Ghana researching into malaria resistance genes

The Navrongo Health Research Centre in the Upper East Region, is undertaking a study aimed at identifying the genes in individuals that protect them against malaria.The collaborative study, known as the Malaria Genome Epidemiology Network, is made up of a global consortium comprising 12 institutions in malaria endemic countries across the globe and is led by researchers from the Oxford University in the United Kingdom.Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, The Gambia, Papua New Guinea and Mali are among countries taking part in the research, which would assist in the development of malaria vaccines.About 180 families in the Kassena-Nankana district in the Upper East Region are to participate in the research. Mr Lucas Amengo-Etego, a Research Fellow at the Navrongo Health Research Centre told journalists from the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), who were on a tour of the centre, that genes have a lot to do with the control of malaria. He said some people were more susceptible to the disease than others because individuals respond differently to infections from the malaria parasite.The journalists were in the Upper East and Northern Regions to assess the health status of the population, with particular attention to malaria, following the floods, which hit the northern parts of the country.The Malaria Clinical Trials Alliance, (MCTA) an African-led institution established to build capacity in the fight against malaria sponsored the trip.MCTA is currently leading a research into the development of a malaria vaccine in nine African countries, including Ghana. They have targeted 2011 for the introduction of the vaccine.
Source:GNA

Kufuor Ambushed - Over NPP Race

New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirants yesterday took time off from their electioneering campaign to attend a crisis meeting at the Osu Castle hosted by President John Agyekum Kufuor.The meeting, called at the instance of the party’s reconciliation committee, was to address certain nagging issues in the name of party unity.At the core of the complaints by most of the aspirants was the suspected presidential support for John Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, a leading contender in the NPP presidential race.As at press time yesterday, the meeting was under way with all the aspirants in attendance except John Kwame Kodua, a Kumasi-based private legal practitioner, about who little has been heard in the race to elect a successor to President Kufuor.When Daily Guide caught up with him, Mr. Kodua said he was not aware of any meeting. According to him, he was just returning from a campaign trip to the Western Region and therefore the issue about a meeting was news to him. “You are now telling me. Nobody has told me about any meeting,” he said.Daily Guide learnt that a litany of issues was raised about the presidential race, including a strong accusation that the playing field was not level. The President was asked to stay out of the race. “Please stay out,” an aspirant was said to have fired. A similar meeting called by the committee last Wednesday was called off at the last minute, owing to what insiders described as “small lapses”.Some of the aspirants were said to have complained about the mode of the invitation, which was via an SMS text message, and the venue chosen. They contended that since it was a party matter, the meeting should be held outside the Castle, with some suggesting Australia House or the NPP headquarters. The reconciliation committee, comprising of elders of the party is chaired by the National Security Minister Francis Poku. Other members are Peter Mac Manu, National Chairman; Prof Daniel Adzei Bekoe and Madam Amma Busia, Chairman and Member of the Council of State respectively; Mr. Samuel Odoi-Sykes, former Chairman and immediate past High Commissioner to Canada; Nana Awuku of Sanaa Lodge, Tesano and Cape Coast and a retired Professor from the University of Ghana.The committee had met the aspirants one after the other at the Australia House, after which an account was reportedly submitted to the President leading to yesterday’s high profile meeting.The issue of the venue was finally resolved when the President made it clear that the meeting could not be held at any other place but the Castle.According to him, the aspirants could not be saying different things now, especially when they had been coming to him at the Castle location. The aspirants, DAILY GUIDE sources said, demanded a firm commitment from the President that he would not undermine their campaign in his bid to support a particular candidate.They had complained that the recent ministerial reshuffle carried out was skewed in favour of a particular aspirant. The issue of a directive to DCEs, asking them not to host certain aspirants, came up strongly. The meeting was still underway as at press time, with the President virtually ambushed.
Source:Daily Guide

