Kufuor casts doubt on ROPAA 2008

Ghanaians resident abroad may not be able to exercise their franchise under the Representation of People's Amendment Act (ROPAL) in the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections.

President Kufuor who noted difficulties in its instant implementation in an address to the Ghanaian community in Brussels, Belgium, said that the government had genuine intentions in introducing the law and would not want to do anything that would create the impression that it intends to rig the elections.The government would therefore ensure that adequate measures are put in place to check that.

Addressing cross section of the Ghanaian community in Belgium on Wednesday, President Kufuor said the exercise of the franchise of nationals abroad can be possible if the national identity card and the introduction of the biometric passports came into being.“Once those things are done, there should not be any problem with fake identity of any genuine Ghanaian who wants to vote,” he said.The President commended the Ghanaian residents abroad for their remittances home which he said now exceed four billion dollars.

He briefed them on the various measures being adopted at home to revamp the economy and mentioned the adoption of the Highly Indebted Poor Country initiative which was completed in a record time of two years; the new educational reform policy and the development of the country's infrastructural base.With the steady growth of the economy coupled with excellent democratic credentials, he said, Ghana had been placed big on the world map in spite of its small size.

He said that world recognition had come about as a result of the goodwill of the people who were law abiding and ready to deliver their best in any relatively conducive environment.That profile, he said, had put Ghana back on track and "one good thing keeps on following another" in spite of the tough but necessary decisions that were taken.He deplored the tendency by Some people to deliberately put negative stories on the internet and said such stories should be treated as propaganda.

"Back at home, real development is going on, and I can assure you that within 10 years, Ghana will begin to join the middle income nations," he assured his audience.By the Constitution, he said he would be leaving office after the 2008 elections and prayed that Ghanaians would work to give themselves a good government if not a better one than his.President Kufuor also spoke about the energy crisis and efforts being made to solve it. He said the situation had arisen as result of over dependence on the Akosombo Dam over the years.

Mr Kwaku Acheampong, President of the National Federation of Ghanaian Residents in Belgium, suggested the establishment of a Diasporan Development Fund to enable Ghanaians resident abroad to contribute to the various national development programmes.He said Ghanaians in Belgium would be ready to contribute to such a fund if transparency and accountability in its administration and management were clearly defined.

He expressed the hope that the fund would reduce the country's over dependence on foreign aid and its accompanying interference in the design and implementation of national development policies and priorities.
Source:Ghanaian Times

United States Embassy gets new offices in Accra

25th May: Africa Day

25th May is Africa Day, commemorating the date when the Organization of African Unity was set up in 1963. In July 2002, this organization was replaced by the African Union.
44 years ago today, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, leaders of the few independent countries on our continent, alongside those fighting for the independence of their countries, converged to establish a common front of African corporation, emancipation and prosperity.

This convergence gave birth to the Organization for African Unity (OAU), now the African Union (AU).
The OAU was committed to the total liberation of all African nations, a united African society based on the principles of egalitarianism, social justice and Pan- Africanism.

This process was led by our founding fathers Kwame Nkurumah, Sekou Toure, Augustino Neto, Julius Mwalimu Nyerere, and Sir Tseretse Khama only but to mention a few nation builders, visionaries and founders of the struggle against imperialism and capitalism.
44 years on, what is the significance of Africa Day?
Source:GHP

Rawlings confers with Togolese President

Former President Rawlings, who is also a member of the African Forum, has paid a one-day working visit to the Republic of Togo today, Thursday 24th May, 2007 to hold discussions with President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo on the situation in Togo with respect to the reforms that have been introduced by the Togolese President sometime ago.

The discussions which were free and fair covered the concerns of Former Presidents in the African Forum for the progress of Togo in the direction of good governance.President Rawlings, accompanied by Mrs Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings and Former Foreign Minister Victor Gbeho, has since returned home.

Source:Victor Emmanuel Smith (Special Assistant and Director of Public Affairs)

President leaves Accra for four-nation tour

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday left Accra for a four-nation tour of Belgium, Ethiopia, Egypt and Nigeria. His first stop would be Brussels, Belgium where he would hold discussions with the EU Commission's President, Mr Baroso Jose Manuel, on the forthcoming African Union (AU)- European Union (EU) summit in November and the G8 Summit in June this year. President Kufuor would join his colleagues to celebrate the African Union Day in Addis Ababa Ethiopia and then go to Egypt for a three-day state visit.

