Daily Graphic

"New Asantehene swears oath...He is Otumfuo Osei Tutu II", says the Daily Graphic in a front-page headline. The accompanying story says Barima Kwaku Dua, Asantehene- elect, yesterday swore

the customary oath of allegiance to chiefs of the Kumasi Traditional Council. His stool name is Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. The Graphic reports that Barima Kwaku Dua, holding the "Pomponsuo" sword in his right hand, he paid glowing tribute to his predecessors, extolled that greatness during conquests and other achievements and pledged to rule in truth, honesty and fairness to all. After the swearing-in, Otumfuo Osei

Tutu was made to sit on a silver-plated stool called "Dwete Asipim". According to the paper, the ceremony was watched by thousands of people, including the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kojo Yankah, the Minister of Tourism, Mr Mike Gizo, Deputy Asanti Regional Minister, Mrs Joana Appiah-Dwomoh, some paramount chiefs and the Managing Director of the Graphic Corporation, Mr Kofi Badu. Also present was the Catholic Bishop of Kumasi, the Right-Rev. Peter Akwasi Sarpong Otumfuo Osei Tutu succeeds the late

Asantehene, Otumfuo Opoku Ware II, who died last February 25, 1999 and who was interred on March 25, 1999. The new king is the 16th occupant of the Golden Stool from the era of "Opemsuo" Osei Tutu I.

In another front page story headlined: "Go back to work...Enrolled, Community nurses tell members", the Graphic reports that the Enrolled/Community Health Nurses Association has stated categorically that its members are not part of the decision of the junior nurses to embark on an indefinite strike action. Accordingly, the association has appealed to all Enrolled and Community Health nurses who have been forced into the industrial action, to resume work immediately, the Graphic says, quoting a statement issued at Koforidua in the Eastern Region and signed by the National President of the association, Mr James Budu, and the Vice-President, Mr Joseph Homatekpor, after an emergency national executive committee meeting at Saltpond in the Central Region. According to the statement, the decision of the association is to enable the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare to continue with the negotiations to ensure the early implementation of the payment of extra duty allowance to affected categories of staff within the health sector, including enrolled and community health nurses. Meanwhile, the paper says junior nurses of the Ghana Registered Nurses' Association at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and the Ridge Hospital in Accra, continue to be on strike, while senior nurses at the Koforidua Central Hospital are working hard to attend to patients at the hospital as a result of the strike action by junior nurses.