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Volume: 2/079 <<>> NMC/C.139/12/1633 <<>> Thursday, 28th November - Tuesday, 2nd December, 2013 <<>> PRICE: GH¢2.00

The reference to former President as a “French Debt Collector”

“Invite me before Commission”

KUFUOR T ANGRY T •

dares •Akufo-Addo Justice Appau

HE 2012 NPP flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo is requesting the Judgment Debt Commissioner, Justice Yaw Appau, to invite him to answer questions over the

controversial sale of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation’s drillship in 2001.

Nana Akufo-Addo was Attorney General at the time when the transaction took place.

p Cont’d on page 2

Papaase Chief re-appears in court

-S stoerye o pagne 2-

))Former President John Agyekum Kufuor

ALSO INSIDE:

Says, “Irresponsible” Tsatsu Must Shun Calling Me Names”

•Over double sale of land

STORY BY KOBINA GYASI

HE President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSG), Pharm James Ohemeng Kyei, has launched a blistering attack on the Food and

Drugs Authority (FDA) virtually accusing it of lacking integrity.

In an explosive press release issued to sections of the media last Tuesday, the PSG boss suggested that, the FDA gives false impression to the public that, it provides honest services

p Cont’d on page 3

Kweku Baako Unhappy with Justice Appau Says “Commission ‘aided’ Tsikata to escape”

•

E

DITOR-IN-CHIEF of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Kweku Baako Jnr, has

p Cont’d on page 3

FDA dares Adei to mention names of companies dealing in fake drugs/

PAGE 3

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COVER STORIES

Thursday, 28th November, 2013

thenewindependent1@gmail.com

The saga of the Discoverer 511 and matters arising LAST Monday and Tuesday, Ghanaians witnessed a spectacle of contradictions involving state officials who appeared before the judgment debt commission in respect of the sale of the Discoverer 511 drill ship.

THE three officials, Hon. Albert Kan Dapaah, Hon. K. T. Hammond and Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata, contradicted themselves when they appeared before the commission to give evidence in a move to trace the whereabouts of the alleged missing US$ 3.5 million.

THE drama that unfolded seemed to suggest that, if care is not taken, this will also suffer the fate of the usual Ghanaian political colouration of critical issues that eventually lead to politicization with its attendant losses to the state.

WE are being told that, a property of the state was sold outside this jurisdiction and an amount of US$ 3.5 million, which could have been used to alleviate poverty, is nowhere to be found and all we sit on radio and television to do is to politicize it to the extent that, at the end of the day, Ghana will be the loser.

WE on The New Independent urge all politicians to ceasefire and to desist from turning this issue into the usual NDC-NPP banta in order not to deprive the nation of getting to know the truth of the matter.

IT is in this regard that, we agree with the former President, John Agyekum Kufuor, who has called on the commission to go into the matter in a move to get to the bottom of the matter.

WE believe that, if this will work, then all politicians must refrain from politicizing the sale and to also desist from name-calling at this point when the commission is busy investigating the matter in order not to prejudice their findings.

WE believe that, if this is done, Ghana will be the winner. A word to the wise is enough.

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/thenewindependent1

KUFUOR ANGRY

))Says, “Irresponsible” Tsatsu Must Shun Calling Me Names”

B

ARELY two days after the former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata appeared before the judgment commission over the controversy in respect of sale of the Discoverer 511 drill ship, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, during whose presidency the deal was undertaken, has reacted.

In a swift response to issues raised by Mr. Tsikata when he appeared before the Commission, the office of former President described as “irresponsible and unwarranted” comments made by the former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum

Corporation.

The statement, signed by the Spokesperson to the former President, Frank Agyekum, stated that, the statement by Mr. Tsikata sought to impute wrong-doing in the sale of the drill ship to former President Kufuor.

Mr Tsikata, during the sitting, accused former President Kufuor of acting more or less as a debt collector for the French Bank.

He said “…certain steps had been taken completely outside the framework of the GNPC law in terms of how it was alleged that, the Government had decided that, Societe Generale should be paid certain monies and the ways in which those monies were paid and so on, because it looked as if rather unusually, the President of the Republic himself was becom-

ing the debt collector for Societe Generale.”

Reacting to Mr Tsikata’s comments in an angry mood, the statement noted that, the measures of the NPP government in restructuring GNPC was based on advice of a competent committee set up to clear the mess that had been created at the Corporation over the years.

“Former President Kufuor believes his government took the right measures in the sale of the drill ship and urges the sole commissioner to do well to get to the bottom of the matter for the truth to be laid bare,” the statement said.

The statement further noted that, “Until such time, it will be wrong and reckless for anybody to jump to their own conclusions only to malign others.”

“Invite me before Commission” P Cont’d from page 1 He advised government on the transaction and his office drafted the power of attorney that was handed former Deputy Energy Minister, K. T. Hammond to go and sell the ship.

The Judgment Debt Commission is investigating how an amount of 24 million dollars accrued from the sale of the ship to pay judgment debt owed Societe Generale Bank was expended.

The Sole Commissioner last Monday expressed his disappointment in the Attorney General’s office for not following up the court case, which the GNPC had begun against Societe Generale and sat down until a default judgment was given by the UK court before it then sent K.T Hammond to go and negotiate.

Mustapha Hamid, aide to Nana Akuffo Addo, told Joy News that, his boss is willing to appear before the Judgment Debt Commission but asked that the invitation extended to Messrs K.T. Hammond and Albert Kan Dapaah be extended to him as well.

“Yes I am saying on authority that Nana Addo is willing to appear before the Judgment Debt Commissioner to answer any ques-

tions that would be put to him regarding the drillship.”

Nana Akufo-Addo is currently in London, taking a break from Ghanaian politics after his petition to overturn the 2012 presidential election results was dismissed at the Supreme Court in August.

But Mustapha Hamid said, Nana Akufo-Addo would be in town anytime soon to avail himself to any invitation.

“He himself would be in Ghana in the next couple of days or weeks or something like that,” he said.

According to him, his boss is “never worried” about his name coming up strongly in the drillship saga with his critics indicting him for his role in the transaction of the Discoverer 511 (drillship).

The Commission has taken a few days break to study documents presented to it on the sale of the drillship.

Public Relations Officer of the Commission, George William Dove told Joy News that, the Commission has not “gotten to the bottom” of the matter yet.

He said, it is perusing the documents and would therefore “not make any conclusive statement at the moment.”

))Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

COVER STORIES

Thursday, 28th November, 2013

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Papaase Chief re-appears in court )Over ) double sale of land P Cont’d from page 1

and that, it is above reproach “… But from where I sit as President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, I get a lot of information from my professional colleagues who are pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers and I can assure him {FDA BOSS}

that, none of them respects FDA, because of the alleged corruption, lack of transparency, arbitrariness, vindictiveness, know it all attitude and the autocratic style of the FDA,” Mr. Kyei fumed.

According to him, officials of the FDA have allegedly turned the place into a gold mine where they mine “gold” with careless

abandon, adding that, pharmaceutical importers and manufacturers who want to register or even re-register their medicines through the front door have to wait for about two years or more to have priority attention after allegedly putting their ‘weight’ on their applications.

