The Ghanaian News
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May 2012
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www.ghanaiannews.ca Vol. 16 No. 5 May 2012
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1st Ghanaian Canadian Youth President Leadership Summit held in Toronto Atta Mills addresses workers at May Day celebration
By: Jesse Frimpong, and Joe Kingsley Eyiah, Toronto
From: Dr. Michael Baffoe, Sunyani
Group picture of some of the participants
The first ever Ghanaian Canadian Youth Leadership Summit, a gathering of Ghanaian youths and concerned people within the community, took place on Saturday May 19th, 2012 at the Ghanaian Presbyterian Church in Toronto. It ran from 12 Noon
to 6 P.M. Under the theme: “This is our Time to be the POSITIVE CHANGE…Yes We Can”, the event was organized by the Ghanaian Canadian Association in collaboration with civic leaders, cultural associations, churches, professional
associations and engaged community youth activists such as E. Hardness Oppong, Gabriel Odartei and Aisha Addo. Attendees included business leaders, educational, and political figures and youths from all over Toronto.
The Ghanaian community in Canada is tremendously growing, with the majority living in the Toronto Metropolis. Faced with many economic, social and politicont'd on pg. 50
A Ghanaian won bronze at 1st Canada Open Taekwondo Championship in Toronto Two Ghanaian Taekwondo athletes, Mr. Nana Yaw Emmanuel Adofo and Mr. Tsatsu Edem Kwawukume, and their coach, Ghanaian-Canadian TKD Grandmaster Michael Kwame Deh, participated in the above-mentioned tournament here in Toronto on May 13th & 14th. Both athletes did very well and represented Ghana with distinction. However, Nana Yaw was forced to withdraw due to injury after his second match, and Tsatsu took home the Bronze Medal in his Division on
the last day of competition. Tsatsu and Nana Yaw are now back in Ghana with many great stories of their journey to Canada and a Bronze Medal to show for it. Ayikoo!! Their coach, Grandmaster Michael Kwame Deh, who sponsored and hosted them while in Canada, lives in Toronto and operates the AwardWinning Etobicoke Taekwondo Centre & Deh Camp After-School Program (Est. 1985). see more pictures on pg. 48
From left Nana Yaw Emmanuel Adofo, Tsatsu Edem Kwawukume (with his medal) and Grandmaster Michael Kwame Deh
President Atta Mills
President John Evans Attah Mills has expressed his appreciation and gratitude to organized labour in Ghana for its cooperation in cont'd on pg. 67
Mayor Ford presents Freedom of the Press Declaration to Ethnic Media Council
Mayor Rob Ford presenting a proclamation to Thomas Saras President of Ethnic Press Council
story on pg 7
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
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May 2012
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Invest in the quarry industry Lawyer Gyan A legal expect in land acquisition, Lawyer Kwame Gyan has recommended that one of the possible ways Ghana’s unemployment rate could be reduced is through the establishment of stone quarries. Lawyer Gyan who owns a 9 million Dollar company called the Atiwa Quarries at Opeikuma in Atiwa of the Central region said though the quarry industry is capital intensive, he was determined to finalize the project to create
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
KEEPING YOU IN TOUCH WITH NEWS FROM HOME AND LOCAL COMMUNITY ISSUES
EDITORIAL Publisher / Editor Emmanuel Ayiku Contributing Editors Dr. Michael Baffoe Joe Kingsley Eyiah Director of Operations Comfort Ayiku Community Reporter Jonathan Annobil Winnipeg Bureau Dr. Michael Baffoe
The Ghanaian News Publishes news and comments from the Community, serves Ghanaians across Canada with good source of information is committed to give good community Journalism The Ghanaian News is published in Canada by The Ghanaian News Corporation
Editorial Office 2256 Sheppard Ave. Suite 202 Toronto, Ont. M9M 1L7 Tel:(416) 916-3700 Advertising Fax (416) 916-6701 Internet: www.ghanaiannews.com E-mail: cayiku@gmail.com Subscription costs $89.95 for one year. $129.95 for two years. U.S. and foreign subscriptions costs US$120.00 per year.
Letters to the Editor We encourage your feedback and value your comments. Please feel free to write to us. keep letters to a maximum of 200 words, include your full name, Telephone # and mailing address with all correspondence. Address your letters to the Editor The Ghanaian News 2256 SheppardAve. Suite 202 Toronto, Ont. M9M 1L7 Tel: 416-916-3700 or Fax: 416-916-6701 or e-mail us at afrocan@afrocan.com
Articles appearing in various columns of the Ghanaian News are intended to generate civil and informed public discussions. You do not have to agree with opinions expressed by the writers. That should encourage you to write to express your own views. This is the way we generate lively and civil discussions in the community. Rejoinders are not forums for personal insults and we want readers to adhere to these principles.
EDITORIAL Saluting the struggling unrecognized workers of Ghana As is the tradition around most parts of the world, rallies are held on the first day of May every year known as “May Day” to recognize the contributions of workers to their society and to highlight their demands and expectations. This day is what is known in North America as “Labour Day”, observed on the first Monday of September each year. While we salute the efforts of organized labour to recognize the efforts of its members on such days and to draw attention to their need for better working conditions, we wish to take issue with the focus only on organized labour during these Labour Day celebrations. It is a wellknown fact that in Ghana as in the rest of Africa, workers in the organized labour sector constitute no more than forty per cent of the total and actual workforce of the country. Membership of organized labour consists of only those that work in the formal sector: majority are government employees and the rest belong to private sector formal employment in some financial institutions, factories and the transport sector. We wish to state with all the emphasis at our command that the unsung heroes of the working population in Ghana and Africa are the teeming millions who work in the informal sector, majority of them being in the agricultural and retail sectors. It is also significant to note that majority of this section of struggling workers live in the rural areas of the continent where they struggle, in the face of all odds, unnoticed to drive the engine of the economies of their respective countries. They produce the food that feeds members of organized labour and the those in government and politics who do not seem to recognize their efforts. They produce the commercial crops that in many cases form the major exports and foreign-exchange earnings of those countries. In Ghana the retail sector also consists of a large army and network of people, mostly women and girls, who form an elaborate distribution network that brings food products and other goods to people in the formal sectors of the economy. Their efforts go practically unnoticed and unrecognized. Without their efforts, organized labour would not have the jobs that they have and keep complaining about benefits. Without their efforts, organized labour would not have food to eat at the end of their very unproductive days at their offices, especially in the Ministries in Ghana. These unrecognized sectors of the labour force in Africa never complain about benefits. They hardly complain to anyone. Yet they keep working, and working and working, sometimes with no benefits to show at the end of the year since the prices of their goods and services are dictated by government, including members of organized labour. In Ghana, at least, a day has been set aside to recognize the efforts of farmers. It is known as Farmers Day. But more needs to be done to celebrate the efforts and achievements of this sector of the labour force in Africa. The leadership of organized labour should include the teeming numbers of workers in the informal sector and especially the agricultural sector in their May (Labour) Day celebrations. That way, attention can be drawn to the needs and suffering of all those whose efforts drive the economy of society, not just a small sector of it because they are educated, organized and can actually make noise.
Opinion/ Commentary Ethnic Politics and Reckless Political Speeches Threaten Ghana’s Peace and Democracy By Kwabena Akuoko As the December 7, 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections draw closer, the political climate in Ghana has become remarkably caustic. Reckless political speeches imbued with all kinds of insults are now widespread. While I recognize that a number of politicians across the political spectrum have made reckless statements in the past, I particularly take issue with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin North, Honourable Kennedy Ohene Agyapong for irresponsibly insinuating violence and beating the war drums in his recent denunciation of alleged voting registration irregularities in our nation’s capital. Mr. Agyapong’s statement was said to have been prompted by supposed assaults some NPP members suffered in the Accra area at the beginning of the just ended Biometric Voting Registration exercise. Presumably, the MP perceived the alleged assaults as abuse of power by National Democratic Congress (NDC) operatives with the intention to undermine the 2012 electoral process. The alleged voting indiscretions coupled with what Mr. Agyapong deemed as police inaction triggered him to purportedly make the following statement: “We would beat all Gas and Ewes in the Ashanti Region if this is what they want us to go...we would club any intruder who intends fomenting trouble with a machete and butcher them”. Club fellow Ghanaians with a machete and butcher them? What was the MP thinking when he allegedly uttered those highly inflammatory words? Unsurprisingly, Mr. Agyapong’s comments instantly captivated national attention, set off mass condemnations and also galvanized impassioned discussion about ethnic relations in Ghana. The developing culture of ethnic politics and politics of insults is a serious threat to Ghana’s peace and democracy. Therefore, regardless of our political affiliations and ethnic backgrounds, we must all be perturbed by Mr. Agyapong’s statement because of its divisive and genocidal undercurrents. While the speech may be considered by others as mere words, we also need to remember that words are like a loaded gun and if not stored and used appropriately, could cause irreparable damage. Mr. Agyapong could have expressed his disgruntlement against the suspected voting registration wrongdoings without the hateful words attributed to him. The MP’s statement was unwarranted and allegedly unlawful because any remark, which incites violence, is a threat to Ghana’s cherished political stability and peaceful ethnic co-existence. Ghanaian politicians must be more aware that hate speech is exceptionally divisive and destructive. It could particularly plunge our peaceful country into serious ethnic clashes. No wonder Mr. Agyapong’s speech was instantaneously viewed by many as incitement of ethnic violence. Categorically, Honourable Agyapong has dishonoured his reputation as a lawmaker because of his hate utterance. It would therefore be honourable of him if he publicly apologizes for his unpalatable remarks and most importantly, resigns from Parlia-
ment for the rest of the current legislative session while the hate crime incitement charge against him proceeds through the courts. While Mr. Agyapong’s speech is deplorable, it has at least driven Ghanaians to critically think about our ethnic relations. By all means, ethnic politics, insults or hate speeches ought to be promptly addressed before our nation is pushed into ethnic and political destruction because it would appear that our country is slowly heading the wrong direction similar to what we have witnessed in many African countries in recent years. This therefore calls for all our politicians to tone down the inflammatory political rhetoric because insulting and hate speeches are not conducive to democratic development. Such conducts if not addressed, could throw Ghana into a state of serious political and ethnic chaos. We certainly need to be aware that ethnic clashes that turned to mass killings in other countries did not prop up overnight. They were gradually triggered by reckless and intolerable comments by undisciplined public figures. In our concerted efforts to build a well-functioning democracy, I would propose that it might be instructive for us to take a look at the history of hate-filled political speeches in other countries, reflect on the risks, particularly how such conducts could seriously undermine our peaceful co-existence as a nation. Since Ghana returned to constitutional rule in 1992, political debates have always been heated and often acrimonious, but without hate speeches and the question is why now? Instead of constructive debates and criticisms, our politicians have nowadays turned to down-right personal insults and hate speeches. We have thrived as a nation to communicate our differing political opinions in the past without any violent incidents. But as prevailing political trends indicate, the most vicious forms of insults have become prevalent. Consequently, all Ghanaians, and especially our politicians have a huge responsibility to tone down the tasteless political rhetoric and turn on respect and tolerance, which are essential nutrients to nourish our peaceful ethnic co-existence and emerging democracy. Insults and hate speeches are not conducive to peaceful ethnic co-existence and nation building and should definitely not be part of the important discourses we need to solidify our ethnic relationships and democracy. Hate-filled vocalizations are always dangerous because a single hate speech by a public figure may be wrongly construed by a considerable segment of the population as a public communication that justifies hate and violence towards others. The preceding reason particularly underscores the collective need to condemn Mr. Agyapong’s hate speech in the strongest possible terms. Finally, we should be more mindful that ethnic clashes resulting in mass killings, which are euphemistically dubbed as ethnic cleansing that have occurred in many parts of the world in the past did not come about in vacuity. Hate speech directed at identifiable groups is one of the foundations on which ethnic cleansing is built.
The Ghanaian News
May 2012
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Five Ghanaians commit suicide daily It may come as a surprise to you, but by the end of today, five or more people in Ghana would have taken their own lives, a phenomenon known as suicide. The worst part of it is that some of these persons may take the life of other people (Homicide) before taking theirs. Some alarming information stumbled upon by The Globe newspaper reveal that the rate of suicide (the action of killing oneself intentionally) in Ghana is climbing at an incredible rate. The last few weeks have seen the crime dominating newspaper headlines. This has caused fear and panic with some calling for national prayers to exorcise Ghana from any evil. Available statistics on suicide in Ghana put together by the Network for Anti-suicide and Crisis Prevention over a year indicate that Greater Accra region had the highest number of deaths by suicide, recording 431 and still counting. Below is the breakdown by region Greater Accra Region 431 Northern Region 276 Ashanti Region 132 Upper West 118 Brong Ahafo Region 114 Upper East 102 Western Region 102 Eastern Region 98 Volta Region 97 Central region 86 Total: 1,556 Per the data, an average of five out of every 10 people die every day in Ghana and this could even be worse should families or victims be bold enough to give information about some deaths that have been covered up and blamed on “illness”. The Globe’s checks indicate that the most dominant method being used in the southern sector was by hanging and poisoning while in the northern sector it was by fire arm and hanging. According to the statistics, the highest number of cases recorded was between the ages of 20 to 35 years which recorded a total of 702 and the outstanding reason for them committing suicide has been attributed to love relationship problems, poverty amongst others. The next category is people between the ages of nine to 19 years which recorded 531 deaths. The dominant cause of their death ranged between problems with parents, failure at school, inability of parents to provide their needs, love relationship problems amongst others. The third category ranges from 36 years upwards and that recorded about 323 deaths. The foremost reason for this category of people is impotence and poverty. The staggering statistics further revealed that within the year more men committed suicide than women. 1, 129 men took their lives as against 427 women. A former President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention, Professor Brian Mishara in a survey conducted by his institution revealed that “more than a million people worldwide die by suicide each year, many millions make suicide attempts severe enough to need medical treatment and many more millions are affected by the disastrous impact of a suicide. A global mortality rate of 1 death every 40 seconds.” He added that “in this age of preoccupation with global violence, terrorism and homicides, we often ignore the fact that worldwide more people kill themselves than die in all wars, terrorist acts and interpersonal violence combined.” The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that by the year 2020, 1.5 million people will kill
themselves annually worldwide. The sheer numbers make suicide and suicidal behaviour a top health issue. The WHO has, in fact, made suicide prevention, along with public prevention of malaria and tobacco related diseases, the top priorities for the first decade of this millennium. Committing suicide in Ghana or attempting to commit suicide in Ghana is a criminal act and some Civil Society Organisations are calling for the decriminalisation of suicide so that persons who have the intention to commit or are contemplating the act can come forward for help. Section 57 Clause 2 of the 1960 Criminal Code of Ghana clearly states that attempted suicide is a crime. Just last week, about four people were reported to have committed suicide and these reports came from the rural areas. Information is, however, rife that the act of suicide is rampant in the rural areas and due to the fear of stigma against relatives of the victims, most of the cases are covered up. The Chief Psychiatrist at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Akwasi Osei, said 93-95% of all suicides and attempted suicides are from mental disorders, with over 80% of the lot from depression. Creative Minds, an NGO established with the aim of preventing and a helping person with suicide intentions told The Globe in an interview that “the rate at which suicide is spreading in the country is becoming alarming. It has become more dangerous than HIV/Aids that we’re all fighting against. When someone decides to commit suicide it doesn’t take 10 minutes to execute, by the time you step out of the room and return, you’d see him or her hanging or poison themselves.” The founder of Creative Minds, Madam Mary Addy, who herself contemplated suicide some years ago confirmed the fact that “more men are committing suicide than women and it is the youth, the working class.” Madam Addy and her NGO which is crying for funding to help reduce the suicide rate in the country literally moves from town to town whenever she gets a call from someone who is contemplating suicide and try to counsel the person out of it. This hectic assignation, she said, is funded from her own pocket, but said this has helped her realise reasons why people would want to take their lives. She outlined some of the reasons saying “in Ghana, some of the causes are sexual abuses, stigmatisation, emotional pains from serious losses - be it the loss of a relative or some material things. People who have been diagnosed with HIV can commit suicide.” She added: “In my case for example, I was defiled when I was nine years and the mental pain was there throughout and I was growing with the pain and stigma. When your relatives or guardians do not show you any love or tell you anything good about yourself and all you go through is sorrow and suffering, what then is the essence of life? People have taken suicide as the means to an end or the only way available to end it all.” Dr. David Brent, a psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said “a first-degree relative - a parent, sibling or child - of a person who has committed suicide is four to six times more likely to attempt or complete a suicide. The Globe newspaper
Mayor Ford presents Freedom of the Press Declaration to Ethnic Media Council cont'd from pg. 1
Toronto who was the Special Guest speaker, presented a Freedom of the Press Proclamation to NEMPCC’s President Mr. Thomas Saras. The Proclamation expressed appreciation to the Ethnic Press Council for its good work. Also in attendance were Hon. Charles
Souza, Citizenship Minister, Jim Karygiannis MP for Scarborough Agincourt, Kathleen Wynne Minister of Municipal Affairs, Barbara Hall former Mayor of Toronto, some members of the Diplomatic Corps and other government officials.
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
18 people arrested for human trafficking The security agencies, acting on intelligence reports from the Canadian Security Network, have arrested 18 people and detained a vessel at the Tema Port suspected to be engaged in human trafficking activities from the West African coast to Europe. Three of the suspects were arrested at the Paga Border while they were attempting to escape to Burkina Faso, while the rest were picked up from their hideouts in Tema. The MV Ruvuma, sup-
posed to be used in transporting people, is currently under detention at the Tema Fishing Harbour under heavy security guard, while the names of the suspects are being withheld for security reasons. The acting Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Mr Richard Abugri Anamoo, yesterday led a Canadian delegation, including the Canadian Special Advisor on Maritime, Human Smuggling and Illegal Migration,
Mr Diedrah Kelly, to inspect the vessel at the Tema Fishing Harbour. He explained that Canadian Intelligence on a vessel being prepared for human trafficking activities alerted the Port Security Network to an invasion by a syndicate of suspected illegal immigrants in Ghanaian waters. Mr. Anamoo said the Tema Port Task Force, comprising the GPHA, National Security, the BNI, the Ghana Maritime Authority, the police, the military, among others,
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therefore, kept surveillance. The vessel turned out to be the MV Ruvuma, a registered fishing vessel which had docked at the port. He said about four weeks ago, the Security Network was able to trace the suspects, mostly from South East Asia, to their hideouts where they were arrested and put in custody. He said information available indicated that the vessel, which was originally a fishing vessel, had been sold to a new owner, who
is a Spaniard. A member of the task force, Mr Patrick Appiah Oppong, who spoke to the media, said there was a syndicate operating along the West Coast luring people into accepting the offer to transport them to Europe. He said six Sri Lankans were legally flown in to be trained to initially man the vessel but they suspected that there was surveillance on them and, therefore, attempted to escape using the Paga route in the Upper East Region.
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Mr. Oppong said the Sri Lankans were arrested before they could cross the border, while other immigrants on the vessel went into hiding in Tema. He said there were 240 Sri Lankans waiting in Togo and Benin to lure people to join the vessel if they had succeeded with their plans. Earlier at a meeting with Mr Anamoo, Mr Kelly had seen the need for the GPHA to be well equipped to counteract such activities. Mr. Anamoo said the GPHA would need about $10 million to put in place security systems to be able to monitor vessels some 45 nautical miles from the port. The Security Co-ordinator at the Tema Port, Col Ben Agudogo, and some Canadian officials, including the Canadian High Commissioner in Ghana, Madam Trudy Kernighan, were part of the inspection team on board the detained vessel. Daily Graphic
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The Ghanaian News
May 2012
9
Ghana Loses GH¢583m Oil SHOCKING: Revenue ¢740bn to train 250 doctors
Ghana has failed to achieve the targeted oil revenue of GH¢1.250 billion for 2011 as the nation has only raked in GH¢666 million from the commodity. This represents a shortfall of GH¢583 million, which the Jubilee partners have attributed to the inability of the Jubilee field to produce the estimated 120 barrels of oil daily. The figures were disclosed by the Public Interest and Accountability Committee, an independent body in Accra, in its maiden annual report for 2011 on the Management of Petroleum Revenue. The Chairman of the 30member committee, Major Daniel AblorhQuarcoo, stated that out of the total receipt, an amount of GH¢315.390 million, representing 47 percent was transferred to the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation while GH¢250.432 million went into budget spending. The amount allocated to the annual budget, stabilization fund and heritage fund was less than the targets of GH¢395,980,000.7, GH¢111,915,435 and GH¢613,195,95. Major Ablorh-Quarcoo said the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) lifted a total of 3.930 million barrels of oil, representing 16.1 percent
of total oil production of 24.5 million barrels in 2011 while the Jubilee Partner lifted 20.5 million barrels representing 83.9 per cent. According the committee, there was a deviation from the requirement of Act 815, Section 23(1) (B) of Ghana’s law which spells out how the oil revenue should be distributed to the Ghana Petroleum Funds made up of the Stabilisation Fund and Heritage Fund. Act 815 Section 23(1) (B) states that “A minimum of thirty percent of the excess revenue determined in subsection (1) (A) shall be transferred into the Ghana Heritage Fund and the balance shall be transferred into the Ghana Stabilization Fund every quarter. Yet, the report states that the Ghana Petroleum Funds received revenues less than what were required by the law. Also, not all payments in terms of taxes expected from the oil industry were realized. In the area of corporate tax, the Ghana Revenue Authority is yet to receive revenue from operators yet to recoup their pre production cost. Ghana’s law permits the oil companies to recover 20 percent of what was invested, and according to the Jubilee partners they had invested a total
amount of $4 billion which could be recouped over the next four to five years before they start paying corporate taxes.
