Hawa Yakubu is Dead

London -- Hawa "Iron lady" Yakubu is reported to have died here on Tuesday after a short illness.Until her death she was the second Vice Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP).

Yakubu was the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, a seat she lost to the NDC’s Mahama Ayariga in the 2004 elections.

There are laid down criteria for the creation of district assemblies - Minister

Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Minster of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, on Tuesday said a request would have to be made and the circumstances looked into for Ashaiman to be upgraded into a district assembly. He, however, said Tema was a municipality and Ashaiman, was being well served by Tema.

The Minister was responding to a question in Parliament on factors that qualified an area to be made a district assembly. He said beside the element of population, the Local Government Act, 1993, (Act 462) takes into account geographical considerations and economic viability with the ability of an area to provide the basic infrastructural and other developmental needs from the monetary and other resources generated in the area.

Mr Asamoah-Boateng, in response to another question on the construction of the Jema market in the Brong Ahafo Region to enhance revenue generation, said the market would be considered as one of the new markets to be constructed. "Ideally, it is the district assembly which initiates projects and contacts relevant agencies for assistance to implement these projects."

"Kintampo South District assembly, therefore, has the mandate to identify projects that are urgent." He said records indicated that the District Assembly has not submitted a request to the Ministry for assistance to establish a market.GNA

Minister of Chieftaincy to launch poem

The Association of Contemporary Ghanaian Poets and Writers will next month launch a selection of poems entitled "A Weeviled Harvest". Written by Barima Adu Asamoa, the anthology of selected poems has a special poem dedicated to the Golden Jubilee celebration entitled Ghana@50, The Poem.

A statement issued in Accra on Tuesday said the launch is in support of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture and would be performed by the Minister, Mr S.K. Boafo. The foreword written by Mr Molefe Kete Asante, an African-American scholar, said: "There is something deep and reflective on the way this poet handles the various emotions, colours, nuances and obstacles in our everyday life."

Barima Adu-Asamoa, who is a poet, writer, filmmaker and lecturer, was educated in Ghana and the UK. He is President of the Association of Contemporary Ghanaian Poets and Writers.GNA

Ghana marks Meteorological Day

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the worldwide meteorological community would celebrate World Meteorological Day which falls on March 23.

A statement signed by Z. Minia Acting Director General of the Ghana Meteorological Agency, said WMO celebrates the day by focusing on a theme of topical or current interest to humankind. The theme for the celebration dubbed " Polar Meteorology: Understanding Global Impacts" is to commemorate the entry into force, the UN Convention creating the organisation.

The statement said the fundamental concept of the International Polar Year (IPY) was an intensive burst of internationally coordinated, interdisciplinary scientific research and observations focused on the earth's Polar Regions and their far- reaching global effects.

British High Commission, Ghana, Raises Visa Application Fees

The British High Commission announced on Tuesday that UK visa fees would go up from April 1. A statement issued in Accra said the increases, the first since 2005, were because of “a substantial change in programme, which aims to improve the control and to improve further customer service”.




The statement said transit, direct airside transit visas were now 815,000 cedis, six month visa was now 1.170 million cedis, student visa was 1.835 million cedis while one-year, two-year, 10-year visit visa was 3.7 million cedis. Returning residents would also 3.7 million cedis, while settlement is 9.250 million cedis.


The statement said the new fees incorporated the handling charge previously levied separately by our commercial partner VFS. It said applicants for long-term visas would need to obtain a certificate to confirm clearance from contagious tuberculosis before lodging their applications.GNA

Accra to host workshop on business

The British West African (BWA) Forum for Trade and Business Partnership will from Wednesday hold a three-day international workshop in Ghana to promote international business networking on trade and investment opportunities between British and West African companies.

A release signed in Accra on Tuesday by Mr Justice David Basundo, a Consultant to BWA, said the workshop on the theme: "Preparing to Locate Business Partners in UK, Europe, America and Asia," would create opportunities for British supplier companies, entrepreneurs, industrialists, investors, bankers and lenders as well as their counterparts to unparalleled long-term trade and investment connections.

The release said the speakers at the workshop are a group of bankers and business intellectuals whose credentials are impeccable for accessing international trade credit and offshore funds that are applicable to various modes of business. The speakers include Dr Godwin A.T Oboh, Former Group Managing Director Union Bank of Nigeria, Dr Salima Paul of the University of West England, Dr Kola Ali, Managing Director Union Bank U.K.

Some of the topics outlined for discussion are the Impact of Globalisation in Trade Credit Payment System and the Requirements and Procedures for Accessing Offshore Funds to Finance Viable Projects.GNA

President To Visit Portugal

The President, Mr. J. A. Kufuor, begins a two-day official visit to Portugal on Monday, March 19, 2007. The visit is at the invitation of the President of Portugal, Mr. Anibal Vacaco Silva.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD said the President would proceed to Portugal from the United Kingdom at the conclusion of his State visit to that country.It said the visit would accord the two presidents the opportunity to examine ways of strengthening bilateral relations between Ghana and Portugal.

“The two leaders will also deliberate on current African and international issues, including a European Union-African Union (EU-AU) Joint Strategy to develop practical approaches for future partnership between the EU and Africa,” the statement said. Portugal will assume the EU Presidency later this year.
Source:GHP