He then drops the bombshell: “However the backdoor is alleg-

edly always opened for those who cannot wait for two years or more to have priority attention after allegedly putting some ‘weight’ on their applications. If the leadership and staff of FDA are true Christians then I humbly urge them to read 1 Timothy 6:10 and Jeremiah 17: 11 and pray to the Almighty God to help them repent, otherwise they are serious-

ly heading towards a dangerous land mine.

Further making damning revelations about the FDA, the PSGh boss said, the CEO and staff of FDA always give the impression that, Tobinco products enter Ghana by road just like some smuggled counterfeit medicines, adding that, such an attitude is just hocus-pocus to cover up their incompetence.

“All Tobinco products imported from India enter Ghana

through approved ports of entry,” Mr. Kyei affirmed.

He further dropped another bombshell: “ I also have evidence that, M r Samuel Asante Boateng, a Principal Regulatory Officer of the FDA has for the past five years been on the payroll of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals as a consultant to support Tobinco in all regulatory aspects of the business.

He is on a Consultancy fee of GHC2,000 a month and his con-

sultancy appointment was allegedly endorsed by the CEO of the FDA, Dr. Opuni. This is a clear case of Conflict of Interest, he revealed.

Finally stripping the FDA naked, Mr. Kyei stated emphatically that, the seizure and destructions of medicines from hospitals, Regional Medical Stores and community pharmacies across the country by the FDA officials is unlawful and must be stopped.

FDA dares Adei to mention names of companies dealing in fake drugs

T

))Prof. Stephen Adei, former Rector, GIMPA

HE Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has expressed surprise at criticisms leveled against the Authority by the former Rector of GIMPA, Prof. Stephen Adei, and has challenged the former Rector to mention names of companies dealing in fake drugs so the Authority will take action.

Prof. Adei was reported to have accused the FDA of abusing its office in the long-running battle between Tobinco Pharmaceuticals and the Authority.

Addressing the opening session of the eighth annual Internal Audit Forum in Accra, Prof.

Adei wondered how officials of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals would be allowed to walk free if it was the case that they had imported fake drugs into the country.

He suspected the FDA may

have other motives other than protecting the interest of consumers in their dealings with Tobinco.

The Pharmaceutical company has been accused by the regulator of importing fake drugs into the country and failing to register the drugs.

Warehouses belonging to the company have been closed down by the FDA in the protracted feud.

The company has accused the Authority of witc- hunting them and has called on the President to look into the conduct of the Stephen Opuni-led Authority Adei, in part, shared the concerns of Tobinco, stating that, the action by the Authority were some of the reasons why some indigenous Ghanaian companies collapsed in the early 1980s.

But the Authority has hit

back at the former GIMPA boss.

Its PRO, James Lartey, told the media that, he is surprised by the comments made by Prof.

Stephen Adei.

He said, the Authority has a statutory duty to ensure that, products manufactured or imported are safe for consumption and that is exactly what it is doing.

He said, he found it interesting that, Prof Adei will say that, there are other individuals and companies dealing in fake drugs and yet the Authority has turned a blind eye on them and is harassing Tobinco.

He appealed to Prof. Adei to, as a matter of civic responsibility, name other individuals or companies dealing in fake drugs so the Authority will act accordingly.

He said, the FDA cannot be everywhere all the time.

Kweku Baako Unhappy with Justice Appau P Cont’d from page 1 faulted the Judgment Debt Commission for “deliberately” acting to divert attention from the “real issues” leading to the sale of a drill ship belonging to the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

He expressed shock that, none of the members on the Commission asked the former GNPC Boss whether indeed the Corporation was indebted to French Bank, Societe Generale, to the tune of $40 million.

Some critics, mainly members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), are of the view that, the Commission was lenient with Mr. Tsikata, when he appeared before it last Tuesday, November 26, to give testimony over the sale of the Discover 511 drill ship in 2001.

The ship was sold for $24 million out of which $19.5 million was used to defray a debt owed Societe General.

The remaining $3.5 million could not be traced.

Mr. Tsikata vehemently denied allegations that, the drill ship was used as a collateral to secure a funding transaction with Societe Generale and further questioned the valuation of the ship, which was subsequently sold for $24 million dollars to defray the negotiated debt.

Speaking however, on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM yesterday, Mr. Baako said, the Commission did not probe the witness enough to help the public know the real issue, despite the volume of information it had on the subject matter.

“Nobody asked Mr. Tsikata whether indeed GNPC owed SG...on the part of the Commission that I find very intriguing.”

“That loud silence, that loud omission,” he exclaimed.

“There are correspondents before the Commission that, GNPC’s indebtedness to SG was $40million. “...and I was surprised...that, the Commission with that level of capacity would let that slip and I consider that a singular omission on the part of the Commission”.

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Thursday, 28th November, 2013

‘Oil drill ship sale was ill-advised’

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ORMER Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Tsatsu Tsikata has questioned the sale of the controversial oil drill ship by the John Agyekum Kufuor administration in 2001.

Mr. Tsikata said the oil drill ship was making so much revenue for the country, it should not have been sold.

Whilst vehemently denying allegations that the drill ship was used as a collateral to secure the funding transaction with Societe General, Mr. Tsikata also questioned the valuation of the ship which was subsequently sold for 24 million dollars to defray a negotiated 19.5 million dollars debt owed Societe Generale.

Mr. Tsikata made these revelations Tuesday, when he appeared before the Justice Yaw Apau Commission constituted to investigate the phenomenon of judgment debts in the country.

Former Energy Minister Kan Dapaah had already told the Commission that GNPC, was indebted to the tune of 40 million dollars to Societe

General during the administration of Tsatsu Tsikata.

He also claimed the drill ship had been used as a collateral in the oil exploration funding activities with Societe General.

The French Bank, he noted sought a court order in Oman, where the ship had docked, to take over the ship and even made attempts to sell the ship.

He said the government subsequently agreed to sell the ship after due valuation and diligence had been concluded.

But Mr. Tsatu Tsikata denied the claims. He told the Commission there was no need at all to sell the ship, adding, the ship was in good condition before he left office.

He argued given the commercial activity the ship was engaged in and the revenue it was making to the country, it was completely ill-advised for the Kufuor administration to sell the ship.

He said with Societe General dangling a default judgment around the neck of the country it was absolutely impossible to have gotten a good price and value for the ship.

CHASS surprised at GES action to suspend headmaster

T

HE Conference of the Heads of government Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has expressed surprise at the suspension of the headmaster of the Toase Senior High School, Mr Annor Yeboah, for charging illegal fees and described the decision as ‘too harsh and hasty.’

The President of CHASS, Mr Samuel Ofori-Adjei, who expressed the position of CHASS in an interview with the Daily Graphic, said administratively, the Ashanti Regional Director of Education had no authority to suspend any headmaster, adding that the right authority to issue such a directive was the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

He said much as it did not condone wrong doing, “We thought the right thing should have been done”, and added that “and even that, we feel the right administrative procedures should have been followed. The Director-General would have to set up an enquiry to look into the action of the headmaster”.

The GES has suspended Mr Yeboah and reprimanded 10 others for charging illegal fees.

A letter signed by the Regional Director of the GES, Mr Kofi Sarfo Kantanka, said the decision was to restore sanity in the administration of schools in the region.

Mr Yeboah was alleged “to have had the impudence to tell authorities who were on a fact-finding mission to the school that there was nothing he could do to rectify the unapproved fees charged.”

Mr Ofori-Adjei said the decision to suspend Mr Yeboah, who was due for retirement next month, was rather too harsh and hasty and that such a deci-

sion needed to be looked at again.

