ECOWAS warns N’guessan of Cote d’Ivoire

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS} on Wednesday condemned any intended acts of violence on any member of the Community in Cote d’Ivoire, a statement said here.

It said ECOWAS attention was drawn to media a statement attributed to Mr Afi N'guessan, President of the Popular Front of Cote d'Ivoire (FPI), threatening the lives of citizens of ECOWAS Member States resident in Cote d'Ivoire.

ECOWAS said the “statements are completely inconsistent with ECOWAS principles of free movement and the well-known traditional hospitality of the Ivorian people. “ECOWAS finds Mr N'guessan statements irresponsible, inflammatory and totally unacceptable.”

It said: “The statements are an affront to the entire ECOWAS Region and show complete disrespect to the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, especially as they were made just before their scheduled Summit meeting on Cote d'Ivoire on October 6, 2006.”

ECOWAS said it was “determined to work with the international community to end a creeping culture of impunity that has undermined its efforts to establish the rule of law, accountability and the enthronement of democracy in West Africa.

It reminded Mr N'guessan of his personal responsibility should there be any act of violence against ECOWAS citizens as a result of those threats.

MTN bites deep into MTN Nigeria

The MTN Group has acquired an extra 6.98% interest in its subsidiary, MTN Nigeria Communications Limited (MTN Nigeria), the company said today.Pearl Majola, the spokesperson said MTN made the purchase from minority shareholders at a cost of $348.9 million, or about R2.6 billion.

The purchase would be funded through a cash payment of $287.8m (about R2.2 billion) and an issue of about six million ordinary shares in MTN.Majola said the purchase, to be effected through MTN International, would bring the MTN Group's shareholding in MTN Nigeria to 81.87%.

MTN Nigeria, the leading cellular operator in that country, launched operations in 2001. With a subscriber base of 9.6 million, MTN Nigeria provided access to 73% of Nigeria's population, Majola said. - Sapa

Asantehene calls on traditional leaders to assert themselves

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, has called on traditional leaders to assert themselves and utilise the abundant influence they possess in partnering government to deliver social and economic benefits.

"Whether in the field of advocacy on health issues or in the arena of ensuring that children go to school under hygienic conditions or in the preservation of cultural heritage, chiefs have a crucial role to play", he said.

The Asantehene was addressing a durbar of chiefs and people of Asamang in the Afigya-Sekyere district on Tuesday to officially launch all project interventions initiated by him and a photo exhibition of the project outputs under the Promoting Partnerships with Traditional Authorities Project (PPTAP).

He emphasised that, "Sitting aloof and watching the government facilitate development projects alone in our areas of jurisdiction is not an acceptable position".

Otumfuo Osei Tutu said with the successful end of the project, he was going to use all possible means to extend other felt needs of the people to other regions of the country with the support of other traditional leaders.

Professor Gyan Baffour, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, said the project had helped to improve the living standards of people in the communities that had benefited from the projects.

He hoped the chiefs would not rest on their oars now that the project had come to an end but would continue with it to bring development and employment opportunities to the people to reduce poverty.

In an address read on his behalf, the World Bank Country Director, Mr Mats Karlsson said the vision of Asantehene, which was yielding fruitful results and that other representatives from other countries had come to learn from it.

He said the World Bank had initiated Community-Based Rural Development Projects, Small-Medium Term Projects as well as Water and Sanitation Projects to which chiefs and district assemblies could source to help in the development of the people.

Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister, urged the beneficiary communities to ensure proper maintenance of the projects so that they could last.

He also urged the traditional leaders and the schools to ensure that all school-going children were enrolled in the schools. Mr Johnson Osei-Hwedie, Project Manager of PPTAP, said the Asantehene had been praised in all the communities, which had benefited from the project.

He said the project that covered education, health, cultural heritage preservation and capacity building in 42 communities had been achieved and the beneficiary communities had attested to it.

Mr Osei-Hwedie said PPTAP proved to be a life-changing experience for the people in the Ashanti Region and had opened the way for more partnership programmes to be developed in Ghana and Africa.GNA

Ghana struggles to beat Japan

But for the 74th minute goal by substitute Haminu Dramani the black stars of Ghana would have ended the international friendly goalless or worse.

The goal resulted from a cross from midfielder Laryea Kingston, who raced deep into the Japanese goal area and located Dramani in the six-yard box.

The goal came as a respite for the many chances the Stars missed in the game.

The world cup debutants put up a supirior performance but their known problem with goal scoring was also obvious.

The win saw the Black Stars lift a trophy, and left their hosts in tears.

The Stars next play their South Korean counterparts in another friendly on October 8.

Source: By Rainogc