Kufuor calls for global action on climate change

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday rallied the United Nations (UN) to lead a global response to face up to the challenges posed by climate change."A global vision with global resolve to plan and mobilise resources on an equally global scale for sustained solutions is imperative."

The world body, he said, must therefore, as a matter of urgency, marshal and mobilise both the developed and developing nations to appreciate the threat as universal, so that all would cooperate to save mankind.President Kufuor was contributing to a high-level discussion on "Climate Change" at the UN Headquarters in New York. He was one of the 20 Heads of State invited to participate in the event by the UN Chief Ban-Ki Moon.

"The Challenge of Adaptation: From Vulnerability to Resilience" was the theme.President Kufuor, who is Chairman of the AU, noted that in Africa and other poor countries across the world, the phenomenon was already making it difficult to guarantee the necessities of life.These countries including Ghana, he said, were feeling the impact of the change resulting from misinformed handling of the environment as well as effluence caused by the industrialized nations.He cited erratic rainfall, drought and desertification, floods and other weather-related disasters, and said, these were endangering human life and affecting agricultural productivity, food and water security.

Heavy rains recently flooded large swathe of countries in the West, Central and East Africa, leaving thousands of people in misery, submerging food crop farms, washed away roads and bridges and destroyed homes.The three Northern Regions of Ghana and parts of the Western Region devastated by the floods had been declared disaster zones and President Kufuor said, this had something to do with climate-change, if not wholly caused by it.He said the ability of the Continent and other developing countries to deal with the challenge was however, limited. General poverty, over-reliance on nature, especially in agriculture, little or no access to technology to adapt, or to mitigate the impact combined, make these countries vulnerable.

President Kufuor recognized the establishment of Funds like the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) for adaptation projects and said although these were in the right direction, they tended to be reactive and not substantial enough.He said they needed to be broadened to include, not only assistance for relief and adaptability but should be made more proactive for achieving the integrated long-term solutions the world must achieve for survival.
Source:GNA

Malaria strikes Two Brittish Girls On trial For Carrying Drugs

The two British schoolgirls accused of trying to smuggle £300,000 of cocaine out of Africa have both been struck down by malaria.Yetunde Diya and Yasemin Vatansever, who are both 16, were rushed into hospital after falling ill with fevers and flu-like symptons.Last night a narcotics officer who has been helping to look after them said: "Both girls have been very unwell - they are weak and listless.

"The pair - who each accepted £3,000 and a free holiday in return for "carrying a package" - are being held in squalid conditions in between court appearances.Their concrete cell is in a narcotics department building surrounded by open sewers - the perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes which carry the disease that kills three million people a year.They are only allowed out for a daily shower, court appearances and - now - weekly trips to the hospital for treatment.

The girls, both students from North London, were arrested at the end of June as they tried to board a British Airways flight in Ghana. They were each carrying a laptop bag with 7lbs of cocaine stashed in secret pockets.They have both pleaded not guilty to drug smuggling. In July the Sunday Mirror was the first paper to gain access to the girls, who told us: "We have been stitched up. We just want to go home."The two former friends now barely speak, with Yetunde blaming Yasemin for persuading her to take part.Their trial is expected to last another fortnight. If found guilty they face up to three years behind bars in Ghana.
Source:sundaymirror.

System Failure rocks Akosombo

A system collapse experienced by the Volta River Authority (VRA) caused a nationwide shutdown on Thursday afternoon.
"Our system collapsed at 12:06 pm this afternoon. It affected the whole country," Ms Abla Fiadjoe, Ag. Director Corporate Services told the Ghana News Agency.
She said VRA restored power from its end within one hour but could not say when Electricity Company of Ghana would restore power to consumers.
Ms Fiadjoe said investigations were ongoing to establish the cause of the system collapse.
VRA now generates power from Akosombo, the Aboadze Thermal Plant and generators and receives power from Cote d'Ivoire through the inter-tie connection.
Ms Fiadjoe apologised for the inconvenience caused to the public.
Source:GNA

Nomination for NPP prez aspirants opens on Saturday

The official opening of nomination for presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) opens on Saturday, the party said on Wednesday.A statement signed by Nana Ohene Ntow, General Secretary, said the nominations would begin at 0800 at the national headquarters.

It said aspiring presidential candidates or their agents could call at the headquarters for nomination forms from 0800 to 1700 hours on Saturday and from 0800 to 1700 on all weekdays until nominations closed. The fee for nomination forms is GH cedis 500 or five million cedis, payable in bankers draft.

About 20 people, many of them former ministers, have expressed their interest to contest the election to be the NPP's presidential candidate.