Public to "Rally Round the flag" on Thursday

Ceremonies would take place throughout the country on Thursday, February 15, to "Rally Round the Flag Day" to mark the official countdown towards the country's 50th birthday.

The event would be used to invite and encourage all Ghanaians to demonstrate their love, commitment and patriotism towards the land of our birth, a statement on Tuesday signed by Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby, Chief Executive of Ghana@50 Secretariat.The release said the day would be marked with ceremonies such as brass band floats through the principal streets of Accra and all regional capitals and distribution and waving of national and jubilee flags by school children.

It said Vice-President Aliu Mahama, Regional and Sector Ministries and Metropolitan and District Chief Executives would perform simultaneous flag raising ceremonies at 12 noon.The highlight ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Independence Square in Accra to be attended by members of the National Planning Committee and senior officials of Government.The statement said Mrs.

Theodosia Okoh, designer of the national flag, had been invited as the Special Guest of Honour for the occasion and would join the Vice-President and members of Government at the Independence Square as an acknowledgement and to give the event its proper historic grounding."All Ghanaians are therefore entreated to join in this historic event by attending the ceremonies, flying the flag in their homes and cars, or displaying them on their office desk and places of business." 13 Feb. 07
Source:GNA

The Nkoranza North Constituency bye-election would take place on March 13, 2007, the Electoral Commission (EC) said on Tuesday. A statement from the EC signed by K. Sarfo Kantanka, Deputy Chairman Operations to the Ghana News Agency said the “poll shall be taken in the Nkoranza North Constituency between the hours of 0700 hours and 1700 hours on Tuesday, March 13, 2007”.

It said, “nomination of candidates shall take place at the office of the Returning Officer, Nkoranza North Constituency, Busunya on Tuesday, February 27 and Wednesday, February 28, 2007, between the hours of 0900 hours and 1200 hours and 1400 hours and 1700 hours”.

The statement said nomination forms could be obtained from the Returning officer at Busunya, Brong Ahafo region. It said all nominations should be proposed and seconded by two registered voters respectively and supported by 18 other registered voters from the Constituency and with the consent of the prospective candidate.

The statement said nomination forms should be delivered to the Returning Officer, Nkoranza North Constituency with a deposit of 500,000 cedis in banker’s draft and two passport sized photographs in colour with red background.

The notice of election was issued in accordance with “Article 112 of the 1992 Constitution, as amended by section three of Act 527 (the Constitution of Ghana (amendment) Act, 1996)”, following the receipt of notification from the Clerk of Parliament on the occurrence of a vacancy “in the membership of Parliament necessitated by the resignation of Mr Eric Amoateng, Member of Parliament for Nkoranza North Constituency on February 9, 2007”.GNA

Deputy British Prime Minister in Ghana for three-day visit

John Prescott, Deputy British Prime Minister, arrived in the country on Tuesday evening for a three-day official visit. During his visit, the Deputy Prime Minister is expected to call on President John Agyekum Kufuor, tour the Fort William at Anomabo and also attend a commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade among others. At the airport to meet him, were the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, government officials and officials of the British High Commission.GNA

"Internet Love" Cost American $150,000

GREG Stivey, an American, apparently did not find it strange when a girl friend he met on the internet demanded huge sums of money from him.He readily sent her 3,500 dollars she requested for her to join him in the US and parted with another 2,000 dollars to secure her release from a supposed arrest at the Kotoka Airport for possessing 33 kilogrammes of gold.Through various representations by the girlfriend, identified by the police as Nancy Osei, and her accomplices, Mr Stivey sent a total of 150,000 dollars before realizing that there was something wrong.

Superintendent Denis Abade of the CID Headquarters told the Times that Edmund Ametepey, unemployed, and Alexander Quarshie, a trader, Nancy’s accomplices are assisting the police in investigations.Nancy herself is on the run.He said the American met Nancy at a dating site on the Internet, in January last year and introduced herself as a single lady who was looking for a Christian man to marry. He became interested in her, and started corresponding with her through the Internet.He said that Nancy later on informed Mr Stivey of her desire to join him in the USA, and demanded $3,500 for the trip.

The amount was transferred to her.Mr Stivey later on received a call from one Kennedy Smith, an alleged travel agent, who informed him that Nancy had been arrested at the Kotoka International Airport for allegedly carrying 33 kilogrammes of gold, and so 2,000 dollars was needed for her release. He accordingly transferred the amount to secure her release.

The police said after that transaction, Ametepey and Quarshie told Mr Stivey "stories upon stories" about Nancy’s trip, which made him transfer more money to bring the total to 150,000 dollars.In August last year, the American came down to Ghana with the view of tracing his supposed fiancée, only to realise that he had been duped. Consequently he sought legal advice.

He has since left for the US..The police said that in January, this year, Stivey received a call from a lady who claimed to be Nancy’s friend, and said Nancy had been kidnapped for three months, and she needed 300 dollars to buy a new phone. The money, should be sent in the name of Alexander Quarshie, a supposed pastor’s son.

