DAILY GRAPHIC – WEDNESDAY, 21ST JANUARY, 2004
1. “MAKE 2004 ELECTIONS PEACEFUL” – PGS. 1 & 3 Mr. Peter Ala Adjetey, Speaker of Parliament, has called on Ghanaians to ensure that this year’s elections are made as peaceful as the previous ones to demonstrate the maturity of the country’s democracy.
According to him, the conduct and the outcome of the elections would be the yardstick with which the extent of the maturity of the country’s democratic dispensation would be measured.
He made the remarks at the ceremonial opening of Parliament in Accra yesterday.
The ceremony ushered in the first meeting of the Fourth Session of the Third Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
2. SSNIT’S ?25 BILLION INVESTMENT AT WEIJA…400 SHOPS WASTED – PGS. 1 & 3
The paper reports that, four hundred shops at the Ghana Industrial and Commercial Estate Limited (GICEL) at Weija, near Accra, have either been locked up or turned into living rooms by the tenants.
The tenants claim that they have been compelled to take those steps because business is not flourishing in the estate.
The estate, constructed at the cost of ?25 billion in 1997 by the SSNIT, was designed to be Ghana’s first multi-purpose fully-serviced industrial and commercial estates.
It has 1,100 individual units of shops, stores and industrial garages. Interviews conducted by the paper revealed a state of despondency amongst those who have been allocated shops, while the area itself was overgrown with weeds indicating that there was no serious commercial activity going on there.
3. DENMARK REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR GHANA – PG. 20
Denmark has expressed her commitment to support Ghana’s development initiatives in view of the impressive performance of President Kufuor’s administration.
Mr. Per Stig Moller, Danish Foreign Minister, made the remarks during a courtesy call on President Kufuor at the Castle, Osu, yesterday.
He said he was in the country to further explore areas where the Danish government could be of assistance adding the Danish government was also interested in supporting ECOWAS in its effort to build and keep peace in the sub-region.
4. VANGUARD GIVES INSURANCE COVER TO MPs – PG. 20
According to the paper, Vanguard Assurance Company Limited has instituted a one-year welfare insurance package valued between ?10 million and ?100 million for the Speaker and Members of Parliament.
Also covered are the Clerk of Parliament and his two assistants.
The package entitles each of the insured or their beneficiaries to receive up to ?10 million in the case of injuries arising out of an accident and ?100 million in the event of death arising out of an accident or natural causes from the company between January 20, 2004 and January 19, 2005.
The Chief Executive of the company, Mr. E.M. Baba, announced this at a luncheon hosted for the Speaker and Members of Parliament, as part of the Parliamentary Week celebration in Accra yesterday.
5. NO PRICE INCREASE IN PETROLEUM PRODUCTS, UTILITIES, SAYS MINISTRY - PG. 3
The government has given the assurance that there will be no increase in the prices of petroleum products and utility services this year.
A press statement issued by the Ministry of Energy in Accra yesterday said due to the reasonable level of the Akosombo Lake, efficient programme of the VRA and the ECG, coupled with the arrangements to ensure stable petroleum prices, there would be no need to increase the prices.
The statement is in reaction to a publication in an Accra weekly to the effect that there would be increases in the prices of petroleum products and utilities
THE GHANAIAN TIMES – WEDNESDAY, 21ST JANUARY, 2004
1. PRESIDENT GIVES ADDRESS TOMORROW – PG. 1The paper reports that, President Kufuor will present this year’s State of the Nation Address tomorrow, only three days after Parliament has resumed.
This, the paper says is a marked departure from the past when the address was presented weeks after the ceremonial opening in January.
It cited for instance, that last years address was presented on February 13.
Explaining this new move, the Majority Leader, Mr. Felix Owusu-Agyapong said, “it is for effective time management.”
He stated “this year being an election year, many assignments before the House will have to be accomplished within a few months.”
Mr. Owusu-Agyapong told these to the House yesterday in Accra.
