calling African Scholars

Calling African Scholars
By Rebecca Wanjiku

African scholars interested in developing and preserving indigenous languages have been challenged to take the lead in the Internationalised Domain Name (IDN) debate.


Prof. Maxime Z. Somé, from the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso called on African linguists to actively participate in the IDN project.

`Scientists and scholars should constitute themselves as an exceptional authority in African affairs and move the project forward, said Some.

Some is concerned that Cambodia, Japan, China, Korea and Arabic countries seem to be moving at a faster pace and leaving Africa behind.

In his opinion, linguistic experts as well as scientists in Africa should work together and move the agenda forward. He added that the IDN project requires linguists to agree on the language and terminologies of a particular language and the scientists to work on the technological aspects.

After the agreement of the scripts and language tables, the UNICODE consortium, which consists of computer makers and other bodies, will be expected to integrate the languages into most computers sold to the Africa region.

In this regard, if I have a computer, I can choose the language to use, just like I select to use French or German. In the case of French, the computer inserts the right accents and other letters that may not be available in the English key board.

Asked whether this will lead to development of many key boards, Some says experts can work on some regional languages like Bambara, used in Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso or Fulani, used in Nigeria, Senegal, Mauritania and Mali.

`We know that this project requires a lot of financial commitment and big businesses are not going to invest if not assured of profits. That leaves governments, which have been very non committal, ` he adds.

But he maintains that scholars can jumpstart the process by learning from other countries where experts volunteered their services for the sake of development.

Some spoke at the ongoing Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and
Numbers (ICANN) meeting in Sao Paulo, where the urgency of IDNs has taken
centre stage and its proponents are touting it as a solution to communication problems.

While there are workshops and follow-up meetings to discuss and update on issues relating to IDNs, Africa is stuck with the obsession of listing its numerous cultural and logistical problems as the hindrance to IDN progress.

In 2004, Adama Samassekou, head of the African Academy of Languages was quoted saying there was lethargy within African leadership to use local languages even at Africa Unity meetings Swahili was recommended in 1986
but was used at the AU meeting in July 2004. Swahili is widely spoken in 15
East and Central African countries.
Ends

Have Camera Phone? Yahoo and Reuters Want You to Work for Their News Service

Hoping to turn the millions of people with digital cameras and camera phones into photojournalists, Yahoo and Reuters are introducing a new effort to showcase photographs and video of news events submitted by the public.
Starting tomorrow, the photos and videos submitted will be placed throughout Reuters.com and Yahoo News, the most popular news Web site in the United States , according to comScore MediaMetrix. Reuters said that it would also start to distribute some of the submissions next year to the thousands of print, online and broadcast media outlets that subscribe to its news service. Reuters said it hoped to develop a service devoted entirely to user-submitted photographs and video.
“There is an ongoing demand for interesting and iconic images,” said Chris Ahearn, the president of the Reuters media group. He said the agency had always bought newsworthy pictures from individuals and part-time contributors known as stringers.
“This is looking out and saying, ‘What if everybody in the world were my stringers?’ ” Mr. Ahearn said.
The project is among the most ambitious efforts in what has become known as citizen journalism, attempts by bloggers, start-up local news sites and by global news organizations like CNN and the BBC to see if readers can also become reporters.
Many news organizations turned to photographs taken by amateurs to supplement coverage of events like the London subway bombing and the Asian tsunami. Yahoo’s news division has already used images that were originally posted on Flickr, the company’s photo-sharing site. For example, it created a slide show of images from Thailand after the coup there in September.
Camera phone videos are increasingly making news themselves. Michael Richards, the actor who played Kramer on “Seinfeld,” was recorded last month responding to hecklers in a nightclub with racially charged epithets. The video was posted on TMZ, the celebrity news site.
The Yahoo-Reuters project will create a systematic way to incorporate images covering a wider range of topics into news coverage.
Starting tomorrow, users will be able to upload photos and videos to a section of Yahoo called You Witness News (news.yahoo.com/page/youwitnessnews). All of the submissions will appear on Flickr or a similar site for video. Editors at both Reuters and Yahoo will review the submissions and select some to place on pages with relevant news articles, just as professional photographs and video clips are woven into their news sites today.
“People don’t say, ‘I want to see user-generated content,’ ” said Lloyd Braun, who runs Yahoo’s media group. “They want to see Michael Richards in the club. If that happens to be from a cellphone, they are happy with a cellphone. If it’s from a professional photographer, they are happy for that, too.”
Users will not be paid for images displayed on the Yahoo and Reuters sites. But people whose photos or videos are selected for distribution to Reuters clients will receive a payment. Mr. Ahearn said the company had not yet figured out how to structure those payments. The basic payment may be relatively small, but he said Reuters was likely to pay more to people offering exclusive rights to images of major events. For now, no money is changing hands between Yahoo and Reuters, but if Reuters is able to create a separate news service with the user-created material, it will split the revenue with Yahoo.
Before photographs or videos are used on the Yahoo site or distributed by Reuters, photo editors at Reuters will try to vet them to weed out fraudulent or retouched images.
This is an imperfect process. Last summer, a blogger discovered that photos of the conflict in Lebanon by a freelance photographer working for Reuters had been digitally altered. Reuters stopped using the photographer and withdrew his work from its archive. The company is now trying to develop software that will help detect altered photographs.
The arrangement with Yahoo is one of several initiatives by Reuters to use the Internet to bring new sources to its news report. It has invested $7 million in Pluck, a company that distributes content from blogs to newspapers and other traditional media outlets. It has also backed two more experimental ventures: NewAssignment.net, an effort to foster reporting that combines the work of professional journalists with input from online readers, and Global Voices, a collection of blogs from less-developed countries.
Yahoo has its own ambitious plans for the You Witness News service. The images received will be used on its sports and entertainment sites. Over time, it wants to expand to local news and high school sports. And it will consider allowing users to contribute articles as well as images. For now, both Yahoo and Reuters are concerned that they do not have the resources to edit and verify such articles.
“News has special constraints on content quality,” said Elizabeth Osder, a senior director for product development at Yahoo. “If we publish text, we want to review it.”
CNN, which is owned by Time Warner and introduced its I-Reports section for user-submitted material on its site in August (www.cnn.com/exchange/), accepts text, images and video. Some submissions are included in its news broadcasts.
“Even the best reporters in most cases are approaching the story from the outside in,” said Mitch Gelman, the executive producer of CNN.com. “What a participant observer can offer is the perspective on that story from the inside out. We feel as a news organization we need to provide both to offer full coverage to our audience.”
Yahoo and Reuters will have other competitors besides mainstream news organizations when it comes to attracting submissions. People with compelling video, for example, may want the instant gratification of putting it on YouTube, the giant video site owned by Google, or some other site.
“The average person witnesses something that is considered news once every 10 years,” said Steve Rosenbaum, who created MTV Unfiltered, one of the first viewer-contributed video programs on television. “When it’s time to put something on the Internet, they will put it in the place they have used before. The numbers tell us that is YouTube.”
Indeed, Yahoo has had some trouble attracting submissions for another high-profile initiative, an effort to solicit videos for a site created jointly with Current, the cable network started by former Vice President Al Gore. As of Friday, that site is no longer accepting new videos.
Moreover, said Mr. Rosenbaum, who now runs Magnify Media, which helps Web sites post video contributions, it might be difficult to get the right sort of submissions.
“If you are asking your audience to know what is a national news story of interest to the world, it seems to me there are only two results: whether you get flooded with lots of car fires, or you get nothing. Neither is a particularly good effect.”