The committee recommended that the GNPC release an interim report on what it used the 47 percent of the oil revenue it received for. The committee also impressed upon government to expedite action on the processes needed for the development of a nationally owned long-term development plan in line with the provision of Act 815. It cautioned the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to go by the methodology spelt out in the bench marks as required by the Petroleum Revenue Management Act. Members of the Public Interest and Accountability Committee are selected from I3 organizations made up of the Clergy, Ghana Bar Association, Trades Union Congress, Ghana Journalists’ Association, Institute of Chartered Accounts and traditional leaders. They are expected to provide an independent assessment of how petroleum revenues are managed and used in the country in line with the requirement of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act. peacefmonline
Documents available to the New Statesman indicate that the Ghanaian taxpayer is spending a whopping GH¢74.3 million (¢743 billion) to train 200 senior high school graduates and 50 specialists who left the shores of Ghana for Cuba last week. This development has caught experts in the medical field dumbfounded and shocked at what they describe as “misplaced priorities” of the Mills-Mahama administration, as GH¢74.3 million could have been used to train over 2,000 doctors in Ghana. A cabinet memo from then Minister for Health Joseph Yieleh Chireh dated August 2011 and titled “Funding the services of the Cuban Medical Brigade under the revised Ghana-Cuba Medical Cooperation” makes this startling revelation. The cabinet memo explained that “the budget for the basic training of doctors and of specialists works out to GH¢74,344,960 for the period of the Medical Cooperation” with “an amount of GH¢14,498,960” needed for the first year, 2012. According to the Minister
of Health, the cost of training a single senior high school graduate in Cuba amounts to GH¢50,660.12 (¢506.6 million) a year, translating into GH¢303,960 (¢303.96 million) per head for the entire six-year period. “For the 200 students that are proposed for training in Cuba, this will work out to GH¢10,132,024.00) for each year. For the six years of training, this works out to GH¢60,792,144.00. The cost of training a specialist in Cuba is about GH¢48,189.12 per annum per student. For the 50 proposed [specialists] for training, this works out to GH¢9,637,824 for four years”. However, checks made by the New Statesman at the University of Ghana Medical School indicate that the cost of training a single doctor for a year would not exceed GH¢5,000, as tuition fee for a student at the UGMS amounts to GH¢1,000 a year, inclusive of hostel fees. Thus the cost of training 200 senior high school graduates for a period of six years at the University
of Ghana Medical School would amount to GH¢6 million, as opposed to the GH¢60 million the Ghanaian taxpayer is forking out to train a similar number of high school graduates in Cuba. The GH¢60mn that is being used to train 200 doctors could have trained 2000 medical students; now that would have been unprecedented in Ghana’s medical history. To compensate for the departure of the 50 medical doctors who are to be trained as specialists, the government intends recruiting 300 Cuban doctors at a cost of GH¢14.36 million per annum and GH¢86.16 million for the next six years. According to the cabinet memo, the benefits for the 300 Cuban doctors include: a return air-ticket each year for annual leave; travel allowance; accommodation and meals at arrival and departure; accommodation at work place; transport for work; utility charges; cost of participation in annual scientific seminar and brigade headquarters expenses, monitoring and evaluation.
GO Transit Service guarantee begins this Fall McGuinty Gov't improving public transit Starting this fall, Ontario will offer refunds to GO Train riders whose trains are more than 15 minutes late, except when delays are caused by extreme weather, police investigations, accidents and medical emergencies. The 15-minute guarantee is the next step the Ontario government is taking to ensure the best customer experience possible for GO passengers. This week, Ontario is celebrating 45 years of GO Transit service. The first GO Train departed Oakville Station for Toronto's Union Station on May 23, 1967. Back then, GO served just 8,000 riders a day; 45 years later, that number has jumped to over 219,000. The popular transit system grew from a single rail line along the shore of Lake Ontario to a regional transportation network that includes seven rail lines spanning 444 kilometres of track, and a regional bus service that connects 16 bus terminals along 2,784 kilometres' worth of routes. Without GO and public transit, the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) would need four more Gardiner Expressways and four new Don Valley Parkways to accommodate its car traffic. Investing in public transit is part of the McGuinty government's plan to strengthen the economy. A strong economy protects the services that mean most to Ontario families - health care and education.
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
Ghana: Alfred Woyome and Corruption A ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament, Kojo Adu Asare, thinks a US$40 million corruption scandal that is rocking the NDC won’t affect Ghana’s 2012 general election’s outcome and development. From the creation of the Ghana nation-state some 54 years ago, corruption has been responsible for the country’s instabilities until 19 years ago when genuine democracy brought unpretentious stability.
Money meant for roads, food, security, health, housing, education, and other socio-economic infrastructure is stolen. Ghanaians’ life expectancy, at 64.2 years, isn’t encouraging. Poverty is still a killer. Ghana goes abroad to beg money to survive and support its budget, yet Alfred Woyome, an NDC financier, in collusion with other high ranking Ghanaians, gleefully swindles Ghana of US$40 million. Adu Asare’s NDC, which origin emanated from
struggles against corruption, is typical Africa case. Corruption saw confused military coup d’états. With weak or non-existent accountability institutions, the military juntas were engulfed in more corruption than the civilians they overthrew. It appears the NDC has quickly forgotten its roots and is now embroiled in a US$40 million corruption scandal that has seen some Ministers and bureaucrats disgracefully forced to resign and others arrested. In all the development is-
sues to be debated in the 2012 general elections, the central issue will be how to get money to build roads, toilets, schools, provide water, food and hospitals, among others. One cannot build these entire socio-economic infrastructures if the state treasury is periodically looted, as Alfred Woyome and his clique, have done. Adu Asare’s view that Ghanaians won’t vote based on the Alfred Woyome corruption scandal but on President Atta Mills image is disturbing and non-
sense. Ghanaians are going to vote in the December 7 general elections based on the Alfred Woyome corruption outrage. Part of the reasons for their continued poverty are people like Alfred Woyome looting public coffers. Partly because of endemic corruption, Ghana ranks 135th out of 187th countries with comparable data measured in 2011 by the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) that measures human welfare
such as availability of water, toilets, education, food and health. The fact that Ghana is at medium human development level at the HDI should be of concern to Adu Asare and how the Alfred Woyome corruption scandal have implications in Ghana’s development indicators. If Adu Asare has a feeble sense of the relationship between corruption and development, his fellow brothers and sisters in Botswana could teach him one or two lessons. With cont'd on pg. 12
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The Ghanaian News
May 2012
11
Supreme Court throws away Dramani’s Submission of no Case The proof of any destination is validated by the process The Supreme Court by a unanimous ruling on Wednesday, dismissed a submission of ‘no case’ in the matter brought against the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mr Adamu Dramani Sakande, over his alleged dual nationality. The court asked the MP to open his defence, ordered the court’s registrar to serve hearing notice to the Attorney-General, and adjourned the case to June 12. The nine-member panel was
chaired by Professor Justice Date-Baah, who announced that, Ms Justice Rose Owusu, a member of the panel, could not attend court because she was indisposed. She, however, indicated to the court that she had read and agreed on the ruling. Other members were, Mr Justice Julius Ansah, Ms Justice Sophia Adinyira, Mr Justice Jones Dotse, Mr Justice Annin Yeboah, Mr Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, Mr Justice Sule Gbadegbe and Mrs.Justice Vida AkotoBamfo.
The Attorney General was not present in court, but counsels for Dramani, Mr Yonni Kulendi, Mr Egbert Faibille Jnr and Mr Bernard Archer were present. Dramani was on July 31, 2009, brought to court, charged with nine counts relating to his nationality, perjury, forgery of passport, election fraud, and deceiving public officers to be elected as an MP, but was exonerated on six of those charges on July 8, 2010. He is currently facing three charges of false declaration of office, perjury and deceiving
a public officer. Mr Sumaila Biebel, a cattle dealer in March 2009, filed a suit at the High Court, challenging the eligibility of the MP on the grounds that the MP held both British and Burkinabe passports. The court, in a default judgment on July 15, 2009, ordered the MP to vacate his seat. Disappointed with the court’s decision, counsels for the MP appealed against the decision, resulting in the Court of Appeal declaring in a unanimous decision that Mr Biebel should have gone by an electoral pe-
tition, since the matter bordered on electoral dispute. All matters relating to electoral disputes are to be heard as electoral petitions and those petitions are to be heard 21 days after the results of the elections have been declared. Aggrieved by the Court of Appeal’s decision, Mr Biebel went to the Supreme Court, which decided to take evidence from him. He has since testified and been cross-examined by Mr Faibille. The defence filed a submission of ‘no case’ after Mr Biebel had completed his evi-
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
FOCUS
All African Day to be held in Toronto June 2 By Joe Kingsley Eyiah, OCT, Brookview Middle School, Toronto Have you ever given a deep thought to the saying, “Divided we Fall, United we Stand? Yes! Can you image all Africans living in the Greater Toronto Area coming together on one day at one place to share, praise and fellowship together? It is possible and it is coming this June! It is the “All African Day Celebration.” You are specially invited to be part of this Greater Toronto Area (GTA) all African Day Celebration, 2012. It takes place on June 2nd, 2012 at the Catch the Fire Church on 272 Attwell Drive, Etobicoke. The theme for the event is ‘Inspired by Hope”. The All Africa Day celebration is a consolidation of the various African days in the Churches and joining with the other African Churches visible in the GTA to celebrate our heritage and praise our God as a united people. We, also, want to reach
out to our brothers and sisters who may not visit our various Churches per-se but would show interest in attending a grand occasion - where all the nations come together and feel a sense of worth and pride in being Africans. Africa: a Country or a Continent? It is strange that many people who have not been to Africa before thinks of it as one country with a group “uncivilized people living in trees!” There are about 55 countries that make up Africa. Each is unique and has its own flag. There will be a special flag-raising ceremony for the countries of Africa at this All African
Day (AAD) in Toronto.
munity and the joy or fear of one person was seen
Map of Africa showing the various countries African culture is incredibly interesting because it is so diverse. Every African country is a mix of tribes each with their own unique language and culture. Countries as small as Uganda have more than 30 tribes. Why not come to share the different dishes of African countries.
a s every person’s concern seems to be going down the drain. We hope to revamp the good aspects of our culture even in our new land of abode
Empowering Our Youth: Moreover, we, by this event hope to empower our youth and children communicating the posi-
tive aspects of our heritage and demonstrating the fact that there is a large presence of Adventists who are of African descent in the GTA. We are therefore calling Africans and ‘friends of Africa’ to join us to celebrate our journey as inspired by our hope in God; and reconsider what He has for us while we tarry here awaiting His soon coming. We had a very successful Celebration last year, with over 2,500 in attendance. This was a very encouraging number, considering many folks did not hear about the event and many others heard about it at the last minute. This year we want as many people as possible to hear about it and tell others too.
Come and join us as we all celebrate what God has done and continues to do in our lives. This event is organized by Adventists of African origin resident in Ontario and sponsored by the Ontario Conference of Seventhday Adventists. African Seventh-day Adventist Churches in and around the Greater Toronto Area unite with their local communities to provide community services to needy or disadvantaged neighborhoods. For example the Ghanaian SDA Church Education Council formed a partnership with the Brookview Middle School to provide after-school homework club and mentorship program for students in the Jane/Finch area at Brookview in Toronto since 2005!
Unfortunately, the ancient hospitality in Africa where, for instance, children belonged to the com-
Ghana: Alfred Woyome and Corruption cont'd from pg. 10 entrenched culture of accountability and genuine independent institutions such as the judiciary and the legislature, Botswana, according to the Berlin, German-based corruption watchdog Transparency International, is the “least corrupt country in Africa and ranks similarly close to Portugal and South Korea.” In Susan RoseAckerman’s The Political Economy of Corruption, an independent and honest judiciary, including lower level clerks and bureaucrats, are effective tools for containing corruption. In the Alfred Woyome corruption scandal, some elements in the judiciary did actually help Woyome in his crime against Ghana. Former Minister of Education,
Betty Mould-Iddrisu, who was forced to resign, refused to prosecute Woyome when the issue was first brought to her attention when she was then the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. Botswana’s anti-corruption apparatus include activities of its traditional institutions. Botswana, Africa’s leading democracy some 45 years ago, doesn’t have the experience of the astonishing US$40 million Alfred Woyome corruption scandals and the likes of Betty Mould-Iddrisu. No doubt, Botswana leads Sub-Sahara Africa in development indicators. It ranks high, at 98th on the United Nations Human Development Index. Adu Asare should remember that Ghana ranks medium at
135th. When Ghanaians “examine their personal lives as to how that has improved under the leadership President John Atta Mills and cast their votes accordingly,” as Adu Asare told the Accra-based Peace FM, they will be informed by the raging US$40 million Alfred Woyome corruption indignity that has dented some aspects of their development process. Ghanaians will, therefore, vote according to the issues raised by the Alfred Woyome plundering scandal. By Kofi Akosah Sarpong. Writing from Ottawa, Canada. E - m a i l : kakos064@uottawa.ca
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The Ghanaian News
May 2012
13
Anas and co grab One World Africa and Australasia to Media Awards in London share Square Kilometre Array South Africa, Australia and New Zealand will host the biggest radio telescope ever built.
belief that possessing the bones of an albino could increase one’s monetary wealth. With the support of Peter Murimi, Richard Mgamba, a Tanzanian journalist, and Isaack Thimothy, a local activist, Anas exposed and confronted those behind the selling of albino body parts. According to the judges, Spell of the Albino “took action, made a difference and could potentially save lives - very rare and difficult to achieve. Although some of the images were shocking, they were never gratuitous – the investigation certainly captured the attention of the audience”. Following the Award, Director of the documentary, Claudio Von Planta expressed delight at the impact of the story. “It’s great to see that this gruesome film about the witchcraft driven mutilation of albino children in Northern Tanzania touched many hearts. Hopefully this story will help expose the madness of witchcraft not only in Tanzania but as well in many other countries where these criminal practices are still rampant”. “Winning the Best
Children’s Rights Award is the best possible recognition for a humanitarian film – the One World Media Awards consistently promote the highest journalistic standards in the media industry on a global scale, he added”. Executive Producer of Africa Investigates, Ron McCullagh said “Africa Investigates is the beginning of an important development in television journalism. With the support of Al Jazeera English we have given voice to local journalists around the continent so they can tell their own stories as they are best qualified to do. In five years time with The World Investigates, we intend to be doing this around the world. Meanwhile, Ghana’s Gold, another investigative documentary by Anas, produced under the Al Jazeera’s Africa Investigates series, has been short-listed as one of the finalists in the Best Agribusiness / Environment Feature category for this year’s Diageo Africa Business Reporting Awards. The Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday 28 June 2012 in central London. myjoyonline
thousands of small antennas spread over thousands of kilometres. South Africa and Australasia had put forward separate, competing bids, and the early indications had been that there would be one outright winner. But the SKA organisation decided both proposals should contribute something to the final design of the telescope. Pallab Ghosh visits Jodrell Bank where the SKA project team is based “We have decided on a dual site approach,” said SKA board chairman John Womersley. He was speaking at a press conference held at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport
following a meeting of the organisation’s members in the Dutch capital. The SKA’s targets will be radio sources in the sky that radiate at centimetre to metre wavelengths. These include the clouds of hydrogen gas in the infant Universe that collapsed to form the very first stars and galaxies. The SKA will map precisely the positions of the nearest billion galaxies. The structure they trace on the cosmos should reveal new details about “dark energy”, the mysterious negative pressure that appears to be pushing the Universe apart at an ever increasing speed. cont'd on pg. 21
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Ace investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas and the Africa Investigates team, have been awarded the prestigious One World Media Awards for the groundbreaking investigative documentary titled Spell of the Albino. It was at a grand ceremony held at Kings Place in London. The documentary, which was produced under Al Jazeera’s Africa Investigates series, was selected as the winning entry in the Children’s Rights category. It was lauded by the judging panel as “extremely informative, shedding light on a new issue”. The award was picked up by Sorious Samura, a leading member of Africa Investigates, Claudio Von Planta, the Director of Spell of the Albino and Diarmuid Jeffreys, Editor and Executive Producer at Al Jazeera English. In the documentary, Anas Aremeyaw Anas went undercover to reveal gross human rights violations perpetrated against albinos in Tanzania. It brought to the fore scenes of albino killings and mutilations near Geita in Northern Tanzania, a place where witchcraft had taken hold of communities and led to the widespread
The nations belonging to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) organisation took the decision at a meeting on Friday. The 1.5bn-euro (£1.2bn) SKA’s huge fields of antennas will sweep the sky for answers to the major outstanding questions in astronomy. They will probe the early Universe, test Einstein’s theory of gravity and even search for alien intelligent life. The project aims to produce a radio telescope with a collecting area of one million square metres - equivalent to about 200 football pitches. To do this, it will have to combine the signals received by
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
ECOWAS Integration bearing fruits restriction, Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, said on Wednesday.
Companies registered under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) are now able to circulate their finished products freely without
Alhaji Mumuni said the liberation of trade within the sub-region has gone beyond agricultural produce to include industrial products with the adoption of
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vegetable oils, plywood, palm oil and baby foods. Alhaji Mumuni said Ghana is vigorously pursuing the implementation of the ETLS, which provides the opportunities for small and medium enterprises to access the markets of other member states. He said in the first quarter of this year, 22 Ghanaian products had been given approval to enjoy the benefits under the scheme. Alhaji Mumuni said Ghana’s trade within the ECOWAS, stands low at 27 per cent as compared to trade with the European Union, which stood at 47.7 per cent as at the end of 2011. He said the workshop af-
forded the chance to encourage companies and industries to form joint venture partnership with other companies in the sub-region to boost trade in the region. Alhaji Mumuni encouraged companies to take full advantage of the scheme to add value to their various products and participate in the various ECOWAS Trade Fairs, despite the bottlenecks which may be encountered. He said in order to reinforce trade, the ECOWAS Initiative for Export Promotion and Enterprise Competitiveness for Trade (ExPECT) Initiative, had been set up cont'd on pg. 39
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
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Africa and Australasia to share Square Kilometre Array cont'd from pg. 13
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The telescope will also detail the influence of magnetic fields on the development of stars and galaxies. And it will zoom in on pulsars, the dead stars that emit beams of radio waves that sweep across the Earth like super-accurate time signals. Astronomers believe these superdense objects may hold the key to a more complete theory of gravity than that proposed by Einstein. The Australasian bid was centred on a site at Boolardy Station, about 500km (310 miles) north of Perth in Western Australia. For South Africa, the central location put forward was in the Karoo in the Northern Cape, about 95km from Carnarvon. Both have exceptional conditions for radio astronomy in that, being remote territories, they experience very little stray interference from celluar phone networks and TV broadcasts. Artist’s impression of SKA Collating data from two continents presents a huge technological challenge And Australia and South Africa had even started building precursor facilities which they hoped would enhance their bids’ attractiveness. Both these pathfinders, known as ASKAP (Australia) and Meerkat (South Africa), will now be incorporated into the final network. Most of the subsequent telescope dishes and mid-frequency aperture arrays will be built in Southern Africa, while the lowfrequency aperture array antennas will be positioned in Australia. The SKA’s members include the UK, Netherlands, Italy, China, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. India has associate member status. There will be major industrial return for all members. The next project engineering phase is worth about 90m euros. Phase 1 of the project, due to start in 2015/16, was valued at around 360m euros. The cost of the last phase was always uncertain and depended on knowing exactly where the SKA would be built and the final design it would take; but a sum of 1.2bn euros was considered a likely figure. The decision to dual-site will undoubtedly increase the cost and complexity of the SKA. BBC News
22
The Ghanaian News May 2012
Ghana to export nuclear energy? Ghana is working assiduously to explore the feasibility of nuclear energy in its power mix, as it strives to become a major net exporter of energy to other West Africa States. T h u s , government’s intervention geared towards increasing the total installation capacity of electricity generation, currently at 2000 megawatt, to 5000 megawatt in 2015, has targeted the utilisation of nuclear power to supply adequate, reliable and affordable electricity for the sustainable development of both the country as well as the sub-region. According to Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, Deputy Minister of Energy to meet this target, government has considered the use of available energy sources such as gas, large scale hydro and the renewable. “In the long term, particularly 10 years and beyond, our energy needs are expected to far exceed the above set target as our commercial and industrial activities increase.” He was addressing participants at the opening of a five-day meeting on “Cooperation and Networking for Nuclear Power Programme in Africa,” being organised under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) and the African Regional in collaboration with the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC). The meeting is aimed at strengthening collaboration and networking among member countries in order to maximise the use of available African infrastructure and expertise in nuclear power and related fields. Alhaji Fuseini however indicated that although nuclear power is one of the options being considered to play a significant role in the country’s energy sector, the utilization of nuclear power involves careful planning to address major issues such as financing, siting, safety and human resource development among other things. He said the Ministry of Energy in collaboration with GAEC had taken the lead by setting up a Nuclear Power section at the Ministry, to deal with all the issues associated with the planning and implementation of a nuclear power programme. Additionally, the Ministry is also taking the necessary steps to establish and inaugurate the Nuclear Energy Programme Implementation Organisation, which is to coordinate the activities of stakeholder institutions
involved with the planning of the nuclear power project as recommended by the IAEA. “It is therefore expected that in foreseeable future this energy option will be introduced into our energy mix to make effective contribution to our developmental efforts towards the achievement of the sustainable energy for all by 2030,” he said. The Deputy Minister expressed the hope that the meeting will equip the participants with the necessary skills and ideas to enable them contribute effectively for the successful utilisation of nuclear power for the sustainable development of the continent. Dr. Kwame Aboh, Deputy Director General, GAEC, noted that the increasing requirement for the socioeconomic development of Africa, coupled with the ever volatile prices of fossil fuels continue to be a major challenge. He said opponents of nuclear power had focused on and expressed concern about the deficiencies in areas such as the inadequate human resource base, environmental safety and high construction cost of nuclear power plants. He however argued that the African Region, in the era of dwindling and compet-
ing development needs can overcome most of the concerns and ensure better coordination and development of the required high level nuclear power personnel through appropriate educational programmes. Dr. Aboh said there should also be sharing of information and best practices to help African States to understand and develop and implement environ-
mental programmes. Dr. Vincent Nkong-Njock, IAEA Local Representative, highlighted on issues such as the need for political and technical leadership in the development of nuclear power and stressed the importance of sustaining cooperation and networking among African member countries to ensure the harmonisation of intercountry nuclear power
programmes and activities and ensure the development of sound inter-continental nuclear energy programmes. He encouraged member countries to embrace themselves for the great task and challenges ahead since the successful development of nuclear power would propel the continent to its next level of development.