Position of CHASS He assured that CHASS was not sitting down looking on unconcerned, “Indeed, even before this action, the executive of CHASS has been talking to its members on the quiet.”

Mr Ofori-Adjei recalled that before the beginning of the academic year, he had personally signed a letter copied to members reminding them of the need to strictly follow laid down admission process as adopted by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

The said letter reminded heads of second cycle schools that it was wrong for any of them to ask parents to either pay for or supply the school with certain items as part of the admission process.

“All heads were reminded that no member should include in the students’ bill, unapproved items. Each item on the bill should have justification and more importantly, approved by the appropriate quarters,” he said, adding that all heads were told that such directives should not be misconstrued as stifling initiative.

Form A to F He said all heads were aware that there was a procedure to follow if the school decided to undertake any project that required such items.

Mr Ofori-Adjei said there was a form known as Form A to F, which heads of senior high schools filled for permission to bill students, adding that the said form was supposed to be signed by the board chairman of the school, the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairman and the headmaster of the school before it was forwarded to the Regional Director of Education and finally to the Director-General for approval.

LOCAL NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT

Dillish of Big Brother gets married

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INNER of Big Brother the Chase, Dillish is married to her lover, Stephen.

The ceremony took place in Namibia over the weekend and in attendance was Melvin Oduah the Nigerian representative of Big Brother the Chase.

Dillish Matthews is the only Namibian to have won Big Brother Africa.

Until she won Big Brother the Chase, not much was known about her, and a week after her victory, she began a search for her father which according to her, was necessitated by some information that her mother, Selma Pashukeni gave her.

In an interesting turn of events, Dillish turned out to be of Kenyan ancestry as her father is a retired Kenyan soldier.

The father, Abdi Guyo, was part of the peace keeping mission dispatched to Namibia between April 1989 to March 1990 to monitor the peace process and the elections.

Tonto

Steps Out With

Thursday, 28th November, 2013

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Dikeh

Boyfriend

I Will Fill the Stadium )) Sonnie Badu Declares

A

HEAD of the “Africa Worships Concert,” headline artiste Sonnie Badu, has confidently declared that he would fill the stadium.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The General Telegraph Entertainment Desk in Accra, the UK-based gospel artiste said Africa has huge potentials, so there is the need to believe in ourselves.

Although some may see it as ambitious to host close to 50,000 people at a concert at the Accra Sports Stadium, Sonnie believes he would achieve this feat since with God “All things are possible.”

“With every concert we have targets, and by God’s Grace we have been able to meet a lot of targets so hopefully this one too we are going to meet our target,” he told the General Telegraph.

“It would be the first time in history that an African will single-handedly fill the stadium.

I want the whole world to know that the best is still from Africa. So we don’t need too much of the international artistes to come over to fill the stadium but we can do it ourselves,” he added.

Explaining the concert further, Sonnie Badu said this year’s concept will be unique since a selected number of African comedians, including Ghana’s Funny Face, will minister the Word of God through comedy.

“We are expecting over 30,000 people, not just that we have comedians coming on board, a lot of worshippers so it is going to be fun,” he revealed.

Touching on the criteria for selecting other Ghanaian gospel artistes on his programme, this is what Sonnie had to say: “We do a survey to find out which Ghanaian artistes are doing very well and which the people would love to see on stage and based on the results we pick them up.”

This year’s “Africa Worships Concert with Sonnie Badu” will also feature international artiste Ron Kenoly, with SP Kofi Sarpong, Kwesi Oteng, OJ, Ohema Mercy, Joe Mettle, Eugene Zutah and Ella Duncan Williams being the supporting artistes.

According to Sonnie Badu, the year’s event is going to be “a once in a lifetime event that you can’t easily forget” so everyone should grab their tickets.

It is a yearly concept that we have been holding, dubbed “Africa Worships with Sonnie Badu” and this year we moved from London to Africa, and we chose to start from Ghana at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The concert aims at bringing the whole of Africa together and all who desire to worship God like David did in prayer, praise, worship and thanksgiving.

I

T was a big night for Tonto Dikeh on Sunday.

The Nollywood actress was presented with the film actress of the year award at the 2013 Exquisite Lady of the Year Awards held at the Red Carpet

Events Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Poko beat Chioma Chukwuka-Akpotha, Ini Edo, Ireti Doyle and Kate Henshaw among others in that category.

Tonto sizzled in a black dress with sheer sleeves, and a thigh

high slit. She styled the dress with sparkly platforms, short wavy locks and pink lipstick.

But her most stylish accessory was her rumoured new beau Michael Awolaja, known as Malivelihood. According to some sources, Tonto introduced

him to guests at the event when receiving her award.

Michael is an “Agent to the Stars, Luxury Designer, Entrepreneur, Business Man, Fashionista & Jeweller” according to his Instagram page @malivelihood.

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Thursday, 28th November, 2013

Damang Mine could close down – GM

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HE Tarkwa Gold Mine of Goldfields Ghana Limited is considering folding up operations at its Damang Mine because of high cost of production.

The General Manager of the ECG, Michael Van der Merwe, made this disclosure when Dr. Joe Oteng-Adjei, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation visited the Tarkwa Gold Mine as part of his tour of mines in the Western Region.

Mr. Merwe said the cost of producing gold at Damang Mine was becoming prohibitive and unprofitable, and that management of the company would take a firm decision on the mine by April next year.

He noted that other alternative was for the company to put the Damang mine under “Care maintenance”.

According to him, his outfit is also considering laying off some workers at the Tarkwa Gold Mine because of the drop in gold price on the world market.

He said Tarkwa Gold Mine had produced 630,000 ounces of gold this year, out of a targeted 741,000 ounces, and that next year’s production target was 525,000 ounces.

Dr. Oteng-Adjei advised mining companies to engage people who had been trained in environmental protection to assist them to manage environmental issues arising from their operations.

He said mining companies should honour their corporate social responsibilities to communities in which they operate. They should also encourage science education by providing ICT centres and Science Resource Centres for schools.

SSNIT hits back at critics of MerchantFortiz deal

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HE Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), has downplayed reports that the sale transaction between Fortiz and Merchant bank did not go through the necessary procedures.

According to SSNIT all procedural steps were followed in a transparent manner in the deal.

The state pension fund manager has come under heavy fire over its sale of Merchant bank to a completely owned Ghanaian company, Fortiz Equity Fund rather than First Rand Bank of South Africa.

But in a sharp response, SSNIT says its deal with Fortiz is much better than that of First Rand.

But critics say, the First Rand deal would have been the best for Merchant but SSNIT disagrees.

According to SSNIT, its deal with First Rand would have nothing to do with the bank’s bad loans while that with Fortiz will see it recovering at least 30 percent of the loans as well as make moves to recover the remaining 70 percent.

Also, its deal with First Rand would have seen it contribute an additional GHC 88 million.

An additional 140 million was also to be injected into Merchant bank by First Rand this was to be paid back by SSNIT. However, with Fortiz it will not have to make any such contribution.

SSNIT has indicated that after its deal with First Rand fell through, it invited the bank to rebid when it begun to receive new bids but though the date was extended to enable First Rand rebid they failed to do so.

Meanwhile, Citi Business News has gathered Fortiz bank despite opening an escrow account with the bank of Ghana has still not deposited any money in the account.