UN Humanitarian Response Depot for West Africa to be sited in Accra

Government and the World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to locate the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Accra to serve the West African Sub-Region. The decision to locate the UN Humanitarian Depot in Accra makes Ghana a key partner in the humanitarian logistics chain, delivering sustenance and succour in the world, which is overburdened with several avoidable conflicts. Signing on behalf of the Government, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and NEPAD, underscored Ghana's commitment to a continued collaboration with the WFP in order to make the Humanitarian Response Depot a reality. "Our aim is to assist the WFP to respond promptly to multiple disasters on the scale of the South-East Asian Tsunami; the drought in Niger; the famine in Darfur; the Pakistani earthquake or the effect of land slide in the Philippines," he said. Nana Akufo-Addo said Ghana's choice was an indication of the confidence that the international community reposed in the country as an area of peace and stability in a region that had in the recent past been unfortunately bedevilled by various civil wars and ethnic strife. He said: "Ghana will continue to engage actively other actors on the international scene for the necessary collaboration to find lasting solution to the current situation in Cote d'Ivoire and Somalia, the ongoing tragedy in Darfur in the Sudan and the Israeli Palestinian conflict in the Middle East. Mr Mustapha Darboe, Regional Director of WFP, who represented the Executive Director of the WFP, Mr James Morris at the signing ceremony, noted that the number and frequency of cataclysmic natural disasters had increased significantly over the past decade. He said in 2005, the WFP, which is the food aid arm of the UN system, distributed four million tonnes of food to 96.7 million people in 82 countries. West Africa, Mr Darboe said ‘is faced with triple threats of poverty, food insecurity and civil conflicts’ and noted: "While Liberia and Sierra Leone were recovering from decades of conflicts, the situation in Cote d'Ivoire is still of concern." He said the WFP had supported Ghana for three years since the early 1990s and as such she was selected for the West Africa UNHRD for its strategic location, access to air, land and sea routes, stability and commitment to regional stability through the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Centre.GNA

ARB Apex bank expands tentacles

The ARB Apex Bank, the umbrella body of all rural banks in the country is to expand its network to reach out to more people in the rural areas. The Bank would carry this mandate through the intensification of special support to distressed/marginal rural banks to enable them to better serve the rural folks. Mr Emmanuel Kwapong, Managing Director of the Bank, who announced this during a brief meeting with the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Mr Lennart Bage; said new rural banks would be established in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions. He said linkages would be promoted between rural banks and other rural micro-finance institutions as well as offer training in agricultural lending; credit management; financial literacy for women and product development. Mr Kwapong said appropriate funds mobilization of products and products targeting rural women would be developed as part of the new innovation of the Bank. He said ARB Apex was to establish an inspection unit to enable it undertake effective off-site and on-site inspection of the rural banks to ensure sound financial operations. The Managing Director expressed appreciation to the IFAD, which had so far supported the Apex Bank with 11 million dollars under the Rural Financial Services Project (RFSP). Giving an overview of the Bank's operations over the past five years, Mr Kwapong said its total assets as at 2005 was 2.26 billion cedis while total deposits and total loans stood at 1.68 billion cedis and 7.75 billion cedis, respectively. Its net worth increased from 73.3 million cedis in 2001 to 830.64 million cedis in 2005. Its stated capital increased from 9.58 million cedis in 2001 to 54.12 million cedis in 2005. Mr Bage lauded the Bank's achievements over the years and asked the Management to intensify operations to assist rural banks to make access to credit cheaper to rural farmers. He urged the Management to further develop more attractive products and specifically mentioned insurance products for the rural populace.GNA

FAO Head commends Ghana

Dr Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), on Tuesday commended the Government for the appreciable strides made in meeting the food requirements of Ghanaians.He said Ghana was among the first to reach and surpass the World Food Summit goal of reducing by half the number of undernourished people by 2015.Between 1990-92 and 2001-03, the number of hungry people fell from 5.8 million to 2.4 million.Dr Diouf, who was briefing the press in Accra, however, said more attention was required in the area of nutrition for children less than five years of age.He lauded the School Feeding Programme launched by the Government under which millions of school children are provided with one hot meal a day, and expressed optimism that it would help to address the nutrition needs of children.Dr Diouf and his two counterparts, Dr Lennart Bage, President of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Mr James Morris, Executive Director of World Food Programme (WFP), are in the country to assess the impact of their interventions.Dr Diouf said he and his counterparts were in Ghana not by chance but in acknowledgement of the strides the country was making on all fronts, including socio-economic development and good governance. Mr Lennart Bage, President of IFAD, called for increased investment in agriculture and rural development to boost the standard of living for poor rural women; children and men.So far IFAD has invested about 950 million dollars in its programme in the development of root crops and tubers and to improve value addition.Dr Bage said all agencies were determined to work as a coherent system to get synergies to work. He expressed satisfaction with how funds provided by IFAD for its programmes were being utilized in the rural areas, especially in the three northern regions.The three Rome-based organizations are collaborating to provide support to the Ghana School Feeding Programme to improve nutrition and education using food produced locally from school and family gardens and smallholder farmers.The Director General said 290,000 children were being targeted under the WHO/NEPAD feeding programme.Other areas of assistance include policy initiatives in medium-term investment programme, aquaculture and food security. Mr Enerst Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture, said the Government was rehabilitating old dams while new ones were being built to facilitate improved agricultural performance. Besides more agriculture equipment such as tractors; slashers; power tillers had been imported to reduce the drudgery the farmers go through while tilling the land, he said.
Source:GNA

shoked

It was another successful and busy athletics weekend at home and abroad.

In Nigeria, Solomon Busiendich won the richest mountain race in Africa which earned him Sh3.6 million as Selina Kosgei and Amos Mutai won the Singapore leg of the Greatest Race on Earth on Sunday.

Standard Chartered’s Greatest Race on Earth (GROE) athletes Mutai and Kosgei, both Kenyan, ran course record times of 2:15:01 and 2:31:55 respectively to win the men’s and women’s Singapore Marathon.

The victory for Kosgei, who was accompanied to Singapore and supported by her family, maintains her team Cyclone’s position as leaders of the GROE Women’s Team Challenge.

They now have a cumulative time of 5:04:41, putting them over nine minutes ahead of their nearest rivals, the Grazy Girls, with both the first leg in Nairobi and now the second leg in Singapore completed.

Mutai’s spirited run for Marathon Centre Kericho has lifted his team’s position from 14th in the GROE Main Team Challenge to lead position.

Favourite

Previous leaders Run for Fun team dropped to 20th position, despite being represented by one of the pre-marathon favourites Joseph Ngolepus.

The Standard Chartered GROE, with a total prize pool of US$1.5 million, is a team relay of four challenging marathons in Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai and Hong Kong. The field of elite athletes and emerging talent sped away from the start-line at 6am along the Esplanade Drive.

The 2006/07 GROE Series sees participation from over 30 countries, the focus of which is the Nations Challenge.

Zimbabwe’s Oliver Kandiero shone in Singapore, as he stormed through the course to finish with a time of 2:21:23. This puts them in third place in the Nations Challenge, closing the gap to Kenya in second to just half a minute.

kapo jua

Ahadi za JK zaanza kutekelezwa


Wakati wa kampeni za urais mwaka 2005, JK alisema: "Tanzania Yenye Neema Inawezekana." Aliahidi "kushamirisha demokrasia." Na zaidi ya yote, aliahidi "maisha bora kwa kila Mtanzania" kwa ari mpya, kasi mpya na nguvu mpya. Mwaka mmoja umepua tangu aingie madarakani. Haya ndiyo matokeo ya ahadi hizo?

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 0 Maoni Yako

Friday, December 01, 2006
Mbowe na Obasanjo warejea darasani


Wanasiasa hawa wawili, Rais wa Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, na aliyekuwa mgombea urais wa Tanzania mwaka 2005, Freeman Mbowe, wamefanana katika jambo moja mwaka huu - kurejea shule, kunoa ubongo. Tusisahau Waziri Mkuu, Frederick Sumaye, naye alijiunga na Chuo Kikuu cha Havard mapema mwaka huu.

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 0 Maoni Yako

Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Kura Za Mzee Wa Kombati Zilikwenda Wapi?


CCM walidai kwamba Mbowe alipata watu wengi kwenye kampeni kwa sababu watu walikwenda kushangaa helikopta. Nikiitazama picha hii naona jambo tofauti. Helikopta ipo uwanjani lakini hawaitazami. Wameiacha nyuma, wanamkodolea macho Mbowe (hayupo pichani). Tazama nyuso zao. Waliofuatilia kampeni zake wanajua hali ilikuwa hivyo kila mkutano wake wa kampeni Oktoba - Desemba 2005. Tazama mmoja wa washindani wake. Nimesikia watu wakijiuliza. Nami najiuliza. Na sasa nawauliza nyie wasomaji. Tuulizane. Hivi kura za Mbowe zilikwenda wapi?

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 0 Maoni Yako

Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Tazama Ubunifu


Rafiki yangu mmoja aitwaye Alex Kaija amenitumia picha hii. Nimemuuliza alikoipata akasema naye ametumiwa. Hamjui aliyeitengeneza. Nimevutiwa na ubunifu wake; nikaona vema niwashirikishe wasomaji wa blogu hii. Mnasemaje?

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 5 Maoni Yako

Sunday, November 19, 2006
Unasemaje juu ya vitisho vya Lowassa?


