Lagos Pipeline Blast Kills scores

More than 200 people have been killed in an oil pipeline explosion in Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, the Red Cross says.
Officials say they are still counting bodies and it is feared the death toll could be much higher.

The blast in the Abule Egba area happened as hundreds of people were scooping fuel from a pipeline punctured by thieves, officials said.
Some 2,000 people have died in similar incidents in the past decade.
Bodies 'scattered'

A Red Cross official said efforts to recover the bodies were being hampered by the intense heat.
NIGERIA PIPELINE DISASTERS
May 2006: At least 150 killed in Lagos
Dec 2004: At least 20 killed in Lagos
Sept 2004: At least 60 killed in Lagos
June 2003: At least 105 killed in Abia State
Jul 2000: At least 300 killed in Warri
Mar 2000: At least 50 killed in Abia State
Oct 1998: At least 1,000 killed in Jesse
Pictures from the scene
"We can only recognise them through the skulls, the bodies are scattered over the ground," Ige Oladimeji was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.
Akintunde Akinkleye, a Reuters news agency photographer at the scene, said he had counted about 500 bodies.
The secretary general of Nigeria's Red Cross, Abiodum Orebiyi, told the BBC that a number of houses had been destroyed, along with a mosque and a church.
He said the blaze had now been brought under control.

Cement shortage stalls devt projects in Upper West

Most on-going development projects in the Upper West Region are at a standstill as a result of an acute shortage of cement in the region within the past month.Buoyed by this development, the price of the commodity has shot up to 90,000 cedis per bag up by 10,000 cedis from the previous price of 80,000 cedis during the period.

Projects that have been severely affected the scarcity are, building projects and construction of culverts and drains. Ghana News Agency saw empty shops when it went round the retail outlets in Wa to assess the situation, with the inscription "NO Cement" displayed in front of some of them.

While some of the dealers put the blame on the manufacturers of the product, others attributed the shortage to the inability of Distributors to get vehicles to cart the product to the region.Mr Abubakari Hamid, a prominent cement dealer in Wa who had no single bag of the product in his shop when the GNA got there, said the shortage was a national problem and blamed GHACEM for creating the situation.

Asked whether the current price would come down when the commodity was made available, he said the price would never go below 85,000 cedis per bag since GHACEM was noted for increasing the price of the commodity every three months.Mr John Ibrahim Donkor, a Wa-based Building Contractor, said they had information that all the articulated trucks were now engaged in carting cocoa beans to the ports for export and their owners found that a more profitable venture than carting cement to the north.

He said unless an immediate solution was found to the problem, they would not be able to complete their projects on schedule.
Source:GNA

Nduom confused about his CPP status

Public Sector Reform Minister, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom has expressed worry about his non-party status in Parliament. Nduom, who is also the Member of Parliament for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem Constituency in the Central Region, was dismissed along with two other MPs from the Convention People’s Party by its Central Disciplinary Committee for acts the party executives described as disloyal.




Dr Nduom told a local radio station - JoyFM - that he had made several attempts to find out if the Central Committee had rescinded its decision since they were sacked in August but had not received any official response, and given that the decision still stood, that could mean he was a free agent and he intended to ask the Speaker of Parliament to clarify the matter so that he could decide on his political future.




“Until they come back and say well, we’ve rescinded our decision, I cannot just go about and pretend that I am a part of something that the leaders say I am not. I have asked the question several times, I haven’t gotten an answer and indeed I do intend to ask the Speaker of Parliament to help clarify this matter so that once and for all we can put this matter to bed so that I can decide what it is that I do with my political future.




Asked if he had received any offers from the ruling New Patriotic Party government, Nduom said he had tried very much stay away from their political activities and believed there had been too much political talk in the country. He did not intend to add to the debates, rather, he preferred to concentrate on development issues and believed Election 2008 was too far away to be given priorities now at the expense of development.




Meanwhile Dr Nduom has denied any knowledge of reports linking him to the creation of a new party. He said he had been minding his business and concentrating on the work in his constituency.A pressure group in the Convention People’s Party, The Patriots said it had come to its attention that certain individuals claiming to be members of the CPP were going round various constituencies seeking to destroy the party and create a new one.