Finance Minister back calls for stronger buffers

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INANCE and Economic Planning Minister Seth Terkper says the country must scale its gross international reserves to at least four months import cover in order to withstand the volatility in prices of commodities on the world market.

Ghana’s gross international reserves as at September 2013 [sufficient for 2.9 months import cover] decreased

by US$ 136.9million to US$5,212.1 million from a stock position of US$ 5,349 million at the end of December 2012.

While it is expected that the country will end the year with a reserve cover of not less than 3 months of imports, Mr. Terkper speaking at the Citi FM’s Budget Review Roundtable on Tuesday, said the country needs a much higher cover.

“A country moving from a lower-middle income to a middleincome status, like Ghana, needs to have a stronger buffer and the goal is to have a 4-6months of imports cover - particularly as we continue to benefit from oil resources.

“Given what we have been through with gold and cocoa prices recently - that is, volatility in world prices -but for petroleum revenues which came to balance it, we would have been through a lot of difficulties.

Dr. J.K. Kwakye, a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) said government’s gross international reserves target of not less than 3 months of import cover of goods and services is not “ambitious enough” ‘Unambitious target’ Dr. Kwakye, who was also speaking at the event, challenged

other macroeconomic targets set by government as being overly-modest.

“The inflation target does not seem ambitious enough.

The targetted deficit does not seem ambitious enough, and raising the tax efforts from 17.3% in 2013 to 19.3% in 2014 is unambitiously feasible.

According to Dr. Kwakye, “globally, inflation has been subdued; so as a country we seem to be disconnected from the rest of the world with a very high rate of inflation”.

Dr. Kwakye said the satisfactory level for the inflation target should be 7 percent and 6.5 percent of GDP for the budget deficit.

“The deficit is also not ambitious and we should bring the deficit down faster than is now envisaged, because if we maintain this high deficit it will entail a high level of borrowing and further

))Seth Terkper, Finance Minister escalate the public debt and interest payments.

“As for our tax-toGDP, it is nothing to write home about. It is below international standards and middle-income standards, so we can do a lot on the revenue side by roping in the informal sector rather than burdening existing

taxpayers with more taxes,” he said.

The government has projected GDP growth to rise to 8 percent next year from an estimated 7.4 percent this year, with the budget deficit shrinking to 8.5 percent of GDP from a projected 10.2 percent in the same period.

Blame illiteracy for Ghana’s economic woes

)Don ) Chebe

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HE Director-General of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd), has attributed the nation’s under-development to the high illiteracy rate and failure of policy makers to apply pragmatic steps to deal with the situation.

He said for Ghana to progress beyond the lower middle-income, steps ought to be taken to cure what he termed as the “unnecessary disease of illiteracy”.

The Director-General made the comment at the 5th Congregation of the University of Professional Studies in Accra, over the weekend.

He said, in the light of technological advancement and learning inno-

vations, it is unnecessary to have millions of the citizens consigning their productive lives in illiteracy and ignorance.

He observed that illiteracy is the acknowledged saboteur of all the grand development programmes announced with great fanfares by government after government, which have all failed spectacularly.

Major Don-Chebe cited India, Malaysia, Korea, Singapore and China as nations that used education to lay foundations of new economic power houses of South Asia and the Far East.

According to him, while less than five per cent of Ghana’s population have acquired higher education, many Asian tigers have the percentage around 25 to 30.

Development analysts are of the view that if a society does not have more than 95 per cent literacy with at least 20 per cent of the population accessing higher education, that society can never ascend to the ranks of upper middle-income nation, he said.

In spite of proliferation of tertiary institutions, Don-Chebe stated that “large sections of our population are still illiterate and many others are only barely literate. I look forward to the day that someone will roll out a bold and practicable policy aimed at eradicating illiteracy

from Ghana.”

“A policy with specific timelines, definite mile posts and strict deadlines; a policy which will charge specific persons and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies with precise targets aimed at removing illiteracy,” he added.

Keep Ghana Clean

LOCAL NEWS

Thursday, 28th November, 2013

7

GDP alone cannot be the CJ’s committee on measure of well-being Victoria Hammah yet to begin sitting )Nana ) Konadu

F

ORMER First Lady and President of the 31st December Women’s Movement, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, has in a lecture at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in the United States stated that GDP should not be the only measurement of well-being.

Nana Konadu who spoke on the topic ‘Development, Politics and National Government – Impact on African Women’, said GDP, which is a measure of economic growth and progress, does not reflect the life and well being of our people.

“While the economic boom in African countries is a very true and accurate picture, we would be remiss if we said it represents the whole picture,” she said.

The former First Lady who delivered the ad-

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HE committee set up by the Chief Justice, Her Ladyship, Georgina Theodora Wood is yet to begin its sittings.

The Chief Justice, Her Ladyship, Georgina Theodora Wood last week set up the eight-member committee headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge, Justice Dr. Dartey Baah to investigate the dismissed Deputy Communication Minister, Victora Hamah’s allegation that the 2012 election verdict was influenced Nana Oye Lithur.

According to Citi News sources at the Judiciary Service, the delay is as a result of the Minister for Justice

dress at the number one ranked school of international business based in Arizona, United States last Tuesday, said education is the most important means of equipping individuals with the necessary nation-building knowledge and skills hence the need for African countries to accord it priority.

The Thunderbird School of Global Management - commonly referred to as “Thunderbird” - offers graduate coursework for executives, full and part time students as well as for distance learners.

It is considered the oldest graduate programme specializing in international business.

Located in Glendale, Arizona, the Thunderbird School of Global Management was founded in 1946. The school is consistently ranked as a top ten school for International Management studies.

and Attorney General, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong and her Deputy, Dr. Dominick Ayine’s decision to recues themselves from the committee.

This was in response to a petition filed by the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie.

Other members of the committee include Nana Dr. S.K.B. Asante, a traditional ruler, the Attorney-General, Mrs. Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, Mr. Frank Beecham, Nene A.O. Amegatcher; the president of the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), Ms. Joyce N. N. Oku and Mrs. Elleen Odartei-Laryea.

‘Political parties must be allowed to replace MPs in case of death’

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ATIONAL Democratic Congress’ (NDC) General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia is proposing political parties be allowed to appoint representatives to constituencies where they lose sitting Members

))Former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings

We didn’t present skewed information to Sole Commissioner )Edward ) Bawah

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HE Public Relations Officer for the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Edward Bawah has denied allegations that the Ministry released skewed information to “paint the Member of Parliament for Adansi Asokwa, K. T Hammond, and Former Energy Minster, Kan Dapaah black” to the Sole Commissioner.

According to him, “It has never been the intention of the Ministry to present information that will paint anybody black” Former Energy Minister Albert Kan Dapaah and his Deputy, K. T Hammond on Monday

accused the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum of presenting one-sided information to the Sole Commissioner to tarnish their images.

But speaking on Eye Witness News, Mr. Bawah denied the allegations, stating that the only the Ministry only presented information that the Commission requested for.

“The Ministry went through all the documents and presented all documentation within the ministry, and all files to the commission.”

According to him, the only information that the Ministry deemed fit to present to the Commission upon request was the handing over notes made by

Kan Daapah.

“We decided to go for the handing over notes of Kan Daapah with the hope that maybe in the handing over notes he will have mentioned in the document as to the transaction itself but nothing was even mentioned,” Mr. Bawah lamented.

