DAILY GRAPHIC

The Graphic also carries on its front page the Vice-President's caution to District Chief Executives to be prudent in the disbursement of the District Assemblies' Common Fund. Under the headline: "Use fund wisely - Veep tells DCEs, the story says the Vice-President, Prof. John Atta mills, has warned District Chief Executives to ensure that the common fund is judiciously used for the development of their areas. He pointed out that the fund was established for development and that the annual allocation of national revenue to the fund has, in practice, represented between 24 and 29 per cent of the national development budget between 1994 and 1997. The Vice-President who was speaking at the closing session of a week-long induction course for 37 new DCEs, reminded them that the government has taken a major policy that the fund "should not be made to remain idle at any time". GRi

"Report rape caes" is another Graphic front page story which says a senoir police officer has appealed to parents to report cases of rape against their daughters to ensure justice and help curb the alarming rate of sexual defilement in the country of late. He said when rapists go unpunished, they tend to commit more wrongs and the deterrent effect that other potential rapists would have learnt from such punishments is also lost. Chief Superintendent G.J.K. Kuade, Commander of the Kaneshie Police Division, made the appeal at the third anniversary celebration and speech and prize-giving day of Grace Day Care Centre in Accra at the weekend. Speaking on "effects of some parents refusing to report certain social vices among the youth to the police", Chief Superintendent Kuade said the testimony of a rape victim is final in trials involving the jury. GRi

In the centre spread of the Graphic, the paper says Mr Edward Naaso, President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has urged the government to ensure proper decentralisation of the various ministries and government departments to enhance efficiency and productivity. Under the headline" "Pace of decentralisation must be fast "- Naaso, the paper says the GNAT President has noted that despite the establishment of regional coordinating councils and district assemblies, there is still over- concentration of authority and responsibilty at the ministries in Accra, a situation which he said wastes a lot of time and promotes inefficiency. Mr Naaso made the call when he addressed the closing session of of the third triennial Volta Regional delegates' conference of GNAT at Ho, at the weekend. GRi