McGuinty announces $1B extension of Highway 407 Drivers in the Toronto area will have a new route reaching east of the city, but it’s expected to be more than three years before the new toll road is built. Work will begin this fall on the longpromised extension of Highway 407 East, a 22-kilometre stretch from Brock Road in Pickering to Harmony Road in Oshawa, Premier Dalton McGuinty said Thursday. The extension will be owned by the province, but drivers will still have to pay to use the route that runs north of the city, he said. “We’ll set the tolls, we’ll set the service standards and we’ll collect those revenues to benefit Ontarians themselves,” McGuinty said during a visit to the 407 ETR maintenance yard. “We’ll consult with Ontarians. I can assure you that they will not be higher than the 407 ETR tolls. We hope that they’ll be lower, but I’m not making a commitment in that regard at this point in time. But we want to ensure that they are reasonable.” The current rates for using the existing 407 range from 19 cents per kilometre
during evenings and weekends to 25 cents during prime hours. The project will create 900 direct construction jobs and thousands of spinoff jobs, McGuinty said. Construction is expected to be finished by the end of 2015. The second phase of the project, extending the 407 further east to Highway 35/115, should be completed by 2020. The contract, which is valued at $1.6 billion, has been awarded to SNCLavalin (TSX:SNC) and Cintra Infraestructuras SA. The consortium will receive annual payments from the province over 30 years to cover the costs of designing, building and maintaining the road, the government said. The two companies are part owners of 407 International Inc., which operates the existing 108-kilometre toll road under a 99-year lease. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board owns a 40 per cent stake in the company. The previous Conservative government decided in 1998 to privatize the 407 in a $3.1-billion deal.
P & C Rehabilitation Ser vices Services Dr. Paul Agyemang, BHK (Hons) CSCS.DC. Chiropractor 1749 Jane Street, Unit 2, Toronto, Ontario, M9N 2S5
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The Ghanaian News
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reveal that more targeted use of diagnostic tools helps to better support those patients with serious medical conditions such as infections or cancer and leads to earlier treatment for those patients with less serious symptoms by eliminating unnecessary diagnostic tests. To ensure more timely access to care, a new fee will be added for doctors to consult with each other through secure email. The combined changes, effective as of April 1, 2012, are expected to result in savings of $338.3 million in 2012-13, allowing the government to invest in more home care and expanded health care services. The government will continue to negotiate with doctors to improve access to patient care, including same day/next day appointments and after-hours care to reduce pressure on emergency rooms. Improving patient care by getting better value for our health care dollars is part of the McGuinty government’s Action Plan for Health Care and builds upon the gains made in health care since 2003.
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practice for an additional procedure and, consequently, additional billing. The payment for certain diagnostic tests such as X-rays and ultrasounds will be reduced by half when the same physician orders and performs the test. New technology has greatly reduced the time needed for 250 diagnostic radiology tests including X-rays, CT/MRI scans and ultrasound. To reflect this, fees paid for these tests will be reduced by 11 per cent over four years. New technology has reduced the time needed to perform cataract surgery from two hours to as little as 15 minutes. Fees paid to doctors for this procedure will be reduced from $441 to $397.75. The time taken to perform eye injections for retinal diseases now takes five to 30 minutes, down from two hours a decade ago. The fee paid to doctors for this service will be reduced from $189 to $90 over four years. Evidence shows that echocardiograms before routine non-cardiac surgery do not improve patient outcomes. Doctors will perform fewer of these tests. Best practices for CT scans and MRIs for lower back pain
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Ontario is moving toward a real wage freeze for doctors in order to invest more precious health care dollars in community care for families and home care for its many seniors. Patients will get better, frontline patient care including more community care nurses, expanded home care services for at least 90,000 seniors, and 1,100 more doctors as the province updates fees paid to physicians for services under the $11-billion Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). Ontario’s doctors are the best paid in the country, with the average doctor billing $385,000 and many specialists billing twice that much. The government is updating and rebalancing OHIP fees to better reflect current medical practices and new technologies and to avoid double-payments. Best practices demonstrate that doctors are now often able to work more quickly and more effectively yet many fees have not changed to reflect these advances. Among the fee changes are: The province currently spends $88 million on self-referrals – the practice of referring a patient back to a doctor’s own
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Ontario Freezing Doctor Pay to Invest In More Community Care for Families and Seniors
May 2012
ISLINGTON NORTH CHIROPRACTIC Dr. M. Agyemang, B.Sc. (Hons.), D.C.
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Our remedies help to maintain an optimal estrogen - testosterone ratio, which prevent benign prostatic hyperplasia ( B.P.H), and prostate cancer. We offer only natural health product which help shrink the prostate gland, to maintain normal function of the prostate without side effect.
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Contact: Dr Oteng Yussif Holistic Health Care Ltd, Ghana
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Tel +233-246 1444 02 Email;otengyussif@yahoo.com Put us to test
STATE OF THE ART TREATMENT FOR: 1. Protruding and Herniating Discs 2. Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) 3. Spinal Root Impingment 4. Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) 5. Compression Fractures We also offer these services: 1. Motor Vehicle Accident 2. Extended health care 3. Soft tissue massage 4. Custom made orthotics
Tel: 416-747-5888 / 905-264-8010 Fax: 416-747-1930 / 905-264-9010 Mondays to Thursdays 10:00 am - 6:00 pm Fridays 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Saturdays By Appointment 7007 ISLINGTON AVE., UNIT 14, Woodbridge, Ont, L4L 4T5 (North-East corner of Islington/Steeles)
24
The Ghanaian News May 2012
IMMIGRATION AND SOCIAL ISSUES By: James A. Kwaatemg, B.A. (Hons), LLB (Hons)
Refugee Claims in Canada and the new Bill C-31. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), refugee protection is conferred on a person when the person has been determined by the Refugee Board to be a Convention refugee or a person in need of protection or when the Minister allows an application for protection. A claim for refugee protection may be made in or outside Canada. Claims made inside Canada are made to an immigration officer, who, pursuant to the Act, shall, upon receipt of a claim, promptly determine whether the claim is eligible to be referred to the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) for further action on the claim. Under the current laws and regulations, a claim is ineligible to be referred to the RPD for further action if: refugee protection has already been conferred on the claimant
security, violating human or international rights, serious criminality or organized criminality.
under the Act; a claim for refugee protection by the claimant has been rejected by the Board; a prior claim by the claimant was determined to be ineligible to be referred to the RPD, or to have been withdrawn or abandoned; the claimant has been recognized as a Convention refugee by a country other than Canada and can be sent or returned to that country; the claimant came directly or indirectly to Canada from a country designated by the Regulations, other than a country of their nationality or their former habitual residence; or the claimant has been determined to be inadmissible on grounds of
Bill C-31, also referred to as “the Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act’, is about to be introduced. This Bill aims at introducing several reforms to the existing refugee protection system and would therefore have significant impacts on refugee claims in Canada. The Bill was originally intended to come into force by June 29, 2012 but it is not likely that it would be effective on that date. Among other things, the aforementioned Bill C-31 contemplates drastic reduction of timelines at the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) for refugee hearings and refugee appeals. It also, controversially, contemplates changing how countries of origin would
be designated. The designated countries of origin, according to the proposed legislation, would include countries that do not normally produce refugees and have a robust human rights record and offer state protection. Also, under the new Bill, refugee claimants from the so-called designated countries of origin (DCOs) would be denied work permits and associated benefits unless their claim is accepted at the IRB or their refugee claim has been in the system for more than 180 days with no decision. The Bill C-31 proposes a one-year bar for Humanitarian and Compassionate Consideration (H&C) for failed refugee claimants as well as a bar on concurrent H&C applications for those who submit a claim for refugee protection. It also contemplates a one-year bar on subse-
quent applications for a pre-removal risk assessment (PRRA) following a decision on the first application. That is not all. The new Bill, among other things, also proposes a concurrent loss of permanent resident status when the IRB finds a person has ceased to be a protected person or Convention refugee.
therefore less time spent by failed claimants in Canada with access to work permits, welfare and social services.
The proposed Bill, according to the Government, would contribute to the integrity of Canada’s asylum system by deterring unfounded claims and would contribute to the overall savings flowing from the Balanced Refugee Reform Act (Bill C11) which is designed to ensure faster processing and faster removals, and
James A. Kwaateng is an Immigration Law practitioner with his offices located at 168A Oakdale Road, Suite 4, Toronto, Ontario. For thorough discussion of your immigration and related social and legal issues, you may contact him at telephone number (416) 743-2758.
The refugee claim system is changing at a very fast rate. Prospective asylum seekers are therefore strongly advised to seek advice from professionals prior to making their refugee claims.
Call Us First The Ghanaian News 416-916-3700
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4120 Steeles Ave. W. Suite 11 & 12, Woodbridge, Ont, L4L 4V2
The Ghanaian News
May 2012
25
Immigrant lawsuit fails to preserve backlogged applications Over 800 skilled workers stuck in massive backlog set to be eliminated by budget bill The Canadian Press Immigration Minister Jason Kenney wants to change the way the skilled worker category is administered. The budget implementation bill would eliminate all backlogged cases and force would-be immigrants to apply again. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press) A federal court judge has quashed the hopes of hundreds of would-be immigrants seeking to force the government to review their files. Over 800 skilled workers have seen their applications languish in a massive backlog that’s set to be eliminated by the federal budget bill. They are suing the government over the delay in processing their files and had sought an injunction that would force the immigration minister to keep
their applications open while the case is before the courts. That’s because the budget bill is likely to pass before the case is over, meaning they would lose their applications. But in a decision released Wednesday, the judge said he can’t force the immigration minister to keep the files open. He called their request devoid of merit in part because the bill hasn’t passed and the courts can only get involved once legislation is enacted, not before. He also ruled that the law as it stands doesn’t give the minister power over the affected files so the courts can’t stop the minister from doing something he doesn’t have the power to do. The case is still expected to be heard in court next month. Second lawsuit pending The lawsuit is one of two currently pending against
the government over its decision to erase the files of 280,000 people and return their application fees. The second case has not been heard yet. A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney says they were pleased and not surprised by the ruling. Ana Curic says the government believes the bill will withstand any legal challenges and she called the backlog a roadblock to Canada’s ability torespond to labour market needs. The case at hand involved skilled workers who had applied to come to Canada prior to 2008, when the government made major changes to the immigration program. As a result, their applications sunk to the bottom of the pile and they allege that’s violated a promise to them that their files would be reviewed in a timely fashion.
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In his decision, the judge says that there may be an issue with how long it has taken to process the files
but he says it’s unclear that a contractual obligation was created. And he says even if there
was, there’s no legal reason Parliament can’t extinguish such a right. The Canadian Press
INDIA AFRICA GROCERS LTD. For all your Ghanaian and Nigerian Groceries Produce, Meat, Fish etc..
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26
The Ghanaian News May 2012
Workers’ EI history to affect claim under future rules Rule changes expected to be in place by 2013 stem from EI reform announced in March budget The longer and more frequently someone is claiming employment insurance, the broader their job search will have to be and the lower the wages they must be willing to accept, according to proposed regulations outlined this morning. Human Resources Minister Diane Finley revealed
details Thursday about plans to reform EI that would change the definitions of “suitable work” and “a reasonable job search.” “This will ensure impartiality and strengthen requirements for Canadians receiving EI benefits to actively look for and accept all suitable work,” Finley said at a news conference in Ottawa. She said the government is clarifying the definitions and helping unemployed
Canadians connect to available jobs. “These changes are not about forcing people to accept work outside their own area nor about taking jobs for which they are not suited,” she said. Under new regulations expected to be in place by early 2013, the new definition of suitable employment would be based on six criteria: * Personal circumstances. * Working conditions.
African Caribbean Groceries Inc 63 Dundas West, Mississauga, Ont
Tel: 905-281-9515 Business Hours Monday - Wednesday Thursday - Friday Saturday Sunday
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10:00am - 8:00pm 10:00am - 9:00pm 9:30am - 6:30pm 12:30pm - 5:30pm
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Ike's African Foods Outlet Specializing In Ghana and Nigeria Food
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20 Millwick Drive, Unit 6C, North York, Ont. (Back of the building)
M A K O L A Tropical Foods THE SUPERMARKET IN THE HEART OF ACCRA-GHANA IS NOW HERE IN THE HEART OF TORONTO BEST PRICES IN TOWN
fresh yam * plantain * ccocyam * adwene* koobi * abodoi * egusi * gari * kokonte * goat meat * fufu * kenkey * snails * herrings *sugar bread etc. etc. TWO LOCATION TO SERVE YOU 2400 Finch Ave. W., #2B Toronto, Ontario (Finch/Milvan)
* Frequent claimants are those who have had three or more claims (regular or fishing) for a total of more than 60 weeks in the past five years. * Occasional claimants are all other claimants, who have limited experience in being unemployed. After collecting EI benefits for 18 weeks, longtenured workers, for example, would be required to expand their job search to jobs considered similar to their previous job and to accept wages at 80 per cent of their previous hourly wage. A frequent EI user, after receiving benefits for seven weeks, would be required to accept any work they are qualified to do and to accept wages starting at 70 per cent of their previous hourly wage. Seasonal workers will fall into the frequent-user category. An occasional user could limit their job search to their usual occupation and wage for the first six weeks, and as more time goes by, they will also have
to expand their search and be willing to accept work they are qualified to do and accept a lower salary. After 18 weeks, they would be required to accept wages starting at 70 per cent of their previous earnings but not lower than minimum wage. Goal to find work that matches skills, Finley says Finley had been under pressure to reveal details about the planned changes, first laid out broadly in the March budget. The budget implementation bill proposes giving cabinet the authority to make new EI regulations but until today, the government had been tight-lipped about what those regulations would look like. Opposition MPs and other critics speculated that the government was going to force unemployed Canadians to move and accept jobs outside their occupation, a suggestion Finley denied Thursday. “The changes that we are proposing to EI are not about forcing people to cont'd on pg. 39
Atwima Marfo Enterprise (Formerly East-End Tropical Market)
287 Morningside Avenue (Behind old store)
Tel: 416-840-0486
QUALITY FOODS
* Hours of work. * Commuting time. * Type of work. * Hourly wage. Personal circumstances would include health conditions and family situations, and commuting time is acceptable if it’s within one hour, possibly longer if longer commuting times are normal in a given community. $485 maximum in EI can be collected The type of work and hourly wages considered suitable could change, depending on how long someone is claiming the benefit. Approximately 500,000 Canadians are claiming EI at any given time. The benefit pays eligible Canadians a maximum of 55 per cent of their average weekly earnings. The maximum weekly amount is $485. The government intends to classify claimants in three categories: * Long-tenured workers have paid into the EI program for seven of the past 10 years, and over the last five years have collected regular or fishing benefits for 35 weeks or less
9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Tel: 416-740-9922 / 416-824-3737 / 416-244-4496
* African Yam * Chicken * Box of Mackerel * Burnt Goat * Red Mullet * Ram Goat Meat * Carnation Milk * Black Soap
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The Ghanaian News
May 2012
27
TALKING FINANCES Law of Abundance By: Gabriel Quayson, Toronto We live in an abundant universe in which there is sufficient money for all who really want it and are willing to obey the legal laws governing its acquisition. There is plenty of money available to you. There is no real shortage. You can have virtually all you really want and need. We live in a generous universe and we are surrounded by blessings and opportunities to acquire all we truly desire. Your attitude, of either abundance or scarcity toward money, will have a major impact on whether you become rich or poor. The Law of Abundance says that, individuals become wealthy because they believe they have the ability to become wealthy. Because they believe this completely, they act accordingly. They consistently do the things that turn their beliefs into realities. People are poor because they have not yet decided to become rich. In the book, The Instant Millionaire, by Mark Fisher, the old millionaire asks the boy who has sought his advice about becoming a millionaire, “Why aren’t you rich already?” This is an important question to ask yourself. How-
ever you answer this question will reveal a lot about yourself. Your answers will expose your self-limiting beliefs, your doubts, your fears, your excuses, your rationalizations and your justifications. Why aren’t you rich already? Write down all the reasons you can think of. Go over your answers one by one with someone who knows you well and ask them for their opinion. You may be surprised to find that your reasons are mostly excuses that you have fallen in love with. Whatever your reasons or excuses, you can now get rid of them. The world is full of hundreds and thousands of people who have had far more difficulties to overcome than you could ever imagine, and they have gone on to be successful anyway. So can you. Karma (aka Law of cause and effect) is a sub-component of the Law of Abundance. Karma tells us that we live in a world governed by laws, not chance. It says that everything happens for a reason, whether or not we know what it is. Every effect, success or failure, wealth or poverty, has a specific cause(s). Every action has an effect or consequence of some kind.
All achievement, wealth, happiness, prosperity and success are the direct and indirect effects or results of specific causes or actions. What this means is that, if you can be clear about the effect or result you want, you can probably achieve it. You can study others who have accomplished the same goal, and by doing what they did; you can get the same results. Financial success proceeds from certain, specific causes. When you identify these causes and implement them in your own life, you will get the same effects millions of other wealthy individuals have gotten. You can acquire whatever amount of money you really want if you will just do what others have legally done before you to achieve the same results. And if you don’t, you won’t.
Kaf African Caribbean Market Tel: 905-855-3595 We specialize in African, Caribbean Groceries: *Gari Pounded *Yam *Vegetable Salad *Fufu *Potato Starch *Stock Fish *Salted Fish *Smoked Fish *Cerelac *Rice *Bournvita *Milo *Corned Beef *Phone Cards *Cosmetics *Goat meat and many more We are wholesalers and distributors of smoke fish
You create your entire world by the way you think. All the people and situations of your life have been created by your own thinking. And when you change your thinking, you change your life, sometimes in seconds! The most important principle of personal or business success is simply this: You become what you think about most of the time. It is not what happens to you but how you think about what happens to you that determine how you feel and react. It is not the world outside of you that dictates your circumstances or conditions. It is the world inside of you that creates the conditions of your life. Specifically, it is the way you think about money that largely determines your financial conditions today. In the novel by Napoleon Hill, entitled, Think and Grow Rich, he indicated that “what your mind can conceive, and your heart will believe, you can achieve“. You always act in a manner consistent with your beliefs, especially your beliefs about yourself. Your beliefs act like a set of filters that screen out information that is inconsistent with them. You do not necessarily believe what you see but rather you see what you already believe. You reject information that contradicts what you have al-
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We Carry All Your Tropical Grocery Items For All Your Family Grocery Needs * * * *
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Tel: 416-745-5928 5010 Steeles Ave. W., Unit 2B, Etobicoke (Steeles/Kipling)
African Supermarket & Beauty Supply African Crops * Smoked Fish & Meat * Yam * Plantain * Gari * Fufu etc.
Call Rosinaa Boakye Tel: 905-913-0033 Cell: 647-588-5755 8887 The Gore Rd., #56 Brampton, Ont. (Jaipur Gore Plaza)
Rowntree Meat Ltd Rowntree OPEN Meat Ringing The Bell - Seasoned B.B.Q. * Chicken * Meat * Jerk Seasoning 7 DAYS Call For Your Order Ahead Of Time - 416-742-6333
* * * *
Fish Boxes Tilapia, King Fish Oxtail
* Red Snapper * Mackerel * Goat Meat * Chicken Leg
Business Hours Mon. - Thurs. - 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Fri. - Sat. - 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Visit our Meat Shop for your Party needs @
1148 Albion Road. Etobicoke, Ont. (at Islington)
Central Market
its subcomponents that apply to his life and finances before you have. What one great thing would you dare to dream if you knew you could not fail? If you had no limitations, if you had all the time, money, talent, skills and contacts you could ever want, what would you want to do or be or have in your life? When you confidently expect good things to happen, good things usually happen to you. If you expect something negative to happen, you are usually not disappointed. Wealthy people expect to be rich. Successful people expect to be successful. Happy people expect to be happy. Your achievement is under your control. The Law of abundance require you to imagine that you have unlimited abilities and that you can accomplish anything that you put your mind to. Act on it today!!!
