Deputy British Prime Minister in Ghana for three-day visit

John Prescott, Deputy British Prime Minister, arrived in the country on Tuesday evening for a three-day official visit. During his visit, the Deputy Prime Minister is expected to call on President John Agyekum Kufuor, tour the Fort William at Anomabo and also attend a commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade among others. At the airport to meet him, were the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, government officials and officials of the British High Commission.GNA

"Internet Love" Cost American $150,000

GREG Stivey, an American, apparently did not find it strange when a girl friend he met on the internet demanded huge sums of money from him.He readily sent her 3,500 dollars she requested for her to join him in the US and parted with another 2,000 dollars to secure her release from a supposed arrest at the Kotoka Airport for possessing 33 kilogrammes of gold.Through various representations by the girlfriend, identified by the police as Nancy Osei, and her accomplices, Mr Stivey sent a total of 150,000 dollars before realizing that there was something wrong.

Superintendent Denis Abade of the CID Headquarters told the Times that Edmund Ametepey, unemployed, and Alexander Quarshie, a trader, Nancy’s accomplices are assisting the police in investigations.Nancy herself is on the run.He said the American met Nancy at a dating site on the Internet, in January last year and introduced herself as a single lady who was looking for a Christian man to marry. He became interested in her, and started corresponding with her through the Internet.He said that Nancy later on informed Mr Stivey of her desire to join him in the USA, and demanded $3,500 for the trip.

The amount was transferred to her.Mr Stivey later on received a call from one Kennedy Smith, an alleged travel agent, who informed him that Nancy had been arrested at the Kotoka International Airport for allegedly carrying 33 kilogrammes of gold, and so 2,000 dollars was needed for her release. He accordingly transferred the amount to secure her release.

The police said after that transaction, Ametepey and Quarshie told Mr Stivey "stories upon stories" about Nancy’s trip, which made him transfer more money to bring the total to 150,000 dollars.In August last year, the American came down to Ghana with the view of tracing his supposed fiancée, only to realise that he had been duped. Consequently he sought legal advice.

He has since left for the US..The police said that in January, this year, Stivey received a call from a lady who claimed to be Nancy’s friend, and said Nancy had been kidnapped for three months, and she needed 300 dollars to buy a new phone. The money, should be sent in the name of Alexander Quarshie, a supposed pastor’s son.

The police said the money was transferred on January 15 but when Quarshie went to the Industrial Area branch of the SG-SSB to collect it on January 23, he was arrested by the police who had been alerted by Mr Stivey.Further investigations led to the arrest of Ametepey.
Source:Ghanaian Times

Amoateng Resigns!

Speaker declares seat vacant after 14 months

Accra, Feb. 9, GNA - The Speaker, Mr Ebenezer Sekyi Hughes, on Friday declared the Nkronzah North seat vacant and accordingly, directed the Clerk of Parliament to inform the Electoral Commission of the vacancy.

Before the commencement of Public Business, the Speaker informed the House of a communication received from Mr Eric Amoateng, (NPP-Nkronzah North), informing the Speaker of his resignation in accordance with provisions of the constitution and article 17 of the Standing Orders of Parliament.

Article 17 of the Standing Orders states that: " A member who desires to resign his seat in the House shall notify Mr Speaker in writing under his hand of his intention to resign his seat and Mr Speaker shall inform the House as soon as practicable."

The Speaker read out all the contents of Mr Amoateng's letter on the floor of the House.

The member, in his letter addressed to the Speaker, said: "I have come to the realization that my people would be better served in my crises by relinquishing my position."

He said his resignation was voluntary and expressed appreciation to the Speaker, the Majority and Minority leaders and the Privileges Committee for the time given him during his long absence from the house. Mr Amoateng is facing legal charges in the United States following his arrest late 2005 for his alleged involvement in narcotic drugs.

Mr Sekyi Hughes, after reading out the communication, said Mr Amoateng had complied with "Standing Order 17 in all material respect."

He said: "In accordance with Standing Order 18, I herby declare the seat of Nkoranzah North vacant on this 9th day of February, 2007."

Standing Order 18 states that: " The seat of a member shall be declared vacant by Mr Speaker under clause (1) (b) to (h) of Article 97 of the Constitution."

The Speaker then quoted Standing Order 19, and directed the Clerk of Parliament to inform the Electoral Commission of the vacancy in accordance with that provision.

Mr Sekyi Hughes told the House that his earlier ruling on January 30, to the Privileges Committee to re-visit the position taken by the House to give Mr Amoateng time, had been overtaken by the communication received from the member.

He, accordingly, ruled that the matter before the committee had no effect in the light of the resignation of Mr Amoateng.


Source:
GHP

State of the Nation Address - Full text

Mr. Speaker, the Constitution of the Fourth Republic prescribes that the President of the Republic delivers to Parliament a message on the state of the nation at the beginning of each session.

This is what I have come to do.Mr. Speaker, as I look around the House, I see empty seats on he Minority’s side.It is a sad day that members of that side have chosen to absent themselves. It is sad again that they have resorted to this course of action, apparently in reaction to the judgement of a duly constituted court of law.

It is even sadder that they seem to ignore the fact that the due process of going through appeals, as provided for by the Constitution, is yet to be exhausted, in this particular case.Mr. Speaker, I want to use this occasion to ask them to reconsider their withdrawal from the House and come back to play their part to uphold the integrity of the House. I make this appeal in the light of the sincerity with which government is committed to the reconciliation process it has initiated for healing the wounds of the nation and to make for a fresh start.

