Ghana@50: 24 African heads of state to attend

Twenty-four African heads of state are set to participate in Ghana's jubilee celebrations on March 6, 2007, the government said on Tuesday.

Briefing journalists in Accra, Nana Addo Akufo-Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, NEPAD and Regional Cooperation, said a total of 65 delegations had confirmed their desire to be part of the celebrations.President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria is the Guest of Honour, while the Duke of Kent is representing Queen Elizabeth II of England.

He said that the bulk of arrivals and departures of the delegations were scheduled from March 5-7.Outlining the programme for the celebrations, Nana Akufo-Addo said President John Agyekum Kufuor would host a welcome cocktail for his guests and the Guest Speaker.From 2100 hours in the evening of March 5, there would be a re-enactment of historic scenes of March 5, 1957. There would be a commemorative Parliamentary Session with President John Agyekum Kufuor and his guest of honour in attendance.

Nana Akufo-Addo said after this, the President and his guests would move to the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park (Old Polo Grounds) for a laser and fireworks display.He said there would be a jubilee parade at 0900 hours on March 6 to be addressed by Presidents Obasanjo and Kufuor.

This would be followed by a reception hosted by President Kufuor at the Castle Gardens and a dinner at the Banquet Hall of the State House. Other fora would be held at the Accra International Conference Centre and other sites currently been located.Nana Akufo-Addo noted that issues such as accommodation and transportation had been enhanced and taken care of to make the celebration a success.

He said except the Parliamentary re-enactment, the programmes in Accra would be duplicated in all the 10 regions.The Foreign Minister appealed to Ghanaians to take active part in the celebration and ensure that it remained a memorable event.
Source:GNA

Rawlings leaves for South Africa

The Former President Jerry John Rawlings on Monday night left for South Africa to attend a forum on fighting corruption.

A statement signed by the Special Assistant to the ex-president, Mr Victor Smith said his wife accompanied him.

The five-day meeting is being co-hosted by the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and South Africa.

It is intended to consolidate Africa's anti-corruption initiatives and infuse an African perspective into the definition, perspectives and mechanism for fighting corruption.

CPP condemns threats against journalists

The Convention People's Party (CPP) on Tuesday described the death threats issued against Mr Kweku Baako Jnr. and Mr Egbert Faibille Jnr., editors of Crusading Guide and Ghanaian Observer respectively as "a high form of barbarism".

A statement signed by Dr Edmund N. Delle, Chairman of CPP, said the party had observed that the death threats, via mobile phone text messages, coming closely on the heels of the murder of the Ashanti Region chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association, were unnecessary and must be condemned and resisted.This was because, he said, they had the potency to create panic in the society, particularly among journalists.

Dr Delle therefore asked Ghanaians to denounce violence and all other forms of intimidation of the media and appealed to Ghanaians to promote tolerance and peaceful co-existence."As the party for the masses which believes in freedom of expression we shall continue to support the media in its battle for democratic development," he said. 27 Feb. 07
Source:GNA

Cardinal Turkson Named to Pontifical Justice Council

Pope Benedict XVI appointed a cardinal, two archbishops and a layman as members of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.The Vatican press office announced the appointments Saturday of Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana; Archbishop Juan García Rodríguez of Camaguey, Cuba; Archbishop Héctor Rubén Aguer of La Plata, Argentina; and Savino Pezzotta, of the Italian Workers Union.The Holy See also announced the appointment of Stefano Fontana, director of the Cardinal Van Thuân International Observatory, as consultor to the dicastery.

Accra Gears Up For Ghana@50

A number of projects are being executed in the Accra metropolis as part of plans and programmes to turn the physical and aesthetic outlook of the city for the country’s 50th independence anniversary.

Various organisations including the Ghana at 50 Secretariat, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) are funding these projects.Among the projects being undertaken by the Ghana at 50 Secretariat are the rehabilitation of the Independence Square, Freedom and Justice Arch and the Military Monument at the 28th February Crossroad.

The Project Officer in charge of Public Affairs at the secretariat, Mr Henry Wellington Okyne said, the secretariat was funding the construction of 10 jubilee rest stops on major highways throughout the country, adding that the projects were at various stages of completion.

The Very Important Person (VIP) lounge at the Kotoka International Airport is also being rehabilitated.Mr Okyne, however, could neither immediately give the cost of the projects, nor could he mention the exact locations where the projects were being undertaken.Some residents have already been gripped by the jubilee anniversary fever as they have displayed paraphernalia including Ghana flags on their vehicles, while others are seen wearing clothes made from the colours of the Ghana flag, which are red, gold and green with a black star in the middle.