I am not for Alan 'Cash' - President Kufuor

H.E. President, Mr J.A. Kufuor, yesterday held a crucial meeting with the presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Castle, Osu. The meeting was held behind closed doors and attended by NPP national executive members, including the National Chairman, Mr Peter Mac-Manu, the General Secretary, Nana Ohene Ntow, and the National Organiser, Lord Commey. Although there was no official statement regarding what transpired at the meeting, snippets of information the Daily Graphic gathered pointed to the fact that the key issues centred on how the aspirants could carry out their campaigns based on issues and ensure that the ruling government handed over to itself. The President was said to have discussed the contentious issue of his support for Mr Alan Kyerematen with the aspirants, our sources said President Kufuor once again denied his support for any of the aspirants and explained that what was important to him was the election of a candidate who could build on his legacy and unify all members of the party for the major task of the 2008 electioneering so that power could be transferred from him to another NPP candidate. Other issues discussed included the thorny issue of the composition of delegates for the December 22 Special National Delegates Congress to choose a flag bearer from the contenders for the 2008 general election. Among the issues raised in that respect were suggestions to the effect that the nine constituency executives in the 230 constituencies across the country be taken as delegates, with one additional delegate elected and added to them to constitute the 10 delegates for each constituency. That argument was said to have been informed by the pressure of time in conducting fresh elections to choose delegates for the congress. The other view was that fresh constituency delegate congresses be conducted throughout the 230 constituencies, using polling station chairmen as the electoral college to select the 10 constituency delegates. The meeting was held in a free and frank atmosphere, although the candidates did not mince words in expressing their concerns about some developments during the campaign. It is believed by inside sources that that matter would eventually have to be resolved by the National Council of the party in the run-up to the congress. The presidential aspirants who were present included the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama; the former Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Papa Owusu Ankomah; the former Foreign Minister, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo; the former Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang; the former Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiatives (PSIs), Mr Alan Kyerematen; the former Minister of Communications, Professor Mike Oquaye; the former Press Secretary to the President and Presidential Spokesman, Mr Kwabena Agyepong, and Mr Boakye K. Agyarko. Others were former Minister of Regional Integration and NEPAD, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku; the former Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, and a former Minister of Information and a former General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Dan Botwe. The rest were the former Minister of Defence, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor; a former Deputy Minister of the Interior, Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Darteh (retd); a former Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong; Dr Arthur Kennedy; a former Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo; Ghana's Ambassador to Japan, Dr Baffour Adjei Bawuah, and the former Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng. At the time of filing this report, Mr Kwame Kodua was yet to attend the meeting. The National Executive was said to have assured all the candidates that it would endeavour to abide by the code governing the process of the election of a presidential candidate. Source: Daily Graphic

Castle Meets NPP Aspirants Today

A crunch meeting is scheduled for this evening, Monday October 15, 2007 between President John Agyekum Kufuor and the 19 odd Presidential candidates at Australia house, Accra to iron out fissures that have emerged in certain issues that could cloud the atmosphere and muddy the process leading up to the December 22, 2007 delegates conference.

The meeting is at the instance of the Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and would feature Mr. Odoi Sykes, Ms. Ama Busia, Nana Awuku, Professor Adzei Bekoe and Mr. Ayeh and a few more high ranking officials of the Council.At the heart of the meeting is the issue of fairness which some of the aspirants believe is skewed and which they believe the president could deploy the huge clout he enjoys within the leadership of the NPP to assuage frayed nerves.

Key among the multiple concerns at the heart of the aspirants is the needling issue of the President and his not-so-subtle support for Mr. Alan John Kwadwo Kyeremanten which is causing concern. Chief as he is known has not helped matters with his 'in-your-face' interview in the Heritage newspaper in which he literally said 'and so what? Is it not you who say that anybody the president supports loses?'While some of the aspirants acknowledge that the President is free to support whom he may, they think that his absence of neutrality in the process may impinge on his standing.