Waziri Mkuu, Edward Lowassa, amekuwa akitumia mabavu kukabiliana na wananchi wanaomkosoa, hasa magazetini. Makala HII imemuonya na kumtahadharisha juu ya athari za ubabe huo; hasa kwa mtu ambaye tayari ameshaonyesha nia ya kuwania urais baada ya Jakaya Kikwete. Una maoni gani?

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 3 Maoni Yako

Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Mbunge Huyu Ana Hoja, Asikilizwe


HII ni sehemu tu ya upungufu wa katiba ya nchi yetu ambayo tunaendelea kusisitiza kuwa iandikwe upya ili iendane na matakwa ya sasa. Kwa nini tulazimishane kuongozana kwa matakwa ya miaka 50 iliyopita? Kwa nini hatuoni kwamba na kizazi hiki kina mchango wake katika kukua kwa taifa?

Imewekwa na Ansbert Ngurumo | 0 Maoni Yako

Monday, November 06, 2006
Kifo cha Saddam Hussein


Hajafa, lakini mazingira yanaonyesha kuwa atakufa. Unasemaje kuhusu hukumu dhidi yake? Soma maoni ya "dunia," sifa zake na historia yake.

Work hard to retain power in 2008 elections- Commey

Mr. Lord Commey, the National Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has reiterated the call on party members to work hard to clinch victory in the 2008 elections. He said members, especially polling station chairmen, should bury their political differences and work together as one family to enhance chances of the party in the election. Mr. Commey said this at the Central Regional Delegates' Conference at Agona Swedru. He said the government had made significant achievements and mentioned the School Feeding Programme, Capitation Grant, Youth Employment Programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme as examples. Mr. Commey said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and Democratic Freedom Party have no ability to defeat the NPP in the 2008 elections. Mr. Dan Botwe, a former Information Minister, commended members of the party in Central Region for their hard work and dedication that enabled the party to win 16 out of the 19 seats. Mr. Botwe, the Director of Communications and Research of the party, said in every human institution there was bound to be misunderstandings and appealed to supporters of the party to bury their difference and work as a team to retain power in 2008. Representatives of the National Democratic Congress and Democratic Freedom Party gave fraternal messages.GNA

Spio urges NDC delegates to give him the nod

Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, an NDC Presidential aspirant, has said he had the capacity to run the presidency if the delegates gave him the nod at the party's primaries on 21st December. He said if he should be given the nod he could turn the fortune of the party in the next elections. Dr Spio Garbrah was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Agona Swedru on Saturday after he had addressed the Central Region delegates of the party. He said there should be a massive change in the party and that the NDC needed to get somebody marketable who should be in a position to provide adequate resources and logistics to run the party. Dr Spio-Garbrah said his chances of becoming the flag bearer were brighter than other contestants because he started from the scratch as constituency executive of NDC in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam constituency in early 90s. He said a former Director of Communications of the party and an experienced and marketable person he would be able to lead the NDC to re-capture power.GNA

Ike and Clottey fails to Shine in US

... Quartey no match for Wright ... Clottey Fails to win title

Ike Quartey and Joshua Clottey lost their boxing fights last night in the United States. Quartey lost by a unanimous decision to Winky Wright at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. While, Antonio Margarito of Mexico won a unanimous decision over Clottey to successfully defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
Quartey no match for Wright A determined Winky Wright felt he had something to prove.
"They say I can't punch," the former world junior-middleweight champion said Saturday night at Tampa, Fla. "I wanted to show that I can."
One of the best defensive fighters in the business, Wright went on the offensive and knocked down Ike Quartey late in the second round and won the 12-round middleweight fight between two old friends with a unanimous decision.
Wright threw 1,011 punches to Quartey's 642. He was still going strong in the last round, but couldn't finish off his game opponent.
"I dropped him. I hurt him. But he kept coming back," Wright said. "I wish I could have knocked him out, but Ike's a durable guy."
Wright landed a right to the head to drop Quartey with about 20 seconds left in the second round. He rocked his opponent again with a hard left to the head midway through the eighth.
The 35-year-old Wright, a St. Petersburg resident fighting on his home turf for the first time since 1992, improved to 51-3-1 with 25 knockouts.
Quartey (37-4-1) fell to 3-2 since resuming his career in 2005 after taking more than four years off following a pair of disappointing losses in 1999 and 2000.Friends since the early 1990s when they were young boxers competing in France, Wright and the 37-year-old Quartey had no problem putting their friendship on hold for a night in hopes of positioning themselves for a big-money fight in the near future.
The judges scored the fight 117-110, 117-110 and 117-109.
"He's a good fighter. It was tougher than I thought fighting a southpaw," Quartey said. "He didn't hurt me. I thought I did enough to win the fight."
Both fighters were coming off controversial decisions that left them feeling slighted in their most recent fights.Wright, who landed 269 punches to Quartey's 174, felt he won a middleweight title bout that ended in a draw with champion Jermain Taylor in June.Quartey, who quit boxing six years ago after losing consecutive fights to Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas, dropped a close 10-round decision to Vernon Forrest in August.
Clottey LoseAgainst Clottey (30-2), Margarito trailed early but gradually wore down the Ghanaian, who was appearing in his first title fight.Clottey outboxed Margarito for most of the first four rounds but appeared to injure his left hand in the fifth round, and pointed to the hand as he went to his corner after the bell.Clottey later said he broke the knuckle on the index finger of his left hand when he landed a jab to Margarito's head in the fourth round. He said he also hurt his right hand in the seventh round, though he did not specify what type of injury it was."I thought I was in control of the fight until I hurt my hand," Clottey said.Margarito did not leave the ring unscathed, and said he injured his right wrist in the sixth round.Margarito had not fought since knocking out Manuel Gomez in the first round in mid-February in Las Vegas, and he said the layoff hindered him against Clottey."The ten months off really didn't help me tonight," he said. "I couldn't get a rhythm going early in the fight."Judge Eugene Grant scored the fight 118-109 and judges John Stewart and Paul Venti had it 116-112.Margarito took control in the middle rounds and pummelled Clottey in the eighth and the ninth, cornering him along the ropes in the latter round for a long stretch and landing numerous combinations.Clottey's answer in the 10th round was to dance away from Margarito for most of the round, a tactic that drew boos from the crowd at Boardwalk Hall.
Source:Associated Press

Former Attorney-General urges the youth to creat wealth genuinely

Mr J. Ayikoi Otoo, Former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice on Saturday urged the youth to desist from amassing wealth through criminal activities. He said people who indulged in criminal activities to amass wealth, often ended up in prison. Addressing the 31st Annual Certification Day of Opportunities Industrialization Centre (OIC) in Accra, Mr Otoo urged the graduates to have confidence in themselves and work hard in their chosen vocations to succeed in life. A total of 335 trainees made up of 193 boys and 142 girls graduated in Carpentry and Joinery, Auto Mechanics, Electrical Installation, Plumbing, Masonry, Catering, Ceramics, Graphic Arts, Textiles, Office and Computer Skills.

“The certificates you receive today are for you personally and never to be shared, transferred or assigned to others. Your graduation today, should not be the end of your training whether academically or practically,” he added. Mr Otoo urged the graduates to undergo apprenticeship with master craftsmen in their chosen vocation to sharpen their skills. He said every vocation or profession required experience and more exposure to develop and progress. Mr Otoo said “There is no blessing in cheating or being dishonest, corrupt and morally deprived. Do not inflate prices for you clients to make quick money. You would lose clients to others and become jobless.” Mrs Akosua Frema Osei Opare, Deputy Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment, said Government would support all forms of youth education, because human resource development was crucial for the country in her quest to become a middle income economy by 2015.

