Need for concerted efforts to tackle poverty - CBishops

The Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference has stressed the need for concerted efforts to tackle the problem of poverty in the society for Ghana to make progress in socio-economic development. It has therefore called for the evolving of serious programme of industrialization to revive dormant and collapsing industries, strengthen existing ones and establish new ones.

The call was made in a communiqu issued by the Conference at the end of their Annual Plenary Assembly held at Nsuta in the Jasikan Diocese of the Catholic Church from November 4-10.

They reflected on matters concerning the church, the nation and prayed for the people.

The communique called on Government to be proactive in ensuring that the conditions of service for the various professions would enable all Ghanaians experience the minimum comfort needed to exercise their God-given roles in society.

"It is necessary that all hands should be on deck. We must recognise the importance of the profession or skill of every Ghanaian, no matter how mean it may appear."

"We need the doctors, lawyers, religious leaders and teachers just as we need the cleaners, watchmen, farmers, fishermen, drivers, carpenters, electricians and others."

However, the communique said some professions had grave responsibility to society and ?Without their practitioners performing as they should, all the talk about national development and progress based on the rule of law and attainment of prosperity would be a farce.?

The communique encouraged partnership between religious bodies and the State especially in the area of education and noted that religious bodies had a vital role to play in the national development.

It said the partnership between religious bodies and State should be intensified especially in the management of educational institutions that should be reflected in the educational reforms being implemented.

On Ghana's 50th anniversary celebration, the communique noted that ?50 years in the life of any nation and most especially in the life of Africa?s first country south of the Sahara to attain independence is surely an occasion for celebration and a great jubilation at that.'

'The national jubilee should be a year in which the nation takes account of what its citizens? lives have been and resolves to make amends where such changes are called for. It affords the occasion to thank God for what he has enabled the nation to achieve.'

The communique expressed appreciation to God for various blessings bestowed on the nation in the improvement in communication system and rural electrification project and appeal to Government to improve on the road network especially the Hohoe-Yendi road.

It said 'While we decry certain misfortunes of our past political history, we like to note the fundamental goodwill of all governments, past and present in their attempt to achieve the best for all Ghanaians.'

'We also commend the patience with which Ghanaians bore the difficulties and certain violations of human rights with great courage and magnanimity. It is this spirit of patience, tolerance, forgiveness that has contributed to make Ghana an oasis of relative peace in the West African Sun-Region,? it added.

The communique however, expressed concern about the moral decadence in the society born out of the inordinate pursuit of wealth, prestige, honour and false solidarity.

It called on the mass media to be circumspect in their publications and operations and endeavour to avoid activities that would extol evil and vice to the weak-minded in society.

The communique appealed to Ghanaians to work towards lasting peace and tranquillity in the nation in the years ahead.Source:
GNA

KNUST to introduce entrepreneurial training

Authorities of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) are introducing entrepreneurship training into the curriculum to enable students have the capacity to set up their own businesses after graduation. Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, Vice Chancellor of KNUST announced this at the Fourth Annual National KNUST Alumni Congress at Akuse on Saturday. He said the training would enable the students be fully equipped with entrepreneurial skills, thinking and capability to be on their own. The congress was under the theme ?Enhancing Private Sector Development in Ghana-Role of the Technocrat.?

According to Professor Adarkwa the training would offer them the opportunity to venture into various areas of economic and social interest quickly as desired.

?It would be heart-warming to see the springing up of companies and institutions fully owned and manned by technocrats, either as individuals or as a group,? he added.

Professor Adarkwa said graduates of KNUST had active role to play in enhancing private sector development in the country through the establishment of consultancy firms to offer technical advice on better ways of starting and managing one?s own business.

This, he said would help in the sharing of best practices in technical ideas, skills and experiences to improve on their fortunes and in addition, contribute to the socio-economic growth of the country.

Prof. Adarkwa appealed to the alumni to take up part-time teaching appointments as visiting lecturers over shorts periods of time in the university to augment their efforts considering the few lecturers as against the increasing student population.

Prof. Adarkwa said such an assistance from the alumni would afford them the opportunity to impart their technical know-how to students to enable them have the right and modern attitudes and personality traits required in their professional practice. ?In this way, we would be sure that students we train at KNUST are fully equipped with modern-day skills for their prospective jobs,? he added. Prof. Adarkwa noted that technology had assumed topical dimensions in every discourse about national development that required developing the human resource base with training of the needed manpower resource.

?In this regard, there would be no room for half-baked professionals, but those with the capability as far as their chosen professions are concerned,? he said.

The Vice Chancellor called on the alumni to link the university to foundations and corporate bodies that could enter into partnership to invest in some aspects of its development.

He commended the alumni for investing in a hostel project because the increase in student population did not correspond to the limited resources and infrastructure available.

Prof. Adarkwa said this led to the policy of ?in-out-out-out? where students had their own accommodation outside the campus.

