Vice President Mahama urges private sector to promote the arts

The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, has appealed to the private sector to play a more visible role in promoting the arts in the country. "I want to use this opportunity to appeal to the private sector, the engine of our economic growth, also to become the engine of our cultural development", he said while launching a book entitled 'Journey', written by Dr Gheysika A. Agambila, Senior Lecturer at Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), in Accra on Tuesday.


Alhaji Mahama urged the private sector to sponsor out-door sculpture at public spaces, as well as competitions in dance, theatre and creative writing in district and regional capitals. "We shall give due recognition to such good corporate citizens.”

He said what distinguishes Ghana from other nations was not the country’s production of material things. "It is our culture. Our struggle for nationhood is not only about harnessing our resources for our material well-being".


Alhaji Mahama pointed out that the struggle for nationhood was not a one-time event, but a continual struggle to preserve, develop and promote culture as Ghanaians and as Africans. “It is not only our lands that were colonized, but our minds were also colonized. We had largely freed our land from the colonizers, but what of our minds?” he asked.


He stated that if the nation should be truly free, then Ghanaians should first be proud to be Ghanaians and Africans. He said the struggle for the preservation, development and promotion of the nation’s culture was a sacred one, waged by forebears. "We must continue this eternal and sacred struggle so that generations to come will not be lost".


The Vice President said those who have read the book and are scholars of English Literature at the University of Ghana, Legon were convinced that the book and its author will surely help redefine the national literary landscape.
"I see this literary work to be a contribution to our cultural development," he reiterated.


He said much of what mankind knows was captured in books, and asked: "How shall we know, if we don't read?” The Vice President also urged adults to read often, if they wish to keep relentless senility at bay. "If we the adult don't read, what message are we sending to the youth".


The first copy of the novel was auctioned at 5.5 million cedis. It has a retail price of 50,000 cedis and would be made available at the University bookshop, the EPP bookshop and other supermarkets.

Sub-Saharan Publishers, EPP Books and Dr Agambila published the book.
Dr Agambila, a former deputy Minister of State at Harbours and Railways, spent four years to produce the book. It is about a grandfather who sees the world around him changing in post-independence Ghana.

This grandfather’s ambition was to get sugar, literally meaning money in the story, so he sent his eldest son to work in Southern Ghana, considered to be a land of opportunity, especially to Obuasi where gold is mined.


The son got married and had two kids and did not go home often. “Migration changes things”, but grandfather’s plans were further thwarted when his son was killed in a mine accident. So he sent out the second son, who also ended up in Accra, via a fufu pounding stint in Kumasi to seek greener pastures.


“The Journey, that is this life, has unexpected happenings, including endings”.
Dr Agambila has worked with Ernst and Young (Ghana) and taught at the University of Ghana, Business School. He also served as a Deputy Minister of State at the Ministries of Finance and Economic Planning, and Environment and Science.
He is also the author of "Solma, tales from Northern Ghana", a collection of short stories for children.

Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, Minister for Public Sector Reform, chaired the launch.
He said the novel was written in sober, yet often moving style, and rich in the way it reflects the realities of the Ghanaian post-colony.


"It is based, as the title suggest, on a 'simple' journey storyline and presents credible characters whose actions and experiences hold the readers' interest unwavering".

The Minister noted that as Ghana’s educational system developed, the country needed its own books introduced into the system.
He noted that the symbolism of the book captured the perception of development and also depicted issues of migration.

In attendance were Ms. Christine Churcher, Member of Parliament (MP) for Cape Coast, Deputy Ministers, Bankers, Lecturers, family members and friends of the author.
GNA

Government will not undermine the legislature - Owusu-Adjapong.

Mr Felix Kwasi Owusu-Adjapong, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, has said the government would not, under any circumstance, attempt to undermine the independence of the legislature.


He said it had been universally acknowledged that there could not be strict separation of powers in the true sense of the word between the executive and the legislative arms of Government.


Mr Owusu-Adjapong was speaking at a one-day workshop organized by his Ministry with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at Akosombo on Monday.


The workshop was to validate proposals for the formulation of a policy framework for the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
Sixteen participants attended it from the academia, UNDP, parliamentarians, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) and representatives of some civil society think tanks.