Tel: 416-742-6333
Email: ben@the-wire.com
2642 Liruma Rd, #2A, Mississauga, Ont.,
ready decided to believe, whether or not your beliefs, your prejudices, are based on fact or fantasy. This is especially true with regards to money. The best belief that you can develop within yourself is that you are destined to be a big success financially. When you are absolutely convinced that you are a financial success in the making, you will engage in the behaviors that will make it come true. The worst beliefs you can have are “self limiting beliefs.” Whenever you believe yourself to be limited in some way, it will turn out to be true. The fact is that no one is better than you are and no one is smarter than you are. If someone else is doing better, it is largely because he or she has developed his natural talents and abilities more than you have. He has learned the law of Abundance and many of
2687 Kipling Ave. W Unit 5, Etobicoke, Ont (Rowntree Plaza)
Asafo Market R & G African and Caribbean Grocery Inc. * Yam * Gari * Rice * Accra Kenkey * Can Food * Dry Fish * Koobi * Akwaabi Fish * And many more Call Rita or George
Tel: 416-650-5368
391 Driftwood Court (Jane/Driftwood)
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The 12th Annual Ghanaian-Canadian Achievement Awards 2012 a celebration of Excellence Houring our Communicty Achievers Hosted by The Ghanaian News in September 2012
Call for 2012 Award Nominations This year's (2012) presentation recognizes achievements
2012
2012
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Community Information Ghanaian Teachers' and Educators' Meeting The second meeting of the Ghanaian Teachers and Educators comes on at Living Word Assembly of God Church (139 Millwick Drive - South of Islington and Steeles) on Saturday, June 23, at 3p.m. All Ghanaian Educators Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, and College Teachers, Principals and University Professors are all part of this very important meeting. Light Refreshment will be served. RSVP: Ekwam Bilson - 905 553 6825 abeiku@rogers.com
All Nations Summer School July 9 - August 17, 2012 (six weeks) What are your children doing this summer? Will they be at home? Will they be playing video games? Will they be watching TV? Why not send them to All Nations Summer School? Our program is uniquely designed to: 1) Prepare your child for the upcoming school year 2) Develop life-skills Courses to be offered JK/SK classes: Reading, writing, counting, spelling, Bible Studies Grades: 1 to 8: English, Math, Science, French and Bible Studies In addition to the academics, workshops will be facilitated on topics such as anti-bullying, self-esteem, time-management, goal-setting, healthy habits, effective communication and conflict resolution. There will also be recreational activities such as: the playing of African instruments, science experiments, arts and crafts and sports. Space is limited. Get a registration today. Cost 1 child - $68/week 2 children - $126/week 3 children - $184/week 4 children - $242/week $ 100 for transportation for the entire 6 weeks (per child) Contact: Anita Hayford All Nations Full Gospel Church 4401 Steeles Ave. W, Toronto, M3N 2S4
Tel: 416-667-9333 / 416-665-9964 ext. 224 ahayford@anida.org
NEW BRANCH (of Assemblies of God Church)
Immanuel Assembly of God Church Scarborough Starting Sunday, June 3rd 2012 9:00 am to 12 noon LOCATION Don Montgomery Community Centre 2467 Eglinton Ave. E. Scarborough, Ont., M1K 2R1 (Kennedy/Eglinton Subway Station)
Contact: 647-880-4216
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The
Youth Journal MOVINGFORWARD WITH OUR YOUTH THE FUTURE OFOUR COMMUNITY
Peer Mediation Uniquely Helps and Empowers Young People to Resolve Conflicts By Kwabena Akuoko, MSW, RSW, Toronto
Juvenile delinquency or youth violence is a serious symptom of today’s youth inability to resolve conflicts. Youth are often caught up in conflict situations they do not have any clue handling. Teaching them how to manage conflicts in productive ways can therefore help reduce incidents of violent behaviour among that population group. Peer mediation education leads to strategic conflict resolution, and it is deemed as a beneficial component of violence prevention and intervention initiatives for today’s young people. The process also helps in numerous ways to prevent disagreements from escalating into violence and crimes. Peer mediation is a voluntary process in which a neutral third party helps disputants of the same peer group to come to a better understanding of each other’s perspectives in order to reach their own solution to the conflict at hand. While the idea is good for people of all ages, it is particularly helpful to young people. It is uniquely an empowering experience for all those involved in the process. And given the notion that young people often times perceive themselves as powerless, any opportunity for them to resolve their own disputes is usually viewed as empowering. Mediation empowers the mediators who are helping others as well as the disputants who are being assisted to resolve their conflicts and hence peer mediation is believed to have considerable positive and far-reaching benefits. Violence prevention underscores one of the recognizable positive outcomes of peer mediation for young people. Similarly, when youth develop conflict resolution skills through peer mediation in dealing with their conflicts as they emerge,
they essentially learn how to get along peacefully with others. And by developing mediation skills, youth would be ultimately able to resolve conflicts in adulthood. It is therefore essential for peer mediation to be an integral part of children’s education because it encompasses problem solving strategies, which allow the parties involved in a dispute to express their points of view, voice their interests and find mutually acceptable solutions to their problems. Also, because peer mediation helps young people to recognize that while conflicts are a common occurrence throughout life, the ability to solve them in non-violent way is extremely important. Another important advantage of peer mediation is that it is a powerful and effective tool, which involves comprehensive, and multiple components such as problem-solving processes and principles as well as the basics of effective communication, listening, critical and creative thinking skills with an emphasis on personal responsibility and self-discipline. Peer mediation although helps disputants to resolve their disputes, mediators also benefit immensely from the process. Likewise, mediators are respected among their peers, and young people who assume mediation roles develop additional communication and negotiation skills as well as the ability to understand others while they help to problemsolve. Also, acting as mediators greatly assists in promoting young people’s emotional well being and social skills, which in turn builds their selfesteem and confidence. Peer mediation is extremely beneficial in the sense that young people are usually comfortable talking to their equals who tend to understand their concerns and points of view. It also allows them to listen to others’ perspective, while accepting differences as well as recognizing similarities. Understandably, conflict resolution does not exist as a means to eliminate conflict, but rather, it is a process for approaching conflict and managing it effectively for the benefit of each side in the dispute. It is geared toward fostering positive relationships between
disputants. Conflict resolution in the form of peer mediation offers an effective means through which conflicts are resolved without violent confrontation and permanent damage to relationships or resorting to punitive measures. The process offers young people the opportunity for personal growth by requiring them to expand their intellectual horizons and formulate positive outcomes to conflicts. It also enhances the quality of life not only for those involved in a conflict, but for the mediators and society in general. Through the process of active participation and direct communication, peer mediation offers a collaborative approach to conflict resolution whereby disputants and all those involved in the process win individually and collectively, as does their relationships. The whole notion of peer mediation allows young people to communicate effectively, appreciate the consequences of their actions, generate and evaluate alternative solutions to problems as well as the ability to co-exist with people with whom they disagree. It essentially teaches these fundamental skills and attitudes to both mediators and disputants. That is why youth gain many important insights from their involvement in peer mediation. Most significantly, they learn that many conflicts cannot be reduced to who is right or who is wrong. They also realize that conflicts are not about and individual versus the other or us versus them, but are instead the result of misperceptions, misunderstandings and legitimate differing needs and concerns. Above all, the process helps young people to appreciate and respect diversity. Young people of different races, classes, religious and other backgrounds communicate and work together to resolve conflicts through peer mediation. One important benefit of the process, which cannot be overlooked, is that it is not only used after a conflict has escalated into violence, the process works in numerous ways to effectively prevent violence in advance. Most importantly also, the development of conflict resolution skills among mediators and the disputants in their formative years is invaluable.
The Ghanaian News online Check it out www.ghanaiannews.ca
Holistic Financial Planning- First Stage of Changing needs By: Marian Ayiku-Teye, B.Adm Throughout an individual’s life, your priorities and needs change as you move through different stages in your adult life. As I identified in my previous article, the first stage is the adult life, you transition from a student (whether high school or university) and enter the workforce. As well, your career is just getting underway. Some financial planning protection that you would be help with your current stage may include group benefits, disability and personal life insurance. Most employers offer group benefits package for their employees, either at some cost to the employee or the employer may bear the complete cost for the coverage. Most basic group plan includes offers Extended Health Insurance, Dental care, Life insurance, Critical Illness, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Dependent Life Insurance and Income Continuance (ShortTerm and Long-Term Disability Insurance). Small Businesses or Self-employed or persons working in a
contract position that doesn’t offer a benefit package can as well obtain a group benefit package for their employees. Most plans, such as the Sun Life Financial SunAdvantage, only require a minimum of 3 people including the business owner. The benefit for self-employed workers and small businesses is designed to meet the financial needs of the workers during their working lives, when they need it the most and are tailored to their individual needs, lifestyles, and budgets. Retirement is generally the last thing on your mind. However, the sooner you start planning for your financial future, the better it will be. Most group benefit plans offer retirement savings and investment options as well. These include Defined Contribution Pension Plan, Group Registered Retire-
ment Savings Plan, Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) and Guaranteed investments among others. Your advisor can help you to decide on a strategy that matches your long-term and retirement objectives. Deciding where to put your money each year is one of the most important financial decisions you make; it should be based on your personal investment style, objectives, and risk tolerance. As you start with the first stage of your changing needs, being off to work, you become financially independent. The earlier you start planning for your financial future, the better it will be and that head start can translate into thousands and thousands of dollars in the future. Group Benefits provides some guidance towards your investments as well as the other living benefits that helps protect you for the unexpected circumstances which may hinder your cash flow. As a small business, group benefits helps with your employees retention and is a tax deductible for tax purposes.
Things to Consider as You Decide on a College or University By Kwaku Wirekoh-Boateng
At this time of the year, colleges and universities across the country have begun rendering their admissions decisions to high school applicants. For grade 12 students, this can be a very exciting time. As a high school student, I remember my delight in reading my very first university offer of admission. A moment like that lives forever in one’s memory. But after receiving your offers of admission comes the tough decision – choosing which school attend. That decisionmaking process can be quite stressful for both students and parents. As a student, here’s a couple of important things to
keep in mind as you make your decision. The first, and I think most important, factor to consider is the caliber of the school and program. The conventional wisdom is that you should choose the school with the best reputation or most prestige. However, that is not always the best idea. The name of the school is important, but the program that you plan on taking is equally important. For example, although the University of Toronto and McGill University are widely regarded as the two best schools in Canada, when it comes to Business, the University of Western Ontario and York University both traditionally rank higher. It is important to do your homework and find out all there is to know about your program of interest. Of course, I am not suggesting that you should necessarily choose a program or school solely based on its prestige. It is just something to keep in mind. Another important factor to consider when deciding on a school is location. This topic often brings much dis-
agreement between parents and students. Most parents want their kids to stay home and attend a local school, while most kids want to go out of town. There is no general answer as to whether it is better to stay at home or to go away for school. In some cases, the best thing to do is to choose a local school. In other cases, it is not. I know that, as a young person, the thought of going away and enjoying relative independence can be very enticing. But you have to ask yourself if doing so is the best thing for you. As you think about that question, keep in mind that a major difference in going away for school is the thousands of dollars of extra costs that you will incur. Choosing a college or university should be about finding the best fit for you. That means not only settling on a school and program that interest you, but ones that will also lead you toward your career aspirations. Above all, in making your decision, you should aim for a school that will enable you to develop both academically and personally.
THE CRITICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS
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BUSINESS Financial Health and Wellness By Eddie Twumasi Smith Bsc(Hons) Chem Eng, MBA,CGA, CPA
our financial health we will be conscious and start taking measures to reverse the trend. Like I stated earlier, after my medical check up and realizing my predicament, I changed my lifestyle and took steps to reverse the unwanted. Lets start today by looking at some steps and prescriptions that will assist us. Prescription Have a Dream and Set Financial Goals Last month I wrote on life milestones and its financial implications. Limited by space I could not exhaust on all possible scenarios that we seldom come across and its financial effect. After pondering over my last article, I decided to start a series of articles that will highlight some of the life milestones and how to deal with these opportunities, challenges and avoid potential pitfalls or financial black hole. As we normally do with our medical/health and wellness check up, we routinely go though tests and assessments to determine the state of our health. For many years I thought I was so healthy and well until a couple of years ago I was confronted with reality. My medical check up showed high levels of bad cholesterol (type BLDL). I had to change my lifestyle, what to eat and what not to eat, taking body exercises more seriously and making regular check ups a must in my personal annual calendar. Sometime we behave like ostriches and bury our head in the sand pretending as if nothing is wrong and we are as financially fit as Warren Buffet. It is therefore very important for all to make regular financial check ups to determine our state of financial health and wellness. Financial Check Up The following are basic questions which we need to ask ourselves on a scale of 1 to 7 with 1 being strongly disagree and 7 being strongly agree. These questions however are not comprehensive covering all possible financial conditions. The good news is, if we are able to come to an understanding or realization on where we stand, it serves as a good reality check for further detail assessment. Here we go: 1. I understand how much I am earning and how much I am spending each week, month or yearly?. 2. I plan and understand my expenses and pay bills before due dates?. 3. I have clearly defined short, medium and long term financial and lifestyle goals 4. My loans/mortgage has been reviewed in the last 12 months and is provided on competitive rates, fees and terms?. 5. I have the discipline to use my savings for investments or debt reduction each month. And my investments are well diversified in different asset classes?. 6. If I couldn’t work because of illness or injury, I have enough insurance, assets or other income to look after myself and family and retain my current lifestyle?. 7. I actively manage, review and refresh my financial goals, financial plan and financial strategies?. 8. I keep up to date with investment markets, economic issues and changes in government regulations and laws?. 9. I understand how much income I will need in retirement and how much capital will be needed to achieve this goal and have access to funds in case of emergency? 10. If I was to die tomorrow, my family would be comfortable as our assets and life insurance could pay off debts and leave enough money to live comfortably?. If you tally your score above and the score is below 30 then the obvious prognosis of this financial condition is that of financial “Dutch disease”, financial aches & pain, distress, which is consistent with symptoms of higher liabilities i.e. spending (appreciation of non-performing goods) exceeding assets/income or living at or above your means. With such financial conditions, one needs some financial “prescription” to be able to gain financial consciousness, wellness and health. If we are honest and truthful with the state of
The single most significant financial lever that individuals control directly is their management of personal expenditures. The second is their lifetime effort to obtain sufficient income. Most people simply do not save enough of their current income to fund adequately their future needs. Larry Russell of Financial Freedom in the United States have developed a financial planning and investment software called VeriPlan. This software is very affordable and can be used to analyze your financial affairs in detail. VeriPlan enables you to view graphical projections of your family’s income, expenses, assets, and debts across your lifetime. Data inputs reflect your particular situation and include all your assets, including cash, bonds, equities, property, real estate, private equities, and business interests. With this software you can construct your baseline financial plan and measure your current financial circumstances and goals and intentions for the future. VeriPlan can vary future expected investment returns by asset class, and it automatically analyzes the details of your taxes and investment expenses. Any and all assumptions can be changed for instant “what-if” testing. The model’s risk analysis capabilities evaluate how well your future assets would cover normal and extraordinary expenses, if market or personal circumstances disrupt your plans. Unnecessary investment fees can substantially undermine your returns. VeriPlan projects the returns you will waste with such fees, if you do not choose more cost-efficient investments. Assess your Investment Return and Risk Tolerance Preferences The nature of our jobs or source of income sometimes determines how much we can afford riskier or less risky investments. For someone who works fix 40 hours a week will be more risk averse than compared to someone whose income is variable. Investors with different levels of risk tolerance are more satisfied by the expectations associated with investment strategies that are better aligned with their risk preferences. Differences in risk tolerances mean that more risk-averse investors are personally more satisfied with a lower risk portfolio despite its lower expected returns i.e. someone working fix 40 hours per week will not be willing to invest in more risky instruments than if he/she had a variable income. Less risk-averse investors are more satisfied with portfolios characterized by higher risk and higher expected returns. While there are a variety of approaches to the measuring relative investment return and risk preferences. With VeriPlan, you will be much better able to judge the expected outcomes of various investment allocations related to your risk preferences. Monitor and adjust your financial plan timeefficiently Investment and wealth creation does not live in a stable environment. The external environment is dynamic and undergoing constant changes that require consistent review of financial performance ,plans and goals. Scientific investment strategies that rely on relatively efficient financial markets allow people to minimize their time commitment to investment management. Yet, on average, they are still expected to obtain optimal risk-adjusted portfolio returns that are near the market’s return. It is advisable we monitor our RRSPs, retirement investment portfolios/performance over time against other benchmarks to determine whether the fund managers are doing better job for their management fees or they are just riding on the wigs of lady luck?. We are partly responsible for how our assets yield overall and where it should be invested.
In an Accident? Self Employed? Own a Business? WATCH OUT!!!!! By: Zane Roth and Jayson Schwarz How do self-employed people – from business owners to contract workers - safeguard their own peace of mind and make successful claims for compensation for lost income following an accident? Insurance companies require proof that a person was employed, and credible evidence with respect to how much money a self-employed person earned at the time of the accident. The first piece of evidence an insurance company will likely ask you for is a copy of your tax returns or notices of assessment. Given that everyone has an obligation to file taxes, whether or not you made any money in a given year, not having filed taxes proves to be a weak excuse for claimants, and a great reason for insurers to deny payment. Therefore, no matter how much money you earn from self-employment, it is important to make sure your annual income tax filings are up to date. But filing your taxes is not enough to secure your piece of mind. You should also make sure you declare all of your income, including cash. You read that correctly, true peace of mind means you should declare all income, even the cash. While it may be attractive not to declare cash, you should know that the income you declare on your taxes before an accident will often serve as the baseline for calculating what you may be entitled to by way of compensation after an accident. In the absence of tax records, claimants must provide some credible proof of income, such as copies of invoices, receipts, cheques, or bank records. Therefore, even
if you do not declare all of your income, it would be a good idea to keep records of your income nonetheless, just in case you do need to demonstrate your pre-accident earning potential. This is especially true for people such as taxi cab drivers, who may not declare tips, but who could still attempt to claim compensation for lost income from those tips. For small business owners, acquiring peace of mind requires business owners to keep complete and accurate records of their income and expenses prior to the accident. This information will be compared to the records produced after the accident, which should include information about expenses incurred as a result of the accident, such as the hiring of replacement workers to do the work the owner can no longer do. Even if self-employed individuals declare their income, pay their taxes, and generally keep good records, accident victims must still prove they are entitled to a certain amount of compensation, which can be quite complicated. Luckily, there is a little known section in the Insurance Act provides that insurance companies may have to foot the bill to allow a claimant to hire an accountant to do the cal-
culation for them. However, you may still require some legal assistance in persuading insurance companies that the accountant’s calculations are right. In the end, peace of mind comes with anticipating what the future might bring, and planning accordingly. In the context of auto-insurance for self-employed people, this means keeping accurate and well supported records of your annual income and expenses. However, no one can plan or everything, which is why it is always a good idea after an accident to consult with a lawyer who can guide you through the complicated claims process and helping you maintain your peace of mind when the future is uncertain. Drive safely. The process of insurance claims takes a tremendous toll on the victims, who generally want to focus on getting back on their feet. Whether you have been in a serious or a minor accident, it is important to know your rights and what forms of benefits and compensation you are entitled to. At Schwarz Law LLP, we offer a complimentary assessment of your claim and we are always happy to help. Jayson Schwarz is a Toronto lawyer and senior partner in the law firm Schwarz Law LLP. Zane Roth is the litigation associate at the firm. If you have a topic in mind, or a question, mail, deliver or fax letters to the newspaper or to the firm, use the web site (www.schwarzlaw.ca), email (info@schwarzlaw.ca) and give us your questions, concerns, critiques and quandaries.
Schwarz Law Barristers and Solicitors Schwarz Law LLP is a full service law firm, offering sound and practical professional advice in the areas of Business Law, Corporate, Commercial, Real Estate, General Litigation, Personal Injury, Construction Liens, Immigration and Estates and Tax Planning. Schwarz Law LLP is also associated with law firms in Providenciales (Turks & Caicos Islands), Kansas City, Missouri (USA), Accra (Ghana) & Montreal, Quebec. Jayson Schwarz is also a foreign referral associate of Cyrus Ross International (Europe). As a result, through our network of associated firms, we can provide national and international solutions as required.
Tel: 416-486-2040 schwarz@schwarzlaw.ca
Fax: 416-486-3325 www.schwarzlaw.ca
1984 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4S 1Z7
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Community
y in Pictures
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PEOPLE AND PLACES Nana Konadu aka Veronica celebrated her 40th birthday at Ahenfie on May 20, 2012
Priscilla Dankyi 40 years birthday bash at Amansie Multicultural Centre Sunday May 20, 2012
Mama Comfort Asantewaa celebrated her 70th birthday in grand style befiting her age at Luna Ballroom on SaturdayMay 12, 2012
Kwaku Gyasi, Ghana's Gospel grandmaster, launched 2 CDs at Church of Pentecost on Sunday May 6, 2012
Fred Koduah clocks 70 Dr. Roz Roach, Medicine Award
Cutting of birthday cake at Ghana Calvary Methodist United Churchwith family, friends and well-wisher on May 13, 2012.
At African Canadian Achievement Awards Saturday May 5, 2012 3rd from left Dr. Roz with family and friends
Induction of new leaders at Ghana Calvary Methodist United Church on Sunday May 13, 2012
The new leaders with the clergy
Very Rev. De-Graft Semmie Obiri admonishing the leaders
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Rev. Jojo Eduam Entsiwah graduated fromTrinity College Rev. Jojo Eduam Entsiwah graduated from Trinity College University of Toronto after 3 years study. A master's Degree in Theological Studies (MTS) was conferred on him at a ceremony on Tuesday May 18, 2012. Rev. Jojo Entsiwah from Winneba made Ghana proud at the Divinity Convocation Rev. Jojo Entsiwah with family and friends
Miss Adwoa Yamoah 1st runner-up @ Miss Universe Canada 2012
Pastor's Grandson Ties the Knot with Pastor's Daughter at Toronto Ghanaian SDA The grandson of a retired Adventist minister, Pastor Boateng of Ghana and the daughter of another retired Adventist minister, Pastor Ebow Bonnie, also of Ghana were married by a team of five Adventist ministers led by Pastor Damson Oppong in an impressive ceremony in Toronto-Canada. The holy matrimony which took place on Sunday, May 20, 2012 was between Benjamin Boateng and Myrtle Obaa Yaa Achiaa Bonnie who are both resident in Toronto. We wish the married couple the Lord's blessings. To God be the Glory!
