REGSEC issues statement on coronation of Ga Mantse

Following concerns raised about security during the proposed coronation of the new Ga King slated for Saturday, April 14, 2007, a meeting of the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) was convened to discuss the security arrangements and related matters in respect of the event. This was contained in a statement issued by the office of the REGSEC and signed for the Regional Minister by the Chief Director.

The statement said, "further to the briefing given by the members of the Regional Security Council, REGSEC hereby appeals to stakeholders to be circumspect in their utterances, behaviour and action. REGSEC also appeals for peace, calm and harmony during this period. "REGSEC has directed that the security agencies should take necessary action to avert any breach of the peace and to bring to book any person who will attempt to foment trouble and cause confusion. "Meanwhile, REGSEC has directed that the security agencies should be on high alert to ensure that security of the region is not breached."GNA

Togolose Refugees to be repatriated

The UNHCR, the Governments of Ghana and Togo on Thursday signed a Tripartite Agreement to Facilitate Voluntary Repatriation of Togolese Refugees from Ghana.The agreement, which was signed in the Togolese capital, Lome seeks to facilitate the voluntary return of Togolese refugees who have been in Ghana since 1992.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Ghana's Foreign Minister Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his Togolese counterpart Zrifou Ayeva, signed for their countries, while the UNHCR Representative in Ghana, Ms. Aida Haile Mariam, signed for the UNbody. The delegation from Ghana included Nana Akufo-Addo , Mr McArios A. Akanbong, Assistant Director-Legal and Consular Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr. M.A. Bawumia, Ministry of the Interior.

Also in attendance were various members of the diplomatic community including USA, China and the European Union.Given some interest expressed by a portion of Togolese refugees in returning home, UNHCR and the respective governments are putting in place a legal framework to govern possible voluntary repatriation to Togo.Voluntary repatriation is the most preferred durable solution option for refugees. Ghana hosts some 50,600 refugees, 12,326 of them being Togolese.The Ghanaian Foreign Minister later paid courtesy calls on the new Togolese Prime Minister, Mr. Agboyibor, and the Togolese President, Mr. Faure Gnassingbe.

The meetings, which were held behind closed doors, centered on Ghana-Togo relations and on regional and continental issues. The Togolese President praised the efforts of the Ghanaian President and AU Chairman, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, towards the establishment of peace in the region and continent and hailed him as a great friend of Togo.
Source:GNA

Veep to attend business forum in South Africa

Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, leaves Accra on Monday, April 16, 2007 to attend the Ghana-South Africa Business Investment Forum being organised by the Ghana Mission in Pretoria. The two-day forum is being collaborated by the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC), to climax activities lined up in South Africa to mark Ghana's 50 anniversary celebration.

A letter signed by Dr Jimmy B. Heyman, Ghana's High Commissioner to South Africa said the forum would attract the much needed Foreign Direct Investment into Ghana. The function would attract ministers of state, chief executives of private businesses and heads of relevant government agencies from Ghana and South Africa. Mr Akwasi Osei Adjei, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, NEPAD and Regional Integration and officials from GIPC and Ghana Export Promotion Council would accompany Vice President Mahama.GNA

Ghanan's Educational System Undergoes Name changes

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday launched a new Education Reform Programme that proposes eleven years of Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) and four years of Senior High School (SHS) formerly Senior Secondary School (SSS).

The new system, which would be implemented from September 1, 2007, starts with two years of kindergarten for pupils at age four; six years of primary school at which the pupil attains age 12; to be followed by three years of Junior High School (JHS) till the pupil is 15 years. After the JHS, the student may choose to go into different streams of the four years of Senior High School which would offer General Education with electives in General, Business, Technical, Vocational and Agricultural Education options for entry into Tertiary Institutions or the job market.

President Kufuor noted that the reform was designed, among other things, to prepare the appropriate human resource in the form of skilled, technologically-advanced and disciplined workforce with the right ethics to service the growing economy.He said the Reform placed emphasis on Mathematics, Science and Technology, but to develop a well rounded society, the Arts and Social Sciences would continue to receive the necessary support in the curriculum.

"This should promote Ghana's surge into the Golden age of business and national prosperity. It should also reinforce Ghana's role as a beacon nation in the resurgence of Africa as envisioned in the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)."President Kufuor said the expectation of the Education Reform, which coincided with the UN's Millennium Development Goals, was to advance the literacy rate to 100 per cent by 2015, pay special attention to girls' education to make them better mothers and heighten awareness of the environment to preserve national resources.

He said an Apprenticeship Programme, organized jointly by the State and Industry for skills acquisition would be available for students, who opted for employment after Junior High School, of which the cost of the first year would be borne by the State.President Kufuor said the Reform also acknowledged the mastery of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a priority and that as skills in ICT had become crucial for the survival of the global world, government would extend the national broadband backbone connectivity throughout the country to facilitate the development of ICT infrastructure in schools.

President Kufuor said teacher quality was critical to the implementation of the Reform Programme at all levels hence the Government was committed to improving the conditions of service of teachers to motivate them to give of their best.He said currently the upgrading and refurbishment of all the 38 Teacher Training Colleges in the country were underway and that 15 of them were being specially equipped for Science, Mathematics and Technology which constituted the new focus of the educational delivery programme.

He said the Government was establishing a National Teachers Council to regulate the profession and that a Distance Education Programme to upgrade teachers while still at post was ongoing to ensure that they were abreast with the best practices of their profession to serve all schools irrespective of their location in the country.

SSource:GNA