He said the core business of his ministry was to serve as a link between the executive and the legislature, but that relationship had been criticized as a means by the executive to bully the legislature into submission.


Mr Owusu-Adjapong said even in the country report of the African Peer Review Mechanism, the functions of his ministry came under attack and the report recommended a review of the functions of the ministry.


He said the validation of the policy document would give his ministry a focus which would help his ministry to reposition itself to contribute more effectively and efficiently in deepening democracy and good governance.



The UNDP Resident Representative, Mr Daouda Toure, said the MPA could play a critical role towards supporting the country's aspiration of becoming a middle-income country as well as achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 2015 through the promotion of good governance where each arm of government plays its role beyond partisan politics.


He said the ministry could help provide a neutral platform for policy analysis, creative debate and research support for the country to achieve its national and international commitments.


Mr Toure said the UNDP would like to see a policy framework that is in synergy with the nation's objective of sustainable human development, poverty reduction, good governance and the realization of the MDGs by 2015.
GNA

UN Secretary General-elect pledges to give special attention to Africa

The United Nations Secretary-General-elect, Mr Ban Ki Moon, on Tuesday pledged towork relentlessly towards helping to end violent conflicts and other challenges facing Africa.


"I personally feel strongly attached to the African continent. I will literally pour down my attention and passion towards Africa to resolve the problems on the continent, while fulfilling my duties as the UN-Secretary-General," Mr Moon, who is also the out-going Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea, said.



He was speaking when he hosted President John Agyekum Kufuor and three other African heads of state who are in Seoul to attend the first Korea-Africa Forum to a dinner on Tuesday.


President Denis Sassou-Nguesso of Congo, President Yayi Boni of Benin and President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete of Tanzania were the other leaders. He noted that border conflicts remained a hard reality for some countries in the region while many of their peoples suffered poverty, disease, famine and starvation.


He, however, described as both refreshing and encouraging the efforts some governments on the continent were making to set the tradition of democratic and peaceful regime change. "The will of all of you, the African leaders, who aspire to transform their countries, was crystallized and materialized through the African Union (UN) and the launch of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).


Further success of NEPAD, an institutional framework for Africa's sustainable development, will inevitably depend upon the support and cooperation of the international community."


Mr Moon said the Korean Government had this very idea of partnership when it created the Korea-Africa Forum. "The huge potential and unwavering will of Africa draws the same attention from the world as mankind of the ancient times did when they successfully led their livelihood on the African continent amid the barren environment.


“Africa has always been the land of opportunity for humanity, for which reason, I believe people of Africa deserve to be confident about a better future awaiting them."


Mr Moon said it was his hope that the Forum would provide a platform for the two sides to exchange their vision for better and mutually rewarding co-operation in the areas of politics, economics, commerce and trade.
The Forum must venture beyond a conference where participants would just talk but would not walk the talk.


Mr Moon used the occasion to thank Africa for supporting his election and later held a closed-door meeting with President Kufuor.
GNA

No Salary For Striking Teachers

IT has now been confirmed that the October salaries of striking teachers have been blocked because they did not work for that month.

Michael Nsowah, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), confirmed this to the Times yesterday but could not immediately tell the number of teachers affected.

The over 7,000 member National Association of Graduates Teachers (NAGRAT) has been on strike since September 1 over poor conditions of service. In some parts of the country, some members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) are believed to have also joined the strike, although the GNAT executive has made it clear that GNAT is not on strike.

"We sent information to the districts and the educational institutions. Based on the returns, we blocked the salaries of those who did not work," he said.

Mr. Nsowah pointed out that no worker was paid unless it was certified that that person was at post and had worked to deserve his or her salary.

On what was being done to get the teachers back to the classroom, Mr. Nsowah said, "There is nothing we can do other than appeal to them."

He said the intervention of religious bodies had also been sought to get the striking teachers back to the classroom.

The National Labour Commission on October 11 filed a writ at an Accra Fast Track High Court contending that NAGRAT did not follow the appropriate procedure and the strike was illegal.