Commenting on the question as to what the outstanding issues were in relation to the sale of the drill ship, Mr. Bawah stated that it was not within the jurisdiction of the Ministry to know what the outstanding issues were.

“The Commission has a mandate and the commission based on the mandate will want to know the pieces of

))Albert Kan Dapaah information they need.

It is they who will be able to tell us what the outstanding issues are.

For us we are only just witnesses for the Commission.”

The sale of the Oil Drill ship belonging to the GNPC has become the subject of controversy with parties involved including the Bank of Ghana, the Finance

Ministry and the GNPC claiming they have no documents covering the sale.

Many have accused K.T Hammond and his former boss, Albert Kan Dapaah of misappropriating 3.5 million dollars left over, after 19.5 million out of the total sum was paid to Societe Generale as settlement agreement.

of Parliament (MP) through death.

“If we can have a system where, when a party loses a member that party is allowed to get a replacement it may be good,” he said.

Under the current system, the Electoral Commission (EC) organizes by-election in a constituency when the sitting MP dies and according to the NDC, this has a toll on the nation’s finances.

According to Mr. Nketia, who spoke to Citi News, Ghana could adopt the Denmark

model which is far less expensive and workable although people must be allowed to exercise their franchise saying, “I am getting convinced that if we can adopt their system it will be better,” he said.

He further explained that although by-election are “indicators of how well a government is performing, by giving parties a barometer to check the performance of government, the cost and attendance problem over-weighs the advantages of holding by-election.”

8

BUSINESS NEWS

Thursday, 28th November, 2013

IEA offers antidote to high deficit

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CONOMIC think tank, the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA), wants the government to beefup its efforts at raising more necessarily increasing the existing tax rates in the country.

The IEA said the low levels of revenue the government raises from taxes were, among other things, the result of the narrow tax net, adding that the effort also falls below standards when compared to other middle-income countries, even though tax rates in Ghana are high.

“Ghana’s tax effort is low by middle-income country standards, which means that more effort is required to beef it up. But this does not mean that tax rates are low In fact, the few Ghanaian taxpayers are overburdened,” Economist and Senior Fellow at the IEA, Dr J. K. Kwakye, told a section of the media in Accra.

Dr Kwakye, who said this when he articulated the IEA’s position on the 2014 Budget Statement and Economic Policy of the government, described the budget as one that gave some hope, provided the initiatives were implemented to the letter.

He said the rate at which the government wanted to reduce the fiscal deficit, which would still be at around six per cent in the medium term, was not fast enough, and therefore unambitious.

“End-year inflation of 9.0 per cent, plus or minus two per cent, was also not ambitious enough, considering that peers in the West African sub-region have lower inflation rates,” he

said.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Seth Terkper, presented the government’s budget to Parliament on November 18.

Budget highlight THE budget, besides undertaking the traditional sector programmes, also proposed the setting up of the Ghana Infrastructure Fund (GIF) to finance infrastructure, relying on allocations by Parliament, such as the new Value Added Tax increase, as well as its own sources.

In all, the Finance Minister is asking to spend a total of GH(£34.96 billion, including arrears and outstanding commitments, 17.7 per cent higher than the 2013 estimate of GH^29.71 billion. However, as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) — the total value of goods and services produced within the country — the 2013 expenditures were equivalent to 34.1 per cent of GDP, while the 2014 figure represents 33.1 per cent of GDP. Expenditure breakdown Out of the expenditure envelop, GHcl0.60 billion, equivalent to 10 per cent of GDP and 52.1 per cent of tax revenue, would be channelled into recurrent expenditure, essentially into wages and salaries, while a total of GH06.18 billion, equivalent to 5.9 per cent of GDP and 19 per cent of total expenditure, would be spent on interest payments on loans.

Interestingly, this compares unfavourably with the GH^l .53 billion, representing 1.4 per cent of GDP, to be spent on goods and services and GH05.97 billion, about 5.7 per cent of GDP, earmarked for capital expendi-

ture.

The government intends to finance the expenditures by raising GHf!25.98 billion from total revenues and grants, equivalent to 24.6 per cent of GDP. The revenues include GHf!24.27 billion from non-oil sources and GH^1.71 billion expected from oil.

The excess expenditure over revenues, otherwise referred to as budget deficit, which is expected to be GHf!8.97 billion or 8.5 per cent of GDP, would be financed with GHci4.12 billion from domestic sources and GH0.92 billion from foreign sources.

But the IEA said the low proceeds from taxes were due to the narrow tax base and the high level of exemptions, evasion and corruption.

Dr Kwakye said raising tax efforts from 17.3 per cent in 2013 to 19.3 per cent was unambitious and easily attainable and urged the government to widen the tax net to rope in the informal sector to enable it to raise more funds to finance projects.

“We welcome measures to reduce tax exemptions, reduce tax corruption and strengthen efficiency of the revenue agencies. We have long argued that these are the critical areas to focus on in trying to increase Ghana’s tax efforts to international standards,” the senior economist said.

Some tax measures The government proposed a number of tax measures, including reviews of exemptions. This is because tax exemptions cost the country a whopping 13.1 per cent of tax revenues, equivalent to 2.1 per cent of GDP. The 2014 budget, therefore, pro-

poses that “all existing exemptions resulting from the clearance of goods on permit will be reduced to the minimum”.

In addition, goods supplied to the local market coming from free zone sources would be liable to the same tax rate as those from non-free zone companies.

Also, capital gains tax will apply to petroleum operations, petroleum excise duty now moved from specific to ad valorem, while road fund levy on petroleum product would be increased marginally.

Dr Kwakye was, however, utterly against the introduction of additional 2.5 per cent Value Added Tax which the government said would be channelled into the proposed Ghana Infrastructure Fund to finance critical infrastructure.

Broaden tax net The IEA Senior Fellow said the recent VAT rate increase was unwarranted and would increase the tax burden on the Ghanaian, saying that “we should look elsewhere, not to VAT, because of its relative ease to manage”.

The senior economist said the country should look to property tax, rent income taxes, as well as fully implementing the review of tax exemptions while esnuring stricter control on the spending of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

Other economists also propose that the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) should quickly modernise its operations to enable electronic filing of tax returns and payments to reduce abuse, evasion and cost of collection.

AGI wants 30% of govt procurement sourced locally

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HE Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) is pushing for government to seed at least 30 per cent of its procurement to its members.

It said such an initiative will help grow indigenous businesses, majority of which are small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).

The move, the association said, could help boost the industrialisation drive in the country.

The Vice President of the association in-charge of Large Scale, Dr Dawson Amoah, made the appeal at this year’s Africa Industrialisation Day (AID) in Accra.

The AID, which coincided with the 13th AGI National Industrial Week celebration, brought together industrialists, government officials, students and international organisations to discuss what Africa and Ghana in particular can do to develop its industrial sector.

The day was set aside by the United Nation’s General Assembly in 1989 to raise

awareness as well as solicit international support for industrialisation on the continent.

This year’s celebration was on the theme ‘Job creation and entrepreneurship development, a means to accelerate industrialisation in Africa.’

Speaking on the need to stimulate industrialisation in the country, Dr Dawson, who is also the Strategic and Corporate Affairs Director of GHACEM, said government’s clout as the biggest buyer in the economy could be used to support the growth of indigenous businesses and industrialisation for that matter.

