Ghana needs Busumuru Annan's advice - Rawlings

Former President Jerry John Rawlings on Wednesday appealed to Busumuru Kofi Annan, Immediate-Past United Nations Secretary-General, to observe the country's political scene and offer his advice. Former President made the appeal when Busumuru Annan paid a courtesy call on him at his residence in Accra about 1400 hours after his arrival home.

Busumuru Annan had served the UN for 40 years out which he was Secretary-General of the world body for 10 years. Former President Rawlings asked Busumuru Annan to bring his expertise and knowledge to bear on the development of the country and to join to straighten the course of peace and stability.

Former President Rawlings told Mr Annan: "We are happy about the reception the Government has given you and that of the people of Ghana." Busumuru Annan said he was happy to be home after years of service to the UN and acknowledged the reception accorded him by the good people of Ghana. He commended Former President Rawlings for the leadership he provided the country and said both of them served humanity but in different capacities.

Busumuru Annan further called for a concerted effort by the Government, the opposition parties and civil society to help to build a better Ghana. With the Former President Rawlings were Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Former Vice President and Flag bearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress for Election 2008 and Mrs Mary Grant, a Former Member of the Council of State. Professor Mills also expressed joy at the homecoming of Busumuru Annan describing him as a man of knowledge and high sense of duty, worthy of honour.

He urged Busumuru Annan to exhibit his courage to right the wrongs of the Ghanaian society by speaking the truth. Mrs Mary Grant, who said Busumuru Annan was her nephew, described him as the pride of the family and traced his success to the training he acquired as a Ghanaian and an African.GNA

ECOWAS Condemns violence in Guinea, appeals for calm

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has condemned the mounting death of civilians in Guinea as a result of the recent crisis in the country. "Any loss of life is regrettable but the killing of unarmed civilians is particularly unacceptable.

We express our sympathies to the families of the deceased", said a statement issued on Wednesday by the ECOWAS Secretariat in Abuja, and made available to the Ghana News Agency. The statement called upon the Guinean Authorities to guarantee the safety and security of its citizens while they express their constitutional rights of freedom of association and free expression.

It said what started as a labour union strike had escalated into a political crisis and that it is evident that the current crisis in Guinea could only be resolved by genuine dialogue amongst all Guinean stakeholders in an atmosphere free of intimidation and violence. "ECOWAS stands ready to work with all Guinean political forces, the government, political parties, civil society, trade unions, etc., in the search for a lasting resolution to the crisis", the statement said.

It said in that regard, the ECOWAS Chairman, President Blaise Compaoré, was engaged in consultations aimed at dispatching a mission to Guinea to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the crisis.GNA

Busumuru Annan arrives back home to a hero’s welcome

Busumuru Kofi Annan, Ghana’s top diplomat and Immediate-Past Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) arrived back home on Tuesday night to a hero’s welcome. Among the huge crowd of people from all walks of life who thronged the Kotoka International Airport to welcome him and his Swedish wife, Nane, were President John Agyekum Kufuor and wife Theresa; Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama and wife Ramatu; the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Sekyi-Huges, Professor Daniel Adzei Bekoe, Chairman of the Council of State; Ministers of State, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Chiefs and religious leaders.




As the Alitalia flight carrying Busumuru Annan touched down at exactly 2210 hours, the people went into frenzy, cheered and waved miniature Ghanaian flags amidst traditional drumming and dancing.



The Former UN Chief and the wife were presented with the “Akwaaba” bouquet by Janet Afriyie Mensah and Susana Manu, when they stepped down from the gangway. He then exchanged pleasantries with President Kufuor and Vice President Mahama after which the President escorted him to do same with the welcoming party accompanied by Kete drumming, an honour reserved for only chiefs.




With that over President Kufuor and Busumuru Annan went into the VVIP lounge, in front of which, two giant portraits of the retired UN Secretary-General had been placed on the walls, for private discussions. Later in brief remarks, Busumuru Annan thanked the entire nation for the support and encouragement, without which, he said he could not have done the job the way he did it. “The journey had been long and I have completed a cycle.”





Born in Kumasi on April 8, 1938, Busumuru Annan joined the UN in 1962, working with the World Health Organisation in Geneva and also served with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. At the UN Headquarters in New York, he held senior positions in diverse range of areas including human resource management, budget and finance and peacekeeping. Busumuru Annan was Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping at a time when nearly 70,000 military and civilian personnel were deployed in UN operations around the world.



He was elected the Secretary-General of the World Body in 1997 and completed his two five-year term on December 31, 2006.GNA

Wa MCE relieved of his post

President John Agyekum Kufuor has relieved the Wa Municipal Chief Executive (NCE), Mr M.A Banda of his position with immediate effect. This was contained in a press release signed by Mr Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs, in Accra on Tuesday.

It said the President has directed that Mr George Hikah Benson, Deputy Regional Minister for Upper West, should act as the MCE of Wa pending the nomination for appointment of a substantive Chief Executive.GNA

Socio-economic devt in Ghana is the best in Africa

The visiting Mayor of London, Mr Alderman John Stuttard, on Tuesday commended Ghana for her impressive political and socio-economic development and stressed the need for the Government to work hard to consolidate the achievements made for the benefit of the citizenry."Ghana's exhibition of good governance, integrity and successful democratic dispensation is the best in Africa in recent times especially among emerging economies," he added.

Mr Stuttard made the commendation during a courtesy call on Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, at Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.He was accompanied by Mr Gordon Wetherell, British High Commissioner to Ghana and Madam Patricia Appiagyei, Kumasi Metropolitan Chief Executive.Mr Stuttard arrived in Ghana last week with some businessmen and technocrats to explore avenues that would boost co-operation between United Kingdom (UK) and Ghana especially in financial services and education.