On October 31, an Accra Fast Track High Court presided by Justice Richard Asamoah ruled against the NAGRAT strike and ordered its members to go back to the classroom.

But NAGRAT immediately after the ruling declared its intention to appeal against the ruling. It is believed that NAGRAT members are still not back at work.

Source:
Ghanaian Times

Armed forces deny media report

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on Monday
denied media reports that it was an institution in distress planning a
bloody "onslaught" on an Accra-based radio station.

Brigadier General Emmanuel Okyere, General Officer Commanding the Southern Command of the GAF, who was reacting to reports in the "Enquirer", a private newspaper, told the media at a briefing at Bundase, near Accra, that the
reports in the paper were misleading.

"We the Armed Forces are fully accountable to the citizens of this country and let me set the records straight. I want to state here and now that the armed forces are not sitting on tenterhooks whatsoever as the publication sought to portray.
"Indeed, the Ghana Armed Forces is completely at peace with itself. Secondly, there is no imminent bloody onslaught whatsoever on Radio Gold," he said.


Rather, he said, the purported attack, which the newspaper published, was one of numerous contingency schemes aimed at "securing our Constitution, our people and our nation Ghana".


"This is certainly not any conspiracy to commit crime. This is a normal preparedness scheme drawn by units within their area of operation as part of their operational readiness programme.”

“The Enquirer” in its November 2 edition published that there was a bloody coup in the making and that the armed forces which were in distress because of the alleged insurgency, was planning an onslaught on the Radio Gold which may cause heavy casualties to civilians and opponents.

Brig. Gen. Okyere said that in cases where such plans were to be rehearsed, they were done in consultation with relevant stakeholders and affected organizations.
He said it was one of such preparedness schemes that the newspaper used to misinform the public on the alleged coup plot.

"Indeed the Ghana Armed Forces, like any pro-active military, maintains various contingency plans covering various situations and scenarios, and also for various key installations and vulnerable points, including radio and TV station.

"Let me state firmly that there is no way, in this peace time, that any such contingency plans will be rehearsed without consultations with the relevant organizations. Neither will such activity be undertaken without due notice to the public at large as we have always done."

Brig. Gen Okyere said even though it was disturbing that such a classified scheme, which had preparedness plans for training purposes, found its way to the media, what was worrisome was that the newspaper published virtually all the operational plan in the classified material without recourse to the military.


He advised the media to be circumspect about reports that tend to undermine national security, adding that investigations into the matter were ongoing and that military was going to take the appropriate measures, including legal action to remedy the situation.

"Let me assure all peace loving Ghanaians that ours is no mischief at all. We mean good and none has the any cause to worry or fear. We have a responsibility to protect and defend our people, nation and Constitution, and
we will not fail or fret when the time comes.

"The security of our country is a collective effort and we will certainly depend upon your good judgment and support for a positive way forward. And for this matter our transparent military exercises will continue," he said.
GNA

Corruption perception rises in Ghana

The general perception among Ghanaians that the government has become ever more corrupt over the years received a stamp of scientific legitimacy Monday, as Transparency International (TI) released its 2006 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which points to the correlation between corruption and poverty. TI is a non-government organization committed to fighting corruption.

Ghana ranked 70th out of 163 countries surveyed in the global CPI for this year, a five-step fall from last year when there were four countries less. ( read)

Ghana received a score of 3.3 out of 10 on the CPI scale, down 0.2 point from 2005, indicating that Ghanaian society is becoming corrupt slowly but surely.

Ghana's result, the worst in the past 10 years, is now at par with that in 1999, which was recorded when the Rawlings administration was in power.

"In fact this year's CPI score of 3.3 takes Ghana back to its lowest point since its inclusion in Transparency International's annual corruption rankings and indicates clearly that the nation has retrogressed in the anti-corruption battle," Mrs Linda Ofori-Kwafo, Programmes Manager GII, said at the launch of the Report.

CPI relates to perceptions of the degree of corruption as seen by business people and country analysts, and ranges from scores of 10, which is "highly clean," and 0, which is "highly corrupt."

'Corruption traps millions in poverty,' said TI chair Huguette Labelle, adding: 'Despite a decade of progress in establishing anti-corruption laws and regulations, today's results indicate that much remains to be done.'