The process which is making the rounds in NPP circles is that a congress which is scheduled for next month to evolve a new set of rules where District Chief Executives could become delegates and vote at the delegates’ congress is disturbing, particularly when the DCEs are supposed to fund the congress in their constituencies.'We have always maintained this format at all previous elections, and we are very happy with that, there is no need to have another congress to elect delegates.'

It is the tinkering of the process which is the source of deepest concern to the aspirants none of who would go on record.'Some of our friends are DCEs and regional Ministers and they visibly tremble when we attempt to visit them at their offices or homes, because they could lose their jobs. Now we all know so we generally do not expose them to this risk at all when we go on tours', noted one aspirant who spoke the mind of most of the aspirants.A huge pall of unease hangs in the air as the aspirants converge at Australia house today.The property in Cantonments was previously owned by the Australian High Commission but fell into disrepair when the mission left Ghana several years ago.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the tail end of the NDC administration took over the house and commissioned Messrs Kufuor and Hallal (J &H) contractors at Takoradi to renovate it. It was widely believed that it was going to be the property of FIt Lt. Jerry Rawlings as part of his end of service benefit if Professor Mills had won the last elections.
Source:The Chronicle

Meteors complete double over Amaglug-glug

Ghana's Olympic team, Black Meteors inched closer to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, courtesy a 3-1 thrashing over their South African counterparts, Amaglug-glug in a Group A qualifier at the El-Wak Sports Stadium on Sunday.
A brace from Udinese striker Asamoah Gyan and another from Greek-based Bernard Kumordzi ensured the Meteors completed a famous double over the South African, after beating them by a similar margin at their backyard in August.
The result takes the Meteors to the apex of the Group with six points, two more than closest rivals Nigeria, with the Amaglug-glug rooted at the bottom with just a point.
The tensioned packed game started on a high note with the Ghanaians, who paraded seven foreign-based players in the starting line up dictating the pace from the onset.
The trio of Kumordzi, Anthony Annan and captain Michael Helegbe had the upper-hand in the midfield battle, which made the Amaglug-glug rear the busier on the opening minutes.
The attacking trio of Nafiu Iddrisu of ASEC Mimosas, Prince Tagoe and Gyan combined beautifully upfront and often became victims of rough play from the likes of Kelvin Sosibo, Thepelo Tshito and Musa Bilankulu. In one of such moves of the Meteors in the 28th minute, Nafiu, who has been in terrific with ASEC in the Ivorian Championship was fouled by his marker close to the penalty area.
Gyan headed home the opener from Helegbe's free-kick to send the thousands of fans into an ecstatic mood with Amaglug-glug goalie Humeleng Khune completely beaten.
The Meteors piled the pressure on their guests and six minutes later Kumordzi doubled the lead just on the edge of the box. The lanky midfielder connected beautifully from Michael Akuffo's cross from the left flank.
Well-built Isaac Vorsah, who was a pillar in the Meteors defence was on hand to foil the attacks of the South Africans on several occasions.
The visitors resumed strongly and succeeded in reducing the deficit in the 56th minute through Edwin Isaacs, who soared above his markers to nod home Bryce Moon's cross from the right flank.
Meteors coach, Cecil Jones Attuquayefio introduced Sampson Cudjoe, Obed Ansah and Kojo Asamoah for Michael Akuffo, Nafiu and Helegbe respectively later in the game and it paid off.
With four minutes to full time, Gyan sealed victory with his second of the day with a curling shot beyond the reach of the Amaglug-glug goalie after rounding off his marker beautifully.
The Meteors will wrap their campaign with the ultimate match on November 18 against Nigeria at the same venue.
The top placed team at the end qualifies for next year's Olympic Games.
Line up: Nii Baah; Michael Akuffo, Isaac Vorsah, Bawah Mumuni, Daniel Addo; Yao Kumordzi Bernard, Michael Helegbe, Anthony Annan; Gyan Asamoah, Nafiu Iddrisu, Prince Tagoe
Table .............P W D L GF GA Pts Ghana .......3 2 0 1 8 5 6 Nigeria .....2 1 1 0 4 3 4 South Africa 3 0 1 2 3 7 1