According to The Patriots, the said group was going round asking party officials to complete a form simply titled “Political Movement” and asking them to forward the forms to Accra for action.The Patriots said it was reliably informed that the group was financed by a foreign government that feared the reincarnation of the CPP and was seeking to destroy it in order to create a new party to serve the selfish interests of its leader, a prominent CPP member of hybrid political affiliation.





According to The Patriots, those behind these activities typically sent their agents to constituencies where The Patriots were in the process of opening offices or had opened offices, thus creating the impression that somehow the patriots groups was affiliated with them. The Eastern Regional Chairman of the CPP, Nana Owusu-Sekyere claimed to have received copies of the forms allegedly sent to him by Dr. Nduom.




“When I went to my office, the regional office of the party, I saw over 15 copies of a circular letter. I don’t know where it came from. The topic or agenda was Party Executives and it was asking us to submit the names of the party’s regional executive members to an unknown person.“When I inquired from my secretary, he told me that the bearer of that circular letter told him that it was sent to him by Nduom.”
Source:JOYFM

Calls for peace in the Holy Land

Amid another gloomy Christmas celebrations in the Holy Land, top Roman Catholic official, Michel Sabbah, has appealed Palestinians to halt infighting and for an end to Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed during his homily at midnight Mass in Jesus' birthplace.

"The conflict here has lasted too long. It is high time that the leaders who have our destinies in their hands in this land, specifically, the Palestinian and Israeli leaders as well as those of the international community, it is time for all of them to take new measures that will bring an end to the long phase of death in our history and lead us into a new phase in the history of this Holy Land," Sabbah said in a fervent appeal.

The Latin Patriarch called upon leaders of all hues to "examine their conscience in order to enter a new path that puts an end to bloodshed, death, and in these days to new internal quarrels"."Christmas is saying to us to put down your arms," Sabbah asserted.

The Manger square in front of the Church of Nativity saw more activities than the past years despite internal strife but the foreign tourists seem to have deserted the city."Jerusalem and Bethlehem are like twin cities. If you try to separate Bethlehem from Jerusalem it will be dead and that's what is happening.

The Israeli wall has turned it into a jail and restricted tourists", Raja Zachariah, a catholic christian from Bethelehm's old city told PTI.He shows a whole street with most of the shops shut down, including his own, to drive home his contention. The Israeli tourism ministry took several measures to facilitate the entry of tourists into Bethlehem but locals said it is not a a matter of one time thing."We have tried to make the checkpoint leading to Bethlehem as friendly as such a place could be made friendly, in discussion with Palestinians.

We have also arranged free shuttles for tourists from Jerusalem to the Church of Nativity", Oren Drori, Director of Marketing at Ministry of Tourism told PTI."The city survives on tourism and the wall has broken its backbone. No such measure is going to cheer up this city", Zachariah's friend, George, quipped in response when pointed out with Israeli measures.Hathem, a gift shop owner in a prime location close to the church of Nativity said,' it is the worst Christmas for me.

Not many tourists have come and those who are around are mostly students who have already been living here. It doesn't help".Despite all the hindrances marching bands, children dressed as Santa Claus, clergymen in magenta skullcaps, foreign tourists, including Indians, gathered in the Manger Square for the Christmas Eve celebrations.

"I had put up an application some three months back for an entry pass for the Midnight Mass. When I was told last week that I can come and collect it I was thrilled. It is like a dream come true for me", Sajan Stelas from Kerala said. Sajan had come down from the southern Israeli coastal city of Eilat especially for the celebrations.

"I can't find words to express my feelings at being here", Franklin Titus fom Mumbai said.Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas attended the Midnight Mass and was specially blessed by the Latin Patriarch.
Source:GNA

Christians mark the birth of Jesus Christ

Thousands of Christians in the Cape Coast municipality on Monday attended church service and conventions to mark the birth of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago.

Many of the churches were filled to capacity and extra seating places were created outside the church halls to accommodate the congregation.In a sermon at the St Francis de Sales Cathedral, His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson said the celebration of Christmas should not be used for only merry making, but rather should be used as a period for reconciliation and for people to change their ways to ensure peace and development.