General Emmanuel Erskine (Rtd), Member of the Board of OIC said it was founded by the late Baptist Minister, Dr Leon H. Sullivan to provide a life line to young boys and girls who experienced difficulties in making academic progress in the formal education system. He said through OIC many boys and girls had been given the opportunity to acquire marketable skills which make them employable in the society. Gen. Erskine urged parents of the graduates who could afford to send their children to tertiary institutions should endeavour to do so, “Because life is becoming highly competitive and admission to other higher professional institutions could be beneficial.” Mr K.A. Asante, Programme Manager of OIC, said OIC International in collaboration with USAID had instituted a scholarship scheme for orphans and vulnerable children who were not able to make any bearing in life. “The scheme is free because the trainee’s contribution to training, examination fees, transport fares to school and back and are catered for,” he said. Mr Asante said 69 orphans and vulnerable youth were among the graduates. GNA

Ghana is capable of being food sufficient

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, the Northern Regional Minister, has said Ghana was capable of becoming self sufficient in food production.He said this would depend largely on sustainable agricultural investment in the rural farming areas to engage the youth in food production and controlling the taste of the people for foreign food items.Alhaji Idris was addressing farmers at Buipe in the Central Gonja District to mark the Regional Farmers' Day at which 24 farmers were honoured.Mr. Alhassan Baako Dakurugu, 50, from Gushiegu, won the overall regional best farmer award and took away a corn mill, a bicycle, sewing machine, wax print, Wellington boots, fertilizers and cutlasses as his prize.Alhaji Idris said if the youth applied themselves diligently to agriculture as an income earning occupation they would be able to increase production to higher levels to feed the nation and for exports. He said it was for this reason that the government initiated the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to nurture and develop the youth into self-made entrepreneurs full of self-confidence and a high level of discipline to make them assets to the national economy.Alhaji Idri said the NYEP had taken off in the Northern Region and that it was yielding positive results.He said 5,522 youth had been employed in agriculture, 3,313 were engaged as teaching assistants while 485 were into sanitation and waste management.On HIV/AIDS, Alhaji Idris said the vision of a well educated, well trained and well motivated human resource as a vehicle for driving the wheel of development could be achieved if there was concerted effort to keep the youth healthy."HIV/AIDS poses the greatest single threat to such an objective", he said, adding: "If we have to sustain interest and productivity in agriculture, then we must make sure that we maintain a viable, virile and healthy labour force".Alhaji Idris said the greatest and most effective weapon against HIV/AIDS was openness, talking about it, discussing it at home, workplaces, churches and mosques as well as in the communities for the people to know more about the disease."This is the only surest way to demystify and conquer the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the country", he said.The Regional Minister reminded the people about the wanton destruction of the environment, saying the environment was critical for the continued human existence.Two women, who were living with HIV/AIDS, voluntarily announced their health status to the crowd.This moved the people and Alhaji Idris and he gave a million cedis each to the women as his personal donation for their upkeep. 02 Dec 06
Source:GNA

Spio-Garbrah promises to remain with NDC

Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, an aspiring presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has said he would not leave or form another party if he is not elected the presidential candidate of the party at the delegates' congress on December 21."I will remain committed, resolute and resourceful to the party and also bring to bear my expertise and rich experiences with whoever will be given the nod," he said.Dr Spio-Garbrah made the pledge when he met delegates of five constituencies in the Twifo-Hemang-Lower Denkyira and Upper Denkyira Twifo-Praso as part of his campaign tour of the Central Region.He said it was through his efforts that the NDC aspiring presidential candidates were made to sign an agreement not to leave or form any party but to support anyone who would be given the nod and that it was important for him to ensure that the agreement holds. He said the time had come for the NDC to refresh, repackage and market itself in a way to win the confidence of Ghanaians to vote the party back to power."I am the right candidate who will help disabuse the minds of Ghanaians that the party is a disunited or human rights abuser." The presidential aspirant, who is the Chief Executive Office of the Commonwealth Telecommunication Organization, said Ghanaians especially NDC supporters and functionaries were looking for a flag bearer who is marketable, youthful, dynamic and vibrant to lead the party to win the 2008 general election.He described himself as the right candidate that has the techniques, skills and resources to move the NDC forward and gave the assurance that when given the not he would, within six months, remodel, rehabilitate and resell the party in such a way that all those who defected would rush back.He denied media reports that there was "bad blood" or tension between him and Prof John Evans Atta Mills, former Vice President and another presidential aspirant."I have no problem with the professor. It is the media that are painting the picture to look as if there is a problem between us." "I respect the elderly and the views of everyone and would therefore not do anything that would bring confusion and division in the party" he said.
Source:GNA

Experts urge extra billion dollars to fight bird flu

World donors must extend around an extra billion dollars to fight bird flu as the deadly virus spreads to ill-prepared countries in Africa and the Middle East, experts said Tuesday.
UN avian influenza coordinator David Nabarro and World Bank economist Olga Jonas said the funding requirements would be addressed at the fourth global conference on the virus being held in Mali from December 6 to 8.
They said another 986 million to 1.3 billion dollars is needed over the next two to three years, in addition to 1.9 billion agreed by donors at the last conference held in January in Beijing.
Of the extra funding, 566 million dollars must go to Africa alone, the experts told reporters on a conference call.
"At the time of Beijing, in January 2006, the virus had not yet appeared anywhere in Africa, or in Eastern Europe, or the Middle East," Jonas said.
She said that today about 50 countries have been hit by bird flu, against only a dozen when the Beijing conference was held 11 months ago.
At next month's gathering in Mali's capital Bamako, according to Nabarro, "we'll be looking not just at the needs of Africa but that will be a central focus of the discussion".
"We have also been concerned about the capacity of Middle Eastern and African countries to respond adequately to the stresses posed by avian influenza," he said, highlighting Egypt and Nigeria in particular.
The Bamako meeting, jointly organized by Mali's government, the European Union and the African Union, will include ministers of health and those in charge of the fight against bird flu, veterinary experts and doctors from over 100 countries.
The H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus, which can be transmitted to humans and is potentially fatal, has steadily spread west since it first appeared in Asia in late 2003.
In Africa, eight countries -- Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Niger and Sudan -- have been affected.

Banking--------Africa’s Top 100 Banks

This year’s Top 100 African Banks rankings reveal that the continent is belatedly but determinedly following the global trend towards consolidation. The watchword is big is beautiful. South African banks, which are by far the largest in Africa both in terms of capital and assets, have been consolidating for years. Nigeria has just gone through a frenzied two-year period of mergers and acquisitions; when the dust had settled, only two dozen banks remained standing. More M&As are on the way as are partnerships with strong overseas financial institutions. With the price of oil remaining high and with that country’s non-oil sector showing growth for the first time in several years, Nigerians are anticipating an economic boom and the banks are bracing themselves to deliver. Our Cover Story therefore includes a detailed examination of the latest developments in Nigeria’s banking sector. As in previous years, we have included a region-by region overview. This special report was written by Moin Siddiqi and Neil Ford. The tables were compiled by Moin Siddiqi and Omar Ben Yedder.
African Business’ ranking for the Top 100 African Banks was based on shareholders’ funds (Tier 1 capital) as defined by the Switzerland-based Basel Bank for International Settlements (BIS). The African markets continue to present both opportunities and challenges for strategic investors and nowhere is this better reflected than in the area of the financial services industry. Economic growth in Africa is projected to exceed 5% this year and next, thus conditions are ripe for well-managed banks to perform strongly. Consolidation (as recently in Nigeria) is needed as a number of markets remain over-banked. The rationale for mergers and acquisitions is that larger banks can exploit economies of scale, reduce costs and provide their clients, both retail and corporate, with new and more efficient services – including internet banking and electronic payments.

Source http://www.africasia.co.uk/africanbusiness/ab.php?ID=1067

DVLA introduces new roadworthiness sticker

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority has introduced a new Roadworthiness Sticker to help address the duplication of the security document. The DVLA at a news conference on Tuesday introduced the new document which according to the authority, had security features that would make it difficult to duplicate. The Director of Driver Training, Testing and Licensing C. W. Musah, said the new sticker has been in circulation since Monday. According to him, vehicle owners seeking to renew their certificates from now on would be served the new stickers at the authority’s offices nationwide. He explained that the introduction of the new sticker had become necessary because of the widespread abuse of the current one.“Since the introduction of roadworthiness in this country the roadworthiness sticker has seen very little changes. As a security document, the security features in it have become very obsolete and many modern printing presses could easily reproduce it. Faking has been on a massive scale and the government is losing valuable revenue. Roadworthiness status of vehicles could no longer be guaranteed.”The DVLA was not expecting any rush by drivers and vehicle owners to acquire the new sticker since the objective was to gradually phase out the currently abused sticker. Vehicles that report to renew expired certificates would be embossed with the new sticker.Mr. Musah said the new sticker comes at no additional cost and advised motorists to deal only with officers of the authority to ensure safety.“Bearing in mind the mission of the authority – to ensure the use of roadworthy vehicles driven by qualified drivers, the authority has taken this step to safeguard the motoring public.”