James Peter Abraham weds Nana Oduma Gyabeng On May 18, 2012 at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 1100 Finch Avenue East James Peter Abraham and Nana Oduma Gyabeng were joined together in Holy Matrimony. The ceremony was officiated by Pastors Peter and Brendan. A reception was held at Bambay Palace, 200 Advance Blvd. Brampton. Parents of the bride Rev. Gabriel Acquah and Rev. Ernestine Acquah. Parents of the groom Job Abraham and Jasmine Abraham.
Exchange of vows
Newly wed, James and Nana Abraham
Bride maids
Groom's men
Newly wed and their parents
Cutting of cake
Group picture family, friends and well-wishers
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World Bank approves financing Dioncounda Traore, Mali for agric productivity program president, hospitalized after beating from protesters The World Bank has approved US$120 million financing for the second phase of the West African Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) that will improve food production by spreading new agricultural technologies in Ghana and Senegal. The program will finance technology exchange programs, align national priorities with regional ones to increase regional cooperation in food technology generation, and support a greater push for technology adoption and dissemination. “The Bank’s support takes a resolved approach to making agriculture more productive and sustainable in West Africa”, said Jamal Saghir, World Bank Director for Sustainable Development in the Africa Region. “It will contribute to increasing growth in the economy, improve food security and reduce poverty”. In Ghana, WAAPP is being implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Crops Research Institute (CRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The first phase of the 10 year project ended in 2012 at a cost of $15million, involving actors along the supply chain – research scientists, extension workers, processors/industrialists, consumers and donors.
The Program is focused on root and tuber crops for cassava, sweet potato, cocoyam and yam, with an expected 25 percent increase in the production at the end of the program. Construction of a $1.8million ultra-modern biotechnology laboratory complex is underway at the CRI-CSIR in Kumasi, to serve as the West African sub-regional specialization hub of root and tuber crops. With population expected to increase from 300 million in 2011 to about 500 million in 2030, West Africa is faced with the challenge of satisfying rapidly growing food demand. The recent food, fuel and financial crisis have demonstrated the need in West Africa to fully utilize the sub-regions agricultural potential. It is possible to increase production of key commodities that represent the basis of the West African food security system. Adopting new and improved crop management practices can increase cereal crops by 30 percent; irrigated rice systems could benefit from yield increase by nearly 50 percent; and cassava yield can be raised more than 40 percent. Regional production covers 80 percent of the populations food needs in ECOWAS, about 20 percent of its imports being food products.
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West Africa is severely affected by the current rise in global food, financial and fuel prices. Intraregional agricultural trade remains limited and its share of the total world agricultural trade is marginal. Climate change, increasing population, and poor conditions of natural resources reveal an urgent need for improved agricultural production.
“The program will help Senegal and Ghana boost agricultural production to cope with the increasing demand for food in the region”, said Abdoulaye Toure, Task team leader for the project. “We are pleased to work in partnership with ECOWAS to boost dominant sectors, such as agriculture, to their potential so that the people of these countries can become self-sufficient and secure in food production”.
Dioncounda Traore
Mali’s interim president Dioncounda Traore was hospitalized on Monday after protesters stormed the presiden-
tial palace to demand his resignation and beat him up, according to Reuters. A spokesman for the soldiers who staged a coup in March said Traore’s protection officers killed three people in the attack, as protesters flooded the compound and tore up pictures of the caretaker president. “He (Traore) has just been rushed to hospital ... They beat him seriously and tore his clothes,” said Bakary Mariko, according to Reuters. The soldiers who led the military coup agreed to allow a transition back to civilian rule.
Man shoots son in head at school in Austria The Wagram primary school in Sankt Poelten (25 May 2012) Paramedics had been telling the children about first aid at the time of the shooting A man in Austria has shot his son in the head at a school, leaving the boy critically ill, Austrian media report. The 37-year-old man was found dead
later. He had apparently shot himself after fleeing the school in Sankt Poelten, west of Vienna. Austria’s state broadcaster ORF said the man had hauled his son and daughter out of their classes and shot the sevenyear-old boy in the cloakroom. Police are quoted as saying the man had cont'd on pg. 48
ECOWAS Integration bearing fruit cont'd from pg. 14
with the objective of building a sustainable structure to support export competitiveness, by promoting high export potential value chains and increasing exports through engaging the region’s private sector, donors, partners and other valuable stakeholders. “This is aimed more specifically at supporting Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises through capacity and skills building and empowering them”, Alhaji Mumuni said. He said the ECOWAS Protocols on Free Movement of People, Goods and Services laid at the heart of creating a regional economic community and as a prelude to market integration,
ECOWAS had put in place a series of mechanisms aimed at achieving free movement of persons, goods and services throughout West Africa. Alhaji Mumuni said these include the abolition of Visas and Entry Permits for intra-community travels, the right of residence and establishment and ECOWAS Travel Certificate and ECOWAS passport. He said ECOWAS had initiated programmes to address some of the challenges that affect trade through the Road and Transport Ministry. The programme, Alhaji Mumuni said, includes an improvement in Road Transit Corridor programmes such as the West Africa Transport
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and Transit Facilitation Project from Tema to Paga and the AbidjanLagos Trade and Transport Facilitation projects, such as the development of the coastal zones from Aflao-Elubo. Additionally, an Axle Control Strategy has been formulated for implementation to reduce overloading of trucks to the barest minimum, while three Joint-Border Posts are to be established on Ghana’s borders with its neighbouring countries; and construction has already began at the Noepe Joint Border Post with funding from the European Union. Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, said there was no doubt that the economic
development of the subregion largely depended on the survival of ECOWAS. He said in this regard, ECOWAS needed to give much attention to the refugee situation in the sub-region which arises from post election violence that degenerates into civil wars. Mr. Aidoo said ECOWAS should find an antidote to these wars by insisting on good governance and credible electoral processes adding, “We must also look at our food security and enhance security at our borders.” He said measures should also be put in place to stop environmental degradation and the gradual encroachment of forest resources. GNA
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The Ghanaian News
May 2012
39
Frankly Speaking “Ecomini” Politics, Statistics Politics and Umbrella Politics in Ghana By Dr. Michael Baffoe, Winnipeg In his appearance in Ghana’s Parliament to deliver his first State of the Nation address in January, 2009, President Prof. John Evans Attah Mills was so ‘confused” about the job he had just signed on to as Commander-In-Chief to fix the nation’s ailing economy that he struggled for a while to pronounce the word “economy”. He started off by saying: My “brodas” and “sistas”, “menuanom”..., “the priority of my government will be to fix the “enocomy”, the “econimi” (Yeeeee!!! The House broke into laughter). The President continued: “the ecomini”, (yeee!!!!, another round of prolonged laughter from the opposition benches) “...oh, the “ecomini, ecomini”. This is no joking matter. For whatever reason, President Mills struggled throughout the speech to correctly pronounce the word “economy”. Ghanaians have now come to understand why. The man had no idea what the “economy” is and how to deal with it. His three years in power have proved it. If the President has a serious problem pronouncing the term ‘economy”, how do you expect him to manage it and direct it on a sound track? No wonder the Ghanaian economy has now become so disjointed into an “ecomini” mess. I have made a number of working visits to Ogyakrom (Ghana) over the past twelve months and I have been fascinated, excited, agitated, confused, bewildered, angry (at times) and on my very recent visit in April/May 2012, become worried, very worried, about the direction in which our dear nation is heading. The portends are very bad. The prospects for prosperity and good living for our people are very gloomy to say the least. In effect, the economy of the nation, on whose foundation prosperity and development are supposed to be anchored, is in almost total shambles. The sad fact is that the people who have the mandate to direct the “ecomini” of this nation do not seem to have any clue as to what to do. They rather prefer to make noise, insult anyone, any concerned citizen, who raises a finger about the state of affairs of the nation especially its “ecomini”. In many cases, they would even brand such people as “traitors”, “subversionists” and “enemies of state”. This attitude of the Mills government regarding the state of the “ecomini” of the nation makes nonsense of their much-touted “Better Ghana Agenda”. Government and party propagandists constantly boast of an economy that has been transformed beyond the wildest estimation of those who have the duty of fixing the problem. They boast that the nation has reached a “middle-income status, that the country is “enjoying” a single-digit inflation, etc. etc. But the reality on the ground for any honest-thinking person is that Ghana is now a
country that is unable to sustain a meaningful life for the mass of the people. To compound the “ecomini” problem that President Mills and his people cannot get a handle on, the national currency, the Cedi has been falling as fast as a helicopter that has lost its hydraulic system at 20 thousand feet. When I visited Ghana in June 2008, six months before the NPP government left office, the exchange rate of the Ghanaian Cedi to the Canadian Dollar was 93 Pesewas to one Candian Dollar and 98 Pesewas to One US Dollar. In effect the Ghanaian Cedi was stronger than the Canadian and US Dollars. Fast forward four years later to April 2012. The Cedi has plummeted so far down and is currently of “no par value” in terms of major foreign currencies. As at April 30, 2012, one Canadian Dollar was trading at GH¢1.79 and one US Dollar was trading against the Ghanaian Cedi at GH¢1.85. Prices of every conceivable goods and items on the market have risen more than three to four hundred percent in four years. For instance, cement is now selling at GH¢25 a bag. Before the coming of Prof. John Evans Atta Mills on January 7, 2009, cement sold at GH¢7 on the open market. Whatever accounts for this steep increase in price, over three hundred per cent, shoots down the concept of a “Better Ghana”, “singledigit” inflation, etc. given the steep rises in other commodities without a corresponding rise in the income of the ordinary Ghanaian. I humbly submit that at a time the average Ghanaian cannot afford a meal of any type for the family, it is insensitive for those directing state policy to continue to hammer on an economic miracle that has no basis in reality. Anybody who shops in Ghana, either in the traditional market or supermarkets, would undoubtedly be aware that price increases in Ghana cannot, in all certainties, be in single digit mode. It was in the midst of this “ecomini” crisis that the former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana and NPP Presidential Running Mate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia delivered an analysis of the state of the Ghanaian economy at a public lecture in early May, 2012 in Accra. Dr. Bawumia, who is a seasoned economist, did a very critical and sober reflection on the state of the economy as well as the current direction of the
“ecomini”. He debunked the myth of single-digit inflation as not been in tune with reality and also urged the government to provide adequate resources for the Ghana Statistical Service to enable the outfit produce more reliable statistical data for the government to work with. Instead of taking the objective economic advice the economist offered, the Mills government propaganda team went into overdrive resorting to personal insults and attack on Dr. Bawumia for daring to question the “Better Ghana” status and “single-digit” inflation, we have all been “blessed” now to “enjoy”. It should be borne in mind that the Government Statistician has been contributing to the “ecomini” confusion by churning out inflation figures that have no bearings on the reality on the ground. The Ghanaian Chronicle Newspaper questioned the Ghana Statistical Service on why cement, for instance, is not part of the socalled 240 items from 40 markets in Ghana that the Ghana Statistical Service claimed to have used in calculating inflation. It posed the simple question as to whether the cost of cement has no bearing on the economy, when the three basic
necessities of life are food, shelter and clothing? Instead of soberly reflecting on the issues raised by Dr. Bawumia, the head of the Statistical Service turned herself into the lead propagandist for the NDC government. She held a press conference to denounce Dr. Bawumia. It was a sorry sight watching her. Something is fundamentally wrong with the Ghana Statistical Service. It conducted a Population and Housing Census in 2010 aimed at providing statistical figures on our population for planning the nation and its economy. Nearly two years after the exercise, the Government Statistician has been unable to provide the population figures and their breakdown for the country. And when its figures are being questioned, the outfit also like its “Massa”, resorts to personal insults. Now, to provide some humour and light moments to the gloomy state of our nation and its “ecomini”, the wife of our former President, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings threw in a laughable bombshell at her own party. She threatened to take back the Umbrella, the logo that the NDC Party has used since 1992, if the party
does not stop insulting her and her husband. She got her lawyer to write to the NDC demanding her umbrella back. The woman is saying that the logo is her private property and she only gave the umbrella to them as a loan when the NDC needed something to hide under. Now that they have grown, they should look for their own tree to hide under. Ho la laaa!!. This woman is behaving like a typical neighbourhood boy who goes to play soccer with his friends. Being the only “Dada Ba” in the neighbourhood, he is the one who owns the ball. He then threatens to take away his ball if he is not allowed to score a goal. This is where Her Majesty Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings has got to. Having being sidelined by the NDC after her humiliating loss to President Mills at the party Congress in early 2011, she is now looking for attention and recognition. Our former First Lady is suffering from “Attention Deficit Disorder”. Is there any Psychologist/Psychiatrist ready, willing, available and able to help her? For the moment, do enjoy this drama to cushion off some of the effects of the “ecomini” derailment and crisis.
Workers’ EI history to affect claim under future rules cont'd from pg. 26 move across Canada or to take work that doesn’t match their skill set. Our goal is to help Canadians find local work that matches their skills,” she said. Finley also gave more details on how EI officials will determine if a claimant is making reasonable efforts to find work. Claimants will be assessed based on their job search activities, the intensity and frequency of their efforts, the type of work they are looking for and on the evidence they have to prove their efforts. EI recipients will be required to apply for positions, attend interviews, go to job fairs and workshops, search for vacancies and to do these activities every day that they are receiving benefits. They have to keep a record of their activities and if EI recipients don’t comply with these rules, they could be cut off from the program. Part of the government’s new plan is to introduce a new job search service that will feature daily emails to EI claimants, with enhanced job information. The new Job Alerts system will draw from the federal government’s Job Bank service and from private-sector job postings. Recipients will get job postings from their chosen occupation and related occupational sectors, and from communities within reasonable commuting
distances, and the emails will include labour market information such as wage rates. Currently, claimaints receive job postings from the federal Job Bank every two weeks. $21M set aside for EI overhaul The government also says it plans to do more to reduce reliance on the temporary foreign workers program so that employers turn first to unemployed Canadians. It plans to enhance information sharing between the EI and the temporary foreign worker program. Finley’s department gave examples of where employers have applied to the federal government for permission to bring in foreign workers where unemployed Canadians are collecting EI. In Alberta in January, employers were allowed to hire 1, 261 temporary workers for foodcounter attendants and at the same time, nearly 350 Canadians made a claim for EI who said they had experience in that job. In Prince Edward Island in the same month, 294 unemployed fish plant workers made EI claims, while 60 foreign workers were approved for work in the same job. “In a lot of cases they can’t hire Canadian workers simply because the Canadian workers don’t know that the jobs exist and we’re going to help those
workers find out about those job postings, those job availabilities,” said Finley. “I think that will help the employers.” The minister said that McDonald’s, for example, shouldn’t be bringing in foreign workers to do jobs that Canadians who are on EI have the skills to do. A senior government official said the new regulations, once enacted after the budget implementation bill is passed, do not represent a more strict EI system, but rather, a more “precise one.” The department is anticipating that less than one per cent of claimaints would be cut off due to the new rules. Finley said $21 million is being invested in implementing the new system and that most of that money will go to the new job alert service and some money will be dedicated to enforcing the new rules. Finley said most EI claimants do follow the rules and she expects that will continue. The NDP’s finance critic, Peggy Nash, called the proposed changes disappointing and said they will restrict access to EI. “What we heard today is the minister scapegoating unemployed Canadians, that they’re not trying hard enough to find work,” Nash said.
CBC News
40
The Ghanaian News May 2012
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The Ghanaian News
May 2012
41
Kufuor, Vodafone case declared null and void The case involving the sale of Ghana Telecom to Vodafone was declared null and void in
court on Thursday. It will be recalled that some six CPP members including Bright
Akwetey, took the government to court over the sale the telecom company.
The plaintiffs — Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, Mr Kosi Dedey, Naa Kordai
Assimeh, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, Mr Kwame Jantuah and Ms Rhodaline Imoru
Ayarna — instituted a civil action in 2008 against the government over the sale of its 70 per cent shares in Ghana Telecom (GT) to the UK telecom operator, Vodafone. In the dock for cross examination, the then Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) Mr. Gambilla claimed that, although DIC usually oversees such transactions, they knew nothing about this one until it was over. According to him, they were called upon after the sale by the presidency to have a meeting and regularize the transaction.
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42
PARENTAL FAVOURITISM; DOES IT EXIST?
The Ghanaian News May 2012
View Point
Community Concerns
Re-enforcing Curfews for Teens: Few Tips for Parents By Golda Abena Quayson
Are you struggling with your teen curfews or have you given up on these rules regarding your teens’ outings and given your teens their own time to come and go as they please? As parents, we all know that, the most difficult and challenging age when it comes to parenting children are between thirteen (13) to nineteen (19) years olds. Teens naturally develop some adrenaline of rebellion behavior, and will always respond to their parents with an attitude of being capable of doing everything their way. This pre-mature stage of Teens sometimes displays itself in so many forms when dealing with them on daily basis, and they in turn refuse to accept proper instructions and guidance from their parents and sometimes the authority in question. It is very interesting to know that our teens do test us to see how far they can get away with thing which they themselves knows that it is not right to do or they are not allowed to participate or other wise. They do play mind games with us to assess how firm we are as parents with our curfews/ rules, and how consistent we are when it comes to laying the ground rules around the house regarding curfews. Do we stand firmly/strongly or do we give in easily just for peace of mind at that instant or moment and allow our teens to take the law into their own hands and rather control us with their time? These are few curfews/ rules for teens which parents can use to manage
their teens life when it comes to going out and coming into the house. Whether your teen comes home when he/she is supposed to, tend to be pretty symbolic of how he/she is pulling his/her weight in the rest of her life. Curfews are good for teens, who still need boundaries and to know that people are watching out for them. Set curfews that fit your family life style for your teens to follow and stick to the plan. What’s an appropriate curfew? Many cities in the United States have legislated teen curfews. In those places, what time your teen should be home is pretty clear-cut. In Canada parents are left to set their own rules for their teens. Get your teen involved and talk to your child and come up with a time that works for the whole family. Consider your teen’s maturity and how much sleep they need. Be very specific about the rules and consequences. You may want to say something like: “This is a school night: Be home no later than 10:00 P.M. If you are going to be late, call. If you are home more than 15 minutes late without a good excuse, you are grounded.” The best time to decide on penalties for broken curfews is before the fact. Setting curfews are factors to consider in supervising teens at night and day time too. It is a tough job being a parent. I know because I have teens and they appear busy all the time. But as a mother/parent it is my responsibility to know where they are, who they are with and what they are doing at all times. My teens never know when I will “pop up” and they better be where they say they will be. They may either be playing volleyball/basketball, gym or dance practice with the school team. If they lie, they will surely face the consequences for their action later on.
We give our teenagers too much freedom and then expect them to act like adults. This will not really work because they are still children. We hear stories in the news every day about horrible things happening to our children. The world is not the place it used to be when we were younger and our parents didn’t have the technology that bound now, but they managed. They had to be “hands on” parents and we would be wise to remember that. I now realize as a mother that all my parents did was for my safety and their peace of mind. I appreciate them for that and I now try some of the same things with my teens. In event, that I cannot attend an event they are involved in, I will ask another trusted adult to be there. The weekends are more flexible but not much. We also need to occupy them as much as possible because too many people prey on children these days. We may need to play chauffer if they want to go on an outing with their friends. Do attend all of their extra-curricular activities as much as you have the time and if time will not permit you, do ask a family member to attend. Do sign up for some of their activities as well: dance lessons and gym together. Your involvement in some of your teens’ activities will surely get on their nerves? Yes, but I bet you, one day they will appreciate everything you did and they may raise their children the same. Our children are our responsibility until they become adults and can take care of themselves and we must make sure we do all we can to make that happen. Forget the law, you set the limits and one day they will thank you for it. Again lay these ground rules as early as possible to make them work for your family. Do not wait until they are already in their rebellion stage to implement the rules.
Doris Osei Bonsu, Crisis Counselor, Toronto
Establishing Family Rules and Decisions: The importance of nvolving Children
Ask anyone whose freedom has forcibly been taken away, and they will tell you how horrible the experience was and how they felt. No one wants to be forced to do something against their wish, not even a child. This is a lesson many parents find difficult to understand. Allowing our children the opportunity to be involved in establishing rules in the family and help in making decisions that directly affect them is vital in helping them learn how to have some form of control over their lives. When I was growing up there was one major rule in my home: when your parents talk, it was final. We had no chance of questioning it. It was “their way” or “no way”. Parents did not explain the reasoning behind a decision or a rule in the home. There was no dialogue between parents and their children. This kind of militaristic/dictatorship approach just doesn’t work today. We now live in a more relational culture. Today, children have a relationship with their parents than when I was growing up. While that is largely a good thing, it also has a negative side as well. In the sense that if our children don’t buy into the rules or decisions, the relational approach makes enforcing those rules/decisions more difficult. So, let me share some ideas or tips for successfully creating rules or making decisions for your households. The earlier you start this process the better; probably when the children are as young as five years. It will be easier than wait until they are old. If your child is already a teen, start today. Have your teen help you establish rules, make decisions and consequences. If you establish the rules unilaterally, especially if your home has been relationally focussed or in a typically world of today where children question parents, you will probably face significant push back or rebellion from your teen. They are not going to understand why they have no say in the process, hence will be less likely to follow the rules as a result. What you have to do is to sit down together and discuss what you think behaviour in your home should look like; time to turn off the cell phones, the television and the laptop and focus on what is important. Talk about how your fam-
ily expects to deal with issues like driving, dating, sex, school work, church, friends and house chores. The operative concept is: Discuss (do not Dictate) what kinds of behavior fit with your family’s values and which don’t and these include some rules for the adults in the family as well, so the teens/children don’t think this process is just targeting them. Talk through the reasons behind the rules or decisions you are establishing and get everyone’s opinion about what consequences should be applied for breaking the rules. You will be surprised how tough they will be on themselves when consequences are being discussed. At the end of the day, you might have to step in to lessen them to be realistic. The great thing about doing this is that it gives your children some freedom, but it doesn’t infringe on your family’s nonnegotiable values. It gives your children a sense of control, but still keeps the decisions within your own limits. It also gives them foreknowledge of the consequences to expect. This allows them to weigh the consequences before breaking the rules. After everything is completed, have them typed and printed out so that it is clear for everyone to see. Once you have laid down the rules and consequences with your children, don’t back down when it comes to enforcing them. Teens are good at getting exceptions; “just this once”. Sometimes parents are afraid that by enforcing consequences that has been set, they will damage the relationship with the child. That is just the opposite. Children actually want parents to be consistent. Parents should not think that rules can never be changed. Beliefs and values never change but rules do change. As our children mature, some rules and procedures can be a little relaxed. For instance bedtime can be moved to a later hour. As the old saying goes “nothing good happens after midnight” so bedtime cannot be moved past midnight. Above all things, I encourage parents to work diligently to keep relationship with their children strong. I believe rules are really important, but relationship you have with your child is even more important. Take time to involve them and help them take ownership of the family rules. You will find the fights decreasing and relationships and harmony in your home increasing. It is worth the effort!
