ISD News File - Tuesday, October 19, 2004

FOUR ENVOYS PRESENT LETTERS OF CREDENCE

Four envoys accredited to Ghana, last Friday presented their letters of credence to President J. A. Kufuor, at the Castle, Osu.

They are Mr. Donald Bobiash, High Commissioner of Canada to Ghana, Mr. Seidu Bako Boukari, Ambassador of Benin, Mr. Ikram Karim Fazli, High Commissioner of Pakistan and Mr. Odd-Egil Andhoy, Ambassador of Norway.

Receiving the letters of credence from the Canadian High Commissioner, President Kufuor expressed his profound appreciation to the Canadian government for the various forms of assistance it had given to Ghana over the years.

Mr. Bobiash said the upcoming electioneering was a statement to the world concerning Ghana?s commitment to democracy, peaceful political transition and development, adding that Ghana had been described by Canada as a success story in Africa.

At the turn of the Benionis Ambassador, Mr. Boukari, President Kufuor said Benin and Ghana, which had similarities in their cultures and ancestry, had enjoyed excellent relations over the years.

Mr. Boukari praised President Kufuor for his leadership and role in ensuring peace in the West African sub-region.

Presenting his letters of credence, Mr. Ikram Karim Fazli, High Commissioner of Pakistan, appealed to the leadership in Ghana to find ways of deepening the relationship between the two countries.

President Kufuor, receiving the letters of credence of the Norwegian Ambassador, who is based in Abidjan, Cote d? Ivoire, said the government was committed to the development of Ghana, for it to become a beacon to prove that it was possible for African countries to break free from the cycle of poverty on the continent.

Mr. Andhoy said, Norway was deeply involved in peace efforts globally and therefore, shared similar values with Ghana.

PRESIDENT KUFUOR IN THE UPPER WEST REGION

President Kufuor was given a rousing welcome when he arrived at the Wa airstrip at the weekend.

Thousands of people lined the streets while others climbed the roofs of buildings to catch a glimpse of the President as he drove into town.

President Kufuor said that the nation has been able to come this far since the NPP government?s assumption of office because of the faith the government has had in God.

?It is not the cleverness or wisdom of the governors that has brought us this far, but by the faith we have had in Him?, he said.

President Kufuor said this, when he joined the congregation of the St. Andrew?s Catholic Cathedral at Wa in worship at the start of his three-day tour of the Upper West Region.

SAVING BIO-DIVERSITY WILL BOOST FOOD PRODUCTION

The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Major Courage Quashigah (rtd.), has stressed the need for Ghana to adopt appropriate methods of conserving its bio-diversity resources, while using them efficiently to enhance food production and quality, and to lower prices.

Major Quashigah was addressing a flag-raising ceremony on Saturday, at the Bunso Plant Genetic Resources Centre (PGRC), in the East Akim District of the Eastern Region, to mark the 24th World Food Day.

He called on the country?s scientists to redirect their attentions towards the conservation and genetic improvement of indigenous breeds of animals and crops, in order to help improve the nutritional value of the Ghanaian diet, adding that the challenge of achieving food security for the people was greater now than ever before.

The theme of the celebration was ?Bio-diversity for food security?. Before the ceremony, visitors were taken on an excursion round the centre?s arboretum and gene bank, which contains preserved samples of plants and herbs that are facing extinction.

EXHIBITION OF PROVISONAL VOTERS REGISTER ENDS

The exhibition of the Provisional Voters Register ended throughout the country on Sunday, October 17.

$9,800 GRANT FOR NOYAM AFRICAN DANCE

The United States government has awarded a grant of $9,800 (?88,200,000) to the Noyam African Dance Institute as seed money to help organize an international dance festival, in Accra, in December.

The charge d? Affaires of the United States Embassy, Mr. Jerry Lanier and Mr. F. Nii-Yartey, Managing Director of Noyam, signed for the US Embassy and Noyam, respectively.

Mr. Lanier noted that the US government was proud to support the work of cultural institutions to help disadvantaged youth, by teaching them employable skills and also giving them renewed self-confidence in their abilities.