All low-income countries and all but two African states score below five points, meaning they face serious perceived levels of domestic corruption.

Botswana is the cleanest ranked African state in 37th place on the list, with South Africa (51st place) and Namibia (55th place) in the upper third. Nigeria is among the worst-ranked states at place 142. Guinea was the worst placed Africa nation at 160

Finland, Iceland and New Zealand came first with 9.6 points, while Haiti came in last scoring 1.8 points, according to the report.

Britain was 11th with an 8.6 rating, Germany 16th at 8.0 and the United States 20th with 7.3. Italy mustered only a 4.9 rating in 45th place, while Russia was ranked 121 with 2.5.

Countries with a significant worsening of corruption include: Brazil, Cuba, Israel, Jordan, Laos, Seychelles, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia and the US, said the report.

Countries with a significant reduction in perceived levels of corruption include: Algeria, Czech Republic, India, Japan, Latvia, Lebanon, Mauritius, Paraguay, Slovenia, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uruguay.

The Berlin-based Transparency International's CPI ranks countries in terms of the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians. It is a composite index, a poll of polls, drawing on corruption-related data from expert and business surveys carried out by a variety of independent and reputable institutions.

The value of the results is sometimes disputed because they are based on the opinions of the people polled and the amount of data used in surveys is different for each nation. TI requires at least three sources to include a country in the CPI.
Ghana's CPI 'progress report'

Year Rank/World Rank/Africa CPI Score
2006 70/163 4/44 3.3
2005 65/159 6/44 3.5
2004 65/146 3.6
2003 72/133 3.3
2002 3.9
2001 3.4
2000 3.5
1999 3.3

Source:
GHP

2007 is “foundation year” for 2008 vote – NPP

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Sunday declared 2007 as the foundation year for Elections 2008 to enable the party plan and implement effective and efficient strategies to retain power.

“We are going to empower party activists, foot soldiers and the rank and file with strategic modern politicking for mobilization, re-organization and information to neutralize all opposing forces with sound in-depth debate,” Mr Michael Omari Wadei, Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency Chairman of the party stated at a delegates’ conference in Accra.

The conference was attended by constituency and polling station executives as well as leading members of the party in the constituency.
Mr Omari Wadei said the party would soon outline modalities for the selection of a successor to President John Agyekum Kufuor.

He said the party’s candidate should be someone who would be acceptable to all Ghanaians and had the requisite political experience and connections to mobilise both local and international support for the development of the party and the country as a whole.

"The party does not necessarily need a rich person or an intellectual. The challenge is to elect a leader who will unite and become a bridge between the elite and the average citizens," he told the Ghana News Agency in an interview.

He stressed that what the party needed now was total support. “We must unite, stay focused especially before, during and after the election of a presidential candidate for Elections 2008. We must stand solidly behind the Elephant and the principles of the Danquah-Busia tradition.”

Mr Gorge Isaac Amoo, former Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon, appealed to the party executives to come out with immediate operational directives to reduce the number of people who want to become the presidential candidate of the party.



He said Article 14 of the NPP's constitution stated, among other provisions that, the party could adopt rules to regulate its activities. Mr Amoo, whose presence at the delegates’ conference was greeted with laud applause, noted that this was the only way to ensure discipline and enhance efforts to unite all factions within the party to win the confidence of the electorate.


He also appealed to all presidential aspirants to co-operate with the elders of the party, through the national, regional, constituency and polling station executives and work to eliminate any form of divisions within the party.


Mr Amoo appealed to minority parties and social commentators for sobriety, objectivity and commitment in discussions concerning issues that impact on the country's politics and social welfare of the people.


"While multi-party politics necessarily involves conflicting views and opinions, it is important that even in seeking to win popularity, the fundamentals of the issues which affect the economic and social well-being of our people are still dispassionately and objectively debated and handled.”


Mr Amoo therefore challenged the minority to suggest alternatives rather than simply hastily throwing accusations at Ghana's current economic managers.


The Constituency Secretary, Mr John Gyasi commended polling station executives for their cooperation and support over the past year and urged them to continue to work for the retention of the seat in 2008 Elections.
GNA