The police said the money was transferred on January 15 but when Quarshie went to the Industrial Area branch of the SG-SSB to collect it on January 23, he was arrested by the police who had been alerted by Mr Stivey.Further investigations led to the arrest of Ametepey.
Source:Ghanaian Times

Amoateng Resigns!

Speaker declares seat vacant after 14 months

Accra, Feb. 9, GNA - The Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, on Friday declared the Nkronzah North seat vacant and accordingly, directed the Clerk of Parliament to inform the Electoral Commission of the vacancy.

Before the commencement of Public Business, the Speaker informed the House of a communication received from Mr Eric Amoateng, (NPP-Nkronzah North), informing the Speaker of his resignation in accordance with provisions of the constitution and article 17 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.

Article 17 of the Standing Orders states that: " A member who desires to resign his seat in the House shall notify Mr Speaker in writing under his hand of his intention to resign his seat and Mr Speaker shall inform the House as soon as practicable."

The Speaker read out all the contents of Mr Amoateng's letter on the floor of the House.

The member, in his letter addressed to the Speaker, said: "I have come to the realization that my people would be better served in my crises by relinquishing my position."

He said his resignation was voluntary and expressed appreciation to the Speaker, the Majority and Minority leaders and the Privileges Committee for the time given him during his long absence from the house. Mr Amoateng is facing legal charges in the United States following his arrest late 2005 for his alleged involvement in narcotic drugs.

Mr Sekyi Hughes, after reading out the communication, said Mr Amoateng had complied with "Standing Order 17 in all material respect."

He said: "In accordance with Standing Order 18, I herby declare the seat of Nkoranzah North vacant on this 9th day of February, 2007."

Standing Order 18 states that: " The seat of a member shall be declared vacant by Mr Speaker under clause (1) (b) to (h) of Article 97 of the Constitution."

The Speaker then quoted Standing Order 19, and directed the Clerk of Parliament to inform the Electoral Commission of the vacancy in accordance with that provision.

Mr Sekyi Hughes told the House that his earlier ruling on January 30, to the Privileges Committee to re-visit the position taken by the House to give Mr Amoateng time, had been overtaken by the communication received from the member.

He, accordingly, ruled that the matter before the committee had no effect in the light of the resignation of Mr Amoateng.


Source:
GHP

State of the Nation Address - Full text

Mr. Speaker, the Constitution of the Fourth Republic prescribes that the President of the Republic delivers to Parliament a message on the state of the nation at the beginning of each session.

This is what I have come to do.Mr. Speaker, as I look around the House, I see empty seats on he Minority’s side.It is a sad day that members of that side have chosen to absent themselves. It is sad again that they have resorted to this course of action, apparently in reaction to the judgement of a duly constituted court of law.

It is even sadder that they seem to ignore the fact that the due process of going through appeals, as provided for by the Constitution, is yet to be exhausted, in this particular case.Mr. Speaker, I want to use this occasion to ask them to reconsider their withdrawal from the House and come back to play their part to uphold the integrity of the House. I make this appeal in the light of the sincerity with which government is committed to the reconciliation process it has initiated for healing the wounds of the nation and to make for a fresh start.

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Ghana to double its energy generation capacity

Ghana is to double its energy capacity to about 4,000 megawatts within the next five years as part of the Government's vision to speed up the country's industrialization, President John Agyekum Kufuor, has announced.The present generation mix of about 1,300 megawatts would go up by an additional 1,000 megawatts by the close of the year.President Kufuor, who dropped the hint during a courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu, by the National Executive Council of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) on Wednesday said the new generation system would not be dependent on the weather.

The AGI Executive Council members were there to share their views with the President on ways of enhancing the country's manufacturing sector.President Kufuor gave the assurance that the current energy crisis that has resulted in load shedding would be over in the next two to three months.He said realizing that without affordable, reliable and efficient energy supply system, there could not be effective industrialization, the Government, since its inception in 2001 made energy a priority agenda.

He said, it was for this reason that it raised 40 million dollars as Ghana's equity in the West African Gas Pipeline Project, which should have come on stream last December but for the problems in the Niger Delta region.The contractors on the project were now on course to deliver the gas to the shores of Ghana by May, this year.President Kufuor said alongside this project, the Government has concluded arrangement with some companies to build Thermal Plants and was also on the verge of signing an agreement with China to begin the construction of the Bui Hydro-electric dam.The Ministers of Finance and Economic Planning, Energy and the Attorney General are presently in China for this.

President Kufuor told the AGI National Executive Council members that the Government was doing everything within the ECOWAS to help to remove impediments to free trade within the sub-region. "This is a friendly Government. Your success reflects well on the success of the Government."Mr Tony Oteng Gyasi, President of the Association, said the right policies and incentives put in place by the Government have put the manufacturing sector on the path of growth.

He said they would however, want to see the strengthening of the regulatory and inspection agencies like the Ghana Standards Board (GSB), Food and Drugs Board (FDB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) so that they would apply equal checks and scrutiny on imported goods as they do to the made-in-Ghana goods."They should be strengthened to be effective to give us a level playing field." 07 Feb. 2007
Source:GNA