He would then go to Nigeria to participate in the inauguration of President-elect Yar Ardua on 29th May 2007. President is expected back on 30th May 2007.GNA

Lecturer testifies in Tagor, Abass trial

A Senior Lecturer of the Department of Lingistics, University of Ghana, Dr Kofi Agyekum, on Tuesday told an Accra Fast Track High Court that the recorded conversation on the controversial ACP Kofi Boakye's tape was a natural one. "My Lord the tape recording had not been tempered with," Dr.Agyekum, the eleventh prosecution witness, told the court trying Kwabena Amaming aka Tagor and Alhaji Issa Abass, alleged self-confessed drug barons, held for drug-related offence.

Dr Agyekum, also a specialist in the Akan language, also said that his work was to find the authenticity of the recording, voice attribution, profile of the voices and transcription and translation from Twi to English. Led in evidence Mr Agyemang Duodu, Principal State Attorney, Dr Agyekum said he was approached by the Attorney General to work with J. P. French and Associates in York, London. He said he visited London on two occasions and worked with J. P. French and Associates and later communicated on e-mail with the firm.

Dr Agyekum said as an expert, he worked independently adding, "I worked without showing partially." Highlighting the report he produced, Dr Agyekum said Abass, whom he explained as non-Akan speaking person, was intermittently mixing Twi with Fanti, adding that the other four participants used the correct version of the Akan language. Answering questions under cross-examination by Mr Ellis Owusu-Forjour, counsel for Tagor, Dr Agyekum said before his appointment to work on the recorded conversation, he could not remember commenting on the case. Dr Agyekum, who is also a social commentator, admitted that he did a literal translation on the recorded conversation.

He said he only read about the arrest of the accused persons in the dailies. Answering questions by Mr Osafo Buabeng, counsel for Abbas, Dr Agyekum said he could not remember saying damaging things about the accused persons. He admitted that words like "goods" and "things" could be used interchangeably depending on the context. Dr Agyekum denied that his report was to suit the Attorney General adding, "As an independent expert I was very objective and impartial." Meanwhile, the court has warned two relations of Abass for harassing and verbally assaulting a policeman whom the court directed to take away newspaper, which they were reading in court.

The court asked persons to comport themselves and give respect to the Judiciary if they want to continue attending court proceedings. "Next time, I will deal ruthlessly if anyone who flouts the orders of the court," the court warned. The case of the prosecution is that the accused are self-confessed drug barons who since 2004 had been actively engaged in activities of promoting and establishing various enterprises relating to narcotic drugs.

Tagor has additionally been charged with carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs, buying and supplying of narcotic drugs, while Abass is being held for carrying out prohibited business relating to narcotic drugs and supplying narcotic drugs. They have pleaded not guilty before the court, presided over by Mr Justice Jones Dotse. They have been remanded in custody. Hearing continues on May 30.GNA

Bird Flu detected in Sunyani?

A suspected case of bird flu at a poultry farm at New Dormaa, a suburb of Sunyani has led to the destruction of a number of birds and poultry products by personnel of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).

When newsmen got wind of the incident and went to the scene, some laboratory and surveillance personnel of the MOFA from Accra and Kumasi, as well as some officials of the regional veterinary office in Sunyani were seen bringing out "everything" from the farm, including the birds for destruction, while they also disinfected the place.Mr George Dosa, Acting Regional Director of the Veterinary Service Department, who led the exercise, however, told newsmen it was too early to announce to the public as samples of the birds had been taken to Accra for testing and were yet to receive the result.

He said there was no cause for alarm since the personnel monitored the situation at the farm for about a week before the officials were invited to assist in taking the precautionary measures.Mr Dosa decline to disclose the number of birds destroyed as he directed the newsmen to MOFA for further information.Mr Asante Krobea, Regional Director of MOFA, who was on his way to Accra told the Ghana News Agency on phone that the Ministry was waiting for the test result from Accra latest by Monday evening when he could let the public know about the outcome.

He said it was dangerous to put fear in the public without knowing the result of the samples, as it could greatly affect the business of poultry farmers as well as the price of maize. The owner of the farm, an ex-soldier, could not be talked to as he was busily assisting the officials to bring the situation under control.
Source:GNA