One could also get bangles, hats, key holders and other items which have all been made with similar colours.According to Mr Okyne, although the secretariat was producing some of the paraphernalia, there were other individuals and companies who were manufacturing these items.

Daily Guide: NDC Plots To Mess Jubilee Celebrations

Information reaching Daily Guide indicates that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has begun unfolding a number of activities intended to undermine the forthcoming Golden Jubilee celebration of the country’s independence.

Details of an elaborate plan to pour cold water on this high profile event, which would witness the arrival of very important personalities from all over the world, included unleashing of thugs on celebrants.This, Daily Guide has learnt, was to compel many people to stay away from the celebrations.

Monday, March 5, 2007, would witness one of such deflating activities unfold at the Frankies Hotel at Nima in Accra, a reliable Daily Guide source hinted.On that day, the party would inaugurate its Greater Accra Women’s Working Committee and have in attendance various party groups and thugs whose services would be needed to execute the programme. This seemingly innocuous inauguration would thus be but a ruse to put finishing touches to the plan; hence locating it in an area from which the NDC/CJA strategists intended to draw most of their support.

The source hinted that the line-up of activities was the result of an elaborate planning by a body of party activists at the top.In a brief telephone interview with Daily Guide, Ms. Maggie, the Okaikoi North constituency Women’s Organiser of the NDC, in charge of coordinating letters on the programme, said they would soon be sent out to the various media houses for coverage.“We are trying to inaugurate our Women’s Wing and Working Committee,” she said. Asked why the event would take place at the time the country would be celebrating her Golden Jubilee anniversary celebration, she could not give any specific reason but confirmed the function would take place on March 5.

In an obvious coordination between the Committee for Joint Action (CJA) and the NDC, the former was said to have impressed upon the latter not to go ahead with the inauguration of the Working Committee which had been scheduled for February 24, and rather postpone it to the March 5 date.On the heels of the Nima inauguration would be a rally at Jamestown, which party supporters were to attend in their numbers.

The next day, March 6, would witness a mass protest procession of party faithful through the principal streets of Accra. A similar procession had already been announced by the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), the socialist arm of NDC. The objective of the change in date, according to one political observer, was “intended to divert attention from the anniversary and thereby rob it of the shine it deserves from all citizens of this country”.

Chronicle: Rawlings To Boycott Ghana@50

Credible information gathered by The Chronicle newspaper indicates that Former President, Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings would not honour the invitation extended to him by President John Agyekum Kufuor to join in the celebration of the country’s jubilee anniversary scheduled to take place on March 6, this year.

According to sources close to the Former President, he is likely to turn down the invitation due to the soured relations existing between him and the incumbent government, coupled with the accusations that he has left a messy legacy and that he’s soliciting for funds and support to topple the ruling government and many others.This would obviously shatter the hopes and aspirations of most Ghanaians, who would have wished to see the two leaders on the same platform, especially during this historic Jubilee anniversary of Ghana’s independence to chart a new course for unity and reconciliation.This paper has gathered from the grapevines of both the leading members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and sources close to the office of the former President that though the NDC founder would have loved to attend the gathering, various comments have come up for a second thought and consideration.According to the sources the questions being asked are whether or not the invitation to Mr. Rawlings, who was accused of being a serial coup maker in addition to recent allegations by the President, Mr. Kufuor to the effect that he (JJ) had solicited for funds from an oil-rich country to topple the current administration, should be taken seriously.Considering his reservations about how he was ignored at all State functions, over the period, including being ignored at a dinner in honour of President Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d’Ivoire in 2001 by President Kufuor, Mr. Rawlings is said to have contemplated deeply on whether or not to join the President to celebrate Ghana @50 at the time that Mr. Kufuor continues to accuse the NDC administration that he led of leaving a messy legacy for the NPP to inherit.Another major sentiment the former President is reported to be agonizing over is how the first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, has been completely shoved aside, and his name not being made to occupy where he belongs in our history by the current administration. According to our sources, Rawlings is angered that in a Jubilee State of the Nation Address, Dr. Nkrumah’s name did not come up at least once in the address.“All monuments are rehabilitated but Nkrumah’s monument is completely left out; even his mausoleum has been left and government is rather asking for donation of $2m with donors’ name being inscribed on the mausoleum.If even the founding father has been so shabbily treated, is it any wonder that Mr. Rawlings, who led us for nearly 20 years has been completely ignored,” a party member told this paper. Besides other reasons why the NDC founder would turn down the invitation, this paper learnt was how he was not invited to take part in one of the major programmes outlined for the Ghana @ 50 celebrations - the lecture by Mr. Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary General and above all, the late invitation at a time all other heads of state had been invited ahead of schedule.