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Ghana to double its energy generation capacity

Ghana is to double its energy capacity to about 4,000 megawatts within the next five years as part of the Government's vision to speed up the country's industrialization, President John Agyekum Kufuor, has announced.The present generation mix of about 1,300 megawatts would go up by an additional 1,000 megawatts by the close of the year.President Kufuor, who dropped the hint during a courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu, by the National Executive Council of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) on Wednesday said the new generation system would not be dependent on the weather.

The AGI Executive Council members were there to share their views with the President on ways of enhancing the country's manufacturing sector.President Kufuor gave the assurance that the current energy crisis that has resulted in load shedding would be over in the next two to three months.He said realizing that without affordable, reliable and efficient energy supply system, there could not be effective industrialization, the Government, since its inception in 2001 made energy a priority agenda.

He said, it was for this reason that it raised 40 million dollars as Ghana's equity in the West African Gas Pipeline Project, which should have come on stream last December but for the problems in the Niger Delta region.The contractors on the project were now on course to deliver the gas to the shores of Ghana by May, this year.President Kufuor said alongside this project, the Government has concluded arrangement with some companies to build Thermal Plants and was also on the verge of signing an agreement with China to begin the construction of the Bui Hydro-electric dam.The Ministers of Finance and Economic Planning, Energy and the Attorney General are presently in China for this.

President Kufuor told the AGI National Executive Council members that the Government was doing everything within the ECOWAS to help to remove impediments to free trade within the sub-region. "This is a friendly Government. Your success reflects well on the success of the Government."Mr Tony Oteng Gyasi, President of the Association, said the right policies and incentives put in place by the Government have put the manufacturing sector on the path of growth.

He said they would however, want to see the strengthening of the regulatory and inspection agencies like the Ghana Standards Board (GSB), Food and Drugs Board (FDB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) so that they would apply equal checks and scrutiny on imported goods as they do to the made-in-Ghana goods."They should be strengthened to be effective to give us a level playing field." 07 Feb. 2007
Source:GNA

The Supreme Court on Wednesday unanimously acquitted and discharged two out of six persons who were convicted to 20 years' imprisonment each for smuggling 588.33 kilograms of cocaine into the country.They are John David Logan, 43 and Frank Lavelrick, 43, both British nationals.The two were convicted on October 27, 2004 together with Kevin Gorman, 59, an American, Mohammed Ibrahim Kamil, a Ghanaian, Alan Hodson 45, a British national and 45-year-old Sven Herb, a German.They faced charges for conspiracy and possessing 588.33 kilograms of cocaine without lawful authority.Gorman, Lavelrick and Hodson were additionally charged with importing narcotic drugs without licence from the Ministry of Health. Gorman was further charged with using his property for narcotic offence.They pleaded not guilty before Mr Justice F. Kusi Appiah, a Court of Appeal Judge sitting as additional High Court Judge, who found them guilty and convicted them accordingly.On November 4 2005, the Court of Appeal in a 2-1 decisions upheld the decision of the Fast Track Court.In June 2006, Mr Addo Atuah, appellants' Counsel, filed another appeal at the Supreme Court which on Wednesday quashed the decision of the Court of Appeal and the High Court ruling that a prima facie case had been made against Logan and Levelrick.According to the Supreme Court, Logan and Lavelrick should not have been called to open their defence since they had produced credible evidence to make their case during the trial.The panel were Ms Justice Sophia Akuffo, Mr. Justice S. A. Brobbey, Mr Justice Julius Ansah, Mr Justice R. T. Aninakwa and Mrs Justice Sophia Adinyira.Speaking to journalists later, Mr Atuah described the decision as "major victory in the country's rule of law and good governance". He was happy that a right environment had been created to embolden judges to dispense justice fearlessly.Gorman is a Director/Shareholder and Operations Manager of a shipping company - Tuna To-Go Limited based in Tema.On January 7, 2004, the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) and the Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) of the Police Service raided the residence of Gorman and discovered bales and parcels of whitish substances suspected to be cocaine.The parcels were concealed in a specially constructed hole or compartment in a wall behind a large dressing mirror.The prosecution said Gorman with Logan, Lavelrick and Hodgson, who were living in the house at the time, were confronted with the substance.Gorman said the bales and parcels were brought there for safe keeping by one Yakuba for a fee of 50,000 dollars.The rest of the suspects, including Herb, who arrived later, denied knowledge of the substance.
Source:GNA

Ghana Black Stars beat Nigeria's Super Eagles 4-1 in an international friendly match at Griffin Park in London on Tiesday.
All five goals come in the second half. Laryea Kingston 50min, Sulley Muntari 53min, Junior Agogo 60min made it 3-0 for the stars. Taiwo Taye pulled one back for Nigeria in the 65 minute through a penalty kick, before substitute, JoeTex Frimpong, put the result beyond doubt with a fouth goal in the 74min.
This is the first time Ghana has beaten Nigeria since 1992 .... More details laterGhana lineup: Richard Kingston, Hans Adu Sarpei, Habib Mohammed(46' John Paintsil), John Mensah, Shilla Illiasu, Michael Essien(D. Asamoah), Laryea Kingson, Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntari, Asamoah Gyan(Joe Tex Frimpong) and Junior Agogo(Eric Addo).
Substitutes not used: Sammy Adjei, Francis Dickoh
Nigeria: Vincent Enyeama, George Abbey, Taye Taiwo, Seyi Olofinjana, Obinna Nwaneri, Joseph Yobo, John Utaka, Mikel Obi, Christian Obodo, Yakubu Aiyegbeni Aghahowa
Source:GHP