GRi Press Review 04-08-99

Weekly Insight: Sam Jonah in danger ? Serious Fraud Office looks into his business deals

The Weekly Insight in a front page splash says Mr Sam Jonah, Chief Executive of the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, cannot be a happy man as in the twinkle of an eye, his whole business empire appears to be nearing Armageddon following the government?s directive that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) take a closer look into his business deals.

Businesses connected to Mr Jonah, which have come under the scrutiny of investigators over the last eight weeks, include Sterling Financial Services, Metropolitan Insurance and the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation.According to the report Mr. Jonah?s close association with Finance Minister, Mr Kwame Peprah, and his alleged role in the installation of the new Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, are believed to have triggered off the investigations.

The paper says the investigations are aimed primarily at clipping his wings and ensuring that the Ministry of Finance sticks to approved procedure in the handling of government business.

Sterling Financial Services is said to be currently answering questions on how it managed to secure a lucrative contract for the evaluation of bids for divested state enterprises especially the Ghana Oil Company (GOIL).

According to Finance Ministry sources, Sterling was virtually hand-picked for the job and it is suspected that Mr. Jonah?s close association with Mr Peprah may have eased the way for the company. Mr Peprah, who is said a very close friend of Mr Jonah?s, is also the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation.

The Weekly Insight says both men are said to be confidants of the First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, but until recently, the relations have soured.

The report has it that oil industry sources say that the contract for the evaluation of bids for GOIL went to the American Company Rotchild which has Sterling as its local counterpart.

The World Bank reportedly objected to the award of the contract because it did not pass through tender and the Bank has refused to pick up the bill, forcing the Ministry of Finance to pay for the contract with Ghana?s own resources.

Total a French oil company which is in the competition to buy GOIL has also claimed that Sterling and officials of the Divestiture Implementation Committee subverted it by making its proposals available to ENGEN, a competitor.

ENGEN is reported to have changed its offer to buy GOIL at $10.8million to $14million to beat TOTAL's offer of $12million under circumstances which have not been fully explained. SFO source are said to have denied accusations from Mr. Jonah?s friends that he is being victimised for financing the effort to install Otumfuo Osei Tutu instead of government?s favourite, Nana Akwasi Agyeman.

The Weekly Insight says though the investigations have produced nothing Mr. Jonah cannot smile yet, not with the drop in Gold prices on the world market which may force him to send as many as 2,000 of his work force home.

Daily Graphic

Break in nurses front

There appears to be a break in the ranks of junior nurses in the Greater Accra region after two weeks of an industrial action to press home their demand for extra duty allowance, writes the Daily Graphic.

The paper says while nurses at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital have resumed work, others in the region have still refused to work citing disparities in the payment of the allowances.

Nurses at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital are said to have held a demonstration yesterday demanding the extra monies due them.

The nurses claim that while their allowance was calculated on a 125% of their basic salary for January, their counterparts at Korle-Bu had theirs calculated on 225 per cent.

Health workers from the Ga District who were said to be present at the meeting made similar demands to the regional directorate.

According to them a Senior Staff Mid wife in the region is getting about ?225,000 while a Ward Orderly at Korle-Bu, who is a junior, has been paid more than 400,000.

The Graphic says the junior nurses may hold a press conference soon to highlight the conditions and other problems affecting the nursing profession.

Violence looms at La

In another front page story, the Graphic says violence may break out at La, a suburb of Accra if La Mantse, Nii Kpobi Tetteh Tsuru III goes ahead to effect an ultimatum he issued to the Lakpa Wulomo, the chief priest. Nii Kpobi?s is said to have asked the Lakpa Wulomo, Nii Yemote Odoi IV, to quit the shrine house at the close of day yesterday.

According to the Graphic members of the quarter of La who elect the Lakpa Wulomo, have vowed to resist any attempt to eject him.

They have insisted that since he was not installed by the La Mantse, he has no authority to eject him from the shrine house. A letter addressed to the Lakpa Wulomo from the La Mantse?s office on July 28, this year, complained in part about ?various actions by you (Wulomo) which constituted incontrovertible evidence and disloyalty to the La Mantse?.

The Presidential Staffer on Chieftancy Affairs, Nana Akuoko Sarpong, had also sent a letter dated, July 26 1999, to the Lakpa Wulomo stating that he is expected to show ?absolute and unquestionable loyalty?.

According to the report, Nana Akuoko Sarpong supports the La Mantse?s position because he wrote in his letter that ?the Lakpa Wulomo must necessarily vacate the shrine to enable the La Mantse to appoint a trusted person to represent him and perform the functions of the chief priest?.

The Lakpa Wulomo is reported to have said that the positions of both Nana Akuoko and the La Mantse defies the custom of the people of La. Meanwhile Nana Sarpong has defended his position saying since Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru III is still recognised as the La Mantse, he has to support him to enable him to perform his role as chief The Graphic says opinions from La indicate that the cause of the rift between the chief and the chief priest has to do with religious differences.

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The Ghanaian Times

Road barriers re-introduced

The Ghanaian Times carries a front page story which says the Ministry of Interior has re-introduced road barriers as part of measures to curb the recent upsurge of crime, especially, armed robbery.

The sector Minister, Nii Okaidja Adamafio, is reported to have assured the public that the position would be reviewed in due course and expressed regret to any inconvenience that it might cause.

The Times quoting a statement issued by the Minister says Nii Okaija cautioned the security agencies against the misuse of the road barriers which are meant to improve public security.

The paper meanwhile, reports that a 25-year-old man, Roger Hozaifa is in police grips for robbing a taxi driver of ?850,000 at gun-point. Hozaifa, described as being dreadful, had to be sent to the Police Headquarters on the orders of the Inspector General of Police.

Hozaifa is said to have robbed Wisdom Tetteh, the taxi driver, of his car after hiring him for a couple of hours.

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Free Press

Kufuor throws challenge to Rawlings

The paper says the NPP flag bearer Mr. J. A. Kufour has challenged President J.J. Rawlings to allow national reconciliation to work by demonstrating that he is now a changed person. Mr Kufuor, the paper says, demanded that unless the President ensures that the police disarm other security agencies and those who are illegally keeping assault weapons, ?I will forever see the President as a man who stands for violence and not ready for repentance and peace?.

The paper quoting a statement by Mr Kufuor under the heading ?Reconciliation and peace in Ghana? the NPP flagbearer said when he and his party talk of reconciliation, they are not playing politics with it.

?Anybody who is wronged should not be expected to look on and accept things unless President Rawlings and his men openly apologise to them and compensate the for their irreplaceable losses?. ?This will help the next government of year 2000 elections to pull all sides together for true peace and reconciliation?, Mr Kufuor is reported as saying.

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