Madam Adelaide Ahwireng, Chief Executive Officer of Fio Enterprise and adjudged Alumni Personality of the Year urged members to venture into private business but added that it required determination, integrity, honesty and embarking on a small beginning and developing it.

She called on students to improve on their skills and English Language, the basic requirements for employment in the private sector.

Prof. Seth Opuni Asiamah, Provost of College of Planning and Architecture, KNUST and National President of the alumni said branches had been established both locally and internationally to solicit for resources to support the university. Mr Paul Victor Obeng, Former Presidential Advisor in the PNDC regime and an alumnus, stressed the need to adopt aggressive programmes to solicit for funds to assist the university.Source:
GNA

Let us endeavour to make freedom in the constitution viable - Aliu

Vice President Aliu Mahama on Saturday said freedom provided in the constitution could only be viable when Ghanaians realized their limitations.

He said 93At the heart of democratic choice is self-restraint and voluntary compliance. Beyond that is institutional restraint." Alhaji Mahama made the observation at a grand durbar to climax activities marking the 60th anniversary celebration of Saint Monica's Secondary School at Asante Mampong in the Ashanti Region. The theme for the celebration was "60 years of Quality Girl-Child Education." He commended members of National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) for returning to the classroom and urged them to exhibit good faith in the pursuit of peaceful and speedy resolution of differences. On the theme of the celebration, Alhaji Mahama said the task of nation building required collective effort and stressed the need for girl-child education to facilitate Ghana's forward march towards attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at addressing pertinent development challenges of Ghana by 2015. Alhaji Mahama said "The task of nation building is gender neutral. The art of nation building requires the collective effort of both men and women in bringing about the good things in life that we desire for ourselves."

"Education is not only about infrastructure, it has more to do with the training within the building. There is the need for self-discipline and its application."

Alhaji Mahama asked students to desist from acts of indiscipline such as lack of respect for authority and vandalism. Mrs Dorothy Ama Mensah Ofei, Headmistress said the school which started with 16 girls now had 1,400 students.

She commended the school's PTA for providing five semi-detached bungalows, a 33-seater bus, electricity generator, fully equipped computer laboratory and a fence wall to keep off encroachers. Mrs Ofei announced that a four billion cedi education fund had been established to expand infrastructure on campus.

Miss Sandra Owusu, Girls Prefect appealed to stakeholders in education to provide the school with a well-stocked library, a large sick bay, a nurse to man the dispensary and separate halls for dinning and church service. Alhaji Mahama donated 20 million cedis as seed money for the fund.Source:
GNA

Ghana Supports Condemnation of Gaza Strikes

Ghana voted in favor of a U.N. Security Council draft resolution Saturday that sought to condemn an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip and demand Israeli troops pull out of the territory. The resolution failed to pass because the United States vetoed it.
In the vote, four countries abstained — Britain, Denmark, Japan and Slovakia — and Ghana and 9 others - Argentina, China, Congo, France, Ghana, Greece, Peru, Russia, Qatar and Tanzania - were in favor.

The resolution, introduced by Qatar, the Arab representative on the council, had been amended during two days of negotiations to meet objections that it was not balanced. But U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said that it remained "in many places biased against Israel and politically motivated."

"This resolution does not display an evenhanded characterization of the recent events in Gaza, nor does it advance the cause of Israeli-Palestinian peace to which we aspire and for which we are working assiduously," he told the Security Council.

Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, the ambassador of France, said he felt that the final negotiated text was "a balanced one" and would have sent the right message to both Israel and the Palestinians.

The veto unleashed a flurry of criticism in the Middle East. The Arab League has criticised the United States for blocking a resolution.

Almost all of the 45 nations that spoke during a daylong debate on the Middle East on Thursday condemned Israel. Arab nations are now expected to move for a vote in the 192-member General Assembly, a path that they have followed in the past when such actions have failed to pass the Security Council.

Unlike Security Council resolutions, those passed in the General Assembly are nonbinding and largely symbolic. But they generally attract widespread support when Israel and, by extension, the United States are the targets.

It was the second U.S. veto this year of a resolution about Israeli operations in Gaza. The U.S. blocked action on a resolution this summer after Israel launched its offensive in response to the capture of an Israeli soldier by Palestinian militants. The U.S. is one of five permanent members of the council that have the power to veto resolutions.

Palestinians strengthened calls for Security Council action after an Israeli artillery barrage in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun killed 19 people Wednesday.

Israel has expressed regret for the loss of life in Beit Hanoun but said it will continue operations to stop militants from launching rockets into Israel.



Source:
GHP

Some NAGRAT members decide to work ...

Some members of National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) in Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have decided to work extra hours and during weekends to make up for lost periods during their two-month strike action.

Others maintained that their resumption was in obeisance to the court order and would teach "according to their conscience". This came to light when Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited some schools on Friday after striking NAGRAT members resumed work in accordance with the court order and persuasion from its leadership.