“Pursuant to the need for effective time management, a suggestion has gone to His Excellency, the President, to present his annual State of the Nation Address on Thursday, adding, “His Excellency has acceded to this request.”
2. SALUTE TO GERMANY’S CONTRIBUTIONS – PG. 3
The paper reports that, a hall at the Kofi Annan International Peace-keeping Centre is to be named after the German Chancellor, Mr. Gerhard Shcroeder who begins a four-day visit to Ghana from Friday.
Nana Akufo-Addo, Foreign Minister, disclosed this at a press briefing in Accra yesterday.
He explained that the naming of the hall after the Chancellor, was in recognition of Germany’s contribution towards the successful completion of the centre.
The Centre is situated at Armed Forces Staff College at Teshie.
3. NRC PITCHES CAMP IN VOLTA REGION – PG. 3
Chairman of the NRC, Mr. Justice K.E. Amua-Sekyi, has said the Volta Region suffered some of the most horrified human rights atrocities during the periods of unconstitutional rule contrary to the general public’s perception.
“There is no ethnic tinge to whatever happened, every ethnic group suffered,” adding that worst things happened in the Volta Region.”
It is an indication that no ethnic group had any advantage over others during those times, he added. Justice Amua-Sekyi made the observation when the Commission, which began public hearings at Ho yesterday, paid a courtesy call on the Volta Regional Minister, Mr. Kwasi Owusu-Yeboah, at the Residency.
According to him, the recent extension of the Commission’s mandate made it possible for it to be closer to the people in their respective regions to have a feel of the Commission’s work and its concerns.
THE DAILY GUIDE – WEDNESDAY, 21ST JANUARY, 2004
JAK’S RATING SOAR – PG. 1 & BK. PG.The paper reports that President Kufuor has increased his ratings among the French community especially for his leadership based on courage, peace and sincerity.
In a frank assessment of the three-year reign of the President, the influential French magazine, “Paris Match” observed that “since his election, President Kufuor has made two very unpopular but necessary decisions for the recovery of the economy.
The first one was to join the group of HIPC initiative in order to benefit from a temporal relief of the country’s debt payment. The second was to stop subsidizing oil imports to Ghana, which had almost doubled the price of oil.
“Parish Match” also lauded President Kufuor for his untiring efforts, “to open Ghana to the rest of the world and make it a real democracy.
His diplomatic influence in the region need not be proven anymore and he has the reputation of being a peace-maker,” it added.
The President still has much to face. He has to win election in 2004 to carry on his work of strengthening the Ghanaian economy, the Magazine noted.
FREE PRESS – TUESDAY, 21ST – 27TH JANUARY, 2004
THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE CREATION OF 30 NEW CONSTITUENCIES…WARD BREW SUPPORTS EC – PG. 1 Mr. T.N. Ward Brew, the founder and leader of the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) has rubbished the call by the Institute of Economic Affairs on the Electoral Commission not to implement the creation of 30 constituencies this year.
He said such a call by the IEA has no basis since the constitution empowers the EC to create constituencies and as their constitutional mandate the EC can create any constituency at anytime provided the commission has funds and the programme has been approved by government.
He added that the EC knows what to do and when it comes to implementing the constitution the commissioner knows how to do it, therefore people should stop persecuting him.
Mr. Ward Brew made these observations in an interview with the paper in Accra.
THE STATESMAN – WEDNESDAY, 21ST JANUARY, 2004
“THOSE WHO SHOUT LOUDEST ARE THE FOULEST” – KWABENA AGYEPONG – PG. 1 & BK PG.The Press Secretary to the President, Mr. Kwabena-Agyepong says he finds it ironic and extremely telling that “the very people who shout the loudest against perceived Government intolerance and harassments have shown themselves to be the foulest and vilest abusers given the slightest chance. Surely these are not the people whose cries must be taken in good faith by the good people of Ghana.”
Mr. Kwabena Agyepong disclosed this in an interview with the paper yesterday and said the violent level of intolerance exhibited at Friday’s Public Forum attended by senior figures and sympathizers of the NDC must view as a timely note of caution to Ghanaian voters.