He noted that the relationship between Ghana and UK dated back to the pre-colonial era and UK was committed to collaborate with Ghana in all fields of endeavours to further improve on the achievements made in education, financial services and culture.Mr Stuttard said such collaboration, was crucial to eliminate poverty and improve on the living standards of the vulnerable in society and in addition, facilitate Ghana's bid to attain middle-income status by 2015.He commended the Asantehene for his visionary leadership and immense efforts to enhance good neighbourliness among Asantes and other ethnic groups in Ghana, very crucial to consolidate democracy in the country.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu said there was the need for stakeholders to evolve proactive measures that would ensure Ghana's democratic dispensation was enhanced."We should commit resources to ensure stability, employment for the youth and improve upon the prudent management of the economy," he added.The Asantehene noted that with the 50th independence anniversary celebration, there was the need for stakeholders to take stock of the past achievements and brainstorm to accelerate development. He appealed to Mr Stuttard to work hard to strengthen the existing relationship between the City of London and Kumasi Metropolis for their mutual benefit.

Mr Andrew Holmes, Managing Director of Taysec, an international road construction firm, who accompanied Mr Stuttard donated 70 million cedis towards the Otumfuo Education Fund. 23 Jan. 07

Welcome home, a distinguished son of Ghana......The land of gold!!!

The immediate past UN Secretary General Kofi Annan would be returning home after years of distinguished service at the United Nations. He sairved as the chief civil servant/diplomat of the world.
For me he served the whole of mankind, but as a Ghanaian, he represented national pride for us. He represented a major free PR image for Ghana in the last decade .

Just as Dr. Kwame Nkrumah became an African icon in the immediate post independence era of the 50s and 60s, Kofi Annan in the closing years of the last century and the beginning of this new century also assumed an equally visible and honourable image for Africa.

As he returns home tomorrow, it is with pride that we welcome him and hope that we will accord him the honour and dignity he deserves.


It is at this point that I humbly request of every Ghanaian to accord our own true son the peace of mind he needs at this time off international diplomacy to rest.
Putting him in a political cloak in my view will be dangerous.



The political temperature in Ghana is very umpredictable and could be unfriendly at most times. I hope Mr. Anna will stick to what he plans to do and not be pushed into taking any political posts at this time of his life.
Welcome Home Sir and all the best.

MCA In Danger?

WASHINGTON (Wall Street Journal) -- President Bush's signature foreign-assistance program is likely to run out of money this year, leaving in the lurch Ghana and several poor countries that have labored to meet its strict eligibility standards, according to aid officials.
Mr. Bush introduced the Millennium Challenge program in 2002 as a new approach to fix the perceived failures of overseas-development assistance.

The grants would be large enough to transform the recipient nations' economic fortunes, he said then, and the money would go only to countries that met quantitative standards for honest government, free-market policies and generous social spending.
Now the program's budget is expected to fall short of its projected needs by $400 million to $1 billion, depending on the outcome of congressional negotiations over the coming weeks. The crunch comes at a time when Morocco, Tanzania, Mozambique and several other developing nations are nearing agreements on huge aid packages.

"At a lower level of funding, [the program] will need to turn away countries that have developed sound proposals designed to assist millions of the poor -- such as microfinance programs that help women, and water, irrigation, and transportation systems that enable poor farmers to participate in the local economy," said John Danilovich, chief executive of the Millennium Challenge Corp., which implements the aid effort.
When the program was launched, the president promised to secure $5 billion a year from Congress for his plan.

Instead, he has consistently asked lawmakers for less than that, and lawmakers have consistently provided less than he requested.
The Republican-led Congress failed to complete fiscal 2007 spending bills before this month's hand-over to the Democrats. It appears likely that the Democrats will hold this year's spending largely to 2006 levels and focus instead on the fiscal 2008 budget, which takes effect Oct. 1.
DEVELOPING PROBLEM * What's New: President Bush's program to help the developing world faces a funding squeeze.* What's at Stake: Congress is unlikely to increase funding for the program.* The Bottom Line: Countries that have worked to earn development assistance may be left empty-handed.

"The Republicans' failure to get the job done will unfortunately leave a number of agencies in a situation that is less than ideal," said Rep. Nita Lowey, New York Democrat and chairwoman of the subcommittee that funds the aid effort.
The squeeze will likely provide the aid program with between $1.14 billion and $1.75 billion this year, compared with the $3 billion Mr. Bush had requested. The president again plans to ask Congress for $3 billion for the program when he presents his 2008 budget next month, according to two people familiar with the proposal. Antipoverty advocates are lobbying furiously on the Hill to ensure that request is fully funded.

The Millennium Challenge Corp. was still struggling to get off the ground and facing stiff congressional criticism when Mr. Danilovich, a former oil-shipping executive and Republican activist, took over in late 2005.
He accelerated its grant-giving, and the agency now boasts 11 aid agreements totaling $3 billion, including a $461 million package for Mali and an equivalent deal for El Salvador.
Mr. Danilovich has met with scores of lawmakers to plead the agency's case. The program's demanding eligibility standards, he says, have given countries from Lesotho to Georgia an incentive to crack down on corruption and other impediments to economic growth.

Still, many lawmakers worry that the Millennium Challenge Corp., which is barred by Congress from employing more than 300 people, is paying more attention to signing deals than it is to ensuring that they are implemented well enough to actually promote growth and reduce poverty.
"There are very few champions [on Capitol Hill] and, I think, dwindling support," said Sheila Herrling, senior policy analyst at the nonpartisan Center for Global Development think tank in Washington.

Ms. Herrling said that some key lawmakers want to steer Millennium Challenge aid away from roads, airports and other infrastructure projects and toward health, education and other social programs.
Source:MICHAEL M. PHILLIPS for WSJ