The Ghanaian News
May 2012
43
Lifestyle Ask The Doctor By: David Yaw Twum-Barima, MD, MSc, FRCPC
This column is devoted to answering your questions on health and discusions of diseases which are common among the African Canadians.
Fitness programs: 5 steps to getting started Starting a fitness program may be one of the best things you can do for your health. With your doctor’s OK to exercise, physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease, improve your balance and coordination, help you lose weight — even improve your sleep habits and selfesteem. And there’s more good news. You can do it in just five steps. Step 1: Assess your fitness level You probably have some idea of how fit you are. But assessing and recording baseline fitness scores can give you benchmarks against which to measure your progress. To assess your aerobic and muscular fitness, flexibility and body composition, consider recording: * Your pulse rate before and after a one-mile walk * How long it takes to walk one mile * How many push-ups you can do at a time * How far you can reach forward while seated on the floor with your legs in front of you * Your waist circumference at the level of your navel
* Your body mass index Step 2: Design your fitness program It’s easy to say that you’ll exercise every day. But you’ll need a plan — and no single plan is perfect for everyone. As you design your fitness program, keep these points in mind: * Consider your fitness goals. Are you starting a fitness program to help lose weight? Or do you have another motivation, such as preparing for a 5K race? Having clear goals can help you gauge your progress. * Think about your likes and dislikes. Choose activities you’ll enjoy. If you have fun doing the exercises you’ve selected, you’re more likely to keep doing them.
* Plan a logical progression of activity. If you’re just beginning to exercise, start cautiously and progress slowly. If you have an injury or a medical condition, consult your doctor or a physical therapist for help designing a fitness program that gradually improves your range of motion, strength and endurance. * Build activity into your daily routine. Finding time to exercise can be a challenge. To make it easier, schedule time to exercise as you would any other appointment. Plan to watch your favorite show while walking on the treadmill, or read while riding a stationary bike. * Think variety. Varying your activities (crosstraining) can keep exercise boredom at bay. Cross-training also reduces the risk of injuring or overusing one specific muscle or joint. Plan to alternate among activities that emphasize different parts of your body, such as walking, swimming and strength training. * Allow time for recovery. Many people start exercising with frenzied zeal — working out too
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long or too intensely — and give up when their muscles and joints become sore or injured. Plan time between sessions for your body to rest and recover. * Put it on paper. A written plan may encourage you to stay on track. Step 3: Assemble your equipment You’ll probably start with athletic shoes. Be sure to pick shoes designed for the activity you have in mind, as well as your foot type. If you’re planning to invest in exercise equipment, choose something that’s practical, enjoyable and easy to use. You may want to try out certain types of equipment at a fitness center before investing in your own equipment. To stretch your exercise dollars, consider buying used equipment. Or get creative. Make your own weights by filling old socks with beans or pennies, or by partially filling a half-gallon milk jug with water or sand. Step 4: Get started Now you’re ready for action. * Start slowly and build up gradually. Give yourself
plenty of time to warm up and cool down with easy walking or gentle stretching. Then speed up to a pace you can continue for five to 10 minutes without getting overly tired. If you can’t carry on a conversation while you exercise, you’re probably pushing too hard. As your stamina improves, increase the amount of time you exercise by one to five minutes a session. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. * Break things up if you have to. You don’t have to do all your exercise at one time. Shorter but more frequent sessions have aerobic benefits, too. Ten minutes of exercise three times a day may fit into your schedule better than a single 30minute session. * Be creative. Maybe your workout routine includes various activities, such as walking, bicycling or rowing. But don’t stop there. Take a weekend hike with your family or spend an evening ballroom dancing. * Listen to your body. If you feel pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or nau-
sea, take a break. You may be pushing yourself too hard. * Be flexible. If you’re not feeling good, give yourself permission to take a day or two off. Step 5: Monitor your progress Retake your personal fitness assessment six weeks after you start your program and then again every three to six months. You may notice that you need to increase the amount of time you exercise in order to continue improving. Or you may be pleasantly surprised to find that you’re exercising just the right amount to meet your fitness goals. If you lose motivation, set new goals or try a new activity. Exercising with a friend or taking a class at a fitness center may help, too. Starting an exercise program is an important decision. But it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming one. By planning carefully and pacing yourself, you can establish a healthy habit that lasts a lifetime. Reference: Modified from Mayo Clinic Housecall, 2008
44
The Ghanaian News May 2012
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The Ghanaian News
May 2012
45
“The seas need to be free and open for all…” Vice Admiral Paul Maddison An exclusive conversation with Vice-Admiral Paul Maddison, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Mr. Thomas Saras, President of National Ethnic Press & Media Council of Canada By Thomas S. Saras
economically and we understand that the government tries to cut budgets everywhere. How are these budget-cutting measures affecting the operations of the navy?
THE INTERVIEW: Thomas S. Saras: Admiral, I would like to thank you for your time. It is an honour to have this opportunity to interview you, as the Head of the Royal Canadian Navy, on behalf of the members of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada. Q. Can you tell our readers a few things about the status of the Canadian Navy, where it stands, where the forces are now and what purpose they are serving? A. Well, that is a great question which will take me a little while to answer but I will be very clear. This is a very important and
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exciting time for the Royal Canadian Navy, for a couple of reasons. The first reason I would say is that, as the Prime Minister stated in his speech yesterday in Ottawa at the naming of the Royal Canadian Naval Monument. He said that the Canadian economy floats on salt water and that speaks to your question about what is the reason for the Navy. The Canadian economy and the wealth for Canadians and the quality of life that that generates is very much a product of a global system that floats. Ninety per cent of the trade by volume goes through strategic placed naval units where ships are placed at joint points such as Hormoves, Doublemendev, Panama etc. So the seas need to be free and open to all lawfully use it, to enable and protect the Gladys system from which Canada derives its wealth. If there are pressures in that system then there needs to be a means by which Canada can stand alongside our allies and make a stand. And that is where the Canadian Navy comes into being. Not only are well very much first and foremost required to surveilling and patrol the three oceans approaches to Canada, Atlantic, Pacific and Artic. But whenever Canadian National interests are affective and the government of Canada so chooses, our ships need to be ready to deploy as HMC Charlottetown did last year, off the coast of Libya, in a NATO mission alongside our allies to protect the people of Libya and beat back the pro-Khadafy regime. And All kinds of hair products that is why today, again, HMC Charlottetown deployed in the Arabia sea working along our allies at sea in an counter-terrorWe Also Braid & Weave Hair ists mission. The state of the navy is a time of great renewal and so the government through the National Ship Building Procure* 100% Human Hair * Weaves Extensions ment Strategic and through the Canada First Defense Strategy, these are two very important policy documents together speak to * Full Wig * Afro Wig * Face the need and the guarantee of the resources necessary to * Body Lotion * Lace * Holland Wax Prints operationalize the Victoria Class submarine, to modernize the * Duku * Shoes * Hand Bags Half Wig Halifax Class Frigates, to build a new Arctic off and offshore patrol ship a new capability, to bring in a new joint support ship, * Pony Tails * Braids which is what gives us the ability to deploy a task group of ships around the world for six to twelve months and then to ultimately Visit Us At (The Gore Centre) build as was announced through the NCPS, the Canadian Sur8920 Hwy 50, Unit 5B, Brampton face Combatant, which will be built in Halifax to replace the Frigates and the destroyers in the 20/20’s and 20/30’s and that (Ebenezer/Hwy 50 near Food Basics) will be the navy that takes us to mid-century and it would be crewed by our most important assets and that is our people, our Tel: 905-913-0066 / 416-660-6373 sailors. We in the navy continue to attack Canada’s finest men and women to volunteer to sea the National interest at sea. And I can tell you that when I talk to my colleagues, the commanders of other navies, the United States, the United KingHouse of Quality African Textiles dom, Australia, New Zealand, France, and that they are always impressed by the quality, the caliber of our sailors. In All types of quality Wax Prints NOW on SALE ranging from $12.00 fact Canadians when they have the opportunity, when we have * Kente the great lakes deployment, * Bazin * Gede Scarves * Meba Wo Aborokyire when they have the opportu* Dew Drop * Georgia nity to meet our sailors, they * Real Dutch Wax * Seer Sucker * Debo are inevitable impressed by the * Swiss Voile * Woodine * Handkerchiefs pride, the enthusiasm, the pro* Georgette Lace * Kupion * Towels fessionalism, the team work, * Osikani/Prestige the camaraderie and just the * Java * Bedsheets * Small Wax caliber of the Canadians we * Scarves/Lining have in the navy. A long answer to your question, but this is a very exciting time as it’s a Call C.K. or Francisca time of change and more for a 647-835-1627 / 647-349-1629 Email: ceek29@yahoo.ca positive change.
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Q. These are challenging times
A. It should not affect navy operations at all. I mean the Chief of the Defense Staff on the direction of the Ministry of National Defense have made two things clear. One was that the Department of National Defense, like every other federal department and agency in these challenging economic times will be required to adjust, should be required, to contribute to the government’s overall deficit reduction strategy. But at the same time the government has been very clear, that there is no desire to reduce the capability the readiness of our sea land and air forces to be on station for Canada where it matters. And so the challenge and opportunity in all of this is to find innovative ways of renewing business processes, of looking for redundancies in staffs and in programs and looking for lower priority programs that may not be as relevant to tomorrow as they were yesterday, and taking the savings from reducing those programs and streamlining and making more lean our headquarters structures. Taking those resources our savings and applying them to the operational end. So at the end of the day we will continue from my perspective as Commander of the Navy, to generate multi-purpose combat capable forces. A globally deployable sea control navy, able first to be on station for Canada in our three ocean approaches. Able to be alongside our American allies in the Caribbean and in the approaches to North America and to be with our International partners’ wherever the Government of Canada sees fit, like Charlottetown today. Q. If one of the members of the ethnic communities, a New Canadian wants to join the navy do he /she has the ability; are there any privileges for joining the navy as a New Canadian. A. It would be the same privileges that all Canadians enjoy. The privilege to serve in a volunteer naval service, which has a set of values and ethics, which makes it very clear, like the Army and the Air Force like the Canadian Forces, is built upon inclusivity, tolerance and a welcoming of a diversity within the Canadian Forces which is more truly a reflection of how the Canadian multi-ethnic fabric has evolved. And as champion for visible minorities in the Canadian Forces, one of my key aims is to establish links with the various Canadian ethnic communities. To understand what might be some of the judgments, some of the value assessments in those communities, no community is exactly like another, and to understand how those values are positive or perhaps negative and too enable a dialogue with community leaders, with influencers, with teachers, parents, elders, religious leaders, corporate leaders, the media, to find ways to enable a very constructive and open discussion so that the bridge between communities and the Canadian Forces and the Navy in my case, is stronger, is open and Canadians understand that if they are interested in service in uniform what they will see is a welcoming service, institution. They know they will be enabled to make better with the gifts that they bring, Not only personable, individuals gifts but from their communities. I would like to see more diversity, more ethnic Canadians choosing to serve at sea in Canada and we are seeing those trends. Q. Is there any combat role in the Navy now or are we just policing international waters? A. That is a very good question. Navies have sort of three key roles. One is combat. So at the end of the day no matter what the navy does, I demand that my sailors be trained to go in harm’s way when necessary and to prevail in combat. The second mission is more of what I call a constabulary one, which is what you are referring too. So counter-narcotics missions in the Caribbean, supporting the RCMP in a legal migrant mission into Canada or even as we have done several years ago, counter-piracy mission in the Somali basin. The third is the Defense Diplomacy which is another important aspect of navies that whenever we go into a country to make a visit, the ship becomes a floating embassy. We enable the Canadian Ambassador to that country we help him with his objectives on behalf of the people of Canada. But I would refer on the combat side of this triangle that I described, last year in Libya our ships took fire from the enemy and returned fire for the first time since the Korean War. There were mines in those waters, there was freak as our ships were actually in the approaches to the Port of Misrata, where the antiKhadafy forces and civilians, innocent civilians, families, were at great risk of losing their lives to the pro-Khadafy forces. Our ships played a key role in surveilling what was going on, enabling the embargo at sea and calling in precision air strikes from our CF18 aircraft, to deliver lethal attacks on pro-Khadafy military forces that were coming to do harm to Libyan civilians. Our navy played a key role there. That was a combat mission. And that is the kind of mission our ships are ready for whenever cont'd on pg. 59
46
The Ghanaian News May 2012
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The Ghanaian News
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
Re: 1st Canada Open Taekwondo Championship Westin Harbour Castle Hotel, Toronto
Canada ending ‘Buffalo shuffle’ for visas, closing consulate Ottawa drops requirement for foreign workers and students to renew visas outside Canada
Grand Master Suhwan Chung, President and chairman of Canadian Taekwando with the Ghanaian Team
From left Tsatsu Edem Kwawukume, Emmanuel Ayiku, Nana Yaw Emmanuel Adofo, Grandmaster Michael Kwame Deh
The federal government is shutting down the Canadian consulate in Buffalo, one of Canada’s largest and oldest diplomatic outposts in the United States, CBC News has learned. Senior government officials confirm the official announcement of the Buffalo closure, affecting about 75 employees, will probably be made sometime next week. The closure is the result of federal budget cuts and a major change to immigration rules. For decades, foreign students and temporary workers in the Toronto area wanting to extend their stay in Canada have been forced to travel to the Buffalo consulate to apply for the necessary changes to their visas. But the Harper government is putting an end to what became known in immigration circles as the “Buffalo shuffle” by getting rid of the requirement that foreigners have to leave the country for interviews regarding a requested visa change. Instead, officials say, foreigners wanting to alter their visas will be able to apply and pay the necessary fees online, and if an cont'd on pg. 57
Man shoots son in head at school in Austria cont'd from pg. 38
a record of domestic violence. Der Standard news website says doctors performed emergency surgery on the wounded boy. His condition has been described as “very critical”. By coincidence four paramedics were already at the school when the shooting happened, because they were telling the children about first aid, the website reports. They got to the boy less than a minute after he was shot and five minutes later an emergency doctor arrived, so the boy was quickly given artificial respiration. A local education official said police tracked the father down by locating his mobile phone signal. His body was found inside an overturned car on a highway. According to police he had run a kebab stand near the school, ORF said. Child psychologists are now at the eight-classroom school to give the children counselling.
The Ghanaian News
Frank Asiamah receives T.T.C. Award of Excellence Frank commenced his career with the commission in June 2002, as a Wheele-Trans Operator at Lakeshore Division. Frank demonstrates a positive attitude and proactive approach to his duties, through his commitment to the TTC's core values of safety, service and courtesy. The award was presented at Old Mills Restaurant in Etobicoke on May 10, 2012
May 2012
49
In Loving Memory of Mr. Chris Onyejekwe Passed away June 5th, 1992 It is sad to walk the road alone. Instead of side by side. But to all there comes a moment. When the way of life divides. You gave me years of happinessThen came sorrow and tears. But you left me beautiful memories I will treasure through the years.Memories are like treads of gold, They never tarnish or grow old.
The Award was presented by W. Frost (General Superintendent – Wheel-Trans Operations),
The Late Mr. Chris Onyejekwe Lovingly remembered, forever loved. Auntie Betty Frank Asiamah with family and friends at the award ceremony
Check Us online @ www.ghanaiannews.ca 416-916-3700
50
The Ghanaian News May 2012
Okuapemman Cultural Association of North America annual mid-year meeting @ Amansie Multicultural Centre Toronto on Saturday, May 19, 2012 Group of representatives across North America
"Chick-fil-A" leadercast programme
Some of the participants at the programme
A one-day leadership event which was held at Living Word Assembly of God Church, 139 Millwick Drive, Toronto on May 04, 2012. The event was a live broadcast from Atlanta, GA and simulcast into hundreds of locations around the world.We are proud to be one of the host organizations here in Toronto. The event host/co-ordinator, Rev. Isaac Takyi-De-Graft said "This is our first time of hosting this event and we are excited to be part of this great event."
A Successful 1st Annual Ghanaian Canadian Youth Leadership Summit
cont'd from pg. 1
cal challenges of being mostly a first generation immigrant group, it is not surprising that many Ghanaians in Toronto find it necessary to come together and form ethnic and religious associations to address their settlement and integration needs. Despite the numerous cultural and religious associations that exist in the city, very few programs exist to tackle issues facing the youth. This was one of the main reasons why Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario (GCAO) felt the need to hold a youth summit. In his address to the Summit, Emmanuel Duodu, an executive member of the GCAO remarked that the summit is a great way for the community’s young population to have a unified voice and connect with the older generation. Toronto obviously has a large young Ghanaian population and one can argue that a lot of the young people in our community don’t have the opportunity to truly express their views and concerns they have for the community. Amongst the many debates that took place was the one which addressed the “generational gap” between the young and the old. To this, a young woman expressed concerns as to why the older generation have the tendency to bring
down the youth. The younger individuals gave remarks that were entirely different from the older individuals. Nevertheless, various answers centered on the fact that most parents in the Diaspora were raised in Africa and do not necessarily understand the academic, social and psychological issues faced by the youth. Hence many of the responses reinforced the idea that the youth must find their passion and must not let anyone bring them down. Even though the event was heavily influenced by older members of the community, the younger crowd at the event expressed a lot of great ideas. GCAO Executives with of the sponsors' banner Magelan
An interesting observation made at the summit centered on the fact that the Ghanaian community in Canada is being flooded with religious institutions and a lack of establishments built around science and technology. Our community seems to be insulated from itself with no meaningful and stronger interactions with other successful cultural groups in the Toronto Metropolis. The underlining point of majority of the contributions centered on the idea that the youth is encountering a huge setback at the moment and will most likely go astray if the problem persists. cont'd on pg. 57
A section of the participants
The Ghanaian News
May 2012
51
Celebration of life of Mr. & Mrs. Peter K. Tetteh, parents of Mrs. Helena Appiah Brenya The event was held at Ahenfie Banquet Hall, (The Palace) on May 12, 2012. Helena is the husband of Kwabena Brenya (Kobi) of High-Tech Shipping
Kwabena Brenyah and family
Nananom
Nananom
Nananom
Mrs. Elizabeth Berko (Gyamfuah) and her cultural group
Funeral rites for the father of Mrs. Juliana Kusi Appiah was held at Amansie Multicultural Centre on Saturday May 12, 2012
Celebration of life of Major Rtd. Kwame Boadu and Yaa Agyeiwaah Boadu father and sister of Yaw Boye Boadu and Anima Asante's in-laws @ The Apostles' Continuation Church on May 12, 2012
52
The Ghanaian News May 2012
Ntoma Dance in Vancouver
The Ghanaian News
May 2012
53
Ghanaian Women's Prayer Conference 10th Anniversary By Jonathan Annobil, Toronto
The 10th Anniversary of the Ghanaian Women’s Fasting and Prayer Conference was celebrated in grand style as Christian Ghanaian women in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) trooped in their numbers to Living Word Assembly of God Church at 139 Millwick Drive for the event on May 21, 2012. The theme of the conference was taken from Lamentation 3:22-23 “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, His compassions are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness. The church was filled to capacity as the women sang and prayed for our community, Ghana, Canada and the whole world. The celebrants (congregation) were given a short history of the conference from it inception to present. The 1st conference took place at 139 Millwick Drive but as time went on the leadership decided to hold it at different churches. It was befitting that the 10th year anniversary was held at the place of its birth. cont'd on pg. 57
Rev. Mrs. Winnie Manu preaching
From left: Rev. Ernestine Acquah, Janet Owusu-Ansah, Comfort Ayiku, Vivian Adom-Adjei, Rev. Winnie Manu, Comfort Antwi, Constance Assifo, Esther Tuah, Kate Mensah, Susie Barning
Group picture of participants Comfort Ayiku, one of the leaders being prayed over by Rev. Mrs. Winnie Manu, guest speaker
Special Birthday prayers being offered for Rev. Grace Nugent (center) as she turned 67
The women in jubilation
Some of the Pastors in prayer mood
A section of the congregation
A section of the congregation
54
The Ghanaian News May 2012
The Ghanaian News
May 2012
55
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
Ghanaian News online www.ghanaiannews.ca
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The Ghanaian News
May 2012
57
Employment Insurance review boards to be scrapped 74-member tribunal to replace 1,000 part-time board members The federal government is scrapping two review boards used by people appealing decisions made about their employment insurance, replacing them with a much smaller tribunal. A new Social Security Tribunal will replace about 1,000 part-time members of the Employment Insurance Board of Referees
and 32 umpires, the CBC’s Alison Crawford reports. The tribunal will also hear appeals from Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security claimants. The new tribunal will consist of 74 members. Half will hear EI disputes. It’s expected to be in place by May 2013. Under the current system,
the members sit on threeperson panels representing workers, employers and government. They hear appeals on complaints such as denied benefits within 30 days. Decisions usually follow within a week. People who don’t like those rulings may appeal to an umpire. University of Ottawa law
A Successful 1st Annual Ghanaian Canadian Youth Leadership Summit cont'd from pg. 50
Amongst the diverse issues discussed were leadership, science and technology. Various speakers provided advice on how the youth can become leaders, and necessary steps they could take to improve confidence, public speaking and reaching their goals. The talk on science and technology highlighted trends in technology, social media, finance etc. Some of the speakers even offered job opportunities for some of the attendees.