“We are suggesting at least 30 per cent of government procurement should be sourced locally” Dr Amoah said, noting that such action will help provide ready market for businesses operating in the country.

He also bemoaned the rising patronage for imports as against locally produced goods, noting that such a trend contributed to the con-

sistent decline in the growth of industry.

Look beyond Ghana The Trade and Industry Minister, Hon Haruna Iddrisu, also challenged members of the association and other manufacturers and related service providers to look beyond the shores of the country in their quest to find markets for their respective products.

He said the growing number of enterprises and competition in the business arena meant that the search for new and additional markets was key to the survival and expansion of individual companies.

“It is, therefore, imperative for industry to move beyond just satisfying consumers in Ghana and also be export-oriented by producing for the international markets,” the minister said.

He also reiterated government’s commitment to supporting the growth of industry and thus called on the association to partner government and the ministry in that regard.

))Trade and Industry Minister, Hon Haruna Iddrisu

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Thursday, 28th November, 2013

9

NSA ‘planned to discredit radicals over web-porn use’

T ))Amadou Sanogo was a middle-ranking officer when he led the coup

Mali’s coup leader Sanogo charged with murders

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ALI’S ex-coup leader has been charged with “murders and assassinations”, the justice ministry has said.

Armed troops went to Amadou Sanogo’s home to take him before a judge, after which he was remanded in custody.

He had repeatedly been called in for questioning over the deaths of six soldiers during an army protest in September but failed to appear.

The March 2012 coup plunged Mali into chaos, allowing Islamist militants to take over territory in the north.

The al-Qaeda-linked insurgents were ousted from the major towns in the north with the help of France and West African troops earlier this year.

The BBC’s Alex Duval Smith in the capital, Bamako, says peo-

ple seem relieved at the general’s arrest, seeing it as a sign that the newly elected civilian government is finally showing its teeth to the military.

‘Tears of joy’ Gen Sanogo, who was a middle-ranking officer when he led the coup, was taken away in handcuffs from his home by about 25 armed soldiers for questioning.

The justice ministry confirmed he had been charged with “murder and assassination and complicity in murder and assassination”.

The former junta leader was also charged with kidnapping, a judicial source told the AFP news agency.

Gen Sanogo toppled President Amadou Amani Toure, accusing him of not doing enough to combat a Tuareg-led rebellion in the north.

As well as prompting the Is-

lamist insurgency, the coup also caused a rift between pro-junta soldiers, known as green berets, and those loyal to the former president, known as red berets.

Our reporter says that in the past few months the former coup leader had been elevated to general and moved to the former residence of President Toure.

This created an impression among Malians that he was being protected by the authorities, she says.

A collective of wives, widows and parents of 23 Malian red beret soldiers who disappeared in the month following the 2012 coup welcomed the news of the general’s detention.

Their spokeswoman, Aminata Diarra, told the BBC: “For over a year we shed tears of sadness. Today they are tears of joy.”BBC

HE US authorities have studied online sexual activity and suggested exposing porn site visits as a way to discredit people who spread radical views, the Huffington Post news site has reported.

It published a document, leaked by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, identifying two Muslims said to be vulnerable to accusations of “online promiscuity”.

An official said this was unsurprising.

But campaign group Privacy International called it “frightening”.

“Without discussing specific individuals, it should not be surprising that the US government uses all of the lawful tools at our disposal to impede the efforts of valid terrorist targets who seek to harm the nation and radicalise others to violence,” Shawn Turner, director of public affairs for National Intelligence, told the Huffington Post.

Privacy International said: “This is not the first time we’ve seen States use intimate and private information of an individual who holds views the government doesn’t agree with, and exploit this information to undermine an individual’s message.”

The report came shortly after a group of United Nations experts adopted a “right to privacy” resolution.

The UN’s Human Rights Committee said it was “deeply concerned at the negative impact” the interception of data “including extraterritorial surveillance” could have “`in particular when carried out on a mass scale”.

The resolution will be passed by the UN’s General Assembly before the end of the year, but is largely symbolic since it is not legally binding.

‘Sexually explicit’ The latest of Mr Snowden’s leaked document is dated October 2012 and says it was distributed by the office of the director of the NSA to other US government officials.

It names six Muslims whom it describes as “prominent, globally resonating foreign radicalisers” about whom surveillance efforts had revealed potential “vulnerabilities that can be exploited”.

It says the information is largely based on gathered “Sunni extremist communications”, including material sourced by the FBI. “Some of the vulnerabilities, if ex-

posed, would likely call into question a radicaliser’s devotion to the jihadist cause, leading to the degradation or loss of his authority,” it says.

One example is evidence of the target “viewing sexually explicit material online or using sexually explicit persuasive language when communicating with inexperienced young girls”.

Others include proof of the target: using donations to pay personal expenses charging exorbitant speaking fees using questionable sources and contradictory language in public messages None of the six individuals who appear in the report are accused of being directly involved in terrorism.

But the document says one of the two said to have been involved in “online promiscuity” had previously been imprisoned for inciting hatred against non-Muslims, and the other had been involved in promoting al-Qaeda propaganda.

Of the four other targets, one is said to be vulnerable to being exposed for being “attracted to fame” and another for having a “glamorous lifestyle”.

Privacy International spokesman Mike Rispoli said: What is frightening about the NSA’s capabilities are that they collect massive amounts of information on everyone, including your political beliefs, contacts, relationships, and internet histories.

“While these documents suggest this type of personal attacks are targeted in nature, do not forget that the NSA is conducting mass surveillance on the entire world and collecting a vast amount of information on nearly everyone.”

A spokeswoman for the NSA’s UK equivalent - GCHQ - declined to comment on details of the Huffington Post’s report.

But she highlighted the UK government’s Counter-Terrorism Strategy, which discusses using the internet to gather evidence against individuals in order to challenge terrorist propaganda.

“All of GCHQ’s work is carried out in accordance with a strict legal and policy framework which ensures that its activities are authorised, necessary and proportionate, and that there is rigorous oversight,” she added.

David Cameron defiant over tougher EU benefit plans

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AVID Cameron has defended plans to toughen welfare rules for EU migrants, saying he was sending a “clear message” to people that the UK was not a “soft touch” for claiming benefits.

He said he shared public concerns about the end of work restrictions on Bulgarians and Romanians next month.

Labour says he should have acted sooner and a European commissioner warned the UK risked being seen as “nasty”.

But the prime minister said: “British people expect fairness.”

“That is what this is about,” he told BBC political editor Nick Robinson. “It is about fair treatment for people who work hard and do the right thing.”

Mr Cameron has announced measures including: New migrants not getting out-of-work benefits for the first three months Payments being stopped after six months unless the claimant has a “genuine” chance of a job New migrants not being able to claim housing benefit immediately Deportation of those caught begging or sleeping rough, with no return within

a year Quadrupling fines for employers not paying the minimum wage Mr Cameron questioned the principle of free movement of people across the EU, saying this right could not be “unqualified”.

“Yes, of course, there is a right to take up a specific position if you want to work but there should not be a freedom of movement to claim,” he added.

He told the BBC controls were “not just aimed at Romanians and Bulgarians” but would apply to “anyone in other EU countries thinking of coming to Britain because it is

easier to claim benefits”.

“I think it is very important to send out a clear message that this is not the case.”

Mr Cameron suggested a future Conservative government, as part of its pledge to renegotiate EU membership, could seek more control over migration policy.