Owusu-Ankomah - NPP aspirants are not wasting money

A presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Paapa Owusu-Ankomah, has said it was not true that presidential aspirants of the party were showing off or wasting money.He said money was "needed to expend ideas" to the people and that "the contest is not about money but about ideas". He also dismissed assertions that the number of the party's aspiring presidential candidates was too large and this would not help delegates to the party congress the opportunity to determine the best of the aspirants.Paapa Owusu-Ankomah said campaigns by the aspirants were rejuvenating the party at all levels. Paapa Owusu-Ankomah, MP for Sekondi, said this when he presented the key to a double-cabin Mahindra Scorpio pick-up to the Central Regional Secretariat of the NPP at a ceremony in Cape Coast."We are all out to strengthen and position the party for the job it has set out to do".The aspiring presidential candidate, who has already donated 10 motorbikes to the secretariat, said he would be adding nine more to be distributed to each of the 19 constituencies in the region.He said there was the need for the party to consolidate the gains it had made as well as strive to increase its support in all parts of the country.He said during his tours of the country, it became evident that the regional and constituency branches of the NPP needed such support to enhance their activities.Paapa Owusu-Ankomah appealed to his colleague aspirants to help improve the party's finances and logistics at the regional and constituency levels to increase its changes of winning the 2008 elections. He said he presented the vehicle to the regional secretariat not just because he was an aspirant but because he had confidence that the region, "which has shown the way forward for the party's future," would maintain the party's 16 seats and win the remaining three in the coming elections. He commended the Central Regional branches and the Western Region for increasing the party's parliamentary seats from three each in 1992 to 16 and 12 respectively in the 2004 elections and said the Central Region was in the lead as a potential stronghold for the party.The Regional Chairman of the party, Mr Ekow Dankwa-Smith, expressed gratitude to the aspirant for the vehicle and gave the assurance that it would be used to step up activities towards the party's victory in the region and called for unity.Source: GNA

President Kufuor asked COPAL to Speak against tariffs on Cocoa Products

President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday tasked member countries of the Cocoa Producers Alliance (COPAL) to speak against the imposition of tariffs on cocoa products such as cocoa powder and cocoa butter that were exported to the European Countries. In an address read for him at the opening session of the 70th COPAL Council of Ministers meeting in Accra, President Kufuor said value addition was one of the surest ways of ensuring sustainability of the cocoa economy in member countries. He asked the countries to pay attention to harmonization of quality standards among them, payment of remunerative prices to farmers, processing and consumption of more cocoa locally and adherence to good agronomic practices. “If we prioritized these objectives in our respective national development agenda, I believe we would be heading towards fulfilling the dreams of the founding members of the Cocoa Producers’ Alliance and helping to reduce poverty among a large section of the cocoa growing communities in various countries,” he said. Professor George Gyan-Baffour, Deputy Minister of Finance, said government would take measures to eliminate any cases of the worst form of child labour on cocoa farms and also lend support to other stakeholders and partners to eliminate the practice. “We would ask for cooperation and understanding from all consuming countries as we take the necessary measures to tackle these challenges,” he said. Prof. Gyan-Baffour stressed the need to intensify efforts to bring other cocoa producing countries into the fold of COPAL. Currently, out of the 17 African Cocoa Producers only seven are members of COPAL. “It is the hope of Ghana that the secretariat would spare no effort in getting a number of these countries to be members of COPAL. Our alliance would thus become stronger.” Mr Charles Ugwuh, Chairman of the Council of Ministers, urged member countries to target China as a major target because of its enormous potential. “Indeed, it is worthwhile to consider appointing a Specialist or consultant to provide detailed advisory on this as we as other emerging markets.”GNA