Our party (NPP) Is A Terrorist Party – NPP V/R Secretary

It appears the dirty politicking and bickering that are associated with presidential races have started rearing their ugly heads in the ruling party perhaps earlier than expected.This clearly became evident when one of the big wigs of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Volta Region, Emmanuel Ashiagbor, claimed in an interview that his Party, formed by great minds and personalities,has suddenly turned to a terrorist party, and has urged President Kufuor to be wary of the development.He also asserted that President John Agyekum Kufuor is surrounded by liars, who do not present the true picture of activities within the party to the him.Mr. Ashiagbor, who is the Keta constituency secretary of the party, even went further to claim that the activities of a these liars and hypocrites are tearing the NPP apart in the Volta Region, which is regarded as the NDC’s ‘World Bank”.Highly charged and enraged Ashiagbor who was speaking in an interview with Radio Gold last Friday mentioned presidential aide, Tommy Amematekpor and the NPP regional chairman of the region, Ken Nuworsu, as the main liars who are feeding the President with wrong information about the region and has even dared the two to challenge him.Mr. Ashiagbor’s effusions were provoked by reports that one of the aspiring presidential candidates and former press secretary to the president, Kwabena Agyapong told some delegates that the President always refused to take his advise when he was press secretary to him at the Castle.The Ghanaian Chronicle newspaper had reported that during a recent meeting involving NPP stalwarts, President Kufuor took a swipe at Kwabena Agyapong for making the alleged remarks.However, in an interview, Mr. Ashiagbor maintained that the former press secretary never made such a derogatory statement about the President and blamed the detractors of Kwabena Agyapong for peddling such lies. He challenged those who reported the false allegation about Kwabena Agyapong to the President to come out with their evidence or hold their peace.According to him, the only motive of such lies is to destroy the campaign of Kwabena Agyapong and nothing else. He however warned that their evil machinations will never see the light of day. Dropping more bombshells, Mr. Ashiagbor warned that the party stands a great chance of losing the 2008 general elections if it does not do ay with the acts of deceit, lies, double standards and misrepresentations of facts to President John Agyekum Kufuor.

Ghana to host first Africa Summit for International Yoga Practitioners

Ghana is to host the first Africa Summit for the International Association of Black Yoga Teachers (IABYT) slated for August 8 to August 12 2007. The summit, which is expected to attract about 300 International Yoga Practitioners from the US, Europe, Asia and Africa, would provide the platform to create the awareness of yoga practice and its relevance to the overall development of mankind. Yoga is a form of practice that aims at improving the spiritual, mental and physical well-being of people by means of certain mental and physical exercises. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency after a Yoga Clinic to educate people about the health benefits of yoga practice in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Issah Musah Adams, Public Relations Officer of the IABYT-Ghana, said besides the summit, delegates with varying professional disciplines would take the opportunity to explore business opportunities in Ghana. “They are coming not only as Yoga Practitioners but also as businessmen and women and strategic investors to meet the Ghanaian business community, interact with them and find ways of forging partnership. “They will also tour most parts of the country especially tourist sites”, he said. Explaining the health benefits of yoga, Mr Adams said its practice had now been universally accepted as an effective complementary therapy for the cure of ailments such as heart related problems, asthma and migraine among many others. He said it helped to manage and/or alleviate stress and its related ailments as well as boost the immune system for a healthy living. “Today in a lot of universities and hospitals in the world especially in the USA, researchers have seen the need to incorporate yoga practice into the health delivery system”, Mr Adams said. He said yoga practice slowed down the aging process in terms of physical appearance and improved the life expectancy of a population which guaranteed healthy labour force for productive activities. Explaining some misconception about yoga, Mr Samuel Sasu, Executive Director of the Yoga Association in Ghana, said the practice is not a religion nor had anything to do with spiritism as some had been made to believe. He said yoga, which comes from the same root as yoke meaning to join together cuts across religion, race, colour, profession, and ethnocentrism. Mr Sasu said because of pervasion of justice, sectarian and religious interest the term yoga had been misconstrued making a lot of people to lose the true meaning and, therefore, the benefits by way of health. He traced the origin of yoga practice to Africa and said even though almost all the texts on yoga that were written in India between fifth century and 15th Century AD, historical research had confirmed that it was practised in Egypt before India.GNA

Lawyers have decided the Association must not play politics

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) said on Tuesday that its members had decided that the Bar should not play politics and would not make any pronouncement or engage in any act that might appear to compromise its hard-won independence. It would, therefore, be slow to engage in debate on politicised issues, it said in a press release signed in Accra by Mr Kwami Tetteh, National President of the GBA. The press release was in reaction to a statement by Professor John Evans Atta Mills, Former Vice President and candidate for the presidential slot of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), expressing unhappiness at the “undue silence” of the Bar on alleged abuses of incumbency by the Government. The GBA said it had decided that it would remain a professional association and not a political party. It said at a meeting of the General Council of the Bar held on May 31, 2006, the involvement of the Bar in national debate was discussed and a decision was reached that under the current constitutional dispensation, the vibrant watchdog role of the Bar had become less dominant. The Council decided that “the focus should remain on the establishment of the Association as an institution and the improvement of professional standards at the Bar”. The press release said at the annual conference of the Bar held at Ho on October2, 2006, the decision of the Council and modality for engagement of the Bar henceforth in public was reported to members and there was no objection. “The Bar will readily make an input on intricate legal issues on matters relating to the legal profession. In expressing legal opinion on any matter, it will consider carefully the possibility of such matter going to the courts…. As a rule, the Bar will not enter into debate on any issue unless it is adequately informed on the matter.” The GBA said Ghana now enjoyed a democratic dispensation with the level of consciousness of the people remaining high. “The right to free speech now enjoyed by all must be sustained. Lawyers are, therefore, encouraged to participate in public debate if only to enhance the quality of reasoning. The Bar must not kill the participation of the ordinary man by imposing a conclusion to a public debate.”GNA

BUSAC provides 87 million cedis for garages

The Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund has provided more than 87 million cedis for the rehabilitation of a new site for garages at Berekum. Mr Louis Acheampong, an official of the Social Support Foundation, a service provider, through which the money would be expended, announced this at a meeting convened by Pioneer Fitters Association at Berekum. He said the rehabilitation would involve the creation of a congenial working atmosphere at the new garage including the provision of access roads, electricity, water, toilets and bathhouses. Mr Acheampong explained that the assistance was aimed at getting all mechanics at Berekum to be located at the garage in order to streamline their operations. “This will involve the mobilisation and sensitisation of the mechanics through radio discussions to assist in the provision of the basic infrastructure at the new operational area,” he said. The official noted that if the mechanics were groped together at the new garage, it would also facilitate the payment of taxes and the other contributions to supplement the efforts of the District Assembly in the development of the District. Mr Moses Tweneboah, Chairman of the Association, appealed to mechanics still operating in several parts of the town to relocate at the garage so that they could all enjoy any benefit given to the Association. He explained that about four years ago, mechanics in Berekum were ordered to relocate at the new site but most of them refused because of lack of basic amenities. “Some of them have even acquired plots at the new site but have refused to develop them and move there,” he said. He expressed regret that the District Assembly had failed to honour its promise to put the place in good shape for habitation and operation.GNA

Visiting Canada’s Governor-General tours Gratis Foundation

Canada’s Governor-General, Ms Michaelle Jean on Tuesday toured the Gratis Foundation at Tema as part of her official State visit to the country and expressed satisfaction with the operations there.

Mrs Cecilia Kafui Asibey-Bonsu, Quality Assurance and Materials Manager of Gratis, led the Governor-General to tour the Metal Machining; Welding/Fabrication; Woodworking/pattern Making; Foundry; Textile Training and Design Sections. Since 1987, Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has provided approximately 13 million Canadain dollars about 105 billion cedis to assist the Gratis Foundation to promote the development of appropriate technologies and training in Ghana. She expressed satisfaction with the innovations introduced into the operations and entreated them to come out with quality products to be able to meet standards on the world market which has become highly competitive. Ms Jean was equally enthused on seeing the ladies working on the heavy machines and encouraged them to strive hard to rob shoulders with their men counterparts to be able to set up their own businesses. Seeing products like the boiling tank; steamer; palm oil expellant and palm fruit stripper among other devices, the Governor-General praised the officials of the Foundation for their ingenuity. The Governor-General, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of Canada, explained that her visit was to afford her the opportunity to see at first hand how her country’s financial contributions and investments were being utilized and also to strengthen the existing relations between the two countries. She noted that Ghana, with her vibrancy in civil society; right directions in governance and dynamism had the potential for rapid progress that could be an inspirer to the rest of Africa. With that she impressed on Ghanaians to take their destiny into their own hands and to strive to achieve successes through the new generation of entrepreneurship, which contributed to fast development. The Commander-in-Chief was accompanied by Mrs Margaret Amoakohene, Ghana’s Ambassador to Canada, and Mr Don Bobiash, Canada’s Ambassador to Ghana. Gratis Foundation is a non-governmental foundation that promotes marketable technologies and entrepreneurial skills for the growth of industry and business enterprises in Ghana and West Africa. Its activities among other things manufacturing with a focus on agriculture/agro processing; the provision of environmental/sanitation equipment; technology-based training aimed at equipping trainees with the requisite technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills.GNA

Kuffour to Attend 1st African South American Summit

President Kuffour will be in Nigeria tomorrow to attend the First Afrcian South American Summit.