In his contribution to the panel discussion, a renowned Professor of Sociology based in Toronto, Prof. George Sefa Dei charged Ghanaians to make their schooling more relevant to the community in which they live and help address the challenges that confront Ghanaians as a people. He pointed out that many of our community members are engaged in “too much schooling, too little education”. True education, he said, does not make one self-
ish! It rather equips the educated for service to his/her community. He therefore implored all educated Ghanaians to develop the culture of responsibility and serve their community to bring development to all. The goal of the youth leadership summit was to start a dialogue. It was not meant to be a lecture for the youth but an avenue for communication. To that extent, the event was successful in starting a dialogue and an avenue for communication with and among the youth.
Ghanaian Women's Prayer Conference 10th Anniversary cont'd from pg. 53
The guest speaker was Rev. Mrs. Winnie Manu of Welcome Home Evangelistic Ministries in Brampton. Her message was taken from Lamentation 3:21-24 tiled “God is faithful”. She said if we pray with humility, and forgive those who have wronged us, the Lord Jesus will hear our prayer. Rev. Winnie Manu then led the women in intensive
intercessory prayers for the community and the whole world. The whole church was electrified as Francis Asumadu sang as the women also danced and sang waving their handkerchiefs in jubilation in the anniversary Tshirts. The scene was jubilant! Twelve women were honoured for their dedication to the cause of the
conference with plaques. In attendance were 14 pastors to support the event. Those who did not attend missed something. The next prayer conference will take place at Ghana Calvary Methodist United Church on 65 Mayall Avenue on Monday 8th October 2012, Thanksgiving Holiday to round of the anniversary celebration.
professor Lucie Lamarche says the new measure, which comes on page 196 of the more than 400-page budget implementation bill, is “well-hidden.” The current system, she says, is easy, non-judicial and free. “There is this group of people constituting the board of referees that can look at the facts, that can redress administrative mistakes and it’s a system that produces a chunk of administrative mistakes,” Lamarche said. Lamarche is also concerned that under the new system, applicants will have to hire lawyers. She says it appears that under the legislation, people will have to make more technical, legal arguments. Losing accessible space for appeals “We’re losing a non-judicial space, easily accessible, quickly accessible and free where people can re-tell their story in a language that they understand.”
Lamarche predicts more frustration leading to fewer appeals and fewer payouts. A spokeswoman for Human Resources and Skills Development Minister Diane Finley said the current system is confusing, costly, slow and inefficient. In an emailed statement, she said the new system will be faster and eliminate overlap. But one member of a board of referees says he can’t imagine how so few people would handle the 26,000 EI appeals heard last year alone. “I see the impact as slowing the process down, not allowing claimants the due process of getting a fair and timely decision on their claims,” said Dan Borthwick, who represents workers on the board of referees in London, Ont. Business and labour groups say the new tribunal will lead to delays and a more formal process. ‘Not so sure’ system inefficient Corinne Pohlman, a
spokeswoman for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, disagrees that the current system isn’t efficient. The CFIB nominates people to represent employers on the board of referees. “I’m not so sure that the old system was all that inefficient,” Pohlman said. “It allowed for more, I think, of an informal process at the local level that allowed people to feel like they were getting fairly heard by people in their community.” Pohlman says she can’t think of any complaints about the board or referees or delays in decisions. “We certainly aren’t really sure where this idea is coming from. We certainly feel the EI board of referees was working well.” The budget implementation bill is being studied by the House of Commons finance committee. The government wants the bill to become law before Parliament takes its summer break at the end of June. CBC News
Canada ending ‘Buffalo shuffle’ for visas, closing consulate cont'd from pg. 48
interview with Canadian officials is necessary, they will be conducted at immigration offices in Canada. Government statistics show that at any given time there are approximately 400,000 foreigners in Canada on various kinds of temporary visas. ‘More convenient’ visa changes A senior official says the change in rules, coupled with a move to electronic immigration applications that will be processed in Canada rather than in Buffalo, led the Department of Foreign Affairs to conclude it “simply could not justify keeping open the rest of the mission.” All of the remaining functions of the Buffalo mis-
sion will be taken over by the consulate in New York City, the second-largest Canadian diplomatic office in the U.S. next to the main embassy in Washington. One immigration official says: “Our government is saving taxpayers’ money while continuing to provide a high level of service through the use of new technologies. “This change will be much more convenient for in-Canada applicants.” The changes will similarly impact the Canadian consulate in Detroit, but officials say there are no plans to shut it down. Foreign Affairs recently announced it was closing five smaller trade offices
in the U.S. — Phoenix, Philadelphia, Raleigh, Anchorage, and Princeton — as part of its budgetcutting efforts to trim $170 million in annual spending. But the Buffalo office is the first full-service consulate being shuttered, eliminating walk-in services for everything from lost passports to visa applications. Foreign Affairs and immigration officials stress the closure of the Buffalo consulate and five trade missions south of the border is not meant to be a snub of the U.S. in any way. They point out that even after the six closures, Canada will still have 15 consular and trade offices across the U.S., as well as the embassy in Washington. CBC News
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
PLACES OF WORSHIP DIRECTORY The Apostolic Church Int'l.
Ghana Methodist Churches in Canada ( SOCIETIES UNDER THE GHANA METHODIST CONFERENCE)
The Apostolic Church International (Toronto Assembly) is a Branch of The Apostolic Church in Ghana
Meeting Schedule
The Superintendent Minister-In-Charge
invites you to worship with us
Apostle F.Y. Agyemang (Area Supt. Canada-Wide)
Sunday (Worship) 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Wednes: - (Bible Studies) 7:30 p.m. Fri: (Intercessory/Deliverance Prayers) -7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Fri: (Alt.) All Night 10:30 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. Saturday(Alt.) Women's, Men's,Youth Movement Meetings) 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. 1st Saturday of every month Prayer for breakthrough) (Montreal)
9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. TORONTO CENTRAL ASSEMBLY Pastor: 905-791-8190 Cell: 647-218-1052 Church: 416-740-1979 94 Kenhar Drive, Unit 39 & 40, North York, Ont. BRAMPTON ASSEMBLY 270 Rutherford Road, Unit 10 Brampton, Ontario, L6W 3K7 HAMILTON ASSEMBLY 801 King Street East Hamilton, Ontario, L8M 1A8 MONTREAL ASSEMBLY Elder Eric Frimpong - 514-748-1545 Church 514-279-6565
845 Jean Talon West, Montreal, Quebec, H3N 1S5
HOLY ALPHA & OMEGA CHURCH
Very Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Asare-Kusi
Toronto Society
Place of Worship: 19 Penn Drive, North York, Ont. (off Finch Av./Milvan)
Day and Time of Worship: Sunday: Bible Class Meeting: 9:00 a.m. - 10.30 a.m. Church Service: 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Jericho Hour Prayer Meeting - 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Friday: Bible Teaching/Prayer Meeting 8:00 p.m. - 10.00 p.m. Saturday Organizational Meeting: 6.30p.m. - 9.30 p.m.
Contact: Tel: (416) 743-4555 (Church) In Montreal at: Place of Worship: 6870 Rue de Terreborne, Montreal, Que, H4B 1C5
Day and Time of Worship Sunday Divine Service: 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Friday Prayer Meetings: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Contact: Rev. Emmanuel Ohene Gyimah - 514-542-0871 Anna Phillips (Church Secretary) 514-421-4152 SERVICES ARE CONDUCTED FOLLOWING THE TRADITIONAL GHANA METHODIST LITURGY. PLEASE COME AND JOIN US. WE HAVE A PLACE FOR YOU. GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU
Redemption Faith Church Invites you to worship with us at 1485 ALBION ROAD (Albion/Kipling)
We invite you to worship with us Church Service: Sunday Worship: 10.00a.m. - 12.30 p.m. Wednesday Bible Studies: 6.00p.m. - 7.30 p.m. Friday Prayer Meeting: 7.00p.m. - 9.00 p.m.
JESUS Loves You
Tel:
Tel: 416-638-5990 / 416-419-6671
EVANGEL ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH 1245 Martin Grove Road, Rexdale, Ontario, M9W 1L4
Tel: 416-242-7950 Fax: 416-242-8573 Church Activities
Pastor in Charge Rev. Milton Offei
Sunday School: Church Service: Sunday Evening: Wednesday Bible Studies: Friday Prayer Meeting:
10a.m. -11:00a.m. 11a.m. - 1:30p.m. 7p.m. - 8:30p.m. 7p.m. - 8:30p.m. 7p.m. - 9:00p.m.
Fax:
905-495-1937
This is a loving and caring Church that preaches and teaches the whole counsel of God. A place where the word of God is backed by strong anointing to bring Salvation, Healing and Deliverance to all people who believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST
Prophet John Mensah
869 Wilson Avenue, North York, Ont.
905-495-1936
Rev. Dr. Stephen Ofori-Darko
CHURCH ACTIVITIES: Sunday Search the Scriptures - 12 noon - 12-45 p.m. Church Service - 12:45 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Fridays - 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Bible Studies, Intercession & Deliverance
CHRIST REDEEMER CHURCH Pastor-in-charge: Pastor Eric Amoah Tel: (416) 748-1242 Cell: (416) 300-9970 Church Services Sunday Service: Bible Study: 10 a.m.-11a.m. Worship Service: 11a.m. - 1p.m. Wednesday: Bible Study 6:30p.m.-7:30p.m. Friday Night Prayer: 8p.m.-10p.m. Pastor Eric Amoah Location: 4 Racine, Unit 9
(Kipling/Rexdale)
The Ghanaian News
May 2012
59
FOOD FOR LIFE Bringing the Gospel to our Community By: Rev. Joseph Osei-Amoah Ghanaian Women's Fasting and Prayer Fellowship MO NE YE! “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.” (James 5:13-18 NKJV) Last Monday, May 21, the sanctuary of Living Word Assembly of God Church (139 Millwick Drive) was filled with Ghanaian women from all Christian denominations in Greater Toronto area to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the birth of the Ghanaian Women’s Fasting and Prayer Fellowship. On behalf of the men; the majority of women who have never been part of this fellowship; all young people and children from our community, I congratulate the fellowship for consistently standing in the gap for the Ghanaian community in Canada, our nation
Canada, our native land Ghana, and of course for nations and people groups of the world, before the Living God, the Creator of the universe. The last phrase of the title of this piece, “Mo Ne Ye”, is from the Akan language, meaning, “Well done!” I remember ten years ago when Mrs. Comfort Ayiku, a member of my pastorate, told me the Lord was urging her to organize Ghanaian women in the Greater Toronto area as a prayer force to intercede on behalf our community and the nations and I gave her my support. The fellowship was born; and the initial prayer services were conducted at 139 Millwick Drive on Victoria Day and Thanksgiving Day of each year. To make the fellowship truly nondenominational, the leadership decided to hold prayer meetings in different churches. Our God is truly a strategist, the prayer fellowship was born at a time when a disturbing number of young people in our Metropolitan area were dying violently and many of whom were from the Ghanaian community. The Prime Minister of Ontario wrote letters to religious leaders including myself asking for our help in removing that “social cancer” from our society. I can strongly state that the prayer of these mothers coupled with that of others who believe in the effectiveness of prayer has resulted in a significant reduction in the
untimely deaths of our young people. Every society thrives on unity. Those of us who have experience years of disunity regret those years of unfruitfulness. The theme for the conference was, taken from Lamentations 3:22, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed.” This calls for humility whenever God’s people call upon Him in prayer. It takes a humble person to seek assistance from a higher source. The world is progressively being caught in a quagmire of confusion because world leaders have ignored the Creator of the universe in their effort to solve the problems of the world. During the second world war, an American general call a Christian Chaplain and ask him to pray for the Lord to change the poor weather in order for him to use his Air Force to contain the aggressors. The Chaplain called upon the Lord in the name of his Son, the Lord Jesus and his prayer was instantly answered. The above biblical text from James 5:13-18, speaks of the effectiveness of prayer, “The effective,
fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James, continued by referring to the Prophet Elijah who prayed for God to withhold the rain for three and half years in the days of evil King Ahab of Israel and it was so. He prayed again for the Lord to bring in the rain and it so happened. James again states that we lack what we need because we do not ask from the Lord and even if we ask we do so with the wrong motive. (James 4:2-3) There are some divine principles that are difficult for us to understand. Some people reject the existence of God because they cannot understand how a loving and allpowerful God can allow evil to persist in the world. The principle of sowing and reaping is in effect because every human being has the freedom of choice and it is not fair to blame God for the negative result of one’s choice when God’s warning signs are ignored. Another principle is that God gave human beings dominion and power over the earth when Adam and Eve
were created (Genesis 2:26-29). Our prayer allows Him to intervene in our affairs (Ezekiel 22:30, 31). The situation will change when God fully takes over the affairs of the earth in the near future, “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power… 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:24, 28) The aim for the anniversary conference was a quotation from Genesis 11:6, “And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.” While the united action of the generation after Noah was negative, the Lord God admitted that a united people can do anything. Therefore the effort of the Ghanaian Women’s Prayer Fellowship is bound to
produce positive results because God has been calling for intercessors from time immemorial. On behalf of the Fellowship I call all women who believe in prayer to join the group. Fellow Pastors, we need to promote this wonderful ministry. The following leaders have been working faithfully with Sister Comfort Ayiku: Mrs. Susie Barning of Ghana Presbyterian Church, Sister Vivian Adom-Adjei, Christ Redeemer, Sister Janet Owusu-Ansah, Lighthouse Assembly of God Church, Sister Comfort Antwi, Christian Foundation, Sister Kate Mensah, Holy Alpha and Omega Church, Sisters Victoria Mintah, Esther Adjei and Anasthesia Kwarteng, Living Word Assembly of God Church, Sister Jennifer Owusu, Bethel Prayer Ministry International, Sister Constance Assifo, Ghana Calvary Methodist United Church, Sister Rosina, The Apostles’ Continuation Church, Rev. Mrs. Eleanor AduAnane and Rev. Mrs. Winnie Manu.
Living Word Assembly of God Church (Affiliated with P.A.O.C.)
139 Millwick Drive
An exclusive conversation with Vice-Admiral Paul Toronto, Ont. (Steeles/Islington) Tel: 416- 741-6285 Maddison, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy and Mr. Thomas Saras, President of Fax: 416- 741-0133 National Ethnic Press & Media Council of Canada Email: cont'd from pg. 45 livingwordag@bellnet.ca required by the Government of Canada. an army mostly or an air force/army mix like in Q. If I am the father of a young boy or girl, what should be the reasons for joining the navy. How are you going to convince me to join the navy as opposed to the Armed Forces? A .Here is what I would say. Any Canadian who contemplates service to this great country in uniform it needs no more advice from me. Because he/she has already made a decision that I respect very, very, much. Whether they choose to serve in the Air Force, the Army, as a doctor, a lawyer, in the Navy as an engineer, I know that they are coming in to a wonderful institution where it’s the Canadian Forces first sitting atop strong services and cultures the Air Force, the Army and the Navy. But I would say to that person have you had the opportunity to think about what it would mean to be at sea. And what I find with a lot of Canadians, the majority of Canadians, tend to see the Canadian Forces through the lens of what they have observed of
Afghanistan. So they understand very clearly that an army has a role to play in helping people near Canada or far away. But they do not often understand what it is that the navy does and when they learn that the navy is actually critical to enabling the system of the world upon which Canada and our values and our law, our wealth and our quality of life depends, and when they understand that navies go out and shape and influence that in a very important way for Canada, then they have the knowledge necessary to make that decision on whether, sea, land or air. What would be best for them. And when I know they come to the Navy they discover a very well professional, well-lead, team focused institution that is built upon a legacy of service of excellence and when necessary going in harm’s way for Canada and Canadians. I thank you very much for the opportunity to have this dialogue with you.
Church Activities
Senior Pastor: Rev. Joseph Osei-Amoah
Sunday Early Morning Prayer: 8:30 a.m. Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday Prayer: 10:00 a.m-12 noon Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday Prayer 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. (Last Friday of the month “All Night Prayer”): 7:30 p.m.-12 mid-night Youth Service (Fridays): 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Departmental Meeting (Every other Sunday): 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
Ghana Calvary Methodist United Church, Toronto 65 Mayall Avenue, Toronto Ontario, M3L 1E7
Tel: 416-614-6110 647-341-7305 Email: gcmethodist@hotmail.com
Invites all Christians to join us to worship and glorify the Living God
Worship Schedule: Sunday Church Service/Class Meetings: 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Friday Prayer Meeting: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Bethel Prayer Ministry Int'l Do you desire to experience the power and the presence of God demonstrated in your life? Do you want to experience the marvelous work of God's grace in your life? Then, Bethel Prayer Ministry International would like to invite you to visit their church where the word of God is preached powerfully to release the power of God in your life. Pastor Dennis Awuku COME AND YOU WILL BE BLESSED Senior Pastor
Contact:
Res. 416-740-6963 Church 416-642-0390 Worship Hours: Sunday Service: 9am - 1pm Tuesday 9am - 2 pm Consultation Wednesday: 7pm - 9p.m. Friday: 9pm - 12 pm Saturday (Prayer Warriors) 6pm - 8pm Location: 52 Carrier Drive, Unit 12, (Albion/Hwy 27)
Etobicoke, Ont., M9w 5S5
End-Time Harvest Ministry Very Rev. De-Graft Semie Obiri (Calvary Methodist)
Saturday Auxilliary Minister Youth Musical & Computer Rev. Samuel Victor Mpereh Lessons Fellowship Meetings Choir Practice, Singing Band Practice 647-770-8440
Venue of Worship 65 Mayall Avenue, Toronto (Route: Through Jethro Road or Haymarket Road, off Wilson Ave. between Weston Rd. and Jane St., or walk across bridge from Chalkfarm North)
Invites you for a wonderful time with the Lord
Worship Hours Sundays (Mornings) 10 - 12:45pm Wednesday (Bible Study) 7 -8:30 pm Friday (All Night Prayer) 8-10:30pm Rev Moses Sarpong
COME AND EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF THE WORD Join us at 196 Toryork Drive(Corner of Weston/Finch)
Tel: 416-743-2507 Tel: 416-614-6110
Email: gcmethodist@hotmail.com
IT’S HARVEST TIME SO REACH OUT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE
It’s A Great Commission!
The Ghanaian News
May 2012
61
Lighthouse Assembly of God Church Senior Pastor: Isaac Takyi De-Graft Exclusive English Service: 8:00am - 10:00am School of the Light: 10:00am - 10:45am Exclusive Ghanaian Service : 10:45am - 1:00am Tuesday(Time with the Holy Spirit) 10:00 am-12:30 pm Wednesday(School of Ministry) 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm -Torontonians Thursday(School of Ministry) 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Bramptonians Friday(Time in His Presence) 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Every First Friday is Special Youth Service 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Every Fouth Friday is Half Night Service: 9:00 pm - 12:30 am
NEW LOCATION: 42 Steinway Blvd. Unit 1&2 (Hwy 27/Steeles) Toronto, Ontario, M9W 6Y6
Tel: 416-740-1200 Fax: 416-740-6435 Email:
lighthouse@lighthouseag.caWebsite: http:/www/lighthouseag.ca
RESURRECTION POWER EVANGELISTIC MINISTRIES INT'L Invites all OLD and NEW members to come and fellowship with us and experience GOD'S RESSURECTION POWER through JESUS CHRIST our Lord.
THE APOSTLES' CONTINUATION CHURCH INTERNATIONAL (CANADA)
We fellowship on: Rev. Akwasi Kyeremateng
Sun. 10:30am - 1pm Wed. 7:00pm - 9pm Fri. 7:00pm - 9pm
North American Headquarters: 10 Belfield Road Toronto, Ont., M9W 1G1 Tel: 416-247-6629 Fax: 416-247-5308
Worship Prayer Meeting House of Prayer
Venue: 445 Eddystone Avenue, 2nd Floor For further information please call Tel: 647-351-8155 Cell: 647-700-5062 Secretary: 647-704-4904 We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. (Col.1:28)
Power of Grace Chapel Int'l Invites all Christians, Non-Christians and members of the Resurrection Power Tradition to join us worship the Great Jehovah
Place of Worship:
350 Deerhide Cres, North York, ON
Apostle Charles Anokye-Manu
Website: www.apostlescontinuation.org
SERVICE TIMES: Worship Service - Sunday 10:30 a.m. Bible Studies - Wednesday 7:00 p.m. All Night Service - Friday 9:30 p.m. Deliverance - Saturday 4:00 p.m. Worship With Us At These Branches In Canada
Toronto Sunday Wednesday Friday
Rev. Joe Bonnah Days And Time of Worship - Divine Worship - 10a.m. - 1p.m. Pastor-in-charge - Bible Studies - 7p.m. - 9p.m. - Prayer / Deliverance - 7p.m. - 10p.m.