Working with like-minded EU governments, he said, it would look at allowing member states to halt arrivals if numbers exceeded a set level.

He also suggested freedom of movement should only be fully allowed if the average income of a country’s people was not too far below the EU average.

10

OPINION

Thursday, 28th November, 2013

More Ambassadors, little for Ghana’s good!!

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Y good friends, President Mahama has appointed 10 Ambassadors-designate, introducing new faces who have nothing to their credit but political activism and other credentials verging on academic work or journalism and public service. (Source: http:// www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/ NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=293194) We don’t yet know which country these Ambassador nominees are designated for, but we can tell that some of them immediately evoke mixed feelings that will make us wonder whether anything new will happen at all in Ghana’s Diplomatic Missions as far as the non-career diplomats are concerned.

Certainly, this batch doesn’t have any career diplomat in it. One may quickly conclude that the injection of politicians into the country’s foreign missions is not the best; but the President must be thinking otherwise.

So far, Ghana’s foreign missions have been unable to serve useful purposes to warrant their being retained. All that they do is not being felt in terms of productive benefits to the country and its people.

I may be making sweeping statements here but my assessment of the performance of all these missions proves to me that they aren’t actively promoting the country’s interests.

And the appointing authorities don’t even seem to be reforming those missions, redefining their purview, or ensuring that they serve the interests of Ghana and its citizens wherever they are.

How many of these foreign missions, for instance, have been able to promote trade-related transactions from which Ghana could benefit? How many of them even have any database containing information on Ghanaians

resident in their areas of jurisdiction? How do they even serve the needs of Ghanaians calling at the missions?

More often than not, the staff of these foreign missions lack the sense of urgency and can’t even do their assignments expeditiously and courteously to promote anybody’s interests but their own well-being. In other words, serving in these foreign missions has become a mere job-for-the-boys case.

Let’s consider some of the newly nominated people, for instance, and we can quickly conclude that they are just being pushed away to “enjoy” the foreign breeze, cool off, and return at will to energize the NDC’s polit-

hind: either as not really competent or being embroilled in questionable circumstances to warrant their losing their positions. Are they being rehashed or recycled to redeem their image? And through Foreign Service?

Of course, Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo did a great job in the Brong-Ahafo Region but was not retained as the regional Minister, even though numerous appeals from there were made to the President. Should we assume that this appointment is a “compensation”?

Probably, he may stand out as a difference!!

We all know how Victor Smith functioned in the Eastern Region and his rash reaction to the choice of K.B. Amissah-Arthur as Vice Pres-

ical machine.

Dr. Tony Aidoo is erudite, very eloquent, and courageous, speaking his mind without fear or favour. But he is controversial and hasn’t cut any “diplomatic” image for himself.

How qualified is he to be an Ambassador on that score?

Is he being sent out for his office to be shut down? Apparently, his recent criticisms must have sent the signal that he can cause trouble if not “greased”. Well, let him prove me wrong if he can do so through his performance.

The others such as John A. Tia, Emmanuel Victor Smith, Zita Okaikoi, Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, Moses Magbengba, Sam Pee Yalley, and Madam Akua Dansua are not new faces on the scene.

Each of them left office, leaving traces be-

ident---and the embarrassment that he created, which some adduced as the reason for his being dropped by President Mahama.

He has been an Ambassador before and is only being restored to that status. As to whether he can outperform himself this time round, I don’t yet know. But he also has a baggage, especially as a politician whose public utterances and image have raised disturbing questions on propriety and diplomacy.

We (those living outside Ghana) want to be sure that our foreign missions care for us--not by meeting our material needs but by ensuring that they know us and can deal with us as Ghanaians. We want to participate actively in national affairs, particularly in choosing our leaders and in offering ideas for policy formulation. That is why our foreign missions must

be “virile” and purposeful in their dealings with us.

Take the law on Ghanaians living outside and their voting rights (ROPAA), for instance, and you shouldn’t go far to see our foreign missions as doing a huge disservice to us.

We cannot vote because there is no record on any of us as Ghanaians eligible to vote. We are forced to return to Ghana before voting, which is nonsensical.

If nationals of other countries residing elsewhere in the world can register and vote through the work of their foreign missions, why can’t the Ghanaian ones also do same?

You see, my good friends, the lethargy that is our bane in the handling of public office is all over the place, which is why I don’t think that merely pouring new wine into old wine bottles will solve the problems that we have identified with our foreign missions. It’s been so for many years, and nobody in authority seems to care. How sad!!

Indeed, the time has come for much work to be done on our foreign service so that those who are fit for heading missions (because they have the acumen and the natural bent to do diplomacy) to be appointed. These “political diplomats” won’t help us that much.

I have aired my views without any malice (aforethought). It is as plain as plain can ever be. As someone who has written many opinion pieces on the inadequacies of our foreign missions, I deem it my bounden duty to step in so early at this point to reiterate my concerns.

The President has to do his job but we have every right to comment on what that job is and how he does it. Ghana matters most!!

I shall return…

Dr. Tony Aidoo is erudite, very eloquent, and courageous, speaking his mind without fear or favour. But he is controversial and hasn’t cut any “diplomatic” image for himself. How qualified is he to be an Ambassador on that score?

>>One Big Happy Comics<<

• E-mail: mjbokor@yahoo.com

By Michael J.K. Bokor, Ph.D.

Thursday, 28th November, 2013

11

Preventing a catastrophe in the Central African Republic

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N the course of its young history, the Central African Republic has known many dark hours. Now the country is facing its worst crisis. In this failed state, entire swaths of land are given over to violence by armed gangs. Looting, the recruitment of child soldiers, burned villages, rapes, summary executions – civilians are paying a high price. One in ten people have already had to flee their homes. Infant mortality, already very high, is on the rise. The impact of instability on farming portends a possible food crisis.

The healthcare system is dilapidated, with epidemics breaking out on the local level and only seven surgeons for five million inhabitants. The climate of fear is coupled with the imminent threat of a humanitarian disaster.

In this potentially rich and terribly poor land, where a certain harmony traditionally reigned between different groups and religious persuasions, inter-ethnic and

sectarian tensions are on the rise.

The hostility between Christians and Muslims has already led to several deaths. A spiral of hatred, pitching inhabitants against one another, is looming on the horizon; it must be avoided at all costs.

This tragic situation threatens to destabilize the entire region. The “Central African” Republic does not bear this name by chance: it lies at the crossroads of the Great Lakes Region, the two Sudans, Cameroon, Chad and the Congo.

The entire continent stands to lose if it becomes a haven for armed criminal gangs or terrorist groups.

Experience has taught us how dangerous it is to allow the development of “grey areas” sheltering traffickers and terrorist groups from other African countries or parts of the world.

The gravity of this situation, as President Hollande emphasized in his speech to the UN in September, is leading that body to speak of the threat of genocide. The countries of Central Africa and the African Union

are aware and mobilized. Neither indifference nor inaction are options.

What should be done?

First, obtain a commitment from the Central Africans themselves.

Local authorities, even if they are serving on a temporary basis, are responsible for ensuring law and order, protecting civilians and fighting impunity. They must fulfil their commitments: carry out the political transition and hold elections by early 2015 at the latest, as provided in international agreements. For their part, civil society actors in the Central African Republic, notably the religious leaders, must continue to mobilize their efforts to promote civil peace. They need to be supported, as I emphasized with European Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs Kristalina Georgieva during our recent joint visit to Bangui.