The maiden Abuja summit will see south american countries and their African counterparts forge deeper bilateral relations to better the lives of their people.

The president will be accompanied by Ghana's foreign minister Nana Akuffo Addo. They are expected back on Thursday.

Governor General of Canada in Ghana

Governor General of Canada Michaelle Jean takes part in a dance while the President of Ghana John Agyekum Kufur looks on during an arrival ceremony for Jean at Kotoka airport in Accra, Ghana, Monday.

BoG explains the re-denomination of cedi

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) on Monday said the design and the features of the new notes and coins, which would replace the current cash in circulation, would soon be made known to the public.

Briefing the press in Accra, Mr Van Lare Dosoo, First Deputy Governor of the Bank, said there would be practical guidelines and a coherent education programme for the public before the switch to the new denomination.

He said the Ghana Cedi to be introduced in July 2007 would receive legislation from Parliament to validate it use. The Governor, Dr Paul Acquah last Saturday announced the re-denomination of the cedis by setting 10,000 cedis to one new Ghana Cedi (GH Cedi) which would also be equivalent to 100 Ghana Pesewas (Gp).

This means that 500,000 cedis would be equivalent to 50GH Cedis; 200,000 cedis would be equivalent to 20GH cedis; 100,000 cedis would be equivalent to and 10GH cedis; 5,000 cedis would be equivalent to 50Gp; 2,000 cedis would be equivalent to 20Gp and 1,000 cedis would be equivalent to 10Gp.

The series of the new set of notes would be 0ne GH Cedi, Five GH Cedis, 10 GH cedis, 20 GH cedis and 50 GH cedis whilst the coins take 1Gp, 5Gp, 10Gp, 20Gp, 50Gp.

Both the old and new cedi bank notes and coins would be in physical circulation for a period of six months after which the old notes and coins would only be exchanged at the Bank of Ghana and any commercial or rural bank. After the period, the old notes would not be legal tender but could be exchanged at the banks for the new currency.

The external value of both the old and new currencies would be the same as the purchasing power would not change because the cedi would not be devalued or re-valued. Explaining the rationale further to journalists at the press briefing, Dr Ernest Addison, Head of Research, BoG, said experience elsewhere had shown that re-denomination of a currency by dropping zeros in the relative prices of domestic price relation led to significant efficiency gains in the context of strong economic fundamentals and macroeconomic stability.

This, he said, was the situation characterizing Ghana’s economy today hence the major policy decision. He said the growth environment of the economy was strong and positive, with all the underlining conditions such as inflation, interest rates, money supply and exchange rates showing good expectation of policy credibility.

Dr Addison said the benefits the new notes and coins would bring to the economy were incalculable. He said it would reduce the cost and overall risk of carrying large sums of notes, inject efficiency in the payment system, in particular the use of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), and simplify accounting records.

Dr Addison said it would also reintroduce the culture of using coins in Ghana, promote tourism expenditures, make significant gains in cost of bank notes production and facilitate the introduction of the use of vendor machines and car parking meters. Dwelling on the implementation process, Ms Catherine Ashieley of the Issues Depart of the BoG, said 49 countries world wide had successful gone through the process of re-denomination.

She said research analysis had shown that within the first three months of introduction, about 75 per cent to 80 per cent of the old currency was likely to be withdrawn from circulation since most people would like to switch to the new denomination as early as possible.GNA

Regional workshop on Government Securities opens

Dr Chris Itsede, Director-General of the West African Institute for Financial Management (WAIFEM), said on Monday that a good government securities market was essential to facilitate the achievement of monetary objectives.

In a speech read for him by Mr Arthur Ankrah, Director Financial Sector Management Department of WAIFEM, at a regional workshop on pricing and marketing of Government Securities, Dr Itsede said the securities market was an alternative to central bank funding of budget deficit because of its minimal distortion on monetary policy.

Besides, it provided instruments for effective monetary policy management. The one-week course is necessitated by the growing pressure on most countries to bridge financing gaps through reliance on domestic sources and also because domestic mobilisation is crucial to the launch of the West African Monetary Zone. Dr Itsede said the existence of such a market could enable the Government to respond to shocks, he said.

He said when a Government Securities Market was complemented with a sound domestic debt management strategy; it could relax the fiscal burden by reducing debt service costs over the medium to long term period thereby reducing Government exposure to interest rate and other financial risks.

At the microeconomic level, such a market could strengthen overall financial stability, enhance financial intermediation and spur competition among financial services providers. "As Government and Private Sector Securities Markets develop, commercial banks tend to develop related financial infrastructure and products and intermediate credit more competitively."

But for a successful development of the Market, conditions such as a sound macro-economic policy framework, prudent and sustainable fiscal policies, property rights and an effective legal, tax and regulatory infrastructure are required. Also important are efficient and secure settlement mechanisms and a liberalized financial system.

Dr Itsede called for the nurturing of primary dealers while a secondary dealer system was being evolved.GNA

Asantehene's convoy involves in accident

Barely 24 hours after the convoy of Vice-President Aliu Mahama got involved in a motor accident that claimed the lives of three security details, another accident involving the convoy of Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has occurred in Brong Ahafo.

An eyewitness, Mr. Kwame Siaw, a teacher, told the Ghana News Agency on telephone he was on board a metro mass transit bus when the accident occurred near Bawuah Farms at Nsoatre, off the Sunyani-Berekum road.He said a Mercedes Benz saloon car driven by one of the sub-chiefs in the Asantehene's convoy, in an attempt to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of him veered off the road and somersaulted into the bush.

The convoy was travelling to Seikwa in Tain district to attend the 15th anniversary celebration of the enstoollment of Nana Kweku Dwuma Ankoana II, Omanhene of Seikwa Traditional Area and the launch of an Educational Endowment Fund.Meanwhile the injured have been taken to the Berekum Governemnt Hospital and are responding to treatment.

When contacted, Chief Superintendent Christian Yohonu, Commander of Sunyani Municipal Police confirmed the incident.In another development, the four injured persons in the accident at Chiraa, near Sunyani, involving the Vice President's convoy were reported to be responding to treatment at the Regional Hospital in Sunyani when GNA visited the hospital.

They are Mr. Peter Ekpedzor, 46, driver, Mr. Awortwi Bonni Fred, 25, bondman, Mr. Edward Bediako 28 and Mr. Abdul Rahman, 35, both cameramen of Metro TV.

The names of the dead were not disclosed as the hospital's authorities said they were waiting for directives from the Vice President's office before they could do so.Meanwhile, Barima Afari Minta II, Chief of Chiraa, has, on behalf of the chiefs and people of the area expressed condolences and sympathy to President Kufuor and Vice President Aliu Mahama and the families of the victims of the accident.

In a telephone conversation with the Ghana News Agency, the chief said the chiefs and people were really saddened at the incident and expressed the hope that all Ghanaians would console with the bereaved families of the victims who suffered in the course of rendering services to the state.

He reiterated his appeal for a re-designing of the road from Sunyani to Techiman to avoid the recurrence of such accidents and the subsequent loss of lives.The chief noted that the nature of the road had made it accident-prone, culminating in many deaths in this year alone.

Nana Afari cited that there are as many as 35 curves on the road, coupled with many hilly points and this had made it quite difficult for drivers not conversant with the nature of the road to ply on it safely.
Source:GNA

Veep in Accident - Three Die

One of the cars in the Vice President, Aliu Mahama’s convoy was yesterday involved in a fatal motor accident at Chira, near Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, at about 2:30pm.

At least two people, believed to be the vice president’s security guards, died on the spot, while a third died at the hospital.

The convoy was en route to Sunyani after paying a courtesy call on the Omanhene of Techiman Traditional Area, Oseadeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, and inspecting the up-grading project of the Asuogyaman Secondary School in Awirewa,Techiman.