“The violent assault on ordinary citizen of Ghana who happens to hold dissenting views to them is the clearest evidence yet of what they would inflict on Ghanaians should they ever have another opportunity at running this country,” predicts Kwabena Agyepong.
THE GHANAIAN CHRONICLE – WEDNESDAY, 21ST JANUARY, 2004
1. JAK’s CASE NOT OVER YET, SAYS GBA PREZ – PGS. 2 & 3The paper reports that the President of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Mr. Paul Adu Gyamfi, has observed that the striking out of a complaint lodged by the Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr. Alban Bagbin, against President Kufuor at the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) did not mean all was lost for the merit of the case to be heard.
According to him even though CHRAJ had discharged its discretional power for want of prosecution in a judicial manner, the door was not closed for the minority leader to release the case for hearing.
Speaking in a telephone interview with the paper from Kumasi, Mr. Adu-Gyamfi stated that, “if the body which is mandated to deal with the matter realizes that you are not interested to go on with the case, it is its discretion to strike out the case; but that does not mean that the case has been dismissed.”
2. NPP, NDC WAR OF ATTRITION RAGES…OHENE KENA TOLD TO STOP DAY DREAMING – PGS. 1 & 3
The Eastern Regional Chairman of the NPP Nana Adi Ankamah, has advised his NDC counterpart, Mr. Fred Ohene Kena, to move to the field and campaign instead of day-dreaming about winning the elections.
“How can Ohene Kena confine himself to the beauties of nation’s capital (Accra) and claim that the NDC is going to win the elections in the region without him as the regional chairman campaigning?”
According to him, this year’s election was not about giving free lunch to the party’s followers with the hope that they would vote for one, it entailed going down to them, expressing issues and explaining the manifesto to them.
Nana Adi Ankamah gave the advice when reacting to Ohene Kena’s call on the NPP to start preparing handing over notes from now since the party would lose this year’s election at Begoro in the Fanteakwa Constituency.
EVENING NEWS – TUESDAY, 20TH JANUARY, 2004
GRACE COLEMAN CAN’T BE EXTRADITED … SAYS A – G’S OFFICE – PG. 1It has now been established that Mrs. Grace Coleman, former Deputy Minister of Finance, will not be extradited to the US to stand trial there.
A source close to the Attorney General’s office, which disclosed this to the paper in Accra, said an official request had not been made to the government by the US authorities for the extradition of Mrs. Coleman to stand trial in the US.
The source, however, reiterated that even if the US government made the request for her extradition, there was no way the government would give in.
It explained that the “Non-Surrender Act” passed by Parliament last year, had nothing to do with Mrs. Coleman case.
The “Non-Surrender Act” will apply only when a US or a Ghanaian citizen is to face trial at the International Court for crimes committed against humanity.
THE ACCRA DAILY MAIL – WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21ST 2004
1. 2004 BUDGET IN MARCH – PG. 6Mr. Felix Owusu Adjapong, the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, yesterday announced that 2004 budget would be presented to Parliament in the first week of March, to allow Parliament ample time to debate and approve it before the electioneering campaigns heated up. He said this is part of plans to ensure effective time management in Parliament in this election year, adding that Parliament would make maximum use of the little time available to it before the election.
3. GHANA PARLIAMENT ENJOYS GOOD-WILL ABROAD – PG. 4
Mr. Kenneth Tachie, Clerk of Parliament has said in London that there was considerable goodwill and admiration for Ghana’s Parliament in the comity of nations.
He said, the country continued to receive commendation for the way the affairs of parliament had been tackled by the nations representatives at fora held on parliamentary matters at which Ghana was represented.
Speaking during a courtesy call on Mr. Isaac Osei, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the UK during a brief stop-over in London after attending the Commonwealth Speaker’s Conference in Canada, Mr. Tachie said the endorsement should galvanise members and encourage them to work harder towards the enactment of laws which should stand the test of times.
To enhance the performance of the legislature, Mr. Tachie announced, among other things, that Research, Public Affairs and Development departments had been established.