The visit was to find out from the students and teachers, effects of the strike and strategies being adopted to minimize its effects, particularly on final year students.

In some of the schools, few NAGRAT members were seen teaching while in others, most of them were seen in the Staff Common Room discussing the strike, blockade of their October salaries and the next line of action should their salaries remained blocked for some time.

Madam Aba Smith, Headmistress of Bompeh Secondary Technical School told the GNA that after discussions NAGRAT members in the school had decided to work extra hours and during weekends without any extra cost to parents.

Mr Kofi Adolf Osei, Headmaster of Takoradi Secondary School (TADISCO) said the school had to depend on National Service Personnel to prepare the students, particularly those in form three for their final examinations.

The situation was the same at Ahantaman Secondary School and Saint John's Secondary School at Sekondi where National Service Personnel ensured that academic work continued. At Ghana Secondary Technical School (GSTS) in Takoradi, Mr Thomas Kofi Mensah Headmaster said most NAGRAT staff members had returned to the classroom.

Mr John Ennor, Assistant Headmaster of Fijai Secondary School expressed concern about the inability of the school's Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) to collaborate with the school authorities to formulate plans that would minimize the effects of the strike action on students.

Mr Fiifi Buckman, TADISCO Local NAGRAT President said some NAGRAT members who had not reported for work might have travelled to their hometowns and were expected to return during the weekend for serious academic work to begin on Monday.

Some parents who spoke to GNA said it was a welcome decision to help final year students expected to take their examination next year.

Source:
GNA

VAT Service bites more defaulters

Value Added Tax (VAT) Service has closed down the offices of TredEnvitech company, dealers in environmental and sanitation materials at Wassa Nsuta near Tarkwa for non-payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) returns.


The VAT Service on Friday embarked on distressed action on some registered traders owing the service at Tarkwa and its environs.
Six companies owe the Service about four point nine billion cedis, five of them instantly mobilized funds to settle their debts leaving TredEnvitech.


At the premises of Banlaw Africa Limited, a sub-contracting mining firm, Mr Ian Kotze, Financial Controller of the company, had a confrontation with VAT officials.
The management of Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Tarkwa Mine, paid three point six billion cedis (3.6 billion cedis) being arrears from 2003 to 2005 to prevent VAT officials from sealing off the offices of Banlaw.


Speaking to newsmen, Mr Samuel Ackah Blay, Wassa West District Principal Revenue Officer said the action was necessitated after several attempts to retrieve the money had failed.


Mr Ackah Blay expressed satisfaction about the outcome of the exercise because about 90 per cent of the amount was retrieved from the companies and traders.
He asked traders who owed the Service to honour their tax liabilities before another exercise in December.
GNA

Ghana on the success path to take development

The Minister of Public Sector Reforms, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, on Saturday said Ghana was being ranked among the first five countries in Africa that were well positioned to break out of extreme poverty among its people.

He said, “after suffering through the lost decades of the 1970s and the 1980s our country Ghana is finding its feet once again and is heading towards greater prosperity”.

According to him, Ghanaian professionals were also well regarded throughout the world, on university campuses, international organization and Major Corporation.


Dr. Nduom said this at the second and final session of the 37th congregation of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) at Cape Coast, during which 3,028 students, including 1,082 females were presented with degrees, diploma and certificates
The graduands were students from the Faculty of Continuing Education, Faculty of Art and the School of Agriculture.


Twenty-two students including, Mr Nii Ansah Tachie the over all best graduating students received special honours.

Dr Nduom tasked the graduands to use what they have learnt in their various course of study to make Ghana different from the “non-performing” countries in the world and also ensure that it took its people out of extreme poverty.


He also urged them to believe in themselves, be patriotic citizens, live disciplined lives and encourage success, adding that Ghana have “successful, confident and prosperous people”.


The Vice Chancellor, Reverend Professor Emmanuel Adow Obeng, announced that the UCC has sourced a loan of 6.3 million dollars from the Chinese government to set up permanent study centres with internets and teleconferencing facilities in all the regions to enhance its distance learning education programme, which has 20,000 students.
He said the school of Modern Languages, School of Heritage and Liberal Arts and School
of Creative Arts would be created next academic year in the Faculty of Arts.
He said the School of Agriculture was also introducing a two-year post diploma programme in animal health, to assist the government to
achieve its aim of meeting the country’s increasing demand for animal protein.


Dr. Charles Mensa, Chairman of the University Council, in his welcoming address, expressed concern about the upheavals and unrest at the pre-tertiary level of education and called on all the parties to move from their entrenched positions in the true spirit of “give and take” to ensure that a solution which is satisfactory to all is reached.

He advised the graduands to bring honour to themselves, their parents and their alma mater and also endeavour to give back to society by way of selfless service, the huge investment that were made to ensure that their education was possible.
GNA