One of the seven persons on board the Land Cruiser, with registration number GR978W, died instantly while the other died on the way to the hospital.

Five others including media personnel and the driver sustained various degrees of injury, with one in a very critical condition.

The five, who are receiving treatment at the Sunyani regional hospital, are likely to be flown to the 37 Military Hospital today for further treatment.

The bodies of the deceased have been deposited in the morgue awaiting autopsy.

The site of the tragedy is said to be a flash point, known for such fatal accidents.

It is a sharp curve on a slope and drivers who are not familiar with the road run into frequent accidents.

The driver of the vehicle, which was directly behind that of the Vice President’s, is said to have veered off the road in an attempt to prevent his car from hitting the vice’s and consequently somersaulted. The vehicle which had one of its front tires busted was damaged beyond repair.

An eyewitness explained that about seven cars behind the accident vehicle, including that of the Vice President’s would have suffered the same fate, but for the skillfulness of the driver.

At the time of filing this report, the driver was also receiving treatment.

In a related development one of the Vice President’s dispatch riders was also thrown off his motor-bike, while traveling to Techiman earlier in the morning.

The front tyre of the bike busted around Yawhimah, 10 minutes drive from Sunyani.

He was apparently saved because of his helmet.

Work on National Electronic Fibre Backbone takes off soon

Professor Mike Ocquaye, Minister of Communication on Saturday said work on the National Electronic Fibre Backbone to make Ghana an Information Technology (IT) motorway would begin soon.

Parliament had already approved a 30 million dollar loan with an additional 50 million dollar grant from China for the facility to make internet connectivity and general IT networking easier to accelerate development prospects in the country.Prof. Ocquaye announced this when addressing a durbar to climax the maiden homecoming of Old Students Association of Dzodze Penyi Secondary School (DZOPOSA) at Dzodze.He said another 40 million dollar scheme called E-Governance system in which IT would be applied in policy implementation between Government, Ministries, Departments, Metropolitan; Municipal and District Assemblies as well as the business community was also in the offing.Prof. Ocquaye noted that there were prospects in the country's youth in IT as the new economic lifeline in the world and asked all and sundry to take advantage of the system to build their capacity in knowledge, business and education.He commended DZOPOSA for coming together to propel the growth of their alma mater in the right spirit of nation building. "I urge you the students to learn hard despite the situation in the school because victory is sweet after a great battle. Performance is the essence of education or else we are wasting our time," Professor Ocquaye said.Professor Ocquaye suggested that a system be devised for evenly distribution of educational facilities in schools to avoid the situation in some deprived schools.He presented three sets of computers being the first batch of five sets from Internet Ghana for a proposed computer laboratory in the school and pledged to negotiate with the management of Ghana Telecom (GT) to extend a line to the area from Denu to hook the computer centre onto the net.Dr Emmanuel Srofenyo, a Medical Practitioner and President of DZOPOSA said the association spent about 400 million cedis mobilized from members and 400 bags of cement donated by the management of Diamond Cement company for the expansion and refurbishment work on the old school library which was inaugurated as part of the homecoming. Mr Ebenezer Attieku, Headmaster of Dzodze Penyi Secondary School changed from Dzodze Training College in 1972, had continued to grapple with inadequate and poor facilities and commended DZOPOSA for its programmes to rehabilitate some of the infrastructure. He expressed appreciation to Government for the construction of a multi-million cedi assembly and dinning hall project at the school. 2

Source: GNA

Twists and turns in MP's "fake gold" case

The Accra Regional Police Command has denied that the National Democratic Congress MP for Sene, Felix Twumasi-Appiah who was arrested for allegedly attempting to sell fake gold to a businessman was detained on "orders from above."Mr Douglas Akrofi-Asiedu, Accra Regional Police Commander has told the Ghana News Agency that, he was surprised that the MP had the audacity to "peddle such lies." "I never know him, till after telling his story and mentioning his name, he added that he was an MP".Mr Akrofi-Asiedu said, "I told him that for him to invite Mr Charles Dejoe the businessman to be defrauded, he could be held responsible for his actions."He said his outfit took action before informing his superiors so the claim that the MP was detained on orders from above was not true but an attempt to put a spin on a purely criminal matter. Mr. Felix Twumasi-Appiah, and three others were arrested for allegedly attempting to defraud a businessman by selling to him fake gold dust to the tune of 800,000 dollars.The other suspects were Wallace Mensah, Kwantwi Barimah and Tony Delor.DeputySuperintendent of Police Kwesi Ofori of the Police Public Relations Directorate told the Ghana News Agency that Mr Charles Dejoe, the complainant, said he was outside the country when the MP called him that he had 50 kilogrammes of gold to sell at 16,000 dollars per kilogramme.Mr. Dejoe came to Ghana to buy the metal but suggested that the gold should be sent to the Geological Survey Department for testing. Mr Ofori said the suspects suggested that a sample should be tested and after the test, Mr Dejoe requested that the whole quantity, packed in a metal box and sealed, should be tested as well, but Mr. Twumasi-Appiah objected.Mr Ofori said the complainant became suspicious and informed the Police who stormed the Survey Department premises and arrested the suspects.Speaking to the GNA at the Accra Regional Police Headquarters on Saturday, Mr Twumasi-Appiah said earlier in the month, a friend called him to say that he had some people who had 50 kilogrammes of gold to sell and whether he (Twumasi-Appiah) could get a buyer for the precious metal.Mr Twumasi-Appiah, who is also an investment consultant, said he then got in touch with one Mr Charles Dejoe, a friend and a gold dealer, about the offer.Mr Dejoe, he said, then told him that he was out of the country but that, in view of the quantity of gold involved, he would personally come down to Ghana for the transaction.Mr Twumasi-Appiah said on Thursday, November 23, Mr Dejoe contacted him and he told him that the consignment was in.Mr. Dejoe then asked that they should meet at the Geological Survey Department (GSD) to test the quality, quantity and carat level of the gold.He said he got to the GSD on Friday after 1200 hours and met the said sellers of the gold numbering about six.He said, in view of where Dejoe's office was located at East Legon, and the fact that he Twumasi-Appiah did not have enough time to spend at the GSD he called Dejoe to ask that he named someone at the GSD who would witness the test.Dejoe gave him two names of the staff of GSD, but they were both not at work.He then proceeded for testing of the sample of gold brought by the sellers as a representative of the buyer.Mr Twumasi-Appiah said when Mr Dejoe finally arrived at the GSD premises he asked that the whole consignment be tested instead of just the sample at the expense of the sellers.Mr. Dejoe then requested that the 50 kilogramme box which the sellers had brought to the GSD be opened, whilst he Twumasi-Appiah was in the laboratory.He said Mr. Dejoe then called him in the laboratory and said that the sellers were not genuine people because they had refused his request for the box to be opened.But to ensure that the sellers paid for the cost of testing the samples, and because both he and Dejoe had unspecified amounts of cash in their vehicles, he Twumasi-Appiah called the police to give them adequate protection, in case the sellers turned out to be fraudsters.He said Mr. Dejoe also called the police 20 minutes after he had placed his call.When the policemen he had called arrived, they were able to arrest and handcuff two of the sellers after four of them had bolted.He said they were in the process of conveying the two sellers to the police station when the other policemen Mr Dejoe had called arrived and helped them to send them to the Accra Central Police Station.Mr Twumasi-Appiah said at the station, he was waiting for the statements of the two suspects to be taken when he was informed that the Regional Commander, ACP Akrofi Asiedu wanted to see him, only to be told by the Commander that there was order from above to detain him.He said he insisted to know by whose orders he was being detained but the police did not divulge that information to him.He was detained from 2100 hours to 2300 hours and later called from the back of the counter to go home and to report at the same police station on Saturday but when the Regional Commander arrived at post he asked that he should report back on Monday, November 27.He expressed amazement on how he had become the accused when he had requested the people to arrest the gold sellers. GNA

Central Bank to re-denominate Ghanaian cedi

The Bank of Ghana says beginning from the middle of next year, it will re-denominate the nation’s currency, the cedi. When the policy is implemented, the cedi will be set at 10,000 cedis to one new Ghana cedi, meaning an item that costs 10,000 cedis will be priced at one cedi. The Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana Dr Mahamadu Bawumia who confirmed the new upcoming policy, assured that it will not affect the value of the currency in anyway. The Governor of the Central Bank Dr Paul Acquah revealed the re-denomination at the annual dinner of the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Accra. The Governor explained that after years of economic stability, it was time to re-denominate the cedi to prevent the situation where people had to carry large sums of physical cash for transactions. Explaining details of the exercise to Joy News, the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Dr Mahamadu Bawumia said the value of the cedi will not change but a smaller amount of money will be required for transactions. According to the Bank of Ghana, new notes and coins will be issued when the re-denomination exercise comes into effect by July next year and the highest cedi denomination will be 50 cedis which will be equivalent to present day 500,000 cedis.