Noyam, which means ?moving on? or ?development? in Ga-Dangbe, is the first Ghana Education Service approved pre-university dance institute.

NEW GHANAIAN FILM LAUNCHED

A new Ghanaian Film aimed at changing the face of the film industry has been launched in Accra.

The film, entitled ?Moments ? Respect for Life? corrects the negative perception of the Blackman as backward and wicked, and is expected to lead the way in revamping the film industry in the country.

The Director of the Film and Acting Academy, Mr. William Ofori, said his immediate task is to get rid of foreign films in the country by producing decent and morally accepted films that the average ghanaian will enjoy watching.

JUDICIAL SERVICE HIV/AIDS PROGRAMME LAUNCHED IN TAMALE

The Judicial Service HIV/AIDS preventive and education programme for 20 regional focal persons from the Northern Zone has been launched at Tamale.

Performing the launch, Mrs. Justice Sophia Adinyira, an Appeal Court Judge, described as a human right abuse, the denial of visas to persons living with HIV/AIDS and the presentation of HIV test results as requirement for the acquisition of visas.

Mrs. Adinyira, who is also the Vice Chairperson of the Judicial Service HIV/AIDS sub-project Management Committee, therefore called for a more congenial legal framework that would help promote the fundamental human rights and work ethics favourable to persons living with the pandemic.

The Northern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. Elias Sory, expressed his disappointment at the seemingly inappropriate campaign messages on the pandemic that were being carried out by some non-governmental organizations.

Dr. Sory observed that although the region appeared to have a low prevalence rate of the disease, there was the need for health authorities to work hard to minimise the incidence of the pandemic.

The Supervising High Court Judge for the region, Mr. Justice Victor Doegah, urged the participants to take the programme seriously in order to realise the objectives for which it was instituted.

The Metropolitan Co-ordinating Director, Mr. Adam Mohammed Baba, who chaired the function, disclosed that the Ghana AIDS Response Fund in the Northern Region had made available ?500 million to NGOs and community based organizations to help fight the AIDS pandemic in the region.

BANK OF GHANA EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR CDH

The Bank of Ghana (BOG) has extended the deadline given to CDH Financial Holdings Ltd. to inject fresh capital into some of its affiliate companies by 30 more days.

This follows an application for extension by CDH to enable it to come out with concrete solutions to issues of insolvency, improper operations and poor management of CDH Discount Company Ltd, CDH Asset Management Ltd and CDH Securities Ltd.

A statement by the Public Affairs Unit of the BOG, said the holding company had, since the moratorium, taken some positive steps to revive the affected companies.

These include the dissolution of the board of directors of the affected companies, the appointment of an interim management board to prepare credible management and financial restructuring plan, particularly on how to infuse fresh capital into the companies, the statement said.

TOYOTA GHANA RECEIVES AWARD

Toyota Ghana Limited has won the Gold Award as the best motor distribution company at the first Ashanti Business Award held in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region.

The award ceremony which was in recognition of the company?s sales activities and its contribution to society, was organised by Top Brass Ghana, a business event organisers, under the auspices of the Manhyia Palace.

A statement issued by the organisers said, the award scheme was a business-enhancing event organised in line with Otumfuo?s commitment to the economic development of Ghana.

QIC PAYS ?236 MILLION IN LIFE INSURANCE CLAIMS

Quality Insurance Company (QIC) has paid an amount of ?236 million to the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) as life insurance claim in respect of its staff.

The late Anthony Oteng Nyanor, an employee of TOR, died recently. QIC entered into an insurance contract with TOR in which it will provide financial compensation to employees of TOR in the event of death, injury or being hospitalised.

Making the presentation, Mr. Moses Tei Canacoo, the Chief Operations Officer of QIC said, ?the benefit of insurance is felt only when a claim is paid and so today, QIC will want to fulfill the promise it made to TOR?.

Mr. Canacoo reiterated QIC?s determination to settle its claims promptly since that was the thrust of an insurance company.

A General Manager at TOR in charge of Legal and Administration, Mr. Enoch Larbi Aboagye, received the cheque on behalf of TOR and commended QIC for the quick response in fulfilling its part of the bargain.