A strong commitment from the international community is essential. This involves immediate humanitarian support. The EU and the UN are working to that end. France

alone is devoting millions of euros to relief efforts in the areas of food and health. These efforts should support the work of the NGOs, notably the NGOs of the Central African Republic, which are courageously working to help the people who are suffering the most.

But improving the humanitarian situation is obviously inseparable from the priority and urgent need to restore security. All players – political as well as humanitarian – share this view. Africa is at the forefront and has started to intervene.

First, the neighboring countries and the entire region: in July, the African Union decided to deploy an African force - MISCA [AFISM-CAR] - which France supports and will continue to support.

The international community must support the build-up of this force, in all areas, including by financing it. UNSCR 2121, unanimously adopted on 10 October, is a first step. This momentum must be strengthened by a strong collective commitment, in New York, Brussels

and Addis Ababa on the part of all partners who care about the fate of the millions of women, men and children.

The UN Secretary-General has just reported to the Security Council on the choices to be made. A new UN resolution geared to taking action is imminent.

France, together with the African Union, has made international mobilization in support of the Central African Republic a priority. It’s about preventing a tragic situation and supporting the people of the Central African Republic and their African partners in their efforts to help the CAR, while avoiding the mistakes of the past. We don’t want to pay for and suffer the price of doing nothing, which will be much higher tomorrow.

France will deliver. It will take action, in accordance with the law and together with its partners, notably its European partners, so that, a year after the start of the rebellion, the Central African Republic can regain hope.

French Ambassador, AFDB Country Director Awoshie-Pokuase Road

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. E. Mr Frédéric Clavier, French Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, the Resident Representative of the African Development (AfDB) and Mrs Amélie July, Resident Manager of the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) have visited the Awoshie-Pokuase Road to assess the progress of work so far.

Honourable Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Amin Amidu Sulemani, led the delegation on their visit.

The Director of the Department of Urban Roads, Alhaji Abass Awolu, provided the technical characteristics of the project.

The Awoshie-Pokuase Road Project is co-financed by AFD (with a total amount of 30M €) and AfDB (with a total amount of 62.5M €).

The project has two main components: the Awoshie-Pokuase road works and the community development infrastructure for the population living in the vicinity of the road.

The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2015.

The road works include the rehabilitation and capacity increase of the 15km long Awoshie to Pokuase road axis. This involves the provision of 2x2 and 2x3 lanes, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) reservations (which will serve as dedicated lanes for buses without interference with the traffic of cars) and road intersections.

Under the urban community development component of the project, AFD

will finance basic infrastructures in adjacent neighbourhoods in particular, the rehabilitation or replacement of 33,000 meters of water pipelines and a number of secondary roads.

AfDB will, on their part, finance the construction of 14 schools and toilets within the corridor, the Ofankor hospital, an accident center at Amasaman, 10 boreholes, Anyaa market and an adjoining lorry park.

Procurement of the community development infrastructure component is underway and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Once completed, the project will contribute to the reduction of traffic congestion in Western Accra and reduce the isolation of the suburban neighbourhoods located nearby, as highlighted in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area Transport Network Plan.

It is expected that, this will increase overall economic productivity of the city by reducing travel time and enhance urban coherence by linking together suburban neighbourhoods.

The Awoshie-Pokuase road has regional integration importance as it links the Accra-Kumasi/Accra-Ouagadougou corridor to the Accra-Tema/Abidjan-Accra-Lagos future corridor at Pokuase and Awoshie.

The associated community upgrading infrastructure will enhance living conditions of the population by providing access to essential services and improving their general environment and well-being.

CMYK

12

SPORTS

Thursday, 28th November, 2013

Marcel Desailly tips Cote d’Ivoire over Ghana in Brazil 2014

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ORMER French International Marcel Desailly says the Cote d’Ivoire is the African team to beat in next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

Cote d’Ivoire booked their place at next year’s FIFA World Cup in the last round of African qualifiers after a 4-2 aggregate scoreline against the Terranga Lions of Senegal over two qualifying rounds.

The Chelsea legend believes the Elephants

of La Cote d’Ivoire have a better and quality team to raise the flag of Africa highest by reaching the Semi Final in next year’s World Cup. “It’s a shame that the number of African teams going to the World Cup is mainly from West Africa. The East African and Southern Africa are really lagging behind and that should not happen,” Desailly told Supersport.

“As for the five that will go to Brazil, I think

Cote d’Ivoire are the favourites to do better than Ghana in South Africa and reach the semifinals.”

“African federations must invest in the system to ensure that they nurture the talent to improve and compete with the rest of the continents when it comes to competitions.”

Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Algeria and Cameroon will represent Africa in Brazil 2014.

Groves: Froch has to give me a rematch or retire

Ghana defender Rashid sumaila robbed in South Africa

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NUMBER of Mamelodi Sundowns players and officials have been subjected to identity theft, with the latest victim being Ghanaian international Rashied Sumalia.

A number of Sundowns players including left-back Punch Masenamela and Lebohang Mokoena have also suffered after their simcards were cloned three times.

Teko Modise, Alex Shakoane, Elias Pelembe, Dan-

iel Mudau, Trott Moloto, assistant coach Alex Bapela and Soth Africa striker Katlego Mphela have all been victims.

A Close source to Sundowns said: “What happens is that when the simcards are cloned, people get access to the player’s or official’s phone details. These people then send messages to their relatives or people close to our employees saying that they are in trouble and are asking for money. This is a problem and we want to put an end to it.”

Shaibu Tanko Ibrahim takes over Amidaus as head coach

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MIDAUS Professionals have officially appointed of Shaibu Tanko Ibrahim as their new head coach.

The former assistant coach for Hearts of Oak replaces Baba Ali, who was sacked follow-

ing poor delivery by the club.

The Tema-based side have not revealed the details of the contract but have confirmed his appointment as replacement for Baba Ali. The Operations Manager of Amidaus Professionals Serrif Sulley con-

firmed the appointment on Asempa FM’s Sports Nite.

“It is true that we have appointed Tanko as our new head coach but we can’t reveal the details of the contract,” Sulley said.

Shaibu Tanko’s first assignment will be on

Sunday, when Amidaus Profs. lock horns with league leaders Asante Kotoko at the Tema Sports Stadium.

Amidaus are tenth on the Ghana Premier League table. Story by Ghana /Asempa Sports/ Wallas Worlanyo

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))George Groves and Carl Froch

FRICA Top Sports reported Monday that promoter Eddie Hearn might call for a rematch between his British boxing icons Georges Groves and Carl Froch after their clash on Saturday in Manchester that saw the latter controversially stopping the unbeaten run of the former.

Froch then retained his IBF and WBA titles after the crazy match.

Trainer Paddy Fitzpatrick after highly critizing referee Howard Foster for his final decision he deems as bias, says he should be held to account. Groves then discomfort-

ed by his controversial defeat told Skysports that Froch will stain his reputation if he does not give him a rematch.

“At the time I was sickened and gutted, but now I’ve watched the footage I’m a little angry,” said Groves. “It’s a shocking decision from the referee. I’m actually quite angry about it.”

He added: “Froch has to give me a rematch or retire. That’s his only option. There’s no other fight out there for Carl that anyone would be interested in. His credibility will be shot if he tried to take on anyone else but me.”

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