partners while the unmarried youth should abstain from sex or use condom to protect themselves.

Mrs. Eva Saku, Nkoranza District Public Health Nurse, urged the people to undertake Voluntary/Counselling and Testing (VCT) to determine their status and pointed out that HIV/AIDS was mostly contracted through sexual intercourse, which accounted for about 80 per cent of infection. Mother to child infection was 15 per cent while other causes such as the use and exchange of common razors was five per cent. Mrs. Elizabeth Dekyi, a Public Health Nurse, expressed concern about how some parents used one toothbrush for all their children and advised them to desist from the unhygienic practice to avoid contracting the pandemic or other communicable diseases.

Mr. Haruna Babbs and Madam Theresa Bossman, executive members of the Nkoranza District Beauticians Association, commended the District HIV/AIDS committee for organizing the workshop to sensitise the youth. The participants were provided with female and male condoms to promote their usage. The workshop attracted Mr. Daniel Agyarko, District Environmental Health Officer, Mr. Nyame Boateng, District Engineer, Mr. Kyere Boateng, Assistant Chief Executive Officer and Mr Ebenezer Amoah, District Planning Officer.GNA