Contact Lines: Tel: 416-321-2796 (Pastor's Res) 416-745-7065 (Church)
Cell: 647-403-2796
Peace Light Ministries
Scarborough Assembly 1632 Midland Ave., M1P 1C2 Tel: 416-288-1333 Pastor In-Charge: Pastor Patrick Antwi Contact: 647-402-4708
Montreal Assembly 378 Cremazie East Montreal, Quebec, H2P 1E5 Tel: 514-271-9083 Pastor-In-Charge: John Arhin Contact: 514-274-2978
Praise Temple of Christ International
Senior Pastor & Founder: Rev. Augustine Adu-Anane BRE, M.Th. CPC
Snr. Pastor: Apostle Osei-Bonsu
Senior Associate Pastor: Rev. Eleanor Adu-Anane BRE, ECE
336 Gary Ray Drive @ Signet
TIME OF WORSHIP
Rev. Augustine Adu-Anane
10 Belfield Road Tel: 416-247-6629
Wednesday: Bible Study 7:00 - 9:00 pm Friday: Group Prayer Meeting 8:00 - 11:00 pm Sunday: Christian Education 9:30 am - 10:30 am Sunday Service: 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Tel: 416-839-1662 / 647-892-9412 LOCATION: 100 Penn Drive, Unit #3, North York, Ont. M9L 2A9 Happy are those who work for PEACE, for God will call them His children Mtt: 5:9
Worship Schedule Sunday Worship - 10 am - 12:30 pm Wednesday - Bible Study - 7 pm - 9 pm Friday - Prayer Meeting - 8 pm - 10 pm Second and last Friday of each month All Night Prayer Meeting 8 pm - 12 midnight
For information call: Apostle - 647-330-3346 (cell) or 905-216-5733 (Res) Emmanuel - 647-701-1912 (cell)
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
Let's Think Family - By Rev. Dr. Samuel Kisseadoo Report on the Family Life Program of the 2012 Ghana Police Fair, Accra International Conference Center I am back from Ghana after a very successful presentation and dialogue session on Family Life HELD ON Friday 20th April, 2012, at the 3rd GHANA POLICY FAIR instituted 3 years ago by the Government of Ghana to make its official plans known to the nation, and to obtain public input for Government policies, and for accountability. Thanks to all who prayed and encouraged us for the success of the programs. Please pray for the fruits to abide, and for people to teach the truths to others. Pray also that people will be more encouraged to give marriage, home, and family life the priority and importance they deserve in our lives. I found myself saying in the opening prayer at the closing session of the Policy Fair: “Lord, if we fail at home, then we it means we have failed everywhere else.” When I sat down, I began to ponder over that statement which spontaneously came from my mouth in the prayer. The truth is that our homes mold and make us, as well as the people we deal with. There is no way we can become twisted and bent out of shape in our own homes, and be able to have any godly and meaningful plans along with the necessary tools needed to straighten anyone who is likewise bent out of shape, from his or her own house. At the Fair, each Ministry agency in Ghana had a booth at the Accra International Conference Center to display all of its activities, operations, and accountability to the Ghanaian public.
My presentation on Family Life for the morning and afternoon dialogue sessions on Friday 20th April was judged among the best during the fair (see the links below). I was asked to also offer the opening prayer at the closing ceremony on Saturday 21st April, which was done by Vice President Mahama. President Mills was scheduled to travel that day outside Ghana. Thanks to all who prayed for its success. Please pray for the fruits to abide, and for people to teach the truths to others. For example, I expounded on the top 3 factors that convert a house into a real home, and 23 other characteristics of a good home. I gave out 9 principles that should guide you in your final choice of a good mate for courting and marriage; the 4 definitions of love; the 3 ways of expressing love; the 6 primary steps to resolve all conflicts; the 16 factors necessary for a couples to build a successful marriage and family life; roles of husbands and fathers, and roles of wives and mothers; the 5 major principles for good parenting (similar to discipleship); the definition of love and the 11 characteristics
of genuine love; and finally the 11 pressure points (primary areas of trouble) in every marriage or romantic relationship and family, which every counselor must cover (in order to call himself or herself as a good pre-marital or post-marital counselor), and which every couple must have started discussing those 11 factors during the courtship and especially during the honey moon, in order to adequately prepare to fight and win all battles in the relationship, and be able to achieve productive and successful home, marriage, and family life. I gave a number of personal examples of my own marriage to support my points. Arrangements are being made for Ghana Television (GTV) to air my presentations in a series, so look out for the announcements soon. After the first Dialogue Session of my delivery plus question and answer period, as we walked to the VIP lounge, the webmaster of the Ministry of Information (Mr. Samuel George) met us and exclaimed with laughter: “You have crashed our system! Our system has collapsed!” I thought he was jokingly telling me in a proverbial way that my presentation was great. Then I learned that so many people in Ghana and around the world were accessing the Government website (www.ghanapolicyfair.com) to listen to my presentation to the extent that the traffic was too heavy for the system to handle, and it therefore crashed. Wow! It indicates the universal hunger in people as the look for
answers to nagging questions in relationships, guidance, and encouragement regarding dating, final choice of mate, courting, marriage, divorce, separation, and other family issues. We later received a barrage of phone calls from around Ghana and outside the country (London, Burkino Faso etc.) to congratulate us for the program, and for counseling etc. Even while we were on the platform for the presentation, there were phone calls, text messages, and facebook comments coming in to Hon. Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Information) who was coordinating the policy fair. Pastor Augustine Donkor of Calvary Baptist Church in Accra, who is the Ghana National Coordinator of Fruitful Ministries International, was with me on the platform to help answer some of the questions after my talk. After the event, if I left my phone for a brief period, I would pick it up and see 54 missed calls etc. Kindly press Ctrl, hold, and click on these two links ( or copy and browse) for more information on my presentation: http://www.ghana.gov.gh/ index.php/news/general-news/ 12560-promote-family-excellence-to-build-a-better-ghanakisseadoo http://www.ghana.gov.gh/ index.php/news/features/ 12552-policy-fair-2012-roadsector-and-family-day-stealthe-show OTHER ENGAGEMENTS I also had a great time with a
talk on relationships to students on the campus of the University of Ghana (Legon) in the evening of Thursday 19th April. I met with the leavers (final year students) of our Fruitful Ministries Club (where we teach young people about future successful family life) in Accra Girls High School. About 120 girls were at the meeting, and we had an excellent time of teaching, guidance, and prayer. An exciting moment at the end of the meeting was when the girls filed past a table in the front to pick toffee (candy) that I often take along to give them during my visits. They were enthused when I told them that my wife Henrietta (an old student of Accra Girls) grabbed all the candy in the house on our way out to the airport for me to give to them when I said: “Oh! I forgot to buy my usual candy for our daughters at Accra Girls.” In ministry, any little token and inexpensive gifts can be incentives as acts of acceptance, love, kindness, and joy which people might even remember more than many words spoken to them. Actions and attitudes often speak louder than words, and can register indelible mental and emotional impacts. At Calvary Baptist Church, Adabraka, Accra (Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe and congregation) I preached at the 9am service and at the youth service at 12 noon on Sunday 22nd April, all of which provided us a great time in God’s Presence for teaching and stronger rededication to Christ. Almost the
entire youth of about 180 present, rededicated their lives to Jesus, and they continue to tell me on phone how that fellowship has had a tremendous impact on their lives. I also met with the Youth Couples (people who used to be in the Youth Group in the past but are now married — some are now medical doctors, lawyers etc. It was an hour of deep teaching and exposure to practical ingredients that couples need to enrich and spice up their marriages. We prayed for needs as well. COPIESOFMESSAGES CopiesofthemessageCD’sandDVD’s can be obtained at the Ministry of Information offices in Accra, or call the Producer Mr. Nat Mainoo of Vision In Motion on 233-244612633 or 233289515988 or 233-277566310 (email: lmainooo@hotmail.com or ntmainoo@gmail.com) for single or bulk copies, or to be an agent for distribution. You may also call Fruitful Ministries Office Coordinator (Emmanuel Nana Badu) in Accra on 233-208126533 or Ernest Commey (FM Literature Manager) on 233208209567forthisandothermessage CD’s of Dr. Kisseadoo as well as his booksandprogramsorprayerandfree counseling in Ghana. In Kumasi call Peter (the Ashanti region Coordinator of Fruitful Ministries) on 233275353802 for message CD’s, prayer, freecounseling,books,andprograms. IntheUSA,youcancallDr.Kisseadoo on 1-757-7289330 or send e-mail to kisseadoo@msn.com. Text messages can be sent to Dr. Kisseadoo on 9177410643 (please ensure that you state yourname).“FortheKingdomofGod does not consist in words (talk), but in power” (1 Corinthians 4:20). “Even frometernityIamHe;Andthereisnone who can deliver out of My Hand; I WORK (ACT) AND WHO CAN HINDER (REVERSE) IT?” (Isaiah 43:13).
GHANAIAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MONTREAL INVITES YOU TO WORSHIP WITH US REV. SOWAH ABLORH - MINISTER-IN-CHARGE
SUNDAY WORSHIP 10.00AM - 1.00PM WEDNESDAY SERVICE 7.00PM - 9.00PM FRIDAY PRAYER MEETING 7.00PM - 9.00PM
OFFICE: 514-278-8109 RESIDENCE: 514-683-8444 Eugene Kotey, Clerk of Session - 905-502-7875, Jennifer Agbanti, Treasurer - 905-908-2152
1345 LAPOINTE (CORNER OF OBRIEN)
The Ghanaian News
Christian Hope Ministry Int'l Invites You All To Come Worship With Us Apostle-in-charge: Apostle Twumasi Ankrah
Tel: 647-344-6726 Cell: 416-200-2453 TIME OF WORSHIP: Sunday 10:30 am - 1:30 pm Tuesday 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Friday 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm Apostle Twumasi Ankrah
VENUE:
1177 Finch Dr. #20, North York
"And these signs will follow those who believe, in My Name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them, they will lay hands on the sick , and they will recover. Amen (Mark 16:17)
"COME AND EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF GOD"
Gospel Action Ministry
May 2012
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Ghanaian Congregation
St. John's Anglican Church VENUE:
2125 WESTON RD., WESTON ONT. Priest-in-charge: Rev. Fr. Gabriel Opoku Ware
416-901-3932 Cell: 647-624-4044 Sunday: Bible Study - 2p.m.- 3p.m. Divine Service: 3p.m. - 5p.m. Wed.: Prayer Meeting: 7p.m. - 8p.m. Friday: Encounter with the Lord: 8p.m. - 9:30p.m. Bro. S.H. Morris (People's Warden) Sis. Monica Akrofi (Priest Warden) Sis. Beatrice Asare (Secretary)
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905-792-9761 416-748-8246 416-745-8148
Welcome Home Evangelistic Ministries
Location: 135 Oakdale Rd. (Back door)
Affiliated with the Evangelical Church In Canada
Snr. Pastor & Founder: Evang. & Prophetess Winnie Manu BRE, M. Div.
Senior Pastor: Rev. Peter Awuah
Worship Celebration Services
Tel: 416-836-9235, 416-667-8637
Sunday Worship Celebration: 10 a.m. Friday Prayer Meeting / Discipleship Group: 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. Last Sunday of Every Month: Healing Service
Rev. Peter Awuah
Service Schedule Sunday: Church Service 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm Tuesday: Prayer Meeting 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm Friday: Bible/Prayer Meeting 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Last Friday of the month: All Night Prayer Meeting 11:00 pm
Living Praise Ministries Int'l Church We are a diverse group of individuals who come together to build a church based upon a common foundation in Christ Jesus
Pastor Sam & Helena Addai Pastor Elvis & Sonia Henry Our Services Friday: 7:30 p.m. Healing and Deliverance Service Sunday: 10:30 a.m. - Intercessory Prayer 10:00 a.m. - Worship Team 12:00 noon - Sunday Sch., children 3-13 yrs.
Weekly Spiritual Growth
Pastor Sam Addai
Tuesday: Bible Study, 7:00 p.m. at the church Friday: Youth Ministry, 7:30 p.m. at the church Friday: Prayer and Revival Service, 7:30 p.m. at the church Tuesday: Anointing Today, 7:30 a.m. on Vision TV (61) First Friday of each month: Midnight Prayer Meetings 11p.m.to1 a.m.
Tel: 613-228-2189, 1-800-973-2189 1877 Merivale Road, Ottawa, Ontario, K2O 1Y8
Place of Worship 236 Queen Mary Drive Brampton, ON L7A 3L3
Contact Info: Tel: 647 210 7057
Fax: 905 495 4789
Website: www.whemtoday .org Email: info@whemtoday.org Healing Service: Last Sunday of every month at Cheyne Middle School. 236 Queen Mary Dr. Brampton.
Glory Pentecostal Ministry of Toronto Pastor-in-charge: Rev. Rockson Owusu Atwima Elder Moses Frimpong
416-708-7742 905-673-7237
Invites all Christians and Non-Christians to join us to worship the Almighty God WORSHIP SCHEDULE Sunday Regular Service 11:00 am to 1:30 pm Tuesday Prayer and Healing Service 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm Friday Prayer Night 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm
PLACE OF WORSHIP 230 Eddystone Ave., #207, North York, Ont. M3N 1H7 We are more tan our conquerors Romans 8:37 "Come and see the manifestation and the power of the Holy Spirit at work"
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The Ghanaian News May 2012
Around the Ghana Sports Scene Akwasi Appiah, use the players you now have Black Stars’ Manager , Akwasi Appiah recently went to Europe in an attempt to talk to Kevin-Prince Boateng to come out of retirement to play for Ghana again, but was rebuffed. According to reports he made it impossible for Akwasi Appiah to talk to him and later on made excuses that he had an emergency somewhere. To me that w as a snub. Mr. Manager you did try and it did not work out. Enough is enough. He has all along said he is no more interested in playing for the Black Stars again. It is true that he is in form now and has been impacting his current team, but the guy does not want to be in the Ghana Team. According to some people he clashed with the former coach, so with the coming of Akwasi Appiah, they thought that he might change his mind and come back. The question is should we go to beg him? He has to willingly play and not to be forced. Legend Abedi Pele was reported to have said that Ghana must not be arrogant in their approach in luring KPB to return to the Black Stars. I sincerely believe that all contacts with him were done amicably not in arrogance way else he would have come out to say so. So far his agent is saying that he is not interested in coming back to play for Ghana. I would like to suggest that Abedi Pele, our soccer hero, takes it upon himself to coax him to come back if he strongly feel so. Or the GFA gives him the mandate together with other soccer luminaries to extend an olive branch to coax him out of his perceived ‘retirement’. We should leave him alone to do his own thing. We may be missing his services but I know somebody will step in to fill the void come what may. I therefore implore Akwasi Appiah to concentrate on the players he has got now and do his job. He has been given the mandate to coach the team and the beat must go on. Please do not let KPB’s
saga distract you from the job ahead of you. We are all supporting you to succeed big time to make us proud. The road ahead will be bumpy but with determination we will surely get there. Good luck brother Akwasi. The other story is the departure of Didier Drogba from Chelsea. African players have now impacted European soccer and whole world. Eusebio da Silva Ferreira, born in Mozambique but later on adopted Portugal as his country was the first world class striker to emerge from the African continent. His exploits paved the way for others to follow even though it took some time for the impact to be felt. Many European soccer clubs complained during the 2012 African Nations Cup when they lost the services of some key players. Drogba and others have made Africa proud. Drogba’s equalizer and subsequent penalty kick enabled Chelsea to clinch the UEFA Champions League in Munich, Germany on May 19, 2012 for the first time in its history. These other African players have also made Africa proud: Samuel Etoo, Roger Milla, George Weah, Abedi Pele, Kanu Nwanko, Kalusha Bwalya, Raba Madjer, Hossam Hassan and Thomas Nkono. The following players are also currently impacting European soccer now, Michael Essien( limited play due to injuries) Papiss Cisse, Alex Song, Salomon, Kalou, Demba Ba, Yaya and Kolo Toure, Emmanuel Adebayor, Steven Pienaar and Seydou Keita just to mention a few. Drogba, you have made a name for yourself and the other players have rubbed shoulders with the elite in the soccer world. We salute you, Drogba and all the other players, continue making us proud. Lastly congratulation to our own Michael Essien for being on the Chelsea team that won the UEFA Champions Cup. According to reports, Essien is supposed to be retained by Chelsea.
Zamalek Release Karim Alhassan Egyptian giants Zamalek have decided to release Ghanaian defender Karim Alhassan after failing to get a buyer for him. Zamalek coach Hassan Shehata recommended the sacking of the player a month ago. The former Ghana Under-20 centre-back signed for the Whites in August
2011 on a five-year deal. “We put Karim on ‘for sale’ list for quite a while but he did not have any offers so we will have to let him go especially since we need his place on the team after signing the Central African Abd Allah Cisse,” Club board member Abd Allah George confirmed
“As you know we are only allowed three foreign players on the team and we already have Razaq Omotoyossi from Benin and Alexis Enam from Cameroon.” Alhassan rejected a contract extension with Hearts of Oak before leaving for abroad last year.
Ghanaian News online www.ghanaiannews.ca
with Jonathan Annobil
Lydia Nsekera honoured by Fifa executive committee role
Burundi FA president Lydia Nsekera has described her imminent place on Fifa’s executive committee as “an honour to Africa”. The Fifa Congress is expected to ratify her appointment in the Hungarian capital Budapest on Friday. Nsekera will then become the first female to serve on the executive committee in Fifa’s 108year history. “It’s an honour to Africa and an even greater honour to my country Burundi,” she told BBC Sport. “I am first of all very
pleased that Fifa put a woman in its board of directors” Burundi FA president Lydia Nsekera Just one of two women to have ever presided over an African football association, along with Liberia’s Izetta Wesley, Nsekera has headed up the Burundian FA since 2004. And she says the decision to co-opt a female onto Fifa’s top decision-making committee is a major boost for the game. “I am, first of all, very pleased that Fifa put a woman in its board of directors,” she said. “It’s a very positive thing, especially for women fans
of football.” The Burundian will serve until next year at least, with elections for a female representative to be held in 2013. Nsekera is already a member of the organizing committee for the Olympic football tournament and part of Fifa’s women’s football committee. She also sits on the independent governance committee, which has been advising football’s world governing body on how to improve its image. In a separate development, Fifa is also expected to confirm South Sudan as its newest member on Friday. The move has been accelerated by a proposed change, that delegates will vote on, which would mean that new associations need no longer be members of their own confederations for two years before joining Fifa. South Sudan, who joined the Confederation of African Football in February, is set to become the first nation to benefit from the change - and will be Fifa’s 209th member association.
FIFA aims to start anti-doping tests for referees FIFA says referees could soon undergo testing for banned performance enhancing drugs. FIFA’s chief medical officer Jiri Dvorake says referees are part of the game and should be treated like players. Dvorak tells FIFA’s medical conference there is no indication of a doping
problem among referees “but it’s something we have to consider.” FIFA also was asked to advise the World AntiDoping Agency on when players serving doping bans should be allowed to return to training with teammates. Current WADA rules prevent suspended players
working with their teams — effectively extending their ban if they are not match-ready immediately after completing a ban WADA director general David Howman acknowledges that penalties can be harsher for team players than for individual athletes.
Satellites renew Ghana v Nigeria rivalry Ghana’s long standing rivalry with Nigeria returns on Friday at the Athlone Stadium in Cape Town when both sides meet in an 8-Nation International tournament. Both West-African sides are paired in Group A of the tournament which gets underway on May 25th.
Coach Orlando Wellington’s U-20 team will play Nigeria in the second group match after the opener between hosts, South Africa and Argentina. Ghana will play South Africa at the Cape Town Stadium two days later before playing Argentina
on 29 May. In the other group, South American giants Brazil will play Cameroon, Kenya and Japan. The top two teams in each group will advance to the semi-finals. The competition will end on 3 June.
The Ghanaian News
May 2012
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The Ghanaian News
May 2012
President Mills thanks Organized Labour in Ghana for their Cooperation
cont'd from pg.
maintaining peace in the country through the display of maturity and forbearance in the pursuit of the rights of working people in the country. Speaking at a mammoth May Day rally of workers at the Sunyani Coronation park in the Brong Ahafo Regional Capital, the President assured Ghanaian
workers that his Government would not abuse the cooperation and patience of the Ghanaian workforce but would use it to quicken the pace and delivery of their just rewards. The President pointed out that his administration has so far demonstrated its genuine concern for the protection of the interests of working people by
Dr. Michael Baffoe, left, with the RLG Team, Regina Amanorbea, Samuel Fletcher and Fred Agyeman
implementing the Single Spine Pay Policy (SSPP), which, he said, had more than doubled the government’s wage bill from GHC2.4 billion to GHC5.6 billion. He said that the promotion of descent work and enhancing of social protection schemes would continue to be very high on the development agenda of his administration. Responding to the theme for this year’s May Day Celebration which had peaceful elections in 2012 as its focus, President Mills noted that the choice of the theme demonstrated Organized Labour’s anxiety and willingness to contribute to a peaceful, free and fair elections . “It is a source of great encouragement to me, since I am determined, with the help of God, to do everything possible to make sure it is so”, he said. “I will take all necessary constitutional steps to ensure the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections in 2012”, he maintained. The President vowed that the laws of the land will not be a respecter of status and will be made to deal decisively with any person who will attempt to push the country into a state of anarchy.
President Mills meets TUC leaders
A section of the large crowd at the May Day parade
President Mills, middle, Moses Asaga, Minister for Employ-
Brong Ahafo Nananom pour libation to ask for blessings ment, right, salutes the national anthem and flag raising of the ancestors
Persons with diability participate in march past
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The Ghanaian News May 2012