He said people normally 93harden their hearts=94 to the word of God because of the fear of change, stressing that the time had come for Christians to use the word Christ brought to live decent lives and eschew all social vices to enable them enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Cardinal Turkson urged all to use the celebration to share their love, experience, blessing and joy with their neighbours, just as Christ shared the word of God with the world."Christmas is a gift from God and people should endeavour to share this gift with others"At the Varrick Memorial AME Zion church in Cape Coast, reverend Joseph Hammond, assistant pastor of the church, said the birth of Christ was a proclamation of Jesus as the Saviour.

He charged Christians to have faith in Jesus, love one another and follow his footsteps.He advised Christians to eschew hatred, envy and black mailing to promote peaceful co-existence.Rev. Hammond said when this is done, God the father would continue to bless the citizens of the country and 93we may continue to know peace in the country to ensure rapid developments in all spheres of our lives and blessings in all our endeavours=94. 25 Dec 06
Source:GNA

Public Alert From The CPP Patriots

It has come to the attention of the CPP-Patriots, a group of Nkrumaists solely dedicated to the rebuilding of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) into a formidable force in Ghanaian politics, that certain individuals claiming to be members of the CPP are going around various constituencies and asking party officials to complete a form simply titled “Political Movement” and asking these officials to forward the forms to Accra for action.

This group, which we have reliably learned is financed by a foreign government that fears the reincarnation of the CPP, is seeking to destroy the CPP in order to create a new party to serve the selfish interests of its leader, a prominent CPP member of hybrid political affiliation.

They typically send their agents to constituencies where the Patriots are in the process of opening offices (or have opened offices), thus creating the impression that somehow we are affiliated with them. We are not.

Indeed, we repudiate their nefarious activities and condemn them in the strongest possible terms.We use this opportunity, therefore, to call on all members of the Nkrumaist family, especially the CPP, to be on the alert and stand fast in this period of rejuvenation, transition and hope, and fend off these and other subversive forces that seek to pursue their narrow political interests at the expense of the nationalist and Pan-Africanist agenda of the CPP.

We should never entertain such traitors.Forward Ever, Backward Never!Issued by the:The Patriots (cpppatriots@yahoo.com) AccraDecember 23, 2006
Source:The Patriots (cpppatriots@yahoo.com)

"Afii Aya ni eba nina wo"

In Ghana, Christmas season runs from December 20th to the first week in January. This coincides with the end of the cocoa harvest, the most prosperous time of the year, which contributes to the festive atmosphere.

Ghanaians who labor far from home, in the cities, on cocoa farms, and in the mines, return home for the holiday to spend it with family and friends. Houses, schools, and vehicles are decorated with paper ornaments and crepe paper. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, families and friends gather to feast on rice, chicken, goat, lamb and "fufu" (a cassava-plaintain paste)

On Christmas Eve there's often an outdoor procession, perhaps led by local musicians. On Christmas Eve and Day people go caroling house-to-house, singing traditional carols in one of Ghana's 66 local languages. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services feature carols and retellings of the Christmas story.

After church, children get small gifts from "Father Christmas", perhaps sweets, new clothes or a diary. People say Afishapa to one another, using an Akan (a major Ghanaian language) word that translates to "Merry Christmas & Happy New Year".
Father ChristmasThe children of Ghana might find it difficult to relate to the harsh cold of the North Pole, so their "Father Christmas" arrives instead from the tropics to play his part in the Christmas festivals.

His gifts are simple - good things to eat mostly - but his outfit is very elegant. Sandals peek out from under his bright red robe trimmed in golden fabric.
A traditional African patterned sash unites the colors of his outfit, and he wears a pale-colored cloak with a hood over his red cap.

While "Father Christmas" is a holdover from Ghana's colonial days, this was the first Black African country to gain its independence. Thus the people there have chosen the traditions they wish to keep from among the European customs, and expanded to encompass their own.

In Ghana the Christmas festival includes a special, religious service after which young people are given imported chocolates, and cookies and crackers prepared especially for this event. These are said to come from "Father Christmas". Christmas also coincides with harvest time for cocoa, which also is generally known as a time of abundance and good cheer.

Friends and relations travel to visit each other, celebrate the Christmas story, and share a wonderful feast.
Source:GHP