Parliament okays 5.633 trillion cedis as Supplementary Appropriation for 2006

Parliament on Wednesday gave the government the green light to issue from the consolidated fund and other public funds an amount of 5.633 trillion cedis to supplement the finance of government operations during the financial ending 31st December 2006.

This followed the passage of the Supplementary Appropriation Bill by the House for the financial year, in pursuance to Article 179 (8) and (9) of the 1992 Constitution and the Standing Orders of the House. Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Finance and Economic Planning Minister moved the motion for the approval of the House.

A report by the Finance Committee of the House observed that as a result of a non-establishment of the modalities for the Multi-lateral Debt Relief Initiative and other loan facilities that the country received during the year, they were not captured in the 2006 Budget Statement and Government Policy presented in November. "For the country to take advantage of these additional resources to enable the realization of the resource requirement to meet the Millennium Development Goals, it became necessary for the government to request for approval of a Supplementary Estimate, which was laid before the House on 13th July 2006 pursuance to 179 (8) and (9) of the Constitution," the report said.

The Committee noted the approval of US$20 million under Investment Activity for the Ghana@50 Celebrations, which was captured under the Office of the Chief of Staff and Minister for Presidential Affairs, adding that a total of 805 billion cedis was used for the payment of Tema Oil Refinery under recovery and a total of 577 billion was spent on discretionary payments.

Gold Fields Ghana Ltd. outsmarts Mischievous developers

The management of Gold Fields Ghana Limited (GFGL), Tarkwa Mine has suspended a 20 million-dollar oil palm project to be undertaken at Tarkwa. Dr Toni Aubynn, Community Affairs and Public Relations Manager of the company disclosed this at a Consultative Committee Meeting at Tarkwa.

He said management decided to undertake a project that would be viable and sustainable, although it had undertaken social development programmes and the oil palm project was to be a market driven and commercially viable project. Dr Aubynn said the chiefs provided 1,000 hectares for the project and management undertook feasibility studies to identify the land, suitability of the soil and properties on it.

Unfortunately, he said, when the people heard about the project on the land, they hurriedly put up buildings, constructed fishponds and made farms that would attract payment of compensation. Dr Aubynn said the cost of properties on the land was estimated at about 19 million dollars, adding "If the value of properties on the land was so much then it was potentially rich and needs no new activity because it would not be viable". However, he said the project had not been abandoned because management would initiate other viable projects and information available indicated that the soil was good for oil palm, the most suitable crop in the area.GNA

Hawa Yakubu is Dead

London -- Hawa "Iron lady" Yakubu is reported to have died here on Tuesday after a short illness.Until her death she was the second Vice Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP).

Yakubu was the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, a seat she lost to the NDC’s Mahama Ayariga in the 2004 elections.

There are laid down criteria for the creation of district assemblies - Minister

Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, Minster of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, on Tuesday said a request would have to be made and the circumstances looked into for Ashaiman to be upgraded into a district assembly. He, however, said Tema was a municipality and Ashaiman, was being well served by Tema.

The Minister was responding to a question in Parliament on factors that qualified an area to be made a district assembly. He said beside the element of population, the Local Government Act, 1993, (Act 462) takes into account geographical considerations and economic viability with the ability of an area to provide the basic infrastructural and other developmental needs from the monetary and other resources generated in the area.

Mr Asamoah-Boateng, in response to another question on the construction of the Jema market in the Brong Ahafo Region to enhance revenue generation, said the market would be considered as one of the new markets to be constructed. "Ideally, it is the district assembly which initiates projects and contacts relevant agencies for assistance to implement these projects."

"Kintampo South District assembly, therefore, has the mandate to identify projects that are urgent." He said records indicated that the District Assembly has not submitted a request to the Ministry for assistance to establish a market.GNA

Minister of Chieftaincy to launch poem

The Association of Contemporary Ghanaian Poets and Writers will next month launch a selection of poems entitled "A Weeviled Harvest". Written by Barima Adu Asamoa, the anthology of selected poems has a special poem dedicated to the Golden Jubilee celebration entitled Ghana@50, The Poem.

A statement issued in Accra on Tuesday said the launch is in support of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture and would be performed by the Minister, Mr S.K. Boafo. The foreword written by Mr Molefe Kete Asante, an African-American scholar, said: "There is something deep and reflective on the way this poet handles the various emotions, colours, nuances and obstacles in our everyday life."

Barima Adu-Asamoa, who is a poet, writer, filmmaker and lecturer, was educated in Ghana and the UK. He is President of the Association of Contemporary Ghanaian Poets and Writers.GNA

Ghana marks Meteorological Day

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the worldwide meteorological community would celebrate World Meteorological Day which falls on March 23.

A statement signed by Z. Minia Acting Director General of the Ghana Meteorological Agency, said WMO celebrates the day by focusing on a theme of topical or current interest to humankind. The theme for the celebration dubbed " Polar Meteorology: Understanding Global Impacts" is to commemorate the entry into force, the UN Convention creating the organisation.

The statement said the fundamental concept of the International Polar Year (IPY) was an intensive burst of internationally coordinated, interdisciplinary scientific research and observations focused on the earth's Polar Regions and their far- reaching global effects.

British High Commission, Ghana, Raises Visa Application Fees

The British High Commission announced on Tuesday that UK visa fees would go up from April 1. A statement issued in Accra said the increases, the first since 2005, were because of “a substantial change in programme, which aims to improve the control and to improve further customer service”.




The statement said transit, direct airside transit visas were now 815,000 cedis, six month visa was now 1.170 million cedis, student visa was 1.835 million cedis while one-year, two-year, 10-year visit visa was 3.7 million cedis. Returning residents would also 3.7 million cedis, while settlement is 9.250 million cedis.


The statement said the new fees incorporated the handling charge previously levied separately by our commercial partner VFS. It said applicants for long-term visas would need to obtain a certificate to confirm clearance from contagious tuberculosis before lodging their applications.GNA