Dr Bawumia assured the public that there was no cause for panic, as enough time would be allowed for people to change over when the policy was implemented.

The decision to re-denominate the cedi is to reduce the cost and risk associated with having to carry large sums of money in transacting business, the difficulties in calculating or preparing accounts with huge figures and the strain on the use of ATMS.

The success of the nation depends on education-Kufuor

President John Agyekum Kufuor has stated that, the success and development of the nation depend greatly on the education of its people. He has therefore called on all Ghanaians, especially parents to endeavour to invest in the education of their children. President Kufuor, who was addressing a durbar of chiefs and people of Offinso Traditional Area to climax their week-long Mmoaninko Festival at Offinso on Saturday said the acquisition of knowledge formed the basis of offering employment to people. He said but for education, do you think Kofi Annan would have been elected as General Secretary of the United Nations, he queried. The celebration was under the theme, “Quality Education for Better Health, Environment and Rapid Progress”. He said there was the need for people to ensure peace and understanding and eschew lawlessness and anarchy. President Kufuor appealed to the chiefs to release land to people who want to venture into farming so that they contribute meaningfully to the development of the country. He said the government would continue to support the development of the area, adding that the Dwamena Akenten Secondary school would be made a model school, while other development projects like roads, both highway and feeder roads would continue to receive the attention from the government. He thanked Offinsohene and the people for voting for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to win the recent by-election in the area that brought Dr.Owusu Achaw Duah as the new Member of Parliament (MP) for the area after the death of Mr Kwabena Sarfo. President Kufuor donated 50 million cedis towards the celebration of the Festival which was meant to raise funds to support the development of the area Nana Wiafe Akenten III, Paramount chief of Offinso Traditional Area said the festival was a treasure and a gift of victory for the people of Offinso and it recalls the good deeds of the heroism of nana Wiafe Akenten in the second Dormaa and Ashanti war. He said it was also to portray the unity of purpose of the people in the area and also to afford them the opportunity to take stock of the achievements of the Traditional Authorities and the Offinso District Assembly He indicated that the celebration of the festival has been used to award scholarships to 150 students who are now pursuing their Masters Degree programmes in various disciplines in the nation’s Universities. He said proceeds from the current celebration would be used to expand the scholarship scheme to cover boys entering Senior Secondary schools and tertiary institutions as against girls only which was hitherto the case and persons undergoing vocational training programmes. He said the week-long celebration has been used to educate the people on the need to ending unnecessary invocation of curses which had brought untold hardships and deaths to some people and their families and to reduce funeral expenses in the area. Nana Fosu Gyeabour Akoto II, Paramount Chief of Bechem, who represented Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene underscored the importance of education and good health and called on the people to take advantage of the Government’s Capitation grant and send their children to school.GNA

Tourism must build mutually beneficial relationships- Tourism Advisor

Mr Corjon Van der Haat, Senior Tourism Advisor of the Netherlands Development Organization (SNV), has stated the need for all activities around tourism related parks to promote mutually beneficial relationships between the parks and stakeholders in those areas. Mr Haat made the point at a two-day joint workshop for identifiable groups from Ghana and Togo to draw a tourism development plan for the Kyabobo National Park in Ghana and its counterpart Fazao-Malfakassa in Togo. Those who attended included chiefs, tour and transport operators, security officials, Ghana Tourist Board, hotel and restaurant operators, wildlife officers and community members. Mr. Haat said the development of park related tourism must include the protection and enhancement of natural resources around those parks. He warned that ethnic, chieftaincy and land disputes hurt tourism. Mr Haat said the Kyabobo National Park was yet to attract the attention of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Step programme because it was yet to come into the limelight. He said the UNWTO, which is a multi-destination marketing programme covers Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana Benin and Togo. Mr Joseph Denteh, District Chief Executive for Nkwanta said, in addition to the Kyabobo National Park and Fazao-Malfakassa, the area has other tourism attractions such as mountains, waterfalls, climate and rivers, which needed to be developed. He drew the workshop's attention to the need for hotels of international standard, safari lodges and camps and recreational infrastructure and restaurants and car rentals along tourist routes in the area. Mr Denteh said plans were far advanced to construct the Brewniase-Nkwanta-Damanko trunk road to ease traveling in the area.GNA

Ghanaians urged to contribute towards the development of the chieftaincy institution

The Minister responsible for Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Kwaku Boafo, has appealed to Ghanaians to contribute towards ensuring the development of an effective chieftaincy institution that would help serve as a centre-point for stability and a fulcrum for progress and prosperity. He said the relevance of the chieftaincy institution must engage the attention of all well-meaning Ghanaians and must help reduce disputes in the society so that such conflicts do not hold back the development of the people. Mr Boafo made these observations when addressing the chiefs and people of Awukugua- Akuapem in the Eastern Region at a durbar of chiefs and people of the area organized to climaxed the celebration of their annual Ohum festival on Saturday. The event was used to seal the resolution of an 18-year chieftaincy dispute in the town, a development which was hailed by Mr Boafo as progressive. He said although there had been a decline in the number of chieftaincy disputes in the country, he nonetheless re-echoed Government's plea for well-meaning individuals to help in restoring peace to traditional areas still mired in conflicts. He said the Government welcomes moves toward the resolution of conflicts among royal families to promote peace and to serve as the pivot for transformation in various communities. Mr. Boafo said the stability of the nation should not be the task of only the political class, but the traditional rulers as well, who he said, must ensure that they create avenues for the timely resolution of breaches of the peace that might arise in their areas. Mr Boafo appealed to the people not to supplant their values for foreign ideologies and referred, in particular, to a growing tendency of some parents not encouraging their wards to acquire literary skills in the local language in preference for the English and other foreign languages. A former Minister of Information, Mr Dan Botwe, who chaired the function, said celebration of festivals should focus more on uplifting the conditions of the people and less on entertainment and the display of fashion. He said traditional authorities should also make conscious effort towards imbuing in the youth values that stress on strong believes in themselves, truthfulness and honesty. Mr. Botwe lauded the Awukugua Reconciliation Committee that helped resolved the conflict that had made peace to return to the community. The Chief of Awukugua, Nana Asare Brempong II, pledged his commitment towards sustaining the peace that has been crafted and gave the assurance that, while he would not do anything to reverse what has been chalked, there was also the need to expose and put to shame individuals spreading false information about the town. Nana Brempong outlined some projects, including the granting of land to the Presbyterian University College Church to use as part of the Akuapem Campus of the Presbyterian University.GNA

Give priority to Science and Math teachers-Anamuah-Mensah

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education (UEW) Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, has observed that if Ghana is to develop its science and engineering capacity, the training of science and mathematics teachers should be given a priority attention. Laboratory space should be expanded while facilities for practical activities should be provided at all level of education, he said. Professor Anamuah-Mensah said this at the 11th Congregation of the University of Education, Winneba where 2,281 Bachelor of Education graduates passed out through its regular programmes. The Vice-Chancellor said the 110 Science Resource Centres in the country should be rehabilitated and re-equipped to provide training for the students. He said following the important role played by Science, Mathematics and Technology, the UEW has been increasing output in this area yearly, adding that this year about 596 constituting 25.6 per cent graduates from these disciplines passed out of which 107 were women. Professor Anamuah-Mensah said the University has started a number of Masters of Arts and Masters in Philosophers programmes for the training of teachers in various subjects as well as the training of college administrators to handle the 38 Teacher Training Colleges. He said the College of Language Education has limited working space and lecture halls and has been waiting for the past three years to move to Ajumako and appealed to Ministry of Education to quicken the movement. Professor Anamuah-Mensah urged the graduands to go into the “corners of the country” and carry out a silent but effective revolution to uproot and demolish the strongholds of ignorance and poverty. An address read for the President Mr John Agyekum Kufour by the Minister of Ports, Habours and Railways, Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi, urged stakeholders to show keen interest and partner with the university authorities in the provision of infrastructure, facilities and scholarship to help the universities produce high level manpower needed by the nation.GNA